Entr'acte III

...

She is still not back.

Principal...

It's been so long since we last heard Du Stallion II's jets.

We know so far that her disappearance has something to do with the irregular increase in Heroine Zs.

But we haven't seen Heroine X. How sad and lonesome...

Eradicating Heroine Z was hard work. I still question what that Saber ninja evade move was.

And ever since X disappeared, the Saber class students are all sighing with relief.

Hmm...

Knowing her, she must be off saving some world in crisis. All while having no idea people are wondering where she is.

I'm...just worried about all the "use by" dates on her food in the fridge.

What should we do...Black Knight...?

？！

I've been having fuzzy memories lately.

Some pretty men are sitting around a black round table, and they're drinking. And I'm just sitting there, looking bored...

Then then someone special to me secretly gives me candy. It tasted sweet...

But then the hotties disappear from their seats at the round table one by one, like petals dropping from a wilting flower.

The quiet round table wasn't bad. As long as that one man was there.

Being in my empty room reminds me of that scene.

A knock. ...Come in.

...?

Why aren't you coming in? Is the door broken?

I'm just killing time in the halls, Lizardlet.

I don't mind people seeing us talking, but I don't want our conversation to be recorded.

You're disguising your voice? Who are you? What do you want?

I'll just say that I'm a classmate. Spies for the Villain Alliance are everywhere.

Even in this school of heroic Servants.

Villain...Alliance... Inside the school...

...In a way, I'm relieved. You seem to be an elite agent.

Not like that striped-pants Elisa, who always herself caught in the traps she sets for X and me.

I was so worried she might be the spy. But it looks like I was wrong.

Gwah! A-ahem!

...They will soon come for you. Be ready to meet them.

I'm talking about those who believe you have fighting potential, after the reports they've received from spies here.

A large-scale attack by the Villains will soon start. It'll be a Death Tour, with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Heroine X will likely not return. And even if she did, she could not save this place.

See you, docile Berserker. School life with you was quite entertaining.

...

Leave...the school...

I knew that this day, would come. I didn't think X would be first. But.

But...there is still something I need to do.

You don't have to be so worried, Black Knight.

I secretly collected parts bit by bit, so you've powered up quite a bit.

If you can help me again...that would be great.

Black Knight...your eye movements are a little creepy.

Maybe there's still some weird programming left. I'm going to change, so go out in the hall.

Come on, hurry.

？！

Beep boop. So you were the one who called me out here to the dark side of the school.

Data extraction. Found: a traditional school yard callout to settle old scores. In other words, there's an one hundred percent possibility that a secret art will be passed on due to graduation.

...Good. Preparing to deploy Noble Phantasm for self-defense.

With my fantasy, my ideal, my dream...the time has come for you to awaken to the appeal of steam!

...No, that's not what we're talking about. I wanted to ask you some personal questions before the battle started, Professor Babbagen.

I know you are busy, and you are not around the school much. Tonight was my only chance.

...Hm. Steam pressure...dropping. What kind of lecture do you desire, Servant candidate?

Please tell me...

On the planet Lothian, I believe you once battled against a dark lord.

That information is strictly confidential, and it is not even in the school's database. Could you tell me the details...

And tell me what fate befell the black lord!?

Confidential data, number SA80T521X. Punitive expedition of the planet Lothian.

Such information is strictly confidential. Of course, revealing such information to a common student candidate is not permissible.

All right, then! I have no choice but to tear our your memory media and read it myself!

And...above all...

My heart...is burning and screaming at me that I need to defeat you!

Hm. I am a gentleman, and a scholar who abhors physical violence.

Yet I am also aware that I must defend myself against any attack. Student or not, I will not hold back.

Your burning heart... Show me if it can best my steam power armor!

...Left and right manipulators...stopped. I have sustained critical damage.

...Candidate Ex.

Yes, Professor Babbagen.

You were a good student. A truly good student. You were one of the few who sincerely listened to my lectures.

You sat in front of the class, and I remember you always wiping your fogged up glasses.

...It was tough. It was as tough as eating mochi topped with powdered chestnut without hands...

...You have utterly defeated me.

You so accurately pinpointed my armor's weaknesses. I can think of no better sign that you studied well.

I do not have enough information to understand the entire situation, but I can hypothesize about the outcome.

Ex, you are planning to leave, are you not?

Professor, I...

I just couldn't like you. I couldn't help this hatred I felt toward you.

But I always liked your lectures. I truly did.

...Ah, a student completes her studies and departs. That is every teacher's joy...

As your reward, I shall tell you. The dark lord's name is... "Sir Agravain."

Agra...vain...!

He was a senior member of the group called the Dark R.O.U.N.D.S.

As the descendant of a clan that alchemizes artificial Servants, the work he inherited was truly evil.

The Heroine Zs earlier were just incomplete fakes. What he was searching for was something beyond that... A crystallized form of magecraft.

But we have been able to determine that he was not successful.

...

Agravain fought valiantly, but he was no match for the overwhelming pressure of my steam.

In the end, he tumbled down into the castle's reactor core.

Whether it was accidental or intentional, I cannot say.

Not long after, the castle collapsed.

We conducted a thorough search, but were unable to locate his body.

At the same time, the secret ceremonial rites for the creation of artificial Servants were also lost. That's what I...report...ed.

Professor...Professor Babbagen.

...Ungh.

Agravain...Agravain...!

My Master... Revenge...!

...

...It's impossible...

Aren't you going to finish him off? Wouldn't that be more elegant?

...!

Encased within his armor, the critical steam will release, cutting off his vision and breathing, and soon after, a world of extreme cold will await him.

He's an extremely troublesome enemy.

...iii...

...Are you the one who is here to get me, as the agent said?

...Indeed, Lord Pendragon.

The final knight of the fallen Dark R.O.U.N.D.S. ...To think you would be hiding here, right under his nose.

...Hmph. The villain may not always be evil, while the "good guy" may not always be working for the weak.

A school intended to educate heroic Servants? Laughable. You know that the moment it becomes a public facility, it also becomes a pawn of those in power, don't you?

Never mind. Now we need to think of how to deal with you, Lord Pendragon.

The reports said you had lost your memories, but by the look of it, you seem to understand what is going on.

Pendragon... Yes, that is the True Name I was given.

My name is Heroine X Alter. The Ultimate Anti-Anti-Saber Weapon!

Hahahahaha! Wonderful. Let us celebrate your new journey!

I welcome you as a new member of the Villain Alliance. You shall serve me directly!

Admittedly, I am an outsider within the Alliance. But that means you will have absolute freedom in your job! What a wonderful position!

...I see. I'm actually more keen on being told what to do.

But I do have one wish.

I would like to take one Voloid with me. AUX Voloid K6-X4.

Hm? What a piece of junk. Fine. Doesn't look like much, though.

Board my container-shaped infiltration ship. We will return at once to the mothership, and convene with the other alliance members.

Please, give me ninety seconds to prepare.

Understood. I will await you in the ship.

...Black Knight. I have...something to ask you.

I finally figured out what was wrong with you.

You have a tiny shard of crystallized Alternium embedded in your head. It was being used to track me.

That crystal had been receiving mana waves leaking through the cracks of multidimensional space.

It seems, coincidentally, that you were on the same wavelength as someone else's mind. They would appear to be a mage.

But we are headed to a battlefield. Information leaks and unknown elements cannot be permitted.

I'm going to remove the cause of the problem.

Maybe you're still listening to my words through this Black Knight as a vessel.

If you are...I would like to say goodbye.

Having someone listen to me when I needed it... I think that was nice.

When I succeed, and make a name for myself as a Servant...maybe we can talk like this again.

When that time comes...

No, that's just wishful thinking. She and my deceased Master would both laugh at that thought.

See you. Whoever it is, from a Servant Universe far, far away...

May the Alternium be with you, always...

？！

Have you awoken, Master? How was sleeping at the nice warm kotatsu?

It was good? I'm glad to hear! But Mash seems to be a little disappointed.

...!

She seems to have kind of made a hobby of watching Master sleep. I don't understand that allure at all!

Ah, ah! Shhhhh. X, I told you to please keep that a secret...!

This kotatsu we inherited from Doctor's room is a Noble Phantasm to be feared!

Um... It's so that Senpai will remain healthy...

Let's just keep it that way. This mikan is delicious! This iyokan citrus is sour!

What? Is there something on my face? (Sigh) Fine. Then have a good look at it.

H-hey! Please! Both of you! Your faces are too close!

Wha...? This is a special spacesuit! It's a wardrobe essential for those who follow the Star of Altria!

Well, they were on sale at the school's store, so I bought them all up.

What are you talking about?

？！

(Sigh) ...Master, were you dreaming? Eh? Not a dream!?

Hm...hm... Those are some hazy details.

Eh? Did I ever have a BFF?

Oh, come on. I don't remember anything like that. Sounds like space opera nonsense to me!

But...yeah. I did have someone I considered a troublesome rival.

Oh? You want to hear all about it? Uh... Well, it's not really an interesting story...

It's not like I defeated a space dragon, or won first place in a race through the Saint Quartz Run...

This story isn't as flashy as all that. It's just a story about ordinary school life.

Sheesh. I wonder how she's doing... That Saber who was energized by Japanese sweets...

No, no. Forget about that. Let's talk about releasing the long-awaited EPII!

I got excited thinking this quest was going to be about that, so I've been waiting patiently next to Master this whole time!

I-is that so? Anyway, it looks like you are still going to be talking.

We have run out of both mikan and tea, so I shall go get some more.

？！

Any Japanese sweets. We are sitting at a kotatsu, after all.

Sometimes the flavor of corruption isn't so bad!

Yes, understood. I shall go check the kitchen!