'Chaldea'

'Chaldea'

The year was 2018 AD.

This was the last era in which "magecraft" still existed.

Society had been built by human hands, yet the ones who grasped the truth of the world were a special group that did not actively participate in society—the Magi.

They were scholars who had always sought progress.

They were humans who secretly researched the mysteries.

Through the power known as "magecraft," they reconstructed, built, and reproduced as "miracles" things that science would require vast amounts of time to accomplish, achieving feats like the magic of fairy tales.

Those who possessed such power and techniques were known as Magi.

Of course, magecraft and magic were two entirely different concepts, and these so-called miracles were far from as beautiful as those recorded in fairy tales.

As science continued to advance, the power of magecraft had steadily weakened.

Mystery was gradually declining.

Miracles were slowly disappearing as well.

All of this was because the development of science had made the things magecraft could accomplish fewer and weaker.

Thus, magecraft and science were two completely opposing paths. The development of one represented the decline of the other; it would not be an exaggeration to say they were utterly incompatible.

However, whether they were Magi who possessed techniques from humanity's past that science could not explain, or scientists who accumulated techniques from humanity's future that magecraft could not achieve, these two fields of study—utterly incompatible as they were—shared the same goal in one respect.

That was that both magecraft and science existed to bring longer-lasting prosperity to the humans who pursued them.

In other words, every kind of technology existed to protect human history itself.

And so, this place came into being.

The Humanity Continuation Security Organization—"Chaldea."

It was a research institute and observatory established to ensure that human history could continue for longer, and with greater resilience.

This facility, which gathered researchers from every field regardless of magecraft or science, had been built atop a snowy mountain over 6,000 meters high. Managed by the distinguished Animusphere Family of Magi, it was a special agency that comprehensively observed the world of human history—something that could neither be seen through magecraft alone nor measured through science alone—and prevented events that could lead to humanity's decisive extinction.

That was Chaldea.

Within this facility known as Chaldea, regardless of magecraft or science, ensuring the continuation of human history was the highest ideal.

At the same time, researchers and Magi from every field had gathered here.

Luo Zhen and Mashu were two Magi who lived within Chaldea and served there to safeguard Human Order.

In a modern-looking white corridor, Luo Zhen walked forward while yawning.

"I'm so sleepy..."

Rubbing his teary eyes, Luo Zhen trudged down the corridor listlessly.

"Please pull yourself together, Senpai." Seeing Luo Zhen like this, Mashu stopped teasing Fou, who stood on her shoulder, and said with a frown, "If the Director sees Senpai looking so lifeless later, she'll definitely..."

"She'll definitely fly into a rage, right?" Luo Zhen cut off what Mashu was about to say, curling his lips. "That old hag going through early menopause is always yelling and scolding people. Even if I perked up, she'd still hate the sight of me."

"Who told Senpai to always disregard the Director's instructions?" Mashu did not refute him, merely saying, "Senpai should try not to make the Director angry every now and then, and treat her properly."

Luo Zhen had only one response to Mashu's proposal.

"That's impossible." Luo Zhen said without hesitation, "That woman and I are natural enemies. You know that."

Hearing this, Mashu could only feel helpless as well.

Just as Luo Zhen had said, those two had never gotten along, from the past until now.

Luo Zhen was rather laid-back, always spending his time playing games and browsing websites.

On the other hand, the Director of this facility was the complete opposite. Born into a distinguished family of Magi and serving as Chaldea's highest administrator, she possessed the utmost sense of mission and pride regarding the preservation of Human Order, unable to tolerate even the slightest error.

Naturally, the two did not get along.

In the Director's eyes, Luo Zhen's attitude toward life and his lazy personality were a complete waste of time.

In Luo Zhen's eyes, the Director, who constantly flew into a rage at him, was nothing more than a nagging old hag.

The two would practically start arguing the moment they met.

That was precisely why Luo Zhen had specifically set the Director's communications to silent, making him unable to receive her messages.

So, the two truly were incompatible.

Mashu often found herself caught between them, frequently unsure what to do.

Isn't there any way for Senpai and the Director to get along?

The kind-hearted girl thought such things.

Until, after a while, Mashu came to a stop.

"Fou...?"

Fou, who had been grooming his fur atop Mashu's shoulder, let out a puzzled sound.

"Mashu?"

Luo Zhen stopped as well, looking toward Mashu in surprise.

The next second, Luo Zhen understood what was going on and turned to look beside them.

There, one wall had been fashioned from reinforced glass, displaying the scene outside the facility.

It was not a beautiful sight.

Bitterly cold winds howled, sweeping white snowstorms across the earth, burying the mountain peaks and covering the entire land and sky.

The sky was a vast expanse of white and gray, frighteningly overcast.

Mashu stood in the corridor, staring blankly at that scene.

No, more accurately, she was looking toward the sky.

On her delicate, lovely face rested an emotion that outsiders could not discern.

That emotion was called loneliness.

"Mashu." Luo Zhen reached out and placed a hand on Mashu's shoulder. All traces of his earlier listlessness vanished as he spoke softly. "Are you all right?"

"Mm..." Mashu nodded, but she did not look toward Luo Zhen. Instead, she continued gazing at the sky and asked, "I heard that the real sky is blue, Senpai."

It was a sight that could not be seen anywhere in Chaldea.

At the same time, it was a sight Mashu had never seen before.

Luo Zhen could only answer her like this.

"Yeah." Luo Zhen gazed at the sky as well. An inexplicable emotion briefly appeared in his eyes before he returned to his usual carefree state. Shrugging, he said, "It's very blue. You'll get a chance to see it someday, Mashu."

Those words completely snapped Mashu out of her daze.

"Ah..." As though startled awake, Mashu covered her mouth and said with a guilty expression, "S-Sorry, Senpai. When Senpai clearly..."

Before she could finish, Luo Zhen interrupted her.

"All right, don't overthink it. I don't mind." Luo Zhen grinned at Mashu. "Let's hurry to the Control Room, or we really will get scolded."

"Mm." Mashu could only nod.

The two began walking forward once more.

As though their conversation just now had never happened.

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