Capítulo 22: Chapter 21
When the battle concluded, Alina was the first to dash into the crater with Sif.
Contrary to what the Chaldean expected, on Alina's face was the expression of relief and joy.
Alina had accompanied Adam throughout his entire journey in the past universe. She saw how the weight of his duty and his immortality eats him from inside.
Even if his will couldn't bend and break. His mind had long driven to despair and bleakness. Adam becomes less expressive as time progresses until his emotion eventually becomes mute. He felt neither joy nor sadness. The only emotion he ever showed was his wrath against the Chaos, the sole reason why he was unable to reach his freedom.
But in the battle between him and the Valkyrie, she can see. His heart finally opened up once more as he smiled and grin, savoring the joy of battle like sweet ambrosia. She can also feel that his will once again reignited. The will to live that he had long smothered by the despair that drowned him.
Also, it means her feelings could finally reach his heart…
Alina blushed at her own thoughts, quickly hiding her quickly reddening cheeks from the others. But thankfully someone directed the attention away from her.
"I think we better retreat now." Archer said, looking at the incoming dragon and wyverns.
No one objected to Archer's suggestion. Alina carried Adam on Sif before everyone retreated as fast as possible.
———
After they retreated to the town guarded by Georgius, Alina carried Adam to an empty house and closed themselves inside with Sif.
The Chaldean were left outside, all with many questions to ask. Especially about Adam and his godlike powers. The battle was simply too impactful to watch.
Since Dark Jeanne wouldn't dare attack the place with two Dragonslayers and many Servants, they find themselves with plenty of free time to lounge around and naturally, they went to discuss about Adam.
Archer was seen silently staring at the void while rubbing his chin, finally understanding the context of a lot of the memories he saw about Adam after seeing his power first hand.
"Come on, are you going to leave us hanging like this while you understand it alone?" Cu voiced his annoyance while sitting down on the table with his head resting on his hand that he propped on the table.
Archer initially frowned at Cu, seeing him as an annoyance for interrupting his focus. But when he sees basically everyone had their eyes on him, Archer relent and shared his thoughts.
What's in Archer's mind is Adam's memories about the Battle of Cadian Gate, the final battle that is the 14th Black Crusade. The last battle where she sacrificed his own life, extinguishing his own soul to turn the fate of the Imperium from falling into a dark age.
From how he secured partnerships with the Aeldari Craft Worlds and a Necron Overlord to the battle itself which was too brutal for the mind of those who are hearing. A grand battle that spans several solar systems, hundreds of planets, tens of billions of people fighting a bitter war of survival.
Through this tale they learned more about Adam's previous universe, reason for his personality and mindset, his strength and lastly his apparent hatred toward Daemon and evil in particular.
Everyone gained a new respect for Adam, a respect akin to a veteran of war by the Servants because they have to acknowledge that Adam definitely had done more than they ever did.
Emiya, Cu, Artoria and Jeanne in particular felt that they had misunderstood Adam last time. Even if what he did was extreme. They cannot fault him when what he said is true with the context of his previous universe, the life of one does not outweigh their duty. When one small mistake can doom millions and worlds.
When it was approaching the late evening, they paused their talk and Adam went to prepare dinner along with Mash, Jeanne and Ritsuko.
By the time the dinner is served, Adam appeared from the house with Alina supporting him closely with a softer expression unlike her usual cold mask. Adam mirrors that too as his former expressionless face now sports a faint smile as he hummed while walking with Alina's help. Still feeling weak from his exhaustion. But otherwise, look fine and fully healed.
"Good evening everyone." Adam said before Alina helped him to his seat and then took the seat next to him for herself.
"G-Good evening…" Cu answered before rubbing his eyes in disbelief that the gloomy Adam he previously met in the Fuyuki Singularity is now replaced with a not gloomy one. If not because Adam being immune to possession, he might think Adam is possessed by a demon too just like Archer previously.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I had caused this time." Adam suddenly bowed his head and apologized. "Because of me, we delayed the attack on Dark Jeanne."
"Don't be, Monsieur Adam." Marie quickly replied. "It's just for a day. Not like we couldn't wait for another day to resolve the Singularity. Besides, staying a little longer isn't all that bad either. At least better than staying in the boring Throne of Heroes."
"Yeah, think nothing of it, Master. Besides, the battle did cause quite some losses to the Dragon Witch." Cu said and noticed Adam's attention on his words. "Ah, half of her wyverns were killed by the way. Since the battle itself took place quite close to her castle." He laughed while clapping his thigh and talked about how pissed Dark Jeanne was when her castle was destroyed.
After that, Mash and Ritsuko entered the room bringing food for everyone. They all ate in silence because of an awkward atmosphere. They all had been looking at Adam who was acting odd. Smiling as he ate and talked with Alina about the food and how he missed out a lot on eating tasteless rations a lot. Then Alina promised to learn and cook him whatever he wanted.
Looking at their interactions, few found their food to become tasteless except for Mash who didn't seem to mind the odd atmosphere.
After their meal session ended, Adam brought up his inability to participate in the attack on Dark Jeanne because he is frankly powerless after he overused his Psychic power in the previous battle.
"Don't worry about it, Master. With this much Servants on our side. Dealing with Dark Jeanne is easy considering half her force had been decimated." Cu said while other Servants nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Adam Senpai can just relax and rest assured." Ritsuko agreed too, saying that she will take care of the rest of the Singularity.
Adam said no more and thanked everyone before he and Alina returned to their house and rested.
Later that night, two new Servants appeared and were recognised by Georgius. They were Kyohime and Elizabeth Bathory. Apparently, they were investigating the commotion before sensing the congregation of Servants and decided to check that out too to find the Chaldean.
———
The next day, at the crack of dawn. The Chaldean already woke up and ready for their last battle for this Singularity.
They marched up to the ruins of Dark Jeanne's castle and fought there.
Siegfried and Georgius, as planned, took care of Fafnir. Siegfried's Noble Phantasm felled the Evil Dragon and also a good chunk of the Wyverns.
Jeanne, Emiya, Artoria, Cu Chulainn, Marie and Amadeus confronted Dark Jeanne and her Servants. However, Dark Jeanne had seen better days.
When they confronted Dark Jeanne, she looked lost and uncertain about her goal anymore without Caster by her side. Especially so after Jeanne questioned her existence, saying that Dark Jeanne isn't the real Jeanne. She is just a conjuration of someone, as Adam hypothesized when Jeanne brought up about Dark Jeanne's memories which lack everything but the part centering around her execution.
The guess becomes true when they defeat Dark Jeanne. Without the Grail anchoring her existence, she is starting to fade away. Not like defeated Servants that return to the Throne of Heroes. But her existence truly is fading away. This realization brought her despair, unable to accept the truth that she was truly just a creation of someone. Her emotions, her anger and hatred was all just a conjuration of someone.
"It's alright, Jeanne. Surely God will give you forgiveness and you already have mine. After all, you are also a victim." Jeanne comforting the fading Dark Jeanne who was crying at her despair. "Besides, I now find myself a younger sister. I never felt how it is to be an older sister and now I know." Jeanne sends off Dark Jeanne who finally fades away.
But not without saying, "W-Who wants to be your sister!" Dark Jeanne retorted angrily but unable to hide the blush on her face. "But… thank you for forgiving me." She said and then faded away.
The Grail fell in place Dark Jeanne vanished and Mash recovered it before announcing the completion of the First Singularity.
Other Servants that aren't Rayshifted here also start to fade away rapidly once the Singularity has reached its conclusion.
"Don't forget to summon us in the future, alright!" Marie said to Ritsuko while waving at her goodbye as the other Servants expressed the same feelings, wishing to join her journey and completing the Grand Order.
"Alright, it's time for you all to return too since the Space-Time is starting to shift." Romani told them before Rayshifting everyone back to Chaldea.
———
Emerging from the Coffin, Adam resummoned Alina and Sif before leaving for his room. Then Ritsuko and Mash also emerged from their Coffin along with the Servants. Hassan as usual, using his Presence Concealment to disappear like a ghost.
Ritsuko climbs out from her Coffin with Mash's help, stretching and grunting before complaining about her exhaustion that she said is comparable to running several marathons back to back from contracting that many Servants and supplying them Mana to battle.
"Well, I suggest everyone to rest first. We can do the debrief tomorrow morning when everyone is energized." Romani suggested which Ritsuko immediately accepted and walked to his room with Mash trailing behind her worrily.
"Gonna finish recording the data and catch up to Magi★Mari stream…" Romani sighed and made a pleasant hum while cracking his neck as he made his way back to the Command Room.
———
In his room, Adam finds himself resting on his bed with Sif as usual, lending her furry body to his comfort as he rests. However…
"Alina, I am fine, you know? There's no threat here and I am just going to sleep." Adam said, finding her stare and presence uncomfortable. Especially how she eyed Sif enviously although the Fenrisian Wolf wouldn't budge at her stare and declared the bed as her own territory.
"But, Milord. You are currently weakened and require protection in case of any assassination attempt." Alina argued, adamant on staying.
Adam stared at Alina with a doubtful look at her statement. He isn't that much of a dense person. Someone does not serve loyally to another without a reason. While it is common amongst the Astartes, they are Gene Brothers with close bonds and a military organization.
Alina however, was not. She is a simple mortal servant turned attendant, officially serving as his Auxiliary. Technically, her duty had long ended when Adam had become a capable man and did not require her help much more to navigate the Imperium. However she willingly took on the painful ritual to become an artificial Perpetual and continue to serve next to him till the end.
Remember how a Psyker always emits a faint field of psychic energy that expresses their emotions?
Adam would have been a brain-dead idiot not to notice. Which is why he does not feel comfortable with her inside his room when he is trying to sleep. After all, they had been together for long and Adam knew her quirk quite well as she did him.
Let's just say, back in the previous universe he once happened to enter her quarter and found a shrine dedicated to him, filled with objects he used and also dozens of thick tomes filled with records of everything he did from the smallest action like when he eats, what he eats, how many times he chews… the list goes on.
You can say that is one of the motivations for why Adam wished to not bring her along.
Adam gulped at his own reminiscing and thought that the biggest danger here isn't a potential assassin, which is a big stretch. But Alina herself.
Had he not been weakened, he had nothing to fear since he had his trusty Intuition. However, now? If she tries to force herself on him, he only has Sif as protection, Adam through while inching closer to Sif for comfort.
But again, Alina had been following him loyally and never once she had failed his trust despite her creepy obsession. Maybe he could give her the benefit of a doubt? Besides, he has Sif next to him in case she tries anything funny while he is asleep.
"Hmn. I'll leave it to you." Adam said and hesitantly closed his eyes shut while enjoying the warmth and fluffiness of Sif as he quickly fell asleep.
Once Alina senses Adam is deeply asleep, she continues to look at Adam's slumbering face. Only she knows what is going on in her own mind as she stares at him with a dreamy daze.
Meanwhile, Sif was only pretending to be asleep with her eyes occasionally open to look at her Master only to find him undisturbed and closed again.
—————
(AN: Yeah, Alina is a case of Yandere. As for the reason? Let's just say the deep love she had for MC had gone too deep, added with her worship and borderline faith in him, that love got twisted into obsession and after being left festered for thousands of years, she became something of a Yandere.
That is a valid reason right? I mean, I get my reference from the depiction of fictional Fanatical Cultists that they are too madly in love with their god or leader they become psychopath or yandere. Ofc, MC gonna go and say. "I can fix her." to get on the Harem train.)
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