"So, you're saying your life was so dull that you needed a war to spice things up?" Kaguya's sharp voice broke the tension, her piercing gaze pinning me to the spot.
"Well, not exactly," I muttered, trying to avoid her accusatory glare.
"Then why are you so excited about it?" Her expression softened into one of genuine curiosity, though her eyes remained sharp, searching for an answer that would satisfy her.
I took a deep breath, trying to form my thoughts. "This is something I have to do. It doesn't matter whether I want to or not. I have no choice."
"There's nothing absolute about that. You can always make a choice," she said, folding her arms, her tone tinged with defiance.
"Not this time," I said, my voice growing quiet. "It's different now..."
Kaguya's gaze lingered on me, and for a moment, I thought she might press further. Instead, she sighed, noticing the frustration etched into my expression. "Alright then. Since we've settled everything, how about a spar? It'll help you all get to know each other better, learn about your servants, and how to fight."
Oh, hell no. I didn't want to spar with anyone here. Everyone else had powerful servants. Me? I only had Kaguya.
I glanced at her, hoping for some support, but her raised eyebrow suggested she wasn't about to help.
"Are you thinking something bad about me?" she asked, tilting her head, her voice a mixture of amusement and irritation.
Without responding, I retreated into my thoughts. I could hear her yelling at me in the background, but I chose to ignore her. If we have to spar—
"Val! Did you call me?" That voice. The god appeared behind me, his hands gripping my shoulders like an old friend—a very annoying old friend.
"No, we're fine. Thanks for your interest, though," I said, brushing him off, though he seemed undeterred.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to participate in the spar. Considering Kaguya's current situation, there's no way you're winning any of the matches."
"Aww, so you care about me," Kaguya interjected, her teasing tone grating on my nerves.
"Please don't make it weird," I muttered.
"Alright then," the god said, ignoring our banter. "I'll just stand by and watch. By the way, where will we hold the spar? This place will blow to bits if we do it here."
"Don't worry about it. I'll transport us to a more suitable location. Let's wait a bit until the others bond with each other."
"Haven't they already met?" I asked, skeptical.
"They have, but it's better to deepen their bonds. Trust is important for survival in this war. Speaking of which, don't you want to get to know them better? It might come in handy later."
"Their introductions were enough for me. If I want to learn more, I'll do it my own way."
The god sighed dramatically. "Alright, mister loner. Just sit tight. I'll call you when it's time," he said before vanishing in a swirl of shimmering light.
I turned back to where I had left Kaguya, only to find she had wandered off. After scanning the area, I finally spotted her speaking with another woman I hadn't seen before.
The newcomer had striking silver eyes and short hair of the same hue. She wore a dark gray coat over a light gray sweater, paired with black trousers. Her calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Kaguya's usual intensity.
Kaguya noticed me approaching and waved. The other woman turned to face me as well, her lips curving into a polite smile.
"Val, let me introduce you to my new friend," Kaguya said, her tone uncharacteristically cheerful. "This is Marie."
"Hello," the woman said, her voice vibrant yet mature. "I'm Marie Curie, a chemist. I've heard a lot about you from Kaguya. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Marie Curie? I blinked, momentarily stunned. I had assumed all the servants would be warriors, figures born for battle. But a scientist? How did that fit into a war?
"The pleasure is all mine," I replied, offering a polite smile. As I studied her, I couldn't help but notice how different she appeared from the historical photos I'd seen. Younger, more vibrant—and undeniably beautiful. But why would someone summon a non-combatant? There had to be a reason.
I'll have to ask about the summoning ritual later, I thought. My curiosity was piqued.
It seemed I'd been staring too long because Kaguya grabbed my shirt and pulled me away.
"I'm sorry about that," I said quickly, trying to recover. "I was just thinking about what powers you might have and got lost in thought."
"Don't worry," Marie said, her smile never wavering. "You'll find out soon enough. We have a mock battle to prepare for, don't we?"
"So, who's your master?" Kaguya asked, her curiosity finally catching up.
"My master is Olivia Nowak. We share the same nationality," Marie replied, her tone hinting at an unspoken lesson.
As if on cue, a young woman with short, wind-swept hair ran toward us. "Marie! Why do you always wander off? Do you know how annoying it is to search for you?"
"I wanted to explore. It's boring standing around with nothing to do," Marie shot back, crossing her arms.
"I know, but we'll start the spar soon. Stick with me until then, okay?"
"Fine," Marie muttered, turning away with a dramatic huff.
Their banter reminded me of my arguments with Sagiri—a memory that hit me like a wave. Her warm smile surfaced in my mind, and I had to shake my head to push it away.
Olivia noticed. "You're Val Oswald, right?"
"Yes, and you're Olivia Nowak, I presume."
"I am. Nice to meet you," she said, her tone soft but slightly awkward.
"N-nice to meet you too," I stammered. Was it just me, or was she a little odd? The conversation felt forced, unnatural. I glanced at Kaguya, hoping she'd rescue me, but she was too busy stifling her laughter.
Before I could dig myself into a deeper hole, a blue light appeared beneath our feet.
The light grew brighter, forcing us to shield our eyes. When I opened them again, we were standing in the middle of an enormous arena. The ancient Colosseum.
I glanced around, marveling at the iconic architecture. It was breathtaking—a place I'd always dreamed of visiting. Just not like this.
Well, I thought grimly, if I'm going to embarrass myself in a spar, at least the setting is dramatic.