With Olga Marie commanding, the Shadow Border's operations room was transformed into a highly efficient war machine over the next two hours.
Lev Goetia, fully living up to his title of Advisor, freely shared everything he knew about King Solomon—or rather, about the organization he himself once belonged to.
From the types of magecraft King Solomon might use, to the logical flaws in his behavior caused by his lack of humanity, to the potential powers held by each of his ten rings—Lev analyzed every detail and devised targeted countermeasures.
Olga Marie displayed magnificent organizational ability. She quickly digested Lev's intel, combined it with her own future knowledge, and continually refined and improved the battle plan.
She sorted the squad of four into precise attack, defense, and support roles, assigning clear responsibilities to each on the battlefield.
Her voice was now free of confusion, brimming with the decisiveness of a true leader.
Meanwhile, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash hungrily absorbed all the valuable information, like sponges.
They compared these tactics with their years of past battle experiences, occasionally posing key questions—
Such as "Can Mash's Noble Phantasm fully block that area-wide magic?" and "If King Solomon targets me as the Master first, how do I respond?"
Lessons learned in blood and fire made the plan far more grounded and feasible.
After two hours, a mission plan detailed to the second was finally complete.
Once Olga Marie declared the tactical meeting over, the tense atmosphere finally eased.
With two hours left until the midnight final battle, this was precious time for soldiers to rest, recover, and be at their best.
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Lev each found a corner to close their eyes and rest, while Olga Marie reviewed the operation details again and again.
After confirming her senior was stable, Mash took a warm drink over to Steve, who was gazing pensively out the window at the night scape.
"Mr. Caster…"
Mash hesitated briefly, but still politely spoke: "Thank you for what you did earlier."
"You showed us a way to save everyone."
"You're welcome. I'm just another audience member who can't stand a terrible script," Steve replied, accepting the drink and smiling as he took a sip.
Mash cupped the mug in both hands, a thin veil of steam misting her glasses.
She paused, organizing her thoughts, then, with curiosity and hope:
"Um, Mr. Caster—"
"Your magic to restore our memories was incredibly powerful."
"It got me thinking...since you can do something like that, would it be possible to bring Sion here during this break, too?"
"I remember the future...she and Captain Nemo helped us enormously on the Wandering Sea. If they joined us, our fighting strength would skyrocket."
A hopeful light appeared in Mash's eyes.
To her, Steve had worked so many miracles already, surely one more wouldn't be impossible.
Hearing this, Steve set down his cup and turned around, leaning against the window with an expression that was both helpless and amused.
"That's a good idea, Mash. From a tactical perspective, an extra trustworthy ally is always a boon."
He shrugged. "I even have the means to make it happen."
"But...regrettably, it's impossible."
He raised one finger.
"First, there's the matter of qualifications."
You, Ritsuka, and Olga Marie were able to become Pseudo-Servants because you already have the proper Servant qualifications in the future—and among thousands, were chosen as the candidates.
"Your souls are like special vessels suited to hold the powers of Heroic Spirits."
"But Sion is different. Though she's a brilliant alchemist, she has no aptitude to become a corresponding Servant."
He raised a second finger.
"Second, there's an age issue."
"Even if we ignored her qualifications and managed to implant her future memories—remember, it's 2004 right now."
"As of now, Sion Eltnam Sokaris is an 8-year-old little girl—possibly even younger than she was during the era you recall from the future."
"Even if you gave her the spiritual potion just handed out, she wouldn't have the combative abilities of a Servant.
"She isn't like Ritsuka, a master who can fight by leading Servants without relying on power. In a battle of this level, I can't imagine what use she'd be."
"Bringing her into the fight wouldn't raise our capabilities—it would only give us another target to protect."
Finally, Steve's look grew serious as he raised his ring finger.
"And lastly, and most importantly—with regards to concealment."
"Doesn't it bother you that Marisbury summoned King Solomon with the highest-level Clairvoyance, yet he hasn't noticed anything we've been discussing up till now?"
He paused, looking at Mash, then at the curiously approaching Ritsuka, and smiled as he revealed the answer.
"The simple reason is that the power I'm using isn't of this planet's magic system."
"I call it cosmic magecraft—the foundational mysteries and operation principle are completely different from any terrestrial system."
"To Solomon's all-seeing eye, I'm like garbled code—an unreadable phantom existing dead-center in his blind spot."
"So long as I don't actively use power related to the planet's magical foundation, he cannot see us."
"But summoning Servants is different."
His tone grew grave.
"To try and use one of Fuyuki's available Servant slots to grant Sion a Master's status would be like lighting a massive bonfire right next to Solomon's radar set to full scan."
"His extraordinary long-range vision will locate you instantly."
"By then, any remaining advantage we have from secrecy will be gone. You'll be forced into a hopeless defensive battle against a fully prepared enemy."
"That would be fatal to your next plan."
After this thorough explanation, Mash and Ritsuka at last understood and looked convinced.
They realized there were even deeper considerations behind every decision Caster made.
"I see...Sorry, Mr. Caster, I didn't think it through," Mash murmured, bowing her head in mild embarrassment.
"No, your suggestion was excellent. It shows you're sincerely trying to think of every possible way to win," Steve encouraged, patting her shoulder.
Just then, Olga Marie—who had been silent—came over, arms crossed and a reassuring smile on her lips.
"That's fine."
"In the end, the root of the issue is my father's ambition and the birth of that Demon King. This is the single greatest point of destiny for us Chaldeans, and Miss Sion didn't join until after."
"To drag her into this battle to which she doesn't belong would be improper."
"This fight—the ones with the most direct cause and effect relation to the Incineration of Humanity and the Bleaching of Humanity—should be ended by us."
"This is our responsibility. Our fate."
Her words were filled with certainty.
Ritsuka Fujimaru, Mash, and even Lev, sitting at a distance, all sent glances of agreement.
Yes.
This was their fight.
It was the fated struggle they had to win, if the twisted future was ever to be set right.
PS: This was their fate and grand order.