Fujimaru Ritsuka glanced to the side, puzzled. "Did someone just pass by?"
The bespectacled, adorable girl, Mash Kyrielight, shook her head. "I didn't see anyone. I must not have noticed."
The two had been chatting and hadn't registered anyone else's arrival. However, a man approaching from the other side spoke up. "There was indeed someone. A newcomer, arrived even later than you, Ritsuka."
The man wore a white lab coat, his tea-pink hair tied back in a ponytail. He was Romani Archaman, the resident doctor of Chaldea.
"Ah, Dr. Roman!" Fujimaru Ritsuka waved cheerfully, then asked curiously, "Someone later than me?"
"Yep, Morpheus Fraga McRemitz, from the McRemitz family. Though it's no secret he's their adopted son," Romani replied.
"The McRemitz family's adopted son? I think I heard the Director mention him. His father pulled strings to get him into the Clock Tower, but he ditched it for a regular school," Ritsuka said.
Mash chimed in, her eyes sparkling as if showing off her knowledge. "The Director doesn't like people like that. She sounded pretty annoyed when she talked about him."
Romani, or rather Romani Archaman, laughed. "She's always like that. You get used to it. Honestly, once you get to know him, he's not bad... just overly serious at times."
Ritsuka, who knew little about Magus, was brimming with curiosity, like a child stepping into a brand-new world.
"So, if he's not interested in magecraft, skipped the Clock Tower, and went to a normal school, why's he here? Weren't there supposed to be only 48 of us, including me?" she asked.
Romani shrugged. "No idea. Could be something to do with the McRemitz family's internal plans. Maybe they want him to pad his resume for a cushy job to coast into retirement."
Ritsuka pondered for a moment. "If he just wants a comfortable life, wouldn't sticking to high school or college be better?"
Her logic was clearly that of an ordinary person, untouched by the world of Magus.
"Alright, let's go. The meeting's starting soon, and if you're late, the Director will chew you out. She's very strict," Romani urged, hurrying them toward the meeting and experiment area.
"What about him?" Ritsuka pointed at the door... Morpheus's door... as they walked.
"He's Lev's responsibility. Probably has some other arrangements. I'm not sure," Romani said casually. "Lev's diligent, so there won't be any issues. Let's move."
Ritsuka nodded, following Mash and the others. Inside, she was filled with curiosity about the mysterious forty-ninth Master candidate she had yet to meet.
"We'll meet soon, right? Maybe we can talk and even become friends," she thought quietly.
…
Inside his room, Morpheus flopped onto the bed, savoring the softness of the mattress. He let out a satisfied groan. "That's♂good!!!"
Then, he began reflecting on his encounter with Lev.
"I didn't expect Lev himself to greet me. Is Chaldea that short-staffed? Lev's practically second-in-command, right under Director Olga Marie. In some ways, he's the top dog here.
"And yet, he personally came to meet me. Did my dad promise them something when he made the call? Extra funding or the like?
"No, that doesn't add up. Lev's planning to blow Chaldea to bits... money wouldn't matter to him…"
Doubts crept into Morpheus's mind. Something about Lev personally escorting him felt off.
This unease spurred him into action. He got up, intending to explore and investigate.
But when he reached for the door, it wouldn't budge.
He tried twice more, but the door remained stubbornly shut, sealed as tightly as a vault.
"I've been locked in?!" Morpheus quickly assessed his situation and began considering solutions.
"Contact Chaldea's staff?" He picked up the room's phone to call out, only to hear a dead tone. Checking the line, he found it severed.
"This was planned. My room's been tampered with... Lev's doing!"
The realization made Morpheus frown.
"Why is he wary of me? Can he see the future or something? But if he could, he'd take out Gudako first, not bother with me.
"No, it's not foresight. Those words he said… there's something hidden in them…
"Could my sudden participation in the test have spooked him? Because I'm from the McRemitz family?
"That doesn't make sense either. Most people here have hefty backgrounds... Gudako's the odd one out.
"Forget it. No use overthinking. I need to get out. If Lev's locked me in, his plan's already in motion!"
After a few more failed attempts to open the door, Morpheus stepped back, took a deep breath, and summoned his cane.
As the cane appeared, a star chart, dagger, and chalice materialized around him, orbiting in accordance with the First Motion.
Then, he chanted a spell.
"By the guardian star of Raphael, the divine healer, invoke the power of Mercury!"
Morpheus's vitality was refined, transforming into magical energy. This process didn't rely on Magic Circuits... it occurred naturally.
This energy sparked changes within him, alterations confined to his own body, even as it became magical energy.
Once the spell ended, the energy would naturally revert to vitality.
Thus, it posed no threat to his lifespan.
As these internal changes took effect, the external world mirrored them.
A palpable wind element swirled around Morpheus, dense with magical energy. A powerful force surged from within him, resonating with distant mysteries.
Simultaneously, the yellow dagger emitted a faint glow, amplifying the power of the archangel Raphael within the room.
If a magus were present, they'd be stunned by this bizarre magecraft. It defied their understanding, an utterly alien phenomenon.
This was magic from the Toaruverse... or rather, even in Morpheus's original, mystery-less world, occult theories followed similar principles.
A theory that allowed mere mortals to tread into the realm of gods!
But the spell wasn't complete, as the door remained shut.
The power of Mercury in the room had grown abundant, almost overflowing.
Channeling this force, Morpheus invoked a new divine name.
"By the power of Hermes, guardian of Mercury, to a thief, a door is meaningless, an obstacle that cannot stand!"
With Morpheus's words, the Mercury power summoned under Raphael's name transformed, becoming the power of Hermes, the Greek god of Mercury.
Hermes, patron of thieves, bore legends of stealing from Apollo himself.
In that moment, the door... a symbol of barring thieves and protecting homes... was overcome by this force. The once-sealed door swung open!
The magical energy reverted to vitality, flowing back to its rightful place. Morpheus stepped forward, crossing the threshold.
The corridor matched his memories, empty save for the snowy view outside.
But after a few steps, he frowned again.
He'd been walking for minutes, yet the corridor stretched on endlessly, as if it had no end!
…
"It's really him!" Lev sensed the changes in the room he'd rigged, narrowing his eyes. He glanced at Olga Marie, who was addressing the experiment staff nearby.
"Good thing I didn't just lock the door... I set up an Imaginary Number magecraft dimensional maze at the entrance. Once inside, he won't escape anytime soon. Looks like the plan needs to kick off today!
"But no matter. The plan was set for today anyway, and running into the legendary Veritas000? I'd say my luck's pretty good!
"As for Fujimaru Ritsuka, aside from her compatibility, she's nothing special... just an ordinary person. Her surviving doesn't matter."
A dangerous glint flickered in Lev's eyes as he quietly awaited the plan's execution.
"Just a bit longer. Once they're all inside the coffins, I'll detonate the bombs and reduce this place to rubble!
"Wait patiently, my king. Your grand ambition will surely come to fruition!"
***
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