As some of you know, I was doing this for past 8 months, translating 1st story path of the TYPEMOON game, Fate/Stay Night. However now due to constraints of time posed by my uni works, I have to stop for a while, may or may not resuming it. Currently it runs into 483 pages, from Prologue to Day 11.

If anyone here have good translation skills and a big time fan of TYPEMOON, be my guest and continue this effort.

It did not help when the author likes to use Shakespearan version of Japanese and my Japanese is not great to begin with.

Prologue

1st Day


There was a flash of a lance, akin to lightning
The charging point of the lance that would pierce through the heart
Attempting to dodge it would be probably useless anyway--
Since it was lightning, it couldn't be captured by the human eye

But
The lightning that wanted to penetrate this body
Was deflected by the moonlight that wanted to rescue this body

Clang, a splendid sound

No. The sound fell before my eyes, was heavier than steel
Not normally associated with 'splendid', it froze the wrapping armors with the atmosphere of the night

Impossible to be splendid
Because the essence of the sound was steel
But, that knight possessed a beauty that can transform that sound into the tone of chiming bells

"---Inquiry. Are you my master?"

With a voice that unravelled darkness, she spoke

"Heeding your summoning, I've arrived. May my sword be with you, and your fate with mine. ---Now, the contract is completed."

Right, the contract was completed then
As she had chosen me to be her master
I myself, had also swore to help her

The moonlight shone in the darkness with clear radiance
Inside the warehouse as if imitating the posture of the knight, before returning to the usual quietness

Time had stopped
Perhaps the scene had not lasted for even a second

However
I can probably recall that posture vividly even after I fall into Hell

The side of the face that was tilted backward ever so slightly
A calm and solemn pupil with thh sacred colour of jade
Time in that instance became eternity
Symbolized by her blue green clothes swaying with the winds

----Only a few dark greenish lights shot in the warehouse
With threads of hair like golden sand, moistened by the moonlight

[----]

(POV of Tohsaka Rin)

......I saw someone whom I cherished very much.
Very tall, with a chiseled face, and had never spoke a jest
He gently stroked my hair
No, not exactly-
He didn't know his own strength, he was grabbing my head and roving around rather than stroking
It couldn't be any other way
Because this was the first time that man ever stroked my hair

"Then I will be leaving. You know the rest, right"

I turned to face his deep voice, answered politely with a yes
The man who stroked my hair nodded, and removed the hand

......And so, that was it
If I knew that was to be our last encounter, I would definitely have used the jokes I treasured to make him laugh
It was to lift the stern expression from his face one day, that I practiced making jokes over and over all by myself
In the end, not even once did I use them. It's pretty depressing if you think about it

"Before you are full-grown, let the Association take care of you. I'll leave the rest to your own judgement. If it's you, you should be fine even by yourself."

The way spoke probably meant that he was worried after all.
The heirloom gems, the gems passed down from the Grand Master, the ways to manage the underground chamber-
With the way he named each item one by one and talked about the things he never taught me, even a child would realize

---that this man will probably never return

......A war broke out
Not a war among states, but a war among individuals
There were seven participants fighting each other
Even though war may not be a suitable title
if those involved were Mages, it becomes whole new story.
Seven Mages from different clans, competing with each other for reasons unknown to me, were cruelly murdering one another with ways I could not fathom

Among them, was this man before my eyes
Therefore, this man was also in a position to kill or be killed one day
The time of war was drawing near, that man should have understood better than I

"Rin, one day the Holy Grail will appear. To obtain it is the responsibility of the Tohsakas, and more importantly---if you want to be a Mage, it becomes an unavoidable path."

Once again
He stroked my hair, and then the man left

That was the last----
As a master who did not return after joining the Grail War, the last appearance of the man, who was both a master and a father

"Godspeed, father"

I saw him off politely
Although I nearly broke down, the tears would never flow

I loved that man
He was an excellent father and an excellent Mage
Mages are nothing but a bunch bigots, but he was different
In the world of Mages, there is no one as outstanding as him
He taught me as a master, and loved me as a father
Therefore, I decided
I am going to use the things that man left me to choose my own path

----Rin, one day the Holy Grail will appear. To obtain it is the responsibility of the Tohsakas, and more importantly---if you want to be a Mage, that's an unavoidable path----

He left with those words not as my father, but as a Mage
Which is why, I decided my path in that instant

"----Right. First, let's work hard to become a Mage who does not depend on anyone else---"

It's only natural for an apprentice to follow the instructions of the master
Since then, after experiencing many things, I grew up as Rin Tohsaka

Ten years had passed since the winter father joined the war
Although I did not anxiously await this moment, I could not help but get excited
But of course
the event that never left my mind in the past ten years, was to start again----

[----]

"..................Hm"
Something is making noise
Ring. Ring
"............Shut up. Stop it"
The noise does not stop
But rather, the ringing went on and on, as if it had some sort of grudge against me

"......what, really......I stayed up really late last night, just a bit more......"
A bit more sleep should be alright
No, it's definitely alright
I stayed up till morning to decipher the will of my father, and had expended a considerable amount of mana.
Meaning I'm completely exhausted, both mentally and physically

"......Aah, really----stubborn guy"
Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring
Granted the alarm clock cannot understand the tone of human language
But the 'ring, ring' sounds just like "Almost late, almost late"
There must be some kind of bizarre mechanism involved in this

"......Tardiness......Tardiness is terrible......"
But it also depends on the circumstances
Even for an excellent student, it should be fine to arrive at school near the line of tardiness today

"......Right right......the alarm clock is delayed for an extra thirty minutes, so it should be okay to sleep for another thirty minutes......"
----Hm?
Something, doesn't seem right?
"......Delayed, thirty minutes......"
I look at the alarm clock with sleepy eyes
The alarm clock is clearly pointing at seven
I normally wake up at six-thirty, so the thirty minutes placed in advance is completely wasted
......Why does my reasoning ability become so bad when I just awoke?

"...............Mm"
I exchange stares with the alarm clock for a couple seconds
Switching off the alarm clock, I slowly rise from bed

Walking along the icy cold corridor, to the icy cold living room
It is the last seven o'clock in the morning of January
Even though Fuyuki City is still warm in the winter climate, this morning is as cold as anytime else.

"......Heating, heating......"
Turn on the heating, I walk toward the bathroom
It's times like this, living alone becomes inconvenient
If there was someone else to wake up earlier than myself, then this living room would probably be filled with warm air by now

Washing my face in the bathroom
Brushing the long hair, freshing up a bit
Cold winter, cold bathroom
The only good thing about all of these, is that the coldness forces the drowsiness away

Shh, the ribbon on the collar is tied up
And then it's just eating breakfast and going to school
Looking at the clock which just passed seven

"Come on, there is no need to run"
But such a thing as running to school, is a unbearable sight that is something I refuse to do
Being relaxed and graceful constantly, is the tradition of the Tohsaka family

Since we still continue with this kind of family tradition, the ancestors of our family must have been from upper class
In these days, to still own a mansion is the solid proof of that, in addition, the Tohsaka family hails a lineage of Mages that carry on the practice of Sorcery
Talk about ancient, it certainly has an ancient history

"......Oh well, that is not something to be proud anyway"
It is more like something that can't be publicized so casually

---I, Rin Tohsaka, am, as a matter of fact, a Magus---

Whom can I show off to with that title?

Speaking of 'magic', it literally means 'magic'
Like "pain, pain, go away" or "abracadabra" for example.
Simply put, it means that there are people who are able to perform miracles by chanting spells

----Ah, although I put it in this way but flying to sky with a broom, or swinging wand to make stars are still impossible

.......Although something similar can be achieved, but no one does it because it's meaningless
Basically, we are the heretics concealed in the world
We are prohibited to stir up any conspicuous business, and even if we have that kind of freedp,0, we'd rather hide in our homes to pour ourselves into magical studies

As a side note, saying that we're Magicians is a big mistake
In truth, there exists only five Magicians in this world today
Things that can not be performed by anyone, things that cannot be achieved by modern science, the existence that can
make miracles in reality, we thereby give him the title of Magician
Something can never be created with time or techniques is called Magic,
and it doesn't matter how mysterious it seems, but if anyone can achieve it through time and technique, it is then called Magecraft

Therefore even I, who is considered supernatural cannot cast Magic, only Magecraft
Even though it's complicated, this is how it was decided

To be honest, the existence of Mages is not accepted by the modern society
Beliefs, exercising, absorbing and other things which are unable to measure, we can not exist mutually with the modern world
However you choose to argue, Magecraft is meaningless
Going to a normal school, and to become normal adult are many times better than learning Magecraft

The technology of humanity is wonderful
In the past hundreds of years, Magecraft has always been chasing after the steps of the civilized world

There is nothing that humans cannot do
The miracles that can only be created through Magecraft in the past had been long since degraded into worthlessness a long time ago

----But, Magecraft has the strength of Magecraft
Like in certain barriers that only science can achieve
There are certain barriers that can only be achieved through supernatural means
If science is running toward the future, then Magecraft is running toward the past, these are the words of the master of the Tohsaka family

He also said, past or future, are both the same in the end. Running toward zero continuously
Let's put aside these difficult words for now. Philosophy should be left to the elderly

After breakfast, I pick up my school bag
"---Right. I must carry the pendant"
Although bringing this kind of thing to school makes me uneasy, but it's also a pity if I just let it waste

"No matter what, this is a gemstone with a hundred years of history, surpassing all the other gemstones in this house"
No, you could even say it came from another dimension
From deciphering the will of father last night, I had retrieved this gemstone, which had stored ten years of worth of magical power for the present me
The rumored heirloom of the Tohsaka family from ancient times, is probably this gemstone

Specializing in the transfer of forces, the Tohsaka Mages transfer their mana into gemstones whenever they have time
Simply put, if oneself is a gun, then the gemstones would be bullets

As for the other thing I inherited from father, it would be the Tohsaka family magical mark carved on my left arm
The magical mark is a proof of the inheritance, comprised of the Magecraft that was passed down from the Tohsaka line.
It's just like a tattoo

"......Although it hasn't begun yet, but there's no such thing as being too careful"
I place the pendant that became Father's memento into my pocket

"This is a last resort. With the mana stored in this, there's nothing that I can't do"
It is seven thirty
It was about time to head out, otherwise I won't be able to make it to school

"Schil ebung.(Lock on) Verfaf ren, Drei(Code 3)"
Enchanting brief yet magical words
As a Mage, one can never lower the security when leaving his base
Although in the past, not even once did thieves, lost children, or wild cat approach us
......No, not even the neighbors never came over to greet us

"......Humph, oh well. This means that even wild cats can't intrude"
I raise my head to look at the mansion I grew accustomed to for the past ten or so years
Fuyuki City is a very strange city, and across from the crossection on the other side of the residential area, there are many Japanese style dojou
On this side however, there are many Western-style houses just like mine

Apparently it is due to the many immigrant families that lived here in the old times, but strangely enough, I never did seen any foreigners
Even if there were foreign cemetery across the river on the side of New City, there are only tombstones of the old immigrant generation

"Is it because of the land?"
Hm, I will just ask the priest next time I visit the church
That priest should know more about these useless things

"----Aah"
Something doesn't feel right, when I went outside

"What's going on, this is a lot quieter than I imagined"
It is very quiet outside, unlike the hustle and bustle in the morning
At around seven thirty, it should be pretty lively with many students going to school, and people heading to work

"......Whatever, there are days like this too, I guess"
Everyone over slept this morning probably
It's especially cold today; anyone would want to stay in bed

"Hm-......but, still"
Anyway, isn't it strange that not even one single student has shown up
Seven thirty is about the time where the uniforms can be seen everywhere
But there's only me who arrives at the school gate, and the morning practice for clubs seemed to have just started
The natural conclusion deduced from these circumstances is----

"Hey, Tohsaka? You are unusually early today"
"......I thought so"
Oh dear, I sigh slightly, turning to the female student called out to me
"Good morning. Today is pretty cold too"
The one that talks in such a frank tone is Mitsuzuri Ayako
A classmate who is also in second year class A, a character with many rumors

"Good morning to you too Mitsuzuri. Let me ask you an irrelevant question: what time is it now?"
"Huh? Isn't it six o'clock. Aren't you awake yet Tohsaka?"

Mitsuzuri's hand fluttered in front of my face, while asking me what's the matter
She is one of the few friends who knows my problem with waking up in the morning
...in other words, she notices that I'm not fully awake yet as of now

"It seems like the clocks in my house have been forwarded by an hour. All of them, it seems. Not just one alarm clock, but even the wall clock has been turned forward"
Seriously, what's going on
Father, was it because of the pendant that was left in the underground chamber that forced the clocks to go haywire......

"Tohsaka?"
"Never mind, nothing important. By the way, do you have morning practice today Mitsuzuri?"
"Yeah. There are many problems inside of the Archery Club. Unfortunately we lost a member. To attract the freshmen in April, we need to look good from the outside at least"

"Is that so. You haven't changed a bit, such a worrywart"
"You are only saying that because it's of no concern to you. Hey, how about you take a detour? The boys will be in good spirits if Tohsaka passes by"
"----Archery club, is it."

I am acquainted with three people in the Archery club.
One is the Mitsuzuri in front of me, and I don't talk to the other two much
But one of those two, is more than just an acquainted of mine
The reason I became a good friend with the archery club president, Mitsuzuri was also because I often watch over the archery range from afar

"Fine with me, since it's not too much trouble, I'll accompany you there. There's nothing to do this early anyway"
"All right. Then let's go at once, hurry up"

One of the trademarks of our school, is the lavish archery range
Was it because the director is really interested in archery? The archery range is so luxurious to the point that it will be a waste if students only use it for club activities.

"Come in, come in. There are still some time before it starts, why not come on in to have a cup of tea, Tohsaka"
I don't know what she is so happy about as Mitsuzuri tugs my hands
Switching to a boyish way of speech when being frank is one of Mitsuzuri's bad habits

Just as Mitsuzuri said, there isn't anyone around in the range yet
We start to prepare the materials needed for today's classes, while drinking Japanese tea that could numb the tongue with heat
A cup of hot tea is actually a good idea, especially in an empty archery range during winter

"So, don't mind me being straightforward, but how are things on your side Tohsaka. It's about time you found someone reliable right?"

It just so happen that there is no one around when Mitsuzuri asks something incredible

"............Hey. Jumping straight to the point so soon. From the way you've said it, I take that you've already found someone?"
"I got nothing to say to you. It's going to be a secret until Tohsaka confesses. So, what about it. Judging from your tiresome expression, do you have someone in mind?"

"I have nothing to say to you either......But you will probably see through me even if I attempt to hide it from you. Unfortunately, I haven't. What about you, Mitsuzuri? Looks like none of us doesn't have much free time right?"

"It's true , but I am also not very smooth as well. Although I can make up for it with some practicing, but there are other things to be concerned with, right? This is about our future, which I'm not going to compromise so easily"
"Humph. Can't you just make up your mind to give in to me?"

"Of course not. To me, the most important thing is defeating you. Losing something or gaining something is only second on my priorities"
He he, Mitsuzuri laughed fearlessly

"----Oh dear. We are alike"
"Hm. I told you that the first time we met right. It is that kind of relationship between you and I."
Oh that's right, she did say that, "You and I, are definitely going to be in a relationship of kill or be killed"
I was seriously startled when she said this to me first time we met

In short, what Mitsuzuri said was, "If we don't compete with one another in every category, there won't be any friendship between us"
I had the same hunch, two years since then, we had always kept this ambiguous relationship, shifting constantly between friends and rivals

"By the way. How did we start this?"
"What do you mean by how? Tohsaka, it was you started it first, it was you who complained about not having a boyfriend, and so we are now competing to see who is able to get a boyfriend before grade 3 first, remember?"
"......Oh-, yeah that's right. It was when we were at odds with each other. I said something like the loser would have to listen to everything the winner says for the whole day"

"Hm. Even though it's a promise that even kids nowadays wouldn't make, but you and I will never going back on our words, am I correct? Whatever the result is, the loser will have to obey the winner. Just thinking about it like this makes me feel excited, and I am looking forward to it"

Mitsuzuri laughed delightfully
Really
From the perspective of one who takes everything seriously, Mitsuzuri Ayako is not a woman you can get along with easily

......But then again, I'm also looking forward to the moment when I defeat Mitsuzuri, the 'can't get along easily part' is the same for me too

"I see. But Mitsuzuri, looking forward to it is fine, but be careful not to mistake the purpose. The condition of the victory isn't only about who is first or last, right?"

"Yeah I know. I need to be faster than Tohsaka, and it has to be a relationship that will make Tohsaka envious from the bottom of her heart for me to call it a complete victory. ...but, here is the most troublesome thing to us now. No matter how great the guy is, it's meaningless if we can't fall in love with him"

Yeah, Mitsuzuri gives out a sigh
As far as I know, Mitsuzuri is rumored to be a man-hater
but, rumors being incorrect are a common occurrence. Since she suggested this competition, maybe she doesn't hate men, it is just that she never took an interest in them

---Hold on, that is beside the point

"Wait a minute. What do you mean by ‘we’? Let me say this before anything else, unlike you, I am not a cold blooded animal. I have no problem with falling in love with a boy"

"Yeah yeah, you lie. Or maybe you just never noticed it. It's definitely impossible for Tohsaka to care about any boy. The amount of confessions you've heard in the past are beyond measure, and never once did you accept, right? If you had at least a bit of interest, you would want to go out with them. But you kept refusing them, meaning that you don't have any interest in boys."

"What a lack of consideration. In a situation like this, it's also possible that I already have someone that I like, and therefore I refused, no?"
"Whoa, what a nice thing to say. That's not bad at all, how romantic of you"

Not taking me for a fool, Mitsuzuri seriously nods her head.
Ayako sighs and says how wonderful it would be if that's really the case
.....I lost
Apparently I really can't hide anything from her

"Yeah. I thought so too"

Oh well, Mitsuzuri was right about me
I myself know how cruel I really am

"I admit, In terms of romance I am still a novice"
" That's right. Tohsaka was the one who said we are alike. ......Ah, it's almost seven. Let's stop our secret conversation now. I don't know when people will come by, and we should act like students in the morning"
"Hey. I am surprised that even Mitsuzuri can act proper. Hm, just this makes waking up early worth it"

"Humph, unlike you who acts proper all the time. My acting, is nothing compared to Tohsaka's. Your fake smile is superior than acting to the level of an alternate personality"
Ayako sighed exaggeratedly.
The hot tea that Ayako made was finished, and it's my turn now to make tea

"Then, why didn't Tohsaka join a club. Don't tell me something like I don't have sport talent or stuff like that. I am still sore from being utterly defeated by you in physical exam last year"

"Well. I did lose to Mitsuzuri in lung capacity. And in terms of weight Mitsuzuri is also heavier"
"Ha ha ha! Hey-, but it's only three kilograms!......Hold on, what's so good about winning you in terms of weight you sneaky fox!"
Bang-, Mitsuzuri slams the desktop hard

"Careful. You will spill the tea Mitsuzuri. You are the president, don't forget to cherish the range"
"Shut up, other than being the president I am also the rival of Tohsaka, and that comes first. It's okay to be a little harsher on you when other members aren't around"

Mitsuzuri glances over here with half closed eyes, making dissatisfied noises
......This woman possesses a unique charm, often saying, "Beauty must learn martial arts"

The one who says this is indeed a master of numerous forms of martial arts
Just after joining the archery club, the only thing she hasn't learned yet, already she has become the president
Disregarding gender, she is probably one of the top three people you must never disobey in our school

"Oh no. Not a president when members are not presented, that's a very problematic thing to state isn't it?"
"How is that problematic? I am only a president in name, and my only duty is to punish the trouble making members. Since there is someone who can shoot better than I do, there really isn't any honor in being the president"

"Really? Fujimura-sensei once said Mitsuzuri's skills are top notch."
"Hm......coming from that person, it does make me feel a bit more confident. Whatever, it's useless to think about someone who is gone. True, if Fujimura-sensei really said that, then I can't take the position of president lightly anymore"

"Yep. Speaking of which, it's about time for the other members to arrive. I should be on my way. Please be an excellent president, Mitsuzuri"
"What, you're not watching the practice?"
"I don't understand it anyway. Watching it from a distant is OK, and shouldn't an outsider be barred from staying in the range"

Then I stand up, about the same time, people begin to come in the range
"Morning, president"
"Ah, good morning Matou. Are you by yourself this morning?"
"......Yes. Unfortunately I couldn't be of any help, I'm very sorry"
"Oh, it's OK it's OK. If the man himself says he doesn't want to pick up bow again, it's useless to force him"
Ayako talks to the member coming in

"Then, I will be on my way now. Later, Mitsuzuri"
"Ah. Later, Tohsaka"
"......Thanks for the hard work, Tohsaka-senpai"
"----Thank you. Good luck to you too, Sakura"

In order to not disturbing practices, I left the range

"Hey Tohsaka. Good morning, I am so lucky to have met you this morning"

Bad luck, it's someone I really didn't want to meet

"Good morning, Matou. You're early today"
"Of course. Being the president, I should set a good example for the freshmen, right"
The student who is laughing happily is Matou Shinji from second year class C
Vice president of the archery club, a pretty boy who is idolized by two tenths of the female population in school

Indeed his looks are not bad, on top of that he also has excellent grades, very nice and know how to pamper a girl, somewhat like an idol in short
I still don't really understand that part of him, as I heard all these from my classmates

"Is that so. Sorry to interrupt when you're this happy, however you forgot one word Matou. I think it's best not to forget such a significant word"
"? Forgot a word? What is it?"
"Vice as in advice, vice president. Please take notice of this. Although there isn't that much of a difference between a president and a vice, but it will give people the wrong idea, right?"

"----. That's true, I will be careful from now on. Thanks, Tohsaka"
"Nothing worth of mentioning. Oh well, what Matou wants to think is none of my business"
I say that I will be on my way, and just as I'm leaving the range

"Hold on. You are here to watch right? Why don't you come inside? If it's Tohsaka, I will be more than welcome"
"I refuse. I don't want to disturb the others' morning practice"
"Don't concern yourself about with that kind of thing. If someone doesn't like the idea, I will just kick him out, just come in for a short while"
"......I already said I don't want to bother you. And I am not interested in archery. What's the point of looking at some strangers shooting arrows?"

"? So Tohsaka, you're not interested in archery. ......Hey. So the reason that you stay behind after school to watch from a distance is because of"
......
I have no idea what is he trying to say, but it seems like he has some big misunderstanding

"---What. So you knew, Matou"
"Ah, our eyes often meet one another, I mean, Tohsaka's and mine. After shooting arrows when it's time to imagine the target, Tohsaka would look at me. Even though I wanted to reply, but there are rules after all. Can't yell on the range"

I don't know what is he so happy about, Shinji suddenly approaches me
A friendly smile, with a subtle hint of superiority

"I was seriously mistaken. I thought that Tohsaka loves archery. But apparently you don't? So, why was Tohsaka looking at the range then"

"--------"
Oh, so that's how it is
I understand now, the conversation earlier did sound like this

"Can you stand over there, Matou. I don't enjoy the closeness"
"Huh? What was that, Tohsaka?"

"I am speechless, you still don't get it. ...I don't want to waste time, but I can't help it. Let me put it this way, so that even you can understand. Listen up Matou. What I am saying is that, compared to archery, I am even less interested in you. Actually, it was only a moment ago that I just realized you were in the archery range, and I probably won't pay any attention to you in the future"

"---What, what......!"
Did I anger him, as he thrust out his hand violently
I dodge it easily before turning around to leave

"Then, I will get going Matou. It's okay to be a little over-egotistic, but there should be a limit to that even so"
"Tohsaka, why you little......!"
Shinji sounds as if he wanted to say something more, but he just stands there silently

......Seriously, it was only his looks
If this guy could work on his personality a bit harder, then the people around him wouldn't have to be so troubled

[----]

I walk away from the archery range on the campus, before arriving at the school building
It's already past seven, but there is still very little students in the hallway

"Hey, it's Tohsaka-"
"---.Good morning, Fujimura-sensei"
"Hm, good morning Tohsaka. Your teacher is very happy because of your proper greeting"

The mysterious woman who acts as if she's going to break to tears
......It is hard to believe that this character whose amiability and easy-going nature far exceeds that of commoners, is a teacher of our school

"......About that, sensei. You mean there are other kinds of greeting beside this one?"
"That's right. Although the freshmen greet me properly, the upperclassmen never seem to greet people with their last names. Don't pick up from those guys, Tohsaka."

"----Oh. I don't really understand, but I won't do anything rude to teachers."
"Very good, very good. Ah-h, now if everyone was like Tohsaka-"

Fujimura-sensei bid me goodbye, before taking off while waving her hands
Fortunately, I don't have Fujimura-sensei as my homeroom teacher
Fujimura-sensei teaches English
Even with such a carefree face, her Kendo skill is that of a dan, and she was addressed as the 'Tiger of Fuyuki' with respect and admiration in her school days

......But that rumor itself is quite mysterious
Generally, wouldn't people fear instead of admiring someone who is nicknamed tiger?
Fujimura-sensei looks like she's in a good mood, walking towards the range merrily
For some reason or another, Fujimura-sensei is the adviser of Archery Club, and not Kendo

It's right before seven thirty
You can still see students working on morning exercises on campus, but no one is in the buildings
Even though

"----Ugh, Tohsaka"

I meet someone who will immediately make impolite comments just from seeing others' faces

"Oh student president. You're already roaming around campus this early? Or are you checking every club room respectively? Either way, you are still so hard working"
"Humph---You are one to talk. What are you doing here so early, since you don't even participate in any club?"
"No particular reason, I just felt like it. I'm different from the early birds in the house of Ryudo after all"

".................."
The handsome face of the president of student council twitches
For some reason, he seems to treat me as though I'm an enemy
I really don't have any clue why though
......Don't tell me it's because I interrupted the graduation trip discussion with 'Temples are boring, so let's not go there'

"............A question if you will. Have you been staying late in the school recently, Tohsaka?"
"Not at all. Ryudo should know that I'm in the 'Going home after school' club, right"
"Of course. Since I was entrusted with the position of the president of student council, it's my responsibility to know all information regarding students in this school"

"Is that so? Then there's no point for you to ask me that. Regardless of what reason you asked me, but is it really okay to pass the duties of student council to some outsider like me? Please gather information yourself. Don't beg an outsider like me to do it"
"Imbecile, how are you an outsider! Do you believe that I am unaware of what your coercion of our secretary to do your dirty work, you tramp!"

"Oh no, you're making it sound so wrong. I only asked Mitsuzuri to reveal the records of club budget distribution. I investigated what everyone spent their money on, thus I think it's a reasonable action for a student"
"......Really now? So do you think that making our secretary ask for a whole week of time off because of a mental breakdown is considered reasonable? Your morality is still as extraordinary as ever"

"The same goes for you. Please supervise your subordinates properly. It's unfair to only favor culture-related clubs"
"I know. That's why I've been wanting to correct that by my own hands----"

"Issei, I am done fixing"

----All of a sudden
This guy appears out of nowhere

"Ah, excuse me. Sorry I had to let Emiya do all the work, even though I was the one that asked you to do this in the first place. Please forgive me"
"Don't mention it. So, where's the next one. We're running out of time"
"Aah, next one is in the multi-media room. Apparently it's not functioning the way it should be for a while now, and this time it finally went dead all together"

"If it's already dead, then there's no way I can fix it. It would be better if you just bought another one"
"......That's true, but just help me out a little. Although it looks like its near the brink of death to me, but maybe if you took a look at it instead, it would just be faking it "
"Is that so? Let me give it a try then"

The president of the student council is hurried by the male student
"--------"
I can't say anything, because my line of thought was interrupted suddenly

The guy who is holding a wrench or screw driver turns around as if he just suddenly remembered something
"You're early today, Tohsaka"

Then he simply walk away without a further word

......That was a greeting, right
The student president was urged by the student named Emiya, and both left quickly
Emiya, should be the Emiya Shirou from second year class C

"......That's no big deal"
But, how should I put this
I am wondering whether a guy goes so well with a wrench is supposed to be dangerous or convenient

Seven thirty in the morning, and still there's nobody in the classroom of second year class A
"Can't help it. Let me go over the materials"
I'm in my seat, opening the question booklet for mathematics
Thirty minutes till homeroom, and I have nothing to do except studying until classmates start to show up

[----]

By the end of the fourth period, the classroom livens up for the coming lunch break
Our school has a cafeteria, so there's only about half of the students left inside the classroom

As a side note, the majority of the students left behind are girls
Because the meals prepared by our cafeteria taste very plain, they are not popular among the girls, so

"Toh, Tohsaka......! Can, can we have lunch together......!"

Consequently, girlfriends having their bento together are very intimate

"Thank you Saegusa. But I can't, since I have to go to cafeteria today. As I overslept this morning, I didn't have time to prepare a bento"
"Ah, not at all, it's fine. ......I'm sorry, I didn't know about this and called out to you. I said something unnecessary"

Saegusa looks like she feels really bad, and becomes dispirited suddenly
Saegusa is especially well-behaved, even compared to the many well-behaved and elegant students of class A, she really cares about my feelings for some reason

"It's certainly not something unnecessary. Today is just a rare occasion, so don't be bother with it. If you don't mind, you could ask me again tomorrow"
I reply with a smile from the bottom of my heart

"Ye, Yes. But, I never imagined that even Tohsaka can oversleep"
Was it because of my smile that put her mind into ease, because Saegusa replied with a very adorable smile

That smile is so adorable
Saegusa might not be the prettiest girl around, but her smile alone can warm up the people around her

"It's true. Not many people know about it, but I am actually a sleepyhead. The reason why I didn't join any of the clubs is also because I can't wake up in the morning"
Aw, I wonder how Saegusa's astonished expression can be so graceful as well
Even though that reaction made me feel wonderful, I can't just continue to talk like this
If I talk to these kind of people for too long, I will show my true colours anytime now

"Then I will be off to cafeteria. Please enjoy your meal, Saegusa"
"Yes, you too, Tohsaka"
Chuckling with a sense of elegance while waving her hand at me, Saegusa returns to her friends' side

The ones having lunch together are Makidera and Himuro
By the way, Saegusa is the manager of the track team
While Makidera and Himuro are the stars of track team
Makidera is a poor companion who often goes shopping with me in the holidays, but I am not familiar with Himuro

"Aw, she broke up with you, Yukika. I told you Tohsaka wouldn't have a bento. If you want to invite her, you have to go so far as to prepare lunch for her-"
"......Maki. So we will just have to go to cafeteria as well, right?"

"No, no way. Cafeteria is too small; there aren’t enough seats for bento group. Plus, try sitting with Tohsaka; the staring boys' are really annoying. Last holiday, when the two of us went out for fun, that girl took all the advantages. So troublesome-, what a boasting superficial teacher’s pet"

Standing besides Saegusa's table, Makidera is casually giving out criticism
Contrary to that spoiled mouth, she is a traditional Japanese beauty who matches kimono perfectly

"......Maki. Your bad mouthing seems to have been overheard by Ms. Tohsaka"
On the other hand, the indifferent attitude of Himuro is completely opposite of Makidera

"Ah, oops, Tohsaka overheard? Ouch, is she staring at me......?"
"Uh......I, I don't think Tohsaka is staring at Maki-chan"

"She is staring alright. She is most scary when she smiles. Come on-, it’s only a little of complaining. Lighten up will you, my dealings with Tohsaka have been good thus far. Look, I even treated you to taiyaki"
Puffing up her cheeks, Makidera Kaede rolls the chopsticks
Who would’ve ever guessed that her hobby is collecting wind chimes, this world is a little bit too complicated for me

......Forget it, it's impolite to Saegusa if I just keep staring at the trio
Saegusa is in a fluster before the whining and grumbling Makidera

"Everthing is fine, Saegusa. Well, Makidera? It was I who treated you, not the other way around. Also, it was creperie, not taiyaki. Would you please consider changing your bad habit of altering facts unconsciously next time?"
"Ugh. What a scary smile"
Makidera quickly hides her face behind the cover of her bento
After bidding the mismatched trio good bye, I leave the room


Click, I close the door to the classroom
......and all of a sudden

"Pfft--. What the-, what's the difference between taiyaki and creperie anyway?! Both of them are wrapped with some sweet dough-"

Makidera just uttered something incredibly unladylike

"......tai, taiyaki is the same as creperie......!?"
Is that person really a girl, are they the same just because they taste sweet?
To consider a 500 yen creperie from Fleur to be the same as an 80 yen taiyaki from Edomae-ya, from all aspects, that must be some enviable sense of taste
Darn it, Mikidera Kaede, if that's the case I could have saved 420 yen to deal with you......!

"............Why am I lamenting over this for"
It seems like the fatigue from yesterday has not completely gone yet
Having a meal in the cafeteria is just too much trouble, so I will just buy some bread and a drink from school canteen and eat on the roof

"First thing’s first. Lunch time"
I take in the tomato sandwich and hot lemonade bought from the canteen
It’s nothing fancy, but since I can have my meal with ease on the roof top, everything just tastes better

"-----Phew"
After the sandwich, I moist my lips with warm lemonade
......I feel a bit tired
To be a straight-A student while making an effort to avoid socializing with others at the same time, the balance between these two is really difficult to grasp

To keep up the image of an all-around, top student in school is my weakness, and conviction
If I want to be a student, then I will have be the most outstanding one, not to sully the reputation of the Tohsakas
Tohsaka Rin is going to be the most perfect, spotless schoolgirl no matter what

However, I also have a dangerous occupation as a Mage at the same time, so it's best not to mingle with ordinary crowd too much
If a Mage's identify is found out by a commoner, then he would have no choice but to erase the witness in order to protect himself
......That's not what I want
So naturally, I only befriend others on the surface

The friend that I go out with, Makidera, only meets me on the holidays, I also have to refuse the invitations from good-natured people like Saegusa
Being the best student in school, while at the same time, trying not to become a close friend to others, while leading a life without causing any trouble
When I'm exhausted like the way I’m now, it becomes a boredom

"Well, time is almost up"
I finish drinking my hot lemonade and stand up
That’s enough of time to be immersed in depression, so let's return to the normal Tohsaka Rin after I step down stairs----

[----]

"And that concludes our Homeroom period. Students on duty, please make sure to check the classroom journal and lock the door. Students without any club activities are advised to go home immediately"

After sprouting out the usual lines, the homeroom teacher of second year class A leaves
As far as I know, that sentence hasn't changed a bit for the last past year or so

"Tohsaka, are you going home today?"
"Yeah. I got into some trouble with Matou this morning, so I want to leave before he comes to annoy me again"
"Heh, I thought so, since that Matou was especially irritable today. I had suspected that you gave him a piece of your mind"
"I see. Sorry to bother you, Mitsuzuri"
"Not at all. Matou is always picking on the lower classmen. This should be a great lesson for him"

"Is that so? Great then, I’ll be counting on you next time"
"Sure of course. If it doesn't bother you too much, please drop by again"

There is nowhere else to go for me to go, and I quickly made way home
Although I still have unfinished business within both the Archery Club and the Student Council, I don't have the time right now to deal with them this couple of days
Once I’m out of school, my mask as Tohsaka Rin, ‘The Student’ is over

And for the rest of the day, I will no longer play that character
Because I’ve already donned the mask of a Magus from the noble House of Tohsaka---

The only thing that welcomes me home is the flashing light on my answering machine

"---How odd, there is a new message. And from......is it you, Kirei?"

I can already guess what he is going to say, but the consequences of ignoring his message are frightening
Pushing the play button, a familiar voice of a man spreads out from the machine

'It's me. I think you might already know this, but the deadline is tomorrow, Rin. I will be in trouble if you take too long to decide. Presently, there are still two places left. So you don't hurry, you won't be able to become a Master"

Straight to the point it seems, that priest is still merciless as ever

'If you wish to give up, contact me before the day ends. It will take some time to send for a substitute Magus’

Liar. You are capable of taking care of such matters with little hassle

'You already possess the holy mark, so summon your servant and gain the command spells as soon as possible. However, if you do not wish to participate in the Holy Grail War, well that’s another matter then. Come to the church in that case, if you treasure your life"

The message abruptly ends
......It was too concise if you think about it
If you wish to participate, then have everything ready by today. Or else, you might as well quit already.

"......Humph. I already know that even without you telling me"
Forget it, I’ve no other choice
My delay ends today either way
Fortunately, I had already deciphered father's will yesterday
My preparations for the War have been completed as well

The very last thing left is, yes---quite literally, obtaining the qualification to join this War----

"The Holy Grail War...killing one another for the one and only Holy Grail. The ceremony of Holy Grail passed down from a few hundred years ago, that so......"

The Mages who join this Grail War will be entitled as Masters
This is not a title of social standing, but rather a indication of the role of a ‘Host’

There is a certain condition in order to participate in Holy Grail War
That is to summon the familiars known as Servants, and make a contract with them
But no matter how powerful a Magus might be, so long as the Servant refuses to obey him, he will still not be recognized as a Master

There is an obvious distinction between the Servants and ordinary familiars
The ways of summoning and binding them are distinctive as well
Although the Mages that join the War are supposed to have a medium to summon a servant......

"......Really now, if only Father had left something in relation to Saber"

I do not have the item that represents that "relation"
Servants are summoned
If I wanted to, I could summon them now and make a contract right away
The spiritual land of this city belongs to the jurisdiction of the Tohsaka family
As the heir of House Tohsaka which had watched over this land from generation to generation, there is no way I could afford to be slower than the Mages from other places

Perhaps not slow......but how should I put this, ships shouldn't be out on the sea without a compass, or there is a limit to how far one can go without a plan
"......Servants will be bound to a symbolic item. And in order to summon a powerful Servant, having their possessions is a absolute necessity, yeah......"
In other words, swords, armors, emblems, or extremely expensive things like bones that once belonged to the Servants

"......I was hope something in father's will would......Hold on, this is also a very powerful trump card"
The pendant that I recovered from the underground cellar yesterday is considered to be the greatest item among the ancient ruins
This is very powerful
But
however powerful it may be, it will not help in the summoning of a Servant

"......Humph. It doesn't matter; there are other methods besides using those. And there isn't anyone else who is appropriate to become the Master of Saber"

---Okay, it's decided then
I am not going to idle any longer so as not to let Kirei nag at me. Even now at this point in time, our personalities just can't seem to get along

From here on now, it’s going to be the real thing
I am going to be in my best condition when I summon a Servant tonight, and I will take Saber by force if necessary......!

[----]

It is late at night
The clock’s hand is nearly pointing at two o'clock
This will be the most favorable time for me to act
Because I will be at the height of my power at precisely two o'clock
Since this is the first and last opportunity I’ll have to be at my best, I can't afford to make even the slightest of mistakes

"---The retreat within the elimination, carve the four seals of retreat to circle the seals of summon, okay"

I carve the magic seals on the floor of the underground chamber
......In reality however, there isn’t a need for the ritual to be this large
Servants are beings called forth by the Holy Grail
The most important task for a Master to do is to make a contact and bind them, and thereafter, to provide enough mana for its materialization, the actual summoning is the Holy Grail’s doing.

"Pure silver and iron. The grand duke that made a contract with the cornerstone. Our ancestor that is the grand master Zelretch. Walls that block the flow of the winds, closing the doors to the four directions, reincarnation from the crown of king, arriving at the three-fork road to the kingdom"

And even so, I must proceed with great caution and effort
The seal that was supposed to be drawn in blood, I’ve instead drawn with molten gems
......In doing so, I’ve used over half of the gems I saved up in the past, so I am not allowed to fail in a financial sense as well

"Seal. Seal. Seal. Seal. Seal. Repeat five times. However, the carve that is broken yet full"

......Two o'clock is drawing near
I finish drawing the summoning seal that had been passed down from the Tohsaka line, and I prepare to confront it with my soul

"-----An fang(Setting)"

I turned on that which is inside my body, the switch that has no shape
Click, it feels like the insides of my body has come alive for the first time
Converting my nervous system into a circuit that transfers mana

Thus I, Tohsaka Rin, would no longer be human
Only reduced to a mere mechanical object that fulfills a mystical purpose

......It starts to melt from the tips of my fingers
No, it is starting to fill me from the tips of my fingers
The absorbing mana is so dense to the point that it supercedes the feeling of my own body

Hence, I am made complete, yet broken

"------------"
The power that flows throughout my body, is the pure mana that is within the air
I, who became a circuit, is absorbing this power, to do nothing but transform it into a different kind of power
The body of a Mage is nothing but a circuit

The circuit that connects the Ether and the material plane
The occult that produces this result, we dub as Magecraft

......My body feels hot

As if an illusion of horns are growing out of my forehead
As if an illusion of wings are stretching out of my back
As if an illusion of scales are growing out of my hands
As if an illusion of water is rising up to my ankles

......I’m dripping with sweat
My body feels as if it was being stabbed repeatedly from within

This is the stigmata created by the part of me that is still human, disgusted with the part of me that had changed into a circuit
Even being an outstanding Magus, a mortal will still be mortal
This is the pain that will always exist, as long as you cast Magecraft with a mortal body

However I cannot allow the incantation to slow down
At the height of this pain, one’s purpose is to create "bonds" to the abyss of ecstasy

"------------"

......The pain throbs in my left arm
The magical mark, in order to assist me in the casting, has begun to chant by itself, steadily eroding itself into my nerves

The impressive power I’ve absorbed is now coursing through my veins
If Mana is burning hot lead, then the moving magical mark would be like a crown of thorns

The mystical energy is like a centipede with its poisonous bites, crawling back and forth inside my body

"------------"
The pain causes me to forget about my own existence

And at the same time, for this reason, the results start to show

My sense of hearing becomes very sharp, so much that I could hear the ticking sounds of the clock in the living room
Ten seconds till two o'clock
My body is filled with power, with no gap left void

"--------I announce"

Time to start
I transformed the mana I had absorbed into energy for "solidifying"
Finally, there is only one thing left to do
And that is to pour the rest of the magical power into this so-called engine to make it run, until there is not a ounce left in this body----

"----I announce. Thy body is under my control, and my fate is on top of thy sword. If you follow the lodge for returning of this Holy Grail, obey this will, this principle, then answer me"

My vision is gone
My eyes cannot comprehend the Fifth element

Thus, in order not to be ruined, they cease functioning

"I hereby make a vow. I am the one who will achieve all the deeds of this world, I am the one who will convey all the malice of this world. Intertwined with thy three Arch Spirits of Words for seven days, come forth the Protector of Libra the Scale, from the Wheels of Restrain---!"

Flawless......!
This is almost like catching a whale with a fishing rod, too perfect!

"---Perfect......! I will definitely get the strongest Servant......!"

Oh come on, my sight is returning too slowly
Once my sight returns after a few seconds, then the one who appears before me would be my summoned servant----

----Nothing

"What......?"
Just nothing
There’s not even the slightest change anywhere
There are so many Fifth elements still fluttering in the air, but there is not a single hint of materialization around

And on top of that
There are sounds of an explosion coming from the direction of the living room

"What's going on-----!?"

I ran
With my head still blank
Climbing up the stairs of the underground chamber and running toward the living room

"The door is stuck!?"

The door is crooked
There is no point in turning the handle
Since I can't open it with pushing or pulling

"---Aah seriously, don't get in my way......!"

Boom, I knock the door down with a kick and enter the living room

"............"
Afterwards
Upon entering the living room, everything seems clear to me

----

The living room is in a mess
Bits and pieces of the ceiling are dropping down, and there is rubble everywhere, along with a man who arrogantly crosses his legs
"..............."
That man must be the culprit for all of this

"..............."
But more importantly
The wall clock that had avoided destruction is displaying the correct time
......Which reminds me
Hm, oh right. All the clocks at home were an hour faster today
Which basically means that it is now only one o'clock in the morning
An entire hour before I’m at my max

"............I messed up again"

While I’m capable of doing many things that normal people can do most of the time, I seem to have a hereditary curse
That is I will do something incredibly stupid at the most crucial time---

"......There is nothing I can do about it now. Other than to reflect upon it"
I am angered at my own stupidity
While I simmer, I glare at the arrogant man who just reclines back

"So. Who are you?"
"Is that the first sentence came out of your mouth? Seems to me that I’ve been dragged here by some amazing Master"
The guy in the red coat, mumbling a complaint, lowers his head exaggeratedly
He even had the audacity to mutter 'what a terrible bad luck' to himself
......I can say for sure
This guy, definitely has a bad personality

"------"
Anyway, is this a Servant
I always assumed that as it is a familiar, it should be shapeless, but this looks just like a human being

......No, that isn’t right
Even just by looking, you could tell that he possesses a great amount of mana
I shouldn’t be confused by his appearance
The being before me definitely far more superior to a human; a 'soul of the dead' that reached the realm of spirits with a mortal body

"------"
I can't be overwhelmed by his imposing manner
He is mine
Now would be a good time to brainwash him

"---Just to make sure, you are my Servant, correct?"
"That is what I wanted to ask. Are you my Master? This is the first time I've seen such a barbaric summoning, so I’m still confused to be honest"

"This was my first time too. And I absolutely refuse to dignify that statement with a response"
"......Is that so? But when I was summoned, you weren't in front of me. Can you explain to me why?"
"Are you serious? It’s not as if you’re some baby that can only recognize their master when he first open their eyes, so stop kidding me"

The unnamed Servant raises his eyebrows
Was he dissatisfied with my words, or admiring them because they were completely correct? A curious response in either case.

"Never mind then. My only question remains; are you not somebody else's Servant, but mine alone? If that isn’t answered first, I won’t feel obliged to entertain any more questions"
"......So putting aside the summoning failure. At this point in time, I think there is a lot more that we can talk about"

"Nope. Mastership should be the first thing to be resolved"
"----Humph"
The Servant raises his eyebrows
Was it because of the incomplete summoning, since this guy doesn't even try to hide his dissatisfaction

"Humph. Confirming the mastership, huh? Even if you made a lot of mistakes, and seem to have a knack for talking---Ah, I agree to your suggestion then. If we cannot confirm who is stronger, and who is weaker, then there would be a problem in getting along with each other”
Still leaning back onto the rubble, the Servant gives me a strange look

"Which side is weaker......?"
"Aah. I am also a Servant, and since I am summoned by you I will acknowledge our Master-Servant relation. But, that's only on the contract. Which side is superior, to determine whether someone is worthy to be my partner is another story.---Well. On that note, do you have what it takes to be my Master, Miss"

The Servant laughs with sarcasm in his voice
Wrecking somebody's house, and then acting as if he's royalty or something, are already good enough reasons to get me into a really bad mood, and now he even dares to question my qualification to be a Master......!?

"---I am not asking for your opinion. My question remains, are you my Servant?"
I speak every word with clarity and glare at him
How can I possibly lose to a person who looks down on me?

"Oh. So that's the case, there is no need to answer an obvious question like that, yes? Such bravery. If its the attitude only, you are indeed an amazing Master---"
"I. said. don't misinterpret my question......! It is the duty of a summoner to ask for confirmation. Now answer me, are you my Servant......!?"
Expecting that kind of answer, I yell and take a step forward

"----Ugh. What a stubborn young lady, there's no way to continue the topic then. ......No way around it.
If I am indeed your Servant. Then, are you my Master? Of course, this is just hypothetical"

"Of-of course......! Since you are the Servant summoned by me, who else can be your Master besides me......!?"
I am trying as hard as I can to cool down my nearly exploding temper, and while staring at this insolent person

"Oh. If that's the case, since it's only a hypothesis, let's first pretend that it is indeed that way. So, where is the evidence that you are my Master?"
The servant is laughing with sarcasm, and saying some nonsensical
This guy must think that he can make me panic with this so-called proof of a Master

"It's right here. The proof of being your Master is this, right"
"What?"
I let him look at the command spells etched on the back of my right hand
Humph, now he can't consider me ignorant anymore
I heard many things regarding Masters from father, and of course among them are the command spells as well

"Do you understand now? Have you any other complaint?"
I stick out my proof as a Master, my face smug
The Servant who is reclining on the rubble has his eyes wide open in disbelief
"......Ugh. I can't take this anymore, are you really serious, Miss?"
In an instant, his face darkens with even more dissatisfaction

"I-I am serious, what's wrong with it?"
"Your ideas. Does having a command spell make you a Master? Command spells are merely tools to bind a Servant. What a pain, so typical of a Master to display things that are considered only formality. What I want to know is, are you really deserving of my loyalty?"

"Uh----huh"
That, that is correct as well---but when someone mentions the proof of Master, it is natural for people to assume that it is the command spells

"......So what now? Are you saying I am not qualified to be a Master?"
"How I wish it were so, but no. Since you have the command spells, my summoner must be you. ......Though it’s quite hard for me to believe, but it seems that you truly are my master"
He sighs, the Servant shrugging his shoulders in an exaggerated manner

".................."
---Oh no
My boiling point is too low, there is no chance to cool it off

"Oh well, though I’m not content with this, I’ll have to accept it regardless. In short, you are my Master. However, I’ve my own set of conditions. First of all, I am not going to follow your orders in the future. I will be calling the shots in combat, and you can just follow my lead. This is my best offer to you. No objections, Miss?"

"--------"
Ah-, Father, I cannot go on like this
I’m almost at my limit

"......Is that so? Though you’re not content with this arrangement and yet you still concede, but then again you won't follow my orders, what is the meaning of this?! You are my servant, correct?"
I ask him with a voice trembling with anger
Including the conversation about command spells, this is my last warning before I reach my tolerance

Then
"Aah, it's only formality anyway. Of course I will obey you formally. But combat is my own business. You can hide in the underground chamber of this house and stay there until the Holy Grail War ends. That way even an amateur like you can manage to stay alive"

He tells me with a scornful expression in his eyes that does not hold nor place any faith in me

"----"
"Hm, are you angry? Oh, but of course I will still respect your position. After all, I am summoned so that my Master can win. My victory is yours, and all the spoils of war will belong to you too. Now you don't have any complaints, right?"
"--------, Ugh"

"You don't know how to use command spells anyway. Oh well, leave the rest is up to me, while you just watch out for your own safety......!?"
"I am angry-----! Since you put it that way, I’m going to use it!"

"----An fang......!(Setting)"
I can’t bear it any longer, I don't have the obligation to be quarrelling with this irritating person......!

"Wha----is that......!?"
"Yes, it is, you impolite fool! Vert rag......! Ein neu er Nagel Ein neu es Gesetz Ein neu es Verbrechen---! (Announce the command spells Obey the rules of Holy Grail To this man, my Servant Enforce the laws of the Commandment"

"Fool............!? Wait, are you serious Master!? Who would use a command spell for such a thing......!"
"Silence-! List

Prologue

2nd Day

---Holy Grail War
A grand ceremony that's been repeatedly performed since a few hundred years ago
Once you join the war, you have to bet your life on the line and murder the other six for survival

Don't know when did it begin
It's only a legend, there used to be a Holy Grail on the land of Fuyou, many Mages competed with one another in the past
There was only one goal, to obtain the treasure so-called Holy Grail

However, no one can confirm the origin of the Holy Grail
We know this is not the chalice that once held the blood of Chuck Norris, but its awesome power can match that of the legendary Holy Grail easily

There's no doubt
In the legend, Holy Grail can grant any wish

However that ownership is only for one person
One Holy Grail can only grant, one man's wish
But to summon the Holy Grail on this land requires seven Mages

One miracle, and seven assistants

......To put it simply
It was only a matter of time before the war broke out

The beginning was just like all those stories about power struggle
Seven Mages share the power of Holy Grail evenly, compete with one another with Servants

Only one Mage can obtain the Holy Grail
In the end, they treated their old comrades as enemy, and began a miserable slaughter

That is the ceremony namely Holy Grail War, the battle among Mages in order to obtain Holy Grail

A Mage selected by the Holy Grail is entitled Master
Master is able to obtain powerful Servants because of the benevolence act of the Holy Grail

---There are two testaments of Master

Summons a Servant, makes him obey
And restricts the Servant, possesses three command spells

There is no need to talk about the previous
Yesterday......No, more correctly a few hours ago......the summoned Archer became my Servant
The later
The command spells that restrict the Servants must be kept to the end
This is the most important lesson as a Master

Upon summoning Archer, the emblem engrave on my right hand
Is the command spells
The stigmata obtained through Holy Grail, the testament of Masters that appears upon the summoning of a Servant

The engravement that condense formidable magical power, is not eternal, but ephemeral
Just as the pattern suggested, one stroke symbolize one time, it disappears once used
In another word, there are only three chances
Master who lost the three command spells would not be able to make the Servant obey him, and have to face death

......Therefore
Command spells are like one's life, should be treated sincerely until the end
It's really a pain to cast away one command spell this early, but at least it didn't completely go to waster
However you put it, it's no surprise for Servants to betray their Masters at any given time
Fasten a collar around his neck with just one command spell is by mere luck

......Enough highlightings

When seven Servants are gathered, the war will begin
By that time I won't be able to sleep well
I have no idea when will the last Master show up, but it should be soon, so----

[----]

"Hm----it's already, morning......?"
......So tired
I look outside of the window with dizziness, the sun is already out

"......It's already passed nine......this is not a matter of tardiness anymore......"
I look at the alarm clock half asleep, mumbles let's not go to school today, and then nods to myself

"......Body is so heavy......must be at least one half times heavier than usual"
I wake up from bed, breath deeply
......The reason my body is this tired is not because of my problem with waking up in the morning
That Archer mentioned before
Magus who just summoned a Servant cannot move around freely

"----Oh right. I summoned Archer instead of Saber"
Now I recall everything clearly
Of course if it's possible, I don't want to recall this, but even if I refuse, there's still no way to repeat everything again

"......Does it require an entire day for regenerating magical power. Let's try it out today"
I crawl out of my nest slowly
......Battling with the relatively warm air for winter, and the desire to crawl back to my bed
After taking out the temptation of going back to sleep, I make sure there's nothing wrong with me physically in front of a figure mirror. Other than there is only half of the normal magical power flowing inside of my body

"---Anyway, it's impossible to have anything wrong"
In brief, I want to take this chance to confirm the current situation
The Servant I summoned was Archer
An impolite individual that insults his own summoner and Master
And he doesn't even know who he is
......Aw. My head suddenly starts to hurt

"......Is his Noble Phantasm sealed off before he recovers his memories......You can't use it as long as you can't remember what it is"

Granted Servants already are very capable familiars, but the reason why they are the strongest, is because all of them possess a powerful 'last resort'

Unfortunately, Archer said he couldn't remember his last resort

"---Oh well, it's my fault too, just have to think of something"

Unmistakeably, we are both in this together
I can only pray for him to at least organize his distorted memories already, but it doesn't seem to be any time soon

......Honestly
I see so much trouble ahead of us----

[----]

"......Wow. I am impressed"
Living room looks exactly the same as before
I only hoped he could at least tidy up the rubbles, but to recover to this point, I am deeply touched beyond admiration

Maybe that guy did mind what he has done to the living room. Otherwise he wouldn't push it this far
Should I say this is praise-worthy, or he is a really nice guy----

"Sun has been up there for a while now. You are so clumsy"
".................."
I take back my words
There is nothing about this shameless guy worth praising

"---Morning. Aren't you relaxed. Just messing around with other people's living room casually"
"How so, I already stayed over for a night. I can pretty much tell where everything is. Aah, I tidied up the kitchen by the way. I thought it would be a bit more sloppy, but it turned out to be a very well organized kitchen. Very high class for a single unit mansion"

".................."
My head hurts
Why do I have to let a Servant examining my house's arrangement
Aren't Servants a lot that don't think of anything else besides fighting
is this guy really not a defect among Servants

"I see, it seems you are not completely awake yet. Though you were very spirited yesterday, but started to feel weariness after sleeping, right. ---Hm. Drink it if you like black tea"
He figured out my house without my consent
Archer stands up, take out a new tea cup in one smooth motion, brewing black tea that surfaces an elegant red color

"--------"
There are many things I can criticize, but for some inconceivable reason I don't feel like interrupting
Archer's sequence of movements are very well-trained, hm, I guess you can call him agile

"......Whatever. It's true that I am tired, I will drink it all right"
I sit down on a chair
The tea cup is passed over silently, I take a sip

----Ah, so delicious

Of course, this is the spring pick Chinese black tea. The most delicious one of my favorite tea-leaves
I would be angry if it was not brewed properly
Then again, I would be angry if my favorite tea-leaves are brewed without my consent
......Hm
Angry is one thing, but it was brewed so well, I am filled with joy before giving any complaint

"Heh. Heh heh"
"......Hold on. What are you laughing at"
"Nothing, I was waiting for some feedback, but thought there was no point to ask after looking at your expression"
"----!"
Clang, I put down the tea cup on table

"What a shame. It tastes better while it's hot. If you think I am a eyesore, I can just disappear"
"Thanks for the kind welcome, but no thanks. I am not a Master looking for some servant boys to brew tea. You too, don't mind things out of your duty"

"Is that so. True, I didn't sign the contract to brew tea and do house cleaning. Since you mention it, I will be more careful from now on"
"Hm. What I need is a familiar that can fight. Never heard of a Servant that is good at housework, and there's no special need to do it"

"? No special need, what does that mean"
"Nothing. Whatever you think it means. More importantly---have you recalled your real identity yet?"

Archer shakes his head
......Sure enough, the problem is very serious
If he can't recall it after a night, meaning it's not so simple. Even if we can work on many experiments today, but still----

"I see, I will think of ways to retreat your memories. Get prepared, Archer, we are going out. You are still unfamiliar with this city after just summoning here, right? I will guide you through the streets"
"Get prepared? No, that's not necessary. I can move out at any moment"

"Are you sure you can go out with this outfit? It stands out so much, other Masters can tell you are a Servant right away with one glance, no. I can't just announce that I am a Master by myself, right?"

"Aah, that. That's no big deal either. I do have to change, but that's only when I am materialized. Servants are in spirit forms to begin with. It reduce the burdens of the Master to return to spirit forms while not fighting"

"Ah, so that's the case. Summoned Heroic Spirits are still spirits. The power to materialize the spirit forms are provided by the Masters, if I cut down the supply"

"Naturally, we will return to spirit forms. Thus Servants can be something like a guardian angel. No one can observe us besides the Master that is connected with us through a thread of mana. But, there is no problem for scouting, because we can still converse"

"Wow, so convenient. Then it must be really hard to find other Masters"
"Aah. But Magi can sense other Magi, right? Servants can sense other Servants as well. If a Servant is well-acquainted with Magecrafts, he can grasp the exact location of another Servant from afar"

Archer is right
Masters are originally outstanding Magi
A Magus with powerful Magecraft can sense mana easily
But as far as I know, there is no one with such power in this town

"Humph......So, how about you? Do you know the locations of other Servants?"
"Master, have you forgotten my attribute. Is it possible for a knight to look for enemy faraway"
......Enough, that's true
Archer doesn't have strong magical power
The kind of magical power that search for enemies faraway, is probably only possessed by a Magus class Servant

"I see. Just follow me for the time being then, Archer. I will show you the world in which you were summoned"
"Doesn't seem to be interesting. ---Above all. Master, did you forget something very important"
"Huh? What important thing?"
"......Seriously. You are not fully awake yet. The most important exchange regarding the contract, we are not done yet"

"The most important exchange regarding contract---?"
Equivalent exchange?
No, the Servant's reward is joining Grail War
We shouldn't have anything else that need to be exchanged---

"......You. Are very clumsy in the morning, indeed"
Archer appears to be very astonished
That sarcastic tone reminds me of one thing
......Now that I think about it
This guy, has not called my name yet

"---Ah. Shoot, name"
"Finally remember it. Oh well, it's not too late for now. Master, what is your name? What should I call you from now on"
Archer seems to be throwing a tantrum

----Surely. This guy, is a nice guy

Hm, it's for sure
Because there is no real meaning behind exchanging names
Servant and Master are forced to be in this situation because of the command spells
If it's only a contract with ordinary familiars, exchanging names has a important meaning, but Master and Servant don't need this sort of intimidates affection

But Archer did refer to it as an important thing
That's different from command spells, it's purely a proof of trusting each other in tomorrow's battles

".........I, am Tohsaka Rin. You can call me however you want"
I hide my true emotions, purposely speaking in an indifferent tone

......Enough, it is easier for some outsider like you to call me Master, this guy will definitely stick with this too
But
Archer after pronouncing 'Tohsaka Rin,' as if he's grinding the words in his mouth
"Then Rin it is. ......Aah, actually this sound matches you pretty well"
Saying something so exaggerated
"--------"
"Rin? What's wrong, the color of your face seems strange"
"----Shut, shut up! Let's hurry, Archer! A, anyway there's no time to be at ease......!"

Making a Humph sound, I turn my face to walk outside
I don't want to accept this. I don't know what it is, but I just don't want to accept this
That Archer, did he say that so he can make me feel like this

"......It's possible. It's definitely possible if it's from that guy"
Yeah, this must be it
All the blushing on my face and increased heart beats are that guy's evil plan
Watch out for it, Rin
You are going to work with some dishonest man from now on

[----]

I take Archer outside
To the city we live in, Fuyuki City is made of two very large towns
Made of streets and roads from the old time, here is Miyama town
And across from a river, the developing modernized New City

My house is on an ancient street, close to Miyama town

Miyama town can be divided into two large sections

On one side is for the early foreign immigrants, near the Western style streets
Then the other side, the Japanese style residential area is lean close to the mountains

Since both sides are on the hills, I guess you can call here outskirts
The street sandwiched by the Western style and Japanese style is rather ordinary
How ordinary

This ordinary

This is where Miyama town forks out, from here to my house is the hill road of the Western residential area
The other side is the hill roads of the Japanese style residential area
Passing the neighboring town New City's bridge, school, shopping district, and finally arriving at the Ryudo Temple on the mountain

And here, is the main bridge connecting New City and Miyama town

A few years ago New City built a stupendous train station, it's been developing rapidly
Though located in the same city, Miyama town and New City can be viewed as different towns

The name Fuyuki City, or Winter Wood, seems to come from the long winter season
So to speak, the winter season in this town is really long
However, on the other hand, the climate here is very warm, the February of Fuyuki is about the same temperature as elsewhere's December
Some hot springs will probably gush out if you just dig around randomly

Then again, this weather is not cold enough to qualify for a hot spring district
Winters pass by casually in Fuyuki town, without realizing, it's already spring in April, the climate here is just odd like this

The appearance of New City is as such
Rapidly developing streets, only built more and more office buildings and edifices as if it's catching up to something, eventually it became an artificial city
This just took place in the span of a decade
The residential areas were burned down in the fire ten year ago
Edifices were built to take advantage of that, since the land became unsuitable for men to live

--------And so
Here, is the center of that fire

"This is the park of New City. I intend to walk around starting from this place, what do you think?"
I talk to the one besides me, Archer
Of course there's no sign of his presence anywhere

"---Quite a spacious park. But there aren't many people around, is there a reason"
"Does it seem that way? Hm, there is a legend in this place"

I turn around in a circle, looking at the park
With such an enormous land, the park should be the playground of local children naturally
But only a handful of people show up, there's only air flowing around leisurely

"It happened ten years ago. There was a huge fire in this region. The fire continued to burn for a whole day, until it started to rain.
After that, though the City was able to restore itself, but this place never changed. The field that was burned down, nothing is here, a perfect place for a park"

"--------"
Archer says nothing
I can't see his expression to say the least, but I can tell he sense something extraordinary

"......You seem to notie it. Sure enough, this is where the final battle took place in the last Grail War.
I don't know how exactly, but the Grail War was brought to an end here.
"---I see. No wonder this place is filled with regrets"

"Humph. You can tell?"
"Servants are also spirits. Its existence is very close to regret, and determination. Therefore we are very sensitive to strong emotions. There are places in town that have a similar thickness, but this place is special. Here looks just like Reality Marble to us"
Without lingering, Archer speaks of a rare vocabulary

----Reality Marble, or Innated Bounded Field
The goal of many Mages, it's said to be the closest Magecraft to Magic
In the most recent couple hundreds of years, 'Field' is thought to be seals that protect Mages
Simply put, it's some ultimate home security systems

Reinforce one's land and buildings, protecting oneself and keeping away the enemy is a Field
At most it is only a variation of reinforcing 'something that's already existed'

But Innated Bounded Field is different
Innated Bounded Field, is an imagination to erode reality
Materializing the Mage's inner world---the shape of mind, and conceal reality
Such Field is named Innated Bounded Field

A broad range spell that----manipulates the world according to the thoughts of Mages
No, creating and changing according to the thought of Mages

"Rin? What's wrong, are you daydreaming?"
"Eh......? No, just a little surprise. Reality Marble, even though you are only an Archer, but to know such a rare vocaburary"
"Is it strange to know such thing"

"Isn't it. Reality Marble to Mages, is the taboo of taboos, and the essence of essences. There's no reason for an Archer like you to know"
Am I right? I question him with my eyes
Then I hear a very loud sigh besides me

"Rin. Heros are people who specialize in both swordsmanship and Magecraft. If you think just because I am an Archer so I can only use bow and arrows is your own freedom, but please don't be so optimistic toward other Servants as well"
......Aw.
True, that's how it is

"I, I get it already. That was a brash comment. I will be careful next time, end discussion"
"....... Rin, let me say this straightforwardly. You are certainly talented, but your drawback is underestimating others. You must retrain yourself before reaching adulthood"

Re, retrain? As in retraining horses that have weird habits......!

"Oh, that was rude of me. I am not implying Rin is a Bronco. It's just a figure of speech that resembles the image most truthfully"
"Aah, that's even worse----, ouch......!?"
Without warning, my right hand starts to hurt

"----Rin?"
"............Hold on, don't open your mouth Archer"
The command spells engraved on my right hand is in pain
As if reminding the Master, a sluggish warning
"----Someone is watching us"
"Hm"

......I extend my senses to the surrounding
Cover the region with threads braided by my consciousness, searching for the enemy through park
"......I can't locate him. How about you, Archer?"

"---Very difficult. I can't even sense its sight"
"......In another word, the one watching us is a Master"

I have no idea who this guy is, but if Archer can't sense him, the opponent should be a Master
Even though not all seven are gathered yet, but you can start the war whenever you want
Does this guy spying on me intended to start a skirmish---

"......Comand spells are reacted to other command spells. If it's a Master, you can sense him when you meet him face to face. But this way, you can identify the opponent as well, right?"

"Hm. But a high ranking spellcaster is able to to conceal his own power. Command spells are reacting to each other because of the magical power. If the Master who is the source, turns off the magical circuit voluntarily, then it would be extremely difficult to find"

"......So troublesome. Then, is it fine just let him know our location"
"True. I can probably find some device to conceal my own power if I look for it in my house, but---"
"There is no need?"
"Correct. The opponent will approach me if I don't conceal, right? This is a lot easier than to find them"
"----"
Is he astonished, Archer becomes dead silent

"......What is it. Do you want to say don't overestimate myself?"
Thinking back on our conversation earlier, I ask him
Archer answers no way, and then

"You are the strongest in your way. Aah, just let those boring stalkers do what they want"

Archer says so as he trying to hold back the laughters

......Not exactly flattered by Archer's words, we just walk around the town like this without any concealment

Passed the relevant spots, lost the stalker, done with dinner along the way, then came to the final destination
After walking for a long time, the time already passed seven at night
At this hour, our next site should have the best view

[---]

The wind is blowing
The highest edifice of New City
Looking down the streets from all the way up here, marks the end of today well

"How about it? Isn't the sight fantastic, Archer"
"......Man. I really sympathize with the man accompanying you in the future. That's some stamina"
"Huh? What did you say, Archer?"
"Just a little honest opinion. ...This is a great place. If we come here the first place, there wouldn't be a need to walk around"

"What are you talking about. Sure the sight here is not bad, but you can only see the overview of the town from here, isn't it.
How can you know the structure of the town if you don't go there physically"
"---That's not always true. Archer class is not just for show. An Archer can't work properly if he doesn't have good eyesight"

"Really? Then can you see my house from here, Archer?"
"No, it's impossible for me to see the next town. At most to the bridge. I can count the number of ceramic tiles on there"

"No way, ceramic tiles as in the ceramic tiles on that bridge......!?"
This is not a matter of good eyesight anymore. This is on the level of those binoculars that often installed on the roof

"I am shocked. Archer really is an Archer"
"......Rin. Though I doubt it, but you are not taking me for a fool, are you"
"How's that possible. It's just that though you are an Archer, but you don't seem to go well with bow and arrows, I was a little confused"
"That's a very problem opinion. I will ask you again when we go back"

Does Archer really enjoy the views here, he became silent afterward
Perhaps he is grasping the structure of the town
......I shouldn't hinder his precocious investigation
I leave Archer's side, for the other end of the edifice

"--------"
All my sight can see, is the lighted region directly underneath this edifice
The headlights of moving vehicles are flowing around, there are only people going home after works spotted on the sidewalk
I can't tell what kind of vehicles those are, and who are those people

It's a state of barely seeing them, but can't see clearly
The same as not long ago, when I noticed I was spied, but can't see the opponent

"----At least, one of them is based in New City"
I concentrate my mind on looking at the ground
......In total, there are seven Masters
Who are these people, and what Servants they have are still unclear
For the time being, all the Masters should be wondering around in the town gathering the intelligences of other Masters

"---?"
Suddenly, I sense someone's looking at me
No reaction coming from command spells
Just simply, a look at me

"Down below----?"
I look at the ground
......There are crowd of people walking back and forth on the streest
Among them, there is one man
This man appears to be overlooking the moon, raises his head and looks at me

".................."
I can't determine who he is exactly
Though can't determine exactly, but I do recognize him
......I am shocked
That guy, what is he doing at a time like this

"Rin. Did you spot an enemy"
Does he notice the killing intents coming from me, Archer speaks

"---No. Just someone I know of. Just a commoner, he is no concern of us"
I reply without hiding my angers, leave that place immediately
There is no way anyone can see me from the ground level
That guy probably raises his head to look at the edifice by chance
There's no way for him to make out of me

......It's just
I felt nervous when I was seen by that guy as a Mage

When we return to Miyama town, it's already passed nine
Miyama town is different from New City, it has always been a residential area
You can't see a ghost after nine at night, inside the town is quiet like midnight

"That's that. You understand most of the town's structure?"
"......Hm? Oh, I understand the town's structure. Just need to grasp it gradually"
"Then let's stop here for today. I am still not fully-recovered yet, let's rest at my place"

I step on the relaxing hillroad
......At this time
There seems to be some shadows before us
"......Aah, Sakura......?"
Shoot
Right now is not a good time to meet with her

"Rin. What are you hiding for"
"Shush! ......Uh, um, it's an acquaintance. I don't want to meet her since I didn't go to school today"
I observe the shadows before us, as I talk

The ones on the road are
The first year student that I know
And a foreigner I've never seen

Appearently they are having a conversation
......Not really, only the foreigner is talking, the female student doesn't seem to enjoy it

"Rin, is the foreigner your acquaintance?"
"No, no idea. There are many Western mansions around here, he's probably here for vacations?"
After this, I reflect upon myself, don't loosen up just from dealing something related that child

"......Archer. Is that guy, a human?"
"Don't know. He should be a human since he has real body. At least not a Servant"
"......That's true. He is not a Master either, perhaps it's just a lovers' quarrel"
......However, I also know that child is not a girl who would have troubles with men

"Both are gone. The female went on the hillroad. The male----"
The man with blonde hair, left from the road we came up

[----]

"All yours. I am going to sleep, any question?"
"Nothing in particular. Your decision of avoiding fighting for now is correct. Tonight should be used to recover the magical power"
"Hm. Then tommorow, please make the red tea same as this morning"

The moment I returned to my room, all the fatigues came over me at once
"----Oh yeah. I have to contact Kireibefore going to bed"
That whining priest
He should be preparing the back up Mages by now
I don't really care about that, but he is my guardian afterall. I have to return some favors in the least

"Phone, phone......"
I press the dial number on my handset phone
The fake priest pick it up immediately

"Kirei? It's me, I made a contract with Archer yesterday. Please register me as an official Master"
"..............."
A slight silent
From the pressure of Kirei's silent, even the receiver feels heavier

"......Fine. Then what are you going to do. Are you not going to visit here even once. Your parents leave something here in my custody. They ask me to hand over to you when you become a Master, or before full-grown"

"Aah, you mean the will of father? I already decipher that so it's not needed anymore. Then, I will come by when I want to, see you"
"Hold on. Rin, since you become a Master----"
I hang up the phone before listening to the end
If I have to listen to Kirei's lecture in this tiresome state, even the magical power can't be recovered

"---And then. It's time to wrap it all up......."

There's only going to bed after that
After I wake up, the morning will be different from the past
......Because ten years ago
The Grail War father joined as a Master, and defeated
I will soon be engulfing in that war

Prologue

3rd Day

After breakfast, I clearly stated the policy from now on

"Are you going to school?"
"Uh huh. You got a problem with it, Archer"
"......Not really, but"

Archer hesitates, but doesn't go againt it
After yesterday whole day, he already understand that Tohsaka Rin is not someone who would going back on her own decisions
He doesn't say, but Archer though enjoys being sarcastic, but he is also honest, and he wouldn't say another word once he agrees to something

Hm. In another word, he is a clumsy loyalist
This is the conlcusion I arrived at after observing Archer yesterday for an entire day, but it's only an intuition though

"Rin. After you become a Master, you must be on guard for other Masters the whole time. School, is not exactly a location that is good for guarding against ambushes"

"That's not true. Listen, Archer? I do not intend to change my life style because of becoming a Master. In addition, battles between Masters should be avoid attracting notices from public, right? I wouldn't be attacked if I am inside of school, with that many people"

"......Is that right. I can only obey if that's what Rin decided. But, at least let me protect you in spirite form. You wouldn't let me stay here while you are away, are you"

"Of course. Not only in school, you should be right beside me everytime I walk out of this door. It's the Servant's duty to protect their Masters, I am in your debts"
"I am reassured by your words. Replying one's trust is the duty of a knight, please expect as much as possible"

"However, Rin. This is only an assumption, if there are enemies in that safe place, what then"
"? What, you mean assuming there are Masters inside school already?"
"Correct. Indeed people other than students and teachers would be difficult to enter school buildings, but wouldn't it be troublesome if there are already Masters inside"

"That's not possible. The only Magus clans in this town are the Tohsakas, and another clan. But that clan has been in a downfall since long time ago, they can't become Masters either"

"How do you know they can't become Masters"
"I know, because if there are Magus clans beside of the Tohsakas, surely I confirmed it already. That guy didn't become a Master, the heir of that clan doesn't even have the mana to become a Master, that's why it's not possible"

"I see, which means there is one more Magus in Rin's school. But he doesn't have the power to become a Master?"

"That's right. I supposed all the other Masters would come from other places. Those people couldn't possibly come to school, right"
"......True enough, for now. But Rin, there is an exception to every rule. If there is a Magus in the school that you're not awared of, what then"

"I already told you there's none. Magi are sensitive to their own kind. We stayed in the same school for a whole year, I will sense another Magus's existence no matter how well he conceals them. I can say for sure, there are only two Magi in our school. One of them is me, the other once is a novice who doesn't have enough mana to beome a Master. You understand now? You are worring too much, Archer. That kind of scenario is impossible"

"I said it was an asumption. There are usually more than one side to things. Things that are impossible by nature happen is also fate. If things turn out that way, don't blame it on me"

Humph, Archer laughed dryly
......That attitude ticks me off, but if I keep talking to him I would be late

"How can that happen. Assumption are called assumptions because they don't happen. If it turns out that way, that just means my ability to examine my surroundings is still immature"

"Okay, I did hear that. Be on your way, Rin. It takes you thirty minutes to school, it's about time if you don't leave now you won't make it"

[----]

"I am in shock. The assumption comes true"
"Aah, I am surprised as well. Assume the worst situations for everything. I can't believe it acutally help"

Through the front gate of school, we throw jokes at each other
Students heading classrooms are all around us
It's almost time for the beginning of homeroom
Among the crowd that hurries toward classrooms, Archer and I stand still at one stroke

"This is not just a matter of dense air. The Field is already set, isn't it?"
"Not complete still, but it's setting up already. To this bombastic extent, some formidable......"

"Complete amatuer. Field that can be noticed so easily is only third-rate. If you really want to set one up, the first-rate should conceal it until finish"
"---So. What do you think, Rin"

"No idea. I shouldn't care whether it's first-rate or third-rate. Someone dares to mess around in my domain with something this cheap, needless to say, I will defeat him"

I snort and go across the school campus
As long as it's a Magus, I don't plan to pretty things up. But to the guy that sets up this Field, I won't be satisfied untill I return him what he deserves

[----]

By the end of fourth period, on my way back from the music classroom
I see a first year student walking unsteadily on the hallway
The first year student seems to be carrying some portfolios, just from looking at it feels dangerous

"Let me help, Sakura"
"Eh----?"
"Ah, Tohsaka, senpai----"
"What's this, lecture notes? World History, isn't it taught by our homeroom teacher.That Kuzuki, what is he thinking to let a female student runs errand for him. Come, share me half of it"

"Ah............Yes. Thank you, senpai"
"No problem, no problem. So is this, going to Sakura's class?"
"......No, it's to Kuzuki sensei's. He said there is a misspelled word so all of these are going to be recycled"

"......I get it now. Kuzuki is very inflexible. He would stop an exam because of a typo"
"......? Exam, as in an exam for the entire school?"

"That's right, it was the midterm last year. When everyone was focusing on filling out the answer sheet, he just walked in, said there was a misspelled word in a question, the exam was postponed until the day after tomorrow, like it was nothing. Not only us were shocked, even the teachers were shocked, it's still a popular topic today"

"That's very like Kuzuki-sensei. Sensei is standing on a educator's point of view, can't afford any errors"
"In Kuzuki's case, it's overkill. Sakura will see what I mean soon, Kuzuki is as upright as mountains"

"Ha ha. Tohsaka-senpai seems to like Kuzuki-sensei. It's rare for senpai to say something like this"
"Is it? ......Hm, it's true if Kuzuki can be a bit more flexible......"
......But I also feel, that teacher is fine with the way he is

Some teachers in our school are very intimated to students, and others are feared by the students
Because the balance is maintained so well, I don't consider the strictness of Kuzuki-sensei a bad thing. It's like the whip in candy and whip

"Oh well, you will have more chances to meet with Kuzuki. That guy listens to reason, too. ......By the way, Sakura. Can I ask you something?"
"Eh? What is it, senpai"
"It's about yesterday. Did Sakura talk to some foreign stranger?"

"Ah......Did sen, senpai see it"
"By chance. Who is that. Do you know him?"
"......No. That's, someone I am not familiar with. That man, seems to be lost. Though he asked me many questions, but I couldn't understand what he was trying to tell me, that......" Aah, and then she ran away

"So that's it. Sorry, I was just curious"
"No, it's okay. ......To here is fine, senpai. I just need to take this to the teacher afterwards"
"Is that so. Then see you"
I return the lecture notes to Sakura
I intended to walk back to my class right after this but I linger a little longer

"Sakura, how are you doing recently?"
"Uh......fine, there's no problem. I am very energetic"
"......Really. If Shinji did something again just tell me. That guy doesn't know when to stop, silent will only make things worse"

"No problem, don't worry about me senpai. Brother, is very gentle recently"
......Sakura talks while smiling, I can't even say anything
I bid so long again, turn my back against my acquainted kouhai

[----]

The day ends
The number of shadows of students are decreasing, the school buildings are becoming dusted
Sunset is coming soon
When the crimson sunset falls, night comes, there shouldn't be anyone stay in school

"It's beginning, Archer. First of all, the precocious investigation of the Field. After investigating what kind of Field it is, then decide whether to destroy or leave it alone"
I talk to the invisible partner
Did Archer get it, I sensed his nods replying to me

Field as in something protecting the spell casters
More accurately, a net fabricated with mana spread out on the ground, a terrain Magecraft that process inwardly
There are a thousand different kinds of effects inside a Field
From an intercepting Field that block the sights of outsiders, to limit Magecraft inside the Field, there are all sorts
There are also Fields for attacking purpose, that oppress the living activities inside the Field

The Field set in school is such kind
It's not finish yet, but once it's finish, all the people in school will fall unconscious

However, it has no influence on me
Field is nothing but something, that doesn't interfere with me as an individual, but only interfere with the environment I am in
This sort of indirect interference of magical power, is ineffective against Magi that already have mana flowing inside their bodies
For the faint electric currents floating in the air, are bounced off before even touch me, the powerful electric currents

Therefore, there is an alternative purpose of this Field
Though I have no idea who is setting up the Field in this school, but that guy's goal is not defeating Masters
Though hard to believe, that guy is making everyone inside the school his targets
......There is only reason to do this
I still doubt it, but that guy----

After close investigation inside the school building, we arrived at the rooftop in the end
Outside has already completely fallen into darkness
It's already passed the curfew, at six, the time is eight
There are only me, and the Archer in spirit form beside me stay in school

"Is this the seventh one. Looks like here is the starting point"
The seal is drawn with seven strokes on the rooftop fragrantly
The red-and-purple-ish script that only be seen by Magi, is written in a style I have never seen, and I never heard anyone uses them to carve a seal

"......I am beat. There is no way I can't erase this with my hands"
The guy that set up this Field didn't plan out anything
Though he didn't plan out anything, but this Field is a Magecraft of a different rank
I can eliminate the mana on this seal temporarily, however the seal itself will not be eliminated
The spell caster can revive this Field by re-activating here with mana

"--------"

Archer said nothing
......Since he saw the seal on the rooftop, perhaps he noticed the reality of this Field
This Field is not for depriving physical strength
Once activate, people inside of the Field will be literally 'melted'

Some Fields deprive the physical strength and vitality from the people inside
But, the Field set up in school now is a special case
This is a soul-eating Field. It's a blood fort that melts the human bodies inside of the Field, and then collects the straining souls forcibly

Since ancient times, souls are a difficult matter to deal with
It is an essential element for Magecrafts, however there is only one Magus can be certain of the souls

Souls can only stay as the 'things that investigate the contents', or 'things to be exchange inside the container'
To extract that thing continuously, and concentrate on one single spot is unreasonable
Because, even if these non-interchangeable energies are concentrated, Magi have no use of them
The only meaningful way of using it, would be

"Archer. You are made of that things, aren't you?"
Unconsciously, I ask with an indifferent tone

"......Just as you deducted. I already mentioned that we are essentially spirits. Our food are either the second, or the third element. Such as yourselves take nutrients through meat, Servant take vitality and souls as nutrients. Our basic attributes will not raise even if we absorb nutrient, however we become stronger the more we absorb---as in our reservoir of mana will be filled up"

......Without a doubt
To strengthen one's own Servant, the best way would be attacking humans blindly

"---Did you mean to say there is not enough mana supply from the Master?"
"Enough, but not to the point of filling up. In times of need, cover the shortcoming with supply goods, such is war. Seize the energies from surrounding humans is the basic strategy of a Master. From this standpoint, the Field is definitely efficiency"

"--------"
What Archer is saying, is in order to win must acquire the power from murdering men
What a simpleton
That kind of thing, I knew it as well
Which is why, I intended to decide on the road I am going to take by myself

"That makes me angry. Don't ever repeat it again, Archer"
I say this as I look at the seal carved on the floor
Archer for some reason, is a little agitated
"Same here. I don't intend on resorting this way as well"
Like so, stress his reply

"......And next. Let's get rid of this. Though there's no use, but we can at least hold it back a little while"
I stick out my left hand, near the seal drawn on the floor
The magical mark on my left hand is the 'Book of Magecraft' passed down from the Tohsakas

Click, I turn on the switch of my conscience
I pass the mana through magical mark, enchant a verse of spells, all it left for me to do is activate the spell in one swift strike

"Abzug Bedienung Mittelstnda(Dispel. Operation of extraction, the second verse)"
My left hand is close to the ground, I pour in the mana at once
This way I can wash away the color of this seal---

"What the. Was it erased, what a shame"

Unexpectedly
As if holding me back from erasing the seal, the voice of a third person sounded

"----!"
I stand up at once, turn my head
On the water tower
From ten meters higher, that guy lowers his gaze at me

A dark blue that melts into the night
The corner of his mouth lifts up, brutally, the scent of a beast is spreading the winds
......The sights of the beast is ice-cold
A man with a blue body, under the peculiar conditions, he looks at me as if I am his long time friend---

"---Did you, do this?"
"No. It's the Magi's job to do little tricks. We just fight following the orders. Isn't that right, my buddy over there?"

"----!"
His voice is frivolous, but full of killing intents
This man, can see Archer......!

[----]

"As I expected, a Servant......!"
"That's right. The Miss that knows I am a Servant, may I treat you as my enemy?"
"-----"
My back breaks out in a cold sweat
The frivolous voice of that man, does not sound like he is taking it seriously
But for some reason, those words are colder than anything I heard before, horrid to the point of making me feel like vomit---

"--------"
Not sure how to act, not sure what to do
But, my rational mind is telling me, do not fight this guy over here----!

"......Oh. Very impressive, you caught it even though you don't seem to know much. Aa-h, this means failure. I did not speak up just for the fun of it"
The man raises his hand
"--------"
In an instant
The hand that had nothing previously
Is holding a lethal weapon, colored in red, two meters in length

"Ah--------!"
Body is jumping to the side faster than thoughts
There is no time to think about the danger of jumping at full steam on the rooftop
It is simply a spare no efforts, endeavor jump that smashes the body to the metal grid......!

The whirlwinds puff up my hair
---Literally in a hairsbreadth
That thing thrusts in an instant, mercilessly cuts up the metal grid, along with the space where I were

"Ha, your legs are pretty fast, Miss......!"
---The blue whirlwinds are tracing me
There is no room for maneuver
My back is metal grid, left, right---No way, there is no way I can make it......!

"Es ist gros, Es ist klein............!!(Lighten, Gravitation)"
With a quick reaction
I activate the magical circuit on my left hand, compelte a short verse of Magecraft
The lighten of body and the adjusting of gravity
In a flash, My body turns to feather-weight and jumps----

"Rin......!"
"I know, you take care of it......!"
I fly across the metal grid, falling from the rooftop

"----"
Wind pressure and gravity is pulling the body
There is fifteen meters left to the ground, 1.7 seconds until landing----Too slow, I will definitely
get caught up by that guy......!

"vox Gott Es Atlas----!(Adduce from the Commandments, return pressure to the ground......!)
Archer, take care of the landing......!"

"----, Huh----!"
The impacts from landing is canceled out by Archer, the moment my feets touch the ground I start to run
---I have to change the battle field
Not somewhere cramped like the rooftop, but a place where we can move more feely
We have to shift to somewhere with no obstructions, where Archer and I can bring our strengths into full play......!

"Huh, huh----!"
From rooftop to campus, took me not even seven seconds
With a distance beyond one hundred meters, is a speed that only leaves a trail of afterimages in a commoner's eyes

But, this kind of speed

"Hey, that's some feet of yours. It's shame to finish you off right here and now"

To Servants, are meaningless

"Archer-----!"
At the same moment I step back, Archer materialzes in front of me
A clouded night
On Archer's hand, is a single short sword that minutely reflects the moonshines

"---Hey"
The man's lips crooked in a way that make others feel uncomfortable
"......Very good, this is the way to do things. I don't like ignorant fools"
The whirlwind is blowing
......The lethal weapon swang on the rooftop, the one that desired to murder me mercilessly, the lance that is crimson as blood
---

"Servant, Lancer----"
"No doubt. Then your Servant should be Saber......or not. Who are you"
The laid back attitude just now has vanished completely
Even facing with the creature of solidified killing intents, namely Lancer, Archer still hasn't spoken a word

......The distance between those two are not even five meters
The lethal weapon on Lancer's hand comes near two meters
For the man that emitting the scent of a beast, I don't supposed the rest of the three meters mean anything to him at all

"......Humph. You are not the type to solo out front. Must be an Archer"
Archer remains silence in the face of a mock as well
A strange confrontation between red and blue
The similar yet different knights of twin colours, are already speculating each other's last resort

"......Very well, though I am not fond of you, but since we met there's only one way to end this. Come, take out your weapons, Archer. Despite my looks, I do care about proprieties, I will wait for you"
"--------"
Archer does not reply
There is nothing to say to a enemy that must be defeated
As if his back, that resembles iron and steel, is saying such

"----"
Then I notice at last
......Silly me. Archer is only waiting for my words

"Archer"
I keep the distance, speak to the sight of his back
"I will not help you. Let me see what you are made of"

"----Heh"
Is he smiling
As if echoing my words, he raises the corner of his lips, the crimson knight moves in an unspeakable speed

The whirlwinds become a storm
He is dashing while carrying a short sword in red like a bullet

"----Imbecile!"

The head-on shot of lance
If the dashing Archer is like a storm, then the intercepting point of the lance can be called the divine wind

The rushing blade, one blow
Thrust out with a high speed, is parried off by Archer's short sword

"--------!"
The red cape is blocked
His enemy would not allow Archer to dash within the range of the lance, not even a mere two meters radius
For weapons of great length and size, keep a distance from your enemy is common sense
Lancer, who carries a weapon nearly two meters long, only needs to counter-attack an enemy who enters his range
Because it's much easier to penetrate an intruding enemy than be on the offense

However, apparently he is not abided by common sense
Lancer shorten the distance by himself, he doesn't even allow Archer's advancement

"Fool, what kind of Archer dares to challenge me on a melee battle----!"
That attitude, is like flames
Lancer cuts down the distance with one blow after another, without knowing when to stop

......For weapons of great length and size, shorten distance is suicidal
Take advantage of long distance to suppress the enemy, dominating the field is the way of a Lancer
There is no chance of winning for Lancer, who keeps approaching

"----No way"
That is after all, only a common sense
Throat, shoulder, between the eyebrows, heart, Lancer's consistent thrusts are without a break
Not an interval for rebound

Even the afterimages are vanishing, such speed
Each blow forces Archer to spring aside, pushing him back, the lance of Lancer, just might claim anyone's life with one thrust

Even though an Archer, he's not just anyone, he's also a Servant
Common techniques are not possible to take him out.......!

"Humph----!"
Deflects the lance points at between his eyebrows, Archer steps forward with the same speed as Lancer's lance

---Even though from a epithetic perspective, Lancer is focusing on thrusting, but the basic strategy for lance really is brandishing a pole weapon with a wide range, that's nearly impossible to dodge

If you can't retreat fast enough, you can't escape from the lance, if you attemp to counter and give up dodging, your abdomen will be cut open in no time
Even if you can manage to approach him, once you are smashed by the pole, your ribs will be pulverized without too much effort
Archer and Lancer have a similar build
On top of that, Archer is not armed with heavy armors, to step within the radius of a lance---the attacking range filled with swings like cyclones

---However, thrusting is another story

A lightening thrust, that accurately penetrate through a vital part is frightening indeed
But since the course is only a point, there are many ways to dodge it if you can see it coming
Just as Archer did, deflected the lance aimed at his vital part, and slightly changed its course to create an opening

Maybe he underestimates the enemy because his opponent is an Archer
The advantages of pole weapon is the long range and distance. The moment he shorten that advantage, surely the defeat of Lancer is----

"----"
"Humph----!?"
The red cape is blocked

---As if I am reliving through the past in a nightmare

The next blow of Lancer, is even faster than the previous thrusts......!

"Humph----!"
Archer who intended to change the course of the lance to avoid contact, now even his short sword is knocked off
Lancer's lance doesn't show any interval between draw backs
No, with the sharpness and power that increase without knowing limits alone, is able to kill off a Servant......!

"----"
The one who underestimated the enemy was us
On the lance of that Servant---Lancer, common sense does not apply

Not anyone can deal with a series of attacks without stoping for a breath
Archer backs off slightly to bounce off the lance, the distance between them is increased by a bit
In that interval
Lance rashes again in the gap that is pulling apart, gives another intense blow

The storming consecutive attacks are repeated just like that
But even that, is a technique on a divine level
Ten exchange of blows already
No, in reality there are probably several times of that number
A torrential rain of lance in straight lines, gradually increase in strength as he attacks Archer continuously

......Not speed, but pure masterful skills
There are no fast or slow in Lancer's lance, the blows are like waterfall
Caught on the defensive side, what can Archer do
That sort of short sword can barely parries the lance aside
Receding still, Archer has no way to clos up on Lancer

"-------"
An iron and steel realm of vacuum is unfolding
Help---I should be helping Archer, but my throat wouldn't make a sound
I am still too immature to attack with my Magecraft
If Archer is not apart from Lance for a distance, Archer will be involved as well
That extra split second, will only be more favorable for Lancer

[----]

And, for sure
To be honest, I am dumbfounded
This is the battle between Servants
This is the highest ranking of familiars that we Magi cannot enslave---the Grail War of the Heroic Spirits

Servants
Each obey in the respect of one of the seven Masters, familiars with various techniques
Summon by the Holy Grail itself, the highest ranking familiars namely Heroic Spirits

---However, calling them familiars is a wrong choose of words

By nature, familiar are only substitues that can fill in for Magi occasionally
Often appears as a cat wearing boots
Or a pure white lovely bird
Or a black dog that doesn't listen the words of its Master, and such

The familiars that can be controlled by a Magus are only about this level
Familiars are only familiars
They are only pets who can run errands for Masters, but never exceed the power of its Master

But Servants are different
As the letters suggest, they are the most powerful existences among humans
Even the only remaining five Magicians, cannot control them

Not for they are hard to summon, neither because of the Servants' abilities are far superior than Magi

The existence of a Servant itself, has exceeded the principles of Magecraft

Honestly speaking
Servants are really heroes from the past
Myths, legends, fables, histories
Whether genuine or fake, the people who have been in the legends, comes to life through people's dreams and become the 'super human beings' are called heroes

Heroes that never changed for an eternity, disengaged from the dimension of humans after their death, and ascend into another existence

......Performing miracles, saving people, accomplish great deeds, worshipped as a hero while living, or after death
Those who were worshipped, ascend into the spirits named Heroic Spirits, the guardians of humanity

It doesn't matter whether they are characters from genuine history or mythology

What constitutes a hero is the yearning of men

The thoughts "if he can..." mold their images, and treating them as real existing people to worship
Genuine or fake has nothing to do here
They can be materialized as long as they gain enough fame and faith from their respective legends

The ultimate ideal of men, the perfect existence among men

That is a hero, and that is a Heroic Spirit

And so of course, they who exceeded humans, can never be manipulated by humans
Magi can only borrow a portion of their power, imitate their appearances
It is absolutely impossible to summon the Heroic Spirits themselves and order them around

However, the Holy Grail makes the impossible possible
Completely summon the Heroic Spirits that men couldn't even touch, even force them into familiars that serve Masters
This preposterous, further proves the omnipotent of Holy Grail

Disregard eras, Heroic Spirits are summoned from the most recent couple hundred of years ago, to the time of myths
Seven Heroic Spirits serve seven Masters, guard their own Masters, banish the enemy of their Masters

......From different eras, different states, heroes are awaken in modern time, slaughter one another to struggle for dominion

This is perhaps, the reason this ceremony is named the War of Holy Grail

......But, it seems Holy Gail also has limit after all
Even the almighty Holy Grail, can't just call out Heroic Spirits, which closely resembles elementals, in a whim
Just as the so-called devils, the sixth imagining element requires the 'physique created by men'
Heroic Spirits, also need a physical body to move about in this earthly world

That is their alias, a way of existing that is accepted by this world
Holy Grail constitutes the 'classes' that make the Heroic Spirits to be materialize easier, only the Heroic Spirits that coform to the classes can be summoned
In another word, a passport for coming to modern age, to prepare the job for a familiar beforehand, and the summoned Heroic Spirit can attached to that job, and temporarily obtained materialization

There are seven Masters chosen by the Holy Gail, and seven Seven Herioc Spirits respectively

There are seven classes prepared beforehand
Knight of Sword, Saber
Knight of Lance, Lancer
Knight of Bow, Archer
Cavalry, Rider
Magus, Caster
Stabber, Assassin
Insane Warrior, Berserker
Only the Heroic Spirits possess one of these seven classes will be summoned to modern age, become the familiar serving Masters---Servants

This is the System of Servants
In order to obtain the 'Holy Grail' that surpasses humans, granted by its awesome power, the contract and summoning of the Heroic Spritirs that also surpass humans
Unlike any other Grail Wars, this is the war of the strongests, that only takes place on this land
----!

[----]

"----!"
The blade suddenly flies off
The short sword that once parried Lancer's lance, left the hand of Archer just like that
It's the technique of Lancer
From straightforward thrusts, to brandish targeting the wrists of Archer
For Archer, it's an attack can't be avoided even if he knew it was coming

There is no such thing as an effective way to parry a lance with a sword
If you bounce it off forcibly, it will only come back with even sharper blow, but if you only parry it with minimum strength
Your opponent will never reveal any opening

The battle between sword and lance, is focused on how to defeat the enemy outside of range
----

"---Idiot"
The cursing Lancer, without any hesitation
He intends to force Archer to half his forwarding steps
---Does he intend to wrap things up in an instant
Lancer, who stands on the ground firmly
And Archer who lost his blade, their stares clash in the mid-air

In a flash
Lance thrust out his lance in a swift motion, like a lightening strike
There's no way to even confirm it

Between the eyebrows, neck, and heart

Three consecutive strikes, all targeting vital spots------!

But
The flash that can't even be seen, is reflected by the blade that is bathed in sunlight......!

"----!?"
A short sword appears in Archer's hand again
Different from the sword before, this is a Chinese style sword that reminds people of an axe
However, the real difference from before is----

[----]

"Humph, two swords......!"

There is a pair of swords
The two swords holding by Archer, are symmetrical from left to right

"Ha, a Saber wannabe Archer---!"
Lancer's lance is galloping
The lance that is difficult to survive from is raising its speed again
"-------"

With a flaming vigor, Archer blocks off the lance
His pupils, like that of a falcon, is saying I will not step down again---No, it's time to step forward

The sounds of blades is reaching my ears intensely, as if performing an elegant piece of music
Reverberations of the two metals
Continue on producing sparks from clashing non-stop, the cadence is accelerating without limits

The battle between those two is close to vacuum
Sucking in the air from surrounding, it feels like been cut up just move an inch closer
"--------"
Just a flash
But, to me who is watching, it's an eternity as if I'm suffocating

Lancer who doesn't allow the opponent to close in
And Archer who shorten the distance by means of waving two swords as a shield
The number of their exchange of blows between those two is already well over one hundred, Archer lost his weapons every time

But that's only for a blink, swords return to Archer's hands momentarily
Lancer would step down slightly each time

At this point, Lancer finally admits his negligence

The identify of this man in front of him remains unknown
However, if he keeps underestimating the opponent because he's an Archer, the defeated one will be himself

The distance is increased again
In order to steady the stance, Lancer draws a really long distance
......That is not an ordinary speed
Though Archer's charging also abandons common sense, but it's still slower compares to Lancer
For the movement of Lancer drawing back, has the agile and flexile of a leopard

"......Twenty seven. And you still have more after I took out so many"
Lancer says angrily
No, not so much angry as confusing

......I feel the same way
Father once said, each Servant only have one weapon
They possess many kinds of weapons with incredible magical power, but nothing like Archer who just pull out one after another

Servants are heroes whose souls ascended to the level of spirits and holy spirits
In another word, they are close to devils, angels, and such
Though they are already powerful familiars, but their strongest forte is 'the testament of heroes'
The magical equipments also known as 'Nobel Phantasms'

'Noble Phantasms' are the favorite weapons or armours of Servants when they were heroes in their pasts
Treated as the 'last resort'
For each Servant, 'Noble Phantasm' is an unique equipment
For the same reason that noble phantasm is the ultimate weapon that can not be substituted

......Lancer's lance as well, is a 'Noble Phantasm' that can be activated if Lancer intends so
Noble phantasms are indeed exceptional weapons, but that power can only be released through reciting its 'true name'

In the ancient time, the weapons of heroes slayed dragons and gods, dominated the world and its inhabitants
The 'Noble Phantasms' can be activated by Servants' own mana
Same as Magecrafts so to speak
Servants take their own weapons as catalyst, to reproduce the lengendary destructive power

Their weaposn are definitely not something can be tossed away after used
The a dozen or so swords Archer pulled out, did seem like famous swords, however they shouldn't be Archer's noble phantasm
Since he is the Servant of Archer class
His hidden weapon must be a bow

"What's the matter, Lancer, you are nothing like what rumours said. Where is your vigor now?"
"......Humph, fox. Do you want me to wreck that mouth of yours"

Of course Lancer is aggravated
Lancer is been pushing around by Archer who is fighting as a swordsman
That is to say, Archer has not revealed his secret technique yet
No wonder Lancer is creeped out

"......Fine, let me ask you. Where is your origin as a hero. I never heard of any archer fighting with two swords"
"You on the other hand are pretty easy to figure out. If let me pick the fastest heroes from Lancer class, you are certainly one of the top. There are three such Lancer in the world. In addition, speaking of the agility of a beast, I'm afraid there can only one man"

"---Huh. Well phrased, Archer"
At the same moment
I forget to breath under that monstrous killing intents

Lacner's hand moves
Different from before, there is no signs of underesimating the opponent
The lance point is leaning downward as if it's going to pierce through the earth, but, Lancer's eyes are penetrating Archer

[----]

"---Take this, my certain kill"
"I won't stop you. Sooner or later I have to face it"

Gulp, Lancer presses down his entire body
In the mean time
A terrible coldness, like thorns, is trampling the school campus

......Air freezes
Not an analogy, it really is frozen
All the mana drenched in the atmosphere are frozen
Right now, the only one allowed to breath in this place is the warrior named Lancer

The lance in Lancer's hand, must be the sort of demoic lances
And now, he is waiting for the instance of releasing the real characters of his demoic lance

"----Damn"

He is going to lose
I don't know what kind of 'Noble Phantasm' it is, but Archer will be defeated
This instinct, though hard to believe in the beginning, will not go wrong

If that demoic lance is released, Archer will die
This is absolute
Literally, Lancer's lance possesses the 'essense' of certain kill----

"----, Ah"

Archer will lose
Archer will die if his heart is penetrated by Lancer

----Yet
Though I already predicted the outcome, but I can't even help Archer
For even if I move a finger, that will signify the start

......Therefore there is only one way to stop Archer from losing this battle, that is---

"------Who is it............!!!!"

A third party that we were not awared of step on stage incidentally

"......Huh?"

The cold aura from Lancer has vanished
Footsteps of running away sounded
......The shadow of that back, is a student uniform for sure

"A student......!? Still in school......!?"
"Seems that way. Thanks to him I am still here" Archer speaks calmly
......Oh well, we were saved

"......I failed. I was distracted by Lancer, oblivious to the surrounding......Hey, Archer. What are you doing"
"Can't you tell. I am resting because there's nothing to do"
"How come. What happened to Lancer"
"He went chasing after that guy's back. That was a witness after all. He's probably going to kill him"
"--------"
Abruptly
Many thoughts stop, hang in the mid-air

"......Go after him! Archer! I will be right there......!"
"----"
Archer starts to move immediately

"......Damn it, why am I so stupid......!"
I cursed at my own carelessness
Erasing the witnesses is the rule of Magi
......Which is why though I was reluctant, but kept everything in secretcy to avoid any potential witnesses, why do I fail to do so especially tonight......!

[----]

Even the moonshine is veiled tonight
The one on the ice cold corridor is, a student collapses on the floor, and Archer who simply stands beside him

".................."
He just, looks at the student expressionless
......The scent that stimulates my nose
From watching the blood streaming down the floor, I realize that it is the scent of death

"......Go now, Archer. Lancer should be returning to his Master, get his face at the very least, otherwise it wouldn't balance out"
"----"
Archer is on his way to chase Lancer
The student collapsed on the floor and I are left behind

"..........."
I can't look into his eyes
But, I have to
This is my responsibility
This is my responsibility
This is my responsibility

---When I was little
Since the moment I decided to inherit Tohsaka clan, I know something like this will happen sooner or later
There is no right or wrong for the Magi
On this road, there is only the blood spilled by others and self, I came to an understanding of this since a long time ago----!

"......Is it a blow from Lancer's lance. There is no chance for surviving if the heart is pierce through"
I have no idea how many seconds ago did Lancer kill this guy
Just that, I don't know whether it's supposed to be fortunate or not, it's the heart that was penetrated
Lancer's attack was not a simple injury, the blood reflux after the heart breached was not serious

Though not serious, brain is done for when there's no bloodstream
No, you can even call him dead on the spot when his heart was destroyed

"......Yet he still manage to struggle for this long, what vitality"
......No doubts
He is at the point of death, only some faint breaths left
But that only lasts for several seconds
This guy has no means to heal his own wound, and I don't have the ability to save him

"I have to see his face. This is the least I can do"
I touch his head facing downward, and realize that I can't move my fingers
......It's shaking
Why
I am already accustomed to this sort of things
I went through this kind of decisions numorous times in the past

For my own faults, my own selfish reasons lead to many things vanished
Therefore---I've always have the understanding, that this day will come
But why---Why am I so angry, at myself

"......I'm sorry. I will at least accompany you to the end"
I will my fingers to stop shaking with my conscious, and the knees that apparently are going to collapse at anytime, finally confirm the face of the student on ground

"--------"

Clang
Seriously, it's as if the back of my head is been knocked by an iron hammer

"......No. Why, are you"
I bite my teeth
Not to hold back the shaking
I really am, panicing inside my brain
Why is it this guy
Why does it have to be this guy
I completely can't be angry at Lancer, who act according to the code of Servants, finished the witness off totally, without a second thought
But to the one, who stay after school at a day like this, a time like this, I feel very resentful toward this guy......!

"--------"
The face of Sakura is emerges in my head
That child will definitely cry, won't she
And follow by that thought, is a memory about one day after school, a crimson sky
......A sunset far away
A boy kept runnning
From a distance, a girl who simply watched his back, bored

---And then, the corpse of someone who got involved in the war in front of me

"--------"
......There is a way
Even if I will lost my last trump card if I fail, but there is a way
Aah actually, i will lost my last trump card either way, the result doesn't matter to me

"--------"
Actually
If this guy dies, from a certain aspect, that is the end of that
I am responsible for not reviewing the surrounding carefully
This guy's responsible for staying at school and his tough luck

So, I don't need to go to that extent
Because, that's right, this is what, father, the father who didn't leave me with anything, his only inheritance just for me
It's for winning this war, the ultimate trymp card, the condense embodiment of an immense amount of mana
For me only, the most important the most important----

"---So what, dummkopf"
I get rid of the distracting thoughts, kneel down before the guy at his last dying breath

"......Aah, I used it up"

[----]

The pendant in my hand is lighten
The pendant that is the memento of father, the inside of it is almost completely exhausted already, thud, it falls
on the guy who was at his last dying breath a second ago

"----Enough, there was no other ways"
For sure, there was no other ways
I don't have the power or techniques to revive a human with a damaged heart, injured blood vessels, and not far away from brain death
Therefore, I could only stitch and mend the rest forcibly and roughly

"There were still some breaths left, he was only near death. If he was dead altogether, no matter how much stored mana wouldn't revive him"
But, because he was alive, so I could save him
I only did what I could do, help him out that's all

"......I would really be a disaster beyond imagining if I failed, fortunately it was a success. ......Hmuph, honestly speaking I feel satisfied, this kind of experience is not so bad"
I try to act as cheerful as possible

"......Let's go. Past is past. I need to leave before this guy wakes up"
That's right, that's right, there's no use of staying here
I will be leaving by myself, since Archer is following Lancer

----On my way home, I suddenly recall

The pendant that became an ordinary ornament after extracting the mana, was forgotten in school

"......Oh well, that's not a problem"
That pendant has no use any longer
Perhaps a tiny bit of mana is left, but it's lower than the ten gemstones in my collection anyway
What father passed down was the power to win the war
That thing which was exhausted of mana, became a meaningless object

I went back home without speaking a word, sit down on sofa at once
Archer is not back yet
Alas, I give out a sigh for dismal, after listening to the sound of clock idly for a few minutes

"---Hey, it's about time to change the mood. What am I sitting idly for, after gaining so many battle experiences"

I pluck up my spirit and stand up, anyhow let's brew a cup of black tea first
There is a mountain of matters that I need to take account of
In particular the matter related to Servants
For I just witnessed the battle of Servants which I only understood form knowledge in the past

"Lancer was it......I was very anxious when he was about to release his noble phantasm, but I could figure out his real identity if he did......."

To defeat an opponent's Servant, knowing its real identity is a short cut
Other than the exceptional schwachkopf that doesn't even know his own real identity, 'true name' is the utmost weakness of a Servant
Just from knowing a Servant's true name--in another word, his real identity, it's quite possible to speculate 'what noble phantasm is possessed' by that Heroic Spirit

Needless to say, since a Servant is also a Heroic Spirit, he is doomed to have certain legends
Just from knowing this key, most of his abilities can be realized
The main reason for Servant to be called by their classes, is to conceal their 'true names'
Because the more famous a hero is, his hidden weapon and weakness is known by a wider public

Heroic Spirits who become Servants will never reveal their own real identities
Only the Master of that Servant knows about his real identity
The Master has to conceal the real identity of his Servant, at the same time pursuing the real identies of other Servants, this is an unspoken consensus

This is the fifth Holy Grail War
The forte and weakness of each Servant, is certainly decided by the summoned Heroic Spirit
Needless to say, the more famous hero, the one with more powerful weapon in the legend is superior

However, to summon that sort of Heroic Spirit is extremely difficult
The summoning of Heroic Spirit, involves gathering the weapons from their previous lifes, or something of the sort
The possessions of heroes, are rare even for the Magus' Association
Therefore most Magi are like me, summon the one most compatible to oneself from numerous Heroic Spirits

The strength of Servants are depended on the spirituality of the Heroic Spirits
But, it's no so simple, no matter how top notch the Heroic Spirit is, there still exists the possibility that he will be struggling in the battles because of the class he is given with

The possibility of taking a Servant stronger than oneself comes from the unique ability of each class

There are additional abilities for each class, with these sometimes one is able to defeat a superior opponent
As for an example, in the past four wars, apparently there was a less famous hero defeated a greater hero

As far as I know, the strongest Servant is Saber

In the past four wars, Servant Saber always triumph in the end
The classes Saber, Lancer, Archer rumours to have the best resistence against magic
Magecraft is useless against these fellow, enough said

However you put it, they lived through the era of myths, they were warriors who fought in the world dominated by Magic
The Magecraft cast by modern Magi, will vanishthe second it touch them
......For this reason, these three classes are considered the strongest

Another class needs to watch out for is Servant Berserker
The Heroic Spirits summoned in this class, would lose their reasons
Though Berserkers are literally marionettes control by their Masters, but their abilities in previous lifes are 'enhanced' in a great scale

Nevertheless, the stronger the Servant is, the burden on its Master is also greater
In the past, all the Masters entrusted with a Berserker resulted in mana depleting and and meet their ends, for unable to control the maddening Servants
No exception

---The factor determing the victory of the Holy Grail War, is most likely the ability of the summoned Servant

Certainly there are also ways to win depend on the efforts of the Masters, but ultimately it's the Servants that eliminate each other
As a result, Masters are required to pay additional carefulness and attention---

[----]

"--------"
I plan out the battle strategies from now on by myself depressively
Time goes on, and the clock strikes eleven o'clock......of course, time is already adjusted back to normal......Archer is back

"You are back. How did it end?"
"......Sorry to report, I'm afraid I lost him. His Master is very crafty. I at least know that the Master of Lancer is not on this side of the town"

Just as expected
Lancer came alone, it seems Lancer's Master is not the type to show his face in battle fields

"I see. Well, it couldn't be that simple"

Right, it's impossible for everything to happen the way I imagined
Can't help it
Let's just say tonight's event is the tuition for this lesson

"Eminence, Master. What happened to your usual prestige. You wouldn't be scared from last fight, would you, that's not acceptable. If you order now, I will take on Lancer again without a second thought"

No, this is what you should be doing---Archer's silent protest is shown on his face
......So
Did I look depressed to him

"What are you talking about. The reason I didn't launch an attack, is only because I don't want to waste energy"
"Huh? You don't want to waste energy......?"
"Not all the Masters are presented yet, right. Though I didn't hold back tonight, but I won't start another fight before the signal of starting war. Father said this is the rule of the Grail War"

"......So. Your father was a Master once as well"
Archer comprehends the situation, as he speaks
----At the time
Archer seems worried with an perplexed expression

"What. What do you have to say"
"Aah, I forgot to ask something. Rin, you were raised to be Master, and then was selected, right? In another word, you were expected to be a Master since the beginning"

"Of course. It's true some Magi are appointed as Masters unexpectedly, but not I. As a member of the Tohsakas, the Grail War is a miserable dream for generations"

"That so. In this case, you who were cultivated to be a Master, should know your purpose already. This is what I forgot to ask. I can't entrust my sword without knowing the wish of my Master. ---Rin. Then, what is your wish"
"Wish? There is nothing like that"
"----Huh?"
Ah, Archer's surprising face is so amusing

"How, how is that possible! Holy Grail is the omnipotent Grail that grants any wish. Become a Master is the same as able to obtain the Grail. What do you mean by no wish......!"
"--------"
Archer asks with a straight face

......Aah, is this the case
After obtaining the Holy Grail, what the Master wishes for, is not irrelevant to the Servant
But so strange. Father did say that Servants also have their wishes, but that's their own businesses
Why should Archer care about me not having any wish

"Fine, assuming there is no definite wish, how about a conceptual one. For example, how about taking over the world or the sort"
"Why? Doesn't the world belong to me already"

"--------"
"Let me explain, Archer. The world is, the values center around oneself, right? That stuff was mine since the moment I was giving birth. If that's called ruling over the world, then I've already done it"

"----"
Archer is looking at me with a complicated expression
I am shocked. This guy's so obstinated-.

"Are you stupid. Holy Grail is the power to grant wishes, the power to change the real world. Are you saying you are claiming the Holy Grail with no wishes"
"Taking over the world is just too much trouble, what's the point of making that kind of useless wish, right. You have poor imagination, you know"
"...... . It's very hard to understand. Then what are you fighting for"

"Because the war is taking place here, Archer. I'm just taking whatever I can get my hands on. Even not knowing what a Holy Grail is, maybe one day I will think of something, then it will be of use, right? As long as humans live, there is no end to their desires"
"---In another word, you are"
"Hm. Just fighting to win, Archer"

"--------"
Archer exhales, and shrugs
Was he tensed for what I said, he finally relaxes his shoulders
"......You beat me. You certainly, are well suited to be my Master"
---Uh
......That, that kind of words is really hard for me to respond, can this guy stop saying them......

"......Humph. Granted Servant doesn't have the authority to choose his Master, nevertheless let me ask you of this. How am I well suited to be your Master"
"Needless to say. You are definitely the strongest Master. For a partner, there is no better choice other than you"
"Is that so, thanks. Coming from your mouth, I supposed it's not just a polite remark"
......I turn my face for embarrassment

Though enjoy making sarcastic comments, but Archer's direct approach of speaking is tough to deal with for me
......Then again, to be honest I am pretty happy to be trusted
I trust Archer, and Archer trusts me
This correlation isn't so bad, I think

"And next, let's rest for a while. Even if the seventh Master show up, it shouldn't be so fast......Hold on, Rin. What happened to your jewelry"
"Jewelry? The pendant? ......Aah, I forgot to bring it back. That thing is used up, there is no need for it anyway, right?"

"That is true. ......If you say so then it's fine"
"Hm. Though it is a memento of father, but that's not the only to remember him by----"
"---That's not good at all. Are you really that tough-minded, Rin"
After Archer finishes his sentence as he stares at me it seems
He takes out the pendant I forgotten back in school

"Ah......You picked it up, Archer"
"......Don't forget it again. This only goes together with Rin"
Is that embarrassment, Archer avoids eye contact as he handing over the pendant

"----Oh okay. Well, thank you"
I receive it none the less
To be honest, I am not sure whether to find it embarrassing or indifferent to respond

The pendant is the same as before
As expected, there isn't a spec of mana left no matter how I look
The depleted pendant, only appears to be an expensive gemstone, has no power left from before
But, according to Archer
Even if the pendant lost its power, there still exists the meaning of father left it with me
In that case---maybe I can feel good about saving that guy with my last resort, and forget about it

"---Hold on a minute"
Something comes to my mind all of a sudden
I didn't look back because of regretting, however there's something wrong if I think carefully

If that guy saw us, he would be liability if I don't erase his memories
More importantly, Lancer prioritized elimitating the witness over battle with us
Lancer is following the orders of his Master
In brief---The Master of Lancer who would go to this extent, what will he do to a target that's supposed to be dead but not

"---That sort of man, will never let him survive---"
I stand up from the sofa
....Since then three hourse already passed
Maybe it's already too late
But since I already done so much to save him, how can I not make it---!

Running in the night
Fortunately, I know where he lives
No, I did not investigate myself, just someone I know visit there often, I've never been there in my life

"......Seriously. You are taking in unnecessary burdens"
Archer is not in the mood
He is lecturing me about how I saved the dying man, and how I am going to save him again

[----]

----Twelve at night

Under the clouded night sky, we arrived at a dojou

Located at the border of residential area, the house that is near to the outskirts, gives off an empty house impression
There aren't many families live aounrd here, no one will come even if something happens

"----"
The breath I exhale is white
Wind is blowing
The wind must be blowing hard. Clouds are flowing
The supposedly warm wind of Fuyuki is making my back to quiver, my entire body is in spasm at once

I did refer to Fuyuki Town as a warm place, yet there does exist standard winter temperature on the mountain hills

The frozen air
I listen to the whispers in the all too freezing air
Despite the senses dominated by coldness, I does take notice of enemy's sensation

"......He is here. The Servant from before......!"
I bite my lips
The sensation is spreading from the other end of the walls
Lancer has already dived in the house, intended to murder that ignorant guy just came to home

"......We can only jump over and defeat him. Think about the aftermath after this----!"
Just as I was going to order Archer to intrude
All of a sudden
Lights, bright as if the sun has fallen, bursts out of the house

"----"
Sensasions, are destroyed in the middle of another sensation
The wavelength of the Servant named Lancer, is disrupted by that overwhelming power
......That fleeting explosion of Ether is for rendering the physical body of the spiritual form of a Servant
The masterialized Ether, the thing that was summoned defeated Lancer

"Lie----"
I can only murmur this word
But this is an absolute fact
The evident is, look---Lancer just flied over the walls, jumped away as if fleeing from this house

"......Um Archer. Is this also, part of the assumption?"
"How do I know. But this makes it seven. Finally the number is met, Rin"
Archer replies calmly
I lost the ability to judge
Therefoer I can't even think about what seems to be a likely development next

Winds blow violently all of a sudden
Clouds cover the sky in the shape of an umbrella
The blackout outskirts is suddenly sealed within darkness
That Servant flies over the walls, landing gracefully like a demonic bird---
"----!"
Archer reacts
But, I can't
That is a mistake
Battle is over in that interval shorter than a second

To me it might be a second
But to that Servant, it's an opening that I cannot afford to lose

Step into the sword winds
"Eh, Archer......?"
Archer who pushes me back
And the Servant that cuts down Archer

Really just in an instant
Did Archer, who splendidly deflected the fierce attacks of Lancer, got defeated in only one blow---

"---Archer, vanish......!"
I finally make it this time around
Before the moment opposing Servant shears off the Archer's head, I retrieve Archer forcibly
Pains sting my right hand
Perhaps the command was too reckless, the command spells on my right hand is lost yet another one

......There is only one command spell left
But this is for the best
If I can keep Archer stay alive, losing one or two command spells is only----
Make nothing of Archer's disappearance, that Servant descends toward me
"----Don't take too light of me!"
I take out topaz casted with wind spells from pocket, throw out the mana without any extra work

[----]

The topaz that can take out one or two houses without any traces, is the embodiment of wind spells I accumulated from day to day
One of the ten gemstones which I knit together in the past seventeen years without ever taking a break
With the help of this, it should at least hinder her advancement if not defeating her----

......Nothing
Nothing happened
The storm that can tear apart any objects drawn in in a flash, at the moment of making contact with that Servant, vanished like a toy

----What powerful resistence

To this Servant, the mana of the level of Magus is harmless......!?

---Ah, I give up
Magecraft doesn't work, I even lost the protection of Archer, there is no way to stop this Servant already

Even if I manage to dodge one blow, that's the end

I raise my head looking at the night sky
What I see, is the cold-blooded posture of a death god, that is going to get his hand on me----

"----What"

Wind blows
From the chink of a clouded sky, moon is peeping from the spiral sky
Down pouring of moonshines, and a much too lovely face
Forced Lancer to flee
Defeated my Archer in one shot
Nullfied Magecraft easily, this is the appearance of that Servant

[----]

"That was a wonderful Magecraft, Magus"

The voice of an adolescent girl sounded, like the rings of a pair of silver bells
Aah, now even that voice is nightmarish
It's only natural
For the more beautiful the opponent is, that incredible difference of actual strength, the more it becomes a nightmare that I can never admit

"But this is your end, the Master of Archer"

The sword charging toward me is sparkling

I realize something in the instant before dying
Just from one glance, without any evidence

This is the class I desired for
Entitled the strongest among Servants, the hero of sword

"--------"
Accepting my own death, I raise my head to look at the moon
I don't plan to struggle for life, and there is no opening for fleeing
I will die here, the Holy Grail War of Tohsaka Rin is ended in three days
I should only feel shame and regrets, vanish with hatred directs toward my enemy

---Nevertheless, I can't feel anything
What is happening
Obviously I will be killed for certain in the next instant, but I can't stop admiring
......Yes
I am not pleased by this, not pleased at all

But I don't think there's anyway

---The strongest Servant that is going to take my life

For that posture possesses such indiffernce, unlimited coldness, and that which makes me not pleased by, her loveliness----

Fate

Day 1

-----I woke up to find myself in the midst of a burning wasteland

Perhaps there was a huge fire.
The streets and roads that I’ve grown accustomed to have become ruins, akin to the abandoned battle fields shown in war movies.

----The sight didn't last very long.

When it was dawn, the strength of fire had weakened gradually.
The firestorm that was once at such great height was shriveling while most of the buildings crumbled.

......In the midst of all these, I was amazed by the fact that I was still perfectly whole.

I was the only one alive around here.

Was it my luck, or was my house built in a place with good Feng Shui?
I do not know the reason myself, anyhow, I was the only one still alive.

Since I survived, I thought it necessary to continue to live.
Staying in one location might prove dangerous, so I started to walk around aimlessly.

But it was not for fear of turning into charcoal like the bodies lying on the side of the road.

......There must be an emotion stronger than that fear which dominated my will.

Even so, I did not harbor any hope.
It was amazing enough for me to stay alive until now, and I did not think I’ve got any chance for survival.

No one would come to my rescue.
No matter what I did, there was no way to leave this blazing red world.
Even a child at such a young age would think, this scene, was best described by the name, hell.

Then I fell.
Was it caused by an insufficient amount of oxygen, or my inability to take in oxygen?
Either way, I fell down to the ground, staring at the clouds gathering in the sky.

There were many people surrounding me who shrunken from turning into dark charcoal.

[----]

Dark clouds blot out the sky, letting me know that rain was coming soon.

......This is fine too. The fire will end once the rain comes.

Finally, I exhale deeply, raising my head to look at the rain and clouds.
There was not even one bit of air to suck in, and I could only feel nothing but misery.
I expressed my feelings through words for those who could no longer speak.

----That took place ten years ago.

I was rescued miraculously after that.
My body survived just as it was.
But I think my other parts have already become dark charcoal, perhaps even burned down to ashes.

Be it parents or a Home, if both were gone; it meant losing the world to a child.
Therefore everything had vanished other than this flesh
To put simply, I thought that this was pretty easy to understand

In other words, this was a sacrifice to keep the flesh alive.

My soul was already dead.

----------I had a dream.

"----Mm"

My eyes narrowed at the first beam of white light.
It stung my eyes.
It was just beams of light projecting on my eyes when you come down to it, but I was not used to this situation.
I didn't know even know what ‘stung my eyes’ meant.

"Ah----Eh?"

After my eyes became used to the light, I panicked.
I was in an unfamiliar room, lying on an unfamiliar bed.
Though I was astonished before, the pristine white of the room gave me a sense of peace and quiet.

"......Where is this?"

I absent-mindedly took a look at my surroundings.
The room was spacious with many beds.
Everyone who was on top of a bed seemed to be wounded.

But the room was not under the shadow of misfortune.
We were all survivors.
"----"
After letting out a sigh of reassurance, I let my eyes slowly wander.

----Outside the window.
A clear and blue sky which was truly beautiful.

After many days, I finally realized my present predicament.
I could at last remember the recent events that took place in the past few days.
Even so, at the present, I was like a helpless child who had just been born.

This was by no means an attempt at self-depreciation, but rather a statement close to reality.

In brief, there was a terrible fire.
I was rescued from the disaster zone, and after waking up on a hospital bed, my parents were gone, with my body full of bandages.
Though I knew nothing of the actual situation, I sort of realized that I was all alone

I accepted it rather quickly, I guess.
...... I could only accept the reality, because all the children who surrounded me had shared a similar fate.

----After that.
Just as I became nervous about what to do in the future, because I was not familiar with the real world, that man suddenly showed up in front of me.

On the day that my bandages were taken off and I could feed myself, that man arrived

Wrinkled clothes topped with a shaggy haircut
This man appeared to be younger than the doctors in the hospital, and he reminded me more of a brother than a father.

"How are you? You are Shirou, right?"

His smile was like bright sunshine.
That voice was so sincere that it made me unable to doubt whether it was real or not.

"Let me ask you frankly. Does Shirou want to be fostered into an orphanage, or be adopted by an uncle, whom you’ve just met for the first time?"

This man said he would adopt me.
I asked him whether he was my relative, and he replied that he had no relation to me.
......This man looked as if like he's dirt poor and unreliable.
But whether it was the orphanage, or this man, they were both unfamiliar to me.
With that in mind, I decided that I would go with this man.

"Really? That's great. Quickly pack up your stuff. It's better to get used to your new home sooner."

That man started to pack up hurriedly.
His way of packing was horrible even in a child's eyes.
And after clearing away the mess.

"Ah, I forgot to mention something important. It is something I must tell you before you move into my home."

May I? He asked in that manner.
Where are we heading? I replied jokingly.

"----Hm. Let me make this clear first, I am a Magus."

He was really sincere, speaking with such exaggeration.

It was only for an instant.
Now I think about it, I was such a kid.
For me to believe that kind of dubious words as the truth.

"----Wow, you’re awesome"

I was impressed, and had answered him almost instantly.

After that, I became that man's child.
Actually I couldn't remember the conversation back then clearly.

Nevertheless, whenever there was something going on, Dad would talk about this memory.
Repeating it over and over with an embarrassed expression.

So to my father----that man, Emiya Kiritsugu, that memory was probably the happiest moment of his life.

......Come to think of it.
To go so far as to tell a child who had just lost his parents and home that he was a Magician, Kiritsugu was certainly a strange man
As the one who had been impressed by him, I wasn't any better off.

Anyhow, I became the adopted son of Dad, and inherited the family name Emiya.
Emiya Shirou.
Whenever I spoke of my name this way, I would feel proud for having the same family name as Kiritsugu.

.........I had a dream.

When I was little.
It was around the time I managed to convinced Dad to make me his apprentice, so it was probably around eight years ago.

Ever since I could take care of myself at home, Kiritsugu often went on trips.
Kiritsugu was no different from usual, 'From today I am going on adventures all over the world' babbling something only a kid would say, then he actually went ahead and did it.

It remained this way since then.
It was only routine for him to stay away for a whole month, sometimes he would even not come home for half a year
The house of Emiya was a dojou, only myself and Kiritsugu lived in it.
When I was young, I used to get lost because of the house's large size.

Even then, I enjoyed the life style.
After his travels, Emiya Kiritsugu would come home and talk about interesting episodes during his journey like a child.
The child that shared the same family name would wait in the home, looking forward to listen to his stories with all of his heart.
That loneliness of always staying at home alone disappeared when I listened to the stories brought back by Kiritsugu in the end.

---- My father always like a boy chasing after his dream.

I couldn't stand it, but I had always been envious of that side of him
Maybe I also wanted to be like him one day.

.........On a side note.

Having such a idealistic father, I must train hard and become independent, was what I thought when I was a child----

[----]

......There was a sound.
The clapped-out door, with its weight on the rusted hinge, made the sound as it slid open.
Light entered in the dark storehouse.
"----Hm"
My conscious was just about to leave my dreams

[----]

"Are you awake, senpai?"

I sense the steps approaching me and the temperature of winter outside.

"......Hm. Morning, Sakura"
"Yes. Good Morning, Senpai"

Maybe she is already accustomed to this kind of conversation as Sakura is nodding with a smile as if she is amused by all of these.

"Senpai. It's already morning. There are still time, but Fujimura-sensei will be angry if you fall asleep here."

"Oh......that's true. Thanks for waking me up. I feel bad for bothering you all the time"

"That's not true. Senpai always gets up early. There are not many days I can wake senpai up like this."
......?
I don't know what she is so happy about, but Sakura seems more spirited than usual.

"......Really. I feel like I am often woken up by Sakura. If Fuji-nee is here, then she will definitely beat me until I am up, Sakura is better for the job after all. ......Hm, I will work harder."

......I answer her drowsily.
Since I'm not using my brain, I don't really know what I was talking about myself.

"Okay, I get it now. But if senpai works less hard, I will be happier."
Sakura smiles at me softly.
......This is awful. Apparently I am not completely awake yet, since my words just don’t seem to make any sense.

"----Hold on, I will get up soon enough."

I took in a deep breath to clear my head.
The cold air in winter is particularly useful in this kind of situation.
Cold wind can mercilessly speed up my slow reasoning due to my lack of sleep

......The one in front of me is my kohai, Matou Sakura.
And this is the storehouse in my yard, the time just passed six.

"......Senpai?"
"Aah, I am awake now. Sorry, Sakura. I over slept again. I should be waking up earlier to help you prepare breakfast."
"That's okay. Yesterday, Senpai went to sleep late again, right? Senpai can relax a little bit in the morning, I will prepare the breakfast."

Sakura says bubbly.
......What a rare sight. Sakura is really spirited today, it almost as if she is in a good mood.

"Silly, how can I do that? I'm already up anyways, so let's go to the kitchen together."

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's go, Sakura"
"Ah......um, that, Senpai"
"? What's wrong? Is there anything else?"
"No, not that......it's just, Senpai. I think it's best for Senpai to change before going into the house."

"-----Ah"
Now she mentions it, I lower my head to look at the clothes I’ve on.
Since I passed out yesterday during work, I’m still wearing the one piece working clothes.
The one piece work clothes are dirty everywhere. If I wear something like this into the house, I don't know what Fuji-nee is going to say again.

"Hm......obviously I am not awake yet. Am I dumber than usual?"
"Hm, it’s hard to say. So just leave breakfast to me, senpai can relax. And senpai, wouldn't Fujimura-sensei be angry if this place is a wreck?"

"......True. I will be there once I changed. Sakura, you go on ahead first."
"Okay. I will wait for you then, Senpai."

Sakura left quickly.
Okay.
First, change into my uniform, and then to clean up this mess.

This storehouse is in the corner of the yard, as shown before you, is one filled with loads of junk.
Despite this, to a person like me who enjoys tinkering with things from a very young age, this place is like a treasure-house.

Dad used to warn me about coming to this storehouse, yet I still did it behind his back everyday, and eventually this place became my secret hideout.

To me----Emiya Shirou, this place can actually be considered to be my real room.

This spacious house of Emiya does not suit of my personality at all, and more importantly, I feel safe when I am staying in this space guarded by junk.

"......And isn't this just wasteful? These junk are still workable."
The things put away in this storehouse, are mostly malfunctioned commodities.

Did I put away the things because I like this place, or was it because this mountain pile of junk made me like this place?
After coming here everyday, I’ve acquired the hobby of repairing stuff.

Not to say that I am particularly economical.
I just couldn’t accept the thought of usable things going to waste, so that's probably why I was bothered.
And it was because of this, I was up all night repairing a broken electric stove.

"......I will have to wait until tomorrow to finish it. To pass out half way through repairs is the evidence of my lack of concentration"
I disregard a slight self-abhorrence.
Let me pick up the spare parts of the electric stove first, and put them away in the cabinet specifically for repairs in progress.

The cabinet specifically for ongoing repairs is not empty. After the electric stove is repaired, the next one in line is an out-of-dated video recorder.
......Both were broken by Fuji-nee, but let's just ignore that fact for now.

"......Heave-ho"
I take off my working clothes and change into my school uniform.
The Storehouse is like my own room, stocked with clothes and daily necessities.

The rest of this place is filled with crumbled blueprints, and the junk which had resulted from my failed practices.
Was this place used as some sort of altar? There are some unknown symbols engraved on the floor of the storehouse.

"----All right. I have to work hard today as well."

With a clap, I close my palms together, before walking towards the house.

[----]

I walk toward the house from the storehouse.
The house of Emiya, is a dojou located outside the urban district.
Dad isn’t well-known aristocrat from this area, so it's hard to imagine how he managed to end up with such a big house.
That itself was already a mystery, not adding on to the fact that Emiya Kiritsugu didn't seem have any relatives in Japan.
After Dad passed away, no one took ownership of this house, and naturally it came into my possession, as his adopted son.

But to be honest, I myself don't have any managing skills either.
Death duty, property tax and complicating things like that were all handled by Uncle Fujimura.

Uncle Fujimura is the most influential landlord around here.
Dad used to say 'That uncle is like a criminal boss '.
Of course this was biased.
Uncle Fujimura wasn't just like a criminal boss; he IS a criminal boss.

"............"
I didn’t even ask, seeing the big problem that question could bring.

And speaking of the grandpa of the Fujimuras, should I say he is fearsome, well he is still pretty active that much I can be certain of, but he's not a bad guy at least.
If I help him modify his favorite motorcycle, he will pay me an insane amount of allowance in return.

Anyhow, all these reasons resolved in the fact that I live in this big house by myself.
Dad already passed away for five years.
Time sure flies.
I can't help but sigh when I ask myself how much have I matured over the past five years.

I never stop training everyday to become like Kiritsugu, but in reality it was not as smooth as I expected.
In the beginning it may be due to my lack of talent, but to not improve a bit over a span of five years, it was very questionable indeed.

If I want to describe the present situation with one sentence, it would be that the goal was set too high, and I haven't even touched the starting line yet.

"--------"
Well, it's not good to be over-anxious.
In brief, I should just practice whatever I can and do as much as possible.

Anyhow, what I should do now is----

[----]

There is a majestic dojou inside the house of Emiya.
It is built along with the constructing of this house.
It was built totally on a whim though.
The dojou doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever.

"----Okay"
Before I have my breakfast, I do a little exercise as a warm up.
I am not exactly practicing martial arts, 'If you want to do the same thing as me, physical training comes first'
Ever since Dad said that, physical training became my daily homework.

"......Ninety-nine, one hundred, done......"

Finishing the routine sit-ups, I take off my dojou clothes and change into my school uniform.
Because I overslept this morning, the time available for exercising my body completely was limited.
I left out the warm up exercises, just enough sit-ups.
I don't have the physical build to develop massive muscles, even though the body is one's capital, but I am not going to spend it on brawling with others either way.

A body only needs enough ability to react to unexpected incidents, and to keep up with the occasional reckless behavior.
Since what I wish to become, is the opposite of athletes.

"......Oh, it's already at this hour"
I place the dojou uniform which is soaked in sweat into the laundry basket.
The time is six-twenty.
For people in the house of Emiya who are accustomed to waking up early, breakfast had already started at this hour.

Breakfast had been already prepared.
Just like Sakura's style, the elegant scent of a morning meal is spreading from the dining table.

"Good work, senpai. I am done with preparing breakfast as well."
"Hm, thanks. ......Sorry, I overslept myself, and yet I still troubled Sakura."
"It was nothing, I wasn't troubled at all-. Plus Senpai didn't oversleep. Since Senpai doesn't have any club activity, to wake up at this hour is already early."

"Clubs have nothing to do with it. If that's the case, wouldn't Sakura, who has morning practice and yet still comes to my house, be even earlier?"
"Ah......No, I volunteered for this. Please don't worry about me, Senpai"

"Hm, You always say that. ......Anyway, so the reason I decided to wake up early has nothing to do with the clubs. Since Sakura is coming over, wouldn't it be really rude to you if I don't get up"

For me, waking up early means waking up before Sakura comes over, and oversleeping means letting Sakura prepare breakfast by herself.
This routine of ours started about a year and a half ago.

"Hee hee. Senpai really does care about this kind of things. Mitsuzuri-senpai often says, Emiya is careless but he's also too polite and long-winded."
Sakura smiles as if she thought of something amusing.
Speaking of Mitsuzuri, she is the female president of the archery club which Sakura belongs to, she and I are pretty close by chance of twisted fate.

"...Humph. That girl, is she bad mouthing me in front of Sakura again?"

"Yes. Mitsuzuri-senpai said she will definitely impress Senpai before graduation, she’s been practicing very hard everyday."

"......Good grief. Mitsuzuri is already in a higher dan than me. I guess that's just how it is, memories are always invincible. I don't have a problem with being glorified, but that depends on person."
"Mitsuzuri-senpai really doesn't like losing. So I think she must treat Senpai as her arch-rival secretly."

Sakura talks as she fills the bowl with rice.
It's almost six-thirty.
The morning practice of archery club starts at seven.
Though it's voluntary, you can never be too relaxed.

"Fuji-nee......should almost be here. Oh well, it's her fault for not coming here on time. Sakura, let's dig in first."
"I guess you are right. Here, please go ahead, Senpai."
Sakura smiles as she hands me the bowl.
"--------, um"
......Oh.
Though it's something I see everyday, and should’ve been used to already, my sight was captured by those fair-skinned fingers effortlessly.

"-------Um"
......How should I put it, this is bad.

Is she in her growth period? Because recently Sakura seems to have acquired an inexplicable charm.
Those unpretentious and gracious movements truly are beautiful, and the number of my gulps has also increased.
Is this retribution for never considering Sakura as a member of the opposite sex? Now, I am ever more conscious of her feminine side----

"Senpai? Is there something wrong?"
"---No, nothing. There's nothing wrong, don't mind it."
"?"
......Seriously, I'm beat.
Why am I so nervous about my friend's sister?
Sakura is only a nice understanding kohai, a kohai that I have to look after.

And in the first place, We are only in a kohai-senpai relationship.
Sakura is the sister of a friend of mine, but because she was one grade lower than us, I wasn't particular familiar with her.

This help-each-other-out relationship only started a year and a half ago.
I was suffering from an injury at that time and Sakura came over to make my meals, she persisted in coming over afterwards, and eventually it became what it is today.

......In the beginning I thought that we had an unspoken agreement that this relationship would only last until my injury was healed, however something trivial happened along the way, and for some reason I let her continue to help around the house chores.

Anyway Sakura's cooking is really delicious, and her house-keeping is also first-rate.
It is a big favor to me for her to come over so early to help around, but in recent times, it feels a bit awkward.
The problem lies not with Sakura, but with me.

"----"
To be honest, Sakura is a beauty.

Sakura already stands out among the first year students, and there must be countless people eagerly trying to get into a serious relationship with her.
Lately, she had filled out in where they count, so it’s natural that I’m often entranced by her casual gestures.

This is where the awkwardness stemmed from.
......My worry of falling in love with the sister of my friend.
It's usually fine, but sometimes I get embarrassed from sudden gestures like that, so am I really fit to be her Senpai......?

Breakfast is on the dining table.
Chicken breasts and hornwort salad, salmon teriyaki, boiled spinach, miso soup with radish and carrot, even a yam soup; there really isn't anything you can complain about this meal.

"Let's eat"
"Let's eat"

After saying this, Sakura and I sit up and proceed to enjoy our meal quietly.

Only the sounds of our chopsticks are heard.
Sakura is not a talkative girl, and I don't have the skill to talk while having food in my mouth.

So naturally, we are quiet when we’re having our meals.
Actually, it is a little bit noisier usually, but this morning, that noisy person-

Well, maybe she watched a spy movie last night or something, and now she’s hiding her face behind the newspaper, and observing the two of us secretly.

"Fujimura-sensei, don't you think it's a bad idea to read newspaper while eating?"
"....................."

Fuji-nee ignores Sakura who speaks up politely.
Though it is really suspicious, this is not the first time Fuji-nee is acting all weird during the breakfast anyway.
Sakura is probably used to it as well, as she stops paying attention to her and goes on with her meal

[----]

Speaking of which, Sakura originally specialized in Western-style cuisine.
She learned how to make Japanese-style cuisine after coming over to help.
Both Fuji-nee and I prefer Japanese cuisine, and Sakura thought that she should at least make something to our liking, so she picked up some Japanese-style cuisine as well.

As of now, Sakura's cooking skills have already surpassed mine, I being the person who taught her in the first place.
Especially the salmon teriyaki, her control of the heat is simply divine.
The flavor of her miso soup is also top notch, and recently she even has time to grind some yams to make yam soup.
Now that I think about it, I don't think this is the first she put yam soup on the table.

"Excuse me. Sakura, could you pass me the soy sauce?"
"Sure---Ah, oh no, senpai. Senpai's soy sauce was used up yesterday."
"Fuji-nee's is fine too. Go on."

"Can I, Fujimura-sensei?"
Um, Fuji-nee replies and nods.
*Rustle* The newspaper makes some noise as it shakes a little.

"Please go ahead. Is Senpai going to match this with yam soup?"
"Yeah. Doesn't yam soup generally go with soy sauce?"
Ptts, I pour the soy sauce in the yam soup.
After stirring for a while, I put it on my rice and take a bite.

Hm, the consistency of this mashed yam, and my personal insistence on this soy sauce's ultra strong spiciness-----

"Yuck......! Whoa! This tastes horrible, plus this is seasoning! And oyster oil at that!"
I couldn’t help but spit out the rice.
And now

"Hu hu, ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Whang, Fuji-nee tossed away the newspaper with her might

"How about that!? This is my battle plan of taking-advantage-of-the-morning-to-swap-the-labels-of seasoning-and-soy-sauce-!"
Ho-ho, the female spy raises her hands and yells excitedly.

"What, what were you thinking so early in the morning!? Why are you still acting like this when you’re over twenty-five already?!"
"Humph humph-, now you realize my hatred yesterday. Doesn't the one who bullies his nee-san with everyone else, deserve the wrath of Heaven?"

"It's supposed to be from Heaven, and not from people! I had thought it strange for you to be this quiet, and it turns out that you were planning this since yesterday!"

"Exactly-. It's all your fault that I now have to quickly grade my test papers, Humph, I really need to hurry or I’ll be in trouble!"

Fuji-nee sits back on her seat, finishes off her breakfast with an intense vigor.

"OK, I am full. Today's breakfast is very good too, Sakura-chan"
"Ah......yes. It's nothing special, sensei."
"I’ll be going first then. If you two are late, I will be very angry-"

Ta ta ta ta ta-, she ran off just like that.
......-The thought that such a person is a teacher of our school, really leads one believe that there's something wrong with this world.

"......Um, senpai?"
"Sorry. We finally can have breakfast but we can't enjoy it after Fuji-nee's rampage"
"No, that's not what I want to talk about......Um, did senpai do anything to Fujimura-sensei yesterday? For Fujimura-sensei to actually resort to messing with the food, it’s too much even for her."

"Hm......nothing really, it's because I accidentally used her nickname yesterday."
"It’s no wonder then. Senpai didn't apologize to Fujimura-sensei, did you?"
"You got me. I forgot about it since it was pretty common."

"It’s not surprising then, since Fujimura-sensei especially hates Senpai to use her nickname. Senpai definitely made sensei cry again, didn't you?"
"......She cried non-stop before running off by herself. Thanks to her, we had a study period for yesterday's English lesson."

And so, I accepted a student honor award made out of everyone's notebook paper, but of course, it was immediately tossed in a garbage bin.

"Seriously, Senpai is in the wrong this morning."
To Sakura, Fuji-nee is like her real sister, so it’s natural that she's on Fuji-nee's side.
Of course, this is a good thing, but I hope she also considers my feelings as the one who is spending the whole day with Fuji-nee.

Fuji-nee was a friend of Dad, and since I became the adopted son of Dad, she often dropped by at the house.
She still shows up frequently after Dad passed away, and now she has breakfast and dinner in my house, like a freeloader.

---Actually.
It was maybe because Fuji-nee acting this way and being here, I could manage to live by myself after Dad died.
Now Fuji-need, Sakura, and I are the three residents of the house of Emiya.

......Despite all that, I am still the only one knows about Dad being a Magus.

He said, a Magus must conceal one’s true identity.

Therefore I, who became the apprentice of Dad, also hid the fact that I'm learning Sorcery.

It’s just that, even though I'm supposed to be learning, I am still an amateur Magus who can't use Sorcery competently.
.
For someone like me, it does not matter whether I conceal or not, but since it was written in the will, I’ve continued to train everyday in secret.

After having breakfast, I start to prepare for school.
As I listen to the news on the television, while clearing away the dishes.

"---"
Sakura watches the television expressionlessly.
There is a sensational caption 'Gas leak accidents, continue to occur' on the screen.

The neighboring town Shinto apparently had a major accident.
The scene of the accident is in a building in the business district and all the people inside were caught in a lack of oxygen and in a life threatening state of comatose.
Though it was treated as an accident caused by leaking gas, but the same thing happened over and over recently.

"Are you disturbed by the news just now, Sakura?"
"Eh----No, not really. I just realized the accident took place in Shinto, which is quite close from here. ......Senpai, your part time job is over at Shinto, right?"
"Yeah, but it's not in a building as big as those. I don't think that accident in the news report will happen to us."

......Although I say this, these accidents shouldn't be ignored just because it didn't happen to us.
Gas leaks can happen to anyone, and more importantly, there are a few hundred victims now and my heart aches whenever I think of it.

The same accidents keep happening, and rumor has it that the cause was originated from rushing constructions back in Shinto's swift developing period.

Whether it's true or not, I really hope that no more victims show up----

"......That is dangerous. We have to watch out for it too"
"Ah, don't worry, Senpai. I always double check the plug for gas, so please relax."

Sakura thrusts out her chest with pride.

"That's not what I meant."

......Hm. I actually thought about this before, but it seems that Sakura had a few strange particularities.

[----]

"Senpai, did you lock the door inside?"
"Yeah I did. I put the latch on, any problem?"
"No. Then I will lock the front door. What time are you coming back today, Senpai?"

"I guess I will be running a little late. And Sakura?"
"Just as usual. Though I think I will probably be back earlier, so let me take care of the preparations before dinner."
"......Hm, I appreciate it. I will try to come home as early as possible"

Click, the door is locked.
Both Sakura and Fuji-nee have the key to my house, so it's up to the last person leaving to lock the door.
"Let's go. You won't make it to morning practice if we don't hurry."
"OK. Then let us walk a little faster, Senpai."

[----]

Sakura and I walk towards town together.
After passing through a long row of walls and going down the slope, a more crowded residential area is spread out before us.
The Emiya resident is on top of the slope, which was a fair distance from the central region of the town.

Along this way down the slope, then walk out of the residential area, if you keep going, you will arrive at the crossroads of the central region.

From here, there is the main bridge that connects to the neighboring town, the slope to Ryudo Temple
The residential area that is opposite my house, the shopping district that Sakura visits often, and finally, the school we are heading now, there are many different forks.

Without strolling around, we head to the school directly.
Sakura steps on the slope without talking much.
Since it's only seven o'clock, the road to school is quite deserted.
Other than us, there are only a few students walking leisurely, for the club activities in the morning.

"Then see you later. Good luck with your club."
Parting with Sakura at the school gate is part of our custom as well.
As Sakura is in the archery club, we go our separate ways from here in the morning.

".................."
Despite that-
Sakura didn't go straight to the archery club.

"Sakura? Are you not feeling well?"
"......No, it's not that......um, Senpai. Do you want to go visit the archery field sometimes?"

"No, I have nothing to do in the archery field anyway. Plus, Issei asked me to do him a favor today, I have to go to the student’s council quickly."

"......That, that's true. Sorry, I said too much."
Sakura lowers her head, and bows.
"?"

"Excuse me for now. Senpai, please look forward to the dinner"
Sakura runs toward the archery field with an apologetic expression on her face.
"......?"
Eh. Was there some sort of meaning behind those words......?

[----]

"Issei, are you there?"
"I'm here. You’re a little late this morning, Emiya."
Was he studying before class, the male student who seems to be reading some sort of report, raises his face.

"Is Issei the only one present, what happened to the others? It shouldn't be unusual for them to be here by now."
"No, unfortunately our club members are very professional. They follow the working hours precisely, and don't intend to arrive early or stay after."
"Is that why the president of student council has to handle the all odd ends by himself? Sounds tough."

"How so? I volunteered for this. It makes no sense for Emiya to sympathize with me"
"? No, who said I was sympathizing with Issei?"
"Hmm, what a pity, don't bother it then. We both gave it too much thought."

Doh doh, the one filing the reports is Issei, the boss of this student council room
Issei is the guy that had planned to reform the laid-back student council from scratch, and he has been my friend since first grade.
His full name is Ryudo Issei
An delicate face in contrast to that antique name, he is extremely popular among the female students
On top of that, he's also the president of student council

"Hm, the best drink for morning is indeed hot tea that numbs the tongue after all."

He takes a sip of the boiled tea, I still don't understand
Issei's personality is very modest this way
Yet he is often misunderstood, though he has never been involved in any relationship, nor does he fool around like other students
When it comes down to it, he is the son that's going to inherit the Ryudo Temple on the mountain
Since even he himself thinks that inheriting the temple is a is a good idea, there is a high possibility that he will become a lofty monk after graduation.

"Well. What are we going to do today?"
"Hm? Aah, sit down and drink a cup of tea first---is what I wanted to say, but there is no time. I will explain as we move along, and bring the usual tools."

[----]

"Let me be frank. Our school is extremely unbalanced when it comes to money."
"I know. Special treatment towards the sport related clubs, and nothing left for the others, right?"
"Humph. As a result, the members of the cultural club are treated unfairly. I already tried my best to request for more budget, but it's not going well as the distribution of the school budget is unclear. The classrooms for cultural clubs are still no good for this reason. Especially we can't do anything about it if the stoves are not enough for winter"

"Is that so. ----Ah, give me the flat-bladed screwdriver. The largest one. And the conducting wire too......Hm, this should be fine"
"Conducting wire? ......Hm, is this it? Sorry, I can't really tell. Correct me if I’m wrong."
"There is no need for that if you're right. Then, what happened to those with not enough stoves? Are there other broken ones somewhere?"

"Yes. The stoves in the second multi-media room and the fine art club have some problems. There are more and more petitions for requests to buy new ones."
"But there isn't any budget for it, is that it?. ......It's only deteriorating after all. It should be fine as long as there isn't anything wrong inside"

"......Hu. Can you fix it, Emiya?"
"I can do it. In this kind of situation, old fashioned things are easier to understand. It's only a distribution line that had short circuited. So once it’s replaced with a new one, it will be good to go this year."
"So that's it! You are great Emiya, I am very happy to have asked you."

"Your Japanese is weird, Issei. ......Oh, just one more thing, could you leave for a second?"
"Hm, I definitely can't distract Emiya."

Issei leaves the classroom quietly
......It appears that, he thought I was going to work on some delicate operations

"......Well, it is pretty delicate, if you think about it......"
I touch the old fashioned electric stove
Generally speaking, even if you are accustomed to this type of repairs, it's still difficult to figure out where's the problem by sight alone.
The reason why I’m able to know is because my method is not ordinary

I close my eyes, and observe the interior of the stove with my senses
---In the meantime
An image appears in my brain

"......There are two broken circuits in the electric heating wire......the electric heating unit is still there......the power coils can be fixed with insulating tapes......"
......Great, it can still be repaired with just the tools on hand.

If the electric heating unit is spoilt then an amateur won't be able to take care of it
By that time I will have to take a non-amateur way to 'enhance' it, however to be able to observe the interior is enough for now

All of Emiya Shirou's 'Sorcery' was taught by Kiritsugu

"----Alright, let's get to work"
Opening the case, I start to repair the interior circuits
Since I already know where the problem is, the procedure after that becomes easy
"......Sigh. I am only good at this."

Without a doubt. Emiya Shirou has almost no talent for Sorcery.
On the contrary, I am ridiculously good at observing the interior of objects and relating them to actual blueprints.
In fact, when I reproduced the imagining blueprints, Dad's eyes went wide open in shock, sighed as he said 'What a useless talent.'

What I am good at is apparently a meaningless talent
Dad said, it's a waste to grasp the structure of an object visually
As an Magus, there's no use to accurately comprehend the most minute details of the structure

Theoretically, to be able to read the core of the object quickly, and then change it faster before anyone else, is how battles of the Magi are fougt.
Therefore it's only a waste of energy to read the blueprints, because even if you read it, you would only know which route is easier for Mana to pass through

For many reasons, I can only use my forte to repair malfunctions
However you look at it, I don't have the need to dismantle objects to find the problems
Just quickly finding out where is wrong with it, then with the repairing technique, most of the things can be repaired

But, of course this is limited to the junk that can be repaired with 'a little amateur's common sense'

"---Done. Let's move on to the next one".

Collecting the used conducting wires, I grasp a screwdriver and a wrench in my hands and go to the hallway.

[----]

"Issei, I am done fixing."
----Oh
Out in the hallway, there is another female student besides Issei

"----"
I am a little surprised
Issei is talking to Tohsaka Rin from second year class A.
The young lady who lives in an extraordinarily large mansion on the hills, is also a top student
She’s attractive, has good grades, along with excellent athletic talent, and zero drawbacks
She has a well-bred and rational mind, and doesn't act arrogant just because she is beautiful; she’s what every man wants

And because she is like that, it’s needless to say that she is worshiped like an idol by the male students
But in Tohsaka's case, she has become a unapproachable flower because she’s too perfect
All the boys agree on this, and the only ones who can talk to Tohsaka are Issei, and the teachers

......Well, to be honest, I am also male
Emiya Shirou is, without exception, among the male students who are in awe of Tohsaka Rin

"..............."
Tohsaka is looking at us, as if she’s not in a good mood
Rumor has that Issei and Tohsaka don't get along with each other, seems likely

"Ah, excuse me. Sorry I had to let Emiya do all the work, even though I was the one that asked you to do it in the first place. Please forgive me"
Ooh
To completely ignore Tohsaka and instead starts to talk to me, Issei is incredible

"Don't mention it. So, where's the next one? We're running out of time."
"Aah, next one is in the multi-media room. Apparently it's not working the way it should for quite some time now, and this time it finally went flat."

"If it's already dead, then there's no way I can fix it. It would be better if you just bought another one."
"......That's true, but just do me a favor. Although it looks like its near the brink of death to me, but maybe if you took a look at it instead, it would just be faking it."

"Is that so? Let me give it a try then."
There is not even thirty minutes left until homeroom
If we want to repair it, we better hurry or we won't make it

I hurried Issei toward the multi-media classroom
But, since we already met, it's impolite to ignore her completely

I stop and turn my head towards Tohsaka
"You're early today, Tohsaka"
After giving my honest comment, I go after Issei

[----]

"We almost didn't make it. Sorry Emiya, I troubled you again. I can't be called your friend if I make you late for helping me out."
"Don't sweat it. It's okay for me to be late. It would be a problem if Issei was late though"
"That's true. Phew, luckily we made it"
Issei gives out a sigh, and walks to his seat while patting his chest

The time is exactly eight o'clock
The bell before homeroom rings, so Fuji-nee should be here in five minutes

"---Phew"
Since I ran all the way from the multi-media classroom, my breathing is a bit unsteady
After taking a deep breath, I walk to my own seat

"Emiya, you've been pretty busy this early. I was wondering what you were up to after quitting the club, so I guess you went ahead to kiss Ryudo's arsch? It has nothing to do with me, but don't do anything that will lower the reputation of our club. After all, you don't have much integrity."

In front of my seat, stands my friend since middle school, Matou Shinji
From the last name Matou you can tell, he's the brother whose one year older than Sakura

"Hey. Is everything alright in archery club, Shinji?"
"Of, of course......! There is no point to talk to outsiders, but ever since we got rid of a certain pushy guy, the club has become a lot more peaceful. Maybe we can even get a good ranking in the next competition again!"

"I see. So Mitsuzuri is working hard."
"Huh? What rubbish are you babbling about? It's all because of me that the archery club can break the record. Emiya, you are already an outsider, don't you feel ashamed to talk as if you know everything?"

"I see, I will be careful. But I don't have any business with the archery club anyway, it shouldn't matter"
I put the book bag on the table, and pull out the chair

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you're not interested in my archery club?"
"Business, not interest. I am already an outsider, wouldn't it be strange for me to hang out in the archery field. But if you have something to say, just say it. If you need any help, I will do it for you. Shinji is not very good with pulling bowstrings and repairing bows, right?"

"I see, thanks. If there are errands available, I will let you take care of it. But there shouldn't be anything like that."

"Aah, I am relieved. One cannot be called a president if he leave errands unattended. Don't upset Fujimura-sensei too often. She is really scary when she's angry."
"......! Humph, that's uncalled for. Anyway, you are already an outsider so don't come close to the field!"

Shinji returns to his seat as usual
......Hm? Why is that guy especially irritable today

"What's that guy babbling. How can he say that when he kicked Emiya out himself?"
"Oh Issei, so you were here"
"What do you mean by 'oh'! How can you treat a very concerned friend who listened in so coldly!"

"? What concern? I haven't done anything that would concern Issei"
"Fool, of course I was concerned since you’re very short-tempered. Though everyone will cheer you on if you beat that Shinji, the girls would probably send you a storm of complaints. It's not good to put a friend in this position."

"I see. Hm, that’s true when I think about it. Thanks Issei. I doubt that will happen, but thank you for your concern."
"Hm, as long as you get it. ......But I must say I am very surprised. Emiya is obviously short-tempered, but you are very lenient toward Matou"
"Aah, Shinji has always been that way. I got used to it after a while"

"Hm, so that's it"
"That's it. Alright, if you understand then go back to your own seat. It's about time for Fujimura-sensei to fly in here."
"Ha ha ha. Rather than flying, it looks more like floating."

[----]

The bell rings as the homeroom begins
Even though most of the homeroom teachers come in five minutes earlier, our teacher is nothing like that

For second year class C, our homeroom starts at exactly one minute after the bell, or

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late---!"

When we welcome the screaming and dashing Fuji-nee to the classroom does it really start

"Good, I made it-! Everyone, mor----"

Ko-dong
Fuji-nee trips over and makes a sound that feels dangerous from a physiology point of view

"--------"

The classroom suddenly becomes speechlessly silent from the chaos only a minute ago
What a blunt way to change scene
No wonder Fuji-nee is the only one worthy of the title 'The Human Jet-Plane'

......Then again, the angle she fell at was no joke
Fuji-nee collapsed after she bumped into the desk
Though we couldn’t see her face, but that leaves us more space for horrifying imagination

"......Hey, the front row, call the teacher up."
"......Eh-, no way-......She will slurp me if I get close."
"......It's not like she's an alien, even Fuji-nee won't do that."
"Hey you, if you say so then why don't you go?"
"Whoa, I can't do that. I am not good at this."
"Me neither! And why do we girls have to do it!? You boys should handle it!"

The front row is becoming restless
For us who are seated in the middle row, we still don't have a clue about Fuji-nee's predicament

Since we don't have a clue, everyone just starts to stand on their seats to take a peep

"Hold on a second, sensei is not moving. Did she knock herself out?"
Someone asked a very sensible question.
The problem now is how are we supposed to take Fuji-nee to the nurse under these circumstances?

Everyone has already spent a whole year with Fuji-nee
It's about time to break the tradition of taking the homeroom teacher to nurse

"Fujimura-sensei......? Um-, are you ok-?"

A female student speaks up bravely
Fuji-nee didn't move an inch
The wavering spreads out gradually

"......The way she fell just now looked pretty bad. Didn't her head bump into the lecture table in a bad angle? Fujimura must be invincible if she is still not hurt after that."
"Hm-, how about letting Fujimura-sensei joins the baseball club?"
"Do, don't scare me......! Back when Tiger was our advisor, we made it all the way to Koshien!"
"Fujimura-sensei, Fujimura-sensei......! This is bad, there's no response......!"

"Hey, you should go wake her up since she's right in front of you"
"Eeh!? No way, I will get myself killed if I do that."
"But, we can't just leave it like, I'm afraid that something scary might happen."
"So no one wants to do it."
"......There is no other way then. We can only do that when it comes down to this."
"Yeah, let's do that."
"One, two, three-"

Everyone is in unison
......Aah, except Shinji and I, as we don't dare to open our mouths for something on such a terrifying scale/

"One, two, three-, Wake up-, Tiger!"

Everyone in the class call out together, but the voices are as quiet as if they were murmuring
Especially with the pronunciation of 'Tiger' almost unrecognizable
However

......(Trembling)
Fuji-nee who has remained silent up till now, begins twitching

"Ooh, she moved!? Everyone, it's working!"
"OK-Let's keep going!"
Perhaps their minds are fried because of the approaching finals
Just leaving her alone is fine, but not only are they waving their hands, they even used Fuji-nee's nickname

"Wake up Tiger. It's already morning-"
"Sensei, You are a Tiger if you don't wake up!"
"Don't lose, Tiger! Stand up, Tiger!"
"OK-, wake up sensei! This is the way of Tiger!"
"Ti-Ger-! Ti-Ger-!"

"Growl---! Don't call me Tiger---!"

A flash
There is not a scratch on Fuji-nee even after that kind of impact, as she stands tall on the earth glaringly

"......Ah? What is everyone doing? You shouldn't stand up during homeroom. Hurry, sit down before it starts"

Fuji-nee is standing before the lecture table as usual
......Apparently, all her memories of dashing into the classroom to standing back up, have been neatly forgotten.

"......Hey, Tiger doesn't seem to remember"
"......Lucky, we've been having pretty good luck since this morning"
"......No, can you really call this good luck......"
The students are making a racket as they returning to their seats

"Humph. Who was that, do you take your sensei for a fool?"
"Oh, no. You are hearing things, sensei"
"I see, very well then. Everyone listens up, today's homeroom is going to start."

Fuji-nee begins the homeroom leisurely
She even adds in some gossip in between announcements, so no one is taking her seriously

"That's all, everyone will need to follow the scheduled time for leaving school. School closes at six, and even those with clubs can't stay longer than that."
"Eh-, six, but then it will be all over in a minute-. Taiga-sensei, could you go easy on the sport clubs?"
"No can do. And Gotoh, you have to address sensei as Fujimura-sensei, and if you call me by my first name the next time, I will be angry, ok?"
"OK-, I will make a note of that-"
Gotoh acts as if he is not going to take a note of that at all and sits back down

......What a novice
When Fuji-nee says she will be angry, she really will be. Even if the opponent is a student and she’s a teacher.
That was the very last diplomatic warning when she's going extremely near to her limit, and that Gotoh didn't even realize it.

"Then that concludes today's homeroom. I will see you all in the English class in the third period-!"
Fuji-nee walks away while waving her hands

Homeroom teacher of second year class C, Fujimura Taiga
Also known as Tiger
Though the nickname rouses her angers, but she can't do anything about it since it's true

Though she was named Taiga despite being a girl, Fuji-nee gets along with everyone. But Fuji-nee herself hates the nickname Tiger very much.
Fuji-nee said that the nickname is very unladylike
But since she acts in that manner, who else is to be blamed for her unladylike nickname

"Class begins. Student on duty, give the word."
And so, the teacher of first period class passed by Fuji-nee and walked in
The morning of our class has been like this invariably, since Fuji-nee always spends every last minute of the homeroom

And then, an entire day of classes ended as usual
Some students are rushing to their clubs, and some are going home right after school, while those who have nothing to do just stay in the classroom, all sorts
As for me, I am not in any of those three categories

"Excuse me, are you free, Emiya? I want to continue what we started this morning. Do you have spare time today?"
"Well, I do have plans."
Its not for fun though
The main reason why I quit the archery club was because of my part-time jobs

Ever since Dad passed away, I thought that I should at least take care of my living expenses so I started to work part-time, and it had been that way for five years.
Even after taking so many jobs, there are some requests that I just can't turn down

Such as today
For the bar's wholesale, the owner hoped that I could come because she needed as much manpower as she could get.
Its not necessary that I have to go though. The job is the kind where we simply gather around some friends
So we can have fun after work

"----"
There are two choices
I want to----

[----]

The repairs are not done yet
So let me wrap up what we started this morning.

"Change of plans. Let's continue on the repairs from this morning, so just leave them to me. I am going to finish off the repairs before the exams."
"I am saved. Let's take a look at the patient in the fine art club then."
"OK. ......Oh, just make sure you drive away the people. I can't concentrate when there's somebody watching."
"Certainly. No one will distract you."
I follow the hasty Issei to the hallway and leave the classroom in a hurry

When I left the school building, it was already dark outside.
The school gate is closed
The time now is seven o'clock, and though it’s way over the closing time, but I wasn't reprimanded thanks to Issei's intervention.

"Sigh, I am really saved today. I will definitely repay you, whatever you want, just say it and don't hold back"
"Alright, I will ask you when I need it. Then again, I don't really have anything in mind. But it's not like I helped you in order to get something in return, plus I don't really need to beg Issei for favors anyway."

"......Seriously, you should reflect for being too nice. I was saved because Emiya is here, but I can't stand how other people asking you to run their errands for them. Helping people is a good deed, but shouldn't you at least pick the people you're going to help? In Emiya's case, you just grant favors to anyone who asks for it."
"? I’m really not picking the people?"
"Humph. You are been taken advantage of by fools unwittingly. Emiya, you're busy yourself, so it's ok to turn down others' requests from time to time."

"----"
I'm not so sure, but it seems that Issei is worried about me.
Ever since middle school, people often praise me, saying that Emiya is very helpful in that he never refuses any request, and doesn't ask favors in return

Issei finds this bad
But I am doing this voluntarily, so there shouldn't be a problem since I also refuse people very frankly if I don't think I can handle it

"Don't worry about it, Issei. I know myself the best. Plus, helping others is a good deed, right? It's not something to be reprimanded by the son of a temple."
"Nevertheless, you’re overloading yourself. You will breakdown if this continues."

"Your advice is noted. See you tomorrow in school."
"......Humph. See you tomorrow then."

Issei looks dissatisfied as he walks off.
His home at the Ryudo Temple requires him to go towards the hill in order to reach it, so it’s natural for us to split here on my way home.

I walk on the night-lit street.
Gazing at the starry night of winter as I walk on top of the hill road, I notice that there is no one around
It's about seven-thirty
I won't be surprised if there are people walking everywhere at this hour, but there is nobody outside

"......Of course, now that I think about it."
Just a few days ago, something happened in Miyama town
I think it was a robbery and murder case of home intrusion
No pedestrians, along with the school’s closing time changed to six were probably caused by that event

"......Gas leaks and robbery. It's getting dangerous around here."
No wonder people have stopped going out at night
It's dangerous to let Sakura walk back by herself
Fuji-nee is another matter, but Sakura's home is in the residential area on the other side
I have to walk her home starting from today---

"......?"
For an instant, I doubt my own eyes
A figure appears on the aforementioned deserted hill road
In the middle of the hill road, as if lowering her gaze towards me from up there, that figure comes to a halt

"-------"
I hold my breath unconsciously
The silver haired girl smiles as if amused, and walks down the hill without making a sound

In the middle-

"If you don't call it out quickly, you will be dead, Oniichan."

Bizarre words came out from her lips.

[----]

I came back home after climbing up the hill
The lights in the house are on, so Sakura and Fuji-nee have already returned

I can smell a delicious aroma once I enter the living room
Sakura and Fuji-nee are having dinner right beside the dining table
Tonight's main dish is butter chicken, and Fuji-nee who loves white sauce the most appears to be in a good mood.

"Senpai, you are home. Sorry we started without you."
"I'm home. Sorry for being late. I wish I could come back earlier."
"It's ok, you still have time. Just a little longer, your meal will be ready in a second"
"Hm, I'll leave it to you then. I am going to wash my hands, watch out for Fuji-nee, and don't let her take other people's food"
"Yes, I will watch her carefully."

[----]

I am back in my room
The room is pretty empty when compared to the warehouse, but since I don't have much hobbies, these are enough decorations for me
Though most of these are objects with unknown purposes that has been thrown around by Fuji-nee

After washing my hands, I change my clothes and return to the dining room, in which dinner has already been prepared on the dining table

"Let's start."
"Yes, hopefully the food is to your liking......"
Sakura is being very humble.

Sakura's cooking skills have been improving dramatically over the past year.
As of now, there is no chance for me to beat her in Western style, though I can still manage in the Japanese style, but neither of us know Chinese style though
I feel happy for the improvement made by my apprentice, but a master will always feel lonesome when he’s surpassed by his apprentice

"----Mm"
It’s just as good as I expected.
The longer you cook chicken, the harder it gets. That's why you should bake the surface nicely before cooking, despite all the troubles, this is the only way to make a juicy finishing product without losing its flavor
The control on this part is rather delicate, and it's a professional art that the clumsy Fuji-nee can never master

"How is it, senpai......? Um, I thought I did pretty well today......"
"Flawless. The white seasoning sauce is quite stunning. I am no longer on par with Sakura in Western style cooking."

"Mmm, ever since Sakura-chan took over the kitchen, all the dishes with meat have begun to taste better."
At this point
Fuji-nee who has been concentrating on dining, raises her head

"Ah. Bad-, Shirou. Students shouldn't come home this late"
......Ah
She was in a good mood because of the dinner prepared by Sakura, but now her mood is ruined after seeing me

"Seriously, you went out of your way to help others again, right? While that certainly is a good thing, you should really come back earlier. Didn't I already mention that ‘it's dangerous as of late’ during homeroom? That was meant for you, Shirou"

"......Let me put it this way. You didn't have to take up homeroom time just for me, why couldn't you just tell me at home?"
"It’s because you wouldn't listen. Making specific announcements in the school for Shirou is far more effective"
"......Sensei, I think that's abusing your professional authority and involving private matters in public affairs"

"No way, it wouldn't be effective against Shirou otherwise. You are always at a loss by helping others. To come straight back to home for a break once in a while isn’t such a bad idea, stupid"
"Humph. What do you mean by stupid? What's wrong with helping others out, you are not at a loss if you actually help someone."

"......Sigh, so much like Kiritsugu. Nee-san will get worried if you are like this."
What worry? Fuji-nee is taking in food heartily.

"......Um, Fujimura-sensei. Did you say, senpai was like this since a long time ago?"
"Yep, since a long time ago. He's the type that will help out anyone who is in trouble by himself. He’s not exactly poking his nose into others' business, but Shirou is just simply precocious."

He he he, Fuji-nee makes a threatening smile
"Fuji-nee. I will get angry if you say something redundant. And Sakura, stop asking such boring questions."

I glare at the two
Fuji-nee groans and conceded, but yet
"Fujimura-sensei, please go on"
Sakura is taking it seriously

"Then I will keep going. Well-, Shirou has the personality of a man who can't ignore people in trouble. The kind of man that support the weak and oppose the strong. He once wrote that his dream was to become a defender of justice on his composition when he was little"

"----"
......Talking about the past again, Fuji-nee
I can't interrupt her since she's speaking the truth
Also, to become a defender of justice is an unchanging goal even now

"Wow. Senpai was such a wonderful child"
"Hm, wonderful indeed-. He would always come to the rescue when girls are being picked on by the older boys, and he tried very hard to be familiar with house-hold chores because Kiritsugu was lazy."

"A-ah, he used to be so adorable and pure, how did he end up being such a difficult child-"

"Because Fuji-nee was here. The child thought about lots of things after growing up while watching an useless adult. If you can't swallow that then make your own meals."
"------What"
Fuji-nee took a blow
I thought she'd lower her head and reflect on herself

"Sob, Nee-san is so hurt. Sakura-chan, one more serving."
Yet she just sticks out her rice bowl for the third time

After dinner, I took a break, the clock now points at nine

"Alright, let's do something."
There is still time until my night training
For now----

[----]

---True
I should rest a bit in preparation of tonight's training

"The bathing water is heated up as well. I will just ask Fuji-nee to walk Sakura back"
Let's do it now since I already made the choice
First off, wake up Fuji-nee who fell asleep in the living room, then thank Sakura for the dinner, watch those two going back home, take a back
And finally take a break----

A day ended, period
Right before twelve at midnight, Emiya Shirou must proceeds the 'Sorcery' that has already became a daily lesson

"--------"
I sit down and cross my legs, adjusting my breaths
First, I turn my mind into a blank sheet of paper as much as possible
Then, peel off the contacts to the outside world, and finally turning all of my consciousness inward

"----Trace, on"
Similar to self-suggestion, I recite the incantation that I accustom

2nd Day

......It was very dark when I woke up
Perhaps I’m the type that doesn't dream too much, because so long as nothing momentous has happened, I’ll just keep having the same dream over and over again.

[----]

......The thing I imagined was usually a sword
For some unknown reason, that's the only thing that came up in my mind
There is no meaning nor explanation for it
Perhaps, it may be the substance that Emiya Shirou is composed of

I do not dream
The things that I recall after falling asleep are what others have told me in the past
Things related to Magi for example
Even for an amateur Magus, it's only natural for me to be curious about the world that I exist in

---In short, Magi are loners in contrast to civilized society
Even if they are loners, they can't exist without gathering in groups
Kiritsugu told me that the organization of Magi was named the 'Mage Association'
......Furthermore, I should never be involved with them

The organization that is the Mage Association, is allegedly responsible for the concealment of Sorcery, and the monitoring of Magi
To put in simple terms, they are a dangerous authority that prevents Magi from influencing modern society with Sorcery, though they do not prohibit them from abusing Sorcery

According to Kiritsugu, the Mage Association is only concerned with the concealing of the occult
Take for example if there is a Magus who sacrificed many normal people in his research, then the Association would not punish them
Their aim is to hide Sorcery from the public, and not the prohibitation of Sorcery
Put simply, they are a group of dangerous people who would resort to any means necessary, as long as their secrets are safe

However, the monitoring from the Mage Association is absolute
Many a research on Sorcery has ended up sacrificing normal people, thus exposing the existence of Sorcery.
Consequently, the Mage Association will not tolerate any kind of experiments that would threaten the common citizenry.
In the end, Magi confined themselves to their living quarters, and conduct research without making any trouble, while shrugging off the affairs of the world
----In some cases
Magi who conceal themselves, are most likely avoiding termination by the Association
......Consequently, it's possible for other Magi to be in this city that I am not aware of

Because Fuyuki City is apparently excellent ground in terms of spiritual force
This type of land must be occupied by a famous clan in history. They are called the administrators, or the leaders who were entrusted with this land by the Association
When Magi wish to settle on the same land, they must greet them first, and then obtain the permission to establish their own workshops

......From this perspective, our family is a thief that sneaked in without notifying the administrators
Dad cut his ties with the Association, disregarded the regulations, and did not receive any approval to live here

The administrators did not know that Emiya Kiritsugu was a Magus, and Kiritsugu did not know who the administrator was
For this reason, the position of my family is really ambiguous
Dad, the real Magus passed away
I, as his son and apprentice, was not familiar with the Mage Association nor did I possess the knowledge of a Magus
......According to the rules of the Association, an amateur like me should be locked up as soon as possible and dealt with, but I don't feel I’m in that danger recently.
No, since the Mage Association has very little influence in Japan, they probably didn't find out about me

---Even though I say this, but I still feel unease

Supposedly the Mage Association is able to monitor anywhere, more so, if there is an event that was caused by Sorcery
The Church that hunts down heretics won't remain silent either
......No matter what type of Sorcery, if it’s used without restraint, it would attract difficult enemies
With that in mind, Emiya Shirou only needs to become a Magus through self-taught methods

[----]

"............, Hm"
The sunshine that gleams through the window wakes me up
The sun just risen, so it's still dim outside
"......So cold. It's harsh in the morning after all"
I refuse to lose to the cold morning air and stand up, quickly folding the mattresses

It's five and a half
My forte, no matter how late I stay up, is always waking up at this hour. Though sometimes I also lose my face like yesterday, but I can get up by myself most of the time
I thought I'd only sink lower and lower if I depend on an alarm clock, so I stop using it when I was young

"Let's make breakfast---"
I already allowed Sakura cook yesterday, so I will feel bad about it if I don't return the favor this morning
Let me quickly prepare everything before Sakura comes around

Steam rice, miso soup
I pick onions and potatoes as ingredients for the miso soup, since yesterday was with radish and carrot
At the same time, I make the omelet with soup, cook the rest of the konjak, and the preparation is done
I sprinkle salt as I probe in the main dish Mackerel Pike with my kitchen knife, then all it needs is to be baked, I should stop right there.

"OK, this should be enough for now"

It's almost six o'clock
I finished earlier than I expected, so there is some spare time
Next, what should I do with the remaining time

"---Alright. Let's work up a sweat since there is so much time left."

Morning exercise is also a daily routine, let's move my body around a bit

There is a majestic dojou inside the Emiya residence
It was built along with the establishment of this house
Done completely on a whim.
As a result, the dojou was not built for any purpose whatsoever

"But, Fuji-nee does come over to use it on her own."
Before I came to the Emiya residence, this place apparently used to be Fuji-nee's playground
However, as I took over this place when I became the apprentice of Kiritsugu, Fuji-nee used to hold a grudge against me for it

"......Alright"
I come here for only one thing
Being a Magus doesn't mean that I can relax on my physical condition
Staying in good shape is also one of the conditions of becoming a Magus

We had many matches here when Kiritsugu was still alive
But since I was the only one takings blows, I didn't find any way to win
......But I found out the difference between a brawl and a fight at least
In simple terms, it is the difference of defeating the opponent and murdering the opponent, I learned how to judge that

Knowledge and experience is different
Without this understanding, it's difficult to decide whether one is brawling or killing

......It is quite simple
Since learning Sorcery , sometimes you may die by yourself, while sometimes you fight with others
To the Magi, fighting is the same as killing
The thing that Kiritsugu wished to teach Emiya Shirou was the conviction of facing death

However, the man who taught me this is long gone
I, who became alone, can only work on simple exercises
Push-ups, sit-ups or calisthenics; what I am doing is not much different from the morning practice of archery club
The only difference is the amount that I’m doing.

[----]

"Good morning, senpai. Is breakfast already prepared?"
"Aah, I have already prepared breakfast. Except for bringing out the dining utensils, and grilling the fish"
"Ah, please let me help out. I will bring out the dining utensils"

Sakura wants to lend me a hand eagerly
The one comes after the enthusiastic kohai is
"Ah, this is the smell of Shirou's omelet. I see, we will be having the breakfast prepared by Shirou today-"
Fuji-nee is shifting toward the dining table without a care in the world

"......Whatever, let's ignore that for now"
First roast the fish prepared beforehand
"Sakura, pick the plate right in the middle. It looks more delicious that way"
"Eh......? That, you mean this one with bulges on its surface?"

"That's the one. When you roast food, you also need to consider which plate to match with. And now, carrots are washed---"
Sakura probes her hand deep into the cupboard to get the plate
"----"
On the wrist of Sakura, who leans her body forward, shows a faint bruise

"Sakura, hold on"
"Yes? Anything wrong, senpai"
"The bruise on your wrist, what happened"
"Ah----"
Sakura avoids eye contact awkwardly
I realized who made the bruise at that moment

"Was it Shinji again? That illegitim, to his own sister even, what was he thinking......!?"
"No, that's not true senpai......! This, that......I made this when I tripped over and hit myself. I am clumsy, right? So I often trip over, and keep hurting myself"
"Stupid, how could a trip over leave that kind of mark? That illegitim Shinji, apparently he didn't get enough of a beating ......!"

"Don't, don't do it senpai......! This, has nothing to do with brother. I hurt myself, so there is no reason for senpai to get angry"
"----"
And then Sakura falls into a silence
......Though she appears to be very obedient, there is also a stubborn side of Sakura when it comes to certain things. At this point, no matter what I say will only make things worse.

"......I see. I will pretend that is the case if Sakura says so. But I won't be able to hold back if I see it again next time"
"......Yes. I'm sorry, senpai"
"Why should you apologize, Sakura? The one at fault is Shinji."
".................."
When I mention Shinji's name, Sakura turns her face aside awkwardly

Which means he is the reason for the bruise on Sakura's wrist
Matou Shinji. Sakura's brother, who has an bad tendency to take everything out on Sakura
I first noticed this a year ago
Sakura got hurt sometimes, and she never answered me directly whenever I asked her of the reason
I consulted Shinji with her concern in mind, and that illegitim admitted he was the one who beats Sakura

I asked him why, and he replied that it was because he found her disagreeable
---And then I snapped, and returned Shinji with exactly what he had done
Ever since then, Shinji and I drifted apart
I didn’t regret beating Shinji up even now
I just felt that it was my responsibility that Sakura was involved

"......Senpai. Did you, um, make up with brother?"
"Huh? Aah, yeah. But it wasn't a fight or anything, there's nothing to make up for"
"......While that was true for senpai, but it was a fight for brother. So, um......please be careful"

"?"
Sakura mentioned something strange
"Be careful? Be careful of Shinji?"
"......Yes. I heard brother is treating senpai as an enemy. ......That senpai quit the club was also because of him---"

"That's not it. Shinji had nothing to do with my decision. Well, maybe a little, but Sakura doesn't need to worry about that. Sure it wasn't pretty, because it turned out just like what Shinji said"
I point to my right shoulder
There is a bit of scar

It was one and a half years ago
The stock came crashing down when I was taking a part-time job and my right shoulder was rammed. Though it only caused a fracture, the stock fell down was something troublesome, that left burn marks on my skin

After that accident, I quit the archery club
The archery club of our school is very emphasized on formalities, students are also required to carry out ritual archery
Ritual archery for men requires exposure of the right shoulder, shooting while bare skinned
I quit the archery club, because Shinji complained that it was an eyesore to let someone with burn marks on his shoulder carry out ritual archery, and because I happened to be busy with part-time work.

"Um, senpai. I know this is long-winded, but are you really quitting archery? Fujimura-sensei said the injury is not a problem anymore."
"You are taking it too lightly! Fuji-nee would say that it’s not a problem even if I had bone fractures all over my body, Sakura."

"Senpai, I am taking it very seriously"
Sakura lowered her head and looked at me as if she wanted to say something
"......Hm"
I can only answer seriously at this point, but unfortunately I cannot give Sakura the answer that she is hoping for

"I don't have the time to be involved in clubs right now. I do enjoy archery, but it's not in my priorities now, I think I won't take it up for a while"
"......How long is, a while?"
"Until I want to take it up again. However, it should happen before Sakura graduates. I will be in your palm by then, Sakura"
I pat Sakura's shoulder lightly

After Sakura was dazed for a second
"Ah, yes......! I will be looking forward to that, senpai!"

The time is approaching seven-thirty
Sakura, who has club activities in the morning, and Fuji-nee have already left
I went to school early yesterday because of Issei's request, but today I’m following my normal schedule

When I arrive at the intersection, I see an unusual sight
There are cruisers parked in front of a household
Was there a commotion? the surrounding atmosphere is tense, and about ten to twenty people have gathered around

"?"
It caught my interest, but I don't know what's happening because the crowd is in the way
And there's no time, I should head to school first

I reach school ten minutes before the first bell sounds
As I walk through the school gate relaxed
"Hey, morning Emiya"
I suddenly meet an familiar female student

"Mitsuzuri, why didn’t you change yet? It’s almost Homeroom. This isn't the time to greet me, right?"

"Ah ha ha ha ha! Eh, that's right. You are still such a heartless man, Emiya"
I don't know what she's so happy about, Mitsuzuri is laughing without caring about the presence of other people.
Mitsuzuri Ayako
She was in my class in first year, and now is the president of archery club

Perceptive to the point that one can't consider her a student, she was the capable woman that was expected to become the next president since the first year
......Simply put, her mental age is more mature than her real age, she was the elder sister type that everyone relied on since the first year
However, she will get angry if you tell her this. She will argue that she's not that old

"Ah? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"
"I will never spill out that kind of thing. I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Mitsuzuri to feel angry if you so wish"

"Oh, good call. Not bad, an honest reply, but that doesn't reveal what you are really trying to say. Emiya, you are different from Shinji, since you don't have any opening"
"Shinji? Why did you mention Shinji all of a sudden?"

"No particular reason, aren't you and Shinji buddies? Shinji's only male friend is you, right?
And you might not remember, but I am still the president of the archery club. Don't you think it's only natural for me to group the troublemaker in my club, and the troublemaker that quit my club together?"

"Aah, it's indeed natural. Though I’m not related to the archery club anymore, he and I are only together because of bad luck"

"Ah, I am pissed now. You gave me the cold shoulder whenever the archery club is mentioned. What a hot shot, you ran away and left Shinji to us. Have you considered Sakura’s, or my feelings?

"Hm. Did that Shinji do something again?"
"Did he ever stop doing something? ......Anyway, even then what he did yesterday was unreasonable. A first year boy quit the club yesterday"

Sigh, Mitsuzuri lets out a groan with a solemn expression
It's a rare sight for her to have this kind of expression, but more importantly, I can't just ignore what was just said after listening

"What was that all about? A member quit the club, why?"
"Shinji took it out on him. He specially gathered all the girls, and let a student who just learned archery to shoot in front of them, and kept making fun of him before he shot the target."
"Eh!? Why did you allow that kind of foolishness to take place!?"

"How could I allow?! But, as a president I have other matters to attend to. I can't always be in the dojou, and you know it, Emiya"

"......That is certainly true. But what was Shinji thinking? Even if he is sometimes more harsh than needed, he isn’t the kind that ridicules amateurs"

"----You surprise me, Emiya. You really are that."
"Hm. What do you mean by that? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"

"Eh-h, I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Emiya to feel angry if you so wish"
"......Hey you, answer me with something sounds familiar from a minute ago. Forget it, what happened to Shinji? Why did he do that"

"Hm-, I heard a rumor that he was rejected excessively by Tohsaka or something"
"Eh......Tohsaka, as in that Tohsaka?"

"Do we have any other Tohsaka in our school except that one? The excellent student from the second year class A, Ms. Perfect Tohsaka"
"......No, this is the first time I hear that nickname"

Anyway, I understand now
If the subject was Tohsaka Rin, then it's possible for Shinji to get rejected, and more importantly---
That Tohsaka apparently said something merciless when she cutting her ties to others

"In brief, Shinji has been acting that way since yesterday. Thanks to him, I had to oversee the dojou until this hour"
"...... Shinji is very irritable. Mitsuzuri, keep up the good work even though it's going to be tough"

"Yeah yeah. Anyway, Shinji doesn't learn from his lessons, right? Maybe one day he will seek out Tohsaka again and get rejected, and then he might do something to Tohsaka-"
"No, even Shinji wouldn’t go near the person who rejected him. That guy is very insistent on this"

"But there is no other choice if the subject comes near, right? Tohsaka, for some reason, often visits the dojou. You don’t know this since you’ve quit the club"

"?"
That's the first time I heard of this
Tohsaka Rin isn’t part of any club at all, apparently because of the circumstances of her family. She refused the recommendation to the student council with the same reason, so I always thought that she goes straight to home directly after school

"Forget it, this way is fine too. She is so arrogant, maybe it's not half bad for her to get nailed down once. Should I feel regrettable, or apologetic?"
Mitsuzuri is saying some seemingly dangerous words
......Now that I think about it, Tohsaka Rin has allegedly many enemies, is Mitsuzuri one of them?

"Hey Mitsuzuri, however you put it"
"Ah, it's almost time. See you later Emiya, come see me shoot arrows the next time"
Mitsuzuri runs away rashly

"---She hasn't changed a bit"
Then again, I’ve appreciated her straightforward personality a long time ago
I feel that my temper is calming down, and walk toward the classroom

Lunch period
Our school owns a luxurious cafeteria, and majority of the students have lunch in the cafeteria
However, there are also old-fashioned people who bring bentos with them. I am one of them, and so is the president of student council in front of me

"Emiya, could you give me a piece of fried chicken knuckle, the protein in my bento is devastatingly insufficient"
"......Sure. But why is your bento so plain? Even in the temple, there shouldn't be any prohibition on alcohol beverages or meat"

"What incorrect age terms are you speaking in? This is only my Dad's hobby. He said there were no leftovers for young monks to waste, and if I am not satisfied with it, then I should think of something on my own. I was just thinking whether I should start to preparing my own food"
"Ah-, that does sound like him"

Issei's father is the abbot of Ryudo Temple, he is a charismatic man that is an acquainted of Fuji-nee's father, and since he's said to be congenial with the grandpa of the Fujimuras, you can't exactly expect him to have a normal personality

"Ehh. Then, I supposed this is one of those favors that will be returned one day"
I stick out my bento
"Eh, thanks. This is also a practice of collecting pious alms"
Issei thanks me sincerely
......How should I put this, what am I doing, remembering that Issei is a son of the temple because of something like this

"Aah, by the way Emiya. There was a commotion over the 2-chome this morning, did you know that? It was right over the intersection where Emiya and I departed"
"The intersection......?"
Speaking of the intersection from this morning, there was a commotion and several cruisers were parking over there

"Apparently it was a homicide case. I don't know the details, but out of the family of four, only the child was saved. The parents and the sister were murdered, but the weapon was neither kitchen knife nor short knife, but a naginata, very unusual"

"--------"
Naginata? Something like a Japanese sword
A homicide case, and both the parents and the sister were murdered

......Imagine this
Deep night, an intruder. An inappropriate act of violence. An one-sided pillage, for instance, a traffic accident
Parents who were chopped down. Sister, who was sacrificed along with no apparent reasons. And the child who was dyed in the blood of family members consequently

"Issei. Has the culprit of that homicide been caught yet?"
"Apparently he hasn't been captured. The rushing construction accidents over Shinto, and the random homicide case over here. Of course the school will close earlier---What's wrong Emiya? Did you choke yourself with rice?"

"? Nothing, why did you ask that all of a sudden?"
"No......Since your expression was very serious, I was a little shocked. Sorry, this is not a good topic for lunch"

Issei is soothing up the atmosphere as if he's really sorry
......No, though there wasn't anything really, but was my expression that serious?

And then, a door knock resounded in the quiet room of student council
"Excuse me. Is Ryudo here?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. Can I help you, sensei?"
Issei is talking about something with Kuzuki-sensei who just came in
Is it simple arrangement of student council's agenda, Issei looks relaxed

"......Hey"
Now this a rare sight
Despite his looks, Issei is actually a self-disciplined man that doesn't talk to strangers much. The type of boy that draws a line between students and teachers, however he is really at ease when facing Kuzuki, the advisor of student council

"......Maybe it's their sincere that get along well"
The homeroom teacher of second year class A, Kuzuki Souichirou, is a very sincere and honest man
Perhaps it's this characteristic clicks with the wavelength of Issei, who focuses on discipline

"--------"
The two continue to converse
While watching them, for some unknown reasons, I can't shake away the homicide case from my head

Classes are over, and it's time to leave the school
I have a part-time job today, so I can't be loitering around
There is not much to do in school, and I have to go to the next town directly, but---

Mitsuzuri's words from the morning are still bugging me, and when I came out of it, I have already arrived at the archery field

"---Aah seriously, what am I doing?"

According to Mitsuzuri, Tohsaka Rin often comes here
Therefore---Though it really isn’t any of my business, I think it will be a problem if Shinji attacks Tohsaka

"......That Shinji, he can't hold back once he's fired up......"
If Shinji, who was rejected by Tohsaka, resorts to force, that will be wrong
......No, I am not sure what exactly will be wrong, but anyhow it will be
I am ticked off from just imagining that kind of scenario, and I must prevent it as much as I can

[----]

"---What, Tohsaka isn't here."
Tohsaka is nowhere near the archery field
Mitsuzuri's worries were in vain

"Hey, ‘who isn't here’ you said?"
"!"
I turn my head at once

"I-said-, Who isn't here you said?"

It's Issei who just took off a while ago

"I, Issei. Don't surprise me"
"No, it's Emiya's suspicious behavior of looking at the field that let this happen. ---So, who isn't here you said?"
"Who? Tohsaka, I meant. She apparently had a fight with Shinji. That's why I came over to see the situation"

"Ooh. Suspicious indeed. I didn't even ask you, and you already explained the reason. Didn't I only ask who isn't here?"

"----! So, so what?! There's nothing wrong with that. Can't I do whatever I want?"

"Humph, that's true. But it's useless, Emiya. Tohsaka is not here. Since she skipped class."
"What?"
Skipped class, which meant, absent?

"I see, absent is it......Hold on, Issei. Why did you say Tohsaka that skipped class. She couldn't possibly do that kind of thing."
"She just did, was it possible for her to catch a cold? From my point of view, she is a villain. You will be swallowed in a bite, Emiya, if you’re deceived by her appearance"

"----Humph"
For some reason, I am not content with Issei's opinion
Sure I don't know Tohsaka personally, but I don't believe she is a villain either

"You went overboard, Issei. Tohsaka is not that kind of girl."

"Hummph? What? Is Emiya pursuing Tohsaka as well? Aah, then that was my fault, just forget about what I said"
"----!"
W-who is pursuing Tohsaka---!

"D-don't decide that on your own! I am just, because if Shinji happened to have argued with her then something bad would’ve happen so---"

"So you are going to stop Shinji from beating Tohsaka up, is that it? You are undertaking a thankless task again. ......I don't mind, but your taste is just horrid, Emiya"

"I didn't undertake it so of course it's thankless. Anyway Issei, did you just say something strange?"
"Hm? You mean pursuing Tohsaka is bad taste?"

"Yeah. Isn't Tohsaka very popular? And I never heard any bad rumors about her"
"Aah, there isn't any indeed. But that just disgusts me even more"
Issei makes a groan and turns aside

"Disgust of what?"
"Everything. She’s a she-fox. An enchantress. A demon. I can't stand her from a physiological standpoint. I won't spread any rumors, but Emiya should despise her too"

"Issei. ‘Don't criticize people behind their backs’, isn't that your slogan?"
"Fool. This doesn't count as criticizing people behind their backs. Other people can hear me talking as well"

Aah, no wonder I felt stares from the archery field
......Great
The fact that Tohsaka picked today to be absent is just great

"Please, Issei. Though this is embarrassing, please do hurry and change it into ‘behind their backs’."
"Humph, I understand since Emiya says this. However, I am not verbally assaulting her. All I am saying is Ryudo Issei is keeping an eye out for Tohsaka Rin. This is just within the boundary of personal preference"

"But you did mention something about demons and enchantresses"
......Now that I think about it, isn't enchantress an obviously biased term?

"What are you talking about, that was praise. There are innocent ones among she-foxes and demons as well. I am only adopting a way that can clearly express the virtues of Tohsaka the best. Ha"
Issei is laughing frankly

"Then I will be on my way. I am going back to the student council room, don't you have part-time job, Emiya? You don't have time to loiter here"

Is he relieved because he spilled his guts out? The figure of Issei walks away leisurely
We have known each other for two years, but to be honest, I still can't figure out that guy's mind

Twenty minutes on the bus from school
Crossed the bridge, to the neighboring town, Shinto

"......Hey, it's not even five yet. There is a little more time"

Though there are no part-time opportunities like in the residential area Miyamachou, however for the developing city, Shinto, it's because every opportunity has already been taken
It is also because of that I accept simple jobs, since school regulations allow it

Among them, my personal favorite is work requiring hard labor, because the painstaking job can be done in a short time if you apply enough effort
Physical training and earning money at the same time, it is killing two birds with one stone.

Today's part-time is from five to eight, a simple transportation of goods
Though it’s only three hours, but the volume of the contents is six hours worth. However you put it, this is a job running back and forth without even a minute of break

Therefore, even if it's only ten minutes, I should rest whenever I can
Loitering until time for part-time is only a waste of muscle, let's rest in the park

The park located in the center of the Shopping District that appears to be a giant square covered by forest and grassland
If it's a holiday, then there should be families and couples spending time in this lively park, but there are not many visitors at this time
No---To begin with, even among the parks, this is the only place that doesn't have any visitors in any given time

"It still hasn't changed"
I am a bit shocked
The land left here is desolate, and much more rugged compared to the surroundings that has been properly taken care of
Is it because I'm walking on this wasteland? Even the wind blown on my face is freezing.

This is the remains of the fire from ten years ago, the location where I, who should’ve been burned to death, was rescued

"Why wasn't the turf planted? It’s a shame for it to kept it this way"

Such vast land, if properly taken care of, the park can expand as well
While idly thinking about these kind of things, I randomly picked a bench and sat down

"--------"
I look over the land scarred with burn marks to whittle away the time
I never did recall what happened here in the past
I couldn't remember because I was but a child, and also it wasn't a simple scene that could be memorized easily
What I do remember, is the heat and the suffocating
And that I intended to help others, and failed

"Why did it happen that way?"
Take for a instance, an adult that intended to rescue a child from a burned down house, and died in the rescued child's stead

Take for a instance, a thirsty crowd, gasping their lives out for drink while the water that remained was only enough for one person

Take for a instance, one that intends to run away from the fire site as soon as possible, and the people who were left behind failed to escape without exception

And, take for a instance
One offers something that would help himself, to a total stranger, before finally exhausting himself and dies

"------"
I do not like that
It pisses me off when people who work hard are sacrificed
Is it greedy to hope that everyone can be saved, and smile happily ever after
All I wanted was to see people to breath normally, steadily, why couldn't I accomplish even that?

"That is very difficult. Because what Shirou said means to save everyone"

To my younger self, Kiritsugu replied as such
Of course, my younger self couldn't submit myself to his view
For Kiritsugu was the one who saved me. And I knew he was a Magician that could do anything
I also knew that he did not seek any reward, a defender of justice that helps others only because he could not stand watching people suffering

Therefore---I believed if it was Kiritsugu, then he could’ve helped everyone at that time

To me who poured my words on him, Kiritsugu showed a perplexed expression, and he spoke of words that he only said once, yet even now I can still remember precisely

"Shirou. To help someone is not to help someone else. Listen well, because the ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the only ones that the defender of justice can save. This is seemingly obvious, however it is the definition of a defender of justice"

I knew it
Of course, this was obvious if I thought about it
Assuming there is a robber and hostages, the robber intends to kill the hostages
Following normality, the hostages would most likely to be killed

Even with some miraculous ways, that can rescue all the hostages, yet there still exists one that cannot be rescued

And that is the robber that had his hostages rescued

The ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the ones that were chosen to be saved
Even the gods cannot realize the dream of saving everyone

"......Even more so for natural disasters. No matter who he is, he cannot save everyone"
Such as the fire from ten years ago
I, who miraculously survived, was not in the place of expressing anything

"But I don't like it"
I don't like that kind of thing
I don't want the number of people can be saved to be pre-determined
I have to lend my hand no matter how impossible it is
I can't stand what happened then, with strangers surrounding me who walked towards death step by step

Therefore, with the current me was here ten years ago, I would definitely charge into the fire, in spite of the impossibility----

"And waste my life away, without a doubt"

That is a certainty
Seriously, I really lack a dream

"Oh, scheiße. It's already five while I dozed off"
The bell signifies five o'clock is rang
I stand up from the bench, walking toward the place I work at speedily

When my part-time job ended, the sun had already set
And it's not even eight
My job ended ahead of schedule, because I worked too hard
Perhaps the reason why I worked so desperately was because of the place I visited just before the job

Night has just started, but in front of the train station
There are crowds already, and the vehicles on the road never stop moving
I raise my head, the inside of the sky crapper is still lit, seems like a complicated illumination

"Buy a gift for Fuji-nee---Nah"
I walk as I raise my head to look at the illuminated building
For it's the tallest building in Shinto, it’s no wonder that I can't see what's on top clearly
As I enjoy the night view by looking at the tower
"----?"
It feels as if something is out of place

"What was that?"
I halt my steps to look at the rooftop
Concentrating my consciousness into the eyes, a rice size subject is captured vaguely within the range of my eyesight

"----What"

That looks like someone I know

What's the point?
For what reason is she standing there?
Her long hair floating, she does nothing as she gazes upon the street
"----"
She apparently hasn't noticed me
No, there is not a chance for her to see me
That's a height that even I, who already have above average eyesight, require mana to enhance my vision to see that far
Also, it is because that she is standing alone in that kind of place that I’m able see her, while on the other hand, she shouldn't be able to see me, I who is mixed in the crowd below

She is only gazing upon the street
Is she looking for something? To be able to sense the sharp line of sight from such a distance...
"--------"
I lost track of time, my head raised and directed at the girl standing in the middle of void
Above the high tower
Against the moon, she gazed upon the realm beneath, like a Magician

"Ah"
Was she bored, seeing that she turned around altogether
The figure had disappeared from the rooftop, and only the beautiful scenery of night remained
"Wasn't that Tohsaka?"

Theirs is not any concrete evidence, but I shouldn't be wrong
Not many girls have such glaring features, and more importantly, I am not foolish enough to mistake the subject of my secret admiration

"......I see. However..."

How should I put this, that
You have weird hobbies, Tohsaka

[----]

Unlike Shinto, you can't find anyone out on streets in Miyamachou
Pedestrians are nowhere to be found after eight at night, and the town returns to tranquility

On the intersection, stood the house I've seen in the morning
No one is inside, and there is only a no entry sign hangs on the door

......Just in one day, the house was deserted like a ruin
What kind of future is awaiting for that child, whose parents and sister were brutally murdered by a trespassing robber?

"----"
I bite my lips for my incapability
Though I swore to become like Kiritsugu, I couldn't even handle the events take place around me
Though I thought of helping others, in the end, I don't even know what I can do for now

I return to the Emiya residence, after climbing up the hill road
The lights are still on, so it seems Fuji-nee and Sakura are still there

"I am home--Ah, is only Fuji-nee here?"
"Hm? Ah, Shirou you're home-"
Fuji-nee turns her head around as she bites a rice cracker
Some noisy variety shows are on the TV

"Jeez, you came back at this hour again. I told you to come home earlier, because the sun sets early during winter, right?"
"I am home early. I chose the part-time that works to eight, so stop messing around. ......Anyway, what happened to Sakura? It looks like she only stayed to make dinner"

"Sakura-chan went home long ago, don't you know? She said she was busy today, so she only came to make dinner"
Fuji-nee appeared to be in a good mood as she talked
To this person, a good guy would probably mean someone who could cook

"I see. Certainly, maybe this way is better for now. It's recently getting dangerous outside, just let me take care of the dinner until the new semester"
"Eh-, Objection-! Doesn't Shirou come home really late? If you start cooking after that, I will have to wait pass ten to have my meal."

"......Hey. Don't you have the option of having a meal in your own house?"
"But isn't this my house?"
Fuji-nee tilts her head confusingly
To be honest, I don't know whether I should feel happy or upset about this

"Alright, I get it. There is no point to ask Fuji-nee to cook. ......That doesn't matter, what's that under your feet? Did you pick up some unnecessary thing again?"

Fuji-nee has an incorrigible hobby of dumping garbage in my house
For example, a giant bowl from a family restaurant, a fairly heavy tea cup from the Shopping District, and a suspicious guitar that starts performing by itself, in brief, she is taking other people's house as a convenient garage

"Let me take a quick look. If it's garbage, I will toss it away"
"This? Hm-, it's surplus posters from my house"
Fuji-nee hands over the poster to me
Probably some posters of Enka singers that no one cares or something

"Let me see."
See, an obvious fake background of blue sky, a young man wearing military uniform, his thumb raised up as he smiles
The title looks like it was written in someone's blood

'The adorable corps of love, now is the time to join the SDF'

---Hey, isn't this a poster for SDF recruitment of personnel......!

"I don't want it anymore, it's yours"
"Whoa, I don't want it either!"
I quickly roll up the poster, aiming it at Fuji-nee's head

"He he-, you miss me-"
However
Fuji-nee, takes out another hidden poster blocks it with a Jodan, then counterattacks mercilessly
Clang
I am hit by a light, light poster----

"Whoa!?"
Stars! I just saw stars!

"Humph humph humph. Shirou's skills are still too unrefined to hit me. If you don't want to admit it, then train yourself more"
"Ow......T-that wasn't the problem. H-how can a poster made of paper make such a destructive sound......"
Is it possible that it was a master technique that chops the chopsticks with the paper pouch of chopsticks......!?

"Eh? Ah, my bad. The poster over here is a luxurious iron plate version of limited first edition. ......Shirou, is your head OK......?"
"......Fuji-nee, you will definitely kill someone one day with that kind of personality......"

"He he-. I won't have to worry about it if I marry to Shirou by then-"
"Humph, I will reject you in full thrust. I don't intend to take a natural murderer as my wife"

"Humph. I don't think I am that dangerous"
"Thought so. The rumor that says that these types of people don't have self-awareness is true"
Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha
I have to live through everyday being cautious to prevent myself getting killed

"Humph, say as much as you want. What's important is that I am hungry, Shirou. I've been putting up with it until now, so hurry up and prepare for dinner"
Fuji-nee stands up at once
......How unusual. Fuji-nee is coming to help (though only preparing the dining utensils), she must be really hungry

"Yeah yeah. Get the dishes and bowls then. You should know how to fill the rice bowl at least"
"Of course-? Then Shirou, I can get the big bowl, right?"
"Sure. Sakura is not here today, there is going to be some leftover rice anyway"
"Good, good. Then Shirou should do the same too"
Fuji-nee quickly fills the big bowl with rice

"..............."
Forget it. I would get another bowl anyway, and wasting time arguing with what Fuji-nee does, is what really make the dinner disappear
And also
This kind of reckless dinner is a common sight for all these years

......A day ends

Finishing the noisy dinner, escort Fuji-nee to the door way, take a bath
Follow by the daily secret training in the warehouse
It ends as usual, then go to sleep
It’s one o'clock in the morning
Nothing happened, and a day ended smoothly

3rd Day

I am in the middle of a fire
With crumbling houses and burning human flesh
No matter where I walk, my eyes are always filled with a red scenery
A scene from ten years ago
For the longest time, I could not remember this piece of memory from the past
I am trapped inside, just keeping on running like a broken record

Though I know it's a nightmare, there is no exit

Run and run, never stop running

In the end, it's my exhausted, and rescued younger self

[----]

"--------"
I woke up from a distasteful feeling
It is as if there is a lead block stuff in my chest
I wipe my forehead, there are many sweats though it's still in winter

"......Aah, it’s already at this hour"
It is pass six already
If you listen attentively enough, you can hear the chopping sounds of the kitchen knife from the kitchen
"Sakura is early today too"
No time for admiration
I have to hurry up and change, so that I can go help prepare breakfast

[----]

"Shirou, what about today? Do you have part-time this afternoon since it's Saturday?"
"Nope, I didn't schedule any part-time. I just want to do something over at Issei's place, what about it?"
"Mm-, nothing. Just thought if you are bored you can come over and play in the field. I’m trapped in a crisis this month"
"? What crisis?"

"Financial crisis. I will be very happy if someone makes a bento for me-"
"I refuse. You reap what you sow, and it's not bad to skip a meal occasionally"
"Humph-, I didn't expect anything from Shirou anyway. I was only asking Sakura-chan. Is it fine, Sakura-chan?"

"Yes. If you can have the same dishes as my bento, I will prepare for you, sensei"
"Mm, OK-OK-. Then let's have lunch together today"

Just having breakfast like every other day
Other than the usual on the menu this morning, the main dish is chicken with lotus root and konjac jelly
Although I don't think making such an extravagant spread this early is worth it, but she must be planning on using them in lunch's bento as well
Sakura is a member of the archery club, and Fuji-nee is the advisor of the archery club
The two of them bringing the same bento is a reasonable development

"Oh yeah, Shirou. You are a bit late this morning, did something happen?"
Fuji-nee is having miso soup as she looks at me
......Seriously. Fuji-nee is pretty dull most of the time, however she's strangely sensitive at times like these

"I had a dream about the past. It felt terrible when I woke up, that's it"
"What, that's nothing special. I can relax then"

Fuji-nee seems to lose interest in the subject and becomes quiet
I don't really mind at all, and it is not something to be taken seriously

Ten years ago
Before I relinquished my memories of that fire, I often had nightmares
That problem disappeared over time, and now even if I have that dream, I can move on, and easily stand up again
......It's just, apparently what happened back then was very serious, and ever since then, Fuji-nee, who stayed with me, became very sensitive to certain signs

"Shirou, do you have an appetite? Why don't you eat less today?"
"No. There is nothing wrong with me, so don't use other people’s dreams as an excuse to steal food"
"Tut. Nee-san is very happy, for Shirou is becoming sturdier, but it will be even better if you can be a tad more delicate"

"That's my line. As a younger brother, I think it will be better if Fuji-nee can be a tad more charming"
We both make a groan, squabble without looking at each other
Fuji-nee takes this as an evidence of I am being spirited, and she smiles assuredly

"----Humph"
Honestly speaking, I appreciate her concern
But she will be too proud if I thank her, so I made a groan just like in the old times
"?"
Watching us act this way, Sakura who had no idea what's going on, tilts her head, as if this was incomprehensible to her

After Fuji-nee left, we locked the door and went outside of the house

"Senpai, I won't be able to come over to help out between today and next Monday, is that alright?"
"? Sure. It's Saturday after all. Sakura has someone to keep accompany as well, don't worry about it"

"Eh---T-that's not it......! That's not how it is, it is something personal really, and I will make sure to go to my club! S-so please come to me if you have any trouble and I will think of something! I am not going out for fun on Saturday, so, um......Please don't mistake it for something strange"

"???"
Sakura's behavior is a little suspicious, and she looks tense
I'm not sure what she's trying to say, but in any case, she can't come over this Saturday

"I see. I will go to the field if something comes up"
"Yes, I will be happy if you do so"
Sakura presses her chest, and takes a breath
Then Sakura's view tilted downward, and her expression stiffened all of a sudden

"Senpai, your hand---"
"?"
Sakura is staring at my left hand
I take a look---crimson blood is dripping down

"Eh?"
I roll up the sleeves of my uniform
Blood is definitely flowing.

"What's going on? Did I cut myself last night when I was meddling with junk?"
However it doesn't hurt
And so was the wound, there is only a swelling red strip appears to be a blood clot
The blood clot forms a line stretching from my shoulder all the way to the back of my hand in a straight line, as if a small snake was approaching the palm from shoulder

"Forget it, it doesn't even hurt, it should disappear soon enough. Nothing to worry about, don't worry it"
"......Yes. If Senpai says so, I won't mind it"
Did she feel uncomfortable because of the sight of blood? Sakura lowers her head and stops talking

I bade goodbye to Sakura who has a club to attend, and walked toward the school building
There are members of the sport clubs focusing on running, filled of energy since it’s morning

"............"
However, I could feel a grave sense of particularity
The school is nothing out of the ordinary
Students are working hard in their morning practices with liveliness, and the whole new school building doesn't have a dirty spot anywhere

"......Am I thinking too much?"
But once I shut my eyes, the atmosphere changes abruptly
The school building appears to be glued to a membrane of filth, and the students running on campus give off the sensation of hollow marionettes

"......I am probably too tired"
I shake my head slightly, waking up my reasoning
And then, I walk towards the school building that doesn't seem to have any vitality left

School closes early on Saturday
Classes ended before noon, but after I helped out Issei however, the sun has nearly sunk below the horizon
"Alright, it's about time to go"
I packed up my things, and got ready to leave the classroom

Just then
"What. You are still in school, Emiya?"
I meet Shinji out of the blue
There are a few female students following behind him, and apparently are creating a bit of a ruckus

"You don't have any business here, so why are you staying after school? Ah...right, you are kissing the student council's ass. Good job, Emiya, you became an interior secretary without even meddling in a single club"
"I am not helping out the student council. As a student, it's only natural for me to repair the school equipment, since we are the ones using them"

"Ha, good comeback. For Emiya, everything is only natural. Did I ever tell how your goody-two-shoes look really pisses me off?"
"Oh?......Sorry, I can't remember much. I guess since that's Shinji's pet words, I didn't pay attention"

"----! Humph, so that's it. So you can repair anything in the school, huh, Emiya?"
"Not all of them. But I can at least take care of some for a bit"

"Well then, I'll ask you a favor. Our archery field is quite messy at the moment. The bowstrings are lying around without being curled up properly and the Azuchi is not cleaned up either. If you have time, can I ask you to do it? You are a former archery club member, right? Don't chase after the ass of student council all the time, help us out sometimes." (TL: Azuchi is a target bank)

"Eh-? Hold on, Senpai, didn't Fujimura-sensei tell Senpai to do it-?"
"Yeah, won't she get angry tomorrow if you don't do it properly-?"
"But then again-, if I start cleaning now the shop will be closed when we get there. Shouldn't it be fine to let the guy over there to take care of it?"
"It's not fine-. We can't let non-members to clean up anyway......"
"That's not exactly the case, right? Shinji said that person is a former member of archery club, let him do it"

It seemed like they were raising an uproar behind Shinji's back
They were supposed to be archery members, however I have never seen them before, so they probably joined recently for Shinji

"I will ask you to take care of the rest then. The key is in the old place, let yourself in. Any comments, Emiya?"
"Aah, it's fine with me. I happen to be free, it's not bad to do this once in a while'
"Ha ha, thanks! Let's go, everyone, leave the boring chores to this guy!"

"Ah, hold on Senpai! Ah, then take care of the rest, Senpai"

Since I knew the way to go about it, the cleaning of archery field was finished easily
Though it did take a long time because of the sheer spaciousness, but to clean up the field that I used until one and a half years ago made me happy

In the middle of it, I picked up a bow and thought about pulling it, but gave up since it's impolite to pull other people's bows
And if I wanted to, I could just pick up my own bow

"......Anyway, there are a lot more bows made of carbon rods now. There was only one a year ago"

Bows made of carbon rods are different from plastic or wood, and it's a very convenient bow in many ways
The biggest drawback, however, is its price, since it's so expensive that there's no way you can buy it with the club budget alone
Back then the only one using it was Shinji, but the newly joined members are surprisingly rich apparently.

"......Pity. You could have a lot more modifications with a wooden bow"

Forget it, this is just personal preference
Giving a glance, the clock shows it's already pass the school’s closing time
It just passed seven. The school gate should be closed by now, so there's no point of forcing myself to go home right away

......Anyway
Why is the field so dirty? Including the storage for bows and the club room, there are obvious stain marks all over the place

"......Oh well, a couple more hours won't change anything since I've already come this far anyway"
I can't give up half way through. Since I've already started it anyway, why not tidy up the entire place---

The wind is picking up
My cheeks are numb because of the cold
......The night of Fuyuki that is not very cold even in winter, is especially cold tonight

"--------"
Ha, the sigh that I exhaled remains as a streak of white
I tighten my body to bear the cold air that can seemingly freeze my fingertips

"......What? No wonder I felt it was dark, the moon is blocked away"
I raise my head to look at the sky, there is no white light
Is it because of the strong winds that the clouds are flowing in the mid-air?
It is pass the school’s closing time, there is nothing that emits heat in this deserted school

Not even the slightest noise, this place is mantled by cold air more so than any other place in town
"............?"
What was that, just now?
Did I hear some noise?

"---I certainly did hear it. Over in the school yard......?"
In this night
Under the frozen night sky, I am intrigued by the noise that broke the silence

In order to confirm the existence of that noise, I walk towards that place

---I walked into the school yard

"............People?"

In the beginning, that is all that I can make out from afar
It’s a dark night, in a darkness without light
If I want to see more, then I will have to move closer to the school yard

The volume and intensity of the noise is increasing
This is the sound of clashing steel
In that case, there are probably some people slashing each other with bladed weapons over there

"......How is that possible? What was I thinking......"

I disapprove of the image that rose in my head as I give a wry smile, my steps pick up speed

---Right now
Is my instinct sensing the danger, I am considering whether to sneak in stealthily
Anyhow let me go near the woods that can hide my presence first, before moving closer to check out the source of noise

---

And then, my conscious is completely frozen

"--------What?"

There is something inexplicable
A man of red and a man of blue
Surpassing historical incorrectness, armed in such a grotesque way that's not even funny, and just as my ill-omened imagination suggested, they really are slashing at each other

Incomprehensible
Intractable with the sense of sight
To their overly unrealistic movements, my brain cannot function normally
Only the clashing sound of lethal weapons, forces me to realize these two men are intent on killing one another

"--------"
But I did figure something out the instant I had set eyes on them
Those things are not humans. Perhaps they are something resembles human
I know this not because I am learning Sorcery
From that, anyone can tell that they are not humans
Humans are not creatures that can move like that
Therefore, those things are completely different

"--------"
I can feel the killing intent even from afar
......Death
The idea comes across my body faster than my mind, there is no way to survive if I keep staying in here
So is the increased rate of heartbeat
We are both living creatures, however I feel as if they exist for the sole purpose of murdering

"--------"
......They are waving around lethal weapons that can surely kill a human, kitchen knife or short swords don't even come close in comparison
All of a sudden, the homicide case from yesterday hits me
The sacrificed family, allegedly was cruelly murdered by a lethal weapon resembling a sword

"--------"
I can't continue to watch in these circumstances
But I can't move my body an inch, nor can I breath
My mind is thinking of how I must escape
And my judgment is saying that if I escape, I will be discovered

......Compared to that fight, there is something more frightening that paralyzes my limbs and restrain me from moving freely

I am easily forty meters away from those two, however I can't breath unhindered, it's as if that lance will penetrate me from behind

"--------"
The noise stops
Those two, stand facing each other separated by a distance
Just as I relax from the thought of them ceasing from killing each other, I sense a thicker murderous intent that follows immediately

"..................!"
My heart is withering
The paralysis on my limbs becomes a spasm, I bite my teeth, trying to contain my almost quivering body

"You got to be kidding me---What is, that guy----!?"
The overwhelming amount of mana flows into the blue one is just sick
Kiristugu allowed me to witness the act of absorbing mana from surroundings before
Even an amateur like me can admire it, it was a Sorcery accompanied by a sense of elegance

But this is different
Even a simple act such as drinking water, can be unbearable when it exceeds the limit
What that guy did, was something that even people possessing mana would feel distasteful of, a humongous gluttony

"--------"
Will be killed.
The guy in red will be killed.
A strike released with that much mana. There is no chance of defending

He will die
He is not human, but that guy with the appearance of a man will die
Is that

Is that

Is that, something I can brush aside?

Because of this dilemma, my conscious moves away from them
In that instant that my body can finally move again, and I take in a deep breath

"Who is it----!"

The man in blue fixes his gaze at me who was hidden

".........!!"
The blue man lowers his stance
Just from this, I realize that his target has been switched to me

"A----Ah............!"
My feet are running by themselves
When I notice this is an act to avoid death at last, I pull my entire body, focusing into the act of escaping

I don't know where I was going, when I came to my senses, I had already ran inside the school building

"What a stupid thing----I've done"
As I pant heavily, I am speechless for my act
If I wanted to escape, I should've headed toward the town
What's the point of running to a deserted place with nobody around?

On top of that, this is a school. Even if I wanted to hide, shouldn't there be better places for hiding?
And why do I reach the conclusion that I will be murdered if I don't escape---

"Hah----hah, hah hah----ah"

I am running beyond my limits, pressing my heart
Turning my head around, I don't sense anyone chasing after me
The sound of footsteps belongs to me

"Ah----Hah, hah, hah"

In that case, I can finally take a break
I stop my feet, which could no longer go on for even one more step, and take in oxygen for my almost broken heart, then I open my mouth to give out a sigh, a sense of survival overcomes me

"......Hah......ah......What was that, just now......"

As I adjust my disorderly breathing, I start to recollect the view from before
Either way, that was certainly something that I shouldn't have taken a look at

In the school yard under the dark night, creatures resembling human were fighting
This is all I can recall
Just that, in the corner of my eye there was

"......There was another person, I felt as if there was someone else there......"

I can't remember that person's appearance at all
To be honest, I didn't have any attention left to spare after those two

"Anyway, this is at last----"

"Tag is over, right?"

The voice came directly in front of my face

"Hey. I didn't think you can run this far."

That guy talks as if he is very familiar with me

"----"
Can't breathe
My thoughts cut off, I simply could not start the process of thinking

----Only vaguely did I feel that I would die for certain this way

"You should know better than anyone else that you can't escape, right? How about that, this is what the privilege of the defeated one means. There is nothing to be embarrassed about"
Huu
He raises his lance naturally, just like that

"Tough luck, kid. But, since you saw it, you’ll have to die"

No mercy nor any emotion, the lance of that man, penetrated the heart of Emiya Shirou

There was no time for maneuvering
All the training I did in the past couldn't be put to use
I was killed
Even though I knew I'd be penetrated by the lance, I couldn't even move one finger

"A----ah"
The world is distorted
My body becomes cold
Sensation begins to disappear from the ends of fingertips
"Cough----"
Just once, I spit out blood from my mouth

There should've been more blood, but it was only once
Perhaps that man's lance was enhanced
Bloodstream is slowly precipitating, the heart that should've gushed out blood, was stopped of all activities in the instance of that thrust

"--------"
I am losing my sight
Senses are gone
Like the moon floating on the surface of sea in a dark night
Already, I can't even feel the pain

The world is white, and myself is black

Rather than being dead
It feels more like everything surrounding me is gone

I recognize this
Ten years ago I had the taste once
The taste of a dying man

"Dead men can't talk. It's only natural for the weak to die out, but---"

My conscious is already unable to reach my vision

"---What a ridiculous job. This is a mockery to the title of a hero"

I can only, hear voices

"I got it, no comment. I have already seen the Servant of that girl. I will return obediently"

The voice connotes a sense of anger
After that, the sound of running down the hallway

"---Is that Archer? I really want to duel with him, but I can't violate Master's policy. ......What an annoying Master"

The voice is gone suddenly
He jumps down from the window, perhaps
And then

The sound of running down is stopped

A peculiar interval

......Then there are footsteps again

I am losing my hearing

"......Go now, Archer. Lancer should be returning to his Master, get his face at the very least"

......Whose voice does this belong to?
I try to recall with all my gradually blurred consciousness, but can't think of anything as I expected
For now, there is only very noisy breathing
Are the lungs still alive
My breathing that leaks out of my mouth, is like a typhoon, so very noisy

"......Yet he still manage to struggle for this long, what vitality"

It feels like someone is looking at me
Does this guy think my breathing is noisy too, a finger is stretched out as if to shut my mouth
----

"......No. Why, are you"

Tut
While hearing the sound of clenching teeth unwillingly, without hesitation that fellow touches me, who is then soaked by the blood

"...... forge the damaged internal organs to substitute, and completely repair the heart during this period of time......If this is successful, I am already qualified to move into the Clock Tower directly"

Laborious sounds

From here on, the gradually loss of consciousness stopped short

"--------"

Feeling returned to my body
Slowly, one by one, like how water drops fall from a leaf blade, the functions of my body are restored

"--------"

... ... Tick-tock, tick-tock
What is she doing?
The fellow that leans on my side is sweating from her forehead, focusing whole-heartedly, she places a hand on my chest

"--------"

When I come to my senses, I notice the place where she placed her palm was very hot
That certainly was, a heat that could even shock a dead body, only then did my frozen bloodstream start to flow once again

"--------Phew"

I feel that fellow sigh as she sits down

"I am dead tired......"

Clang, something falls down

"......Forget it, there was no other way. Sorry, father. Your daughter is a heartless person"

At last
As she mocks herself, her presence simply pulls far away from me

"--------"

Heart started to beat once again
Then, conscious really stopped this time

......That is not a sleep for stepping toward the death
But is a necessity for waking up once more, a restful sleep

"Ah............"
I open my eyes dully
A craving for vomiting is coming from deep down inside my throat. My body is hurt all over the places, along with each heartbeat, it feels as if my head is strung painfully

"What----happened?"

The intense headache is preventing me from remembering
Is it because of resting on the hallway for a long time, my body is trembling in coldness
Only thing I'm sure of, my uniform is ripped near the chest, and the moisten stain on hallway, is my own blood

"............"

I held my hazy head as I stand up
The place I fell down, looks as dramatic as a murder scene

"......scheiße, seriously......"

----Was my chest, penetrated

"......Hah......hah......guh......"

I push down the things well up, and approach the classroom next to me
Open up the cabinet with unsteady footsteps, and take out a cleaning rag and a bucket

"......Ah......What am I doing......"

My head is still in a state of panicking
I obviously met an extremely dangerous creature, was killed off abruptly, so why take care of the cleaning at a time like this, fool

"......Hah......hah......Damn it, it doesn't come off......"

......I mop the floor with a rag
I still can't strain my hands and feet, but at last I wipe away the scattered bloodstain, pick up the trash from the ground and place it in my pocket
......This might be what it means, to destroy evidence
Only because my mind was mixed up, did I commit such a stupid thing

"......Ah......hah......hah......hah......"

After collecting the cleaning rag and the bucket, I walk out of the school like a zombie
......My body is heating up as I walk more
It is really cold outside, only my body is like burning up

......When I get back to home, it's already passed twelve
There is no one at home
Obviously Sakura isn't here, and Fuji-nee has already gone back as well

"......Ah......Hah, hah, ha---ah"
I drop and sit on the floor
And then lie down just like that, I am finally calm
"........................"
I take a deep breath

Every time my chest expand, it hurts as if my heart is cracked open
......No, it's the other way around
Not that my heart is cut
Rather since the opening on my heart was just healed, the wound splits open every time it expand

"......It's true that I was almost killed"
That's not the case either
Not almost killed, but I was killed
The reason for me to live on like this, is because of the help from someone

"......Who, was that. I need to give my thanks at least"
Since that person was over that location, perhaps it's an acquaintance of theirs
Anyhow the fact that I was saved remains unaltered. One day, I will thank him properly

"Ah......Guh......!"
At the same time I ease my mind, the pain returns
The urge of vomiting is welling up

"Ah......Hah, guh......!"
I hold my body up, and forcibly push down the vomit
"Uh......Huh......"
I pat my chest, which became bare after the uniform was ripped
Though I was saved, but my chest was cracked open before regardless

That sensation
That kind of, painful experience of chest been bored by a lance point like a kitchen knife, can not be forgotten shortly

"......Damn it. It's going to stick around in my dream for a while"

Whenever I shut my eyes close, I can feel the sensation of chest been bored by lance
Shake away that illusion, I intend to cool down and settle my mind first

"......Yes. I am calm"
The result of training every night
I can let my mind goes blank with a few deep breaths, the heat of my body and the urge of vomit are lower as well

"Then, about that"

The man in red and the man in blue
They appear to be human, but I think otherwise

More along the line of ghosts
But I never heard of ghosts that have materialistic bodies, and can interfere with living humans directly
Plus that one even talked. Since it has its own mind, it's even harder to recognize it as a ghost
......The only kind of spirits that possess flesh are the fairies, however fairy shouldn't take the form of human, right......?

"......No. That's beside the point"

There should be another, more fundamental problem

......The two men that attacked each other
......A robber that committed murder by trespassing the resident nearby
......Ill-omented events continue to take place in Fuyuki

"......"
After much thoughts, the only thing that I understand is the fact that I can't take care of these by myself

"......At time like this, if only Dad is still alive"

Perhaps the wound on my chest is still too fresh, I spoke of disheartened words that shouldn't be said

"---Idiot. Did I already establish that even if I don't have a clue, I have to do whatever I can"

Disheartened words are for later
For now, yes---I have to decide whether to be involved with this event---

"---!?"

The clock hang down from the ceiling is sounded
This place might be a dump but still a house of Magus
At the very least a barrier that sounds whenever a stranger intrude is set up

"Why is there a thief at a time like this----"

I whisper, then immediately become dumbstruck for my stupidity
How can it be a thief

At a time like this, right after that bizarre event, how can it be a thief
The intruder is real
Not thief, not for seizing material wealth, but an assassin that seizes lives
Since, didn't that man say

'You saw it, you die'

"-----"
The house is covered by quiescent
In a darkness without a hint of sound, for certain---the killing intent I felt back in the school yard, is closing in step by step

"----"
Gulp, my throat makes some noises
My back is cold as if struck by needles
Not illusion, not anything, one step out of this room, I will be penetrated immediately

"----"
I try my hardest to stop the screams that almost spill out
At the instant I scream, the assassin will assumably rush in to kill me with joys

......When that happens, the same thing from before will repeat again
I will be penetrated by that lance, without putting up a fight

"----Ah----Hah, ah----"

As I think of this, I become short of breath
My head is all clustered
The self that feels intimidated, and the self that gives up easily on the life that was saved by someone else, is despicably

"----Grr"

I grit my teeth, grab the chest that was once penetrated, take a hold of my dull self

It' about time, to grow accustom to this
This is the second time
The second time that someone coming to kill me
I already said that kind of unsightly look shouldn't appear on my face, isn't Emiya Shirou a Magus
Then, if I can't even protect myself at a situation like this, what did I learn for the past eight years---!

"......Fine. Didn't I say I am going to do this"

Don't think of the difficulties
For now all I need to do is, chase out the one after me

"......First off, I have to think of something for weapon"

Though I call myself a Magus, I can only 'enhance' the things that can be used as weapons
Weapons are required for fights
There are many things can be used as weapons over the warehouse, however it's quite a distance to warehouse from here
If I am ambushed while leaving the living room like this, same thing will happen again in the mid-way

......It's going to be hard, yet the weapon has to be prepared right here
If there's a long and thin, pole-shape object will be perfect. My opponent is specialized on lance. Short sword or kitchen knife won't be up to it
Of course a wooden sword will be for the best, but surely there isn't that kind things around
In this living room, speaking of things that can be used as weapons----

"Aww......Only the posters left by Fuji-nee......"

I can't help but feel heavy around my shoulders
However, in this absolutely hopeless situation, I finally calm down
Since this already hit rock bottom, it can't get any worse
And so---I can only, move forward until there is nothing left in me

"----Trace, on"

As I switch to self-suggestion, mana is poured into the poster with around sixty centimeters in length
To conjure an object that can deal with that lane, I need to let mana to flow into the entire poster, and modified it to be a weapon

"----Composing materials, clarify"

Concentrate my mind
As if I am staining the poster with my blood, next to my skin, I let the touch of my mana permeate through

"----Composing materials, reinforce"

A sense of hitting the end return
Mana is spreading through every corner of the poster, before it's overflown

"----All processes, end"

I break off the contact between the poster and myself, my body shakes a bit because of the sense of success

The hardness of this poster, is the same as iron now
In addition it's as light as before, for an impromptu forged sword, this result is flawless

"It's done, smoothly---"

It's been years since I complete the enhance Sorcery
The Sorcery that has never even once taken form since the death of Kiritugu, progresses smoothly under this circumstance, what irony

"Anyway, in this case----"

Perhaps there is a way
I have learned how to use sword as well, if needed
I holy the poster tightly with both hands, stand in the middle of the living room

I will be killed if I stay here anyway, and I don't think there's any chance of escaping even if I run outside of house
So, I can only run headlong toward the warehouse, to make better weapons----

"------Huh"

Come what may, I won't be like before, in the instant I pose my stance

"-------!"

My hair stands

Did he come over beforehand
The one appeared from the ceiling, is falling on me in a straight line

"What.........Eh----?"
The silver slick slips down above my head
I can only take that he broke the ceiling to come down, that guy falls and intends to bore me from the top of my head

"This----guy......!!"

I focus in one thought, dodge him as if I am tumbling down forward

The landing makes a light sound, I rolls on the ground unsightly

But I stop immediately, hold on to my impromptu sword and stand up

"----"
That guy appears to be very bored, turn to face me slowly

"......Stop wasting your efforts. I was worried that if you see yourself getting killed would hurt a lot"
That guy takes up his lance with little enthusiasm

"----"
I'm not exactly sure how, but presently that guy doesn't have the pressing force back in the school yard
In this case, then I seriously---can take the lead......!

"......Seriously, I'm fallen to kill the same person twice in one day. Did the human world become completely reeking of blood"
The man appears to be uttering some complaints without taking me seriously at all

"----"
I draw back step by step
Around three meters to the window
Once I run to the yard, there will be less than twenty meters to the warehouse
Then, even if right now at once----

"Farewell. Don't get lost this time, kid"
Vaguely
As if giving out a sigh, the man spoke

"Ah----!?"
Great pain coming from my right hand
"......?"
It's all in a flash
The man thrusts out the lance, almost too naturally, leaves me with no time to react

......Essentially, I should've embraced death a second time thus
What stops that lance, is the impromptu sword set in front of me
Perhaps that guy thought it is only ordinary paper
The lance was thrusted as if the poster was non-existed, deflected by the paper sword, grazed my right hand

"......Oh. What a strange technique, hey"

Expressions are washed off from the man's face
The negligence from before has completely vanished, the sight like those of the beasts, is observing my actions

"Ah----"
I was wrong. How could I have the arrogant idea that I can take him on

---Right now in front of my eyes, is a demon escaped out of common senses

I thoroughly understand my own stupidity for relaxing even a bit when confronting that guy

......Without a doubt
If I was really desperate, I should've ran toward the window without a second look to the side, right after I dodged the strike miraculously......!

"Though you were an ordinary kid, I see now......though faint but I do feel mana. So this is why, you stay alive after your heart was penetrated"
The point of lance is fixing on me

"--------"
Can't block
A lightening like strike such as this, can't possibly be blocked
If this man is an adept of sword, then no matter how fast it come I can be prepare
However that is a lance
A sword has a course of a line, while a lance has a course of a single point
Even the initial movement of the strike can't be seen through, how do I defense myself

"Very good---so it seems I can enjoy this for a bit"
The man press down his body
In an instant----

Not from face front, the lance swings from sideway

Rely on conditional reflex solely, I block the lance swing toward my face

"Grr----!?"
"Good boy, come, the next one is coming......!"

The whirlwind is blowing
How did he do it inside of this narrow room, the lance draws a beautiful arc without touching the walls

"......!!!!!"

This time is from the opposite direction, it draws a large curse and aims at my body......!

"Ah---!!!??"
The impromptu sword used for defense was bended
Monster---is this guy using an iron hammer!
Dammit, this numb feeling, the bones of my two hands are not crashed, are they---!

"Grr, this guy----!"
"Humph?"
I swing my sword out of reflect
He is taking me lightly, then I will deflect the lance you haven't returned yet---!

"Grr......!"
The hands that strike toward the lance are numbed
The impromptu bended even more, the man's lance has only strayed from its path slightly

"......Useless. You waste the chance I handed over to you. Forget it, there's no use in hoping a Magus will clash with me---"

The man's actions just now were only fooling around
Give you an award to strike once if you can block two strikes, the man is not even trying
......That one and absolute only chance, was wasted by me right then

As a result---This man, does not consider me worthy to clash with him

"---I am disappointed. Go die quickly then, kid"

The man returns to the stance with the lance he thrusted out

"Whatever----

In the middle of his unnecessary actions

you say moron----!"
Without a glance at my back, I jump back toward the window......!

"Hah, hah, har----"
I crash the window with my back and rolls in the yard
After rolling a few cycles, I stand up----

"Har, ah----!"

Without any indication
I turn my body around and strike back---!

"Hrr----!"
The thrusting lance is deflected, the man hesitated for a bit
---Just as I thought
If I jump out of the window, that guy will definitely come after me
Furthermore, if I am caught by him before standing up, I will surely be killed

Therefore---believed in the arrival of the strike of certain kill, I could swing the sword with all my might
Even if it's a foolhardy strategy that would lead to my death if I was late for a bit, or too early and be killed during the interval of the miss, but judging from the difference in actual strength, there's no way I'd be too early

So all I did was, mustered all my strength to stand up as quickly as possible, and strike back
In the end it was a perfect aim, I hit back the man's lance beautifully with just one strike......!

"Hah, ......!"
I rally my stance at once
And then I only need to take advantage of the interval when the man's scared, and figure out a way to run to the storehouse and---!
"----Go fly"

"Eh......!"
The man whose lance should've been deflected, without his lance, approaches me barehandedly

Turns his back at me, and makes a roundhouse kick

"--------"
The views are flowing
My chest is numbed from the kick, can't breath
No, more surprise than that, is the fact that I'm flying in the air
Just a roundhouse kick, he actually managed to kick my body into the air like a ball, I didn't even think of the possibility----

"Gah----!"
My back falls down
I hit the wall, an impact that nearly broke my back, I fell to the ground

"Cough----, Ah............!"
Can't breath
My sight is blurry
Wall---I press against the wall of my goal, the storehouse, and finally let my body stands up

"Hah----hah, ha"
I search for the man with a blurry eyesight
......Seriously, was I in the air for almost twenty meters
The man holds his lance once again, and charges forward in a straight line

"Grr----!"
I will be killed
I will definitely be killed
That man will be here in a second
Before that----If I don't want to die, I must, stand up, counter----

"----"
The point of lance sprints up
I can't even make it to turn my head to face that face, the nearly collapsed body is against the point of lance

"Humph, stand up if you're a man......!"
Pure luck
It's really lucky for me to bend my knees, because I couldn't support my body
The lance is on top of my head, strikes the door of the Storehouse, bounced off the heavy door

"Ah----"
So, this is the last chance
Once make it inside the Storehouse, there must be----something that can be used as weapons

"Grr----!"
I climb in the Storehouse on my hands and feet
At the time----

"Hey, is this the end---!"

Inevitable, the lance of certain death is released

"This----guy----!"
It was blocked
I unrolled the pole-shaped poster, make it into a single-use shield

"Hrr......!?"
The impact comes with a klang
Apparently the unrolled poster can't maintain the same hardness as before
Though the lance was blocked, but the poter was tear apart, and return to the original paper

"Ah, grr......!"
I am bounced to the wall from the impact of the thrusting lance

"Ah----, aw----"
I sit on the floor, call up my nearly stopped heart forcibly
And then, just as I raise my head intending to grab something for weapons

"It's over. You really surprised me there, kid"

In front of me is the man thrusting out a lance

"-----------"
Already, there's nothing left
The man's lance aim at the heart precisely
I know
The pain I tasted a few hours ago, the smell of been pushed toward death mercilessly

"......Anyway, I don't get it. you're quite clever, though horrible at Sorcery. You certainly have talent, is it because of your young age"

......I can't hear that man's voice
My mind, is just focusing on the lethal weapon in front of my eyes
But of course
For, once that thrusts out, I will die
Therefore everything else is unnecessary. To this point, what else is there to think about

"Though I don't think it's gonna happen, but you might be the seventh one. Forget it, this is over even if that's the case"
The man's hands move
That movement which I couldn't even get a single glimpse, looks like in slow motions now

A sprinting silver light
As if the point of lance is sucking in by my heart
Blood will be spilled in a second
I knew
The sensation of metal probe into my body
And the taste of bloodstream gushing over my throat
And the feeling of the world vanishing gradually
I only tasted it not long ago
......That's going to happen again? Really?
I can't comprehend. Why do I have to deal with this kind of thing

......Got to be joking me
I can't accept this. I'm not going to die here meaninglessly
I was saved once. Then, I can't die so easily since I was saved once
I have to complete the duty of the living, I can't fulfill my duty if I die

Yet, the point of lance is still thrusting toward my chest
The lance point is probing into the skin, surely it will break the ribs and penetrate the heart

"----"
I am angry
What a joke, you can actually kill someone that easily
What a joke, I am actually going to die
Yet another joke, getting killed twice in a single day, there's actually something as stupid as this
Aah seriously, seriously everything that happens is like a joke, then why should I follow the norm and be afraid

"Stop joking around, how can I be-----"

Right here, meaninglessly
Killed
By someone like you----!!!!!

"Eh-----?"

That, really is

"What.........!?"

Like magic, it emerges out of nowhere

From behind my back, in a dazzling flame

My train of thought stopped short
I could only guess, that which emerged, appeared to be a girl

A clang
Once she emerged, the lance that intended to penetrate my chest was deflected, and she approached that man without a second thought

"---Seriously, the seventh Servant......!?"

The man who holds straight the deflected lance, and the girl that swings around a 'certain object' in her hands

Sparks explode again
A flash of a metal sword
The man with lance retreated a few steps, from receiving a strike of the girl who just emerged
"Grr----!"
Did he come to realize his disadvantage, the man flied out of the Storehouse with a beast-like agility
Forced the man to retreat with her body, she turned her head back slowly

Today is one of those days with strong winds
Clouds are drifting, the moon is revealed for a brief moment
The silver moonlights shot into the Storehouse, shine upon the girl wearing a knight's suit

"----"
Can't make any sound
Not because I'm panicking from the sudden change of event
But, I am at a loss of words because of the surreal beauty of the girl in front of my eyes

"--------"
After the girl fixes her gaze upon me emotionless, with a pair of pupils of jewels

"---I ask of you. Are you my master"

With a voice full of integrity, she spoke

"Eh......Mas......ter......?"
I merely repeat the words she asked of me
I don't understand what she is speaking of, neither do I know who she is
The only thing my present self know of---is just that this petite, slender girl, is the same existence as the man outside

"........................"
The girl says nothing, looks at me quietly

---That posture, how should I say this

In front of my eyes, she is special enough to let me forget about the fact that, under this circumstance, the man outside will assault here whenever he finds an opening

As if only the time around me has stopped
The fear of death that occupied my entire present has vanished completely, right now, there is only this girl possessing my sight---

"Servant. Saber, heeding your summoning, I've arrived. Master, please give orders"

For a second time
In the instant the sound of this word, Master, along with the word Saber were sent to my ears

"----Hrr"
Pains coming from my left hand
As if branded with a soldering-iron

I can't help but press against the back of my left hand
Is this gesture a signal, the girl quietly, nods with her delicate face

"---From now on, may my sword be with you, and your fate with mine. ---Now, the contract is completed."

"What, contract, what----!?"
I am somewhat of a Magus. I can grasps the meaning of that word pretty well
However the girl does not answer my question, she turns her face around with the same elegance when she nods

----She is facing toward the door to outside
Outside of the door, is the man still holding up the lance

"----"
No way, before I even hold this thought
The girl in a knight's suit, jumps out of the Storehouse without any hesitant

"!"
As if I forgot about the pain on my body, I stood up to chase after the girl
That girl can't possibly beat that man
Even dress in an intimidated way, yet that girl is an adolescent child younger than me

"Hold----!"
On, the voice which I intended to call out, was halted by that other sound
"What----"
I doubt my own eyes
This time, my head really goes blank and can't think of anything

"Who is, that guy----"
Clashes of weapons
Moon is crawling behind the clouds, the yard returns to darkness where it once belonged
Steel and steel are bursting sparks in the middle

The man of lance strikes against the girl leaping out of the Storehouse without saying a word
Girl smashes away the lance with a hit, then bounces off the continually strikes of lance, the man is forced to step back each time

"----"
Cannot, believe
The girl named Saber, is indeed dominating against that man

---The battle, starts

What went back and forth between the man and I was not a battle
Battle, is a fight where both sides can inflict life threatening toward one another
Despite the difference of actual strength, as long as there is a way to defeat the opponent, then it can be called battle

From this perspective, the fight between these two is also a battle
The lance of that man which I can't even make out, is continually thrusting toward the girl with increasing vigorous
Girl deflects the lance with that 'certain object' in her hands surely, steps forward in between a hair's breadth

"Tut----!"
Makes a disgusted sound, the man steps back slightly
He straighten the lance in his hands, to defend the side of his abdomen from attack----!

"Grr......!"
In the blink of an eye, the lance of that man splits up lights
This is perhaps what a strike resembles throwing a dynamite is like
In the instant that girl swings that 'certain object', the lance of that man is glowing as if circuits with electricity
Besides that man, even I can tell what that is

That is mana powerful enough to be seen
Every effortless strike made by that girl, contend an incredible amount of mana
That overpowering mana, is a weapon that can infiltrates the opponent's weapon just from contact

That kind of thing, even just from blocking it will receive a certain impact
If take that man's lance as an accurate sniper rifle, then a strike from that girl is a shotgun in terms of firepower
Evey time the girl takes a swing, the entire yard would be surrounded by flashes

However
What put that man in a disadvantageous position, is not that kind of thing of minor importance

"Cheap illegitim, why hide your own weapon......!"

As he forces back the girl's fierce attacks, the man is cursing
"--------"
The girl does not reply, she again slash that 'certain object' in her hands......!

"You......!"
The man retreats without making come backs
This is as expected
For the weapon holds by the girl cannot be seen
Since he doesn't know the attack range of his opponent, it'd only be too foolish to rush in

Indeed, can't be seen
The girl is certainly carrying a 'certain object'
But of what shape, or length, cannot be determined, nothing can be seen
Is it transparent since the beginning, the weapon swings by the girl doesn't lift of any shape even when bursting out sparks

"Tut----"
Is it because the toughness of the battle, the man loses the agility from before

"----"
And, for the first time the girl makes a sound
The arms waving that 'certain object' becomes more furious
Without any interval, a dance of sword comes down like a cloudburst
The sparks burst out remind people of melt iron in a blacksmith's fire

----The man is dodging as his words are snapping away from his mouth

To be honest, I have to admire him even though he's an opponent that plans to take my life
The man with lance is taking on that invisible weapon, defends himself with a certainty just from reading the movements of the girl's arms and steps----!

"Hurr----!"
But this is the end of that
The way to deal with an opponent who keeps on defending, not slash, is not slash but defeat. As if claiming this, the girl advances to approach the man even closer
As if to strike him down, a hit with all her might.......!!

"Don't think too highly of yourself, fool----!"
Did he find a chance to win, the man vanished
Rather, a leap backward that's like vanishing
The strike of the girl cuts through the air and smashes the ground, sweeps up the clods

The strike that was swung with the intention of certain kill, and forced the man to a corner, was dodged easily----!

"dummkopf, what is that guy doing......!"
Even someone from afar can tell
The effortless attacks from before might have a chance, but a decisive major move can't possible capture that man

To that man, who stops the fierce attacks from the girl one by one, his body must be restrained for a while now
He held himself back, all for the sudden jump in this instant

For he realized that strike just now, is the real opening that will determine the resolution----!

"Hah----!"
The man who jumped to back for a few meters, springs up at the same he lands on the ground
Perhaps it can be called a triple jump, he leaps toward the girl as if reversing his previous jump
On the contrary---The sword of the girl is still besets in the ground

"----!"
That interval, can no longer be reverted
The crimson lance thrives again in less than a second
And whose sword remained chip in the ground, the girl turns her body like a diabolo

"!"
That exchange of blows is also within a second
The man who realized his negligence and stop short
And that blow in less than a second, swept with the entire body of the girl----!

"Grr----!"
"--------"
The man flies off, and the girl that sends him flying, both make a dissatisfying expression
But of course
Since they both let go of their certain kill skills that intended to critical attack the opponent
Even if they turned the table around, there's no merit in it

Distance draws apart greatly
Did the previous exchange of blows gave them too much burden, the two stare at each other quietly

"---What's wrong Lancer. If you halt it down the name of Lancer would cry. If you're not coming, I will go to you"

"......Ha, are you coming to offer your death. That's all right, but before that I have something to ask of you. Is your Noble Phantasm----a sword?"

As if they can peer through a person's inner thoughts, Lancer's eyes are sat Saber

"---Who knows. Maybe it's a war ax, or a halberd. No, perhaps a bow, Lancer?"

"Humph, or perhaps a swordsman"

Is it really that funny
The man......the man that is called Lancer inclines his lance slightly
Which also carries the meaning of cease-fire

"?"
The girl is confused by Lancer's attitude
But---I know that stance
From a few hours ago, the battle proceed inside the nightly school yard
The supposedly final resolution, the one certain kill shot

"......By the way. This is the first time we meet, do you have any intention of just letting it go?"
"--------"

"This isn't such a bad idea, right? Look, that drooling Master of yours over there is worthless, and my Master is a coward who wouldn't show his face. I prefer push back the duel, until we are both in the perfect condition----"

"---I refuse. You are going down here, Lancer"

"Is that so. Seriously, I was just taking a look at things? I didn't intend to linger when a Servant appeared, however----"
The space around the two, shows sign of distortion

Lancer lower his stance
And takes up a whirl of cold air at the same time

---Same as that time. Take the lance as the center, mana is turning into a zooming whirlpool----

"Noble Phantasm----!"
The girl brings up the weapon that looks like a sword, and glares at the enemy in front of her
Without my warning
She who goes against the enemy, can feel the danger more than I do

"......Farewell. I taking, your heart----!"
The beast treads on
As if playing a movie, Lancer shows up in front of the girl in a flash

That lance of his, thrusts toward the feet of the girl

"----"
That way seems senseless even from my perspective
The lance that obviously leaning downward, is attacking even lower than the feet, it won't work on the girl
In fact, the girl is skipping the lance, and take one step toward Lancer, planning on striking him down

In that, instant

"'----Gáe'"

Along with the words that carry powerful mana themselves

"'----Bolg----!'"

The lance thrusts toward the lower part, splits and bursts to the heart of the girl

"----!?"
Body is raised
The girl is sent flying by the lance, draws a large parabola, and falls on the ground----no, lands

"Hah----, Grr......!"
......Blood comes streaming down
The girl that didn't have a scratch, now her chest is penetrated, large quantity of fresh blood is gushing out

"Curse......Not, was that a reversion of cause and effect----!"
She is making sounds out of pain
......I am in shock all the same
No, since I anticipated from afar, I could tell just how bizarre that shot was better than she ever could

The lance, was definitely aiming under the feet of the girl
But that aim suddenly changed its course, in an impossible shape, extended in an impossible direction, and penetrated the heart of the girl
However, a lance is not supposed to extend or change direction

Changing course and penetrating heart is not a simple task
Not that the lance changed the course, but rather, the process was changed

......The lance that was unleashed along with its name, already possessed the 'result' of 'penetrating heart'

In another work, this is an act of reversing the process and the result
Since the result of penetrating heart was predetermined, the course of the lance was nothing but an additional movement as an evidence to further prove the fact

The daemonic lance that could penetrate any kind of defense
The fate of its opponent is decided at the moment of the attack, a lance that promised 'certain penetration of heart' once used
Such a ridiculous shot, who could block it
No matter what method of evading the enemy takes, the lance will definitely reach the heart

---Hence the name certain kill
The accursed lance that once unleashed, will definitely penetrate the enemy---

However

The girl, avoided in a close call
Though penetrated, but a fatal wound was evaded
From a certain perspective, the action of the girl was more outrageous than the shot of the lance
The instant the lance was unleashed, the girl seemed to know what would happen and flipped her body, retreated with all her strength

Was it extreme luck, or a blessing that can alleviate the curse of the lance
Anyhow the girl evaded the fatal wound, the name of certain kill crashed down----

"Hah----ah, hah----"
The girl is adjusting a disordering breathing pattern
Such amount of gushing blood is stopped, even the impaling wound is healing gradually

"----"
This is what on a different level means
Though I knew she is not an ordinary human, but this is way over the top

Not counting the skill of exchange blows with Lancer, the stupendous power mana in each strike, or the body that heal its own wound, the girl is obviously superior to Lancer in every way

......However, that is only a fact a moment ago
The regeneration is ongoing, but the wound on the girl is very deep
If Lancer makes his move now, then she would be beaten down for not able to defense

But then
In a one-sided advantageous situation, Lancer remains still
The sound of him grinding his teeth can be heard even from here, he glares at the girl

"---You dodged it, Saber. My Gáe Bolg"

As if the voice came from the depth of underground

"......!? Gáe Bold......Are you the Son of Light from Ireland---!"
Lancer's expression darkened
The malice from just now is thinning out, Lancer makes a face in disgust

"......What a fool I am. Knowing full well if I show this technique and not getting the kill will be problematic. Seriously, too famous is a crime too"
The heavy pressure is lifting away
Lancer doesn't chase after the wounded girl, he simply turns around, and moves to the corner of the yard

"I know there is a rule for the Servants, saying that if someone finds out about my true identify, we should fight until one side is eradicated......But unfortunately my employer is a coward, I can't believe he say to return if my lance is dodged"
"---Are you running away! Lancer"

"Aah. If you want to come after me that is fine too, Saber. Just that--by that time, you better be prepare to embrace death"
Thud, Lancer springs up
Just how light is that body, Lancer flies over the wall effortlessly, vanishes without taking a break

"Hold on, Lancer......!"
The girl with a wounded chest, is running to chase after the enemy that got away

"Is, is she stupid......!"
I run across the yard with all of my strength
For if I don't hurry and stop her now, the girl will likely jumps out

......However, it was unnecessary
The girl that intended to fly out of the walls, as she bend her waist over to ready, halts and presses against her chest with much pain

"Grr----"
I runs to her side, observe her condition
No, I actually planned to call her out as I approach, but I forgot about that as I came closer to her

"-------"

......Anyhow, this really is just like staging
The armors that emitting shines in silver, just take a close look one can tell it truly is heavy armors
Those clothes that appear to be from ancient time, I never seen such slithery in clothing, they are in a bright blue

......No, I am not speechless from looking at these matters
The girl who is a few years younger than me, that----is a real beauty
The moonlit blond hair, is fine and delicate as if sprinkled with grains of golden sand
That somewhat childish face is elegant, the silky white skin seems soft and tender

"--------"

Besides her beauty takes away my breath, there is one more reason that makes me speechless

"---Why"

It angers me to see this girl to be hurt from battles
Regardless of how tough the armor she uses to protect her body, there's definitely something wrong with the fact that a girl has to face battle in my opinion

While I stare at the girl idly, she just places her hand on the chest silently
That comes to end soon enough
Did the pain go away, the girl removes her hand from the chest and raises her face
Her pupils look at me directly
As I am hesitated as how to respond to her, I notice her condition

"......The wound, is gone......?"

Even if not hit directly at the heart, but it was obviously penetrated by that lance, now there's no sign of wound on the surface at all
......I heard of Sorcery for healing, but there doesn't seem to have any Sorcery present
In another word, she can heal herself when wounded----

"----"
Then I change my way of thinking
No time for looking at her idly, she is extremely dangerous.No a subject I can trust without first clarify her real identity

"----Who, are you"

I go back half a step and ask
"? What do you mean by who, I am the Servant of Saber. ......You are the one who summoned me, there shouldn't be any need of confirmation"
A quiet voice, the girl spoke without raising her eyebrow

"Servant of Saber......?"
"Yes. Hence call me Saber"
She says straightforwardly
That manner of speaking is both polite and calm, but how should I put this, my head goes all blank just from hearing it---

"----Uh"

......Hey, why am I so shaking......!

"Is, is that so. What a strange name"

I raise my hand to hide my face, which is gradually heating up, and reply idiotically, but is there really anything else to say. How should I know about this, and since I inquire her name, so she answers, everything is normal---Hey, wouldn't it be impolite if I don't start talking

"......I am Shirou. Emiya Shirou, is a resident of this household"

---What should I do
I answer with even more idiocy
But, since she gave her name, I have to introduce my own name too
I know myself is in a panic, but there are rules regardless of who I am dealing with

"--------"
The girl......Saber remains still, without moving a finger, look at my panicking self

"No, this is not right. That didn't count, that wasn't what I want to ask, so what I meant was"
"I see. You aren't a regular Master"
"Eh......?"
"However, despite that you are still my Master. Since we exchanged contract, I will not betray you. There's no need for alarming"

"Huh......?"
scheiße
I did hear what she said, but I have no idea what she is talking about
All I know is, she's calling me Master, what a weird word

"That's not true. My name is not Master"
"Then Shirou. Hm, I do prefer that pronunciation"

"............!"
As she speaks of Shirou, I think my face is on fire
Generally speaking, wouldn't people address each other with their surname and not first name......!?

"Wait, why do you say----"
"Ouch......!"
All of a sudden, my left hand is paralyzed

"So, so hot......!"
The back of my hand is heating up
It's as if my left hand is burning
A strange symbol that looks like a tattoo is engraved

"What----"
"That's called command spells, Shirou. The three commands that restrain us Servants, also the life line of a Master. Please avoid using it for arbitrary reason"

"You, you----"
What exactly are you, as I am finally going to speak up, her attitude changed abruptly

"---Shirou, please heal my wound"
She speaks in an ice cold tone
Her mind is not focusing at me, but to somewhere far----outside of the walls apparently

But healing, she meant for me to do it......?

"Wait, are you talking to me? Excuse me but I don't that kind of complicated Sorcery, and isn't that already healed"
Saber frown slightly
......It feels as if, I said something I shouldn't have

"......Then I shall receive the enemy in this state. Although the auto recovery is only on the surface, but one more battle shouldn't be a problem"
"......? One more, of what"

"There are two enemies outside. This level of pressure, I should be able to defeat them in a few seconds"
As she speaks, Saber leaps out lightly
Just as Lancer did, fly over the walls to the outside
What stays, is me in the yard by myself

"......There are enemy, outside?"
As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I realize what happened
"Hold on, are you saying you have more battling......!"
My body moves
Without thinking, I run to the entrance with all my might

"Hah, hah, ha----!"
I run the entrance, open the bolt in a flustered, and rush outside

"Saber, where are you......!?"
I stare in the dark night
Of all things the moon has to be covered now, the surrounding is sealed within a darkness
However----

There are sounds nearby
"Is it over there......!"
I run to a deserted alley

---It happened in a flash

The man in red that I already witnessed, is going against Saber
Saber charges toward the man in red without hesitates, she crashes the stance of the opponent in one strike---

Saber cuts down the man in red easily
Saber who raises her hand, is planning to give a fatal blow
However, right before the man in red beheaded, he vanishes along with the activation of a powerful Sorcery

Saber has not stopped for second
As it is, she rushes toward the opponent who was behind the man
And then---Destroys the major Sorcery casted by the opponent, without taking it seriously

"Wha----"
Though I already knew she is strong, but this is devastating
That Sorcery just now, is a Sorcery of Intervention that is nowhere near my present level

Though in terms of power Kiritsugu wouldn't lose either, but to make a intervention to nature in such a scale in an instant, even a first-rate Magus might not be able to do it
But, even a Sorcery on that level, was still nullified by Saber like a piece of cake

Is the enemy a Magus, then the outcome is apparent
The attacks of Magi are worthless against Saber, she charges toward the Magus mercilessly

Doh, the sound of the bottom falls to the ground
Though the enemy managed to dodge the strike of Saber miraculously, but then he couldn't move again
Saber corners the enemy, thrusts out the invisible sword

"----"
My mind freezes
In that instant, the moon seems to go up
I recognize the subject of Saber's approach is a human
I haven't got any idea on who he is, but in my mind, an image of Saber bathed in blood, murdering men was quickly depicted

"----"
Saber's body moves
With the 'certain object' in her hands, aim to penetrate the throat of her opponent---

"Stop Saber--------!!!!!!"

I shouted with every last bit of my strength
The sword stops abruptly
......Perhaps, not seeing it is more of a comfort for me mentally
At the point of her invisible sword, it is yet to be stained by the blood of the opponent

"......Stop. Please stop, Saber"
I look at her as I open my mouth
I am determined, if I want to stop I must insist on it all the way through

"Why stop, Shirou. She is the Master of Archer. We must take care of her right here"

No, Saber hasn't had idea of giving up yet
She only stopped because of my words, soon she will slash down the sword once again......!

"I, I told you to stop! You called me Master or something, but I still don't understand a thing. Since you're calling me a Master, wouldn't it be more sensible for you to at least elaborate it a bit"

"........."

Saber doesn't answer
She just stares at me quietly

"This is out of order, Saber. I don't know who you are yet. But I will listen to you, just don't do this kind of thing"

"............"
Saber remains silent
Her sword is still pointing at the opponent who has fallen to the ground, she looks at me disagreeably

"What does, that kind of thing suppose to mean. Do you believe in the kind of ideal that you can't hurt anyone for just any reason"

"Eh......"
Can't hurt anyone for just any reason ......?
No, certainly I would try to avoid conflict as much as possible, but I am not kind enough to sympathize with a subject that's going to kill me

"In another word, you are saying you don't want to end the life of an enemy, correct? I cannot obey such words. Enemy has to be defeated. If you still want to stop me, please turn to the command spells"

"? No, that kind of thing is supposed to mean you. How can a girl wave around a sword. Don't mention what if you get hurt. ......Uh, right, I am not sure whether what you're holding is truly a sword or not---Aah, that's beside the point, either way, you shouldn't do it because you're a girl"

"--------"
By the time I finish my sentence, Saber suddenly loses her composure, her mouth is wide open

Not sure how long did we go through this situation

".........And? When are you going to put down your sword, Miss Saber"

All of a sudden, the one sat on the ground speaks

"----!"
Saber recovers all at once, exert force onto her sword

"Please give it up. There's no such sword that can be put down in the face of an enemy"
"Though your Master asked you so? Hey, even if it's a Saber, a Servant will go against its Master after all"

"--------"
Saber grinds her teeth
Then puts down her sword, eases her hands
Perhaps that means the sword is seized, and the murder intent has withdrawn from Saber's presence

"OK. May I stand up now"
The one who just sat there until now stands up
The act of dusting her bottom appears to be somewhat impudence
......Uh, wait a minute

The person that's complaining, that one, is definitely-----!?

"You, you are Tohsaka......!?"
"Nn. Good evening, Emiya"
Tohsaka replies with a really elegant smile

"Ah----What?"
I give it up
To be greeted in such carefree fashion, the unusual events that happened a minute ago all seems fake now, Aah
No, more like, since my brain is already near the point of exploding, how easy would it be to just let my head goes off----!

"Aah, no, that's, in another word, since that Sorcery was casted by Tohsaka, therefore----"
"You mean to say I'm a Magus? Enough, we're both the same so there's no need to hide it anymore"

"Grr----"
Your straightforwardness makes me looks like an idiot---
"Anyway let's talk inside. You have no idea what's going on, right, Emiya"
Speaking in a carefree tone, Tohsaka walks to the entrance

"Eh---Hold on Tohsaka, what are you thinking......!"
As soon as I finish up---
The expression on Tohsaka who turns her head back, is completely different from before

"Stop being such an dummkopf, I gave it a lot of thoughts. That's why I have to talk to you, isn't it. Emiya, it's alright to be surprised by a sudden event, but sometimes you will die from it if you can't accept it from the bottom of your heart. By the way, this is one of those situations, understand?"
Tohsaka stares at me with hostility

"----Oh"
"Good. Then let's move, to Emiya's house"
Tohsaka crosses the entrance to the Emiya residence

"......That girl, seems to be pretty mad......"
Then again, this is to be expected
She was pointed by a sword and almost got killed just now

"Well, even then"
Somehow, she appears to be one hundred eighty degrees different from the Tohsaka in school or am I just imagining things......

How did it evolve into this inconceivable situation
The idol of school is walking in front of me unhinderedly, let's say she's the Tohsaka Rin that I longed for for now
On my back is the blond girl that follows quietly, Saber who claims herself a Servant

".................."
Ah
Somehow, it feels the hallway is turning into another dimension

But, I can't stay at a loss like this
I might be a beginner, but still a Magus
If Tohsaka, who seems to be a Magus as well, is already this haughty, I'd be treated like an dummkopf if I don't do something

......Is what I said, but all I can think of are mere trifles
First off, Saber who follows behind
She called me Master, even said a contract was formed, so she should be a familiar or the sort for sure

From what I understand, familiar are things that help around Magi
Most of them are parts of the Magi's bodies which are transplanted to another object, to be controlled as the Magi's doubles

In this scenario, the doubles are essentially small animals
Since the minds of cats or dogs are easier to manipulate
There are also Magi who can take humans as their familiars, but a mana that can continuously bind a human is required in that case

However, if the mana to dominate a human is spent constantly, then the said Magus would have to use most of his mana to sustain the familiar
Then the point of doing so in the first place would be lost
Familiars are helpers of Magi
Small animals that don't put too much stress on Magi, and don't require much efforts to control are more compatible

......This is certainly how I learned, but

"? What is wrong, Shirou"
"......Aah no, nothing"
......Saber appears to be a human no matter how you look at her. And she is clearly superior to her Master namely me
There's no way I hold the mana to bind a subject such as this, and I don't have the magical circuits to control familiars to begin with

"............"
So, Saber must be something related to familiars yet different
She says she's a Servant
I am not sure what that is, but I think the man who is called Lancer, and the man in blue with Tohsaka are of the same lot

Now that I think about it, Tohsaka should be a Master as well
I took a glance at her Sorcery ability then
If I am a beginner, then Tohsaka would be an expert of an expert of an expert......but then again, I can't really compete with other Magi since I can only cast enhance Sorcery

Anyhow, Tohsaka Rin is an amazing Magus
On a land rich in spirituality, a clan of Magus would be require to oversee such land
The house of Emiya migrated to this town since Kiritsugu's generation, outsiders one might call it
Therefore I don't know Tohsaka is a Magus, and Tohsaha shouldn't have any idea that I'm learning Sorcery as well

......Inside this town, there is a few Magi that I am aware of
If Lancer is also a familiar of another Magus, then I am would be, step into the fight between Magi----

"Hey, this place is quite spacious. It's refreshing to be in a Japanese style house once in a while. Ah, Emiya, is that living room over there?"
Tohsaka utters as she walks in the living room
".................."
Let me stop pondering for now
First hear what Tohsaka has to say

I turn on the light
It's about one o'clock in the morning

"Whoa it's freezing! Oh, all the glass windows are broken"
"Can't help it, I was ambushed by that Lancer. I couldn't care less about the appearance"
"Ah, is that so. Then before you summoned Saber, you were fighting that guy by yourself?"
"Not like fighting at all. Just one-sided getting beat up"

"Nnn, you don't bluff at weird places. ......So that's it, that's it, Emiya is just like what he appears to be"
Not sure what is she so happy about, Tohsaka walks to the side of the broken window

"?"
Tohsaka picks up the broken piece of glass, observe for a bit---

"----Minuten vor SchweiBen"

Tohsaka cuts her fingertip, blood is dripping down from the glass window

"!?"
What kind of Sorcery is that
The glass window that was broken to pieces are reconstructing by themselves, it reverts back to what it used to be in a couple seconds

"Tohsaka, that just now----"
"Just a simple demonstration. Not exactly a thanks for saving me, but I should do it in the least"

"......However, you will fix it even if I don't, but that would be wasting mana, right?

She is saying it as if that's certainly the case
But, needless to say, her ability is out of my league

"---No, that's amazing Tohsaka. There's no way I can pull off something like that. Thank you for fixing it"

"? No way, are you serious? Processing glasses is the basic of the basic. Recover glasses broke in just moments ago, is the entrance test in any school, right?"

"Is that so. I have only been taught by my Dad, I know either the basic nor the fundamental"
"----Huh?"
Tohsaka stops her actions shortly
......Oh no. Apparently I said something I shouldn't have

"......Hold on. That means, Emiya is a beginner who can't even take care of his own Workshop?"
"......? Not really, I don't have something like a Workshop"
......Ah-, there is a Storehouse where I train, but if I call that a Workshop, it seems Tohsaka will really get mad

"............I don't think that's the case, but just making sure. You wouldn't be ignorant of the way of the five major elements, or the method of making routes, right?"
I answer with a 'Mm' and nod honestly
".................."
Aw, so scary
That girl, beauties have a strong compelling force once they become silent

"What. So you are, an outsider?"
"That's not true. I at least know how to cast enhance Sorcery"
"Enhance......again, you really just know the surface of everything. Then, everything else is completely blank?"
Tohsaka stares at me
"......Hm, to an extreme extent, that's probably the case"
My reply is very ambiguous, since that stare was way too thorny

"----Sigh. Why let this kind of guy summoned Saber, seriously"
Tohsaka sighs exhaustedly
"............Humph"
I am getting work up for some reason
I am learning Sorcery for fun
It is a fact that I am still immature, but I think this is different from that

"Forget it, it doesn't matter. It's pointless to complain about something that already been decided. More importantly, I have to return the favor for earlier"
Tohsaka heaves a sigh

"Then let me begin. Emiya, you have no idea where's your ground, correct?"
"----"
I nod

"Thought so. Forget it, even though I could tell that with one glance, but I had to confirm it in the least. Explain to someone who already knew is somewhat of an unnecessary weight on my heart"
"?"
Did I just hear a really out of place expression, but I stay quiet since it would be impolite to disrupt her now

"I will just cut to the chase, Emiya is selected as a Master. There is a Stigmata on one of your hands right? On the back of the hand or the arm, thought it's different for each individual, but there should be engraved with three command spells. That's the proof of a Master"
"Back of my hand......Aah, is this it"

"Yes. That is also the spell that binds the Servant so you must cherish it. Those are called command spells, you can make the Servant obey if only you have it"
"......? If only you have, what does that mean"

"Command spell is the right of an absolute order. I presume you already notice that Servants have their own free wills, to manipulate their minds to obey your own words absolutely, such are the engravements"

"There's no need to recite spell when cast, it will activate when you want to. However every time you cast it it will go down by one, so please try to refrain from using it over two times. Once the command spells are gone, Emiya should be killed, so you better be careful with that"

"Eh......I will, be killed----?"
"No doubt. Sine Masters kill other Masters are the basic of the Holy Grail War. Then the Master that kills off the other six, will be awarded with the Holy Grail that can grant any wishes"

"Wh----at?"
Hold, hold on
I totally can't comprehend what Tohsaka just said
Master defeats Master
Obtain Holy Grail in the end......Hey, Holy Grail, meaning that Holy Grail......!?

"Still don't get it? Essentially, you are involved in a race. A survival competition between seven Masters, namely the Holy Grail War. It won't end until all the other Masters are defeated one after another, and no one remains, murdering among the Magi"
Tohsaka speaks as if this is nothing worth mentioning

"--------"
My mind is turning with the vocabulary that I just heard
I who are selected as a Master
Tohsaka who is also a Master
Familiars that are called Servants
---And
The murdering with other Magi, namely the Holy Grail War

"Wait a minute. What it this, why do you talk about these all of a sudden"
"I understand where are you coming from, but I am simply stating the facts. ......An you yourself, should already have a basic understanding more or less, right? Not only once, but you were almost killed by a Servant twice, you do realize that you are already in a position where there's nowhere to run"

"--------"
That
I was certainly, almost killed by that guys whose name is Lancer

"Ah, not quite. Not almost but you were killed. You sure did a good job on reviving, Emiya"
"----"
Tohsaka's pursuit is the last kick that did it for me in a way

......Certainly
That guy killed me, and I was killed for sure
There was no excuse, I was merely an existence that needed to be erased
Therefore
Even if I refuse to accept this senseless murdering
Others wouldn't stop just because of that

"----"
"Do you get it now? Then let me elaborate. I don't know what exactly is the Holy Grail War myself. The only things I am certain of are, it takes place once in several decades, seven Masters would be selected, and Masters are given all kinds of Servants"

"I myself is also one of the people selected as Masters. Hence I made a contract with a Servant, you also made a contract with Saber. Please treat the Servants as familiars bestowed by the Holy Grail in order to win the Grail War. Then, us who are the Masters will cooperate with our own Servants, erase other Masters, and that is all"

"............"

Tohsaka's explanation is too concise, hardly in touch with reality
Yet I still have one question, which I've become suspicious of since earlier

"......Hold on. Tohsaka, according to you Saber is a familiar, but I don't think so. Shouldn't familiars be cats, birds or the sorts. Allegedly there were guys who used human spirits, but Saber has an actual physical body. And, that's---very, unfamiliar-like"

I take a glimpse at Saber secretly
Saber just stays quiet and listens to our conversation
......That is the form of a human being
Though the true identify is unclear, but she's a girl not much difference from my own age
I can't even stay calm when a girl like her approaches me, saying that she's a familiar is unrealistic, more importantly, my heart rate keeps going up and that's very bothersome

"Familiars---Forget it, even if Servants are in the same category, however the status is different. No matter how you put it, she over there is a Heroic Spirit, the strongest of familiars"
"Heroic Spirit......? So she is a spirit after all?"

The souls of the deceased humans
Even after death they remain in this world in this form, the undying thoughts of the superior ones
But, that's strange
Spirits don't have bodies. Spiritual bodies can only be hurt by spiritual bodies
Therefore, I have a suit of body as a human, cannot be killed by spiritual body directly

"Spirits......Similar in a way, however if you treat Saber as the same thing as those, she'd kill you. For Servants are heroes from the past that obtained physical bodies, an existence that is close to elements, and exceed humans"
"----Huh? Heroes from the past that obtain physical bodies?"
"Yep. Regardless of past or present, simply pull over the dead legendary heroes, and materialize them"

"However, summoning them is the duty of the Masters, and the materialization afterward is done by the Grail. Let a soul to take form is impossible for one Magus. A stupendous power from outside is required"

"Wait. Heroes from the past, ehh......!?"
I take a look at Saber
So was she once a hero as well
No, certainly there's no one dress like her in modern times, but that's still---

"That's impossible. I have never heard of this kind of Sorcery"
"Of course, because this is not Sorcery. Please take it as a phenomenon caused by the Grail. Otherwise there's no way to materialize a reincarnated spirit"
"......Reincarnation of spirits......Then those, Servants are different fromspirits......?"

"Not the same. Humans, animals or machines, it is able to escape karma and rise to another level, as long as it accomplished a great deed, never heard of it? Heroic Spirits are as such. Simply put, it's those who became worshiped and praised as gods"

"Necromancy, spirit summoning or the sorts. That kind of 'spirits handling Sorcery' is induced by borrowing parts of the Heroic Spirits' power, correct. However Servants are familiars that connect to the original Heroic Spirits directly. Hence even so essentially they stay beside us in spiritual forms, but they can also materialize to fight in times of need"

"......Hm. That, is it to use the spiritual body and materialized body separately. ......I can't see Tohsaka's Servant, is it in spiritual form now?"
"No, that guy is recovering in my house's summoning circle. He was defeated by Saber just now, right. If the timing for force retreat was delayed for a little bit then he would be headed and eliminated"

"Listen well, Servants who have the same spiritual forms are the only ones that can defeat other Servants. Of course if the opponent is in physical form, our attacks will hit as well, if everything goes well then maybe we can actually defeat it. But, all the Servants are like monsters, right? So monsters have to be taken care by monsters, Master should stay behind and support this is a principle"

"............Humph"
Tohsaka's explanation makes me angry for some reason
She speaks of monster this, and monster that, though I don't know what are other Servants like, but I don't want Saber to be described as such

"Anyhow the one who becomes a Master, must defeats other Masters by the familiars summoned by him. Did you get this part?"

"......I understand the literal. But I haven't agreed. Who, and for what reason started this business with terrible taste"

"That's not something I should know, and therefore unable to answer to you. Please leave this part to the guy that supervises the Grail War. What I am trying to tell you is this, you have no other options other than to fight, and Servants are strong familiars so use them wisely, that's all"

Tohsaka only said this much, then she looks at Saber

"And next. According to Emiya, you are not in your complete form, Saber. Because you were summoned by a Magus in training that doesn't have any experience as a Master"

"......Hm. As you said, I am not in my perfect shape. Since Shirou doesn't have the sufficient mana to materialize me, to revert back to spiritual body, or recover mana are both difficult tasks"

"......I am astonished. Certainly the situation is severe, but I didn't think you would say it straight out honestly. I was just thinking of finding weaknesses from your words"

"Let enemy find out my weakness would not be my true intention, however it wouldn't go unnoticed under your observation. It's meaningless if I hid away the cards in our hand, right. By letting you know, Shirou can have a better understanding of the present dilemma"

"Correct. Style is perfect as well. ......Aah, seriously, what a waste. If I am the Master of Saber, it's like winning the war already!"
Tohsaka holds her fist as if she could not reconcile

"Hm. Tohsaka, are you implying that I'm not worthy"
"Of course, stupid"
Aw, she spits out words that people with good conscience wouldn't say

"What? More questions?"
And she's not aware of it herself
The image of an outstanding student in school is collapsing
......Issei was right. Tohsaka is indeed merciless like a demon

"And next. Enough talking, it's about time to head off"
At the time
Tohsaka suddenly utters something out of nowhere

"? Where are we going?"
"To meet someone who knows really well about the game......'Holy Grail War' which you're involved in. Emiya wants to know about the reason for Grail War, right?"

"---Sure. Where is he at? It's already at this hour, if it's too far"
"No problem, it's over at the neighboring town, we can return before dawn if we rush. And tomorrow's Sunday, wouldn't stay up all night be fine"

"No, that's not the point"
Since many things happened today, I want to rest for a bit to recollect my thoughts

"What, you're not going? ......Fine with me if Emiya said so, how about Saber?"
For whatever reason Tohsaka is asking the opinion of Saber
"Hold on, it has nothing to do with Saber. Don't push her"

"Oh, you're already aware of your being a Master. Don't like me talking with Saber?"
"How, how is that possible! If what Tohsaka said was true, then Saber would be a hero from the past. So she'd be clueless after been summoned to modern time. So---"

"Shirou, that's not it. If Servants want to exist in the human world, we would adapt to any era. Therefore I know very well of the things in this era as well"
"Eh----You really, do?"
"Of course. Since this is not the first time I am summoned in this era"

"What----"
"You are kidding, what a slim chance it is......!?"
Ah, Tohsaka is shocked too
......That means, what Saber is saying is very incredible

"Shirou, I concur her suggestion. Your knowledge as a Master is too little. As a Servant that made a contract with you, I'd be in trouble if Shirou doesn't become stronger"
Saber looks at me quietly
......Not for Saber herself, a calm stare that takes me into consideration

"......I see. I will go then. So, where is it, Tohsaka. It's place where we can return, right"
"Sure. Our destination is Kotomine Church in the neighboring town. That's the house of the fake priest that supervises this Grail War"

Tohsaka shows a smile that harbors malicious intentions
A smile that bullies me who knows nothing
".................."
Though it might be my prejudice
But that guy's personality, is a little loose somewhere......

Walking in the town at night
There's no one around after one at midnight
The lights are switched off in each household, only the street lights are illuminated on the fast asleep town

"So Tohsaka. Not exactly a big deal, but are you planning on walking to the neighboring town"
"Sure? Both trams and buses stop running. Taking a walk at night once in a while isn't such a bad idea, right"
"I see. Just asking, do you know how long will it take to walk to the neighboring town?"
"Hm, walking is about one hour. But, if we come back too late, we can just take taxi"

"Don't spend those spare changes, and what I want to said is that girls shouldn't come out and walk around during night. You know it's dangerous recently. I can't take the responsibility if something happen"
"Relax, no one will come at us no matter who he is. And Emiya you seem to have forgotten, the Saber over there is very strong"

"Ah"
That is true
Regardless of robbers carrying guns or anyone, Saber will beat them back if they dare open fire

"Rin. What was Shirou trying to say. I am unable to comprehend"
"Eh? Well, should I say he was mistaken, or he's a schwachkopf. It seems like he was trying to say that if we are attacked by perverts Emiya is going to rescue us"

"How can that be, Shirou is my Master. Isn't this a switch of roles"
"He didn't think of it, right? He seems to treat Magi and Servants indifferently. I really want to take a look at what's inside that guy's brain-"
".................."

Tohsaka and Saber are now in a relation where they can talk to each other, before I know it
Speaking of Saber, she stopped talking since I stopped her from going outside in that outfit

She wouldn't take off that suit of armor no matter what, I let her wear rain coat out of desperation, she became even more quiet then
Now she's following behind my back frankly, and only talks to Tohsaka

"Eh? Where are you going, Emiya. That isn't the right direction?"
"Aren't we just going to go to the bridge. This way is the shortcut"
I'd feel very reluctant to walk with these two shoulder by shoulder, I step onto the side way quickly
Those two follows without any opposing opinion

To the park at the riverbank
Over the bridge, we can reach the Shinto at the neighboring town---

"Hey, so there is a road here. That's right, you can go to bridge from park, so just walk toward the park is fine"
Tohsaka tilts her head to look at the bridge as she raises her voice

Perhaps it's because of the location, the part at night
The side of Tohsaka's face as she raises her head to look at the bridge, is more breathtaking than when I look at her in school, I am at a loss of words

"Fine let's go. We are not here for picnic"
I hush Tohsaka who stands in the park, and step on the stairs
Once we are on the sidewalk on the bridge, it's going to be a straight line all the way to Shinto

No one is on the sidewalk of the bridge
But of course, even during the day there is a few who would walk this way
People usually take a bus or tram to the neighboring town, not many would take this way

No matter how you look at it, the distance is too far, and there are people bored enough to worry about what if the bridge wasn't constructed concretely, it wouldn't be strange for the bridge to collapse one day
The location is perfect, however this is not taken as a route for dating is also for this reason

"......Stupid. What am I thinking"
Saber who follows behind me quietly, and Tohsaka who is just next to me
I try my best to not mind those two, and haste my pace to get over the bridge as soon as possible

After the bridge, Tohsaka takes us to the outskirts
Speaking of Shinto, all I can think of is the shopping street in front of the train station, but there are older streets farther away from the train station

And the outskirts have the most of old streets
A slightly incline long, long hill road, and a height to gaze at the ocean
Higher the hill road is, less buildings are around, a foreign graveyard established on top of the slope of the hill can be seen

"The Church is on top of here. Emiya, you have to at least came across there once?"
"No, not at all. But I do know there used to be an orphanage"
"I see, so today is your first time. Then you would be better if you be a bit more careful. The priest here is quite unusual"

Tohsaka climbs up the hill road first
......I can see a shadow on the hill that resembles a building, if I raise my head to look
The Church on the height
The House of Go that I never even came close before today, now I am going there for this kind of purpose

"Wah---incredible"
The Church is very extravagant
Is the entire height occupied by the Church, as we climb up the hill, a level square receives us
The Church that is built on the back, though not very large, however it looks down on the visitors with imposing august

"Shirou, I will stay here"
"Eh? Why, I can't leave just Saber behind, since we've already come so far"

"I am not here for visiting the Church, but to protect Shirou. If Shirou's destination is the Church, then you wouldn't walk too far away from here again. Therefore, I will wait right here"
Saber says determinedly
Apparently she wouldn't go inside no matter what, I will just have to respect her intention

"I see. Then I will be leaving"
"Yes. Don't let your guard down before anyone, Master"

A vast, solemn chapel
There should be many visitors usually, since there are so many seats
The priest here must has exceptional moral integrity to be entrusted with the administration of such a large Church

"Tohsaka. What kind of man is the priest here"
"What kind exactly, is hard to explain. I still don't that guy's personality even after knowing him for ten years"
"Ten years......? That is really long. Are you relatives or something?"

"Not exactly relatives, but he is my guardian. On a side note, he is my senior, and also the second Master"
"Eh......Senior, as in a senior in Sorcery!?"

"Yep. What's so surprising about it"
"Because isn't he a priest!? How can a priest practice Sorcery, isn't that prohibited!"
Without a doubt, Magi and the Church are not compatible

The large organization that Magi belong to is called the Mage Association
And at the core of the religion, which ordinary men would not have known it for their entire lives, is the Church belongs to this side, let's named it Sacred Church for now
The two are similar yet different, they cooperate according to formality, but they're truly in a dangerous relation where they would get rid of each other whenever there is an opening

Church hates heretics
To them who are absolutely reject inhuman, the ones who practice Sorcery are their targets as well
To the Church, miracles are something can only be acquired by those who are selected as Saints. The rest who use miracles are all heretics

People who belong to the Church are no exceptions
The higher one's status in Church is, the prohibition of contamination of Sorcery is more strict
The followers who are designated to this kind of Church is out of question, additionally, the more blessings from God, the farther away from Sorcery----

"......Hold on. Is the priest here originally one from this side"
"Nn. He was designated as the supervisor of the Holy Grail War, a really good executioner. ......But, whether he has the blessings from God is another matter"

Tohsaka makes noises as she walks to the altar
It's not a good idea to come disturb if the priest is not here, don't even mention how late it is
He couldn't possibly be in the chapel, he should be in the private quarter inside the Church

"......Humph. Then, what is the name of that priest? Did you just say Kotomine something"
"The name is Kotomine Kirei. A student of my father, a troublesome bond of acquainting over ten years. ......But, if possible I don't really want to be acquainted with him"

"---Agree. I also, don't want a disciple disrespecting her teacher"

Sounds of steps
Did he notice our arrival, that man walks from the inside of the altar slowly

"I call for you many times you did not come, you brought some strange guest with you. ......Hoh, is he the seventh one, Rin"

"Yes. He is somewhat of a Magus, however he's basically an amateur inside so I couldn't spot him. ......I recall there's a rule states that the one who becomes a Master should come to report here. Though it's a rule made up by yourselves, but I will abide by it this time around"

"That's very good. I see, so it's all thanks to this lad"
The priest named Kotomine, looks at me slowly

"----"
......I couldn't help but, take one step back
......Not scare of something
......Nor do I sense hostility from the man named Kotomine
But, this priest has an august that can make the air on one's shoulder's become heavier

"I am Kotomine Kirei who is appointed to the administration of this Church. What might your name be, the seventh Master"
"---Emiya Shirou. But, I don't remember becoming a Master"
I strain around my abdomen, stare at the priest as not to lost to the intense pressure

"Emiya------Shirou"
"Eh----"
The intense pressure on my back becomes a chill
The priest smiles quietly, as if he heard something pleasant

----That smile
To me, has a indescribable----

"I have to thank you, Emiya. You actually brought Rin here. If not for you, perhaps Rin wouldn't come to the end"
Te priest approaches the altar
Tohsaka leaves the altar with an expression as if she's bored, and walks to my side

"Then let's begin. Emiya Shirou, you're the Master of Saber, correct?"
"That's not true. I did make a contract with Saber. However what you said about I being a Master or the matters about the Grail War, I know nothing about. If Master has to be a real Magus, then it'd be better to choose other Masters again"

"......I see what you meant, this is serious. Does he really not know anything, Rin"
"Didn't I tell you he's an amateur already. You have to teach him from the beginning of this part. Aren't you an expert of this kind of mending"
Tohsaka hurries the priest with an unhappy face

"----Oh. I see, is that so. Very well, this is the first time you ask a favor of me. Gratitude is not enough to express my thanks to Shirou"
The priest Kotomine smiles as if he's in a very good mood
What should I say, just listening from this conversation has made me feel even more agitated

"Firstly let me correct your mistake. Listen well, Emiya Shirou. Master can not be given to others, nor can you quit once you are selected. The one whose hand is engraved with command spells, cannot quit no matter who he is. First, accept this fact"

"---Can't quit, why"
"Command spells are also stigmata. A trial given to the Masters. You can not give up because of inconvenience. That pain, will not be lifted until obtaining the Holy Grail"

"If you want to quit being a Master, there's nothing better than obtaining the Grail and grant your own wish. This way everything will be the same as before, Emiya Shirou. Even if your wish is to dig out all the muds hoard up inside, that would be possible as well. ---By the way, to reset everything from beginning is also a possibility"

"So just hope. When that day comes, you will be thankful to be selected as a Master. If you wish to erase that burn marks that cannot be seen by the eyes, just accept that stigmata"

"Wh----"
I feel dizzy
There is no emphasis in the priest's words at all
The more I listen, the more I feel confused

......However, the word of this guy is deeply soaped through my chest, sticks to me like blood---

"Kirei, stop talking in circles. I meant explain the rules to him. No one asks to rip open the wounds"
A voice that breaks the utterance of the priest
"----Toh, Tohsaka?"
Because of that voice, my head is clear all at once

"Is that so. Whatever I said to this kind of men is a waste of effort, so I thought I should at least help him rid of the moral that wrongs him ......Humph, as the saying goes, a good deed deserves another. I couldn't help but look forward to it"

"What now. Are you saying that by helping him will benefit you"

"That's right. For helping others, is helping oneself one day. ......However, it's too late to lecture you anyway"

"Then let's get back to the topic. Emiya Shirou. The war that you're involved in is called the 'Holy Grail War.' A contest between seven Masters commanding seven Servants---did Rin already tell you these?"

"......So I heard. You mean the ridiculous competition of seven Masters killing each other"
"No doubt. But for us, this is not of our own preference to go against the morals. This is all for the ceremony of selecting the one worthy of the Holy Grail. It's a Holy Grail after all, a few contests are required for the selection of the owner"

......What contest
I bet, the priest doesn't consider the Grail War as a 'contest' at all

"Hold on. This 'Holy Grail' that you mentioned over and over again, what exactly is it. You're not going to say it's that Holy Grail, right"

Holy Grail
The Grail that once held the blood of the Holy One
Of the highest prestige even among the few remaining holy relics, allegedly it can perform all sorts of miracles

The most famous rumor is, the one who holds the Holy Grail will hold the world
......However, that's a lie. No matter how one put it, the very existence of Holy Grail is near 'non-existent'

Certainly, 'a sacred grail that can grant any wish' appears in numerous legends and myths around the world
But that's as far as it goes
Even if the Holy Grail actually exists, I've never heard of such a fictional technique of Reenactment

"How about it Kotomine Kirei. The Holy Grail you speak of, is it the real Holy Grail"
"Of course. The one shows up in this town is genuine. One of the indications would be, the appearance of the unconventional miracles that is Servants"

"To summon the Heroic Spirits of the past, dominate them. No, this miracle that comes near to the revival of the dead can be called Magic. The Grail that has this kind of power, can give the owner indefinite power. The question of authentic, is irrelevant in the face of this fact"

"--------"
In another word
What this guys wants to say is this, even if it's fake, as long as its power exceeds the real one then real or fake doesn't matter

"......Fine. Then let's assume the Grail exists. But, why is the Grail War necessary. There's no need to kill one another if there's a Grail. Since it's so powerful, why can't everyone share"

"This is a very reasonable suggestion, however we do not have this kind of freedom. There can be only one to obtain the Grail. That is our decision, rather it's up to the Grail itself"

"From selecting seven Masters, to summoning seven Servants, everything is proceed by the Grail itself. Perhaps this is what's called a ceremony. The Grail will select the ones that's worthy of possessing itself, and let them compete among themselves to choose one and only one owner. This is the Holy Grail War---the ones chosen by the Grail, the spirit descend ceremony of murdering one another in order to obtain the Grail"

"--------"
The priest says blankly
I have nothing opposing to say, I turn to my left hand
......On my hand there is the engravement they call command spells
Is he saying that once I have this engravement, I cannot give up on being a Master

"......I can't agree. Even if it's to select one man, I am not pleased with the only option being killing others Masters"
"? Wait a minute. Only option being kill the other Masters, that's a misunderstanding. You are not limited to only kill the Masters"

"Huh? Didn't you say to kill each other. Kotomine said so as well"
"It is to kill each other"
"Kirei, you be quiet. Let me tell you, the Grail circulating around in this town is a spiritual body. So you are not going to hold it in the shape of an object, and you can only summon it in a special ceremony---namely, spirit descend"

"Though we Magi can also summon it, however since it's in a spiritual form we are unable to touch it. Do you understand what does this imply?"
"I see. A spiritual body can only be touched by another. ---Aah, so that's why we need Servants......!"

"Exactly. To be honest, the Holy Grail War is to eliminate the Servants beside your own. So there's no rule suggesting that you have to kill the Masters"

"--------"
What, then why don't you put it this way earlier!
Seriously, both Tohsaka and the priest are so ill minded
......Anyhow, I am relieved at last
Because this way even if joining the Grail War, Tohsaka wouldn't have to die

"I see, so that's another way to look at it. Then let me ask you one thing, Emiya Shirou, do you think you can defeat your own Servant?"

"?"
Defeat Saber
That's of course impossible
Since Sorcery is nil against that guy, and her swordsmanship is incomprehensibly tough

"Then let me ask you one more thing. A boring question perhaps, do you think you're superior than your Servant?"
"??"
What is this guy talking about
Since I can't defeat Saber, of course I can't possibly be superior to Saber
The answer to either of the questions just now, is that I, the Master is weaker than the Servant----

"----Ah"
"That's right. A Servant is difficult to defeat even with another Servant. Then what can one do. See, actually it's pretty simple, isn't it? A Servant can't exist without a Master. Even if the Servant is very strong, it will vanish once the Master is defeated. Then"

Without a doubt, that's a very natural behavior
No one would pick the especially difficult route
In order to win, aim for the Master and not the Servant, is the most efficient method to kill a Servant----

"......Aah, it's faster to kill the Master if you want to eliminate a Servant, I understand this now. But, on the contrary if you defeat the Servant first, then a Master wouldn't be a Master anymore, isn't it? Servants are the only ones that can touch the Grail. Then, a Master is as good as dead when he loses his Servant"

"No, as long as the command spells are presented, the rights of the Master will remain. Masters are the ones who can make contracts with Servants. As long as you have the command spell, it's possible for you to make any number of Servants"

"Servants that lose their Masters wouldn't disappear immediately. They will sty in the present world before the mana inside their bodies deplete. If there's this kind of 'Servants that loses their Master' present, then it's possible for them to remake a contract to 'Masters who lose their Servants.' And return to the battle field. Therefore a Master would want to kill another Master. For if everything doesn't go well, and he survives, then there's a possibility for him to become a new obstacle"

"......Then what if the command spells are used up? Then you can't make contracts with other Servants, and the free Servant would seek out other Masters as well"
"Wait a minute, that's----"
"Hm, that is correct. If the command spells are no more, then you can be freed from the duty of a Master"

"......However, to discard command spells that can execute powerful Sorcery without purpose, I don't think such Magi exist. Even if there's one, he would not be a rookie, rather a simple dummkopf, no?"
The priest smiles as if he sees through my thinking

"............."
Somehow I feel, irritated
That priest, treats me like a schwachkopf since earlier, to the extent that there's nothing else other than mocking me

"Do you understand now. The explanation of rules are enough for now. ---Next, then let's go back to the beginning, Emiya Shirou. You once said that you do not wish to become a Master, are you still of the same opinion now"

"If you' like to give up on being a Master, that's fine too. You can do what you said, use up the command spells to terminate the contract with Saber. By then, I will promise your safety until the Holy Grail Way is over"

"......? Wait a minute. Why do I have to need your promise of safety. I can protect my own body by myself"

"I don't have the luxury to bother you either. But this is the rule. I was sent to oversee the repeated Grail Wars. Therefore I have to push the sacrifices caused by the Grail War to the minimum"

"----The repeated Grail Wars......?"
Hold on
This is the first time, I heard of something like this
Repeated, meaning this kind of war happened many times in the past......?

"What's that supposed to mean. Isn't the Grail War starting just now"

"Of course. Why else do you think a supervisor was sent? This Church has the mission of recovering Holy relics, the tip of the special agency. It was once focused on the investigation and the recovering of the cross, now it also carries the responsibility of identifying the 'Holy Grail.' To investigate the seven hundred and twenty-sixth Holy Grail observes on the far east region, recover if it's genuine, otherwise falsified it, that is all there's to it"

"Seven hundred and twenty-six..... can Grails be that many"
"Who knows? At least, there are that many of similar things"

"One of them is the Holy Grail observed inside of this town, namely the Holy Grail War. The first war on record was two hundred years ago. After that, a span of about sixty years repeat the battles between the Masters. This is the fifth Holy Grail War. Last time is ten years ago, the shortest span up to date'

"What---are you serious, this kind of thing repeated four times in the past......?"
"I completely agree with you. As you said, they have repeated many times of the same thing. ---True enough. In the past, all the repeated Grail Wars were disastrous. Masters were driven by their own desires, forgotten the disciplines of the Magi, and killed each other without differentiating targets"

"I think you know as well, to a Magus, cast Sorcery to the normal society is the first crime. For Magi are not supposed to let the ordinary crowd know their true identities. But, the previous Masters broke this rule. Though the Mage Association sent a supervisor in order to restrain them, however they only made it to the Third one. The one at that time was my father, do you understand now, lad"

"Aah, I know the reason to have a supervisor now. But from what I heard, isn't this Grail War a really awful thing"
"Oh. What's so awful about it"

"Because the previous Masters are guys who would break the Magus' rules. Then even if the one who wins to the end obtains the Holy Grail, what are we going to do with this guy that's going to use Holy Grail to his own benefits. If supervising the Magi is the job of Mage Association, then shouldn't you punish these guys"

I ask with a slice of hope
But just as I expected, Kotomine Kirei, politely, smiles as if he heard something very funny

"How so. There's not a Magus who is not motivated by his own benefit. What we administer is only the rules of the Grail War. Anything beyond is not of our interest. No matter what kind of personality does the man who obtain the Holy Grail has, the Association can care less"
"How can that be......! What if the one that obtain the Holy Grail is a evil man!"

"It would be very troublesome. But we wouldn't do anything. What choose the possessor is the Holy Grail. And we do not have the power to stop the Masters chose by the Grail. However you put it, this is a Grail that grants wishes. Whoever obtains it can do whatever he desires.---Only that, if you don't want that to happen, you can just win. Compare to push it onto another, isn't this the most down to the earth way?"

Kotomine is pushing back his laughs
As if he takes my suffering of couldn't accept the status of a Master as an entertainment

"What's wrong, lad. I thought that idea just now was a good idea, do you not want to take it for reference"
"......Mind your own business. Firstly, I don't have the reason to fight. I am not interested in something like Holy Grail either, it still feels surreal even if you tell me all about the Masters"

"Oh. Then whatever the man obtains the Grail does, even induce disasters yet you still are not interested"

"That----"
......When he put it that way, I can't argue anymore
Damn it, this guy's words are like acts of violence
Completely disregard of my feelings, push me mercilessly whenever it's the facts

"It's OK if you don't have any reason either. Then do you not care about, what happen ten years ago?"
"----Ten years, ago......?"

"That's right. By the end of the last Holy Grail War, an unworthy Master touched the Grail. We don't what that Master was wishing for. All we knew, is the scars left by the disaster at that time"
"--------"

In an instant
That hell, is reappearing in my mind

"---Hold on. That, you are not talking about"
"That's right, it's something everyone live in this city knows, Emiya Shirou. Five hundred injuries, one hundred thirty to forty burned down buildings. The fire that's still clouded with myths, is the scar of the Holy Grail War"

"--------"

----I want to vomit

My sights are blurry

Lose focus, my point of sight cannot be concentrated

My body is going down quickly

But, I stand firm before that
Grind my teeth and save my conscious
Push it back with a boiling anger, the feeling of vomiting that nearly drop a man down

"Emiya? What's wrong, your face is suddenly all pale. ......I know it's not words that make you feel comfortable, so---Come, do you want to take a break?"

My face is probably very pale
For Tohsaka to be this worry, it's really rare

"Don't worry. I will be fine when I see Tohsaka's strange expression"
"......Wait a minute. What do you mean by that"
"No, not a thing. Don't mind it, it's exactly as I said literally"

"That's fine then......Hey, isn't that even worse, fool"
The number one outstanding student knocks my head mercilessly, Tohsaka Rin
That's the final blow
Just from this, the angers and vomiting from before have vanished completely

"......Thanks. I am really saved, don't push me over too much, Tohsaka. Right now I have some questions, that I have to get answers from"

"Oh, more questions. All right, tell me everything on your mind"
As if see through what I am going to ask, the priest rushes me pleasantly
Very well
How can Emiya Shirou, loses to you

"Then let me ask. You said this is the fifth war. Then, did anyone in the past obtain the Grail"
"Of course. Not every time it ends tragically with everyone dying"
"Then---"

"Don't rush. To hold it in your hands is simple. However you put it, the Grail is taken care by this Church. If it's simply hold it to your hand, I touch it everyday"
"Eh----?"
The Holy, Holy Grail is in this Church----?

"However, it's a mere container. The inside is empty. Rin said this already, the Holy Grail is a spiritual body. What this Church takes care of, is a replicate of the Grail with very fine details. With this as a catalyst you can let the real Holy Grail descend, and make it the Grail that grants wishes. That also, is similar to the relation between Masters and Servants. ......There certainly was. A man that obtained something like this that temporarily became the true Holy Grail"

"Then is the Holy Grail a real thing since the beginning. Wait, what became of that guy who obtained the Grail"
"Nothing. The Grail was not completed. Foolish man, was nothing but the result of one who was enveloped by meaningless emotions"

......?
Where did the high almighty attitude go, the priest narrows his eyes as if he's truly regretting

"......What went wrong. Didn't the Grail appear"
"It's very simple if you only want the Grail to appear. Gather seven Servants, the Grail will appear after a while. Rin was right, killing other Masters is not a necessity. However, the Grail would not be complete this way. The Grail will choose the one worthy of possessing it. So, the man that avoided the battle, did not obtain the Grail"

"Humph. Simply put, obtaining the Grail is meaningless if you don't fight with other Masters, right. Last time, the Master who first obtained the Grail was too naive. Saying that he didn't want to fight with the animosity Master, and avoided the Grail like that"

Said Tohsaka as if she was going to spit out the words, then her gaze leaves Kotomine
"----You're kidding"
That means, Kotomine was a Master from last time, though he obtained the Grail, but lost his qualification because he refused to fight......?

"......Kotomine. Didn't you fight"
"I was fighting half way through. But I made a wrong decision. In the end I only obtained an empty Grail. But, that was already my limit. However you look at it, every single one of the other Masters were monsters. I was the first one that lost his Servant, and was protected by my Father"

"......Now that I think about it, since the moment the son of the supervisor was selected as a Master, there were many troubles. Father passed away by that time. And then, I succeed as a supervisor, and protect the Holy Grail in this Church"

After he saying so, the priest names Kotomine Kirei turns around
On the other side of his gaze, erects the symbol that's supposed to be worshiped

"Enough talk. The ones that are qualified to obtain the Holy Grail are only the Masters who are obeyed by the Servants. When there's only one left among you seven, the Grail will appear at where the winner is. Decide right here whether you're joining this battle---the Holy Grail War"
Look at me from a higher ground, the priest ask my final decision

"--------"
I am at a loss of words
No reason to fight is in past tense now
Right now I actually have a reason and motivation to fight
But, is that reason something should be agreed to

"Are you still wondering. listen, you can't be a Master just because you want to. Rin over there has been trained as a Magus for a long time, yet she isn't chosen to be a Master because of that. What can be said to be a decisive factor, would be whether one has the mentality for it"

"Only Magi can be selected as Masters. You should be prepared for this if you're a Magus. If you say there isn't, I can't do a thing about it. Then you, and the teacher that taught you are both defected. Let this kind of Magus to fight can also be troublesome, erase the command spells now then"

"--------!"
There is no need for you to say this
I want to----

[----]

I can't run
To be honest, Master or Holy Grail War, doesn't feel real to me at all even after I was taught
But if I can only fight or avoid, then I should definitely not run away

The priest said
You should be prepared for this if you're a Magus

Therefore I have to make a choice
Even if I am an amateur, Emiya Shirou is still a Magus
If I decided to chase after Kiritsugu, the one I admired always, and become a protector of just----

"---I will fight as a Master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago is the Holy Grail War, I can't allow this kind of thing to ever happen again"

Is he content with my answer, a smile of satisfaction appears on the priest's face

"----"
I take a deep breath
Silt the wonders
I as a man, have already given my words to fight
Then, if I don't want to make myself embarrassed of this sentence in the future, I can only move forward

"Then admit you're the Master of Saber. In this instant, this Holy Grail War will be under administration. ---From now on the Sorcery battles in this city would be permitted, until there's only one Master left. Each follow your own pride, and compete as much as possible"

The words of the priest, is echoing in the chapel
There's no meaning in that announcement
This man is only, ringing the bell of beginning as a priest of this Church

"It's decided then. Time to leave, but can I ask you a question, Kirei?"
"Sure. But this might be the last one, I can answer you most of the questions"

"Then I will not hold back. Kirei, you're the supervisor, you should know about the intelligences of other Masters, correct. I did follow the rule of the Association, please tell me these minor business"

"That's very troublesome. I do want to tell you, however I don't know the details. Including Emiya Shirou, there isn't many formal Magi this time. I only knew two Masters. Three, plus Emiya Shirou"

"Ah, is that so. Then you should at least know the order of summoning. You're a supervisor after all"
"......Hmnn. The fist one is Berserker. The second one is Caster. There aren't that many intervals after that. Archer was two days ago, and Saber was summoned a few hours ago"

"---I see. Excuse me then"
"That means the Holy Grail War has officially started. Rin. Before the Holy Grail War ends, you can't enter this Church again. One exception, would be by the time"

"When I lose my own Servant and request protection, right. If I request anything else from you will be discredited"

"Right. Even if you end up as a winner, but the Church won't stay silent if there's any discredit behavior. After their boring discussion, they would probably come to the conclusion to rob you off the Holy Grail. That would be the worst scenario for me"
"Fake priest. You're helping the Mage Association even though you belong to the Church"

"I am serving the God. Not serving the Church"
"How well you talk. That's why you're the fake priest"

Then, Tohsaka turns her back against priest Kotomine
Like this, she walks straight to the exist ruthlessly without saying good-bye

"Hey, is that fine with you, Tohsaka. That guy is your senior and all, then---"
You should talk a bit more, right

"That doesn't matter. I should add that it's more pleasant to cut the tie. You should hurry outside as well. You don't have any business inside this Church anymore"
Tohsaka goes across the chapel without stopping, she really goes out

I sigh, and follow behind Tohsaka
And then
"----!"
I sense someone behind my back, and can't help but turn my head back
When did he get to my back, the priest lower his head to stare at me quietly

"Wh, what. Do you have something else to say"
As I say this, my feet are moving backward by themselves
......Thought so, I am not good at facing with this guy
Is it incompatible, or difference in personalities, anyhow I can't like him

"If you don't have anything to say I will be going!"
I wave away the priest's stares and turn to the exit

In the middle

"----Be glad, Lad. Your wish, is granted at last"

The priest has spoken as if reciting the wills of God

That line
Isn't it the true feeling of Emiya Shirou, that even I haven't become aware of myself

"---What are you talking about, all of a sudden"
"You should know. Your wish cannot be granted if there doesn't exist a clear evilness. Even if it's something you can never admit, but what a protector of justice needs is the evil that should be defeated"

"--------"
In front of my eyes, as if everything is becoming a darkness
The priest said
The man named Emiya Shirou's highest praise-worthy wish, is the same as the ugliest wish

......Doubtless. A wish that wants to protect something

At the same time, is also a wish that wants something to be hurt----

"---You"

But, I can't possibly be hoping that kind of thing
I don't remember ever wishing for
An over unstable wish
It's just that there's a contradiction within the ideal
But the priest said
As if stabbing this chest, said 'How wonderful now the enemy is emerging'

"Well, there's no point of hiding it. Your way of thinking, from a human's point of view is also correct"
"------"
I cast away the words of the priest, and walks toward the exit

"Good bye Emiya Shirou. My last advice, be careful on the road back. From now on your world is changed. You have become a man of the side of kill an be killed. Because you're already a Master"

Once I am outside, the intense pressure on my shoulders are gone
Though it has something to do with leaving that priest
But also Tohsaka who you can tell is wearing a uniform even from far away
Stands besides the blond girl with a raining coat, this sight is strangely amusing and let one relax

"--------"
Saber is still not talking
She keeps looking at me, perhaps she's wondering what choice did I make

"Let's go. We are taking the same way to the town, right"
Tohsaka starts to walk after she says this
We follow behind her, leave the Church as well

Us three walk down the hill road
Though we didn't say much on our way here, but there's even less to talk about on our way back
The reason, even someone as dim as me can tell
After the event in the Church, I really become a Master
Tohsaka walks a distance from Saber and I must be this reason

"----"
I can understand this
Though understand, but I don't like to separate Tohsaka like this

"Tohsaka, is your Servant fine"
"Eh......?"
"Ah, hm. Archer is fine. ......The injury inflicted from been defeated by your Saber won't go away easily, he can't materialize for now"
"Then he's not around you"

"Uh huh, he's hiding in my house. Since it'd be disadvantage for him if he's ambushed by other Servants now, so he's defending the enemy in an advantageous location before his injuries are recovered"

I see
Disregard of my house, Tohsaka's house should've prepared the defense against enemy very well

To Magi, their own houses are like fortresses. They would not lose to anyone when they're in there
From another perspective, if they stay at their houses, enemy would not come to attack
......Hm
Though the seal of our house only has an alarm against invaders, but that's still a lot different from nothing at all

"By the way, Tohsaka. When you said that guy is the supervisor of the Grail War. Does that guy, know your Servant"
"He shouldn't know. Because I didn't tell him"

"Is that so. I thought you and that guy are in good terms"
"......Emiya. Let me give you an advice, never tell anyone the true identity of your Servant. Please don't mention it even if it's someone trustworthy. You would be eliminated earlier if you don't do this"

"......? The true identity of Saber, what is that"
"Meaning the origin of a hero. Even if powerful, she would be killed one day in bed if her attributes are discovered, right. ......OK, let Saber tells you her true identity afterward. You can understand what I said then......But, then again. Since Emiya is very, well, you will probably be better off not knowing it"

"Why is that"
"Because Emiya can't hide anything. So the only way you can keep a secret is not to know it, isn't it"
"......Hey, what do you take me for. I can at least follow some strategy like this"

"Oh really? Then are you hiding anything from me?"
"Eh......Hide something from Tohsaka"
As I say this, my face is suddenly heated
Though there's nothing to feel guilty about, well, I was a little bit admiring her, does this kind of thing count as hiding from her......?

"You see. Though I don't know what you're hiding, but it's too obvious if you show anxious on your face. You have other good points, just don't think about strategies or what not anymore"

"......Hm. Then what about Tohsaka. You don't even tell that priest, is it because you can't trust that guy?"

"Kirei? That's a given. I am not foolish enough to trust that guy. Speaking of that guy, he's a fake that obviously transferred from the Church to Mage Association, but still keeps the status in Church. It's highly possible for him to sell others' information to other Masters"

Tohsaka snorts as if she really is disgusted
It seems like Tohsaka really doesn't trust the priest
I am relieved now, yet, I feel that in her words just now, there's a sense of closeness to that priest

----Then we cross the bridge

We stop talking to each other
The cold air in winter, and the white breaths we exhale
The light sounds of watering flowing, and the street light shine on the surface of the bridge reflected on our eyes
All kinds of matter, leave a deep impression in my memories

What's so incredibly about it, is that I never think of looking at the face of Tohsaka who walks right beside me
I feel that, more than looking at Tohsaka's face, it's ever more rare for us to walk side by side like this
Tohsaka, I, and the one who remains in mystery, the girl named Saber
The three of us, do nothing, besides walking toward where we should return to

We are at the cross road
The cross road at the hill that goes to all kinds of houses, is where Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin separate

"Let's break up here. I did my part, it would be troublesome if we stay together, right. A clean break, we will be enemy from tomorrow onward"
It's to draw a clean line between the ambiguous situation from before
Tohsaka says frankly, then there's silence

I know
She didn't explain to me the rules out of responsibility
Just fairly, helped out Emiya Shirou who didn't know anything
So after the explanation is over, everything is the same as before
Just becomes a competitor as another Master afterward

"......Hm?"
But, then her words just now seems strange
What Tohsaka should've wanted to say, was that it's hard to fight if we sympathize with our opponents, which it true
But from Tohsaka point of view, everything that happened tonight was unnecessary
'It would be troublesome if we stay together, right'
If she put it this way, then wouldn't it be better if we don't stick together since the beginning

Someone as clever as Tohsaka, should understand this kind of thing
Yet Tohsaka still helped Emiya Shirou out, disregard of her own interests

Therefore what happened tonight, is completely out of kindness and nothing else
The Tohsaka in front of my eyes, is very different from the she in school
To be conservative, she's strict, and difficult to approach, the huge difference, let me want to complain what happened to her composure in school

Actually, I think this can already be accounted as cheating
......But, even then
Tohsaka Rin, is the same as what everybody think who she is

"What, Tohsaka is such a nice person"
"Ah? What are you saying out of blue. I won't take you easy even if you flatter me"
I know
This girl said sympathy would be troublesome because she wouldn't take anyone easy

"I know. But if possible, I don't want to make an enemy out of you. I like people like you"
"Wha----"

For some reason, Tohsaka stops talking after this
I heard that Tohsaka residence is in the Western-style residential area on the opposite side of mine
She did help me out, I want to see her leave before I take off

"A, anyhow, if your Servant is defeated, don't hesitate just run to the Church from before. This way you can at least save your life"
"Though I am reluctant, but I will listen to you. But it shouldn't turn out that way. No matter how you think, I will die before Saber"

I calmly narrate the present predicament
"----Uuh"
Tohsaka shows a strange reaction again
She sighs as if she's astonished, then gives Saber a glimpse

"Listen, if I keep giving you advises then that's really sympathy so I will be quiet. Please take care of yourself. Because even if Saber is truly superior, but it'd be over once you the Master is defeated"
Tohsaka turns around and walks away quickly

"----"
But
She suddenly comes to a stop, as if seeing a ghost

"Tohsaka?"
While I call out to her, a pain comes to my left hand

"----So, you finish talking?"

A childish voice is echoing in the night
The voice which is like singing, certainly is a voice of a young girl
My eyes are attracted to the hill
Not sure how long have the clouds drifted away already, a bright moon is shining in the air

----At that place

A large and tall shadow
In the middle of a dim-lighted grayish city of night, that's an alien that can't possibly exist

"---Berserker"

Tohsaka spills out a vocabulary that I never heard of
That is definitely a Servant
At the same time it's also---a gush of death that surpasses the fire from ten years ago

"Good night, big brother. This is the second time that we met this way"
The girl smiles as she speaks
That naive smile, makes my back cold

"--------"

No, not just on my back
Not even just the boy, even my conscious is frozen
That's a, monster
Our eyes haven't met yet, and I am already stuck here can't move a muscle

Like naturally acknowledge that, I will be killed even I move a bit
As if a kitchen knife is place on top of, a naked abdomen
......However, but there's absolutely, absolutely no emotions
Perhaps there's just too little of hope for survival
Fear and anxiety, are all covered by hopeless, I can't feel anything at all

"----Shit. That guy, is on a different level"

Different from my paralyzed self, Tohsaka still has some strength left to take a stance
......But, that's still a slight
Because even just from looking at her back, I can sense her hopelessness

"Ah? What, your Servant is resting. How boring, I thought we can kill both"

On the hill, the girl looks down at us, says her unsatisfying
......More dangerous now
That girl, can even tell that Tohsaka's Servant is not around

---At the moment
The girl raises the border of her skirt politely, makes a greeting that really doesn't suit this occasion

"First time meeting you, Rin. I am Illya. You should know who I am if I tell you my full name is Illyasviel von Einzbern?"
"Einzbern----"
Has Tohsaka heard of this name, her body shakes a bit slightly

Is she content with Tohsaka's reaction, the girl shows a glad smile

"Then kill. Slaughter them, Berserker"

The girl orders the alien on her back, as if singing

The giant object flies up
The monster named Berserker, from up the hill, falls all the way down here for tens of meters at once----!

"----Shirou, stand back......!"
Saber rushes. She slings away the rain coat, blocks my sight in an instant

Saber who rushes to the place where Berserker lands
And Berserker who falls down with a whirlwind, almost reach their destination at the exact same moment

"Hrr............!"
The air is trembling
Saber blocks the huge sword in Berserker's hands that can almost be called a giant rock with her invisible sword

"----"
The corner of Saber's mouth crooked
The huge sword of Berserker, flashes like a whirlwind toward Saber---!

Sounds of explosion
The impacts of metal and metal that can tear apart atmosphere easily, ends with Saber losing

Shhhaaa

Even though blocks the huge sword of Berserker, but Saber's sword for blocking has been pushed back completely

"Grr......"
Saber's stance is crashed
The lead-black Servant chases after Saber
The gray alien, swings around the huge sword as if this is the only thing he knows

Saber blocks without any space for dodging
Has nothing to do with her sword that cannot be seen
One strike from Berserker is a devastating storm that cannot be defended without one's entire body

Therefore, Saber can only keep defending
To her, the only chance of winning will be to find an opening in he intervals of Berserker's strikes

However
That only works, if Berserker actually has intervals

The sword that resembles a dark rock, is like a hurricane
He has such a huge body
With such a gigantic sword, Berserker's speed is still far superior than Saber

Repeated attacks, just non-stop strike downs, an unpolished way of sword without any techniques

But that's enough
If one has a dominating power and speed, there's no space for techniques to come in
Technique is, thought up by humans to fix flaws

And flaws, do not exist on this giant beast

"----Escape quickly"

With a frozen body, I only whisper quietly
We can't win against that
If this continues Saber will be killed
So Saber should escape
She should be able to escape easily if she's by herself
She should know this herself better than anyone......!

"Ah----"
That, is very dangerous
Even though my body is paralyzed, but my brain is still working calmly
The storms of death is strung out continually
Toward a retreating Saber who can't block, this time it's serious

He swings out an ending strike, that crashes Saber's defense

Saber's body is in the air
Though in a very forced composure, yet Saber still wants to block the huge sword of Berserker

That is only to avoid the vital wounds
She couldn't parry Berserker's huge sword because she fails to take a step, Saber is sent flying by the shock wave

---Saber falls down after drawing a large curve
Before her back impacts the ground, Saber spins her body and lands
"......Urr, uh......!"
Saber stands up mightily
But, over her chest, red blood is spreading out

"----That, is"
......Seriously, what a fool
I forgot the most important thing
Though I don't know how long can a Servant fight in one day, but this is already Saber's third battle
In addition, the wound on her chest penetrated by Lancer is still there----

"Ur, urr----"
Saber takes a stance as if protecting her chest
Berserker is like a storm, strikes down toward the wounded Saber----

The back of Berserker, received a few line of impacts

"---Vier Stil ErschieBung......!"

Must be a really powerful Sorcery, as Tohsaka recites the spells, Berserker's body is bumps away
Judging from the strength of mana exploded, the attacks direct at Berserk should be close to shots from a large-gauge pistol

But that's meaningless as well
There's not a scratch on Berserker
He's not like Saber who nullified mana

"Urr......!? Gr, this guy's body is really messed up......!"
But Tohsaka is still attacking without a break
Berserker also, advances toward Saber disregarding Tohsaka's Sorcery

"............"
Saber raises her head painfully
She takes up her sword, and intends to continue to fight

---Looking at her shape, let my paralyzed body is defrost

"You can't, run away Saber......!"

I yell with all my might
Upon hearing my words

She, stands up against the unbeatable enemy
Berserker's attacks didn't stop
Every time she takes an attack, Saber's body is been pressed down, every time it's like welcoming the last moment

---But, such a tiny body, where did that large amount of power comes from

Saber would not back down
She accepts all those swings of that large sword like huge waves, trying very hard to pushes down Berserker
There's no chance to win
There must be something wrong with her, who stands without a bit wavering while knowing if this continues she would be defeated

Perhaps Berserker senses something from her

"■■■■■■■■■■■■----!"

The alien that stays silent all this time howls insanely

An unstoppable attack
Even Saber who is completely sunk in defense is unable to parry, this time she really is sent flying


Doh
Faraway, there's a sound of something falls down

......Fresh blood is spilled in the air
In the blood, with a body that can't stand up anymore
"Urr, ah............"
She stands up unconsciously
......As if
She is saying, if she doesn't stand up, I who is left alone would be killed----

"------------------------"

Then
I realize, how much of a stupid choice I made

Berserker who struck down Saber, stands still
Not even taking Tohsaka and I into consideration, waiting for the orders of the Master on the hills

"Ah ha, it's impossible for you to win. Because my Berserker, is the greatest hero of Greek"
"......!? The greatest hero of Greek, he's not----"

"That's right. Over there is the monster names Hercules, completely different from the levels of heroes you can dominate, the most violent monster"

The girl who called herself Illya, narrows her eyes pleasantly
That's a pleasant look of giving the enemy the last strike to death

---There's no need to mention who is the one been defeated

She will be killed right here
Then what should I do
Do I fight with the monster in her stead
It's impossible to do that
Without enough determination, one's heart would stop beating just from approaching the monster

I want to----

[----]

I---can't ignore the one falls down
Because Emiya Shirou has already chosen this way of life
More importantly---I can't leave the girl that fights for me like that

"It's OK Berserker. That person will regenerate, chop her head off"
Berserker starts to move again
And I----

"You---............!!"

I dash there with full strength
I can't possibly do anything to that monster
So at least I should, pushes Saber out of the way, save her from Berserker's blow----

"----Eh?"

Doh, I fall down
Why......?
I originally intended to push Saber out of the way, and keep Saber away from Berserker, and ponder on what happen next later, so why.

"Gah----ah"

Why, am I
Lying on the ground. Can't breath

"!?"

......I hear screams
First thing, I see is Saber in front of my eyes
And then it's Tohsaka who is stunned faraway
And for some reason, she looks down at me idly, the girl named Illya

"......Ah, eh"
My abdomen is gone
I am lying on the ground
What's on the road are, blood that is comparatively less than the one on my wound and organs that seems very soft and countless bones that look like broken dead tree twigs, hey, this looks very hurt, forget it, anyway it's all these stuff spilled everywhere

"......I see. Seriously, so dumb"

To put it simply, I didn't make it
Basically---Since I couldn't push away Saber, so I became a shield
Then that demonic axe sword, takes out everything from my abdomen

"----Cough"

Ahh seriously, even fail at a time like this, really make one astonished
Though I am supposed to work hard to become a protector of just, but to make a mistake at an important time like this

"----Why?"

The girl with silver hair whispers

After stunned for a while, the girl

"......This is enough. This way, is so boring"

The girl never gives Saber the last blow, calls back Berserker

"---Rin. I will kill you the next time I meet you"
The girl leaves in a flash
After seeing her left, I completely lose my vision

My conscious stops shortly
This time there's no way to return back to normal
Though I was saved when killed by Lancer, but that kind of luck wouldn't come twice
There shouldn't be any Sorcery that can save someone like this, whose abdomen has completely vanished

"......What are you, you thinking! Do you know, I have no way to save you again......!"

I hear cursing
......Must be Tohsaka, she seems to be angry for real, I feel sorry

But can't help it
I am not like Tohsaka who can do anything, what I can use freely is only this suit of body

......So, that's right
Other than dash out with my body like this, I can't accomplish anything----