Part 96: Extella

Extella


Denoument

Now, let me tell you the story of what happened afterwards. A certain sort of peace has come over the land. At least, over the parts that we know of, since the new SE.RA.PH is growing bigger and bigger every day. The Roman Empire on SE.RA.PH, the area under Saber's control, is almost fully reconstructed. After the invaders from the Zero Dark all disappeared, a certain change occurred in SE.RA.PH. First, the number of NPCs started to increase. I even started to spot some familiar faces. Saber is overjoyed; she called them her "Roman citizens" and has been busying herself with the area's reconstruction. She says she's doing it because it would uncomfortable living there day-to-day otherwise. The area was mostly made up of fortresses erected during the war, after all. I can tell Saber is happy as she speaks boisterously about the glory and extravagance that can only be achieved through the efforts of our citizens. Additionally, it's not just NPCs who have increased in number. Surprisingly, we've started to see more and more humans in all the territories. Yes... Humans. Saber doesn't really see the difference between them, and neither do I, but Caster looked pretty surprised when she told me the news. Of course, many of the people who come to SE.RA.PH are spiritron hackers who have become Wizards. But not everyone is one, and for some reason, there seems to be a fairly large number of non-Wizards too. Saber thinks that they're immigrants who have moved to the Moon, as the environment on Earth is too harsh for them. Of course, the Roman gates of SE.RA.PH are wide open. Saber loves to welcome people who have chosen to live in the serial phantasm world. It's no surprise. Her Noble Phantasm is a glorious golden theater just waiting for applause. She keeps her door open for any audience who comes to share in the joy of the world.



She also tells me that Karna is spending his days peacefully in the city of cherry blossoms. Apparently, he's a sight to behold when he's gazing at the flowering glory of the trees in full bloom. Rider started up a shop somewhere... Or was she helping out at one of the NPCs' stores? Either way, she says she's doing well. I'd like to go and say hi one of these days. Berserker... no one knows where the general Lu Bu Fengxian has gone. There are rumors that he was seen watching the cherry blossoms with Karna, but there are also stories of him being seen in places other than the Millennium Capital or Rome, so no one really knows what happened to him. Three out of the four generals who served under Nero vanished just like Lu Bu did. Cu Chulainn ran off, saying he had someone to find. Sir Gawain claimed he was going on a journey to train himself even further. Li Shuwen just left, "ka-ka"-ing all the while. All of them set off in different directions, following their own paths in the new and constantly expanding territories of SE.RA.PH. Archer stayed behind for us, but I don't see much of him. I wonder what he's been doing lately.



And then, the Servants who lent Altera their power... The Top Servants who stayed by her side for various reasons even though the Moon Cell summoned them to fight her... We know the King of Conquerors fell in battle, but we haven't seen any sign of the other two. Did they disappear? Did they leave SE.RA.PH and return to the Throne of Heroes? No one seems to know for sure. In my personal opinion, it's hard to think that the Golden Heroic Spirit would have given up and left so easily. I can easily see him being dragged in to some unbelievable plot in some unbelievable place, gut-laughing the whole time.

An easy assumption to make. Trouble has a way of following Gilgamesh around.

And then there's the Zero Dark, the former territory of the Umbral Star. The unknown darkness that once blanketed the territory has started to vanish, piece by piece. Apparently, it's an automatic function of the Moon Cell running its course, now that it's confirmed that the Ark of the Stars has been completely destroyed. No one goes there now. No Servants, NPCs, or humans. Even all of the Umbral Star Enemies have disappeared, following the cessation of their functions. I don't think that anyone will ever enter the Zero Dark again.



...No, never again.






The greatest battle

Finally... This day has come, Caster.

Hmph, I knew it would come to this someday. We'll never see eye to eye. There's no other way. ...Strange that we can only agree that we can never agree.

I agree. There are two of us, but only one of our beloved Praetor. Perhaps this fate was unavoidable from the moment they merged into one...

How did it come to this? I try to think of something to say, some way to calm them down like the ladies they are. SE.RA.PH has finally regained peace. Maybe it's never even BEEN this peaceful before. So it's wrong to fight like this. I've told them over and over that they are both my irreplaceable Servants, but...it looks like they can't even hear me right now. They're already spoiling for a fight. There's no one to stop them, and anyone who would stop them in the first place has left on a journey of their own. ...This is awful. Can I really not do anything other than watch? The scene unfolding in front of me is truly the beginning of the end. It's the day of reckoning. It's the day of destiny. Two of the world's strongest, classiest ladies, sinking down to a mud-slinging contest.

Do not interfere, my Praetor! This is for your sake as well! And so...I shall give it my all! Feast your eyes upon my talents! Hear the thundering applause! The glory of the Imperium stands before you! Behold the sight of luscious fruits! Feast your eyes upon the Golden Dinner Table!

...No, I will not allow it! I will unleash my Noble Phantasm, Danjuro-Approved Kyoto Cooking!



Nero and Tamamo will talk about a Danjuro in this scene, and this name actually refers to a very long lineage of Danjuro Ichikawa-named actors (they're up to Danjuro Ichikawa XII, as of his death in 2013. There doesn't seem to be a Danjuro Ichikawa XIII as of today). For the record, being named Danjuro Ichikawa is a very high honor in the world of kabuki acting. There's even a special ceremony called shūmei, where stage actors take on new names.



My Praetor, surely you understand! First, you will feast upon my culinary delights!

It's quite inelegant to force yourself on others, Ms. Saber. My poor, tired Husband would no doubt prefer a delicate Kyoto dish to some massive feast.

A massive feast is exactly what my Preator needs! After all, my Roman culinary delights are sure to satisfy in both quality and quantity!

Excuse me, that wasn't a compliment! That was a Tamamo-style insult! Oh, ah, please do not trouble yourself over this, my dear. ♡

So it begins... I knew that they'd shut themselves in the kitchen at the crack of dawn, and were fussing over this and that while getting something ready, but I never could have imagined that this what they were planning. It would seem the true battle begins here! It wouldn't bother me if this was a normal culinary battle, I wouldn't mind at all... In fact, I'd be perfectly content to let them go at it and improve their skills to their heart's content. The only problem is that I'm the judge for this. ...Where's Cu Chulainn when I need him? The table in front of me is piled high with the mountainous fruits of their labors, and I don't use "mountainous" lightly. I can see that they truly put everything they had into making this. Both sides look delicious. Roman cooking and Japanese cooking... Both different, but both scrumptious...

Oh, my dearest, are you trying to coddle us both?

"Both different, but both scrumptious", is it? Beautiful words indeed. I accept your praise.

Ms. Saber?! Don't let your face wilt with such an unseemly smile! Even you shouldn't fall for flattery THAT easily! I didn't come this far to have it end in a draw. It's time to settle who's the perfect wife, the main Servant. So here and now, it ends...

Do not misunderstand me, Caster. I was only expressing my thanks for my Preator's words. Of course I have no intention of abandoning this fight!

Oh, is that how it is...?

...I'm glad, Ms. Saber. I wish you'd said that sooner, ohoho...

*laugh*

Ohoho. Yes, how exhilarating! This is the greatest battle two women ever fought... Now, let us face off! So, my dear. Please begin by sampling my dishes. A hot pot of mizuna, oysters, and tofu, grilled Unagi and lighty-grilled Anago, mixed rice baked with matsutake mushroom and clarified soup. ♡ Naturally, I have some obanzai to rest your palate on, and for dessert I have a dish called Namayatsuhashi. This...is my special Kyoto cooking!

Lot of Japanese food names, but obanzai actually refers to food that has at least half of its ingredients made or processed in Kyoto.

Now, now, my Husband, please help yourself to these fine, Ichikawa Danjuro II-approved dishes. ♡ I've even prepared seconds!

Oh, so even Danjuro would covet this...? That is...

Are you two acquainted with Sir Danjuro? You aren't, are you? Anyway, this really does look delicious. It smells wonderful. Its fragrance wafts over me. I can tell that you spent a lot of time and effort on this. Thank you, Caster. Well, then...

All these references to kabuki stage names is what you call "Supplemental reading". Nasu's good at those.

No, no, my Praetor, wait just a minute! First of all, I must insist that you taste my dishes first! My dishes are equally splendid! This is my special Cena Royal Cooking! Indeed, only the best wines and the best cuisine are suitable for the royal couple of Rome on SE.RA.PH!

"Cena" refers to the main meal of the ancient Roman day.

...Excuse me, Ms. Saber? Is my Husband going to be able to handle that much alcohol?

This is where we reap the bounties of SE.RA.PH. In light of where we are, I have prepared us a non-alcoholic wine.

Ah! I could have done that! ...Tamamo has failed... I will have to learn from your skills and experience...

Hm, I don't think any Fate MCs in any of the works so far has reached drinking age. It's a strange thing.

Now, let me introduce to you the dishes I have prepared. A rice porridge with plenty of olive oil, plus golden-roasted cheese with honey on the side. Naturally, instead of using chickpeas, I have added lentils! Bread is also delicious, but as an old favorite, rice porridge cannot be beat! I also have grapes harvested from a recently discovered forest area! I will cut you slices of roasted Trojan pig myself. Yes, by my very own hand! I even have roasted peacock for you!

The Roman dishes lays in front of me... A pile of delicacies, like something out of a storybook. I see, so this is the table of the esteemed Emperor... I feel like one of those people depicted in ancient history books. This looks super delicious. It makes me think about the past. There were so many eras throughout history when the Earth's bounty was astonishingly plentiful. My mind almost wanders to all kinds of places.

I've also made freshly-roasted foie gras, and... Ah, the salt-roasted escargot is also particularly delightful. Now, take this...

What on Earth?! Are you going to eat that snail?!

What are you complaining about, fox? Your kind eats bugs and snails all the time!

Heavens me! The adorable and charming Tamamo would never eat a bug!

What, are you trying to deny the beauty and the freedom of the simple fox, foraging for food in the wild?

Why are you suddenly on the foxes' side?! Ugh, what are you even thinking?!

My Praetor, the matter of foxes aside, you should avail yourself of these sweets as well. I even have honey-soaked palacsinta for you.

P-Placenta...?! I mean, I... I've heard it's good for your skin...

Oh? Is that true?

Oh, wait, "palascinata". Yeah, sliiight difference there. Moving on...

Sure is. Palascinta is a crepe-like concoction usually found in central and eastern Europe.

In any matter, help yourself to whatever strikes your fancy, my Praetor! After all, I have obviously won this battle from the start.

Now how could I ignore a remark like that? You think you can just declare victory? Flavor notwithstanding, have I not obviously beaten you in presentation?

Hm... I cannot deny that her Japanese cooking is beautiful. Delicate, even. But so delicate that it cannot sate my beastly appetite! Take a look at my dishes. Meat! Oil! Fruit! A decadent display that would make even a complete gorged gladiator come running! "All roads lead to Rome". You've heard that saying, yes? It means that all culture and all civilizations lead to Rome as well! The moment you chose Kyoto Cooking, this fight was decided in my favor! Kyoto Cooking is, in and of itself, culture and civilization!

Excuse me? What kind of logic is that?! I mean, you're trying so hard to force a square peg in a round hole that even I'm amazed! You, of all people, talking about culture and civilization? Don't make laugh!

I don't really understand what Saber is getting at, but...hmm. Civilization, huh? ...No, no, no. Stop it, both of you. Don't you want to dig in before it gets cold?

Now see here, my Praetor. This is all because that one will not admit to my victory...

Oh, but sweetheart...surely you must see how Ms. Saber is...

...Do not copy me!

...Don't you copy me?!

Oh, will they just cut it out...?

..."Civilization"?

Hm?



See, regardless of your opinion on the food, you gotta think Tamamo has the upper hand here. Think about it. Nero was an integral part in destroying a fragment of a malevolent entity traveling throughout the cosmos, and yet she can manage nothing better than a draw against Tamamo? And Hakunon's no help, obviously, in deciding the winner. We need a fourth party for this contest to have an outcome.

...Is cooking a good civilization, or a bad civilization?

Altera, since her first appearance, has kind of a little catchphrase where things she likes are declared "good civilization", and things she doesn't like are called "bad civilization". Nowadays it's mostly a joke phrase (i.e. "x is good / bad civilization") to express an opinion on something in Altera-speak.

And with a thump... Before anyone here even realized it, a young girl in white had jumped up on top of my lap. The young girl, smaller than the Altera we knew. A new lifeform with both the features of herself as a Hero and the faint shade of herself as a titan. A new Cyber Frame born on SE.RA.PH. Surprised, Saber and Caster stop arguing. I'm no less surprised myself. I didn't hear her walk in.

Altera, I have your food set aside, so f-for now... Well, my Praetor and I need to spend a bit of time together, so...I'm sorry, but...

I can't be here?

Excuse me, you aren't the only ones here. My heavenly self also graces this room with her presence. Don't forget.

Was I bad, Tamamo?

Oh, ah, you see, it's just that your timing is a bit off, and, well, we're in the middle of the battle of the century, so if you could briefly excuse yourself...

...

Um...hmm? Excuse me, Ms. Altera? Why are you so quiet?

...It looks yummy. The food on the right and the food on the left both look so yummy. Is this... Is this civilization? One's a good civilization...one's a bad civilization...but they both look so yummy...

Ah, I should probably say something here. But before I can open my mouth...



Altera, listen well to me. There are no "bad civilizations" anywhere in the world. All of them represent the culmination of human care and effort. And because of this, all of these dishes are delicious and good for you. Caster and I can personally guarantee it. Right, Caster? You have no complaints, I trust?

...Well, if we don't have a choice... If this is how it's going to be, then yes, both-are-equally-lovely. They very, VERY best in flavor and nutrition. We both put our all into our menus for our Husband. There's not a single evil thing within them. So please, eat to your heart's content.

Um, so, it's okay if I eat too?

...I did say so, now didn't I?

Yes, I don't suppose there's any way around it, now that she's seen it all. Caster, it seems we will have to call this match a draw after all. Perhaps we have both lost, in a sense. I could not proudly call myself the Roman Emperor while withholding food from a hungry, innocent girl! That would be cruel even by fox standards!

And what exactly is that supposed to mean?...Never mind, don't answer that.

...And with that, the epic battle draws to a close. That's fine. I've been kept waiting for so long that I'm hungry too. And besides, there's no way I could finish this huge pile of food all by myself. Of course, since it's the four of us here in the same room, I'm not sure we'll all get along perfectly, although I do wish we could. At any rate, I think the best plan is for everyone to enjoy this wonderful banquet...

...Okay, I'm gonna eat now.



Hm, even though it's a little awkward, Altera gets to grow up with three mommies. I think she'll be okay...












A star in the sky

...Velber II... Confirmed to be completely destroyed. So the Quantum Time Lock has already occurred. A truly disappointing ending, but I cannot go back and fix things beyond this point. Human civilization, the tenacity of the gods, and the functions of the Moon... To think they would call in a miracle with the Umbral Star's own power. Even though you humans are still defective creatures, I can accept that result. ...This is your victory.





...But the main body of the Umbral Star will eventually... Make its way here...