The Judge and the Judged

So, we are in a dream now?

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What a strange dream. Why are we in a prison cell?

This doesn't seem to be a Rayshift, nor is it simply the product of an overactive imagination.

Yes, we're in a dream, but we seem to actually be in another world.

If anything, it feels more like a Sibyl's prophetic dream.

It appears we can't get in touch with Chaldea, either.

Have you had these sorts of dreams before?

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Unbelievable. Even in the Age of Gods, it was rare for anyone to slip into other worlds through their dreams.

At any rate, I presume your experience means you know how to escape one of these dreams?

You will need to find what caused it to begin with.

Tell me, do you recognize this place?

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Then someone, or something, you know must have called you here.

I swear, you should thank your lucky stars I was called here with you. With me here, your safety is all but guaranteed.

Now, come on, Master. Let's get going.

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Where else? There's only one path in this prison, so we just need to follow it.

Don't you worry. I'll bring whoever caused this dream to justice.

Ugh, it stinks of mold in here. And of sin, too.

Now I see exactly why I was called here.

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Of course. It's clear that someone in this world needs me to pass judgment on something.

After all, where there is sin, there must also be judgment. How else could society function?

For example, maybe a certain goddess decided to sneak into Chaldea's storeroom and take some jewels that didn't belong to her.

So many stars...

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Well of course. No other job would suit me.

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Since you were being kept in a prison cell, you must be a criminal.

Are you prepared to face your judgment?

I'm only kidding.

Still, I may be on to something.

Perhaps whoever called us here wanted to have me pass judgment on you.

The scent of sin is even stronger over here. This way.

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She certainly has the air of Chaldea's Mecha Eli-chan. Then again, she always has been different from normal Servants.

Maybe she was drawn in to this place, just like I was.

My scales of justice are tipping. Come, confess your crime!

I did nothing wrong!

I was just collecting some energy from Chaldea's Magical Reactor. It's part of my compensation package.

...Well, technically, I was doing so without permission, but still.

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Not okay? Hmph. Don't make me laugh.

I've never seen a single status ailment in battle called "Not Okay."

As a Servant entrusted with Chaldea's safety, I did what I thought was necessary.

Besides, crime and punishment are strictly human concepts!

Mecha commit no crime!

You're wrong. All intelligent beings can commit crimes! Even those made of steel.

Therefore, I will suplex you the same as I would anyone else who had committed a crime.

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The goddess has spoken! Come, Master, let us see justice done!

One...two...three! There! I've pinned you!

Using pro wrestling moves on a mecha...! Does this mean you're familiar with classic tokusatsu films!?

Hmm, she vanished. But it seems she's returned to Chaldea, not the Throne.

I'll have to make her give back the excess energy she appropriated once we get back to Chaldea ourselves.

In the meantime, that door over there opened. It seems whoever brought us here is calling on us to proceed.

Come on, Master.

So this is where that door led.

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Yes, it's beautiful.

You know, I returned to the starry sky in my myth.

I don't remember it very well, though, since I'm now much better known in my capacity as Lady Justice.

I must say, I never thought I would get to see such a lovely starry sky while inside a dream.

The path continues on this way. I guess this means we're supposed to follow it.

The scent of sin is heavy in the air ahead, so it seems we have no choice anyway.

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It certainly is a long path, isn't it? You'd think we'd get wherever we're going much more quickly in a dream.

By the way, aren't you afraid?

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That I might have been called here to pass judgment on you, like I mentioned before.

Perhaps there's a sin or two you remember committing?

...True. Destroying a Lostbelt could certainly be considered a grave sin.

If you like, I could give you a fitting punishment here and now, dream or not.

What do you say? I think it would help you feel better, don't you?

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Do you really mean that? Are you just acting tough, or is it just an excuse to postpone your judgment?

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The scent of sin is getting stronger.

This new criminal must be close.

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Master...

Oh yes, I know you. You're the famous Bedivere.

The Knight of the Round Table who refused to return the sacred sword.

Yes... It's true. I was unable to return the sacred sword, which led to King Arthur changing.

If only I hadn't committed that sin...

...my king would never have met such a terrible end.

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Yes, I'm sure. I've seen Chaldea's records, and I have no doubt that you are a knight of great integrity.

But, the fact remains that you committed a sin.

That your sin was committed with the best of intentions is immaterial.

Exactly. A sin is a sin, Master, and I have yet to be absolved of mine.

Please, pass judgment on me, Lady Justice. I think that's the reason I'm here today.

Well said!

Aren't you going to finish me off?

What for? Accountability is meant to benefit both the individual, and society as a whole.

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It should be easy enough to understand how society benefits. Crimes must be punished to maintain order.

But the individual who benefits the most from being held accountable is actually the criminal.

After all, as long as time only flows one way, people can never truly atone for their sins.

Even if a thief were to pay the original owner back a sum greater than the valuables they stole, they will never be able to erase the theft itself.

Similarly, injuries we inflict on others may heal, but the fact that we injured them will never change.

That is why we have accountability. Only punishment can absolve a sinner of their sins.

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Bedivere, you already repaid your debt to society when you returned the sacred sword during that Singularity.

The only thing that remained was your individual regret, so that is what I passed judgment on.

And if I of all goddesses say your sins are absolved, then it must be so. Are you still unsatisfied?

That's very arrogant of you...but also very refreshing.

Once we wake back up in Chaldea, you, the king with the lance, and I should have tea together sometime.

He certainly put up a tremendous show of courage, didn't he? But I suppose I expected no less from the criminal who bore the sacred sword for fifteen hundred years.

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Now then, I see the path continues in that direction. Shall we?

Tell me, Master, what do you make of the people we've encountered thus far?

A steel robot and a silver knight, hmm.

Perhaps they were here because they sympathized with your sins? Or perhaps...

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Her conduct aside, the robot said something which raises a very key question:

Are humans the only beings capable of sin?

For instance, if a sword is used as an implement of murder, we would never put the sword on trial, would we?

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The sin belongs to the sword's wielder.

Of course, in Mecha Eli-chan's case, she has her own unique form of intelligence, so I decided she also had her own unique form of sin.

But that raises the question of whether that logic can be applied elsewhere.

I don't know what you guys're talkin' about, but it sounds dull as hell.

Gooolden! Funny runnin' into you here, Boss!

So, you are our next sinner, Sakata Kintoki. And what sins might you have committed?

Aw man. This is about sins, huh?

Yeah, 'course I've sinned.

Just livin', eatin', and steppin' on the ground means you're gonna end up carryin' around a whole bunch of sin.

So as long as you're alive, you've just gotta accept that's the way it is and keep goin' anyway.

Astonishing! Spoken like a true hero!

Unlike the other two, you're clearly someone for whom individual absolution means nothing at all.

Your mindset befits the truly strong. You have made peace with the sins most could never face.

So yes, there would be no benefit to holding you to account for your individual sins while you were alive. I will refrain from judging the potential benefit to society.

However, you are not alive anymore, are you?

Nope. Now that I'm a Servant, it's definitely a different story. That's probably why I was called here.

At this point, I don't mind lettin' your scales test me. In fact, I've been lookin' forward to it.

But I do gotta warn ya: when those scales test me, I'm gonna test 'em right back!

And while I'm at it, Goddess of the Scales, I better warn you that even unarmed, I can hit as hard as an axe!

So how 'bout it? You ready to take an axe bomber lariat with an actual axe?

Bravo! That was some magnificent trash talk!

Er... Scratch that!

Very well! I will see what you are made of, Golden Oni!

Putting all matters of justice aside for the moment, and speaking strictly personally...

That was absolutely freaking incredible, and thank you.

Hah, what're you talkin' about? I didn't do anythin' worth thankin' me for.

Hell, I oughta be the one thankin' you.

It's been a long time since I got to have a fun, all-out brawl. Feels real golden, ya know!

I see. Then you truly do have no need for individual absolution, just as I thought.

Haha, well, I dunno about that.

But I like that I don't need ta hold back around you, just like I don't with Boss Raikou.

Let's do this again sometime after we get back to Chaldea, even if we have to use the simulator.

Assuming we remember what took place in this dream, I'd be glad to.

Awesome! I'll see ya when you get back then, 'cause I'm pretty sure I'm gonna remember just fine.

You have my heartfelt gratitude, Sakata Kintoki.

Thanks to you, I now know exactly what is going on with this dream.

I must apologize to you, Master. I misunderstood this dream.

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Very much so.

The three criminals we have met were not drawn here because of you, but because of me.

Or, perhaps, they were drawn to both of us.

Given how each of them are strongly associated with metalsbronze, silver, and gold, respectively...

...they must have been here to represent three significant historical ages.

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Back in the time of ancient Greece and Rome, the age of mythology was divided into four distinct periods:

The golden age, the silver age, the bronze age, and the iron age.

The golden age refers to the period in which Zeus's father, Cronus, reigned from on high.

Justice was part of the natural order, eliminating the need for laws or penalties. There was no war, people lived long and happy lives, and everything was beautiful.

The silver age began when Zeus claimed his father's throne and the four seasons began.

While this age was sometimes subjected to harsh weather, and life was harder than in the golden age, on the whole, it was still a time of peace and plenty.

As you can imagine, Sakata Kintoki clearly represents the golden age, and Bedivere the silver.

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No, she would actually be the bronze age. You see, the iron age is

Ahh, but it seems we've arrived before I could finish.

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Wait!

Does that look like someone else to you?

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I see. She hasn't actually materialized here...

...so she took the form of someone you wouldn't be surprised to see in a dream.

Just a moment. I'll use my magical energy to make some adjustments.

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Yes, I, too, am Astraea. I presume you already understand what is taking place here, other me?

Oh yes. Much as I wish I didn't.

Have you forgotten, Master? I am a Pseudo-Servant. I only exist in this form because a Divided Divine Spirit possessed this vessel.

The true Divine Spirit Astraea is a separate being.

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Correct. I am the true Divine Spirit Astraea.

And I have come here to pass judgment on you, my Divided Spirit.

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I trust you also already know why that is?

Of course.

Because I swore an oath as a Servant to protect my Master.

Judgment must be impartial above all else. If you were simply protecting humanity, that would have been one thing.

Indeed, if anything, I daresay our aiding the repair of the Seven Singularities and stopping King Solomon would have been supremely impartial.

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Exactly. The battle with the Lostbelts is a battle for survival. In choosing one side over the other, you cannot possibly be impartial.

However, if you agree to leave Chaldea now and abandon this battle, I will consider the matter closed. What say you, other me?

...Master, remember what I was just telling you about?

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I just remembered. The iron age is when I turned my back on humanity.

I was the last of the gods to remain, but eventually, I too washed my hands of them.

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All you need do now is what we did during the Age of Myth. Now, come, other me. Lay down your sword and scales, and take my hand.

... ...

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What is it, other me?

...That's right. Back then, I never asked the question I should have.

So let me ask you now, Fujimaru.

Do you need me?

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Wha...!?

What are you saying, other me!?

You heard me. I asked my Master here if he needed me.

That is not the issue! We cannot abandon our impartiality! We simply cannot!

You're wrong, other me. We should never have abandoned humanity in the first place.

On our way here, I asked Master if he would like me to pass judgment on him so that he could feel better...

...and he replied that now was not the right time.

And so, I will accompany him to the end of his journey!

He is doing nothing more than putting on a brave face. In saying that, he is all but admitting his immaturity.

Yes, he is immature.

In fact, now that Proper Human History and all its worth have been wiped clean, his life has no worth whatsoever.

There is no greater meaning or larger reason in him standing here now. I freely admit it is no more than a brave front; he is merely acting tough.

Then why

That is why Sakata Kintoki said he was going to test my scales, rather than the other way around.

That is why Bedivere showed me the worth there is in bravado.

Now, I finally understand. It is in that very façade where humanity's true worth lies.

Now you're just playing with words.

Not at all. I found Fujimaru's tough act both endearing and inspiring, which is why I recognized his innate worth.

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I once turned my back on all of humanity. At the time, I thought they could never bear the weight of their sins.

I loved them dearly, yet I still turned my back on them.

But I see now that I was mistaken. I should have been willing to engage in my own show of bravado.

So now I will say for all to hear that the humans I love so dearly, whether they be from the Age of Myth or the modern era, are wonderful beings!

They are more than worthy of my protection!

And one day, they will leave me behind. Even then, I will continue to care, just as a parent never stops caring for their children even after they have grown and moved away.

It seems weno, you, have changed even more than I realized.

Well of course I can change. I am a Pseudo-Servant, after all. But isn't this what you once wished for too?

...No. I refuse to accept this. I refuse to accept this...version of me.

That's quite all right. That simply means there's only one thing left to do.

Are you ready, Master?

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Wherever there is sin, I shall be there to pass judgment. Even upon myself!

How is this happening!?

Ordinarily, I couldn't hope to stand up to you, but I knew you wouldn't be able to use your full power here.

That is why you chose to make your way into one of Fujimaru's dreams.

...So, you truly are going to choose your Master's side until the very end?

Isn't that what you always wished to do yourself?

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I once wanted to believe that humans possessed worth. I never wanted to abandon them.

And yet, when the age of iron arrived, that's exactly what I did.

That may not have been a crime against society, but it is nonetheless a sin I've carried.

That is why I had to pass judgment upon myself.

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I'm glad you remembered.

...Very well then, here is what I shall do.

I am the court that lies in the stars. I am the sword that passes sentence.

This is the place in which to grant pardon. This is the time in which to mete out justice.

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Order, return to us! Iam redit et Virgo!

The dream... It's disappearing!

My second Noble Phantasm returns everything to how it should be. It also restores order and absolves sin.

Even I cannot say for sure whether your sins can be absolved, other me.

But regardless, it is time for you to leave this dream. You, and that Master of yours...

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Fujimaru.

Do take care of my other self there, if you would.

So, we've returned to Chaldea.

I see Master is still fast asleep.

Well done, Master. May you finally have the sweet dreams you deserve.

Hmph. I never expected to hear that kind of nonsense from Lady Justice.

I suppose I should thank you, seeing how Master wouldn't have survived without your protection.

Humans are so terribly vulnerable when they dream.

The vast amount of information that comprises a Divine Spirit could easily ruin a person's mind were it to force its way in.

One wrong move, and Master may well have never woken up again.

That was the contract.

As long as he keeps forging ahead, I'll remain in the depths of his mind as the embers of black flame.

In that case, would you be so kind as to assist me?

You see, I'd like to dispose of as much extraneous information from that dream as possible by sending it to the Void.

It's a shame he won't remember the journey we shared, but oh well.

All right. I'll take the information with me.

Thank you.

I must say though, it truly is strange.

I never dreamed that becoming a Pseudo-Servant would allow me to take care of my own unfinished business.

Sin is hardly the only thing that merits judgment. You of all gods should know that.

...Well, now what am I going to do?

I never could have imagined judgment could be so kind.

Thank you, Fujimaru.