Top Floor: The King of Figures's Love

It looks just like a sculptor's workshop. I guess that makes sense for someone called the King of Figures.

Careful. You hear that noise? Someone's here.

It stopped. He must have noticed us.

Kanperfect! That's just what we want!

...Wait. Huh!? What's going on!?

...!?

So...you really came.

Nani the hell!? Why are there two Galateas?

You. You look just like me. Who are you?

I see. So you really don't remember. But then, that's no surprise, since you only just woke up.

Then I suppose I should begin by introducing myself.

I am the one who has been creating living dolls here in Akihabara.

You know me as the King of Figures.

...!

Tch, what is the meaning of this? Even my keen emperor's eye can tell that both Galateas are identical.

They may be wearing slightly different armor, but their forms are completely identical. This is no cheap counterfeit.

Of course not. I know myself better than anyone. That's exactly why I did this.

？！

All right, King of Figures, I have some questions I'm hoping you can answer.

Who are you? Why do you look just like Galatea? Why are you claiming you can bring other people's dolls to life?

And, why did you turn this town into a Singularity full of living dolls?

All right, King of Figures, I have some questions I'm hoping you can answer.

Who are you? Why do you look just like Galatea? Why are you claiming you can bring other people's dolls to life?

And, why did you turn this town into a Singularity full of living dolls?

I've got some, too. Why are you draining the life force out of everyone who tries to make their way up this tower? Do you understand what a terrible crime that is?

If it's just that you're an evil Servant, then I'll kill you. That's my job as a member of the Nightwatch.

I would think the answers to those questions obvious. You all know my other name, after all.

I'm Galatea, the statue who became a person, and wife to King Pygmalion.

No you're not. I'm Galatea.

Wrong. You and I are both Galatea.

That's why I said my answers should be obvious.

As Galatea, we're both motivated by the same thing. You can answer those questions just as well as I can.

So tell me: What is it you want?

Me? All I want is to see my beloved King Pygmalion aga

Exactly. That's all I want, too. That's the only reason behind everything I've done here.

Then...you don't mean...

I thought about what I could do that might let me see him again. I considered all the different possibilities.

While we could conceivably both be summoned as Servants to the same location...

...the odds of that happening seemed astronomical.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands with a more practical approach.

An approach that's been proven to work by virtue of my very existence.

Since you're also me, I'm sure you know what that is.

...Yes, I think I do.

You decided to make a statue of King Pygmalion and bring it to life with your love, just as he did for us.

Really? I mean, I can understand why you are doing this, but is it even possible?

Of course it is. I'm living proof.

Or do you also doubt it's possible for humans to give birth when someone tells you about their mother?

...

At any rate, everything I've done here, I've done to create a perfect statue of King Pygmalion and bring him to life with pure love.

But I couldn't do it on my own. And even the power I gained here proved insufficient.

(The power she gained here? Does she mean)

(The power she gained here? Does she mean)

So I decided to throw more power at the problem power from the people of this city.

I used every tool at my disposal to make it into a place where it was okay to love nonhuman things like dolls.

I created an environment where the idea that dolls could become people seemed possible, even normal.

That was my goal: to free people of their shackles and get them to love dolls in the true sense of the word.

Fortunately, the groundwork had already been laid here, so it wasn't especially difficult.

That's why there's so much doll love here... Really, it's strange I didn't notice how weird it was before, even for Akiba.

Now I see why so many people came here to try and make their way up this tower.

They were lured here by rare goodies and the idea that they could have their favorite figures brought to life...

I guess that means I was right about the shops' merch being more bait than inventory.

That must be why you scattered all those living dolls around the city, too.

It's like planting specially bred flowers to attract more honeybees, only with dolls and people.

And it was all to get as many people as possible to climb this tower so you could steal their life force!

Strictly speaking, it's not life force that I'm taking.

It's love.

...!?

This building is designed to collect love.

The kind of pure love that lets people adore and embrace inanimate or fictional figures in a real, meaningful sense.

I then take that love and use it like fuel to stoke the flames of my own love, to help give life to the statue of King Pygmalion.

Eventually, it should make my love strong enough to either have the gods take notice, or grant me godlike Mystic Authority.

No matter how removed the gods' presence may be from this modern world, there should still be enough left for one miracle: imbuing a statue with life.

I sympathize with your love. And I'm sorry that your dearest wish remains unfulfilled. But what you're doing here is wrong.

How could you call something that requires you to drain the love from people a miracle?

King of Figuresother Galateawhat you're doing now is an affront to your own legend. It's evil, plain and simple.

Right. We can't let you get away with this!

I'm warning you, please don't try to stop me. All I want is to make my wish come true.

Though of course, I'm sure one of you needs no warning.

I know you want this just as much as I do. At the very least, I'm certain you can't bring yourself to interfere.

I... I...

(...She certainly does not seem capable of fighting now. Though I can hardly blame her, given the circumstances.)

(Well, at least this is better than her joining forces with the enemy.)

That's why you shouldn't have come here. You would never think to try and stop me, after all.

Even attempting to do so would run counter to the core of yourour very existence.

...

Go now. Leave this place. There's nothing here for you but pain.

This obligation you feel to these strangers you've just met is inconsequential.

It has nothing to do with who you are. It holds no meaning for you whatsoever.

Just like a statue's only purpose is to stand tall and proud...

...ours should only be to reunite with King Pygmalion.

...Why are you talking about me like you are me? What are you, really!?

Hmm. It doesn't look like this Galatea's another aspect of her or anything like that. I think I could get to the bottom of this if I had a little more time, but

Hmm. It doesn't look like this Galatea's another aspect of her or anything like that. I think I could get to the bottom of this if I had a little more time, but

We cannot afford to wait, not when she seems so hellbent on stopping us!

The King of Figures is clearly preparing for combat. What should we do, Master?

？！

Got it! Galateauh, the one with us, I meanyou just stand back, okay? We'll figure something out!

Dammit... How is she so strong? How is she able to fend off attacks from multiple Servants so easily!?

(It's true... She's way tougher than the Galatea on our side!)

What the...!? I just finished analyzing her, and it looks like we're dealing with a Holy Grail!

I knew it! There's no way she could be this tsuyostrong without having come across a Holy Grail somewhere!

Hang on, I wasn't finished. This might be hard to believe, but she doesn't actually POSSESS a Holy Grail.

Her whole body IS a Holy Grail!

What the...!? I just finished analyzing her, and it looks like we're dealing with a Holy Grail!

I knew it! There's no way she could be this tsuyostrong without having come across a Holy Grail somewhere!

Hang on, I wasn't finished. This might be hard to believe, but she doesn't actually POSSESS a Holy Grail.

Her whole body IS a Holy Grail!

Huh!? What do you mean by that!?

Exactly what I said. Her body IS a Holy Grail. Her structural composition confirms it.

So, we were literally fighting a Holy Grail? No wonder she was so tough.

？！

Exactly. It's okay, Galatea. You don't have to listen to anything an imposter says.

I'm...not sure she is an imposter...

It's difficult to say which of us is the original. Arguably, we both are.

But I will say that I was the first of us to gain consciousness.

...I don't suppose you'd be willing to fill us in on exactly what happened here, would you? Assuming you're the kind of artist that doesn't mind explaining their work, of course.

This power you mentioned finding earlier...it was that Holy Grail, wasn't it?

Exactly what I said. Her body IS a Holy Grail. Her structural composition confirms it.

So, we were literally fighting a Holy Grail? No wonder she was so tough.

？！

Exactly. It's okay, Galatea. You don't have to listen to anything an imposter says.

I'm...not sure she is an imposter...

It's difficult to say which of us is the original. Arguably, we both are.

But I will say that I was the first of us to gain consciousness.

...I don't suppose you'd be willing to fill us in on exactly what happened here, would you? Assuming you're the kind of artist that doesn't mind explaining their work, of course.

This power you mentioned finding earlier...it was that Holy Grail, wasn't it?

That's right. I discovered it in this very land.

When I realized the immensity of its power, I thought fashioning it into a statue of King Pygmalion might help bring about the miracle I sought.

But, I also had concerns.

Even if the material was powerful enough to bring a statue of King Pygmalion to life, were my sculpting skills sufficient to stir the gods into action?

Could I really make a statue capable of inspiring true love?

Furthermore, I had never worked with this material before.

I knew I would need to test how my chisel and other tools worked with it before I could use it for what I wanted.

And besides, it was too risky to begin my primary project before I was sure of what could happen with material this powerful.

So I decided to begin with a practice statue.

I chose a subject I knew better than any other, one for which I could easily gauge any differences from its original.

In other words, I chose to learn how to sculpt with the Holy Grail by sculpting myself.

...!

But wouldn't that mean you were made afterward?

That has to do with how my Holy Grail statue turned out.

I did my very best to replicate myself perfectly using everything I knew, and succeeded in carving out an exact likeness.

I then did a test run to see if the Holy Grail's power combined with love would be enough to bring my likeness to life.

...It wasn't.

All I'd managed to create with the Holy Grail was a replica of my Servant self. It lacked too much substance to ever become human.

I knew that if this was the best I could do, I would never be able to see King Pygmalion again.

I had truly hoped this plan would work, so the failure was devastating. I was equal parts angry, miserable, dejected, and despondent.

But then, I realized something. At some point during the carving process, my body had become fractured.

I took a closer look and realized that, even though my divine chisel was capable of carving the Holy Grail without repercussion...

...I was not.

A fractured statue will always crumble eventually. It was only a matter of time until that became my fate.

So I decided to switch out our heads. My head would go on the new body I made from the Holy Grail.

Y-you removed your own head!?

That would definitely be impossible for any other Servant.

But since she's both a statue and a human...

...I could see that actually working...

Oh come ON! Modifying yourself is one thing, but transplanting your whole freaking head!?

...! Then...does that mean I'm

Yes. That is why there are two of us.

I have a Holy Grail body and a fractured mind, and you have a fractured body with a new, innocent mind.

So that is why there is a King of Figures Galatea, and the Galatea we met on the streets of Akihabara...

Well damn, now I feel kind of dumb for not noticing all this weirdness sooner.

That would definitely be impossible for any other Servant.

But since she's both a statue and a human...

...I could see that actually working...

Oh come ON! Modifying yourself is one thing, but transplanting your whole freaking head!?

...! Then...does that mean I'm

Yes. That is why there are two of us.

I have a Holy Grail body and a fractured mind, and you have a fractured body with a new, innocent mind.

So that is why there is a King of Figures Galatea, and the Galatea we met on the streets of Akihabara...

Well damn, now I feel kind of dumb for not noticing all this weirdness sooner.

I was able to keep your form balanced by taking some material from your torso and plastering a layer over your head.

Covering the material of the Holy Grail, which was already weakened, with the material from your own body must have helped to further conceal its nature.

At any rate, once I had a Holy Grail body, I thought about what I could do with it.

I did make some quick and dirty repairs to my fractured mind, but there's no telling how lasting or effective they will be.

So I knew that whatever I did, I would have to do it quickly.

That was when I decided to do everything in my power to see King Pygmalion again.

I would search high and low for a way to remake this Holy Grail body of mine in his image.

If my own love was insufficient to bring him to life, then I would boost it however I could, even if that meant taking similar love from others.

...

In the meantime, I took the other me, who knew nothing about any of this, into town before she could awaken.

Once she woke up, her role would be to simply wander around as though she was just another Rogue Servant...

...and wait until my plan had succeeded.

I don't understand. Why have her do that?

Do I really have to say it? I would have thought it was obvious.

Once I gather enough power and use my Holy Grail body to successfully bring King Pygmalion to life...

...I won't exist anymore.

So of course there must be another Galatea to love him when I am gone.

...!

You would...really go that far...?

I see. As long as you know there is another one of you around...

...you truly do not mind if you do not get to see the one you love yourself.

...

I'm afraid I've explained all of this to you in such detail to buy time.

Even as I speak, this tower is continuing to gather doll love from the people of this city.

It seems to have just finished.

？！

Hoo boy, this is bad. I don't even have to analyze it to tell that thing is super dangerous!

I wouldn't touch it if I were you. Its power only serves to turn figures into people.

If anyone tries to use it for any other purpose, it will almost certainly explode.

Okay, if nobody else is gonna say this, I guess I have to: How in high tengoku does that make any sense!?

Apparently, art is volatile by nature.

That last bit may have been a joke, but she's not kidding about it blowing up.

That thing has all the ludicrous energy of a Holy Grail and none of the stability!

Even the slightest poke could be enough to set it off.

No, wait. It's even worse than I thought. There's no way a non-Caster could properly use all this raw energy.

Even if the King of Figures uses it exactly as she intends, there will be leakage from the excess energy.

And even that excess will be more than enough to blow the whole tower up, or even blast the city with death rays!

？！

Stop! Don't even get close! That energy is NOT something to mess with!

Hoo boy, this is bad. I don't even have to analyze it to tell that thing is super dangerous!

I wouldn't touch it if I were you. Its power only serves to turn figures into people.

If anyone tries to use it for any other purpose, it will almost certainly explode.

Okay, if nobody else is gonna say this, I guess I have to: How in high tengoku does that make any sense!?

Apparently, art is volatile by nature.

That last bit may have been a joke, but she's not kidding about it blowing up.

That thing has all the ludicrous energy of a Holy Grail and none of the stability!

Even the slightest poke could be enough to set it off.

No, wait. It's even worse than I thought. There's no way a non-Caster could properly use all this raw energy.

Even if the King of Figures uses it exactly as she intends, there will be leakage from the excess energy.

And even that excess will be more than enough to blow the whole tower up, or even blast the city with death rays!

？！

Stop! Don't even get close! That energy is NOT something to mess with!

...!

Great, so it's basically a bomb with a hair trigger?

We mess up even a little, boom. We do nothing, boom.

What are we supposed to do!?

Nothing. I'm quite durable, you see. This energy should be enough to grant my wish.

Now...hear me, my love.

My king's form already exists inside me. All it needs to become human is true love.

So go on, my love. Bring my beloved king back to this world.

Please. Let my wish come true...

？！

...What a crock. This? This is not love.

？！

I knew something did not sit right with me. Something about this always seemed off.

I have been thinking about what that could be...and I finally figured it out.

So as the emperor who loves art more than anyone, it falls to me to confront you with the answer.

...?

The legend of you and Pygmalion is truly a thing of beauty.

I can easily imagine how wonderful it would be to have a statue you dearly loved become human.

But that is nothing at all like loving a statue with the sole intent of bringing it to life!

...?

No matter how happy you may be to have a beloved figure come to life, you cannot set out with that as the goal.

In your and Pygmalion's story, love must always come first.

What are you...talking about?

Do you still not understand? Then let me ask you this: Did your king love you for what you were, or what his love might make you?

...

No, of course not. Even in your inanimate form, his love for you was pure.

His wish for you to become human and marry you only came about when he could no longer contain his feelings for your statue form!

Now do you understand? Love must come first and foremost! You should know that better than anyone!

I... I...

But get it wrong you did.

You doomed your plan to failure the moment you decided to deviate from the path you knew to be true!

No wonder fate did not see fit to grant your wish. Stop this now, while you still can!

Yes... That's right. I should have known.

This is wrong. This is all wrong.

Galatea...

I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused, everyone. I finally understand now.

In her quest to make my wish come true, that other me has forgotten something, and it is more important than anything else.

This is wrong. We have to stop it. ...I have to stop it.

No. I'm not wrong. You are. We've come this far and we may never get another chance like this.

No, my broken self. Think back.

Remember the hushed sound of the chisel...the gusting breeze from the Mediterranean wafting in through the window.

King Pygmalion sculpted us with love that was both gentle and kind.

Even if we succeeded at bringing his statue to life now...

...don't you think he would be heartbroken to learn that we had to hurt other people to do so?

...

I see no problem with the idea of bringing our king to life via a replica.

But it needs to be done with our love alone, like he did when he made us. Anything else would be meaningless.

But...I already tried that countless times, and it never worked! That's why I had to do this!

You don't know how it felt to lose all hope.

You don't know the terror I felt when I had to wonder if my love alone wasn't enough to give him life!

Of course it's enough. After all, this is me we're talking about.

The only logical explanation is that some other factor stopped it from working.

This is pointless. You don't know anything. You're still as pure and innocent as a baby.

There's no point in talking about this anymore. I have to use this power on myself, or it will explode.

She's right, Galatea. I appreciate your willingness to help, but I don't see any other way to deal with that unstable energy.

I do.

That energy can only be used to turn a figure human, right?

I'm still a statue, so I'm sure I can contain it.

How!? Even the other Galatea there's only willing to risk it 'cause she's made from a Holy Grail!

You can't possibly handle all that energy, not with a mostly standard Servant body!

You're just going to blow yourself up!

She's right, Galatea. I appreciate your willingness to help, but I don't see any other way to deal with that unstable energy.

I do.

That energy can only be used to turn a figure human, right?

I'm still a statue, so I'm sure I can contain it.

How!? Even the other Galatea there's only willing to risk it 'cause her body's made from a Holy Grail!

You can't possibly handle all that energy, not with a mostly standard Servant body!

You're just going to blow yourself up!

...If that's what has to happen for me to make up for the trouble I've caused you all, then so be it.

？！

I'm certain I can at least weaken the blast.

My head may be made of a Holy Grail, but the rest of my body is a standard Servant form.

You should be much better able to predict the outcome if I intervene, rather than my mostly Holy Grail self, which is far less understood.

Once I'm gone, I'm sure you'll be able to handle whatever remains.

If nothing else, this should be better than standing back and doing nothing.

？！

Right. I feel the same way!

Do not be so hasty! I am the all-powerful emperor of Rome. I can and will find a way to resolve this.

I may not know quite how just yet, but I will think of something soon enough!

I can't ask you to go to all that trouble for me.

We made a grave error in our efforts to see King Pygmalion again. If anyone should pay the price for that, it should be us.

Hey now, don't be so hard on yourself! Everybody makes mistakes! And sometimes those mistakes cause tons of trouble for everyone else!

At least you didn't build a weird castle to shut yourself away in, or try to attack us 'cause you thought we were stealing another Servant from you!

(Hang on. What was that last part!?)

A-anyway, whatever mistakes you make, as long as you don't close yourself off and do your best to make up for them, things usually tend to work out.

So it's okay for you not to pay the price... Okay, maybe it's not COMPLETELY okay, but that still doesn't mean you need to throw yourself on your sword over them!

Ugh, look. What I'm trying to saywhat I CAN sayis that the only one who did anything wrong here was your other self.

You haven't made any mistakes just yet. You shouldn't think of yourself as cursed.

You're right; machinesinanimate objects, can sometimes miraculously become human. I've seen it happen myself.

I think it's a wonderful thingjust as wonderful as getting to meet other Heroic Spirits as a Servant.

So don't...deny who you are, or try to destroy yourself along with this failed plan.

So...you can't let things end like this.

Please. I'm sure we still have a chance for a good ending.

An ending where we save this town and all go home proudly!

Lord Fujimaru... Lady Mash, Lady Nero, Lady Osakabehime, and Lady Erichi...

("Erichi"? Wait. Did I never introduce myself properly!?)

I appreciate your kind words very much. Believe me, I have no wish to be destroyed.

But this is the only way I can minimize the damage to you and the city around us...

Please, Da Vinci! There must be something else we can do!

...There are some things I could try, sure. But doing any of them from here would be difficult in the extreme.

...There are some things I could try, sure. But doing any of them from here would be difficult in the extreme.

Is that so? Then I guess I'll just have to help out myself. All we need is a release valve for that energy, so to speak.

Is that...?

？！

Of course this isn't my backpack! It's Blackbeard's!

He foisted it on me right before he collapsed from exhaustion.

I'd actually sent some familiars to keep watch on you while you were talking, so I have a good idea of what's going on.

And it sounds to me like this is just what you need.

Aha. I thought I recognized that backpack. That's where Beardie was keeping his figures.

Aha, now I gotcha. You're right; that DOES sound like just what we need!

Aha, now I gotcha. You're right; that DOES sound like just what we need!

Right? If the only way that energy can be used without exploding is by turning dolls into humans...

...then we just need to use it on more dolls.

Ohhh, I see. You want to use Beardie's figure collection as receptacles to contain the excess energy.

But, um, I just want to be sure... You're positive you can do that, right?

Please. A Berserker worked this spell. I could unravel something this crude in my sleep.

Now let me show you what a real mage can do.

I may have made one slight miscalculation, though...

Now that I'm actually seeing Blackbeard's figures...they may not be nearly enough to contain all that energy.

See!? This is why I asked!

(Then, I suppose the only option is to use my own body to make up the difference after)

(...?)

In that case, why not just bring in even more?

Is that...?

Ta-daaa! Ah-keeey-baa! Nero Nero here, everyone☆

...What are you doing here? Did you come to use my stunning good looks and charm to alleviate this tense situation?

Hmm. So much for my usual peppy entrance... (Sigh)

No, I was just thinking about which way would make you happier.

Huh?

Honestly, I wouldn't have cared which one you went with, as long as it really did make you happy.

But...it hasn't. And I don't think it's going to.

In fact, King of Figures, you don't seem like you're ever going to smile, even if everything works out just how you want.

What are you talking about?

You're just the first doll I modified after acquiring the Holy Grail's power.

A symbol of doll love I made by taking advantage of an already popular likeness in order to change this place's attitude toward artifice in general.

I never made any special modifications to you aside from giving you life.

No, wait. I modified you when I still wasn't used to this body. Does that mean you retained a portion of the Grail's power?

...

What did you mean when you said we just need to bring in even more?

Nyaha☆

I'm saying I'm here to help.

After all, there are more than enough dolls to let that energy escape right here in this city.

Well, yes, but we don't have any way of channeling it to them from here...

I know. Which is why I brought this live stream camera! I'll let you choose how to set it up, okay?

...!

It's already ready to go. All you have to do is press the button.

Wait. Are you suggesting we channel all this doll love energy into the city via live stream?

？！

Wait. Are you suggesting we channel all this doll love energy into the city via live stream?

？！

The act of observing is actually very significant in magecraft.

If it's already ready to go, then the necessary connections should be in place. And since everyone watching already knows her, it should mean the OTHER type of connections are strong enough, too.

So if we spread the energy over a wide area... Hmm... Yeah, I think this could work.

Well, let's hope it does, because we really don't have time to come up with anything else! I'll put the spell together while I get everything else set up!

Whoa! I didn't know you were so good with video equipment, too!

I'm an expert modeler, remember? Of course I need to know how to film a diorama!

Anyway, don't worry about the system for distributing and channeling the energy. I've got that part covered.

The only problem is, it won't work on its own.

We'll need to subject it to enough external stimulation to redirect the energy. Think of it like whittling down a large mass of material to make it workable.

But since we can't touch the energy mass directly, we'll need to focus our efforts on the King of Figures' Holy Grail body, since she's half-connected to it. I trust you guys can handle that?

So I need to whittle her down? I can do that. Whittling things down is what I do best.

So basically, we just have to keep hitting her? That makes things much simpler.

Wait. Stop! What do you think you're doing!?

Sorry, but I don't think I can keep the people of Akiba waiting any longer!

Ah-keeey-baa! Hi, everyone! Guess what? It's time for yet another impromptu live stream☆

And this time...it's going to be something reeeally special!

For a super limited timein fact, only for the duration of this live stream...

...the King of Figures' power is going to be sent to all of you out there watching this.

Do you know what that means? It's time for Operation: EVERYONE'S Beloved Dolls Can Enjoy the Same Miracle That Brought Me to Life!

So I'm asking all of you to pray, and shower your dolls with love.

Because just this once, and only for as long as this stream lasts...

...that beloved figure in your hand or in its case just might come to life and smile back at you.

So the more attention this broadcast receives, the better, yes? Then I suppose I had better help out!

A dream team of TWO Neros singing and dancing their hearts out will show this city what a true idol

？！

U-umu. Is that so? Well, your face speaks volumes about the apparent urgency of this matter, so I suppose I have no choice but to comply.

Very well then, I suppose my idol comeback will just have to wait for another time!

Stop this... Please, stop.

I need that love to see King Pygmalion again! You can't use it for anything else!

I worked so hard to gather it all! What if there isn't enough left to grant my wish!?

Ha! Do not make me laugh. You think this love is not enough? If anything, you have hoarded far too much of it.

Surplus should be spent, not saved. Trust me, you need only look at Rome's coffers after one of my shopping sprees to see that I know of what I speak!

Come, let me show you what I mean!

Thanks for choosing me! Are you taking me home now? I can't wait to see it!

Whoa... Whoa! You're talking! You're really talking! This just made all those hours working part-time jobs to save up for you worth it!

Hehe, thanks for always taking such good care of me! I feel great knowing I still look good as new!

O-of course! I mean, you're the best figure ever! I'll always take great care of you! I promise!

I'm so glad I got to spend your childhood with you and watch you grow up. Thanks.

A-aaah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I ever even thought about selling you!

You and I are family! You hear that? Family!

Ahh... All that love I gathered for King Pygmalion...!

Come now. You know as well as I do that boosting our love for him with other people's love is pointless.

Our true love for King Pygmalion can only be carved out from within ourselves!

Ah... Aah...

You did it! The King of Figures' Spirit Core has been damaged and is no longer functioning!

Great work, guys! The doll love energy's all been safely distributed. We don't have to worry about it blowing up now!

As for the King of Figures, Holy Grail body or not, there's no way she can keep functioning as a Servant now that her Spirit Core's been damaged.

Once all's said and done, you should be able to collect the Holy Grail that forms her body just like you would any other.

Great work, guys! The doll love energy's all been safely distributed. We don't have to worry about it blowing up now!

As for the King of Figures, Holy Grail body or not, there's no way she can keep functioning as a Servant now that her Spirit Core's been damaged.

Once all's said and done, you should be able to collect the Holy Grail that forms her body just like you would any other.

So...does this mean I was mistaken?

Yes, you were. You let your wish to see King Pygmalion again cause you to forget what should have come first.

Why do you look so sad, too? You have no reason to be.

Of course I do. You and I are the same. I could just as easily have made the same mistake as you.

Yes, I suppose that's true.

But...that also means we both realized that all we truly need is to sculpt with love.

Yes. That's true, too. And it's a good thing we did.

We should never have forgotten it in the first place.

Because it's proof that even a statue born from another's love can come to develop true love of her own.

As a sculptor myself, that is the theme I must pursue for as long as I continue to createthe motif I must always strive to complete.

I only hope I can bring this realization back to the Throne with me.

No... Even if I can't remember all of it...

...I'm sure some part of this experience will remain inscribed upon me.

After all, I'll be returning with two sets of memories.

Huh? You too, Galatea!?

My body was fractured to begin with. This was bound to happen.

Don't mourn for me, please.

You all helped me to remember something I never should have forgotten.

I'm so grateful to all of you for that.

Does this mean...I can trust my next version to try and make my dream come true without hurting anyone?

Yes...I think it does.

Oh yeah. I'd say we've definitely formed a connection over the course of this latest adventure.

I can easily imagine a future...

...where you're summoned to Chaldea as Fujimaru's Servant.

Oh yeah. I'd say we've definitely formed a connection over the course of this latest adventure.

I can easily imagine a future...

...where you're summoned to Chaldea as Fujimaru's Servant.

Yes. Until next time.

It sounds like you have many other artists at Chaldea, too. I look forward to seeing what I can learn from them.

Thank you. I still have a long way to go compared to my king, but I would love to show you all the same.

It sounds like you have many other artists at Chaldea, too. I look forward to seeing what I can learn from them.

？！

You're welcome at Chaldea anytime, Galatea.

There are lots of other Servants there who I'm sure you'd get along with great!

Like a spaceship boy who's as bright and cheerful as the sun. I'll have to introduce you sometime.

You're gonna have to come to my room and check out all my subaramazing figures sometime, too!

As far as I am concerned, you can never have too many talented artists. Make sure you do not take anyone besides me as your patron, all right?

I think you and I probably have very different tastes... But, I guess you're still welcome to visit.

At the very least, I can make a new outfit that will look spectacular on you.

...All right, now that we have the Grail, the anomaly causing this Singularity should disappear soon enough...

But now, I'm wondering what's going to happen to our surprise hero of the hour over there.

...All right, now that we have the Grail, the anomaly causing this Singularity should disappear soon enough...

But now, I'm wondering what's going to happen to our surprise hero of the hour over there.

Oh, guess that's my cue to wrap things up☆

Don't you worry! It's better to just come right out and say stuff like this♪

Okay, everyone, that's all for this special live stream! Are you all enjoying your miracles out there?

Aww, that's great! I can tell how happy you guys are all the way from here! And that brings me to my last big announcement!

This is actually my last live stream ever! It's been a great run, but now, it's time to say goodbye☆

Thanks for everything, everyone! Wooo! I am sooo grateful! Love you all!

Whaaaaaaaaaaa...!?

Also, now that this live stream is winding down...

...you should know: all your beloved dolls that came to life are gonna go back to being inanimate.

Oh, and since all the human-size dolls living in Akiba were made with the Holy Grail's power...

...they've probably all stopped moving by now.

...But don't cry. There's nothing to be sad about.

Even if they can't talk or move anymore, they're still the same dolls you love from the bottom of your hearts, right?

So please, don't be sad. Keep loving them the way you always have!

Do that, and a god might just miraculously make them come to life once more!

Okay, everyone, thanks again☆ I love you all sooo much! Ah-keeey-baa!

There, that ought to do it.

Kind of a rough way to wrap things up if you ask me... But I guess it's not like we had a lot of other options.

Good luck, all you crazy kids who were scheduling your lives around Akiba Nero's streams! Do your ganbarest!

Hold it. Why are YOU still able to move?

...Oh, probably just 'cause I was the first one she brought to life. It's only a matter of time for me though.

Anyway, I really hate weepy goodbyes, so I'm gonna find somewhere nice and quiet to settle down before I go to sleep for good. Please don't look for me, okay?

Hold it. You are still me. You would not exist if I had not commissioned your creation.

It would be a waste for you to fall asleep somewhere where no one can appreciate your stunning beauty again.

You should come and stay in my room. Or I could display you in the cafeteria, if you like.

Oh you... Teehee.

Aah! What the? Who do you think you are, patting my head like I am a child!? I am an emperor, remember!?

Then again, oddly enough, I do not feel especially angry about it. Perhaps that is because you have my face?

That's really nice of you, but I'm gonna have to pass! Don't worry, I'll make sure I settle down somewhere safe.

Bye, everyone! You guys did great☆

Well hey, the Holy Grail's safely in our hands, and scans make pretty clear that she's going to go inanimate soon.

So I don't see any harm in letting her spend her final moments how she wants.

So with that loose end tied up, this mission is now officially complete! Great work, guys!

So, uh, if everything we had to do is all taken care of now, then, do you think...?

Yes, yes, I know. Don't worry, you still have time until this Singularity disappears completely.

You have my permission to go shop till you drop, tour, whatever you like.

Well hey, the Holy Grail's safely in our hands, and scans make pretty clear that she's going to go inanimate soon.

So I don't see any harm in letting her spend her final moments how she wants.

So with that loose end tied up, this mission is now officially complete! Great work, guys!

So, uh, if everything we had to do is all taken care of now, then, do you think...?

Yes, yes, I know. Don't worry, you still have time until this Singularity disappears completely.

You have my permission to go shop till you drop, tour, whatever you like.

Yatta! Okay then, seeyanara!

I know Osakabehime and other like-minded Servants have already done some shopping and exploring here during their downtime...

But I don't blame them at all for feeling like they still have a lot more to see here. Akihabara is like a holy land to them, after all.

？！

Yes, of course. It would be my pleasure to join you, Senpai!

...

...Hehe, I guess I saw everything I wanted to. As long as she was smiling happily, that really is all that matters.

Mmm, the breeze feels so nice up here. You don't mind if I join you, do you?

Hm?

Hi.

Uh-oh☆ Now that I've been spotted reflecting on my thoughts up here...

...I might end up even more popular and beloved once people discover my more sentimental side!

Oh man, what am I gonna do? I already retired and everything.

You can still try if you want, but are you sure you can keep it up?

What do you mean?

All I want is for everyone to live their dreams☆

Even now that I'm retired, I can't do anything that might disillusion them!

.........

...!?

What I meant was, I don't think that façade of yours is going to last much longer, Aphrodite.

Ugh! Dammit Artemis, I knew you'd figured out it was me.

Well, at this distance, yeah, it was pretty much impossible to miss.

I do have to ask, though: Why?

Look, just to be clear, I had nothing to do with what the King of Figures got up to.

If anything, I'm the victim here, since I didn't have any choice about being summoned.

Ohh, I see. That Roman emperor IS said to be part of your bloodline, and her likeness was brought to life with a chisel of the gods and the power of a Holy Grail.

No wonder a fragment of your Divine Spirit ended up inhabiting it then.

Okay then, I'll be more specific.

Why did you hide your true identity and pretend to be an ordinary doll brought to life?

And why were you secretly watching herno, watching over her from close by?

Why?

You really need to ask? We share a connection, she and I.

Come on, Aphrodite.

I met Galatea in person. I even touched her.

Did you really think I wouldn't notice you inside her?

...

That said, it was only a portion of you, and not the same you standing here talking to me now.

It was a version of you completely different from your cruel, combat-optimized Pandemos self.

Aphrodite Urania, was it? That side of you that's all about deep, noble love?

It was just a fragment of me. And a really small one at that.

Hell, in my current state, I don't even remember exactly what I did on the island of Cyprus way back then.

Does that mean you also don't know exactly what part of you was inside Galatea?

Of course not. I can't be bothered to take a close look at whatever that flimsy spirit body deep inside her is made of.

But if nothing else, she IS like family to you, isn't she?

You might not be sure if she's your child, your twin, or even you yourself, but it was still enough for you to stay and watch over her, right?

...

It wasn't me per se, and I definitely don't remember the details, but I do know I did something back on Cyprus.

Something...embarrassingly romantic.

So when I heard the result of...whatever I did popped up here, I had to come keep an eye on it.

Hmm, you still seem to be dancing around it a bit, but I get the gist at least.

But then you had to come along and really embarrass me right at the end. Hmph. What are you even doing here, anyway?

Oh, nothing. I just sensed a familiar presence I'd not felt in a long time and figured I'd come for a chat.

Did you want to talk more, or would you rather just started punching each other?

Neither, since I won't be around much longer.

I'm basically only here as a side effect of Galatea showing up.

It does makes sense that my own materialization would be drawn to her, independent of her bringing dolls to life.

You know, I might run into her again once I get back to Chaldea. Is there anything you'd like me to tell her?

No, not especially.

She isn't Aphrodite, goddess of beauty. She's just Galatea.

(Blowing smoke)

Anyway, this was more fun than I thought it'd be. This city was all right.

Oh, right. Give my regards to your scumbag boyfriend, won't you?

What!? My darling's the greatest boyfriend ever, thank you very much!

Just you wait! I'm going to spend the next several days beating everything that makes him so wonderful right into your skull!

...Oh. I guess I'm too late. She's already gone.

Hmph, typical Aphrodite! Even though it's been millennia since we last saw each other, she still had to piss me off right before she left!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to cheer up by cuddling with Darling for hours on en

Is he cheating on me AGAIN!?