My Only Friend Is the Coffin Maker

So, here is what you need to know about this massive Singularity:

The era is somewhat unstable, but we do know that it is sometime after A.D. 1700, within a margin of at least a hundred years.

The location is presently unclear as well, but based on the vegetation we have discovered, we can rule out the Far East, Africa, and Europe.

Our best guess is that we are somewhere in America.

The magical energy levels are not as high as in the Age of Gods, but we are seeing tremendous fluctuations in the readings.

The magical energy ripples are so numerous that it is like observing a pond on a rainy day.

Frankly, it leaves me thinking Anti-Army Noble Phantasms might be popping off like fireworks in this Singularity.

And then, there is its Foundation of Humanity rating: ERROR.

Error...? Not the EX-rank that signifies nonstandard values?

Correct. It does not even register as nonstandard.

It's like nothing we've ever seen.

Generally speaking, the smallest of the minute Singularities are rated at E-.

Any lower than that, and they wouldn't qualify as Singularities.

Maybe it's just a bug in the system?

I hope so...

Either way, I will continue to monitor both the rating and the Singularity as the situation develops.

But the point stands that at the moment, we have many questions and precious few answers.

Hmm. Then we're essentially in the dark. Which means

？！

I hate to just fly by the seat of our pants, but I don't see that we have a choice...

Fortunately, Holmes is one of the Servants best qualified for this particular Rayshift.

Once you get there, I am sure you will be able to get to the heart of the mystery in no time! Right, Holmes?

It's quite a responsibility, but you may rest assured that I am up to the task. Uncovering the truth is the very essence of a detective's calling.

？！

Hahaha, how very welcoming of you.

That's all you have to say about the Singularity, yeah? Then I'll take it from here.

You'll have one other Servant accompanying you on this mission, though I'm sorry to say it won't be Mash.

Right.

I'm afraid the Ortinax is still undergoing maintenance.

In my capacity as technical advisor, I really can't allow her to Rayshift until maintenance is finished.

I'm not surprised. All those arduous battles in both Faerie Britain and Tunguska could easily have thrown her Spirit Origin a bit off-kilter.

Fou fou. Fooou, fou!

？！

The good news is, we're still planning to Rayshift Mash over there once the Ortinax's maintenance is done.

As for your other companion this time around

You needn't continue dragging this out. It is I.

？！

Indeed. This is a weighty responsibility, but I shall do my utmost to discharge my duty.

There are a number of other Servants besides Count Vlad who are a match for this Rayshift, but we can only send three in total.

Since we are going to send Mash later, that leaves us able to send only two for now.

Since Holmes was already a lock for one position, that left only one slot for the last Servant.

I was chosen after a peaceful discussion. "Peaceful" in this instance means only a bare minimum of blood spilled.

(Sounds like they decided the winner by fighting to the death...)

Master, I know this Singularity is full of mysteries, but I urge you to not lose sight of our ultimate objective.

Becoming emotionally invested in our enemies can lead to lapses in judgment if we are not careful.

...But I suppose there is little point in telling you that now. You are our Master. Do what you wish.

I will remain on standby in my spirit form. Call for me if you need anything.

I, for one, feel better already.

As a matter of fact, we will also be Rayshifting one more very special guest.

？！

I did, yes.

But the presence of another Master will give us a much wider range of options.

Sion, does that mean

You got it.

All right Kadoc, it is time for you to earn your keep!

R-right. I should have seen this cominNo, I'm not going! I'm still the commander, in case you've forgotten!

I think we could make that work if we wanted, but let us set that possibility aside for now.

This is the second Master who will be joining you.

？！

Yeah, yeah. Kadoc Zemlupus, Master of Team A, reporting for duty.

Kadoc!? But you're one of the Crypters!

Yeah, I actually know that. But my Lostbelt is long gone.

And I obviously can't escape to Olympus anymore, either.

Surrender is pretty much my only choice here. Not that I expect you to trust me just because of that.

HELL NO WE DON'T!

That's okay. I'll just have to prove you can through my actions.

？！

Hmph. Nothing gets by you, eh? Go on, Sion, tell him.

Sure thing! That is an Atlas Institute-produced mage-killer collar.

We will be monitoring Kadoc during this mission. If he tries anything funny, the collar will activate...

...and completely destroy his magical circuits.

Of course, "anything funny" includes trying to remove the collar himself. We do not want to kill him...

...but if he tries to use the collar to intentionally destroy his magical circuits, dead is what he'll be.

Oh, and be careful when using magecraft too, since any unauthorized spells could trigger the collar, as well.

Damn. You guys're brutal. But, fine. I can deal.

？！

Yeah?

？！

...Yeah, okay. First piece of free advice:

Mages shouldn't be so quick to offer someone a hand. Our hands convey a ton of information.

You're a Master too. You should know how important the hand with your Command Spell is.

... ...

(He's such a typical mage that he's making me remember I'm actually a mage, too.)

Fujimaru might be a great Master...

...but he was never really trained as a mage.

So I hope you'll keep giving him tips as time permits, Kadoc.

I will.

... ...

(What about his Sirius Light, Ms. Sion?)

(I was unable to remove it. But please keep that to yourself for now.)

(Understood.)

(If the Foreign God could activate the Sirius Lights remotely, she would surely have done so long ago.)

(There is little to gain by letting ourselves become overly concerned.)

(Yes, good point. And since the Sirius Light is still technically a Command Spell...)

(...the collar should suppress it before it can activate.)

(Granted, we would prefer to avoid testing that theory if at all possible.)

Okay, Sion, that's it from me. Anything else before we send them on their way?

Yes, just one last thing.

We were able to extract some keywords pertaining to this Singularity from a hieroglyphic prediction:

"Not a problem. Revolt. Eyelid eyelid."

？！

I am afraid I have no idea, either.

All we can say for certain at this point...

...is that we absolutely cannot afford to overlook anything in this Singularity...

...and that it is on the same scale as the Seven Singularities.

I know this might feel like a setback now that we're finally about to take a crack at the Seventh Lostbelt, but it's just like Sion said:

We'll dispose of this massive Singularity, no matter what! Prepare to Rayshift!

？！

Do you understand why you've been called here?

No, Lady Kriemhild. I can't think of anything that would

Desertion in the face of the enemy.

...!

Allowing an enemy to escape.

!

Disrupting the battlefield as part of a relentless pursuit.

... ...

Speak.

I retreated because Rider disrupted the battlefield. If I had stayed, I would very likely have died.

That wasn't an enemy. It was just a child.

A tactical error on my part and one for which I apologize profusely.

... ...I see.

...!

If we had held out, the city still would have fallen, but my men wouldn't have died needlessly.

The penalty is death.

Archer, there are no children on the battlefield. Even if there were, they would be Servants.

If even that escapes your understanding, then you shall die as well.

As for you, Rider...

But...why...?

You pretended to be contrite, hoping to save your life, because you know what I am like.

I have no need for one so shrewd and self-serving.

Curse...you... You're just...a woman...driven mad...by revenge...

Do you think that is a revelation to me?

...My, my. Once again, you've made quite a bloody mess.

Is cleaning up messes not your job, Zhang Jue?

Indeed it is. Or rather, it's my puppets' job. Go on, then, get to work.

How go things on the front line?

A deadlock. Still. His talent for defense is almost maddening.

Well, he is a renowned hero for a reason. ...Oops. My apologies.

How fare things on your end?

I've been mustering my Taipingjing and my knowledge of puppet soldiers to the best of my ability, but it's still going to take some time.

You may have all the time and money you need. Just be sure you succeed.

Fail, and I will have no choice but to cut your head off, too.

Hoho. Then I'd better give it everything I've got, hadn't I?

...Hmph. Well, no matter. What about new Servants?

It seems some new ones were just summoned not too long ago. I believe most of this batch went over to the opposing factions.

Hm. ...And what about the Righteous Realm? Has it moved?

No, it still hasn't budged. The only activity we've seen from his subordinates is scouting maneuvers.

I see. He must be waiting to swoop in after the dust settles and claim the spoils for himself.

They aren't so weak that we could overrun them all at once, but we can't ignore them, either.

It's a most vexing position to be in.

And, in consequence, we find ourselves in this deadlock. Infuriating.

...Indeed it is.

Have the Assassins continue to keep an eye on them.

Yes, my lady.

And one more thing. Your zodiac star was twinkling earlier.

Zodiac star...?

It means someone who will have a significant impact on this Singularity is about to arrive. Namely

Chaldea.

...I see. So, they're coming. They're really coming.

Ahh, what to do? What am I going to do about them?

How can I best make them suffer? How can I best make them grieve?

In the end, I will behead them, of course. But before that, I must be sure their punishment is truly spectacular.

How dare some common mage use US as familiars?

Please, calm yourself, my queen. They are still prisoners of war, and our society's rules do technically demand we treat them hospitably.

I never consented to playing by any such rules.

...Oh, very well.

Have the Chaldeans monitored until we know more.

I'm afraid we don't have the scouts to spare.

Then recall some of the Assassins we sent to spy on the Righteous Realm.

Have them keep an eye on the Chaldeans for the time being.

Understood.

Are you guys done talking yet?

...Salome. I'm surprised to see you out of the torture chamber.

Torture? I don't know anything about that.

I just want heads. That's all.

...Oh, never mind. Now, what is it?

What's Chaldea?

Hohoho. Well, to make a long story short, I would say they're

They're our enemies. Nothing more, nothing less.

So you're going to fight them?

I'm going to kill them.

...Oh.

Well, if you have any important heads you want to keep, would you let me hold onto them for you?

...I'll consider it. I doubt I will, though.

Really? That's too bad.

Okay, I'm going out for a bit. Want me to pick you up anything?

Maybe, um, some Sacher torte? It's really good.

...No, thank you.

Okay. Bye!

Are you sure she should be allowed to run about, doing as she pleases?

That's the way of life she sought as an Anti-Hero. There's nothing to be gained from denying her.

The important thing is that she's a strong fighter. Let her have her fun.

As you wish.

The preparations for the experiment have been completed, Lord Zhang Jue.

Great. I'll be right there. If you'll excuse me, my queen.

...How irritating. This is all so irritating.

Chaldea... The king... The emperor... I can't stand any of them.

It's all that hero's fault. I might just fall apart if he isn't summoned soon.

Come on, come on. Hurry up, hurry up...

That concludes my report, sir!

Thank you, Lancer. You may go.

Yes, sir!

...Yet more heroes' lives have been needlessly lost.

Please don't be sad, Your Holiness. As the Pope, you are right to grieve, but that is as far as it should go.

These heroes are all willing to lay down their lives to bring you victory in this war.

I really don't think I'm worthy of such a great sacrifice...

One cannot determine their own worth. That is for others to decide.

You may deny yours, despise yourself, or blame yourself for your undeserved fairy-tale fortune all you like...

...but we, your loyal subjects, will continue to love and respect you. Is that such a burden?

Honestly, yes! Yes it is!

Hahaha, well that's a problem then.

Personally, I'd rather die happy and smiling than continue on like this.

I'm sorry, Your Holiness, but we're not about to let you die.

We all pledged to keep you alive, and I consider it my sworn duty.

And that, that right there, is exactly why this is such a burden!

But, fine. Whatever. I don't care anymore. Whatever happens, happens!

But can I at least ask you one thing, Emperor?

What is it?

Those atrocities you and the others are committing... Are they all to make my desire come true?

Or are you putting your lives at risk because you WANT to do these things?

...That's a difficult question.

If that really isn't what you want...

...then I can offer you my own life, for what it's worth.

As the emperor of a dying empire, I doubt it will be much.

I...no, you're right.

I hate to admit it, but part of me does yearn to see what happens next.

No... I must see it. I have to.

Is that the voice of your Lord?

I don't know.

My Lord's messages can, at times, be...complicated.

Enough that an insolent like me can't hope to understand them.

Then again, it could be that I

That's enough, Your Holiness. Only discord and blasphemy lie that way.

Hmph, well, that's rude. I'll have you know I understand my place very well, thank you very much.

Do you? I have my doubts about that...

All right.

I'm going to go worship, like I always do.

By all means.

Don't wait up for me. I need to discuss strategy with my subordinates.

Fiiine. Oh, and...can I say one last thing?

Hm?

Try not to do too much evil scheming, okay?

It'll ruin your good looks!

... ...Well, I'll be damned.

I guess it's no accident Her Holiness was appointed Pope, after all.

...But I'm afraid I'm not done with evil schemes just yet.

We are here, Your Imperial Majesty.

Good. Let's begin with your report.

Yes, my liege.

A medium-sized force from the Revenge Realm attacked us three hours ago. They attempted to seize the Tower of Trigonio for themselves.

Fortunately, the thirty Archer-class Servants you had stationed there drove them away by unleashing all of their Noble Phantasms at once.

I see. So it played out just as I expected then.

Yes, my liege.

Unfortunately, ten of our other Servants were killed when they tried pursuing the retreating enemy forces.

...I thought I told them to maintain our defenses, not to give pursuit.

You did, my liege.

But several Rider-, Berserker-, and Lancer-classes decided to disobey orders.

They were clearly trying to steal a march on the enemy. And

So you're one of the Servants who violated the chain of command and went off on their own.

F-forgive me...my liege...

...If you could do it all over again, I trust you would make a different choice?

Y-yes, my liege!

Do you expect mercy?

I... Uh... I...

...Heh.

Sorry to scare you. I understand. As a warrior, instinct drives you to take advantage of opportunities for glory in battle.

I couldn't ask my soldiers to suppress those instincts any more than I could ask them to stop breathing.

I forgive you. And I ask that the rest of you go easy on them, as well.

This should go without saying, but achieving great things is your top priority.

Even if that means occasionally disobeying orders.

...Yes, my liege!

Very good. Next.

These two were caught fighting.

You know that fighting between Servants is forbidden, especially in this realm.

I therefore sentence you both to the rear guard during the next battle.

All right, you got your sentence. Now move!

I'm the last one.

Oh? I'm surprised to see you here. You've always been such a model soldier.

What could one of Alexander the Great's own have done to get in trouble?

Well...

Ghh...!

Unforgivable. You have done the one thing that is absolutely forbidden in this realm.

We will not tolerate Proper Human History. Only rebellion is permitted here.

There can be neither collaboration with nor mercy for the enemy.

I thought you understood that when you chose to stand with us.

But...we're...

Yes. We are heroes.

Beings who struggled against, were swallowed up by, or outright disappeared into the flow of history.

The shackles binding us to protect humanity are gone. And I...

I cannot forgive Proper Human History. Though I admit it is a completely one-sided grudge.

Nonetheless, this realm is a home for those who share that view. Something must have gone wrong with you when you were summoned.

You're the ones...who've gone wrong...

...Perhaps, but I cannot stop now.

... ...

I'm off to worship. Leave me.

Yes, my liege!

...I'm not wrong. I'm not lost.

...Please, grant me salvation.

I'm sorry I'm late.

...Oh no, it's fine. I only just began praying myself.

... ...

Is something wrong?

...It's nothing. All right, I think I'll pray for you next.

That concludes my report.

According to the Casters' analysis, the other two realms' battle ended in a painful draw.

Damn, so they didn't get beyond skirmishing. I guess they're still just as wary of us as ever.

What do you think, Roland?

...Of course they are.

Our faction may be the smallest, but our forces are just as strong as theirs.

If we were to attack them with everything we've got, we'd walk away with the lion's share.

And above all, our realm has none other than Charles the Great.

Yeah! Who cares about Kriemhild and Kōnstantînos!?

Charles the Great is the only true emperor!

You hear that, Your Imperial Majesty!?

...I do.

We fear neither the vengeance-crazed queen nor the emperor who failed to protect his nation.

So says Charles the Great.

Whoa! That's our emperor for you!

Indeed...

We will wait until the end before we make our move. A true emperor should never act in haste.

Charles also says to tell the Assassins to dedicate themselves to their training and to step up their efforts even further.

It shall be done, my liege!

Either Roland or I will head out next, Your Imperial Majesty.

I see.

Roland, go get 'em.

I'm honored, my liege. I'll leave straight away!

Hey, Roland. Don't forget your sanity this time, okay?

That only ever happens to you!

...Ahem.

So, how's it going?

It wasn't easy, but we survived another day. What a relief.

You did great, Sir.

Are you sure? All I said was "indeed" and "I see"!

There is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes even a few brief words can speak volumes.

And frankly, if you were to say more than that, your imperial aura would be ruier, somewhat diminished.

Is it just me, or are you saying I'm not much like an emperor?

It's just you!

If you say so...

But never mind that now. The scouts are getting increasingly nosy.

We won't be able to keep this charade up much longer.

With the renowned Charles the Great refusing to show himself for so long...

...people will naturally assume that he's either gravely inured...

...or harboring some awful secret.

But, if I just pranced on out there

They'd cut you down before you could say "hello."

Hahaha, well, that sucks for us!

This is no laughing matter.

You think?

'Cause it seems to me like all we need is for something to happen that'll keep them from suspecting the king.

Say, for example...a fourth faction showing up.

...!

I've got a hunch...

...that things are about to change.

Now's our chance, so we should send lots of scouts to make sure we don't miss it!

Your hunches do seem credible...

All right. We'll send out the scouts.

Let's add Riders and Casters to the usual Assassins.

Our defenses should hold for a while, even if we assign them to other classes.

I hope you'll help us, too.

Yooou got it!

...Sir.

Yes?

I feel this will be a crucial turning point for you. Please try to stay on top of things.

Of course. I'll show them exactly what I'm made of, or my name isn't DonI mean, Charles the Great!

You're getting into perilous territory, Sir. Remember, if they discover the truth, they'll have your head on a spike.

Eep.

So you must be both cautious and bold. Is that clear?

Indeed!

Now then...

If a fourth faction is about to get involved, it would have to be them...

I wonder what's going to happen.

Freakin' OW! That's hot! So that's how Rayshifting feels, huh?

？！

Quite right.

There was clearly something different about it compared to our usual Rayshifts.

Ah. Well, this is my first so I've got nothing to compare it to.

I'll just have to trust you guys to figure out what's wrong.

Master, are you able to contact Chaldea?

Yes, Mash here, on comms for Chaldea.

Are you okay, Master? We noticed there was an odd tremor during your Rayshift...

？！

That's a relief...

Right.

I can confirm that you and Kadoc are both unharmed.

It looks like Holmes and Vlad made it there as well.

According to Sheba's observations, there should be a small town nearby.

Is that where we go first?

As in all matters, we begin by gathering information. We must learn all we can, even if we must take a few risks to do so.

Well, that's the textbook answer...

... ...

But first, let me ask you something. Can you use Suggestions?

？！

...Guess that answers that.

So, this entire time, you've just been going around, running your mouth, knowing the locals will think you're either crazy or dangerous...

Well, at least his Mystic Code does have some magecraft built-in to dispel some of that incongruity.

？！

Me neither!

Seems like the kind of thing you probably shoulda told him about sooner... But, whatever.

All right, I'll use charm Suggestions on the locals. You think up what you want to ask them.

？！

So, where exactly are we headed?

The town is due north of you.

Then let us be on our way. It's a shame we don't have any horses.

I'll bring up the rear then.

Fujimaru, Kadoc, you two stay in the middle.

Sure.

... ...?

Holmes?

Oh, yes, my apologies. I'll be right there.

... ...

And completely deserted, as well. This won't do.

Hmm. There's something here that troubles me more than the lack of people.

How accurately can you analyze this debris, Mr. Zemlupus?

You want me to analyze it? Like, measure how old the materials are and stuff?

Just so. While I do have some degree of familiarity with the subject, I can only do so much.

Certainly nothing compared to analysis that employs complex magecraft.

We needn't settle for my amateur attempts since we have a mage with us.

Now I see.

Not really my specialty, but I can give it a shot.

You basically just need me to figure out this stuff's archaeological period, right?

Yes, that will do nicely.

I suspect that this debris was created through magecraft rather than human hands.

Magecraft?

Well, I say debris, but I mean the entire town. But let's wait for Mr. Zemlupus's analysis before I say more.

...Is this some kind of joke?

？！

The short version is that Holmes was right. This whole place was made with magecraft.

Probably a Caster's Territory Creation, or something like it.

A normal mage would really struggle with something like this, but a Caster could do it pretty easy, I think.

This town would seem to be of mid-to-late European design.

But, as I suspected, something isn't right.

While it does appear to be deserted, as Count Vlad said...

...I can discern no traces of anyone ever having lived here to begin with.

The hell're you talking about?

Think of it like a movie set.

There are faint signs of use, but nothing like the wear and tear one might expect to see over time.

I don't know if it was a mage or a Servant, but someone built this whole town in an instant.

That is my working assumption.

...I see.

That's unusual, but not outside the realm of possibility.

Then let me ask you something, Detective.

Please do.

Even if a Servant, or something similar to one, did create this town...

...what destroyed it?

Well, we can certainly rule out wildfires, as well as any other natural disaster.

What we do see are holeslikely from arrowsin the walls, nicks from swords and other blades, and ruts from wagons laden with heavy supplies.

A scene we are all too familiar with.

Servants fought a battle here.

I thought so!

Master, everyone, please be careful.

I just picked up some Servant signals, and they're headed straight for you.

Hold on. Getting a total now...

There...

？！

Th-this... This can't be right... Da Vinci!

I see it too! This isn't a malfunction or any kind of glitch.

Fujimaru, listen to me very carefully.

There's an army of Servants closing in on you.

？！

I did.

There are about a hundred of them, and they're all Servants.

Wha

Let me be certain I heard you correctly.

You're saying these aren't beings that rival Servants in power, but actual Servants? Is that right?

That's right! I've rechecked the readings several times! Now hurry up and get out of there or hide!

No...!

N-now I'm seeing another Servant army! It's about the same size as the first!

ANOTHER one!?

Hmm.

It would seem the two armies mean to surround this town.

Please hurry! They'll be there any moment!

...All right, let's hide.

Kadoc, Master.

Since neither Count Vlad nor I are Assassins, I doubt we'll be able to completely erase our presence.

And if we stay together like this, they'll be even more likely to find us.

I would like you two to hide somewhere separate. Count Vlad and I will find our own way to get through this.

If worse comes to worst, use a Command Spell. If nothing else, that will allow me to turn the situation around.

？！

Also, there is something I would like to ask of you. Something Count Vlad and I will be doing ourselves.

What's that?

Pay attention to the Servants headed this way. Try to find out what they're thinking, and what they're trying to accomplish.

What we need right now is information. Every action they take, every word they speak, could be invaluable.

？！

Thank you, Mr. Fujimaru. Then we shall meet again later!

This oughta be far enough. Now let's dig a hole to hide in.

？！

...Good idea.

This should be big enough to hide us, but not so much that it looks out of place.

？！

That should do it.

Okay, Fujimaru, get in and stay put.

"A mouse's hideaway. A cat's shortcut. At times, shallow thinking can trump wisdom."

？！

A camouflage spell.

I don't know if it'll work on Servants, but it's better than nothing.

？！

Are you kidding me? It's one of the most basic spells there is.

I haven't even been able to cut down my chanting time for it, so it's too slow to use on short notice.

...But I guess that doesn't matter now. Anyway, it has some soundproofing built in, but keep your voice down anyway.

？！

Hm? So what, you want to know more about mine?

？！

...Why not? Not like it's gonna last much longer. Hell, it's practically dead already.

And it's not like telling you about it's gonna change anything.

It's Anti-Beast magecraftspells meant for fighting, well, wild beasts.

Humanity has always been its own worst enemy, but beasts are a close second.

An ordinary person could never beat a wild beast with his bare hands.

So it's not really a shock people came up with magecraft to help with that.

So you can probably guess how it fell into decline, yeah?

Not much need for spells to track or chase animals these days.

Plenty of substitutes for that.

'Course, these spells can still come in handy against wild beasts.

But then, there aren't all that many of them out there anymore, either.

That's what happens to all magecraft eventually, though.

Spells change with the times, either becoming crazy strong or so weak they're useless.

？！

... ...

What? No. I can't believe you're even asking that.

Next piece of free advice:

Asking any normal, halfway decent mage that question is a fast way to die.

You're basically telling them:

"Your whole life is pointless. Why don't you just die already?"

？！

Eh, not much I can do to you right now. Not with this collar.

...Sorry. That was uncalled for. I should probably work on how snippy I get. One of these days.

Anyway, think we've run out of time to talk.

I tried to get us as far away from the town center as I could. Now we just have to hope they don't find us.

...They're here.

？！

According to our scouts, we'll be facing another medium-sized force.

The plan is to hit them with a full volley of our Archers' Noble Phantasms while the Riders flank them on both sides.

The Sabers and Lancers will keep them pinned down in the center and attack while the Riders have them confused.

Make sure you all have your Noble Phantasms ready to go when you need them!

I can't believe it. They really are all Servants...

？！

No clue, but they're all from different eras and countries. That much is clear.

So how the hell are they operating as a single army? Dammit, I can't believe it.

What the hell kind of Singularity is this...?

For that matter, how can there be this many Servants? Leylines, even Holy Grails can only summon so many.

Could they all be Rogue Servants...?

？！

Yeah.

You must've run into several of them across all the Singularities and Lostbelts you've been to.

I'm talking about Servants that are exceptions to the rulethe kind summoned from their ties to a land or a Holy Grail.

Remember Beowulf in the Russian Lostbelt? He was a Rogue Servant.

But even if that explains how they got here, it doesn't explain how there could be so damn many of them.

I mean, there's two hundred Servants right here between these two armies alone.

No wonder the town didn't survive.

？！

Hopefully, I picked a spot far enough from the battlefield...

At least they're not actively looking for us.

So screw it. At this point, que será, será.

？！

Maybe a little. Sorry.

I'll try to remember that we've got a common interest now, and act like it.

...Looks like they're about to get started.

Archers, at the ready!

Wait for it... Wait for it...

... ...

Now! Command Spell loaded! Activate Noble Phantasms! First Phantom Spirit-levels, then Heroic Spirit-levels!

Command Spell loaded! Activate Noble Phantasms! Lightning Longbow!

Wha...!?

Archers, to the rear! Hurry!

We inflicted minimal losses!

Damn, they must have Heroic Spirit-level Casters buffing them! All right everyone, this is it! Hold your ground!

？！

Keep your damn voice down. ...But yeah, I wonder what he meant by that, too.

Hold the line here, too!

Ghh! Shit! Can't...hold...much longer...!

Keep shooting! Buy as much time as you can!

We're taking massive casualties!

Riders, are you still not ready!?

We just arrived at the designated coordinates. We'll charge them right noWhat the...!?

What is it!?

A squad of Assassins just ambushed our right flank!

It's going to take some time to regroup!

Left flank here! We can't get through their Casters' Bounded Field!

We'll need time to regroup too!

Our charge won't be nearly as effective if we don't coordinate it!

Dammit...! I'll never be able to face Lady Kriemhild like this!

(Kriemhild...)

(Yeah, I know about her, too. She's a herono, a legendary figure.)

(Hm? Those guys were completely on the defensive... What changed?)

(I'll tell you later. ...Hm? What's going on with their enemy?)

？！

Urgent news! The Kōnstantînos's army from the Reinstatement Realm is in disarray!

That's it. That's what I like to see.

All right, let's swoop in and take the spoils for ourselves.

Maybe we should wait a little longer? Like, right until they're about to be defeated?

... ...

No, let's not! The Revenge Realm's already been hit pretty hard.

We need to at least get some good licks in with the Reinstatement Realm, too.

Now let's go!

...That's it! Keep it up! We've almost got Kriemhild's army wiped out!

I-I have an urgent message!

Charles the Great's army from the Righteous Realm has joined the fray!

They've struck our rear guard from behind and sowed confusion among our ranks!

Dammit, not again!

They've got Roland from the legend of Charlemagne leading them!

They're mowing down our rear guard like grass!

Retreat! Fall back to the Reinstatement Realm!

There's no way we can win a fight on two fronts! Assassins, use your smoke screens! Archers, lay down cover fire to buy us time!

Keep firing! Longbows, crossbows, guns... Whatever you've got!

Don't stop except to reload!

Kōnstantînos's Servants are in retreat! It's time we followed suit!

Casters, hold position until the Riders catch up with us. Then I want you to alter the topography and cut off any would-be pursuers!

Understood.

Do it!

...Mutate.

Kriemhild's Casters have transformed our surroundings into a swampland, Lord Roland.

Hmm.

We could have our Casters freeze the swamp and go after them...

... ...But, I think that's enough.

Both sides suffered heavy losses, and we got in a few good shots at the Reinstatement Realm's soldiers too.

The forces of Charles the Great's Righteous Realm are the only ones walking away unscathed.

Now let's cheer our victory!

Yeaaah!

Being naked rocks!

Y-yeaaah?

？！

Shut up! Look, I want to say something too, but this isn't the time!

Hm?

!!!

... ...

Must've been imagining it...

All right troops, retreat! Tonight, we're going nude till morning!

N-nude?

It's all right, Mr. Fujimaru. Mr. Zemlupus.

You can come out now.

Phew. That was a close one...

They never even came our way. I'm afraid you two were just unlucky.

Unfortunately, that also means we couldn't overhear anything.

Most of the town may be destroyed, but a few buildings are intact.

Let's find one such building and review what we've learned.