Arc 1.5: Signs of a Coming Star: Prologue
Synopsis: It's already been a month since Ritsuka Fujimaru has landed in the digital world SE.RA.PH inside the super computer known as the Mooncell. After meeting the Sovereign of the SE.RA.PH, Hakuno Kishinami, he was able to go unpunished. This is the daily life of the Savior of Humanity, in a world where he is not backed up by his old allies but gained new ones in return. As Ritsuka Fujimaru and Hakuno Kishinami learns about each other, forces hiding in the shadow begun making their move...
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November 11, 2030
6:30
Mare Regalius; District 2
Savior’s POV
I open my eyes to the sound of my alarm clock ringing, slowly getting up, I get down from my bed, stretch my body, do warm-ups, and hear a crack from my back and let out a satisfying groan.
I open my fridge, take out some eggs and begin cooking breakfast. After cooking, I place my breakfast on the table. My breakfast consists of a bowl of rice with egg rolls, miso soup, and natto. A pretty standard Japanese breakfast. After saying my prayers first, I began to eat. Since my shift starts at 8 in the morning I still have plenty of time. I was originally planning to wake up early to jog but decided that I am too comfortable in my sleep to even stand up so here we are right now.
As I am eating my breakfast, I began to look at my terminal, given to me by Kishinami. It’s basically a cellphone but more thin, I don’t know why they won’t just call it a cellphone but who am I to know.
It's already been a week since I met Kishinami and got her approval to not punish me and a month since I fell in this world, I still don’t know much about this world, nor the history behind it, or why I am here in the first place. My plan is to just take it easy for now and get as much information as I can, even though Kishinami deemed me innocent, it’s pretty clear that many of her servants still don’t trust me, make sense since they are not the servants that I know, but I would be lying if I said it hurts a bit seeing them but not knowing who I am.
That’s right, even though I already met many people here, in the end I’m still alone…
I cleaned up my plate, and put it in the dishwasher. I walk to the bathroom and brush my teeth before washing my body. I wear some casual clothes, a long blue jacket with a hood underneath, a collared shirt with long sleeves and a plain shirt, and black pants.
It’s still autumn, but winter is coming already. Now that I think about it, it might be my first Christmas without anyone to celebrate with. There’s Kishinami, but I don’t want to invite her just to hang out with me, plus she’ll be busy with Nero and Tamamo around speaking with experience, I know how tiring some of their antics are. Also I don’t really know anyone here.
Sigh, just like before, even before Chaldea, I’m alone again…
“I’ll be off.” I said almost unconsciously only to look behind to see and hear nothing but silence and the emptiness of my apartment.
“Right, forget for a second that Mash isn’t here, well whatever.” I push those thoughts to the back of my mind, before stepping out from my apartment, and lock it. Turning around, what I see from the balcony is a beautiful city or kingdom.
Mare Regalious, the Kingdom of the Sovereign, is a city where there are alot of building like in the modern age, there are no cars though, the only thing resembling a car is a transportation, a bus like vehicle where it flies through different part of the SE.RA.PH, at breaknecking speed. It’s what some people here use if they don’t have access to the teleportation waypoint where they can instantly teleport from one place or another if they were registered in that city’s waypoint. And in the middle of this city is a giant futuristic castle looming over the building, right where Hakuno Kishinami, the Sovereign lives.
Walking around, I see a lot of Mages or I guess Wizards as they are called in this world, walking around some of them have jobs, some of the people that are standing and greeting customers are NPCs that have not awakened yet or so they said. I walk through the nearest Transportation Station and type the place I want to go and wait for the Transportation vehicle to arrive.
Emiya or I guess Nameless as he said that he cast away his name long ago, planned for me to register in the teleport waypoints but for some reason I won’t register and all it says is “Foreign Object Unidentified” I guess because I’m not from this world. It seems like Kishinami will fix this issue later but can’t right now. So with no other choice I need to use the Transportation Vehicle to go to Mare Melum, the City of Lost Destiny. Barely anyone uses the Transportation Vehicle, since almost everyone is already registered in the waypoint so they use that to go around. After 10 minutes of waiting the Transporter arrived. Automatically the door opened and what greeted me inside was nothing but silence.
Sighing I walked inside and sat as the transporter started to move. Normally the transporter is only used to go to rural places or villages so their destination is only at least 3 to 10 minutes but since I’m going to Mare Melum, one of the big cities from what I heard, it would take at least 30 to 60 minutes as it was far away from here. With nothing but silence inside the empty transporter, I open my terminal and just listen to music and gaze outside the window while I wait to get there. For some reason the music that are only available is the music before the 2000s but I don’t mind and just wait.
As I gazed through the window I saw many landmarks, and many wizards living their daily lives, some of them I even see starting their own farms. It seems like despite being wizards, many of them still choose to have a normal life rather than complicate themselves.
Deep in my thoughts, I hear the transporter’s A.I voice say that I have arrived at my destination. I guess time really does pass by when you’re in deep thought.
Mare Melum; City of Lost Destiny: Transportation Center
8:06
Standing up and walking out of the transporter, what I see is a big city with the most noticeable thing to notice is the massive red bridge that connects it to the other part of the city. Looking at my terminal it says it’s 8:06. Seeing the time I immediately sent Nameless a message that I’m gonna be late, before I started walking towards town.
Mare Melum, the city of lost destiny, the domain where it is said to be based on a Japanese city from the past.
…It’s literally just Fuyuki City. How do I know? Because I’ve been to Fuyuki twice in my life, one was back when I was in junior high school, and the second is Singularity F. So I’m pretty familiar with this place. Wizards, and NPCs going on in their everyday lives. As usual, I see some of the products that are actually made by Tamamo herself, at least that is what Kishinami said.
Anyway after 30 minutes of walking I finally arrive in Nameless’s Food shop. Its size is pretty normal in that of a standard food and cafe shop. Though for some reason it doesn’t have a name yet, Nameless said that he still couldn't think of one, but personally I think he does have one in mind but is embarrassed about it.
…I will definitely get him to tell me that name one day.
Going to the back of the building, I went inside using the backdoor, and immediately changed into a waiter uniform. After adjusting my tie and putting a black apron around my waist. Before heading out of the break room. After I open the door, I see many, but not full, people sitting on the tables either ordering or waiting for their order. I go through behind the counter to see Nameless cooking with an open kitchen so you can see and smell the food he’s making, and honestly Emiya or Nameless or whatever he wants to call himself, one thing is for sure, his food that he makes is to die for. After wiping my drool, I went to him and say that I’m here.
“I’m here sorry for being late.”
“No worries, but next time if you are going to be late, at least let it be 5 to 10 minutes late, not 30 minutes.” He said not taking his eyes off the meal he was making.
“Yeah, yeah I’ll keep that in mind.”
After that short conversation, I began my work as a waiter, serving customers, chatting with them, even flirting with one of them out of obligation since Nameless says that sometimes when you are having trouble with female customers just try flirting with them or wooing them, not only will they might oblige and get your job done, they might even come back just to see me, and suffices to say, I’m doing pretty good, Mata Hari would be proud.
2 hours later, wiping my sweat using a towel, I take some deep breaths. One thing I learned and gained in this job, is that it’s actually hard, and I gained some new found respect for not only the waiters and waitresses but butlers as well.
“Here, drink.” I turn around to see Nameless offering me a glass of water, smiling I accept his offer.
“Thanks.” After thanking him I drink the water, feeling my throat the coldness of the water, I feel myself refreshed.
“Huh you know this is kinda refreshing.” Nameless suddenly speaks to me.
“Hmm? What’s refreshing?” I am confused by what he meant.
“I mean this, talking to someone who actually can continue a conversion, I don’t want to sound rude but with nothing but NPCs working here sometimes it kinda feels lonely.”
I see, I look around to see the other waiters and waitresses, that’s right aside from me, all of the employees here are NPCs so when trying to talk to them they would either just make the conversation short or ignore you all together, as it’s part of their programming. There are some NPCs that gained self awareness, but majority of the NPCs here according to Nameless doesn’t or atleast still hasn’t gained their sentience.
“Well don’t worry even I feel that sometimes.” I said with a smile. Nameless, only look at me before smiling.
“Yeah, you and I are kind of similar after all.”
I only shrugged at him when suddenly I felt it, my body shivered, I looked at Nameless to see he also felt it. We looked at each other and nodded .
“Okay everyone, the shop is closed for a while, get out of here.” Nameless shouted at the remaining customers, some of them groaned, others just obliged. But there’s no time to waste, after guiding the customers and thanking them saying to come back again I look at Nameless, he only nodded and started cooking right away.
From the distance I already see the figure of someone, straightening myself and opening the door for the customer, and welcoming her.
“Welcome to our Cafe, what would you like to order?” I said with a smile. Her blue armour, making metallic noise while her blond hair and ahoge swaying excitedly as if she's a dog.
“Red Archer! Foreign WIzard! I would like to have one of everything please!” Said our resident glutton with a black hole like stomach.
Of course it’s none other than the Saber class Servant clad in blue armour; Artoria Pendragon herself! The moment she ordered, Nameless and I just sighs and help Nameless cook the food.
Mare Regalius; District 2
14:46
I’m on my way home after my shift. Nameless is kind enough to only give me 7 hours of work, but at the same time I also feel bad for him since he is essentially alone. But if he’s the same Emiya, with name or not, he can handle it, I guess I’ll treat him sometime if he wants.
Man, that was a disaster. Artoria eats so much that eventually we run out of ingredients, it even comes to the point where I have to personally run to the nearest supermarket just to buy ingredients just to satisfy her stomach, and I indeed do that, 6 times. Yes I have to keep buying stuff just to fill the King of Knights black hole of a stomach, and the worst thing about it is that she didn’t even pay! It’s almost always like this when Artoria rolls around in the shop. Nameless said something about keeping her on our side, which frankly, it’s too vague for me to understand.
I sigh to myself, I only got 30,000 QP, and since the value of QP here is that of a Yen in japan, I need to save some for myself and my essentials. But I’m hungry right now. Looking around I saw a pastry shop, and decided to buy bread, and eat it as I walked.
Don’t worry stomach! Since I manage to survive another AEH (Artoria eating is Hell), I’m going to treat myself and eat whatever I want at least for only 5000 QP.
After taking a turn I walk inside to my apartment. Saying hello to the NPC from the counter, I took the elevator to the 4th floor. After taking the elevator, I put in the passcode. Closing my eyes and feeling the fresh air from my room.
“Why are you smelling your room? Do you really like your room that much?”
A feminine voice is heard, opening my eyes I see a familiar brunette with a smile plastered on her face sitting on my bed wearing a turtleneck shirt, and red skirt, and looking at the side there is a pantyhose also placed on my bed.
“Kishinami? What are you doing here?”
Yes, it's the sovereign herself, Hakuno Kishinami, just sitting on my bed, as if it’s her own room.
“Nothing really, just thought I would give you a visit.”
She said while twirling a strand of her hair.
“Really? Wait, how'd you even know what my passcode is?”
“Just a simple Code Cast, my dear.” She said that with a smug smile on her face.
“Hello, Nameless? Your wild master seemingly broke into my room.” Holding my terminal into my ear, I pretend to call Nameless.
“NO, no it’s just a joke, no need to take it seriously.” She pouted, guess she didn’t like when Nameless scolded her, I know that feeling sometimes.
I just grinned and show her my terminal to see nothing, revealing that I just pretend to call Nameless. Bewildered by this Hakuno pouts even more.
“You tricked me!”
“It’s just a joke, no need to take it seriously.” I repeated her words with a smug smile plastered on my face.
Her face turns red with embarrassment.
“Stop teasing me! Jeez.”
She crossed her arm and looked away seemingly upset, before I chuckled.
Looking in my direction she also breaks the act and giggles.
After a full 20 seconds of chuckling, we both stop.
“Okay, seriously how did you get in?”
I said before sitting beside her.
“Regalia.”
“Okay, made sense.”
Ahh, this feels nice, it feels like the lonely atmosphere of my room suddenly vanishes.
“Oh yeah, my reason for being here.”
“I thought you just wanted to visit though?” Seemingly contradicting her statement before, I tease her.
“I thought we’re done with the teasing?” She pouted.
“Yeah, yeah sorry, I couldn't help it. Anyway what’s the reason?” I asked her.
“Do you want to hang out?” She said that with a smile on her face.
Notes:
This is the beginning of the new arc for this story, but this arc will be chilled compare to the rest of the upcoming arc.
My plan is to made this arc so that I can establish the relationship between our main characters (Fujimaru and Hakuno) before diving to the next arc, as this arc would only take place between one or two setting whereas the next arc they will go to multiple places. I also plan to establish future plot points and foreshadow some stuff in here.
Don't worry, this arc would be short only 3-4 chapters only with the last chapter happening in Christmas time.
So that's all for now, I hope you like this chapter, and truth to be told reading your reaction to my fic is what actually drives me to write and publish sooner, so leave a comment if you have any questions I'll gladly answer them.