Team Formation: The Story of a Persevering Pharaoh (Intro)

What is this papyrus-like object? "Servant Competition - The Ishtar Cup"...?

"Resolve a Singularity and have fun doing it..." "Speed is Beauty, and Beauty is Speed..."

"Take home the glory of victory today!" ...Oh my...

What incredibly powerful words! This is my chance to demonstrate the power of pharaohs to the world!

Hmm, it seems I spoke too soon...

"All teams must have both a driver and an assistant."

All of my dreams, shattered in a single sentence. Now what do I do? My medjed cannot drive...

Hmm...

...Heh. I guess I have no choice...

It may be a bit impudent of me, but I shall just have to get another great pharaoh to be the driver...

...and let me help them as their assistant.

I need not be front and center, so long as a pharaoh wins and demonstrates our greatness to the world.

All right, now that that's decided...

This is awful... I was far too hasty!

My first pick was Cleopatra, but after Lord Caesar declared:

"This is a time for feasting, not war. I need only grace a dining establishment with my presence to secure its everlasting popularity."

"What juicier business could there be than that!? I shall call it 'Emperor Gourmet.' I should look into expanding into other media as well."

...and left on a trip to sample all the delicacies of the world, Cleopatra just left a note saying:

"I'm going on a trip with my husband" and ran off after him. I don't know who she thinks she's fooling; she's obviously stalkinno, never mind.

Next, I paid a visit to Pharaoh Iskandar, who was of course nowhere to be found, as usual.

And finally, Pharaoh Ozymandias, the one I was really hoping would join me, said...

Ridiculous! You would have me compete in an event for mere peasants!?

Summer is meant to be spent in a chamber of stone with a bowl of fruit, yet you wish to compete with other Heroic Spirits over something as trivial as speed? Have you mistaken yourself for a bird!?

...Oh, right, you are a bird. I suppose you cannot really help that. Pay that last part no heed.

However! The very idea of spreading the pharaohs' glory by winning a race is a losing proposition!

A true pharaoh need not spread his glory, for the world already basks in the light of our splendor!

None could question that we tower over the common masses. What point is there in proving the obvious in something so foolish as a race?

Y-yes...you're absolutely right, Pharaoh Ozymandias. I'm terribly sorry...

I don't know what I was thinking. I will forego the race, so please, forget we ever spoke of this.

No, you will compete. And of course, you will win.

Huh!? But, didn't you just say there is nothing for us to gain?

Wrong, you fool! There is nothing for ME to gain! It is, however, my long-held belief that you lack the force of presence to drive your opponents into proper submission at your feet.

This presents a perfect opportunity to remedy that particular shortcoming! Thus, queen of the heavens, you will enter this Ishtar Cup!

There, you shall use your beauty and nobility to easily defeat your common Heroic Spirit opponents! That is an order from the god-king!

And should you lose... I trust you understand what awaits you, Pharaoh Nitocris?

I am magnanimous when it comes to heroes, but I have no mercy for cowards. ...Do not disappoint me.

Oh gosh... Oh gosh... Oh gosh!

This is terrible... Not only did I get scolded about being a proper pharaoh...

I couldn't even tell him that I wouldn't let him down after he placed such great trust in me.

I'm so ashamed. I'm a terrible pharaoh. I wish I could just crawl into a hole and disappear.

...A-all right, let's just calm down. All that's changed is that I cannot back out now...

Besides, it's exactly because I'm lacking that I can't pass up this opportunity.

What's more, Pharaoh Ozymandias called me "Pharaoh Nitocris."

I can't let him down now! In order to spread our glory even further throughout the world...

...I will just have to work harder to become a proper pharaoh myself. That is my task.

That said...I'm still not sure what I'm going to do.

As the registration deadline is drawing near, I suppose my only option at this point is to be the driver myself, and find someone else to be my assistant.

At the very least, they will need to be a Servant who is appropriately in awe of us pharaohs.

There must be someone like that around here...

No, nobody here either...

Ugh, I'm running out of time! Isn't there anyone here who can help me!? Anyone at all!?

...?

A-at last! You there, the woman with the familiar-looking color scheme!

Y-yes? (Shudder)

Let me ask you this: Do you believe in pharaohs!? Do you hold them in high regard!?

Uh...yes, I suppose so. They are kings, after all.

Excellent! You pass!

Prepare yourself! Gather your things! You shall have the honor of joining me in a race!

This is a great privilege! You are blessed with the chance to assist me in showing the world the true splendor and grandeur of the pharaohs!

What? No thank you... Just the thought of racing terrifies me. I'm sure I would end up dying.

Wha...

Is that all? I really don't want to die, so if you'll excuse me... (Bows)

W-w-w-waaait! You're the only one I can ask, and the deadline to register is almost here!

I'm very sorry, but I really must refuse.

...All right, I won't ask you to do it without recompense. You said you don't want to die, right?

If we win, I will use my own techniques and ties to the underworld to create a special talisman for you.

If death comes for you, it will shatter in your place.

While it can only be used so many times, it should still help you to escape death.

I see... Is that true?

I swear on the gods in the underworld, the gods in the heavens, and in the name of all the pharaohs.

That said, creating such an object is the culmination of every bit of magecraft I know, so it cannot be done easily or lightly.

But this pamphlet says that the winners of this race will receive a Holy Grail from the goddess Ishtar.

With that sort of power, I should be able to make it.

All I want is for a pharaoh to win this race. I have no interest in the prize.

A talisman that would let me avoid death... That... That sounds nice. That sounds really nice...

Doesn't it though?

Now, give me your fingertip for a moment. (Presses it on the entry form) There we go.

With a talisman like that, I might not have to look up and down the street ten times before I cross...

I might not have to cut my steaks into tiny little pieces to ensure I don't choke...

I might even be able to stop going into the kitchen at every restaurant I dine at and testing my steak with my personal thermometer to ensure it has been cooked well enough to kill off all the bacteria...

...Huh?

There, the application form is now complete!

Now that the biggest obstacle is out of the way, it's only a matter of time until we win this race and the glory of the pharaohs shines brighter than ever!

I mean, it already shines pretty bright thanks to all the other great pharaohs, but this way, it'll be as bright as Ra himself.

...Maybe then, I'll finally be a pharaoh I can be proud of, even just a little.

Anyway! This is going to be a long journey, so make sure you're ready for anything!

...

There's probably no cooling-off period for a contract made with a pharaoh, is there...

(Not to mention...)

(It looks as though this race is meant to repair a Singularity. In other words, it will help Master.)

(In which case...I suppose this is the least I can do to try and make amends.)

...I'd better make absolutely sure that there are enough safety measures in our vehicle...