Strange noises echoed incessantly through the burning city. A young girl in a white uniform watched the skeletal figures shattering before her, her fists clenched in tight anxiety.
"..."
Suddenly, she felt something nuzzling against her cheek. She looked down to see Fou, wearing his little cape, rubbing his head against her. When she turned her head further, she saw the clear worry in his eyes.
"Sorry for making you worry, Fou. But don't you be scared; I'm sure as long as Mash is here, everything will be okay..."
She said the words, but the slight tremble in her body proved her heart was nowhere near as steady as her voice.
Before being recruited by Chaldea, she was just an ordinary high school girl. Having just started her freshman year, she never imagined she'd one day be "saving the world." She had to admit, she was excited when she was first told, but after saying goodbye to her family and arriving at Chaldea, she felt a wave of disappointment.
It was only then she realized she wasn't "the only one."
In fact, she was the "underachiever." Everyone else there had been training since childhood to become powerful magi, while she was just a normal girl. But just as she was debating whether to be relieved that she wouldn't have to carry such a heavy burden, or saddened because she wasn't "special," the "accident" happened.
Her lack of knowledge had led to some trouble, and she was only saved because the Director had ordered her to reflect on her actions elsewhere.
In the end, she was forced to hastily embark on a journey to save the world alongside Mash.
Normally, she might have found this exciting, but after being "lectured" by the Director, she finally understood that this wasn't some legendary quest from a storybook—it was a mission involving the very future of humanity. For that cause, both she and the Director had to be prepared to lay down their lives. If she hadn't felt the weight of that before, she certainly did now, seeing the ruins of Chaldea and being told that part of the staff had already perished. She fully understood just how terrifying her reality was.
Even though those skeletons stood no chance against Mash and were shattered in a few blows, she still couldn't find a sense of security. But then, a bizarre scene unfolded.
The yellow skeletons that were fighting Mash suddenly froze, as if someone had hit a pause button. Mash took the opportunity to smash the heads of several Dragon Tooth Warriors, but strangely, they offered no reaction.
Should she take the chance to smash more? Or hold back and observe?
Mash glanced at the girl pretending to be brave, Fujimaru Ritsuka, and made a decision.
"Senpai, something's wrong with these skeletons. Get behind me."
Fujimaru Ritsuka scrambled behind her immediately. Although they were about the same height, Ritsuka looked much smaller as she curled her body in fear.
"Mash, I feel like... someone is watching us?"
Even though Ritsuka wasn't a magus, Mash warily scanned their surroundings. She sensed no living things other than the skeletons.
"Don't worry, Senpai. There's no one around."
"No one? Then... could it be a ghost?"
Ritsuka looked at the bone dust on the ground and then at the frozen skeletons. Horror movie scenes involuntarily flashed through her mind. After all, in the RPGs she played, skeletons, zombies, and ghosts were the most common enemies.
"Senpai, a ghost is—wait, what?!"
Just as Mash was about to comfort Ritsuka, she froze. She spotted a blurry shape in the air. As she locked onto it, the figure vanished at high speed. A bad premonition settled in her gut.
Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps approached from a distance. Mash instinctively shielded Ritsuka and stepped back, positioning herself to guard against both the footsteps and the frozen skeletons.
The burning city, the field of skeletons, her silent companion...
Ritsuka, having never experienced anything like this, was on the verge of tears. Her classmates teased her for being a tomboy, but tomboys are afraid of ghosts too!
Just as she was practically glued to Mash back, the footsteps slowed, and a figure emerged from the ruins.
A tall man wearing a traditional Japanese kimono walked slowly toward them. But what drew their attention most was the "thing" he was carrying over his shoulder.
Mash squinted and finally saw what—or who—it was, and her face went pale.
"Director?!"
Mash wanted to rush over and save her. Olga Marie was strict with everyone, but her reputation was actually quite good; she was just as hard on herself as she was on others.
Being strict with others while being easy on yourself only breeds resentment, but being strict with both builds true authority. Olga Marie was undoubtedly the latter. People respected her—feared her, yes, but mostly respected her—because at her age, she showed strength and effort that rivaled anyone.
But then Mash glanced back at the terrified Ritsuka. She hesitated. Ritsuka had zero ability to protect herself...
"Mash, go save the Director."
The voice from behind startled Mash. She hadn't expected the shivering Ritsuka to say something like that.
"I was in the sports club at school. You saw it, right? Those things won't find it easy to catch me. So... you have to save the Director!"
Was Ritsuka afraid?
Absolutely. Her body was trembling uncontrollably. But as she said, while she couldn't fight the skeletons, she could at least run. Olga Marie, hanging over that man's shoulder in an unknown condition, clearly needed Mash more.
So, after only a moment's hesitation, she told Mash to go.
She wasn't a selfless saint, but she was someone who wouldn't withhold her kindness when it was within her power to give it.
Looking at Ritsuka trembling yet determined face, Mash bit her lip and nodded solemnly.
Her Senpai had made a deliberate choice, and it was the most logical one. There was only one thing for Mash to do—
Carry out that will!
"Understood, Senpai! I will definitely save the Director!"
Shield in hand, Mash expression was just as resolute!