Unpaintable Beauty

Oh good, you're up, Master. How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?

I thiiink that's 'cause you weren't getting any oxygen for a bit! Know what you do for injuries like this?

Ouchies...begone! (Pat pat) Did that help?

？！

Aaanyway, I'm glad you woke up so fast! My lap must be a super comfy pillow, huh!?

？！

Aw, no need to be embarrassed!

My prayer is more likely to have had healing properties than your lap, Astolfo.

Good morning, Master.

I'm glad to see you weren't injured. Come on, another day awaits!

Wait, Fergus. Fujimaru is not quite so durable as you are.

We should first give him time to grasp the situation at hand. Can you stand, Fujimaru?

You seem all right to me. Good. Can't have you dying on me just yet.

Indeed... Not dying is truly a wonderful thing.

？！

...

？！

Our ship was destroyed in the aftermath of their battle, and we were all washed overboard, including you.

Of course, we tried to pull you out of the water...but the river's current was kind of weird.

I mean, it'd have to be, right? Normally, it'd be pretty easy for a Servant to hop on in and bring their Master back to shore!

But instead, we were unable to fight back against the current...and ended up here.

And unfortunately, none of us is clear on where "here" is.

Given the river's flow, and the lay of the land, I believe we must be somewhere in the east lake...but I'm afraid that's all I can say.

I never would've guessed a place like this could exist here. I mean, a castle, in the middle of a lake?

There appears to be a dome of some sort surrounding this place providing us with air. I imagine it's a form of magecraft.

What a strange place this is. I'm not even sure what to call it. Underwater Castle? Lakebottom Castle?

？！

Oooh, hey! I remember that place! Didn't Touta tell us about it one time over rice with a side of...rice?

I know of it too. It's a place that appears in an old Japanese tale.

I think Touta said he'd been there once, too! But...ah, I dunno!

Okay! The Dragon Palace it is! Now, aaanyway... See anything weird, Master?

Hey Master, you might wanna take a look at that rock under your butt!

？！

？！

No need to worry, Fujimaru. He's not moving anymore.

Since he'd been gravely wounded in our prior battle, the other Berserker...Penthesilea, right?

Anyway, that must have given her enough of an advantage to come out on top.

That said, the last time I saw her, she was covered in cuts and bruises, and yet somehow he still doesn't have a scratch on him.

It's odd that he has not disappeared, but instead appears to have simply ceased functioning.

I am uncertain whether he will awaken or not, but for the moment, he poses no danger.

Of course, we could always lop off his head now just to be certain.

I'm sorry, but even as I am now, my warrior's pride simply won't permit that.

It just feels wrong to you, eh. I can understand that.

At any rate, we have left him out here to serve as your chair for the time being.

？！

So... Now what?

There are fewer Resistance members now than ever. Only a few of them washed up here with us.

Hmm. Well, now that Master's woken up and all, how 'bout we explore the palace thing!

I mean, we gotta get outta here and all, and there could even be some cool treasure inside!

Haha, treasure, eh. I like the sound of that. I certainly wouldn't mind finding some sort of trinket that could turn the tide for us!

？！

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention this. Unfortunately, it seems we have been temporarily cut off from Chaldea, so we cannot ask them anything.

Of course, I do not know if it is because we are underwater, or if it is something else...

Regardless, I also believe we should explore this palace, Master. Standing around chit-chatting certainly won't get us anywhere.

？！

No need for that.

Ah! You...!?

No need for that.

Ah! You...!?

...Dahut!

She's alive!?

Oooh, yeah. No body, no death! We only saw her get swept up in Ys! She must've gotten swept down here just like us!

Drifted here? No, I always knew about this place. This is another paradise of mine.

It is my last bastion, something I kept on hand in case Ys was ever destroyed.

I was planning to rest here while my injuries healed and my magical energy was replenished.

But then you came along! What are YOU all doing here!?

I've been waiting for what feels like an eternity. I wanted to take something so badly, but there was nothing here to take!

Yes, that's right.

I didn't lord over the dull Nightless City, where its subjects suppress their desires. Nor did I command the Amazons of El Dorado, a tribe so barbaric they wouldn't get self-denial if it jumped up and bit them.

I was the beautiful ruler of Ys. I brought my people happiness by insisting that none deny herself!

So why... Why did I end up like this?

Uh... I think she's just a liiittle off!

Indeed. She appears rather...distraught?

You mean to take from me? No! That won't be happening. I'm the one who will be doing the taking.

I will deny myself no longer! In fact, doing so would be wrong! That, I believe, is the key to happiness!

...So I will take your freedom. Your dignity. Your vitality. Your hope.

I will take you to bed.

!?

Nghh... My head hurts.

I... I am...a taker. That is...how I should be. How any...pirate...should be...

Man. Woman. I don't care. I just want to take someone to bed.

I have no need of pride or ambition. Nor do I need hope or purpose.

I do not need bravery... I do not need courage... All I need is to take... To plunder...

So I refuse to wait any longer! I'm going to take you for myself... Soon, you shall all be mine!

!?

Looks like she's finally showing her true colors! Still...

Yup, she's nuts! If she's gonna attack, we'll have to fight back! Give us your orders, Master!

Khh...!

That wound is fatal. Victory is ours.

Huh...? The hell's all this?

I finally get this fog outta my head, but now everything's all weird...

And what's with these clothes? Definitely not my kinda style. Haha...

？！

Huh? I feel like you and I have met before somewhere... Ah well, it doesn't matter.

I knew what I was getting into when I decided to be a pirate. If we lose a fight, we lose our treasure. That's just how it works.

I'd rather it was a treasure map that makes you jump through all sorts of hoops to find the booty...but it looks like I don't get a say in that.

Ugh, guess I'm out of the grand adventure game for the time being... Here. It ain't much, but why don'tcha take this box with you.

...Hey, you were using this thingy while we fought, right? What's it do?

Hell if I know. Just kinda had it on me. All I can tell you is that it's treasure I found here.

You oughta be able to find some more in that castle over there. Since you managed to beat me, you get to use 'em how you see fit.

Yaaay! Someone's feeling generous!

Weeell, I guess you WERE all about the whole take, take, take thing, and didn't much care about what you'd already took, took, took!

So I guess it kinda makes sense you'd just give it all away!

Hm? What're you talking about? I just like wasting the treasure I take as awesomely as I can.

If I hadn't lost, I'd be blowing it all on booze and drinking every last drop(Cough, hack) ...

...Damn, this sucks. I only just got here, and now I've gotta go again...

What...WAS that?

I...don't know...

Whatever she was, she's gone now. The big question is, what's inside this box. Let's see now

？！

Huh?

It's all right... I was watching Dahut use it, and I don't think opening it will cause any sudden aging.

In fact, I believe this Tamatebako may just be exactly what we need...

Well, I have read many books... While I am unsure of the details, I believe I have an idea of what this place is.

I believe you know it as well, Fujimaru. Urashima Tarou. The Dragon Palace. Otohime. And...the Tamatebako.

？！

Otohime, the princess of the undersea Dragon Palace, invited Urashima Tarou to her palace, and gave him the Tamatebako when he returned to land.

？！

Then what's the point?

Indeed. That would make no sense whatsoever. Therefore, I believe the correct interpretation is that it was not meant to be opened lightly.

In other words, the Tamatebako is most likely something that can only be used once.

And so, when Urashima Tarou returned to land, and learned that far more time had passed than what he had experienced in the Dragon Palace...

...he opened the Tamatebako in desperation, and transformed into an old man... Or so the story goes.

However... I think that his sadness over how much older others had grown may have been the reason why he opened the box.

That is to say, his transformation occurred because he wanted to reconcile the difference in the time that passed for himself and the outside world.

？！

Exactly. He WISHED for it. If you might permit me to make a bit of an intuitive leap...

The Tamatebako grant wishes.

I believe they contain a mass of highly concentrated magical energy... Energy that can be used in any way the wish-maker desires.

The Tamatebako senses the wish of the one who opens it, then uses its vast magical energy as fuel to create the desired phenomena.

In essence...I believe you can think of them as single-use wish granters.

Okay, so...basically, they're not actually physical items, but super-duper magical energy doodads that can be used for anything?

Essentially, yes. Though I imagine there are still some limits on what they can do.

Of course, if a mage or Servant who could make full use of its magical energy were to open one...

...it would probably serve a function closer to Fujimaru's Command Spells than a wish granter.

？！

Now I see. So Dahut must have been using one simply to enhance her strength.

In her case, that was likely the only option she had available. But I imagine we could find any number of alternative uses for it.

Oooh, nice! I bet we could do really cool stuff with it! Like...oh, oh, oh! Could we use it to power Noble Phantasms we can't normally use?

We won't know unless we try, but I believe it would be worth the attempt.

If it works, we may be able to safely employ techniques that we normally avoid using so as not to drain Master's magical energy.

Still... Too bad you can only use it once. Though it does make sense. You can't expect to keep drinking liquor from the same bottle forever, after all.

Given what Dahut was saying, maybe there are more Tamatebako to be found in that palace place.

Even if they are single-use, if we can get several of them, they should still be pretty useful, right?

Hahaha... Looks like our luck is finally changing!

Like I always say, you never know what might happen as long as you don't give up. Turns out my ship sinking wasn't such a bad thing after all! Not that I'd want to go through it again, though!

Fou fou!

...Hang on.

I think I just got an idea as to how we can go about fighting back.

？！

...

Scheherazade, you're a Caster, right? Let me ask you this...

If you had the magical energy from one of these wish-granter Command Spell things...do you think you'd be able to put reins on this guy?

!?

I...suppose that would depend on what form such a thing would take, and how it might be used...

I'm not talking about anything complicated. Just something like a simple contract. As long as he'd start obeying a few basic commands, that'd do.

"Attack," "Stop attacking," "Go forward," "Stay"... That sort of thing.

It'd be nice if you could get him to tell friend from foe, but if that's asking too much... Oh, well...

So you mean to use Megalos...as a military asset for our side?

If there's a chance we can use him, then we should. This would give us a real chance at victory.

After all, our only other assets now are we Servants...and those men who were lucky enough to be washed up here with us.

And there are precious few of us left.

Rider... Uh, I mean, Mr. Columbus...

We could never have come this far without you. We'll stick with you to the end.

Besides, it's not like we have a home to go back to anymore. We'll do whatever you say.

Heh... Thank you, men. So, how about it, Caster?

If a simple command system would suffice...yes, I believe it's possible. It would not be without risk.

And, if we are to do this, we must hurry.

He seems to be waking up, however slowly.

In essence, it feels almost as if he is...rebooting.

Rebooting and commands, huh. I mean, I know he's kinda more like a wild beast than a guy...

...but the idea of using a great hero like this as some sorta robo-zombie thing just seems wrong to me.

Course, I kinda doubt we could just...talk him over to our side... What do you say, Master?

？！

If that is what you decide, Master, we will accept it. But do be careful, Scheherazade.

？！

Whoa whoa, hang on there. Of course there's going to be risks.

That's why I'll be the one to forge this contract.

!?

You don't want to see your Master's body blown to bits if something goes wrong, right?

Simple or not, whoever forges this contract is going to be magically linked to this creature. None of us really has any idea what that could do.

If something happened to Master, all you Servants contracted to him would be gone too. But I'm just a Rogue Servant.

This way, if anything happens, it'll affect me, and me alone.

Well... True, but...

？！

Hahaha, don't worry, I don't plan on it. I think I've got a pretty good chance of success.

After all...I've always had good luck.

I was lucky enough to get the money I needed for my voyage, lucky enough to actually cross the Atlantic, and lucky enough to make it back in one piece!

If there's two things I'm confident about, it's my tenacity, and my luck. Hell, they're all I've got!

Now come on, Scheherazade! We're running out of time!

...Very well.

？！

Of course. I hope very much that nobody dies...especially me.

Very well then. I shall open this first Tamatebako and begin the spell!

Master, Master! We found a lifeboat! I knew there had to be one around here!

It's in some kinda bubble-thing, but I think I can still use my Riding skill to driveer, pilot it!

Aww, thanks! Hehe, I'm glad you're happy, Master!

Hey, wait, isn't that how you thanked Wu Zetian that one time? Oh well, it's still yummy!

？！

It makes sense that Dahut would have at least oneand likely moremeans of escape if she planned on using this palace as a hidden fortress.

Now we should be able to return to the surface.

I took a quick look around the castle, and I have great news.

It's full of monsters! Dahut must have released them to serve as guard dogs.

Fou!?

Uh, how is THAT great news!?

Really? I think this is much better than just looking around for more Tamatebako.

It'll keep things interesting if nothing else, and it should also make for good training...

I cannot fathom why someone would put themselves in such danger... You could end up dead.

Anyway, these Tamatebako are a precious resource. The more we can gather, the more help they'll be later.

So I'd like to find as many as we can before we return to the surface. That is, assuming there are any left.

Indeed. As to how long we spend searching this place for Tamatebako and when we depart for the surface...

...Well, that I leave for Master to decide. No matter when we return, please do keep this in mind:

Once we return...

That's right. Once we return, that's when we men who don't know when to give up strike back!

!!!