Section 7: Deadline Hell - La Grondement Du Haineland

Okay, one last time drawing straws to see who stays behind.

This is the last one?

The tower's close enough to this next area that we'll be able to walk there, so yeah, it is.

Okay, let's draw!

Yeah!

What is this all about?

Ooh, looks like fun. So we just have to pick one of these pieces of paper?

We're choosing the Servant who'll stay behind on the ship! And who'll protect Director Goredolf, of course.

Oooh, okay. I guess someone should do that, yeah.

I would hate to be stuck on guard duty right after I joined specifically to see more of this world.

But, since I am now part of the crew, it would be wrong to demand special treatment. Very well, drawing straws it is!

I merely need to take one of these pieces of paper, yes?

Nnn... Yaaah!

Okay, the lucky winner this time is

Me. Okay, I'll take good care of the ship and the director.

Good luck out there, everyone.

Don't worry, we've got this. I'm sure we'll be back with the last seal undone and the Holy Grail in hand in no time.

I'm sure you will. Thanks, Gareth. I'll be here on yellow alert waiting for you all to get back.

If anything happens, just call for us. We'll all hurry back if you do.

I will. Thanks, Erice.

Hey, Rindr? Don't be afraid to sync up with me whenever you like.

Yes, yes, I know. Hehe. Becoming a Heroic Spirit didn't change you one bit, did it, Ortlinde?

Huh? Uh, no, not really.

We Valkyries are all the same at heart, so we basically never change.

Basically, yeah.

...Hehe. That's what I'm talking about right there.

Huh?

Aww, are those sisters? They get along so nicely. What kind of Heroic Spirits are they again?

I believe they are Valkyries, daughters of the Allfather of Norse myth.

Apparently, he made them to be some sort of autonomous machines, and used them to collect the souls of heroes.

Ohhh, I see. Hmm. So THAT explains why they seem more innocent than humans!

Now it all makes sense!

Hm? I thought all that was common knowledge. You are a strange Heroicno, Divine Spirit, aren't you?

Maybe! Ahahaha.

... ...

(I get the sense it's less a matter of her not knowing than it is her not caring about history or mythology.)

(She strikes me as the type to look up at the stars, but never at the bugs around her feet.)

(It's like she's got a whole different perspective on almost everything, and not necessarily in a good way.)

Hm? What is it?

Uh... It's nothing.

(Yikes! Who the hell moves to look you right in the eye without any warning!?)

(No exaggeration, I thought I was gonna die.)

(For a moment, I felt like a frog staring down a snake. But a snake that doesn't even know how deadly it is.)

We're about to enter the sixth area! Please get ready to disembark, everyone.

？！

Yeaaah!

Welcome!

This is the sixth area, Mini ServantFes.

Here, you can try your hand at drawing manga, experiencing deadline hell, writing novels, experiencing deadline hell, and EXPERIENCING DEADLINE HELL!

？！

You're goddamn right! (Real talk)

Please calm down, Jeanne Alter.

Yelling explanations at everyone isn't going to help them understand any faster.

Is...um, is she okay?

I mean I always knew she was, well...a lot, but still.

What do you expect!? We're right smack in deadline hell! But there's nothing hellish about the actual facility, at least.

This area's special, though. The only way to increase sales here is for you guys to do it yourself.

So go! Get your asses out there and start drawing whatever manga you want!

Hey, if you don't mind my asking, are you okay? Your eyes are really bloodshot.

Yes. They seem almost murky.

Are those bags under your eyes? You poor thing.

I'm fine. These eyes are badges of honor for creators who're enduring their own deadline hells.

My draft is going just fine and will probably be done soon. But I haven't contacted any publishers yet.

Because I'm just that sure I'm going to finish on time!

(Uh-oh. I can tell I'd better watch what I say here. I know a minefield when I see one.)

I don't really get what you're talking about, but got it!

Here, readers are creators, and creators are readers. Basically, they're all one and the same.

Just give it your all. I know I am. You'll know you're doing it right when you feel like you're dying.

Hehehe... Almost makes me want to use flower fortune-telling to see whether I'll make it in time or not.

Oho, do you now? If you like, I can tell your fortune if you like.

No thanks! I don't need a fortune to know what my destiny holds! I'm gonna make my deadline! For sure!!!

... ...

Got it! I'll be good for time as long as I can finish five pages a day, starting now!

？！

Excuse me, I have a question.

So we have to draw manga and sell it here? Is that it?

Pretty much, yep.

I mean, it doesn't have to be manga. It could be a novel, or a photo book, or something like that, too.

But manga's definitely the headliner.

...'Course, I doubt you guys know much about the finer points of drawing manga.

Okay, okay, fine. I'll put my deadline off so I can spend the day teaching you to

I see. So we draw manga here. Interesting.

What the... Where'd you come from?

Fo, fooou!?

Lady Skadi!?

？！

Yes, I am here.

Scáthach? ...No, wait. Is that the other one? The quiet, pure-hearted one?

Hahaha, if Scáthach WERE here and heard that, there'd probably be a crimson spear sailing towards your head right about now.

Anyway, are you okay? I know you've had a day's worth of rest by now, but...

Y-yeah! I thought you were still supposed to be taking it easy!

Hmm...

I'm fine now.

？！

I am doing just fine. The doctors and that steely woman all agreed that there is no cause for concern.

So please. There is no cause for panic. As you can see, I am much better now.

I know I had you all very worried, so I thought it best to show you in person how much better I am doing.

A-are you really okay now? If you're lying, I'm going to be very upset.

Haha, there is no need to worry.

I was originally only planning to stop by the ship, but I got there just after you all left.

So I thought I would follow you here instead.

？！

I will!

I got no clue what you're all on about, but it sounds like you're still on the mend?

Are you sure you can draw manga while you're still recovering? Hell, have you ever drawn manga at all?

Drawing manga, hmm... I am sure I can figure something out with my runes.

Huh? That's a thing you can do!?

It most certainly is. I may not be as skilled with them as the Allfather, but I have my ways. Hm... Yes, this should do.

There, I can draw it now.

For real?

For real.

She's...for real?

She's for real!

So now this is happening...

Hmm?

If she's for real, then what can you do?

Fou fou.

Well, if she's for real, then I guess Hm?

Where'd Ibuki-Douji go?

Oh, she said she was going to take a look around and slipped into the crowd.

Gotcha.

？！

Yes, I believe I do.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. WHOA. Just hold your damn horses.

You can't possibly learn how to draw a whole-ass manga with one damn spell.

Let's see, first we start with the rough layout... (Briskly sketching)

She's... Holy shit, she's actually doing it!?

You! Hey! YOU! How the hell is she doing that!?

？！

I didn't know Skadi had the talent as a manga artist!

Oh, wait. Must be more rune stuff. She knew how to use runes to give herself the ability to draw.

That's a pretty accurate way of putting it, Gareth.

Does that...count? Feels like cheating.

Ahahaha, looks like we'll be done here in no time.

So, what kind of story are you going to draw?

Manga's all about using images to tell a story, right?

Hmm...

Ah, yes, I did come up with one idea.

Holy hell, that was fast. Rune magecraft is wild...

Think you could teach me how toNo, wait! Never mind! This would ruin me. I just know it!

How about telling us what the story's about instead? I might not look it, but I absolutely love stories.

？！

Hehe. This is a little embarrassing, but all right.

This story tells of another world, in another time.

It happened long, long ago, in a world far, far away...

Then, as a sign of our reconciliation...

Two couples shall wed.

...That is the long and short of it. What do you think?

That sounds great! I'd read that manga immediately if I could!

Background details and world-building like that are sooo important!

... ...

You didn't just come up with that now, did you? You've been thinking about it for a while.

...Perhaps. You may be right.

It's probably fine, though. This place is meant to be a lot like a mini ServantFes.

Servants can make whatever they want here.

ServantFes...

Yeah. The next ServantFes should be coming up soon, so we're kind of holding preliminaries here.

Anyway, get that manga done ASAP so I can read it!

Besides, you need to sell a whole buncha copies, right?

All right, I'll do it.

Hmm. If we join a doujin club and sell our manga through it...

...that should boost the sales numbers for the whole area and get us to the quota that much faster!

It's a good plan!

That makes sense! It'll be some great motivation, too!

You stayed behind at Chaldea this time, Shielder?

Yes, unfortunately, I'm on operator duty for this mission.

I would have liked to help you out as the new and improved Assistant Mash...

...but since I can't, I'll do my best to cheer you on from over here!

？！

Yeah!

Still, your idea for a story... It sounds promising, but it's super risky too...

I hope they know what they're doing.

？！

Okay, Master.

Our job is to help Skadi turn her manga idea...

...into a real book, right?

And once that's done, we pass it around the various clubs, yeah? Sounds reasonable.

...Hmm.

I just got an idea. Are you by chance a good artist?

Depends on the subject. I think I ought to be able to help with backgrounds.

I kinda suck at drawing people, though.

Oh, I have some experience with this. I'm happy to help however you need!

...Oh, sorry, that's going too far. I'm still just an amateur with very little, actual creation experience!

Still, if you're willing to let me read the layout, I think I could come up with some ways to improve it!

I... Uh...

I think I could manage anything not related to sketching, drawing, inking, or story. So...supply runs, I guess?

Oh, don't worry.

Scáthach-Skadi's already got a clear vision for this manga's story.

Our role here is just to help her out however we can. So for now, let's just relax and take it easy.

The only help I can offer is a spell that will keep you awake and energetic all day and night.

Good luck!

I don't know much about manga either... Oh, but I know a little more now that I've synced up with Ortlinde.

I think I might be able to help out, maybe by serving as an assistant!

Well, I am not going to do anything.

I could certainly draw a picture or two since I am basically overflowing with talent...but an empress cannot be an assistant.

...Still, I suppose you may call upon me if you need someone to draw fine furnishings in the backgrounds. I have a keen eye for those sorts of details.

I am glad to hear that. I only know what I know, after all...

...so having reference material when drawing another world's furnishings can only be helpful.

I would be honored to accept your assistance, Empress of China.

Hehehehe, so I will merely be lending you my aid? Then I have no objection!

Oh, yes. I still haven't asked about you, Mas

？！

...I see. Your confidence shows me it's an important role.

Good, good. It looks like everyone's role is decided.

Very well then, let us try our hand at drawing manga!

There, it's done!

Th-this is... This is... Amazing!

Y-yes, it is!

This is... We're reading something incredible, I'm sure of it!

Honestly, I'm blown away.

Fancy rune magecraft or not, there's just no way a few spells could make something this good.

Oh yes. I don't really get all this manga stuff, but I think I do get this.

This story is really, really good.

Y-you think so? I see...

I never knew how exciting it was to tell a story of your own creation.

Just as I thought.

Your polished, completed story lost none of the impact of your original layout.

It's a blend of romance and fantasy, without ignoring the serious societal issues that affect the story and characters.

You wove these big themes and the emotional through line together expertly.

I agree.

I loved the scene where the giant bride and human groom talked back-to-back without facing each other.

You could really feel their kindness motivating them to understand one another, and the pain of not being able to put their feelings into words.

I loved that scene, too.

And the first time the bride truly smiled instead of just faking it to be polite, even though it was kind of awkward...

I know! It was great!

I also really loved the scene where the human bride stood up for the giant groom!

I think my favorite part was at the beginning, when the elders were deciding who to sacrifice.

That's, uh, an interesting choice...

It got me thinking about how much it sucks when authority figures abuse their power...

...but I also saw that in this case, it was coming from a sincere desire for peace. It was pretty damn moving!

And this is me talking! The notorious gangster and vigilante!

Bowwow!

Aww, you think so too, Aned?

Aned! When did you become such an outlaw!?

Fooou!

Yeah, I've got no idea what Fou there's thinking.

Ahaha.

What do you think, Master? Is this draft good enough?

？！

I see. Then the next step is to make it into a real book.

...A book, huh...

Will that be okay...?

I'll go talk to Jeanne Alter then!

Oh, it's Master! Heeey!

Jeanne Alter said to tell you that she's in deadline hell right now, so someone else will look over your draft.

Byyye!

Oh, okaWhoa, she's already gone!

Is something wrong?

？！

Oh, hello, everyone. What brings all of you here? ...Wait. Does this mean

Yes. We would like to turn this draft into a book.

That's wonderful!

Hehehe, okay then, let me just take a look.

O-of course. Here you are!

Oho, I see. "Enchromia's Silent Tears"...

... ...

？！

(I-I cannot help it. I have never shown a story I created to anyone before!)

(D-don't worry, Skadi. You'll be fine. Your story is great!)

(Believe in yourself, Skadi!)

... ...Très bien.

My, my... This is something very special you've written here.

Then, does that mean you will print it?

Of course! Just watch! This book is going to be a sensation!

Well, within this area, obviously...

But I'm so proud to see that this area is turning out to be the birthplace of great stories like yours!

You just leave the rest to me. I'll take care of everything!

G-good! That is great to hear! Then I leave it in your hands.

Please do! ...Hm? What is it, Alter?

H-here... I've got a draft...ready for you, too...

Oh my! I can't wait to read it! Of course I'll take care of this one, too.

Oh, right. Skadi just finished her manga, too. Would you like to read it?

Umm... I'll pass.

But why!? It's amazing!

I know. I heard the gist of it earlier.

If it turned out even remotely like what she had in mind, I'm sure it's really good.

Then why

I need to prepare before I read it! It's gonna take me time, energy, stamina...

...I'm gonna go get a massage from old man Shuwen. The kind I usually avoid 'cause they hurt like hell.

And let me tell you, I am REALLY not looking forward to it!

？！

Heh. You need to ask? For you guys.

Huh?

Heh. You guys have no clue what you've created.

You will soon.

Mmm...

Did I include something I should not have?

I have never seen Jeanne d'Arc's younger sister(?) act like that before...

Well, that was certainly not animosity. I think you are likely just imagining things.

She does seem kind of, uh, temperamental...

This unit doesn't know much about manga, but I know this one is really good!

You should be proud of it, Lady Skadi!

Fou, fooou!

Hehe. I know I can't wait to read the next part!

Huh?

Skadi's feeling anxious? Really?

Yeah. Even though her manga came out really good, too.

Hmm. I don't really know manga, but I think she made a good one.

I know I was enthralled when I read it, and that doesn't usually happen! So I definitely think she should be confident!

(Man, these gods have a real nerve-racking way of putting things...)

I can't wait until the next part comes out!

Congratulations! We're ordering an immediate reprint!

What's a reprint?

Reprints are a milestone for aspiring doujin authorsfor any modern author, really!

The writer Heroic Spirits said so themselves! Congratulations, Skadi!

I see. This is a little embarrassing...

But if it means everyone is enjoying my story...then I'm glad.

And here's your fan mail!

Th-that's a lot of letters.

Just trying to count them all has me dizzy...

If Skadi is all right with it, mind reading some to us, Yan Qing?

Hm? Uh, yeah, okay.

...You get the idea.

There're a bunch of letters from polar bears and seabirds, too I can't tell you what they say though, since I can't read these animal footprints.

All right! Is it safe to say this is an amazing accomplishment?

Yes, it is.

As you saw in the fan mail, you have many eager readers awaiting the next part of the story. Speaking for the area's managerial staff, we couldn't be happier!

But, um...speaking of the next part... Do you mind if I ask when you think it might be done?

Worry not. I am not satisfied with having only made one book, either.

If the rest of you are okay with it, I would be happy to get started on the next one right away.

？！

Yes.

There is still much more of that story I wish to tell.

Oh my! I can't wait!

Speaking personally, rather than as one of the managers here...

...I'm so looking forward to reading it, Scáthach-Skadi!

All right! Let's get drawing!

Great! Just tell us how we can help, and we'll

No, wait. Not just yet. This next layout will take some time to complete.

So I want the rest of you to spend that time however you like.

Draw another book, make something entirely new, or simply rest and recuperate. Do whatever you like, please.

All I ask is that I be left alone to work on this story for a while. Is that all right?

I see...

I guess we'd better not interfere then. Okay, you got it.

Of course that's fine with us. Just say the word when you'd like our help again!

Perhaps I will take the time to try making a book of my own.

I have been wanting to compile a manual of my hundred best torture methods for ages now!

I may even see if Carmilla would like to contribute as a guest author.

What about you, Lady Avalon?

I don't have any books I'm dying to create...

...but there is one creative field I'd like to try my hand at.

There's nothing in particular I'd like to make.

But I do want to see what other books are on sale, so I think I'll wander the showroom floor for a while.

This unit feels the same as Erice.

I see. All right, then I will see you all later.

When you all return, I will be certain the next chapter is ready for you to read!

...Indeed! Just leave it to me!

All right, I will see you all again when the rough draft is done.

What's wrong? You seem...dissatisfied with something.

...You aren't? I see. Then all is well.

All right, I will call for you all again when the time comes.

What time, you ask? Why, the time my rough layout is finished, of course!

？！

Huh? We have free time now?

Hmm, I see. Thanks for tracking me down to tell me, Master♡

？！

You're so sweet! This is why I love you, Master!

Hmm, but what should I do with this time we have now...?

Since I didn't help out too much with the first book, maybe I'll just keep going on this walk.

？！

Nope. I was too busy looking at all the other books they have here.

Sorry, Master♡

？！

Hmmm. I don't think telling a story would really do it for me.

Oh, I know! Maybe I'll make my own photo collection♡

Yeah, I'll make a cheerleading photo book! Mind being my photographer, Master!?

？！

Then let's get started! Ready when you are♡

？！

Oh, should I take my visor off? What do you think?

Well?

？！

Ooh, you're getting me all worked up. You naughty thing, you☆

Now I have to break out my special outfit!

Tadaaa!

See, this is

Who-Douji? See, this is

？！

Wh-what's that? You're wondering what the coolest outfit in the world is?

Hehe, that's easy!

Let's see... Uh... Do we have a brush and paper here?

Here you are.

Great, thanks. All right, I'll draw it for you myself.

This, right here, is the most alluring outfit in the whooole wide world!

Check it out! ...Wait. Was Tsuna just here?

So I was SUPPOSED to get an outfit design from her...

...but she just got mad about something and ran off without drawing anything.

So I came up with my own original design instead!

？！

Fufufufufufu. Okay, time to get changed! (Starts undressing)

？！

Aww, come on...

？！

Hmph.

Fiiine. If you insist, I'll go get changed over there. Wait right here, Master♡

(Hic)

？！

We've got "Enchromia's Silent Tears" fan works! Come and get them!

More doujin, you say? One of everything, please.

Thank you!

These characters might've shown up on the same page, but they were never in the same place...

Does this ship really make sense?

I like to believe the world is full of possibilities!

Well said.

Ghh. I guess I can make do with these while I'm waiting for the next canon release...

Thank you!

Hey, on the subject, is there a release date for the new chapter yet!?

Dunno yet, sorry! It'll still be a little while!

Huh? Erice?

I found a bunch of "Enchromia" analysis books that predict where the story's gonna go next, so I went ahead and bought them.

...Do you think it would be okay to give these to Skadi?

Fan analyses, hm? That's a tough one...

Some creators love when fans figure out where things are going. Some absolutely hate it. It really varies.

Hmm... Then maybe I'll just hang onto them for the time being.

WHAT!? My book detailing all my favorite torture methods was BANNED!?

Honestly, I am not sure why you thought it would be allowed in the first place...

Now I'm curious. I think I'll take a little peek...

Well, these comments are...something. "This is one of my favorites!" "This one is not very effective." "Be careful with this one, as it leads to a swift death."

Wow! Nite Brite went grimdark!

These descriptions are pretty, um, vivid too. It's not at all hard to see why it was banned...

Maybe there's some underground appeal, though.

Oh, all right. I suppose I will just have to hand them out to friends and family then... Here, Master. Have a limited first edition.

？！

Hm, you don't seem especially interested in this subject. You will take it anyway.

Besides, you can never know when this knowledge might come in handy.

Handy!? No way in hell would I try even ONE of these!

Aww, my book's banned, too? I really can't sell it here?

No, you cannot.

I am afraid your Shuten-Douji cosplay is simply too, er...provocative!

I do not need Lady Raikou to tell me that it is absolutely unacceptable!

Huh? Cosplay? This isn't cosplay. I came up with this outfit all on my own.

What an incredible coincidence! B-be that as it may, this work is far too provocative to be sold here!

Aw maaan. That's too bad.

And after Master went to all that trouble to photograph me, too. Right, Master?

？！

So why is mine banned? It doesn't have any visual elements at all. It's just ASMR.

I will tell you why.

One product tester complained that it cast an illusion spell on him. Another complained that he found he was missing QP after listening to it.

One said it was the most nightmarish "soothing" sound he had ever heard... And that is just a small sampling of the issues.

Whoopsies♪ I'll have to be more careful next time.

(And I can tell I will have to keep an eye on this one!)

Ghh...

Master... Are you there? I... I am talking to you via...my Chaldea-style transmission rune...

It's Skadi!

Gareth here! Are you...done, by any chance!?

Please... ...help...

... ...

She didn't sound good at all!

？！

It never ends...

Um...what never ends?

No matter how much I sketch, I cannot seem to finish this rough layout.

Why?

I am only trying to tie up all the loose plot threads.

Nnn...

？！

P-please carry her to the bed for now! I'll contact the medical Heroic Spirits right away!

I can't believe this.

What were you thinking? What. Were. You. Thinking?

She remains in serious condition. The doctors say it has something to do with magical energy...

...but whether they are correct or not, she's still suffering from exhaustion.

I thought you all understood that. Was I wrong?

？！

Ulp. I'm so sorry. I had no idea...

Me neither...

This unit can't believe she let this happen. Especially after Ortlinde and the others trusted me!

She seemed to be in such high spirits, so it did not occur to me that she might be near death!

I didn't notice anything was wrong, either.

(Something's going on here. We can't all be this negligent.)

Hm? Uh, yeah, I guess?

You guys have nothing to feel bad about. I kind of do, though.

What do you mean, Lady Avalon?

None of you realized anything was wrong with her, right? Me either.

And it's because we were under her suggestion.

She made us all believe she was fine.

I'm fine now.

？！

She had me completely fooled. I didn't even notice until just now.

Man, these Primordial Runes from the Age of Gods are something else.

I'm guessing she used a similar charm on the nurse and Asclepius to slip away from them, too.

Her suggestive spell faded when she collapsed, though.

...Hm?

Are you discussing her skills as a master escape artist?

She most certainly is, as she managed to escape the temporary clinic we set up in the ice castle.

And once in this area, she worked herself to exhaustion.

？！

That's right.

Severely, in fact.

To take on the mantle of queen is to be prepared to carry the weight of an entire nation on her shoulders.

She may have had somewhat more faith in her ability to carry on than was justified.

The pressure she put on herself to work hard and succeed, along with her sense of personal responsibility in all that, drove her to exhaustion.

So...the combination of her lack of magical energy and the pressure she felt to draw a good manga exhausted her?

That's so sad...

Lady Skadi...

Well, now what do we do? She's already finished a ton of rough drafts.

？！

About a hundred chapters.

A HUNDRED!?

O-oh wow, you're right. There really are a hundred chapters' worth of drafts here.

Some are, um, VERY rough, but they still have dialogue and everything.

Although...

Indeed.

Trying to turn all this into a proper manga would leave us working here for at least two years.

Even if we used all of our Servant power to go as quickly as possible, it would still take a minimum of two months!

Ooh, wait. Hang on.

Does that mean I'd get to do nothing but hang out here with Master and drink?

Sounds pretty nice to meee♡

I guess we have no choice.

Let's all just enjoy hanging out as much as we can!

As great as that sounds, we can't do that for two months!

So then, we need to find a way to turn all these rough drafts into something presentable, and soon.

But, how can we do that?

？！

R-really, Master!? How do you know? Do you have something in mind?

？！

I overheard the whole thing!

Was kicking the door down really necessary!?

You're in trouble, right?

Damn right you are. So, got somethin' to say to me?

？！

Not bad. Not bad. Could be better, though.

You can praise me a little more, if you like.

Where'd all that come from!?

Eh, whatever. Doesn't matter. Yeah, that'll do. Besides, I saw this coming.

That's...not exactly what I had in mind...

But, okay, I can live with that.

？！

So, what do we do?

Sure, you may be good, but there's still way too much material here for you to handle on your own.

Well, yeah. Even if Iall three of us pitched in, it'd still only cut down the work time by about two weeks.

So, what are we supposed to do then?

Easy.

We're gonna have Sleeping Beauty there do the hardest thing in the whole damn world:

Cut some scenes out.

It's the only way.

Wha

Absolutely not. Having her do more work is completely out of the question. She needs complete rest.

You think I don't know that!? You think I wanna ask anyone who looks that close to death to work even more!? 'Cause I don't!

But none of that matters. She'll still do it. I guaran-goddamn-tee you.

I see...

She'd rather chip away at her own life than leave something she cares about unfinished.

That's what it means to draw manga, dammit!

(Yaaawn) Ahh, I slept very well.

Though, I must say...even I am surprised to see how much sleep I needed, seeing as I am now a Servant...

Scáthach-Skadi? May we talk to you about something?

？！

Oh, hello, Master. Hello, Mash. I see everyone else is here, too.

I am sorry you all had to see that, especially after I called you here myself.

But the good news is, I have completed rough drafts for another hundred chapters. Now we need only polish them into

... ...

Um... Is everything okay? You all seem...off, somehow...

Scáthach-Skadi? We need to talk about "Enchromia's Silent Tears."

O-okay.

I know I may have gotten a little carried away, sketching another hundred chapters at once, but...

... ...

What is it? Why do you look so forlorn?

We're going to trim it down.

...Trim it down?

We're going to get it down to twelve chapters. Enough for one book. That's the best we can do.

... ...

Annnd she just collapsed again.

All right, you asked me to hide and I did, but I can take it no longer! What do you all think you are doing!?

Well?

Why haven't you brought Scáthach-Skadi back? What did she say?

I'm sorry, Dr. Asclepius. There is nothing I can do here.

She's hopeless. Completely hopeless.

Huh!?

Wh-what do you mean!? What happened to Lady Skadi!?

Now, now. Let's just take it easy for a moment and hear what she has to say.

Go on. What happened?

Don't tell me it was one of her magecrafts again?

No, Dr. Paracelsus. My mind is as clear as ever.

The problem is that she is the same sort as Shakespeare, Andersen, and Murasaki.

She insists that she needs to finish drawing this book...

...or she'll never be able to rest in peace.

...I see. You're right. She IS completely hopeless.

Dammit, how did this happen!? Did the sixth area have some kind of effect on her?

Brace yourselves, Nurse! Paracelsus!

It seems our foolish patient...has become an author!

I am sorry, everyone...

Not for deceiving you, but, well...for getting so carried away with the manga.

Ghh...

I knew... I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, that I was writing too many chapters, but...

It's okay. It happens.

Sometimes, a side character you introduced with the best of intentions ends up doing things you didn't expect...

...and before you know it you've drawn a whole book's worth of chapters just to see that thought through...

That happens!?

All the time!

S-so then...we're really going to trim all this down?

Even li'l Eito? The mysterious mascot creature who could be either a dog or a cat that was introduced in chapter forty-nine?

I really, really like him...

Eito gets the axe, yes. This is how it goes when it's time to cut stuff out.

We can't keep him. His arc alone takes up ten entire chapters.

Man, this is painful...

He doesn't have anything to do with the main story, right?

...No, I guess not.

Th-then, what about this side story set in space, "Kudryavka Moongazing"?

Axed.

Sure, the stories in space expand the world, but if we cut them all...

...we're way closer to wrapping up the main arc.

Ghh. I guess you're right...

Skadi, before we start trimming, I've gotta ask you something.

What is it you really want people to take away from this story?

H-hmm. Do you mean philosophically?

Nah. I'm talking simpler than that.

Is this a romance? A tragic love story? A fight against society?

Do you want to draw something awesome? Something cute?

Are the four characters you chose as protagonists your main interest?

Or is it the society they live in?

... ...Now I see.

Yes... I understand what you mean, and now I know what I want to do.

I want to draw those four characters, and their happy lives together.

I do not actually care all that much about the society in which they live.

Got it. Then we can get rid of more than half these chapters.

From there, we'll keep trimming the hell out of these roughs until we've got ourselves a real gem of a manga.

Gareth. Rindr. Skadi. You.

...I mean, uh, Master.

We're gonna start trimming these roughs down to their essentials like our lives depend on it.

This'll be a battle against your own minds like you've never experienced before! Get ready!

？！

Phew!

It's hard, isn't it?

Oh, no, I wouldn't say...

...No. You're right.

It IS hard.

Especially when I have to dispose of elements because they are simply not necessary.

What are you, stupid?

I know you gotta finish this book and sell a shitload of copies to break the seal on this area...

...but once that's done, why don't you just take all the time you need to draw whatever the hell you want?

Huh!?

Sometimes, you've got tons of things you wanna draw, but there's a deadline you gotta meet.

But if you can meet the deadline AND draw whatever you want, wouldn't that be way better? I know that's what I'd do.

Yes... I see. I could just draw it all later...

You too, Master?

...Then that is what I shall do.

Yeah, that sounds like fun, too.

Even after these four characters' story is over, there are still plenty of stories of your world to tell.

Sounds like a pretty good plan to me.

？！

Here. I threw all the Chinese herbal medicine and fúshuǐ Zhang Jue gave me into a water bottle.

Want some?

It's kind of spicy, but a lot better than you'd think, right!?

Y-you want me to drink it!? ...A-all right! I'll do it!

Hmm. It is sour, and spicy, but surprisingly good! ...Why is it surprisingly good?

？！

(Huff, huff...) There! The backgrounds are done!

I have to say, after trimming away almost a hundred chapters, the final story's ended up super dense.

Yep. Now just about every panel is a lean, mean, narrative machine! Every one serves an important purpose.

There really isn't any room for fun and games anymore!

Hehehe, now imagine if after all this, we realized we overlooked something crucial.

That'd be some seriously bad shit. So bad all you can do is laugh.

That's not funny! Don't even joke about it!

I can't go on...

I can't...feel my arms...even though this unit...is just an autonomous machine...

Help me...Ortlinde...

Rindr!?

I-I'm here, everyone!

I received Rindr's distress signal thirty minutes ago, so I knew something wasn't right.

Hmm.

Ortlinde, how are you with tablets!?

Tablets? Oh, you mean drawing tablets? ...I-I know my way around them!

Then I want you to take care of these backgrounds!

I also need you to add sound effects in this flashback battle scene.

After that...

R-Rindr! Please, wake up, Rindr!

Oh, very well. Even an empress such as myself is not wholly without pity.

Besides, aiding a fellow queen will place her in my debt.

A savvy ruler cannot let such an opportunity pass her by.

All right, hand me a brush! I will see to any and all pictures that require the drawing of blood!

...Oh! I can sense everyone else dealing with deadline hell while I'm out here slacking off.

Hmm... Okay, since everyone's working so hard, I guess I'll just have to do my best to cheer them on from here!

Wooo! Wooo!

Go, team, gooo!

Fou, fooou! (Special Translation: Pretty sure this is still just a sports thing.)

Hello!

I heard you were all in the thick of it, so I came to see if I could hel

About goddamn time you got here, you idiot of a saint! Now hurry up and get to work! I want you driving your brain harder than a damn workhorse!

Are you calling me a workhorse!? This is all quite sudden, but...

...if you need my help, then I'll gladly work my fingers to the bone!

I'll start by checking them against the rough layouts and inking them.

Damn. No mystery how she ended up my club's archrival. She doesn't waste a second changing gears...

I-I see. Thank you for your help!

I see. You've already done a lot to pare it down.

That is right. There is nothing left to cut.

If anything, we might need to add more back in. How many more pages can we fit in here, Alter?

Two. I'm drawing the line there.

Th-that's pretty tight...

Can we really add more?

It'd be pretty tough without at least some room to breathe.

We're only talking about two more pages, though. This is definitely going to be a close-run thing...

Two more pages, huh.

Let's hang onto them. They can be our "break glass in case of emergency" pages.

All that aside...

The original hundred chapters you made were impressive in their own right, but this much more condensed version is really something.

Y-you think so?

I do.

There's a real sense of speed to it. It's the sort of thing you only get from condensing one hundred chapters' worth of story elements into a single book.

And it's managed to do that while still preserving all its original lyricism.

Okay, author. Do it.

H-huh? Me? Do what?

You gotta ask? You're supposedta give us our orders.

This is YOUR story. You made it. So we do what you tell us.

We'll still make suggestions, of course, but you're going to be making the final calls here.

So it's your job to tell us what to do.

I see... Yes. Indeed.

Then I, Scáthach-Skadi, do hereby entreat you all:

Please, help me complete "Enchromia's Silent Tears"!

？！

...It's finished...

Yeah. We're done.

... ...

Okay, let's take this outsiI mean, can we talk?

...In private, maybe?

Okay.

You're still not satisfied, are you?

...No.

I still feel as though there is a little more I could do.

Perhaps I could have drawn...or done something else entirely...

Look, I'll do whatever I canwithin reasonto help you be satisfied with this book.

But I'm guessing your regrets are never going to completely disappear.

Is this just how it is?

Even when you feel like you've drawn the greatest masterpiece of your life, if you give it some time and come back to it, you'll still see holes all throughout it.

I know that's how it was for me.

Hmm.

But you don't think this one's turned out bad, right?

Of course not.

With you and everyone else helping, I managed to deliver a lovely story.

If it is not too presumptuous of me to say so, I think it came out very well indeed.

And those are exactly the times where it still feels like there's more you could do.

You just can't help but keep asking yourself, "Is this okay? Could it be even better?"

But, no matter how embarrassing it might be, you've gotta wrap it up at some point.

...

Yes. You're right. I'll do that.

But hey, I get how you feel. And like I said before, you can always take your time drawing as much as you want later.

I know Master and I'll both be waiting for whatever you do next, no matter how many years you take.

...Got it!

Congratulations! All the copies in circulation have been tallied up, and you absolutely smashed the sales goal!

Which means you've now officially cleared this area!

I got you a bouquet to celebrate your achievement, but...I don't see Skadi anywhere.

Yes, I'm afraid she's not here.

She was so moved to see the last page checked and sent to the printer that she collapsed again.

...And then Nightingale insisted VERY firmly that we let her take Skadi back to the castle.

I see...

？！

Well anyway, I read over the finished book.

I would have liked to spend more time in that world, but it was a beautiful way to end the story. It gave me hope for the characters' future.

Seeing a truly happy ending with all the couples' problems resolved was truly wonderful.

...I do wish there was at least a little more of it to read, though.

Good thing Skadi's planning on continuing the story then, huh?

I can't wait.

Welp, that takes care of this area's seal.

The Arctic Tower's right over there. If you're gonna grab the Holy Grail, now's your chance.

We still need to tidy up here, so I'm afraid we can't join you.

Hey, they're just off to grab the Holy Grail, right? Piece of cake.

Well, Master, shall we get going?

Indeed! Then let us be on our way!

Oh yeah, great point! Let's be reeeally careful on our way there!

？！

Well I'll be. That's really impressive.

？！

I-it certainly looks that way!

It didn't look like that on the way here...

...but now that we're standing at the tower's base, it feels like we're close enough to reach out and touch the sun!

Maybe it's some kind of illusion?

I'm detecting a powerful magical energy signal near you. There is definitely...something floating above the tower.

It's covered in a shell of magical energy, so we haven't been able to determine what's inside.

It could just be a mass of high-density magical energy, or it could be undergoing real nuclear fusion just like the actual sun.

Ulp... Something about looking up at it makes me feel like my eyes are going crazy.

... ...

I love the sun. I really do.

Its golden rays remind me of my brother's hair, and its gentle warmth reminds me of my king.

But, for some reason...

...seeing it like this, closer than ever, is making me really uneasy.

？！

...Yes. I think so, too.

Ahem, ahem. Can you hear me all right?

This is Goredolf in the Ice Wanderer. This unbelievable sight on our monitors has scared me out of my wits.

In person, that sun probably just looks a little bigger than usual, but on video, it looks absolutely enormous.

And what's more, it's giving off an equally enormous magical energy reading!

What could this mean? N-no, never mind that now. If nothing else, we're not seeing any harmful signals.

For the time being, your priority should be securing the Holy Grail being kept somewhere in that tower!

Well done on getting to this point! Now you're approaching the end!

Be on your guard! That's all I have to say!

Senpai, everyone, I have the results of our scan.

First of all, the entire tower is giving off high levels of magical energy. We believe that's due to the Holy Grail.

So I see. True, there's a lot of magical energy swirling around this thing.

So this is the kind of Holy Grail Chaldea regularly deals with.

It feels like the Holy Grail is up at the top, probably at the tower's apex...

...and that it's working in concert with that brightly glowing sun-thing.

The Holy Grail...

If it's in the tower, that would have to mean the mastermind hid it there after having Skadi use it.

I guess this means they really are protecting it then.

？！

Right! Then let's go in right n

Huh!?

Mmnmm... Mmnnn...!

？！

Whatever are you talking about?

Nnn... Congratulations one and all on making your way to this tower of ice.

It sure wasn't easy! Especially the part where we had to deal with all those evil spirits you summoned at the haunted house!

(Also, his "mmm"s are all "nnn"s now, huh?)

(Yup. I wonder if he's noticed that himself!)

I am afraid this is as far as you go. You see, she has no wish for Chaldea to claim the Holy Grail.

Goodness, do forgive me. I'm afraid my shikigami simply cannot contain their excitement!

Grrr. I don't know who this mastermind is, and I don't care!

Why should I concern my royal self with some so-called mastermind from who knows where and who can only be bothered to show up now of all times!? Don't make me laugh!

Hmm, well, I don't know about that. Sure, I wasn't here the whole time, but it's not like I'm only just now showing up.

I mean, I first ran into you guys at the hot springs, and we've been together since the haunted house now, right?

Huh?

???

...!

Fou! Fooou!

...

Yikes. You scared me.

Dammit! So YOU'RE behind all this!? Had a bad feeling about you, but I didn't wanna believe it!

The mastermind...!

!!!

... ...

(That was an incredible attack from Yan Qing. It wasn't just lightning fast; it was so strong it would've obliterated me if I had taken it without my armor on!)

(But it didn't even scratch Ibuki-Douji!)

...I'm detecting a powerful enemy signal now. Ibuki-Douji has turned hostile!

Please be careful, everyone! You're facing an enemy who is a Divine Spirit Servant connected to a Holy Grail!

Hmph. That hurts, Master.

But, you're right. I'm afraid it's true.

I'm the mastermind this time!

Eee! Sorry for not telling you, Master.

Oh well, looks like the cat's out of the bag now. It's true! I'm the mastermind this year!

？！

I'm the one who asked Douman to give Skadi the Holy Grail!

...Nnn. Ahem.

(Wh-what the...!? She seems like a completely different being now!)

Oho! Oho! At last, you grace us with your true presence!

How beautiful! How frightful!

Nnnnnn, you truly are the raging spirit of Ibuki. I knew I was right to swear allegiance to you.

Now, what is your desire? Do you demand a sacrifice, as befits your wild nature?

Silence.

Do not bare your fangs before me, priest.

Such schemes, entrapment, and mockery may be amusing to you humans. It is not to me.

Nnn... Not at all, my lady.

I would never dare to scheme in your noble presence.

What's more...

...should you bare your fangs at me, then you have no use, even as a dog.

Do so again, and you will find yourself returned to the dust from whence you came.

... ...

Now then.

This summer... Once again, this summer...

I command you to rock my wild ara-mitama to its core. I will let you spend this fragile summer however you like.