Fifth Game: Togakushi Souryuden (7/8)

There's Erice. She's neck and neck with us now!

Erice!

Hey there! Would you care for some delicious rice, too?

...Huh? Rice? Why rice?

There's nothing like sharing rice from the same pot to strengthen a relationship. Don't you all agree?

？！

I agree too. There's something very comforting about good, tasty rice. Though freshly baked bread is a close second.

Um... You do get that we're enemies, right?

Right. I suppose we are, aren't we?

But you guys are friends, aren't you?

What? No. No!

...Do we have to fight? No matter what?

Yes, Voyager. We do.

Because you want to save me?

How many times do I have to say

But...that's no different from killing.

...!

What do you mean, Voyager?

？！

You say you're doing this for everyone else, Erice. But...you're really doing it for yourself.

You don't kill because you want to. You do it because you want purpose.

...You're right. You're absolutely right. I'm nothing but a selfish, self-absorbed, egotistical jerk.

But what else can I be with this cursed body!?

I'm picking up a magical energy signal. It's extremely powerful!

So who do I have to fight this time? Another shadow, or that Servant?

If you mean me, then nope. I'm not your opponent.

Right, Voyager?

Uh-huh. I'll do it.

Voyager? You're...going to fight me?

I need you, Erice. And I'm going to prove it.

Because I know you and I feel the same way.

...Fine. Then let's see what you can really do, too, Master of Chaldea!

Gaah! (Huff...huff!)

I won, Erice. Now I know for sure.

You do too, don't you?

...Shut up. Just shut up!

You're not my Voyager anymore! You belong to Chaldea now!

？！

...A game piece? What about it?

I gave it to him, so that he could come to this world.

You did? Then...you invited Fujimaru here?

Uh-huh. I asked him to come here, because I want to help you.

Then...you don't belong to Chaldea after all?

This isn't about orders or summonings.

They came because I asked them.

They rode the tram with me, and played lots of games with me...

So now, they're my friends.

So, I've just been getting worked up about a misunderstanding all this time?

All I can say is, Voyager has never been Chaldea's property. No one has.

They all live their own lives the way they want to.

I'm no different. I want to live that way too, along with Senpai...

...

...Isn't it the same for you, Erice? Don't you also live your own life the way you want?

...I'm not so sure. Honestly, I feel like I've just been playing a role more than living my life.

What do you mean?

I was born with a curse instead of a Holy Grail...

...so I used it to strike out and live on my own.

You mentioned evil spirits earlier. Are those the black things you use in combat?

Yes. They're malicious souls who are constantly trying to consume me.

Souls? Is that a figure of speech, or

No. They're very literal souls of the dead.

Are they now!? You know, I've always been fascinated with the soul. Even I was never able to fully decipher its true nature.

I have to say, I'm hard-pressed to believe an ordinary human could make such masterful use of them as you do!

No wonder we suspected your power comes from some sort of god of the underworld, as Emiya here suggested.

Erice, if you don't mind my asking, what about your parents? What do they

Erice doesn't have parents.

Oh... I see. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to

It's okay. I was so young when they died that I barely even remember them.

Although...when you think about it, it is kind of messed up.

My own parents are basically no more real to me than the evil spirits.

...The nameless souls that have haunted me my whole life.

The evil spirits of people who never made a name for themselves, forgotten soon after departing this world.

I'd never made a name for myself, either. But I wanted to.

So I began taming the evil spirits, summoning them as twisting fingerlike branches and blades, and learned to use them as extensions of myself...as weapons.

Eventually, I gave them a name: Erlkönig. From then on, I played the part of a grim reaper...

...because it was the only thing I could do.

Maybe so, but your life is still your own. You can choose how you want to live it.

...

...

Hey, Fujimaru? Maybe it's time we got going?

I think you're right.

Indeed. This is where we go our separate ways, Fujimaru.

？！

Take a look at the path we've traveled.

The ghosts? But I thought they weren't going to do anything to us.

They probably changed the rules on us after that last battle.

...You mean, the one Fujimaru and I just fought?

So they were just another part of the game's rules earlier, but now you're saying they've become players?

All I can say for certain is that direct conflict between two players changed something.

If that conflict managed to change even the very rules of this world...

Well, it just goes to show what we humans can do when we put our minds to it, doesn't it?

...!

There's a pack of monsters headed up the mountain towards us!

Emiya and I will hold them off while the rest of you keep moving. Off you go now, youngsters.

So you are going to stay on Earth, huh?

Indeed. Such is the role those of us who seek to reach the stars must sometimes play.

Though those of us in different nations may have fought bitterly at times, we still shared the same goal.

Voyager, you are the embodiment of humanity's accumulated scientific knowledge and a shining symbol of our hope for the future.

Speaking for all humanity, we couldn't be prouder of you!

I'll never forget you. I promise.

I know you won't. All right, go on then. You have a star of your own to seek, after all.

Okay.

A star, huh? I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a pit of darkness, especially after everything we did to get there.

I'll be fine. You know, it's pretty dark in space.

...Is that so.

...

Senpai? Shall we

？！

Huh? Me?

That's a great idea!

Hold on. Why would you want me? I lost, remember?

？！

...You're right. I know exactly why.

You know, Voyager, I really

I'm glad. You're finally being honest.

Ugh, did you have to say that now!?

We're jumping ahead about one kilometer. This should put us right by the shrine's main gate!

What a joke. All that big talk, and you still couldn't even beat me when I'm all alone.

It's not about winning or losing.

Huh?

I know how you feel now, Erice.

You do too, don't you?

...Shut up. Just shut up!

You're not my Voyager anymore! You belong to Chaldea now!

？！

...A game piece? What about it?

I gave it to him, so that he could come to this world.

You did? Then...you invited Fujimaru here?

Uh-huh. I asked him to come here, because I want to help you.

Then...you don't belong to Chaldea after all?

This isn't about orders or summonings.

They all came here because I asked them to.

They rode the tram with me, and played lots of games with me...

So now, they're my friends.

So, I've just been getting worked up about a misunderstanding all this time?

All I can say is, Voyager has never been Chaldea's property. No one has.

They all live their own lives the way they want to.

I'm no different. I want to live that way too, along with Senpai...

...

...Isn't it the same for you, Erice? Don't you also live your own life the way you want?

...I'm not so sure. Honestly, I feel like I've just been playing a role more than living my life.

What do you mean?

I was born with a curse instead of a Holy Grail...

...so I used it to strike out and live on my own.

You mentioned evil spirits earlier. Are those the black things you use in combat?

Yes. They're malicious souls who are constantly trying to consume me.

Souls? Is that a figure of speech, or

No. They're very literal souls of the dead.

Are they now!? You know, I've always been fascinated with the soul. Even I was never able to fully decipher its true nature.

I have to say, I'm hard-pressed to believe an ordinary human could make such masterful use of them as you do!

No wonder we suspected your power comes from some sort of god of the underworld, as Emiya here suggested.

Erice, if you don't mind my asking, what about your parents? What do they

Erice doesn't have parents.

Oh... I see. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to

It's okay. I was so young when they died that I barely even remember them.

Although...when you think about it, it is kind of messed up.

My own parents are basically no more real to me than the evil spirits.

...The nameless souls that have haunted me my whole life.

The evil spirits of people who never made a name for themselves, forgotten soon after departing this world.

I'd never made a name for myself, either. But I wanted to.

So I began taming the evil spirits, summoning them as twisting fingerlike branches and blades, and learned to use them as extensions of myself...as weapons.

Eventually, I gave them a name: Erlkönig. From then on, I played the part of a grim reaper...

...because it was the only thing I could do.

Maybe so, but your life is still your own. You can choose how you want to live it.

...

...

Hey, Fujimaru? Maybe it's time we got going?

I think you're right.

Indeed. This is where we go our separate ways, Fujimaru.

？！

Take a look at the path we've traveled.

The ghosts? But I thought they weren't going to do anything to us.

They probably changed the rules on us after that last battle.

...You mean, the one Fujimaru and I just fought?

So they were just another part of the game's rules earlier, but now you're saying they've become players?

All I can say for certain is that direct conflict between two players changed something.

If that conflict managed to change even the very rules of this world...

Well, it just goes to show what we humans can do when we put our minds to it, doesn't it?

...!

There's a pack of monsters headed up the mountain towards us!

Emiya and I will hold them off while the rest of you keep moving. Off you go now, youngsters.

So you are going to stay on Earth, huh?

Indeed. Such is the role those of us who seek to reach the stars must sometimes play.

Though those of us in different nations may have fought bitterly at times, we still shared the same goal.

Voyager, you are the embodiment of humanity's accumulated scientific knowledge and a shining symbol of our hope for the future.

Speaking for all humanity, we couldn't be prouder of you!

I'll never forget you. I promise.

I know you won't. All right, go on then. You have a star of your own to seek, after all.

Okay.

A star, huh? I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a pit of darkness, especially after everything we did to get there.

I'll be fine. You know, it's pretty dark in space.

...Is that so.

Everyone going on ahead, come gather around me.

Erice!

？！

...Yeah. I finally get it now.

Voyager, I really

I'm glad. You're finally being honest.

Ugh, did you have to say that now!?

We're jumping ahead about one kilometer. This should put us right by the shrine's main gate!