Epilogue

Good morning, Senpai.

Director Goredolf will be briefing us on how to spend our summer vacation in about an hour, so I thought it might be a good idea to have breakfast early today.

Apparently, one of the topics we'll be discussing is where to go for a large-scale Rayshift.

Wherever it is, I can't wait to see what we do for this year's vacation!

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What is it, Senpai? You seem puzzled about something.

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A fractured dream... I don't know about that, but I can see that you look very happy right now.

So whatever you were dreaming about, it must have been a very long, very fun dream.

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I'm telling you, the mountains are where it's at. They're cool, they're quiet... Not to mention I've got a real bad feeling about the sea.

Now that I've got a swimsuit, I'd rather go to the sea! My steed agrees, too!

If we're going to go on a trip, I'd like to go somewhere I've never been. It's fun seeing new countries and cultures, of course...

...but I also really enjoy looking up the history of a city before I visit it. While I'm at it, I'd also like to go somewhere hot.

As in, a place with blazing hot sunlight? Well then, how about the Himalayas?

Nothing quite compares to the blackness of space as seen from the tops of those mountains. It feels like falling into the sky.

Technically, that's closer to the sun, but it doesn't sound especially sunny. As for me...I think I'd like to try somewhere I usually never go, like a desert.

I'd hate to get pigeonholed as an ocean-or-nothing kind of guy, and I'd like to see what the sunset looks like on a sea of sand.

Personally, I was hoping to see the nearby sky city, but I suppose that can wait for another time.

The ocean seems like the perfect honeymoo I mean, vacation destination for summer. So I say we go to the sea.

I'm fine with anywhere as long as there's good food to be had...but strangely, I am kind of in an Arabian mood right now.

For example, I've heard there's a huge department store in Dubai that has fancy sweets from all around the world.

Oh, it sounds like paradise. Or hell if you don't have enough money to buy everything you want.

Um, there are a bunch of Heroic Spirits from India here at Chaldea, right? So what if we went there to let them visit home again?

Besides, I'd love to try curry in its realI mean, original form.

It looks like everyone is already here, discussing where to go for this Rayshift.

Shall we go join them, Senpai?

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Um, excuse me... Could you slide over just a little bit, please?

I don't want to snag your clothes by mistake as I pass by. I'm sorry for the trouble...

Oh no, it's no problem. If anything, we should have known better than to stand in the middle of the hallway. Go ahead, Lip.

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Th-thank you. I'm sorry I'm always making trouble!

I promise I'll get out of the way quickly!

...Hm?

Um... Is there something strange about me today?

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G-good morning, Master! Are you here for breakfast!?

Oh, right, of course not. You're a busy Master, after all!

Um...

Oh, I know. You're here to discuss where to go for summer vacation this year, right?

Melt told me about this. She said every year at this time, you get a break from your duties...

...and Rayshift somewhere together for fun, with Servants accompanying you for protection.

Hehe. Sounds like a lot of responsibility.

Oh, I know! When you get back, if you have time, could you tell me about your trip?

Then I can brag to Melt about all the fun you had.

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I-I, um... I don't know if I'll be up to the task, but...

...it would be my pleasure!

I can't promise I'll be very good at being a bodyguard, but I'll do my very best!

Are you sure you don't want to talk to him? Look, he's already been taken.

Even if we're starting over from the beginning, it's still the same summer.

If you go Rayshift with him right now, maybe you could spend it together, just the two of you.

That's okay. I've already decided to treat that experience as a once-in-a-lifetime miracle.

Trying to repeat it would just cheapen the original miracle. So, it's fine.

Besides, that summer didn't belong to us alone. It was everyone's.

We're the only ones who remember Moon Dubai, and the only ones who know what the future holds.

If we just stay out of it, I'm sure Master and the others will end up going there.

Even if they can't go to Moon Dubai anymore, they'll still get to experience the Dubai of 2030 BB prepared for them.

And I'm sure they'll have the same kind of adventure there, too. So I'm content to just stay here and watch.

If I were to get mixed up with a Beast again, it would be a huge ordeal. I might even be forced into the role of final boss this time around.

I see. If that's how you feel, then I'll let it go, too.

Although... Hehe. "We're the only ones who remember," huh?

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Huh? What do you mean by

Ereshkigal! There you are!

Hm? What is it, Mash? Did you need me for something?

Oh, no, not me. It's Senpai.

He seemed anxious about something ever since he woke up.

Then, as soon as we finished our meeting, he ran back to his room to get a straw hat...

...and then ran off again saying he needed to find you.

So I just wanted to let you know that he's looking for

Ereshkigal? Oh gosh, are you okay? Are you in pain!?

If you're hurting so much you're crying, we should get you to the infirmary as soon asNo? It's not that? You just got something in your eye?

...Yes, that's right. I'm not hurt. I was just a little surprised is all.

Don't worry about me. This'll pass soon enough. ...Ehehe.

...Oh, good. That's a relief. In that case, do you have some time to spare right now?

We have a number of Rayshift destination candidates to choose from for our summer vacation. We were hoping to get your opinion.

I think that's also probably why Senpai is looking for you.

He was just telling the director how he insists you come with us this year.

I-I see... Well, then I guess I can spare some time.

Th-though of course, summer obviously isn't important to the Queen of Kur or anything like that.

There, you see? He might have forgotten the rest, but he remembered to bring back the most important thing.

Hraaaaaaaaah!

Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

I did it! It's finally done!

What's done, you say? You silly, dim-witted fools!

Did you think I've been keeping a low profile, sticking to quiet places, and fishing through all those old documents just for the fun of it!?

I did it all for this manuscript! This absolute masterpiece in which I've chronicled the exploits of the fools who ran their future world right into the ground, documentary-style!

I call it "The Moon Is a Merciless Rabbit's Tail"!

Now gather round like good children, citizens of Moon Dubai!

This tale will rub salt in your wounds and cast you out on a sea of emotion as vast as Sessyoin's Noble Phantasm.

...Um... (Looking around to confirm he's the only one there)

Are you talking to me? I mean, I guess I can read it if you really insist...

So, this wasn't written by AI? Wait. It's on paper? You self-published a physical book?

I'm, uh, not too big on paper books. I'd much rather just copy it directly into my brain...

...There's an e-book version. Now read it.

All right then, don't mind if I do...

Oho. Ohoho. Ohohohoho! You've really got an eye for detail! I feel like I'm there watching it all happen!

I'm especially impressed with your intricate depiction of the protagonist. You really feel how agonizing it must be for Fujimaru to make these decisions. And that only makes me love him more!

The ending was a little disappointing, though. Especially set against what actually happened.

Weren't you watching the battle? The moon turned into a naval chart for Earth and everything.

What? Then, you mean BB Dubai's been defeated?

No, wait. Where ARE the Chaldeans now, anyway?

They went home just a short while ago.

I never had a chance to speak to them myself, so it didn't seem right to say goodbye...

...but I at least wanted to see them off from a distance when they left. ...Wait.

You're a Chaldean Servant too, right? How come you didn't go with them?

...! Dammit, that's right. I wasn't part of the Chaldean tour group. I'm only here because that damn melon woman summoned me here!

So this is why she gave me all her magical energy... To leave me stranded here!

That sounds rough. Is there anything I can do to help?

...How would you rate that book?

I'd give it three stars.

Is that so? Then the best thing you can do for me is delete it immediately and forget you ever saw me! Farewell!

Uh... Does he not know that in Moon Dubai, one star is high praise, two stars is a masterpiece, and three stars means it deserves a place of honor in the city's library?

Hmm... What should I do? I'd hate to just throw away such a good book...

Dammit! How could an author of my caliber be so foolish as to proudly show off such piss-poor work!?

For that matter, I can't believe I so completely shut myself away to work on it that I didn't even notice the final battle had ended!

I must be the most obtuse author to ever live!

It just goes to show that life in Chaldea has only dulled my writing sensibilities!

Ugh, I'm still so angry at myself I can't stand it. All I can do now is die and make it so none of this ever happened!

Not to mention, it's my only path back to Chaldea, since I can't very well banish myself!

I see. So this is where they faced off with BB Dubai. Looks like the perfect place to leap to my death.

...Welp. Better get this over with.

Hm?

Hnnnghhh! Yaaaaaah!

Phew! I finally made it out of the rubble! Ugh, I thought I was done for!

Of course the ceiling had to fall right on top of me just as I'd nearly finished regenerating myself!

And after I did my best to save humanity in my own way, too! I even made a Holy Grail out of Moon Dubai's resources!

And then Fujimaru went and forgot aaall about me!

Grrr... I will NOT let this humiliation stand! So what if I haven't got any ties to Chaldea!?

I'll find a way, whatever it takes! I won't rest until I've paid them back for this! With interest!

...

...Hm? That's weird. It feels like someone's staring at me with complete and utter revulsion...

Eeeeeeeee!!! Who the hell are yoooooou!?

...Well, I guess this beats plummeting to my death. Any port in a storm and all that.

You there, the final boss candidate with absolutely no redeeming qualities. I might know a way you can get to Chaldea...