-3- [ Chaldea ]

In the year 2018.

This was the last era of the establishment of "Magecraft."

Society was constructed by human hands, but those who held the truth of the world were a special group not actively present in society—the "Magician."

They were a group of scholars constantly seeking progress.

They were a band of enigmatic individuals researching mysteries of humanity in secret.

Using the power known as "Magecraft," they could reconstruct, build, and recreate things that would take science a considerable amount of time to achieve, doing things in a manner reminiscent of magic in fairy tales.

Those who possessed this power and knowledge were called Magicians.

Of course, Magecraft and magic were entirely different concepts, and the so-called miracles were not as splendid as they were depicted in fairy tales.

As time passed, with the continuous advancement of science, the power of Magecraft had weakened.

The mystique was gradually fading.

The miracles were slowly disappearing.

All of this was due to the progress of science, which made what Magecraft could achieve increasingly limited and weaker.

Thus, Magecraft and science were completely divergent paths, where the advancement of one represented the decline of the other, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that they were entirely incompatible.

However, despite the irreconcilable differences between the Magicians, who possessed the technology of the past beyond scientific explanation, and the scientists, who accumulated knowledge of future technology beyond Magecraft, there was one aspect where they shared a common goal.

That was to bring lasting prosperity to the inquiring humanity, be it through Magecraft or science.

In other words, both technologies aimed to safeguard human history itself.

Thus, an organization came into existence.

The Chaldea Security Organization—Chaldea.

It was a research and observation facility established to ensure the enduring and resilient continuation of human history. Regardless of Magecraft or science, this facility brought together researchers from various fields. It was located on a snowy mountain with an altitude of over 6000 meters and managed by the prestigious mage family, Animusphere. Chaldea observed the world of human history that couldn't be seen solely with Magecraft or measured solely with science. It acted as a special agency to prevent events that could lead to the decisive extinction of humanity.

That was Chaldea.

Within the facility named Chaldea, the highest principle was to prioritize the continuation of human history, regardless of Magecraft or science.

At the same time, it gathered researchers and magicians from various fields.

Rozen and Mash were two such person who lived within Chaldea and served as magicians to safeguard human history.

On the modern-looking white corridor, Rozen yawned while walking forward.

"So tired..."

Rubbing his teary eyes, Rozen trudged along the corridor feeling lethargic.

"Please cheer up, Senpai," Mash said as she stopped playing with the small creature perched on her shoulder. Frowning, she continued, "If the Director sees you like this later, she will..."

"She will definitely be furious, right?" Rozen cut in, preempting what Mash was about to say. He rolled his eyes and added, "That menopausal woman is always throwing tantrums and scolding people. Even if I act all lively, she'll still find fault with me."

"Who asked Senpai to always disregard the Director's instructions?" Mash didn't refute but pointed out, "You should try not to provoke her anger and treat her better."

To Mash's proposal, Rozen simply responded with one sentence, "That's impossible." He didn't hesitate to add, "We've never gotten along from the beginning, and you know it too."

Hearing this, Mashu felt somewhat helpless. It was true that Rozen's carefree and laid-back attitude, spending time playing games and surfing the internet, clashed with the Director's strict and duty-bound demeanor. As the highest authority of Chaldea and a member of a prestigious magus family, the Director had an unwavering sense of duty to safeguard human history and had no tolerance for mistakes.

Consequently, the two of them always ended up at odds with each other. To avoid conflicts, Rozen specifically set the Director's communications to silent, effectively cutting off her contacts.

Their relationship was far from amicable, and Mash often found herself caught in the middle, not knowing how to handle the situation.

(Is there no way for Senpai and the Director to get along peacefully?)

Such thoughts crossed the kind-hearted girl's mind. After a while, Mash stopped walking.

"Fou...?" Fou, perched on Mash's shoulder, made a puzzled sound.

"Mash?" Rozen also halted his steps and looked in the direction of Mash, surprised. The next moment, he understood what was happening and turned his gaze to the side.

There, a wall was decorated with reinforced glass, displaying the scene outside the facility. However, it was not a picturesque view. Harsh, cold winds blew, sweeping white snow over the land, covering the mountains and the surroundings. The sky was blanketed in white and grey, looking dreary and ominous.

Mash stood in the corridor, staring at this sight. Or more accurately, she was gazing in the direction of the sky. Her delicate and pretty face carried an emotion that outsiders couldn't quite decipher—loneliness.

Rozen reached out and put his hand on Mash's shoulder, shedding his earlier listlessness and speaking softly, "Mash, are you okay?"

"Mm..." Mash nodded slightly but didn't look in Rozen's direction. She continued to gaze at the sky and asked, "I heard the true sky is blue, Senpai."

It was a view that couldn't be seen within Chaldea—a sight that Mash had never witnessed.

To this, Rozen could only respond, "Yes." He, too, gazed up at the sky, and his eyes momentarily showed an inexplicable emotion before returning to his carefree demeanor. He shrugged and said, "It's really blue. You'll have a chance to see it someday, Mash."

Those words completely snapped Mash out of her reverie. "Ah..." She covered her mouth, looking guilty, and said, "I'm sorry, Senpai. I was just..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Rozen interrupted her. "It's alright; don't think too much about it. I didn't mind," he said with a cheerful smile. "Let's hurry to the control room before we get scolded for real."

"Mm," Mash could only nod.

Once again, the two resumed their pace, walking ahead as if the previous conversation had never taken place.