King of Presidents

Senpai, Senpai! I'm so glad, you woke up!

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Your Servant blocked that Noble Phantasm attack. However, its shockwave knocked everyone unconscious.

While our lives were spared, it appears that we are in their custody now.

Oh, so you're awake. Right now we're in the midst of transporting you.

You can run away if you like... But, the bad news is that these babies will target the Master, aggressively.

Though Karna probably won't do a thing, since he's firm on his policy of not killing a Master.

...That's a misunderstanding. I will kill a Master first depending on the situation.

Of course, first you must show me that you have the reason, conviction, and determination to convince me to kill a Master.

For instance, is the one issuing the order willing to exchange their own life for it?

If that's the case, I am willing to consider.

See, he says stuff that's basically unthinkable on a battlefield.

Well, that's how Karna is, but that doesn't change your situation in the slightest.

At such close range, it would be quite difficult to slip past the mechanized infantry, don't you think?

Ugh...

Now, now, be good.

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First, I'll have you meet my king. You should decide which side to be on after that.

Well, I know the two Servants sitting right there won't side with us that easily. That much I'm sure of.

However, I'm sure things will be different if we can persuade the Master.

...Umm, Lady Blavatsky.

Why is it that you go to such lengths to take the side of this "king"?

Lady! I like the sound of that. You're a nice girl. You understand etiquette!

Your name is Mash, right? In light of your proper manners, I shall answer you.

The biggest reason why I support the king is that we were closely connected when we were alive.

Oh, it's not like we had an affair or anything like that. We kept in close contact, and I owe him a lot...

The Celts who dominate the East won't accept anyone other than themselves.

Even if I surrendered to the Celts, they would just kill me. Or maybe they would sacrifice me for the sake of their war.

...The Celts...

Those Servants you saw earlier were Fionn mac Cumhaill and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, right?

If that's the case, we'll be seeing a lot of Celtic Servants this time.

As far as I know from the legends, they all have a few screws loose. They're a bunch of airheaded Berserkers!

What were those magical energy waves just now? Is there someone else with you?

Hey, are you keeping a fairy in your pocket or something? Nothing? Then, just where did that voice come from...

Oh. Is Graham Bell with you or something?

If he were, the king would seriously lose his temper this time.

Hate to break it to you, but when it comes to long-distance communications, we're a few steps ahead.

Apologies for introducing myself so late, Ms. Blavatsky. I'm their navigator.

My name is Dr. Roman. Make sure you don't forget it, as we may cross paths someday.

Wow... I can tell you're an imprudent man just by your voice. You're clearly up to no good, my dear.

Hey! Why does everyone always dis me when they first meet me?

Well, it doesn't matter. It means Fujimaru has an advisor as well.

So, let's get back to the subject. You all get it now, right?

You can't win in this war unless you side with somebody. It will only get you killed if you try to take on both sides.

This world maintains a precarious balance as the East and West continue to fight.

If we didn't fight, this nation would have been completely destroyed and beyond salvation by now, you see?

Dear, you're not a good listener, are you? Has anyone called you stubborn before?

Well, at any rate, you should meet the king at least once... It'll be amusing.

Oh. I see. So I hadn't gotten around to explaining that yet. But... Heh heh.

We've already come this far, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, isn't that more amusing?

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Amusing...you say?

Well, someone is calling himself "king" in this ultimate democratic nation. How is that not amusing?

...Oh, if self-proclaimed title counts, I do remember there's an emperor as well.

You sure know a lot about snobs. If he were a Heroic Spirit, I'm sure he would lament the current situation.

Ah, but first we have a preliminary show. Perfect. Can you help me out?

...

Pretty please♪

Master?

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Understood. Either way, they're enemies we must eventually stand against.

Okay, here I go!

Here we are.

...A fortress unfitting for America.

The White House was taken over, so we had no choice.

We built the fortress from the ground up. We should use anti-Celt measures to resist the Celts, right?

Madam Blavatsky, Lord Karna. The presi-king awaits. Please come right away.

M-Maybe I heard wrong. Did he just say "presi-king" or something?

Yes, no doubt... I don't know how to say this, but it's so...simplistic.

Right? But that's what makes it charming. It's not an idea we'd come up with.

Come, follow me. The king, despite his appearance, has a short temper.

...So your employer is just ahead, right?

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Wait. That would be a bad move, Nightingale. Let your gun rest a while longer.

If you want to cure this world's soldiers, identify the pathogen first. Or are you that simplistic as well?

...In the meantime, more soldiers die. Are you telling me to bear with that?

Yes. Bear with it, but do not get accustomed to it. It may be tough for you, but consider it a trial.

Or is long-term treatment not your policy? If so

I wonder which is beyond saving? You, or this land?

What? Are you saying my treatment is wrong?

Not quite. But everyone makes mistakes. Humans fall to ruin when convinced that their ideas are the only absolutes.

...Anyway, if you idly meet your death here, that would be truly meaningless.

Everything has a proper order. Even if you temporarily defeat an enemy here, it may cause a greater evil to prosper.

I see. I understand your valuable opinion. I will put the gun away for now.

...Good grief. What a consummate liar. Blavatsky, I will keep an eye on her.

You look after this world's only Master and that Servant.

Yes yes, I know! Well then, let's get ourselves an audience with the king!

I've brought them to see you, Mr. Presi-king.

Understood. It will be another minute until the presi-king's arrival.

...I'm starting to get nervous, Senpai. I wonder what kind of king he is...

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You might be right on that.

I'm detecting a new Servant approaching you, but there's something bizarre about it...

Umm...I wonder if this really is a Heroic Spirit?

Bizarre? In what way, Doctor?

I don't want to affect your first impression with my speculation. Anyway, we'll talk after you meet this King.

Thank you for waiting. The presi-king is here!

Oh! At last I get the chance to meet that angel!

How I have yearned for this moment!

I intended on inviting them only after they eliminated the Celts, but this is fine, too!

Yes, advancing the schedule is a good thing! Much better than pushing back the deadline!

...I see he still hasn't fixed his habit of talking to himself while walking. I was hoping he could at least have kept that to himself.

That was "talking to himself?"

D-Did you hear how loud he was, Senpai!? No human could do that!

To be frank, you have all done a fantastic job! Greetings, everyone! And congratulations!

...

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...

Huh? Is the monitor broken? All I see on it is a creature?

I'll say it once more! All of you have done a fantastic job!

I bet you were pretty surprised. Right? Right? Right?

...Well, yes, they'd be surprised.

W-Well, I was indeed surprised... but it's fine, I'm getting used to things of this sort...

That aside, umm... You must be the king who controls Western America, right?

Indeed, it is as you say.

I have taken it upon myself to rule America in order to pulverize those barbaric Celts

I am a Servant, and a gentleman who supports other Servants! I am Thomas Alva Edison, the presi-king!

E!?

DI!?

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Oh, excuse me. I was at a complete loss for words.

Edison... Edison, the King of Inventions? It's really you? You're not a Chimera?

Indeed. Although I am currently the presi-king, not the King of Inventions.

You must be Lady Florence Nightingale. ...You are just as beautiful as they say...

Unfortunately we could not meet when we were alive, but this moment is truly a miracle of energy, no, a miracle of souls.

I was not one to live on the battlefield, but I deeply respect your convictions and rationality.

Do lend us your strength. Not only to advance medicine, but also to boost the morale of our soldiers

The effects of you as poster girl are immeasurable! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

...I had no idea you were not human.

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What? I am without a doubt a human!

Humans are just higher forms of beasts who possess reason and wisdom. They shall not be segregated by the color of their skin or the shape of their face.

Even if I possess a lion's head, that fact does not change.

I am Edison, an intelligent human being. That is all.

...Wow, just look how he asserts himself with confidence. I really need to learn that kind of positivity.

Basically, he was a human when alive, but now his head is a lion when summoned as a Servant.

However, since that doesn't affect his intelligence in the slightest it's not a problem. This lion, he's the definition of rationalism!

Fou, fou.

Doctor! Everyone was taking a hint and not calling him the "L" word!

Well, he can't help it. I mean, he's basically a lion.

A lion... I like the sound of that. Also, was that communication through magecraft?

Even though you live in an age of telephones, your fixation with such an inconvenient method bewilders me.

Mages by birth are indeed illogical creatures. Surely you can make better use of spiritual channels.

Ah, what? Look, phone lines only work when you occupy the same space in time, yes?

This is far more functional, and crosses time and space in a kind of hyper-navigational form of communication...

Oh. So that means you do not exist in this era!

Hmm. To be able to communicate across different eras is quite convenient indeed...hmm.

Magecraft and science are similar. There is nothing you can do that I cannot.

I'd like to see if the same thing can be done by telephone. No, wait, I should develop a spirit phone before that...

Yes, yes, Mr. Edison. Please save your inventions for later, okay?

...Oh, yes. Right.

Your name is Fujimaru...was it? You are the only Master in this world.

Let me get to the point. Can you lend us the strength that you used to correct the previous four eras to get rid of the Celts?

I am well aware. You see, a certain fellow took it upon himself to inform me.

The world's worst good-for-nothing! That detestable hysteric told me...

"While all these things happened, I am in good health. I bet you've never had such grand adventures, Edison"

Truly the epitome of displeasure!

Ahem. Well, so much for that. Anyway, we must get rid of these Celts.

Hmm. I believe that is a self-evident truth.

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Needless to say, the Celts are an anachronism in this age.

The United States is a cutting-edge nation created by capitalism and rationalism.

This is our nation, and home to those with intellect.

However, they keep multiplying like planarians, and the American army lost due to difference in the size of our forces.

But fortunately, I, a Heroic Spirit, have descended upon this nation!

The battlefront revived with my proposals of a new national structure and reformed military, equalizing the situation.

HmphThey truly are barbarians. Attempting to contend against me in mass production is the epitome of idiocy.

Eventually my mechanized infantry will cover the land and annihilate the loathsome Celts once and for all.

However...there is one matter that concerns me. ...Leaders. In other words, we don't have enough Servants.

We have an obedient army, but no mighty ace warrior to lead them.

While enemy Celts have many notorious barbarians lined up.

Just when we gain a foothold somewhere, we end up losing it to a single Servant.

Only Servants can overcome other Servants. We only have three Servants on our side, including myself.

Other Servants who were summoned are in disarray, and show no interest in joining us.

Only my rationality restrains me from roaring out at this sad state of affairs.

The Heroic Spirits meant to save America dread the enemy and refuse to fight. Their negligence is going too far!

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C-Calm down, Mr. President!

Umm... If you're trying to save the world, we are willing to cooperate with you...

Oh! You understand! Truly wonderful! You also have a very delicious-looking body!

Fou! Foou!

Hey, stop hitting and biting me, runt! That was figurative. I'd never assault a lady!

...Can I ask you two questions?

Yes, what is it? Coming from an exemplary woman like yourself, I shall give you a genteel answer.

A gentleman's genteel reply Oh, how elegant! Karna, please record that in the Presi-king Chronicles.

...My first question. On our way here, we saw the mechanized infantry several times...

Is that the result of your proposal? Is that what you aim for with your "new national structure?"

Indeed, that is correct! I arrived at this conclusion...in order to save the nation from its predicament!

National unity! Citizens herded, no, rallied, to new life! Equal national service, regardless of age or gender!

Eventually, all citizens will be part of the mechanized infantry and defeat the Celts, the invaders.

Of course, we must maintain our mass-production lines for this purpose.

Acquisition of labor from all across the land. Institution of 20-hour workdays. Unremitting surveillance.

Of course, you need the best welfare system, too. One cannot have labor without recreation.

We will play three times as hard, work three times as hard, and win three times as hard as normal humans! That's my new vision for America!

That's not okay! Recreation has its limits! Please just be normal!

I agree... Mr. Edison's plan does not take physical limitations into account whatsoever.

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...So that is what you are fixated on.

Hmm? What'd you just say?

No, I was just talking to myself. Do not mind me.

Well then, my second question. How do you intend to save the world?

That can be accomplished by securing the Holy Grail.

Defeat the Celts, obtain the Holy Grail, then correct the era.

While it is unclear who among the Celts possesses the Grail, if we can secure it, we can handle the rest...

No, it is unnecessary to correct this era.

What?

It is unnecessary. If I acquire the Grail, I could refine it and we should be able to prevent the incineration of eras.

Consequently, it would give birth to a world named "America" operating on a different timeline from the other eras.

What... Is that really possible!?

Having been summoned by the Grail, we Servants are well aware of its power. My conclusion is that it is quite possible.

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They will probably be destroyed.

Then, it's pointless to do so!

What? Is there any other idea as brilliant as this?

This America will survive for all eternity. My inventions will remake America.

It will show those Celts, who can only procreate and fight, that my inventions are the lights of humanity, the power of civilization!

...So you expand your battlefront for that purpose? Abandoning those who fell in battle.

...An accusation fit for Chief Nurse Nightingale, who so valiantly struggled for the salvation of all soldiers.

I... I am...ugh...not abandoning them because I want to, however

Edison, calm down. Florence is just stating her opinion. It's not an accusation.

I'm aware of that. That just now was my usual headache. Don't worry about it.

Listen, Lady Nightingale.

To us... To me, especially, this nation is everything. And a true king has a paramount duty to protect his nation.

B-But!

If you are a Heroic Spirit, you should also have a duty...an ideal, a wish, to protect the world!

...You are right. Even my current self possesses that sense of duty in one corner of my sanity.

Mr. Edison. If you deny that duty, you are nothing more than a mere patriot.

Quite so. What is wrong with a king being a patriot?

...I see. In that case There is only one thing for me to do!

Nightingale, that's enough. I will not allow you to fight here.

Even if that costs me my life.

Let go of me! I can tell! Leaders with those eyes always lead to destruction!

And in the end he will irresponsibly declare... That "it wasn't supposed to turn out like this!"

Fujimaru... Master. What do you think?

Shouldn't you join me to fight the Celts and acquire the Holy Grail? I'll give you three minutes to decide.

...Maybe joining them for the time being is not a bad idea.

What are you saying, Doctor!? He's opposed to the idea of fixing the Foundation of Humanity!

...Quite the contrary, he's for it. It's just that the world he envisions differs from ours.

But we don't have the time to confront him now. And in the end, I think he'll stop baring his fangs.

I'm not just being hopeful. My conclusion stems from historical observation...and experience.

Those that move nations believing in their own righteousness will experience consequences, in one form or another.

...But that's all irrelevant. Now is about gaining the upper hand in the war.

With all the Celtic Servants gathering, there is an overwhelming gap in military strength.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne and Fionn mac Cumhaill are formidable enough. How many more Servants of that caliber do they have?

For now, we will cooperate in order to acquire the Holy Grail, and correct the mistake where Celtic myths dominate North America.

What happens afterwards? We can think about that later.

Senpai, what should we do? ...Senpai?

Well then. Have you come to a decision? Let's hear what you have to say.

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...That is an unexpected response indeed.

Whatever your hidden agenda may be, I thought you would agree to join forces.

I, Thomas Alva Edison, should respect your honesty and sincerity.

But as presi-king, unfortunately I have no choice but to condemn you.

Get 'em!

They're coming! Stand back, Master!

Hah, hah... No good, there's no end to them!

!!!

So even my prized mechanized infantry will become junk in minutes when going up against a Servant, huh?

But sometimes it's quantity over quality. You should be out of energy already.

Blavatsky! Throw them inside the special underground jail!

Ugh...

Yeah, yeah. I guess it can't be helped. So sorry, but you're getting locked up.