Prologue

Good, the Rayshift went smoothly!

This one was a little risky, so I wanted to get confirmation from you first and foremost.

Everything okay, Fujimaru?

？！

Phew.

Your vitals look good too, Master.

My equipment is under maintenance, so I can't join you, but I'll handle data processing from the Command Room to make up for that.

Yup, you'll be a big help.

And given the situation, the more eyes we have in the Command Room right now, the better.

'Cause once again, this Rayshift is an unusual case.

We still don't know exactly where you are.

Obviously, we had the exact coordinates necessary to Rayshift you there. It is, at least, definitely on Earth.

...but in the same way, say, a video game might glitch and send you out of bounds, we haven't been able to pinpoint your location.

That said, we can't just ignore a Singularity, so we had to Rayshift you to those unidentified coordinates.

Only after tripling our safety measures, of course.

So, how's it look? Can you see anything that might help you figure out where you are?

？！

Hmm, our scanners aren't much help right now. We're only getting vague numbers that can be interpreted any number of ways...

Is there anything physical that might help? Things like cloud formations, ambient temperature, scent... Would any of those provide hints?

Of course. So, our next step is to hear what they have to say about that stuff.

For such an opaque Singularity, it's surprisingly forgiving when it comes to Rayshift compatibility.

But, when choosing Servants to deploy, we erred on the side of caution and chose those who seemed most compatible.

？！

Sorry, but I have no idea where this place could be, either.

I am the ruler of the underworld. I have no business in a vacation destination.

If it helps, I can tell you this place has no connection whatsoever to the underworld.

The underground here feels...empty, and not in a hollow-cave kind of way.

Still, the fact that I've been chosen must mean I have a part to play.

Plus, it feels like it's been a long time since I had anything important to do...

So if there's anything you'd like my help with, just say the word!

？！

I do not know this place, either. All I can say is that it's clearly far from civilization.

Though I suppose one could say the same of anywhere that isn't my dazzling city of Luoyang.

By the way, Queen of Kur, you had better keep your spirits away from me! I mean it!

Not, um, to say that I'm at all frightened of them! Just that I don't want one standing behind me, waiting to surprise me!

As a bona fide star, I can't say I'm excited about performing on such a drab stage.

Can't say I love this heat, either. I'm not a dumpling; I really don't need to be steamed.

Are you sure I'm a good fit for this mission? Do you really think my power is going to be necessary here, of all places!?

I guess none of you have any idea what this place is either...

That aside, this is quite an odd lineup, isn't it?

As far as I can tell, none of you have anything in common, so I wonder why you were chosen for this mission.

Of course, there are a variety of factors that go into determining a given Servant's Rayshift compatibility...

...so the fact that none of you seem to have any direct connection isn't necessarily strange in itself.

I don't know for sure, but...

...perhaps it is simply that we are all terrifyingly beautiful? Especially me? Keh heh heh!

...Huh. Hey! Torturers! Quit lazing about!

Make yourselves useful and build me an easy chair with a leaf parasol or something.

And hurry up before my beautiful skin starts to tan! You there! Your job can be to fan me with a palm frond!

We are, all of us, gorgeous crowd-pleases. You are the star of a nation. I am the star of the sea. She is the star of the underworld.

Maybe our stardom is what we have in common. We are each the rulers of our respective domains.

Wha? Hey! Get back here, Leviathans!

Don't you go in the water without my permission! We still don't know if it's safe! Now stop! Stay!

I can't speak to the sea, but I've already started sending out spirits to keep an eye on our surroundings.

(It really has been forever since my last mission... I'm excited to be back in action, but I'll need to be careful not to get too carried away.)

(As the representative of all Sumerian Divine Spirits, I need to demonstrate that I'm a strong, capable goddess!)

？！

Huh? Hang on. I think I just found something.

Y-yeah? Thanks. I appreciate both your earnest praise and your, um, casual choice of nicknames.

Ahem.

Anyway, I need to not get carried away. I'll ask my Gallû Spirits for more information... Uh-huh, uh-huh. So there's something over that way?

According to my Gallû Spirits...it's that way!

？！

...

What was that...?

Was that one of your qì'é (read: penguins)? I didn't know you had any that weren't black and white.

Don't be ridiculous. That...thing was nothing like my Leviathans.

...I suppose it was at least kind of cute, though.

I only got a quick glimpse of it. Do you think it's some sort of...indigenous creature?

Let's go after it. Whatever it is, we might be able to learn more about this Singularity from it.

？！

A good empress always listens to wise counsel. All right, Torturers, does everyone have a good handle on my palanquin? Then go! Go! Gooo!

A chair made out of fronds? I didn't even see them make it. That was quick...

There it is!

Hmm? Hold on. Isn't that

Something's chasing it!

Hmm. What should we do, Master?

？！

Clear, if lacking in artistry as declarations go.

Very well then. A true star gives every performance her all, so long as she has an audience. Even if she's slumming it with other acts.

Go warm up the crowd, Leviathans. This will be our opening performance!

I've never seen an enemy like that before.

？！

Whatever it was, it had absolutely no aesthetic sense. I'd sooner die than share a stage with one of those things.

Hmm. It's gonna be tough to analyze that creature remotely, but I'll give it my best shot.

Now, where did that first thing we saw go?

There it is! And it looks like it's okay.

...Huh?

Aaah! Where'd they all come from?

Calm yourself, goddess of the underworld.

Living things flocking together like this is perfectly natural.

Trust me, the mark of a true leader is a steadfast, unshakable calm...

...even when the unexpected or unwelcome happe

Yay!

Thanks a bunch!

You're suuuper strong!

D-did they just TALK!?