Section 7: First Chain: India's Superhero, Negotiations Resume

Oh hey, you're here!

Yes, Lord Bhīma! I am!

Hmm. You look much more resolved now. The wind tells me you've figured something out.

Hmm, I hope you're right.

I do think I've figured something out, but I don't know if you'll accept it as the right answer.

I see. Well, if you're not sure, shall we just quit while we're ahead?

Of course not.

All right then, let's hear it. What is your reason for destroying this statue?

Because I hate it.

...!

Huh?

Oh my!

Johanna!?

Well, well. Hell of a selfish reason you've picked, there.

It is! It surprised even me!

But, it's the truth. I just can't stand this statue. You see...

...it wasn't made because of anything I did.

No matter how you cut it, my feelings had nothing to do with any of this!

That's downright selfish!

Yes, it is!

And you're set on having your way, no matter what!?

Yes, I am!

I think razing the Lovey-Dovey Heart Johanna Statue to the ground will make for a fairly good memory!

Last question:

You're gonna make a lot of people in this town unhappy if you do this.

Are you okay with that?

No, but I'm willing to do it anyway!

Damn, you didn't even have to think about it.

Honestly, it does make my conscience ache when I think about that.

But, even so...if I'm going to be praised, I want it to be for something I actually did!

So please, let me cut that chain!

... ...

...All right! Go for it!

You mean...I pass?

You decide whether you pass or not. Not me.

If you want to smash your own statue, I have no right to stop you.

But, there is one last hurdle you'll need to overcome first.

...What's that?

You need to figure out what your wish was supposed to be in the first place, and why it became so twisted.

Otherwise, what's the point?

...Well, yes, I suppose that's true, but...

Now, now, do not be like that.

The whole reason we were summoned here was in response to his request.

Yes! I couldn't say no to him of all people!

Yes, that's true. Of course, mild-mannered as I am, I have a hard time saying no to anyone.

Wha...???

Don't think about it too much, Jeanne.

Oh, I get it! I should just treat him like another Blackbeard!

All right, Grandpa, I think you're up.

...Yes, I suppose I am. Hello, Lady Johanna.

U-um...who might you be?

I am Valentinusthe patron saint of Valentine's Day.

Saint...Valentinus!

N-now there's a famous face I wasn't expecting to see. Even those of us in Chaldea can't contain our shock!

That being said, this is not my true Spirit Origin.

I was only summoned here as a partial stand-in for you, Lady Johanna.

Wh-what do you mean by that, Saint Valentinus!?

Are you sure you want to hear?

...Y-yes, I'm sure.

I must warn you, you may come to regret that very much. Are you really, truly certain?

Yes, I'll be fine. At this point, I have nothing to fear!

Well, Lady Johanna...

...I was born from your jealousy.

So I suppose it would be more accurate to say I am operating under the guise of Saint Valentinus.

... ...Hweh?

Did you say...her jealousy?

Lady Johanna.

Before this began, you were blessing chocolates, weren't you?

Y-yes, I was. It made people very happy.

Indeed. But that happiness was directed at me, not you.

Ah...

So, um...you're saying that Johanna was

That's right.

Lady Johanna was jealous of meor rather, of the holiday celebrating Saint Valentinus!

I... I was?

I mean, my name is tied to the holiday. People have continued to praise me for generations after I passed.

A-and you're saying I was jealous of that!? Me!?

... ...

Although...maybe...

Was I...jealous of you, Saint Valentinus...?

Hohoho. Surely you can't be that surprised.

Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure... Every human feels these things.

Not one person out there doesn't experience them to some degree.

Though of course, how we express those emotions varies for each and every one of us.

However, Lady Johanna, you were unable to express yours.

...Is that because...I'd never done so before?

That's right. And so, you wished to be loved and adored just like Valentinus.

And this is the result.

... ...(Inhale...) (Exhale...)

？！

Right. Everyone, I think you should cover your ears!

Good grief...

Covering!

Oh Johanna.

Are you kidding me!?

Hohoho. Outrageous, isn't it? Absurd, even nonsensical.

Yes! Obviously!

A-all right, I can understand that I wished to be loved!

But I never asked anyone to go THIS far! This is... This is just

Are you sure?

Maybe you thought if everyone's going to love you anyway, they should make a big, flashy spectacle out of it?

In the same way we make a big, flashy spectacle of Valentine's Day!

Ah... Ghh... A-ahh...

？！

I don't get it.

It means that Nursery's remarks hit very close to home.

Hmm, I see. I knew it.

So you DID wish for the Lovey-Dovey Heart Johanna Statue.

Not even Santa could grant a wish like this! I'm impressed!

Hahaha, you may want to stop before you really push her over the edge.

Um, Johanna? I'm sorry to have to ask this, but...are you okay? You know, mentally?

Ah... Ahh... Aah...

？！

H-hang in there, Johanna!

Yeah! Stand up straight, Johanna!

You're almost there, Lady Johanna!

Yes. It's just like getting out of bed!

Coo coo, coo coo.

Even the turtledove joined in!?

That's quite the egotistical empreI mean, turtledove.

Johanna.

You've gone down a relatively short path, and found the truth waiting for you at the end.

So, what will you do now?

What will I do now?

I'm going to make an irreplaceable memory by smashing that thing to smithereens!

Well said!

All right then, go ahead, everyone!

Hm?

Lovey-Dovey Johanna!

Lovey-Dovey Johanna!

Lovey-Dovey Johanna!

Well, thank you SO much for almost ruining my determination with a simple greeting!

But I'm still going to destroy that thing, no matter what you say!

Hmm.

We hate to see you suffer, Lady Johanna. We really do.

But, you must understand. There's also the town's tourism industry, development, local delicacies...

We have a lot riding on this.

Sounds like most of that boils down to wanting to make lots of money.

That's right.

You admitted it!

Doesn't it just feel better to be honest about these sorts of things?

Well, that's true... Wait. Mayor, does this mean

Oh, we're certainly going to resist as best we can. All right, everyone, let's do this!

Yeah!

Then I think it's time I got serious, too. Behold my true form!

Wh-what the...? I'm detecting an abnormal Spirit Origin value!

I think the entire town's, uh, faith energy(?) is being concentrated in Valentinus!

What kind of explanation is that!? W-well, no matter! It's time, everyone! This will be the final battle!

？！

Indeed, it's time for our final confrontation!

Lady Johanna.

If you want to destroy the Lovey-Dovey Heart Johanna Statue, you'll have to step over my dead body to do it!

...Oh, sorry. I suppose if I die, it will end up being your dead body, won't it?

Don't you go killing me off!

Heck yeah! I won!

Dammit! We lost!

Hahaha, so we did, Mayor.

Well, I guess that's that, then.

So much for all my plans for Johannaland.

All those attractions, the staff dressed in costumes of Johanna and her friends...

The Johanna Water Park I wanted to eventually build next door...

The Johanna Big Top Circus...

The daily parade that would march between all three in rotation...

Just how ambitious are you, anyway?

My ultimate goal was to build a forever town...or at least, one that would last a whole millennium...

Talk about dreaming big!

I don't know... That sounds kind of small-minded to me. I can't even tell anymore.

So, you won. Congratulations, Johanna.

Guess that means our job here is done. Hey, you guys. Any last words before we go?

I have nothing more to say, but if I must say something...

I wish I could have continued the construction!

Wow! That turtledove sounded JUST like Semiramis! Oooh! And it even disappeared like a Servant!

All right, that's our cue to leave, too. May the Lord's guidance be with you, Lady Johanna.

Goodbye, everyone!

I hope we can cook together again sometime!

... ...

I don't really have anything to say, plus I already said what I had to, so I'm just going to disappear now.

？！

Don't worry about it. As they say, misery loves company. Farewell!

Sorry I was such a bust this time. If we ever meet again, I'll really give it all I've got to entertain you.

...Of course, whether that's with food or fighting'll depend on our positions and how I feel at the time!

Goodbye, everyone. And...thank you.

Welp, let's get this statue torn down then!

I'm, um, glad to see you're taking this so well, Grandpa... But, what are you talking about?

Now, let's see... Um... Where was it again?

On the back, Mayor.

Oh, right, here it is. Hup.

Here you go.

Wah! ...Wait. The Holy Grail!?

Ah.

So, how was it? Did you enjoy yourself?

You!

Ow, ow, ow. Hey, knock it off. I'm a fragile devil!

It seemed to me as though you enjoyed yourself a great deal, Johanna.

Sure, if you just set aside how UTTERLY MORTIFIED I was!

...Anyway, I can destroy it now, yes?

You know it. You can demolish it so thoroughly it'll be like it never existed at all.

Will the memory of it be erased from everyone's minds?

Not in the case of your companions. They'll remember it vividly. For the rest of their days.

Fine. I was prepared for that!

Hehe. So, how did it feel to be jealous and ashamed?

Horrid. Nauseating, even. In fact, I might have thrown up in my soul a little.

That's just how it goes when you're not used to those sorts of feelings.

And in your case, since you became a saint so quickly, you needed some potent medicine.

And if the choice was between extra spicy or extra sweet, surely a saint like you would pick the spicy option, right?

Well...speaking for myself, I do tend to prefer the hard way over the easy one...

...but this was beyond the pale.

Well, then you'll be all set, 'cause it's not gonna get easier going forward.

Maybe not, but I really, really hope there aren't any more problems quite like this ever again!

Anyway, it's time for us to say goodbye, too.

I really enjoyed watching you agonize over this. See ya!

Huh? I, uh...

...Thank you! Both of you!

My, what a softie.

That's the pope for you! You're gonna give yourself an ulcer!

That's it! The Singularity is all repaired! Great job, guys!

All right, just give me a sec, and I'll have you all back inHuh? Gordy?

You want to say something? Sure, that's fine. Hang on a second.

Ahem. Johanna, this is Goredolf Musik, director of Chaldea.

Huh? You want to talk to me?

Yup.

We're going to monitor this minute Singularity's repair as little as possible.

I'm also going to reject as many requests to view the Servant log as I can.

Huh?

Showing off, like anything, can be bad if taken to extremes, but it isn't inherently wrong; it's inherently human.

If you don't want to tell anyone about this experience, you don't have to. The important thing is that you remember it.

Director... Thank you! As soon as I get back, I'm going to show you an exercise routine that's guaranteed to help you slim down!

Don't bother! The Musik physique is one-hundred-percent intentional!

So, on that note: Everyone, please don't tell anyone else about this, okay!?

Sure. If that's what you want, I'm happy to do as you ask.

Okay.

I'll keep my lips zipped so I don't tell anyone.

I understand. This Singularity will be our little secret.

Yes, of course, Johanna.

？！

So sweet!

So you've never had chocolate before, Johanna? Do you like it?

S'good... So good...

？！

I can't. It's so good, I don't even know how to talk about it... I had no idea sweet and bitter went so well together.

They really do, don't they?

The more cacao chocolate has, the more bitter it tastes.

Whoever thought to add sugar to this was a genius!

I think I'll have another♪

？！

Mmm, so sweet. Ahh, this is bliss...

Um...aren't you going to have any chocolate yourself, Senpai?

!!!

I-I'm so sorry. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you.

...Would now be okay?

Then I'll go get it right now!

I see.

Um, then...since it's that time of year and all, could I give you some chocolate too?

Great! Then I'll go get it right now!

？！

Ahh, it tastes like youth...

Oh my, oh my. It's wonderful how badly you're behaving!

Wonderful? How so?

Well, I AM the incarnation of that sort of thing.

So lying in bed, reading books, and eating candy?

I can hardly think of a more fulfilling life!

Me either!

Oh, in that case, would you like to read this book together, Nursery? I borrowed it from Murasaki's library!

Yes, of course. Here, I'll read it to you.

That sounds great!

Yaaay! I love hearing you read stories, Nursery!