Cosmos in the Lostbelt 3. 5: Tokugawa Kaiten Labyrinth - Ooku
Prologue
Mash:
Here you go, Senpai. I decided to try herbal tea today. What do you think?
Fujimaru 1:
It smells great.
Fujimaru 2:
It's very soothing.
Mash:
I was so happy when I found out that Sion had brought along these sorts of luxury goods.
Sion:
Yes, of course! Having nothing but bland supplements would ruin the camp-like atmosphere!
Sion:
I am fine with only the bare minimum of resources necessary to survive, myself, but I cannot speak for anyone else.
Sion:
So I made sure you would have a wide variety of food and recreation to choose from, thus satisfying your need for both mental and physical nourishment.
Sion:
I already spent all of the Atlas Spiritron Points I had been saving for years to acquire them, so you may as well make the most of them!
Mash:
I'm so grateful to her.
Mash:
Before we got to the Wandering Sea, we had to make do with nothing but the Border's emergency supplies...
Mash:
Hehe. You know, having proper tea together like this again...
Mash:
...reminds me of the old Chaldea, in the Antarctic...
Fujimaru 1:
...Me too.
Mash:
I know things are completely different now,so I shouldn't be feeling sorry for myself, but...
Fujimaru 1:
They say it's important to rest up when you can.
Fujimaru 2:
There's a saying for this sort of thing: “Haste makes waste. ”
Mash:
Yes, I've heard that one before. There are similar sayings in other languages as well.
Mash:
It's amazing to think that similar sayings would be formed in completely different civilizations and cultures.
Mash:
Anyway, putting all that aside...
Mash:
You're right. At this point, all we can do is wait for Sion and Captain to finish modifying the Shadow Border...
Mash:
...so that it will be stable enough for us to head to the Atlantic Lostbelt.
Mash:
As much as we'd like to help,it's all just way above our heads.
Fujimaru 1:
I wonder how it's coming along.
Mash:
Good question. All we know for sure is that it's taking longer than anyone expected.
Mash:
Sion said that Da Vinci's design for the Border is even more intricate and delicately balanced than she had thought...
Mash:
I remember Da Vinci seemed both pleased and apologetic about that.
Mash:
At any rate, they also said that there's a crucial part they need for the modifications...
Mash:
...and that we'll probably need to go to the Indian Lostbelt to get it.
Fujimaru 1:
I wonder what that's all about?
Mash:
It could be something that can only be obtained there, or it could be for some other reason.
Mash:
I'm sorry. I just don't know enough to say one way or the other...
Mash:
All I know is that, at this point, it sounds like they're putting the pieces together so they can install this necessary part.
Mash:
Sion thought that this preliminary preparation would be finished soon after we got back from the Chinese Lostbelt...
Mash:
...but apparently, things didn't quite go as planned.
Mash:
Still, Captain did say it looks like they should be finishing this stage fairly soon now.
Fujimaru 1:
Then let's recuperate until it's our turn to help.
Mash:
Agreed. We should rest up while we can so we can hit the ground running!
Mash:
Would you like some more tea, Senpai? We also have plenty of cookies to go with it.
Mash:
Oh, right. I know what you're about to say. There's way too many, right?
Mash:
W-well, there's a reason for that!
Mash:
Things have become much more lively around Chaldea Base now that we have more Servants here...
Mash:
...so I made extra to share in case I ran into any of them on my way here.
Mash:
But as luck would have it, I haven't seen anyone else today...Not even Fou.
Mash:
In fact, now that I think about it, it feels like Chaldea Base is way too quiet today...
Mash:
Wh-what the!?
B：Sion:
Hello? Hello!? Do you still exist over there, Fujimaru?
B：Sion:
If you are there, give me some sort of response! Even an empty message will do! Otherwise, this is the end for New Chaldea!
Fujimaru 1:
I-I'm here, I'm here!
B：Sion:
Great! Is Mash there with you too? Good, then we are still hanging in there by the skin of our teeth!
Fujimaru 2:
(Calmly sip herbal tea)
B：Sion:
This is NOT the time to ghost me! We already have more than enough dead air in our budget!
B：Sion:
Okay, I can hear you breathing, so that will suffice to confirm your existence for me. Are you there too, Mash? Even better!
Mash:
What's going on, Sion!? Why is the alarm going off!?
B：Sion:
In all of history, there has only ever been one reason for an alarm to go off at a base. New Chaldea is under attack.
Mash:
Attack!?
B：Sion:
Correct. It is rather terrible. Like waking only to find all your data from yesterday is corrupted.
B：Sion:
What else can you do at a time like this but laugh!
B：Sion:
...No, sorry. This really is not the time to dissociate from reality, is it?
B：Sion:
We do not have a moment to waste. Please come to the Command Room at once.
Mash:
Understood! Let's go, Master!
Mash:
We're here! What in the world is going on, Sion!?
Sion:
Before I answer that, I would like to confirm something with you.
Sion:
Did you see anyone else on your way here? Anyone at all, like one of the staff, or a Servant.
Mash:
...No, I didn't. In fact, I was just telling Master how strange it was that I haven't seen anyone else today.
Mash:
Does that have something to do with this attack?
Sion:
This is what I was afraid of...I was hoping that at least one person might be hiding with Presence Concealment, but I guess that is not the case.
Sion:
As soon as I realized there was no one else in the Command Room–no staff, no Holmes, no Da Vinci...
Sion:
...I cut off your cause-and-effect interference to keep you both safe.
Sion:
To think the only ones I could help in time were you two and myself, especially since I have already cut myself off from human history...
Fujimaru 1:
Sion?
Sion:
Oh, sorry. I will leave my self-examination and strategizing to a different thought process and get to the main topic.
Sion:
You can see what sort of attack we are under for yourselves.
Sion:
Even after sounding the alarm and putting out a call,you two were the only ones to come here. And that can only mean one thing...
Sion:
We are now the only ones left in the entire Chaldea Base!
--ARROW--
Sion:
The Spirit Origin graph is still working,but we cannot summon a single Servant.
Sion:
And there is not a single member of Chaldea's staff anywhere in the base, let alone the Command Room.
Sion:
Even my Servant, Captain, is gone. We are the only ones left.
Sion:
Whether this is due to external interference or internal sabotage, there is clearly ill intent at work.
Fujimaru 1:
Everyone's...gone...?
Fujimaru 2:
How did this happen!?
Sion:
I still need to investigate more thoroughly before I can say exactly what happened, but it is already clear what the culprit used to accomplish this.
Sion:
It was Rayshifting. They used Rayshifting to induce forced Spiritron summoning.
Sion:
To put it in layman's terms, my Coffin was used as a catalyst with which to forcefully Rayshift everyone away.
Mash:
What!? I-is that even possible!?
Sion:
I am sure it would be with Chaldeas,but this is Novum Chaldea.
Sion:
There is no phase navigational system that advanced here.
Sion:
So it would be impossible to reverse-summon by hijacking our system.
Sion:
Usually, I would be ninety-nine percent sure about that conclusion...
Sion:
But...I do have a theory or two on how it could possibly happen...
Sion:
However, they are so absurd that I decided to shelve them for now. Next time, I will not be so quick to criticize how Holmes handles situations like this.
Sion:
I mean...if this were a locked room murder mystery, it would be as if the killer was the greatest pitcher in the entire universe, and they killed the victim by throwing a ball through an air vent.
Sion:
That is how unlikely the circumstances would need to be for that to happen. Though that said, I suppose if the universe's greatest pitcher were actually here, then it would technically be possible...
Sion:
...Sorry, getting sidetracked. Back on point, we are the only ones capable of fighting back against this attack.
Sion:
Fujimaru, Mash, and myself, Sion Eltnam Sokaris.
Mash:
...Who could the attacker be? And why in the world would they do this?
Sion:
I cannot say anything about that just yet.
Sion:
That said, I do not think one of the Crypters is behind this, since they have no reason to leave their Lostbelts.
Sion:
I also still have a faint connection to my own Servant, Captain.
Sion:
So the fact that he has yet to take any action must mean that he is trapped.
Sion:
And I would guess that all of Chaldea's staff and Servants are as well.
Fujimaru 1:
Are they okay!?
Mash:
That's what I want to know, too. Not everyone on Chaldea's staff is a mage.
Mash:
If...if they really were Rayshifted, then–
Sion:
I see. You are worried they may be unable to withstand the Rayshift, and disappear upon reaching their destination.
Sion:
I cannot deny that such a worst-case scenario is possible...
Sion:
...but in this case, I do not think you need to worry, as their Rayshift destination does not appear to belong to standard history.
Sion:
That is, they are moving through space more than time, so my Coffin will have no trouble verifying their existence.
Sion:
Of course, I cannot guarantee their safety if they should encounter some sort of violence at their destination...
Sion:
...but if all the culprit wished to do was hurt them, they would not need to go to the trouble of Rayshifting them.
Sion:
So, thinking logically, I suspect the culprit's goal was to summon and capture them, not kill them.
Sion:
If I were the culprit, I would have frozen them the moment they were summoned and kept them packaged as Spiritrons.
Sion:
I have to do that for the people with low Rayshift aptitude anyway, and it would also stop the Servants from fighting back.
Sion:
Since they are already being converted during the Rayshift process, that would definitely be the most efficient way to capture them.
Mash:
Then...there's still a chance we can save them?
Fujimaru 1:
Since they Rayshifted...does that mean you know where they went?
Sion:
Of course! That is the most important part, after all!
Sion:
When I got to the Command Room, all of the Rayshift equipment was already set to fixed parameters.
Sion:
To put it another way, they are all pointing towards a very specific set of coordinates.
Sion:
And since everyone was reverse-summoned away, this almost certainly means that someone or something is at those coordinates.
Sion:
Though of course, I cannot say if the culprit just forgot to cover their tracks, there was nothing they could do to hide them, or they left them here on purpose to lure us in.
Mash:
Where are these coordinates, exactly? Does this mean...they point to a Singularity from the past?
Sion:
Hmm, that is really the key problem. Remember what I said earlier about this destination not belonging to standard history?
Sion:
It is technically a Singularity, but it is also quite different from the Singularities we have seen so far.
Sion:
Its influence is spreading...or perhaps I should say, stretching.
Sion:
Usually, the bizarre phenomena that take place in Singularities are confined to that Singularity...
Sion:
...but this Singularity is trying to interfere with Proper Human History while remaining a Singularity.
Sion:
In that sense, it may be closer to a Lostbelt.
Sion:
If we think of human history as one long scroll, Singularities are like stains that weaken the scroll by contaminating the history around them.
Sion:
Whereas Lostbelts are like another scroll entirely that was discarded once it was clear it was no longer useful...
Sion:
It could be that this Singularity is some sort of hybrid...a Pseudo-Singularity similar to Shinjuku or Shimousa.
Sion:
I think the most appropriate name we could give it in these specific conditions is “Humanity Destruction Zone. ”
Fujimaru 1:
...So this is a Singularity unlike any other we've seen...
Fujimaru 2:
(If it's similar to Shinjuku...that would mean...)
Mash:
...Right. If this Singularity is the same as Shinjuku, that would mean it came about from–
Sion:
The central coordinates for this Singularity, which is currently stretching out like a line, point to mid-seventeenth century Japan, during the Edo period.
Sion:
The province of Shimousa you observed before is gone from history, so I expect this incident is completely unrelated.
Mash:
...Understood. Regardless, I think there's only one option left to us.
Mash:
Now that we know where everyone was taken, and the path to them is still open, we have to go there too.
Mash:
From there, we need to find whoever or whatever's behind this, defeat them, and rescue everyone.
Fujimaru 1:
Hang on, Holmes. Hang in there, Da Vinci...!
Fujimaru 2:
Director...Meunière...I hope you guys are okay!
Sion:
Yes, that is true. In the end, that is what it all comes down to.
Sion:
But, I am afraid I cannot let both of you go there.
Sion:
I want you to help me, Mash. I already have my hands full observing the Singularity.
Sion:
I need one more skilled operator who I can trust to observe and verify Fujimaru's existence.
Sion:
Someone who is capable of filling in for three Chaldea staff members on their own.
Mash:
I...
Mash:
B-but if I do that, there will be no one left to help Senpai in the Singularity!
Sion:
That is true. But this is a question of priorities.
Sion:
If this were a diving expedition, it would be a decision between going down to the depths with an escort but without a diving suit, or going down with a diving suit but no escort.
Sion:
It's not even a matter of which is safer. If we are unable to verify [♂ his /♀ her] existence, [♂ he /♀ she] will not be able to dive down into this other world at all.
Mash:
...But, still...going into a Singularity without even a single Servant is just...
Sion:
Yes, I do understand your concerns. But look at Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll admit, the idea of going there alone is terrifying...
Fujimaru 1:
But that's just as true for everyone else, too.
Sion:
Exactly. The fact is, this figurative boat we are in is on the verge of sinking, and we are all in it together.
Sion:
As our base was already attacked once, there is no telling when those of us staying here may be attacked again.
Sion:
So I am afraid our only option is for you to summon up your courage and look for either a weapon or a companion on site.
Sion:
Fortunately, this Singularity is in seventeenth-century Japan, which by all accounts was a civilized society, so you should be able to reason with the people there.
Sion:
As long as you can get past the first hurdle, I am sure you will be able to move things along rapidly!
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. What first hurdle?
Sion:
Oh come on, have you never seen a samurai movie? I mean when they draw their swords if they feel someone has behaved improperly towards them.
Sion:
I think they call it “burei-uchi”? Gosh, imagine a society where you cannot even speak to anyone above your class for fear of being beheaded! That would be terrifying!
Fujimaru 1:
That doesn't sound reasonable at all!!!
D：???:
Burei-uchi...I've never heard of that before. I see. So that is the situation we are in.
D：???:
If this Singularity is that dangerous,I will have to summon up my courage as well.
D：???:
For it seems I am the only Servant in all of Chaldea who managed to evade capture.
Mash:
Y-you're...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes. Sessyoin Kiara, a Servant. I came as soon as I heard the commotion.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, you are going to Japan? Then I will come with you. When do we leave?
Fujimaru 1:
Sessyoin...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes, it is I. Your faithful Servant, Sessyoin Kiara.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Never did I expect to receive so much attention from you, especially in front of other people like this. Thank you, Master.
Fujimaru 2:
You're...Uh...Who are you again?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my...You mean you forgot about me? But then, of course you did...
Sessyoin Kiara:
I've accomplished so little, and made almost no impression compared to all those other, glorious Heroic Spirits...
Sessyoin Kiara:
It is no wonder you don't remember me...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Yes, this works out beautifully. Please, do not concern yourselves about my origins, all right?
Sion:
Whoa! Looking at this magical energy flow,that is definitely one of Fujimaru's Servants!
Sion:
Let me see...Class: Alter Ego...A special kind of Heroic Spirit who does not fall under the standard categories...
Sion:
So you are a non-regulation Servant! This is right in line with my calculations! Yes!
Sion:
Since even I was not able to see you,the enemy must have overlooked you entirely!
Sion:
At any rate, this works out perfectly. Now we have a trustworthy bodyguard to go along with Fujimaru!
Mash:
Oh, I'm so relieved! Thank you, Kiara!
Mash:
...I'm, um, so sorry I wasn't aware of you up until now...
Mash:
But you're obviously gentle, clean, and coolheaded,and you even seem to be familiar with Japan.
Mash:
I couldn't have asked for anyone better right now! When did you summon her, Senpai? I can't seem to remember.
Fujimaru 1:
(...Come to think of it, when DID I summon her? )
Fujimaru 2:
(...Huh, I can't seem to remember the first time I met her very well...)
Mash:
Um...You are sure we can trust her, right?
Fujimaru 1:
Of course. Though I couldn't tell you why!
Fujimaru 2:
I don't know about trust, but she's definitely dependable.
Mash:
I see. So she's another Anti-Hero, like Shuten-Douji!
Mash:
She doesn't quite seem to fit that mold...but never mind that. Thank you for doing this, Kiara!
Mash:
I know that between keeping Master safe,and rescuing all the others...
Mash:
...this is a lot to ask of you, but...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee, you're so polite, Lady Mash. That heartfelt consideration of yours is all the reward I need.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Please, you needn't worry. As I said, I will be happy to accompany Master.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Usually, a Servant like myself would have no part to play in any mission and would never even be called upon.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So if you have called upon me now,the circumstances must be dire indeed.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I, Sessyoin Kiara, swear to swallow any hard feelings I may have and do everything I can to help.
Sion:
If the Extra-class Servants escaped the enemy's notice, maybe we still have hope of finding a couple more.
Sion:
Ideally, I would like to send Fujimaru in with Four Heavenly Kings, or at least Three Musketeers...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Alas, it seems I was the only one to elude the hand of temptation.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I am somewhat...different from the other Extra Servants, thanks to my Inde...something skill.
Sion:
Do you mean Independent Action? There must be a very powerful story behind you.
Sion:
I would be very interested to hear more about it,but right now...Aha! I found someone!
Mash:
You mean, there's another Servant besides Kiara?
Sion:
Yes! I managed to track down one more! Excellent work, me!
Sion:
However, this Servant is not here in the Wandering Sea.
Sion:
The signal I found belongs to the very last Servant that was reverse-summoned out of here.
Sion:
They appear to have stopped right before the end of their Rayshift. Perhaps they are doing their best to fight back.
Sion:
If you go after them now, you may still be able to rendezvous with them!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, so they're doing their best to stay strong. How reassuring.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But any Heroic Spirit is completely defenseless right after a Rayshift, no matter how strong they are.
Sessyoin Kiara:
They could easily be gobbled up from behind before they can adapt to the Singularity...Oh yes, I understand.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I also understand why you would be reluctant to act under the circumstances, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru, but I think now is the time to do so.
Sessyoin Kiara:
We should Rayshift out of here and go help this last Servant as soon as possible.
Sion:
I agree with Ms. Kiara. If we do not help them now, this Servant will most likely end up trapped, just like all the others.
Sion:
You need to make contact with them first and re-establish your contract's connection.
Sion:
I am sorry I cannot give you more time to prepare before you leave, Fujimaru, but–
Fujimaru 1:
That's okay! I'm ready!
Mash:
I'm reminded of another saying: “Make hay while the sun shines. ”
Mash:
If we know what it is we have to do, and we risk losing something important if we don't act soon...then maybe we should just ignore any doubts we have and move full speed ahead.
Mash:
Either way, my job is to make sure you have all the support you need.
Mash:
So, please, Master and Kiara...We're counting on you to save everyone!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Understood. Not to worry, I will take care of this.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Whatever I can do to help, however small, I will see this through to the end, even should it cost me my life...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Still...To think that our reunion after so long a time would involve a journey to such a faraway land...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Just imagine...The two of us, all alone, on a dangerous expedition with me in this fleeting form that could be turned to dust at any moment...
Sessyoin Kiara:
I can see I will need to be ever so careful.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Otherwise, I might get so nervous that I inadvertently reveal a rather...unseemly side of myself...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee...Teeheeheehee...
Sion:
...Final safety checks, complete. All systems are go.
Sion:
The Rayshift coordinates are set to 35°41'N,139°45'E– mid-seventeenth-century Japan.
Sion:
Since you seem to have some familiarity with the country, you probably already know this, but this will put you in the town of Edo from about four hundred years ago...the city everyone today knows as Tokyo.
Sion:
One of your two primary goals for this Rayshift involves the location itself.
Sion:
This is not an ordinary Singularity. It is a massive Humanity Destruction Zone that appears to even be affecting the axis of time itself.
Sion:
If we do not do something about it now, it is certain to become a huge problem. So one of your primary goals is to take care of the zone itself.
Mash:
Most of the Singularities we've seen to date...
Mash:
...were caused by a massive magical energy resource, typically a Holy Grail.
Mash:
So if you find something like that here too,you may need to take it into custody.
Fujimaru 1:
No problem. Been there, done that, got the Mystic Code.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, but what about, you know, the other problem?
Sion:
True, I guess I do not have to tell you that that particular goal is just the official party line, at least in one sense.
Sion:
I mostly just said it to cover our bases, like an alibi! Just keep it in mind so you do not forget it entirely.
Sion:
The other goal is, of course, much more important, and much more urgent:
Sion:
Rescuing all of the Chaldea personnel and Servants currently trapped there.
Mash:
...
Sion:
We still have another huge problem we need to take care of. Namely, resolving the bleached Earth phenomenon.
Sion:
This order may be much smaller in comparison,but it is an important step nonetheless.
Sion:
This enemy has launched a direct attack on Chaldea. There is only one thing for us to do in response.
Sion:
Counterattack, counterattack,and counterattack some more!
Sion:
By doing so, we will fortify our position for the upcoming Grand Order.
Sion:
So I hope you understand that this Rayshift is a crucial trial for all of us at Novum Chaldea!
Fujimaru 1:
Roger that!
Fujimaru 2:
I promise to come back with everyone safe and sound!
Sion:
Good! Then as this Rayshift's supervisor, I hereby declare that this emergency directive–this Counter Order, is underway!
Mash:
Master...Please be careful over there!
P. A. System
Starting Unsummon Program. Commencing Spiritron Conversion.
P. A. System
Rayshift begins in 3...2...1...
P. A. System
All systems are go.
P. A. System
Proving Urgent Order. Initiating Counter Order operations.
--ARROW--
Narration:
I felt as though something. . or someone...was calling me.
I am not just one thing now.
All sorts of things are layered on top of each other to form me...though I also feel as though it has been that way for a very long time.
I am a goddess. I am the wife of the supreme god, Maheśvara. I am a Servant. I am the avatar of mankind. I am called upon by humans. I am one who aids the effort to protect the world.
And now, I am being called away. . heading there as I speak.
Though I'm sure I am being called away, I also know that I'm heading there of my own volition.
I have to. I must. The impulses within my Divine Core demand it.
I brush off the arm rudely trying to take hold of me, but I don't run away from it. Instead, I follow it to its source.
I step out of a passageway made by humans,with human craftsmanship.
I head towards a place that is not now. A time that is not here.
I know something is waiting for me; something I can't ignore. And now, I arrive at a land of humanity, twisted beyond all recognition...
...I saw it the moment I arrived.
The light of a soul, so faint it seemed as though it might go out at any moment.
It was so small. So weak. But...it was still glowing.
Even if it was fated to vanish in an instant,it was still there. I saw it.
It looked to me like it was struggling desperately against something...like it was waiting for help.
(...)
I'm sure this isn't the reason I came here.
It was only by coincidence that I happened to find this tiny remnant of a human soul.
But, that's exactly why...I had to help it somehow.
After all, if I came across a person in trouble,I wouldn't need a reason to help them.
Every decent person would hope to do the same(even if they rarely do in practice)...
So as a kind and loving goddess, how could I refuse...
--SECTION BREAK--
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. It looks like we've arrived successfully,[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru!
Sessyoin Kiara:
So that was a Rayshift...How novel. It's quite a different Mystic, and even experience, than entering someone's mind. Tehehe...
Fujimaru 1:
What is this place...?
Mash:
Usually, we would try to set the Rayshift coordinates to give you some time to take stock of your surroundings, but we simply didn't have the time.
Mash:
So instead, we went with a location as close as possible to the target reading.
Mash:
As a result, it looks like you've ended up inside Edo Castle–the heart of Edo's governing authority.
Mash:
You've essentially directly invaded the most heavily secured base of the entire country.
Mash:
There's no telling who or what might be nearby,or what could happen, even from our end.
Mash:
Master, Kiara, please be as careful as possible!
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Yes, that's true. At this point in history, Edo Castle was so tightly guarded that not even a fly could get through unnoticed.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If a thief or spy did manage to sneak in, the guards would surround them ten, perhaps even twenty to one...or at least, I thought they would.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But instead, it's eerily quiet here. Why, it's almost as if–
Sion:
You can take stock of your surroundings later! You are almost on top of the Servant reading we were targeting!
Sion:
Please rendezvous with them first. Once they've joined you, you can start gathering information!
Fujimaru 1:
Roger that!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's go, Kiara!
Sessyoin Kiara:
...All right. I'm very disappointed,but I guess it just wasn't meant to be today.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Ahh...And I was so looking forward to being pinned down by guards.
Mash:
I see them! Over there!
Sion:
Oho, so that is Shiva's wife, Pārvatī...or rather,a Pseudo-Servant of her!
Sion:
Perhaps she was able to hold out better by virtue of being a Divine Spirit. Or maybe there is another reason why she was the only one to evade capture...
Sion:
At any rate, she did great holding out against the enemy's reverse-summoning!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh yes, she must be wonderfully strong-willed! We had better help her before this enemy or whoever can steal her away!
Fujimaru 1:
Hey Par, it's me, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 2:
That kimono really suits you, Par.
F：Pārvatī? :
...No.
Mash:
Huh?
F：Pārvatī? :
I said, no.
F：Pārvatī? :
I am not the Indian goddess Pārvatī.
Fujimaru 1:
Th-then, who are you?
Fujimaru 2:
Oh no...Par's on the fritz!
F：Pārvatī? :
Hey! I don't know what that means, but I can still tell you're treating me like some sort of lunatic!
F：Pārvatī? :
Still...I suppose that's understandable,since I have yet to tell you my name.
F：Pārvatī? :
Very well then, I still don't know who you are,but I will tell you who I am!
F：Pārvatī? :
I am the one who oversees Ooku here in Edo Castle. Once, I also served as Third Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu's wet nurse.
F：Pārvatī? :
My surname is Saito, my given name, Fuku. Now, I go by the name bestowed upon me by the Imperial Court...Kasuga-no-Tsubone!
Fujimaru 1:
Say whaaaaaat!?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my. Oh my, oh my. Kasuga-no-Tsubone is one of the most famous women in Japanese history.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Although, given how great your surprise is, Master...I'm guessing she doesn't look quite how you expected?
Mash:
I-it's not that. Apart from her outfit...
Mash:
...that's definitely the Pārvatī we know. What in the world is going on here...?
Pārvatī:
I'm afraid it's kind of complicated.
Pārvatī:
Oh, to be clear, I am the goddess Pārvatī you know. Shiva's wife, goddess of elegance and grace...all of that.
Pārvatī:
For a while, I was a little worried how this would all turn out, but I feel much better now that you're here,Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. What? Huh!?
Sion:
Hmm? What could these readings mean...Is there someone else there inside of your Spirit Origin...?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. So you are acquaintances of Lady Par. Please forgive my earlier outburst.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm afraid I still don't understand what's going on very well myself, but I'll do my best to explain what I can.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It's only proper, after all.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ahem. This is, of course, not my own body. I had fallen ill, and was waiting for death to take me...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
In fact, I think it was after the final thread joining me to this life had snapped that Lady Par rescued me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
At that moment, I noticed something strange was happening to Edo Castle, and had a flash of insight.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It must have been the heavens themselves, or perhaps Lord Toushou Daigongen, who delivered this Indian goddess to me in my hour of need.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
They must want me to use this goddess's body and powers to do something about this predicament!
Pārvatī:
Um, as I said earlier, I don't think that's what's going on here...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course it is! It must be! I'm at least reasonably sure!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How else could something this preposterous, this absurd, this ridiculously far-fetched, even happen!?
Mash:
I-if her voice is anything to go by,she has a lot more energy than I expected...
Mash:
But, um, never mind that. What is this predicament happening at Edo Castle right now...?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I am neither a warrior nor do I practice any kind of sorcery. I was only given my current title thanks to the little skill I have with the naginata.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The significance of this could not be clearer!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The predicament I speak of has befallen Edo Castle's innermost chambers, where no man but the shogun himself is allowed to enter.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I speak, of course, of the place where the shogun's wife and concubines live...the Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I don't know how or why, but everyone in Edo Castle has completely disappeared, and in their place...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...the Ooku has transformed into a labyrinth that appears to reach deep into the bowels of the Earth!
Act One: Tokugawa's Invitation
Sessyoin Kiara:
Now I see. So you are Lady Pārvatī...I'm used to hearing your Buddhist name, Umahi, so I didn't recognize you at first.
Sessyoin Kiara:
This is also my first time meeting a being from the Mandala, so I must confess that I am a little nervous...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Still, right now, we are both Servants contracted to [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru.
Sessyoin Kiara:
In that spirit, I will do my best to contain my excitement so we may work together harmoniously.
Pārvatī:
Oh, I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Me? Oh, I am just a humble nun, and wholly unworthy to introduce myself to the great Lady Kasuga and Lady Umahi. But if you insist...
Sessyoin Kiara:
My name is Sessyoin Kiara. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Pārvatī:
Hmm. I feel like there is something inside you that is entirely separate from anything related to faith...
Pārvatī:
Something that, depending on the situation,I might need to deal with quickly and decisively...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, something inside me?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Please don't look in there...It's far too embarrassing.
Pārvatī:
...Still, it should be okay for now.
Pārvatī:
I have this sense that there's a dam within you, and it could break at any moment, but that you also wouldn't be here otherwise. Admittedly I'm not entirely sure what that means.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...Yes, I suppose it only makes sense that a goddess would pick up on my connection to this Singularity...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...But, that's likely as far as her awareness goes. Even I still don't have the whole picture myself. There's no way she could figure this out before me. )
Pārvatī:
There is definitely something about you that nags at me, but we have more pressing things to focus on right now.
Pārvatī:
Yes...I can sense that there is something here.
Pārvatī:
And whatever it is,it's something only I can confront...
Sion:
Thank you for waiting! Our equipment is all adjusted and fine-tuned now!
Sion:
This is a rare and valuable situation, so I wanted to make sure all the data we collect is accurate.
Sion:
Part of me would like nothing better than to find out if you evaded capture thanks to being a Divine Spirit Servant, or if it was a confluence of circumstances owing to your avatar and the particular place to which you were summoned...
Sion:
...but for now, we should limit our focus to gathering as much information about the current situation as we can.
Sion:
The more testimony we have from more varied perspectives, the better, after all. So please, tell us what happened from your perspective.
Sion:
Hmm. So you came across Tsubone's soul while you were being drawn here, and decided to help her on a whim.
Pārvatī:
That's right. I realized that sharing my Spirit Origin with her was the only thing I could do to save her.
Pārvatī:
I knew it was only a stopgap,but I just couldn't look the other way.
Pārvatī:
But thanks to that, my own definition became less clear, and I think that's why I was able to escape the enemy's forced summoning.
Pārvatī:
So it all worked out in the end. I don't even feel any kind of force pulling on me anymore.
Pārvatī:
Though I do still smell something foul at work here...
Pārvatī:
And I think it's coming from over there. That place Kasuga-no-Tsubone called “Ooku. ”
Pārvatī:
As far as I can tell, whatever's going on here is just as she described.
Mash:
So, all the people at Edo Castle disappeared,just like the ones at Chaldea Base...
Mash:
...and now, the Ooku has turned into a labyrinth...?
Sion:
Coincidence...? Definitely not! This is all clearly connected!
Fujimaru 1:
It is?
Sessyoin Kiara:
I don't know. I'm afraid this is all beyond me.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Right now, I can't see how the attack on the Wandering Sea, meeting up with Lady Umahi, and the Ooku turning into a labyrinth might be connected...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but I also can't help but feel as though someone has planned all this out with an endgame in mind.
Sessyoin Kiara:
At least, that's what my instincts are telling me♡
Fujimaru 2:
Definitely.
Sion:
At this point, it could not be clearer that the attack on the Wandering Sea and this strange phenomena at Edo Castle are the work of a hostile force.
Sion:
That aside, I am still not quite sure what you mean when you say that the Ooku has turned into a labyrinth.
Sion:
Did you see it for yourself, Tsubone?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, sort of. I was just thinking “Oh crap, I'm really dead now” and ascending to nirvana when I think I caught a glimpse of it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Then, just as I had realized that something strange was going on with my Ooku, and was feeling thoroughly pissed off about it...that was when Lady Par saved me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So, no, I didn't exactly get a good look at it...but I'm positive there's something strange going on there!
Fujimaru 1:
Then let's go take a look right now.
Fujimaru 2:
We'll never get any evidence just standing around here.
Sion:
You do have a point, but I think it is still too soon to go to this Ooku place.
Sion:
Before you try to make your way through this labyrinth, you should make sure that your current surroundings are safe, and that you have ample supplies.
Sion:
Now that you have accomplished your time-sensitive mission to secure the last reverse-summoned Servant, there is no reason to rush.
Mash:
Not to mention we still don't know where everyone else is yet...
Pārvatī:
Right. I'm also worried about what may have happened to Chaldea's staff and Servants.
Pārvatī:
I would have rescued them too if I had happened to see anyone, like I did with Tsubone, but unfortunately, I didn't.
G：Mysterious Voice:
Wahahahaha! Waaaaaahahahaha!
G：Mysterious Voice:
Pitiful, just pitiful! Exactly the sort of cowardly move I would expect from plebs! What a joke!
Fujimaru 1:
I-is that...!?
Mash:
Director Goredolf!? P-please, Director, get a hold of yourself! New Year's is over now!
Sion:
...I see. So he finally cracked under the pressure...
G：Goredolf:
Hmph. Don't mistake my gentle tone for genuine friendliness! I'm only showing you mercy, as anyone as noble as me would.
G：Goredolf:
I do not recall giving you permission to speak! Now lower your heads in my presence!
Fujimaru 1:
D-director...?
Fujimaru 2:
(What...What is going on...? )
G：Goredolf:
You there, [♂ boy /♀ girl]! How dare you speak to me so casually!
G：Goredolf:
I don't even know who any of you are!
G：Goredolf:
Just so you know, commoners like you would usually be lucky to get so much as a glimpse of a noble warrior like myself in your entire lives!
G：Goredolf:
So know your place, and show me the respect I'm due!
Mash:
You don't know who we are...? D-does that mean you aren't Director Goredolf Musik!?
G：Goredolf:
Musik? Who might that be? Whoever he is, his name certainly has a powerful ring to it.
G：Goredolf:
But all right, you listen to me. I am Tokugawa Goredolf, the great shogun!
Fujimaru 1:
(Speechless)
Fujimaru 2:
(Look at everyone else's reactions)
Mash:
...!?
Sion:
...!
Pārvatī:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my...?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Gof gof gof. I see you're so shocked you're at a loss for words.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
And well you should be. Usually, it would be utterly unthinkable for commoners like yourselves to so much as see the shogun, let alone converse with him.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Well, I have heard that later shogun would sometimes dress up like a commoner and go mingle among them for a lark, but never mind that.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
At times, it is the mark of a true shogun to demonstrate his generosity, regardless of how unspeakably rude or undeserving the recipients may be.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Now that you are my guests, I will treat you with the hospitality you deserve. You have my word as the Tokugawa–no, as the lord of the Ooku, paradise on earth.
Sion:
...!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Usually, the Ooku would be firmly off limits to all men but the shogun, but today, I am willing to open its doors to worthy guests.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I'm talking about an honest to goodness paradise on earth here. What's there to think about? Don't bother getting ready; just come as you are!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Trust me, you'll find all manner of happiness inside the Ooku. And it's fun, too! Muuuhahahaha!
Fujimaru 1:
What was that all about...?
Sion:
I just ran an analysis on his biological signatures, focusing primarily on his voiceprint...
Sion:
...and I can say with almost one-hundred percent certainty that that was Goredolf Musik.
Sion:
Of course, Mr. Goredolf is human, so I doubt he is sharing his body with someone else, like Pārvatī.
Sion:
Which can only mean that he has been brainwashed.
Fujimaru 1:
I thought he was one of those really distinguished mages?
Fujimaru 2:
But, isn't he supposed to be a pretty elite mage?
Sion:
The quality of his magical circuits aside, that depends on how the Clock Tower evaluates a mage's talents.
Sion:
Not to mention the Clock Tower seems to take political power into consideration much more than we do at the Atlas Institute.
Sion:
At any rate...Yes, at any rate, I am afraid my worst-case predictions were correct.
Sion:
I would guess that he was the first wedge.
Mash:
What do you mean?
Sion:
I mean the enemy must have used him to get a foothold for their attack on the Wandering Sea.
Sion:
It would be impossible for an outside enemy to hack our Rayshift equipment to conduct a mass reverse-summon while leaving everything else untouched.
Sion:
So I suspected they might have used a more physical approach for that part...
Sion:
...and it looks like they probably chose to do this by using Mr. Goredolf.
Sion:
They must have started by making contact with him and brainwashing him to their side.
Sion:
He could then use his director security clearance to disable all of the Command Room's protections...
Sion:
...after which, he was likely the first to be Rayshifted away.
Fujimaru 1:
...What a simple attack.
Fujimaru 2:
...What a stupidly efficient attack. Emphasis on “stupid. ”
Sion:
I know what you mean. No matter how advanced a company's security might be, it is all too easy to make off with its data as long as you can sway someone who works there to your side.
Sion:
After all, you do not even need to decrypt it if you can make off with the devices lock, stock, and barrel.
Sion:
Honestly, it pains me to think that such a crass,inelegant solution could work this well.
Sion:
At any rate, once the enemy had Mr. Goredolf under their control...
Sion:
...they must have used his connections to all the other staff and Servants to reverse-summon them here willy-nilly.
Sion:
...It must have taken an unbelievable amount of magical energy to do that. Much more than even a Holy Grail could provide.
Sion:
The enemy would need something with an infinite...No, an inexhaustible resource for generating magical energy...
Sion:
But never mind what happened in the past. Right now,we need to focus on the problems facing us now.
Sion:
His outfit may have looked ridiculous,but this is no laughing matter...
Sion:
No, if anything, it is even more serious than I thought.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh yes. If nothing else, we now know that the director is there in the Ooku.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee...Tokugawa Goredolf, was it? We absolutely must save people like him.
Mash:
He might not be the only one trapped in the Ooku. Maybe the others are there too...
Fujimaru 1:
Then I guess going there ourselves really is our only option...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Unbelievable! Who does that Goredolf person think he is, calling himself a Tokugawa! This is a travesty!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How could he even ride his horse or put on his armor with all that excess weight!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There is something I didn't tell you earlier, for if word of this got out, it would be an unprecedented crisis for the shogunate, and by extension, all of Japan.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Everyone in Edo Castle has vanished,including Iemitsu, the current shogun.
Mash:
...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
He must be within the Ooku as well. I must rescue him, no matter what.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please! Will you help me!?
Pārvatī:
I second her request. Please help her.
Pārvatī:
I may not be at my full strength, but I can still come out like this to help you in battle if things should come to that.
Pārvatī:
And Kasuga-no-Tsubone seems like she knows a lot about the Ooku. I'm sure her knowledge will be helpful.
Pārvatī:
Of course we have to rescue Goredolf and all the others...but even putting them aside, I think I need to go there.
Pārvatī:
Something tells me I need to confront whomever or whatever's behind all this, and that I'll find them in the Ooku.
Sion:
...I cannot recommend charging into enemy territory before we have had a chance to create a campsite of our own...
Sion:
But, you do have Pārvatī to help you in battle,and Kasuga-no-Tsubone to guide you around the Ooku.
Sion:
So, after discussing it among my different thought processes, we have come to the consensus that it should be okay for you to go in there under these conditions.
Sion:
So! “Make hay while the sun shines,” was it? Well, if we are going to do this, then let us do it!
Sion:
Your next objective is to infiltrate the Ooku, investigate what is happening there, and rescue everyone who is trapped!
Mash:
There's no telling what could happen in there,so please be extra careful!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, don't worry. I practically built the Ooku myself, you know.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It might be a little more labyrinthine now, but I still know it like the back of my hand! Probably!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides, now I have a goddess of India and her trusty companions here to help me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Whatever sort of nasty person might have taken over the Ooku, I'm sure we can handle them just fine! Ah ha ha!
--BATTLE--
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What the...? What's with this Osuzurouka? I never had anything nearly this creepy in my Ooku!
Mash:
...!?
Sessyoin Kiara:
There certainly is a strange aroma here. What is this place, exactly?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is the Osuzurouka, the Bell Corridor. It's the only way to get from the Nakaoku, where the shogun resides, to the Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Ooku itself has several other entrances...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...so this corridor is usually reserved solely for the shogun's use.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But since it looks like this is the only way into the new labyrinthine Ooku, I'm afraid we have no choice but to make use of it ourselves.
Sion:
If you were to enter the Ooku from one of the servant entrances–or even if you were to get a bird's eye view of the place...
Sion:
...I am sure it would look like a perfectly ordinary building.
Sion:
But, when you go there from the passage reserved just for the shogun, it leads to a mysterious labyrinth.
Sion:
That appears to be the situation we are dealing with right now.
Sion:
...That space is clearly warped. It is an unknown and secluded spatial structure made by magecraft.
Sion:
To be honest, it may even surpass the Atlas Institute's engineering. Though I really should not compare them, since this technology and ours could not possibly be more different.
Sion:
Whatever is happening here is like nothing I have ever seen...How strange...This sort of thing would usually be right up my alley.
Sion:
But for some reason, I just cannot get excited about this at all.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Indeed. I have no idea how or why this happened.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm also pretty sure we never had this much Indian decor before.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ugh, this is all wrong for Tokugawa interior design! If the decorator were here, I'd ask them to redo the whole thing!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Anyway, that is the Ojouguchi;the door that actually leads to the Ooku. But...
Sessyoin Kiara:
It would seem that someone is there.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Grrr, who in the world are they!? Are they supposed to be the attendants guarding the Ojouguchi?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Just look at them! I would never, ever hire anyone like that! The Ooku's attendants must be proper ladies from noble families!
Sessyoin Kiara:
You have every right to be angry. Those...things are clearly not living creatures.
Sessyoin Kiara:
They may look alluring, but they are nothing more than automata or homunculi...Puppets, really.
Mash:
There seems to be something different about them compared to normal automatons, though...
Mash:
They seem vaguely Indian, just like this corridor. Why is that?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Ojouguchi does need someone to stand guard at all hours of the day and night, so maybe our enemy thought that marionettes who don't need to sleep would be right for the job.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What a ridiculous idea.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
At any rate, that is definitely the door to the Ooku, so we can't afford to stop now.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You there! The attendant with four arms!
Attendant:
...? WELCOME. THANK YOU. FOR COMING. PLEASE. ENJOY. YOUR–
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It can talk!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
W-well aren't you just full of surprises.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But I am Kasuga-no-Tsubone! I spent my life watching over the Ooku!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It will take more than a little song and dance to scare me off now, you bizarre marionette!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now step aside, or I will strike you down where you stand! Hyaaah!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Oh, whoops. It seems this is your lucky day,you monster. I don't have my naginata on me now!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Sorry for the trouble, Lady Par,but would you mind taking over from here?
Pārvatī:
Wait. Huh!? You can't just spring these things on me like this!
--BATTLE--
Sessyoin Kiara:
...(Sigh) They looked so suspicious, and we were about to fight them anyway, so I didn't hesitate to exorcise them, but–
Pārvatī:
They never actually attacked us, did they? Now I feel kind of bad.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
They must have been too scared to fight back after seeing your divine glory, goddess! Oh, and, uh, I guess your...faith? ...scared them off too, Lady Sessyoin.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Anyway, now there's no one left to get in our way. Come on, let's go!
Mash:
Master, I suspect you're going to find an even stranger world past that passageway than what you're seeing now.
Mash:
It could be ruled by structures, laws, and theories that are completely different from the ones outside the Ooku.
Sion:
Basically, there is no telling what might happen! Oh yes, this is what a good dungeon crawl should be like!
Sion:
Oh, sorry, I slipped into spectator mode by mistake. I should take a page from Holmes' book when it comes to keeping my cool.
Sion:
Anyway, be extra careful in there, everyone. This is where the expedition really begins!
Act Two: The Audience, Part One
Fujimaru 1:
This is the place...!?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, the door just locked itself behind us.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Looks like they have no intention of letting us leave. Fine by me! Let's keep on moving then!
Fujimaru 1:
This may be moot at this point, but is it really okay for me to be here?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please don't call attention to that. I'm trying my hardest not to think about it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course [♂ it's against the rules for men /♀ there are strict rules about who gets]to enter the Ooku, but those are bound to change with the times.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides, there are clearly more important things to worry about right now.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
In fact, now that I really think about it...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This hallway is just like the Osuzurouka we were just in! The sliding doors, the walls, the ceiling, the flooring, the decorative transom...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
None of it is like the Ooku I know! Not one bit!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And if this isn't the real Ooku, which it clearly isn't, then I don't have to worry about the rules! In fact, I'll be damned if I do!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So there we go!
Sessyoin Kiara:
So this is the Ooku...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Of course, being a woman of the cloth as I am, I have never seen such a place before, let alone entered one...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but I never expected such lurid lighting and...intimate quarters...Oh, I can practically feel the dark passion here crowding out the very air itself...
Sessyoin Kiara:
In fact, I can't help but notice something sweet roiling about in these walls, so thick it all but chokes me...
Sessyoin Kiara:
But, I suppose that is hardly a surprise.
Sessyoin Kiara:
The Ooku is a cloistered palace where the press of warm bodies and passion can be felt at all hours...is it not?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, no, no. Don't worry. I am not here to condemn such things. It is, after all, necessary for the survival of the species...
Sessyoin Kiara:
To be alive is to be slave to the desires of the flesh, you know...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Uh, no, this isn't normal at all! I'm afraid you have some very, very big misconceptions about the Ooku, Lady Sessyoin!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The real Ooku is nothing like this dim subterranean labyrinth.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, it's broad and complex, but it was also clean and spacious and perfectly pleasant. It even had a garden!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides, the Ooku is reserved solely for the shogun's wife and concubines.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Its purpose is to ensure a safe place in which to produce an heir to the Tokugawa family! That is why it exists!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If you think the shogun simply goes about laying his hands on any woman in the place who happens to catch his eye, like the harems you may have heard about in other countries...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...you could not be further from the truth, and I'll thank you to not spread your groundless impressions further!
Pārvatī:
(R-really? That's exactly what I thought it was like, too...! )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Not you too, Lady Par!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm...It seems I need to educate you all on exactly what the Ooku is, and what it stands for.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Fortunately, as the shogun's wet nurse, I am responsible for his education, so I have plenty of experience teaching all manner of things!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right, all of you, have a seat!
Mash:
I would also be interested to hear your lecture about the Ooku, Kasuga-no-Tsubone...but I think it'll have to wait.
Mash:
I'm picking up something ahead of you!
Sion:
This is not just something. It is a human! Just a simple, ordinary human signal!
???:
...(Cough). Of all the possible reasons that ran through my mind when I heard that commotion near the Ojouguchi, I never expected this.
???:
This is going to be quite the hassle...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Y-you're...Lord Matsudaira!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Matsudaira Izu-no-Kami Nobutsuna! What are you doing here!?
Sion:
Let me check the old database here...There. Matsudaira Izu-no-Kami Nobutsuna.
Sion:
One of the highest-ranked officials in General Iemitsu's shogunate, and one of the three key advisors supporting him...
Sion:
He was especially renowned for his vast intelligence, and was called “Wise Izu”...
Sion:
I guess he must have been around during this time as well.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Indeed, he is. Though I do get the sense that we haven't seen each other for a long time.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...A long time? I have never seen you before in my life, woman.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Fine then, what if I call you by your childhood name, Lord Choushirou?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even if I do look different now, I can't believe you would forget about the woman who raised you.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It's me, Fuku! Kasuga-no-Tsubone!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough) Hard as it is to believe, seeing your piercing eyes and the way you conduct yourself...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...it does seem that you could only be Lady Kasuga. Yet another strange occurrence...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If anything's strange around here, it's you. What are you doing here?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And why do I get the feeling you look much younger than you're supposed to!?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Heh. Let us just say that I have my lord to thank for my new youth. Now, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be bedridden.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Never mind me. Who is this lord you're serving?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If your answer is anything besides the shogun...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lord Iemitsu? ...Hehe. He is not dead, but he is no longer here, either. I could not serve him any more even if I wished to.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Thus, I now serve none but the lord of the new Ooku here in this new Edo Castle. Your services are no longer needed, Lady Kasuga.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You...You're one of Lord Iemitsu's most trusted advisors. How could you be so shameless as to turn your back on him!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know I raised you better than that!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
You speak nonsense, Lady Kasuga. How can I serve a lord who is no longer here?
Fujimaru 1:
So is Goredolf this new lord of yours?
Fujimaru 2:
Are you talking about Director Goredolf?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Heh. Hehehe. That Tokugawa? (C-cough, hack...)
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...At any rate, you must all be given a proper welcome. But that is a job for the attendants, not myself.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Somebody, come here!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So, there are more of those things!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Ooh, a proper welcome? Does this mean they're going to dance for us?
Pārvatī:
These look like they're going to be much more aggressive than those last guards! Please get back, Tsubone!
--BATTLE--
Pārvatī:
Phew. I'm glad that's over with.
Mash:
I can confirm there are no more hostiles nearby. But, I'm afraid–
Sessyoin Kiara:
It seems that man from before is gone as well.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Nobutsuna...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You were never the most sociable person, but I'm certain you cared for the shogun just as much as I did. You were his loyal retainer...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Why would you do this...
Sion:
At least we now know that whoever is behind this is working with people like that.
Sion:
As a high-ranking shogunate official second only to the shogun himself, he must know all about Edo Castle.
Mash:
And if he's working with whoever's behind this, maybe he knows where Director Goredolf and the others are, too.
Mash:
I hope we can get some information out of him the next time we see him...
Sion:
Either way, we will need to keep making our way through this labyrinth if we want answers.
Sion:
Fujimaru, this is where the real dungeon crawl begins.
Sion:
I know it looks impossible to navigate,but given that someone must have built it...
Sion:
...I would be very surprised if there were not some way to determine the correct route.
Sion:
It could just be some kind of idiosyncrasy on the part of its creator during the building process...or it could be something they did intentionally.
Sion:
Whichever it is, I want you to keep a close eye on your surroundings so you do not miss it!
Act Two: The Audience, Part Two
— Earlier —
Goredolf:
......
Goredolf:
...?
Goredolf:
Huh!? Wh-what the!? What is this place!?
Goredolf:
I-I could have sworn I was just alone in my room...
Goredolf:
...enjoying my weekly ham and sausage feast away from the others, to say nothing of that little animal's prying nose. What's going on?
Goredolf:
Am I sleepwalking? Is that what this is?
Goredolf:
Maybe I should have taken Da Vinci's advice and gone in for a regular checkup after all...
Goredolf:
A-at any rate, I'm the head of Chaldea! The mental support pillar holding up the entire organization by myself!
Goredolf:
I can't let my staff relax their focus now. Not when we're in the middle of a war.
Goredolf:
I need to head back to my (still under construction) director's office to make sure we all get out of this alive!
Goredolf:
All that aside, where am I, anyway? Is this the way out...?
Goredolf:
Whaaaaaa!?
Goredolf:
Who are you lot!? S-stay back! I said stay back, dammit!
Goredolf:
So that's how it's going to be, is it!? ...Very well, I have my scrolls and my Mystic Code. I can fight back handily!
Goredolf:
Take this! Perplexing Gof Punch!
Goredolf:
Bewildering Gof Punch! Intimidating Gof Punch!
Goredolf:
Hehe...Hahahaha...!
Goredolf:
Pitiful! They're all far too weak! Or perhaps I'm just too strong?
Goredolf:
All that aside, even I can't quite believe I took care of this many enemies so quickly...
Goredolf:
I suppose I must have grown more than I realized over the course of this journey.
Goredolf:
Heh. It seems I have awakened the beast within me...
Goredolf:
I may be a particularly late bloomer...So late that I almost didn't make it in time, but nonetheless...
Goredolf:
Oho, so there's still more of you, are there!? Don't you realize you're hopelessly outmatched!?
Goredolf:
I have no interest in kicking those who are down, especially when they're already a full lap behind, but if you mean to attack me, then you leave me no choice.
Goredolf:
I need to get back to the people eagerly awaiting my return! Now move aside, for I am become death, destroyer of...you!
Goredolf:
(Yes! I've always wanted to say something like that! )
Pārvatī:
Phew. Seeing all those puppets attack us without so much as blinking is kind of creepy, if not downright scary.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes, it was terrifying how many there were. Lucky for us, they weren't very strong...
Pārvatī:
I agree. I may have lost some of my power,but I can still handle these enemies just fine.
Pārvatī:
And since I have all of you helping too, I don't think we'll have any trouble making progress.
Fujimaru 1:
We could handle a thousand of them with our hands tied behind our back.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Master, may I ask a favor of you?
Fujimaru 1:
What's up?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Weak though these attendants may be, I think it would be better if we didn't destroy any more of them than necessary.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I ask this simply because all things–living or otherwise–have value in the Buddha's eyes.
Pārvatī:
So you think we should treat everything with respect, even if it lacks a soul? I can get behind that!
Pārvatī:
Okay, let's not get carried away and go around destroying any more of them than we have to.
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds good to me.
Fujimaru 2:
No more violence than strictly necessary. Got it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You have a kind heart, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru. I like that very much.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Everyone should be sympathetic to those who lack power, regardless of how high they may rank.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The fact that you can summon up that kind of sympathy even in circumstances as tense as these...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...speaks volumes for your inner strength of character. I see that you are not merely repeating what you've heard, but truly believe what you say.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, I'm very impressed. There's a good [♂ boy /♀ girl]. (Pat pat)
Mash:
Is she treating Master like...a child...?
Fujimaru 1:
Th-this is kind of embarrassing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, I'm sorry. Force of habit!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Long ago, I decided that whenever I praised a child, I would do so with all my strength, and that I would pat their head whenever I did so!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And now, it's a habit that's very hard to break. I'm truly sorry if I made you uncomfortable.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh no, I didn't mind at all.
Fujimaru 2:
Don't worry, it was kind of refreshing.
Sessyoin Kiara:
At any rate...thank you all for indulging such a selfish request.
Mash:
You really believe in mercy, don't you? I guess you really are as gentle as you look, Kiara.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...No, it's not that. I simply seek salvation, in accordance with my faith.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Yes...After all, I feel nothing at all when we destroy these dolls...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Not to mention that these attendants were clearly designed by someone for a specific purpose. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(I cannot let Master down in the face of such an insidious trap. Whatever the one who planned all of this is plotting, we mustn't make it easy for them...)
Act Two: The Audience, Part Three
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough). Are you sure about this?
???:
Ugh...Why would you even ask such a boring question?
???:
Of course I'm sure. Why did you think I would say otherwise?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...Forgive me. I could not help but inquire,given what an unusual looking sort they were.
???:
You're quite the worrywart, aren't you, Matsudaira?
???:
It doesn't matter what someone may be like before they enter this Tokugawa Ooku. Once they do, there's only one way forward for them.
???:
And I don't just mean physically. I explicitly designed it so one can only proceed by behaving in a certain way.
???:
So of course I'm not going to have second thoughts about the innermost chamber I created myself.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...Yes, my lady.
???:
That said, this is a little unexpected. They're not enjoying themselves as much as they're supposed to.
???:
(Sigh)...Maybe it's because that romance-addled goody-goody Pārvatī is there with them...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...
???:
But that's fine. Who cares? I sure don't.
???:
Anyway, that reminds me. How are things going with the one I left in your care?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough). I'm afraid there has not yet been much progress.
???:
Hmm, is that so? Well, that's okay. Just keep at it until you're satisfied.
???:
Still, don't you think it would be faster to cut your losses, crush them, and make them a pillar already?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I do not. I appreciate the suggestion, my lady, but I would like to keep trying for a while longer. They are useful as they are now.
???:
Hey, I left them in your charge for a reason. If that's what you want to do, go right ahead.
???:
Just because I think you're wasting your time on that piece of trash doesn't mean I'm not rooting for you to succeed.
???:
Hehe. Hehehehe. In the end...that is what I am, after all.
???:
Which is why...I'm going to do the same thing to all of them.
???:
Pārvatī may make me sick to my stomach, but I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't extend a hand to her anyway.
???:
Teehee. Yes, why beat around the bush when there's no need to? I should go out there and greet them as soon as I can.
Pārvatī:
Yah!
Pārvatī:
Phew. Another battle over.
Fujimaru 1:
Nice work!
Fujimaru 2:
That was some great spear handling.
Mash:
They're no stronger than they were before...but it's still hard dealing with so many at a time.
Mash:
All their remains are literally starting to pile up.
Sion:
Talk about a critical hit with that last one! Did you see the way its head went flying? Very, very nice!
Pārvatī:
Oh...
Pārvatī:
I'm sorry to ask this, Fujimaru,but could you give me a few minutes?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, no problem...?
Mash:
Is she...picking up all of their heads...?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my. She appears to be gathering them together so she can pray over them.
Fujimaru 1:
She seems more goddess-like than ever...
Pārvatī:
Okay, all done. Sorry to keep you waiting.
Pārvatī:
I know these are our enemies, and that they're nothing more than automatized familiars...
Pārvatī:
And maybe there's no point in doing this,since I know they aren't even alive...
Pārvatī:
But, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to do something...Is that strange?
Fujimaru 1:
Not at all.
Pārvatī:
Oh good. I'm relieved to hear that.
Mash:
I don't think it's especially strange either,but I am curious why you did it.
Fujimaru 2:
I was a little surprised to see that, yeah.
Pārvatī:
I-I don't blame you! I mean, first I defeat them,then I pray for them? I'm sorry for being so weird...
Mash:
P-please, you don't have to apologize for it.
Mash:
I think I speak for Master too when I say I'm just a little curious as to why you did it...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. Is it because the Buddha resides in all things, living and otherwise?
Pārvatī:
I suppose you could say that's part of it...but it's really much simpler than that.
Pārvatī:
First of all, seeing their heads fly like that got me thinking about my son.
Pārvatī:
Even if they are only dolls, the idea of letting them lie there like that just didn't sit well with me.
Sion:
You are talking about Ganesha, huh? I see...
Pārvatī:
Apart from that, I mostly just felt like it.
Pārvatī:
After all, I'm Pārvatī, the goddess of beauty and benevolence. So of course I would pray for my enemies.
Pārvatī:
Oh, though of course, that's not to say I would do that for anyone and everyone.
Pārvatī:
I'm sure you've realized as much from our battles so far, but I don't feel the need to pray for them every time.
Pārvatī:
I understand that the enemy would see that as naivete and weakness.
Pārvatī:
But still, when I do happen to feel a desire to be kind to them...I don't want to ignore it.
Pārvatī:
Maybe that really is my naivete and weakness speaking...
Pārvatī:
...but even if it is, I think that's an important part of who I am.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'll never forget how you saved me without any ulterior motive back when I was utterly helpless, Lady Par.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm sure you did so because you weren't able to ignore your kind nature then, either. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that.
Pārvatī:
Oh, uh...You're welcome.
Pārvatī:
In that case, I pretty much just acted without thinking, but I guess it does boil down to that when you put it into words.
Pārvatī:
You're right. I couldn't ignore my desire to help.
Sion:
An important part of who you are, huh?
Sion:
That's true. The greater a Divine Spirit you are,the more unavoidable that problem becomes.
Sion:
To be a deity is to contain multitudes, after all. Put another way, which version of you is here right now?
Pārvatī:
Right. For example, Kālī or Durgā would never do anything like this.
Pārvatī:
If they didn't crush the dolls' heads and remains beneath their feet, they'd probably wear their remains as trophies.
Mash:
Kālī, the god of fury, and Durgā, the god of war...I remember someone once told me that they're like different sides of you.
Mash:
I think they also said that your Spirit Origins may be different, but you all share the same Divine Core.
Mash:
I see. So the fact that you're like this is specifically because you aren't in their Spirit Origins right now...
Pārvatī:
As you know, I'm manifesting right now via the innate goodness in this girl I'm using as my avatar.
Pārvatī:
That goodness also repels any disposition that can't acclimate to it...
Pārvatī:
...so right now, I really am just Pārvatī,and nothing more.
Pārvatī:
Well, there might still be, um...What's the expression for this sort of thing? The yin in the yang? The yang in the yin?
Pārvatī:
Either way, there might still be a tiny drop of that in me...
Pārvatī:
...but it's so small that I couldn't worry about it even if I wanted to.
Fujimaru 1:
But, then...doesn't that disposition make it hard for you to fight?
Pārvatī:
...That's true. Or at least, it usually would.
Pārvatī:
But I think the important thing is that I'm still here despite that.
Pārvatī:
And I think the fact I'm here even though I'm not well suited for fighting–that I'm here even though I had to borrow part of my husband's power to manifest...
Pārvatī:
...I can't help but feel like that means something.
Pārvatī:
There's some sort of reason why I need to be here, rather than Durgā or Kālī.
Pārvatī:
It's significant, somehow.
Pārvatī:
Or at least, that's how it feels to me. I'm afraid there isn't much else I can say beyond that at this point.
Pārvatī:
Of course, I'm sure you would have all preferred I manifested with a side that was a little better at fighting...
Pārvatī:
I know it would make things at least a little easier for all of you if I had, so I am sorry about that...
Fujimaru 1:
No problems here!
Fujimaru 2:
I'd take you over them any day.
Pārvatī:
I'm relieved to hear you say that.
Pārvatī:
And I can promise you I'll at least do my best not to get in your...
Pārvatī:
No, I have to think more positively than that. I'll do my best to be as helpful as I can!
Pārvatī:
I want to be sharp and ruthless in battle,not just kind outside of it.
Pārvatī:
Anyway, I don't know how helpful I can be,but I promise you all I'm going to try my best!
Act Two: The Audience, Extra
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm...You're quite the formidable figure yourself, aren't you, Lady Sessyoin? Albeit in a different way from Lady Par.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my. Whatever would make you say that? I am just a humble woman of the cloth.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't be so modest. I know a number of monks with Buddhist names like yours, and you're on a completely different level from them.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Be honest: You're actually something of a monk guru, aren't you?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I mean, we already have a goddess from India here. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be an avatar of the Buddha himself!
Fujimaru 1:
(Buddha...Bodhisattva...Ow, my head...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. Me, an avatar of the Buddha? Goodness, no. I am me. No more. No less.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Tell me Lady Kasuga-no-Tsubone,why would you think such a thing?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, it's obvious from everything I've seen so far.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You aren't the least bit afraid of those bizarre dolls, you use powers and combat techniques I've never seen before...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even in my wildest dreams, I never imagined there was anyone in the world who could do the things you can.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, I guess there is a shady old monk by the name of Tenkai that's part of the shogun's inner circle.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
They say he uses some suspicious techniques himself, but I never paid those rumors much attention because, well, they're suspicious.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So this is my first time actually seeing evil dispelled with the power of the Buddha.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I see...Well, the sect to which I...belong is quite small and rather...unique, so I suppose our techniques must seem ever so unusual to an outsider.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now that I think about him, Tenkai must have been abducted along with everyone else in Edo Castle.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And to think, he was supposed to keep the shogun safe from strange curses and things like...well, what's happening right now.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Once I've rescued the shogun, I'll have to whisper “Tenkai must be punished...Tenkai must be punished...” in his ear while he's asleep.
Mash:
A-anyway, having you here really is a big help for us, Kiara.
Mash:
(Although...How can she have such a powerful Spirit Origin without being a proper Heroic Spirit...? )
Mash:
(...Then again, there are some Servants, like Assassin Emiya, who can't operate in the open...)
Mash:
(Maybe she was chosen by the Counter Force for a similar purpose? )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
At any rate, I know the enemies on this route have been tough, but that must mean that we're going the right way.
Mash:
I'm sorry. I'm afraid it's a dead end.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Then, you mean we fought all this way for nothing!? But that route was so hard, I was sure we were on to something!
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Hmm. Just as I thought...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
One cannot walk the path of the Buddha and be free from adversity. I can embrace pain and suffering where needed...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but our path here is not one of pilgrimage, but of the Ooku hidden away from the sun. We surely have a long way to go yet.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Perhaps for the time being, we should try easier route? They are sure to have enemies we can more unreservedly enjoy...fighting against.
Act Two: The Audience, Part Four
Fujimaru 1:
What is this place?
Mash:
It's a very spacious room. Although, from our perspective...
Mash:
...it's difficult to say where the hallway ends and the room begins...
Sion:
Right. The only partitions here are those incredibly flimsy sliding doors, and they are certainly not proper walls!
Sion:
I do not know how one would go about keeping research results safe with a floor plan like this. I find Japanese architecture fascinating, but also incomprehensible.
Sessyoin Kiara:
All that aside, this does look like it's a special room.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm sure this doesn't need to be said, but just to be clear, the original Ooku didn't have any rooms like this. Who does this culprit think they are, changing it around any which way they–
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hm? Who goes there!?
Pārvatī:
I have to ask that you let me handle this, Lady Kasuga-no-Tsubone. I think she's an acquaintance of mine.
G：???:
...I guess I am. Long time no see, Pārvatī. Don't worry, you're still welcome here, no matter how much I hate you.
G：???:
Praise be to our stupid reunion. Joy to these ridiculous salutations. Hehe.
G：???:
It seems like both of us have seen better days, doesn't it?
Fujimaru 1:
Is she...the same person as Par...?
Pārvatī:
Yes, she is. I'm just as shocked as you are. I never thought she would be using the same human for an avatar as I am.
Fujimaru 2:
Is she...Par's sister...?
Pārvatī:
No, she's the exact same person. Our bodies may be different ages, but that doesn't really mean anything to us.
Pārvatī:
I'm only choosing to look this age because it feels right to me.
Pārvatī:
At any rate, I'm just as shocked as you are. I never thought she would be using the same human for an avatar as I am.
Pārvatī:
There must be a long story behind how she got like this. She must have left a very checkered fate on the world, too.
G：???:
You had already taken the half that was in sunlight, so the other shadowy half was still up for grabs.
G：???:
It's wonderful how you ignored such a glorious fateful connection. I have to commend you for that. Ah, if only...
G：???:
...you would hurry up and die already. Just looking at myself all filled with light like that makes me sick.
Sion:
This reading...There is no mistaking it! She is a Divine Spirit Pseudo-Servant!
Sion:
And on top of that, the fact that she knows Pārvatī must mean she is from the Indian pantheon...
Pārvatī:
That's right. She's a Divine Spirit, and her name is Kama!
Sion:
Kama, also known as Kamadeva! The Indian god of love who wields the bow and arrow of lust!
Kama:
That's me. Do you know what my most famous story is?
Kama:
The one where I end up in a world of pain thanks to a certain romance-addled goddess?
Pārvatī:
Ulp. I, uh, I guess I can't blame you for being upset about that...
Pārvatī:
Even if it was my husband who did it, I'm still terribly sorry about what happened to you...
Pārvatī:
A-at any rate!
Pārvatī:
What are you doing here!? Do you have something to do with what's happened to the Ooku?
Kama:
Ugh, another boring question. But I guess that's just my lot in life, given what kind of god I am.
Kama:
Fine. The Ooku is a den of lust and decadence where women compete to see who can best win the king's...favor.
Kama:
Do you really have to ask how a god of love could have something to do with it changing into something that better represents its lascivious nature?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Y-you have the entirely wrong idea about it too! The Ooku couldn't possibly be further from a lascivious den of–
Pārvatī:
S-sorry, Tsubone! You have every right to be angry,but please save the lecture for later!
Kama:
Hm? Ah, now I see. Well, that's okay.
Kama:
If you want to help yourself to any other weak, pointless, insignificant leftovers, it's no skin off my nose.
Kama:
I'd sooner die than be reduced to living inside Pārvatī myself, but hey, you do you.
Kama:
Anyway, now that I think about it, I've decided I'll properly answer your question after all.
Kama:
Of course I'm involved with this Ooku. It's mine now. Can't you tell I made it myself?
Mash:
...!
Kama:
I used a very special ingredient to knead it into just the right shape. I know you're still only on the first floor, but tell me, what do you think of it so far?
Kama:
You really got off on it, didn't you?
Sessyoin Kiara:
No. I did not. At all.
Kama:
...Those attendants may be lifeless puppets, but they're still good enough to make you forget Fusesshoukai, the commandment not to kill.
Kama:
You should have known that it's okay to kill them. That you SHOULD kill them.
Kama:
I was sure you would enjoy it.
Kama:
How disappointing to know that you are either unwilling or unable to accept my gift.
Kama:
Who are you, anyway? I can tell that you weren't on my guest list, but I don't know anything else about you.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Me? Why, I'm just an ordinary Servant. No more than a nameless nun of such insignificance as to be beneath your attention.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I am fortunate to be here now thanks to the contract[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru so kindly struck with me...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but that could expire at any time,and I would vanish like so much stardust.
Kama:
...Well, never mind the guest list. I don't like that you're here, but I can accept it all the same.
Mash:
U-um, excuse me!
Mash:
Did you really make this Ooku yourself? Because that would make you the source of this Singularity!
Mash:
Does that mean you're also the one who lured everyone else from Chaldea here!?
Fujimaru 1:
Where is everyone!?
Fujimaru 2:
What do you want!?
Kama:
Oh, be quiet. You'll find all that out if you just shut up and keep moving.
Kama:
That idiocy of yours is just wonderful. What a hassle.
Kama:
All right, I suppose I can at least say this.
Kama:
Everyone you think was taken from you belongs to me now. I control whether they live or die.
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Kama:
What's that? You want to free them? Do I really have to spell out something so obvious for you? Wooow.
Kama:
Of course you can free them if you can make it all the way to the Ooku's lowest floor. Theoretically, anyway.
Kama:
That's why it doesn't matter what I say. You don't have any choice besides trying to make your way down.
Kama:
So now, let me tell you about the welcome wagon I prepared for this room.
Kama:
I guess you can't really get people going unless you destroy juuust the right thing, huh? How degenerate of you. Teehee.
Mash:
I'm picking up a much bigger hostile reading than anything we've seen before! Be careful!
Kama:
I'll be honest: I don't actually want to kill any of you.
Kama:
All I want is for you to stay here in this Ooku...forever.
Kama:
All I want is for you to get off over and over as you wander around this den of decadence and pleasure.
Pārvatī:
Then why are you having the attendants attack us? Heck, you're doing it right now!
Kama:
(Siiigh) I guess you could say that's all part of the fun?
Kama:
Hmm. Let's just say that you could end up dying if you don't stick to the routine they expect.
Kama:
Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility if that happens. Even if it is a huge pain in the ass.
Pārvatī:
You're still not giving us a straight answer...Why do you even want to keep us wandering around this Ooku forever, anyway?
Kama:
Don't you know nobody wants to date a woman who asks too many questions? Oh, wait, you think you're safe because you got married while you were still young and hot? Well, bully for you.
Kama:
Anyway, why don't you all enjoy yourselves with this little beauty for now? I just came here to check up on you, so I won't be joining in the fun.
Kama:
I mean, how would it look for the proprietor of a fine entertainment establishment to enjoy herself with her guests right when they walk in the door? Not that I really care about that.
Kama:
Anyway, if you want to play with me that badly, you'll have to keep going deeper and deeper...Teehee, don't keep me waiting too long...
Pārvatī:
Kama! Get back here!
Pārvatī:
Ugh. It looks like we'll need to do something about this before we can keep going.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I find this all rather distasteful, but I suppose if there is no other way forward, then I have no choice.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Sigh) It really is quite frustrating, having to do such backbreaking labor on behalf of someone else...
Sessyoin Kiara:
I suppose now I understand how those people who constantly go on about being averse manual labor must feel...
--BATTLE--
Mash:
The hostile entities have been eliminated! But, I'm afraid–
Pārvatī:
We let Kama get away. That's too bad...Huh?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Well now, what's this? It looks quite benign.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's an inrou, a pillbox used as identification. And those three hollyhock leaves are the Tokugawa crest.
Sion:
The attendant dolls you have been seeing here are a type of familiar that Kama put together.
Sion:
Since that pillbox was inside of them, we should probably assume it was the catalyst used to create that ghostly attendant...
Fujimaru 1:
(Huh? What is that...? )
Fujimaru 2:
(Is the pillbox glowing...? )
Overlapping Whispers:
What happened to the shogun...Everything he says sounds like utter nonsense to me...
Overlapping Whispers:
Shh. You'll be finished if someone hears that...Along with the old dog-lover shogun himself...
Overlapping Whispers:
You can't say things like that...The shogun cares more about dogs than he does about his people, after all...
Narration:
......
Narration:
Really? Is that what they think of me? Am I in the wrong?
Narration:
I was just doing what I thought was right. I thought people are supposed to be kind and compassionate.
Narration:
Please. Don't look at me like that. You all kiss up to me, but I know what you say about me behind my back. It hurts. Is there no one who understands me...?
Sweet Female Voice:
It's all right. It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. It's wonderful that you love animals so much.
Sweet Female Voice:
You have nothing to worry about. Nothing to fret over.
Sweet Female Voice:
I understand you. I'm the only one who does.
Sweet Female Voice:
That's why I love you. I love how compassionate you are.
Sweet Female Voice:
And I always, always will...
Fujimaru 1:
(...What was that? )
Fujimaru 2:
(Did anyone else hear that...? )
Mash:
Is something wrong, Master?
Mash:
I see...You were just hearing voices?
Mash:
I'm afraid we didn't hear anything ourselves,and there isn't anything in the log either...
Fujimaru 1:
Guess it was just my imagination then.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll just worry about the pillbox for now then.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I hope you don't mind if I open it. Hmm. It looks like it's empty...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
No, wait, there's something inscribed in it. I think it's the owner's name.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Tsunayoshi...?
Mash:
There's an entry for that name in our database. It looks like...that was the name of the fifth Tokugawa shogun.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The fifth? But, the current shogun is the third Tokugawa, Lord Iemitsu.
H：Sion:
Let me explain. To make a long story short, we members of the Indian goddess's entourage are all goddesses ourselves, so we happen to know a little bit about what happens in the future.
H：Sion:
Tsunayoshi is Iemitsu's fourth son. Apparently, he goes by “Tokumatsu” as a child.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
One of the shogun's children, you say!? Well, that's just wonderful!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That must mean that the Tokugawa family will continue to preserve peace in Japan in the future. That's the best news I've heard in years.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now I can truly rest in peace!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Although...What's a pillbox belonging to a future shogun doing here?
Sion:
Good question. But just because it has his name on it does not necessarily mean it belonged to him.
Sion:
Let me take a closer look.
Sion:
Hmm? This pillbox...There's something spiritual contained within it.
Sion:
Furthermore, it is packaged in a way that limits its attributes. This may be a real find.
Mash:
What do you mean?
Sion:
I mean that we can easily use it for ourselves.
Sion:
If we pair it with an output device, we should be able to have it manifest magecraft.
Sion:
Specifically, we can install it in Fujimaru's Mystic Code...
Sion:
...and use it to rearrange the Mystic Code's capabilities.
Mash:
Are you sure that's safe?
Sion:
It may have a particular inclination, but it is essentially nothing more than pure magical energy.
Sion:
There is no sign that it has been tampered with, so I think we should be able to make effective use of it.
Sion:
So, what do you think? It could give you more ways to tackle this Ooku expedition.
Fujimaru 1:
I think we should use whatever we can.
Fujimaru 2:
If it'll help us save everyone, then it's a no-brainer.
Sion:
Okay then, let's do it! It is human nature to try new things, after all!
Sion:
All right, hang on while I figure out how to install it. I will tell you how to do so once I am done.
Sion:
There we go! You did it perfectly! Just as I calculated!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Hehe. You're very good with your hands, aren't you, Lady Sion?
Sessyoin Kiara:
My area of expertise is the mind and spirit,so I am so very impressed.
Sessyoin Kiara:
This Ooku is positively bristling with traps,just like a puzzle box.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Anything that can help keep Master safe is wonderful in my book. Well done, truly!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right then, what do you say we keep going?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now that we know that girl is the one who turned my Ooku into...this, all we have to do is find her and defeat her!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I understand she's an acquaintance of yours, Lady Par, but she is still my enemy. I can't go easy on her even if I wanted to!
Pārvatī:
Don't worry about holding back on my behalf. I'm sure you've figured this out by now, but she isn't exactly fond of me.
Pārvatī:
I can't blame her for that, seeing as how what happened to her is Shiva's and my fault, but I do think Indra and the other gods deserve some blame for fanning the fla–
Pārvatī:
I-I mean, never mind that!
Pārvatī:
No matter what she went through in her past, that doesn't give her the right to hurt innocent people who had nothing to do with it.
Pārvatī:
We can't let her get away with this.
Pārvatī:
I don't know what her true goal is, but we have to stop her if we're going to rescue everyone from both Edo Castle and Chaldea.
Mash:
...Right.
Mash:
Although, if she really does have everyone's lives in the palm of her hand, that's going to make things very difficult.
Sion:
For the moment, I guess we do not have a choice but to take her at her word and make our way to the bottom floor.
Mash:
She did say she wanted us to wander around this Ooku forever, so I'm sure the labyrinth is only going to become even harder to navigate from here on.
Mash:
I'm sorry to ask you to take on such a difficult mission, Master, but...we're counting on you to rescue everyone.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll do my best. I promise.
Sion:
Hmm. All that said, there is still something bugging me about Kama.
Pārvatī:
Me too. But at least in regards to that, I don't think it will come up again soon. I just hope it isn't related...
Pārvatī:
...
Pārvatī:
Anyway, yes, we should get going. I'm sure we still have a very long road ahead of us, after all...
Acquired Fifth Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's inrou.
Interlude: The Truth of Materials, Part One
Pārvatī:
Huh? There's something on the floor here. What is it?
Sessyoin Kiara:
It looks like a hanafuda card. I don't really know anything about them myself, though.
Fujimaru 1:
It's a peony.
Fujimaru 2:
It's a butterfly.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Is that anything like karuta? I've seen the Ooku's residents and attendants playing that before.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It's no surprise that they might have dropped one of their cards.
Mash:
Wait. Sion is cocking her head.
Mash:
Is there something strange about the card?
Sion:
No, it is just an ordinary card. It has nothing to do with the expedition. But, its parameters are also not stable. They are constantly shifting around.
Sion:
It is as if there is some sort of black box component to this card that makes it impossible to analyze...
Mash:
You mean...it's the same?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Hm? What are you talking about?
Sion:
I mean it is behaving the same as everything over your heads and beneath your feet: the very Ooku labyrinth you are currently traversing.
Sion:
Obviously, the fact that it is giving off the same readings as the Ooku means that card is also part of the Ooku.
Sion:
Unfortunately, I do not have any more information to go on at this moment.
Sion:
Still, I do not think it poses any danger, and it is very intriguing that it would behave this way, so please hang on to it.
Sion:
If you find any similar samples, then I should be able to conduct a more thorough analysis.
Fujimaru 1:
Roger that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm. Well, I can't complain too much as long as they're getting their work done, but it's still only right that they pick up after themselves when they're done!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can understand if they didn't realize they dropped it, or they just forgot to pick it up...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but once I find the culprit,they're still going to get an earful.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh yes, I'm happy to be the bad guy if it will keep the Ooku dignified.
Mash:
All that aside, I'm a little surprised. I never would have pictured the Ooku's residents playing card games before.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well of course they did. If they could never leave or have any fun, that would make it a prison, not a home.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The women who lived in the Ooku were free to keep dogs, cats, and birds, sing songs, play the koto, have tea, hold hanami and tsukimi parties...There was plenty of entertainment to go around.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course, in this fake, gloomy, underground Ooku, there wouldn't be any way to hold a hanami or tsukimi party, would there...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Grr, now I am absolutely livid all over again!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Come on, everyone. The sooner we get to the bottom of this accursed fake Ooku and save the shogun, the better!
Interlude: The Truth of Materials, Part Two
Mash:
The giant ghost has been eliminated. Great work, everyone!
Sion:
So there was one of those here too, huh. It looks like these giant ghosts serve as gatekeepers of a sort.
Sion:
...Hm?
Fujimaru 1:
(It's happening again...! )
Overlapping Whispers:
I know this sort of thing happened sometimes during the wars, but...he's still just a child...
Overlapping Whispers:
At this rate, Arai Hakuseki and Manabe Akifusa will be able to do whatever they want with the government. That little boy, the shogun? What a joke. He's a figurehead, nothing more...
Narration:
......
Narration:
(Sniff)...(Sob, sob)Waaah!
Sweet Female Voice:
Aww, what's wrong? Did somebody say something mean to you?
Sweet Female Voice:
It's not your fault you're still so young. Whoever said that should know better.
Sweet Female Voice:
Nobody else may love your youth, but I do. I promise.
Sweet Female Voice:
Now, what would you like to play? I'm up for anything...
Fujimaru 1:
(I guess I'm the only one who heard that again...)
Fujimaru 2:
(I don't mind hearing these, but I still want to know what their deal is. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
It's another pillbox. Let's see...This one has “Ietsugu” written inside.
Sion:
As I suspected, the database says that was the name of another future shogun. It looks like Ietsugu was the seventh in the Tokugawa lineage.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The seventh, you say? So he was Lord Iemitsu's great-grandson? I see, I see!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Tell me, what was his reign like?
Mash:
(This is awful...I can't possibly tell her that he became the shogun when he was still a small child, only to die just a few years later. )
D：Sion:
Ahem! As goddesses, we cannot go around telling others what the future has in store without a very good reason. That could create all kinds of problems.
D：Sion:
So I hope you will understand that we cannot answer that question.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, I see. If you know what's going to happen before it happens, it would throw off everything that's supposed to happen, right?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's fine then. I don't need to hear more. Just knowing that the Tokugawa line continues on is enough for me.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...Everything that's supposed to happen, huh...She knows nothing about magecraft or modern history...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...but she can still sense that the past, present, and future are all connected...She really does have quite an eye for the big picture. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(I can see why she left such an indelible mark on history. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(But it's also very sad. Her final moments must have been dreadfully painful...)
Sion:
Anyway, this new pillbox might be able to give us some new functionality, just like the first one.
Sion:
Let's try it out!
Acquired Seventh Shogun Tokugawa Ietsugu's inrou.
Interlude: The Truth of Materials, Part Three
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) Can't you see this is futile,Tajima-no-kami? Just give up already.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
My answer remains no.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Hmph. I see reducing yourself to becoming a Servant has done nothing to make you less stubborn.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
What happened to you, Lord Nobutsuna? You were once one of the shogun's most trusted advisors.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
How could you turn your back on Tokugawa and lower yourself to aiding this madness? You should be ashamed.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough)...I can understand why you would say that, Lord Munenori, given that you taught Shogun Iemitsu in the ways of war.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
But that is all in the past now.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lady Kama is a god. She has already toppled the Tokugawa shogunate, and we have no hope of defeating her. It is natural that the loser swear allegiance to the victor.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lady Kasuga may have known war in her lifetime, but she has never gone to battle herself. She could never hope to understand.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
There are times when victory is simply not possible. That is a part of war. You fought in the battles of Sekigahara and Osaka, Lord Munenori. Surely you can understand.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Of course, I too know well of what I speak. I witnessed the hell that was the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion myself.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
That is a great many words to say that you went over to the enemy's side once you thought you could not win.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
What else could I have done? Only a fool would defy the gods or the Buddha.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lord Munenori, I have nothing but the highest respect for your skill with the sword, and for your leadership.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
That is why I have gone out of my way to offer you a role in this new government.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
It is only through my request and Lady Kama's good graces that you still remain here.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
If she so wished, Lady Kama could use her spells to rob you of your mind and force you to be an attendant, as she has done with a number of other Servants.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
But I would much prefer you agreed to join us of your own volition.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
There is nothing else to say. I will never wield my sword in service of Tokugawa's enemies.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
If this old body of mine impedes your way,then behead me and be done with it.
Attendant:
REPORT, REPORT. GUESTS HAVE INVADED THIS FLOOR. WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE US DO?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough) You dare speak to me without so much as bowing your head? Insolent doll. These puppets are useless.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Why did you kill her?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
You saw how rudely she spoke to me. I merely gave her what she deserved.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Hehe, I know what you're thinking. Of course I know it is folly to expect manners from marionettes.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Which is why I wish to only keep those who do know their manners by my side.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
My patience can only last so long, Tajima-no-kami. I hope you will choose wisely, before you become part of the Ooku yourself.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Trust me when I say that no amount of zen alone will help you to endure that forever...
Fujimaru 1:
There's someone there!
Fujimaru 2:
Is that...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Matsudaira Nobutsuna, was it?
Sessyoin Kiara:
I see your face is as bereft of joy as ever...How very dull.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Of course, people like that are usually the most fun to save, but I don't see a great deal of opportunity for salvation here. More's the pity. )
Mash:
Huh? This reading...Master, look at what's behind Nobutsuna!
Fujimaru 1:
Yagyu!?
Fujimaru 2:
Is he...melting into the pillar!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Hello, Master. I am afraid they caught me by surprise.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I would bow my head in apology if I could, but I am afraid I cannot even manage that right now. I am sorry you had to see me like this.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Huh!? L-Lord Munenori!? How did they trap a man of your skill!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Why didn't you use your vaunted Shinkageryu you're always going on about!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Do you know how excitedly the shogun would talk about how your Shinkageryu was the strongest in the world!? How can you ever face him again!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Have we met?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, right, I look like Lady Par now, don't I! It's me, Fuku! Kasuga-no-Tsubone, head of the Ooku!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Ah, Lady Fuku. Why do you look like that? How strange...
Sion:
Yes, strange! There really is no better word for it! Let me tell you what I just learned from my analysis.
Sion:
That person you see over there is undoubtedly Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami Munenori, a Saber with ties to Chaldea.
Sion:
But at the same time, he is also giving off the same readings as one of Ooku's pillars.
Sion:
Oh yes, and it is not just him. If we assume the same is true for everyone else, everything adds up.
Sion:
Where did the people in Edo Castle go? What happened to Chaldea's staff and Servants?
Sion:
The only possible answer is...they were used as material to build this Ooku.
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Mash:
Th-that's horrific!
Sion:
This giant magecraft structure was almost certainly made by using others' life force as construction material.
Sion:
While there may be differences of degree in their density, both humans and Servants alike could be used as more or less identical building blocks.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Then, that would mean that the people in Edo Castle and Chaldea were not abducted after this labyrinth was built...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but rather, that they were abducted in order to create it in the fist place...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough)...I will give you credit for figuring all that out. But you are mistaken about one thing. Not everyone who was abducted was used to build this Ooku.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I am told Lady Kama is keeping some souls that lack physical form on the bottom floor.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I see. Then she wasn't lying when she said we would need to make our way to the bottom floor to rescue everyone.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And to what do we owe the pleasure of your kindness in being so forthcoming?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lady Kama has entrusted me with ensuring nothing happens to the Ooku.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
So if I wish to stop you from stripping it of every panel, I had to tell you that doing so will not let you rescue everyone you seek.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
It is my job to ensure that the Ooku's atmosphere is preserved. I cannot have you wrecking it needlessly.
Sion:
Not to worry. We would never do anything like that.
Sion:
There would be no point in bringing back these resources without their associated qualia.
Sion:
But if we can analyze the spell this Ooku's construction rests on, then I should be able to reverse engineer it and restore everything to normal.
Sion:
Alternatively, if we take the simpler route and remove the spell's caster–Kama, I presume–from the equation, that should result in the Ooku's destruction.
Sion:
Either way, we still need to get down to the bottom floor.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course we'll save everyone eventually,but Yagyu needs our help right now!
Sion:
He certainly does. Since he has not yet fully become part of the Ooku, there is still a chance he can be extracted.
Sion:
I cannot promise anything, but as long as I can properly analyze him, I think our odds are pretty good!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hah! Preserving the Ooku's atmosphere? Is that supposed to be a joke!? Even putting aside this bizarre and obscene interior decorating...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...what kind of atmosphere is there to preserve when you are embedding people in pillars, like Lord Munenori there!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
For that matter, having that broken attendant doll just lying there seems to be doing plenty of damage to the atmosphere on its own.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) Ah, yes, you are right about that. I should not have left it there after I punished it for its insolence.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
It would seem even I am not immune to the decadent pleasures of sanctioned murder. Hehe.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
That said, it is not a warrior's job to clean up a mess. I will have the maids take care of that.
Mash:
It's another giant ghost! Be careful, everyone!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
The fault for this lies entirely with me, Master. Please, go on and forget about me!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Hrnghhh!
Fujimaru 1:
We have to save him!
Sion:
Well, I still need to run a detailed analysis, but I can tell you now that you should not just try to yank him out.
Sion:
However, if you can get close enough to examine him, that will help me collect more precise data.
Sion:
Tsubone–I mean, Pārvatī, I would like you to focus on Yagyu first and foremost!
Pārvatī:
G-got it!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Does that mean I will be fighting this ghost by myself?
Fujimaru 1:
I'll back you up as best I can!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my! I never thought to receive such an enthusiastic show of support from you, Master!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Why...since becoming a Servant...this may be the first time...I've experienced pleasure from serving my Master...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, what should I do? This is so novel, I...I think I may be getting excited...
Fujimaru 2:
I know you can do it!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Ah, you're saying that because you trust me, right? You don't mean that I'll need to fend for myself, right?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my...Well then, I believe I can come up with some means by which to amuse myself, so please, don't mind me.
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
How's it going over there!?
Mash:
I'm sorry, it's taking longer than we thought!
Pārvatī:
It looks like there are a bunch of steps we have to follow, even with my divine powers.
Sion:
Okay, that goes there, and this goes here...So for this binding spell, if we reverse this...
Sion:
...
Sion:
Well, damn. I am afraid every one of my thought processes has come to the same conclusion. There is nothing we can do to save him right now!
Pārvatī:
Wh-what do you mean? Did you figure something out?
Sion:
My analysis tells me that we lack the right tool.
Sion:
You know how you cannot electrolyze water unless you also have electricity? This is just like that.
Sion:
I can see a way that we could separate Yagyu from the pillar, but we do not currently have the resources for it.
Sion:
It is not simply a matter of magical energy. We need something with an affinity for this Ooku...
Pārvatī:
How are we supposed to find something like that now!? Isn't there anything we could use as a substitute?
Sion:
I am trying out every parameter I can on anything I can find, but honestly...
Sion:
...there is no telling when I will find something suitable. It could be a moment from now, or it could be tomorrow.
Pārvatī:
What!? But we don't even know if Yagyu can hold out that long!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I already...told you...Just...leave me...
Fujimaru 1:
That's not going to happen!
Fujimaru 2:
We're not going anywhere without you!
Pārvatī:
...? What is this? Something is...really hot...?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(I think it's the card you found, Lady Par! )
Pārvatī:
Huh!? Y-you're right, it is. But, why did it grow so hot all of a sudden?
Sion:
Hm? Hmm!?
Sion:
...
Sion:
Stop the presses! We can convert that hanafuda card into pure energy!
Sion:
It even has the Ooku affinity we need! That is what we are calling it now, by the way. I just decided that.
Sion:
We can use this affinity to figure out exactly where the Ooku circuits are!
Sion:
Its workings are still a black box to me, but who cares as long as we can use it to get where we need to go!?
Mash:
Th-then, you mean...!?
Sion:
We can totally do this! All we have to do is use that card as the spell's power source!
Pārvatī:
U-understood!
Sion:
Great, you got him out! And it looks like his Spirit Origin is still intact!
Sion:
Once we get those shackles off of him,he should be back to his old self!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. They seem to have things well in hand over there too.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It's been great fun being with you like this, Master,but I think it's time we wrapped this up and...Oh?
Mash:
Look out! The giant enemy ghost just changed its target!
Mash:
It's coming after you, Pārvatī! You need to–
Pārvatī:
Huh? Yagyu!?
Pārvatī:
You can't! Your sword is still under a different spiritual lock!
Pārvatī:
It won't take us much longer to get it out! Please, you don't need to do this!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Not to worry. The Shinkageryu is not the only tool I possess.
Mash:
Wha–What!? Did he really just catch that naginata blade with his bare hands!?
Sion:
Whoa, that is the technique called “mutou-tori,” isn't it!? Amazing! I wish I could have seen it in person!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh yes, it was incredible! That must be the quintessence of the Otomeryu! I see now why outsiders were not permitted to witness it!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, how truly marvelous! You really must teach me sometime...
Sessyoin Kiara:
For now though...You really should have known better than to let your attention wander to another woman while I am still right here before you.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But since you were kind enough to leave me with such a wide opening, I will just have to go ahead and take advantage of it...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Now, off to the heavens with you.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough, cough). Hmph, what a pleasant surprise this turned out to be. Even my parched throat is taken aback.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
This is what it means to be hoisted by one's own petard.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
If you had foregone your attempts to win me over, and made me into a pillar right away, all my resisting would have been for naught.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Yes, regretfully, my nickname of “Wise Izu”gave me more credit than I am due.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
But, this is not a matter of public-facing politics,so I feel no shame in my conduct.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
At any rate, now that you have escaped your bonds, I am under no illusions that I could best you with my sword.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
So I think I will take this opportunity to make a peaceful retreat...
Pārvatī:
Wait! What is it you're after? What does Kama want!?
Pārvatī:
Why have you been turning people and Servants into materials to build this Ooku!?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I do not know, nor do I care to. All I care about is serving my lord faithfully.
Sion:
He does not seem to be lying. So I guess we are still in the dark in regards to Kama's goal.
Mash:
One thing we do know now is that this Ooku has become a full blown Singularity. If we don't do something about it, it could lead to the collapse of humanity.
Mash:
That was Goetia's ultimate goal when he created the Seven Singularities, but this time...
Sion:
Yes. This time, we do not know if that is her goal in spawning this Singularity, or if it is just a side effect of her true goal. Good grief.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That is all well and good, but should we be...just letting that man get away?
Fujimaru 1:
First, we need to make sure Yagyu is okay.
Pārvatī:
I agree. There's no telling what kind of traps we could blunder into if we just rush in blindly.
Pārvatī:
Right now, we should celebrate gaining a new ally,and make sure our position is solid before moving on.
Mash:
Everything checks out. I can't see any irregularities in your Spirit Origin.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I am sorry to make you go to so much trouble for this decrepit body...Truly, I am.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As well you should be! You're supposed to be the last line of defense when anything threatens the shogun's safety!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How could you let yourself be captured along with everyone else!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I see...Then you truly are Lady Fuku,despite your current appearance...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hey, what's with that look? Are you saying I of all people should have been there to make sure nothing happened to the Ooku?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Y-you don't understand. If I hadn't been bedridden,and I'd had my naginata with me...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I'm sure I would have cut these villains in two myself! I think! (Flustered)
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I do not recall giving you a look that says anything of the sort, but...Heh, I suppose you are right. You were indeed a most capable warrior in your own right, Lady Fuku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ahem. Never mind the past. Right now,we need to focus on the future. Both of us.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
We need to find that traitorous Matsudaira Izu-no-Kami and string him up–I mean, save the shogun as soon as possible.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Master, before I pledged my services to you,there was a time when I served another.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Now, by some strange quirk of fate, I have been called back to the age of Kan'ei...the time when my former lord, Tokugawa Iemitsu, was still alive.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Forgive me, but I cannot turn my back on him now. To do so would be the height of disloyalty. Please, Master, let me help him.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry. We're not leaving until we've saved Lord Iemitsu too.
Fujimaru 2:
Our plan was always to rescue everyone,and that goes for Lord Iemitsu too.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Understood. You have my profound thanks, Master.
Sion:
Oh, right. Now that another ghost type has been defeated, does that mean...
Sion:
Just as I calculated! Another pillbox!
Overlapping Whispers:
...It's useless. He's much too sickly. How could a man like that possibly lead all of Japan...
Overlapping Whispers:
...And just when our country faces an unprecedented crisis, too...Damn foreigners. They just won't let up...
Overlapping Whispers:
...And then there have been those massive earthquakes, the tsunami, the disease that's been going around...Some people say it's the gods punishing us for dealing with foreigners...
Narration:
......
Narration:
This is hopeless. I can't take it. What did I do to deserve this? First those foreigners won't leave us alone...
Narration:
Then those earthquakes killed thousands of my people...followed by cholera killing thousands more.
Narration:
What am I supposed to do? What CAN I do? Oh god, I wish I could just run away from it all...
Sweet Female Voice:
You care that deeply about things that aren't your fault? Ahh, what a kind man you are.
Sweet Female Voice:
And now you feel driven to despair by that very kindness. You poor thing.
Sweet Female Voice:
Well, I love you for your kindness.
Sweet Female Voice:
It's okay to run away if you want. You don't have to think about anything you don't want to.
Sweet Female Voice:
Here, why don't you lie down for a while? If you have trouble sleeping, I could sing you a lullaby, if you like...
Fujimaru 1:
(...)
Sion:
So this one says “Iesada”? Hmm, hmm, that would be the thirteenth shogun. Let's go ahead and add it to your Mystic Code.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...?
Mash:
I guess we should probably tell you what little we know before we move on to the next floor...
Acquired Thirteenth Shogun Tokugawa Iesada's inrou.
Act Three: Path of Insincerity, Part One
— Earlier —
Goredolf:
Nnn...Just how big is this labyrinth, anyway? I'm bored of Gof Punching enemies to smithereens by now!
Goredolf:
Then again, I suppose that sort of boredom is inevitable when you're just overwhelmingly powerful like me. Hehehe. The only thing more criminal than my sheer talent is how long it took me to realize it...
Goredolf:
Eegh! D-don't just pop up like that!
Goredolf:
I'm an invincible lone wolf, you know!
Goredolf:
In five seconds, you'll be sorry you ever surprised me! Danke schön!
Ooku Attendant A:
C-Could IT be...?
Goredolf:
?
Ooku Attendant A:
Are you...our LORD?
Ooku Attendant B:
OH, yes, he must be. Just look AT his dignified gaze...
Ooku Attendant C:
That noble bearing...THAT stout build...It must BE him.
Ooku Attendant A:
Our LORD! We have BEEN waiting for you, our lord!
Goredolf:
Wh-what's this now? They don't seem to be hostile, like the other ones...
Ooku Attendant B:
PLEASE, right this way, my lord. We will show you TO a paradise made just FOR you.
Ooku Attendant C:
Everything IN the Ooku is here for you, OUR lord.
Ooku Attendant C:
Our job IS to help you recuperate FROM the stresses of your duties. We are HERE to soothe your weary heart AND heal your precious body.
Ooku Attendant C:
You need NOT worry about anything while you ARE here.
Goredolf:
(Hmm...This is a rather unexpected development. They must have me confused for someone else. )
Goredolf:
(But, if that's the case, I may as well use it to my own advantage. It would be foolish to go around brute-forcing my way through this whole place. )
Goredolf:
(Hehe...Goredolf, you brilliant rascal! From here on, all you need to do is let your genius take the wheel. )
Ooku Attendant A:
...Is every...THING all right?
Ooku Attendant B:
Are you...not OUR lord...after all? If YOU aren't–
Goredolf:
Huh!? Don't be ridiculous, of course I'm your lord! Who else could I possibly be!?
Goredolf:
Now go on, show me to this paradise at once! In for a penny, in for a pound, I say!
Ooku Attendant C:
Of course, OUR lord. Forgive us...
Ooku Attendant A:
We are sorry...OUR lord. You have BEEN...gone for so long...WE have missed you.
Ooku Attendant A:
Please, TELL us. What have you BEEN up to?
Goredolf:
Y-y-y-yes, of course. I'm a busy man, after all, seeing how I'm responsible for the many people working under me.
Goredolf:
I would be happy to regale you with as many tales of my hardships and exploits as you like.
Goredolf:
Now, where to begin...Perhaps I should start with the one about my technical advisor.
Goredolf:
She's a hard worker–too hard, if you ask me–so one time, I came up with a new spell that would have the barbecue industry quaking in its boots in order to surprise her, only to have her burst out laughing before she praised me.
Goredolf:
And then there was the time my administrative advisor spouted off some famous quote out of nowhere, so I scolded him to be more mindful of the time and place for that sort of thing!
Goredolf:
After all, there are few things worse than realizing after the fact which case of his he was quoting from while you're in the loo!
Ooku Attendant C:
Oh MY, this is so fun. Please, TELL us more, our lord.
Ooku Attendant B:
ME too, ME too...
Goredolf:
Haha, now, now, settle down. First, I'd like you to show me the way to this paradise you mentioned. Do be careful not to get lost.
Goredolf:
(Heh. I almost feel bad for these dolls, seeing how helpless they are in the face of my negotiation skills. )
Goredolf:
(Hehe, I must say, having them believe me so fully feels rather good. Yes, rather good indeed...)
Act Three: Path of Insincerity, Part Two
Kama:
Hmm, so they managed to free that old guy who's been holding out all this time, huh.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) Forgive me, my lady. I have no excuse.
Kama:
Well, that's okay. These things happen, right? Thanks for filling me in.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Aren't you going to punish me?
Kama:
Huh? Why would I do that? Do you get off on pain and suffering or something? I didn't know you were such a perv, Matsudaira.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
No...I have no wish to be punished. But it has been my experience that both punishments and rewards are a government leader's means of keeping their people in line.
Kama:
Oh please. Do I look like someone who cares about silly rules like that?
Kama:
I think of you like I do all other humans...brainless, worthless, and utterly hopeless.
Kama:
Yes, you're only human, so of course you're going to screw up. Of course things aren't going to go as planned.
Kama:
Being weak and incompetent is what defines you humans. Honestly, I hate every last one of you.
Kama:
But, even so...I still love you all.
Kama:
The love this girl had was a onetime deal...but Pārvatī's the one who got that pure and beautiful part.
Kama:
Me, on the other hand...I can love all of you,no matter how worthless you are.
Kama:
Teehee. Teeheeheehee. I am the god of love, after all...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Huh? You know Chacha–I mean, Lady Yodo too?
Fujimaru 1:
Oh yeah. She's very...energetic.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, I'm sure she is. I've heard she can be quite a handful.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course, I suppose she had to be to properly support the Toyotomi clan after they lost Lord Hideyoshi.
Fujimaru 2:
Oh yeah. She's adorable.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well of course she is. Out of all the three Azai sisters, her beauty was renowned throughout the country.
Mash:
You mean you never met her yourself, Tsubone?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Me? Oh no, I could never! I do have some history with Lady Oeyo, Lord Hidetada's wife and Lord Iemitsu's mother...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but I don't think the Azai princesses like me very much, so I never tried to meet with them.
Fujimaru 1:
They don't like you? Really?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Really! My father was a retainer for Akechi, who killed Lord Nobunaga, and my husband was a retainer for Kobayakawa, who betrayed the Toyotomi clan.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm sure they must see me as this horrible woman who was part of all the worst things in their lives.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So...even if I had the chance to meet with Lady Yodo,I think she would be much happier if I kept my distance. I don't have any hard feelings towards her or her sisters myself, but I can understand how she must feel.
Fujimaru 1:
You know, I see Nobbu a lot, too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You do!? Oh my! I can't decide if I would love to meet him, or if I would prefer he never even knew I existed!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I was sure you would say it was nonsense.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
But even when you learned I am now a shadow engraved in human history, and that Master is on a quest to save the world...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...you seemed not the least bit surprised.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, I was certainly surprised, Lord Munenori, but I have no trouble believing that someone as skilled as yourself may be able to undertake such a quest.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even the late Lord Ieyasu became a revered gongen, a manifestation of the Buddha after he passed onward.
Mash:
Well, I'm glad you were so understanding.
Mash:
To be honest...there are still a lot of things about this we don't understand ourselves.
Mash:
For example...why did Kama choose to build this Ooku out of people?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...It's creepy to think everything here is made out of people.
Mash:
Yes. I feel the same way, even though I'm just helping you navigate it. Still...
Mash:
We were able to meet up with the greatest swordsman in Edo.
Mash:
Now we know that it's possible to save people here,as long as we're not too late. So...
Fujimaru 1:
We're definitely not gonna stop until we've saved everyone.
Mash:
...Right. I don't know how much help I can be with that, but I'll do whatever I can!
Sion:
All right, that is enough filling in for now. As we expected, it looks like there are more enemies on this floor.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh? But these aren't attacking.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Be on your guard, Lady Sessyoin. Even on such as you could still be in danger if you are taken by surprise.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes, I suppose you're right. Thank you for the warning...
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Yes, I can see you practice what you preach. You have not lowered your guard the least bit, not even toward me. Perhaps his instincts tell him not to...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Hehe, I don't think he would hesitate to cut me down if he suspected I was up to something. What a good, upright man...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Ahh, I do so wish I had met him in my deep-sea haven rather than here...)
Ooku Attendant A:
Ah, AH. Welcome, welcome, MY lords.
Ooku Attendant A:
The Ooku IS meant for the shogun, our LORD. If you ARE all here, you must all be our lord...
Ooku Attendant B:
Please, PLEASE, this way. We will SHOW you inside.
Sion:
I could tell this floor felt different somehow,but this is still a surprise...
Sion:
So these dolls consider you their lord, without fighting. What do you think? It does look like we may have an easier time making our way in if we play along.
Fujimaru 1:
Yes, I am the shogun!
Ooku Attendant A:
AHH, I knew it...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hey! That's not true, and you know it! I will not tolerate lying!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides, regardless of what the situation is, even if it's only meant as a joke...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...So long as I draw breath, I will not allow anyone to falsely claim to be the shogun!
Mash:
I agree that lying is wrong, of course!
Mash:
But, um, if it will let us avoid fighting, maybe you could consider this a helpful white lie?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Absolutely not. I don't believe there's any such thing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There is only one lord fit to enter the Ooku...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Tokugawa shogun who leads all of Japan!
Fujimaru 2:
Sorry, I'm not the shogun.
Sion:
Welp, I saw that coming!
Sion:
Fujimaru is nothing if not honest to a fault,no matter how much it may get [♂ him /♀ her] in trouble!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well said! No matter what the circumstances,there can be no excuse for lying.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I appreciate your honesty,[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'd want every child I raise to be as honest as you! What a good [♂ boy /♀ girl] you are! (Pat pat)
Fujimaru 1:
(She just patted my head again...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Your purity of heart is wonderfully refreshing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You must have been raised by an excellent wet nurse. No doubt she takes after another excellent one I could name!
Ooku Attendant A:
So...you ARE not our lord...
Ooku Attendant B:
THIS will not do. This is. THE Ooku. We are not MADE...to welcome anyone else...!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Well, it seems you've rather agitated them. Life has a funny way of taking these little twists and turns, doesn't it...
Ooku Attendant A:
It IS not. Too late. ADMIT that you. Are our lord. THE shogun. And we will BE. Happy to welcome you...
Pārvatī:
As a goddess, I usually like to take people at their word, but this just reeks of suspicion.
Pārvatī:
If this is a trap, we're not falling for it. If you won't get out of our way, we'll just go on without you!
--BATTLE--
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Nghhh...I feel sick. And it's even worse if I try to keep my mouth shut...
Mash:
Are you okay, Tsubone? Do you need to lie down?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I don't mean like that! I mean this floor–this whole fake Ooku is making me sick!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I always thought it was strange that it had turned into an underground labyrinth, but now it's even stranger!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This kind of structure shouldn't even be possible for the Ooku...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Places that used to have a lavatory are now just hallways, and many of these sliding doors just lead to dead-ends.
Fujimaru 1:
True, these routes we've been taking are almost dizzying...
Mash:
This floor seems to be using its own bizarre labyrinthine construction to impede us.
Mash:
I can tell how unique it is just from mapping it out.
Mash:
And as a result, your walking speed has been getting slower and slower...
Sion:
But thanks to Kasuga-no-Tsubone, you have been able to avoid getting completely lost.
Sion:
We are lucky to have such a capable guide leading us around. I am reminded again how essential navigators really are!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, I guess my basic knowledge of the Ooku still applies, no matter how bizarre its new structure may be.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
After that, it all just comes down to figuring out the architect's habits, and a little bit of intuition! It's nothing that impressive, really.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Surely there can be none more familiar with the Ooku's workings than you, Lady Fuku.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Your knowledge easily surpasses the shogun's or Lord Doi Toshikatsu, to say nothing of myself.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
You did well choosing the Ooku's most knowledgeable person for your guide, Master. Perhaps the heavens are on our side.
Fujimaru 1:
I can't take credit for that. That was all Par.
Pārvatī:
Oh, I just got lucky. But I suppose it goes to show how it's always worth your time to help others in need.
Pārvatī:
Oh, sorry, I guess you don't need me on this floor,do you? I'd just slow you all down.
Pārvatī:
Okay, Tsubone, you take it from here!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now that you mention the heavens...Hmm, you do have a rather virtuous face, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I suspect you still have some wonderful latent talent lying dormant...The kind with lots of room left to grow.
Fujimaru 1:
Y-you think so?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I do!
Fujimaru 2:
I think you're giving me too much credit.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh? I've spent much of my life watching over a child who grew up to become a great shogun. Do you really think I don't know what I'm talking about?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right, I've made up my mind. If fate brought us together, then I'm going to make the most of it!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
While we're down here walking this labyrinth, I'll take you all under my wing and educate you as is any good wet nurse's duty!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If there's anything you'd like to know more about, just say the word!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm excellent at cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, sewing, and mediating between the worlds inside and outside the Ooku if I do say so myself.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can take care of anything that needs doing in a flash,and I'm also the type who needs to keep busy all the time.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Honestly, it's been depressing for me to go through this labyrinthine Ooku in silence, especially with this bizarre layout.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course, I'm happy to completely devote myself to finding a way through it if it means rescuing the shogun...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but that doesn't mean there's no time for a few diversions along the way. In fact, I'd even say they're necessary.
D：Sion:
Spoken like a skilled multitasker and workaholic. I can sympathize very well.
Fujimaru 1:
Great! I've got lots of things I want to ask!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There's a good [♂ boy /♀ girl]. That's just what I like to hear. (Pat pat)
Mash:
(Those head pats are practically second nature to her at this point...! )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If there's something you want to know or don't understand, you should ask about it right away. That's very important.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Better to ask the way than to go astray, after all!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...So on that note, I might have a few questions for you myself from time to time, if you don't mind answering them.
Fujimaru 2:
What about you, Tsubone? Isn't there anything you want to ask us?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh my, you're rather shrewd, aren't you...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Honestly, yes, I am intensely curious to hear what things are like in the future.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But, as you said before, there are some things I'm just not meant to know.
Mash:
Well, as long as we don't tell you anything that directly pertains to you...
Mash:
...I don't think it would hurt to tell you about modern day life and customs in general, or about Chaldea.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Thank you, Lady Mash. That would be a great help in staving off boredom on the way.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Nothing brings me more joy than raising talented people, which is why I'm also very passionate about self-improvement.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now let's move quickly, but not so quickly that we can't have a nice conversation on the way!
Act Three: Path of Insincerity, Part Three
Mash:
I thought I could help you make headway faster once I'd made some progress on my analysis of the labyrinth's pattern...
Mash:
...but I'm afraid its layout is still just too difficult for me to predict.
Mash:
I'm sorry...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please, don't be. All the speed in the world isn't going to help us if we just end up running around in circles.
Sion:
I am sure we would be taking even longer if we did not have you leading the way, Tsubone.
Sion:
Relatively speaking, one could argue that we are already hurrying as quickly as we can...
Sion:
At any rate, analyzing the labyrinth's data is primarily my job, so I promise I will be doing everything in my power to figure out what still lies ahead.
Mash:
And I promise I'll be doing my best to help keep you all healthy!
Mash:
Speaking of which, you've been walking for a pretty long time now. Are you holding up okay, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Um...I might be feeling a little dizzy...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, we can't have that! Okay, let's take a break then. We'll get nowhere fast if we push ourselves too hard too soon, after all.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm, this place looks kind of like a living room. Maybe there's a futon you can lie down on somewhere...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...?
Sessyoin Kiara:
A futon...in the Ooku...
Mash:
At this point, I think anything soft would do. What about seating cushions? Are there any of those there?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my...Anything soft would do...!?
Sessyoin Kiara:
So that is what we need now, is it?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Something soft upon which Master can lie in sweet repose...You must be referring to a woman's body, yes!?
Fujimaru 1:
I mean, yes, those are soft, but...No!
Fujimaru 2:
Noooooo no no no no no. Just...no.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Oh, forgive me.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I suppose I was so distracted that I spoke thoughtlessly, even crudely.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Perhaps I may have, at times,a somewhat lurid turn of mind...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, how embarrassing...I just hope I haven't said anything to arouse your ire...
Fujimaru 1:
(Somewhat???)
Fujimaru 2:
(Lurid turn of mind, she says...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
W-well, everyone makes mistakes now and then. Please, pay it no mind.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm more interested to hear what it was you were thinking about.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If you're feeling a little unwell yourself,maybe it would be good for you to rest up too?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh no, quite the opposite. I did not quite understand at first, but as we've made our way through this floor...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I've come to see how I might be able to help, in however small a way.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Master, you've been receiving mapping data from Lady Sion and Lady Mash, correct?
Sessyoin Kiara:
May I borrow the device you have been using to read it, please?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, sure, fine with me.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Thank you, Master. Now, let me see what I can do with this data myself...
Mash:
Um, I apologize if this is rude, but I'm surprised you know your way around that so well...
Mash:
I'm impressed you know as much about computers as you do about Buddhism.
Sion:
Hm? It looks like you are adding some new numbers to the map...
Sion:
Fascinating. What is this data,and how are you evaluating it?
Sessyoin Kiara:
That's a good question. I suppose the simplest explanation would be that I am merely taking the impressions I gathered in my capacity of my true profession and quantifying them.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Your true profession? Given how skilled you are as a nun, it's hard to imagine you ever doing any other kind of work.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. Yes, I am indeed a nun now,but I am also a therapist of sorts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
My calling entailed listening to people speak of their troubles, helping them develop strategies for coping, uncovering the traumas they had buried deep within themselves, and then taking that pain away.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I wouldn't say I exactly chose it as a profession so much as I fell into it when I realized just what it was that I was doing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. Well that's not too surprising.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm sure any highly virtuous member of the clergy would attract people wanting to lay down their burdens.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
After all, saving people is a core part of Buddhist teachings, right?
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Yes, that's right. The title given to those who devote themselves to saving all living things is “bodhisattva. ”
Sessyoin Kiara:
That is what I strive for: to do my best to save all living things, no matter how big or small or anything else.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Shujou-muhen-seigando. The vow to save all living things.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Houmon-mujin-seigangaku. The vow to learn as many things as possible.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Butsudou-mujou-seiganjou. The vow to seek enlightenment.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...These are the various vows I have made to myself. I was simply doing my best to uphold them.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But the desire to save others is still, in itself, a desire. That I once thought of this as my calling only shows how far I still am from enlightenment.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But that is a paltry price to pay for one such as myself to save those in need, or relieve them of their own earthly desires.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Should it be necessary, I would gladly offer up my body...and soul in service to those in need.
Sion:
I recognize those! Those are the four Buddhist vows any budding boddhisatva strives to fulfill!
Sion:
Oh, wait...
Fujimaru 1:
Did you say four? I only counted three.
Fujimaru 2:
What's the last one?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I believe the fourth is called bon'nou-muryou-seigandan, and that it is the vow to relinquish all one's earthly desires.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...I remember hearing about such things from the high priest I studied under as a young man, so as to apply them to my swordsmanship.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teeheehee. I will say only that some things are best left unspoken.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I have, of course, made that vow as well, but I imagine you and I interpret it...rather differently.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
At any rate, it is thanks to all of that...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...that I happen to have a bit better understanding of what goes on in others' hearts than most.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And that is, perhaps, why I was able to sense this...
Sessyoin Kiara:
In brief, the mazes on these floors all feel as though they represent some condition of the heart.
Mash:
...What do you mean?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Actions and emotions are inextricably linked.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Just as certain behaviors elicit specific feelings in an individual, so can this apply to any number of people.
Sessyoin Kiara:
The opposite is true as well, to a degree. Creating feelings in someone can help determine how they may act.
Sessyoin Kiara:
By way of example, let's say a group of people is exploring a maze, and they come to a fork in the path.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It is not difficult to imagine that those most enthusiastic among their number might choose one path to take, while those favoring caution might choose another.
Sessyoin Kiara:
There you have it.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If you wish your more eager parties to win, you merely place your goal at the end of the path they are more likely to choose, or do the reverse for the cautious.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm. I suppose you're right.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, with that in mind, and based on the paths we have seen so far...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I was wondering if there might be some rule related to the heart on this floor that could help us determine the correct route.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Those numbers I appended to the map are my estimates based on these theories.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And if I'm correct, I believe that on this floor...the more we follow our urge to keep moving forward, the more likely it is we'll come to a dead end.
Mash:
...!
Fujimaru 1:
I, uh, I see?
Fujimaru 2:
Come to think of it, I might have noticed the same thing...
Sessyoin Kiara:
That being the case, we can plot a way forward that will help us reach our goal.
Sessyoin Kiara:
In essence, what we must do is “lie” to ourselves, in a sense, and choose the path that appeals less to our desire to make forward advances.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm! Now that you mention it, there HAVE been times when we only found a way forward...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...once we investigated places like bathrooms and closets that you would think would be dead ends.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And then there's the way this path has been anything but straightforward...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So you're saying there are laws governing these layouts? That it's not all just a coincidence?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Assuming my analysis is correct, yes, I think so.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh, that's impressive.
Fujimaru 2:
If this is true, it's gonna be super helpful.
Mash:
This is great! I never thought you would provide us with helpful analysis like this on top of your fighting skills!
Mash:
Having you as the last Servant at Chaldea...
Mash:
...might just have been the best stroke of luck we could have hoped for.
Sion:
Fluctuations based on one's state of mind, huh...I was analyzing the rules governing this labyrinth's three-dimensional layout on our end too, of course...
Sion:
...but I never would have thought to include psychological parameters that accounted for how you felt by going down certain paths.
Sion:
I guess there are some things that only become apparent when you are actually out in the field. I cannot believe I missed this!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Please don't feel bad. It is only our good fortune that permitted me to notice this.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Besides, I doubt this alone will be enough to see us to our goal.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Some parts of this I am afraid I cannot figure out, I must confess...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...and I expect we will encounter paths in the future that will be even harder to choose between now that we understand this governing principle.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So in those cases, we will still need to depend on Lady Kasuga-no-Tsubone to show us the correct path.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So it still comes down to my intuition, huh? I can do that!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All that aside, you really are something else, Lady Sessyoin.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Between your cool-headedness, your analytical insights, and your keen observation, I don't think you're quite like any monk I've ever met.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If it were at all possible, I would love to hire you for the Ooku once this is all over.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Ooku's true attendants are always worrying about one thing or another.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If they could talk to you about their problems, I think you'd be able to help resolve them handily. What do you say, Lady Sessyoin? I'd be happy to reward you handsomely for your trouble!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, that sounds lovely. Of course I would be happy to go wherever I'm needed. Oh, but don't worry about a reward.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I love people so very much. Guiding them to salvation is its own reward.
Fujimaru 1:
(Gasp)
Fujimaru 2:
Something tells me that would be a very bad idea!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, that's right. I am your Servant now, yes, Master?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Forgive me, Lady Kasuga-no-Tsubone, but I'm afraid I must decline your kind offer to serve as the Ooku's therapist. Hehe, sowaka sowaka...
Fujimaru 1:
(Kiara really has been a huge help, but something still feels off about her...)
Fujimaru 2:
(I get the feeling we shouldn't depend on Kiara too much if we can help it. )
Act Three: Path of Insincerity, Extra
Mash:
There don't seem to be many differentiating factors between these two paths.
Mash:
I think we decided to rely on Tsubone's intuition at times like these, so...What do you think, Tsubone?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm. Hmmm. Hmmmmmm...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I think it's this way! As I've told you before, my family has a great track record when it comes to choosing between only two options!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My family was right in sticking with Lord Akechi and Lord Kobayakawa! Lord Akechi was right in his betrayal, and Lord Kobayakawa was too!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Granted, things didn't exactly work out well for them after all that, but that doesn't mean they didn't make the right choice! Now come on!
Mash:
Oh, by the way, this seems like a good opportunity,so...Excuse me! I have a question, please!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Mmm, now that's a good hand raise! It's too bad you're not here in person, or I'd be patting your head right now!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right then, I think we have time for an impromptu wet nurse classroom. Go ahead!
Mash:
Thank you. This seems like as good a time as any to ask...
Mash:
What's Matsudaira Nobutsuna like?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Well, he's an excellent retainer. He's been serving the shogun for a very long time.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Didn't you say you've also known him for a long time, Lady Kasuga?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh yes, I've known him since he was thiiis small.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As you know by now, I was the shogun's wet nurse.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I cared for him like he was my own ever since he was born as “Takechiyo. ”
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And since his pages were with him all the time too,I of course cared for them as well.
Mash:
Pages?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, yes. Back then, it was customary for boys from other samurai families close in age to the shogun heir...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...to be assigned to him as retainers right after he was born.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My own son, Senkuma, was one of Takechiyo's pages,and so was Choushirou...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...the boy who would later be known as Matsudaira Nobutsuna. So I basically raised him, too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Come to think of it, a certain someone's son was another one of the shogun's pages...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but he was relieved of his duties at one point after he and Lord Takechiyo had a falling-out of sorts.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Ah yes, you speak of Mitsuyoshi, my son.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I am sorry for any trouble he may have caused you, Lady Fuku.
Sion:
A system where a ruler's retainers are assigned to them at birth, and they all grow up together, huh...
Sion:
Raising them like that would certainly develop strong familial bonds, and would greatly reduce the odds of betrayal once they have begun their positions.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, that didn't do much good here, did it!? That accursed, traitorous Nobutsuna!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
No, wait, that won't do. A good educator can't lose their temper when teaching children. All right, Fuku, deep breaths...(Exhale)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Anyway, Nobutsuna was always smart, but I'm afraid I might have focused on developing his intelligence to the detriment of other important qualities. I should have known better.
Fujimaru 1:
So he's an INT build then.
Fujimaru 2:
So he's more of a strategist than a soldier, huh.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
He also gained the nickname “Wise Izu” at one point after he was assigned to guard Izu Province as Izu-no-Kami. Maybe that went to his head?
Fujimaru 1:
How is he with a sword?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Good question, but I think Lord Munenori there would be better equipped to answer it than me.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Nobutsuna was one of the warriors assigned to protect the shogun. He is moderately skilled, but he always appeared to lack the resolve needed to walk the path of the sword.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
However...his own skill aside,he is intimately familiar with warfare.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
In that one sense, he is as strong as the fiercest samurai.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
After Lord Ieyasu won the Siege of Osaka and united the country, Japan went several decades without knowing war.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But then, it struck again during Shogun Iemitsu's reign.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This was not a battle between warring daimyo, but a revolt led by civilians called the Shimabara Rebellion. Perhaps you've heard of it?
Fujimaru 1:
...I'm familiar.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Nobutsuna was the general who led the shogunate's efforts to suppress it.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
That should tell you how highly Shogun Iemitsu valued his abilities.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
That may be why he came to be one of the few samurai who still knew war well, even in times of peace.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Still...I remember the look in Nobutsuna's eyes the day he returned from Shimabara.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
They were the eyes of a man who had witnessed hell itself.
Mash:
Master, isn't the Shimabara Rebellion where, um...
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...That's the one...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh? What are you whispering about over there? And why do you look so sad?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Hmm. I should warn you, it may come as a shock to you, Lady Fuku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, now I HAVE to know what you're talking about.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right, let me ask you a question now. What might come as a shock to me?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada is also present in the castle of Chaldea.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Whaaa!? Hold on. You're telling me Lady Chacha, Lord Nobunaga, and Amakusa Shirou Tokisada are all in the same place!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And here I thought the Ooku could be taxing at times! How could anyone possibly relax in a workplace like that!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm amazed you can handle it, Lord Munenori!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Oh, it is not as bad as you think. Everyone knows their place, and is content not to make waves.
Fujimaru 1:
It's very homey as far as workplaces go.
Fujimaru 2:
It's also got lots of yummy food and tea. That helps a lot.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Ah, I think I understand now. So in the end, it all comes down to your lord's ability to manage [♂ his /♀ her] people?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. Now it all makes sense. In that case,I think you deserve another round! (Pat pat)
Fujimaru 1:
(Not that I mind, but why is she patting my head again...? )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh hey, look at that. We reached the end of this corridor while we were talking.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It would seem to be a dead end. How unfortunate.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Damn. I guess it was a bad idea to take the easy-seeming route after all!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
For some reason, the paths that seem most promising always turn out to be dead ends. This layout is just infuriating.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right then, we'll just have to concentrate even harder from now on!
Act Three: Path of Insincerity, Part Four
Mash:
Look out, Master! It's Kama!
Kama:
Oh great...you took the honest route here. You lot really are hopeless, aren't you?
Kama:
Why couldn't you let the attendants do their job? You could have been here in no time if you'd just let them show you the way.
Kama:
But, that's okay. This doesn't change how I feel about you. I still hate you now just as much as before.
Kama:
Isn't it reassuring, knowing that no matter what you do, nothing about me or how I feel will change? Now don't worry, and enjoy the journey.
Pārvatī:
Stop talking out of both sides of your mouth. All we want to know is the truth.
Kama:
Oh, right, you think I'm a liar, don't you? Never mind that I've been telling you the truth this whole time.
Kama:
Once a Goody Two-shoes, always a Goody Two-shoes, huh, Pārvatī? Well, you're right, as usual. Ugh, you make me sick.
Pārvatī:
I already know you hate me. All right, I'll be more direct then.
Pārvatī:
Is this about me? Did you turn everyone from Edo Castle and Chaldea into building materials for this Ooku...
Pārvatī:
...just so you could get back at me?
Kama:
.........
Kama:
Heh. Hehe.
Kama:
Aha, ahaha, ahahaha!
Kama:
Are you serious? You are, aren't you? Ugh, you're even more of a goody-goody nitwit than I thought.
Kama:
I guess you pretty goddesses really do think the world revolves around you, huh? What a joke.
Pārvatī:
I-I didn't think it was likely! I know how preposterous it sounds!
Pārvatī:
But I had to check just to make sure, all right!?
Pārvatī:
Anyway...if that's not the case,then that clears up one thing.
Pārvatī:
You aren't here so you can get back at me...which must mean that I'm here only because you are.
Pārvatī:
...Whatever it is you're up to, something is telling me I have to put a stop to it.
Pārvatī:
So I'll ask you one more time. What are you up to?
Fujimaru 1:
Why did you make this Ooku!?
Fujimaru 2:
Why did you abduct everyone!?
Kama:
I might not be a liar, but that doesn't mean I'm always completely truthful.
Kama:
If I had make things real simple–well, I guess I do for you guys–and boil it down to whether I'm a good or bad girl...I'd say I'm a bad girl.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Is that your way of saying you aren't going to tell us?
Kama:
More like there's just no need. Even you guys will figure it out sooner or later.
Kama:
Really, I'm just lazy. I can barely work up the energy to do anything.
Kama:
That's why I'm not even going to try and stop you now.
Kama:
Our paths just happened to cross here, that's all. By all means, keep doing what you're doing.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, how kind of you!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Last time, you said your goal was to have us wander this labyrinth for eternity.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But now, you're letting us make our way to the next floor out of the goodness of you heart!
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Why, it's almost as if you want us to penetrate all the way to the deepest, innermost chamber of this labyrinth.
Kama:
...
Kama:
I only meant that I'M not going to try and stop you.
Kama:
You do need a proper welcome at these major junction points, after all, so I'm putting others in charge of that.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
A proper welcome, hm. I find it difficult to believe we will be subjected to anything remotely satisfactory.
Kama:
Oh no, it'll be fine. It's all set up so you become like that naturally.
Kama:
And I don't mean the Ooku. I mean all of you.
Mash:
...?
Kama:
This is the Ooku; an inner chamber kept away from the surface. An isolated nighttime paradise that never sees the light of day.
Kama:
I would be an abject failure as a host if I couldn't make sure its guests were properly entertained.
Kama:
Now go on, my attendants. These poor, pitiful humans are being kept down by meaningless nonsense thanks to Fumougokai, the precept which forbids lying.
Kama:
Go on and let them experience the Ooku's full and unbridled pleasures for themselves!
--BATTLE--
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How many times do I have to say it!? The Ooku is not some cheap nighttime paradise, dammit!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If anything, things were much more frantic during the day!
Mash:
I understand your anger,but I'm afraid Kama already got away, so...
Sessyoin Kiara:
At any rate, it looks like that ghost left behind another pillbox.
Fujimaru 1:
(That one was pretty short, and I don'tremember what happened in it very well...)
Fujimaru 2:
(I could have sworn I just heard a similar-sounding voice again...)
Mash:
...Is everything okay, Master?
Mash:
Did you just hear those voices you mentioned before again?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I did.
Mash:
I thought as much. Please don't hesitate to tell me things like this, Master, no matter how small they may seem.
Mash:
We navigators can never have too much information, after all.
Fujimaru 2:
Nothing gets by you, does it, Mash?
Mash:
Of course not. I may not be able to fight by your side right now, Master, but as your navigator, I'm going to make sure I don't miss anything unusual!
Sion:
I do not think you are experiencing auditory hallucinations, but whatever it is you are hearing, we are not picking it up.
Sion:
Maybe you are picking up on tiny oscillations or formless remnants that last for only a split second.
Sion:
At any rate, I do not think they pose any danger, but if you hear them again, please let us know right away.
Sessyoin Kiara:
All right, why don't we start by examining this pillbox a little more closely?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Let's see...This one says “Ietsuna. ”
Fujimaru 1:
He was the fourth shogun, right?
Sion:
That is right! Well done! Are you something of a history buff, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 2:
What was he, ninth or so?
Sion:
Sorry, no, he was the fourth. Perhaps we should make some Tokugawa shogun flash cards once you get back!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So that is the name of the next shogun after Lord Iemitsu.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Assuming everything goes well, that would mean Lord Iemitsu's son, Takechiyo, ends up taking over from his father without any issue...
Mash:
That's right, he does. Although, I am a little surprised.
Mash:
Isn't it confusing, having every shogun from the first to the fourth go by the same childhood name?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oho, that's an excellent question; one that I don't think I've ever been asked before. I guess it's time for another impromptu wet nurse classroom then!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
“Takechiyo” was originally Lord Ieyasu's childhood name.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And since he was the one who united Japan and founded the shogunate, it was thought that giving his descendants the same name would bring good fortune.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And of course, there is only one heir in waiting at any given time, so no two children go by the same name.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So we never have to worry about anyone getting confused.
Mash:
I see...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
For that matter, Takechiyo was, of course, in Edo Castle along with his father when this happened.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And naturally, it is my duty as a loyal retainer of the Tokugawa family to save him as well. Hmm. Maybe this pillbox has some connection to him?
Sion:
That is what I thought too, so I have been examining it from every angle I can, but I have not yet been able to verify anything.
Sion:
All I can say is that you should definitely hold on to it. I will keep poking around to see what I can find.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Thank you. Next to Lord Iemitsu, Takechiyo is the one person we absolutely can't afford to lose.
Mash:
Oh, by the way, I'm afraid there's a little problem.
Mash:
We've been seeing more static on our connection the further you delve into the Ooku.
Mash:
And since we need to prioritize existence verification above all, we might end up losing the connection at times.
Mash:
I'll do everything I can to prevent that from happening, but I think you should be prepared in case it does...
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, I've been in a subway. It makes sensethat we'd lose some signal the further down we go.
Mash:
Now that you mention it, I remember you mentioning some kind of underground labyrinths that still exist in the modern day, Master.
Mash:
Now, what were they called again...“Kyoto, Shinjuku, and Osaka Stations”...?
Fujimaru 2:
Don't worry. I'll be fine with everyone else here!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed. Rest assured, Lady Mash, I swear on my sword that I will guard Master's life with my own.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh yes. Of course, I will do all that I can to help, at least as much as I'm able. But of course, when it comes to combat...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I could not even hold a candle to a goddess with a divine spear or a legendary swordsman.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Still, if there is anything you require of me, anything you would like me to do for you, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That goes for all of you, of course. Master, Lady Pārvatī...Lord Yagyu.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes?
Sessyoin Kiara:
(All that aside...First is not to kill,then not to speak falsehoods...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(I wonder...Could this Ooku be...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...No, it's still much too early to say. All I can do now is bide my time until I am certain. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Strange as it may be to think of a god of love, I can tell Kama has another, more complicated side to her...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(And if that is so...Hehe. Hehehe...! Then I find myself in exactly the sort of situation I expected it was! )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(This Ooku is precisely the opposite of what I would have created, but it is indeed a paradise. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(There is, after all, nothing sweeter than doing what one shouldn't...Mmm...)
Sion:
Just to reaffirm what Mash said, we will make sure to keep verifying your existence no matter what, so there is no need to worry about that.
Sion:
All right then, let us keep this investigation going, shall we!
Acquired Fourth Shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna's inrou.
Act Four: Remedy for Intoxication, Part One
— Earlier —
Ooku Attendant A:
Here, have SOME more...
Ooku Attendant B:
YOUR cup is empty. Please, drink UP. There is more WHERE that came from.
Goredolf:
Haha, wahahaha! I say, I could get used to this!
Goredolf:
I can tell from the material and the expert tailoring that this outfit they made me wear is of the highest quality...
Goredolf:
...and while I've never had much in the way of Japanese wine before, it's turned out to be even better than I'd thought.
Goredolf:
Now, what about some hors d'oeuvres? Don't we have anything to go with this lovely wine?
Scheherazade:
Of course we do. Here...I mean, open wide.
Scheherazade:
Now, say “ahhh”...
Goredolf:
Mmm, deelish.
Mata Hari:
We still have plenty to drink, too. Go on, bottoms up. It's okay if you get drunk.
Goredolf:
(Glug glug)
Ooku Attendant A:
HERE, our lord. This WAY next...
Goredolf:
Ahhh. Oh, yes, I forgot this was still just the snack tray they brought out for the walk.
Goredolf:
I daresay this place could give a premium first-class airline a run for its money!
Goredolf:
I am feeling a bit dizzy now, but that's all right. You can just carry me the rest of the way. Go on then, carry me.
Ooku Attendant B:
UnderSTOOD. Not TO worry.
Mata Hari:
Whoo! Good luck! You can do this!
Scheherazade:
You may want to tell them to be careful not to trip,so you don't bang your head and die...
Goredolf:
Don't worry, this is the life! Now let's go!
Goredolf:
(Hm? Wait. Hang on...)
Goredolf:
(Where was I going again? And what did I want to do when I got there...? )
Act Four: Remedy for Intoxication, Part Two
Fujimaru 1:
It kind of reeks of alcohol here...
Sion:
(Crackle)...Looks like our connection is still hanging in there. I am seeing alcoholic fumes in the air on our end too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I probably shouldn't be angry at this point,but I can't help it. Today isn't even a holiday!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Just look at all these plates and wine bottles strewn about. Whoever was here must have been holding parties left and right. What a headache!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Are you okay, Master? These fumes should have little effect on us, since we are no longer human, but what about you?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm not drunk or anything, but I can definitely feel them.
Fujimaru 2:
I think I might be a little dizzy...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well that won't do. As a wet nurse, part of my job is to make sure my charges stay healthy.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Iemitsu used to have a weak constitution too. I'll never forget his brush with smallpox as long as I live...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Anyway, now that you're one of my charges,[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru, I'll have to make sure you stay in good health too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please, I implore you not to push yourself too hard.
Mash:
I know you have a strong resistance to poison, Master, but that makes it more concerning that you're feeling these fumes' effects anyway.
Mash:
So I'm also going to ask that you please be as careful as you can.
Mash:
And if you notice any change in your condition, anything at all, please let us know right away, Master.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Alcohol, then? So that will be our next little hurdle...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Have you noticed something, Lady Sessyoin?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, no. It's just that I have almost no experience with alcohol.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So I'm...a touch nervous that I might accidentally become intoxicated and do something...unbecoming.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Not to mention these habits can get so very...steamy. So, if for some reason I start stripping mine off...I do hope you'll stop me.
Mash:
Normally, I would second that request in the strongest possible terms...but right now, you should pay attention to whatever's up ahead!
Fujimaru 1:
Someone's there!
Fujimaru 1:
Mata Hari!
Fujimaru 2:
Scheherazade!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hm? You know these women?
Mash:
Yes, we do. I can tell from the analysis that they're probably Servants from Chaldea.
Mash:
But, something is different about them...
Mata Hari:
Well hello there, my lords. I'm Mata Hari, and I'll be your otsugi today.
Mata Hari:
Here, have some of our wine. It's reeeally good, I promise.
Scheherazade:
And I am Scheherazade, an attendant here at the Ooku. I will also be your otsugi today.
Scheherazade:
Our job on this floor is to welcome and entertain you. Come, you must be tired...
Scheherazade:
You need not think about anything here. Just sit back, eat, drink, listen to my stories, and enjoy yourselves.
Scheherazade:
Do that, and you may even reach your desired destination someday...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I see. Nobutsuna did mention I was not the only Servant that had been trapped.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
He said Kama had personally chosen a couple to be her underlings, and assigned them different roles in the Ooku.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
This must be who he meant.
Sion:
Then she must have messed with their memories and behavioral principles at the time, turning them into puppets she could control.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, yes, yes. I can tell at a glance that their minds have been tampered with.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I tried running my Five Approaches to Meditation program to counteract it...but I'm sorry to say the effort bore no fruit.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It must have been a poor match right at the root level.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I have so little to be proud of, and this program is one of the few things to make that list.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, I'm a little hurt at how completely it was rendered impotent here...
Mash:
...I didn't know even a woman of your talents could feel like sulking sometimes...
Mash:
Oh, but this is no time to be caught up in that! What's an otsugi?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Otsugi are the women in the Ooku responsible for the altar rooms, tea implements, utensils, and things like that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But they also have one other very important job.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So important, in fact, that you can't be an otsugi unless you can do it.
Mash:
What is it?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Party tricks.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, party tricks! Or parlor tricks, or stunts, whatever you want to call them! You know, things like that!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Whenever there's a holiday, or a party, or some other special occasion, it's the otsugi's job to liven it up! Though I'm not entirely sure why that is!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
At any rate, that's why my first criteria when choosing a new otsugi is whether or not they can do any tricks.
Mash:
I, uh...I see...?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That said...While I don't wish to speak ill about your acquaintances...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I have to say that their particular choice of outfits is much too...provocative.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I don't think I would ever have chosen them to be otsugi myself if they insisted on wearing those, no matter how talented they might be.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Ooku's attendants are devoted solely to serving the shogun and his wife.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Just being sexy does not qualify one for the job. In fact, I would say it's very possible to be too sexy.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes, I'm sure. Those women may be beautiful, but they are also Servants, which is to say, fighters.
Sessyoin Kiara:
They would never be right for your Ooku.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But for this Ooku–a labyrinth built upon the mistaken belief that it is a place of lust and carnal pleasure–they couldn't be more at home.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Indeed, I would be surprised to learn that they were NOT included in this...peculiar setting.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Loath though I am to say it, they are our enemies now.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I am certain, then, that we would be wise to refuse their invitations to eat, drink, and follow them elsewhere.
Mash:
Yes, of course. Going along with their requests is absolutely not an option. That said...
Fujimaru 1:
The question is, what do we do if they try to force us?
Mash:
Right. I suspect that's why Kama chose them for this role.
Mash:
And if so, that could make things somewhat difficult for us.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So, um, are you saying these women are extremely talented?
Mash:
It's no exaggeration to say that both of them went down in history for their skills as performers.
Mash:
So if they were to try to use their skills to their fullest to entertain all of you...
Mash:
...it would be an incredibly powerful assault.
Mata Hari:
What are you waiting for? There's plenty of food and drink. And of course, I'll be glad to dance with you.
Mata Hari:
I once seduced entire nations and manipulated wars with my gyrating body. Now, you get to drink it in as muuuch as you like.
Scheherazade:
Yes, I too have plenty of food and drink,and no end of stories with which to regale you.
Scheherazade:
We can let this banquet stretch on and on into the night. The food, the wine, my stories...all of it can last for eternity.
Scheherazade:
I will never bore you, nor let you kill me. All I ask is that you drink in my stories.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Though food and drink may be essential for living a full life, we have no need of them now. Stand back.
Mata Hari:
But you have to get intoxicated. The Ooku won't let you move on if you aren't.
Scheherazade:
If you don't get intoxicated now...you will come to greatly regret it.
Scheherazade:
If it were me, I could never bear to face the end from which you can never return....
Scheherazade:
So please. Please drink, and enjoy yourselves,as you listen to my stories.
Scheherazade:
The sooner you do that...the sooner we can take you to an even greater paradise...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm not so senile that I need your help getting anywhere, young lady. I'm still more than capable of getting where I want to go on my own two feet!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Well, Lady Par's feet, in this case,but you know what I mean!
Fujimaru 1:
Sion, is there a way to get them back to normal?
Fujimaru 2:
Sion, tell us how to cure them, and we'll take care of the rest.
E：Sion:
(Crackle)...I thought you would say that. I still have yet to do a detailed analysis, but...
E：Sion:
Grrr, our connection is still unstable...(Crackle)Okay, for now, you need to incapacitate them.
E：Sion:
We cannot do anything else to help them until you do that!
Mash:
(Crackle)...Master, Mata Hari and Scheherazade are both part of the reason we came here.
Mash:
They're two of our precious Chaldea companions. We have to rescue them from this Ooku!
Mash:
Please...Please try to help them!
--BATTLE--
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Worry not. I struck with the back of my blade.
Sessyoin Kiara:
You seem to be unusually afraid of death...but you have no cause for concern here.
Sessyoin Kiara:
My hands shall lead you to an ecstasy deeper and more titillating than death could ever offer...
Pārvatī:
(Huff, huff) They may not have great physical strength, but they're exceptionally skilled at striking their opponents' weak points.
Pārvatī:
Thank goodness we somehow managed to neutralize them.
Fujimaru 1:
I don't know what I would've done if I didn't already know how they fight...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Fortunately, it seems only their minds have been tampered with. The rest of their Spirit Origins appear to be intact.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Now we just...Oh?
Sion:
(Hiss...Crackle...)
Pārvatī:
Uh oh. It looks like we're finally losing our connection...
Sion:
(Crackle)...I guess you will just have to handle this on your end...
Mash:
...ster, Master! Can you hear me!?
Mash:
It's the same...rules as with Yagyu! So you need–
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, they've gone completely silent. As they say,all things in this world are transient.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
N-n-n-now what do we do? Don't we need to keep that connection going!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How are we supposed to figure out how to save those two now!?
Fujimaru 1:
What did Mash say? The same rules as with Yagyu...?
Fujimaru 2:
How did we save Yagyu again...?
Fujimaru 1:
Hanafuda power!
Fujimaru 2:
You're up, Par!
Pārvatī:
Got it! I just have to do the same thing I did back then, right!?
Pārvatī:
Okay, I'll draw out the power in the card and use it to cast the spell.
Pārvatī:
Here goes nothing...
Mata Hari:
Nnn...
Mata Hari:
Huh? You guys...Good morning! It feels like forever since I last saw you!
Scheherazade:
...What was I doing until now...? I think I was...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Aah! Y-you scared me. And where did you learn to do such a beautiful dogeza!?
Scheherazade:
I don't remember it very well, but I have the impression that I made a great deal of trouble for you. I may not deserve your mercy, but please, whatever you do, don't kill me...
Sessyoin Kiara:
It would seem they're back to their old selves. Wonderful.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
They do not appear to have any memory of the time they spent under Kama's control. I suggest you fill them in, Master.
Fujimaru 1:
Good point. Okay, here goes...
Mata Hari:
I see. It's all coming back...
Scheherazade:
Yes, me too. I remember I was watching a story from the Far East in the library right before I lost consciousness...
Scheherazade:
Specifically, I was watching the feel-good movie “Abaren-Boy Yoshimune” to learn more about authentic Japanese dogeza.
Scheherazade:
The next thing I knew, I was in a place that seemed like it could be a scene from that very movie. At first, I thought I was dreaming...
Mata Hari:
So Da Vinci, Holmes, and everyone else were also abducted just like we were, huh.
Mata Hari:
And they might not have been turned into pawns. They might be locked up in the innermost sanctum, or–
Scheherazade:
Or they could be turned into the materials used to build this Ooku. What a horrible fate.
Scheherazade:
But, I suppose the fact that Par and Kiara are the only other ones here must mean that all my acquaintances...my comrades in arms...the benevolent kings...
Scheherazade:
All my dear friends from Chaldea must have been captured.
Scheherazade:
I am terrified of dying, yes. I cannot abide the thought of it.
Scheherazade:
But neither can I abide the notion of losing something so irreplaceable as my precious friends through my own inaction.
Scheherazade:
So...Please, Master, let me help you.
Mata Hari:
Count me in, too. I might not be much help in battle,but I can at least act as a decoy.
Mata Hari:
Go ahead and use me however you see fit, Master. I'll do whatever it takes to save everyone.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, you two. You're the best.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
It is a mark of my own failure that I must ask for your help, even knowing how depleted you both must be from your own capture.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
But right now, the lives of Lord Iemitsu and everyone else are at stake.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
We need as much help as we can get. You have my thanks for offering yours.
Pārvatī:
It looks like our connection to Chaldea isn't coming back anytime soon.
Pārvatī:
I'm afraid we'll have to try and make our way through the rest of the Ooku without Mash and Sion's help.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It is worrisome that we can no longer contact them, but we have gained two capable new companions in their place.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Let's do what we can to keep our spirits high.
Sessyoin Kiara:
...Oh? Is that still not enough to allay your concerns, Lady Kasuga?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Forgive me. I wish I could tell you everything will be all right, but I still have a great deal to learn myself...so I'm afraid that a single sermon will not suffice to dispel all unease.
Mata Hari:
S-sorry about this, Kasuga-no-Tsubone. I know I'm not exactly the strongest Assassin around...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, no, it's not that! I would never say anything so rude to anyone willing to help me save Lord Iemitsu!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm immensely grateful to have you and Lady Scheherazade on our side!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My only concern is, well...It feels silly to even mention it under these circumstances, but...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...as the one in charge of the Ooku, I just can't help but feel a bit uneasy about...
Scheherazade & Mata Hari:
?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Aah! I'm sorry, I just can't ignore this feeling that the Ooku's very dignity is at stake!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Um...Do you think you could at least wear something on top? Anything at all?
Act Four: Remedy for Intoxication, Part Three
Mata Hari:
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry. I can understand your concerns, but I really don't have any magical energy to spare on changing my outfit right now.
Mata Hari:
Not to mention I get the sense that the situation here is even tougher than I thought, so I'd really prefer to stick with the outfit I'm used to.
Scheherazade:
As things stand now, there is no telling when or if we might receive aid.
Scheherazade:
I'm sorry, but I think it is only wise that I conserve my magical energy for matters of life and death.
Scheherazade:
After all, if I were to let my guard down,I could easily end up dead...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ahem. Well, in the end, I suppose this isn't really my Ooku anyway.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And I do also feel like it would be wrong to impose my Ooku's customs on women from different cultures, especially when they're here to help in our hour of need.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So, it's all right. Yes, please don't worry about it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I am still concerned about the effect this could have on the young pages' education, should we happen to run into any of them here...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but I can cross that bridge if we come to it.
Scheherazade:
Thank you for your understanding...
Mata Hari:
And please, don't worry. If we end up visiting the real Ooku after we take care of things here, of course we'll be sure to dress appropriately.
Mata Hari:
It's like they say: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Er, or the Japanese, in this case.
Mata Hari:
So if you want me to wear twelve layers of kimono when that time comes, I'll be glad to.
Pārvatī:
At any rate, right now, we should focus on making our way through this labyrinth.
Pārvatī:
Don't worry, Tsubone. I'm sure Mata Hari and Scheherazade will be great additions to our team.
Pārvatī:
All right, I think we'd better get back to...Hm? What's wrong, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Nnn...
Fujimaru 2:
I think I'm starting to get a headache...
Mata Hari:
Are you okay? Do you want some water?
Scheherazade:
That's strange. We know Master hasn't had any alcohol.
Scheherazade:
This room does admittedly have some very strong fumes, but those alone shouldn't be enough to hurt you.
Scheherazade:
Your cheeks don't look flushed, and I'm sure your resistance to poison is still working fine. I don't see any way you could be intoxicated.
Scheherazade:
So then, why is this happening?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...I believe it is time you came clean, Lady Sessyoin.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Earlier, you demonstrated that you know more about this Ooku than the rest of us.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Perhaps you can explain this change in Master's condition.
Mata Hari:
Really? That's amazing! Do you think you could tell me what's going on too?
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I have no special knowledge, personally. Kama was quite clear with us about how this labyrinth works.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It just stood out to me more by virtue of my being a nun.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If we continue on from the precepts against killing and falsehoods, then I think this floor's theme...is the precept against intoxication.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Kama mentioned those first two herself.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It should be safe to say that these are the themes of each of the Ooku's floors.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Themes, you say?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes. Each is the name of one of Buddhism's five precepts–doctrines that describe things one must not do if one wishes to attain enlightenment.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Fusesshoukai is the precept against killing. Fumougokai is the precept against lying. And Fuonjukai is the precept against drinking alcohol.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, if we keep that in mind, and think back to what we've done on each floor so far...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...You should clearly see that thinking at work in designing this version of the Ooku.
Pārvatī:
Um, let's see...What did we do so far...
Pārvatī:
On the first floor, we just fought those attendants. Most of them weren't very strong, though.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Hearing that brings to mind the fact that even if these attendants are inhuman dolls, destroying one could be construed as killing.
Pārvatī:
On the last floor, we had to first lie to ourselves about wanting to move forward, then follow paths in places that falsely presented themselves as dead ends...So now, on this floor, we have to drink alcohol to progress...?
Mata Hari:
I'm afraid we've already forgotten what our goal was earlier in trying to get you guys to drink, but...
Scheherazade:
Yes, I think I can still vaguely remember that...we were trying to bring you somewhere...
Sessyoin Kiara:
I still can't say with any certainty whether becoming intoxicated is necessary to penetrate to the next floor, but if it is...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...that would mean this Ooku wants us to proceed by breaking these precepts, no?
Fujimaru 1:
Y-yeah, you might be right!
Sessyoin Kiara:
By that token, it would be impossible for us to proceed if we DO follow these precepts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, applying that rule to our current situation would–
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Would mean Master's current poor condition is a result of [♂ him /♀ her] coming this far without imbibing.
Mata Hari:
That definitely sounds plausible. Though it does feel counterintuitive to think [♂ he /♀ she]'s getting a hangover because [♂ he /♀ she] HASN'T been drinking.
Mata Hari:
Though if that is the case, [♂ his /♀ her] condition might get worse and worse the further we progress.
Mata Hari:
In the worst-case scenario, [♂ he /♀ she] might no longer be able to stand, or start gushing blood from [♂ his /♀ her] eyes and nose.
Scheherazade:
That's awful. [♂ He /♀ She] could end up dead...!
Sessyoin Kiara:
I am uncertain why these are the constraints by which we are bound here, but if Kama did build the Ooku with them in mind, she must have had a reason for doing so.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If that is true, then I thought it might be dangerous to simply go along with whatever she has planned.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That is why I declined their invitations earlier.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But we absolutely cannot let Master die.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I know it is dangerous to have [♂ him /♀ her] drink to the point of intoxication, as there is no telling what might happen, but we may also have no alternative...
Fujimaru 1:
I can handle a headache.
Scheherazade:
No, you mustn't! Headaches tend to be a sign of a much more serious condition! At the risk of repeating myself, you could end up dead...!
Fujimaru 2:
Well, there's a bottle of sake right there. Bottoms up?
Mata Hari:
Oh no you don't!
Mata Hari:
It's too dangerous to just go along with our enemy's plan, especially when we still don't know what her goal is.
Mata Hari:
Times like this, our best bet is to stall and look for another way out. What do you think pillow talk is for?
Pārvatī:
Maybe there's another way? One where we can safely make our way through without playing into Kama's hands?
Mata Hari:
If there is, I'm not seeing one. Hmm...
Mata Hari:
...Mm?
Mata Hari:
Wait, I just got an idea! Master, do you mind if I try a little experiment?
Fujimaru 1:
What'd you have in mind?
Mata Hari:
I don't know if this will work, but...
Mata Hari:
When you think about it, what does it really mean to be intoxicated?
Mata Hari:
I mean, some people can feel tipsy without having so much as a drop of alcohol, right?
Mata Hari:
So I thought I'd try to replicate that with my Noble Phantasm.
Fujimaru 1:
Your Noble Phantasm? You mean...
Mata Hari:
That's right. The one that shares my name. It's a brainwashing Noble Phantasm.
Scheherazade:
I see. So, since Master is unable to become intoxicated through drinking...
Scheherazade:
...you want to use your Noble Phantasm to replicate an intoxicated state in [♂ his /♀ her] mind.
Mata Hari:
Right. Though I don't know if that will be enough to convince this Ooku that [♂ he /♀ she]'s really drunk.
Fujimaru 1:
It can't hurt to try.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's give it a shot!
Mata Hari:
Okay, here goes. Just relax, open your eyes,and let yourself drown in me...
Pārvatī:
...How do you feel?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh...Yeah, I think I feel drunk...
Mata Hari:
How are you doing? Does your head hurt?
Fujimaru 1:
Nope. I actually feel great.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So you've helped Master become intoxicated without so much as a drop of liquor...Perfect! It seems you've found a loophole that will let us circumvent the rule.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And since you're using your Noble Phantasm to do it, you can also undo it the moment we leave this floor. This seems perfect.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Nonetheless, given that Master is now effectively intoxicated, the rest of us must work harder than ever.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I implore all of you to remain vigilant.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Of course. I will be so very sad to bid farewell to this delightful intoxication, but yes, we must remain on our guard.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I overheard the whole thing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm still not quite clear on how you did it,Lady Mata Hari, but I can tell that you have saved[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru from [♂ his /♀ her] predicament.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well done! You did great! (Pat pat)
Mata Hari:
Oh, gosh, haha. I don't think I've been praised so directly since I was a child.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm sure you've been through many hardships, but you're still young. That makes you a child in my eyes.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now then...If this “you must be this drunk to proceed” rule really is the premise for this floor...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...there may be other hidden aspects in line with that rule that could help us make our way through it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So let's all keep a close eye on our surroundings for clues...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...as well as to make sure [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru doesn't stumble into any trouble while [♂ he's /♀ she's] inebriated!
Act Four: Remedy for Intoxication, Extra
Fujimaru 1:
Man, there sure were a lot of earthquakes in the Edo Period.
Fujimaru 2:
Can somebody turn off the moving walkway?
Mata Hari:
Easy does it, Master. The only thing unsteady here is you.
Mata Hari:
I guess I'll just have to lead you by the hand myself.
Mata Hari:
Don't be afraid to hold onto me if you need help keeping your balance, okay?
Fujimaru 1:
I hate to be a bother, but thank you.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry to put you out like this.
Mata Hari:
Don't worry about it. I'm genuinely happy to help.
Mata Hari:
Usually, whenever I lean or press up against you to try and tempt you...
Mata Hari:
...you just get an embarrassed look on your face and make an excuse to run away.
Mata Hari:
So it's a really nice change of pace to have you depend on me so fully!
Mata Hari:
Sure, you wouldn't be this helpless if I hadn't intoxicated you in the first place, but who cares!
Mata Hari:
Okay, here comes a widdle obstacle! Ready to step over it? ...You did it! What a big [♂ boy /♀ girl] you are! Yes you are!
Fujimaru 1:
(What's with the baby talk? )
Fujimaru 2:
(I wish I could just curl up in her arms and forget everything else. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
...
Mata Hari:
Oh? Hehe, I know what that look means, Kiara. You're jealous, aren't you?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Am I so transparent? Yes, I admit I am jealous.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Despite being a Servant, I don't usually have many chances to be of help...
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, seeing Master relying on you like that, well...I confess it got me thinking about all kinds of silly things...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...like what it might be like for [♂ him /♀ her] to drown in me...desire me–er, depend on me so thoroughly...Oh, I'm so embarrassed...
Mata Hari:
I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I can kind of tell you're...frustrated. Want to trade?
Sessyoin Kiara:
...No, I think it best that I decline.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I'm sworn to a life of abstinence right now, and am enjoying the novelty of the accompanying bondage that entails.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Besides, when the time to seduce [♂ him /♀ her] does come,all that patient waiting will have been wasted if I do not tend to that delightful task personally, with no assistance.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I would hate to be swept up in this place's allure and break my vow.
Mata Hari:
(Yikes, I just got chills down my spine...Did I misread her? Is Kiara actually more of a Tamamo type? )
Fujimaru 1:
Let's call the elevator.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Those walls aren't going to open up no matter how many times you press them! It's a dead end!
Fujimaru 2:
Go on, Scheherazade! This is your time to shine!
Scheherazade:
H-huh?
Scheherazade:
D-do you mean...open sesame?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh no, now [♂ he /♀ she] can't even tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Please get ahold of yourself,[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru! It's just a dead end!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
It would seem our decision to follow the path with the fewest alcoholic fumes backfired.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hmm. If our understanding of how this Ooku was designed is accurate...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...maybe we need to go down the path where you can smell the alcohol before you even set foot in it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Let's hurry back and find another way,before [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru starts acting even stranger!
Act Four: Remedy for Intoxication, Part Four
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This looks to be the end of this floor...
Mata Hari:
Okay, that's far enough. I think we'd better take it from here, okay?
Scheherazade:
I can't say I approve of eavesdropping. One cannot truly immerse the listener in a tale unless the story is being told face-to-face...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I had no intention of showing myself here.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
My only purpose was to see what sort of state our guests were in.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
But...it is as I suspected. You may be following the letter of the law, but the spirit is completely absent.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
You two are no longer Ooku attendants,and the [♂ boy /♀ girl] only appears to be intoxicated.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm impresshed you figured it out!
Fujimaru 2:
Tha's right! The floor hasn't spun all the way 'round!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) It is hard to believe you made it this far while forsaking drink and banquet alike.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
How did you do it...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If you find it that puzzling, maybe you should have a few drinks yourself. It might at least help with your worry lines.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even if you can't hold your liquor, you could still substitute with a cup of tea and a tasty snack.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Earnestness is an admirable quality, but you'll never win people over if you don't occasionally have fun with them.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...Ha. I would gladly imbibe myself if necessary. I only refrain in order to fulfill my task of ensuring that others drink.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I see...Hehe. So you are not here to stop us...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but only to see how Master is doing.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Why, that makes it sound as though you are more concerned with our current condition than with the fact that we have managed to come so far.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That, in turn, suggests that you do not care how far we penetrate into the labyrinth...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...but only whether or not we have been breaking each floor's precept, yes?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
We have already determined that this Ooku has a connection to the five precepts.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Thus, I will ask you only once. Nobutsuna, are you certain you do not know Kama's true objective?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Whatever hasty reasoning may have caused you to go over to her side, you are still the man once known as Wise Izu.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
If there is an answer to this mystery,surely you must have realized it.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...A foolish question if ever there was one. Even if I have realized her goal, why would I share that information now?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Indeed, it would be especially worthless and troublesome to share that with ones clearly more foolish than myself.
Mata Hari:
That sounds like you do know it. Come on, why not just tell us while we're all here then?
Mata Hari:
Whatever this goal is, it's obviously important enough to you to turn us into your pawns and use us to make others to drink.
Mata Hari:
So come on, tell us. After what you put us through, don't we have a right to know?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) Do not make me repeat myself. The signs are already there.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
If you still fail to understand, it is only because you have overlooked them. At this point, I can do little else but laugh.
Pārvatī:
...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Still, I am glad that I need no longer talk around the precepts. That will make things much simpler for me.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
There is only one thing this floor requires of you: intoxication. Fail to drink to excess, and you will die.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
You may have been able to deceive everything else on this floor, but you will have no such luck with these guards.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, two of them? Really, isn't that a bit excessive?
Sessyoin Kiara:
This is certainly one way to enforce your mandate of intoxication, but it is so...inelegant.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Sigh) It's left me so...turned off.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Nobutsuna. If you will not share what you know, then we have nothing more to discuss. Stand down, or be slain.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Of course I will stand down. It is not my job to fight you, but theirs.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
But first, let me warn you of just one more thing,so as to avoid any more foolish questions.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Resistance is futile. Really, truly futile. None of you can hope to defy Lady Kama.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
This very Ooku was made to have you succumb. Sooner or later, you will find yourselves unable to progress unless you give in to depravity.
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
After all...who do you think placed these corridors and staircases to begin with?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
It is only thanks to these staircases that you are able to make your way further and further inside.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
The way down could have been a pitfall, or a line of spears, but instead, you need merely contend with stairs.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Why? Because that is what Lady Kama decided. There is no greater significance, nor does there need to be.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
This is no different.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lady Kama decided all these paths ahead of time,and there is no way you can go against them.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Once you decided to delve into the Ooku, Lady Kama already had you exactly where she wanted. All you can do now is resign yourselves to your fate...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Aah! You just did it again!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How dare you say your piece and walk off without giving us a chance to respond!? I know I raised you better than that!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Get back here right now, Lord Nobutsuna, or you'll be going to bed without your supper again!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
As I suspected, it would seem we have no choice but to defeat these creatures before we can proceed.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Shinkageryu is not meant for party tricks, but it should be well suited to bring the festivities to an end...
--BATTLE--
Pārvatī:
It's another pillbox. This one says “Yoshimune. ”
Scheherazade:
I...I know that name. It must have belonged to Abaren-Boy Yoshimune...!
Scheherazade:
He was a very good king.
Scheherazade:
He did have a bad habit of dressing up like a commoner and slipping out of his castle...
Scheherazade:
...but that is nothing his highness Harun al-Rashid hasn't done before either.
Scheherazade:
Perhaps that is just how people of noble birth like to relax...
Mata Hari:
Anyway, it looks like there's no one stopping us from moving on to the next floor now.
Mata Hari:
Hang on just a little more, Master. I'll undo your drunken state once we get there, okay?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm not drunk. I'm not.
Mata Hari:
Sounds like something someone who's drunk off their ass would say.
Fujimaru 2:
Thanks, Mata Hari.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If my theory is correct, then we have two large floors ahead of us, one for each of the remaining precepts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That would put us on the home stretch of our little marathon session, so to speak. Do be careful, everyone...
Acquired Eighth Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune's inrou.
Giant Wandering Maidservant, and a Trifling Illusion (A)
Overlapping Whispers:
He's not a bad person...but he always just does whatever the retired shogun wants...
Overlapping Whispers:
It wouldn't make any difference if he was here or not...His only purpose is to keep the line of succession alive...
Narration:
......
Narration:
All anyone cares about is my father. They never look to me for guidance, only him. Why? I'm doing the best I can in my own way...
Narration:
“He's just Lord Ieyasu's son. ” Shut up. “He's just a figurehead. ” Shut up. “He's just there to carry on the Tokugawa name. ” Shut up, shut up, shut up...!
Sweet Female Voice:
Don't worry about them. Think about it. If all they care about is your father...
Sweet Female Voice:
...that means you are less encumbered than anyone else. It means you are freer than anyone else.
Sweet Female Voice:
I love that freedom of yours. I'm the only one who does.
Sweet Female Voice:
It's a beautiful day. Why don't you go hunting with your falcon...?
Acquired Second Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada's inrou.
Act Five: Key To Steal, Part One
— Earlier —
Goredolf:
Well, here I am, all by my tipsy self again.
Goredolf:
Where did those ladies fawning over me go...?
Goredolf:
Now I'm lonely.
Goredolf:
But, this is also an excellent opportunity! Now I can continue on ahead alone.
Goredolf:
After all...
Goredolf:
...there's a paradise waiting for me!
Goredolf:
That is the Ooku! A place where every pleasure in the world can be found under one roof!
Goredolf:
I don't have to do any obligations here, and I can do whatever I please! It's all just for me!
Goredolf:
Grrr. That said...There certainly are a lot of locked doors on this floor. What's going on here, anyway?
Goredolf:
Hm?
Goredolf:
Is that...a key she just dropped? I wonder if...
Goredolf:
It worked! This really is my lucky day!
Goredolf:
Hrm, another door over there. I'm sure it's locked, just like the others...
Goredolf:
But, clever as I am, I've already figured out the pattern. No doubt she has the key.
Goredolf:
Unfortunately, I'm almost out of combat Craft Essences now.
Goredolf:
The smart thing to do would be to get ahold of that key without fighting her...
Goredolf:
And of course, I am nothing if not smart. I may not be great at stealth spells, but let's see what happens...
Goredolf:
Haha...Hahaha! I knew a man of my brilliance could pull it off! Not bad at all for my first time!
Goredolf:
I daresay Robin Hood himself couldn't have done it better. Perhaps I maxed out my DEX stat without realizing it.
Goredolf:
All right, let's keep this up! If I run into any more locked doors, I know exactly what to do!
Goredolf:
Ah, this feels good. What a wonderful place. I knew there was nowhere better than the Ooku.
Goredolf:
...But then, I suppose that's only to be expected. Only the shogun is welcome in the Ooku, and all of its pleasures are reserved solely for him.
A：Tokugawa Goredolf:
And since I'm here, I must be the shogun, so of course I would feel good while I'm here...
Act Five: Key To Steal, Part Two
Pārvatī:
They dropped a key! This should get us through this door.
Fujimaru 1:
Is it just me, or are there way too many locked doors on this floor...?
Mata Hari:
It's definitely not just you. It's great that it's easy to spot the attendants with keys, since they all keep them around their waists...
Mata Hari:
...but it's a real hassle to have to defeat them every time we just want to open a door.
Mata Hari:
Well anyway, what do you say we just keep going for now?
Fujimaru 1:
Not again...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Wait...Look at the room next to us.
Pārvatī:
There are attendants working on something. They don't seem to have noticed us. And look...
Scheherazade:
It looks like...a key.
Mata Hari:
If we can sneak past them and borrow it, maybe we could move on without having to fight them?
Mata Hari:
...Then again, I guess that sort of underhanded trick goes against your honor, Mr. Swordsman?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
There is more to the way of the sword than simply cutting. If one can win without drawing one's blade, all the better.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I do not think now is the time to cut off their heads.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's samurai talk for “Doesn't bother me. ” So then I guess the question is, how do we proceed from here?
Mata Hari:
What if I use my Espionage skill?
Mata Hari:
I don't know how well it'll work on these dolls, but there's only one way to find out.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Just a moment, please. Given how things are unfolding...I think this floor pertains to Fuchutoukai.
Fujimaru 1:
I knew this had to be connected to a precept...
Fujimaru 2:
Another one of the five precepts, huh.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes. Fuchutoukai is the precept that forbids stealing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Stealing? Well that's just common sense.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I've always made very sure that my charges know how wrong that sort of thing is!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
One can't possibly hope to become a respectable shogun or samurai without a strong moral foundation!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Still...Are you saying that taking a key from these dolls would still constitute stealing?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Based on what we've seen thus far, I think it's safe to say that our enemies want us to break these precepts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Though I still can't say what their purpose in doing so might be.
Sessyoin Kiara:
This is just like the last floor.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Now that I've noticed this, I cannot help but feel that going along with what they want would be a bad idea...
Mata Hari:
Maybe it would, but I don't see what choice we have.
Mata Hari:
If things are structurally set up here so that we have to break these precepts to advance, what else can we do?
Scheherazade:
I think our only option may be to find another way to advance without following our enemy's expectations...
Scheherazade:
...like how Mata Hari used her Noble Phantasm to intoxicate Master without requiring [♂ him /♀ her] to drink.
Scheherazade:
Because one way or another...we absolutely have to keep going.
Scheherazade:
There are still many people we need to rescue.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...I think you're right.
Fujimaru 2:
Guess we'll just have to steel ourselves for whatever happens.
Mata Hari:
Advancing in a way that goes against expectations is all well and good, but I can't think of many possible options.
Mata Hari:
We could take the keys by force, or we could take them sneakily, but we'd still be taking them either way.
Scheherazade:
Not necessarily. We can go one step further removed.
Mata Hari:
How so?
Scheherazade:
I think it's a question of who exactly steals the keys and breaks the precept.
Scheherazade:
Master doing so is probably the most dangerous option, followed by having one of [♂ his /♀ her] Servants do so in [♂ his /♀ her] stead.
Scheherazade:
But, if a Servant had something else steal the keys...would that not go against Kama's expectations?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Now I see. You make an excellent point.
Sessyoin Kiara:
True, the further we are from breaking the precept ourselves, the safer it most likely is.
Fujimaru 1:
Is this going where I think it's going!?
Fujimaru 2:
Does this mean we'll get to hear that famous story!?
Scheherazade:
Yes. Fortunately, I happen to know the story of a certain thief. Allow me to tell it to you now.
Scheherazade:
Long, long ago, there were two brothers in the land of Persia. The elder brother was named Cassim, and the younger was named Ali Baba...
Mata Hari:
Ooh, what are those? They kind of look like cute little girls...Is that Ali Baba?
Scheherazade:
No, this one will be playing one of his enemies. Very well, bandit leader, you know what to do...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I can see that they are quite spry, and that they are adept at erasing their presence.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
But there are no longer any blind spots for them to hide in. It will be difficult for them to carry out their task without the enemy's notice.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry, they'll be fine.
Fujimaru 2:
Between all forty thieves, I'm sure they'll figure something out!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My, now something even smaller and cuter is rattling the sliding door in the next room...
G：Attendant:
...? What was THAT noise. I'll go CHECK...
Scheherazade:
...And they lived happily ever after...
Mata Hari:
We got the key! Hooray!
Sessyoin Kiara:
It does seem that we have no choice but to acquire these keys in order to proceed, so this is surely the next best way to do so.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right then, let's get moving before those dolls see us.
Mata Hari:
Hehe, on a different subject, it was wonderful getting to hear the narrator of One Thousand and One Nights tell one of her stories in person.
Mata Hari:
I can't wait to hear what happens next. Actually, I'd love to hear another story, too. Oh, but, I guess we have to wait until tomorrow night for that, huh?
Scheherazade:
Hehe. Thank you for your kind words.
Scheherazade:
Rest assured, I am no longer telling my stories so as to live for a thousand more nights, but to help end this Singularity's story as soon as possible.
Scheherazade:
So I will be happy to tell as many tales as needed to...Oh?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This next door doesn't have a keyhole! There's just a pedestal with a very conspicuous hollow nearby!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
There, in that room. Once again, there are a great number of attendants...but there is also an ornament in the panel that could easily be removed.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
It seems as though it would be a perfect fit for the hollow in the pedestal.
Fujimaru 1:
We don't need a key, we need a key item!
Fujimaru 2:
Now she's just giving us the runaround!
Mata Hari:
It looks like I won't have to wait long to hear another story from you after all.
Mata Hari:
I'm glad I'll get to hear one again so soon, but I also feel bad about making you do all the work...
Scheherazade:
...Worry not. Please, let me handle this.
Scheherazade:
Between Ali Baba, who made his way past forty cunning thieves...The deity of thievery, Ali al-Zaibak...The djinn's illusions...
Scheherazade:
Prince Ahmed ad-Danaf...Hasan Shuman...And Dalilah and her daughter, Zaynab...I have no end of characters to draw upon.
Scheherazade:
If my stories are needed to let us advance...If they are needed to rescue someone who needs help...
Scheherazade:
Then I will gladly tell as many as I can, even if my throat should run as dry as the desert sands...
Act Five: Key To Steal, Extra
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm impressed by how many stories you know, Lady Scheherazade.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And the expert way you tell them would easily give Lord Hideyoshi's famous storyteller a run for his money!
Scheherazade:
I could say I only learned how to tell stories well because it was essential for my survival...but the truth is simply that I've always loved them.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. I used to tell Lord Iemitsu...or rather, Lord Takechiyo, as he was known back then, a number of stories myself.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Momotarou, Issun Boushi, Urashima Tarou...Stories are an essential part of any child's moral upbringing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Wait. Th-those people aren't among your companions too, are they...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Not so far.
Fujimaru 2:
We do have a westernized Kintarou and Shuten-Douji, but that's about it...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
W-Westernized? Sakata Kintoki, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, is westernized? What in the world happened to him!?
Mata Hari:
We've been wondering that since he showed up...
Scheherazade:
I would love to know more Japanese folk tales. I may have mentioned this earlier, but I was actually studying them when all this happened.
Scheherazade:
There are a great many stories from the Tokugawa era.
Scheherazade:
In addition to Abaren-Boy Yoshimune...
Scheherazade:
...some of the more famous ones include Mito of Chirimen and Echizen the Ruler.
Scheherazade:
Of course, I also know stories about you, Kasuga-no-Tsubone.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Y-you do? Really?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh gosh, I'm not sure what to say to that. Part of me would love to hear them, and another part would rather do anything but...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm not a fearsome general, or even an ordinary warrior. I'm just the shogun family's wet nurse.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, I just had a thought. If there are even stories of me, there must be dozens upon dozens of stories about the legendary Lord Yagyu Munenori.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...I am told that the Edo Yagyu have been gone for hundreds of years.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Mitsuyoshi appears to have far more fame in the modern world than I. Nowadays, the name "Yagyu" is synonymous with the one-eyed Yagyu Jubei.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Truly a delightful turn of events, is it not?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can't tell if you're genuinely happy about this, or just masking how upset you are...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ugh, this is what I hate about dealing with you enlightened swordsman types. I can't tell what you're thinking!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know that implicit communication was important even in the Ooku, so I get why it would be even more important in politics, but still.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I cannot say I have ever knowingly communicated solely through implicit means...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You'd think you guys could at least be more emotionally open with your family. Well, I would hope, at any rate...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Huh?
Mata Hari:
Damn. Another dead end.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Perhaps that table clock missing its hands we saw earlier was actually some sort of key after all?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There was also a pillar with a hole back there that looked like you could fit something inside.
Mata Hari:
You know, at first I thought my eyes were just playing tricks on me because it seemed so out of place here...but didn't we see a piano with the keys missing, too?
Fujimaru 1:
Nah, it's got to be the statue with the missing jewel eyes.
Fujimaru 2:
Nah, it's got to be the mural with the missing puzzle piece.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Gaaah, this is so frustrating! At this point, I'm ready to start stealing everything that isn't nailed down!
Sessyoin Kiara:
I understand how you feel.
Sessyoin Kiara:
However, I'm quite certain that Kama designed this floor to be easier to navigate the more one steals.
Sessyoin Kiara:
That being the case, our best bet may be places that afford easy opportunities to steal, or where stealing might have many obvious benefits.
Scheherazade:
Understood. Just say the word, Master,and I will tell as many stories as needed.
Scheherazade:
I will not stop until we have gained everything we seek.
Scheherazade:
...I first began telling tales in a closed-off world of night not unlike this very Ooku labyrinth.
Scheherazade:
From the beginning, my stories have always been meant to find a way out of seemingly hopeless predicaments...
Act Five: Key To Steal, Part Three
Pārvatī:
Kama! There you are!
Mata Hari:
What's that you've got there? Some kind of book?
Kama:
Oh, this? It's the Kama Sutra.
Kama:
You wouldn't believe how many people think it has something to do with me just because it shares my name.
Kama:
But hey, that's fine. So I'm the god who made a book of sex positions now? Sure, whatever. Doesn't bother me.
Pārvatī:
You can mope if you want, Kama, but we're not letting you get away this time.
Kama:
So you're saying you don't care about my feelings? Freakin' touching. There's the kind heart the great goddess Pārvatī is so famous for.
Kama:
Oh, incidentally, the whole reason I showed up is, of course, to check up on things, since, as the architect of this place, I can't ignore what you're doing here.
Kama:
(Sigh) So you really did break the spell I put on those two Servants of yours. Even after all the trouble I went to...
Mata Hari:
You've got a lot of nerve, making us into slaves like that. I hope you're ready to pay the price.
Scheherazade:
As if abducting us weren't enough, you made us enemies of Master and [♂ his /♀ her] efforts to save everyone.
Scheherazade:
If it had been anyone else besides [♂ him /♀ her],I could have ended up dead...
Kama:
Enemies? Did you say enemies? Well that hurts.
Kama:
I didn't put you in those roles to make you anyone's enemy.
Kama:
You're two of the Ooku's most capable staff. I hired you to be attendants, nothing more.
Kama:
All you had to do was put your ample talents to use and entertain our guests to the best of your abilities...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Hehe. Lord Nobutsuna all but admitted it earlier, and now you've been kind enough to confirm it for us.
Sessyoin Kiara:
We know now that this Ooku is built around the five precepts...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...and that your goal is to make us break them.
Kama:
...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Not only that...As it is clear that these floors are intended to push us to more severely break the precepts the farther we go...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I am left with the impression that you very much want us to make our way through this Ooku.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Taken together...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...it seems quite clear your intention is that we make it through the Ooku by breaking all five precepts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Though I still don't know what the significance of having us do so might be.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Tell me, what do you hope to gain by having us break the precepts and make our way to the end?
Kama:
What do I want? Do I really have to spell it out? Ugh, this is such a pain.
Kama:
It's so stupidly simple it should have been obvious ages ago.
Kama:
This is the Ooku, the shogun's personal harem. All I want is to make sure you all have the time of your lives.
Fujimaru 1:
...!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
How many times do I have to say it!? The Ooku is NOT a harem! It's a place of culture and rules where–
Kama:
Yeah, yeah, we got it already. But in case you didn't get the message yet, this isn't your Ooku anymore.
Kama:
The reason I designed it around the five precepts is because it's easier to understand.
Kama:
The more you're forbidden from doing something,the better it feels when you do it.
Kama:
In fact, while we're on the subject...you really don't need to limit yourselves to just the five precepts.
Kama:
I'm happy to help you explore any kind of pleasure you like, no matter how depraved it might be.
Kama:
I can even change myself to match your preferences. Like this.
Fujimaru 1:
Did you just...grow up!?
Kama:
Hehe. I can...fill myself out even more if you like,but I think this will do for now.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I know that Servant forms are transient and temporary, but this...This is unnatural. She must be some kind of monster.
Pārvatī:
What are you up to now, Kama!?
Kama:
What do you mean? I literally JUST spelled it all out for you!
Kama:
You already know what this floor wants from you. Forget about Fuchutoukai. Go ahead and take things that aren't yours.
Kama:
I made this floor just so you could experience how good that feels.
Kama:
Fujimaru.
Kama:
It's okay. You can take anything you want here. Everything is up for grabs.
Kama:
That goes for me too, of course. You can take aaanything you want from me.
Kama:
I think you'll find that you'll enjoy me very, very much...
Pārvatī:
O-oh no you don't! I don't know what it is Fujimaru would steal from you,but whatever it is, it's not happening!
Pārvatī:
We came all this way to make sure Fujimaru would never have to steal anything [♂ himself /♀ herself]!
Scheherazade:
That's right. I'm the one who will be stealing.
Scheherazade:
My stories stole my king's heart. Now, they're going to steal back what you've taken...
Mata Hari:
When it comes to stealing people's hearts, I'm pretty sure I could give anyone a run for their money.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
One of my roles in the shogunate was to crack down on thieves. You will return what you stole, starting with the shogun.
Kama:
Aw man, you guys are no fun. You really don't want to enjoy stealing from me, do you?
Kama:
Well...TOO BAD! You don't have a choice. You'll have to steal this key from me if you want to go to the next floor.
Kama:
Oh, I'll bring in some of the attendants to make things more interesting too, okay? If you see anything you like, just go ahead and steal it.
Sessyoin Kiara:
My, my. So you'd even make yourself a target just to have us experience the joys of breaking the precepts...
Sessyoin Kiara:
You know, this has been on my mind for some time, but now that you're here, I really must tell you directly.
Sessyoin Kiara:
The manner in which you have gone about all of this is...truly pathetic.
Kama:
Huh. Weird. Usually, I can roll with whatever anyone says to me...
Kama:
But for some reason, hearing that from you really just pisses me the hell off.
Kama:
Who the hell are you, anyway?
Kama:
My invitation was supposed to just be for Fujimaru.
Kama:
I know I reverse-summoned all the Servants in Chaldea and turned them into construction materials, and I know my anti-Counter Force defenses are airtight.
Kama:
There shouldn't have been anyone else left...
Kama:
Well that's just great. What kind of Servant are you, anyway? Some kind of cockroach who likes to hide in the shadows?
Sessyoin Kiara:
As children are fond of saying,I know what you are, but what am I?
Pārvatī:
Okay, that's quite enough of that. I still don't know what you're really up to, but as long as you're not running away again, I don't care.
Pārvatī:
As a god from the same pantheon as you,and as the light side of your avatar...
Pārvatī:
...I'm going to make you atone for your sins myself! This ends now, Kama!
--BATTLE--
Kama:
Too bad. I guess this bow and arrow I chose to save energy and piss off Indra really can't compare to the real thing.
Kama:
I guess this is just what happens when you hold back...
Pārvatī:
We...beat her? That was easier than I thought...!
Overlapping Whispers:
...How could he just leave the shogunate in Tanuma's hands? He may be smart, but he has no drive whatsoever...
Overlapping Whispers:
He doesn't care about his people or his country. All he cares about are his game pieces...
Narration:
......
Narration:
I put a game piece down. Clack. Then...silence.
Narration:
I put more game pieces down. Clack. Clack. And again...silence.
Narration:
This is what I want. This is how it should be. I don't need to hear any noise. No talking, or shouting, or whispering. I wish it would all just go away.
Narration:
The outside world is too big. You can't escape that noise out there. All I need is my game board.
Sweet Female Voice:
Hehe. What's wrong with pursuing your interests to their fullest?
Sweet Female Voice:
As the shogun, you're the most powerful man in the land. Why should you be forced to waste your time thinking about things you'd rather not?
Sweet Female Voice:
You have every right to spend your time how you see fit. I would never judge you for that.
Sweet Female Voice:
I love the sound of your game pieces just as much as you do.
Sweet Female Voice:
...You have a new shogi problem? Oh my, I can't wait to see it...
Mata Hari:
It looks like they dropped another pillbox. Does this mean we won?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
No. This is not over yet.... There.
Kama:
Hiii. It's me.
Kama:
Oh, wait. I should dial down the confidence, shouldn't I? I don't want to come off as some kind of Pārvatī.
Kama:
I should stick with my tried-and-true humble attitude. Let's try that one more time, shall we?
Kama:
Aww, sorry. Maybe you didn't want to see me anymore, but here I am. It's okay, though. I still wanted to see you.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh!? We defeated you! I know we did!
Fujimaru 2:
Did you clone yourself!?
Kama:
Clone myself? Hehe...If I did, would that make me some kind of ninja?
Kama:
Anyway, congratulations on doing a killer job stealing the key from me.
Kama:
You want to get deep inside me that badly, huh? Then I guess I'd better get back to the final chamber.
Kama:
I still have to get things ready for the big party at the end of all this, after all.
Kama:
Oh, and just as a heads-up, this next floor is a liiittle different from the others.
Kama:
Since it's the last one, I'm going to make it niiice and simple for you. All you have to do to get through it is go where your desire takes you.
B：Kama:
Yes, we'll keep it nice and simple for you.
I：Kama:
We'll help you all fall into blissful debauchery...
Fujimaru 1:
I...Wha...Huh!?
Scheherazade:
What...was that...?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Perhaps those three are just imposters, and the real Kama is still somewhere else...but I doubt things are quite that simple.
Pārvatī:
...If nothing else, I can say I've never heard of Kama using powers like that before.
Pārvatī:
Still, we are Divine Spirits. It's not too hard for us to make more of ourselves if we want to.
Pārvatī:
I do something similar when I fire my Noble Phantasm.
Mata Hari:
Maybe she's copying how ninjas do it. I know I was amazed when Kotarou showed me his clone technique.
Scheherazade:
I've also heard of a dollmaker ranked Grand among mages who can make puppets that look identical to people.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
In the end, it would seem all we know for certain is that the manner in which she created copies of herself eludes us.
Mata Hari:
Unfortunately, yeah.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, there's no point dwelling on it now. Why don't we keep moving on in the meantime?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
However many there are of her, there's still only one shogun being held prisoner.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Once we rescue him, then we can think of a way to smoke out these pests overrunning the Ooku once and for all.
Scheherazade:
That's true. Rescuing the hostages should be our first priority.
Scheherazade:
We certainly can't help them if they end up dead...
Sessyoin Kiara:
Then let's move on. This next floor should be the last.
Fujimaru 1:
What's the final precept, Kiara?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Ah, yes. That one is extremely simple.
Sessyoin Kiara:
It's no surprise that Kama left it for last...It's almost like this has been one long tease leading up to it...
Sessyoin Kiara:
This...really complicates matters. It's only by repressing that side of myself that I'm able to be here at all.
Sessyoin Kiara:
But, then again, I'm sure it will be all right. I've held out this long, after all.
Sessyoin Kiara:
As appetizing as Master has looked, particularly up close, I've been able to resist all this time.
Sessyoin Kiara:
A little more temptation shouldn't push me over the edge now, no matter how delicious it may seem...
Mata Hari:
Um...Hello? Anyone home?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, yes, forgive me. I still haven't told you what the last precept is, have I?
Sessyoin Kiara:
The last precept...is called Fujainkai.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I imagine you can guess what it forbids by now, no?
Acquired Tenth Shogun Tokugawa Ieharu's inrou.
Giant Wandering Maidservant, and a Trifling Illusion (B)
Overlapping Whispers:
All that comes out of his mouth is “yes, that will do. ” It's no wonder that deplorable Mizuno Tadakuni is running around doing whatever he pleases, what with Lord Doormat in charge of the country.
Overlapping Whispers:
Yes, dealing with corruption is important, but this is ridiculous. With all this internal discord on top of the foreign threat, the future looks bleak...
Narration:
......
Narration:
This is terrifying. My teeth won't stop chattering. Why did all this have to happen during my reign?
Narration:
Why did those horrible Black Ships have to show up on our shores now...
Sweet Female Voice:
Oh my, you're shuddering. You poor thing...
Sweet Female Voice:
You fear conflict, so you listen to your retainers. You fear an end to peace, so you cower before war.
Sweet Female Voice:
Ahh, I love that fear of yours.
Sweet Female Voice:
Of course you don't need to worry about war. Why not paint a picture to take your mind off your troubles?
Sweet Female Voice:
Here's your brush. Go on, take it. Theeere you go. Oh my, you're so good with it...
Acquired Twelfth Shogun Tokugawa Ieyoshi's inrou.
???
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hm? It looks like a dead end.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I wonder why this wall is so different? It's smooth and blank, and even colored slightly differently.
Mata Hari:
It's definitely a dead end, which is suspicious, that's for sure. But I really don't see anything resembling a keyhole anywhere, traditional or otherwise.
Scheherazade:
So it would seem. My thieves can't find anything unusual about it either.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
(Hmm, how odd. It almost reminds me of a man who failed to attain serenity...)
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
(I wonder if...)
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
What would you have us do, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Looks like we'll just have to find another way!
Fujimaru 2:
No sense moping about it! Let's go back and try again!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Nothing gets you down, does it, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru? I admire your optimism.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You're right; there isn't any sense moping about this. So let's head back and see what other ways we can find!
Sessyoin Kiara:
...
Scheherazade:
...Is something wrong?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, no, everything's fine. Shall we be on our way?
Sessyoin Kiara:
(I do get the sense that there is some manner of opening–a hole or a slit–hidden here, but filling it now would be...premature. )
Sessyoin Kiara:
(I can't properly enjoy myself without knowing what my partner is like, so I had best move on for now...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(Still...I'll have to make sure not to forget this place...)
Act Six: Myriad of Women, Part One
— Earlier —
Woman's Voice:
Teehee...
Woman's Voice:
Teeheehee...
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Hehe, fwahahaha. Now, now, settle down. No need to press up against me so tightly.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
It's quite all right. This is the Ooku. I can't very well turn down your offer to entertain me.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
So of course I'll be going in. Deeper...and deeper...
Kama:
Oh yes, please, do come inside. That's why we're all here.
C：Kama:
That's right...The Ooku in Edo Castle is full of love for the Tokugawa shogun.
C：Kama:
We're here to provide it. All the love you could ever want, forever and ever...
Act Six: Myriad of Women, Part Two
Ooku Attendant:
TeeHEE...Please, please, HAVE mercy...
Mata Hari:
Hmm. These attendants keep loosening up their kimono and rushing over the moment they spot us.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see...So Fujainkai forbids sexual relations outside of marriage.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, we certainly don't have to worry about that here. Who would possibly be tempted by bizarre dolls like this!
Scheherazade:
Wait! Everyone, over there!
Kama:
Teehee. Teeheehee...
Fujimaru 1:
Kama!
Mata Hari:
There's not just one of her!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
They're not saying anything. They're just smiling...
Pārvatī:
And they're coming towards us, too. They must be trying to seduce us, just like the attendants.
Pārvatī:
I wish she'd cut that out, especially since she has the same face as me! I don't want my husband getting mixed up!
Scheherazade:
Whether they really are her or not...it seems clear that she means to get us to break the fifth precept herself.
Scheherazade:
The attendant dolls can only be so seductive,given what they are...
Scheherazade:
If Mata Hari and I were still under her control, we would probably have been forced to help with this as well.
Mata Hari:
Definitely.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee, then it's fortunate we freed you two earlier. If you had ended up working on this floor...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru might belong to Kama now, body and soul, and Lord Yagyu and I would be powerless to stop it.
Pārvatī:
Let's save the chitchat for later, please! At least it looks like on this floor, we won't need to bother with keys.
Pārvatī:
We should be able to progress just by fighting them off.
Pārvatī:
Although, with the way she's looking at us...I think I can tell what's on her mind.
Pārvatī:
She's thinking that even hurting one another can arguably be construed as a kind of foreplay...
Pārvatī:
...so she WANTS us to fight her!
Fujimaru 1:
This is the last floor. We can't stop now!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's get through this floor as fast as we can!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Pleasure and pain are, in essence, one and the same. I can understand what she's doing here...but I can't understand why she isn't doing it alone.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If I were in her position, I would want to keep everything for myself.
Act Six: Myriad of Women, Extra
Fujimaru 1:
Is something wrong, Tsubone?
Fujimaru 2:
Something on your mind?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, oops. Sorry about that. Temporary or not, a good wet nurse should worry about her charges, not the other way around.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, it's just...
Scheherazade:
Yes?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This floor just reminded me how difficult this,um, particular subject was for me to teach.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I certainly taught him the bare minimum he needed to know, but when it came to, er, practical applications...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, I figured he would learn that sort of thing naturally, just by spending time around his pages of the same age.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's why, sometimes, I would even look the other way when his pages would take him to visit the castle town.
Scheherazade:
That sounds just like...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes. In fact...Lord Yoshimune, was it? That story of his you were studying may not have been far from the truth.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The fact is, there are some things that it's just not possible to teach inside Edo Castle alone.
Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami:
I see. I suspected something like that may have happened.
Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami:
Indeed, Mitsuyoshi may well have taught the shogun things he should not have known...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As your acting wet nurse, let me ask you this now: How are things of this nature handled in the future?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
For example, when I discovered Lord Iemitsu had hidden obscene drawings in his room, there were a great many things I wanted to say to him...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but after thinking it over, I decided to simply arrange them neatly on his floor without saying a word.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Was that the right way to handle that?
Fujimaru 1:
(Hang in there, Lord Iemitsu...! )
Fujimaru 2:
A lot of mothers do that kind of thing in our time, too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Do they now! I knew it! Now I feel like patting myself on the back for once!
Mata Hari:
Yeaaah, there's definitely a lot of, um, pitfalls with that particular subject. And it's even more difficult given how important it is.
Mata Hari:
If nothing else, we can definitely say this Ooku isn't doing anything good for that kind of education.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes. It is a bit...overstimulating, having to fend off the advances of a lascivious goddess of love at every turn.
Scheherazade:
At least it seems as though there have been fewer of her...Then again, maybe that's why.
Scheherazade:
This is a dead end.
Mata Hari:
Maybe this is the labyrinth's way of telling us to give those Kama...clones? More attention.
Mata Hari:
So if we want to proceed, maybe we need to go down the paths where there's more of them.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. So we need to wade further into this den of depravity.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru, please be care–I mean,rest assured.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If need be, I'll hold my hands over your eyes to stop you from seeing anything you shouldn't!
Fujimaru 1:
Just make sure not to poke my eyes out or anything...
Act Six: Myriad of Women, Part Three
Narration:
I have never thought myself superior to others. I have never assumed I know better than them.
Narration:
But at times, I have wondered why people think the way they do.
Narration:
We choose and recommend good things because they are good. We shun bad things because they are bad.
Narration:
Almost everything in this world proceeds smoothly as long as one keeps those two ideas in mind.
Narration:
Politics. Relationships. Economics. And though I only experienced it once, even war was no exception.
Narration:
If you cannot clearly ascertain which is the good and which is the bad, all you need do is compare them.
Narration:
If it is difficult to compare them, all you need do is try another perspective that makes comparison easier. That is all.
Narration:
Which is why I could never understand why following this process led to me being known as “Wise Izu. ”
Narration:
This is not wisdom. All I ever did was follow this logic to its natural conclusion.
Narration:
I did what needed to be done, and refrained from doing what should not be done.
Narration:
It is a simple process, as straightforward as the spring that drives mechanical dolls. If it is wound, they move. If not, they stay still. There is nothing more to it.
Narration:
I knew there were some who did not like me for consistently taking such a simple approach.
Narration:
Those people would say that I was clever,but also cold and heartless.
Narration:
But, there is nothing I could do about that. This is the only way I know.
Narration:
When that woman proved herself a genuine deity beyond any doubt, and humiliated Tokugawa beyond measure...
Narration:
...the same logic I have always followed determined this was good. Nobody can defeat a god, no matter how hard one tries. Therefore...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough) It is futile to pass through this floor without succumbing to its temptations. Why can you not see that?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Nobutsuna! Oh my, this is just...Oh my! What happened to you?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even in my worst nightmares, I never dreamed you would degrade yourself like this!
Mata Hari:
Yikes, look at all of them waiting on him. He looks like an old-timey villain surrounded by a harem.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
What is the meaning of this, Matsudaira Izu-no-kami? You forego alcohol and tobacco, but drown yourself in women?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Heh. And what is wrong with that?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Of course people will indulge in what they think to be good, Lord Munenori. You only chose to indulge in alcohol and tobacco because you found them to be good.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Neither alcohol nor tobacco ever tasted good to me, so I avoided them as something bad. That is all there is to it.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Still...I will admit, I did not know how enjoyable this was until I was given the opportunity to experience it.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
There is nothing quite like having women wait on you hand and foot. And not just any women, but limitless copies of the goddess of love herself.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
No ordinary woman could hope to compare to that. Not the fairest princess, nor the most glamorous courtesan.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
No human could possibly resist drowning in such pleasures.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh my, that much?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Stooop! I don't want to hear that sort of thing from a man I raised as though he were my own son!
Mata Hari:
Now, now, he can't help who he's attracted to.
Mata Hari:
All I want to know is, are you going to let us pass,or not? 'Cause it kind of sounded like you weren't.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough) No, my thoughts on the foolhardiness of your endeavor were merely my personal opinion. If Lady Kama wishes it, I will gladly step aside...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...but as I suspected, it seems she wishes to engage in the pleasures of the flesh with all of you as well.
Mata Hari:
So it would seem.
Scheherazade:
The Ooku's innermost chamber should be just past this room. This is the climax of this story.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Are you sure it will be okay, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru? As your acting wet nurse, I can't help but worry.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You're not going to see something that's,um, a bad influence on you, are you?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm more grown-up than you think, so I'll be fine.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm okay. There are plenty of worse influences than this in Chaldea.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh my!
Pārvatī:
It's all right, Tsubone. It doesn't matter what Kama or Matsudaira say. As long as we don't do what they want, it will just be an ordinary battle.
Pārvatī:
I am still concerned that we don't know exactly what these Kama clones are...
Pārvatī:
...but for the time being, I'm not going to worry about anything except securing the final path to our goal!
Pārvatī:
Fujimaru! Your orders, please!
--BATTLE--
Overlapping Whispers:
...I know they say great heroes are fond of the pleasures of the flesh, but that many concubines? It's no wonder some people think he's a maniac...
Overlapping Whispers:
What are the people of Japan supposed to think with a lecherous shogun like that leading them? If only he would devote half as much energy to governing as he does to the bedroom...
Narration:
......
Narration:
What's wrong with having lots of children? I was taught that children are our greatest treasure, that the more children I have, the safer our family's future is. I'm just putting that into practice.
Narration:
So why do they all speak of me with such disdain? Why do they go around calling me the Lecherous Shogun, or worse?
Sweet Female Voice:
You haven't done anything wrong. Children are power. Having many of them is far better than letting your bloodline die.
Sweet Female Voice:
I love your desire to have many descendants.
Sweet Female Voice:
I can give you as many concubines as you like. If you tire of one, there will always be someone new to take her place.
Sweet Female Voice:
Now come, let's go to the Ooku.
Sweet Female Voice:
You can stay there as long as you like, whenever you like. For the Ooku exists solely for you...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...How foolish. If you had only given in to your desires and consigned yourself to wandering the Ooku for eternity, you could have been happy.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Once you go beyond this room, you will...(Cough, cough, cough)...
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Pārvatī:
Let's go after him. There's no point in staying here any longer.
Mata Hari:
Okay, but let's make sure we're at least minimally prepared first. Plus, it looked like they dropped another pillbox.
Scheherazade:
I would like to hurry on...but I suppose you're right.
Scheherazade:
Once we go down those stairs...I'm certain we'll find everyone who was abducted.
Scheherazade:
...We must rescue them, no matter what. They are the reason we have come all this way.
Fujimaru 1:
You're not scared?
Fujimaru 2:
You're not going to talk about how you don't want to die?
Scheherazade:
Hm, I suppose not. I wonder why that is.
Scheherazade:
I do have a feeling that any other version of me would be curled up in terror under our circumstances...
Scheherazade:
But now...I think I know something no other me does.
Scheherazade:
Yes, dying is painful and scary,and I am terrified of it...
Scheherazade:
But...I also have other thoughts, feelings,and wishes that are precious to me.
Scheherazade:
And I am just as scared of losing them...as I am of losing my life.
Scheherazade:
So...I think, at this point...
Scheherazade:
...I want to ensure not just my own survival, but that of the people I have come to care about as well.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Though I did originally draw my sword in order to rescue Lord Iemitsu...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...my true wish for my sword is to help others lead better lives.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I was already prepared to use it, but if I can help make your wish come true as well, it would be my honor to do so. Fear not.
Scheherazade:
...Thank you.
Sessyoin Kiara:
At long last, we are about to penetrate the innermost sanctum, the deepest reaches of this misbegotten Ooku. Reaching such a private place is no easy feat.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I wonder what manner of tantalizing climax Kama has in store for us there...?
Acquired Eleventh Shogun Tokugawa Ienari's inrou.
Act Seven: God of Love
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Hahaha! It's about time you lot got here! Go on, kick back and relax! That's an order from the shogun!
Mata Hari:
He's here!? I know you told us what happened to him, but I still can't believe how funn–I mean, weird this is!
Scheherazade:
His mind must have been tampered with,like ours were...
Fujimaru 1:
Hang in there, Director! We'll save you!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) You still fail to understand? How unbelievably foolish.
Kama:
Now, now. That's just how humans are, you know? Just when you think they can't possibly get any dumber, they say something like that. Ugh, so hopeless.
Kama:
But, no matter how much I detest them, I can still love them anyway. I am the god of love, after all.
Sessyoin Kiara:
(So she is capable of loving humans without actually loving them...Ahh...We may seem similar on the surface, but we have absolutely nothing in common...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Be quiet! No more nonsense! I want to know where are you keeping Lord Iemitsu!?
Kama:
You don't really think I'm just going to tell you that, do you? No, I can see you don't.
Kama:
So I'm going to surprise you by actually answering honestly. I have to admit that when you hate someone, it's fun to take the wind out of their sails.
Kama:
Anyway, Iemitsu, was it? The shogun who was originally here? Oh yes, he was the first anchor. Veeery important.
Kama:
That's why I'm holding on to him myself. Let's see...Ah, here we go.
Mata Hari:
Huh? Did she just take that out of her cleavage? No, wait, it came out of her chest? Isn't that...?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...A pillbox!?
Kama:
Uh-huh. These are the anchors. They're the shoguns' life energy–their souls, basically–all wrapped up in neat little packages.
Kama:
And please don't ask what it is they're anchoring. Even you clowns have worked out that it's Ooku, right?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
So you say that pillbox you hold is actually Lord Iemitsu's soul?
Kama:
That's right. Tell you what. I'll be exxxtra nice and start at the beginning.
Kama:
When I first showed up here, I started out by creating a single room that I could make into anything I liked.
Kama:
It was a tiny little zone–a part of me, in a way–that I fit into a bit of empty space inside the real Ooku.
Kama:
I then invited Lord Iemitsu to join me there once he paid the Ooku a visit. All it took was a few words, and a few steps off his usual path.
Kama:
Once he came inside, I entertained him myself. I didn't stop until he was satisfied. I didn't stop until he forgot about eeeverything else.
Kama:
He must have been sooo exhausted from his duties, because he put up almost no fight at all.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...! How dare you be so brazen with Lord Iemitsu!
Kama:
I'm just telling it like it is.
Kama:
Anyway, after I'd gotten hold of Lord Iemitsu's soul...I followed his bonds, his connections to gather more material.
Kama:
I started with the other people in the Ooku, then I spread out to cover everyone in Edo Castle.
Kama:
I dipped down into the nearby castle town too,but only a little here and there.
Scheherazade:
And then...you used those people's souls to build this false Ooku?
Kama:
Oh no, I still didn't have nearly enough material for that. That's why I next decided to follow Lord Iemitsu's connections vertically.
Kama:
And by that...I mean through time,to his past and future.
Fujimaru 1:
!?
Kama:
Lord Iemitsu had a lot of deep ties in all sorts of concepts. The Tokugawa family, the shogun, the shogunate...So I went looking for people with some connection to those, both in the past and the future.
Kama:
Then I basically took aaall of their life energy–sorry, their souls, and made them into materials.
Mata Hari:
Then, you mean all the pillboxes we've been collecting are actually...!?
Kama:
That's right. They're the souls of several shogun from the past and future. As you'd expect, being a shogun is very significant, so I made all of them into anchors.
Kama:
Still, I only used them as guidelines when I was making the other floors, so I didn't really need any of them besides this first one once I was done.
Kama:
In the end, I just repurposed them as a power source for the attendants. Wait, have you been collecting them and using them yourself?
Kama:
Aww, that's so touching.
Pārvatī:
So then, after you built this Ooku...that was when you came after Chaldea.
Pārvatī:
You tricked Goredolf into coming here, then you used his bonds to perform a reverse-summon attack on Chaldea...
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Hm? Did someone say my name? Come now, why are you all still standing there!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Go on, have a seat! You have my permission! There's plenty of delicious drinks and delectable roast beef for everyone!
Mata Hari:
...Maybe we should gag him for a bit,so he doesn't ruin the mood?
Pārvatī:
All right, I understand how you made this Ooku. But I still don't understand what your goal is.
Pārvatī:
I'm sure you didn't make this place just for fun. You obviously want to use it for something.
Pārvatī:
While we're on the subject,I also want to know why you attacked Chaldea.
Pārvatī:
Is it because we posed a threat to this Singularity zone that showed up here thanks to your messing with the timeline?
Pārvatī:
Are you trying to grow it so that it destroys all of humani–
Kama:
Pfft.
Kama:
Aww, sorry there, Pārvatī. You were so hilariously off base that I couldn't help but make a goofy face.
Kama:
My goal? Really? You're really struggling with something that simple? Damn, you never change.
Kama:
Just like you couldn't figure out what would happen to a god who was ordered to get Shiva's attention by firing an arrow...
Kama:
...you can't tell what's going on here either, huh. Ugh, you're just the best at being the worst.
Kama:
Then again, maybe you just don't want to get it? I hate to break it to you, but that innocent act of yours got old ages ago.
Fujimaru 1:
A simple...goal...
Fujimaru 2:
My head feels...kind of hazy...
Kama:
Making a Singularity? Using it to destroy humanity? Wrong. I honestly couldn't care less what happens to this place.
Kama:
I didn't have to use the Tokugawa bonds. I didn't have to make a new Ooku at all.
Kama:
It could have been the Topkapı Palace harem, or China's inner palace. It's all the same to me.
Kama:
I only went with the Ooku because it happened to catch my eye at the right time.
Kama:
Yes...it happened to be just the right kind of place to drown you in my love, Fujimaru...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Pārvatī:
Th-then, your true goal was–
Kama:
That's right. I've only wanted one thing all along...You, Fujimaru.
Kama:
What do you call it? Novum Chaldea? It would usually be impossible for me to do anything with a bizarre place like that.
Kama:
The only reason I could manage it at all, Fujimaru, is because you and I are tied together through fate.
Kama:
It's all thanks to that fate that my voice was able to reach Chaldea.
Kama:
I'd hoped that just inviting you here would be enough, like it was with Chubs here.
Kama:
But once the alchemist caught on and got in the way, I decided to have you make your way through this Ooku of your own volition.
Kama:
I can see you tried all sorts of tricks to get around it, but, sorry, none of them worked.
Kama:
You might not have gotten as much as I'd hoped, but you still accepted my love and made your way deep inside me.
Kama:
And now...it's taken effect.
Fujimaru 1:
Ah...Ah...
Mata Hari:
Master!? Are you okay!? Please, snap out of it!
Scheherazade:
A mental attack? ...No, it's...!
Kama:
Hey, worthless human? The one crawling around on the floor? What's your name?
Fujimaru 1:
My name...is...
Fujimaru 2:
What...was it...? Oh, right...
Fujimaru 1:
My name is...Tokugawa...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough)...Fools. Even with an example right in front of you, you still failed to realize the truth?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Hahaha, hahaha! Now, now, no need to prostrate yourself, Fujimaru!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
This Ooku is a curse. It is designed to turn anyone who makes their way to the innermost sanctum by breaking the five precepts into Tokugawa.
Kama:
If we define the Ooku as a place devoted to the shogun's pleasure...
Kama:
...then anyone who experiences pleasure there would have to be a shogun, right?
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I see now. All this time, I failed to grasp the greater picture. You weren't trying to corrupt Master to indulge in further depravity...
Sessyoin Kiara:
You wanted to corrupt [♂ him /♀ her] to turn [♂ him /♀ her] into a Tokugawa...What an absurdly obtuse way of expressing your love.
Kama:
...Would you kindly SHUT THE HELL UP!? You're making a distraction of yourself.
Kama:
Anyway, Chubs there isn't brainwashed. He was the first one invited to this Ooku after I completed it.
Kama:
He turned out to be a perfect subject for my first Tokugawafication experiment.
Scheherazade:
I've never heard of such a massive specialized spell as that in all the stories I've ever read!
Scheherazade:
Even if you are a Divine Spirit,there is no way you could easily–
Kama:
Yes, I can, thanks to the power of my love. All I have to do is prove it.
Kama:
When I prove my love, it makes the concept behind this Ooku I created even stronger. That's why I went with this particular kind of labyrinth.
Kama:
What did you think? The five precepts were perfect for proving my love, weren't they?
Kama:
People seem to have the idea that they won't go to hell as long as they don't do those things...
Kama:
...so I thought I'd suggest doing them all,and enjoying yourself on the way to hell.
Kama:
After all, doing what is forbidden feels sooo good...
Kama:
So go ahead. It's okay. Just do whatever you want.
Kama:
No matter how much you kill...Or how much you lie...
Kama:
Or how much you drink...Or how much you steal...
Kama:
Or how much you fornicate...Really, no matter how worthless you are...
Kama:
I'll still love you, even if you go to hell.
Kama:
That is the proof of my love. Whatever you want to do, I'll accept it unconditionally and love you anyway...
Pārvatī:
That...That's not love at all! It's the definition of depravity!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Define the word however you like. It does not matter.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
The recipients of Lady Kama's love will inevitably end up becoming Tokugawa, just like this man.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
And once they have become Tokugawa,they can never escape her Ooku...
Fujimaru 1:
Nghh...Hnghhh...Aah...
Fujimaru 2:
My name is...Tokugawa...?
Mata Hari:
Please, snap out of it, Master! You're not a Tokugawa! You're just Fujimaru!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
R-right! I may be your acting wet nurse right now,but that's only because I sensed you had talent!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I never meant that you were a Tokugawa shogun in your own right!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please, get a hold of yourself!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I would ask that the two of you continue talking to Master. We will try a different tactic.
Scheherazade:
Yes. Simple though it may be, I can see the path we must take to bring this story to a close...
Kama:
All that said, I guess Fujimaru's Tokugawafication is taking longer than I expected thanks to your pointless attempts to resist it on your way here.
Kama:
Fine, I see how it is.
Kama:
I'll just have to give Fujimaru one last push to send [♂ him /♀ her] tumbling into hell myself.
Kama:
Once [♂ he /♀ she] experiences pleasure here in the Ooku's innermost sanctum, [♂ he'll /♀ she'll] no longer be able to resist turning into a Tokugawa.
Fujimaru 1:
No...way...!
Fujimaru 2:
We have to...save everyone...!
Kama:
Are you even listening to me, young [♂ man /♀ lady]? Ugh, you're so annoying.
Kama:
Look, I'll fill you in on a little secret: I don't even remember where I put everyone from Chaldea, human or Servant.
Kama:
They could be in the staircase you just came down, or they could be in one of the countless wallboards you walked by.
Kama:
All right, I probably shouldn't say this, but the only way you'll ever free them is by getting rid of me.
Kama:
Doesn't sound so easy, does it? That's because it's not. But don't worry. It's okay.
Kama:
I might despise everyone besides me–worthless gods, hopeless humans, and pathetic Servants alike...
Kama:
In fact, the very thought of them might make me want to puke...
Kama:
But, even though I'll always despise you...I'll still love you all, forever and ever...To the very end...
--BATTLE--
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
(How is this happening? My sword refuses to do as I wish. It feels...heavy. )
Kama:
Would you stop wasting my time already?
Kama:
I really, really couldn't care less about all that,“You can do anything with passion and hard work! ” crap. It just makes me want to vomit.
Kama:
Try to pull that nonsense on me again,and it'll just put me in an even fouler mood.
Kama:
...Great. Here it comes.
Kama:
You dragging this out has gotten me a bit fired up.
Kama:
I'm not even trying to release it. It's just slipping out.
Pārvatī:
Huh!? Kama...What happened to you!?
Kama:
As if you didn't know. Your freaking hubby did this to me, if you don't recall!
Scheherazade:
It looks like...her arms and legs are burning...? And what is that glow...?
Kama:
You guys really have no idea what I am, huh? Not even with good old Pārvatī there.
Kama:
This is so terrible it's fun. I bet there's all sorts of things you still don't have a clue about.
Kama:
Well, here's some food for thought: Where do you all think you are right now?
Scheherazade:
Huh!?
Kama:
The other floors might be borderline,but this inner chamber IS me.
Kama:
You're all literally enveloped by me, and my love.
Kama:
Go on, take a look around. See for yourselves what the love enveloping you right now truly is!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? We're in...space?
Pārvatī:
...! Oh no. Are you...? You can't be–
Kama:
So, you finally figured it out, Pārvatī? That's right. I'm Ananga, the formless one, now.
Kama:
How did I end up this way? Why, because Shiva incinerated me with his third eye, of course.
Scheherazade:
I...I know that story.
Scheherazade:
The god Shiva was so deep in meditation that not even Pārvatī could reach him.
Scheherazade:
The gods sent you to get Shiva's attention using your arrows of love, but when you did...
Scheherazade:
...he flew into a rage and opened his third eye, turning your body to ash...
Pārvatī:
...
Kama:
Let me tell you what happened as a result of getting dragged into that little shit show.
Kama:
As you can tell from my expression,it's just hiii-larious.
Kama:
Shiva's third eye, and the unfathomable power it possesses turned me to ash. That power was capable of incinerating the universe itself.
Kama:
It didn't just disintegrate my body. It made my very existence into something vague and hazy.
Kama:
Now, here's a question for you. Don't worry, it's a reeeal easy one.
Kama:
Let's say there's a void left over from Shiva's incineration standing right in front of you. What is it, exactly?
Scheherazade:
...! Now I understand. The more powerful a Divinity, the greater the ramifications their actions will have.
Scheherazade:
Since Shiva is meant to incinerate the universe, and he incinerated you...you yourself could now be the universe!
Pārvatī:
Then on the conceptual level, you and the universe are now fundamentally linked...!
Fujimaru 1:
I can't even with this universe stuff...
Fujimaru 2:
This is all way over my head...
Kama:
True, it doesn't make any sense. Normally, it would be too much for someone to handle.
Kama:
But that wasn't the case for me. I was no ordinary god of love.
Kama:
Since this is the climax, I'll make it nice and simple.
Kama:
I'm a demon king.
Pārvatī:
I knew it...You're Mara!
Pārvatī:
I mean, you're still Kama, too...but the Demon King Mara side of you is much stronger!
Mata Hari:
Wh-what does that mean?
Scheherazade:
The divinity known as Kama is also considered to be a separate divinity known as Mara, though they are often conflated.
Scheherazade:
As the embodiment of love and lust, Mara is said to be an ultimate evil, leading all she encounters to their doom!
Kama:
So, I know I just said I was a demon king, but I'm still not sure there's any point in distinguishing between Kama and Mara.
Kama:
We're both the same thing in the end. It's probably just a case of humans thinking of love as evil.
Mata Hari:
I guess I can see their point. Love can arguably make people unhappy just as much as it makes them happy...
Pārvatī:
I always thought this could be a possibility. And I'm sure Sion and Mash considered that the two divinities were linked too, since it is a famous story.
Pārvatī:
But, even if Kama and Mara are the same being, Mara shouldn't be able to come out that easily. So how is she here now?
Sessyoin Kiara:
However she accomplished, we are left with the fact of her presence here and now. We had best accept it.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Indeed, I can sense it myself. That is the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven Papiyas, Takejizaiten.
Sessyoin Kiara:
A demon king of love who has gained the power of the universe...
Kama:
Gained? I guess you could say that,but I'm not sure it's entirely accurate.
Kama:
This innermost space inside the Tokugawa Ooku is now essentially my own self-contained universe.
Kama:
Do you get it? You are all inside me, even as we speak.
Kama:
So I wouldn't count on being able to use your bodies like normal if I were you.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh!? So...heavy...!
Kama:
As I said, this is my own universe,my own personal world.
Kama:
I could end all your lives in an instant if I wanted, and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it. And you think you're going to fight me? Puh-lease!!!
Kama:
Or what, are you really going to take on the universe itself? Don't bother. You can't possibly win.
Kama:
So just give up and enjoy my love.
Kama:
Let my love carry you into the depths of depravity, like Chubs there.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I say, I was rather taken aback when the lights went out, but it's simply beautiful in here! I guess you would call this a drink under the stars? Ahh, this is paradise!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Although, I say, you there. Fujimaru, was it?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Prostrating yourself in respect is all well and good, but I think you may be overdoing it. You look as though you're trying to dig a hole with your head.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
You need to be a tad kinder to yourself when paying your respects, understood?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Otherwise, you'll put me right off my good mood! Hahahaha!
Kama:
Um, Nobutsuna? Would you mind getting him out of here, so we don't have to listen to him anymore?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...As you wish, my lady.
Sessyoin Kiara:
My, what a rare experience this is.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Between how heavy my body feels, and how difficult it is to breathe, it truly does feel as though we've set foot in another world...
Sessyoin Kiara:
But, there's still one thing I don't understand. No matter how you look at it, this is all...too much.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Even if you are Mara the Demon King, you shouldn't be able to wield anywhere near this much of the universe's power.
Sessyoin Kiara:
You must still be hiding one more trick.
Kama:
...Oh. I see what's going on.
Kama:
I didn't pay you any attention before, given how pathetic your Spirit Origin is, but now that I take a closer look...
Kama:
Kiara, is it?
Kama:
Well, since you brought it up,I guess I'd better come clean.
Kama:
True, my being Mara is nothing more than a premise.
Kama:
The whole reason I'm here right now is because of another level of power I awakened.
Kama:
And the reason I awakened to that...is because the scales tipped.
Pārvatī:
...What do you mean?
Kama:
See? This is what I'm talking about. Your body already knows what's going on, but your brain can't or won't keep up.
Kama:
That willful idiocy of yours is what I hate most about you, Pārvatī.
Kama:
You and I are two sides of the same avatar. You must have sensed when I was born in the rift that lies between us.
Kama:
Isn't that why you came to stop me now that I'm one of the Evils of Humanity? Because it's your responsibility as the god closest to me?
Fujimaru 1:
Evils of...Humanity...
Fujimaru 2:
You mean...like Goetia and Tiamat...?
Kama:
If the weight causing a scale to tip towards its Right side is removed, then of course it's going to dip back down on the Left.
Kama:
I mean, it's only natural, right?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Hehe. Hehehe. I knew it. I KNEW it.
Kama:
Now that I've invited you into my own universe and changed into this form, I finally understand.
Kama:
You're a fragment of the Right vessel,aren't you, Kiara?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes. I may have been...involved in something along those lines before.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Though I expect you and I are the only ones here who can fully appreciate what that entails.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So, now that you know what I am–or was–let me ask you again: Why go after Master?
Kama:
A failed Beast with a Master? What a joke.
Kama:
That's basically my reason right there.
Kama:
When you were still an immature R, it was Fujimaru [♂ himself /♀ herself] who stopped you from maturing.
Kama:
So if, as the immature organism opposite to you,I manage to surpass Fujimaru...
Kama:
...that would mean I evolved further than you ever could! That is how I will become complete!
Kama:
I am one of the Seven Evils of Humanity: Beast III, the Beast of Pleasure. I am the one who will cause humans everywhere to Lapse into depravity.
Kama:
So get it through your thick skulls! You're all in the throes of my love–the love of Beast III/L!
--ARROW--
Pārvatī:
A Beast...? You're one of the Beasts of Disaster that threatens to end all of mankind!?
Kama:
Oh, I don't know about ending them all. I just do what I want and let the chips fall where they may.
Kama:
I loathe humans more than anything, so I will keep giving them love until they all Lapse into depravity.
Kama:
I'm a demon king of love, and I'm linked to all the universe. There's no limit to what I can do.
Kama:
The universe is infinite, and so is love...
Kama:
Apparently, R called herself the orifice of pleasure and the embodiment of self-love, and tried to gather all of the world's love into herself...
Kama:
...but her selfish desires, her goal, and her body all grew so ludicrously big that she ended up at the mercy of Servants.
Kama:
Then to top it all off, she ended up falling apart under her own dead weight. She ended up being more funny than scary, it turned out.
Kama:
But I'm not selfish like that. If anything, I'm the polar opposite.
Kama:
All I want to do is fill all of mankind–all of the universe–with my love.
Mata Hari:
You make it sound awfully nice, but you'll have to forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical.
Mata Hari:
Because if you're the same kind of being as Goetia, and he was a disaster for all of mankind...I doubt it's as simple as that.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Yes...That would be bad. Very, very bad.
Sessyoin Kiara:
If the god of love were to spread her love to all things until everyone, everywhere was completely satisfied...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...that would be the end of love altogether.
Sessyoin Kiara:
When living things are given infinite love, they become complete in and of themselves, and no longer need anything from anyone else.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And that means there could never be any new love for me–I mean, others, coming into this world...
Kama:
But the recipients of my infinite love will get to enjoy themselves forever and ever.
Kama:
I can satisfy any desire they have. I can rid them of any disappointment they have.
Kama:
I can spoil them utterly rotten,no matter how hopeless they may end up.
Kama:
And if I do this for all mankind,doesn't that mean I've saved them?
Pārvatī:
No...No, that can't be right! That...that isn't real love!
Kama:
(Sigh) Fine, call it depravity if you want. The name really isn't important.
Kama:
A Goody Two-shoes like you could never understand what's so great about a world like this.
Kama:
The perfect lover should never betray you. Never disappoint you. Never let you grow bored. Never die on you.
Kama:
But you wouldn't know that isn't normal, because that's the kind of lover you've been promised since you were born.
Kama:
...Now, come to me, Fujimaru.
Kama:
I know you're not even close to cured. You've just been desperately trying to fight it all this time, haven't you?
Kama:
I can't stand to look at you, and you're so garbage I can't help but laugh, but I'll still love you. I'll still make sure you're all filled up.
Kama:
You're a Tokugawa now. You have no choice but to indulge in this pit of depravity–this Ooku filled to the brim with my love–forever.
Kama:
Go on, you'll feel muuuch better once you give in. Just accept it, and this will all be over.
Fujimaru 1:
Ngh...Ghhh...!
Fujimaru 2:
Ne...ver...!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
So, you truly are vermin, endangering Master and the Tokugawa family alike. I must cut you down, even if it should cost me my life.
Scheherazade:
We cannot let her have Master! There must be a way...something we can do...!
Mata Hari:
Master, hang on to me as much as you need! I don't even care if you have to throw up on me!
Mata Hari:
Just don't give in, whatever you do! You can't forget who you really are...!
Kama:
Oh wow, that's just cruel. Spartan much, are we? Just put [♂ him /♀ her] out of [♂ his /♀ her] misery and let [♂ him /♀ her] give in.
Kama:
It's okay, Fujimaru. Don't worry about a thing. Just give yourself over to me...and Lapse into depravity.
Kama:
This is a cold, lonely, endless world. An infinite universe without beginning or end.
Kama:
Here, I'll show you what real love and desire are, just like I did for the one who trained under the Bodhi Tree.
Kama:
You don't have to do anything hard. You don't have to search for any meaningless right answers.
Kama:
I can provide infinite depravity for everyone. I can provide eternal satisfaction for all.
Kama:
It's okay, trust me. The fires of my love are more than strong enough to heat up this entire universe!
--BATTLE--
Kama:
Weren't you listening to me? I told you, you don't stand a chance.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
How could I let this happen...!
Mata Hari:
Not only is she incredibly strong, she has an overwhelming territorial advantage too. She doesn't just have the high ground, she IS the high ground...!
Scheherazade:
Ahh...I really did not want to die...
Sessyoin Kiara:
(...We are both immature Beasts. I am certain there is a way I could win...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(If I break my vow to exist only as a Servant of Chaldea, I should be able to defeat her...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(But then what? I don't think defeating her once will put a stop to this...)
Sessyoin Kiara:
(If I am correct about Beast III/L's nature, then...)
Pārvatī:
Khh...How did you get so powerful!? It shouldn't be possible!
Kama:
Of course it is. I'm neither the Kama nor the Mara you know anymore.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry...everyone...
Fujimaru 2:
I don't want...to give up, but...!
Kama:
So even though your mind and body are both falling apart, your will to resist is still going strong, huh?
Kama:
Wow, look at you flailing around like a bug with its legs torn off. Gross.
Kama:
Nobutsuna?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Yes, my lady?
Kama:
I think I'm going to try a different approach. Bring Chubs in here.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...Yes, my lady.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Hm? What's this all about? Now you're all crawling around on the floor?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I've grown tired of all this playing dog! No more leaving others out, either! Don't you lot know that feasts are supposed to be enjoyed all together!?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Forgive them, Lord Shogun. Your glory is simply too much for them to behold.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
They are so afraid to raise their heads before you that they cannot even sit up.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Oh? I see, I see. Well, I can certainly understand how they must feel.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
However, this is the Ooku. A place where the shogun can relax and enjoy himself however he pleases.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Besides, knowing when to put formalities aside is the mark of a truly broad-minded shogun.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
So I grant you all permission to relax and recuperate here in my glorious Tokugawa Ooku as well.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Now come on, pick yourselves up and have a seat right here.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
We can crack open another bottle of wine, partake in some delicious meat, and enjoy ourselves here forever.
Fujimaru 1:
Di...rector...
Fujimaru 2:
You're not a...Tokugawa...
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Oh, wait, are you a Tokugawa too? You are, aren't you? Well then, all the more reason not to hold back!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
So, that would mean...we're related? I see, I see. I like that. That means I can truly let my hair down!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Surely there can't be any problem now. Let's all just relax and enjoy ourselves here. What do you say?
Fujimaru 1:
(What a kind...offer...)
Fujimaru 2:
(That sounds...really good...)
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Gnn. What is this weight his words carry? Is this why my sword has felt so heavy...?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Surely you of all people can understand, Tajima-no-kami. This is the Ooku's innermost chamber. The ultimate place reserved for the Tokugawa shogun.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Here, a Tokugawa can truly be who they are. The significance of their title is stronger than ever.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Thus, anyone who knows the authority a Tokugawa wields cannot help but obey what they say here.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Even if that Tokugawa should be a new Tokugawa from a Western country...
Kama:
It's nothing so overt as using your voice to directly control others.
Kama:
It's like an unconscious nudge that makes you feel like going along with whatever they say would be a good idea.
Kama:
Oh, I have that same property too, of course. And for a Tokugawa retainer...
Kama:
...I'd imagine this works on an instinctual level, before you can even think about reaching for your sword.
Kama:
So for Servants who've had their Spirit Origins pummeled half to death, or a human on the verge of turning Tokugawa [♂ himself /♀ herself]...
Kama:
...that property alone might be more than strong enough for a finishing blow.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...You no longer have any means with which to fight back.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I know Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Munenori's strength better than anyone here, and his sword may as well be made out of heavy stone at this point.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...It is over. You should have known all along, as I do. No one can defeat a god, nor a monster on par with one...
--ARROW--
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...It is over. You should have known all along, as I do. No one can defeat a god, nor a monster on par with one...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...Ah, yes, I forgot about you, Kasuga-no-Tsubone. But, there is nothing you can do either. You are still a retainer to the Tokugawa family yourself.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Oho, what's this now? A beautiful girl like yourself shouldn't go around looking so forlorn.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Here, come sit by me. You can pour me a drink and tell me something funny.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Don't worry, I'll be sure to reward you. What would you like? Beautiful clothes? A jeweled hairpin? Just tell me what you want, and it's yours.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I'm the shogun, after all. The world is my oyster. I can give you any manner of gemstone you like. I can procure medicine that will work on any ailment.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
If there's none to be had, I'll have someone make it. If someone else possesses it, I'll order them to hand it over or commit seppuku.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
So what do you say? Come, entertain me. Help me enjoy myself. Let me forget all about my troubles.
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Naturally, if we should hit it off well, I would be willing to give you an even greater reward. I have plenty of time tonight for us to–
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You...
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Yes?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
YOU FOOL!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Ouch!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is NOT how a shogun is meant to behave!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
EVER!
Kama:
Huh!? What's going on!? She's only a soul! She should feel more psychological pressure to obey him than anyone!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Ah...Ah...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Tokugawa shogun is supposed to be the one who holds all of Japan together! He is supposed to be the commander in chief who keeps his country safe!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
His temperance and courtesy must serve as an example for every samurai in the land!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That responsibility does not end even when he rests. He must continue to exercise moderation in all things.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Overeating is debilitating to one's health! Lecherous promiscuity and excessive drinking have no place in a shogun's life whatsoever!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Is that clear?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
IS. THAT. CLEAR!?
Tokugawa Goredolf:
E-eeeyaaah! Y-yes, ma'am!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Toole! It was just a passing flight of fancy! I don't know what came over meee!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Besides, I'm a grown-up now! I have my racing license and everything! I didn't even cheat to get it!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
So come on, let me enter this race! I've always wanted to try racing!
Tokugawa Goredolf:
I know I'm a one-man team! And I'm sorry I used up all of Daddy's nest egg! Wait. Stop! Please! Not the discipline room again!
B：Goredolf:
............Huh?
B：Goredolf:
What have I been doing all this time? And why are you lot looking at me like that? (Teary eyed)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Stop that! Dignitaries are not supposed to cry in public!
B：Goredolf:
Bwa!? Fujimaru! Why is one of your Servants yelling at me out of nowhere!?
Mata Hari:
No way. He's back to normal?
Kama:
The hell? It only took one slap? Guy must have some serious repressed trauma this reminded him of or something...
Kama:
Hey, wait! Can you actually hit him!?
Kama:
Technically, he is a genuine Tokugawa shogun, especially here. How can you possibly stand up to him?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Why wouldn't I? If my shogun is in the wrong, this is exactly what I would do, no matter what the time or circumstance.
Scheherazade:
B-but, the shogun is the most powerful authority figure in this country...He's like a king.
Scheherazade:
If you treat a king like that,you could easily end up dead.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Of course it's a grave crime to raise your hand to the shogun. Yes, it's punishable by death.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But so what?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If it's absolutely necessary to raise a hand to him to ensure he is raised properly, then refraining is not an option.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's the whole reason I'm here.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Once I've admonished the shogun for his mistake, and he understands what he did wrong, if the actions I took are still deemed punishable by death...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...then I need simply go to my death with my head held high.
Scheherazade:
!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That is what it truly means to be a wet nurse.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Even if my actions end up pointing a blade at my own throat, it is well worth it as long as they guide the Tokugawa shogun down the right path.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My own life is a trivial sacrifice to pay to ensure the leader of all of Japan is raised to know right from wrong.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If that is how I must meet my end,I would die a happy woman!
Kama:
Are you freaking KIDDING ME with this crap?
Kama:
That's...That's just...Ugh, I hate it. I hate everything about it. Just when I thought I couldn't despise humans any more.
Kama:
You humans don't need to bother with that utter tripe!
Kama:
All you need to do is surrender yourselves to my love. If it's good enough to satisfy the whole universe, it's good enough for–
B：Goredolf:
I still have no idea what's going on here,but my keen insight tells me you're an enemy!
B：Goredolf:
Not only are you dressed incredibly suspiciously...
B：Goredolf:
...Fujimaru is glaring at you like you're the scum of the earth, despite [♂ him /♀ her] being strangely out of sorts!
B：Goredolf:
Take this! My sadness, my lament, and all of my sorrow! Ironic Gof Puuunch!
Kama:
Huh!? You're an unpredictable one, aren't you. I can't say I saw that coming.
Mata Hari:
(Did he just try to slug a Beast!? )
Scheherazade:
(His grasp on the situation is so tenuous that he actually ended up acting heroically...! )
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
What would you have me do, Lady Kama?
Kama:
Oh, no, it's okay. His Tokugawafication hasn't been completely undone.
Kama:
The shock to his system just temporarily reverted his mind back to his original self.
B：Goredolf:
Come on now, why are you all cowering in fear? She's just one woman! Just follow my lead and–
B：Goredolf:
...
Tokugawa Goredolf:
Oh? What's this now? Was I showing off my famous Shogun Fist to liven up the party or something?
???:
So we have had not one, but two miracles sufficient to distract the Beast, have we? Well then...
Sessyoin Kiara:
...I certainly can't afford to let this opportunity pass me by, now can I?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Love, love, love. So, your love is a fire of depravity fit to consume the whole of the universe, hmm?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Perhaps it might have been possible for us to join forces somehow, but in the end, you and I are simply too different as Beasts.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So instead, I think I will do everything in my not inconsiderable power to slow you down.
Fujimaru 1:
Kiara...?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Hehe. Thank you for choosing me, Master.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I'm so sorry I won't be able to bear witness to your abstinence anymore.
Kama:
You...! Get out of my face!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Ahh, every bit as cold as I thought...I do so love drinking in love in all its many forms, but the absence of passion is one thing I cannot abide.
Sessyoin Kiara:
As a Beast myself, I simply cannot permit you to drown all of creation in a love such as this.
Kama:
Shut up! You already had your shot, and you failed! The only love this universe needs is the kind I radiate!
Kama:
The way you try to take all the love in the world for yourself...The sheer greed of refusing to be satisfied with anything less...
Kama:
I knew it. You and I are fundamentally incompatible!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Teehee. On that, we agree.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I am just a fragment of my true self now, though. I lack the power to truly defeat you.
Sessyoin Kiara:
And frankly...I refuse to give up being a Servant just for you.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So I think this is the best thing I can do here.
Mata Hari:
Huh? She's turning towards us...?
Sessyoin Kiara:
I believe that when things begin to get dull, starting over can be a wonderful way to bring a new kind of joy to experience.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So I'm going to fling you all back outside. Now that you know the obstacles that await you here, you should be able to come up with ways around them, right?
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh, before you go, let me give you one last piece of advice.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Keep collecting those hanafuda cards.
Sessyoin Kiara:
They are essentially Karmaphages...though I suppose you wouldn't know what those are, would you? I can't say I have fond memories of them myself.
Sessyoin Kiara:
At any rate, you'll find they are very useful. I'm sure they will help you fill in the gaps.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I don't know whether they'll lead you to joy or pain, but then, hehe, it's all the same in the end...
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Mata Hari:
Huh? Whoa, whoa, hang on! Did you just say you were gonna...fling us!?
Sessyoin Kiara:
That's right. If we cannot escape her grasp no matter where we run...then my being here in the Ooku doesn't make any difference.
Pārvatī:
This pressure...! Kiara! Are you saying you don't care what happens to you!?
Scheherazade:
You mean you're going to shield us to the end!?
Fujimaru 1:
Come with us, Kiara!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sure I can figure some way you can come with us...!
Sessyoin Kiara:
Oh no, that's all right. I'll always be there if you think of me, and gone if you don't. That is simply what I am.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Besides, it was only ever a fluke that I was able to converse with you at all. That would never have happened were it not for the Beast's stench causing the world to go astray.
Sessyoin Kiara:
So it doesn't matter what happens to me here. As long as you make it back to Chaldea safely, I'm sure we will see each other again someday.
Sessyoin Kiara:
When that day comes, I would be ever so grateful if you could find it in you to be merciful to me again.
Sessyoin Kiara:
Of course, having a woman like me around certainly won't do anything good for Chaldea's sense of decency.
Sessyoin Kiara:
I'm sure humanity would be better off if you cut ties with me here, but, oh well...
Kama:
...
Kama:
I gave them love. But at the same time, just for a moment, I was forced to give that woman some love too.
Kama:
That was...so gross...
Kama:
But, it's okay. R shouldn't be giving me any more trouble now that I've completely erased her.
Kama:
...I'm going to pull off exactly what you failed to do, Rapture.
Kama:
So just sit back and watch as I grow to true maturation and fill all of creation with my love.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough)...What will you do now, my lady?
Kama:
Between Chubs and everyone else from Chaldea,I still have plenty of hostages to spare.
Kama:
[♂ He /♀ She] has no choice but to come back here. All I have to do is wait for [♂ him /♀ her] to show up again.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Understood.
Kama:
Besides...Hehe, I've already accounted for this sort of thing. I still have plenty left to keep them entertained.
Kama:
You know that just as well as I do,don't you, Nobutsuna?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...I am your retainer, Lady Kama. I will do whatever you ask of me.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Just say the word, and it shall be done...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(...)
Act Eight: The End of Tokugawa
Mata Hari:
Master! Are you okay!?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm fine, yeah.
Fujimaru 2:
My head feels a lot better now.
Scheherazade:
It seems the worst of the Tokugawafication has worn off. I'm so relieved.
Fujimaru 1:
But, Kiara...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
She chose to stay behind so she could help us escape. I will never forget your valiant sacrifice, Lady Sessyoin.
Pārvatī:
If it wasn't for her...we never would have made it out of there alive.
Pārvatī:
I can never thank her enough...
Mash:
Master? Master, is that you?
Mash:
Our connection came back so suddenly...Or rather, you returned to the surface so quickly that it took me some time to process your coordinates! Are you all right!?
Sion:
From the looks on your faces...I am guessing you have not returned victorious.
Sion:
We can celebrate our reunion later. Right now, I want you to tell us everything that happened down there.
Mash:
So Kama is Mara the Demon King AND Beast III/L...!
Sion:
One of the Beasts of Disaster, huh...
Sion:
I have seen those occasionally pop up as possibilities during the Atlas Institute's investigations into the apocalypse but I never thought I would get to see one of these “bad ends” for myself.
Sion:
In one sense, I am now especially glad that I am not still holed up in the Titan's Pit.
Mash:
So she's just like Goetia and Tiamat...
Mash:
Or rather, she's the other half of another Beast, and still in the incomplete, immature stage of her growth...
Mash:
Still, I can tell just from what you've told us that she's an incredibly formidable threat.
Mash:
She's a Beast of Pleasure with power linked to the universe who says she wants to shower all of mankind with love...
Mash:
Kiara's not here anymore because she stayed behind to help the rest of you escape...
Mash:
And Director Goredolf is still Tokugawafied in the Ooku's innermost chamber.
Sion:
This seems like a good time to review the positives of the situation.
Sion:
Knowing that you were able to get Scheherazade and Mata Hari to rejoin the team is wonderful news.
Sion:
I was concerned about how that all went down, since I did not get to give you as detailed instructions as I had hoped to.
Mata Hari:
Thanks, but I'm not sure if we've actually been much help.
Scheherazade:
I certainly want to help you as much as I'm able, but, I'm afraid it's taking all I've got just to stay alive...
Mata Hari:
Anyway, at least now we know that the Ooku's inner sanctum completely belongs to Kama. Though we still need to think of a way to deal with that.
Sion:
Right. The first thing we need to do is determine everything we can about our enemy.
Sion:
What is she exactly? What can she do, and what can she not do? What sort of properties does she possess?
Sion:
It is only once we have the answers to all those questions that her weakness will become apparent, and we can plan how best to strike.
Mash:
Right.
Mash:
Why don't we start with one question in particular:
Mash:
Just what is the being calling herself Kama who awaits you at the bottom of the Ooku?
Pārvatī:
Well...We know she's both Kama, the god of love,and Mara, the demon of desire.
Pārvatī:
I've heard that Beasts have multiple forms, so I'm guessing her demonic side must have resonated with Beast III.
Sion:
Beasts of Disaster usually need to be fought with the power of the seven Grand Servants chosen by the Counter Force.
Sion:
But since this one is still immature, and she is inside this Ooku...or rather, herself...
Sion:
...the Counter Force still has not recognized her as a Beast.
Sion:
That must be why we have not yet seen so much as one Grand Servant.
Sion:
Honestly, I think it would be way too reckless for us to fight a Beast head-on by ourselves.
Sion:
Which is why we should fight her another way.
Scheherazade:
What do you mean?
Sion:
We should forget that she is a Beast for the moment and look for a weakness intrinsically linked to one of her other properties.
Sion:
Say, her weakness as Kama, her weakness as Mara,or a weakness of some other aspect of her altogether.
Sion:
Can you think of anything like that?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
She is both Tokugawa and Ooku.
G：Sion:
Oh?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
She said as much herself numerous times.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
But most importantly...she holds a pillbox containing Lord Iemitsu's soul within her body.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Much as it pains me to admit this, admit it I must.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
When I attempted to cut her down...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...my sword felt as heavy as it did when Lord Goredolf spoke.
Scheherazade:
Furthermore...since the Ooku's inner sanctum is the universe, and Kama is linked to the universe...
Scheherazade:
...that would mean that Kama is also linked to the Ooku.
Sion:
Hm hm, excellent! The more properties we know of, the more cracks in her armor we should be able to find.
Sion:
It would seem that Beast III/L has a lot more going on than the other Beasts we have seen to date.
Sion:
These must be Beast III/L's characteristics...or her nature, as the Beasts themselves would say.
Fujimaru 1:
She might have a lot of properties, but it's still just her against all of us.
Fujimaru 2:
Hey, two heads are better than one, right? And we've got way more than two heads here.
Mash:
...Master is right. No matter how dire things may seem, [♂ he /♀ she]...we...don't have to face them alone.
Mash:
We've always fought as a team,and that's not about to change now.
Mash:
I think Kiara must have sent you all back to the surface because she believed we could come up with a plan if we all worked together.
Mash:
So let's prove her right.
Mash:
Fortunately, we managed to refine our analytical model even further while we were out of contact. All we have to do now is feed it data.
Mash:
Can any of you think of any hints that could help us crack this case? Anything at all will do.
Sion:
Now that you have told us the gist, I think we need to go over everything that has happened so far in greater detail.
Sion:
Tell us everything that happened after we lost our connection, starting at the beginning.
Sion:
We will throw all of that data into the calculation engine and analyze the shit out of it! Pardon my French.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is wonderfully reassuring...You truly have some excellent companions, [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I guess it's true what they say about great leaders attracting great talent.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You must be a truly virtuous young [♂ man /♀ lady]! As your acting wet nurse, I couldn't be prouder! (Pat, pat)
Fujimaru 1:
They're all amazing! Every last one of them!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(I only wish the same was true for Lord Iemitsu. )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(With the exception of Lord Munenori, all he has is that traitorous Nobutsuna, and this powerless wet nurse...I'm so sorry, Lord Iemitsu...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(But I can't dwell on that now. I still have to save him, no matter what! Keep your chin up, Fuku! )
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
...And I think that's everything.
Sion:
...
Mash:
Understood. Thank you for telling us all of that!
Mash:
I just hope there's some hint hiding in that information that will help us take down Kama...
Sion:
Sure there is. There was one thing you found that stands out as being especially suspicious.
Mash:
Y-you already found something!?
Mata Hari:
What is this suspicious thing, exactly?
Sion:
I imagine this was hard for all of you to notice since you just happened to get a hold of them while you were preoccupied with other things, and especially since you found them out of order.
Sion:
I might not have caught it myself if I had not prepared the database ahead of time.
Sion:
I am talking about the inrou–the pillboxes you found.
Sion:
Kama told you that they were the souls of great shogun from the past and future...
Sion:
...and that she used them as anchors when she built the Ooku, right?
Fujimaru 1:
Yup, that's what she said.
Sion:
Well, that does not add up. There is clearly something important missing.
Scheherazade:
What is it?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Yes?
Sion:
To be honest, Kasuga-no-Tsubone, this next part may be difficult for you to hear...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please, don't mind me. All that matters now is rescuing Lord Iemitsu.
Sion:
I see. All right then, I will go ahead and say it.
Sion:
There is one pillbox–or rather, one shogun's soul you did not find even after you made your way to the Ooku's final chamber.
Sion:
Namely, Tokugawa Yoshinobu...the fifteenth, and final, Tokugawa shogun.
Fujimaru 1:
Ah...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Fi...nal...?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed. I can scarcely imagine how I would have felt if I had learned of this when I was not yet a Servant.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Lady Fuku, please try to remain calm. In approximately two hundred years from this age of Kan'ei...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...the Tokugawa shogunate will end.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
!!!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I see. I was trying hard not to think about it...but I knew that every great civilization falls eventually.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That was certainly true for Ashikaga and Toyotomi. Ultimately, they all ended just the same.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I guess it really was too much to hope that the Tokugawa reign would be the only one to last forever...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Let me just ask you this. What happens to Japan after Tokugawa is gone?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Does it go back to the turbulent way it was before, when the whole country was constantly at war?
Fujimaru 1:
It went through some tough times, but things turned out okay.
Fujimaru 2:
If nothing else, I can say that modern-day Japan is the picture of peace.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I see. Well, that's all right then.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can't speak for any future shogun, but...I think the ones I've known would be happy with that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Ieyasu, Lord Hidetada, and Lord Iemitsu alike would surely say that as long as the world is at peace, that is all that matters. That is the kind of people they are.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, so which daimyo takes over the shogunate after Tokugawa?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
None of them. The entire shogunate system of government is abolished.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
The right to lead Japan is returned to the emperor, and the business of governing is conducted by representatives chosen by the citizens themselves.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh my, is that so? Well, well...
Sion:
Right. That is the crucial point. Tokugawa Yoshinobu abolished the Tokugawa shogunate of his own accord.
Sion:
Which is to say that he ended the reign of the Tokugawa, clearly setting himself apart even from the other shogun.
Mash:
I see. Then it does seem unlikely to be a coincidence that you haven't yet seen his pillbox anywhere.
Sion:
I analyzed the pillboxes you have so far, and they all possess properties indicative of that shogun's reign.
Sion:
So, thinking logically–
Scheherazade:
The last pillbox may contain the power to bring Tokugawa to an end?
Sion:
Right. So if Kama is both the Ooku and Tokugawa, there is a better than good chance that this pillbox will have some sort of effect on her.
Fujimaru 1:
This could work!
Fujimaru 2:
(A man who ended a historical period of his own will...)
Mash:
But, where could it be? Didn't you already explore the entire Ooku?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...It must be there.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I remember we found a suspicious wall at one point. Perhaps there is something hidden behind it...
Sion:
You found a secret passage!? Now that is how a dungeon is supposed to be! Way to go Kama!
Sion:
...Oh, sorry. Not really the time for that, is it?
Sion:
At any rate, the fact that she chose to hide whatever is behind that wall must mean that she does not want you to find it.
Sion:
That makes it even more likely that whatever is there might have an adverse effect on her!
Mata Hari:
So our next goal is finding this hidden pillbox, huh? Maybe this isn't so hopeless after all!
Sion:
And incidentally, thanks to the inner Ooku data that was stuck to Fujimaru's Mystic Code...
Sion:
...I was able to make even more precise noise canceling and wavelength adjustments.
Sion:
So do not worry. We should now be able to stay in touch even at the very bottom of the Ooku.
Fujimaru 1:
That's super reassuring.
Fujimaru 2:
I feel safer already.
Mash:
I've put in coordinates for my best guess as to your destination.
Mash:
I'm just sorry we have to ask you to go into the Ooku again...
Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry. I know my way around there now.
Fujimaru 2:
Don't worry. It'll be much easier now that we know what we're doing.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed. We now know what to expect. There is no reason to hesitate.
Mata Hari:
And we may not be much help, but at least Scheherazade and I will be there with you from the beginning this time.
Scheherazade:
Yes. I can't imagine I will be able to fill Kiara's shoes, but I will at least do my best so long as it does not put my life in danger...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(I think I always knew in the back of my mind that even the Tokugawa reign would end one day. )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(...Now I just know it for certain. I understand. It's unfortunate, but that's just how the world works. )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(Still...what is going on with me? )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(Why is it that, for some reason...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(...I feel...relief now? )
Act Nine: The Final Tokugawa
Sion:
Aha, so this is what you were talking about. You were not kidding when you said it looks suspicious!
Mata Hari:
So, now what do we do? ...Are you gonna cut it down?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
No, I cannot do that without risking dire consequence.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
This Ooku is built out of people from Edo Castle and Chaldea, is it not?
Sion:
Correct, but I am pretty sure they were atomized or broken down into the smallest possible components before being used to construct this place.
Sion:
They were not physically bonded together or anything like that...
Sion:
...so it is not as though you will kill whoever was used to make that wall if you cut it down.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Then that is what I will do.
Scheherazade:
(He wasted not a second after deciding to act...! )
Pārvatī:
D-did it work?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Mash:
I-I'm afraid it doesn't look like anything's changed.
Mash:
But that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your technique, Yagyu. It just proves that this wall has been treated with some kind of special seal.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
How dispiriting. My skills must have atrophied considerably since I was alive if I can no longer cut through dark arts of this ilk.
Mash:
!?
Sion:
Okay, let me see. So that works like this, and this goes like...Hmm hmm. Hmm hmm. Wait, what is this!?
Fujimaru 1:
Did you figure it out?
Sion:
Hehehe. Are you worried? Do not be!
Sion:
Mash and I have been brimming with nervous energy ever since we lost our connection earlier.
Sion:
At this point, there is nothing we cannot handle!
Sion:
There is definitely something different about this place compared to the others. It is almost like a giant “Keep out! ” sign.
Sion:
But, after scanning it thoroughly,I can see that it has a small hole.
Sion:
A hole with a very specific function. Namely, a keyhole.
Fujimaru 1:
Really? I can't see anything like that...
Sion:
That is because it is a conceptual-slash-magecraft hole that has been hidden very cunningly. I am sure it is impossible to find with the naked eye.
Sion:
It looks like this keyhole is designed to accommodate a long, thin catalyst, like a card.
Sion:
And of course, that card would have to possess energy capable of interfacing with this Ooku, so–
Mata Hari:
This might not make much difference, but you're talking about those hanafuda cards, right?
Sion:
Right. One card alone will surely not be enough,but as you insert more and more of them...
Sion:
...I think their energy will be directly converted into an unsealing program.
Scheherazade:
I see. Then I'm glad we took Kiara's advice and collected them.
Fujimaru 1:
This is great!
Mata Hari:
We're still no closer to figuring out exactly what these cards are, though.
Fujimaru 2:
I still wonder what these hanafuda cards are, though...
Mash:
Agreed. We've been investigating numerous hypotheses on our end too, but we haven't found anything conclusive yet.
Mash:
They've been a big help to us so far,so I don't think they're malicious, but...
Sion:
Unlike the pillboxes, they do not seem as though they ever served any purpose.
Sion:
All we know for certain is that they contain pure energy with properties identical to the Ooku. It is almost as though they exist solely to counteract it.
Pārvatī:
At this point, I'm just glad to hear we can use them to break this seal and keep moving forward. Now let's go!
Scheherazade:
Well this place is clearly nothing like the others.
Mata Hari:
I'll say. It looks like some kind of foundation? It kind of reminds me of the backstage area at a theater, since it obviously isn't meant to be seen by guests.
Sion:
Now then, what do you see over there?
Pārvatī:
Ah! Everyone, check out that large pillar thing in the middle! Do you see that hollowed-out section!?
Scheherazade:
It's huge...!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
But look, this terminal has assimilated itself into the pillar. It cannot move far from that spot.
Mata Hari:
Hi there, Ms. Attendant! I don't suppose you're the shogun we're looking for, are you?
Mata Hari:
Hmm, guess my skills weren't enough to let us talk to it. So that would mean...
Sion:
It is a bit heavy-handed, but I believe we have no choice but to defeat it.
Sion:
If this attendant is like all the others who were carrying pillboxes that you've defeated...
Sion:
...then she must be an anchor that Kama no longer has a use for.
Sion:
I do not think attacking her, or removing her from the pillar, will have any effect on the Ooku itself.
Sion:
It would have been a lucky break for us if we could damage the Ooku by fighting her...but never mind that.
Sion:
Our goal right now is to acquire Lord Yoshinobu's pillbox. If you have to take her out to get it, then do so!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
The battle is over. I can confirm that the enemy has dropped a pillbox!
Fujimaru 1:
(That's weird. Why can't I hear anything from this one...? )
Fujimaru 2:
(There does seem to be something special about this one...)
Mata Hari:
Well? What's it say?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
“Yoshinobu”...This would indeed seem to be the one we are after.
Sion:
Not so fast. We still have not yet verified if we are on the right track. I will go ahead and scan it now. Scanning...scanning...
Sion:
Hmm. No signs of Mental Corruption, no spiritual traps...It would appear to be safe. That said...
Mash:
Is something wrong?
Sion:
As a mage from the Atlas Institute, I am ashamed to say this but there is still a lot I do not know about this Tokugawafication.
Sion:
The fact is, it is a completely new concept, so we still do not have an accurate way of measuring it.
Sion:
So I cannot deny that there is a possibility that these shogun pillboxes may induce unforeseen side effects.
Sion:
According to Kama, Tokugawafication is due to the corruption that occurs as a result of making one's way through this labyrinth...
Sion:
...but that does not necessarily mean that is the only way it can happen...
Sion:
To be clear, I am not saying this to worry you.
Sion:
I just thought I should let you know that I cannot absolutely guarantee that this pillbox is safe.
Fujimaru 1:
We don't have time to fret about it.
Fujimaru 2:
If this is our only way of fighting back, we have to take that chance.
Sion:
Yes, you are right. In the end, this is our only option.
Sion:
I do get the sense that our choices have been narrowed down artificially, but still, the Ooku is the enemy's territory–or rather, the enemy herself.
Sion:
It only makes sense that the odds would be stacked against us. We will just have to focus on doing what we can at this point in time.
Sion:
So on that note, let's go ahead and add this new pillbox to your Mystic Code!
Sion:
And do not worry. This will not harm the soul of the shogun inside, just like it did not hurt the other souls!
Mash:
I'm picking up a new and unusual wavelength.
Mash:
It has the opposite magecraft phase of the wavelength we saw when you were delving into the Ooku!
Sion:
Good. That means it has Anti-Tokugawa properties...
Sion:
If we tweak it a little more, we might be able to make it more potent and convert it into a spell you can wear.
Sion:
Think of it as a kind of Anti-Tokugawa coating.
Mata Hari:
That's perfect! This is exactly what we've been looking for!
Scheherazade:
This will make our deaths that much less likely...Thank goodness...
Sion:
This is good news, yes, but there is one thing missing that would have made it even better:
Sion:
An ability to completely rid Fujimaru of [♂ his /♀ her] existing Tokugawafication.
Mata Hari:
You mean it can't do that?
Sion:
Unfortunately not. I still do not have nearly enough time or data to analyze it thoroughly.
Sion:
All we can really do with that pillbox at this point is reuse what is inside it for our own purposes.
Sion:
And since it is better suited for outward-facing uses,I think that using it defensively...
Sion:
...namely, a barrier that can keep Kama from exerting her influence any further, is our best bet.
Sion:
Think of it as a way to stop her from flipping the switch that makes things worse.
Sion:
Oh, and I think we should also be able to condense it into a projectile attack, like Gandr.
Fujimaru 1:
That sounds more than good enough to me!
Fujimaru 2:
Hopefully it'll be enough to give us an edge.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
You do not care for this plan, Lady Fuku?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well, I can't truthfully say I don't have concerns about it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But, as I've said many times by now, rescuing Lord Iemitsu comes first. If this is the only way to do so, then I'll happily go along with it!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now, as your acting wet nurse, I have a question for you children, and I want you to answer it honestly!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...Will this let us win?
Fujimaru 1:
I...
Mash:
...I can't give you any guarantees. All I can say for sure is that this gives us a fighting chance.
Mash:
I've analyzed every means of fighting back that we have at our disposal, and I'd say we have a fifty percent chance of winning...Maybe less...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I see. Thank you for telling me the truth, Lady Mash.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I may have let Lady Par handle the fighting,but I still saw what you are up against myself.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know that this enemy poses an unimaginably dire threat.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You are all clearly aware that you could die if you face her again...yet you are still determined to go back.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know that you all have your reasons for doing so, but I cannot let you risk your lives on a million to one chance.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I cannot just stand back and let people as young as you throw your lives away.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So as your acting wet nurse who has led you this far,please...don't make this choice lightly.
Fujimaru 1:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
We do have a chance of victory.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Of that much I am certain now that we have Acquired this inrou.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
So long as there is such a chance,we will not fail to seize it.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
And so there can be no chance of defeat for us.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I was careless in our earlier battle, and the enemy took me by surprise. But this time, Master will be ready to fight.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
And if [♂ he /♀ she] is willing to fight, I would dishonor everything Bushido stands for if I did not ensure[♂ his /♀ her] victory.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
As such, I will not lose. Period.
Fujimaru 1:
Haha...Well, I'm convinced!
Fujimaru 2:
You said it, Yagyu!
Scheherazade:
That's right. Master will not be fighting alone. As [♂ his /♀ her] Servants, we will be right there by [♂ his /♀ her] side.
Scheherazade:
When Master gains a new ability, it does not necessarily follow that we only gain one ability ourselves in turn.
Scheherazade:
We could gain ten new abilities, or even a hundred. That is why we are here. That is our purpose.
Mata Hari:
What she said. No matter how much we might seem to be outmatched, we never go into a fight thinking we're going to lose.
Mata Hari:
So I'm sure we'll be fine!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I see. Hehe. Well, if you're sure you're going to win, then I guess I was worried for nothing.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All that aside, Lord Munenori...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Hm?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I've only known you as Lord Iemitsu's instructor in warfare. I've never seen you fight a real battle before.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I suppose that mindset is shared by everyone who truly masters the sword as you have.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It was like listening to a child and a Zen dialogue all at once...Hehe, I couldn't help but laugh a bit.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I...see...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All that aside, I'm so sorry to have rained on your parade.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I guess I've become something of a worrywart in my old age.
Pārvatī:
It's all right, Tsubone. I understand how you feel. You were only worried about us because you're so kind.
Pārvatī:
But it's okay. You really don't have anything to worry about. I can also vouch for us all have every intention of winning this fight.
Pārvatī:
After all, this Anti-Tokugawa power isn't the only thing different we have going for us now.
Pārvatī:
We also have Sion, Mash,and their invaluable information.
Mash:
Right. We'll do our best to make sure you walk into that sanctum ready for anything.
Mash:
So don't worry! I think...no, I'm positive your next attempt will turn out differently!
Sion:
What she said.
Sion:
All right, it is almost time for the final battle. Let's do this thing!
Acquired Fifteenth Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu's inrou.
Remaining Inrou
Lying Room:
Acquired Sixth Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu's inrou.
Deceptive Room:
Acquired Ninth Shogun Tokugawa Ieshige's inrou.
Shinonome Room:
Acquired Fourteenth Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi's inrou.
Hawk Room:
Acquired First Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's inrou.
Act Ten: Ooku, Part One
Kama:
Hey guys. Welcome back.
Kama:
It sure took you long enough...Did you finally come to your senses?
Kama:
You must have realized by now that no one will ever love you more than I will. Even if I do it grudgingly.
Mash:
So that is Beast III...Even over the transmission,I can see her incredibly malevolent aura!
D：Sion:
It looks like the adjustments I made are keeping our connection intact. I knew I could pull it off.
Kama:
So the one Servant of yours who had any chance of defeating me is now dead...
Kama:
...and your two little buddies are all the backup you brought? And here I didn't think you had a sense of humor.
Kama:
Or did you genuinely realize how wonderful my love is, and you're all here to give up and experience bliss in eternal depravity?
Mash:
Neither. We're here to defeat you!
Mash:
And we're not leaving until you've given back everyone you took!
Sion:
Only two of us, you said? Now THAT is funny. Have you really failed to realize that we are not the only new arrivals here?
Sion:
The fact that we are here now means that all of our cumulative knowledge leading up to this moment–the knowledge that makes us who we are–has grown as well.
Sion:
Our technology...our knowledge...encompasses everything the Atlas Institute has amassed over thousands of years.
Sion:
Now, we are going to turn that knowledge into primordial fire, and use it to drive off a Beast. Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
Special Mystic Code, activate!
Kama:
What is that...?
Sion:
Hehehe. That is Anti-Tokugawa magecraft protection...A disconfirmation field that negates Tokugawafication!
Mash:
You shouldn't be able to attack [♂ his /♀ her] mind now!
Mash:
And since we designed it to focus its protection outwards, it should also help diminish the constraints Yagyu is experiencing.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I am in your debt.
Kama:
Oh? Hmm, I see. So you found that thing and decided to try using it for yourselves, huh?
Kama:
...Hehe. Hehehe.
Mata Hari:
...?
Kama:
Wow, you guys must reeeally hate me and my love, huh? A bit too hot for you to handle, huh?
Kama:
Fine, fine, I get it. It's not like I'm new to the whole being hated thing.
Kama:
But you know what? It doesn't matter how you feel about me.
Kama:
Your brave efforts to fight back, your hatred for me...I'll love it all just the same.
Kama:
I am the Beast of Pleasure. I consume everything with my love.
Kama:
That includes your animosity for me,your will to fight back, and your fear.
Kama:
My fire born of love and lust is strong enough to envelop the entire universe. Now, it's going to melt your hearts, and soon, the rest of you...
Mash:
Beast III/L, aka Kama, aka Mara,is preparing to attack!
Sion:
The Anti-Tokugawa field is holding steady, and your Anti-Tokugawa bullet spells are locked and loaded!
Mash:
We have to defeat this Beast of Disaster if we're going to get everyone back, Master. Good luck! We're counting on you!
Fujimaru 1:
Let's do this, guys!
Fujimaru 2:
We're all walking out of here...together!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Master, look! I think Kama's horns are starting to crack!
Mash:
It must mean our attacks are working on her!
Fujimaru 1:
Keep it up! We're almost there!
Sion:
(...I am not so sure. )
Sion:
(Is that really...? )
Pārvatī:
Kama! I know I'm partly to blame for what happened to you.
Pārvatī:
But that doesn't mean I can just stand back and let you become a Beast of Disaster. This ends now!
Kama:
Ahh, you...You're all just...
Kama:
...adorable.
Kama:
You're so laughably pathetic and impertinent that it's infuriating.
Kama:
You really believe you can beat me, don't you?
Scheherazade:
!?
Mata Hari:
I reeeally wish this was a case of sour grapes on her part, but I don't think it is...
Sion:
I am afraid I must inform you that this is not working as well as I had expected!
Sion:
The Anti-Tokugawa effects are working, yes, but this current situation is not at all what I planned for.
Sion:
There is still something we are missing...some final secret we cannot yet see.
Kama:
Look at you simple-minded optimists, jumping for joy about one little way to fight back. How annoyingly adorable.
Kama:
Since I love you all so much, I'm going to let you in on a little secret.
Kama:
I knew you were going to find the last shogun and his Tokugawa-ending power. I planned for it from the beginning.
Kama:
Seriously, if I really considered it a threat, don't you think I would have done a better job of hiding it?
Kama:
I WANTED you to find it.
Kama:
That's right. That thing you thought was the key to turning the tables on me is all part of my love.
Kama:
You might ask, “But Kama, why would you do something like that? ” Isn't it obvious?
Kama:
Because there is nothing so delicious to me as the moment someone hits true rock bottom.
Kama:
After all, there's no way to go from there but up, right? Hehe...It makes loving you worth sooo much more.
Kama:
So please, keep going down. Don't stop at misfortune and unhappiness. Keep going all the way past despair.
Kama:
And hey, Pārvatī?
Kama:
You know how you can't use your Spirit Origin as freely as normal thanks to rescuing that human? And how you had to borrow that spear from Shiva just to have some way of fighting?
Kama:
Well, I have a special present for you. I'm going to make your Spirit Origin even harder to use.
Pārvatī:
...What are you talking about?
Kama:
Think about it. Why do you suppose I chose to use Tokugawa and the Ooku?
Kama:
Sure, I said before that any harem would have worked, and the Ooku just happened to catch my eye...
Kama:
...but why exactly do you think that is?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
We have no interest in anything you have to say.... Die.
Kama:
Ooh, close one. Now, now, I think you'll want to hear this. It concerns one of your friends, after all.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Kama:
After the scales tipped to the right and their recoil gave me what I needed to manifest as the Beast of the Left...
Kama:
...I searched all of humanity for just the right place and people.
Kama:
A place that would let me drag Fujimaru into depravity...
Kama:
...and emerge as a complete, fully mature Left–the antithesis of the incomplete Right.
Kama:
That was when I sensed it: the fixation of a certain woman on the verge of death.
Kama:
It was a shriek of love loud enough for me to sense it...and powerful enough to drive a stake into the whole world.
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Kama:
This woman spent the entirety of her tumultuous life dedicated to loving one, single thing.
Kama:
All she wanted was for it to continue on properly. To grow up as it should.
Kama:
Then, after she had fallen ill, in the last moments of her love-filled life...she struggled, like all humans do.
Kama:
She struggled with the idea that the life that so contented her was about to end.
Kama:
“Why now? ” she thought. “It's not enough. I can't die yet. I'm still worried about what might happen. ”
Kama:
“I still have so much love left to give to Tokugawa! ”
Mash:
Y-you...You don't mean...!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ah...Aaah...!
Kama:
I am the god of love, and the Beast of Lust. I chose that fixation because it was just so...comfortable for me.
Kama:
It even came with a harem,perfect for trapping people in depravity.
Kama:
Now do you get it?
Kama:
It was your fixation that brought me here, Kasuga-no-Tsubone!
--ARROW--
Kama:
It was your fixation that brought me here, Kasuga-no-Tsubone!
Kama:
How does it feel, knowing that you brought this upon your beloved Tokugawa yourself?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ah...Aaahhh! I-I did this...? This...this is all my fault...!?
Pārvatī:
(Hang in there, Tsubone! You're only a soul right now! If you let the shock get to you–)
Kama:
Right, right, I should've known. No goddess of grace like you could bring herself to leave that dead weight behind now that you've already rescued her once.
Kama:
But...I'm the only one who really loves her. Which means I'm the only one who can actually save her.
Kama:
You probably don't remember this, Kasuga-no-Tsubone,but I showed you a lovely dream when we first met.
Kama:
A dream where you got to love the Tokugawa forever and ever, just like you always wanted.
Kama:
A dream where you'd get to keep raising and spoiling every shogun, just like you did with Iemitsu.
Fujimaru 1:
Does this mean those whispers I heard were actually–
Sion:
Those auditory hallucinations you said you heard whenever you got one of those pillboxes?
Sion:
I suppose this means there were still some residual thoughts in them left over from Kama's actions.
Kama:
Probably. I did use them to help me collect material to build the Ooku, after all.
Kama:
They were the anchors I used to extend my reach into the Tokugawa's past and future.
Kama:
And it was easier to get to them via someone with strong ties to the Tokugawa–namely, Kasuga-no-Tsubone–than it was to mess with them directly.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I...What have I done...!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Calm yourself, Lady Fuku. Whatever happened in the past does not matter now. All we need do now is focus on the enemy before us!
Kama:
That's right. Who cares about the past?
Kama:
Sure, you'll never be able to make up for the fact that you're personally responsible for your beloved Tokugawa's downfall, but don't worry.
Kama:
I'll still love you.
Kama:
That goes for all of you, too. Every nearby Tokugawa, every human in the world, every living thing in the world...
Kama:
I'll love each and every one of them in your place.
Mash:
Now I understand. I heard you mention this before,but I think it all finally clicked.
Mash:
...You mean to take all the love people naturally have, and wipe it out of existence.
Mata Hari:
Right. A world where people are given unlimited love is a world where the concept of loving one another ceases to have any meaning. It would be a nightmare.
Scheherazade:
That's why we are here: to make sure that doesn't come to pass.
Scheherazade:
Even if Pārvatī can no longer fight,we're not going to give up until–
Kama:
Actually, you don't have a choice.
Kama:
Deep down, you don't really think I can drive every human in existence to depravity, do you?
Kama:
Well, I can. I'm the universe. Consuming everything with my fiery arrows of depravity is pretty much my whole deal.
Kama:
R was a hole that wanted to be the center of the universe, but as L, I'm going to be everything BUT the center.
Kama:
It's really not exaggeration. This space right here? It's me, too.
Kama:
That's being proven as we speak. Did you not notice?
Kama:
It's like I told you: I expected you to use the last shogun's power. I wanted you to find it.
Kama:
Maybe you should take a step back and think about what that really means?
Fujimaru 1:
My head feels...weird again...
Fujimaru 2:
My name...is...
Mash:
Master!? Please, snap out of it, Master!
Sion:
[♂ He /♀ She] is undergoing Tokugawafication again!? How!?
Kama:
I keep trying to explain, but you morons just can't seem to get it.
Kama:
This Ooku only uses the five precepts because they happen to fit it well.
Kama:
They aren't my true temptations.
Kama:
It isn't enough to just avoid them. It isn't enough to simply resist them.
Kama:
All that matters with my temptations is whether or not you succumb to the depravity I prepared!
Kama:
You may have managed to make it back to the surface and evade their effects for a while, but you weren't able to cut them off at the source!
Mash:
We know that Shogun Yoshinobu's pillbox has Anti-Tokugawa effects. So why isn't it warding off this attack...!?
Kama:
All that's doing for you is making it so Fujimaru has both positive and negative forces meddling with [♂ his /♀ her] mind at once.
Kama:
So it's really just a matter of which side can crank the output higher.
Kama:
So this Anti-Tokugawa barrier thing you whipped up isn't nearly enough to help, given how far into depravity [♂ he's /♀ she's] already fallen...
Kama:
Teehee, teeheehee. In fact, you've all succumbed, haven't you!
Kama:
You've succumbed to the power of each shogun, without ever thinking about why it was left for you to find!
Kama:
And you've succumbed to the power of the final shogun I hid behind a seal that required you to collect those hanafuda cards. The one that looks for all the world like a secret weapon!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...
Kama:
I noticed you still didn't have the last pillbox when the topic of them came up last time...
Kama:
...so I made up some excuse about how I decided to just repurpose them.
Kama:
But actually, I wanted you to gather them. I wanted you to use them of your own volition.
Kama:
I put them there expressly to help make your journey easier.
Kama:
You were already falling further and further into depravity, Fujimaru. Now that you've used the last shogun's power, you've fallen even further.
Kama:
The whole concept of the shogun represents everything Tokugawa stands for.
Kama:
So now that you've used every Tokugawa as your personal toy, you've fallen that much deeper into depravity.
Kama:
And since only a fellow Tokugawa could toy with the supreme authority that the Tokugawa family holds, you must be a Tokugawa yourself.
Kama:
Which means there is no possible way you can escape being swallowed up by my Ooku!
Kama:
Soon, your transformation will be complete! And when it is, you'll be just what I need to become a fully mature Beast!
Mash:
Then, the very act of using these pillboxes was itself a temptation to depravity!?
Sion:
This is terrible. I knew those pillboxes were black box tech, but I ignored those concerns because we had no choice but to rely on them...
Sion:
And now, it turns out they came with the most dangerous malware I could have possibly imagined...!
Kama:
You lost the moment you failed to comprehend the true scope of what I am doing here.
Kama:
You lost when you failed to consider you might be facing a Beast, and that you might be playing into her hands right from the start.
Kama:
You never had a chance of winning without a good way to fully grasp what you were up against.
Kama:
If you had had the presence of mind to stop for a moment and suss out whether you might be up against a Beast...
Kama:
...you probably would have seen your Tokugawa Gauge shoot up the moment you first entered the Ooku.
Fujimaru 1:
N-ngh...!
Kama:
Oh, yes...It's about time for the next phase.
Kama:
Thanks to how depraved you've become,Fujimaru, taking one little bite from you is all I needed to evolve!
Kama:
You managed to stop Beast III/R's transformation,which makes you our greatest enemy.
Kama:
But now that I've corrupted you,I've turned you into my greatest ally!
Sion:
Light...? Was that light that just came out from beneath Kama's cracked horns...?
Kama:
You see? This is the next stage of my growth. This form proves that I've become even more deeply linked to the space in this chamber.
Mash:
What the? The Beast's magical energy output has grown even more...!? This can't be happening!
Kama:
Honestly, I don't think you all can afford to worry about fighting back anymore.
Kama:
The only reason you're even able to stand there right now is because I'm letting you.
Kama:
If I decide I'd rather you all just experienced zero gravity instead, it's as easy as this.
Fujimaru 1:
Wh-what the!?
Fujimaru 2:
(I can't tell which way is up anymore! )
Kama:
I'm still giving you oxygen out of the goodness of my heart...for now. It's all conceptual, anyway. Besides, I want to love you all with my words too, and I can't very well do that with no oxygen, now can I?
Mata Hari:
Ghh...At least we Servants can still hold on to our balance, since this isn't too different from using our spirit forms...
Mata Hari:
...but now Master's dealing with this AND the Tokugawafication attacks on [♂ his /♀ her] mind...!
Fujimaru 1:
Urp. I feel sick...
Scheherazade:
...Djinn of the lamp! Please, hold on to Master for now!
Scheherazade:
Still, with Master like this...I don't see any way we can possibly fight back...!
Kama:
How many times do I have to say it? I. Am. The. Universe. And you're all already inside me.
Kama:
If you still don't get what that means...
Kama:
...how about I show you what those far-off lights you've been seeing all this time really are?
Fujimaru 1:
Now that you mention it, did those stars change color...?
Kama:
Stars? Come on, you could at least try to remember. You've already seen them before.
Kama:
Who was it that loved you all on the Ooku's final floor?
Kama:
Me, right?
Sion:
Huh!? Wait, wait! These readings...!
Sion:
I mean, I had considered this as a possible explanation based on what you told us, but–
Mash:
Sion! A-are you sure the sensors aren't malfunctioning...!?
Sion:
It is exactly what it looks like! This Beast is not a single organism...it is a colony!
Sion:
They are not clones, and she is not dividing herself, either.
Sion:
They are all her! They are all Beasts!
Kama:
Of course. I have enough identical mes here to fill up the entire universe.
Kama:
After all, how else could I love every single human in existence?
Kama:
If someone wants to be loved daintily, a dainty me will love them. If someone wants to be loved roughly, a rough me will love them.
Kama:
You could say this is yet another way I differ from my other half.
Kama:
Where she wanted to ultimately concentrate only one type of love in herself, I embody love in all its infinite permutations.
Scheherazade:
Oh no. Between the lack of gravity and the countless number of Kamas, I can feel even my senses being completely overwhelmed...
Scheherazade:
I...I think just staying in this space for too long may destroy my mind...
Fujimaru 1:
I feel nauseous...
Fujimaru 2:
My head is starting to hurt...
Kama:
Humans can't survive in space. They're just not made for it.
Kama:
That's why you can't hope to defeat a Beast who IS the universe. That's just a simple application of logic.
Kama:
Now, my beloved Fujimaru, I'm going to make you experience how terrifying that is.
Kama:
Don't worry, I won't let you die. I just want to break your spirit.
Kama:
So I'll reduce the oxygen to the bare minimum you need to survive...make the lack of gravity more pronounced...shut off every last light source...
Kama:
...and let you drift around a completely dark, empty space, without anything or anyone to help you.
Kama:
Ahh, who knows what will happen to your tiny human mind after you've been left alone in a space like that?
Kama:
I don't know how long you'll last. It could be days, hours, or only minutes...
Kama:
...but sooner or later, the cold darkness of space will shatter your spirit, and you'll be desperate for warmth.
Kama:
In that moment, my love will wholly consume you,and your pleasure will truly begin...
Kama:
Honestly, I can't say I'm thrilled about that myself, since I really do detest all humans, but at least you'll have something to look forward to.
Kama:
Okay then, here goes. Enjoy your mind-shattering swim in zero gravity...
--ARROW--
Narration:
I feel as aimless and unmoored as a dandelion seed on the wind...
Narration:
This must be how lost I felt back then, too. That explains why I remember so clearly.
Narration:
That's right. I remember now.
Narration:
I thought I had accepted that my time had come to an end. I thought I was chanting prayers to the Buddha as I drifted in and out of sleep in my futon.
Narration:
But then, at the very last moment, right as I let go of the final thread tethering my soul to this world...I made a wish.
Narration:
I didn't accept it. I wanted to stay and keep loving the Tokugawa family.
Narration:
That's probably why this happened.
Narration:
It was that shamelessness that brought this punishment upon me.
Fujimaru 1:
(I can't see a thing. )
Fujimaru 2:
(I can't even tell what's happening to me. )
Mash:
Master! Please, get ahold of yourself, Master!
Sion:
It looks like our connection is still barely hanging in there...Maybe Kama's love is doing this too?
Sion:
Maybe it is her way of saying that even if we can communicate with [♂ him /♀ her], there is nothing we can do to change [♂ his /♀ her] situation?
Sion:
At least I was able to adjust the Anti-Tokugawa field's output so that it is just barely able to fend off the Tokugawa-fication mental attack.
Sion:
...But I do not know how long that will last.
Sion:
Still, for the moment, let us try to stay calm and not panic!
Mata Hari:
It's okay. We're all here.
Mata Hari:
We can't see anything either, but at least we can kind of sense where the other Servants are from their magical energy.
Scheherazade:
...I just unfolded a flying carpet. It may not be flying the right side up, but at least it can give us some frame of reference.
Scheherazade:
It should be able to seat four or five people. I'll have the djinn bring Master here, too.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
You have my thanks.
Mata Hari:
Wow, you just settled down onto the carpet without breaking your seiza posture...I admire your unflappable composure!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I am simply doing my best to adhere to the way of the sword, though I still have far to go before reaching true mastery.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Scheherazade.
Fujimaru 2:
I feel a little better now.
Mash:
Where are Pārvatī and Tsubone...?
Pārvatī:
We're here. Although, Tsubone is kind of...lost in thought right now.
Mata Hari:
I can understand how she feels. It must have been a huge shock for her.
Scheherazade:
...I do sympathize with her, but right now,we need to figure out our next move.
Mash:
I agree. Can you think of anything, Sion?
Sion:
...To be honest, her logic is unassailable. I cannot think of any idea that could refute it.
Sion:
It is true that humans cannot survive in space, so it follows that they could not defeat a Beast who is the universe, either.
Mash:
Then, there's nothing we can do...!?
Sion:
There is only one possible way we can get out of this.
Sion:
We need to find a way to change the way this place is defined.
Sion:
We need to make this place somewhere that is not the universe, and we need to reinforce that non-universe definition.
Mata Hari:
Okay, but how do we actually do something like that...?
Mash:
Yes...this is an incredibly difficult problem to solve.
Fujimaru 1:
Um...I never thought of this place as the universe.
Fujimaru 1:
In my mind, this has always been...
Fujimaru 1:
...the Ooku.
Narration:
Now I'm alone. All alone. But that's okay. I deserve to be punished.
Narration:
I deserve to die for what I've done.
Narration:
I'm a malefactor who brought a Beast of Love here through my obsession. I brought about the Tokugawa's ruin.
Narration:
Lady Par should never have saved me.
Narration:
Still...I know I don't have any right to ask,but if I could make one final request...
Narration:
...I would have liked to die in the place to which I dedicated my life.
Narration:
I know I had few allies there. I know a lot of people must dislike me for ruling it so heavy-handedly.
Narration:
But, even so...it's where I belong. If I'm going to die, that's where I'd like to spend my final moments.
Narration:
In fact, why AREN'T I there right now?
Narration:
(...)
Narration:
(...No. )
Narration:
Think. I entered Edo Castle. I went into the Nakaoku. I went down the Osuzurouka, then I went further.
Narration:
Even though that wicked god of love turned it into a labyrinth...Even though it has an impossible basement now...
Narration:
Even though it was so riddled with mistakes and misconceptions that I kept denying it...
Narration:
...I heard [♂ him /♀ her] say, plain as day:
Narration:
“In my mind, this place has always been...the Ooku. ”
Narration:
Why? Why!?
Narration:
Why does [♂ he /♀ she] think that? Could it be...
Narration:
(...Maybe I had the wrong idea all along. )
Narration:
Yes, that's right. I'll admit that I did something terrible. I'll admit that I'm a fool.
Narration:
But that doesn't mean I'm not still the same person I always was.
Narration:
It doesn't mean that my life up to this point was a mistake.
Narration:
After all, if an ordinary [♂ boy /♀ girl] like [♂ him /♀ her] still knows about the Ooku hundreds of years in the future,I couldn't have gotten it that wrong.
Narration:
So I need to take responsibility. I need to fulfill my duties as the head of the Ooku.
Narration:
My given name is Saito Fuku. My imperial name is Kasuga-no-Tsubone.
Narration:
I am the woman who created the Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(...Lady Par, I have a request to make of you. )
Pārvatī:
(Tsubone? I'm glad to see you're feeling better. So, um, what would you like me to do? )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(Don't worry, it's very simple. )
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(I would like you to let go of my soul...)
--ARROW--
Kama:
I expect it won't be much longer now before I hear[♂ him /♀ her] breaking down into an ugly cry.
Kama:
...Any moment now.
Kama:
...Aaany moment.
Kama:
Ugh, what's TAKING so long!? How long does a Beast have to wait to get a breakdown around here!?
Kama:
Oh, whoops, that just slipped out. I guess I got a little carried away, now that I'm so close to being fully mature.
Kama:
I'm just going to keep my expectations low, stick to being my usual downer self, and love the world while I continue to sneer at it.
Kama:
Now stop staring at me, Nobutsuna. It's distracting.
Kama:
Why don't you have a drink and keep Upside-Down Chubs company while he floats there?
Kama:
This is a crucial moment. I don't want him fading in and throwing me off my game with some stupid remark.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
(Cough, cough)...As you wish, my lady.
Kama:
Come to think of it, you've been a very good assistant, haven't you? You've done everything I asked of you without a single complaint.
Kama:
Once I've achieved my goal, I'll make sure to reward you with lots of extra love...
Kama:
Wait. Is it getting brighter over there...?
Kama:
What is that light? I don't remember ever...Huh!?
???:
Yes, that's right. I'd forgotten something very important.
???:
I am Kasuga-no-Tsubone. My name will always be spoken alongside the Tokugawa Ooku.
???:
So if I'm here now, this place MUST be the Ooku...!
Pārvatī:
You want me to let go of you...? I-I can't do that! You're nothing more than a soul right now.
Pārvatī:
The only thing still holding you to this world is my Spirit Origin.
Pārvatī:
If I let go of you now, you'll...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It's all right. I have no intention of dying just yet.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I simply realized there are some things I can only do as a soul.
Fujimaru 1:
Like what?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Kama used other people's souls to build this Ooku of depravity.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So as a soul myself, it stands to reason that I can rebuild this place into what the Ooku should be.
Mash:
Huh!? What do you mean by that, Tsubone?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can't explain it logically. I just have a feeling that I can do it.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Maybe it's because this formless universe is connected to the Ooku labyrinth, a place that does have a form.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
For whatever reason, I feel like it would be easy to turn this formless place into something more...solid.
Sion:
True, that is the same thing Kama is doing. The logical underpinnings are sound. If you say you can do it, I am willing to believe you.
Sion:
But...I am afraid you do not have anywhere near the amount of raw power necessary.
Sion:
There is only so much you can do as a single soul. To be frank, it would be impossible to fight back against this universe on your own.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know. Which is why I also have a request to make of you two.
Scheherazade:
Us...?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lady Scheherazade, I would like you to tell me a story of how Kasuga-no-Tsubone should truly be.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
A heroic story that depicts her as the powerful, ferocious, absolutely undisputed ruler of the Ooku.
Scheherazade:
...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
After that, Lady Mata Hari, I would like you to take the mind control technique you used to make[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru believe [♂ he /♀ she] was intoxicated...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...and use it to make me believe that I am like the Kasuga-no-Tsubone in Lady Scheherazade's story.
Mata Hari:
So, you want me to brainwash you into being like the Kasuga-no-Tsubone in a larger-than-life story?
Mata Hari:
Hmm...Yeah, I think I could do that. Since you're only a soul, I'm sure you would feel the effects directly.
Sion:
So you want to use Noble Phantasms as a form of mental Self-Modification?
Sion:
No, wait. Now that I think about it, it is very possible that Scheherazade's Alf Layla Wa-Layla could have an effect on you as well.
Sion:
After all, you would be telling a story about a person directly to that person's soul!
Scheherazade:
That's true. I can't be sure what will happen until I try...
Scheherazade:
...but I might just be able to infuse her with magical energy, similar to a partial summon.
Sion:
...It is definitely worth trying.
Sion:
There is no way that a human soul could not be affected by a Heroic Spirit's Noble Phantasm like this.
Sion:
But on the flip side...you will also no longer be able to maintain your original form if you do this.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's all right. I know there are risks.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
Are you sure you want to do this?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now, now, don't give me that look.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
A wet nurse is supposed to take care of her charges. I am honored to be able to help!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You don't let your emotions control you, and you know to look at the big picture when giving orders. You really would make an excellent general.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What a good [♂ boy /♀ girl] you are. (Pat, pat)
Fujimaru 1:
...
Mash:
...If that's your decision, Master,I'll do everything I can to help.
Mash:
Is there anything else any of you need?
Scheherazade:
Well...it would be nice if you could give me a little more time. “The Story of Kasuga-no-Tsubone” is not one I can tell quickly.
Pārvatī:
I think I can do something about that. I'll put up a Bounded Field that can slow time inside it a little bit.
Pārvatī:
Though I'm afraid I can only extend it about as far as my hands can reach, so you'll have to get very close to take advantage of its effects...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
(You're willing to help, Lady Par? You didn't seem to like this idea earlier...)
Pārvatī:
I still don't. It's dangerous, you know.
Pārvatī:
But I can see how serious you are about this, even being aware of the risks. I can't say no to that.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Lady Fuku, it pains me to ask you to take on this monumental task, knowing full well you are not a warrior...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...but regretfully, even with all my mastery over the sword, I cannot take your place...Forgive me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What are you saying, Lord Munenori? You have your own invaluable role to play here!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm counting on you to handle that!
Scheherazade:
Right. I don't know how long it will take to finish the story...though I don't expect it will take a thousand and one nights.
Scheherazade:
At any rate, while I am telling it,I would like you to keep Master safe.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
It shall be done, even if it should cost me my life.
Pārvatī:
...All right, no time like the present. Both of you, come stand next to me.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll be here, waiting.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed. Take this time to rest and recuperate.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Of course, I know you are sitting on a flying carpet while Lord Genie holds you in place by your shoulders...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...so I expect it may be difficult for you to fall asleep...
Fujimaru 1:
I'll try zen meditation, like you.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
A fine idea. Such endless darkness as this may provide the perfect setting for clearing one's mind.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Perhaps this will end up being good training for you...
Mash:
Did...did Yagyu just make a joke?
Mash:
No, wait, it's possible he really believes that. I just can't tell...!
Fujimaru 1:
(Either way, I already feel better. )
Fujimaru 2:
(I'm just going to try and wait without thinking about anything...)
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...It would seem they are done.
Sion:
These readings...It worked, didn't it!?
Pārvatī:
It did. Kasuga-no-Tsubone already left me.
Pārvatī:
Although, she's still just a formless spirit right now...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh yes, I'm here. I'm now Kasuga-no-Tsubone, the woman whose name is truly synonymous with the Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I am the one who founded the Ooku as a place to hold Tokugawa together. I am its undisputed ruler, the one who comes to mind whenever anyone thinks of the Ooku!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It's a little embarrassing to say things like that about myself, but no matter! Now then, where should I begin?
Sion:
Good question. How about you start with light, then give us a floor! That should be more than enough until we can manage to weaken Kama!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Understood!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The universe? An endless void? Absolutely not! I won't have it! This place...is Kasuga-no-Tsubone's Ooku!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, that's right. I'd forgotten something very important.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I am Kasuga-no-Tsubone. My name will always be spoken alongside the Tokugawa Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So if I'm here now, this place MUST be the Ooku...!
--ARROW--
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I remembered the dreams I had. The ones I dreamt while I was weak and dying.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now, I'm going to put a stop to the evil my own weakness on my deathbed created. And I will do so with a strength that everyone believed in.
Overlapping Whispers:
You can't say things like that...The shogun cares more about dogs than he does about his people, after all...
Narration:
I was just doing what I thought was right. I thought people are supposed to be kind and compassionate.
Sweet Female Voice:
No, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. It's wonderful that you love animals so much.
Sweet Female Voice:
You have nothing to worry about. Nothing to fret over–
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't you give me that nonsense! There's a reason they say “Everything in moderation”!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It doesn't matter how compassionate you're being if your laws end up making your citizens unhappy!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What you should be concerned with, Lord Tsunayoshi, is making the world better for humans and animals alike!
Overlapping Whispers:
I know this sort of thing happened sometimes during the wars, but...he's still just a child...
Narration:
(Sniff)...(Sob, sob)Waaah!
Sweet Female Voice:
Aww, what's wrong? Did somebody say something mean to you?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Stop that! You mustn't curl up and cry! You may be a child, but you are still the shogun.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You must hold your head high, no matter what you are going through or how much you may feel like crying.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You must show everyone else that the great shogun is right here. You must show that you are ready to face whatever lies ahead bravely, no matter how young or immature you may be.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That is your job right now, Lord Ietsugu, and it is a very important job that only you can do!
Overlapping Whispers:
...It's useless. He's much too sickly. How could a man like that possibly lead all of Japan...
Narration:
What am I supposed to do? What CAN I do? Oh god, I wish I could just run away from it all...
Sweet Female Voice:
You care that deeply about things that aren't your fault? Ahh, what a kind man you are.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
A weak body leads to a weak spirit! A weak spirit leads to a weak body! You still have a lot of training to do.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Go on then. Pick up your practice sword,and I'll spar with you myself!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is all just a dream, of course. I know that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I know I'm not really here for these future Tokugawa shogun. But, even so...
Overlapping Whispers:
He's not a bad person...but he always just does whatever the retired shogun wants...
Narration:
“He's just Lord Ieyasu's son. ” Shut up. “He's just a figurehead. ” Shut up. “He's just there to carry on the Tokugawa name. ” Shut up, shut up, shut up...!
Sweet Female Voice:
Don't worry about them. Think about it. If all they care about is your father...
Sweet Female Voice:
...that means you are less encumbered than anyone else. It means you are freer than anyone else.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lord Hidetada, I know you are a great man, every bit the shogun Lord Ieyasu was. There is nothing to be gained by comparing yourself to him.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides...Hehe, you did something Lord Ieyasu never thought to.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You designated the greatest wet nurse in Japan to raise your son, the greatest shogun in the history of Japan!
Overlapping Whispers:
He doesn't care about his people or his country. All he cares about are his game pieces...
Sweet Female Voice:
Hehe. What's wrong with pursuing your interests to their fullest?
Sweet Female Voice:
As the shogun, you're the most powerful man in the land. Why should you be forced to waste your time thinking about it if you don't want to?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What in the world are you saying!? No self-respecting shogun would ever ignore his country in favor of his hobbies!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
From now on, you are to play no more than two hours of shogi per day! If you cannot stick to that, I'll hide your shogi board myself!
Overlapping Whispers:
All that comes out of his mouth is “yes, that will do. ” It's no wonder that deplorable Mizuno Tadakuni is running around doing whatever he pleases, what with Lord Doormat in charge of the country.
Narration:
This is terrifying. My teeth won't stop chattering. Why did all this have to happen during my reign?
Narration:
Why did those horrible Black Ships have to show up on our shores now...
Sweet Female Voice:
Oh my, you're shuddering. You poor thing...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The shogun's job is to keep Japan safe. It is exactly when a foreign enemy appears that his true worth is tested.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
What do you think quaking in your boots will achieve? You must stand up and fight. If you know you cannot win this fight, then rack your brain until you think up a plan!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This may be an age where wars are settled with money and trade rather than swords and spears, but the principle remains the same.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If the shogun does not stand up and fight for Japan, then who will!?
Overlapping Whispers:
...I know they say great heroes are fond of the pleasures of the flesh, but that many concubines? It's no wonder some people think he's a maniac...
Sweet Female Voice:
You haven't done anything wrong. Children are power. Having many of them is far better than letting your bloodline die.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That may be true, but only up to a certain point!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Having too many children leads to feuds and power struggles. There are few things sadder than discord between siblings.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Besides, it is not as though just anyone is suited to be a concubine.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You can't just go around laying your hands on any woman in the Ooku that catches your eye.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If you keep appointing new concubines from the attendants who have just begun getting used to their jobs, how are the other attendants supposed to get anything done?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
From now on, I'll make sure to only show you women who have had a proper upbringing and are ready to be concubines.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If there's anyone who catches your eye,all you have to do is let me know...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Yes, in the end, this is all only a dream.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But even so, I feel better now. This was just what I needed to reaffirm who I am.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That's right. I am a woman of principle whom everyone thinks of when they think of the Ooku. We are essentially one and the same.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That is who I am. Nothing and no one can change that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So take a look, Beast. Listen very closely. Feel it for yourself.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone is always in the Ooku, and the Ooku is always home to Kasuga-no-Tsubone.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That is an indisputable fact, and you know it. Yet you would still try to insist that this is your universe?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't make me laugh!
Kama:
Is that...a floor? What happened to my universe!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't be ridiculous. Something like your universe would have no place down here underground. This is the Ooku. MY Ooku!
Kama:
...How did you get in here? Out of my way, you little pest. You're going to mess up my gravity and oxygen settings–
Sion:
That is right. Once again, I will admit you were correct.
Sion:
Humans are not made to survive in the void. So our only choice is to deny that this IS the void.
Sion:
And once your definition of this space becomes unstable, it gives us more options to play with.
Sion:
Fujimaru, I added magical energy-based thrusters to your Mystic Code. They are for keeping you upright, not moving around.
Sion:
I have also formed a life preservation zone around your head, so you should not have any trouble breathing.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Sion!
Fujimaru 2:
Technology! Gotta love it!
Kama:
What do you think you're doing? Wipe that smile off your face.
Sion:
Heh. True, if a human were to find themselves floating in the unfathomably vast, cold, dark reaches of space, they would certainly panic in the face of something so alien.
Sion:
But, if we know what we are up against, that is a different story. After all, knowledge and understanding are mankind's two greatest weapons.
Sion:
As long as we have time to prepare, we can think up as many ways to fight back as there are stars in the sky!
Sion:
That said, humans can only see up to four thousand stars with the naked eye...
Sion:
...but that is more than enough for a lazy, apathetic Beast like you!
Mata Hari:
We might not be able to cover the entire universe, but as long as we have light, gravity, and a solid place to stand, that's more than enough!
Scheherazade:
Indeed. With that unsettling floating sensation gone, I no longer fear for my life, and I can fight once again.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I promise you that if nothing else,I will keep this floor around no matter what.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Go wherever you want; forward, backward, left, right, it doesn't matter. I'll just make more floor!
Kama:
I'm sooo sorry to burst your bubble, but stop and think a moment. How is this any different from when I gave you a floor out of the goodness of my heart when you first showed up?
Kama:
It's so cute how easily you lot think you've suddenly won. I can't stand it. That futile little effort of yours is just adorable. It makes me want to wad it up and throw it away like the trash it is.
Kama:
Do you not realize your situation hasn't actually improved at all? You've just gone back to the way things were before.
Kama:
There are still more than enough of us to fill the whole universe...
Kama:
...and your Master's Tokugawafication hasn't gone away at all.
Kama:
You're only just holding it back by cranking up the output on your Anti-Tokugawa barrier further than it should go, right?
Kama:
I wonder how long that will last against my infinite depravity.
Kama:
Honestly, it's just a matter of time until it falls apart.
Kama:
Did you actually think you could win just by setting things back to how they were five minutes ago? What a joke. That's the most idiotic thing I've ever–
???:
...(Cough) Then allow me to provide them with another trusty blade.
Kama:
Oh? Well, well, how unexpected. This should be good.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Nobutsuna! What do you think you're doing here!? Remove yourself from my Ooku right this instant!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Forgive me, Lady Kasuga. What about this? You may not be aware of it, but you actually owe me a favor.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
If you will permit me to stand here,I will consider your favor repaid.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Me, owe you a favor!? If anyone owes anything here, it's you for your treachery in betraying–
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lady Kasuga, it was Monk Tenkai and I who rescued your soul.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...What?
Pārvatī:
You know, I did wonder why Kasuga-no-Tsubone's soul was the only one left in the void.
Pārvatī:
You're saying you're the one who put it there?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...(Cough) I am. When Monk Tenkai realized that Lord Iemitsu had been abducted...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...and that the Tokugawa name itself was facing an existential threat, he came to see me right away.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Once we learned that the Ooku was the locus of this situation, we just barely managed to help one person escape...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
The one we both deemed essential to resolving this situation. I speak, of course, of you, Lady Kasuga.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I believe the reason you are able to preserve yourself in soul form and manipulate your soul's energy right now...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...may be due to the protection spell Lord Tenkai cast when we saved you.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I...Wha...I-if that's true, then why were you working for this Beast woman up until now!?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Why else?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
To protect Tokugawa.
Mash:
!?
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
It is quite simple. You said it yourself not long ago, Lady Kasuga.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
We must do what is right for Tokugawa,no matter the cost to ourselves.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
For example...if Lord Iemitsu were to pass away before me, I would not commit seppuku to join him.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Regardless of the dishonor it would bring me, I would continue to support the Tokugawa name by serving the next shogun.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Because that is what I believe I must do.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Similarly, I believed I could best protect Tokugawa by staying alive until now...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
...even if it meant I was branded a traitor.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Wh-why didn't you say so sooner!? I had no idea that's what you were up to!
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I would have cut Kama down from behind, but it did not seem as though that would kill her.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
So my only choice was to have Lord Tenkai help me provide a less direct form of assistance...(Cough! Cough, hack)...!
Scheherazade:
What!? Why is he coughing up so much blood...?
D：Sion:
...No way. Did he really...?
Mash:
Sion?
Sion:
“A less direct form of assistance”...Those hanafuda cards gave off identical readings to the Ooku. Like they made up part of the Ooku.
Sion:
And this Ooku is made from the energy of human bodies and souls.
Sion:
In which case...it would not be at all surprising if those hanafuda cards were made from someone's body.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Hehe. I can scarcely imagine what has become of my insides.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Though I suppose I could find out if I were to cut open my stomach.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
At any rate, there is still one more thing.
Sion:
Hm? Hmm!?
Sion:
It looks as though the cards' black boxes all activated at once...and they are now running a backdoor program?
Sion:
Let me see what their effects are...Changing their temperament? No...They reveal what is already there...
Kama:
...Huh? Now wait just a damn minute. I didn't plan for this.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
This should be the right time and place to admit this.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I, Matsudaira Izu-no-Kami Nobutsuna...am the man who utterly robbed the Tokugawa family of their reputation and significance.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
My actions to date should prove as much. In order to protect the Tokugawa, I completely betrayed their trust in me...
Sion:
So these hanafuda cards are made up of the same energy used to construct Ooku, and they are part of your body.
Sion:
And now, they have taken on a whole new meaning.
Sion:
Shogun Yoshinobu's pillbox contains outward-facing power, but these cards contain inward-facing power.
Sion:
Which means...they can be used to neutralize Fujimaru's Tokugawafication!
Mash:
...! Then, if Master uses them...!
Scheherazade:
But what about that samurai? These cards are made from his own body, right? If we use them up...
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Do not worry about me. I would never have done this if I were not ready to give my life. Besides, I doubt you have any other choice.
Mash:
...Thank you. I promise we'll make good use of them!
Mash:
Everyone! Please give Master all the hanafuda cards you've collected!
Mata Hari:
I guess this means Kiara's advice to collect these cards turned out to be the right call all along!
Act Ten: Ooku, Part Two
Fujimaru 1:
My body's so warm...
Fujimaru 2:
I feel so much better now!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Now I see. Those are no ordinary butterflies on these cards. They are from Izu...the crest of the Matsudaira clan.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Lord Munenori. How fortunate you are here. There is one last plan Lord Tenkai and I devised: a spell he engraved into my body at the cost of his own life.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
I will say this only once. Look upon what I have done. I am, without a doubt, Tokugawa's mortal enemy.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
You are a truly loyal man,Matsudaira Izu-no-kami Nobutsuna.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
No, I am not. I am a traitor. I must be, for this to work. Now...do what you must do, Lord Munenori.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Then...I must cut you down where you stand.
Matsudaira Nobutsuna:
Yes. Do it.
Fujimaru 1:
Yagyu!?
Fujimaru 2:
Why did you do that!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Lord Nobutsuna is now no more than a soul,just like Lady Fuku.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I do not know if this is the result of Lord Tenkai's spell or his own sheer willpower, but now, like Lady Fuku, he too can change his shape.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I expect that shape will be no more than a single blade...A blade meant to be Tokugawa's mortal enemy.
Mash:
Something is coming out of Nobutsuna's body! Is that...a katana!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
So, instead of a Izumi-no-kami Kanesada blade, you have become an imitation blade of Izu-no-kami Muramasa.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Very well. I will not let your loyalty go to waste.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Just this once, I, Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, warfare instructor to the Tokugawa family...will take up a false Muramasa blade to destroy this false Tokugawa.
Sion:
I see. It is the same idea as Shogun Yoshinobu's power. He turned his own body into the ultimate Anti-Tokugawa weapon.
Sion:
He spent all this time honing his blade–himself–trusting that someone worthy of wielding him would come and end this.
Sion:
He chose to become the ultimate weapon to bring this false Tokugawa down from the inside.
Kama:
...What the hell is happening here?
Kama:
I knew Nobutsuna was betraying me, though I was surprised to find out he helped Tsubone escape.
Kama:
I knew he was making those cards and leaving them for you to find while he thought I was busy reading.
Kama:
I only kept him around because I was looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he found out all his work was for nothing.
Kama:
He wasn't supposed to actually succeed!
Mata Hari:
He was obviously far more loyal to the Tokugawa than you could ever have conceived. That's why you failed to see the full scope of his plan.
Kama:
Well of course. How could I possibly be expected to see something like this coming!?
Kama:
You're telling me the whole reason he betrayed the Tokugawa shogunate to begin with was so he could imbue his own life with Anti-Tokugawa properties?
Kama:
And that he chose to be killed just so he could turn himself into a Tokugawa-Slayer and help defeat me?
Kama:
I don't even know where to begin. It's...utter nonsense! Worse than that! It's...I can't even come close to describing how sickening it is!
Kama:
There's only so much suffering humans should possibly be able to endure. Ugh, just how much do you love hurting yourselves, anyway!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I understand what he was thinking. As his wet nurse, I couldn't be prouder. This is exactly what I was trying to teach him, ever since he was a small boy.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Well done, Lord Nobutsuna. You may have handled it a little clumsily, like always, but regardless, you've truly outdone yourself.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Tokugawa family could never ask for a more faithful retainer. In fact, I'll put it another way.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is exactly what Lord Nobutsuna was trying to protect. This is a pure expression of his love.
Kama:
No. Absolutely not. I'm the only one who gives love here. I'm the one who's going to fill the universe with it.
Kama:
None of you need love of your own! Especially any sort of love I know nothing about!
Pārvatī:
Kama...Beast of Lust...That is exactly why you and mankind will never get along.
Pārvatī:
It feels good to love someone, and there are endless ways to do so. But you want to control all of that pleasure by yourself.
Pārvatī:
If you grow to full maturity, it would mean the end of the world. Even the entire universe could go up in flames.
Pārvatī:
...So I'm going to stop you, here and now. No matter what it takes.
Mata Hari:
I sure don't want someone else monopolizing the act of loving others. I wouldn't even be a Heroic Spirit if it wasn't for love.
Mata Hari:
As for whether that was true love or not, well,that's going to have to be my little secret.
Scheherazade:
Yes...I certainly don't want anyone controlling all the world's love, either. I'm not quite sure how I know this, but I do know that it is precious.
Scheherazade:
After all...love is the only thing that can help me forget my fear of death.
Mash:
In my case, I still only know about love in theory, not in practice...
Mash:
...but everyone has told me that I will know it when I feel it, and that it's meant to be shared with someone special.
Mash:
Just imagining something like that in my future makes my heart skip a beat.
Mash:
But right now, my heart is telling me in no uncertain terms that it doesn't want your brand of love.
Mash:
Frankly, I don't see how one-sided depravity could ever do the job. That's desire, not love!
Mash:
Master, we're counting on you to take down Beast III/L! We'll back you up here as best we possibly can!
Sion:
There are too many Kama isotopes to count and more will probably keep flying in to back her up.
Sion:
However...I am sure there is still only one Kama in control. Take out the head, and the rest should follow!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Understood. I know what I must do, and I will see that it is done. I will lay her to rest with this very blade.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Prepare yourself.
Kama:
Ugh...I swear. You're as adorable as farm-grown piglets.
Kama:
You're all just one big pile of earthly desires–in this case, the desire to go around loving whoever you want.
C：Kama:
All right then...since that woman I'm meant to surpass isn't here anymore, I'll say this in her place.
A：Kama:
Bon'nou-muryou-seigandan. The vow to relinquish all one's earthly desires.
Kama:
My love is the fire of depravity that satisfies all earthly desires. When all desires are satisfied, they will cease to exist.
Kama:
That's right. I'm going to save all of mankind. Sure, that salvation will result in nothing new ever being created again, but so what?
Kama:
I'm not worried about that. I detest humans, after all.
Kama:
Now, come to me, my beloved Master.
Kama:
I'll crush your arrogant dreams of defeating me right here and now, and replace them with the endless depravity of this new universe.
Kama:
By remaking this historical garden of love into a trap meant to lure people into sin...
Kama:
...I will emerge as the Beast of Disaster that my other half could never hope to become.
Kama:
I am Beast III/Lapse. I am the Demon King of Decadence and Depravity. Now, feel my infinite love!
--BATTLE--
Kama:
What's going on? I'm the embodiment of infinite love. My numbers are literally endless. And yet...
Kama:
How is that sword so sharp? It's cutting me down faster than I can bring in new mes!
Fujimaru 1:
We've almost reached her...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Don't worry about the floor, Lord Munenori!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As long as you're in this Ooku, I'll make sure you have a path right to her neck, no matter how far she tries to run!
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I am in your debt, Lady Fuku!
Kama:
Ugh...You just don't give up, do you!? Dammit, I can't afford to take a direct hit from that thing...!
Kama:
I guess I don't have any other choice but to let go of something.
Kama:
I'll have to abandon being Tokugawa and the Ooku!
Sion:
...Kama's properties just changed! Now is your chance, Kasuga-no-Tsubone!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So, you've given up your connection to Tokugawa,and to this false Ooku, have you?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I imagine you only did so because you're desperate to escape Lord Munenori's sword and Lord Yoshinobu's power...but you should have thought it through!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now that you've given up those connections, you've also given up your right to be here. You've given up your ability to defy my Ooku!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
This is no universe of lust. This is my Ooku, now more than ever!
Mash:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone's is gaining more control over the Ooku!
Mata Hari:
Looks like in your desperation, you doubled down on a losing hand, Little Ms. Beast.
Scheherazade:
This is the true setting for the story of Kasuga-no-Tsubone. This is what the Ooku is supposed to look like!
Kama:
Ugh, this sucks...
Kama:
This place is awful. There's no way I can fil a place like this with my love.
Kama:
How can anyone be happy keeping their lust locked away? How can anyone be happy without living in depravity!?
Fujimaru 1:
Now! Hit her with everything you've got!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As the wet nurse to the Tokugawa family,I have a few things to say about that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There is more to love than simple indulgence. At times, tough love is just as important.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You keep calling yourself the embodiment of infinite love, but I bet you know nothing of the kind of love that comes from watching over someone grow and improve, do you?
Kama:
...!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
And while I'm at it, I have something to say as the head of the Ooku, too!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
The Ooku has rules, and those rules are not to be broken!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There are all sorts of rules, such as no men allowed besides the shogun and no going out at night...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but right now, the only one I'm going to focus on is this:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
No strange women are permitted in the Ooku!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
By my authority as Kasuga-no-Tsubone,head of the Ooku, I pronounce you unfit!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now leave my Ooku at once!
Kama:
What the...This is...!
Sion:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone is exercising her absolute authority over the Ooku. It is a lot like a powerful conceptual spell!
Mash:
It looks like...Kama is being sent flying!
Kama:
Khh...Ah! I'm being repelled? Me!? How is this possible!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You lost when you decided to mess with my Ooku.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Though I suppose things would have turned out differently if you hadn't let Lord Nobutsuna and Lord Tenkai rescue me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But you were too indulgent to think to stop them, and now, that depraved love of yours will be your undoing!
Kama:
Aaaaaahhh!
Sion:
You did it! You drove Kama all the way out to the surface!
Mash:
How are you going to finish her!?
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
My role in this battle is complete. There is another better suited to that.
Kama:
How is this happening!? All humans crave love, and I'm the god AND the demon king of it! None of them should be able to touch me!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
That reminds me. There is one more god I still need to thank.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
She saved me for no reason, without seeking anything in return, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As far as I'm concerned, she is the true god of love. Without her love, I simply would not be here right now.
Pārvatī:
It's over, Kama...and Mara.
Pārvatī:
Whether it's being given or received, I don't think love is meant to be a one-way street.
Pārvatī:
Either there's no clear answer for what it is exactly, or it's just not something gods like us can fully understand.
Pārvatī:
As the god of love, you should have been the closest to figuring it out.
Pārvatī:
But now that you've been consumed by the small-minded fires of depravity, I'm going to show you what I believe love to be, as my final gift to you!
Pārvatī:
There is one kind of love inside me I know for certain to be stronger, purer, and more just than anything else in the world...
Pārvatī:
The love I feel for my wonderful husband!
Pārvatī:
Trishula Shakti!!!
Sion:
It is over. In addition to Pārvatī's Noble Phantasm, Kama is already–
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Indeed, she is no longer a false Tokugawa either. She is now but a mere creature, and I have already cut her down.
Kama:
Aaah! Aaaaaah! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!! It's as bad as when Shiva incinerated me!
Kama:
How!? How could I lose to a bunch of garbage wastes of space like these humans!?
Kama:
I just made a little mistake! I just got a little scared and tried to run away!
Kama:
Ow, ow, ow...! Ugh, this is exactly why I hate having a body!
Kama:
I always end up the victim! It doesn't matter if I'm the god or a demon king of love!
Kama:
People always say it's my fault there isn't enough love to go around!
Kama:
That's why I tried to give them infinite love! I wanted to get back at them with every fiber of my being...!
Kama:
I knew that a god who's meant to love others would never be loved herself!
Kama:
That's why I had to love everyone. I had no choice but to dominate if I didn't want to feel like a victim anymore!
Kama:
Aagh, this is the worst! I can't believe I've gone from the most powerful being in the world to the most pathetic...!
Kama:
Please! I don't want it to end like this...!
Kama:
There are still so many defective, detestable humans out there I haven't looked down on!
Kama:
So many I haven't trampled with love! This can't be how it ennnnnnds!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...True, it does feel good to love. Especially when the ones you love are clearly weak and in need of protection.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All the more so if they are children.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Loving helpless people like that makes you feel needed. It makes you feel like you matter.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It can be terribly frightening to put an end to that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
But making a clean break with that desire...that obsession to keep loving someone forever...is a form of love we guardians must one day be willing to embrace.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
As they say, if you truly love something...you must be willing to set it free...
Epilogue
Mash:
...Beast III/L's signal has completely disappeared.
Mash:
We really did it...We won, Master!
C：Sion:
That we did. It was not easy by any means,but this was still a great victory!
C：Sion:
I do not think my first case involving a Beast could have gone any better!
Fujimaru 1:
What about everyone else? They will come back, right?
C：Sion:
Of course! In fact, I think you should see Escapee No. 1 right over there!
Goredolf:
Nnn...No thank you. I couldn't eat another bite...(Zzz...)
Sion:
Goredolf remained himself,which is why he is there now...
Sion:
...but all the Servants and people in Edo Castle who were turned into materials for the Ooku should naturally go back to where they belong.
Sion:
That goes for every shogun soul from those inrou too, of course.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I would be relieved to hear that...if the same thing wasn't happening to me, too.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, but first, I found this thing inside the labyrinth's central support pillar. I think it's called a Holy Grail?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
It looked important, so I pulled it out and brought it with me. I'm basically stuck to it right now.
Fujimaru 1:
Kasuga-no-Tsubone...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Please, there's nothing to be sad about.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
No, wait. I'm still your acting wet nurse, so maybe it's better if I give you one last scolding.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
There's nothing to gain by parting ways in low spirits!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Goodbyes are meant to be said with a smile! ...Though of course, that's easier said than done, isn't it?
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you...for everything.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I'm the one who should be thanking you.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I could never have saved Lord Iemitsu and driven that harlot out of my Ooku without your help.
Mash:
I guess...this is goodbye then.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hehe, well of course it is. I'm a soul. My time has already come and gone.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
If it wasn't for all this, and if Lady Par hadn't extended her hand to me...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I would have faded off to my inevitable eternal repose long ago.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...This has all been like a dream I've had right before ascending to Nirvana. I think it's better that it's over.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Now I don't have to worry about fixating on misplaced love, or cling to regrets about what might have been.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can just...fall asleep.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Though I would like to ask Lord Munenori to handle the aftermath in my absence...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Forgive me. It would seem this is as far as I go. I must return to Chaldea Base before the rest of you.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
These old bones are not what they used to be.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
My, my, so even the great Yagyu Munenori cannot defeat old age, hm? I can't imagine Lord Iemitsu would be happy to hear that.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I don't mind you serving a new lord, but I won't have you abandoning your responsibilities!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I can almost hear Lord Iemitsu saying something like “I don't recall appointing a gutless coward as my instructor in warfare! I know there's nothing and no one you cannot defeat, Ryutan! ”
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
You cut me to the quick.
Fujimaru 1:
Rest up! You earned it!
Fujimaru 2:
See you on the other side.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Thank you, Master.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
So that's how Servants and Masters relate to one another, hm? What a strange idea...Hehe.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
Why do you laugh?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Oh, it's nothing. I just had a funny thought.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I imagined what might happen if,by some quirk of fate...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...I were summoned with my naginata to fight by your side at [♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru's behest.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I could even continue to raise[♂ him /♀ her] as [♂ his /♀ her] proper wet nurse...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I think I would enjoy an afterlife like that very much.
Fujimaru 1:
It sounds like you'd be a Lancer.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
...Master, I should tell you now that Lady Fuku was much more than a wet nurse.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
She was also an extremely talented martial artist,as befitting her Inaba and Saitou heritage.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
I myself was inspired to create a few new Yagyu techniques after merely happening to see her spar with Lord Iemitsu a few times.
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
She is a truly remarkable woman.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hehehe. Well, if I have your seal of approval, Lord Munenori, perhaps this isn't such a far-fetched dream after all.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
All right then, I think I'll hold onto that hope, just in case.
Fujimaru 2:
I hope we'll get to see you again someday.
Sion:
Hey, even if her Spirit Origin is not strong enough to summon her normally, we have other ways to help with that nowadays.
Sion:
Who knows? Maybe we will get to see her again,if not quite in the way we expect.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Hehehe. All right then, I think I'll hold onto that hope, just in case.
Pārvatī:
I hope I'll get a chance to see you again someday, too.
Pārvatī:
After all, you and I were one and the same for quite a while.
Pārvatī:
At this point, I consider you a dear friend and roommate. Well, bodymate.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lady Par...
Pārvatī:
Besides, I still have so many questions for you about raising children.
Pārvatī:
For example, how should I console my son after my husband chopped off his head and replaced it with an elephant's!?
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Th-that...that is a lot! All right, I'll make sure to think of a good answer by the next time we meet!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Uh-oh, I don't think I have much time left. I'm sorry to have to rush this part...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Lady Mata Hari, Lady Scheherazade, I must thank you for all your help as well. Both of you, please take care!
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
[♂ Lord /♀ Lady] Fujimaru, I may not have any hands to pat your head anymore...
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
...but allow me this one last gesture, before I cease being your acting wet nurse altogether.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
You are already such a good [♂ boy /♀ girl]. As long as you stay on your current path, I know you'll go on to be a great[♂ man /♀ woman] someday...
Fujimaru 1:
(I don't know how, but I feel like she's actually patting my head...)
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
Ahh...It looks like my time is well and truly up. Thank you again, everyone. I will never forget the kindness you have shown me.
Kasuga-no-Tsubone:
I hope I can return the favor someday...
Yagyu Tajima-no-kami:
It would seem I too must take my leave. Please excuse me.
Sion:
...All right. It is sad to say goodbye, but now that we have successfully recovered the Holy Grail, all that remains is–
Pārvatī:
Oh, sorry. It looks like I have to go, too.
Pārvatī:
I think I have to rest for a while, since I used up everything I had to stop Kama...
Pārvatī:
Still, I was able to stop someone with my own face from causing all sorts of havoc. I'm happy with that.
Sion:
Yes, well, I cannot blame you for being upset about a god from your pantheon with the same avatar as you turning into a Beast.
Pārvatī:
To be honest, I really didn't care for her, um...provocative outfit, either.
Pārvatī:
If I'd seen someone with the same body showing off that much skin anywhere else, I'd probably just pretend I hadn't...
Pārvatī:
But never mind that. I just remembered something important that's been nagging at me.
Pārvatī:
I'll do my best to hang on so I can tell you about it before I disappear.
Fujimaru 1:
What is it?
Pārvatī:
That being we fought WAS Kama,but her Mara side was much stronger.
Pārvatī:
That's why she was able to become Beast III.
Pārvatī:
But the thing is, that should be impossible.
Sion:
Oh?
Pārvatī:
Mara is a demon god. Shiva and the other gods should have her under constant supervision...
Pārvatī:
Under normal circumstances, there's no way her particular Divinity should let her move about this freely, or let her strengthen her influence like that.
Mata Hari:
But, she was obviously able to, right? We all saw her turn into a Beast.
Pārvatī:
Right. That's exactly what's so strange about it. How did she evade Shiva's watchful eye?
Scheherazade:
Do you have any idea as to what might have happened? Perhaps some unusual circumstances that would allow for such a thing?
Pārvatī:
Hmm...I guess I can think of one possibility...
Pārvatī:
It could be that something is happening on Earth that's affecting all of India's pantheon...
Mash:
India...
Mash:
Now that you mention it, the very next Lostbelt we'll be heading to is the Indian one.
Mash:
Could that have something to do with this?
Pārvatī:
I'm sorry, I can't say for sure yet. That would be my first guess, but a guess is all it is right now...
Pārvatī:
If India is your next destination,I would really like to go with you...
Pārvatī:
...but I'm afraid it looks like this is as far as I can go this time. I'm sorry.
Pārvatī:
I'll try to send someone else to help you instead,but...I don't know if anyone else will come...
Fujimaru 1:
You already helped us out a ton, Par.
Fujimaru 2:
We could never have pulled this off without you, Par.
Pārvatī:
Not at all. I have to thank you too,Fujimaru.
Pārvatī:
Thanks to you, the threat posed by the Beast of Disaster has passed.
Pārvatī:
I know you still have other difficult problems, like the bleached Earth, the Lostbelts, and the Crypters...
Pārvatī:
...but knowing all of you, I have every faith you'll figure something out. Good luck! Please give it your all out there!
Fujimaru 1:
...You better believe I will.
Mash:
I know you will, Senpai. And soon, Da Vinci and Holmes should be back, too.
Mash:
O-of course, I'll do my best to help out too,for whatever that's worth.
Mash:
So, I'm sure everything will work out! Somehow!
Mash:
Oh, and we can't forget Sion, either. She proved yet again what an invaluable addition she is to our team!
Sion:
Well, I have to admit that Kama outsmarted me almost every step of the way this time!
Sion:
Anyway! I think I will go ahead and get ready to bring you all home.
Sion:
Oh, and please do not forget to bring our, uh, “Lord” snoozing away over there when you come back.
Sion:
I have to say, part of me is going to miss that topknot of his!
--ARROW--
Boudica:
Hm hm hmm hm hmm♪
Mata Hari:
Ooh, that smells good. Hehe, whatcha making today?
Boudica:
Hey, you should know better than to sneak up on a cook like that. It's dangerous.
Boudica:
Besides, this is nothing special. It's just the same traditional Britannia-style stew I always make.
Mata Hari:
Well, I can't wait till it's ready. It feels like forever since I last had some.
Boudica:
I know I already said this before, but...thanks. For everything.
Mata Hari:
Aww, I barely did anything, you know?
Boudica:
Well, I'm still grateful to all of you...
Boudica:
...so I decided to cook up a storm for the first time in a while.
Boudica:
Now go on, give me some space until it's done.
Boudica:
Seriously, it's a good thing I was only holding a ladle. What if it had been a knife?
Boudica:
No more jumping on me from behind. Got it?
Mata Hari:
I did check that it was safe first...But, hehe, okay, maman.
Boudica:
I mean it, you know. What if one of the children saw you and decided to copy you when it wasn't safe–
Scheherazade:
...And that is how the story goes.
Nitocris:
Hm hm hm. There certainly were a lot of layers to that story. I knew that not just anyone could be a great ruler!
Nitocris:
So, what about the other guy?
Nitocris:
You still haven't told me what happened with him while all this was going down. I can't wait to find out!
Scheherazade:
...
Scheherazade:
I haven't, have I? Very well then, I will tell you what happened next. While all that was transpiring...
Nitocris:
(...Huh? That's weird. I mean, I know I asked her to keep going...)
Nitocris:
(...but this is usually the part where she says “That...is all for tonight. ”)
Nitocris:
(Oh well! I'm not going to worry about it! )
Nitocris:
(Maybe Scheherazade just feels like spinning more yarns tonight. )
Nitocris:
(Whatever the case, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy my extra stories! Yay! )
Commentary:
Despite her cool outward demeanor...
Commentary:
...the storyteller was fiercely determined to make the most of the time she had fought to reclaim.
Murasaki Shikibu:
Oh no, did it just happen again!?
Murasaki Shikibu:
...
Murasaki Shikibu:
I thought listening to her stories would provide some good inspiration for my own writing...
Murasaki Shikibu:
...but I suppose I can do that just as well some other time.
Da Vinci:
There we go, I think that should do it. How's it look?
Holmes:
Quite good. This new firewall should ensure this sort of thing does not happen again.
Da Vinci:
Man, I thought I was prepared for this sort of thing.
Da Vinci:
I never in my wildest dreams imagined there was a Beast out there...
Da Vinci:
...who would attack us by brainwashing one of our staff and using them to control the Command Room.
Da Vinci:
There was no ingenuity, you know? It was just so simple that I guess in a way it tells us something about how naive Kama really is.
Da Vinci:
I clearly still have a ways to go before I catch up to my old self. But, I learned my lesson!
Da Vinci:
From now on, I'll make sure to prepare for any and every possible situation.
Da Vinci:
Even the ones I think are completely outlandish☆
Holmes:
Concurred. Still, on a personal note...I cannot help but be disappointed that I was forced to sit this case out.
Holmes:
This would have been an excellent chance for me to finally observe a Beast for myself...
Holmes:
...rather than simply read about it in Chaldea's records.
Da Vinci:
Oh? I didn't know administrative advisors were interested in Beasts, too. You do know that just looking at one wrong could give them a chance to start invading your Spirit Origin, right?
Holmes:
Not to worry. I always take every precaution when viewing something dangerous.
Holmes:
I certainly don't carry all these special lenses around with me to be fashionable.
Da Vinci:
...
Da Vinci:
Well, I guess it just wasn't meant to be this time.
Da Vinci:
Besides, it looks like Beast III takes advantage of such encounters to twist them to her own malicious ends.
Holmes:
True. The tremendous amount of argument I saw in this incident's combat records nearly took my breath away.
Holmes:
Just imagine, a battle that hinges entirely on the underpinnings of one's logic...Ahh, of all the cases for me to miss.
Mash:
Thanks so much for taking care of this, Da Vinci. You too, Mr. Holmes.
Mash:
I just made some tea if you're ready for a break. We even have some sakura mochi straight from Japan to go with it.
Da Vinci:
That sounds great! Thanks!
Da Vinci:
...Oh man, this is even better than I thought. It's got just the right amount of sweetness, and it's like the flavors are giving my whole mouth a hug!
Sion:
Phew. Now I can finally get back to my regular duties.
Sion:
Oh, are you all taking a coffee break? Would it be all right if I joined you?
Mash:
Of course! Please, help yourself!
Sion:
Mmm, this is very relaxing...Oh, by the way,there is something I have been wondering about.
Sion:
...What is making that mechanical whirring I have been hearing all this time?
Goredolf:
(Huff...Huff...)
Sion:
Ah, now I see. (Munch, munch) Is that a hamster wheel-style generator? Or perhaps some sort of manual labor-based torture device?
Goredolf:
Dammit, now you're eating sweet mochi right in front of me!? Ahh, calories...Sweet calories...
Da Vinci:
Hey! I see that running machine slowing down!
Da Vinci:
Come on, pick up the pace, Gordy! This should be no sweat, easy-peasy for you.
Goredolf:
Why meee!
Da Vinci:
He reeeally let himself go during this latest excursion. Apparently, he was feasting like a king the whole time.
Da Vinci:
I ran a quick emergency physical on him after we all got back, and he ended up setting a new record: D- across the board.
Da Vinci:
So we have to at least get him back to where he was before all this went down, or it could end up affecting his ability to do his job.
Da Vinci:
The last thing we need is him suddenly being out of commission thanks to some lifestyle-related illness.
Sion:
I see. So that is where this comes in?
Da Vinci:
That's right! You're looking at Da Vinci's Special Get Fit Quick program in action.
Da Vinci:
It's a little on the challenging side, but it'll be sure to have Gordy back to his old condition in three days.
Da Vinci:
Of course, dietary restrictions are part of the program too, Gordy, so don't plan on eating your fill anytime soon.
Goredolf:
What!? But I've been looking forward to a bowl of stew ever since that tantalizing smell began wafting in here!
Da Vinci:
What do you expect? You already ate like a king for days on end.
Da Vinci:
Don't blame me. Blame the law of conservation of energy.
Goredolf:
Grrr...Dammit all! This is exactly why I hate Rayshifts!
???:
My, my, this is a surprise.
???:
When I plucked out the pretty meteor I saw drifting off into space before it could burn up in a nearby star...
???:
...I never expected it to actually be you.
Kama:
...Huh?
Kama:
What's going on? What the hell are you doing here?
Kama:
This is my own inner universe. No one else should exist here unless I invite them in.
???:
Oh my. Even in your own mind, you still subject yourself to the experience of burning alive in the sun. Color me impressed.
???:
I am certainly no stranger to tormenting myself as I train, but even I would not go that far.
???:
I suppose that is something only one with boundless love for humanity and no love for herself could do.
???:
So you willingly incinerate yourself when you deem your purpose fulfilled? You remind me of a rabbit volunteering itself as food for a starving Buddha.
???:
How could I possibly turn my back on you now that I have seen how pure and sordid your heart truly is?
Kama:
Shut up. No, forget shutting up. Piss off and don't come back. All your little parables are just INFURIATING!
Kama:
Oh, right. I remember now. I incinerated you with my own fire, didn't I?
Kama:
That explains how you got in here.
Kama:
You're like a patch of mold that just keeps spreading no matter how hard you scrub.
Kama:
So what do you want? Are you here to laugh at me? Fine, go ahead.
Kama:
You can see for yourself how much of a loser I am. I'm not good for anything anymore.
Kama:
I'm sure you've already got a seat saved for you in the real world, since you're on the winning team and all.
Kama:
You gain nothing by messing with me now.
Kama:
Unless...you're here to absorb me as the yin to your yang, and become a more fully realized Beast III or something?
???:
Don't be silly. You and I could never merge into a single being.
???:
Your existence is one of giving, mine is one of taking.
???:
You are a hell of infinite women,and I am a hell of a single, boundless woman.
???:
We may both be Beasts born of pleasure, but in all other respects, we could not be more different.
???:
You and I are not right and left halves of the same whole, taking up hands in service of a common goal. We're diametrically opposed enemies who can scarcely stand to look at one another.
???:
I could never eat such a being. You would taste awful, and no doubt give me a terrible stomachache.
Kama:
...Is that so? Well thank goodness you and I would both sooner die than work together.
Kama:
...So to what do I owe the hellish discomfort of your company?
Kama:
You just said you don't have any interest in devouring me, right?
???:
Oh, my. What have I done to deserve such a hateful glare? I suppose I had better make this quick.
???:
Hehe, this won't take a second.
Kama:
What the...!? What'd you just do to me!?
???:
Oh come now. You're really going to make me say it, when you already know just as well as I do? You are a nasty one, aren't you?
???:
But, I suppose neither of us can be surprised by your truly horrid personality at this point, hm?
???:
At any rate, surely you don't want to remain misunderstood forever, do you? Don't you want a chance to redeem yourself?
Kama:
Hell no I don't! I know everything about my personality being horrid! That's not a misunderstanding, it's truth!
Kama:
What the...Oh gods, this is gross...What is this nauseating smell? It's like raw fish, veggies, and spices all rolled into one...
Kama:
Is this the kind of air you deal with all the time? How the hell do you stand it!? This is literally sickening!
???:
Once you become accustomed to it, even pain can become pleasure.
???:
Though of course, I doubt anyone as awkward as you will manage to...
???:
Regardless, you and I both well know that the wicked must pay for their misdeeds in the next life. That is karma.
???:
So when your connection to [♂ him /♀ her] bears fruit...I expect you to work like a dog without complaint. Understand?
Kama:
Tch...So this is one last bit of salt in the wounds, huh? Fine, whatever.
Kama:
But I still have no idea where you're going with this.
???:
Consider it a punishment of sorts.
???:
I don't mind what you did to me, but you still caused quite a lot of trouble for everyone else.
???:
It's only fair that you work off your karmic debt, so to speak.
Kama:
A fake halo now? Really? Knock it off. You're not fooling anyone with that bodhisattva act. It's obvious what you're really up to.
Kama:
Can't you just come out and say you're going to make me do good deeds because you know that's the most excruciating torture there is for me?
Kama:
Ugh. It must be rough being as old as you are and having to choose all your words carefully because you're worried what people will think.
???:
...Oh my. Hehe. Hehehehehehe.
A：Kama:
Ah! Wait! I take it back! You and I are about the same age, both in mind and in body!
???:
At any rate, you have a connection to [♂ him /♀ her] now.
???:
After all, you will love anyone,so long as they're human, yes?
???:
Then it should be easy for you to love [♂ him /♀ her], right?
Kama:
...Ouch. I'll admit, you've got me there. I can't argue with that.
???:
Right?
???:
I still hold to shujou-muhen-seigando, the vow to save all living things, and butsudou-mujou-seiganjou, the vow to seek enlightenment...
???:
Yes, you are a god of love who became a Beast, but I still want to save you if I can.
???:
Of course, you may very well not even remember this conversation...or that you are a Beast yourself, or anything at all to do with Beasts.
Kama:
(Sigh) You are so transparently doing this for your own pleasure.
Kama:
Still...this does mean I might get another chance to surpass you once and for all, right?
Kama:
And then there's that thing she said to me...
Narration:
“You keep calling yourself the embodiment of infinite love, but I bet you know nothing of the kind of love that comes from watching over someone grow and improve, huh? ”
Kama:
(Watching over someone grow and improve, huh...You think I can't pull that off, bitch? Watch me. )
Kama:
(If I succeed at tempting [♂ him /♀ her] into depravity this time, I'll be all set. And if I don't, that'll mean[♂ he's /♀ she's] grown and learned something...Patience, maybe? )
Kama:
(Basically, I just need to watch over that, right? What could be easier? Besides...)
Kama:
Hehe. Hehehe. Depending on how things go, I could even end up working beside Pārvatī, couldn't I?
Kama:
The very idea of it makes me sick...but, if I think of it as a sanctioned opportunity to make her life hell, I guess I can deal with it.
Kama:
I can just imagine her reaction if she saw me seducing someone with her face...Hehehe...
???:
Hehe. I'm glad to see you finding joy in an otherwise completely hellish proposition.
???:
...All right, I think I'll be on my way. Goodbye, giver of infinite love...bane of my existence.
Kama:
...Goodbye, taker of all love. Right back at you.
Narration:
Let's each do our best to satiate ourselves with pleasure until the world ends, shall we?
Narration:
...Phew. Would someone mind opening the window?
Lady-in-Waiting:
Lady Kasuga! You mustn't sit up. You know you need your rest.
Narration:
It's all right. I just want to see the moon for a bit. It is still out, isn't it?
Lady-in-Waiting:
Oh, all right. But just a little.
Narration:
Ahh...What a beautiful moonlit dawn. The air is so crisp and clean, and the color of the sky is simply sublime...
Lady-in-Waiting:
It is, isn't it?
Narration:
This sky looks down upon the Tokugawa's reign of peace.
Narration:
A peace Lord Ieyasu established, Lord Hidetada carried on, and Lord Iemitsu made stronger.
Narration:
Still...even after the Tokugawa reign has come to an end...
Narration:
...the Japan this sky looks down upon will surely still be at peace.
Lady-in-Waiting:
Hmph. You mustn't let Lord Iemitsu hear you say anything about the Tokugawa reign ending someday, Lady Kasuga. It would put him in a terrible mood.
Narration:
Hehe...I'm not so sure about that. If I raised him properly, and I'm quite sure I did...
Narration:
...then Lord Iemitsu would only want what is best for Japan, as any loving parent would for their child.
Narration:
I expect he would laugh and let that remark pass with a smile.
Lady-in-Waiting:
?
Narration:
Oh, don't mind me. I'm talking about a dream, one, two hundred years from now. Besides, he'll never have to know as long as you don't tell him.
Lady-in-Waiting:
Right...Well, sure, I would never go out of my way to mention this.
Narration:
Thank you. You're a good girl.
Narration:
Keep up the good work, okay?
Lady-in-Waiting:
...Thank you, I will.
Narration:
Ahh...I'm getting sleepy again.
Narration:
I'm sorry to ask, but would you mind closing the window now...?
Lady-in-Waiting:
Not at all. Oh, since you're doing so well today, I'll bring you up some rice porridge once I get a chance, okay?
Lady-in-Waiting:
Sleep well, Lady Kasuga.
Narration:
...As it sinks into the west, the moon beckons me to follow...Perhaps today is the day...I shall escape the shackles of this mortal world...