20 Leisure Time
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Returning to Chaldea, the group took a much-needed break as the ray-shifting coffins needed a break. It was a good thing as Ritsuka went straight to sleep upon return.
Malzeno and Mash diligently stayed awake to give a briefing with Roman and Da Vinci. Although they knew what happened, it was best to write down everything. Ritsuka was exhausted, and despite her best efforts, Mash soon went to sleep as well.
Malzeno decided to take this time to get to know the staff better, as his appearance was quite unexpected, given that he comes from an unknown world.
"Did you really meet with the will of the planet?"
"Gaia, yes. Funny lady," Malzeno was in the kitchen, drinking tea to soothe his nerves. "I believe she'll be in contact with me every so often. I am merely a guest in her world."
Roman still couldn't wrap his head around what Malzeno was saying. Roman was aware of the Counter Force and, to an extent, Gaia and Alaya. Yes, he knew better than anyone.
"Fou!"
"Hmm? I don't think Gaia would approve of me staying here past my needed time, but I did promise her that if the planet were in danger, I would fight."
"Fou! Kyu."
"Yes, you're right. I'll contact her when I can."
"Y-you can understand Fou?"
"Of course," Malzeno answered, his crimson eyes looked at Fou, who was perched on his shoulders. "He's chill."
"C-chill?"
"Did I use that wrong?"
"Fou!"
"Right, Roman is a bit of an airhead," Malzeno chuckled as he spoke to Fou.
"I'm right here!" Roman said with exasperation, his teal-like eyes having a shine of indignation.
"You should get some sleep, Doc. How can the Doctor care for his patients if he isn't well?"
Roman sighed. "I guess you're right about that. Have yourself a good night, Malzeno. Thanks for your help in the singularity."
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The next day came by quickly, and Chaldea was filled with life again as the remaining staff got to work. Roman was the first to wake up, followed by Da Vinci and then Malzeno.
In the main room, Roman sat in front of a bunch of monitors as he scanned each one with sharp focus. The talk with Malzeno yesterday about Gaia is fresh in his mind. It seemed impossible, but a lot of impossibles have been possible recently.
Malzeno, holding a bowl filled with iron nails, looked around the room with a keen eye. His crimson eyes lit up as he learned about "technology." It seemed the human mind kept expanding so much that it scared him a little.
Malzeno was wearing a different outfit, consisting of a sleeveless black compression shirt, black slacks with red trimming, and steel-toed high-top red boots with the edges being black. His silver hair was loose, giving him a relaxed appearance.
"Ah, Good Morning, Malzeno, how're you doing?"
Malzeno turned his gaze to Mash, who was dressed casually. He only smiled at the young girl as he suddenly patted her head.
"All is well, though I wish Jeanne were here so I can mess with her," Malzeno grumbled softly.
Mash blinked, ignoring the head pats for a minute. "Do you like Jeanne?"
"If I recall, humans have two different meanings for that. Like as in love and like as in friend."
"That's true, so which one is Jeanne for you?"
Malzeno rubbed his chin as he began to ponder on Mash's question. Amadeus did say he was becoming more human, and this vessel seemed to give him more understanding of human emotions.
"I'm not sure," Malzeno picked up a nail and threw it in his mouth as he began to chew on it.
"Well, I'm sure if we see her again, you'll know by then," Mash reassured with a smile.
"You think so? I'll patiently wait for that moment."
Mash took note of the bowl in Malzeno's hand and noticed it was full of nails. Her eyes took on a confused expression as she watched Malzeno grab a handful of them and shove them into his mouth as if they were popcorn.
"Um, do you usually eat...metal?"
"Yes, I eat ore and metals alike. Is something wrong with it?" Malzeno tilted his head, to which Mash shook her head.
"It's nothing. Everyone has a quirk to them."
"That's right, so don't think too much about this. Think of it as me eating a snack."
"R-right," It was still a weird sight.
"Where's the Young Tangerine? Sleeping still?"
"That's right, she was heavily exhausted from the singularity. Thankfully, she could rest comfortably now that she's back here."
Malzeno nodded, his lips forming a faint smile. He knew his Master was a tough girl with a heart of steel; she'd tackle her way through any obstacle. Malzeno couldn't help but ponder how difficult these next singularities will be.
That's why he couldn't sleep much last night. His mind was a messy swirl of anxiety and anticipation. Taking a nail, Malzeno raised it to eye level. His crimson orbs stared at it with a distant shimmer.
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A few hours passed, and it was well past 2 pm. Finally, Ritsuka woke up. Her eyes looked heavy, and the hollow spots under them showed her tiredness.
However, what awoke Ritsuka was the fresh scent of food, a bunch of it at that. As she strolled the corridors, she found herself in the kitchen area. She was still decked in her white nightgown, but no one noticed.
"Oh! You're awake now."
In the kitchen, Malzeno was cooking up a feast, evidenced by the table already having a ton of food. Since it was the afternoon, there were a bunch of fine-looking sandwiches, a plate of chicken, tons of rice bowls, and other cuisines.
"Food..." Ritsuka absentmindedly spoke, eliciting a laugh from Malzeno.
"Dig in! I'm still in the middle of cooking, but you need to recover your energy. Sleep helps, but food after a good day makes it taste better."
Ritsuka said no more as she swiftly sat down to eat. It took everyone five minutes to appear to feast on Malzeno's cooking. The potent laughter from the staff and the joyful air boosted Malzeno's determination to keep everyone safe.
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After an hour, Ritsuka, Mash, Malzeno, and Da Vinci were in the briefing area to discuss important business regarding the future singularities.
"Ritsuka, how do you feel about summoning another Servant?" Romani asked the big question of the conversation.
Ritsuka's eyes widened before she turned to Malzeno, who gave a firm but understanding nod.
"The singularity taught me that Malzeno can't handle everything on his own," Ritsuka grimaced as she said those words about her first Servant, but the truth counted.
"Undoubtedly," Malzeno concurred. "I would have lost if Jeanne, Siegfried, or the rest weren't there. I believe it's time to summon someone to aid me."
Roman sighed, his troubled feelings washed away like a clean slate as Malzeno wasn't offended by the idea.
"Then I think nothing else should be said," Roman stood up with a thrilled expression.
"I wonder who will be summoned," Malzeno wondered; his thoughts drifted to Gaia since she was why he was summoned. Could she summon anyone else?
No, that would have to be Alaya, but both are working together to fix this world.
Oh well, all they can do is pray.
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AN: The People over on Wattpad are suggesting Jeanne Alter and Jeanne Ruler be summoned, but I would like to hear your thoughts on who should be summoned.
Let me know your thoughts as well!
