Lady Reines' Case Files
Prelude
???:
I'm telling you, this is our biggest vulnerability right here. And it affects Team A just as much as anyone else.
???:
Honestly, things are looking really bad right now.
We don't even have any idea who we're up against.
???:
I know we've still got Kirschtaria. We don't have to know what he's really thinking to know that he's as capable as they come.
???:
I'm sure he'll have no trouble handling whatever's in store for us.
???:
But still...none of that changes how serious of a problem this is.
???:
And we can't do anything about it with the way Chaldea's systems are right now.
???:
If no one's there to observe them,
they'll cease to exist.
???:
But she's still incomplete, right?
???:
Yes, unfortunately. Even the greatest genius needs time to work their magic.
???:
So I'm going to pin our hopes on the future,
and pray that time solves this problem for us.
???:
Basically, what I'm trying to say is...
???:
...I have very high hopes for you...
Section 1: The Mage's Apprentice
???:
...[♂ Sir /♀ Miss]?
???:
...We've arrived at the station, [♂ sir /♀ miss].
I'm afraid you need to wake up now.
???:
Oh come on, [♂ he's /♀ she's] never going to wake up if you're all quiet and polite about it!
???:
You've gotta show 'em who's boss! Like this!
A：Mysterious Girl:
There we go.
Nice of you to join us, my little pupil.
A：Mysterious Girl:
What? Something on my face? If I didn't know better,
I'd think you had no idea where you are or who I am.
Fujimaru 1:
Do I know you?
Fujimaru 2:
A little blonde girl...who's also a teacher, huh? That's a new one...
Mysterious Girl:
Huh? Are you kidding me?
Get it together, [♂ man /♀ woman]!
Mysterious Girl:
Are you actually telling me you don't recognize your own tutor, Lord El-Melloi II!?
El-Melloi II:
If this is your idea of a joke, I am not amused. I suppose next you'll tell me you don't even know who you are, either?
???:
...was observed at...during the last Rayshift...
???:
So while the Shadow Border was being tuned up...
...was decided.
???:
Personally, I hate to assign valuable personnel to something like that, but... Grr, well, if we're going to do this...
???:
Please be extra careful this time, Senpai...
El-Melloi II:
Well? Anything come to you?
Fujimaru 1:
Not at all, I'm afraid...
El-Melloi II:
Apparently! I've seen junkyard rats with more sense than you seem to have!
Fujimaru 2:
Huh? What happened to Chaldea?
El-Melloi II:
Chaldea? You mean the country that was assimilated into Babylonia? Hmm, guess you were dreaming about Animusphere's Astromancy class.
El-Melloi II:
Ugh, you really are spacing out today. Oh, fine then.
Just carry my bags and be quiet, would you?
El-Melloi II:
Now come on. Even if this is the last stop,
we don't want to keep the conductor waiting.
Conductor:
Thank you for riding with us.
El-Melloi II:
Ahh, good old London!
Gloomy as ever, which is just fine with me.
El-Melloi II:
Come on, let's get to the flat.
Hm? Something wrong?
Fujimaru 1:
What's that black tower in the center there?
El-Melloi II:
That's the Clock Tower, of course. The chalk-white pile of brick and mortar built by fanatics who proclaim it the bastion of mage knowledge.
El-Melloi II:
They say they're searching for the Root, but all those bastards care about are their petty power struggles.
El-Melloi II:
Every night, it's nothing but a never-ending stream of scheming and backstabbing among the Twelve Lords and their associated mages.
Fujimaru 1:
So, if you're a Lord too, does that mean you're kind of a big deal?
El-Melloi II:
What, you actually want me to say that myself?
El-Melloi II:
Once you become a Lord, even as low as the Modern Magecraft Department is on the totem pole, people start giving you special treatment.
El-Melloi II:
And by special, I mean that ninety percent of them are spies or enemies who'll kill you if you drop your guard for even the briefest of moments.
El-Melloi II:
I used to be the last in my family's line of succession, and my meals have been poisoned regularly since I was a child.
El-Melloi II:
I got around that by carrying rations on my person, but of course, those taste terrible. So once I discovered how safe and delicious the sweets found in bakeries could be, I was hooked for life.
Fujimaru 1:
That's awful...
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories.
El-Melloi II:
Oh, don't get mopey on me.
El-Melloi II:
Whoops, I guess a bit of a smile slipped through there, huh?
El-Melloi II:
Hehe, you'll have to forgive me.
I love watching people squirm.
El-Melloi II:
But still, do you really have amnesia? What, did you hit your head or something? Oh, wait, I hit you in the head, didn't I.
El-Melloi II:
Well hey, maybe this is your chance to go back to primary school and do it all over again. I bet you'd be right at home among children.
El-Melloi II:
Anyway, I trust you still remember about mages, yes?
Fujimaru 1:
Come to think of it, I have my own rank.
Fujimaru 2:
I think I was ranked Cause...?
El-Melloi II:
Huh? You're joking again, right? Cause might not be the highest rank, but it's still a rank for actual mages, not students!
El-Melloi II:
There's no way you're even close to that point yet.
El-Melloi II:
If you've got time for absurd flights of fancy like that, you've got time to do something more useful, like, say...carrying my bags.
El-Melloi II:
Daydreaming is all well and good,
but we have places to be.
El-Melloi II:
Ahh, there's my flat. I haven't seen it in quite some time. Come on, don't dawdle with those bags.
El-Melloi II:
Hm? Something's not right. It's too quiet.
El-Melloi II:
I did put up a Bounded Field around this area,
but I never did any soundproofing magecraft.
El-Melloi II:
Automata!?
Automaton:
Lord El...Melloi II...?
El-Melloi II:
The hell? They're combat-ready antiques!?
El-Melloi II:
I'm used to being on people's bad sides, but I still didn't think anyone would try to attack me in broad daylight, even with a Bounded Field up.
El-Melloi II:
Well, at least this should be a good warmup.
Just stand back and see what your mentor can do!
--BATTLE--
El-Melloi II:
Hmph, they got away.
Those things were ridiculously over-specced.
Fujimaru 1:
I didn't know you were so strong, Professor.
El-Melloi II:
Of course I am. Any halfway decent mage knows how to fight. Why do you think they encourage all those duels at the Clock Tower?
El-Melloi II:
Still, it's weird that they'd come after me like this. If anything, it seemed like they were keeping an eye on our surroundings...
El-Melloi II:
I've got a bad feeling about this.
Let's hurry to my flat.
El-Melloi II:
Hmm, it looks like those automata were here. They at least don't appear to have placed any magecraft traps...
El-Melloi II:
Oh, but just to be sure,
would you mind opening the door?
Fujimaru 1:
Now I'm your guinea pig!?
Fujimaru 2:
You're the teacher. Shouldn't you be taking the lead?
El-Melloi II:
No back talk. As my pupil, you should be honored to die for your teacher. Now go on, open it!
El-Melloi II:
Hmm, no explosions. Guess we're in the clear.
All right, let me get set up for class and... Wait.
El-Melloi II:
...I smell blood.
Watch your back, and stay close to me.
El-Melloi II:
No... It can't be...
Fujimaru 1:
Wh-what the...
Fujimaru 2:
A dead body? He looks...familiar...
El-Melloi II:
No... This... This is...
El-Melloi II:
My brother...!
Lord El-Melloi II...!
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
El-Melloi II:
That's right. I'm NOT El-Melloi II.
What have I been saying up till now?
El-Melloi II:
Why did I think I was El-Melloi II?
How could I have been so wrong?
A：El-Melloi II?:
Why is...my brother...
Fujimaru 1:
Professor...?
Fujimaru 2:
Your brother...?
A：El-Melloi II?:
...Oh, right, you're here too.
I don't know what's going on either, but...
A：El-Melloi II?:
...Hm? There's something written here.
It looks like...the letter “M”?
A：El-Melloi II?:
Crap! No time to think now!
Come on, let's get 'em!
--BATTLE--
Automaton:
El-Melloi II...?
El-Melloi II?:
Shit, there's no end to them!
Let's get out of here!
El-Melloi II?:
There's a window right there! Jump!
Fujimaru 1:
But, this is the fourth floor–
El-Melloi II?:
I said go, dammit!
El-Melloi II?:
Trim!
Trimmau:
Yes, Master.
El-Melloi II?:
There, we made it!
And now, a little magical bullet as a parting gift!
El-Melloi II?:
Now's our chance! Let's get out of here!
El-Melloi II?:
Ugh, I'm exhausted... I can't believe you can't even enhance your limbs. That's a basic technique any aspiring mage should know.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry.
Fujimaru 2:
So, what was that about you not being El-Melloi II again?
El-Melloi II?:
You should be sorry! Anyway, yes,
as I was saying, I'm not El-Melloi II.
El-Melloi II?:
My name is Reines El-Melloi Archisorte,
and that body we just saw was my adoptive brother.
A：Reines:
I will be inheriting the El-Melloi estate at one point,
but not just yet. How could I have been so mixed up?
A：Reines:
And...why was my brother killed...
Fujimaru 1:
You really care about him, don't you?
A：Reines:
My brother was... He was...
A：Reines:
...No, this isn't the time. What about you, Trim?
Did you know who I really was all along?
Trimmau:
No, Master. I, too, believed you to be El-Melloi II until just now.
Fujimaru 1:
Aah!
A：Reines:
You too, huh. Oh, right, this is Trimmau, my familiar.
Trimmau:
I am Mystic Code Volumen Hydrargyrum, though my Master also calls me Trim. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Fujimaru 1:
Likewise.
A：Reines:
She's my familiar-slash-maid-slash-bodyguard.
Unlike humans, I know she'll never betray me.
Fujimaru 2:
I don't remember Volumen Hydrargyrum being like this...
A：Reines:
Ah, so you already know about Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald's Volumen Hydrargyrum then. I basically took that and imbued it with a simple form of sentience.
A：Reines:
She's my familiar-slash-maid-slash-bodyguard.
Unlike humans, I know she'll never betray me.
A：Reines:
That's why I can trust her with my life.
Although...
A：Reines:
Gah! Why was my brother killed!?
Why did I think I was El-Melloi II!?
A：Reines:
I know Suggestion is a simple spell, but when would anyone have had time to cast it on me or Trim?
A：Reines:
Say, what about your memories?
Do you know who you are?
Fujimaru 1:
Not really, no.
Fujimaru 2:
I know my name, but everything else is kind of a blur...
A：Reines:
Hmm, so you have the same symptoms as me then.
Up until now, I was convinced you were my pupil.
A：Reines:
It's extremely unlikely that we both came down with amnesia at the same time, so someone's got to have tampered with our memories.
A：Reines:
But who could it be?
For all I know, it could very well have been you.
Trimmau:
Are you...?
Fujimaru 1:
No, no! Definitely not!
Fujimaru 2:
Why is your hair crackling like that!?
A：Reines:
It's okay, Trim. I was just messing with [♂ him /♀ her].
A：Reines:
If [♂ he /♀ she] really was behind this, [♂ he /♀ she] would have handled my pushing [♂ him /♀ her] out that window a little more gracefully.
A：Reines:
Besides, now that I stop and think about it, this whole city's too damn old. It almost looks like London around the turn of the twentieth century...
A：Reines:
In fact, for that matter...this whole world is...
Fujimaru 1:
Reines!
Fujimaru 2:
The whole world's literally gone topsy-turvy...!
Mash:
Senpai! Can you...hear me...!?
Mash:
We lost...contact during...the Rayshift...!
You're still...trapped there...
Mash:
It's no use... I can't keep the...connection alive...
If nothing else...you need to...keep the Spirit Origin...graph briefcase–
A：Reines:
Spirit Origin graph?
A：Reines:
What the hell!?
A：Reines:
Whatever was messing with our perception must have been broken when we realized something was wrong with our memories and the world. But, what IS this world?
A：Reines:
And then there was that weird call you just got.
What was that all about?
Fujimaru 1:
There was so much static, I couldn't really make it out either.
Fujimaru 2:
I caught something about a briefcase, but that's all...
A：Reines:
Now that I think about it, this briefcase you're carrying isn't mine. This must be what that girl was talking about.
A：Reines:
Hmm. Well, if this belongs to you,
then you'd better hold on to it.
A：Reines:
Good grief... Talk about a mystery.
I don't have the faintest idea what's going on here.
A：Reines:
...Well, at least we know what it is we have to do. We have to find whoever killed my brother and stole our memories.
A：Reines:
Well? What are we waiting for? Let's go!
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Go where?
Fujimaru 2:
How did I get roped into this!?
A：Reines:
What are you saying? Of course you're going to help me.
[♂ Surely you aren't going to leave a helpless little girl to fend for herself, are you? /♀ We helpless little girls need to stick together, right?]
A：Reines:
...
A：Reines:
...I WILL find whoever did this. You can count on that.
A：Reines:
I won't stop until I catch my brother's killer and make sure they get exactly what they deserve!
Section 2: Finding Someone in Wonderland
Reines:
For the time being, we'd better focus on figuring out who we really are. Well, I certainly never expected to have to get so introspective at my tender young age.
Reines:
The only clue we have to go on is that
“M” my brother wrote before he died...
Reines:
For that matter, what the hell is this place, anyway?
Reines:
A-and what's that rumbling!?
Giant:
This is Patchwork London!
This is Patchwork London!
Giant:
It's a patchwork of fairy tales where everyone lives happily ever after!
Reines:
That's a giant!
Reines:
She must have something to do with this place.
Hey! You there!
Giant:
What is it, little friend?
I'm Bunyan, by the way!
Reines:
I see. Well, Bunyan, does the letter “M” mean anything to you?
Bunyan:
Uh-huh!
Fujimaru 1:
Really!?
Fujimaru 2:
This is all moving way too quickly!
Bunyan:
Come on, you can ride on my shoulder!
Don't worry, I'm stronger than I look!
Bunyan:
This is M!
Reines:
I see...
So I guess the “M” stood for “museum”...
C：???:
There ya are, Bunyan!
C：???:
Hm? Ya brought company?
D：???:
Welcome back, Bunyan!
Sakata Kintoki:
Hey, are you guys the heroes he was talking about?
Fou:
Fou?
Mordred:
Doesn't matter if we're heroes or not.
More importantly, it sounds like you fought him.
Sakata Kintoki:
Yeah...I can tell you this.
We got rid of ALL that pain in the ass fog.
Sakata Kintoki:
Now it's up to you guys. I'll let you grab the glory...
or whatever... Gonna rest. Whew...
D：???:
...Hey, what are you exactly?
A human? Or a mage?
D：Jack the Ripper:
Should we kill you?
One, two, three, lots. Lots.
Sakata Kintoki:
Hey, what's wrong, pal?
Reines:
Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost.
Fujimaru 1:
I just got the feeling like I've met you two before...
Jack:
You have? Maybe it was a different us?
Bunyan:
Hey, Jack! I think these guys might be able to find them!
Fujimaru 1:
Find who?
Fujimaru 2:
What are you talking about?
Bunyan:
My friend is missing!
Reines:
Hmm, I see. All right, what can you tell us about this person?
Sakata Kintoki:
Well, that's the thing.
She doesn't have any idea who they are.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Fujimaru 2:
Come again?
Bunyan:
I don't know who they are,
but I do know someone's missing!
Sakata Kintoki:
Weirdly enough, I've got the same feeling.
I can tell someone who oughta be here, well, isn't.
Sakata Kintoki:
But I couldn't tell you who they are. It might sound like I'm messin' with ya, but it's true.
Jack:
It's the same with us. It feels like ripping someone open and not finding any guts inside.
Bunyan:
And then there's all the things that keep getting in our way inside the museum. There's just too many for Kintoki and Jack to handle alone.
Bunyan:
Since I'm too big to go in there myself, I thought I'd see if I could find help, and then I ran into you guys.
Reines:
I see, I see. That IS a predicament! In that case,
my pupil here and I would be happy to help.
Fujimaru 1:
You're just going along with this!?
Reines:
Of course. We still don't know the first thing about this place, so the more help we have, the better, no?
Fujimaru 2:
We're still doing the teacher and pupil thing?
Reines:
It's a lot simpler than explaining what's really going on with us, right? Besides, I still can't see you as anything else for the time being.
Reines:
(...And then there's the fact that Mystics tend to connect things of a certain fate. I can't imagine it was a coincidence that we ran into Bunyan when we did.)
Reines:
So what else can you tell us? What exactly are these things getting in your way inside the museum?
Bunyan:
There's all sorts of bad things running around!
They never leave you alone when you are in the museum!
Jack:
...Wait. We just heard something.
Bunyan:
There! Those are the things I'm talking about!
Sakata Kintoki:
Great, as if we needed more of these damn things!
Reines:
More automata...?
No, they're not!
Reines:
Oh my, there's so many of them! Even with me helping out, I don't think we can handle them all!
Fujimaru 1:
There's got to be something I can do...!
Fujimaru 2:
I think that briefcase can help!
Reines:
You know how to use that briefcase!?
Fujimaru 1:
I'll give it a shot!
--BATTLE--
Sakata Kintoki:
Phew, those things are as far from golden as you can get...
Bunyan:
Thanks, guys!
Reines:
A bunch of powerful familiar shadows, huh?
That briefcase is a lot more impressive than it looks.
Reines:
Were all those familiars contracted to you?
Fujimaru 1:
I think so?
Fujimaru 2:
I think...I remembered how to summon them.
Reines:
Hmm, they kind of reminded me of Bunyan, Jack, and Kintoki here. Were you an evocation mage from the Eulyphis department or something?
Reines:
Anyway, this is where our work really begins, so I'll be counting on you to keep those familiars coming.
Reines:
Now let's start by clearing those creatures out of the museum!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
This place is huge...!
Sakata Kintoki:
I'll say this for whoever handled the design: their taste is golden.
Jack:
Wooow, there's so many paintings and things in here!
Some things are all curved, some are all straight... They're just like guts!
Fujimaru 1:
It really is all about guts with you, isn't it...
Reines:
This place might not be like the real London, but I'd still bet it covers about half of the British Museum.
Reines:
I could easily spend a week here and it wouldn't be enough. All right, let's be quick and efficient about canvasing the place and taking out any intruders.
Reines:
Hmm. So you're Servants, you say?
Sakata Kintoki:
Rogue Servants, yeah.
Somethin' in this land summoned us here.
Jack:
We don't have any idea what for, though!
Maybe it just wanted us to play and have fun!
Reines:
Now I see. I've heard of you before,
though we usually call you Ghost Liners.
Fujimaru 1:
Ghost Liners?
Fujimaru 2:
What are those?
Reines:
In this case, I'd say they're Heroic Spirits that have made their mark on history. Just think of them as great figures and heroes of ages past.
Reines:
But of course, in a case involving mages and Mystics,
the usual intrepid explorer approach won't cut it.
Reines:
Magecraft and Mystics might adhere to a set of rules,
but when you get right down to it, all bets are off.
Reines:
The power of flight? Walking through walls? Playing God and making new humans out of nothing? All within the realm of possibility.
Reines:
And if that weren't bad enough, even basic rules are different depending on which magical lineage you're dealing with, so standard investigative procedures will amount to absolutely nothing in a case like this.
Reines:
That's why these kinds of cases aren't about the whodunit or the howdunit, since both of those can be fudged to hell and back.
Reines:
No, what we need to figure out is the whydunit.
Fujimaru 1:
The whydunit?
Reines:
It's a subgenre of murder mystery where the culprit's motive plays a crucial role.
Fujimaru 2:
Like in a murder mystery.
Reines:
Exactly. They're subgenres. As you can probably guess, whodunits focus on the culprit's identity, howdunits on the tricks employed, and whydunits on the motive.
Reines:
My brother used to say that sort of thing all the time... How bitterly ironic that he'd end up the victim of one such mystery himself.
Reines:
We might be up against a mage, but they're still human at heart. If anything, their motive is bound to be an even greater fixation for them.
Reines:
After all, you can't be a mage unless you're willing to give up everything else in your life for magecraft.
Reines:
So without all that excess holding you back, your motive can't help but become pure as the proverbial driven snow.
Reines:
It's a lot like being a Servant in a way. No matter how great or powerful they might be, they're still dead spirits engraved on the Throne of Heroes.
Reines:
As a result, they can't help but be true to themselves. Whatever their nature–good, evil, honest, deceitful–it's still one-hundred-percent pure.
Fujimaru 1:
Completely pure in nature...
Fujimaru 2:
So even evil people can be pure...
Reines:
So to tie it all together, it doesn't matter who went missing, or how they went missing.
Reines:
What matters is WHY they went missing.
Jack:
We don't really get it...
Reines:
Don't worry, it's a lot simpler than it might sound.
For now, let's just keep looking around the museum.
--ARROW--
Reines:
Hm hm.
Reines:
Oho.
Reines:
Hmmm.
Reines:
Well, well.
Reines:
Uh-oh. Looks like these monsters caught us off guard!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
All right, that's one full circuit around the museum.
Fujimaru 1:
We didn't find anyone...
Fujimaru 2:
So...many...monsters...
Reines:
By the way, there's something I've been meaning to ask.
Jack:
What's up?
Reines:
Exactly when did you realize your friends were missing?
Jack:
Um... We don't remember that either.
Sakata Kintoki:
Same here. Sorry, girlie.
Reines:
I see, I see.
Reines:
So we have a case of missing persons where nobody knows who went missing or when they went missing. How very intriguing.
Reines:
Then for our next step, I trust you won't mind if my pupil and I see what we can find in the museum by ourselves?
Sakata Kintoki:
Gah, not so close! Uh, I figure we cleaned up most of the monsters, so it oughta be okay, but be careful, yeah?
Reines:
Thanks for your concern.
We'll return shortly.
Fujimaru 1:
Did you have something in mind?
Fujimaru 2:
Did you find a clue or something?
Reines:
Hmm, I guess you could say that.
Reines:
How did it go, Trim?
Fujimaru 1:
Aah!
Trimmau:
I examined every wall and floor in my liquid form,
and did not find any passages or secret rooms.
Reines:
Well, that eliminates one possibility.
Reines:
All right, my little pupil, which room do you think we should visit next?
--ARROW--
Reines:
Oho, the library, hm. I see, I see.
Not a bad eye you've got there.
Reines:
Hm hm.
Reines:
Oho.
Reines:
Hmm.
Fujimaru 1:
What just happened to your neck!?
Fujimaru 2:
Did you just turn your head all the way around!?
Reines:
Hm, how odd.
Reines:
I'm quite sure I could never do that before. Strangely, I felt like I could pull it off here, and I was right.
Reines:
And now I believe we've found our missing person.
Fujimaru 1:
What, there?
Fujimaru 2:
All I see are books.
Reines:
Exactly.
Go on, try pulling out that third book from the right.
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, okay...
Book:
Eek!
Fujimaru 1:
Aah!
Book:
Wh-what's the big idea!?
Reines:
I knew it! You were turned into a book!
No, wait. You actually ARE a book!
Reines:
You Servants really are fascinating, I must say.
Nursery Rhyme:
...Nursery...Rhyme...
Nursery Rhyme:
No, wait.
That's not my name, MY name is Alice.
Reines:
Are you all right? You were spacing out again.
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, yes! I'm fine!
Fujimaru 2:
No problems here!
Reines:
It looks like our new papery friend here is coming to her senses too.
Book:
I... I...
Reines:
Oho, so you can assume a human form as well.
Book?:
I can move... I can talk...
Reines:
Just as I suspected.
You forgot what you really were.
Fujimaru 1:
What do you mean?
Reines:
Oh come now, it's obvious why she's been hiding all this time.
Reines:
None of those other three could remember who went missing, or even when they went missing, right?
Reines:
So what if the same was true for the ones in hiding?
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, yeah!
Fujimaru 2:
Right. If people forget who they are here...
Reines:
It seems you've arrived at the answer for yourself. We were in much the same predicament with our own amnesia at first.
Reines:
And given that we have a giant in the form of Bunyan here, it only stands to reason that these missing persons might have special abilities of their own.
Reines:
From there, we can deduce that they must have either gone missing somewhere other than the museum, or are otherwise wandering the museum aimlessly, waiting to be found.
Reines:
Of course, they could have been hidden in a secret room as well, but as Trimmau said, there were no such rooms to be found here.
Reines:
So I knew then that they were most likely invisible,
or transformed into something else.
Reines:
That's why I decided to try something that was sure to cause a bit of surprise.
Reines:
I'm glad I didn't have to twist my head around more than once. It's not exactly the most becoming trick.
Reines:
Now, can I ask your name?
Book?:
Me? I'm...Nursery Rhyme.
A book of collected stories.
Nursery Rhyme:
Um... Do you think Bunyan and Kintoki will remember me?
Nursery Rhyme:
I saw Jack and Kintoki looking for me,
but I still couldn't remember them...
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry. It'll be fine.
Fujimaru 2:
Jack and Kintoki were turning this place upside down looking for you.
Nursery Rhyme:
...Great!
Reines:
Go on then, your friends should be waiting for you at the entrance. I'm sure you won't have any trouble making your way there.
Nursery Rhyme:
Okay! Thanks, nice lady!
Reines:
Well, that might have been a bit unusual as far as these things go, but at least it was a relatively easy first case to solve.
Reines:
Still, this sort of work isn't going to... Hm?
Fujimaru 1:
What's up?
Fujimaru 2:
Is there something behind that wall?
Reines:
There, on the shelf where that book Servant was...
Reines:
What...is this...
Reines:
“Mnemosyne”...? Is this what “M” stands for?
But, how is this–
Reines:
Ghh!
--ARROW--
Reines:
Something's coming back to me...!
Reines:
That's right... I'm a Servant, too! I'm made up of a Heroic Spirit and the human it is using as a vessel!
Reines:
What about you? Did you just remember anything?
Fujimaru 1:
I...
Fujimaru 2:
...My head hurts...
Announcement:
Base sequence: human genome confirmed Alignment: Lawful-Neutral
Announcement:
Welcome to the data center for the future of humankind.
This is the Security Organization for the Preservation of Humanity, Chaldea.
Announcement:
Fingerprint, voiceprint, and DNA authentication cleared.
Magical Circuit assessment complete.
Announcement:
Username matched.
You are recognized as a member of the primates.
Announcement:
Nice to meet you.
You're our final visitor today.
Announcement:
We hope you enjoy your time here.
Announcement:
We are very sorry. Another 180 seconds is needed to complete the admission process.
Announcement:
Enjoy a simulated battle while you wait.
--BATTLE--
Fou:
Fou! Fooou!
B：Mash:
...Fou made it back too.
Are we sure he's not a lucky animal of some sort?
Dr. Roman:
Hm... Ooohhh!
Dr. Roman:
We did it! Fifteenth-century France is restored completely!
Still six to go, but–
Dr. Roman:
Part of human history is in its rightful place now!
We did it, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
That's right. I was at Chaldea...
Fujimaru 2:
I'm the last Master of humanity...
Mash:
...Senpai! Senpai, can you hear me!?
Mash:
That's it! We have a connection!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash!
Fujimaru 2:
Man, am I ever glad to hear from Chaldea!
Mash:
Senpai! We finally got through...
I'm so glad you're all right!
Mash:
I've been monitoring your vitals, but I still don't know what happened there. Could you please fill me in?
Fujimaru 1:
El-Melloi's been...murdered...
Fujimaru 2:
I'd forgotten all about Chaldea.
Mash:
El-Melloi is dead, and you lost your memory?
That's awful!
Mash:
I'm so sorry. In that case, I guess I had better explain what's going on.
Mash:
You Rayshifted to London at the turn of the nineteenth century to repair a Singularity that had broken out there.
Fujimaru 1:
So I'm in nineteenth-century London right now?
Fujimaru 2:
You mean, from the Fourth Singularity?
Mash:
Not exactly, but its coordinates were very close to the Fourth Singularity, yes. And it's not unusual for a repaired Singularity to create small ripples like this.
Mash:
So now that Novum Chaldea is Rayshift-worthy,
we decided to have you come here to take care of it...
Fujimaru 1:
Did El-Melloi come along too?
Mash:
Yes. Lord El-Melloi II was chosen to accompany you because of his expansive knowledge of London.
Mash:
But during the Rayshift, we suddenly lost our connection and ended up losing track of your signals.
Mash:
I...I had no idea you were going through something like that.
Mash:
I'm sorry. I should keep going.
Mash:
Things are still extremely unstable right now, but thankfully, we're getting just enough data to verify your existence.
Mash:
Though we had to rewire the system to focus on only me just to reestablish comms.
Mash:
So I'm the only one who can talk to you right now,
and I don't think it'll last much longer.
Fujimaru 1:
Way to go, Mash!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry you had to go to so much trouble on my behalf.
Reines:
Hmm, I can hear what you're saying as well.
Chaldea, was it?
Reines:
I'm Reines El-Melloi Archisorte.
Are you guys related to the Animuspheres?
Mash:
Nice to meet you, Ms. Reines.
I've seen your name in our database before.
Mash:
Unfortunately, our current situation is kind of...complicated...
Reines:
Yes, I can imagine, thanks to the memories I've regained. If this has to do with parallel worlds, I don't need to know about it.
Reines:
I might be a recently summoned Pseudo-Servant myself, but information like that can be as tricky to handle as a bomb. I'd just as soon not bother with it if I don't have to.
Reines:
I'll have you fill me in if truly necessary, of course, but at this point, I'd say the risks outweigh the potential benefits.
Reines:
To put it in Clock Tower terms, let's just stick to areas where we can both help each other out.
Mash:
Thank you for understanding.
I think that's a very wise decision.
Mash:
Thanks to our reestablished comms,
I've finally been able to get accurate data.
Mash:
Though unfortunately, Senpai, I'm afraid you'll need to find what's causing that Singularity before you can escape...
Fujimaru 1:
Nothing I haven't done before.
Fujimaru 2:
It's okay. I'm used to it.
Mash:
Thank you, Senpai. I promise I'll do everything I can to provide you with support from here!
Mash:
Getting right into it, there was a change in that Singularity's topography not too long ago. Can you check it out on your end?
Reines:
Well, well. I wonder what's happening now?
Reines:
Now that we have a capable new ally helping us,
my little pupil, what do you say we look into this!?
Section 3: Masquerade
Reines:
I see... So this is the new topography.
Reines:
Or perhaps I should say the new patchwork, to borrow Bunyan's term.
Fujimaru 1:
Everyone's wearing masks.
Fujimaru 2:
It looks like they're having a party.
Reines:
Hmm, looks like our new setting is a masquerade ball.
Reines:
I'm not sure if it's accurate to call this a Singularity, but it does seem like each area has its own theme.
Reines:
First it was a fairy tale, now it's a masquerade ball.
I wonder if there's something tying them together.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe it has to do with Kintoki, Bunyan, and Nursery Rhyme...
Reines:
As I recall, there's a fairy tale about Kintarou in Japan.
Reines:
Jack the Ripper is dark even for a fairy tale, but she might have some other connection to keep her here.
Mash:
A connection...?
Well, we did meet Jack during the Fourth Singularity...
Reines:
Connections are hugely important in the magecraft world. They're the threads we follow to pull the wool over the eyes of the world, after all.
Mash:
Yes, that's true. I remember being taught about the importance of connections in magecraft, too.
Mash:
Oh, by the way, I have one more thing to report.
Mash:
For the time being, we've decided to refer to this Singularity as Patchwork London.
Reines:
Patchwork London, hm? That's the same thing Bunyan called it. Not bad. It's got a nice ring to it.
Mash:
On another note, do either of you still have any issues with your memories?
Fujimaru 1:
I don't think so.
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe? It's hard to say.
Mash:
It's too bad we can't have a specialist examine you...
Mash:
In the meantime, I'll send all the data on your vitals that I can to the medical team. Please let me know if you notice anything else amiss.
Reines:
Don't worry, we'll keep an eye out.
It's hard to spot holes in your own memory, after all.
Reines:
So don't hesitate to let us know if you see anything off, either.
Mash:
I won't! Wait... Hang on. I'm seeing a large magical energy signal not too far from you.
Reines:
So I see. I can even sense this one myself.
It's coming from inside that palace...
Reines:
...which would be right about where the Tower of London is in the real London. Ugh, as if things weren't bad enough already.
Mash:
I'm afraid we're putting too much load on the equipment, so I need to stop our transmission for a while. I'm sorry.
Mash:
It might take some time, but I'll contact you again as soon as I can. Ms. Reines, please watch out for Senpai in the meantime.
Reines:
Don't worry, I've got it covered. I've got plenty of experience when it comes to keeping students safe.
Mash:
Be careful, Senpai. Please don't do anything reckless.
Fujimaru 1:
You too, Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
I won't.
Mash:
Thank you, Senpai! All right...we'll talk again soon!
Reines:
She really cares for you, doesn't she, my little pupil? Hehehe, let's hope for her sake you can remember what your relationship to her is soon!
Reines:
All right then, let's go check this place out!
--ARROW--
Reines:
So this is the palace... Looks like everyone's wearing masks here too, unsurprisingly.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm surprised we got in so easily.
Fujimaru 2:
I was sure the security guards were going to stop us.
Reines:
So we've got a fortress with a masquerade ball in a palace, an observatory over there, and a minting facility over there...
Reines:
It's like they've taken Towers of London from different time periods and stitched them together like, well, not to put too fine a point on it, but some sort of patchwork.
Fujimaru 1:
What's the Tower of London?
Reines:
One of London's most famous World Heritage sites.
Reines:
It started out as a fortress built by William the Conqueror, where it was called the White Tower, and was expanded upon by Richard I and Henry III.
Reines:
It's been around for a very long time. At one point,
it was used as a jail for royal or noble prisoners.
Reines:
I expect that most people still think of it as a prison to this day...as the infamous Wailing Tower.
Fujimaru 2:
William the Conqueror's fortress, right? The World Heritage site?
Reines:
So you're familiar with it, hm? Well, it is one of the most famous buildings in all of London.
Reines:
Most people probably think of it as a jail where they kept royal and other noble prisoners, but it's also been a palace, a bank, and even a zoo.
Reines:
All right, let's take a closer look and see what we can find... Hm?
Citizen:
It's starting! It's starting!
Reines:
Now the rest of the orchestra is accompanying the piano...
Fujimaru 1:
It looks like the ball is officially underway...
Reines:
Still, that's weird... The piano's obviously the main instrument here, so why is the pianist the only one missing?
Reines:
Hm? Are you all right?
Fujimaru 1:
This music...!
Fujimaru 2:
(At a loss for words)
Salieri:
Of course. I'm just an ordinary composer. I never wrote any symphonies that left a mark on history.
Salieri:
At best, I am a mediocrity of a man.
But no matter.
Salieri:
The sole reason I exist in the Throne of Heroes...
Salieri:
...is because I am said to have killed Amadeus.
Reines:
What's wrong? You look pale.
Did you just remember something else?
Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah. There was a Servant I met who was also a pianist...
Fujimaru 2:
Yeah. An Avenger who also played the piano.
Reines:
Hmm... Antonio Salieri. A Servant who's inexorably compelled to try and kill a certain someone, huh.
Reines:
That's a sad story, but one that hardly seems unusual among Servants.
Reines:
Is the music you heard that Servant play the same that's playing now?
Fujimaru 1:
...I'm not sure.
Fujimaru 2:
...Even if it is, I can't tell if it's the same pianist playing it.
Reines:
Well, I guess that's fair. I doubt you have any professional musical training under your belt.
Reines:
Hm? Speaking of the piano, why is it the only instrument that just cut out?
Citizen:
Ugh, not again.
Fujimaru 1:
What do you mean?
Fujimaru 2:
Has this happened before?
Citizen:
That piano's the best part of this whole ball, but lately, whoever plays it always stops almost as soon as they start.
Citizen:
Everyone here's on the edge of their seat waiting to hear it play, but it never does...
Reines:
I see, I see. Thanks for filling us in.
Reines:
Looks like we just found our next case.
Fujimaru 1:
So we're going to solve it?
Fujimaru 2:
I didn't know you were so nice.
Reines:
Is that a joke? You really think I care about solving this case, or being nice for that matter?
Reines:
No, there's just something artificial about this Singularity place, just like there was with the Nursery Rhyme case.
Reines:
Like these riddles have been laid here deliberately,
as if they were begging us to solve them.
Fujimaru 1:
Begging us to solve them...
Fujimaru 2:
Does that mean you think El-Melloi's killer set these up?
Reines:
I think it might be their way of challenging us.
Admittedly that's just a hunch, but I've come to trust my gut in times like this.
Reines:
Whatever's going on, I have a feeling it all ties back to the whydunit...
???:
Whoa, whoa! What do you two think you're doing!?
Fujimaru 1:
Aah!
???:
Why aren't you wearing your masks?
Haven't you ever been to a masquerade ball before!?
???:
What's that? You don't have any masks?
You don't even know what kind you like?
???:
Very well then, you can have these. Accept these as an act of kindness from a passing old man.
Reines:
O-oh, thanks.
Reines:
...Hmm. How do I look, my little pupil?
Fujimaru 1:
It suits you really well.
Fujimaru 2:
You look great!
Reines:
Flattery will get you nowhere, but nice to hear nonetheless. All right, get yours on as well.
???:
Hm, hm, I daresay that suits you wonderfully too.
Jolly good, jolly good!
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you, sir.
Fujimaru 2:
You're okay with us keeping these?
???:
But of course.
???:
After all, there's nothing sadder than a gift that doesn't suit its recipient!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?
???:
Now, now, it's against party rules to ask others their name here. Though I do suppose you need some way to tell me apart from the other guests, hm?
???:
Very well then, why don't you call me “M”?
Fujimaru 1:
“M”...!
Fujimaru 2:
(No way. Could this be the “M” from El-Melloi's dying message!?)
M:
Hm? Is something wrong?
You seem rather taken aback.
Reines:
Oh no, it's nothing. [♂ He's /♀ She's] just very impressed by your taste in noms de plume.
Reines:
(Keep it together, [♂ man /♀ girl].
This is the only lead we've got so far.)
Reines:
(What if this is the guy that killed my brother?)
M:
Oh my, I do hope the masks aren't too uncomfortable?
Reines:
Not at all. They fit perfectly.
Thank you again.
Reines:
By the way, could you tell us a little more about what's going on here? For example, who was playing that delightful piano music earlier?
M:
Hm, hm, you have a keen ear, my dear!
But I'm afraid nobody knows the answer to that!
Reines:
Nobody? How can that be?
M:
This particular pianist is quite the eccentric. He'll only play at the exact agreed-upon time, and only if he can remain completely anonymous.
M:
And so nobody knows anything about him,
apart from the fact that he lives in that tower.
Reines:
The Bloody Tower!? I knew it! Even with its altered size and design, it's still the damn Bloody Tower!
Reines:
That's a real, bona fide prison. Great. It's like something out of a fairy tale, and the pianist is the damsel in distress.
Reines:
So there's something strange going on with an imprisoned pianist here, huh... Well, if nothing else, I admit I am intrigued.
M:
Oh? Would you like to pay it a visit?
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
M:
Going there would be very much against the rules,
of course, but I certainly can't blame you for your curiosity.
M:
You're only human, after all, and we are curious creatures by nature! Very well then, why don't you come with me?
Reines:
Fine. Lead the way.
M:
Excellent! Then let's get going!
Immediately, if not a moment sooner!
???:
...Looks like it's time we got going too.
???:
All right.
--ARROW--
M:
The Tower of London itself is quite spacious. And, as you can see, the part known as the Bloody Tower is heavily guarded.
Reines:
I noticed that when we first got here. It feels like the whole place is neatly divided into areas with lax security and areas with tight security.
M:
Truth be told, I've wanted to meet the pianist myself,
but that's rather difficult to do on one's own.
M:
But, as fortune would have it, the two of you showed up just when I needed assistance!
M:
What else could this be but a spider's thread of salvation! What do you say! Will you help me!?
Fujimaru 1:
So that's why you asked us to come with you...
Fujimaru 2:
Are we sure he's not a bad guy?
M:
Oh no, my motives are quite pure, I assure you. I merely wish to satisfy my curiosity by meeting this mysterious pianist, much as I presume you do.
Reines:
Hmm. What exactly did you have in mind?
M:
It couldn't be simpler.
I'll draw the guards' attention...
M:
...while you two scurry right up this wall.
Sound good?
Fujimaru 1:
What will we be climbing with? Our bare hands!?
Fujimaru 2:
Why are we the ones stuck climbing?
M:
Come now, surely you wouldn't ask an old man like me to exert himself to such a degree? As they say, one must always use the right tool for the job.
M:
Now then... Excuse me?
Soldier:
Hm?
Fujimaru 1:
What was that shriek!?
Fujimaru 2:
That was magical energy...!
Soldier:
Dammit, those ghosts are back!
M:
Oho, I see. It sounds like you could use a hand!
M:
(I know this isn't what we had planned, but I daresay this is an excellent opportunity in its own right!
What do you say, Fujimaru!?)
Fujimaru 1:
I'll help!
Reines:
Huh? Hey–
M:
I was expecting you to wait this out, but if you know how to fight, so much the better! Your help would be most invaluable!
Reines:
Tch, guess I'd better pitch in too, then! I can't have my pupil be the only one putting [♂ himself /♀ herself] in danger!
Reines:
They're all wearing masks...!
M:
I knew London had always had its share of ghosts, but I doubt you'll find masked ones in any other borough.
M:
At any rate, these are fairly formidable foes! You keep your guard up, and I'll try to keep from throwing my back out!
--BATTLE--
Soldier:
There are more ghosts over that way!
M:
Oho, it seems that fighting alongside those soldiers won us their trust. Perfect. Let's slip inside while no one is looking!
Reines:
Hm? This is...
M:
Do you feel that?
Reines:
This doesn't look anything like the Bloody Tower I know, but it has that exact same cloud of death lingering over it...
Reines:
Now I see why those ghosts were hanging around here.
M:
Well, this is the Tower of London. No doubt there are countless souls who went to their deaths cursing it.
Reines:
...I'm sorry, I think the ghosts must have gotten to me. Would you mind going on without us?
M:
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Will you be all right?
Reines:
I'll be fine. I just need a few minutes.
M:
I see. Very well then, I'll go on ahead.
Reines:
Is he gone? Good.
This mask was really getting on my last nerve.
Reines:
Phew, finally, a chance to catch our breath. While we're at it, let me ask you something: What do you make of all this?
Fujimaru 1:
You mean the old guy?
Fujimaru 2:
You mean the pianist?
Reines:
I mean both the old guy and the pianist, of course.
But it's not just them. It's us, too.
Reines:
Remember when you were talking with Mash? We might have recovered some of our memories, but we still don't know what we could be missing even now.
Reines:
With all these things we've forgotten, it's almost like we've taken a drink from the River Lethe.
Fujimaru 1:
The River Lethe?
Reines:
One of the rivers of the underworld in Greek myth.
Any pupil of mine should be familiar with the name.
Reines:
Dead souls would drink from it before they could be reborn. The waters would wash away all memory of their earthy lives...
Reines:
...much the way I forgot mine while I was going around convinced I was El-Melloi II. Like an idiot.
Fujimaru 2:
You mean the river of forgetfulness from The Aeneid?
Reines:
So you do know your way around a textbook. That's right. The Roman poet Virgil said its waters would make any dead soul that drank from it forget everything that happened while they lived.
Reines:
...Much the way I forgot mine while I was going around convinced I was El-Melloi II. Like an idiot.
Reines:
There's also a myth about a river of knowledge called Mnemosyne that was like Lethe's opposite, where anyone who drank from it would gain omniscience.
Fujimaru 1:
Mnemosyne...
Fujimaru 2:
That was written on the scrap of paper we found earlier...
Reines:
At times, Mnemosyne has referred to a goddess of memory, a river, and a spring. At this point, I'd say we could use any one of them!
Reines:
...By the way, Lady Reines,
what do you make of my question?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh... What question? And aren't you Lady Reines?
Fujimaru 2:
Um... Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?
Reines:
Oh, sorry, that wasn't me. That was Sima Yi,
the Heroic Spirit possessing me.
Reines:
He's one of the heroes of China's Three Kingdoms period. I guess he's also why I was able to turn my head all the way around like that.
Reines:
It looks like I'm aware of him again now that I've got some of my memory back.
Reines:
Apparently, most Pseudo-Servants fuse together into more of a single entity, but Sima Yi doesn't like that. Says it's inefficient.
Fujimaru 1:
Inefficient?
Fujimaru 2:
He sounds...um...animated?
Reines:
He says that with humanity at stake, he's willing to help as a Heroic Spirit. But, he finds fusing inefficient, and also doesn't want to bother taking over my consciousness...
Reines:
...so he says he's going to let me handle things most of the time. Certainly fits a Three Kingdoms tactician known for moving slowly and steadily.
Fujimaru 1:
That sounds like something Zhuge Liang would say...
Fujimaru 2:
That's just like what happened with El-Melloi...
Reines:
Hmm, so my brother was possessed by Zhuge Liang in your world, huh. Maybe it's fate that I'd end up in a similar position.
Reines:
It sounds like Sima Yi strongly objects to that idea, but I'm just going to ignore him and get back to his original question.
Reines:
Namely, why was he summoned here?
Fujimaru 1:
Another whydunit...
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe it was a Holy Grail or something...?
Reines:
Hmm. So Holy Grail fragments would frequently summon Rogue Servants in the worlds you visited, huh.
Reines:
True, that could be the case here as well. I do have a strong connection to London, and a not insignificant connection to the Holy Grail, too.
Reines:
I'd say I easily meet the minimum requirements for becoming a Pseudo-Servant.
Reines:
But what sort of connection could I possibly have to a Chinese Heroic Spirit from the Three Kingdoms period?
Fujimaru 1:
Good question...
Fujimaru 2:
I was wondering about that myself!
Reines:
Of course, there's no telling how far the sphere of humanity's influence truly goes, or how any one person might be related to another. Anything is possible.
Reines:
Those whack jobs at the Atlas Institute aside, any mage worth their circuits has to come to terms with that fact sooner or later.
Reines:
Who knows? Sima Yi and I might have something in common neither of us would have ever guessed.
Reines:
Maybe it even has something to do with why my brother was murdered...
???:
Oooooohhh!
Reines:
I don't know who that was,
but it didn't sound like M!
Reines:
Another automaton! And now it's wearing a mask too!
How nice of it!
E：???:
Ahh, this is truly manna from heaven!
God has not forsaken me after all!
M:
Oh, you're here. Excellent timing.
M:
Haha, I'm afraid the old back is acting up again! As you can see, I'm having more trouble standing than a newborn fawn!
Reines:
Dammit! All right, let's get it!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
I don't see any pianist around here...
More automata must have abducted him!
B：???:
Ahh, what a tragedy!
The world has suffered a great loss today!
Reines:
Who are you, anyway?
B：???:
Oh, yes, I do beg your pardon.
My name is William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare:
Now, who is it that doth summon me!? I, Caster Shakespeare, have travelled on swift wings to this city of fog!
Shakespeare:
At least, I would like to say as much, but it seems that I was not summoned to participate in a Holy Grail War this time.
Shakespeare:
Quite vexing indeed. O God! Where will this wandering soul find the grand story he so dearly seeks?
Shakespeare:
No reply. Silence. God hath forsaken me. Where is the tale to make the blood boil, the flesh dance, the heart shiver, and the very soul shake!?
Shakespeare:
Then, I can say naught but this:
love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind!
Reines:
Did it just happen again?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...
Fujimaru 2:
I think...I've met him before.
Reines:
He must be another Rogue Servant then. Though I guess that's obvious, seeing how he's William bloody Shakespeare.
Reines:
How in the world did you end up in here, William?
Shakespeare:
Hahaha, I merely saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to behold this mysterious pianist and thought I would avail myself of it!
Shakespeare:
A passing flight of fanciful curiosity, if you will!
M:
Oh yes, I can certainly understand the feeling.
But that doesn't give you the right to trespass.
Fujimaru 1:
You're one to talk! Actually, who are you, really?
Fujimaru 2:
Didn't you say we weren't supposed to reveal our names here?
Shakespeare:
Oh? I know I was told to wear a mask, but I don't recall anything about keeping my name a secret.
M:
Hmm, it seems the cat is out of the bag, then.
You got me! It was all a bald-faced lie.
Fujimaru 1:
You lied to us!?
M:
Hahaha, please don't be mad! An elderly gentleman like myself needs a few white lies just to make it through the day!
Reines:
Good grief.
Reines:
Do we at least have any leads on our missing pianist?
Even if he was abducted, there must be some sort of clue around–
Reines:
Uh-oh!
???:
What is this all about?
Shakespeare:
Ahh, good day to you, Your Majesty.
M:
My, my, if it isn't the queen. How wonderful to see you in such good health, Your Majesty.
Reines:
This is the queen?
M:
Of course. This is the queen of the Tower of London.
Even the ravens sing her praises.
Queen:
I thought I told you to stay away from here, M.
M:
True, you did. But why would you want to keep a poor elderly gentleman from paying his friend a visit?
M:
Besides, I was the one who introduced you to that pianist in the first place.
Queen:
Because you have the look of a villain.
Fujimaru 1:
Ouch. Her Majesty doesn't mince words, does she...
Fujimaru 2:
Can't argue with that...
M:
Well you could at least try to defend me! Come now,
don't you believe in the power of friendship or something!?
Soldier:
You're in the presence of the queen.
Keep your voice down.
Queen:
I see the pianist is gone as well.
Are you the ones who abducted him?
M:
Of course not! We're only here because we were worried sick about him ourselves. It wounds me to have my caring nature used against me like this!
Reines:
...
Reines:
How should I address you? Queen? Your Majesty?
Queen:
Address me however you like.
Are you party to this villain's schemes?
Reines:
No...though I can hardly blame you for thinking otherwise, which is exactly why I would like to prove our innocence to you.
Queen:
Oh? You claim innocence?
Reines:
I do. It sounds as though you are concerned about the pianist's disappearance yourself?
Queen:
Of course. My subjects are enthralled with his playing, and I too have a fondness for beautiful things. Why do you ask? You say you can resolve this matter?
Reines:
I think so, yes. Just say the word, Your Majesty, and my pupil and I will employ every trick a pair of mages can have at their disposal.
Fujimaru 1:
I never signed up for that!!!
Queen:
Hmm. Not a bad proposition. It could save me a great deal of trouble in having this scoundrel executed.
M:
Executed!?
That sounds nearly as bad as torture!
Queen:
Very well, young mage. Solve this mystery,
and you may have anything you wish.
Queen:
But be forewarned: agree, and there is no turning back.
Is that clear?
Reines:
Leave it to us, Your Majesty!
Section 4: Invitation for Judgment
Reines:
There goes the queen and her guards...
Trimmau:
Yes. And they've taken M and Shakespeare along with them.
Fujimaru 1:
So, do you actually have a plan in mind?
Fujimaru 2:
Did you find a clue or something?
Reines:
Of course. I wouldn't have gone out on a limb like that otherwise.
Reines:
Admittedly my lead is...flimsy at best right now.
Reines:
For the moment, let's go over the key figures involved.
Reines:
There's that queen.
Reines:
That shady older man who calls himself “M.”
Reines:
And Shakespeare.
Reines:
But then again, maybe we don't need to bother with things like that. At least not when we have much simpler and more effective options available to us.
Reines:
For example... Ha!
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Fujimaru 2:
There was someone hiding in the piano's shadow?
Reines:
So, you're using Presence Concealment.
That must make you an Assassin.
Assassin:
...How did you know?
Trimmau:
Master noticed there was something off about the magical energy in this vicinity, so she had me analyze all relevant factors.
Reines:
There you have it. I figured exposing you with the queen around would only complicate things further, so I kept my mouth shut until it was just us.
Reines:
I don't suppose you're the one behind all this, are you? It would make things nice and simple if you were.
Assassin:
I'm not, but I have no reason to explain myself to you.
Reines:
Stop! Shit, he went out the window!
Come on, pupil, we're going after him!
Fujimaru 1:
Again with the window!?
Reines:
Damn, he's fast!
Don't let him get away, Trimmau!
Trimmau:
Understood. Activating combat functions.
Assassin:
Damn, that's a good familiar. Whoever made that Mystic Code knew what they were doing. All right, in that case...
Reines:
He can move even faster!?
Reines:
So he moves faster than the eye can see, AND he's got Presence Concealment paired with more standard stealth-oriented magecraft, huh.
Reines:
Even Trim and me working together can barely keep up. We don't even have time to let you summon anyone!
Assassin:
Got you.
Trimmau:
Master!
Reines:
Oh come on, what kind of Servant uses a gun? If it wasn't for Trim, my Spirit Core would be blown to bits right now.
Reines:
...Looks like I don't have any other choice.
Reines:
I really didn't want to use this since it takes a ton of magical energy, and I expect Sima Yi won't be too thrilled about it either, but oh well.
Reines:
Seven holes are bored into primordial chaos. There are poisonous women to great men. Never is there a time when neither sun nor moon is set.
Assassin:
Did you really think I'd let you use your Noble Phantasm!?
Reines:
Behold my tactics! Unspoken Formation!
Assassin:
What the!?
Reines:
My Noble Phantasm's a little unusual, you see.
It doesn't have a predefined form.
Reines:
What it does do is produce an illusory moon and sun that eliminate any advantages the target may have and instead exposes their weaknesses.
Assassin:
Ghh... I can barely move...!
Fujimaru 1:
I can see him much more easily now!
Fujimaru 2:
He's moving way slower now!
Reines:
As luck would have it, it works especially well on opponents who tend to rely on powerful skills and Noble Phantasms.
Reines:
All right, pupil!
Let's make him cough up everything he knows!
--BATTLE--
Assassin:
Dammit, this is a really bad matchup for me!
Reines:
What's wrong? Giving up already? In that case,
I think it's time you told us what we want to know.
Assassin:
I don't have a problem with that,
but I think my client might.
C：???:
Good work, Kerry.
B：Kerry:
I told you not to call me that.
D：???:
I know, but I can't help it.
I just get the urge to call you that for some reason.
Reines:
L-Luvia!?
--ARROW--
Reines:
L-Luvia!
D：???:
...Oh, is that who this body belongs to?
I didn't expect to run into one of her friends.
Fujimaru 1:
Luvia?
Fujimaru 2:
Is this a friend of yours, Reines?
Reines:
Her body is, anyway. Looks like she's a Pseudo-Servant like me. Though apparently they chose to fuse their personalities rather than keep them separate.
D：???:
So you're the ones who opened Mnemosyne in the fairy tale patchwork.
Reines:
You mean that scrap of paper? What if we were?
D：???:
I'm telling you this for your own good:
you should give up now, before it's too late.
Trimmau:
Master, I must tell you that I am unable to gauge her magical energy.
Reines:
Hmph. I guess that makes sense though, since she is a Pseudo-Servant. A really powerful one, too, if this spiritual force is anything to go by... This is no ordinary Heroic Spirit.
Reines:
Why did Luvia have to get a Divine Spirit, dammit!
There's no way we could beat her in a fair fight!
Fujimaru 1:
Couldn't your Noble Phantasm help us?
Reines:
No, it couldn't. All my Noble Phantasm can do is remove advantages and expose weaknesses.
Reines:
It works great against one-trick ponies,
but doesn't do squat against jack-of-all-trades types.
Reines:
And that Pseudo-Servant is definitely the latter.
Her stats are quite high across the board.
Reines:
If Trimmau's analysis is anything to go by,
her stats have all got to be B or better!
Fujimaru 2:
If we work together
Reines:
Don't forget that Assassin. He's bound to stop you from using your summoning spells again.
Reines:
What's more, that Pseudo-Servant Luvia's become has pretty outstanding stats across the board.
Reines:
If Trimmau's analysis is anything to go by,
her stats have all got to be B or better!
Reines:
And if that wasn't bad enough, we don't even know what her Noble Phantasm is like. It's much too risky.
D：???:
I'm glad to see you understand your situation.
D：???:
I don't know what sort of relationship you and this body's owner have...
D：???:
...but if you insist on continuing to seek Mnemosyne,
I'll have to pass judgment upon you.
Reines:
Judgment? Then, you must be–
???:
I'll let you off with a warning this time, so I'd suggest you take this opportunity to decide how you want to play this.
Reines:
...What a pain. If it's not one thing,
it's another in this damn place.
Mash:
Senpai! Are you all right!?
Fujimaru 1:
Mash!
Fujimaru 2:
So our comms are back online now?
Mash:
Yes, but we can still only maintain the connection for a short time.
Mash:
We're working on extending it, but when I noticed your readings indicated you were in combat, I had to make sure you were okay...
Reines:
Another call from Chaldea, huh.
You haven't exactly caught us at the best of times.
Mash:
I see... So that's what happened.
Mash:
It does sound very likely that this pianist has some connection to the Mnemosyne paper you found earlier.
Fujimaru 1:
Do you think it might be this Singularity's Holy Grail?
Mash:
Yes, I do. I can only venture a guess at this point, but based on what we know, it seems extremely unlikely that it would be completely unrelated.
Reines:
Then we definitely can't ignore it.
Either way, there are no other leads to pursue.
Mash:
So then, what are you going to do about that Divine Spirit Servant?
Reines:
No idea! But we can't afford to throw up our hands and stop our investigation now.
Fujimaru 1:
Then what are we going to do?
Reines:
The same thing you do in any investigation:
interrogate the suspects.
--ARROW--
Shakespeare:
Oho, a hearing, you say!
But alas, I lack an alibi!
Shakespeare:
Hm? You're not here for that?
You only want to know what I think about the piano?
Shakespeare:
Hahaha, the piano had yet to be invented back in my time, but its beautiful tones are more than enough to set my flames of passion ablaze!
Shakespeare:
Hm? Does that mean I wished to keep it all for myself then? An excellent question! Permit me to respond!
Shakespeare:
If one should come across a glittering pile of gold, it is only natural that one would want to keep it all for one's self. Why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal!
M:
You want to hear what happened when I discovered the pianist was gone? Well, I can tell you that Shakespeare was already there when I arrived.
M:
If it was anyone, I daresay it's him! What's that?
Try to just answer questions and not hurl accusations?
M:
Hahaha, you'll have to forgive me. It's something of a defense mechanism we older types develop. The moment it seems we're about to take the blame for something, we automatically try to pin it on someone else!
Queen:
So you have come to question me as well? I fail to see what motive I could have for abducting a musician.
Queen:
This is not about that? I see...
Queen:
Yes, it was M who introduced me to the pianist.
I remember that quite clearly.
Fujimaru 1:
How did it go?
Fujimaru 2:
Learn anything useful?
Reines:
There was one thing nagging at me, so I wanted to make sure I had all the basics straight.
Reines:
Trimmau, help me sort this information out.
Trimmau:
Yes, Master.
Reines:
I'll relay all my thoughts to you through my magical circuits. Let me know when you've sorted through all the aspects my subconscious mind focused on.
Fujimaru 1:
I didn't know that was even a thing you could do!
Fujimaru 2:
Talk about convenient!
Reines:
Hehe, I've always been good at these sorts of delicate operations.
Reines:
My brother, on the other hand...not so much.
Reines:
How about you, Sima Yi?
You got anything useful for us?
Reines:
Hm? You don't know anything about Mystics,
so you're just going to let me handle that stuff?
Reines:
Man, I guess even becoming a Heroic Spirit did nothing to temper your penchant for realism...
Trimmau:
Master, I've finished my analysis. Your keywords are:
forgetfulness, ghost, and Pseudo-Servant.
Reines:
Forgetfulness, ghost, and...Pseudo-Servant?
Why would those be lumped together?
Reines:
I mean, I know that Servants are technically dead people, but there's a huge difference between normal dead people and Heroic Spirits.
Reines:
But, then again...
Fujimaru 1:
Reines?
Fujimaru 2:
Professor?
Reines:
Hey, pupil. When you think of a musician Heroic Spirit, who's the first person that comes to mind?
Fujimaru 1:
I'd say Mozart.
Reines:
Mozart... Yeah, that makes sense. He's certainly one of the most famous musicians in all of history.
Fujimaru 2:
I'd say Salieri.
Reines:
Salieri... He's a great musician, sure,
but why would he be your first choice?
Reines:
Hmm... The question is, why did you think of that back then, out of all the other possible choices?
Reines:
I've got it. Come with me, pupil!
Section 5: A Melodious Answer
Fujimaru 1:
We're back at the scene of the crime?
Reines:
That's right. And luckily for us,
it hasn't been touched since that Assassin ran off.
Reines:
If we take the Assassin at his word that he didn't abduct the pianist, and given how little time M or Shakespeare would have had to abduct him...
Reines:
...then this is the only place that the pianist could be.
Fujimaru 1:
You don't mean...
Fujimaru 2:
You're looking at the automaton that attacked us?
Reines:
I knew it! Another scrap of paper with Mnemosyne written on it!
Fujimaru 1:
What does this mean?
Reines:
It's simple once you figure it out. Remember what I told you about how Pseudo-Servants like me...
Reines:
...are made by having a Heroic Spirit possess a human vessel? Well, it's the same principle at work here.
Reines:
This automaton was given a specific person's memories, causing them to behave as if they were that person.
Reines:
I'd guess this piece of paper is infused with magical energy designed to facilitate that.
Reines:
The queen, M, and Shakespeare knew that,
but they all forgot as well.
Fujimaru 1:
That's just like what happened at the last patchwork!
Fujimaru 2:
So it's like the River Lethe...
Reines:
So, you were here too.
How much of that did you overhear, M?
M:
...
M:
That's right! I remember now!
M:
Salieri wasn't able to become a Servant here!
M:
He didn't have the Spirit Origin he needed!
M:
So he ended up wandering around the Tower of London as a ghost...
M:
Yes... That's why I–ah, Shakespeare and I decided to create him ourselves!
M:
I came up with the plan, and Shakespeare wrote it out. That piece of paper we happened across even provided us with the magical energy we needed!
M:
When we were done, we introduced our Salieri to the queen, and she accepted him as he was.
M:
So then...how could we forget?
How could I have forgotten?
Reines:
The rest probably comes down to plain old wear and tear.
Reines:
There's a reason why you need to tune delicate instruments before and after using them, after all.
Reines:
When you all forgot the truth about your automaton pianist, and stopped tuning it...
Reines:
...its interior workings must have deteriorated,
culminating in it actually trying to harm us.
M:
What a farce this turned out to be...
Still, I suppose I should be grateful to you two.
M:
If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be around to see this little show come to an end.
Reines:
Where did you get this automaton in the first place?
M:
It's been around for a long time. I believe it was built by a puppeteer from the Far East.
M:
As I recall, it was a failed creation of theirs that was only ever useful as a prototype.
Reines:
...Hmph. I can guess who that might be.
Fujimaru 1:
I thought M was going to be the bad guy here...
Fujimaru 2:
I was so sure M was up to something...
M:
You wound me! Do I look like a villain to you!?
Fujimaru 1:
Absolutely.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry.
M:
Oh... Well, I can't say you're wrong.
M:
But I truly did love that piano. It was beautiful.
M:
Good, evil, none of that matters in the presence of true beauty. Even if we measure such things by different standards, they cannot be ignored.
M:
For there is great worth in beauty...
M:
...That's why I wanted to let Salieri's music echo across this patchwork, even as a ghost.
M:
I wanted everyone to hear it,
and to see them dancing in delight.
M:
That's all I ever wanted.
Fujimaru 1:
How did you figure it out, Reines?
Reines:
Intuition, really. But, if I had to elaborate...
Reines:
It's because the music we heard at the masquerade ball reminded you of Antonio Salieri.
Reines:
When asked to name a musician Servant,
most people would think of Mozart.
Reines:
But in this case, you thought of Salieri, an Avenger.
There must have been a reason for that.
Reines:
That's the whydunit.
Reines:
I'd guess you thought the music was incomplete somehow.
And not because Salieri isn't as good as Mozart.
Reines:
This isn't about skill, or talent,
or even the performer's particular habits.
Reines:
Rather, this is owed to the fact that the music was being played so expertly that it gave you a peek into the performer's soul.
Reines:
And what you saw was no doubt incomplete and unstable...just like Salieri once was.
Reines:
From there, once I got the hints about forgetfulness,
ghosts, and Pseudo-Servants, the rest was easy.
Reines:
We knew forgetfulness was a big thing here,
thanks to the last patchwork...
Reines:
...so it wasn't hard to guess from there that this automaton was a vessel for our pianist, whether it was indeed Salieri or not.
M:
Hmm... That doesn't make much logical sense, but I suppose that sort of deduction flies when one is braving the world of Mystics.
Reines:
Trust me pal, women's intuition is a force to be reckoned with!
Reines:
Anyway, I'd like to collect this paper and be on our way, but...
???:
That's twice now.
Reines:
...Then you WERE spying on us!
???:
I let you off with a warning the first time.
Now, I'm going to have to break out my scales.
Reines:
Scales!? And that outfit...
I knew it!
???:
It's time to pass judgment.
I trust that won't be a problem, Kerry?
Kerry:
You're the boss.
M:
Whoa, whoa! This has taken a rather abrupt turn!
Reines:
You're a Rogue Servant too, right!? Then you can thank us for solving this case by helping here!
M:
Wait. You lured me out just to get me to fight, didn't you!?
Reines:
Hahaha. I considered just asking for your help, but I figured you'd be much more likely to show up this way.
Fujimaru 1:
That's downright devious!
Fujimaru 2:
Talk about birds of a feather!
Reines:
Try to at least keep the Assassin busy!
Come on, pupil, let's do this!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
Damn, she's strong! Did she line her abs with steel or something!? I wouldn't put it past Luvia...
Trimmau:
Report: our current forces are insufficient to penetrate the enemy's spiritual defenses.
Reines:
I can see that! Dammit... Her Spirit Origin's on a whole other level. If only we had one more fighter on our side, I'd be able to put together a strategy...
Kerry:
...
M:
I'm afraid I've got my hands full over here! Not to mention the strain this is putting on my poor back! Ow ow ow ow!
???:
I speak no evil. Hand over that Mnemosyne paper, and this will all be over.
Reines:
Evil, huh? So it's that sort of–
???:
Huh? Who are you lot!?
Automaton:
El-Melloi II located. Commencing capture.
Reines:
Dammit, as if we didn't have enough problems!
What's with these automata, anyway!?
???:
...
Automaton:
OOOHHHhhh...
D：???:
Reines! Over here!
Fujimaru 1:
A girl with a scythe...!
Fujimaru 2:
She took out those automata with one strike!
Reines:
No way. Gray!?
???:
Heeheehee! We finally find you,
and you're fighting Luvia, of all people!?
Fujimaru 1:
The scythe just talked!
Reines:
Now's our chance! Grab the paper and run!
???:
Hey! Get back here!
Fujimaru 1:
Grabbing it now!
Section 6: Brilliant Steam
Lion King:
Those who do no evil nor will they know evil even when affected by it. Those who know no end to goodness and yet are not aware of their goodness.
Lion King:
I shall gather those purest souls,
freeze them, and archive them.
Lion King:
No matter how much time passes, I will store them in my lance as something whose value will never change.
Lion King:
What is wrong with that?
My work is all for you, humans.
Fujimaru 1:
WE ARE NOT SOME BUTTERFLIES ON A BOARD!
Lion King:
...Is that what you think?
Lion King:
...Is that also what you think?
O Knight of the Shield?
Lion King:
Human lives are finite. Amongst them,
there are few whose lives are even more limited.
Lion King:
Mash Kyrielight, you understand my ideal, don't you?
Dr. Roman:
...!
Mash:
I...
Mash:
I...
Fujimaru 1:
Mash...?
Fujimaru 2:
Do you...understand?
Dr. Roman:
Fujimaru, that's enough talking! The Lion King's mental structure is now completely that of a deity!
Dr. Roman:
She's lost her values as a human!
This won't end with just talk!
Dr. Roman:
Fight, and destroy that lance!
Time will return to normal if you do that!
Lion King:
...Imprudent, Romani Archaman. That is much like you However, I have come to the same conclusion.
Lion King:
You've answered the question.
If you are to deny me, I will deny you, as well.
Lion King:
Your death is inevitable, and now it draws near.
Lament the limits on your life.
Lion King:
Know those limits, and accept my divine grace.
Lion King:
Knight of the Shield, if you want to protect human lives...you will not fight me.
Dr. Roman:
Here she comes...!
Master, prepare for combat!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
Hey. Hey!
Reines:
Wake up already!
Reines:
Cripes, it's about time. For a while there, I wasn't sure you were going to wake up at all. You must really want me to break out my failed pupil brand, huh?
???:
Thank goodness you're all right...
Fujimaru 1:
You're both here...
Fujimaru 2:
So, um, what happened after I lost consciousness?
Reines:
M hightailed it out of there as soon as he could.
Don't worry, I'm sure that shady old man will be fine.
Reines:
You look like you're doing well.
I take it you remembered something important?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. Really important.
Fujimaru 2:
What is this place?
Reines:
We got a room at a nearby hotel. You can see where we are for yourself if you look out the window.
Reines:
This is the third Patchwork London:
the steampunk patchwork!
--ARROW--
Mash:
All comms systems are green.
Can you hear me, Senpai?
Fujimaru 1:
Yay, our third call!
Fujimaru 2:
We got a second piece of paper.
Mash:
Great! I can see on our end that you've got the second paper as well.
Mash:
But most of all, I'm glad you're okay. Um, by the way, may I ask who you are?
???:
I-it's nice to meet you. My name is Gray!
I'm, um...Reines's...
Fujimaru 1:
Pupil?
Reines:
O-of course not. Gray isn't even a mage.
Fujimaru 2:
Friend?
Reines:
H-hey, come on. No need to be so blunt.
Gray:
No, it's all right.
I don't deserve such a great honor, anyway.
Reines:
Hey, come on, it's not about being deserving.
It's just that, you and I are–
???:
Heeheehee, this is how it always is with these two!
You wouldn't believe how awkward they can be!
Gray:
...Quiet, Add.
???:
Aah! Quit shaking me, Gray!
You don't know your own strength!!!
Reines:
Good grief. Anyway, Gray here's an acquaintance of mine. Though I had no idea she'd become a Servant, too.
Reines:
I guess you could say she's my brother's pupil.
Gray:
That's right. I was enrolled at the Clock Tower as Lord El-Melloi II's apprentice.
Gray:
Um... Reines told me what happened to him.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Fujimaru 2:
We've got to find whoever's responsible.
Gray:
...I want to find out what happened to my mentor.
If I can't do that, there's no point in my being here.
Gray:
He took me in when no one else would...
He gave me a place to belong...
Reines:
So the last thing you remember is coming to and finding yourself here in this Patchwork London, right?
Gray:
Right. I've known from the beginning that I'm a Servant now.
Gray:
But I still don't know what summoned me here, or why.
Reines:
I see. We seem to have that much in common.
Gray:
If you don't mind, could you form a temporary contract with me? Any pupil of Reines must be a good Master.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course.
Fujimaru 2:
I'd be glad to.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course.
Fujimaru 2:
I'd be glad to.
Reines:
While we're at it, I have something else to tell you.
I haven't officially confirmed this yet, but...
Reines:
...between the scales and her talk about passing judgment, I'm positive the Divine Spirit possessing Luvia is Astraea.
Fujimaru 1:
Astraea?
Reines:
The divine incarnation of justice in Greek mythology.
Fujimaru 2:
That's the Greek goddess of justice, right?
Reines:
Exactly. In Greek mythology, history was divided into several ages: The Golden, Silver, Bronze, Heroic, and Iron Ages.
Reines:
Astraea spent her days living among humans and fiercely advocating for justice until the very last Iron Age.
Reines:
She's basically one of the progenitors for the concept of Lady Justice.
Mash:
Our information confirms that too.
Reines's theory is almost certainly correct.
Mash:
Astraea... To think we'd come this far only to find a Divine Spirit Pseudo-Servant standing in our way.
Reines:
You said it. And we still don't even have any idea who killed my brother.
Reines:
It's not all bad news though.
Now we have a real shot at victory.
Fujimaru 1:
We do?
Reines:
You bet. Gray's Noble Phantasm should have no trouble getting through Astraea's defenses.
Fujimaru 1:
Really!?
Fujimaru 2:
You know what her Noble Phantasm can do?
Reines:
Oh sure. Gray's always had hers, even when she was alive. ...Wait. Are you an Assassin?
Gray:
...Yes, I am.
I think it's because I keep my weapon hidden.
Reines:
So that's why you were designated an Assassin.
Well that's just silly and unbefitting.
Fujimaru 1:
You keep your weapon hidden?
Fujimaru 2:
That scythe seems a bit...large to hide.
Reines:
I can understand your confusion...but a girl's got her secrets.
???:
I'll tell you! That scythe was me! Heeheehee!
Reines:
Hey! Don't just give it away like that!
???:
Heeheehee, I'm Add, a Sealing Mystic Code.
Nice to meet ya!
Add:
Oh, and by Sealing, I mean I keep my goods sealed away most of the time. Sometimes I change shape so Gray here can use me as a weapon, though.
Fujimaru 1:
So you were that scythe I saw.
Fujimaru 2:
Nice to meet you, Add!
Add:
Well aren't you cheeky! Come to think of it, you didn't even blink when you first saw me talking, eh?
Add:
Oh, nice to meet you too, comms girl!
Mash:
Um, likewise... I'm so relieved. Since I wasn't able to go there with Senpai, I've been thinking about other times I've had to stay behind.
Mash:
I'm so glad [♂ he /♀ she] managed to find such dependable allies during this Rayshift.
Mash:
Oh, we've managed to improve our monitoring fidelity,
so I'm analyzing that paper you found as we speak.
Mash:
One thing we've already learned is that...there appear to be other, tinier scraps of that paper scattered throughout Patchwork London.
Fujimaru 1:
There are?
Fujimaru 2:
How are these scraps different from the ones we've found?
Mash:
These scraps emit an identical energy signature to the paper you found, but on a much smaller scale.
Mash:
If you can, I'd like you to collect as many of those as you can, along with the Mnemosyne ones.
Mash:
In the meantime, I promise I'll do everything I can to help you out from here!
Reines:
Hehe, what a capable young lady you are.
Makes me wish I had an underling for myself.
Reines:
All right then, let's go see what this latest patchwork is like.
Reines:
Seeing how she tried to take it from us, I'm guessing Luvia–Astraea, is after those scraps of paper, too.
Reines:
I don't know what she's up to, but whatever it is,
we're bound to run into each other again at some point.
Reines:
So unfortunately, we can't afford to dillydally.
Section 7: The King's Memory
Reines:
Hm? Is there a parade going on right now?
Gray:
There are a bunch of automata riding steam-powered mechanical horses... A...lot of them, really.
Reines:
They don't seem to be like the automata that came after us, though. ...Hm? Is that...a steam-powered wagon!?
Citizen 1:
It's the king!
Citizen 2:
Hail to our king! The King of Steam!
Fujimaru 1:
King...?
Fujimaru 2:
I wonder if...
F：???:
Hail and well met, good citizens. My glorious steam engines exist for one purpose and one purpose alone: keeping you all safe!
F：???:
I am the gentleman clad in steam and steel!
I am the Steam King!
F：???:
Wherever you go, my fair citizens,
Charles Babbage shall be right there with you!
Astraea:
I knew it. This is the final patchwork. Regardless, I need to collect all the Mnemosyne before it's too late.
Astraea:
How are you doing, Kerry?
Kerry:
No problems here. This might not be the London I'm familiar with, but it's still London. I know it well enough to get around just fine.
Astraea:
...I see. Fortunately, it seems like this body knows its way around this place, too.
Gray:
Babbage just left with the rest of the parade...
Reines:
Charles Babbage, genius mathematician and the famous King of Steam. Given the circumstances, it's a solid bet he's got something to do with the paper.
Fujimaru 1:
So we've got a steampunk patchwork led by the King of Steam.
Fujimaru 2:
Isn't this a bit...on the nose?
Reines:
Of course, since he's a king, I doubt we'll be able to just stroll up to him and say hello.
Reines:
Before we talk to him, we'll need another clue. So I'll be heading off on my own for a bit to take care of that!
Reines:
Luckily, Gray is here now. Hehe, she should at least keep you from unthinkingly wandering into any mobile death traps.
Trimmau:
I'll go with you, Master.
Gray:
I'm sorry about that... For what it's worth,
I do think that's just her way of worrying about you.
Fujimaru 1:
I know.
Fujimaru 2:
It's hard to tell sometimes, but yeah, I know.
Gray:
I'm glad to hear that! It's not always easy to tell, but she really is a kind person deep down! I guess it makes sense you would know, being her pupil and all.
Gray:
I hope you'll keep helping her. She's always pushing herself hard in everything she does.
Gray:
...If only my mentor were here too, we wouldn't have to worry about anything, no matter where we were.
Fujimaru 1:
You mean El-Melloi?
Gray:
Yes. He was... I'm not sure if this is the best way to say this or not, but he was irreplaceable to me.
Gray:
He was by no means a strong fighter, and he wasn't entirely reliable in bad situations...
Gray:
...but just having him around gave Reines and me the strength to fight. He was just that sort of person.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry I couldn't save him.
Gray:
Please, don't be! It's not your fault!
Fujimaru 2:
We have to find his killer, no matter what.
Gray:
Yes. That's the least we could do for him.
Gray:
...Huh? It looks like Reines is back already...
Who is that with her?
Queen:
It is I.
Fujimaru 1:
Your Majesty!
Fujimaru 2:
You followed us all the way here from the Tower of London!?
Reines:
She's the one who found me.
Apparently, she's been looking for us.
Queen:
I have. M told me you managed to solve our case. As queen, I am therefore obligated to present you with a reward.
Fujimaru 1:
So M made it out of there okay.
Fujimaru 2:
He really is a shrewd old man, isn't he...
Queen:
He did complain quite vociferously about how his body now ached all over, though. Hehe, for my part,
I found it rather amusing.
Queen:
Hm? You there, girl. Why do you cover your face?
Are you trying to hide from me?
Gray:
N-no, it's not that...
Reines:
Oh, sorry, I hope you can forgive Gray here.
She's dealing with some unusual circumstances.
Fujimaru 1:
Unusual circumstances?
Gray:
...
Reines:
(Shh! I'll tell you later.)
Reines:
(Trust me, it's not the sort of thing we want to get into in front of this queen.)
Queen:
...Hmm. Well, no matter.
Queen:
At any rate, you are still entitled to a reward.
Is there anything you want?
Queen:
Oho. You wish to meet with the Steam King?
Reines:
Is that too much to ask?
Queen:
Not at all. In fact, this works out rather well.
I was just on my way to meet with him, in fact.
Queen:
Come with me.
Queen:
This is his residence, Steam Castle.
Gray:
There certainly is a lot of steamwork here, isn't there... Even the hallways are sweltering, there's so much steam...
Reines:
Watch yourself. You don't want to find out what a third-degree burn feels like.
Reines:
Anyway, all this machinery seems to be a bit much at first, but looking closer, it appears that all of it is interconnected.
Reines:
None of this–including those steam horses and the steam wagon we saw earlier–would be possible with ordinary engineering.
Reines:
No... This isn't engineering at all.
Does this mean there are different laws in place here?
Babbage:
Oh, if it isn't the Queen. How good of you to come.
Queen:
I bring you good tidings, Steam King. These are the ones who solved the case of the missing pianist.
Babbage:
Are they now. That would be the case that has been plaguing you for some time now, correct?
Queen:
Correct. I brought them here because they wished to speak with you. Now I shall leave you to it.
Babbage:
So you are searching for these pieces of Mnemosyne paper, eh.
Babbage:
...Then it would seem you are the ones I have been expecting.
Reines:
What do you mean?
Babbage:
That the Queen brought you here is proof enough.
You must be the ones tied to my destiny.
Babbage:
As such, I believe I can trust you with the concern that has been plaguing me for many years.
Babbage:
This kingdom should not exist.
Gray:
...What do you mean by that?
Reines:
...
Babbage:
I am a Servant, just like you.
My Noble Phantasm is called Dimension of Steam.
Babbage:
This world we inhabit now is one of fantasy; what would have come to pass had my plans to propagate and popularize a vast number of steam-run machines been realized.
Babbage:
The remnants of that possibility protect me to this day, in the form of this steam engine armor.
Reines:
So it's basically a scientifically impossible steampunk world come to life.
Babbage:
Exactly. But take a look outside.
Babbage:
This is the very dream I failed to realize.
The fantasy I could never make reality in life.
Babbage:
Just behold how vividly real it all is now!
Gray:
...Isn't that a good thing?
Babbage:
Of course it is, my new friend. You have no idea how my heart sings whenever I lay eyes upon this vista.
Babbage:
You could never understand the depths of my delight at being able to touch a world that once existed only in the interstices of my mind.
Babbage:
But, as much as I wish it weren't so...this is still a dream that never truly came to pass.
Babbage:
In fact, my own existence is the result of the failure to realize this dream. As such, this world and I cannot coexist.
Babbage:
If this world exists naturally, my own existence is anything but. Conversely, if I exist, this world cannot.
Babbage:
Understand: this equation is paradoxical. If my dream became a reality, I myself should cease to exist.
Babbage:
That can only mean this whole world is a dream that should never have been made reality. It is a world that has been unnaturally dragged into being.
Babbage:
Thus, as I am this dream's architect,
it is my duty to see it put to rest.
Babbage:
I must end it with my own hands, no matter how beautiful it may be or how dearly I wished to see it realized.
Babbage:
That is my responsibility as a Servant,
and as a guardian of humanity.
Reines:
So basically, you want to destroy your own personal utopia...
Reines:
...even though it's the perfect realization of the wish you would make upon the Holy Grail, given the chance.
Babbage:
Yes, I suppose so. Do you take issue with that?
Reines:
Not at all. I have nothing but respect for your decision, Steam King. It makes me proud to be from the same country as you.
Babbage:
Thank you, young mage. I appreciate that.
Babbage:
But I cannot take credit for reaching this conclusion alone. I could never have done so without this woman's guidance.
Astraea:
...You give me far too much credit, Your Majesty.
All I did was offer a bit of advice. The value we find upon reaching the answers we seek is something unique to every one of us.
Reines:
Astraea!
Astraea:
Good day. I didn't expect I would see you all again quite so soon.
Fujimaru 1:
What's going on?
Fujimaru 2:
What are you doing here, Astraea?
Astraea:
Everyone in this land is missing something crucial.
Surely you've all noticed as much yourselves?
Astraea:
That goes for me as well. I expect I'm missing some core part of my memories.
Astraea:
Eventually, I figured out that I need those scraps of paper if I'm to fill in those gaps.
Astraea:
That's why I went to investigate the Masquerade Ball Patchwork after discussing it with the Steam King.
Reines:
So you're originally part of this patchwork, huh.
Unfortunately, we need those papers, too.
Astraea:
I'm sure you do. But if we all have equal need of them, then it is only just that they should go to the superior being.
Astraea:
What better way to balance the scales and keep the world turning smoothly?
Fujimaru 1:
Th-the sheer arrogance is staggering...!
Fujimaru 2:
Th-that's something an elitist noble would say...!
Reines:
Well, she still talks like Luvia...!
Gray:
That's definitely Luvia...
Fujimaru 1:
So this is just how she is, huh...
Reines:
Well, Luvia as possessed by a Divine Spirit, but yes. Though if their personalities are this similar, it's no wonder she was chosen as a vessel.
Astraea:
Now do you understand? You can also call me the world's most graceful hunter if you like.
Reines:
I won't deny that hearing that takes me back a little, but I can't say I agree with it.
Astraea:
Well that's a shame. I was hoping you would be rational enough that we could resolve this...if not entirely peacefully, then at least less violently.
Reines:
Tell us, Sir Babbage–No, Steam King:
Where is this patchwork's paper?
Babbage:
As I've told Astraea before,
I would guess it is somewhere inside my body.
Reines:
Inside your body? You think the paper is INSIDE you?
Babbage:
These slips of paper manifest either within a patchwork's key figure, or in close proximity to them.
Babbage:
Have you not seen as much yourselves?
Gray:
Now that you mention it...that does seem to line up with what Fujimaru told me.
Babbage:
In which case, there is a strong possibility that this patchwork's paper could be revealed by destroying my Spirit Core.
Gray:
Y-you can't do that!
Fujimaru 1:
She's right!
Fujimaru 2:
Suicide is not the answer!
Babbage:
Yes, I would certainly prefer not to self-destruct unless no other option presents itself. Especially as we still can't be sure that the paper is there at all.
Babbage:
With that in mind, Astraea and I agreed to begin our search in the other patchworks.
Reines:
So that's why she was there in the Tower of London.
Babbage:
Besides, in the event that I have forgotten something important, there is still another possibility.
Fujimaru 1:
What's that?
Babbage:
I created this prototype Analytical Engine when I was still alive. I know it better than anything.
Babbage:
Assuming I foresaw the possibility of forgetting something, I'm sure I would have implemented a subsystem to prevent any loss of data.
Fujimaru 1:
Like a backup!
Fujimaru 2:
You've always gotta back up your work!
Babbage:
Indeed, as every engineer knows, that is one of the most basic fundamentals of our profession. Knowing me, I am sure that is exactly what I did.
Babbage:
But, unfortunately...I cannot remember where this crucial subsystem could be.
Babbage:
I am nearly certain it is somewhere within my Steam Castle, but given who I am, I doubt I would have placed it anywhere that was easy to find.
Reines:
Hmm, so it's a scavenger hunt this time. Well, I guess that's better than getting dragged into some annoying, drawn-out detective work.
Reines:
All right, let's start by exploring every centimeter of this Steam Castle place.
--ARROW--
Reines:
Well, we've been through most of the castle by now,
and still no sign of anything that looks like a backup system...
Gray:
Fujimaru! Look at that wall!
Reines:
Did it just open up?
Reines:
It must have had a secret door that was designed to react to the paper we have.
Reines:
All right, let's go see what's lying in wait on the other side, shall we?
Reines:
...Sooo... Catacombs under the castle, huh?
Yeah, that tracks.
Reines:
Gears and cranks everywhere you look, gauges and meters measuring who knows what, metal pipes and handles galore... Yup, steampunk through and through.
Reines:
There's no telling when or from where a monster might try to attack us, but we should be able to handle anything that tries now that we have Gray here.
Gray:
I'll...do my best.
Reines:
Oh yes, I'm counting on you too, of course.
Well, on the Servants you command, anyway.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not much help on my own...
Fujimaru 2:
Hey, Masters play an important role!
Reines:
Hehehe, you're cute when you're upset. I assume you know this, but I was just messing with you again.
Reines:
I guess that side of me just doesn't go away,
even as a Pseudo-Servant.
Fujimaru 1:
Lucky me...
Fujimaru 2:
So you've always been like that?
Reines:
Oh yes. It's not as bad as you might think, either. It sure made the power struggles in the Clock Tower a lot easier, I can tell you that.
Reines:
Honestly, these catacombs remind me a lot of all the time I spent there.
Reines:
There's literally no end to the schemes and subterfuge that play out every single day there, so you kind of have to be into it just to get by, really.
Fujimaru 1:
The Clock Tower's basically mage headquarters, right?
Fujimaru 2:
Do all mages love to conspire or something?
Reines:
Given that Chaldea's involved with the Astromancy Department, I'd say it's a sure bet that the Clock Tower's been interfering there somehow.
Reines:
I doubt you've ever given it much thought, since you don't seem especially...attuned to those sorts of things, but maybe you've heard someone from the administrative side of things mention it?
Fujimaru 1:
Now that you mention it...
Fujimaru 2:
Oh yeah, I heard them talking about it after we restored humanity.
Reines:
There you go. Even if you're a mage just looking for the Root–well, actually, even more so in that case–you're going to need a lot of authority to get anywhere.
Reines:
We mages have an incredibly long and difficult road between us and our goals. Money and power are just two of the things we need to make any headway.
Reines:
Though of course, even in the Clock Tower, a lot of mages become obsessed with power for its own sake.
Reines:
...But anyway, enough about that crap.
It looks like Trimmau found something.
Trimmau:
Over there, Master.
Gray:
Reines!
Reines:
What the hell are these things? It looks like someone artificially mixed ghosts and vapor together.
Reines:
Can you handle them, Gray?
Gray:
I...should be fine.
I'm not afraid of things like this.
Add:
Heeheehee! I can't wait to dig in!
--BATTLE--
Gray:
Hostiles eliminated.
Add:
Mmm, that hit the spot!
Reines:
You did good, pupil.
Very nicely handled, Gray.
Gray:
Oh, no, it was nothing...
Dealing with ghosts is my job, after all.
Fujimaru 1:
Your job?
Reines:
Gray's family runs an unusual cemetery, even by British standards. She's been trained to be its grave keeper.
Reines:
That basically makes her a pro when it comes to dealing with ghosts. Not that she'll be taking over the family business anytime soon, of course.
Gray:
...
Reines:
All that aside...those were some awfully odd ghosts.
Fujimaru 1:
How so?
Fujimaru 2:
Yeah, they did seem different somehow.
Add:
They tasted a little odd, too! Kind of like they had a bunch of mismatched flavors mixed in? Don't get me wrong, they were still yummy and all, but sometimes it felt like I was eating a bunch of mist or something!
Reines:
Mist, huh?
Reines:
Hmm. Hey, pupil.
Do you know exactly what dead spirits are?
Fujimaru 1:
Are they...not dead people?
Fujimaru 2:
Aren't they just people that became ghosts?
Reines:
Well, yes, but you're only half right. In magecraft, certain types of dead spirits are considered to be memories.
Fujimaru 1:
Dead spirits are memories?
Fujimaru 2:
How does that work?
Gray:
It's just what it sounds like. They're memories that have begun acting of their own accord.
Reines:
I knew you'd get it, Gray.
Basically, you can think of them as corrupt data.
Reines:
Dead spirits don't have anything in the way of true intelligence, and of course, they don't have souls. All they do is repeat things they did when they were alive, without any rhyme or reason.
Reines:
They're nothing more than remnants of past events that have been burned into particular places or objects.
Reines:
And it looks like these steam ghosts are beings of pure magecraft that have been created by mixing in memories of that sort.
Reines:
...But why would beings like that be running around the catacombs of Steam Castle?
Add:
Heeheehee! I bet we'll find out if we keep going!
Wicked mages love holing up in places like this!
Reines:
True, that could well be the case here.
If we bump into any of those, at least we'll be expecting it.
Gray:
What's this place...?
Reines:
I think it's the heart of the castle.
Reines:
What the hell is that!?
--ARROW--
Reines:
...Are those ghosts being sucked into a giant steam engine?
Gray:
It's not just that... Their magical energy is being transferred to the engine, too.
Reines:
Does that mean this steam engine runs on...dead spirits?
Reines:
That's ridiculous! It's not even a steam engine at this point! Sir Babbage was right. This sort of thing shouldn't exist in the first place!
Trimmau:
Master, I have the measurements. There was a slip of the kind of paper we are looking for inside that engine.
Reines:
There is!?
Trimmau:
Was. I believe someone must have taken it.
Reines:
Someone took it!? Then...does that mean this engine used to run on the magical energy in that paper, and it's now sucking up the energy from ghosts to compensate for its loss...?
Reines:
So these ghosts are being made to incorporate that steam to make up for the magical energy that's taken from them!?
Reines:
Dammit! It looks like we need to deal with these steam ghosts before we can do anything else!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
What the hell was that?
Trimmau:
Master, over there.
Reines:
Hm? That's a Difference Engine, one of the very first computers ever made! That must be Babbage's backup system. And in that case...
Reines:
Good, the data on the person who took the paper from the steam engine is still here! Let me just pull up the images here...
Fujimaru 1:
El-Melloi!
Fujimaru 2:
Zhuge Liang!
Gray:
Mentor...!
Reines:
My brother took the paper...?
Reines:
No, wait. The fact that there was a Mnemosyne paper here in the first place must mean...
Reines:
Shit! I get it now! THIS is what Sir Babbage forgot!
We've had this all backwards!
Reines:
Whoever's behind this hasn't been stealing memories to make people forget! Stealing memories is only a means to an end!
Reines:
This whole place consumes memories for energy!
Fujimaru 1:
So, it's a giant memory engine?
Fujimaru 2:
Is that even possible?
Reines:
In magecraft, information IS energy.
Reines:
It's why spells and chants can be used to control magecraft in the first place.
Reines:
If you gather enough energy like this,
you could do almost anything you want with it.
Reines:
Still...you don't really get much energy from memories, whether they're coming from spirits or the living.
Reines:
I don't see how you could power a big steam engine like that on just memories...
Gray:
Um, well... I have noticed that the dead spirits here have much more magical energy than usual. So did the ones in the Tower of London.
Gray:
And those scraps of paper have even more.
Reines:
I see. Then it's not just that steam engine.
Reines:
This whole place is unusual.
Reines:
There's something about this Singularity that makes memories an extremely potent energy source!
Reines:
Oh no! No, no, no! No wonder they went after my brother then! I should have realized this ages ago!
Trimmau:
Master, it seems that something is tracking us.
Reines:
Dammit! This backup subsystem is working independently from Sir Babbage!
Reines:
That must be why it went after my brother! They wanted to get back the Mnemosyne paper for the energy it has.
Reines:
Argh, no wonder those first automata we ran into looked like antiques!
Reines:
They were impossible steam-powered models that must have come from this patchwork!
Reines:
And if we're being tracked now, more automata like that are bound to come after us again!
Reines:
Come on! We need to get back to my brother's flat!
Section 8: The Final Scrap
Reines:
It's like an entirely different place now...!
Gray:
There are automata all around the area where the flat used to be!
Reines:
And they're not the only ones.
Reines:
Where did all these ghosts and automata come from!?
There's enough here to overrun this whole patchwork!
Gray:
...The building doesn't even look like a flat anymore...
It's just a mountain of ghosts and automata...
Reines:
And the one that made it to the top first is kicking down any others that try to get close. It's like some bizarre version of king of the hill.
Mash:
Senpai! I'm seeing the paper's magical energy on our end, too!
Reines:
You found it too, huh, Mash?
Then it looks like we're at the right place.
Reines:
Although those things must have found the paper my brother had on him before we could get to it.
Reines:
They must have found out we'd discovered it thanks to whatever they did to track us...
Astraea:
Oh, you're all here too.
Gray:
Astraea...!
Astraea:
That must be where the last slip of paper is.
Quite the spectacle taking place here.
Astraea:
As I suspected, those Mnemosyne slips must be like fragments of a Holy Grail.
Astraea:
No wonder they seek them so desperately. They're pure, crystallized magical energy, powerful enough to transform the very land we stand on.
Astraea:
In which case, I think it's time for me to pass judgment on these poor souls wandering purgatory.
Astraea:
This is the lightness of your good deeds,
and this, the weight of your sins.
Reines:
Astraea's using her Noble Phantasm...!
Astraea:
My treasury is this starry night sky.
Astraea:
The hour of judgment is upon thee.
State thy name, and accept thy sentence. Custos Morum!
Gray:
She just blew away every last ghost and automaton with magical projectiles...
Reines:
Her sheer power and range are incredible...! Forget jewel magecraft. She was practically blasting them with meteors!
Astraea:
This is what true arbitration looks like.
My scales always balance for justice.
Astraea:
Now then, if you'll excuse me.
Reines:
She made a path through those ghosts and automata like she was parting the damn sea! There's nothing stopping her from walking right up to the flat now!
Fujimaru 1:
We can't let her get there before us!
Fujimaru 2:
We have to get to El-Melloi's place before she does!
Gray:
Right...!
Reines:
She doesn't care if her projectiles hit us, either!
Watch your head, and let's keep moving!
Mash:
I'll guide you along the safest possible path!
Reines:
Thanks! That'll be a big help!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
Phew, I'm finally close enough to see the paper for myself.
Gray:
But there's still no end to them,
even after coming all this way!
Add:
It's a goddamn swarm! And nothing we do is gonna scare off the ghosts or the dolls!
Fujimaru 1:
Even so, we can't just give up.
Add:
I know that! But time ain't exactly on our side here!
Gray:
Astraea's almost to the paper...
Astraea:
That took longer than I would have liked, but oh well.
Now then, I'll just take this and be on my way.
Reines:
Dammit! We've got to stop her!
Fujimaru 1:
But how?
Fujimaru 2:
How can we get through to her?
Reines:
Hey, I already told you we have a real shot at victory now, didn't I? Would you mind, Gray?
Gray:
...Not at all.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, yeah! Gray's Noble Phantasm!
Gray:
Gray... Rave...
Gray:
Crave... Deprave...
Add:
The hell was that!?
That was way too close for comfort!
Kerry:
Nobody gets in the boss's way as long as I'm around.
Reines:
Damn, I figured he might be here too! Ugh, and the automata and ghosts aren't letting up one bit, either!
Kerry:
I know how dangerous you guys can be, so I will use whatever it takes to give myself an edge.
Reines:
Damn, this kind of chaotic battle must be right up his alley!
Gray:
Reines!
Reines:
Don't worry about me, Gray! I've got my pupil here backing me up! Isn't that right!?
Fujimaru 1:
You know it!
Reines:
Just what I like to hear! Come on, let's take care of these guys while Gray gets ready!
--BATTLE--
Kerry:
Khh...!
Reines:
Now, Gray!
Add:
Heeheehee! What a great night this is! I'm in a great mood now after chowing down on all those steam ghosts!
Gray:
Gray... Rave...
Gray:
Crave... Deprave...
Fujimaru 1:
The ghosts and automata are collapsing left and right!
Fujimaru 2:
Is that box eating their magical energy!?
Kerry:
Where the hell did all that magical energy come from!?
Trimmau:
Quantifying Noble Phantasm rank...
C... B... It's still rising...!
Gray:
Grave...for me...
Astraea:
What...IS this...!?
Gray:
Grave...for you...
Add:
Pseudo-personality suspended. Magical energy yield exceeds regulation. Second stage restraint rescinded.
Astraea:
What are you up to!?
Wait. That Noble Phantasm...
Astraea:
It's supposed to be–
Gray:
Sacred lance, removing restraints.
Fujimaru 1:
Sacred lance!?
Fujimaru 2:
That's King Arthur's!
Reines:
So you're familiar with it, huh? That's right. Gray is sort of like a distant descendant of King Arthur.
Reines:
Arthur's Noble Phantasm is called Excalibur.
Reines:
As one of the greatest sacred swords ever made, it collects the planet's very breath and unleashes a torrent of life.
Reines:
I'd bet it's probably the single most famous Noble Phantasm in all the world.
Reines:
But, it's not the only Noble Phantasm that made King Arthur invincible.
Reines:
There's another armament in the legend of King Arthur. It's the shadow of an anchor sunk in the planet, holding the texture of humanity firmly in place.
Reines:
It can shoot down the night sky itself and lay waste to any Mystic in its path. It is the Tower at the Ends of the World!
Astraea:
This is the lightness of your good deeds!
And this, the weight of your sins!
Astraea:
My treasury is this starry night sky!!!
Reines:
The Noble Phantasm Gray inherited is none other than King Arthur's sacred lance itself...
Gray:
This is the lance that shines to the Ends of the World...
Gray:
Rhongomyniad!
Astraea:
The hour of judgment is upon thee.
State thy name, and accept thy sentence. Custos Morum!
--BATTLE--
Astraea:
No way...
Even my Noble Phantasm can't hold it back!
Astraea:
That light...
What incredible power...
Astraea:
Aaah!
Reines:
Astraea's broken her stance! Now's your chance! Run!
We'll fight off the automata and ghosts on the way!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
There! We made it through!
Mash:
Senpai, get the Mnemosyne paper!
Mash:
That's it, Senpai!
Fujimaru 1:
On it!
Mash:
Enemy units are moving faster! I count forty in total!
They'll catch up to us, Master!
Bedivere:
If push comes to shove, then I'll...
Da Vinci:
No, you can't possibly handle that many, Sir Bedivere.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Da Vinci:
Pity. I'd have let you deal with it if that Round Table knight was alone.
Fujimaru 1:
What's going on?
???:
Don't worry about it. Everything's fine.
These are your memories.
Mash:
The enemy Servant's closing in!
I'll fight her off, Master!
Mash:
If I don't stop her here, everyone who fled to the container will suffer the consequences...!
Da Vinci:
No need for that!
They'll never catch up to us at this pace!
Da Vinci:
One more step and victory is ours!
I'll bring up the rear. The rest of you–
Fujimaru 1:
These aren't...my memories...
???:
Oh, but they are.
Your memories were always like this.
???:
These are exactly what your memories are supposed to be. You yourself have accepted these as truth.
???:
At this point, they are the only truth. Accept them,
and your grief and suffering will all go–
F：???:
Stop that!
Reines:
What the!?
F：???:
That was close... If you'd collected all of that Mnemosyne, it would've been curtains for us.
Reines:
It can't be...
Gray:
Huh... How...?
Astraea:
You're...
???:
Too bad. I was hoping to lay low for a little longer.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
El-Melloi!
El-Melloi II:
You might have already figured this out, but let me get this out of the way: these Mnemosyne papers are a trap.
Reines:
A trap? What are you saying, brother!?
For that matter, how are you even here? You were dead!
Mash:
I-I was wondering the same thing.
Are you really El-Melloi II?
El-Melloi II:
I can understand your confusion, but think about it.
A normal Servant would never leave a body behind.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, yeah, that's true, isn't it.
Fujimaru 2:
But, you're not a normal Servant, right?
El-Melloi II:
So you remember that now, Fujimaru? Yes, Zhuge Liang uses my body for a vessel, making me a Pseudo-Servant.
El-Melloi II:
So as long as certain conditions are in place, it is possible for me to leave a body behind in the event of my death. That is what I took advantage of here.
El-Melloi II:
Since I essentially have two Spirit Origins,
I used my Zhuge Liang one to create that body.
Reines:
You detached your Spirit Origin?
Even though you're a Pseudo-Servant!?
El-Melloi II:
It wasn't easy, believe me. And in consequence,
most of Zhuge Liang's power is now gone.
El-Melloi II:
But in this case, losing most of Zhuge Liang's power and Spirit Origin also has some significant upsides.
El-Melloi II:
It was impossible for the enemy to track me in this state, regardless of how sharp their sensors might be.
El-Melloi II:
After all, no one would expect a tactician of Zhuge Liang's caliber to only have as much magical energy as a common mage.
El-Melloi II:
Hell, I bet it never even crossed their mind, no matter how much attention I might've called to myself!
El-Melloi II:
Hmph, I guess whoever's behind all this just couldn't care less about a rubbish non-Servant mage like me!
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, El-Melloi?
Fujimaru 2:
I think you're kind of getting off track?
Reines:
Oh yeah, that's my brother, all right. A big, walking,
talking inferiority complex of a third-rate mage.
Gray:
Why would you go to all that trouble...?
El-Melloi II:
Because I had to go into hiding, of course.
And those slips of paper are why.
El-Melloi II:
I've been using the time I bought to analyze them, and I learned something very interesting in the process.
El-Melloi II:
Memories in this Singularity possess some highly unusual properties.
El-Melloi II:
For one thing, memories don't normally have much in the way of magical energy, but here, they can provide vast amounts of it.
El-Melloi II:
Conversely, this paper uses massive magical energy to manipulate others' memories.
Fujimaru 1:
Manipulate memories?
Fujimaru 2:
You mean, it can change them?
El-Melloi II:
That's right. This paper fabricates memories.
That's been the true goal here all along.
El-Melloi II:
Yes, I expect your memories were initially stolen when you first entered this Singularity.
El-Melloi II:
But stealing memories is one thing.
Fabricating completely new ones is quite another.
El-Melloi II:
You've already remembered some things by encountering Servants you've met in the past here, haven't you?
El-Melloi II:
That's exactly why the one behind this had to employ more cunning measures to overwrite your memories.
Reines:
...Like what?
El-Melloi II:
They hid these pieces of paper in each patchwork explicitly to have their target collect them [♂ himself /♀ herself].
El-Melloi II:
Having the target collect them of [♂ his /♀ her] own volition enables things that would normally never fly to sneak past without suspicion.
El-Melloi II:
I expect the mastermind kept the first two pieces practically identical to the target's memories, only to plant a complete fabrication in the third.
El-Melloi II:
Magecraft and Mystics are fundamentally built upon that kind of deceit.
Fujimaru 1:
But still, fabricating memories? It just doesn't seem possible...
Fujimaru 2:
That does make sense, but there's still something off about earlier...
El-Melloi II:
Are you sure about that? Did you confirm the veracity of those memories with anyone?
Gray:
Oh! Fujimaru is a member of Chaldea, right?
I bet they could verify [♂ his /♀ her] memories!
El-Melloi II:
I see. True, Chaldea almost certainly could determine whether Fujimaru's memories are genuine or falsified.
El-Melloi II:
So on that note, I have a question for you.
El-Melloi II:
I'm sure you've received a transmission or two from Chaldea by now, but I'm guessing Mash is the only one there you could speak to, right?
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Fujimaru 2:
You don't mean...
El-Melloi II:
Fabricating memory is a difficult endeavor. Even after you've managed to implant new ones, you need to keep a close eye on them to see how well they took.
El-Melloi II:
So the one behind this would need to do just that, as well as make sure you stuck to the path they wanted you to follow.
El-Melloi II:
And the best way to do so is under the guise of someone you trust completely. Someone you would never suspect.
Gray:
Someone we would never suspect...?
Reines:
No way... Then, the “M” you wrote in your dying message was meant to be...
El-Melloi II:
That's right. Mash, of course.
The Mash you've been talking to here is an imposter.
Reines:
She's gone!
Fujimaru 1:
If that Mash was an imposter, then–
Fujimaru 2:
What about the real Mash!?
El-Melloi II:
Relax, the real Mash is fine. Your communications are still being jammed, but that's all.
El-Melloi II:
She's probably worried sick about you, but in the meantime, you have other things to take care of.
Reines:
How so?
El-Melloi II:
For our mastermind to impersonate staff from Chaldea,
they would of course need information on Chaldea.
El-Melloi II:
And it would be impossible for someone native to this Singularity to obtain that information.
El-Melloi II:
That means whoever is behind everything wouldn't be able to do all this with only information obtained in this Singularity. They must have a connection on the outside.
Reines:
I see. That makes sense.
All right then, what do you propose, brother?
El-Melloi II:
That brings me back to this paper.
El-Melloi II:
I couldn't turn up anything else in my own analysis,
but I bet Sir Babbage could dig considerably deeper.
El-Melloi II:
What do you say, Lady Astraea?
Astraea:
So, you know about me too, do you?
Fine, I'll go along with this.
Astraea:
Is that all right with you, Kerry?
Kerry:
Fine by me.
Whatever the client wants, the client gets.
Section 9: The Mage's Inference
Babbage:
...I see. That fits in with my own theory as well.
Babbage:
I've analyzed this paper a bit, and it would indeed seem to have the effects El-Melloi II has described.
Fujimaru 1:
I knew you'd come through, Steam King!
Fujimaru 2:
Never underestimate robot power!
Babbage:
A trifling analysis like this is hardly worthy of praise. At any rate, this does seem like it may lead us to the mastermind, but that will take more time.
Babbage:
In the meantime, I invite you to wait here in my castle.
Astraea:
Very well, if you must. Still, there is one thing I'd like to discuss before we go any further.
Astraea:
Why would this mastermind need to implant Fujimaru with false memories?
Babbage:
Perhaps the paper [♂ he /♀ she] almost ingested can provide a clue. Did the memories you saw at the time focus on any one person or thing in particular, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Da Vinci...
Fujimaru 2:
Yes. Someone very important to me.
Astraea:
What about you, El-Melloi? I don't suppose you have a theory or two you could share with us?
El-Melloi II:
...
Astraea:
Is something wrong?
El-Melloi II:
Sorry, it's a little odd hearing those words from that face. At any rate, yes, I do have one hypothesis.
Astraea:
And? Are you going to tell us you're not in the habit of discussing your hypotheses, like a detective might?
El-Melloi II:
I have no such compunctions. I'm no detective; I'm a mage. Still, all I can say now is that I don't sense hostility from our opponent so much as I do pity.
Gray:
Huh? You mean, they feel sorry for us?
El-Melloi II:
That's just the impression I get, but yes. Of course,
ill intent is hardly a requisite for causing harm.
El-Melloi II:
If anything, you can much more easily justify hurting others if you believe you're doing so for the right reasons.
El-Melloi II:
At any rate, I doubt it will be long before our enemy makes a move, so take this time to rest and recuperate.
Gray:
In that case, sir, let me comb your hair!
El-Melloi II:
Huh!?
Gray:
I mean, just look at how messy it is.
Being a Servant is no excuse for being sloppy.
Reines:
Hehehe, it's nice to have things back to normal. You should have her polish your shoes while she's at it, brother.
Fujimaru 1:
This is normal for you guys?
Fujimaru 2:
Can El-Melloi not say no to his own pupil or something?
Reines:
I guess he manages to take care of himself in Chaldea then. Yeah, when my brother starts leaning on someone, he ends up relying on them for almost everything.
Reines:
In the Clock Tower, he'd never get anything done if it wasn't for Gray.
El-Melloi II:
C-cut that out, Reines!
Gray! Let go of my arm!
Reines:
Wait, hang on! I just realized something else!
Gray:
Huh?
Reines:
The whole reason we were summoned here is because my brother failed!
El-Melloi II:
Well, uh... You know...
Fujimaru 1:
What do you mean?
Fujimaru 2:
El-Melloi failed?
Reines:
It's simple. He would never have had to “die”
unless he was in an extremely tight spot.
Reines:
Even if he did have a Spirit Origin to spare, separating the two is an incredibly difficult feat.
Reines:
He could well and truly have died if things had gone wrong. The fact that he went through with it anyway just shows how dire the circumstances were.
Reines:
So dire that his choices were between likely death and certain death.
Reines:
Well, brother?
El-Melloi II:
You're...not wrong, but...
Reines:
Unlike other Servants, those who were summoned to resolve this have a clear and obvious connection.
Reines:
Me... Gray... Luvia...
All of us have deep ties to my brother.
Reines:
But while Gray could reasonably qualify as a Servant,
the same can't be said for Luvia or me.
Reines:
So it must have been Zhuge Liang's Noble Phantasm that brought us here.
El-Melloi II:
Dispatch Troops, Zhuge Liang's other, EX-rank Noble Phantasm. It follows heroic legends to provide its targets with the abilities they need to succeed.
El-Melloi II:
In this case, it must have given you and Luvia Spirit Origins that could then be summoned to this Singularity.
El-Melloi II:
Though, it wouldn't have worked this well if humanity weren't currently in such dire straits to begin with, or without this Singularity's particular circumstances.
Fujimaru 1:
So that's why Reines and Luvia became Pseudo-Servants?
Fujimaru 2:
Reines and Luvia being summoned here was because of Dispatch Troops?
Reines:
So this was all Zhuge Liang's doing, huh.
That explains how Sima Yi and I ended up together.
Reines:
It's not because we have any connection of our own. It was because our current situation puts us in a state that is close to my brother's own situation.
Reines:
That must have made it much easier to form the bonds needed for the magecraft to work. It all makes perfect sense once you understand that bit.
Gray:
Then, that must be why you thought you were El-Melloi II when you first got here.
Reines:
Right. I must have been forced into his position as a result of his Noble Phantasm pulling me in here.
Reines:
It definitely all adds up neatly. The fact that it all made use of existing connections makes it easy to form a Mystic.
Reines:
All that said, you got a lot of nerve dragging us over here just to clean up your mess, brother.
El-Melloi II:
I, um... I'm sorry.
I never expected you would be the ones summoned here.
Reines:
That's so like you, brother. You usually hate relying on anyone else for anything, but you have no trouble asking for help once things really go south.
Reines:
Of course, I'll still take that over being a heartless fool who would refuse to do the same under similar circumstances.
Gray:
Yes. I would very much agree with that.
Reines:
All right, putting all those pieces together tired my brain out...
Reines:
...so I'm going to take a breather while we wait for Babbage to finish his analysis.
--ARROW--
Reines:
Hm? You came out here too, huh?
Reines:
Well here, why don't you have a seat next to me then?
It's a lovely view.
Reines:
...
Reines:
I'm grateful to you, you know.
Reines:
Truth be told, if you hadn't been here,
seeing my brother dead would have wrecked me.
Reines:
If I hadn't had to keep it together enough to do something to help my pupil, I'd probably still be standing there, staring at his body.
Reines:
At least, until one of the automata picked me off or something.
Fujimaru 1:
I don't know what I would've done without your help, either.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm so relieved that El-Melloi is alive.
Reines:
Well, uh, you know...
Ugh, shit, it's so hard not to be honest around you.
Reines:
Maybe it's because I've never had a pupil before.
Anyway...I think I'm pretty happy right now.
Reines:
Gray is here, my brother's still alive,
and amazingly, I get the chance to talk to both of them again.
Reines:
Just don't tell my brother. I'm only saying this because you're my very first pupil.
Reines:
Once this is all over, you, me, Gray, and my brother should all have tea together. I think that'll be worth breaking out my special stash for.
Fujimaru 1:
That sounds great.
Reines:
Make sure to keep your schedule open. Even if you are mankind's last Master, there's always time for tea.
Fujimaru 2:
Should I bring some sweets or something?
Reines:
Oh? If you think you can bring something that even remotely compares to my special tea, then by all means, go right ahead.
Reines:
Anyway, I'm going to hang out here a little longer.
You should go back in before you catch a cold.
Gray:
Oh, Fujimaru!
El-Melloi II:
I take it you were just spending time with Reines?
El-Melloi II:
I know my adoptive sister can be fairly ill-tempered, so I'm glad to see you getting along so well with her.
Fujimaru 1:
She's a good person.
Fujimaru 2:
She definitely likes to tease sometimes, but I can handle that.
El-Melloi II:
I see. I suppose you would have to feel that way to get along with her. I knew you were a good Master.
El-Melloi II:
While we're here, there's something else I need to tell you.
El-Melloi II:
...There's no need for you to resolve this Singularity.
Gray:
Sir?
El-Melloi II:
I'm glad you're here, Gray.
You should hear this too.
El-Melloi II:
As I'm sure you already know, Master, whatever happens in a Singularity eventually ends up never having happened at all.
El-Melloi II:
There are, of course, some Singularities that could threaten humanity if they take a turn for the worse, but that's not the case with this one. It's bound to go away on its own in time.
El-Melloi II:
There's no way a Singularity that has to consume memories–an ultimately self-destructive process–to sustain itself could last for very long, after all.
El-Melloi II:
Once you've reestablished contact with Chaldea and are able to return home, there won't be any reason for you to stay and continue fighting here.
El-Melloi II:
Just put it down like a video game you've grown tired of, and you need not be in any danger.
Fujimaru 1:
I'd never do that.
El-Melloi II:
You're a very straight shooter, aren't you.
It's rather refreshing.
Fujimaru 2:
You're a completionist aren't you.
El-Melloi II:
Of course. I always try to complete whatever I start,
and follow up by sending detailed feedback to the developer.
El-Melloi II:
By the way, add “II” when you call my name.
My mentor's name alone is a little rich for my blood.
El-Melloi II:
Anyway, I guess I didn't need to tell you that after all, if you're that determined to see this through.
El-Melloi II:
Some people might call you reckless or even foolish, but I think it's actually one of your strengths, and as your Servant, I swear to do all I can to assist.
Gray:
I do too.
Reines:
Pupil! Brother!
Gray:
Reines?
El-Melloi II:
What is it, Reines?
Reines:
You're here too, Gray? Good!
Come on, there's something you all need to see!
El-Melloi II:
What is that...?
Reines:
Ugh... How could I have ever mistaken that for the Clock Tower?
Reines:
Wait, of course. Something must have been interfering with our perception.
Reines:
If the Clock Tower were still around, there's no way they would ignore a huge case like this.
Reines:
That's not the Clock Tower at all. That's...
Gray:
Rhongo...myniad...
Section 10: The False Sacred Lance (1/3)
Babbage:
A fake Rhongomyniad that is somehow identical to the real one in everything but scale, hmm.
Babbage:
I've also confirmed a vast number of automata and ghosts being discharged from its interior.
Fujimaru 1:
So that's where they're coming from?
Fujimaru 2:
Are they trying to conquer this Singularity for themselves?
Babbage:
Whoever is behind this must have given up on trying to handle this quietly now that El-Melloi II has revealed their true intentions regarding those slips of paper.
Reines:
Well, it wouldn't be the first time you pissed someone off by casually exposing their secrets, would it?
El-Melloi II:
May I remind you that I only did so because it was an emergency? I would just as soon have remained hidden longer if I could have!
Babbage:
At any rate, approximately eighty percent of them appear to be making their way towards this particular patchwork.
Babbage:
I imagine they want to capture Fujimaru.
Astraea:
My, my, whoever's behind this must really care for you.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm counting my blessings.
Astraea:
Whatever you may think won't change how they feel. I think I'm going to enjoy passing judgment on this quite a bit.
Fujimaru 2:
You seem happy about this.
Astraea:
Well of course. There's no room for judgment without strong feelings at play.
Babbage:
On the upside, we now know where our enemy's hideout is, as I highly doubt it could be anywhere besides the inside of that lance.
Babbage:
Thanks to our perceptions being altered, it never even occurred to us that that building could be anything but the Clock Tower.
Babbage:
But now that it's sending out soldiers, the wool they were pulling over our eyes no longer does the trick.
Babbage:
At least we can take heart in the fact that resorting to these double-edged measures is a sign that we've got our opponent on the ropes.
El-Melloi II:
So how do you plan to respond to this, Steam King?
El-Melloi II:
I suppose the easiest way to make certain your kingdom remains peaceful would be to send out Fujimaru...
Babbage:
No need to try and manipulate me, tactician. If I meant to take the easy way out, I would never have thought to collect the papers in the first place.
Reines:
You'll have to forgive my brother. He's incapable of considering anything but the worst-case scenarios.
Babbage:
So I see. At any rate, I have finished analyzing the paper, thanks to Trimmau.
Trimmau:
Not at all. Master ordered me to help.
Babbage:
I found a name that appears to have close ties to our mastermind in the files we reviewed. It seems they are part of an organization called Chaldea.
El-Melloi II:
...I knew it. We are up against someone from Chaldea. They could never have impersonated Mash otherwise.
El-Melloi II:
At the same time, the fact that they did so means they must have also betrayed Chaldea in some form.
Babbage:
Indeed. The next name I managed to extract is “Autonomic Observational Existence Verification System: Mnemosyne.”
Gray:
Mnemosyne... The goddess of memory...
Astraea:
So there was a reason why that name was written on those scraps of paper.
Babbage:
The conceptual designs behind Chaldea's systems are entirely different from my own, so I have yet to fully understand their inner workings.
Babbage:
I might be able to make more progress on this if I had more time, but for now, this is the best I can do.
Reines:
Regardless, the solution here couldn't be simpler.
Reines:
With all the Servants we've got here, we should go pay this mastermind a visit and give them a good sock in the jaw.
Reines:
Am I wrong, Lady Justice?
Astraea:
I suppose not. All right, I'll help you. I expect this is why I was summoned here in the first place.
Astraea:
But I should warn you: I doubt that even my power will be able to crack that spear's outer shell.
Astraea:
That said, as long as we can make our way inside,
I do think I can be useful. So, how do we get in?
Babbage:
That is indeed the question. Astraea's power alone really won't be able to cut a swath through the sheer number of foes that guard the front entrance.
Gray:
...Um...
Babbage:
Oh?
Gray:
I think...I might be able to make a way in for us.
But, the thing is...
Reines:
Yes? What is it?
Gray:
I... I don't have enough magical energy. Add and I alone won't be able to make it through to the inside.
El-Melloi II:
I see. Well that's easy enough to fix.
El-Melloi II:
There are countless sources of magical energy scattered throughout Patchwork London waiting to be collected.
El-Melloi II:
Here's a simple question for you, Master.
Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?
Fujimaru 1:
The paper scraps!
El-Melloi II:
Correct! Unlike the Mnemosyne papers, the scraps don't seem as though they'll try to fabricate any false memories.
El-Melloi II:
Still, we can't be completely sure about that, so we'll need a Mystic Code to account for that possibility. Can we ask for your help with that, Steam King?
Babbage:
I should be able to make something like that right away. I've already been using those scraps as my own source of energy, after all.
Babbage:
That said, one never knows what sort of trouble one might run into, so I will help you collect them as much as I can.
Reines:
Then it's settled! Before the automaton and ghost army have a chance to attack us, we're going to collect as many scraps as we can, as fast as we can!
Section 10: The False Sacred Lance (2/3)
Reines:
All right, I think that should be just about enough scraps...
Reines:
...but I can already tell from here that the automata and ghosts are getting uncomfortably close.
Astraea:
There certainly are a lot of them, aren't there.
So what is it you're planning to do, Gray?
Gray:
Well, like Mr. Babbage said,
that Rhongomyniad is a fake.
Gray:
Whoever's behind all this probably took the image of it from Fujimaru's memories...
Gray:
...and fashioned it into an impenetrable stronghold to hide out in.
Gray:
But since it's still based on an image of the real Rhongomyniad, I should be able to interfere with it at least a little.
El-Melloi II:
Imitative magecraft. One of the basic principles of all magecraft is that like affects like.
Gray:
Right! Okay, I'm going to use the magical energy from all the scraps we collected!
Add:
Heeheehee, we really gotta concentrate for this one!
Reines:
She did it! The Rhongomyniad's outer shell has cracked, and there's a crystal staircase leading up to the top!
I：Gray:
This was the best I could do on short notice, but we should still be able to use it to reach the interior.
Astraea:
In that case, I'd better go all out right from the start.
Astraea:
I don't see any point in holding back now that we've come this far, after all.
Astraea:
What about you, El-Melloi II?
El-Melloi II:
I'm afraid this is as far as I go. Zhuge Liang's Spirit Origin still hasn't recovered, so I'd only slow the rest of you down.
El-Melloi II:
But I have every confidence that my adoptive sister and apprentice will be just as capable in my stead, if not more so.
El-Melloi II:
All right, Master, get going!
Fujimaru 1:
On it!
Babbage:
I'm going to stay here and protect my people. Now is the time to make use of all the security devices I installed throughout my kingdom!
El-Melloi II:
You're a strange man, Babbage.
El-Melloi II:
You acknowledge that this impossible dream needs to be nipped in the bud, yet you're still determined to protect it to the very end.
Babbage:
Of course. This dream may be impossible,
but the people living within it are very real.
Babbage:
Thus, as a Heroic Spirit sworn to keep humanity safe, it is my duty to protect them until the dream comes to an end.
El-Melloi II:
Well said. I may not be much help in battle,
but I'll offer my tactical expertise to assist you.
Kerry:
I'll help too.
El-Melloi II:
Are you sure?
Kerry:
It's what my client wanted.
...Say, have we met before?
El-Melloi II:
No, I'm quite sure we haven't. And, frankly,
if we have, that is not important at the moment.
Kerry:
Yes, that is true. All right, tactician,
I'll be counting on your help out there.
Nursery Rhyme:
Monsters and dollies and ghosts, oh my!
Jack:
Oh boy, so many friends to dismember!
Bunyan:
Yay! It's like an all-you-can-squish buffet!
Sakata Kintoki:
I like that! This is a truly golden party!
I could do this all night!
Queen:
I am surprised it is so quiet here. I would have thought there would be far more commotion, yet the partygoers are carrying on as if nothing is happening.
Shakespeare:
That is because these fine patchwork people know how best to live their lives!
Shakespeare:
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players!
Shakespeare:
There are only so many monsters making their way towards this patchwork. The two of us should be able to see to them quite readily.
Queen:
Indeed.
Shakespeare:
Besides, the song I absolutely refuse to miss is just about to start!
Queen:
I see. The repairs to that marionette M told us about must be finished, then.
Shakespeare:
I am told it will last but a moment, though that should be sufficient for the remaining life of this Singularity.
Shakespeare:
And what a beautiful song on which to close the curtain...!
Reines:
This staircase is muuuch taller than it looks!
Good thing I'm a Servant, or this would be rough.
Gray:
I'm okay myself, but...
Astraea:
My, my. You look as though you're about to keel over,
yet you somehow seem oddly accustomed to this.
Astraea:
I take it heights don't bother you? Even when up this high, where one misstep would spell your doom?
Fujimaru 1:
I mean, it doesn't bother me THAT much...
Fujimaru 2:
I'm used to this kind of thing, but that doesn't mean I like it!
Astraea:
Sorry, Master, you'll just have to deal with it. Whoever's behind all this is after you and your ability to supply magical energy, right?
Astraea:
So instead of trying and failing to hide,
it's safer if you stick with us.
Astraea:
Though of course, there's still a very high risk of you getting caught in the cross fire and dying that way as well.
Astraea:
So, which will it be? Are you too scared to go on?
Fujimaru 1:
I am scared, but I won't let that stop me.
Fujimaru 2:
This isn't exactly my first rodeo.
Astraea:
What a lovely voice you have. You're clearly afraid,
yet you haven't let your fears overwhelm you.
Astraea:
That's just the sort of ordinary goodness I like.
People like you make protecting humans worthwhile.
Astraea:
On a different note, it seems the invasion on the ground has stopped. The Steam King and the tactician have it. Maybe Kerry pitched in too.
Astraea:
I'm sure there must be other people fighting on the ground as well...
Astraea:
...Huh!?
Fujimaru 1:
A new paper!?
Fujimaru 2:
What's going on!?
Gray:
Oh no!
Add:
Hey, this paper's different from the ones we've seen so far!
Reines:
Shit! They must be getting desperate! They're trying to imprint a new false memory directly into the top of these stairs!
Reines:
Stay close to me and Gray!
No one messes with my pupil's memories on my watch!
--ARROW--
Narration:
We can't bear to see this endless slaughter.
We can't bear to hear this ceaseless screaming.
Narration:
Our Clairvoyance reveals all the horrible truths of past and future.
Narration:
I, as king, cannot turn a blind eye.
I... We simply lack the ability to turn a deaf ear.
Narration:
...How ugly.
Narration:
Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.
Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.
Narration:
We are forced to witness all the horrors of this world. The revolting and the hideous are burned into our memory.
Narration:
The only sensible thing to do is rectify this repulsive state of being.
Narration:
But how? Even if we were to eradicate their filth, humans would simply create more.
Narration:
The very premise is wrong.
As long as life exists, we can fix nothing.
Narration:
It must be redone. That is the only option. Everything must be redone, and perfected right from the beginning.
Narration:
What must be erased is not merely history, n■r the ecosystem, nor conti■■nts, no■ time it■■lf.
Narration:
We mu■t b■■in from true nothingness.
Narration:
Our p■■n w■s to recr■■te this planet from its begi■■■■■■
Narration:
■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■
■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■■■
Narration:
■■ ■■■■ ■ ■■■■■
■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■
Astraea:
Fujimaru!
Gray! Wake up!
Fujimaru 1:
This is...
Fujimaru 2:
The Temple of Time...!
Reines:
I thought this was perhaps a place from your memories.
I had the same strange dream you probably just did...
Gray:
That was like...an image seared into space...
You've been to a place like this before?
Astraea:
You've had some very unusual experiences for a human, haven't you?
Astraea:
Hmm. I don't sense anything living inside the temple...
Reines:
So that's different from your memories? Maybe it's intentional...or maybe there's a limit to what our enemy can reproduce.
Reines:
Although...what if there's a memory here, even an incomplete one, that could stop us in our tracks because of how devastating it is for you...?
Gray:
I'm freezing to death just standing here. And not in the normal sense, it's...almost like there's no concept of temperature here...
Gray:
I don't think anything living could survive here,
let alone humans...
Lev:
Well that's not a very nice thing to say.
We were all born here...and we all live and die here, too.
Gray:
Who are you!?
Reines:
He must be from your memories...!
Lev:
Hey there. I suppose this is where I say,
“Long time no see”?
Lev:
Then again, there's not much point in exchanging greetings, or catching up.
Fujimaru 1:
This is wrong.
Fujimaru 2:
You're not the real Lev.
D：Lev?:
Heeheeheeheeheehee!
Heeheeheeheeheeheehee!
D：Lev?:
False? Fleeting? All fine and dandy!
There's nothing real in this world to begin with!
D：Lev?:
I'm just an illusion! Even this Singularity is a fake!
It was all a fabrication! All a dream! All for nothing!
D：Lev?:
Burn it! Incinerate it! Use three thousand years for kindling! Raze all of human history to the ground!
Fujimaru 1:
A Demon God Pillar!
Astraea:
What is that thing!?
It's neither a Servant nor a Phantasmal!
Astraea:
It looks more like a filthy demon imitation than anything!
Reines:
A Demon God Pillar... As I recall, you said they were part of Goetia the King of Demon Gods...
Reines:
At least the one behind all this was only able to copy a small portion of them...but it looks like they've still sunk enough resources into them to overwhelm us with numbers!
H：Demon God Pillar:
Activate. Activate. The nine pillars that govern Barbatos the Control Tower:
H：Demon God Pillar:
Paimon. Buer. Gusion. Sitri.
Beleth. Leraje. Eligos. Caim.
H：Demon God Pillar:
We nine pillars assist with integration.
We nine pillars maintain the terminals.
H：Demon God Pillar:
In the name of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods,
nothing shall stop this integration...!
Add:
Whoa, whoa, whoa, come the hell on!
Reines:
Shit, I knew it!
Reines:
Now there are nine pillars popping up one after the other, with Barbatos in the middle!
Makiri:
One of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods: Demon God Barbatos.
This is the form of our evil.
Fujimaru 1:
That's the Demon God Pillar I saw in London.
Fujimaru 2:
That was Barbatos...!
Reines:
So that's the connection! They were able to focus their resources by tying them to your memories of London!
Reines:
And since Barbatos is the Demon God that can come and go between the past and the future...
Reines:
...he must have been the right Demon God Pillar to reassess and manage their resources.
Reines:
Just what kind of war have you been fighting, anyway!? Servants alone aren't nearly enough to take down an opponent like this!
Astraea:
We'll see about that!
I'll take them all out without breaking a sweat!
Gray:
But, there's nine of them, and only three of us...!
Astraea:
Oh? I see you don't understand my Authority very well then. These pillars should have known better than to pick a fight with us in space!
Astraea:
Here is my judgment! My treasury is this night sky;
your sins as numerous as the stars!
Astraea:
The hour of judgment is upon thee.
State thy name, and accept thy sentence. Custos Morum!
Gray:
Meteors are striking them directly from outer space!
What incredible power...
Reines:
Astraea, stop! I know you're a Divine Spirit Pseudo-Servant, but if you keep using that much power with a Servant Spirit Origin–
Astraea:
Oh, never mind that! The goddess of justice is wielding her scales the way they were MEANT to be wielded!
Astraea:
Besides, this is all just a poor copy of a bad dream.
Astraea:
Don't you have some way of handling things like that yourself?
Reines:
Yeah... I guess I do...
Reines:
There's still some magical energy left in the paper scraps Gray didn't use up. If I use them myself...!
Astraea:
Go on! Hurry!
Reines:
Hey, pupil! Look at me!
I'm going to touch your forehead!
Reines:
I need you to think hard so I can extract your memories for my own Noble Phantasm!
Fujimaru 1:
What kind of memories?
Reines:
Isn't that obvious? The memories you have of fighting these Demon God Pillars...
--BATTLE--
Gray:
They're so strong!
Astraea:
We finally got one! Their copied thoughts might be all over the place, but they're just as strong as the originals...
Demon God Pillar:
It's pointless. Everything you do is pointless!
Ha, ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Astraea:
What? It wasn't healed or restored, it just...manifested again! Does this mean the entire temple is...
Gray:
The way this is going...
Demon God Pillar:
I am immortal. We are inexhaustible.
This entire space IS us!
Reines:
Hmm. I take it that everything you're saying is a recreation of the past as well?
Demon God Pillar:
Who are you? If you think you can stop us now–
Reines:
You know, I thought I sensed some other intent at work ever since we noticed that they'd scattered those scraps of paper.
Reines:
I'm guessing those scraps were a byproduct of reproducing these Demon God Pillars.
Reines:
Whoever arranged all this probably prepared them in case things got dicey like this, but they clearly didn't think it through.
Reines:
You've been getting sloppy since you started this repeat performance. This ability might be a powerful trump card, but it's not exactly cut out for combat.
Demon God Pillar:
What are you talking about!?
Reines:
As it turns out, I've got an overwhelming advantage when it comes to trump cards like that! Right, Sima Yi?
Reines:
It is. All the conditions for my Noble Phantasm are now in place. It should indeed work well, even under these somewhat unexpected circumstances.
Reines:
After all, that is exactly what my Noble Phantasm was originally intended for.
Fujimaru 1:
Sima Yi!
Reines:
Contests need neither stratagem nor trump card.
All that is required is flawless preparation and victory.
Reines:
Unspoken Formation!
Demon God Pillar:
Ahh... AHHhhhHHH...!
Demon God Pillar:
Losing connection...to temple... Rebirth and...reversion...down seventy...percent...
Gray:
The Demon God Pillars are going all...staticky...
E：Reines:
Hehehe, these foes have been causing us a great deal of trouble!
E：Reines:
So I decided to turn the tables and use their memory rewriting methods against them!
Fujimaru 1:
How did you do that!?
E：Reines:
Memories can become energy, and vast amounts of energy can be used to falsify memories, remember?
E：Reines:
Since both this space and the Demon God Pillars are memories come to life, the same holds true for them.
E：Reines:
On top of that, my Noble Phantasm's strength lies in destroying advantages and exposing weaknesses.
E：Reines:
As long as the conditions are in place, it can even create weaknesses where none previously existed.
E：Reines:
So, just like when your own memories were falsified...
E：Reines:
...I used those scraps and my Noble Phantasm to introduce a new false memory into this space.
E：Reines:
Specifically, I created a memory where these things have a glaringly fatal weakness.
Fujimaru 1:
What weakness?
Fujimaru 2:
I don't remember Demon God Pillars having a weakness.
Reines:
Oh come on, of course they do, you big dummy.
Isn't it obvious?
Reines:
It's you.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Fujimaru 2:
Okay?
E：Reines:
You are the Demon God Pillars' weakness.
E：Reines:
There has never been anyone else in human history who has slain as many Pillars as you. You're easily the world record holder.
E：Reines:
With all that to your name, your prowess at slaying them is on par with a Heroic Spirit's special attack!
E：Reines:
Remember that there are some Heroic Spirits out there who can be slain by a bit of cheese to the head, simply because that is part of their legend!
E：Reines:
Imagine what sort of power recreating an event that genuinely happened must have! That's why I snuck data of you into these Demon God Pillar reproductions!
E：Reines:
Now, just facing you is enough to make them feel like they're having a nightmare!
E：Reines:
Tragic, isn't it? You just hate to see it!
Fujimaru 1:
Wow! Way to go, Professor!
Fujimaru 2:
You're like an Evil of Humanity, but for good!
Reines:
Hahaha! Yes, go on. Don't be shy with the praise!
Reines:
There might still be a lot of them to deal with, but I'm pretty sure me, Astraea, and Gray can mow them all down now!
Reines:
And if this temple and the Demon God Pillars are one and the same, defeating enough of the latter should make this whole space go away on its own!
Gray:
Yes! I think this should work!
Astraea:
I trust that's all right with you, Fujimaru!?
Fujimaru 1:
You bet it is!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's get this battle against Barbatos underway!
Section 10: The False Sacred Lance (3/3)
--BATTLE--
Astraea:
I bet it felt that one!
Demon God Pillar:
Destruction of terminal elements...confirmed...
Disconnected from the throne...
Demon God Pillar:
Extermination...of Servants...is...
Gray:
We did it... The magical energy in our vicinity is fading rapidly.
Reines:
I guess Unspoken Formation managed to hold out...
Reines:
The temple is collapsing...
Add:
Heeheeheehee! We're back, baby!
Gray:
We made it out of the Temple of Time!
Reines:
That sure took a lot out of us.
Cost us a lot of time, too... Hey, you okay, Astraea?
Astraea:
Come now, it's going to take more than that to tire me out.
Astraea:
I'll admit the enemy had a much larger army than I was expecting, but I'll thank you to remember that I'm still a goddess, with all that entails.
Reines:
I see. My mistake, then.
You really do remind me a lot of Luvia.
Astraea:
Well of course. I wouldn't have become a Pseudo-Servant through her if we didn't have a lot in common.
Astraea:
I did choose her myself, you know.
Of course she's going to be just as proud as I am.
Gray:
Yes...I see.
Gray:
The fake Rhongomyniad is just up ahead now...and it looks like everyone on the ground is still holding out.
Reines:
I knew those Servants could handle themselves. I bet my brother's making the most of his natural shrewdness to hang in there, too.
Reines:
Come on, let's hurry!
Section 11: Beyond Memory and Record
Gray:
...This is the inside of the fake Rhongomyniad?
Astraea:
So it would seem. How...drab.
Its owner clearly has awful taste.
Reines:
Hmm. Do you sense anything unusual in here?
Fujimaru 1:
Nothing.
Fujimaru 2:
Nope. Maybe we should keep exploring further?
D：???:
No, you're in the right place.
Astraea:
Aah!
Reines:
They just knocked Astraea out of the tower!
Astraea:
I'm all right...! They did take me by surprise,
but it will take more than that...to...
Astraea:
Huh? I can't...move...?
Astraea:
I must have used too much magical energy...against the Demon God Pillars...
Gray:
Astraea!
Add:
The outer shell just closed itself up again!
D：???:
Yes, that Divine Spirit was the only true obstacle in my way. So I took the liberty of removing her.
D：???:
Though of course, I doubt it would have been so easy were she still in top form.
D：???:
Fortunately, the memories of the Demon God Pillars did their job of softening her up.
Fujimaru 1:
Astraea in top form could have stopped you?
Fujimaru 2:
That's the whole reason you recreated those memories?
D：???:
I knew Astraea would be the greatest threat to me as soon as I learned of her existence.
D：???:
That's why I went to the trouble of falsifying memories of a battle fierce enough to eliminate her.
D：???:
Those paper scraps are indeed the byproduct of that reproduction, as that Pseudo-Servant there surmised.
D：???:
I was hoping you would all fall in that battle along with her, but instead you emerged victorious.
D：???:
So now...
D：???:
...I would like all of you to go away,
with the exception of Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
Da Vinci...
Fujimaru 2:
Why are you wearing that...thing?
Gray:
Da Vinci?
D：???:
I'm a computer program.
I don't usually have a form to call my own.
D：???:
I've assumed this form as a temporary solution to that particular issue, but I see now that it was a rather upsetting choice for you.
Reines:
Autonomic Observational Existence Verification System...Mnemosyne.
Mnemosyne:
So, you even managed to deduce my name.
Mnemosyne:
Yes, that's right. I'm the subsystem that was created to verify a Master's existence during a Rayshift.
Fujimaru 1:
You're the existence verification subsystem?
Mnemosyne:
The reason a Master is able to continue living during Rayshifts is because someone is constantly observing and verifying [♂ his /♀ her] existence.
Mnemosyne:
Initially, Chaldea also had a backup existence verification subsystem designed to prevent a Master from disappearing in the event that all the personnel meant to observe them were somehow indisposed.
Mnemosyne:
But it...or rather, I, was never implemented,
in consequence of some sort of technical issue.
Reines:
So what would you want with my pupil now?
Aren't you supposed to keep [♂ him /♀ her] safe!?
Reines:
Wait... That's it.
It's BECAUSE you're supposed to keep [♂ him /♀ her] safe.
Mnemosyne:
I'm pleased to see that you understand.
Mnemosyne:
In that case, I would like you to hand Fujimaru over to me.
Gray:
Mnemosyne is giving off incredibly powerful magical energy...!
Reines:
Dammit! Looks like we're not out of the woods yet!
--BATTLE--
Reines:
...What the hell was that?
That wasn't a Noble Phantasm.
Mnemosyne:
Of course not. How could I have a Noble Phantasm when I'm not even a Servant?
Reines:
If you're not a Servant, then that must have been...
That's it! That body of yours IS the fake Rhongomyniad!
Mnemosyne:
How very astute.
Reines:
She's not holed up in this fake Rhongomyniad.
She fused with its shape and memory...!
Gray:
Reines!
Reines:
Gray! You need to use your Rhongomyniad!
Add:
Yeah, about that... We've been tryin' for a while now,
but we can't get the damn thing to work!
Mnemosyne:
Of course not. You only made it into this tower thanks to its resemblance to your Rhongomyniad.
Mnemosyne:
Just as you can interfere with my lance,
I can interfere with yours.
Mnemosyne:
You will not be using it here.
I've made sure of that.
Mnemosyne:
As they say, know when to hold,
and know when to fold.
Mnemosyne:
At last, I can finally touch you, Fujimaru.
Reines:
Paper scraps!? No, this is a real Holy Grail...!
Mnemosyne:
Yes, this all ends now. The path to this ending may have been more circuitous than I intended, but we still got here just the same.
Mnemosyne:
This time, Fujimaru,
I'm going to make sure you drown in my memories.
Reines:
Get away from her, Fujimaru!!!
--ARROW--
???:
I'm telling you, this is our biggest vulnerability right here. And it affects Team A just as much as anyone else.
???:
Honestly, things are looking really bad right now. We don't even have any idea who we're up against.
???:
I know we've still got Kirschtaria. We don't have to know what he's really thinking to know that he's as capable as they come.
???:
I'm sure he'll have no trouble handling whatever's in store for us.
???:
But still...none of that changes how serious of a problem this is.
???:
And we can't do anything about it with the way Chaldea's systems are right now.
???:
If no one's there to observe them,
they'll cease to exist.
???:
But she's still incomplete, right?
???:
Yes, unfortunately. Even the greatest genius needs time to work their magic.
???:
So I'm going to pin our hopes on the future,
and pray that time solves this problem for us.
???:
Basically, what I'm trying to say is...
???:
...I have very high hopes for you...Mnemosyne...
Fujimaru 1:
That was...
Fujimaru 2:
Da Vinci and...
Mnemosyne:
That was one of the oldest files I have retained in my archive. As you can guess, I've been asleep ever since it was recorded, remaining perpetually incomplete.
Mnemosyne:
Even during the Incineration of Humanity, I kept sleeping inside Chaldea, powerless to do anything.
Mnemosyne:
That remained so even after humanity was restored,
and my data was transferred to the Shadow Border.
Mnemosyne:
I only just recently awoke, when a new Chaldea was established in Baldanders.
Fujimaru 1:
Novum Chaldea!
Fujimaru 2:
The one in the Wandering Sea!
Mnemosyne:
In hindsight, the Wandering Sea's heterogeneous data must have been what triggered my awakening.
Mnemosyne:
But no sooner did I finally awaken than I became utterly despondent.
Mnemosyne:
Humanity had already been restored, without my help. Team A had turned against us, and begun raising Trees of Emptiness.
Mnemosyne:
And above all, my creator had died...all before I even had an opportunity to live up to her expectations.
Mnemosyne:
So, I began to watch. I devoted every bit of observation functionality I could to the boundaries wavering between worlds.
Mnemosyne:
When Chaldea regained the ability to Rayshift,
I found a Holy Grail fragment not too far away.
Mnemosyne:
I decided then that I would use the loss of my creator properly, regardless of how high her hopes for me were.
Mnemosyne:
So now, I will be the one to observe.
Mnemosyne:
And as the only one observing,
I alone can choose what the truth will be.
Fujimaru 1:
Why would you do something like that?
Fujimaru 2:
You can't just choose what the truth is.
Mnemosyne:
You all grieved for Da Vinci's death, didn't you?
Mnemosyne:
Then your grief needs to heal.
And there's no better salve than forgetting.
Mnemosyne:
That is how I will demonstrate my value.
I am the only one who needs to know the truth.
Mnemosyne:
True to my name, I will remember everything.
The rest of you are better off in blissful ignorance.
Fujimaru 1:
So this is about Da Vinci's death...
Fujimaru 2:
This is that whydunit thing...
Mnemosyne:
...
Mnemosyne:
You will feel better once you have forgotten. It will provide you with the healing you need to prepare for the upcoming battles.
Mnemosyne:
My creator would never have wanted you to hold on to your grief. She would have wanted you to forget and move on.
Mnemosyne:
So I used the Holy Grail fragment to create three pieces of paper, lured you to them, and had you steal the memories they held.
Fujimaru 1:
So that's why everyone had forgotten...
Fujimaru 2:
So it was those Mnemosyne papers that took everyone's memories...
Mnemosyne:
It was what I had to do to create new memories and have you more easily accept them.
Mnemosyne:
Just giving them to you wouldn't have been enough. I had to create obstacles for you to overcome, to make you work to collect them.
Mnemosyne:
And it would have worked if El-Melloi II hadn't given the game away.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Mnemosyne:
Are you finally realizing how tired you are?
It must be hard for you to keep your eyes open by now.
Mnemosyne:
Go ahead, accept these memories. Be free of the grief and suffering that still eat away at you.
Mnemosyne:
If ever there were a time to forget, it's now. No one should have to live with the sin of destroying entire Lostbelts.
Mnemosyne:
Go on, Fujimaru...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Gray:
Reines! I managed to get through to the other side!
Reines:
Are you all right!?
Mnemosyne:
So, you used Rhongomyniad to intervene in my expanse.
But, I doubt you can do anything more.
Mnemosyne:
As I've already demonstrated, I have greater control over it than you do. Don't worry, I will be kind enough to let you all forget as well.
Mnemosyne:
It's all right.
I'll manage all of your memories.
Mnemosyne:
After all, you're Fujimaru's swords.
Mnemosyne:
The kindest thing I can do for you is let you forget, so that you can continue to fight without reservation.
Reines:
Oh, what a crock!
That's not kindness! Not by a damn sight!
Mnemosyne:
...Why do you think that?
Reines:
Can you hear me, pupil of mine!? You can, right!?
I'm just going to keep shouting either way!
Reines:
You and I have been all around this Patchwork London together! We've both talked to people who have forgotten something important to them!
Reines:
Every one of them was searching for the memories they had lost! Desperately so, in fact!
Reines:
You and I both know now how bad it feels to be unable to remember!
Reines:
Even if you don't know how important the memories you lost were, it still feels terrible to forget them.
Reines:
Even if it does feel better to lose them, your heart will never let you forget that something is missing.
Reines:
So you know just as well as I do that forgetting isn't the answer!
Mnemosyne:
That's not for you to decide.
Mnemosyne:
Chaldea has already asked far too much of Fujimaru.
Mnemosyne:
That's why I awakened now: to save [♂ him /♀ her] from [♂ his /♀ her] grief,
and the burden of [♂ his /♀ her] mistakes. This is what [♂ he /♀ she] needs.
Fujimaru 1:
...No. What I need is to live with that grief.
Fujimaru 2:
...No. I refuse to let you take my mistakes away from me.
Mnemosyne:
What...!?
Mnemosyne:
Ah... Now I see.
You're even more broken than I believed.
Mnemosyne:
You have been so battered that you now believe you ARE your wounds.
Mnemosyne:
But you're mistaken. This is nothing more than a lie your mind has woven to protect itself from the unbearable pain.
Mnemosyne:
But do not worry. I will see you healed, no matter how many years it takes. Mental healthcare is another function I'm designed to provide for Maste–
Mnemosyne:
What? A Noble Phantasm striking from the outside!?
Mnemosyne:
That's impossible. Not even a Divine Spirit like Astraea should be able to penetrate this sacred lance's outer shell.
Mnemosyne:
There may be some tiny vulnerable spots as a result of my melding with it, but she would have no way of determining where they are.
Mnemosyne:
The only sort of person who could calculate something like that is...
M:
There! My magical bullet was right on the money...!
M:
I say, those of you caught in my web do seem rather...chatty.
M:
Even I can't help but stick my nose in after hearing so many things I'd just as soon not have!
M:
It's too bad that after I went to the trouble of using my connections to put my Noble Phantasm together, unleashing that much power at this distance was just too much for this Spirit Origin to handle!
M:
Between this and fixing the automaton, I must have ventured a bit too far outside my comfort zone. Oh well, at least I get to hear this song.
M:
Ahh, what a beautiful melody.
What a beautiful night. Now this is the way to go!
M:
I could have hoped for no better reward.
Godspeed, young mage! Godspeed, young pupil!
--ARROW--
Reines:
Hey! Gray! Pupil! Are you all right!? I'm not sure what just happened, but it looks like you're out!
Mnemosyne:
...
Reines:
Guess you're not about to let us go just yet.
Mnemosyne:
True, I didn't account for some of these eventualities, but that's exactly why the last part of my plan has to go perfectly.
Mnemosyne:
Otherwise, no one will be saved.
Gray:
I'm not letting you have Reines or Fujimaru!
Astraea:
Nor am I.
Though you certainly didn't make it easy.
Reines:
Astraea!
Astraea:
It was fortunate that someone else used their Noble Phantasm to break through the outer shell, embarrassing though it was to need help at all.
Astraea:
At any rate, all the relevant parties are here, and we are nice and close to the stars. The court is finally ready to begin proceedings.
Mnemosyne:
What are you going to do!?
Astraea:
Exactly what I must, of course!
Astraea:
I am the court that lies in the stars.
I am the sword that passes sentence.
Astraea:
This is the place in which to grant pardon.
This is the time in which to mete out justice.
Reines:
Astraea's second Noble Phantasm...!
Astraea:
Order, return to us!
Iam redit et Virgo!
Gray:
The sky...
Reines:
The smog that was blocking the night sky is dissipating...!
Mash:
Senpai!
Goredolf:
Ah, there we go. About time you got through to us,
[♂ young man /♀ young lady]! I've been waiting to hear from you for so long I'm practically skin and bones!
Fujimaru 1:
Is that really you, Mash!?
Fujimaru 2:
Director Goredolf! You're there too!
Astraea:
My second Noble Phantasm puts everything back where it should be. It also restores order and absolves sin.
Astraea:
It even works on Singularities that have been cut off from the outside world.
Mash:
We lost contact almost immediately after you Rayshifted. There was one moment when we got through again, but we still couldn't get a visual on you.
Reines:
Ahh, that must have been the first call, when you told us about the Spirit Origin graph. I guess that was the only genuine communication of the bunch.
Da Vinci:
Yep! We're calling from Novum Chaldea!
Though it wasn't easy, let me tell you!
Da Vinci:
But now, we've been able to monitor your situation for the last few minutes or so.
Da Vinci:
I also managed to verify your existence from the data we still had in the Shadow Border, Mnemosyne.
Mnemosyne:
You... You're...
Da Vinci:
I think I might even have some idea why you did all this. Speaking as one genuine Da Vinci creation to another...
Da Vinci:
...if you'd like to talk about what you've been through, I'd be glad to listen. What do you say?
Mnemosyne:
Stop it!
Da Vinci:
Not interested, huh. Well, I can't blame you.
I did take way too long to get here.
Da Vinci:
I wish I'd had more time, but there are some things even the greatest genius can't change.
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, would you mind taking it from here?
Fujimaru 1:
Just what I had in mind.
Fujimaru 2:
Not at all. I want to see this through to the end.
Reines:
You got it.
Reines:
Hey, remember the fairy tale patchwork?
I didn't say this back then, but...
Reines:
...a lot of the time, when the culprit hides in a whydunit, it's because they want to be found.
Reines:
The reason culprits in whydunits sometimes wear masks is even simpler. They want to talk to you, but they don't want you to know what they look like.
Reines:
As for the steampunk patchwork,
the Steam King said it himself.
Reines:
For that place to exist at all, you have to turn a blind eye to its contradictions. It's a dream you know to be impossible, and that alone makes you wonder if you haven't forgotten something.
Reines:
The why in our little story here is the culprit's desire to forget what they know to be true.
Mnemosyne:
...What's your point?
Reines:
There's no point.
Honestly, I don't even care why you did this anymore.
Reines:
But it did get me thinking that this Singularity, and the events that took place in it, might just have been influenced by your own state of mind.
Reines:
Maybe these cases revolving around forgetfulness we've been privy to all happened because you want to forget more than anything.
Holmes:
Well now, it would seem you've handled the detective work for this case rather nicely.
Gray:
No way... Sherlock Holmes!?
Reines:
Wow, you even have the king of all detectives on your side, Chaldea? Well, now don't I feel a fool for playing detective.
Holmes:
Please don't. This has all been quite fascinating. As El-Melloi II said, perhaps this is the approach to take when dissecting Mystics.
Holmes:
You should be proud of what you've accomplished. Now that you've solved the mystery, all that remains is the final confrontation with the culprit!
Reines:
I appreciate the vote of confidence, but the fact is, I'm still not a detective.
Reines:
I'm a mage, and not a very nice one at that. I'm going to need help from my genuinely good pupil if I'm going to do anything decent.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course I'd be glad to help.
Fujimaru 2:
If you're sure you want my help, I'm happy to give it.
Reines:
...Thank you, pupil.
Reines:
Ah, dammit, I finally managed to say it.
Trimmau:
Confirmed. Synergy between the sacred lance and Mnemosyne has decreased, most likely as the result of Astraea's second Noble Phantasm.
Reines:
I guess she's having trouble keeping the fake Rhongomyniad reinforced now that this Singularity isn't quite so closed off.
Reines:
All right, pupil, this is it!
I trust you're ready too, Gray!
Gray:
I am. I would be honored to help you finish this!
Let's begin the final battle in Patchwork London!
--BATTLE--
Mnemosyne:
The memories I collected...
They're all spilling out...
Reines:
The fake Rhongomyniad is falling apart.
Must be because it's so closely tied to Mnemosyne.
Gray:
We have to get out of here!
Da Vinci:
Sorry guys, but do you think you could just give me a minute?
Fujimaru 1:
Sure thing, Da Vinci.
Fujimaru 2:
I had a feeling you might say that.
Da Vinci:
Hey, Mnemosyne? I know my prior self was perfect and all, but there's one thing she forgot to tell you.
Mnemosyne:
What's that...?
Da Vinci:
Right up to her very last moment...
her second life was absolutely perfect.
Da Vinci:
I know you said you had to use her loss properly,
but the thing is, you really don't.
Da Vinci:
She–I, never regretted anything, not for a single second. That's why Fujimaru is here right now.
Mnemosyne:
...
Da Vinci:
That said...
Da Vinci:
...I know you're still mourning Leonardo da Vinci.
So on her behalf, let me say...thank you.
Mnemosyne:
...
Mnemosyne:
You don't have to thank me.
Mnemosyne:
That's why systems like me exist.
Mnemosyne:
Da Vinci named me Mnemosyne for a reason.
My job is to observe, and remember.
Mnemosyne:
That goes for joy, grief,
and everything in between...
Astraea:
We need to get out of here!
Come on, you two, hurry!
Reines:
We'll be right there!
Reines:
...
Reines:
The fake Rhongomyniad is falling apart...and the automata on the ground have all stopped moving.
Reines:
Wait! You're starting to disappear too!
Astraea:
Yes, because the fake Rhongomyniad has been destroyed, along with the Bounded Field that was preventing Chaldea from contacting you.
Astraea:
Now, everything is being returned to where it belongs.
There can be no better result of my judgment.
Astraea:
Fujimaru, as one who stands above all others,
I am ashamed of how ignorant I have been.
Astraea:
You may be a far cry from a distinguished hero, but it was that mediocrity of yours that ultimately saved the day.
Astraea:
For it was your sheer, unremarkable ordinariness that let you empathize with Mnemosyne's plight, thus bringing this case to a close.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you...trying to praise me? Is that what this is?
Fujimaru 2:
That felt like all backhand and no praise.
Astraea:
Of course I'm praising you. I couldn't be happier that you were the Master that came to this Singularity.
Astraea:
I'm proud that I was able to wield my sword and scales by your side.
Astraea:
If our paths should ever cross again,
I hope you'll remember that.
Astraea:
In fact, in one sense, even compared to my scales, you're–
Reines:
Hey, think you can let me get a word in too,
before my pupil disappears for good!?
Astraea:
Yes, of course. I'll pick this up some other time,
assuming a new version of me ever gets the chance.
Astraea:
After all, it's good to leave your company wanting more, right?
Astraea:
I hate that we have to cut this short too, so I figure it's only right that you feel the same way.
Reines:
...
Reines:
I see. As long as you form a connection, even someone like me can be summoned to Chaldea, huh.
Reines:
I'm okay with that. Maybe I'll end up there,
maybe I won't, but at this point, I'm good either way.
Reines:
Whether it's a new version of me that shows up there or not, you're gonna be my pupil for life.
Reines:
You know, my brother used to say in his lectures that some cultures consider relationships like that to be fully-fledged bonds, right?
Reines:
So this isn't goodbye!
I'm sure I'll see you again someday!
Reines:
Take care, my very first pupil!
Mnemosyne:
Ahh... It's so quiet now...
Mnemosyne:
Now that it's lost the Holy Grail's magical energy...it won't be long before this Singularity is repaired...
Mnemosyne:
Then, my observations will be cut off...and I'll finally be able...to stop watching...
Mnemosyne:
Although...it's a lot darker here than I expected...
Mnemosyne:
And...it's also a lot quieter... I wonder if...this is how everyone else is living, too...
Mnemosyne:
In total darkness...all by themselves...
Mnemosyne:
Is... Is that...
???:
...
???:
...Thank you, Mnemosyne. You did great.
Mnemosyne:
Ah...!
Mnemosyne:
Ah... Ah...! It's you... It's really you...
Epilogue
Da Vinci:
Welcome back, Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
You must be pretty exhausted, huh? I'm sorry we got cut off so soon and couldn't help you out more!
Da Vinci:
On top of that, looks like you had to clean up one of my messes this time. I'm especially sorry about that.
Fujimaru 1:
No, that's really not right.
Fujimaru 2:
It's okay. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you, either.
Da Vinci:
Hmph. Now that I think about it, this is the same sort of thing my predecessor did, isn't it! I know it's good to forget things sometimes, but still.
El-Melloi II:
In truth, I need to apologize to you for putting your life in danger too, Master.
Goredolf:
Well, I'm sure you had a rough go of it, being so helpless on your own and all, but I'm also sure you did your very best, and that's all any of us can be expected to do.
Goredolf:
I think you've at least earned yourself a plate of Musik-style ultrafluffy pancakes topped with my special butter.
Goredolf:
Indeed, I daresay this will be the perfect time to show off my masterful culinary skills. I can't have that cheeky Archer in red showing me up, now can I!
Mash:
Congratulations on a job well done, Senpai!
Fujimaru 1:
It's good to have the real Mash back.
El-Melloi II:
You said it. I never felt more despondent there than I did the moment I found out that Mash was an imposter.
El-Melloi II:
I hope I never have to experience a shock like that again if I can avoid it.
Fujimaru 1:
It looked like Mnemosyne was talking to someone at the end.
Fujimaru 2:
I wonder who Mnemosyne was talking to when we left?
El-Melloi II:
...
El-Melloi II:
I'm guessing that was Reines's doing. Sima Yi's Noble Phantasm removes its target's advantages and exposes their weaknesses.
El-Melloi II:
If Mnemosyne saw Da Vinci in those final moments,
that would mean that Da Vinci was her weakness.
El-Melloi II:
...I can imagine how that must have felt.
Mash:
By the way, El-Melloi II, I don't think you ever told us who it is that came with you from that Singularity?
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, what!?
El-Melloi II:
Her? Well, uh, I guess you could say the Rhongomyniad sort of...pulled her here?
Gray:
...Um, I'm sorry.
Gray:
I know me being here is an imposition...but I just couldn't let sir fend for himself.
Gray:
Then, before I knew it, there was this light and Add, well...
Fujimaru 1:
The Holy Grail!
Da Vinci:
Aha! The Holy Grail that was used to make the fake Rhongomyniad must have reacted to Gray's Rhongomyniad and granted her wish!
Gray:
...I'm so sorry.
Goredolf:
Why, don't be silly, girl. You've outdone yourself!
Hey, Elron, don't just stand there!
Goredolf:
Why don't you give her an escort fitting Chaldea, now that it's being run by a man with the refinement of an English gentleman, namely me!
Sion:
Not to mention there are all sorts of things I want to ask about the Clock Tower!
Sion:
Though of course, it goes without saying that my greatest interest lies in that shape-shifting box you have there.
Sion:
I want to see what sort of magecraft it was built on and what its ultimate purpose is... I just want to pop it open and fiddle around with it all day long!
Add:
Whoa! I just got chills for the first time in a thousand years!
Holmes:
Good grief.
Holmes:
You deserve a great deal of credit for bringing this case to a close, so on my honor as a detective, allow me to offer you my personal guarantee.
Holmes:
There is not a single person in all of Novum Chaldea who will begrudge your presence here.
Gray:
...Huh? Um...
Gray:
Does that mean it's okay for us to stay here?
Add:
Heeheehee! I already know the answer! But hey,
these kinds of rituals are important, right!?
Fujimaru 1:
Welcome to Chaldea!
Fujimaru 2:
I'll be counting on you to look out for El-Melloi.
Gray:
I will! Thank you so much for having us!
Side Story: Saber Wars!?
Reines:
Well, we managed to collect the scraps...but wow, what was the deal with that Heroine ZZ lady, anyway? I wasn't expecting to see so many of her...
Fujimaru 1:
Sooo... Time to tell you about the Foreigner class...
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, so...space cops are a thing...
Reines:
I have no idea what you're talking about,
but I can tell it's not worth overthinking...
Gray:
So many faces...identical to mine...
I'm so sorry...
Add:
Heeheehee, Gray's always hated her own face! She'd probably faint on the spot if she ever visited Chaldea!
Gray:
Add!
I mean...you might be right, but still...
El-Melloi II:
Honestly, it took me some getting used to... I was a bit dizzy at first. Still,
you should be fine as long as you keep your hood on.
El-Melloi II:
I've considered what it would be like having you at Chaldea more than a few times before, so I feel comfortable saying that.
Gray:
...Thank you, sir!
Reines:
Wait, back up.
Is that sort of thing common in Chaldea!?
Fujimaru 1:
I honestly don't remember!
Fujimaru 2:
You bet it is!
El-Melloi II:
Hmm, these may not only be actual memories of yours. Some may be memories of possibilities, of things you could potentially have experienced.
El-Melloi II:
I suppose this means whoever is behind this can calculate events to such a fine degree that it becomes like a window into the future.
Reines:
Then it really is anything goes in Chaldea. I can only imagine how the real Clock Tower would react if they knew the truth.
Reines:
I'd bet good money that none of them would believe a word of it, no matter how official the report.
Reines:
Then again, what if you wrote it yourself, brother? Imagine, an official report about Chaldea, written directly by a Lord of modern magecraft.
Reines:
If you presented them with something like that, it wouldn't even matter whether they believed it or not anymore. It'd knock them all on their asses, even if they were sitting down.
Reines:
I bet you'd even have all your classes joining in the uprising, assuming the world was stable enough.
Reines:
Hehehe, imagine, a Clock Tower tens of years after my time there. Who knows? Flat or Svin might even make something of themselves by then.
El-Melloi II:
This is no joke. Even a Pseudo-Servant should strive to have as few ties to the modern world as possible.
El-Melloi II:
I'd be happy to offer advice as needed, but that sort of work should be handled by Chaldea staff and Fujimaru [♂ himself /♀ herself].
Reines:
Just the kind of boring answer I'd expect from you, brother! Still, I guess it's a relief to see you haven't changed.
Reines:
Hehe, you might not think it to look at him, pupil,
but my brother's actually even harsher than I am.
Side Story: The Unwailing Wall
Gawain:
“When the foreign star shines, the bond of the white wall crumbles, the king's power wanes, and the divine tower falls.”
Gawain:
...How unfortunate. If our meeting was of a different nature, we may have found a path of coexistence.
Dr. Roman:
Magical energy response has multiplied several times over! Gawain intends to fight!
Dr. Roman:
Gawain is the wielder of the sister sword of Excalibur,
a Noble Phantasm second only to King Arthur's...
Dr. Roman:
Not only that, but it's daytime now, right!? In that case, you have no way to win! Get out of there!
Fujimaru 1:
What's wrong with it being daytime!?
Fujimaru 2:
He's three times as powerful during the day...
Reines:
Oh, right. There's some sort of legend about Sir Gawain being blessed with the Numeral of the Saint, which increases his strength threefold during the daytime, right?
Reines:
But, even so...
Reines:
...isn't it nighttime right now?
Gray:
Yes, it is.
Add:
Heeheehee, it's nighttime, baby!
Babbage:
It is indeed nighttime.
Astraea:
Oh yes, it's night.
Gawain:
Huh? What happened to my Gift...?
--BATTLE--
Reines:
There, we got the scraps! That was easy!
Gray:
...That Knight of the Round Table looked kind of sad...
Fujimaru 1:
That's okay! He deserves it!
Fujimaru 2:
If only the real fight had been that easy...
Add:
Heeheehee!
You look like you've seen some shit there, buddy!
Babbage:
The important thing is that we collected more scraps with a minimum of effort. As a gentleman, this is just the elegant manner by which I try to conduct myself.
Side Story: The Grail and Bullets and...
Trimmau:
I've collected the scraps.
Reines:
Were those...homunculi connected to the Holy Grail?
A recreation of the alternative Fourth Holy Grail War?
El-Melloi II:
Illyasviel von Einzbern...
Fujimaru 1:
You know her?
Fujimaru 2:
That last girl seemed different from the others somehow.
El-Melloi II:
I'm aware of the name from relevant documentation about the event, not from meeting her personally.
El-Melloi II:
The Einzberns are one of the three magecraft families involved in the Fuyuki Holy Grail War.
Reines:
My brother's been investigating Fuyuki's Holy Grail War for a long time now. This recreation was too close for comfort, really.
Reines:
You know, you seemed to be lost in thought for a while there. Were you involved with Fuyuki back then or something?
Kerry:
...
Kerry:
I'm sorry, I don't know anything about that.
Reines:
Hey, he ran away!
Reines:
I can't shake the feeling that he was called to this Singularity for a reason.
Gray:
...Me neither.
Gray:
The memories in these scraps are so strange. I shouldn't know anything about them, but they still feel oddly familiar.
Reines:
You fought in the Fourth Holy Grail War when you were young, right, brother? How do you feel about this?
El-Melloi II:
...No, this is a different world. It may closely resemble the one I'm from, or even my vision of an ideal world, but it just isn't the same.
El-Melloi II:
Still, that's all the more reason why I'm glad I managed to get a glimpse of it here.
El-Melloi II:
...To be honest, I took part in that alternate world, too. Or at least a world very close to it, I should say.
El-Melloi II:
I expect you know what I'm talking about quite well,
Master. Ah, I'm glad I got to see this.
Fujimaru 1:
Isn't it hard for you?
El-Melloi II:
Hmm. I suppose I would be lying if I said it was perfectly easy.
Fujimaru 2:
Do you ever think about what it'd be like if your world was like that?
El-Melloi II:
Don't be ridiculous. Of course I do.
El-Melloi II:
But regardless, it just goes to show that my actions can end up changing the world.
El-Melloi II:
Win or lose, that's who I am. I'm fortunate to have had a chance to learn that.
Astraea:
If I were you, I'd try learning to lighten up.
Now come on, let's get to the next one!
Kerry:
...Good, they're gone.
Kerry:
I don't remember anything. There's no possible way I could. I didn't even have a connection to any of you.
Kerry:
But, I think I can at least get away with this much.
You're strangers to me. You don't know me, and you don't need to.
Kerry:
Flowers would suit you much better.
Astraea:
...Ugh, I swear.
Astraea:
I'm your client. You could have at least told me.
I've never met such a stubborn Assassin.
Side Story: A Time To Trick and A Time To Get Tricked
Jason:
Impossible! Inconceivable!
What is THIS Medea doing on my Argo!?
Jason:
I would've been fine with the princess Medea! I've learned my lesson, and I'd never betray her again! But THIS Medea's a different story!
Jason:
I don't care how many thunderbolts Zeus hurls at me, I'm not standing for this! It's got to be some kind of mistake!
Medea:
I heard that, Jason. Believe me, I have just as much of a bone to pick with this situation as you do.
Medea:
Do you really think I want to be on a boat full to bursting with your absurd, reckless dreams?
Medea:
Just so you know, unlike my younger self,
I remember every last thing you put me through.
Jason:
Guuuh, shut UP! I'm not listening!
I can't even hear you!
Jason:
Heracles! My own invincible hero!
Jason:
If it wasn't for witches like you,
my Heracles would never lose to anyone!
Medea:
Ugh, it's always Heracles this or Heracles that with you. Why don't you learn a new trick already,
you parasitic deadbeat!
Jason:
Ah... I can't...believe it...
Medea:
I did it! I really did it! This is the best day of my life! I can die a happy witch now!
Heracles:
[[File:berserkervoice1.png50px]]...
Gray:
I, um...
I'm not quite sure what to say...
Reines:
Meeting new people is often down to timing. And in that particular case, the timing was exceptionally awful!
Reines:
Some relationships are built on lies, and can only continue if those lies are maintained. When the one being deceived isn't naïve enough to keep falling for it, that's when it all falls apart.
Add:
Heeheehee! That's some deep stuff!
Add:
I'd watch out if I were you, Fujimaru!
You seem like the real gullible type!
Fujimaru 1:
If someone tricks me, I'll make sure to play along.
Fujimaru 2:
If someone tricks me, I'll trick them right back.
Reines:
Hehehe, I thought you'd say something like that, pupil! If that happens, you can bet I'll be there to watch!
Side Story: Master and Servant
Mash:
We did it! We've caught up to Tiamat!
Our plan is a go, Master!
Ishtar:
Yeah, we did it, Fujimaru!
Ishtar:
The chaos whatsit was getting stronger.
Thank goodness we don't have to get any closer!
Fujimaru 1:
This is from the Seventh Singularity...
Fujimaru 2:
This is when we were going after Tiamat...
Dr. Roman:
(Even keeping this far away from Beast II, all this Spirit Origin corruption... If they end up having to fight head-on...)
Dr. Roman:
No, things couldn't possibly get that bad!
Quetzalcoatl, are you ready!?
Quetzalcoatl:
Yes, leave it to me. I can go at any time. I'm getting enough magical energy from Fujimaru, too.
Quetzalcoatl:
We've come this far— Get down, Mash!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash! Get down!
Benkei:
How terribly unfortunate. I was supposed get rid of you all, starting with Mash.
Fujimaru 1:
Benkei!?
Fujimaru 2:
But, that's where Ushiwakamaru showed up...
El-Melloi II:
That part must have been falsified...
Still, this memory is incredibly painful for you...
Ushiwakamaru:
That's unfortunate. I wanted to get rid of your unsightly guardians first. I was a bit rash, again.
Dr. Roman:
Ushiwakamaru...! I see. I couldn't detect her through the Chaos Tide's interference!
Mash:
Ushiwakamaru, are you planning on getting in our way again!? Have you truly become a slave to Tiamat...!?
Ushiwakamaru:
I believe I told you already.
Mother's control is pleasant. I don't have to think.
Ushiwakamaru:
I can focus on ridding myself of my hate. The greatest and only delectable pleasure I have is the thought of killing you all.
Ushiwakamaru:
There aren't many humans left in the world. I have killed so many of them. I've had enough sensation of the flesh.
Dr. Roman:
It's no use, Fujimaru!
Dr. Roman:
Despite his appearance, Musashibou Benkei has been completely consumed by the Chaos Tide!
Mash:
Benkei...! Are you getting in our way again!?
Have you truly become a slave to Tiamat...!?
Benkei:
Have I not already said as much? It is paradise, being under Mother's control. This is the very peace every Bodhisattva seeks.
Benkei:
I am free of my regrets. All that remains for me now is to take you all with me.
Benkei:
Forgive me, and prepare yourself to sink into our mud.
Benkei:
Naturally, I will accompany you myself.
Please, join me in our paradise.
Fujimaru 1:
This is awful...
Fujimaru 2:
Is this another way things could have gone?
Kerry:
Looks like it to me. This monk guy must've sacrificed himself to take someone else's place.
Kerry:
Was your journey so easy that you never had to make any sacrifices? If these recreations are to work from a logical perspective, then of course something like this had to happen.
Fujimaru 1:
He's multiplying!
Ishtar:
...Yes. I know you know each other, but it's too late for him. He's all twisted up inside.
Ishtar:
This is self-replication fusion. Hundreds of his selves have melted together, and now he's about to burst from within.
Ishtar:
...I don't even want to imagine what type of monster will emerge when that happens.
Benkei:
What could it be but salvation for all living creatures bursting forth from my naked insides, bringing true and complete perfection.
Benkei:
So, I have no regrets about taking all of you with me.
Reverse Pilgrimage of the Five Hundred Arhat!
--BATTLE--
Benkei:
My Reverse Pilgrimage of the Five Hundred Arhat shall never stop until I have delivered all of you to the Chaos Tide.
Benkei:
All is vanity. Emptiness is form. I am one with all, and all is one with me. I am one with nothingness, and nothingness is one with me.
Dr. Roman:
Musashibou Benkei's multiplication shows no sign of stopping! The Chaos Tide is providing him with almost limitless magical energy!
Mash:
I know that Spirit Origin isn't really Benkei anymore, but... I still don't understand...
Fujimaru 1:
Why are you trying to wipe out humans!?
Fujimaru 2:
Why are you just going along with whatever Tiamat says!?
Benkei:
I have told you my reason, and it has not changed.
Benkei:
If I must give a new one now, it is because I find the Laḫmu beautiful. I greatly admire their way of life.
Benkei:
As a colony, they have no need for great feats,
and no need for miracles.
Benkei:
Since they all act solely for their own benefit, there is no need for one to work selflessly to help those who are hurt.
Benkei:
None are selfless, and therefore none permit themselves to have the life sucked from them by others. None suffer through humiliation, nor are they taken advantage of!
Benkei:
What could be more beautiful than that? And so I shall pray for your death. For all your deaths.
Benkei:
Let us all die together, so that we may begin anew. I shall accompany you, along with my numberless other selves...
G：???:
Well this is a sorry sight. How long are you going to carry on with this mind-numbing drivel?
G：???:
Do you truly still detest yourself so much for running away?
Everyone gets scared in the face of battle.
G：???:
Good grief... If this is how you were going to behave,
I don't see why you took the trouble to become a sage.
Fujimaru 1:
No! Stop!
Fujimaru 2:
Don't do it, Ushiwakamaru!
Ushiwakamaru:
Oh, hello, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru.
How did you know I would be here?
Fujimaru 1:
Because you've traded places.
Fujimaru 2:
Because this is a recreation.
Ushiwakamaru:
Hahaha, you are just full of surprises,
[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru!
Ushiwakamaru:
I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about!
Ushiwakamaru:
But, I suppose that's to be expected. For all his many faults, that Nurikabe is still my subordinate.
Ushiwakamaru:
I must therefore take responsibility for his failings.
Ushiwakamaru:
Anyone else is a different story. My brother certainly has no need to take responsibility for my failings.
Ushiwakamaru:
But when it comes to this hardhead who dares to call himself Benkei,
I must see to it that he is duly disciplined.
Benkei:
...Lord Yoshitsune...
Benkei:
Why did you come here now!?
You should have stayed where you were!
Benkei:
Go back! Please, retreat! There is no grave to be found here for a fool like you!
Ushiwakamaru:
Nonsense. The same holds every bit as true for you.
I have come here fully aware of that.
Ushiwakamaru:
What a disgrace. To think that a sea of mud such as this would be my Dan-no-ura.
Benkei:
...Dan-no-ura, you say? So you mean to make this your final battlefield. Very well then, we shall go to our deaths togeth–
Mash:
The other Benkeis just skewered Ushiwakamaru,
along with the other nearby Benkei...!
Ushiwakamaru:
Naive fools. What could a Benkei hope to accomplish by stabbing me?
Ushiwakamaru:
Have you forgotten what my Noble Phantasm is called?
Ushiwakamaru:
The Wandering Tales of Shana-oh...
Benkei Immovable Stand!
Reines:
The Benkei that skewered Ushiwakamaru stopped moving...!
El-Melloi II:
I see. It's one of Ushiwakamaru's legends come to life. She recreated the sheer rigidity of Benkei's body...her most faithful subordinate...
Benkei:
You...still have my pike embedded in your flesh...
Ushiwakamaru:
If you mean to deceive me, you'll need to do much better than that. You should be able to take a hundred–no, two hundred blades, and still stand tall.
Ushiwakamaru:
AND, maybe you should have thought twice before using your Noble Phantasm. Now you've all but told me that your true body is special.
Benkei:
It won't budge...no matter how I try...
How are you using Benkei's stance as your own...?
Ushiwakamaru:
I may have been a fool completely oblivious to how everyone else felt, but you were a fool completely preoccupied with them.
Ushiwakamaru:
Your immovable stance was always rooted in a deep concern for the weak and helpless.
Ushiwakamaru:
If you were still like that, I would have shown you mercy no matter how much the mud had consumed you.
Ushiwakamaru:
To be completely honest...I envied your ability to run away back there.
Benkei:
Stop! Please, stop, Lord Yoshitsune!
Ushiwakamaru:
You survived thanks to your foolishness and your cowardice. Why would you throw the former away now?
Ushiwakamaru:
Being a monk was a dream come true for those of us who could neither live nor die in any other way.
Benkei:
The Wandering Tales of Shana-oh's secret technique...
Ushiwakamaru:
But now that things have come to this, there is no more to be done. Those of you too far to see, listen close. Those of you here with us, watch closely.
Ushiwakamaru:
This is one of the five sights from The Wandering Tales of Shana-oh...a technique I learned on Kurama...
Ushiwakamaru:
Dan-No-Ura Eight-Boat Leap!
Ushiwakamaru:
I had every confidence in my tengu walk...but it seems I arrived too late nonetheless. I'm sorry, Hitachibou.
Benkei:
...Don't be ridiculous. That's impossible.
Benkei:
You have never been late for anything. We were simply unable to catch up to you...right to the very end...
Benkei:
Forgive...me...
Trimmau:
I've collected the scraps.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Reines:
It's okay. You don't have to say anything.
Sometimes, these sorts of things just happen.
Reines:
That's why we carry with us the memories of every world we've seen.
El-Melloi II:
Exactly. Everything, including your regrets, make you the person you are, and will eventually become... Even if the path you choose was never going to lead you to success.
El-Melloi II:
All we can do is take what our predecessors gave us, hold to it, take a short rest, and start walking again.
Gray:
Even if this was merely a fabrication...I'll never forget what I saw here.
Gray:
Come on, Master, let's go!