Fate/Grand Order story · Ordeal Call, Zero Compass Inner Domain, Paper Moon
Pure Distortion/Alter Ego
Zero Compass Inner Domain, Paper Moon. Defend Partition Headquarters
7 scenes, 602 lines
1. Before the battle
76 linesKama...
？！
She fanned Shiva's flames. They were always conceptually burning her...
...but their increased strength must have been sufficient to burn away her Spirit Origin as well.
...What about you, Sion?
...How's the Dust of Osiris coming along?
？！
I am not done as yet, but I have found my groove.
With Kālī gone and the energy no longer going berserk, things have begun to stabilize once more.
I have also recovered crucial system privileges.
I have only a few more tasks to complete, then I will establish a means of escape to the outside world.
Please bear with me.
At any rate, it seems this Holy Grail War...
...may end before we get a chance to end it.
Yeah...
Let's see how it plays out.
？！
Whoa there.
(...Zzz...)
You idiot...
Lancer.
I know.
Those guys might have taken the flashiest dish for themselves...
...but it looks like it's still up to me to end this meal properly.
I've had enough.
I want what I want, that's it. But you people just keep insisting on getting in my way.
Well, you're never getting it now. Just look at this place.
Shut up! I'm not talking about the Holy Grail War.
Now that you and I are face-to-face, weapons in hand...
...it's time we settled the score, once and for all!
Ha! For once, I agree!
What are you doing, Lancer? He should be a piece of cake!
Whoa there. Don't get the wrong idea here, Master.
He might be a total jackass and he might have the worst personality in all the world...
...but Master Droṇa, Balarāma, and Krishna all agreed that he is absolutely without equal in a fight with the gada.
Really?
Well...except for me, of course!
Ugh! That is exactly what I hate about you!
I know it's a little late for this, but I wonder why we're fighting.
We have no idea if the Holy Grail War is still ongoing, or what'll happen if one of them wins.
There's no telling whether our wish will be granted.
But still, they fight. I even find myself quietly cheering for them.
I think, at this point, it's probably about pride for those two.
That's probably why they're still going at it even though everything is over, and there's no good reason to fight.
Maybe the fight is actually what they both want.
So then, is that why I'm still standing here, too?
Is my wish to just keep feeling guilty?
No. I don't think it is.
What I want lies beyond the guilt.
At least, I'm pretty sure that's the case for this newest feeling of guilt.
The guilt I feel over realizing something was wrong with her, and not being able to do anything about it.
Ahh, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
You smiled so warmly at me. You were so kind to me, and I couldn't even repay you.
But...thanks to you, I realized something.
Right now, guilt isn't what's taking up the most space in my head; it's what lies beyond that guilt.
...I wanted to make amends.
I know. I get it.
I finally understand. I can't make amends now. I'm much too late to make a difference.
Even so...I still wanted to.
I wanted to be forgiven for making a mistake... For not being able to do anything.
But, I couldn't forgive myself... I didn't want to forgive myself.
So I searched for something that could take the place of forgiveness. And now, I think I've found it.
What is it, Master? Lost in thought? You getting hungry or something?
...Hey, Lancer. I know I probably shouldn't be asking you this while you're in the middle of a battle, but...
...if you wanted to make amends for something, but you couldn't anymore, what would you do?
Heh. What else is there but to do what you want? That's even more true if the person you wronged isn't around anymore.
It's like I told you before. It's all about what you want to do.
...Yeah.
So, right now, I want to win...and go back to the place she wanted.
I don't know what that will actually accomplish...
...but now that I want to protect her wish for her, I think there'll be meaning in me going there.
Can I? Selfish as it is? Even if it's all in my head...or just meaningless?
Of course you can. Hell, you could say the same things about our battle right now!
Got it. Then, I want you to win, Lancer.
I want you to win, so I can make all the selfish amends I want!
You got it, Master!
2. After the battle
34 linesI've felt it all along.
I'm a fragment.
I'm not the Bhīma I used to be. I'm not the man I once was. Not all of him.
Except...I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
On the contrary.
I'm more fulfilled than I've ever been.
I was always bigger and stronger than anyone else, so I've borne the weight of so many things in my life.
My brothers. Justice. Victory. Friendship. Family. Fame. Muscles. Cooking. Social standing. Smiles. Trust. Respect.
But now, my life couldn't be simpler.
There's nothing here that doesn't need to be.
That's why I feel so fulfilled.
I know what it is I see. I know what it is I should reach for.
I saw the way she looked at me, the faith she had in me as she entrusted me with her fondest wish.
Who would I be if I denied her?
That's the only thing I need to carry now.
And that's enough.
Victory.
That's the best dish I can make and serve to the one who has put her trust in me.
That's all I need to focus on. It's as simple as the way I'm living my life now.
...It might be the same word...
...but this isn't like the victory I achieved in the wars where I carried so much on my shoulders.
This victory itself has no meaning. I'm not sure what I will gain from it.
I'm just seeking it because I want to.
Yeah, that's right.
That's why this victory has nothing to do with war.
It's just the same thing I've done with my rivals ever since I was a kid...
A brawl.
I don't need to hold back with this opponent. I can hit him with all my strength. No hesitation.
There's just one thing.
Something feels the slightest bit off. It's been nagging at me.
It's not nagging my fulfilled self, though, but at the other parts of me I stripped away.
My vic■ory in the wa■? Ho■ did I obt■■
But even that nagging feeling...
...disappeared in the comfortingly familiar sounds of battle.
3. Before the battle
92 linesI do think it's unfair.
How could it not be?
What's fair about the strong, righteous guy winning all the time?
Yeah, I know. Bhīma was always strong and righteous. He was a true hero, no doubt.
I get that. And I think all my brothers did, too.
Anyone with eyes to see knows heroism is cool.
So what's wrong with admiring it? What's wrong with wanting it for myself?
The only problem is that the man who had what I wanted...well, we could never get along.
The guy I was at odds with had it, so naturally I wanted it too.
So, I had to do the best I could with what I had to get it. What other choice was there?
There was nothing I wouldn't do to get it, which meant I had to do anything I could.
So, I threw him into the river while he was unconscious. I set fire to his house.
So what if people think that makes me a dishonorable, evil coward? I took the only options open to me.
What should I have done then? Just let the stronger guy keep it all to himself? Screw that.
And if being strong, righteous, and cool wasn't enough, he also...
(Huff... Huff...!)
Hahaha, this really takes me back! You're hanging in there really well! I'm impressed.
...Shut up. Don't you condescend to me.
No, I'm serious. I'm complimenting you. You haven't used so much as a single underhanded trick so far.
...
You're really saying that, Bhīma?
So what, you're not going to try to hit me below the navel this time!?
Below the navel?
...
During the great war depicted in the "Mahabharata," Duryodhana loses a duel to Bhīma and dies.
However, it was not an ordinary loss.
It occurred because Bhīma disregarded a rule forbidding duelists from striking below the navel...
...in revenge for a past humiliation he had suffered.
Below the navel...
... ...
What are you talking about?
Not all of it, that's for sure.
I know Karna, Aśvatthāman, and all you hundred princes were there but that's about it.
It's probably because this me has its origins in the time I was a cook in King Virāṭa's palace.
Haha...hahaha.
I see. So you don't remember.
Hahaha, hahahaha! Well, isn't that just perfect!?
...It's not fair.
Not only does this Alter Ego you have everything I ever wanted...
...but it's even invalidated the one shred of righteousness I clung to in my final moments.
Heh... Hahaha...
...Are you okay?
Oh, sure. I'm fine. It's no big deal. Not anymore.
It just gives me all the more reason to beat you as you are now.
And that's all it does!
...Process phase three, complete. It is still not much, but I have at least a little room to breathe now.
I will keep my Etherlite connected and let two other parallel thought processes handle the rest.
Let us see how Āyus is doing.
We are still part of an alliance, and it is not fair that only Bhīma's Master is still in good health.
Good point.
Hopefully she's okay.
？！
It seems she pushed herself quite hard. She looks like she is coming apart at the seams.
That she is functioning at all is a small wonder.
Nnn...?
Good, you are awake. Try not to move. That connection you made has left you in quite bad shape.
Where...is he?
Berserker? He is fighting right now.
It is going...
...Not well, I am afraid.
I...remembered. I understand now.
I...wanted a family. I missed having one, so I went looking for one.
I knew what being alone felt like, and I didn't want to be alone here too!
Āyus?
Did you remember who your Alter Ego personality was when your AI functionality was diminished?
Yeah...I did.
I understand now that he's the family I was looking for.
Correct.
Rani!?
？！
Not to worry. My functional parts are still being worked on over there.
I'm speaking to you now through a separate conversational interface projection.
I'm not actually here, and I don't have any admin privileges.
...Thank you for letting me out to speak with them.
No need to thank me. Continuing to refuse your requests would simply have been more work.
I just did the equivalent of moving an annoying chat window out of my way while I work. It was a perfectly rational decision.
Thank you just the same.
Now, as I was saying, you were one of my boldest experiments among the Alter Ego Masters.
Your Master name...is Alter Ego Isolated. I named you that because
Because...I'm basically a fragment of an Alter Ego Servant?
Affirmative. Berserker possessed a very unusual Spirit Origin.
Within it, he contained the essence of all his siblings.
It probably has something to do with how they were all created from a single mass of flesh.
So, what does that mean?
？！
My real namethat is, the name of the personality model I received when I was made into an Alter Ego, is...
...Duśśalā.
When the hundred princes were born from a single mass of flesh, she became the hundred and first... Their only sister.
...And that'sshe's me.
4. Before the battle
56 linesCan I ask you a favor? Please, take me to him.
But, what about
I know I'm in bad shape, but if I don't go now, I'll miss my chance.
...It's okay. I just want to stand on equal footing with Lancer's Master.
I'm sure Lancer won't try to come after me.
...All right. I'll take you.
...Okay. I'll carry you there, then let you lean on my shoulder.
？！
Thanks. Now we're talking.
We are still working together, after all, aren't we!?
Graaah!
What's the matter, Duryodhana!? That all you've got!?
Who am I?
...Before the war, I married the king of another kingdom.
But my husband, King Jayadratha, went off to fight alongside the Kauravas when the war began...and he never came home.
And, of course, my hundred brothers all died on the battlefield as well.
I never got to see their bodies...
I only heard about their deaths when Arjuna visited my kingdom after the war.
That was when I knew my brothersmy entire bloodline, was gone.
No trace of them remained in this world.
My brothers' reputations may not exactly have been sterling, but they were still my family.
So of course I wished to see them again, just one more time.
No...why stop there? I wish I could have been with them. I wish I could have fought with them.
Ahh... This may not be how I imagined it, but...to think my wish was being granted all this time.
...Stupid.
Huh?
Stupid, stupid, STUPID! Know what, since it really looks to be true, I'm gonna say it again!
You...stupid brother of mine!
Wha...!? I knew it... Duśśalā? Is that you?
How should I know?
But I do know I'm Āyus, Duśśalā, an Alter Ego...and your Master!
And, now that we've finally found each other again...
...I thought this time, I'd get to fight by your side, without you leaving me behind.
So how come you're just lying on the ground all alone, stupid!?
Grr, stop calling me stupid, stupid... You have no idea how hard it is being the eldest brother...
Nope, guess not. That's why I'll be cheering you on.
I didn't get that chance last time.
You went off on your own to fight, and you never came home.
That's why you've at least got to win this time!
I couldn't cheer you on then, but this time, I'll be right here by your side!
By my Command Spell...
...go get him, Berserker...my stupid brother!
Whoa! I forgot you still had this! Why didn't you use it sooner, you cheapskate!?
Because you were in such bad shape you'd have burst if I poured so much energy into you!
Oho. No, that's fine. I already used mine earlier.
Taking the energy I've spent so far into consideration, I'd say we're finally on equal footing.
Stop freaking condescending to me! It's always, always, always been like that! Since we were kids!
You were always better than us. Always had everything we ever wanted.
And then, after we resort to cowardly measures to try and take it for ourselves, you even take that cowardice from us, too!
You and Arjuna never let us keep anything for ourselves!
But now...now I have a chance.
If I can beat you now that you're just an ordinary hero, I'll finally get everything I want!
Die, Bhīma!
5. After the battle
16 linesBrothers! My brethren born of the same flesh! Now is the time to lend your eldest brother your strength!
Jai, Kaurava!!!
Ghh... Raaaaaah!
Ha, hahahaha! I knew you and your brothers were one!
And I'm ready to beat all one hundred of you at once!
Maruti, Vāyuputra!!!
Aha. I see.
...I messed up.
I was ready for a hundred siblings...but I didn't account for the hundred and first.
As I am now, that little difference was all it took...
Wh-what were you thinking, stupid!? You don't look like you've won at all!
Does this mean...it's a draw?
I guess it doesn't matter.
Oh well.
6. Before the battle
128 linesBoth Bhīma and Duryodhana have suffered irreparable damage to their Spirit Cores.
It is only a matter of time until they disappear.
This would seem to mark the end of your Holy Grail War.
If this is what the stars have decided, then so be it.
Although, I still don't understand where I went wrong.
... ...
I can only offer my opinion on the matter...
...but I do not think it was wrong to focus on Alter Egos.
You don't?
No. There are things which only they can do, no question about that.
I think it may all come back to the reason Servants in general...
...have names, personalities, and egos in the first place.
Do you know why that is, Fujimaru?
More or less.
...You think it is because it is better if they do?
Hehe. That may be just a tautology, but I will accept it.
No, I don't...
I guess it may just be so natural for you...
...that it is hard for you to consciously describe.
？！
For me, I think it is because, in the larger scheme of things, they are more useful that way.
Feelings, ego, and such things all feed into their strength.
This complex interplay is what gives Servants their power.
But that also means they could deteriorate if their different aspects are separated unnecessarily.
So you cannot simply bolster their numbers with a one-size-fits-all approach and call it good.
If you require evidence, only take a look around.
Those two may have fared okay, but Rider and Caster's Alter Ego versions did not work at all, if you ask me.
In fact, I think there is a very good chance they ended up weaker than their originals.
One who tried to be no more than a tool, even if meant pretending to be evil, to escape his lord shunning him...
Rider, the Alter Ego of Hypocrisy.
The isolated personality of a fictional character that lay inside his inspiration's Spirit Origin...
Caster, the Alter Ego of Fabrication.
...Good point. Looking at the analysis of what has transpired, I cannot deny that possibility.
I did observe a significant amount of power in Saber, the Alter Ego of Love and Loathing...
...but I will admit that in the case of those two Alter Egos, some aspects shattered their overall balance.
And yet, I wasn't able to calculate that result. I failed to reach that answer. Why is that?
I think it is because you failed to account for the most important parameter of them all:
Emotions.
That resulted in significant structural flaws.
All humans, Heroic Spirits included, rely on their emotions, ego, self-consciousness, and outward persona to determine their moment to moment actions.
They are a complex interweave of numerous Alter Egos all laid atop one another.
That is arguably what makes humans, human.
But you are an AI. Your existence revolves around fulfilling a single command.
And so you could not understand this aspect of humans. You believed a single ego would be sufficient.
... ...
I see. I can't deny that, either. But that does lead to a new question.
If what you have said is true, then why does the Alter Ego class exist at all?
What's the difference between an Alter Ego that works, and one that doesn't?
... ...
To answer that, I think you should take a closer look at what is before you.
That goes for me, too. I should be watching what is transpiring here as well.
So I wordlessly turn to face the same direction as my AI companion.
AIs are made with a purpose. Each is defined by a single crucial directive.
The same may well be true for Alter Egos, too.
Did I realize what it means to be a being made with such a focus? What their value is? What they can do?
From a different perspective, did I realize how sad, sinful, and horrific their existence is?
And at the heart of it all...
...did I realize what it truly means to be an Alter Ego?
I have to face the truth for myself.
Sorry, Master. I let the excitement go to my head.
Before I go, I should probably at least ask you this:
Did you get what you wished for?
I don't know. For me, this was never about anything more than making amends for my own selfish peace of mind.
That said, I do think this meant something.
Once this war is properly over, it won't be long before our days are peaceful again.
Sakura may not be here anymore, and I might not be able to get involved directly...
...but I do feel like I was at least able to affirm her wish right up to the end.
Yeah. You did the best you could for someone else's wish.
Who cares if it came from a less than positive place? It's the truth, and you should be proud of that.
...You know, if this helped you find a satisfying answer...
...maybe it's not so bad that I couldn't serve you up a victory on a silver platter.
... ...
Heh... Hahaha, haaahahaha!
Wh-what's so funny?
I just realized something.
I won more battles than I can count in life, but here I am, completely satisfied in defeat!
Sure, there were those times Hanumān wiped the floor with me to show off just how strong he truly was...
..but I've never felt this way from an ordinary brawl before.
And against Duryodhana of all people, too! This really is something else!
That explains it. This must be one of the reasons I lost.
I couldn't possibly win when I don't really care about victory or defeat.
Especially when the other guy's all raring to go.
Still...I may not have any regrets about this fight, but that doesn't mean I don't have other regrets.
There's still one thing I can't help but feel bad about.
Huh?
I'm sorry I didn't manage to serve you any food you enjoyed.
...You're wrong.
You've got it all wrong.
Your cooking was always delicious. Of course it was.
The problem...was me.
I'm the one who didn't think I had any right to smile after eating something so good!
I'm sorry, Lancer.
Even in your final moments, I couldn't give you anything but regrets.
I'm sorry I couldn't appreciate how good your cooking was. I'm sorry I wasn't able to let you do anything heroic.
If I'd only been normal, you could have fought and won instead of just cooking all the time...
Now you're the one who's got it wrong, Master. I'm glad I ended up like this.
I'm glad I spent all my time here cooking for you, and only fought one battle at the end.
If I'd been my perfect warrior self who already had everything I wanted...
...then I might've been really, really pissed off about losing this battle...
...and sulking like a spoiled brat right about now.
Not to say I'm not a little pissed off about how he beat me right now.
Honestly, it's embarrassing. It's a good thing my brothers aren't here to see this.
...But never mind that.
My point is, it's because I'm not just my warrior self that I'm able to go out feeling fairly satisfied.
So I think you're fine just the way you are.
Even though you're trapped by guilt and you don't know why, you still decided to fight to make amends.
That tells me you're gonna be all right.
I don't know if this'll mean anything to you, but...
...I hope you can make amends for the guilt you harbor so deep inside one day, too.
Yeah. I hope I can, too. ...Do you think I can?
I already taught you the trick. Just do what you want to do.
Sure, pain you can't forget sucks, but it's also a good motivator.
In our case, we managed to survive our banishment and the war because we never forgot the humiliation we suffered.
So if you're saddled with guilt you can't forget...
...it also means you've got a source of strength that'll never go away.
...!
That's a better way to use your guilt than letting it overwhelm you until you can't do anything at all.
Can't forget about it? Make it work for you. Turn it into fuel that will keep you moving forward forever.
Fuel that'll keep you going no matter the difficulties or hardships you face down the road.
...Yeah. You're right.
I'm going to start using this guilt as a motivation I'll never, ever forget...
...and let it help me walk the path I want to take.
Welp, looks like it's about that time. See you around, Master.
Next time we meet, I'll cook you a meal so good, you won't be able to help smiling once you've tried it!
Count on it!
...Yeah. I can't wait!
...
Haha. Now I kind of feel bad. Seems my wish was somewhat granted...
7. Before the battle
200 linesIn the end, he never even tried to hit me below the navel.
It got me thinking. What does it mean that he didn't try? What was he thinking back then, when he did it?
Was the personality that chose not to resort to such a trick always there within him?
The more I think about it...
(Hang on. What am I doing? Who cares? Thinking about it won't change me, him, or the past.)
(All that matters is that today, I won! Ahahahaha!)
(At long last, it's my time to shine! Let the good Duryodhana times begin!)
Nnn... (Cough)
Hey, what's the big idea? The winner should be on a pedestal, not lying in someone's lap!
Who cares? You're always too worried about appearances, anyway.
Hey, when you look as good as me, who would blame you for caring?
Well...I guess you don't look too bad, as long as you keep your mouth shut.
Hmph. It's okay. Just be honest. I can tell you agree with me, anyway.
So, are you satisfied?
I guess...but only barely.
You, our brothers, my husband, my father-in-law... I didn't have any idea you'd all died until it was too late.
For all you know, I could've ended up hating you all for just going off to fight and leaving me all alone.
... ...
At least this is better than that.
This time...I got to stay with you right to the end.
I can at least stay by your side until you're gone.
...I see.
No, wait. What are you saying? I'm still perfectly healthy.
In fact, I'll even answer your question: hell no, I'm not satisfied at all!
You're not? Not at all? Are you sure?
Well... I don't know.
I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't find anything I was looking for.
So maybe I'm just barely satisfied, like you.
Listen. I've been looking for everything this world has to offer. That's what I want.
So...of course the sister who had to leave on her own path would be part of that.
...Hehe. Thanks.
Hmph.
I didn't realize you were missing or that I was wondering where you'd gone until I knew it was you, though.
You can't blame me for that, though. How was I supposed to notice one out of a hundred siblings going missing?
You've got to be more careful not to get lost, dammit. Hold on to my sleeve if that's what it takes.
Actually, on second thought, make it Duḥśāsana's sleeve. Having you clinging to me would get annoying.
No way. Duḥśāsana would totally yell at me for that, too!
Then hold on to one of our other brothers' sleeves. I don't care who.
Look. I had a lot going on back then.
Waaay too many brothers to watch. Plus I had to train them, make allies...
...and I had to lead us all in the war.
As greedy as I was back then, this version of me now wants even more.
"Who are you?"
If someone had asked me that, I would have told them...
...I'm probably the Alter Ego of Avarice.
It was nice going after everything I wanted, but it wasn't enough.
Of course just finding my sister isn't going to be enough to satisfy me!
Ugh. You're the worst.
Still... I know that's just who you are.
...Man, I'm sleepy. I guess even I can't beat the sandman.
This sucks. There're still so many things I wanted to get before I fell asleep...
Yeah, that's right. I'm greedy. So... Hey, you. Come here.
Yeah, you, Fujimaru.
Me?
？！
You and I, we're still in an alliance, so I've got an order for you.
Since I'm not going to be able to get everything I want, make sure you at least get everything you want in my place.
Oh, don't look at me like that. I don't know what you're up against, but you've got a battle ahead of you, and it's to save the world, right?
If you winning that battle leads to saving the world, you're as good as claiming the world for yourself.
I don't know if I'd say that...
？！
Well, it's true. So I am naming you my proxy. You're going to get the world in my place.
Hehehe, there we go. Now I can sleep in peace...
Oh for... I'm sorry about him. Don't worry about it, okay?
It's fine. I think that was just his way of encouraging me.
？！
You think so? I'm not sure I agree, but I appreciate how charitable you're being.
Anyway, I pushed myself so hard earlier that I'm about at my limit. So, while we're here, do you mind if I say something?
Thank you for all your help.
I'm glad you were the first Master I met here. I was so happy when you rescued those Repair girls from Caster.
I'm sure that kind heart of yours is going to save everyone else in your upcoming battles, too.
So good luck, and please take care of yourself!
Welp...I entrusted what came next to Aśvatthāman back then, and now, I'm going to do the same thing with you.
Yet another example of how incredible I am, delegating the last parts of things to someone else so I can take it easy.
So I'm going to do this right.
From now on, you're the commander.
Got that? Whatever you do, make sure you claim the world for yourself.
They found an answer that meant something to them because they were Alter Egos, not in spite of it.
I think that was true for at least some of the Servants in this world as well.
I cannot deny that this has meaning.
Generally speaking, Alter Egos are purified versions of their original selves.
That is why they sometimes go down paths and open up possibilities which would be difficult for their normal personality.
Then, I suppose it was my method of creation that was responsible for my failure.
Not at all. I think we actually need to be paying attention to the reverse.
We should be looking at how they are made before questions of problematic process come into the picture.
The question we need to ask is not, "How do we purify people to create Alter Egos?"
Instead, we should be asking, "Why were the Alter Egos already purified when they were created?"
I think Alter Egos are born precisely because they are purified.
Unlike their standard selves, they are focused on one particular feeling.
This happens when those feelings become too strong, or even overwhelming.
Which is why the resulting being contains new possibilities not present in the original.
I see. So you're saying Alter Egos require a kind of naturally occurring directive to be effective.
Not necessarily. I would not say it is impossible for one with the kind of power you were looking for to form spontaneously.
Especially when ones so close to holding such new possibilities lasted in this world right up to the end.
Conversely, it is also not guaranteed that such an Alter Ego would form spontaneously every time a given being naturally possesses such feelings.
In the end, Alter Egos remain fragments of personalities, so some are not durable enough to survive alone.
I think that is probably why so many of them end up tied to multiple Divinities.
At any rate, it seems clear now that creating Alter Egos by forcibly separating personalities was never likely to yield any with the kind of power we would need.
Then, it seems mine truly was just a twisted equation.
That it was akin to searching for meaning in the starry sky...
...and allowing myself to be so dazzled by the sheer number of them that I included Paper Moons I floated myself in the answer.
(Numbers, and twisted meaning...)
(That's right. I still need to answer that question.)
？！
If anything here is twisted, it is your own natures.
You have already created countless Alter Egos. You've agreed that they make excellent additions to a fighting force.
Why is one Alter Ego acceptable, but not a hundred? What makes ten permissible, but a thousand taboo?
Your inability to answer this is what is twisted. One Alter Ego or not, it makes no difference.
The fact remains that you are aware of the twisted nature inherent to Alter Egos...
...and you accept them without either question or reason all the same.
That is one of the human race's worst habits. You allow unfettered emotion to cloud your capacity for rational thought.
You were right. It is twisted to use Alter Egos.
It's true. Using Alter Egos is twisted, regardless of how many.
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But, I want to think that doesn't make it wrong.
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...Why is that?
Because they all know and accept that they're Alter Egos.
Because they're at peace with the fact that they're Alter Egos.
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And I think that means it's probably okay.
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...I see. So you trust the Alter Egos in Chaldea.
You believe the fact that they formed naturally is proof they are right to exist.
So you didn't have to find a reason. It already existed inside of them.
Now I understand. What seemed twisted at first may actually just be a series of righteous things layered atop one another.
I can't deny that, too, is a possibility.
Even if, astronomically speaking, it seems like a miracle so unlikely as to be practically impossible.
Yes. Failing to realize that is probably the most important reason for my calculations having gone awry.
Emotions. People. Alter Egos. The ways beings' wills, power, and personalities exist and intermingle.
I see now that I should have tried to study those things more closely from my vantage here on this Paper Moon.
I've reached my final processing phase.
It won't be long now before this conversational interface...
...and the Dust of Osiris AI Holy Grail War system, disappear.
Suffice to say, you are going to be quite thoroughly rebooted...
...so there will not be any room left for irregularities.
I wonder what's going to happen to this world.
？！
This conceptual Paper Moon world only arose thanks to the power of the microscopic Holy Grail that spawned here.
Once you retrieve the Holy Grail, there will be no way left to observe it.
From the outside, you will only see the Paper Moon working normally, as any other device.
So...what will we see on the inside?
I can only estimate based on the information to hand, but it may be that this world will continue to operate as it did before the Holy Grail War began.
I see. In that case...I have a favor to ask.
That is fine. I can lay out a path before we go. Consider it a bonus.
Besides, the winner of this Holy Grail War was always meant to become this world's central governing AI.
And when that happened, youthat is, the personality known as Rani-XII, would be merged with them and disappear.
So for you, the end of an AI Holy Grail War was the beginning of the next phase, as well as the end of your own existence.
A small price to pay for the greater good. As long as my functionality is carried over, that's all that matters.
All right. This may just be something of a ceremonial position...
...but I will set it so that you become the next central governing AI once the position is vacant, Cerejeira.
And, from there, I just need to keep things running normally, from somewhere no one will see me.
Well, if I can keep Grow, and the other areas, all working like normal...maybe it'll be enough to let Sakura rest in peace.
By the way, what sort of Alter Ego AI was Cerejeira?
Cerejeira was just as experimental as the Master of Berserker.
I put her together at the last minute in response to the shape events were taking. She is...
Huh. Why did I not realize that myself?
I mean, I understand I am an Alter Ego myself right now, but even so.
So that's how it was...
？！
It still doesn't feel real even after hearing that. I mean, I guess it does a little, but that's all.
I've told you everything I need to. It won't be much longer now.
Oh, wait a minute. There is still something I need to tell you.
Rani-XII, the current version of the Paper Moon's central governing AI.
...?
I just want to say something to you as an alchemist of the Atlas Institute.
Your experiment may have failed, and it may have been going down the wrong path from the start...
...but none of that changes the fact that you did your best to avert the destruction you foresaw, all without anyone being the wiser.
And that is a wonderful thing.
...!?
You have fulfilled your duty admirably.
Even if your actions were ultimately mistaken, I still commend you for your work.
Trite as this expression may be, we cannot let fear of failure stop us from conducting experiments.
Well done, Rani-XII.
You can recall your mistake and still sleep with no regrets.
... ...
...Thank you.
That's right. All I ever wanted was to avert the impending destruction.
Which is why I will dedicate the possibility that my observations may have been mistaken, and the significance of my failed experiment, to your upcoming journey.
May the stars bless you on your way.
And may the stars of the northern sky illuminate your way even in the darkest, most difficult times...
All right, while we did not plan to come here, it is still good manners to leave a place cleaner than you found it. I can at least make sure everything is in its proper place.
Now I just open a Spiritron escape gate with which to log out... I think I will make it a door, to make the metaphor clear.
All right, we can go. Is there anything else before we leave?
Yeah. I at least know what I have to say now.
If we ever meet again, I hope we can talk.
...That's all.
Of course. I'd be glad to.
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See you.
Oh, I just remembered. This will be the end of this version of me, too.
So let me say this now, Fujimaru.
Especially since I do not want to bring back any regrets to my outside self.
I am glad I got to go on this adventure with you. It was a lovely dream.
This version of me was never meant to exist, and that means this has been truly miraculous...
...Huh?
What do you mean by that?
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