94

Roman stretched his body slowly, flexing his stiff limbs, before yawning sweetly and slowly opening his eyes. Looking around the command room where he slept in.

The sofa on which he slept. Several empty chairs on which Da Vinci and Olga were sitting before. The control panel for monitoring the Masters who entered the Singularity, at least it was supposed to be. It is now nothing more than a large table studded with useless flickering buttons and levers, on which an empty cup, Roman's, rested. Last but not least is the object they used for surveillance of Ainz's activities in the Singularities, provided by Ainz himself.

Just in case he had missed something when he slept, Roman glanced at the huge flickering screen that showed the Command Room Ainz's adventures. Thankfully at that moment, hmm... how did Da Vinci say it? Ah yes, 'the show had gone into a commercial break'.

All that Roman himself could see at the moment on the screen was Ainz himself, his Servants and allies found in the Singularity, preparing for the final battle. Or more precisely, sleeping before the final battle - also, in a sense, important preparation.

In any case there was no epic battle, a demonstration of Ainz's incredible abilities, or are there some kind of violations of logic and the laws of the world. So, in other words, an unexpectedly boring state of affair that is nothing for Roman to fret about at the moment.

Yawning again, Roman rose from his seat, rubbing his sleepy eyes, then reached for his mug. After another second, Roman lifted his favorite coffee mug - decorated with the print of the best female idol of all time, "Magic Mari," printed on the side. Bringing the already cooled, but still worthy drink of the gods, coffee, to his lips.

A second later, when Roman's gaze came across the screen, he suddenly froze and cold sweat broke through his whole being to the core.

Ainz stumbled upon ten crazed gods? Oh, as if that trifle would worry him at the moment! It was worse, much, much worse!

Roman took the cup away from him with trembling hands. After which, with a slow motion of inevitability, as if mesmerized by the most terrifying sight that he could only observe in his entire life, Roman looked down.

Yes, he was right.

He's out of coffee!

Roman sucked in a breath, as if to recover from the monstrous force of the blow he had just received and exhaled.

Ainz would have dealt with the killing of the gods somehow. But Roman's empty cup is a real problem.

Not that Roman was addicted to coffee... Although, okay, he admits it, part of the problem was, of course, that Roman was addicted to coffee.

But more important was that Roman had managed to snatch...

Roman turned his gaze to the clock that hung nearby and shook his head.

Four and a half hours of sleep... Although, since the beginning of all these problems with the Singularities and the destruction of humanity, this paltry figure was actually quite amazing in comparison to his normal sleeping schedule. Nevertheless, he unfortunately remembered how even a month ago even a two-hour sleep a night was a very significant luxury for him. However, even taking into account the fact that a four-hour sleep was for him a significant improvement in conditions. It was worth recognizing that, nevertheless, the human body is not able to function normally under such a schedule, therefore Roman needed his coffee.

And Roman was used to starting his day with a cup of coffee. So with the full scope of what had just happened made him exhale and close his eyes.

Coffee, hmm... No Coffee is the problem. Unfortunately, at the central observation point, Roman did not keep any coffee supplies. Or even a kettle for that matter. So Roman had to solve the current problem in another location.

Looking around furtively, Roman slowly rose from his seat.

The reason he stayed in the surveillance center at the moment was, um, the need to watch Ainz, which sounded extremely logical. However, at the same time...

Roman glanced once more at the monitoring screen, checking if he was destroying any pantheon of ancient and powerful gods right now out of boredom. And, finding nothing of the kind, exhaled.

So the task was simple and banal. To snatch a cup of coffee before Olga-Marie returns to the observation center from her cozy bedroom. And, more importantly, before Ainz once again decides to break some fundamental rule of the existence of this world without Roman in the observation room.

How hard could it be?

Moving along the stark white corridors of Chaldea with his faithful mug in his hands, Roman sighed almost dreamily.

The Kitchen! If there was a place in the world more suitable to find a coffee machine than a kitchen, Roman did not know about it.

There are three coffee machines in the kitchen! There are several sacks of coffee in the kitchen, which Roman brought there on his own. But most importantly...

There's Archer in the kitchen!

Roman swallowed involuntarily at the thought of Archer. No, no, not at all, no, not that way!

About Archer's cooking!

Yes, definitely! Otherwise, it would have sounded wrong in so many ways.

Archer's cooking! Roman had never before tasted anything tastier than Archer's cooking. And Roman, due to some circumstances, was very versed in fancy food. But in some unique way, Archer always managed to make something completely amazing from the most ordinary ingredients. Even a sandwich made from nothing more than a piece of bread and a slice of ham came out no worse than a fully prepared 5-star restaurant dish. And more importantly to Roman is his coffee!

Despite the fact that the coffee machine was supposed to be the one making the coffee, Archer had some unique ability, perhaps even some sort of True Magic, that turned any food into a work of art.

Roman smiled at the thought of enjoying that coffee soon. His head in the clouds while heading towards the kitchen, step by step...

Nothing happened on his way, and after making his little way to the kitchen, Roman happily opened the door leading inside.

"So, you have chosen death…" - Arthuria's gaze was so cold that they could easily freeze the flames of hell. The only thing that saved Roman from instant death, was that Arthuria's gaze was not directed at him. And in general, Arthuria, it seemed, was not even paying any attention to his appearance.

The girl sitting at the table was in her eternal black armor, exuding an aura of cold darkness. But luckily for Roman - and for many others - all her oppressive power was directed at another Servant, who could answer her venom in the same way.

"Come on then, show me that behind your words there is more than just empty bravado" - The words of the Dragon Witch, Jeanne Alter, were just as cold and the aura she exuded was just as menacing. However, instead of the icy pressure of Arthuria, Alter's presence was like the roaring flames. So oppressive that Roman even thought that the kitchen had suddenly become uncomfortably hot.

The two girls who sat opposite each other, looking into each other's eyes, did not pay attention to the whole world around them, focusing only on their opponent. And the fact that those two get along like peanut butter and deadly nut allergy did not surprise Roman. Even if Roman did not know why such a confrontation arose. However, what is more important right now is the fact that both girls were seconds apart from crossing their blades.

"Prepare to lose, Witch of Britain," Alter chuckled.

"These words will be the last that you uttered in your life, Witch of France," Arthuria answered coldly.

"BEGIN!" At that moment, the hand of Archer, who was holding a tray filled to the brim with food, hit the table. After a moment the hands of two girls in black armor flashed with incredible speed, grabbing... Croissants from the tray. Pretty appetizing ones in Roman's opinion.

Roman, having seen such a discordant picture, froze for a second. Feeling all the thoughts in his head leave his mind, Roman was frozen in place just continuing to look at the hands of the Servants pulling croissants to their mouths flickering.

A second later, a hand touched Roman's shoulder, returning him to the real world from the fantasy world. But before he could say anything, Roman's gaze rested on Archer's face, who put his finger to his lips and quietly pulled Roman out of the kitchen behind him, quietly closing the door...

Roman, blinking owlishly for a few more seconds, then slowly looked up at Archer's face. After which, as if trying to make sure of what he saw, he asked the question, - "Arthuria and Jeanne Alter... Are participating in a... Eating… Competition?"

Archer, looking seriously at Roman, just nodded. "Yes."

Roman exhaled slowly, - "Oh, I see... And I just thought that I was going crazy."

"Those two things were not that far related to each other," Archer exhaled slowly, and then walked away from the cafeteria. Roman, still immersed in a kind of trance-like state, followed after him.

"Um… why?" Roman asked Archer, trying to find at least some semblance of an explanation for what he had just seen.

"Briefly, it's because Arthuria is a king and a glutton at the same time," - Archer exhaled in a pain-filled sigh.

Roman blinked again at such a non-sequitur answer, and then shook his head, - "That is... Um, okay, let's say... But, um... Did she really decide to defend her royal honor that way?"

"Hmm?" - Archer threw a blank look at Roman, which after a second was replaced by realization and Archer shook his head, - "No, the thing is, ahem... Arthuria loves to eat very much."

"Oookay…" , - Roman quite easily accepted what was said, - "So?"

"But the fact is, that as a king, Arthuria simply could not eat enough and also at the same time give a damn about her manners.", - Archer exhaled, - "So she came up with... Something like a plan? At least, if it could be called that. To find a way according to which she could eat enough with much less concern for the rules of decency. And an eating competition is what she came up with."

"And provoking Jeanne Alter to any confrontation is easier than anyone else.", - Roman picked up the line of thought, shaking his head. Finally able to throw off the darkness that muddled his thoughts, he exhaled, - "Got it."

"Yeah", - Archer exhaled, then nodded, - "By the way, I'm sorry, but my stop is here, the warehouse. I need to pick up some flour, then I need to go back to them."

"Oh, ahem", - Roman exhaled, - "But there were baked goods for at least five people there, right?"

"Trust me," Archer nodded gravely. "I'll have to run for supplies at least twice before they finish their, uh, competition. For today, at least."

"Oh…" - Roman exhaled, then nodded, - "Good luck with that, in that case."

"Thanks", - Archer replied seriously, turning into an inconspicuous door and Roman was now left alone.

Roman exhaled.

This means that the kitchen was closed to him at the moment...

In that case…

The lounges were the second best choice for finding coffee in Roman's opinion. There was only one coffee machine, but it was there. Which means it was the second most suitable option for Roman.

It was not far from the warehouse to the lounges, so Roman exhaled softly as he approached the door. However, just in case, remembering the unexpected meeting with Arthuria and Jeanne Alter, Roman first opened the door and peeked inside. He then saw something very unexpected.

"Please, our Lord does not approve of violence!" Jeanne spoke, spreading her arms out to the sides, to close the two girls hiding behind her from two girls advancing on her.

"You are trying to protect two Greek goddesses in the name of a Christian god", - Serenity, one of the assailants in the situation exhaled looking at Jeanne, - "That is not a very logical course of action."

"Technically, we are Servants, not goddesses!" Stheno, for a second, appeared from behind Jeanne's back, threw an exclamation in response. Then she instantly hid behind Jeanne's back again when Kiyohime's fan flew dangerously close next to her head.

"Enough of this violence, please!" Jeanne took a step towards Kiyohime, providing a little more cover for her wards.

"We didn't even say anything like that!" - Euryale replied to Kiyohime's actions with something stupid, from the point of view of Roman anyway. - "We simply told the truth!"

"YOU DARE TO SQUANDER MY ANCHIN'S REPUTATION!" Kiyohime, one step away from turning into a dragon, took a step forward. Blinded by her rage she almost imprintied herself on Jeanne, which took a step to the side, while still covering the two chibi goddesses.

"But he really did it!" Euryale tried to give a response to Kiyohime's exclamation of rage...

"Euryale, just please shut up", - Stheno pulled her sister by the shoulder, - "Jeanne is not immortal, you know!"

"Technically, she can be summoned again," Serenity exhaled, after which her gaze found Stheno, who instantly paled from such a threatening statement, "And until the moment of her re-summoning, she will not interfere with us getting to you…"

"Serenity, please", - Jeanne just tried to smile back, as if hoping to translate a very threatening statement into a joke, - "We can just discuss your conflict…"

"NO TALKING WITH HAGS!" Kiyohime replied belligerently, continuing to look at the two girls behind Jeanne.

Behind Jeanne's back and behind the two goddesses, Roman saw the lonely silent coffee machine… as if beckoning for him to rescue it from the situation

So, the staff rest room is also inaccessible to him.

The next logical option for Roman was his own room.

There were no coffee machines, but there was some cheap instant coffee and a kettle that he had used before. Well, it's time to remember how he got his caffeine fix before the Servants arrived!

Continuing to carry his mug in his hands like the Grail, Roman moved towards his room. At least it was not so far from the lounge and Roman himself could count on the fact that at least his room would be empty and he would not meet other Servants.

Well, at least in this he was right, there really were no people in his room… as far as he can tell from the outside. But here in the corridor in front of his room...

"So you and Ainz are now..." Cu Chulainn waved his hand vaguely in the air, "Well, you know."

"I do not understand at all why this even concerns you", - Medusa exhaled, trying not to look at Cu Chulainn's face, - "My personal life is called that, because it is 'mine' and 'personal'."

"Oh, come on", - Cu Chulainn just grinned, continuing to pester Medusa, - "We almost dated back then!"

"Your drunken attempts to sleep with me are not considered 'dating'," - Medusa shook her head irritably, - "I smashed you in the face for it last time - and I will smash it again if you keep bothering me."

"And this girl said something like 'that Servants are just tools and they should not have their own will'…" - Cu Chulainn rolled his eyes, - "Women!"

Roman, who absolutely didn't want anyone to think he was eavesdropping on the Servants' private conversations, instantly dived into the nearest room. Medusa and Cu Chulainn had to pass side by side, after which he could calmly get into his longed-for room!

Cu Chulainn, moving after Medusa, walked a few more meters, turning the corner, and then stopped, - "Come on, it's so boring here, in Chaldea! Just tell me, are you dating him or not?"

"Cu Chulainn, do you understand that if I take off my glasses and look at you, there will be little of you that remain?" Medusa cautiously touched the bow of her glasses, stopping not far from Caster.

"Wow, such a lovely lady." Cu Chulainn rolled his eyes, "I don't want to know in what positions you have sex - I'm just curious to know if you're already dating or not?"

Medusa stopped, then let it out slowly. "Not yet."

"AHA!" - instantly Cu Chulainn grinned, pointing his finger at Medusa, - "YET! Not yet! So you have quite some big plans for him!"

"Cu Chulainn!" - Medusa growled at the cheerful guy, - "I swear, I really will kill you if you continue!"

"You won't kill me", - Cu Chulainn smirked confidently, - "Ainz will not appreciate it, and as we already understood, you care about his opinion very much…"

"Cu Chulainn!" Medusa stamped loudly.

Roman exhaled. He did not want to, absolutely did not want to be a participant to such conversations! He just wanted some coffee...

Roman doomedly pulled on his favorite mug... Knocking it against the hanging metal piece of… Something.

Medusa and Cu Chulainn, who had previously been passionately arguing, froze instantly from the unexpected sound. They instantly turned towards the door to the room in which Roman was hiding behind at that moment. Roman exhaled softly.

Oh, he didn't want to be seen by the Servants, he didn't want to at all, he didn't want to...

"Doctor Roman?" - A quiet low voice sounded over Roman's ear made him jump and turn to the speaker.

The speaker turned out to be an unknown figure, which was difficult to discern in the darkness of the closet. However, straining his eyes a little, Roman was able to determine that the speaker was none other than Hassan of the Cursed Arm.

"Hassan?" - Roman threw a blank look at him, - "How did you…"

"Service tunnels", - Hassan, instantly understanding the unspoken question, waved his hand towards a small inconspicuous vent at the end of the closet, - "I was not far away and just became interested to check what was happening here."

"I think there's someone inside," Cu Chulainn's voice reached Roman clearly, forcing him to exhale.

"Hassan, how to get through the tunnels to my room?" Roman gave the Servant a pleading look.

"To the left, straight three passes, then to the right, you will have to bypass the third power cable along the top…" - Hassan answered calmly, but Roman, realizing that his time was running out, shook his head.

"There is no time! Also - you have not seen me here at all!" - Roman threw his last words to Hassan, and then, a second later, rushed into the service tunnels.

Moving through the tunnels, Roman cursed at himself, Coffee and even a little bit at his mug. Although he did not curse his mug especially strongly. After all, it had the print of 'Magic Mari', which means that this mug was already an analogue of the Holy Grail for Roman - at the very least.

"I am completely lost..." - but most of all, Roman cursed the tunnels with all his might.

The service tunnels were utterly maze-like, so Roman could not be blamed for getting lost in them. One could only sympathize with the poor fellow.

"To the right..." - Roman turned, then stopped for a second - "Or to the left?"

The mug in Roman's hands tinkled as he went along the tunnel without coffee, making Roman curse himself three times more.

If he gets lost and dies in the service tunnels, then his mug will also perish in the same tunnels... Roman could not let such a travesty happen!

Therefore, straining his memory, Roman tried to recall the service tunnel construction scheme in Chaldea...

"Oh, Doctor Roman!" Another voice distracted Roman from his thoughts, forcing him to look up only to first face the form, the nameplate, and only then see the face of the speaker.

"Um, I'm sorry…" Roman strained his memory, trying to remember the guy that spoke to him.

"Lancel, technician", - the guy smiled radiantly, - "Don't worry, I'm used to often being overlooked…"

After a moment, the guy's smile faded a little, - "Although, lately I have been noticed more and more often for some reason…"

"Hmm, in any case", - shaking his head, Lancel instantly regained his radiant smile, - "Doctor, are you lost?"

After a pause for a couple of seconds, Roman had to admit, - "Maybe a little."

"That's unfortunate", - Lancel shook his head, - "Where exactly were you going?"

"To tell you the truth - anywhere, if there is coffee there", - Roman exhaled in defeat.

"Oh, in that case - I can say that you came right to the address!" - Lancel instantly broke into another radiant smile, then reached for the bosom of his clothes, turning his back slightly to Roman, which allowed him to see a small animal sitting on his shoulder...

"Fou?" - Roman blinked, looking at the animal that was peacefully snoring on the technician's shoulder, - "He... He rarely gets in contact with people."

"Any beast can be tamed if you know what to do with it", - For a second Lancel's smile became even more joyful before the technician was able to get a small oblong metal cylinder out of his clothes - "A thermos full of coffee! It's like I knew that it would come in handy in the future!"

"Thank you", - A second later, when the blessed drink was poured into his precious mug, Roman exhaled and smiled. All his wanderings this morning were not in vain! Without restraining himself, Roman instantly raised the mug to his lips.

"All for the sake of the chosen savior of humanity", - from such a comment Roman instantly choked and coughed.

"Kha-what-kha?!" - Roman threw a blank look at Lancel.

"Chaldea", - Lancel blinked instantly, as if in confusion, - "We are all here, which means that we are the saviors of humanity. You, Dr. Roman, are not only a doctor, but a savior by definition. Not to mention also one of the most influential people here. One might say, that you're the chosen savior of mankind."

A second later, Lancel broke into a smile, - "Just a little joke."

"Yeah, of course", - Roman frowned, took another sip, and then smiled all the same, - "Thanks again for the coffee, Lancel."

"Not at all, Doctor Roman", - Lancel smiled, - "And, if it's not a secret, after getting your morning coffee - where will you go this time?"

"Now, I'm afraid I will need to get to the surveillance and communications center again," Roman exhaled.

"Oh, that's good", - Lancel smiled, - "Come on, I just was heading in that direction…"

Upon entering the communications center, Roman was in an excellent mood. Coffee splashed in his cup - which meant he was almost happy. Not as happy as if humanity had not been destroyed, but, well, beggars can't be choosers.

Having made a few steps with a firm gait, as if nothing had happened, Roman instantly settled down on the sofa, after which he glanced at his watch.

It was at this moment that the door to the observation center opened with an incredible noise, letting in the very embodiment of rage, cheerfulness and femininity at the same time.

Olga-Marie Animusphere.

"Roman!" - the girl immediately barked, making Romani jump on the spot, - "Where have you been?!"

"Um…" - Roman sighed, - "I went for some coffee?"

Olga just glanced at him with displeasure, and then exhaled.

"Be glad that I'm in a very good mood," Olga just exhaled at these words, and then walked to her chair, settling on that after a few seconds.

Roman blinked again.

Of all the things that happened that morning, Olga being not unhappy with him despite the likely violation of the order to 'watch Ainz' was the most surprising of all.

Dr. Roman's mood, which was already good, was skyrocketing.

"Did I miss something interesting?" - the voice of Da Vinci, who just appeared on the threshold of the room, marked another working day for Roman has started, making him smile.

"No", - Roman took a sip of coffee from his mug, - "Just another ordinary morning in Chaldea…"

Organization name: Chaldea

Number of Staff:

People: 24 (of which: Magi - 6; Special - 2)

Servants: 17 (of which: Incorrectly summoned - 2)

Other: 3