Prologue/Dec 31st, 2019

Fooou...

I know, Fou. It's been twelve hours since Mr. Goredolf called for her last night.

It's 4:30 p.m. right now... That gives us less than eight hours until the year ends...

Pardon me.

Hello there, Fujimaru. Mr. Meunière. Ms. Demi-Servant.

I hope you don't mind my stopping by. I just wanted to chat with you again one last time.

Father...Kotomine?

My name is of no great consequence. "Father" will be more than sufficient.

Very soon, your four-day house arrest will come to an end. The investigation will continue until tomorrow, but you have been cleared of suspicion.

It seems the Mage's Association wishes to have you arrested, but we at the Holy Church feel otherwise.

We see the battles you have fought and the contributions you have made, and recognize them for what they're worth.

My superior, Pontifex Noi, commended your accomplishments personally.

He also told me to keep you safe from the Mage's Association's concealment system, saying it was the least we could do for those to whom we owe our lives.

R-really...!? Then, does that mean we're fully acquitted?

It does. I talked to Musik, and he agreed to release Chaldea's entire former staff from their confinement in just a few more hours.

...Wait.

If we go free, what happens to Acting Director Da Vinci?

Right. The investigators called her in last night, and she still hasn't returned. Where is she?

？！

Ah, Leonardo? She's a Servant, so we can't afford to release her.

We will unsummon her once she finishes helping us with our current task.

This world is meant for the living. It has no place for the lingering dead, like Heroic Spirits.

Even the saints are no exception. The remnants of days past have no place in today's world, no matter what they may be.

...So you don't think Servants are valuable? Are you telling us that only the Holy Church is on humanity's side, and that Mystics must be opposed in all their forms, no matter what?

Not at all. Servants are useful tools. What I hate is the very concept of Heroic Spirits itself.

？！

Leonardo has been hard at work in the Command Room as of last night. The procedure to unthaw Team A has already begun.

Now that the Coffins have been repaired, they were to be thawed by 4:00 p.m. today, so I expect we'll be hearing word of their success any moment now.

Leonardo will be on her way once that is done, but I am willing to at least grant her a last supper.

By all means, enjoy your final meal together this evening.

Once you are done, I will have you taken to my helicopter and ensure you return to your family safely.

That's...

Of course. If that is your decision, I will respect your wishes. Indeed, part of me expected you would say as much.

Well that's a shame. Here we've only just met, and you've already decided you dislike me. Of course, if that's your decision, I will respect it.

You ARE the Master who prevented the Incineration of Humanity. Your instincts must be impeccable.

？！

Operation complete. Coffin thawing: successful.

The Coffins will be released in three minutes.

Father Kotomine, please report to the Command Room. We are about to begin the resuscitation procedure.

So the thawing was successful... Da Vinci must have pulled it off!

Indeed. She is quite gifted.

Wish that I could overlook her secrets out of respect for her capabilities, but alas...

At any rate, this brings us to the end, doesn't it, Fujimaru?

I truly admire your hard work, your restraint, and your patience. More's the pity...

？！

Come now. You really don't know?

All the miracles you performed are about to be destroyed at the hands of the very paragon of mediocrity.

Operation complete. Coffin thawing: successful.

The Coffins will be released in three minutes.

Fwahahaha! Well done, Da Vinci! I'm impressed!

We waste three days trying at this and nothing! You come in and get it done overnight!

Maybe I should reconsider getting rid of you. I would hate to lose such a talented engineer.

In fact, I just received word that my own engineers are having trouble with Chaldea's generator. They seem to have no idea what to make of it.

If you stayed on as my secretary, that little problem would go away as well. What do you say? I'm quite generous to those who obey my commands.

Thanks, but if that's my only option, you can consider this my resignation. I'm here only out of interest for Chaldea as it was.

I couldn't possibly care less about yours.

I'll be on my way as soon as I have dinner with the rest of the former Chaldea staff.

Hmph, so it's like that? Fine, then!

You there, why aren't those Coffins open yet!? Hasn't it been three minutes by now!? How long are you going to make me wait!?

I trust this goes without saying, but Wodime is our first priority! The crown jewel of the Clock Tower!

We'll wake him up first and put him in my debt by telling him I saved his life! Wahahahaha!

Yes sir. Opening Coffin now!

...Huh?

...

What...the...?

...It's empty. He's not in here!

There's no sign of Kirschtaria Wodime in his Coffin!

It's not just him! There's nobody in Coffins B, C, D, E, F, or G either!

They're ALL empty! What's going on!? We had vital signs in all of them just a moment ago!

The Coffins' contents can't be verified until they're open. There are any number of ways to make it seem like they're still giving off readings.

(...Does this mean that, at some point over the last four days, someone opened them before I did and set them up to give off false signals?)

But who could've done that? And more importantly, how did they get Wodime and the others out of

Warning! Warning! An ■■ has occurred in observational data.

No past observational data found. Statistical response, forecast, and prediction abilities compromised.

Unable to detect anomalies in observational data. Unable to detect any form of electromagnetic waves.

Unable to detect cosmic rays reaching Earth.

Satellite visual feed lost. Mauna Kea Observatories transmissions lost.

There are currently no observable celestial objects on Earth.

...Did I hear that right?

Wh-what's the meaning of all this, Da Vinci!? A-aaahhh!

Wh-wh-wh-what's going on!? I didn't do anything!

What are those cracks showing up in Chaldeas!?

Pseudo-Celestial Sphere Chaldeas overloaded. Shutting down Observation Lens Sheba.

N-n-now what's happening!?

...Intruders! I'm picking up magical energy signals at the front gate, Gate 3, and Gate 6!

What... What the hell!? There's more pouring in every second!

Snap out of it! We don't need Sheba to use our internal security cameras!

Get the footage of the front gate and Chaldea's surroundings on the screen!

Uh... R-right! Putting up visual now!

...Th-they're human soldiers! We're surrounded! There are black-clad soldiers all around outside Chaldea...

No, they're already IN Chaldea! Gate 3's shutters have been destroyed!

This is Gate 3! This is Gate 3! We are under attack by an unknown force!

Requesting immediate backup! The Club Brigade has been wiped out! I repeat, the Club

Your Excellency! We've just lost contact with the Club Brigade! I'm not getting any biometric feedback!

What's going on...? N-nobody told me this sort of thing was going to happen!

Koyanskaya! Where did Koyanskaya go!?

Attention all staff! Attention all staff!

Front and inner gates have all been shut down.

All exit routes currently inaccessible. Please wait until functionality is restored.

They've taken over the gates... Now what do we do? How're we supposed to escape...?

This is the Heart Brigade! We need backup! We're currently engaging unidentified enemy forces!

Dammit, what the hell are these things!? They keep getting back up even after we fill 'em full of holes!

D-dammit, stay back! Don't move! Stop! Get awaaay!

Your Excellency! We've just lost contact with the Four Flush! What are your orders!?

...This can't be happening. All my soldiers are...dead...?

What... What in the world's going on heeere!?