Prologue

Ahem. All right, Technical Advisor, let's hear your report.

You got it!

This time, the minute Singularity is in the Australian metropolis of Sydney.

According to what Sheba can determine, the parameters needed to measure its Foundation of Humanity value are juuust out of reach.

Readings are bouncing all over the place, so we can't get a clear value.

Now for some good news: this new Singularity doesn't appear to be at all dangerous.

It seems perfectly peaceful at a glance. Atmospheric magical energy levels are practically normal as well.

All this is to say, we'll need to take a look for ourselves to see what's going on.

Am I the only Servant who's Rayshift-compatible for this mission?

No, there're actually a lot more than I thought there'd be. They should be here any moment now...

Kriemhild, reporting for duty.

Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, present.

Kriemhild! Yagyu Tajima-no-kami!

Hello, Mash. Hold on just a moment.

Hey! Get in here, people! Come on, MOVE!

Helldyste! I'm here, and I'm ready!

Ho ho ho. Yes, it is I, Santa.

And wherever Santa goes, so go the sheep. Get it? Me neither. That's right. It's me, Dumuzid.

Hi, everyone. I'm glad to be here.

Ahem.

Utsumi Erice, Avenger. Thank you for having me on this mission.

？！

I think she thinks she needs to really shape up today.

Ah, I see. Since you have experience being a Master yourself, you want to show everyone what you can do.

I-it-s not like tha

Well, that's all right. I won't stop you. Besides, a little vanity should help keep you motivated, as long as it is only a little.

I-I'm not being vain!

？！

That there are.

I was told this was but a minute Singularity, and yet, I sense we have a daunting task ahead of us.

I have no intention to get involved in a struggle, but I have a feeling that is what this will be.

How come?

Why's that?

Ho ho ho.

Huh? Why do you say that?

Well, I confess this is merely a hunch, but...

...I feel like this mission is going to involve a lot of You know what? Never mind.

Why did you say that!?

Oh? What is it, Master?

If you have something to say, speak up.

？！

Hmm...

The dependable oldest sister. The cool-headed, ditzy second sister.

The second sister's stray pet.

The third sister who thinks she's reliable. The naive and energetic oldest brother.

The youngest child loved by all. The funky grandfather figure who's still as sharp as a knife.

...And the guardian.

Hehehe. You know, Director, if you were so eager for bloodshed, all you had to do was ask.

Haaa...haha. Forgive me...

Wait a moment! I still want to dispute that completely baseless label you applied to me!

If being considered a pet means I can just laze about and eat my weight in food every day, I have no objections.

Oh, wait. That came out wrong, didn't it? How careless of me.

I don't mean to imply that every pet in this world lives on easy street. I know the animals who work as mounts certainly have to get up early every day.

Isn't that right, Altera?

Yes, it is. Santa is on call 24/7, and I expect my sheep to keep pace, which means no breaks from morning till night.

As I thought. Bringing toys to every child in the world in a single night is a task both exciting and truly, abjectly terrifying.

Phew. I didn't think it was going to take a full hour to get everyone to settle down.

Indeed, that took much too long.

I'm sorry. Since I'm the oldest sister, I should have done a better job keeping everyone in line.

？！

Anyway, with a lineup like this, teamwork shouldn't be a problem!

There's no telling what might happen out there, but whatever it is, I'm sure you'll all be able to handle it.

All right, prepare for Rayshift!

？！

Understood! Yes! Got it! Okay! Roger that! All right! No problem! Okey dokey!

... ...

... ...

I'm suddenly concerned!

Good work, everyone. We're off to a fine start.

L-let's all give it our all out here!

So this is Sydney?

Yes, we're in a suburb of Sydney, which means the Rayshift went off without a hitch.

We should even be within walking distance from the Sydney Opera House, if we wanted to

No. We're not here to sightsee.

Oh. That's too bad...

...We can always go see it after the Singularity is repaired, before it disappears.

Waha! That's great!

Aren't you being too soft on them, Kriemhild?

Let's just say that I would like to see it as well.

Ho ho ho. Then the Opera House will be something to look forward to later.

Oho. Opera, you say?

Lady Marie has spoken of it often. If a singer is what we need to properly enjoy it, I am willing to take the stage.

...I jest, of course.

(None of that seemed like a joke to me.)

Anyway, what should we do first, Master?

Presently, it seems our only option is to begin searching for magical energy signals.

I agree with Kriemhild. Especially since we don't have any obvious leads at the moment.

Heads up! There's a powerful magical energy signal headed right for you! Looks like it's a Servant!

Yagyu!

Understood. Is everyone prepared for battle?

I am!

Is this a good omen?

I think so.

Let's hope whoever it is doesn't give us too much trouble!

Here they come!

Huh? Hang on.

Aren't you...?

？！

Aha, I knew it! Long time no see, Chaldeans!

？！

Thank you so, so much for the wonderful present!

... ...

Huh? You don't recognize me?

It's me! Wandjina!

？！

Yes! It's me, Wandjina!

...Do you know each other?

Oh, yes!

Hello, Wandjina! It doesn't feel like it's been that long since we last saw each other, but it is good to see you again!

Oh no, it's been forever! So long, I can barely even understand it!

That long?

And there're so many new people here with you, too! Hi, everyone! I'm Wandjina!

I hope we can all be great friends!

I see.

Ho ho ho. It seems like we're off to an excellent start.

Uh-oh. It's always a bad sign whenever Altera's hidden sensors start going off.

Still, I do feel very lucky to have met such an ancient air spirit. This is as fortunate as a perfectly accurate weather forecast.

I hope you're right...

So why were you summoned here, Wandjina?

Hmmm. I don't know!

So, you weren't summoned with a particular purpose in mind then?

All I know is, when I first came to, I was here. Aside from that... Umm...

Nope, no idea!

Ooh! You remind me of my selves from another time!

Then we're friends!

Friends!

... ...

Is something wrong, Erice?

Oh, no. This is all just so sweet, it felt like my heart was literally being warmed by far-infrared rays.

...Hey, come on, Voyager. Don't look at me like I'm talking crazy!

I didn't say anything. Maybe it's time to do something about your paranoia...

Anyway, we can't leave you out here by yourself, Wandjina. Would you like to come along with us?

With you?

Yes! This is great! Oh, right.

I've never been to Earth before, so I hope you'll tell me all about it!

？！

Huh? You've never been to Earth before?

Oh, it seems an explanation is in order. All right then, I will take a quick run at it.

Wandjina is a spirit who appears in Australian aboriginal folklore.

However, in the magecraft world, it has been revealed that she is a genuine spirit known as the planet's sense of touch.

That means she is the same kind of being as Yu Mei-ren.

According to the data that remained in the Clock Tower's library, we can assume she has been around since the Mesozoic era.

Th-the Mesozoic!?

H-hold on. The Mesozoic? As in the Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic, and other periods where dinosaurs roamed the planet?

Yes. Apparently, that is how far back we can trace the first signs of her activity.

She is a spirit, after all. Her lifespan is on an entirely different scale than humanity's.

Wow. That's amazing.

Huh? I'm amazing?

Very!

Ehehe, thanks!

Now that I think about it, it makes sense that Wandjina would be summoned in her homeland, so to speak.

Not to mention we just formed a connection not too long ago. Sorry, I should've realized sooner.

I'm so glad to see you again, Wandjina.

Me too!

Oh, right. What are you all doing here, anyway?

？！

A Singularity, and a Holy Grail. Hmm. I see.

I don't know much about those kinds of things...

...but I kind of know about the Holy Grail!

You do?

I do!

？！

Could you tell us where it is then, Wandjina?

Sure. Follow me!

Wait! Another magical energy signal is heading your way!

It looks like...it's another Servant!

I trust everyone is ready? Lady Mash, I am counting on you to keep Master safe.

R-right!

Which direction is this Servant approaching from, Da Vinci?

Up ahead? Behind? Right? Left? If it's none of those, that just leaves

Above, or below.

...Directly above! They're flying down from the sky!

All right! I found you!

Oh, this is going to get me a great bonus! Come on then, let's have ourselves a good, clean fight!

？！

...Sorry about that. I was picking up some serious Servantverse shenanigans out here. Guess I got kinda worked up.

？！

Good, thanks! You haven't changed a bit either, Master! And I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, everyone!

I thought you were all wanted felons with bounties on your heads...

It's all right. Raise your head. You held back just as much as we did, and none of us are any worse for wear.

(Sniff, sniff, sniff) Hey, yeah. You DO smell kind of like me.

Wow, this is a surprise. I never expected to run into a space spirit all the way out here.

A...space spirit?

That's right.

Nobody knows where they originally came from. Some speculate they originated from this backwatI mean, remote planet of Earth.

This one here is the guardian of the seven water stars. She's actually something of a legend throughout the galaxy.

She's the savior who brought life-giving rain to a barren frontier planet, saving the lives of untold numbers of space farmers...

...and she brought about a yearlong downpour on the desert planet of Dryland that was so massive they had to seriously consider changing its name.

Oh yeah, I remember that. At least, I think I do?

Well, that was from an episode a few seasons back, so I don't know all that much about it either.

I only read the one-shot that ran in the Amazing Comics issue presenting an easily digestible galactic history:

"You Won't Believe This Being Strong Enough To Take on an Empire Really Exists! Everything You Ever Wanted To Know about the Incredible Space Spirit!"

Man, that was a good story! Not in a million years could I have seen that last twist coming!

You're in galactic history, Jina-Jina? That IS amazing!

Ehehe, right!?

Wow... That calls for applause.

Bravo. Bravo. To bring water to a parched land is truly an act of love, and a lucrative one at that.

When your next business opportunity rolls around, I do hope you'll call on me.

So you've saved lots of other planets in your universe, Wandjina? What a good girl you are.

Oh! Is it that time already? I've gotta get to my part-time job. See you around, everyone.

Oh, and space spirit Wandjina?

I don't think you'll get up to anything bad on this planet, but in case you do...

...I'll have to come back and stop you, so just keep that in mind. Anyway, bye!

Oh wow, she flew off.

That looked like it might have been a rocket blasting off.

Oh. Can you fly too, Wandjina?

Of course! Wanna see?

Hmm, maybe some other time. (If she floats off now, she might never come back!)

Wandjina.

Hm?

Here you go.

Huh? You want me to stick out my hand?

It would be bad for everyone if you floated off too far.

Oh, I'll join too!

...Okay! So I hold your hands like this, right? (Squeeze)

This is so, so wholesome...but are we sure it's safe?

That's up to you and Mash, Erice. Make sure they stay safe.

R-right! I'm the oldest sister, so I'll do my best to watch over them!

Really took that one and ran with it, huh...

Oh, Fujimaru.

FYI, we've observed a number of hostile magical energy signals all around the city.

I'm guessing they're Demonic Beasts that were lured there by the Singularity. Whatever they are, I'd like you to handle them.

Now that you've got Wandjina with you, it shouldn't be too hard to drive them away.

？！

All right, now that we've got yet another dependable companion, let's go out there and see what we can find!