Bringing Twilight Here Once Again (Middle)

(...I can't reach Lord Kirschtaria... Surtr's magical energy must be jamming our signal...)

(...What would he think of this situation...?)

("I see no cause for concern. I have high hopes for you, Ophelia." ...Yes. That's what he'd say...)

...You again. I'm surprised to see you outside the castle.

Do I look a complete fool to you now? Yes. I'm sure I do.

I'd probably laugh too if I saw myself now.

...

Huh...?

I'm sorry. I can't tell what you're saying.

I have some facility with lipreading, but it is not helpful when you speak a language I do not know.

...I guess you really are from a foreign planet.

...Dumbass.

Can hardly freaking believe she's a Crypter too. Not one damn bit like the other one. This one's just a stupid little girl who can't bear to let go of her ladyhood.

She might as well be carrying a cracked jar of oil into a bonfire. It's as stupid as a maiden walking along the shore barefoot.

Between her and the queen, there isn't a single woman here who can tell a good man when she sees one.

...Tch. Screw this. I can see where it's going so I'm just gonna go back to the temple. And you, fox woman?

Good question... This silvery world is pretty enough that it could have made for a nice ski resort...

...but with that giant here, any chance at NFF Services making a profit just went up in smoke.

I think I'll be on my way shortly, too. I want to see how Ophelia's story ends before I leave.

...Heh. So being able to flit about as you like makes it easy for you to park your fat ass wherever you go, huh. I should've known!

Oh, would you please spare me the slanderous crudities?

I'll have you know my ass isn't the slightest bit fat! It's petite, thank you very much!

Gotta say though, I'm disappointed in Queenie here. Can't believe she's just sitting back and letting Surtr get resurrected like this.

Then again, she did marry Njörðr, god of the sea, in Proper Human History. Must not be as smart as she pretends.

I'm afraid you have it backwards, Caenis. Look at it this way.

Surtr was just that much of a blind spot for her. He represented something so antithetical to her worldview that she couldn't conceive of his existence.

This Lostbelt was finished the moment she lost the ability to consider that much.

Why do you think it was pruned away? It's like an insect that couldn't even tell that it was being exterminated.

...

That said, I doubt Her Majesty would have done anything about Surtr even if she had learned of his relationship to Sigurd.

Oh? That mean she's just the sort to sit back and let nature take its course?

Or does she just pity that Crypter?

Indeed. I imagine the queen feels compelled to keep herself in check, so as to be responsible with her overwhelming power.

I suppose it's an admirable enough quality, for a human...

...but sadly, she doesn't seem to have realized that way of thinking limited what her Scandinavia could do as well.

Anyway, none of that is my business, and I'm more than happy to keep it that way☆

And that's about enough chitchat.

I've got all the goodies I came for, so I think I'll be on my merry way.

The next time we meet will be on the sea, won't it, Caenis? When we do, I expect to see some rare and valuable merch that can't be found anywhere on land♡

Hah! As if I'd give your fat ass the time of day.

Besides...the fact you think you're irreplaceable just means you'll be on your way out sooner than you realize.

I wouldn't assume every Lostbelt is on your side if I were you, "pet."

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

... ...

...We're...still alive?

Senpai!

？！

...It seems the King of Giants has disappeared towards the northern mountains.

First and foremost, I'm glad to see you're all safe.

I think you may already know who I am, but let me introduce myself properly. I am a warrior and the wielder of the demonic sword Gram.

I am the son of Sigmund and Hjördís, and I have manifested in this Lostbelt as a Saber.

My True Name is Sigurd. I'm glad I was able to protect you.

I only wish I had been able to resist Surtr's control of my body more than once...

Sigurd...?

Resist... So, back then...was that you...?

...Hmph. I guess this is what they call a hero's pride.

B-but...I thought you died when Surtr was freed...!

He did. Sigurd's body would surely have fallen apart...had someone not been there to hold it together.

Am I correct in that assumption, Ortlinde, last remaining commander of the Valkyries?

Yes. I used a rune to help him. It was all so sudden that I did not expect it to work...

...but fortunately, the damage was not as extensive as I believed. It almost seemed to me as if the wounds on his body had been somehow...rewound.

(Rewound... Did Ophelia do that...?)

I took advantage of that opportunity to keep his Spirit Core intact, though only just. Unfortunately, I have already exceeded my own output limits.

I am afraid I will only last a few seconds more at best.

I was able to wield my sword one last time thanks to you. For that, you have my deepest gratitude.

...No need to thank me. I didn't help you for your sake.

If you truly are a hero, then please...help my sister.

That's all I want...

You have my word, and once again, you have my gratitude.

Fou...

In Odin's name, by the runes' guidance, I ask that you awaken, my love.

Brynhild. My love, and my eternal executioner. Please, open your eyes.

I promise, I will hold your Spirit Origin together.

Your Spirit Core may be damaged, like mine, but I hope you will open your eyes nonetheless, even just a little.

You mustn't...

Please, don't come near me. I...I'm the one destined to kill you...

I can try to resist the madness, but I fear my body may move to kill you on its own...

So, please... Stay away...

Hush. Just for now.

...Ah...

... ...

...I knew it... It really was someone else earlier, wasn't it, Sigurd?

Yes.

It's really you... You are...the man...the hero I fell in love with.

If only that were true. Then and now, I've shown myself to be too much a fool to be your hero.

No... No, you haven't...

You protected me. If it hadn't been for you, Surtr's fiery sword would have killed me...

You protected the shield-maiden, the emperor, and the boy fighting to save humanity. You kept this world's hope alive.

Of course.

I could never have done it with what little strength I had alone, though. Her help was crucial.

She is also why your spear has yet to pierce me, despite our coming face-to-face.

It's all thanks to her godly power...

(Is he talking about)

Fo...fou?

Indeed.

If Surtr had brought his flaming sword down in earnest, my castle, and all of Scandinavia, would have been razed to the ground.

And of course, I absolutely refuse to abide men and women killing one another.

...Hm, I see you have all suffered at least some manner of injury.

It has been a very, very long time since I last saw brave warriors putting themselves to the hazard in combat.

This may have been inevitable with Odin's protection weakened, but my negligence is also to blame for things reaching this dire stage.

Chaldeans. Sigurd. Brynhild.

And you, the Archer whose name escapes me...

You fought well, my children. I commend your bravery and your valor.

I will not let you die just yet. You may all enter my castle. Come with me.

Ophelia...

Fou, fou. Faaau!

Yeah, I know. ...It's about time I stepped up.

I knew it! The giants are heading towards the village!

There were always a few stragglers wandering around the snowfields and mountains, but there's never been so many gathered around the village like this before!

Wh-what's going on...? I-is... Is this the Goddess's will?

They're so loud! And close! A-are we gonna be okay...? They're not gonna break through the walls, are they!?

The envoys will protect us! The Goddess will make her glory known!

There's nothing to worry about, everyone! So let's just all pray together!

... ...

(Lady Mash... Mr. Fujimaru... Mr. Napoleon... Fou...)

(Wherever you are... I hope the giants haven't squished you...)

...I have sent all the envoys to the villages.

Unfortunately, with their masks gone, not only do the giants no longer hear my voice, they now resonate with Surtr.

If their power approaches its height during the Age of Gods, the villages' protections can only last so long.

I will do my best to ensure they remain intact for at least half a day, but anything more than that will be quite difficult.

Setting that aside... I never expected to see Surtr again.

My apologies for interrupting, Your Majesty. I am Sherlock Holmes of Chaldea.

Let me begin by offering you my most sincere thanks for treating our injured personnel.

For that matter, it is safe to say they would not even have survived Surtr's attack had it not been for your help

Right. We should all thank her for saving us. Thanks, Queenie! I'm glad we're fighting the same enemy now!

You have my thanks.

...Thank you.

I-I, um... Thank you, Scáthach.

You even restored the Ortinax and its components...

Fou, fo fooou!

？！

Hehe. Pay it no mind. It is about time you all understood.

I am your mother. All in Scandinavia are my children.

I have decided to love you, with all that entails.

As my children, all you need do is accept my grace.

...Even if I am only one of the "old" gods, as that irritating Wodime would say.

We are most grateful for your mercy. Now, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?

I would like to gain as clear an understanding of the situation as possible in order to better determine our next course of action.

Very well. Ask what you will.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

To begin, I presume that the fire on the northern mountains comes from Surtr?

That is correct.

Are they embers?

(Embers?)

(I believe he means the embers of Ragnarök...)

(Now I get it!)

That would depend upon your perspective.

Hmm. I see.

？！

E-excuse me! I'm sorry to interrupt, but may we ask you something, Holmes!?

Yes, Ms. Kyrielight? Mr. Fujimaru?

？！

I was, at best, twenty percent certain. Giving voice to my suspicions at that point would only cause confusion, which is why I refrained from doing so.

But I was certain that the man who attacked the Shadow Border was not truly Sigurd, even if I was unable to convey that information at the time.

That said...I am at fault with regard to the fire in the mountains. My apologies.

I should have found a way to tell you about their true nature sooner.

Or at least managed to warn you of Surtr's involvement here.

Hmm, I wouldn't beat yourself up for it too badly. Under the circumstances, you were lucky to survive Sigurduh, the fake Sigurd's attack.

Having said that, there is one thing about you that I'm not exactly pleased about.

You always either say too much, or not enough.

H-hmm, yes, that is certainly true... Nonetheless, Technical Advisor...

...much as I agree that one should strive for accuracy in the information conveyed, even in battle, we can't expect it will always be possible to do so...

Tch. Well if you're gonna take Holmes's side, I guess there's nothing more to discuss.

That is how you do things, right, Gordy? You don't expect people to deliver more than they're capable of, do you?

I am deeply ashamed. I can't tell you how sorry I am for the trouble my ineptitude has caused.

... ...

Why are you so hard on yourself, sage of Proper Human History?

The fire in those mountains is a testament to my weakness.

Even with the power Odin bestowed upon me...

...I have been unable to rid my land of twilight.

Is that

It is something of a long story. Please, lend me your ears.

...It was horrific.

Surtr's rampage left much of the land ablaze...

The blood that poured onto the ground from the many wounds the gods inflicted upon him erupted into flames...and remained ablaze.

Those flames consumed countless lives.

It fell to me to protect what few remained.

Once Ragnarök had truly concluded, there would be little point in ushering in the Age of Humanity without any humans.

I turned the vast majority of my power toward extinguishing the flames that threatened to consume this world and all life on it.

And so I blanketed this land in snow and ice, laden with magical energy...

...thus creating safe havens that the surviving giants could not touch in order to give humans an opportunity to live their lives.

I put masks on the giants infused with my magical energy, placing them under the authority I gained from my father, the giant Þjazi.

I then produced several hundred "envoys," using the three surviving Valkyries as a base.

... ...

With his true body sealed within the false sun, Surtr became as ineffectual as a Divine Spirit...

Though he continued to exist in this world...he no longer had any power over it.

Peace returned to Scandinavia, and so began a new age that was never meant to be.

An age where the last god, a handful of people, a scattering of giants, and a few Valkyries all eked out a quiet coexistence.

From there...an impossible three thousand years came to pass.

A great tree extended its roots down from space...and Ophelia appeared before me, calling herself a Crypter.

I presume you are aware of what transpired after that.

She told me she must grow that tree in order for this world to survive.

She was quite helpful to me, which I did appreciate...

...

But that is beside the point.

I never suspected the knight that accompanied her...

...was harboring the soul of my sworn enemy!

I don't think she meant for this to happen. I believe this was likely a summoning accident of some kind.

No doubt she used a summoning system identical to Chaldea's to materialize Sigurd's Heroic Spirit, and a foreign entity happened to make its way into the mix.

By foreign entity, I take it you mean Surtr Wait, I've got it. It's her Mystic Eye!

Indeed. I imagine Surtr must have used it as a catalyst. That eye is meant for seeing possibilities, after all.

She must have caught sight of a lost historya pruned phenomenon that would have been impossible in Proper Human History at some point.

So you say she saw Surtr's soul, of all things?

Oh, Ophelia Phamrsolone. If you had to see something, why could it not have been me?

How dreadfully...unfortunate...

But, regardless...the fact remains that Surtr, my sworn enemy, has returned to my land.

And now he will stop at nothing to finish what he began: to merge with Muspelheim, and bring about the end of all things.

If nothing is done to stop him, he will burn Scandinavia to the ground.

His flames will devour all life. All manner of heat will coalesce into one great fire, and reduce everything to smoke and ash.

If that happens, there's no telling what effect it might have outside of this Lostbelt.

You do need to go through Void Space to escape a Lostbelt, so I don't think the fire would leak beyond it...but I can't really be entirely certain.

It's worth noting that he does still have our compass, too. The Paper Moon, I mean.

... ...

...Your Majesty, might I propose an alliance? While the enemy of my enemy may not necessarily be my friend...

...I do believe our chances of defeating Surtr would improve considerably by working together.

What do you say, Scáthach-Skadi? My fair Öndurdís?

Hmm... You would issue commands to a god, Heroic Spirit?

Respectfully, of course.

You are a Heroic Spirit, are you not? What a jokea human ghost, a mere shadow, telling me what to do!

Ordinarily, I would pay no mind to what a being such as you had to say...

...but in your particular case...I sense wisdom in those beautiful eyes. You remind me of Baldr, god of light.

Fwha!?

Wha... Seriously!?

My queen! What are you saying...!?

Hehe. Pay it no heed. I was merely joking. This Heroic Spirit's eyes may be wise, but they are also somewhat...clouded.

Even gentle Baldr would surely object to such a comparison.

Nonetheless, I have made my decision, Heroic Spirit. I shall love you as

Wh-where did that come from!? I didn't touch anything, Technical Advisor!

It's not always about you, Director! Everything's working fine! It's just the emergency alert!

Haha. I take it you feel that too, Monsieur Vrai Demonic Sword Wielder?

Indeed. Something approaches from the sky. Brynhild!

Right...!

I see it! There's a mass of magical energy flying towards us from the northern mountains! Wait...all our instruments are working now!?

I simply adjusted my snow and ice to accommodate them. The nerve, interrupting a god...

Dare to sully my castle any further, and even my patience will

Hostile detected! It's the same species we encountered on Mt. Galdhøpiggen, Master!

Yes, Master!

It's the same type of enemy we encountered on Mt. Galdhøpiggen!

？！

What the hell are these things!? And why're there so damn many!? At least they're satisfying to shoot, but still...

Repulsive.

There is something indecent about these creatures. They have no regard for their own lives.

Indeed. They are infused with vast amounts of magical energy. I doubt these creatures are the product of a normal ecosystem.

We have more coming in through a hole in the ceiling! There's a second...and a third...!

They certainly aren't shaped like any ordinary creature. Could they be Phantasmals? As they have just appeared now, perhaps they were originally some sort of plant that has transformed into Surtr's kin?

No, on second thought... Most likely...

Fo fou! Fou!

How dare you!

What possible reason could you seeds have for barging into my castle, knowing I have connected myself to the Tree of Emptiness!?

Seeds! That's it! I'm analyzing the data now...

They are seeds from the Tree of Emptiness! I can't believe it. Even the seeds are autonomous and capable of fighting!

I was willing to turn a blind eye to the occasional stray seed...but how dare you damage my castle!?

This transgression will not stand!

I, the king of this Lostbelt, command you to die!

Wha...

Of course they're not going to self-destruct on your command. Haven't you noticed? Your connection to them has been severed.

I suppose I'll have to help you out a bit, seeing as you're evidently helpless by yourself.

Illya!

Whoa...! Nice work! So that's what a Divine Spirit's magecraft can do, huh!

...If it isn't Freyja.

It's Illya, Stepmother. Didn't you just hear Mash call me that?

Hehe. I suppose you are right. Freyja would never allow herself to wield ice and snow as I do.

Regardless, I must commend you. You did well to escape my dungeon.

I should have expected as much from my daughter in Proper Human Historymy companion's beloved child.

I could've escaped whenever. The only reason I didn't is because I knew you'd really go all-out to seal me away again, this time for good, if I did.

I was just passing the time when I heard a big commotion coming from inside the castle.

At first I thought you were fighting everyone else after finally defeating Surtr, but I was wrong.

What happened? I thought you were supposed to be the queen of Scandinavia. Did you not notice that Ophelia cut your connection to the Tree of Emptiness?

...Hmm.

So it would seem. That certainly explains why they did not obey my order to self-destruct.

So, basically...it's Russia all over again, huh. Let me get this all straight.

Up till now, the queen's been connected to the Tree of Emptiness, but with her connection severed now...

...the Crypter's trying to make Surtr the new Lostbelt king by connecting him to it instead?

Madness...

There is no telling what sort of disaster may ensue if Surtr were to absorb the tree's power for himself...

Though I see you seem to have some idea, Your Majesty.

Indeed, I do. To begin, he would no doubt raze Scandinavia to the ground in but a single breath.

The flaming sword he wields...is a blade forged by the planet.

Its sole purpose is to rend the Age of Gods asunder...to wipe it from the face of the earth.

Should it be successful, it will leave nothing behind. It is that powerful a weapon.

A Divine...Construct...

A Noble Phantasm on par with Rhongomyniad...

On top of that, he's still got the Paper Moon...which means it's even more likely his destruction could reach the outside!

Assuming his magical energy and spiritual rank increase to that degree. Your Majesty, would you tell us where the Tree of Emptiness is located?

...The northern zone. The Tree of Emptiness took root beyond the fire mountains.

Though of course, I have been using my ice and snow crystals to hide it from view.

I see. So you were using magecraft-based optical camouflage and jamming its magical energy signature all at once.

No wonder we were unable to locate the Tree of Emptiness once we arrived in this Lostbelt.

Very well... Now that we have dealt with those intruders...

...would you be so kind as to give us an answer to my earlier proposal, Queen Scáthach-Skadi?

...Yes, I suppose I should.

... ...

Yes, that is true.

？！

With things as they are, I suppose there is little alternative.

Enemies of my sworn enemy, humans and Heroic Spirits of Proper Human History, I accept your proposal.

Our alliance, however, will be a temporary one. Do not forget that.

And one more thing: do not enter into this alliance with the intent to hold anything back at all.

Remember, Surtr defeated Odin himself. You must kill a killer of gods.

You should appreciate the incredible difficulty of this particular task. Is that clear?

You're too kind, Your Majesty! Haha, what a coup! Now my new Grande Armée's even got its own goddess and queen!

Fou! Fou foun!

Hahaha, I see, I see! So you're happy about this too, huh, pupper!

Come on, Private, celebrate with me! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! It's not every day you get to kill a god slayer alongside a goddess and a great hero!

With a lineup like this, we can't possibly lose! And a good thing, too. One Waterloo was more than enough!

I'm trusting you two to handle the vanguard. Sound good!?

Certainly. I shall do my utmost to clear a path for you.

As will I. We shall be your blades until our Spirit Cores and Spirit Origins finally crumble apart.

Rest assured, I will never fall to heartless flame.

Ooh la la! I'm falling in love with you all over again!

...Please don't.

...Really, you mustn't, Emperor. Sigurd is right here beside me...

I can hardly blame him, given your beauty. But I must warn you, Emperor, you will never win her heart.

It already belongs to me.

!

Haha, I can't compete with that. Maybe this is a sign that I oughta focus on my main squeeze.

Fo fooou! Kyaaau!

Be warned. While I have used my runes to hold your Spirit Cores together, the bonds are still fragile.

If you expend all of your magical energy in battle, they will once again crumble.

That's awful...

Please do not concern yourself with us, Lady Mash. The existence of Servants is a brief, fleeting one.

Once our task is done, it is our fate to disappear. Both Brynhild and I are well aware of that.

Let our bodies be your sword. Let our bodies be your strength.

Lord Fujimaru, we may not have forged official contracts with you.

But as our temporary Master, our blades are yours to wield for humanity as you see fit.

？！

...It looks like we're all on the same page.

What a relief!

If you'd dug in your heels, I was worried I'd have to fight you myself, and that one or both of us might end up dead.

But for now...the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

I'm sure we can get along until this is all over. Right, Stepmother?

Yes, I suppose we can.

Ah... Hmm. It seems we will have a chance to test how well we can fight together sooner than expected.

Fo?

Hostiles detected! Giants! There's a whole bunch of big ones headed your way from underground!

Must be the red giants that were chained up! These guys should be old hat by now, right, Private!?

I'm seeing multiple Muspels! They appear to be the ones who were being kept underneath the castle...

...but there's something different about their heads! They're not wearing their masks anymore!

Surtr's power must have broken them. Now, they will no longer heed commands from my bloodline.

Hmm. Very well, then. I shall assist in dealing with them myself.

...That's one down.

We have multiple hostiles in the area. Master, permission to engage the enemy.

？！

Understood!

Haha! You're getting good at giving out orders, Private! Remind me to give you a medal once these guys are toast!

Very well...let us begin!

The battle in the castle is over. That would seem to be the last of the giants who were dwelling in the underground.

Now hurry up and get on the Border! We're waiting on the other side of the bridge!

Understood!

Fou! Fou, faaaaaauuu!

... ...

So I guess this means the queen was forcing the giants to obey her all this time, rather than them having submitted willingly.

But then, if she did have them under her control...

...why did they go around attacking Mash and Fujimaru the moment they laid eyes on them?

I assume those masks were only able to provide enough control for her to prevent them from attacking the villages.

In which case, they would not stop the giants from homing in on any heat source that happened to wander into their field of view.

Haha, gotcha. So that's why the villages are safe to live in...

And since you don't have to leave your village to survive here, I guess it all works out. Her Majesty thought this stuff through more than I thought.

... ...

This world couldn't have lasted for three thousand years otherwise. Especially since it sounds like most of it had been burned to the ground.

Keeping each village's population to a hundred people must have been a restriction intended to ensure life could continue here.

I mean, the queen even made those conifer trees out of ice with her magical energy. There just isn't that much food to go around.

You had to be strong to survive in Russia, but here, being strong is a death sentence.

The only way to survive in this world is to stay weak and live your life inside the confines of your village.

But that is neither here nor there. Come on, everyone!

We've gotta get ready to welcome back Mash, Fujimaru, the Heroic Spirits, and Her Majesty herself!

...M-multiple Divine Spirits, huh...

And all of them on a vehicle under my command...

Very well! Under the circumstances, I suppose there is nothing to do but accept that my report will likely fill a volume or two!

Where'd that idea come from!? Have you got nothing but free time or something!?

D-don't be ridiculous. If I come to be recognized as a great author once we have restored humanity, the Musiks could end up becoming Lords!

After all, it's the mark of an excellent leader to plan for what happens following the battle's end.

Now you're throwing shade at Napoleon!? There's no way you could ascend to a Lordship without the clout to go head-to-head with Policies and the aristocracy!

Now get your head out of the clouds and your ass in a chair!

Wh-wh-what did you say to me!? And how do you know so much about

I do beg your pardon, Mr. Meunière, but would you mind hurrying along with our travel preparations?

Though they may appear to be moving slowly, the giants' footsteps cover an astonishing amount of ground.

What Holmes said! Now come on, let's pick up the pace so we can catch up quickly!

...All set? Then let's kill ourselves some giants!

...Why are we using this lump of metal for transport?

That seems terribly inefficient.

The Heroic Spirits would reach our destination far more quickly with a flight rune, or a speed rune.

Fou? Fo fou?

We determined this was the best course of action under the circumstances, Your Majesty.

Totally. The giants are waaay more aggressive now, AND we've got Tree of Emptiness seeds falling from the sky.

Flying would make us easy targets for the giants lobbing ice boulders, and fleeing on foot would open us up to getting picked off individually.

Here in the Border, it's much easier to attack and defend at once.

For example, the emperor can use his cannon up on the deck to scatter any groups that come after us!

Hm...? I just saw something new on the radar.

More enemies!?

No, they're not hostile. But they are flying... Are those...birds?

Can you put them up on the monitor?

Of course. Here you go.

Ah, look...

Fou!

？！

Yes. Two of them again, no less.

They must be native to the fields that crop up in between the fire and ice zones...

Huh. They must be good friends. ...Wait. Let me get a better look at them. Hmm?

You two. You say you have seen these birds before?

Yes. Several times...

I see...

That explains it. Now it all makes sense.

Something on your mind, Your Majesty?

Oh, just thinking aloud, young sage.

Hey! Mesdames et messieurs! Can you hear me down there in that luxurious, toasty room of yours!

This is Napoleon, reporting in from atop the Border. I just saw some flying creatures besides those birds!

We've got another bunch of seeds headed our way! How far away are these things coming from, anyway!?

I'm not seeing anything over Whoa, scratch that! Definitely more of those seeds!

...Ah crap. They're changing course to try and land on top of this thing.

Moving to intercept now! Anyone who wants to join me, come on up!

？！

Yes. I'm all set! Da Vinci already finished looking over the Ortinax!

It was pretty much good as new, thanks to the queen fixing it up. Man, those Primordial Runes really are something.

I'll head out as well. I would like to familiarize myself with Gram's weight a bit more.

I'll go too.

No, you stay here. I can handle this alone, and I want you to rest up.

No, my love. Come what may, I will not leave your side.

...I see. Very well then, let us go together.

...The battle is over. It looks like that was the last of the seeds.

I never thought the giants would group together to chase after us while the Border was moving, though!

I wonder...were they trying to hold us back, or is it just a coincidence they showed up now? Hmm. I can't imagine they were sent here to stall us, but...

True. I don't sense any real intelligence guiding their actions, though. It may well be that they're not here at either Surtr or the Crypter's command.

You think the seeds came out on their own? Or maybe, that the Tree of Emptiness itself scattered them?

Yes, that is certainly a possibility. Fascinating. Perhaps these seeds are the Tree of Emptiness's way of defending itself.

I believe you first encountered one while you were in the old Jötunheimen highlands?

That's right. It was when we were on Mt. Galdhøpiggen.

Hmm. Perhaps it has to do with latitude? If true, that would explain why it responded automatically once you headed north...

All right, come on, this isn't a game! If you're done up there, get yourselves back inside!

Er, well not you, Emperor. You just stick to your gunsuh, cannon!

Yup, don't you worry about that. You're something else, treating me like an ordinary gunner, mademoiselle!

...Brynhild. It must be hard for you to be so close to me.

I know my very existence wears on you.

Even with the queen's protection...

It's all right, Sigurd. Strangely enough, I am comfortably able to control myself...

Maybe it's because...over half my Spirit Core is already shattered.

I was already broken when I materialized, so perhaps, by breaking myself further...

...I'm better able to resist my usual temptations.

How peculiar that becoming Heroic Spirits has reduced us to this.

Not at all, my love. I'm happy about this turn of events.