I gazed at the two people tied to the ship's central mast with a relaxed expression, crossing my arms over my chest.
The sea breeze blew fiercely, rustling the sails and making my tied-back hair sway in rhythm with the wind. The sky above the ocean remained a clear blue, as if mocking the awkward situation unfolding on this ship.
In front of me, two figures who clearly weren't part of my crew were now bound tightly.
The first was a girl with short, purplish-pink hair and amethyst eyes that watched me cautiously. Despite being tied up, she remained calm, occasionally testing the strength of the knots binding her hands. From her battle attire, it was obvious she wasn't an ordinary person.
Beside her, a young man with short black hair, dressed in slightly more casual clothing, was bound in the same position. His gaze was hesitant, slightly confused, perhaps trying to grasp the situation he had found himself in.
I raised an eyebrow.
They seemed suspicious.
Of course, I had already guessed the reason for their presence here. If this was a Singularity, and if this place was based on the Golden Age of Piracy, then it was highly likely they were agents from Chaldea sent to fix whatever anomaly was occurring.
But I wasn't going to reveal that just yet.
Instead, I put on a slight smile and looked at them as if I knew nothing about them.
"Heh, you two seem interesting," I said, stepping forward. The sound of my boots echoed against the sturdy wooden deck, blending with the crashing waves against the ship's hull.
"Mind telling me why you're on this ship?"
I asked with a tone full of curiosity, though in truth, I already knew the answer. I just wanted to see how they would respond.
Fujimaru and Mash exchanged glances, seemingly communicating silently before Mash finally decided to speak.
However, before a single word could leave her lips—
Beep!
A sudden electronic sound came from the device on Fujimaru's wrist, drawing everyone's attention. The small crew members, who had been watching from a distance, now turned to look, some even stepping closer to get a better view.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
From the communicator on his wrist, a man's voice suddenly rang out, clear amidst the howling sea breeze.
—"Fujimaru? It looks like the Rayshift was successful. Where did you land? I hope it wasn't in the middle of the ocean... Hm? Wait!! Why am I detecting a Servant signal? Did you encounter a Servant?"
I heard the man's voice clearly.
Ah… So this was communication from Chaldea?
Interesting.
Fujimaru looked slightly nervous, perhaps realizing that even more eyes were now on him. He swallowed before answering carefully.
"Uh, that's right… and if my guess is correct, it seems this Servant managed to capture us…"
Silence followed.
Then—
—"WHAT?!"
The voice in the communicator burst out in panic, accompanied by the sound of a chair nearly tipping over.
—"Wait! Why did you let yourselves get captured by a Servant?! Especially one whose danger level is unknown!?"
I nearly laughed at the anxious tone in his voice.
But I held back. I wanted to see how they would handle this situation.
Mash, seemingly wanting to ease the tension, quickly tried to explain.
"This isn't Senpai's fault! We suddenly appeared on this ship, found ourselves among, uh… these small crew members, and since I detected that they weren't hostile, we allowed ourselves to be captured…"
Fujimaru quickly added, "There was no resistance. They captured us without acting violently… Well, at least for now."
I leaned back against the mast, arms still crossed.
"Interesting," I muttered, half to myself.
Meanwhile, the small crew members who had been watching eventually decided to return to their duties. Though curious, they seemed to understand that this wasn't their concern and left the matter to me.
Now, it was just me, Fujimaru, and Mash in the middle of the deck.
I let out a short sigh before stepping closer, letting my shadow fall over them. The sea breeze blew strongly, causing my tied-back hair to flutter.
But what caught my attention wasn't the wind or the waves—it was the symbol clearly etched on the back of Fujimaru's hand—three crimson marks glowing faintly under the sunlight.
I recognized them.
A sign that only a Master possessed—the proof of their contract with a Servant.
My eyes flickered to it briefly before I returned my gaze to them, a faint smile playing on my lips.
"A Master and Servant pair, huh?" I murmured softly, my voice gentle yet brimming with interest. "Fascinating… This is my first time meeting a Servant who actually has a Master."
Mash and Fujimaru reacted immediately.
Fujimaru tensed, while Mash, still tied to the ship's mast, subtly shifted her body as if trying to position herself defensively.
Their gazes were filled with caution.
Then, after a few moments of silence, Fujimaru finally spoke.
"Who exactly are you?" he asked carefully. "Seeing that you recognize Mash as a Servant and me as her Master… I also have a guess that—"
He stared straight at me, trying to find something in my expression.
"You're a Servant too but, what your true name..? I couldn't regonize you."
Silence returned for a moment.
I looked into his eyes before finally smiling.
Of course, I had already expected them to reach that conclusion.
However, there was one thing that made this situation feel… a little amusing to me.
I actually already knew them.
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash Kyrielight—two figures I had met before. But this time, they saw me as a stranger, as if this was our first encounter.
And I couldn't blame them.
After all, when I first met them, I wasn't who I am now. I was Jack the Ripper, a disguise I had used back then to survive in the Singularity.
If I suddenly acted as if I knew them, it would only raise more questions that would be difficult to answer.
So for now…
I would play along with the flow.
I shrugged slightly, then, in a soft voice, I finally spoke.
"That's correct," I admitted without hesitation. "I am also a Servant."
Their gazes sharpened, clearly preparing for the worst.
But I simply offered a slight smile before continuing, "However… my true name is a secret."
I turned slightly, letting the sea breeze blow through my hair once more.
"But even so, I'll introduce myself a little," I continued. "I am a Servant of the Rider class."
I looked back at them again, with a confident and relaxed expression.
"And as you can see…"
I raised a hand and gestured toward the ship we stood on—a sturdy pirate ship, its black sails billowing in the wind.
"I am the captain of this vessel."
I let those words linger in the air for a moment before concluding my introduction.
"You may call me Rider, or simply Captain, whichever you prefer."
I could see that they still looked at me with some wariness, but there was also curiosity in their eyes.
Of course, they must be wondering.
A Servant of the Rider class, commanding a pirate ship in the middle of this Singularity?
It sounded rather unusual, didn't it?
I held back a smile before finally continuing, "So… if I may ask, could you introduce yourselves?"
I looked at them with keen interest, waiting for their response.
However, before Fujimaru or Mash could open their mouths, a beep sounded again from the communicator on Fujimaru's wrist.
—"I see, a Rider-class Servant commanding a ship…"
That man's voice returned, this time with a thoughtful tone.
—"Could you be a famous pirate? Blackbeard, perhaps?"
For a moment, silence filled the deck.
Then, I chuckled softly.
"Hah—!"
I couldn't deny it—it was quite amusing.
Me? Compared to that bearded man?
Utterly absurd.
I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, holding back my laughter. Meanwhile, Mash and Fujimaru could only stare at me in astonishment.
It was clear that they also found the comparison ridiculous.
"Wait…" Fujimaru finally spoke after a few seconds of silence, looking at his communicator in disbelief.
"Doctor… I don't think he looks like a pirate at all."
Mash nodded in agreement. "Yeah… Pirates are usually more…"
She paused for a moment, searching for the right word.
"More… wild? More rough? And their outfits are usually more…"
Fujimaru glanced at me from head to toe before finally concluding,
"And he's wearing a naval commander's uniform. Definitely doesn't resembling a pirate."
Once again, silence settled over us.
The sea breeze blew, shaking the ship's sails behind us, while I remained standing before them with a faint smile.
"I understand why you might think I'm a pirate," I said calmly, responding to the voice from the communicator.
"After all, I am aboard a ship like this, aren't I?"
I crossed my arms.
"But… you won't find a thick beard, a grand feathered hat, or a booming laugh from me."
I looked at Fujimaru and Mash again.
"And... They're right. I'm not a pirate."
I deliberately didn't elaborate further, letting them draw their own conclusions.
Meanwhile, Fujimaru still looked at me with a puzzled expression before finally speaking again, his tone more cautious.
"So… if you're not a pirate, then who exactly are you?"
I smiled wider, letting the question hang in the air.
The deck remained filled with the sound of the sea breeze and the crashing waves against the ship's hull.
I continued to stand tall before them, enjoying the lingering confusion on Fujimaru and Mash's faces.
Then, another beep came from the communicator on Fujimaru's wrist. This time, the man's voice sounded calmer, preceded by a long sigh.
—"So you're not a pirate? Then… how did you end up on this pirate ship?"
I simply shook my head casually.
"That's not important," I said softly, gazing at them both with a faint smile. "What's more important… is whether you'll introduce yourselves to me."
Mash and Fujimaru exchanged glances as if seeking each other's opinions. But they didn't answer immediately, instead looking at their communicator as if waiting for further instructions.
After a few seconds of silence, the man's voice returned, this time sounding more cautious.
—"You may introduce yourselves… Though I can't identify this Servant, at least he doesn't seem dangerous…"
Mash and Fujimaru visibly relaxed slightly after hearing that statement. They nodded at each other before turning their attention back to me.
"I am Mash Kyrielight, a Demi-Servant," Mash introduced herself politely. "And this is my Master."
Fujimaru continued, "My name is Fujimaru Ritsuka, a Master from Chaldea."
I remained silent, waiting for them to continue.
"The reason we're here…" Fujimaru took a deep breath before continuing. "We were sent by Chaldea to resolve this Singularity, just as we have done with other Singularities."
I maintained a calm expression, though I had already anticipated their answer.
Mash added, "But because this Singularity is based on the golden age of piracy, it seems that when we Rayshifted, we ended up in the middle of the ocean. And somehow, we found ourselves stranded on this ship…"
Fujimaru smiled awkwardly. "…and ended up captured by you."
I didn't respond immediately.
Instead, I glanced toward the ship's crew, who were still busy with their duties. Some of them occasionally stole glances in our direction, but none tried to interfere in the conversation. They understood that this was my business, and they trusted me completely.
I looked back at Mash and Fujimaru.
"I see…" I murmured softly. "So you're a Master and a Servant sent to repair this Singularity?"
They nodded.
I touched my chin, pretending to think for a moment.
In truth, I had already made a decision from the start, but there was no harm in playing with them a little.
"I understand your mission… and, of course, I can help you," I said in a relaxed tone.
Fujimaru and Mash looked slightly surprised.
"But," I continued with a meaningful smile, "I won't help you for free."
Mash tensed. "What do you mean…?"
I crossed my arms over my chest.
"It's simple. If you want to stay on my ship and receive my help…"
I paused for a moment, letting them wait warily.
"You must work for me as part of the crew."
Fujimaru and Mash fell silent.
I could see the confusion on their faces. Mash seemed to be thinking hard, while Fujimaru looked more cautious.
They might have thought I was asking for something dangerous or had some hidden motive.
But in truth, I just wanted to conserve my mana.
By having them as crew members, I wouldn't have to keep summoning my ship's crew through my Noble Phantasm. That meant I could relax more and save mana without having to maintain multiple Spirit Summons at once.
Of course, I wouldn't tell them the real reason.
So, I simply offered a slight smile and waited for their answer.
After all… I was quite curious to see how they would react to my request.
***
Author note:
I'll proceeds to make Fujimaru POV right after this chapter, and maybe you're wondering about why I make other POV but I think it's necessary to me because I'm want to make sure that you're understand what the other thinking and view the mc in their POV.
Btw I'll pronounce the mc as he/she when I write the other POV this depends on who's the mc imitating, this only happens when it's was their first meeting.
because the other person not entirely familiar with her after all.
I'll pronounce the mc as she's even when she's in another servant form that not looking Like a girl if the other person familiar with her.
And about the mc legend that's makes her become a servant, I thinking about some back story but none of them seems right to me so maybe can you're give me advice?
what do you think about backstory that cover her image as servant with ability to imitate?