The Death of the Mage's Association

...You know. You said "a large group," but we can't count you in during combat.

You're looking for the ruins of the Mage's Association, yes? Surely my intellectual curiosity as a scholar will be aroused.

Besides, I can be good when need to. You see, I also have an "ace up my sleeve."

And I have faith that you'll all protect me. I'm counting on you, Saber.

Tch. As I said, I'm not protecting anyone. But do as you like.

All right then. We really should get moving. The British Museum means we're heading to the Regent Park area.

That's some distance from here. You'd best prepare yourselves for a succession of battles.

Mmm? Come to think of it

Didn't the Mage's Association exist as several college towns in the London suburbs and stuff?

That's that. This is this.

The Mage's Association originated at their London HQ, and added facilities centuries later as they grew in scale.

That's why interspersed college towns center around London, as it's the heart of Mage's Association and Clock Tower.

Multiple cities built to surround London comprise the rest of the Association.

Doctor, have you never been to the Clock Tower before?

Oh. I knew there was something unpolished about you. Are you a country bumpkin?

Gulp. N-No, of course not.

It's just that I haven't had much connection to London, I mean, being so far away...

B-But I knew what was going on in London! Director Marie was sent from the Mage's Association, too!

Enough chatter. We need toAh, as soon as I think it. Here we go.

Multiple machine sounds ahead. Senpai, I think the Helter Skelters are here!

Fou, fou!

They didn't waste any time. Fight your way through them and get to Regent Park on the double!

？！

Yes, Master!

The British Museum! A symbol of the British Empire! Or rather, what remains

Oh, what a sorrowful sight! This museum once held so many of humanity's greatest treasures!

I cannot help but sigh. This building once held human progress itself.

Can such a thing be allowed! Oh! 'Tis like the burning of the Library of Alexandria!

Truly, a shame

However, however. This is the way of humanity as well.

Foolishness and grieving are human traits. "You, gods, will give us some faults to make us men."

...It's no different than the last time I was here. Rubble. Ruin. Nothing else.

Whoever destroyed this place must've had a personal grudge. There's no survivors.

So this is the British Museum...or what's left. I'd seen it, but just in image data...

Nowhere else in London were buildings destroyed. Just here...

？！

Yes, Senpai... Yes...

All right, physical laborers. Oh, especially Saber and Mash Kyrielight.

Yes.

What?

Start digging here. According to Jekyll, the Clock Tower spread underground as well.

Despite the thorough wreckage, the ground is intact. That means what we're after is underground.

But, unfortunately, the stairs are buried in rubble. SoYou see?

Time to show off the ridiculous strength of Servants! Now go smash stuff like a bulldozer!

That's true! Sadly, I expend tremendous magical energy if I hold anything heavier than a pen!

Fou...

...

I-I'll help. Yeah. I probably won't be of much use though.

Yay! I'm faster this time! Magical energy responses near you! And lots of them!

Hmm... It's true. There's something here. What is this?

You don't see anything, right? But it's there. And it's moving around.

It's not the Mystic Codes scattered in the rubble, either. Which means there's only one answer!

It's from below!? Saber, sorry, but get ready

Don't treat me like you're my Master! I know! If they come out, we'll fight them!

Master, multiple incoming enemies! Magical energy signatures are growingAssume they're attacking!

？！

Right, Master. Beginning combat!

I shall aid you as well. A shield maiden dancing amidst the rubbletruly stimulates the imagination!

Battle is over, Senpai. Good work.

I don't see Helter Skelters around, but we still ran into something troublesome...

？！

Yes, Senpai. The enemy has a striking resemblance to the magical tome we saw in Soho.

But this time our attacks worked... Without Andersen giving them a name.

Normal attacks alone were sufficient. They also didn't change form...

Last time I was here, I didn't see any floating books like that.

May I speak? This is just a guess, but I think those are a type of transformed grimoire.

Maybe the Demonic Fog transformed the tomes that were kept underground with the Mage's Association.

(Oh... I was thinking the same thing, but he said it first...)

...A swarm of attacking books, huh?

...It was like a nightmare, or perhaps a vision of hell.

Don't be stupid. Those things weren't even...

...

... ...

Haha. What's wrong, authors? You're not running your mouths like usual?

...I'm holding back. No, forget it. Forget it! Wow, that felt good! That felt great!

Hmm?

To burn a book! It is something inconceivable! Oh, how sad...but there was a joy in it!

Wrongdoings that should ne'er be done. Unforgivable acts of barbarism! There should only be sadness, yet...

I cannot help but feel a moment of forbidden joy! Oh, my God!

No books are needed except my own. Actually, I'd prefer to even burn my own works!

If there were no books in the world! No need to lament of the many great works I'll never read!

If there were no books in the world! I'd never have to scream, "Who published this trash!?"

If there were no books in the world! I'd never have to worry about deadlines!

What an honest man! Oh, but his words strike me in my heart!

Fo, fooou...

W-What's gotten into them?

This is kind of amazing... Really...

？！

A-Anyway, Senpai. This makes our path clear, doesn't it?

When the book-type enemies appeared, they formed a path to the underground by chance

Yeah. Once the author Heroic Spirits calm down, it's time to go underground!

I'm so excited. This is like the headquarters of the Mage's Association.

I wonder what it's like down there? Oh, I wish I could go and see for myself.

Then you should come. Instead of just being a voice.

I-I...um... I have to observe, and keep Chaldea running...

O-Okay! Back to my observation work!

Fou, Kyukyu...

...It's like an endless dungeon, huh?

It's dark.

Indeed, and the air is awfully wet.

That's what mage dwellings are like, right? Everybody knows they like it dark and damp.

Do they?

Kyuu, kyaau! Fou!

The rodent is agreeing with me. It says this sure feels like where a mage lives. Right?

Kyuu!

Fou? You seem kind of excited...

Kyukyu... Kyaau...

Kyuu, kyaau! Kyuu!

That's right. I wonder if Fou has taken a liking to Mordred.

Foou...

？！

The endless dark corridors might be because, well, we're choosing to walk down corridors not blocked by debris.

All the entrances to the rooms are smashed, or filled with rubble...

It feels like someone destroyed this place thoroughly. There's not a single surviving mage.

If that theory's correct, the enemy should have sent someone down here. And they

They might still be here, huh? Looks like you're right.

Fou!

Magical energy response detected! Senpai, something's around the corner!

？！

Roger, Master!

Hmmph. I'll help you this time. Don't expect it all the time, though.

Mr. Andersen. This door is

I'm sensing magical energy. Yeah, this is it. A warded entrance to a library.

It's not blocked with rubble either. Excellent. I hope what I'm after is here, but that's up to chance.

Saber, Mash Kyrielight, and Fujimaru.

Jekyll and I are going inside. Guard the door.

？！

Right, Senpai.

Find what you're after quickly and get back here. I'm not sure when the enemy might show

...And there they are now! Flying books, and even a Helter Skelter!

Multiple moving responses! Th-This is not good!

They're rushing in one after another. Can't assess the total amount! Andersen, escape once you find the reference you're after!

Oh... I don't know about that. This is a problem.

This is... This is indeed a problem... I see. So that's how they guard the books.

What? Stop being pompous and tell us what's going on!

The library books are warded by special, powerful spells. They can't leave this room! We can't go through the door!

Luckily, I have several good guesses for the references I seek. But, oh... These are...

..."Wait a while for me to finish reading them."

WHAT!?

One scans information deep in the mystic garden! The other guards the door against a horde of foes!

On one side, a battle of knowledge! On another, a battle of strength!

This is truly a situation that entrances one's heart!

Oh, which side should I stand on? Which should I see, that I can record in a book!

Just shut up and fight over here! They're coming!

...This is a defensive battle! Master, your orders!

That's most of 'em No, wait. There's more?

There's more! The layout down here puts you at a huge disadvantage!

The enemy's just going to keep coming! And you have to defend a single point!

We're okay for now, but if this drags out it'll be bad. Master!

？！

...Roger, Master! Continuing battle!

Just a little more, Fujimaru! I'm at the best part. It's all for nothing if we leave now.

Badly outnumbered! The ideal situation for a hero, but this is

This is perhaps a bit too many. I'm about to run out of magical energy. Actually, I already have.

Wha

...Oh, fine. I wanted to avoid this if I could, but...

Huh? Jekyll, why are you coming out into the hall?

There's nothing a would-be mage can do here! Get back in the library!

I told you. I have an ace-in-the-hole.

Fou!?

Jekyll, that's

An elixir. A "special" one I made. First you do this...and then inject it...like this...

Wh-What!? A strange magical energy response suddenly spawned there!?

Fou! Kyau!

Haha

Hehehe, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It's been so long since I've been outside! HERE I AM!!

Huh!?

!!! !?!?!?

？！

Yes, that was Mr. Jekyll... Mr. Henry Jekyll! But the way he changed is "just like in the book"...

I'm "Hyde!" If I don't like you, I kill you! You get in my way, I kill you! Kill! Kill! Kill!

HYAHAHAHAHAHAH! I'LL KILL YOU, HELTER SKELTER!

...He ran right at the enemy. He's just like a Berserker. Not bad!

Elixir-induced transformation. I see, truly Jekyll and Hyde! But physical transformation must put an awful strain on him!

I don't think it'll last long... Andersen, you better hurry up!

I understand. Don't hurry me.

Reading should be done at one's own pace. Yes, alone, and in a quiet room

Hmm. It's not quiet. The noise outside is bothering me.

You don't understand at all! Just hurry up!

...Damn it. Shieldy, we'll follow Jekyll!

Right. Senpai!

？！

Roger, Master! Continuing combat!

Enemy units destroyed!

...We're done, huh? Whew, I don't think...I can do anymore...

Oh, you're back to normal.

There was a chance I wouldn't come back, so I'm glad I did. Is Andersen's book-reading

I'm done. I finished decoding most of the documents I was after.

Besides, there were also several interesting books. I satisfied my personal curiosity, too. Great work, guys.

Personal curiosity?

...Fou... ...Fo...

What a free spirit Andersen is... There's something impressive in his lack of shame. However...

Y-You need to get out of here! There are more enemies coming!

？！

Right, Senpai. Let's return to the surface right away.

Once again, good work. Let's return to the apartment and I'll share the results.

Okay! I've recovered! Now it's time for me to rejoin the heroes' battle as well!

Oh? Are you all ready to return home?

That's right! We're leaving, damn it!

And so you see Your efforts have answered a certain question.

Again, you have my thanks. Thank you, Fujimaru, Mash, Saber.

Y-Yeah.

My wallet is so empty I can't reward you a single penny, but I hope these observations are worth it.

Yes, I'm looking forward to them, Mr. Andersen. Enough to forget all this muscle pain.

Fou.

In light of Mr. Jekyll's urgent need for rest, I'll get right to the point.

What bothered me in the first place was the relationship between "Heroic Spirits" and "Servants."

Heroic Spirits are records or results of human history.

Be they real or fictional, they'll exist as long as humanity does.

But a Servant is something different. This treats a Heroic Spirit as an "existence" in reality...

A familiar given a container called a Class and "made real," when its existence is uncertain to begin with.

But I ask you, Jekyll and Roman, was it? Is such a thing possible with the powers of a human, a mage?

Turning a Heroic Spirit into a familiarI see, that's powerful. The strongest summoning spell imaginable.

But a human couldn't handle such a spell on their own. If it's possible, it would be

A being greater than humans. An "Authority" exercised by a supernatural being, labeled as world or god. Is that it?

Indeed. Heroic Spirits can't be summoned with human power alone. There needs to be some other reason

It needs an extra push from something else, I think.

...Um. Isn't that the Holy Grail?

It's a fact that up to this point, many Servants have been summoned thanks to the Holy Grail.

Indeed. You spoke of the seven Singularities. Seven Holy Grails driving the different eras mad.

That's why I asked Dr. Roman about the Holy Grail.

What exactly is the Holy Grail War that enables Heroic Spirit Summons? For what reason was it created?

Yup. I don't have detailed data, but the origin is a town in rural Japan. The flaming city you visited, Fujimaru.

There, they made a vessel for the Holy Grail, used its power to summon Heroic Spirits, who they had compete as Servants.

That's what seemed weird to me. There's a flaw in the concept of making Heroic Spirits fight each other.

It felt like there was something else going on. So I decided to read the Mage's Association archives.

And I found what I expected.

The original Heroic Spirit summoning ritual was a ceremony to pit seven powers against one.

It wasn't something where seven Heroic Spirits fought one another.

"Ritual: Heroic Spirit Summon" and "Ritual: Holy Grail War" are the same systems with different genres, you could say.

"Holy Grail War" altered an existing spell and used it for selfish human purposes.

Meanwhile, it's base spell "Heroic Spirit Summon"...

...was a ritual to put "humanity's strongest seven Heroic Spirits" against "a single powerful enemy."

That's what got distorted in the Fuyuki Holy Grail War.

Yeah. Since there are only supposed to be seven of them, all the Heroic Spirits that got summoned later

Well, they're cheap, convenient, multi-purpose familiars.

...For now, just know that the Ritual: Holy Grail War was based off of something else.

？！

Hmm, I see! I see! An interesting theory.

Chaldea wasn't able to make its own summoning system from the ground up.

We modified and stabilized the Fuyuki ritual, but never considered the possibility of an older original.

Foou!

Yes, Doctor. This is a viewpoint we've never heard before.

It casts doubt about the fundamental nature of the Holy Grail War.

I thought I knew what Heroic Spirits were originally. But it was nothing more than information

It wasn't nearly at the level of what you just pointed out. That's very impressive, Mr. Andersen.

I guess this is the keen eye of observation owned by an author that left his name in history.

？！

I don't know if it's that special. Anyway... That's fine, but you know...

This doesn't help us do anything about the mass-production of those Helter Skelters.

Th... That's...

...Well, that's true.

Of course it is. I just felt a hitch with the Heroic Spirit summoning system.

If we're all normal Classes summoned by a single system

I wondered what kind of Spirit Origins the original seven for this system must have had.

...And someone else thought the same thing.

I don't think it's coincidence that information about this, even the parts you'd expect to be lost, was all in one place.

"Someone" predicted our coming, and put it there.

Someone?

Who could it be? A surviving mage of the Clock Tower? Or a Servant?

I don't think it would be a mage, but I don't know why a Servant would do it. We'll have to set that aside for now.