An hour quietly passed. Fujimaru Ritsuka returned alone to the master's room assigned to him. The room, though simple, was packed with futuristic technology. It looked almost identical to the Chaldea dormitories he remembered, but it all felt strangely unfamiliar.
He sat alone at the edge of the bed, unconsciously clenching both fists so hard his knuckles turned slightly white. Outside the window, a profound, majestic band of light hung in the sky, as if it belonged to some imaginary space, but his unfocused gaze wandered past it. Worry seeped into his heart, slowly and coldly, like the incoming tide. Not long ago, he was a normal elementary school student who worried only about homework and pocket money, but now he carried the heavy burdens of setting the future right and saving the world.
Was he truly capable of such things? Was he really the person known as the last master of humanity? Or… was he just a fake Fujimaru Ritsuka, implanted forcibly with memories and abilities?
He was deep in thought when a gentle knock echoed at the door.
"Senpai, may I come in?" came a familiar voice as the door swung open.
The figure stepping in pulled him back to reality in an instant. It was Mash.
But not as the resolute knight clad in heavy armor—rather, as the most familiar and adorable image from his memories: a white short-sleeved shirt, beige vest, black skirt and tie, with her soft, lilac hair gently brushing her cheeks. She looked like an ordinary girl visiting a friend after work—a typical, casual Chaldea staff uniform.
In her hand, she held a cup of steaming tea.
"You looked very tired, so I brewed you some tea," Mash smiled with her usual calming warmth, handing him the cup. "Director said it's a master's duty to maintain mental composure before the final battle."
"…Thank you, Mash."
As he received the teacup, warmth spread from his palm, melting away some of the chill in his heart. That was Mash's unique kindness. She always had a keen sense for others' anxieties, able to calm him in the most appropriate way.
Mash then sat beside him, maintaining that subtle, close yet well-mannered distance. She said nothing of battles or enemies, and instead began a casual conversation.
"Come to think of it…until today, I never really knew what you looked like as a child, Senpai."
Tilting her head as if searching her memories, she continued, "In my mind, you were always running around Chaldea. I suppose you had a time in elementary school—wearing a uniform, and crying over green peppers you couldn't eat."
"Hey! I wasn't crying just because I didn't want to eat green peppers!" Ritsuka's face flushed red as he instinctively protested. But seeing Mash stifle a laugh, his energy ebbed away.
"…Well, maybe there really were times like that…"
"How about you? What was your childhood like, Mash?"
So began their gentle conversation. They talked about their short real childhoods—about sides of themselves never seen in the implanted future memories.
Ritsuka also told the story of his encounter with Steve: the mysterious Caster who suddenly appeared at a park near his home and, with a smile, said, "Hey, Ritsuka-kun, want to see a real starry sky?"
According to Ritsuka, Steve seemed like an omnipotent magician, capable of revealing worlds he'd never even imagined, effortlessly.
In the tranquil atmosphere, Ritsuka's anxiety gradually faded, replaced by a soothing peace he'd never felt before.
Gazing at the smiling girl beside him, a sudden, uncontrollable thought crossed his mind.
"Mash," he asked quietly, "If—no, I mean—if we really succeed this time, and the world returns to its proper course… what will you do after that?"
Mash paused, as if caught off guard by the question. She lowered her gaze to the teacup in her hands and quietly murmured, "I… I haven't really thought about that."
"I was born in Chaldea, and my whole world has always been Chaldea and its directors… Maybe, if things stabilize, I'll stay with the director's side, and keep working as a staff member in the new Chaldea, if it can be rebuilt."
"I see…" Ritsuka nodded, then spoke with resolve, "I've been thinking. Once all this is over, I want to work at New Chaldea for a few years, just like Caster suggested—to gain some real-life experience."
"Then once I've saved up enough money, I'd like to quit and open a little bakery, using my savings."
A look of longing appeared on his face at the thought—a simple, heartwarming dream of ordinary people.
"A bakery…?" Mash softly repeated, her cheeks faintly reddening. Head lowered, her voice became barely audible. "Um, Senpai… If you really do open a bakery, could I… help out at the shop too?"
For a moment, the room went still. Ritsuka's mind went utterly blank. He stared in a daze at the blushing girl before him, who seemed almost ready to bury her head in her chest.
Her question was like an arrow, piercing through all his clumsy evasions and defenses, striking straight at his most vulnerable heart.
It wasn't just a comrade's wish anymore—it was the pure, courageous hope of someone wanting to walk into the future together.
"I… um…" His cheeks burned. Try as he might to speak, he found himself unable to utter a word. His heart hammered in his chest as if desperate to break free. All he could do was nod awkwardly, uttering half-formed syllables.
Mash, seeing his embarrassment, blushed even harder herself. But a tiny, happy smile could not help but curl the corners of her mouth.
In that warm, youthful atmosphere, their quiet moment of rest ticked by gently. When the room announcement sounded, letting them know there were just ten minutes left until midnight, it was as if they both woke from a dream. The promise for the future they'd shared, transformed into an unbreakable armor for their hearts.
…
Ten minutes later, the mood in the Shadow Border's operations room changed utterly.
Mash, having shed her everyday outfit symbolizing peace, now donned a full set of armor shining with holy silver light. This was the Paladin form, rebuilt and adjusted by Steve based on Mash's future Saint Graph. The elegant lines and dignified presence made her every bit the image of a holy knight. Clutching her massive cross-shaped shield, her violet eyes now held no confusion—only the firm resolve to protect all.
Fujimaru Ritsuka, too, had changed from the basic Chaldea uniform he'd worn through so many past growths. Now he wore a special version, developed by Da Vinci just for him and only used during the final stages after the Human Order Incineration.
The tight-fitting black and white combat suit accentuated his increasingly athletic form, the striping on his arms and chest radiating an advanced sense of technology. This gear was a symbol of his growth—from a boy needing protection to a self-reliant commander.
Fully outfitted, the two entered the operations room, where Olga Marie and Lev were waiting. At that very instant, the Shadow Border shook violently throughout.
The deep, throaty hum of the engine faded completely.
"The voyage through imaginary space is over." Steve's composed voice echoed through the speaker. "We have arrived. Everyone, please look out the window."
All four looked—gone was the imaginary, majestic band of light. Instead, what appeared before them was the night view of Fuyuki City, Japan, circa 2004. So familiar—and yet so impossibly strange. Directly beneath them, a massive circular stadium lay quiet in the city's heart, like a beast poised to spring.
The clock's hands pointed resolutely to midnight. The moment of the decisive battle had come.
…