4th Area: Valley A

Ahh, that was a lot of fun. It's nice to leave the office now and then☆

I see you're already back to Chaldea now that your role is done, count.

Count? Whatever are you talking about?

If you mean the noble with a body as perfect as my own who I just happened to hear about through the grapevine, I'm sure I know nothing of her identity.

I also have no idea why my staff here is glaring at me!

Sorry everyone, I'll make it up to you, starting now!

If I had been there when you up and disappeared, and had to cover for you while you were gone...

...I'd probably be glaring at you too...

Well, since Holmes is here, I knew things would be all right regardless!

Can't we all just lighten up a bit?

Fou...

At any rate...we're nearing the end of the race! It kind of feels like it's going by really quickly, but also really slowly at the same time.

I agree, Senpai.

It's been a lot of work helping Ishtar, but it's also been a nice change of pace.

Aw, that's sweet. I knew I was right to make you my assistants.

That said, we still have to make sure to see this race through to the end. Seriously, that's very important.

Me neither, Senpai. We both know how hard each team is trying.

I wish there were some way for everyone to win...but I know that's not possible.

Of course not. Competition is cruel and unforgiving. Some come out of it happy, the rest sad. That's just the way of the world.

I'm the goddess of war! I certainly couldn't stand to see something so sappy as everyone holding hands and crossing the finish line together.

But don't worry. As long as the winner and losers are all equally satisfied and have an equally rough time getting there, it's all fair and square!

I'm hoping they keep coughing up blood and cursing each other's names right up to the end!

Fou! Fou, fou!

Fou!? Did you like what Ishtar just said?

？！

Okay then, let's start the commentary for the final areas!

This is it! The fourth area!

Once our racers get through here, all that remains is the final area: a short straightaway to the finish line!

In the final area, each team's total times for the previous areas will be added up, and their starting times will be adjusted accordingly.

Which means the fourth area is their last chance to put themselves at an advantage for the home stretch!

Teams who have been falling behind will want to focus on closing the gap.

And those who are doing well will want to try and extend their lead. Best of luck to all of you!

Now then, the fourth area itself is a peaceful valley surrounded by two great tracts of land.

As for why I described it that way, well...I think you'll understand when you see it for yourself.

...?

A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say. Now, let's get the fourth area race started!

My... Those are certainly some ample hills.

Huh? That's odd... That word's not really used to describe land. Why did I use it, I wonder...?

I suppose it must be my poetic side making itself apparent!

I feel like I've seen these shapes somewhere before... Almost as if...

Yes?

That's right. This land reminds me of you, somehow.

...Uh! Look out!

Somebody's firing arrows at us! Evasive maneuvers!

Unfortunately for them, no arrow can touch me!

It looks like those were warning shots, but there were certainly a lot of them. Who are you!?

That's...Artemis!?

Th-there's so many of them! What the...!?

Hold it! This is the Artemis Valley! You can't just go through it willy nilly!

？！

I more or less had an idea of why the usually serious Atalante took on a role like that...

But, Senpai, look at how many Artemises there are! What's going on?

Is it that much of a surprise?

She's a god too, y'know, and it looks like she possesses the concept of prolificacy. I'm sure it's not too big a deal for her to make temporary copies of herself.

When it comes to gods, it may just be best to not question why they do anything.

What concerns me is her reason for doing this.

？！

Oh, that? It's probably a countermeasure. Haven't you noticed?

Come to think of it, something does seem off here.

Artemis doesn't quite seem like herself somehow. Almost like there's something important missing...

Huh? It looks like there's something else on top of that other hill.

Now they're mass-producing these as well!?

...Uh... So many fuzzies.

Well, hello there, young ladies. I'd find some other path if I were you. Trust me, it's in your best interests.

Oh my... Me, a young lady? ...Teehee.

There you are!

Give us back our darling, darlings!

I'm afraid it's not that simple.

First we get a buncha goddesses scurrying around, now little bears dressed as hunters. What the hell, guys!?

Don't talk about us like we're bugs!

All right, I suppose I can explain.

Take a look at all those darlings there. They're each slightly different from my real darling.

Now that I look closer, I see what you mean. One is holding his club in the wrong hand, one's ears are shaped differently...

Feels like a game of spot the differences.

Only one of those darlings is my real darling! I'm here to find out where he is!

...Now that I say that out loud, it almost sounds like this is a trial to prove how true our love is, doesn't it? Teeheehee.

At any rate, I may have made more mes to deal with all the darlings...

But they're still very quick runners.

So, uh, that's why I'll only let you all pass through my valley if you find my real darling and return him to me!

Otherwise, I'll hit you with so many Amore Mio that you'll never make it through!

I'm a goddess asking for your help. Surely you'll complete this trial of love for me, won't you?

I am not sure I understand the point of having others complete a trial for you.

To begin with, how did this even happen? Why are there so many Orions right now?

That's what I'd like to know too!

Well, I suppose that while I was lovingly squeezing darling...

...I might have ended up squeezing too hard because the thing under our feet was the same.

So he might have got caught in that before one thing led to another, I guess.

I have no idea what any of that meant...

Eh, if you don't get it, you don't get it.

But we at least know for sure now that this place is Artemis's Valley, yeah?

？！

Well, she IS a goddess at the end of the day, so I guess her divinity rubbed off.

Incidentally, I think they might actually be there to keep Orion from escaping.

Tell me something. Why do you remain in this area?

Well, we'd love to leave, but we're helpless against these boobs. We're only men, after all.

These warm, soft hills are the best.

I could cling to them all day.

It would seem these bears are not talking in the maternal nurturing sense. I forbid such uncouth language, whether it comes from the lips of man or bear!

Uh oh! Bloodlust!

They got away again! Come on, everyone, hurry up and catch my real darling!

That's right... Welcome to Artemis Valley. Look out for the fierce, bow-wielding Artemises guarding it!

Will our racers comply with this fickle goddess's difficult request, or power their way through an onslaught of her arrows!?

It's time to see how this final race plays out! Everyone, on your marks!