No One Can Be Absent

Today, a faint sense of tension permeated all of Chaldea, causing the very air to carry a trace of pressure.

"Senpai…"

Mashu seemed to sense this tension, her pretty face tightening slightly as she couldn't help but call out to Luo Zhen.

Luo Zhen, who was yawning and seemed to be the complete opposite of Mashu, his attitude as carefree as ever, glanced at Mashu and saw the tense expression on her face.

"Relax," Luo Zhen said while yawning, "Don't be so nervous, we've done simulation battles many times, it'll be fine."

If it were Olga Marie, she would definitely have complained about his nonchalant attitude, but Mashu was instead influenced by Luo Zhen's attitude and relaxed a little.

Seeing this, Luo Zhen smiled inwardly and felt relieved.

Clearly, Luo Zhen was deliberately putting on this act for Mashu's sake, to help her relax.

People are creatures who are influenced by each other.

If the people around you are nervous, you will also feel some tension.

But if the people around you are acting carefree, it's hard to be serious.

Using this principle, Luo Zhen deliberately guided Mashu, whose mind was not yet fully mature.

Although they were the same age and both lacked life experience, possessing only a wealth of knowledge, Luo Zhen was better at devising various tactics and countermeasures than the pure and kind Mashu, and naturally understood how to make Mashu relax in this situation.

This was also because Luo Zhen had a very clear understanding of his own role.

As a summoning mage who manipulates Familiars to fight, his physical abilities could lag behind, but his mind had to be clear.

The fighting was to be left to the Familiars and Servants.

His task was to command and support from the rear.

Only in this way could combat power be maximized.

Luo Zhen had always been very clear about this, so he had been absorbing all kinds of knowledge to enrich his mind, making it easier to organize tactics and command in various combat situations.

The same was true for this operation.

"In terms of combat, if it's at the Servant level, a mere mage can't keep up at all."

"As Masters, what we should do is not go to the front lines, but command from the rear."

"Otherwise, the Master is just a hindrance."

With this understanding, Luo Zhen naturally knew what he should do most.

In addition, he was also a summoning mage, and his combat method was also to manipulate Familiars from the rear, which made this understanding even deeper.

Thinking of this, Luo Zhen couldn't help but feel a little excited.

"I wonder, what kind of hero will the Servant who is formally summoned through 〈Fate〉 and forms a contract with me be?"

Just thinking about this made Luo Zhen truly excited from the bottom of his heart.

Loving Magecraft, loving Miracles, that was what this boy — Lorelei Annerose — was all about.

At this moment…

"So you were here."

The sound of this voice made Luo Zhen stop his steps towards the control room first.

"Professor."

Mashu also stopped, but unlike Luo Zhen, she bowed respectfully to the person who had come.

The person who had come was Leff.

"I've been looking for you for a long time, I'm glad you're not absent."

Leff was leaning on a decorative cane, with his usual smile, approaching them.

"..."

Luo Zhen didn't greet Leff, just looked at him.

For some reason, Luo Zhen felt…

(This guy gives off an even more creepy feeling…)

This made Luo Zhen unable to open his mouth to greet him, and he could only remain silent.

Leff, unaware of what Luo Zhen was thinking, walked up to the two of them.

"Are you preparing to go to the control room?" Leff said very enthusiastically, "Marie is preparing to give a briefing on the operation to the Master Adaptable Ones gathered in Chaldea, you two are the only ones missing, hurry up and go."

Hearing this, Luo Zhen raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be that Professor came specifically to find us?"

Luo Zhen asked tentatively.

To this, Leff answered very readily.

"After all, the two of you were neither selected from prestigious Magecraft families, nor are you ordinary people from general society, but Adaptable Ones who have belonged to Chaldea from the very beginning, and you both possess talents that are even more valuable than those of ordinary Adaptable Ones, we can't let you be absent on such an important day."

The answer was refreshing, but Luo Zhen still sensed Leff's intention.

"That's right, on such an important day like today, no one can be absent."

Leff smiled so frankly.

However, that smile and those words made Luo Zhen feel a chill crawling up his spine.

But before Luo Zhen could investigate, Leff changed the subject and said, "By the way, do you know where Romani is? I'm looking for him too."

Hearing Leff's words, Mashu, to say nothing of Luo Zhen, was a little surprised and said, "Isn't the Doctor in the control room?"

"He was just now." Leff shook his head and said, "But Romani has been complaining in the control room lately because of the recent overtime, saying things like 'I want a vacation! I want to see the latest episode of <Magical☆Merely>! Let me rest!' which made Olga Marie furious, saying that with him there, the atmosphere of the operation couldn't be raised at all, so she drove him away."

That's so Roman.

That was Luo Zhen and Mashu's first impression.

"Even so, today's operation is very important, and Romani's care is still needed to prevent the Masters' physical condition from deteriorating." Leff asked Luo Zhen, "Do you know where your brother is? Luo Zhen?"

To be honest, Luo Zhen really knew.

Just a short while ago, Roman had rushed into Luo Zhen's room and shouted at him.

"I'm slacking off today! If anyone is looking for me, remember to say I'm not here!"

Then, Roman hid in Luo Zhen's bathroom.

In other words, right now, Roman was hiding in Luo Zhen's room.

Thus...

"I don't know." Luo Zhen said to Leff very simply, "Maybe he's hiding somewhere slacking off?"

"...Is that so?" Leff was silent for a while, then said helplessly, "I can't help it, the operation is about to begin, let's go over first, and see if we can contact Romani later."

After speaking, Leff took the lead as if he wanted to lead the way.

Mashu was about to follow, but saw Luo Zhen, who was staying in place, hesitating.

"Senpai?" Mashu tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"...No." Luo Zhen shook his head, pretending to be relaxed and said, "It's nothing, let's follow."

"Yes." Although Mashu was still a little puzzled, she didn't ask.

The two followed behind Leff and went to the control room again.

However, Luo Zhen was no longer as casual as he had been just now.

Staring at Leff's back, Luo Zhen's eyes flickered.

(Something feels wrong...)

In Luo Zhen's heart, only this thought remained.

Unfortunately, the situation did not stop operating because of the strangeness in Luo Zhen's heart.

Before long, the group of three arrived at the control room and began to take their places.