Unless there's anything else, I'll just have to watch them then.Originally Posted by Comun
I was going to say I would probably prefer that, but if you have to go through all that, then I don't know.
Unless there's anything else, I'll just have to watch them then.
I was going to say I would probably prefer that, but if you have to go through all that, then I don't know.
Spoiler:
There are summaries out there, but the full translation is still the preferable option.
I sort of died from the heatwave and all that. I'm practically done with my part of the translations soon anyway so I'll get back to the summaries in a couple of days. Apologies for the long wait, people (although the full TLs are available in video form for those of you who don't play and they've passed my summaries by a few chapters already, so you can just look at those instead in the meantime).
finally reading traum
summonable Rider Class when....
(Sorry for taking so very long to get back to these, but I'll finish them for posterity's sake still)
--- Arrow 1 ---
We're treated to a soliloquy by Moriarty, sitting on a chair next to some waterfall.
Sherlock Holmes, my bitter enemy. The eternal light to my shadow.
Now that I have manifested as an Apostle of the Alien World, the man named Sherlock Holmes matters not to me.
Nevertheless, his ability to investigate, deduce, and uncover the truth remains a pertinent issue.
The use of such skills within this Singularity would be a problem.
Thusly, I have sown the seeds of misdirection.
I revealed my existence before him, complete with a monologue befitting the occasion.
However, my very being here will cause that man to lose sight of his original objective.
If Holmes is the one who casts light on the truth, then I am the one who shrouds it in darkness.
A darkness even he cannot illuminate.
I see. The Alien God is more thorough than I had originally thought.
Cutting back to our party in the Via Regia realm, Holmes declares that when it comes to this Moriarty, he simply can't seem to deduce anything. However, one thing he is quite certain of is that Moriarty isn't a Master, and that in this Singularity, the concept of "Master" holds no importance. In other words, finding and killing the Master won't eliminate all these enemy Servants. This, incidentally, makes it much harder for Chaldea to complete their objective and to help the Via Regia realm. Instead of something so direct, they'll have to be more roundabout in solving the Singularity. That is to say, taking on the other two realms.
Sancho puts together an elite force for this very purpose, composed of you of Chaldea alongside a few others personally chosen by Sancho at a later time. Kadoc thinks to himself that the other members' task won't only be to support you, but undoubtedly to keep an eye on you as well. He also points out how Sancho has been taking charge ever since they revealed themselves (and even before that, actually). But whatever happens with that will be up to Gudao anyway.
You're shown to some private quarters, where Kadoc puts up a soundproofing Bounded Field as you recap the facts. Karl der Große is actually Don Quixote, the matter of Gudao making it back alive, the possibility of other Servants defecting, like Salome, and finally some general overview of the three realms. The short of it is that the Via Regia realm are more all-rounders that don't excel in anything, except maybe mobility, and having an impenetrable stronghold; the Revenge realm excels more in scale rather than military prowess, and Restoration is the other way around, favoring quality of individual units over numbers.
Your talk is interrupted by the first Servant to join your elite force entering the room. It's Xu Fu, famed Caster-class Servant of the First Qin Emperor. She refers to your group as consisting of "two Casters and an Extra class", seemingly believing Gudao and Kadoc to be Caster-class Servants. The second addition to your group enters the room, this one being Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (the Saber version). While Da Vinci thirsts over that hunk of a man, you're briefed on your first mission. You'll be scouting and securing an abandoned fort. That'll be first thing in the morning.
--- Arrow 2 ---
In the evening, Kadoc comes whispering to you that he needs to have a conversation outside. He leads you out, and Mashu appears on the communications screen, saying the rest of Chaldea's staff is either occupied or sleeping, and wondering why Kadoc chose a time such as this to converse. He explains that after he woke up from his coma, he was allowed to review the records of the Lostbelts after Russia, and he wants to speak to you both about the Chaldean. Not about who it might be, that's a topic for another time, but about what he said. "There's someone on that boat who can't be trusted." In addition, there's the mysterious Archer's message in Atlantis. Ignoring how stupid it was for Mashu and Gudao to report these secret conversations in full to Chaldea, when asked specifically not to, Kadoc moves on to his main point: have you thought about who the traitor could be?
Mashu says that she did have a candidate, but it's too unrealistic. It just didn't make any sense, no matter the conclusion she arrived at. Kadoc pushes for her to explain her reasoning either way, so she does.
Mashu:
Sure. He said someone can't be trusted...
In other words, that there is a traitor amongst Chaldea's staff.
There is no evidence to support it, and most importantly, no motive.
A whydunit, as we call it in the mystery novel community.
Following that logic, Chaldea's current staff is entirely off the suspect list.
I can't imagine any motive any of them would have to help in the bleaching of Earth.
I know you could argue they're just hiding their intentions, but...I'm positive we'd have stumbled upon it long time ago if that was the case.
None of them would've had a reason to help with or hinder the bleaching.
Makes sense.
Their crime is already complete. There's no point in lending a hand to the organization trying to undo it.
The same applies to Servants. Myself, Captain Nemo, Da Vinci.
And then there's Holmes, but even he is working against the blank state of the Earth.
That leaves us with just the Masters... Sion, Kadoc, and Senpai.
Both warnings were given before Kadoc joined Chaldea.
So that's a perfect alibi.
Senpai is out of the question.
As extreme as it may sound, Senpai could've easily put a definitive end to the case at any time he wanted by simply throwing in the towel.
Since Sion is a member of the Atlas Institute, there's a reasonable possibility that her goals don't align with ours---
It's unlikely...but far from impossible that this could become a motive for betrayal.
But even in that case, she made one move that rules her out,
when the Alien God annihilated the Wandering Sea with a pseudo-black hole.
Sion made her last stand, fully prepared for her impending death.
If she wanted to betray us, that would have been her best opportunity.
Having seen the outcome beforehand, she could have easily escaped alone...
None of us could have possibly survived if she did.
In other words, that narrows it down to Kadoc. Both the people giving the warnings could have predicted him returning to Chaldea. However, Mashu points out that if he really was the culprit, then they probably wouldn't even have this conversation to begin with. Kadoc does say that he isn't the traitor, not that his word means much in that context. However, if his wish was to survive (which it is) then he wouldn't betray someone in a situation where it means his death. Mashu seems to be on the verge of saying that, based on the above, the Chaldea might have been mistaken, but Gudao is the one that now presses Kadoc for the candidate he had in mind. He says it's not so much an explicit suspect, but a burning question. He wants Mashu to search the database for something; if any results pop up, he'll be wrong, but if there are no results, then his concerns are valid.
Kadoc:
It's about the Servants. First...Da Vinci.
The original Da Vinci was summoned by Chaldea, and in time, her later model inherited her role.
Meaning, the summoner she's obeying is Chaldea, and she's been cooperating since before the Incineration of Human History.
Nemo claimed to have been summoned by Sion, if I'm remembering the records correctly.
Despite being a mix between Phantom and Divine Spirit, Nemo was properly summoned.
Fujimaru's contracted Servant, Mash Kyrielight, goes without saying.
Mashu:
Kadoc...are you asking what I think you're asking?
Kadoc:
I am. Sherlock Holmes.
When, where, and by whom was he summoned?
Servants need Masters. Not so much to fuel them with magical energy, but to anchor them to reality. Of course, there are stray Servants that have the land as their "vessel", operating via the Grail, or in Lostbelts sometimes even via the land itself, but that isn't what Holmes is.
Mashu:
Then, isn't that what Holmes is? Considering we first met him in the Atlas Institute---
No. That's not right. You might have encountered him there first in person, but he was in London before that. He himself confirmed that he left you those messages. Holmes' own explanation for ending up in Camelot (and later Shinjuku) is that he forcibly extended his manifestation and brute-forced a Reishift, sort of like Musashi but on a smaller scale. This left him on the verge of death, but after contracting with Gudao, his faculties were reinstated in full, though he lost his ability to forcibly Reishift. In the end, Kadoc can't find any glaring holes in Holmes' account, and Mashu says she trusts Holmes, considering his contributions to their goal. Gudao says the same thing (there's actually a flag here if you've done Holmes' interlude, where Gudao says "Holmes is a man of justice" instead). With this, Kadoc asks you both to forget your conversation here tonight. Most easily, with the use of a consentual self-geass. You won't forget it completely, it'll just be sealed away. If you really trust holmes, then just keep observing him and doubting him, in order to prove yourself right.
--- Arrow 1 ---
Everyone gathers in your room in the morning, including Xu Fu, who want to get this over with asap so she can take a nap. You set up your formation for the day, and Kadoc decides that he might as well join in today as well. With that, you head out to the front gate. There's a brief explanation here about how trade and commerce still exist, trading for materials and stuff to enhance Saint Graphs. Suddenly, someone throws a rock at you. It's a mysteriously cloaked person, who you recognize from their voice to be Seton. It seems he also managed to escape. He says he's just gonna hang around here for a while, and then he leaves you to your mission.
Kadoc is very thrilled about going back down the mountain (not), and envies you for being passed out when you got here the first time. Diarmuid points out that there are snakes there now too, which Kadoc says shouldn't be an issue, until Diarmuid clarifies: they're orochi.
You beat up the snakes, with Xu Fu and Kadoc acting as "support". Xu Fu comments on the summons you use, and you proceed with the mission.
--- Arrow 2 ---
On your journey, Holmes asks Xu Fu if she ever did find the elixir of immortality. Xu Fu answers with a "kinda" but also that it "became irrelevant", though she won't tell you unless you promise to keep it secret. Actually, the only reason she'll tell you here at all is because her emperor won't be summoned here. However, before she can give her answer properly, Diarmuid announces that you've arrived at your destination. It's the tower of Xanten, a watchtower location between the Revenge and Via Regia realms. Since the sky isn't red here, it means it's currently Via Regia territory. Your mission here is just to eliminate the enemy troops in this weird-looking watchtower. Xu Fu uses tao arts to immobilize some hidden Assassins, and you proceed into battle with the rest.
--- Arrow 3 ---
Having dispatched the enemy troops, you head inside to survey the area. There's a lot of paperwork, including a blueprint of the tower. Holmes comments that the tower might be connected to the land's leylines, and asks Xu Fu to confirm it. You, Xu Fu, and Diarmuid will head underground to do so, while Holmes and Kadoc head to the top to check it out. Once you reach the lower levels of the tower, you make quick work of some patrolling Caster-class Servant.
It appears that while you were beating the crap out of the enemy, Xu Fu was "studying" them, getting an idea of what's going on here. The tower is a mechanism that draws magical energy from the leyline and sends it to the top of the tower. However, it's currently not in use. Even so, the amount of energy pulled here would be enough to form a Holy Grail. Mashu contacts you, saying that with Xu Fu's analysis done, Holmes requests you come to the top of the tower. You do so, and Holmes asks Xu Fu is she is certain about her analysis, as it confirms his own theory. The tower is currently empty at the top, but most likely its purpose was the destruction of the Via Regia realm. Somehow, it would convert the siphoned energy into physical form and fire it. Most likely, the Revenge Realm failed to procure some sort of "battery" to house all this energy, and thus couldn't make a weapon capable of using it. Even so, you shouldn't neglect to investigate the Revenge realm more closely after this. Or perhaps, you should just destroy the tower. Either way, you have to leave, as reinforcements are soon to arrive.
--- Arrow 4 ---
Your next mission (because you had several due to a lack of staffing) is to secure an old fortress in the Via Regia territory. Since it's too far to walk, you enter what is sort of like a safehouse underground, where you find a golem-drawn carriage. There are supposedly numerous of these throughout the Singularity, and they house all sorts of useful thing. Luckily for you, they can only be opened with the correct "key", since otherwise they'll just blow up and destroy everything within. There's a Mystic Code here Kadoc thinks about taking, but decides against it, since he wouldn't want it to accidentally trigger the collar.
You go by carriage to your destination, and upon arriving, Xu Fu explains that what you're dealing with here aren't enemy troops, but demonic beasts that have wandered into the area. Diarmuid seems to lose courage when he hears that it's demonic boars you'll be fighting, since he actually died to one.
Xu Fu:
Well. R.I.P. you, I suppose?
And so, with or without Diarmuid (you actually do get a choice) you take care of the boars. With that, your mission here is accomplished. Xu Fu hands some documents to an allied Servant there, and you leave the area. On your way back, Holmes mentions how you still have Vlad to think about. According to Chaldea's data, his Saint Graph is still in the same location you left him, and his contract with Gudao remains, so you should discuss with Karl der Große about the possibility of rescuing him.
Comeback of the century
Dudes...Ignoring how stupid it was for Mashu and Gudao to report these secret conversations in full to Chaldea, when asked specifically not to
Also ayyy Tametomo foreshadowing.
This part about how Gudao and Mashu just casually reported this to Chaldea is probably one of the dumbest things in the entire chapter for me. Other things might be lacking in like writing execution or just general quality, but this is just outright stupid. Like even ignoring how incredibly IQ-liberated it is for Gudao and Mashu to just go and report that stuff nonchalantly, and for no one to apparently comment on it, it's so very contrived and above all STUPID that Kadoc would just be allowed to willy-nilly go and read that and that they'd have reported it for him to see it and then to have this conversation. There's so many better ways this could've been written that didn't have to involve this contrivance or even Kadoc whatsoever, but here we are.
THANKS Higashide.
Doesn't really particularly matter since the perpetrator in question didn't do anything with that information, or rather, didn't allow themselves to do anything with it. And since it doesn't matter, why not use it for good ol' trope humor of Kadoc calling us dumbos.
The chapter as a whole really tried to go for the characterization of Fujimaru and Mash wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
Still definitely really stupid, though.
maybe gudao had one last fuck you for goetia leftover he just had to vent
Its more the story demands people dont do things to move the story along or not disturb the course the story
tfw ywn drink with xu fu
Release fucking when
--- Arrow 1 ---
In the Restoration realm, a soldier reports to Constantine about the very tower Chaldea surveyed previously. Constantine seems very interested in it, and dedicates quite a lot of forces to investigating it further. Currently, the three realms stand roughly equal in terms of potential in war, with the Revenge realm eagerly repeating incursions and the Restoration realm regularly counteracting them, while the Via Regia stand ready by the sidelines. It's not far-fetched that the Revenge realm are preparing for an all-out invasion, and to that end, the tower might be their key to succeeding in such an endeavor. With that, Constantine concludes their meeting, asking those present to attend Joan's sermons if able.
In the chapel, after the sermons, Joan discusses the recent happenings with her trusted knight, Bradamante. Bradamante thinks things are looking up, seeing as how there are fewer casualties now, but Joan seems apprehensive to agree.
Joan:
Yet just as no life is worth less than other, a lower number of lives lost is no less a tragedy.
Death is such a sad thing. Not that I have any right to say, seeing as I'm the one sending them to their graves.
Bradamante:
But it is sad indeed to die. And yet, we feel no regrets over it.
Neither for waging rebellion against Pan-Human History, nor dying in the act... Such a strange thing.
Joan shifts the topic to that of Bradamante, and the fact that her king in life is now the leader of an enemy realm. Surely that should affect Bradamante's performance here, but she ascertains that the Emperor's will is the one she deemed correct, even though some others in the Restoration realm might not trust her fully because of it. Joan, satisfied with the answer, offers to treat Bradamante to a meal. Even though they're Servants who don't need to eat, a good meal does wonders for morale.
In the Revenge realm, Kriemhild and Zhang Jiao are once again strategizing. The desertion (and death) of Salome is a bit of a setback, especially since she didn't kill off Gudao, but Kriemhild always knew that Salome would fly off the hinges like that, it was just a matter of when. As for the tower, the fact that the other realms have found out about it doesn't seem to matter all too much, since none of them will be able to understand its true purpose for the time being. However, Zhang Jiao still needs time to finalize it, as he says that it "won't work with our Servant yet". Indeed, it seems they summoned something specifically to use in the tower, but something might have gone wrong in the summoning.
Kriemhild doesn't seem to care about that fact. It's still as convenient as she needs it to be. And now, with Chaldea in the Singularity, all the pieces are in place for an all-out war. However, Zhang Jiao is surprised she's so nonchalant about it, that she seems to consider one's only destination the grave.
Kriemhild:
That's just fine. We are both not afraid to meet our end.
Isn't that what rebelling against Pan-Human History is all about?
Zhang Jiao:
Well, now. Of course it is. But is that really all right with you?
Kriemhild:
How would it not be?
Zhang Jiao:
Just a thought, mind you. Your actual wish may not come true.
If any Servant other than these two had been present, they would have been convinced they'd just been killed. Killing intent of such magnitude, of such intense emotion, densely flooded the chamber. Kriemhild assures the old man that next time, she'll kill him. Zhang Jiao, flustered by the situation, apologizes and sets off to work on the thing they discussed previously. This will leave Kriemhild alone for some time, he explains. When he leaves, we're treated to a monologue as Kriemhild ponders her wish.
---My wish. It goes without saying that I have one.
My husband, hero of all. A man full of deceit.
I want to show that man, to tell him,[r]that it was his fault.
A child, a woman, an elder, or a dear friend. Anybody would suffice.
I want to throw their innards in his face.
What he tried to protect. What he tried to cherish.
What I could never be to him. I want to lay it all to waste.
If he would save a hundred people,[r]then I want to kill a thousand.
Although it's just as likely it won't faze him at all.
A heart like diamond and as generous as the sea.
---As far as I'm concerned, he's an insensitive and ill-bred man.
But I suppose that's what comes of trying to see the good in things.
I want to see you and speak with you when it's all over. To tell you that everything was useless and in vain.
Even so, she knows that it will be a difficult wish to grant. If that man is summoned, no matter the realm, he'll be inclined to rebel against Pan-Human History like all the rest of them, and so they will technically become allies. That won't do. She needs to be his nemesis, to be the sworn enemy that ends his life. That's why she was so enamored with the arrival of Chaldea, since they could have brought that man from the outside. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and so now she's left hoping for the world to grant her this coincidence. In the meantime, she'll just have to fulfill her duties to her Master. That heavy burden of the Master's wish placed on her, causing her to actively rebel, no matter her inclination.
Her introspection is interrupted by the appearance of Moriarty in the throne room. He says he's only there to cheer her on. After all, his only objective is for any one realm to claim all three of the Holy Grails, and it doesn't matter which one is victorious in the end. Kriemhild asks him whether that's also what their Master wants, and Moriarty explains that it's not so simple as to just answer that outright. There is certainly meaning in all the bloodshed and death here, but in the end, only one entity must not win; however, that's none of her concern.
When Kriemhild asks Moriarty to divulge information about the other realms, he refuses to do so, claiming it would violate fair play. Actually, he didn't even expect her to ask that. Rather, he expected her to ask about the absence of a certain Servant. Upon hearing this, Kriemhild throws him out of her realm.
Kriemhild:
If all you're doing is moving the pieces, you're a fool.
Yet if you set yourself down on the board, you're nothing more than another piece.
You have all the makings of a grandmaster, but you chose not to pursue that path.
What an admirable act. Upstanding, to the point where you've wrapped yourself back around into being a fool.
A mathematician should know better.
--- Arrow 2 ---
Back with Chaldea in Via Regia, you have shared your wish to save Vlad with Sancho and Don Quixote. Don would quite like to see Vlad act as king, although Sancho says it's much too late to trade places now. Even so, you can't leave him where he is. Via Regia needs more power, but more than that, they need someone with military knowledge. Sancho says that it would indeed be possible for them to save him, at which point Holmes assumes they have some sort of powerful healing Noble Phantasm, but Sancho merely says that it'll be a bit of a gamble. Gordolf goes on quite a long sidetrack about gambling, magi, and losing everything. Once back on topic, Sancho explains that normally, there's a 30% chance what they'll attempt would work, a 50% chance that nothing will happen at all, and a 20% chance that they'll damage the Saint Graphs of them and Vlad alike. Even so, you insist on doing it for the possibility of getting Vlad back.
Kadoc thinks that's sort of messed up; you're effectively making a decision about his life while his free will is sealed, but you convince Kadoc that it'll be alright (by either saying it's what Vlad would have wanted, or that it's what you would have wanted in the same position), and so you prepare to set out to free Vlad. Don and Sancho will use their Noble Phantasm, though not the offensive one they might be known for. Actually, Sancho says it's a secret for now.
You point out how Sancho is sort of a trickster, likening her to a certain impish girl. Kadoc doesn't respond to this, though his expression seems somewhat pained.
Kadoc:
(Don't dwell on the past, Kadoc. You're stuck on things you can't change anymore.)
(Stay calm, keep a cool head, and remain detached. Focus on what you can do in the here and now.)
(That's what's best for you right now.)
Still, he can't really get over his suspicion towards Holmes. The latter is still acting like nothing is wrong. However, Kadoc can't let himself slip here in front of the world's greatest detective. He'll just have to wait and see. Suddenly, he sneezes, and explains that there was a sudden chill, like ice running down his back. The others pry into what might be wrong with him, but he gets quite upset and asks to change the topic already.
Now, you'll set off to save Vlad, and Roland will substitute for the king for the time being. You disguise yourselves and sneak out, noting how truly bad the security of the realm is. Once out, you're quickly onset by some roaming beasts. You dispatch them with surprising ease, saying to yourself how Don actually seems quite strong. Sure, there's fame boost, but in his stories he always lost, so that doesn't really explain it. Rather, this is his power as king of the realm. More specifically, that of the Holy Grail. However, conversely, this means that the other realm leaders will be even stronger as well.
For the time being, Sancho is still keeping quiet about their plan, but you will shortly arrive at the location of Vlad III.
--- Arrow 3 ---
The Servant stood there, as if executed by impalement, his corpse swaying in the wind. Even so, he remained alive still. Kadoc notes that this is the sort of place the other realms would regularly come to as well, so it's weird for Vlad to still be there. However, he quickly gets his answer as to why that might be. Even throwing a pebble near the Servant causes stakes to shoot out at the assailant. In other words, it automatically activates his Noble Phantasm. It must have been that Vlad, when staking himself, manipulated his own psyche to do such a thing. Kadoc thinks that's pretty insane; he only had running away on his mind at the time. Even Holmes admits that he might have thought to seal himself off, but not to defend himself to that extent. Either way, this defense means that you'll need to fight to get close to him, so that's what you do.
Once you are able to provide an opening for Sancho and Don, they set to work with their Noble Phantasm.
Sancho:
The completed book is closed, and you awaken from your warm dreams.
Be cured of your ailments. All is in the past.
We must abandon our dreams in order to survive.
Activate Noble Phantasm. Return to reality.
Alas, This Brutal but Kind Reality—Triste Suave Alonso Quixano
The surrounding magical energy drains at an immense rate. At this rate, Vlad will be unable to maintain his very existence. That is the power of their Noble Phantasm. A return to reality. To 17th century Spain. Not to the actual time, where Mystery would still exist to an extent, but to a rural reality where neither magecraft nor Mystery were observed. No Singularity, no magic, no Servants; just a rustic countryside, simple and tranquil. It voids the Servant-Master contract and cuts off the magical energy supply as a result, even stopping skills such as Independent Action. That's because in that 17th century countryside of Spain, there was no hero called Vlad III. Naturally, the brainwashing used by Moriarty will fade as well.
However, it's a double-edged sword, in that with overuse, Don and Sancho will disappear as well. In fact, Don seems to be giving in to this feeling of tranquility, and Sancho is forced to stop the activation before they disappear fully. Luckily, Vlad seems to have been brought back. His reason has returned, and though embers of rebellion linger within him, they can be subdued with willpower alone. You'll explain it all to him later, when you get out of enemy territory. For the time being, Don is just so very excited about them, normal folk, being able to save such a powerful hero.
--- Arrow 1 ---
On your way back to Via Regia, you relate the situation to Vlad. There's an additional issue with his rescue, which is that while he is alive and well, he was drained to the point of having next to no combat ability remaining. In other words, until the Singularity is resolved, he won't be able to help with any actual fighting. Sancho says the same about her and Don for the time being. If they were to go against windmills at this point, they would be sent flying. Don isn't quite sure that they've grown that weak, so Sancho implores him to charge at Holmes to try it out. Holmes simply sticks his arm out and places his palm on Don's forehead as the little man flails away.
All the while, Kadoc is watching silently from the side, downing headache medicine. At the end of the day, Don and Sancho weren't all that powerful either, so trading their strength for Vlad's military wisdom should still have been the best course of action. You'll take a look around the city later and decide on what to do next. Don is infatuated with the image of Vlad as true knight, and Sancho, taking on the figure of Dulcinea, tells him that if he becomes any more selfish she'll slap him silly. You're a bit confused at the situation, so she explains that one of her components is Dulcinea, a princess to whom Don Quixote would attribute his travels. Don gets embarrassed, so you change the topic.
While the Via Regia might have strong soldiers and all, they lack any sort of order to their army, so this is where Vlad is supposed to come in. For now, Don and Sancho will retreat to the throne room, while the rest of you take a walk around town. As before, Holmes applies Servant disguises to you and Kadoc for the time being, just to avoid any suspicion. Vlad notes that the soldiers here are energetic, but lacking in ambition. They lack proper motivation.
Vlad III:
Since the realm's entire populace is made up of Servants, it is safe to say that we have universal conscription.
Of course, it bears consideration that the longer this war drags out, the lower motivation and morale will drop.
War removes people from their daily lives, and those engaged in prolonged battle grow weary of war.
...For as long as this war continues, those who have grown weary of war will fall behind in the fight.
You watch some military drills, which at first glance seem alright, but Vlad thinks it's too regrettable. However, he'll withhold his verdict until you return to the throne room, so as to not repeat himself. Once back at the throne, he shares his thoughts on what he's seen.
Vlad III:
---For argument's sake, let us suppose the situation turns out entirely in our favor.
Specifically, a best case scenario where an all-out war between the Revenge and Restoration Realms ends with one of them wiped out,
and the military strength of the remaining realm is substantially diminished.
With the current state of affairs in this realm, we still stand to be utterly defeated.
That's how bad the state of the Via Regia military is right now. Servants like Astolfo and Roland are outliers, having been part of the Twelve Paladins, but for most of the Servants in the realm, the same doesn't hold true at all. Sure, they're soldiers, but they're not unified whatsoever. Considering that Kriemhild and Constantine have complete control over their respective armies, it all comes down to Via Regia succeeding in doing the same. The goal for now will be to drill them, but not in the way they're doing now. Training individually is pointless. They need to come together as a unified army. Drills will begin first thing in the morning.
Once again, Don seems like he's about to suggest handing over the crown to Vlad, and once more, Sancho berates him for it. However, Vlad himself declines the possibility of him taking the throne as he is now. Even ignoring that, Karl der Große is who Don is now, and that cannot be changed.
Vlad III:
You shall no longer be allowed to flee.
Even if a cliff lies before you, you must crawl up in order to reach the other side.
Do not falter. Steel yourself like iron with lies and pretense. You are king. That is now an unchanging matter.
Sancho consoles Don, saying that in the case of an emergency, she'll take care of everything. Holmes notes to himself that Sancho's statement just now was full of confidence, as it should have been, but Don's expression is one of pained guilt for some reason.
Either way, the military drills will include everyone, even Chaldea. However, your summoning powers might be too suspicious for such things, thought it might be fine as long as you don't have your summoned Servants use their Noble Phantasms. You can just pretend to be summoning shadow familiars. Kadoc is assigned to further advise Gudao in matters of magecraft, and Holmes will be the one to spot any glaring holes in their strategy where Vlad cannot. And then, Don and Sancho will be given the most difficult task: to do nothing, and to trust Chaldea. The king of the realm should not allow himself to step into battle at this point, so he must have utmost trust in his subordinates.
Later that night, when everyone is asleep, you're up for a walk, not being able to get back to sleep. You encounter Don up on the ramparts, and start a conversation with him. Sancho is off getting him hot cocoa for the time being. You ask him how he ended up as king of the realm.
Don Quixote:
It's not so long a story... Just the way things turned out.
Yes, it's really just how things turned out.
I became aware that I was a Servant fighting for Pan-Human History. In other words, an enemy of the Servants in these realms.
It might be safe to call it a stroke of luck.
Before I even got a word out, Sancho shut me up and feigned that we were their comrades.
And when we snuck into the Revenge Realm to collect information, I knew it would be a dead end.
My body could survive that Realm, but my psyche certainly couldn't.
I am somewhat cowardly. And yet, the Restoration Realm wasn't much different.
Although their motives and methods differ, their goal is rebellion against Pan-Human History.
After much deliberation on the matter, we decided to move someplace where the influence of the two realms would do less harm.
And then suddenly, I noticed. There were other Servants running away alongside me.
When Sancho figured out there were other Servants on the side of Pan-Human History, she suggested we make a place for them.
Me? All I did was run around in circles.
The only times I was useful were when I had a few fights with demonic beasts...
All I did was raise my hand when the decision came that someone had to be king of the realm.
Nothing about it was great.
After all, I'm---not even in my prime. My body and mind can be only in an aged state.
The story of Don Quixote begins and ends with me still an old man.
Those who knew me only knew me as an old man. That's why my appearance shows my age like this.
Haha... My stomach was in all kinds of knots after calling myself so lofty a name as Karl der Große.
Sancho returns with the hot cocoa, and she confirms what Don just said after you ask her. She only "took charge" because she couldn't allow Don to walk out into battle like a common soldier and lose his life. It's important for her to only make a move when it really counts. Any other time, do nothing. You thank her for the cocoa, and head back to bed. As the two of them remain under the night sky, now alone, Sancho asks whether it was "no good".
Don Quixote:
...It's difficult to say. Apologies can't be made without courage.
From your point of view, Sancho, how's that Master of Chaldea look to you?
I'm not so good at judging people.
Sancho:
...I think he is a good person. Most importantly, a person willing to accept apologies.
Chaldea is here, your grace. It's not as though you don't know what that means, do you?
They have walked right in. Therefore, there is no cause for concern.
...All of this means nothing to me. The one thing we need, your worship, is your spirit.
Although---
Depending on how things go, a mere apology might not suffice.
--- Arrow 2 ---
The next day, Vlad speaks to the troops. He explains the situation to them, and to prove his capabilities, he will put together a small unit that will defend against a siege from the remaining Servants in the army. If they hold out long enough "reinforcements will arrive" and they win. In other words, given the state of things, there should be no way for the smaller unit to win, and it would be unacceptable for the larger army to lose. This really riles up the Servants, as if they were being mocked. Vlad ordered Casters to construct a fortress, and Vlad put together a small group of people (including Chaldea and Diarmuid and Xu Fu).
Holmes explains to you that the fortress has holes in it, deliberately put there. The enemy will first attempt a brute-force siege, and upon failing that, will notice the holes. However, once they do so, their pattern of attack will become extremely predictable. In the end, whether on the offensive or defensive, it's most important to analyze your opponent's behavior. You will lie in wait near the holes and ambush the Servants as they enter through them. In addition to this, a side gate was built into the fortress, which the enemy has already taken note of. It allows multiple people to pass through, but not something big like a chariot. In other words, you'll just be facing the actual melee Servants from there.
The siege begins, and everything goes exactly as Vlad planned. You ambush the Servants entering through the holes and subdue them, and the larger unit are forced to admit defeat. With this, they really have no choice but to accept Vlad as their new military leader.
just read chapter 16 and given traum is all about these forgotten and underappreciated heroes trying to prove their worth amongst the greatest, don quixote's monologue about his situation involving atlantis really hits hard. especially given how it's really easy to understand; i mean of fucking course he'd feel useless alongside heroes actual legendary heroes like orion or jason. seeing him stand and fight this time regardless and actually be recognized by charlie was based
the entire scene was kino
--- Arrow 1 ---
Following the training skirmish with Vlad previously, you are now at a point where you can actually begin honing the military prowess of the realm's forces. Once again, the information you have collected regarding the other two realms is presented for your consideration. Vlad himself thinks that the best course of action at this point in time, based on this information available to you, is to go on the offensive against the Revenge realm.
Vlad III:
...If you take the long-term view,
the Restoration Realm has better generals at their disposal, and there is a strong chance that they will grow stronger in terms of influence.
However...
For better or worse, Constantine XI is not one prone to duplicity.
His fundamental aim is to be the dominant force here in this Singularity. He believes he can win under his power alone, without the need for the enemy to first show their hand.
However, the Revenge Realm is different.
They will sit back and watch play unfold, then double down when the odds are firmly in their favor.
There is also the matter of the tower in the Revenge realm, on which Vlad believes work has already concluded. Perhaps it's to be used for some sort of artillery Servant. Either way, the bottom line is that the Revenge realm focus their tactics on underhanded stratagems and punishing mistakes, unlike the Restoration realm. However, you cannot go after Kriemhild directly just yet, as it could risk throwing the realm into complete chaos, only further aiding the Restoration realm. Rather, you should aim for its strategist: Zhang Jiao.
Vlad III:
Our only chance at besting Zhang Jiao is to employ an elite squad to undertake an assassination.
Still, the Revenge Realm will surely be prepared against such attempts.
So we will also deploy the army on a large scale. If they believe we will attack them---no, if we actually do so.
The Revenge and Restoration realms will focus their attention to the resulting chaos, leaving us unchecked to perform the assassination.
Vlad shall thus be busy further training the troops, while Sancho will plan for the assassination mission. Gudao will be part of the mission, as their summoning would prove vital. Holmes also volunteers to partake, as he has experience with stealth operations, and worries about potential moves from Moriarty. Kadoc chooses to stay behind, and so Sancho selects a pan-human history Assassin to accompany you.
Assassin:
Assassin-class Servant. True Name: A secret. Greetings.
Sancho relates the plan to him, and so you now have until the military exercises conclude to coordinate your small task force. Assassin suggests having a drink together, as he's heard that's what people do to bond in modern times. Although, he says he obviously wouldn't drink any himself. You ask whether that doesn't ruin the whole concept, and he wholeheartedly agrees.
The scene changes to that of a chapel in the Restoration realm, and we get a monologue:
---Prayer.
Simply, it is a pointless act.
No matter how holy the people consider the act to be,
I, Joan, wonder if I'm not deceiving them.
I believe in God. I place my trust in Him.
But what if my faith is just for show?
I have been haunted by the idea ever since I was summoned.
It goes without saying, Pope Joan is but a fantasy.
The debate over whether or not she was real spanned centuries.
And I know this. I'm fully aware.
I am an imaginary character, and all of my life, both the good and the bad,
couldn't possibly have been any more fictional. A plaything.
I believe I fell into despair every time I've been summoned to a Holy Grail War.
(Though there are no records of Pope Joan ever being summoned.)
This knowledge strips me of my duty...or even my right to pray to the Lord.
Bradamante seemingly interrupts Joan's monologue, saying she's not so sure that's how it really is. Sure, the modern era might reject Mystery and fantasies, even going as far as creating certain myths and legends retroactively to fit their idea of history, but Bradamante herself has never doubted that she is who she is.
Bradamante:
Charlemagne's glorious Paladins existed, and so did my love for Ruggiero.
Even now, as a shadow cast by the Human Order instead of the real Bradamante,
I'm still myself.
The same should apply to you, Your Holiness.
Joan, despite recognizing that they are both shadows of the Human Order, can't seem to agree to them being the same. She insists that Bradamante has a solid sense of self, and that perhaps there's a reason for that. Perhaps most heroes see themselves as companions to their own Mystery and fantasies, but that's not the case for Joan.
Joan:
I was created through imagination, yet refuted by knowledge.
My history, my very life, was torn down to shreds, and then---
"Now we know for sure. The woman known as Joan never actually existed."
That is the verdict I was reduced to.
The reasoning continues in narration:
It was the correct thing to do. Knowledge is the search for reality, for absolute truth.
Joan's existence should not be passed over as a mere fantasy.
History changes dramatically depending on whether or not she exists.
Therefore, every piece of evidence needed to be thoroughly dissected and analyzed.
On some level, Joan seems to genuinely believe this to be the right course of action; to squash her outright. Even so, she felt immense anger at them. As if her ribcage had been crushed and she just wanted to grab them by the collar and scream to her heart's content. But Bradamante reminds her that the whole point of the Restoration realm is the very rejection of that conclusion. While Joan might see herself as simply dragging everyone else down into her own darkness, Bradamante sees it as her duty, as a Paladin and embodiment of justice, to not ignore Joan's anguish.
Joan thanks her for the kind words, and they change the topic to how Bradamante is getting along with the others in the realm. It seems most Servants there still think she might be a spy, because of her previous affiliations. Thankfully for her, Joan trusts her completely. Joan asks Bradamante which she would choose between Constantine and Joan if they parted ways, and Bradamante moans about the difficult choice put towards her. That's like being forced to pick between your mom and your dad. Joan apologizes for the joke.
--- Arrow 2 ---
Back in your own room, you're preparing your assassination plan. The main goal is to assassinate Zhang Jiao. His intelligence here is way more dangerous than any of his spells or Noble Phantasms. Holmes had considered to simply incapacitate him with magecraft, but to avoid any risk of him countering, assassination is your only option. For this, there are three things to consider: how, when, and where.
The how: assassination by ambush. Long-range sniping is too high-risk without a skilled Archer, but even then it might still fail. He might also have powerful Tao protections, and for that reason you have included Xu Fu in your party again.
Xu Fu:
But naturally, I'm sure I won't be going into the field with you...
I should say that I am not very quick to act, more of a...something, compared to other people...
Assassin:
Slowpoke?
Xu Fu:
Yes, that. Slowpoke! May I leave now...?
As for the when and where, you go over the information given to you by the scouts.
Typically, Zhang Jiao is in the Revenge Realm's capital.
On occasion, he moves to Fort Azagouc.
Kriemhild has entrusted him with full authority over the surrounding area---
There are times where he may lead expeditions into the Restoration Realm.
He's an excellent sergeant to his troops. But not enough to compensate for the varying aptitudes of the individual soldiers under him.
The results of their expeditions are usually defeat. Even so, they are always able to safely form a retreat.
Zhang Jiao has never been inflicted a personal injury thus far in the war of the realms.
His abilities in direct combat seem low, but he compensates it with his superior adaptability.
Effectively, he could be considered another king. Assassination within the capital would be extremely ill-advised.
There is no escape route, and a strong likelihood of failure should a last-ditch assassination attempt be carried out.
There is also a strong potential for escape, should we attack him on the road to Fort Azagouc.
Conclusion: Recommend infiltration of fort and carry out assassination.
But on the other hand, the probability of success for the assassination plan itself is low. Relying on a stroke of luck will surely lead to failure.
You show the details of the fort to Xu Fu so that she can inspect the tao defenses. She explains that it's built according to the principles of the Qimen Dunjia.
Xu Fu:
Hmm... To simplify it, astrology and studies of I Ching are used to determine the placements of various things.
Extending to people, armies, even castles. Ways to walk towards success, the directions towards failure, and so on.
The Stone Sentinel Maze, Zhuge Liang's Noble Phantasm, is an example of this. However, as with all systems, they are vulnerable to infiltration, and so it'll be up to Xu Fu to get you through the tao defenses. Either way, she'll figure something out, she says. She'll also make talismans for you to negate some other tao stuff, and you will all need to cram study "Tao arts for dummies" before the assassination. But first, you also have to collect some materials for the talismans, which you do by hunting giant chickens outside of the city. You fill buckets with chicken blood to write the talismans with.
--- Arrow 3 ---
A few days later of lots of cram studying. You're all tired to death of reading about Tao arts. All except Holmes, of course, who's just loving it. You've at least learned enough, since you only need the basics, and so tomorrow morning will be the time of your departure.
In the throne room, Don, Sancho, Gordolf, and Kadoc appear to be conversing. Don is concerned about the dangers of Gudao going on the assassination mission, and while Gordolf relates to his concerns, he knows that this is the only way the summons will be effective. Best case Gudao would just stay back and summon Servants as support, but they never go with the plan, so Gordolf can only share in the grievances. Kadoc says that he's technically a qualified Master too, but he naturally doesn't have permission to summon anyone, as a traitor of pan-human history. Of course, he would rather not be another Servant's partner ever again.
Either way, this is the only way, and so they promise to see you off on your mission. Vlad laments not being able to accompany you, but says he'll take care of the diversion. Astolfo is tasked with escorting your party to the Revenge realm. Roland says you should all just focus on surviving, and if you've already been doing that, he has no other tips to share with you. Sancho says that after you return, she'll prepare a feast to celebrate.
--- Arrow 4 ---
You wake up very early in the morning, before the break of dawn. Da Vinci greets you on the intercom and you say you're just going to go for a walk. No one else seems to be up yet, but in the streets you bump into Seton(?) again. You ask why he's still sticking to that obviously fake name, but he just says he might as well go all in. This is no time for him to break out his True Name. Da Vinci wonders if you should really be sharing anything with this guy, but he says you're safe, since gossiping is a really uncool thing to do. Either way, he says he'll keep up the mystery man act a bit longer, because timing is everything here. You should think of him like a lottery ticket of sorts: if you're lucky, you might win big. As the sun breaks, he departs from you, and Da Vinci confirms that his Saint Graph is exceedingly small.
You head back to the castle and report for duty. Enemy encounters will be inevitable, but you have certain talismans to help you out in that area as well. As Astolfo begins taking you to the border, Xu Fu repeats that it is essential that you infiltrate the fortress from cardinal directions.
Xu Fu:
Qimen Dunjia is extremely complicated, but it follows a pre-established procedure.
It's a spell that doesn't depend on the fangshi's capabilities. In simpler terms, it works like a firearm.
Even the best gunman can't skip the process of loading the bullet, opening the safety lock, then pulling the trigger.
No step can be skipped, correct?
The same is true for this spell. It's complicated, but not invincible.
Here's a basic example: Imagine someone builds a castle secured against invaders from every direction.
This raises one question:
How can the people inside leave?
This means entry is possible. It's just that the entry method is extremely complex and convoluted by design.
But with enough effort, I can solve the puzzle. Though if I make any mistake...
At the very least, if you make it inside you should encounter little resistance. Basically, anyone inside would be able to affect the spell, so you can't really let anyone just roam around however they want. Best case there is no one stationed there at all. Astolfo interrupts, saying some allies of yours have been getting into some trouble nearby, and asks if you should stop to help. Either you stop right away and help, or you ignore them and then you're forced to help you a bit later.
After the battle, you're taken to your destination, and Astolfo heads off on his Hippogriff.
Astolfo:
My predictions are always wrong, but I got a feeling this'll all go off without a hitch!
Holmes:
...So, by that he means this will end badly?
Xu Fu:
Hello anxiety, my old friend...
His fight continues.
--- Arrow 1 ---
Back in Via Regia, Vlad has prepared the diversion assault. 5000 troops, the largest mobilization seen by the Via Regia realm as of yet (and the largest they're capable of). 60 Heroic Spirit-grade Servants, and 4940 Phantom-grade Servants. Even with this, it's far inferior to the other realms. Vlad gives a speech to rouse the troops in the emperor's absence. Elsewhere, Don is observing using scrying magecraft, hoping all goes well, although Sancho says she'll observe in his stead.
Sancho:
Whew. As I thought, being Karl der Große is a heavy burden on us.
Everything we've done to survive has brought us closer to death...
Funny how things are...
In the Revenge realm, Kriemhild is informed of the mobilization, and determines it's not worth it to send their whole army. She, however, will meet them personally, as this is their first time on the offensive. She calls for Zhang Jiao as well, but the other Servants state they can't find him anywhere. Maybe something happened to him... Kriemhild orders 10,000 troops to mobilize and meet the Via Regia realm.
---Let's turn back the clock a bit.
Fort Azagouc.
That is the fort where Zhang Jiao and one hundred of his subordinate Servants have secluded themselves.
It may not seem like many, but it is ample for a fort where the direction of every movement, including patrol, is pre-established.
In addition, a large number of Zhang Jiao's own weapons are incorporated into the security system.
And of course, it is deep inside his own territory.
Both the Restoration and Via Regia are aware of this fort's location, but they don't bother sending their own troops here.
However, Zhang Jiao is not secluded in here on a whim.
He has two reasons to be here.
One is "surveillance".
The Revenge Realm avoids this fortress. Consequently, Zhang Jiao must periodically come to inspect it. It's a requirement to keep his peace of mind.
And at the same time, he verifies that the patrolling Servants haven't figured out the fort's forbidden secret.
If someone were unlucky enough to find out, he would have no choice but to eliminate the complication.
The other reason is "preparation." Zhang Jiao never neglects his preparations for the rebellion.
Not just against Pan-Human History.
Naturally, it is a rebellion against Kriemhild, queen of the Revenge Realm.
Zhang Jiao fears for Kriemhild's mental stability. She's someone who will do anything and all to avenge her husband, Siegfried, with extraordinary hatred. Zhang Jiao also knows that no matter how composed she may seem at this point, she remains a Berserker. As such, rebelling against her is an inevitable necessity. He is said here to hold some sort of ace, or perhaps a wild card, which could be Kriemhild's downfall, or doom both him and the Revenge realm, depending on how it's used. The narration here states that unfortunately for him, he was soon to meet his end, as he made two grave miscalculations.
One was failing to recognize the enemy had an excellent fangshi, though not as skilled as himself.
And the second, which would prove fatal,
was failing to anticipate that the world's greatest detective would appear before him that day.
Back with the assassination party, Xu Fu presents her Quimen Dunjia plate to assist you in knowing which direction to move. You use it to sneak into the fort, but quickly realize that he's made further improvements to the defenses, causing the plate to be largely useless. You are instead forced to think like him to avoid walking right into your own deaths, in a literal manner. You'll be forced to go through a patrol, so you take care to soundproof the area before doing so.
--- Arrow 2 ---
Following the skirmish, you head for the basement, based on Holmes' deductions on where Zhang Jiao would be. Holmes might not be well-versed with the tao arts, but having learned the basics, he understands enough of the process to understand that if you know the basic procedure, you can reach a conclusion, thus being able to reach it with his Noble Phantasm. And so, you make your way there, and just so, encounter Zhang Jiao.
Zhang Jiao immediately recognizes you, including Holmes, and asks if you're here to avenge Salome. You control your emotions, and tell him that he's already lost, because he has no way of calling for reinforcements. Or rather, Holmes says, it would be troublesome if anyone else came in here, because he's hiding something important in here. Zhang Jiao, starting to get flustered, summons some of his yellow turban soldiers and begins fighting you.
You defeat him in battle, although Holmes says that he's comparable to a Top Servant. He doesn't possess a Holy Grail, so there's something else that sets him apart from the other Servants. And then, he understands. Holmes takes a step forward, and whispers something to Zhang Jiao. In that moment, the old man grows immensely flustered, cursing all of you, asking how Holmes could possibly figure it out.
Zhang Jiao:
My luck has yet to run out!? Of course not!!
I never had any to begin with!
Aaaaa. Fading, I'm fading away... So it was...never possible...in the first place...
I was...wrong...after all...? My...Master...?
And with those words, his body turns to gold and fades to dust.
You ask what it was Holmes told him, and he says it's just something trivial: "whether you are truly you".
Suddenly, you hear from Xu Fu that the fortress is about to collapse.
--- Arrow 3 ---
It seems the old man set up the fortress to self-destruct, because "a self-destruction system is what all men dream of."
You quickly make your escape, since Holmes can now deduce the correct path through the defenses. Xu Fu asks why you don't just get a Holmes of every class if he's this good, and you think it's quite a scary thought. You make it outside, and find the carriage still hidden and intact. So, without further ado, you make your way out of the area, avoiding any encounters with patrols.
Narration cuts into the scene, from Moriarty:
---All is well. He has no premonition of danger, making no premonitions nor deductions.
The red sky gradually fades into blue.
They will soon arrive in the Via Regia Realm, their mission complete.
Even in this tranquil scene, Holmes is pondering deeply.
Pondering what, you ask? Well of course, that would be me, who refuses to show myself.Holmes:
(Lord Vlad would... originally be on his side if things had gone according to his schemes.)
(That was done in order to reduce Chaldea's battle strength. So far, it makes sense.)
(But... why hasn't he shown himself? Even now, he has still not launched an attack.)
(Apostle of the Alien World... Does that role even exist?)
(If so, just where in the singularity is...? No, what is...?)
The narration continues:
His thoughts go around in circles, the truth shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty.
---But Sherlock Holmes doesn't know.
Even for one who should know everything, there is one thing that he doesn't know.
Moriarty:
...To an extent,
this Singularity is no different to a Lostbelt. History is woven by people.
The passage of time in which intelligent beings do not exist is not perceivable by anyone.
If a worm were to crawl around here for one or two years,
it could be said that no time has passed. This singularity is the exact opposite.
Servants are the embodiment of the progress of human history.
In this Singularity, heroes and anti-heroes from many worlds, countries, and races continue to be summoned.
Essentially, the paths taken by humans permeate throughout the background.
As such, the phrase "rebellion against Pan-Human History" has great meaning.
The elimination of this Singularity requires leaps in reasoning rather than a buildup of deductions.
And the Holmes who continues to ruminate about me will not be able to reach that answer.
I am convinced of that. As he is now---it is impossible.
Our goal is achievable.
...To put Sherlock Holmes to rest, as an Apostle of the Alien World.
--- Arrow 4 ---
Having returned to the Via Regia realm, you catch up with Vlad and the others who have also returned after a successful assault. Vlad's command allowed the troops to perform way better than any of them could have expected. Now you've clearly presented the might of the realm to the others. Despite Xu Fu's moaning, you proceed to meet with Karl der Große to report on the successful skirmish and assassination mission alike. You give your report, and everyone receives rewards in the form of strengthening materials. Assassin and Xu Fu then leave, and Sancho invites Gudao and Holmes to join the celebratory party they prepared (whereas the other two weren't invited to protect Don's identity).
Don raises a toast, Roland boasts about how smoothly he just blended into the rank-and-file, and there's a brief recount of the assault. Vlad posits that it's not all positive that it went as well as it did, as when things go too well, arrogance sets in. More training will be required to counterbalance that. Vlad seemingly wants to get on it right away, but Don, in very high spirits, urges him to sit and feast. Sancho tells Don to calm down, and Gordolf starts talking about how there's nothing more dangerous than a mage who gets carried away in high spirits, which he's heard many a times from Toole IV. Don says that he and Gordolf are like peas in a pod, since they both have that type of woman in their life, and when Sancho starts questioning the former, Gordolf silently slips away, while Mashu takes over on the communications.
After some more congratulations, Kadoc starts talking about what he observed in the battle. Every time a Noble Phantasm was invoked, whether by ally or foe, a faint light and magical energy would emerge from the sky, most likely from the enemy Master. Kadoc seems certain it's not a Crypter behind this, but he couldn't really tell you what's up either. Mashu says that all their research thus far has concluded only that the Master using these Command Spells is a single person. But that doesn't help much, since even if it was someone like Moriarty, there's no one who could be a Master to thousands of Servants like this. For a change of topic, Kadoc asks about maintenance on the Ortenaus, to which Mashu answers that it'll still take a while longer to complete.
You're now left with a choice to mingle, either with Don Quixote's table, or with Roland's table. These are branching paths, as you cannot converse with both tables, so I'll cover both in short below.
If you choose to converse with Don's table:
Don hands you some drinks while congratulating you on returning alive and well. It really warms his heart that all went well, even if he was totally useless again. Sancho tries to cheer him up by mentioning how he helped a lot with the preparations for the feast, but he seems too down for such flattery to help. Holmes, on the other hand, says that he at least tried to stand up to fight for the realm, and that that's representative of the beliefs the whole realm stands upon. Still being bummed out about not being able to help enough, Sancho suggests he be the one to clean up after the feast, then.
If you choose to converse with Roland's table:
Astolfo, Roland, and Vlad are passing around congratulatory messages to one another. You ask what roles they each played in the battle: Roland says he was the raid commander, cutting and slashing with Durandal; Astolfo was the kamikaze commander, making stuff go boom from his hippogriff. More than the latter, your interest is piqued by the mention of Durandal. Roland asks what you want to know about his super-cool, super-strong, super-invincible Holy Sword Super-Durandal (whereas Astolfo thinks he should lay off with the "supers"), and you tell of the events of both the Third Singularity and the Atlantean Lostbelt, and how you met people in both wielding Durandal. Roland seems to recognize Hector as a great hero, and even Mandricardo as a swanky yet arrogant prince, although he never thought Mandricardo would come to wield his sword. That said, Mandricardo apparently did utter statements such as "Hah, I'd be about three thousand times better at using Durandal than you, BRO," so it's not all surprising. Seeing as how this sounds quite different from the Mandricardo you know, you retell the whole story of Atlantis, and both Paladins are massively impressed. But more than that, they seem to become unsure of themselves. Could they have done that same stuff? Not in terms of ability, but in terms of being able to stand there, on that day and in that moment like that. They both would want to be heroes like that, for sure, but are unsure if they have the courage to say so. All in all, Mandricardo was a really cool guy.
Following this, and a toast, Vlad asks the paladins why they played along with Don's impersonation. Astolfo says that if the Charlemagne they knew was there, he'd just go "yeah that sounds great, totally awesome!" and then just let someone else be king. He's also the kind of guy to shrug off big lies and whatnot, rarely getting upset at stuff like that. They then start talking about how Charlemagne, who they henceforth refer to as "Chuck", was a true adventurer. The type of guy to run away and never return, always preferring adventure to politics. He wasn't the type of king made for a throne, so he'd gladly pack up and leave if Don volunteered for the position. At the end of the conversation, Vlad muses about how much he'd like to meet this great king of theirs.
Following either of these conversations, you are presented with another choice, either to head to bed, or to visit Xu Fu and assassin. Once again, you are only able to pick one of these branching paths, although your previous choice does not impact this one.
If you choose to get some rest:
As you say goodnight to Sancho and Mashu, and subsequently fall asleep, you find yourself in that dreamscape bar once again with Moriarty. He commends you for managing to simply stumble in here, although it seems that you arrived here ahead of your ability to speak, so you find yourself unable to reply. It's not that weird, since it's a dream, but Moriarty will simply do the talking then.
Moriarty:
Frankly speaking, I detest you.
You Chaldeans are a cancerous existence. Have you ever considered that?
While they may have been Lostbelts, you have six times corrected and six times destroyed the world.
Oh, but I know! It was the only way for you all to survive.
That's what you wish to say, isn't it? And yet---
Such righteousness resting upon your shoulders, or on those of Mash Kyrielight's...
Do those malignant ways weigh so lightly?
You all understand well, for certain. But understanding alone cannot sustain the spirit.
If you can endure a moment's fury, can you also handle the sorrow that permeates in its wake?
I don't think you have that quality. Therefore, I will not suffer you to stand in my way.
...But we needn't take things any further. Besides, you will forget all about this dream.
It makes no great difference whether or not we remember our dreams.
This conversation is meaningless. No one can overturn fate.
No one. So, disappear at once and delay me no further.
I'll be putting an end to the Realm you're inhabiting, and him along with it.
And with those words, you wake up.
If you choose to visit Xu Fu and Assassin:
Sancho helps you set up a meeting with them and Holmes, giving you some food and drinks as well. There's liquor, and even tobacco (or a hookah, rather). There's toasts of congratulations again, although the two of them don't seem wholly convinced it's all gone to plan. They ask if Holmes is certain that Zhang Jiao is dead, to which he says that he confirmed it with his own eyes. However...it's possible he will resurrect or that another one of him may still exist. The question which threw him into disarray was "are you really you?", as if his self-awareness was his downfall. Still, he was remarkably strong, abnormally even, which made Holmes compare him to the very yellow turban soldiers he controlled. Either way, worst case he pops up again and you can just assassinate him once more.
Xu Fu and Assassin take turns with the hookah, noting that it's great not to worry about your health anymore. You ask what would happen if, hypothetically, a human were here, but Xu Fu makes it clear she wouldn't do anything barbaric (seemingly spurred on by your mention of fairies). But regardless, it's not something to be discussed in public. Although, at the end of the day, what matters is the rivalry with the other realms. Assassin seems to fight out of a sense of duty to defeat the other realms, or be defeated in the process. Xu Fu, on the other hand, feels a bit different. To begin with, she's not exactly compatible with the other realms: she finds the Revenge realm ugly, and as for Restoration, she thinks Constantine is a creep. This seemingly stems from his "spotless integrity". Holmes understands what she means, referring back to how the Restoration realm uphold their ideal of carrying out retribution upon pan-human history in order to restore a woman whose existence was forbidden-Pope Joan. Assassin isn't really sure who that is, so Holmes explains.
Holmes:
Once believed to have existed, a female pope who was later declared otherwise.
It is truly an uncommon occurrence.
To begin with, Heroic Spirits are things that contain Mystery. I am no exception.
When inscribing an existence into Pan-Human History, how much of it is the past's reality and how much is fantasy?
Some Heroic Spirits are purely born out of stories. Such as Nursery Rhyme, for instance.
Some Heroic Spirits have their stories and sources overlap into reality. Such as myself or Mister Jekyll, for instance.
It is said that things such as myths and legends are at times crafted retroactively.
Of course, there are many cases---where the reality that took place on the texture of the Age of Gods was mythic.
The existence of the Twelve Olympian Gods, for example, is a case in point.
In any case...
Reality and fantasy haven't much meaning among Heroic Spirits.
---And yet,
this is categorically untrue for Joan.
Being a pope meant that her existence was thoroughly scrutinized.
And history came to deny it.
Xu Fu is still unclear on why Constantine would want her restored, though, but Holmes says that maybe it's as simple as the bond between man and woman.
Xu Fu:
Ew, get boned.
Assassin:
I very much suspect that is his intention.
However, for now, you need not concern yourselves with the Restoration realm. In this very moment especially, you should simply eat, drink and have fun. Xu Fu busts out some taoist medicine which will turn her into a sloppy drunk, and proceeds to sing songs about Yu Meiren for a full hour before passing out. At that point, the rest of you also decide to tuck in for that night. You put a blanket over the drunk, and see Assassin off.
Holmes:
It is somewhat painful how much we are deceiving ourselves here.
...The war will progress to a full tilt after today.
Which means Karl der Große has no choice but to move forward.
It will take courage and effort to inch our way across this tightrope.
---Or it may need to be leapt in a single bound.
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