"————"
The entire control room suddenly fell into utter silence.
Everyone widened their eyes, looking first at Rozen, then at Roman, all of them struck dumb with shock.
Especially Olga Marie and the technicians of Chaldea—remembering the anomaly that occurred with Roman during the Fifth Singularity, each of them held their breath.
After all, none of them had expected that in this situation, Rozen would actually question Roman openly in front of everyone.
Even Da Vinci hadn't anticipated this, her brows twitching slightly.
As for Mash and the other Servants, they seemed rather confused.
"Senpai? What does this mean?"
Mash asked blankly, her face full of bewilderment.
This girl didn't yet understand what was going on, nor the reason Rozen asked such a question.
Only Roman's face remained the same—his expression still one of resignation and release.
Then, Roman spoke.
"I am Romani Archaman, that much is beyond doubt."
Roman said this with a smile.
Indeed, he was Romani Archaman—of that there could be no question.
He wasn't an impostor, nor was he in disguise. The person known as Romani Archaman was truly him.
But…
"You're not just Romani Archaman, though. Am I wrong?"
Rozen added calmly.
Recalling the many mysteries that had surrounded Roman until now, Rozen fixed his gaze upon him.
"The Director already told me. In Chaldea's archives, there's no information about you from before you joined, and the records after you entered Chaldea are locked behind the highest level of clearance. Only the surface details are visible—the rest are completely inaccessible. What exactly is going on here?"
At these words, the faces of everyone present shifted dramatically.
This matter, apart from Olga Marie, was truly unknown to the others.
For it was Olga Marie who had secretly investigated this on her own. Other than confiding once in Rozen, she had never told anyone.
And so, until this moment, everyone realized for the first time that Olga Marie had already harbored suspicions about Roman, had secretly investigated him, and that his origins seemed far from simple—shrouded in mystery.
To put it in one sentence—
"Whether in terms of data or information, your very existence is suspicious, as though you appeared out of thin air."
Rozen spoke bluntly.
"Aren't you going to explain, big bro?"
Rozen's words made everyone present grow solemn, their eyes on Roman now carrying a different weight.
Only two people showed unusual reactions.
One was Da Vinci.
She watched quietly from the side, as though unwilling to intervene.
The other was Mash.
"C-Could this be some kind of misunderstanding?"
Mash grew panicked and incredulous.
For her, Roman's existence was something truly special.
Because Roman had been the very first person to speak to her—the demi-Servant experimental subject—as an equal, and had cared for her for a long time as a guardian.
It was entirely thanks to Roman that Mash had been able to move freely within Chaldea under the guise of a normal staff member.
It was Roman who constantly looked after Mash's frail body—otherwise, she might have already collapsed long ago due to genetic defects and other complications.
To Mash, Roman was an benefactor, like a foster parent who had given her new life. Seeing him now doubted by everyone—there was no way she could remain unmoved.
In truth, how could Rozen himself remain unmoved?
Roman might be Mash's foster parent, but for Rozen, it was no different.
The memories of the past resurfaced in Rozen's mind one by one.
Those unbearable memories—once, he would never have spoken of them.
Even though most of those present in Chaldea knew something of his background, Rozen still would not have brought it up.
But now things were different.
Rozen no longer carried only the past—he carried the future as well.
The thought of the child yet unborn calmed his heart.
The painful past was now but smoke on the wind.
What mattered was the future.
Thus—
"Big bro, you haven't forgotten how I came into this world, have you?"
Rozen spoke with remarkable composure.
"After all, just like Mash, I too am a test-tube baby artificially bred by Chaldea."
When Rozen revealed this truth, everyone in Chaldea drew a sharp breath and was left speechless.
Even Artoria [Alter], Jeanne [Alter], and Hassan of Serenity narrowed their eyes, a ripple passing through their hearts.
Mash's face grew tangled with emotions.
Olga Marie was utterly silent.
As for Roman—looking at Rozen, who had voluntarily brought up this matter—his face showed both stupefaction and astonishment.
Yes, Rozen was just like Mash, an artificial test-tube baby bred in Chaldea.
It was precisely for this reason that Mash called Rozen "Senpai." The two of them were like one body, always together in action.
This truth, for the Rozen of the past, had been his reverse scale. Once touched upon, he would erupt without restraint.
But now, Rozen could speak of it calmly.
"In Chaldea, many illegal experiments were conducted. Whether it was to cultivate suitable Masters, or to create individuals for demi-Servant experiments, artificial test-tube babies were essential. For Chaldea, raising test-tube infants wasn't rare—it was the foundation of everything."
Rozen's voice sounded faint but clear.
"Mash and I were both born in the year 2000 as test-tube infants, yet our fates were different."
As experimental subjects thrown into countless trials, now, aside from Rozen and Mash, all the other test-tube children of Chaldea had long since been discarded.
Rozen, too, was supposed to have been one of the discarded.
"When I was two years old, I should have died."
Rozen spoke softly.
"Because that year, I was already put into an experiment."
What experiment?
The demi-Servant experiment.
Mash had been placed into the experiment only after growing to a certain age.
But before her, there had been many test subjects.
Experiments required data—countless sacrifices.
Rozen was among the very first sacrifices.
"At that time, I didn't know what kind of experiment I was thrown into, nor what was being done to me. I only remember lying in a white room, on a bed, covered in instruments. In the end, my body failed, and I was declared to have little time left—until a mysterious person saved me."
That was the first miracle of Rozen's life—the very event that set him on the path of seeking mysteries, of chasing miracles.
"Countless times I have wondered—back then, what truly happened to me? And who was that mysterious person?"
Rozen turned his eyes to Roman.
"And now, piecing together the many clues, I have a guess."
Today, Rozen was determined to uncover all the mysteries.
Both his own—and Roman's.