Prologue/Dec 31st, 2019

!!!

Senpai... Those were gunshots! But, who's shooting inside Chaldea!?

Hmm, so it's begun. Well, Fujimaru, much as I hate to say goodbye, I'm afraid this is where we part ways.

Be warned, those hunters react to anything that moves. I wouldn't leave this room for a while if I were you.

Huh? It's locked!? What gives!? I thought he said he was gonna let us go!

What the hell's going on here!? Hey, guard! Who's shooting the place up!?

Shut up! I don't have time to deal with you right now!

This is Three of Clubs! Roger request for backup! En route to the Spade Brigade now!

Hang in there until I arrive! If any Chaldea staff try to stop you, just shoot them!

The hell? He ran off without unlocking the door!? Now what do we do, Fujimaru!?

Right. ...I hate to say it, but I agree. I'm concerned about whether Da Vinci is safe, but...

Y-yeah, good point... Since we can't unlock the door anyway, we might as well wait and see what happens...

But, then again... If nobody comes back to let us out...

...I have a plan if it comes to that. For now, let's give it about twenty minutes.

If the security guard still isn't back by then, I'll do something about the door myself.

Fooou...

Senpai, you've been studying the air vent for a while now... Are you thinking of escaping that way?

I'm sorry to say this, but that vent is very narrow... The only one of us who could fit through it is Fou...

Fou. Fou, fooou.

？！

!

(Wh-what was that...!? Something just slammed into the dooOh crap! The door's all dented now!)

(Please be quiet, Mr. Meunière...! ...I'm sensing several entities in the hallway.)

(...Although, this magical energy density... It's almost like...)

...

...I'm afraid not. But, thank you for your consideration, Senpai.

Thanks to you, I was able to take a deep breath and calm myself.

？！

Fou, fooou!

(Aaagh, they're here...! They're gonna break down the door...!)

...Both of you, please stand back...!

Senpai... Please grant me permission to transform!

If you use a Command Spell, I should be able to do it at least one more time...!

？！

Please, Senpai, we're running out of time...! I'll be fine! I've been training for this all year!

Even Da Vinci said I could still transform as long as it was just for battle! Please...!

I know I've only been able to help as your navigator for the past year, but that's exactly why I want to fight now!

I can't just watch while everyone gets killed when there's something I can do to help!

I get the feeling that whoever's behind this is trying to destroy Chaldea as we know it! Please, Master Fujimaru! Before it's too late!

？！

？！

Ah...!

She did it... But, is she gonna be all right, Fujimaru!?

She hasn't even fought yet, and she already looks like she's about to collapse!

I'm...okay...! Never mind that...! Hurry and get behind

... ...

Aaahhh, it's heeere! Wait, what even is that thing!? Where'd it come from!?

Initiating combat...! Your orders, Master...!

Nnn, ghh...!

？！

I...I did it, Master... I was able...to fight...again...

You call that fighting!? That was way too reckless, Mash! It's obvious you're not ready for this!

I saw how you used to fight when I was still working in the Command Room, and that wasn't even half of your former strength!

There's no way we can let you fight like this! Fujimaru, you and I'll need to

... ...

Aaahhh! Now there's even more of them!

...!

(My shield is...so heavy...! Even after all that time I spent training... Why is this happening...!?)

Fou, fooo...?

Master! Mr. Meunière! I'll draw their attention!

Once I push them out into the hallway, you run as fast as you can the other way...!

？！

But...!

Why not take him up on his offer? This is the first time in a year you've been comrades in arms, after all.

Holmes!

I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long? My apologies. That is, as they say in modern parlance, simply how we great detectives roll.