The Other Goddess (End)

Senpai!

There you are, Private!

Fou! Fou fou!

...I'm sorry. It's all my fault for forcing a connection with him.

But it's okay. Your soul and self are all connected just fine now, so there's nothing to worry about.

？！

Of course. Hehe, can you hear me okay?

It's been so long since I used my real voice to speak. It feels sort of weird to actually use my mouth...

Am I speaking all right?

Sure are. We can understand you just fine, little mademoiselle.

I never would've thought there was another Servant of humanity here besides me! Especially one trapped in the same dungeon!

？！

Th-that's right, there wasn't! She just appeared out of nowhere shortly after you collapsed.

It didn't seem like she had just stopped using her spirit form, either...

Fo fou! Fou!

Oh, that? I was just using a sprouting magecraft... Please don't worry about it too much.

Usually I'm connected to the dungeon's depths, but when I saw you making a temporary contract with a Heroic Spirit...

...I thought I'd try reaching out and making my own connection, and now, here I am.

So you were already a prisoner when we got here, huh. Guess that makes us comrades in arms!

Yep! Pretty much!

Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Alter Ego Sitonai.

I go by that because Sitonai is the one who's most outwardly visible on my Spirit Origin.

That said, Sitonai's name doesn't really belong to this body.

I think it'd help if I said I was a Pseudo-Servant, right?

As to this body's name...it's Illya, daughter of the Einzberns.

Usually I only let people I'm really close to call me that...but since we all share an enemy, I'll make an exception in your case!

？！

Now I see. So you're the Queen of Ice and Snow's enemy.

Einzbern...

Hm? You know who that is, Mash?

Y-yes. Einzbern is the name of a storied mage family with deep ties to the original Holy Grail War.

I've seen it in Chaldea's database several times. The Einzberns are one of the so-called "three great families"...

...and in particular, they're known for producing Justeaze, the prodigious mage who created Fuyuki's Greater Grail.

Hmm. You really know a lot about this, don't you?

Yes, I'm the last daughter of the Einzbern family. I don't think I'm a Heroic Spirit who's made a mark on humanity or anything...

...but I do have an inextricable bond to the Holy Grail...so now, I'm a Servant on the side of Proper Human History!

Oh, but I should be clear: I'm not actually the last daughter of Einzbern.

...?

Um...does that have something to do with you being an Alter Ego...?

Well, if we take that at face value, it would mean that she's an entirely separate personality.

True. And Alter Egos are listed in Chaldea's database as one of the Extra classes.

Fo, fou fou?

Aw, you're so cute. Hehe, you must be Fou!

Nice to meet you, Fou. I'm Illya. Come here.

Fou!

Heehee! You're so soft and fluffy!

...You do?

We're an Extra class that doesn't show up during normal Holy Grail Wars, so I don't think there's a lot known about us.

Hmm. You must have all kinds of different connections.

We're an extra class of Spirit Origin, hence our Extra classification. We differ from normal Servants in all sorts of ways.

？！

Hehe. That may be my class name, but it doesn't just mean my class.

In my case, I'm actually a High Servant, based on multiple goddesses with deep ties to the Holy Grail coming together into one Spirit Origin.

In fact, this body is made up of no less than three goddesses' Divided Spirits! And that is really something, you know!

A compound Divine Spirit Pseudo-Servant...! Th-that's...

...I can't believe it. Multiple gods, all come together!?

Fou, faaau!

It is impressive, but it also has serious downsides. For one thing, they never shut up.

Really?

Hmm, how can I put this...

It's like these goddesses are roommates that are always fighting about something, with me and my snowy fields serving as their core.

They're all very seasoned goddesses, so believe me, it's hard having to play host to that skirmish.

A skirmish between gods...? ...I can't even imagine...

No?

U-um, may I ask you something, Sitonai...?

Please, call me Illya.

O-okay, Illya.

You said you materialized as a Servant from Proper Human History. Does that mean

Yes. I'm on your side.

Remember I mentioned Einzbern? There you go.

There's no Einzbern family in any Lostbelt on this earth now, after all.

So a daughter of Einzbern is part of Proper Human History's resistance against the Lostbelts. Got it?

Y-yes. I understand, too.

Heehee. That's a little vague!

But, that's okay. You can think of me as a goddess from Proper Human History who's here to help you.

？！

...Although, I'm afraid I messed up.

I materialized here around the same time as that French emperor, but it wasn't long before Scáthach-Skadi found me and locked me up in here.

It's been so, sooo boring in here. I didn't even have anyone I could talk to...

Fo fou!

Aw, are you trying to cheer me up? Heehee, you're such a good boy. There, there.

Fou fou, fou.

A goddess in the dungeon, huh... All right, let me ask you: Why aren't you dead?

Are you just being kept alive out of "love" too?

I don't know.

Maybe she just wasn't willing to kill a god, or maybe...she wanted to use me somehow?

Say, to try and make this Lostbelt exist forever?

I see. Well, I suppose that's possible, but I didn't see any of the sort of preparations that'd need to be made for the kind of massive spell it'd take to sacrifice a god.

Hmm. Then, maybe...because I'm her daughter?

Daughter?

What do you mean by that...?

I'm composed of three northern goddesses: Sitonai of the Ainu, Louhi of the Finns...

...and Freyja of the Norse. Hehe. Now do you get it?

Ah!

Yes! That means her Divinity is tied closely to this very Lostbelt!

Her domain was love and fertility, and she was beloved by gods and giants alike! I think her tears would turn to reddish gold, too...

That's the one!

？！

Accounts differ between the Völsunga Saga and the Edda, but they agree that Freyja was the daughter of Njörðr.

And then there's another legend that says Skadi and Njörðr were married.

According to the Freyja within me...

...Skadi was Njörðr's second wife, which means

She's your stepmother...?

Fwha!?

Aha, that explains it! That queen looked liked she was single to me...

...but according to myth, she is married to the god of the sea, and is the stepmother of the goddess of love! I never would've guessed!

That wasn't really covered in the knowledge I gained when I materialized.

I don't know... This Lostbelt has a completely different history from ours. It seems they diverged in the Age of Gods.

Given that Scáthach of the Celts is part of the queen, and that she's the only god in this land...

Uh-huh.

That particular Skadi...Scáthach-Skadi, isn't Freyja's mother.

That's what the Freyja in me is saying, yep!

I'm certain Queen Scáthach-Skadi was never married to anyone.

Skadi. Daughter of the giant Þjazi, and goddess of snowy mountains.

Here, her fated marriage to Njörðror even to Odin, as other legends describenever happened...

Now, she is the last goddess left, the sole survivor of Ragnarök, never once having to fulfill her destiny as the bride of the gods.

That's Scáthach-Skadi.

I bet she doesn't even know she could have ended up becoming Freyja's mother.

But then the Crypter came, and with her, knowledge of Proper Human History's Norse mythology.

That's why...she couldn't kill me.

So, you're the daughter she might have had.

Is that why she didn't hurt you...? Since you're fused with Freyja?

...That's right.

To be honest, I have no idea what goes on in gods' minds, either.

But, even if I am from a different world...

Knowing that I could have been her daughter if things had gone differently...

Do you think that might have been enough to make her think I was special...?

At least...I don't think we can rule it out entirely...

？！

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

Fou!

Eek, you jumped on me again! You're so sweet! Who's a good boooy?

Fou! Fou fooou!

A-ah! Eek! Ahahaha, stop! You're tickling me!

Ahahahaha! P-please, I'm so ticklish! Somebody, get him off me!

Fou! S-stop that! What's gotten into you?

Why are you in such a good mood right now!?

...Phew. I've never laughed so hard before!

I almost laughed until I cried. Hehe, in fact, I think that was the first time I've laughed since I materialized!

Fo...

Settle down, Fou.

I'm sorry, Fou. Wait until we're done talking, okay?

Fou!

Oh, right. I'm sure Fou doesn't mind the cold since he has that nice fluffy fur, but what about you?

This whole castle is made out of ice and snow, so you'll die from the cold if something goes wrong with your protection spells and the like.

Be careful, okay? If it helps, I can cast a warmth spell on you...

Okay, here you go!

That should have you nice and toasty in no time. Now you'll be able to sleep soundly, even in a bed with ice blankets and snow pillows!

(She cast that spell without even chanting! I know it can't have been a major spell, but still...)

(Guess that's what you get when you combine three goddesses into one Servant...)

Are you sure? Okay, if you say so.

？！

So, um, I think that's enough about me, right? What should we talk about next?

Fou, fou!

Fou.

Fo...

Hmm. Good question. Now that we have a Divine Spirit here with us, this seems like a great time to try and find out everything we can.

Is there something you'd like to know? I'm in a good mood right now, so I'll answer your questions.

I know all sorts of things, you know. I've used Louhi's magecraft to kill time, go on dream walks...

I know a lot about the castle itself, too. Including the people who live in it.

Oho. You don't say...

Oooh, you really are sharp, aren't you?

？！

Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, wielder of a demonic sword, and great hero of Norse legend.

I'm not sure if his exploits took place during the Age of Gods or the A.D. era, and Freyja won't tell me.

But...

...I can at least say this much about the red-eyed Heroic Spirit who serves the Crypter:

He is not a Lostbelt Servant.

Or, at least, his Spirit Origin comes from Proper Human History. Freyja is shouting that much!

...What!?

He's NOT a Lostbelt Servant!?

B-but, that doesn't make sense...

I'm not absolutely certain, but when we observed his magical energy in the Shadow Border, it was very different from a Servant of Proper Human History.

And when we fought him earlier, his magical energy clearly belonged to a Lostbelt Servant...!

Fooou, fou!

Well, if the three Divine Spirits that make up Sitonai are all certain about it, I can't imagine they don't have a reason.

Far as I'm concerned, this explains a lot. No wonder Siggy didn't seem like just another Servant.

Just look at how ridiculously strong he is. I know we'll need to do something about him eventually, but

Not eventually. First.

Oh?

Sigurd's the one keeping the Paper Moon. You do want to get that compass back, right?

Same for the Tree of Emptiness, yes? I'd bet the Crypter with the eyepatch knows where it is.

And Sigurd always goes wherever the Crypter goes. Even her private quarters.

So, to get the Paper Moon back, or information about the tree...we have no choice but to defeat Sigurd...

Hmm. If you're right, then we have a serious problem.

Recovering the Paper Moon and locating the Tree of Emptiness just got a hell of a lot harder.

He's definitely stronger than I am, at least right now. We're not completely out of options, but...

... ...

Fo? Fo fou?

Options? You mean, like that buff you gave us earlier?

Nah, I'm talking something bigger. A real trump card. Only thing is, it's kind of a handful

Well, you do have to defeat Sigurd before anything else. Am I wrong?

Not at all, no!

Fo, fou!

Teehee. You're a great man, Emperor of France! I think you deserve a hint.

Sigurd may be very powerful, but he's not invincible. There is a way to fight him.

It should also help you resist Scáthach-Skadi's Primordial Runes, at least to some extent.

Is that

Yes. The final option that might just be able to get you out of this predicament!

...Of course, it's so potent that both the Crypter and Sigurd put a reeeally strong seal on it.

So I want you to do your best to get it, and then fight him with everything you've got!

Once you defeat Sigurd and recover the Paper Moon, you can make that Crypter tell you where the tree is.

Ooor you could just kill her and find the tree yourselves.

？！

I see. Well, of course, you're free to handle that however you'd like.

But, I do think you should try to cut down the Tree of Emptiness as soon as you can.

... ...

That's a good point...

As long as there's even one Tree of Emptiness left, I don't think we'll be able to restore the world.

But, even so...

I think, in this particular case...reaching the Wandering Sea might be more important...

Hm?

...When we first got here, that was our original plan.

The main reason we wanted to cut down the Tree of Emptiness was to lure Sigurd out

No. You can't put off the Tree of Emptiness. It's too dangerous.

The longer you wait, the more it will grow.

What will you do if it ends up completely taking root?

No. You have to cut it down as soon as possible.

Makes sense. The bigger it gets, and the further down its roots go, the harder it'll be to chop it down.

...

Well, if you're not sure what call to make, why don't you talk to the rest of your team? Assuming you can get back in touch with them, of course.

？！

...Yes, Senpai.

Just don't say I didn't warn you.

... ...

So what's this trick for fighting Sigurd you were talking about? Some kind of artifact or something?

Don't tell us it's a Holy Grail?

Unfortunately, no. If it were a Holy Grail, I would have already gotten my hands on it.

...It's a goddess.

There's another Divinity here in this Lostbelt, in addition to Scáthach-Skadi and myself.

She's from Proper Human History, just like the gods within me, a part of humanity's final attempt at resistance made manifest.

That means she'll definitely be on your side.

Fo fou!

Oh, right. I should have referred to her as another pillar! Hehe, she might not be well defined enough to call her otherwise.

At any rate... Yah!

There, I just sent her location data to your terminal. Hehe, I've never used Atlas Institute-style magecraft before!

Phew. I'm kinda tired now, though...

It's been so long since I've talked to anyone, I think I might have overdone it.

So, I think this is a good time to wrap this up.

Ah, the door to our cell just opened...

You know, I think I did hear them saying something about how this prison is secured with a lock made of divine iron. Guess that means a Divine Spirit can open it up without even chanting a spell!

Fou, fo fo fou! Kyau!

I wish I could come along, but I'm afraid I need to stay here and go back to sleep.

The queen may not see you as a threat now, but that would change if I left this prison with you.

So since I can't come along, I threw in the unlocking and the hiding spells for free! Take care! I hope to see you again sometime!

Fo...

(Whoa there, pupper. Quiet now.)

(Looks like Divine Spirits have pretty impressive magecraft. Her spells made us completely invisible! Even silenced our footsteps AND hid all signs of our magical energy!)

(Yes. Now that we're so well concealed...)

(...we might just be able to make it outside the castle, even with the queen's incredible ability to see what happens in her territory!)

(We're almost under the big bridge. Once we get there, we'll make our way back up to the ground and get as far away from the castle as we can!)

... ...

(So you stay quiet until then. Got it?)

(Come on, you two.)

Good, we made it back to the ground! Just a little farther until we're outside the castle's perimeter!

The concealing spell's just about worn off...but that's okay. Activate those booster things and get us out!

Right!

Understood, Senpai. Expanding the Ortinax Ollerus Board attachments now!

？！

...! Fouuu... Fou, fou!

Fou...? What's gotten into you? Is there something in those shadows over

...Hmph. This is why I can't stand stupid little beasts.

I was just about to pounce on you from behind and wipe you all out at once, but then it went and ruined that.

？！

Of course I am☆

Whether at the ends of the earth, the ends of space itself, or even a snowy country still stuck in the dark ages with no entertainment at all...

...even if I have to play nice with Queen Lonely Hearts who's deluded herself into believing everyone loves her...

As long as there's a chance to make a profit, NFF Services will be there♡

Ugh, I really thought I could have counted on someone else to take out the trash. But, you know what they say! If you want something done right...

You...! Are you here to torment innocent people again, like you did in Russia!?

...Hmm. Well, look at you, little girl. Looks like you can put up a halfway decent fight now.

...Well that's just terrible. Are you sure YOU aren't the cold and heartless ones around here?

Still, I couldn't care less about the people here one way or the other, so I'll just let that comment slide!

Now then, getting down to business: if you're about to leave, it's time for you to pay up what you owe.

This ice castle may be deserted and downright awful to live in, but in this world it's on par with a five-star hotel! Accommodations that luxurious don't come cheap, you know.

Let's seeeeee... A short stay for three pathetic humans and one ratty little fur ball, that comes to...five quadrillion QP!

But not to worry! If you can't afford to pay in QP or quartz, then I'll happily settle for watching your death agonies instead!

I did tell you back in Russia that I'd see you again, didn't I?

I am as capable as I am beautiful, and unlike you humans, I never break my promises!

Fou, fooou...!

Whoa now, who is this lady, and how the hell do you know her!?

She's beautiful, sure, but she's also got the darkest aura I've ever seen. Joséphine had her bad days, sure...but never anything close to this!

Teeheehee, you're awfully sharp for a Servant I've never met before. It'll be a pleasure to kill you♡

Okay, everybody! That's enough chin-ups down there under the bridge! Come on out and announce yourselves with a nice loud roar now☆

Master! A large group of giants is emerging from under the bridge!

Who IS this woman, some kind of beast tamer? Does she come from the Bolshoi Circus or something!?

That's Koyanskaya, of NFF Services! She's working with the Crypters, and was partially responsible for destroying Chaldea!

？！

Of course. Wrangling subordinates is what I do!

Besides, you three just aren't enough to motivate me personally.

I don't deal with the bottom of the barrel myself. If you want anything to do with me, you have to show you're worth my time.

All right, Jötnar, time to get to work!

Special honors go to those who do an exceptional job, so make sure to kill them all!

There are even more giants coming out from under the bridge now...! Master, this is!

There's no reason for us to fight on her terms, Mash! Let's just get out of here!

I can see you've got some history with her, but save it for later!

Let's do this, Fujimaru! Mash, hurry up with those boards while we work on opening up a path!

R-right! Understood!

There, we've secured an exit route! Now's our chance, Master!

？！

Fou, fooou! Fou off!

...So, they got away. Well, I guess if nothing else, they passed that test of ability.

They're certainly experts at running away. First they knock the giants aside, then they make a getaway on magecraft skis? I can't say I was expecting that.

Admittedly, they're still well within sniping range...

...but the smart money says to leave them alone for now. Especially since I've already got everything I came to this Lostbelt for.

Might as well let these humans fight it out among themselves, and I can just sit on the sidelines with a bag of popcorn.

Chaldeans, Crypters... Humans are humans, and being around them makes me sick.

I have no interest in either side...except for where it comes to you, Ophelia. Sort of.

It's such fun, watching you come to grips with your wish for destruction. You don't even realize you're harming others.

You think you're just a poor scapegoat, even as you blindly blunder about ruining everything.

Much as I don't care about them, I can't deny it's fun watching humans like that.

This Lostbelt's beauty is all built on thin ice, and your naivete's going to show just how fragile it is.