Section 1: Welcome to Dubai

That's right. Oh, but please don't think of me as a smaller version of the BB you know.

I'm my own person, completely distinct.

Oh, and please don't treat me like a child, either. I'm a very proper lady, even if I may not look it now.

I'm also far more dignified and virtuous than BB could ever hope to be. In fact, I consider her my anti-role model!

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Why're you staring at me? Do you feel like you've seen me before or something?

That's very possible. They do say there are at least three people in this world who look exactly like you.

BB and I are a perfect example.

As for any other resemblances you may find, I think it's best if we chalk them up to coincidence.

I-I see... So, your resemblance is purely coincidental then.

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That's...um... That was just the name of my class in school.

Don't worry about it. I'll change into something more appropriate for where we are eventually.

At any rate, you all certainly took your sweet time getting here, didn't you?

BB got more and more enthusiastic the longer it took you to get here.

She started going on about filling Dubai with "innovative new events the likes of which have never been seen before"...

...and now she's in a pretty bad place.

Hm? I didn't think we were THAT late.

We did get a little overexcited when we saw how nice the airport was.

And a few other things distracted us too, so I'll admit we might have taken longer than we realized.

More importantly, what do you mean BB's in a bad place?

You've probably already seen signs of it even here in the airport.

But you'll see what I mean soon enough. A picture's worth a thousand words, after all.

Now, come with me. I'll be taking you to your hotel in a private bus.

Once you're all checked in, we'll take the bus over to BB's place.

She really should be the one to explain everything.

Now come on. The bus is right over here.

Hmm. What do you think, Master?

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All right, let's be on our way. It's about a twelve-minute ride to the Marion Hotel, where you'll all be staying.

As you'll soon see, easy access from the airport to the city center is another one of Dubai's hallmarks.

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Pardon me. Do you mind if I ask you a question?

Not at all. I'm your guide; I'm here to help.

Well, as Lady Ereshkigal mentioned earlier, there are some reasons we were slow to leave the airport...

...so I thought it would be best to ask you about them.

(That's exactly what I wanted to ask her about, too! Way to go, Percival!)

(This must be why he took a seat in the front.)

(Dammit, his back's so broad I can't see a thing up ahead.)

First of all, we've been having trouble contacting Chaldea. Do you have any idea why that might be?

You have? Hm, BB did say sending transmissions to the future would cost a lot more.

It could be that the code conversions still aren't done yet.

Still, there's only about a ten-year difference. I expect it won't take long for the connection to be repaired.

...

I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

The Rayshift itself is clearly stable, and I'm sure BB can tell you how you can get back.

Ahem. I have a question too, if that's okay.

Do you have any idea why we haven't been able to determine our Servant classes since we arrived?

Hmm, no. I can't say I do. More importantly...does that even matter?

It seems to me that the difference in classes is pretty much a relic of the past.

Especially here in Dubai.

Huh? What do you mean by that?

Be patient. We're almost to the city now.

Once we're there, you'll see what I meant...

...when I said BB's in a pretty bad place.

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You're right, Senpai! Th-there are BB signs everywhere!

That's right! They're everywhere you look: up, down, left, right!

This is what it looks like when BB gets a taste of Dubai's glitz and glamour...and really lets it go to her head.

What do you mean?

Exactly what I said.

While you took your sweet time getting here, BB began holding all sorts of different events.

This made her wildly popular with the locals...

...and now, after a snap election, she's officially become Dubai's new ruler.

Hard to believe, isn't it? But it's true. Just look around the city.

BB controls everything here now. Most of the locals practically worship the ground she walks on.

So, she's the mayor of Dubai now? But isn't Dubai

Right. I've heard that Dubai is ruled by a long-standing monarchy and that it has restrictions on political participation. So then, how

We're almost to the hotel. I think you'll all get a better idea of what's going on once we're there.

Hahaha! Okay, when someone gets THIS full of herself, it's actually kind of funny!

I'm not laughing. This is outright headache-inducing. I will admit that reality is at least starting to sink in.

I guess this means BB really does rule Dubai now...

If that's a shock, you'd really better brace yourselves. You haven't seen the half of it.

Once you've dropped off your bags, we're going to see BB, the new ruler of Dubai, in person...

...and she'll explain what this trip will involve.

Since you all just arrived today, I suggest you leave your itinerary at that and spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Good idea, thank you. So, where can we find BB?

Exactly where you'd expect to find a city's ruler.

Do you know the tallest building in this city? The place closer to outer space than anywhere else nearby?

It's the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world and Dubai's crown jewel.

If that doesn't count as a landmark, I don't know what does.

That being said, I doubt she'll let you just waltz up to the top floor...

...so she'll probably meet you by the fountain in the plaza out front first.

Hmm. Well, whatever the case, it sounds as though we'll need to meet with BB.

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Are we still not there yet? I feel like we've been on this bus for way too long.

Actually, we haven't moved for kind of a while now.

Traffic is pretty backed up. Is it always like this?

You could say that. There's not much space to work with, relatively speaking, so the roads do get quite busy.

There are plenty of lanes for traffic, but they're still mostly one-way.

The roads were designed for smooth traffic, of course, but they didn't account for so many cars. It's something to improve on.

Oh my. So we finally spot a flaw in this young city.

I suggest a system of canals. Should you need help from the world's greatest city built atop the water, I may be willing to oblige.

Thanks for the tip, but we actually do already have waterways here.

I take it you mean the Dubai Creek, the inlet that became the foundation for much of the city's growth? As I recall, they also have ferries running.

Wow, you really know your stuff.

Hehe. Well, I did brush up before we left.

All that being said...

...it looks like this particular congestion isn't just a matter of Dubai's geography.

Down with BB's tyranny!

Protect our skyline!

I'm sick of seeing that face!

Who are those people?

Those are BB boycotters.

Hugely popular though BB is, she still hasn't gotten her approval ratings up to one hundred percent.

There is a small but loud minority of dissenters who like to go around stirring up trouble like that.

Now I see. So they're the ones causing this traffic jam.

I'm sorry to ask you to do this but would you mind chasing them away?

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If you're worried about the legalities, don't be.

My duty as guide is to make sure your trip goes smoothly.

And that is why BB has given me the authority to perform security operations pertaining to sightseeing.

So long as you act with my permission, you have all the authority you need to deal with these criminals.

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I'll go along with whatever you decide, Master. What about the rest of you?

It does look like we'll have to do something about them to get traffic moving again...

...since it seems they've completely barricaded the road.

This disturbance is clearly affecting other citizens too.

So I guess it'd technically be helping people?

This does seem rather heavy-handed...

Still, if this is what we need to do to keep the people safe, then I guess we have no choice.

Though we will need to be careful not to be so careless that we injure them.

I don't mind doing this, but

Indeed. We've been riding in this cramped vehicle for so long that I felt I was beginning to lose my edge.

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Oh, right. There's something I should tell you.

Remember when I said Lord Merlin gave me this outfit? Well, it has something of a quirk.

Whenever I get pumped up for battle while wearing it...

...I end up looking like this. Apparently, it happens naturally in response to my magical energy.

Whoa. So it's basically a quick-change costume!?

Indeed! Though I can't say I see the point!

Well, you know what they say: there's a time and place for everything.

Huh? That's weird. Weren't there more of us than this?

Yeah! One of us is slacking off like it's her only true calling!

Hey, you! What do you think you're doing!?

Come, Master. Let's leave the barbarism to the others and head somewhere safer.

In fact, why don't we take this opportunity to go for a nice walk?

You can't truly get a sense of a city if all you do is stay in a car.

It's only by walking its streets with a companionperhaps even while holding hands...

...that one can properly feel the beating heart of a city.

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Did you really think you could steal a march on MasI mean, abandon your duty without us noticing!?

Now come on! Get back to work!

Work... Right. I almost forgot.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but I'm counting on you to represent Latin America. Birdbrain and Kukulcan are too dumb.

What do you mean, Brother? They're certainly not the most elegant Servants, but I've never thought of them as stupid.

They act on instinct, not logic, and it's forever blowing up in their faces. What is that if not stupid?

But you're not like them. You're aware of your position, and you understand the stakes...right?

Something's going on in that Dubai place. Find out who the real enemy there is and deal with them. You can gratify yourself after that's done. Got it?

(That's the great Tezcatlipoca for you. He can be downright terrifying when he really wants to make a point.)

All right, then. I suppose I can pull my weight for now.

(Besides, there's no need to rush. I'm sure I'll have plenty of other opportunities to spend time alone with Master.)

(Oh, I know that look in her eyes. That's the look of a woman who regrets nothing!)

(I know it real good!)

I appreciate the assistance.

All that's left now is to remove that barricade. Come on, let's get to work!

Great job, everyone. Thank you for your help.

All right, let's get on the road. Now that traffic is moving again, it won't be a long drive.

You said BB is waiting for us at the Burj Khalifa, right?

Weeell, more accurately...

...she'll be waiting for you at Dubai Fountain near the Dubai Mall.

That's the only entrance into the Burj Khalifa.

There used to be more entrances over at the mall, but we decided to change that to make things more straightforward.

It's very important to be straightforward, after all.

More new places, huh?

I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to tell us Dubai newbies more about them, would you?

Very well.

In fact, this might be the perfect time to give you a quick rundown of Dubai as a whole.

Broadly speaking, this Dubai of the future is divided into five different areas.

Let's briefly go over each of them.

First, the southeast district.

This area is still not very well developed. It currently has the most vacant properties of any district.

This is also where the Marion Hotel, where you will be staying, can be found.

The further south from the city's center you go, the more desert is out there waiting for you.

For those of you who come from a region without sand, it could be a great place to experience the desert's unique pleasures.

Dubai's southwest district contains its traditional marketplace, the souq area.

I'd recommend it most especially if you have any interest in vigorous haggling with local merchants.

A marketplace... It must have all kinds of shops that have stood there for a long, long time.

A place for people and products to come and go in ways no modern building could ever hope to match...

Hehe. You humans do love to trade, don't you?

The northwest district is the newly developed beach and resort area.

That it has both a desert and a world-class marine resort is one of Dubai's greatest strengths.

So you're saying here I can find those with hidden eyes in both the desert and the beach?

That sounds amazing.

The northeast area is the financial district, packed with high-rise buildings. It's essentially Dubai's economic hub.

It's also home to a futuristic museum and the enormous Dubai Frame observatory.

You can also see a gigantic Ferris wheel at the beach here. It's a real sight to behold, especially when it lights up at night.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the downtown area right in the city's center.

In addition to its biggest landmark, the Burj Khalifa, and Dubai Fountain, which also serves as the Burj Khalifa's entrance...

...this is also where you'll find the Dubai Mall, a commercial complex of truly colossal scale.

There's plenty more I could tell you about each area...

...but this should do for an overview.

(Hmm. This is all mostly in line with what I expected, but parts of it seem different somehow...)

(Maybe that's just because this is 2030? It could also be that Chaldea's database entry was just incomplete.)

(Either way, I suppose we should focus on what we can learn on-site rather than relying on potentially outdated information.)

Oh, would you look at that? It seems we reached our destination while I was talking.

Welcome to Dubai Fountain, aka the Burj Khalifa's entrance.

Well, actually, we're just in front of the entrance right now.

As you can see, the fountain plaza that leads inside the Burj Khalifa is currently blocked off.

But don't worry. That's just BB drawing things out.

Hmm. What about that red carpet? This looks like the kind of thing they usually reserve for movie stars.

That's exactly what it is.

As far as her supporters are concerned, she's the brightest star there is.

There she is! She's just as gorgeous as ever!

BB! Over here!

I-is THAT

Welcome, everyone, to my Dubaia Dubai filled with joy and happiness.

As the ruler of this wonderful city and the most glamorous version of myself ever to exist...

...I, BB Dubai, extend to you a most heartfelt welcome to my city!

Thank you all so much for coming, my good Chaldeans.

I do hope you'll enjoy the summer of your life here. Be prepared for joy like you've never experienced!

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...What? Why're you looking at me like that?

No, wait. Don't tell me. I understand.

You're so overwhelmed by the gap between my sparkling glory and your own peasantlike selves that you don't know what to do.

That's it, isn't it?

Well, don't you worry. I invited you all here personally.

You have my word that you will want for nothing during your stay.

That includes your hotel room, your meals, and of course, Lily's guide fees.

None of this will cost you so much as a single dirham.

Um, BB? As much as I appreciate you footing the bill for all of this...

...I do still have a few questions.

Oh? And what might those be? Wait, let me guess. You want to know what brand and number perfume I'm using, right?

I can't blame you there. You're at that age, after all☆ Okay. I usually wouldn't tell just to anyone, but this once

Um, no, this isn't about perfume.

After we arrived in this world, we noticed several anomalies.

Most notably, we haven't been able to contact Chaldea. Do you have any idea why that might be?

Me? How should I know? It's probably just how far away you are.

Still, I'd hate for anything at all to distract you during your stay.

I want you all to enjoy your summer vacation here in Dubai and experience as much joy as humanly possible.

I have some questions for you, too. For starters, what's with all those electronic billboards?

From the shape alone, I'm pretty sure you had something to do with them.

I was wondering about those, too.

Frankly, from an urban planning perspective, they made me doubt the sanity of this city's architects.

Oh yes, I'm glad you noticed them. Those are Joy Counters.

I had them thrown together so you could have an easy way to see how much fun you're having here.

Joy Counters?

That's right. They're designed to track exactly how much joy you accumulate during your trip...

...and reflect it in a numerical value in real time.

For example, as you visit fun places and enjoy lots of delicious foods, your point totals will go up accordingly.

And as your points reach certain levels, they'll also act as an easy-to-understand indicator for your progress in the event!

I mean, aren't you sick and tired of doing pointless quests that feel like they never end!?

Well, with my Joy Counters, you'll know exactly what to do to reach your goals! AND the people of Dubai will know exactly how well their city is being received!

You win, I win, Dubai wins!

In fact, I think quality-of-life improvements like this are exactly the special touch the other events we've had have been missing!

Right? Now I'm even more glad I took the trouble to look up the way you think!

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Oh, right. Go ahead and give them the counter watches to make it even easier for them, Lily.

'Kaaay.

Once you've maxed that counter out, you'll have completed your mission! And once you have...

...you'll receive a special invitation to the Burj Khalifa's exclusive observatory floor!

You don't get a chance like that every day, you know!

And once you make your way onto the Burj Khalifa's observatory floor...

...you'll be greeted with more joy than you can possibly imagine, and the greatest goal in all of human history.

So that'll be something to look forward to!

Oh, but first, I should explain a bit about what needs to happen first. An amuse-bouche for your trip, if you like.

Basically, I want you all to come back here when the counter reaches 9998, right before it maxes out.

That's when I'll remove this seal on the fountain.

Then, I'll present the last, impossibly awesome set piece myself...

...and give you the ultimate moment of happiness to get that last point for your Joy Counter!

Missions? Points? This is starting to sound more and more like a job than a vacation.

Shouldn't we have more freedom to spend our summer vacation how we like?

Don't be ridiculous.

Now that I've invited you, it's my duty to make sure you're all happy to be here.

Otherwise, you won't be able to say you really got the most possible enjoyment from your precious time here!

So, once you've had enough fun to max out the Joy Counter...

...I'll make sure you all have a safe path back to Chaldea.

Hmm. There are still some things I don't understand, but I'm relieved to have your word that we'll have no problem getting home.

So, let me get this all straight.

Those billboards we've been seeing throughout the city are Joy Counters...

...and the numbers on them will go up whenever we feel...well, joyful.

Then, once the counter is maxed out, we'll have fulfilled BB's conditions and completed this summer vacation mission...

...which will then grant us passage into the Burj Khalifa, and in turn let us go back to Chaldea. Is that right?

It also sounds like we can stop when the counter's at 9998.

At that point, BB will remove the seal on the fountain plaza, give us some kind of special show...

...and then, we should be all maxed out on points and done with the mission.

I have a question now. Is that at all different from our original plan in coming here?

Well...we'd initially planned to take BB up on her invitation to tour Dubai for this year's summer break...

...and then go back to Chaldea when we were done, so...

So no, nothing's changed!

...On the surface, anyway.

(All of that sounds fine, yes, but I get the sense there's more to it than we're being told...)

(A Joy Counter to get the most out of Dubai... Why would they make something like that...?)

And that concludes your Dubai sightseeing orientation!

You'd better be grateful to me for taking time out of my insanely busy schedule to do this for you in person.

I trust you understand now that your orientation is over, but to be clear, this fountain plaza is reserved for the final boss.

So don't expect to just walk in here whenever you feel like it.

Anyway, I'll let my trustworthy subordinate take it from here. You're in good hands with her.

Now go on back to your hotel and get some rest. Tomorrow, your sightseeing begins!

Oh, BB, wait. I still have more questions for

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Okay, you're all checked in. Here are your room keys.

We reserved the entire sixtieth floor for you. You each have your own VIP suites.

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Not at all. Just doing my job. So, what are your dinner plans tonight?

Master and I were just talking about that. We decided to keep it simple and just have the rations we brought from Chaldea tonight.

I see. Well, seems like a waste to me, but understood.

I'll see you all tomorrow, then, after you've finished breakfast.

Oh, I recommend the buffet on the hotel's first floor. It's free of charge, naturally.

All right, enjoy your trip to Dubai, last member of humanity. Until we meet again.

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Good idea. We do have a lot to discuss.

Okay then, let's all meet up in Fujimaru's room once we've gotten situated.

I took a quick look around, and didn't smell any Demonic Beasts or traps nearby.

And I put up a Bounded Field around the entire floor, just to be safe.

That's great. Thanks, you two.

That just leaves Percival. Oh, there he is now.

Guess I'm the last one. Sorry to keep you waiting.

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Well, in addition to this floor...

...I took a quick jaunt around the entire hotel to see what I could learn.

And I did notice something odd.

Every floor from the seventh to the fifty-ninth is completely inaccessible. I couldn't even get the elevator to stop there.

When I asked the staff about it, they'd only say those floors are being used for storage.

That's an awful lot of storage space. Is that common in big hotels like this?

Of course not. No hotel would be built in such a way that most of the building couldn't be used.

Places like this live and die by their booking capacity. They want more, not less.

I also learned there are other facilities on the first through sixth floors, like a pool, restaurant, and gym.

From what I could tell, there didn't seem to be anything amiss about those.

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Well, in any case, our situation doesn't seem to have changed significantly.

There are certainly some oddities here and there, but nothing so bad we need to be on high alert.

So I think weOw.

Something wrong?

No, I'm okay. I just got a little...dizzy spell? Headache? For a second. Maybe it's the altitude?

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It really is a gorgeous view, isn't it?

Just looking at this scenery is getting me excited.

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Pirates are used to climbing the mast for lookout duty, so I thought I was used to heights...

...but this really is something else altogether.

Does this mean the view from the Burj Khalifa is even more amazing?

Good question. If so, I can't even imagine what it must look like.

Part of me thinks it won't be too different from here...

...and another part feels certain it must be completely different.

This is nice and all, but maybe we could have dinner soon?

Putting up that Bounded Field did tire me out.

Hnn... If only Lady Yu were here to give me a pat on the head and tell me what a good job I did...

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