Part 44: Golden Poem - Flame Poem - Epilogue

Flame Poem - Epilogue

So all routes (with the exception of Golden Poem, I believe), choosing the route again will give you a bunch of new scenes (one guaranteed, the others depend on bond level). This is why, other than leveling up Servants I'll eventually have to use, I grinded Free Battles a bunch. With nothing else to say...


Dreams

I suppose there's no chance of that. Your true self slumbers even now, even as I await the day your eyes will open again. Yet here I am, speaking to you within your dream *giggle* It sees odd, I know, but perhaps you understand.



You...say the finest things, my lovely Praetor. Then so it shall be. And together, even here, we can achieve anything. Dream though this may be, you and I, here, together, can still travel anywhere we please. To all the battlefields of SE.RA.PH. Do you remember all our victories together? If you wish it, we can revisit any one of them and challenge ourselves again. Now, Praetor. Even in this fleeting dream, let us go, you and I.




Roman baths

Saber's bathing. She's never really told me not to look... Or rather, I don't think she's embarrassed to be seen this way. As an Emperor, I'm sure she was bathed by servants. She's used to bathing in front of people like this.

Praetor, are you there? Could you bring me a new bar of soap?

I do as she says. I try to look away as I hand it to her.

*giggle* Are you being shy? It's only my skin. You won't have long to look, busy as I am. Best to memorize this image while you can, yes?

She's so overconfident... But even so, just the thought of looking straight at her makes me hesitate. She's gorgeous, and she's being completely candid with me. How is it so difficult to say yes to that? I want my eyes to drink in the sight of her. I don't want to miss this chance. That's clear as day. As enchanting as she looks with that red outfit, she's even more so without it. Her pure, white skin, steaming and wet. There's nothing greater anywhere. She's a wonder of the world. And once you look, you can't look away.

A "wonder of the world", you say? I suppose I can understand that. T-Though you make me blush when you put it so plainly.

Wh-What? Did I say that out loud?

Oh, you did indeed, and look what it's done for me.

It's weird in a script where it's not always clear when the MC is actually saying something, that the dialogue specifically references the MC speaking when she thinks she's thinking to herself. One of those weird things.

My poor heart, pounding after a single compliment. I am not a novice in love, you know, though perhaps I am in modesty... No, I shall never yield to anyone! This is my domain! So allow me to recover my poise with a show of wits and decorum!

"Recover" her poise... So she admits she's just lost it...

Now, listen carefully, Praetor. Are you familiar with something called "sink bathing"?

There's a choice here, but my recording software cocked up and didn't record this part right. The three choices are between sitz bathing, shrine bathing, and wing bathing. I went with the middle option.

...What kind of shrines? Would bathing there make a body more divine? Or do you find a certain body divine in the first place? Well, in any case, this conversation has brightened the room and restored the fullness of my confidence. Or can't you tell?

Y-Yes, I think I can.

Of course! This steam, you see, it made me a bit too light-headed to lead this conversation, but all of that is past now. All is well! You know, in retrospect, I should have made this bath much larger. Large enough for you to dive in, that is... Yes, just so! When all our battles are won and SE.RA.PH is united, I shall commemorate our victory with a larger bath! Much larger! Our bath shall stretch across a whole city, with a sauna in the theme of the seven seas, and servant girls from the tropics! Heh, sometimes I stand in awe of myself. Who else, even an Emperor, could conceive of such a paradise? Do you not agree, Praetor? We shall build this bath city upon a hot spring. And we shall call it...Domus Ignis!

It's good to dream. Unfortunately the bath city was not to be...

...Saber's idea has lifted her spirits. I don't have the heart to tell her it's already been done in Japan.

Let's say...later that night.


Restful night

I just now realized that Saber has nodded off. "Saber, if you're going to sleep, at least change..." Or so I want to say... Oh well. I'll just let her sleep for now. I'd feel bad if I woke her up. When I look at her sleeping face, it's like a spell comes over me, and I forget all our problems. I'm a Wizard in a virtual world on the moon. She's my Servant, and we're facing annihilation from the Umbral Star. But all that floats away as I watch this beautiful rose of a woman sleep peacefully in front of me. There she is, with her eyes closed softly, and it's like there's nothing else.

...Praetor... I don't want...strawberry...flavor...

Strawberry flavor? What kind of dream is she having? Well, at least I'm in it... Her sleep looks so tranquil, it's contagious. I'm starting to nod off myself, when...



...Praetor. If you are going to rest, why not undress? Clothing traps in fatigue, as one might say.

I tell her she's absolutely right.

Hm? What? What is that smile? Did I say something amusing...? Or...did you enjoy watching me dream just now?



...I see. Then continue watching, in your own dreams. I will watch over you until you fall asleep. *giggle* Feel free to lower your defenses.



Actually the start of a new scene, but it nicely dovetails with the previous ones.

...Praetor. ...Praetor? Are you still awake?

She wriggles around as she whispers to me. She must have as much trouble sleeping as I do right now. We both know why. We've just had intense back-to-back battles, and right after this, we're headed for another one. The forces of the Umbral Star are powerful, enough so that even Saber's losing sleep over them.



...I need you for this. Please, Praetor.

My fingertips? She wants me to reach...there?

Nngh... Hmm... Yes, your hand is warm... Your fingers feel so good... Oh, just a bit to the right. Ah... N-no... Not there...! ...My right, your left.

My fingertips come together and grasp something. Ah, I get it. She could have spelled it out before.

Nngh...! ...Y-Yes. There it is. I couldn't reach that myself, and it was so...irritating.

I pull out a scrap of an almond shell. She's been eating in bed. I guess Roman nobles used to do that, but it's still a bad idea. If those shells get under your clothes, they prickle like crazy.

...Y-Yes, Roman nobles do commonly eat while they lie in recline...but not necessarily in their own beds, and now I remember why. Seneca always used to scold me about that. My apologies, Praetor.



Equivalent exchange, after all. By the way, there are two well-known Senecas: Seneca the Elder and Seneca the Younger. She's referring to the latter, as he was one of Nero's advisors early in his (or her, whichever) reign, but they gradually fell out with each other. Apparently part of the reason Nero grew to disfavor the man was his levying huge loans on the native British aristocracy and very quickly called in those loans, which is one of the factors that lead to Boudica's uprising (at least in one telling of the events). He was eventually forced to commit suicide on Nero's orders.

Wait, I don't understand. Is that not a reward? W-Well, if that is indeed your wish, then I shall grant it. You may embrace me, as kindly as you like.

*hug*

Nnngh! *giggle* When was the last time your skin and mine were so close together? You may not remember quite yet, but in the Holy Grail War, Our Room was miniscule. We slept on a bed made from a desk. It's amusing to look back on now, but... Hmm? Praetor, have you fallen asleep? ...Ah, then I shall sleep as well. And then off to war. I hope we can be here again tomorrow night...

And that's the last Flame Poem extra scene, and also gets us the Roman Noble outfit. Guess what I'll be using for the rest of Golden Poem?