The hum of the private plane was the only sound between them.
Ritsuka sat silently, glancing to his side.
Airi hadn't said a word since takeoff. Her small hands clenched tightly at her dress, her head lowered, and her eyes shadowed in silence.
He rubbed his neck, thinking.
'How do you even talk to a kid with PTSD, Sakura?' he asked internally.
[Negative, Host. My function set does not include psychological child-rearing assistance.]
Ritsuka sighed.
Of course not.
'...Sakura, does Airi have a problem with her voice?'
[No, Host. From my scan, her vocal cords are fine. The issue is mental trauma. She's disturbed.]
He looked at her again. Her hands trembled. Her lips stayed closed.
He tried to be gentle. "Do you like the dress the doctor gave you? I think it's nice. He must've really liked us—he gave us so many clothes."
No answer.
Not even a flicker.
'Damn. I'm screwed,' Ritsuka thought, adjusting in his seat.
He didn't know what else to say. This is his first time with kids
Then suddenly, a voice, so faint it was almost a whisper—reached him.
"...Do you have smoking habits?"
He blinked. If not for his enhanced hearing from body reconstruction, he wouldn't have caught it.
Her voice was… sweet. Faint like a feather in wind.
"No," Ritsuka said, recovering. "I don't have any bad habits like that."
Why would she ask that?
[Host, statistically, this correlates to high exposure to household smoking—likely parental or guardian figures.]
Right… Ritsuka's eyes darkened. She's from a Yakuza family. She must've seen it every day.
With a sigh, he loosened his tie. He was wearing his freshly issued Chaldea uniform—black coat, crisp white shirt, tie, and slacks.
He noticed her hands again—shaking, more visible now.
She's terrified…
Without thinking, Ritsuka gently reached across and took her small hands in his.
"It's okay, Airi," he said, smiling softly. "I'll be with you. I'll protect you."
Her head snapped up. Her eyes widened, mouth slightly open.
'Opp—!' Ritsuka nearly jumped. 'That surprised me…'
But something had changed.
Her hands had stopped trembling.
And then—tears fell from her eyes.
'Did I say something wrong? ' he panicked.
[No, Host. I ran 49,686 emotional response tests. Your words formed a high-level bond of trust. They give hope.]
'Wait, you don't need to run that many tests, Sakura!'
"...D-Dad…"
Ritsuka froze. "What?"
But she quickly shook her head, as if denying she said anything.
'She must have remembered her father '
Ritsuka exhaled, then leaned forward slightly.
"Airi… do you know what a family is?"
She nodded slowly.
"Really?" he said, smiling. "I'm not really sure. Could you tell me what it means?"
[Family is defined as—]
'Sakura, stop talking for a few minutes.'
[Activity mute enabled.]
Huh. So that's a thing too.
Airi softly said, "Together."
"Together?" he repeated.
"Living together."
Ritsuka smiled, truly moved. 'A six-year-old just gave me the simplest, most beautiful answer I've ever heard.'
"Then… from now on, we're going to be a family," he said warmly.
"We?"
"Yeah. You and me."
He saw something shift in her expression—something dark. Her face went pale, and her shoulders tensed.
Tension crawled into the air like a snake.
"Airi?" Ritsuka asked carefully. "Do you… not like it? Being with me?"
"I don't want to."
He froze.
'She doesn't want to be my family? Did I scare her? But she trusts me… she doesn't look afraid of me personally…'
Then it hit him.
'She's not afraid of me. She's afraid of the word 'family.''
'Of course… she lived with a Yakuza family, abused and abandoned, forced to die because of family. That word must hurt her.'
His voice softened. "Is it okay if I ask why you don't want to be family with me?"
"Scary… hurts… it hurts…" she whispered, and the tears started again.
He gently patted her head. "Don't worry. From now on, no one will hurt you. I won't let it happen, I promise."
She didn't answer. But she didn't pull away either.
"Okay… one last thing," Ritsuka said, smiling despite the weight on his chest. "You don't… hate me, right?"
There was a long pause.
"I…" she whispered.
Ritsuka felt his heart in his throat.
'Please don't say you hate me…'
"I don't hate you. I… like you."
Ritsuka's face lit up, and a small laugh escaped him. "Haha… thanks, Airi."
In that moment, Ritsuka realized something powerful.
'So this is what it feels like… When a parent hears their child say they love them. Your heart jumps. It flies.'
[Deactivated mute.]
[Host, your heart beat is increasing, Should I scan your body again?]
'Sakura, Stop ruining my happy moments'
---
(Antarctica)
The Chaldea private plane came to a stop on a snow-covered airstrip hidden beneath the Antarctic morning sun.
Ritsuka stepped out, Airi sleeping peacefully in his arms, her small body warm against the cold winds. A lone guard approached and quietly took their single small suitcase—filled only with the new dresses the doctor had given them.
The man looked burly and stern, giving Ritsuka the impression of a Russian mercenary.
[Negative, Host. Based on facial structure and accent, he is Italian.] Sakura's voice chimed in his head.
"Huh… okay then," Ritsuka muttered as he followed the man silently. It was just past 9 a.m.
Ahead of them was a colossal cave entrance buried into the icy mountainside. From it emerged the structure of Chaldea—a massive technological marvel surrounded by snow and shadow.
"Whoa…" Ritsuka whispered, awestruck.
'How much would it even cost to build something like this in Antarctica…?' he thought.
[Estimated cost including maintenance and stealth systems: 17.8 billion USD, Host.]
His eyes widened. "I didn't actually want to know," he whispered back.
At the security gate, the guard gave his name and ID. A mechanical voice acknowledged it, and the heavy steel doors opened with a hiss. They stepped inside the warm corridors of Chaldea.
"You need to report to the senior maid for registration and to sign your contract," the guard said flatly, pointing down a hallway lined with digital signs.
(Registration Office)
Ritsuka followed the path with Airi still curled in his arms. They entered a quiet office with an antique, dignified atmosphere despite the modern tech. Behind the desk sat a woman—late 30s perhaps—with short dark brown hair and a maid uniform that looked straight out of an old English drama. Her expression was pure boredom as she typed into a computer, eyes not even lifting at first.
When she finally looked up, her sharp gaze zeroed in on Ritsuka—then dropped to Airi.
"Who gave you permission to bring a child in here?" she asked, her tone cold.
"I'm here for the job," Ritsuka replied, holding out the envelope the doctor had given him.
She took it, skimmed the contents, and sighed.
"Tch. That man hasn't changed at all…"
She gestured to a seat. "Sit."
She pulled out a thick stack of documents and laid them before him. "Sign."
Ritsuka scanned the front page.
---
CHALDEA SECURITY ORGANIZATION
CIVILIAN MASTER RECRUITMENT CONTRACT
[CONFIDENTIAL – EYES ONLY]
---
CONTRACT ID: CHD-MR-BKUP-038
DATE OF ISSUE: [REDACTED]
CANDIDATE NAME: Ritsuka Fujimaru
CITIZENSHIP ID: [REDACTED]
POSITION: Backup Master (Civilian)
---
I. PURPOSE
This agreement outlines the terms and conditions of employment for the undersigned civilian, hereinafter referred to as the "Candidate," who shall be registered as a Backup Master in Project Rayshift under the jurisdiction of the Chaldea Security Organization.
---
II. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
1. Employment Type:
Civilian Specialist – Master Reserve Class C
2. Duration:
Indefinite, subject to world security status and Candidate's health.
3. Base Salary:
¥1,500,000/month (~$10,000/month USD equivalent)
Paid monthly via direct deposit to Candidate's designated account.
4. Signing Bonus:
One-time payment of ¥5,000,000 (~$35,000 USD) upon successful onboarding and medical clearance.
5. Hazard Compensation:
Additional ¥400,000–¥800,000/month (~$3,000–$6,000 USD) for approved Rayshift involvement or emergencies.
---
III. BENEFITS
Full housing and board within Chaldea Facilities
Unlimited access to medical care (standard and thaumaturgical)
Training programs in basic magecraft, survival, and Rayshift acclimatization
Access to in-house amenities (library, gym, cafeteria, digital archives)
Optional language enhancement and dimension-resilience counseling
---
IV. EXPECTATIONS & RISK DISCLOSURE
Candidate understands that participation in Project Rayshift may involve exposure to hostile environments, anomalous entities, and possible death.
Candidate is not expected to perform frontline combat unless promoted or activated as a Primary Master due to emergency conditions.
Candidate agrees to uphold confidentiality clauses and to follow all safety and magical protocol as outlined by Director Olga Marie Animusphere and/or appointed supervisors.
---
V. TERMINATION CLAUSE
This contract may be terminated under the following conditions:
Voluntary withdrawal (requires 90-day notice unless emergency protocol is active)
Medical or psychological disqualification
---
VI. SIGNATURES
Candidate (Ritsuka Fujimaru):
Signature: ____________________________
Date: ____________________
Authorized Chaldea Representative:
Name: Dr. Romani Archaman
Title: Chief Medical Officer
Signature: ____________________________
Date: ____________________
---
Note: This document is protected under Chaldea's Thaumaturgical Seal. Any breach of confidentiality or use outside official channels will result in immediate memory alteration or temporal erasure.
---
"Backup Master?" he murmured.
"Yes. We're short on capable mages. You meet the requirements," she replied flatly.
"…Wait, this salary is real? This much?!"
"Yes."
'Sakura, is this contract legit? It sounds too good to be true…'
[Host, there is no deception. Contract is genuine.]
'Alright… if you say so.'
With one arm still holding the sleeping Airi, Ritsuka signed the papers.
"Last Master Candidate… registration complete," the woman muttered, typing in his name.
"I'll show you to your room. You've got thirty minutes. After that, the Director wants all Masters in the main hall for a briefing."
"Understood. Um If you don't mind Can I know … your name?" he asked.
"Belle Maya," she answered without turning.
They walked in silence through the clean white halls. When they reached the room, Belle stopped and gestured.
"Leave your daughter in the room. Then report to the hall."
"Wait, she's not my—"
Before he could clarify, the door slid open.
Inside stood the doctor from earlier—Romani. He was looking at a holographic display, sipping coffee.
Belle didn't even blink.
"Miss Belle, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the registration office or with the Director?" Romani asked, totally shocked like a student who got caught while cheating in exams.
"Doctor Romani," she replied in the same flat, unimpressed tone.
A tall man with a slightly messy mop of light brown hair, white coat loosely thrown over his shoulders, and an aura of mild chaos. Despite being the head of medical affairs, he looked more like an overworked intern than a department head.
"Mr. Ritsuka," Belle said suddenly, "could you wait outside with your daughter?"
There was no room to argue. It wasn't a suggestion—it was a dismissal.
Ritsuka sighed and stepped outside with Airi.
A few moments later, a loud smacking sound echoed from the room.
"Mr. Ritsuka, it's over. You can come in now."
When Ritsuka re-entered, he saw Romani rubbing his cheek—now marked with a bright red handprint.
"Doctor Romani, Head of Chaldea's Medical Department," Belle stated firmly. "Please refrain from wasting your's and others' time. Next time, I'll inform the Security Head to discipline you properly. And stop occupying guest rooms without authorization. The Director does not tolerate this behavior."
"Y-yes, ma'am…"
Ritsuka blinked. 'What kind of place did I just get hired into…?'