My Director Says She Doesn't Want to Die / The Mastermind Behind the Scenes / The Truth of the Explosion

On the ruins of Fuyuki City in Singularity F.

Ian and the others gathered on a collapsed stone slab.

"Is this the Holy Grail?" Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had recovered, looked at the large, glittering golden cup before her, her eyes full of curiosity.

"This looks really expensive... no wonder Artoria kept everyone else from touching it!" she exclaimed, her gaze wide with wonder.

"...If you understand it that way, it might be slightly off," Ian gently corrected Fujimaru Ritsuka's statement, while taking Mashu's hand.

"Also, Mashu bravely retrieved it this time," Ian added, giving Mashu's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"We should thank her," he said, turning to Mashu with a grateful smile.

Although she was no longer as timid as before, Mashu was still embarrassed by her beloved's praise.

"It was nothing," she demurred, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"It was Senpai who 'dealt' with Artoria, so I only had the chance to retrieve the Holy Grail!" she insisted, her voice filled with humility.

"If anyone should be thanked, it's Senpai!" she concluded, looking at Ian with admiration.

"Oh, that's right!" Fujimaru Ritsuka exclaimed, as if suddenly remembering something.

She sat down next to Ian and looked up at the man who was much taller than her, a hint of concern in her orange eyes.

"By the way—"

"Why did you hug Artoria back then?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

As soon as Fujimaru Ritsuka said this, Mashu also became concerned.

She had already felt that something was off, and now that Ritsuka had reminded her, it felt even stranger.

Ian Pendragon.

It was indeed a name that shared a lineage with Artoria Pendragon.

Naturally regarding them as ancestor and descendant was not a problem at all.

But—

Their embrace back then completely lacked the proper restraint that such a relationship should have.

If she had to describe it, it was more like long-lost lovers reuniting!

And they seemed to have kissed at the end, didn't they?!

This... was very strange!!

"Uh, well, that..." Ian stammered, finding it difficult to answer this question for a moment.

He couldn't possibly explain to the two before him that "that was the lover I had in Britain a long time ago," could he?

Just thinking about the consequences of saying that made him feel terrified down to his toes.

Ian's hesitant manner made Fujimaru Ritsuka even more suspicious, and Mashu also followed suit, pressing closer.

The newly formed Master-Servant duo drew closer and closer, almost to the point of pinning the man down for "severe interrogation."

And something Ian hadn't expected at all happened at this moment.

"Enough, you two!" Olga Marie exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips and striking a dignified pose.

"Honestly, why do you care how Ian did it?" she demanded, her gaze stern.

"In that situation, as long as he could deal with Artoria, that's enough, isn't it?" she argued, her voice filled with authority.

"..."

"..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mashu looked at each other, finding no reason to refute her words.

After all—

If Ian hadn't "dealt" with Artoria, Singularity F would still be a dead end for human history at this moment.

Ian thanked Olga Marie with his eyes, then quickly changed the subject.

"Speaking of which... Mashu, how did you end up like this?" he asked, his gaze turning to the pink-haired girl.

"What exactly is this contract you formed with Ritsuka?" he inquired, his curiosity evident.

"This..." Mashu hugged her shield, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Fujimaru Ritsuka spoke up first.

"Let me explain," she offered, stepping forward.

"Ian, do you know that the Central Control Room exploded?" she asked, her expression serious.

"..."

The man's expression turned heavy in an instant.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten such a thing.

After all, it was because of that explosion that he had come to Singularity F.

"Yeah, I know," he replied, his voice somber.

"That's good," Fujimaru Ritsuka continued. "Back then, I was near the site of the explosion."

"Luckily... I wasn't injured, but Mashu wasn't so lucky," she explained, her gaze softening with concern for her friend.

"To extend her life, I formed a 'Servant' contract with her, becoming her Master," Ritsuka revealed, her voice filled with a quiet determination.

"And then, the second wave of explosions came, and when we woke up... Mashu and I were here," she concluded, recounting their unexpected arrival in the Singularity.

This was consistent with his memory of the situation.

Ian looked at Mashu beside him.

The latter understood the man's meaning and nodded.

"Yes... that's how it happened," she confirmed, her voice gentle.

"Senpai, are you bothered that I formed a contract with Ritsuka because of this?" Mashu asked hesitantly, her eyes filled with worry.

Knowing that Mashu was still worried that he would be angry about this, Ian thought for a moment, then took both girls' hands, one in each of his.

He placed them on his lap and then began to speak.

"Isn't this perfect?" he asked, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Mashu has made her first friend," he pointed out, looking at the pink-haired girl with affection.

"And Ritsuka has her first Servant," he added, turning his gaze to the orange-haired girl with a gentle smile.

"I'm happier than you can imagine," he confessed, his voice filled with genuine joy.

Hearing this, Mashu lowered her head shyly.

And Fujimaru Ritsuka was as happy as if she had discovered a new continent.

"That's right—!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This is my first Servant!" she declared proudly, a wide grin on her face.

"Hehe~ when we get back, let's have Mashu and Mordred fight!" she suggested playfully, her imagination running wild.

"Eh-eh, please no such thing!" Mashu protested, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Don't be shy~" Ritsuka teased, nudging Mashu playfully.

"I'm not shy!" Mashu retorted, puffing out her cheeks in a cute pout.

The atmosphere among the three was harmonious, while Olga Marie seemed a bit lonely.

She once again had that feeling of "I haven't done anything at all."

Thinking about it carefully, it seemed that was indeed the case.

She had been chased all the way by an Assassin right after arriving here.

When she reached the summit, she had just stood there for a long time like an idiot.

If she really thought about it... even climbing the mountain was done by Ian.

Throughout the whole ordeal, she felt like an outsider.

What kind of Director was she?

"Director!"

Ian's voice pulled Olga Marie back to reality.

"Thank you for healing Ritsuka," he said sincerely, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"Eh?" Olga Marie was taken aback for a moment.

Fujimaru Ritsuka then reacted.

"Oh, that's right!" she exclaimed, turning to Olga Marie.

"Thank you, Director!" she said, bowing her head in appreciation.

"..."

Facing Fujimaru Ritsuka's thanks, Olga Marie looked at Ian.

She knew he had deliberately brought this up—he was reminding her that she hadn't done nothing.

She smiled.

"No need to thank me," Olga Marie said, tossing her hair.

"Everyone in Chaldea has their own role to play," she declared, her voice regaining its usual confidence.

"And I just did my part," she concluded, a hint of pride in her tone.

Just at this moment.

A voice came from not far away.

"How disgusting... this kind of happy ending."

Including Ian, everyone's gaze turned towards the direction of the voice.

They saw a man wearing a hat and a coat walking towards them.

Olga Marie was the first to call out.

"Lev, you're still alive?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

Lev?

As soon as he heard this name, Ian immediately reacted.

That was the professor who had once scolded Mordred, and also the one who had created the false investigation, proposing to Olga Marie to stop the "Master Observation Project" and further accelerate the exploration of the Singularities.

In a sense.

Everything that was happening now had countless connections to him.

Was he also caught in that explosion?

No—!

Ian could feel a tremendous amount of magical energy overflowing from Lev's body.

This was not normal!

Almost at the same time, Mashu, who had been promoted to a "Servant," also noticed this due to her enhanced physical abilities.

"Director, something's wrong!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with alarm.

"That's not Professor Lev we know!" she insisted, her grip tightening on her shield.

"Mashu, what are you talking about?!" Olga Marie looked puzzled. "That's Lev!" she argued, unable to believe Mashu's words.

Beep—beep—

A slightly noisy sound came.

They saw that some device on Lev's arm seemed to have connected to something.

A worried male voice came from it.

"Phew... I finally managed to contact someone," the voice said, sounding relieved.

"Lev, are you alright?" the voice asked, filled with concern.

Lev quickly replied.

"Romani Archaman, I need to tell you—"

"I'm not alright," he stated, his voice cold and filled with malice.

"I'm not alright at all," he repeated, his tone growing more agitated.

"Because of you all—!" Lev's features began to twist, forming an extremely terrifying expression.

"Every single one of you is an unorganized and undisciplined rabble!" he roared, his voice filled with hatred.

"Ian Pendragon! Why did you summon a Servant without reporting it, and even let her intercept the helicopter! And then you came up with that foolish 'Master Observation Project'!" he accused, his eyes burning with anger.

"Fujimaru Ritsuka! You weren't even allowed to participate in this operation, why didn't you stay obediently in your room and instead wandered around everywhere?!" he berated, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Mashu Kyrielight! Couldn't you have just stayed dead obediently, why did you have to become some 'Demi-Servant'!" he sneered, his gaze filled with contempt.

"Romani Archaman! You were negligent in your duties and escaped this explosion because you weren't even at your post when it happened!" he accused, his voice laced with bitterness.

"And you—!" Lev glared at Olga Marie, his eyes filled with resentment.

"I never expected you, as the Director, to be so dull-witted!" he spat, his voice dripping with venom.

"You can't even realize that you're already dead?!" he mocked, his face contorted in a cruel smile.

"Ignorant!" Lev's words pierced through the joy of their reunion like sharp arrows.

It took Olga Marie a while to recover.

"Lev, what are you talking about?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion and disbelief.

"I... am dead?" she repeated, the words feeling foreign on her tongue.

"Heh," Lev shook his head with obvious disgust.

"My dear Director, your brain is as useless as ever," he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Even if you don't realize it now, you should still have some memories from when you were alive, right?" he questioned, his eyes filled with mockery.

"The center of the explosion was right under your feet... with your pathetic skills, do you really think you could have survived?" he scoffed, his voice filled with disdain.

"The current you is nothing more than a wisp of a soul!" he declared, his eyes burning with triumph.

"Hahahaha!" Lev's hearty laughter echoed in the ruins, proclaiming himself as the mastermind behind everything.

And they pierced Olga Marie's heart like needles, each word a painful reminder.

"No! That's not true!" the young Director exclaimed, vehemently denying Lev's words.

"I'm not dead!" she insisted, her voice filled with desperation.

"I'm standing right here perfectly fine, aren't I?!" she argued, gesturing to herself.

"I can breathe! I can think! I can... use magecraft!" she declared, her eyes filled with a fierce determination.

"I am definitely still alive!" she insisted, her voice trembling slightly.

"Is that so?!" Lev seemed to have already anticipated Olga Marie denying such a fact.

He continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm:

"My dear Director."

"You're so busy with important matters that you've even forgotten the basic principles of Spiritron Transfer, haven't you?" he mocked, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Turning the souls of suitable humans into data, sending them to various points, thereby achieving the transcendence of space and time," he explained condescendingly.

"Olga Marie Animusphere! What is your Spiritron Transfer aptitude?!" he demanded, his voice rising in anger.

"It's zero! It's zero, not even a sliver!" he roared, each word attacking Olga Marie's very being.

"You have absolutely no qualifications for Spiritron Transfer, which is why you needed to find so many people to work for you!" he accused, his eyes burning with hatred.

"And now—"

"You came to Singularity F with this rabble, haven't you ever wondered why?" he questioned, his voice laced with a sinister amusement.

Olga Marie froze, her mind reeling from the impact of his words.

She knew the answer to the question—it was because she had completely lost her physical body and only her ethereal soul remained.

And therefore, she met the conditions for Spiritron Transfer.

"No... that's not true," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Hahahaha! I knew you wouldn't like dying alone!" Lev cackled maniacally, his eyes gleaming with a twisted glee.

"Therefore—"

Laughing loudly, Lev raised his hand towards the sky.

They saw a distorted area appearing above him, with a crimson object resembling a globe spinning within it.

That was Chaldeas—the simulated Earth environment model.

"Rejoice, my dear Director," Lev announced, his voice filled with a chilling triumph.

"The blue that symbolizes the survival of humanity has completely disappeared, leaving only the crimson of doomsday!" he declared, his eyes burning with a fanatical fervor.

"It's not just you who died... but all of humanity!" he revealed, his voice echoing with a sinister satisfaction.

"Be happy about it! You are not alone at all!" he exclaimed, his laughter ringing through the air.

Olga Marie's eyes trembled as if struck by an earthquake.

Her mind had completely collapsed.

"Lev, stop joking around like this!" she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation.

"Quickly turn it back to how it was—that was Father's life's work!" she cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"Father, always Father, everything is always about Father," Lev sneered, looking at the collapsing Olga Marie, his tone becoming increasingly mocking.

"What qualifications do you have to compare yourself to your father?" he questioned, his eyes filled with contempt.

"You're just a snot-nosed brat, and if you hadn't inherited your father's position, you wouldn't have even passed the Clock Tower exams!" he spat, his voice dripping with venom.

"You talk about saving humanity day in and day out, but you couldn't even handle that kind of pressure, vomiting in the bathroom in the middle of the night!" he mocked, his laughter echoing through the ruins.

"Ridiculous! Pathetic! Disgraceful!" he declared, his face contorted in a mask of disgust.

"But oh well," Lev said, extending his hand towards Olga Marie.

"I, Lev Lainur Flauros, the designated person in charge of the mission to destroy humanity in 2015, am not someone who disregards past acquaintances," he stated, his voice filled with a chilling calmness.

"Since you don't believe this is Chaldeas, then go and see for yourself!" he challenged, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"Provided that—"

"You can withstand it, that is, that black hole-like thing!" he finished, his eyes gleaming with a sinister anticipation.

As soon as he finished speaking, Olga Marie was as if grabbed by something, and her entire body began to float in the air.

She could feel herself being pulled inwards by a powerful gravitational force.

Chaldeas, the simulated Earth environment model that she had cherished in the past, had now become her death warrant.

No.

She didn't want to die.

She didn't want to die at all.

She had finally been acknowledged once—

She had finally met someone she liked—

Someone, please save me?!

"Director!" Mashu and Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted almost simultaneously.

They wanted to save her, but they were powerless.

But at this moment, a miraculous scene appeared.

Olga Marie, who had been constantly moving closer to Chaldeas, stopped in mid-air.

Then, she began to move away from the black hole-like model.

Lev was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized who was behind it all.

It was the man named Ian Pendragon.

"What are you doing!" Lev roared hysterically, his voice filled with rage.

"Quickly let that foolish fellow come in!" he demanded, his eyes burning with fury.

"Professor Lev, are you deaf?" Ian asked calmly, his voice echoing through the ruins.

The memories of Heian-kyō echoed in Ian's mind.

That was the experience of escaping the land of the dead with Shuten-dōji's soul—now was the time to make use of it.

He used his will and body as a rope, tightly holding onto Olga Marie's soul.

"My Director—"

"Says she doesn't want to die!" Ian declared, his voice filled with a resolute determination.