So Many Different Clubs

Good morning, Senpai. After we had you go to bed last night...

...Jeanne Alter stayed up thinking about the rough draft.

Freakin' duh. This was all my idea to begin with.

Now that we're about halfway done, I say we take a break and go for a walk around Luluhawa.

I know I said we'd wait for that Foreigner to show up, but I figure we could at least take a stab at tracking her down ourselves too.

Besides, there's still plenty of places we haven't even seen

Ah!

...That voice!

Come on, Fujimaru, before SHE shows up.

Come now, don't be like that. I just want to talk a bit.

Heehee, I didn't know you were here in Luluhawa too.

...Yeah, I am.

That's great! We should hang out, then!

Over my dead body.

Why not!?

...You're drawing a doujin now, aren't you?

Huh!?

H-h-how did you Wait. Are you coming to ServantFes too!?

That's right. And we're drawing a doujin of our own.

So I don't have time to pal around with you.

I'm too busy drawing something that'll blow yours out of the water!

... ...That's great!

I'm so thrilled to hear that! I'm honored you're giving me so much attention!

Ghh... Grrr...

...Even if you are only doing this because of the change in your Spirit Origin's temperament...

...it's wonderful how you're channeling your desire for revenge into a constructive attempt to surpass me!

Ghh... I knew it. Changing into a swimsuit didn't do anything to tighten all her loose screws!

To tell the truth, I have a huge competitive streak myself!

Uh, yeah, I know.

？！

Me too.

I'm pretty sure everyone in France knows. Hell, everyone in England too, thanks to Shakespeare.

Huh!?

... ...Ahem.

Since we're all here now, why don't we have breakfast together? My treat!

Isn't this ocean view great? Hehe, I guess the early bird really does get the worm. Or the best breakfast table, in our case.

...

Your face looks like the barnacles that got scraped off the ship this morning, Quixote maiden. Here is some freshly baked bread. You have three seconds to eat it.

Well, well, if it isn't the ice bitch queen. You work here too?

Indeed. I can eat all I want here, thanks to the buffet.

...You know you're not supposed to eat on the job, right?

So, getting down to business...

Marie and I will be putting out another book this year under our club name, St. Orleans.

Do you know anything about the other clubs?

？！

We only just formed our club recently, so...we've been very caught up trying to get our book done.

In that case, I'll tell you what I know about the other clubs.

Or, to put it another way, about the people you'll be competing against! Your potential friendly rivals!

No thanks. I'm not here to make friends.

You stop that. I don't want to hear you being so confrontational.

Tch...

Hmm, I feel as though I'm watching a squabble between two sisMmf, mmf.

？！

I can hear you, you know!

Hehe.

...All right, let's start with the literary club, Grown-Up Fairy Tales. It's run by Shakespeare and Andersen.

They've been around for a long time, as you can imagine. I've heard they occasionally bring in guests.

I've got it!

We'll go with a tragedy this year. I've even got a title: "The Pitiful Elephant King."

Hmm. I take it this will be one of those "based on a true story" types?

That's right. I even know how to begin it...

This is delicious.

Hahaha! What's Ivan the Terrible doing in prison!?

Hahaha! How should I know!?

Waaahahaha!

...Shall we get back to writing?

Yeah, I guess we should. Dammit, I can't seem to come up with a snappy line!

Then there's Tentacle Iron Bar. They made a huge splash when they debuted last year.

？！

Y-yes, that's right. Katsushika Hokusai made it.

If I had to bet, I would put money on her releasing the winning entry. The only downside is her work is so good that it tends not to catch on with the general public.

Although...I heard a rumor that Hokusai has gone missing... I hope she's all right.

The next club is called The One Thousand and One Night Offerings Collective.

I heard the Caster of Storytelling comes up with the stories, and Nitocris turns them into manga.

They've been around for a long time, even before Nitocris joined them...

...and I hear they've got a number of hardcore fans who can't wait to see what happens next.

Okay, I'm done with this episode! Lord Medjed, you handle the inking!

Um...do you think we could take a break soon...? I'm worried about dying from overwork...

Don't be ridiculous! We still have a ton of stories left to cover!

Oh, Lord Medjed, I'm afraid you're filling outside the lines. Would you mind doing it over? Thanks!

Also, Nitocris...?

If you don't stand up soon, you're going to die from deep vein thrombosis.

All right, all right, I got it.

Phew, that does feel better...

(I still don't understand why she's asking Lord Medjed for help... But it's probably best I keep that to myself.)

(...Besides, it's rather amusing to see her like this.)

And then there's the club that's been around forever: Osakabehime and Kiyohime's Princess Princess.

Yes, yes, yes! I'm churning out pages like there's no tomorrow!

Arigathanks, Jeannie!

That story you showed me has seriously done wonders for my motivation!

Why were you so uninspired before, anyway?

...Our club name.

Our club name? What's wrong with our club name?

It's been ages since we went with Princess Princess, since we both have princess characters in our name.

Is there something wrong with that?

...It's embarrassing to still call ourselves that now that all these actual European princesses are popping up left and right!

Hmm... You think?

I mean, when you get right down to it, we're not actually princesses at all! We're barely even royalty!

Oh, I don't agree with that. I'm a princess because I feel like one. That's all I need.

Must be nice being you...

Please don't flatter me. You're going to make me blush...

I was being sarcastic!

Anyway, we still have half the book left to complete.

Why don't we make a high school romance story? Between Master and me!

No, sorry... You have to tread much more carefully when dealing with real people. Besides, that sort of thing's a textbook example of a slippery slope...

Hmph.

Pout all you want. No means no!

Those are just the ones I know about. I'm sure there are others creating works in all sorts of genres.

You might find some of them if you explore more of Luluhawa.

Just attending ServantFes is a lot of fun in its own right, but there's nothing quite like presenting a book you made with your own hands.

Oh, right.

As a Ruler, I can't let this Foreigner that showed up last night run around doing whatever she pleases.

Er, never mind that I'm an Archer now, thanks to my swimsuit changing my Spirit Origin.

Anyway, once I find her, I'm going to kick...er, I mean, beat her black and...no, no, defeat her once and for all! Yeah, that's it!

Heh. Get it now, Fujimaru? This is the real Jeanne.

A cold-blooded killer masquerading as a paragon of love.

That is not true. I only practice self-defense.

By which you mean, the best defense is a strong offense, right?

Well, yes. Isn't that normal in war?

Told ya!

Whatever you're thinking, stop. I don't like it.

We're sisters, and we love each other!

You shut your mouth!

？！

As for me, I'm planning to draw a dolphin love story!

I can't wait to see your book when you're finished, Alter. Make sure you save me a copy!

...F-fine. When you're done reading my book, you won't know what hit you!

Great! I can't wait!

...Just when you think there's hope for these two, you realize how incredibly different they are.

True. They remind me of my brother and Lady Masako.

...Hm? Oh, hey, Tamamo Cat.

Say, I haven't seen the man in red lately. Where'd he get to?

I figured he'd be here cooking up a storm in the kitchen...

If you're looking for the handsome guy in the red coat, I think the Drama Queen and Tamamo Alter (*normal Tamamo) took him away.

Something about starting up an Extra club, I think? I wasn't paying much attention.

Welp... Guess he's abducted now.

Indeed, he is.

I am told they mean to form a club and publish a book under the name Moonside Etcetera.

Huh. Well, I guess they'll pull something together as long as he's around.

I am not so sure. After all, a book is nothing if not an expression of art.

？！

Oh, yeah, that shorty in red does have some pretty awful taste. What'd she call that genre again? Gorefest? Splatterhouse?

I think you're thinking of "grotesque."

I've heard it originated as a deviation from "grotta," which means "cave."

Though of course, its meaning has changed significantly over time.

At any rate, as long as Tamamo and Emiya are there, I'm sure they'll keep things from going off the rails

Oh, now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure Elisabeth joined them too.

Uh...

？！

Okay, great. As long as we throw together something halfway decent, we oughta at least avoid coming in last.

That still makes it sound like we'll be finishing near the bottom!