Section 3: Tropical Starry Sky with Wandjina

Hello. For those of you just joining us, it's nice to meet you.

I'm Wandjina.

Right now, I'm at the Grand Canyon with a lot of people from Chaldea...

...and we rode a train to chase a runaway Holy Grail.

It's reeeally fast, too! Like, ZOOM!

Of course, my wind is still faster, but riding in something else is fun too!

Anyway, we were real close to grabbing the runaway Holy Grail, but then...

...it kind of...blasted off.

And we didn't have a way to catch it.

Hmm... Are we quite certain it is even possible to capture that Holy Grail?

It'd better be, 'cause you can't come home without it! I'm really hoping you guys can figure something out!

I think this might be really difficult.

Jets...I can't say I saw that coming...

How could I be so careless? I knew I should have accounted for the possibility of jet boots...

Wait, no. Why would I ever account for something so absurd!? Ugh, stupid, stupid Holy Grail!

A Holy Grail...with jets... My head hurts...

So this Holy Grail uses something like Mana Burst for jet propulsion, something only the first Santa should be capable of.

Ho ho ho, I'm impressed, Holy Grail.

So, where do we go now?

I couldn't tell which direction it flew off in.

Not a problem. We're tracking it from here. It headed west!

Okay then, everyone hold hands!

Here we gooo!

Mmm, there really is nothing like the sky.

Um, Voyager, could I ask you a question?

Yes?

Isn't your original probe form still out there traveling through space?

Yeah, it is.

But flying through a warm, sunny blue sky like this feels much better.

Is that so?

Altera, can I speak to you for a moment?

Ho ho ho. Please, take as many moments as you like. What's on your mind?

Now that the Holy Grail is airborne, you and Wandjina will be crucial to its capture.

So I want you to cover the sky after we track it down again.

Got it.

However, Kriemhild, you should know that my intuition on the battlefield has never led me astray.

I don't like the sound of that.

As you shouldn't. This Holy Grail has defied our expectations at every turn. The sheer, unexpected absurdity of what happens means common sense may not be very helpful to us any longer.

So there is a good chance that whatever it does next may be even more astonishing than suddenly sprouting jets and taking to the skies.

I really don't like the sound of that... Well, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

... ...Um, excuse me.

Hm?

Oh, well, it's just, my understanding is that you two were married in the Nibelungenlied.

At least, that's what I heard...

You speak of Atli and Etzel. You see, that gets a little complicated.

Yes, Atli is me, but he wasn't technically the person I am now.

I think you may be mistaken, Altera. Atli has nothing to do with this. It was your Etzel self that showed up in the Nibelungenlied.

Oh, right. (Sigh) This really is complicated.

Let's see... I think, as Etzel, I did marry someone for political reasons, but I can't remember who...

Ah, something that has been forgotten. Well, I suppose there's no need for reminders of your old clan's ties when you're bounding through the plains now.

What do you remember of this, Kriemhild?

Honestly? Not much.

Really?

Yes. In fact, I'm not even sure we ever met in person at all.

Though if she had been a woman back then, I'm sure I would've remembered.

Then again, maybe neither of us cared because we both understood our marriage to be purely political.

For all we know, we were both introduced to body doubles.

That does sound like something those elders would've done.

You weren't kidding about it being complicated...

Indeed. Truthfully, I forgot about most of this when I became a Servant.

After everything I've lost, those things I still hold on to are truly precious to me.

At least, I think so.

Is that how it works?

How what works?

You lose a lot but keep some things, and those are the things that are irreplaceable to you?

That is what you just said, right?

...Well, that's how I see it, anyway.

...I see.

Oh! We'll be there soon!

Get ready to land!

？！

So we are...

Nothing says "tropical island" like these absurdly large hermit crabs!

... ...They must be enemies.

Can we eat them?

Hmm. As I recall, they taste neither good nor bad.

(He's eaten those things!?)

Okay, everyone, we've got new enemies to deal with! Let's take care of them nice and quickly!

Everyone, prepare for battle!

This is pretty good!

Hmm... It's a little plain, but I guess it kind of tastes like crab?

Man, I can't believe I forgot to bring my own personal set of condiments. I guess I'll just have to make do with this semi-spicy stuff.

(Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp)

H-how are you eating that?

I've never had anything like this before! It's so nice and chewy!

Mmm, yummy! But the shell is kind of hard to bite through.

？！

Oh, okay. So, you take the meat out from inside the shell, and... Ooh, now I get it.

(Munch, munch)

This would be much better with soy sauce. Or perhaps fish sauce.

Hmm, even chili bean paste would do in a pinch.

(I guess he's not very picky.)

Hi guys.

Oh, that looks good. Roasted crab is good civilization. Most foods are when you roast them.

？！

Good.

We didn't find the Holy Grail, but we did learn how big this island is.

It's fairly large for an island, but it is definitely deserted.

Yeah. There were lots of Demonic Beasts, too.

Hmm. I do think the Holy Grail is somewhere on this island...

...but I can't quite tell exactly where.

I see.

We tried looking for it too, but no luck. ...Hm? What's that, Erice?

Oh, this? It's hermit crab roasted whole, hermit crab sauté, and hermit crab steak. Want some? It's all got plenty of sauce.

Uh...okay.

...It's better than I thought, but it all tastes the same.

So you didn't see any other Servants, or any native residents of the island?

No-man's-land. It's entirely deserted. I just hope it's like that for budgetary reasons.

Yes, there were no other Servants here, and I doubt there are any native residents either.

We didn't see anything that looked like a village.

Then we'll have to set up a base camp and do a thorough sweep of the island.

Sweep?

Not with a broom. It means conducting a thorough search of the area. On that note, Master...

？！

Are you ready to make camp on a deserted island?

？！

Really?

Don't worry, Kriemhild, we've got this!

Since I'm the oldest sister, it's my job to make sure we all have a great time living off the land! And I will!

I...ah...I see. Thank...you...

？！

We don't know when we'll find the Holy Grail. It could be today, three days from now, or possibly longer.

And even when we do find it, it could escape again by growing legs or sprouting jets or something.

I have to say, this may be the worst Holy Grail we've ever encountered (in terms of speed limit violations).

It's certainly not right in the head. ...Not to say it has a head.

So we should expect that it will take us at least a day to get everything ready to capture it.

And that means we should expect to spend at least one night here!

Ooh! Camping!

Yes, we'll be camping out. Now, the first thing we need to do is make a debris hut.

So let's get started!

Once I draw my sword, I cannot sheathe it again until I have cut something. ...Yah.

This should be enough to house Master, Lady Mash, and the rest of us.

Can we start bringing them back then?

Yes. Thank you.

We've got this! Heave-ho. Heave-ho.

Should we make a fence or something, too?

That won't stop Demonic Beasts. Some kind of alarm would serve better.

Then I'll put up some trip wire alarms!

Ho ho ho. It's me, Santa. This game I caught should make for a wonderful meal today, children.

Hello. I'm the game she hunted. Don't panic. That last remark was just your imagination.

No, I actually brought back a boar, like the good hunting sheep I am. I, the swiftest sheep in Uruk, am not about to let some overgrown pig beat me in a race.

Oh, thank you. Then we can make a nice boar stew today.

We also investigated every place we could, but I'm afraid we had no luck.

We won't be starting our search in earnest until tomorrow anyway. Why don't we turn in early today? That goes for you too, Master.

Oh, but first, we still need to build that shelter.

？！

It looks great, Master!

Knowing how to weave your own rope will always be useful, regardless of circumstances.

Now we take the lumber Yagyu cut for us... Assemble it like this...

What do we do next, Mash!?

Next, we're going to make the ceiling. We can lay these big leaves on top of one another, and...

Ooh, this is exciting! It feels like a real human thing to do!

Yes, I suppose it is.

Our ancestors used to take shelter in caves, and make roofs just like these...

...all to have a place they could call home, where they could lay their heads down without fear.

And done. Everyone! The shelter is ready!

Yay, we did it.

It's done!

Oooh... So this is camping.

Yes, Wandjina! This is a perfect example of camping out!

You know, I think this is going to be lots of fun!

Stew's ready, everyone. Wash your hands and let's eat.

Another serving, please.

Another? You haven't even had one yet, Grandfather.

Oh, yes, I know. But I was told if I want seconds, I should reserve them in advance.

Don't worry about that. There's plenty to go around. In fact, I'm more worried we might not be able to finish it all.

Heh, no need to worry there.

...And why do you say that?

Whenever a group of growing children gather around the table, a fearsome battle is in the offing.

Let's eat!

More, please!

Huh? Did you actually eat it!?

Sure I did. It was so good I gobbled it all up in one go.

But I only served you twenty seconds ago!

More, pleaNo, wait. I am an adult. I should not wait to be served. I can get my own bowl. Theeere we go. Right to the brim.

Aah! You can't take that much all at once!

Counter-seconds.

Huh!? What are you talking about, Grandfather!?

？！

Self-service, Altera! That is the key to victory!

This is yummy. I can feel it warming me down to my bones...

(Shake, shake) (Dab, dab, dab)

...Um, Erice?

Are you...pretending to pour deathly hot sauce into your stew? Are you suffering withdrawals?

Huh? C-come on, Voyager, it's not like that! I mean, it's a little like that, but, um, you've still got the wrong idea!

...

Aah! Now you're pretending you never saw that!?

This is yummy! It's as soft as ice cream, but it's not nearly as cold.

What a strange and delightful dish♪

You mean, before I came here?

No, never. I've always just been looking.

I didn't know what food was like until I met all of you.

That makes sense. There is a lot we do not know about Servantverse spirits...

...but one thing we do know is that they do not need to eat, at least in the same way humans do.

What is more, you are directly connected to stars, so I doubt you have ever required meals before.

I don't really know much about them, but yeah!

Hang on. Have you never eaten anything before?

Sure I have! I had ice cream and hermit crab!

So, um...that makes this my third time...

Well, you are directly connected to stars, so I doubt you have ever required meals before.

？！

Nobody ever looked at me before. Some people were nice enough to believe I existed...

You are enormous, even by the standards of spirits.

Even in our magecraft world, no one has ever been successful at measuring your physical form.

The most we have are records which claim data indicates that you exist.

We can observe enormous creatures... Enormous terrain... Enormous far-off planets...

But when something is so huge, and so familiar, humans cannot perceive it even when it is right in front of them.

Perhaps that is what it comes down to.

I see...

So it's kind of like, if an ant bumps into a person's foot, they can't see it as anything more than a wall?

... ...

？！

It's nothing, Master. Would you like seconds?

Okay, coming right I'm sorry. It seems we're out of stew...

Huh? ...Oh my, you're right.

It looks like the pot's been licked clean...

？！

I'm stuffed.

I could go for another bowl!

Yes, yes, I'm sure you could. But since your stomach seems to be a bottomless pit, let's just leave it there.

All right, Master, off to bed with you. I'm sure you know this, but don't forget to brush your teeth, either.

Aww, you're going to bed?

I'm sorry.

Humans can't function unless they get a certain amount of sleep each night, so...

Oh, right. Of course. Humans DO need to sleep, don't they?

I keep forgetting about that kind of thing. I'm sorry.

？！

Really? Yay! Then let's talk!

Hold it. We just went over this, remember? Brush your teeth before you go to bed.

？！

Try that again. This time, I want to hear, "Yes, ma'am!"

... ...

Now, now, Hildy, no need to get upset.

He wouldn't be acting this way if you didn't spoil him, Grandfather.

And who are you calling "Hildy"!?

Forgive me. It was a joke.

And how am I supposed to know that when you say it so seriously?

I don't know. It just seemed like he was doing the whole straight man bit...

Are you being a mom now? I guess you used to be one before, huh, Kriem-Kriem? This is fun!

Grr... All right, that's it. All of you, to bed. Now. Yagyu, as your punishment, you may watch over them in seiza.

I was already planning to do just that.

Sleep well, Master. Rest assured that I will be keeping close watch on our camp.

？！

Good night, Master. With any luck, we'll find the Holy Grail tomorrow!

... ...

Hey, Master? Are you asleep?

Uh-oh. You're gonna get in trouble.

Wait, you are? No, you're not.

？！

Why do humans lie down when they sleep? Is it because it's more comfortable?

？！

I see, I see. Hehehe.

Ooh, I'm so happy. I can't believe I get to see a sleeping human up close!

I'm actually still awake, too. You really do love humans, don't you, Wandjina?

I really do!

They're the best!

Whenever I watch humans like you, time always flows.

？！

Uh-huh.

In space, all that's there are the stars and darkness.

There might be things that move, but there's almost nothing to help you perceive time.

Oh, you know, maybe this Wandjina felt the same way.

So, you measure the passage of time by perceiving intelligent life-forms here on Earth?

Yup, that's it.

If I can't perceive time flowing, then it basically stands still for me.

Time never flowed when I tried watching rocks and sand. It was the same with bugs and animals, too.

Watching humans like you is the only way I can tell that time is flowing through me, too.

Isn't that strange? I wonder why that is.

Only humans, huh...

？！

？！

...Is that what time is like for humans?

Wow. Oh, wow! That's amazing!

Yes, it's just like that! Ahh, that sounds absolutely wonderful.

...Oh, but, I guess it's also kind of a curse?

A curse?

Umm... I'm sorry, it's nothing. Anyway, we should get to sleep so we can look for the Holy Grail tomorrow!

Oh... It looks like Master really is asleep this time.

Keep your voices down. It's late.

Okay.

Okay...

？！