Greedy Worship/for eating

Wh-what do you mean!?

Exactly what I said. The neutrality rule is currently not being followed.

We believe there is probably some manner of bug afflicting the Master of Casterthat is, Build's prime AI's programming.

Caster's massive writhing fiend has been devouring every nearby AI it can get its tentacles on around coordinates 17-50.

Type Gs that escaped from Grow, Type Ds from Defend who came to deal with it, other AIs who just happened to be in the area...all of them.

...

We have an emergency on our hands.

The central governing AI detected several Servants gathered at these coordinates and so sent this unit here.

So Rani-XII told you to come here, huh... Well, never mind that. What's the number of Servants got to do with anything?

The central governing AI has proposed a temporary ceasefire for the System Grail War...

...so Master and Servant pairs can work together to eliminate Caster, who is believed to be rampaging out of control.

So I am calling for all Servants present to assemble with their Masters at the church.

Saber, Berserker, Assassin...

...and Lancer.

Got it.

？！

？！

Lancer. When did you get here?

We're at the edge of our territory, too.

After we got our ingredients and left, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

I really wanted to just get to work on the ingredients and figure out how to best accentuate their flavors, but I decided I should come back here just to be sure.

I think I smell another Indian god.

Is that...Vāyu the wind god?

That's right. I'm Vāyu's kid.

While we're on the subject, my big bro's the son of Dharmarāja, and my younger brothers are the sons of Indra and the Ashvin twin gods.

I knew it. It WAS you, Bhīma!

...Hey, Duryodhana. Didn't expect to run into you here.

Bhīma, son of Vāyu the wind god. Do you know what this means, Fujimaru?

Hm? You know Arjuna?

Hell of a guy, isn't he? I'm proud to have him for a little brother.

I'm sure he hasn't given you even the slightest bit of trouble, but I guess he might've made your life tougher sometimes by being a little too serious.

Well, that's just the kind of guy he is. Don't pay him any heed. Hahahaha!

Oh, sorry, I assumed you were both allies. You are, right? I mean, you wouldn't be alive right now if he considered you an enemy, so it just makes sense.

Oh? I'm impressed you knew that. But then, I guess you would, since you've got an Indian Divine Spirit of your own.

？！

(One of the five Pandava brothers, Arjuna's older brother, and that is not all.)

(According to legend, Bhīma's strength was without equal and his biggest rival was)

Come on, Duryodhana, don't glare at me like that.

This isn't the time or the place, right?

Wh-wh-what did you just say!?

Good point. I don't know what kind of history you have with Lancer there, Berserker...

...but right now, taking care of that monstrous Caster and helping the AIs is much more important.

So the governor wants us all to assemble at the church?

Affirmative. I have also conveyed as much to Rider, who is not currently present.

This is an official administrative summons. Please comply to the fullest extent of your capabilities.

？！

Well, I guess it makes sense to attack that thing from as many angles as possible.

Especially when spreading the work around means I can take it easy.

Hmph. I'll go to the church, but there's no way in hell I'm going with him.

There's no telling when he might stab me in the back.

I'd never do something so cowardly.

Why you... You've got a lot of nerve, lying to our faces like that!

(Yikes, I've never seen Berserker go red with anger before. I guess he really does hate Lancer.)

I have no intention of befriending any of you, either.

As long as we show up, it doesn't matter how we get to the church, right? So Sakura and I'll get there our own way.

R-right.

I only ask that you all make your way there as quickly as possible.

Tell them, not me. We'll probably be the first ones there.

Whoa. She just scooped her Master up in her arms and leapt away.

I've got to head back and fetch my Master, too.

Still, I'm a child of the god of wind. I might be bulky, but that sure doesn't make me slow!

... ...

Let's go.

Hey! Wait for me!

This is unexpected. At least now we have had an opportunity to see who all the other Servants are, though.

Come on. Let us head to the church while we continue to gather information.

(Seething)

Well, someone's in a killing mood.

You already knew Lancer, right? Is this about him?

Shut up. Don't ask me about him.

Gnn... Of course I'm going to ask! How else am I going to get you to talk to me!?

That Servant could end up being our enemy in this Holy Grail War, right?

So obviously I want to know about him.

If you are not willing to speak up yourself...

...we can tell Āyus all the information we have about him instead.

Should any of that information turn out to be inaccurate or unflattering to you, well...

...I suppose you will just have to live with that.

Wha... Wait! Don't do that!

You're obviously just going to spout some baseless lies that make it seem like I'm the bad guy, or that what happened was all my fault or something!

So fine, I guess I can tell you a little bit about what went down.

The first thing to know is that the five Pandava brothers were the sworn enemies of the hundred princes, my family.

But, since we are all from the same kingdom, we all studied under the same martial arts master.

Hmm, okay. So how did you end up becoming enemies? Why do you hate them so much?

It largely comes down to a disagreement over the matter of succession. Each side insisted they were the rightful heirs to

Hey, shut it.

There were plenty of reasons for the fallout. Ultimately, though...

...it happened because they were a bunch of delusional bastards who don't know their place. The end.

I can't help but feel like there's a LOT more to the story than you're letting on...

Yeah? Well, you're wrong. They were always like that. That's why my brothers and I were constantly fighting with them.

And Bhīma was the worst of the lot. Ever since we were kids, he was always the biggest and strongest guy around. Gods, I hated him.

The only way I could fight back was by relying on my wits. So I drugged him, tied him up, and threw him into the Ganges.

(Utterly appalled)

But then, not only does the guy survive, he ends up in an underground world where a serpent king gives him an Amrita elixir, so he comes back stronger than ever!

Can you believe the nerve of this guy!? That is such crap!

Let's see. There was also that game of dice we played where I took them for absolutely everything they had... I have to thank Uncle Śakuni for helping make sure that went smoothly...

Oh, and one time, when I went out to the woods to point and laugh at those sad sacks who'd been banished and sent to live there...

...I ended up getting caught by the gandharvas. Then I had to suffer the humiliation of having THEM come to MY rescue!

There, you see!? Now it should be abundantly clear how irredeemably evil they are.

Can you blame me for not wanting to talk about them? No. You can't!

Well...I guess I can see how that must have been pretty rough.Especially for the other guys.

Hmph. There, are you satisfied? Then come on. We're almost to the church.

Well, that was an abrupt end to the conversation. I suppose he really does not want to discuss the great war.

Yes. From Duryodhana's perspective, Bhīma is an especially loathsome rival.

Little wonder that Duryodhana is not eager to revisit how he died in a duel with him.

I can make an educated guess.

From Duryodhana's perspective, Bhīma is an especially loathsome rival.

Little wonder that Duryodhana is not eager to revisit how he died in a duel with him.

？！

Oh, are we the last to arrive? Sorry it took us so long, but we had a lot of distance to cover.

...You're all here. Then let's begin.

Good day, everyone. It's good to see you all again.

As the AI Holy Grail War's overseer, I usually only meet with the participants in serious, unexpected situations.

Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the middle of exactly such a situation now.

(I'd rather have stayed home if Lancer had let me...)

？！

I think Saber's Master said her name is Cerejeira. Not that I care.

(Hm? Something seems off, but I do not know what. What could it be...?)

I believe Defend's prime AI has already told you what is occurring.

Through a combination of his Noble Phantasm and his Master's structural support program, Caster has become an enormous abomination.

The abomination in question is a massive writhing fiend composed of his familiars. It does nothing but devour every AI in sight.

It is completely ignoring Defend's neutrality rule, which leads me to believe it is rampaging out of control.

It's not clear how much sway its Master's will has over its actions at present...

...but since this Master is either unable or unwilling to stop it, our only choice is to punish him for this infraction.

So, I am declaring them both hazards which must be eliminated for the System Grail War to proceed as planned.

Kinda late for that, isn't it? They've been running around butchering AI all this time and you haven't done anything so far.

Managing AIs is a key part of this Holy Grail War. I was willing to tolerate their tactics as long as they did not affect the world itself...

...but I can hardly ignore the rampant destruction in what is meant to be a neutral area.

Suffice to say, they have crossed a line.

Okay, so why do WE have to clean up their mess? This isn't our fault.

The fact is, only Servants like yourselves are strong enough to stop another Servant.

One could say this world's entire Raniment supply currently revolves around you.

But putting such spec-based reasons aside, I do understand why you would question your need to assist.

So as the System Grail War's overseer, I am prepared to offer a substantial reward for this operation.

Oh? What reward?

I am willing to share the spare Command Spells I have access to as the overseer.

I'm sure this goes without saying, but these Command Spells consist of highly compressed Raniment that has been customized for each Master taking part in the System Grail War.

All of this is to say that they will be very useful for you in future battles.

Ooh, that DOES sound good!

Does that mean you are going to give them to everyone here who agrees to take part in this operation?

No. That may give an unfair advantage to anyone who fails to meaningfully contribute in this battle.

It may be difficult to be completely fair about distributing the rewards, but I will have the Defend AIs observe and record as best they are able.

So if one Servant manages to accomplish something major on their own, they will get a reward.

And if you decide to form a team and work together, that whole team will be rewarded.

These kinds of decisions are part and parcel of a Holy Grail War.

Well, I don't think that's an opponent any of us can defeat alone, so I say we all work together.

？！

I...I agree.

There must still be lots of Grow AIs in that area. I can't abandon them to die.

Not me. I'm staying out of this.

Wha...

I've given it some thought, but there's something else I need to focus on at the moment.

And if you're all working together already, then you don't need my help. I'm sure you'll manage on your own.

So you drag me all this way, against my will, and you're not even going to help?

They asked us all to show up, so I did. But that doesn't mean I have to do everything else they say.

There's no penalty for not going along with this, right?

...No, there isn't. While I am asking all of you for help, this is merely a request, not a demand.

Then it should be fine. We just won't get any goodies ourselves.

And since we're the only ones here getting to eat really delicious meals, I'd say that makes us even.

That doesn't make any sense. I mean, it kind of does, but...

... ...

Well, I guess we'd probably just be in the way if we didn't really want to be there anyway, so...

It's okay, Cerejeira.

Um, everyone has somewhere they belong, right? And we should be fine with everyone else agreeing to help.

I can't wait to see what kinds of yummy dishes Lancer comes up with.

Once this is all over, I really hope you'll let me come and see what he did with my materials.

...Sure...

It's a shame we could not get everyone to agree to help, but it's all right. I knew this was a possible outcome.

Now then, let me go over the information I think you'll need to resolve this problem.

I believe that Caster's colossal writhing fiend...

...is following an algorithm that constantly directs it to the most easily available source of Raniment.

If there are any AIs in its vicinity, it will go to them. If not, it will go to the closest location where it thinks it can find more.

If two or more equally viable candidates exist, it will go where the Raniment concentration is densest.

It is currently located near north Defend coordinates 10-14, and since appearing in Grow, it has consistently moved south.

Its current trajectory puts it on a path to central Defend. It may even be headed towards this very church.

Comparing the density data for Type Gs and Ds, the most likely reason it came to Defend from Grow...

...is that Defend's Type Ds didn't run away, which put Defend's population density above Grow's.

... ...

This isn't your fault, Sakura. Defend's just as much to blame for not handling that thing.

More importantly, did you say it's heading for this church?

If Caster is able to detect Raniment quantities...

...then it's possible he may be after the spare Command Spells I was planning to give to you.

And that's in addition to the base Raniment being kept in this church, which is used to run the system itself.

In fact, if he is currently a slave to his algorithm, it's probably just a matter of time until he finds his way here.

Meaning you have a pretty clear idea of where that thing's going.

Heh. Then it's obvious what you need to do. Well then, Rider and I are gonna bounce, too.

Huh!? You're not going to fight with us!?

Nope, I don't see that in our future. You want to do this? You go right ahead.

Well, see you around. Let's go, Rider.

... ...

Some sense of teamwork these guys have!

Dammit, so much for taking it easy on this one. Does this mean it's just us three then?

...This makes no sense. Something's definitely not right here.

The Bhīma I know would never put anything above fighting.

So, does that mean...that isn't actually Bhīma...?

Hey! We're still talking here, Berserker!

I don't know why, but it looks like we're going to have to fight that thing with just three Servants!

So we need to come up with a plan!

Now that we know the enemy's route, the most reasonable course of action would be to set up an ambush.

However, our opponent is almost certainly much stronger now than he was when we fought him.

So ideally, we should have something of our own that also gives us an edge we lacked before.

The question is, what could that something be?

Since this is an official request you are making in your capacity as overseer, Rani-XII, should you not also be offering some kind of official assistance to help us complete this request?

...Very well.

I will provide you all with some Raniment before your battle, to be doled out at my discretion.

Good.

So unlike last time, we will have more resources to work with and the locational advantage to anticipate the enemy.

And that is not all.

We will also have you on our side this time, Saber.

...So you want me to work?

Isn't that why you're still here?

... ...

Please, Saber. I'm asking you, too.

(...Sigh)

I guess things have changed since I fought him in Grow.

There are no Type Gs around here to worry about and no facilities I need to be careful with, either.

Having more Raniment to work with this time should mean I can fight at full strength if I want to.

But to be honest, I don't want you people seeing me fight at full strength.

Otherwise, we'd be showing our hand. You do get that, right, Sakura?

...I do, but I don't think we have a choice.

We can't very well go back to Grow until we do something about Caster.

That's all I want; I want to go back to the place I love and work peacefully alongside the other Type Gs, like always.

...Fine. I'll do it.

But if I'm going to go all out, then you people had better pull your weight, too.

No slacking off like the ones who turned tail and ran.

Honestly, I'd rather slack off too, but I guess that's just not realistic.

Especially when our chief slacker, Mr. Berserker here, seems to have his head in the clouds.

Someone's gotta light a fire under his ass to make sure he pulls his weight.

... ...

I can help with that! If your fire burns his ass, I'll just fix it up good as new!

But do you really think we can win, Saber?

I can't say for sure until we try.

But if we don't have to worry about collateral damage as much, then yeah, I think we can.

From there, it'll just come down to which of us is the more destructive monster...

That thing, or me.

Haha... Hahahaha! Yes, yes! That's it!

Yes, that's right. I must realize my ideals.

And to do that...I must abandon certain things. Some feelings I must grind into dust!

Haha...hahaha...

Yes, that's right.

Rules? Neutral zones? Why should I be concerned with such wretched trivialities?

Just look at this powerthe power to consume anything and everything.

I am superior to all things in existence. I am all but guaranteed to become this world's next ruler.

So if this is the only, most expedient path to achieving my ideals...

...then what problem could there possibly be in my devouring every last one of the old world's obsolete machines?

Let us go over the plan one last time.

It may be a simple thing, but that is exactly why we need to make absolutely sure we are all on the same page.

？！

The enemy, Caster's massive writhing fiend form, continues its advance south at a pace that is ninety-seven percent in line with my calculations.

This is due to the unfortunate AI casualties that were unable to escape despite taking optimal measures...

...and the efforts of the Defend AIs who gave their lives in service to their duty.

No, now's not the time to mourn their loss. Right now, we need to do the best we can to stop that thing so it doesn't hurt anyone else.

Exactly.

Our ultimate objective is to eliminate the colossal writhing fiend with which Caster has assimilated.

While we do also need to deal with the small and medium sized fiends in its vicinity...

...they are Caster's familiars and so should disappear once we defeat him, so we do not need to worry about killing all of them.

The important thing is to dispose of the smaller ones in front of the colossal fiend, thereby stopping its advance.

Since it is capable of sensing Raniment...

...it should also detect Servants, since they possess high quantities of high-density Raniment.

So, our job is to draw the colossal fiend's attention while eliminating the nearby smaller ones...

...and if possible, to whittle the colossal one down.

Aw, come on! Taking out the little guys? That's no job for a prince.

Stop whining!

(...Still, at least he seems to be feeling like his old self again. I never thought I'd be glad to see him being so selfish again!)

So Berserker and I are pretty much just decoys, huh?

I'm the god of love.

I'm not much for the brawny stuff like smashing huge monsters with brute force or weakening them with sheer destructive power, so I guess this is our only choice.

Are you sure you can handle the brawny stuff?

Like you said, this is our only choice. If there was anyone else here who could do it instead, I'd happily let them.

I don't think there is, no.

I'm also guessing just tearing off a tentacle or two won't be enough to stop that giant monster.

The only way to do that is probably to destroy its heartto kill the Caster at its core.

But the problem there is, we don't know where in that massive body Caster could be.

No, we do not. I am doing my best to pinpoint him, but I have not yet found a clear answer.

(Sakura... The prime AI of Grow. She seems to be largely nonaggressive, just like Āyus.)

(But it also seems like she technically has what it takes to be a competent Master.)

If Saber were to use her full strength

Oh? Then you'd be able to figure out that damned Caster's whereabouts?

No. I'd slice the thing to ribbons, turn all the pieces into stone, and hopefully one of those stone ribbons would be the right one.

I see. That's a lot more brute force than I was expecting.

All right, got it. I'm not cut out for that kind of unseemly hard work, so I'll let you handle that part.

？！

You mean cutting off Caster's main supply of Raniment at the source? That would certainly be one way to resolve this situation.

Unfortunately, the problem with that approach is that the monster is essentially acting on its own now.

So while I am sure its Master is staying as close as necessary, we cannot be sure that we will find him nearby.

It is safe to assume Caster's Master is aware of this vulnerability and is therefore doing everything he can to hide.

I am therefore forced to conclude that it is not realistic to search for him in our limited window of opportunity.

I don't know why, but just seeing that Master kind of pissed me off, so I would've been happy to win by killing him.

But if that's not possible, then we'll just have to do something about his monster.

...By the way, would you two mind standing next to each other for a moment?

Hm?

(Weird. They seem similar, yet completely different... Oh well, it's not important.)

Never mind. Anyway, we're good now, right?

I'll be waiting somewhere I can easily make my first move.

I will attack as soon as I see an opening, so just follow my lead when I get moving.

Oh, Saber...

I'm sorry about her, everyone. Anyway, I guess I'd better get going, too.

Oh, hang on a second. How are your injuries? The ones I treated before?

I'd never treated a Master before, so I'm curious how it worked.

I feel completely fine now, thank you.

Here, see? Just look how much energy I have to spare now. Hup!

Really? Well, that's good to hear... But let me know if you need anything else.

I will. Okay everyone, good luck!

Here it comes.

I am doing my best to predict its next move in real time using Thought Acceleration but there may still be situations I cannot anticipate.

In those cases, I can only ask that you do your best to play it by ear.

Yeah, yeah, we know. Though I wish you'd focus on predicting exactly those kinds of unforeseen situations.

？！

I knew it. It's just not right for me to be working cleanup duty like a common foot soldier.

I'm the kind of guy who should be leading the charge against the enemy general. How did it come to this?

I don't see how any of this will help me get what I want.

Quit whining already!

Okay, everyone, I swear by all of Repair that I'll heal you right away if you get hurt...

...but I'd much rather none of you get hurt in the first place, so please be careful!

Where should we put this, Chief?

Over there. And hurry. I hate wasting time.

You don't have to tell a speedster twice. We'll have it done in no time. Vroom.

Now, this should go here, and...

Hehehe, that's it. It's all coming together.

No, wait. A spell like this would work better this way. I'll make some minor adjustments. Got to keep things running as efficiently as possible.

What is it you're seeing, Master?

Oh? Hehe, curious?

...No. I am merely your sword. I have no doubts or questions of my own.

Forget it. I shouldn't have asked. Please disregard what I said.

I do not have the capacity to see things as you do, Master.

And I certainly do not have the capacity to see things more clearly than you.

You know, I've been wondering this for a while now, but...

...are you actively trying to make yourself seem unexceptional?

... ...

Not at all. There is neither anything exceptional nor unexceptional about me.

I truly am just your blade. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hmm, is that so? Well, whatever. I'll go ahead and answer your question anyway.

What I'm seeing here is the future.

Though that's not to say I'm seeing the future itself. I'm just measuring and observing what it'll become.

... ...

Oh? Not so much as a "Hm?" from you that time, eh?

For a general, you really are a lot like a sword, aren't you? 'Course, I don't know if that's how you want me to see you, but oh well.

Anyway, I don't know if you got all the nuances, but that's what it is I see.

But, just so there are no misunderstandings, I'll say this:

I'm just doing what I want. I have no idea what the future will bring.

Whether those other Servants live or die is all up to them...

？！

Already dealt with. Gosh, we're really in sync today, aren't we?

Now's my chance to cover myself in glory! Taaake...THIIIS!

Dammit! That thing's just too damn big, even for a master of the club like me!

Hey, you're stealing my thunder!

Oh well, I figured you'd do something like that. And hey, now the enemy's focused entirely on you.

Hm? ...Aaah!

Fall back!

All right, we've cleaned up a fair amount of little ones and we've got the big one's attention, so, any time now.

I wonder just how Little Ms. Resting Bitch Face is going to come through for us...

Okay, Sakura, I'm going. Get somewhere safe and wait for me.

I'm your Master. I'm going to watch you from right here. Also...

Hup! ...Here.

I know the central governing AI already gave us some supplies, but I wanted to gift you some Raniment, too.

It's a little nest egg I've been saving up for a special occasion. Please, take it. I think you'll need it.

...Okay. Thanks.

Then I'll use this extra Raniment to change my Spirit Origin into something a little more suited for battle.

Stand back.

Wow, you look awesome. Huh? Did you just click your tongue?

Much as I am loath to admit it, there is apparently a bit of Athena in here.

..."Much as I am loath to admit it"? Maybe that is why... Maybe that's why I started speaking more formally.

Hehe. I don't mind either way. Just be yourself.

I do not think I mind either way, either.

...But for the time being, I will keep to the formality.

I am your Servant, after all.

As I have just made abundantly clear.

And yet...I am also still me. Still fundamentally the same person.

Yes. I know.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Okay. See you later, Saber. And please, be careful.

Huh? What was that...?

No, never mind that. Right now, I need to focus on her battle.

Good luck, Saber!

Chrysaor.

A thing born from my blood, bearing a golden sword. It went on to father countless hideous monsters.

And so it is through this sword that I connect my own demonic self to the lineage of all monsters.

Now go, my monsters. Tear your prey with your teeth. Rend it with your claws. Toy with it, if you so wish.

And once you've ripped it to tiny shreds...

...my eyes will finish the job!

... ...

How are things going?

The real battle has only just begun. The enemy's advance has halted, at least for now.

But could you not have determined that on your own, without coming outside to consult?

I was in the mood.

Whatever happens, it will have a profound effect on the Holy Grail War. Perhaps we could say it is the first step in the Grail War.

Either way, when watching the stars move...

...it's best to step outside and look up at the sky, even if that sky is false.

...Incomprehensible.

...Tch.

(I wasn't expecting this. As if that massive bulk wasn't bad enough...)

(...it regenerates, too!)

(Caster must be moving around inside that thing every time I attack!)

？！

Oh, uh, crap. You're right. This isn't looking great.

？！

Hehe. How could I say no to such cute puppy dog eyes?

Okay, I suppose I can help out a little.

But if it goes well, I want you to give me a nice big reward in exchange, okaaay?

... ...

Hey! Quit slacking off, would you!?

Now that we've dealt with the little guys, I say we try going after that thing directly again.

I swear, I don't know what you'd all do without me.

Well, when they write about today in the history books, make sure you include this:

"The moment the plan failed and things were at their most dire, the great Duryodhana swooped in to save the day."

"And thanks to him, everything worked out!"

(Okay, I'll give it one more shot, and if things look hopeless, I'll run for it.)

Well, I felt like maybe I should praise him...but now that I see the look on his face, I'm not so sure.

(Huff, huff...) I can't believe...you're making me work...so hard...

Can't you finish this thing off already!?

Were it so simple, I would.

(I think I have a chance to finish this now. These resources I'm working with won't last forever.)

(I need a window to catch my breath. Come on... Come on...)

Wha

(More Raniment from Sakura! Where did she get all this?)

(...No, never mind that now. This is my chance!)

This will be a gamble, but if I cast my Mystic Eyes over an even larger range...

...I can petrify the entire area where Caster could be hiding!

...

I see. The petrification is working.

And I know for sure that it's reaching Caster.

Cut the crap! If that's true, why hasn't that thing fallen yet!?

Because it's so massive that even my Mystic Eyes' petrification is taking a little time to work its way inward.

At present, Caster is like a parasite hiding within its host's flesh.

When the outer layer of flesh is petrified, he makes new flesh to hide himself in.

So, much like Russian Matryoshka dolls...

...he is creating more fiend flesh inside the petrifying fiend and using it as a shield.

So, then...what do we do now?

Even if we can figure out where Caster is, it's not gonna matter if the petrification doesn't reach him.

Then how are we supposed to defeat him!?

Ahh, my room is full of secrets. Like the corpses of all my wives who sneered at me.

The next wife who sees those corpses becomes a corpse herself, then by the next wife, and the next.

And so the cycle continues into infinity!

There is no end of bloody wives to be found in that room. No end of taboos to be unleashed upon the world!

Then, that means...his Noble Phantasm included the concepts of infinity and repetition right from the start!

Hahaha, hahahahaha!

Hey there. ...Writing another diary entry?

I know I said this before, but you AIs have a way to record data in your internal memory or something, right?

So how come you go through the trouble of turning materials into pen and paper so you could write out your memories by hand?

That's none of your business. I just...feel like it.

Haha, that so? A nice, simple answer. Works for me.

Even cooking really just comes down to the feeling that good food is better than boring or bad food.

If people only cared about filling up on nutrients, there's plenty of ways to do that without involving stoves and pots.

On which note, the new dish I made with the materials we got from Grow is done!

It's spiced perfectly and has a rich depth of flavor. It's fluidity makes it easy to eat and it is packed with all kinds of different ingredients.

Do you get it? This will go perfectly with the naan I made the other day... Pandava-style curry!

Now go on! Eat up! But put that diary away first so it doesn't get stained!

I really don't want any...but you're not going to let me go until I have some, are you? (Sigh)

Okay, here goes.

Hell yeah!

...Yeah, it's good. Thanks.

Just "good"? Hmm... And your expression hasn't changed at all, either...

Hmmm!

I know it came out well. If I'd served this to Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna, Nakula, or Sahadeva...

...I'm positive they'd be smiling from ear to ear. But in your case

I'm sorry. I know you went to a lot of trouble to make this.

It's not bad. Really. But, I don't know. It just feels like

I get it. You've got something weighing on your mind and there's not room for anything else. Even my cooking.

Right?

Yeah. I think...that is what it is.

...Hey, Lancer?

What would you do if you were wracked by guilt, and you had no idea why?

... ...

I don't know why I feel this way. I really don't. But I can tell it's coming from somewhere inside me.

And it's why I'm scared to do...well, anything.

I was so relieved when you said you were coming back here after what they told us at the church.

This way, I don't have to do anything.

Still... Hehe, I really am the worst, aren't I? The other AIs and Servants are out there fighting right now...

...and I'm just here feeling bad about being the only one not doing anything.

Some of the guilt is coming from that.

I swear, I really am hopeless.

I know I'm messed up, but I have no idea how I got like this or what it means.

Master...

I knew the diary was pointless, but maybe it wasn't completely useless.

At least now I know that no matter how much I write in it, I won't find an answer.

So...I'm sorry, Lancer.

You're trying to cheer me up with your cooking before you focus on winning the Holy Grail War, right?

Unfortunately...I don't think anything's going to work on me.

I feel so guilty all the time...and I doubt there's anything that can make it go away.

So, if you really want to win this, you should forget about me and

Damn. So I still haven't gotten through to you.

Huh?

What I mean is, you were too preoccupied with those guys to focus on my food.

And that means I didn't do enough prep.

Yeah, I think I might've messed up there.

So let's get that taken care of real quick and try again.

Huh?

Hehe, hahaha!

I knew it. It's all about fundamentals. He who masters the fundamentals will be the victor!

This war is all about resources, so of course the one who gathers the most with the greatest efficiency is going to win!

And the one who figures out a system to directly convert those resources into power is all the more secure in that position!

Even such simple truths eluded those fools, so how could they do anything but lose!?

I knew it. I, Makiri Zolgen, am the one who is destined to achieve his ideals and reach the Root

...Huh?

I've known guys like you. You're greedier and more envious than anyone, but you've got pride in spades.

You don't ever want anyone seeing you lose, so you rely on everyone else to do your fighting for you, as much as you can.

Yeah, I'm used to finding guys like thatthe sorts who hide at the margins of a fight. Usually I just rely on my instincts to actually find them, though.

No, wait. Maybe you don't deserve to be lumped in with him.

It could've been a trick of the light, but I think I at least saw a glimmer of justice deep in your eyes, even if it was held back by reason.

'Course, that was also at a distance, before you went and pulled this nonsense.

I guess bringing out the big guns unbalanced your mind. I get it. Handling heavy weapons isn't easy.

Khh... You...

...cow...ard...

... ...

I know I'm messed up, but I have no idea how I got like this, or what it means.

Yeah, maybe I'm no different. Honestly, I think I'm a little strange myself.

Were I my true warrior self, I'd never have resorted to ambushing a weakling, especially over something that doesn't directly affect my allies.

I surprised even myself here.

You... Gurk...

But, at the moment, I guess I am more of a cook than anything else.

So I'll do whatever prep work I have to, however much of a pain it might be.

There's no fun in killing a weakling.

But cooks can't be worrying about that kind of thing every time they put down a struggling fish.

...

Does this mean...? Oh no.

？！

Curses! So there was another dragoon out there!?

Curse you, my craven, cowardly brother-in-law! Curse you!

No! My room's been sealed off at the source! Nooo!

？！

Both Caster and the colossal writhing fiend's signals have completely disappeared.

The most likely explanation is that something happened to his Master.

From the look of things, it is likely someone killed him.

Who though?

My first guess would be either the Lancer or Rider who declined to participate in this operation.

Though I cannot say whether this was a coincidence or their plan from the start.

So, if only the Master was killed, why did Caster disappear, too?

Something so large must have required a constant supply of mass amounts of Raniment to function.

Even after its supply was cut off, it tried to continue summoning additional smaller fiends.

As a result, all the Raniment Caster was using to maintain his form was swallowed up in an instant by his own Noble Phantasm.

That, at least, is my best guess as to what transpired.

(Although, that is not the only possible explanation...)

Wait, that's it? You've got to be kidding me! After all that, this is how it ends!? This is bullshit!

What does it matter as long as it's over?

...It IS over now, right?

We have confirmed that Caster's colossal writhing fiend has disappeared.

Congratulations on a job well done.

Whoa, a special transmission from the governor! Gosh, that's neat.

Indeed.

...Phew.

Great job, Saber! You were amazing!

I... I didn't do anything special. I only did what I had to.

All right, fine, whatever. If it's really over now, then hurry up and give us our reward!

... ...

Well?

A moment, please. I am considering.

Confirming definitions. Reviewing data. Replaying records... Substituting alternative situations. Deliberating. Comparing. Deliberating. Comparing. Searching for contradictions... No objections.

I've come to a conclusion.

The definitive factor in ending this situation was the cessation of function on the part of Caster's Master.

I have therefore determined that the Servant responsible for that cessation deserves the lion's share of credit...

...and will be awarding his Master with an additional Command Spell.

However, I am not completely heartless.

I will send someone over with enough Raniment to compensate for your energy expenses later, as a consolation prize.

That is all. I look forward to your future efforts and hope you will all participate enthusiastically in the next round. Goodbye.

Th-that's it!? After all that hard work, all we get is a little Raniment!?

This is bullshit! It's a scam!

I figured it would end up like this.

Still, at least that monster is finally gone.

Now none of the AIs from Grow, or anywhere else, will have to worry about being eaten...

We can go back to our regular, peaceful Grow and the job we love doing so much. Really, what more could I ask for?

？！

Well peace can't fill your belly. Ugh, I can't believe all my hard work was for nothing.

I'll happily put in whatever effort it takes to get what I want...

...but I never put in effort for anything else. Grr, how humiliating!

Quit whining already!

Sure, it's a shame we didn't get that Command Spell, but at least we aren't going home empty-handed.

I'm not happy about the circumstances that led to this, but the fact remains regardless.

With that creature gone, the next thing we're going to see...

...is a ton of damaged Defend, Grow, and other AIs coming to Repair to have their injuries treated.

And that means this is a huge opportunity for us to rake in the Raniment! So this is no time to stand around complaining!

Wooo! I can't wait to start repairing!

Really? Thanks!

？！

(Sigh) Talk about a wild fiend chase. All that hard work and all we got was reimbursed for our expenses.

I think there's a term for this kind of thing... Passion exploitation, was it?

Passion, huh... You know, in spite of everything, I really did do my best out there... (Pointed glance)

？！

Teeheehee. Yesss. That's it. Thaaat's the stuff. Now I feel like I just about broke even!

Oh, did you want to pat my head too while you're at it? No? Tch.

... ...

(Huff, huff...) A good noble...always makes sure to have a gilded carriage at the ready...

A secret carriage, of course. Since I possess one, it must be so... Now, to send it home...

Although... Ahh, how tragic!

With no money to my name, what woman would ever want to marry a man like me...?

I can't see anymore, but I can tell you're a Servant. Who are you? Has the reaper come to collect the fallen grain?

... ...

...Well? Why haven't you finished me off yet?