The first time, alone in a white room.
The second, burned out at the sea's depths.
The third, slain by a cruel goddess.
The fourth time? Will it end in sorrow too?
—Well, who's to say?
Period – The Final Tale of Arisu and Alice
"Here's the enemy's stronghold. Ready for some heavy lifting? I'm opening it."
Guided by Andersen, they reached the room's center, where it waited.
"…"
A book adorned in whimsical dreams floated gently.
"Didn't expect it to just sit there. You didn't handle it, huh? Aren't books your specialty, fairy tale writer?"
"I can't lift anything heavier than a pen. Brawling's out of the question. What do you expect from a frail writer, Comedy King?"
"—Hmph."
With a flick, treasures shot forth. Twin blades from the Gate pierced the book—
—Yet it floated, untouched, as if it weren't there.
"Whoa!? Gil missed!?"
"Interesting. It's not even a Servant—just a 'lump trying to become one.' It's gathering mana to…"
"A Reality Marble, Gil!"
Marie's voice crackled through the comms.
"That Demonic Book uses a Reality Marble to trap people in sleep, siphoning mana! To take form as a Servant, just like her…!"
"Sharp, devoted lady. It's trying to be born, feeding on Soho's people. Just sleeping? True. But waking's not guaranteed—maybe they will, maybe not. Letting customers sleep forever kills a writer's trade. This area's packed with bookstores. Time to end it."
"Straight to the point!? But if Gil's treasures didn't work…"
"—Now's the climax, Master."
The vessel's words lulled my senses.
The king must have a plan. I'll trust him.
"Since treasures failed, I'll crush it with Ea. Shattering Reality Marbles is my specialty."
"Eh!?"
"But that might…"
"Destroy the Singularity along with it. That's what happens when you unleash me. —But…"
He placed a hand on my head.
"'Such a resolution means nothing.' Right, Master?"
"Yeah! Too early to flip the table!"
"That's the spirit. —Pick one Servant."
"One?"
"One Servant's perfect to defeat it—the only one to free that pitiful phantom. Rack your brain, find them. I'll set the stage. —Fairy tale writer."
"I get it. That's why you dragged me here. Make good use of me, Heroic King!"
"Working to death's a writer's life, no? In Uruk, the real work starts after death. —"
—Via telepathy, he spoke to her.
(Are you ready, Nursery?)
(Leave it to me, King. Watch my story.)
"—Got it!"
"Let's begin. Defeating an invincible book is simple. —Give it a proper name. I'll grant you your true name!"
"—Come!"
"Your name is—"
Andersen and Master's voices overlapped.
Simultaneously, the vessel activated a treasure.
"—Your phantom. Take good care of it."
"—Understood, splendid king."
—A voice echoed.
"'A Story for Someone, Nursery Rhyme'!"
Pointing.
Summoning.
The named Demonic Book shifted, took form, manifested.
"—Nursery Rhyme? …No."
A book, shaped as a girl, spoke—lonely, melancholic.
"I'm 'Alice.' …Where? Where did lonely 'Arisu' go?"
"—Remarkable. Someone loved a trifling tale this much."
Andersen spoke slowly.
"—Your master's not here… sadly."
"No, 'Arisu' is here, 'Alice.'"
Following Master's guidance, Chaldea's Nursery Rhyme appeared.
"What!?"
Master's eyes widened. Not a girl in a black dress—
"There's your master."
A girl in white and aqua, near-identical to Nursery Rhyme, appeared.
"—Ah."
The book dropped with a thud.
"No, 'Alice.' You can't be naughty just because you're lonely."
"Ah, ah… —'Arisu'—!!"
Alice rushed forward; Arisu caught her embrace.
Spinning, twirling—Arisu and Alice, together.
"What's going on, Gil?"
"Simple. I've crossed paths with her master before. I called her, using the book as a vessel for possession."
"That's 'Arisu'?"
"Indeed. A ghost who loved a formless heroic concept into shape."
In his right hand, the archetype of "séance"—a crystal ball to summon souls anywhere, with consent.
Arisu came. To meet Alice, the ghost wandering worlds in search.
"I missed you, missed you! I searched forever! Every book, every page—you were nowhere! 'Arisu,' you're so mean! So mean!"
"I'm sorry, 'Alice.' I was so late. I dressed up to meet you."
"It's fine, it's fine…! I won't let go, never! 'Arisu' and 'Alice,' forever together! Nothing will part us!"
"Of course, 'Alice.' …But, no."
"What…?"
"Putting everyone to sleep is wrong. If no one picks up a book, who'll love 'Alice'?"
"—Right, right. What was I doing…"
"Let's wake them. Let them read 'Alice' again, love you lots! Because you're—"
Arisu hugged Alice tightly.
"'A Story for Someone'! The wonderful 'Alice' protecting nameless souls!"
"—Yeah!"
The mana drain ceased; Soho's vital signs stirred.
"…Reality Marble, dispelled. Demonic Book, Nursery Rhyme, beginning to fade."
"As expected. Its purpose fulfilled, it has no need for this world—And…"
He closed his eyes slowly.
"'That' Nursery won't be summoned or wander again."
"Gil…"
"You've learned some romance in my absence. What books have you devoured?"
"Not your grim tales, that's for sure. —Time to part, phantom."
The king addressed the pair.
"Once burned by a barrier, twice shattered bodily. —Learn your lesson. Don't wander back. —Never let go of those joined hands."
—His intent reached me.
"Hold hands, laugh together, speak freely—never let that go," he told them.
"Yeah! Thank you! Wonderful, wonderful king!"
"'Alice' caused trouble, sorry. —We won't part again. Forever, forever."
"'The best reading lingers, unhurried.'"
"'?'"
"—Words from a story, for you. Reclaim the time you missed. —Nothing will tear you apart again."
"—Yeah! Thank you, wonderful king…!"
Aqua Arisu and black Alice faded.
Leaving a vision—hands clasped, Alice leading Arisu—to the three.
"—Farewell, phantom clinging to a ghost."
Without audience or intent, the king wove words.
"Speak together, laugh together—hand in hand. Vanish wherever you will—"
…A tribute to two "friends" fading into an unreachable "story."
"—Phew. How'd I do?"
Only Chaldea's Nursery Rhyme remained.
"Did I play my part well?"
"Splendid performance. Got anything to say, aspiring actor?"
"…"
"Andersen?"
"…I read the room. No crude heckling. A 'story' reading a 'story'—only you'd dream it up, Heroic King."
"Finally grasped my greatness? Fine, you're forgiven. Kneel. Or write my Gorgeous☆Gilgamesh Epic anew."
"That'd be a riot—comedy or adventure, wrecking readers' abs, banned as hazardous."
"Hahahahahaha! How many billions for the first edition? —Master?"
"—Sniff, sob… sob…"
"Don't cry, Master. You chose this ending. You chose me, and the king made it happen."
"Really…!? Really!? I'm so glad…!"
"Worship me, but don't cling. …You haven't forgotten my teachings."
"Your lack of femininity needs revising. I didn't expect a woman to pull this off."
"Yeah… Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, book for book, I thought…"
"—Huh?"
"Goodness! Master's got a barbaric Greek mind!"
"Bwah—!!"
"—Correction retracted. Thinking you'd improved was my greatest folly!!"
"Hahahahahahahahaha! As expected of my Master! No suitors ever! Job's done—let's return!"
"No—!! I won't give up on happiness—!!"
—Farewell, two girls.
—May no sad parting ever tear you asunder again—
The first time, alone in a white room.
The second, burned out at the sea's depths.
The third, slain by a cruel goddess.
The fourth time, we finally, finally met.
Let's stay together, forever.
Run together, anywhere.
'Arisu' and 'Alice,' always together!
I won't let go, forever, forever.
We won't part, forever, forever.
Forever and ever—
We're together—
The End
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