A Bunch of Books, a Crowd of Us

It's dark... isn't it?

Foooouu...

It's very similar to a place we've seen before. The Soho area of London.

？！

Yes, Senpai. It's very similar to the 2nd floor of that bookstore.

I'm sure it is. That's because your current location

Is inside Nursery Rhyme's Reality Marble.

Although slightly different if we were to be technical. It's a subtype of the dream shared by Master and the contracted Servants.

Anyway, it's a special place. A special place involving the Servant Nursery Rhyme.

Understood, Doctor. I came up with a similar theory.

...Because she's here.

？！

Yes. When you performed the second Ascension, she gained the form of a young girl.

So why has she regressed to her original form?

She doesn't speak, either. This is

Fooou!

Uh-oh! I'm detecting magical energy in your vicinity! It looks like her, but it's not!

They're trying to surround you, which means they're probably enemies!

？！

Roger, Master! Give me your orders!

Enemies defeated. ...She helped us.

Which means that, yup, Nursery Rhyme accepts Fujimaru as her Master.

She's a book, so she doesn't talk, though. What is happening, exactly?

Keep looking into it, Doctor. It appears we've got more enemies approaching.

Senpai, give me your orders. The battle continues!

Fooou!

Battle is over. We've defeated them. Good work, Senpai.

I'm not getting anywhere with my analysis, but I have news. There's something very similar to Nursery Rhyme nearby.

That army of books was similar to her, but this is more like an exact copy.

This might be what pulled you into that space. Can you try talking to it?

？！

Okay, Senpai. Let's moveYou too, Nursery Rhyme.

Oh, when you move, she follows you, huh?

That book's really attached. That's really...rather nice...

Yeah. It feels like watching a cute little animal.

Is that...

Seems like it's up ahead. I can feel the response.

Fou...

Here it comes. Looks like it's approaching. It might be an enemy, so be careful!

Hello, the other me.

I missed you, book me! Emotions folded in-between the pages.

I missed you, real me! The me who can do nothing without fingers to flip the pages.

I am me, Alice. You are me, a story.

No, no. I am me. I'm not Alice. You stay in that form, okay?

Alice?

？！

I don't know, exactly...

But the one that's connected to you by contract is the one that's a book.

But at the same time... That girl over there...

She doesn't seem to be a fake Nursery Rhyme. Her magical energy feels too similar.

I got a detailed analysis now that you're closer Yup, Mash is right. Their magical energy response is identical.

It's too identical. Like another copy of the same being?

I want to say that's impossible, but where you are, in a way, is inside Nursery Rhyme.

It's possible that her core is split into two beings!

？！

They're both her. It's a possibility.

Correct.

(It talked!)

(Fou!)

That's me. The other me.

The me in Alice's form.

The Alice that shouldn't exist Because I imitated that form.

I thought to myself. That form is Alice's, but...

Is it okay for me to take it? Can I be Alice when there is no Alice here?

No, no, no. It's wrong! I am just a story, right?

Alice isn't here! Only I'm here!

I must stay a story. I can't stay as Alice.

Right?

??

...I see! So that's it! Nursery Rhyme isn't supposed to have a human form!

But the Ascension gave her the form of a little girl. That self-contradiction grew within her.

So she called Fujimaru, her Master, deep inside her.

She's trying to get an answer, isn't she? About which form she should choose.

The book Nursery Rhyme is uncertain. The girl Nursery Rhyme wants to reject it.

？！

That's right, Senpai. ...Nursery Rhyme, the answer is within you.

We can't answer for you. We don't know what that girl's form means to you.

We don't know why you're hesitating. Or who or what you're thinking of.

So...

I am me. I know that.

But I want to be Alice. I want that form, if I can have it.

I want to drink sweet, sweet tea as Alice. I want to eat sweet, sweet candy as Alice.

I want to play, as Alice.

...That was what Alice longed to do, ...when she held me in her arms until the very end.

...Senpai.

？！

Right, Master!

I see. So that was my decision. But I won't allow it!

I am me. Alice isn't here! I won't let you pretend this is a happy ending!

Magical energy response expanding! Here she comes!

...Enemy unit defeated.

Hmph. Actually, I knew how this was going to end. If Alice isn't here

I can just become Alice. That's the kind of dumb idea I'd get now.

Listen, me. If you're going to choose Alice's form...

Never...let your... story have...

an unhappy ending...

Yeah.

I'll make it a happy ending. I'll do my best for Alice.

Fooou!

Okay, I guess we're done! That weird space is closing, I think, so yeah!

I'll use the Rayshift technology to get you back to Chaldea. Readygo!