Fate/zero special drama CD 1: Dreaming Lady

Synopsis: Irisviel prepares to leave for Fuyuki… by choosing clothes for Saber.

Track 1

Kiritsugu: This should be enough preparation on the equipment front.

Irisviel: Is there anything else we need to prepare?

Kiritsugu: Hmm… How about clothes?

Irisviel: Clothes?

Kiritsugu: What you normally wear would be too conspicuous in Japan. You know, even now, that country is very sensitive to other cultures.

Irisviel: Ah, that’s how it is.

Kiritsugu: Even if it would not affect the other Servants or Masters, just for the sake of avoiding unnecessary trouble, some degree of disguise is needed.

Irisviel: Don’t worry, dear, in the 200 years since the Grail War began, us Einzbern have headed to Fuyuki City to take part in it. We know all the rules set in the shadows like the backs of our hands, and this time, too, we’ll abide by them.

Kiritsugu: That’s true.

Irisviel: You’re trying to teach an expert here.

Kiritsugu: [Laugh]

Irisviel: Anyway, we haven’t spared any effort in studying Japanese culture, and we’ve prepared everything.

Kiritsugu: Hmm? What’s this?

Irisviel: What do you mean, “what”, it’s traditional Japanese clothing. If I wear this, I won’t look strange in a crowd.

Kiritsugu: Uh… Where did you get this?

Irisviel: I don’t know… I think the family head a few generations ago obtained it and hid it in the castle…

Kiritsugu: I’m sorry, Iri, but nowadays Japanese people don’t usually wear kimono.

Irisviel: Ah? Really?

Kiritsugu: Mhm. Some older women might. Anyway, one with such an extravagant and eye-catching pattern would only be worn for New Year or coming-of-age celebrations.

Irisviel: That’s really…disappointing. Since the structure of this piece of clothing is new to me, I wanted to try it on.

Kiritsugu: In modern Japan, there are more people who wear Western clothes, and you don’t have to be too original with this kind of thing.

Irisviel: Hmm… Never mind, then. But… What should we do about this?

Kiritsugu: Next time I go out, I’ll buy you some clothes.

Irisviel: You can’t do that!

Kiritsugu: Hmm? Why not?

Irisviel: It’s no fun that way.

Kiritsugu: You want to choose your clothes yourself?

Irisviel: …Can’t I?

Kiritsugu: There’s no reason why you can’t.

Irisviel: At least, I want to take a look myself and then choose my clothes. Um…isn’t that…OK?

Kiritsugu: Understood. I’ll go and find some catalogues.

Irisviel: Thank you, Kiritsugu!

Kiritsugu: [Laugh]

Irisviel: Also… we have to think about her.

Saber: …Um…

Kiritsugu: Don’t worry. I’ll have Maiya start preparing.

[Opens door, leaves]

Irisviel: I’m sorry, Saber.

Saber: Don’t worry. From the start, I had no plans to cut into your conversation. Still, I think that Master is suppressing his annoyance when he sees me.

Irisviel: …Ah…

Saber: Irisviel, to have vented my discontentment like this, I am very sorry.

Irisviel: It’s fine. It’s precisely because he is showing you respect in his own way that he’s treating you with this attitude. Please try to understand him.

Saber: A magus like Kiritsugu and a knight who values purity and nobility could not possibly accept each other’s tactics…right?

Irisviel: Anyway, let’s forget about this for now!

Saber: Huh?

Irisviel: You heard just now, right? When we go to Fuyuki City, we have to dress according to the local culture.

Saber: Uh, ah, that.

Irisviel: I originally wanted to deal with it using the clothes we already have in the castle, but Kiritsugu said that the kimono wouldn’t do…

Saber: …So you actually wanted to wear that just now.

Irisviel: Of course! Saber, you’re a girl too, so you should understand, right?

Saber: …No, I apologise. Much of my life was spent riding over the plains, and the only times I dressed up were when I had an audience with visitors or when I attended ceremonies.

Irisviel: So that’s how it is… Alright!

Saber: Huh?

Irisviel: Then we should really use this opportunity to try on lots of different clothes.

Saber: Huh?!

Irisviel: You finally managed to get a body again in the present day, since your past was like that, we should really enjoy some dressing up while we can.

Saber: Ah… Uh, I am extremely sorry for not being able to turn into a spirit form…

Irisviel: I wasn’t talking about that.

Saber: I do not require any bother in dressing up. As long as the clothing is not too conspicuous and is fitting…

Irisviel: That won’t do! You’ll be protecting me our entire time in Japan, right? Then you have to dress accordingly.

Saber: Ah… Yes.

Irisviel: The~n, I wonder if there are any other clothes in the storage room~

Saber: …Irisviel, you are far closer to a human than I am.

Track 2

Irisviel: I wonder how this one will look.

Saber: No, no…this one is… Isn’t it a little too extravagant for me?

Irisviel: No, it really suits you~ Right, Kiritsugu?

Kiritsugu: I’ll leave it up to you.

Saber: … (TL: How does she say that in a CD?)

Irisviel: Then…how about this dress?

Saber: This is…also…

Irisviel: What do you think?

Saber: Does it not reveal a little too much of the upper body?

Irisviel: Is that so…

Saber: Such an attire will prove an obstacle in times of emergency…

Irisviel: Don’t you change into armour for those occasions?

Saber: Uh…That is not incorrect. …If I had a well-proportioned body like yours, then I may be able to wear such a dress in a dignified manner… Um, also… My body has stopped growing, so…

Irisviel: You look cute enough like this…

Saber: …I am very sorry.

Irisviel: It’s too bad~ Ah, how about this one? This colour should match your hair really well!

Saber: This, this has so many ruffles!

Irisviel: If you’re a girl, having this many ruffles is perfectly normal.

Saber: Perfectly normal…is it.

Irisviel: Yes! …Probably.

Saber: …

Irisviel: Right, Kiritsugu?

Kiritsugu: Maiya seems to have arrived, I’ll go and pick her up first.

Irisviel: Ah-

[Kiritsugu exits]

Irisviel: Honestly… He’s so uncooperative. Still, I always knew he was that kind of person.

Saber: …Irisviel, has Kiritsugu ever shopped for clothing with you?

Irisviel: It’s a little disappointing, but he hasn’t.

Saber: I see.

Irisviel: That’s why I really look forward to this trip to Fuyuki. Even though we’re acting separately, I can still walk on the streets of another country with Kiritsugu and with you.

Saber: Yes.

Irisviel: I’m sure everything I see will be new and interesting, but more than that…

Saber: More than that…?

Irisviel: That place is…Kiritsugu’s hometown.

Saber: Ah.

Irisviel: The kind of place he was born in, the kind of air he breathed as he grew up, I can know and experience for the first time. Don’t you think it’s great?

Saber: Because of love…is it.

Irisviel: That’s right! [Laugh] Then, Saber! How about you change into this one this time?

Saber: Is, is there more to try?

Track 3

Irisviel: Hmm… The closet in our Einzbern castle is unexpectedly not satisfying enough…

Saber: No, I think that a storage room of that size is already incomparable.

Irisviel: But there isn’t anything in it that suits you.

Saber: I really do not mind, anything will be fine.

Irisviel: But all the clothes that I brought didn’t work, in the end.

Saber: Ah… No, how should I say this… Uh… Irisviel, the clothes you brought were a little, uh… I am not good enough for such clothes.

Irisviel: That isn’t true at all.

Saber: (It is absolutely true! Those girlish items cannot possibly suit me!)

Irisviel: How troubling~ In that case…all that’s left is…

Saber: Is?

Irisviel: If a men’s-style suit is fine with you, I know a good tailor. If we take the measurements now, we can have it made as quickly as possible and then collect it near Frankfurt.

Saber: M-men’s style?

Irisviel: You don’t like it?

Saber: No, I am used to it.

Irisviel: I tried recommending it to Kiritsugu before, but he always avoided wearing it. Even though if he just wore it, he could practically perform an opera without looking out of place…

Saber: Irisviel… Just what kind of clothes did you prepare?

Irisviel: It was a suit, do you know what a suit is?

Saber: If you mean the kind Kiritsugu wears, I do know.

Irisviel: Just that is too plain, there should be… Lots of decorations on the collar and cuffs, embellished with some scattered embroidery on the shirt…

Saber: Please do not embellish it!

Irisviel: Saber, do you object to it, too?

Saber: I object.

Irisviel: You two are so boring. Honestly.

Saber: I truly do not mind plain and simple clothing at all!

Irisviel: As for me… I want to try more different combinations of outfits.

Saber: Ah.

Kiritsugu: Iri.

Irisviel: What is it, Kiritsugu?

Kiritsugu: This is the information you asked me to find a few days ago, is this alright?

Irisviel: Wow~ Mhm, I really look forward to these! Thank you, Kiritsugu, I’ll refer to them closely.

Kiritsugu: Hmm.

Irisviel: Saber, here, look at this.

Saber: What are these colourful booklets?

Irisviel: Japanese fashion magazines. Right, Kiritsugu?

Kiritsugu: Mhm.

Saber: Fashion… Ah, are you referring to the books about apparel, targeted towards young women?

Irisviel: Is this also the modern-day knowledge given by the Grail? It saved us a lot of trouble, how convenient.

Saber: This can all be considered miscellany… Still, why did you take these items?

Irisviel: Of course, it’s for choosing clothes that suit you.

Saber: ?! B-but…this is also… These are of a style distinct from the dresses in the castle…or rather, they look completely different.

Irisviel: These are the ordinary clothes currently fashionable in Japan, the battleground of the Grail War. Right, Kiritsugu?

Kiritsugu: According to Maiya’s information, that appears to be the case.

Irisviel: Like this, it’s “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

Saber: But…

Irisviel: Or is it that even though they’re old-fashioned, you prefer the kimono that I showed you before?

Saber: Although that can also be considered to fit in with Japanese society, I still think that they are rather breezy. That sort of overly good ventilation can cause unease.

Irisviel: Ah~ That’s true.

Kiritsugu: You made her wear it?

Irisviel: Then let’s look at the magazines together, Saber.

Saber: …Yes.

[Turns pages]

Irisviel: Eh~ The skirts fashionable in Japan are so short.

Saber: This is really…

Irisviel: Aren’t you going to adjust to this too?

Saber: One cannot work properly with legs bared in such a way.

Irisviel: I thought it would make movement easier.

Saber: In this situation, shame is more important!

Irisviel: Aww… That’s a pity. [Turns pages] Ah, this is cute, too, just like a doll!

Saber: Please spare me!

Irisviel: Saber, don’t you like ribbons?

Saber: This is not a question of like or dislike!

Irisviel: How about ruffles?

Saber: That includes ruffles!

Irisviel: There are so many, too… With decorations not only on the sleeves, but all over the entire piece, it must have taken a lot of effort, right? If you don’t wear it, it’s disrespectful to the tailor.

Saber: Since when was our conversation based on making me wear these clothes!?

Irisviel: How disappointing~

Saber: Irisviel, I implore you, please do not continue to tease me.

Irisviel: Ah, but I’m serious!

Saber: Irisviel.

Irisviel: Really. When I was just born, I had no preferences in clothing, just like you. In other words, at the time, I had no need for human thoughts and feelings.

Saber: …Hmm.

Kiritsugu: …Iri.

Irisviel: This is not self-deprecation. To be born as an Einzbern homunculus, I feel very honoured. Then again, similarly… Kiritsugu, I also treasure what you taught me, my emotions as a human and as a woman.

Kiritsugu: …

Saber: (As a human and as a woman, and then…as a mother…is it. I have heard that ever since she bore Kiritsugu’s child, this person had changed.)

Irisviel: I’m not denying that I was born with a way of life that involves a mission I must complete. I only want to pass my brief time meaningfully, like I am now.

Saber: Irisviel…

[Turns pages]

Irisviel: Ah~

Saber: This is… A dress used in weddings?

Irisviel: Yes. “Wedding special, the longed-for pure white dress”… That’s what it says. [Laugh] It seems like whatever the era, to become a bride is a girl’s dream.

Saber: Dream…is it.

[Turns pages]

Irisviel: Hmm… This kind isn’t bad, either. Don’t you think so, Saber?

Saber: Ah…but…sorry.

Irisviel: There’s no need to worry. I’m bound to Kiritsugu and am his wife, body and soul, so even though I couldn’t try attending a ceremony dressed in this kind of outfit, I’m already happy enough.

Kiritsugu: Iri…

Irisviel: These are my honest feelings. No matter how fierce the battle ahead of us is, this feeling won’t change.

Saber: (In the Grail War ahead of us, she will clearly undergo many harsh trials as Kiritsugu’s partner. As a substitute Master… No, even if that was not the case, as the Grail Vessel, there will be people coveting her life.) …But even so, how can you…

Irisviel: Hmm?

Saber: …It is nothing.

Irisviel: …a dream.

Saber: ?

Irisviel: Because I have always had a dream.

Saber: A dream…is it?

Irisviel: To be an ordinary wife, an ordinary woman, or a person who chases an ideal with Kiritsugu, a person who gave birth to Illya…

Saber: …

Irisviel: That includes being your substitute Master, Saber.

Saber: Ah, yes. My…?

Irisviel: In doing battle with you, one can also find a dream - two stunningly beautiful women, toying with other Servants in the palms of our hands, doesn’t that sound great?

Saber: …Ah.

Irisviel: This kind of thought isn’t escapism. On the path to the realisation of an ideal, while persevering in unending battles, these dreams are like the lubricant in between.

Saber: Lubricant…is it.

Irisviel: I don’t think it’s…bad to have dreams. After all, the strength to realise an ideal is born from such dreams.

Kiritsugu: …Iri.

[Turns pages]

Irisviel: Ah! Look! There are men’s clothes in the book, too! Kiritsugu! Come and see if there’s anything that suits you.

Kiritsugu: Ah…no, I’ll just…

Irisviel: Come on, don’t be shy~

Kiritsugu: I’m fine with what I’m wearing…

Irisviel: Honestly, you always say that… Come on, choose seriously~