The Fragile Lily

Where...?

Where is this place? I think I was resting at Chaldea...

I was trying to... sleep in my room, I think...

That's right. You were all asleep.

What...?

？！

You're both awake, then. Good morning♪

However, you both are actually still asleep. So am I, more precisely.

Your bodies are dreaming, but your minds are with me.

So you can't hear the Doctor here. You can't contact Chaldea.

You understand what I'm saying now, don't you?

We're dreaming...?

The records say that a Servant and Master can share memories in their dreams.

But this... For us to recognize each other

It's because Chaldea's summoning system is slightly different than normal summons.

That's what happened. Or perhaps,

"You" are the only one dreaming, and the others are just characters in your dreams.

？！

The dream of the butterfly, right?

I wonder. Who's the dreamer, and who's the dream?

But there's one thing I do know. Especially for me.

This is... The place I must walk.

The place you must walk...

This is my Temple. Not the real one, of course.

The Tour du Temple The place where Marie Antoinette awaited execution.

Then this is your mental landscape? This space, no, this place.

That's what it looks like to me. How does it look to you?

If my memories are reaching you, then it must look the same to you. Otherwise, perhaps you're seeing

the closest place to it in your own memories. Heheh, don't get scared, okay?

It's all right. I'll be sure to lead you to the exit.

That means we need to find a way to escape, doesn't it?

Yes. I'm sorry.

These are my memories. What was once in my heart. A world where I waited for death, with no escape.

But you two are different. And so I can get you out.

？！

...Yes.

Come, let's go. To the outside. To your real world.

...It's a labyrinth, isn't it?

But I don't really feel lost. Is this your doing?

Yes. Because you two are here.

I don't know if I could escape on my own. These are my memories of sorrow and misery.

But you are here for me. I'm connected to you as a Heroic Spirit.

And so I won't lose my way. I'll make it to the exit

...Wait. Multiple presences detected ahead.

Magical energy responses? Wait, these aren't from living creatures.

...Though I don't know if you can feel magical energy in a dream.

This is what I once felt. It's fear, death, and of course, sadness.

...It's all right. We can win.

？！

Yes, Master. Moving to engage enemies!

...We defeated them!

Good thing the summoning system was working. It must be because it's linked to your existence.

Whew! We made it. There's no way that we'll lose.

I was sad when I was here, but I never gave in to despair.

Even if I died, even if my husband the King died, even if my beloved children died...

Marie

Even if the people forget the royal family's white lilies, France will be eternal.

That's what I believed. I believed that this was necessary for France.

That's why "giving up" is the one thing I didn't do.

It may change form, but France is eternal. The white lilies of glory shall never fade.

Vive La France! Glory to our nation, France!

...What a joke.

That's nothing but self-deception. The foolish lies of a foolish queen, killed by her foolish people.

The man you loved was killed. Your children were killed. And yet, Vive La France? Really?

You're a liar. Tell them what you really think, why don't you?

You want France, and its foolish people who trampled on your royal white lilies, to die.

This is... A Servant? No

？！

The presence is almost identical. If this is really a dream, then...

Yes, Mash is right.

Both of us are real. Both of us are me.

I am the "Marie" who never gave up. She is the "Marie" that did.

I am the "Marie" who decided to regret nothing. She is the "Marie" who sorrows, rages, and curses.

Both of us...are me. Neither is a fake.

No, no. You're a fake, Marie.

I'm the real Marie Antoinette. A foolish queen who broke her heart trying to save her people, and was betrayed!

My curse upon France! May it suffer a millennia of starvation and war!

May it be crushed Under the wheels of endless revolution!

...Maybe it's because this place is special, but I can feel her rage.

It's a burning torrent of emotion, as sharp as a knife.

She carried this inside of her... And she still always smiled at us

Pathetic, aren't "I?" How could I forget smiles and love?

No matter how much I am hurt, or hated, I can never stop smiling.

Shouldn't that be the duty of a Queen? No matter what my end was

Say, why don't we stay dazzling? Let's smile at everyone, every nation, and the world.

That is the "Marie" who decided to leave her mother and become the White Lily of France.

That's why... I will not accept you.

How dare you, Marie Antoinette! In that case, I will make you succumb to me, and I shall rise!

They want to incinerate the world? Fine! Let them!

The people, the country, the world that stole my life and the lives of the people I loved!

Let it all be destroyed, with no records or memories left! The guillotine is too good for it!

I can't bear to listen to this anymore.

Your cries are my cries, but I don't want to hear them.

...Come Fujimaru. Tell me what to do, my "Master."

？！

Oui. Let's do this, Mash.

Right, Marie! Master, let's goCommencing anti-Servant combat!

...Hmm, I see.

So you're fine with this. After the way you were betrayed.

And you're still smiling? I see...

...That's really who I am, isn't it?

Vive La France. The exit is just up ahead...

...The enemy Servant has vanished. The battle has ended.

Thank you, both of you. Sorry to get you caught up in this.

But I feel just a little better. You got the chance to see me do something besides smile.

Now I have nothing left to keep from you. And I can go back to smiling and loving.

？！

Yes, Vive La France! Come on, let's go.

If you happen to remember this dream After you wake up.

Please don't tell the Doctor or Fou, all right? Promise me?

If at all possible, I only want those two to see me smiling.

...Of course, Marie.

Heheh♪ I'm counting on you!