FSN HF Day 05 (EN)
Scene 00 A usual morning?
――――Light flows in.
The warmth I feel through my eyelids informs me that it is morning.
I turn over and look away from the light.
"Hm――――"
I still feel sleepy.
Judging by the feel of the air, it's around 5:30.
"――――――――"
I went to bed late last night.
I came home from the church, forced Saber to sleep in the other building, and finally went to sleep myself around 3AM.
...I don't know if I can cope with getting only two hours of sleep.
It was a frenetic, exhausting day yesterday.
Nobody can blame me if I sleep for another 30 minu―――
"――――Huh?"
I think I saw something.
It's by my futon.
It seems something big is by my futon.
"......"
...Come to think of it, I feel someone's presence.
I feel restless, as if someone is watching me. So this means――――
"Saber......!"
"Yes, what is it, Shirou?"
"W-Why are you in my room!? I gave you a separate room last night―――!"
I leap up from the futon to my feet―――no, I stop myself at the last second.
I can't show her my lower half because... um... it's morning.
"Yes, and I think there is a problem with it. You directed me to a room, but that room is not close enough to yours. I need to be by your side so that I may protect you."
"H-Hold on, just get away from me...!
Just get away, please get away, no, I'll get away if you won't...!"
Still rolled up in my futon, I scramble away from Saber.
"...?"
Saber looks at me with wonder.
―――Man, what does she think of a healthy guy of my age!?
I get nervous from just having her close to me, so it's really shocking if she's sitting by my side when I wake up. And it was a surprise attack too! If my composure were an army, that would've just annihilated it.
"Shirou. As I was saying."
"Ugh... you mean the room?"
"Yes. We should sleep in the same room to be safe.
The boundary field on this house is excellent, but it only serves as a warning. It will do nothing to shield you if we are attacked here."
"......"
Saber has a point, but I wish she would consider the state of my nerves.
I'll go crazy before any enemy attacks us if I sleep in the same room with Saber.
It's not like I'll be with Saber all the time, so we should distance ourselves――――
"――――Oh."
I totally forgot about it.
I have school today...!
"Shirou? Why are you so pale? I have noticed that you make that face whenever you are about to suggest something foolish."
"――――――――"
She's sharp.
Her previous aura of loyalty is gone, and she keeps me at bay with a distrustful look.
"Well, there's something I forgot to tell you."
I kneel and face her.
...Well.
How can I phrase things so that she'll approve of me going to school?
Scene 01 Shinji's viciousness
"......"
"......"
I feel her staring at me, and it hurts.
Saber is sitting Japanese-style while I cut the tofu...
...Staring at me with that expression of hers.
'I will go to school like usual.'
We never reached a compromise after I said that.
Saber objected, of course.
She says it is dangerous for me to be alone.
But I have my personal life too.
Fuji-Nee will get suspicious if I skip school, and I won't know what's going on outside if I stay indoors.
And to go somewhere with Saber means warning other Masters.
I think the results will be good enough if I go out on my own. And most of all...
"Masters fight where there are no people, right? Then I'll be safe during the day. Nobody will attack me unless I go someplace deserted."
But Saber insisted that it's not going to be enough.
...Her excessive concern pissed me off, so I stubbornly insisted that I'm going to school, and this is the result.
"......"
Her glare feels like it's burning into me.
The moral of the story is...
She'll bear a big grudge if you make her mad. And she gets out of hand because she is emotional.
So I should be careful not to act stubborn again.
"...Man, you inflexible blockhead."
"Did you say something, Shirou?"
"No, I'm just talking to myself. This tofu's really tough."
"――――――――"
...And she has sharp ears. She's not the type you want to get into a cold war with.
"Huh? It's that time already?"
After the doorbell, I hear the front door opening.
And I also hear the familiar tone of Sakura's voice.
"Oh, so I lost 30 minutes while I was arguing with Saber."
But breakfast is almost ready.
I thought about having bread to please Saber, but it seemed too much like bribery, so I changed my mind.
Japanese people eat rice.
I'll counter her violent glare with pressure of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".
"Good morning, Senpai. Are you already done cooking?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty much done. Good morning, Sakura. Fuji-Nee should be coming soon, so help me serve the food."
"Okay! I'll be helping you."
Sakura sets her bag down in the living room and greets Saber.
"Good morning, Saber-san. Were you able to sleep well last night?"
"Yes. It was not a familiar room, but it was not a problem since I am familiar with this house."
...Oh, they're talking.
They didn't talk much yesterday, but I guess Sakura's gotten over it after one night.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Senpai. What should I start with?"
"Can you get one big plate and four small ones? The salad's done, so you can serve it."
"Okay. Wow, we're having German potato salad this morning?
You're elaborate this morning, cooking Western food."
Sakura is surprised, but she scoops out the salad onto the big plate.
The salad is the only Western food I made.
...You have to understand, I'm not giving in to Saber. I'm just... proactively trying to clear the air between us.
"Oh, it smells good. Can I try some, Senpai?"
"Yeah, but it's hot. And it might be sweet, too."
"...?"
Sakura picks up a piece of potato with the cooking chopsticks.
"Hmm... Oh, it really is sweet. That's not... onion, is it?"
Licking her lips, Sakura tries to figure out the ingredients.
"――――――――"
Her gesture surprises me.
I should be used to seeing Sakura sample my food, but when she's so close, I can't take my eyes off her.
"Wow, this is really good, Senpai! I like this taste!"
Sakura must really like it, as she happily scoops the salad onto the big plate.
There's nothing unusual about it.
The surprise fades, and I sigh with relief.
"―――――Oh, hold on, Sakura."
"Yes? What is it, Senpai?"
She's the same as always.
She's no different from yesterday.
It should not concern Sakura even if Shinji was a Master or even if her family is a family of magi.
There's no way Sakura would be involved in the conflict.
There's no way, but...
"Sakura. Let me see your right cheek."
There's a bruise on her right cheek, as if she's been punched.
"Oh... it's not what you think, Senpai. I, um, fell on the stairs."
"――――――――"
There's only one person who Sakura would make excuses for.
She's been like this for a long time.
She would be strangely lively or unnaturally depressed.
It always meant Shinji was taking things out on her. When I first found out about it, I went and punched him.
...But he's never done something this bad before.
About half a year ago, I spotted a bruise on Sakura's arm.
I hit Shinji when I realized he'd done it―――but he's never punched a girl's face!
"――――Damn him..."
"S-Senpai――――"
I hear a sharp crack.
It seems I broke the chopsticks in my hand.
"I'm pissed. I told him never to hit his sister again, but he couldn't keep such a simple promise...!?"
"No, Senpai. You've got it all wrong. I just fell, really. I fell when Nii-san bumped into me."
"――――Sakura."
"That's all that happened, Senpai.
...Please don't concern yourself with Nii-san right now.
He's been acting weird since last night. He's really annoyed, so he might say odd things to you."
"――――――――"
Sakura is defending her brother.
If the person who got hit isn't complaining, I definitely can't.
...And I know why Shinji's acting strange.
Shinji was abnormal last night.
His rights as a Master were taken away, and he was humiliated by his own grandfather.
He must have taken out his anger on Sakura after he went home.
"――――――――Kuh."
Sakura doesn't know anything.
Nobody's told her about her brother, or about the secret of the Matou family.
Then―――is it safe for her to live with Shinji when he's in such a state?
He hasn't given up.
Sakura is a convenient outlet for his violent personality.
"...Um, Senpai? I'm sorry to trouble you so early in the day."
"――――You idiot. Don't say that."
I'm the one who caused the trouble.
I should've expected this when I fought Shinji last night.
I have to think of a way...
A way to keep Sakura smiling――――
A dismal air hangs over the rest of the morning.
Fuji-Nee didn't turn up for some reason, and Sakura was quiet all through breakfast.
Saber doesn't talk much to start with, and I'm not the garrulous type.
It doesn't take long to finish breakfast, so Sakura leaves 40 minutes early to go to her morning practice.
"...Um, I'll be going now, Senpai."
Sakura forces a smile as she puts on her shoes.
"Oh, don't push yourself too hard with your club activity. You always tried to go there even when you were sick, right? Just practice moderately and go sip some tea in the back. If Mitsuzuri says something, tell her I'll owe her one."
"――――Okay. I'm sure Captain would love that."
Sakura opens the door.
She bows and turns to leave――――
...And walks right into the door.
"S-Sakura――――!?"
"Oww―――."
She holds the nose she banged onto the door.
"A-Are you all right, Sakura!? Is your nose bleeding!?"
"――――No, I'm fine. I'd die if you saw my nose bleeding――――"
Sakura staggers and gets up.
...It doesn't seem like it was Sakura's usual clumsiness.
"...Are you really all right, Sakura? It looked like you fell. If you got dizzy, then..."
"Huh...? No, that can't be. I was just careless, so, um... this is embarrassing."
"......"
"Then I'll be going now. I'll tell Fujimura-Sensei that your breakfast was good, like always."
Sakura leaves, as if to shake off my worries.
"――――"
I guess she's all right.
If anything, she's suffering from mental exhaustion.
"...And then there's Shinji. I can't just leave her be..."
But I have no clear solution.
I can't consult Saber, nor can I tell Sakura the truth. Fuji-Nee is out of the question, of course.
"――――――――"
...Damn, if only there were someone else at school who I could talk to about the Holy Grail War―――
"...Man. People like that don't just conveniently appear out of nowhere..."
Scene 02 Ready?
I go up the stairs.
Leaving Saber to watch the house, I end up at school, but I'm still a little gloomy.
"...Emiya-kun!?"
"――――Oh."
――――She's here.
The one person I can discuss anything with appears out of nowhere. It's almost too good to be true.
"――――I see.
You must think I'm soft."
She must have something to tell me as well, since she stops and talks to me.
How fortunate for me!
I'll――――
Scene 03 About Sakura.
"Fine. If that's how you want it, we'll settle things here and now. I can't believe you came to school without your Servant――――"
"Sorry! I'm begging you! Please let me talk to you!"
I close in on Tohsaka and push her against the wall.
I can't let the other students hear this.
"H-Hey, what are you thinking...!? I didn't mean that, and there are people here...!"
"Please, you're the only one I can depend on. Sakura might get involved in the Holy Grail War, and I don't know what to do. You know a lot, so tell me, is there a way to protect Sakura without telling her anything―――!?"
"――――"
Tohsaka stares at me in complete surprise.
"Oh... I-I'm sorry. I got flustered because the timing of you being here was perfect.
...Um, Sakura is my underclassman. She might get involved in the Holy Grail War, and I don't want that. But I can't come up with any good ideas, so..."
"――――I don't care about your excuses. Can you just let go of me?
Homeroom is going to start."
"...! O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't notice...!"
I quickly let go of Tohsaka.
...I feel my face burning.
What was I thinking, pushing Tohsaka up against the wall like that...!?
"I'm sorry. I know I'm apologizing a lot, but please hear me out. I――――"
"...You want to ask me something, right? All right, I'll listen."
"What? R-Really!?"
"...Hey now. You look like you're going to die if I don't listen to you. Come up to the rooftop during lunchtime. I'll listen then."
Tohsaka turns and goes up the stairs.
As I look up at her in blank amazement...
"――――You idiot. You'll be late if you don't hurry."
...Tohsaka leaves with those words.
Scene 04 About Shinji
Tohsaka is the only one I can consult with about Shinji.
No, the real problem is the bruise Sakura had this morning, but that problem involves Shinji as well――――
"Fine. If that's how you want it, we'll settle things here and now. I can't believe you came to school without your Servant――――"
"Sorry! I'm begging you! Please let me talk to you!"
I close in on Tohsaka and push her against the wall.
I can't let the other students hear this.
"H-Hey, what are you thinking...!? I didn't mean that, and there are people here...!"
"Please, you're the only one I can depend on. Sakura might get involved in the Holy Grail War, and I don't know what to do. You know a lot, so tell me, is there a way to protect her without telling her anything―――!?"
"――――"
Tohsaka stares at me in complete surprise.
"Oh... I-I'm sorry. I got flustered because the timing of you being here was perfect.
...Um, Sakura is my underclassman. She might get involved in the Holy Grail War, and I don't want that. But I can't come up with any good ideas, so..."
"――――I don't care about your excuses. Can you just let go of me?
Homeroom is going to start."
"...! O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't notice...!"
I quickly let go of Tohsaka.
...My face starts turning red.
What was I thinking, pushing Tohsaka up against the wall like that...!?
"I'm sorry. I know I'm apologizing a lot, but please hear me out. I――――"
"...You want to ask me something, right? All right, I'll listen."
"What? R-Really!?"
"...Hey now. You look like you're going to die if I don't listen to you. Come up to the rooftop during lunchtime. I'll listen then."
Tohsaka turns and goes up the stairs.
As I look up at her in blank amazement...
"――――You idiot. You'll be late if you don't hurry."
...Tohsaka leaves with those words.
Scene 05 Run away
――――I'll run away.
I mean, I should hurry to my classroom.
Consulting Tohsaka seemed like a good idea, but...
The school's number one honor student exudes the aura of a cat about to pounce on her prey and tear it apart.
Discretion is the better part of valor.
"Good morning, Tohsaka. Goodbye, Tohsaka."
I sprint up the stairs.
"H-Hold on, I'm not done yet...!"
I ignore her and run into the hallway.
...I think I'm making things worse, but there's nothing more dangerous than talking to her right now.
I made it.
It's three minutes before homeroom starts, and Fuji-Nee isn't here yet.
Shinji's desk is empty.
It'd hard to face him after what happened yesterday, but I wanted to settle things.
But I can't do anything if he's not here.
Going to Shinji's house will only provoke him, so I have to come up with a way that won't involve Sakura.
"...Huh?"
There's another empty desk.
That's Issei's desk.
"That's rare. So even Issei can be absent, huh?"
I set my bag down and prepare for homeroom.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting! Isn't this a new record!?"
Fuji-Nee arriving before the bell rings is a rare spectacle indeed.
...I'm relieved.
I thought she slept in since she didn't come to my house this morning, but she's more energetic than usual.
"It's lunchtime! Let's go eat some meat at the cafeteria!"
Someone screams in joy the moment the lunch bell rings.
Only the guys would say something like that, and the girls move their desks to the corner as if to distance themselves.
"Oh, I'm eating at the cafeteria today too. I'll go with you, Saitama."
"I'll pass. I ate some meat yesterday."
"We'll pass as well... Please give it up already, guys. We're tired of the food there."
"What!? The B meal at our cafeteria is the best! The croquette tastes just like meat!"
"Well, that might be enough for you, but I don't like how the vegetables taste like meat as well."
"What about you, Emiya? The amount of people who go to the cafeteria depends on if you brought your lunch or not. Make some lunch for me sometime, will you?"
"Hey, that's no fair! Come over here, Emiya-kun. Let's trade your stuff for our sandwiches."
"Come on, you only got that at the convenience store! You're a girl and you didn't put effort into cooking!? You don't deserve our lunches! You have to make omelets if you want some of our good food!"
"Hey, that's rude! I can make an omelet. You just pour water on it and heat it up. Isn't that right, Emiya-kun?"
"......No, that's wrong.
You guys have it all wrong. And I didn't bring my lunch today. I won't have time to make lunch, so I'll be eating at the cafeteria until finals."
""""Whaaaaaaaat!!?""""
The people that didn't bring their lunch all pout in unison.
My classmates are in harmony only at times like these.
The guys come back, arguing if fried shrimp that tastes like meat is a good thing or a bad thing.
It's almost fifth period. I should sit down and get ready―――
"...What is this?"
―――I find a strange piece of paper in my desk.
"――――――――"
...I'm at a loss for words.
She must have disguised her handwriting, just in case.
"――――Tohsaka."
...It has to be her.
She's the only one that would know about "this morning".
"......"
I want to pretend I didn't see this letter, but the last line really catches my attention.
"...She must know I can see the words she scribbled out... Or maybe not."
...I really don't want to, but it's great to have a chance to talk to her.
I don't know what to do about Sakura, so I'll consult Tohsaka about it――――
With the end of sixth period, school is over.
It's time.
I don't know what Tohsaka intends to do, but there are students staying in the building.
The archery club should be practicing until five, so I can take cover there if something happens.
Tohsaka is a legitimate magus, so she shouldn't attack me in front of people.
Miyama City is located in a valley between mountains.
There are hills all over town, and there are roads that lead up to small mountains.
And this school is on one of them.
The back of the school isn't landscaped at all.
Instead, it is woodland that stretches across the back of the school.
―――So.
In this place, where even the athletic clubs never enter...
...A furious demon awaits me.
"......"
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I ought to go home.
But I'll be killed for sure if I turn my back to her.
I bet she'll mercilessly shower me with her magecraft.
"Um, I'm here, Tohsaka. What's up?"
I call out to her from the edge of the woods.
I really can't go in any further.
There would be less chance of survival if I did go into the woods.
"Hey, Tohsaka―! Do you not hear me!?"
I yell out to her.
My voice echoes through the woods.
"I hear you! Don't shout
my name so loudly!!"
Her voice comes ringing back.
She yells at me after she rushes in at me.
Her voice echoes even longer than mine.
"...Wow, that's amazing, Tohsaka. I bet they heard you in the archery range."
"Oh... Crap, you got me carried away again."
Gritting her teeth, Tohsaka backs up a step.
"―――Heh. It's fine, this is expected. I knew you would show up defenseless."
So...
I don't know what the deal is, but she seems to be getting angrier as we talk.
"...? What are you so mad about? Was it that embarrassing to scream out like that?"
"―――I-I wouldn't get mad about something as trivial as that.
What's irritating me is your harmfulness that's taken as harmless."
She glares at me.
I guess I should be nervous about being alone with her, but because of where we are, I don't panic.
"...? What do you mean by that? Are you saying I'm a wolf in sheep's clothing?"
"That's just imitation. You may be a sheep, but you are so mutated you could kill a wolf."
"...???"
I'm even more confused.
Actually... isn't a mutated sheep not a sheep anymore?
"―――Oh well. We don't have time to waste on chatter. Let's get to the point. I'm glad you didn't run away, Emiya-kun."
"Of course not. I can't ignore such threats. Those words themselves even felt cursed."
"Huh?"
Then...
Tohsaka freezes once again.
"Wait, what do you mean by threats?"
"It's this."
I show her the piece of paper that was in my desk.
"Geez, don't scare me like that. I thought someone other than me lured you out here."
"You're really hasty. It's true that I was irritated, but I won't curse a memo. That's just a normal message――――
...Hey, why are you frowning like that?"
"......"
My expression is only natural.
Tohsaka honestly thinks that it's an ordinary memo.
Well, it doesn't really matter what she thinks of it, but the image in my head of Tohsaka Rin crumbles to dust.
"...Uh... Could it be that I unconsciously cursed it with my Gandr...?"
"Huh? No, the letter itself was normal. But this is a threat, no matter how you look at it. Any other student would've told the teacher right away."
"I-I couldn't help it. I didn't have time, and it's not like I could write you a formal letter. So that's all I could do."
"Okay. ...But you didn't have to change your handwriting. And the last line was really scary."
"That's your fault as well.
You ran away this morning, so I thought I had to write something extra to make you come here. I was being considerate when I put some emotion into it."
"Heh, fine. I don't care if you think it's a threat. You're here, and that's what matters."
She looks away angrily.
...Well, I'm glad Tohsaka knew that the memo sounded like a threat.
"―――Fine. So, what do you want, Tohsaka? Calling me out to a place like this... do you want to fight me?"
"If you want. But don't get me wrong. I'm not attacking you because Archer is healing his wounds. I would've taken your Command Spell this morning if he wasn't wounded.
...I really wanted to when I saw you walking around this morning, after I've told you so many times not to act carelessly."
"――――――――"
I'm stunned.
So, Tohsaka is angry about...
"...? So you were worried about me, Tohsaka?"
...I don't know why, but is that the case?
"T-That's not true! I wanted to talk to you because I was concerned about what happened this morning.
You were about to say something, right? I was worried, so I decided to hear you out."
"――――――――"
I'm even more surprised.
I never thought Tohsaka would insist that I consult her.
"Why are you so quiet? ...It's all right, I won't force it out of you if you don't want to talk about it. I'm not angry now, so I'll go home if you have nothing to say."
"Oh―――hold on, Tohsaka.
I do have something I want to ask you. No, I really do need to consult you."
"Then tell me. I can keep any secret, and I'll help you if I can."
"Yeah, thanks.
...Um, this has nothing to do with you, but there's this girl called Matou Sakura.
She's a year below me, and I've known her for a long time. Her older brother is Matou Shinji, and I've known him for a long time as well.
―――To put it simply, I fought a Master last night, and that Master was Shinji."
"...Matou Shinji was a Master...?"
"Yeah. I'm sure of it because his grandfather, Matou Zouken, told us. I heard that the Matou family is a family of magi―――did you know about that, Tohsaka?"
"Of course. The only magus in this town that I didn't know about is you. But I never thought it was possible. Because Shinji is..."
"He's not a magus. He doesn't have a Magic Circuit, right? That's what Matou Zouken said.
...But that's a condition to be a magus.
I think the conditions for becoming a Master are different. I'm like Shinji. You shouldn't assume that only magi can become Masters."
"......I see. So, what about Shinji? Did you defeat him?"
"Yeah. Saber defeated his Servant, Rider. His book, his Command Spell, burned up, so he isn't a Master anymore.
...But I don't think he's given up. That alone is dangerous, but on top of that, Sakura has to live with him."
"I heard from Zouken that magecraft only gets taught to the successor. Sakura was raised without being taught anything, so she doesn't know what Shinji is doing.
As long as she doesn't find out, she won't get involved in this war between the Masters."
"......You're right. So why do you think Sakura is in danger?"
"I told you that Shinji is dangerous right now. He might take out his anger on Sakura, and who knows what'll happen if he does something even worse.
So, um..."
"So you want to end it before Shinji involves Sakura? Your idea is good, but it's not possible. Just look at the Ryuudou Temple. The other Masters are tricky. I think this Holy Grail War will last longer than expected."
「――――――――」
...I see.
The best outcome would be for Shinji to give up, but that's not realistic.
The only option is to separate Sakura from Shinji――――
"Then there's only one possible solution. If you don't want to involve Sakura, you have to put her under your protection."
"――I thought about that, but I'm a Master too.
It's too dangerous to have her at my place, and Shinji will never stand for it. Besides, I doubt she wants to stay at my house."
"...Geez. You really are dense, Emiya-kun."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Just go ahead and ask her. Protecting Sakura from Shinji and protecting her from other Masters are one and the same.
Shouldn't you choose the option that lets you do something? ...Um, if this Sakura person is someone important to you."
"――――――――"
Tohsaka's words hit me hard.
It feels like she smacked me upside the head.
"―――You're right. You're absolutely right. I should ask her before I start worrying about what I think."
"......"
"Thanks, Tohsaka. I'll try to convince Sakura once I get home... Hey, why are you quiet all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. I'm quiet because this is nothing you have to thank me for.
But I owe you one now. I didn't think you'd tell me that Shinji was a Master.
I guess I have to show you one of my cards as well."
"What? One of your cards...?"
"I have to give you information. The information that Shinji was a Master helps me out, so I'll give you some information I have as well.
You know about the people who have gone into comas around town, right?
That's a Servant's doing, and the Master is at the Ryuudou Temple."
"...!? Oh, you were saying something about the Ryuudou Temple earlier. ...Wait, that Ryuudou Temple?"
"Yes. They're cunning enemies, so watch out if you're planning on attacking them. They aren't taking lives, but they are attacking indiscriminately.
Since they're getting stronger by the day, I want to beat them as soon as possible, but the wound Archer suffered hasn't healed yet.
Well, I'm going to sit and watch for a while since they can only use a set amount of magical energy at once, no matter how much magical energy they may store."
"――――――――"
...A Master is at the Ryuudou Temple.
Tohsaka is doing her best as a Master, even though her Servant isn't fully healed yet.
"That's all.
―――Goodbye, Emiya-kun. You should go home quickly and comfort your precious underclassman."
"Hey, Tohsaka...!"
I stop Tohsaka, but she ignores me and walks to the archery range.
"...?"
...What was that?
Tohsaka was in a bad mood all this time, but something was different at the end there.
"Oh, it's time to leave... I certainly should go home quickly."
I hear the five o'clock bell.
The sun will set soon.
I need to get home and deal with the Sakura issue.
Scene 06 Peace treaty?
I hurry to my classroom.
It's three minutes before homeroom starts, and Fuji-Nee isn't here yet.
Shinji's desk is empty.
It'd hard to face him after what happened yesterday, but I wanted to settle things.
But I can't do anything if he's absent.
Going to Shinji's house will only provoke him, so I have to come up with a way that won't involve Sakura.
"...Huh?"
There's another empty desk.
That's Issei's desk.
"That's rare. So even Issei can be absent, huh?"
I set my bag down and prepare for homeroom.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting! Isn't this a new record!?"
Fuji-Nee arriving before the bell rings is a rare spectacle indeed.
Heh.
I thought she'd slept in since she didn't come to my house this morning, but she's even more energetic than usual.
――――The lunchtime bell rings.
I sprint out of the classroom, buy some bread and tea, and hurry up the stairs.
"Haa, haa, ha――――!"
I dash to the rooftop, startling students as I go.
My heart's beating fast.
It's been pounding faster and faster the whole day.
"...Haa, haa, ah――――"
To be honest, I'm nervous.
I'm glad that I can consult her, but that hardly seems to matter now.
I must've been crazy to make arrangements with Tohsaka Rin.
She's the school idol, the perfect honor student, the girl I've admired!
"Man, calm down, you idiot――――!"
I try to catch my breath as I run up the stairs.
...Anyway, this is a big event.
Tohsaka is Tohsaka even though she's a Master, so I can't be late.
And I'm asking her a favor.
So I have to get there before her and act cool.
But...
"T-Tohsaka?"
"―――――You're late, Emiya-kun."
...It seems there's a line no ordinary person can cross.
"You want to talk to me about something, right? Let's sit down."
Without waiting for a reply, Tohsaka walks over to the water tower.
I see.
Nobody will see us there, and it'll block the wind.
"So, tell me what's on your mind. Who's this Sakura girl, and what happened yesterday?"
"Eh―――o-okay. It's a bit long, but do you mind?"
"Try to make it short. Lunchtime isn't that long."
...!
Having her this close is just making me more nervous.
But now's not the time.
I have to ask her about Sakura.
"T-Then I'll try to make this simple.
Matou Sakura is my underclassman, and I've known her for a long time.
Her older brother is Matou Shinji, and I've known him for a long time as well.
―――To put it simply, I fought a Master last night, and that Master was Shinji."
"...!? Matou Shinji was a Master!?"
"Yeah. I'm sure of it because his grandfather, Matou Zouken, told us. He also said that the Matou family is a family of magi―――did you know about that, Tohsaka?"
"Of course. The only magus in this town that I didn't know about was you. But I never thought it was possible. Because Shinji is..."
"He's not a magus. He doesn't have a Magic Circuit, right? That's what Matou Zouken said.
...But that's a condition to be a magus.
I think the conditions for becoming a Master are different. I'm like Shinji in that respect. You shouldn't assume that only magi can become Masters."
"......I see. So, what about Shinji? Did you defeat him?"
"Yeah. Saber defeated his Servant, Rider. His book, his Command Spell, burned up, so he isn't a Master anymore.
...But I don't think he's given up. That alone is dangerous, but on top of that, Sakura is living at his house."
"I heard from Zouken that magecraft only gets taught to the successor. Sakura was raised without being taught anything, so she doesn't know what Shinji is doing.
As long as she doesn't find out, she won't get involved in this war between the Masters."
"......You're right. So why do you think Sakura is in danger?"
"I told you that Shinji is dangerous right now. He might take out his anger on Sakura, and there's no telling what'll happen if he does something even worse.
So, um..."
"So you want to end it before Shinji involves Sakura? Your idea is good, but it's not possible. Just look at the Ryuudou Temple. The other Masters are tricky. I think this Holy Grail War will last longer than expected."
"――――――――"
...I see.
The best outcome would be for Shinji to give up, but that's not realistic.
Then the only option is to separate Sakura from Shinji――――
"Then there's only one possible solution. If you don't want to involve Sakura, you have to put her under your protection."
"――I thought about that, but I'm a Master too.
It's too dangerous to have her at my place, and Shinji will never stand for it. Besides, I doubt she wants to stay at my house."
"...Geez. You really are dense, Emiya-kun."
"Huh?"
"It's nothing. Just go ahead and ask her. Protecting Sakura from Shinji and protecting her from other Masters are the same thing.
Shouldn't you choose the option that lets you do something? ...Um, if this Sakura person is someone important to you."
"――――――――"
Tohsaka's words hit me hard.
It feels like she smacked me in the head.
"―――You're right. You're absolutely right. I should ask her before I start worrying about what I think."
"That's right. First of all, nobody would go make meals for a person they hated. Sakura trusts you, so have a little confidence in yourself."
"...? Did I tell you that Sakura comes over to make meals for us?"
"...! Y-You did! You told me at the very beginning! You told me, you probably told me, you certainly told me! You told me, so don't worry about it!"
Her quick shout stops my rebuttal.
"......"
Oh well.
I've already learned that Tohsaka wears a mask at school.
"―――All right. Thanks, you really helped me out.
I would've taken longer to make up my mind."
"Oh. You're pretty bold now. Are you showing off, telling me that you would've arrived at the same conclusion by yourself?"
Tohsaka smiles.
"――――――――"
Her smile attacks me by surprise.
"Oh, that's not what I meant. But wouldn't you have Sakura stay over if she was still depressed tomorrow?"
"Oh, your face is all red. So you really can't lie, huh? You're acting cool, but you're actually innocent inside."
"...! Who are you to say that!? Is it fun to make fun of people when you're supposed to be an honor student!?"
"Hey now, I choose who I make fun of. I only make fun of people if it's worth doing."
"Come on. It's cold, so come closer and block the wind."
"...!!!!! Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You idiot, it'll be terrible if we get any closer!! I'll take you on if you're picking a fight with me, so get away from me, you devil!!!"
I arc back and get my face away from Tohsaka.
――――!!
T-This is bad.
Having her close was bad enough, but just now was fatal.
After getting to know Tohsaka, the person I admired became a dangerous associate.
...That's fine by itself, but that was too much.
When she gets this close to me, I can't ignore her beautiful hair, her soft-looking body, her pretty face...
―――My heart's pounding so hard that it feels like it's about to explode.
...I hate to admit it, but she is beautiful.
Her true nature is different than what I thought, but I still admire her.
"A-Anyway, thanks for your help. That's all I have to say.
I'll listen to you now."
"What? I don't have anything to talk about."
"Huh? Weren't you saying something this morning?
...Well, I wasn't listening because I was in a panic, but you looked like you were in a bad mood."
"Oh, that. It's fine now. It's true that I had business with you, but I don't feel like it now. I'm surprised, to be honest."
"...??? What do you mean, 'surprised'?"
"I mean that part of you.
...Oh well. I'll tell you one good thing while we're at it.
You know about the people who've been going into comas around town, right?
That's a Servant's doing, and the Master is at the Ryuudou Temple."
"Oh, you were saying something about the Ryuudou Temple earlier.
...Wait, that Ryuudou Temple?"
"Yes. They're cunning enemies, so watch out if you're planning on attacking them. They aren't taking lives, but they are attacking indiscriminately.
Well, I'm going to sit and watch for a while since they can only use a set amount of magical energy at once, no matter how much magical energy they may store."
"――――――――"
...A Master is at the Ryuudou Temple.
Tohsaka is doing her best, even though Archer isn't fully healed yet.
"Well, you owe me one, Emiya-kun.
I told you something you didn't know."
The honor student smiles boldly.
I feel like a frog in front of a snake.
"W-What? I told you about Shinji too. That should make it even."
"Oh, that's been paid for with the advice about Sakura. Or what? You didn't mean those thanks you gave me?"
"Ugh――――"
S-She's a devil! She's a real devil! Don't let her fool you, everyone! The school's peace is in danger!
"Well, what should I take? Equivalent exchange is standard for magi."
Damn... I think my father said something like that as well.
"Hmmmmmm."
I look down at my hands.
This is the only thing I have right now.
"Do you get it now? You have no information to give me, so tell me Saber's true iden――――"
"...I guess I can't help it. You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll give you half of this."
I break my bread in half.
...Reluctantly, I give her the whole can of tea as a show of sincerity.
"Hey――――wait, Emiya-kun?"
"Here, eat up. The cafeteria's closed by now. It should fill you up a bit."
I hand her the bread.
"――――――――"
Does she not like it? She looks astonished, and...
"――――Thanks. Then I won't hold myself back."
...And, she really eats the bread without holding back.
Scene 07 The daughter of winter-Illya(I)
School's over, and the commotion is dying down.
The students scatter to go to their clubs or head home.
"...All right. I have to go home and get ready."
Even if Sakura is going to stay over, I need to mentally prepare myself.
I should go buy groceries and wait for her to come after her club activities.
"―――Well. What should we have for dinner tonight?"
I stand in front of the supermarket and think.
Having Sakura stay over means convincing Fuji-Nee.
Then dinner should be something that they'll both enjoy――――
"...I already made a huge dinner yesterday. I'm not going to be working for a while and there's one more person to feed, so I shouldn't be spending money..."
But this month is an exception.
I have my savings, and I can't be distracted by money during the Holy Grail War.
And I should be repaying Sakura every chance I get.
"Phew..."
I leave the supermarket with bags full of food.
I think I bought too much, but it's all good.
I got some fresh codfish, so maybe I should make stew tonight.
"All right, anti-Fuji-Nee measure taken care of――――"
I stop walking.
"...?"
Someone's pulling at my shirt from behind.
"What's going on...?"
Still wondering, I turn around.
There...
...Stands a young girl with silver hair.
"W-What――――!?"
I quickly jump back.
I tense myself to act, but the girl just stands there and smiles.
"...?"
I don't feel any murderous intent or hostility from her.
"I'm glad you're alive, Onii-chan."
She looks at me with a big smile.
"Wha――――"
...I'm sure of it. This girl is Berserker's Master.
She controls the monster who nearly killed me.
The girl of the family of magi who started this war, the family which my father betrayed.
Why is she here in the shopping district during daytime?
She doesn't feel like a stranger at all... it must be because the priest's story was so vivid.
That's why...
"――――Illya...?"
"――――Huh?"
...I blurt out her name without knowing what it means.
"Oh―――sorry, that's wrong...!
Illya―――yeah, it's Illyasviel...!
I-I'm sorry for getting it wrong...!"
I quickly apologize.
It doesn't matter if she's Berserker's Master or the daughter of the Einzbern family.
It's just that...
I can't leave her alone when her face looks so sad.
"......"
She's glaring at me, probably because I shortened her name.
"Oh―――I didn't mean to make you mad. I just blurted it out."
"......Tell me your name."
"What?"
"Tell me your name, Onii-chan. It's unfair that I don't know your name."
"――――――――"
Oh, she's right.
Illyasviel told me her name, but I haven't told her mine yet.
"I'm Shirou. Emiya Shirou."
"Emiyashiro? That's a strange name, Onii-chan."
"No. Emiya is my last name, and Shirou is my first name. If it's hard to say it, just call me Shirou."
I correct her pronunciation.
"――――――――"
I point right at her nose, and she stands there in surprise.
"――――"
Even though I regret it, it's too late.
Looking like she's about to cry...
"...Shirou, Shirou, huh? Yeah, I like the name.
It's simple, but it sounds pretty. It suits you, Shirou.
I'll forgive you for what you just did!"
...She embraces my arm.
"What――――!? H-H-Hold on, Illyasviel! What are you doing...!?"
"No, you can call me Illya, Shirou! I'm calling you Shirou, so this is fair!"
"Wha―――well, that's easier to say, but hold on!!!"
I shake my arm, but Illya only screams happily and enjoys it.
"...!"
This is bad. The neighbors might spread bad rumors about me if I keep this up.
"Damn, what do you want...!? Do you want to fight me right now...!?"
I pull her off by force.
"――――――――"
...Oh.
Illya looks unhappy.
"W-What? Making a face like that won't do you any good. I don't know what your intentions are, but I'm a Master. You can't defeat me that easily――――"
Groceries in hand, I glare at her.
...But she only looks back at me in wonder.
"......Um, Illya?"
"Yeah!? What, Shirou!?"
"――――――――Ugh."
She isn't like before.
...Well, she was laughing back then too, but her smile is different now. Could it really be――――?
"...Illya. You didn't come here to fight...?"
I ask timidly.
"What? Do you want to be killed?"
"――――!"
Her gaze sends a chill down my spine.
No matter how young this girl may be, she is the strongest Master.
She laughs innocently, but she can also become a ruthless Master.
"...Hmm. I don't get it, but I don't mind you saying so, nor do I mind going ahead with my plans. Do you want to die along with Saber?"
"...Don't kid around. No way! I don't want to die, and I don't want to fight you here."
"Right? Masters can't fight during daytime. You don't have Saber with you, and I don't have Berserker with me."
"...You're right. Then why did you come here? Did we meet up by chance?"
"It's not chance. I snuck out past Sella and specially came to see you. You better feel honored."
She puffs up with pride.
"――――"
I feel dizzy.
Every time I think she turns into a cruel Master, she returns to being the innocent girl.
I can't tell which is the real her.
"...All right. So you came to see me.
But you have no intention of fighting me. Am I correct?"
"Yup. I came to talk to you. I've waited all this time, so I can, right?"
"――――――――"
I don't know what she means by "all this time", but it seems Illya just came to talk with me.
"Or do you not want to talk with me? ...I'll go home if you don't want to. I really don't want to go home, but you'll hate me if I make you do something you don't want."
Illya looks me straight in the eye.
"――――――――!"
...As a Master, it's dangerous to spend any time with Illya. If Saber were here, I bet she wouldn't hesitate to make herself heard.
"――――――――"
...But I can't leave her alone when she looks like that.
I know it's reckless, thoughtless, and rash, but...
"I don't mind talking with you. To be honest, I wanted to talk with you."
"All right! Then let's go over that way! I found a small park over there earlier――――!"
Illya starts running.
"Come on, come on! I'll leave you behind if you don't hurry!"
She twirls about as she runs.
"――――Well, I guess it can't be helped."
I accept this turn of events and follow after Illya.
She called me Shirou.
So I should treat her as a normal girl, and not a Master.
There is no one in the park.
Nobody is playing in the sand pit or on the swings.
It feels desolate, but I sit down on a bench with Illya.
...This must look weird to other people.
Illya's a foreigner, so we don't look like siblings, and our ages are too far apart to be friends.
"...So. What do you want to talk about, Illya? You came to me, so do you have something you want to ask me?"
"Why? I have nothing I want to ask you."
"――――――――"
Well.
How should I react to this incomprehensible girl?
"...Illya. You're the one who wanted to talk.
So why do you say you have no business with me? You wouldn't have come if you had no business with me, right?"
"O-Oh, really? We can't talk if we don't have business?"
"Uhh... that's not what I meant. Sorry, I put it in the wrong way. We can still talk. Actually, I guess it's better to talk without purpose.
...But, man. I don't know you really well, so I don't know what I should talk about. I don't know what you like, or anything. You don't want me asking you about something you'd rather not talk about, right?"
"Y-You're right... but what should I ask? Will you promise me you won't get mad, whatever I ask you?"
"I'll try. I'm your Onii-chan, so I'll try to act mature."
"I see. Then Shirou, do you like me?"
"WHA――――!?"
W-W-W-W-W-What the hell is she asking!?
"Oh, you're a liar! You said you won't get mad, but you're mad!"
"Hey, anyone would be shocked by that question! Y-You shouldn't be asking that question when you've already attacked me!"
"Hey, that was different! It's because you jumped out even though you're weak! It's not my fault!"
"It is your fault! You were ready to kill from the beginning! So why are you talking about me liking you and everything!?"
Illya quivers up and goes quiet.
"...Oh."
...Crap.
I decided that I'd forget about us being Masters, but I guess I didn't.
"...Um, Illya?"
"......It's important to me. You're an idiot, Shirou! If I hadn't stopped him you'd be dead right now, but you still want to talk big."
Illya looks down, trembling.
"......Man."
I guess I have no choice.
I'm the one who started this whole Master conversation, I'm the older one here, and Illya is a girl.
"――――Ahem. Um, Illya..."
I prepare myself for what I have to say.
I――――
Scene 08 I don't mind it anymore.
"―――I'm over it. My wound healed up, and you let me go.
...But I won't bring it up again if it bothers you. Is that okay?"
"Oh... yeah. Um, so you're not mad, Shirou...?"
"I probably should be mad, but I'm not for some reason.
Actually, I want to talk to you now."
She was about to cry, but now she smiles.
"――――――――"
That smile makes me happy as well.
I don't feel any hostility from her.
Then I should stop thinking like a Master.
I guess I'll have to talk with her, just like she wants――――
Scene 09 I don't hate you.
"―――I don't know you really well because we just met, but I don't hate you. At the very least, I want to be friends when you are like this."
"――――――Really?"
"Um, you feel more like a little sister to me. And I won't bring up that incident again. ...That's all I can promise you. Can you believe me?"
"―――Yeah!
I'll believe you if you say so...!"
Illya tackles me and embraces my arm again.
"......Man. What are you?"
I complain, but I accept it. It's not bad.
I don't feel any hostility from her.
Her hugging me won't kill me, and it wouldn't be older brother-like to panic now.
I guess I'll have to talk with her, just like she wants――――
Scene 10 Innocent murder
My talk with Illya lasts for about an hour.
She listens to my pointless rambling and mundane stories.
...Since when did it start getting painful?
She is an innocent girl.
She's a Master and has no doubts about it...
I think her lack of fear about going into battle is sad.
"――――――――"
A family of magi called Einzbern.
She is sent out as the greatest Master, a result of their thousand-year-old history.
If that is Illya's goal, then...
"――――Illya. Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Do you recognize the name Emiya Kiritsugu?"
...I have to ask her this question.
"――――――――"
The air freezes.
The silence is dead.
"No. I don't know anyone like that."
...Her silver hair flutters.
Fairy-like, she gets up from the bench and turns around.
"It's getting late. Berserker's going to wake up at night, so I have to get going now."
"――――――――"
Illya waves goodbye.
"Yeah, I should go home too."
I get up.
This is all the rest I'll get.
We will be enemies again once the sun sets.
But...
"Can I talk with you again, Illya?"
...I ask the question as if it's only natural.
"―――U-Um, I don't know. Do you want to see me again, Shirou?"
"Of course. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't want to."
"......! Okay, then I'll come again tomorrow if I feel like it. Don't expect too much and keep waiting, okay?"
She runs out of the park.
...But.
She suddenly stops.
"I was lying. He is someone I know."
"Illya――――?"
"...I was given birth to this world to win the Holy Grail War. My mission is to kill you and Kiritsugu."
She sprints off.
She doesn't turn around.
I watch until she's out of sight.
Scene 11 Who will tell Sakura?
"I'm home... huh? Fuji-Nee's home already?"
I take my shoes off and go into the hallway.
What is the archery club advisor doing, coming home so early?
"Welcome home, Shirou."
"...Hm, so you're finally home, simpleton."
Saber is sitting Japanese-style in a good manner, and Fuji-Nee has her head on the table in a bad manner.
"――――――――"
Fuji-Nee looks utterly defeated.
...I'm curious as to why, but I'm sure it's nothing that important.
"I'm home. Did anything happen while I was gone, Saber?"
"No, I saw nothing unusual. How about you, Shirou? Did you find anything noteworthy at your school?"
"No, me neither. Shinji was absent, but school was like always. I don't think we need to worry about anything happening there――――"
With Fuji-Nee sitting right there, I can't just come out and say "there isn't a Master at my school."
"...Hm, I smell something. I feel a sour presence, like an old 10000 yen bill you forgot about hiding, a presence of a secret."
The lazy dog sniffs the air.
"You smell like rusted shackles, Shirou. Very suspicious.
Are you hiding something from me-nya?"
"Whoa."
I can't believe it.
She's acting crazy.
"...Saber, did something happen with Fuji-Nee? It takes something really big to turn her this way."
"Uh... no, I did not do anything. I believe Taiga is lethargic because she is hungry."
She says those awful words quite casually.
"You're lying! You're the one who beat me up, saying you wanted to know how strong I am, Saber-chan!"
Fuji-Nee pounds on the table.
...It must have been a frightening, humiliating experience, since she's hiding behind me even as she glowers at Saber.
And I don't know when she started calling Saber Saber-chan.
"...Saber. Did you have a match with Fuji-Nee?"
"Um... I proposed that we move around if we had some free time. Since a match using shinai would not prove fatal, Taiga agreed with my proposal――――"
"Don't let her fool you, Shirou. Saber-chan was really about to kill me. I can tell. I know about guns.
She was about to kill me. She really was about to kill me. She'll turn me into butter if I let my guard down!"
Fuji-Nee trembles.
"...Saber, um..."
Did she go all-out against Fuji-Nee...?
"Eh... um, I believe I let my guard down a bit.
I was angry that you were late, and Taiga was stronger than I expected, so my reflexes took over――――"
...Wow, that's scary.
Fuji-Nee is a fifth-degree black belt in kendo, but Saber's on another level entirely.
"Anyway, don't go sneaking into Saber-chan's room at night if you don't wanna die!
You'll see hell if you make a move on her! It'll be your own fault if you die!"
"......Ugh."
...Oh yeah.
There's another problem for me.
I have to do something about Saber, who is determined to sleep in the same room as me.
I'm a teenage guy. I don't know what'll happen if I sleep in the same room as someone like her――――
"You need not worry, Taiga. If that is Shirou's command, I can only obey. I will never fight back."
"Hmmmm? Did you say something outrageous?"
"No. Taiga, I will be sleeping in the same room as Shirou tonight, but please do not misunderstand."
Saber states it as a matter of course.
"――――――――"
Fuji-Nee freezes.
"......"
Here it comes...
Considering the power balance between us, it's going to be me.
"Fuji-Nee. I've kept this a secret until now, but..."
I try to pacify Fuji-Nee, who is standing behind me.
"Alrighty."
She completely ignores me, and I hear sounds of her stacking something like telephone books.
"Listen to me.
――――Saber doesn't understand Japanese."
"Here I go."
Oh, I knew it.
She's doing something like a sleeper-hold on me.
Fuji-Nee doesn't know how to go easy, so it's really dangerous for her to choke someone――――
"No, this isn't the time for this! F-Fuji-Nee, you got me good! I'm really going to pass out...!"
I hear my bones creaking.
Continued grappling is Fuji-Nee's only reply.
"Whoa, I give up...! No, don't throw me now!"
I start to pass out, and as a last resort, I start to tap out.
But...
"Shut up, you spoiled brat! I never raised you that way!!!!"
――――Oh, I'm really passing out now.
...Man... Why don't my troubles come one at a time?
"――――Man, that was terrible."
I crack the joints in my neck.
Thanks to my training, I only got some bruises, even though I was thrown down to the floor.
"Um, I'm sorry... I was going to let go halfway so you could break your fall, but you were heavier than I thought and I had my hands full with just throwing you."
"Of course. I'm not a kid anymore. Don't try throwing me with those thin arms of yours. At worst, you would've fallen with me."
"...Sorry."
"You're at fault too, Saber. You'll be sleeping in the room next to mine, so we're technically not in the same room."
"Uh... But I need to protect you, so..."
"You can protect me well enough from there. First of all, I'll wear out if you sleep in the same room as me. I'm sorry, but that's the best compromise I can offer you. If you want more from me, you're going to have to fight for it."
"Hmm... This is a difficult matter."
"It's fine if you two understand. Well, I guess I'll go cook dinner."
I get up while trying to loosen up my neck.
"Oh, Fuji-Nee.
I'm thinking of having Sakura stay over starting tonight. What do you think? I figured I'd let her use the outbuilding where Saber stayed last night."
"You're going to let Sakura-chan stay over? I'm fine with that, but what's going on? You've been acting really strange these past few days."
"...Well, um, Sakura doesn't seem to be doing well recently. Shinji's not home much, so I thought it'd be better for her to have people around."
"Okay... I don't mind, but have you actually asked her? She seemed all right during club practice."
"No, I was going to ask her later―――wait, what did you do about the club? Why did you leave so early?"
"Hm? Oh, someone got injured, so I left Mitsuzuri-san in charge, took the person home, and came straight here."
...So that's what happened, huh?
It's disturbing to hear someone got injured in the archery club, but Fuji-Nee wouldn't be here if it was serious.
I bet it's something like a jammed finger or anemia.
"――――"
Well, this is my chance.
Fuji-Nee considers Sakura a part of the family, just like I do.
Then――――
Scene 12 Request Fuji-Nee
I guess I'll have Fuji-Nee ask Sakura.
She's older than all of us, so she might be able to talk Sakura into staying here.
"Fuji-Nee. Can you ask Sakura to stay over at my place?"
"Why? There's no way I'm getting involved with what's between you two.
You're the one who came up with the idea, so you go ask her."
"Hey, I want to ask her myself, but I'm sure she'll refuse.
I bet she'll be troubled if a guy asks her to stay over at his place.
...Normally it wouldn't bother me if she refused, but I can't afford to screw up this time. I need her to stay over here for a while."
"......Geez. You're always so dense.
All right, I'll ask Sakura-chan. So, should I have her stay over for like a week?"
"Yeah. I think things will calm down by then."
―――Oh.
The doorbell rings at just the right moment.
"Excuse me."
I hear Sakura's voice.
"I'm going to go ask her. You go prepare dinner, okay?"
Fuji-Nee unenthusiastically goes to greet Sakura.
...Hmm.
Did I choose the wrong person for the job?
"Sakura-chan agreed. I showed her to the guest room and she'll be here in a minute."
She says this rather carelessly as she sits down by the table.
"Huh―――Sakura agreed to stay over?"
"Of course she did, you blockhead."
She answers while peeling a mandarin.
"――――――――"
Okay.
I don't know how Fuji-Nee did it, but I guess asking her was the right thing to do.
Scene 13 I'll tell Sakura myself.
"――――――――"
No, this is an important matter.
I can't let other people handle it when it was my idea in the first place. It's not in good faith if I don't ask her myself.
...Oh.
I hear the doorbell.
"Excuse me."
I hear Sakura's voice from the entrance.
I guess I should strike while the iron's hot and go ask her right now.
"Oh, hello, Senpai. Are you about to cook dinner?"
"Yeah. I'm going to cook by myself today, so you can relax. But please look after Fuji-Nee. She lost confidence in herself because Saber beat her mercilessly. Try to finish her off and play something like Othello with her."
"Oh, that's terrible, Senpai. Today was a hard day for Fujimura-Sensei."
"...Oh yeah, she did mention something about that. Then play shogi with her."
"Shogi, huh? Okay, Fujimura-Sensei is the master at that.
She beats me even when she gives me a handicap."
Sakura's in a good mood.
Her bruise appears to be healing, and her earlier gloominess seems to have disappeared.
Yeah, this is a good time to ask.
"So, Sakura. I know it's a bit sudden, but could you stay over at my place starting tonight?"
"Huh――――? Stay over at your place...?"
"I'm telling you not to go back to the Matou household for a while. Let's see... I want you to stay over for like a week. Oh, I already got Fuji-Nee's approval."
"......"
Sakura's face stiffens.
She stares at me, as if peering into my mind.
"―――I know I'm being unreasonable. But I'll have you stay over no matter what. I don't care what you think of me, but please stay at my place for a while."
"――――――――"
Sakura doesn't answer.
She stares at me silently...
"――――Why is that?"
...And then asks me that question.
"......"
I can't tell her why.
I can't tell her that Shinji's a Master, and anything else would just be a lie.
Everyone has their secrets.
I'm a guy, so I have many secrets I can't tell Fuji-Nee or Sakura.
...There are things you just can't say, not even to the people most important to you.
But that's also why I can't lie.
Sakura's an important family member to me, so I can't lie to her.
"......"
The air feels like it's freezing over.
The silence seems to last forever, and Sakura hangs her head awkwardly.
I put my stupid brain to work, trying to come up with something to say.
"Do I really have to tell you, Sakura?"
She doesn't respond.
Instead, she just looks at me with a concerned expression.
"...Is it because you're worried about me?"
And she clearly states this.
"―――Yeah, I'm worried about you. It'll help me out if you stay here."
...Her long hair sways.
Sakura nods in response...
...She answers not with her words, but with a brilliant smile.
Scene 14 Go check on Sakura?
After eating dinner, one only needs to take a bath and go to sleep.
This is common knowledge, barely worthy of mention.
So there's no problem.
Something so mundane couldn't possibly cause a problem.
But...
"...Um, Fujimura-Sensei. I need to discuss something with you..."
"What is it? Go ahead and ask me."
"Um... Well......"
"Oh, right. You need something to change into. Hmm, I guess there are school uniforms at my place. I can give you some of my clothes if you don't mind. Oh, or would you rather go to your place to get some clothes?"
"...No, I would rather not go home, since I wouldn't be able to come back here. Um, about Nii-san..."
"Oh, that's all right. I just called your place and got your grandfather's permission. He said he doesn't mind having you over at my place since I'm a teacher."
"R-Really!? Then I can really stay over here!?"
"Yup. So, about your change of clothes... you don't mind using my pajamas, right? Oh, do you want to use the same underwear too?"
"Oh... No, um... I think your bra would be too tight on me..."
"Hm. Yeah, you have big boobs.
...............Give me some of that."
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa! What are you doing, Sensei!?"
"Ahahahahaha, I'm just joking. ...But this is troubling. I don't have a bra your size. Are you the kind that keeps your bra on when you sleep?"
"Uh... um, yes."
"Yeah, people with big boobs tend to do that. But isn't it uncomfortable?"
"...I-It is, but what you do is........."
"I see, I see! It sure is good to be young! Then I'll get the guys at my place to buy some for you by tomorrow morning. So don't worry, just go ahead and take your bath."
"......"
"――――――――!"
S-So why are you two having this conversation right in front of me!?
I'm a guy! If you two talk about that, I won't even be able to look at Sakura without thinking...
"Ohhh? Why the red face, Shirou? Are you curious about what Sakura-chan had to say?"
"――――! H-Heh, what are you talking about? It's a secret between you two. I didn't hear it, and I'm not curious!"
"Oh, really? Then I'll give you an interesting piece of info. Sakura-chan is an 85. She's an E-cup. Isn't it amazing? It's 13 centimeters bigger than last year.
I bet you noticed it too. How sexy her body is and how much you want to touch her."
"Y-You――――!"
"F-Fujimura-Sensei――――!
I told you in secret so that he wouldn't hear it!! Why are you telling him like that!?"
"Huh? Huh? Kyaaaaa!?"
"You――――idiot, Fuji-Nee..."
I finish my thought in a whisper.
Fuji-Nee falls to Sakura's counterattack.
Sakura's face is red, and she is trying to cover Fuji-Nee's mouth.
...Sakura...
I understand wanting to prevent Fuji-Nee from talking, but if you keep this up, you'll kill her...
"Haa, haa, haa―――wow, I didn't know you were that strong, Sakura-chan. I'm surprised that you came to stop my breath right away."
"Geez! Please contemplate your actions, Fujimura-Sensei!"
Sakura gets away from Fuji-Nee.
――――Naturally...
Our eyes meet.
"Oh."
"――――Ehh, um, the towel's in the dressing room."
"O-Okay...! Um excuse me for a while, Senpai...!"
Sakura hurries out to the hallway.
"Oh――――"
But if she runs like that...
"Ow... I hit my nose......"
...I wanted to warn her that she'd fall...
...But she exceeds my expectations and runs straight into the wall.
"Are you all right, Sakura!?"
Was she that eager to get away?
"Yeah, I'm all right. I'm fine, so I'm going to go take a bath."
Sakura disappears into the hallway.
"――――Phew."
With Sakura gone, I relax.
...As tense as things were getting, I would've had to flee the room in embarrassment if she hadn't left first.
"――――Hah."
"...What? Go ahead and say it if you want to say something, you failure of a teacher."
"Noooothing. I'm just thinking how hard it must be for Sakura-chan.
I bet Sakura-chan was even more embarrassed in front of you."
"I-I'm not blushing! Hey, Sakura is like a family member to me. She's cooked for me and we've eaten together for a long time! I-I'd be a failure as her Senpai if I were embarrassed!"
"Oh, so you don't want to be a failure?"
"Of course not. Sakura is Shinji's sister. If I'm having a friend's sister over, I have to take care of her."
"What...? Oh, I see now. I just thought you were dense, but that's part of it too, huh?"
Fuji-Nee sighs.
This is troubling.
"Sakura-chan has a lot of trouble ahead of her."
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm going to the dressing room. I have to go get Sakura-chan some change of clothes. You can go to the outbuilding and prepare a room for her. Get her some new sheets, okay?"
Fuji-Nee leaves after giving me an order.
"...Heh. Stay here, Saber. I'm going to go prepare the guest room."
I leave after seeing Saber nod.
I make the bed and check the furniture.
I decided to have Sakura use a guest room that isn't normally used.
This room is more suited to her, and the door can be locked.
...Sakura's a girl, so that should be better for her.
"...Well, it's not like Fuji-Nee made me choose this room."
I make the bed.
This bed has never been used.
The moment I think that Sakura will sleep in this bed tonight...
'――――I bet you noticed it too.'
"――――!"
...Indecent thoughts fill my head.
"D-Don't be stupid! I―――"
...I already know that, without being told.
I've seen Sakura hit puberty, getting more beautiful by the day.
It was a good thing, but I also persuaded myself not to notice it.
I've always told myself that she's Shinji's sister and that she only comes to cook for me because she feels guilty about what Shinji did.
"...It's been a year and a half, hasn't it? It's nothing Sakura should care about."
The accident that caused me to quit the archery club...
I injured my shoulder, he complained about the burn, and I took the opportunity to leave the club.
...And Sakura proposed to help me out until my injury healed.
She was like a child back then.
She waited for me in front of my house one day, but it took two hours of awkward silence before she worked up the courage to say she wanted to help me.
"―――That shy Sakura is the rising star of the archery club now. Man, how a person can change."
Sakura is cheerful now.
I first met her four years ago when I went to Shinji's house after getting to know him.
She was quiet and had a habit of hiding her face with her hair.
...Well, she still is, but she was really lifeless back then. She always looked depressed and would just absent-mindedly stand there.
Considering that, it's wonderful to see how Sakura is doing now.
It relieves me to see Sakura, the girl who only used to look downcast, smile.
'I bet you noticed it too. How sexy her body is, how much you want to touch her.'
"――――――――"
...I don't really know.
She was always just my underclassman.
But recently, that changed.
...I don't know if it happened recently or if I only started to notice it just now.
―――Or...
Was she so close to me that I didn't have to notice?
"...Damn. It's been peaceful until now. So why..."
Why is my mind going crazy from just having Sakura stay over?
I'm being inconsiderate of her.
I'll finish cleaning and show her to her room――――
"Huh? Where's Sakura, Saber?"
"I do not know. She is not here yet, so I would assume she is still in the bath."
"...? But it's been an hour already."
...Well, perhaps she takes long baths.
After all, she has more places to wash――――
"―――! Stop, stop, stop...! Don't imagine indecent things!"
I shake my head and sit down at the table.
I pour myself some tea and drink it.
"――――Phew."
I shake off the image in my head and relax.
...Then.
"Shirou. Does Sakura have bad eyesight?"
Saber asks me a strange question.
"...? No, Sakura has good eyesight.
I think she has 1.5 vision."
"I see. She often runs into walls, so I was worried that she might have bad vision."
"Oh, I see. Thanks for worrying, but Sakura's fine. She's clumsy now because she's tired. She's usually more reliable than me."
"I hope so. ...But even in that case, it is a problem if she is tired enough to mistake the wall for a door. This is only my personal opinion, but I believe it was not caused by fatigue."
"――――――――"
That's a very natural conclusion.
Even if you're tired, you still shouldn't be running into walls.
"......"
Where is Sakura anyway?
Even if she's taking a bath, an hour is too long.
I――――
Scene 15 let Fuji-Nee do it.
...Yeah.
Fuji-Nee would make fun of me for a whole year if I did go and happened to walk in on Sakura changing.
"―――I can't do that to Sakura."
Yes, I should sit tight and wait.
She might be already out and drying her hair.
"You are restless, Shirou."
"Huh? I-I don't think so. I'm eating my mandarin and drinking my tea."
"So you relax by not eating or drinking and looking often at the clock?"
"Ugh. Um, I have no appetite because I'm full."
"I see. I do not mind if you say so. But I do not believe it is a good idea to hold yourself back."
Saber elegantly sips her tea.
...Man, I'm hopeless!
It hasn't even been five minutes yet, but I'm really worried about Sakura!
"―――Man, I don't care what Fuji-Nee says!
Saber, I'm going to the bathroom!"
I make up my mind and stand up.
At that moment...
Fuji-Nee comes running in.
"Fuji-Nee...? Why are you in such a rush? Weren't you preparing for Sakura's stay?"
"I finished that already. More importantly, can you look after Sakura-chan? I'm going back to my house to get some medicine."
"...!? What's wrong with Sakura, Fuji-Nee?"
"That's what I want to know. Sakura-chan was on the floor when I went to the dressing room, and she has a fever of almost 38 degrees."
"Wha―――where's Sakura, Fuji-Nee...!?"
"I just carried her to the guest room. I think she just has a cold, so don't worry too much.
But we can't push her. I'm going back to my place to get some stuff, so you just be there for Sakura-chan, okay? That should provide plenty of energy for her all by itself."
Fuji-Nee fires off my instructions and goes back to her house.
The Fujimura household has perfect preparations for illness and injuries, as it has lots of "those" kind of people.
"......!"
This isn't the time to stand around in shock.
I have to go check on Sakura...!
"―――Let's see. Your temperature is a bit over 37 degrees. Oh, it's lower than I thought."
I put the medical thermometer down and look at Sakura.
It's been thirty minutes.
Her condition wasn't that bad, just like Fuji-Nee said. She has a slight cold, and she collapsed in the dressing room because she felt dizzy after staying in the bath for too long.
"...I'm sorry... I guess I got dizzy since I was so nervous."
Sakura hides her face with her futon.
"You can't help catching a cold, right? You should be better by tomorrow if you drink some medicine and get a good night's sleep.
I'll leave some water here on the chair, so don't go out of the building, okay? You'll cool your body if you go outside."
I put another blanket over her, just in case, and turn the lights off.
"All right. I'll come wake you up tomorrow morning, so you can rest easy until then."
I pat her on her head, then walk to the door.
"...Yes. Good night, Senpai."
Sakura sounds apologetic.
I bid her goodnight and leave her room.
Scene 16 Should I go check on her...?
――――I should go check on her.
If Saber's right, this isn't the time to be hung up on embarrassment.
"Sakura."
I call out to her from the hallway.
There's no reply from inside the dressing room.
No, I don't even feel a presence in there.
"Sakura...? Hey, are you in there, Sakura?"
I knock on the door.
...I gradually start to knock harder, and I'm banging on the door before I notice.
"Sakura...! Hey, say something...!"
My anxiety turns to cold certainty.
...Something's wrong.
I can't go inside, so I'll have to get Saber or Fuji-Nee――――
"Huh? S-Senpai? Why are you so flustered?"
"S-Sakura...!? ...Oh, it's nothing. I was wondering if something was wrong, since you were in there for a while."
"A while...? Was I in here that long?"
"...?"
Sakura sounds absent-minded.
She sounds lost in thought, as if she'd just woken up.
"...Sakura. Don't tell me you were..."
"......Yes. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep a bit..."
"Y――――You idiot. Don't scare me like that."
I crumple down to the floor.
"...I'm sorry. I'll get out right away."
"Please do. ...Man, you'll catch a cold if you sleep in the bathtub."
I lean against the wall.
...It turned out to be nothing, but I'm glad Sakura's okay.
She should be better once she gets a good night's sleep.
"――――Huh?"
I hear the sound of something heavy falling.
It came from the other side of the door.
"――――Sakura!?"
There's no reply.
I feel no presence on the other side of the door.
"...! I'm coming in, Sakura!"
I rush into the dressing room.
There, I see Sakura on the floor.
"Sakura, Sakura...!"
I hold Sakura up in my arms.
Her body is soft and surprisingly hot.
"Ah――――hm――――"
She doesn't seem to be conscious, but she's moaning in pain.
Her hand grabs her chest, as if wanting to take her shirt off.
"Haa......"
She gasps.
...This is way too much for me.
Her body is soft, and her hair is unraveled.
Her shirt is the only thing between my arms and her body, and this isn't the Sakura I know.
Her shirt sticks to her body and emphasizes her large breasts, and I can't take my eyes off of them.
Her breasts move up and down along with her breaths, exposing her white neck.
"――――――――"
It feels like my heart will leap out of my chest.
My head wouldn't be this hot even if I drank a love potion.
I realize that my mouth is watering, and I swallow with great difficulty.
"Ah... Hm......"
Her beautiful lips make my head go wild.
Her body is so hot and soft that it makes me imagine how good it must taste.
――――My head goes blank.
It's not a girl's body I'm holding, but a woman's.
This isn't the Sakura I know.
Then―――it shouldn't be a problem if I hold her a little―――
"...! What the hell am I thinking...!?"
I shake my head.
This isn't the time.
Even considering that Sakura just got out of the bath, her temperature isn't normal.
Morever―――simple anemia wouldn't make her clutch at herself like that.
"Sakura! Hey, are you all right, Sakura...!?"
I call out to her.
"Ah――――fua...?"
...The hairs sticking to her forehead drop down.
Sakura slowly opens her eyes and stares at me.
"Huh? Senpai...? Why are you here...?"
"Hey, it's not 'Why am I here?'...! You should've told me if you're sick!"
"Huh...? I―――I'm sick?"
"Who else would it be...!? Try feeling your forehead! It's burning hot!"
"Huh? But I don't feel hot at all..."
Sakura must still be half-asleep, as she is still in a daze.
"Just don't move! I'm going to take you to your bed...!"
"Kya...!? What's going on, Senpai...!?"
"I'm taking you to your room. Don't struggle, okay? I don't know if I can keep a hold if you do."
I lift up Sakura in my arms and go out to the hallway.
"...! S-S-Senpai, you're carrying me!?"
I must have surprised her, as she clings on to my neck.
"――――!"
I feel something soft on my chest, but I have to ignore it for now...!
"Man, this is harder than my daily training...!"
It's a matter of speed now.
I have to carry Sakura to her room before my reasoning disappears...!
"―――Let's see. Your temperature is a bit over 37 degrees. Oh, it's lower than I thought."
I put the medical thermometer down and look at Sakura.
"...I'm sorry... I guess I got dizzy since I was so nervous."
Sakura hides her face with the futon.
"You can't help catching a cold, right? You should be better by tomorrow if you drink some medicine and get a good night's sleep.
I'll leave some water here on the chair, so don't go out of the building, okay? You'll cool your body if you go outside."
I put another blanket over her, just in case, and turn the lights off.
"All right. I'll come wake you up tomorrow morning, so you just take it easy until then."
I pat her on her head, then start to walk to the door.
――――Then...
Something pulls me back.
"...?"
I turn around to see that Sakura's holding my sleeve.
"Sakura...? Um, I can't leave if you're holding onto my shirt like that."
"Huh?"
She must have been doing it unconsciously, since she jerks her hand away when she realizes it.
"I-I'm sorry, Senpai...! I-I-I wasn't thinking...!"
Sakura jumps up and tries to make an excuse.
Even in the dark, I can tell that she's blushing furiously.
"Um, are you scared, Sakura?"
"......I am. It's scary to sleep alone in a place I don't know."
Her hair is hiding her face, so I can't see her expression.
...But right now she seems just like the shy girl I met years ago.
"―――I see. You must be uneasy, sleeping in an unfamiliar room with a cold."
I sit down on the floor.
I lay my back against her bed.
It's for the best, because I don't think I can face Sakura right now.
"U-Um, Senpai...?"
"I'll stay here for a while. You should get used to the room in a little bit, and I'll go if you fall asleep before that.
To be honest, I'm worried that you might push yourself. I'll stay here for at least thirty minutes, so lay down and relax."
I raise my hand and flutter it.
"―――Okay. Then please keep me company for just a bit."
I feel a slight movement of air.
It must be Sakura pulling up her blanket.
...I'm glad I can help Sakura like this.
This is nothing compared to what she has done for me.
"――――――――"
"――――――――"
The sound of the clock ticking echoes through the dark room.
I don't know if it's because I have my back to her, or because I saw her sad face.
But the emotions that assailed me when I carried Sakura have disappeared, and I'm able to calmly stare at the clock.
...And after a long period of silence...
"――――Are you awake, Senpai?"
A gentle voice lights up the darkness.
"..."
I nod in response.
That must have been good enough...
"...Okay. Thank you for everything you did today."
...And Sakura falls asleep peacefully.
Scene 17 To the Ryuudou Temple
The lights go out.
It's eleven o'clock, and the town is going to sleep.
"―――So there is a Master at the Ryuudou Temple?"
"According to Tohsaka. She said we shouldn't fight them because they are troublesome enemies, but it seems the coma incidents in town are their doing. ...I don't know if it's true or not, but we have to find out."
"...You are right. I do feel something intentional in the ley line pointing to the Ryuudou Temple. I am sure that a Master is on that mountain."
"...? What's wrong, Saber? You seem like you're not up for it. You have less spirit than last night."
"―――You are right. That mountain is an ominous place for Servants.
I would like to avoid careless attacks."
"...Hm. Should we just patrol the town tonight and put off attacking the Ryuudou Temple until we get more information? It is reckless to go attack them when we don't know anything about our enemy."
"No, there is no need for that. A Master that would set up his base in the Ryuudou Temple would not readily reveal his identity. If we are to quickly defeat him, we must face them straight on and power through."
Saber is determined.
...She must believe we have a chance. Either way, if the Master at the temple is responsible for all the recent coma victims, we have to do something.
"―――All right, let's go to the Ryuudou Temple.
But we're only going to investigate tonight.
We'll retreat once we find out who the Master is and what Servant he has. I'd like to do more, but I can't support you, so I want to be cautious."
I can't allow Saber to get hurt, just like the fight with Berserker.
If I can't help her directly, I have to protect her in some other way.
"......Understood. I shall entrust you with the final judgment. Please decide then if we are to retreat or fight."
"...Hm. I'm glad to hear that, but it's also scary. I might wuss out even if the enemy is weak."
"I see. That is certainly a possibility, since you have little experience in battle."
"Yeah, that's right. I want to avoid heading into a minefield, so please warn me."
"Understood. Then I shall do so if you make a wrong choice.
You will learn little if I merely warn you, so I shall impose a penalty if you make a mistake."
"...Hey, what do you mean by 'penalty'?"
"Where would the enjoyment be in telling you? I shall keep it a secret, since this is one of the few pleasures I have."
...Ugh.
That joke isn't very Saber-like. It must be Fuji-Nee's influence.
I really do hope it's just a joke.
"But putting that aside, Shirou... will Sakura be all right? She seemed unusually distressed."
"I thought so too, but I didn't see anything unusual when I took her temperature. I'll let her get a good night's sleep and see how she is tomorrow."
"I see. Then we can head out into battle without worry."
I nod and look at the outbuilding.
Sakura's room is on the second floor.
I have to leave without her noticing, and I have to come back as if nothing has happened.
"――――Let's go, Saber. I have to act like a Master now. I won't think about anything else."
I leave with Saber at my side.
High overhead, clouds pass before the moon, and the darkness deepens.
――――The wind is blowing the overhead clouds.
Lit by fading moonlight, we start running towards enemy territory.
Scene 18 Intermission Malak al Maut
A high-pitched sound rings out.
The brilliant moonlight glints off the drawn sword as it clatters to the stairs.
"――――――――Hah."
Blood is on his lips.
The man on his knees on the stone steps bids his longsword goodbye as it falls away.
His arms are the next to fall.
Wet with blood, the elegantly-patterned fabric of his battlecoat looks like a giant red flower.
"――――My. I did not think you were of the serpent's kind."
In steep contrast to his bloody body, his lips are white.
Neither breath nor blood passes his throat now.
Sasaki Kojirou's internal organs no longer serve their original purpose.
The mountain gate is quiet.
The Servant that guarded the place,
the shadow that appeared...
Neither of them move.
―――The battle has already ended.
Assassin was defeated by "someone" who came up the stone steps.
He had no time to identify the intruder as an enemy, let alone cross swords.
This "someone" was on a different level to begin with.
Assassin's body bursts open.
Torn, mutilated, and weaponless, he cannot even take his own life.
The shadow approaches.
It strokes Assassin's cheek with a scornful cherishing gesture.
A deformed, spider-like hand comes out of his stomach.
His bones crack.
His flesh rips apart.
It feels as if his organs are turning into someone else's.
"Guh―――!"
Assassin suppresses the regurgitating blood.
The swordsman swallows the blood and smiles with his pale lips.
"...Very well, do as you wish. After all, this is coming out of me. I'm sure it is nothing noble――――"
He smiles, even though he is denied an honorable death.
If one talks about a grand spectacle...
His smile is grander than the spawning of this abomination.
And thus, it is summoned.
Taking the false Servant's flesh as its own, the true Assassin enters our world.
"Ki――――Kiki, kikikikiki――――――――"
His first cries sound like those of an insect.
The black insect that crawled from the swordsman's stomach devours the body that was his own nursery.
He giggles while tearing the flesh apart.
He laughs while crunching on the bones.
Every time he does so, the insect becomes more like a man, and the empty brain acquires human wisdom.
And after a while...
He has finished sipping every last bit of the blood and blesses the birth of his own self, the "assassin".
The only ones to witness are the chorus of insects and the shining moonlight.
The high-pitched birth cry melts into the darkness.
――――An ominous moon.
A white skull laughs under the black-burned sky.
Scene 19 VS Caster
We run up the stone steps.
Saber is already armed.
"――――――――"
"――――――――"
We're both straining our nerves in preparation for an enemy attack.
The steps are long, and the wind is warm even though we're near the mountaintop.
According to Saber, this mountain has a boundary field that repels Servants.
Servants will lose most of their power and magical energy if they enter the mountain from anywhere other than the front gate.
Therefore, the only way we can enter is through the front gate, but...
"...I thought they would be setting up an ambush. Do you sense a Servant around here, Saber?"
"No.
There are no other Servants around――――"
Saber suddenly stops and looks down.
"Saber...? Did you see something?"
"...No, it must be my imagination. I thought I saw a katana, but I cannot find it anywhere.
The mountain gate is not guarded. Let us go inside the temple."
Saber starts running again.
"...?"
I tilt my head in wonder, but hurry to keep up with her.
...The compound is dead silent.
The wind is strong.
All around is thick darkness.
Despite the moon overhead, the terrible darkness remains.
"――――――――"
I look up.
The moon is there, of course.
Its rays shine down on the compound.
But the area is still shrouded in darkness.
"Saber."
"Yes, something is wrong. No one would let us come this far without offering resistance. And―――this place is too quiet."
"...Let's go inside. The Ryuudou Temple has close to fifty people living in it.
It can't be this quiet."
We head for the temple.
―――There's no one around.
After confirming that the compound is empty, we go inside.
―――Everyone in the temple is sleeping.
They do not even twitch.
They don't react even when we touch them.
All the monks, without exception, are weakened.
No matter how hard we try to rouse them, they just lie there, breathing peacefully as if enjoying a dream.
Of course, my classmate is among them.
Ryuudou Issei is sleeping peacefully as well.
"――――――――"
We quickly move across the wooden hallway.
...It's because Saber felt a presence.
Saber pointed toward the main temple building.
The Master responsible for this disaster is there.
We step into the shrine.
The first thing we see is the red blood spreading on the floor.
"...!?"
A red flower blooms in the center of the temple.
There is a man lying there as well.
His chest must be pierced, as the man is dyeing the floor red.
The wound is fatal, and the man has lost enough blood to die.
He's already a corpse.
I know this man, and it seems he was Master to the one standing beside his body.
The Servant is looking down at her Master with a mysterious dagger in hand.
"......!"
Pain lances through my head, accompanied by a sense of apprehension.
It's not that I'm scared of this scene.
That――――
That dagger is ominous.
It seems Saber does not feel anything, but I can tell that the dagger has dreadful power.
"Caster...!"
Saber readies herself.
The Servant in a purple robe, Caster, does not answer.
I don't know if Saber took it as an opening or as an insult...
But she tries to charge――――
"No, hold on, Saber...!"
"Shirou...!? Why are you stopping me? This is our best chance to defeat Cast――――"
"No, just don't go near that dagger...! That thing can break contracts. It might even cut the bond between a Servant and a Master."
"Then―――Caster killed her own Master?"
"......"
I don't know if she did.
But I'm sure the dagger she's holding has unearthly power.
"Caster―――you killed your own master...!!"
Saber rushes in with an angry roar.
...Caster turns around.
With her vigor gone, she looks more like a ghost than a heroic spirit.
The sword flashes through the air.
It slices the robe, but Caster manages to jump back.
"―――Saber...?
I see. You must have come to finish me off. I don't know whose plot this is, but he is quite thorough."
"Silence. I do not want anything from a person who betrayed her master. Regret your actions and take your punishment."
"Hah―――I killed my Master? I killed Souichirou-sama?
Fuh―――haha, ahahahahaha! That is funny! Perhaps I should have done so, if it was going to turn out like this...!"
She starts laughing maniacally.
The black-robed magus puts her dagger away and points at Saber.
"―――You're an eyesore, Saber. Disappear along with your Master."
"――――――――"
Saber does not even need to answer.
She raises her sword without hesitation.
...Caster disappears.
The battle between the two could not be called a battle.
Caster's magecraft was supreme, but it did no good against Saber, who has high magecraft resistance.
Saber nullified every magecraft Caster used and killed her in one blow.
"I have defeated Caster. Please give me your order, Master."
"Eh―――? O-Oh. ...Well, we can't do anything here. Let's contact the hospital... no, Kotomine first. We should be able to save the people here that way."
...But we can't save the corpse in front of us.
Caster has disappeared, leaving only her Master's corpse at our feet.
...His death will likely be kept a secret.
Nobody will know what happened to him, and he will disappear from everyone's memory.
"Shirou."
"...I know. There are still four more Masters. We have no time to waste."
"That is a wise decision. I understand your feelings, but this is not the time for sentiment."
Saber turns and starts to walk.
"――――――――"
Engraving the sight of the corpse into my mind, I follow.
"――――Huh?"
Wait...
What was that...?
"Shirou? Why did you stop?"
"Eh... um. I felt someone's gaze on me, like we're being watched. Didn't you feel it?"
"No, I did not feel anything. We have already determined that there is nobody here. Is it not your imagination?"
"Uh... maybe. If you put it that way, I guess that's right. Yeah, it must be just me."
"Then let us hurry. The people should wake up now that Caster is dead. It would be troublesome if somebody saw us here."
...She's right.
Tonight will leave a bad taste in my mouth, but it should put an end to the mysterious coma incidents.
That should be good enough for tonight.
"All right. Let's get out of here and contact Kotomine, then go home and rest."
Saber nods in satisfaction and leaves the temple.
"――――――――"
I follow after Saber, even though it's really hard for me to leave this place.
...The man who used to be a Master lies silently in this holy place.
Scene 20 Intermission Disaster
The lead actor has left.
The only ones remaining on the stage are silent corpses.
And...
...Something is devouring the corpses.
No bodies remain.
The wooden floor turns into a bottomless swamp, swallowing up the man's flesh and spilled blood.
It consumes not only the man, but the one who obeyed him.
The soul that was Servant Caster is swallowed into the darkness.
It is not a legitimate flow.
The defeated Servants are to be consumed by the Holy Grail.
If anyone interferes with this balance, it will only bring his own death and destruction.
"――――――――"
It cries silently.
It writhes in pain, sobs, exposes itself, and finally consumes the first one.
――――IT IS NOT ENOUGH
It walks on.
Lacking a voice, it expresses its pain with the whole of its body.
――――IT IS NOT ENOUGH
There are no words, nor emotion.
It never had those functions in the first place.
――――IT IS NOT ENOUGH
But it still grieves.
As if...
...It has become aware of its existence for the first time.
Scene 21 Shapeless island [H]
It's already after two in the morning.
Despite my daily training, running to the Ryuudou Temple and back is still tiring.
"...Oh. Can you go ahead to your room, Saber?"
"...? Where are you going, Shirou? Are we not finished for the night?"
"Yeah. I'll be back in a minute, so don't worry. I'm tired too, so I want to rest soon."
"―――I see. You must be worried about Sakura."
"Uh, I have to go take her some water. You go sleep in the room next to mine, Saber. Close the door, okay?"
"Oh, yes. It will do little good if we are not in the same room, but there is nothing to be done if you insist on being stubborn. I shall stand by in the room next to yours."
Saber looks discontented.
...Humph.
You're stubborn as well.
"Oh... Man."
I return to my room, filled with self-hatred.
"It's 3 AM... What was I doing for an hour in there?"
I let out a heavy sigh.
There's only one simple explanation.
Sakura looked like she wasn't sleeping well, so I took time adjusting her blanket and bringing her fresh water.
Such simple tasks were really painful and difficult for me.
It's all because...
...Sakura looked so alluring in her sleep.
"――――I wish I had a blindfold or something."
That would've solved everything.
...Well, I had my eyes closed anyway, but a blindfold would've prevented me from giving in to temptation and opening them!
"Man, why am I so easily excited―――!?"
Man, I have a hyper imagination.
It's all Sakura's fault for growing so big.
How can she mature like that in just a year...!?
"―――That's it, I'm going to sleep. I'm gonna sleep, I'm gonna sleep, I'm gonna sleep!"
I pull the blanket over my face and shake off my indecent thoughts.
"――――――――"
I'll close my eyes and clear my mind.
...See.
My body's tired, so I should be able to go to sleep right away――――
Hmm...!! Aha, ahh, ahh, ha...!
It's red.
I'm in the depths of pitch black sleep, but there's someone in this red classroom.
Fua, haa, ah――――it feels good, Emiya-kun――――it's in so deep...! ...Ah, I can feel it all the way up into my head――――
I hear a familiar voice.
I hear dripping sounds along with smacking sounds.
...! Ah, don't mix me up―――nha, hah, nhaaaaa...!
I hear a perverted voice.
I feel skin beneath my fingers.
The haze in my mind clears a bit.
...I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy, but if I hear that voice, I have no choice but to get up.
I open my eyes.
When did the sun set?
I'm joining in her secrecy in this desolate classroom.
"―――Good. You're here, Emiya-kun."
Her sticky voice is filled with anticipation for an outrage.
Her cheeks are flushed, and she smiles lasciviously as if she cannot contain her lust.
"What's wrong...? Nobody will trouble us here.
You can do whatever you want with me, just like always."
The woman comes near me.
Unable to wait, I pull her closer.
"Mm, fuh......!"
We kiss.
We devour each other's mouths. We fight for each other's tongues, saliva, and even the air in our lungs.
"Mm, haa, hm......!!"
I feel dizzy.
I'm still groggy from waking up.
Wanting to feel something, I let my hands roam over the woman's slender waist, her firm breasts, and her sculpted collarbone.
Not knowing who I am, I keep violating the person in front of me.
"Ah―――hmm... You're rough. You're acting different today, Emiya-kun."
Does she want to catch her breath, or does she want it now?
She pushes away, and...
――――Look.
I'm already like this.
...She takes off her skirt.
―――The classroom is instantly filled with the smell of woman.
The light shines wetly off of her exposed flesh.
The scent of woman fills the air.
The sight of her bare legs makes it even harder to focus.
I'm like an insect attracted to honey.
I expose my erect self and advance to devour the flesh in front of me.
"...Geez. This is no different from usual."
She gives a mischievous smile.
She pokes my nose with her finger and...
"Here―――fuck me from behind."
She twists her hips suggestively.
"...Hm, ku――――!"
I penetrate her without hesitation.
There's no need for foreplay. She's so wet that her juice will start dripping if I wait any longer.
"Ahh...! ―――Emiya-kun's penetrating me――――"
I push myself in.
My dick feels like it's boiling, but she feels hotter still.
―――I feel nauseous.
It's like she's squeezing the cum out of me.
The pleasure courses through me like electricity, blowing away my drowsiness and blanking my mind.
"Ha――――ahh, ah... What's wrong...? Won't you come deeper inside of me...?"
Her sweet voice pulls me back to this world.
I expand inside her in response to her warmth.
"Hmm...! Aha, yes, like that, more...!"
It's as if there's no limit.
My penis expands her walls and the sexual desire fills up to my fingertips.
"Auu...! Hmm, hm...! It's coming in...!"
I move my hips.
Even when I try to pull out, her walls contract to draw me back in.
"Ahh, ha―――! Ahh, it's so big―――ahh, haa―――I'm going crazy――――I... feel like I'm penetrated, all, throughout my body――――"
She clamps down even more.
I break myself loose and keep moving.
I move slowly at first, then faster and faster.
"...!? Ah, nha, ahh...! Ahh, no, ahn, oh, fuh, haa...!"
I show her no consideration.
My grotesque meat stabs into her, striking against her womb.
"Haa, ah――――! You're tearing me――――!"
Her body stiffens.
Her breathing matches the rhythm of her hips and her hair tosses in the air.
"Ahh, it, ahh... it feels good, Emiya-kun―――more, push it in harder――――!"
The dizziness intensifies.
This feels too real to be a dream, but this could never happen in real life, and those facts confuse me.
Her lewdness is a great nightmare.
Her anus is defenseless.
It contracts every time I move, looking like a second reproductive opening.
――Tohsaka's anus.
The dirtiest part of her is right in front of me.
"Hm, ah...! Ahh, hah, ah...! Ahh, it feels good, Emiya-kun, ah, it's rubbing me...!"
Our intercourse does not stop.
The sensation of squishing a ripe fruit.
The drilled hole―――no, the point of our connection is wet and the juice dirties her thighs.
It's not just her that's dirtied.
Her vulgar juice overflows from her crevice and sticks to me.
"Haa, nha, ah―――! ...Ahh, ahh... ahaha... aha, I'm like a dog―――this feels good――――"
The woman raises her hips higher.
The movement gets heavier.
Her ass is larger than one would imagine just by looking at her.
I dig my fingers into it and hold her in place.
"...Haa, hah, haa, ah...!"
I hear the sweet sound of her juices.
The woman's voice is close to a scream.
She puts her chin up with every stroke, begging for more.
"Aha... ahh... it's so loud―――
Ahh, it feels good―――give me more, Emiya-kun...!"
Her firm butt shakes.
She frantically keeps control of her body that's about to crumple from the pleasure.
―――The dizziness turns into pain.
The sperm in my testicles is about to burst out.
"Nha...! It's getting bigger――――fuh, ah, ah, hmm...!"
It must be the same for her.
She struggles, as if to get away from my thrusting.
Her arching back, the different angles, the squeezing walls...
She convulses in response to my wild thrusts.
"Hi, hia, ah, hm――――! Ah, it hurts...!"
Her walls entangle around my penis. Her skin is covered in sweat.
The wet flesh wraps around the head of my shaft.
It's like a diving suit that's too small.
I force myself into the tight hole.
"...!! Ah, haa, nhaa...! No, ah...! I, I...!"
I reach it.
I can't put a lid on my overflowing desire.
"Hm―――let it out―――! I want your cum, Emiya-kun...!"
She's right. There's no need to hold back.
I thrust myself into the deepest part of her and release my cum.
"Nha... hm, it's hot... it's... still coming out and hitting me."
It doesn't all splash out.
I slowly ejaculate over a long period of time.
The sheer, impossible volume makes me realize.
This is a dream.
I'm so tired, as if I ejaculated all my blood.
The ejaculation spanning a few minutes is a great pleasure as well as torture.
"――――Wow――――you let out a lot... and it's splashing inside of me."
...I'm starting to pass out.
Everything, from my unending climax to Tohsaka's trembling back, feels like an impossible dream――――
So, why is it not ending?
All that's left is to sleep, but it doesn't end.
No―――if this is a dream, then there's no guarantee that I'd return to reality even if I did fall asleep.
"Hm... Let's keep going, Emiya-kun――――you want to feel better, right?"
Her voice echoes in my brain.
My body does not move.
I've ejaculated half my organs, after all. What human could move after such a feat?
"......I see. Then it's my turn."
I hear her snicker.
...When did I fall onto the desk?
I'm on my back, and the woman crawls over my body like a lizard.
"Hm... hold still――――I'm going to eat you."
She blows her sweet breath on my neck.
"――――――――!"
My body jumps.
Despite my numbed brain, my sexual desire still rushes forth.
"Hm... it's already in... Hm, fuh... it's a bit hard―――but yours feels good, Emiya-kun..."
We become one with a sound.
"Ah, haa... Does it feel good...? It's already erect, Emiya-kun, ah, haan...!"
Tohsaka's flesh is completely wrapped around me.
My empty body is filled anew with pleasure.
She's demanding too much. Even if she demands it, I have nothing I can give back to her.
"Ahh... ahh, nha, haa, ah――――!"
But she doesn't care.
She grinds her hips against me.
She wraps around me and tries to take me in, just like a pure girl's confession of love.
"Haa, like this―――? I'm letting it loose――――but does it feel good...?"
Tohsaka lowers herself onto me in an almost gentle caress.
But her slow movement has the opposite effect.
I'm going mad with the torture.
"Hm... is it painful, Emiya-kun...?
Hmm... I'm sorry... I'll make you feel good right away――――"
Tohsaka contracts her muscles and moves.
She doesn't notice my limit and keeps caressing me with her clumsy knowledge.
"Ah, hm...! Hah, so you did want more. See, it's fully erect now."
I... can't believe it.
I ejaculated so much, and there's still more?
"Ah, mm...! Haa, aha... Don't move. I'll move――――nfu, hmm, ahhh...!"
...She slowly starts to move faster.
I don't know if it's because I'm not moving, or if she's just too caught up in the pleasure.
"Ah... ha, ah... it's so good... and this is rather pleasant. Having you under me to do with as I please."
She's panting like a girl indulging in masturbation.
"Hmm, faa, mm...! Ah, it feels so good...!"
She looks too horny to be called lovely.
But Tohsaka is pure, a virgin who knows no men.
"Aha, ah...! ...Emiya-kun―――!
...Fuaa, no―――I can't stop my fingers―――your dick is enough to fill me up, but...!"
I get an urge to violate the girl in front of me.
My erect penis pushes into her.
"...! Ah, haa...! It's coming in so deep...!"
―――I break through her hymen.
The sequence of events is backwards, but I don't care.
Pain turns into pleasure, and Tohsaka demands even more.
"Haa, aha, hau...! I need more, keep moving! Mix me up...!"
Tohsaka moves her fingers while drowning in pleasure.
She seeks greater pleasure by fondling herself.
"Fua...! Ah, mm...!"
"―――――――――――――"
She doesn't stop.
The slit holding me in is wet with both our fluids.
"Ahh, fuaa, ahh, no―――hmm, ou... Ah...!!"
She rubs her own juice onto her clit and puts even more weight on me.
The pleasure doubles.
My dick expands to avoid being crushed.
"――――――――"
I want to ejaculate.
It feels so good.
Her ass is soft and her thighs are smooth, urging me to orgasm.
"Haa, mm, no, ahh...! No, it's hot inside...!"
She squeezes down on me like a leech.
Many needles poke at my nerves.
Her walls stimulate, penetrate, and release my sexual desire.
"――――――――"
I bear it with all my might.
The tattered remnants of my reason tell me that it's dangerous to succumb to the pleasure.
"Hm―――no, you can't do that―――you have to――――"
―――Be devoured by me here.
"―――――, ―――――――"
I let it out.
My brain burns up from the great ejaculation.
"Aha―――hm, it tastes so good――――your sperm is so strong that it tickles――――"
Tohsaka accepts my cum.
...Is it because this is a dream?
It should be dripping out of her, but none of it is flowing out.
...But that's a trivial matter.
I can finally go to sleep now.
I am utterly dry, and it should be impossible for Tohsaka to go on.
She pushed herself in spite of this being her first time, so her pussy is covered in blood.
Tohsaka is at her limit, just like me.
So this is the end.
The dream should end here, but...
"Hmm... I want more――――"
Our sex starts again, like a tape that has been rewound.
―――It doesn't stop.
Our bodies start convulsing again, declaring it's not enough.
Ignoring the protests of my mind, they seek more pleasure.
"――――――――"
It's a long afternoon.
I melt into Tohsaka in this empty classroom.
"Yeah... this is great, Emiya-kun―――I'll serve you nicely―――"
Her lovely voice echoes inside my head.
As we desire each other, I will stay in this dream until the afternoon ends――――
Scene 22 Shapeless island [Realta Nua]
It’s already after two in the morning.
Despite my daily training, running to the Ryuudou Temple and back is still tiring.
“…Oh. Can you go ahead to your room, Saber?”
“…? Where are you going, Shirou? Are we not finished for the night?”
“Yeah. I’ll be back in a minute, so don’t worry. I’m tired too, so I want to rest soon.”
“---I see. You must be worried about Sakura.”
“Uh, I have to go take her some water. You go sleep in the room next to mine, Saber. Close the door, okay?”
“Oh, yes. It will do little good if we are not in the same room, but there is nothing to be done if you insist on being stubborn. I shall stand by in the room next to yours.”
Saber looks discontented.
…Humph.
You’re stubborn as well.
“Sigh.”
I return to my room, filled with self-hatred.
“It’s 3 AM… What was I doing for an hour in there?”
I let out a heavy sigh.
There’s only one simple explanation.
Sakura looked like she wasn’t sleeping well, so I took time adjusting her blanket and bringing her fresh water.
Such simple tasks were really painful and difficult for me.
“---I wish I had a blindfold or something.”
That would’ve solved everything.
…Well, I had my eyes closed anyway, but a blindfold would’ve prevented me from giving in to temptation and opening them!
“---I’m going to sleep.
Yeah, at times like these, nothing does the trick quite like sleep”
I cover my head in the futon and drive all worldly thoughts out of my head.
“------”
I close my eyes and clear my head.
…See?
I’m physically exhausted anyway, so it should be easy for me to fall asleep
Red.
The town at evening is completely red, as though painted with a certain something.
Like a bench with a paper sign attached.
Everywhere I take a step and everything that touches my hand makes a sticky sound.
I walk down the asphalt road.
When I lift my head, I see that the buildings are dyed a uniform scarlet.
The walls look like giant nails coming out of the sky and piercing the earth.
…The red sun seems to be peering down on me from the sky, as if to tell me there is no escape.
I’m walking alone.
Shinto is utterly silent.
Either everyone is holding their breath and hiding, or there was no one here to begin with.
…But it hurts.
This redness, intense enough that it’s an assault on the eyes, is making me dizzy.
The town is too empty.
Maybe there was some kind of evacuation notice and I was the only one who didn’t get it.
That thought lets me accept the redness.
I should go home.
-- is, waiting.
Isn’t that,
Tohsaka.
Even from a distance,
I can tell.
Heeey, Tohsaka.
She ignores me.
She walks on, fluttering her hair, which is long enough to touch the ground.
She’s wearing her uniform, so she must be going to school.
I run after her.
Tohsaka doesn’t notice.
The distance between us doesn’t close at all.
She’s walking and I’m running, but she’s gradually getting farther away.
By the way.
Tohsaka must be walking with an extremely long stride… no, she isn’t.
I’m running fast enough to make me short of breath, but Tohsaka is still faster.
Her long hair disappears into the school.
Like a fluttering butterfly.
By the way.
There’s nobody in the school either.
Empty, empty.
It’s as if the red scenery has been skillfully crafted from sugar.
If the red sunlight became strong enough, it would all fuse into a formless mass.
By the way.
I hear a woman’s laughter.
It has a charming quality, like two young girls frolicking together.
An image rises in my mind of two beautiful sisters, alike as twins.
I open the door and enter the classroom.
---By the way.
I wonder why I chased her here for no reason.
I feel no surprise, nor any unpleasant feeling.
The two of them are embracing like lovers, making me doubt the issue of gender.
In this red scenery, I think they even seem more correct this way.
“Uh…… ah……”
But there is one thing that worries me.
The fact that Mitsuzuri’s arms are as limp as those of a corpse.
I was wrong.
She isn’t embracing her.
She’s feeding on her.
A praying mantis is devouring a white butterfly.
I’m drawn in, unsteady on my feet.
Mitsuzuri looks like a wax figure. Her life is being stolen away by the second.
Tohsaka is smiling with a lazy look in her eyes.
She brings her face close to Mitsuzuri’s neck.
Mitsuzuri does not resist, her pale throat exposed to Tohsaka.
Tohsaka’s lips, no, her teeth---
The wax figure’s chest twitches.
Though I run to save her, it’s as slow as moving through water.
I can’t make it in time.
I can only watch as Tohsaka gulps down and Mitsuzuri crumples to the floor.
“Phew… mm---”
She licks her fingers.
The sight of her tongue coiling about her fingers is bewitching.
It’s far too alluring.
The heavy atmosphere around Tohsaka envelops and submerges me.
“Hahaha… mmm…”
Tohsaka is still licking her fingers.
The wet sound flows into my ears.
“I’m so glad. You’ve come, Emiya-kun.”
Her voice is thick and filled with desire.
…I feel so dizzy it’s as if I’m inside a kaleidoscope.
My thoughts are as paralyzed as my limbs.
…Ahh, by the way.
My body had lost its freedom long before.
“What’s wrong…? Are you afraid of me, Emiya-kun?”
I can neither affirm nor deny it.
The woman with the bewitching smile is too attractive to resist, and frightening as if she is about to capture and kill me.
A fly being played with by an orb-weaver.
There is no chance of escape or of opposition.
“Ayako was delicious.”
With that, she confirms that the secret really was a feeding.
But still. Why Mitsuzuri?
“Because---I just couldn’t endure waiting for you.”
Her smile is filled with joy.
Tohsaka reaches out.
For some reason, I imagine her slender arms coiling many times around my body.
Tohsaka’s sweet scent envelops me, extending her control even to my lungs.
“Haha… now it’s your turn---”
Tohsaka’s limbs are wrapped around me.
Her soft, womanly body drowns out the flickering warnings in my mind.
I feel as though I’ll crumble in her embrace.
Her face is close enough to kiss. Her moist eyes are filled with an unsteady desire.
Her breathing is deep enough to suffocate me.
“Mm---now I’ll eat you, Emiya-kun.”
Tohsaka’s lips touch me.
At the nape of my neck.
…They’re warm, and wet.
The soft sensation creeping along my neck makes my consciousness dissolve like candy.
“Mm---”
Sharp fangs pierce my skin.
Tohsaka is biting into me.
Just like with Mitsuzuri, her fangs at my neck,
It doesn’t hurt.
They say when a spider consumes its prey, it begins by anesthetizing it.
This anesthesia sends me into an even deeper trance. The sensation of her lips on my skin feels so good, it’s as if I might melt away.
…The nape of my neck is softly dissolving.
With every mouthful Tohsaka drinks, my body turns steadily into sugar.
She sucks out everything that is inside me, and to replace it she pours in a nectar that melts my body.
It seeps softly into my bones, my muscles, my skin.
My throat has already dissolved, leaving me unable to even moan.
Everything below my neck is steadily dissolving, and the impossible feeling is deceiving my senses.
Tohsaka sticks fast to my neck, drinking as her shoulders tremble.
As if she’s truly happy to be sucking my blood---
My dizziness causes my vision to blur and duplicate.
I suddenly realize my breathing has stopped, and my blood has been drained away so it doesn’t circulate my body.
In its stead, the sweet, strong liquid from Tohsaka soaks my whole body.
“Ah…mm. Delicious…”
While still being eaten, I hear a voice that I should not hear.
My brain goes numb, melted by the voice.
“Haa…mm… it’s so hot… Emiya-kun…”
Tohsaka whispers as she drains me of blood.
It’s as though there’s a pump inside me.
The pleasant feeling melts me instead, and my bones are gone.
“Fresh bloodIt’s so full of life, and energy---”
This is the limit.
What’s gone is gone.
My veins are dry, and it should be impossible to wring out another drop.
“More… It’s still… not enough---”
She keeps drinking.
There shouldn’t be anything left to suck out, but Tohsaka continues to gulp down.
It’s as if she’s converting my very life into blood.
I see. In that case, this won’t end so easily.
Drinking endlessly.
In the red classroom, she persistently sucks from me.
My figure is melting away completely, being sucked into nothingness by her.
“Mm… wonderful, Emiya-kun---I’ll take all of you---”
A woman’s voice reverberates in my mind.
As the voice whispers, I’m drying up and withering away, in red.