Lord of Creation (End)

Shutting down high-speed mode, now. Good work hanging on, everyone.

Our current estimated location is atop what used to be Lake Vänern...the lake northwest of Lake Vättern.

Which means this village almost certainly didn't exist in Proper Human History.

We're here! Welcome to my village!

Fou, fooou!

Hehe, this is so strange and wonderful! I thought guests only showed up in stories!

I never thought I'd get to actually welcome real guests myself one day. And, oooh, and, and, and! You must both be envoys, too!

Have you never had anyone visit from outside your village before?

No, we haven't. All the villages really keep to themselves...

Oh, but, maybe it's different at the other villages?

I see...

Same here. From the outside, it looked like a fairly wide area surrounded by large wooden walls.

Although, there are surprisingly few houses. I would guess there can't be more than fifty.

Come to think of it, you never did tell us your village's name, did you, Gerda?

？！

The part that stands out the most to me is the large gate that makes up what looks to be the only entrance. I don't know much about architectural design, but this place does seem to have its own unique style...

I also sense powerful magical energy here. The whole village is surrounded by a Bounded Field centered on that large gate.

It's designed to keep away giants, beasts, and other beings related to magecraft. I can feel it weighing down on me too, though only a little.

Although, I didn't notice it at all until I was inside...

I'm guessing it's the snow...

The magical energy mixed in with the snow and ice, and the magical energy that makes up this village's Bounded Field, are extremely similar.

It's a very static, sedate kind of energy...as if its presence were the most natural thing in the world.

It's calm, gentle, and very stable in the amount of magical energy it holds.

Maybe "kind" is a little too vague, but I'm not quite sure how else to put it...

Yes, that's a much clearer way to put it, Senpai!

Yes. I first noticed it in the snow plains, but it feels like there's nothing malicious in this Lostbelt at all.

？！

All that aside, this village is really spacious...

Maybe that's because there are so few houses, and a large plot of farmland in the center?

I can see they grow all sorts of crops here. There's wheat, numerous fruit trees...

It's just like Gerda said. It's as warm here as it was in that flower garden.

This explains how people could survive even in a Lostbelt predominantly made up of snow, ice, and fire.

Although, there's still one thing I don't understand. If Bounded Fields are so crucial to ensuring people's way of life here, who put them up?

Fou fou, fou.

Maybe magecraft is just a part of everyday life here, even more than it was in Russia.

Or maybe there's someone in these villages who knows how to work with Bounded Fields...

Hehehe. Bounded Field? Are you talking about the charm on the gate?

I didn't really understand most of what you were talking about, but, um, I do know that every village gate always has a charm on it.

The envoy put them there for us. They keep out all the giants, the ice beasts...really anything scary.

I'm surprised you two didn't know that, since you're envoys! Is that just the way it works, Lady Mash?

Oh, uh, well...

I think you may have the wrong idea about us. I don't believe we're what you call envoys.

Although, if "envoys" is the term you use for visitors, then I suppose we might qualify...

Hm? Hmm?

Oh, I got through! Let me see, is this thing on...?

Ahem, ahem. This is the Shadow Border. Can you hear me, field ops?

Aah!

Fo fou.

？！

Director! It's you! I thought we couldn't communicate once we got a few kilometers away...

Yes, well, my technical advisor has been testing out a number of different things in between her work on repairing the Border. All under my impeccable supervision, of course.

And thanks to those efforts, we've been able to deploy a Mystic Code drone to extend our comm range!

I was told it should help us both observe and communicate over greater distances, but I didn't think it'd just suddenly start working now, of all times!

...Ugh, but just my luck! Neither our technical advisor, nor any staff, are here in the cockpit right now. They're all out repairing the Border...!

Ooh, ooh. Who's this tiny, see-through tubby man?

He's fat! I've never seen a fat person before! So this is what they call chubby!

Chubby!?

Is he a friend of yours, Lady Mash? Does that mean he's an envoy, too?

Fou...fou?

Tubby...? Did she call me "tubby"...?

W-well, um, this is a communicator... It's a tool we have for talking to people far away.

Also, um, the director may be big-boned, but

Is that child a native of this place? Then you must have found a safe village!

Then again, if that foulmouthed little brat who doesn't understand that mocking people's body types is not acceptable is anything to go by, then her culture must still be at the nadir of civilization!

?

Well, no matter. Children do tend to be naturally cruel, and my skin is quite thick by this point. I'm not the least bit bothered.

So never mind the child. Just give me a detailed report about your situation.

So you made your way to this village after rescuing that child? It seems you put your experience in Russia to good use...

Or, I suppose I should say my supervisory role in Russia has benefitted you even after that Lostbelt. Not bad, making it this far this fast.

Let me begin by congratulating you on your good work. I'll be sure to share your information with the rest of the staff, including the technical advisor.

Now, given that our connection is still unstable, and we can't talk for long...it seems it's time I took matters into my own hands!

Fo!?

？！

What do you think I am, some adventure-crazed nut like the rest of you!? I'm talking about the remote interrogation of a local via this transmission!

...But not this child, obviously. We won't get anything useful out of her. Now then, little one.

Me?

Run along and get your parents, if you don't mind. I need to talk to them.

Parents? What are those?

Huh? Your mother and father, of course. If they're dead, your legal guardian will do.

Oh, you mean the Goddess? I hear she is everyone's mother...

Every human is the Goddess's child, after all.

But...I'm afraid the Goddess isn't here, Mr. Chubby.

Fooou...

...Gerda?

Hm? Don't tell me you have no concept of parents? I've never heard of such a culture.

I suppose it is possible for some newer religions, but given your primitive-looking clothing, I can't imagine your village is part of something like that.

What is going on...? A-all right then, just fetch me your village elder, or mayor, or your...supervisor, I don't know!

Supervisor?

Yes! A capable, distinguished person who is in charge of everything, like me!

Distinguished? Does being a chubby person make you distinguished?

THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! Good heavens, girl, didn't your parents raise you to

Oh, right, you don't have parents, do you. Well...you know! Somebody with authority in your village!

Wha...?

The most amazing person in your village! The one you can always count on to help you out!

Are you talking about envoys...? Lady Mash is certainly more amazing than normal people.

The only other amazing people I can think of are the giants and the envoy, but the envoy isn't coming until tomorrow.

Envoy...?

Gerda calls me an envoy, too. I'm afraid I'm still not sure what she means by it...

What I mean? An envoy's an envoy, right? I mean, no human could ever defeat a giant.

...Ahem. But never mind that!

I still need to show you around properly, don't I?

Welcome, honored envoys. Oh, you too, Mr. Tiny See-Through Chubby.

Welcome to our home, Village 23. Please, let me repay you for saving my life.

You can spend the night in my house! I'll be thirteen soon, after all, so I've already got my own house!

Hehe, we can have dinner in front of my fireplace. Oh, I can get out that mead I've been saving for a special occasion, too.

This will be great! We can have freshly baked bread, and I'll get some fish, too!

I'll go fishing before it gets dark and make sure to catch the biggest one in the pond...

Fou fooou! Fo fo!

Wait. Hang on. What did you say your village's name was?

...Village 23, right?

Hm? Yes, that's right. What about it?

Well, um, it just sounds a bit...

？！

???

There's nothing strange about it. After all

It's Gerda! Gerda's back!

Welcome back, Gerda. I can't believe it! You really came back from the outside! And you did get the herbs the legends talked about!?

Now Laura's gonna be all right! Hooray!

Who're they!? Ooh, there's a white animal, too... It IS an animal, right? What is it? Is it a mouse?

Fofooou kyuuu!

Wow, you're so pretty, miss! And your black armor is so awesome!

Pretty hair... Pretty face... You look like the envoy! Oh, are you an envoy, too?

Your boobies are so big! Oooh, you look so cool in that armor!

I-I, u-uh... S-Senpai, what's

That old guy's so tubby! Why're you smaller than us even though you look so old, mister?

Grrr, be quiet! Do you children ever stop squawking!?

Just run off and play, would you!? Or better yet, go and fetch a grown-up!

？！

That's true. I haven't seen a single adult yet.

Since this village appears to rely on agriculture for its survival, it may be that everyone of working age is just out in the fields...

...but if that's the case, then why aren't there any elderly people around?

What...? Is that true?

Well of course it's mostly children here. That's how it is everywhere, right?

Besides, haha, you're so funny, Lady Mash. Everyone knows the elderly are just from legends.

Of course you're not going to find any in a village. I mean...

...?

...every grown-up leaves when they turn twenty-five, right?

Yes?

Of course.

？！

...Huh...?

Wh-what in the world are you saying? They couldn't possibly survive out there, what with all the giants roaming about.

Yes, I know.

Every grown-up with a ten-year-old child leaves once they turn twenty-five and gets eaten by a giant.

So nobody ever lives past twenty-five.

And if you haven't had a child by fifteen, then you have to go too.

I've heard that's true for every village. At least, all the villages from 1 to 100.

...!

Wh...what...? Th-then...you're telling us there are NO adults over the age of twenty-five there? None!?

And that people who turn fifteen without having children have to leave to die!?

Uh-huh. Children and the grown-ups raising them are the only ones allowed to live in the hundred villages the Goddess and her envoys made for us, after all.

？！

... ...

U-um, Lady Mash? Lord Fujimaru?

Mr. Chubby...?

...I'm sorry, I don't understand. Why are you all so shocked?

That's just how it is! It's the same everywhere, right?

I'm turning fifteen in two years, so if I don't have any children by then, splat! That'll be it for me.

This is absurd. Everything you're saying is ridiculous. Well, the way your mind works is, too!

Do you even grasp what you're saying!? You're telling us there are only a hundred people in each village?

That you have to die if you don't have a child before you turn fifteen? That you'll die in two years?

Are you some kind of homunculus!? How can you say things like that as if they were normal!? You even look happy about it!

Fou... Fooouuu...

Huh? You too, Fou? What happened?

Why do you sound so sad all of a sudden...?

Oh no. Did I say something to offend you again? Uh-oh, now what do I do...

What an elegant castle you have here. I like it very much.

It's wonderfully designed, of course, but I also love your choice of materials.

It's made completely out of ice, after all. No human could ever live here, no matter how beautiful it is.

The perfect witch's castlesomething humankind yearns for, but can never hope to reach.

You really do have excellent taste, Your Majesty.

Who said this was made to my tastes?

Oh my. You mean it isn't? Does that mean you'd prefer something more typical, like Cinderella's castle?

"Cinder...Ella"? I've never heard the name, but she certainly sounds interesting.

She must have lived a life full of hope and surprise, one far removed from the life of a woman of ice and snow like myself.

Oh yes, without a doubt!

The early part with her stepsisters abusing her is great, but then she comes out on top at the end and the stepsisters get their just deserts. It's a positively repulsive story♡

I'm just sooo relieved that you aren't like that, Your Majesty.

After all, you hate happy endings, don't you?

Just look at this cold, utilitarian world you've designed. It makes me want to friend you on Magebook.

I'd love to know just how many human lives you've seen come to a miserable end.

After all, you didn't build this castle for humanity to enjoy, did you, O Goddess?

No, I did not. This castle exists for me, not for the benefit of humans.

I will admit that Odin was a fine man in his own right, but he was also a god. He would never bestow upon me a castle designed to accommodate humans.

The Allfather would never concern himself with human weakness. The thought would never even cross his mind.

Indeed...

Humans are weak. Frail. So very fragile. Their lives are snuffed out by the mere passage of time.

That is why they will always need the boundless love of a god to sustain them.

Oh my... Love, you say...?

I guess I had you figured wrong after all. So that's how you're running this place.

You have a hundred villages with about a hundred residents in each, making for a worldwide population of no more than ten thousand people.

Under most circumstances they would just end up going extinct, but you've kept them around for generations without letting their numbers increase.

Their world revolves around the empty happiness of their daily lives, and the heartless suffering that comes right at the end.

There's no point in tormenting people like that. No wonder I've been so unmotivated here...

It turns out this place was filled with love all along. Couldn't possibly get further from my tastes!

...Of course.

Humans must not die out. They too are my beloved children. They too survived the days of scorching flame.

As their god, I will never stop loving humans. I cannot speak to other worlds, but that is the way of this one.

I decided long ago that I would love my children for eternity. Why would I ever destroy them?

...Then you really have no intention of destroying humans? Does that mean Your Majesty thinks they're worth protecting?

You certainly ask many strange questions, fox woman. I would never think to destroy them.

Every creature in my domain is treated the same way. Did I not tell you what that was?

It is a simple question... Do I kill them, or love them?

...

If they are an enemy, then I kill them. If not, I love them. To be the mother of Scandinavia is to love all creatures, great and small.

None must die out. None shall die by my hand.

Even if Odin himself proved to be incapable of such a feat, I will never stop trying, no matter how many thousands of years it may take.

That said...

Yes?

...That said, at times, the giants must be offered a sacrifice.

Ophelia. Your concerns proved to be well founded.

The Russian Lostbelt has been destroyed. It won't be much longer before it disappears entirely.

Now that world will never be capable of welcoming a new god. What a pity. All the more so given the strength of its history.

In regards to Kadoc, I said all I had to say during our meeting, so I won't be repeating myself here.

But I do need to commend you for your outstanding accuracy in predicting this outcome.

I... I didn't... You give me far too much credit, Lord Kirschtaria.

Ophelia. I want you to run your Lostbelt however you see fit.

Once the Tree of Emptiness has taken root in a world, it is not that world's king who will continue to develop it, but we Crypters.

In the end, that responsibility falls to us alone. We cannot delegate it to anyone else.

The Queen of Ice and Snow is both generous and cruel. I understand dealing with her must be quite stressful.

But I want you to persevere. I know you are more than capable of doing so.

You have your own fire burning inside you, yet you keep yourself as cold as ice. That is why I know I can trust you with Scandinavia.

I... With all due respect, Lord Kirschtaria...

...I can't take any credit for predicting this. I was speaking solely based on my own feelings...

I'm so ashamed. Here you are praising me for keeping my cool, and I failed utterly to do so.

It's all right. What you said was exactly what Kadoc needed to hear. No amount of coolheaded logic was ever going to help him with his complex about me.

Your admonition was far more effective than any encouragement I could have given him, even if it did come too late.

At any rate, none of the other Crypters know that Russia has fallen.

I only heard about it from Caenis, and you from Koyanskaya.

Akuta has cut off all communications. It seems her Lostbelt's king is quite a find.

After all, even Akuta of all people couldn't help but frown when she made her report. I even heard her sigh.

I can only imagine her Lostbelt's king must be either extremely unruly, or extremely daring. I would love to speak with them myself at some point.

Hinako, sighing...? That is a surprise...

I never once saw her so much as crack a smile, even around Peperoncino...

...That aside, shouldn't we tell the other Crypters about Kadoc?

No need for that. His failure has no impact on their work, after all.

Given that Peperoncino's Lostbelt has an Alter Ego, it's only a matter of time until he learns about it...

...but Beryl's Lostbelt is nearly on the verge of disappearing itself, so I imagine he has his hands full just keeping things going.

...Are you sure we can trust Beryl?

The man is a criminal, a murderer. He kills just for the fun of it. He is a disgrace to humanity.

I don't see how a killer known as "Werewolf" and despised throughout the Clock Tower could ever hope to successfully expand a Lostbelt...

...All that is part of why I trust him to uphold his end, Ophelia.

Beryl is just as good at deceiving himself as he is others. The more distasteful he finds a job, the more earnestly he will work to see it done.

As for Kadoc, there's no need for you to concern yourself with his well-being. Just focus on getting rid of Chaldea.

I have every confidence you can do it. You're far more capable than me when it comes to combat, as your miraculous eye can even wound Servants.

The Clock Tower authority figures are gone. They have no sway in this world. No one will hold you back anymore.

You are free to use your power however you like. Your eye is no longer that of a shunned child.

...Thank you for saying so, Lord Kirschtaria. I will bear that in mind.

Your Scandinavian Lostbelt is a rare and important one, particularly given that one of the old gods still resides there.

What's more, she is benevolent. Having her accept and support our new world would be a tremendous asset.

I have high hopes that you will be able to convince her, Ophelia.

Thank you, Lord Kirschtaria. I won't let you down.

Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Caenis should be paying you a visit soon. Treat him as you like.

Thank you for your consideration, Lord Kirschtaria. But, I'm afraid I have to tell you something...

Caenis is a Divine Spirit, and beyond my ability to keep in check. I hope you'll forgive me if I'm unable to stop her from clashing with my Lostbelt's king.

So you're concerned that the queen and your knight may end up destroying Caenis's Spirit Origin?

I see.

That's most encouraging to hear, Ophelia. This only reaffirms my decision to entrust you with this Lostbelt.

I look forward to your next report. I expect that will be when new seeds have formed.

... ...

...Wodime. Lord Kirschtaria Wodime...

That's a woman's face.

I've seen faces like that before. Heh, heh.

I may not know any personally, but I can't help but remember them.

So, you really are a woman at heart, Ophelia.

...You're not meant to use your spirit form for peeping. Your job is only to keep me safe.

Don't misunderstand me. You are my knightmy sword and shield.

I never asked or wanted anything more from you, and that's never going to change. Know your place, Saber.

Or do I need to remind you about my Sirius Light?

Hmph.

I know I'm supposed to protect you and kill your enemies, Ophelia. But is that necessary here?

Yes, humans have demonstrated incredible power before. At times, they've rebelled against gods, tricked giants, and even killed dragons.

But not here.

The humans here aren't people anymore. They're livestock. None of them are any threat to you.

These humans used to be just like the ones in Proper Human History: weak, transient beings whose only purpose was to be our prey.

...This world belongs to a goddess.

Even if there are less than ten thousand humans here, it is still a pure land ruled by a goddess of old.

Lord Kirschtaria even said it could end up the last Lostbelt left standing...

The fact that a goddess rules it also means it's the perfect place to experiment.

That's why this Lostbelt has so much potential. In fact, it is far more than the sum of its parts.

Oh?

...In terms of potential, at any rate.

If we can grow our tree to maturity, we might be able to breathe new life into humanity and nature alike.

I don't care how much contempt you have for humanity as a result of your origins and temperament.

All I care about is that you don't let your guard down. Again: you're my shield and my sword. Don't forget that.

You and I share the same responsibility:

We must grow this Lostbelt's Tree of Emptiness to full maturity. That is your sole concern.

Hmph.

I've never been much of a gardener, but if you insist, Ophelia, I guess I've got no choice.

... ...

(I can still feel his gaze... I guess my knight will always be peeping on me, no matter how many times I tell him not to.)

I can tell you're still there, smirking at me from behind my back. Just how long are you planning on watching me?

I know I said you're my knight, but that doesn't mean

Oh...

You again, huh. The way you completely lack any presence, I mistook you for a Servant.

... ...

Is there something you want to say to me?

I certainly hope you're not going to comment on my...womanhood, like Saber did...

...

...I can't hear anything.

What's your name? Am I ever going to get to hear what you sound like?

I'm... Well, you already know my name.

Fou, fo, fooou?

It's no use. I can't seem to get through to the Border.

？！

...Yes. You're right, Senpai.

Hey! There you are!!!

Hi guys! Can you all see my astonishingly beautiful face? Hey, Fou! You're here too, huh!

Foo fo fou, fooou!

Da Vinci!

I doubt we have much time to talk, so I'll keep this brief.

I've pieced together what's going on here using the data collected with my Mystic Code drone and the info Gordy gave me. Oh, he's asleep now, by the way.

The last thing he said was, "Grr, enough of this! I'm going to rest in the captain's room! Wake me when it's time for breakfast!"

Fou fou...

Now then, there are basically three different kinds of beings here.

And by "beings," it's worth noting that I'm talking about strong, dominant creatures, not necessarily those of intelligence who have formed civilizations.

All right, so.

First, we have the giants: tough, exceedingly strong predators. Second, we have humans, who can't survive outside their villages.

And third, we have envoys and their goddess. Seems safe to say both are well above humans on the proverbial totem pole in this Lostbelt.

I'm sure the ice beasts are stronger than humans too, but they appear to be the giants' pets, and seem to have no real will of their own, so I've left them out.

So far so good?

As for regular creatures, they seem to be almost nonexistent here.

Ordinary plants and animals just barely exist in the occasional flower garden... Each of these fields seems to be a warm place that just happened to be perfectly situated between the fire and ice zones.

So, putting all that aside as an exception to the three broad categories...

...in this Lostbelt, I'm afraid it looks like humanity is nowhere near the top of the food chain.

If anything, they seem to be at the very bottom.

The bottom...

So I don't think we should be counting these humans as possible additions to our ranks. I doubt either their civilization or magecraft are all that developed.

I mean, you haven't seen a single machine since you got there, right? And that girl you ran into out in the wilderness didn't even have a communication device, let alone a ward against giants.

The humans that live here simply have no means of surviving outside of these villages.

...Yes, that all makes sense.

At least for this village...Village 23, the outside world may as well not exist.

We did run into Gerda outside, but that was an unusual case. She would never have left if circumstances hadn't forced her to.

The only reason this village ever opens its gates is to...

Right. To thin the herd.

？！

As peaceful as this place looks, now that we have a clearer picture of what's going on, I'd say it's just as cruel as Russia, though in a different way.

We still don't know much about these envoys and their goddess, who I assume are more or less running the show here.

We also don't have any idea whether they might be willing to help us.

It's very possible they may already be working with the Crypters, so keep that in mind.

Aw crap, we're losing our connection again... All right, one last bit of info.

We still haven't found anywhere you could use to summon Servants, so I'm afraid you'll need to keep scouting a

Fou, fooouuu...

Lady Mash! Fou! Lord Fujimaru!

...Huh? Were you just talking to a tiny person?

Oh! It must have been Mr. Chub!

Well, um, yes, we were talking to someone, but I'm afraid we just lost the connection...

Connection? What's being connected?

Hehe, you know so many things I've never even heard about, Lady Mash. And you have so many things I've never seen before. Having you around is so much fun!

I wasn't sure if an envoy like you would like my cooking, but you even said my bread and fish were really tasty!

You're so kind, and strong, and just...wonderful! I just love spending time with you.

Will you stay tomorrow night too? I know you must have work, since tomorrow's a special day and all, but if you don't mind...

Um... I'm sorry, but I really don't think we're the kind of envoy you're thinking of...

Hehe, suuure you're not. Wait. Did you get here a day early, all because of me?

O-oooh...if you did, then I apologize! The last thing I want to do is make trouble for you.

N-no, it's not that. S-Senpai? How can I clear up this misunderstanding...?

？！

Yes...I suppose you're right. In that case, I'll hold off on trying to convince her.

...That said, there IS something I still want to ask her. Is that all right with you, Senpai?

？！

Thank you, Senpai.

...Gerda, could I talk to you for a bit?

What is it, Mr. Chub?

Well... You see...

...Hold it. I'll ask the questions here.

？！

I was just looking to see if we had some sleeping pills when I heard our connection was back online.

In fact, I've been listening in for the last half a minute or so.

I'll take it from here, Mash. Between the two of us, it's clear who's the better negotiator.

Ahem. You there, child. This is a question of a rather personal nature. You may answer it however you like.

Huh?

I'd like to ask you something.

What is it, Mr. Chub?

You've obviously been living here in this LostbeltI mean, village, your whole life...

How do you feel about it?

???

... ...

Does it weigh on you? Do you ever think about your future? About what's going to happen when you grow up?

Don't you wish you could see the world outside your tiny village, without having to live in fear of giants?

Haven't you ever wished to be free...?

Future... Free...

World...?

Gerda.

In this world, no matter how healthy you are, you'll never get to live past your twenties.

How can you be so cheerful about that? How does it not...worry you?

...

H-huh? P-please cheer up, Lady Mash. You too, Mr. Chub. Why are you both so sad?

I, um, I'm sorry. I wish I could answer you, but...

...I'm afraid I don't understand what either of you are talking about.

Maybe it's because I never learned how to read or write well... What do you mean by "future"...?

I mean, I think I know what the word means. It means the time after tomorrow, right?

Hmm... This is hard...

... ...

...That hard, huh?

I, um, I know what "free" means, too.

It's when you're not stuck inside your home or tied down with rope, right?

In that case, I AM free! I can go anywhere I want in the whole village!

I can go to the farmland in the village center, or to the pond...and I can visit anyone's house I like!

I can even go to Laura's house and see the new baby if I want.

In my...

In our world, people get to live for a long time.

Even longer than twenty-five?

Yes. Much, much longer... Some people live longer than others, of course, but...

That's right. Many live to be eighty, or ninety, or even more. And they don't just have children.

Some people also have grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. If they live long enough, of course.

Some people are still unfortunate enough to have their lives cut short by illness or accident, but that's a long way off from no one ever living past twenty-five.

The only ones destined to die early are homunculi. ...Not that they're any concern of mine, though.

Grandchildren... Great-grandchildren...

Indeed. And even if one never has children or grandchildren, many people still choose to spend their long lives with people they love.

Even if they never have families of their own, some people spend their lives among friends and comrades, working towards goals of their own choosing.

Grr, why am I even talking about this!? It's not as though we mages get to live ordinary, happy lives!

But fine! If no one else will say it, then I will!

What's wrong with you!? What's wrong with ALL of you!?

How can you be happy about a life doomed to be cut short!? How are you not angry!? Or even afraid!?

The Yaga may have had to survive in brutal conditions, but at least they were still free to live to old age!

Grrr, this whole thing really bothers me! And now our connection is acting up, too! I'm going to bed! Goodbye!

？！

Fo...

...Mr. Chub is right, Gerda.

Our world was very complicated, but it also offered us endless possibilities.

I think that's because we were able to grow up agreeing and disagreeing with all kinds of people throughout our lives.

...That's how humans have always been. I'm sure it's no different here in Scandinavia.

People can do anything they set their mind to. I think that's what it really means to be free.

In practice, there may be far more things we can't do than we can.

But, even so...I think...that's what everyone wants.

？！

Gerda...

Is there...anything in this world that you would wish for...?

Wish for?

W-well, uh... Um... Let's see...

I got the medicinal herbs I was looking for, and tonight's dinner was yummy...

So, um, I actually can't think of anything else I want right now.

U-usually I do, though! Really!

Sometimes I want to catch a big fish at the pond, or I want my bread to turn out really well... Those sorts of things.

Oh, sometimes I wish I could see another beautiful rainbow again, like I did that one time...

Fooou...

I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

I know I'm not giving you good answers, but I don't really understand your questions...

Still, everything you said sounds lovely. Getting to be an elderly person, doing anything you want...

... ...

...Not at all.

I'm the one who should be apologizing, Gerda. I didn't mean to confuse you.

...I'm sorry.

Oh no, please don't be! I'm not confused! I really did think it was lovely!

I may not have understood everything you meant...but I did think it sounded absolutely amazing.

It was just so... I can't even begin to imagine it all! That's never happened to me before.

I guess it's true what they said about envoys being difficult to understand.

There's still so much I don't know about children, but you said in your world, there are also grandchildren, and...great-grandchildren?

I can't imagine getting to see so many generations of children... I guess that's something you can do if you get to be elderly.

I've never thought about that sort of thing before. After all...

Fou, foooooou!

Good morning, Fou. You're up awfully early today.

Fou fou fou, fo.

N-no, I didn't have any trouble sleeping at all. Since I'm a Demi-Servant, I always wake up early.

Sleep deprivation is one of the worst things you can do for your health, so you need to make sure you get plenty of sleep, Fou.

Good morning. I see you're up early too, Senpai. ...Did you have trouble sleeping?

Thank you, Senpai. But I'm fine. My magical energy is fully replenished, and Ortinax is working perfectly.

Its auto-maintenance function worked so well that it almost feels fresh out of Da Vinci's workshop.

Fo? Fo fou?

Yes, I'm doing fine.

？！

This morning, we'll be going around the village to find out whatever information we can, and in the afternoon, we'll be setting out to explore more of Scandinavia.

I was hoping to learn more about the land around here, but I'm not sure they even have any maps...

Come to think of it, I wonder where Gerda went? She wasn't anywhere to be found in her house, right?

Fooou, fau fau!

Maybe she had some errands she needed toWait, huh!?

I guess I'd better go after him. Fou! You're not supposed to run off on your own!

Got you!

Fo. Fau fau, kyaaau!

Huh? There's something happening over there?

Congratulations! Congratulations!

It's great you all made it to today. Thanks for everything! I'm so glad the Goddess brought us together!

Say hi to everyone else when you get there. We had to say goodbye to three people just last year...

Here, these flowers are for you. All the boys grew them together. We hope you can use them to decorate your new home!

Hey! We girls helped too, you know! Ugh, this is exactly why I hate boys. You're such jerks!

Hey, no saying "jerk." You know we're not allowed to use any bad words today.

O-oh, I'm sorry... J-just forget it! I didn't even mean to say it!

Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much. It makes us really happy, getting a bouquet from you like this.

It really does. You all follow the Goddess's teachings so well, and have grown up to be such wonderful children. We're so glad.

Make sure you all get along even after we've left. We can't wait to see you again when you come join us one day.

...Take care of yourselves, everyone.

Look...

There's a few grown-ups there. I guess they really do exist, even though we didn't see any yesterday. It looks like the children are giving them something.

Flowers...?

Those are special flowers. It took six months for all the children to grow them. They're really important.

Why's that?

You can't go to Valhalla without them. Only souls with proof that they were loved can go there.

The Goddess decided that long, looong ago. So long it would make your head spin!

So that's why all the children grow flowers. It's our job.

Valhalla...?

Yes... It's one of the lands of the dead in Norse mythology.

...Specifically, it's the place where the souls of chosen heroes gather. At least, it's supposed to be.

？！

Valhalla. Odin's palace. Hall of Warriors. In Norse legend, it's said that only souls chosen by the Valkyries can ever go there.

Of course, that also means the only people who can go there are, by definition, dead.

A land...of the dead...

Then, when Gerda said today was special...does that mean

Oh my, oh my, that's right. I haven't thanked you nearly enough! I haven't, have I?

Lady Mash. Lord Fujimaru. Fou.

If you hadn't saved me from those giants, they'd have squished me before I had a chance to get my own bouquet.

Then my soul would have just wandered around forever, and I'd never get to go to Valhalla! So...

So thank you so, so, SOOO much! I really can't ever thank you enough!

...!

Fou...

...That big gate is the exit.

I know we used it to enter the village when we came back from picking medicinal herbs yesterday, but that's not really what it's for.

It's really meant for leaving. Just leaving.

It's where the chosen grown-ups go on the ordained day. Nobody ever uses it to come in.

Envoy, O envoy. We have come to offer you everything, in accordance with the word of the Heavenly Mother.

... ...

The adults are prostrating themselves...

It looks like...they're performing some kind of ritual...

They always do that. They're supposed to.

I'll have to do that someday, too. It might be in two years or twelve years, but one day I'll have to.

You have to bow your head, close your eyes, and count to...um, I think it was three tens?

Anyway, once you finish counting, that's when one comes. From the gate? No, from the sky!

Fo, fou...!

The sky...?

...Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty. Look, over there!

Humans.

O humans, today is the ordained day. O humans, today is the day your lives shall be taken.

Ah!

Know that this is an act of love. Know that through this act, the last remaining deitythe Goddessextends her hand to you, out of love.

O humans, bow your heads. Give thanks to the ice, the snow, and the light.

Envoy! O envoy! O glorious Valkyrie, gleaming bright! Please take the grown-ups with you!

They followed all of the Goddess's teachings and raised us! The ones who couldn't raise us played with us until they were fourteen!

None of them are bad people! So please...

Please take them with you to Valhalla!

Fau! Fooou!

Envoy... One who takes souls to Valhalla...

They're here! Envoy... Angel... Wait, no! I'm sensing an extremely powerful magical energy signal coming from the sky!

They're either a pseudo-god or a demigod, but either way, their magical energy is incredibly powerful!

This must be one of the beings known in Proper Human History as the daughters of Odin...the Valkyries!

O humans, rejoice. I shall open the great gate for you, in accordance with divine law.

Walk through it. Do not hesitate. Meet your end as sacrifices to the giants.

Do that, and your souls shall be taken to the Hall of Warriors, though you have never known battle.

Rejoice, humans, and be glad. This is love, bestowed upon you by the one true Goddess.

Thank you, O envoy. We are endlessly grateful for the blessings you and the Goddess have bestowed upon us.

We will go to meet our end. Please, open the gate for us...

...Very well, it shall be done. And so, your lives shall end!

？！

...?

Humans, what is this strange sound? This is astonishing; it is a crime most grave. Who would interrupt this most sacred ritual?

This ritual marks the solemn, glorious end of humans' lives. It is not to be trifled with.

...Please wait, envoy. Or rather, Valkyrie.

H-huh? Wh-what are you doing, Lady Mash? You're not supposed to go against tradition on the ordained day!

... ...

Valkyrie, you said these grown-ups would go to Valhalla... To Odin's palace, the Hall of Warriors.

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is supposed to be the final resting place for the souls of brave heroes.

But these people don't even have swords, let alone armor! They're not warriors!

And you mean to send them to their deaths? To be killed by giants? Even though they worship you...!?

...Heathens...

Our shared records reported that heathens had invaded our holy landand now here you stand.

In that case, it falls to me to execute you...

Wai

Khh...! ...Haaa...!

Humans, know that it is futile to resist. Humans, know that the will to resist is itself a grave offense.

You two are... Ah, yes. I see now.

You have passed the age of fifteen without having children, haven't you? Then you must die.

Your souls will never ascend to Valhalla. You will simply be consumed by giants and die, loveless and alone.

Loveless...!?

We don't know this Scandinavia. We have no way of knowing what it is you value.

But I do know what you're doing here is not love. It's cruel!

And I don't just mean offering innocent people up to giants! I mean ending children's lives before they've had a chance to grow up...!

And I will not just look the other way while that happens here! ...Master!

？！

Right! Preparing for battle!

No, Lady Mash, please...! Envoys aren't supposed to argue with each other...!

I'm sorry, Gerda! But I'm not an envoy!

That's why I canwhy I WILL fight her on this!

...!

...How? How can a human defeat an envoy?

I may be human, but I'm also a Demi-Servant who once possessed the power of a Heroic Spirit...

The sort who is exactly the kind of hero whose soul Valkyries would have desired, at least in Proper Human History.

Given your nature, you can't ignore the remains of that hero inside me. That's why...

The soul of a hero...

...Two thousand and several hundred years since I was manufactured...and never once...did I get...to see one...

...Target has disappeared. The Ortinax's output drop is within tolerance. I'm still good to go!

Fou, fau kyaaau!

She wasn't a Servant. She did give off a magical energy signal...but she wasn't summoned here!

Which would mean, here in 2020, this Scandinavian Lostbelt is home to...!

There are...lots and lots of envoys...

Lots, and lots, and lots!

Wh-why did you do that, Lady Mash!? How could you fight another envoy!?

The...the Goddess is going to be really mad...

The envoy's gone... Just vanished into thin air... Is that even possible...?

H-huh? Now what's going to happen with the ritual...?

This isn't right! It doesn't make sense! We gave them the bouquet, but the envoy never opened the gate!

We can't open it ourselves, right? Gerda did yesterday, but we can't do that on the ordained day, right?

Oh no... This is terrible! The envoy's gone! She was supposed to take us to Valhalla!

It's okay! The envoys are servants of the Goddess, right? Even if one disappears, more will come in her place. There, look...!

See that light in the sky?

Fou, fou fo fooou! Kyaaau!

I'm sensing lots of new magical energy signals in the sky! ...The Ortinax should be fine to handle a series of consecutive battles!

Amalgam Goad is in good shape. It should stand up to combat, at a minimum.

It also seems that the envoys view the people of these villages as something to be protected.

When we fought, it seemed like she didn't want to hurt the people or damage the village.

I'm willing to bet that the next envoys will probably take the same approach...

... ...

...I'm sorry. I really should be apologizing for all this...

I was foolish...reckless...

？！

Thank you, Master. Multiple magical energy signals approaching quickly from above. Here they come!

Initiating combat while maintaining the Ortinax's output! Requesting orders and backup, Master!

...(Huff, gasp... Huff, huff, phew)

...All envoys have disappeared. The village remains unharmed!

I never imagined so many would show up all at once like this...

The Ortinax's output has dropped, but the auto-maintenance function should restore it in ten seconds.

As long as we have that much time before enemy reinforcements arrive, we should be fine!

Fou, fou fo! Kyakyaaau!

...Even more magical energy signals are gathering in the sky. I believe they mean to attack after gathering enough of their forces.

The Ortinax's auto-maintenance function should finish in time, but...

...the situation could change significantly, depending on how long the envoys keep attacking... Khh...

？！

...Right.

(There's a pretty tremendous difference in firepower between them...)

(If another Valkyrie with the same amount of magical energy as that first one shows up...)

(...will Senpai and I still be able to win...?)

U-um, Lady Mash? Lady Mash? P-please stop?

Please don't fight with the other envoys. Besides, you're clearly in terrible pain. Please...?

... ...

...Gerda, I

Once they take the flowers, the grown-ups are supposed to go through the gate. That's how it's supposed to be! That's how it's always been!

Once they do, the giants show up and squish them in no time.

I've seen it from the crack in the gate lots of times. Smoosh. They don't say anything, they can't do anything...

...But that's okay. I'm not afraid.

I know I'll get to go to Valhalla as long as the envoy is watching me! That's what the Goddess decided!

There's nothing wrong with that. It might be just a teeny, tiny bit scary...

But once I'm squished, it'll all be over, and I'll be fine. So

？！

？！

...Senpai...

But why?

This is how it's been since forever and ever...

... ...

...I'm sorry, Gerda. But I'm not putting down my shield.

Even if this is the way things are done here... Even if it's what you all want... I...

WE...don't want to give up on anything, on anyone!

Whether it's one life, or two, or millions...!

Magical energy signals! Senpai, multiple enemies are diving towards us simultaneously! They're going to use all their Noble Phantasms at

Some sort of powerful light shot toward the envoys... A gunshot!?

No... It's cannon fire!

You called? ...Yeah, you did. No need to say anything. I can tell.

Well! Here! I! Am!

How do you like my little cannon here!? C'est magnifique, non? Haha! Nothing better than a fine gentleman like myself fighting off a swarm of angels!

Well, I guess these aren't angels, huh? No wings.

No, wait, scratch that. Didn't angels originally have wings because of some old winged Egyptian god or something like that?

Ah well. At this point, I guess it doesn't matter either way!

I see...

Though they were just mass-produced models, this one can blast away several at once. I also see he is working with the individual known as Mash Kyrielight.

Servants are beings that threaten the Goddess's rule. Thus, they are to be eradicated, not loved.

Begin link. Begin link. All nearby envoys, begin link. None may defy Her...

Hahaha, so you're gonna huddle together and make yourselves an even bigger target? Well that's just fine by me!

Go ahead, I'll blow you out of the sky! Haven't you managed to put together that anything in the air is just a target for my incredible firepower?

...A Servant!

And not one dependent on this Lostbelt's magical energy, either. He must be a Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History!

Master! That man is the first we've met here in Scandinavia to

...Are heroes born from their accomplishments?

Nah, it's not that. They're born 'cause the people want them to be born.

Trust me, as a hero who's gone from the top of the heap to the bottom of the barrel, I know a thing or two!

...A hero...?

Who...are you...?

What's that, mademoiselle? Oh, you will become a fine beauty when you're older, I can tell. You want to know who I am?

Well, let's see...

As long as someone out there's got their hopes up, or wishes things were different somehow, I'm the guy who makes all their dreams come true.

I'm the guy who sees the stars shining bright in this young man and his trusty partner as they fight against the fate of the world!

Go ahead and lead the way, kids from Proper Human History! My cannon's yours to command!

This is what they call lending a helping hand! Let your magical energy loose! Don't hold back! Let's get this done with style!

？！

Damn right! Now let's gooo!

Hraaah!

Take this!

Hraaaaaaaaaaaah! Break 'em! Smash 'em! Make your way through!

He's opened a huge hole in the formation of envoys! Many of them have started to disperse!

...The situation has worsened. ...Inexplicable.

...That man's magical energy is not unlimited. He should have already run out after so many large bombardments, yet he still remains operational.

The same is true of the Demi-Servant. How? How is this possible? Why do they still fight?

Inexplicable. Inexplicable. Continued combat may result in indeterminate losses on our side.

We must return to seek the Goddess's counsel. Retreat. Retreat.

...All remaining envoys appear to have left the area. Their magical energy signals have disappeared.

Th-the battle is...over, Sen...pai...

...(Huff, huff, gasp)... Ah... There I go again...

...I was far too reckless. Da Vinci's not going to be happy about this...

？！

I... That light was...amazing... I've never seen so many amazing things...

You're amazing...mister...

I couldn't believe what I was seeing...

...?

Huh? Huh???

Haha. Nicely done, you two!

You look pretty worn out right now, but I know that's not all you've got left in the tank!

I can't promote you to general at our first meeting, but I can at least give you a medal or two!

E-excuse me! We really do appreciate your helping us out tremendously...

...but do you think you could stop smacking Senpai on the back so hard...?

Oh, was that hard? Sorry 'bout that! Old habits die hard, as they say.

？！

Sorry again. Here, how 'bout I give ya a back rub? Or are you all right now?

？！

That's right, Maître du Chaldea from Proper Human History! Oh, yeah, I forgot to introduce myself!

Then, listen up! Humans, one day, your desires will become a rainbow emblazoned across the sky! Know why? 'Cause I'm here now!

I don't know much about this Lostbelt business, but nobody messes with the people of Europe on my watch!

That's right! I'm a man of infinite possibility! Wherever I go, I leave rainbows in my wake...

I am Napoleon, an Archer! You're looking at the only hero of humanity in all of Scandinavia!