Pseudo-Singularity IV: The Forbidden Advent Garden - Salem

Prelude

Sanson:
...Hmm. Not bad at all. In fact, I daresay it came out rather well.

Mash:
Good morning, Sanson. Having a late breakfast?

Mash:
Oh, what a wonderful smell. Is that a crêpe?

Sanson:
Morning, Mash. No, this is a buckwheat galette.

Sanson:
I heard we'd procured some lovely ham, and found myself hooked after spending some time with the chef.

Mash:
So you're using ham, cheese, a soft-boiled egg,and...is that zucchini? It looks delicious!

Sanson:
Thank you. I often had galettes just like this when I was growing up in Paris. They were originally a peasant dish from the Brittany region.

Sanson:
It's even said they were served at the palace of King Louis XIV's mother, Anne of Austria.

Sanson:
Ideally, I would have liked to pair it with hard cider, but...

Mash:
Oh, right. Exactly. You couldn't do that because we've run out, right?

Mash:
Apparently someone broke into the kitchen and stole most of our alcohol...

Sanson:
Really? Was it a thief?

Mash:
I think so, since a number of rooms also experienced inexplicable blackouts around the same time.

Mash:
That's why I'm on the case right now!

Mash:
Holmes has been preoccupied with something in the hangar lately, so it's up to me to be the detective this time!

Sanson:
I see. In that case, I will gladly offer my assistance.

Sanson:
Ever since the search for the seven Holy Grails came to an end, what has brought me the greatest joy...

Sanson:
...is the drastic improvements made to Chaldea's pantry.

Sanson:
It's thanks to them that Servants like us can enjoy seasonal delicacies and flavors from around the world.

Sanson:
I am so grateful to be able to experience so many wonderful tastes, but ashamed to learn that there is a thief among us here in Chaldea.

Mash:
Me too.

Mash:
Since Chaldea is still responsible for preserving humanity, managing our food stockpiles is important.

Sanson:
Well said...Hm?

Robin Hood:
Nngh, my head...I feel sick...

Mash:
Good morning, Robin.... You seem a bit under the weather.

Robin Hood:
Oh, mornin', Mash...Don't mind me...

Mash:
Urk. I can smell the alcohol from here...Um, Robin?

Sanson:
He's clearly hung over. He must have drunk an immense amount to be this affected despite being a Servant.

Sanson:
Fortunately, this works out well. Here, Robin, drink up this onion soup. It'll get you hydrated and replenish some of the salt you lost.

Sanson:
If that doesn't cure your hangover, drink a glass of water with some baking soda to reduce the acidity in your stomach.

Robin Hood:
No thanks. I'm not drinking that! I've smelled rotting animals that weren't so rank! There aren't even any medicinal herbs in it.

Robin Hood:
I mean, it's not like you're a witch or an alchemist or–Nnngh, my head...

Mash:
I knew it. You're still in bad shape. What help could you be if there was an emergency right now?

Mash:
Won't you please consider taking Sanson's advice and having the soup?

Mash:
Also, um...I would appreciate it if you could tell me what happened last night. And please, don't skimp on the details.

Robin Hood:
Last night...?

Robin Hood:
...Okay, if that's what you want. I couldn't care less what Dr. Frenchie says, but I can't say no to you.

Robin Hood:
Still, there's not that much to tell. I just kind of ended up getting roped into a little drinking party the authors were having.

Robin Hood:
Sometimes it's nice to just cut loose and drink like there's no tomorrow, consequences be damned, you know?

Robin Hood:
Anyway, the last thing I remember is Amadeus crashing the party and drinking the rest of the booze. After that...it's all a blank...

Sanson:
Ah, Amadeus. I swear, the man is a bottomless pit where alcohol is concerned.

Sanson:
He always shows up unannounced at parties, drains the wine cellar as if it were his own, and doesn't even pay a single écu to boot.

Sanson:
Robin, were you perhaps sent to raid the kitchen last night, as an errand boy of sorts?

Robin Hood:
Hmm. Now that you mention it, I think something like that might've happened.

Mash:
I see.... I'm glad I'm making progress.

Mash:
I KNEW I could resolve a small case like this without asking Holmes for help.

Mash:
At any rate, it seems clear that you were all getting plastered on Chaldea's reserves.

Sanson:
Indeed. What a sorry sight.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah. Not all of us were brought up with the luxury of using proper knives and forks for our dainty little breakfasts...unlike some nobles I know.

Sanson:
I'm not a noble!

Robin Hood:
Oh, is that so?

Robin Hood:
Maybe you're not, but you aren't exactly one of us commoners either, are you?

Sanson:
...

Mash:
(What's going on with Robin? Does he have some sort of problem with Sanson...? )

Robin Hood:
...!

Sanson:
An alarm? What does that tablet of yours say, Mash?

Mash:
Let me see...It's a Type 3 alert. An abnormality has been spotted somewhere far away.

Mash:
I'll head for the Command Room!

Robin Hood:
Ugh, urrr...Could we turn it down? This sound is the last thing I needed with this headache...

Mash:
Robin, you need to take care of your hangover before you do anything else!

Sanson:
Agreed. Once you do that, I shall take you to see the chef.

Robin Hood:
Got it. Take care, Mash. Don't push yourself too hard now.

Robin Hood:
Looks like things have finally calmed down. Guess they've got a handle on the situation now.

Robin Hood:
Ah well, it ain't any of my business. I'm A-OK steering clear of the limelight.

Robin Hood:
All those hot-blooded hero types can handle demon schemes and threats to humanity just fine without me.

Robin Hood:
Ahh...This soup really does hit the spot.

Sanson:
...

Mash:
...I'm here. What's the situation?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Morning, Mash.

Mash:
Good morning, Senpai. I'm sorry I'm late.

Da Vinci:
Buongiorno, Mash. I knew I'd see you here. You are always so very diligent!

Da Vinci:
All right, here's all the information we've got so far.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You're looking fluffy as ever, Mash.

Mash:
Um...did you say “fluffy”? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that, but thank you, Senpai.

Mash:
In fact, you're looking kind of fluffy yourself, too. Like here, where you've still got some bed head...

Da Vinci:
Okay you two, it's too early in the morning for flirting. And the Command Room isn't the place!

Da Vinci:
That's better. Now then, here's all the information we've got so far.

Da Vinci:
You can fix your bed head while you listen,Fujimaru.

---

Da Vinci:
First of all, we know that the alarm originated in North America.

Da Vinci:
We're detecting an incredible magical energy signature, but the threat level is fairly low. At least, for now.

Da Vinci:
At the moment, we're sending in a fleet of investigative drones to collect more intel, and communicating with the local authorities.

Da Vinci:
We're also coordinating with the North American branch of the Mage's Association, since Chaldeas didn't observe this phenomenon.

Da Vinci:
However, there aren't many Association agents in North America, so I doubt they'll be of much help.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Where exactly in North America is this coming from?

---

Da Vinci:
If you'll direct your attention to the screen...Riiight here. This image was just taken by one of our stationary satellites.

Mash:
The United States' east coast...Specifically,an area north of Boston, Massachusetts.

Mash:
Come to think of it, it's still the middle of the night over there, isn't it. Even so...

Mash:
It's so dark, I don't see a hint of light anywhere. It looks more like a crater than anything.

Da Vinci:
That's right. It's pitch-black. Complete and total darkness.

Da Vinci:
We can't detect so much as a hint of artificial light within a perfectly circular seven-kilometer radius.

Da Vinci:
This is no blackout or freak weather. Magecraft is the only explanation for something like this.

Da Vinci:
Naturally, since it's covered in such total darkness, we don't have any other visual data.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Do we know what's in the middle of this darkness?

---

Mash:
...As I recall, there was a port town here at this inlet. I think its name was–

Geronimo:
...Salem.

Geronimo:
It is a cursed name. Both for the white man, and for us.

Mash:
Geronimo.

Geronimo:
My presence was requested, and so I have come.

Geronimo:
Are you sure I can be of use, Da Vinci? My tribe knows little of the sea, after all.

Da Vinci:
I'm sure, Geronimo. In fact, you're the perfect warrior for the job.

Da Vinci:
The proud members of your tribe have been attuned to that land's voice since ancient times, so we could really use your wisdom right now.

Geronimo:
...I see. So the situation has become so dire that you're making a formal request for my help.

Geronimo:
Very well. I will be of assistance however I can.

Mash:
What about the people inside the darkness? Are they all right?

Da Vinci:
At the moment, we have no way of knowing.

Da Vinci:
So far, the US Army's reconnaissance drones haven't picked up any sign of the local populace, or even any radio transmissions.

Da Vinci:
Simply put, fifty thousand people who just finished their perfectly ordinary day have inexplicably disappeared.

Da Vinci:
I can only imagine what the White House advisors are going through right now in the run-up to the inevitable press conference.

Mash:
That's terrible...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Could this be a Demon God Pillar?

---

Mash:
...! You mean, one of the Demon God Pillars that escaped when Goetia was destroyed?

Da Vinci:
Yes, Fujimaru. This is almost certainly the work of a Demon God Pillar. That said...

Da Vinci:
The extent to which it seems not to even be making an effort to conceal the insidious nature of this anomaly concerns me.

Da Vinci:
In the other abnormalities we've dealt with over the past several months, like Shinjuku and Agartha...

Da Vinci:
...the culprits tried to keep their identities a secret.

Da Vinci:
On top of that, both of those Singularities occurred in the past. Hell, in Agartha's case, it was so thoroughly hidden that it was literally miles under the ground.

Da Vinci:
But that is not the case here. It's taking place right now, and is so obvious that even the US government knows about it.

Da Vinci:
Neither of the other Demon God Pillars attempted anything like this, and that...is truly worrying.

Da Vinci:
Still, at least this Singularity is on a much smaller scale. It reminds me of Fuyuki in how it's only covering a single town.

Geronimo:
“Smaller scale” only in comparison with what we have seen so far, you mean. But even now, I can see this tragedy unfolding before my eyes.

Geronimo:
I pray that the dawning sun will chase away the curtain of darkness that has befallen this land.

Geronimo:
So what will you do now, Da Vinci? And you, my friend?

---

Fujimaru 1:
We have to get to Salem right now!

---

Mash:
Right, Senpai.

Geronimo:
I am afraid I disagree. The time is not yet right.

Mash:
...But, there are people in clear and present danger. Fifty thousand of them, no less.

Geronimo:
We do not know for sure that this is not a trap.

Geronimo:
It's possible that we may end up being glad that ONLY tens of thousands of people lost their lives there.

Geronimo:
We are still very much in the dark ourselves. All we know for certain is what Da Vinci said:

Geronimo:
Never before have we seen such a bold approach as this.

Geronimo:
I sense that the Demon God lying in wait in this darkness is more cautious and villainous than any we have yet faced.

Geronimo:
Da Vinci, have there been any updates in the investigation? Any further details come to light?

Da Vinci:
...Yes, there've been a few more updates. But...I wouldn't get your hopes up.

Da Vinci:
When the darkness first appeared, it quickly expanded to its current radius in just a few seconds before its progress suddenly stopped.

Da Vinci:
Since then, it's remained completely static, at least from the outside.

Da Vinci:
Mages from the Association have sent in familiars, but we've lost contact with each and every one of them.

Da Vinci:
Land, sea, low-flying air...No matter how the familiars attempted to infiltrate the darkness, not a single one of them has reported back.

Da Vinci:
On top of that, the directors of Boston's Holy Church haven't been quiet about this either.

Da Vinci:
“This unidentified phenomenon precludes the use of spiritual evocations, sacrifices, runes...”

Da Vinci:
“...summoning circles, and Anti-Fortress and Anti-Army Noble Phantasms in the areas surrounding Salem. ”

Da Vinci:
“These areas include parts of Beverly, Peabody,Danvers, Marblehead, Swampscott, and Lynn. ”

Da Vinci:
“We regretfully report that we have not discovered any evidence of magical involvement, nor can we completely rule it out in regards to this situation. ”

Da Vinci:
All that means this phenomenon has taken the Church completely by surprise.

Da Vinci:
So it's safe to conclude that none of the persons of interest they've been keeping an eye on have gone near Salem either.

Da Vinci:
You can tell this was a real bitter pill for them to swallow, especially given how proud they are. It's a bit of a surprise for them to throw up their hands in bafflement like this.

Da Vinci:
Though that's not to say they're at a loss for words. One of them went on to add...

Da Vinci:
“Were I to venture my personal opinion, I might say that it seems as if the very hand of God Himself has laid waste to the earth. ”

Da Vinci:
Can you believe that? Sure doesn't sound like something a man of the cloth should go around saying, if you ask me.

Geronimo:
Well, it would appear to be a different god than the one their faith sees as the one, true God.

Mash:
...I've heard rumors about Chaldea staff being stationed around the world for some time now.

Mash:
But I had no idea they were also working at Mage's Association branches and the Holy Church.

Da Vinci:
Of course they are. They're covert agents we've planted on-site to blend into their respective areas.

Da Vinci:
The Chaldea Security Organization hasn't just been sitting around twiddling its thumbs waiting for these stray Demon Gods to reappear, you know.

Da Vinci:
These agents are just a part of our overall effort, though I have to admit that it wasn't easy finding people with no familial or community ties to get to come work for us.

Da Vinci:
Roman always excelled at hiring the right kind of people. He did leave behind a manual detailing his procedures, but it's just not the same.

Mash:
...

Da Vinci:
Still, it definitely helped. Once I knew where to look, it was just a matter of balancing the budget.

Da Vinci:
I recruited mages, demonology experts, and exorcists, and stationed them in cities of interest.

Da Vinci:
And Boston just so happened to be one of them.

Da Vinci:
The other North American agents should all be gathered there by now.

Da Vinci:
At this point, we're still just running recon. Since we're not on-site ourselves, the best thing we can do right now is gather as much information as we can and figure out our next move.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So...we wait for news from people we trust?

---

Da Vinci:
That's right. At times like this, there's nothing wrong with depending on others for help. You've really grown,Fujimaru.

Da Vinci:
Trying to handle everything yourself is the height of arrogance, and can lead you to terrible mistakes, and in the end you're left with nothing but grief.

Da Vinci:
I'm relieved to see that self-sacrifice isn't your answer to everything anymore.

Mash:
Still...isn't there anything we can do?

Da Vinci:
Of course. Plenty, in fact. Now that the alert level has been raised, we're getting reports from all over the world.

Da Vinci:
Somebody has to determine if they're authentic, and whether they're related to what's happening in Salem.

Da Vinci:
I'd like you to handle that, Mash.

Mash:
...! Understood!

Da Vinci:
Hehe...Now, I think it's about time we pulled in a certain great detective to help us out.

Da Vinci:
His work in the hangar should probably have gotten boring to him by now, so he'll probably be in his room or just wandering around Chaldea.

Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, would you mind speaking with Holmes yourself?

Da Vinci:
Of course, I doubt you'll have much luck when he barely even pays attention to what Watson has to say.

Mash:
I see...Don't worry, we'll handle that too!

Mash:
I'll drag him in here by force if I have to,just like Mrs. Hudson!

Mash:
Besides, um...Da Vinci, have you been cooped up in here since last night?

Da Vinci:
Ah, you noticed, did you?

Da Vinci:
You're right. I was actually in the middle of testing a certain summon when the alarm sounded.

Da Vinci:
Just between us, the timing couldn't have been worse. Even geniuses like me can make mistakes!

Da Vinci:
For a moment, I was afraid I might unwittingly cause the second huge Chaldea explosion!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Not...funny...

Da Vinci:
Well, you can't blame me. Not after Chaldea's main power AND backup power looked like they were about to get knocked out!

Mash:
I see. Another piece of the puzzle in my investigation falls into place...Wait, back up! That sounds really important!

Da Vinci:
Thanks in advance for all your help, Mash. You too, Geronimo.

Da Vinci:
As for you, Fujimaru, I want you to be ready for anything, like a good Master.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Is there anything I can do to help?

Geronimo:
You say you wish to have a hand in matters of paperwork? Hmm...

Geronimo:
I don't think such orderly, delicate work is suited to your talents, friend.

Geronimo:
For the moment...

Geronimo:
Why don't you wait until we're ready to act? You can catch up on your napping in the meantime.

---

Mash:
I agree, Senpai. Please let us handle this for now.

Mash:
I may no longer be able to fight on the front lines, but in return, I'll do everything I can to support you from back here.

Mash:
That's the sort of kouhai I aspire to be!

F：???:
Heh...Heh...

Da Vinci:
Thanks for waiting, everyone. We're nearly ready to begin this operation now. What's more...

Da Vinci:
This will almost certainly end up being the final Rayshift.

Mash:
The final Rayshift...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why's that...?

---

Da Vinci:
Because we now know that this is the very last Demon God Pillar–the last Singularity to be observed on Earth.

Da Vinci:
We may not have been able to determine where the Demon God Pillars that escaped from the Temple of Time had hidden themselves...

Da Vinci:
...but we were able to find the distortions in space-time they created wherever they went.

Da Vinci:
Not that we could have done that without Chaldeas, of course. And it's those readings that are telling us this will be the last.

Da Vinci:
The Mage's Association and the UN have jointly decided to halt all Rayshift operations following this pseudo-Spiritron transfer.

Da Vinci:
After this, barring authorization from the new director being appointed in December, we won't be able to Rayshift anymore no matter what.

Mash:
That's disappointing to hear, but it does make sense.

Mash:
We shouldn't be Rayshifting after humanity has stabilized anyway, since it does involve time travel.

Da Vinci:
Exactly. Which is why the Rayshift technology will be sealed away once we've dealt with this final instability.

Da Vinci:
It's now been 72 hours since this large-scale disappearance occurred on the east coast of North America, with Salem at its center.

Da Vinci:
Let me start by telling you what we've learned directly from our own investigation and information gathering.

Da Vinci:
First off, we've decided to call the darkness that sprang up out of nowhere to cover all of Salem the “Mist. ”

Da Vinci:
Given how it absorbs all visible light and other forms of electromagnetic waves, and doesn't obey any laws of physics, we are certain it's an instance of magecraft.

Da Vinci:
Its scale remains unchanged since it first appeared: as I mentioned earlier, a near-perfect circle with a radius of seven kilometers.

Da Vinci:
We also now know that the Mist extends upwards to an average altitude of six hundred meters.

Da Vinci:
It's easy to enter this area, but so far,nothing that has done so has made it back out.

Da Vinci:
Every one of the unmanned vehicles, unmanned surveillance units, drones, and closed-circuit robots sent in by the US Army has been swallowed up by the dark.

Da Vinci:
Either that, or they simply ceased functioning the moment they got too close.

Geronimo:
They have also tried using helicopters–I'm told they're called “Apaches”–to lower in sensors, but all of those ended up being destroyed as well.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So, not even a single drone made it back?

---

Mash:
I'm afraid not. Each and every one ended up broken and inoperable.

Mash:
A number of journalists snuck past the Army's blockade and went into the Mist themselves, but...

Geronimo:
There is no sign that any of them have returned.

Geronimo:
The same is true of the trained animals that were sent in for reconnaissance, poor things.

Geronimo:
Nor have we been able to confirm any birds or other wild animals either coming from or going into the Mist.

Edison:
Curses...

Edison:
Then it has become a completely barren wasteland. A barbaric land of darkness that does not suffer even a single watt to pass.

Da Vinci:
We next tried to fight magecraft with magecraft by bringing in our own mages.

Da Vinci:
They sent in familiars protected by magical barriers, cyber daemons, automata, and more.

Da Vinci:
Unfortunately, despite the local staff's best efforts, those ended in failure too.

Da Vinci:
But, as of last night, we finally received word that a single attempt was successful, returning with valuable new information.

Andersen:
Could you not have just led with that and spared us all extra nonsense? I mean, what do the US Army's troubles really matter to us?

Edison:
How dare you! Have you no respect for their sense of duty!?

Andersen:
My schedule is completely shot thanks to having to write a manuscript on such short notice! Just look at these bags under my eyes!

Shakespeare:
Now, now, my friend. I understand how you feel,but let us not make molehills into mountains.

Shakespeare:
The important thing is that our work is now done! Our duty has passed like a ship in the night!

Da Vinci:
You there, leave that alone! We need it for dealing with the Mist's properties, and to prepare our future countermeasures.

Da Vinci:
It's especially important that you understand this part,Fujimaru.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You weren't able to contact the inside, even with magecraft?

Da Vinci:
So you do understand.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Why were you two writing a manuscript?

Shakespeare:
Oh, that? We poor, feeble authors were beset by a storm last night. But I believe your attention would be better spent on the matter at hand.

---

Da Vinci:
...The only thing that made it back was a single mechanical doll.

Da Vinci:
It was originally designed to be a clock before a puppet master mage, disguised as a clockmaker, repurposed it.

Da Vinci:
It's made out of oak gears, cast-iron nails, and baleen–a robot created without any modern technology whatsoever.

Da Vinci:
This medieval robot managed to bring back sketches of what things are like inside the Mist by automatically transcribing what it saw with its crystal pupils.

Da Vinci:
Take a look at these.

Edison:
I see...Yes, this is definitely Salem.

Edison:
A peaceful, run-of-the-mill village whose pious residents live their lives with integrity.

Edison:
...However, this is not modern-day Salem! These sketches clearly show how it looked centuries ago!

Mash:
Right. We cross-referenced them with our records, and found that they were identical to Salem in the late 17th century.

Mash:
Basically, the world within the darkness is 17th-century Salem, as it was in colonial times.

Andersen:
I see. That would mean it's still British territory then. No wonder the US Army was so completely useless.

Edison:
Be quiet! This cowardly invasion cannot stand! What about the fifty thousand people who live there now!?

Geronimo:
...Remember, this is not the first time this land has been invaded.

Edison:
Ah! ...Hmm...

Da Vinci:
As we've established, the recorded observations are of Salem in the 17th century.

Da Vinci:
The only way the robot could make such observations is if the past has been faithfully recreated, or if some manner of magecraft is displacing the area itself.

Da Vinci:
It's fascinating to ponder, but the effect this could have on humanity is immeasurable. This is almost certainly the work of a Demon God Pillar still plotting to incinerate humanity.

Mash:
Demon God Pillar...That reminds me.

Mash:
Geronimo, earlier you said that the name “Salem” is cursed.

Mash:
What did you mean by that?

Geronimo:
That's all in the past now. It belongs to history.

Geronimo:
Do you mind if I tell this story, Mr. Edison?

Edison:
...By all means. Though we may wish it weren't so...this remains a part of our nation's history.

Geronimo:
...Very well then. The town of Salem, and its neighboring lands, were home to three tragedies.

Geronimo:
The first...was plague.

Geronimo:
When the white man came to our shores, he brought with him an epidemic that nearly wiped out the Massachusett tribe living in Boston Harbor.

Geronimo:
The second was war...albeit this“war” was more of a massacre.

Geronimo:
The Wampanoag tribe members that managed to survive the plague put up a valiant fight...

Geronimo:
But in the end, their chief's skull still became an ornament for the white man's village.

Geronimo:
Never mind that the white man only survived the cruel winter thanks to the resources the Wampanoag left behind.

Geronimo:
In a stroke of truly bitter irony, the state would go on to be named after the Massachusett tribe, and these events would be celebrated as a national holiday.

Edison:
...

Geronimo:
...Finally, the third tragedy that took place in Salem...was the witch trials.

Geronimo:
This time, the white man went around killing his own kind. Fearing the devil's influence, they hung many innocent people.

Geronimo:
I trust you now see why I called it a cursed land.

Mash:
...I do.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wait...trials? I thought the term was “witch hunt. ”

Shakespeare:
No, no. He speaks truth. 'Twas witch trials that took place there.

Shakespeare:
That said, these were but a farce of the court as we know it today. There, they were naught but a pretense for the villagers to indulge their worst impulses.

Shakespeare:
These were trials in name alone, no more than an excuse for the Church to exercise its power. The weak and unwanted were stoned to death. Even the densest of fools could see these “trials” for what they were.

Shakespeare:
By the time matters had progressed to barbaric witch hunts...

Shakespeare:
...the wickedness and corruption had spread so far and taken such deep root that money changed hands unencumbered by virtue or concern for justice.

---

Fujimaru 2:
So...do these trials have anything to do with Jeanne?

Shakespeare:
Hahaha! It may seem that way, but in truth,the two events were completely unrelated!

Shakespeare:
Witches were never anything more than another creation of man's fevered imagination and infinite capacity for self-delusion.

---

Shakespeare:
“Fire burn, and cauldron bubble! ”

Shakespeare:
They are merely characters who only ever appeared in works of fiction!

Shakespeare:
I may have made use of them myself in my own stories,but I have never once encountered the genuine article!

Medea:
...(Seething)

Shakespeare:
Furthermore...

Shakespeare:
Those who claim these fictional beings are real in order to serve their own selfish ends are simply in denial of that delusion.

Shakespeare:
In mine own time as well, people sensed the truth through skin and scent.

Shakespeare:
Even if they did rarely put pen to paper to express what they truly thought...

Shakespeare:
That there is indeed a collective unconscious that fears witches and their curses.

Shakespeare:
Now that some time has passed since then,I wonder what things are like in the modern day?

Holmes:
I believe...that is less relevant than one might think.

Holmes:
I have no interest in determining where in history late 17th-century Salem should fall.

Holmes:
Nevertheless, it is abundantly clear that piety was not the only thing the Puritans brought to the New World.

Holmes:
Those who loathe sin, who would judge sinners by their own hands, are inevitably the sort who wish to engage in sin themselves.

Holmes:
Such people will always exist, no matter the day and age. It is a fundamental aspect of the criminal mind.

Holmes:
So...what, then, is a witch? A criminal? A victim?

Holmes:
The answer to that question has changed as people's beliefs have shifted over time.

Holmes:
As one who understands the mysterious and the mystic, and rejects the guidance of an unknowable god...

Holmes:
...I would say the witch trials were exactly what their name suggests: a lawful process used to pass judgment on so-called witches.

Holmes:
An attempt to manage the frenzied panic of a witch hunt in a stylish, civilized manner.

Holmes:
Of course, offering madness a seat at the dinner table after it comes barging in unannounced does nothing to change its inherent nature.

Holmes:
Thus, the persecution of witches continued unabated in the West until it culminated in its final chapter in the New World...

Holmes:
...ironically, in Salem,a land steeped in pious faith.

Holmes:
It was there where the devil truly ran free, where reason and desire, scientific spirit and occult mindsets came together...

Andersen:
Enough! Put the violin away! What possible use could it be here? If you just want to hear yourself talk, then go to your room where you won't bother anyone!

Holmes:
Oh, was that a bit long-winded? And here I thought I was being considerate by drawing the listener in with generous amounts of exposition.

Da Vinci:
...Ahem. I think that's enough witch trial talk for now.

Da Vinci:
For my part, over the last few days, I've been investigating whether there might have been any changes in past events.

Da Vinci:
I've been checking the repaired foundations over and over for signs of instability. I haven't overlooked anything. And yet...

Da Vinci:
Something is still going on. There's something about this Singularity that's unlike any we've seen so far.

Da Vinci:
Some small distortion that threatens the very rules of our world.

Holmes:
The data is indeed accurate, and this case is undeniably clear for all to see.

Holmes:
Which would mean the culprit is closer to a god than a human. A Demon God, to be precise.

Holmes:
It is certainly no surprise that a Demon God Pillar would act veiled in secrecy. But even mysterious acts like this are bound by incontrovertible rules.

Holmes:
However, these rules cannot be tested from the outside. To do so, one must venture inwards. To get, as they say, up close and personal.

Da Vinci:
Holmes is right.

Da Vinci:
If we can't get information that makes sense from the outside, then we have to investigate from the inside.

Da Vinci:
Master Fujimaru, as Chaldea's acting director, I am formally requesting that you be the one to enter the Mist.

Da Vinci:
I want you to investigate whatever is inside, rescue as many people as you can, find the Demon God Pillar, and destroy it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Yes ma'am!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Okay, but, um...how exactly do I do that?

---

Mash:
...

Da Vinci:
You're up, Mash.

Mash:
...R-right. The Mist's Bounded Field.

Mash:
We've conducted a number of tests in our analysis of the one automata that successfully returned...

Mash:
...and learned that the Mist eliminated anything made with post-17th-century technology.

Mash:
That's why the cutting-edge drones that were sent in ceased to function.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What's inside the Mist?

---

Mash:
Well...As the acting commander said earlier,there do appear to be humans inside.

Mash:
What's more, we believe they are leading normal lives despite their confinement.

Edison:
Normal lives...? Then, the people who live there are all right!?

Edison:
But, wait a moment. Wouldn't they be panicked out of their minds? I know I would!

Mash:
I-I'm afraid I...

Da Vinci:
Unfortunately, we just don't know whether those people are safe. We haven't gathered enough information yet.

Da Vinci:
As you saw from the sketches,the area inside the Mist has changed completely.

Da Vinci:
It appears to be recreating Salem, and the way its people lived their lives, in the late 17th century.

Da Vinci:
Whatever the reason for that may be,that's where we need to begin.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wow. I'm impressed you figured all that out so quickly.

---

Fujimaru 2:
How did you learn all that from an automata alone...?

---

Da Vinci:
This was information we got from the Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba. Incredibly detailed information, too.

Da Vinci:
Especially given that it was observing something in present-day space-time!

Da Vinci:
Usually, Sheba isn't much help at all, so the whole staff was puzzled by why we were able to use it here.

Da Vinci:
I'm sure there's a good explanation for it, but since we don't have the time to figure it out right now...

Da Vinci:
...I'm just going to chalk it up to an unexpected stroke of good luck.

Edison:
Indeed. Truly, this is an act of providence! God has clearly seen fit to bless us in this dire time.

Edison:
Now, we should hurry and find a way through that field, whatever it takes.

Da Vinci:
I agree. Which is why Holmes and I put our heads together and came up with a possible strategy:

Da Vinci:
A Rayshift that results in the same era.

Da Vinci:
This way, we can send you straight to the heart of Salem without moving you across time.

Da Vinci:
However, there are two major conditions involved with this plan that I need you to understand, Fujimaru.

Da Vinci:
As I explained earlier,we get one round-trip Rayshift, period.

Da Vinci:
What's more, the number of people we can shift is severely limited.

Da Vinci:
The Association has already forced us to shut down the reactor in Chaldea's basement.

Da Vinci:
So we only have enough remaining magical energy for one last large-scale round trip.

Andersen:
...But there are exceptions to every rule, eh? Hmph. Just goes to show you can't cross a bridge until you come to it.

Da Vinci:
We're not operating independently anymore. We can't afford to be optimistic, or even pessimistic.

Da Vinci:
As for the second condition...

Da Vinci:
You'll need to dress for the occasion so that you don't stand out in late 17th-century Salem.

Da Vinci:
Think of it as officially sanctioned cosplay.

Da Vinci:
It may sound silly, but we believe it will be essential to letting you move around in Salem unimpeded.

Edison:
Sounds great to me! I'll go first then!

Andersen:
You can't.

Edison:
Why not!!!???

Da Vinci:
Bill, tell them.

Shakespeare:
Indeed. Once we learned all this, Lady Da Vinci asked us to come up with a scenario for infiltrating the area.

Shakespeare:
I nearly fainted when I first thought she was asking ME to sneak in, so you can imagine my relief to know this is not the case.

Andersen:
You do know you don't HAVE to share every thought that comes into that swollen head of yours, don't you?

Shakespeare:
Haha, after all, we Servants are but a band of fools and eccentrics. As such, we are well suited to being actors.

Shakespeare:
Thus, in this scenario, you will visit Salem as part of a traveling group of performers. A troupe, if you will.

Andersen:
...Hmph, what a joke. The great William Shakespeare, reduced to writing a script for a glorified circus act.

Andersen:
I knew even before you put quill to paper that, taking into account the inexperienced actors and the uptight audience, there was no way the script would be suitable!

Shakespeare:
Hahaha, now, now, Andersen. There is nothing more delightful in a story than a surprising and well-conceived twist!

Shakespeare:
In this case, we hardly need world-class talent. Of course, they will need to be able to perform in SOME fashion, or the whole ploy will be for naught.

Shakespeare:
But a troupe is, by definition, a place where those who are otherwise unable to earn a living drift together, which makes it perfect for camouflage.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wait, hold up. You mean WE'RE going to be performing?

---

Da Vinci:
Is there a problem with that? I think it's a pretty clever idea myself.

Da Vinci:
As for which Servants will actually be joining this troupe...

Da Vinci:
...I decided to choose them myself,taking Bill's opinion into account, of course.

Andersen:
Let me tell you, it was a terrible headache, coming up with a scenario that fit these rank amateurs.

Andersen:
Still, that's not to say it wasn't fulfilling. Go ahead and knock yourselves out with this manuscript. Just make sure you pay in full and up front.

Mash:
So then...neither Shakespeare or Andersen will be joining this mission.

Mash:
What about you, Geronimo? I'm sure Senpai would be greatly relieved to have you along.

Geronimo:
...I'm sorry, Mash, but I can't do that. I wasn't cast in this operation either.

Geronimo:
No doubt they thought my inclusion would lead to unforeseen difficulties, even as a member of a troupe.

Geronimo:
I would like nothing more than to help,but not if it means putting my friend in danger.

Mash:
Oh...I-I see...

Edison:
...

Da Vinci:
On the flip side of that...What's gotten into you, Medea?

Da Vinci:
You loathed this idea from the moment you heard it. You said you'd refuse even if we used a Command Spell.

Da Vinci:
Does the fact that you've been standing around without making a peep mean you still haven't made a decision?

Medea:
Hmm...Well...I guess...I'm still thinking about it...?

Mash:
Y-you want to send Medea to Salem!? Are you serious?

Mash:
Even if she is just going to pretend to be a troupe member, that's far too dangerous!

Mash:
After all, Medea really is a...

Edison:
Exactly! Regardless of Medea's extenuating circumstances...

Edison:
...sending a REAL witch to a place FAMOUS for witch hunts is the height of folly!

Andersen:
Ugh. Boring. Dull. Dim-witted. I should have expected no better response from a lion.

Holmes:
Quite. There is not a hint of humor or adventure to be found in it.

Shakespeare:
Indeed. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Edison:
Hah! Go ahead and laugh if you want! I'm used to being ridiculed by selfish so-called geniuses!

Edison:
But this is neither the time nor the place to be discussing humor, or fashion, or patents!

Edison:
There are American citizens who have been swallowed up by this darkness. Their very lives are at stake. If you want to be funny, then save it for the movies!

Da Vinci:
I understand you're very patriotic, Edison,but I'm afraid things just aren't that simple.

Da Vinci:
This may be the modern day, but we're dealing with a world from the past and a town of witch hunts where external support just isn't an option.

Da Vinci:
Common sense alone won't get us through this. We need a specialist's expertise.

Da Vinci:
That's why we're counting on Medea to serve in an advisory role.

Da Vinci:
If a Demon God is behind this, then it's going to be an extremely difficult mission.

Da Vinci:
And there's no one better suited to find the line between superstition and magecraft than her.

Da Vinci:
Of course, we really didn't expect this request to upset her like it has...

Da Vinci:
But if she changed her mind after sleeping on it, then all's well that ends well!

Mash:
But...

Medea:
Settle down. There's no problem here.

Mash:
...?

Medea:
No, wait. Let me try that again. Ahem...

Medea:
There's no need to make a fuss over things that haven't come to pass, Mash.

Medea:
I swear by Hecate that I won't let any harm befall Master.

Andersen:
...What's this? Are you feeling a bit off today or something?

Medea:
I was just in a bad mood last night. Anyway, it's up to Master to make the final call.

Medea:
Am I wrong, little writer?

Andersen:
...I'm getting chills. There's something seriously wrong with her.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...What about you, Mash? Are you coming along too?

---

Mash:
I-I...

Mash:
I can't. I was never part of the cast to begin with, so...

Da Vinci:
...

Da Vinci:
Anyway, now that you're all caught up, I'm going to go ahead and begin the Rayshift preparations.

Da Vinci:
In the meantime, Fujimaru, I want you to brief everyone we chose to accompany you.

Da Vinci:
Remember, we don't have a lot of time before you need to leave.

Da Vinci:
I especially want you to keep in mind that this is our one and only chance to Rayshift.

Mash:
...

Mash:
...Oh.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hi, Mash.

Mash:
Hello, Senpai.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Hm? What're you reading there?

Mash:
O-oh, this? ...It's the file for this mission.

---

Mash:
Did you already finish your briefing?

Mash:
...Me? Don't worry, I'm fine.

Mash:
I've been working pretty hard these last few days, but I'm feeling better now that I've had a bit of a break.

Mash:
Compared to what you and everyone else who's about to head to Salem must be going through...

Mash:
...

Mash:
I'm sorry.... You're right.

Mash:
Looking back now,I HAVE been a bit discouraged.

Mash:
It goes without saying at this point,but I'm not a combatant anymore.

Mash:
I'm Da Vinci's assistant,and a summoning circle engineer.

Mash:
Having an ordinary Chaldea staff member like myself go to somewhere like Salem...

Mash:
...would only put me and everyone else in danger. I just wish there was some way I could be useful...

Mash:
Useful......Useful...That's it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mash...?

---

Mash:
I'm sorry, Senpai. I just remembered something urgent I have to do!

Mash:
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare right away! See you later!

---

Fujimaru 1:
What was THAT all about...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Now that was some impressive kouhai power!

---

Da Vinci:
Okay...It looks like everyone's all set.

Da Vinci:
We'll be sending a party of six into Salem,including Fujimaru.

Da Vinci:
Once again, do NOT let your guard down after making your way past the Bounded Field. Make sure not to say or do anything that would give away the fact that you aren't originally from the 17th century.

Da Vinci:
All right, initiating Rayshift sequen–

Mash:
W...

Mash:
WAIT!

Mash:
P-please, take me with you to Salem!

Medea:
...!

Da Vinci:
Well now, that's a pretty last-minute request. But I'm afraid we've already filled all the roles we need. There aren't any other–

Mash:
Yes there is! I've heard that troupes like these have a prompter who works behind the scenes to feed the performers their lines!

Mash:
In that case, I believe Senpai will need a dependable kouhai to be [♂ his /♀ her] secretary!

Mash:
Don't worry about the scripts! I've already learned them all by heart!

Mash:
I daresay you won't find a better prompter than me on such short notice anywhere! So once again, I request to accompany the rest of the troupe!

Mash:
Of course, I'm certain I can be useful as an on-site Chaldea staff member as well!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Way to go, Mash...!

---

Fujimaru 2:
I second that request!

---

Andersen:
You memorized our entire script? Well well, I'm impressed. I certainly can't argue with that.

Andersen:
What do you think, Mr. Showbiz? Does your script need a bit of support?

Shakespeare:
My script is nothing less than perfection itself! However...even a perfect script means little without actors to bring it to life.

Shakespeare:
A prompter to feed the performers onstage their lines, you say? Hmm...

Shakespeare:
Such a role could well be crucial to ensuring the success of a performance put on by an amateur cast!

Shakespeare:
Above all, I cannot help but commend her for memorizing the entire script! As such, I am more than happy to support Mash's request!

Shakespeare:
Besides, if the troupe cannot perform convincingly, they are certain to come under suspicion. To be honest, I think this would be a great help.

Da Vinci:
...(Sigh). What do you think, Geronimo?

Geronimo:
I'm afraid I can't concur.

Geronimo:
Having a young girl accompany a troupe of performers is bound to invite misunderstandings.

Geronimo:
It would be dangerous, even without the threat of combat. But, I will say that Mash seems to have taken all of that into consideration.

Geronimo:
In which case, I believe this is Master's decision to make.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I honestly did think I could use an assistant.

Da Vinci:
You are aware this will put Mash in danger, right? Are you sure you can keep your kouhai safe when you'll already have your hands full with the mission?

Andersen:
Of course [♂ he /♀ she] can. Hasn't [♂ he /♀ she] more than proven [♂ himself /♀ herself] by this point?

Andersen:
However [♂ he /♀ she] pulled it off, [♂ he's /♀ she's] still the Master that walked through the Temple of Time. If anything, having Mash there would only make [♂ him /♀ her] more stubborn. We're talking double [♂ his /♀ her] usual tenacity!

---

Fujimaru 2:
What if we say she's myI mean the troupe leader's little sister?

Geronimo:
Little? If anything, I believe Mash would be more convincing as your older sister.

Geronimo:
I'll warn you now, Fujimaru, such a pretense would only invite further suspicion.

Mash:
(Me...playing Senpai's older sister...! )

---

Da Vinci:
...(Sigh) I can see you're set on this, and the other party members don't appear to have any objections.

Da Vinci:
If Fujimaru's okay with it,then I have no real basis to refuse Mash's request.

Da Vinci:
But let me give you this warning:

Da Vinci:
Integrity won't keep you safe in a world of abnormalities.

Da Vinci:
Sometimes, you'll need to be a straight-up sophist, or to look the other way.

Da Vinci:
At times like that, you'll need to weigh your own principles against the mission's success.

Mash:
...Understood. I'll keep that in mind.

Edison:
I'm counting on you, Fujimaru! Good luck!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay everyone, we're off!

---

Fujimaru 2:
To Salem!

---

Da Vinci:
All right then. In that case, I hereby issue the Remnant Order's final command!

Da Vinci:
Master Fujimaru will arrive at the Salem Singularity, at the current time.

Da Vinci:
Make sure you make full use of all your experience to date, and see to it that you come back safely from this especially exceptional mission!

Da Vinci:
...Excellent.

Da Vinci:
Everything looks good with the Rayshift.

Da Vinci:
Okay, let's get back to our monitoring duties. All Servants, remain on standby until further notice.

Geronimo:
...Do you think it was a good idea to let her go along?

Geronimo:
I knew that Mash would want to go. You were the one who was most against it, Da Vinci.

Da Vinci:
...I've nearly been accused of being a witch myself. Oh, not in the broom-flying, wand-wielding, people-cursing sense so much as being thought of as a heretic.

Da Vinci:
Somebody claimed that the autopsies I did for research were evil rituals. I'm sorry to say that back then...I didn't handle it very bravely.

Da Vinci:
Instead of standing up for what I believed in, I found myself at a loss for words. I turned my back on the truth, and had to lie about who I really was.

Da Vinci:
Over time, that kind of pressure starts to eat away at you. It's like poison more than anything else.

Da Vinci:
I just thought that Mash was a little young to go through that kind of torture.

Andersen:
Don't be silly. Those two have all seen nearly every side of humanity by now. The ugliness of the witch trials should put a nice bow on the whole thing.

Andersen:
Besides, the very notion of sending a troupe of performers into a PURITAN village was utter lunacy from its genesis.

Shakespeare:
Indeed! “Fighting fire with fire,” as they say! Hahaha, hahahahahaha!

Medea:
...

Da Vinci:
...Huh!?

Medea:
Wh-where are Fujimaru and the others...!? Did they already leave!?

Andersen:
Huh!? What are you still doing here?

Da Vinci:
What's going on? Was there a problem with the Rayshift!?

Shakespeare:
Oho, we seem to have gotten our twist rather early in the story. How delightful.

Edison:
How is this delightful!? This is terrible! Is there no way we can contact them!?

Medea:
(Gasp...gasp...) I-I've been knocked out this whole time! That wasn't me who went along!

Medea:
That was someone pretending to be me...Using magic as a disguise!

Geronimo:
So we're dealing with someone capable of outwitting a witch. This is bad.

Da Vinci:
If you're here, then...who's the Medea who went to Salem...?

Section 1: Unknot: Before Dawn

Mash:
...Does this mean we've made it inside?

Mash:
It looks like we're in a forest outside of Salem,sometime before daybreak.

Mash:
I mean, that IS what we were trying for,but it's so dark, even for night...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is everyone all right?

---

Robin Hood:
I'm still getting my bearings here. Sure doesn't feel too hospitable though, I'll tell you that much.

Robin Hood:
I figured it'd be pitch-black inside the Mist,but it's actually a lot brighter than I thought.

Mash:
I'm impressed, Robin. I should have known you'd have great night vision. I can barely see a thing...

Mash:
Do you think you could take guard duty?

Robin Hood:
Sure, you got it. I'll check our watches against the stars later to make sure we're all synced up too.

Robin Hood:
...Well that didn't take long. I've already got eyes on someone suspicious.

Robin Hood:
Looks like a guy, but that's a witch if ever I saw one. Just look at his beady evil eyes.

Sanson:
...Are you talking about me? That's rich. If I were you, I'd hope no one mistakes me for a bandit and shoots me.

Mata Hari:
Stop that, you two.

Mata Hari:
You should at least try to act like performers. What if someone overheard you?

Robin Hood:
Good point.... Wait, what the...!?

B：Nezha:
...

Robin Hood:
Damn, you scared me...Oh, I know you. You're Crown Prince Nezha, one of the newbies.

Robin Hood:
You've been standing there so still that I mistook you for a wax doll.

Nezha:
Dolls. Lack capacity. For thought.

Nezha:
You show. No sign of thought. Does that mean. You are a doll?

Robin Hood:
Ouch, that's harsh. Guess I deserved that. Sorry, just forget I said anything.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is everyone here, Mash?

---

Mash:
Just a moment, Senpai.

Mash:
Slowly but surely...my eyes are starting to adjust to the dark...

Mash:
Over there. Is that...

Mash:
...Medea? It is you, right?

Mash:
Can you come closer, please? We need to stick together right now.

Medea:
I know.

Medea:
Rayshifting...Whoever thought it was a good idea to combine magecraft and science? I don't think I'll ever get used to this feeling.

Mash:
...?

Mash:
Anyway, that's all seven of us, including Senpai. Everyone, please make sure you have all your things, then we'll be on our way.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay, let's go find the village.

---

Robin Hood:
Man, I can't believe we're all stuck walking. You'd think Da Vinci could've planned something a little more convenient.

Robin Hood:
'Sides, if we had a covered wagon to ride in, it'd go a long way towards helping the locals buy what we're selling.

Sanson:
You really do love complaining, don't you?

Sanson:
We were only able to bring a bare minimum of equipment we need. We'll just have to make do with what we've got.

Sanson:
That's always how it is with Rayshifts. If we need anything else, then we procure it on-site.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah, I know. We're traveling performers,so we don't have a whole lot to our names.

Robin Hood:
Guess I should be honored that the bard himself came up with our little bit of theater.

Robin Hood:
Come to think of it, we oughta decide on a name for our merry band. Any ideas, Master?

Mata Hari:
I was wondering about that too. We should figure that out before we run into anyone.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay, let's go with...“The Fujimaru Company. ”

---

Robin Hood:
Heh, hahaha! The Fujimaru Company, huh? That's great.

Sanson:
What's so funny? It's not all that bad. You really don't have any manners, do you?

Robin Hood:
Oh, I'm sorry, was that a little too witty for you? I didn't know you great scholars were so hardheaded.

Robin Hood:
...I gotta say though, don't you think that “it's not all that bad” is kind of condescending as praise goes?

Sanson:
I...I didn't mean it like that,but now that you mention it...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry, I don't mind.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I know what you meant.

---

Sanson:
...Thank you, Ringmaster. You're very kind.

Mash:
(Um, Senpai? I can't help but notice that Robin and Sanson are always at each other's throats. )

---

Fujimaru 1:
Well, one's the poster boy for irreverence.

---

Fujimaru 2:
One of them is basically Mr. Reverence.

---

Robin Hood:
Eh, whatever. I know we prepared for it, but it's not like we're for sure gonna put on a play. I'd just as soon not cross that bridge if I don't have to.

Mata Hari:
Don't worry, I can always entertain with my dancing.

Mata Hari:
Besides, we also have two beautiful stars right here. Right?

Nezha:
...Hm? Me?

Mash:
I-I know that Nezha is an important character in many Chinese operas, like Journey to the West, but...

Mash:
You're not also talking about me, are you?

Mata Hari:
I sure am!

Mata Hari:
If I have to, I'll even bring Master up on the stage.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I can hear the sweet sound of applause now.

---

Fujimaru 2:

---

Mash:
S-Senpai!

Nezha:
If that. Is your wish, Master. I shall do my best. I believe. The expression is, “Knock them dead”?

Robin Hood:
That doesn't mean actually kill 'em! It's all pretend,got it? So don't go shooting at us OR the audience!

Robin Hood:
Oh, and there's one last thing I wanna make sure of...

Robin Hood:
I get we're gonna try to explain away our outfits as being performers' costumes, but...

Robin Hood:
...isn't it gonna be a problem that we've got some obviously Asian people here with us?

Mash:
I think we should be okay there.

Mash:
I was concerned about how Senpai would be received here, so I checked our historical records.

Mash:
The late 17th century was also the tail end of the Age of Exploration. At the time, most of the interest in colonization had moved to the New World.

Mash:
But Europe already had a strong connection to Asia, thanks to the East India Company.

Mash:
They regularly imported spices from Southeast Asia, textiles from India, and tea and ceramics from China.

Mash:
So since Salem was a British colony, and would later go on to be a thriving port town with lots of trade...

Mash:
...the people here may not exactly see Asians every day, but they also shouldn't be so unusual that it would make them distrust us.

Robin Hood:
Huh. That so? Figures that tea would be one of the great British Empire's three base desires.

Mata Hari:
...Be that as it may, we should still prepare ourselves to be treated with prejudice.

Sanson:
Indeed. What's more...

Sanson:
We do not know for sure that the culture here is the same as 17th-century Salem from our history or not.

Medea:
...By the way, Fujimaru,is there a way for us to contact Chaldea here?

Mash:
...Huh? You mean our communications device?

Mash:
Didn't Da Vinci explain all this to us herself, Medea?

Mash:
I was present as an assistant myself, but I was preoccupied with making sure Senpai didn't nod off.

Medea:
...Yes, of course. I just wanted to...review the information, given how important it is.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What was the deal with that again?

Medea:
There, you see?

Mash:
Oh, Senpai...

---

Fujimaru 2:
We can never return to Chaldea ever again...

Medea:
Huh? You're kidding, right? Don't tell me we're stuck here forever!?

Mash:
Yes, [♂ he's /♀ she's] kidding. (Sigh) Oh, Senpai...

---

Mash:
I have a special device for that purpose,though it will take time to set up.

Mash:
So we won't be able to report our safe arrival back to Chaldea until that's done.

Mata Hari:
Can anyone at all use that device?

Mash:
No, only Senpai.

Mash:
Ordinarily, this area wouldn't permit any kind of magical communication at all...

Mash:
...but I was told we can get around that by linking the key mechanism to Senpai's Command Spells...

Mash:
...since Senpai has a strong connection to all the Servants still at Chaldea.

Mash:
However, this method makes use of a back door–a by-product of sorts that happens when Sheba acts up...

Mash:
...so I believe it will only be used for this particular Rayshift.

Mash:
That said, it's not as though we're pressed for time. The important thing is that our Rayshift here was successful.

Medea:
...I see. They really thought this through.

Mash:
...? Is there something important you need to contact Chaldea about?

Medea:
No, I was just curious.

Robin Hood:
...Hold it. I see light up ahead. It's a campfire.

Mash:
...!

Mata Hari:
Oh, does this mean we're already at the center of Salem?

Robin Hood:
I doubt it...If that were the case, we'd be seeing fields long before even a hint of houses.

Robin Hood:
There's a fair few people. I can hear 'em chattering amongst themselves. We oughta keep out of sight and move in for a closer look.

G：???:
Do you all have your white ash branches?

G：???:
These are our magic wands! Now it's time to rap on the door!

G：???:
Tap it three times against the earth, against the invisible door! Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat! Tap!

G：???:
This door leads to the world beyond! And once it's open...

G：???:
...a spirit will appear, and gift us with a prophecy!

B：Girl:
What sort of prophecy, Abby?

G：???:
It will tell you things about the future you desire, the boy of your dreams...

G：???:
And also, uh...glimpses of a far,faraway world that's nothing like our own...

G：???:
The spirit will whisper what you must do to make your dreams come true...

B：Girl:
I want a dress that's even whiter than snow! Something that's sure to catch his eye...

B：Girl:
I want to be a brunette,with hair dark as a raven's feathers!

C：Girl:
I want to know who I'm going to marry one day!

Girls:
Eek!

G：???:
Okay then, everyone...Make your wish as you throw your wands into the fire.

G：???:
Shall we sing Tituba's magic spell too?

Girls:
Yes, let's!

Robin Hood:
...

Robin Hood:
...Okay...what the hell is all that?

Robin Hood:
They look like they're girls from the village,but they're all acting...well, crazy.

Mata Hari:
Aww, look how much fun they're having dancing. I wish I could join them.

Sanson:
But, what are girls that young doing out this late at night?

Sanson:
Could it be a trap? Or some sort of magecraft ritual...?

Medea:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Do you sense any magical energy, Medea?

---

Medea:
No. But...Oh, this is bad. Very bad.

Mash:
...What is?

Nezha:
If anything. The opposite.

Nezha:
I sense nothing. Since we came here.

Medea:
Our magecraft has been severely weakened. Here, let me prove it...

Medea:
Robin, Sanson...ah, dancing girl,can you change into your spirit forms?

Sanson:
...

Sanson:
No...I can't! What's going on here...?

Mash:
Oh no...Are you no longer Servants!?

Mash:
Don't tell me you've been incarnated...!?

Robin Hood:
No, that's not what this is. It feels more like...I've been crammed into a temporary human body than anything.

Robin Hood:
I THOUGHT the Spiritron conversion felt a little weird, even after the Rayshift...

Robin Hood:
Man, this is gonna be a real pain in the ass.

Sanson:
...! Who goes there?

G：???:
...

Robin Hood:
...!

Sanson:
...? Who are you...?

Sanson:
Robin, lower your bow. It's just a child.

Robin Hood:
(...Dammit, I let my guard down when we got here. If she overheard what we were just talking about...)

Robin Hood:
Hi there, young lady. What brings you out here?

G：???:
...You're outsiders.

Mash:
Um...(Senpai? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Keep calm and act troupe-ish...! )

Mash:
(You heard Senpai...uh, I mean, the Ringmaster. )

Mata Hari:
Oh, dear, I guess you saw us practicing our secret routine.

Mata Hari:
Really, Robin, if we're going to have an audience,the least you could do is get your lines right.

Robin Hood:
...O-oh, right. Sorry 'bout that. I forgot the enemies don't show up till later again.

Nezha:
Not a problem. First to act. First to win. All foes. Eradicated.

Nezha:
Are you friend? Or foe? Do you offer us the blade? Or the hilt?

G：???:
...

Mash:
(N-Nezha! )

---

Fujimaru 2:
Are those girls over there friends of yours?

G：???:
...

G：???:
...Friends? ...I don't have any friends...

---

Sanson:
Allo there. Ah am sorry if we startled you. As you saw, zat scene is not yet ready for ze performance.

Sanson:
But don't worry, we're not–

G：???:
...Ah. Rgh...That accent...

G：???:
Are you...a French soldier? A fugitive...?

G：???:
I-I have to get out of here...

Mash:
Uh oh. She ran off into the woods...!

Sanson:
You there–

Mata Hari:
Sanson, Mash, wait! We can deal with her later!

Mata Hari:
Something's going on near the campfire. Master!?

???:
...!

Beasts:
Grrr!!!

Girls:
Aah! Aaah!

G：???:
Stay together, everyone! They'll pick you off if we get separated!

G：???:
What's going on...Why are there wild beasts so close to the village!?

Girl:
Come on, Abby! Let's get out of here!

G：???:
W-wait...! Let me get a piece of firewood! Otherwise–

Girl:
Aaaaaah!

G：???:
We have to stay together! Get back!

Beast:
Grar! Grrr...

Girl:
Eee!

Beast:
Gra–Yipe...!

G：???:
Huh...!?

Robin Hood:
Man, these New World beasties sure are rowdy.

G：???:
...Wh-who are you?

Robin Hood:
Just an old dummy who didn't realize he'd been surrounded by wild beasts, young lady.

Robin Hood:
Too bad none of them seem like they'd make a good dinner.

Robin Hood:
Hell, they look hungrier than we are.

Nezha:
Demonic. Presence...These beasts. Beasts no longer.

Robin Hood:
Mast–I mean, Ringmaster! You don't mind if we throw down with these things, right?

Mata Hari:
Wait, Ringmaster. We need to help these girls first.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Can't have these things acquiring a taste for people.

Robin Hood:
Get out front, Sanson. And watch your back!

Sanson:
You really have no shame, do you!?

Nezha:
Good. Argue amongst yourselves. Meanwhile. I will defeat them!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Mata Hari, you and Mash get the girls somewhere safe!

Mash:
Yes, Senpa–I mean, Ringmaster!

Mata Hari:
Your village is down that way, right? Then let's get going!

---

--BATTLE--

Robin Hood:
And, done.

Robin Hood:
I'll go ahead with Master. You guys finish up here.

Sanson:
...

Sanson:
What's going on here...? It's lucky that these creatures weren't too strong, but...

Nezha:
It seems. Our strength. Has been halved...?

Sanson:
Indeed. This strange false incarnation has more dire effects than I thought. At this point, we may as well be human.

Sanson:
We might be in for some tough battles down the road...

Nezha:
Yes. It is difficult! But worry not. Sanson.

Nezha:
The Buddha always. Watches and protects. In forsaken lands.

Sanson:
...That's very reassuring, Nezha.

Sanson:
How did it feel to you, Medea? ...Oh, wait. Did you sit that battle out?

Medea:
......So it only affects combat...

Sanson:
What is it, Medea?

Sanson:
Don't tell me you're upset that we beat them before you could...?

Medea:
...True, we may have overdone it.

Medea:
That albino girl saw us fighting.

Sanson:
...I see. That could be very bad.

Nezha:
Do we. Silence her?

Sanson:
Be careful how you say things, Nezha. I'm merely worried about one of those beasts attacking her.

Sanson:
I'm going to take a look around.

Medea:
Okay. I'll examine these beasts in the meantime.

Mash:
Are you all right, Senpai?

F：???:
...“Senpai”?

Mash:
Oh, uh, I mean...

F：???:
(Giggle) ...Thank you for helping us!

F：???:
We couldn't have escaped from those mean beasts otherwise. You saved our lives.

Robin Hood:
Sanson, Nezha, and Medea are putting out the campfire. They'll be here soon.

F：???:
Oh...Oh goodness...

Mash:
Are you okay? Here, I've got you.

F：???:
I'm sorry. Now that we're out of danger,I was just so relieved that my legs gave out...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'm Fujimaru. Can I ask your name...?

---

F：???:
Fujimaru...

Abigail:
Of course. I'm Abigail. I live here in Salem.

Abigail:
Who are you people? You don't look like sailors or merchants...

Abigail:
We almost never get pilgrims or travelers here. And you're all wearing such strange clothes...

Mash:
We're The Fujimaru Company,a band of traveling performers.

Mash:
This is Fujimaru. [♂ He /♀ She] may be young, but [♂ he's /♀ she's] still the Ringmaster our troupe is named after.

Mash:
We got lost on our way to Salem,and ended up here in the woods.

Abigail:
Performers...? Oh, wow! You mean you came all this way from Boston?

Abigail:
That's wonderful! I've never seen a real play before!

Abigail:
Everyone's going to be so happy!

---

Fujimaru 1:
By the way, do you know today's date, Abigail?

---

Abigail:
Oh, please call me Abby, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster. Today's date...?

Abigail:
Well, it's already past midnight, so...that would make it April 21. Yesterday was the Sabbath.

Abigail:
...The year too? Oh, uh...It's the year of our Lord 1692.

Mash:
...! (1692...Of all the years to come to Salem...)

G：???:
...Abigail, who are these people?

Abigail:
Oh, Uncle.

Robin Hood:
...!

Mata Hari:
...

G：???:
I don't know what you were thinking, taking the other children out into the woods in the middle of the night...

G：???:
But I'll deal with that later.

Abigail:
Yes, Uncle...

Abigail:
As for these people, Uncle, they're...

G：???:
Well now. Traveling performers, hm?

G：???:
The other girls tell me you saved them from a pack of wild beasts.

G：???:
And you are the troupe's Ringmaster, eh, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru. You must let me express my thanks.

G：???:
Let's see. It would be quite difficult to find a decent inn in Salem at this hour.

G：???:
And I can't have such upstanding young men and women staying at the same flophouse as those ruffians from the wharf.

G：???:
Why don't you all come stay at my home,if that's all right with you?

---

Fujimaru 1:
That sounds great. Thank you.

---

Abigail:
Wow...!

Abigail:
Do you mean it, Uncle!? That's wonderful! It's the best news I've heard in my whole life!

G：???:
That's enough, Abigail.

G：???:
You put all of your friends in terrible danger. Once we get home, you will go straight to your room.

G：???:
You will have only water tomorrow for your breakfast and lunch.

G：???:
And of course, you are forbidden to speak to our guests until I give you permission.

Abigail:
...Okay. I understand...I will do as you say.

G：???:
...Oh, yes, I still haven't introduced myself.

G：???:
I am Randolph Carter, a scholar.

Carter:
I adopted Abigail as my own daughter after her parents–my sister, and her husband–passed away.

Carter:
Now then. It's getting rather chilly, and we can talk more tomorrow. You'll feel much better after you've rested up from your journey in a nice, warm bed.

Carter:
I'll have Tituba fix you something to eat too.

--ARROW--

Tituba:
...There we go.

Tituba:
Phew...

Abigail:
...Thank you for fetching the water, Tituba. I guess that will be my lunch today.

Tituba:
Aww...Please cheer up, Miss Abby.

Tituba:
Where are our guests?

Abigail:
Inside.

Abigail:
Uncle went off to see the Reverend. I'm sure I will be scolded again later.

Tituba:
I see...I'm sorry to hear that.

Robin Hood:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
How's the comms coming along, Mash?

---

Mash:
I double-checked everything,Senpai, but I'm afraid...

Sanson:
It's not working? Well that's not good.

Sanson:
I guess not even Da Vinci's inventions always work perfectly.

Nezha:
Mmf mmf mmf. Mmf mmf.

Robin Hood:
Uh, Nezha, try swallowing your oatmeal BEFORE you speak.

Robin Hood:
Come to think of it, weren't you s'posed to be, you know, smarter?

Robin Hood:
Cause stuffing your face when you're a guest in someone's home isn't really a good look, you know? Especially when it's in a village that doesn't exactly seem to be overflowing with wealth.

Robin Hood:
'Sides, oats are for horses, not people.

Nezha:
...Mmf! Mmf mmf mmf!

Medea:
...I could do a much better job of preparing this dish, even with the same ingredients. This village just doesn't have the luxury of caring about food.

Sanson:
I do feel hunger in this body. It must be an effect of this false incarnation.

Sanson:
Of course, I expect we would be regarded with suspicion if we were never seen eating.

Mata Hari:
Try not to be so uptight about it?

Mata Hari:
It'll make things a lot easier if we go around playing up our image as a bunch of weirdos.

Mata Hari:
I was actually able to check out the entire village!

Mata Hari:
I also spread word about our troupe a bit,so make sure you guys play along.

Mash:
You already finished investigating the area? It's not even afternoon yet.

Robin Hood:
Way to go, sis. Like you always say, first things first.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So...what IS the story with this village?

---

Mata Hari:
Like Abby said, this is definitely Salem in 1692.

Mata Hari:
All the villagers' stories line up. They're Puritans who originally hail from England.

Mata Hari:
Most of them are farmers, fishers, and hunters, but there's also blacksmiths and cloth dyers. Not to mention the Reverend.

Mata Hari:
They're all industrious colonists who wake up with the sun and spend their days hard at work.

Mata Hari:
There are a number of warehouses at the wharf, along with boats headed for England and the West Indies.

Mash:
Huh? That doesn't line up with our history. Salem didn't get a major wharf until–

Medea:
Did you say boats? As in sailors?

Mash:
M-Medea...?

Medea:
I mean...Ahem. That certainly makes sense given that this is a port town.

Robin Hood:
You kinda seemed like Lily for a moment there.

Medea:
D-don't you lump me in with that child.

Mash:
I guess there must have been an error in Sheba's observations. But still...

Mata Hari:
I noticed other deviations from our history too.

Mata Hari:
People still live their lives here just like they did in our own late 17th century, but they're not all the same people.

Mata Hari:
There are lots of folks here who weren't on the list of Salem's original residents. I haven't yet managed to figure out what it is they have in common, though.

Robin Hood:
I see...Guess that means this isn't the Salem of our past.

Robin Hood:
For my part, I scoped out the local topography around sunrise...

Robin Hood:
...and while the distinctive topography and architecture is still all there, the rest seems kinda...off.

Robin Hood:
There's a buncha stuff that doesn't line up with the historical files Chaldea gave us.

Sanson:
Then, as we suspected, this village is actually a cunningly crafted fake.

Sanson:
So whoever built this place is only using 17th-century Salem as a cover, and has swapped out both the buildings and the citizens?

Sanson:
Does this mean there's major historical change on par with a Singularity from the Incineration of Humanity taking place...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
What about the people living in modern Salem?

---

Mata Hari:
That's just it.

Mata Hari:
There can't be more than sixteen,maybe seventeen hundred people here.

Robin Hood:
And I didn't see anyplace that could be used to keep the fifty thousand people who disappeared.

Mata Hari:
Fifty thousand...people...

Mash:
...I wonder where they could have gone.

Mash:
And that's not our only major problem. There's also the witch trials.

Mash:
In our own history, 1692 was the very year when the accusations that started the witch trials began.

Mata Hari:
This is a peaceful village.... Or at least, it looked that way on the surface.

Mata Hari:
But I did also see farmers arguing pretty fiercely about who owned certain lands.

Mata Hari:
They looked like they were nursing some major frustrations underneath their pious exteriors.

Mata Hari:
I don't blame the girls here for wanting to step out and let their hair down for a bit, like they did last night.

Robin Hood:
I took a peek at their grain stores,and it didn't look like they had much to spare.

Robin Hood:
They must've had a string of poor crops. Seemed to me like they just barely made it through the winter.

Robin Hood:
This house just happens to be on the more prosperous side. There aren't many homes here that could accommodate guests.

Medea:
For that matter...

Medea:
What if the images we got from Sheba were falsified?

Mash:
I can't deny that's a possibility, but...

Tituba:
My, oh my...Are you already discussing your next performance?

Tituba:
I hope that means you slept well, honored guests.

Mash:
Oh, uh...Tituba, right?

Tituba:
That's right. My name is Tituba. I'm Mr. Carter's servant.

Medea:
(...A servant? Her...? )

Sanson:
I apologize for prying,Tituba, but may I ask–

Tituba:
You wish to know where I'm from?

Tituba:
I was born on the island of Barbados, in the Caribbean. A lot of people like me were.

Tituba:
I may work for Mr. Carter now...

Tituba:
...but I used to work for Miss Abby's father.

Mash:
We were told that Abigail's parents passed away...

Tituba:
...That's right. They were both killed by native people in the forest.

Tituba:
Miss Abby was very sad about it for a long time...I felt terrible for her.

Tituba:
I don't know what would have become of her if her uncle hadn't come along.

Tituba:
She's doing much better these days. It's wonderful to see her smiling and happy again. But...

Tituba:
Now I hear she was nearly killed by wild beasts in the woods. She must have been frightened out of her mind.

Mash:
(Killed by the natives...Native Americans...)

Mash:
(So this is why Geronimo said he would be putting Master in unnecessary danger if he came along...)

Robin Hood:
...Most people'd be pretty wary of outsiders after having their parents killed.

Robin Hood:
But not her. She still seems real trusting.

Tituba:
Yes, she really is a very kind girl. She even goes out of her way to talk to servants like myself.

Sanson:
I hope you don't mind if we ask another question. Last night, there was another girl besides Abigail's friends who–

Tituba:
Oh, would you look at the time. I'm so sorry, but I need to get back to work.

Tituba:
I hope you enjoy your stay.

Nezha:
Thanks. For the food.

Medea:
...Master, a word, if you don't mind.

Medea:
What do you make of that servant?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Uh...She seems perfectly nice?

Medea:
Oh? That was not the impression I took from her.

---

Fujimaru 2:
That she was suspiciously good-looking?

Medea:
You mean preternaturally beautiful? ...No, I thought she was rather homely.

---

Mata Hari:
Is something wrong, Medea?

Medea:
...

Medea:
It's not safe to stay here. This place is being subjected to something more powerful than we realize.

Robin Hood:
Really? I'd say this place brings back some nice memories. The wind whistling through the gaps in the walls...The sour smell of horse shit...

Robin Hood:
The head-splitting sound of church bells...The bland, pasty food...The boring British small talk...

Sanson:
Those hardly sound like pleasant memories.

Sanson:
At any rate, don't forget that we have a duty to help those missing fifty thousand people, Robin.

Robin Hood:
Oh, right. Sorry, I almost forgot about Frog Legs here hopping along after us.

Sanson:
...Would you care to say that again?

Mata Hari:
Now don't start that again, you two......Hm?

B：???:
...Tituba didn't do anything wrong! Why are you doing this!?

Mash:
Hm? I think that came from outside.

Robin Hood:
...That was Abby's voice. Guess the head of the house is back.

Carter:
Step aside, Abigail.

Abigail:
I'm the one who deserves to be punished, Uncle. Not her.

Abigail:
Didn't you say that yourself?

Tituba:
Miss Abby...

Carter:
The other girls and their parents say otherwise.

Carter:
They say that Tituba taught you a heretical ritual,and that you all snuck out last night to attempt it.

Carter:
I had them promise to keep quiet about it,so that rumors don't spread around the village...

Carter:
What in the world were you doing in the forest in the middle of the night, Abigail?

Abigail:
I...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is something wrong, Mr. Carter?

---

Carter:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru...I'm afraid my niece was doing something even worse than I believed last night.

Carter:
Unfortunately, I can no longer permit her to attend your production.

Abigail:
What? But...that's not fair...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Come on, we were all kids once, right?

---

Carter:
This is no mere mischief to be simply excused. It is fortunate you were there to ensure no one was hurt...

Carter:
...but Tituba must be punished, and harshly, for filling the children's heads with this nonsense. She will no longer be permitted to be in their company.

Abigail:
Punished...? No Uncle, please! She only told me because I begged her to!

Abigail:
Please, Uncle! Punish me instead! I'll take whatever punishment you see fit. Even lashes! So, please...

Sanson:
...

Tituba:
It's okay, Miss Abby. I'll be all right...

Mata Hari:
If I may, Mr. Carter?

Mata Hari:
I understand how frustrating it must be to have a young girl under your charge running off at night.

Mata Hari:
You must have been worried sick about Abby to have come so deep into the woods searching for her.

Mata Hari:
That said...I know that wild beasts sometimes go after livestock, but I thought that they usually stayed away from people these days.

Carter:
...That's true, but it's not just beasts we need to worry about. The nearby forest is very dangerous.

Carter:
Some even say that this land is cursed. That God Himself has forsaken our village.

Abigail:
...

Carter:
...Abigail.

Mash:
Abigail...!

Mash:
She just ran off...

Tituba:
Mr. Carter...

Carter:
Leave her be.... As for you, Tituba.

Carter:
You are no longer to talk about your hometown, no matter how much the other girls beg you. Is that clear?

Tituba:
Yes, Mr. Carter. I promise I won't do it again...I'm so sorry about this.

Mash:
What should we do, Senpai?

---

Fujimaru 1:
We need to look for clues about the Demon God.

Medea:
...I couldn't agree more. Something is definitely happening here.

---

Fujimaru 2:
What do you think, Mash?

Mash:
Honestly, I'm worried about Abigail.

Mash:
I understand that the mission comes first, but...

---

Mash:
...I see.

Mash:
So we'll split up into teams and investigate the village further. Understood.

Robin Hood:
Our goal's to find someone trustworthy.

Robin Hood:
All right, Nezha, whadda ya say we go check out the ocean?

Nezha:
Detection ability. Full power.

Medea:
I'll stay in Mr. Carter's house, Master. It'd be dangerous to go around dressed like this, anyway.

Medea:
And...there's something nagging me about Tituba. I'll keep an eye on Mr. Carter too while I'm at it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Got it. Sounds good.

---

--ARROW--

A：Villager:
(Those must be the traveling performers. What were they thinking, coming all this way to perform in a village like this...? )

B：Villager:
(What a disgraceful outfit...I could never let my child see that...)

Girl:
(I hope they put on a play about a romance between aristocrats...)

Sanson:
...

Mata Hari:
Hi there, young man. I hope you'll come out to see The Fujimaru Company perform!

Boy:
(...)

Sanson:
...I thought I was used to being stared at,but this is something altogether different...

Mata Hari:
Remember, we're supposed to be entertainers now, so you can't get angry no matter what they say to you.

Sanson:
I know. But I can't help being French.

Mata Hari:
I'm just as out of place here! Besides, you can pass as an educated gentleman as long as you keep quiet.

Mata Hari:
In my case, I just come across as a Roma who came to the New World to make my fortune.

Mata Hari:
These villagers may not care for the British Army,but they don't have much love for the French either.

Mata Hari:
In fact, this British settlement and France are currently at odds with one another.

Mata Hari:
Only forty miles north, the French Army led Native Americans against a northern British colony, completely wiping it out.

Sanson:
Naturally, the British retaliated, and the respective colonies ended up fighting a fearsome battle. The competition for resources is fierce between colonies. War is all but inevitable.

Sanson:
...Truth be told, my great-grandfather, the first head of our family, was part of the French Colonial Army himself.

Sanson:
He was deployed to Canada, but he must have taken part in skirmishes around this area as well.

Mata Hari:
I see. No wonder you have such complex feelings about this place.

Mata Hari:
Retaliation after retaliation...Soldiers sacrificing their lives to avenge the loss of their commanders...

Mata Hari:
Is that why you and Robin are always arguing? You really should stop taking shots at him.

Sanson:
You're barking up the wrong tree there. He's the one who keeps provoking me.

Mata Hari:
And you're at least partially to blame for that. As long as you're going to be working together, you'll need to find ways to get along.

Mata Hari:
Sometimes, other people just have their own way of doing things, and that's okay.

Sanson:
I'm trying to be as accommodating as I can. I just...Oh? Isn't that...

Mata Hari:
Yes, that's the girl we saw last night. I've been looking for her too.

E：???:
...

A：Villager:
I can't believe a Whateley is out and about in broad daylight...

A：Villager:
You've got a lot of nerve coming out now when you never show your face at church...(Grumbling)

E：???:
I...I'm just going to buy whale oil...

A：Villager:
Whale oil? And just what are you going to do with that!?

A：Villager:
Are you going to use it for another blasphemous spell or–

Sanson:
Pardon me. Has this girl wronged you somehow?

A：Villager:
Who're you? ...Oh, you're one of those traveling performers.

Sanson:
That's right. My name is Sanson. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Sanson:
Tell me, what possible use would this girl have for oil besides lighting a lantern?

Sanson:
What could she possibly have done to warrant such treatment?

A：Villager:
Wh-what business is it of yours?

Mata Hari:
(Ugh, Charles. We JUST talked about this...)

A：Villager:
A-are you threatening me?

Sanson:
I...No, that was not my intention...I apologize if I offended you.

A：Villager:
Hmph. What a strange man...(Muttering)

Mata Hari:
He's gone now. Well, I guess that worked out in the end.

Sanson:
...So, you do live in this village.

E：???:
The fugitive...from last night...?

E：???:
You're...performers?

Sanson:
That's right. I'm sorry for frightening you.

E：???:
...

Mata Hari:
(She hasn't let her guard down at all...)

Mata Hari:
...Would you mind if we asked you about what happened last night? Anything you can tell us would be a big help.

Mata Hari:
That really surprised us, seeing something like that happen right after we got here.

E：???:
Did Abby...say something to you?

Sanson:
Oh, so you're a friend of Abigail's? That makes this easier.

E：???:
Stop it...Nobody's friends...with me...

E：???:
...Lavinia.

Lavinia:
My name is...Lavinia Whateley.

Lavinia:
Everyone in Salem knows my family...and hates them...

Lavinia:
Did you think that old man was just yelling at me for no reason...?

Lavinia:
He wasn't. The whole village hates what we're doing. I don't blame them...

Sanson:
...So your family is tying you down.

Sanson:
I'm Charles-Henri Sanson. I may be French, but I'm not your enemy.

Lavinia:
...Are you defending me? ...Why are you being nice to me?

Lavinia:
Is it because of how I look? I'm an albino. A freak. A living skeleton...

Sanson:
All your albinism means is that you were born without enough melanin. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Sanson:
It's just a part of who you are. I don't find it ugly at all.

Sanson:
However, it would behoove you to eat better,if you don't mind me saying so.

Lavinia:
...You're an idiot.

Lavinia:
If you want your show to succeed here,you should stay away from me.

Sanson:
We would never charge admission to children. Isn't that right, Mata Hari?

Mata Hari:
Of course not. We hope to see you at our show, Lavinia!

Mata Hari:
If you like, we'd even be happy to provide a seat where you can watch in privacy without worrying about the rest of the audience.

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...Then, I just have one r-request...

Mata Hari:
What's that?

Lavinia:
...Don't tell Abby I was there last night.

Lavinia:
...If you do, I'll tell everyone else what I saw.

Lavinia:
I'll tell them you used magecraft to kill those beasts. I saw the whole thing.

Mata Hari:
...!

Mata Hari:
(Why is she so certain about that...? )

Sanson:
...So, you wish us to keep your presence a secret from Abigail, do you?

Sanson:
I can see that this is very important to you.

Lavinia:
...So? What will you do?

Mata Hari:
All right. We promise we won't tell her.

Lavinia:
...Don't talk to me again, okay?

Sanson:
I'm afraid we can't promise that.

Lavinia:
...

Mata Hari:
...Guess we've got a problem on our hands.

Sanson:
...Could an ordinary child be so unbothered after seeing a fight like that?

Sanson:
The Whateley family, hm...? I think we had better look into them as well.

Mata Hari:
That's all well and good, but...

Mata Hari:
...you kind of looked to me like you cared more about her than her possible connection to the Demon God Pillar.

Mata Hari:
Are you sure we can trust her?

Sanson:
I am, yes.

Mata Hari:
...Really, now? Well, never mind that for the time being. Let's go report this to Master.

Mata Hari:
I wonder how Robin and the others are doing?

Nezha:
Robin. Suggestion. Listen.

Robin Hood:
What is it, Prince Nezha? If you got something secret to tell me, make it quick.

Robin Hood:
Cause there's a sweet little tavern over there with my name on it. Hehehe.

Nezha:
On duty. Drink not. Want not.

Nezha:
I mean, Robin. Listen. Have a suggestion.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah, what is it already?

Nezha:
This area. Strange. Unrealistic. Therefore. No sense. In sneaking.

Nezha:
We capture villagers. Question them individually. Rational. Efficient!

Nezha:
We can handle. Anyone who resists. Concern. Unnecessary.

Robin Hood:
Aha, I see. No wonder you were cast in a period piece.

Nezha:
Naturally.

Robin Hood:
So you're kinda chafing under the whole slow,methodical investigation thing, yeah?

Robin Hood:
I don't blame you. If we wanted to run in and start throwing our weight around to find out what we're looking for quickly, we could do that.

Robin Hood:
We're Servants, and they're just ordinary people. They'd be way easier to handle than monsters.

Robin Hood:
That said...I won't pretend like I've got everything all figured out, but...

Robin Hood:
Even though we can feel the runaway Demon God Pillar's aura all around us...we're still trying to figure out what's really going on here.

Robin Hood:
You still haven't been at Chaldea all that long. You weren't with us, traveling back in time during the Restoration of Humanity.

Robin Hood:
Back then, we had to be real careful not to interfere too much, or we could've ended up changing history.

Robin Hood:
There's little chance of that happening here,but we've still had to be careful.

Robin Hood:
...Careful not to bring along anything that didn't exist in this time so we could get in here to begin with.

Robin Hood:
And we're dealing with this false incarnation nonsense weakening us.

Robin Hood:
If we'd just stormed in and made enemies of the whole town, we might've wound up dead. They could've brought a whole militia against us or something.

Robin Hood:
We always had the option of brute force where necessary in other Singularities, but here I think that might actually be the worst thing we could do.

Robin Hood:
I'm pretty sure Master's picked up on this too, you know?

Robin Hood:
If you were to ask [♂ him /♀ her], [♂ he'd /♀ she'd] tell you that violence isn't the answer here in Salem.

Nezha:
...

Robin Hood:
It's kinda like we're trying to make our way through dense fog with someone else holding on to our lifeline.

Robin Hood:
Dunno about you, but I sure don't wanna accidentally break one of this world's rules we don't yet know about and just get knocked right off the stage.

Robin Hood:
As long as we don't know who we're up against,it's best to act like each step could be our last.

Robin Hood:
Besides, we're out here trying to keep these people safe, remember?

Robin Hood:
This is a peaceful village of innocent people. We have no call to go around hurting them, right?

Nezha:
Pondering...Reconsidering.

Nezha:
Understood. Will play along.

Robin Hood:
Really? Awesome! Good to see you can listen,unlike a certain Frog I could mention.

Robin Hood:
Right, then! Let's go try some of that Caribbean imported rum!

Nezha:
No drinking. Hinders investigation. Out of the question.

Robin Hood:
C'mon, you're kidding, right? Don't get all straitlaced on me now, Your Highness!

Mash:
So the sea is right past those wheat fields. This whole area must be grassland.

Mash:
I read that land like this that's shared and managed by the whole village is called a “Common” here.

Mash:
This should be the side Abby ran off to. I wonder where she could be now...

Mash:
Um...By the way, Senpai.

Mash:
Did you think there was something a little...strange about Medea?

Mash:
I thought I was just imagining things before we Rayshifted, but now...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...You know, she WAS acting strange.

Mash:
So you thought so too, then.

---

Fujimaru 2:
No stranger than usual.

Mash:
T-true, all of the Servants do have very,um, unique personalities. But, still...

---

Mash:
She just doesn't seem like herself somehow...

Mash:
At first I thought she might just be upset about how we asked her to come to a place that's best known for its witch trials...

Mash:
But then she was eager to help me set up the comms device last night.

Mash:
I'm just not sure what to think anymore.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'll see what I can find out.

Mash:
...Okay. Thank you, Senpai.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...I trust your intuition, Mash.

Mash:
Senpai...Thank you. I appreciate that.

---

Mash:
Of course, I hope...I'm wrong about this.

Mash:
We made it through the Bounded Field and into Salem. No matter how peaceful the scenery may be...this is still enemy territory.

Mash:
It's eminently possible we've played into their hands without realizing it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Look. There's a gold rabbit hopping around there.

---

Mash:
Huh? Where did that come from? A gold rabbit...? Wh-where is it?

Mash:
Wait...That's not a gold rabbit. That's golden hair...It's Abby!

Mash:
Ugh! Don't tease me like that, Senpai!

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
Oh, hello, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster. Hello, Mash.

Abigail:
Did you come all this way looking for me?

Abigail:
...I'm sorry for running off like that. I promise I'll go home soon...

Abigail:
I would just like to stay out here a little longer...

Mash:
Abby...

Abigail:
I'm sorry I made someone as wonderful and nice as you worry, Mash...

Abigail:
I know it was all my fault.

Abigail:
And I know that Uncle is just being sensible.

Abigail:
He's completely right. I was thoughtless,and I put all my friends in danger.

Abigail:
I even ended up getting Tituba in awful trouble when she didn't do anything wrong. And after she told me such wonderful tales from her homeland, too...

Abigail:
After all that...I-I shouldn't just be allowed to watch your show like I did nothing wrong...

Mash:
...I don't know what to say to her...

Mash:
Is there any way we can cheer her up, Senpai?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hmm...Why don't we take a little walk?

---

Abigail:
...A walk?

Abigail:
Okay. I love going on walks. There's a path to the beach down that hill over there.

Abigail:
The wind's not too cold today, so I bet it's perfect weather for a walk. It's really nice out, right?

Mash:
Yes. It's lovely.

Abigail:
Oh...I almost forgot.

Abigail:
Uncle said I'm not supposed to talk to the guests...

---

Fujimaru 1:
What about talking to friends?

---

Abigail:
Oh, yes...! That's a wonderful idea.

Abigail:
You're fun, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster!

---

Fujimaru 1:
What are some of your favorite things, Abby?

---

Abigail:
My favorite things...?

Abigail:
I'm so glad you asked, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster! I have so many it's hard to keep track!

Abigail:
Let's see...One of them is definitely pancakes!

Abigail:
I adore fluffy pancakes with lots of butter and crispy bacon on top.

Abigail:
Oh, and more than anything, I love mashed potatoes covered with piping hot gravy!

Abigail:
There's nothing better than that.

Mash:
(Gulp)

Mash:
That DOES sound incredibly delicious.

Mash:
Gravy, huh...I've heard of it before, but I've never actually had it. What's it like?

Abigail:
Oh goodness! Mash, you've never had gravy before? Do they not make it in Europe?

Abigail:
It's a scrumptious sauce made using the juices from cooked meat.

Abigail:
The grown-ups all like to put it on turkey and steak, but I reeeally love it on potatoes.

Abigail:
It's not the kind of thing you have every day either. You only get to enjoy it on Thanksgiving.

Abigail:
It's too bad you and the rest of The Fujimaru Company didn't come during a holiday, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster.

Abigail:
It HAS been a while since we celebrated anything, though...

Mash:
I see...I'm sorry to hear that.

Mash:
Still, the meal that Tituba made for us was,uh...very good in its own right.

Mash:
I'd never had porridge before either,so it was quite, uh...novel.

Abigail:
Haha, it's okay, Mash, I understand. You don't have to be so polite.

Abigail:
Tituba does the best she can with what little we have...

Abigail:
...but I know that porridge isn't something seasoned travelers like you would really love!

Mash:
I...I'm sorry. I guess you saw right through me.

Abigail:
Tituba cares a lot about being frugal, though I'm not sure why. Maybe it has to do with her own beliefs?

Abigail:
So when she makes porridge, she'll water down the milk, and skimp a lot on the honey.

Abigail:
I'm not sure if Uncle just doesn't mind, or if he likes how she saves him money, but he never says a word about it.

Abigail:
(Sigh)...There are SO many things Salem is missing.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Do you like this village, Abby?

---

Abigail:
Oh, you want to know how I feel about Salem...?

Abigail:
Nobody's ever asked me that before...I'm not quite sure how to answer...

Mash:
Were you born here, Abby?

Abigail:
Yes, I was.

Abigail:
There was a comet in the sky the year I was born. It was so big you could even see it during the day!

Abigail:
I don't remember seeing it myself...But I'm sure it must have been a wonderful sight.

Abigail:
Anyway, I'm sure Salem pales in comparison to someplace like Boston...

Abigail:
But even this town has a lot going for it.

Abigail:
Uncle told me that its name comes from the word “Jerusalem. ”

Abigail:
You know all about Jerusalem, right? Every good Christian does.

Abigail:
It's the holy city that was once ruled by both King David and King Solomon.

Abigail:
The knights of the Crusades headed east to find it, but our Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the west instead.

Abigail:
When they arrived at the New World, they founded the towns of Plymouth, Boston, and Salem!

Abigail:
It must have been really hard when they first arrived, but now, ships come here from around the world!

Abigail:
And you saw how big our rye fields are, right? Can you believe this all used to be woodland once?

Abigail:
God was kind enough to let us put down roots and settle here. We're truly blessed.

Mash:
...You're very proud about being part of a pioneer village, aren't you?

Abigail:
Of course I am. It's where I was born and raised, after all. Isn't everyone proud of where they grew up?

Mash:
...Yes, that's right.

Mash:
I think I can understand how you feel, if only a little. This is how history was made, after all.

Mash:
Plus, at this time, New England was still a British colony, and hadn't yet declared its independence as America.

Abigail:
...America? Who's that...?

Mash:
Oh...! I-I'm sorry. J-just forget I said anything.

Mash:
(That's right...The people of Salem are still technically British, even if they did become colonists to seek their independence...)

Mash:
(I have to remember they're not Servants,and don't have any modern-day knowledge...)

Mash:
H-have you ever been anywhere besides Salem, Abby?

Abigail:
...Well, uh...

Abigail:
No...not yet. I haven't left Salem in my whooole life.

Mash:
Really? Not even once?

Abigail:
...No. Not even once.

Abigail:
Everything I know about Boston I heard from others...I'm sorry for misleading you.

Abigail:
I just love hearing about other towns, and other countries.

Abigail:
Say, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster, you and your company have performed all over Europe and the colonies, right?

Abigail:
What sort of show did you put on in Boston? Did you stop by Jamestown too?

Abigail:
Is it true that New York has stores where you can buy tea and porcelain from the Orient?

Abigail:
Oh, I really wish I could see your show, but since I can't, could you at least tell me about the different countries you've been to?

Mash:
...W-would that be all right, Senpai?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sure. We can't tell you everything, though.

Abigail:
Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster!

Mash:
That's great. I love hearing about foreign countries too.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'll ask your uncle if you can attend too.

Abigail:
Really? You would do that for me...?

Abigail:
...Still...

Abigail:
I really appreciate the thought, but...it's okay. I don't mind that anymore.

Abigail:
But if you insist, could you please help Tituba? She's not very good at defending herself.

Abigail:
If Uncle gets forceful enough in his questioning,she might end up admitting to almost anything!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
How do you feel about your uncle?

---

Abigail:
Hmm...Uncle Carter's very responsible,and quiet, and strict.

Abigail:
Everyone in the village is very pious, but I think they are also very stubborn, and they don't like to admit when they've made a mistake.

Abigail:
But when Uncle starts talking to them in his calm voice, they always seem to accept what he says.

Mash:
I see. So the other villagers really trust him, don't they?

Abigail:
Yes, they do. He teaches at Harvard Divinity School in Boston, after all.

Abigail:
He studies the Orient there. I don't really know quite what he researches...

Abigail:
But he always has fascinating things to share about foreign countries.

Abigail:
He's told me some really unusual stories about faraway lands like...the Qing dynasty, I think? And the Mughal Empire, and...a place called, uh...Zipang? They're all so fascinating.

Mash:
I see. It sounds like your uncle is where your love of foreign countries came from, then.

Abigail:
I guess he must be.

Abigail:
Well...I do love hearing stories like that, but...

Abigail:
...my very favorite thing is when I tell them to my friends, and let my imagination run wild.

Abigail:
I especially enjoy telling them to Lavinia! She's always so interested to hear them!

Mash:
Lavinia...? Is that a friend of yours?

Abigail:
Yes! She's the same age as me, so she was also born in the year of the comet.

Abigail:
She's the best! I always love talking with her!

Abigail:
None of the other girls have much interest in foreign countries, so they only ever ask boring questions.

Abigail:
But Lavinia loves to read,so she knows all sorts of things.

Abigail:
Sometimes, I even think she knows more than Uncle.

Abigail:
Sometimes we even come here to watch the sea together.

Abigail:
But...

Abigail:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Did you and Lavinia have a fight or something?

---

Abigail:
Yes...This time, you saw right through me, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster.

Abigail:
I must have upset her somehow, because lately...she just won't talk to me.

Abigail:
I asked her about it, but she kept refusing to answer, so after a while, I got upset too...

Abigail:
But she's still my best, most cherished friend. Being apart has helped me realize that.

Mash:
I noticed there were a number of friends of yours at the secret gathering last night, though.

Mash:
Does that mean Lavinia wasn't among them...?

Abigail:
I secretly sent her an invitation...but she never showed up, just like I knew she wouldn't.

Mash:
(I wonder...Could that be the girl who ran off into the forest...? )

Abigail:
I talked to Tituba about this,and she gave me some advice.

Abigail:
She told me to be honest with myself, and think about whether I'd done something to hurt her without knowing or meaning to.

Abigail:
She recommended I ask myself three questions.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So, what were they?

---

Abigail:
First: Have I pretended to be someone I'm not? Second: Have I jumped to any conclusions about her?

Abigail:
And third: Have I been neglecting to pay attention to tomorrow because I'm still nursing a grudge from yesterday?

Mash:
Tituba said that? ...I see.

Abigail:
...After that, I realized there were a lot of things Lavinia could be angry at me for...and now I don't know what to apologize for first.

Mash:
Um...may I say something?

Mash:
Does Lavinia have white hair? And, uh, very pale skin...?

Abigail:
Yes, that's right. Have you already met her, Mash!?

Mash:
Yes. I actually saw her in the forest last night. I guess I hadn't told you yet.

Abigail:
Really!?

Abigail:
Do you mean it...? Then, she showed up after all. I'm so glad!

Abigail:
I'm just sorry I didn't notice she was there...Now I have something else to apologize to her about...

---

Fujimaru 1:
That's great news.

Abigail:
Huh...?

Abigail:
...Right...It is, isn't it...

---

Fujimaru 2:
So that was Lavinia, huh?

Abigail:
Wow, so you saw her too, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster?

---

Abigail:
...Some people tease her about the way she looks. Some go even further, and say she looks downright sickly.

Abigail:
But I think she's beautiful. She looks just like a star fairy, don't you think?

Abigail:
If you ever make fun of her,I'll never forgive you!

Mash:
Don't worry. Neither Senpai,nor any of us, would ever do that.

Abigail:
...

Mash:
Hey, look. I can see a sailboat on the other side of the pasture.

Mash:
It sounds...kind of heated over there?

Abigail:
I can hear people shouting angrily...Did a new ship just dock?

Abigail:
The sailors CAN be kind of rough...The wharf is just past this grassland, but–

Abigail:
...Eek...!

Mash:
...Senpai, that was a gunshot! It came from the direction of the wharf!

Mash:
I hope it's not a mutiny...

Abigail:
...It's the Indians. The Indians are attacking...!

Mash:
Huh? ...From the sea?

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'll go hide and take a closer look!

Mash:
...Okay, Senpai!

Mash:
I'll be right behind you as soon as I've taken Abby somewhere safe...!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Didn't one of ours head for the wharf?

Mash:
...Uh, yes! I believe Robin and Nezha did!

---

Mash:
Abby? Are you all right? Let's get you back to the village before–

Abigail:
...Ghh...

Abigail:
(Huff)...(Huff)...

Mash:
...Abby...?

Abigail:
...Outside...

Abigail:
Can't go...outside...Outside Salem...nothing but pain and suffering...

Abigail:
Everyone who comes...from outside is...

Mash:
...

Eyepatch Sailor:
Damn Oriental! Who do ye think ye are,pointin' yer blade at me!?

Eyepatch Sailor:
Ye ain't leavin' here alive now until ye get down on the floor and beg for mercy!

Nezha:
...A blade? Preposterous. Third-rate seaman!

Nezha:
The true blade. Of my Fire-Tipped Spear. Is red-hot flame!

Nezha:
Your flimsy arms. Will they continue to blunder? The next strike. Will be. No mere scratch.

White Flag Sailor:
The hell? This wench's off her rocker. And where the hell'd she get that thing from, anyway?

Anchor Sailor:
That was amazin'. Did ye just deflect our shots? Was that magic!? Are ye acrobats or somethin'?

Nezha:
Grr...Not acrobat! I am. Martial artist!

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry about this, gents.

Robin Hood:
Would you mind putting away those scary-looking muskets and knives now?

Robin Hood:
We were just trying to relax before our big show. I hope you can understand.

Anchor Sailor:
Oi, yer the ones who started it.

Robin Hood:
And I absolutely understand you're upset. But can we just keep it cool, since this is a tavern and all?

Robin Hood:
(...What's the big idea, Nezha!? What're you trying to pull here!? )

Nezha:
You would. Have me remain silent. In the face of such shame?

---

Fujimaru 1:
What's going on here? Are you two fighting?

Nezha:
Indeed. Affirmative. Of course. Now is the time. Let slip the dogs of war!

Robin Hood:
Mas–uh, Ringmaster! Glad to see someone else with their head on straight here.

Robin Hood:
Go on, talk some sense into this idiot!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Got it. Let's wipe the floor with them.

Nezha:
Absolutely! Once I. Am done! Not even. A speck. Shall remain!

Robin Hood:
Mas–I mean, Ringmaster!?

Robin Hood:
Are you nuts!? You just got here! Why would that be the first thing out of your mouth!?

---

Nezha:
These seamen. The root of evil. Therefore. I shall cut them down. Where they stand.

Eyepatch Sailor:
Oh yeah? Yer still on about that, wench? If yer tryin' to draw in customers, yer doin' a terrible job.

Eyepatch Sailor:
And what're ye s'posed to be, anyway? Another Oriental or somethin'? That's right, I'm talkin' ta ye!

Eyepatch Sailor:
So yer their Ringmaster, eh? What kinda company are ye runnin', lettin' yer freaks run wild like this!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hmm. So, what exactly happened here, anyway?

---

Nezha:
Please listen. Master.

Nezha:
To begin. Once we entered. This tavern...

Nezha:
...Matcha there. Sat at a gambling table. Began drinking.

Robin Hood:
Hey, now!

Nezha:
Whatever became. Of the mission?

Nezha:
He lost at dice. More and more. Even demanded I bet. Our travel expenses.

Robin Hood:
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Keep that to yourself!

Nezha:
Nothing better to do. So I followed. Followed his example. Joined him. Gambling table.

Nezha:
Had no idea. What I was doing. Beer was so bad. It was undrinkable.

Nezha:
Then. At my lowest moment. Third-rate seaman gestured towards me.

Nezha:
Called me a prostitute. And began touching me near my waist.

Nezha:
...That, I did not mind. He DID treat me. To some milk.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You...didn't mind?

---

Fujimaru 2:
That's...surprising.

---

Nezha:
Next. He made me sit. On his lap. Told me to pour him. Another glass.

Nezha:
...That sort of frivolity. I also do not mind.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You...didn't mind?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Are you sure you don't mind even a little...?

---

Nezha:
I do not mind. However...

Nezha:
This seaman. Remained in high spirits. Yet as he kept drinking. Burst into tears.

Nezha:
He began to complain. How sad my body is! Can you believe?

Nezha:
This body. Given to me. By Taiyi Zhenren himself.

Nezha:
How dare this man. Appraise this body as sad! How dare he!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
THAT'S what bothers you about this?

---

Robin Hood:
That's about when I couldn't take it anymore and tried to go smooth things over.

Robin Hood:
According to that sailor...

Robin Hood:
...Nezha's so light that he figured she wasn't eating well enough.

Robin Hood:
And that got him thinking about the kid he left behind in his own country...

Eyepatch Sailor:
Y-yeah, tha's right. Ye got a problem with that!?

Eyepatch Sailor:
So why the hell'd this wench of yers go and pull a weapon on me!?

White Flag Sailor:
Haha, don't worry about it too much, young Ringmaster. This guy's just a big old lecher.

White Flag Sailor:
He was just tryin' ta get yer wench ta feel sorry fer 'im so he could take her ta bed. He does it all the time.

White Flag Sailor:
Sure ain't much fun to be had in a Puritan port town like this, after all.

Anchor Sailor:
Yeah! Neither we sailors nor ye performers belong here, so we might as well get along! Hahaha!

---

Fujimaru 1:
True, Nezha was out of line. I apologize.

Eyepatch Sailor:
Oh yeah? And ye'll be buyin' us all a drink? Well ain't that thoughtful of ye, Ringmaster!

Eyepatch Sailor:
Ye might be young,but ye got a good head on yer shoulders!

Nezha:
...I did. Nothing wrong.

Robin Hood:
(Don't worry about it. Master's just putting on an act [♂ himself. /♀ herself. ] ...At least, I think [♂ he /♀ she] is?

Nezha:
Shall throw. All of their tea. Into ocean!

Robin Hood:
Cut that out. It's still a century too early for that.

---

Fujimaru 2:
True, Robin was out of line. He'll apologize.

Robin Hood:
Me!? What'd I do!? Not keep a close enough eye on her?

Robin Hood:
Yeah, all right. I had a feeling it might go this way.

---

Mash:
(Huff)...(Huff)...What's...going...on? What was all the commotion about?

Mash:
I rushed here as fast as I could, but all I see now is people drinking happily...

Mash:
Come on...What happened here, anyway?

Mash:
...I see. I suppose I understand.

Mash:
I'm just glad matters were resolved before they got out of hand. (Relieved sigh)...

White Flag Sailor:
Haha, performers, eh.

White Flag Sailor:
If the storm out in the bay keeps us stuck here,maybe we'll go see yer show for ourselves.

Mash:
A storm? ...Has there been a stretch of poor weather out in the bay? Is that why you're all hanging out in this tavern?

Anchor Sailor:
Ye got it, Specs.

Anchor Sailor:
Gotta say though, I'm surprised ye even thought ta come perform here in Salem at all.

Anchor Sailor:
What sort of show'll ye be puttin' on?

Mash:
Oh, well, we were thinking of–

Villager:
Hold it, all of you. I want to hear what you have to say too.

Villager:
They say you're going around telling everyone you're traveling performers...

Villager:
But I don't buy it!

Mash:
Ulp...

Robin Hood:
(Ringmaster, that guy's been sitting in the corner for a while now. He's one of the villagers, not a sailor. )

Villager:
...I run a general store here in Salem.

Villager:
I've been to Boston a number of times, but I've never seen any entertainers like you before.

Villager:
I know there's a lot of strange folk in the theater, but no one would ever come to Salem looking to get rich.

Villager:
Unless you're secretly up to some dirty,shameful business, like that sailor said?

Villager:
For that matter, you're awfully young to be a troupe leader. How many shows have you performed, anyway?

Nezha:
This. Will be our first.

Villager:
What was that?

Robin Hood:
...Whoa! It's not what it sounds like.

Robin Hood:
She means this'll be our first time performing with our current members. Naturally.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Another problem on our hands, huh...

---

Mash:
Senpa–I mean, Ringmaster,please let me handle this.

Mash:
I have some notes from Chaldea for situations just like this.

Mash:
Sir, I can see you care deeply about this town,and I understand your concerns.

Mash:
B-but I assure you that despite our appearances, we at The Fujimaru Company are good, God-fearing people.

Mash:
We may not be Puritans or Quakers, but we always perform with gratitude for all of God's blessings.

Mash:
We pray every day, and as long as there's a church nearby, we make it a point to attend Mass as well.

Mash:
On our way here, we heard about a village in New England that no other performers will go near.

Mash:
A village where good people live pious lives...

Mash:
A place that truly lives up to its name: the city upon a hill.

Villager:
...

Mash:
As fellow Christians, we hope to learn from the people of Salem's example...

Mash:
...and if we can bring them some joy in return through the only trade we know, we could ask for nothing more.

Villager:
The city upon a hill, huh...

Villager:
Hmm...I can see that you mean well.

Villager:
And given what happened in that little tussle earlier,I can also see that you want to blend in to our town without causing trouble.

Villager:
Even if you are a bit on the unusual side.

Nezha:
Hmph.

Villager:
That said...I don't want you leading us into temptation.

Villager:
People say that we Puritans hate plays, novels,and dancing, but that's giving us too much credit.

Villager:
It's not wrong, but it's not quite right, either. We do our best to minimize those distractions in our lives precisely because we are drawn to them.

Villager:
Every child knows that plays are fun and exciting.

Villager:
And this tavern certainly sees its share of people coming in looking to relax and enjoy themselves.

Villager:
The people of this village purposefully go around turning blind eyes to each others' failings, as long as they only involve a glass of hard cider.

Villager:
We are all of us frail vessels. And so we do not invite further temptation into our lives. That is my concern about your troupe.

Robin Hood:
Hard cider IS pretty great stuff...

Mash:
...I understand that as performers,we may not be welcome...

Mash:
But does that mean...we're not allowed to be here at all?

Villager:
That is not my decision to make.

Villager:
But if you're willing to demonstrate what sort of play you mean to put on, that might go a long way towards changing the people of Salem's minds.

Villager:
If you insist on performing...I'd be willing to speak to the Reverend and other respected villagers on your behalf.

Villager:
Why not try putting on a small show just for them,and getting approval from the village that way?

Mash:
I see...Senpai, I think this could be a good opportunity.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Definitely.

---

Villager:
If you refuse to do so, and mean to ply your trade without regard to the villagers' sense of piety, then I would prefer that you leave.

Villager:
The barkeep tells me you're guests of Professor Carter.

Villager:
All the more so in that case.

Villager:
If you don't want to be hauled out before the judge, you should go somewhere that's more welcoming to outsiders, like Rhode Island or Pennsylvania.

Villager:
This is Massachusetts. Ours may be a small village,but the eyes of God, and His justice, are upon us all.

Villager:
I don't want to see anyone hanged here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hanged...!?

---

Villager:
About...four years ago, I think,I saw a criminal hanged in Boston's town square.

Villager:
There was talk of witches and foul play. Perhaps you heard about it yourselves?

Robin Hood:
Oho...Witches, you say? Now that's something we'd like to hear all about.

Nezha:
Finally. Something relevant. To the mission.

Mash:
...If I may, Senpai,I think we should do as this man suggests.

Mash:
It's a good opportunity, and would make our investigation considerably easier.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hmm. I guess this is a kind of test then.

Mash:
I'll do everything I can to help, of course.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Sounds good. (Though I am worried about the others...)

Mash:
...I can see you have concerns.

---

Mash:
I believe there was a play in the book Andersen gave us that should be perfect.

Mash:
If it's all right with you, Senpai,shall we go with that one?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay, let's do it.

---

Mash:
Understood. Then I'll speak to this man and request his assistance.

Mash:
Now, we should head back to our room and get ready to perform.

Mash:
...Oh, and if you're wondering about Abby,I escorted her back to the town center.

Mash:
She was a little shaken up by the gunshots,but she regained her composure soon enough.

Mash:
...At least, I think she did...

--ARROW--

A：Villager:
...How long has it been since I last saw a play?

B：Villager:
What a waste of time!

B：Villager:
Ugh! What a waste of perfectly good lamp oil!

B：Villager:
What nonsense is this? We worked so hard to build our town hall, and to fill it with such frivolity...

B：Villager:
I don't even see the Reverend here! Where is he?

C：Villager:
I'm told he had to attend to someone who fell ill,and can't make it tonight. But this should be enough.

C：Villager:
All right, Ringmaster Fujimaru. We're all here. Go ahead and start the show.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Got it.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let me just check on the actors...

---

Mash:
Okay everyone, remember,just like we planned.

Mash:
You should already be familiar with the play from looking it over at Chaldea.

Mash:
We may not have been able to bring the actual script, but you should all have your lines from the notes I gave you.

Mash:
Mata Hari, you'll play the Queen of Sheba.

Mata Hari:
A strikingly flamboyant role, hm? Sounds right up my alley!

Mash:
Robin, you'll play King Solomon.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah.

Mash:
And of course, Senpai–I'm sorry,Ringmaster will lead everyone through the production.

Mash:
You'll have multiple roles,so you're going to be busy.

---

Fujimaru 1:
This is pretty nerve-wracking.

Mash:
That's true. T-to be honest...I'm getting very nervous myself, and I'm not even performing.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You've been a huge help, Mash.

Mash:
Thank you, Ringmaster. It's been a fun change of pace from my usual work.

Mash:
Of course, now we have to actually perform.

---

Mash:
I'll be helping out from the side of the stage...

Mash:
...as the narrator and prompter.

Medea:
I did have important things to do back at the house, you know.

Mata Hari:
This is part of our mission, Medea.

Sanson:
That's right. We need to let these people get to know all of us, albeit carefully.

Sanson:
That said, I'm only a bit player this time around.... Don't screw this up, Robin.

Robin Hood:
I don't know why they picked me. I said I was fine being a tree...And why do I keep feeling like someone's staring at me?

Nezha:
The gaze. Of our audience. Act now. Or not at all. Show-off.

B：Villager:
(Staaare)

Judge:
...Hmph.

Carter:
I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule for my guests, Your Honor.

Judge:
...I am not here as a drama critic. I will not judge the quality of the performance.

Judge:
It would hardly be fair of me to go around espousing Puritan values, after all.

Judge:
I will merely be determining whether this production is suited for the good, Christian people of Salem.

Carter:
A perfectly sensible choice.

Carter:
...Can you tell me what the company will be performing today, Miss Mash?

Mash:
...Of course, Mr. Carter.

Mash:
Tonight, we'll be performing a story from Scripture.

Mash:
“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. ”

A：Villager:
Well, that sounds lovely. I can't wait.

A：Villager:
I'm afraid we don't have any velvet curtains,but please, go ahead and get started.

Mash (Narrator):
...Ahem.

Mash (Narrator):
Good evening, distinguished guests,and thank you for accepting our invitation.

Mash (Narrator):
On behalf of The Fujimaru Company, I would like to say that we cannot express our gratitude to you for taking your time to be here this evening.

Mash (Narrator):
Tonight, we will be performing a story about the most enigmatic queen in the Bible.

Mash (Narrator):
She was the queen of a prosperous southern nation...Somewhere south of Arabia, or perhaps to the east of Africa.

Mash (Narrator):
This queen was drawn to King Solomon, known far and wide for his peerless wisdom, and decided to journey across the desert to meet him.

Mash (Narrator):
Tell me...Do you know what a true desert is like? An endless sea of sand that stretches out past the horizon. A land of death, where not a single drop of water can be found.

Mash (Narrator):
To cross it, the queen ordered hundreds of camels, accompanied by thousands of soldiers and attendants, to form a single file procession.

Mash (Narrator):
Each camel was laden with incredible treasures: gold, jewels, and precious frankincense.

Mash (Narrator):
Our story begins with the queen perched on a camel, surveying her procession...

E：Queen of Sheba:
(Sigh...) How depressing. I don't mind traveling by camel...

E：Queen of Sheba:
...but what will I do if I travel all the way to Jerusalem, and still cannot meet with King Solomon...?

H：Queen's Retainer:
Why does this weigh on you so, Your Majesty? You have thought of nothing else for these entire two months of travel!

H：Queen's Retainer:
We are two days away from the Red Sea harbor,and Jerusalem is still farther.

H：Queen's Retainer:
...Besides, see for yourself what mountains of treasure you bring!

H：Queen's Retainer:
One hundred and twenty talents of gold,more than even twenty camels can carry!

H：Queen's Retainer:
Sapphires, amber, opals, garnets, and other precious jewels! The finest frankincense our nation has!

H：Queen's Retainer:
Never before has such a vast array of treasure been brought on such a journey across the desert.

H：Queen's Retainer:
More even than that, Your Majesty's beauty is renowned far and wide. King or not, there is no man alive who would refuse you!

E：Queen of Sheba:
Is that so...?

Queen of Sheba:
I'm not so sure about that...

Queen of Sheba:
These treasures are merely tokens of my good intentions, to show the people that I am trustworthy.

Queen of Sheba:
The true cargo I bear lies within my heart.

Queen of Sheba:
For this man was born to be king,and has been blessed by God Himself.

Queen's Retainer:
I'm afraid I do not understand.

Queen's Retainer:
This man may be a great king,but he is still just a man.

Queen's Retainer:
If you flatter him, he will grow conceited. If you appeal to his greed, riches will blind him.

Queen's Retainer:
If he is truly born to be a king, is that not all the more reason for him to rest on the laurels of his lineage?

Queen's Retainer:
It is true that Israel is much more peaceful, and far easier to trade with now, than it was under its previous king.

Queen's Retainer:
But I still have my doubts about his wisdom.

Queen of Sheba:
Keep such thoughts to yourself now that the harbor is in sight. One never knows where the ears of the king might be lurking.

Queen's Retainer:
As you wish.... What's this?

Queen's Soldier:
Caravan leader! Something is amiss at the head of the procession!

Queen's Soldier:
It appears to be an ambush by bandits!

Queen's Retainer:
They never learn, do they?

Queen's Retainer:
We should be nearing an oasis. Thieves often congregate in such areas, so I expected some issues as we drew near.

Queen's Retainer:
Some poor fools cannot resist the temptation our caravan offers in the possibility of its riches.

Queen of Sheba:
If you expected as much, then I trust you have also prepared for such attacks.

Queen of Sheba:
Is there anything I can do to help drive them off?

Queen's Retainer:
Surely you jest, Your Majesty!

Queen's Retainer:
Rest assured that all is taken care of! We have plenty of capable fighters at our command.

Queen's Retainer:
These fighters do not work merely for money. They are warriors of honor, faithful to queen and country!

Queen's Retainer:
I will send them out alongside our own soldiers posthaste!

Queen of Sheba:
My, but aren't we pompous all of a sudden?

Queen of Sheba:
But, very well then. I leave you and your fighters to your task...

--ARROW--

Mash (Narrator):
Thanks to their capable bodyguards, the queen's procession easily fended off their attackers.

Mash (Narrator):
Soon after resuming their journey to Jerusalem,the procession arrived at the Red Sea harbor.

Mash (Narrator):
The harbor was packed with throngs of camels, and there was a lively din sounding left and right from merchants awaiting ships and cargo.

Mash (Narrator):
The queen's caravan rented hundreds of ships,then set sail for the north of the Red Sea.

Mash (Narrator):
...In time, the massive fleet arrived upon the northern edge of the Gulf of Aqaba, at a seaport called Ezion-Geber, built by King Solomon himself.

Mash (Narrator):
The people of Israel were surely taken aback by the appearance of this mysterious queen and the untold wealth she brought with her.

Mash (Narrator):
This magnificent scene of the queen meeting King Solomon has been depicted in countless numbers of painted masterpieces.

Mash (Narrator):
The queen's procession headed northward over land, their eyes taking in the pastures of the foreign country that surrounded them.

Mash (Narrator):
Then, at last, they arrived at a point where they could just barely make out Jerusalem's glittering white ramparts.

Mash (Narrator):
And yet...something seemed amiss...

Queen's Retainer:
(Sigh) This is ridiculous! I can't take it anymore!

Queen of Sheba:
You seem upset, my retainer.

Queen's Retainer:
Yes, Your Majesty, I am!

Queen's Retainer:
We've been stuck in this village within the ravine for an entire week!

Queen's Retainer:
If we don't get moving soon, the soldiers and camel tamers will start to get homesick!

Queen of Sheba:
What say the messengers we sent ahead to Jerusalem?

Queen's Retainer:
...I-I've sent them countless times, Your Majesty. I even went to try and negotiate our entry myself.

Queen's Retainer:
It's just, the guards keep inventing reasons to turn us away at the gate. They're hopeless.

Queen's Retainer:
Even showing them a list of all the gifts we bring for King Solomon has done little more than warrant a smirk.

Queen of Sheba:
...I see.

Queen of Sheba:
Then perhaps it is time I met with them myself.

Queen of Sheba:
Tell the caravan to loosen their loads and make themselves at ease.

Queen's Retainer:
Your Majesty!?

Queen's Lady-in-Waiting:
Your Majesty, please, you mustn't go off on your own!

Queen's Lady-in-Waiting:
There is a flock of sheep coming this way. I'll have the guards chase them off!

Queen of Sheba:
No need for that. This is not our kingdom,so we shall be the ones to make way.

Queen of Sheba:
My, these sheep are nice and plump. And their wool is soft and well kept.

Queen of Sheba:
This is indeed a rich land.

F：???:
Well now, it isn't every day one comes across such an esteemed noble. Good day to you.

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen's Soldier:
Stay back! Who are you!?

Shepherd:
As you can see, I'm merely a passing shepherd.

Shepherd:
A harmless, friendly young man who enjoys nothing more than singing and dancing.

Shepherd:
Are shepherds so rare where you come from?

Queen of Sheba:
No, they are not...I do beg your pardon.

Shepherd:
You must be the travelers that have been staying here in this ravine.

Shepherd:
This place is ill-suited to making camp. Have you run into some manner of trouble on your journey?

Queen of Sheba:
You are quite perceptive, young shepherd. As luck would have it...

Shepherd:
...Hmm, I see, I see. That is certainly odd.

Shepherd:
Jerusalem is supposed to be a city of compassion,a place that will open its gates to anyone.

Shepherd:
How terribly embarrassing that it has seen fit to reject guests who have traveled from so far away.

Queen of Sheba:
...Can you tell us what Jerusalem is like, young shepherd?

Queen of Sheba:
What do you think of the great king's city?

Shepherd:
Well now, I can hardly refuse to answer a question from such a beautiful lady, can I?

Queen's Lady-in-Waiting:
Your Majesty, surely there are far better ways to pass the time than in the company of this ill-mannered youth.

Queen of Sheba:
What's wrong with it? I'm having a perfectly lovely time.

Shepherd:
Haha, unfortunately, I haven't been to the city myself in quite a while. But I do hear rumors from time to time.

Shepherd:
Jerusalem is a city like no other. It is truly the center of the world.

Shepherd:
Its ramparts stand tall against any threat,and its palace is the height of luxury.

Shepherd:
I believe its most beautiful feature is the temple its previous king wished to build really, REALLY badly!

Shepherd:
They say it's a truly impressive sight. I implore you to pay it a visit yourself after you arrive, my lady.

Queen of Sheba:
I think I shall do just that.

Queen of Sheba:
What about the people who live there? Have they no complaints at all?

Shepherd:
Hmm, good question. I suppose I must simply say that it seems the king is doing a superb job.

Shepherd:
Each and every one of his people speaks of him with reverence, with language as lyrical as poetry.

Shepherd:
They say that he is a fair and just judge, possessed of true wisdom. That he was born to be the perfect king.

Queen of Sheba:
True wisdom...

Shepherd:
But, ripe fruit inevitably draws pests.

Shepherd:
The fruit itself may not be to blame, but alas, there is nothing one can do about the laws of nature.

Shepherd:
Thus do security and abundance inevitably lead to avarice and arrogance.

Queen of Sheba:
...I knew it.

Queen's Lady-in-Waiting:
Your Majesty...?

Queen's Soldier:
...Wait. Does this mean the gatekeepers expect us to bribe them?

Queen's Soldier:
Even after our messengers have long since paid our toll!?

Shepherd:
Hmm. Well, I'm afraid there isn't much a lowly shepherd like me can do about that.

Shepherd:
The best I can do is join you in conversation here in the shade for a fleeting moment. Oh, unless you would also like me to play my harp?

Queen of Sheba:
No, that will do. Thank you, my good shepherd.

Queen of Sheba:
By the way, I notice a number of your sheep have injured their legs.

Queen of Sheba:
Could I buy them off of you,so that I may treat my subjects to them?

Shepherd:
Well, that would be a great help. I could not think of a more advantageous trade for us both.

Shepherd:
...Oh, right.

Shepherd:
I just remembered something else that you may find of interest. It is, perhaps, a bit spooky, but...

Queen of Sheba:
...Hidden gates, you say?

Shepherd:
That's right. Gates.

Shepherd:
Jerusalem is a big place, with many people coming and going. As such, the ramparts contain a number of side gates.

Shepherd:
A holy gate reserved for God. A gate for chariots. A gate for merchants. A gate for slaves. Even a gate for shepherds.

Shepherd:
And while I don't know whether it really exists or not, I've also heard there's a forbidden gate for rûacḥ, for spirits...

Shepherd:
They say it is dark even during the day, and that the dead themselves make use of it. It is always closed and barred, and not even the guards go near it...

Mash (Narrator):
Thus did the Queen of Sheba learn of the hidden gate into Jerusalem from a mysterious young shepherd.

Mash (Narrator):
The queen next stole away to Jerusalem in the middle of the night, taking only a select few of her servants.

Mash (Narrator):
She decided that if the front gates would not be opened to her, then she would simply sneak in the back.

Mash (Narrator):
None of this is written in Holy Scripture,but please, do not call it heresy.

Mash (Narrator):
No matter how our company may use our imagination to help bring this story to life...

Mash (Narrator):
...it would do nothing to diminish King Solomon's greatness, or the Queen of Sheba's beauty...

Queen of Sheba:
If the guards would refuse us passage,then we shall make our own passage into the city.

Queen's Retainer:
Hah! As if crossing the great desert wasn't brazen enough! I never imagined you to be so reckless a queen!

Queen's Retainer:
...Aah!

Queen of Sheba:
These must be some of the city's guards. So, this is another trial we must face.

Queen of Sheba:
If our actions go against the will of God,then this is where our journey will come to an end.

Queen's Retainer:
Please stand back, Your Majesty! The soldiers will handle this!

--BATTLE--

Mash (Narrator):
And so, the Queen of Sheba's procession fought off the guardian spirits...

Mash (Narrator):
...and successfully made their way into Jerusalem.

Mash (Narrator):
Soon, the king learned that a foreign queen had entered the holy city, and the front gates were finally opened.

Mash (Narrator):
Thus did the parade of camels and ostentatiously dressed attendants make their way through Jerusalem.

Mash (Narrator):
Though the people of Jerusalem were accustomed to luxury, the riches that the queen presented to the king must surely have made even their eyes pop.

Mash (Narrator):
The lavish spices they brought with them also proved to be incredibly popular, and soon the holy city was filled with their scents.

Mash (Narrator):
Shortly thereafter, the queen was officially invited to the palace, and at long last granted an audience with King Solomon himself...

Solomon:
How good of you to come, Queen of Sheba. On behalf of my subjects, I welcome you.

Solomon:
I extend my hospitality to you and your people. Please, stay in my palace. Rest from your journey.

Queen of Sheba:
It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, good King Solomon.

Queen of Sheba:
Now that this moment has come, the fatigue from my journey has all but vanished.

Solomon:
I know who you are. This may be our first time meeting face-to-face, but I have had opportunities to learn about you.

Solomon:
Without fail, the finest jewels and spices brought to Jerusalem come from the southern kingdoms.

Solomon:
I have spoken to merchants and travelers about them, interested to know more.

Solomon:
They told me of a queen from a desert kingdom in the south with a sure eye, and a nose for trade.

Solomon:
Until last night, my image of that queen was hazy and blurred, like a mirage...

Solomon:
But now, I see clearly that she is a beautiful desert flower beyond compare.

Queen of Sheba:
You are too kind, King Solomon.

Queen of Sheba:
If anything, I am the one in awe of how your grand figure far exceeds the picture I held in my mind.

Solomon:
...I apologize for the treatment you endured on your journey here, Queen of Sheba.

Solomon:
I shall find out how it came to pass,and see justice served, should it be necessary.

Solomon:
If it please you, I shall give you a tour of the palace myself. Will that serve as an apology?

Queen of Sheba:
A tour from King Solomon himself? I can think of no greater pleasure.

Solomon:
Of course. The pleasure will be mine, I assure you.

Mash (Narrator):
The two rulers proceeded to walk around Jerusalem's palace, chatting happily all the while.

Mash (Narrator):
Every one of the dances performed, the harp songs played, and the dishes served was truly exquisite.

Mash (Narrator):
But the place that the Queen of Sheba was most impressed with was indeed the very building the good shepherd had told her about.

Mash (Narrator):
The magnificent temple of Jerusalem stood even taller than the king's own palace.

Mash (Narrator):
Atop its great altar,burnt offerings were made to God...

Mash (Narrator):
There, sacrificial animals and other splendid offerings were consumed by sacred fire.

Mash (Narrator):
Once these offerings were chosen to become God's food, the frankincense, which would later be chosen as one of the three wise men's gifts, was burned like firewood.

Mash (Narrator):
While bearing witness to these amazing spectacles...

Mash (Narrator):
The queen casually posed King Solomon a series of questions.

Mash (Narrator):
Indeed, these very questions were the queen's purpose in venturing to Jerusalem.

Mash (Narrator):
A quest begun in the hope of appraising the king's wisdom, distinguishing his worth...and gaining a true answer to questions she had long pondered.

Mash (Narrator):
Some scholars say the queen had only two questions, while others claim she had as many as nineteen.

Mash (Narrator):
Whatever their number, King Solomon answered each in turn, and the queen marveled at his wisdom.

Mash (Narrator):
And in that moment...

Mash (Narrator):
...she decided to entrust King Solomon with the three most precious riddles she carried deep in her heart.

Mash (Narrator):
Solomon, in turn, honored his noble guest by having his many retainers line up along both sides of his throne.

Mash (Narrator):
So began a battle of wits to test the merits of both rulers. There could be no room for failure. As silence hung in the throne room, the audience watched with bated breath...

Queen of Sheba:
Great King Solomon, leader of the people of Israel, and bearer of boundless wisdom.

Queen of Sheba:
I humbly request that you answer these questions,and share your wisdom with your guests.

Solomon:
Very well. Speak your questions.

Queen of Sheba:
“There is a room with ten doors. When one door is open, nine are closed. ”

Queen of Sheba:
“When nine doors are open, one door is closed...”

Solomon:
“...The answer is 'a person. '”

Solomon:
The room is the womb, and the ten doors are the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, navel, and excretory holes.

Solomon:
When a person is a fetus, the door of the navel is open. Once they are born, that door is closed forever.

Queen of Sheba:
O king, you are wise indeed.

Solomon:
Speak your next question.

Queen of Sheba:
Very well then, O king. Let me next ask you this.

Queen of Sheba:
“These words weigh more than gold or even life itself, and require four people to carry them. ”

Queen of Sheba:
“And yet, their master has never once seen them...”

Solomon:
“...The answer is 'the Ark of the Covenant. '”

Solomon:
The very chest I inherited from my predecessor. It contains the Ten Commandments, the proof of our covenant with God.

Solomon:
It is kept in the innermost chamber of my temple, a most holy room that is constantly filled with incense.

Queen of Sheba:
O king, you are truly a man of wisdom.

Solomon:
Speak your next question.

Queen of Sheba:
Very well then, O king. This is my final question.

Solomon:
...

Queen of Sheba:
“...This ocean is calm. A ship sails forward against the wind. ”

Queen of Sheba:
“The ship's pilot plots a course toward dark clouds. The ship is in no way prepared to weather a storm. ”

Solomon:
...Hmm. Let's see...

Solomon:
The answer is...Uh...

Solomon:
Hang on, time out. Just gimme a second here. Hm?

Solomon:
Calm ocean? A ship pilot? Wha...? What's that all about?

E：Solomon:
Hold on, just a moment! I can answer this!

D：Queen of Sheba:
Oh yes, great king. Please, tell me your answer!

C：Mash (Prompter):
(Whisper)What's the matter, Solomon!?

C：Mash (Prompter):
Hurry up and answer her third question...!

E：Solomon:
I'm trying, but my script only had two riddles!

C：Mash (Prompter):
Huh? That can't be right...Wait. I don't see it in mine either. What's going on...?

C：Mash (Prompter):
I could have sworn Andersen's manuscript had all three...Huh?

D：Queen of Sheba:
What's this? Don't tell me the great King Solomon can't even answer a simple riddle?

D：Queen of Sheba:
Well? What say you, Your Majesty!?

D：Queen of Sheba:
(I'm following my script to the letter, okay...? I didn't have any response lines in mine either...)

E：Solomon:
(Dammit, Mata Hari! I can tell you're enjoying this! )

E：Solomon:
Yeah, yeah, I've got your answer riiight here. Why wouldn't I know it? Solomon knows everything.

C：Mash (Prompter):
Please stay in character!

E：Solomon:
Uh...Hmph! That riddle was so easy it is not worthy of an answer!

E：Solomon:
Wh-what say you, my trusted advisor? Would you like to answer this one in my stead?

E：Solomon:
You may even just offer a hint if you like.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Wait, me?

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Why are the scripts different...? )

---

E：Solomon:
(C'mon, Ringmaster, help me out here...! )

C：Mash (Prompter):
(Senpai...! )

---

Fujimaru 1:
Uh...“Does it have to do with the desert? ”

E：Solomon:
The desert? Why? ...Actually, hang on...

E：Solomon:
Desert...Desert...Sand...An ocean of sand, eh...

---

Fujimaru 2:
“Maybe...it's the difference between you two rulers? ”

E：Solomon:
...Hmm...

E：Solomon:
Rulers...Rulers, huh...

---

Queen of Sheba:
What say you, O king?

Solomon:
...A fascinating riddle. It cuts to the very core of our two perspectives.

Solomon:
If I answer incorrectly, then Israel will lose a precious friend indeed.

Queen of Sheba:
...

Solomon:
“...The answer is 'a nation. '”

Solomon:
When a capable sailor takes the helm,the wind may carry him faster than ever.

Solomon:
Much as the sea might appear the same everywhere, it is far from a single thing. It is made of numberless droplets all together.

Solomon:
Even when it appears calm, its surface hides unforeseeable waves and maelstroms.

Solomon:
It is like the grains of sand that make up a desert. Like quicksand lying in wait for its prey.

Queen of Sheba:
...!

Queen of Sheba:
Very well then...O king...Where lies the ship's destination?

Solomon:
...This ship stops for nothing.

Solomon:
But it is not a ship that runs from danger, nor one that drifts upon the waves. It is but driftwood that will sink in the fullness of time.

Solomon:
The pilot knows that an unavoidable storm is coming, and sounds the alarm.

Solomon:
Only a ship that endures tribulation will see the glorious light of day that awaits in the New World.

Queen of Sheba:
...O king, you are indeed a wise leader worthy of this nation.

Solomon:
Queen of Sheba...I pray that the Lord, our God,sees fit to bless you with His protection.

Solomon:
You are no mere guest destined to while away her time before my throne.

Solomon:
Though your kingdom may be but a mirage that lies to the distant south...

Solomon:
...I hereby vow that our two nations shall be allies, and you, my friend.

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen of Sheba:
You are too kind, O king. But I am most heartened that my journey here has proved fruitful.

Queen of Sheba:
Should you ever be in need of aid in an even greater endeavor...

Queen of Sheba:
...I shall return from beyond the desert and assist you to the best of my ability.

Mash (Narrator):
...Thus did King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba's battle of wits come to an end...

Mash (Narrator):
With more awe and respect for Solomon than ever before, the queen set off to return to her home of Sheba.

Mash (Narrator):
Solomon, in turn, was happy to give the queen exactly the gift she wished for.

Mash (Narrator):
As for what became of the prosperous desert kingdom...

Mash (Narrator):
Of the bond between King Solomon and its queen...

Mash (Narrator):
No biblical scholar can say.

Mash (Narrator):
All we can do now is imagine the fate of the legendary queen for ourselves.

Mash (Narrator):
...Thank you all for watching.

Mash (Narrator):
This concludes The Fujimaru Company's special performance of “Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. ”

--ARROW--

A：???:
...

A：???:
...So this is the Puritan colony of Salem.

Sailor:
Just a moment, sir!

Sailor:
Phew, we finally managed to dock. You're the only cargo we're unloading here, sir.

Sailor:
Certainly fine by me though,since you already paid for passage!

Sailor:
Pretty rough storm we had to sail through to get here, though. You doing all right?

A：???:
I'm on land now. My work is on land, where man lives and works.

A：???:
There is no land inhabited by man, here or anywhere, that is free of sin. Not even Eden itself.

C：Villager:
Professor Carter, there are people from the village who'd like to see you.

C：Villager:
They seem pretty upset. There's a good number of them, too.

Carter:
...I see. Very well, I'll go and meet them.

Carter:
Pardon me for a moment,[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.

Villager:
They're asking to see you too, Your Honor.

Carter:
What's this all about?

Villager:
You have a lot to answer for, Mr. Carter.

Abigail:
Uncle...Tituba is...

Carter:
Abigail. You're here too, Tituba?

Tituba:
M-Mr. Carter...

Carter:
Did these people bring you here? Again, what's this all about?

Carter:
...May I remind you that Tituba is MY servant. I'll thank you to mind how you treat her.

Villager:
Ghh...Fine. Then listen to me, Mr. Carter.

Villager:
My daughter has been lying face down in bed, ill, all day!

Villager:
I know when you stopped by this morning, I told you she was just tired out from last night's excitement.

Villager:
I thought she would be fine once she got some sleep. But I was wrong.

Villager:
She kept groaning and writhing, as if she was fighting off a terrible fever. I tried to give her some bread and water to help her calm down, but she refused.

Villager:
I was at a loss for what to do next,so I asked the Reverend to come take a look at her.

Villager:
But once he arrived,she seemed to be suffering more than ever.

Carter:
Hmm...How so, exactly?

Villager:
W-well...Reverend?

Reverend:
Yes. It seemed to me as if...as if she was possessed by the devil himself...!

Reverend:
She cried out with a shrill, inhuman voice, and tried to strangle me with such strength as no child should ever have!

Villager:
We held her down as best we could,until she finally passed out and went limp.

Villager:
We then went to change her sheets...

Villager:
...and found this strange and devilish charm within the straw!

Villager:
According to Putnam's daughter,it was Tituba who made it!

Villagers:
Oh, my...

Judge:
What an evil-looking wooden figure...I'll take that as evidence.

Carter:
...

Carter:
...Is this true, Tituba? Did you make that?

Tituba:
...I...M-Mr. Carter...

Tituba:
It's...Well...

Abigail:
Y...you've got it all wrong! This isn't Tituba's fault...!

Abigail:
Ann took it without asking...!

Mash:
We could hear the commotion all the way inside. What's going on...?

Sanson:
It looks like most of the village is here.... Is that Tituba they're interrogating in the middle of the crowd?

Medea:
...

Villager:
I always knew there was something strange about you!

Villager:
Oh, this is dreadful...I don't suppose...

Villager:
Were you the one who had those Indians kill the Williamses?

Villager:
Stop that. The Williams girl is right there.

Villager:
You...you're a witch!

H：???:
That's a tool used in blasphemous curses. I suspect this woman is guilty of heresy.

Judge:
...!?

Judge:
...Wh-who are you?

Hopkins:
The name's Matthew Hopkins.

Hopkins:
I just arrived here on a boat from Boston.

Hopkins:
As of tonight, I've been appointed Salem's head judge by order of the governor.

Judge:
Who do you think you are,barging in here all–

Judge:
What's this? ...Oh my. This really is an official notice of appointment!

Judge:
And that of a superior judge, no less...I-I apologize for my rudeness.

Hopkins:
Pay it no mind. These are extraordinary circumstances.

Hopkins:
People of Salem, I first ask that you calm yourselves, and regain your composure.

Hopkins:
The devil's power is at its height in the hours after dark. We must not let our fears guide our decisions.

Hopkins:
I hereby order that this slave be taken into custody and interrogated.

Hopkins:
I will hear what she has to say in the morning.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I have to do something!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Tituba's in danger!

---

Medea:
...Don't do it, Fujimaru. I mean, Master.

Medea:
Please, just stay out of it. You can't interfere here.

Medea:
You need to remain a bystander right now,or you'll get swept up in this as well.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Medea...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What do you mean...?

---

Medea:
Can't you tell...? It's begun.

Tituba:
...

Hopkins:
I'm glad to see you are willing to cooperate.

Hopkins:
Mr. Carter, as her owner, I'd like you to accompany her to the town's holding cells.

Carter:
...All right. I will accompany you.

Mash:
Mr. Carter!

Carter:
Miss Mash. [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.

Carter:
I'm sorry to trouble you,but could I ask you to take Abigail home for me?

Carter:
I know I can trust you and your troupe. You all proved that in your play.

Hopkins:
...

Mash:
Abby...

Abigail:
...This is awful...

Abigail:
Ahh...Poor Tituba...

Section 2: First Knot

The Next Day 　 　　　　 　　　 –Salem Day 2–

Sanson:
...I see.

Sanson:
So Master went to the village in order to accompany Mr. Carter?

Mash:
That's right. Robin went along too, to keep them safe.

Mash:
[♂ He /♀ She] said [♂ he's /♀ she's] hoping they can determine whether that figure really is cursed or not, as part of our investigation.

Mash:
It looks like we'll just have to rely on Senpai for this.

Mata Hari:
True...We need to be especially careful right now.

Mata Hari:
How's Abigail doing?

Mash:
Abby...hasn't left her room since last night.

Mash:
I tried bringing her something to eat,but she wouldn't even touch it...

Mash:
Nezha went climbing up to the roof earlier...

Mash:
...but I have no idea what she's got in mind.

Mata Hari:
You know, ever since we got here,Nezha's been acting like a cat on its last nerve.

Mata Hari:
Maybe she likes kids more than she lets on?

Mata Hari:
(Sigh)...Anyway, it's hard seeing Abby so down in the dumps.

Mata Hari:
Servant or not, Tituba clearly means a lot to her.

Mash:
Seeing Tituba thrown in jail must have shocked poor Abby.

Mash:
...

Mash:
...She's very different from the other children here, isn't she?

Mash:
There can't be many children as sensitive as her in this time period.

Mash:
It's especially unusual that she would be so close to a...well, a slave.

Sanson:
...I'm not so sure about that.

Sanson:
It is simply in her nature to be kind. Anyone can be compassionate like she is. It is just a matter of actually wanting to.

Mata Hari:
I agree with Sanson. Prejudice only takes root in certain environments.

Mata Hari:
Abby lives a relatively wealthy life. At least by the standards of this colony.

Mata Hari:
And she seems to have a very good education as well, thanks to Mr. Carter.

Mata Hari:
And somehow, even after the loss she's suffered,she's held onto her natural cheerfulness.

Mata Hari:
I think that might be her greatest strength.... But she still couldn't have done it alone.

Mata Hari:
It's only because Tituba, someone else who knew her parents well, was there beside her.

Mata Hari:
It must have been a big help to have a close family friend around to talk to with her parents gone.

Mata Hari:
That's why she's taking this so hard. She's afraid she's about to lose someone else she loves...again.

Mata Hari:
...You know, when I put it that way, it kind of sounds like someone else we know, doesn't it?

Mash:
...

Mash:
About that...

Mash:
When we went to look for Abby after she ran away yesterday, I found out that...

Sanson:
Hmm...An extreme fear of Native Americans, huh?

Mash:
Yes. But it wasn't just fear. It was...I'm not sure how to put this...

Mash:
Loathing...? Or maybe a strong fixation...? Whatever it was, it was definitely unusual.

Mata Hari:
...

Mata Hari:
So that's also why you felt there was something different about her, then?

Medea:
...What did Master have to say about that?

Mata Hari:
Medea!? Where were you this morning?

Medea:
Answer the question, Mash.

Mash:
W-well...Yesterday, I was still processing it myself, and along with everything else that happened last night, I never got a good chance to tell [♂ him /♀ her]...

Medea:
I see...That may actually be for the best.

Sanson:
What do you mean by that, Medea?

Medea:
I've turned the house into a magical workshop. I just finished the rite a moment ago.

Sanson:
...!

Mash:
A-are you sure that was a good idea? That seems like the kind of thing we really should have asked Mr. Carter about.

Medea:
Oh, don't be such a wet blanket. I had to do it if we were ever going to contact Chaldea.

Sanson:
Regardless, that was awfully bold, especially given the circumstances. People might have seen you.

Mata Hari:
...Were you in your spirit form?

Medea:
Yes. What's more, you should all be able to use your spirit forms now, too, at least within the house and its grounds.

Mata Hari & Mash:
...!!!

Sanson:
...So it would seem. I guess we have your rite to thank for this. But, what exactly is going on?

Mata Hari:
...Now we can change into our spirit forms “too,” you said? That makes it sound like you already could.

Medea:
...Well of course. Teehee. Who do you think you're talking to?

Medea:
I'm Medea. Hecate herself taught me magecraft.

Medea:
There's no point in just speculating about what MIGHT be happening here. What we need is proof.

Medea:
Proof that there's something strange about this whole village, magically AND historically!

Medea:
Proof that this whole land, that Salem itself,is the real heretical version of history...

Medea:
As such, in order to observe it properly, I needed a workshop that I could withdraw to. Somewhere isolated from any outside influence.

Sanson:
...I see.

Sanson:
Then I trust you'll fill us in on the details once Master returns.

Sanson:
...Along with why you're the only one who avoided being pseudo-incarnated.

Medea:
My, so direct and forceful, aren't you? Teehee.

Mash:
Heretical history...Then, does that mean this land...Salem as it is now...

Mash:
...is actually a separate dimension created with magecraft, rather than its actual past self having been brought here unintentionally?

Medea:
I think so. I still can't read the rules on some of these destiny currents...

Medea:
...but I'm trying to identify the root of their unusual phenomena cycles.

Medea:
If it was magecraft, then someone here should have a soul that can never be fulfilled, and a will to bring about the curse that caused this.

Sanson:
And that should lead us to the Demon God Pillar, yes?

Medea:
I believe so.

Mata Hari:
...I see.

Mata Hari:
I don't think I've ever seen you work so hard on anything before, Medea.

Mash:
Me neither. But it's very encouraging,and a nice change of pace.

Medea:
H-huh? What do you mean by–

Mata Hari:
Well, we can deal with that stuff later.

Mata Hari:
We already told Master and Mash about this, but Sanson and I discovered something unusual too.

Mata Hari:
Yesterday, we met a girl called Lavinia Whateley.

Mata Hari:
She's the little albino child we ran into in the forest on our first night here.

Mata Hari:
But more importantly,she comes from a family of mages.

Medea:
...Wait, what!?

Sanson:
The Whateley house is far from the village, and its basement appears to contain a magical workshop.

Sanson:
It HAS been concealed, but very roughly. We found discarded alchemy equipment strewn about nearby.

Sanson:
We also found animal remains buried in their yard that seem to have been used for dark magic rituals.

Medea:
...What did this underground workshop look like? Does this mean that girl's family are practicing mages?

Sanson:
Well...I'm afraid we still don't know for sure.

Sanson:
Neither Mata Hari nor I could have gone inside without leaving a trace.

Mata Hari:
That sort of thing is more up Robin's alley.

Sanson:
...There was nothing more we could do.

Sanson:
Without Master's permission,we couldn't risk getting any closer.

Sanson:
Even if we could have used our spirit forms, we couldn't know we wouldn't be walking into a trap.

Mash:
That's okay. Just knowing that there's a magical workshop there is more than enough.

Mata Hari:
...We still need to be careful about how we handle this, though.

Mata Hari:
If the people of Salem find out that the Whateleys are mages, there's no telling what they might do.

Sanson:
Mash, I believe you also said that Lavinia and Abby are good friends?

Mash:
Yes, that's what Abby told me. However...

Mash:
...it also seems that the people here strongly dislike the Whateleys.

Mash:
And I don't know how much Abby knows about that, if anything...

Medea:
Hmm. Mages, huh...That could be even worse than the clergy.

Sanson:
Also...May I say something?

Sanson:
I am not sure if this is because of the rite you completed here, Medea, but...

Medea:
Oh, did you remember something already? Go on, tell us.

Sanson:
...Yes, I did.

Sanson:
Something very important, actually.

Sanson:
That new judge who showed up out of nowhere last night, Matthew Hopkins...

Sanson:
I know him. Or rather, I know OF him...

Sanson:
He is, like me, one of the most famous executioners in history...

Mash:
He is? Then, he's not really a judge...?

Medea:
I couldn't make heads or tails of that man. Who is he?

Sanson:
He's–

Mata Hari:
(Wait, stop. )

Sanson:
Hm?

Sanson:
...Ah, good morning, Abigail.

Abigail:
...Morning, everyone.

Nezha:
What were. You all. Whispering about?

Abigail:
Nezha told me about how Uncle is out with [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster right now.

Abigail:
[♂ He /♀ She]...[♂ he /♀ she] went to see how Tituba's doing, right?

Mash:
That's right. So please don't worry, Abby.

Mash:
I'm sure that Senpai and Mr. Carter will clear Tituba's name.

Abigail:
Yeah...I guess you're right. Plus, Nezha's here too.

Mash:
Nezha? What about her?

Nezha:
The young girl. Refused porridge. I added spice. She ate.

Abigail:
Um, what she's trying to say...

Abigail:
...is that we talked about all sorts of things while I had my porridge.

Abigail:
And she told me that if I found any bad guys,she would beat them to a pulp.

Abigail:
That she'd make them completely evaporate, before even a drop of their blood has a chance to hit the ground.

Abigail:
It sounded truly frightening...But...I also kind of want to see it now.

Nezha:
Of course. (Thwip)I would be delighted. (Kathwap)

Mash:
That sort of violent performance really isn't what we're going for with this troupe...

Abigail:
Maybe I should pray to God, and ask forgiveness...

Sanson:
...

Medea:
...At any rate, we have a lot we need to discuss with Master as soon as [♂ he /♀ she] gets back.

Abigail:
...You mean, about your plays?

Medea:
...Yes, of course.

Medea:
Specifically, we need to discuss the tragedy and comedy taking place right here on Salem's own stage.

Abigail:
...?

Mash:
Welcome back, Senpai.

Mash:
Mr. Carter went out again,and he took Abby with him.

Mash:
He said he was going to the church to speak with the Reverend. It sounds like they're all concerned about what's going on with the other children.

Mash:
So right now, we're the only ones here.

Mash:
...How did your investigation go? You said you met with Judge Hopkins?

---

Fujimaru 1:
It was awful...

Mash:
A-are you okay? You look pale...

Robin Hood:
I don't blame [♂ him /♀ her].

---

Fujimaru 2:
Would you mind telling them, Robin?

Robin Hood:
No problem. You must be seriously worn out after dealing with that old fart.

Mash:
...That bad?

---

Mash:
Why don't you have a seat in that comfy chair and try to relax, Senpai?

Mash:
We learned a few things too while you were out, so I'd like to make sure we're all equally caught up.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You've been a big help, Mash.

Mash:
Thank you, Senpai...!

Mash:
That's what I was hoping to be when I asked to come along!

---

Fujimaru 2:
You've really come into your own as a prompter.

Mash:
Y-you think so...?

Mash:
I-I mean...Now's not the time.

Mash:
Please don't forget that you have important responsibilities as a Master of Chaldea, Senpai.

---

Mash:
Okay, to start...let's go over what happened with Matthew Hopkins, the judge that suddenly showed up last night.

Robin Hood:
Man, I don't know what that Hopkins guy's deal is.

Robin Hood:
First of all, Master, Carter, and me...

Robin Hood:
...went to the town's holding cell to talk to Tituba.

Robin Hood:
But all the guard would tell us is that she wasn't allowed any visitors. Orders from the top and all.

Mash:
So, you weren't permitted to see her at all then...

Robin Hood:
Nope. Turns out that in this case, “holding cell”is just a fancy way of saying “underground prison. ”

Robin Hood:
I snuck a quick peek inside the cell,and it was a real hellhole.

Robin Hood:
There were rats and cockroaches everywhere, water leaking from the walls, the whole place smelled like something had died...

Robin Hood:
And never mind sunlight. The only light in the whole jail was a few dim torches in the hall.

Robin Hood:
Any more than a day in that dump and you'd lose your goddamn mind.

Mash:
What about Tituba then? Did you see her at all...?

Robin Hood:
Tituba's...Well, she's still alive, I guess. She was curled up in a ball and freaking out something fierce.

Mash:
Poor Tituba...

Nezha:
Coward! Rescue. Simplicity itself. Why did you not?

Robin Hood:
Uh, 'cause I'm a coward. Obviously. Especially here in Salem.

Sanson:
Stop it, Nezha. Remember, Master and Robin went to clear her name, not to break her out.

Sanson:
If we were to overstep our bounds like that, we would only end up furthering suspicion against her.

Nezha:
Hmm...Hm? ...I see. Yes. You are right.

Nezha:
Apologies, Robin. Thoughtless of me. That.

Robin Hood:
...S-sure, no problem. Anyway, like I was saying...

Robin Hood:
It was all Hopkins's call not to let anyone see her. Wouldn't even let her owner, Carter, in.

Robin Hood:
So we decided to go talk to him directly. We found him staying in a room at the fanciest mansion in town.

Robin Hood:
A ship captain by the name of Turner built it. Turns out it had a guest room specially reserved for judges and preachers and bigwigs like that.

Medea:
Okay, so you went to see Hopkins directly.... Did he seem to be a Demon God Pillar?

Robin Hood:
A Demon God Pillar? You serious?

Robin Hood:
How the hell should I know? What was I gonna do? Shoot him in the face and see if he transformed? C'mon.

Robin Hood:
In the end, all I could do was watch Master get worn out.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sorry for all the trouble, Robin...

Robin Hood:
Ah, don't sweat it. It's not every day we Servants get to help you out like this.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 2:
He WAS a pretty tough opponent...

Mash:
Being exhausted from consecutive battles is one thing, but I can't believe you're this exhausted just from talking to someone, Senpai...

---

Mash:
Maybe the magical erosion caused by the curse that Medea is concerned about is affecting Master too?

Robin Hood:
Hm? What're you talking about?

Mata Hari:
That's definitely important too, but first, we want to hear more about what happened there. How did Mr. Carter handle the negotiations?

Robin Hood:
Carter's a pretty levelheaded guy,but he's also got balls of steel.

Robin Hood:
He went toe-to-toe with Hopkins the whole time. You'd never know he was just a mild-mannered professor.

Nezha:
Abby told me. Carter served. During a war.

Sanson:
Ah, a military man...That explains it.

Sanson:
He walks just a bit gingerly. Must be an old war wound.

Mash:
...! I'm impressed you caught that, Sanson. I didn't notice at all.

Robin Hood:
Carter didn't even try for an emotional appeal, or anything like that.

Robin Hood:
He just said that Tituba was his own private property, and refused to budge from his claim that taking her away like this was unlawful seizure.

Robin Hood:
He even said he would seek punitive damages if this resulted in any impediment to her ability to work.

Robin Hood:
The constables who were there were pretty freaked when Carter said how much money he would ask for, but Hopkins didn't even blink.

Nezha:
The cursed doll? What of it? What became. Of that evidence?

Robin Hood:
That's where our Ringmaster showed what[♂ he /♀ she] was made of.

Robin Hood:
[♂ He /♀ She] kept insisting to see the figure again to determine whether there was black magic at work.

Mata Hari:
...But?

Robin Hood:
But all Hopkins would say was...

Robin Hood:
“The devil has taken up residence in that doll,just as he has taken up residence in Tituba. ”

Robin Hood:
“One need only look at the suffering child to see the hand of the devil in all this. ”

Robin Hood:
“If we are to limit the curse's reach, we cannot have people getting near or even touching that doll. ”

Medea:
...Ironically, that would be the sensible move in a situation involving magecraft.

Sanson:
But Mr. Carter wasn't having that–so he decided to speak with the Reverend, who made the diagnosis, hm?

---

Fujimaru 1:
I hope he can convince the Reverend to come around...

Robin Hood:
Me too.

---

Fujimaru 2:
It helps that Abby went with him.

Mash:
That's true. Abby's a very strong believer herself.

Mash:
Maybe she can get the Reverend to listen to reason...At least, I hope so.

---

Medea:
...Now it's just a race against time.

Mash:
What do you mean?

Sanson:
Hopkins is going to try to...extract confessions from his suspects. That is what he does best.

Nezha:
Who is Hopkins? It's time you told us. Sanson.

Sanson:
All right.

Sanson:
From what I know...Matthew Hopkins was a British attorney.

Sanson:
If this is indeed 1692, Hopkins would be quite elderly. Yet, he does not seem so.

Sanson:
However, history tells us he died in 1647, almost half a century ago if Abigail gave us the correct date. I can only surmise that history is wrong in this.

Sanson:
During his life, he was best known by the title of “Witchfinder General. ”

---

Fujimaru 1:
Witchfinder General...So, he's from the military?

Sanson:
No, he is not military.

---

Fujimaru 2:
If he hates witches, is he a religious figure?

Sanson:
No, he is not an official inquisitor affiliated with any church.

---

Sanson:
Matthew Hopkins made witch hunts his life's work. The title was, so far as we know, one he gave himself.

Sanson:
He supported himself with the rewards he got from hunting witches.

Sanson:
His methods were brutal, even cruel,but people went along with them.

Sanson:
I heard that he was responsible for the execution of three hundred so-called witches in east England over the course of three years.

Mash:
Three hundred people...in only three years!? But weren't all of them innocent...?

Sanson:
Most of them, yes, I expect.

Robin Hood:
Ugh, what a scumbag. So he went around seeing innocent people strung up as witches just to make a buck?

Medea:
...Did you say they were hanged? I thought witches were burned at the stake back then.

Sanson:
...The vast majority of these witch hunts resulted in hangings. Especially in England.

Sanson:
Witchcraft was considered a grave crime against the teachings of God. As such, suspected witches were tried and executed the same as other felons.

Sanson:
Burning someone at the stake was more a form of torture than execution, and also served as a warning to anyone watching...

Sanson:
As executions go, hanging is far more efficient and less painful.

Sanson:
As these people are British colonists, they probably share many of the same sensibilities.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Then, does that mean they're going to hang Tituba...?

Sanson:
With Hopkins here, that's definitely possible.

---

Fujimaru 2:
We've got to watch out for Hopkins.

Mata Hari:
I agree...He's definitely our biggest threat right now, whether he's with the Demon God Pillar or not.

---

Sanson:
Putting Tituba in that disgusting underground prison will wear on her mind, and quickly.

Sanson:
If an ordinary person is locked away,starved, and denied visitors...

Sanson:
...they might last a week...no, three days at most.

Mash:
Three days...So that's what you meant by a race against time.

Nezha:
Sanson. Very knowledgeable. About this.

Sanson:
...

Robin Hood:
Gotta hand it to you, Prince Nezha. You're way better with kids than me.

Nezha:
Hehe!

Medea:
...So then, you were never able to examine the evidence?

Robin Hood:
I took a look at it, but I couldn't tell you one way or the other. It just looked like a regular handcrafted doll.

Medea:
...That means I will need to examine it myself.

Medea:
For all your talents, Master, I don't think you'd be the best equipped to handle this sort of thing.

Mash:
It would be great if you could do that, but...

---

Fujimaru 1:
First, tell us about this workshop ritual.

---

Medea:
Of course.

Medea:
I believe you already heard the general outline I gave to the others earlier.

Medea:
I'll spare you the details. In summary, I took the liberty of turning this house into my workshop.

Medea:
It should be quite helpful, as it seems we'll largely be staying here during our mission.

Sanson:
I see.

Sanson:
Indeed, as of now, the area we are investigating here is much smaller compared to past missions.

Medea:
My primary aim was to ensure I could make full use of my magecraft, but there are other benefits as well.

Medea:
That is, so long as we're in my workshop, we are not affected by the influence this land is having on us.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You mean, you can use your spirit forms again?

---

Medea:
Right. But that's only a very small part of all this.

Nezha:
...Oh?

Medea:
Can anyone here describe what Tituba looks like in detail?

Mash:
...Huh? What do you mean?

Sanson:
I know she's, uh...a mild-mannered woman with brown skin, but...Hm? Well, that's strange...

Medea:
What about the color of her eyes? Her hairstyle? Her build? Her age?

Mata Hari:
...Now that you mention it,I can't remember anything like that.

Robin Hood:
...Oh man, I can't either. What the hell?

Robin Hood:
Damn, you're right, Medea. We didn't even know we were caught in the enemy's trap.

Mash:
So then...something's been interfering with our awareness? Or maybe our memories...?

Sanson:
And as long as we're inside this workshop,we are not subject to that interference, correct?

Medea:
Right. If this Bounded Field can so easily interfere with a Servant's senses, it must be the sort that would typically require a Divine Spirit to create.

Medea:
And yet, we still can't get a firm grasp on it. It's like it slips away whenever we try...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You discovered this, Medea. What do you think?

---

Medea:
Isn't it obvious?

Medea:
Tituba has been concealing her true appearance all along.

Medea:
Actually, she is the one who strikes me as odd at this point, more so than Hopkins, in fact.

Medea:
If anyone here has a connection to the Demon God Pillar, I'd bet it's her.

Mash:
...!

Medea:
Ideally, I would have liked to examine her after she returned here to Mr. Carter's house, but since that no longer seems to be possible...

Medea:
...I'll just have to go examine her myself.

Robin Hood:
That seems like it'd put you at a hell of a disadvantage.

Robin Hood:
Well, I guess you're the only one who hasn't been so affected by the Bounded Field...

Robin Hood:
I guess that's why you're the Queen Witch or whatever, yeah?

Medea:
Hehe...You know it! I'm the baddest witch of all! No need to be shy about it!

Robin Hood:
Huh, kinda thought that might piss you off. I guess Salem agrees with you or something?

Mash:
I know we're already asking a lot of you, Medea, but...

Mash:
...there's something else we need your help with.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Oh, right. What about contacting Chaldea?

---

Medea:
I've been focusing on getting the workshop done, so I haven't made any progress there yet. But I'm about to.

Medea:
I'd give it about a fifty-fifty chance of working, sadly.

Medea:
Master, I think this is your call.

Medea:
Do we focus on saving, or possibly capturing, Tituba? Or on making contact with Chaldea?

---

Fujimaru 1:
We can't just throw Tituba to the wolves.

Nezha:
Well said! Fujimaru!

Nezha:
Any Master. That would. Make a child cry. No Master. Of mine.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let me see what Mash thinks.

Mash:
Ulp...W-well...

Mash:
This is an important mission, so...I guess...we should focus on making contact with Chaldea...

Mash:
We don't have any time to waste, Senpai. You need to consider our options carefully.

Mata Hari:
...I'm pretty sure that long face of yours isn't going to convince Master of anything of the sort.

Robin Hood:
Nope.

Mash:
I guess not...

---

Robin Hood:
Anyway, there might be a whole bunch of problems we've gotta solve, but it's not like we've suffered any losses ourselves so far, right?

Robin Hood:
So, don't get mad at me for saying this, but I don't think contacting Chaldea needs to be a priority now.

Medea:
(...Phew. )

Robin Hood:
Oh? You're backing me up on this, Medea?

Medea:
Yes, I agree. Given the circumstances,making contact with Chaldea can wait.

Medea:
For now, I'm going to pay Hopkins a visit. Would you mind escorting me, Ringmaster?

Medea:
I'd like to say that no one else needs to come along...but I doubt that will be well-received.

Mash:
Me! I'll go along too!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Anyone else want to come? Strength in numbers, right?

---

Sanson:
Then I shall join you as well.

Sanson:
I think there may be something I can do to improve the situation.

Mash:
That would be great. Thank you, Sanson.

Mata Hari:
Okay then, in the meantime, we'll keep investigating the village. Robin, Nezha, shall we?

Robin Hood:
Sure thing. Guess we'll head back to the Whateley estate.

Nezha:
Understood.

Hopkins:
...Fujimaru, was it?

Hopkins:
I do not care how many times you ask. I will not be releasing a suspect held in custody.

Hopkins:
If she is truly innocent, then she has nothing to fear. Do not interfere with my work.

Hopkins:
You are oddly presumptuous for a band of traveling performers.

Hopkins:
Unless...you have some personal reason to protest the suspect's detention?

Medea:
...

Mash:
(Senpai...are you sure it was a good idea to face him head-on like this...? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's the quickest way for Medea to get a look.

Mash:
(Th-that may be true, but still...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
I already feel like I'm about to throw up.

Mash:
(H-hang in there, Senpai...! You can do this! )

---

Medea:
(Fujimaru, Mash. )

Medea:
(You need to keep Hopkins talking. Make him show you the evidence he seized. )

---

Fujimaru 1:
Ulp...Okay, here goes...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Easy for you to say...

---

Hopkins:
Absolutely not. That evidence is crucial to this case. This is not up for discussion.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Saw that one coming.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Come on, isn't there anything we can do?

---

Sanson:
...

Hopkins:
Why are you so fixated on this object? The slave woman has already admitted to making it.

Mash:
I-I, uh...Th-that may be, but...

Sanson:
...Your Honor.

Hopkins:
Hm...? And who might you be?

Sanson:
My name is Charles-Henri Sanson. I'm a member of The Fujimaru Company.

Hopkins:
A Frenchman, eh. You're certainly a long ways from home.

Sanson:
Indeed, I have been wandering for a long time. But I also know a thing or two about medicine.

Sanson:
In fact, I have treated a significant number of patients.

Sanson:
Furthermore, I am told there are people here who have fallen ill, with children among their number.

Sanson:
So if it would please Your Honor,I would ask your permission to examine them.

Hopkins:
Well now, this is a surprise. You, a doctor?

Hopkins:
No doubt you mean to charge exorbitant prices for some potion or such. Or perhaps you are a heretic yourself?

Sanson:
Nothing of the sort, Your Honor. For example...

Sanson:
I can see that you suffer from joint pain.

Hopkins:
...And what does that prove? The same could be said for most men my age.

Sanson:
I'm sure the inclement weather we have been having lately doesn't help.

Sanson:
Perhaps your aching joints have put you in a foul mood.

Sanson:
I can also see that you enjoy your liquor,but don't care for a lot of milk in your tea.

Hopkins:
...H-hmm.

Sanson:
If I may, I would suggest that you refrain from drinking too much.

Sanson:
It would also do you good to eat more fresh vegetables, rather than subsist only on bread and meat. I suggest courgettes–I mean, zucchini.

Sanson:
I also recommend salad with parsley and apple vinegar dressing. It will help with the pain.

---

Fujimaru 1:
They do say diet is the root of good health...

---

Sanson:
...

Hopkins:
...I can't say I approve of your methods, Frenchman. Any layman could do the same.

Hopkins:
I can all but hear you shouting that you aren't like those ghouls who think applying a few leeches entitles them to a reward.

Hopkins:
...Very well. I shall grant you permission to examine the patients.

Hopkins:
However, you are not to harm or puncture their bodies in any way, nor are you permitted to administer anything brought in from outside their homes.

Hopkins:
Also, you may charge no fee. You will be paid a fixed amount per household from the village coffers.

Sanson:
Thank you, Your Honor. That is more than enough.

Mash:
Phew...This is great. Now we can examine the villagers as much as we like.

Mash:
(Plus...I think this could help with our investigation. Right, Senpai? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
That was a very you way to handle it, Sanson.

Sanson:
I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty, Ringmaster.

---

Fujimaru 2:
(I wonder if we could convince Hopkins now...? )

Mash:
(True, he does seem to have softened up a bit...)

---

Medea:
...Hopkins.

Medea:
Your first responsibility lies neither to the villagers, nor to your decrepit knees and back.

Medea:
It's to the health of a valuable witness: Tituba.

Medea:
As a fellow woman, I'm GOING to examine her, whether you like it or not. Give me the key to her cell. Now.

Mash:
(M-Medea? )

Medea:
I'm sorry, Mash, Ringmaster. There's just something about this man I can't stand.

Hopkins:
Well now...

Hopkins:
If you've come to perform a farce,I'm afraid you are in the wrong place.

Medea:
And what about you? Are you really fit to serve as the guardian of the law that you claim to be?

Hopkins:
Medicine is an intellectual practice, and so is the domain of men. The superstitious nonsense women espouse as healing is nothing more than witchcraft.

Hopkins:
Tell me, woman, are you a witch?

Medea:
I am wisdom itself. Deep womanly wisdom.

Medea:
Clearly you do not believe that women have anything useful to offer in their experience or stories.

Constable A:
Watch your mouth!

Constable B:
How dare you address the His Honor that way!?

Hopkins:
...Hold. These people didn't come here to enact violence.

Hopkins:
...I've heard stories myself, you know.

Hopkins:
Including ones about thieves who disguise themselves as traveling performers.

Hopkins:
Indeed, I see now that such a cover would be perfect for those with larcenous intent.

Hopkins:
Cunning clowns win over the children, and obscenely dressed dancing girls beguile good, upstanding men.

Hopkins:
They mislead the townspeople with caricatures of bystanders and voyeurs, then take advantage of the commotion to steal from them.

Hopkins:
At times they even commit arson or burglary,and disappear like so much smoke.

Hopkins:
Once they leave, they never return to that town, not even caring what manner of evidence they leave behind.

Hopkins:
What a foolish, dim-witted notion.

Hopkins:
Such greedy bandits could never hope to perform a refined tragedy, nor a moving comedy...

Hopkins:
None could ever compare to King Lear or the Merchant of Venice as I saw them in the London Globe Theatre.

Hopkins:
Hahahaha!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't lump us in with bandits like that.

Mash:
Th-that's right.

Mash:
We're performing the best we can!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Dammit, Shakespeare. You're in for it when I get back...

Shakespeare:
...Ahh...

Shakespeare:
Ahh...Ahhh...

Shakespeare:
Ah...CHOOO!

Andersen:
Gesundheit. You coming down with a cold, or did your mustache just get stuck in your nostrils?

Shakespeare:
Hmm, I just got a strange chill down my spine. Odd...Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing. Hahahaha!

Andersen:
Definitely a cold.

---

Sanson:
(...)

Sanson:
(Hypocrite. Arson and burglary are precisely what you yourself did during your witch hunts...)

Sanson:
(Still...)

Sanson:
(Could it be that he regrets his past now...? He almost seems like he's trying to make amends...)

Mash:
I swear to you that we respect Salem's customs, and would never do anything to compromise its piety!

Hopkins:
Hmm, you don't say.

Hopkins:
I will tell you now that I sent a messenger down to Boston to visit someone who knows the city well...

Hopkins:
...and he reported back that no one had ever heard of a troupe calling themselves “The Fujimaru Company. ”

Hopkins:
That is not, in itself, a significant problem...

Hopkins:
Massachusetts has not forgotten the Boston witch trial of John Goodwin from four years ago.

Hopkins:
Four children began having strange seizures, and as expected, an old witch was responsible for them.

Hopkins:
Indeed, the devil frequently makes use of women for his evil means. How can you be certain that this slave woman is not one of his pawns?

Hopkins:
And so I declare that Salem must be placed on high alert.

Hopkins:
There are witches in our midst...

Hopkins:
The devil is here in Salem! There is no telling what form he may take!

Medea:
...!

Sanson:
Does this mean you're banishing us?

Hopkins:
Hmph...So you would confess your guilt by running away?

Hopkins:
Quite the opposite...Fujimaru,I give you permission to perform for the entire town.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wha–

---

Hopkins:
And you WILL perform. Tonight. You will give a masterful performance that moves everyone here.

Hopkins:
And in so doing, you will demonstrate that you truly are performers.

Hopkins:
Gather as many villagers as will fit in the town hall, and give them a good show.

Medea:
We just did that last night!

Hopkins:
That was only a select few. This will be for the rest of the village. And if your play does not move them...

Hopkins:
...I will have you arrested as bandits pretending to be performers, and investigate you all thoroughly.

Sanson:
If we succeed, will you release Tituba from prison?

Hopkins:
That is a promise I cannot make. A crime is still a crime.

Hopkins:
But I can say that if it goes to trial, your success will leave a much better impression on the jurors.

Hopkins:
And one more thing. That woman will not be in your cast when you perform.

Medea:
...Huh? Me? Why!?

Hopkins:
Lock her in a cell as well, to ensure her compatriots do not flee in the night.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Y-you can't be serious!

---

Hopkins:
You were extremely rude to a judge. Be grateful I did not pass sentence on you here and now.

Hopkins:
In fact, I will even put you next to Tituba,just as you wished.

Medea:
Grrr...Hopkins!!!

Hopkins:
Ah, truly convincing anguish. I hope to see such pathos from all you actors tonight.

Mash:
M-Medea...

Mash:
This is all so sudden...You want us to perform tonight? What play should we–

Hopkins:
Do not worry. I will select that for you as well.

Hopkins:
For it must be about something that Salem needs now more than ever...!

--ARROW--

Robin Hood:
...So we gotta put on a play to clear our names? The hell's that old man thinking!?

Robin Hood:
There's no reason we gotta put up with this crap. He's just gonna find something else to criticize.

Mash:
But Medea's been taken hostage,and Tituba's still in prison.

Mash:
If we're going to save them,we have to earn everyone's trust.

Sanson:
Indeed. Resorting to violence would be playing right into his hands.

Robin Hood:
...Easy for you to say. You get to run off somewhere else.

Mash:
There's nothing we can do about that, Robin.

Mash:
Villagers have been coming to ask for Sanson's help since they heard about his medical expertise.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I've got no problem with him prioritizing patients.

---

Fujimaru 2:
It's not like there's only one way to earn trust.

---

Sanson:
I appreciate that, Master. And I am sorry for leaving you all at a time like this. Now then, I must be off.

Mash:
Be careful out there, Sanson!

Nezha:
Master. What did Hopkins say?

---

Fujimaru 1:
He's got burning at the stake in mind...

---

Fujimaru 2:
He wants a play about burning a witch at the stake...

---

Nezha:
A stake? So we simply. Need to burn it?

Nezha:
That is. Not so hard.

Robin Hood:
Burning at the stake, huh? Well that's just great.

Robin Hood:
Like Frenchie said, England hasn't used that method of execution in forever.

Robin Hood:
Play or not, that's gonna leave a nasty impression on the villagers.

Mash:
He clearly wants us to impress on everyone how dangerous witches are.

Mata Hari:
...Still, does this mean he wants us to put on a tragedy?

Mata Hari:
Because I think making an example out of the witch would only cause the audience to sympathize with her.

Robin Hood:
And if we do that, we'll end up in trouble,'cause he'll just say it's proof we support heresy.

Robin Hood:
Dammit, we don't have time to figure this shit out before we go on stage!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Are there any scripts we can use, Mash?

Mash:
Well, technically, yes, but...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Say, wasn't there a script about Jeanne?

Mash:
Yes, there was. However...

---

Mash:
I'm afraid it could be considered a bit, uh...difficult?

Mash:
This may not be for me to say, but I honestly have no idea what Andersen was thinking when he wrote it...

Mata Hari:
Hey, it's not like it's a major epic that takes several days to perform, right? Let's do it.

Mata Hari:
Besides, we've all got the hang of performing after last night's play.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay, we'll go with that one.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Maybe we can ad-lib in response to the audience too.

---

Mash:
U-understood! That said, Medea isn't here tonight...

Mash:
...and we don't have time for you to memorize the script, Senpai.

Mash:
S-so I'll just have to join you all onstage myself!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Uh...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Wait. You're serious?

---

Nezha:
Are you sure. Mash? You will not. Freeze up?

Robin Hood:
Hmm, I don't know about this. Mash isn't exactly great at lying, or even hiding how she feels...

Robin Hood:
...Then again, maybe that would work to our advantage if she plays a bit part? Village girl or something...?

Mata Hari:
She'll be taking over for Medea in the lead role.... I just hope she can handle it.

Mash:
...

Mash:
No fair...Why are you all ganging up on me like this...?

Mash:
If that's how it's going to be, then I'm not going to feed you your lines even if you forget one...!

Jeanne (Mash):
M-m-my name is Jeanne.

Jeanne (Mash):
I-I-I am known as La Pucelle, the M-m-maiden of Orleans!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Deep breaths, Mash. Just try to stay calm.

Jeanne (Mash):
(O-okay! )

---

Fujimaru 2:
Try pretending the audience are all baguettes.

Jeanne (Mash):
(One baguette, two baguettes, three baguettes, five, eight, thirteen, twenty-one, I can't eat that many! )

---

Jeanne (Mash):
Th-this is a tale of tragedy, and of miracles...!

Jeanne (Mash):
Our story begins with Jeanne, a girl from the village of Domrémy, miraculously hearing the voice of God.

Jeanne (Mash):
Tonight, you will see how Jeanne goes on to don armor, command soldiers, and ride a white horse into battle with her flag held aloft.

Jeanne (Mash):
You will see her become Saint Jeanne d'Arc,the hero who saves France!

Jeanne (Mash):
And yet, a tragic end awaits this heroine...

Jeanne (Mash):
Tonight, The Fujimaru Company is proud to present...

Jeanne (Mash):
“The Liberation of Jeanne d'Arc”...!

Jeanne (Mash):
We begin in France, during the middle of the Hundred Years' War...

G：???:
Hold it, hold it. Just hold it right there!

Jeanne (Mash):
Th-that voice...Who are you?

Jeanne:
Who are you?

Jeanne:
I recognize that voice. Could it be...?

Jeanne Alter:
Just hold the hell up! This isn't the damn big bang;don't start ALL the way at the beginning!

Jeanne Alter:
How are we gonna get through this crap tonight if you start at the freaking Hundred Years' War!?

Jeanne:
(Gasp) Are you my other self?

Jeanne Alter:
No way. Not by a damn sight!

Jeanne Alter:
But that's probably too much for this weird play, so yeah, let's just say I am.

Jeanne Alter:
I'm the dark side you didn't know you had. No matter how much they praise you, or put you on a pedestal...

Jeanne Alter:
...in the end, they're still gonna call you a heretic and burn you as a witch for no good reason!

Jeanne Alter:
They're gonna ship you out to Rouen and burn you like a stack of kindling!

Jeanne:
Who is? The English Army?

Jeanne Alter:
Who do you think, genius!?

Jeanne Alter:
Which means tonight's play is actually called...

Jeanne Alter:
“The Burning of Jeanne d'Arc”!

Jeanne:
Oh my...I certainly don't want to present a distorted view of history, but...

Jeanne:
...couldn't we at least show them the French coronation ceremony? It's a wonderful thing to behold!

Jeanne Alter:
No way! Swear to GOD, no damn way!

Jeanne Alter:
Kill me first! I'd rather die than see that little twit Charles coronated!

Jeanne:
But don't you find it incredibly moving?

Jeanne:
Everyone's hearts joining together as one...Joyous words of celebration echoing through the cathedral...!

Jeanne:
Ahh, at last, the great archangel Michael's prophecy has come to pass, and France has been saved!

Jeanne:
Hurrah! Hurrah! Noelle! Noelle!

H：???:
...Did someone say “Noël”? You did, didn't you?

Jeanne:
Another new voice...Who might you be?

Jeanne Alter:
Oh for God's–not her! ANYONE but her!!!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
It's me! Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
And you all know what Noël means...Christmas!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Tonight, we will be performing neither liberation nor burning, but rather...

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
“The Three Little Jeannes”!

Jeanne Alter:
Huh? What the actual hell? The Three Little Jeannes?

Jeanne:
Oh, another version of me has shown up!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
That's right. And here's the story! The Big Bad Wolves are coming!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
We need to band together as sisters and fortify our defenses if we're going to withstand their onslaught!

Jeanne Alter:
HEY! Hans, what the HELL!? You're ripping off The Three Little Pigs now!?

Jeanne:
Actually, I think we're okay, since it still hadn't been published in the 17th century...

Jeanne Alter:
Spare us the meta crap. That's not the point here, all right?

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
EXCUSE me, but the Big Bad Wolves are headed this way as we speak!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Come on, we need to build a house!

Jeanne:
I agree. Fortifying one's defenses is very important.

Jeanne Alter:
Yeah, well I'm not doing jack squat! I remember this story. I know how it ends. The wolves are just gonna eat us one at a time anyway!

Jeanne:
We don't know that for certain...

Jeanne:
We may have been foolish enough to charge at the English Army with nothing more than a few spear techniques...

Jeanne:
But if we work together, we can defend against this threat. Doesn't that sound nice?

Jeanne Alter:
...Grr...

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
That's right! If we get eaten,at least we'll get eaten together!

Jeanne Alter:
Helping or hurting, Lily? HELPING OR HURTING!?

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Done! Just look at our lovely new house!

Jeanne:
It's wonderful! Now we can't possibly lose!

Jeanne Alter:
Ugh, you just had to open your damn mouth, didn't you!? B-besides, something isn't right here.

Jeanne Alter:
We're ripping off the Three Little Pigs, right? So shouldn't the first house be straw?

Jeanne Alter:
This thing's gotta be even stronger than brick! Where's the story supposed to go from here!?

Jeanne Alter:
O-oh, wait. Maybe that's for the best...?

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Big Bad Wolves these days breathe lots of fire,so we need to be ready for that!

Jeanne Alter:
What the hell kind of wolf breathes fire?

Jeanne Alter:
Why's everything gotta be about fire with you!?

Jeanne Alter:
Guess that's kinda rich coming from me...

Jeanne:
The enemy's here! Come, we must prepare for battle!

Jeanne Alter:
What. The. Shit. Are you serious? That's a buncha top-tier arsonist wackjobs!

Jeanne:
We could not ask for worthier opponents! Come now, show us what you've got!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
We can do this, yes we can!

--ARROW--

Jeanne Alter:
See!? I knew we were out of our league!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
They're not letting up at all! Yeowch, that's hot!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Retreat! Retreeeat!

Jeanne:
Not yet! I won't run away after merely having my castle burned down! This time, I shall vanquish them!

Jeanne Alter:
Kinda weird that she's the most bloodthirsty of all of us, don'tcha think?

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
...Tada! All done! I used ecologically friendly materials, so this one should be, uh...better for the environment?

Jeanne Alter:
NOW you build a stick house!? How is THIS an improvement!?

Jeanne:
All we had was material left from building the castle, so I can't really say I'm surprised.

Jeanne:
Fortunately, this will be a perfect chance to polish up my defensive Noble Phantasm.

Jeanne Alter:
Cut the crap! One of us is gonna get seriously burned here, you realize that?

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Here they come!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
...Um, they don't have anything to do with fire, right? I think we have a real shot here!

Jeanne Alter:
Oh, for...They're all connected to THE FREAKING SUN! This is even worse!

--ARROW--

Jeanne Alter:
Dammit! Didn't they teach you idiots to pull your punches at acting school or whatever!?

Jeanne:
This is terrible! Retreat! We must make a temporary retreat!

C：Villager:
Strange. I don't remember “The Burning of Jeanne d'Arc” being quite this...upbeat.

D：Villager:
True, it is strange. But an enjoyable sort of strange.

D：Villager:
I didn't much care for that dark Jeanne d'Arc at first, but I find she's growing on me. There's a lot of significance to her misfortune.

E：Villager:
I couldn't agree more. It just shows what happens when one acts purely out of envy, hatred, and anger.

E：Villager:
They did an excellent job of presenting that as both a lesson and a comedy.

E：Villager:
At any rate, neither witches nor stake burnings have anything to do with God-fearing people like us, so let's just relax and enjoy the show.

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
...Huh?

Carter:
Is something wrong, Abigail?

Abigail:
I thought I just saw Lavinia outside the town hall...

Carter:
...Did you now.

Jeanne:
Well...Um...

Jeanne Alter:
...So we're down to cloth now, huh? That about figures. Guess we're stuck between a rock and a...soft place.

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
W-we're done for...

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
If these flimsy tents are the best we can build, then...

Jeanne:
...!

Jeanne:
Over there. I can see the last enemy troops coming into view.

Jeanne Alter:
Wait. Did you say “troops”...?

Jeanne Alter:
Oh. Great. The whole goddamn English Army!

Jeanne Alter:
Screw the wolves! We're talking Big Bad Round Table Lions now!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Ahh, alas...Both God and reindeer have forsaken this world...

Jeanne:
...?

Soldiers:
La Pucelle!

Jeanne:
I don't believe it...! I recognize all of you!

B：Soldier:
We're honored that you remembered us! Every one of us has fought beside you before!

B：Soldier:
We have come on General Rais's orders to ensure your safety!

Jeanne:
Oh my, the general himself...?

C：Soldier:
We couldn't imagine not being by your side during this final decisive battle!

C：Soldier:
The glory of the Maiden of Orleans's liberation shall be ours once again, La Pucelle!

Soldiers:
Jeanne La Pucelle! Jeanne La Pucelle!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
...

Jeanne Alter:
Oh, fan-freakin'-tastic. Now we've got a buncha meatshield dumbasses all drunk on the idea of some glorious battle nonsense.

Gilles de Rais:
Make-believe story though this may be...

Gilles de Rais:
...I cannot let you be captured and branded a witch.

Jeanne:
General...Gilles de Rais.

Jeanne:
...To be honest, I thought you would never return.

Gilles de Rais:
...I see your bad habits remain unchanged.

Gilles de Rais:
You simply cannot help but rush headlong into battle,even before God's protection has reached you.

Gilles de Rais:
I am forever trying to catch up to you...Which is exactly why you are so beautiful.

Gilles de Rais:
However, the battlefield demands patience if we are to emerge victorious. All the more so if the scales of victory balance upon our shoulders.

Jeanne:
...Indeed. You're exactly right, General.

Gilles de Rais:
Ahh, God is with us! Blessed be the teachings of Salem!

Jeanne Alter:
Gilles...

Jeanne Alter:
Hah. God or no God, I knew you'd show up,whether I wanted you to or not.

Jeanne Alter:
Also, for the record,none of this crap is about Salem.

Gilles de Rais:
Oh? Then let me ask you, my dark holy maiden: Will you save our homeland? Will you save France?

Gilles de Rais:
I shall follow you wherever you lead.

Jeanne Alter:
Meh. Not like what I say is gonna change a damn thing at this point.

Jeanne Alter:
...Screw it. Let's do this thing. Might as well kick some ass since we're kicking and screaming.

Gilles de Rais:
Now that is the Jeanne I know!

Santa Island Mask:
Merry Christmas! I trust all is well with you, Lily!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
It's my mentor!

Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
Having you show up like this is the best present I could have asked for!

Jeanne Alter:
Huh? Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with you people?

Gilles de Rais:
...Now, assemble into formation! Quickly! Let La Pucelle's flag lead your way!

Soldiers:
Yeaaahhh!

Jeanne:
...That's right. I nearly forgot.

Jeanne:
What truly keeps us safe is neither walls of brick nor ramparts of stone.

Jeanne:
Our true bastion...is people.

Jeanne:
It is people that are our ramparts...Their unwavering faith, our bulwark.

Jeanne:
And yet, that is far easier said than done, as shown by how my own copy finds it difficult to toe that line.

Jeanne:
That is the moral I shall take from this fable.

Jeanne:
...Very well then, my other selves! My fellow soldiers! The time is upon us!

Jeanne:
To the battlefield...!

--BATTLE--

Mash (Narrator):
Ahem...

Mash (Narrator):
As for what became of the three Jeannes' battle,that I leave to your imagination.

Mash (Narrator):
Suffice to say that during the Hundred Years' War, France was at its weakest...

Mash (Narrator):
...and England took advantage of the nobles' infighting to invade.

Mash (Narrator):
Although Jeanne d'Arc's appearance succeeded at turning the tide of that battle...

Mash (Narrator):
...she ended up being used by her enemies,and detested by her compatriots.

Mash (Narrator):
Even after Jeanne was captured and tried as a witch, King Charles VII did nothing whatsoever to help her.

Mash (Narrator):
Despite owing his coronation to her, he likely wished to quell any rumors that might threaten his authority.

Mash (Narrator):
And though she was their enemy, many English people wept to see such a devout figure as Jeanne come to such a tragic end.

Mash (Narrator):
Indeed, according to official records, it was an Englishman who responded to her pleas and gave her a handmade cross.

Mash (Narrator):
...This concludes tonight's performance.

Mash (Narrator):
Thank you all for coming.

--ARROW--

Sanson:
Her convulsions have stopped,and her breathing has stabilized.

Sanson:
Rest assured, madame,the worst is behind her.

B：Villager:
Oh my! Are you sure...!?

B：Villager:
Thank you ever so much. You've saved my daughter's life!

Sanson:
These symptoms are caused by a sudden onset of fever. It's quite common among children of her age.

Sanson:
I'm certain it must have come as a surprise, but please don't worry. She's in no danger whatsoever.

Sanson:
Just keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't inadvertently choke on her vomit.

B：Villager:
I will...

B：Villager:
Ahh...All the Reverend did was call her name several times and give her smelling salts...

B：Villager:
I don't know how I can thank you enough...

Sanson:
Please, don't worry about it. I'm not a licensed doctor, after all.

Sanson:
But if something else comes up, I'll drop everything and do whatever I can to help.

Sanson:
Please, take care of yourselves.

C：Villager:
...Hmph.

C：Villager:
I can't believe we owe a debt to a Frenchman...You called those convulsions?

C：Villager:
Seeing her flailing her limbs like that, showing the whites of her eyes...It was downright terrifying.

C：Villager:
If you ask me, I'd bet the devil is still lurking somewhere inside her.

B：Villager:
Father, don't be rude. Dr. Sanson just saved our girl's life.

C：Villager:
I know that. Here. It's not much, but you deserve it.

Sanson:
That's all right, good elder. I have a different arrangement in place for payment.

C：Villager:
The name's Pickman. Don't go calling me “elder” again.

Sanson:
...Of course, Mr. Pickman. My apologies.

C：Villager:
Our home may not be anything special to look at,but we come from a good family back in England.

C：Villager:
We have enough stored away to pay back any favors we receive. So no back talk. Just take it.

Sanson:
If you insist...Thank you.

B：Villager:
Do take care on your way home.

Sanson:
I should get back to the hall...Then again, the play must be over by now.

Sanson:
I hope Master and the others made it to the curtain call successfully...

Sanson:
Oh...?

Sanson:
Isn't that...

Sanson:
(Lavinia? )

Lavinia:
There's no turning back now...

Lavinia:
The sixth knot...The sixth door...

Lavinia:
Salem is...Ah...Ah...ah...

Lavinia:
...A...bby...

Lavinia:
...!

Lavinia:
Eep...

Sanson:
Wait, Mademoiselle Lavinia. I'm sorry for startling you.

Sanson:
I'm just on my way back from treating a patient. It's late to be out on your own. Let me walk you home.

Lavinia:
I...I didn't know you were a doctor. Or, maybe an a-alchemist...?

Sanson:
I'm neither, actually.

Lavinia:
...You told Abby I was there.

Lavinia:
But, I guess no one...would believe that about you now...Not after the judge...gave you his approval.

Sanson:
Then, the company's performance was a success? Thank goodness.

Lavinia:
...I thought I told you...not to talk to me anymore.

Lavinia:
I thought I wouldn't run into you...because of the play...

Sanson:
I wanted to talk to you.

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
I-I know you were...snooping around my house.

Lavinia:
Don't bother. It's pointless now.

Lavinia:
It's already begun.

Lavinia:
You're seeing the flower on the water's surface...and forgetting about the rotten mud beneath it.

Sanson:
Are you warning me? Then, you are trying to help–

Lavinia:
I'm telling you outsiders...to stay out of this.

Lavinia:
Y-you'd never understand...what it's like for me.

Lavinia:
You have friends you can trust, you can help other people, and you're appreciated for what you do...

Lavinia:
B-but I'm...not even supposed to be here. Nobody...needs me...

Sanson:
What about Abigail? Don't you want to be friends with her again?

Lavinia:
...

Sanson:
Lavinia, it's clear you care a lot about your family.

Sanson:
That much, even I can understand.

Sanson:
What is it that has you so unwilling to talk? Loyalty to your family? Your pride?

Sanson:
If it's a fear of losing the place where you feel you belong, then–

Lavinia:
I...Shut up...Shut up...!

Sanson:
Lavinia...

Lavinia:
Y-you...you shouldn't go out tonight. Stay inside...Abby's house.

Lavinia:
I don't know how you protected it...but if you stay in there, I'm sure...you can get through this...

Sanson:
...So you know about magecraft as well?

Lavinia:
Don't say I didn't warn you.

Sanson:
...

Prison Guard:
Go in. But no more than two of you.

Prison Guard:
Hey! What'd I just say!?

Robin Hood:
Aw, don't be like that. What's the harm?

Mash:
We're here to get you, Medea. I'm sorry it took so long.

Medea:
...Hello, Mash. Hello, Fujimaru.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Are you all right, Medea?

---

Fujimaru 2:
...This place is even worse than I'd imagined.

---

Medea:
Oh, this? This is nothing.

Medea:
Never mind me. Go check Tituba's cell. Something's not right.

Mash:
It's so dark...I can't see Tituba in there at all.

Robin Hood:
Yeah. That's 'cause she isn't.

Robin Hood:
...Huh? That's weird. I was sure there were a few other people being kept here.

Mash:
Maybe they were all released?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Where's Tituba?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Did you move her somewhere?

---

Prison Guard:
I'm not here to answer your questions.

Prison Guard:
Just take your little fortune-teller and get out of here.

Medea:
I heard sounds coming from Tituba's cell about an hour ago. It sounded like she was being taken somewhere.

Medea:
They took a number of other prisoners as well.

Medea:
I thought they'd be done with whatever it was and come back soon...But they're obviously not.

Mash:
Wait, does that mean you were waiting until we were busy performing...?

Prison Guard:
I told you outsiders,I'm not here to ans–

Carter:
Then you can tell me. I believe I have a right to know.

Prison Guard:
Ulp. Mr. Carter...

Abigail:
Where did you take Tituba?

Prison Guard:
...To the hill. Under Judge Hopkins's orders.

Abigail:
...! The hill...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
What hill?

---

Carter:
He means a hill on the north side of the village. That's where the gallows are.

Mash:
Gallows...!?

Prison Guard:
Tituba has already been sentenced. She's been found guilty.

Medea:
This was your plan the whole time, wasn't it?

Prison Guard:
Judge Hopkins is trying to prevent the devil from gaining power in Salem.

Prison Guard:
Any interference will be seen as conspiring against the authorities. Are you aiding the devil?

Carter:
Calm yourself. This is a clear abuse of your power.

Carter:
The governor of Massachusetts should be consulted on this matter.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Yeah! This is tyranny!

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Hm? Robin?

---

Robin Hood:
Whoa, whoa, hang on a second there. Don't we have more pressing things to worry about right now?

Mash:
That's right! We need to hurry to this hill!

Mash:
I'll tell Sanson and the others waiting outside!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Have someone go on ahead!

---

Mash:
Right!

Abigail:
Uncle, come on! We have to hurry and stop them!

Carter:
Indeed.

Carter:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru,can I ask you to take Abigail along?

Carter:
I'm afraid I have a medical complaint that prevents me from running well.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You got it!

---

Mash:
There's the hill! That must be the gallows over there!

Abigail:
(Huff)...(Huff)...

Mash:
Are you all right, Abby? Where's everyone else who went on ahead...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
There's Nezha! What about Sanson?

---

Nezha:
...So you came.

Sanson:
...

Mash:
There they are...!

Mash:
S-Sanson...?

Sanson:
Oh, Mash.

Sanson:
...I'm afraid they've already been executed.

Sanson:
We didn't make it. Tituba is dead.

Abigail:
!!!

Abigail:
D...dead...?

Mash:
...D-don't look, Abby. It's better if–

Abigail:
...Ah...ahh...

Abigail:
T...Tituba...

Nezha:
...

Nezha:
Sanson...How could you. Just like that?

Nezha:
Is your heart. A stone? Is your blood. Made of mercury?

Nezha:
Think. Poor Abigail.

Sanson:
...I'm sorry. I...I couldn't think of anything else to say...

Medea:
Phew...Running is definitely not my thing.

Medea:
...I see they hanged a number of people with Tituba.

Robin Hood:
...Yeah. Look at the color of their faces. They've been dead for some time now.

Robin Hood:
They must've been executed more than an hour ago. Isn't that right, Sanson?

Sanson:
Yes. Unfortunately.

Mash:
...That would mean it was carried out while we were still onstage.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You mean, on purpose...?

---

Mata Hari:
I'm afraid so.

Hopkins:
...

Mata Hari:
Hopkins...! You set us up, didn't you?

Mata Hari:
You never had any intention of waiting.

Mata Hari:
You just wanted to make sure we wouldn't be able to interfere with the execution! Am I right?

Hopkins:
...What spirits move you to speak so, woman? Some cheap malt, or your own absurd sense of justice?

Hopkins:
Either way, it's most unbecoming. I'll thank you to calm yourself and mind your manners before you speak.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hopkins! You tricked us, didn't you!?

---

Hopkins:
...I understand that witnessing executions can be upsetting, so I will pretend I did not hear that.

Hopkins:
I heard about your performance. It seems you did very well. Even the Reverend was pleased.

Hopkins:
I therefore officially grant you permission to continue performing in this village. Congratulations.

Hopkins:
I look forward to seeing your next great performance for myself, young Fujimaru!

Abigail:
...Get...

Abigail:
Get her down...

Abigail:
Please don't leave Tituba tied up like that...!

Abigail:
Haven't you done enough...? Please don't torment her anymore...

Mash:
Abby......Huh?

H：Executioner:
Stop! Get back!

Judge:
Stay away from them!

Judge:
It is forbidden for criminals to be buried in the town graveyard!

Judge:
I have ordered laborers to dig a hole for them near the foot of the hill. They are working on it as we speak.

Judge:
Until then, you are not to move the bodies!

Abigail:
No...

Carter:
...I see. So we were too late...

Abigail:
Uncle...Please. Please get Tituba down...

Carter:
...Indeed. My niece has the right of it.

Carter:
The handling of her remains is for us to decide. You have no right to speak to us like that.

Judge:
Mr. Carter, I understand you may not be familiar with our rules, but this is the way of our village.

Judge:
Burying criminals alongside our ancestors would be sacrilege to the other villagers! Please understand!

Carter:
Khh...Judge Hopkins!

Hopkins:
The execution has already been carried out. I have no intention of interfering with Salem custom.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You call yourself a guardian of the law!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
You've done plenty of interfering already!

---

Hopkins:
People don't like to be confronted with cold, hard truth. It upsets them, and makes them vulnerable.

Hopkins:
The devil himself was executed here today. Do not grieve for him.

Hopkins:
Caring for the newly bereaved is of course very important, but...

Hopkins:
...being overly protective only tempts the devil further.

Hopkins:
I hope your plays serve to enlighten the other villagers in that regard.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...This is getting us nowhere.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I don't know how to get through to him...

---

Sanson:
...

Robin Hood:
Dunno how you talk that much with all that beard weighing your chin down. It's like you're the king of some run-down little island country or something.

Robin Hood:
Whoa, easy there, gents. I'm not looking for trouble. It was just a little joke.

Hopkins:
Spare me your nonsense.

Hopkins:
...Hmm. It seems you have some excellent clowns in your employ, Ringmaster.

Hopkins:
Very well then. You all may be outsiders...

Hopkins:
...but performers are, by their nature, given free rein to speak whatever comes to their minds.

Hopkins:
As such, I permit you to serve as jurors during your time here.

Mash:
...Huh?

Constable:
Wha...!?

Judge:
Did I hear you right, Judge Hopkins? Are you out of your mind?

Hopkins:
God is always watching over us.

Hopkins:
...But it seems the people of this village are obstinate, and have no interest in broadening their narrow minds.

Hopkins:
Abstinence leads to pent-up anger and frustration, and the laws of God become weapons with which to strike at those whom people come to resent.

Hopkins:
In such an environment, performers like you can help to open the villagers' minds and lead them to the truth.

Hopkins:
Therefore, Fujimaru...

Hopkins:
If, in the future, there is another criminal trial, you will serve on the jury and help us hunt the devil.

Medea:
...Some New World this is. It's still stuck in the Middle Ages.

Medea:
It's every bit as dark, close-minded, and pigheaded as what they supposedly left behind.

Nezha:
...I cannot believe. They kill so coldly. Even a monster. Would hear its prey's. Cries for mercy.

Nezha:
What is it. That drives that man?

Robin Hood:
The only way he could live up to his image of a bastard Witchfinder General more is if he went around twirling that stupid mustache of his.

Mata Hari:
I guess it just goes to show that sometimes, a hardworking imitation can exceed a lazy genuine article.

Sanson:
Putting aside the question of whether it is done for good or evil means...

---

Fujimaru 1:
So what did you want to tell us, Medea?

---

Mash:
S-Senpai?

Mash:
I know a lot has happened since we got here,but currently, our most pressing obligations...

Mash:
...are to restore communications with Chaldea,find out what's impeding our perception, and...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Figuring out what's going on with the Whateleys.

---

Mash:
Right...! That's our best lead in finding the Demon God Pillar.

Mash:
Medea, would you mind picking up what you were trying to tell us before?

Medea:
...Right.

Medea:
Thanks to the extra time I had, I managed to figure out what's cutting us off from Chaldea.

Medea:
It's tied directly to whatever it is that's interfering with our senses.

Medea:
I'll spare you the details and just get right to the conclusion...

Medea:
It isn't that we're being blocked from using our spirit forms. In fact, it's the opposite.

Medea:
We are bound by physical laws while in our spirit form.

Medea:
The Spiritrons that form these temporary bodies are in an abnormally excited state. But we're also always being provided with just enough magical energy to maintain these bodies.

Medea:
Let's see. To put it another way...

Medea:
...it's as though our mirror images gained a physical form and continued doing things in the mirror world.

Medea:
But those forms can never leave the mirror world,and if the mirror were to break...

Robin Hood:
We'd be shattered along with it?

Nezha:
The Jade Emperor. Has one such toy.

Medea:
For real!? I mean, at any rate...

Medea:
We can't contact Chaldea because our magical energy is only flowing in one direction.

Medea:
We're caught in the magecraft system manifesting Salem, one that's lost all sense of itself.

Mata Hari:
...That explains it.

Sanson:
So it's like we are still in the middle of a Rayshift. That doesn't sound very stable.

Robin Hood:
Now I gotcha. So our bodies aren't as strong as they should be 'cause it's like we're stuck in this land.

Mash:
You're all, um...taking this surprisingly well.

Robin Hood:
Hey, we know this is bad news, all right? Like, the thing we gotta worry about the most here is–

Nezha:
Death. Here in Salem. Our Spirit Origins. Will disappear. Right?

Robin Hood:
Exactly! You catch on quick, Your Highness! The other hardheaded saints could learn a thing or two from you.

Mata Hari:
I see. Hopefully we don't end up with more than some short-term memory loss then.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You're awfully nonchalant about that, too.

---

Sanson:
More importantly–

Mash:
...Wait. What about Senpai?

Mash:
How safe is [♂ he /♀ she] here? Is this phenomenon affecting [♂ his /♀ her] health too?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't forget that goes for you too, Mash.

---

Mash:
Oh...Right. I'm sorry for losing my composure like that.

Mash:
Still...if it is not only impossible to contact Chaldea, but we also don't know how to return...

Mash:
I don't think it's unreasonable to get a bit flustered...

Medea:
I'm afraid Mash is right to be worried. We're in real danger here, and all of our leads have dried up.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I know, I'm worried too, but...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Our goal hasn't changed. Defeat the Demon God Pillar!

---

Mash:
Senpai...

Mash:
You're right. Once we find the Demon God Pillar causing all this, things should turn around.

Medea:
...

Sanson:
May I say something? I have another question.

Sanson:
I have been thinking; are we the only ones in irregular spirit form, or might there be others here?

Mash:
Others? You mean, like...e-everyone else here in Salem...?

Nezha:
This village. Always transient. I said so. From the beginning.

Mata Hari:
But without any way to get information from the outside world, we have no way of verifying whether that's the case.

Medea:
...I can't believe a Demon God Pillar could be this powerful.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Does this mean we're SOL when it comes to comms?

---

Medea:
...We haven't exhausted all our options just yet.

Medea:
It's possible the mage in the Whateley family knows something that could help us...

Robin Hood:
...Hmm. I'm kinda curious to see what a local mage workshop is like, but there's something else I wanna know first.

Robin Hood:
Does this mean you're the only one of us who can leave this place?

Robin Hood:
How about it, Ms. Queen Witch?

Medea:
Wha...Robin...?

Robin Hood:
I'm betting you're the only one who could leave this Salem if you wanted to. Am I right?

Medea:
...What are you saying? If you're trying to start some sort of witch hunt yourself–

Robin Hood:
Hmm, guess that wasn't direct enough. All right, I'll ask you straight up.

Robin Hood:
Who are you, really?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Robin?

---

Mash:
Robin, what's this all about...? Are you in on it too, Sanson? Mata Hari?

Mata Hari:
Master...Mash...I'm sorry about this.

Sanson:
Mata Hari was the first to notice something was amiss. So, Robin and I have been keeping an eye on her.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You could've filled me in, too!

---

Fujimaru 2:
I was curious after Mash's warning, but...

---

Mata Hari:
Again, I'm sorry, Master.

Mata Hari:
We didn't want you to find out at a time when it could have been dangerous for you.

Mata Hari:
Plus, we thought that sowing discord among our own ranks might be exactly what somebody wanted.

Medea:
...

Robin Hood:
Exactly. And speaking of exceptions,I'd say you're the only abnormal one here.

Robin Hood:
We've been watching you all this time,and you didn't seem to be hostile.

Robin Hood:
So we decided to stay quiet and see how things played out. But then, to our surprise...

Robin Hood:
...you weren't able to prevent Tituba from being executed.

Robin Hood:
Almost looks to me like you let her die on purpose.

Medea:
No. You're wrong about that.

Medea:
I couldn't do anything in prison with the guards always watching. And above all...

Medea:
...I wanted to make absolutely sure that Fujimaru wouldn't be found guilty [♂ himself /♀ herself].

Robin Hood:
Oh, really? Well, I can't fault you for that. Now then.

Robin Hood:
Let me ask you, Master: Can you compel her with your Command Spells?

Robin Hood:
How do we even know she's a Chaldean Servant?

Nezha:
Hm? Hmm hmm? Medea. You are our enemy?

Mash:
A Command Spell...? P-please, don't do this...!

Mash:
Senpai, this isn't right. Robin, you need to calm down!

Robin Hood:
Sorry Mash, but I'm afraid I'm completely calm here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Mata Hari?

Mata Hari:
At first I thought she might be a spy from the Mage's Association...

Mata Hari:
...but there's too many things that don't add up for that to be the case. Why don't we hear what she has to say?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Sanson? What do you think?

Sanson:
If you ask me, I would say she leaves herself far too open.

Sanson:
She could never be an Assassin out to kill you in your sleep.

---

Medea:
You all sure like to run your mouths, don't you...?

Sanson:
...Mr. Carter is back. They must have finished the burial.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Let's pick this back up again later, everyone.

---

Nezha:
Hm? Are you sure?

Robin Hood:
Fine with me. If that's what the Ringmaster wants,I'll play along. But I'll be watching you. Always.

Medea:
...Ew. Creep.

Nezha:
Robin. So depraved.

Robin Hood:
Huh!? Depraved!?

Mash:
Abby went up to her room right after she got back...

Nezha:
She seems. Better. Than expected. Thank goodness.

Mash:
...

Carter:
...She behaved herself well while I was talking to the executioner, too.

Carter:
She carried herself admirably,just like my late sister would have.

Carter:
She has been through a lot lately, but in the end,she will be that much stronger for it.

Mash:
...As we were saying earlier...

Mash:
Is it true that the official reason the execution was carried out so quickly is because Tituba confessed?

Carter:
It is.

Carter:
Hard as it is to believe,Tituba confessed her sins of her own accord.

Carter:
She claimed she saw the devil with her own eyes.

Carter:
That he spoke to her, and urged her to cast aside her faith and sign a pact with him.

Carter:
And that when she refused, he entered her body and controlled her himself...

---

Fujimaru 1:
The devil?

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Could that be the Demon God Pillar...? )

---

Carter:
I still can't quite believe it.

Carter:
She had injuries that make it clear she was whipped during her interrogation.

Mash:
...Poor Tituba...

Mata Hari:
...That makes it sound like her confession was tortured out of her.

Carter:
Exactly.

Carter:
...However, it didn't seem to me like the executioner or guards were lying out of malice either.

Carter:
If anything, they seemed deathly worried,as if they were afraid for their own lives...

Mata Hari:
Could they have seen the devil themselves?

Carter:
Oh, I don't know about that.

Medea:
They could be scared of Hopkins. That would explain it.

Medea:
If there's something they fear more than that,maybe it's the wrath of God Himself?

Carter:
...God, hm?

Robin Hood:
...Hang on just a minute.

Robin Hood:
Master, something weird's going on outside. It's still a ways off, but whatever it is, it's getting closer.

Nezha:
There is a scent.... It is. Evil.

---

Fujimaru 1:
We'd better go check it out right now!

Mash:
...Agreed.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Medea, is this house safe?

Medea:
...It'll protect anyone who stays here, yes.

Medea:
But I can't vouch for the other houses.

---

Carter:
Someone's attacking us...? Don't tell me it's the Indians?

Sanson:
Mr. Carter, please stay here. Do not leave the house under any circumstances.

Sanson:
You need to take care of Abigail.

Carter:
...All right. I will go fetch my gun.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mash and Medea, you two stay here too!

---

Mash:
Yes, Senpai. I'll make sure to keep them both safe.

Medea:
...

Monster:
...!

Sanson:
They're certainly taking their time. Where in the world did they come from...?

Sanson:
In fact, it doesn't seem as though they mean to attack us at all. They don't even appear to be armed...

Nezha:
The evil aura's source. The stench of death...

Sanson:
You seem like you're doing better now that you've been able to take on your spirit form at least once, Nezha.

Nezha:
This body. Granted to me. By the Buddha and Taiyi Zhenren! My sense of smell. Cannot be fooled!

Robin Hood:
Whoa there, what the hell are those things? Oh, man, tell me this isn't turning into a living dead kind of situation here...

Robin Hood:
Man, Chaldea really screwed up their choice of Servants again. Wish I could trade places with that hardheaded saint girl right about now.

Mata Hari:
Are they enemies...? No, wait. Those are the prisoners who were hanged at the gallows...!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Wait, they're zombies!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
We need to get rid of them before the villagers show up!

---

--ARROW--

A：Monster:
Grooo...Grrgh...

Robin Hood:
How're these things still moving!? Haven't we hit 'em enough by now!?

Sanson:
...W-wait! I think they're trying to say something.

Robin Hood:
Huh? You gotta be kidding me.

A：Male Monster:
...M...

A：Male Monster:
My neck...It hurts...Dammit...Dammit...

A：Male Monster:
Ngh...Everyone's...rustled cows...at some point...

A：Male Monster:
Why am I...the only one who...Ooh, it hurts...

B：Female Monster:
...I didn't...want to have...that child...

B：Female Monster:
I was forced...into it...

B：Female Monster:
So I took the...abortifacient...what else was I...supposed to do...

C：Old Male Monster:
God...

C：Old Male Monster:
The true God...resides...within my...heart...

C：Old Male Monster:
...You are...the truly...wicked ones...

C：Old Male Monster:
Ahhh...

Mata Hari:
They just disintegrated...Did we defeat them somehow...?

Sanson:
I cannot believe that the dead...could speak of God...

Sanson:
Those were corpses just now. I could have sworn they were...!

Sanson:
Their blood was cold, and as congealed as wet earth. Their muscles were stiff and rigid...!

Sanson:
And yet, they still possessed consciousness...Di-Did we just kill living people...?

Mata Hari:
Sanson? Sanson! Get a hold of yourself! This isn't like you!

Mata Hari:
Don't tell me the incarnation has affected your mind as well!

Nezha:
Be wary...! This is. Not yet over!

Nezha:
The evil aura. Remains...!

Robin Hood:
Those were gunshots! Dammit, they came around the back of the house!

Robin Hood:
Did we screw up leaving Medea behind?

Monsters:
...!!!

Mash:
Senpai...! Look!

A：Monsters? :
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Tituba...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can't make her out clearly...

---

Carter:
...

Carter:
So, you can see her too, Fujimaru.

Carter:
Isn't that...Tituba?

Carter:
I could have sworn we buried her, and yet here she is, wandering about as if still awaiting her sentencing...

Robin Hood:
Dunno 'bout you, but I'm not exactly hearin'seven angels and their trumpets just now!

Medea:
Now that she's touched the workshop's Bounded Field,she's about to take on her true form...

Mash:
She's preparing to attack!

Mata Hari:
...!

Mata Hari:
(What do we do, Master!? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
I know Mr. Carter's here, but we're out of options!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let's finish this as quickly as possible!

---

--ARROW--

Tituba:
...aAA...

Tituba:
A...AhH...

Nezha:
We have. Not yet. Vanquished her...Bounded Field. About to break!

Nezha:
This one. Far stronger regrets. Than the other corpses.

Nezha:
Begone, Tituba! No longer! Do you belong here!

Medea:
Hehe...hehehe. You really do use some interesting spells.

Medea:
We are both of us women and Casters,so I will send you to the underworld myself.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Medea...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Did you lose your mind again?

---

Medea:
Never mind that! Just hurry and add me to the lineup!

--BATTLE--

Tituba:
...A...

Tituba:
A...Abi...gail...

B：???:
...

Robin Hood:
...!

Nezha:
Lower your bow. Robin.

Nezha:
That's a human. Not a corpse.

Robin Hood:
Dammit...

---

Fujimaru 1:
What's up?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Was someone hiding behind that tree?

---

Robin Hood:
This is real bad. Somebody saw us.

E：???:
...

Carter:
Hm? Isn't that...Absalom?

Mash:
...I don't believe I saw him during the play. Who is he?

Carter:
He lives here in Salem as well.

Carter:
I rarely see him out and about,but unless I am very much mistaken...

Carter:
...that was Absalom Whateley,the head of the Whateley family...

Carter:
...and Lavinia's grandfather.

Mash:
I see...

B：???:
So THAT'S Salem's resident alchemist, eh.

Mash:
...

Sanson:
...

Nezha:
...

Robin Hood:
Umm...Hold up a minute.

Robin Hood:
Who might you be, exactly?

B：???:
Haha, I guess that WOULD be the first thing you'd want to know, wouldn't it?

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Tituba...

Section 3: Second Knot

The Next Day - Town Hall 　　　　　　　　　　 -Salem Day 3-

A：Villager:
We lost four calves in a single night. FOUR! I don't know how we're going to bounce back from this.

A：Villager:
Even the calves that survived suffered terrible wounds. They'll never grow into viable cattle now.

A：Villager:
The Indians might go around attacking livestock,but they'd never do something like this.

A：Villager:
The wounds had to have been inflicted by huge...claws or the like! It's horrible!

A：Villager:
Who did this? Who's responsible for this? Somebody, answer me!

B：Villager:
It's the devil. It must be. Our family graveyard has been desecrated!

B：Villager:
I steeled myself and prayed for strength to confront the beast...But just as I held up my lantern and started chanting holy verses, it fled into the night...

B：Villager:
It was very dark, but I still managed to make out twisted legs, hooves, and a horrid protruding mouth!

B：Villager:
That thing couldn't possibly have been human.

B：Villager:
What's more, I saw it gnawing away madly on broken bones...inside a dug-up grave...

B：Villager:
Oh, God, I can hardly bring myself to say it. Surely there can be no question. That was the devil's work!

Mash:
(This is bad, Senpai...)

Mash:
(This must have all happened before those monsters came and attacked us...)

---

Fujimaru 1:
I guess it's not even safe inside the village now...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I wonder if there were any other victims...

---

Judge:
Order! Settle down! One of our constables has a report to share with all of us as well.

Constable:
What I have to say may shock you,but I ask that you all remain calm.

Constable:
Last night, somebody dug up the bodies of the criminals who were executed yesterday.

Constable:
Every one of the corpses that was buried near the hill with the gallows has disappeared.

Constable:
Including Tituba...

Villagers:
(Eep...) (Cursed devil...)(Even her...? ) (We're all done for...)

Judge:
The disappearance of these bodies, and the appearance of these monsters, cannot be a coincidence.

Judge:
We must be even more vigilant now,but I'm afraid we can only do so much...

Mash:
(...Did you hear that, Senpai? )

Mash:
(I know we hurried to this town meeting in order to warn everyone...)

Mash:
(...but I guess we won't have to anymore. )

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hmm, something still doesn't sit right with me...

Mash:
Yes, there are still some things I'm unclear on too.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Those CAN'T be the last monsters we'll see here.

Mash:
N-no, probably not.

Mash:
We definitely can't say for sure that the threat has passed.

---

Carter:
...Ahem.

Judge:
Yes, Mr. Carter? Is there something you'd like to say?

Carter:
Well, as a matter of fact...I too saw these monsters last night.

Carter:
And that's not all...I believe I know what they are.

Carter:
They were a very close match to the ones described in the writings of a French aristocrat named d'Erlette.

Carter:
...He called them “ghouls. ”

Mash:
...Ghouls.

Judge:
Then, you say these monsters were not the devil, but a different sort of creature, like specters or ghosts?

Carter:
I suppose so, in that these are strange and extraordinary creatures. They too are demons that reside in the dark corners of the world.

Carter:
These ghouls have a keen aversion to all living things.

Carter:
To sate their appetites, they slaughter their prey and feed off the corpses.

Carter:
Furthermore...d'Erlette said that these creatures were once human.

Carter:
Humans that turned away from God's teachings and abandoned their humanity.

Judge:
Thank you, Mr. Carter. This is valuable information that will certainly be useful as we discuss the matter.

Judge:
However, while I hesitate to even speak such blasphemous words...

Judge:
...does this mean that these ghouls may have been the dead come back to life?

Judge:
Was there anyone you recognized among them?

Carter:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Uhh...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(...Oh crap. )

---

Mash:
(...! )

Carter:
...No.

Carter:
I'm afraid I can't speak to that. It was the middle of the night, after all.

Carter:
Besides, according to the document I read...ghouls and the living dead are not the same thing.

Carter:
I managed to drive away the ghouls I saw last night...

Carter:
...thanks to Fujimaru and [♂ his /♀ her] companions.

Carter:
That is why some of you may have heard gunshots and howls last night.

Judge:
...I see. That was very brave of you.

Judge:
I will report all of this to Judge Hopkins as well.

Judge:
I would also take this moment to urge more men to volunteer for the night watch! Those of you who are capable and willing, come with me!

Sanson:
Master.

Mash:
Hello, Sanson. Thanks for escorting the Reverend here.

Sanson:
Of course. I'm afraid we can't be too careful now, even here in the village.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So what's up?

---

Sanson:
The Reverend says he has a favor to ask of us. What would you like to do?

---

Fujimaru 1:
What could it be?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'll hear him out if it's something we can help with.

---

Mash:
You have a job request? For The Fujimaru Company?

Reverend:
...? Is it that strange? I thought it would be a reasonable thing to ask of performers like yourselves.

Mash:
Y-yes, of course it is. I'm sorry for being rude.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Can I ask you why?

---

Reverend:
...Yes, good point. I can't blame you for being taken aback.

Reverend:
In my profession, plays, novels, and other such things are usually considered base forms of entertainment.

Reverend:
Things that seduce good people of faith, and impede my job of guiding them on the just and God-fearing path.

Reverend:
...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak ill of your work...

Reverend:
However, as of late this village has seen one terrible incident after another.

Reverend:
Children are frightened, and their parents are unable to care for them.

Reverend:
Prayers alone will not be enough to set the faithful's minds at ease.

Reverend:
I admit that it is beyond my abilities to remedy the current crisis we face.

Reverend:
So I was hoping that you could put on a play that would get the children to smile again.

Mash:
I see...A play for children...

Nezha:
Let's do it. Master. Come on. Let's do it. Please!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
O-o-o-okay, okay. Just stop shaking me!

Nezha:
I knew. You would understand. Master!

---

Fujimaru 2:
I see somebody's excited about this idea.

Nezha:
A play is sure. To put Abigail. In good spirits.

Mash:
...Good point!

---

Reverend:
Thank you. It's good to know that we are on the same page.

Reverend:
If I may, I think the play should be something appropriate for our village, such as...No, on second thought, I'll let you all choose what to perform. This sort of thing is well beyond my expertise.

Reverend:
Very well then, I will see you all at the town hall later...

Mash:
Oh, please wait a moment, Reverend.

Reverend:
Yes?

Mash:
Well, you see...

Mash:
There's actually a member of The Fujimaru Company who has yet to go on stage...

Mash:
...and I thought I should introduce you to her ahead of time!

Reverend:
Oh, I see. Yes, I would love to meet her.

Reverend:
...Is that her...?

B：???:
...(Grin)

Mash:
This is, um...

---

Fujimaru 1:
She's our new rising star.

B：???:
That's right! You've got everything to worry about with me around!

---

Fujimaru 2:
She's our secret child actress.

B：???:
...Oh, so you're looking to die young, are you? I can arrange that!

---

Circe:
I am Circe the Witch!

Circe:
The daughter of Helios, god of the sun,and descendant of Okeanos, god of the sea...

Circe:
...and heir to the spells and wisdom of Hecate, goddess of the moon! That makes me the greatest witch ever!

Reverend:
I...Huh...!? A-a witch!? Did you just say you're a witch!?

Mash:
...Th-that's the role she specializes in!

Mash:
It's all just an act! The ears and...everything are just part of a costume to help her get in character!

Circe:
Right. That's totally what's going on here. Hehe.

Reverend:
I-I see...I-I suppose there ARE a number of plays that involve witches. Macbeth comes to mind.

Reverend:
...V-very well then.

Reverend:
I'll be sure to let the other villagers know about this addition to your troupe.

Reverend:
...In the meantime, I do hope you will put on a good play for the children.

Reverend:
Oh, and...I would appreciate it if you kept the fact that I was the one to make this request to yourselves.

Mash:
...Whew...

Circe:
I didn't want to say anything while we were talking to him, but...you're REALLY not cut out for this acting stuff, are you, Mash?

Mash:
I'm doing my best!

Robin Hood:
...Hmph, that Reverend guy's got a lotta nerve. I swear, what IS it about men of the cloth...?

Robin Hood:
It's that much more rich when you consider that his testimony is a big part of what got Tituba hanged.

Sanson:
...He's trying to protect the village as best he can. He may make mistakes, but I don't truly believe he's acting out of malice.

Robin Hood:
Well, you ask me, nothing's worse than an idiot who throws himself into something without a thought.

Sanson:
That doesn't mean we can just sit back and mock anyone who makes a mistake.

Robin Hood:
Hey, I'm just saying it's impossible to rein someone in when they start getting all self-righteous.

Circe:
Ooh, we've got a joker and a dandy hurling abuse at each other. I could get used to this. Hehe.

Circe:
That's it! Keep it up! Just make sure it doesn't get in Fujimaru's way.

Robin Hood:
Whoa whoa, what're you talking about?

Robin Hood:
You're the main reason we're all confused here, Queenie. You know that?

Robin Hood:
...Guess I've gotta hand it to you though, Master. You're really taking all this in stride.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Trust me, I'm as shocked as anyone.

---

Circe:
That's fair. Anyway, after what I've seen these last few days, Fujimaru...

Circe:
...I've got a pretty good handle on your open-mindedness and your talent as a mage.

Mash:
I was pretty surprised myself...

Mash:
I'd heard the real Medea mention her before, but...

Mash:
I still can't believe that Circe, the famous witch of Greek myth, has been with us all this time...

The Previous Night – The Carter House 　　　　　　 Post-Ghoul Battle Discussion

Circe:
That's right. I've been posing as Medea since we Rayshifted here.

Circe:
I'm a Servant without a Master.

Circe:
I probably manifested as part of Da Vinci's summoning experiments.

Circe:
I was so confused when I initially manifested, and my magical energy was running really low to boot.

Circe:
Looking back on it, the summoning system probably didn't give me sufficient knowledge for the times.

Circe:
Even with Medea there, I couldn't trust Chaldea as an institution, so I decided to flee.

Circe:
I snuck around looking for different ways to escape, and thought I might ask an outside Master for help.

Circe:
But when I learned there was nothing around Chaldea but ice and snow, my hope turned to desperation.

Circe:
I'm not really gifted with a ton of staying power or endurance, you know.

Circe:
That was about when this Salem stuff started happening, so I figured this was my chance.

Circe:
It didn't seem like coincidence. Actually, it felt like someone was guiding me.

Sanson:
...So you felt you were being called here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why did you decide to come clean to us?

---

Circe:
You really need to ask? Because Tituba's dead!

Circe:
You must have all figured this out by now, right?

Circe:
She's a Servant. Well, was, I guess. And “Tituba” wasn't her True Name.

Circe:
I don't know who she was, but somebody summoned her, and was providing her with magical energy.

Circe:
I admit, I was only pretending to help establish contact with Chaldea. I've actually been jamming it this whole time.

Circe:
I didn't want them telling you that I wasn't who I said I was.

Mash:
That does not seem to have stopped some of the Servants here from realizing it.

Nezha:
Medea. Will be furious. Her retaliation. Swift. And terrible...

Circe:
Eventually, I stopped jamming the communications.

Circe:
I mean, I even learned that this place was so cut off from everything that there was no point bothering.

Circe:
That's also why I needed a workshop,so I could make full use of my abilities!

Circe:
So, basically...

Circe:
...our fates are inextricably intertwined,Fujimaru.

Circe:
Neither of us is going anywhere until we've sorted out whatever's happening here in Salem.

---

Fujimaru 1:
How do we know that you're really Circe?

Mash:
She DOES look a lot like Medea...

---

Fujimaru 2:
How do we know you don't serve the Demon God Pillar?

Mash:
Wow, Senpai, you sound just like a Chaldean mage...! Oh, I-I'm sorry.

---

Circe:
I don't think that's really the biggest point of concern here.

Circe:
At any rate, I'm afraid I don't have any way of dispelling your suspicions right now.

Nezha:
I sense. Powerful energy. But. Only traces of evil...?

Robin Hood:
Damn, so you can detect bewitching powers too,Your Highness? You really do got a lot going for you!

Robin Hood:
...But never mind that. I wouldn't trust Queenie here as far as I could throw her. Which...I guess is pretty far, but you get the idea!

Robin Hood:
For all we know, she could be a Demon God Pillar pretending to be a Servant. I mean, we've seen some weird shit before.

Robin Hood:
It's not like you've even made a contract with her, right?

Circe:
Then how about we make a limited contract now, as proof of my willingness to cooperate? I'm prepared to do that. And now it's even possible thanks to my workshop.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is it really impossible to contact Chaldea?

---

Circe:
I swear to Hekate, I can't do anything to reestablish communications until we know what's blocking them.

Circe:
So let's get this limited contract underway so we can [♂ have some fun together. /♀ avoid trouble down the road. ] Come on, time's a wasting.

Mash:
S-slow down! Give Senpai a little time to think it over...!

Mash:
Ahem...B-by the way, I'm curious to know...

Mash:
If Salem's Bounded Field wasn't this strong,and you could have already escaped from it...

Mash:
...what would you have done, Circe?

Circe:
Haha, well, no point in keeping secrets now, huh?

Circe:
My original plan was to entice you into coming with me, Fujimaru.

---

Fujimaru 1:
That would be...troublesome, to say the least.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Could you at least wait until after the mission?

---

Mash:
Wha...Wha...!

Circe:
That's a specialty of mine, you know. If any Servants had gotten in my way, I would've just taken them out.

Mata Hari:
...Hmm. I see.

Mata Hari:
...Well, right now, we have no choice but to depend on her.

Mata Hari:
I guess if I had to give you just one piece of advice, Master...

Mata Hari:
...it'd be to [♂ tell you that /♀ remind you that we] women are at [♂ their /♀ our] most dangerous after [♂ they've /♀ we've] shown [♂ their /♀ our] hand. Just keep that in mind.

---

Fujimaru 1:
[♂ Thanks for the warning. /♀ ...You may be right. ]

---

Fujimaru 2:
It's okay. I'm sure Circe's a good witch.

---

Circe:
...Hehe.

Mash:
(This is troubling...Circe seems to be a completely different kind of witch from Medea...)

---

Fujimaru 1:
Can you keep pretending to be Medea out here?

---

Circe:
...Good point. Okay, I will.

Sanson:
If this is what you want, Master,we'll go along with it.

Nezha:
Going. To tell Abigail.

Mata Hari:
Huh? Nezha!?

Robin Hood:
...So Master, about the thing we were discussing.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What thing?

---

Fujimaru 2:
The attack last night, right?

---

Mash:
You mean Absalom Whateley. The...alleged alchemist.

Robin Hood:
Right. As suspects go, he's looking pretty good...But something about this just seems off to me.

Robin Hood:
What do you think, Professor Circe? Care to fill the rest of the class in?

Circe:
Absolutely!

Circe:
For starters, I'm sure you can imagine how an alchemist might double as a necromancer.

Circe:
After all, alchemy is all about gaining control over bodies, life, and souls. Turning lead into gold is just a happy by-product.

Circe:
Anyway, at this point, the main thing you're concerned about is whether he has anything to do with the Demon God Pillar, right?

Circe:
And then there's the moving corpses. The ghouls, as Carter called them...

Circe:
If there's anything here I don't understand,it's them. I couldn't pick them up at all.

Circe:
I'm afraid it was only sheer luck that we managed to drive them off last night. There's no way I could've done it on my own...

Mash:
I see. So not even your workshop's defenses were enough to repel them, huh, Med–err, Circe...

Mash:
Still, I think Nezha was fairly sensitive to them?

Circe:
I believe her methods are more...primitive. She's more sensing hostile intent than evil.

Robin Hood:
True. It's a good thing she was here.

Robin Hood:
So if there's a chance monsters like that might attack again, shouldn't we come up with a plan, like, now?

Robin Hood:
...'Course, now that things've come to this,I'm wondering about Carter's background too...

Robin Hood:
Like, why would an ex-military Oriental Studies professor even know about ghouls in the first place?

Sanson:
...

Mata Hari:
...Is there something you want to say, Sanson?

Sanson:
...I'm afraid there's something I need to apologize to you all for.

Sanson:
It's about the other Whateley we know, Lavinia...

Abigail:
You're going to put on another play? At the town hall?

Nezha:
That's right.

Nezha:
The one we did yesterday. Far too dull. This one. Much more fun!

Abigail:
...

Nezha:
You do not. Feel up to it?

Nezha:
Okay. If you do not.

Abigail:
...Thank you, Nezha.

Abigail:
You, Mash, Fujimaru, and everyone else have all been so kind to me...

Abigail:
And I've only been thinking about myself...

Nezha:
No one. Blames you.

Abigail:
...I wish I could go with Lavinia...

Abigail:
I thought I saw her at the town hall last night. I think she must have wanted to see the play, too.

Nezha:
...Lavinia, hm?

Abigail:
I've been praying for Tituba's soul to go to heaven.

Nezha:
...Hmm. The Heavenly Realm. Not a fun place.

Nezha:
If anything. It is restrictive. Boring.

Nezha:
Some are. So disappointed. With it. That they. End up. Running to hell.

Abigail:
...(Giggle)That sounds like the story about fallen angels.

Abigail:
Anyway, that's silly. I'm sure that heaven is a perfectly wonderful place.

Nezha:
...Very well. Lavinia, was it?

Nezha:
I shall. Bring her. Promise.

Nezha:
So please. Cheer up.

Abigail:
...Huh?

Sanson:
Mademoiselle Lavinia.

Lavinia:
Sa...

Lavinia:
Th-this is...r-really troublesome...

Lavinia:
Wh-why did you bring me here...against my will...

Lavinia:
And if that...wasn't bad enough...A...

Abigail:
Lavinia! You really came!

Abigail:
Thank you, Nezha. Thank you so much!

Nezha:
No need. For thanks. Enjoy. Now. I must put on makeup.

Lavinia:
...You're wrong. I-I didn't come...because I wanted to...

Lavinia:
I-I just couldn't...stay at home anymore...They...they kicked me out...

Lavinia:
Your uncle came. With the constables...

Abigail:
He did...?

Lavinia:
Yes...He...he said he wanted to talk...to Grandfather.

Abigail:
You mean...about what happened last night...?

Abigail:
Lavini–

Lavinia:
I–

Lavinia:
It's...terrible...

Lavinia:
What happened...to Tituba...

Abigail:
...It is...

Lavinia:
I-if it wasn't for this village...She'd still be...

Abigail:
Lavinia...

Abigail:
Maybe, but this is still the village where we were born and raised...

Lavinia:
...

Sanson:
...

Mash:
Abby, Lavinia? Why don't you two have a seat over here.

Mash:
We're just about to begin. Come on, Sanson. You need to get ready, too.

Sanson:
...Right.

Lavinia:
I'm just...a child...

Lavinia:
I don't...

Abigail:
...

Sanson:
Master, a word, please.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What's up?

---

Sanson:
...It appears something happened with the Whateley family.

Sanson:
I don't believe it poses an immediate threat like what happened last night, but it still...nags at me.

Sanson:
So if you don't mind, I would like to go there and see what's happening for myself.

Mash:
Huh? You mean, right now!?

Mash:
S-so we have to perform without you again? Now what are we going to do? S-still, I suppose that IS important...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why don't you go up on stage again then, Mash?

---

Mash:
W-well, I do know all the lines by heart...!

Mash:
But if I do that, who will be the prompter...? Would you and I take turns...!?

Nezha:
...Mash.

Nezha:
This play. Does not need a prompter. Look into. The children's eyes. Listen. Their hearts.

Village Children:
...

Mash (Narrator):
H-hello there, everyone. Thank you all for waiting.

Mash (Narrator):
I see there are a number of you who have never seen a Fujimaru Company production before.

Mash (Narrator):
My name is Mash, and I'll be your narrator this evening. Later I will also appear as an actress in the play.

Mash (Narrator):
Today, The Fujimaru Company will be performing a thrilling fantasy...

Mash (Narrator):
A beloved tale from the Eastern kingdom of Qing...

Mash (Narrator):
We will be performing a chapter of a grand epic called “Journey to the West. ”

Mash (Narrator):
Our tale begins over a thousand years ago...

Mash (Narrator):
...when a famed Buddhist named Xuanzang Sanzang sets off westward in search of inspirational sutras.

Mash (Narrator):
Sutras, in case you didn't know, are like the Bible for those of the Buddhist faith.

Mash (Narrator):
And while “Journey to the West” may be fictional,Xuanzang Sanzang was a real person.

Mash (Narrator):
A person who crossed a distance equivalent to three round trips between Salem and London.

Mash (Narrator):
And with nothing more than the unshakable faith she held in her heart!

Girl:
...Three round trips across the Atlantic Ocean? She really traveled that much?

Girl:
How did she do it? Did she go by boat?

Mash (Narrator):
No, by foot!

Mash (Narrator):
She walked for the vast majority of her journey!

Girl:
Wow, that's amazing!

Girl:
I can't believe it! Is she joking?

Boy:
No way, that's impossible! Nobody could walk that far in their whole life!

Mash (Narrator):
...

Lavinia:
...I-if you devoted your life to it...you could even go around...the entire planet...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...That's not...that's not possible...

Abigail:
Nobody could ever go somewhere...that far away...

Abigail:
There's no way...

Lavinia:
...

Mash (Narrator):
Well now, who can say? After all, this did take place over a thousand years ago...

Mash (Narrator):
Still, one thing is certain: Xuanzang faced many trials and perils during her journey.

Mash (Narrator):
But worry not, distinguished young guests. Xuanzang did not have to undertake this journey alone.

Mash (Narrator):
She was joined by her disciples, who were capable warriors in their own right...

Mash (Narrator):
Uh oh. How will Xuanzang Sanzang and her friends ever get out of this predicament?

Mash (Narrator):
You'll find out once we've finished changing the set. Please stay right where you are.

Mash (Narrator):
If anyone needs to use the washroom,now's your chance!

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...I-I need to...use the washroom...

Abigail:
...Wait.

Abigail:
Where do you think you're going, Lavinia?

Abigail:
The play isn't over yet. It's just getting to the good part. Is...is it boring you?

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...S-Sanson wasn't on the stage...He must have...gone off on his own...

Abigail:
...So...you want to go back home? I've got a bad feeling about this.

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
I...in that case, I'm going too! Take me with you.

Lavinia:
No. That's...I couldn't possibly...

Lavinia:
Didn't you really want...to see this play...?

Abigail:
If I can't see it with you, Lavinia, it's going to be boring no matter what. Right?

Lavinia:
...But...

Lavinia:
...J-just stay quiet...We need to...be extra careful...

Abigail:
...Okay. I will.

Mash (Narrator):
Okay everyone, the intermission is over! Please get back to your seats!

Mash (Narrator):
...Wait. Huh?

Mash (Narrator):
Where did Abby and Lavinia go...?

Nezha:
Mash. Introductory remarks. Go.

Mash (Narrator):
R-right! Sorry!

Sanson:
...Judge Hopkins?

Sanson:
Where are you taking this elderly gentleman?

Hopkins:
...You're the Frenchman with The Fujimaru Company.

Sanson:
Sanson. My name is Charles-Henri Sanson.

Sanson:
I'll ask you again: Where are you taking this man? To prison?

Sanson:
If you mean to imprison him with no further questioning or due process, as you did with Tituba, I beg you to reconsider.

Sanson:
Your Honor, you are a representative of the governor of Massachusetts, not a king.

Hopkins:
You're certainly bold, Frenchman. It seems you cannot help yourself from meddling.

B：Constable:
Out of our way! You dare mock His Honor!?

C：Constable:
You've got a big mouth on you, even for a performer. Shall we put him in his place, Your Honor?

Hopkins:
...Not just yet.

Carter:
...Hmm. I didn't expect to see you here.

Sanson:
Not you too, Mr. Carter?

Carter:
...Sanson, you were there last night too. You know this is necessary.

Carter:
Absalom used black magic to animate those ghouls and have them menace the village.

Carter:
He is a clear and present threat. We cannot tarry in putting an end to that threat.

Sanson:
Wha...

Sanson:
I'm surprised to hear that from you, Mr. Carter.

Sanson:
You were the one who told us about these ghouls in the first place.

Sanson:
I took you for knowledgeable and trustworthy; I didn't think you were one to wield authority like a bludgeon.

Sanson:
Please don't prove to be so base in your motivations. If you suspect this man of wrongdoing...

Sanson:
...he should be tried for his alleged crimes properly, with the people of Salem serving as his jury.

Sanson:
Surely you can agree with that, Judge Hopkins! Please, give him a fair trial!

Hopkins:
That's quite enough out of you, young whelp.

Hopkins:
There is no need for a trial.

Hopkins:
You fail to see what is truly happening here.

Hopkins:
A poison threatens to spread through this village,an evil that could cause it to rot from within.

Hopkins:
What could the painstakingly slow process of a trial accomplish against such a foe? Even as we speak, the devil is luring all manner of villainy to Salem.

Hopkins:
That is why I was sent here. To prevent riots, looting, adultery, impiety, and other such horrors.

Sanson:
...I must disagree, Your Honor.

Sanson:
If you intend to pass judgment on your fellow man, you have all the more reason to trust in his rationality.

Sanson:
These people are not witches. They loathe witches more than anyone.

Sanson:
You must not plant the seeds of the devil himself–this absurd notion that witches are running rampant in Salem–in the minds of the people!

Hopkins:
...

Constable:
Shut up! How dare you speak to His Honor like that!

Sanson:
...

Abigail:
...Uncle? What are you doing?

Sanson:
...! Abigail. What are you doing here?

Carter:
...I didn't want you to have to see this, Abigail.

Carter:
I'm afraid the Whateleys are heretics. They have no place here in Salem.

Abigail:
Uncle...This isn't like you. Why would you say such a thing?

Constable:
Move. Get into the cart, Whateley.

Lavinia:
Ah...Ah...Wai–

Lavinia:
...G-Grandfather...

Absalom:
...Lavinia.

Absalom:
You are a Whateley. God's glorious protection lies within you.

Absalom:
But not yet. It is still not complete.

Absalom:
I cannot depend on Mason. I doubt she is even here in Salem any longer.

Absalom:
Find Captain Marsh, the owner of the wharf. Ask him for help.

Absalom:
He owes our family a debt.

Lavinia:
...O-okay...I will...

Carter:
Now you're trying to pass your evil on to children?

Carter:
The police are searching your basement. I'm told they'll confiscate any dubiously acquired money.

Absalom:
...Suit yourselves.

Absalom:
Randolph...

Absalom:
You must despise me for what happened to your sister, and her husband.

Carter:
...

Abigail:
You mean...my parents...?

Abigail:
Weren't they killed by Indians...?

Absalom:
Your anger is misplaced.

Absalom:
All I did was return them to their original, proper forms.

Absalom:
I merely opened the door to this prison. They are the ones who chose to walk through it.

Carter:
Enough of your nonsense! Hasn't my niece already suffered enough?

Constable:
Calm down, Mr. Carter.

Constable:
All right, Judge Hopkins,I'll take him straight to prison!

Hopkins:
Good.

Sanson:
...Curses...

Sanson:
This...Even if this is all just a mirage of the past, this isn't right...!

Hopkins:
...Hmph. Charles-Henri Sanson, was it?

Hopkins:
I can see you are more than just a mouthy actor. Curious though I am, that can wait till later.

Hopkins:
Your contempt has more than earned you a sentence of your own...But I have a better use for you.

Hopkins:
The gallows were destroyed during last night's storm. Fortunately it didn't happen during an execution.

Hopkins:
At any rate, Salem now needs men to repair and expand them.

Hopkins:
But the villagers are ill at ease around the gallows, and wish to stay far away from them.

Hopkins:
Therefore, you will head to the hill and rebuild the gallows along with the prison guards.

Hopkins:
...No, on second thought,you will do it entirely by yourself.

Hopkins:
It should be a most fitting task for a conceited, self-flagellating whelp like you, Charles-Henri Sanson!

--ARROW--

Lavinia:
...H...

Lavinia:
...He...

Lavinia:
He killed my grandfather...Even my father, Noah...

Lavinia:
...I'll get him...for this...

Lavinia:
...I swear it...

Mata Hari:
...I never thought Mr. Carter would end up helping Hopkins...

Mash:
I can't believe there's been another round of hangings...It's not right. Everything's...all wrong...

Circe:
The way things are going, it's only a matter of time before the nooses end up around our necks.

Robin Hood:
...You were there, right, Doc? You're telling us you couldn't do anything to stop it?

Sanson:
...No, I couldn't.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Stop it, Robin.

---

Sanson:
...They started using the gallows the moment I finished rebuilding them.

Sanson:
It was clearly a threat. He's warning us to stay out of his way.

Circe:
Damn you, Hopkins...

Nezha:
...

Nezha:
Are we just going. To take this. Lying down. Master?

Nezha:
Truly. Okay with that?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...No, I am absolutely NOT okay with this.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm afraid there isn't much we can do...

---

Mash:
...

Sanson:
...Still, so long as people are being given a trial according to law, however imperfectly...

Sanson:
...justice is being served.

Sanson:
Whatever strangeness is happening here in Salem,these are still humans. Still flesh and blood.

Sanson:
They have faith in their traditions,and love for their families.

Sanson:
Even if their joy and suffering should disappear tomorrow like so much dew...

Sanson:
...I still want to support them.

Sanson:
To do otherwise would be going against everything we Servants stand for...

Before Midnight – Town Graveyard 　　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Day 3–

???:
...!

Same Time – Carter House

Sanson:
Fog's rolling in from the sea tonight.

Sanson:
...?

Nezha:
This. Not only fog.

Nezha:
...An evil aura. Growing. What is this...

Sanson:
Another evil aura? You don't mean...

Mash:
Sanson! Nezha!

Mash:
Senpai is asking for you! I-it's another attack!

Robin Hood:
MORE ghouls!? Come the hell on! Can we not have a freaking break!? Not for ONE MINUTE!?

Robin Hood:
When did this village become an all-hours ghoul hangout?

Mata Hari:
I guess they must have liked the shows we've been putting on every day.

Mash:
Can you please talk about this later!? This is serious!

Mash:
Ghouls are appearing all around the village,and they seem even more aggressive than last night!

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'm impressed you figured that out.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Way to stay on top of things, Mash!

---

Mash:
It's all thanks to Circe's expanded surveillance network.

Mash:
I may no longer be able to fight alongside you, but I can still help you out from behind the scenes, Senpai!

Circe:
Hehe.

Robin Hood:
Hang on, the hell's going on here, anyway? Shouldn't these ghouls be coming from the hill?

Mash:
No, tonight they appear to be coming from the town graveyard.

Mata Hari:
...Oh, aaawesome. That leaves us far more graves to contend with. Oh, there are the private ones, too.

---

Fujimaru 1:
We'll have to split up and handle them individually.

---

Mash:
...Understood!

Mash:
I'll tell the villagers to stay inside and keep their doors locked.

Mash:
It's a good thing there's a thick fog tonight...Everyone, please try to stay out of sight as much as possible!

Nezha:
That. Will be difficult.

Robin Hood:
Tch...This ain't your everyday kind of miasma.

Robin Hood:
No wonder we've got living dead on our hands now.

Robin Hood:
What's going on here? Wasn't that Absalom alchemist s'posed to be behind all this?

Mata Hari:
It certainly seemed like he was involved, but it'll be difficult to ask him now that he's dead...

Mata Hari:
...No, wait. They can talk, can't they? Ugh, this is just great. I hate everything about this.

--ARROW--

Mash:
(Gasp, gasp, gasp...)

Mash:
C-Circe! Another one's headed your way!

Ghoul:
...!

Circe:
Nice hustle out there, Mash. Think you can keep baiting them over here?

Circe:
Vantage points like this are great for using my spells without worrying about hurting anyone else.

Circe:
Okay, I'm ready for the next round. Come and get it, ghoulies.

Circe:
I've got a great big banquet all lined up for you to enjoy. Hehe.

Circe:
Come forth, my beast of envy. Come forth from the dim depths of your watery home...

Circe:
Bare your many fangs, and feast upon the six calamities!

--ARROW--

???:
...!

Nezha:
Stand back. Master!

Nezha:
Resound, Universe Ring! Let no evil stand!

Sanson:
Wait, Nezha. Is that...Absalom?

Nezha:
...What?

Sanson:
So, even Old Man Whateley, the one who was buried at the hill, turned into a ghoul?

Nezha:
Hm? That makes. No sense!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wasn't he the one controlling the ghouls?

---

Sanson:
...Master! Nezha!

Sanson:
Be careful not to finish him off. We need to ask him what is really happening here!

Nezha:
...Very well. Understood.

--ARROW--

Absalom:
Ur...gh...Gh...hk...

Absalom:
Our...Our great...Outer...

Absalom:
...iä...IÄ...!

Carter:
Leave this place, old man. Your work in this is finished.

Sanson:
...!? Mr. Carter, what are you...!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Carter? Get back! It's not safe!

---

Carter:
There is no place for alchemists removed from this world's laws. Not even hell itself.

Carter:
Now return to the void from whence you came.

Sanson:
Mr. Cart–

Absalom:
...La...vini...a...

Absalom:
My...gran...ghter...

Carter:
...

Section 4: Third Knot

Before Dawn - Carter House

Mash:
...

Mash:
...Oh. Good morning, Senpai.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What are you doing up this early, Mash?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I thought Nezha was keeping watch.

---

Mash:
I could ask the same of you, Senpai. It's not even daybreak yet.

Mash:
Nezha is staying out of sight and keeping watch from the roof.

Mash:
This is the only place they can use their spirit forms, after all.

Mash:
It looks like today will be the best weather we've seen in a while, even if the wind is still very strong.

---

Fujimaru 1:
How come you weren't in your room?

---

Mash:
...I was resting in Abby's room.

Mash:
Nezha and I both talked to her a bit last night.

Mash:
...She was curled up in her bed, crying.

Mash:
She's been trying to put on a brave face,but she's suffering quite a lot...

Mash:
She feels terrible about what happened to Tituba...

Mash:
...and to Lavinia's family.

Mash:
And then there's...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mr. Carter, right?

---

Mash:
Yes...Exactly.

Mash:
She said her uncle may be strict, but he was never the kind of person who could do something so cruel...

Mash:
...

Mash:
I guess I haven't been of much help to you after all, Senpai.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Of course you have, Mash. Don't be silly.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'd be freaking out if you weren't here.

---

Mash:
...Thank you, Senpai.

Mash:
...Okay, I'm going to go get ready.

Nezha:
Mash. Time for breakfast.

Nezha:
Robin. Will keep. Watch now.

Mash:
Thanks, Nezha.

Mash:
It's still a little early for breakfast, but I think I can make you something quick and...Oh, wait...

---

Fujimaru 1:
What is it?

---

Mash:
I just remembered that I checked the pantry earlier, and we're almost out of food...

Mash:
Of course we need to make sure Mr. Carter and Abby have enough to eat, but we also need to think about ourselves...

Nezha:
Porridge. Again...

Morning – Carter House 　　　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Day 4–

Mata Hari:
...So that's what happened last night.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Thanks for investigating so quickly, Mata Hari.

---

Mata Hari:
Of course. Unfortunately...there did end up being some casualties.

Mata Hari:
Some villagers put up a valiant fight and managed to defend themselves...

Mata Hari:
...but by the end of the night, four were dead.

Mata Hari:
And to make things worse, they can't even be buried yet, since this happened at the town graveyard.

Sanson:
Then...where are the bodies being kept now?

Mata Hari:
At the Reverend's house.

Mata Hari:
I happened to be there while they were discussing it, so I suggested that, and the Reverend asked me to help.

Mata Hari:
They're now safely in his basement,which is locked and as secure as we can make it.

Mata Hari:
Some of the bereaved were very upset about that idea though, so it took a lot of work to convince them...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Thanks again, Mata Hari.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can understand where they're coming from.

---

Nezha:
So. We were not. Strong enough...

Nezha:
Even though. They enjoyed. Our play.

Mata Hari:
...It's sad, but it's also infuriating, isn't it?

Mata Hari:
These are just regular people, trying to live their lives in peace.

Mata Hari:
It's kind of ironic that the preparations they made to fight in wars, or against the Native Americans, ended up being useful to them now...

Circe:
Oh, there you are, Fujimaru.... I'm afraid I've got some seriously bad news.

Circe:
Where's Mash? I don't see her anywhere.

---

Fujimaru 1:
She said she'd be right back.

---

Mata Hari:
She said we were all out of food, so she went shopping with Abigail.

Sanson:
Damn this incarnation, forcing us to eat to keep up our strength.

Mata Hari:
Yeah. It's adversely affecting our magical energy turnaround rate too.

Mata Hari:
To make matters worse, even the general store was running low on stock, so it can't be easy for Mash to buy what we need.

Mata Hari:
Worst case scenario: we may have to deal directly with the farmers.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I've got to talk to Mr. Carter.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Wait...where is Mr. Carter?

---

Mata Hari:
...? You mean he's not here? Come to think of it, I don't see Robin anywhere either.

Circe:
I-I see...Oh, this is bad. SO bad...

---

Fujimaru 1:
What's so bad?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Is there another problem?

---

Circe:
We...

Circe:
We can communicate with Chaldea again...

Mata Hari:
Wha!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why didn't you say so sooner!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
And this is bad because...?

---

Mata Hari:
I thought Master was the only one who could set it up, let alone turn it on!

Circe:
Hey, don't look at me! I'm as shocked as any of you!

Medea? :
...!?

Medea? :
...!!!

Medea? :
...! ...!!!

Circe:
Oooh, yeah. She's mad. Reeeal mad. Super mad, even.

Nezha:
I believe “enraged. ” Is the right word.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Oh, gee, I wonder why.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Why can't we hear what she's saying?

---

Circe:
You can see why I was hoping Mash could calm her down a bit.

Nezha:
Good idea. Still. You. Did this. To you.

Mata Hari:
Exactly. You made your bed, now you can lie in it.

Mata Hari:
...Anyway, if the real Medea is responding to us from Chaldea, they must have an idea of what's going on here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I have no idea what she's yelling about.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let's see...Pen and paper, pen and paper...

---

Mata Hari:
You know, I wonder why our communications suddenly came back online like this?

Circe:
Oh, that? ...Hehe.

Circe:
Unfortunately, it had nothing to do with the work Mash and I have been doing trying to get it tuned up.

Circe:
And it doesn't look like Chaldea did anything to override the interference either. It's weird.

Circe:
As far as I can tell, it looks like something either changed here, or here and with Chaldea at the same time, and activated the magical summoning circle.

Mata Hari:
So, then...

Mata Hari:
...it's NOT like the Demon God Pillar,or something else, is hacking us?

Circe:
Hacking!? You really think anything could hack MY workshop?

Medea:
...! ...!

Sanson:
Medea seems to be losing patience.

Sanson:
It's a shame that we're not all here right now, but we can't wait any longer.

Sanson:
Can we communicate with them, Master?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Got my pen and paper here. I'm good to go.

---

Fujimaru 2:
“Is this okay, Da Vinci? ”

---

Da Vinci:
(Nod)

Da Vinci:
“...Got it. Thanks for the bare bones update. ”

Da Vinci:
“I'm glad you're all okay. We have a good idea of what's going on there now. ”

Da Vinci:
“Between Tituba's fate, and Hopkins's arrival, things are clearly going very differently from real history. ”

Da Vinci:
“We don't have much time to trade info since our connection is unstable, so let's do that while we can. ”

Da Vinci:
“First of all...Is that Circe? ”

Circe:
...Hehe.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“In the flesh. ”

Da Vinci:
“...I see. Then I guess we avoided the worst-case scenario. ”

---

Fujimaru 2:
“No, that's Hestia, goddess of the hearth. ”

Circe:
!?

Medea:
!!! ...(Stifled laughter)

Circe:
Wha...Wha...WHO'RE YOU CALLING A VIRGIN GODDESS!?

Circe:
I'm the great Queen Witch! HEY! Stop patting my head like I'm a child, Fujimaru!

Circe:
And YOU! Quit pointing and laughing at me, Medea!

Da Vinci:
“Hahaha. It's great to see you haven't lost your sense of humor. But we really don't have time for that now, so let's save it for another time. ”

Da Vinci:
“At any rate, I believe it's safe to assume this unknown Servant is Circe? ...All right then. ”

---

Da Vinci:
“I'm glad to hear that we got a little good news in all this. ”

Da Vinci:
“At least we now know what one of the major threats we're facing is. So, we can take measures against it. ”

Circe:
...Do tell.

Da Vinci:
“Wise and insightful Circe, allow me to thank you on behalf of all of Chaldea. ”

Circe:
Hehe. Why thank you. I'm glad to see Chaldea's acting commander is so polite and understanding.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Did you figure out why Circe was summoned? ”

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Isn't she here because of your experiment...? )

---

Da Vinci:
“After investigating things on our end, it's clear that the Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba, had a hand in Circe's accidental summoning. ”

Da Vinci:
“What's more, it's been acting strangely again since right before our comms were re-established. It...well, bluntly, it's gone berserk. ”

Da Vinci:
“We're doing everything we can to keep the system running, but it could shut down at any time...”

Da Vinci:
“Worst case, it could even damage the system...or cause problems during your Rayshift back! ”

Da Vinci:
“So, we still have a lot of questions, but I think we'd better end the call after this next bit of info. ”

Da Vinci:
“Are you doing all right, Fujimaru? ”

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Yup. ”

---

Fujimaru 2:
“A-OK. A lot of this is business as usual. ”

---

Da Vinci:
“This is the most critical thing I have to tell you. I'm going to have to broad strokes it for you. I wish I could have told Mash directly, but oh well. ”

Da Vinci:
“...These analysis results pertain to the forced 'incarnation' you told us about earlier. ”

Da Vinci:
“When you infiltrated Salem, your memories were falsified. To be more exact, your entire cognitive process was jumbled up. ”

Da Vinci:
“We believe you are now unable to connect your knowledge–i. e. your memories of past events–to the information you are currently receiving. ”

---

Fujimaru 1:
“You mean, we've been turned into different people? ”

Circe:
That's taking it a bit far. It's more like you're all on a reeeally bad trip. Still...

---

Fujimaru 2:
“Chaldea...? What's that...? ”

Nezha:
Were you always. This easily confused. Master?

Circe:
Come on, stop that. Nezha's clearly not getting your joke. At any rate...

---

Circe:
I'm impressed this Da Vinci lady managed to figure all that out from what little she had to work with.

Mata Hari:
That does back up what Circe warned us about.

Sanson:
...This is terrible!

Sanson:
We'll never figure out the truth as we are. This is a devastating blow to our mission.

Sanson:
We're practically dancing in the Demon God Pillar's palm right now. Is there nothing we can do?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Good point. “Is there any way to counteract it? ”

---

Da Vinci:
“This condition induces visual and auditory hallucinations. It's less like magecraft and more like...well, going mad. ”

Da Vinci:
“I had Mata Hari memorize our historical file on Salem before you went there, and Mash already knew it. ”

Da Vinci:
“This file included a list of all known residents in late 17th-century Salem identified prior to this incident. ”

Da Vinci:
“Comparing that list against the people there now should have told you who didn't belong there. ”

Da Vinci:
“But it sounds like you haven't been able to determine that. ”

Da Vinci:
“Which means that even Mash, who's no longer a Demi-Servant thanks to her Galahad Spirit Origin being dormant, was unable to escape this effect. ”

Da Vinci:
“That bodes equally poorly for you too, Fujimaru. You're in a seriously precarious state. ”

Da Vinci:
...

Da Vinci:
“That said, not even a Demon God Pillar can alter someone completely without a contract. ”

Nezha:
Understood! This will. Not stand.

Da Vinci:
“One thing I can say is that there's probably some truth that can only be seen from within the madness. ”

Da Vinci:
“Something that's making it hard for us to observe Salem from the outside. ”

Sanson:
...No. We cannot abandon our sanity.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“So why is Circe the least affected? ”

---

Da Vinci:
“We still don't know, unfortunately. ”

Medea:
—

Da Vinci:
“There's no way the runaway Demon God Pillar wouldn't predict that Chaldea would try to stop it. ”

Da Vinci:
“And there's no reason Circe would be any exception.... According to Medea here. ”

Medea:
...(Nod)

Da Vinci:
“I actually have a different opinion myself,but at this point, I'm just speculating. ”

Da Vinci:
“At any rate, as long as you have a temporary contract with her in place...”

Da Vinci:
“Sorry, the engineers are having a fit. Looks like our equipment is at its limit. I'm afraid we have to go. ”

Da Vinci:
“Next time, I'll be ready to exchange information in a considerably more efficient manner. ”

Da Vinci:
“I pray to all your respective gods that you complete the mission and come back safely. All right–”

Medea:
—

Da Vinci:
—

Da Vinci:
“@Circe. Do you intend to return to Chaldea? --Medea”

Circe:
Oh, hell no. She must still be living in dreamland if she thinks I'm going back there.

Circe:
She was a lot smarter back when she was still a virgin.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“She said 'Absolutely,' Medea. ”

---

Medea:
—

Circe:
Hey, wha......Grr...

Sanson:
...I'm glad we were able to tell them we're okay, but this doesn't do much to help us.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I wouldn't say that.

Sanson:
I'm glad to know you're relieved, Master...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I feel much better now.

---

Sanson:
...True, that IS very important.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...By the way, has anyone seen Mash?

---

Mata Hari:
Good question. She HAS been out shopping for quite a long time. She should've been back by now.

Nezha:
...I do not sense. Evil aura.

Nezha:
But. I am. Hungry...

Nezha:
Can. No longer move...

Mata Hari:
Oh, are you stepping out then, Master?

Mata Hari:
If you're going to go meet Mash, I'll come with you.

Mata Hari:
I can't wait to tell her about this call.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Thanks, [♂ Mata Hari /♀ Margaretha].

---

Mata Hari:
No trouble at all, [♂ Master. /♀

Sanson:
I'll go too. I see now just how strange this village really is.

Sanson:
I doubt the ghouls that show up at night are the only danger that should concern us.

Circe:
It IS a nice day for once, and I'm tired of staying inside. I think I'll take this chance to go out and–

---

Fujimaru 1:
You stay here, Circe.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I want you to keep an eye on the comms gear.

---

Circe:
Huh? You know you're talking to the Queen Witch here, right?

Nezha:
Hunger...Famished. Need...Meat.

Nezha:
Are those...wings? Do they...taste. Like...chicken?

Circe:
What? Hey. Quit looking at me like that. Hey!

Sanson:
There...seems to be something going on at the general store.

Mata Hari:
I see Abigail there. But...where's Mash?

B：Villager:
...

Mata Hari:
Oh great, it's that old woman again...Maybe I shouldn't have come along after all.

Mata Hari:
She and I really don't get along...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Huh. Is she the one you were talking about?

---

Fujimaru 2:
The bereaved you had trouble convincing...?

---

Mata Hari:
Yes, as a matter of fact.

B：Villager:
Don't you understand, everyone?

B：Villager:
Have your eyes grown so clouded that you can't see what's right in front of you?

B：Villager:
We've been so enamored with these absurd plays that we have neglected our prayers!

B：Villager:
And now look at the tragedy that has befallen us.

Villagers:
“Yeah! ” “You said it. ”“Maybe this is God's punishment for our sins...”

H：Villager:
This is OUR village! Why have we given these outsiders...these heathens, free rein here!?

F：Villager:
Now, now, everyone, calm yourselves.

F：Villager:
That goes for you too, Rebecca. Settle down before you hurt yourself.

F：Villager:
I'm truly sorry that you lost your sister Mary to those monsters.

F：Villager:
I know a lot's happened with those performers too.

F：Villager:
But both the Reverend and the acclaimed judge from Boston have given them their blessing.

F：Villager:
And you've never been to one of their plays yourself, so you don't know what a good job they're doing.

Abigail:
...Yeah...

Rebecca:
Tell me, Giles. And everyone else, for that matter.

Rebecca:
Have you already forgotten what we've been through? Are we no longer even telling our children?

Rebecca:
Whether it was during the long, harsh winters, or the bloodred night when those savages attacked...

Rebecca:
...we've always banded together against the difficulties that threatened us.

Rebecca:
If we turn away from God again, this time,He will surely turn His back on us in turn.

Giles:
Yes, yes, you're absolutely right. You're saying we should just do what we've always done, no?

Giles:
I'd feel better if we could do that too. But things are worse here now than they've ever been.

Giles:
The children are running off into the forest and dancing as if they've gone mad, refusing to listen to a word we say; horrid monsters are forcing their way into our homes and eating everything in sight.

Giles:
How is shutting ourselves inside and praying going to help with such dreadful things happening all around?

Rebecca:
My hearing may not be what it once was, but I say to you, God will always hear our prayers.

Rebecca:
By the seventh sunset since this all began,Salem will be unified in peace.

Giles:
Seventh sunset? I'll settle for our bodies still being in one piece by the seventh sunrise...

H：Villager:
I didn't even get to say goodbye to my family. Reverend or not, he's too young to be of any use.

H：Villager:
We need to drive these outsiders away and make Salem what it once was!

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
You're wrong...You're all...mistaken.

Abigail:
You're all claiming that God wants the same thing you do, but you don't really know...what He wants...

Sanson:
What's wrong, Abby?

Abigail:
...Oh, Sanson. Ringmaster Fujimaru.

Abigail:
I'm looking for Lavinia. Not that I expect to find her here.

Abigail:
It looks like nobody's seen her since we went our separate ways last night.

Sanson:
...Didn't you come here to go shopping with Mash?

Abigail:
Yes. And we did.

Abigail:
We ended up buying quite a lot, so I asked the shop owner if he wouldn't mind carrying it to our house for us.

Abigail:
I'm just here waiting for him.

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Looks around) Where's Mash?

---

Abigail:
Mash? She's with Uncle.

Abigail:
...I thought you already knew that.

Sanson:
Hmm...Mr. Carter, then...Do you know where they went, Abigail?

Abigail:
They went off toward the village outskirts.

Sanson:
...Oh?

H：Villager:
It was you who enticed the Reverend into going along with this, wasn't it!?

H：Villager:
What're you searching for now? Trying to find another man to sink your claws into!?

Mata Hari:
(Sigh...) You again? Do you think you could let go of my arm, please?

Mata Hari:
And as for the Reverend...

Mata Hari:
As I recall, you were far more...enthusiastic than he was when you barged in on me backstage.

H：Villager:
Wha–

Mata Hari:
I'm sorry, but I can't accept your request.

Mata Hari:
Believe it or not, I love all the men of Salem equally.

H：Villager:
Sh-shut up! You're the one who–

---

Fujimaru 1:
Uh oh. I'd better do something.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm sure Mata Hari can handle this.

---

Robin Hood:
Shh. Try not to make any noise, Master.

Robin Hood:
Can you come with me for a minute? It's urgent.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Whoa!

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Robin?

---

Robin Hood:
I'm sorry. I screwed up big time. Really big.

Robin Hood:
...I lost sight of Mash.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...What...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
...All right, but Mata Hari's...

---

Robin Hood:
Uh, yikes. Yeah, looks like things are getting kinda heated, huh?

Sanson:
It's okay.

Sanson:
Go on ahead, Master. I'll handle things here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay. Thanks, Sanson.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Let's go, Robin.

---

Robin Hood:
Something had been nagging at me all morning.

Robin Hood:
So I secretly went after Mash and Abby to keep an eye on 'em.

Robin Hood:
They'd finished their shopping and were just passing by the town hall when Carter showed up.

Robin Hood:
Said he was gonna go to Boston to fetch a judge,or reinforcements if that didn't work out.

Robin Hood:
Said this was the perfect chance to do it,since the weather was nice.

Robin Hood:
Then Mash said she'd like to go with him part of the way.

Robin Hood:
I think she was hoping to find the way out of the village.

---

Fujimaru 1:
But, there IS no way out of Salem...

---

Robin Hood:
Exactly. No way in, no way out.

Robin Hood:
The only person who showed up here besides us is Hopkins, and he came from the wharf.

Robin Hood:
Right now, it's impossible to leave this village. We triple-checked that the first day we were here.

Robin Hood:
But Carter didn't seem concerned about that at all. No surprise Mash was curious.

Robin Hood:
I got curious too, so I figured I'd keep an eye on them and not interfere. That was my screwup.

Robin Hood:
Next, Carter rented a horse at the stables and headed for the village outskirts...

Robin Hood:
And that's where I lost sight of them.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Maaaaaash!!!

---

Robin Hood:
...

Robin Hood:
Mash and Carter both vanished. Of course, I searched everywhere I could, but...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...You couldn't find them?

---

Robin Hood:
...I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I treated Mash like she was still a Demi-Servant without thinking about it.

Robin Hood:
But even if she can protect herself,she's still just a regular human.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

Fujimaru 2:
(If only I'd been more careful...)

---

Robin Hood:
...The forest just gets thicker the more you keep going, so this is as far as we can go.

Robin Hood:
It's basically a Bounded Field. Try and get through, and you just end up lost, and after you wander a bit, you're right back in the village.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Maybe they somehow managed to make it out...?

Robin Hood:
If so, one of the Chaldea agents around the Mist would spot 'em. Course, that doesn't do us much good, since we still can't contact–Huh? What is it?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Actually, now that you mention it...

---

Robin Hood:
...What? You got in touch with Chaldea?

Robin Hood:
Well that's great. Awesome, even.

Robin Hood:
...Still, that would've been right around the time I lost sight of them. So if they DID manage to escape...

Robin Hood:
...you'd think the Chaldea agents watching the Bounded Field's perimeter would've reported something had changed.

Robin Hood:
So why didn't they...?

Robin Hood:
...Oh, right, I almost forgot the other thing. Over here, Master!

---

Fujimaru 1:
I've never seen so many crows in one place...

---

Fujimaru 2:
What are they all doing here...?

---

Robin Hood:
Shoo, shoo! Get outta here!

Robin Hood:
...It's in this hollow, Master. This is what I wanted to show you.

Robin Hood:
It ain't pretty, but you've fought enough battles by now that I figure you've seen worse. Just be ready.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Are these...corpses!?

Robin Hood:
...Parts of them, anyway.

---

Fujimaru 2:
M...Maaaaaash!!!

Robin Hood:
Whoa, whoa, easy there! Take a closer look.

Robin Hood:
It's not Mash, all right!? Not Carter either, for that matter.

---

Robin Hood:
These people have been dead for a long time. You can tell by how much they've worn away.

Robin Hood:
Looks to me like there were two of them. A man and a woman.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...A man and a woman?

---

Fujimaru 2:
But...who? They don't look like villagers...

---

Robin Hood:
The bodies are at least a few years old. But this hole was dug up real recently.

Robin Hood:
Based on the teeth marks, and the mess of the surrounding area, I'm guessing the ghouls did that.

Robin Hood:
...Hm? What is it, Master?

---

Fujimaru 1:
One of them has a pendant of...a cross?

---

Robin Hood:
...Token of the deceased, huh.

Robin Hood:
Looks expensive...But it's also rusted charcoal black.

Robin Hood:
If this were a real grave,I'd opt to just leave 'em alone...

Robin Hood:
But this is too shallow to be a proper grave. Hell, we don't even know who these people were. No tombstone.

Robin Hood:
We may as well hold onto that for a while. We can always put it back later if we figure something out.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Good point...Can you tell how they died?

---

Robin Hood:
How they died? Hmm...

Robin Hood:
Not much of a detective, not like the armchair guy or the necromancer, but I'll give it a shot.

Robin Hood:
They're in pretty bad shape, even for having been there as long as they have, and for the ghouls and crows picking away at them. But, look...

Robin Hood:
I can make out a gunshot wound on the woman's body, so we can go ahead and rule out natural causes. Either someone killed her, or she took her own life.

Robin Hood:
And the man's neck was broken a long time before the crows and ghouls got to him. Which means...

---

Fujimaru 1:
He was hanged...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
One hanged, one shot?

---

Robin Hood:
Looks like it.

Robin Hood:
Then there's this weird rock formation. Looks like they used to be arranged in a perfect hexagon...

Robin Hood:
Taking a wild guess here, but I think it might've been an altar.

Robin Hood:
Hm? ...What the hell? It looks like it was broken apart on purpose...But why?

Robin Hood:
...Wait, hang on. Was there someone else here too?

---

Fujimaru 1:
If so...maybe these two were actually sacrifices?

Robin Hood:
...Good point. Seems sensible. It'd explain how AND why they died.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Maybe we should have Circe take a look at this?

Robin Hood:
Circe, huh...Yeah, she could probably learn something from all this. She may be shady, but not much we can really do about that.

Robin Hood:
I don't think she even means to be.

Robin Hood:
But, given how ravaged these bodies are, I don't think even the Queen Witch herself could tell much about 'em.

---

Robin Hood:
Given their location, I'd bet this has something to do with the Bounded Field around the village.

Robin Hood:
'Cause like I said, they sure didn't die of natural causes.

Robin Hood:
Master, I'm gonna keep looking for Mash.

Robin Hood:
I'll take you back to town first, so you can fill everyone else in on what's–

---

Fujimaru 1:
...No, let's go back together.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I think it'd be better if we don't split up now.

---

Robin Hood:
...Good point. Wasn't thinking. Forgot I'm not my usual self here. If I'm not careful, I could end up dead.

Robin Hood:
Okay, Master, I'll stop going off on my own from now on.... Sorry again about this.

Nezha:
Mash and Carter. Gone!?

Circe:
Ran off together into the woods, huh? I didn't think Mash went in for those scholarly types.

Nezha:
Understood! Shall. Search for them. At once!

Circe:
Hold it, Nezha...H-hey! I said wait!

Circe:
Slow down! You'll set the floor on fire with those fire skate...rocket booster...things!

Nezha:

Let gooo!

Circe:
...(Sigh)Stupid Taoist puppet.

Circe:
Can you try to get a grip too, Fujimaru? Your anxiety is getting Nezha all worked up.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Sorry.

---

Circe:
...Anyway, while I do wonder where Mash could be, if not whether she's safe...we have other matters to discuss right now.

Circe:
Good job making it back, Fujimaru. I've got something to tell you.

Circe:
Nezha found out we've got lookouts watching this house now. Lookouts who weren't there until yesterday.

Circe:
...No, not familiars. Humans.

Circe:
And not just Hopkins's men. Regular Salem people too.

Circe:
This whole thing with Mash has got to be a trap.

Circe:
They're trying to throw us off so we'll go look for her without watching our backs, and then we'll fall into any number of other traps they may have set.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I knew Salem was a trap from the beginning.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Somehow, I almost fell for it...

---

Circe:
Hehe.... You sure about that?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...What's so funny?

Circe:
If they're trying to draw a noose around a Chaldea mage's neck, they're going about it in an awfully roundabout way.

Circe:
There's plenty of smarter ways to go about killing you.

Circe:
Anyway, that's not what's important right now!

---

Fujimaru 2:
So what did you want to talk about...?

Circe:
Right. It's about that human trash fire we all love to hate!

---

Circe:
...I imagine you've sensed this by now too, Fujimaru.

Circe:
Hopkins's words are powerful...and poisonous.

Circe:
You know how throwing a pebble into a still pond can make surprisingly big ripples?

Circe:
Well, that is the kind of power at work here in Salem as we speak.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Does it have to do with the Demon God Pillar?

Circe:
That's exactly what I want to know too.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Could Hopkins actually be a mage...?

Circe:
Don't be absurd. That'd be way too obvious.

---

Circe:
Still, when all's said and done...I'm afraid I don't have any answers yet either. Sorry.

Circe:
It sucks, I know...

Circe:
Those of us who have really mastered magecraft can usually get a good idea of what's behind spells and fortune-telling we've never seen before.

Nezha:
Exactly. The way. Of the Buddha. Extends to. All things. No different here.

Circe:
...And yet, here we are.

Circe:
It may look like a ritual we're totally familiar with...

Circe:
But it just feels...off. It's fragile, and sharp, and dangerous, like a sulfur crystal.

Circe:
It changes shape for each person, as if to ensnare them. It's like touching someone's mind...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You lost me, Circe.

Circe:
...

Circe:
...Maybe we're not supposed to understand it. Maybe it would even be dangerous if we did...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Did you get that, Nezha?

Nezha:
...

Nezha:
Attain enlightenment. Reach the Root. Master reason.... If there is. Another, fundamentally different path...One must lose. The lotus. Of one's mind.

Nezha:
...And attain darkness manifest.

---

Circe:
Guess this is it for our temporary contract......Huh?

Sanson:
Master, we have a serious problem.

Abigail:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster! Mata Hari's...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Huh...?

---

Town Hall – Provisional Court

Abigail:
...

Hopkins:
...With God as our witness, this court is now in session.

Mata Hari:
...

Defendant – Mata Hari

Hopkins:
...Mata Hari, actress and performer.

Hopkins:
That is obviously just a stage name. What is your real name? The one your parents gave you.

Mata Hari:
Margaretha Geertruida Zelle.... It's very common.

Mata Hari:
I'd hate for any women with the same name here to feel like they were being attacked too, so please just call me Mata Hari.

Hopkins:
...Hmph.

Hopkins:
The plaintiff in this case against Mata Hari is...Bill Osborne.

Osborne:
That's me.

Hopkins:
...Osborne.

Hopkins:
You claim that Mata Hari is a witch. Is that correct?

Osborne:
That's right. She's a witch!

Osborne:
A succubus sent by the devil himself!

Hopkins:
In today's court, we will examine the evidence and uncover the truth of these allegations.

Hopkins:
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Osborne:
Yes, I most certainly do. To begin with, that woman...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster? Please cheer up.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Thanks, Abby.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I just can't help but worry about Mash.

---

Abigail:
...She must have decided to go to Boston with Uncle.

Abigail:
Don't worry. I'm sure she'll come back safely.

Abigail:
Besides, there's no way Mata Hari could be a bad person.

Abigail:
Mr. Osborne always makes a big deal out of everything.

Abigail:
Everyone here knows that. I'm sure the judge will just scold him for making all of this up!

Abigail:
...You look pale.

Abigail:
You're scared, aren't you. It's okay...You're not alone.

Abigail:
Here, hold my hand.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You're so strong, Abby.

Abigail:
N-no, I'm not...I'm just doing my best to put on a brave face.

Abigail:
With Uncle gone, I need to help however I can.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Sorry for making you worry.

Abigail:
Not at all.

Abigail:
It's been so helpful, having you all here with me.

---

Abigail:
Mata Hari's one of your dear friends, right?

Abigail:
I can tell you both respect each other. I'm a little jealous, really...

Abigail:
But that's why you have to believe in each other and stick together when times are tough.

Abigail:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru? Remember, you're the leader of this troupe. You're like a young King David.

Abigail:
When Goliath ridiculed David, and cursed him in the evil demon Dagon's name...

Abigail:
...David slew Goliath magnificently. And he was just a humble shepherd. He didn't even have a sword or spear.

Abigail:
And all because his friends, and David himself,believed that God would strike the behemoth down.

---

Fujimaru 1:
That IS probably what he would've done, huh.

Abigail:
That's right! Because he was a hero!

Abigail:
I talked about this with Sanson as well. He said he's a King David fan too.

---

Fujimaru 2:
His sling WAS loaded with miracles and blessings.

Abigail:
...? Um...is that a joke, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster? I'm afraid I don't quite get it.

---

Abigail:
You're looking a lot less pale now. Are you feeling better?

Abigail:
...Oh? You dropped something...

Abigail:
...Wait. What...is this...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
(This is...the pendant I found in the forest. )

---

Abigail:
This was...Father's...Why do you have it, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...?

Abigail:
You found it...at the edge of the forest...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Does this mean that was the Williams's grave...? )

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Why doesn't Abby know where they were buried...? )

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
Here, Abby. This is yours.

---

Abigail:
No...

Abigail:
No, I don't...want it...I can't...accept it...

Abigail:
It...must have come from...outside Salem...

---

Fujimaru 1:
(...Abby? )

---

Abigail:
Please...Just hold on to it...

Sanson:
Mata Hari is a dignified woman. She would never do something to warrant such vicious slander...

Mata Hari:
...

Hopkins:
...Sanson. You are not presently giving testimony.

Hopkins:
...Fujimaru. As Mata Hari's employer, and the leader of your company...

Hopkins:
I call you to the stand to serve as a witness. Rise.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Okay.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...I'll put an end to this farce.

---

Hopkins:
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God...?

--ARROW--

Mata Hari:
“The woman with the eyes of the sun...”

Mata Hari:
I'm not the queen of a southern kingdom. Hell, I don't have any dignity at all.

Mata Hari:
I think I was born to be an actor.

Mata Hari:
The sun doesn't cast a shadow. Especially not one that others step on.

Mata Hari:
It exists only to illuminate you...To grant your every wish.

Rudolf:
Ahh...Norman...My son...Why did this happen...

Rudolf:
Margaretha...You...You may as well have poisoned him yourself!

Rudolf:
Why didn't you keep a closer eye on that bottle!?

Margaretha:
That's not fair! Don't make this my fault!

Margaretha:
That prescription wouldn't even be here if you hadn't bought it while you were out womanizing–

Rudolf:
Shut up! Shut up!

Margaretha:
...!

Margaretha:
If hitting me makes you feel better, then go ahead!

Rudolf:
Ahh...Curse you...If Juana Luisa fails to wake up too...

Rudolf:
I will see to it that you pay dearly for this, Margaretha...

Margaretha:
...Never mind that. Please, just pray. Pray for Juana Luisa...My little sun...

Margaretha:
Please...Please smile again. Just once...

Margaretha:
That was the first time in my life I despised someone enough to kill them...

Margaretha:
To kill someone I once loved. BECAUSE I once loved him, foolishly.

Margaretha:
...That's right. In my heart, I had already killed him countless times...

--ARROW--

Mrs. Pickman:
The Fujimaru Company's Sanson saved my daughter's life.

Mrs. Pickman:
That alone should prove that they are good, upstanding people, with boundless love in their hearts.

Hopkins:
What was that, Mrs. Pickman?

Hopkins:
It sounded like you just told us this man practiced medicine without a license from the governor.

Mrs. Pickman:
Huh? I...Well...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Objection!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
You authorized him to examine patients yourself!

---

Hopkins:
Yes, I did. I admit to that.

Hopkins:
However, according to another villager's allegations, Sanson left behind a prescription at the Pickmans' house.

Hopkins:
A scrap of this prescription has been admitted as evidence. Practicing medicine without a medical license is a grave and serious crime.

---

Fujimaru 1:
That's just groundless nitpicking!

---

Fujimaru 2:
That has nothing to do with ANY of this!

---

Female Villager:
Your Honor! The Pickmans made a deal with the devil!

Female Villager:
They asked him to save their daughter by sacrificing other innocent people!

Mrs. Pickman:
How dare you! I've been nothing but a good neighbor to you, and this is the thanks I get!?

Mrs. Pickman:
It's not my fault your daughter has always been sickly!

Mrs. Pickman:
I even told you that you should have Sanson treat her, and you refused to listen!

Elder Pickman:
That's right! This is a matter of honor.

Elder Pickman:
Your Honor, I can vouch for Sanson as well.

Elder Pickman:
My granddaughter wouldn't be alive today without him. He's a great man with talents beyond any mere actor.

Elder Pickman:
If anyone is at fault here,it is me for inviting him into our house.

Sanson:
...Mr. Pickman...

Hopkins:
...

Hopkins:
Shout and weep all you like, but justice cannot be moved by such petty concerns. Nor shall I.

Hopkins:
All I require of you is the truth. I will determine with my own learned, neutral eyes who is, and who is not a witch!

Hopkins:
For often does the devil appear before those in crisis, in a form most sweet and beguiling, offering their heart's desire.

Hopkins:
In the end, traveling performers are no more than drifters.

Hopkins:
All is well so long as things go the way they wish, but at the first sign of trouble, they disappear like so much smoke.

Hopkins:
This man has the gall to be both actor and doctor how and when it suits him. He is nothing like a true doctor, who has to earn his patients' trust.

Hopkins:
As for this “actress,” it seems that once the curtain falls, she plies her true trade: harlotry.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Everyone heals in different ways.

Hopkins:
...Indeed.

Hopkins:
So too are sins innumerable and varied, which is why the law seeks to judge them fairly and justly.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Didn't the Son of God bless a prostitute too?

Hopkins:
Only one who had repented for her ways. I will not have you interpreting the Bible to suit your own ends.

Hopkins:
As you'll recall, once that sinful woman had repented, the Son of God drove out seven evil spirits from her before offering His blessing.

Hopkins:
However...

---

Hopkins:
...is Mata Hari capable of such a thing?

Hopkins:
Or is she instead a wretched, wicked woman who lowers men's guards, betrays them, lures them to adultery...

Hopkins:
...and freely wields the seven vices in order to ensnare her targets? In other words...a witch?

Hopkins:
Those who have fallen for such a trap inevitably seek companions with whom they might lessen their guilt...

Hopkins:
...As for you, Mrs. Pickman.

Hopkins:
I see that I must also put you to the question when this trial is concluded.

Hopkins:
Depending on your answers, we may need to continue these proceedings...

Mrs. Pickman:
...!?

Mata Hari:
“...To my beloved Monsieur Astruc. ”

Mata Hari:
“I am writing to you again so that I may better express my thoughts regarding the Salome matter we discussed the other day. ”

Mata Hari:
“Afterward, I was extremely fortunate to find not one, but two theater managers who liked my performance! ”

Mata Hari:
“According to them...”

Critic:
Mata Hari...Indeed, she is nothing less than a prodigy.

Critic:
Her outstanding record proves it beyond any doubt.

Critic:
Her technique may be shoddy, her misguided passion delusional, and her makeup garish...

Critic:
...yet she consistently walks a line that weaves them all together into a show you simply can't look away from.

Critic:
Hmm...That said...

Critic:
She could also be considered a threat to those striving to create true art...

Theater Patron:
Oh yes, I've been to see her shows countless times! I don't even know how many bouquets and presents I've sent her.

Theater Patron:
Hahaha, of course, I don't expect anything from her in return. That is what it means to be a patron!

Theater Patron:
Hmm. Still, lately, I suppose there have been a lot of...new faces at her shows?

Theater Patron:
I can't deny that I've been less willing to attend after so many French generals started showing up.

Theater Patron:
They don't offer money, but given the current circumstances, they're good at exerting their influence in other ways.

Theater Patron:
If Mata Hari were to ever mistake that for her own power, well...that would be most unfortunate.

Theater Personnel:
Mata Hari isn't just a great actress. She's practically a living legend!

Theater Personnel:
This tiny theater is far too small to accommodate all her eager fans!

Theater Personnel:
She deserves nothing less than to perform for the entire world!

Mata Hari:
“...So I've been thinking. ”

Mata Hari:
“I'm positive that I could bring the eccentric, uninhibited, attractive, and ever so memorable Salome to life on stage. ”

Mata Hari:
“So I would like to ask you, Monsieur Astruc...”

Mata Hari:
“...for assistance in bringing John the Baptist to justice. ”

Mata Hari:
“...From, your Mata Hari. ”

--ARROW--

Abigail:
This is ridiculous!

Abigail:
Is it so bad to enjoy singing, and dancing, and plays?

B：Villager:
Silence, child!

Hopkins:
...No, let her speak. Her age has nothing to do with the truth of her words.

Hopkins:
However, those who would show contempt for others and think only of themselves will be brought to justice.

B：Villager:
...Ghh...

Abigail:
...God wouldn't want us to talk of people like they're awful criminals just because they're performers.

Abigail:
King David himself loved to dance. He even played his harp to banish the evil spirit plaguing Saul.

Abigail:
And all of you like to drink hard cider and cause such commotion to celebrate the autumn harvest.

Abigail:
I even know about how you played shuffleboard.

B：Villager:
You're wrong. Of course we're going to be happy when God has seen fit to reward our hard work.

B：Villager:
But letting entertainment and temptation into our lives also makes us vulnerable to the devil's whispers.

B：Villager:
Lucifer's beauty was great enough to charm even God Himself!

B：Villager:
We cannot put too much trust in ourselves. We are frail vessels, so we must always be humble and cautious.

B：Villager:
We have nothing to our names, yet we still count our blessings as we go about our lives.

B：Villager:
We're not kings. We're not even shepherds. We're nothing more than lambs.

Abigail:
That's it...? That's all we are...?

Abigail:
If there's nothing we can trust here, in Salem...

Abigail:
...then where COULD there be?

Mata Hari:
...

Military Legal Officer:
...Therefore, in compliance with French Army law...

Military Legal Officer:
...I hereby accuse spy AF45, aka H-21,aka Mata Hari of Holland.

Military Legal Officer:
She is charged with leaking top secret information to Germany and its allies, and concealing said information.

Military Legal Officer:
This included mission-critical information, such as the strategy for the Hindenburg Line, the leakage of which resulted in many casualties for our army.

Military Legal Officer:
In fact, we have received reports that our losses number no fewer than fifty thousand soldiers...

Military Legal Officer:
Most recently, she has also leaked information pertaining to our transport ship routes, which were subsequently sunken by enemy U-boats.

Military Legal Officer:
From her confiscated personal belongings, we have ascertained that the defendant has accepted large sums of money from Germany, so there can be no doubt of her guilt.

Military Judge:
The decision is unanimous.

Military Judge:
Conspiring against the government and interfering with military operations via espionage are grievous crimes punishable by death.

Military Judge:
...I therefore sentence the defendant, Mata Hari,to be executed by firing squad.

Military Judge:
Court is now adjourned!

Mata Hari:
...

Mata Hari:
...Your Honor! Please, let me say just one thing to everyone here!

Military Judge:
You may speak. But your sentence may not be appealed.

Mata Hari:
...Yes, I was a spy. Some soldiers may well have lost their lives because of me.

Mata Hari:
But I swear to you here and now that my loyalty was always to France!

Mata Hari:
...Eep...!!!

G：Military Judge:
...I see.

G：Military Judge:
So you claim that your love of country is a match for the soldiers who gave their lives for France.

G：Military Judge:
...Very well then.

G：Military Judge:
Mata Hari, you will face judgment for your crimes once more, in death.

G：Military Judge:
Look their souls in the eye, and proclaim your innocence!

G：Military Judge:
Listen to their voices, ruined by the bullets that tore through their throats, and hear them yourself...!

--ARROW--

Hopkins:
Mata Hari...

Hopkins:
Margaretha Geertruida Zelle MacLeod!

Hopkins:
You have committed adultery through devilish means,and robbed the people of Salem of their senses.

Hopkins:
You have betrayed God, and indulged in the evil of witchcraft. In the name of God and the good people of Salem, I hereby sentence you to be hanged as a witch!

Abigail:
...A...aaa...

Mata Hari:
...

Mata Hari:
...!

Mata Hari:
Ah......(Sigh)...

Mata Hari:
...I see. So that's how it is.

Mata Hari:
I suppose, when weighed against the fifty thousand people that live in Salem...

Mata Hari:
...my own life is a small price to pay to save them, huh?

Hopkins:
Do you have a problem with my sentence?

Mata Hari:
No.

Hopkins:
I further order her employer, Fujimaru,to pay damages and trial fees totaling forty pounds!

Hopkins:
As well as an additional thirty pounds for the cost of the hanging!

Elder Pickman:
What? That's absurd. I've never heard of such preposterously high court fees before.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...This is a farce! This isn't justice!

---

Fujimaru 2:
You're showing your true colors, “Witchfinder General”!

---

Judge:
Order! Order!

Hopkins:
How dare you show contempt for this holy court! Unlike the venues to which you are accustomed, this is not some cheap tavern.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mata Hari!!!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Get out of my way!

---

F：Constable:
Get back! Nobody approaches the condemned!

Mata Hari:
...

Sanson:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Is she saying something?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can see her lips moving...

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
Damn, it's no use. I can't tell what she's saying...

---

The Hill - Gallows

Condemned 　　　　　　　　　　　　–Old Giles–

Condemned 　　　　　　　　　　 –Mrs. Pickman–

Condemned –Mata Hari–

F：Constable:
You again?

Sanson:
Your Honor...I would like to speak with you.

Hopkins:
Hmph. Sanson, eh...

Hopkins:
Are you here to ask me to overturn their sentence,like those other foolish villagers?

Hopkins:
Or are you here to call me a king again? I am but a humble servant of God and the law.

Sanson:
No, Your Honor. I am...well aware of the weight that a sentence carries.

Sanson:
However, this is all moving far too quickly. I would like to ask for a stay of execution.

Hopkins:
...Is that so? Very well, the executions are not set to take place for a few hours. State your case.

Sanson:
As you know, Your Honor, a large number of people are dissatisfied with this sentence.

Sanson:
Salem is also currently beset by attacking monsters,which are stoking fear and grief in its people.

Sanson:
It is eminently possible that these feelings may incite anger and confusion, which would make it much more difficult to keep the peace.

Hopkins:
So, you are telling me to be wary of riots?

Sanson:
This could be dangerous for you personally, Your Honor.

Hopkins:
My own life is of little consequence.

Hopkins:
What's more, I am told that Carter set out to Boston to bring back a new judge.

Hopkins:
In which case, regardless of what becomes of me,the great work of these trials will continue.

Hopkins:
These holy trials have begun, and neither the devil nor a saint can stop them.

Sanson:
...You're lying.

Hopkins:
...Hmph.

Robin Hood:
There's no way we're talking that old man out of this.

Nezha:
What if. We tied Hopkins up. Made him. Mysteriously vanish? Right? Right?

Circe:
Seriously...?

Nezha:
Fortunately. Abigail. Still at home. That is good. She will not. Have to see. Any act of violence.

Circe:
Yeah, I don't see reckless violence helping here. It would probably end with more innocent victims.

Circe:
Can't you feel it? There's a will at work behind all of this.

Nezha:
...Hm?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is it related to Mash's disappearance...?

Circe:
My, my. You arrived at the same conclusion I did.

Circe:
Someone, or something, is taking advantage of our intervention avariciously, even cunningly at times.

Circe:
Probably the Demon God Pillar, or one of his puppets.

Circe:
But if they're not trying to kill us...

Circe:
...who stands to profit from Mash's absence?

Circe:
...Whoa there.

Circe:
Hehe. You're cute when you're mad.

Circe:
Shouldn't we be focusing on Mata Hari right now, though? I've actually got an idea for that!

---

Fujimaru 2:
We have to save Mata Hari, no matter what.

Robin Hood:
You said it. And as luck would have it,there's a storm brewing right now.

Robin Hood:
Who's to say it couldn't cause the gallows to have an unfortunate accident?

Circe:
Terrible idea.

Robin Hood:
...Huh?

---

Circe:
Here's what we're going to do. We're going to let Mata Hari be executed.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Huh!?

Nezha:
Whaaa!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
NOT funny!

Robin Hood:
What're you playing at here?

Circe:
I don't have time to explain, Dandyman.

Robin Hood:
Gee, thanks!

---

Robin Hood:
Ugh, dammit. Dammit...! This friggin' sucks!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why is Mata Hari just going along with this?

Robin Hood:
I know she's not the type to cry and beg for her life...

Robin Hood:
...but it doesn't make sense that she's not even trying to protect herself. This is basically suicide.

Nezha:
Indeed. I wonder if...

---

Fujimaru 2:
...What happens if an incarnated Servant dies?

Circe:
I can't imagine a real Holy Grail War ever taking place here, but under normal circumstances...

Circe:
...your contract with them would be lost, and as per the example set by normal summoned Heroic Spirits, their soul would disappear without returning to the Throne.

Circe:
So all you'd have to do is make another contract with them. We're still just Servants, after all.

Circe:
As far as mages are concerned, we're basically just familiars. Glorified consumable items.

Circe:
Eeeasy there. Hehe. I really do love your expressions.

Nezha:
......But then...

---

Nezha:
What would become. Of Mata Hari's. Memories...?

Nezha:
What would become. Of her solitude? Of the suffering. Her soul endured...?

Robin Hood:
The Reverend's reciting a prayer for the condemned.

Robin Hood:
Mata Hari's up next...She's ignoring what he has to say, but...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I can't take this anymore. I'm going to stop–

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Wait...What's she...? )

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Her lips are moving again...? )

---

Robin Hood:
...What do you wanna do, Master?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Robin, read her lips! Hurry!

---

Robin Hood:
You want me to lip-read? ...Okay, got it.

Robin Hood:
...What language is that? Is it even English? I'm just gonna copy her sounds.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Go for it.

---

Robin Hood:
“It...so...kay...”

Robin Hood:
“Truh...st...ir...see...”

---

Fujimaru 1:
“It's okay. Trust Circe. ”

---

Robin Hood:
The noose is around her neck now...Dammit, she's smiling.

Constable:
...Your Honor, it's time.

Hopkins:
Hang them!

Sanson:
MARGARETHA!!!

Nezha:
In the end...We let her die.

Nezha:
How could you. Let this happen. Master!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
...What did she mean by that?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What did Circe do?

---

Circe:
Don't blame [♂ him /♀ her].

Circe:
...Hm?

Circe:
It...it moved. Something happened back at the workshop...

Circe:
Wh-what's...Ahh...

Nezha:
The workshop...? The Carter house? What happened?

Robin Hood:
(Sniff sniff)...Something's on fire in the village. Can't be a coincidence. With this storm about, they'd make sure a fire would never break out by accident.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Then, someone set fire to the house on purpose?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Is this part of your plan too, Circe?

Circe:
No! But, something's going on now!

---

Circe:
Arson...!? I...Even I'm not all-powerful.

Circe:
The workshop's defenses were made for monsters. They can't do anything against regular villagers.

Circe:
Oh man, and after all that work I put into making it...

Nezha:
Divine retribution? This quickly?

Nezha:
...!? What about Abigail?

Constable:
...Judge! Judge!

Judge:
What is it? More corpse-eating monsters?

Judge:
What do you think all these rifles are for!? Drive them off!

Constable:
But this time, there are angry villagers among them as well!

Constable:
Monsters attacked someone just as he was breaking into the Reverend's house, allowing them to escape!

Judge:
My Lord...This is blasphemous! We've got to do something. I'll go tell Judge Hopkins!

Judge:
Out of my way, youngster.

Judge:
...Your Honor, it's not safe here. More of the monsters are on their way!

Sanson:
You mean the ghouls!?

Hopkins:
THIS is the Puritan paradise I spent sixty-six days on a boat to reach? On a voyage in the deathly cold of winter, no less?

Hopkins:
I would expect such disruption in a famine, or a revolt, not in a Puritan haven. What a disappointment.

Judge:
Your Honor, you need to get out of here! Hurry, before they find you!

Judge:
Without the armed reinforcements I've sent numerous telegrams for, there's nothing we can do to hold them off!

Hopkins:
Absolutely not. My execution of these heretics is not yet complete.

Hopkins:
We must wait and be certain that these wretched condemned are indeed dead, or the people won't rest secure in the knowledge that justice was served.

Judge:
Are you mad!? No one is even here to watch any longer!

Hopkins:
Say what you will. I will not leave until I am satisfied these criminals are dead.

Judge:
...Grr...

Sanson:
...Your Honor...

Nezha:
I sense. An evil aura! Expanding! Exploding! There is more. Than ghouls here!

Circe:
What is Sanson doing?

Circe:
Oh well...This actually works out well. Now we don't have to distract them ourselves.

Circe:
...Robin! Go get Mata Hari's body! We're taking her with us!

Robin Hood:
Huh? Her body? Why're you giving me orders, anyway!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Please, Robin!

---

Fujimaru 2:
The ghouls are going after the condemned's bodies!

---

Nezha:
Master! I'll get Abigail!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Got it! Thanks, Nezha!

Nezha:
You are welcome! If I see. Others in danger. I shall save. Them too!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Well, good luck, Circe.

Circe:
Huh...!? Why am I doing all the heavy labor here? Ugh, fine!

---

--BATTLE--

Abigail:
...

Nezha:
...Abigail!

Nezha:
Are you all! ...Right?

Abigail:
...Lavinia?

Nezha:
It's me. Nezha!

Abigail:
...Nezha.

Abigail:
My house is gone. It's all burned down.

Abigail:
Hey, Nezha? I can't find Lavinia anywhere...

Abigail:
Do you think we could find her with this big fire to light our way?

Nezha:
...A-Abby? Do not get. Too close. Fire is dangerous.

Nezha:
Curses...These flames are. Too strong. To be put out. We must evacuate!

Nezha:
Fujimaru is. Waiting for you. Abby?

Abigail:
What a shame. Still...Now there's nothing stopping me from going anywhere I want.

Abigail:
Isn't that right?

Nezha:
Abby...That. Not freedom. That is–

Nezha:
More of. These creatures!

F：Constable:
Our rifles aren't even slowing them down! And we're out of ammunition!

G：Constable:
Use your hatchets! Chop off their arms and legs! Keep His Honor safe!

Sanson:
I know how to use a sword! Let me handle this!

Judge:
Oh no you don't! O-out of the way! We don't need any help from drifters!

Judge:
Salem is OUR land! A land we carved out for ourselves from a dark and foreboding forest!

Judge:
We'll protect it ourselves, whether we're up against Indians or the devil himself!

Sanson:
...!

Hopkins:
Hey. What do you think you're doing? Don't you dare touch that corpse!

Hopkins:
Judge Hathorne! I order you to arrest Fujimaru and the rest of [♂ his /♀ her] company!

Hopkins:
They're no more than bandits now!

Judge:
I-I'm sorry, Your Honor, but we've got our hands full at the moment!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sanson!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Fall back for now!

---

Sanson:
...Khh...!

Sanson:
Forgive me, Master!

Sanson:
I'm staying here! I have to keep these people safe!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Huh!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Are you KIDDING me right now!?

---

Robin Hood:
He's an idiot! A true, dyed-in-the-wool moron!

Robin Hood:
Forget your stupid principles for a moment and help us carry Mata Hari already!

Robin Hood:
Juuust in case you were somehow not aware: Dead bodies? They're really goddamn heavy!

Circe:
Falling back's all well and good, but WHERE exactly do we fall back to, Fujimaru?

F：Constable:
You there! Hands off the condemned! It's forbidden to bury criminals in the graveyard!

Robin Hood:
Look, pal, I don't know what you've......Huh?

Robin Hood:
Wha...? Hang on. Mata Hari...? Did you just move...?

C：Mata Hari? :
...N...

C：Mata Hari? :
Ngh...

F：Constable:
E-eee...! She's coming back to life...!

G：Constable:
What're you doing, you idiot!? Just leave her already! She's nothing but another monster now!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't stop for anything, Robin!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Do NOT leave Mata Hari behind!

---

Robin Hood:
Whoa, whoa, cut me some slack here!

Sanson:
...! You're...!

Mrs. Pickman:
...Ah...

Mrs. Pickman:
My neck...It hurts...

Hopkins:
...

Sanson:
Stay back, Your Honor!

Mrs. Pickman:
Ahh...

Mrs. Pickman:
I'm not...a witch...Why...

Mrs. Pickman:
Together with...my daughter...Ahh...

Sanson:
...Ghh...

Sanson:
May God's grace...be with you...Ah...Graaah!

Hopkins:
...

--ARROW--

Nezha:
Master! I brought. Abigail!

Abigail:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...Are you okay!?

Circe:
(Huff...Huff...) Somebody get me a piglet...I'm not cut out for all this running...

Circe:
Nezha...? Who're all those people behind you!?

Nezha:
They followed me. While I was. Running around. The village.

Circe:
Oh, really? Crap.

Circe:
...Fujimaru? I think we're kind of out of options...

---

Fujimaru 1:
We can't keep our identities secret from Abby anymore.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Okay, yeah, we're in a tight spot here.

---

Robin Hood:
You're telling me. I've been running around carrying a whole person on my back. One who's been biting the hell out of me this whole time, I might add!

Robin Hood:
Are you sure it's safe to–ow, ow, ow, ow!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Nezha, Circe, you'll have to do all the fighting.

Nezha:
What will you do? Master?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Robin, if worse comes to worst...

Robin Hood:
Huh? What the hell is THAT look for?

---

D：???:
...Incense Burner!

Ghouls:
Rrr...Grr...Rrr...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wh-who're you!?

---

Abigail:
Wait, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...I know who that is...

Abigail:
Huh...?

H：???:
Hello, Fujimaru. You look like you could use a hand.

Abigail:
Tituba...? Is that you...?

Abigail:
But...!?

H：???:
...I'm sorry, Miss Abby.

H：???:
Tituba the servant is dead. She finished her role, and stepped off the stage.

H：???:
And that is why I'm free now.

H：???:
Free to wield my power as I see fit! Free to make my fortune!

H：???:
...O great spirits, blow them away!

Ghouls:
Hisss!

H：???:
And that concludes your free trial! For more of my services, you'll have to pay!

H：???:
Hmm, shall we say a fixed price for every ghoul I kill? I'm also willing to offer discounts if you pay for a dozen at a time up front!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Huh? You're CHARGING us?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Seems like an awfully short trial.

---

Robin Hood:
Huh? You mean you're not here to help us, Titu–uh, whatever your name is?

H：???:
Why, of course I am! “Helping” and “people” are two of the sweetest words I can think of.

H：???:
And every good deed deserves a good reward, right? So, how much can I put you down for?

H：???:
Surely you don't expect me to work for no compensation...do you?

---

Fujimaru 1:
A signing fee!? I-I'll put it on Chaldea's tab...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Calling all Goldies, calling all Goldies...

---

H：???:
Hehehe. Pleasure doing business with you!

H：???:
All right then, I'll make sure to provide you with excellent service during our temporary contract!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Heed my words.

---

Fujimaru 2:
My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny...

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
If you abide by this reason...

---

Fujimaru 2:
...I shall entrust this fate to your sword!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
If you abide by this reason...

---

Fujimaru 2:
...I shall entrust this fate to your sword!

---

H：???:
As the Caster of Midrash, I swear here and now.

H：???:
I accept you as my Master...!

--BATTLE--

A：???:
I've taken the liberty of preparing a safe house. Come on, I'll show you the way.

A：???:
By the way, I don't see your friend Sanson anywhere?

Robin Hood:
That bastard decided he'd rather save Hopkins's hide than come with us! This is why I can't stand dealing with “do right” scholarly types!

Nezha:
How awful.

Abigail:
Thank you for saving us...But...

Abigail:
Are you...Tituba...? No, you can't be.

Abigail:
...B-but then, who ARE you?

A：???:
...Abigail Williams.

A：???:
When prosperous nations deal with each other,sometimes information is the most precious of gifts.

A：???:
And so, I'm afraid...I cannot lightly reveal my True Name, not even to you.

Abigail:
I...I see...I'm sorry...

A：???:
That said...

A：???:
I WAS your servant once, Miss Abby.

A：???:
You treated me so kindly,and I loved and respected you in turn.

A：???:
I don't plan to go by Tituba anymore...but I'll never forget our time together.

A：???:
In the meantime, let me tell you what most people call me.

A：???:
The woman from the south,who rules all of Sheba as its queen...

A：???:
It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Mash:
...!

Mash:
Senpai!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mash!

---

Mash:
Oh, Senpai...! I'm so sorry for making you worry!

Nezha:
How fortunate. How lucky.

Nezha:
Embracing. Tears. Praise be to the Buddha. For his guidance.

Circe:
This is...a Bounded Field, huh...I had no idea there was a place like this in the woods.

Circe:
I couldn't pick it up at all. How long has it been here?

Robin Hood:
Phew...I'm just glad you're okay, Mash.

Robin Hood:
Now, can I put this body down already, or...

Circe:
Oh, right. Go ahead, Mata Hari. It's okay now.

Mata Hari:
...

Nezha:
You were. Alive?

Robin Hood:
Wha...The whole ti–THE WHOLE TIME!?

Mata Hari:
I'm still feeling sluggish, though...It definitely took a lot out of me.

Circe:
Looks like you're pretty resistant to poison. That's actually kinda unfortunate in this case.

Circe:
It would've been a lot easier for you if you'd just gone ahead and passed out for real.

Robin Hood:
Bwa...? What's going on?

Circe:
I gave her some medicine to help her fake her death.

Circe:
She took it before she was scheduled to be hanged.

---

Fujimaru 1:
So, you were only pretending to be dead?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What about your neck? Is that okay?

---

Mata Hari:
Oh, that's nothing for an escape act. Once you know the trick, it's easy.

Mata Hari:
Of course, even if you can cushion your vertebrae from the impact of the fall, you usually end up suffocating anyway from the pressure on your neck.

Circe:
I did my best to preserve enough of her metabolism so that blood would keep flowing to her head.

Circe:
The drugs I pilfered from the Whateley house really came in handy here...But never mind that now.

Robin Hood:
...You said something about a will at work in all this earlier?

Circe:
...I sure did.

Circe:
If Mata Hari had run away without atoning for her sins or facing justice in the village courthouse...

Circe:
...I'm guessing we would never have been reunited with Mash.

Robin Hood:
...So the court always demands sacrifice, huh.

Robin Hood:
Course, that queen lady helped us out a good bit...But if she hadn't, I'm guessing whatever this “will” thing is could've just sent Mash off to her death.

Circe:
Right. We've basically just had a hostage released.

Robin Hood:
...

Abigail:
What are you doing here, Mash? I thought you had gone to Boston...

Abigail:
Where's Uncle Carter...?

Mash:
...The Queen of Sheba and I will explain everything.

Mash:
But, I'm afraid...it will be very hard for you to hear, Abby...

Abigail:
...I...

Abigail:
...That's okay. I want to know what's really going on...

Section 5: Fourth Knot

The Next Morning 　　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Day 5–

Forest Safe House

Abigail:
...!

Abigail:
(Gasp...Gasp...)

Mash:
Are you all right, Abby...?

Mash:
You were crying out in your sleep,and your lips are deathly pale.

Abigail:
Oh Mash, I...I just had the most awful nightmare...

Abigail:
Everyone in the village was yelling that I was a witch...

Abigail:
...and demanding that...I atone for my sins...

Mash:
...

Mash:
I'm sure what we told you last night must have come as a great shock.

Mash:
But you've lived a peaceful life ever since you were born. There's nothing you need to atone for.

Abigail:
But...

Abigail:
What if all of that was a lie, too...

Mash:
...

Mash:
Time in Salem is speeding up.

Mash:
The days are passing more quickly than when we first arrived.

Mash:
You can't tell from inside Salem, but it's obvious when you observe it from within the Bounded Field.

Circe:
...Huh.

Queen of Sheba:
Right. That's exactly what's going on.

Mash:
Everything Robin told you up until he lost sight of us is true.

Mash:
I tried to accompany Mr. Carter after he left to go to Boston.

Mash:
I was hoping I might find a clue as to how we could leave Salem.

Mash:
Of course, now I can see what a rash,foolish thing that was to do.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Water under the bridge, Mash. Don't sweat it.

Mash:
...Okay. Thank you, Senpai.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm just glad Sheba was there to bail you out.

Mash:
Right. I'll get to that as well.

---

Circe:
I can't believe this discrepancy wasn't just affecting our perception, but time itself.

Mash:
This distortion in the time-stream near Salem's perimeter is why Robin lost sight of me.

Robin Hood:
...Huh.

Robin Hood:
But wait, hold up. Any ability that can affect the damn time-stream has gotta be pretty limited in scope.

Robin Hood:
But if the Demon God Pillar's pulling it off on this kind of scale...

Robin Hood:
...then what the hell can we possibly do against it?

Mash:
Right...

Circe:
...

Mash:
After I got separated from Mr. Carter,I ended up lost in the woods.

Mash:
It was then that a pack of ghouls found me...

Mash:
I might have died if Tituba–I mean, the Queen of Sheba–hadn't happened to be close by.

Abigail:
...I still can't believe it...

Mash:
Neither can I...

Mash:
I never would have guessed that Tituba was actually the namesake of the Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba...

Queen of Sheba:
Wow, I'm still that famous in the modern day?

Mash:
Yes. Your name is known far and wide.

Mash:
The story we used for our play about you and King Solomon has been told around the world.

Mash:
And there are a great many songs about the Queen of Sheba as well.

Queen of Sheba:
Well, that's wonderful. That kind of name recognition should be a big help for business. Maybe I could get royalties on all that, too...

Mash:
R-right. Business...

Mash:
(I probably shouldn't tell her that her name is ALL anyone knows about her now...)

Circe:
...Ahem.

Circe:
Okaaay, so much as I'm still curious as to why Sheba here is the only one who's escaped the Demon God Pillar's influence...

Circe:
...our first priority is to come up with a strategy to fight the thing.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Did you figure something out, Circe?

---

Circe:
Hehe. More or less. I just hit upon a possibility.

Circe:
What if this spell ISN'T directly controlling the time-stream, or transforming the world from the ground up?

Circe:
For example...

Circe:
If it was actually a kind of displacement spell that connected one area to another with a different flow of time...

Circe:
...you could achieve essentially the same effect with relatively less energy expended.

Circe:
Though of course, that kind of transcendent time-space control would still be almost godlike on its own.

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
Circe, um...You wouldn't happen to be a w-witch...Would you?

Circe:
Hehe. Nope, I'm not A witch. I'm THE QUEEN Witch.

Nezha:
Very young. For a queen. More like. A princess witch.

Circe:
Sh-sh-shut up!

Circe:
You know, stuff like that hurts even more when you're not even trying to be mean!

Mash:
Abby...I know this may be hard to understand, but...

Mash:
...while those of us from Chaldea ARE involved with magical things...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I promise we aren't blasphemers.

---

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...I understand.

Abigail:
Neither is Lavinia...

Abigail:
I can't believe that someone is bad just because they use spells...

Mash:
(...! Then, she really did know who Lavinia was all along...)

Abigail:
Even different pastors say the Bible tells us different things when they give sermons.

Abigail:
I'm sure God is forgiving, even to people who try to use spells...

Abigail:
Especially if they try to use them to do good things and make people happy...

Mash:
...Thank you, Abby. I know this must be hard, but I hope you'll help us.

Abigail:
...I will.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Queen of Sheba, you will help us, right?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Queen of Sheba, will you lend a hand to Chaldea?

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
Queen of Sheba, you will help us, right?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Queen of Sheba, will you lend a hand to Chaldea?

---

Queen of Sheba:
Yes, of course. I can't wait to polish off this Demon God Pillar.

Robin Hood:
Hey, Queenie, you do know this isn't like ordering one of everything at your local tavern, right?

Mata Hari:
...Does this mean you still don't know why you were summoned to Salem?

Mata Hari:
I remember Da Vinci confirmed that Circe was summoned thanks to the Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba.

Mata Hari:
Were you summoned in the same way?

Queen of Sheba:
Hmm, I honestly don't know. That might explain HOW I'm here, but not WHY.

Queen of Sheba:
All I can say for sure is that someone performed a summoning...without paying the usual price.

Queen of Sheba:
So I ended up trapped in Salem, and got assigned a role that suited whoever summoned me.

Queen of Sheba:
It wasn't exactly an ideal turn of events,but after my role as Tituba was finished...

Queen of Sheba:
...I ended up becoming a ghoul with lingering regrets and getting completely obliterated...

Queen of Sheba:
So if I hadn't formed a provisional contract with you,Fujimaru, I wouldn't have been able to stay materialized.

Queen of Sheba:
Instead, I'd be hiding in this safe house, dreading the moment when my magical energy finally ran out.

Mash:
(...In that case...)

Mash:
(...does this mean that the one who summoned her and the one who assigned her a role, are different people...? )

Mash:
(And if they are, does this mean the latter tried to get rid of her after she was no longer useful...? )

Mash:
(If I hadn't run into her in the woods,I'd almost certainly be a ghoul myself by now...)

Mash:
(I came terrifyingly close to dying...)

Mash:
(And she rescued me even though it put her at risk of disappearing...So I want to believe we can trust her. )

Robin Hood:
...There's something else I'm wondering about that seems kind of important.

Robin Hood:
How ARE you still here after getting completely obliterated as a ghoul? Makes no damn sense.

Robin Hood:
It's not just some sort of trick, is it?

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen of Sheba:
I'm afraid I can't tell you that just yet.

Robin Hood:
Huh!? Why the hell not?

Queen of Sheba:
Because I still can't prove anything...

...Or, well, I know what happened from my perspective, but if I tell you all, that will make it fact...

Mata Hari:
...

Robin Hood:
...You're the same Tituba who took care of us at the Carter house, right?

Queen of Sheba:
...Yes. But...

Queen of Sheba:
...while I do have memories from when I was Tituba,they weren't MY memories.

Queen of Sheba:
At the time, I thought I really was Tituba. It was like my whole brain was hazy and muddled.

Circe:
So, someone was blocking your thoughts. That's got to be related to my summoning too.

Circe:
Because I'm pretty sure you were originally supposed to be summoned to Salem as yourself.

Circe:
But the summoning didn't go as planned, seeing how you ended up being forced into the role of Tituba.

Circe:
In other words, whoever summoned you messed up,and I was brought in as your backup. Am I right?

Queen of Sheba:
...I can't answer that.

Robin Hood:
Same deal as before, huh...

Robin Hood:
All right, if you can't answer that question,then at least tell us this.

Robin Hood:
WHY can't you answer that question?

Queen of Sheba:
Because I don't want to make enemies out of you...

Abigail:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Is there any way we can contact Chaldea again?

---

Circe:
Our channel to Chaldea reopened at the same time the Queen of Sheba was revived.

Circe:
Given what else has happened with the Near-Future Observation Lens, that can't be a coincidence.

Mash:
This is...really difficult, isn't it? Between the Demon God Pillar, and the people of Salem...

Mash:
...it almost feels like homework King Solomon left for us...

Abigail:
So...everyone suspects Uncle Carter?

Abigail:
There are things I have to ask him myself.

Abigail:
I can't believe he would ever leave you behind like that, Mash...

Mash:
Yes. It's been one surprise after another.

Mash:
I must say though, you're taking this all remarkably well, Abby. I could learn a thing or two from you.

Abigail:
Me? Oh, thank you, but...I'm just a child.

Abigail:
I still don't even understand half of what you told me about...um...Chaldea?

Abigail:
All I really know...is that you're all good people.

Mash:
...Thank you, Abby.

Mash:
...She's strong. And very wise.

Mash:
I'm sure she's feeling scared and alone now, but she's able to compartmentalize so it doesn't overwhelm her.

Mash:
I think we have a lot in common with Abigail right now...

Mash:
During the Incineration of Humanity, we were all that remained after the world had been wiped out.

Mash:
So many things we had taken for granted were swept from under us, and we didn't know what we could trust.

Mash:
...But even then, I had a lot of people I knew I could depend on.

Mash:
Even though I didn't have confidence in anything about myself, and knew nothing about the world at large...

Mash:
...I had people who cheered me up, and looked out for me, and handled everything like it was no big deal...

Mash:
...and someone who was always one step ahead,holding [♂ his /♀ her] hand out for me with a smile.

Mash:
...and someone who was always one step ahead,holding [♂ his /♀ her] hand out for me with a smile.

Mash:
I can't express how incredibly fortunate I was to have that.

Mash:
I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for everyone who was with me.

Mash:
And all of that is why I can't let Abigail go through this alone.

Mash:
She's just an ordinary little girl,and she deserves happiness as much as anyone else.

Mash:
It would be horrible to just let her sink into despair all alone...

Abigail:
Um, Mash? I need to go back to Salem, I can't stay here...

Abigail:
I just can't help but worry.

Mash:
Are you going to go see Lavinia?

Abigail:
Yes...I guess you saw right through me, didn't you?

Mash:
I'll go with you. There are still some things I want to look into in town.

Mash:
I'll ask Senpai for permission,and to have someone else come along.

Mash:
I think Nezha would be a good choice.

Abigail:
Oooh, yes! I love Nezha. She tells me all sorts of wonderful things about worlds I've never heard of!

Mash:
Yes. As far as I'm concerned,they're all wonderful senpai.

---

Fujimaru 1:
See you later, Mash. And be careful.

---

Mash:
I will! Please take care of Senpai while I'm gone, Robin.

Robin Hood:
Sure thing.

Robin Hood:
Me, Master, and Circe can handle things.

Robin Hood:
Not sure splitting the party is the smartest move,but also not sure what else we can do.

Robin Hood:
We can't exactly have Mata Hari and not-Tituba out and about when everyone thinks they're dead.

Robin Hood:
So they're staying behind at the forest safe house.

Robin Hood:
Dammit, Frenchie, of all the times for you to bail on us...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sanson knows what he's doing.

---

Fujimaru 2:
We do need to find out what he's up to, yeah.

---

Robin Hood:
Guess you're right. But, ugh, man's still a right bell end.

Robin Hood:
All right, let's get ourselves over to the town center. Time's speeding up here, right?

Robin Hood:
I can still run while carrying you both.... Hup.

Circe:
Aah! Hey! Put me down! I don't need any man to carry me!

A：Constable:
Judge Hopkins is a busy man!

A：Constable:
He only just escaped a dire threat to his life last night!

B：Constable:
Yeah!

B：Constable:
So in these dangerous times, we're not letting anyone suspicious near that house!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...You've gotta be kidding me!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Come on, isn't there anything you can do?

---

A：Constable:
No! End of discussion!

A：Constable:
By the way, you lot had better not have gone and buried that condemned woman's body in the town graveyard.

A：Constable:
We may have more important things to worry about than proper burials just now, but that doesn't mean the village is going to forget what you've done.

B：Constable:
You ask me, you should burn that body! Only proper thing to do for a witch!

Robin Hood & Circe:
...

Robin Hood:
...Sanson's off his damn rocker.

Robin Hood:
“I regret that I will not be able to accompany you for the time being. ”

Robin Hood:
“Nor can I share what I have learned while I have been away, as it is a matter of utmost secrecy. ”

Robin Hood:
What a load of crap!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hahahaha!

Robin Hood:
How is this funny!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
This is quite the pickle, isn't it?

Robin Hood:
More like a whole jar of pickles!

---

Robin Hood:
We can't let this slide, Master. I think he's lost sight of what we're supposed to be doing here.

Circe:
I couldn't believe what I was seeing either.

Circe:
If I were you, I wouldn't have hesitated to use a Command Spell to remind him who's boss.

Circe:
You could've turned him into a leper and had a limb or two fall off, or even just made him into a Bigorre pig.

Circe:
Then again, in his case, maybe a Mangalica sheep pig would suit him better?

Circe:
Or maybe even a white horned owl...Hehe. Hehehe...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You did manage something though, right, Robin?

---

Robin Hood:
Well, more or less. I AM an old hand when it comes to these kinds of squabbles.

Circe:
...Huh. I see.

Circe:
So you slipped Sanson a note explaining what's going on, did you?

Circe:
Well, he should at least have enough information to keep us all on the same page. Nice job, Matcha.

Villager:
Oh good, it's you. Would you mind coming with me, please!?

Robin Hood:
...Hm? You're the old man we met at the tavern...

Villager:
That's right. And there's trouble brewing there right now!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't tell me there's more ghouls!?

---

Villager:
No, it's not them. It's the sailors! They're out of control!

Robin Hood:
Did Nezha stir up some more trouble? ...No, it can't be her this time.

Robin Hood:
She wouldn't do that with children around.

Robin Hood:
Let's just forget about it, Master. Nothing newsworthy about sailors getting in drunken brawls.

Circe:
Sailors...? Those would be the men of the sea you mentioned before, right?

Circe:
I see. So there's a harbor here! Hmm, very clever of the Demon God Pillar, I've got to say.

Circe:
Come on, Fujimaru! Let's go!

Circe:
Hurry it up already! (Tug, tug)

Mata Hari:
You mean...you have an innate resistance to Demon God Pillars!?

Mata Hari:
I didn't think that was even possible for a Servant...

Queen of Sheba:
Hey, flattery will get you everywhere. If you wanna keep talking me up, by all means, go ahead! Hehe!

Mata Hari:
...

Queen of Sheba:
So, now that everyone else is gone,and it's just us here...

Queen of Sheba:
...could I talk with you about something? Just between us?

Mata Hari:
...What is it?

Queen of Sheba:
You made a conscious choice to stay here, didn't you?

Queen of Sheba:
If you really wanted to go back to the village, you could have figured out a way.

Queen of Sheba:
You chose to stay behind, though. You stayed behind because, unlike the others, you don't trust me.... That was a very wise decision.

Mata Hari:
...I see you're as perceptive as the stories say. Yes, you're exactly right.

Mata Hari:
The fact that you spent so much time around Mr. Carter alone is enough for me to have my doubts...

Mata Hari:
But that's not the only reason. I also had a personal interest in you.

Mata Hari:
I wanted to know what was behind the strange feeling I had when I performed as you in our play a few days ago.

Queen of Sheba:
Hehe, I would have liked to have seen that play for myself.

Queen of Sheba:
...It's not entirely accurate to say that I have a resistance to Demon God Pillars as such.

Queen of Sheba:
What I do have is human and Demon God blood running through my veins. So it's not that I'm not affected. It's that I affect others.

Queen of Sheba:
My father was human...But my mother was a djinn who came from the desert.

Mata Hari:
...! So you're half-human, and half-djinn...!

Queen of Sheba:
Elementals, holy spirits, Demon Gods, djinn...These beings may have different names, but in reality they're all the same thing.

Queen of Sheba:
Once I focus my attention on a specific place, it becomes impossible to make vague or otherwise ill-defined deals and agreements there.

Queen of Sheba:
In essence, I create a “Kingdom of Sheba” where my word is law wherever I go. The Bounded Field that makes up this safe house is no exception.

Mata Hari:
The queen of the southern kingdom...I've read about you in the Bible, of course.

Mata Hari:
I've even heard some sermons that say your kingdom was actually the lost garden of Eden.

Queen of Sheba:
Much as I'd like to say it was,I'm afraid that's giving me too much credit.

Queen of Sheba:
I mean, if that was true,I'd have to be a messenger from God or something.

Mata Hari:
...Are you sure? I think it would suit you wonderfully.

Mata Hari:
Just like this Salem is an anti-Eden.

Mata Hari:
A place where hearts praying for happiness are twisted into doubt and suspicion, leading to terrible crimes.

Mata Hari:
...We have to stop it, no matter what.

Mata Hari:
Queen of Sheba, now's your chance to tell me everything you know, or even just your best guess...

Mata Hari:
...about this Demon God Pillar, and what it's trying to accomplish here in Salem.

Mata Hari:
You showed up right when Mash and the rest of us were in danger, as if you'd planned it. Be honest: you can see the future, can't you?

Mata Hari:
That's why Chaldea's observation lens is named after you, isn't it?

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen of Sheba:
...Sometimes, revealing the future can change what may happen, make some things more likely than others.

Queen of Sheba:
Part of the reason I ended up failing is because I held on to too much knowledge, too many secrets...

Mata Hari:
So that's what you meant when you said you didn't want to make enemies of us.

Queen of Sheba:
Right. The trap that's been laid here in Salem is frighteningly cunning.

Queen of Sheba:
Sharing information about it would put me in danger too, so...I'd really rather not.

Mata Hari:
I've already died not just once, but twice. Nothing scares me anymore. So please...?

Queen of Sheba:
...Hmmm. (Ears twitching)

Mata Hari:
...(That is SOOO cute. )

Queen of Sheba:
All right.

Queen of Sheba:
But I can't tell you for free. I am the Queen of Sheba, after all.

Mata Hari:
Huh...? Are you serious?

Queen of Sheba:
I was...Well...

Queen of Sheba:
I was hoping you could tell me about a certain man? One that only those who have been in Chaldea would know.

Queen of Sheba:
Specifically, your...memories...of him...from when he was human...

Mata Hari:
...Is that all you want?

Mata Hari:
Yes, of course. I'd be happy to. Teehee...Now I see.

Mata Hari:
So it was your feelings for him that had an effect on our play.

Queen of Sheba:
I-I suppose so...Oh, this is so embarrassing...

Mash:
The hill with the gallows...I was hoping I'd never have to come here again.

Nezha:
...Hm. Abby. Abby. Over there.

Abigail:
...Oh my! There she is! Right by the hill...!

Abigail:
Thank you, Nezha! Mash, would you mind waiting here, please!?

Nezha:
And off. She goes.

Mash:
That white hair...It must be Lavinia. I wonder what she's doing here?

Nezha:
This place stinks. Of blood. But...I do not. Sense evil. Not now.

Nezha:
That captain. At the wharf just now. Much more. Monstrous look to him.

Mash:
I, uh...I suppose everyone's different in their own way.

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
Lavinia...!

Lavinia:
...A......

Abigail:
(Huff)...(Huff)...I've been looking everywhere for you.

Abigail:
...What happened to you? Your hands are filthy.

Lavinia:
...What do...you want?

Abigail:
I just met a man named Captain Alden at the wharf.

Abigail:
He told me you'd been staying with him at the harbor inn, and that you'd gone to stop by your home.

Abigail:
We looked for you there too,but we couldn't find you...so we came here...

Lavinia:
That...i-isn't his real name. H-his real name...is Captain Marsh.

Lavinia:
He's from the South Seas...He's been friends with my family...for a long time.

Lavinia:
...I was...cleaning up my house.

Lavinia:
C-Captain Marsh said...I should mortgage it. B-by next week...it'll belong to the bank.

Abigail:
Huh...?

Lavinia:
W-were you...kicked out of your home too...Abby?

Lavinia:
Heh, hehe...S-serves you...right.... Th-that said...

Lavinia:
I-I'm sure they'll rebuild...your house in n-no time.

Lavinia:
And you won't have any trouble...finding a place to stay.

Abigail:
Don't worry about me...

Abigail:
Lavinia, about your family...

Lavinia:
I don't want to hear it!

Lavinia:
I see you're still with...that troupe...

Lavinia:
You didn't tell them...our secret, did you...?

Abigail:
No! I promised I'd never tell a soul!

Abigail:
Besides, they're just visiting Salem...They're better off not knowing anyway.

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
Lavini–

Lavinia:
...Abigail, have you ever...thought about leaving Salem?

Lavinia:
Captain Marsh said...he'd take us anywhere. Jamestown...Barbados...Anywhere.

Abigail:
Leave Salem...? You mean...with you?

Lavinia:
...Yes.

Lavinia:
We could leave here...and go somewhere...far away. I don't know where, but...somewhere.

Abigail:
...How could we possibly do that? We're just children...

Lavinia:
Are you worried...about the fare? Don't be.

Lavinia:
My family's given Captain Marsh...lots and lots of gold. E-enough to buy...a dozen ships.

Lavinia:
We've already m-more than paid...for two small passengers.

Lavinia:
And...he won't turn you...away. I promise...

Lavinia:
So...I want you...to decide. Right now.

Abigail:
...! ...Right now?

Abigail:
...I can't. Uncle still isn't back yet...And besides.

Abigail:
The weather's been so bad that no ship has been able to set sail for–

Lavinia:
That doesn't matter!

Lavinia:
Captain Marsh...would never, ever wreck his ship!

Lavinia:
I promise you...we can leave Salem safely!

Lavinia:
B-but he's only willing to bring the t-two of us on board! You can't...tell the troupe about this!

Abigail:
Ah...

Abigail:
I'm sorry, Lavinia, but...I can't...I just can't...!

Abigail:
I can't leave Salem, no matter what...!

Lavinia:
...I see.

Lavinia:
Then I guess...this is goodbye.

Abigail:
...(Sniff)...Lavinia...

Abigail:
I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...About you, and your family...

Abigail:
I...I don't even know how I could begin to apologize...

Lavinia:
I don't forgive you.

Lavinia:
B-but...I accept your...apology.

Abigail:
Ah...

Abigail:
Will you still be my friend, no matter how far away you go...?

Lavinia:
...Friends? We were...never friends.

Abigail:
Yes, we were. And you're still my friend.

Lavinia:
...No, I'm not.

Abigail:
It doesn't matter what you say. You're still my friend.

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
Thank you...I love you, Lavinia...

Lavinia:
...I can't breathe, Abby.

Abigail:
...Goodbye, Lavinia.

Abigail:
...

Nezha:
...

Mash:
...

Lavinia:
Goodbye...A-Abby.

Lavinia:
I-I knew...you would say that.

Lavinia:
Hehe...Hehehe...G-Grandfather...

Lavinia:
I WILL fulfill...our family's wish. I promise...

Lavinia:
Iä...Iä...Y'gnaiih...y'gna...

--ARROW--

---

Fujimaru 1:
Oh wow, this IS really bad.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Not another bar brawl...

---

White Flag Sailor:
I don't wanna be hanged!

Anchor Sailor:
Don't be stupid! We ain't pirates. If we try ta steal a ship, we'll be tossed in the clink faster than ye can say Davy Jones!

Robin Hood:
...Whoa there, Master. Watch yourself.

Circe:
...Hey could you maybe NOT shoot stray bolts everywhere? I swear, not an ounce of self-control.

Circe:
This is why sailors just plain don't deserve to have normal human intelligence, you know!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Uh, that's a horrifying thing to say.

Circe:
Is it?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Okay, let's wipe the floor with them.

Robin Hood:
I said we get it, thanks.

---

Robin Hood:
Anyway, I'm gonna try and cool things off here.

Robin Hood:
Hey there, gents. What seems to be the trouble? You're not trying to dine and dash on this fine establishment, are you? Terrible manners, that.

Anchor Sailor:
Huh? Oh, it's ye again, Robin. We ain't dinin' and dashin' nowhere!

Anchor Sailor:
So, ye 'ave yer resident child actor with ye this time, eh? She's a cutie, that's fer sure.

White Flag Sailor:
Wish I could've seen a play with 'er in it. I bet she'd be great fer a comedy o' errors or somethin'.

Circe:
Child actor...Comedy...Heh...Hehe. It's okay. I'm patient. I can listen to men talk and not get angry all the time...yes...

Eyepatch Sailor:
I prefer the other lady with the fake pointy ears meself.

Eyepatch Sailor:
I got a gander o' 'er in town. She seemed down on 'er luck, but she were prim and proper, and there were just summat sexy 'bout 'er.

---

Fujimaru 1:
(He must be talking about Medea...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(If only he knew they were the same person...)

---

Eyepatch Sailor:
Aha, I see what be goin' on 'ere. Ye must be that lady's daughter.

Eyepatch Sailor:
And yer wearin' that getup to make ye look taller so ye can be just like 'er. Ain't that right, ye little runt?

Eyepatch Sailor:
'Ere's some nice warm milk for ye. Go on, drink up.

Circe:
Aaand patience gone. I'm going to open up a butcher's shop, and fresh pork is about to be on the menu!

Robin Hood:
Easy now.

Robin Hood:
...I see. So that's what started this squabble.

Eyepatch Sailor:
This one 'ere's been 'avin' nightmares every night. And that one got banged up real good when those monsters attacked.

Eyepatch Sailor:
We'd like nothin' better than ta leave, but the firm ain't givin' us permission.

Eyepatch Sailor:
They took one look at our 'eap o' cargo, and tell us we gots ta pay a ton o' maritime insurance on the lot.

Eyepatch Sailor:
But if we paid it, we'd lose so much money we'd be better off throwin' the whole lot overboard.

Villager:
So that's why you tried to get the tavern owner to lend you enough to cover it? As if he has that kind of money...

Villager:
Still, I do understand how you feel...

White Flag Sailor:
Like 'ell ye do! We're sick o' this godforsaken town!

Anchor Sailor:
Is it really stormy out there on the open sea? How do we know the firm ain't pullin' a fast one on us?

Eyepatch Sailor:
...So as ye can see, we're all at the end o' our ropes. If only we 'ad some sort o' diversion...

Robin Hood:
...So you're fine with Nezha,but not with Circe here, huh? Gotcha...

---

Fujimaru 1:
No wonder drinking isn't cheering them up...

---

Circe:
Now, now, just calm down there, sailors. Rushing a boat out to sea never went well for anyone.

Circe:
Fortunately, I think this sort of thing is right up The Fujimaru Company's alley. Am I right?

---

Fujimaru 1:
I guess a play could help them relax.

Robin Hood:
Can't say I see what's in it for us. But, I guess we may as well now that we've come this far.

Robin Hood:
Besides, Circe's on board for whatever reason, so there's that.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Don't suppose you know any good sea tales, Circe?

Circe:
Don't tell me you've forgotten who my grandfather is?

---

Circe:
Hehe. Don't worry, I've got just the story for the occasion.

Circe:
Hmm...Problem is, we need at least two women for the female parts...

Circe:
I could have you play the other one, Fujimaru, but [♂ I /♀ we] don't [♂ know how well that would go over with the boat boys /♀ have time for you to memorize the script].

Circe:
So I guess I'll just have to play both female parts myself. Lucky I'm so good at transforma–I mean, disguises.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Right. Circe here's actually a master of disguise.

---

Villager:
Is that so? That sounds fascinating.

Eyepatch Sailor:
Great. I can't wait.

Circe:
Okay then! Now that that's decided...You there! Get this mess cleaned up right away!

Circe:
What are you, a bunch of drunks getting smashed in an alleyway? Come on, tighten up those bandannas!

White Flag Sailor:
Huh? Are we gonna be part o' this play too?

Anchor Sailor:
At last, my stage debut! Hehe...Just goes ta show there's no tellin' what life's got in store!

---

Fujimaru 1:
No back talk!

Circe:
Exactly. It's time you put those muscles of yours to work for something besides fighting!

---

Fujimaru 2:
This should make for some good practice.

Eyepatch Sailor:
What's that s'posed ta mean? Anyway, if we're gonna be joinin' in, ye better be buyin' everyone a round!

---

B：Lookout:
Land! Land ho!

Medea Lily:
Oh my, so we've finally reached the island I've been seeking?

Medea Lily:
After embarking from my home of Colchis, sailing across the Black Sea, and making my way through the many islands of the archipelago, I've finally arrived!

Medea Lily:
I've lost count of how many boats I've taken to get here...What a long, long journey it's been!

A：Captain:
Miss! Young miss! Y-you didn't say anything about this!

A：Captain:
That map you gave me led us right to the island of Aeaea!

Medea Lily:
That's right. Didn't I tell you? There's a goddess living here!

A：Captain:
A goddess!? Ye've gotta be pullin' me leg!

A：Captain:
Any sailor worth his salt knows not to come near that island!

A：Captain:
Not a single man who's set foot there has ever returned!

Medea Lily:
Is that so strange? Maybe that's because it's such a wonderful place that nobody wants to leave.

Medea Lily:
Besides, the goddess who lives there is my aunt.

Medea Lily:
I've traveled all this way just so I could pay her a visit.

A：Sailor A:
Gah! Ye mean yer the witch's niece!? Are ye serious!?

B：Sailor B:
I thought ye were just a beautiful traveling apprentice priestess! Ye tricked us!

Medea Lily:
Huh? A witch?

A：Captain:
Th-that's right, young miss!

A：Captain:
Everyone says that island is home to a witch who kills any sailor she sees!

A：Captain:
There ain't no way she's a goddess!

Medea Lily:
...

Medea Lily:
You sailors certainly are superstitious, aren't you?

Medea Lily:
True, she may be a witch...

Medea Lily:
But that doesn't mean she isn't a good witch, right?

A：Captain:
A good witch? Ha! As if there were any such thing!

Medea Lily:
...They ended up throwing me overboard onto the beach.

Medea Lily:
I guess this counts as making land...But how am I going to get back to Colchis now?

Medea Lily:
...This island is certainly much bigger than I thought.

Medea Lily:
Ooh, I hear something rather ominous. I wonder if that's the welcome wagon...?

Medea Lily:
No...It looks like this wagon isn't very welcoming at all.

--BATTLE--

A：???:
That's strange...There's no one here. I could have sworn I saw a ship pass by...

A：???:
I guess it must have left as soon as it arrived...Hm? Oh, it looks like my female intruder wards are going off.

Medea Lily:
...Oh, over there. That must be her.

A：???:
...A visitor, hmm? But, who is she?

A：???:
Huh? I've never seen you before in my life.

A：???:
And I don't need any more women around here. I've already got enough housemaids.

Medea Lily:
Oh Auntie, don't be silly. It's me, remember?

A：???:
“Auntie”!? Just how much older than you do you think I am!?

Medea Lily:
Oh, so you don't like being called “Auntie”...

Medea Lily:
In that case, what about Lady Aunt, or Exalted Aunt? I'm especially partial to Auntsie Pantsie myself.

Circe:
It's Circe! My name is Circe, and I own this entire island!

Circe:
So unless you WANT to be turned into a lizard, you better start calling me that!

Medea Lily:
Okay, Auntie Circe. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Medea Lily:
I have an official letter for you from my father,the King of Colchis.

Medea Lily:
My name is Medea. Thank you for having me.

Circe:
Hm...? Medea...?

Circe:
And you're the Crown Princess of Colchis? You mean you're that blockhead Aeëtes' daughter!?

--ARROW--

Circe:
My mansion is just up ahead. Along with my altar to Hecate.

Circe:
Hehe, that altar is my pride and joy, you know. Hehe.

Medea Lily:
I would love to see it, Auntie.

Circe:
I. Said. Don't. Call. Me. “Auntie”! Not unless you want to end up a newt.

Medea Lily:
I'm sorry. I guess I'm still a little light-headed from my long boat trip...

Circe:
...

Circe:
...I hate to say this about your father,but King Aeëtes is a painfully mediocre man.

Circe:
Of all our demi-god siblings, he was the only one without any talent or accomplishments to his name.

Circe:
Being king was pretty much the only choice he had left.

Medea Lily:
I see...As much as I wish I didn't agree, I suppose I do.

Medea Lily:
Is that true of your younger sister,Auntie Pasiphaë, too?

Medea Lily:
I only met her once, before she was wedded to King Minos of Crete...

Medea Lily:
But I remember her being very beautiful. King Minos must be a happy man indeed.

Circe:
...Grrr...

Circe:
...That lazy, good-for-nothing Pasiphaë was way more god than human. She was always the prettiest, and she had the most natural talent for magic.

Circe:
But, she never wanted to actually put any effort into anything.

Circe:
So, Medea, make sure you don't end up like your stupid dad or your lazy aunt.

Circe:
You need to study hard and keep polishing your skills. You can't rest on the laurels of your natural beauty and innate talent forever.

Circe:
And whatever you do, don't ever end up as just another trophy for some man to trot out when it's convenient.

Medea Lily:
...(That doesn't sound so bad to me. )

Circe:
By the way Medea, what brings you to my island, anyway?

Circe:
If all you wanted was to deliver my brother's letter, you could have just sent it by pigeon.

Circe:
In fact, let me open it up and read it for myself.

Medea Lily:
Oh, yes. You see...

Medea Lily:
...Oh? Are those piglets?

Piglets:
Oink?

Circe:
(Rustling paper) All right, letter,let's see what you've got to say...

Circe:
Hey, stop that, piglets. Leave my niece alone,or I'll roast you for lunch myself.

Medea Lily:
Ooh, are these your pet pigs, Auntie? They're so round and plump and adorable!

Medea Lily:
Teeheehee. That tickles!

Piglets:
Oink! Oink!

Circe:
...What the...

Circe:
He wants you to train as a priestess? On MY island!?

Circe:
What the hell was that dullard thinking!? I don't DO apprentices!

Medea Lily:
That's right. That's actually why I'm here.

Medea Lily:
The King of Colchis hopes that I will one day take over the shrine of Hecate.

Circe:
And he wants ME to show you the ropes? Forget it! Find some other sucker!

Medea Lily:
So your answer is no? And you won't change your mind?

Circe:
Hell no!

Circe:
I'm never taking on an apprentice as long as I live! My island, my rules!

Medea Lily:
Pain Breaker! (Ver. 2)

Circe:
Aah! Don't go pointing a weapon at me! Especially when you don't even telegraph the attack!

Medea Lily:
...Master Circe.

Medea Lily:
My father may be a half-witted, good-for-nothing dullard, with nothing to his name but the Golden Fleece...

Circe:
Hey, even I wouldn't go THAT far.

Medea Lily:
But he still cares deeply about other people, and I respect him.

Medea Lily:
I believe he sent me here because he was worried about you, and how you never leave your island.

Medea Lily:
Though I'm sure he was too embarrassed to say so in as many words.

Circe:
...

Medea Lily:
Did you perhaps have a bad breakup? Is that why you shut yourself away...?

Circe:
Shut up!

Circe:
...Come with me.

Medea Lily:
...So this is Hecate's altar...

Circe:
Listen to me very closely, Medea.

Circe:
If you insist on becoming my apprentice, I will not treat you like my niece anymore.

Circe:
You must prove yourself worthy by taking on trials of my choosing, here before Hekate's own altar!

Circe:
Besides...

Circe:
Did you really think you could set foot on the great witch Circe's island without paying the price!?

Circe:
If you can't pass these trials,I'll turn you into a six-headed monster!

Medea Lily:
...Very well.

Medea Lily:
Well, honestly, I was just thinking I would like to see how strong my future master is for myself.

Circe:
Hehe. That's what I like to hear. All right, let's get started!

Medea Lily:
Yes, Auntie! I see this must be the first trial you have in mind!

--BATTLE--

Circe:
Phew...

Circe:
All right. A promise is a promise.

Circe:
I kind of had a feeling about you after seeing how you handled yourself on the beach.

Circe:
But it's clear now that your talent for spellweaving is one of a kind.

Piglets:
Oiiink, oink oink.

Medea Lily:
Teeheehee, I said that tickles. Do these piglets have names?

Circe:
EXCUSE me! I'm TALKING here!

Circe:
...All right, we'll start your training tomorrow. I'll be focusing primarily on medicinal herbs.

Circe:
It's the foundation that will teach you all about natural processes.

Medea Lily:
Medicinal herbs...I kind of prefer summoning arts myself.

Medea Lily:
I'd really love to summon about a dozen Spartoi. They look just like poseable statues. It's adorable.

Medea Lily:
How long will it take to complete this training? Will it take more than three days?

Circe:
Three days!? Try more like six months!

Circe:
Ugh...I can see I've got my work cut out for me.

Circe:
...Ah well. I guess for today,I can treat you to some witch's porridge.

Medea Lily:
That sounds great. Thank you, Auntie Circe.

Circe:
(Sigh)...You really don't change for anything, huh...?

Circe:
You've got my brother's thick skin,and my little sister's naivete...

Circe:
Hehe...

Circe:
S-so...What'd you think...?

Eyepatch Sailor:
Hmm, 'tis hard ta say. I did like the parts with the skeletons, though!

White Flag Sailor:
It reminded me of a story I've 'eard before. I liked the skeleton fights too.

Anchor Sailor:
Can you pretend to be Lily again? Please?

Circe:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I-I thought it was good...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Skeletons kinda stole the show, huh?

---

--ARROW--

Hopkins:
...

Hopkins:
You certainly turned your friends away rather brusquely, Sanson.

Hopkins:
Pitiful. I can see right through you.

Sanson:
...

Hopkins:
Did you really think you could curry favor with me now, at this point?

Hopkins:
For an actor, your performance is rather abysmally transparent.

Sanson:
Indeed, I'm not certain I succeeded at putting on an act at any point in my life. But, I have always followed my principles, wherever they may lead me.

Sanson:
I am grateful to you for keeping me by your side.

Sanson:
And I do not believe I have betrayed my Master.

Sanson:
Right now, here in Salem, order itself is on the verge of collapse.

Sanson:
Whatever the devil is plotting, I cannot permit him to further his ends by allowing you to die.

Hopkins:
Hmph...

Hopkins:
I suppose I, too, owe you my thanks.

Hopkins:
I doubt we would have made it through that last attack with the inexperienced constables and villagers alone.

Hopkins:
It was only thanks to your swordsmanship that we survived. Where did you learn to fight? Were you once a mercenary?

Sanson:
I...I used to be an executioner,before I joined The Fujimaru Company.

Sanson:
It was my job to behead the condemned.

Hopkins:
Is that so? That sounds like something out of an ancient royal court. Or merely cruel, barbaric custom.

Hopkins:
Why do such a thing? Surely the heads, once separated from their owners, could confess no sins?

Sanson:
A quick beheading lets the condemned die free of pain and suffering.

Hopkins:
Hmph. Nonsense. Suffering is what ultimately leads to truth.

Hopkins:
...Do you know who I am, Sanson?

Hopkins:
As I recall, your fellow company members have addressed me as “Witchfinder General. ”

Sanson:
In that sense of the word...Yes, I do know who you are. And that you came here all the way from England.

Hopkins:
I see...Well, no matter. It is not as though I were trying to keep it secret.

Hopkins:
And the certificate I brought with me from the governor of Massachusetts is genuine.

Hopkins:
However...

Hopkins:
I would be a liar if I claimed that I felt I truly belonged here.

Sanson:
...The governor should be dealing with the natives up north right now. I doubt he is anywhere in Boston.

Sanson:
So it's strange that he granted you this authority so quickly.

Sanson:
If you had just arrived from England, you should know about the Massacre of Glencoe. But you do not.

Sanson:
...Your Honor, you are clearly not like the other villagers.

Sanson:
Could it be that, like me, you are actually a–

Hopkins:
Be silent! Don't you dare try to trick me, Charles-Henri Sanson!

Hopkins:
It doesn't matter what I am. I will see my God-given duty fulfilled regardless!

Hopkins:
As long as I draw breath, I will not suffer a single witch to set foot outside this place!

Sanson:
...Yes, Your Honor.

Hopkins:
Hmph. Haha. What a stiff, gloomy man you are.

Hopkins:
Why not have a swig of rum and loosen up a bit?

Sanson:
No, thank you. I'm still on duty.

Hopkins:
Suit yourself.

Sanson:
(...I knew it. Even Hopkins himself has his doubts about this situation...)

Sanson:
(Yet he is still attempting to fulfill his mission. That is not an act of madness. )

Sanson:
(He is sincerely attempting to redeem himself,in his own way. Almost as if he were a Servant...)

Sanson:
(A Holy Grail War does not stop until the casualties have shed enough blood to fill the Grail...)

Sanson:
(Not even he can stop these executions any longer. Someone WILL be chosen to die...)

Sanson:
(And yet, we came to this cursed land of our own accord...? )

Sanson:
(No, that's wrong! We were invited here! And it was not a Demon God Pillar that invited us...! )

Sanson:
(A Demon God Pillar would never invite anyone from Chaldea! Or if they did, they would never kill them for no reason! )

Sanson:
(What are the gallows meant to grant in this land...? Salvation? ...No...)

Sanson:
(...Despair? )

Hopkins:
...Oh, yes. Incidentally...

Hopkins:
This morning, I received some valuable information pertaining to the devil's whereabouts.

Sanson:
...!? That book? ...I presume its contents are concerned with the devil?

Sanson:
Let's see...“Livre d'Ivon”...“The Book of Eibon”...?

Hopkins:
Indeed. This Book of Eibon contains tales of heretical gods and details about the devil's way of life.

Hopkins:
It is, in essence, a grimoire of heretical spells.

Hopkins:
It is also used in rituals to summon the devil. The girl who brought it in openly admitted to that crime.

Hopkins:
She informed me that she and another girl had conducted one such ritual together.

Hopkins:
Indeed, she confessed to me directly that she had sullied her hands in satanic ceremonies.

Sanson:
...A girl...?

Hopkins:
Lavinia Whateley. She brought the book to me and turned herself in.

Hopkins:
What's more, she told me that her co-conspirator,the one who helped her to conceal this crime...

Hopkins:
...and continues to reside in Salem,hiding her shame and sin...

Hopkins:
...is Abigail Williams.

Sanson:
...!!!

Abigail:
Ngh...Nnngh...

Mash:
Poor Abby. She's still moaning in her sleep...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I hope she's okay...

---

Abigail:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Is she saying something...?

---

Mash:
There have been so many dreadful things happening every day...I wish we could do more for her...

Queen of Sheba:
Fujimaru? Mash?

Queen of Sheba:
Could I have a word with you?

Queen of Sheba:
Out here, if you don't mind. I'd hate to wake Abigail up when she needs peace and quiet.

Queen of Sheba:
Earlier today, Mata Hari and I exchanged several pieces of information.

Mata Hari:
I would say “traded,” but yes, we did.

Queen of Sheba:
I found it to be a very fruitful exchange. Now, first off, there's something I'd like to ask you, Mash.

Queen of Sheba:
I'm told you studied Salem's history thoroughly before embarking on this Rayshift.

Mash:
...That's right.

Mash:
I assisted Mata Hari with her preparations, and focused on the witch trials for my own.

Mash:
There was a list of Salem's residents among the documents, so I also memorized that.

Queen of Sheba:
Can you recall that list now that you're in this Bounded Field?

Mash:
Yes. I can definitely see it more clearly now.

Nezha & Robin Hood:
...

Mash:
Whenever I tried to recall it in Mr. Carter's house,my head would feel sort of...hazy...

Mash:
So, I couldn't actually remember any of it at all.

Mash:
I didn't even think anything of it at the time. All I had was a vague feeling that something wasn't right.

Circe:
...

Queen of Sheba:
All right then, is Abigail Williams on that list...?

Mash:
Yes, she is. She was one of the most important people during the trials.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I knew it...

Mash:
I'm sorry, Senpai. I wish I could have been more helpful...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I didn't know that.

Mash:
Really? I would have thought for sure that you did.

---

Mash:
...At any rate, I know what you're trying to say.

Mash:
...But it was only when I was walking around the village today that I finally realized something.

Mash:
Most of the other residents' names aren't on the list I memorized.

Mash:
Some people had names that only resembled the names on this list.

Mash:
That said, most of those names are fairly common in Great Britain.

Mata Hari:
...Say, Mash?

Mata Hari:
Do you think we're being made to reenact Salem's witch trials?

Mash:
No, I don't. Things are progressing completely differently here.

Mash:
So I don't think we're being forced to perform them by some external power or anything like that.

Robin Hood:
What about Carter? What's Abby's uncle's role in all this?

Mash:
I don't know.

Mash:
All I can say is, like most of the others, the name Randolph Carter wasn't on the list of Salem residents.

Mash:
If anything, I think the Queen of Sheba may know more about him from her time as Tituba.

Queen of Sheba:
...Hmm. I'm sorry.

Queen of Sheba:
But when I was Tituba...

Queen of Sheba:
...I really believed that he was my new master, taking over for Abigail's parents. I never had a doubt.

Circe:
Well, we did come to the village as traveling performers. By definition, we were much less bound to defined roles.

Circe:
Tituba can't help it if her own role was so restrictive as to limit her consciousness more than ours.

Circe:
Right? ...Right?

Queen of Sheba:
...I like to think I was pretty capable as far as servants go, personally.

Mata Hari:
...Then it's pretty much going the way I expected.

Mash:
...

Mash:
You mean you suspect Abby...!?

Mash:
But she defended you so passionately during your trial–

Nezha:
Shh. Will wake. Abby up.

Mash:
Oh! (I'm sorry...)

Mata Hari:
Even so, we still need to be on guard around her.

Mata Hari:
The next thing we need to confirm is what to do about her. Master?

Mash:
Senpai...

---

Fujimaru 1:
What do you think, Queen of Sheba?

Queen of Sheba:
I don't begrudge Miss Abby anything...

Queen of Sheba:
But when I think about what happened to me...Well, to Tituba...

Queen of Sheba:
I'd have to say we should be keeping as close an eye on her as possible, for her safety AND ours.

Robin Hood:
What, are you kidding me with this crap? It's obviously Hopkins we oughta be worrying about, right?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What do you think, Robin?

Robin Hood:
Me? I've got a lotta thoughts, but you ask me,Hopkins is the one we oughta be worrying about.

---

Robin Hood:
Seriously, what're we gonna do about that guy!?

Robin Hood:
He's even won that damn idiot turncoat of a Frenchie over to his side now.

Robin Hood:
If that doesn't put us over a barrel,I don't know what does.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What about you, Mash?

---

Mash:
...

Mash:
I-I...I want to keep Abby safe.

Mash:
I want to treat her like any other villager as much as possible.

Mash:
If we start suspecting an innocent girl like her, and all we have is a bunch of coincidences or circumstantial things, it'll just make things worse...

Mash:
If...if we just decide she's a witch for no good reason...

Mash:
I think that would be the point when we let our fears control us, just like what happened in Salem during the real witch trials.

Mash:
...I'm sorry...

Mash:
I don't have any right to say things like that when I couldn't even do my own job right...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't worry about it, Mash.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm glad you were honest with us.

---

Robin Hood:
...(Sigh) I'll admit that finding witches is an important factor here in Salem.

Robin Hood:
But I still think we should be more worried about the judge running this town, and the jackass who sided with him.

Circe:
Well, golly gee, Robin, you reeeally hate Sanson, don't you? Fine by me. The next time you see him, you just go nuts and REALLY let him have it. Fight to the death if you want.

Robin Hood:
The hell?

Robin Hood:
Heeelp! Somebody! We've got a witch in our midst!

Nezha:
Robin. Be quiet.

Abigail:
...Nnn...

Mash:
Abby...?

Circe:
...!

Queen of Sheba:
...My oh my.

Nezha:
I sense...evil.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Great, ANOTHER attack?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I love having an evil radar! Where is it now?

---

Nezha:
It comes. From the village. There are. Many of them.

Mata Hari:
I'll come with you. Don't want to get rusty, after all.

Mata Hari:
If worse comes to worst I'll pretend to be a ghoul myself. Just make sure you don't burn me up too, okay?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Okay, everyone...Let's do this!

---

Mash:
Abby...? ...She's got a terrible fever...

Abigail:
...There's...a ghost here...

Abigail:
It's flying after me...Trying to get me...Aah...

A：Villager:
I give up. I can't walk anymore. Go on, save yourself!

D：Girl:
Aaah! Aaah! Demons! Demons are coming over the roofs!

C：Villager:
It's possessing me! Oh, God, it's so cold. I'm freezing!

B：Villager:
Go away, ghost! Get out of here!

Villager:
Aah! Stay back! I said stay back!

--ARROW--

D：Villager:
A-aah! Somebody, saaave meee! There are monsters everywhere!

Eyepatch Sailor:
Well there, if it ain't Fujimaru and comrades! Looks like yer in a spot o' trouble!

---

Fujimaru 1:
The sailors from the wharf?

---

Eyepatch Sailor:
Yer play may've been duller 'n a windless day at sea, but that don't mean I'm gonna let yer cute little actress bite the dust!

Circe:
Call me “little” again,and I'll turn you into a literal pig!

D：Villager:
This is the end! Our village is done for!

Robin Hood:
I TOLD you to be careful, Gramps! Ugh, this is such a frigging pain!

Nezha:
We are still. Outnumbered! These enemies are strange. Handling them. Difficult!

--ARROW--

Massachusetts Army – Cavalry

Captain:
Move aside! Citizens, make way!

Robin Hood:
...What's this? We're getting reinforcements now?

Mata Hari:
Mr. Carter's on one of the horses. He must have brought them here.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, but against things like these, he's just leading more people to their dea–Hm?

Captain:
Take aim! ...Fire a volley!

Carter:
Here! Use these silver bullets! Don't worry, I've got plenty to go around!

Soldier:
What difference is that going to...

Captain:
Hey...It worked! All right, Professor!

Soldier:
So now we just shoot 'em like any other enemy, huh? They're not that fast either. We can do this!

--BATTLE--

Carter:
Abigail! Abigail, where are you!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mr. Carter!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Abigail's staying with us now.

---

Carter:
Then, she's all right...? My blood froze when I saw what had happened to our house...

Carter:
I see...So you took care of my niece while I was away, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru.

Carter:
I can't thank you enough. That's twice you've saved the life of my only family.

Carter:
Still...It's not safe to camp out in the woods. Fortunately, I know of a suitable vacant house we can use. It belongs to some acquaintances of mine.

Carter:
I wish I could ask them for permission, but given the circumstances, I think they'll understand.

Carter:
...Is something wrong? You seem puzzled.

Carter:
...Mash?

Carter:
I agreed to take her with me as far as the village's exit. I thought she had headed back on her own.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

Fujimaru 2:
...Was that a cat?

---

Nezha:
Meow?

Robin Hood:
Oh, that's the cat we saw at the wharf. I guess it must've been kicked out in all the commotion.

Carter:
Gah! Hey!

Carter:
Keep that thing away from me! Stay back!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Please don't kick it, Mr. Carter.

Carter:
Shoo! Shoo!

Robin Hood:
Why're you being so cruel to it?

Robin Hood:
The sailors love this little guy. Don't you, fellas?

White Flag Sailor:
Sure do! This little kitty's adorable.

---

Fujimaru 2:
...I didn't know you disliked cats.

Carter:
That is not what is at issue here!

Circe:
I hate cats too. They never cuddle up to you.

Circe:
And I hate how they're always using their cuteness to try and get their way.

Circe:
When Medea was on my island, they'd always...(Grumble)

---

Cat:
(Purrr)

Carter:
At any rate, I'd like to go get Abigail as soon as possible.

Nezha:
Hey. He ran off.

Nezha:
...Hm.

Robin Hood:
Forget about him. He'll be fine.

Robin Hood:
...Stupid Sanson. He never did come back to help us...

Section 6: Fifth Knot

Dawn – Villager's House (Bedroom)

Abigail:
Zzz...Zzz...

Abigail:
...Fa...ther...

Abigail:
...(Sob)......N...nn...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...i...ä...

Abigail:
...i...Ä...

Abigail:
Yg...naiih...yg...naiih......thfl...thkh...

???:
...

???:
Only one left...

???:
Then, the ultimate gate will open...

???:
Wonderful...He has already begun his descent within the depths of your mind...Well done, Whateley...

???:
Soon...Very soon now...Only one...left...

Abigail:
...

Morning – Villager's House 　　　　　　　 　　　 –Salem Day 6–

Carter:
...I see.

Carter:
That would make me quite the liar indeed.

Carter:
I appreciate your show of trust in sharing this with me. But frankly, what you're saying is preposterous.

Mash:
...We can't trust what we perceive within this space! Reality itself is being distorted!

Carter:
This discussion is over. I feel crazier with every word I listen to from you.

Carter:
If this is your way of rehearsing for one of your plays, then leave me out of it.

Carter:
You're telling me the year in the outside world is 2019? That everything here in Salem is artificial?

Carter:
I suppose the Harvard Divinity School where I teach, the soldiers I brought back, and even Boston itself don't exist either then, hm?

Carter:
Ridiculous. I have never heard anything so completely absurd in all my life.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What about all the monsters? That can't be normal.

---

Carter:
...I admit that things have happened here that seem to defy explanation. And yes, there are the monsters.

Carter:
But those are only oddities when viewed through the lens of British common sense.

Carter:
This is a pious land, so nobody talks about this...Indeed, most simply try to put it out of their minds...

Carter:
But the fact is, there is not just one single god in our world. Everyone knows that.

Carter:
I have lived among people of different countries in order to study these other gods.

Carter:
I also know that the Indians here worship their own strange and suspicious gods.

Carter:
I've seen a statue of a grotesque obese goddess that was worshipped by a dark cult during the Qing dynasty.

Carter:
There are dreadful beings in ancient civilizations, this mysterious New World, and tombs buried under desert sand...

Carter:
Horrible, unspeakable things that exist in the vastness of the cosmos, to whom humanity is so insignificant as to be beneath even their consideration.

Carter:
Fujimaru, you hail from the Orient, if I'm not mistaken.

Carter:
Perhaps you have heard of the esoteric religion that worships the dragon god that dwells in a seabed palace?

Nezha:
You mean Ao Guang? The Dragon King. Of the East Sea? Not. That tough.

Circe:
Aha, you're talking about the great sea beasts, the Ceti?

Circe:
They've got great toxin, but you can't get it anymore now that they're all petrified. What I wouldn't give for another batch...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Would you two shut up for a moment?

---

Carter:
...I'm used to hearing criticism from my fellow academics, and I do not mind if you think me a liar.

Carter:
But I won't have you filling Abigail's innocent mind with nonsense and madness.

Carter:
It's time you learned the difference between fantasy and reality.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Where are Abby's parents' graves?

---

Carter:
...What's this all of a sudden?

Mash:
...That's right. And there's the ghouls, too.

Mash:
I've been wondering about the Williams' resting place as well...

Mash:
Mr. Carter, I checked the town graveyard, and neither your sister nor her husband were buried there.

Mash:
Abby didn't say anything about them either.

Carter:
That's because they don't have graves.

Carter:
...Their bodies were never found, I'm afraid.

Mash:
I heard that sometimes, something belonging to the deceased is buried in their stead if a body cannot be recovered...But you didn't do that either?

Carter:
Abigail seems to think that her parents were...eaten by cannibals.

Mash:
What!? Native Americans would never treat the dead like that...

Carter:
I've never seen evidence of that either...But this IS the New World. Anything may happen here.

Carter:
Even now, my niece has nightmares about it.

Mash:
...Lost corpses...Ghouls...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Who was the last one to see them alive?

---

Carter:
Abigail herself. Thank goodness she survived the attack.

Mash:
What a horrible tragedy...

Carter:
Yes, it is. I still cannot begin to understand why my niece would deserve such horror in her life...

Robin Hood:
Man, oh man, I've never seen such a thick fog before. It even managed to soak through my cloak.

Robin Hood:
...Hey, Ringmaster, can I talk to you for a sec?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hm? You mean outside?

---

Robin Hood:
Mata Hari's been scouting things out here,and she just sent us a message.

Robin Hood:
There's been more hangings. One last night, and one before dawn today.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...! Who did they execute?

---

Robin Hood:
The instigators of last night's riot, apparently.

Robin Hood:
Word has it they were an unpleasant bunch who were always going around fanning the flames of unrest...Or at least, that's the official story now.

Robin Hood:
They say these guys were sending ghosts after them, that they'd been possessed by the devil, and that they intentionally instigated the riot last night...

Robin Hood:
But really, they're just using this as an opportunity to get rid of people they never liked, or ones they were fighting with over property rights and such.

Robin Hood:
And not only that...Tch...

Robin Hood:
Those sailors we met at the harbor were among the condemned.

Robin Hood:
They say they killed the tavern owner just to get out of paying their tab.

---

Fujimaru 1:
That can't be right...!

---

Fujimaru 2:
They helped us out a lot...

---

Robin Hood:
You said it...They were good guys. They didn't deserve this.

Robin Hood:
...This is bad.

Robin Hood:
I can't tell what's real and what's fake anymore.

Robin Hood:
If this is all part of our forced incarnation...

Robin Hood:
...maybe I've got no choice but to die too,like the Queen of Sheba did.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Don't even joke about that.

Robin Hood:
...Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.

---

Fujimaru 2:
We can't hide out in that Bounded Field forever.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, that's true...

---

Robin Hood:
...

Robin Hood:
I've been debating whether I should tell you this, but...

Robin Hood:
...Mata Hari suggested assassinating Carter as a possible way out of this mess.

Robin Hood:
For my part, I kept saying we need to do something about Hopkins ASAP...

Robin Hood:
...but Mata Hari's apparently much more worried about Carter.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What did the Queen of Sheba think?

---

Robin Hood:
Don't know. She refused to comment.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why's that?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Did she at least give a reason?

---

Robin Hood:
Nope. She wouldn't say anything. Or rather, I don't think she COULD say anything.

Robin Hood:
Think about it.

Robin Hood:
She can see what's gonna happen in the future. Mata Hari confirmed as much. But...

Robin Hood:
...even though she knew about the Demon God Pillar, she still couldn't use that to her advantage here in Salem.

Robin Hood:
Her role as Tituba may've limited what she could do, but she still should've been able to do SOMETHING.

Robin Hood:
We know she exerts a lot of influence just by existing. Maybe that was the trap all along?

Robin Hood:
I mean, if she was really a threat to the Demon God Pillar, it wouldn't have given her a role at all.

Robin Hood:
So, what I'm getting at here is...This is a heretical land, filled with blasphemies and apostates...

Robin Hood:
A place where even attempting to help only makes things worse, more twisted...

Robin Hood:
A land forsaken by God,where prayers just tumble out into an empty abyss.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...!? A heretical land...!?

Robin Hood:
Yup. Even the best of intentions backfire here. All they seem to get you is a noose around your neck.

Robin Hood:
How can I be so sure, you ask?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Why would you think that, Robin?

---

Robin Hood:
Well...It's not like I firmly belong to any one part of history.

Robin Hood:
As a Servant, I'm basically just an actor with a personality made up of a bunch of different parts.

Robin Hood:
But thanks to that, it's easier for me to step back and see the big picture than it is for pretty much anyone else.

Robin Hood:
I'm still kinda guessing here, but...

Robin Hood:
...I think if we end up losing our cool and resorting to violence to try and get this mess sorted out quickly...

Robin Hood:
...the foundation propping up this fiction might crumble. It could wreck the whole...plot, I guess.

Robin Hood:
And I think the more crimes we rack up,the more power it might give the Pillar.

Robin Hood:
And if that's how it is...all we can do is go along with whatever he's got in mind for us...

Robin Hood:
...while we try to figure out how to outsmart him.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I wasn't able to stop any of the hangings...

Robin Hood:
I hate to say it, but I don't think anything about that hanging business can be avoided.

Robin Hood:
But just the fact that you're still alive means we've been able to evade its trap so far.

---

Fujimaru 2:
So, we should fight fiction with...performance?

Robin Hood:
...Huh, yeah. I guess you could put it that way.

Robin Hood:
I don't wanna give the writers TOO much credit here for putting this all together...

Robin Hood:
But that might not be a bad way to go about it.

---

Mash:
...Senpai? Is Abby with you?

Mash:
The rabbit Robin caught for us wasn't in its cage...

Mash:
I think it must have gotten out. I've still got to drain the blood before we can eat it...

Robin Hood:
Oh, whoops...I didn't realize I'd been going on for this long.

Robin Hood:
Anyway, I didn't see anything here. Maybe the rabbit tunneled out?

Nezha:
Robin. You were slacking. On lookout!

Mash:
The fog is so thick today...I can't help but worry...

Abigail:
(Huff)...(Huff)...

Abigail:
I have to...hurry...

Abigail:
...to our...secret place...

Abigail:
...and remember the spell Lavinia taught me...

Abigail:
Please settle down. I can't do this without you...

Abigail:
...(Huff, huff, huff)...

Abigail:
Oh, thank goodness...The monsters haven't been here.

Abigail:
Two, four...six. Good. The stones we used for a six-sided star are just like we left them.

Abigail:
Okay, I've got a silver knife...Rope for binding...And...

Abigail:
Here it is. My precious Book of Eibon...It's all muddy from that storm...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
Sut-Typhon...Sut-Typhon...

Abigail:
Thou art a sinner...Thou art the sixth knot...

Abigail:
In this fertile land across the sea, the harvest we seek is our greatest pleasure...Hrn...Hup...

Abigail:
Hear our prayers...

Abigail:
Thou art a sinner...Thou art the sixth knot...

Abigail:
Ahh...Our Father, who art in heaven. Let me speak thy name...

Abigail:
Forgive the people of Salem their sins. Save the sinners who have lost their way.

Abigail:
Ahh...Please, I beg you. Please, save this village...

Abigail:
Please make it so Lavinia can smile and laugh...And the travelers can find solace...

Abigail:
And, one day...I hope you will relieve us of our suffering...

Abigail:
But...if our suffering should still continue...Please...

Abigail:
Please take me away from here. I don't care where I go, as long as it isn't here...!

Abigail:
Please, God...

Abigail:
...!!!

Hopkins:
Don't move.

Hopkins:
Do not dare try to conceal the evidence of your guilt, not least that bloody knife!

Hopkins:
Abigail Williams...You are under arrest.

Abigail:
N...no...! Please! You have the wrong idea...!

Sanson:
Abby...So it really is you.

Abigail:
Sanson...Not you too...

Abigail:
How did you find me...? This was our secret place...Nobody else knew about it...

Sanson:
...

Sanson:
Your Honor...Judge Hopkins. Please, let me handle this!

Sanson:
This is no satanic ritual. This is a child's poor way of playing house!

Sanson:
It requires no more than a harsh admonition!

Hopkins:
...Out of the question! Move aside, Sanson!

Sanson:
Ngh...Please, Your Honor...!

Hopkins:
This girl has knowledge acquired from Tituba,and she is holding the book of heresy for all to see.

Hopkins:
I do not choose who the devil may possess. Indeed, he may possess anyone at all!

Hopkins:
She can make her excuses from a prison cell.

Hopkins:
I will question her however I must until she confesses her vile sins, no matter how long it takes!

Hopkins:
I and I alone shall determine whether or not she is a witch!

B：Constable:
(Whisper) His Honor hasn't slept at all for the past few days...

D：Constable:
(Whisper) Just yesterday, he was up all night with some sort of horrible instrument...

Sanson:
It's okay, Abigail. Just stay calm. I promise I won't let them take you away.

Abigail:
N...no...S-stay back! Don't come near me!

B：Constable:
She just pointed her knife at His Honor! Restrain her!

D：Constable:
Aah! What was that!?

Sanson:
You're...!

Abigail:
Aah! My knife...!

Sanson:
...Hopkins!

Hopkins:
You. You're the Whateley–

Hopkins:
...

Hopkins:
H...hm...m...

Hopkins:
Gurk...Ghh...

Lavinia:
(Huff)...(Huff)...!

Lavinia:
...Hop...kinsss!

Lavinia:
You...You... You killed...m-my grandfather...You killed him! Aaah!

Constable:
Get away from His Honor, you–Aah! She bit me!

Lavinia:
It hurts...doesn't it!? Th-this is...the same rope...that broke Grandfather's neck!

Constable:
Dammit! How can she be this strong!?

Lavinia:
Hear me now, our Father who art in heaven! I offer up this wicked man's life in s-sacrifice!

Lavinia:
...Iä! Iä! Y'grah'n y'gnaiih gnaiih!

Lavinia:
N'gai, nnn'ya shogg'og fhtagn! Iä Iä y'ah!

Lavinia:
Ilyaa y'ilyaa n'gha! Ng'ai lw'nafh fhtagn!

Lavinia:
Yog-Sothoth! Yog-Sothoth! Iä! Iä! Yog-Sothoth!

Abigail:
...

Sanson:
...His Honor's aorta has been severed...There's nothing more we can do for him...

B：Constable:
...This is horrendous...I can't believe a child could do such a thing...

D：Constable:
It's...It's the devil...C-cursed witch! Th-throw down your knife, or I'll sh-shoot!

Abigail:
Lavinia...

Lavinia:
Don't come...near me. Y-you'll get blood...in your hair.

Abigail:
I don't care about–

Lavinia:
I told you, remember? I'm leaving Salem.

Lavinia:
I don't care...what happens to this village. I hope all sinners...get what they deserve!

B：Constable:
All right, witch, you're coming with us! If you refuse, I'll open fire!

Lavinia:
I'm not...refusing. If you want to shoot me...then shoot me. Right here. Right...now.

Lavinia:
If Hopkins's life isn't enough...then, finish the ritual...with mine...

B：Constable:
...!

Abigail:
No! Don't! Lavinia...R-run! Get out of here!

Abigail:
Get away from this cursed land!

Lavinia:
I'm the one...who taught Abigail the R-Ritual of Descent. This is...all my fault...

Lavinia:
So go ahead. Kill me...

Abigail:
Lavinia...

B：Constable:
Dammit! Help us, Sanson! You there, get His Honor's bod–

B：Constable:
Wha...What are you doing, Sanson?

B：Constable:
Urk...

Sanson:
...I'm sorry.

Constable:
Huh...? Sanson? Are you turning traitor on us!?

Sanson:
Yes, I am...Run away, Lavinia. It's not too late.

Lavinia:
...Y-you really are...an idiot...

Sanson:
...

Robin Hood:
I found her, Master!

Robin Hood:
It's Abby and......Sanson?

Robin Hood:
Jeez...What a mess.

Nezha:
Indeed. Bloodshed. Fainting. Untold death.

Mash:
The smell of blood is overwhelming...Wait. Over there, on the ground. Is that...Hopkins!?

Mash:
What happened here? ...Lavinia!? Where are you going?

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
That's it! Run away! ...Lavi...nia...

Abigail:
(Huff...huff...)

Mash:
Are you okay, Abby? There's blood on you...You're not hurt, are you?

Mash:
You look pale...And you're burning up with fever. Hold on. We'll get you back home.

Mash:
Senpai, please give me a hand! Abby's in bad shape!

D：Constable:
Get back here, Whateley! Sanson! Go after her!

Sanson:
No. I...I did this...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Sanson?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What are you saying?

---

Sanson:
...I killed His Honor.

Sanson:
I stabbed Matthew Hopkins. With this knife.

Sanson:
That's...essentially what happened...

Mash:
...Huh? Sanson...?

D：Constable:
...

Nezha:
Mash. How is. Abby?

Mash:
She woke up and had some fruit and porridge not too long ago.

Mash:
She still has a bad fever that's making her groggy,but I think she'll be okay once she gets some rest.

Nezha:
I see...That is. A relief. Thank you. For nursing her.

Nezha:
Very well. Will return. To my lookout.

Mash:
I'm the one who should be thanking you, Nezha.

Mash:
I really appreciate your keeping watch until Robin gets back from the Queen of Sheba's safe house.

Circe:
All thanks to my special porridge, right?

Mash:
It's true. I had no idea you were such a good cook...

Mash:
You completely changed how I thought about porridge. It's right up there with other staples for me now.

Circe:
Hehe. Usually, one dose of my wonder remedy would be enough to cure her...

Circe:
...but I'm betting Abby's fever isn't something mere medicine can fix.

Circe:
By the way, Mash...I haven't seen Carter anywhere. Do you have any idea where he went?

Mash:
The village judge summoned him to the town hall. I believe it had something to do with jurors.

Mash:
He said he would be back fairly late, and asked us to look after Abby in the meantime.

Circe:
...I see. That works out well for me.

Circe:
I'm going to borrow the kitchen again. Don't let anyone in there until morning.

Mash:
Got it.

Mash:
All right, Abby, have a good night. Get plenty of rest, okay?

Mash:
We'll be in the next room if you need anything,and Mr. Carter should be back soon too.

Abigail:
...Mash.... [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...

Abigail:
Could you...stay with me...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Is there something we can get for you?

Abigail:
...No, it's not that. It's just...

---

Fujimaru 2:
You need to sleep to break your fever.

Abigail:
...I don't want to sleep...

---

Abigail:
I hope...Lavinia's okay...

Abigail:
And then, there's Sanson...He didn't...do anything wrong...

Abigail:
I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...

Abigail:
This is all my...

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's okay. We'll take care of it.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm really worried about him too, Abby...

Mash:
...Senpai...

---

Mash:
...Okay, I'm going to put out the lamp now.

Abigail:
...W-wait...Please...

Mash:
...? What is it?

Abigail:
...I have a favor to ask...

Abigail:
I'd really like it if you told me about where you're from...About Chaldea...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sure.

---

Fujimaru 2:
What would you like to know?

---

Mash:
...Abby...

Mash:
(...Senpai, I understand how you feel...)

Mash:
(But we have to discuss what we're going to do now that Sanson has been arrested...)

Mash:
(I can't imagine what Mr. Carter was thinking,leaving Abby all on her own like this...)

---

Fujimaru 1:
Let's just stay with her for a little while.

Mash:
Senpai...All right.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You can get some rest, Mash. I'll be okay.

Mash:
B-but then there'd be no point.... If you're staying, I'm staying too.

---

Abigail:
Is Chaldea very far away...? What's it like? Is it a town? A castle? A theater?

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's all of those things.

---

Mash:
Well...I don't think I'd go that far...

Mash:
Chaldea is located on top of a very tall,very cold and snowy mountain.

Mash:
It's also...where I was born.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Yup. It's actually an observatory.

---

Fujimaru 2:
It's a place where you can look at the stars.

---

Abigail:
An observatory? Wow...

Abigail:
That means you were born right next to the stars, Mash...That sounds wonderful.

Abigail:
I wonder if you could see the comet I was born under from Chaldea...

---

Fujimaru 1:
So you already know what an observatory is.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm surprised you know so much about stars, Abby.

---

Abigail:
Lavinia taught me about them.

Abigail:
She calls them "celestial bodies," and she told me all about them and the constellations they form.

Abigail:
...Which is why I know that the earth is round, and that Mars only looks like it goes across the sky...

Abigail:
I just wish there was more I could have taught her, too.

Abigail:
All I ever taught her were things about whales...

Mash:
Whales...? I didn't know whales came near Salem's waters.

Abigail:
They do. I love to look out over the horizon from the hill in the Common.

Abigail:
If you're lucky, you can see whales spraying water from there. And if you're really lucky...

Abigail:
...you can even see them jump out of the water and make a huge splash.

Abigail:
Lavinia was so surprised the first time she saw that...

Abigail:
The whales always come in summer. It won't be much longer now...

Abigail:
Mash...Do you know where my friend is?

Mash:
Your friend...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
You mean this stuffed animal?

Abigail:
...Yes, that's it.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Here you go. You really love that toy, don't you?

Abigail:
Thank you, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster.

---

Abigail:
I think I can go to sleep now...

Mash:
Your teddy bear is very cute. Does he have a name?

Abigail:
This is Hugo...And he has a twin brother named Migo.

Abigail:
Uncle gave them to me when I was little. They're my best friends...

Abigail:
A dog once tore him up,but Tituba managed to sew him back together...

---

Fujimaru 1:
So where's Migo?

---

Abigail:
I gave Migo to Lavinia...But I guess I shouldn't have.

Abigail:
Someone from her family took him and threw him away...

Abigail:
It was one of the few gifts of mine Lavinia ever accepted, too...

Abigail:
We even thought up their names together...

Mash:
(...Now I see. )

Mash:
(That dirty rag Lavinia tried to hide from us was actually a teddy bear...)

Mash:
(But we probably shouldn't tell Abby that, since she never mentioned it...)

Mash:
(Did you notice that too, Senpai? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'm sure Migo is doing well.

Abigail:
I guess so...He always did love to travel...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I think Lavinia loves Migo just like you love Hugo.

Abigail:
You think...? I hope so...

---

Abigail:
Is there anyone in Chaldea who loves stuffed animals too?

Abigail:
Do other people tease them, and call them a baby...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Why don't we go there together and find out?

---

Mash:
Huh? Senpai? What do you mean by that...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
We'll do a little improv.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You, me, and Abby can improv a play.

---

Mash:
An improv...? You mean, right now...?

Abigail:
You'd put on a play...just for me? Wow...I would love that...

Abigail:
But...I can't...

Abigail:
I'm sorry...But I can never go to Chaldea...

---

Fujimaru 1:
In that case, Hugo can come along in your place.

---

Mash:
...! I like that.

Mash:
...B-but please try to keep it short, Senpai. We really do have to rest up soon.

Mash:
And Abby, please stay in bed while you watch. You mustn't get too excited.

---

Fujimaru 1:
'Kaaay.

Mash:
Hehe.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Okay, I'm going to borrow Hugo for just a bit.

Abigail:
Here you go. Have fun, Hugo.

---

Abigail:
I know I can be naughty sometimes...But Hugo is always good.

Mash:
Of course, there are people in Chaldea who also love stuffed animals.

Mash:
You might not know it by looking at her,but even Medea loves playing with dolls.

Abigail:
R-really...? Medea's so beautiful, but she always seemed like...there's an invisible wall around her...

Mash:
Everyone in Chaldea has their own things they care about deeply.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Abby, you can be kind of willful, can't you? ”

---

Abigail:
Haha, is that you, Hugo? ...It's true. I'm sorry.

---

Fujimaru 1:
“You're also very curious, aren't you, Abby? ”

Abigail:
Yes...I suppose I am.

Mash:
I've seen that for myself. It can really be a handful sometimes...

---

Fujimaru 2:
“ is even more willful! ”

Abigail:
...Hehe. I hope you don't make TOO much trouble for your fellow troupe members then.

---

Abigail:
What other sorts of people does Chaldea have besides actors?

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Let's see...Whoa, they're all a bunch of weirdos! ”

Mash:
Haha. True, I guess there are a lot of people with strong personalities there.

---

Fujimaru 2:
“All sorts, from around the world. It's amazing. ”

Abigail:
Does that include people from Zipang?

Mash:
Oh yes. There are a fair number of them, including Senpai [♂ himself /♀ herself].

Abigail:
That sounds so wonderful.

---

Mash:
There are also inventors, detectives, writers, musicians...bomb lovers...

Abigail:
Bombs!? Hurry, Hugo! Get out of there!

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Aaah! Help meee! ”

---

Mash:
I-I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that.

---

Fujimaru 1:
"Mash, are you actually the normal one!? ”

Mash:
I stand out for being normal? You think...?

Mash:
I-I'll have you know...

Mash:
...there are things I care about just as much as anyone else...

Mash:
As for the bomb lover, he's a clown who loves dark humor and practical jokes...

Mash:
Be careful around him, Hugo.

---

Fujimaru 2:
“There's the garish clown now. It hurts to even look at him! ”

Mash:
A clown? You don't mean...Mephistopheles?

---

Abigail:
Wow, you even have a clown there...? He must be like a royal jester.

Abigail:
I've read that even though they look like fools,you actually have to be very clever to be one.

Mash:
...Um, Hugo? Why don't we try going to some other rooms?

Mash:
Hopefully one that's peaceful and quiet?

---

Fujimaru 1:
“Hmm. In that case, what about the kitchen? ”

---

Fujimaru 2:
“The library...? No, let's visit the inventors' lab! ”

---

Abigail:
Haha...Oh, Hugo...

Mash:
Hahaha...

---

Fujimaru 1:
(What a dark and creepy night...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Why did Sanson do that...)

---

C：???:
...

C：???:
...Reee......Reee...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Who're you!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can totally tell it's you, Mephy.

---

B：???:
Meee? I ammm...

B：???:
A U. M. A! A human moth, known appropriately as the Mothman!

B：???:
Moooth moth moth moth moth moth! Moth moth moth moth moth moth moth!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Give it up, Mephy.

---

Mephistopheles:
Mo...Okay.

Mephistopheles:
It's me, Mothy–I mean, Mephy.

---

Fujimaru 1:
How did you get here without Rayshifting?

---

Mephistopheles:
Heeheeheehee! Let's just say the opportunity presented itself.

Mephistopheles:
After all, visiting hellscapes is a little hobby of mine!

Mephistopheles:
It's very easy, too. Unlike heaven, the doors to hellscapes are always wide open!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I guess that makes sense...

---

Mephistopheles:
My, my, the creator certainly did an excellent job here. I took a quick gander around this place...

Mephistopheles:
...and I must say it's a fine hellscape indeed,with lots of thoughtful touches. Heehahaha!

---

Fujimaru 1:
We haven't even found the Demon God Pillar, though...

Mephistopheles:
What's this? It's not like you to be so discouraged.

Mephistopheles:
Hmm, I can see you have at least an idea of where it is. However...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Are you the Demon God Pillar?

Mephistopheles:
Me? I'm just a simple murder-loving bomb enthusiast. You could find a dozen of me in any town!

Mephistopheles:
Besides...

---

Mephistopheles:
...I can't imagine a Demon God Pillar would be able to create a hellscape like this.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Are you sure?

---

Mephistopheles:
Why, of course I am! Have I ever lied to you before?

Mephistopheles:
A hellscape is nothing if not a land forsaken by God. You know, a land of heresy and such!

Mephistopheles:
But you can't have heresy without a deity,and you can't have a deity without humanity.

Mephistopheles:
Gods are given form wherever humans see them, whether that be in disaster, a miracle, or evanescence itself.

Mephistopheles:
But, if a true god has no need for humans at all...

Mephistopheles:
...it would be a wholly alien sort of thing, in every meaningful sense. It would be something that couldn't possibly be contained on this little blue ball of ours!

Mephistopheles:
...At least, that's what I think. I think, therefore I'm Mephy.

Mephistopheles:
By the by...

Mephistopheles:
You maaay want to know that time is really picking up speed in here!

Mephistopheles:
Even the precious Sabbath is being neglected.

Mephistopheles:
Do you know what today's date is? It's actually the evening of April 29.

Mephistopheles:
And do you know what this means? Do you...???

Mephistopheles:
It means that tomorrow is Walpurgisnacht! Heehahahahahahaha!

Mephistopheles:
The night witches hold a maddened, frenzied banquet! A feast of surprises and excitement! I can't wait!

Mephistopheles:
Incidentally, that's it for me in our little story!

Mephistopheles:
I hope you'll forgive my absence, mage of Chaldea...

F：???:
Senpai.

Mash:
...Senpai. Nezha told me to tell you to please wrap up your walk.

Mash:
I have to agree with her. I know we don't have a lot of room to sleep, but...

---

Fujimaru 1:
H-huh?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Where'd he go?

---

Mash:
I understand you're worried about Sanson choosing to go to jail...

Mash:
But you need your rest. Even the Servants are exhausted.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I just saw Mephy.

Mash:
...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
...A demon was here.

Mash:
Huh? ...P-please don't scare me like that. Nezha didn't report anything of the sort...

---

Mash:
But, Senpai...You were standing out here all by yourself.

Mash:
I thought you were just lost in thought and talking to yourself...

Mash:
...I think we should go to bed now. You need to rest up while you can.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah, good idea...

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

Mash:
...Is something wrong? I can't help but notice you're staring at me...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'm glad you're here, Mash.

Mash:
...!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Mash.

Mash:
...Of course. If anything, I should be thanking you.

---

Mash:
...

Mash:
...Hrn! (Slapping herself)

Mash:
...Not at all, Senpai. We're still just getting started!

Mash:
We may not have found any leads on the Demon God Pillar just yet, but it can't hide from us much longer.

Mash:
So let's finish up this mission, and make Da Vinci and Geronimo proud of us.

---

Fujimaru 1:
You said it. That Demon God Pillar is going down.

Mash:
...That's right!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let's make sure we all get back to Chaldea.

Mash:
Yes, of course!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
So tomorrow's April 30...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can't believe it's already been six nights...

---

Section 7: Sixth Knot

The Next Morning 　　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Day 7–

Robin Hood:
Man...

Robin Hood:
I didn't think it was gonna be this dark out...

Robin Hood:
It might as well still be nighttime. Guess it's got something to do with the weird time nonsense...

Circe:
Aaaaaaaaah!

Robin Hood:
...Aaand, nothing quite takes your mind off things like an ear-shattering scream in the morning...

Robin Hood:
I don't even want to know what this is about...

Circe:
Th...th...

Circe:
Th-the well outside...It's all full of tar!

Circe:
And the milk's gone so rotten it looks like cottage cheese!

Circe:
NOW how am I going to make our morning porridge!? How could the start of our day POSSIBLY get any worse!?

Nezha:
That is your concern?

Nezha:
Would it kill you. To grill some pork chops. Occasionally?

Nezha:
So tired. Of porridge.

Circe:
It's not just any old porridge! It's my special kykeon porridge!

Circe:
And I'll have you know,kykeon porridge is made with–

Medea:
What are you shouting about so early in the morning, Auntie?

Nezha:
Oh. Medea. Haven't seen you in...Wait. What.

Circe:
Swear to Hecate that you'll never, ever call me “Auntie” again!

Circe:
You hear me, Medea!? ...Wait, you CAN'T be Medea. Okay, who are you?

C：Medea? :
...Teehee.

Mata Hari:
Just a little illusion to disguise me. The Queen of Sheba lent me some of her power.

Mata Hari:
I might be good at makeup, but disguises are another thing altogether. At any rate...

Mata Hari:
...the whole village is in total chaos. It's not just the well water. There's also a swarm of insects, birds...

Mata Hari:
...and of course, this pitch-black sky.

Mata Hari:
At this point, if the dead got up and started wandering around, I don't think I'd even bat an eye!

Abigail:
...Nn...

Mash:
Abby? ...You still have a bad fever. Please, try to stay in bed.

Mash:
You've been sweating in the night...Here, let me dry you off.

Abigail:
...Oh Mash, you're exaggerating.

Abigail:
I feel great now. All I needed was a good night's sleep.

Abigail:
I have to thank you and [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster again for all your help.

Mash:
...I'm sorry, but...

Mash:
...I really do have to ask you to stay in bed.

Mash:
I know it's very dark outside right now, but it's still morning. Your fever has only gone down a little.

Mash:
I'll bring you some breakfast in bed,so please get some more rest.

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Okay. I'll do as you say, Mash.

Mash:
...Thank you.

Abigail:
Mash...Could I ask you for a favor?

Mash:
...What is it?

Abigail:
Do you think...you could find Lavinia for me?

Abigail:
She must be scared, out in the woods...all by herself...nowhere to go...

Mash:
...Okay.

Abigail:
And please, don't punish her. Just make sure...she gets on her boat...

Mash:
...Okay.

Abigail:
I'll hold you to that...

Abigail:
...Zzz...Zzz...

Town Hall – Provisional Court

Defendant – Charles-Henri Sanson

Circe:
Can I talk to you for a moment, Fujimaru?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Aah! Circe?

Circe:
Keep your voice down.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I guess that Medea is Mata Hari then?

Circe:
Right. That's Mata Hari disguised as Medea.

---

Circe:
I managed to speak to Sanson alone earlier.

Circe:
I tried to give him some of my medicine, just in case.

Circe:
But he refused to accept it!

---

Fujimaru 1:
You mean the medicine to fake your death?

---

Circe:
Right. The same stuff I made for Mata Hari.

Circe:
I admit, it's tricky to use. I mean,it really does kill you, at least for a while.

Circe:
Still, he might end up needing it depending on how this trial goes.

Circe:
But he refused to even entertain the possibility...Does he have some kind of plan of his own?

Circe:
What point could there possibly be in sacrificing himself? Just what is that dummy thinking?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Sanson...

Circe:
He's a good-looking man, right?

Circe:
...I'd hate to watch him die.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I think the only way we can save him is in court.

Circe:
...I just don't get it. Why would he go out of his way to choose the more dangerous option?

Circe:
Ugh! Why do men always do stuff like this!?

---

Judge:
Order!

Judge:
This court is now in session! But before we begin...

Judge:
I would like a moment of silence for the late Judge Hopkins, who devoted the last days of his life to hunting down the witches plaguing our fair town.

Judge:
Reverend, would you mind saying a few words of prayer?

Sanson:
...

Judge:
...And that concludes the testimony of our brave constables who were on the scene.

Judge:
Lavinia Whateley, Judge Hopkins's murderer,is still on the loose.

Judge:
Soldiers from the militia are searching for her as we speak, but are having no luck in this poor weather.

Judge:
Now, where is Abigail Williams,the other person of interest in these events?

Judge:
As her legal guardian, do you have anything to say on her behalf, Mr. Carter?

Carter:
Abigail is currently recuperating from physical and mental exhaustion. I will be defending her.

Judge:
...Very well.

Judge:
Now then. Charles-Henri Sanson...

Judge:
You volunteered to serve as Judge Hopkins's bodyguard.

Judge:
However, you have completely failed in your charge of keeping him safe.

Judge:
And, perhaps even more seriously, you assisted Lavinia in making her escape from the scene!

Judge:
According to the constables' testimony,you were acting virtually as a lunatic.

Judge:
Do you admit the truth of these allegations?

Sanson:
...I do.

Sanson:
It's all true.

Judge:
Then it is clear that you were conspiring to murder His Honor all along!

Judge:
What other explanation is there for this!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Objection!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
These circumstances were beyond his control!

Judge:
I disagree, Ringmaster.

Judge:
Sanson is a skilled and experienced fighter, and should have been more than capable of handling the situation.

Judge:
What else could have kept him from upholding his duty to keep His Honor safe?

---

Fujimaru 2:
We can't know what happened until Lavinia testifies!

Villager:
She's the daughter of the Whateley family!

Villager:
She deserves every punishment she will receive! That family is nothing more than a pack of thieves!

Villager:
They never once attended Mass! They're all sinners!

Villager:
They always went around flashing their ill-gotten gains, acting like they were better than us!

Villager:
Lavinia's a witch!

Villager:
A witch!

Judge:
Order! Order!

---

Judge:
...Ringmaster Fujimaru.

Judge:
As the leader of your troupe, I understand that you are here to defend Sanson's case.

Judge:
But you WILL watch your tongue in my court!

Judge:
Remember, this comes on the heels of the execution of one of your members, Mata Hari, who earned that sentence by attempting to lead our people astray.

Judge:
One could certainly draw the conclusion that they were acting on YOUR orders!

Judge:
The only reason you still walk free is the absence of both evidence and accusations made against you.

Mash:
...He's going awfully far...

Carter:
Your Honor, I have evidence.

Mash:
...!?

E：Medea (Mata Hari):
...

Carter:
These people have been my guests.... Or so I thought.

Carter:
And they HAVE been very good to my niece. However...

Carter:
...if that is simply the way they operate...I may have unwittingly invited demons into my own house.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Mr. Carter?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What are you saying?

---

Judge:
Fujimaru! You will hold your tongue.

Judge:
Go on, Mr. Carter.

Carter:
They are harboring a criminal in our own village.

Carter:
One who was meant to be dead, no less.

Carter:
They are hiding Tituba out in the woods, even after she was supposed to have been executed!

Judge:
It seems that Sanson's guilt is no longer in question...!

Judge:
Take him to the hill!

E：Medea (Mata Hari):
Wha...

Robin Hood:
...!

Circe:
...This is absurd. This is COMPLETELY absurd.

Abigail:
Stop this, Uncle!

Abigail:
(Huff...Huff...)

Mash:
Abby!

Nezha:
I'm sorry. Master. I tried. To stop her...But she begged. To let her go.

Carter:
Abigail...The decision has already been made.

Abigail:
...This can't be right. Sanson isn't a sinner!

Abigail:
Can't you all see that for yourselves? He's only ever tried to do the right thing!

Carter:
Hmm...Are you sure about that?

Carter:
Sanson himself feels tremendous guilt over his sins, and is trying to atone for them.

Carter:
He will be punished according to the laws we God-fearing people of Salem set down to protect our town.

Carter:
We are passing judgment on our fellow man. Isn't that how it should be?

Carter:
Or are you saying your conscience knows better than God Himself?

Abigail:
(Huff...Huff...) Ghhh...

Abigail:
That's not fair...Why won't you understand...

Abigail:
...Uncle. Is this...what you wanted to happen all along...?

Abigail:
Did you invite the troupe to stay with us...just so you could expose their sins?

Abigail:
Is there anyone in this world...who has never sinned...?

Abigail:
Is there any child of Eve unmarked by the serpent's deception?

Carter:
...This is becoming irritating.

Carter:
As you can see, my niece is severely exhausted. She is in no state to contribute to rational discourse.

Carter:
My apologies, Your Honor. Please don't let her interrupt the proceedings any further.

Judge:
Very well.

Judge:
Now then. Ringmaster Fujimaru!

Judge:
As your complicity in these crimes has been exposed,you too must be made to account for them!

Judge:
Normally, I would have you taken into custody immediately. However, you and your troupe are also the family of the condemned.

Judge:
As such, should you wish to attend his execution,I will grant that request. What say you!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
This is outrageous...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Of course I wish that. But not for his execution.

---

Judge:
...Your request is granted. But be warned that any attempt to interfere will be dealt with harshly.

Judge:
And stop glaring at me like that. It will change nothing. Constables, keep a close eye on them.

Robin Hood:
Hey, hands off!

Constable:
Stop trying to resist!

Nezha:
Hold on. Abby. Do not lose. Sight of yourself.

Abigail:
Stop this...Please, stop this...

Abigail:
This is wrong...Everyone is making a terrible mistake...

Reverend:
Charles-Henri Sanson. If you would like to offer any prayers to God, I will hear them now.

Sanson:
...

Sanson:
...I finished my prayers to God long ago.

Sanson:
These prayers are for those I executed myself.

Reverend:
Then let God hear what you have to say.

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
...Master.

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
You can't possibly be okay with this, can you? We don't have any tricks up our sleeves this time.

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
Since he's incarnated, Sanson's really going to die. This will end your contract with him.

Circe:
Yeah. He will forget...everything that happened to him after he was summoned to Chaldea.

Circe:
You're not seriously going to let that happen, right? If you're going to stop them, it's now or never!

Circe:
It's a tiny rural village. Hardly any witnesses to worry about here!

Circe:
What are you waiting for? You can do this, can't you? So go on, do it! Before he's gone for good!

Mash:
Sen...pai...

Abigail:
Sanson...!

Abigail:
Ahh...Ahhh...

Sanson:
...

Sanson:
...I have taken many lives. Lives of criminals, traitors, and heretics.

Sanson:
Condemned men, every one of them. They deserved their deaths. Their sentence was more than enough to rob them of any hope they had.

Sanson:
And what greater despair could there be than in the absence of hope?

Sanson:
But I continued to torture them far more than necessary. I humiliated them before crowds, inflicted pain and suffering on them far worse than death.

Sanson:
This may be my only chance to atone for what I've done...

Mash:
Senpai...Senpai!

Mash:
They've already put a noose around Sanson's neck...!

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's now or never...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I've got to use a Command Spell...!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's now or never...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I've got to use a Command Spell...!

---

Robin Hood:
...Don't do it.

Robin Hood:
Stay out of this, Master.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Robin...!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let me GO!

---

Robin Hood:
Let Frenchie do this his way.

Robin Hood:
He's not acting out of desperation. He's up there to help Chaldea with our mission.

Robin Hood:
He thought long and hard, and decided this was the only choice he had.

Robin Hood:
If you trust him at all, Master, then you can't try to stop him.

Mash:
But, if he was going to do this...why didn't he tell Master about it!?

Robin Hood:
'Cause if he did, Master would stop him. And if [♂ he /♀ she] had, Mash...

Robin Hood:
...it might just be you up there on the gallows now.

Robin Hood:
Or even Master [♂ himself. /♀ herself. ]And there'd be no coming back from that...!

Mash:
...Gh......Khh...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Maybe so, but I still can't let him do this!

Circe:
Fujimaru, you're just barely hanging on by a thread yourself. Don't go making any reckless moves.

Circe:
If you're going to do this, then give me an order. And if you can't...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I can't just let him sacrifice himself...

Robin Hood:
Are you really telling me you went up against a Demon God Pillar without being prepared for any casualties?

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
Ease off Fujimaru, Robin. Of course [♂ he /♀ she] knew what could happen when we came here.

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
Still...You're right. This is a trap...

---

Mash:
Ahh...Sanson...

Circe:
...!

H：Medea (Mata Hari):
...Charles...

Robin Hood:
Dammit...

Robin Hood:
Well!? Are you happy now, you goddamn hicks!?

Robin Hood:
How many people do you miserable shits need to watch die before you're finally satisfied!?

Robin Hood:
Or is it that your lives so freakin' awful you'd rather stick around watching good people suffer every damn day!?

Judge:
What a foulmouthed, vile little man. Pay him no heed. More importantly...

Constable:
Yes, Your Honor! I'll take Fujimaru to prison right now!

Judge:
Good. I've set soldiers on the roads, but there's no telling what they might try. Be on your guard.

Nezha:
...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...I see...If only...

Abigail:
If only...I was a witch...

Abigail:
A witch who had turned her back...on the word of God...

Abigail:
If I were the one true sin...of this hollow Salem...!

Nezha:
...An evil aura...

Abigail:
Everyone...Please, listen to me.

Abigail:
I...I have a confession to make. I would like to accuse myself.

B：Villagers:
!!!

Abigail:
I'm...a witch.

Abigail:
I hid out in the woods, and conducted evil rituals. I led my friends astray.

B：Girls:
...!?

Carter:
Abigail. What are you saying!?

Abigail:
I'm a witch.

Abigail:
I made sacrifices to summon a demon, and chanted spells that blasphemed against God.

F：Girl:
Yeah...! A-Abby's a witch...!

B：Girl:
A-a demon led us astray!

Girls:
She's a witch! A witch!

Abigail:
...

B：Girls:
Ahh...Filthy witch...

Abigail:
...Ah!

Abigail:
Ow...ow...!

B：Villagers:
Abigail's a witch! A witch!

Nezha:
...!!!

B：Villagers:
Stone the one defending her too! They're both demons!

Abigail:
Nezha......Nezha...

Abigail:
This is my punishment to bear. You don't have to endure this.

Abigail:
These stones are a lot harder than the props in your plays, right? So, it's okay...

Nezha:
This is. Not okay. I am not. Okay with this.

Nezha:
RrrAAAAAAhhh!!!

Nezha:
ALL OF YOU! LISTEN!

B：Villagers:
...(Shudder)

Nezha:
You would. Throw stones. At your own neighbor!? You would. Abandon your. Fellow believer!?

Nezha:
Then you. Who wish. For loneliness. Take up. A rock!

Nezha:
You who. Despise love. Go ahead. Cast your stones!

Nezha:
...For I am Prince Nezha! Marshal of. The Central Altar! And I. Will not. Be crushed. By anything less. Than the great boulders. Of Five Elements Mountain!

B：Villager:
...

Abigail:
...It's okay, Nezha.

Abigail:
These stones don't even bother me...

D：Abigail:
...anymore...

B：Villagers:
Aaaaaah!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Abigail?

---

Fujimaru 2:
This magical energy is off the charts...!

---

Mash:
That looks just like a Spirit Origin being released...Does this mean Abby was a Servant all along...!?

Mash:
Could she be...an Anti-Hero witch? Did these trials end up creating an actual witch...?

Mash:
How is this...possible...

Robin Hood:
It's not.

Robin Hood:
Given all the crap he pulled,Hopkins was a much better fit for an Anti-Hero.

Nezha:
Abby...Her threat is. Rapidly growing!

Circe:
Get back, Fujimaru. She's definitely a real witch.

Circe:
Though I can't say I care for how blatant she's being about it.

Circe:
...Aha. Now I see.

Circe:
So this is the stage that's been set for me. Isn't that right, Queen of Sheba!

Circe:
Well, then...It's time to show off what I can really do!

Circe:
Come at me, you little punk! I'll give you your first lesson in real witchcraft!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Circe! Take it down a notch!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Robin! Nezha! Try not to hurt her!

---

--BATTLE--

E：Abigail:
...Nn...gh...

D：Villagers:
The witches are fighting each other! Run away, before they curse you!

D：Villagers:
Did you see their twisted smiles!? It was like the Witches' Sabbath come to life!

Abigail:
Ah...

Nezha:
Abby!

Mash:
Abigail is back to normal...

---

Fujimaru 1:
At least we kept her under control, but...

---

Mash:
Now the villagers are going to be more afraid than ever...

Constable:
Move aside! Don't dare resist! We're taking the witch into custody!

Constable:
You too, Wings! Damned witch!

Circe:
I am not A witch! I am THE QUEEN witch!

Circe:
Hey, don't touch me! I can turn you into a dog, you know!

Mash:
Senpai...What are we going to do now...?

Constable:
...

Mash:
Huh...!? No! Stop!

Mash:
Please don't take Senpai away!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...It's all up to you now, Mash.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I hope Abigail's okay...

---

Mash:
Senpaaai!

Circe:
...Hehe.

Circe:
Looks like it's you and me together this time,Fujimaru. Didn't think I'd be doing time here again.

Circe:
I guess I should be grateful they didn't hang me on the spot.

Circe:
I'm reeeally light, so hanging would be a pretty long and painful death.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

Circe:
...I'm sorry. You just lost one of your friends.

Circe:
(Sigh)...But hey, look on the bright side, Fujimaru.

Circe:
At least you've got a [♂ beautiful girl /♀ demi-god Queen Witch] here to keep you company.

Circe:
Gyah! I slipped!

Circe:
Ughhh! I hate this place!

Circe:
I have had it up to HERE with this jail and its slippery, slimy floors!

Circe:
Here, [♂ let me sit on your lap for a bit, . /♀ move over a bit, will you,

---

Fujimaru 1:
(I guess Circe's more anxious than she lets on...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Did something just prick my ...? )

---

Circe:
...

Circe:
Hey, Fujimaru.

Circe:
If you care about me at all, even just a little...

Circe:
...what do you say we get out of here, together?

Circe:
Hm? Nah, I'm not talking about this jail. I can get out of here whenever I feel like it, no problem.

Circe:
I mean to the outside world. Beyond Salem.

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'm still a Master of Chaldea.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I could never do that.

---

Circe:
...

Circe:
Heeey, wait a minute...

Circe:
You wouldn't happen to have a ridiculously high tolerance for poison...would you?

Circe:
Or maybe a prosthetic [♂ leg /♀ arm]...?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...(Staaare)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(I see what's going on here. )

---

Circe:
O-on second thought, never mind. Just forget about it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Tickle her)

Circe:
Stooop! I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Pull out her feathers one by one)

Circe:
Aaah! Stooop! I'm sooorry! Forgive me! That reeeally hurts!

---

Circe:
...!

Circe:
(...Hang on. )

Circe:
(We have an unexpected visitor...Is that...)

Prison Guard:
We threw them in the cell in the back. Don't worry, it's locked up tight.

Prison Guard:
Oh, how kind of you...You shouldn't have.

Prison Guard:
Okay, I'll let you have some privacy. If you need anything, just let me know!

???:
...Thank you.

A：Carter:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Hello, Randolph Carter. Or should I say...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Well, if it isn't...

---

Circe:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
The Demon God Pillar.

---

A：Carter:
...Hmm. When did you figure it out?

---

Fujimaru 1:
I always had my suspicions.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I wasn't sure until you told me just now.

---

A：Carter:
...I see. Well, that's all right.

A：Carter:
You're my guests. That much hasn't changed.

Carter:
As your host, the very least I can do is give you a warm welcome.

Carter:
In fact, I came here to thank you for pacifying my niece after she gave everyone such a fright.

Circe:
No problem. Hehe.

Circe:
Seemed a fitting show of gratitude after all I hear your kin did for MY niece. Hehe.

Carter:
Is it so strange? I'm far from the first Demon God Pillar to raise a human.

Carter:
And my own special trait comes from towns, after all.

Carter:
That's why it doesn't bother me to present myself as human, or to wear clothes, or to live in a house. In fact, I find it rather comforting.

Carter:
I suppose it would be fair to say that such things are precisely what led me to split from Goetia's consensus.

Carter:
They feared death too much, to the point that they became fixated on it.

Carter:
I'm not like Forneus or Häagenti.

Carter:
Nor do my values align with any of the other members of the Five Envoys...

Carter:
...namely Bael, Zepar, Andras, and Phenex.

Carter:
...Now then, is there anything else you'd like to discuss?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Are you here to kill us?

---

Carter:
I want you to understand my objective.

Carter:
Knowing will help you to make a more rational decision.

Circe:
More like it'll help you manipulate us better. Why not tell us all this from the start, hm?

Carter:
Because I failed with that batch.

Carter:
But now, the time is right for me to tell you the truth.

Circe:
Ha! Like you'd tell us any “truth” that might not further your own goals.

Circe:
...Don't listen to anything he says, Fujimaru. That's the best thing you can do here.

Circe:
Otherwise you'll fall into the same trap as the Queen of Sheba. One of your own making.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Fifty thousand people's lives are at stake.

---

Fujimaru 2:
We could lose our only clue at saving Abigail.

---

Carter:
I AM trying to save her. I promise you that much, from the bottom of my heart.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What did you do to her?

---

Circe:
Fujimaru!

Carter:
Our–Goetia's objective was to save mankind. That has been true ever since we were born.

Carter:
That is precisely why Salem, and Abigail Williams, were chosen.

Carter:
Salem is positioned on the border of sanity and madness. The wisdom of the modern age and the darkness of the Middle Ages are so closely entwined here as to be almost completely indistinguishable.

Carter:
There is no other place where the two extremes of humanity's nature are so clearly laid bare.

Carter:
Furthermore, Abigail is blessed with a rare talent.

Circe:
Talent...? You mean her aptitude as a witch?

Carter:
Abigail is pure and innocent. She is better suited as a medium than a witch.

Carter:
Lavinia had talent for it as well, but Abigail was leaps and bounds beyond her.

Carter:
She was everything I could have hoped for and more. Thanks to her, I am certain to succeed.

---

Fujimaru 1:
What are you planning on making her do...!?

---

Carter:
Don't get me wrong. I am not making her do anything. She will do this because SHE chooses to.

Carter:
She will complete the great work that we could not: the salvation of mankind.

Carter:
...And she will do so through great pain.

Carter:
It is pain that is the basis of human happiness. Nothing in the world could be more valuable.

Carter:
Everyone feels pain in equal measure. Without it, well, you would all cease to be human.

Carter:
It is worth far more than love or death could ever hope to be. Abigail will be its harbinger.

Carter:
Tomorrow, when the courthouse opens at dawn, she will be tried as a witch...

Carter:
And all is going well...

Carter:
Many have tried to save Abigail before. But none have ever succeeded.

Carter:
Even I was not up to that task. That is why I invited Chaldea here again...

Carter:
I expect great things of you, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Fujimaru...Great things indeed.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Pain...?

Circe:
Man, what a sick freak, even for a Demon God Pillar. No wonder he ended up among the remnants.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I probably won't be much help from the gallows.

Circe:
Hehe, yup. You fell right for their trap, and I ended up busting out some pretty flashy spells.

Circe:
Sorry about that.

---

Circe:
...Hm? Wait...Hang on a minute. What'd you mean “that batch,” Carter?

Circe:
Don't tell me you've been repeating the last several days trying to produce results?

Circe:
That's playing dirty, in multiple senses of the word! Have you no shame!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
You've been looping time to recreate history?

Carter:
Repeat? Loop? Recreate? What would be the point of that?

---

Fujimaru 2:
What do you mean? Save Abigail how, exactly?

Carter:
You will take her away from here. Anywhere that is not Salem.

---

Carter:
I have no interest in moving backward. I only want to move forward, towards suffering.

Carter:
All I did was compress that process. I sped up the cycle of life and death.

Carter:
It's possible to do that within the bounds of a town. Especially after I secured a source of magical energy.

Carter:
I tested for optimal conditions, made adjustments, and invited guests, which were an indispensable factor.

Circe:
So you've been repeating that over and over with no real endgame to speak of, huh!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Life isn't something for you to toy with!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Leave Abby and these people out of your sick games!

---

Carter:
It seems you have the wrong idea. Not one person in Salem is here against their will...

Carter:
Even you all met the necessary conditions. That is why I invited you.

Carter:
That was the guard. It seems that visiting hours are up.

Circe:
Hey! We're not done with our questions!

---

Fujimaru 1:
One last thing. Whose body is that?

---

Carter:
...At this point, it's mine. I AM Randolph Carter.

Mash:
(Huff, huff...)

Mash:
I'm amazed how well you can see in these dark woods, Robin. I can barely keep up with you...

Robin Hood:
I'm actually the son of a forest sage, believe it or not. That said, even I can't tell night from day here.

Robin Hood:
...Aha. There's our little albino girl.

Mash:
...! Lavinia...!

Lavinia:
...A...

Mash:
Thank goodness we found you before the court reconvenes at dawn...

Mash:
We're not here to capture you, I promise. We only want your help...!

Lavinia:
N...no...

Lavinia:
...Forget...it......Aa...

Robin Hood:
Oho. Running away again, are we?

Robin Hood:
For all his other faults, Frenchie never ran.

Lavinia:
...! ...N...gh...

Lavinia:
Is...he...?

Mash:
...

Lavinia:
...Aa...aaa...

Lavinia:
Aaa...San...son......Sanson...Sanson...

Lavinia:
Idiot...You're such...an idiot...

Lavinia:
...

Mash:
...Thank you, Lavinia. Are you feeling better now?

Mash:
If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about your situation, and how you got here.

Mash:
We can't bring you back to the village now, for...many reasons...

Mash:
But I hope you'll at least take advantage of the fire and Robin's cloak to stay warm.

Lavinia:
...Th...Than...ks...

Lavinia:
...The...

Lavinia:
...The Demon God Pillar...brought me and my family here...and threatened us...

Lavinia:
I knew...this Salem wasn't...supposed to be here. Because...even the time period...was wrong...

Lavinia:
But...But we couldn't...run away. The Demon God Pillar...had us all trapped.

Lavinia:
M-me...my parents...and my grandfather...

Lavinia:
We tried wagons...sailboats...but none of us...could ever leave...

Lavinia:
When the Demon God Pillar appeared...and gave us orders...

Lavinia:
...it always looked like...a wriggling, raven-black pillar...A really grotesque creature...

Robin Hood:
...

Mash:
...What did the Demon God Pillar ask your family to do?

Lavinia:
...N-nothing.

Robin Hood:
Huh? Nothing?

Lavinia:
All he said was, “Do what must be done. ”

Lavinia:
We Whateleys...come from a line of...alchemist mages.

Lavinia:
Our greatest wish...has always been for the Outer God...to descend here...

Lavinia:
It's been a closely guarded secret...for generations...But somehow, the Demon God Pillar...knew about it.

Lavinia:
And he was...very interested.

Lavinia:
I eventually understood why...while I was investigating Salem.

Lavinia:
There were foreign guests here...ones who came before us. I think...we were probably the sixth ones.

Lavinia:
And I think...there used to be other people here...that the Demon God Pillar...forced to serve him.

Robin Hood:
Did you figure that out from the graves in the forest? I noticed six pretty shabby-looking graves there.

Robin Hood:
Some of them were still empty, too...

Lavinia:
...That's right. That is...the altar. But...I still couldn't see...the whole picture...

Lavinia:
I think the natives that killed Abigail's parents...

Lavinia:
...and the wharf and trade ships...that shouldn't exist in this time...were probably also guests...

Mash:
Then...Tituba was probably one of them too.

Lavinia:
Abigail adored that woman...She...always seemed...special...

Lavinia:
For a time...I suspected she was...actually controlling everything. But then...she was executed...

Lavinia:
Now, I think all of you...and Hopkins...must be the seventh guests.

Robin Hood:
...That so? Well then, which of us was the uninvited one?

Mash:
(Maybe Judge Hopkins was originally supposed to be the seventh guest. )

Mash:
(And if so, does that mean we're the ones who Rayshifted here unexpectedly? Or had the Demon God Pillar accounted for us as well...? )

Mash:
(No, that can't be right...And that would mean this is NOT all going as the Demon God Pillar planned...)

Mash:
(That said, I don't think there's much time left...Either for us, or the Demon God Pillar. )

Mash:
...Between Judge Hopkins and us, we really made a mess of things here in Salem, didn't we?

Robin Hood:
So what's this Outer God stuff all about?

Robin Hood:
Is it a god like Crom Cruach that demands sacrifice and whatnot?

Lavinia:
......

Robin Hood:
Hmm, no answer to that one, eh?

Mash:
...Something doesn't add up.

Mash:
I don't understand why a Demon God Pillar would seek another divine being when he already has godlike power.

Robin Hood:
He probably just gets off on twisted crap like that. Or he just really likes the idea of dominating humans.

Robin Hood:
Case in point, he went out of his way to recreate these sick witch trials.

Mash:
...But would that really be enough for him to split off from Goetia?

Mash:
...Not too long ago, Circe passed along a message to Nezha from jail, and Nezha gave it to me.

Mash:
She said that the Demon God Pillar showed up looking like Mr. Carter, and that he says his mission here is to “save mankind”...

Lavinia:
...!!! Car...ter...!!!

Mash:
Apparently he's taking a different approach from Goetia, whose plan focused on storing up unimaginable amounts of magical energy...

Mash:
But...what could it be...?

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
Wh-what are you two...talking about...?

Lavinia:
Are you...Kabbalists? Rosicrucians? Free...masons?

Lavinia:
I can't imagine...you used to be mercenaries...or soldiers...

Mash:
Oh...uh...I guess you could say we're...stargazers.

Mash:
...All right.

Mash:
Since Senpai isn't here now, I'll tell you about the organization we belong to, Chaldea.

Robin Hood:
Whoa, whoa, whoa, you serious about this, Mash?

Mash:
In exchange...will you tell us everything you know about this secret Outer God? Please.

Mash:
I'm sure it will help us with Senpai and Circe's trial...

Mash:
...and that it will help us save Abby from her predicament.

Lavinia:
...Okay. I'll...tell you.

Lavinia:
I'm already...dead anyway.

Lavinia:
I tried to sacrifice everything...to the Outer God...B-but I failed.

Lavinia:
I f-feared...for my life...so I ran away...B-because of that...my prayers never reached him.

Mash:
There's nothing wrong with wanting to stay alive, Lavinia. I'm sure Abby and...Sanson feel the same way.

Lavinia:
Mash...

Lavinia:
Where's Abigail...?

Mash:
Abby is being confined in the house where Hopkins was staying.

Mash:
I refused to leave the guards be until they put her there. That prison is no place for a young girl.

Mash:
Afterwards, Mata Hari, Nezha, and I snuck over there to visit her...

Mash:
But we couldn't see inside, so...we still don't know how she's doing.

Mash:
I'm worried about her fever...

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...My family–my grandfather–started to change after we were brought here.

Lavinia:
He started to believe...he was feuding with Abigail's parents...even though...he wasn't.

Mash:
...! Our perceptions were disoriented in the same way...

Robin Hood:
...

Lavinia:
...But despite that...my family's wish never changed.

Lavinia:
If anything, it made Grandfather...even more eager to complete...the Ritual of Descent.

Lavinia:
It was dangerous...to do that in this village. But there was...nothing I could do about it...

Mash:
...Lavinia...

Lavinia:
...Abigail followed me...everywhere...It was really...annoying...

Lavinia:
She wasn't like...the other villagers...

Lavinia:
...But my grandfather...thought he hated her parents. And that Abigail...was hiding something...

Lavinia:
So I pretended...to be friends with her...

Lavinia:
She was curious about...the outside world...So I taught her...the Ritual of Descent...with a fake grimoire.

Lavinia:
It was always...my job...to catch birds and animals...to be sacrificed.

Lavinia:
She was so happy...playing with the six-sided star altar...She called it...a holy symbol...

Lavinia:
It was our own...secret game...

Lavinia:
Over time...I started to...go mad myself...

Lavinia:
Memories...of things I'd never seen...started flooding into me...

Lavinia:
It made me feel like...I had grown up in Salem...I don't even know...about any comet...

Robin Hood:
...Sounds like it was pretty rough for you too, Lavinia.

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
No...it wasn't...

Lavinia:
The one who...had it roughest is...

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...The Outer God is...the god of the great gate...and the key.

Lavinia:
The six doors...up, down, left, right, front, and back...represent all possible...dimensions.

Lavinia:
And...this Outer God...

Lavinia:
...is enshrined beyond the ultimate gate...The outside of our universe...where light can never reach.

Lavinia:
But despite that...he also borders all possible dimensions...and is tied to all possible things.

Lavinia:
Some know him as...Sut-Typhon...but...

Lavinia:
...in the Book of Eibon...that's been with our family for generations...the Outer God is described as...

Lavinia:
...the All-in-One...and the One-in-All.

Section 8: Final Knot

The Next Morning 　　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Day 8–

Town Hall – Provisional Court

Nezha:
Evil! Evil! Everywhere...!

Nezha:
Spreading! Overpowering! Rampant!

Medea (Mata Hari):
Guess I don't need to bother with this disguise anymore...Nobody's paying attention to us.

Nezha:
Mata Hari. Look at those two.

Medea (Mata Hari):
Wh-what the!? They were both executed alongside me...!

Old Giles (Ghoul):
...

Mrs. Pickman (Ghoul):
...

Nezha:
...They are ghouls. Over there. And over here. Ghouls everywhere.

Medea (Mata Hari):
I don't understand. Even ones I could have sworn we'd defeated are here...

Medea (Mata Hari):
Maybe they're like Tituba, and they keep reviving as long as they have a role to play...?

Nezha:
Apparently. Living people as well...But mixed in. Beside these monsters.

Nezha:
...

Medea (Mata Hari):
What is it, Nezha? Why do you keep glaring at everyone? There's nothing here but monsters.

Medea (Mata Hari):
...Granted, it WOULD feel pretty amazing to just let loose and go all out against these things...

Medea (Mata Hari):
Then again, if the way they're looking at us is anything to go by, it may come to that...

Nezha:
...

Nezha:
...I was looking. For Sanson.

Nezha:
However. Not here. As I expected. That is a relief.

Medea (Mata Hari):
...He always was a heavy sleeper.

Robin Hood:
So it's technically daybreak now, even though the day hasn't broken...And this town is looking more and more like the set of a damn zombie movie.

Robin Hood:
What'd the Bible call this again? “The Last Supper”?

Mash:
No, that was one of Da Vinci's most famous paintings.

Mash:
Perhaps you meant the Last Judgment, from the Book of Revelation? ...Oh, I guess you're familiar with it.

Mash:
By the way, Robin...

Mash:
I can't thank you enough for your help yesterday, and for keeping an eye on Senpai in prison all night.

Robin Hood:
Don't worry about it. I wasn't gonna let them take advantage of the confusion to execute Master in secret.

Mash:
There's Senpai and Circe...

B：Mash:
I see Abby's here too.

B：Mash:
I guess she made it through the night okay...But she still seems awfully depressed.

Judge:
...This court is now in session.

Judge:
Will the defendant please step forward?

Circe:
Well ain't this a lovely view.

Defendant – Circe

Judge:
The court will now review the charges leveled against The Fujimaru Company's child actress, Circe, who stands accused of being a witch.

Circe:
EXCUSE me! I'm the QUEEN Wi–I mean, actress! Yes, actress...Get it right! Jeez...

Judge:
Circe, you are accused of practicing witchcraft in public. There are a large number of people in this very courtroom who can attest to that personally.

Judge:
Do you admit your guilt in this matter?

Circe:
Guess I've got no choice.

Judge:
The Book of Exodus clearly states “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. ”

Judge:
Can you tell this court why you went against God's teachings and sullied your hands in witchcraft?

Circe:
I couldn't care less about your piddling little “God. ” The only divinity I worship is Hecate, goddess of witchcraft and necromancy.

Circe:
But I will say this...

Circe:
The only reason I used witchcraft back there was to keep innocent people safe. I never meant any harm.

Judge:
So you admit your foul deeds of your own accord. I commend your honesty.

Judge:
Though your crimes are still punishable by death and shall never be forgiven, I am willing to grant you mercy in light of your honesty.

Judge:
Executioner, attach heavy weights to her feet to ensure her hanging is quick and painless.

F：Executioner:
Yes, Your Honor!

Villager:
Forget that! Burn her!

Villager:
It's not an execution if she doesn't SUFFER through it! Witches deserve to be burned at the stake!

Villager (Ghoul):
Yeeeah...!

Villager (Ghoul):
That's right. Cook her, roast her, and serve her up on a plate!

Circe:
...I see. So that's what that feels like. Thanks, I hate it.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Nice job, Circe. You really held your tongue.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Eh, suppose you did the best you could.

---

Circe:
...You're up next, Fujimaru.

Circe:
And just so you know, I'm afraid my death-faking medicine won't work on you. Hehe.

Abigail:
...

Defendant – Fujimaru

Judge:
...Fujimaru. You stand accused of many crimes.

Judge:
First are the allegations from Mr. Carter. Tell us, officer, were you able to corroborate his claims?

F：Constable:
I did find the remains of a campsite in the woods, Your Honor.

F：Constable:
But I'm afraid it was already deserted, so I can't say for sure if Tituba was staying there.

Judge:
I see. Then we shall put Mr. Carter's allegations aside for the moment.

---

Fujimaru 1:
(I wonder if they know how ridiculous they sound. )

Carter:
Fine with me.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Place seems kinda full of living dead, y'know?

Judge:
It is no sin for one to revive on one's own power. It is one of God's greatest miracles!

---

C：Villager (Ghoul):
Yeeeah.

B：Osborne (Ghoul):
Where can I find a female corpse? Somebody give me a young female corpse!

Medea (Mata Hari):
Oh, it's him. I guess he must have died in the riot...

Robin Hood:
...You know, I wonder what all these ghouls are gonna eat once there's no more corpses left to go around...

Nezha:
...Themselves. Their very sins.

Nezha:
The desire to atone. Can never be satiated. It is one. Of the great impurities.

Judge:
The next accusation leveled against Fujimaru is–

Abigail:
That's it. I've had enough!

Abigail:
Even if [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster did do something bad, it's not [♂ his /♀ her] fault.

Abigail:
It's because [♂ he /♀ she] has always tried to help others, whether me or someone else, without worrying about [♂ himself /♀ herself] or how it might look!!

Abigail:
What about me? I'm a witch, remember?

Abigail:
You saw that plain as day, right?

Abigail:
Wh-why are you trying to frame innocent people when you have a real witch right here in front of you?

Carter:
No, that won't do at all. There must be a clear, unmistakable motive.

Carter:
Otherwise, my objective will never be met. I need atonement. True atonement.

Carter:
My niece is lying. She's off on one of those flights of fancy so common to girls her age.

Carter:
It's no surprise that a skilled performer would have any number of tricks up [♂ his /♀ her] sleeve intended to mislead anyone who might cross [♂ his /♀ her] path.

Carter:
And of course, [♂ he /♀ she] could just as easily use those tricks to have others take the fall for [♂ his /♀ her] own misdeeds.

Abigail:
...Uncle...Carter...

Carter:
If I may address the spectators directly...

Carter:
Would you mind if I led this court's proceedings for a moment?

Carter:
...I trust that's all right with you, Your Honor?

Judge:
...Very well, I shall permit it. You are certainly qualified to practice law.

Carter:
Thank you, Your Honor.

Medea (Mata Hari):
(The whole atmosphere just changed in an instant...)

Robin Hood:
(Guess they're done with the pretense. )

Carter:
As you will soon see, these traveling performers are directly responsible for Abigail's sins.

Carter:
First of all...Let us refresh our memories pertaining to her first sin.

Defendant – Abigail Williams

Abigail:
...

Nezha:
(...Abby? Why. She does not speak? )

---

Fujimaru 1:
(We can't let Carter keep running this show...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Huh...? You seem oddly okay with this, Mash. )

---

Mash:
...

Carter:
...This pertains to the events that befell Abigail's parents.

Carter:
I created the first Salem with great attention to detail. My goal was to recreate history faithfully.

Carter:
However, it began to diverge from the moment of its creation...Humans truly are strange creatures.

Carter:
Even faced with identical situations, the outcome will differ in ways both large and small.

Carter:
But the one thing that remained constant...was that a girl named Abigail Williams was always at the center.

Carter:
I decided I had to keep a very close eye on this girl.

Carter:
Though the Williams's deaths may have been caused by a gun misfiring, and a wagon overturning...

Carter:
...young Abigail's actions were always ultimately behind them.

Carter:
That was when we first met. Wasn't it, Abigail?

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Yes, Uncle.

Abigail:
Mother...went quiet...Father's neck...got tangled in the reins...

Abigail:
And in...the sky above the woods...

Abigail:
...there were many...black birds...

Carter:
...Now, let's address her next sin. In the second Salem, I inadvertently allowed Chaldea to enter.

Carter:
It was an act of interference I never foresaw, stemming from a single one of their observational instruments...

Carter:
Flauros's Near-Future Observation Lens, Sheba. A highly advanced hybrid of science and magecraft capable of acquiring highly detailed visual data.

Carter:
When the Demon God Pillars acted contrary to Goetia's expectations, it was able to observe and restrain them.

Carter:
A detestable feature that was equal parts safety and liability. And, as if to prove that point, it scrounged up what little intelligence it had, and then had the temerity to act of its own accord...

Carter:
...summoning a Heroic Spirit and sending it to this very land.

Carter:
Apparently, the Queen of Sheba was the only human Goetia ever trusted.

Carter:
What a disgusting display of sentiment. How anyone could feel such things is beyond me.

Carter:
At any rate, Sheba detected the surviving Demon God Pillar, and alerted Chaldea.

Carter:
Then it overloaded the Heroic Spirit Summoning System, and used itself as a catalyst to send a single Heroic Spirit into Salem.

Carter:
I will admit, it was a quick and expeditious act.

Carter:
At that point, the Salem phenomenon had devoured the magical energy of the fifty thousand people inside, and was proceeding at 105,000 times normal speed.

Carter:
This Heroic Spirit's interference caused it to slow down dramatically.

Carter:
However, doing so exhausted the Heroic Spirit, and the potency of her abilities was greatly reduced.

Carter:
Ah yes, that reminds me. Whatever happened to the real Tituba, Abigail?

Abigail:
She...became a ghoul. She's still in the woods, even now.

Carter:
That's right. It was your suggestion, and it was truly a wonderful one.

Carter:
As I recall, ghouls consume the mind of the dead, thereby becoming one with them. Isn't that right?

Carter:
...Let us now address her third sin.

Carter:
Although the Heroic Spirit had been rendered nearly powerless, slowing down time had a hugely detrimental effect on the tests' efficiency.

Carter:
And I had already used up the fifth Salem.

Carter:
With time and magical energy running out, I began to grow reckless.

Carter:
It was then that I asked you for advice. What was it you said to me?

Abigail:
I said...I would like to have a friend.

Abigail:
One...who is a poor, lonely child, completely forsaken by God...

Abigail:
And...even if God didn't love her...I could...

Carter:
...!

Mash:
...Ah!

Judge:
Hm...? Lavinia Whateley!

Abigail:
...A...Ah...

Abigail:
Ah...Lavinia! You shouldn't be here! Run!

Lavinia:
N-no. I-it's time I had...my day in court too.

Judge:
Lavinia Whateley.

Judge:
If you have decided to stop fleeing and are prepared to answer for your crimes, you are welcome in my court.

Mash:
...Thank you, Lavinia.

Lavinia:
...

Reverend (Ghoul):
Ahh...It's her...I've always wanted to eat her...

Reverend (Ghoul):
I can't wait any longer...! Hey...What do you think you're doing...?

Robin Hood:
Back off, buddy. No one lays a hand on our witness while we're around.

Lavinia:
M-Mr. Carter? I-I've got some evidence too.

Carter:
Oh, really? If it will help these proceedings go smoothly, I would be happy to hear it.

Lavinia:
Sure. Here it is...!

Carter:
Urk...! Gah...

Lavinia:
I-it's Powder of Ibn-Ghazi...designed to make spirits materialize!

Lavinia:
W-want to know whose corpse...I made it from?

F：Carter? :
Kh-kh...Caw, caaaw!

Lavinia:
If you're going...to hold a trial...it needs to be...on even ground.

Lavinia:
It's not f-fair for...you to be the only one...in a mask.

Lavinia:
Now...show yourself!

F：Carter? :
Caw, caaaw, caaaw!

F：Carter? :
Whateleeey.

D：???:
Great! Thanks for all the help!

D：???:
Now I can get into this courthouse's Bounded Field in my true form!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...The Queen of Sheba!?

---

Queen of Sheba:
I haven't handled a Demon God in a long time, but don't worry. It's just like riding a bike.

Queen of Sheba:
Now then, Demon God Pillar Räum! If you're going to show your true identity, and use your full power...

Queen of Sheba:
...then I have no qualms about expanding the scope of negotiations!

Queen of Sheba:
Okay, Master of Chaldea, you're all set!

Queen of Sheba:
As long as I'm here in this courtroom, nothing you do will break any religious precepts...

Queen of Sheba:
...and you'll no longer have to worry about an intelligence debuff. I promise you a square deal!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Your Majesty!

Queen of Sheba:
No need for thanks. We can talk price later!

---

Fujimaru 2:
But, um...aren't we still at a disadvantage?

Queen of Sheba:
Huh? I don't THINK so...

Circe:
Oh really? Even though you wound up weakened and enslaved because you were overly confident of your Demon God Pillar resistance?

Queen of Sheba:
Oof, you reeeally don't pull your punches, do you, Circe...?

Queen of Sheba:
Wait, hold that thought. Something's going on over there...

---

Villagers:
Burn the witches! B-burn them, burn them, burn theeem!

Robin Hood:
The hell? Does this mean every villager here was already a ghoul to begin with!?

Mata Hari:
...Guess so. Ugh, this means they were even better at disguises than us, much as it pains me to admit it.

Mata Hari:
So by day, they're rational people, and by night, they're voracious ghouls...

Mata Hari:
I don't know if Abigail affected them or they affected Abigail, but whatever the case they're clearly not holding back anymore.

Queen of Sheba:
That's true...But even so, they were all human when this began.

Queen of Sheba:
Perfectly ordinary humans who simply had the misfortune of finding themselves trapped in this Salem.

Circe:
Everyone's like that once you get past the surface. You never have to worry about this with animals.

Nezha:
I was careless. Negligent. Do we need. To eradicate them?

Mash:
They're all coming at us at once! Wh-what should we do, Master!?

---

Fujimaru 1:
We've got this!

---

Fujimaru 2:
We're gonna beat them AND the Demon God Pillar!

---

Abigail:
Is that...Tituba? No...That's...

Abigail:
Aah, aah, aaaaaahhh...

Abigail:
Not again? How many times has it been? I'm sick of this! Sick of it!

Abigail:
Aaaaaahhh...!!!

Lavinia:
...A-Abby. L-look at me...

Carter (Räum):
Caaaw! Her fourth sin...

Carter (Räum):
...was inviting the souls of sinners here into Salem.

Carter (Räum):
She summoned those who took part in humanity's witch hunts here, and did so most mercifully.

Carter (Räum):
Traitors who let their fears get the better of them and sold out their own families. Instigators who succumbed to the sick thrill of entrapping others.

Carter (Räum):
Double-crossers who refused to face the truth of the torture machine in which they were complicit. Hypocrites who went harangued all who would listen about invisible demons only they could see.

Carter (Räum):
Yes...they were all irredeemably greedy. So greedy that even I can no longer satiate them!

Carter (Räum):
Even in death, they begged for redemption! So they entrusted their wish for forgiveness to a false Grail!

Lavinia:
...Abigail!

--ARROW--

Abigail:
...(Huff, huff, huff)...!

Lavinia:
Abigail...D-does it hurt...?

Lavinia:
...Wait...This smell...Roses...

Lavinia:
Ahh...Iä...Iä...!

Lavinia:
What should I do...!? Is it okay to set you free?

Nezha:
Lavinia! We are putting Abby. Back to normal.

Lavinia:
The descent is almost...upon us.

Lavinia:
Abby is...still here. But, it's too late...

Nezha:
What...!?

Nezha:
...She can reach. Such realms!?

Carter (Räum):
Your Honor! Judge Hathorne! This is not yet over! Continue the trial!

Carter (Räum):
You will see this through once again. You WILL sentence these witches.

Judge (Ghoul):
Yes, of course...Mr. Carter...(Gnaw, gnash...)

Judge (Ghoul):
O-order...Orrrderrr...

Carter (Räum):
Good. That's it. Uphold the honor of the holy court, and continue this trial.

Carter (Räum):
Continue to pass judgment here in this godforsaken Salem until a god worth worshipping appears!

Carter (Räum):
You shall do it as many times as it takes! You shall revive as many times as you must, even until you are no more than a lump of writhing tissue!

Queen of Sheba:
...No, you shall not.

Queen of Sheba:
This court is no longer in session, Räum.

Queen of Sheba:
You may have tried to use the entire city of Salem as a catalyst for summoning a host of spirits...

Queen of Sheba:
...but the people of Salem's magical energy is running dry. You have nothing left to work with.

Queen of Sheba:
And I will not rest until every last grain of gold dust that slipped through King Solomon's fingers is returned to him.

Queen of Sheba:
That is what I swore I would do as a Heroic Spirit!

Carter (Räum):
Oh yes. I will eventually return to the void where my kin await.

Carter (Räum):
But not yet. No, not yet...

Reverend (Ghoul):
Ahh...Ahhh...G-God...Matthew...Luke...

Reverend (Ghoul):
“During the trial, the queen of the southern kingdom stood beside those of this age, confirming their guilt. ”

Reverend (Ghoul):
“She had come from the ends of the earth...to hear Solomon's wisdom for herself. ”

Reverend (Ghoul):
“But here, she found one who far surpassed Solomon...! ”

Carter (Räum):
Let us now review her fifth sin. This is the most grievous yet...

Carter (Räum):
Placing trust in others. What a foolish, naive thing to do.

Carter (Räum):
Abigail's unshakable faith shrouded Salem in a veil of light.

Carter (Räum):
It was this very thing that completely obviated guilt, and with it, any distinction between good and evil.

Carter (Räum):
Thus were these sinners stuck in purgatory, neither punished nor forgiven for their foul deeds.

Carter (Räum):
Enough to give even the Witchfinder General a chance for salvation. Enough for him to see healing in a place so dripping with evil that even I cannot stand it.

Carter (Räum):
Abigail, you have sinned once again...

Carter (Räum):
Yes...It is because you are a sinner that you trusted...me...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Croak! Croak! Croooak!

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Fujimaru of Chaldea...Queen of Sheba...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
If you want her, come and claim her. I shall protect my niece...with my life...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Now pray. Pray. Pray, prey, prey...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Punishment, punishment, punishment, punishment...Ask for punishment...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Ask and you shall receive!

Mash:
The Demon God Pillar Räum...! He is behind this entire abnormality!

Mash:
...!

Da Vinci:
Fujimaru...

Da Vinci:
...Mash! ...Fujimaru!

Mash:
Da Vinci! It's so good to hear your voice again! Our comms must be back online!

Da Vinci:
Damn straight! And that's not all. In case you haven't noticed yet...

Da Vinci:
...the Mist–the Bounded Field clouds that have been covering Salem are rapidly dissipating!

Da Vinci:
I'm looking at the area you're in right now, and we're finally getting data about your battle.

Da Vinci:
And whoa, this reading...I knew it had to be a Demon God Pillar! Hang in there! I'm sending reinforcements!

Mash:
Thank you! That would be great!

Da Vinci:
No problem. Not that you'll need them, seeing how the US Army is on its way there as we speak.

Edison:
Yeaaahhh!

Edison:
Try THIS glorious star-spangled banner on for size, you cretins!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Wait! I'm not sure that's a good idea!

---

Fujimaru 2:
More people could end up hurt!

---

Edison:
What!? Why!?

Da Vinci:
What are you saying, Fujimaru? Don't be ridiculous.

Geronimo:
No, my friend has a point.

Geronimo:
Magical energy is being consumed at an absolutely astonishing rate. And not only on the east coast, but across the entire continent.

Geronimo:
This consumption is primarily taking place in heavily populated areas. We are receiving more reports with every passing second. This phenomenon seems to have no regard for the old Bounded Fields in place whatsoever.

Geronimo:
Hmm. I don't have time to choose my words carefully, so at peril of being laughed out of the room...

Geronimo:
...I believe the very underpinnings of magecraft itself are starting to become fractured.

Da Vinci:
...A heretic...!!!

Edison:
Ahh, not again! That means there are casualties among ordinary people in this, correct!?

Edison:
Then valor on the battlefield is all the more important now!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Da Vinci!

---

Fujimaru 2:
Is there anything we can do?

---

Da Vinci:
...There are still a number of Chaldea agents and mages cooperating with us that are keeping an eye on Salem's perimeter. I'll ask them for help.

Da Vinci:
No, wait. That won't be nearly enough to make a difference...

Da Vinci:
We'll have to call on ALL the help: alchemists, agents of the Holy Church, knights...

Da Vinci:
I'll have to put out a maximum alert letting them know there's a heretic that could pose a threat to us all.

Da Vinci:
Whatever happens, I swear that I will assume all responsibility on behalf of Chaldea!

Geronimo:
That could end up giving them an excuse to dismantle Chaldea as it stands now. But I'm afraid it must be done nonetheless. We have no alternative.

Da Vinci:
That's why Chaldea exists in the first place.

Da Vinci:
Even if every last record is scrubbed away, Chaldea will still have fulfilled its role.

Da Vinci:
We're the first line of defense. Whether we're up against a heretical sword projected from a Demon God Pillar, or a threat to all of humanity itself...

Da Vinci:
...we will be the shield against the legend poised to descend upon us, and against the relics of heresy!

Da Vinci:
The rest of the staff and I will take it from here. Mash, you focus on staying abreast of the situation, and Fujimaru, I need you to focus on this next decision.

Da Vinci:
Listen up, Fujimaru. We're going to temporarily seal Salem off again.

Da Vinci:
Only this time, we're going to do so from the outside, by establishing multiple Bounded Fields.

Da Vinci:
Unfortunately, this means you'll be sealed in there too.

Da Vinci:
If you're unable to resolve this in the limited time you have, then we're going to have to use every means at our disposal to incinerate EVERYTHING within these Bounded Fields we're about to erect.

Da Vinci:
Even knowing that, do you still–

---

Fujimaru 1:
Yes.

---

Da Vinci:
...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Ahh, I can smell its alluring aroma everywhere...The descent is almost upon us...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Iä...Iä...Y'gna...

--ARROW--

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Croak...Croak...

Demon God Pillar Räum:
Abi...gail......Abigaaailll...

Mash:
Räum–I mean, Carter's head is tearing itself off!

---

Fujimaru 1:
He's going full crow!

---

Fujimaru 2:
I think he means to take Abby down with him!

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
Robin! Shoot him!

---

Robin Hood:
Dammit!

Lavinia:
...

Lavinia:
...A...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Lavinia!?

---

Fujimaru 2:
He was aiming for her all along...!?

---

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
Croak...Croak...The space-time gates...are increasing in number...

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
No nonfictional mage...can hope to stand against this threat...

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
Her sixth...sin is...barely worth mentioning...

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
Abigail will surely abandon...everything...

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
Human hearts...Words...Hope...

Near-Death Carter (Räum):
...Ghh.

Mash:
She just...crushed Räum under her heel...

Mash:
...Abby...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Lavinia...

Abigail:
...Lavinia? ...I guess she's dead.

Mash:
Lavinia...

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Abby's like a totally different person again...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Circe, is there anything we can...)

Circe:
...

---

Nezha:
...A-Abby?

Queen of Sheba:
...It's too late.

Circe:
...Afraid so.

Circe:
Abigail lost the last of her humanity while Räum kept us busy.

Robin Hood:
...I see. Guess there's nothing we can do but take her out!

---

Fujimaru 1:
RO–

---

Nezha:
Bolts. Cannot reach her.

Robin Hood:
...Yeah, kinda figured, but had to try.

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
Sut-Typhon...Sut-Typhon...

Abigail:
Thou art a sinner...Thou art the sixth knot...

Abigail:
To seek redemption in this land of heresy is to reap the devil's harvest.

Abigail:
Now, let us pray to our Father who art in heaven...

Abigail:
Sut-Typhon...Sut-Typhon...

Abigail:
Thou art a sinner...Thou art the seventh knot...

Abigail:
To seek redemption in this land of purgatory is to worship false idols...!

H：Abigail:
...

Queen of Sheba:
Uh-oh. This distortion in the Bounded Field...This violation of religious precepts...That's not a Demon God. It's a FALSE god, in every sense of the word...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Abi...gail...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Did a god just possess her...?

---

H：Abigail:
...Pain...

H：Abigail:
...Aching...Suffering...

H：Abigail:
What are the most precious joys for a human...?

H：Abigail:
Happiness...Love...These all fade and disappear...

H：Abigail:
But the guilt one feels over one's sins...That torment lasts forever...

H：Abigail:
Even in death, it is the impulse that drives evil ghosts to act...

H：Abigail:
...and turns them into detestable ghouls...

H：Abigail:
Is there anyone who has never sinned...?

H：Abigail:
Is there anyone in this whole world who is not a child of sin...?

H：Abigail:
No. And so I will bestow my gift upon all sinners: punishment.

H：Abigail:
Punishment in the form of unadulterated suffering...That is the only path to redemption...

H：Abigail:
So I will bless each and every person in this world with suffering.

H：Abigail:
That is my joy...

Mash:
Abby, please...Stop this...

G：Abigail:
The gates reach across all of time and space.

G：Abigail:
Oh, I'm sorry...I'm still not accustomed to using them...

G：Abigail:
Ahh, this Bounded Field...keeps obstructing me...I can't focus my aim...I can't inflict enough pain...

G：Abigail:
I see...So I can't reach outside. Even though all I'm trying to do is find the most sinful people alive...

G：Abigail:
Then...if I just reach through the Bounded Field itself to send pain directly into the mages' hearts...

Mash:
Please, stop this...!!!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Abigail.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You're...

---

H：Abigail:
I see you understand, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster. Unlike Mash...

---

Fujimaru 1:
You don't have to do this, Abigail.

---

H：Abigail:
Even with all these people looking for salvation...? Your happiness...is my happiness too, you know?

---

Fujimaru 1:
I'll be happy once I've saved you.

H：Abigail:
Save...me?

---

Fujimaru 2:
People feel enough pain just living their lives.

H：Abigail:
That's awful...Poor things...

H：Abigail:
But it's not nearly enough...

---

H：Abigail:
I can never leave Salem...Not ever.

H：Abigail:
My own sins still sleep deep within this land.

H：Abigail:
So then...I'll just have to make everywhere part of Salem. I'll connect everything myself.

Nezha:
...Master.

Nezha:
We must kill. That false god.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Nezha...

---

Nezha:
That. Not Abigail. It is a false god. An evil god.

Nezha:
If Abigail. Fallen from grace. Truly possesses untainted strength...

Nezha:
Then something should remain. Even after we defeat it...!

Nezha:
My own soul. Is proof of that!!!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Right, Nezha. Got it...!

---

H：Abigail:
That's right. Everything...

H：Abigail:
England, Rome, Jerusalem...I'll connect them all to each other...to me...

H：Abigail:
And then, I will bestow eternal, unending pain...pain...pain...! Upon everyone...!

--ARROW--

Demon God Zepar:
Bael went back in time. Andras shut down during his escape.

Demon God Zepar:
Phenex is trapped in the pain of his endless life. And I'll be making a garden to tend to my wounds.

Demon God Zepar:
What about you, Räum? What will be your solution to all of this?

Demon God Räum:
...Good question. I believe I will put my faith in...faith. Superstition.

Demon God Räum:
Delirium. Enlightenment. Fiction. They will be my tools to end reality.

Demon God Zepar:
Hm? What do you mean by that?

Demon God Räum:
This world is rife with legends, with stories that are neither divine, mystical, nor demons incarnate.

Demon God Räum:
The Mage's Association has a department dedicated to folklore. It is one of the Association's most closely guarded secrets. What's more, it is guarded by Brishsan, one of our king's pupils.

Demon God Räum:
I will see what I can accomplish by combining these legends with superstition.

Demon God Räum:
I believe I will start by creating a town steeped in superstition. I will conduct trial after trial there, until I get the results I want.

Demon God Räum:
We exist solely to save mankind. However...

Demon God Räum:
...neither faith, nor old age, nor permanence, nor hope, has been able to save humanity so far.

Demon God Räum:
I'm sure you now understand this too, Zepar. The truth can never save mankind.

Demon God Zepar:
You're being rash. We have not tried every truth or version of it. Your conclusion is–

Demon God Räum:
Silence. Enough. You're just like all the other fools, piling failure upon failure with no results at all!

Demon God Räum:
Truth is useless. My key lies in superstition. Fiction. Things that don't exist in this universe.

Demon God Zepar:
Things that don't exist in this universe...? Do you mean you're going to open paths to alternate worlds? Places that don't even exist in parallel dimensions?

Demon God Zepar:
That is beyond us. We were born of order and common sense. We are bound by this world's laws.

Demon God Zepar:
Even if there are universes outside our own, you have no means of reaching them, and no attunement to them.

Demon God Räum:
Indeed. But by sheer, mad coincidence, I won't have to reach it myself.

Demon God Räum:
Humans, Zepar. Humans have already taken care of everything.

Demon God Räum:
Happily, a fictional mythology describing the fever dreams of a single man just so happened to also describe a higher being from the outer universe.

Demon God Räum:
The two align perfectly. And a tiny part of that being has left an imprint on this universe.

Demon God Räum:
Even if every word of this man's story was nothing but sheer delusion, he still succeeded in opening a path.

Demon God Räum:
This was, doubtless, a prophecy. And in this mad prophecy, I saw possibilities.

Demon God Räum:
I will take this madness, this fiction, and make it real. This new reality is what will save mankind.

Demon God Räum:
...Yes, of course. We should have seen it all along.

Demon God Räum:
We could never do it ourselves. This very universe makes it impossible. In which case...

Demon God Räum:
...what we needed was a monster from another world, who is not bound by our laws. A being who abides by rules that even we, in our limitless wisdom, cannot comprehend.

Demon God Räum:
And it is this fictional Foreigner who will finally put an end to mankind.

Demon God Zepar:
...Ridiculous. A number of dropouts emerged from within us during the battle at the Temple of Time.

Demon God Zepar:
Demon God Räum, in Goetia's absence, I decree the following:

Demon God Zepar:
This delusion of yours will be your undoing. Your approach already failed fourteen thousand years ago.

Abigail:
Sorry, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...It's just not working.

Abigail:
Good...Now I'm sure...I can't save anyone that way...

Abigail:
Fujimaru...? This just...isn't enough suffering to save the world.

---

Fujimaru 1:
She's growing even stronger...

---

Fujimaru 2:
What's going on outside Salem?

---

Abigail:
Fujimaru of Chaldea...? I'm sure you understand...

Abigail:
You also wished for everyone in the world to be saved...

Abigail:
Isn't that right? That's why you were invited to Salem, after all.

Abigail:
Your guilt sought solace here. I mean, it IS a truly horrific sin on your hands...

Abigail:
The people of Earth missed their chance to be judged...Ever since, they have lived with souls unsaved...

Abigail:
That's a far greater sin than anything Sanson, or Hopkins, or Uncle Carter ever did...

Abigail:
But, that doesn't matter anymore. You no longer need to suffer for your sins. I'll pardon you myself...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I wished for that...?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Does this mean...I was the seventh guest?

---

Mash:
Senpai...! Please, get a hold of yourself!

---

Fujimaru 1:
But...if she's telling the truth...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Am I...Am I the one who's gone mad?

---

Mash:
Master...!!!

Robin Hood:
...La mort est l'espoir!

Mash:
Robin!

Robin Hood:
You're outta your mind if you think our Ringmaster's got anything to feel guilty about.

Robin Hood:
I got NO clue what you're on about,but I know you're dead wrong about that.

Robin Hood:
Take it from me. If our Ringmaster had any unconscious feelings, it wasn't GUILT for the world.

Robin Hood:
If anything at all, it'd be responsibility to all the people [♂ he /♀ she] failed to save. Arrogance in believing that [♂ he /♀ she] could've done better if only [♂ he'd /♀ she'd] somehow done things differently.

Robin Hood:
[♂ He /♀ She] may be great, but [♂ he's /♀ she's] still just an ordinary person, same as me. There's no way [♂ he /♀ she] ever wished to save everyone in the world. Not even once!

Robin Hood:
[♂ He /♀ She] couldn't give a rat's ass about saving people in a walled garden.

Robin Hood:
All [♂ he /♀ she] cares about is making sure everyone's got a bright future ahead of 'em!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Robin...!

---

Robin Hood:
Good, you've got that easygoing spark back in your eyes. That's more like it.

Robin Hood:
I mean, enough's enough with this “no killing no matter what” crap. You can't go around trying to seek forgiveness from people who're already dead.

Robin Hood:
Otherwise, that scholar guy wouldn't have a damn leg to stand on. That was his last ray of hope, after all.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Robin's exactly right.

---

Abigail:
You Servants...have no right to tell the living what to do.

Queen of Sheba:
...Abigail. You're a Servant too.

Queen of Sheba:
The only difference is that you've got all of Salem's incredible magical energy at your command.

Abigail:
...That's not true...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Abigail. Let me show you what it's like outside.

---

Mash:
Senpai is right, Abby. There's a great, wide world outside of Salem.

Mash:
A real world that no book can do justice. Not even the Bible.

Mash:
A world that people built, working together, and are still building more even to this day...

Mash:
That's the sort of future we have the power to create for ourselves.

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
Hehehe...Hahaha...So what?

Abigail:
Did you figure it would be easy to just save a single child...? Is that what you thought?

Abigail:
...There. I just broke through your little barriers.

Queen of Sheba:
...!!!

Abigail:
...I guess I just couldn't hold back any longer. Now, there's nowhere in the world I can't reach...

Abigail:
Some stubborn mages are still putting up a fight, but they'll all crumble sooner or later...

Circe:
Okay, this is REALLY bad, Fujimaru. She's effectively got her hands on unlimited magical energy now.

Circe:
And she's not going to stop “forgiving” until everyone on this planet is neck-deep in unimaginable torment!

Mash:
...I...No, we won't let that happen!

Mash:
She's got to have a limit. She's GOT to.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Right. Besides, we're still in this too!

---

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen of Sheba:
...Circe, I know I've already put you through a lot, but I have one last favor to ask of you.

Circe:
I wouldn't say that myself...But anyway, let's hear it.

Queen of Sheba:
Abigail still isn't using the gates to their full potential.

Queen of Sheba:
She hasn't completely fused with this “Outer God” of hers. That means Mash is right. She DOES have a limit.

Queen of Sheba:
She should be able to punch through my barrier and hurt Fujimaru, but she hasn't done that either.

Queen of Sheba:
So...I'd like you to help me seal up all of these gates from the inside, Circe.

Queen of Sheba:
After all, you're good at locking people up and making sure they never escape, right?

Circe:
Huh!? You got a lotta nerve, saying that to my face, y'know!

Circe:
...So what you're REALLY asking is for me to help you take the full force of all that torment she's directing at the outside world, right?

Queen of Sheba:
I...suppose you could put it that way, yes...Haha.

Circe:
Hehe, look at you, being all honest. Okay, I'm in.

Circe:
Can't have one of the last remaining witches show me, THE QUEEN WITCH, up, now can I?

Circe:
All right then...

Circe:
Fujimaru! Oh, right! We forged a contract, so...Master!

Circe:
Sheba and I are sitting this fight out!

Circe:
Instead, we're going to use our magecraft to make another barrier inside this town hall!

Abigail:
You can't...

Abigail:
That's tantamount to suicide...God would never allow that...

Circe:
Sorry, rookie, but the only deity I worship is Hecate, goddess of witchcraft and necromancy!

Circe:
And she's nothing like this superstitious hokum of yours!

Queen of Sheba:
...!

Nezha:
...Hm.

Robin Hood:
Oh?

Mata Hari:
Wait...No way...!

Mata Hari:
Master, the weight on our shoulders is gone! That barrier got rid of the spell that's been weakening us!

Nezha:
My full power. Now. Unleashed!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Then, that means...!

---

Mash:
Thank you, Queen of Sheba! Thank you, Circe!

Queen of Sheba:
You're...welcome...

Queen of Sheba:
But...if you wouldn't mind...hurrying up...

Circe:
Yeah...Please...

Circe:
Your Master...sure likes...to take [♂ his /♀ her] time...doesn't [♂ he /♀ she]...?

Mash:
...Yes, [♂ he /♀ she] does.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Abigail!

---

Abigail:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...The time for playacting is over...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Aha. “Oh, Abigail. ”

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
“You can be so willful sometimes, can't you? ”

---

Abigail:
...Yes...

Abigail:
Yes, I am very willful...

Abigail:
Which is why I can't wait any longer. I'm dying to forgive you before I forgive anyone else...!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, but that's not happening.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm even more willful, remember!?

---

Abigail:
...!!!

---

Fujimaru 1:
I can't wait to go on my next journey...

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm dying to see what new friends I'll meet.

---

Abigail:
No...No, you can't! Absolutely not! If you do...!

Abigail:
Father may forgive you...But I never will...!

Abigail:
So please...Would you do me a favor...

Abigail:
...and die in vain, here in my Salem!?

--BATTLE--

Abigail:
...Ah...Ahhh...No, please. Come back...

Abigail:
God is...disappearing...from within me...

Abigail:
Ah...ah...

Abigail:
Somebody...Anybody...Please, take me away from here...

Abigail:
Any...body...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

H：???:
...Abi...gail...

Abigail:
...Lavinia?

Mash:
Lavinia's breathing again......Circe, did you do this?

Circe:
Yup. Sure did!

Circe:
I gave her some medicine to alleviate her shock from the blood loss right after she collapsed.

Circe:
But...I'm afraid there's nothing else I can do to help her...I'm sorry.

Circe:
The anesthesia is the only thing keeping her going, but all it's doing is helping with her pain...

Lavinia:
...A...Abby...

Lavinia:
You're back...to normal...I...guess I...failed again...

Lavinia:
But, I think...maybe that's...a good thing...

Lavinia:
I was always...jealous of your...golden hair...

Lavinia:
The Demon God Pillar brought me...me and my family...into this world...

Lavinia:
We...We never existed in the real Salem...We're...just characters...from a work of fiction...

Abigail:
Oh no, you're so cold...Please, Lavinia...

Abigail:
Don't go...S-stay with me...please...

Lavinia:
S-some...how...it was all so real...D-does...Does that mean...we were really...friends...?

Lavinia:
F-friends born...under the same...comet...

Abigail:
Of course. We'll always be friends, comet or no. No matter how much time goes by...

Lavinia:
I remember...watching...the sea with you...from that hill...

Lavinia:
I wanted...to see the whales...one more time...

Lavinia:
...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Lavinia...

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
I think...Abigail has suffered enough.

---

Mash:
...I don't know. I just can't say.

Mash:
...But I can say that her malicious aura is gone now...

Mash:
Nezha was right about that. Besides...

Mash:
...I think it would be the height of arrogance to interfere in other people's lives to try to save someone at this point.

Mash:
To try and rob someone of their chance to repent, and make amends...

Mash:
If anything, I'm the one who should be punished for acting so thoughtlessly...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...I see.

---

Fujimaru 2:
You regret having asked Lavinia for help.

---

Mash:
...Yes. And I think I always will.

Mash:
But, even so...Lavinia, I'm so grateful to you.

Mash:
I pray that your soul finds its way home–back to where your family is waiting for you.

Epilogue: Salem

The Next Day – The Common 　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Final Day–

Bounded Field Partially Disabled 　　　　　　　　　 –Salem Final Day–

Abigail:
(Sigh)...

Abigail:
Robin, Mash, Nezha...

Abigail:
Thank you for helping me bury Lavinia.

Mash:
Of course. We wanted to mourn her as well.

Robin Hood:
You bet. She helped us out a whole lot.

Abigail:
I think...she'll be really happy here...

Mash:
I think so too.

Nezha:
Do we not need. To light incense?

Abigail:
No, we just pray for her. Here, put your hands together like this...

Queen of Sheba:
The boundary around Salem is shrinking, slowly but surely.

Queen of Sheba:
The Bounded Field enclosing the whole area should be disabled pretty soon.

Queen of Sheba:
Then you'll all be able to go back to Chaldea! I'm so happy for you.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Salem is still here, even though we beat the Pillar...

---

Fujimaru 2:
It's only a matter of time until Salem is gone.

---

Mata Hari:
That's true.

Mata Hari:
I'm sure Räum played a significant part in creating this fake Salem.

Mata Hari:
But most of it actually depended on Abigail.

Mata Hari:
No wonder Räum chose her.

---

Fujimaru 1:
How are the people from modern-day Salem doing...?

---

Queen of Sheba:
They're all pretty weak, but I don't think they're in any danger. I expect they'll all be back to normal once they return from the other side.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Edison will be glad to hear that.

---

Queen of Sheba:
Yes, well, after everything, I don't really see any of them getting a sound night's sleep in the near future...

Queen of Sheba:
But then again, maybe that'll serve as inspiration for some authors and artists who live here.

---

Fujimaru 1:
They pretty much owe you their lives, Sheba.

---

Queen of Sheba:
Hehe. Well, I couldn't have done it alone. And I really was too reckless when I first got here.

Queen of Sheba:
Still, I wonder if...

Queen of Sheba:
...His Majesty would be pleased with me?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Don't worry.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm sure he'd be thrilled.

---

Queen of Sheba:
...

Queen of Sheba:
...Then that's all the reward I need.

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Sheba was summoned by her namesake...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Now that her contract's over, she'll return to the Throne...)

---

---

Fujimaru 1:
(So, does that mean...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(Is my temporary contract with Circe over too...? )

---

Circe:
...I've got a pretty good idea what you're thinking.

Circe:
In this particular case, Sheba and I were summoned under pretty much the same conditions.

Circe:
Since we checked in together,we'll also be checking out together.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Is there anything you'd like me to tell Medea?

Circe:
Nah, nothing too special. Just tell her you're sorry for me.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Sure you don't want to come to Chaldea with us?

Circe:
Um, no? Not even a little? I never did manage to entice you to come along with me, after all.

Circe:
Plus, you seem like the kind of [♂ guy /♀ girl] who really gets around. That sort of thing really isn't for me.

Circe:
Th-that said, if Hecate and fortune smiled on us and brought us together, I could give it some thought...

---

Queen of Sheba:
You just can't say the words, can you, Circe?

Queen of Sheba:
You'll never earn big money that way. Or is this actually some of that wisdom that comes with age?

Circe:
Sh-sh-shut up!

Circe:
...(Sigh)So hey, by the way.

Circe:
Me and Sheba here are both Servants, right? I hope you understand at least that much.

Circe:
But in Abigail's case...She wasn't summoned from the Throne.

Circe:
She's a Pseudo-Servant created entirely within this fake Salem.

Queen of Sheba:
The moment it disappears, she's going to vanish along with it.

Queen of Sheba:
Pretty different from a standard summoning.

Circe:
You can say that again.

---

Fujimaru 1:
...!

---

H：???:
...Phew, thank goodness...

H：???:
It seems I really have come to Salem this time.... Albeit one on the brink of its destruction.

Mash:
Huh...?

Robin Hood:
What the!? Räum, the freaking Demon God Pillar!? Does this mean we never finished him off!?

Nezha:
Why are. You back here. Demon God Pillar!?

Abigail:
...Uncle?

H：???:
Wait, please. I bear you no ill will, I swear!

H：???:
My name is...Ah. I'm afraid I do not have a name I can give you just now...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
But perhaps you would be so kind as to address me as Chandrap–I mean, the “Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman. ”

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I'm guessing the man you know is the being who made off with my body?

---

Fujimaru 1:
...Huh?

---

Fujimaru 2:
Then, you're really, uh, you?

---

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
On one of my missions...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...I needed to fall into a deep, very lengthy sleep, to catch a horror that threatened the world itself.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Let us say only that the most relevant words pertaining to it were “ocean” and “cephalopod. ”

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
But unfortunately, while I was sleeping, my body was stolen from me.

---

Fujimaru 1:
By Räum, the Demon God Pillar?

---

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
That's right.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Much as it pains me to admit, I'm afraid I possess a temperament that makes me, ah, easy to possess.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
What's more, Salem was home to my ancestors, so I have a deep connection to it.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
No doubt Räum wanted to ensure there was no one around who could easily infiltrate this land.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I imagine that's why he set his sights on me. I am terribly sorry for the trouble my ineptitude in this matter has caused you.

Robin Hood:
Aha, now I get it. But don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault.

Mash:
U-um, excuse me, but...

Mash:
...I thought Räum's human body was destroyed after he died...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Oh no, that wasn't a problem. As you can see, I'm still fit as a fiddle.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
For a demon...or perhaps I should say, as befitting a demon...this Pillar was quite conscientious.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Even in my spirit form, I was able to maintain the connection with my body, and so learn some of what this Demon God Pillar knew.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...And that is why I already know about you, Abigail Williams.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
In fact, you are why I've come all this way to Salem.

Abigail:
...Me...?

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
That's right. I'm sorry I took so long to get here.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...I see that is the grave of someone about whom you cared very deeply.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Uh-oh. That rumbling...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Sounds like Salem won't be around much longer.

---

Queen of Sheba:
...Let's head for the center of town. We should have a little more time there.

Abigail:
...Okay.

Abigail:
Goodbye...Lavinia...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...Abigail. You are a living Silver Key.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
As such, you are able to open all manner of gates across time and space, and travel between them freely.

Abigail:
Me? I-I can't do anything like that. I can't even leave this place...

Abigail:
W-well...um...m-maybe I did open some gates once, for a moment...

Abigail:
But r-really, that may as well have been a whole o-other person...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Don't worry, you'll learn. There's a trick to it.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
You possess a crucial ability that humans need in order to remain safe when facing off against gods.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Even if it is a parting gift from a dead Demon God, it would be a shame to lose it.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
So, I would like to offer you a choice. Whatever your decision, I will support it.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
If you want, I can completely seal away your Silver Key power right now, erase some of your memories, and take you to whichever time period you like.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Or, you can leave Salem, come with me, and travel across all of time and space.

Abigail:
...!

Mash:
Th-that's amazing...Are you...

Nezha:
You are like Maitreya...Though you do not. Look it.

Nezha:
For that matter...Your universe. Is not ours.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
You're right. Traveling across all of time and space may sound nice, but it is tantamount to jumping off of a ship at full sail.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Even so, I don't think it's a bad proposition. It certainly beats disappearing along with this land.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time for you to mull it over, but I do believe it's worth considering.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Well, Abby? What do you say?

Abigail:
...Oh my.

Abigail:
That's the first time you've ever called me “Abby,” Uncle.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose that was far too familiar of me. This is, in truth, our first meeting, I suppose.

---

Fujimaru 1:
It's that cat...And it's got friends.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I guess there are still living creatures here.

---

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Oh, hello. There, there...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Hmm, you don't say. That must have been very difficult. So, you still have a great deal of living you wish to do, do you?

Mash:
He's...talking with the cats...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...Okay, you've got a deal. I'll take you all with me.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I'm sure we can find a place for you on the dark side of the moon, or perhaps somewhere farther away.

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
This is so strange.

Abigail:
You're nothing like my last uncle. And yet, you're still him...

Mash:
...Abby.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Abby, what is it YOU want to do?

---

Abigail:
Mash...[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...

Abigail:
Even though it's falling apart...

Abigail:
...everything I care about is still here in Salem.

Abigail:
I know that Lavinia is gone...and all the other villagers have returned to dust...

Abigail:
But this is still my home. Even if it is a cursed land where witches were hunted unjustly, I still love it.

Mash:
...

Abigail:
I'm sure you already know this, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster, but I committed a terrible sin a long, long time ago...

Abigail:
Then I went and did the same thing again, here in this false Salem...

Abigail:
I was trapped by my conscience, and by my wicked impulses, and I just couldn't get away from them...

Abigail:
The Demon God may have tempted me,but I still accepted his offer.

Mash:
...

---

Fujimaru 1:
(Abby understands she's a Servant now...)

---

Fujimaru 2:
(This is making it even harder for her...)

---

Abigail:
But...

Abigail:
...even with all that, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...

Abigail:
...I can still hear him.

Abigail:
I can still hear what Sanson said to me at the gallows...It rings in my ears, plain as day...!

Abigail:
Is...is it okay for me to die?

Abigail:
Is it okay for me to abandon Salem, and wish to become somebody else?

Abigail:
God would never forgive me for what I've done! And yet, I...

---

Fujimaru 1:
...That's for you to decide, Abby.

---

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Mash...?

Mash:
...[♂ He's /♀ She's] right, Abby. Nobody can pass judgment on another person's heart.

Mash:
...But, they can still extend a helping hand.

Mash:
I may be younger and more inexperienced than anyone else here...But I do know this much.

Mash:
Life has any number of opportunities to step off the stage, and just as many to perform on a new one.

Abigail:
(Sniff...Sob...)

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...

Abigail:
...

Abigail:
...Okay, I've made up my mind. I'll come along and travel with you, Uncle.

Abigail:
My dream has always been to go on a trip somewhere...anywhere...that isn't here.

Nezha:
That is a good dream. Trips are. Good things.

Abigail:
Thank you, Nezha.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...I'm glad to hear that.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I should warn you though: my journeys tend to be more than slightly unpredictable.

Abigail:
...That's okay with me.

Abigail:
Maybe someday, in some other, distant world, I'll even get to see Lavinia again.

Abigail:
Besides...you never know...

Abigail:
If God wills it...

Abigail:
...I might even become a new Servant in Chaldea, at Fujimaru's observatory. Right?

Abigail:
If I disappeared here and now, that would be the end of it, but if, someday...

Abigail:
...by some fantastic stroke of luck, I manage to become truly free in a far-off, distant world...

Abigail:
...even if I'm not really me anymore, I'm sure whoever I am will still want to keep journeying.

Abigail:
Right, Mash?

Mash:
...Yes. That's right, Abby. As long as we're bound by fate and fortune, I'm sure we'll meet again someday.

Abigail:
Hehe...That sounds wonderful. I can't wait.

Abigail:
Oh, and Uncle...I hope you don't mind if I call you Uncle...

Abigail:
If I really do have that kind of ability...

Abigail:
...do you think I could promise something to[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster and [♂ his /♀ her] companions?

Abigail:
You know how you said your mind and body each existed independently of each other?

Abigail:
Well, I was wondering if I might be able to return Sanson's memories to the Sanson in Chaldea...The ones from before his execution, I mean...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Hmm...That all depends on how much work you put in. It would be a difficult thing to do, though. Even for me.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
But, I can't say it's impossible. Though it certainly couldn't be done anytime soon.

Abigail:
Hehe...In that case, I have even more reason to travel with you, and to learn as much as I can.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Well then, I suppose we should get going. Are you ready, Abby?

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Let's see...Good. You've got your two friends, and I've got mine.

Abigail:
Yes, Uncle. They are a bit heavy, but I can manage.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Well then, people of Chaldea, I suppose this is farewell.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
I do hope this body of mine doesn't make any more trouble for you from now on.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
Oh, and just in case that false god–On second thought, never mind.

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
In the first place, my work is not yet complete, so the strange tales I've heard and my own summoning tomes don't line up quite yet...

Cosmic-Traveling Gentleman:
...Farewell.

Abigail:
Please take care, everyone! It was wonderful to meet all of you!

Abigail:
Mash, you are so lovely! Mata Hari, you are so kind!

Abigail:
Robin, you are so thoughtful! Nezha, I love everything about you!

Abigail:
And, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms. ] Ringmaster...Thank you for showing me a play I'll always remember!

Abigail:
If you ever meet another me, I do hope you'll be kind to her.

Abigail:
And, I know I can be naughty sometimes...So if I am, I hope you'll scold me...

---

Fujimaru 1:
I think I can handle that now and then.

Abigail:
Then, when I'm being a good girl the rest of the time...will you let me get away with lots of things?

Mash:
Um...that depends on what they are.

Abigail:
Hehe.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I like naughty girls too.

Abigail:
Oh my...! I don't envy poor Mash, having to keep her eye on you...

---

Abigail:
Oh, and of course...Thank you for all your help, Circe!

Circe:
Don't worry about the formalities.

Circe:
Besides, you weren't really a witch after all, so you don't need to look up to me or anything.

Abigail:
Oh, wow! You really can't just say how you feel, can you? Hehe. Did I sound like her?

Circe:
Huh?

Abigail:
And last, but not least...Tituba...

Abigail:
...Oh. I'm sorry. It just kind of slipped out...

Queen of Sheba:
That's okay, Miss Abby. I hope you have a wonderful journey.

Abigail:
I will...Thank you! Goodbye...!

Nezha:
...(Sniff)

Robin Hood:
...So even you cry from time to time, huh, Prince Nezha?

Nezha:
Do you have. A problem. With that!?

Robin Hood:
Nope. Not even a little. In fact, I'm kind of jealous...

Mash:
Senpai...Chaldea's about to bring us back too, and I don't think they're going to wait much longer.

Circe:
...Well, there's my wind. Guess this means it's time for me to set sail.

Circe:
You know, I actually kind of enjoyed putting on plays with you guys.

---

Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, beautiful and wise Circe.

Circe:
Oho, so you DO know how to pay a compliment.

Circe:
The next time I see you, I'll make a special pigpen just for you.

---

Fujimaru 2:
See you later, you cute little witch.

Circe:
Nope. Don’t like it.

Circe:
Don't get the wrong idea. The next time we meet, it'll be YOU coming to see ME.

Circe:
'Course, you'd better not expect me to just sit around waiting forever, so I miiight just show my beautiful face in Chaldea sometime!

---

Queen of Sheba:
Okay then, I have one last thing to say myself. I swore I wouldn't bring this up earlier, but now...

Queen of Sheba:
There's always an oasis to be found, even beyond the desert.

Queen of Sheba:
So chin up, don't lose sight of the stars, and keep putting one foot in front of the other, like any good Chaldean should do.

Mash:
...? I-I'm sorry?

---

Fujimaru 1:
Did you...just predict the future, Sheba?

Queen of Sheba:
Now where would the fun be if I told you that? Some things are better left unsaid.

---

Fujimaru 2:
I'm sure we'll meet again someday, Sheba.

Queen of Sheba:
If you want me to predict that, I'm afraid it'll cost you extra.

---

Mash:
Circe! Sheba! It was great meeting you both!

Mash:
I hope that someday we can–

Robin Hood:
Welp...Looks like it's our turn to leave.

Mash:
...Senpai, it's happening over here too!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Right...I almost forgot...

---

Fujimaru 2:
This is our final Rayshift...

---

Mash:
Senpai...!

Mash:
Senpaaai! ...Give me your hand!

---

Fujimaru 1:
...You got it, Mash.

---

Fujimaru 2:
Let's fly back together.

---

Mash:
Thank you, Senpai...! There's nothing I'd like more!

---

Fujimaru 1:
Let's go back to Chaldea. One so different...

---

Fujimaru 2:
One day, let's go on another trip...

---

Mash:
...Master...

Mash:
...Hm? Wait...Something doesn't feel right...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Oh crap...!

---

Fujimaru 2:
We forgot to give Abby back her pendan

---

Sanson:
...

A：???:
...Are you sure you don't want to go back?

Sanson:
...Go back?

???:
Oh yes. You can go back home, back to the Throne...

???:
...or even back to the very beginning...a clean slate, if you're so inclined.

???:
I'll open the gate for you either way, Charles-Henri Sanson.

Sanson:
...I...

Sanson:
I don't need to go back anywhere. I believe I've done what I set out to do.

???:
...I see.

???:
In that case, you already have the key to the gate you need to open.

D：Sanson:
Key...?

D：Sanson:
No, I don't have anything like...Wait...

D：Sanson:
Where did my sword go...?

D：Sanson:
Would you by chance know what happened to–

???:
Aah!

D：Sanson:
Oh, excusez moi, I didn't mean to step on your foot.

D：Sanson:
Please, forgive me.

???:
Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm just glad your shoes didn't get dirty.

D：Sanson:
...I see. So it was you all along.

???:
Now, come on, Charles.

???:
Can you hear that music? Are you a good dancer?

???:
Haha, you certainly don't look like you are.

D：Sanson:
It's true. I am a terrible dancer. I never did have anyone who would dance with me.

D：Sanson:
So, if you don't mind...I would be grateful if you would teach me.

???:
Of course. I'd be happy to...

Epilogue: Chaldea

Chaldea Dining Hall 　　　–The Morning After Returning from Salem–

Sanson:
...Hmm. Not bad at all. I believe I can say this turned out well enough.

Sanson:
Although...

Robin Hood:
...Hm.

Robin Hood:
...Morning.

Sanson:
Bonjour, Robin. I see you failed to get a good night's sleep yet again...

Robin Hood:
Mind your own damn business, Frenchie.

Robin Hood:
Uh...what's that on your plate? A fried egg on toast?

Robin Hood:
Not really a fancy noble's breakfast, huh?

Sanson:
I'm not a noble.

Sanson:
This is a croque madame. I'm told it's quite trendy right now, so I thought I would try it out.

Sanson:
I also tried adding a bit of rhubarb jam and cream cheese.

Sanson:
It may not look as good as a galette, but it should still be a nice pick-me-up for a busy morning.

Sanson:
The only problem is, it's a little too big to eat comfortably...

Robin Hood:
How so? Just pick it up and go at it like it's a burger.

Robin Hood:
...Hm? What's that pile of paper you've got there? You reading something?

Sanson:
I asked Mash for this.

Sanson:
It's a book of the plays you all performed in Salem.

Sanson:
Heh. It's quite interesting.

Robin Hood:
I, uh, I see.

Medea:
...

Medea:
There you are, Robin. I see you're here too, Sanson.... I hope I'm not interrupting breakfast?

Sanson:
Oh, bonjour, Medea. Why not pull up a chair and join us?

Sanson:
I prepared beverages just in case someone else showed up.

Medea:
Thank you. I would love some coffee, then.

Medea:
...What an odd combination. I feel like I'll get heartburn, sitting between a nice guy and a show-off.

Robin Hood:
Yeah, yeah. I wasn't the one who asked you to sit with us, you know.

Medea:
...By the way, Sanson.

Medea:
Is it true you were resummoned at the same time Master and everyone else returned from Salem?

Medea:
And that you don't have any memories of what happened after you Rayshifted there...?

Sanson:
So it would seem. I have no idea what happened in Salem.

Sanson:
But, strangely enough, I still have my memories of everything that happened prior.

Sanson:
Though I'm afraid it resulted in Acting Commander Da Vinci conducting a rather...invasive examination to clear me of any suspicion.

Sanson:
Then again, I hear there was recently a big to-do with another imposter, so I suppose I can understand.

Medea:
...I-I see. I guess we both had our fair share of bad luck in that area, though in different senses...

Robin Hood:
Well hey, all's well that ends well, yeah?

Sanson:
Easy for you to say. Even I wasn't sure what to make of it all when I was resummoned. It's a strange sensation.

Robin Hood:
Master and Mash are giving their reports right now. Once they're done, it'll be my turn.

Robin Hood:
Some nonsense about how if we all report in at once, we're likely to fall prey to confirmation bias or something...Ugh, what a pain.

Medea:
...So, Robin. Whatever happened to Circe?

Robin Hood:
Aha! So that's why you've been following me around since last night, is it?

Robin Hood:
Well Medea, lemme ask you...How do you feel about that little pip-squeak?

Robin Hood:
I gotta say, she really put one over on us.

Medea:
...I think that was her way of getting revenge. I can't really blame her.

Medea:
I definitely wasn't exactly respectful towards her when I was younger.

Robin Hood:
And now you are?

Medea:
...

Medea:
Sometimes, I look back on what she taught me, and I can't help but think I was stubborn and immature...

Medea:
I confess, it pains me to admit that, though. So, I thought if I was ever able to see her again...

Medea:
...I would have liked to thank her properly.

Medea:
While most of what she taught me turned out to be useless, I still appreciated her kindness at times...

Sanson:
...

Robin Hood:
...I think I know what you mean.

Robin Hood:
I hate it when my old master's nagging pops into my head at the worst possible times too.

Medea:
Right? So come on, Robin, work with me. I need more details about what happened in Salem.

Medea:
Aren't you curious too, Sanson? You seem awfully unconcerned about all this...

Sanson:
I'm told Master will tell me all about that [♂ himself /♀ herself] later, so I plan to wait for that.

Robin Hood:
...Whoa, seriously?

Medea:
What is it, Robin? Why does that have you so shaken up?

Medea:
Come to think of it, you ARE Auntie's type. Don't tell me you and she...

Robin Hood:
Huh!? What're you talking about? I'm not shook up at all.

Robin Hood:
...Hey, how about some Monsieur de Paris?

Sanson:
...? What did you say?

Robin Hood:
You know, that sandwich you're making. It'd be a lot easier to eat if you cut it in half diagonally.

Medea:
“Monsieur de Paris”? Is that a recipe you came up with, Sanson?

Sanson:
Ah...Now I see. You're suggesting we cut these guillotine style?

Sanson:
This may sound strange coming from me, but...that doesn't seem like a great way to start one's morning...

Medea:
Compared to porridge three times a day, that actually sounds rather nice.

Sanson:
I see. Well then, if we're going to do this, we'd best do it right.

Sanson:
Tomato paste should give it a much bloodier look than rhubarb. We'll need meat for a bit of realism...

Robin Hood:
O-okay, okay, I'm sorry. It was just a joke.

Sanson:
Haha...So was that.

Sanson:
Once Mash and Master get back, I think I'll ask them what they think of this recipe too.

Side Story: Journey to the West "Battle Against the Single Horned Rhinoceros King"

Mash (Narrator):
H-hello there, everyone. Thank you all for waiting.

Mash (Narrator):
My name is Mash, and I'll be your narrator this evening. Later I will also appear as an actress in the play.

Mash (Narrator):
Today, The Fujimaru Company will be performing a thrilling fantasy...

Mash (Narrator):
A beloved tale from the Eastern kingdom of Qing...

Mash (Narrator):
We will be performing a chapter of a grand epic called “Journey to the West. ”

Mash (Narrator):
Our tale begins over a thousand years ago...

Mash (Narrator):
...when a famed Buddhist named Xuanzang Sanzang sets off westward in search of inspirational sutras.

Mash (Narrator):
Sutras, in case you didn't know, are like the Bible for those of the Buddhist faith.

Mash (Narrator):
And while “Journey to the West” may be fictional, Xuanzang Sanzang was a real person.

Mash (Narrator):
A person who crossed a distance equivalent to three round trips between Salem and London.

Mash (Narrator):
And with nothing more than the unshakable faith she held in her heart!

Mash (Narrator):
Still, one thing is certain: Xuanzang faced many trials and perils during her journey.

Mash (Narrator):
But worry not, distinguished young guests. Xuanzang did not have to undertake this journey alone.

Mash (Narrator):
She was joined by her disciples, who were capable warriors in their own right...

Sanzang:
...G...

Sanzang:
...Ga...

Sanzang:
Gaaahhh! I'm beyond exhausted!

Sanzang:
My feet are KILLING me, and my back is so sooore!

Sanzang:
Toutaaa! I mean, Wukooong!?

Sanzang:
I told you, stop walking so fast! Or at least give me a piggyback ride!

Sun Wukong:
Forget it.

Sun Wukong:
We only just agreed to do no more than one piggyback ride per day, remember?

Sun Wukong:
And you missed your chance for today. I'm already making a pretty big concession to you as it is.

Sanzang:
Aww, come ooon!

Sanzang:
Ooh, I've got it, I've got it! Why not just throw away that useless bag of rice you're lugging around!?

Sun Wukong:
You want me to throw away my rice!?

Sun Wukong:
How could you say such a thing!? Have you forgotten how many times this has saved you on your journey!?

Sun Wukong:
On behalf of the Buddha, I inflict this punishment upon that silly forehead of yours! Yah!

Sanzang:
Owww! You whapped me! ...Wait, I've got it! You could call that the Wukong Whap!

Sun Wukong:
That isn't even KIND OF clever! Ugh, I've never met such a talkative monk in my life!

Sun Wukong:
I still can't believe you attained enlightenment just by bringing home a copy of the Tianzhu sutras.

Zhu Bajie:
Now, now, Brother Wukong.

Zhu Bajie:
Remember, Sanzang is still our mentor. Besides, the Buddha doesn't expect that much of us anyway.

Zhu Bajie:
She may have some...questionable practices as a teacher, but she's still the perfect person to bring the sutras back to the Tang.

Zhu Bajie:
Don't you agree?

Sanzang:
Oof...Those jabs at my teaching style hurt even more than the Wukong Whap...

Sanzang:
As for you, you big monkey, isn't that rice bag practically falling apart after all those times you've thrown it at our enemies!?

Sun Wukong:
Don't be ridiculous. A true martial artist makes use of every available tool.

Sun Wukong:
For that matter, Sanzang, your own blunders are what have you so exhausted anyway.

Sun Wukong:
Take what happened when we crossed that river, for instance...

Sun Wukong:
You fell overboard when we nearly wrecked our ship, and Bailong drowned rescuing you.

Zhu Bajie:
Poor guy.

Zhu Bajie:
Then again, I suppose he wouldn't have fit on the giant turtle that rescued us all anyway.

White Horse:
“ ”

Sanzang:
Yes...I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to try steering the ship a little...

Sha Wujing:
I really do feel terrible about it.

Sha Wujing:
It is bitterly ironic that that great storm subsided immediately afterward. I suppose his life was the price we paid so that we could travel in safety.

Sun Wukong:
Come now, don't worry so much! Bailong is actually a dragon, remember?

Sun Wukong:
It would take much stronger waters than that to drown him. I'm sure he'll show up again later.

Zhu Bajie:
True. I did see him giving a thumbs-up as he went under.

Sha Wujing:
Nonetheless, Bajie–I mean, Brother Wuneng...

Sha Wujing:
Do you not find it troublesome,being required to appear onstage so often?

Zhu Bajie:
No, I can't say that I do, oink.

Sha Wujing:
Heh.

Sha Wujing:
It has been nearly fifty-five thousand li since our master Xuanzang Sanzang set out from Chang'an Castle in the Tang Empire...

Sha Wujing:
That should mean we are finally about at the halfway mark in our journey to Tianzhu.

Sanzang:
Wow, I can't believe I've already come that far...No wonder my feet are so sore! Hahaha.

Sha Wujing:
...Now I see. To the monsters, that lack of defense must seem like fat and flavor...

Sha Wujing:
...thus making the prospect of extending their life by eating you even more tantalizing.

Sanzang:
I said stop talking about me like a literal piece of meat! This isn't fat, it's virtue!

Zhu Bajie:
Whatever it is, it looks like it's attracted some more uninvited guests.

Sun Wukong:
So, foul demons, you still haven't learned your lesson! Ha! This ought to wake me up!

Sun Wukong:
If you're not close enough to see, then listen! If you're nearby, then watch closely!

Sun Wukong:
I am Sun Wukong, Xuanzang Sanzang's best disciple! And I am coming through whether you like it or not!

Zhu Bajie:
And I am Zhu Bajie, her second-best disciple! I welcome any foe who will help make me rich!

Sha Wujing:
And I am Sha Wujing, her third-best disciple! Those of you who tire of living, worry not now that I am here!

Sanzang:
Hey! I told you, no killing!

--BATTLE--

Mash (Narrator):
Monstrous tigers and leopards! Poisonous, wicked creatures! Evil spirits galore!

Mash (Narrator):
Yes, a great many threats stood between Sanzang's party and their far-off destination of Tianzhu.

Mash (Narrator):
Of these, the most dangerous were enormous monsters known only as Demon Kings.

Mash (Narrator):
Then, one day, the party came across a peak by the name of Golden Pouch Mountain.

Mash (Narrator):
With their supply of food exhausted, and their master's belly rumbling, Wukong, the fastest of the group, set out on his own to find help.

Mash (Narrator):
Unfortunately...the three he left behind ignored Wukong's warning not to leave the protective circle.

Mash (Narrator):
Soon after, the trio wandered into a strange tower, and fell right into an enemy's trap.

Mash (Narrator):
Yes, there was a Demon King here as well.

Mash (Narrator):
His name: the Single Horned Rhinoceros King, ruler of the Golden Pouch Cave on Golden Pouch Mountain!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...Three...prey...trapped...

Subordinate Enchantress:
...Teeheehee.

Zhu Bajie:
Well, this is quite the predicament, oink. I can't move at all.

Zhu Bajie:
I never would've guessed the coats we borrowed to ward off the cold were actually power-draining Mystic Codes.

Sha Wujing:
Indeed...I was careless.

Sha Wujing:
My luck ran out the moment I laid eyes on that visual kei-style coat that was perfect for me. I knew it to be a trap, yet I could not help myself.

Sha Wujing:
I suppose this is the punishment we get for not heeding Brother Wukong's warning...

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...

Sanzang:
Heeelp! Please don't eat meee! I mean, I'm sure I'd taste delicious, but it would REALLY suck for me!

Sanzang:
Here, you can have this silky-soft rabbit pelt back, okay!?

Sanzang:
I only tried it on because it was so cute and looked to be just my size!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...Kuh? For me...? I don't...think...

Subordinate Enchantress:
Teeheehee, don't be silly, O great Single Horned Rhinoceros King. Everything looks good on you.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Well, no matter. Your Majesty, at first I thought we had just caught another bunch of fools...

Subordinate Enchantress:
...but it turns out it was none other than Sanzang and her disciples.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Sanzang?

Subordinate Enchantress:
That's right! Remember that woman I told you about? The one headed to Tianzhu who will let you live a much longer life if you eat her up? Well, here she is.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Ooh, this is going to be such a feast. I can't wait for tonight's dinner!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Okay, Eu. If that...makes you happy...that's what...I'll do.

Sanzang:
Eeeeee. This is it, Buddha. I'm done for.

Zhu Bajie:
...Hm? Hang on.

Zhu Bajie:
You can't fool me. I'd know that face of yours anywhere.

Zhu Bajie:
You're Silver Horn, aren't you? As in the Silver-Horned King? One of the two demon sisters who rule Lotus Cave on Flat Peak Mountain?

Sanzang:
Huh? The Silver-Horned King?

Sanzang:
Say...I think you're right. Long time no see! So hey, do you think you could get this coat offa me?

Subordinate Enchantress:
Oh? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Eu.

Subordinate Enchantress:
I don't know anyone named Silver Horn. I'm just a girl who serves the Single Horned Rhinoceros King.

Subordinate Enchantress:
My name is Eu. My king started calling me that,and it kind of stuck.

Sha Wujing:
No, no, I am certain you are Silver Horn. Or perhaps Gold Horn. Either way, it matters not.

Sha Wujing:
You and your sister both should have been sucked into Brother Wukong's Paopei Gourd, which should also have dissolved both your bodies.

Sha Wujing:
Even if you somehow regained your original form, you would have returned to your master, Taishang Laojun.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Teeheehee...I guess the horn–I mean, cat's out of the bag.

Subordinate Enchantress:
But come on, it was sooo boring up in the Heavenly Realm. It made me want to die all over again.

Subordinate Enchantress:
And I was already sick and tired of guarding the silver furnace day and night for that old workaholic.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Besides, you three just got yourselves captured AGAIN. You haven't learned a thing, have you?

Sanzang:
Aaah! This time I'm gonna be eaten for sure! Wukooong, forget finding food. Just hurry back alreadyyy!

Zhu Bajie:
Hehe, who says we haven't learned a thing? Don't worry, master, it's okay, oink!

Zhu Bajie:
Any moment now, Brother Wukong will be back to kick their butts all over again!

Sanzang:
Ulp! Y-yeah!

Sha Wujing:
Indeed he will! Now, let me guess, Silver Horn...

Sha Wujing:
You can no longer play your shamisen, so you have beguiled that monster into eating out of your hand.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
No! I'm not...being controlled.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Teeheehee...Too bad. Not even the great Sun Wukong can get you out of this one.

Subordinate Enchantress:
My king here would never lose to anyone. Isn't that right, Single Horn?

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Yes, Eu. I won't lose.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Not as long as I have...this Golden Jade Ring.

--ARROW--

Mash (Narrator):
As for Sun Wukong, who had made a quick hop to a little village a few thousand li away to buy food...

Mash (Narrator):
He happened to overhear a rather troubling rumor.

Mash (Narrator):
One about a monster in the very Golden Pouch Cave on Golden Pouch Mountain where he left his companions.

Mash (Narrator):
Fearing the worst, Wukong returned the goods he had purchased...

Mash (Narrator):
...and hurried back to his master.

Mash (Narrator):
Upon his return, he found that his companions had indeed been captured, and rushed to free them!

Mash (Narrator):
Thus, Sun Wukong found himself in a fearsome battle against the Single Horned Rhinoceros King, who had been waiting for him. Their battle shook the very mountain upon which it was waged...

Mash (Narrator):
Naturally, Wukong was quick to draw his bow and arrow. But something wasn't right...

--BATTLE--

G：Sun Wukong:
He's snatching every one of my arrows out of the air before they hit him! How is that possible!?

Sun Wukong:
Whoa! He grabbed my bow! Things are looking pretty dire now! Hahahaha!

Zhu Bajie:
Brother Wukong is amazing! Even though he's completely outmatched, he never once loses his cool!

Sha Wujing:
Indeed, I agree. But I must say, Brother Wuneng...

Sha Wujing:
I find your imperturbability in the face of being completely immobilized to be a tad more disturbing.

Sha Wujing:
Just look at our master. All the light has gone out from her eyes now that her last resort has failed.

Sanzang:
No...Not Wukong too...Th-this is it...I'm done for this time...

Mash (Narrator):
It's true.

Mash (Narrator):
The Single Horned Rhinoceros King's Golden Jade Ring was a terrible weapon indeed.

Mash (Narrator):
With but a single command, it would draw in his opponent's weapons and render them harmless.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
I told you. I wouldn't lose.

Sun Wukong:
You sure did! You've got me completely beat!

Sun Wukong:
So, Single Horned Rhinoceros King, what say we put this duel on hold and come back to it another time!?

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Okay. I'll wait.

Subordinate Enchantress:
What're you talking about? It's not like coming back later's gonna change anything.

Subordinate Enchantress:
And don't bother trying to get us to lower our guard.

Subordinate Enchantress:
If you turn into a bug and try to sneak in here to steal the Golden Jade Ring, I'll squash you myself!

Sun Wukong:
Darn, you saw right through me! Now I'm REALLY stuck between a rock and a hard place! Hahahaha!

Sun Wukong:
Very well then, time to monkey on out of here!

Sanzang:
Ulp...I'm a lovely little bunny...

Sanzang:
Delicious no matter how you cook me...

Mash (Narrator):
Eu then proclaimed that Sanzang's life would be spared, but only until dinnertime...

Mash (Narrator):
Wukong, meanwhile, searched everywhere for help, an endeavor that eventually brought him face-to-face with the great Jade Emperor.

Mash (Narrator):
The emperor, in all his wisdom, instructed Wukong to seek aid from two renowned generals, the greatest martial artists in all the Heavenly Realm.

Mash (Narrator):
So Wukong paid a visit to the general standing guard over the Heavenly Realm's southern gate...

Mash (Narrator):
The legendary Fire Lord, renowned throughout the entire southern region!

Mash (Narrator):
The Fire Lord agreed to accompany Wukong, and so they hurried back to Golden Pouch Mountain...

Mash (Narrator):
...where the general commanded his divine troops to surround Golden Pouch Cave.

Mash (Narrator):
There, they unleashed a fiery assault the likes which were not to be seen before or since!

Mash (Narrator):
Every one of the divine soldiers' swords, spears, and arrows was wreathed in red-hot flame!

Mash (Narrator):
What's more, they brought to the field a host of Divine Beasts: fire dragons, flaming horses, flaming crows, and even flaming rats...!

Mash (Narrator):
Unable to endure this assault, the Single Horned Rhinoceros King and his subordinate enchantress ran hither and thither in an attempt to escape!

Mash (Narrator):
But, only until the king shouted out...

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Absorb!

Mash (Narrator):
All at once, every flicker of flame was sucked into the Golden Jade Ring.

Mash (Narrator):
Soon, every one of the divine soldiers' weapons, and even the Divine Beasts, met the same fate as Wukong's bow.

Mash (Narrator):
Wukong then set out for the Heavenly Realm again, leaving the despondent Fire Lord behind...

Mash (Narrator):
...and sought help from the Water Lord at the northern gate!

Mash (Narrator):
The Water Lord brought with him a bowl containing the whole of the Yellow River, and turned its incredible power against the Golden Pouch Cave!

Mash (Narrator):
Unfortunately, the massive stream of water failed to make its way into the cave where the Single Horned Rhinoceros King lay in wait...

Mash (Narrator):
Instead, it succeeded only in flooding the mountain's nearby hills and fields.

Sun Wukong:
Hmm. This really IS quite the predicament!

Sun Wukong:
Neither fire nor water had any effect, and the sun is about to set...

G：???:
(Staaare...)

Sun Wukong:
Hm? ...Oh, yes, I know just the person to ask!

G：???:
(...! )

Sun Wukong:
Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, and the Four Heavenly Kings he commands!

G：???:
...(Stumble)

Sun Wukong:
Chiguo Tianwang, Zengzhang Tianwang, Guangmu Tianwang, and Duowen Tianwang! Duowen Tianwang is especially capable when it comes to–

G：???:
...(Indignant)

Nezha:
No! Wrong!

Nezha:
You need neither my father. Nor Duowen! Not even the Four Heavenly Kings. Can match that Demon King!

Nezha:
But I can! I can match him. Blow for blow! With my. Three Face Six Arms technique!

Sun Wukong:
Say, I know you! You're Crown Prince Nezha, Li Jing's third child!

Sun Wukong:
I nearly forgot about you!

Sun Wukong:
Long time no see! I hope you've been well?

Nezha:
S-Sun Wukong...

Nezha:
Stupid monkey. I'm a little. Upset right now.

Nezha:
How could the same mountain monkey. Who kept pace with me in battle. Fail to defeat. A simple Demon King?

Nezha:
Ei! Yah! Hiyah! I am Crown Prince Nezha! Marshal of the Central Altar! I demand to battle you. Once again!

Sun Wukong:
Hmm. I'm afraid I don't really have time for that.

Sun Wukong:
Then again, this Paopei head isn't the type to listen once she's made up her mind...

Sun Wukong:
But still, I don't even have my own weapon right–

Sun Wukong:
Oh! You'll lend me a bow!?

B：Sun Wukong:
...And an excellent one at that! This will be a great help!

B：Sun Wukong:
Very well then, I will repay this debt! Let us duel again, and rekindle our friendship!

Nezha:
...Agreed!

--BATTLE--

Nezha:
...Excellent! It seems your skills. Are as sharp. As ever!

Sun Wukong:
Glad to hear it! Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business!

Mash (Narrator):
Third Crown Prince Nezha, Marshal of the Central Altar!

Mash (Narrator):
One of the greatest generals of the Heavenly Realm, assigned to guard the Jade Emperor!

Mash (Narrator):
Though she may look young and childish, she is still the great warrior who defeated the demons of the Ninety-Six Caverns.

Mash (Narrator):
Indeed, long ago, it was none other than Crown Prince Nezha who was sent to capture Sun Wukong back when he was causing trouble in the Heavenly Realm.

Mash (Narrator):
They have been rivals ever since.

Mash (Narrator):
With her Three Face Six Arm technique, she wields six weapons: the Demon-Slaying Sword, the Phantom-Slaying Blade, the Ghost-Binding Rope, the Evil-Conquering Staff, the Embroidered Sphere, and the Fire Wheels!

Mash (Narrator):
Unfortunately, all weapons were useless in the face of the Single Horned Rhinoceros King's Golden Jade Ring.

Mash (Narrator):
What could they possibly do...?

Mash (Narrator):
Meanwhile...

Mash (Narrator):
There was a bit of a commotion at the workshop where the Heavenly Realm's elixir of life was made...

Taishang Laojun:
Furnace guardian! Where has my silver furnace guardian gone off to!?

Taishang Laojun:
We are nearly out of spirit silver! How am I supposed to knead it and mix it into the elixir of life now!?

Taishang Laojun:
Hm. You there, gold child. Do you know anything about this? She is your sister, is she not?

Gold Horn:
Yes, I do know where she is, Lord Laojun.

Gold Horn:
I believe Silver Horn has gone to Earth to take the cow for a walk.

Taishang Laojun:
What's this? She has taken my blue bull with her!? I do not recall her ever making such a reque–

Taishang Laojun:
...No, wait. Now that I think of it...

Taishang Laojun:
I do recall her whispering something to me in a barely audible tone.

Taishang Laojun:
...I must have authorized her request without realizing what she was asking!

Gold Horn:
Oh, silly Lord Laojun.

Gold Horn:
Perhaps all that needless kneading you do every day has gone to your head.

Gold Horn:
Did you knead in some of your own brains by mistake? Or has your very brain been gold-plated?

Taishang Laojun:
Mwahahahahahahaha!

Taishang Laojun:
This is a catastrophe! How many times now has my arrogance led to careless blunders!?

Gold Horn:
The Jade Emperor's patience with you is bound to run out pretty soon.

Gold Horn:
Not that I helped, seeing as I've been up to my own mischief. Teeheehee.

Taishang Laojun:
Gold child...You stole no fewer than five of my Paopei from the treasury.

Taishang Laojun:
Then you had the audacity to claim that they were actually to help Sanzang train.

Taishang Laojun:
...Hmm. The Jade Emperor does not scare me, but I must address this situation regardless!

Taishang Laojun:
A single day in the Heavenly Realm is equivalent to one year on Earth! Soldiers! Ride forth and search the earth at once! Leave no stone unturned!

Divine Soldiers:
Yes, sir!

Sanzang:
Ulp...

Sanzang:
They brought us to the tower kitchen. Does this mean they're finally about to eat us...?

Sanzang:
I wonder if they're going to serve us raw, or arrange us on a platter...

Zhu Bajie:
Noisy as things were earlier, they've really quieted down. Maybe we're not getting out of this one.

Sha Wujing:
So, not even Brother Wukong could do anything this time.

Sanzang:
Th-that's not true! It can't be true...

Zhu Bajie:
Hmm.

Zhu Bajie:
Master, you've been tied up tight so you don't fall apart when you're roasted. What do you think?

Sanzang:
Ulp...

---

Fujimaru 1:
Maybe Wukong's bringing someone from the Heavenly Realm?

Sha Wujing:
Hmm. Unfortunately...

Sha Wujing:
...given what's happened outside the tower, I believe he may have already exhausted his options from there.

Sanzang:
Ulp...I knew it...

Sha Wujing:
I never thought we would find such a fearsome foe here. I haven't seen his like since Red Boy.

Sha Wujing:
Whatever comes of this, it is what the Buddha wills. I only wish that I could have fought him myself...

---

Fujimaru 2:
Wukong's brave and wise! He'll figure something out!

Zhu Bajie:
I'm not so sure it will be that easy. Even Brother Wukong has his limits.

---

Sanzang:
...G...ga...

Sanzang:
Gah, that does it!

Sanzang:
I've had enough. I'm sure that Wukong will find a way to save us!

Sanzang:
I have every faith in him and the Buddha's protection!

Sanzang:
So we can't just give up! As long as we keep hope alive, we're bound to find a way!

Sanzang:
That's how it's been on EVERY leg of our journey!

Sanzang:
Once the chef gets here, we'll overwhelm him with endless cooking requests! Got that!?

Sha Wujing:
Indeed. That is the spirit we should all be following. Personally, I don't mind what I get turned into, as long as I go well with a good liquor!

Zhu Bajie:
I'd prefer to be a mariné salad appetizer myself. And I don't want to be broiled or grilled.

Ox-Demon King:
...(Tiptoe, tiptoe)

Ox-Demon King:
I...I'm home...

Princess Iron Fan:
Oh my, oh my, if it isn't my honey.

Ox-Demon King:
Your honey!?

Princess Iron Fan:
Ahh, what a momentous occasion it is to see you here in my Plantain Cave on Jade Cloud Mountain.

Princess Iron Fan:
Tell me, what brings you here? Are you feeling ill?

Princess Iron Fan:
Would you like to have dinner? A bath?

Princess Iron Fan:
Or perhaps...some peroxide?

Ox-Demon King:
N-no, thank you...I was just thinking it had been quite a long time since my last visit, so...

Princess Iron Fan:
...

Ox-Demon King:
...Ulp...

Ox-Demon King:
I-it's not as though I suddenly had urgent business here...O-oh, I know...

Ox-Demon King:
H-how is Red Boy doing?

Princess Iron Fan:
If you're looking for our child, she is off training in the Heavenly Realm under Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Ox-Demon King:
What? The Heavenly Realm?

Princess Iron Fan:
Oddly for her, she even wrote me a letter.

Ox-Demon King:
You have a letter. From Red Boy.

Red Boy:
“Father, Mom, I hope you're doing well. Me, I'm doing freaking great. ”

Red Boy:
“Lady Guanyin's a great bodhisattva. I'm gonna train hard under her, and become an awesome douji. ”

Red Boy:
“Then I'm gonna bust outta this compulsory training camp as soon as goddamn possible...”

Red Boy:
“I mean, graduate as an awesome douji. Lady Guanyin's a great bodhisattva. ”

Red Boy:
“Just watch out for that jerkface monkey and Tang monk...I mean, it's just so awesome here in the Heavenly Realm. ”

Red Boy:
“Okay, Father and Mom, take good care of each other,and make sure you live a good, long life. See ya. ”

Princess Iron Fan:
...There. Doesn't that just warm your heart?

Princess Iron Fan:
It sounds like she was set up by one Sun Wukong, the disciple of a Tang monk...

Ox-Demon King:
Sun Wukong? That pretty boy monkey!? Curse him...I must take care of him myself!

Princess Iron Fan:
Worry not, Demon King.

Princess Iron Fan:
The monk and her disciples will inevitably make their way here. When they do, I shall dispose of them.

Princess Iron Fan:
You have nothing at all to worry about. Now then...

Princess Iron Fan:
The Jade-Faced Princess, was it? The one who hails from Sky Scraping Cave on Accumulated Cloud Mountain?

Ox-Demon King:
...(Gulp)

Princess Iron Fan:
I'm told she's a young and pretty woman indeed...

Princess Iron Fan:
Though of course, I have no idea as to what sort of beauty care regimen she adheres to, if any...

Ox-Demon King:
Y-yes, well, you see, her late father, the Ten-Thousand Year Fox King, asked me to watch over her...

Ox-Demon King:
I promise you, it's not what you think it–

Princess Iron Fan:
It's all right, my dear. It's in your nature, after all. I can tolerate a concubine or two.

Ox-Demon King:
Then why do you raise your fan? It scares me.

Princess Iron Fan:
Oh, this? I simply can't stand it–the idea of you carrying germs from who knows where.

Ox-Demon King:
Wait, Princess Iron Fan. I implore you, put down your fan. Let us talk about this.

Princess Iron Fan:
All right...I'll give you a choice.

Princess Iron Fan:
You can stand on the edge of that cliff and let my iron fan disinfect you...

Princess Iron Fan:
...or I could disinfect you myself over the next seven days and nights. Which would you prefer?

Princess Iron Fan:
I could even add in a substitute, if you like.

Ox-Demon King:
It's not as though Red Boy has died yet, right?

Princess Iron Fan:
...

Ox-Demon King:
What the...You're dragging Llamrei along too?

Ox-Demon King:
Wait! I would prefer to have dinner first! With peroxide!

Princess Iron Fan:
This WILL be your dinner tonight...my dear.

Nezha:
Single Horned Rhinoceros King!!!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Who calls me!?

Nezha:
I am. None other than. The third child of Li Jing. The Marshal of the Central Altar, Crown Prince Nezha!

Nezha:
I possess. The Three Face Six Arm technique! My voice. Can call down. The heavens and shake. The very earth!

Nezha:
I will not. Let you. Feast on. The Tang monk! Your days. Of causing trouble. In the lower realm. Are over. Vile monster!

Nezha:
Now. Experience the might. Of my seven weapons! The seven Paopei. Of the true crown prince!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...!

Subordinate Enchantress:
Wow, the whole tower is shaking. I'm impressed, Nezha!

Subordinate Enchantress:
Teeheehee. But I guess there aren't any decent martial artists left in the Heavenly Realm, with the exception of Red Boy, but she's still in training.

Subordinate Enchantress:
My Great King won't lose to anyone. Not even Li Jing and his Four Heavenly Kings.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...I don't...like weapons.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
They hurt Eu...Which hurts me...

Subordinate Enchantress:
...

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
But...it could be fun...to compare how...strong we are.

Subordinate Enchantress:
...Great King?

Subordinate Enchantress:
Nezha there thinks less of demons than she does insects.

Subordinate Enchantress:
Don't get careless. Use your Golden Jade Ring to disarm her and kick her out!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Okay.

Nezha:
Very well. If you won't come. To me. I'll come. To you! Hraaaaaah!!!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Absorb!

Nezha:
...Aah! My Paopei!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
I got all...your weapons! It's over!

Nezha:
Grrr...!!!

Subordinate Enchantress:
You did it, Great King! You won again! We'll be having fried monk tonight!

Subordinate Enchantress:
...Hm? Hang on. Did she say...seven Paopei...?

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Eu, something's...not right. This bow I absorbed...is moving...

B："Bow":
Hehehe...

B："Bow":
Hahahaha! At last, the moment I've been waiting for!

B："Bow":
Transform!

Sun Wukong:
Great Bodhisattva Namuhachiman! Take a look at this! Your golden ring is mine now!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Oh...He took my mask, too...

Subordinate Enchantress:
You disguised yourself as one of Nezha's weapons? No fair!

Sun Wukong:
All right, this is your last chance to surrender and hand over my master!

Sun Wukong:
And you'd better not have already had her for a midday snack!

Nezha:
Begone. Demons!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Grrr...!

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
Eu...stand back! I'll...protect you!

Subordinate Enchantress:
Oh, no you don't! I'm fighting too! I'm not letting them steal even one moment of our time together!

Sun Wukong:
It's no use! Did you forget what I took from you? Absorb! ...Absorb!

Sun Wukong:
Hmm, it seems this Golden Jade Ring doesn't work for me!

Sun Wukong:
Well, no matter! We'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way! Come on!

Nezha:
W-Wukong! D-don't forget. To give me back my weapons...!

--BATTLE--

Mash (Narrator):
Even with the Golden Jade Ring sealed away, the Single Horned Rhinoceros King was a fearsome opponent!

Mash (Narrator):
After a long and intense battle, Crown Prince Nezha and Sun Wukong finally managed to subdue him.

Mash (Narrator):
And, as befits a disciple of Sanzang, Sun Wukong did not take his opponent's life after he admitted defeat.

Mash (Narrator):
Thus were Sanzang and her disciples finally freed from the tower's kitchen...

Sun Wukong:
Now, now, Sanzang. If you don't stop crying, you'll dehydrate yourself!

Sanzang:
Waaah! I was so scaaared!

Sanzang:
I thought I was done for when that chef monster came out swinging that meat tenderizer...

Zhu Bajie:
Well done, Brother Wukong! I never doubted you for a moment!

Sha Wujing:
Nor did I. Clearly, our faith in the Buddha was rewarded.

Nezha:
...Hm? Something draws. Close to this land...Its chi is enormous. Who could it–

Taishang Laojun:
Curses, I got lost on the way!

Taishang Laojun:
What in the world happened here!? The very land itself has been reshaped!

Subordinate Enchantress:
Crap.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...This smell...

Sanzang:
Oh? That old man seems kind of familiar...

Nezha:
Xuanzang...Are you really. The great monk. I have heard so much about?

Nezha:
That is Taishang Laojun. Of the Heavenly Realm.

Sun Wukong:
Oh hey, it's the guy who commands the divine soldiers! I'm running into all sorts of familiar faces today!

Sun Wukong:
But I'm afraid one of your subordinates made yet another mess of things. Maybe it's time you started actually supervising them?

Taishang Laojun:
Foolish, impertinent monkey!

Taishang Laojun:
I had to cross the Kunlun Mountains and make my way here ON FOOT from the Heavenly Realm, all because my blue bull has gone missing!

Taishang Laojun:
You have taken up enough of my time! Now return the Golden Jade Ring at once!

Taishang Laojun:
It is supposed to be under MY supervision! I cannot leave it behind in the lower realm.

Sun Wukong:
Aha! (Idea GET! )

Sun Wukong:
So the Single Horned Rhinoceros King is actually your blue bull! Now it all makes sense!

Sun Wukong:
In that case, the Golden Jade Ring must be its nose ring.

Sun Wukong:
So both it and the bull actually belong to you! Now I get it.

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
I know this man. He is...uptight...

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
But, he is...a good man. I think.

Subordinate Enchantress:
...

Taishang Laojun:
Silver child!

Taishang Laojun:
Once again, you have deserted your post at the silver furnace and brought chaos to the lower realm!

C：Silver Horn:
(Mumbling) Well, you DID give me time off...Anyway, your bull didn't do anything wrong.

C：Silver Horn:
Th-this is all my–

Taishang Laojun:
Do not talk back to me!

Taishang Laojun:
You are relieved of your post until you have returned to your senses! You will return to the Heavenly Realm and spend your days watching over my bull!

Taishang Laojun:
From now on, you shall be the Guardian of the Stables. Clearly, that is what you are best suited for!

C：Silver Horn:
...!

C：Silver Horn:
R-really, you're sure that's okay, Lord Laojun?

Taishang Laojun:
Hmph.

Taishang Laojun:
Be grateful to your sister. It was her who so rudely foisted that book about improving employee relations upon me the other day.

C：Silver Horn:
...Thank you, Lord Laojun.... And, I'm sorry.

Taishang Laojun:
Now, my blue bull, we return to the Heavenly Realm! I did not bring my saddle, so you will carry us!

Taishang Laojun:
What are you doing, silver child? Hurry up and get on!

C：Silver Horn:
Yes, sir. Can I have a ride, please?

Single Horned Rhinoceros King:
...Sure. Hold on...tight.

Sanzang:
...Wow, look at that. I've never seen a bull run so fast before.

White Horse:

Sanzang:
Aaah! You scared me!

Sanzang:
...Wait, Bailong? You're okay!?

Sun Wukong:
Oh, if it isn't Bailong! It's about time you caught up with us.

White Horse:

Sun Wukong:
What's that? When you sank down to the bottom of that river...

Sun Wukong:
...you were pinned down by my extending staff, unable to move?

Sun Wukong:
Come to think of it, I forgot all about my staff.

Sun Wukong:
And you brought it along with you? Oh hey, thank you so much!!!

Sha Wujing:
Hahahaha! We've all had our share of trouble, but the important thing is that we are now reunited!

Sha Wujing:
Now that Bailong has rejoined us, we can continue on our journey to Tianzhu!

Zhu Bajie:
I made sure to grab plenty of rations from the tower's larders too.

Zhu Bajie:
Now I'm more thirsty than hungry, though. I hope there's some nice, clean river water nearby.

Sanzang:
Thank you, Crown Prince Nezha. I owe you my life once again.

Sanzang:
Next time, I'll make sure to train harder so I won't need your help.

Nezha:
Please do. I would greatly. Appreciate that.

Nezha:
Still, the Jade Emperor. Did tell me. To keep an eye. On you. I can certainly stop by. Now and then.

Nezha:
Oh, and...W-Wukong...

Nezha:
One day...if possible...I hope you can see. The real Sun Wukong...again.

Sun Wukong:
...Thank you, Crown Prince Nezha. I too shall pray that Hachiman Bodhisattva brings us together.

Nezha:
...

Sanzang:
Wow, those flying wheels are really nice too.

Sanzang:
But hey, at least I've got my own great steed!

Sanzang:
Okay, everyone, we're off to Tianzhu once again!

Sanzang:
All together now...Go west, young men!

Mash (Narrator):
...Thus did Sanzang and her companions manage to defeat the formidable Single Horned Rhinoceros King.

Mash (Narrator):
Little did they know that they would soon face yet another formidable threat.

Mash (Narrator):
What will become of Sanzang and her companions!? There is much to tell, as their journey is far from over!

Mash (Narrator):
...Unfortunately, this is all we have time for today. I hope we'll see you again at our next performance.

Mash (Narrator):
But for now, the curtain descends upon this chapter...