Under the command of the young director, the group swiftly and smoothly entered the tightly guarded Magecraft Workshop housed in the Department of Astromancy. She held the right of succession and, here at least, wielded authority second only to the family head. All defensive spells and alchemical creatures automatically made way for her.
Inside, the manor was a labyrinth of intricate hallways, filled with the coldly precise style unique to astrophysics. Slowly turning star maps and unbelievably complex alchemical arrays adorned the walls. Yet Olga Marie ignored all this, passing straight through several gates that required complicated passwords and magical authentication, leading Steve and Ritsuka Fujimaru deep into the manor's medical ward.
…
Four hours later, as the last heavy alloy door opened with a deep rumble, the smell of antiseptics and nutrient solutions washed over them. In the center of the room stood a massive glass incubation tank filled with pale green liquid. Curled up inside was a small figure, countless tubes connected all over her body, eyes closed as if sleeping in a mother's womb. She was a little girl, perhaps three or four, with short pale lavender hair and cherubic baby fat cheeks.
It was Mash Kyrielight from this era.
Without hesitation, Steve repeated the same procedure as before, even to Olga Marie. Another dazzling golden card appeared in his hand—except this time, the class symbol in the center was Shielder. He pressed it against the tank's outer glass, and the golden light from the card instantly pierced through every barrier, merging into Mash's body.
With a surge of mighty magical energy, dramatic changes began to happen in Mash's body. Her memories were forcibly reawakened: the special spirit origin marked upon the Throne of Heroes in a parallel future, predestined for her, awakened ahead of time and began to perfectly integrate.
At last, a new pseudo-servant was born—one who would bear the title of Paladin, the strongest of holy knights.
When Mash was finally released from the tank and changed into fresh clothes, she opened her eyes, dazed. Before her stood a black-haired youth—and beside him, the director with silvery hair radiant in a divine glow. In a rush, memories from more than a decade beyond flooded back, and the confusion in Mash's eyes gave way to evident joy and trust.
"Senpai… Director?"
"Mash!"
"I'm so glad... you're all right..."
The trio, who were never meant to reunite in Chaldea for over ten years, embraced early in this cold, inorganic room.
..
Back in the Shadow Border's operations room, the three sat in silence, the air saturated with an indescribable warmth—the feeling that something precious, lost and found again, had quietly taken its place among them. It was akin to those moments at humanity's frozen final battle, when three comrades once fought side-by-side against the last enemy.
Steve, seeing this comforting scene, smiled to himself. He sensed the time had come to complete the mood.
From the air, he conjured three glass vials filled with blue liquid and handed them out.
"This is The Elixir of Youth Reversal. I brewed it by slightly inverting the steps of the rejuvenation potion from that Heroic King's treasury."
He explained, "While you drink this, your bodies will instantly mature by eleven years, returning you temporarily to the peak state most familiar to you. The potion's effect lasts for twenty-four hours—plenty for the next battle."
Fujimaru, U-Olga Marie, and Mash exchanged glances, reading unshakable resolve in each other's eyes. They were no longer innocent children; they knew for what was coming, they would need their greatest strength.
Without hesitation, they each took a vial and downed it in one gulp.
A strange light enveloped them, and as their bones creaked gently, their bodies grew visibly, rapidly, as if fast-forwarding through years in seconds. The glow vanished, revealing three vigorous young individuals.
Fujimaru Ritsuka, once again stood tall as the Master capable of bearing humanity's burden. Olga Marie radiated both stately nobility and divine majesty, embodying the best of monarch and goddess. And Mash, now with her signature short lavender hair and giant shield at hand, watched with gentle but unwavering eyes—the dependable kouhai forever guarding the front line.
Recognizing each other's most familiar faces, they all shared meaningful smiles. Now, the core of the rescue team fighting against disaster was truly assembled.
But at that very moment, Steve froze the room's warm atmosphere with a single explosive suggestion.
"Very good. All base candidates have arrived," he said with satisfaction. "However, compared to the future members who will join you for the journey to restore humanity, there is still one important Chaldean missing right now."
"Chaldean?" Olga Marie frowned.
Steve's gaze swept over their faces, his own turning instantly serious as he spoke the name slowly: "I suggest we find this era's Lev Lainur and bring him into our ranks."
—A heavy silence.
Ten seconds of suffocating, deathly quiet followed.
The warmth of the operations room's air seemed sucked away, the temperature instantly dropping below freezing.
Fujimaru, Olga Marie, and Mash all froze, their smiles replaced by shock, confusion—and an uncontrollable welling of hatred and anger from the very depths of their souls.
"…What did you say?" Fujimaru broke the silence first, his voice low—a volcano trembling right before eruption. He snapped his head up, his usually gentle eyes burning with an icy fury never seen before.
"…Caster, say that again. Who is it you want to…recruit?"
Lev Lainur Flauros—a Demon Pillar disguised as a kindly scholar. The mastermind behind the Chaldea explosion, murderer of countless comrades. The devil who, right before their eyes, hurled the director into the CHALDEAS, erasing her existence in endless torment!
To call this monster a comrade would be the most ludicrous and vile joke ever told!
"I object! Absolutely not!" Fujimaru shouted. "He's our enemy! The one who killed the Director! How could I possibly stand by his side…!"
"Calm down, Ritsuka!" Olga Marie cut in sharply, but even her voice trembled. Her face, already pale from the class card's awakening, was now even more ashen, her eyes haunted by deep-seated hatred and barely concealed fear.
Cast into that starry void, burned alive, her memories lingered as eternal nightmares—first of being cast out, then a century later, cleaved in agony within that sphere.
Forcing herself to keep her wits, she turned to Steve, voice cold: "…Caster, we need an explanation. Is this really your proposal, or is this just your twisted sense of humor? Lev Lainur—no, the Demon Pillar Flauros—is the enemy of all mankind. You know that even better than we do!"
Mash said nothing, but quietly placed her massive shield between Steve and her two friends, her eyes wary. She looked at Steve and shook her head gently.
"…Caster, I really don't understand your thinking. Dr. Lev…no, that Demon Pillar is exceptionally dangerous. Involving him would be far too risky for both senpai and the director. Please, withdraw your proposal."
For the first time ever, Chaldea's three core members raised their voices in firm, determined opposition to Steve. All recent reunion's joy was utterly swept away. The operations room's air was now taut and ready for battle.
…