Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"Yes!" Ritsuka nodded vigorously, her figure gradually disappearing. "Goodbye, Captain! Have a safe voyage!"

"Goodbye, Drake." Nian Zhuo nodded with his back to her. "Goodbye, Star Pioneer."

Then, the crystal-blue passage enveloped the three figures.

The Third Singularity, "The Final Lockdown of the Four Seas," has been repaired.

Foundation of Human Principles

It is both an end and a beginning.

In the crystal-blue spatial passage, Nian Zhuo and his companions' consciousnesses gradually rubbed against each other across the world, eventually experiencing the tangible sensation of returning to their physical bodies.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in the main control room of Chaldea once more.

Chaldea overhead emitted a pale blue light, and Mash and Ritsuka's transfer pods were opened.

Looking at the two somewhat listless girls, Nianzhuo clenched his fists, finally feeling a sense of returning to reality.

“Welcome back, Nianzhuo, Ritsuka, and Mashu.” Da Vinci stood not far away, and after confirming that their bodily functions were all normal, he nodded at them with satisfaction. “With this, the third singularity has been successfully eliminated. Protecting humanity's history… this task doesn't seem so far off anymore. As for that demon, leave it to Roman and me. We've already begun preparing our investigation, currently focusing on the era of King Solomon.” After briefly explaining his future plans, Da Vinci rubbed his temples and looked at the shimmering Sheba behind them.

"Roman, Mary, and I will try to use Chaldea and Sheba to observe the Earth in 1000 BC." This said something that seemed impossible to outsiders.

"...Where is Mary now?" Sensing the strange sensation emanating from the connection between their magic circuits, Nian Zhuo looked towards the control panel, but didn't see the silver-haired girl who usually stood there watching them. "Also...are you confident about this matter?"

“As for Mary… I suggest you go see her.” Da Vinci sighed helplessly, his brows seeming to furrow even more. “As for her condition… she’s just a little mentally exhausted right now, nothing too serious. She’s resting in Roman’s infirmary.”

"...Yes, I'll go see her later." Nian Zhuo nodded, but noticed a hint of doubt on Mashu's face. "Hmm? Mashu, what's wrong?"

“Yes, it’s nothing, Mr. Nianzhuo. I just have a few questions.” Mashu shook her head at Nianzhuo to indicate that she was alright, then looked at the enormous, shimmering device behind her. “However, Sheba’s observation range only extends to 1 AD. If we trace back to before Christ, the accuracy should decrease. The required magic power and electricity would also be staggering, and Chaldea doesn’t have that many reserves right now—”

"Oh, don't worry, I'm an all-powerful genius, you know?" Da Vinci smiled and nudged Mashu, indicating that there was no need to worry. However, the expression on his face looked more like that of a shrewd businessman. "I'll find a way to handle things even if it costs the logistics staff some money. As for the supply of magic, I already have suitable candidates to assist me."

"...An assistant?" Mash tilted her head, looking even more puzzled. "Isn't it impossible to rely on outside help right now?"

"Fu?" Fufu, who was following at Nianzhuo's feet, tilted her ear and stared at Da Vinci, whose cheeks were gradually turning red.

"Huh...? Ah, um—" His cheeks flushed red, Da Vinci probably hadn't expected to accidentally reveal something. He quickly waved his hands, "I'm sorry, cough cough, I made a mistake. Using Dr. Roman's treasured private stash of money should solve this problem." Then, seeing that Mash and Ritsuka still wanted to ask more questions, Da Vinci quickly pushed their shoulders and led them outside.

"Anyway, you should all go and rest your weary bodies and minds." Da Vinci pointed to the four remaining points of light on the crystalline sphere of Chaldea, finally letting out a sigh of relief. "Next up is the Fourth Singularity—finally halfway there!"

"France, Rome, and the sea." Recounting the three previous singularities, Leonardo da Vinci's gaze was fixed on Ritsuka before him. "With each occurrence, the anomalies also gradually increase. So for now, you should rest and recuperate, after all, there's still some time before the next spirit particle transfer."

"Fu! Fu!" Fu Fu twitched her long ears and ran out the door first.

"Huh?! Fou!~" Seeing Fou run out, Mash's attention was also diverted, and she ran out after Fou.

"Sigh, there's just no way to deal with her. Well then, I'll take my leave. Goodbye, Da Vinci." Watching Mashu run out anxiously, Nianzhuo shrugged and then said goodbye to Da Vinci. "I'll go see Mary later. You all need to take care of your energy."

"Okay, let's go together, Mr. Nianzhuo?" Ritsuka shook her orange ponytail, turned her head and waved to Da Vinci, then ran out to catch up with Mashu.

"Senior and Mr. Nianzhuo, you've worked hard this time too." Mashu adjusted her glasses, looked at Fou who was constantly moving in her arms, and patted her head. "Of course, of course, Fou also tried her best."

"Chirp! Chirp!" With her ears drooping, Fufu looked very happy.

"...Speaking of which, Mr. Nianzhuo, and Senior." As if she had just remembered something, Mashu turned her head and looked at the two who were looking at her curiously. "Have you ever thought about traveling around the world with Miss Drake?"

"Hmm... well, of course I've thought about it." Ritsuka nodded readily, even taking Mashu's hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Then let's give it a try after the mission is over!!"

“…Hey, that’s a death flag, Ritsuka.” Nianzhuo raised an eyebrow. Ritsuka’s words just now reminded him of a very famous death flag—then he coughed twice to drive the dangerous thought out of his mind.

"Would you like to travel around the world...?" Recalling Mashu's question earlier, Nianzhuo nodded. "Indeed, that option is very tempting. It would be nice to give it a try."

“Yes, me too.” Mashu nodded, indicating that she shared the same opinion as the two of them. “Although the captain is a difficult person to understand, he is also a very charming character overall.” After hesitating for a moment, Mashu decided to express her feelings.

"...Senior, and Mr. Nianzhuo." Mash bit her lip, her words carrying a mixture of understanding and confusion. "I think this Holy Grail quest is the most unique one so far."

"Hmm? Why?" Nian Zhuo himself also had some strange feelings about this singularity. After all, he had lost his life here, but it had also brought him a lot of gains.

"Yes~ It was a very special trip." Ritsuka's eyes were also somewhat complicated as she nodded at Nencho beside her. "At least, I understand... the pain of helplessness, you know?"

"..." Speechless, Nianzhuo simply patted Ritsuka's head. "I'm sorry, but if I could do it all over again, I would still make that choice. Next time—"

“There will be no next time.” Mash and Ritsuka suddenly moved closer to Nianzhuo, their eyes filled with determination. “Next time, we will fight alongside you, Mr. Nianzhuo, no matter what.”

"—" Sensing the girls' determination, Nian Zhuo had no choice but to change the subject. "Ah, right, right, so Mash, why do you think this Holy Grail exploration is so significant?"

"..." Mashu stared intently at Nianzhuo until sweat dripped from his forehead before she looked away, sighing, "I just feel that a project that relentlessly pursues a certain goal is like trying to conquer a boundless ocean. I think I've learned something invaluable from it." Touching her chest, Mashu couldn't help but smile slightly, "In human history, good and evil have made equal contributions, the diversity and contradictions of humanity, and the expectations."

Suddenly, Mashu remembered the man in the dark green clothes and top hat.

“…Humans are vicious creatures.” Mashu recalled what he had once said: “To absorb knowledge and increase their strength for their own desires and purposes. This is an extremely vicious characteristic, and they are probably the most ferocious and savage life forms on this planet.”

Even if one wanted to defend oneself, there was no way to do so, let alone the fact that Nianzhuo had once witnessed the scene of humans killing each other.

“But—” Then, Mashu suddenly changed the subject, her purple eyes gleaming with a strange light, “Within this ferocity lies hope. The hope to achieve the impossible. The power to turn the impossible into the possible. She taught me that this is hope, and also humanity’s sin.”

Mashu placed her hand on her chest and gradually clenched her fist.

"...I don't know if I have such power. However, I hope I can get as close to it as I can." She raised her head and looked at Nian Zhuo in front of her. The height difference allowed Nian Zhuo to clearly see the expression on the girl's face. "In order to be able to fight alongside Mr. Nian Zhuo and my senior. In order to one day become a servant that you can trust and that you and my senior can be proud of."

Mashu bowed slightly to Nencho and Ritsuka, handed Fou to Ritsuka in front of her, and said goodbye with a smile.

"Then, senior, Mr. Nianzhuo, and Fufu." She waved her hand, then walked towards her room. "I wish you all a good dream on land after so long. Don't worry about seasickness anymore, please get some rest."

"...You will become it." Feeling the weight of Mashu's words just now, Nianzhuo solemnly affirmed in his heart.

"Alright, Ritsuka, you should go and rest too." Seeing that Ritsuka's eyelids were starting to droop as she hugged Fou, Nianzhuo chuckled and tapped her head. "Can you get back to your room safely from here? Don't fall asleep halfway there, okay?"

"Hmph! Don't underestimate me, Mr. Nianzhuo!" With wide, defiant eyes, Ritsuka carried Fou and ran towards her room, waving to Nianzhuo as she went. "Mr. Nianzhuo! You should get some rest too!"

"Okay, okay..." Shaking his head and watching her run away, Nianzhuo was somewhat infected by Ritsuka's emotions. "She's such a child that it's impossible not to like her..."

Now that everyone else has gone back to their rooms to rest, I'm the only one left, so I should—

Next, Nian Zhuo arrived at the door of Roman's infirmary.

She raised her hand, then lowered it again... Nianzhuo still didn't know how to face Mary.

He heard her cries before he died, and heard her overjoyed voice after he was resurrected. In addition, Da Vinci told him that she worked overtime all night and even rested in the control room... Nian Zhuo felt that he was afraid to face Mary.

"No, no, Nianzhuo... how can you not even face your own mistakes!" Nianzhuo quickly patted his cheeks, took a deep breath, and then gripped the doorknob for the umpteenth time.

Finally, this time he made up his mind and opened the door to the infirmary.

The first thing I saw was the silver-haired girl sitting on the pristine white bed, rubbing her temples.

Clearly, Mary turned around when she heard the noise coming from the door.

Their orange eyes met their dark eyes, and both of them were stunned.

"Um... you're awake?" Finally, Nianzhuo broke the silence, scratching his cheek and gently closing the infirmary door. "Are you... alright?"

"..." Mary did not answer, her orange eyes following his figure, widening as he approached.

"...Are you alright?" Nianzhuo placed his hand on Mary's forehead, gently feeling the warmth from his palm. "Yes, she's fine, she doesn't have a fever."

Relieved, Nian Zhuo was about to pull his hand away when he found Mary gripping his hand tightly.

“Um…Mary…?” Looking at the other’s trembling orange eyes and the hand tightly gripping his, Nian Zhuo sighed almost imperceptibly, “I’m such an irresponsible servant…”

Then, he gently placed his hand on Mary's cheek, met her gaze, and spoke softly.

"I am right here." Nian Zhuo said, each word distinct, as he felt the connection in the magic circuit.

“Your servant, Rider Nianzhuo, is right here.” Nianzhuo stroked Mary’s cheek and looked at her calmly.

"Ah..." The monosyllable escaped Mary's lips, and only now did tears finally well up in the girl's eyes as she looked at the smiling servant in front of her and felt the warmth of his hand on her face.

“Nian… Nian Zhuo… You’re back…?” Mary’s words were still a little unclear as she stared blankly at the familiar face in front of her.

“Yes, I’m back.” Nodding, Nianzhuo pointed to the three bright red decorations on the back of her hand. “Look, the Command Seals are still here, so don’t worry.”

"I...I'm really not dreaming...?" Mary covered Nianzhuo's hand that was on her face with her hand, staring blankly around before finally returning her gaze to Nianzhuo in front of her. "I...I'm really not dreaming? Not trapped in some kind of magic...not—" Before she could finish speaking, Nianzhuo gently pressed his index finger against Mary's slightly chapped lips.

“Yes, I’m right here.” Nian Zhuo’s eyes gleamed. He wanted to pat her head but found that his hand was being held tightly by her. Helpless, he had no choice but to release his hand that was covering Mary’s lips and pat her head instead.

"I am back."

Large tears finally streamed down Mary's cheeks, wetting Nianzhuo's palms.

The girl, restricted by her position as director, watched helplessly as her servant died without being able to cry, because all the staff were watching her. So she had to persevere, persevere... even though her heart was breaking with pain.

Now, Mary can finally have a good cry, no longer having to hold back.

Because he's back, he's finally back.

"Mmm..." Mary bit her lip tightly and wrapped her arms around Nianzhuo's neck.

The problem is with me, not the world (in chaos).

Nianzhuo looked at his hand, which was being held tightly by Mary, and then at Mary's straight steps toward the training room, and couldn't help but stop thinking.

Why, why did this happen...?

The story goes back a few minutes.

While counting the clock on the wall, Nianzhuo gently patted Mary's back.

The warm water droplets had completely soaked his shoulders, and Nianzhuo's face gradually turned ashamed.

Only when Nianzhuo truly felt Mary's affections did he realize just how important he was to Mary.

The emotions that kept emanating from the magical circuits linking the two of them caused their hearts to clench with pain.

From where the two were embracing, he could feel the girl's trembling body and her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

"It's alright, it's all alright—" Nianzhuo could only gently pat Mary's back, trying his best to comfort her.

Aside from that, he seemed to be unable to do anything else.

As the minute hand moved past another mark, the girl in my arms finally stopped crying.

He wanted to help her up, but Mary's hand stopped Nianzhuo from doing so.

“Promise me—” Her voice was still a little hoarse. Mary pressed down on Nianzhuo’s arm so he couldn’t see her face and whispered, “Please promise me, Nianzhuo.”

"Don't take unnecessary risks anymore, don't let this happen again."

Nianzhuo has not yet been able to comprehend the emotions contained in those words.

But he understood that the girl in his arms was pleading with him, in a tone that was almost humble to the extreme.

“…I’m sorry, Mary. I can’t agree to that.” Even understanding the situation, Nianzhuo clenched her fists tightly, and finally uttered the words of refusal.