"Roman, why did you come looking for me?"
This was a question Shinji had to clarify.
No matter what name he used, it didn't change the fact that at his core, this man was King Solomon. Others, unaware of the truth, might be fooled by Roman's harmless appearance, but not Shinji.
By this point, Shinji wasn't even concerned about how Roman managed to evade his mental scan. After all, this was Solomon, the King of Magecraft, an existence on the same level—if not above—the two Golden Servants currently locked in fierce combat nearby. Even if Roman were to reveal Shinji's secrets in the next second, Shinji wouldn't be surprised. With someone like Solomon, anything was possible. Maybe even the reason why Medea's detection spell failed was his doing—while Medea was certainly one of the top Caster, Solomon represented the pinnacle of Caster, the Grand Caster.
For such a person to suddenly appear and seek him out, there had to be a reason.
Hearing Shinji's question, Roman awkwardly scratched his head and sheepishly said, "The food you're holding... I've never seen it before. I got curious, so..."
"The food I'm holding..."
Shinji glanced at his left hand, then at his right.
Cola. Popcorn.
...
...
...
Doctor, are you messing with me?
You show up in such a mysterious way, making me rack my brain, only for it to be about these two junk foods that cost less than 1,000 yen combined. Even if you're pretending to be an ordinary, useless man, that's a bit too much, isn't it?
Perhaps Shinji's dumbfounded stare was too intense, because Roman carefully took a step back and, in a timid voice, asked, "... Can I try some?"
Shinji was on the verge of losing his mind.
Dude, can we not? You're the King of Magecraft, the ruler of angels and demons, the greatest king of Israel—and you're acting like this? My fragile heart can't take it. You're not your father, King David, who was famous for his flirtatious nature, so is this your true self?
Seeing that Shinji still hadn't responded, Roman took another step back, his voice growing even weaker: "Is it... not okay?"
"Of course it's okay."
Shinji immediately shoved the popcorn into Roman's hands and pulled out a can of cola from his bag, handing it over, feeling utterly drained.
"Go ahead, eat as much as you want. I have more if you need it."
"Thank you, thank you so much."
Roman gratefully repeated, gently picking up a piece of popcorn and chewing it slowly. He opened the can of cola and, as if he were tasting fine tea, took a small sip, then closed his eyes, his face filled with bliss.
"This... this is the taste of freedom."
The taste of freedom... Isn't that supposed to taste like bananas? Shinji thought, making a joke to himself. It wasn't that Roman was being disrespectful; it was just that his utterly enraptured expression was so out of character for him, reminiscent of someone eating food that would make them glow or explode their clothes in an anime.
Before Shinji knew it, his previously tense nerves had relaxed. Could it be that this guy just came here to mooch food and drink? Considering his past experiences, it wasn't entirely impossible.
While Shinji was beginning to feel more at ease, Olga Marie, on the other hand, was on the verge of a breakdown.
The reason was simple: It was too embarrassing.
She didn't mind if Roman was dumb, out of touch, or weak. Olga Marie was kind and broad-minded, not one to nitpick. But doing this in front of others? That was another matter entirely. This wasn't just Roman embarrassing himself; he was embarrassing her.
"He's going to pay for this. When he gets back, I swear he's going to pay." Hiding in her underground hole, the girl gritted her teeth, angrily muttering curses.
Roman, of course, was blissfully unaware of this and continued sitting next to Shinji, drinking cola, eating popcorn, and chatting casually.
"So, Shinji, what brings you here?"
"To watch the show."
"Do you usually bring this stuff to watch a show?"
"This is standard in modern times. Especially for action blockbusters. The fight those two are having over there is more exciting than any action movie."
"Action blockbuster? What's that?"
Roman asked curiously. The modern knowledge granted by the Grail only provided a basic understanding but didn't cover many specifics. Many ancient Servants were often amazed and curious when confronted with modern technology, and Roman was no exception.
"It's a type of movie. People act out a play, then they record the sound and visuals using something like recording magecraft, and finally, they play it in different places for people to watch. That's the general idea."
Shinji thought for a moment and explained in a way that someone from the Age of Gods might understand.
"Hmm, I see. Like this?"
Roman waved his hand, and the distant battle was projected in front of them like a hologram.
"Yeah, that's about right."
Impressive, a 3D projection with sound. As expected of the King of Magecraft.
Shinji marveled internally while speaking.
"And action blockbusters are a type of movie that focuses on intense, explosive fight scenes, designed to create a strong visual impact."
"Indeed, their fight is certainly intense and explosive."
Roman nodded seriously.
"But, I'm probably better off staying out of those kinds of situations. That's more of a combat-focused Servant's specialty."
"Haha, Roman, you're such a joker."
Shinji couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm not joking. I'm serious. I'm a Caster. Do you think that's a class suited for close combat?"
"Those two over there are Archers, and they've been fighting in close combat the entire time."
As they spoke, Gilgamesh drew a massive axe from his treasury, clashing directly with Karna's golden bow. The resulting shockwave caused the ground beneath them to sink ten centimeters.
"It doesn't seem like there's any rule stating Casters can't engage in close combat. I've heard a theory that the three Casters who hold the title of Grand are better at close combat than magic. I've even heard of the titles Britain's Sword Saint, Uruk's Axe King, and Israel's Fist Emperor."
"Hahaha, really? I had no idea. It seems I've completely fallen behind the times. Back in my day, there were no movies, popcorn, or cola. These modern things are great."
Roman's laughter sounded oddly hollow, and he awkwardly shifted the topic. Whether it was because he was nervous about his secret being revealed or for some other reason, Shinji couldn't tell.
"Yeah, they are pretty great."
One speaker was casual, but the listener gave it deeper thought.
Olga Marie might not have understood, but Shinji did.
Indeed, the world had gotten better.
And all of it stemmed from your final decision, Solomon.
In the Age of Gods, deities ruled over everything. Humans were mere vassals, barely more valuable than livestock.
But when you returned the gods' blessings and personally severed the connection between humans and the divine, the world finally fell into humanity's hands.
It was at that moment that humans truly became free and began to carve out their future.
Many magi complain, lamenting why you allowed the mysteries to decay. But compared to the freedom of humanity, the decline of mysteries is insignificant.
Thank you, Solomon.
PS: If the connection between humans and gods is like a great tree, Gilgamesh struck the first blow, others followed up, and Solomon dealt the fatal strike. Though the tree didn't fall instantly, it was beyond repair. After the start of the Common Era, all the gods retreated to the Reverse Side of the World, leaving behind only the spirits.