Section 4: Visage of Night - After

It's charging! Look out!

Not to worry. That was all the time I needed. Well done, Master.

？！

It's charging! Look out!

That's all right. This is all the distance I need. Well done, Master.

？！

Stay close to me, Master. Rogue Servant.

？！

Open, gates of wisdom.

Wh-what is this light!?

I-I know what this is. Both Ptolemaîos and his son were pharaohs renowned the world over for their many architectural achievements.

Yeah, this was famous even back in my lifetime. As a pharaoh, he was directly involved with one of the Seven Wonders of the World!

And also the most famous mouseion in history, said to contain just about every bit of wisdom the world has to offe

Magical energy readings are still rising! I'm detecting True Ether from the Age of Gods!

...No, wait. These standards seem to be...identical to Chaldea's?

You shall learn the arc of history. You shall know of our future.

We, neither almighty nor all-knowing, still strove to become both. Carve our epic history into your soul.

Bibliothēkē Basileiou!

？！

We are inside my Library of Alexandria. I have temporarily cut this space off from the castle.

It is similar to what you call a Reality Marble, though it does differ in some key ways.

Library? What kinda library is this? There's some books on those shelves, but most of them are empty.

They are not. You are simply unable to perceive them as books. Allow me to remedy that.

Whoa! What the hell!? Where'd all those books come from!?

They were here all along. I have simply manifested the library's vast stores of information as physical tomes.

Nearly every book contained in the Library of Alexandria has been recorded with light.

In fact, a single sparkle from this crystal is equivalent to at least a million ordinary books, if not hundreds of millions.

A million books!? Oh come on! I ain't heard a tale that tall since my last visit to my local shrine!

That's right. ...Hm? Hang on. You know about Shinto? So you could tell I'm Japanese? That's awesome!

Yup, sure am. Wait. You could tell I'm Japanese? That's awesome!

？！

I still got no idea where I am or how I ended up here, so it's a big relief to meet someone who already knows about my homeland!

Oh, right. I still haven't thanked you for saving my life yet.

My name's Sugitani Zenjubou. As you can see, I'm just a humble matchlock marksman.

Matchlock? Is that what you call that firearm? It reminds me of the Greek fire they once used around Thebes.

Yeah, that's right. Though compared to this crazy library, it might as well be a damn kid's toy.

Guess I can't complain, though, since I wouldn't be a Servant without it.

So, how long're we stayin' put here, anyway?

Ah yes, that reminds me. I still need to make a transmission to the outside world.

？！

Oh yes. I've seen you communicate with Chaldea several times now. All right, let's see... Here, this era standard should work for this library.

Run a search with my theoria applied. Try running protocol R1543982.

Fujimaru!

Master! Are you all right!?

Wh-whoa...

？！

Oh, uh, first, I was just desperate to get away from that monster, then this library kind of blew my mind, so I didn't realize it until now...

...but seein' something that's like sorcery in action always gives me goosebumps something fierce!

Um, you said your name was Sugitani Zenjubou, right? As in, the sniper who was active during Japan's Warring States period?

I don't remember himher?being a woman...

Well, there are numerous patterns for how people become Heroic Spirits.

There have been cases where those who were thought to be male but materialize as women were actually women when they were still alive, or were perceived as women due to their class.

Oh, right. Good point! Come to think of it, that's kind of how it was for my previous self, too.

Nah, I'm a man. I just got caught up in a little trouble back when I was alive.

Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. Grrr, damn you...

Ahem.

But never mind me. You've got stuff you wanna talk about with that Ptolemaîos guy, right?

Oh, yeah, we do. I've got lots of questions I want to ask. In fact, I just came up with one now.

How were you able to contact us like this in the first place, Ptolemaîos?

？！

I noticed that Chaldea's transmission standards were based on those from the Atlas Institute. So of course my library can make use of them.

In fact, the Atlas Institute helped build this library in the first place.

Hang on! The Atlas Institute is one of the major mage's associations! Why would they have anything to do with the famous Library of Alexandria!?

Ah, yes. That turned out to be one of history's unforeseeable twists.

To the public, the Library of Alexandria was just a normal library, albeit far bigger and grander than most.

Out of the public eye, though, it contained an entirely separate library, created for a very different purpose.

In this other library, alchemists and mages of all stripes came together to gather the Mystics of the time in one place.

Now, as my Noble Phantasm, the Library of Alexandria contains both of these aspects.

I see... Now that you mention it, the Atlas Institute's headquarters are in Egypt.

And what's more, you're well-known for creating a whole new dynasty once you became a pharaoh.

It makes perfect sense that you might have had contact with the Atlas Institute.

I'm glad you're such a quick study. This is also why the books here aren't all made with paper.

Of course, as I was a pharaoh at the time, I also needed to make certain my Mystics were safely guarded.

I bet. After all, you're one of history's greatest victors.

After Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, died, the Wars of the Diadochi that were fought over the right of succession tragically left most of the relevant figures dead.

But in the wake of that tragedy, you went on to live a long and prosperous life as pharaoh until you were over eighty, and peacefully passed on your crown to a named heir.

...Hmm.

In other words, I was a cunning schemer who did whatever it took to survive, even if it meant sacrificing my former comrades.

Oh no. Did I offend you, Ptolemaîos? I'm sorry.

No, it's all right. It's the truth. I can only imagine how furious Iskandar and the other friends I lost would be if they knew about the Wars of the Diadochi.

I can't be sure that all of them would forgive me once they worked through their anger. Some might. Others, surely not.

Even back when I was still alive, it did occur to me that I may have done a little too well for myself.

？！

But never mind me. The Dreadnought should be gone by now.

I think it's time I released my Noble Phantasm. It does require quite a lot of your magical energy to maintain.

Hmm, looks like we're in the clear. Let's return to the castle gate and rest awhile.

Besides, I expect Sì Bú Xiàng has been waiting for us for some time now.