Re:Interdimensional Mercenary

While Adam is deep in his meditation to communicate with the warp, only Alina and Caster remain awake and guard the group while they rest.

It was dead silent except for the little noise Caster made while carving his runes.

The silence was heavy and lasted quite a long while until Caster couldn't take it anymore, added with the glare Alina maintained on him.

"Say, how did I happen to offend you, lady?" He asked but in return, he only got the same silent glare.

"Fine if you didn't want to answer that. But, can I ask another question?" He asked again. Again all he received is a silent glare which disturbed him enough to fail on engraving one rune stone and cracked.

Scratching his head, Caster felt frustrated. But he kept it to himself and sighed, wishing to drink some alcohol and depart to explore the mansion if it had any.

"Alina… What did I say about acting nice with new people?" Adam suddenly announced he was awake and shocked Alina.

"M-Milord… I don't like that person. He was rude and disrespectful." She quickly defended herself but Adam isn't buying it.

"On what basis? As far as I can see. He had been acting good and it's you that lacks tolerance." He sighed and rubbed his forehead with a troubled look. "This is not the Imperium anymore, Alina. I am no longer the Imperial Regent, not the Supreme Grand Master or the Lord Commander of a galactic spanning army. I am now merely a stranger in a foreign land. I do not demand that kind of respect anymore nor do I wish for it."

"But…" She protested but died in her own throat before she could say it out.

"It's alright. I do not fault you for it. It was mine incompetence that made you like this. It's my failure as you lord to fail at educating you proper manners."

She stared in shock and angered that Adam would blame himself for her mistakes. Her perfect master would rather take the blame of incompetence for her. Yet she couldn't deny after all, it's the Master's responsibility to educate their servants. She cannot refute that as doing so would declare that she does not see him as her Master. She would rather die than doing so.

As such, she swallowed her bitter feelings and merely lowered her head with shame. She vow she would be better and not to stain his honor.

As for Adam, he smirked because when dealing with fanatics, reverse psychology is always the best. Using their own words against them.

Caster then just so happened as if he heard nothing and carried a few bottles of wine into the living room like he hadn't secretly eavesdropped on him and Alina.

"Yo, look what I found." Caster presents his haul to Adam and Alina before fetching a few glasses.

"Well, not as strong as I would like. But I am not picky with my choice." Caster offers Adam a glass and slashes off the corked part of the bottle with simple magecraft and pour all the glasses the red wine.

"Thank you." Adam said and brought the wine to his mouth to drink from them.

Not as good as those he once sneaked off Roboute Guilliman's collection. It's paltry in comparison. But better than none.

"So, I heard you have questions, Caster? I am happy to answer them if you like." Adam said while holding his empty glass out for another helping which Alina quickly helped and poured.

"Ah. Yes. I do have questions to ask." He replied and deliberated for a moment to arrange his thoughts before he asked. "You folks, are not someone from this world are you?"

"Oh." Adam didn't show much reaction other than his flat remark. "What made you think so?" Adam wonders.

"Hmn. Although I am not much of a proper Magus myself, I still learn from the very best and I can say without a doubt. No one else harnesses Mystery as you do." Caster answered.

"Can you explain?" Adam looked very invested at the topic and inquired.

"I am glad to." Caster nodded while unaware of another listener joining in on the discussion as a silent spectator.

"You see. Normally, Mystery is harnessed by a Magus using Od or life force of a creature that we call Lesser Source, to manipulate Mana or life force of the world that we call Greater Source. A Magus uses Od to manipulate Mana to power the magic formula, Magecraft. But in your case. It is totally different. Your absurdly potent and vast Od aside, the phenomena you are harnessing isn't Mystery. Is something else. Something much more primal than Mystery. Your Od harnesses these primal forces to directly bend and warp reality to your command."

Hearing the explanation, Adam came to a conclusion. It's the difference of universe. Not all are the same and in this one, Mystery is the Immaterium for the previous universe.

"Well, you are correct, Caster. I am not someone from this world and in my previous one. We do not use Magecraft as you do." Adam admitted. "Well, at least now I know how painfully obvious I was a foreigner to this reality."

"Well, I don't really care if you are not from this world." Caster said and gulped down his wine and poured himself another. "All i do know is we are both on the same side and that much is enough for me." He shrugged.

"Thank you for your acceptance." Adam nod gratefully.

"Well, I have another question. No, more like a request."

"Out with it. If it's within my limit, I would definitely consider it." Adam agreed to hear Caster out.

"Well, it's nothing difficult. I see you have the ability to summon weapons and I wonder if you have something like a spear that I can borrow." Caster said while scratching his head awkwardly and explained. "You see, my most suitable Class to be summoned on is actually Lancer. But by my rotten luck, I got summoned as Caster instead. For that reason, I cannot display my full capability."

"That is easy to fulfill." Adam said and summoned a random spear he had in his Inventory and handed it to Caster who immediately tested it out and found it to be acceptable.

"Great. With this, my odds against Archer would definitely be better." Caster gives Adam a genuine thanks and boasts how he would defend Archer in their rematch later.

They spend the remainder of their time continuing their preparation. On occasion I make small talk but the atmosphere is definitely better than before.

After almost four hours, everyone woke up well rested. At least they are not tired anymore. They ate another small meal to regain their energy before departing toward the temple where the cavern underneath lay their goal, the Grail that caused this singularity.

———

With morale on an all time high, Adam led everyone naturally as everyone saw his capability and aura of his leader and rallied under him willingly much to Olga's exasperation because her words are ignored and her title of the Director has no weight around him.

With Adam's presence, their march toward the Temple was smooth sailing. Not even a skeleton appeared on their path which boggles everyone until Adam explains that his presence alone can kill and deter evil, worthy of a Daemon Slayer.

"So, the plan is you will stall Archer while the rest of us rush in and take care of King Arthur?"

"Yeah." Caster replied.

"But why? Can't we defeat Archer first and then defeat Saber?" Adam wonders the reason Caster wants to face off Archer alone.

"Well, there are two reasons. First, I want my rematch with him alone. Second is because of his annoying ability to copy Noble Phantasm."

"Copy Noble Phantasm?!" Olga and Romani gasped while the others showed varying degrees of reaction but all were much tamer.

"Yes. As you heard from me. He can copy Noble Phantasm and launch them like an arrow. With a big group, it would be dangerous especially with the two ladies over there." He pointed to Ritsuko and Olga.

"Hey! Are you saying that I am a dead weight?" Olga fumed but Alina suddenly retorted her, done tolerating her attitude. "Do you dare say you are not? At least the Master is supplying energy for the Shielder. As for you, you only know how to cower behind her whenever a battle takes place."

"You! You…" Olga wants to retaliate but finds herself incapable of denying what Alina said.

"Well, no need to bite at one another before a battle. Even if Director Olga cannot do much, she still can use her Magecraft to assist Mash like healing or boosting her power." Romani stepped in to mediate.

"Well. Although what Alina said is harsh. There is truth in her words. I learned that Saber Servants have Magic Resistance, right? Then, Director Olga would have limited capability in the battle and would be better off if she did not participate for her own safety." Adam added as his intuition tells him of a premonition about Olga's fate if she joins the battle.

"I assure you I have no intention to belittle your capability and only said this out of concern." Adam sincerely reassured Olga who looked like she was about to flip again. Which oddly quieted her down and turned her head away.

"W-Well… If you said so out of concern. Then I forgive you… But, as the Director of Chaldea. I have my responsibility to see this mission through." She turns her face back, trying to hold back her embarrassment and assert her position as the Director.

"If that is your wish then I will discourage you no more." Adam nodded and stepped back from the discussion oblivious to the reason why everyone including Sif with her jaw dropped, staring at him and Olga speechlessly.

"Ahem. Anyway, I think it's best for Director Olga to stick together with the group anyway because there isn't a safe place out there we can leave her alone." Romani said and Ritsuko and Mash agreed. Best for Olga to tag along. At least Mash can protect her too.

"Alright. Since we had decided on our role. Let's set off." Adam announced and everyone nodded as they made their last bit of march up to reach the temple.

But then Adam and Caster noticed a flash in the distance.

"Wa—" Caster wanted to warn the group but Adam dashed in front of the group and reached his hand out to catch the incoming projectile.

"Fascinating. To thinking you could catch my sword while not being a servant yourself." A voice spoked and Caster immediately reacted.

"Archer!" Caster called.

"Caster." A masked tan man with white hair and wearing a black body armor and combat pants wielding a black bow appeared.

Caster looked at Adam and both communicated with their eyes before he said, "Go. I will hold him down as much as possible if I can't win."

"Hmn, you? A Caster, want to hold me down alone? That's a very funny joke, Caster." Archer said before entering combat ready state and traced another of his 'arrows'.

"Then let's look at who is joking here, Archer." Caster stam his staff down on the ground and a spear appeared in his hand as he twirled it around and also entered a combat ready stance.

Archer looks at the spear, gleaming at its secret before glancing at Adam with a shudder.

"Go!" Caster shouted one last time before using Runes to strengthen himself and dashed at Archer with a blinding speed while hurling barrage of fireballs.

"Let's go." Adam said and hauled Ritsuko and Olga before throwing them on top of Sif as they made for the cavern.

Adam gives Caster a one last glance and mutters a prayer before he runs along with everyone to the cavern under the Temple.

—————