Fate/Grand Order story · Part 2: Cosmos in the Lostbelt, Realm of the Thanatos Impulse, Traum
The Plot and the Aftermath
Realm of the Thanatos Impulse, Traum. Fort Azagouc
5 scenes, 712 lines
1. Before the battle
111 lines...Five thousand.
That is as many Servants as the Righteous Realm can currently field in their army. Their numbers include about sixty Heroic Spirits. The rest are Phantom Spirits.
Large though those numbers are, they have no hope of defeating either the Revenge or Reinstatement Realm.
Even so, there was a beauty to be found in directing a group of highly trained Servants toward a common goal.
This will be the Righteous Realm's first large-scale battle.
As I've said, this will be the culmination of your training. You may think of it as another exercise if you like.
But know that anything less than your best effort will be considered an act of treason.
Treason not against me...but our emperor, Charles the Great.
Remember, this battle is not meant to demonstrate our might to the Revenge Realm.
It is to show your devotion to our emperor.
...I am aware that he is not present here with us.
He is, however, using a spell of far-sight to observe each and every one of you!
Remember that well, and fight with honor! Show our emperor that his is the righteous way!
We have nothing to fear from either the Revenge or Reinstatement Realm! Show them what you are capable of!
O God, please... Please let everyone come back safely!
Hmm. I think it might be better for your heart if you didn't watch this, sir.
Why don't I keep an eye on things while you just focus on praying?
(Muttering indistinctly)
Phew. We really aren't cut out to be Charles the Great, are we?
Ironic. A decision we made to save ourselves is bringing us closer to death.
I don't know how we're ever going to get out of this...
I-I have an urgent message, my queen! The Righteous Realm's army is on the move!
They're headed straight for our Fort Worms!
So, they've finally shown up. How many troops?
No more than five thousand, my queen.
I see.
Then there's no need to mobilize our entire army in response.
Still, they've never made a move like this. Recall the majority of our soldiers guarding our border with the Reinstatement Realm.
I'll go to meet this army as well. And get Zhang Jue here. Now.
I-I'm afraid I have some bad news, my queen!
...?
We can't get ahold of Lord Zhang Jue!
...Hmm. I wonder what's going on.
What would you have us do, my queen?
...Go out to meet the enemy. Ten thousand troops ought to suffice.
Elite Knights. Assemble your formations. Now!
Right away, my queen!
I wonder what happened to him. Is he slacking off? Did he turn traitor? Did he die?
I swear, just when I need that cunning old man most...
"What a hassle," the queen sighed.
...Let's turn back the clock a bit.
Fort Azagouc.
The fortress where Zhang Jue has shut himself away with a hundred of his loyal Servants.
This seems a small group, but in a fortress where even security patrols are confined to a painfully specific route, they were more than sufficient.
Especially with all of Zhang Jue's security measures.
The fortress itself is also situated in the heart of the Revenge Realm's territory.
Even were the other two realms aware of it, they would never send troops so far.
Zhang Jue never enjoyed shutting himself up in this fortress, though.
But he had two reasons for doing so.
The first was supervision.
As this fortress contains something taboo in the Revenge Realm, Zhang Jue could not relax without coming by from time to time to check on it.
He also wanted to make sure that none of the Servants patrolling its halls had realized what that taboo was.
If they did, he would have no choice but to...tie up loose ends.
The second was preparation. Zhang Jue would never miss a chance to better prepare for rebellion.
Not only to rebel against Proper Human History...
...but of course, to rebel against Queen Kriemhild as well.
There's no telling how long she'll last, after all.
Zhang Jue's concerns lay with Kriemhild's mental balance, or rather, the lack thereof.
He knew she had resorted to every trick she could think of in her efforts to take vengeance for Siegfried, her beloved husband.
She even went so far as to try and offer up her own body to Attila, aka Altera.
The depths of her hatred, and her eye for strategy, both far exceeded ordinary parameters.
Zhang Jue knew that very well. And he also knew...
...she was a Berserker.
However sane she might have seemed, beneath that, she was still a monster whose heart burned with an unending thirst for revenge.
And so he understood that he would eventually have to rebel against her, even if it meant grinding her down to a nub in lieu of her completely falling apart.
Now, what am I going to do with him...
His indecision was rooted in his uncertainty about whether his trump card was an ace or a joker.
If used well, he could be a blade to Kriemhild's throat. If used poorly, he could destroy the whole Revenge Realm, and Zhang Jue with it.
And so he could trust the fine-tuning of this particular asset to no one else.
Zhang Jue once commanded armies numbering in the tens of thousands. His schemes, ambitions, and desires were without end.
But today, his lucky streak came to an end.
In addition to his two secrets, he had also made two grave mistakes.
First, he failed to account for the existence of another talented sorcerer, even if they may not have been quite on his level.
And his second, ultimately fatal mistake...
...was failing to account for the world's greatest detective paying him a visit.
Okay, this is Zhang Jue's dunjia pan, or cosmic board. Of course, it's probably pretty different from a conventional one since it was made specifically for him.
But that shouldn't matter as long as we can figure out the basic directions we need to go.
All right, Ms. Xu Fu, where do we begin?
Qi Men Dun Jia uses eight geomantic gates: Xiu (Rest), Sheng (Life), Shang (Wound), Du (Grove), Jǐng (Scene), Si (Death), Jīng (Shock), and Kai (Open).
We need to go through Life, Scene, and Open, and avoid the other five.
...Let's start with the Life gate.
This wayand of course, try to be as quiet as possible.
Okay, everyone. Follow me.
As long as we stick to our training, my Presence Concealment skill should extend to the rest of you as well, at least a little.
Though of course, I'm just a run-of-the-mill Assassin, not one of the Hassan-i Sabbah...
...so I'm afraid it may not be much better than nothing.
That's all right. It should still be more than enough. Now, shall we?
(What's wrong?)
!
(Dammit... Zhang Jue must have made even more modifications to the Qi Men Dun Jia!)
(We'll need to think exactly as he did now. A single mistake will put us in the Death gate!)
(...!)
(There are three enemy soldiers here. What shall we do?)
(I would prefer to avoid them if we can.)
(That could be a tall order. Which way next, Lady Xu Fu?)
(We need to either keep going straight or make a right turn here.)
(We can't avoid them if we do that.)
(Then I would at least like to keep this quiet.)
(This extra-modified silence-amplifying talisman should be able to erase any sign of our battle right down to our presence.)
(But, it won't last forever, so we'll have to take them out quickly, and without using our Noble Phantasms.)
(Fine with me. All right, let's kill them.)
Huh!?
(Enemy attack! Enemy attaHuh!?)
(Crap, I can't talk! No, wait... I can't make any sound at all!)
(Your lives are mine!)
2. Before the battle
41 lines(It's over. Nobody else seems to have noticed us. Let's keep going.)
(We'll be heading into the basement from here. I hope your theory is right, Holmes...)
(It is. Rest assured, we will find Zhang Jue there.)
(I am no expert on Taoist arts, Ms. Xu Fu, but thanks to you, I at least have a reasonable understanding of its processes.)
(What has a process also has an endpoint. That is to say, all things have their logical conclusion.)
(Here, that conclusion is the room next to the safest place in this fortress.)
(That is where we'll find him.)
...Hm?
A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Zhang Jue.
Me? Oh, not at all. I couldn't have done this alone. Even I cannot intuit the intricacies of another culture's secrets.
But it is another matter entirely when I have the aid of one familiar with them. As long as I understand the process, I can arrive at a logical conclusion.
I see. And you... You're the Master who got away.
I'm surprised you came back. Admirable.
Here to avenge Salome?
...
Hoho, do stop. That glare might well kill me.
You won't provoke me.
I already have. That you need to keep your emotions in check is proof enough.
At times like these, it's imperative to stay cool and collected.
？！
Now then, surely you didn't expect to come waltzing into my inner chambers and leave with your lives, did you?
In fact, we did.
You have not a single ally to call upon for aid.
...Oh?
Were any aid to arrive for you, it would only compound your present predicament, so risky is this little project of yours.
...
We, on the other hand, have already called in help. She's removing every sound from this fortress even as we speak.
Haha, hahaha. I suppose I should be afraid for my life, but I'm honestly more impressed by your compassion.
You're right. I can't be too quick to call for help, which is why I have to cast a paralysis spell on all my allies right now.
I must ask, though. Did you, with that piercing intellect of yours, account for these?
Come forth!
...Hmm.
These are my Yellow Turban puppet soldiers. Pretty fashionable getups, no? So, did you account for these as well?
Heh. I must confess, I did not.
But I did indeed determine that you would have either accomplices or some manner of faithful subordinates with you.
Your puppets are, therefore, well within my expectations. Now, prepare yourself.
...Hmph.
My luck hasn't run out yet. Nor am I so far past my prime that I'm about to let the likes of you kill me.
I am Zhang Jue, the Great Teacher! And I'm about to give you the most painful lesson of your lives!
3. After the battle
35 linesIs that all you've got!?
(He's an even more formidable opponent than I expected! He may even be as powerful as the top-ranked Servants!)
(Could he have the Holy Grail himself? ...No, that wouldn't make any sense.)
(Zhang Jue, the Heroic Spirit. Something sets him apart from others...)
I see. Now I understand.
Hah! What is it you think you understand?
...
(I couldn't hear what he said...)
？！
There!
Khh.
Khh... Gwaaaaaah!
It can't be! But then...that must be it!
Curse you... Curse you, curse you, curse you! What a failure I am!
How... HOW!?
How did you figure it out!?
Well, IHmm.
Heh, hahahaha! What a fool I've been! An absolute jester!
Have I exhausted heaven's will!? Not at all!
I never had such thing in the first place!
Ahh. Ahhh. And now I'm...disappearing... I guess...I can't stay here...any longer...
Does this mean...I was...mistaken...after all...? ...Master...
The enemy Servant is gone. Though I have to say, it didn't feel like my Noble Phantasm did all that much.
What did you say to him, Holmes?
？！
Oh, nothing much. At least, I didn't think much of it.
But in retrospect...it may have been a grave error on my part.
What do you mean?
？！
I asked him...
...if he really was who he thought he was.
But, in this case...I'm afraid our effort may be a tad
What!?
4. Before the battle
73 linesWelp, this is the fun, fun time everyone's been waiting for: the moment it all comes crashing down on our heads.
It looks like that old man rigged this fortress to fall apart if he died.
Who hasn't dreamed of going out with a bang?
We had best leave immediately, then.
Oh, right. Okay, first we need to find the Life gate, then the Scene
That won't be necessary. I know enough to lead the way myself.
Seriously? Damn, this whole detective thing is nuts.
...Hang on. What do you even need me for then?
Haha. Let's save the conversation until after we've escaped, shall we?
Wh-what's going on!?
I don't know! Let's just get out of here!
W-wait! That's the taboo direction!
Huh? WhaAaaaaah!
Dammit! Which way do I go!?
Pardon me!
Aagh!
If we head straight down this passage, we should be able to exit through the Scene gate.
What do you think, Fujimaru?
Well, this IS Holmes we're talking about, so...
That's a terrifying thought.
？！
Oh, I have my talents, but I am by no means omnipotent.
I would, of course, make an excellent Caster, but for now, I'm quite content as a Ruler.
Phew. It's good to be outside again.
Honestly, I didn't think I was gonna survive this mission, but it went a lot smoother than I thought.
Well, now you're a dead man for sure. Just had to go and tempt fate by saying that, didn't you?
You'll be lucky if you make it back to the Righteous Realm now.
Come on, Lady Xu Fu, please don't scare me like that!
Good, the golem horse is still here, and it doesn't seem as though anyone discovered it.
No sign of any enemies nearby. We should be good to go.
Anticlimax, much?
You're disappointed, Lady Xu Fu? Haven't we had enough excitement for one day?
You still don't want to contact them?
It would be best to wait until we've reached the Righteous Realm's border.
Let's see. Considering the time it will take them to learn that Fort Azagouc has collapsed...
...the time it will take them to confirm that Zhang Jue has vanished...
...and the time it will take them to discover we were here and put together a squadron to pursue us...
...Hmm.
We have no margin for error, but we should still be in the clear, no matter how fast their response time is.
As long as we skirt their patrols, we should have little trouble making our escape.
Well, that's a relief.
？！
Everything is going swimmingly. None of his finely honed instincts are sounding any alarms.
The red sky gradually gives way to a pleasant blue.
Soon, they will arrive in the Righteous Realm, and their mission will be complete.
But, even amid such a peaceful scene, Holmes continues to rack his brain, searching for an answer.
... ...
An answer to what, you ask? Why, he wishes to understand why I have yet to reappear.
(He planned for Count Vlad to become one of his allies.)
(That part, I can understand. It would have been an effective way to rob Chaldea of portion of our combat forces.)
(But...why hasn't he shown himself again since then? Why hasn't he tried another attack on us?)
(Is he somehow preoccupied with his role as the Foreign Disciple?)
(If he is, then where in this Singularity could he be? More importantly...what could he be doing...?)
The wheels in his mind turn and turn, trying to find the truth obscured by the clouds of ambiguity.
But Sherlock Holmes will never understand.
Yes, some things escape even the man who supposedly understands everything.
...In a sense, this Singularity is akin to a Lostbelt.
History is made by people.
There is no way to tell how much time has passed when there are no sentient creatures there to experience it.
Think of an insect crawling around on the ground for one or two years.
In that situation, one could make a strong case that no time has passed at all.
This Singularity is the reverse. Servants are the walking incarnation of human history.
Here, where heroes and Anti-Heroes from every nation, world, and race are continuously summoned...
...one could say that the path of humanity exists in the background.
This is why the idea of rebelling against Proper Human History is so significant.
If Holmes wishes to erase this Singularity, merely fitting pieces together won't be enough. He will need to make massive leaps of logic.
But, with worries of me consuming his every thought, he will never reach the answer.
He's simply not capable of it right now. Of this, I am certain.
In contrast, our goal is well within reach.
...As the Foreign Disciple, I will murder Sherlock Holmes myself.
5. Before the battle
452 linesOh, it seems our timing is impeccable. Vlad III just returned as well.
Hmm. Looks like things went pretty well.
Damn right they did!
Waah!
...Don't you think it's dangerous to whack someone with a bowl?
Oh, who cares. It's not like it can actually hurt you. Anyway, you were saying?
Well, you're obviously aware that this was our first battle as a single, unified army, right?
Yeah. So?
It went even better than we expected. Much better. Count Vlad's orders were brilliant, and his troops carried them all out faithfully.
Our formations, our troop lineup... Everything was perfect.
I'm sure the Revenge Realm will think twice before messing with the Righteous Realm now.
That's wonderful to hear.
And how did your assassination mission go? ...Never mind. I can tell from the looks on your faces.
Congrats!
It all went very smoothly. Just goes to show the power of teamwork.
Then all that's left for you to do now is report back to the emperor.
Ugh, I've gotta make an in-person report? Can't I just give you a written one? No?
Wow, you really have nerves of steel, don't you? I'm literally shaking at the thought of meeting Charles the Great.
Ah, don't worry, you'll be fine. He's a really friendly guy!
I find that very hard to believe.
...And that concludes our report.
Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Emperor Charles the Great will now grant you fitting rewards.
Well done. I'm so glad to see you all come back safe and sound... So, so glad...
You are too kind, Your Imperial Majesty.
We, your loyal subordinates, are honored to have been of service.
Man, my shoulders are killing me.
I still can't believe the emperor himself rewarded me...
What'd you get?
Some magical items for enhancing my Spirit Origin, and a support Mystic Code.
You can never have too many, of course, but they're usually tough to get ahold of.
Is that so?
I already wrote off the talismans as business expenses, so maybe I'll grab some Spirit Origin enhancement materials, too.
How about you, Holmes and Fujimaru?
Hahaha, I suppose we're in much the same boat ourselves.
You should let the secretary know if you didn't get anything.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that.
G-good point.
？！
All right, I'd better get going.
I have a lot of training to do if I'm going to catch up to the rest of the Assassin brigade.
I'm gonna pop into my spirit form and get some shut-eye. Later.
Good day, Xu Fu.
Excuse me. Do you two have a moment?
Of course, Ms. Sancho. What can we do for you?
Do you remember our plan to throw a victory party once you got back?
I do indeed. Ahh, I see. Then I take it that
Yes. Everything is ready for you.
Could I ask you to come back to the throne room so we can celebrate?
Of course. How about you, Master?
You better believe I'll be there!
Thank you. My sir will be thrilled.
What about Xu Fu and the Assassin?
I do feel bad about excluding them after all the hard work they put in...
...but I'm afraid we need to keep the matter of my sir's identity to ourselves.
It's all right, Mr. Fujimaru. We can have another, smaller wrap-up party with them later.
Would you mind if we left the proceedings early, Ms. Sancho?
Not at all.
？！
Bottoms up!
Cheeers!
As well as it went, it was still only the first of many missions to come... But, very well.
One should never underestimate a banquet's capacity for increasing morale.
Man, Astolfo, you should've seen me out there!
There I was, perfectly blended in among the foot soldiers, doing my job like it was second nature!
O-oh. So...you didn't actually do much fighting then?
I was a part of the team! That's what matters!
I used a far-sight spell to watch the battle from here.
You all did magnificently.
You were in such perfect lockstep with each other, I couldn't even tell where you were, Lord Roland.
I cautioned them against going off on their own. It's a common mistake among individually skilled soldiers.
That aside, while I'm certainly glad this battle went as well as it did, it is not all good news.
How come?
？！
One of my goals for this training exercise was to have the troops practice responding to sudden unforeseen accidents.
When things are going well, it is the tendency of soldiers to grow overconfident.
That's true.
It may be a good idea to train the troops on what to do in case something goes wrong.
Agreed. I'll put a plan together right away.
Please, everyone, drink up! Eat up! Ahh, what a great day this has been!
Careful, sir. You don't want to get carried away.
Indeed.
As Toole IV used to tell meer, well...admonish is probably a better word...
"There is nothing more dangerous than a mage in high spirits getting carried away."
You mean, you had a Sancho of your own!?
Oh yes. Occasionally uncompromising, always demanding. That was Toole for you!
Ahh, it's good to meet someone who knows my pain!
Oh, really now? I see.
Er, wait. I didn't mean it like that, Sancho.
Then how DID you mean it...sir?
(Looking for a graceful way out of a clearly unfavorable situation)
Mash here. I'll be taking over for the director for the time being.
Congratulations again on a job well done, Senpai.
Thanks, Mash.
？！
You too, Kadoc.
Me? I literally did nothing here. Unless you count sitting on the sidelines and watching a battle.
Did you notice anything noteworthy?
...You know how occasionally, you'll get a second or third-rate Servant with a surprisingly strong Noble Phantasm or Strength stat?
Well, there were a number of Servants like that on both sides, so it made for a hell of a show.
I don't know if I should say this, but it felt like I was watching a major spectacle.
Big flashes of light and magical energy, all that kinda thing every time a Command Spell was activated.
That happened on both sides, ally and enemy alike.
So that was the Master we're up against...
？！
We know they're not a Crypter, that's for sure.
But I'll be damned if I have any idea how a mage ends up like that.
We've been looking into this Master as well, but it's gotten us nowhere.
All we can say at this point is that Holmes was right.
The same Master is using Command Spells on all those Servants.
I see... Dammit, what are we missing?
What if the Foreign Disciple's their Master?
That's possible, but...
Could another Servant be their Master?
Well, it's not completely impossible for a Servant to be another Servant's Master...
...but that still wouldn't explain how there are so damn many of them here.
There's no Master anywhere in the world who could support over ten thousand Servants.
Although...
？！
... ...
Eh, let's just forget about that for now. How's the Ortinax coming along?
I'm afraid it'll still take a little time. We're just short on staff right now...
And Da Vinci is currently on break.
A break, huh? ...I see. No, that's fine then.
I don't have anything urgent to ask her. Just let her get the rest she needs.
I will.
I think I'll talk to Don Quixote and Sancho.
I think I'll talk to Roland and Astolfo.
？！
Oh, Lord Fujimaru! Great work on the mission today.
Please, have some fruit-infused water.
Thank you.
？！
We were lucky to get by with minimal casualties... Truly, I don't think things could have gone better.
Sir.
Yes, I know.
I couldn't help any of you myself...but I'm still glad to see you all back safe and sound.
I mean that, you know. Cheers!
Don Quixote.
Oh, Lord Holmes! You're enjoying the food, I hope?
Of course. These canapés are exquisite.
Good, good! Sancho and I put a lot of heart into making those, you know!
I had my sir handle everything except the actual cooking.
I wasn't doing anyone any good anywhere else, so...
With all due respect, I beg to differ.
You took a stand and fought for what you believed was right. Your principles are the backbone unifying the entire Righteous Realm.
...I hope you're right.
If you want to be useful, sir, you could always clean up after the party.
You're working me to the bone tonight, aren't you!? All right, I'll take care of it!
Hahaha.
Great work today.
Nice job! You really pulled it off, didn't you!?
Ow...
？！
I, too, was pleased to see you both take such an active role in this war.
Count Vlad... You're too kind, sir.
Wow, 'preciate it, Count!
Can you not even say "thank you" properly, fool?
...You!
...Oh, all right. I suppose I can live with that.
So what did you guys do?
？！
I was the captain leading the raid. I cut a path through the enemy with good old Durendal.
I led the special forces, so I pretty much just hopped on my hippogriff and charged right into the enemy.
So...both of you just, well, charged right at the enemy?
That's right!
That wasn't a compliment.
Whaaa...? Come on, compliment me! I want some praaaise!
(How can he be so chummy with me? You'd think we knew each other in another world or something!)
Durendal, huh...?
？！
Hm? That's my sword: Super Durendal, the coolest, strongest, awesomest sacred sword in the world. What about it?
You should probably leave out the "Super" part, though.
Well, you see...
？！
Huh. So you ran into wielders of Durendal in the Third Singularity and the Atlantic Lostbelt...
That's awesome!
Yeah, they were!
Hektor's a legend to European heroes like us.
And the other one was...Mandricardo!?
Wait, THAT Mandricardo!?
That crazy arrogant, obnoxiously handsome king of the Tartars who had adventures with actual fairies!?
I can't believe he had Durendal too...
I bet he was all...
"Bwahaha I can wield this bad boy one-handed and still be three thousand times as good as Roland could even DREAM of!" Right?
I...uh, wait. Who are you talking about here?
Hmm. I don't think I ever met him myself. Or if I did, I forgot.
I do get the feeling Mante kept pestering me about something, though.
But eventually she calmed down and then went on and on and ooon about how great Ruggiero was...
Sounds like the Mandricardo you know's very different from the one I did.
Would you mind telling us about him?
... ...
... ...
So yeah, that's what he was like.
？！
Yeah... You think we could pull off something like that?
I don't know...
What do you mean?
？！
Oh, sorry, Master of Chaldea. Don't get me wrong. We're not talking about strength or anything.
We're just, um...wondering if we'd be able to make the same choice under the same circumstances.
I'd like to think I could be a big hero like that, but...I'm not so sure.
I just don't feel brave enough to say I could sacrifice my life like that and really mean it.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is...that Mandricardo sounds really awesome!
A toast to Mandricardo!
And to Fujimaru, who wouldn't be here right now if not for Durendal and his bravery and sacrifice!
Cheeers!
I think I shall raise my glass to Mandricardo as well.
...To his noble spirit, and to his tremendous bravery.
Thank you so much!
Hm?
Why did you support Don Quixote when he decided to pass as Charles the Great?
You are two of Charles'sor rather, Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins.
Were I in your position, I would have been fiercely opposed to anyone impersonating my liege.
...I guess I'd just call it a necessary evil. I could give you all kinds of reasons, but...
I'd say what it really comes down to is...
...if the Charles the Great we knew was here, I'm sure he would've probably said something along the lines of...
"Sounds good to me. You're awesome!"
...and made Don Quixote emperor just like that.
Yeah, exactly. 'Course, like you said, we used to call him "Charlemagne" ourselves.
You don't think such a big lie would upset him?
Nah, he would've been the first to laugh and forgive a whopper like that. He always had a knack for making lies into truth.
So we're pretty sure that even if he was summoned here right now, he wouldn't be the least bit mad about what we're doing.
Yeah. Heck, he'd probably ask Don to keep pretending to be emperor himself!
Oh, yeah. I could definitely see that.
He was an adventurer at heart, our Imperial Majesty. Heck, that's too long to say.
Let's just call him emperor.
Heh.
You may want to be careful about speaking too poorly of your liege.
Though I don't personally take issue, some less savory types hearing that may grow disrespectful to Charles the Great in consequence.
...Then again, I suppose if anyone has a right to speak that way, it's those of you who knew him best, his trusted knights.
Pay my earlier statement no heed. By all means, continue your conversation.
O-okay.
So, Fujimaru, as I was saying about our emperor...
He was an adventurer at heart. The kind that'd set out on one in a heartbeat and not come back for ages.
You could pretty much say the same about us, though.
I know I'd take an adventure over politics any day!
Our emperor wasn't the sort to be content just ruling quietly from his throne.
He'd be happy to let Don Quixote play the part. Probably he'd just say, "Sure, have fun," and be off.
Hold on.
If the real Charles the Great were here, I'd be more than glad to trade places with him!
Hey, we're just speaking hypothetically.
You guys really love him, don't you?
I can tell how much you guys love Charlemagne.
Guilty as charged!
Things weren't always easy with him, but I never once regretted my choice to be one of his retainers.
I see.
It's a shame that I never had the chance to meet this magnificent emperor for myself when I was still alive...
I can only hope I get another chance in this second life.
Me too. Minus the second life part.
？！
Yeah, we'd love to see him again, too.
And you know, I bet the two of you would really hit it off!
Maybe it's time I turn in for the night...
Maybe I'll go pay those two a visit...
？！
Oh, are you calling it a day, Lord Fujimaru?
Very well then, I wish you a very good night.
I shall see you again tomorrow.
Good night, Master.
Good night!
？！
...Oh, it's you this time.
I'm afraid I don't have any business with you, though.
Still, my compliments on making it this far, even if you did get lost along the way.
Now, what do you want?
(I can't talk... Maybe because it's a dream?)
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Hmm. I see you made it here without recovering your facility for language.
Well, these sorts of things happen. Or perhaps my fervent wishes made my dream come true.
Very well then, I'll do the talking, and you can stand there and listen, looking pained.
Allow me to be blunt: I despise you.
Have you never once considered how you, and all the rest of Chaldea, are evil?
You and your fellow Chaldeans have annihilated six worlds thus far. Lostbelts, yes, but worlds nonetheless.
I know, I know! It was what you had to do to survive.
That's the rebuttal you wish you could voice just now, yes?
But people like you and Mash Kyrielight...so kindhearted...
Can you really bear the burden of what you've done?
I'm sure you understand that yourself, of course. But how long do you think that understanding can prop up your mind?
You may be able to endure the momentary flashes of intense guilt, but what about the endless sorrow that threatens to crush you beneath its overwhelming weight?
I don't believe you have what it takes to endure that. Which is why I refuse to abide your presence.
...At any rate, I think that's enough for now. You won't remember this when you wake, anyway.
Not that it makes much difference whether you do.
This whole conversation is ultimately meaningless. Fate is inevitable. No one can change it. No one.
All right, off you go. I don't have any more time to spare for the likes of you.
Not if I'm going to end the realm you're in, and him along with it.
What a weird dream. Wish I could remember what happened...
？！
Oh, hello, Lord Fujimaru. Are you already turning in for the day?
You're not?
...I see.
In that case, I'll go ahead and designate a good place for all of you to get together.
Here, why don't you bring them these drinks and snacks as a little souvenir?
Okay, have fun.
I sure wasn't expecting the secretary to call us in here all of a sudden...
She said something about additional rewards, and that they were delicacies, at that.
And she was right. I have here a fine selection of alcohol, refreshments, and fruits.
Not to mention tobacco.
Whoa, there's even hookah supplies... I think I'll take those if no one else minds. Oh, and I'll stick to tea since I can't drink alcohol.
But I can, and I will♪
Well, everyone, once again, here's to a job well done. Charles the Great was tremendously pleased.
Whoa...
Honestly, it still doesn't feel entirely real.
He is. I made sure of it myself.
His Spirit Origin vanished completely. However
However?
He is going to return. Or rather, there is a possibility another one of him is waiting in the wings.
Wat.
Zhang Jue became incredibly flustered when I asked him if he really was who he thought he was.
He would only respond in this way if his personal sense of self were extremely ill-defined.
I believed that lack of self was a consequence of him being an imposter of some sort, which is why I asked him that question.
Really? I mean, he sure as hell seemed strong enough to be the real deal.
Indeed, he did. Abnormally so. Enough that it left me uncertain as to whether it truly was him in the first place.
However...whether that abnormally strong version was the only Zhang Jue to exist is, as yet, unclear.
There could be several of them, much like the Yellow Turban puppets he commanded.
I am merely speculating at this stage, though.
(I've got a feeling he's probably not wrong...)
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Well, who cares as long as he's gone? And hey, if he comes back, we can just assassinate him again.
More importantly, we should be celebrating and doing a bit of enhancing our team's bond, if you ask me.
You're really into this whole teams and bonding thing, huh?
They're what you need to fight as part of a unit. (Exhale...)
Mmm, good hookah, that. It may be bad for my health, but that's not something I have to worry about, so life is good.
Well hey, we are Servants.
What about if there was a human here?
Would it change anything if a human was here?
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... ...
Huh? What do you mean?
Like...would they be torn limb from limb or something?
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...Oh, now I see. Getting torn limb from limb, huh.
Of course not!
Huh? That almost happened to you at one of your summonings? Damn, what kind of monstrous Servants were they?
Huh? They were faeries?
Faeries, you say?
I've heard rumors about them, but I don't know much about what they're actually like.
The faeries themselves weren't especially dangerous. If anything, they were more like warped imitations of human nature.
All that aside...and I can't say this too loudly, but...
...I don't think having humans around would be all that big a deal.
Especially not now, when we're mostly focused on trying to take down the other two realms.
Incidentally, we ended up here in the Righteous Realm through fairly conventional means...
But what about you two? What do you think of the other realms?
Just that they're the nations we need to defeat. I lost a lot of friends in our battles against them.
The same goes for them as well. There won't be a peaceful reconciliation in all this.
Two of the realms will either surrender everything or be completely destroyed. There's no middle ground here.
I see. So you fight more out of a sense of duty than hatred.
Something like that. Though it all still barely feels real to me.
I don't care at all for the Revenge or Reinstatement Realm, though. The Revenge Realm feels especially...icky to me.
And the Reinstatement Realm, well...
What about it?
Who was their big cheese again? What's-his-face? Kōnstantînos?
Yes, that's right. Kōnstantînos XI.
I kind of hate his guts.
Do you now?
That is something of a surprise to hear. In the history of rulers, he is well-known for being neither a tyrant nor a fool.
I cannot speak to how strong he is as a Servant, but as the king of a realm, I expect he has a Holy Grail backing him up.
So why do you detest him so?
Nnn...I guess it's the way he's so high on his own righteousness?
Don't get me wrong, I don't want my country to be a den of bribery and lawlessness either...
...but I also can't relax in places where everything's too...perfect, you know?
I see. You make a good point.
Given the Reinstatement Realm's goal, they have a vested interest in upholding righteousness and responsibility.
What goal is that?
Kōnstantînos seeks retribution on Proper Human History for refusing to let a certain woman exist.
Who's that?
Pope Johanna.
I believe Kōnstantînos wishes to rebel against Proper Human History so that he can make her existence known throughout the world.
Johanna... Johanna...
Hmm. I think that name sounds familiar, but I can't place it...
Who is that?
A female pope. It was once believed that she existed, but later proven definitively that she did not.
A very rare being indeed.
Heroic Spirits, myself included, contain Mystics by definition.
When our existence is inscribed in Proper Human History, how much of our real past is included, and how much of it is fantasy?
Of course, some Heroic Spirits, such as Nursery Rhyme, are born solely from stories.
Others, such as myself and Mr. Jekyll, come from stories that are heavily based on reality.
At times, myths and legends are formed by going back to the past.
Though of course, most such myths come from a reality when the Age of Gods was still in effect.
As a prime example, take the Twelve Olympians, who were real beings.
Wait, you mean those gods actually existed?
Man, you really know everything, don't you, Detective?
At any rate...
For most Heroic Spirits, reality and fantasy mean very little.
But...
...Johanna is not like most Heroic Spirits.
As she was said to be pope, the veracity of her existence was examined quite thoroughly.
And claims of her having been real were flatly refuted.
...Well, I guess I do feel kind of bad for her.
But that doesn't explain why Kōnstantînos would want to reinstate her.
You have touched on the question of why the Reinstatement Realm is doing what they are. The answer remains a mystery.
...Maybe he just has the hots for her?
Ugh, be more crass.
I know. Frankly, it sounds like a pope-less endeavor to me.
That was pretty good!
Thanks. I've been practicing improv.
Uh, yeah... I guess...
Not really the reaction I was going for, if I'm being honest.
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Regardless, it's not a matter over which we need be terribly concerned. Our focus now must be on standing against them.
Well, sure, but it doesn't look like we'll be fighting the Reinstatement Realm anytime soon.
True. Especially since our current plan is to whittle away at the Revenge Realm's forces.
Anyway, that's enough talking shop. This alcohol won't drink itself!
Agreed! Uh, not that I'm going to drink any.
Here, check this out. See this shady-looking Taoist medicine? If you add this to alcohol before you drink it...
Yeah?
She's not playing around, is she!?
Lady Yuuuuuu! I really, really hope I can see you again somedaaay!
Lady Yu?
I'm shouting her name here because I can't keep my love for her bottled up anymore! But don't tell anyone else, okay!?
Ahhh, Lady Yuuu♪ Why are you sooo beautifuuul♪
You're a floooweeer blooming in a deeeserrrt♪ Blah blah blah, blah blah blaaah♪
Seventeenth verse, same as the firrrst♪
Enough already!
？！
I can't believe she's been singing like this for an hour straight. Who was it that got her drunk again?
Oh, right. She did it herself. Well, nothing much we can do about it.
Hahaha.
I'd say that's a good sign it's about time to call it a night.
Agreed.
Let me just put a blanket over her first.
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Thanks...
Well, it's been grand.
If we don't get to work together again soon...take care!
And the same to you.
He's a really good guy, isn't he?
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Indeed. Enough that it truly pains me that we need to lie to him.
...This war is about to get much more serious.
"Charles the Great" will, of course, need to come to the front line himself.
We will have to be brave and work very hard if we are to navigate this tightrope of a situation with any success.
...Though of course, it's also possible that the situation is about to take a sudden, potentially dramatic turn.