Fifth Knot

Zzz... Zzz...

...Fa...ther...

...(Sob)... ...N...nn...

...

...i...ä...

...i...Ä...

Yg...naiih... yg...naiih... ...thfl...thkh...

...

Only one left...

Then, the ultimate gate will open...

Wonderful... He has already begun his descent within the depths of your mind... Well done, Whateley...

Soon... Very soon now... Only one...left...

...

...I see.

That would make me quite the liar indeed.

I appreciate your show of trust in sharing this with me. But frankly, what you're saying is preposterous.

...We can't trust what we perceive within this space! Reality itself is being distorted!

This discussion is over. I feel crazier with every word I listen to from you.

If this is your way of rehearsing for one of your plays, then leave me out of it.

You're telling me the year in the outside world is 2019? That everything here in Salem is artificial?

I suppose the Harvard Divinity School where I teach, the soldiers I brought back, and even Boston itself don't exist either then, hm?

Ridiculous. I have never heard anything so completely absurd in all my life.

？！

...I admit that things have happened here that seem to defy explanation. And yes, there are the monsters.

But those are only oddities when viewed through the lens of British common sense.

This is a pious land, so nobody talks about this... Indeed, most simply try to put it out of their minds...

But the fact is, there is not just one single god in our world. Everyone knows that.

I have lived among people of different countries in order to study these other gods.

I also know that the Indians here worship their own strange and suspicious gods.

I've seen a statue of a grotesque obese goddess that was worshipped by a dark cult during the Qing dynasty.

There are dreadful beings in ancient civilizations, this mysterious New World, and tombs buried under desert sand...

Horrible, unspeakable things that exist in the vastness of the cosmos, to whom humanity is so insignificant as to be beneath even their consideration.

Fujimaru, you hail from the Orient, if I'm not mistaken.

Perhaps you have heard of the esoteric religion that worships the dragon god that dwells in a seabed palace?

You mean Ao Guang? The Dragon King. Of the East Sea? Not. That tough.

Aha, you're talking about the great sea beasts, the Ceti?

They've got great toxin, but you can't get it anymore now that they're all petrified. What I wouldn't give for another batch...

？！

...I'm used to hearing criticism from my fellow academics, and I do not mind if you think me a liar.

But I won't have you filling Abigail's innocent mind with nonsense and madness.

It's time you learned the difference between fantasy and reality.

...

？！

...What's this all of a sudden?

...That's right. And there's the ghouls, too.

I've been wondering about the Williams' resting place as well...

Mr. Carter, I checked the town graveyard, and neither your sister nor her husband were buried there.

Abby didn't say anything about them either.

That's because they don't have graves.

...Their bodies were never found, I'm afraid.

I heard that sometimes, something belonging to the deceased is buried in their stead if a body cannot be recovered... But you didn't do that either?

Abigail seems to think that her parents were...eaten by cannibals.

What!? Native Americans would never treat the dead like that...

I've never seen evidence of that either... But this IS the New World. Anything may happen here.

Even now, my niece has nightmares about it.

... Lost corpses... Ghouls...?

？！

Abigail herself. Thank goodness she survived the attack.

What a horrible tragedy...

Yes, it is. I still cannot begin to understand why my niece would deserve such horror in her life...

Man, oh man, I've never seen such a thick fog before. It even managed to soak through my cloak.

...Hey, Ringmaster, can I talk to you for a sec?

？！

Mata Hari's been scouting things out here, and she just sent us a message.

There's been more hangings. One last night, and one before dawn today.

？！

The instigators of last night's riot, apparently.

Word has it they were an unpleasant bunch who were always going around fanning the flames of unrest... Or at least, that's the official story now.

They say these guys were sending ghosts after them, that they'd been possessed by the devil, and that they intentionally instigated the riot last night...

But really, they're just using this as an opportunity to get rid of people they never liked, or ones they were fighting with over property rights and such.

And not only that... Tch...

Those sailors we met at the harbor were among the condemned.

They say they killed the tavern owner just to get out of paying their tab.

？！

You said it... They were good guys. They didn't deserve this.

...This is bad.

I can't tell what's real and what's fake anymore.

If this is all part of our forced incarnation...

...maybe I've got no choice but to die too, like the Queen of Sheba did.

...Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.

Yeah, that's true...

？！

...

I've been debating whether I should tell you this, but...

...Mata Hari suggested assassinating Carter as a possible way out of this mess.

For my part, I kept saying we need to do something about Hopkins ASAP...

...but Mata Hari's apparently much more worried about Carter.

？！

Don't know. She refused to comment.

？！

Nope. She wouldn't say anything. Or rather, I don't think she COULD say anything.

Think about it.

She can see what's gonna happen in the future. Mata Hari confirmed as much. But...

...even though she knew about the Demon God Pillar, she still couldn't use that to her advantage here in Salem.

Her role as Tituba may've limited what she could do, but she still should've been able to do SOMETHING.

We know she exerts a lot of influence just by existing. Maybe that was the trap all along?

I mean, if she was really a threat to the Demon God Pillar, it wouldn't have given her a role at all.

So, what I'm getting at here is... This is a heretical land, filled with blasphemies and apostates...

A place where even attempting to help only makes things worse, more twisted...

A land forsaken by God, where prayers just tumble out into an empty abyss.

Yup. Even the best of intentions backfire here. All they seem to get you is a noose around your neck.

How can I be so sure, you ask?

？！

Well... It's not like I firmly belong to any one part of history.

As a Servant, I'm basically just an actor with a personality made up of a bunch of different parts.

But thanks to that, it's easier for me to step back and see the big picture than it is for pretty much anyone else.

I'm still kinda guessing here, but...

...I think if we end up losing our cool and resorting to violence to try and get this mess sorted out quickly...

...the foundation propping up this fiction might crumble. It could wreck the whole...plot, I guess.

And I think the more crimes we rack up, the more power it might give the Pillar.

And if that's how it is...all we can do is go along with whatever he's got in mind for us...

...while we try to figure out how to outsmart him.

I hate to say it, but I don't think anything about that hanging business can be avoided.

But just the fact that you're still alive means we've been able to evade its trap so far.

...Huh, yeah. I guess you could put it that way.

I don't wanna give the writers TOO much credit here for putting this all together...

But that might not be a bad way to go about it.

？！

...Senpai? Is Abby with you?

The rabbit Robin caught for us wasn't in its cage...

I think it must have gotten out. I've still got to drain the blood before we can eat it...

Oh, whoops... I didn't realize I'd been going on for this long.

Anyway, I didn't see anything here. Maybe the rabbit tunneled out?

Robin. You were slacking. On lookout!

The fog is so thick today... I can't help but worry...

(Huff)... (Huff)...

I have to...hurry...

...to our...secret place...

...and remember the spell Lavinia taught me...

Please settle down. I can't do this without you...

...(Huff, huff, huff)...

Oh, thank goodness... The monsters haven't been here.

Two, four...six. Good. The stones we used for a six-sided star are just like we left them.

Okay, I've got a silver knife... Rope for binding... And...

Here it is. My precious Book of Eibon... It's all muddy from that storm...

...

Sut-Typhon... Sut-Typhon...

Thou art a sinner... Thou art the sixth knot...

In this fertile land across the sea, the harvest we seek is our greatest pleasure... Hrn... Hup...

Hear our prayers...

Thou art a sinner... Thou art the sixth knot...

Ahh... Our Father, who art in heaven. Let me speak thy name...

Forgive the people of Salem their sins. Save the sinners who have lost their way.

Ahh... Please, I beg you. Please, save this village...

Please make it so Lavinia can smile and laugh... And the travelers can find solace...

And, one day... I hope you will relieve us of our suffering...

But...if our suffering should still continue... Please...

Please take me away from here. I don't care where I go, as long as it isn't here...!

Please, God...

...!!!

Don't move.

Do not dare try to conceal the evidence of your guilt, not least that bloody knife!

Abigail Williams... You are under arrest.

N...no...! Please! You have the wrong idea...!

Abby... So it really is you.

Sanson... Not you too...

How did you find me...? This was our secret place... Nobody else knew about it...

...

Your Honor... Judge Hopkins. Please, let me handle this!

This is no satanic ritual. This is a child's poor way of playing house!

It requires no more than a harsh admonition!

...Out of the question! Move aside, Sanson!

Ngh... Please, Your Honor...!

This girl has knowledge acquired from Tituba, and she is holding the book of heresy for all to see.

I do not choose who the devil may possess. Indeed, he may possess anyone at all!

She can make her excuses from a prison cell.

I will question her however I must until she confesses her vile sins, no matter how long it takes!

I and I alone shall determine whether or not she is a witch!

(Whisper) His Honor hasn't slept at all for the past few days...

(Whisper) Just yesterday, he was up all night with some sort of horrible instrument...

It's okay, Abigail. Just stay calm. I promise I won't let them take you away.

N...no... S-stay back! Don't come near me!

She just pointed her knife at His Honor! Restrain her!

Aah! What was that!?

You're...!

Aah! My knife...!

...Hopkins!

You. You're the Whateley

...

H...hm...m...

Gurk... Ghh...

(Huff)... (Huff)...!

...Hop...kinsss!

You... You... You killed...m-my grandfather... You killed him! Aaah!

Get away from His Honor, you Aah! She bit me!

It hurts...doesn't it!? Th-this is...the same rope...that broke Grandfather's neck!

Dammit! How can she be this strong!?

Hear me now, our Father who art in heaven! I offer up this wicked man's life in s-sacrifice!

...Iä! Iä! Y'grah'n y'gnaiih gnaiih!

N'gai, nnn'ya shogg'og fhtagn! Iä Iä y'ah!

Ilyaa y'ilyaa n'gha! Ng'ai lw'nafh fhtagn!

Yog-Sothoth! Yog-Sothoth! Iä! Iä! Yog-Sothoth!

...

...His Honor's aorta has been severed... There's nothing more we can do for him...

...This is horrendous... I can't believe a child could do such a thing...

It's... It's the devil... C-cursed witch! Th-throw down your knife, or I'll sh-shoot!

Lavinia...

Don't come...near me. Y-you'll get blood...in your hair.

I don't care about

I told you, remember? I'm leaving Salem.

I don't care...what happens to this village. I hope all sinners...get what they deserve!

All right, witch, you're coming with us! If you refuse, I'll open fire!

I'm not...refusing. If you want to shoot me...then shoot me. Right here. Right...now.

If Hopkins's life isn't enough...then, finish the ritual...with mine...

...!

No! Don't! Lavinia... R-run! Get out of here!

Get away from this cursed land!

I'm the one...who taught Abigail the R-Ritual of Descent. This is...all my fault...

So go ahead. Kill me...

Lavinia...

Dammit! Help us, Sanson! You there, get His Honor's bod

Wha... What are you doing, Sanson?

Urk...

...I'm sorry.

Huh...? Sanson? Are you turning traitor on us!?

Yes, I am... Run away, Lavinia. It's not too late.

... Y-you really are...an idiot...

...

I found her, Master!

It's Abby and... ...Sanson?

Jeez... What a mess.

Indeed. Bloodshed. Fainting. Untold death.

The smell of blood is overwhelming... Wait. Over there, on the ground. Is that...Hopkins!?

What happened here? ...Lavinia!? Where are you going?

...

That's it! Run away! ...Lavi...nia...

(Huff...huff...)

Are you okay, Abby? There's blood on you... You're not hurt, are you?

You look pale... And you're burning up with fever. Hold on. We'll get you back home.

Senpai, please give me a hand! Abby's in bad shape!

Get back here, Whateley! Sanson! Go after her!

No. I... I did this...

？！

...I killed His Honor.

I stabbed Matthew Hopkins. With this knife.

That's...essentially what happened...

...Huh? Sanson...?

...

Mash. How is. Abby?

She woke up and had some fruit and porridge not too long ago.

She still has a bad fever that's making her groggy, but I think she'll be okay once she gets some rest.

I see... That is. A relief. Thank you. For nursing her.

Very well. Will return. To my lookout.

I'm the one who should be thanking you, Nezha.

I really appreciate your keeping watch until Robin gets back from the Queen of Sheba's safe house.

All thanks to my special porridge, right?

It's true. I had no idea you were such a good cook...

You completely changed how I thought about porridge. It's right up there with other staples for me now.

Hehe. Usually, one dose of my wonder remedy would be enough to cure her...

...but I'm betting Abby's fever isn't something mere medicine can fix.

By the way, Mash... I haven't seen Carter anywhere. Do you have any idea where he went?

The village judge summoned him to the town hall. I believe it had something to do with jurors.

He said he would be back fairly late, and asked us to look after Abby in the meantime.

...I see. That works out well for me.

I'm going to borrow the kitchen again. Don't let anyone in there until morning.

Got it.

All right, Abby, have a good night. Get plenty of rest, okay?

We'll be in the next room if you need anything, and Mr. Carter should be back soon too.

...Mash. ...Mr. Ringmaster...

Could you...stay with me...?

...No, it's not that. It's just...

...I don't want to sleep...

？！

I hope...Lavinia's okay...

And then, there's Sanson... He didn't...do anything wrong...

I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...

This is all my...

...

...Senpai...

？！

...Okay, I'm going to put out the lamp now.

...W-wait... Please...

...? What is it?

...I have a favor to ask...

I'd really like it if you told me about where you're from... About Chaldea...

？！

...Abby...

(...Senpai, I understand how you feel...)

(But we have to discuss what we're going to do now that Sanson has been arrested...)

(I can't imagine what Mr. Carter was thinking, leaving Abby all on her own like this...)

Senpai... All right.

B-but then there'd be no point. ...If you're staying, I'm staying too.

？！

Is Chaldea very far away...? What's it like? Is it a town? A castle? A theater?

？！

Well... I don't think I'd go that far...

Chaldea is located on top of a very tall, very cold and snowy mountain.

It's also...where I was born.

？！

An observatory? Wow...

That means you were born right next to the stars, Mash... That sounds wonderful.

I wonder if you could see the comet I was born under from Chaldea...

？！

Lavinia taught me about them.

She calls them "celestial bodies," and she told me all about them and the constellations they form.

...Which is why I know that the earth is round, and that Mars only looks like it goes across the sky...

I just wish there was more I could have taught her, too.

All I ever taught her were things about whales...

Whales...? I didn't know whales came near Salem's waters.

They do. I love to look out over the horizon from the hill in the Common.

If you're lucky, you can see whales spraying water from there. And if you're really lucky...

...you can even see them jump out of the water and make a huge splash.

Lavinia was so surprised the first time she saw that...

The whales always come in summer. It won't be much longer now...

Mash... Do you know where my friend is?

Your friend...?

...Yes, that's it.

Thank you, Mr. Ringmaster.

？！

I think I can go to sleep now...

Your teddy bear is very cute. Does he have a name?

This is Hugo... And he has a twin brother named Migo.

Uncle gave them to me when I was little. They're my best friends...

A dog once tore him up, but Tituba managed to sew him back together...

？！

I gave Migo to Lavinia... But I guess I shouldn't have.

Someone from her family took him and threw him away...

It was one of the few gifts of mine Lavinia ever accepted, too...

We even thought up their names together...

(...Now I see.)

(That dirty rag Lavinia tried to hide from us was actually a teddy bear...)

(But we probably shouldn't tell Abby that, since she never mentioned it...)

(Did you notice that too, Senpai?)

I guess so... He always did love to travel...

You think...? I hope so...

？！

Is there anyone in Chaldea who loves stuffed animals too?

Do other people tease them, and call them a baby...?

？！

Huh? Senpai? What do you mean by that...?

？！

An improv...? You mean, right now...?

You'd put on a play...just for me? Wow... I would love that...

But... I can't...

I'm sorry... But I can never go to Chaldea...

？！

...! I like that.

...B-but please try to keep it short, Senpai. We really do have to rest up soon.

And Abby, please stay in bed while you watch. You mustn't get too excited.

Hehe.

Here you go. Have fun, Hugo.

？！

I know I can be naughty sometimes... But Hugo is always good.

Of course, there are people in Chaldea who also love stuffed animals.

You might not know it by looking at her, but even Medea loves playing with dolls.

R-really...? Medea's so beautiful, but she always seemed like...there's an invisible wall around her...

Everyone in Chaldea has their own things they care about deeply.

？！

Haha, is that you, Hugo? ...It's true. I'm sorry.

Yes... I suppose I am.

I've seen that for myself. It can really be a handful sometimes...

...Hehe. I hope you don't make TOO much trouble for your fellow troupe members then.

？！

What other sorts of people does Chaldea have besides actors?

Haha. True, I guess there are a lot of people with strong personalities there.

Does that include people from Zipang?

Oh yes. There are a fair number of them, including Senpai himself.

That sounds so wonderful.

？！

There are also inventors, detectives, writers, musicians...bomb lovers...

Bombs!? Hurry, Hugo! Get out of there!

？！

I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that.

I stand out for being normal? You think...?

I-I'll have you know...

...there are things I care about just as much as anyone else...

As for the bomb lover, he's a clown who loves dark humor and practical jokes...

Be careful around him, Hugo.

A clown? You don't mean...Mephistopheles?

？！

Wow, you even have a clown there...? He must be like a royal jester.

I've read that even though they look like fools, you actually have to be very clever to be one.

...Um, Hugo? Why don't we try going to some other rooms?

Hopefully one that's peaceful and quiet?

？！

Haha... Oh, Hugo...

Hahaha...

？！

...

...Reee... ...Reee...

？！

Meee? I ammm...

A U.M.A! A human moth, known appropriately as the Mothman!

Moooth moth moth moth moth moth! Moth moth moth moth moth moth moth!

？！

Mo... Okay.

It's me, MothyI mean, Mephy.

？！

Heeheeheehee! Let's just say the opportunity presented itself.

After all, visiting hellscapes is a little hobby of mine!

It's very easy, too. Unlike heaven, the doors to hellscapes are always wide open!

？！

My, my, the creator certainly did an excellent job here. I took a quick gander around this place...

...and I must say it's a fine hellscape indeed, with lots of thoughtful touches. Heehahaha!

What's this? It's not like you to be so discouraged.

Hmm, I can see you have at least an idea of where it is. However...

Me? I'm just a simple murder-loving bomb enthusiast. You could find a dozen of me in any town!

Besides...

？！

...I can't imagine a Demon God Pillar would be able to create a hellscape like this.

？！

Why, of course I am! Have I ever lied to you before?

A hellscape is nothing if not a land forsaken by God. You know, a land of heresy and such!

But you can't have heresy without a deity, and you can't have a deity without humanity.

Gods are given form wherever humans see them, whether that be in disaster, a miracle, or evanescence itself.

But, if a true god has no need for humans at all...

...it would be a wholly alien sort of thing, in every meaningful sense. It would be something that couldn't possibly be contained on this little blue ball of ours!

...At least, that's what I think. I think, therefore I'm Mephy.

By the by...

You maaay want to know that time is really picking up speed in here!

Even the precious Sabbath is being neglected.

Do you know what today's date is? It's actually the evening of April 29.

And do you know what this means? Do you...???

It means that tomorrow is Walpurgisnacht! Heehahahahahahaha!

The night witches hold a maddened, frenzied banquet! A feast of surprises and excitement! I can't wait!

Incidentally, that's it for me in our little story!

I hope you'll forgive my absence, mage of Chaldea...

Senpai.

...Senpai. Nezha told me to tell you to please wrap up your walk.

I have to agree with her. I know we don't have a lot of room to sleep, but...

？！

I understand you're worried about Sanson choosing to go to jail...

But you need your rest. Even the Servants are exhausted.

...?

Huh? ...P-please don't scare me like that. Nezha didn't report anything of the sort...

？！

But, Senpai... You were standing out here all by yourself.

I thought you were just lost in thought and talking to yourself...

...I think we should go to bed now. You need to rest up while you can.

？！

？！

...Is something wrong? I can't help but notice you're staring at me...

...!

...Of course. If anything, I should be thanking you.

？！

...

...Hrn! (Slapping herself)

...Not at all, Senpai. We're still just getting started!

We may not have found any leads on the Demon God Pillar just yet, but it can't hide from us much longer.

So let's finish up this mission, and make Da Vinci and Geronimo proud of us.

...That's right!

Yes, of course!

？！

？！