Fragment of the Star

Green, I'm out of ammo. Cover me.

Gotcha.

By the way, why do you call me "Green"? Who's this "Green"?

I mean, you and I are both Archers, right? So we either call each other by our True Names or use code names.

But neither of us wants to use our True Names, right? You know, as outlaws.

I'm no outlaw. That's just how it turned out. Basically, I'm just a lazy-ass.

Say, if you were an animal you would be a gorilla, right? I mean, Druids are like sages of the forest? Then you would be a gori

Green is fine, just call me Green. And why are you "Thunder"?

Huh? It sounds cool, no? Thunder. Plus it's the name of my gun.

...To be honest, between this land, what you wear, and that gun, I have a pretty good idea of your True Name. Is that okay?

Come on, I can say the same for you. Faceless ruler of the forest, specialist in guerilla warfare.

It's not good to go without a face. Now that we're done with idle chatter

Right, now that we're done What do we do with this?

How's that escape hatch we made?

It's good. We can use it. It'd just be a shame to, that's all.

After we gathered up all these weapons and ammo... ...Hmm, maybe we overdid it?

Well, after all that sabotage, I'd say a bit.

Doesn't seem like they have any Servants over there, but we're done for if they engage in close combat.

...Well, it's all in fate's hands now. Want me to pray for the Master to come to our aid?

Are you mad? Were your prayers ever answered in life?

Why, sure. But you have to be a good boy.

Unfortunately, it hasn't worked since I became an adult. I guess we're both just bad boys?

Hmph, speak for yourself! I always said my prayers, just like my mom taught me.

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure if you pray from the bottom of your heart, we'll be saved.

Mmm, I guess praying in your spare time doesn't work. Well, I

was expecting that, too.

Praying while blasting away with your gun won't do a thing. I mean, God can't hear your prayers over the gunshots.

Whoa, someone fell for it. I'll go light 'em up.

Yeah, knock yourself out.

...Still, I'm tired. I wonder how long the Resistance is gonna hold out.

Sooner or later, they'll reach their limit. I just hope Geronimo finds the "star" by then

Whoa, that was close. The "Regulators" are closed for today. Please visit us another day. See ya!

Nightingale?

Please give me a moment.

I'm in the middle of telling Dr. Rush how to care for the patients.

Honestly, though this is long before I was born, there is too little risk management concerning sanitation.

R-Right...

Listen to me. The wounds must be kept clean, and don't lay beds edge-to-edge.

Normally, I would never let patients lie down on the filthy ground.

Giving them vomit-inducing medication or bloodletting to expel toxins, or having them drink mercury chloride...

If you perform outdated treatments like that again, I will punch you until you need treatment yourself. You've been warned.

But those are the latest techniques...

Which is the latest, this gun or that treatment? Don't make me repeat myself.

U-Understood! Understood! I understand! Please, no more guns, latest or not!

Also, treat all patients equally, regardless of age, gender, race, or social status.

The only discrimination is the order they receive treatment.

If you don't follow those rules, this bullet will go through your forehead, even if I'm 5,000 kilometers away.

...You got all that, Benjamin Rush? Please take good care of the patients.

I-I will. You can be assured of that!

She's gone.

...Still, she's an outstanding nurse for being so radical.

"Regardless of race" are brave words in this day and age.

Seems she came from Europe. She must be famous over there.

...I have issues with that gun, though...

Um... Did you just fire that?

It's your imagination. Let's go.

No, it isn't my imagination. You just fired that without hesitation.

I just used the back of its blade.

If I have to guess... I think she means the bottom of the grip. You just lightly tap the back of the head like this?

Of course. The trick is to strike gently, and at the moment of impact, shift the strike point...

？！

Excuse me, please refrain from idle chatter during treatment. Come, let's go.

Ah, right! My apologies!

Um... Senpai. Is it normal to feel a little bit worried?

Fouuu.

Wait, Florence. Where do you think you're going?

Do you know that leaving your post in the military is an offense that can get you shot?

Get back to your post now. Or else harsh punishment will be waiting for you.

...You go back to your post.

My job has not changed at all.

I feel like I almost found a way to treat the soldiers' ailments at their core, so that's what I'm going to do.

Oh, really? That is reasonable. Thank you. But

I can't let a Berserker like you wander off like that. What happens if you end up disrupting our troops?

The king would never approve of this.

...The king? Someone like that has absolutely no right to stop me.

Unless you have a better way to treat the soldiers. I'm all ears.

Sheesh, you really can't talk to a Berserker. I wonder what I should do.

We've never seen eye to eye, so maybe this is a good chance to get rid of you?

...Well, that's not very kind of you, but I feel the same way. That saves me some trouble.

Yikes... We've got sparks flying over here...

Why is it when two strong-minded women clash, it always turns into a bloodbath like this?

I think this is happening because they're both correct, and stubborn in their own way!

Anyway, we can't let them kill each other! Senpai, may I intervene?

Roger that. I'm not confident, but I'll do my best!

？！

P-Pardon me for interrupting! Are you... a Servant too?

Too? You mean... Oh! So many Servants! Great!

When I heard the Celts were driven away, I assumed Florence had lost her mind again...

But it seems I was wrong. So this is good news for the king?

King?

Oh, you don't know America's current situation? This country has split into two, and now the two sides are at war with each other.

The other side is good-for-nothing savages who just want to destroy.

And there's our sidethe United Western States, led by our king.

It's a civil war between the East and the West...not the North and the South.

I see...

So it's not even "What if the South won the Civil War?" but a clash between two unknown armies.

...Um, pardon me, miss. What's your name?

Oh. You recognized Florence at a glance, but you don't know me?

I-I'm sorry... Ms. Nightingale was... Um, anyway, it was easy to guess...

That's okay, I'm only giving you a hard time. Please forgive my childishness.

I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I am Helena Petrovna Blavatsky.

Well, I suppose I'm known more as Madame Blavatsky. I didn't appreciate having to change my maiden name.

Helena Blavatsky! The poster girl for 19th-century occultism!

A talented woman independent from the Mage's Association who codified occultism with only her distinctive powers

But seeing as how you're a Servant here, are you acting as an agent for the Mage's Association?

No. In this world, all major nations other than America are completely destroyed.

？！

Oh, so you're the Master. What a pity. We have already decided who to serve.

That's the king. If he conquers the globe, I have no problem with it.

I believe we'd become Lemuria, breaking away from other dimensions and continuing to wander.

Kind of like the Throne of Heroes. Don't you think that is a happy ending in its own way?

I can't accept that as treatment. Amputating the bad part and then walking away is outrageous.

...Well, I figured you would say that. But what do you think?

Oh, I see.

...I must admit to being a little irritated. "Ma'am." What is this "ma'am"?

？！

...Ahem. Well then, where are you people taking Florence?

...In order to prevent the destruction of this world, we intend to remove the cause.

I see. Then I suppose that makes us enemies.

No, it doesn't have to be like that. Would you please let us go?

We're just leaving here with Nightingale as our ally.

Hmph. Then you are able to understand Florence's will.

That makes me somewhat relieved, but I still can't let you go.

...

Not even Mash could convince her...

So the punchline to this venture is that there aren't any Servants joining our side?

？！

I'm done talking. Let's go, Fujimaru.

I don't want to waste a minute or even a second. I'm going to cure this war.

R-Right. Anyway, she's on our side and we're just barely managing to communicate with her!

Fujimaru! Escape from there with Nightingale!

Ahhh, you leave me no choice. Now I have to call out my elites.

We'll start with them. Mechanized infantry, come forward!

The production model Babbages from earlier!

Oh, have you encountered Mr. Babbage? Have you been to 19th-century England?

...Oh, I see. He was defeated, wasn't he? Poor man.

But these won't lose. After all, the king personally "worked" on them!

"Worked" on them?

Babbage used the powers of the Grail and Noble Phantasm to produce his clones. However, the power of science was used here to mass-produce these.

Even if the result is the same, the approach differs. And if the approach differs, the result will too.

Well, quoting our king...

"Of course electricity is better than steam, you fool!"

Th-They're electric?

？！

Master, seeing your eyes glitter like that worries me a little... b-but anyway, here I go!

We defeated them! Be they steam-powered or electric, once they're broken the victory is ours!

An obvious truth. But it all ends here.

Okay, Karna! Hurry up and finish them off!

What... Umm, I'm sorry. What did you just say?

...It's my turn? Understood.

Whoa! All of a sudden I'm picking up a Servant response! It's right above you!

Forced teleportation... Command Spell!? ...What's going on!?

The readings I'm getting from his Spirit Origin are off the charts!

Oh no...

...

Sorry, but could you go ahead and capture them? I mean, it looks like they're enemies for the time being.

I'll oblige to your frivolous conjecture.

Travelers from afar, pardon the rough welcome. Brahmastra!

Retreat... Oh no, he's too fast!