[Underground Swordbeauties Match] Glasses No.1

Hm? What is it, Master?

Is there something on my face? Or on my back?

Wouldn't the latter be a fatal injury for you, Lord Siegfried?

Hmm. Good point.

？！

Ah, I see. Of course.

We may both be dragon slayers, but we wield our swords very differently. I learn a lot from talking to him.

I never would have thought to cast my sword about like the wind. His cape is spectacular, too. It even conceals his back!

Not to mention that our legends have a lot in common.

I don't think it's a matter of which of them is right or wrong. My guess is that they're both right.

Just as I succeeded at slaying the evil dragon Fafnir, so too did Sigurd slay the same dragon.

Of course, the Brynhild I knew was not a Valkyrie...

...and similarly, Lord Sigurd has never heard of my beloved Kriemhild.

It could be that your legends were conflated, or that they diverged at some point.

Either way, neither I nor Lord Sigurd pay much heed to our past legends.

All we care about is fighting today to secure a future for the humanity of tomorrow.

For that is our greatest joy.

I'll get it. May I ask who's calling?

It's the conceit!

Huh?

Oh, whoops, I misspoke. It's the concierge!

You've got a letter!

Oh, thank you. Let's see... It looks like it's an invitation...

...for a battle to determine the best glasses-wearing Servant of all time!?

!!!

Do you love glasses!!??

As we all know, glasses aren't just for correcting eyesight!

Nowadays, glasses also symbolize knowledge, intelligence, and beauty!!!

Why, I get the sense that even I may have worn glasses at one paw-int or another.

And really, what more need be said?

Likewise, I'm also a goddess who may or may not have worn glasses at some point.

Now, let's give it up for our handpicked crop of Servants with glasses!

For those wondering about Yu Mei-ren or the Great Stone Statue God, both of them declined to participate.

I guess they just couldn't be bothered to help liven things up. Honestly, there's nothing worse than a selfish brat who only thinks about herself.

(She said, somehow without a hint of irony.)

I asked if I could join too, Senpai, but they said I couldn't because I never wear my glasses in battle...

？！

I guess there's only one thing left to do: have a pair of glasses made that I can wear during combat!

Isn't that like the textbook definition of putting the cart before the horse?

Isn't that like the textbook definition of putting the cart before the horse?

All right, glasses Servants, it's time to find out which one of you...

...is worthy to be the king, or queen, of glasses!!!

The rules are simple. You'll all compete amongst yourselves to see which of you best embodies the smarts, strength, and luck inherent to glasses wearers everywhere.

We'll start by splitting you into Group A and Group B for the preliminaries...

...and the last Servant standing after the finals will be crowned the king, or queen, of glasses!!!

Lord Siegfried.

Lord Sigurd. I'm surprised to see you taking part in a frivolous event like this.

Not as surprised as I am to see you doing the same.

Ah, well... I expect that's because of this outfit I'm currently wearing.

Perhaps my heart has grown lighter thanks to my being a Swimsuit Swordmaster.

Or in my case, a Spectacled Swordmaster.

？！

It would seem we have been placed in different groups. I trust we are of like mind?

Of course. I will see you again in the finals!

I still don't know how their glasses sparkle like that...but I can't deny it makes them look even cooler.

？！

You changed into your Atlas Institute uniform in no time! (You've grown so much since we first met, Master...!)

Fifth question!

Who was the poet who wrote "So this is the

Semimaru!

Mee-ow! To no one's surprise, Purple Shikibu knows her Ogura Hyakunin Isshu! And with that, she takes the lead by one point!

For the record, the full question was:

Who was the poet who wrote "So this is the place

Where travelers who come and go, meeting and partingWhether they are beknown to each other: The Afusaka Pass"?

Phew.

All right, which paw-nel would you like to open next?

I think I'll go with...panel number nine, please.

History, huh? All right, let's see what's behind panel number nine!

Arrange these three figures in chronological order!

Nitocris, Ozymandias, Cleopatra!

That is correct! Way to go!

I'm impressed you caught the trick question fast enough to buzz in first.

While it's easy to think otherwise given the way they usually interact, Nitocris actually predates Ozymandias.

But Nitocris values accomplishments over seniority, which is why she has such high esteem for Ozymandias.

I don't get it, personally. The further back we Heroic Spirits originate, the more powerful we are, right?

So if I were her, I'd be lording it up over any pharaoh that came after me.

But, to each Heroic Spirit their own, I guess. Anyway, go ahead and choose the next panel!

(All right, I managed to get one point back. But, unfortunately...)

It's too bad Siegfried didn't do better on the knowledge section...

？！

Yes... He was up against three Casters and a math professor.

But at least he should be able to turn things around in the strength section.

All right, it's time for our contest of strength! If you'd all go ahead and draw one of these lots...

Lots?

Everyone got their partners? Good! Remember, these are the same partners you'll fight with in the main match!

...It looks like you're my partner, Master.

？！

Of course it is.

This is actually another test of the mind! This one is designed to see how you overcome a two-on-one handicap!

After all, we glasses wearers must always aspire to grace, elegance, and intelligence.

And since you came in last in the knowledge section, Siegfried, you've been saddled with a curse.

Now get your weapons ready, 'cause it's time for the preliminary battle!

I'm sorry to ask this of you, Master, but please be ready with a good Mystic Code!

We have a winneeerrr!

Siegfried shrugs off his two against one handicap like it's nothing and moves on to the finaaallls!

No wonder you went down in legend as the hero from Niederland.

Not at all. I could never have done this without Master's orders.

It does.

Your order to "just use your Noble Phantasm to blow them away" was both simple and effective.

That's not exactly what I'd call an intellectual powerhouse meowve...

I see. I'm glad to hear that, Master. I guess this means I've been blessed with smarts, strength, and good fortune.

？！

The last time the winds of luck blew my way was when I found the Rheingold...

Perhaps winning this contest will finally let me shake off this jinx.

So you bested your group. I expected no less.

I was just about to say the same to you. Impressive as always, Lord Sigurd.

Ooh, my poor back... (Sore from using muscles he'd forgotten he had)

M-my eyes... (Blinded from the display of husbandos)

I see. So your partner is Master.

Mine is, of course, her.

Here's to a good match, everyone.

Brynhild!!

My Luck stat must be better than I thought for me to draw my beloved Brynhild as my partner.

...!

Heh. They're really showing off. I see Master and I have our work cut out for us.

... ...

(That goddess clearly pulled some strings behind the scenes to ensure this contest would take a dramatic turn.)

(Well then... Hehe, we shall just have to see how this trump card vs. trump card matchup plays out.)

At long last, the moment you've been waiting for! It's going to be a battle between fellow dragon slayers to determine the ultimate King of Glasses!

Which pair of glasses will have the smarts, the strength, and the luck to come out on top!?

Excellent! The crowd's all warmed up!

Don't be shy, everyone! Keep those bets coming!

(Sigurd's obviously the clear choice here!)

(Even if Siegfried does have Master on his side, he can't keep up with Sigurd's smarts!)

Very well then... I'll make sure to hold nothing back.

Glasses Gleam!

... ...

...Hm? What does he mean, hold nothing back?

Then let this battle of the brains...begin!

The answer is: tulips!

The answer is Santana!

Wind of Liverpool!

Alonso Quixano!!!

Pororoca!!!

I-it looks like our contestants are equally brainy! (Man, and I only got as far as "On the Amazon River"!)

Heh... (Touching his glasses' temples)

Heh... (Pushing his glasses up his nose)

？！

Me neither.

They were both so fast I couldn't keep up...

Even for questions where I knew the answer, they always beat me to the button.

Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, my love.

If these had been questions that required time and deliberation, I know you would have done wonderfully.

But this was a battle of speed above all else.

Huh? Hang on. Does that mean you haven't been using your Wisdom Rune at all?

?

Wouldn't it be cheating if I had?

... ...Good point!

It's fine! Don't worry about it! As long as he wins in the end, that's all that matters!

What? Why're you looking at me like that? I don't need your pity! Besides, the real battle's just beginning!

？！

All right then, let's get down to the contest of strength! Both teams, at the ready!

Are you ready, Master?

？！

Of course. This is hardly the two against one match they think it is.

With you on my side, Master, I have no doubt that we could triumph against an entire army.

I must say, I feel as though I have also caught the Swimsuit Swordmaster bug.

No, wait... I understand now.

I, too, am a Swimsuit Swordmaster!

？！

The important thing is that I can swim in it. Now then: shall we, Lord Siegfried?

We shall. The winner of this battle shall be both the true Dragon Slayer and Swimsuit Swordmaster!

Let's go!!!

Khh... It would seem...this is it for me!

... ...

...Lady Ishtar?

R-right... Ghh... W-we have a win... Win... Win-win-win-win-win

？！

I can't believe the underdog turned things around at the very end... And I had bet two-thirds of my fortune on what was meant to be a sure thing...

That's it. I'm done with gambling. From now on, I'm only dealing in futures...

If you're looking for a sure thing, something tells me you're meowing up the wrong tree...

You were just as formidable as I thought, Lord Sigurd and Lady Brynhild. Your teamwork was truly a sight to behold.

The goddess of victory would surely never have favored me if I hadn't had Master on my side.

Oh? Well, that's not a problem.

After all...I already have a goddess of victory right here with me.

... ...

Oh Sigurd... And Siegfried, who resembles him a great deal...

You're both so very kind.

Surely you must have realized that I was unable to unleash my Noble Phantasm...

...as I was too preoccupied with resisting my urge to love you to death.

If that's what you think, my love, then I'll say it again: you are the only goddess of victory I need.

S-stop that...!

Hahaha. I see your spear is just as weighty as ever.

Heh. It seems I may have won the battle, but I lost the war of love...

And I lost to my own bad impulses... Why? Why did I have to go alluh, two-thirds in?

Maybe it's time you accepted the mantle of "goddess of careless mistakes"?

No way!!!

I'm not giving up until I've made enough money in Vegas to buy a new swimsuit for next year!