The hysterical screams of Olga, Rikka, and Mash echoed across the ruins of Fuyuki, loud enough that Ritsuka had to cover his ears for a moment.
"They're pretty loud, huh," Koko commented from across the dimension, sounding slightly amused.
"They're all still very young," Kagaya replied gently, then added, "So the orange-haired girl who hugged you earlier—that was your younger sister, Rikka, right?"
"And it seems the hysterical white-haired woman is the leader of Chaldea you told us about," L analyzed, his sharp gaze fixed on Olga Marie on the screen.
Zelretch simply watched in silence, then spoke a single word in a heavy tone.
"Animusphere."
At the scene itself, Olga Marie stood there with her mouth agape, eyes wide in disbelief as she stared at Ritsuka.
"W–Wait! Don't joke around!" Olga stammered, her voice rising an octave in panic. "Y-you're a disciple of the Wizard of the Second Magic?! And the Final Master Candidate?! That's impossible!"
Ritsuka looked straight at Olga Marie.
For a moment, time seemed to stop for him. Images of the hellish flames of past Fuyuki, Lev Lainur's twisted laughter, and the lonely, colossal Alien God flashed through his mind. Standing before him now was the woman whose fate had been tragically etched into his history—the woman who was never praised by her father, betrayed by the one she trusted most, and died without ever realizing she had died.
Ritsuka's eyes softened, hiding the storm of guilt raging in his chest. A deep sadness lingered there.
Then time resumed. Ritsuka took a breath and formed a thin smile—not mocking, but respectful.
"Yes, Director. I am Zelretch's disciple, and also the last Master you have been searching for," Ritsuka answered calmly.
"Brother, are you really a Master Candidate too?" Rikka asked in confusion, tugging on the hem of Ritsuka's clothes. "But… who is Zelretch?"
"I'm the same as you, Rikka. And Zelretch… he's my magic teacher," Ritsuka explained briefly. "I'll explain later—no, on second thought, it's better if you never meet him."
"Eh? Why?! I want to see what my brother's magic teacher is like!" Rikka protested.
"Ritsuka, you're being cruel," Zelretch's voice suddenly came from the water-like projection near them, playful in tone. "You won't even introduce me to your sweet little sister? I promise I won't do anything strange. You can trust me."
"Listen. You are forbidden from getting close to her. Understood?" Ritsuka said firmly, acting like an overprotective parent.
Rikka was slightly confused by Ritsuka's behavior, but she simply nodded in agreement.
After scolding his Sensei—who had been misunderstood by Rikka—Ritsuka shifted his gaze to the girl standing beside Olga. His expression changed drastically the moment he saw her.
"Are you… my Senpai too?" Mash asked hesitantly, unsure how to address him.
Ritsuka did not answer with words. He looked at Mash Kyrielight as if gazing upon the only flower blooming in a barren desert.
It was a look filled with gratitude—the gaze of someone who had found hope after a long, painful journey.
"Mash…" Ritsuka's voice was far gentler now, almost a whisper. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Eh? W-what do you mean by that…?" Mash blinked in confusion.
"It's nothing," Ritsuka deflected.
Without realizing it, his body moved on its own. Ritsuka stepped forward and placed his palm on top of Mash's head, gently patting it. Mash, unaccustomed to being touched, suddenly felt flustered. Her cheeks flushed red without her noticing.
"S-Senpai… y-you shouldn't do this…" Mash whispered softly, trying to brush his hand away, though she didn't truly resist.
"STOP IT!"
Seeing the scene, Rikka suddenly puffed out her cheeks. She jumped in between Ritsuka and Mash, spreading her arms wide.
"Brother! You're harassing Mash!" Rikka accused jealously.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry," Ritsuka laughed awkwardly, pulling his hand back. "I couldn't help it—it's a habit I have with you."
"That's not an excuse!" Rikka pointed at her brother's face with her index finger.
As Rikka pointed, Ritsuka's eyes caught something on the back of her right hand—a geometric pattern glowing blood-red.
Command Spells.
"So… you've officially become a Master too, huh, Rikka," Ritsuka murmured.
His gaze grew wistful, a mix of pride and fear for the heavy destiny awaiting his sister.
"Oh, Brother, you know about Masters and Servants too?" Rikka asked, her attention shifting.
"Yes. I know enough," Ritsuka replied.
Rikka proudly showed the back of her hand. "Look, Brother! With this, I can strengthen Mash and protect you later! Cool, right?"
Ritsuka stared deeply at the mark. "Yeah… it really does seem like this is your destiny."
Mash, standing behind Rikka, watched Ritsuka's expression as he looked at the Command Spells. It felt familiar to her—like the gaze of someone who had known her for thousands of years, even though they had only just met.
But the warm moment was abruptly shattered.
"D-Don't joke around!"
Olga Marie stomped her foot hard against the ground. Her face flushed red—not with embarrassment, but with deep offense. Her eyes burned as she glared at Ritsuka.
"Y-you… You're lying, aren't you?! You're just boasting!" Olga shouted, her voice trembling.
"Listen here, civilian! The Wizard Marshal is no ordinary mage! He's a monster feared by the entire Clock Tower and the Mage's Association! He doesn't take disciples! Not even the Lords of elite noble families are acknowledged by him!"
Olga's breathing grew ragged as anxiety and insecurity crept across her face. Her hands clenched her sleeves tightly.
"Even my father… even the great Animusphere family has to be careful just mentioning his name… So how could it be…" Her voice cracked with frustration. "How could an ordinary civilian like you possibly become his disciple?!"
She stared at Ritsuka pleadingly, as if begging him to admit it was all a lie, just to preserve her pride.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?! You made up this ridiculous story to mock me, didn't you?! You want to laugh at me because I'm a young Director?! Do you think I'm easy to fool just because I'm cornered?!"
She shouted, trying to cover the inferiority gnawing at her heart. "Say it's a lie! Don't you dare underestimate my intelligence!"
"What a stubborn woman…" Koko commented from afar. "I can't believe she's the leader of such a critical organization. Is your world really okay with someone like this in charge?"
"She's still young, Koko," Kagaya defended calmly. "With that much responsibility on her shoulders, she must be under immense pressure."
Ritsuka let out a long sigh as he watched Olga's behavior. He muttered quietly, "You really haven't changed… Still loud, still arrogant, and still desperate for other people's validation."
Ritsuka then looked up toward the ceiling of the ruined building, as if speaking to empty air.
"If you don't believe me, how about having Dr. Roman explain it himself? I know you're listening, Doctor. Go ahead and explain it to the Director so she can calm down."
Olga flinched. "Roman?! Answer me! Is what this man is saying true?!"
There was a brief silence. Then static crackled through Olga's communicator, followed by a man's voice—tired, but honest.
"He's telling the truth, Director. I just received reports from the security staff who survived the explosion. His biometric data matches. He is registered as Candidate No. 48, and… his magical data does show an anomaly similar to Zelretch's energy signature," Dr. Roman explained.
Olga swallowed hard, her face turning pale. "N-no… that can't be…" she murmured, then turned back to Ritsuka with a pitiful look.
"If you still don't believe me, look at this," Ritsuka said.
He reached behind his back as if retrieving something and revealed a short sword made of crystalline jewels, refracting light into rainbow hues.
Zelretch's Jeweled Sword.
"Wahhh… that sword is so beautiful, Brother!" Rikka exclaimed in awe, her eyes sparkling.
"I-it…" Olga collapsed to the ground, her legs giving out. Her eyes were fixed on the legendary weapon. "That's impossible… the Wizard Marshal's Jeweled Sword…"
Seeing Olga fall to the ground, Rikka nudged Mash's arm.
"Hey, Mash. Who exactly is this Zelretch? Why is that scary woman so terrified just from seeing Brother's sword? Is he that amazing?" Rikka asked innocently.
Mash turned toward Rikka, her expression shifting back into analytical mode.
"Senpai, the question of 'is he amazing' is… somewhat insufficient to describe him," Mash replied politely but stiffly.
"Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. He is known as the Wizard Marshal of the Clock Tower. He is one of the very few humans in modern history who has mastered True Magic. He is a mage who stands at the pinnacle of the magical world."
Mash glanced at Olga, still in shock, then looked at Ritsuka's back with a new gaze—one filled with respect and admiration.
"For elite mage families like the Animusphere, Zelretch is an absolute existence. Even meeting him is considered a miracle—being accepted as his disciple is beyond unimaginable."
Mash concluded, "If what Senpai says is true… then in terms of social standing within the mage world, Senpai is now in a higher position than Director Olga. It's only natural that the Director feels her world has been shaken."
Rikka went silent for a moment, processing the information. "Oh, I see…" she said simply, though she didn't really understand mage politics. "So basically… my brother has backing from a super amazing person that makes this arrogant woman scared?"
Mash nodded slightly.
Seeing Mash's nod, a sly smile slowly formed on Rikka's face—a smile very similar to Ritsuka's when he was planning something mischievous.
"S-Senpai… why are you smiling like that?" Mash asked uneasily.
"Hehe~ Time for payback," Rikka giggled.
With confident steps, Rikka walked up to Olga Marie, who was still sitting on the ground, staring blankly at Ritsuka's sword. Rikka stopped right in front of her, planted her hands on her hips, then leaned forward slightly with a mocking smile.
"Yo, Director from a distinguished noble family…" Rikka greeted sweetly—far too sweetly. "How are you feeling right now, hmm?"