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Fate/Grand Order

GeneralAnime
Servant profiles: 001-040041-080081-120121-160161-200201-240241-280281-320321-360361-400
Craft Essences: 001-200201-400401-600601-800801-10001001-12001201-14001401-16001601-1800
Command Codes: 001-200
Material books: IIIIIIIVVIIVIII
Game scripts: OrleansLondonBabyloniaSolomon

Entries from Fate/stay night

Servant Status[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Servant Status: [T]

Weapon Menu[]

Azoth Sword[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Azoth Sword [T]

Azoth Sword
Rin
An item of ceremonial magical equipment that Rin treasures.
This object is not a weapon as it amplifies the magical energy of the owner, and it is instead used as a staff to support and amplify magic usage.
It is a popular item in the Magic Association, and a common commemorative gift given by masters and parents when entering adulthood.
The original is said to be a dagger favored by the man who established the foundations of present day alchemy.

Black Key[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Black Key [T]

Black Key
Kotomine Kirei
One of the charms to repel devils used by the Holy Church.
It is a symbolic tool for the Agents, but not many favor using it as it is difficult to handle and has weak physical attack power.
Its effectiveness as a sword is low, and due to its length, it is used exclusively as a throwing weapon.
Most of the things they classify as "evil" are phenomena and ghosts, so the Black Key used to fight them emphasizes the ability to intervene spiritually, rather than physical attack power. The blades of the Black Key used by experts or chosen Agents are made from magical energy, and only the hilt is actually carried around. There are Agents that hide hundreds of Black Keys under their robes.

Dainsleif[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Dainsleif [T]

Dainsleif
User: Gilgamesh
One of the many, many Noble Phantasms owned by Gilgamesh. It appears in two different stories in Norse mythology. Whichever one you go by, it is a frightening cursed demonic sword.
In the “Völsunga Saga”, it was taken from Fafnir’s treasures by the clan that killed Sigurd. Its curse causes all who possess it to surely die.
In the “Skáldskaparmál”, it is possessed by the Danish king Hogni. It is cursed to always kill a man once it is drawn, and cannot be returned to its sheathe until it does. It is due to this curse that Hogni is locked in eternal combat with the king of Serkland, Hedinn.

ダインスレフ
使用者:ギルガメッシュ
ギルガメッシュが所蔵する幾多の宝具のひとつであるダインスレフは、北欧神話においてふたつ の物語で伝え られている。どちらの物語でも共通なのは、この武器が恐ろしい呪いの魔剣であることだ。
"ヴォルスンガ·サガ"では、英雄シグルドを殺した一族が、ファフニールの黄金から手に入れた魔剣とされ ている。この剣には破滅をもたらす強力な呪いがかかっており、持つ者はすべて死に至ることにな る。
女神フレイヤを巡る物語では、この剣をデンマーク王ホグニが所有している。"一度抜かれると 人の命を奪う まで鞘には収まらない"という呪われし魔剣であり、この剣の呪いによりホグニはサラセン王ヘジ ンと永遠の戦 いを繰り広げることになる。

Durandal[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Durandal [T]

Durandal
????
A holy sword favored by Roland, the paladin of Middle Age Europe.
The king Charlemagne was granted the sword by an angel, and awarded it to Roland, the honored leader of the twelve knights.
It holds three miracles and does not lose its sharpness even when its possessor's magical energy is depleted.
Like Caliburn, it is a symbol of power splendidly made.

Gem Sword Zelretch[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Gem Sword Zelretch [T]

Gem Sword Zelretch
Rin
A limited magic item that possesses the abilities of the sorcery.
While it cannot open doors to parallel worlds, it allows a degree of intervention through looking between them, and it even allows for sharing of magical energy present in the air.
The gem part of the name comes from the kaleidoscopic appearance of its polyhedral structure.
There's no need to explain why Kaleidoscope is Zelretch's nickname.

Gram[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Gram [T]

Gram
????
Demonic Sword, Sword of the Sun, Gram.
A demonic sword of ruin and glory that Sigurd, the greatest hero of Northern Europe, possessed in the Volsunga Saga.
It is the model of Caliburn in the legend of King Arthur. As Caliburn was a chosen sword in a stone, Gram was also a chosen sword in the mighty tree of the Volsunga king.
The legend of Gram and its possessor Sigurd is a story filled with glory and ruin, as one would expect from a great hero.
"Der Ring des Nibelungen", composed later in Middle Ages Germany, is the story of a knight equal to the legend of King Artnur, and the sword Gram changes its name and appears in it as Balmung.
As the "strongest demonic sword" equaling the "strongest holy sword", it even possesses the special characteristic of "dragon slayer".

Harpe[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Harpe [T]

Harpe
????
A monster-killing holy sword used by Perseus, the famous hero in Greek mythology.
Herpe itself is not an outstanding sword, but as its greatest characteristic it possesses the ability of "refraction of prolonged life".
This is a divine skill that nullifies the special abilities of immortals, and it is said that wounds made by Harpe cannot be healed. (Treatment in accordance with the laws of nature is still possible.)
It was used to kill the youngest of the three immortal sisters, Medusa.

Houtengeki[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Houtengeki [T]

Houtengeki
????
This is a one of a kind halberd, a weapon passed down in Chinese culture.
A halberd is a polearm used to thrust and strike, and has many usages. Although it was a weapon that could be used by anyone, it died out as time passed, until it was revived in the Sung period as the Houtengeki.
It has many uses, such as thrusting, swiping, pulling and parrying, but on the other hand, it is said that a great deal of skill is needed to handle this weapon.
The crescent moon-shaped blade is called the crescent blade, and we call weapons with only one of these blades Seiryugeki.
Out of many halberds, only this halberd was promoted to the rank of "Noble Phantasm", probably because it was used by a famous military commander.

Vajra[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Weapon Menu: Vajra [T]

Vajra
????
One of the divine symbols of Indra, God of lightning, from ancient Egyptian mythology.
Indra was originally a phenomenon introduced by the Aryans, and Vajra was officially called Vijya.
But when he was renamed to Taishakuten as the age turned to Buddhism, his divine symbol also changed its name.
It is a single-shot Noble Phantasm, and its damage is about B+.
It is a simple weapon that does fixed damage regardless of the possessor's magical energy. Also, Vajra is a weapon that Buddhist Gods possess.

Game Script[]

Prologue[]

Prologue - Day 1[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Prologue: Day 1 [T]

It was a thrust like lightning.
A spearhead thrust to pierce my heart.
Trying to dodge it would be useless.
Being lightning, it's invisible to the human eye.
But...
The lightning that tries to pierce me...
...Is repelled by the moonlight that tries to save me.

Clang, a beautiful sound.
No, the sound before me is heavier than steel.
The armor she is wearing is not beautiful at all and as unrefined as the cold night.
The sound wasn't beautiful at all.
It was actually the sound of steel.
It's just that the knight is beautiful enough to turn it into a charming sound like a bell.

"―――I ask of you. Are you my Master?"
She asks in a voice that lights up the darkness.

"I have come forth in response to your summons.
 From this time forward, my sword shall be with you and your fate shall be with me. Now, our contract is complete."

Yes, the contract has been completed.
When she chose me as her Master...
I'm sure I swore to help her too.

The moonlight still lights up the darkness.
As if following the knight's example, the shed again falls silent.

Time has stopped.
The scene lasts less than a second.
But...
I'm sure I'll remember this scene vividly even when I've gone to hell.

The face slightly turned.
The quiet green eyes.
The instant becomes an eternity.
The blue outfit symbolizing her sways in the wind.

 ――――A faint blue light filters in.
 The golden hair shines in the moonlight.

 This is a story from ten years ago.

...I'm watching someone I know very well.
A tall man with a deep-featured face, who to my knowledge has never told a joke, is patting my head.
No, that's not quite right.
I guess he doesn't know how much strength to use. So to be more accurate, he's grabbing my head and mashing it around.

I guess that's only to be expected.
After all, that's the first time he's ever patted my head.

"I'll have to get going now. You know what to do now, right?"
I answer the deep voice with a polite "yes".
The man patting my head nods once, lets go, and stands up.
...So, that was it.
If I'd known then that it was our final moment together, I would have made him laugh with my best jokes.
I had practiced telling jokes a lot, in hope that I could bring a smile to his grave face.
I guess you could say I was sad that I couldn't tell him any of them.
"Put the Association in your debt by the time you mature. I'll let you decide what to do after that. You should be able to take care of yourself."
Even though he said such things, I guess he was still worried.
He told me about the heirloom jewels, the jewels inherited from the master, and how to manage the basement.
As he was telling me all the things I didn't yet know, I realized even as a child.
―――That most likely...
He wouldn't be coming back.
...A war had started.
Not a war between countries, but a war between people.
But the only ones at war were seven people.
In a situation like this, the word "war" should be unsuitable, but here it's a different story as the ones in conflict are magi.
The seven magi, each from a different faction, had started to compete for unknown reasons and killed each other in unknown ways.

The man standing before me was one of them.
He too was in a position to kill or be killed.
He must have known more keenly than I did that his time was near.

"Rin, the Holy Grail will appear eventually. It is our duty as the Tohsaka family to win it. More importantly, if you want to be a magus, you can't avoid it."

Once more,
he patted my head, and left.
That was the end.
That was the last time I saw the man, who entered the Holy Grail war as a master and died. The man who was my teacher as well as my father.

 "Take care, Father."

I see him off politely.
I knew I was on the verge of crying, but I shed no tears.

I loved him.
He was a great father and a great magus.
Among magi, there are only obstinate people.
In the whole world, I don't think anyone had a better character than his.
He taught me as a teacher and loved me as a father.

That's why I decided...
To choose my path according to what he left me in the end.

'――――Rin, the Holy Grail will appear eventually.
 It is our duty as the Tohsaka family to win it. More importantly, if you want to be a magus, you can't avoid it――――'
In the end, he left me those words as a magus and not as a father.
That is why at that moment, my path was determined.
"――――All right. I'll do my best to be a proper magus―――"
It's only natural for a student to follow the words of their teacher.
Since then, through many twists and turns... I, Tohsaka Rin, have matured.
It has been ten years since the winter day on which my father went to war.
I haven't exactly been waiting for this moment, but I am excited.
That's only natural.
The event I have never forgotten about is about to start――――
"...Hm."
Something is ringing.
 Brrring. Brrring.
"...Shut up. Stop it."
The sound doesn't stop.
It rings loudly as if I'm an enemy.

"...What? Come on, I was up late last night, so..."
It should let me sleep in a bit longer.
No, it has to let me sleep in.
I was deciphering my father's will until early this morning, and I've used up too much magical energy.
In other words, my mind and body are dead tired.

"Ah, geez――――you're really stubborn."
Brring. Brring. Brring. Brring.
The alarm clock doesn't speak my language.
So why does the ringing sound like it's telling me "You're going to be late"?

"...Late... Being late is bad..."
Though that depends on the situation.
I'm a good student, but maybe I can get to school at the last moment just for today.

"...That's right... I set the alarm thirty minutes early, so I should be able to sleep for thirty minutes more..."
――――Huh?
Isn't that strange?

"...Set it thirty minutes early...?"
I look at the alarm clock drowsily.
The clock is pointing exactly at seven.
I usually get up at six thirty, so the spare thirty minutes have already been used up.
...Oh, why can't I think when I wake up.

"...Hm."
I stare at the alarm clock for several seconds.
Shutting it off, I decide to get out of bed.

Passing through the cold hallway, I enter the cold living room.
It's seven o'clock on the last day of January.
Fuyuki City is usually pretty warm in the winter, but this morning it's as cold as any other city.
I can even see my breath indoors, and on top of that, there's no one else in the house to warm it up.

"Heater, heater..."
Turning on the heater, I head to the bathroom.
At times like this, living on your own is inconvenient.
If there were someone to wake up before me, the living room would be warm by now.

I wash my face at the sink.
I brush my long hair and get ready.
A cold morning, a cold sink.
The only advantage is that the cold water clears your sleepiness completely.

I tie my ribbon and I'm all ready.
All I have to do is eat breakfast and head out.
Looking at the clock, it's only a bit past seven, and I'm a bit disappointed.

"Man, I guess I don't have to run after all."
Then again, I would never do anything as clumsy as running to school anyway.
It is the custom of the Tohsaka family to act with composure and elegance at all times.

Taking a custom like that seriously must mean that my family originated from a very high-class background indeed.
Owning this old western-styled mansion is proof of that and on top of it, the Tohsaka family is a bloodline of sorcerers able to use the power of "Magic".
If you're talking about age, our family has an ancient history.

"...Well, it's not something I can brag about."
Actually, I can't speak openly about it at all.
―――Oh, by the way. I, Tohsaka Rin, am a magus―――
Who on earth can I brag to like that?

Magic is just what it sounds like... magic.
I don't care if you get ideas like abracadabra or whatever.
You can just think of us as people who do strange things by casting spells.

―――Oh, though it's not like we fly around on brooms or make stars appear with a wave of a wand.
...Well, we could do that, but we don't bother as it's kind of meaningless.
We're basically heretics who hide ourselves from the world.
We're prohibited from standing out and even if we weren't, we would rather be at home studying magic.

On top of that, the word sorcerer is completely inaccurate.
To be precise, there are only five sorcerers in the world.
Things no one can do, things beyond the ability of modern science... The ones who can make such "miracles" are the ones we call sorcerers.

Miracles that can never be achieved, regardless of time or effort... those we call sorcery.
Those things that are mysterious, but achievable with time and effort... those we call magic.
That's why what I do is called magic rather than sorcery.
It's complicated, but that's how it is, so just accept it.

Well, to be honest, the modern world doesn't recognize the existence of magi.
As we believe, control, and learn things that are immeasurable, our existence is incompatible with the modern world.
Because it's kind of meaningless.
Going to a normal school and becoming a normal adult will bring you far more happiness than studying magic.

Human technology is great.
In the past few hundred years, it has been leading the way ahead of magic.
Nothing is impossible for humans.
The miracles once only possible through magic are now "tools" and not miraculous at all.

―――Still, magic has its good points.
Just as there are things possible only through science,
there are also things possible only through magic.
It was the master of the Tohsaka family who said that if science is moving toward the future, magic is moving toward the past.
Something about the past and the future ending up at the same place, everything always running toward the zero point.
Let's put off all these difficult discussions. They should wait until we're old.

Finishing breakfast, I grab my bag.
"―――Oh yeah. I should bring the pendant."
I don't really want to take the thing to school, but it'd be a waste just to leave it here.

"This thing is a hundred years old after all. It's by far the greatest jewel in the house."
No, that's an understatement. It's much stronger than that.
I found this after decoding Father's will last night. It contains the equivalent of ten years of my magical energy.
There was said to be an heirloom, and this might well be it.

We, the magi of Tohsaka, are skilled at the transformation of power. We put our magical energy into jewels whenever we have free time.
To put it simply, the jewels are bullets and we are the gun.
The only other thing I can say I received from my father is the Magic Crest of the Tohsaka family engraved on my left arm.
In essence, this is the proof of the successor, and it's like a tattoo that condenses all the inherited magic of the Tohsaka family.

"...It hasn't started yet, but I guess it doesn't hurt to be careful."
I put the pendant, which can now be said to be my father's memento, into my pocket.

"This is the last resort. Pretty much anything is possible with the magical energy contained in this."
It's seven thirty.
I should get going or I'll be late for school.

"Schlie[szlig]ung. Verfahren Drei."
I weave my words with magical energy quickly.
Being a magus, I can't let my guard down when leaving my house.
Even though there's never been a single robber, wandering child, nor a stray cat.
...And I don't think my neighbor has ever come to say hello, either.

"...Well, I don't really care. But not even a stray cat? What's up with that?"
I look up at the mansion I've grown so accustomed to over the years.
Fuyuki is certainly a strange city with many Western-styled houses on this side of town and an area full of Japanese-styled houses just beyond the intersection.

I guess it's because many foreign families came to live here a long time ago, but even so, I don't see many foreigners around here now.
There's a foreigners' cemetery in the new city across the river, but it only has the graves of the first generation of families.

"Maybe the soil of Japan didn't suit them."
I'll go to the church and ask the priest sometime.
He knows about lots of boring things.

"―――Huh?"
Stepping outside, I feel a certain incongruity.

"What's up? It's quieter than usual..."
It's especially quiet with no sense of the morning's noisiness.
At seven thirty, the street should be filled with students going to school and people going to work.

"...Well, I guess there are days like this."
Perhaps everyone slept in today.
It's unusually cold, so I bet everyone's still wrapped up in their warm beds.

"Hm... But even so..."
It's strange that I haven't seen even one student so far.
At seven thirty, you can usually see people in uniform here and there.
But I'm the only person at the school gates, and it looks like the clubs are just starting their morning practice.
In other words, the only explanation is...

"Oh, Tohsaka? You're up early today."
"...As I suspected."
With a small sigh, I turn to the girl who addressed me.
"Morning. It really is cold today, huh?"
This girl, speaking so frankly, is Mitsuzuri Ayako.
She's my classmate in class 2-A, and there are a lot of stories about her.

"Good morning, Mitsuzuri-san. Please excuse the abrupt question, but do you know what time it is?"
"Huh? It's almost seven. Are you still asleep?"

She waves her hand in front of me, wondering if I'm alright.
She is one of the few friends who know I am not a morning person.
...In other words, she thinks I'm not fully awake yet.

"I guess the clocks at my house were an hour fast. All of them.
 Not just my alarm clock, but the wall clocks as well."
Really, just what's going on here?
Did Father arrange for all the clocks to go mad when the pendant was removed from the basement?

"Tohsaka?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing. Anyways, are you off to morning practice as usual?"
"Yeah. The archery club has lots of problem students and one good member quit. So I have to get them to look good to attract the new freshmen in April."

"I see. There's always something to worry about, isn't there?"
"You can say that since it's none of your concern. Oh, do you wanna come? The guys will love it if you come and watch."
"――――Archery club, huh?"

I have three acquaintances in the archery club.
One is Ayako, the person before me right now, and the other two are people I barely talk to.
And for one of those two, the word acquaintance doesn't really suffice.
I became friends with Ayako because I had been watching the archery club from afar.

"All right. I'll go if all I have to do is watch. I have nothing else to do this early anyways."
"Great, let's go right now then."

The impressive archery range is one of our school's outstanding aspects.
Perhaps the director is just interested in archery, but the range is much too fancy for a mere school club.

"Come on, there's still time before practice, so let's go in and have some tea."
Happy about something, Ayako drags me in by the hand.
It's a bad habit of hers. She talks like a guy when she's expressing her true feelings.

As Ayako said, there's no one in here.
While sipping hot tea, we prepare for today's class.
The tea tastes really good in this open winter environment.

"Well, I'll come straight to the point. How's it going, Tohsaka? Have you found a reliable partner yet?"
So.
As there's no one else around, Ayako comes straight out and asks me a ridiculous question.

"...Huh, that's a really direct way of asking.
 Judging from your tone of voice, you've already found yours?"
"No comment. I'm going to keep it a secret until you tell me. So what's going on? Looking at your tired face, I feel like I'm right."

"Another no comment... but, you'd probably see through my lies. Unfortunately, not yet on my part.
 How about you? I assume you don't have time to take it easy either."

"True, but things aren't looking good for me. I could get one right away, but it's not that kind of matter, you know? Our future depends on this, so I can't just compromise."
"I see. So you don't want to choose hastily and lose to me?"

"Of course not. The important part is making you lose. What I get comes second."
She laughs boldly.

"――――Geez. We really are alike."
"Yeah. When we first met, I warned you we'd have this kind of relationship."
Yes, she did indeed.
I was certainly surprised when at our first meeting, she said "We'll probably end up with a 'kill or be killed' relationship".

Or in other words, "Unless we go all out against each other, we'll never really be friends".
I agreed with her on that, and that's why we've had a friend-or-foe relationship for two years.

"By the way, why are we talking about this?"
"Why? You're the one who started it, Tohsaka.
 You said there's something wrong with a woman never having a boyfriend, so we decided to see which of us could get a boyfriend before the third year."
"...Oh yeah. Just tit for tat, I suppose. And did we say the loser would obey the winner for a day?"

"Right. Even kids don't make promises like that nowadays, but it's not like we're sore losers.
 Whatever the result, the loser will obediently follow the winner's orders. Just thinking about it gets me excited."

Ayako laughs.
Honestly.
She's so serious about this. Mitsuzuri Ayako is such a difficult person to deal with.

...Though, I can't wait to beat Ayako either, so neither of us are people you want to deal with.

"I see. But, Mitsuzuri-san? It's fine to enjoy yourself, but you should take care not to get your objectives wrong. You know that's not the only point of the contest, don't you?"

"I know. I can't call it a complete victory unless I beat you with a relationship you would really be jealous of.
 Well, that's the biggest problem for us. No matter how good a guy it is, there's no point if we can't bring ourselves to love him."

Ayako sighs heavily.
To my knowledge, Mitsuzuri Ayako is said to hate men.
Rumors are never to be trusted, however. As she suggested this match, rather than hating men, I think she just didn't have a chance.
―――But, that aside.

"Hold it. What do you mean, 'us'?
 I'll say it right now, but I'm not cold-hearted like you. I'd have no problem loving a guy."

"Oh, that's a lie. Or you're fooling yourself. There's no way you'd ever be concerned about a guy.
 You've never given one good response to any of the confessions made to you. If you had even the slightest interest, you'd think of going out with them. But you keep declining, so it must mean you're not interested in men."

"You're not thinking enough. Couldn't we say I'm declining because I already have someone I like?"
"Wow, that's a good answer. I like that, it's romantic."

Ayako nods seriously, not making fun of me.
Her sigh says, "wouldn't it be nice if that was the case."
...Geez.
I really can't keep anything from her.

"You're right, I think so too."
Well, it's exactly as she says.
I know myself how cold I am.

"I admit it. I know nothing when it comes to love and relationships."
"Exactly. You're the one who said we're alike.
 ...Oh, it's almost seven. Let's leave the secret talk there. You never know when someone might walk in on us, and we should act like proper students."
"Well, I never knew you had social manners like that. It was worth getting up early just to hear that."

"Heh, not so much as you. My social manners are nothing compared to yours. You hide yourself so much it almost seems like you're a different person."
Ayako gives an exaggerated sigh.
Both of the teas she made are now empty, and it's my turn to make it.

"So, why don't you join a club, Tohsaka? I won't listen to any lies about not having the athletic ability. I'm still bitter that I lost to you in all aspects in last year's physical testing."

"Oh? But you beat me in lung capacity. And also in weight."
"Ahahaha! All right, I'm three kilograms heavier than you!
 ...Hey, being heavier isn't something to be happy about, you fox!"
Ayako slams on the table.

"Be careful, you might spill the tea, Mitsuzuri-san. You're the captain, so you should treat this place with care."
"Shut up. I'm your rival first and captain of this place second.
 Naturally, if there are no members around, I'll go after you."

Ayako looks at me with narrowed eyes.
This girl has her own sense of beauty and she always says,[r]
"Beautiful people have to do some kind of martial arts."

She's a bold person experienced in most martial arts.
She joined the archery club with no experience and is now the captain as if it were only natural.
She's probably one of the top three people in the school you should never disobey, regardless of gender.

"Oh, isn't it a problem to claim you're not the captain if there are no members around?"
"Of course not. I'm the captain in name only, so all I can do is keep an eye on the problem members.
 There are people better than me, so it's not a very dignified captaincy."

"Really? But Fujimura-Sensei says that your skills are outstanding."
"Ugh... Well, if she says so, that gives me some confidence. Yeah, I guess it's no good to think about people who don't come here any more. Yeah, if Fujimura-Sensei said that, I guess I should take being captain more seriously."

"That's right. Speaking of which, it's almost time for the club members to arrive, right? I'll get going but you stay and be a good captain."
"What, you're not going to stay and watch?"
"I wouldn't understand. Watching from a distance is fine, but outsiders shouldn't be in the range, should they?"

Just as I rise, someone enters the range.

"Good morning, captain."
"Ah, morning, Matou. You're alone this morning?"
"...Yes. I'm sorry I couldn't be of help."
"Nah, it's okay. If he doesn't want to come, there's no point forcing him to."
Ayako addresses the club member who just entered.

"Well, I'll be going. See you later, Mitsuzuri-san."
"Yeah, see you later, Tohsaka."
"...Thank you for coming, Tohsaka-Senpai."
"Thanks. You take care too, Sakura."

I leave the range trying not to interrupt them.
"Ah, Tohsaka, good morning. I'm lucky to see you so early."
Bad luck. I've run into someone I don't want to see.

"Good morning, Matou-kun. You're early today."
"Of course. As the captain, I have to come early as an example to others."
This smiling guy is Matou Shinji, of class 2-C.
He's the vice-captain of the archery club and owner of the hearts of half the girls in this school.

Kind of an idol, good looking, good grades, sociable, and kind to girls.
I'm not too well-informed in such areas, so I've only heard all this from my classmates.

"Really? I'm sorry to interrupt your good mood, but you're missing a word, Matou-kun. It's an important word, so I don't think you should forget it."
"Hm? What do you mean missing a word?"
"You're missing the 'vice-' part, vice-captain. You should watch out. It makes no difference whether you're the captain or the vice-captain, but if you put a lot of weight on it, people might think you're concerned about it, right?"

"...
 You're right. I'll be careful from now on. Thank you, Tohsaka."
"I've done nothing to earn your thanks, but I guess it doesn't matter if you think otherwise."
Bidding him goodbye, I leave the range.

"Hold on. You came to watch, right? Then you should stay and watch. You're very welcome here."
"I'd rather not. I don't want to interrupt the morning practice."
"Don't worry about that. If anyone's bothering you, I'll just kick them out, so come in for a while."
"...I'm saying I don't want to be a bother.
 Besides, it's not like I'm interested in archery.
 I don't like watching people I don't know practicing."

"What? You didn't have any interest in archery?
 ...Oh, so that's why you were watching us after school."
......
I don't know what he thinks the reason was, but he's undoubtedly making a big misunderstanding.

"―――Oh, so you knew, Matou-kun?"
"Yeah, our eyes met many times, yours and mine. After I shot, you would always be looking at me, right?
 I wanted to call out to you, but it's the rules, you know? We can't raise our voice on the range."

As if happy about something, Shinji moves in closer to me.
His smile carries a sense of superiority.

"I guess I misunderstood. I thought you liked archery, but you actually have no interest in it, right? So why were you watching the range?"

"――――――――"
Oh, I see now.
Yes, the conversation could certainly have been taken that way.

"Can you move away, Matou-kun? I really don't like people coming so close to me."
"Uh? Tohsaka, what?"

"Honestly, it seems you still don't understand.
 ...It's not my style, but I'll put it in terms even you can understand.
 Matou-kun, I'm saying that I have even less interest in you than in archery. Frankly, I never even knew you were in the range, and I'm not about to start looking out for you now either."

"―――W-What...!"
As if I've angered him, he reaches out for me violently.
I easily avoid it and turn my back on him.

"Goodbye, Matou-kun. It's good to have some ego, but you shouldn't let it grow too large."
"Tohsaka, you...!"
He sounds like he wants to say more, but it doesn't seem like he's going to scream or come after me.

...Geez, he really is all show.
If he was just a little bit more mature, he wouldn't be so much trouble for the people around him.

From the back of the school where the archery range is based, I enter the school building.
It's past seven, but I can't see anyone in the hallway.

"Oh, Tohsaka-san."
"...Good morning, Fujimura-Sensei."
"Yes, good morning, Tohsaka-san. I'm so happy you greeted me properly."

The strange woman seems to be crying of happiness.
...It's hard to believe, but this person of surpassing friendliness and cheerfulness is a teacher at this school.

"Uh, Sensei... is there a way to greet you improperly?"
"Of course there is. First years always greet me properly, but the older ones never greet me by my last name. You shouldn't copy their rudeness, okay?"

"...I don't really understand, but I won't be rude to you, Sensei."
"Good girl. Oh, I wish everyone was as good as you, Tohsaka-san."

Fujimura-Sensei waves goodbye and leaves.
Fortunately, she isn't my homeroom teacher.
Fujimura-Sensei teaches English.
She has such a kind face, but she also has a black belt in kendo, and I hear she was respected as the "Tiger of Fuyuki" in her student days.

...Though, that's a bit strange.
Wouldn't a tiger normally be feared, not respected?
Apparently in a good mood, Fujimura-Sensei heads for the archery range.
For some reason, she's in charge of the archery club and not the kendo club.

It's almost seven-thirty.
I can see a few students doing club activities outside, but there's no sign of anyone in the school building.
But still...
"――――Gah, Tohsaka."
I bump into someone who greets me rudely.

"Oh, Student President. Are you patrolling the school building this early in the morning? Or perhaps taking care of the club rooms? Not that I care, but you're certainly diligent."
"Huh! What are you planning? What are you doing here? You're not in any clubs."
"I just felt like it. I don't get up early like your family does, Ryudou-kun."

"......"
The Student President makes an unhappy face.
For some reason, I seem to be his enemy.
I really don't know why.
...Perhaps it's just because I said "skip the temples, they're boring" in a meeting to plan for the field trip.

"...Let me ask you a question, Tohsaka. Have you been staying at school until late at night recently?"
"Nope. You should know I always go straight home, Ryudou-kun."
"Of course. This is my job, so naturally I know about everyone."

"I see. So you don't even have to ask, right? I don't know why you're asking, but isn't it bad to force student council jobs onto outsiders?
 You should collect information on your own. Don't rely on outsiders like me."
"Idiot, how are you an outsider!?
 Don't think I don't know how you worked your evil deeds on our Treasurer, you fox!"

"Oh, you misunderstand. I was merely working out how much each club should receive because Mitsuzuri-san asked me to.
 I think it's only right for students to take an interest in where their money is going."
"...H-How can damaging our Treasurer's psyche enough to keep him off school for a week be 'only right' for any student? As always, I'm amazed by your way of thinking."[l]

"The same to you. You should keep a watch on those under you.[l]
 It's not fair to favor the non-sporting clubs."
"I know that. That's why I had intended to deal with the matter myself――――"

"Issei, the repairs are done."
――――And then.
A guy appears who I didn't expect to find here.

"Ah, sorry Emiya. I'm the one who asked for help, but it seems like you're doing all the work. Forgive me."
"Don't worry about it. So, where next? There's not much time left."
"Yeah, the AV room is next. It seems it's been working badly for a while, but it finally died."
"It can't be fixed if it's dead. It would be quicker to just buy a new one."

"...True, but it'd help if you could take a look at it. It might be dead to my eyes, but only faking it to yours."
"I see. Well, let's take a look."

The Student President leaves with the male student.
"――――――――"
My thoughts have stopped at this sudden event.

The guy with wrenches and spanners in hand turns back as if remembering something.
"You're up early, Tohsaka."
And with that, he leaves.

...Was that supposed to be a greeting?
The student whom the president called "Emiya" leaves quickly.
Emiya... that would be Emiya Shirou, from class 2-C.

"...That's fine, but..."
How can I put it?
I just think it's hard to tell whether a guy who looks at home holding a wrench is useful or scary.

It's seven thirty in the morning, and there's no one in class 2-A.
"Well, I guess I'll study ahead."
I sit at my desk and work on a few math problems.
There's thirty minutes until homeroom... I guess I'll just be bored until my classmates arrive.

Fourth period ends and the noisy lunch break begins.
Our school has a cafeteria, but half the students stay in the classroom.

Actually, most of the ones who stay are girls.
The cafeteria food is rather roughly made, so girls tend to dislike it and as a result...
"Ah, um, Tohsaka-san...! W-Would you like to have lunch with us...!?"
...Girls end up eating lunch together like this.

"Thank you, Saegusa-san, but I'm afraid I'm eating at the cafeteria today. I slept in this morning and didn't have time to make lunch."
"Oh, I see... I'm sorry to invite you without realizing that. I guess I'm being a bother."

Saegusa-san looks downcast as if apologizing.
She's one of the calmest in a class full of calm students, and a kind person who cares about me for some reason.

"I don't think so. It just happened that way today, so don't worry about it. Please ask me again tomorrow."
I smile at her from the bottom of my heart.

"Oh, yes. I guess even you sleep in from time to time."
My smile must have relaxed her as she returns it with her own.

"――――――――"
Her smile is cute.
Saegusa Yukika-san isn't the most beautiful person, but her smile warms the hearts of everyone around her.

"Yes, that's right. I try not to let it show, but I actually sleep in quite often. I'm not in any clubs because I can't get up in the mornings."
Saegusa-san's expression reveals her surprise.
Her presence really relaxes me, but I can't just have fun talking.
If I keep talking to people like this, I'm bound to reveal my true self.

"Well, I'm off to the cafeteria. Enjoy your lunch, Saegusa-san."
"Yes. You too, Tohsaka-san."
We exchange a warm goodbye and she returns to her group of girls.

It seems she's eating with Makidera-san and Himuro-san.
Oh yeah, Saegusa-san is the manager of the track team.
Makidera and Himuro-san are the track team's hopefuls.
Makidera is a friend I sometimes go window-shopping with, but I don't know Himuro-san that well.

"Oh, you were rejected, Yukicchi? Didn't I tell you Tohsaka wouldn't bring lunch? If you want to eat with her, you'll have to make her lunch too."
"...Maki, can't we just go to the cafeteria too, then?"

"No way. There isn't enough room in that place for people who bring their own lunches. And even if we did sit with Tohsaka, the men's glares would be annoying as hell.
 Like last vacation! We went to hang out together, but she's the only one who got any attention. Don't you just hate people who have to show off their beauty like that?"

Makidera speaks without thinking as the girls surround Saegusa-san's desk.
In contrast to her nasty mouth, she's a Japanese beauty who looks wonderful in a kimono.

"...Um, I think that Tohsaka-sama can hear you."
In contrast to Makidera's loudness, Himuro is the cool, steady type.

"Ack, crap, Tohsaka heard that? Ugh, she's really glaring at me...!"
"Uh, I-I don't think she's glaring at you, really..."

"She is. She's scariest when she's smiling. Come on, take it easy Tohsaka. It's us we're talking about, right? I bought you taiyaki, remember?"
She waves her chopsticks, puffing out her cheeks.
The knowledge that this girl's hobby is collecting wind chimes just shows that the world is far too complex.

...Anyways, it's not good for Saegusa-san to keep watching this.
She's panicking, seeing Makidera continually talking bad about me.

"Don't worry, Saegusa-san.[l]
 And Makidera-san? I'm the one who paid, and it was crepes, not taiyaki. You should fix that habit of yours of changing the facts you remember, or I might have to reconsider things next time, okay?"
"Ugh. That smile is really scary."
Makidera hides behind the lid of her lunch box.
Saying goodbye to the three of them, I leave the classroom.

I shut the door behind me.
...And then,
"Man, come on! There's no big difference between crepes and taiyaki, they're both just sweets wrapped up!"
Makidera's words are ones no girl should ever speak.

"...Taiyaki and crepes, the same...!?"
Is she really a girl? Are all sweets the same to her?
Perhaps she just has very convenient taste buds that can't tell a 500 yen crepe from an 80 yen taiyaki, but...
Why you... I could have saved 420 yen if I'd just bought you taiyaki to begin with...!

"...Why am I getting mad about this?"
I guess I'm still tired from last night.
The cafeteria would be too much effort, so I'll just get a drink and some bread and eat on the roof.

I buy lunch and head for the empty rooftop.
It's a convenient location as no student would come near it in the wintertime.
It's too cold to eat, but that's a small price to pay for being able to eat without worrying about other people.

"Well, lunch comes first."
I start on my tomato sandwich and hot lemon drink.
It's a simple lunch, but the taste is much improved in this peace and quiet.

"―――――Phew."
I finish my sandwich and my hot lemon drink.
...I'm a bit tired.
It's a difficult balance, being a good student while trying not to be too social.

It's my vanity... no, my conviction, that I must be number-one both academically and physically.
If I am to be a student, I want to be the best, and it's unthinkable for me to dishonor the Tohsaka name.
So that's why I'm a perfect student, flawless in all aspects.

But at the same time, I also have a dangerous job as a magus, so I shouldn't associate with normal people.
Normally, any magus whose identity is discovered has no choice but to eliminate the witness.
...I don't want to do that.
So inevitably, my social life has become a shallow one.

I only hang out with Makidera on weekends, and I try to refuse invitations from friendly people like Saegusa-san.
Even though I'm the best honor student in the school, I live trying not to become too important to anyone.
Though, sometimes when I'm tired like this, it makes me think that this life is rather boring.

"Oh, it's time already?"
I finish my hot lemon drink and stand up.
I should stop drowning in sentimentality and go back to being the usual Tohsaka Rin once I go down the stairs――――

"Homeroom is at an end. Those of you on day duty, finish the daily report and check the locks.
 Those of you without club activities are to go home quickly."

2-A's homeroom teacher exits after repeating his usual line.
As far as I know, this line hasn't changed all year.

"Tohsaka, you're going home already?"
"Yes. There was an event with Matou-kun this morning, so I'm heading home before it becomes a bother."
"Haha, I thought so. Matou was in a bad mood this morning, so I thought you must've given him a hard time."
"I see. Did I cause you any trouble, Mitsuzuri-san?"
"Not at all. It's normal for Matou to torment the younger students, and I think that kind of thing will be good mental training for him."

"I see, that's good. Well, I'll make up for it some other time."
"All right. Don't be put off and come by again!"

I head straight home.
It's not like I don't have any business with the archery club or the student council, but I haven't had enough free time for them these past few days.
Once I leave school, Tohsaka Rin is no longer a student.
The rest of the day is not for myself as a student.
Instead, I must become a magus of the Tohsaka family―――

Back at my house, I'm greeted by the blinking light on my answering machine.
"―――It's unusual for me to get any messages. It was... just as I thought, it's you, Kirei."
I already know what he's going to say, but he'll be scary later if I don't listen.
When I press the play button, I hear a familiar voice.

"It's me. I'm sure you know, but tomorrow is the deadline, Rin.
 It's a problem for me if you take it easy. There are only two remaining seats.
 I must ensure all the Masters are arranged quickly."
This priest shows no mercy as he gets right to the point.

"If you wish to abandon your right to become a Master, contact me today. It takes some time to dispatch a substitute magus."
Liar. Someone like you would be able to arrange a substitute in no time.

"You already show signs of the Command Spell. Quickly, summon your Servant and open the Command Spell.
 Unless, of course, you're not planning to be a part of this Holy Grail War. If you value your life, you should run to the church quickly."

The message ends there.
...His words are concise.
He's telling me that if I am to fight, I should get ready by today and if I'm not going to fight, I'm an eyesore and should just retire quickly.

"...Heh, you don't have to tell me that."
Well, it can't be helped.
Today is as late as the deadline can be extended.
Fortunately, I was able to decode Father's will last night.
My preparations are ready.
All that remains is―――yes, obtaining the qualification to enter this fight...

"The Holy Grail War... a fight to the death for the one and only Holy Grail. A ritual of the Holy Grail passed down for hundreds of years, huh?"
The magi who participate in the Holy Grail War are called Masters.
This is not so much a rank, rather it indicates "one who is in control".

The requirement to enter the Holy Grail War.
That is to summon a familiar called a Servant, and to form a contract with it.
No matter how great a magus a person is, one is not considered a Master until he has a Servant under him.

Servants are beings very different from normal familiars.
The methods of summoning and controlling them are different as well.
A magus planning to enter the Holy Grail War usually prepares a catalyst to summon a Servant, but....

"...Really, I wish Father could have left me something with a connection to Saber."
I don't have anything with any "connection".
I can summon a Servant.
If I wanted to, I could summon one right now and form a contract with it.
The town's sacred ground is under our jurisdiction.
As the daughter of the Tohsaka family which has protected this town through the generations, I will not lose to magi from elsewhere.

But that said... I guess you can't go out to sea without a compass. Or perhaps I should say things are completely unplanned?

"...Servants are attracted to symbols.
 If you want to summon a strong Servant, you need something that has a connection to that Servant."
In other words, a sword, armor, talisman, bone of that Servant, or something like that... something valuable beyond belief.

"...I was hoping there'd be something like that in Father's will, but... No, this is a great trump card too. But still...."
The pendant I found last night in the basement is one of the best Artifacts in its class.
It's great in its own way.
It's great, but it won't help me to summon my servant.

"...Huh! It's fine. I can do it without help from that sort of thing. After all, there can't exist any Masters capable of handling Saber other than myself."

―――All right, I've decided.
I don't want to make Kirei complain any more by postponing it any longer, and it's not like me to wait until the last second.
It'll come down to just trying it.
I'll face the summoning tonight with full power and obtain Saber by force...!

Late at night.
The clock is about to strike two.
This is the best timeframe for my magical energy.
The peak of my magical energy is at exactly two in the morning.
Since this will be my first and last chance, I can't afford any mistakes.

"―――Withdrawal within elimination, engrave four areas and surround with the summoning circle... right."

I engrave the circle onto the floor of the basement.
You don't need a large-scale summoning to summon the Servant.
Servants are called forth by the Holy Grail.
As the Master's priority is to keep the Servant in this world and to supply them with enough magical energy to substantiate, the Holy Grail takes care of the summoning.

"Bare and silver and iron. Stone for foundation and the Grand Duke of contracts. My great master Shveinorg for the ancestor.
 A wall for the descending winds. The four gates shall close and come out the crown. Let the three-forked road to the kingdom cycle."

Still, I continue with the greatest concentration.
I draw the magic circle, normally written in blood, with my melted jewels.
...I'm using half the jewels I've saved up, so I can't fail for financial reasons too.

"Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose.
 Five times for each repetition.
 Just destroy the enclosed time."[l]
...It's almost two in the morning.
Completing the magic circle passed down through the Tohsaka family, I face it with all my power.
"Anfang."
I flip the formless switch inside me.
I feel a sensation as if the contents of my body are being exchanged.
The usual nerves invert into circuits transmitting magical energy.
From this point, Tohsaka Rin is not human.
I shall become a part of the tool to attain mystic power.

...I am melting from my fingertips.
No, I am being filled from my fingertips.
The mana I am taking in is so concentrated that the original senses of my body are being repainted.
So, being filled is the same as being destroyed.

"[line12]"
The power that fills me is pure magical energy from the air.
It is absorbed by my body, which has become a circuit, and transformed into a different form of magical energy.
The body of a magus is nothing more than a circuit.
A circuit to connect the spiritual and the real.
We call the result of this, the many mystic occurrences it has made real, magic.

...My body is burning hot.
An illusion of myself growing horns.
An illusion of wings growing out of my back.
An illusion of scales forming on my hands.
A sensation of being in water.
...I start to sweat.
Stab, stab. Swords are driven into my body.

This is the pain caused by my human body rejecting itself as the Magic Circuit.
No matter how great a magus you are, a human is human.
This pain will result as long as people use magic in a human body.

But I do not loosen my circulation.
At the end of this pain, on the verge of elimination, lies the place of "connection".
"[line12]"
...A pain running through my left arm.
The Magic Crest starts up on its own to help me, and as a result, violates my nerves even more.

The harvested mana in my blood.
If that is burning iron, then the Magic Crest itself is like a nerve made of thorns.
It runs through my body like a centipede with fangs―――

"[line12]"
I lose myself within that pain.
And at the same time, I feel that I have reached my goal.
My overly sensitive hearing keeps recognizing the sound of the clock in the living room.
Ten more seconds until two in the morning.
The power within me is perfect and flawless.

"――――――――I announce."
Let's start.
I take the mana I've absorbed and turn it into "fixed" magical energy.
And now...
I have only to empty out the mana within me to move the engine called the summoning circle...

"――――I announce.
 Thy body shall be under my command, my fate shall be determined by thy sword.
 Follow the call of the Holy Grail. If thou wouldst obey this mind and this reason, then answer my call."

My vision closes.
The fifth element, said to be unperceivable by human eyes, is before me.
So, in fear of being broken by it, vision shuts itself down.

"Make an oath here.
 I am the one who shall become the virtue of all afterworld.
 I am the one who shall lay out the evil of all afterworld.
 Thou art Seven Heavens clad in the Three Great Words.
 Emerge from the ring of control, guardian of balance...!"

"―――Perfect...!"
It's so perfect, I feel like I'm tugging on a whale with a fishing rod!

I've drawn the strongest card for sure...!
Geez, I can't wait for my vision to return.
My vision should recover in a matter of seconds and there will be the summoned Servant right in front of me...

―――Nothing.

"Huh...?"
Nothing is nothing.
There is no change.
I've raged out that much ether and nothing has formed.
And on top of that...
I hear an explosion from the living room.

"WHY!!!!?"
I run.
I keep running without thinking.
I run up the basement stairs and into the living room.

"...The door's broken!?"
The living room door is crooked.
There's no point in turning the handle.
The door doesn't open, even as I push and pull it.
"...Geez, you're in my way...!"
With a crash, I kick through the door into the living room.

"......"
And.
The instant I walk into the living room, I understand everything.

The living room is in a big mess.
It's full of rubble that must have fallen from the ceiling, and there's one man sitting on it cockily.
"......"
Without a doubt, that is the cause of this mess.

"......"
But there's one thing more important than that.
The wall clock is still ticking away time, having escaped destruction.
...That reminds me.
Yes, that's right. Come to think of it, every clock in my house was an hour early today for some reason.
In other words, it's one in the morning right now.
There's actually one more hour until my magical energy is at its peak.

"...I did it again."
I can do most things just like everyone else, but I have one hereditary curse.
That is, to make the biggest mistakes at the most important times....

"...Well, what's done is done. I should reflect on my actions."
I am mad at my own stupidity.
Still irritated, I glare at the man sitting there like he's important.

"So. What are you?"
"Those are your first words? I guess I've been called to a terrible Master."
The man in red gives an exaggerated shrug.
"Maybe I'm the most unlucky of all," he adds.
...I do declare.
This guy has a twisted personality.

"――――――"
But this would be the Servant?
Since they call it a familiar, I thought it was something shapeless, but this is human-like.

...No, that's wrong.
Just standing here, I can tell this thing has outrageous amounts of magical energy.
Don't be fooled by its appearance.
This is certainly an existence far beyond human, a "ghost" that has reached the level of spirits as a human.

"――――――"
I can't be overwhelmed forever.
That thing is mine.
So, I'll have to change my thinking from now on.

"―――Just to check, but you are my Servant, right?"
"That's what I'd like to ask. Are you my Master? This is the first time I've been summoned so roughly, so to be honest, I still can't grasp the situation."

"This is the first time for me as well. I'll have to refuse that kind of a question."
"I see. But when I was summoned, you were not in front of me. Explain to me what's going on."
"Really? Don't joke around and tell me you're like a newborn chick who can only determine your Master when you open your eyes."

The unknown Servant frowns.
It's a rather vague response, and I cannot tell if he's angry at my complaint or impressed at how correct I am.

"Well, anyway, what I'm asking is. You're my servant and not anyone else's, right?
 Until we clarify this, I have no obligations to answer any other questions."
"...That's what you say after failing your summoning? In this case, I think there are other things you should say."

"There's nothing else. We have to clearly determine who's the master first."
"―――Hm."
The Servant raises his brow.
Perhaps because it was an imperfect summoning, this guy isn't even trying to hide his dissatisfaction with me.

"Hmm. So we have to define who's master, huh? Your actions are full of mistakes, but it seems your mouth is rather better.
 ―――Yes, I certainly agree with that opinion. Unless we make it clear who is the stronger and who the weaker, it'll be hard to handle each other."
The Servant looks at me meaningfully as he lays on the rubble.

"Who's the weaker...?"
"Yeah. I am a Servant, so I'll accept this Master-Servant relationship. But that's only according to the contract, right?
 Who's superior and if the other is worthy to fight alongside with. That's a different story.
 ―――Well? Are you a magus worthy to be my Master, young lady?"

The Servant grins.
He smashes my house and that attitude like he's king makes me angry enough, but now he asks me if I'm worthy to be a Master...!?

"―――I'm not asking for your opinions.
 All I'm asking is if you are my Servant or not."
I glare at him.
I will not lose to someone who looks down on me this frankly.

"Hm, I see, I see. So you're saying such an obvious question isn't even worth answering? How courageous. Your spirit is that of a splendid Master, but...."
"I s-a-i-d, don't get the order wrong...!
 It's the duty of the summoner to confirm first. Now answer me. You are my Servant, right...!?"
I step forward, ready to attack depending on his answer.

"―――Geez. You are a stubborn young lady. We're not getting anywhere this way.
 ...I guess it can't be helped. Let's say I am your Servant. In that case, would you be my Master? Just hypothetically."

"O-Of course...! If you're my Servant summoned by me, who else but me would be your Master...!?"
I somehow cool my boiling head and glare at this rude guy.

"Oh, I see. Well, let's suppose that's true.
 Then, where's the proof that you are my Master?"
The Servant talks nonsense, grinning.
He must think I'll panic about this proof of Master thing.

"Here. This is proof that I'm your Master, right?"
"Hm?"
I show him the Command Spell on the back of my right hand.
Heh, don't think I don't know anything.
My father talked a lot about Masters, so I know about the Command Spell.

"Are you satisfied? Are you still going to complain?"
I thrust before him the proof that I'm a Master.
The Servant in the rubble looks confused, then...
"...Man. Are you serious, young lady?"
His face clouds with discontent.

"Wha... what do you mean, am I serious?"
"I mean, that way of thinking. So you're a Master if you have a Command Spell? A Command Spell is only a tool that governs the Servant.
 Geez, you act like a Master just because of that?
 What I wanted to see was, are you worthy for me to pledge my loyalty to?"

"Ah... uh."
T-That's true, but... you'd normally think of the Command Spell when talking about the proof that one's a Master.

"...So, what? I'm not fit to be a Master then?"
"I'd like that, but no go. Since you have the Command Spell, it seems you are my summoner. It's unbelievable, but it seems you really are my Master."
He gives an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders.

"......"
―――This is bad.
My boiling point is so low, it seems I won't be able to cool down in time.

"I'm not happy, but I'll accept it.
 You're my Master for now. But I have conditions as well. From now on, I will ignore your opinions. I will decide how to fight, and you will follow my plans.
 This is the best I'll compromise on. You don't mind that, right, young lady?"

"――――――――"
Uh, I think this is it, Father.
I'm almost at my limit.

"...I see. You accept unhappily, but what do you mean about ignoring my opinions? You're my Servant, right?"
I ask him in a trembling voice, just in case.
There's the issue of the Command Spell too, so this is my last warning, the biggest compromise I can make.

And to that...
"Yeah, in name only. So, formally I'll obey you. But I'm the one doing the fighting. You can hide in the basement here and stay there until the Holy Grail War ends.
 That way, even an inexperienced person like you should make it out alive."
He tells me he has no hope for me with eyes full of disdain.

"...!!"
"Hm, are you angry? No, I will respect your position, of course. I am called to help my Master win after all.
 My victory is yours, and I shall give you everything that I earn in this fight. You shouldn't have any complaints about that, right?"
"――――――――I..."

"You wouldn't be able to use the Command Spell anyway.
 Well, you can leave the rest to me. You just worry about your own safe...ty...!?"
"I'm pissed―――!
 Fine, if you say that, I'll use it!"

"Anfang...!"
There's no holding back now. I've no sympathy for a twisted guy like him...!

"Wha... you're not...!?"
"Exactly what you're thinking, you rude scum!
"Vertrag...! Ein neuer Nagel Ein neues Gesetz Ein neues Verbrechen―――!"
(I announce to the Command Spell! By the order of the Holy Grail, give the law of obedience to this one, my Servant!)

"You idi...! Wait, are you insane, Master!? Who would use the Command Spell for something like this...!"
"Shut up!
 Look, you're my Servant! You have to obey every single one of my orders, okay!?"
"W-What...!?"

―――The symbol on my right hand throbs.
The three Command Spells.
The essence of the Holy Grail War, the three claims to the Servant's unconditional obedience, is now used.

"A-Are you not even thinking...! Using the Command Spell for such a general thing...!"
Huh, it's too late now.
...First of all, I wasn't expecting this either.
I hate myself so much, I want to die.
To go ahead and use the important Command Spell for something like this...!

―――So.
Leaving the ruined living room behind, we move to my room.
In front of me is the Servant who should be "absolutely obedient" from my Command Spell.
He's there, but...

"...I see. I understand your personality now, Master."
How exactly is this "absolutely obedient"?

"Just to make sure... do you understand how important the Command Spell is, Master?"
"I-I know. It's the right to give your Servant three orders, right? What about it?"

"...Geez. Look, the Command Spell forces the Servant to act according to an order.
 It doesn't merely stop their actions, it strengthens their actions as well.

 For example, I can't instantly teleport to somewhere far away. But if you command me to 'go' using your Command Spell, then assuming we have enough magical energy, such things become possible.
 This is what is meant by unconditional obedience. It is the three crystallizations of a great magic that allows a Servant to surpass limits on their ability even they can't control. Well, only two now."

"I-I know that. It's fine, we still have two and that order I gave you isn't useless, either."

"...Man. This was certainly a miscalculation on my part.
 The Command Spell works poorly on broad orders.
 For broad and long-lasting orders like 'protect me through this' or 'win this battle', the power of the Command Spell weakens. The force will last a long time, but since the associated pain is weak, some Servants will be able to disobey.

 In contrast, a single, simple order like 'deliver the next blow with all your power', or 'don't break that glass' is absolute, and even the most powerful Servants will find it hard to disobey.
 ...So, I think you can guess what I'd like to say next, Master."

"...I get the idea. So you're saying a broad, long-lasting order is meaningless, right?
 If the effect is weak, Servants can act against it. It's better to make a single absolute order than to give weak ones, right?"

"Right. Basically, the Command Spell is a way to bring about miracles beyond our abilities. Stupidly using it for orders that can be achieved by other means is unforgivable.
 The Command Spell you just used is exactly that. Whether or not I'll obey you is something that we could have solved by discussion. Even with the command, something like 'obey my every order completely' is beyond even a hundred Command Spells."

"Ugh... so the Command Spell I just used was meaningless...?"
"...Normally, the answer would be yes. But it seems that your abilities as a magus are on a completely different level."
"...?"
Is he happy or unhappy?
The Servant has a smile on his face as he sighs.

"On a completely different level... you mean....
 Hey, you. Tell me honestly your condition right now."
I have a gut feeling, so I ask him boldly.

"Yeah, that's what I mean by miscalculation.
 That Command Spell should have only changed my attitude to 'well, I'll respect Master's opinions slightly'.
 But right now, I feel a strong bind from your words. If I disagree with you, let's see... it seems like I drop a rank.
 In other words, it's like my body feels heavy when I go against your will."
The Servant shrugs his shoulders as if to say it's a pain.

"―――So..."
...That means the Command Spell wasn't meaningless, and it worked in my favor?
But this guy speaks as sarcastically as always, and it doesn't seem like he's any weaker at all.
Though, even if he is weakened when going against me, I doubt even ten of me could take him on...

"Let me take back what I said before, Master.
 You are young, but you are an outstanding magus.
 It was my mistake to patronize you and try to keep you out of the battle. I apologize for my rudeness."
He adjusts his stance and bows his head politely.

"Uh―――hey, stop it. We argued a lot, but they say both sides are usually at fault in this sort of thing..."
"I see. I'm glad you understand."
"...You changed your tune quickly."
"Well, it was a miscalculation, but not an unwelcome one. If you're this talented, I have no objections to your involvement in the battle."

"Huh...?"
Uh... he seems to be saying he's found a powerful Master, so...
"So you accept me as Master even without the Command Spell?"

"Of course. I wasn't clear back then as I was just summoned, but we are completely connected now. If you're really a magus, you should be able to feel the connection from the contract."

"Contract...?"
Hm, now that he mentions it, my body does feel strange.
It feels like the nerves, once closed within me, are now pointing outwards.
...And on top of that, part of my magical energy is flowing into the man in front of me.

"I see. Servants are called by the Holy Grail, but what keeps them in this world is..."
"Right, the power of the Master. Servants stay in this world by receiving magical energy from their Masters."

"The magical energy you supply is sufficient. There might be problems with your experience, but your ability is outstanding.
 A normal magus would pass out after summoning a Servant, but you're still full of energy.
 The Command Spell earlier, and this amount of magical energy... you're definitely a first class Master."
"...! H-Heh! Praising me now won't do you any good."
A bit embarrassed, I avert my gaze.

...I wasn't really expecting this.
I'm forcing him to obey with the Command Spell, but for a Servant, a being superior to humans, to honestly accept that I am his Master....

"...So? Which Servant are you?"
I collect myself and finally get to the point.
"You can't tell from my appearance, huh? Ah, excellent."
......
No, I was just mistaken before.
This guy is certainly making fun of me.

"...All right, this is a question from your Master.
 You're not Saber, are you?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't have a sword."

"――――――――"
...As I suspected.
This is natural, though. I mistook the time, the summoning circle didn't work, and I even summoned the Servant to the wrong place.
It was all too clumsy to call Saber, the strongest Servant.

"...What a blunder. Using that many jewels and not calling Saber... it's too appalling to face."
"...Hmph. Well, I'm sorry I'm not Saber."
"Huh? Uh, well, it was a big mistake and I regret it, but it's my fault, so..."
"Yeah, Archer isn't too flashy, I know.
 All right, I'll make you regret your abuse later on. And I won't accept any apologies when that time comes."

"...Huh?"
...This is unexpected.
The unknown Servant seems disappointed by my fixation on Saber.

"What, did I get on your nerves, Archer?"
"I get it. But keep your eyes open as I will definitely show you how lucky you are."

Archer protests with narrow eyes.
The air he carries is offensive, but his behavior seems childlike and pure.
...You know...
He might be a pretty good guy.

"All right. Then be sure you make me regret it later on, Archer.
 If you do, I'll honestly apologize."
"Yeah, and don't you forget it, Master. Know how great the one you summoned is and be grateful.
 Though, even if you do apologize then, I probably won't be satisfied."
Archer grins again.
Huh, maybe he does have a twisted personality after all.

"Well, fine. Leaving that aside, which heroic spirit are you?"
"――――"
Archer doesn't answer.
His sarcastic tone disappears, and he frowns seriously.

"Archer? Your Master is asking you a question."
"That's... a secret."
"Huh...?"
"I can't answer the question of who I am, because―――"
"Hold on. If it's for a stupid reason, I'll be pissed."

"―――――――It's..."
Oh, that face again.
Archer must be really troubled as he opens his mouth like he'd rather not say anything.
"―――It's because I don't know myself."
...Wait, what was that..?

"Whaaaaaaat!? Are you making fun of me!?"
"...I didn't mean to insult you, Master.
 But this is what you get for your failed summoning. It seems my memory is confused. I know who I am, but things like my name and origin are a bit vague... Well, they're trivial things to be missing, so we shouldn't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? Of course I'm worried about it!
 If I don't know which heroic spirit you are, I can't tell how strong you are!"
"Oh, that's no problem. It's a trivial matter."
"Trivial, you say? How can I make a plan when I don't know how strong my partner is!? There's no way we can fight like this!"

"What are you saying? I am the servant you summoned. Naturally, I am the strongest."
Straightforwardly.
The knight in red looks at me with absolute confidence and trust.

"Wha..."
My thoughts freeze.
There's no dishonesty in Archer's words.
He thinks more highly of my power than I do, even though we've only just met.

"――――――――"
...My face is burning.
Geez, I'm definitely blushing.
Why am I so weak against unexpected things?

"...Well, fine. It'll make no difference that no one will know your true identity. They do say that to fool your enemies, you must first fool your allies..."
I say this to hide my embarrassment, looking away from Archer.
Well, I can find out later how good a Servant he is.
For now, I have a higher priority.

"All right. I shall not question you about your true identity for now.
 So Archer, here's your first task."
"Already? You are aggressive.
 So, who's our enemy―――"
As he's asking, I throw a dustpan and broom in front of him.

"―――Huh?"
"Clean the room downstairs, please. You made that mess, so be responsible and clean the place up."
"――――――"
He stands there blankly for ten seconds.
After recovering his thoughts, he grabs the broom ready to make an objection.

"Hold on. Just what do you think a Servant is?"
"A familiar, right? He's a bit insolent, so he's difficult to control."
"――――――――"
Archer swallows his words.
I don't intend to take back my words, and I do have a trump card.

"Objection. I refuse such an ord―――"
"Really? This is an order as a Master. Doesn't your body feel heavy when you go against your Master's wishes?"
"Ugh."

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing to you, but the penalty would continue until you clean up the living room. Won't it be dangerous to fight in such a condition from tomorrow?"
"Ugh."
He groans for a few seconds, clenching the broom.

The Servant in the red coat, Archer, closes his eyes in dismay.
"Understood. Damn you, Master."
He acknowledges my request gracefully.

Well.
It's getting late, so I should rest for tonight.
I can decide about how to treat him after I wake up.

―――The day of fate comes to a close.
No, this night is the start of fate.

There are six including myself now.
Once the last one summons a Servant, the seventh one who is not yet a Master, this Holy Grail War will commence.

It's not far ahead.
The battle I've waited ten years for is about to commence....

Prologue - Day 2[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Prologue: Day 2 [T]

―――The Holy Grail War.
It is a great ritual, which has been practiced for hundreds of years.
If one enters the ritual, one must eliminate the other six, as it is a battle for one's life.

I don't know when the Holy Grail War began.
It is said that the Holy Grail is in the land of Fuyuki, and that many magi have fought each other here in the past.
They had only one purpose... to obtain the Noble Phantasm called the Holy Grail.

But the origin of the Holy Grail is unknown.
It's certain that it never received the blood of God, but its power matches that of the one in the legend―――
Yes.
It is said that the Holy Grail can grant any wish.

Only one has the right to possess it.
The Holy Grail can only grant one wish for one person.
But seven magi are needed to summon the Holy Grail in this land.
One miracle, seven collaborators.
...Well, the point is, it was only a matter of time before a fight broke out over the Holy Grail.

It began like an ordinary fight over resources.
The seven magi used the power of the Holy Grail equally to each summon a familiar, a "Servant", to battle the other magi.

Only one magus will obtain the Holy Grail.
And so, each of them treated the other six, once allies, now as enemies, and a gruesome fight began.
This is the ritual called the Holy Grail War, a competition between magi for the Holy Grail.

The magi chosen by the Holy Grail are called Masters, and each Master receives a powerful familiar called a Servant by the grace of the Holy Grail.
―――There are two proofs that one is a Master.
Summoning a Servant and making it obey.
And obtaining the three Command Spells that can order the Servant.

The first goes without saying.
Yesterday... no, a few hours ago to be exact... I summoned Archer to be my Servant.
That leaves only the second.
I must protect to the end this Command Spell that binds the Servant.
For a Master, this is probably the most important thing of all.

The pattern inscribed on my right hand after summoning Archer... this is the Command Spell.
This holy sign, granted by the Holy Grail, is the proof of a Master who has summoned a Servant.

This mark with concentrated magical energy is an instantaneous thing, not an eternal one.
It is consumed by use, and as the appearance suggests, it has one use for each strike.
In other words, only three times.
A master who loses all three of their Command Spells will be unable to control their Servant and faces death.

...So.
The Command Spell must be guarded as closely as one's life.
It hurts my head to think that I've used one right at the start, but it wasn't completely meaningless, so I'll call it good.
Because it's not unusual for Servants to go against their Masters.
I'm fortunate to have been able to chain him using one Command Spell.

...Well, that's the gist of it.
The Holy Grail War will start when the seven Servants are all summoned.
I can't just sleep in.
I don't know when the last Master will appear, but it should be soon――――

"Mm... morning already...?"
...I'm so tired.
Looking out of the window dazed, I notice the sun's already way up.

"...It's past nine... I don't think it's a question of being late any more..."
Glancing at the clock, I confirm to myself that I'll be skipping school today.

"...My body's so heavy... It feels like he's taken over half my body."
I sit up in bed and take a deep breath.
...I'm not tired just because I'm not a morning person.
Like Archer said, a Master who has just summoned their Servant cannot function satisfactorily.

"――――That's right.
 I summoned Archer, not Saber."
I can remember clearly.
Well, it's not something I want to remember... but even if I don't like it, there's no second chance.

"About a day until my magical energy returns, huh? Then I guess today will just be a test drive."
I slowly climb out of bed.
...I fight a bit against the unseasonably warm air and my desire to stay wrapped up in my blanket.
I knock out the desire to go back to sleep in the third second of the match and check myself in the mirror.
Nothing's obviously wrong. Except for the fact that I have only about half the usual magical energy in my body, everything's up to par.

"―――Well, there shouldn't be any problems."
For now, I want to check the situation.
The Servant I summoned is Archer.
He's a rude guy with no manners to spare for his summoner and Master.
And on top of that, he doesn't know who he is.
...Oh, I'm getting a headache already.

"...I'll have to live without his Noble Phantasm until his memory returns. Well, there's no way he can use it if he doesn't remember it."
Servants are powerful familiars on their own, but what makes them the most powerful is the fact that they all have one powerful "secret move".
The problem is, Archer says he can't remember what it is.

"―――Well, it's partly my fault, so we'll have to make do."

That's right. As this is how things ended up, we're both on the same boat.
I hope he sorts out his memories soon, but with the way he's acting right now... who knows when that'll be.
...Honestly.
Looks like we've got a load of problems ahead――――

"...Wow. Maybe I should have a better opinion of him."
The living room is just the way it was.
I only expected him to clear up the rubble, so I'm moved that he went this far.

He must have felt bad about making such a mess of the living room or he wouldn't have done this.
I should call him admirable or maybe just a nice guy――――

"The sun's already up. You're pretty loose."
"......"
I take it back.
This shameless attitude... he doesn't deserve any praise at all.

"―――Morning. You seem pretty relaxed. I see you've made yourself at home here."
"Well, it's the room I spent the night in. I've pretty much figured out where everything is. Oh, since I was cleaning anyway, I cleaned up the kitchen too. I was expecting more mess, but it was rather clean. That's quite impressive considering that you live in a Western-style house by yourself."

"......"
I'm getting a headache.
Why is my Servant checking my cleanliness?
They say Servants think only of battles, so maybe this guy's broken somehow...

"I see, you're not doing well, are you? You seemed well last night, but sleep must have brought up your fatigue.
"―――Hm, I'll get you a drink, if tea's okay."
So at home in a stranger's house.
Archer stands, takes out a new teacup without a moment's confusion, and pours a fine rose-colored tea.

"――――――――"
There are all sorts of things I want to say, but I surprisingly don't feel like interrupting him.
Every aspect of his motion is refined, and you could even say he is being considerate.

"...Oh well. It's true that I'm tired, so I guess I'll have a drink."
I take a seat.
He hands me the teacup silently, and I take a sip.
――――Oh, it's good.

Of course, it's an exotic Chinese tea. It's the best part of my favorite leaf, so I'd get mad if it tasted bad.
In fact, I get mad when someone uses one of my favorites without permission.
...Yes.
I would get mad, but when it's brewed so wonderfully, I'm too happy to complain.

"Hmm. Hm-Hm."
"...Hold on. What are you laughing about?"
"Well, I was going to ask what you thought of it, but when you make a face like that, there's no point in asking."
"――――!"
I slam the cup down onto the table.

"Don't waste it. You should enjoy it while it's hot. If I'm distracting you, I'll go."
"Thanks but no thanks. I didn't become a Master just so someone could brew me tea. Besides, there's no need for you to do things without orders."

"I see. Certainly, I did not form a contract with you to brew tea or clean up after you. If that's how you want it, I'll be careful from now on."
"Right. What I need is a powerful familiar.
 I've never heard of a Servant who does things around the house, and I've no need of one either."

"Hm? What do you mean, no need?"
"Nothing. Interpret it however you want.
 More importantly, do you remember who you are now?"

Archer shakes his head.
...Just as I thought, it's bad.
If he can't remember it after one night, it's not going to come back easily. Even if we test various things today, this is still...

"All right. I'll work out what to do about your memory.
 Well, get ready, Archer. Since you were just summoned, you don't know your way around yet, right? I'll show you around town."
"Get ready? There's no need. If you want to go, we can go right now."

"Hey, you're going to walk around in that? It hardly looks normal, and besides, other Masters would be able to tell you're a Servant right away.
 I don't intend to go announcing to everyone that I'm a Master, you know."

"Oh, so that's what you meant.
 It's not a problem. Certainly I will need to change, but only when I take form.
 Servants are spirits after all. We become spirits when not in battle to reduce the burden on our Masters."

"Oh yeah. You are still a heroic spirit even if you're summoned already. Since it's the Master's magical energy that gives the spirit form, if I cut off that magical energy..."

"Naturally, we would return to spirit form.
 A Servant in that state is like a guardian spirit. We cannot be observed by anyone except the Master we are connected to by the leyline.
 We can still talk though, so it's no problem if we're going scouting."

"Wow, that's really convenient. In that case, it must be hard to search for other Masters."
"Yes. But magi can sense other magi, right? In the same way, Servants can sense other Servants.
 If a Servant knows powerful magic, they would be able to sense Servants even from a distance."

...Just as Archer says.
A Master is usually a great magus.
A magus with strong magical energy is sensitive to other magical energy.
But as far as I know, no one in this town has magical energy that strong.

"Hmm... So, what about you? Can you tell where the other Servants are?"
"Master, have you forgotten my class? Sensing distant enemies isn't a job for a knight."
...Well, I guess not.
Archer's magical energy isn't that strong.
I expect only the Servant Caster would have enough magical energy to locate enemies from a distance.

"All right. Then, follow me, Archer. I'll show you the world you've been summoned into."
"I don't think it will be that new for me.
 ―――But, Master, aren't you forgetting something important?"
"Hm? What do you mean by something important?"
"...Geez. You're really not up to par yet. We have yet to exchange the most important part of our contract."

"The most important exchange――――?"
Equivalent exchange?
No, fundamentally, the reward for the Servant is to participate in the Holy Grail War.
There shouldn't be any more exchanges necessary―――

"...You're really not a morning person, are you?"
Archer says so in surprise.
Listening to his sarcastic comment, I realize something.
Come to think of it...
He hasn't addressed me by name yet.

"―――Ah. Crap... names."
"I guess you've realized. Well, it's not too late. So Master, what is your name? How should I address you from now on?"
Archer asks sulkily.

――――Dammit. He is a good person.
Yes, there's no mistake.
After all, there's no meaning to exchanging names.
Servant and Master have a relationship forced upon them by the Command Spell.
For a contract with a normal familiar, the exchange of names has a great deal of meaning, but no such bond is needed between the Master and the Servant.

But still, Archer calls it important.
It's a proof of trust that we shall be fighting alongside each other, even without the Command Spell.

"...I'm Tohsaka Rin. You can call me whatever you like."
I answer bluntly, unable to be true to my feelings.

 ...Well, actually, it would probably be easier for me to be addressed in a reserved manner like "you" or "Master", and he'll probably call me that.
But that said...
Archer mutters my name to himself.
"I shall call you Rin. ...Yes, the name suits you well,"
He says something outrageous.

"――――――――"
"Rin? What's wrong? You don't look normal."
"――――S-Shut up! Let's just go! W-We don't have time to relax...!"

I turn away and start walking.
I'm vexed. I don't know why, but I am.
Did Archer say that just to make me feel this way?

"...It's possible. He'll certainly do that sort of a thing..."
Yes, that must be it.
So my face getting hot and my heart pounding, they're all part of his plan.
Be careful, Rin.
You're going to have to work with this crooked guy from now on.

I go out with Archer.
The city we live in, Fuyuki City, can be basically divided into two towns.
Here, the place with old houses and traditional buildings, is Miyama City.
On the other side of the river is Shinto, where modern development is happening.
My house is in the older section, Miyama City.

Miyama City is broadly separated into two sections as well.
This is one of the sections, the Western-style houses, where immigrants from foreign countries live.
And on the other side is the area of old Japanese-style houses, with a mountain behind it.
Both sections are on top of hills, so you could say both are suburbs.
The houses in between these two sections are relatively ordinary.
As a demonstration...

They're this ordinary.
This is the crossroads of Miyama City and the hill leading up to the Western-style houses like mine.
On the opposite side, a hill leads up to the Japanese-style houses.
A bridge leads to the neighboring town of Shinto, and the other way leads to the school, shopping district, and even Ryudou Temple up on the mountain.

And this is the large bridge connecting Shinto and Miyama City.
A few years ago, a big station was built over that side and it has grown rapidly since then.
Even though Miyama City and Shinto are in the same city, you can think of them as totally different places.

The city's name "Fuyuki", or "Winter Tree", supposedly comes from the fact that winters are long here.
Thinking about it, this place certainly has a long winter.
In contrast though, it's quite warm here and February here is about as warm as December everywhere else.
I bet a few hot springs would turn up if you went digging around.

Then again, this half-hearted cold would make the city a poor hot springs resort.
Fuyuki City has a friendly winter and a strange climate that enters spring in April with no changes.

Shinto is all like this.
The rapidly developing town started to build tall buildings as if rushed by something, and as a result, it looks very artificial.
Though, that's only in the last ten years.
From what I hear, the big fire here ten years ago pretty much burned down the whole residential district.
These buildings were constructed on the land no one lived on any more.

――――And.
 This is the center of it.

"This is Shinto's park. Now that we've seen all the important locations, what are your thoughts?"
I ask Archer who is standing next to me.
I can't see him, of course.

"It's a big park. But is there some reason there's no one here?"
"So it shows, huh? Well, that's because there's a history to this place."

I look around the park.
A park this big and organized should be a playground for kids, even on weekdays.
But there are only a few people here and a desolate feeling runs though the place.

"It was about ten years ago. They say there was a huge fire in this area. It burned for a day until it went out just as it began to rain.
 Afterwards, the town was rebuilt, but this place was left as it was.
 It was burned to ashes, so they made it into a park."

"――――――――"
Archer says nothing.
But even though I can't see him, I can tell that he is feeling something special.

"...You seem to have noticed. That's right, this is where the last Holy Grail War ended. I don't know the details, but the last war ended here, and the place has been like this ever since."
"―――I see. That must be why this place is full of so many grudges."

"Hmm. You can sense those kinds of things?"
"Servants are spirits. We are beings similar to grudges and formed obsessions. Therefore, we are sensitive to such 'remnants' like us. There were places in town with strong regrets, but this place is on a completely different level. To us, this place is more like a Reality Marble."
Archer brings up an unusual term in a motionless voice.

――――Reality Marble.
One of the magics considered the pinnacle of magi, said to be infinitely close to sorcery.
For hundreds of years, a "boundary field" has been the defensive field that protects a magus.
Put simply, it's a vicious version of a security system on a house.

A boundary field is something applied to an existing area or building to protect oneself from outside enemies.
But it is merely a transformation applied to what already exists.

But a Reality Marble is different.
A Reality Marble is an image that erodes reality.
The imagined world of a magus―――a boundary field that paints over reality by letting a magus's heart take form―――That is what we call a Reality Marble.
In other words, it's a large-ranged magic that distorts, no, remakes the world as the magus wishes――――

"Rin? What, are you thinking?"
"Eh...? No, I was just surprised.
 I just thought that 'Reality Marble' seemed an uncommon term for an Archer."
"What, is it strange for me to know it?"

"Of course. Reality Marble is the taboo of taboos, the secret principle's secret principle. It doesn't make any sense for an Archer to know about it."
"Isn't that right", I ask with my expression.
And then, I sense him sighing heavily next to me.

"Rin, a hero is someone who excels with both magic and weaponry.
 It's fine if you want to think that an Archer can only use bows, but please don't take such an optimistic view of the other Servants."
...Ugh.
Come to think of it, he's right.

"I-I understand. That was a careless thing to say. I'll be careful from now on, so it's okay, right?"
"...Rin, I'm going to be honest. You are excellent, but because of that, you have a habit of underestimating others. You should reform that habit before you grow up."

"...! Y-You're being rather rude...!"
R-Reform, that's like training bad habits out of a horse...!

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't mean to make it sound like you're a disobedient horse, I just used the word because it suited your image."
"Hey, that's even worse――――ouch!?"
My right arm suddenly hurts.

"――――Rin?"
"...Be quiet for a second, Archer."
The Command Spell engraved on my right hand is hurting.
A small warning as if to get my attention.
"――――Someone's watching us."
"Hm."

...I extend my consciousness to the surroundings.
I roll out the threads of my consciousness and search through the park.
"...I can't find him.
 What about you, Archer?"

"―――It's difficult. I can't even feel the stare."
"...Then, it must be a Master watching."

[wrap texʹ="I"]I don't know who it is, but if Archer can't sense it, it has to be a Master.
There aren't seven of us yet, but if we wanted to, we could start the fight at any time.
It seems the one watching us wants to battle, but...

"...The Command Spell reacts to other Command Spells. So that must mean that if you are a Master, you should be able to recognize other Masters when you see them. Then wouldn't that mean you should be able to identify the other Master too?"

"Yes. But a superior magus can conceal their magical energy. Even though Command Spells react to each other, they operate on magical energy. If the Master has closed his Magic Circuit, it will be hard to find him."

"...That's troubling. That means we are showing them our location."
"That's right. Well, if I search around my house, I should be able to find something that kills my magical energy, but..."
"You don't need it?"
"Right. Because if I don't hide it, they'll come to us, right? It saves us the trouble of going to find them."
"――――"
Archer takes a deep breath and goes quiet as if he's shocked.

"...What? You want to say I shouldn't be overconfident?"
I ask, remembering our previous conversation.
But Archer just says, "That's impossible".
"You're strongest like this.
 Yeah, you can let those weaklings follow us about."
He says, trying to hold back his laughter.

...Well, it's not like I like his response, but we decide to continue walking around town.

We tour the important places, really dragging our observer around, have dinner along the way, and bring things to a conclusion.
We've been walking a lot, and it's now seven.
At this time of the night, our destination should give us the best view.

A strong wind.
The tallest building in Shinto.
The view from the rooftop of this building is a fitting end for this day.

"What do you think? This place has a great view, Archer."
"...Geez. I pity whoever you go out with someday. You dragged me around all day."
"Hm? Did you say something, Archer?"
"Just an honest opinion. ...Oh, this is certainly a nice place. If we had came here to begin with, we wouldn't have had to walk around like we have been."

"What are you talking about? Certainly it's a nice view, but all you can tell from here is the overview of the town. You have to go to the places themselves to know the layout."
"―――That's not true. My class isn't Archer for nothing. You can't be an archer unless you have good eyesight."

"Is that so? So can you see my house from here, Archer?"
"No, I can't see the neighboring town from here. At most, I can see as far as the bridge. At that range, I can count the number of tiles."

"No way, the tiles on the bridge...!?"
That's not just good. His eyesight could match the telescopes you find on these rooftops.

"I'm surprised. You really are Archer."
"...Rin. I don't like to think so, but, are you making fun of me?"
"Of course not. I just misunderstood because even though you're called Archer, you don't seem like one."
"That's a troubling claim. I shall question you further on this matter when we get home."

It seems Archer has taken a liking to the view as he falls silent.
He's probably working out the town's layout.
...I can't interrupt while he's surveying the battlefield.
I leave Archer's side and move to the edge of the building.

"―――――"
All I can see with my eyesight is the lights below this building.
Like the headlights of the cars in the street, and the people going home after work.
I can't tell what kinds of cars or what kinds of people they are.

I can see them, but still not see them.
Just like noticing someone is watching me before, but not being able to see the watcher.

"―――At the very least, there's one person that has his base in Shinto."
I strain my eyes and stare below me.
...There are seven Masters in all.
I still don't know who the Masters are nor which Servants they command.
Right now, I assume all the Masters are walking around town collecting information on other Masters.

"―――?"
Suddenly, I feel someone's eyes on me.
There's no reaction from my Command Spell.
I just feel someone's eyes on me.

"From below...?"
I look down.
...There are many people walking around on the road.
Among them is a person.
One person is looking up at me as if looking up at the moon.

"......"
I can't tell for sure who it is.
I can't tell for sure, but I still know who it is.
...It's surprising.
What's he doing at this kind of a time?

"Rin. Have you found an enemy?"
Archer calls out to me as if sensing my excitement.

"―――Nothing. I just saw someone I knew. Just an ordinary person, nothing to do with us."
I answer, unable to hide my irritation, and leave the place where I was standing.
There's no way he could have seen me from the ground.
He must have been looking up at the building by coincidence.
So it doesn't mean I was noticed.

...But still.
I'm angry that I let him see me acting as a magus.

By the time we get back to Miyama City, it's already past nine o'clock.
Unlike Shinto, Miyama City is an old residential district.
No one walks around after nine, and the town grows as quiet as midnight.

"So that's pretty much it. Do you have a good idea of the town?"
"...Hm? Yeah, I get it. I'll figure out the rest as we go along."
"Then we're done for the day. I'm not up to par either, so let's go home and rest."

We climb the road up the gentle hill.
...And,
There's someone walking in front of us.
"Huh? Sakura...?"
This is bad.
I don't want to see her right now.

"Rin? Why are we hiding?"
"Shut up! Oh, that person is someone I know. I skipped school today, so I don't want to see her."
As I speak, I look at the figure ahead of us.

On the road...
There's the well-known first year student,[r]
 and a foreigner I don't know.

They are talking about something.
...No, it seems the foreigner is talking to Sakura against her wishes.

"Rin? Is the person you know the foreigner?"
"No, I don't know him. There are lots of Western-style houses around here, so he might be visiting one of them."
I say that much, then scold myself for being too soft where that girl is involved.

"...Archer, is he human?"
"I don't know. He has form, so he should be human. At the very least, he is not a Servant."
"Right. He's not a Master either, so I guess it's just a minor quarrel."
...Still, I know she's not the kind of girl to get into trouble with a guy....

"They're going. The girl is walking up the hill.
 The man is..."
The blond guy goes down the road we came up.

"Well then, you can use this place. I'm going to bed unless you have any questions first."
"I don't have any important questions. Your decision not to rush into a battle is the correct one. You should use tonight to recover your magical energy."
"Yes. I will see you tomorrow then. Please make me tea tomorrow morning."

Fatigue hits me hard once I walk into my room.
"―――Oh yeah, I have to contact Kirei before I go to bed."
That annoying priest.
He'll already be getting ready to call in the substitute magus.
I don't really care about that, but he is my guardian, so I should at least do the right thing.

"Phone, phone..."
I dial the number.
And soon, the fake priest picks up.

"Kirei? It's me. I formed a contract with a Servant just yesterday, so register me officially as a Master."
"......"
A brief silence.
Kirei's silence has enough pressure to stress you out even over the phone.

"...Understood. Now what? You should come and see me at least once. I have something to give you that I received from your parents. They said to give it to you only if you become a Master before you become an adult."

"Oh, you mean Father's will? I already deciphered it and got the item, so it's fine. I'll come and see you if I feel like it. Goodbye."
"Wait, Rin. If you are a Master now――――"
I hang up, not hearing him out.
Listening to Kirei's lecture while I'm tired won't help me recover my magical energy.

"―――Right, all preparations are done now..."
All that's left is to sleep.
When I wake up next, it should be a completely different morning.
...Ten years ago.
The Holy Grail War, in which my father competed as a Master and was defeated.
Now, I'm entering that same battle...

Prologue - Day 3[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Prologue: Day 3 [T]

So.
After breakfast, I clearly explain my immediate plans.

"What? You're going to school?"
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that, Archer?"
"...No problems, it's just..."

Archer hesitates, but does not object.
He must have realized yesterday that I'm not the type to take back my decisions.
I can kind of tell without him saying so. Archer is sarcastic, but he has an honest side to him. So it seems he won't complain about something he's accepted.

Yes, in other words, he's faithful in an awkward way.
This is my conclusion... no, more of an intuition after watching Archer for all of yesterday.

"Rin. As you are a Master now, you must always be cautious of other Masters. School is a place where it's hard to remain prepared against sudden attacks."

"That's not true. Look, Archer, even though I am a Master now, I don't intend to change my lifestyle. Besides, a battle between Masters is something that should be done out of public view, right? So, if we are at school where there are lots of people, I don't think we'll see any kind of surprise attacks."

"...I see. If that's what you've decided, I can only obey.
 But I can guard you in spirit form, right? You don't intend for me to stay here while you go to school?"

"Of course not. Not just at school, but I will want you by my side whenever I go outside. It is the Servant's role to protect the Master, so I'll be counting on you."
"I'm relieved to hear that. It is the duty of a knight to answer trust placed on us. I shall do my best to meet your expectations."

"But Rin, just hypothetically, what would you do if there were an enemy in that safe place?"
"Hm? What, are you suggesting there might be a Master at school?"
"That's right. It's certainly hard for anyone who isn't a teacher or student to get in, but wouldn't it be a problem if someone already there is a Master?"

"I don't think that's possible. In this town, there's only one family of magi other than the Tohsaka. That other family has declined, and they don't even have a Master."

"How do you know there isn't a Master?"
"Hey, it's only natural to investigate another family of magi in the same town.
 He isn't a Master and his successor doesn't have enough magical energy to become a Master, so we can just ignore them."

"I see. So, there is another magus at the school you go to. But you say that magus doesn't have sufficient magical energy to become a Master, is that correct?"

"Exactly. So most Masters will probably be coming from elsewhere. I don't think such people would come to the school."
"...Well, for now, at least.
 But Rin, there are always exceptions. What if there is a magus at your school that you don't know about?"

"Like I said, there aren't any. Magi are sensitive to other magi. If we were at the same school for a year, I should be able to sense other magi no matter how well they hide it.
 I will state with confidence that there are only two magi at our school. One of them is me, and the other is only an apprentice who doesn't have enough power to become a Master.
 Do you understand? Your caution is just needless worrying. It's completely impossible."

"That's why this is only a hypothetical scenario. There's always another side to things.
 It's only natural for unexpected things to occur.
 I'm saying that when it does happen, do not blame me."

Archer smiles dryly.
...Just that action makes me want to take it out on him, but if I did, I would be late for school.

"That won't happen. A hypothetical is a hypothetical because it won't happen. If it does, it just means my analysis was too shallow."

"All right, I'll remember that. Let's go then, Rin.
 It should take thirty minutes to get to the school, so we won't make it unless we leave soon."

"I'm surprised. Hypotheticals do happen."
"Yes, I am surprised as well. Wow, it pays to argue over everything. It had an unexpected payoff."

As soon as we pass the school's main gate, we joke around like that.
Around us are students heading to classrooms and it's almost time for homeroom.
In the crowd of people rushing into the school building, we stand dumbfounded.

"This isn't just the air stagnating. Isn't there a boundary field set up already?"
"It's not complete, but the preparation seems to have already started.
 If he's doing this so openly, he must be a real big shot...."

"Or a complete amateur. A boundary field that lets others notice the abnormality is only third class. To be first class, it has to be hidden until it's activated."
"―――So. Which do you think it is, Rin?"

"Who knows? I don't care if he's third class or first class.
 I'm just going to beat him mercilessly for setting up such an indecent thing in my territory."

I walk angrily through the schoolyard.
As a magus, I'm not about to mince words, but I can't be satisfied until I properly punish the creator of this boundary field.

After second period, while walking back from the music room...
I see a first year student walking unsteadily.
The student is carrying some stack of papers and it looks like she 's having trouble.

"I'll help, Sakura."
"Huh―――?"
"Ah, Tohsaka...Senpai―――"
"What, handouts? World history... that'll be my homeroom teacher. That Kuzuki, what's he thinking making a girl do this? Here, give me half of it."

"Oh... Yes. Thank you, Senpai."
"It's fine. So, we're taking these to your classroom?"
"...No, we're taking them to Kuzuki-Sensei. He said he's recalling them because there was a misspelling."

"...I understand. Kuzuki's really stubborn. He's the guy who cancelled a whole test just because there was one misspelling in it."
"...Huh? You mean the school's exam?"

"Right. I think it was last year's midterm. He came in while everyone was filling in their names and said in his usual tone that the midterm has a misspelling in it. He said that the question was not correct, so the midterm was to be cancelled and retaken at a later date. We were surprised, but so were the teachers, and they still talk about it today."

"That's just like Kuzuki-Sensei. He doesn't think teachers should make any mistakes."
"He goes too far, though. You'll realize soon, too. Kuzuki is as stubborn as a rock or a mountain."

"Heehee. Tohsaka-Senpai, you must like Kuzuki-Sensei. It's rare for you to talk about someone like that."
"Really? ...Well, I do think he should be more flexible, but..."
I think that, but I also think he's not bad this way.

At our school, there's a teacher liked by all students and a teacher feared by all students.
The balance between the two works so well that I think Kuzuki-Sensei is a good disciplinarian. He's the stick in the carrot and stick approach.

"Well, you'll get to see more of him once you reach second year. He teaches ethics too.
 ...More importantly, Sakura, is it all right if I ask you something?"
"Huh? What is it, Senpai?"
"It's about yesterday. Were you talking to a strange foreigner?"

"Oh... y-you were watching, Senpai?"
"Just by chance. So, what was it? Do you know him?"
"...No. Well, he was a strange person and he seemed to be lost. He asked me lots of things, but I couldn't make out what he was saying, so, um..."
Ah, so she ran away.

"I see. Sorry, I was just a bit curious."
"No, it's all right... Um, here is fine, Senpai. I only have to hand these to him now."
"Okay. See you later then."
I pass the handouts back to Sakura.
As I start to head back to my classroom, I pause.

"Sakura, how are things?"
"Ah... yes, it's okay. I'm doing fine."
"...I see. Well, if Shinji does something again, tell me. He doesn't know when to stop, so it will only get worse if you don't say anything."

"It's fine. You don't need to worry, Senpai. Nii-san has been kind recently."
...If she says that with such a smile, I can't say anything else.
I bid her goodbye once more and turn my back on the familiar junior.

The day ends.
Students leave the classroom and the building gets darker by the second.
The sun will set soon.
When the red sun sets and night falls, there should be no one left in the school.

"Let's begin, Archer. First, we need to check out the boundary field. Once we figure out what kind of boundary field it is, we'll decide whether to eliminate it or leave it."
I address my invisible partner.
Archer must understand as I sense him nodding.

A boundary field is something that protects its caster.
You could call it a geographical magic in which one knits a line of magic across a land to change the interior.

Infinite different effects are possible within a boundary field.
There are all sorts of boundary field, from ones that conceal the area from people's eyes, to ones that limit the use of magic within them.
The most aggressive of all are those that oppress life forms within them.

The boundary field laid out over our school is of that kind.
It is not yet complete, but once it is, everyone in the school should fall unconscious.

But something like this won't affect me.
After all, a boundary field is something targeted not at me, but at the place I am in.
Such an indirect magical energy intervention has no effect on magi, who have magical energy throughout their bodies.
A weak current floating through the air will only be repelled by a strong current like myself.

So this boundary field has a different intention.
I don't know what kind of person set up this boundary field, but his intention is not to defeat a Master.
It's hard to believe, but his target is everyone in this school.
...There's only one reason to do something like that.
Unbelievably, this guy is――――

I search the school building and emerge onto the rooftop to finish.
It's dark outside.
It's eight o'clock now, way past the school closing time which is six.
The only people still in the school are me and Archer.

"―――So, this makes seven. Well, it looks like this is the origin."
A seven-stroke mark is openly drawn on the rooftop.
This purplish-red character only visible to magi is something I have never seen before, engraved with something unknown.

"...Dammit. This isn't something I can handle."
The person who set up this boundary field didn't think about anything.
He didn't think, but the boundary field is bound with amazing skill.
I can temporarily drain magical energy from this boundary field, but I cannot eliminate the boundary field itself.
The boundary field can be reactivated just by having the caster put more magical energy into it again.

"――――――――"
Archer says nothing.
...He's been quiet ever since we came out onto the rooftop, probably because he too recognizes the power of this boundary field.
This boundary field doesn't just drain one's strength.
Once activated, it will literally "dissolve" all the people within it.

There are boundary fields that drain physical and mental strength from people within them.
But the boundary field laid out over this school is on a completely different level.
This is a soul-eater. It is a Bloodfort that dissolves people within it and claims the souls that seep out.

Since ancient times, souls have been hard to handle.
Even though they're believed to exist and are necessary for magic, only one magus has ever understood the soul.

Souls are only "things to be investigated", or "things to be moved into containers".
It's incomprehensible not merely to suck them out but also to collect them in a single place.
It's because a magus has no use for them even if one were to collect this unconvertible energy.
So if there's a reason, it must be...

"Archer. Are you Servants... this kind of creature?"
I ask coldly.

"...It is as you suspect. I told you we are basically spirits. Therefore, our meals consist of souls and mental constituents.
 As you subsist on meat, we subsist on souls and minds.
 Our basic abilities do not change from such nourishment, but we do become tougher. In other words, our magical energy capacity increases."

...Yes.
To strengthen your Servant, you must attack people indiscriminately.

"So the magical energy the Master provides isn't enough?"
"It's not that, but it doesn't hurt to have more. In war, if you lack strength, you make up for it with supplies, right?
 It's a basic tactic for a Master to steal energy from the people around them. In that regard, this boundary field is very efficient."

"――――――――"
Archer is saying that if I want to win, I should kill people and steal their strength.
How simple.
I already knew that.
That's why I think I know which path I am going to choose.

"That annoys me. Don't ever mention it again, Archer."
I say so while staring at the mark on the ground.
For some reason, Archer sounds happy as he confidently answers,[r]
"I feel the same way. I do not intend to do so either."

"...Well, let's erase this. It's meaningless, but it should hinder them a bit."
I approach the mark engraved on the ground and extend my left arm.
The Magic Crest on my left arm is the "book of magic" passed down the Tohsaka family.

I switch on my sense.
I push magical energy into my Magic Crest, read the part that explains the elimination of boundary fields, and now all I have to do is activate it.

"Abzug. Bedienung Mittelstand."
Eliminate. Surgical extraction, second section.
I touch the ground with my left hand and let my magical energy flow out.
This will at least wash the color off this mark, but―――
"What, you're going to erase it? What a waste."
Suddenly.
As if to stop the erasure of the boundary field, a voice echoes over.

"――――!"
I quickly stand up and turn around.
On top of the water tower.
In the sky ten meters away, a guy is looking down at me.

Deep ultramarine that melts into the night.
His grin is wild and a bestial smell carries on the wind.
...The stare of the beast is a cool one.
The man in blue looks at me like an old friend, even in this situation―――

"―――Is this your doing?"

"No. Petty tricks are the magi's job. We only fight as we are commanded to. Isn't that right, you over there?"

"――――!"
Casual, but his voice is filled with murderous intent.
This guy can see Archer...!

"As I thought, a Servant...!"
"That's right. Since you can tell, I can consider you as my enemy, right?"
"―――――"
My spine freezes.
A normal, light tone of voice.
And it's colder than anything I've ever heard, scary enough to make me vomit....

"――――――――"
I can't tell how I should move or what my best course is.
But my reason is telling me absolutely not to fight this man right here――――!

"...Wow. That's pretty good. You seem like you don't know anything, but you grasp the important points.
 Man, I messed up. I shouldn't have called out to you just for fun."
The man raises his arm.
"――――――――"
It happens in an instant.
The arm that held nothing until now...
Now holds a red weapon, two meters long.

"Hah――――――――!"
I jump to the side without thinking.
I can't spare the time to consider that I can't jump full force while on a rooftop.
I just jump with full force to the side as if trying to smash the fence...!

A whirlwind brushes past my hair.
―――Barely made it.
He rushed me in an eyeblink and mercilessly slashed at the space I just occupied.

"Hah, you've got some good legs, young lady...!"
―――The blue whirlwind pursues me.
There are no escapes.
The fence is behind me. To my sides... no, I won't make it...!

"Es ist gros, es ist klein....!!"
My response is fast.
I run the Magic Crest on my left arm and assemble the magic in a single measure.
It lightens my body and adjusts gravity.
In this instant, my body becomes light as a feather, and I leap――――

"Rin...!"
"I know, let me handle it...!"
I jump over the fence and fall from the rooftop.

"――――"
The wind and pressure push against my body.
Fifteen meters to the ground, 1.7 seconds until landing...[r]
No, that's too slow. He'll catch up...!

"Vox, gott es Atlas――――!
 Archer, take care of the landing...!"

"――――Hah――――!"
I let Archer take the impact of the landing and start to run as soon as my feet touch the ground.
―――First, I have to change the location.
We have to go somewhere we can move around freely, not a small place like a rooftop.
We have to move to a large field with no obstacles, to play to Archer's and my strengths...!

"Hah, hah...!"
I run from the rooftop to the schoolground in less than seven seconds.
It's more than a hundred meters. My speed is so fast that normal people would see only a blur.

But that's...
"Man, those are really good legs. It'll be a waste to kill you here."
...Meaningless against a Servant.

"Archer――――!"
At the moment I step back, Archer steps in front, taking form.
A cloudy night.
In Archer's hand is a shortsword that reflects the weak moonlight.

"―――Wow."
The man crooks his mouth.
"...That's good. That's the way to go. I don't mind people who are quick on the uptake."
A large whirlwind.
...That's the weapon swung at me on the rooftop... the blood red crimson lance that tried to mercilessly slaughter me―――

"Servant... Lancer――――"
"That's right. And your Servant is Saber
 ...Or maybe not. Who the hell are you?"
There's no sign of his previous casual demeanor.
In response to Lancer, full of murderous intent, Archer remains silent.

...The distance between the two is about five meters.
The weapon in Lancer's hand is about two meters.
For that man with the bestial smell, I feel like the remaining three meters are meaningless.

"...Heh. You're not the type to engage in one-on-one combat. So you must be Archer."
Archer doesn't respond to the sneering voice either.
Confronting each other, strangely, are red and blue.
The two counterfeit colored knights are already watching for the other's clinching blow.

"...All right. I don't like it, but now we've met, we'll just have to fight. Come on, take out your bow, Archer.
 I have some manners, so I'll at least wait for that."
"――――――――"
Archer does not respond.
There's nothing to say to an enemy he ͭust defeat.
That steel back of his seems to declare so.

"――――"
That makes me realize.
...I'm being stupid. Archer is just waiting for my word, my command.

"Archer."
I talk to his back without approaching him.
"I won't help you. Show me your powers here."
"――――Heh."
Was that a laugh?
He grins as if to answer my words, and the red knight dashes forward.

Twirling gusts of wind.
Shortsword in hand, the red bullet launches.
"――――You fool!"
What meets him is a blue spear-thrust.
If the dashing Archer is a raging wind, the responding spearhead is a divine wind.

The sword is swung, a swing to deflect the thrust.
Archer parries the thrust of the high speed lance with his shortsword.

"......!"
The one in red stops.
The enemy did not permit Archer's rush.
The enemy doesn't even let him get within two meters, the range of the spear.
For a long weapon, distance is always preferred.
As Lancer has a weapon almost two meters long, he only needs to attack when the enemy comes into his range.
Thrusting at an approaching enemy is easier than moving out yourself.

But even so.
Lancer closes the distance himself and doesn't even allow Archer to move forward.

"Idiot, a mere bowman challenging a close-range fight――――!"
His temper is like a burning fire.
Lancer closes in with each blow, with no thought of stopping.

With a long weapon, it's suicidal to close in to an enemy.
The spearman's tactic is to use their long range to defeat the enemy and win the battle.
So, as Lancer is just advancing unchecked, he doesn't have a chance of winning.

"――――No way."
But that's just by the book.
Lancer's lance shows no vulnerabilities as it strikes for the throat, shoulders, forehead, and heart.

Thrusts so fast even the afterimages are blurred.
As each strike of his lance repels, rebuffs, and pushes back Archer, any one of his thrusts could be called a final blow.
But even as a bowman, Archer is a Servant.
No ordinary attack can be a final blow...!

"Ha――――!"
Having repelled the lance aimed at his forehead, Archer closes in with speed superior to Lancer's lance.

―――Based on its shape, you might think that the main attack of a lance is a thrust, but the basic strength of a lance is in swings.
This is because a wide swing using its long range does not allow the enemy to dodge it by stepping back.

A partial retreat does not allow escape, and an attempt to counterattack will only result in a slashed stomach.
But simply going forward will end up in a smashed rib from the long shaft of the lance.
Archer and Lancer are similarly built.
On top of that, it's hard for Archer with no heavy armor to step into range of a lance swung like a whirlwind.

―――But, thrusts are a different story.
A blazing fast thrust certain to strike you is certainly scary.
But as long as the attack targets a point, there are many ways to avoid it once you see it.
As Archer did just then, hitting the shaft of the approaching lance to redirect it slightly creates an opening.

It must be because he underestimated a bowman.
The advantage of a long weapon is in the length and freedom of its range. Once Lancer has discarded these advantages himself, his defeat is――――

"――――"
"Huh――――!?"
The one in red stops.
―――A nightmare like time is reversing.
The thrust is faster than the previous ones...!

"Guh―――!"
Archer tries to parry the blow, but he gets flicked away along with his weapon.
There are no openings in Lancer's attack.
No, not just that. The thrusts increase in speed and power without limit and it becomes a final blow even for a Servant...!

"――――"
We were the ones that underestimated him.
For that Servant―――for Lancer's weapon, there are no general rules about lances.

Who could ever parry continuous attacks without even space to breathe between them?
Archer manages to retreat a bit and parries. And as a result, the distance between them opens a little.
That distance.
Lancer uses that distance as a runway to launch an even more powerful attack.

The raging continuous attack is only a repetition of that.
But the blows themselves are godlike.
Ten blows already.
No, it must actually be many times more than that.
The heavy rain of lance pours with yet more strength, trying to skewer Archer to death.

...It's not fast, but it's just skill.
It thrusts like a waterfall, with no change in speed.
What can Archer do as he's now on the defensive?
With such a short sword, he can only parry the lance.
He has no way to close on Lancer, and he continues to retreat.

"―――――――"
A vacuum of steel unfolds.
Support... I have to back Archer up, but my throat won't respond.
My magic has poor aim.
Unless Archer gets far away from Lancer, I will hit him with my magic as well.
Such an opening would only increase Lancer's advantage.

...And besides.
Frankly, I'm captivated.
This is a battle between Servants.
This is the Holy Grail War itself, where we use heroic spirits―――[r]
The highest rank of familiar, whom we would never otherwise obtain.

Servants.
Familiars of different classes that obey the seven Masters.
These are the highest-ranked familiars, called heroic spirits, that the Holy Grail summons.

―――So, it's misleading to call them familiars.
Originally, familiars were just beings that ran errands for the magus.
Imagine, perhaps, a cat in boots.
Or a cute white bird.
Or a black dog that doesn't obey its master, or something like that.

Familiars that a mere magus can summon are of that level.
Familiars are just familiars.
They are only mascots that run errands for their masters, so they cannot be beings stronger than their masters.
But Servants are different.
They are the most powerful beings.
Even for sorcerers, of which there are only five in this world, it would probably be impossible to form a contract with them.

It's not that the summoning is hard or even that the ability of the Servant surpasses that of the magus.
Servants themselves are beings above magic.

I'll make it clear.
Servants are heroes from the past.
Myth, legend, fable, history...
Fiction or not, the "superhuman beings" who gained concrete existence in folklore are what we call heroes.

A hero that becomes eternal in people's minds is no longer human after their death, and is promoted to another form of existence.
Humans who bring about miracles, save people, and achieve great deeds, are called heroes even after their death.
After being so called, they are promoted to heroic spirits after their death and become guardians of humanity.

It doesn't matter whether these people existed in reality or only in stories.
It is people's minds that create a hero.
People's wishes that "this is how things should be" give them form and set them up as real.
Authenticity does not matter.
They can have form as long as they have fame as a legend and people have faith.

The ultimate ideal humans have created, the greatest human people have created.
These are the heroes, the heroic spirits.
And of course, since they are beyond human, they cannot be controlled by humans.
A magus usually borrows their power only to mimic them.
They can't summon the heroic spirits themselves.

But the Holy Grail made that impossibility into reality.
It summons the heroic spirit, beyond human control, and turns it into a familiar obedient to the Master.
That nonsense is proof that the Holy Grail is almighty.

And with the passing of years ignored, the heroic spirits are summoned. The most recent from a hundred years ago, the oldest from the ancient days.
The seven heroic spirits obey each of the seven Masters, protect them, and eliminate the Masters of the enemy.
Heroes from every age and country are revived into the present day, to kill one another for supremacy.
That is why this ritual is called the Holy Grail War.

...But it seems the Holy Grail has its limits too.
Even the Holy Grail cannot indiscriminately call unto the spirit-like beings.
Just as a form invented by humans is required for the imaginary sixth element, known as the devil, to take form, the heroic spirits also need a form to live in this world.

That form is their temporary name, and the way the exist in this world.
The Holy Grail has furnished "classes" so that the heroic spirits may take form more easily, and it only summons the heroic spirits that match these classes.
It's like a passport to the present as it sets up a role as a familiar in advance. By allowing the summoned heroic spirit to take on that role, it helps the spirit to take form.

If there are seven Masters chosen by the Holy Grail, there are also seven Servants obeying those Masters.

There are seven furnished classes.
Knight of the sword, Saber.
Knight of the lance, Lancer.
Knight of the bow, Archer.
Mounted soldier, Rider.
Magus, Caster.
Silent killer, Assassin.
Mad warrior, Berserker.
Only the heroic spirits with attributes of these classes are summoned to the present to obey the Master―――and become a Servant.

That is the Servant System―――
A summoning and contract with a heroic spirit beyond human control, to win the "miracle" beyond human grasp.
The ultimate competition, held only on this ground, the one and the only Holy Grail War――――!

"――――!"
A loud crash.
The shortsword that deflected Lancer's lance flies from Archer's hand.
This is Lancer's technique.
A straight thrust that turns into a sweep at Archer's wrist.
It was a blow Archer could not avoid even had he seen it coming.

There is no effective way of parrying a lance with a sword.
A strong rebuff only results in a stronger counterattack, and a weak rebuff does not create any openings.
The important aspect of the battle between a sword and a lance lies in defeating the enemy when he is at the wrong range――――

"―――Idiot."
There's no hesitation in Lancer.
His movement to push Archer back stops.
―――He must intend to end the match in a single instant.
The stares of the firmly placed Lancer and the swordless Archer clash.

In that instant.
The lance is thrust just like a flash of light.
It can't even be seen.
Forehead, neck, and heart.
Three shots are launched, any one a fatal blow――――!!

But.
The flash too fast to see is repelled by a shining blade...!

"――――!?"
In Archer's hand is the shortsword again.
A sword like before, a Chinese sword like a hatchet.
But the biggest difference is―――
"Crap, two swords...!"
A pair of swords.
In his hands are matched swords, mirror images of each other.

"Heh, a bowman trying to be a swordsman―――!"
Lancer's lance flies.
As if to finish Archer off, the lance moves faster and faster.
"―――――――"

Archer defends with a burning spirit.
His hawk-like eyes say that he will not retreat anymore―――no, that he will only advance from now on.

The clashing sounds are like a well orchestrated music.
Two steels clanging against each other.
The sparking clashes increase in rhythm without pause.

The battle of the two is like a vacuum.
It sucks in the air around them, and it seems like anything approaching them would be cut to pieces.
"――――――――"
In reality, it only lasts an instant.
But for me looking on, it seems to take an infinitely long time.

Lancer tries not to let Archer near him, while Archer advances using his swords as a shield.
Over a hundred blows have been thrown, and Archer loses a sword every time.

But it's only for a moment as Archer has a sword in his hand in the next instant, forcing Lancer back a little each time.
Lancer finally admits his carelessness.
That even though he doesn't know who is before him, he will be the loser if he dismisses him as a mere bowman.

The distance widens.
Probably to recover, Lancer puts a large distance between them.
...His speed is extraordinary.
Archer's charge was out of this world, but it was still slow compared to Lancer.
The movement of his retreat had panther-like speed and agility.

"...Twenty-seven. I've disarmed you that many times, yet you still have more."
Lancer mutters in irritation.
No, it's more like confusion.

...I feel the same way.
According to Father, a Servant carries only one weapon.
Their weapon is filled with magical energy, so it's not something that can be created one after another, like Archer was just doing.

Servants are heroes that sublimate their spirits after death, equaling the holy spirits.
To put it another way, they are like devils or angels.
They are powerful familiars on their own, but their most powerful weapon is their "proof of heroism", a magical item called their "Noble Phantasm".

A Noble Phantasm is a weapon or armor the Servant used when they were a hero, and it's treated as a last resort.
The Noble Phantasm is the one and only weapon for a Servant.
This is because the Noble Phantasm is an ultimate weapon without equal.

...The lance that Lancer is using will show its power as a Noble Phantasm when Lancer deems it necessary.
A Noble Phantasm is an impressive weapon by itself, but its true ability is to release all its power using its "true name".

Heroes' weapons which rule over all others, and which have killed dragons and gods.
Servants activate their Noble Phantasms using their magical energy.
It's much like magic.
Servants recreate the destructions in legend using their weapon as a catalyst.

Those weapons are never disposable.
The swords that Archer brought out must be excellent, but they cannot be his Noble Phantasm.
He is the Servant Archer.
So the Noble Phantasm he conceals must be a bow.

"What's wrong, Lancer? It's not like you to just stand there and watch. Where's the energy you had just now?"
"...You're talking crap, you cheater."

Lancer's irritation is understandable.
Even though Lancer fought as a spearman, Archer fended him off as a swordsman.
Which means, Archer hasn't shown any of his abilities yet.
So it's natural for Lancer to feel ghastly.

"...All right then, I'll ask you. What hero are you?
 I've never heard of a bowman using two swords."
"On the other hand, it's easy to tell who you are. It's said that only the fastest heroes are chosen as the lancer, but you surpass even that.
 There aren't three lancers in this world at your level. And on top of that, there's only one with such beast-like agility."

"―――Oh. Well said, Archer."
At that instant.
His vast murderous intent makes me forget to breathe.

Lancer's arm moves.
This is different from before. A stance free from contempt.
The spearhead is lowered as if to strike the ground, and only his stare pierces Archer―――
"―――In that case, you shall face my finishing blow."
"I won't stop you. You're an enemy I will have to defeat sooner or later."

Lancer's body sinks down.
At the same time.
A chill like thorns fills the schoolyard.

...The air freezes.
Not a metaphor, it literally freezes.
All the mana in the air is frozen.
The only person allowed to breathe here is the warrior called Lancer.
The lance in Lancer's hands is unmistakably a demonic one.
And now, it is waiting to take its true form in the moment it strikes―――

"――――Crap."
He'll be beaten.
I don't know what kind of Noble Phantasm that is, but Archer will be beaten.
It's implausible since this is the first time I've felt such an intuition, but there's no doubt about it.

Archer will die when that lance is thrust.
It is determined.
Literally, Lancer's lance is the embodiment of inescapable death――――

"―――Oh."
Archer will be defeated.
Archer will die when Lancer pierces his heart.

―――And yet.
Even though I know what's going to happen, I can't even help him.
Because if I move even a finger, that will trigger the attack.

...So, if anything can stop this battle and stop Archer's defeat, it would be―――
"――――――Who's there...!!?"
It would be the chance appearance of a stranger we have all overlooked.

"...Huh?"
The ghastly air coming from Lancer disappears.
The sound of fleeing footsteps.
...That figure is definitely wearing a school uniform.

"A student...!? Someone was still here!?"
"It seems so. He did save our lives, though."
Archer says calmly.
Well we were certainly saved, but....

"...My mistake. I didn't notice my surroundings because I was preoccupied with Lancer... Hey, Archer, what are you doing?"
"Can't you see? I'm resting since I'm free now."
"You can't do that. What about Lancer?"
"He went after that guy. He saw us, so Lancer probably went to eliminate him."
"――――――――"
For an instant.
My thoughts stop.

"...Follow him, Archer! I'll catch up right away...!"
"――――"
Archer goes after Lancer immediately.

"...Damn, how stupid of me...!"
I curse my carelessness.
It's the rule of magi to eliminate any witnesses.
...Which is why, if one didn't want to do that, one just had to allow no witnesses. I've done that until now, so why do I have to make a mistake today of all days...!?

A night where even the moonlight is obscured.
A student is lying on the cold hallway floor and Archer is standing still.

"......"
He is staring blankly at the student.
...A smell hits my nose.
The blood on the floor makes clear that it's the smell of death.

"...Follow him, Archer. Lancer will probably go back to his Master. This won't be worth it unless we at least find out what his Master looks like."
"――――"
Archer goes after Lancer.
I'm left alone with the student lying on the floor.

"......"
I can't look straight at him.
But I must.
This is my fault.
This is my fault.
This is my fault.

―――Ever since I was a child.
Ever since I became the successor of Tohsaka, I've been preparing for something like this.
There's no good or evil for magi.
I've always told myself that this road has only my blood and the blood of others, so...!

"...One shot from Lancer's lance, huh? You can't be saved with your heart pierced."
I don't know how long it's been since Lancer killed him.
Was he lucky or unlucky to be pierced through the heart?
I guess Lancer's attack isn't a simple external wound as the flow of blood from the rupture isn't too severe.

It's not too severe, but it's all over when the brain doesn't get any more blood.
No, basically, if his heart were pierced, he should have died instantly.

"...But it's amazing he isn't dead yet."
...Yes.
He's still breathing faintly as if to give his last scream.
But that will only last a few more seconds.
He can't heal his own wounds, and I don't have enough power to save him either.

"I have to look at his face. I should at least do that."
I try to touch the head, facing the ground, and realize my fingertips won't move.
...They're trembling.
I wonder why.
I'm used to such things.
I've had to make these kinds of choices many times before.

I've lost many things due to my mistakes and my selfishness.
That's why... I'm ready for a day like this.
So why... why am I so angry at myself?

"...Sorry. I'll see you off, at least."
I control my trembling fingers and my failing knees with my will, and look at the face of the student.
"――――――――"
A huge smacking sound.
It really feels like I've been hit on the head with a hammer.

"...Stop it. Why does it have to be you?"
I grit my teeth.
Not to suppress my trembling.
I'm really pissed off.
Why is it him?
Why did it have to be him?
I'm not mad at Lancer for killing a witness quickly and perfectly, just as a Servant should do.
I'm just angry at him for staying late at this place, on this day...!

"――――――――"
Sakura's face flashes in my mind.
She will definitely cry.
And I recall one red-tinted day after school, a long time ago.
...A distant sunset.
Someone always running alone.
And a boring girl, staring at that from far away.
―――And before me, the corpse of someone who happened to get involved.

"――――――――"
...There is a way.
I might fail and lose my last resort in the process, but there is still a way.
No, I'll lose my last resort whether I succeed or fail, so the result for me won't change.

"――――――――"
It's a mistake.
The fact of his death is already determined.
It's my fault for not noticing the things around me.
It's his fault for unluckily staying late.

So I don't need to go that far.
Yes, because this is what my father, who gave me nothing else, left just for me.
A powerful chunk of magical energy, a reliable last resort to win through this battle.
A precious, precious thing just for me―――

"―――So what, idiot?"
I shake the feeling off and kneel in front of the one who will become a corpse in another second.

"...Man, I've done it."
The pendant in my hand becomes lighter.
My father's memento is drained almost to emptiness,
 and falls onto what used to be a dying body.

"――――Well, it can't be helped."
Yes, it can't be helped.
I didn't have the power or skills to revive someone with a damaged heart, damaged blood vessels, and on the verge of brain death on top of that.
That's why I had to make up for my lack of skill with this powerful object.

"It's lucky he was still breathing. If he was completely dead, no amount of magical energy could have revived him."
But since he was still alive...
I just did what I could, and ended up saving his life.

"...It would have been awful if I failed, but since I succeeded, I guess it's all right. Yeah, I feel fulfilled to be honest, so this wasn't such a bad experience."
I'm just bluffing.

"...Let's go. What's done is done. I have to head back before he wakes up."
Yeah, there's no need for me to stay here any longer.
Archer should be following Lancer, so I should go home by myself.

――――On my way back, I remember.
I left the pendant at school, just a pendant now that the magical energy has been drained out of it.

"Oh well."
I've no more use for that pendant.
Sure, it might have a bit of magical energy left in it, but surely less than the ten jewels I have.
What my father intended to leave for me was enough magical energy to win the Holy Grail War.
So now, without magical energy, that thing is meaningless.

I enter the house without saying anything and sit on the sofa.
Archer isn't back yet.
I sigh and listen to the clock for a few minutes.

"―――Huh, I have to switch gears.
 What am I doing, daydreaming after a battle like that?"

I jump up and brew some tea.
There are so many things to think about.
Most importantly, the Servants.
I have just witnessed a battle between Servants I had previously only understood intellectually.

"Lancer, huh...? I panicked when he almost used his Noble Phantasm, but I would have found out his identity if he had used it..."

The easiest way to beat an enemy Servant is to learn their identity.
Ignoring for the moment the idiot who doesn't even know his own identity, the biggest weak point of a Servant is their "true name".
Discovering the Servant's true name... in other words, figuring out their identity... should let you take a guess at what kind of Noble Phantasm they might have.

It goes without saying, but since Servants are heroic spirits, they have a legend associated with them.
If you figure out their legend, you should be able to find out most of their abilities.
Servants are called by their class names because they want to hide their true names.
Because the more famous a hero is, the more people know about their weapons and their weaknesses.

A heroic spirit that becomes a Servant never gives out their true identity.
The only ones that know the Servants' identities are the Masters.
There's even a tacit understanding that the Masters hide their Servants' identities while trying to discover the identities of the others.

...This is the fifth Holy Grail War.
The qualities of the Servants are determined by the ranks of the summoned heroic spirits.
It goes without saying that the more famous heroes and the heroes with better weapons are stronger.

But it's difficult to summon such heroic spirits.
To summon a heroic spirit, one must have a connection with them such as a weapon they used during their lives.
Even the Magic Association has a few of such things.
So generally, one will summon a heroic spirit that suits them, like I did.

A Servant's strength is determined by the rank of the heroic spirit.
But it's not that simple as even the most powerful heroic spirits may have a hard time depending on the class they are assigned to.
That is because of the special abilities assigned to each class, the possibility of the weak defeating the strong.

The seven classes each have a different additional ability, and one even has a chance of defeating an opponent of higher rank depending on the ability's affinity.
To take an example, an infamous hero has defeated a great hero four times in the past.
As far as I know, the most powerful Servant is Saber.

In all the previous four wars, Saber has made it to the final fight.
It is said that the three classes Saber, Lancer and Archer have strong magic resistance.
To put it simply, magic is pretty much useless against them.

It's because they are fighters who fought through the age of myths, when magics were used widely.
Magics that magi use now would probably dissipate just by touching them.
...Anyways, that's why these three classes are considered the basics and the best.

Another that's worthy of mention is the Servant Berserker.
The heroic spirit summoned into this class loses their sanity.
Just as the name implies, they become a mad warrior puppet of their Master. The benefit from this is a "strengthening" of their power, far exceeding the powers they had when alive.

However, the more powerful a Servant becomes, the greater the burden it imposes on the Master.
In the past, Masters who summoned Berserker couldn't control their rampaging Servants, and destroyed themselves by running out of magical energy.
No exceptions.

―――The winners and losers of the Holy Grail War are largely determined by the abilities of the Servants.
Well, I expect there are ways to win it by the Master's efforts, but it is basically a fight between the Servants.
That is why a Master should be very careful when summoning a Servant....

"――――――――"
I silently consider the plans we should make from now on.
The clock, fixed already, strikes eleven while I do so... and Archer comes home.

"Welcome back. How did it go?"
"...I'm sorry. I failed. It must be one cautious Master. At the very least, Lancer's Master is not on this side of town."

As I expected.
Lancer was alone and it seems his Master isn't the type to show up for battles personally.

"I see. Well, I guess it won't be that easy."
Yes, there's no way everything will go as I might hope.
So it can't be helped.
Let's consider what happened tonight as a tuition fee for the lessons learned.

"You seem down, Master. Where are your high spirits? Don't tell me you got scared by that one fight. If you so order, I am ready to go battle Lancer again right now."

Archer protests silently that we should do so.
...I see.
I guess I look depressed.

"Of course not. I'm staying in only because I don't want to do anything pointless."
"Hm? Anything pointless...?"
"Well, all the Masters aren't present yet, right? Tonight couldn't be helped, but I wouldn't start fighting before we get the signal. My father told me this is one of the rules of the Holy Grail War."

"...I see, so your father was also a Master."
Archer nods, understanding.
―――Then.
Archer makes a troubled face and starts to ponder something.

"What? Do you have something you want to say?"
"Yeah, there's something I forgot to ask.
 Rin, you've been raised since you were small to be a Master and you've accepted that, right? So you've expected to be a Master since the beginning."

"Of course. Well, there certainly are Masters that are suddenly appointed, but I'm different. For the Tohsaka family, the Holy Grail has been our earnest desire for many generations."

"I thought so. So having been raised to become a Master, you must have a purpose.
 I forgot to ask about that. I cannot swear my sword to you unless I know my Master's wish.
 ―――So Rin, what is your wish?"
"Wish? I don't really have one."
"―――What?"
Oh, Archer's making a funny face.

"T-That can't be true! The Holy Grail is an almighty grail that grants wishes. Becoming a Master means obtaining the Holy Grail, so how can you say you have no wish to grant...!?"
"―――――"
Archer is asking with a serious expression.

...Oh, I see.
The Master's wish after obtaining the Holy Grail isn't irrelevant to the Servant.
But it's strange. Father said that Servants have wishes as well, but that is only their wish.
I don't think Archer should be concerned because I don't have any wishes.

"All right, if you don't have a specific wish, why not wish for something ambiguous? Like ruling the world?"
"Why? The world is already mine."

"――――――――"
"Hey now, Archer. The world is just another word for the things you value around you, right? That's something I've had since I was born. If you tell me to rule such a world, I already rule it."

"――――"
Archer looks at me with a troubled expression.
I'm amazed. The guy really is hard-headed.

"Ridiculous. The Holy Grail is a power to grant wishes, a power to obtain the world. Are you saying you're seeking it, yet you have no wish?"
"But ruling the world would be so troublesome and there's no point in wishing for something so pointless. You seem to lack imagination."
"...I don't understand. For what then, do you fight?"

"I fight because there's a battle, Archer. And I'll take whatever I can get. I don't know about this Holy Grail thing, but I can just use it when I find something I want, right? As a human, there are infinite things I might want in life."
"―――So, you're saying..."
"Yes. I'm fighting to win, Archer."

"――――――――"
Archer's shoulders slump.
Maybe he's disappointed in my opinions, but it seems he's finally relaxed.

"...I give up. You're certainly a worthy Master for me."
―――Ugh.
...I find it hard to deal with that kind of comment, so I wish he'd stop saying such things....

"...Huh. A Servant has no right to choose their Master, but I'll ask for the heck of it. Why am I a worthy Master for you?"
"It goes without saying. You're unmistakably the strongest Master.
 No one would be a better Master to serve than you."
"Oh, thanks. It doesn't sound like flattery when you say it."
...I look away because I'm embarrassed.

I find it hard to deal with Archer because he speaks frankly like this even though he's so cynical.
...But, well, I'm honestly happy that he trusts me.
I trust Archer and he trusts me.
I don't think this sense of solidarity is a bad thing.

"Well then, let's take a break. Even if the seventh Master is going to appear, it won't be right now―――wait a minute, Rin. What happened to that jewelry of yours?"
"You mean my pendant? Oh, I forgot it. It's out of power, so there's no use for it, right?"

"That's true, but... well, if you say so."
"Yes, it's a memento of my father, but it's not like it's my only memory of him――――"
"―――That's no good. You don't have to be that strong, Rin."
So saying,
Archer takes out the pendant I left at school.

"Oh... you went and picked it up for me."
"...Don't forget it again. It only looks right on you, Rin."
As if he's embarrassed, Archer looks away as he hands me the pendant.

"―――I see. Thanks."
I accept it.
To be honest, I don't know if I should be embarrassed or cool about it.

The pendant is as it was.
...As expected, there's no magical energy left in it.
Empty of magical energy, it's just an expensive but ordinary jewel, and it doesn't hold any power.
But, as Archer would put it.
Even if there's no power left in this pendant, it still has meaning as something my father specifically left for me.
Then... maybe I can just laugh off the fact that I helped that guy by sacrificing my trump card.

"―――Hey, wait a sec."
Something clicks in my head.
I wasn't thinking straight back then because of my regret, but thinking about it calmly, I missed something.

He saw us, so it'll be dangerous unless we adjust his memory.
Basically, Lancer prioritized eliminating the witness over his battle with us.
Lancer's thinking probably matches his Master's.
So... if such a Master finds out the guy they killed didn't die, what would he do?

"―――He wouldn't let the guy keep on living―――"
I get up from my sofa.
...It's been three hours since then.
I might not make it, but...
After all I did, I have to make it on time―――!

I run through the night.
Fortunately, I know where his house is.
No, I didn't look it up, but it just happens that an acquaintance of mine goes there a lot... though I've never been there myself.

"...Honestly, you're just taking on unwanted troubles."
Archer has no interest in cooperating.
He was against saving the guy when he was dying, and he's against me going to help him right now.

――――It's midnight.
Under the cloudy night sky, we reach the Japanese-styled house.

There's no sight of anyone in this house on the edge of the residential district.
There aren't many houses around it, and there's no one to come and help if something happens here.

"――――"
My breath is white.
A wind starts to pick up.
It must be quite strong as the clouds start to drift fast.
The supposedly warm wind of Fuyuki sends chills down my spine, making me tremble.

Even if Fuyuki City is considered warm, it's still cold on the hill.

The air around here is frozen.
I strain my ears in the cold atmosphere.
In the frozen feeling, I feel a small sense of an enemy.

"...He's here. The Servant from before...!"
I bite my lip.
His presence is perceptible on the other side of this wall.
Lancer is in the house already and about to kill the same guy again, who has just come home without a clue as to what happened.

"...I'll just have to jump in and beat him. I'll worry about what comes next when it happens―――!"
Just as I'm about to command Archer to go in.
A bright white light, like a fallen sun, comes from within the house.

"――――"
The presence is eclipsed by another presence.
The wave of power of the Servant Lancer is consumed by an even larger wave.
...The instantaneous explosion of ether gives the spiritual being a body, summoned to overpower Lancer.

"No way..."
I can only mutter.
But it's true.
To prove it―――Lancer jumps over the wall and leaps away as if fleeing from this place.

"...Hey, Archer. Is this another one of your hypothetical scenarios?"
"I don't know. But this makes seven. All the Masters are here now, Rin."
Archer answers calmly.
I've lost my normal judgment.
That's why I didn't even consider the obvious event that would follow.

The wind blows strongly.
Clouds cover the sky like an umbrella.
The unlit suburbs are enclosed by darkness.
And the Servant jumps over the wall, coming down like a demonic bird―――

"――――!"
Archer has reacted already.
But I couldn't react.
That was my mistake.
The battle ended with that small opening, not lasting even a second.
It might have been only a second for me, but for that Servant, it was an opening that couldn't be ignored.

A sword rushes for me.
"Huh, Archer...?"
Archer pushes me aside and the Servant slashes him.
It happens in an instant.
Archer, who handled Lancer's fury of attacks beautifully, has been taken down with one blow―――

"Archer, disappear...!"
But I make it in time this time.
Just as the enemy Servant is about to cut off Archer's head with her blade, I forcibly remove him.
A pain in my right hand.
It must have been an excessive command, so a Command Spell has disappeared from my hand.

...Now there's only one remaining.
But this is for the best.
Rather than having Archer die, I would prefer to lose one or two Command Spells...

"――――"
Giving no consideration to Archer's disappearance, the Servant attacks me.
"―――Don't underestimate me!"
I take from my pocket a topaz with a wind spell stored in it. Then, I launch all the magical energy it contains at her without processing it...!

This thing, which can blow away a house without a trace, is a bundle of wind spells I've stocked up over time.
It's one of the ten jewels I've been putting my magical energy into for seventeen years without rest.
I'm using all the magical energy stored in it, so even if I can't defeat her, it should at least slow her down a bit――――
...No, not even that.
It did nothing.
The swirl of wind that instantly tears apart anything caught within it disappears like a magic trick the instant it touches the Servant.
...Such strong magic resistance.
Mere magical energy from a magus cannot hurt this Servant...!

―――So, this is it.
She can't be hurt by magic, and I've lost the protection of Archer, so I can't stop this Servant.
I barely managed to avoid one blow, but that's all.
I look up at the night sky.
In it is the figure of cold-hearted Death who is looking down at me as I lay miserably on the ground―――

"―――Wha..."
The wind blows.
In between the dark clouds in the spiral sky, the moon shines.
The falling moonlight and the beautiful face...
This is the Servant that drove off Lancer,
defeated my Archer in one strike,
and annulled my magic with no trouble.

 "That magic was splendid, magus."

The girl's voice is like a bell.
Yes, this voice is like a nightmare right now.
It's only natural.
The more beautiful my enemy is, the more of a nightmare it is as I cannot believe the difference in our strength.

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

The point of the sword shines brilliantly.

―――On the verge of death, I understand.
 With just one look, without proof...

This is the card I wanted.
The one said to be the strongest of all Servants, the hero of the sword.

"――――――――"
I look up at the moon, accepting my death.
There's no time for me to flee or plead for my life.
I will die here and Tohsaka Rin's Holy Grail War will end on the third day.
There is only disgrace and regret, and I will probably vanish bearing a grudge against my enemy.

―――But still, I don't feel anything.
Something must really be wrong with me.
Even though I'm going to be killed in an instant, I adore her again.
That's right.
If you ask for regrets, that's it.

But I guess it can't be helped.
―――Because she's the most powerful Servant.
Because her figure is just so heartless, so infinitely valiant, and so beautiful――――

Fate[]

Fate - Day 1[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Fate - Day 1: One day [T]

The massive form flies through the air.
In one bound, the thing called Berserker crosses the dozens of meters from the top of the hill――――!
 
"―――Shirou, stay back...!"
In the moonlight...
"Bullets" rain down on the descending giant like shooting stars...!

"[wacky len=15]"
They have extreme accuracy.
The silver lights that are shooting through the giant are indeed "arrows".
 
No, the word "arrow" is an understatement.
It's like a barrage from a machine gun, and each shot could pierce through rocks.
―――Eight shots of that.
It should be able to mow down houses, but...
 
"No way! It's not doing anything!?"
It has no effect on the giant.
 
The two swords clash.
The giant sword of Berserker, who came down through a rain of 'arrows'...
 And the sword of Saber, who ran to his landing spot. The two blades spark on contact...!
 "Fuh...!"
 "[wacky len=6]"
 The swords clash.
 Even though she is overpowered by Berserker's attack, Saber does not yield.
 Silver lights run through the darkness.
 How much magical energy is in that small body of hers?
 Even though Saber is obviously weaker, she is proving to be a match against Berserker.
 She blocks, parries, and faces the assault of that giant sword head-on.
 
 "――――――――"
 I must not be the only one who's awed.
 The Master of that giant and the one standing next to me, Tohsaka, are also fascinated by Saber's figure.
 
 "...! Archer, back her up!"
 Tohsaka screams out at once.
 In response, a silver light comes flying out of nowhere.
 
 The silver light strikes the giant right in his temple.
 The arrow that came flying through the air is as powerful as a tank shell.
 No matter what this giant may be, he has to take some damage from that.
 
 "――――Got him...!"
 Saber slashes with her invisible sword right after the shot connects.
 But...
 Her attack is countered by a huge blow, and Saber is flung away.
 
 "Guh...!?"
 Saber slides across the asphalt.
 
 A black whirlwind runs in pursuit, and...
 Silver lights come flashing down to intercept him!
 But they have no effect.
 The three arrows hit the giant square in his forehead, but simply disappear.
 
 "[wacky len=9]――――!!!!"
 The giant does not stop.
 Saber blocks the giant blade with her own.
 
 "Saber...!"
 My scream is meaningless.
 As Saber blocks Berserker's sword head-on, she is flung away like a ball―――and she falls to the ground.
 
 "――――!"
 Is she dizzy?
 Saber has her knees on the ground and does not move.
 "――――This is it. Smash her, Berserker."
 The girl's voice echoes.
 The black giant charges at Saber with brutal speed.
 
 "Keep firing, Archer...!"
 Tohsaka starts running as she screams.
 ―――She must intend to help Saber.
 She runs up the hill while taking out something that looks like a rock.
 
 "Gewicht, um zu Verdoppel ung――――!"
 Tohsaka scatters obsidian jewels in the sky,
 and numerous silver lights come flying from the heavens.
 Even with that, Berserker's charge does not stop.
 "What a――――"
 ...Monster.
 ...I finally understand how absurd he is.
 That giant isn't just "strong".
 He must be protected by some "law" of immortality created from abnormal amounts of magical energy.
 
 "Good, ignore the annoying ones.
  Archer and Rin shouldn't be able to get past your Noble Phantasm."
 The girl's voice rings out.
 The giant's sword is swung.
 
 And...
 Saber bravely blocks it with her sword and is flung away once again.
 ―――She flies dozens of meters.
 Saber flies through the air like a pitcher's fastball and plows into the open terrain off the road.
 
 "――――――――"
 She must be dead.
 Once is bad enough.
 But she can't be okay after receiving such a blow twice.
 
 The black whirlwind moves.
 The match is already decided, but he's not done yet.
 The giant called Berserker roars and charges onto the open land.
 
 "――――――――"
 She'll die.
 Even if Saber's still alive, she'll surely die now.
 ...And.
 As long as I'm here, I'm sure I'll die as well.
 
 'If you can, try to run away.'
 The one who said that isn't here.
 Tohsaka went after Berserker.
 She must intend to keep fighting against this monster that is unscathed by all those attacks.
 
 "――――――――"
 I―――


...I can't move from here.
 I'm not obedient enough to follow her words and run away.
 But I can't go after Berserker either.
 
 I'm scared of going up against that monster.
 But more than that―――what can I do even if I go?
 
 "Damn――――it."
 I stand by myself in the dark.
 ...It's vexing, but I have no way to fight.
 I can neither help Saber nor fight Berserker.
 If there's anything I can do, it's run to a safe place right now.
 
 "!?"
 I hear unfamiliar noises from the top of the hill―――from the open area that Saber was flung into.
 
 If I remember correctly, that's the foreigners' cemetery.
 Saber and Berserker.
 Their fight must still be going on.
 
 "......!"
 This is my final decision.
 I―――


Tohsaka is right.
 Saber drew Berserker away from here.
 Then I should get away from this dangerous place and await Saber's return――――
 
 "Haa... Haa... Haa..."
 I passed the bridge from Shinto and ran straight home.
 I never looked back as I ran.
 I don't know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind.
 ...Anyway, I desperately ran here.
 
 "――――――――"
 ...The living room is just as I left it.
 The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Tohsaka came here.
 I go near the restored window.
 I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Tohsaka must have overlooked.
 
 "...There's no crack in the glass... I wonder how Tohsaka made up for these pieces."
 I murmur to myself.
 ...I don't know why, but I don't feel like turning the lights on.
 I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness.
 
 "......"
 What I should be thinking about.
 What I should say.
 I'm running away from these things.
 ...The people that were here until a few hours ago.
 The people who were by my side until a few minutes ago.
 I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can't bring myself to get out of the dark.
 
 The wall clock points to three.
 ...It's been thirty minutes since then.
 No matter who won, I'm sure the battle is over now.
 
 "――――――――"
 I should go back.
 When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up...
 A sharp pain runs through my left hand.
 
 "...The Command Spell...?"
 The color has faded from my Command Spell.
 Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber's Master has disappeared.
 I understand instinctively what that means.
 "Saber...!"
 I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness.
 
 I run outside.
 I won't make it now.
 I know I can't make it, but I start to run back...
 And I'm stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing.
 
 " , "
 ...I can't hear too well.
 I can tell there's someone in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can't see very clearly.
 
 " ―――? , "
 The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid.
 The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant.
 
 "Oh――――, ........"
 ...That's right.
 Emiya Shirou will be killed the instant Saber is lost.
 As I don't have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber.
 
 But I didn't realize that, and I secluded myself.
 This is the result.
 It doesn't matter if I'm in the house or if I run away somewhere.
 
 "G―――uh――――"
 ...My mind starts to fade.
 I don't care who it is or what I got stabbed by.
 It doesn't matter if I die today or tomorrow.
 
 Because...
 The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well――――


"――――――――"
 I know I won't be able to do anything even if I do go.
 But still――――I still feel her hand in mine.
 I told her we'll try our best.
 She shook the hand I held out.
 So――――
 
 "Man, there's nothing else I can do...!!"
 I'll be killed if I go up the hill after that giant.
 My body is trembling from that fact, but I suppress it and run up the slope.
 
 "Saber――――!"
 I run into the open land.
 ...And then.
 The scenery that awaits me there is totally unexpected.
 
 Gravestones are flying around.
 Every time the giant swings his sword, the heavy gravestones are split in two.
 ―――In the midst of it...
 A knight bravely runs through the storm of gravestones.
 
 The axe-sword rages around.
 Gravestones are flung aside.
 In the chaos, Saber is fighting Berserker with the same―――no, with more power than before.
 
 "――――――――"
 "[wacky len=9]"
 Their positions are reversed here.
 The advantage belongs to someone with a small body like Saber.
 Berserker is hindered by obstacles,
 and Saber acts as if there's nothing in her way.
 
 I'm sure that a hindrance of this degree is only trivial for Berserker.
 But it's more than nothing.
 It's only a slight difference, but that slight difference is tipping the scale the other way now―――
 
 "This way...! You'll get hit if you're there!"
 "Huh!? Whoa...!?"
 "What are you thinking!? I told you to run away, right!? Or did you not hear me!?"
 She's really angry.
 
 "Um―――I heard you. But I can't just run away, right?"
 
 "What!? How could you reach that conclusion!? Can't you tell that you'll only be a bother to us since you can't fight!? It can't be helped if you die
  trying to make a difference, but it'd be meaningless if you die doing nothing!"
 
 "――――?"
 ...I don't know why, but Tohsaka is seriously angry.
 Even though I'm getting yelled at, I don't feel bad for some reason.
 
 "―――Hey, is that something you should get mad about? It shouldn't matter to you if I die meaninglessly or not."
 "It does matter! I told you I'd let you go for all of today, so it'll trouble me if you don't get home safely!"
 
 "......"
 ...I'm confused even more now.
 Tohsaka sure had a different face on at school.
 
 "―――Geez. Anyway, you're not hurt, so run away right now.
  That Ilyasviel girl intends to kill us all."
 
 "I know that. But I can't run away. Saber's fighting, so I can't run away by myself."
 
 "...That's a line for someone who can make a difference. You'll just die a meaningless death, as you can't do anything to support her.
  This is your last warning. Just run away."
 "That can't be true. There should be something I can do as long as I'm alive. And besides, are you going to ask someone to do something that you can't do?"
 
 "――――――――"
 Tohsaka looks at me with a serious expression.
 "...You're right. I'm the shameless one for asking you to do something I can't do."
 
 She looks away.
 "―――Well, I don't think there's a need to run away. I don't think Saber will lose now."
 Tohsaka takes a peek from behind the tree.
 
 Their battle is continuing without change.
 Berserker's attacks smash through empty space and only destroy his surroundings.
 
 Between the attacks...
 Within the swirling whirlwind and flying clods...
 Within the rain of broken gravestones...
 Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker.
 
 "......"
 It is a divine work of utmost excellence.
 My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere humans.
 Instead, I am fascinated.
 
 I could not believe I was in this Holy Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness.
 But all of it is blown away when I see her.
 
 Dancing swords.
 Within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation.
 
 ...Maybe this scene made me accept everything.
 No matter what may fall upon us in the future...
 I'm convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me.
 
 "...I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker's sword on purpose."
 Tohsaka murmurs without emotion.
 
 "...Was that to lure Berserker here?"
 "Yup. It's suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That's why Saber chose this place as the battleground.
  She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you, all the while she pretended to be cornered."
 
 "――――――――"
 ...Then...
 Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill.
 
 "But you can't expect backup in a battle like this.
  Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer's arrows.
  Backup was meaningless from the start."
 Tohsaka murmurs as
  she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker.
 
 "...Archer's arrows..."
 But those words catch my attention.
 Archer isn't here.
 If he really is an archer, he should not fight hand-to-hand, but――――
 
 "She got him――――!"
 Tohsaka snaps her fingers.
 Just as she said... Saber's sword must have hit Berserker, or he must have lost his footing.
 Berserker's body, holding firm until now, loses its balance.
 
 "[wacky len=9]―――――――"
 The beast lashes out desperately.
 Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both hands.
 
 ――――This is it.
 As his desperate attack is dodged, Berserker loses his balance even more,
  and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power.
 
 Right then...
 "――――Archer...? What do you mean, get away...?"
 I notice Tohsaka's confused voice, and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place.
 
 "――――――――"
 Behind me.
 I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow.
 
 "――――――――"
 It's either nausea or a chill.
 He's readying a bow.
 A bow that's no different from before.
 It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit.
 So there is no need to feel any threat from it――――
 
 "――――――――"
 ―――I feel a chill.
 What he is readying in his bow is not an "arrow", but something completely different.
 And his intent to kill isn't just directed at Berserker.
 
 "Sab――――"
 I act instantly.
 I―――


I can't be a burden on Saber.
 I can't do anything even if I follow them, and Saber should be able to run away if she's by herself.
 Saber got Berserker away from here.
 If she was protecting me, I can't stay in this dangerous place forever――――
 
 "Haa... Haa... Haa..."
 I passed the bridge from Shinto and ran straight home.
 I never looked back as I ran.
 I don't know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind.
 ...Anyway, I desperately ran here.
 
 "――――――――"
 ...The living room is just as I left it.
 The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Tohsaka came here.
 I go near the restored window.
 I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Tohsaka must have overlooked.
 
 "...There's no crack in the glass... I wonder how Tohsaka made up for these pieces."
 I murmur to myself.
 ...I don't know why, but I don't feel like turning the lights on.
 I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness.
 
 "......"
 What I should be thinking about.
 What I should say.
 I'm running away from these things.
 ...The people that were here until a few hours ago.
 The people who were by my side until a few minutes ago.
 I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can't bring myself to get out of the dark.
 
 The wall clock points to three.
 ...It's been thirty minutes since then.
 No matter who won, I'm sure the battle is over now.
 
 "――――――――"
 I should go back.
 When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up...
 A sharp pain runs through my left hand.
 
 "...The Command Spell...?"
 The color has faded from my Command Spell.
 Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber's Master has disappeared.
 I understand instinctively what that means.
 "Saber...!"
 I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness.
 
 I run outside.
 I won't make it now.
 I know I can't make it, but I start to run back...
 And I'm stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing.
 
 " , "
 ...I can't hear too well.
 I can tell there's someone in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can't see very clearly.
 
 " ―――? , "
 The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid.
 The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant.
 
 "Oh――――........"
 ...That's right.
 Emiya Shirou will be killed the instant Saber is lost.
 As I don't have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber.
 
 But I didn't realize that, and I secluded myself.
 This is the result.
 It doesn't matter if I'm in the house or if I run away somewhere.
 
 "G―――uh――――"
 ...My mind starts to fade.
 I don't care who it is or what I got stabbed by.
 It doesn't matter if I die today or tomorrow.
 
 Because...
 The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well――――


...The battle continues.
 Saber is fighting to protect me.
 Then―――I should go even if there's nothing I can do.
 
 The two Command Spells engraved on my hand...
 I am standing here after swearing to fight as a Master and shaking hands with Saber.
 
 "Geez――――What am I doing...!?"
 I run, ignoring all hesitation and fear.
 ―――I'll be killed if I go after them.
 I suppress my trembling body with force and obstinacy, and I run up the hill.
 "Get back, Emiya-kun. You'll get in Saber's way if you go any farther."
 I stop as she grabs my shoulder.
 
 "Did you hear me? I told you that you should keep quiet and watch since Saber's going to win.
  ...Well, I think you can tell that yourself though."
 She must have been hiding behind a tree, as she calls out to me with a calm voice.
 
 "Huh? Saber will win...?"
 Against that monster?
 Saber will win against that giant she couldn't even match until now?
 
 "Heh. You look like you don't believe me.
  Why don't you take a look? I don't want to admit this, but your Servant is great in all aspects. Saber should be able to beat Berserker."
 Tohsaka snorts and hides behind the tree.
 
 ――――Clashing swords.
 Berserker's attacks smash through empty space and only destroy his surroundings.
 Between the attacks...
 Within the swinging whirlwind, flying clods, and the rain of broken gravestones, Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker.
 
 "......"
 It is a divine work of utmost excellence.
 My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere humans.
 Instead, I am fascinated.
 
 I could not believe I was in this Holy Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness.
 But all that is blown away when I see her.
 
 Dancing swords.
 Within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation.
 
 ...Maybe this scene made me accept everything.
 No matter what may befall us in the future...
 I'm convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me.
 
 "...I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker's sword on purpose."
 Tohsaka murmurs without emotion.
 
 "...Was that to lure Berserker here?"
 "Yup. It's suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That's why Saber chose this place as the battleground. She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you, all the while she pretended to be cornered."
 
 "――――――――"
 ...Then...
 Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill.
 
 "But you can't expect backup in a battle like this.
  Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer's arrows.
  Backup was meaningless from the start."
 Tohsaka murmurs as she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker.
 
 "...Archer's arrows..."
 But those words catch my attention.
 Archer isn't here.
 If he really is an archer, he should not fight hand-to-hand, but――――
 
 "She got him――――!"
 Tohsaka snaps her fingers.
 Just as she said... Saber's sword must have hit Berserker, or Berserker must have lost his footing.
 Berserker's body, holding firm until now, loses its balance.
 
 "[wacky len=9]―――――――"
 The beast lashes out desperately.
 Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both hands.
 
 ――――This is it.
 As his desperate attack was dodged, Berserker loses his balance even more,
 and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power.
 
 Right then...
 "――――Archer...? What do you mean, get away...?"
 I notice Tohsaka's confused voice and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place.
 
 "――――――――"
 Behind me.
 I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow.
 
 "――――――――"
 It's either nausea or a chill.
 He's readying a bow.
 A bow that's not any different from before.
 It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit.
 So there is no need to feel any threat from it――――
 
 "――――――――"
 ―――I feel a chill.
 What he is readying in his bow is not an "arrow", but something completely different.
 And his intent to kill isn't just directed at Berserker.
 
 "Sab――――"
 I act instantly.
 I―――


"No! Come back, Saber――――!"
 When I notice, I'm yelling at the top of my lungs.
 
 "Master――――!?"
 She looks dumbfounded.
 Saber slows down as she hears my voice.
 But that's not enough. She won't make it if she only slows down...!
 
 "It is dangerous, so please stay back...!"
 "No, you're in danger! Just come here...!"
 I reach out to her with my hand.
 
 "I am...? ――――!?"
 She must have understood me, as she turns her back to Berserker and jumps away with all her might.
 
 Right after her retreat...
 He shoots the "arrow".
 
 Saber jumps back like a spark, and Berserker tries to pursue Saber.
 Archer's arrow is fired right between them.
 Archer's arrows have not had any effect so far.
 The black giant ignores it, as if saying it's not worth blocking.
 
 But at that moment...
 
 "[wacky len=15]"
 The black giant turns his back to us and attacks the "arrow" coming at him with all his might――――
 
 ――――In that instant...
           All sound is lost.
 
 "――――――――!"
 I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself.
 Maybe I've gone deaf, as I can't hear anything.
 All I can feel is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground.
 Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of something pierces my back.
 
 "......!"
 I grit my teeth and endure it.
 The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant.
 I manage to survive the destruction.
 
 "Wha――――"
 Saber is staring in astonishment.
 ...I'm doing the same as well.
 I don't know what happened.
 Archer's "arrow" razed this cemetery in an instant.
 There's a crater at the center of the explosion.
 Archer has created this destruction.
 But the giant still exists in spite of such abolition.
 
 "Berserker... He is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm――――"
 Saber's voice is weak.
 Sparks are flying through the night air.
 The black giant is standing still in the fire, and everybody here watches this terrible spectacle without words.
 
 The crackling of the flames is the only sound present.
 Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire...
 "Huh...?"
 Something rolls towards me with a noise.
 
 "...A sword?"
 No, it is an "arrow".
 An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade.
 ...Even if it's a sword, it is an "arrow" if it's used as a projectile.
 
 "――――――――"
 I don't know why it catches my attention so much.
 The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire.
 It fades away like candy melting under heat.
 
 It――――
 ――――Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason.
 
 "――――Shirou, that was..."
 "It was Archer's arrow. I don't know anything else about it."
 I raise my head to look at the distant Archer.
 
 "――――――――!"
 I shouldn't be able to see him.
 I shouldn't be able to see him, but I do.
 He's smiling.
 He's smiling as if to tell me that he wasn't aiming just at Berserker.
 
 "Damn him――――!"
 I feel a headache.
 The chill running down my back won't go away.
 My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit――――
 
 "...Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rin. Your Archer's pretty good."
 The girl's cheerful voice echoes through the air.
 
 "All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over with first, but I've changed my mind."
 ...The black shadow wavers.
 The giant starts to retreat through the fire.
 
 "―――What? You're running away after all this?"
 "Yup, I've changed my mind. I don't want Saber, but I'm interested in Archer now. So I'll let you live for a bit longer."
 
 The giant disappears.
 The girl giggles.
 "Goodbye. Let's play again, Onii-chan."
 Saying this, she goes away.
 
 "......"
 The unexpected disaster leaves.
 Tohsaka must not intend to follow that girl in spite of what she said.
 Even I can tell that the girl let us go.
 So I don't think Tohsaka will go and seek out such a reckless fight.
 
 "Thank you, Master. I would have been hit by Archer's Noble Phantasm if you had not called out to me."
 "O――――Oh, I'm glad to hear that."
 
 "Master...?"
 ...What's wrong with me?
 Even though I'm not wounded, I feel sick, and my consciousness is...
 
 "Emiya-kun? You look really pale."
 "Master...? Shirou...!"
 ...My knees buckle.
 My vision goes white.
 
 "Please pull yourself together! What is going on...!?"
 ...I feel someone support me as I start to fall.
 But the feeling fades as all my senses go away.
 
 ――――What's left is this throbbing within me.
 What's irritating me?
 And what am I so concerned about?
 ...I'm about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb.


"Saber――――!!!"
 Before I realize it, I'm running out from my cover.
 
 "Hey, hold on――――!"
 I run at full speed towards Saber.
 "Shirou――――?"
 She looks dumbfounded.
 Saber sees me and stops her attack on Berserker.
 
 I can make it――――!
 I can feel the danger coming up behind me.
 "W-Why did you come out...!?"
 I ignore her, run to her at full speed, and grab her arm――――!
 
 "Are you insane, Master...!?"
 "We'll talk later! Just come this way――――"
 I grab Saber in my arms and jump away.
 
 ――――The "arrow" is released.
 Archer's arrows have not had any effect so far.
 The black giant ignores it, as if saying it is not worth blocking.
 But at that moment...
 
 "[wacky len=15]"
 The black giant turns his back to us and attacks the "arrow" coming at him with all his might――――
 
 ――――In that instant...
           All sound is lost.
 
 "――――――――!"
 I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself.
 Maybe I've gone deaf, as I can't hear anything.
 All I can feel is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground.
 Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of something pierces my back.
 
 "......!"
 I grit my teeth and endure it.
 The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant.
 I manage to survive the destruction.
 
 "Wha――――"
 Saber is staring in astonishment.
 ...I'm doing the same as well.
 I don't know what happened.
 Archer's "arrow" razed this cemetery in an instant.
 There is a crater at the center of the explosion.
 Archer has created this destruction.
 But the giant still exists in spite of such abolition.
 
 "Berserker... He is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm――――"
 Saber's voice is weak.
 Sparks are flying through the night air.
 The black giant is standing still in the fire, and everybody here watches this terrible spectacle without words.
 
 The crackling of the flames is the only sound present.
 Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire...
 "Huh...?"
 Something rolls towards me with a noise.
 
 "...A sword?"
 No, it is an "arrow".
 An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade.
 ...Even if it's a sword, it is an "arrow" if it's used as a projectile.
 
 "――――――――"
 I don't know why it catches my attention so much.
 The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire.
 It fades away like candy melting under heat.
 
 It――――
 ――――Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason.
 
 "――――Shirou, that was..."
 "It was Archer's arrow. I don't know anything else about it."
 I raise my head to look at the distant Archer.
 
 "――――――――!"
 I shouldn't be able to see him.
 I shouldn't be able to see him, but I do.
 He's smiling.
 He's smiling as if to tell me that he wasn't aiming just at Berserker.
 
 "Damn him――――!"
 I feel a headache.
 The chill running down my back won't go away.
 My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit――――
 
 "...Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rin. Your Archer's pretty good."
 The girl's cheerful voice echoes through the air.
 
 "All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over with first, but I've changed my mind."
 ...The black shadow wavers.
 The giant starts to retreat through the fire.
 
 "―――What? You're running away after all this?"
 "Yup, I've changed my mind. I don't want Saber, but I'm interested in Archer now. So I'll let you live for a bit longer."
 
 The giant disappears.
 The girl giggles.
 "Goodbye. Let's play again, Onii-chan."
 Saying this, she goes away.
 
 "......"
 The unexpected disaster leaves.
 Tohsaka must not intend to follow that girl in spite of what she said.
 Even I can tell that the girl let us go.
 So I don't think Tohsaka will go and seek out such a reckless fight.
 
 "Master. I thank you for saving me.
  But can you let go of me now?"
 ...I hear Saber's calm voice.
 
 "Oh――――Yeah, sorry about that."
 I manage to answer despite my throbbing head.
 I let Saber go, and when I stand up...
 I fall on my butt.
 
 "Shirou? What is wrong? Do you not feel well――――Shirou, your back...!"
 Saber sounds tense.
 ...I can't see Saber's face, probably because of my pounding headache.
 Saber supports me and puts her hand behind my back.
 
 "Ouch."
 I feel a sharp pain.
 ...Even though it's not as strong as my headache, there's a sharp pain running through my back.
 
 "...This is terrible. It is dangerous like this. Please hold still while I remove this piece."
 "Huh? What do you mean by that...?"
 ......!
 She doesn't hesitate.
 Saber forcefully pulls something out of my back.
 
 "Ou――――You're rough――――"
 I try to control my breathing.
 ...I'm a magus, even though I may be an amateur.
 I can manage this pain.
 
 "Haa――――Haa, haa――――"
 But this felt especially bad.
 If I had a wing on my back and it was pulled out, I'm sure that's what it would feel like.
 
 "Your wound is healing... I see, you had a way to heal yourself."
 Sighing with relief, Saber says something strange.
 
 "...?"
 A way to heal myself?
 I shouldn't be able to use such difficult magic.
 
 "Are you all right, Emiya-kun?"
 ...Tohsaka comes to us.
 I raise my hand to tell her I'm all right.
 
 "I see. Then let's go. People might come here with all the commotion we've caused."
 Tohsaka runs out of the cemetery, her long hair fluttering behind her.
 
 "――――――――"
 When I plant a foot to follow after her...
 My vision suddenly goes white.
 
 "Master...!?"
 ...I feel someone support me as I start to fall.
 But the feeling fades as all my senses go away.
 
 ――――What's left is this throbbing within me.
 What's irritating me?
 And what am I so concerned about?
 ...I'm about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb.


"――――――――Eh?"
 It all happens in an instant.
 There's a man in red in front of Saber.
 The man in red is in an unfavourable position after being attacked by Saber, and he's about to receive a fatal blow.
 
 Behind them...
 The person watching Saber from behind that man is someone I know.
 
 "No――――"
 I reach out with my left hand and call out.
 I don't know who that man in red is.
 But I'm sure Saber will attack the person behind the man after she defeats him.
 
 I can't let that happen.
 I can't let Saber attack her!
 "STOP, SABER!!!!!!!"
 
 "――――!?"
 I feel a sharp pain.
 One of the marks on my hand disappears.
 
 In its place...
 Saber halts her blow, which should not have been possible to stop.
 
 "――――"
 The silver armor hesitates for an instant.
 Using that opening, the man in red quickly gets away.
 
 "That guy――――he's..."
 I'm sure of it.
 That's the guy that was fighting Lancer.
 
 "――――――――"
 Then the girl behind him is...
 Um, I don't want to believe so, but is it really...?
 
 "Are you insane, Shirou? We should have been able to defeat Archer and his Master here. So why did you go so far as to use your Command Spell to stop me...!?"
 
 "――――――――"
 What could I have done?
 I don't understand the situation at all.
 I stopped Saber only because I didn't want to see her slash at the girl who saved me.
 
 "Master, please retract your order. If you act like this, I cannot defeat enemies that could otherwise be beaten."
 Saber readies the object in her hands again.
 In front of her is the red man she could not slay.
 
 "No, don't do it. To be honest, I have no idea what's going on.
  But the one you're about to attack is someone I know. I can't let you attack someone I know."
 "What are you saying? She is Archer's Master. She is our enemy, so we must defeat her here."
 
 "――――――――"
 Enemy...?
 She and the man in red are enemies...?
 
 "...I don't care about that.
  First of all, I don't even understand this Master thing you're talking about. If you're going to call me Master, you should at least explain to me what this is all about."
 "That is true, but..."
 Saber hesitates.
 
 Then...
 "―――Hm. So that's how it is, amateur Master-san?"
 She calls out to me with a polite yet harsh voice.
 
 When I turn around, I see the man in red and the girl in her school uniform.
 "――――――――"
 I gasp.
 ...So I wasn't seeing things.
 The person with the man in red is definitely "that" Tohsaka Rin.
 
 "Tohsaka... Rin――――"
 How should I put this?
 Even I can tell that the man behind Tohsaka isn't human.
 That thing is not of this world, just like Saber.
 Then―――if Tohsaka is with him, she's also―――
 
 "Huh? Oh, you know me? Then this should be easy.
  First of all, good evening, Emiya-kun."
 I don't know what her intentions are.
 But Tohsaka greets me with a big smile.
 
 "Uh――――huh?"
 I'm troubled.
 When she greets me normally like that, I can almost forget about all these strange events and just greet her too.
 
 "A-Are you serious!? This isn't the time for greetings! You're...!"
 "Yes, I'm a Master as well. In other words, I'm a magus like you. We're similar, so we don't have to hide it, right?"
 
 "Magus? You're a magus, Tohsaka!?"
 My eyes widen, and I point at Tohsaka.
 
 "Oh――――"
 ...Crap.
 I don't know why, but she's...
 She's looking at me with real irritation...
 
 "Uh, no, that's not what I meant to say."
 "―――I see. I get it now. So that's how it is, huh?"
 Taking a look at us, she turns to the man behind her.
 
 "Archer. Can you turn into spirit form for a while? I'm pissed right now."
 "I don't mind, but what do you mean by pissed?"
 
 "It means what it means. I can't calm down unless I make him realize what kind of a situation he's in. You won't have anything to do until then, so go away. Saber won't be able to lower her sword as long as you're here."
 
 "Man, how difficult. Well, I shall obey if it's an order. If I may warn you, however, what you are about to do is needless."
 The man literally disappears.
 
 "T-Tohsaka, that was...!"
 "Let's talk inside. You don't know anything, right, Emiya-kun? You can rest assured that I'll tell you everything, even if you say you don't want to know."
 Saying this, she walks toward the entrance.
 
 "Wait, what are you thinking...!?"
 I stop her.
 And then...
 She turns, and the smile on her face isn't like the previous one.
 
 "Are you stupid? I'm thinking about a lot of things. That's why I want to talk to you.
  Emiya-kun, it's okay to be surprised by sudden turns of events, but it might cost you your life if you don't just accept it.[l]
  Incidentally, do you understand that now is one of those times?"
 
 "Uh――――ugh."
 "It's fine if you understand. So, let's go to your place. You're fine with that too, right, Saber?
  I'll explain things to your Master in return for sparing my life."
 
 "...Very well. I do not know what your intentions are, but I shall restrain myself as long as you are helping my Master."
 Tohsaka goes through the gate.
 
 "...She's really pissed..."
 I don't know why, though.
 I don't know, but...[r]
 "But still..."
 She's totally unlike the way she is at school...
 
 So, I'm in a strange situation.
 In front of me is the school's number-one idol whom I admire, Tohsaka Rin.
 And following silently behind me is Saber, who calls herself a Servant.
 
 "......"
 Oh.
 The hallway suddenly feels like part of a different dimension.
 
 But I can't be a coward forever.
 I'm a magus, even if I'm just an amateur.
 Tohsaka Rin, a magus just like me, is acting boldly, so I have to act firmly as well.
 
 ...But I can only work out a few things.
 First, about Saber, who's following me.
 I'm sure that she's some kind of a familiar, because she calls me Master and I've made a contract with her.
 
 I've heard that a familiar is a kind of assistant.
 Most magi transfer a part of their body into something and then summon it as another self.
 It is something that assists the magus.
 Consequently, it's commonly accepted that small animals are the most suitable as to reduce the burden on the magus.
 
 ...So I've been taught, but...
 "Hm? What is it, Shirou?"
 "...No, it's nothing."
 
 ...Saber looks human no matter how you look at her. And she is clearly superior to me, her master.
 I don't have the magical energy to control someone like that, and, more than that, I don't have the Magic Circuit to summon a familiar.
 
 "......"
 So Saber must rather be something else than a familiar.
 She said she's a Servant.
 I don't know what that is, but I think the man called Lancer and the man in red with Tohsaka were the same thing.
 
 Saber called Tohsaka a Master as well.
 I guess magi with a Servant are called Masters.
 
 ...It seems Tohsaka is a magus as well, but I have no idea who she is.
 The Emiya family are just outsiders who came to this town in my father's generation.
 That's why I didn't know that Tohsaka was a magus, and I'm sure Tohsaka didn't know that I knew magic.
 
 ...There are several magi in this town that I don't know about.
 If Lancer is the familiar of another magus in this town, does that mean I've stuck my head into a conflict between magi?
 
 "Wow, it's pretty big. I am not used to this Japanese style. Oh, is that the living room, Emiya-kun?"
 Saying so, Tohsaka goes into the living room.
 "......"
 I should stop thinking.
 Let's just listen to Tohsaka's story.
 
 I turn the lights on.
 It's already past one in the morning.
 
 "Oh, it's so cold! Hey, the windows are all broken."
 "I couldn't help it. I was attacked by this Lancer guy. I was desperate."
 
 "Oh, I see. Then were you fighting him alone until you summoned Saber?"
 "I didn't fight him. He just beat me up."
 
 "Oh, so you don't try to show off, huh? ...I see, I see. You're really just as you appear, Emiya-kun."
 Tohsaka walks over to the broken window.
 
 "...?"
 Tohsaka takes a piece of the shattered glass, takes a look at it, and...
 "―――Minuten vor Schwei[szlig]en"
 She cuts the tip of her finger and puts a drop of her blood onto the glass.
 
 "...!?"
 What kind of magic is this?
 The shattered glass recombines and restores itself in a matter of seconds.
 
 "Tohsaka, that was..."
 "It's just a small demonstration. It won't be enough to repay you for saving me, but I have to do at least this much.
  ...Well, I'm sure you would've fixed it even if I hadn't, but that'd just be a waste of magical energy, right? All you'd really have to do is replace the window, but we don't want to talk in this cold, do we?"
 
 She says this as if it's completely natural.
 But needless to say, her skills are beyond my comprehension.
 
 "No, that's amazing, Tohsaka. I can't do that sort of thing, so I'm glad you fixed it."
 "Huh? Of course you'd be able to fix it.
  Handling glass is elementary. Restoring glass that broke a few minutes ago is like a simple admission test for school, right?"
 
 "So that's how it is? I was only taught by my father, so I don't even know the basics or the elementary stuff."
 "―――Huh?"
 Tohsaka freezes.
 ...Damn. It seems I said something I shouldn't have.
 
 "...Wait. Then you're saying you're just an amateur who can't even run his own workshop?"
 "...? I don't have a workshop."
 ...Well, I do have that shed as my training area, but I think Tohsaka would get mad if I called that my workshop.
 
 "...I'm going to ask, even though it's impossible. Could it be that you don't know how to handle the five main elements, nor how to make a Pass?"
 I honestly admit that I don't know.
 
 "......"
 Wow, that's scary.
 She's so beautiful usually, so this makes her look pretty frightening now.
 
 "Then what are you, just an amateur?"
 "That's not true. I can at least use strengthening magic."
 
 "Strengthening... that's an awfully odd magic. So, you can't do anything other than that?"
 "...Well, to be honest, probably not."
 Her glare makes me answer vaguely.
 
 "...Geez. Why did Saber get summoned to a guy like this?"
 "Humph."
 It makes me mad.
 I haven't been playing around.
 I know I'm an amateur, but I don't think it matters right now.
 
 "Well, I guess it doesn't make any difference. There's no point in complaining about what's already happened. More importantly, I have to pay back my debt right now."
 Tohsaka takes a breath.
 
 "Well, I'll begin.
  Emiya-kun, you don't know what kind of situation you're in right now, correct?"
 "......"
 I nod.
 
 "I thought so. Well, it was obvious, but I had to make sure, right? It's only putting flab on my mind if I explain it to someone who already gets it."
 "...?"
 I think that was a weird phrase but I stay quiet, as I think she'll beat me up if I make fun of her now.
 
 "To put it bluntly, you have been chosen as a Master.
  You have a holy sign on one of your hands, right? On your hand or on your arm. There are personal differences, but there should be three Command Spells engraved. That is the sign of a Master."
 "On my hand... oh, this."
 
 "Yes. That is also a spell that controls the Servant, so take care of it. It's called a Command Spell and you can retain control over your Servant as long as you have it."
 "...? What do you mean 'as long as I have it'?"
 
 "The Command Spell enforces unconditional obedience. That mark overrules your Servant's will and makes them obey your command.
  There's no spell needed to activate it, and it will be activated when you put your mind to using it.
  You'll be killed if you lose all your Command Spells, so be careful."
 
 "What... I'll be killed?"
 "That's right. Masters killing other Masters is fundamental to the Holy Grail War. And the Master that kills the other six Masters is awarded the Holy Grail."
 
 "What...?"
 H-Hold on.
 I don't understand what Tohsaka is talking about at all.
 Like the part about Masters killing other Masters.
 And the part where the winner gets a Holy Grail... wait, does she mean THAT Holy Grail...!?
 
 "You still don't understand? To put it simply, you've been dragged into a game. A survival game between the seven Masters, a game called the Holy Grail War. A battle royale that won't end until you kill all other Masters."
 Tohsaka Rin states this as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
 
 "――――――――"
 The phrases I heard swirl in my head.
 I have been chosen as a Master.
 Tohsaka says she is a Master.
 Familiars called Servants.
 ―――And...
 A battle to the death between magi, called the Holy Grail War.
 
 "Wait. What's that? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
 "I understand how you feel, but I'm just telling you the truth.
  ...Besides, you should understand deep down. Having nearly been killed by that Servant twice, you should know you're in a situation you can't run away from."
 
 "――――――――"
 That's...
 Certainly, I was almost killed by that Lancer guy, but...
 
 "Oh, that's wrong. In fact, you weren't almost killed, you were actually killed. I'm surprised you're alive again."
 "――――"
 Not almost killed, but actually killed.
 
 ...That's right.
 I was killed by that guy.
 I should be more surprised about the fact that I'm alive than about this situation I'm in.
 
 ...The wound in my chest.
 ...The escaping blood.
 ...The escaping warmth.
 And...
 The pure voice I heard amidst all of that―――
 
 "Do you get it now? That is your situation.
  You can't run away just because you don't know anything. But you're prepared, since you're a magus, right? We are beings who kill and are killed."
 Tohsaka is in a good mood, maybe because she enjoys watching me be troubled.
 
 "――――――――"
 ...Yeah. I'm already prepared.
 But...
 
 "...You know I was killed by Lancer, Tohsaka?"
 I wonder how she knows that fact.
 
 "―――Damn. I got caught up in the moment."
 She's acting suspiciously.
 
 "That was just a guess. Forget about it, it's trivial."
 "...It's not trivial.
  Someone certainly――――"
 
 "Forget about it! Your main concern should be grasping the situation you're in.
  You're one of the seven Masters of the Holy Grail War."
 Tohsaka turns her back to me and paces as if she's a teacher or something.
 
 "Look. Every few decades, seven Masters are chosen in this town and are given a Servant.
  A Master uses his or her Servant to kill other Masters.
  ―――This is the ritual called the Holy Grail War."
 
 "I've also been chosen as a Master.
  That's why I made a contract with a Servant, and you made a contract with Saber.
  It doesn't seem like you summoned Saber yourself, but Servants are given to Masters by the Holy Grail. So it is possible for an ignorant magus like you to be chosen as a Master."
 
 "......"
 Tohsaka's explanation is too brief for me to understand.
 But there is one thing I do wonder about.
 
 "...Hold on. You say Saber is a familiar, but I'm not convinced.
  Familiars are things like cats and birds, right? Well, I do hear that some use human ghosts, but Saber has a body. Besides, she doesn't look like a familiar."
 
 I glance at Saber.
 Saber is quietly listening to our conversation.
 ...She looks just like a human being.
 I don't know her identity, but she's a girl about my age.
 
 "Familiar, huh...? Well, Servants are in that category, but they are on a different level. That girl over there is a Ghost Liner, considered to be the strongest of all familiars."
 
 "Ghost Liner......? Then do you mean she really is a ghost?"
 "A ghost... huh? She's similar, but Saber would kill you if you compared her to one.
  Servants are heroes of the past given bodies. Beings surpassing humans, more like spirits."
 
 "Huh? Heroes of the past given bodies?"
 "That's right. A legendary hero that was pulled from the past or the present or whenever and given a body.
 
 "Well, it's the role of the Master to summon them, and the Holy Grail does the rest. It's impossible for a magus to give shape to a soul, so we're assisted by a strong Artifact."
 "Hold on. So a 'hero of the past' means... what...!?"
 
 I look over at Saber.
 Then she's a heroine from the past too?
 Well, it's true that nobody would dress like that now, but still...
 
 "That's impossible. I've never heard of any such magic."
 "Of course not. This isn't magic. Think of it as a phenomenon created by the Holy Grail. It's impossible to recreate a soul and give it a body without it."
 
 "...Recreate a soul? Then a Servant isn't a ghost...?"
 
 "No. Haven't you been taught that all humans, animals or machines that leave any great achievements behind get removed from the ring of reincarnation and sublimate into beings of higher rank?
  Heroic spirits are like that. To put it simply, they have been worshipped and made into artificial gods."
 
 "'Ghost Magic' such as supplicating ghosts uses heroic spirits to make miracles happen.
  But the Servants are familiars made from the heroic spirits themselves.
  So they accompany you in spirit form, but if need be, you can give them form to make them fight."
 
 "...Hm. So you mean you can give them form or keep them in spirit form?
  That guy that was with you disappeared by turning into spirit form?"
 
 "Yup. He's keeping watch on the roof now.
  I think you could tell from that battle, but the only ones who can beat these Servants are other Servants, spirits like them."
 
 "Well, we can attack them too if they take form, so we might be able to beat them.
  But Servants are all as strong as monsters, right? So we let monsters deal with monsters. The Master usually supports them from behind."
 
 "...Hm."
 Tohsaka's explanation irritates me for some reason.
 She calls them monsters. I don't know about the other Servants, but I don't want her to talk about Saber like that.
 
 "Anyways, someone who becomes a Master must kill all the other Masters using his Servant. Do you understand so far?"
 "...Technically, yes. But I'm not convinced.
  To begin with, who started such a thing and why?"
 
 "That's not something I know about, nor should I answer. You should pose that kind of question to the one overseeing the Holy Grail War.
  The one thing I can tell you is that all you can do now is fight, and since Servants are powerful familiars, you should use yours wisely."


Tohsaka says this and turns to Saber.
 
 "So, from what I hear from Emiya-kun, you must not be in full form, Saber. You were summoned by an apprentice magus who has no idea how to be a Master."
 
 "...Yes, I am not in full form, as you say.
  Since Shirou does not have the magical energy to give me form, it will be difficult for me to turn into a spirit or to replenish my magical energy."
 
 "...I'm surprised. I'm surprised that you're in that bad of a state, but I didn't think you would honestly tell me. I was wondering how I ought to find out your weakness."
 
 "I do not wish to let others know of my weakness, but I do not think I can fool you. It would be meaningless to hide our situation from you. So it will be better for us to tell you of our situation, and to have Shirou better understand the situation he is in currently."
 
 "Correct. And you have a good personality, too. ...Geez, I'm regretting it even more now. If I was your Master, I would have certainly won this war!"
 Tohsaka clenches her fists in anger.
 
 "Hmm. Tohsaka, do you mean I'm not fit to be her Master?"
 "Of course not, idiot."
 Wow. She just said something that any normal person would have trouble saying.
 
 "What? Do you have any more questions?"
 And she doesn't realize it.
 Her honor student image from school crumbles inside of me.
 ...Good going, Issei. Tohsaka certainly shows no openings, just like a devil.
 
 "Well. We're done talking, so let's get going."
 Tohsaka suddenly says something strange.
 
 "Huh? Go where?"
 "We're going to see the guy who knows all about the game you're involved in... the 'Holy Grail War'. You want to know the reasons behind the Holy Grail War, right?"
 
 "―――Of course. But where is it? It's already late, so..."
 "It'll be fine. It's in the neighboring town, so we should be back by dawn if we hurry. And besides, it's Sunday tomorrow, so it should be okay to stay up late."
 
 "No, that's not the problem."
 It's just that a lot of things happened today, so I want to have a rest and think about them.
 
 "What, you're not going? ...Well, if you say so. But what about you, Saber?"
 Tohsaka asks Saber.
 "Hold on, this has nothing to do with Saber. Don't push her."
 
 "Oh, you're already feeling like a Master? You don't want me talking to Saber?"
 "T-That's not it! It's just that if what you said is true, then Saber is a heroine from the past, right? So she wouldn't know about this time since she was just summoned.
  So..."
 
 "Shirou, that is incorrect. Servants can adapt to any time. So I know a lot about this age as well."
 "Really?"
 "Yes. This is not the first time that I have been summoned in this age."
 
 "Wha...?"
 "No way, what are the chances of that...!?"
 Hey, Tohsaka is surprised too.
 ...So that must mean Saber said something incredible.
 
 "Shirou, I agree with her. You lack experience as a Master. As a Servant making a contract with you, I want you to become stronger."
 Saber stares at me silently.
 ...It's a gentle stare that's worried not for herself, but for me.
 
 "...All right. I'll go.
  So, where is this place, Tohsaka? It's a place we can come back from, right?"
 "Of course. We are heading to Kotomine Church in the neighboring town. That's where the false priest, the one who oversees this battle, is living."
 
 Tohsaka makes an evil smile.
 It looks like she's having fun dragging me around while I don't know anything.
 "......"
 It might be prejudice...
 But I'm beginning to feel like there's a problem with her personality....
 
 We walk through the nighttime town.
 It's past one in the morning and there's no one out at this time.
 The lights in the houses are out, and only the streetlamps illuminate the silent town.
 
 "Hey Tohsaka, are you planning to walk to the neighboring town?"
 "Yeah. The buses and trains have stopped running. A walk at night is good once in a while, right?"
 "I see. Then, if you don't mind me asking, do you know how long it takes to get there?"
 "Well, it should take about an hour on foot. If it gets late, we can always take a taxi."
 
 "I won't waste that kind of money. And besides, what I mean is, it might be dangerous for girls to walk around at a time like this. You know it's dangerous, right? I won't be responsible if something happens."
 "Don't worry, nobody's going to mess with us. You may be forgetting, but Saber is really strong."
 
 "Oh."
 She's right.
 Whoever it is, if someone attacks her, they'll be counterattacked viciously.
 
 "Rin. What was Shirou saying? I did not quite understand."
 "Huh? Well, he was just making a big misunderstanding or being plain stupid. He's saying he'll help us if some pervert appears."
 
 "What? Shirou is my Master. I should be protecting him instead."
 "I don't think he's thinking about that sort of thing. He seems unconcerned about magi and Servants and all. I kind of wonder what's going on in his head."
 "......"
 
 Tohsaka and Saber now know each other well enough to talk to each other.
 Saber has been silent ever since I stopped her from going out dressed like she was.
 
 She said she wouldn't take off her armor, so I made her wear a raincoat, and she's been quiet ever since.
 Now, she follows me and only speaks to Tohsaka.
 
 "Wait, where are you going, Emiya-kun? Isn't that the wrong way?"
 "We need to get to the bridge, right? Then this'll be a shortcut."
 I don't want to walk alongside them, so I quickly make my way to the small side-road.
 They follow me without objection.
 
 We come out into a park.
 We have to cross that bridge to go to the neighboring town of Shinto, but――
 
 "Wow, I didn't know about this road. I see...since you can get to the bridge from the park, all you have to do is head for the park."
 Tohsaka looks up at the bridge, talking happily.
 
 Maybe it's just because it's nighttime.
 Tohsaka's face, looking up at the bridge, seems even more beautiful than at school... I'm troubled.
 
 "Let's go. We didn't come here to play around."
 I hurry Tohsaka, who is standing still in the park, and make my way up the stairs.
 Once we reach the road alongside the bridge, Shinto will be straight ahead of us.
 
 There's no one on the bridge.
 That's only natural as not many people use it even during daytime.
 It's more normal to use the bus or the train to get to the neighboring town, so this bridge is rarely used.
 
 It's because it's so long, and it carries a fear that it might collapse on you.
 That must be why this place isn't used for dates, even though it's perfect location-wise.
 
 "...That's stupid. What am I thinking?"
 Saber is following me silently and Tohsaka is walking right beside me.
 Trying to ignore them, I hurry across the bridge.
 
 Beyond the bridge, Tohsaka leads us into the suburbs.
 When I think about Shinto, only the office buildings in front of the station come to mind, but beyond those, the streets are very old.
 
 The suburbs are the oldest of all.
 There's hilly roads and a lofty view overlooking the sea.
 As you go farther up the hill, there are fewer buildings and the foreigners' cemetery built on the slope can be seen.
 
 "The church is up here. You must have been there at least once, right?"
 "No. I know it used to be an orphanage, though."
 "I see. Then it'll be your first time today. You should prepare yourself. The priest there is a difficult man to deal with."
 
 Tohsaka starts up the hill.
 ...Looking up, I can see a building at the top of the hill.
 A church atop the hill.
 I never thought I'd visit God's house for the first time for a reason like this.
 
 "Wow―――this is really awesome."
 The church is magnificent.
 The church's grounds must cover the whole top of the hill. A flat expanse welcomes me as soon as I reach the top.
 The church isn't that big, but it is compelling, towering over its visitors.
 
 "Shirou, I shall remain here."
 "Huh? Why? I can't just leave you when we've come up here together."
 
 "I did not come for the church. I followed to protect you. If your destination is the church, you should not go any farther, so I shall wait here for your return."
 Saber says clearly.
 It doesn't seem like she'll budge an inch, so I decide to respect her decision.
 
 "All right. Then I'll be going."
 "Yes. Please do not let your guard down regardless of whom you are facing, Master."
 
 It is a large, impressive chapel.
 Since it's so big, many people must come here during the day.
 The priest here must be quite distinguished if he's entrusted with such a church.
 
 "Tohsaka, what kind of person is the priest here?"
 "It's kind of hard to explain. I've known him for ten years, but I still can't grasp his character."
 "You've known him for ten years...? That's a pretty long relationship. Is he a relative of yours or something?"
 
 "He's not my relative, but he is my guardian. On top of that, he is my senior as an apprentice, and my second teacher."
 "Huh... senior as an apprentice...you mean apprentice as a magus!?"
 
 "That's right, but why are you so surprised?"
 "Because he's a priest! Aren't priests forbidden to use magic!?"
 By their nature, a magus and the church cannot be in harmony.
 
 The organization that magi belong to is called the Magic Association,
 And the other side of religion, the side you wouldn't see while living a normal life, is called the Holy Church.
 The two are barely similar. They cooperate on the surface, but they're always trying to kill each other when given the chance.
 
 The church hates heretics.
 They totally eliminate the inhuman, and they count magic-using humans among their targets.
 For the church, miracles are only given to holy saints. Any miracles performed by other people are heresies.
 
 There are no exceptions, even for those within the church.
 The higher one rises in the church, the more one is prohibited from the impurity of magic.
 And for a follower entrusted with a church like this and the more divine protection one receives, the more one should stay away from magic―――
 
 "...First of all, is the priest here on our side?"
 "Yes. He is the one supervising the Holy Grail War, after all. He's a real Agent. ...Well, I don't know if he has divine protection, though."
 
 Tohsaka's footsteps echo as she approaches the altar.
 It's bad manners to do that when the priest isn't here, but it's so late at night.
 He won't be in the chapel, so if he's anywhere, it'll be the private room in the back.
 
 "...Hmm. So who is this priest? You said a name like Kotomine before..."
 I ask Tohsaka while following her.
 Tohsaka stops in front of the altar and turns to me with an uncomfortable expression.
 
 "His name is Kotomine Kirei. He's a student of my father, and we've had an inseparable relationship for ten years now. ...Well, I wish I'd never met him, though."
 "―――I feel the same way. I did not want an apprentice who does not respect her teacher."
 
 A footstep.
 He must have noticed our entry as he slowly appears from the other side of the altar.
 
 "You didn't answer my repeated calls, and now you bring a strange guest. ...Hmm, so he is the seventh one, Rin?"
 
 "Right. He's a magus, but he's pretty much a beginner, so I just couldn't let him be.
  ...I believe it was the rules to report here when one becomes a Master, right? It's a rule you invented, but I'll follow it this time."
 
 "Very well. Then I must thank this young man."
 The priest called Kotomine slowly turns to me.
 
 "――――"
 ...Without realizing, I step back.
 ...He's not scary at all.
 ...I don't feel any hostility from him.
 But this priest still has a presence that makes the air around him feel heavy.
 
 "I am Kotomine Kirei, the one entrusted with this church.
  What is your name, seventh Master?"
 "―――Emiya Shirou. But I haven't agreed to this 'Master' thing yet."
 I glare back at the priest, trying not to lose against his presence.
 
 "Emiya――――Shirou."
 "Huh―――?"
 The weight on my back turns into a chill.
 The priest slowly smiles as if he's met someone pleasant.
 ――――That smile.
 It makes me―――
 
 "I thank you, Emiya. You have brought Rin here. If it were not for you, she would not have come."
 The priest makes his way toward the altar.
 Tohsaka moves away from the altar and stands beside me.
 
 "Then let us start. Emiya Shirou, you are Saber's Master, correct?"
 "That's wrong. Certainly, I made a contract with her, but I don't understand this whole Master and Holy Grail War thing.
  If a Master should be a proper magus, then you should go and choose a better person."
 
 "...I see. This is serious. Does he really know nothing, Rin?"
 "I told you he's a beginner. Train him from the very first steps, will you? You're really good at that, right?"
 Tohsaka urges the priest.
 
 "―――Oh, I see, I see. That's how it is, huh?
  I understand. This is the first time you have ever depended on me.
  Emiya Shirou, I can never thank you enough."
 Father Kotomine laughs.
 Their conversation makes me feel uneasy.
 
 "First, let us correct your misunderstandings.
  Listen, Emiya Shirou. Master is not a role you can give to someone else nor is it something you can stop being once you are chosen.
  Those who have the Command Spells carved on them cannot resign from being a Master. You must accept that fact."
 
 "――Why can't I quit?"
 "The Command Spell is a holy mark. Becoming a Master is a trial placed upon you. You cannot escape it just because it is inconvenient.[l]
  You cannot be released from that pain until you obtain the Holy Grail."
 
 "If you wish to retire from being a Master, all you can do is obtain the Holy Grail and wish for it. If you do that, everything will be as you desire, Emiya Shirou.
  Your wishes, even cleaning out all the mud inside of you, is possible―――Yes, it is even possible to start everything over again.
 
  Therefore, you should desire it.
  If the time comes, you will appreciate being chosen as a Master. If you wish to erase those burns that cannot be seen, all you have to do is to accept that holy mark."
 
 "Wha―――"
 I feel dizzy.
 The priest's words don't make any sense.
 They just confuse me more and more as I listen.
 ...But still, his words soak into my brain and clot like blood.
 
 "Kirei, don't go off topic. I asked you to tell him the rules. I didn't ask you to open up his old wounds."
 A voice cuts in.
 "―――T-Tohsaka?"
 That clears up my dizzy head.
 
 "I see. It is pointless to say anything to these kinds of people, so I was trying to take away his morality while he still misunderstood.
  ...Heh, I guess it is true that compassion is not good for others. And I rather enjoyed it too."
 "What? Does it do you good to help him?"
 
 "Of course. Helping people means saving yourself in the end. ...Well, it won't do any good to preach to you now.
  So, let us return to the main topic, Emiya Shirou.
  The battle you have been dragged into is called the 'Holy Grail War'.
  Have you learned from Rin that this is an all out war between seven Masters, using seven Servants?"
 
 "...I did. It's some ridiculous thing where seven Masters kill each other, right?"
 "Indeed. But we are not committing these inhuman acts because we want to. Everything is a ritual to determine who is the most suitable to receive the Holy Grail. Because of its greatness, we require trials to determine its owner."
 
 ...What trials?
 I'll bet this priest doesn't think of this Holy Grail War thing as a "trial".
 
 "Hold on. You keep saying 'Holy Grail War', but what is it? You can't possibly mean the actual Holy Grail, right?"
 
 The Holy Grail.
 A chalice said to have received the blood of Christ.
 It's considered to be the greatest holy relic, and said to be capable of many miracles.
 
 The most common legend about it is that the one who obtains the Holy Grail will obtain the world.
 ...But that's just a myth. After all, the Holy Grail itself is pretty much something that "exists, but doesn't exist".
 
 "A Holy Grail that makes wishes comes true" definitely appears in many folklores and legends around the world .
 But that's it.
 A fictional power that doesn't exist and isn't possible. That's the Holy Grail.
 
 "So answer me, Kotomine Kirei. Is the Holy Grail you're talking about really the Holy Grail?"
 "Of course. The Holy Grail that appears in this town is real. As proof, the great miracle of the Servants has occurred.
 
  Summoning and controlling past heroes. No, a miracle close to resurrecting the dead is almost sorcery.
  A Holy Grail with this much power shall grant its owner unlimited power. The object's unreality is worthless in front of that truth."
 
 "――――――――"
 So.
 He means that even if it is a fake, it doesn't matter if it has powers that would overwhelm even the true Holy Grail.
 
 "...All right. Let's assume there really is a Holy Grail. Then why is it required to do something like the Holy Grail War? We shouldn't be killing each other if the Holy Grail exists. If the Holy Grail is so great, we can all share its power."
 "That is a fair argument, but we do not have such freedom.
  Only one person can obtain the Holy Grail.
  That is not something we chose, but what the Holy Grail has decided."
 
 "The Holy Grail decides the seven Masters and summons the seven Servants.
  As I have said, this is a ritual. The Holy Grail chooses the people suitable to obtain it, and selects its appropriate owner by making them fight for it.
  That is the Holy Grail War―――the ritual where those chosen by the Holy Grail slay each other to obtain it."
 
 "――――――――"
 The priest speaks plainly.
 I have no rebuttal and look down at my left hand.
 ...There is the mark they call the Command Spell.
 I guess as long as I have this mark, I can't quit being a Master.
 
 "...I'm not convinced. Even though only one person can be chosen, I don't like the idea that all we can do is to kill the other Masters."
 "Huh? Hold on. You're misunderstanding if you think that you have to kill them. There's no need to kill the Masters."
 Tohsaka taps on my shoulder and says something unexpected.
 
 "Huh? But you said we have to kill each other. Kotomine said so too."
 "You will kill each other."
 "You be quiet, Kirei. Now, the Holy Grail in this town is in spirit form. It's not something physical, so we have to call it forth with a special ritual―――we have to materialize it.
 
  We can call for it as magi, but since it's in spirit form, we cannot reach it. Do you understand what that means?"
 "Yeah. Only spirits can touch spirits, right?
  ―――Oh, that's why you need the Servants...!"
 
 "Exactly. To put it simply, the goal of the Holy Grail War is to eliminate all the Servants except your own. So there's no rule that you have to kill the Masters."
 
 "―――――"
 Man, she could have told me that earlier!
 Honestly, Tohsaka and this priest were being mean.
 ...Now I'm relieved.
 So even if we enter this Holy Grail War, Tohsaka's not going to die.
 
 "I see. I guess that is one way to think.
  Then let me ask you, Emiya Shirou. Do you think you can beat your own Servant?"
 
 "...?"
 Beat Saber?
 That's impossible.
 Magic is useless against her, and she's very skilled with her sword.
 
 "Then let me ask you one more thing. It is a boring question, but do you think you are superior to your Servant?"
 "...?"
 What's he saying?
 I can't beat Saber, so there's no way I'm superior to her.
 For this question, my answer will always be that I am weaker than my Servant, so...
 
 "――――Oh"
 "That is right. Servants are hard to defeat even with a Servant. So what should you do?
  See, it is such a simple solution. Servants can only exist with a Master. No matter how powerful the Servant is, the Servant will disappear if the Master dies. So..."
 
 That's right, it's a natural solution.
 No one would choose to take the hard way.
 If you want to win, the most effective way to kill the Servants would be to kill their Masters instead.
 
 "...Okay. I understand that killing the Master is an effective way to eliminate other Servants.
  But then, if their Servant gets killed, does that make someone not a Master anymore? Only Servants can touch the Holy Grail, right? Then there's no point to a Master that doesn't have a Servant."
 
 "No, the right to be a Master still remains as long as you have the Command Spell. A Master is a magus that can form a contract with Servants. As long as you have the Command Spell, you can form a contract with Servants.
 
  The Servants whose Masters are killed do not disappear right away. They can stay in this world until their magical energy runs out. If such 'abandoned Servants' exist, a Master with no Servant can form a contract with them. That will allow them to rejoin the war.
  That is why Masters kill other Masters. Because if you allow them to live, there is a risk that they will impede you in the future."
 
 "...So what if you use up your Command Spell? Then you won't be able to form a contract with other Servants, and the freed Servant will go off with someone else too."
 "Wait, that's――――"
 "Yes, you're right. If you use up your Command Spell, you will be liberated from your duty as a Master.
 
  ...However, I do not think a magus exists that would waste a Command Spell that allows them to use such powerful magic.
  If there exists such a magus, he isn't even an amateur, but just a chicken."
 The priest laughs, as if he knows what I'm thinking about.
 
 "......!"
 I'm annoyed.
 That priest is making fun of me. I think he's trying to provoke me.
 
 "You must understand now. So we will finish the explanation of the rules.
  ―――Well then, let us return to the beginning, Emiya Shirou.
  You said you have no intention of being a Master. Do you still feel that way?"
 
 "If you want to abandon your responsibility as a Master, that is fine too.
  As you have realized, you may use up your Command Spell to end your contract with Saber. In that case, I will guarantee your safety until the Holy Grail War ends."
 
 "...? Hold on. Why do you have to guarantee my safety? I can protect myself."
 "I do not have enough free time to care for you either, but this is one of the rules. I have been dispatched to supervise the repeating Holy Grail War. That is why I must minimize the victims of the war. Protection of magi who lost their claims to being a Master is one of my biggest responsibilities as the supervisor."
 
 "――――Repeating Holy Grail War...?"
 Hold on.
 Repeating... does he mean that this kind of battle has happened many times before...?
 
 "What do you mean? The Holy Grail War didn't just start now?"
 
 "Of course not. Do you think a supervisor would have been dispatched if it were so?
  It is the duty of this church to recover the holy relics, as we are the lowest of the special agencies. Originally, it was our goal to research and recover the True Cross, but here, we have a duty to investigate the Holy Grail.
  We have to investigate the 726th Holy Grail that has appeared in this far eastern land. We must recover it if it is real, and disprove it if it is not."
 
 "726th... that many Holy Grails?"
 "Who knows? It just means that there have been at least that many things that seemed like one.
 
  And one of those is the Holy Grail from the Holy Grail War observed in this town.
  According to records, it is said that the first battle occurred about 200 years ago.
  Since then, the battles between Masters have been repeating in a cycle of about 60 years.
  This is the fifth Holy Grail War. Since the last one was ten years ago, this will be the shortest cycle yet."
 
 "Wha―――are you guys insane? You guys have repeated this thing four times already...!?"
 "I feel the same way. As you said, people have repeated this event many times.
  ―――Yes.
  In the past, the Holy Grail Wars were terrible. Masters were driven by their desires, forgot their teachings as magi, and just killed each other indiscriminately.
 
  I think you already know, but it is the highest crime for a magus to use his magic in public. A magus cannot allow his identity to be revealed to society.
  But Masters in the past have violated that.
  The Magic Association dispatched a supervisor to caution them, but they only made it in time for the third Holy Grail War. The one dispatched then was my father. Do you understand now, boy?"
 
 "...Yeah, I understand we need a supervisor.
  But from what you said, isn't this Holy Grail War fundamentally bad?"
 "Oh? How is it bad?"
 
 "Because the past magi were people who'd break the rules of the magi, right?
  Then let's say this Holy Grail thing really exists. What will you do if the one who remains is someone who uses the Holy Grail selfishly? It's bad if such a thing is obtained by someone who has no problem killing others.
  If it's the job of the Association to look after magi, then shouldn't you guys be punishing those kinds of people?"
 
 I question, with a little hope.
 But as I expected, Kotomine Kirei laughs.
 
 "Of course not. There are no magi who will act outside their own interests. We only supervise the rules of the Holy Grail War. We do not care about what happens afterwards. The Association is not concerned about the kind of person that obtains the Holy Grail."
 "That's ridiculous...! What if the Master that gets the Holy Grail is the worst guy possible!?"
 
 "It would be problematic, but we can do nothing. It is the Holy Grail that chooses its owner. And we do not have the power to stop a Master who has been chosen by the Holy Grail.
  It is a grail that makes wishes come true, after all. The one who obtains it will be able to do as he pleases.
  ―――But if you do not want that, then all you have to do is win it yourself. That is the most reliable way, isn't it?"
 
 Kotomine is trying to hold back his laughter.
 It's like he's enjoying my clumsy inability to accept the facts.
 
 "What's wrong, boy? I think that was a good idea. Will you not accept it?"
 "...That's none of your business. Anyway, I don't have any reason to fight. I'm not interested in the Holy Grail, and I don't feel like a Master even if you say I am."
 
 "Oh. So you are not concerned about what the winner of the Holy Grail would do, even if it leads to disaster?"
 
 "That's―――"
 ...I can't answer that question.
 Crap, his words are violent.
 They force the truth onto me, whether I want it or not―――
 
 "That is fine if you have no reason to fight. So you are not troubled by what happened ten years ago?"
 "――――Ten years... ago...?"
 
 "That's right. At the end of the last Holy Grail War, an unsuitable Master touched the Holy Grail. I do not know what that Master wished for. All I know are the results of the disaster that came afterwards."
 "――――――――"
 
        For an instant,
        That image of hell flashes in my head.
 
 "――Hold on. That can't be..."
 "It is. It is an event that everybody in this town knows about, Emiya Shirou.
  Five hundred killed or wounded. One hundred and thirty-four buildings incinerated. That inferno, still unexplained, is the remains of the Holy Grail War."
 
 "――――――――"
 ―――I feel sick.
 My vision blurs.
 I lose concentration and I can't focus my eyes.
 My body stumbles.
 
 But I hold myself firm.
 I hold onto consciousness by clenching my teeth.
 I hold back my nausea with the anger boiling up in me.
 
 "Emiya-kun? What's wrong? You're pale white. ...I know it's not a comfortable story, but... if you want, we can take a rest for a while."
 
 I must have looked terrible.
 I think it's very rare for Tohsaka to be worried like that.
 
 "Don't worry. I feel better after seeing your weird face."
 "...Hey, just what is that supposed to mean?"
 "Oh, I wasn't implying anything. I meant it literally, so don't worry about it."
 
 "Well, fine... hey, that's worse, you big oaf!"
 The school's number-one honor student, Tohsaka Rin, smacks me in the head.
 That does it.
 With that, the nausea and anger go away.
 
 "...Thanks. You really did help, so don't bully me around too much. I've got a few more things to ask about."
 She looks like she hasn't hit me enough, but she still lets me continue.
 
 "Oh, you still have questions? All right, let out everything you want to say."
 He should know what I want to ask, yet he asks me to go on.
 Fine.
 Emiya Shirou won't lose to you.
 
 "Then I'll ask. You said this is the fifth Holy Grail War. Then, has anyone ever obtained the Holy Grail?"
 "Of course. A terrible event like that annihilation doesn't happen every time."
 "Then―――"
 
 "Do not be hasty. It is easy just to obtain it. After all, the Holy Grail is tended to in this church. If you speak of just touching it, I touch it every day."
 "Huh――――?"
 T-The Holy Grail is at this church...?
 
 "Of course, it is only the vessel. It is empty. Rin mentioned earlier that the Holy Grail is in spirit form.
  What we maintain is a well-made replica of the Holy Grail. We use this as the catalyst to draw down the real Holy Grail and transform it into a Holy Grail that grants wishes. It's like the relationship between Servants and Masters. ...Yes, there was indeed a man who obtained the real Holy Grail, temporarily, using that method."
 
 "Then, was that Holy Grail real? No, what happened to the guy who obtained it?"
 "Nothing. The Holy Grail was imperfectly completed. It was the work of a foolish man, affected by sentiment."
 
 ...?
 With the previous pressure gone, the priest narrows his eyes as if in regret.
 
 "...What do you mean? Didn't the Holy Grail appear?"
 "It is easy to just make the Holy Grail appear. Once the seven Servants are present, the Holy Grail will appear in time. As Rin said, there is no need to kill other Masters.
  But that does not complete the Holy Grail. That thing decides its own appropriate master. And thus, it refused to be obtained by a man who avoided battles."
 
 "Heh, so that just means it's useless to obtain the Holy Grail without settling matches with the other Masters.
  The Master who first obtained the Holy Grail in the last war was just a chicken. He just ran away from the Holy Grail, saying that he didn't want to fight other Masters."
 
 So saying, Tohsaka looks away from Kotomine.
 "―――No way."
 Does that mean Kotomine was one of the Masters in the last war, and that he retired because he refused to fight in spite of obtaining the Holy Grail...!?
 
 "...Kotomine. You didn't fight?"
 "I did until halfway. But I made a bad decision. As a result, I only obtained an empty Holy Grail. Well, I guess that was my limit anyway. All the other Masters were monstrous. I lost my Servant first and was taken under my father's protection.
 
  ...Come to think of it, it was inappropriate for a son of the supervisor to be chosen as a Master.
  Father died at that time. Since then, I have succeeded the role of the supervisor, and I protect the Holy Grail at this church."
 
 Saying that, the priest called Kotomine Kirei turns around.
 Before him stands the symbol of worship.
 
 "That is the end of our conversation.
  The only ones qualified to obtain the Holy Grail are those who have Servants. When there is only one of you left, the Holy Grail should naturally appear in front of you.
  Tell me your decision regarding whether you want to join this battle, the Holy Grail War, now."
 The priest requests my final decision.
 
 "――――――――"
 I'm at a loss for words.
 I had no reason to fight until just now.
 Now I have a reason to fight and the will to fight.
 But can I really accept this?
 
 "Are you still undecided?
  Look, a Master is not something you can be just because you want to. Rin has been training long as a magus, but it was not determined that she would be a Master.
  All that could be decided beforehand was whether to prepare for it or not.
 
  Only magi are to be chosen as Masters. If you are a magus, you should have been ready already.
  I guess it cannot be helped if you say you are not.
  You and your teacher were failures in that case. It is merely annoying for such a magus to be fighting, so get rid of your Command Spell now."
 
 "―――――!"
 He doesn't need to ask.
 I won't run away.
 Honestly, this Holy Grail War and Master stuff doesn't seem real to me.
 But still, if I must choose between fighting or running away, I will never run away.
 
 The priest said it as well.
 If I am a magus, I should be ready.
 
 That is why I must decide.
 Even though I'm an amateur, Emiya Shirou is a magus.
 If I have decided to become a superhero in the footsteps of Emiya Kiritsugu whom I've admired all this time―――
 
 "―――I will fight as a Master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago was the Holy Grail War, I can't let it happen again."
 As if he likes my answer, the priest smiles with satisfaction.
 
 "―――"
 I take a deep breath.
 I have cut away all hesitation.
 As a man, I said I will fight.
 So from now on, all I have to do is go forward with pride and refuse to go against my word.
 
 "Then I shall approve you as Saber's Master.
  In this instant, the Holy Grail War is accepted.
  ―――I approve the battle in this town, from now until only one Master remains. Everyone shall follow their pride and compete fully against each other."
 
 The priest's voice echoes heavily through the church.
 There is no meaning to that declaration.
 Only Tohsaka and I heard the priest's words.
 This man merely rang the starting bell as the priest of this church.
 
 "So it's decided. In that case, I'm going home, but may I ask you a question too?"
 "I don't mind. This might be your last chance, so I shall answer most questions."
 
 "Then I shall ask. Kirei, you're the one in charge of overseeing this, so you should have information on the other Masters. I've followed the Association's rules, so at least tell me what you know."
 
 "That's troubling. I really want to tell you, but I do not know the details either.
  Including Emiya Shirou, there are not many legitimate magi this time. There are only two Masters I know about. Three if you include Emiya Shirou."
 
 "Oh, I see. Still, you should know the order in which they were summoned.
  You are the supervisor, after all."
 "...Hmm. Berserker was first. Caster was second. The rest are pretty much the same. Archer was yesterday, and Saber was summoned a few hours ago."
 
 "――I see. Then that means..."
 "The Holy Grail War has officially started.[vr]
  Rin, you are not allowed to come to this church until the Holy Grail War is over.[l]
  The only time it is permitted is..."
 "When I lose my Servant and wish for protection, right? So I pretty much get points deducted if I come here for any other reason."
 
 "That is correct. You may become the victor, but the Church will not ignore the points deducted. They will take the Holy Grail away from you after a boring discussion. That would be the worst case scenario for me."
 "You fake priest. A person on the side of the Church supporting the Magic Association?"
 
 "I am serving God. That does not mean I am serving the Church."
 "Whatever. That's why you're a fake."
 
 And Tohsaka turns her back to the priest.
 After that, she just makes her way to the exit without saying goodbye.
 
 "Hey, is that okay, Tohsaka? He was your fellow pupil, right? So―――"
 Shouldn't there be a more proper farewell?
 
 "I don't care. I feel rather relieved from breaking my ties with him. More importantly, you should leave too. You have no business here now."
 Tohsaka walks across the floor without stopping and leaves for good.
 
 I sigh and follow her.
 And then...
 "―――!"
 I feel a presence behind me and turn around.
 The priest, who's behind me before I know it, is looking down at me.
 
 "W-What? Do you have anything else to say?"
 I back off as I say so.
 ...Just as I thought, I don't like him.
 Maybe we're just incompatible or something, but I can't get myself to like him.
 
 "If you don't have anything to say, I'm going!"
 I make my way to the door, trying to escape his stare.[r]
 As I go...
 "―――Rejoice, boy. Your wish will finally come true."
 The priest says, as if declaring an oracle.
 
 Those words are...
 Aren't those the true feelings I haven't yet realized?
 
 "―――What are you saying all of a sudden?"
 "You should know. Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it is not something you approve of, a superhero requires a villain to defeat."
 
 "―――――!"
 I feel like everything has turned black.
 The priest said it.
 The greatest wish and the ugliest wish I have are the same.
 ...Yes, the desire to protect something...
 ...Is, at the same time, none other than the wish for something to violate it――――
 
 "―――Y-You..."
 But there's no way I'd wish for something like that.
 I don't remember a moment when I've wished for that.
 Such an insecure wish...
 ...Just means the target ideals are inconsistent.
 But the priest says as if to pierce my heart, "Good thing you have an enemy now."
 
 "No, you do not have to gloss over it. Your worries are normal for a human being."
 The priest smiles.
 "――――!"
 I shake off the priest's words and walk to the door.
 
 "Farewell, Emiya Shirou.
  This will be my last warning, but take care on your way home.
  Your world will change completely from now on. You are now at the point of kill or be killed. You are now a Master."
 He says so as I quickly make my way out.


...It's a bit windy now.
 It must be partly because this place is on top of a hill.
 The wind is a bit stronger than normal and carries a sharp chill.
 
 "Shirou. Is your business here complete?"
 "Yeah. I learnt more than enough about the situation I'm in.
  About the Holy Grail War, about the Masters, everything."
 "Then―――"
 
 She comes closer and looks up at me.
 ...It's only natural for her to do so.
 Her fate is determined by my choice.
 
 "...I don't know if I'm good enough for you, but I've decided to fight as a Master.
  I'm sorry that I'm only an amateur. Are you still content that I'm your Master?"
 
 "It matters not. You are already my Master. I have already sworn to be your sword."
 
 That scene flashes through my mind.
 "―――You're right. ...Yeah, I'm relieved that you say so."
 I take a deep breath and look at Saber again.
 
 "Then let's shake hands. Let's do our best together, Saber."
 I extend my right hand.
 I don't care what relationship a Master and his servant should have, nor do I know what I should be doing now.
 If this is the way things are going to be, I at least want our first greeting to be in style.
 
 "――――――――"
 "Saber? Um, are we not supposed to shake hands?"
 "―――That is not the case. I was merely surprised by this sudden action."
 
 Saber takes my hand as she says so.
 "I shall swear to you once more here. As long as you possess your Command Spell, I shall be your sword."
 
 "I don't get the situation too well, but yes, please."
 Saber is really serious, so I nod.
 
 "――――――――Hm."
 ...Come to think of it, this is weird.
 We're under the winter night sky.
 I'm shaking hands with a girl I just met, and we're talking like we're making a contract.
 
 "―――Ohhh. I guess I can leave you two, huh?"
 "――――!!"
 I quickly let go of her hand.
 When I turn around, I see Tohsaka―――and that knight in red.
 
 "You two are getting along well. You weren't even talking before, but things have certainly changed. What, you trust Saber now?"
 
 "Um... No, that's not it... Well, I guess you're right.
  I don't know anything about Saber yet, but I'll be with her from now on."
 
 "I see. Then you should be on guard. Since you two are in this war, I won't go easy on you either."
 "?"
 I tilt my head in wonder.
 For a brief moment, I don't get what she said.
 
 "...Hey now. Do you understand that we're enemies?
  I brought you here because you weren't my enemy yet.
  But you're one of the Masters now, right? Then I think there's only one thing to do now."
 
 "Um――――hm?"
 Well, she's right. But...
 "Why? I don't intend to fight you."
 
 "...Man, just as I thought. Geez, it was meaningless to bring you here."
 Tohsaka slumps her shoulders.
 "Rin."
 
 "What? I thought we promised that you wouldn't talk until I tell you it's okay."
 "I know, but we will make no progress like this.
  We do not need to find out if our enemy is ready or not. If there are enemies we can defeat easily, we should attack them without holding back."
 "Hey, I know that without you having to tell me."
 
 "If you know that, act on it. Or what? Are you going to show him mercy again?
  ...Hm. I don't imagine so, but don't tell me there's a 'special' reason for this."
 
 "T-That's not it!
  ...I just owe him one. I can't fight him fairly until I repay him for that."
 "...Heh, you sure are difficult. Then I shall be disappearing. Call on me again after you repay him."
 
 The knight in red―――Archer, disappears.
 No, rather, I just can't see him anymore.
 According to Tohsaka, Servants are spirits.
 
 Saber says she cannot turn into spirit form, but I'm sure Tohsaka's Servant can since Tohsaka is a complete Master.
 ...Well, that aside...
 
 "Hey, Tohsaka. The thing about you 'owing' me... do you mean what happened back then?"
 "Yeah. No matter what the reason may be, you used your Command Spell to stop Saber. So I have to hold back a bit to balance things out."
 
 "...Balance? You worry about weird things, Tohsaka."
 "I know. I understand this is just flab on my mind. But I can't help it. I hate owing people."
 She turns away.
 
 "But this service is limited. I won't hold back tomorrow, so go and make plans with Saber."
 "...Hm. So the service is only for today?"
 
 "Yup. ...Well, I brought you here.
  Um, so I'll at least go back to town with you."
 Tohsaka starts to walk without looking at us.
 
 "Let us go, Shirou. As she says, it is not good to stay here."
 "......"
 I nod to Saber and follow Tohsaka.
 
 The three of us descend the hill together.
 It might be because Tohsaka is walking ahead, but we go down the hill with few words.
 
 There is a forked road ahead of us.
 One path leads to the main street going towards the Shinto station, and the other leads to the big bridge leading to Miyama City.
 "――――――――"
 Tohsaka stops at the intersection.
 
 "Tohsaka? Why are you stopping? We should head to the bridge if we're going home, right?"
 "No. I'm sorry, but go home by yourself.
  I forgot since I've been concerned with you, but I'm busy. I'm already in Shinto, so I'll go look while I'm here."
 
 "――――Go look... you mean for other Masters?"
 
 "Yeah. I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this time. This night, the start of the battles between seven Masters, the Holy Grail War.
  So I can't go home now. Since I couldn't beat Saber, I need to take it out on some other Servant."
 
 "――――――――"
 ...Tohsaka's eyes show her determination.
 That makes me realize...
 Tohsaka Rin is a magus.
 Her mentality and her knowledge as a magus are complete.
 
 "――――――――"
 So why...?
 
 "So we'll part here. I've repaid my debt, and it would be troublesome if we stay together any longer. We should part here and become enemies from tomorrow on."
 Why does she have this part of her that's unlike a magus?
 
 She did not explain the rules to me out of any sense of obligation.
 She just supported me, understanding the situation I'm in, and acted fairly.
 
 So things are back to normal now that the explanations are over.
 As a Master, I will just be a target to her now.
 "......"
 But still, Tohsaka said those words to me.
 
 For Tohsaka, everything that happened tonight is unnecessary.
 'It would be troublesome if we stay together any longer.'[r]
 If she's going to say something like that, she should have left us alone from the beginning.
 Tohsaka's smart, so she should know that all too well.
 But still, she set aside all thoughts of loss or gain and helped me out.
 
 The Tohsaka in front of me is so different from the one at school.
 Even when I put it nicely, she's sour, cranky, unapproachable, and so different that I want to scream.
 Man, it feels almost like a fraud.
 
 ...Yet, still...
 Tohsaka Rin is just how everyone thought she was.
 
 "I see. Tohsaka, you really are a good person."
 "Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden? I won't go easy on you, even if you flatter me."
 
 I know that.
 She won't go easy on me, and that's why she said it'll be a bother if she feels empathy for me.
 
 "I know. But I don't want to be enemies with you if I can help it. I like people like you."
 "Wha―――"
 
 Tohsaka falls silent for some reason.
 The silent suburbs...
 The church at the top of the hill and the silence of the foreigners' cemetery feel surprisingly warm.
 
 "A-Anyway, just run to the church if your Servant ever gets killed. If you do, at least your life will be safe."
 
 "I don't like it, but still, I'll take that advice. It won't happen, though. No matter how I look at it, I'll die before Saber does."
 "――――Phew."
 Tohsaka reacts strangely once again.
 After letting out a sigh, she glances at Saber.
 
 "All right. I won't give you any more warnings because that'd really be soft.
  Just be careful. Even though Saber is strong, it won't matter if her Master gets killed."
 She turns her back and starts walking.
 
 But...
 As if she's seen a ghost, her feet stop dead in their tracks.
 
     "―――Hey, have you finished talking?"
 
 A youthful voice echoes through the night.
 The melodic tone is unmistakably that of a young girl.
 My vision is drawn to the top of the hill.
 There――――
 
 I don't know when the clouds parted, but a brilliant moon is now shining in the sky.
 The shadow is long and grotesque, like a devil in a picture book.
 In this gloomy town of shadow-pictures stands a figure that should not be there.
 
 "―――Berserker."
 Tohsaka mumbles a word I'm not accustomed to hearing.
 Even though I don't know what she means, I can feel the giant's dreadfulness all too well.
 
 That thing is not human.
 Then―――it is one of the beings called "Servants", just like Saber.
 "Good evening, Onii-chan. It's the second time we've met like this."
 The girl smiles as she says this.
 That innocence sends a chill down my spine.
 The girl looks so out of place next to the thing behind her, it feels like I am dreaming.
 "――――――――"
 No, chill is an understatement.
 Not just my body, but my mind is frozen as well.
 That thing is a monster.
 I'm not even staring at it, but its mere presence roots me to the spot.
 
 "―――I'm surprised. He surpasses Saber in raw power!"
 Tohsaka glares at the monster above her, clicking her tongue.
 In her, I see despair―――and the spirit to not lose to it.
 
 "Archer, this isn't an enemy that can be beaten head on. You should fight it in your unique style."
 She murmurs this quietly.
 The knight without form replies to her.
 
 "Understood. But what about your defense? You cannot defend against his charge."
 "There are three of us. We can manage if all we need to do is defend."
 He must have nodded to her words.
 The presence behind Tohsaka vanishes instantly.
 
 "―――Emiya-kun. You can choose whether to run or fight.
  ...But if you can, try to run away."
 
 "Are you done? Can I start now?"
 The girl laughs playfully.
 She lifts the sides of her skirt and curtsies in a manner quite out of place in such a situation.
 
 "Nice to meet you, Rin. I am Ilya.
  You should figure it out if I make that Ilyasviel von Einzbern."
 "Einzbern―――"
 Tohsaka's body stiffens, apparently recognizing that name.
 
 Perhaps she liked Tohsaka's reaction, as the girl smiles happily. And then...
 "Then I'll kill you now. Go ahead, Berserker."
 ...She orders the strange shape behind her, as if she's singing.


Hi, this is the Tiger Dojo!
Since this is part II, everything has been changed...
...Huh?
It's not different at all!!!
Well, the game is in its second arc.
The shocking route of Tohsaka-san has started. Do you have anything to say, Ilya-chan?
Ouuu... I'm sorry I lied to you...
Yes. Repent of your misdeeds.
It does look like the title changed, but it's the same on the inside. Rather――――
...Everyone's jumping about in part II. Is someone trying to steal our roles?
Probably. Unlike me, you aren't that fascinating as a character.
We should put the focus on me and make Taiga a guest―――
Well, about this dead end!
Why did this happen, you rebel!?
It's because Shirou was a coward.
Oh, the killer is still unknown.
He was killed instantly once he left his house.
You should go on and fight Berserker since Archer is in fighting condition this time. You should get them back for defeating you before.
Oh, are you sure it'd go so well?
No matter which hero Archer may be, I don't think he's a big enough threat for me.
Hm. W-Well, we won't know unless we try.
We're not in Saber-chan's route this time.
Really? Then let's see what happens.
Let's see how a hastily-formed alliance fares against me.
Ugh... You're starting to show your true form, you devilish child.
By the way, I've been wondering for a long time. Can I ask you something, Ilya-chan?
How strong are you as a magus?
Are you as strong as Tohsaka-san?
Me? Hmm... Strictly speaking, I'm not a magus.
I'm more like Caster. I didn't study magic from the time I was born. But rather, I already knew magic at birth. Do you get the difference?
Hmm? I don't, and I don't want to know.
So in short, you're really a devil?
Fufufu. You sure say cute things once in a while.
I'll kill you if you say something so close to the truth.
Gyaaa! Her face is scary! Help me, God of Babylon!
...Geez, asking me such a boring question.
You'll eventually find out who I am whether you want to or not.
Well, let's continue on for Shirou.
The new fight is just starting. Don't go stumbling here! Quickly go back to Saber!

UBW[]

UBW - Day 3[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works - Day 3: long day, long night [T]

HF[]

HF - Day 4[]

[v] Fate/stay night - Heaven's Feel - Day 4: Avenger [T]

Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works Animation Material I[]

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: If you were summoned as a Servant, what class do you think you would be appointed to?

Q: If you were summoned as a Servant, what class do you think you would be appointed to? <AhoNoN>

Nasu Kinoko: I would be the 14th fallen angel (Assassin) who came down to the corrupt golden age known as Millennium.
Takeuchi Takashi: At my age, there wouldn't even be a place for me.
Nasu: Guess we can't help that, can we. Why don't we make you a Lancer called "president" who fights against the dystopic, controlled society?
Takeuchi: How am I the president yet just a Lancer!
Nasu: That's exactly why, you're always on the frontlines. And death will come easy so you just have to be careful.

御自分がサーヴァントとして召喚されるとしたらどのクラスに割り当てられると思われます か? <AhoNoN>

奈須きのこ(以下「奈」):ミレニアムという退廃黄金期に舞い降りた14番目の堕天使(アサシン)
武内崇(以下「武」):俺もうおじさんだから、そういうノリはちよつと。
奈:仕方ないなあ。じゃあ、記号管理社会モエ・デイス卜ピアにあらがい続ける社長という名の筆兵士(ランサー)
武:社長なのに兵士なんだ!
奈:そりゃそうだよ、いつも前線にいるんだから。死ぬ時はあっさり死ぬから気をつけるがよろし。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: Do you have motifs for the Command Seal designs?

Q: Do you have motifs for the Command Seal designs? <Shido Kei>

Nasu: We're straining to make something that matches the characters' inner characteristics.
Takeuchi: With few exceptions, our basic rule of thumb is to have something that symbolizes the traits of the magecraft of the Masters. Shirou's is a sharp sword. Rin's has a circle in the center to depict harmony, which is also the first image we had thought of.

令呪のデザインのモチ—フとかはあったりするんですか? <祠堂景>

奈:だいたいキャラクターの内面イメージからカタチを絞り込んでいます。
武:例外もありますが、魔術師(マスター)の魔術特性が記号化されている、というのが基本ルールです。士郎は銳利な形で剣。凛は円を中心に置いた調和の形、というのが一番はじめのイメージでした。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: This question is for Mr. Kinoko and Takashi: Out of all the Fate characters, who would you want as a bride? (Without worrying about gender)

Q: This question is for Mr. Kinoko and Takashi: Out of all the Fate characters, who would you want as a bride? (Without worrying about gender) <Ritsuka>

Nasu: Rin has been at the top of my list for the last ten years, since she could totally lead such a lost cause as myself. But now, as useless as I am, I would plot to make Kitsune my someone special.
Takeuchi: With a thought like that you really are hopeless.
Nasu: And what about you? Probably Saber, right?
Takeuchi: It's because she's a glimmering star just out of reach that she's beautiful. I couldn't call her my bride. Though for some reason I think Shielder from Grand Order would be the ideal bride.
Nasu: Really? No kidding (smirks). I guess you can look forward to the next volume of Grand Order!

きのこさんとたかしさんに質問です。Fate全 キャラでお嫁さんにしたいキャラは誰ですか?(性別の壁突破可) <りつか>

奈:ダメ人間なきのこを引っ張ってくれる、という理由で凜が10年間1位を守ってきましたが、 今はダメ人間のままでも一角の人物として成功させてくれるであろうキャス狐に軍配があがるやもしれぬ。
武:その発想の時点でアナタはホン卜にダメ人間ですね。
奈:そういうyouは?やつばりセイバー?
武:セイバーは手の届かぬ星だから美しい。嫁とは言えぬ。なにげにグランドオーダーの盾子 ちゃんが理想の嫁かもしれないなぁ。
奈:へえ。そうか。そうだったのか(ニタリ)。では グランドオーダー本編をお楽しみに!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: Berserker took no damage from Archer's A-rank Noble Phantasm "Broken Phantasm" (Caladbolg), is it ineffective due to Berserk's Noble Phantasm, or was he simply able to withstand it naturally?

Q: Berserker took no damage from Archer's A-rank Noble Phantasm "Broken Phantasm" (Caladbolg), is it ineffective due to Berserk's Noble Phantasm, or was he simply able to withstand it naturally? <Not Mr. Shanoa>

Nasu: Oh, that. In the original work it was like "Even though up until then none of the attacks had been worth dodging, this one would have been fatal, so Berserker counters → the resulting explosion from the Noble Phantasm is devastating." Yet in the anime version it was handled as "Berserker could not respond to it due to a severe injury from Saber → losing one of his lives, and regenerates," which may be something to think about. In all he lost 2 lives because of it.
Takeuchi: Oh, so that's why God Hand in the anime version needed 3 days to recover!

アーチャーのAランク宝具並の「壊れた幻想」を受けても無傷だったバーサーカーですが、宝具による効果で無効化したのではなく、素の耐久力で耐え切ったのでしょうか? <シャノアールさん他>

奈:あれなー。原作だと「今まで殺す必要もない攻撃だったが、これだけは致命傷になるので迎撃したバーサーカー→宝具爆発による大惨事」。一方、アニメだと「セイバーによる致命傷でバーサーカー反応できず→素で喰らってさらにワンライフロストからの回復」とお考えください。都合、2機も残機減ってるんですね。
武:ああ、アニメ版のゴッドハンド、3日で回復したのはその為か!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: In the anime version, Rin has a few different ways of firing her Gandr. Is her multi-finger firing method any stronger than her original single-finger firing method?

Q: In the anime version, Rin has a few different ways of firing her Gandr. Is her multi-finger firing method any stronger than her original single-finger firing method? <Fruit-punch Samurai M>

Nasu: That isn't her true Gandr. Her index finger shot is definitely the strongest.
Takeuchi: Then why does she do that? Is it some kind of homage to 004?
Nasu: Rin is just an intense woman, so if she did that her Finn shot would turn into a Finn machinegun. We call it the Miura-style Gandr. It's really a new Gandr, along with the Finn rocket launcher that comes from her knee. With proper timing she could catch her opponent and strike their torso or face at point-blank range. That person would definitely die.
Takeuchi: I know, that's why she's the Shining Wizard!

アニメ版では凛のガンドの撃ち方のバリエーションが増えていますが、従来の指の1本のガンドと比べてアニメ版の複数の指を使ってる方が、威力が高いのでしょうか? <フルーツポンチ侍M>

奈:実際のガンドだとそんな事はない。人差し指1本こそ最強。
武:じゃあ凛のあれはなに?004のオマージュ?
奈:凛さんは勢いの女だから、ああするとフィンの一撃がフィンのマシンガンになるんだ。後に三浦式ガンドと呼ばれる。まったく新しいガンドの誕生である。そのうち膝からフィンのロケットランチャーとかもだす。使用するタイミングは相手を掴まえてからの、相手の腹部、ないしガンメンに向けてのゼロ距離射撃。相手は死ぬ。
武:知ってる、それただのシャイニングウィザードだ!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: What would your "ideal mushroom (Kinoko)" be?

Q: What would your "ideal mushroom (Kinoko)" be? <School of Bamboo>

Takeuchi: I have no idea what this means. Does a mushroom even have anything to do with "ideal"?
Nasu: Not really... Though I guess a fungus lacks the ability to think... It just clings to a controller like a zombie...

「理想のきのこ」とはどんなきのこですか? <たけのこ派>

武:質問の意味が分からぬ。そもそもきのこに理想があるのだろうか……
奈:ないよね……菌類とか思考能力ないもんね……ただゾンビのようにコントローラー握ってるだけだもんね……

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: Will there be any specific scenes or action sequences for the authors (and the viewers) to look forward to in the most recent anime adaptation of 「Fate/stay night[Unlimited Blade Works]」 (Heretofore referred to as 「UBW」)?

Q: Will there be any specific scenes or action sequences for the authors (and the viewers) to look forward to in the most recent anime adaptation of 「Fate/stay night[Unlimited Blade Works]」 (Heretofore referred to as 「UBW」)? <Ishigami>

Nasu: All of the scenes with Rin while she's at the western-style Tohsaka residence!
Takeuchi: The Gáe Bolg, Tsubame-Gaeshi (Swallow Reversal)... after 10 years I'm ecstatic to show all of these things in a new way.
Nasu: And we can't leave out the Berserker fight in episode 3. No matter how many times I watch it, it's on a whole different level.

今回のアニメ化された『Fate/stay night[Unlimited Blade Works]』(以下『UBW』)の内容で、原作者(あるいは一視聴者)としてお気に入りのシーンやアクションはありますか? <いしがみ>

奈:洋館(遠坂邸)の中で過ごす凛のシーン、全部だ!
武:ゲイ・ボルクや燕返しなど、10年たったからこそ出来る新しい表現にしびれました。
奈:#03のバーサーカー戦も外せない。何度見ても面白いとか、ちょっとおかしいレベル。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: In the anime there is a good deal more destruction in Fuyuki City (at the school, specifically) than in the original work, yet the next day everything goes back to the way it was before. How hard is Kotomine working?

Q: In the anime there is a good deal more destruction in Fuyuki City (at the school, specifically) than in the original work, yet the next day everything goes back to the way it was before. How hard is Kotomine working? <Orange>

Nasu: I'd like you to take a look at episode #3 of the director's cut. As anything inorganic that is destroyed can be repaired, Kotomine put together a small budget and hired a repair specialist.
Takeuchi: And what about the media?
Nasu: That's thanks to the Church's connection. They have infiltrated the media and the political world.

アニメでは原作以上に派手に破壊されている冬木の市街地(学校含)ですが、翌日には元通りになっていますよね。言峰はどのくらい頑張ったのでしょうか。 <オレンジ>

奈:そこはそれ、テレビ放映ではカッ卜された#03を見てほしい。無機物であれば壊れたものはなんとか補修できるので、言峰が少ない予算から補修のスべシャリス卜を雇っているのだ。
武:報道関係は?
奈:そっちは聖堂教会側の人脈ですね。メディア、政界に仲間が潜りこんでいるのだ。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040 [T]
Q: The 「UBW」 anime was created with a pretty tight arrangement alongside ufotable. How exactly did that come about? Also, as there were various original scenes in the anime, who was the one who came up with the ideas?

Q: The 「UBW」 anime was created with a pretty tight arrangement alongside ufotable. How exactly did that come about? Also, as there were various original scenes in the anime, who was the one who came up with the ideas? <Rio>

Nasu: Explaining even only the details regarding that arrangement would take up this entire interview, so I can't discuss it here. The original scenes were scenes proposed by the director. He would let us know where he wanted a new scene, and I would make it.
Takeuchi: The additional episode in the 2nd season was brutal... they wanted a 5 minute scene added, and this guy writes and submits a scene big enough to fill a whole episode!
Nasu: Blame the people who gave it to me.

『UBW』のアニメはufotableさんと入念な打ち合わせをして制作しているということです が、一体どのようにして打ち合わせしているのでしょろか?またアニメ才リジナルシーンなどが多数見られましたが誰が考えたりしているのでしょうか? <リオ>

奈:打ち合わせの細部は語るとそれだけでこのコーナーが終わるので割愛。オリジナルシーン は監督の方から「ここで新シーンがほしい」と提案があり、それを奈須の方で作る、という流れです。
武:2ndシーズンの追加エピソ—ドとか酷いよね……5分のシ—ン追加だって言うのに、こいつ、一話まるまる使うような長さのシーン書いて提出するんだぜ……
奈:うむ。ワシに 投げる方が 悪い。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.040-041 [T]
Q: For the battle scene between Rin and Ilya in the anime, did Ilya just get way stronger?! Was her strength based on 「Fate/Zero」?

Q: For the battle scene between Rin and Ilya in the anime, did Ilya just get way stronger?! Was her strength based on 「Fate/Zero」? <UMA>

Nasu: If it's at the land that houses the Holy Grail, then Ilya is indeed that strong. And being able to make a familiar from her hair was in the original draft. The work this time around was especially hard, so I ended up using an "Iri's replacement" approach. By the way, the name of the technique is Elfen Lied [German for Elves' Song, 天使の詩 - Angel's Poem]. The bird's name is Storch Fieseler [German term for a type of plane]. The Ibis that shoots bullets is Zahre (tear), and she can also transform them into an Épée (a sword).
Takeuchi: Woah, that's the first I heard of that.
Nasu: Yea, and it all sounded rather neat when I submitted it. Director Miura can create good results as long as I force everything upon him. Kinoko, remember this.

今回アニメで出てきた凜とイリヤの戦闊シ—ンについて、イリヤが無茶苦茶強くなってる!? 『Fate/Zero』を意識して作った能力なのでしょうか? <UMA>

奈:大聖杯のある土地ならイリヤは無茶苦茶強い。あと髮の毛で使い魔を作るのは前から草案 がありましたが、 今回はせっかくなので「アイリの上位互換」として表現してもらいました。ちなみに術式は天使の詩。鳥の名前はシュトルヒリッたー。コウノトリが撃ち出す弹がツエ—レ(涙)、変形しての特攻がデーゲン(剣)。
武:ほ、ほう。初耳ですよ、それ。
奈:うむ。そういう設定を提出したらあんなに格好よくなったのだ。三浦監督にはとにかく無茶振りすればいいものができる。きのこ、覚えた。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: Mr. Takeuchi, Mr. Nasu, how do you feel about revisiting 「Fate/stay night」 after 10 years?

Q: Mr. Takeuchi, Mr. Nasu, how do you feel about revisiting 「Fate/stay night」 after 10 years? <Taiwan's Shotsuki>

Nasu: Heh heh, it sounds like forever but really 「Fate」 has always been influencing me. These 10 years really just feels like something very close to me has been doing well.
Takeuchi: Like we're almost wondering how it's only been 10 years. But I guess in the end, when you see the main character's clothes and designs, you can really feel how long it's been.
Nasu: Really though, by all rights we buried the thing. For it to come back and see new light after only 10 years is so rare. We know just how fortunate we are for this.

武内さん、奈須さん、10年ぶりの「Fate/stay night」との再会はどんな気持ちでしょうか? <台湾の嘯月>

奈:フフフ……そうはいってもこの10年、常にFateに関わってきたからね…10年ぶりどころか「よっ、おつかれ」ぐらいの身近さなんだ。
武:むしろ10年も経ったという実感が薄いぐらい。…でも無いか。主にキャラクタ—の服装やデザインなどみると、ああ、10年経ったなぁと実感 しました。
奈:ともあれ、本来なら埋葬され、化石として閲覧されるだけのものが10年活動し続け、生きている物としてパ—ジョンアップされ続けるのは稀なことです。つくづく僕らは幸運だと実感しています。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: In the anime, there is a fight scene between Rin and Ilya, but are there any mages who could even win against Ilya in a magic fight in the actual 「Fate/stay night」, 「Fate/Zero」, or 「Fate/hollow ataraxia」 games?

Q: In the anime, there is a fight scene between Rin and Ilya, but are there any mages who could even win against Ilya in a magic fight in the actual 「Fate/stay night」, 「Fate/Zero」, or 「Fate/hollow ataraxia」 games? <ukw>

Nasu: Frankly, she is the top mage in Fuyuki. Still, first-class mages would follow the "since she's a child of nature, just cut her off from the land first" plan, so it's not like she's invincible. Kayneth and Tokiomi may be able to best her in a magic duel. Rin is just relentless. But if we're talking about the dark girl who contaminates the land itself...
Takeuchi: ...Sakura's magecraft skills are really fit for a boss, aren't they.

アニメの中で、凜とイリヤが魔術戦を行うシー ンがありましたが、実際のところ『Fate/stay night』や『Fate/Zero』、『Fate/hollow ataraxia』などに登場する魔術師で、イリヤと魔術戦で勝つことができる魔術師はいるのですか? <ukw>

奈:真面目な話をすると、冬木ではトップランクの魔術師。それでも一流の魔術師なら「自然の嬰児であれば、まずは地脈と個人を切り離そう」と方針を立てると思われるので、敵無し、というワケではありません。ケイネスや時臣なら魔術戦で撃破可能です。凛はちよつと厳しい。逆に土地 そのものを汚染していくどこかの黒い娘なら……
武:つくづくボス向きの魔術特性なんだな、桜は……。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: I was wondering why they changed Gotou's character designs.

Q: I was wondering why they changed Gotou's character designs. <Kusakaki>

Nasu: Don’t be silly. That Gotou can change at will.
Takeuchi: Right? If you've ever claimed to see him, it was really just a figment of your imagination. But really, we just thought the designs were a little bit outdated, so we went with those changes.

後藤くんのキヤラデザインが変更された理由を教えて欲しいでこざる。 <草柿>

奈:たわけ。後藤くんは変幻自在でござる。
武:その通り。後藤くんに決まった形状が存在するなどと、いつから錯覚していた?まあマジレスすると、前のデサインがちよつとアレかなと思っていたので'この機会にアレしました。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: Did the blonde Servant wash his clothes after talking with Shinji in Episode 10?

Q: Did the blonde Servant wash his clothes after talking with Shinji in Episode 10? <Mongoose>

Nasu: Of course, he immediately washed it and applied disinfectant spray.
Takeuchi: I loved that scene because of how mysterious it was. You gotta have abilities like Shinji's complete indifference to survive in this world.

訳:金髮のサーヴァン卜は#10で憤ニと会話した後、服を洗ったのでしようか?<Mongoose>

奈:もちろん。サツと吹いて殺菌スプレ—かけたよ。
武:あのシーンは、謎の緊張感があって面白かった。慎ニの鈍感力は、これからの時代を生き抜く為に必要な能力なのかもしれない。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: Sasaki Kojirou spent his entire live sword training in the mountains, so how did he acquire a sword like the Bitchu Aoe (Blue River of Bitchu)? Was he not spending his time farming on the farmlands?

Q: Sasaki Kojirou spent his entire live sword training in the mountains, so how did he acquire a sword like the Bitchu Aoe (Blue River of Bitchu)? Was he not spending his time farming on the farmlands? <Sunday>

Nasu: Kojirou is the son of a ordinary farming family, living an ordinary farm life and separated from ordinary common sense. Ordinarily He met a master swordsman who had retired deep into the mountains, and began his ordinary life in the mountains himself. He was enthralled by the swordsmanship of the master, and he began training under him the next day. After one month, the master swordsman drew his last breath, and Kojirou completely threw himself into the path of a swordsman. By the way, what the master swordsman talked on about was the refined behavior of a swordsman--a communion with nature, so to speak. He did not instruct Kojirou on anything related to sword techniques. The Bitchu Aoe may have been the master's, or perhaps he received it from the Holy Grail when the legendary soul was summoned. It is simply something thought to be part of who he is.
Takeuchi: So he only witnessed the opening of a performance [referring to swordmanship]... so he's really a genius among geniuses isn't he!?
Nasu: Isn't it obvious. Don't underestimate a chivalrous man person who is eligible as a Servant despite being nameless. He was raised in both mind and body in those mountains. Even without a katana that master swordsman can cut through dimensions. Sengo Muramasa, that which can cut even casualty.

佐々木小次郎は生前ずっと山で剣を振るだけの人生を過こしたそうですが、そうするとどうやって備中青江のような業物を手に入れたので しょうか?というか、ちゃんと農民として農作 業をしたりしてたのでしようか? <Sunday>

奈:あの男はフツーの農家の子供で、フツーに村の暮らしとか人間の常識からズレていて、フツーに山奥に隠れるように隠居した剣聖に出会い、フツーに山で暮らすようになったんだ。はじめて剣聖の太刀筋を見た時に心奪われ、翌日から弟子入りするも剣聖はひと月ほどで息を引き取り、後はいびつながらも純粋に剣の道を究めた。ちなみに、剣聖が話してきかせたものは剣士としての雅な立ち振る舞いーーー即ち花鳥風月のみ。剣に関しては佐々木某に何一つ教えなかつた。備中青江は剣聖の持ち物か、 あるいは英霊と して召喚された時に聖杯から与えられた。佐々木小次郎としての出で立ち、と思われます。
武:じゃあはじめの演舞を見ただけなんだ…… それ、天才の中の天才クラスですよね!?
奈:あったりめえだっつーの。無名でありながら英霊検索に該当した伊達男舐めんなっつ—の。心身共に山育ちだっつーの。そも剣聖なら刀なんか使わなくても次元を斬るぐらいできるっつ—の。千子村正、因果すら断つっつーの。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: This question is for Mr. Takeuchi. Which drawing of Saber of yours is your favorite?

Q: This question is for Mr. Takeuchi. Which drawing of Saber of yours is your favorite? <Garlic Nabe>

Takeuchi: The next Saber I draw will be my favorite!
Nasu: Woah... (shedding tears of gratitude in response to the remark)
Takeuchi: Hey, why are you crying?

武内さんへの質問です、今まで自分が描いた中で一番好きなセイバーは誰ですか? <にら鍋>

武:次に描くセイパ—が、一番好きなセイパー だ!
奈:ぶわっ(あまりの発言に感涙)
武:なぜ泣く。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: For the new outfits, did Mr. Kinoko have any opinions or personal requests for them? Or is it something he left entirely to Mr. Takeuchi and ufotable?

Q: For the new outfits, did Mr. Kinoko have any opinions or personal requests for them? Or is it something he left entirely to Mr. Takeuchi and ufotable? <Rouge>

Takeuchi: First I would propose any changes I was keen on, then when the designs would start coming together Nasu would give his opinion on them.
Nasu: There was never anything too gaudy, and the designs I felt gave proper respect to the character's image, so it was an easy thing to approve and move on with.

新衣装について、きのこさんは意見や要望を出 したんでしょうか?それとも全て武内さんと ufotableさんにおまかせ? <紅かや>

武:まずは自分が気になる部分の修正を提案して、デザインとして纏める際に奈須に意見を貰ったという感じですね。
奈:あまり派手にならず、きっちりキャラクターイメ—ジを尊重してくれるので大抵は即決ですよ。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: Saber's so cutely drawn that many are asking: Is this Saber's route? Was this Mr. Takeuchi's idea, given that she's his absolute favorite?

Q: Saber's so cutely drawn that many are asking: Is this Saber's route? Was this Mr. Takeuchi's idea, given that she's his absolute favorite? <Yuma>

Takeuchi: Oh no, Saber is definitely cute, but aren't Rin, Sakura, and Fuji-nee just as cute?
Nasu: Don't forget about the trio.
Takeuchi: Having passed the 「Fate/Zero」 animation adaptation, my understanding of the characters and the world has gotten much deeper, but there's also a feeling of love on top of that. For an author, there's nothing greater than seeing your characters being loved.
Nasu: Of course. It's just like a father wishing for his daughter's happiness.

これはセイバールー卜ですか?と言わんばかりにセイバーさんが可愛らしく描かれていました。それはセイバーさん大好き人間である武内先生の発案でしょうか? <ゆーま>

武:いや、セイパーも可愛いですけど、凜も桜も藤ねえまでも、大変可愛いですよ?
奈:三人娘も忘れてはならぬ。
武:『Fate/Zero』の映像化を経たことで、キャラクターや世界感への理解が深くなったことは確かだと思いますが、それ以上に愛情を強く感 じます。原作者にとって、キャラクタ—が愛される以上に幸せなことは無いですよ。
奈:確かになー。娘の幸せを望まぬ父親などいない、みたいな。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: What were Archer's feelings like when he tried to kill Shirou, saved him, and later when he put his faith in him and tried to change his life and way of thinking?

Q: What were Archer's feelings like when he tried to kill Shirou, saved him, and later when he put his faith in him and tried to change his life and way of thinking? <Aisaka Riku>

Nasu: When he was attacking Shirou, he was simply devoid of much emotion at all. He was in agony, and was only holding on to the sliver of hope that this would forge a different path for him. His whirlwind of emotions towards Shirou (and himself) were not pleasant for him. It is not simply that Archer feels the need to explode in anger, nor is it that he wants to save him. He simply wants to single-handedly sever any possibility of a murderer coming along under the mask of justice in this world line, it is the least he could do to atone for those who have already been taken.
Takeuchi: So... what does that mean exactly? Details, please.
Nasu: This is how it works when you don't want to spoil it! You have to wait for the 2nd season!

アーチャーは士郎を殺そうとしたり肋けたりと色々士郎を信頼して、生き方や考え方を変えようとしていますが、こういう時の彼の心情はどういった感じなのでしょうか? <相坂陸>

奈:どうせ変わらない、という虚無感に襲われながらも、もしかすれば違う道があるのでは、と一縷の可能性に鎚り、苦悩している。どうあれ彼に渦巻いている感情は(本人にとっても)気持ちの良いものではない。アーチャーは八つ当たりしたい訳でも、救われたい訳でもない。この世界線で、正義の名の下に生まれる殺人者、が現れる可能性を自らの手で断つ事が、今まで奪ってきたものたちへの最低限の贖いだと考えているだけ。
武:えーと……つまりどういうコト?具体的 にタノム。
奈:ネタバレしないように言うとこうなるんだ!2ndシ—ズンを待て!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: When will I finally get my own route?

Q: When will I finally get my own route? <Ilya>

Nasu: There already is one! Say hello to 「Prisma☆Ilya」!
Takeuchi: You really gonna let it go with just that?
Nasu: Of course. Someone was bound to finish what I can't do myself. Humans are amazing beings!

私のル—卜はいつ放送するのかしら? <イリヤ>

奈:もうしてるっててばよ。『プリズマ☆イリヤ』をよろしくね!
武:おまえはそれでいいのか。
奈:いいとも。自分にできないコトを誰かがやっ てくれる。人間って素晴らしい!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: In episode #00, Rin tries to summon without any sort of catalyst, but is that even possible? And assuming she did not get the time wrong, would she have summoned a different Heroic Spirit?

Q: In episode #00, Rin tries to summon without any sort of catalyst, but is that even possible? And assuming she did not get the time wrong, would she have summoned a different Heroic Spirit? <Short Sleeves>

Nasu: With the proper procedures and Command Spells, it is possible, though the summon itself would be random, yes. But even given the time, for a certain reason Rin does wind up summoning Archer in Fuyuki City.
Takeuchi: Even if it's random, Rin is amazing to summon a legendary soul comparable to SR.

#00で凜は触媒がない状態での召喚を行おうと していますが、そんなことは可能なのでしょう か?また、時間を勘違いしていなかった場合、他の英霊が召喚されたのでしょうか? <半袖>

奈:正しい手順と令呪さえあれば可能です。ほと んど運任せのランダムガチャ……もとい、ランダム召喚になりますが。また、時間があっていても或る理由から、凛が冬木の街で召喚するのは アーチヤーでしょう。
武:ランダムガチャでもSR英霊を引き当てる凜が凄いということか。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: What does Saber do during the day?

Q: What does Saber do during the day? <Takatakashi>

Nasu: As Shirou doesn't offer her any magical energy, Saber wastes her own magical energy by going into sleep mode. She sure has a lot of freedom during meals though, doesn't she.
Takeuchi: Wait, I know it's very little, but didn't you say she can also get magical energy from eating!!

セイバーは日中なにやってるんですか? <たかたかし>

奈:士郎からの魔力提供がないため、セイパ—自身の魔力を無駄遣いしようようにスリープモー ドに入ってる……のだが。食事時はわりとフリーダムですよね、 あの人。
武:微々ではあるけど食事も魔力変換できるってきのこ先生が言ったじゃないですか!!

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041 [T]
Q: This is a question about the battle in episode #07! As opposed to the game, Saber evades Kojiro's Tsubame-Gaeshi when seeing the complete version for the first time. But isn't that only because she had her instincts and put all her power into her Invisible Air?!

Q: This is a question about the battle in episode #07! As opposed to the game, Saber evades Kojiro's Tsubame-Gaeshi when seeing the complete version for the first time. But isn't that only because she had her instincts and put all her power into her Invisible Air [風王結界 - Bounded Field of the Wind King]?! <Shirosuki>

Nasu: Exactly, and I can only say it was because it was the anime version. I could go on forever about Tsubame-Gaeshi, but probably even Caster would be driven crazy after 5 minutes.

#07の戦闘について質問です!ゲームと違い、完全版の小次郎の燕返しをセイバーが初見で避けていましたが、アレは直感と風王結界を全力で離脱に用いたからこそ可能だったのでしょうか! <シロウスキー>

奈:その通り。なぜそうなったかはアニメ用アレンジと言わざるをえない。燕返しの説明を延々5分以上流したらキャスターでなくともイラっとくるでしよ。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.041-042 [T]
Q: Rider invoked Blood Fort Andromeda despite Sakura being in the school. If the barrier was sustained, would Rider have went to save Sakura even if it meant disobeying Wakame?

Q: Rider invoked Blood Fort Andromeda despite Sakura being in the school. If the barrier was sustained, would Rider have went to save Sakura even if it meant disobeying Wakame [Seaweed, Shinji's nickname]? <Teacher Blossom>

Takeuchi: I'm actually wondering about that too.
Nasu: I hate to be mean, but Sakura has enough magical energy such that she would only be in a coma. To Rider that's not a problem, which is why it was done in secret from Sakura. Had she talked to Sakura instead, it would have become much more chaotic like "stop her brother → her brother becomes more of a Wakame."

学校に桜さんがいるにも関わらず「鮮血神殿」を発動させたライダーさんですが、もしもあの まま結界が維持されていたら、ライダ—さんはワカメさんに逆らってでも桜さんを助けたのでしょうか? <ティーチャー•ブロッサム>

奈:それはオレも気になった。
武:酷い話を言えば、桜は魔カ量が違うので「昏睡するだけ」で済む。ライダー的には何の問題もない。なので桜には内緒で実行した。逆に桜に相談してたら「兄さんを止める→兄さんさらにワカメ」でもっとカオスってたと思われます。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: What kind kid was Shirou before he became Kiritsugu's adopted son?

Q: What kind kid was Shirou before he became Kiritsugu's adopted son? <Mackerel Sandwich>

Nasu: Full disclosure, he was a "Capsule Servant!"
Takeuchi: I've always thought that Shirou had been getting a bit weird, so that's what it was!
Nasu: Yea. We wrote him based on "what would happen if he were raised more timidly." It was more fun than I thought it would be, to take a character so straightforward and make them docile...

切嗣の養子になる前の士郎はどんな子だったのですか? <鯖サンド>

奈:詳しくは『カプセルさーばんと』を!
武:あの士郎、ちよっと変な性格になっていると 思ってはいたけど、そんな設定だったんか!
奈:うん。素直に育ったらどうなるか、というコンセプトで書いてみた。書いてみたら、思いの外楽しかった。竹を割ったような性格の主人公は素直でいい……。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: With Berserker's Noble Phantasm God Hand, you gain resistance to an attack once you're hit by it, but do you only gain this resistance by having died once? Would the same attack be effective multiple times as long as it was before he died?

Q: With Berserker's Noble Phantasm God Hand, you gain resistance to an attack once you're hit by it, but do you only gain this resistance by having died once? Would the same attack be effective multiple times as long as it was before he died? <Madao Gingetsu>

Nasu: You don't have to die. For example... if you were to take fire damage, once you recover you would gain +100 resistance to fire.
Takeuchi: Oh, feels like it has been toned-down. Wouldn't it have completely nullified it before?
Nasu: I said it won't work, but I don't think I've ever said it'll be negated. BB: "Mine is to nullify all attacks, Macho-san's is to triple his defense! What's the difference!?" Heracles: "It's not even close (to your hacked ability)!"
Takeuchi: No matter how you put it, it's an overpowered skill.

バーサーカーの宝具「十二の試練」には一度受けた攻擊に対して耐性を付ける効果がありますが、この耐性を付ける条件とは一度「死ぬ」ことなのでしょうか?仮に同じ攻擊でも死ぬ前なら何度も通じるのでしよろか? <銀月マダオ>

奈:死ぬ必要はないです。例えば、 火炎のダメージを受けたら傷が治った後、対火炎防御力 +100になる……といった感じ。
武:お。なんかマイルドになったね。前は完全無効じゃなかったっけ?
奈:効かなくなる、とは言ったが無効とは言っていない。BB「私は攻撃才ールキャンセルで、マッチョさんは防御力3倍!そこに何の違いがあるって言うんですかぁ!?」ヘラクレス「(おまえのような完全チートとは)違うのだ!」
武:どちらにせよチートスキルですよね。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: Does Lancer's Gáe Bolg not have any effect on anything without a heart, like certain creatures and machines?

Q: Does Lancer's Gáe Bolg not have any effect on anything without a heart, like certain creatures and machines? <Madao Gingetsu>

Takeuchi: It's you again.
Nasu: Placing a karmic reversal curse on something without a heart would not work. But you can definitely still use it for stabbing, physics permitting.
Takeuchi: Oh, I see. So like coming in clean from behind and destroying their central cavity.

ランサ—のゲイ•ポルクって心臓が存在しないような生物や機械などには効果がないのでしょうか? <銀月マダオ>

奈:またキミかマダ才。
武:心臓のないモノに因果逆転の呪いは成立しないッス。だから普通に、物理でまっとうに刺す。
奈:なるほど。まっとうに、後ろから、ブスリと心臓部を破壊する、と。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: What effect does a "– (minus sign)" as far as stats are concerned? I've been wondering this forever and I've been losing hair trying to figure this one out. Please help me and give me an answer!

Q: What effect does a "– (minus sign)" as far as stats are concerned? I've been wondering this forever and I've been losing hair trying to figure this one out. Please help me and give me an answer! <Lord Baldy>

Nasu: That's a tricky one. A minus sign is like that one thing, you know? It's like a B in terms of rank, but for your ability it's less than a B, maybe even a C. Something like that. Think of it as a number that's not very stable. Also, take care of your hair.
Takeuchi: I see. Kind of like when a new game you've been waiting for causes your writing speed to become unstable.
Nasu: A clear, perfect example, thank you... Please be gentle to mushrooms.

パラメータールールの「—」の効果とは何なのでしょうか?長年気になってそろそろ禿げてし まいそうなのでお答えよろしくお顏いします。 <ロード•ハゲメロイ>

奈:それは大変だ。マイナスはあれですよ。判定的にはBだけど、能力的にはB未満、むしろCラ ンクだよ、 というもの。安定しない数値、ともお考えください。あと髮は大切に。
武:なるほど。期待の新作ゲームがあるとおまのシナリオスピードが安定しないようなものか。
奈:分かりやすすぎるサンプル、サンキユー。あときのこも大切に。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: The terms "Tradition Protection" and "Anti-Purge Defense" come up all the time, what are these!

Q: The terms "Tradition Protection" and "Anti-Purge Defense" come up all the time, what are these! <TG09>

Nasu: For tradition protection, if an attack does not follow specific rules it will not connect. This is possessed by Alice Kuonji's Ploy Kickshaw, for example. Basically, it's not an actual defense, per se, but something with restrictive conditions. Anti-purge defense is something we'll be talking about in more detail soon, so please wait just a bit longer on that one. For now, I can simply say that it is an ultimate defense against a level of attack that could even end the world.
Takeuchi: That term came about around the same time as the Panzer World Galient OVA ...did you really like the term that much?
Nasu: Enough to make it the most ultimate defense ever.

ちょいちょい出てくるようになったワード「伝承防御」や「対粛清防御」について教えて下さ い! <TG09>

奈:伝承防御は「ある決まりに添った攻擊でなければ通らない」防御。久遠寺有珠のプロイキッシャー等が持つ。ようは概念防御をより限定条件にしたもの。対粛清御に関してはいずれ語られる時がくるので、それまでもうちょっと待ってほしい。まあ、簡单に言えばワールドエンド系の攻擊にさえ対応する最上級の防御ですよ。
武:……対粛清防御って鉄の紋章の頃からあったね、そういうば……アナタ、どんだけその言葉 好きなの?
奈:防御手段の最上級にもってくるぐらい好き。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: What is the role of the eyeball that appears in Blood Fort Andromeda? Is it the Backbeard's?

Q: What is the role of the eyeball that appears in Blood Fort Andromeda? Is it the Backbeard's? <Aisaka Riku>

Nasu: Everyone forgets this, but that is Medusa's eyeball. It seals other people within oneself, hence why it's called Blood Fort Andromeda [Outer-Seal, Blood Temple]. The entire school building has been pulled into the eyeball of a monster.
Takeuchi: Like a Conceptual Barrier? If it goes too far, won't it turn into the Shapeless Island?
Nasu: Oui, Monsieur. The devil's den that Perseus escaped is invoked by Shinji, it is meant to be ironic.

鮮血神殿で出てきたあの目玉はどいう役割なんですか?もしやバックベアーゴフソゴフソ <相坂陸>

奈:みんな忘れがちだけど、あれ、メドゥーサの眼球なんやで。他者を自分の中に閉じこめるので他者封印、鮮血神殿なんだ。校舎ごとゴルゴンの怪物の眼球内側にいたワケ。
武:もしかして概念結界?というか、あれが行きすぎるとカタチのない島になる?
奈:ウイムシュー。ぺルセウスがくぐり抜けた魔窟を、憤ニが発動させるとか皮肉な話やね。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: On the subject of「UBW」, regarding Heroic Spirits, have you two visited historical landmarks with a connection to those Heroic Spirits? For example, going to Great Britain and visit King Arthur?

Q: On the subject of「UBW」, regarding Heroic Spirits, have you two visited historical landmarks with a connection to those Heroic Spirits? For example, going to Great Britain and visit King Arthur? <Hiro>

Takeuchi: Actually, last year I had visited Great Britain while collecting materials for a certain project. I did stop by the visit, thanking him for taking care of me for the last 10 years, and to apologize for doing whatever we want with his appearance and story. There you have it.
Nasu: Glastonbury is a great place, you have to go at least once.

『UBW』といえば、英霊ですが、お二人は英霊ゆかりの地まで史跡巡り等したりしているのでしょうか。例えば、お二人でイギリスに行ったり してアーサー王に参拝?したりです。 <ヒロ>

武:実は去年、ある企画の取材旅行でイギリスに行って来たのですが、その時にばっちり参拝してまいりました。10年間大変お世話になりました。いろいろ好き勝手やらせて頂いて、なんかすみません。とか、伝えてきました。
奈:グラストンべリーいいとこ、一度はおいで。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: This is about Kuzuki-sensei who is physically stronger than regular people. Aside from his fists being strengthened by Caster, are the rest his own strength, or did Caster strengthened other parts of his body as well?

Q: This is about Kuzuki-sensei who is physically stronger than regular people. Aside from his fists being strengthened by Caster, are the rest his own strength, or did Caster strengthened other parts of his body as well? <Soujuurou of the Hill>

Nasu: In the anime version, his entire body is strengthened. When the excessively worrying Caster buffed him to ten times that of a normal human, since Kuzuki's base strength is higher than a normal human, he became even more ridiculous, and did the unthinkable during his fight with Saber. Caster was surprised herself: "What the? Isn't my Master a little too strong?!"
Takeuchi: On a side note, it was also thanks to Caster's help that Kuzuki was able to move inside to Rider barrier.

常人離れした身体能カの葛木先生ですが、キヤスターに「強化」された拳以外は全て彼本来のものなのでしょうか?それとも拳以外にもキャスターに強化されているのでしょうか? <坂の上の草十郎>

奈:アニメ版では全体に強化がかかっています。心配性のキャス子が常人の10倍パフをかけておいたら、そもそも葛木先生のデフォルトは常人離れしていたので更にとんでもない事になったのがセイパー戦のあれ。キャス子も「嘘、私のマスター強すぎ!?」と驚いていた。
武:ちなみに、ライダーの結界で葛木先生が動けたのもキャスターの助けがあっての話。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: Tell me your favorite character and setting! If possible, tell me both the one you really like as well as the one used for jokes!

Q: Tell me your favorite character and setting!! If possible, tell me both the one you really like as well as the one used for jokes! <NiceKnock>

Nasu: When I wrote Fate, we thought the concept of Gáe Bolg would work, and so it became the first Noble Phantasm, so it is always special to me. I never dreamed of being able to use it for humor so easily later on.
Takeuchi: My favorite would have to be Excalibur. Young women, knight, and beam weapon, it's every boy's dream. As for humor probably Shinji's hair. Finding humor in things like that is something I wouldn't have even thought of at that time.

一番気に入ってるキャラと設定を!!できれば、 ガチとネタ両方でお願いします! <NiceKnock>

奈:Fateを書いていた時、 これはいける、と確信させてくれたゲイ•ボルクは「宝具の始まり」として特別です。その後、ネタとしても美味しい扱いになるとは夢にも思っていませんでした。
武:ガチでは、 エクスカリパー。少女で騎士で、さ らにビーム兵器って、男の子の夢てんこ盛りですやん。ネタでは慎ニの髮型かなぁ。こんな風にネタになっていくとは、当時は思いも寄らなかったので。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material I - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.042 [T]
Q: Why do you love drawing Saber's face so much?

Q: Why do you love drawing Saber's face so much? <Sareruno>

Nasu: I need to know this, too.
Takeuchi: What is this atmosphere? Now I just feel like a pervert. An eccentric old man.
Nasu: After doing this for 10 years of course you're eccentric. The only thing you're missing now is to keep doing it till you die. Isn't it great that you've done what you set out to do all along?
Takeuchi: The person who yells "I don't wanna" while continuing the Fate franchise, and to this day still creating more lores, is telling me this...
Nasu: You should just give up, we have a lot more work to do. As proof, take a look at this mountain of questions! This time we received over 2500 questions from everyone! Thank you so much everyone. We carefully selected a few and answered each one as best we could, so I hope you enjoyed it. ...Speaking of which, we didn't expect to spend a whole day just reading all the questions!
Takeuchi: Okay. Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.

どうしてそんなにセイバー顔を書くのが好きなんですか? <サレルノ>

奈:それは俺も聞きたい。
武:え、なにこの空気。俺が変人みたいじゃん。偏屈な男みたいじゃん。
奈:10年やり通したんだから十分に偏屈だよ。あとは死ぬまで続けるのみ。初志貫徹はいい言葉 やね。
武:イヤだイヤだと言い続けながらFateを続け、いまもって設定を盛り続ける男に言われてしまった……。
奈:諦めてほしい、どうやら旅はまだまだ続く。その証拠に見ろ、この質問の山を!今回、みなさんが送ってきてくれた質問、その数実に2500以上の膨大なものでした。本当に ありがとうございます。その中から厳選しての一問一答になりましたが、お楽しみいただければ幸いです。……というか、読むだけで一日終わる数とか、想定していなかったよ!
武:よし。きのこもっと仕事しろ。

Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works Animation Material II[]

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Animation Material II - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A [T]
Q: What was the Fifth Grail War that Heroic Spirit Emiya experienced in his lifetime like? Was the Archer summoned there also Emiya?

Q: What was the Fifth Grail War that Heroic Spirit Emiya experienced in his lifetime like? Was the Archer summoned there also Emiya? <grog>

Nasu Kinoko: It was a world where the conditions at the beginning of the war were mostly the same, but something was missing. Shirou summoned Saber and fought until the end, didn't save Saber's heart but understood her, and they destroyed the grail together and parted... that's the image I have.
Takeuchi Takashi: Ahh, so something like a Fate route Good End we didn't make in the game?!
Nasu: Yeah, probably. After that, it is believed he cooperates with Rin who survived, and heads to London.

英霊エミヤが生前経験した第五次聖 杯戦争ってどんな内容だったんで しょうか。その時召喚されていたアー チャーもエミヤでしたか?<grog>

奈:聖杯戦争開始時の条件がほぼ同 じではあるものの、何かが欠けてい た世界。士郎はセイバーを召喚して 戦い抜き、セイバーの心を救えない もののセイバーを理解し、共に聖杯 を破壊して別れた......ようなイメー ジ。
武:ああ、ゲーム版では作らなかっ たFateルートのグッドみたいなも のか!
奈:うん、たぶんそう。その後、生き 残った凛と協力関係になり、ロンド ンに旅立ったと思われる。
武:こういう所で、同じ物語を繰り 返すというゲームならでは設定が根 幹にあるということを再確認させられるね。

[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Season 2 DVD Booklet Animation Elements p.19-27 [T]

• The origins of Einzbern
A factory originally created by the students of the magician who realized the third magic. Began in the year 1 AD.
They attempted to reproduce their master’s miracle, but couldn’t do it themselves, so as an alternate plan they tried to recreate a specimen identical to their master and have it reproduce the magic.

After nearly 900 years of effort, Justeaze—the homunculus who would come to be called the Winter Saint—was forged.
She was a model that strayed from what the magi had intended, created completely by accident, but her abilities were equal to or above those of their master.
The magi should have been elated about Justeaze, but they couldn’t be happy. After all, she was a mutation that was born regardless of their own techniques or skills.
Even if that specimen was to reproduce the third magic, that conclusion would be harder for them to bear than 900 years of failure.

The magi deperately attempted to create a homunculus that excelled Justeaze by their own techniques.
The artificial intelligence created to act as the castle’s central management—the golem Jubstacheit—was the pinnacle of their craft, and became the father of all homunculi created at Einzbern.

Justeaze succeeded at proving the third magic.
However, it was not cost-effective. Justeaze’s use of the third magic was like careful knitting. It would take several years to save just one person, making the salvation of the entire human race virtually unattainable.
In addition, while Justeaze herself did not age, her body was so frail it would take little to kill her, so she could not leave the castle.
Since her intelligence and mentality were also unaging, she did not develop at all. From an outside perspective, it was as if she was repeating a single day for all eternity.
If she were to leave the castle she would be freed from this “single day,” but the act of leaving the castle signified an easy death for Justeaze.

In the end, they accepted that humans could create something that surpassed humans, but not something that could save humans.
… Or perhaps they would not have failed if a miracle like Justeaze had not occurred.

The magi despaired the limits of their abilities. Some abandoned the castle, while others took their own lives.
The homunculi left at Einzbern were abandoned by their creators, but in their purity, they continued to operate the factory for the sake of the creators’ ideology—the salvation of humankind, the reproduction of a miracle.

From then on, all homunculi created at Einzbern were based off of Justeaze.
Jubstacheit created a humanoid terminal unit, and used it as the manager of Einzbern. Though by the end he operated even Acht (the eighth humanoid terminal), he did not possess a personality.
He only included the necessary “humanity” to operate the castle and reproduce the third magic into each of his humanoid terminals, and made them act like humans.
Jubstacheit is essentially an automaton that cannot progress, but continues operating in perpetuity. His way of existence is just like an old clock ticking away, being forgotten by people before running down.

• The great grail
Five hundred years after the magi departed from Einzbern, a model plan was devised for a wide-area operation device for the third magic using Justeaze.
Einzbern had determined that reproducing Justeaze was impossible.
Their plan of keeping Justeaze safe because she was a unique and valuable model switched to a plan to use that unique model to mass-produce miracles.
(This was not Jubstacheit’s plan, but a consensus of opinion within Einzbern. Because the homunculi were pure, they chose the method with the greatest probability of success. In fact, Jubstacheit was the only intelligence that voted against this.)

Justeaze could only use the third magic on one human over a period of decades. Therefore, using Justeaze as a frame, they would create a “greater” magic formula and save many humans at once.
The plan was to disassemble her magic circuits and replace them with a magic formula, creating a humanoid universe—the great grail.

But Einzbern alone could not start this project.
They were no more than dolls. They had no way to live in the outside world, and they couldn’t handle the complexity of human society.
To create the great grail and reproduce the third magic, they needed understanding and cooperative humans.

Then, in the year 1800, a guest arrived at the winter castle that had continued to produce homunculi.
Makiri Zolken. A magus who had devoted his life to eliminating all the evils of the world, the evils of humanity.
(At this point, Zolken was mostly disillusioned. He knew it was about time to give up, but calling on Einzbern was his last hope. He met Justeaze, and felt a complicated mix of emotions—hope towards fulfilling his ambition, jealousy at her ability to use the third magic, and pity for Justeaze’s eternal youth causing her to “repeat the same day.”)

With Makiri’s understanding and Tōsaka’s cooperation, Einzbern began to create the great grail.
However, once they started, they determined that Justeaze alone was not enough.
They could create a great grail. They could create its core. However, to operate it they would need vast amounts of magical energy, and a lesser grail to control it.
Makiri and Tōsaka devised a ritual to collect magical energy using Justeaze’s ability to connect with the root: the grail war.
Despite being unable to reproduce Justeaze, Einzbern created a lesser grail with similar abilities to hers.

After 10 years, the project was finally complete.
The grail war ritual was successful, and the great grail lit up.
But its first operation ended in dismal failure.
There was no flaw in the great grail itself.
The problem lay in the craftsmen and magi who participated.
Instead of using the precious magic reactor core for the sake of the whole planet, the magi killed each other out of a desire to use it for the sake of their own race or society.
Einzbern had been unable to understand the thought processes of the humans who operated the great grail.

• Irisviel and Illyasviel
Einzbern learned from the failure of the grail war and changed their plans.
Justeaze no longer existed.
While preparing to restart the great grail, they returned to their original goal and focused on creating a perfect homunculus.

As a result, they created Irisviel, a homunculus with the function of a lesser grail. They expanded on her further and Illyasviel, a homunculus that was the pinnacle of Einzbern’s technique, was born.

• Tuners
This is a digression, but separate from the winter castle is the tuners’ building (a small house), inhabited by a family of human magi, not homunculi.
Since the homunculi cannot negotiate with human society, the tuners went into town in their place and barter for needed materials. Traders, essentially.
Still, they are a talented magus family, and possess strong artistry. Humans without strong aesthetic sense could never take care of Einzbern, after all.
The tuner family’s numbers dwindled along with Einzbern’s decline, and in the end only one remained.
It seems he often worked in the castle as a butler, teaching the secluded, medieval-minded homunculi about the outside world.

It’s unknown what kind of conclusion that tuner chose after Illya lost and Jubstacheit shut himself down.

• In summary: so what is Einzbern?
A factory in which homunculi continued operating towards the ideals and goals humans had given them, after the magi had left.
Jubstacheit is something like the factory’s central management program. A monolith. Acht is his terminal.
Even after their creators had given up and died, the homunculi in the winter castle devoted themselves to making their masters’ dream come true.

What lies at the basis of the Einzbern factory and many discarded things is the purity of machines.
Imagine a doll that can speak to its owner, but only a few phrases.
“Hello,” “thank you,” “I’m sorry,” “good night”—“I love you.”
These reactions delight the buyer, but it’s clear that they will soon be disappointed.

“No matter what I say, the doll can only say predetermined phrases. It just keeps repeating that tired old ‘I love you.’ ”
Realizing that the love the doll speaks of is a false emotion, the buyer will likely discard it eventually.
But humans are the ones who see that as empty words and a manufactured fake.
Even if it doesn’t have a “heart,” even if it’s only repeating the same words, there are no lies in the actions of machines.
They innocently carry out the task they were given.
“I love you.”
Though abandoned, forgotten, and scorned as out-of-date dolls, they continue to carry out their mission, unchanged from the time they were designed.
Machines do not lose their worth when a newer model appears.
Their worth (life) ends when humans can no longer bear that purity.

■アインツベルンの始まり

 もともとは第三魔法を実現化した魔法使いの弟子たちが起こした工房。西暦元年から続く。

 彼らは師の奇跡を再現しようと試みるも自分たちの手では叶わず、代案として師と同一の個体を作り、その個体 に魔法を再現させようとした。

 

 九百年近くの徒労の末、後に冬の聖女と呼ばれるホムンクルス、ユスティーツァが鋳造される。

 彼女はまったくの偶然で作られた、魔術師たちの思惑とは外れたモデルだったが、その性能は彼らの師と同様か 、それを上回るものだった。

 本来なら歓喜で迎えられる筈のユスティーツァだが、魔術師たちは素直には喜べなかった。

 なにしろ自分の技術、努力とは関係なく生まれた突然変異だ。

 仮にこの個体が第三魔法を再現してしまった時。

 それは彼らにとって挫折し続けた九百年の歳月より耐えがたい〃結論〃になってしまう。

 

 魔術師たちはユスティーツアを超えるホムンクルスを自らの技術体系で作りだそうと躍起になった 。

 城の中枢制御用に作られた人工知能 …… ゴーレム・ユーブスタクハイトは彼らの技術の結晶であり、アインツベルンで作られるホムンクルスたちすべて の父となった。

 

 ユスティーツァ、第三魔法の証明に成功。

 ただしコストが悪い。ユスティーツァの第三魔法は丁寧な編み物に近い。人間一人を救済するのに数年をかける ようなもので、全人類の救済にはとても届かない。

 また、ユスティーツァ自身も不老ではあるが体

 

 は脆弱で死にやすく、城の外には出られない。

 その知性、精神性も不老である為、まったく成長しない。客観的に見れば「同じ一日を永遠に繰り返している」 ようなもの。

 城の外に出れば彼女は「同じ一日」から解放されるが、城の外に出る事はユスティーツァにとって緩やかな死を 意味する。

 

 結局のところ。

 人の手で人間を超えるものは作れても、人の手で人間を救えるものは作れない、と彼らは受け入れ た。

 .....あるいは。ユスティーツァという奇跡さえ発生しなければ、彼らの挫折は訪れなかったのかもしれな いが。

 

 魔術師たちは自らの才能の限界に膝を折り、あるものは城を捨て、あるものは命を断った。

 アインツベルンに残されたホムンクルスたちは創造主に捨てられたものの、その純粋さから彼らの 理念—

 人類の救済、奇跡を再現するために工場を回し続ける事になった。

 

 以後、アインツベルンで作られるホムンクルスはすべてユスティーツァをベースにしたものとなる 。

 ユーブスタクハイトは人間型の端末筐体を製造し、これをアインツベルンの管理者として使用する。最終的には アハト(八代目の人型端末 )まで稼働するユーブスタクハイトだが、彼に人格は存在しない。

 あくまで〃城を動かすもの〃〃第三魔法を再現するもの〃として、その都度、必要な〃人間性〃を人型端末に植 え付け、人間のフリをさせている

 

 

 にすぎない。

 ユーブスタクハイトの本質は〃進歩できないかわりに、永久に稼働し続ける〃オートマトンである。そのあり方 はユツユツと時を刻み、自壊する前に人々の記憶から忘れ去られる古時計そのものだ。

 

 ■大聖杯

 アインツベルンから魔術師たちが去ってから五百年後。

 ユスティーツァを使った第三魔法の広域稼働装置のモデルプランが作られる。

 アインツベルンはユスティーツァの再製造は不可能と結論。

 一機しかいない貴重なモデルなので保存してお、くという方針から、一機の貴重品を使って奇跡を量産化する、 という方針に切り替えた。

 (これはユーブスタクハイトの方針ではなくアインツペルンの総意。ホムンクルスたちは純粋なので、より可能 性のある方法を選んだ。むしろユーブスタクハイトは唯一、反対に票を投じた知性だった)

 

 ユスティーツァでは何十年かけて人間ひとりにしか第三魔法を使用できない。

 なのでユスティーツァという機体を使って「より大きな」魔術式を作り、一度に多くの人間を救え ばいい。

 彼女の魔術回路を分解し、魔術式に置換した人体宇宙—大聖杯の構想である。

 

 しかしアインツベルンだけではこのプロジェクトを始められない。

 彼らは人形にすぎない。外の世界で生きる術を

 

 

 

 持たず、また、人間社会の複雑さには耐えきれないからだ。

 大聖杯—第三魔法の再現には人間の理解者と協力者がいる。

 

 そして西暦1800年。

 延々とホムンクルスを作り続けていた冬の城に来訪者が現れた。

 マキリゾォルケン。この世すべての悪人間の悪性、その切除に人生を捧げた魔術師だ。

 (ゾォルケンもこの段階でほぼ夢破れている状態。もう諦めるべきだと分かっていながら、最後の希望でアイン ツベルンを訪れた。そうしてユスティーツァに出会い、悲願達成への希望、第三魔法を可能とするユスティーツ ァへの羨望、不老の代償に『一日を永遠に繰り返す』ユスティーツァへの哀れみ等の複雑な感情に とらわれる )

 

 マキリという理解者、遠坂という協力者を経てアインツベルンは大聖杯の建造を開始。

 しかし。大聖杯の建造に着手した時、ユスティーツアだけでは足りない事が判明した。

 大聖杯は建造できる。炉心は確実に作れる。

 しかし、これを動かすには莫大な魔力と、それを制御しうる小聖杯が必要だ。

 マキリと遠坂は魔力集め—根源と接続できるユスティーツァの特性を生かした儀式、聖杯戦争を立 案。

 アインツベルンはユスティーツァの再現といかずとも、彼女に近い性能を持った小聖杯を作成する 事になった。

 

 十年の歳月を経て計画は成就した。

 儀式・聖杯戦争は成功し、大聖杯に灯がともった。

 

 

 だが一度目の運転は、無残な失敗に終わった。

 大聖杯に落ち度があったのではない。

 参加した技術者、魔術師たちに問題があったのだ。

 せっかくの魔術炉心を魔術師たちは惑星のために使うのではなく民族のため、己が社会のために使おうと殺し合 った。

 大聖杯を運営する人間の思惑を、アインツペルンは理解できていなかったのだ。

 

 ■アイリスフィール、イリヤスフィールまで

 失敗に終わった聖杯戦争を教訓に、アインツベルンは方針を改めた。

 もうユスティーツァは存在しない。

 彼らは大聖杯の再稼働を進めながら、当初の目的に立ち返った。完成されたホムンクルスの製造に 注力した。

 

 その結果、小聖杯としての機能を持ったホムンクルス・アイリスフィールが作られ、さらにその発展—アインツ ベルンの全技術の最高水準であるホムンクルスであるイリヤスフィールが誕生した。

 

 ■調律師

 余談ではあるが、冬の城のはずれには調律師たちの離れ(小さな洋館)がある。

 ここにはホムンクルスではない人間の魔術師の一族が住んでいる。

 彼らは人間社会とうまく交渉できないホムンクルスたちの代わりに町に出て必要な物資を交換してくる、いわば 商人だ。

 とはいえ腕の立つ魔術師の一族であり、彼ら自

 

 身も高い芸術性を持っている。優れた美術観を持つ人間でなければアインツベルンの面倒は見られ ないからだ。

 調律師の一族もアインツベルンの衰退とともにこ数を減らし、最後には一人を残すのみとなった。

 彼は人間社会にうとく中世の感覚のまま暮らしているホムンクルスたちに外の世界を教える執事として城で働く 事も多かったという。

 

 イリヤが失敗し、ユーブスタクハイトが自らの電源を落とした後、この調律師がどのような結末を選んだかは定 かではない。

 

 ■まとめつまり,アインツベルンって何?

 魔術師がいなくなった後、彼らに作られたホムンクルスたちが、人間の目指した理想と目的のために稼働し続け ている工場。

 ユーブスタクハイトは工房の中枢制御プログラムのようなもの。モノリス。アハトはその端末。

 ホムンクルスたちは創造主があきらめ死に絶えた後も、冬の城で主が夢見たものを叶えようと研鑽 していた。

 

 アインツベルンの工房、多くの廃棄物たちの根底にあるのは機械の純粋さ。

 たとえば「数パターンにすぎないが、持ち主に話しかけられると返事をする人形」があるとする。

 『ごきげんよう』 『ありがとう』 『ごめんなさい』 『おやすみなさい』—『あなたを愛しています』その反応に喜ぶ買い主だが、すぐに失望するのは 明白だ。

 〃私が何を言おうと人形は決まった台詞しか言わない。愛しています、なんて聞き飽きた言葉を

 

 

 繰り返す〃

 

 人形が語っていたのは偽物の愛、偽物の感情だ青だと思い知り、買い主はいずれ人形を破棄するだ ろう。

 だが、それを空虚な言葉、作られた偽物と感じているのは人間側の事情だ。

 たとえそこに『心』がなく、同じ言葉を繰り返すだけだとしても、機械の行いに嘘はない。

 彼らは無心に、与えられた仕事をこなし続ける。

 『あなたを愛しています』と。

 捨てられ、忘れ去られ、時代遅れの人形と蔑まれても、彼女たちは作られた時の制作意図から変わることなく使 命を果たし続ける。

 機械がその価値を失うのは次の代用品が現れた時、ではなく。

 人問がその純粋さに耐えきれなくなった時、彼らの

いのだ価値は終わるのだ。


[v] Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] Season 2 DVD Nasu's Episode 25 Epilogue Original Draft

#25 Epilogue Settings

The period of the final story

■After two years of UBW, preferably after six months of studying in London.
The season is summer to autumn because of the background art.

■About Shirou's state of mind

He accepted Rin's offer to go to London.
He is a positive person who lives a life of "doing what he can do and absorbing what he can".
He is able to show a gentle smile and his thoughts of blindly moving forward despite everything have disappeared.
He is somewhere between Shirou and Archer in the UBW era. Good young man.
Because of going abroad, he was able to expand my horizons and become able to realistically examine his ideals from a realistic perspective.
On the other hand, he feel guilty about his desire... to continue imitating the same way of life as Emiya...
(Because he know that no matter how to be a "hero of justice", there will be sacrifices, in the end, it is just self-satisfaction)

In the final words as Rin's attendant in the clock tower to study at the same time, but also in order to enter the local university and study language and history.
Although the six months he spent in London were very fulfilling, after he was invited by the association to become a student, his latent worries surfaced and he appeared to be a bit unhinged.
In a nutshell, Shirou said, "Every day is happy and fulfilling, but there are also worries."

■About Rin's state of mind
The state of mind of Rin has not changed.
The Tohsaka mage, while improving every day, also cherishes every day she spends with Shirou.
I noticed that Shirou was still worried about the things he had gained and lost in the Holy Grail War, and was confused about the new options proposed by the Association.
Despite being aware of it, Rin just hummed, put on an indifferent expression and turned a deaf ear to Shirou, and did not make any suggestions to Shirou.
The reason is that she knew she had no advice to give, and she also knew (and trusted) that Shirou would be able to solve the problem on his own in the end.

■About the overall direction
The new life of Shirou and Rin in London, as they grow up to be reliable young adult, should be "delightful" and "glorious" to the audience.
We want to portray a fashionable feeling that is not disgusting, but light and refreshing (this is London!). I want to make the viewers feel "This is a good life. I really want it".
//Don't need to show a smug "how's this!" I just want to show that "this is the most natural look for these two people at this time".
This is not only a reward for the audience who stayed with us until the 25th episode, but also a reward for the characters who appeared.

■The main character is Shirou.
The main character is Shirou, who looks back and concludes the Grail War to show what kind of life he will lead after that War.
The final conclusion of the story should contain the answer, "After experiencing the battle in UBW, the future of life will be full of hope. The story ends with the answer to this question. Since he wants to be a hero of justice, if Rin is not around, Shirou will meet a Bad End."

■The character's appearance

Shirou
19 years old, but his appearance shows the maturity of around 20 years old.
The actual person is like a mix of Emiya and 'Fate/Prototype' Saber. "A good young man with a natural smile, However, there is always a sense of fragile image around him"
The casual clothes are simple jeans and white shirt, although men's suits and jackets were rejected, but the outfit for going out can not look frivolous. After all, it was as Rin's valet (butler) that he entered the Clock Tower.

Rin
19 years old. Just like Shirou, there are no drastic changes.
The dress that you wear at home and at the Clock Tower is the same dress and hair style that you would use in your final words, "as a college student".
When she went to Glastonbury, she was the ver.up of "UBW's Tohsaka Rin".
The costume worn during the mock battle with Luvia was amateur wrestling style. This is a mock battle costume distributed by Clock Tower. It is comfortable and lightweight, and shows the beauty of the body's lines. Since it's a mock fight, there's no other way!

Luvia
This one is also the same as before.
It is up to the director to decide whether the mock battle costume is a "sleeveless costume with the bottom of the dress removed" or a mock battle costume provided by Clock Tower like Rin. In short, the design of Rin and Lúvia's battle costume is "something that Nasu trusts Takeuchi to do".

=======

#25 Epilogue Script Draft

■Shiro's Dream (Wilderness)
Shirou is standing in the wasteland as the sand whistles.
Shirou "............"
He is staring at the end of the wasteland, at the horizon.
He wondered whether he should continue to move forward or choose a different path.
He woke up from his dream before he could come up with an answer.

■Shirou's room (early morning)
//The room is in the attic, but it has a good look. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a cabin in the snowy mountains.
Although there are few items as usual, there is a closet, a table, and a lamp, all of which are necessary for living.
// Shirou's room is located in the attic of a four-story apartment, which was requested by Shirou himself.

Shirou woke up from his dream, sleeping on a bed by the wall.
He woke up with the same atmosphere as in the warehouse in #01, but he was not woken up by anyone else.
Shirou got up from the bed and looked at the sky from the small window.
The sky was a pre-dawn turquoise blue.
Yawning, he left the room.
//The descriptions such as "changing clothes" can be deleted.
Shirou walked down the stairs, from the living room on the fourth floor to the third floor where Rin was.
// The apartment is designed with a stairwell in the center, which is a common structure in department stores.
Shirou walked to the entrance of the house and opened the door. Go inside.
In the kitchen, he was boiling water and preparing breakfast with ease.
At that moment, the door of the next room was opened and Rin appeared with a bad expression of having just woken up.
Rin "...Good morning. But you're up early as always, Shirou."
Shirou "Yes. After all, I don't stay up all night like you do, Tohsaka."
Shirou replied naturally with a reassuring smile. He wasn't being sarcastic.
Shirou "I made your breakfast too, you ate it, right? I just started it, so take your time and get dressed.
This is part of the feeling of the capable butler Emiya (quite a Don Juan style line) in Shirou.
Rin, who had returned to the room
Shirou watched Rin return to her room. The curtains of the living room were opened.
The scene reflects the London street illuminated by the early morning sunlight, showing that this is London.

■Title credits
Fate stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]

■The exterior of the apartment (where Shirou and Rin live)
A four-story building.
The sun is pouring down.

■The usual meals (in the morning)
Rin is at the table after changing her clothes.
Breakfast for two is already on the table - cheese, bacon and eggs, tomatoes and baked beans, etc. These dishes are ready.
Shirou and Rin sat face to face and ate their breakfast.
/ / Rin's casual clothes and hair style should be in line with the university campus.
Rin "I've eaten enough. This morning, I intend to take care of myself, thank you. I've told you several times that it's okay if I don't eat breakfast."
Although Rin was grateful for Shiro's breakfast, she could not say thank you frankly, but said something unpleasant.
Shirou "This is a walk in a park. I'm sure I'll make three meals a day for you since I'm staying at the house. This is a natural job for a servant, right?
Rin muttered awkwardly at Shirou who looked proud.
Shirou "By the way, after such a long time, your bedridden problem can't be corrected. This is quite unexpected."
Rin "This is the so-called insurmountable weaknesses. You need to have one or two weaknesses to be loved, right?"
The woman's face was angrily turned away. But this kind of behavior is not cute at all.
Shirou "That's right"
Shirou laughed gently, but Rin complained a lot. The more she was poked by Shirou, the more upset she became.

Rin: "You've been in high spirits ever since you arrived here."
Rin was half sarcastic and half sincere.
Shirou "After all, I can't help but be energetic. Every day is fulfilling, and there are a lot of things I want to do."
In the face of Shiro's light-hearted words, Rin "hmm"-ed and squinted her eyes.
She had already seen Shiro's inner worries, but deliberately silent.
Rin "Well, forget it. According to today's schedule, I have to attend the basic science class in the morning, so Shirou will also accompany me. In the afternoon, I have to go to the Department of Mineralogy to listen to a special lecture on cutting in the treasure department, what about you?
Shirou "I have another part-time job in the afternoon, so I'll split up. How about contacting me in the evening?
Rin "Okay, just meet up at the library as usual. After going inside, we can't talk like this now.
The conversation ended and Rin concentrated on her breakfast.
Shirou "Tohsaka."
Rin "What is it?"
He'd been trying to talk to Rin about being invited to become a student at the Clock Tower, but he couldn't say anything.
Shirou "...No, it's nothing. Let's talk about it next time".
In the end, Shirou still didn't say anything.
Rin had decided not to say anything even if she knew Shirou was bothered by something, so she let out another "hmm" and pretended not to notice anything.

■The entrance hall
The two of them were about to leave from the lounge on the first floor of the apartment.
Shirou holds the letter.
Rin: "For Fujimura-sensei?
Shirou "It's a monthly report. Also say thanks for her monthly allowance."
Rin "Oh, that's right. I guess I'll have to write a letter next time to express my gratitude."
Not the actual words, Shirou smiled as if he was saying "that's good".
The two of them left the lounge on the first floor of the apartment.

■The streets of London
The two of them are walking towards the clock tower. Depicting the streets of England.
//Since the destination is not Big Ben, the two people are not heading towards it, so they only need to appear once and then pull the camera away from it.
//The impression is that there will be more buses than bicycles, but the director will just paint the scene as he sees fit.

■Clock tower, main entrance
The students enter the school, and Rin and Shirou are among them.
It is a sound, historical British university.
//The image of the main entrance in my mind is like the entrance of Cambridge University.

■Clock tower, corridor
Shirou and Rin are walking in the corridor. There are two or three other figures in the hallway. There were two or three other people walking down the hallway.
When he saw the students passing by, Shirou was deep in thought.
Rin "What's wrong? Do you know that man?
Shirou "No, I just passed by a few times. It has nothing to do with him, I just think it's incredible even now. It's just that I still find it amazing that a person like me, a nobody, can learn the basics of magecraft in a place like this."
Rin "You're not an nobody. I have taught you the rules of the Clock Tower, right? The first children of famous mages are always in danger of being targeted for their life.
Therefore, mages have the right to keep their retainers or disciples by their side to protect themselves... Shirou was enrolled as my apprentice. Therefore, you should be more upright."
Shiro, "I know. I'm thankful for that. I'm grateful to you, Tohsaka, for arguing with the Law and Politics Division in order to enroll a guy like me with unknown origins."
Rin "Yes. It was really a lot of work. Even though it's only a three-year exception, it's still a good deal. After all, you'll be able to attend classes with me for free from now on."
Shirou responded to Rin's optimistic speech with a "hahaha" wry smile.
Rin "But be careful. Although there are rules of the school here, there are no laws of human society. You have to take care of your own personal safety, that's the basis."
Shirou "I know. It's my job to protect Tohsaka."
The answer to Shiro's seriousness, Rin looked stunned.
Rin, "I said, The person who should be careful is you."
Shirou "?"
Rin "Although it is only a small-scale ritual in the Far East, but you, but you're the victorious mage in the Holy Grail War. There are a lot of people here who don't take it for granted, so if you show any flaws, you might get hit by a Gandr or two."
Shirou "Ah. Just like Tohsaka did in the past?"
Rin "Well, isn't there a valid reason for that!? We were enemies back then!"
Shirou "Eh~. Even if it's a partner, you'll still shoot Gandr at them, right?
Rin "No way! I'm definitely won't!"
Rin spit out loudly. Hearing the sound resounding through the corridor, the surrounding students looked at Rin and Shirou who stopped.
Rin deliberately coughed a few times and stepped forward as if nothing had happened.
Shirou "By the way, what is the basic subject curriculum today?"
Rin suddenly stopped in her tracks,
Rin "-body protection. It doesn't depend on magecraft. It is a course that only relies on your own physical ability to show your vitality."
Rin asserted with an expression of disgust that wanted to be speechless.
//Because Rin knew she was going to face Luvia next.
Shirou didn't know the reason for Rin's bad mood, and showed "?" on his face.


■Rin and Luvia in a mock battle
//The camera cuts directly to the battle scene, which surprises the audience.
The mock battle between Rin and Lúvia. Both of them have sealed their magic spells and only use fighting techniques to start the battle.
This is a different kind of fighting technique between "Rin's striking" and "Luvia's combination style".
//I'll leave the content of the /simulation battle to Miura-san and other animation staffs. Draw as you like!
//The last round is - > Rin's high kick against Lúvia's medulla oblongata. If it was a normal opponent, this move would be a sure kill.
Rin's high kick will cause her back to face Luvia.
->Lúvia's knees trembled and she was about to fall to the ground. .... However, Luvia held on before falling to the ground, and grabbed the door behind her back to open Rin's body wide.
->Rin panicked, but it was too late. Rin's body was pulled up from the ground by Luvia, who was almost unconscious, and she threw a suplex on her.
->Rin was then thrown against the wall and hit hard. Both of them suffered fainting-level injuries, so it was a double knock down.
They both fall into a state where they can't fight, and the magic virtual space is lifted, with the auditorium in the background.
The students (passerby faces) who were watching the two fight made sighs of relief, and Shirou sighed repeatedly at this scene.


■The dining hall (or the atrium of the university)
Rin and Lúvia, who had finished their treatment.
Rin: "It hurts! ...... How persistent are you? It's common knowledge that you'll collapse when you're kicked in the medulla oblongata!"
Luvia "I lost consciousness in the last three seconds. It's not in my common sense. You should be ashamed. You raised your legs so high, where is the dignity of being a boxer......It hurts."
The two of them looked away from each other.
Luvia: "...... Forget it, let's stop with the small details."
Rin: "Yeah. The most important thing is the result. All in all......"
Rin stretched out his hand. Luvia also shook her hand back with an expression of approval.
Rin: "I won again, Luviagelita.
Lúvia: "Well, today's also my victory, Miss Tohsaka".
After the two of them said in unison with smiles on their faces.
Both of them "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!?"
Both of them yelled, and held each other's hands back hard and stared at each other.
At that moment Shirou came over.
Shirou "You're here. Hey~"
Shirou shouted to Rin.
Rin and Luvia notice Shirou.
Rin wanted to raise her hand to respond to Shirou, but one step faster than her,
Luvia "Oya, Shero!"
Shirou "Oh?" He was a little surprised when he noticed.
Shirou "Miss Luvia is also together. The wrestling skills just now are very good."
Luvia "Don't be so polite, you're not working as a housekeeper now, are you? No, the important thing is that you saw the competition just now, how embarrassing. If I had known that you were watching the fight, I would've just knocked that savage woman instead of saving her face! Ah, needless to say, that ultimate move is the Edelfelt's Backdrop. As we all know, there are many variations of the backdrop, and the Edelfelt's Backdrop is a tribute to the founder of belly and back suplex, Lou Thesz, and we had developed it into an even more powerful jet wrestling technique~"
Luvia gestures to Shirou, speaking smoothly, but too quickly.
Rin gave Shirou and Luvia a blatantly disgusted look of "she's really annoying" and stared at them.

After awhile.
The three of them calmed down and sat at the dining table. After eating lunch.
Rin "So. Why are you sitting with us so shamelessly?"
Luvia "Oh. Aren't we classmates and neighbors who live in the same apartment? It's just a lunch together. What's so weird about it?"
Rin "It's very strange from beginning to end. Since you are a noble eldest lady, if you want to be more offensive, how about going to book a elite restaurant instead?"
Luvia was irritated by Rin's provocation.
Shirou was in the middle to persuade both of them.
Shirou "Alright, alright. Isn't this good thing occasionally. After all, it is Miss Luvia who let us live in that apartment?"
Shirou's implied meaning is "you have to get along well".
Luvia's heart was in a frenzy, and Rin gave a startled "aww".
Rin "I originally planned to rent that apartment! But this rich woman is doing whatever she wants because she has money..."
Rin complained loudly, but noticed that it was embarrassing, and interrupted the topic.
Rin "So, how did you two meet? There is no point of contact between the famous nobles in Europe and the unknown mage in Japan, right?"
Luvia "Yes. Shero and I had no prior relationship. The difference in status didn't even allow us to talk to each other like this. But..."

■//Next are Luvia's memories.
//Switch the camera with Luvia's lines.

Luvia "That day, a miracle happened. I was lost in the unfamiliar streets of London, and unfortunately, I got separated from my butler."

Luvia got lost in the streets of London. "Where is this place?" With a worried expression, she gradually walked into the desolate slum.
Luvia "For the criminals, this opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime. I was attacked by hordes of thieves who wanted to kill the Second Head of Edelfelt House, who was regarded as the Gem of Finland."

Luvia was attacked by the assassin and fled into the alley. It's just a matter of time.

Luvia "No matter how talented I am, I am also still a young student. Outnumbered. In this strange foreign land, how can I cry for help in the desolate alley. No one will come to help me. In crisis. It can be said to be a critical moment. It's like taking a sure-kill blow outside the ring, and after passing out like a coma the 10 seconds started to count down."
Rin "Well, this kind of situation is already a loss, right"
Luvia cut off Rin's speech with a "Shut Up!".
Luvia "At this moment! There was another voice besides me, and Shero appeared heroically!"

Shirou leaned over to protect Luvia's back.
Shirou was about to go home after shopping, so he held the paper bag full of ingredients with one hand. One hand is holding the paper bag tightly (like a posture of a waiter holding a large number of dishes), and the other hand has already projected Kanshou.

Luvia "At that time, Shero was fighting like a perfect butler. Standing behind me, sometimes supporting me, sometimes protecting me! I have never seen such a compatible duo fight before. It is a miracle. That's right. That day, we were supposed to be two parallel lines meeting each other. If this is not fate, then what could it be!"

The two fought fiercely. From Luvia's point of view, Shirou, who was fighting with a paper bag in one hand, was shining. Glittering. Gleaming. Dazzling. Enlightening.

■//The memory in the brain is over

Luvia's narration ended like a song.
Rin squinted her eyes half-heartedly, with a stunned look on his face. She was dumbfounded at Luvia's narcissism, "Why are you involved yourself with such a crazy bitch?" She complained to Shirou with her eyes.
"Ah...hahaha", Shirou laughed and confused as he saw Rin's reproachful eyes.

Luvia "...but"
Luvia cleared her throat, paused, and cast her gaze at Shirou.
Luvia "I am dissatisfied with today's...no, the recent Shero. I would say it's a lack of dominance, or a lack of spirit. Are you worrying about something?"
Shirou showed a serious expression when asked coldly, but he quickly returned to normal.
Shirou "That's just Luvia-san's misconception. I'll take care of the dishes."
Shirou piled up the lunch dishes, put it in his hand, and left the table.
Luvia watched him worriedly, silently, as if it had nothing to do with herself. (Rin seems to be dumbfounded and angry).

Wait until Shirou is completely gone.
Luvia, "Hey. What the hell is going on here?"
Rin "What's wrong?"
Lúvia: "It's Mister Emiya! You didn't give him a lot of difficult jobs, did you?
Rin, "I don't have the time to give him a job. Basic magic and living expenses alone take up most of his time, and he has to study languages and law and politics, and even when he has time, he spends it in the library. You know that, don't you (after all, you hire him as a butler two days a week)?"
Luvia "I am well aware of Mr. Emiya's diligence and studious. What I want to ask is..."
Rin "It's not all the nonsense you're thinking about. That guy received a Color Card Invitation from the Association.
Luvia was surprised to hear the word "invitation".
Lúvia: "The ceremony to check the qualifications of mages, the color of their souls, and to register them... it's the certificate of mage's loyalty to the Clock Tower."
Rin, "That's right. In other words, it is the recruitment from the Clock Tower. We've already done it from the beginning, but now they want to invite Shirou as well."
Luvia said happily, "That's great"
Luvia "That means he's going to become a member of the Association!"
Rin groaned and gave a reproachful look to Luvia.
Lúvia also reflected on her rash speech and calmed down.
Luvia: "Forgive me for being impolite. I did such a frivolous move. But it is indeed something to be happy about. Although it will owe the association's favor, but even so, the advantages for Mr. Emiya outweigh the disadvantages. It was necessary to agree to it. (So that we can become closer)"
The last phrase (so that we can become closer) was added in a whisper.
Luvia: "You think so too, right, Miss Tohsaka?
Rin ".................."
Who knows," Rin averted her eyes.
Her eyes were looking at the direction Shirou had left.



●Clock Tower-View (Time Passing)

●Corridor
At the end of the practical exercise, the students of the ore course left the classroom.
Rin was among them and went to the dining hall.

●Same - Dining Hall
Rin walked in. There were only a few students inside. There was no sign of Shirou.
Rin "......"

●Same - The hallway in the school building
Rin was looking for Shirou.

●Same - Library
It is a vast and solemn space.
Rin came here to look for Shirou.
There are heavy bookshelves lined up next to each wall, with a huge collection of books. Each book in the collection is thick and quite old.
Shirou was sitting alone at the reading table. He was reading the books intently.
It was more like studying for a judicial exam than studying magecraft. In the middle of studying, Shirou raised his head from the table and fell into a deep thought. He looked confused and distressed.
Rin saw this scene, said "good" to cheer himself up, as usual, and quickly talk to Shiro.
Rin, "Thank you for your hard work. You're really here"
Shirou was a little surprised to see Rin.
Shirou "Tohsaka? Aren't you still in class...?"
Rin "Practical exercise class is already over a long time ago".
Rin took a peek at the book Shirou was reading. It was a bibliography on language, history and politics.
Rin "English followed by Italian? Obviously, you just only need to learn the magecraft that could convey your thoughts. You're too naive, aren't you?"
Shirou "Maybe so. But I think there are some things that you need to use the language of that country to communicate better with their native people"
Rin shrugged her shoulders with a look of "I don't know what to do with you".
She looked like she was being forced into a corner by Shirou's seriousness.
Rin took the textbook out of Shirou's hand and put it back on the shelf.
Shirou protested with his eyes, "What are you doing?", Rin snapped back.
Rin "The first thing you need to do is to take a break tomorrow, right? Why don't we go out for a while?"
Shirou "?"
Shirou looked back at Rin with a confused look on his face.

●Apartment lounge on the first floor
After one day, the next day, around eight o'clock in the morning.
Shiro went to the lobby to wait first.
Rin walked down, Shirou looked back.
Shiro "——————"
Rin has never dressed up like this since she came to London. It was during the Holy Grail War two years ago (in short, it's the twintail).
Shirou's eyes were attracted by this feeling of nostalgia and cuteness.
Seeing Shirou's reaction, Rin secretly made a victory sign in her heart, shouting "Very good!", and smiled calmly.
Rin "What's wrong?"
Shirou "No, it's nothing. You always scare me like this when I'm not ready..."
Rin "Oh, dissatisfied? Then should I change clothes?"
Shirou "(Hiding the corner of his mouth that can’t hide his happiness)...No. It’s perfect for you... By the way, where are we going today? You haven’t told me our destination yet.”
Rin "Just look forward to it while we're on the way. Come, let's go, Shirou"
Rin dragged Shirou's hand and left the hall.

●The streets of London (the next day and morning)
Shirou and Rin got on the bus at the (Victoria Coach) station.

● Insert CM near here?

●Inside the moving bus
Shirou and Rin sat side by side. The street scene of London flew past the car window.

● Streets of Glastonbury Abbey
Rin and Shirou talked as they walked.
Shirou "I remember this..."
Rin "This is one of King Arthur's tombs. Because there are other graves, the authenticity is unknown, but this is indeed a place of fate, right?"
Shirou understood Rin's intentions, "Really, I've been tricked again", showing such a bitter smile of gratitude.
× × ×

●The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey
A vast area filled with greenery.
The huge monastery ruins are scattered. Tourists and visitors were sparsely seen.
Shirou and Rin walked to a rectangular area surrounded by the lawn. This is the place where King Arthur's tomb is said to be located.
Shirou "..."
Rin "Well... I'll just wander around a little bit"
Shirou "Tohsaka......"
Rin "You couldn't say goodbye properly at that time, so you still have something to say in your heart, right? Then the two of you should take your time to talk."
Rin left Shirou alone and went for a walk.
Shirou watched Rin leave and then looked back at King Arthur's tomb.
Shirou "......Saber, so you were really a king in the past."
The words of Shirou are full of the time that has passed, the memory that is still visible today, and the feeling of gratitude.
He took a deep breath and said with a cheerful expression that was no longer lonely.
Shiro, "Thanks. In short, I came all the way here to visit, Saber."
Shirou sat down in front of the tomb. (Because I don't want to use a condescending view)
//The next step is to gradually pull the mirror towards the blue sky while Shirou's back is in the mirror, until the scene is switched.

●The lawn near King Arthur's tomb
The time passed while sweeping the tomb.
Shirou and Rin sat on the lawn.
The cool breeze and the meadow swaying with the wind. Rin closed her eyes in a comfortable mood.
Rin "This is a nice place. There is a shadow of the old landscape that only belongs here.
Shiro "Yes. Staying in this place, you can feel that people who have lived a life completely different from ours once existed. It feels incredible."
Rin "The so-called world is so wide. It has been half a year since I came to the England and I already live such amazing life every day, how about you Shirou?"
Shirou laughed wryly at Rin's words, "Of course.
Shiro, "I feel the same Tohsaka. I realize my own insignificance."
Shirou "Becoming a Master, fighting alongside Saber, and surviving the Holy Grail War. At that time, I was proud of myself, thinking that I could do it if I did. Although this conceited thought disappeared the next day"
Rin "That's right. You have not changed at all, Shiro. You could have gotten a little more carried away."
Shirou "At that time I just could not understand the reason, but now it is very clear. The Holy Grail War was an incredible event, but in this world, it's only one of many."
Shirou "I have not grown at all since I survived the Grail War. It's like taking one step forward but then another step backwards."
Rin "Uh-huh. That is, the positive and the negative, right?
"I'm not sure how to describe it," Shirou praised Rin's words, but shook his head lightly.
Shirou "Even so, there are still things that remain. There are still things that have changed. Even though I haven't grown myself, I've just realized that the battle was really special."
Shirou smiled with embarrassment.
Rin was satisfied with Shirou's answer and (closing his eyes) nodded, and after a while retorted.
Rin "I'm the opposite of you," Rin said. "I never thought it was anything special"
Shirou "(Surprised) Huh?"
Rin "I'm not like you. I never thought it was anything special."
Rin: "The Holy Grail War and the magecraft taught at the Clock Tower are not special things."
Rin "The so-called magecraft is just to make the past remain and spread on to the present, so that many past events and the ideas of many people can lead to the future. This is the basis of all learning. This is what human beings are supposed to do. So, whether it is the Grail War or the present day that we are living through, fundamentally, there is no difference."
Rin: "You have used the power of Saber, and Saber has also used the power of her predecessors during his lifetime."
//Rin "We are also the same. I don't know how many years from now, someone might also use the things we have left behind."
//This is an alternate line that can be deleted due to its length.
Rin "This is the meaning that linked us together. We can't move forward on our own, but we can move forward with the help of everything that mankind has done so far.
Even though I knew it well, I couldn't really feel it in the past. The inside of the Clock Tower is really this kind of past resentment, right?
After all, it's been tainted with stereotypes. Even though I'm studying every day, I feel like I'm always being questioned by someone, "Answer me, what did you accumulate?""
Even though the words were heavy, Rin said them in a relaxed manner.
Shirou couldn't stop looking at the side of Rin's face like that, and he understood.
Shirou "I see. --So it's only natural."
//Rin "That's right. We're in the middle of an extremely long, yet extravagant and wonderful relay race."
//Candidates for deletion. Maybe that's a little too much of a summary.
The sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon in the west.
Glastonbury is shrouded in dusk.

●Moving train (evening)
The huge sunset sinks into the distant mountains.
The surrounding fields are tinged with dark red.

●Inside the moving train
The sunset shines through the window.
Rin and Shirou are sitting in the compartment.
Rin was sitting across from Shiro, taking a nap.
Shirou "......"
He was looking at Rin's sleeping posture with her cheeks in her hands.
A happy expression. She was shaking and sleeping soundly. Shirou also became sleepy and squinted his eyes.
Suddenly, there was a figure standing next to Shirou...
"I've kept you waiting"
The voice of Issei came.

●Two Years Ago - Classroom of 2-C (Evening)
The sun was setting and shining through the window.
Shirou put his hand on the table and was nodding off with his cheek.
He woke up when he heard Issei's voice. Issei is standing beside him.
Shirou looks at Issei.
Shirou "You're finally here..."
He stretched up his hand and yawned.
Issei "My bad, my bad. I had a lot of work to do after the final ceremony."
Shirou "So, what do you want to fix today?"
He stood up and said.

●The hallway
Shirou and Issei left the classroom together.
Shirou "How's the temple?
Issei "We're starting to rebuild the main hall. A lot of people are coming to help. This is the most important time for the monks' virtue to be tested."
Shirou "Oh, that's right. Well, I won't worry about it with Issei and Reikan-san."
Issei "My practice is still far from enough. I still admire you all."
Shiro, "That's right. I'll go help after the visit."
Kazunari "Visiting ...... By the way, that Matou. I heard that he's going to be discharged soon, so it's good that he's recovering."

●Memories- Hospital Ward (afternoon)
Shirou is talking to Sakura in the corridor outside the ward.
Sakura apologizes to Shirou for being shut out when Shinji doesn't want to receive a visit.
Shirou laughs and says, "Don't worry about it."
Shirou walks out of the hospital.
Shinji looks at Shirou from the window of his room.
The curtains that swayed in the wind hid Shinji's expression. It is only to give the audience the impression that something behind him has disappeared.

●School - First Floor Corridor (Evening)
Shirou and Issei walk down the stairs to the first floor.
Issei: "Oh, his sister visits him every day."
Shiro "Yeah. It seems that Shinji has relented. In the face of Sakura's patient insistence, he had to give up and accept being cared."
At that moment, Taiga came out of the office.
Taiga "(looking at the two) ah, Yanagi-dong students. I just want to see you."

●School - Office (Evening)
There is a cardboard box on the tidied up table.
Inside it are Kuzuki's personal belongings - even so, there are only a few notebooks and textbooks.
Shiro, Issei and Taiga look at these things.
Taiga "It's been a month since I've heard anything... There will be a new teacher for the new semester..."
Issei "(to Taiga) Kuzuki-sensei personal belongings are going to be sent to our family for safekeeping."
Taiga "I also think it'd be better that way."
Issei picked up a library textbook (collection of poems?) from the cardboard box,
Issei "(quietly) ......"
Shirou "Issei ......"
Issei: "I think he was alone when he appeared in the temple, and he should be alone when he left."
Issei smiled lonely.
Taiga, "I feel the same loneliness, He's such a rare tea buddy"
Shirou "(Unexpectedly) Fuji-nee and Kuzuki-sensei ......?"
Taiga "I've always wanted to spar with Kuzuki-sensei once. Although he never mentions it, I think he must have a rank."
Taiga made an empty swing of her bamboo sword.
Shirou "(admiringly) As expected from Fuji-nee. What a terrifying wild instinct"
Taiga "Heh?"

The hallway on the first floor of the same building
Shirou and Issei came out of the office and Rin was standing by the window.
Issei: "Wow, Tohsaka!
Shirou "also startled," "Tohsaka"
Rin approached the two of them.
Rin: "I saw you guys walking into the office.
Issei: "What are you trying to do?"
Rin: Ara, Seitokaichou. Do you have to inspect the campus even on the day of graduation? Or are you going to search all the classrooms?"
Issei: "Of course. If you don't do it, discipline will be disrupted. This is a daily duty that we must do every day."
Rin "Well, it must hard for you. I like your kind of place"
Issei "!!"
Issei became flustered
Rin" By the way, Emiya-kun. After you finish helping the Seitokaichou, let's go home together. I'll be waiting in the classroom until you come."
Issei was surprised by Rin's speech.
Issei "You, what did you say ......!"
Rin "Bye then"
Rin left with a brisk pace.
Ichisei still has not recovered from the shock.
Ichinari "What the hell is going on here, Emiya. What is the relationship between you and that vixen...!"
Shirou "...Well, even if you ask me what the relationship is, I don't know how to answer..."
Shirou was vague.
Issei "I see, it's a curse, right? That woman caught your weakness didn't she, Emiya!
Shirou "Ah~... Well, if I must say, I was indeed caught by her."
Issei "So, that's really what happened...! Damnit, that damn Tohsaka, I just can't leave her alone anymore......!
Issei's fighting spirit was ignited.
Shirou smiled helplessly.

●The same classroom of the second year A class (evening)
Shirou entered inside.
The classroom was illuminated by the evening sun.
Rin was sitting alone at the window seat, waiting.
Rin was slightly surprised to see Shiro.
Rin "Huh. Don't you have to go help the Seitokaichou?"
Shirou "I don't think I need to do that today. ......"

●Memories - Same - Near the stairway (evening)
Shirou and Issei were walking.
They bumped into Mitsuzuri, who was wearing a bow-do uniform and came out from the shadow of the shoe cabinet.
Mitsuzuri "Ahh~! (pointing at Issei) Wait, Seitokaichou. What's with that preliminaries?
Misuzu asked Issei.
Issei "What did you say when you came up here...?
Misuzu "Why do we have to cut our club funding?"
Kazunari "It's not just the archery department. All the club funds have been re-examined."
Misuzu "I can't accept that!"
In the face of the fierce Mitsuzuri
Ichisei: "(Asking for help) Emiya."
Shirou "You can do it yourself.
Shirou turned back.
Issei "Emiya?
Mitsuzuri "Don't try to escape. Explain it clearly to me!"
Shirou took the first step and ran away.
When he left, he met with Mitsuzuri's eyes and waved his hand. When asking Issei, she also raised a hand to greet him quietly.

●The camera cuts back to the classroom of the same second year A class (classroom).
From outside the open window, there was a shouting sound from the members of the sports club.
Rin sat on the table by the window and looked at the playground.
Rin "(as if she saw something dazzling)......"
Shirou is also standing beside Rin, looking at the playground.
The athletic team is running on the track.
The trio of Makidera, Himuro, and Saegusa can be seen among them.
Rin: "Hey, Emiya-kun, have you ever been in track and field before?"
Rin suddenly asked Shirou,
Shirou "Track and field? No, I've only been in the Archery Club before.
Rin "....... Well, this kind of thing happens all the time, too. After seeing the sunset, I remembered something."
Shiro "......"
Rin "By the way, time flies so fast. The Holy Grail War is over and Shirou has become my disciple for a month. I always feel that with this rhythm, a whole year will pass in the blink of an eye."
Shirou "I will say goodbye to this school then"
Rin hugged her knees on the table.
Rin: "Nee. What are you going to do after graduation, Emiya-kun?
Shiro "Eh?"
Rin "I will go to London after I graduate. Because this time I got a recommendation from the Magic Association."
Shiro "London, the headquarters the Magic Association!?. That Clock Tower...!?"
Rin "I was invited as the heir of the Tohsaka House. In this way, it's all right to bring an apprentice there."
Shiro "Um, that's"
Rin "You guessed it"
Shirou "..."
Shirou didn't know how to answer, and was a bit frightened.
Rin giggled.
Rin "Nee. What would you do, Shirou?"
For a moment, Shiro's face turned red.
Shiro "(stammering) ...... really, you just know how to grasp someone else's weakness..."
Rin "What?"
Shiro "Uh... I, um--"
Rin "Be clear, this is important. Do you want to come with me?"
Looking into the blushing Shirou's dignified eyes.
The shy Shirou was reflected,
Shirou "....don't ask me such an obvious question.""
For Shirou, this is a confession of doing his best.
Hearing these words, Rin showed a full smile.
Rin "Okay. Then, from now on, please give me more advice, Emiya-san. You must be aware that until you become an independent magician, I will train you without hesitation".
Shiro "Sounds really reliable ...... but is it okay just to care about me?"
Rin "Well. After all, my ambition is to make Shiro a normal person who can feel happy from the bottom of his heart."
The scene is fixed on Rin's smiling face and fades out.
//After the fade-out, you can insert a picture of the wilderness and return to reality. Contrast the hopeful memories of Rin with the wilderness scene full of anxiety.

●Now——in the moving train
Shirou suddenly woke up.
It was dark outside the window. Rin is still sleeping.
Shirou gazed at Rin's sleeping face tenderly.
Shirou "...a magus who lives on his own. First of all, I really have to start here."
Shirou looked down at his hand and said in a monologue.
While worrying about "what I can do, which direction should I go?" and decided what he would do now, Shirou lifted his face.
In front of his line of sight was an idyllic landscape that was gradually being swallowed up by the dark blue.
The sunset glow disappeared, and only the blurred remnants of the sun seemed to be burning, swaying on the horizon.

●London Clock Tower Corridor - Evening
//Few days after returning from Glastonbury.
Corridor of the Clock Tower. There are no other figures besides Shirou. Shirou walked out of the professor's room.
He just declined the invitation to join the Clock Tower and left the room.
//When leaving the room, giving a gift and closing the door, the hand movements should be shortened because of the expression of "finishing the meeting with the important people."
Halfway through, he passed by the long-haired man. That is El-Melloi II.
After being separated (about two meters), Lord El-Melloi II stopped, did not look back at Shirou, but spoke back to back.
II "Pardon me for the intrusion. You're the exchange student from Japan?"
Shirou stopped.
//In terms of mood, I don't want Shirou to turn around, but if the picture is strange, you can make Shirou turn around.
Shiro "That would be Tohsaka."
Faced with Shirou's humble answer, II appeared to be unhappy and replied.
II "I know that. I was referring to you. You are from Japan's Fuyuki, correct?"
Shirou's eyes widened when he heard Fuyuki's words.
II continued impatiently.
II "You don't look like someone who aspires to become a mage. You're probably an outsider who was caught up in the ritual and probably missed your chance to get out?
I find it hard to understand. After survive that troublesome war, why would you come to the Clock Tower? To what ends do you intend to learn magecraft?"
II's words seems to be looking for a fight, but in fact his question contains sincere feelings.
Shiro thought about it seriously, and then,
Shirou "...That's right."
Shiro ""Even thought I've learned a lot since I came here, I'm always confused about various things.
Shiro "But I wanted to believe in what I believe in. For this, I am willing to dedicate my life for that."
After thinking carefully, Shirou responded sentence by sentence. Shirou himself cut off his confusion through this act of answering.
II "What, exactly?"
Shiro "Well, I also know this sounds dumb. But, I really want to become something, like a hero of justice."
Shirou laughed at himself, raising his face, just like himself who once said, "I really can't help it."
He sighed dumbfounded at himself, and showed a wry smile acknowledging that "I can't help it."
II "I see. Looks like another idiot has arrived."
The second sneered at this.
//If he's smoking a cigar, he can also spit out smoke rings in a daze.
In fact, to the Second Lord, Shirou’s ideal was like a speech from a fool.
II "--but the so-called mage is an existence that pursues self-interest. I believe that no one in this academy will laugh at your ideas."
The II never looked back, and went straight away.
To him, Shirou Emiya was an unrelated person; to Shirou, El-Melloi II was also an unrelated person. Their relationship is only as long as they wait side by side for the traffic lights at the intersection. It's just that the two people standing together chatting, but they talking to each other with life quotes.
Shirou glanced at the back of the Second Lord for a moment, and then took steps with his back facing him.

●Rin's room in the evening
Continuing the scene of the conversation with King II in the corridor of the clock tower.
Shirou returned to Rin's apartment in the evening.
While waiting for Shirou to return home, Rin fiddled with the pendant (ruby).
Seeing Shirou's return, Rin put the pendant in his pocket and started a conversation.
Shiro "? Don't you have something to do tonight?"
Rin "Yes, but I have to wait for Shirou to come back."
Rin replied coldly with a stern face.
Rin wanted to cut directly to the topic, but it was difficult to speak, and she swallowed the words again, but she immediately cheered up and threw the topic.
Rin "So. How about the enrollment?"
Shiro "Well, I refused!"
Shirou said with a cheerful smile.
Rin scratched her head with an expression of "Ah~, as expected."
Shiro "Huh? By the way, how did you know about my recruitment invitation?"
Rin "Of course I know. How could you not tell me in advance. In terms of form, you are my apprentice."
Rin raised his arms and snorted with a crooked face.
Shirou noticed that, knowing everything, Rin put Shirou's judgment first.
Shiro "I see... Thank you, Tohsaka. But your tenderness is still so incomprehensible."
Shirou smiled bitterly at Rin's pains. Just like Archer who once said, "Your cuteness is really incomprehensible."
Rin snorted shyly, then sneered. Rin can finally put on a (cute) expression of dissatisfaction now, playing arrogantly.
Rin "Huh, you shouldn't say thanks. If Shirou doesn't enter the clock tower, it means that I will be driven out of here in two years. You should say I'm sorry, right"
Shiro "? No, I can only stay for two more years, but Tohsaka is—"
Rin "Ugh, why don't you understand, you idiot Shirou!"
Rin, I said I wanted you to grow up to be independent, didn't I? You're the priority over the clock tower. If I leave my gaze, the hero of justice will be stuck in something again".
Shiro's face flushed immediately upon hearing Lin's words.
Shiro "...But, is it really okay? I have been thinking since then, but in the end, I still seem to be unable to change my way of living. Although I know that I am wrong, I cannot change the path. As that guy said, I'll probably end up the same as him—"
Rin "Yes. I feel the same about it. Shirou was wrong from beginning to end. But, as long as we can win in the end, isn't that enough?"
Shirou confided in a weak mood.
Rin resolutely denied it.
Shiro "?"
Shirou raised his face, and Rin said with a loving smile on her face.
Rin "For example, it is also moving toward the wilderness, along the same road and the same direction, without change. However, where you can go may be different. The important thing is where you can reach and how far you can go right?"
Rin "It doesn't matter if the place you arrive is still the same. As long as you continue to move on, you will definitely have the right ending."
Rin's words revealed that she was deeply proud of Shirou's life.
"I really didn't take you away," Shirou smiled bitterly in his heart. The expression was similar to that of Emiya Kiritsugu's dying smile.
Shirou "I see. If it can be done, it would be great. No, I will try to do it."
Rin "No problem. Because you have already got the answer from the beginning."
Shirou remembered Rin's words in his heart, stretched out his hand, and Rin held his hand back with a smile on his face.
Shiro "But, is it really okay? This is a very important place for Tohsaka, isn't it?"
Rin, "I’m fine. In the end, I should settle down at the Clock Tower, but until I’m satisfied, I want to see many things around. It’s the so-called traveling around the countries. So, until then, we will be together. Right?"
Shirou expressed his gratitude for Rin's words, and nodded as if gritted his teeth.
Shiro "Then it's the opposite. This time it's my turn to take Tohsaka around."
Rin "Well, it's just three years later. In any case, our future will be full of joy and hardship, traveling around the world, and finally ushering in a happy ending."
The two smiled at each other.
Rin "The time is almost up. Luvia invited me to the party, so you should go with me. This time, she must fully understand whose disciple Shirou is."
Shirou urged Rin to go out in hurry.
Rin hid the pendant in the gem box, closing the box as if announcing parting, and chased after Shirou.
The camera stays in an empty room, on top of the box with the pendant, and then gradually fades out. Fin.
//I want to show here that because Rin didn't give the pendant to Shirou → Shirou did not carry the pendant, so he will became a different person from Emiya.

●ED

●Scene in the wasteland
After ED. The same wasteland scene as the beginning.
Shirou was walking alone. Exhausting his strength, he stopped. To avoid the sandstorm, he lowered his head and saw the traces of someone who had existed before (where Archer stopped).
Shirou exhaled and raised his face. Although the expression is brave, it is also full of hope.
Shirou stepped on a steady step and continued to move forward.
The camera stays at the traces left by Archer, watching the back of Shirou who is gradually going away until the end.
//You can also join Archer, who is watching Shirou who stopped.
At this time, it should be noted that Emiya is an abandoned shadow, but he has no resentment or hatred for himself passing by (gradually away). Just a little, narrowed his eyes as if seeing something dazzling, watching his back. You don't need to say the lines of "Youth marching toward the wilderness", just reflect this meaning.

Fate/stay night - Heaven’s Feel I. presage flower Animation Material[]

[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: There’s finally an animated version of HF through Sakura’s route. Upon coming up with the character design for Sakura, what was the hardest part?

Q: There’s finally an animated version of HF through Sakura’s route. Upon coming up with the character design for Sakura, what was the hardest part? <Factory Ramen>

Nasu: If I were to put it into text, it’d be something like: how do you include an immoral sense of guilt within the heroism and tidiness of an underclassman character? Back when we were making the game version of stay night, we had this mysterious keyword-”neat meat.”
Takeuchi: Oh yeah, we did have that. Who said that? We used that phrase like, “We could have made Sakura lean more towards neat meat” or something… And I think we had a character recently where that phrase was like her motif… Ow, my head…
Nasu: To reincarnate into Kiara after over a decade’s time… CCC was a bit too sinful…

? <Factory Ramen>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: Sakura was great of course. But Ms. Taiga Fujimura was also amazing, with her mature sexiness. Mr. Nasu and Mr. Takeuchi, did you feel anything about that?

Q: Sakura was great of course. But Ms. Taiga Fujimura was also amazing, with her mature sexiness. Mr. Nasu and Mr. Takeuchi, did you feel anything about that? <Elegant Beautiful Teacher>

Nasu: I mean, it’s been 10 years since the release, so Fuji-nee would obviously have become an adult… I’m deeply moved.
Takeuchi: Wait a minute, you talk like a small child grew up to be an adult, but she was already a proper adult 10 years ago.
Nasu: Are you serious? Does that mean I was already an adult 10 years ago too…?
Takeuchi: Eh… I don’t know about that.
Nasu: Putting that topic aside, Fuji-nee is Fuji-nee, yet still meticulously drawn as an adult female is where I felt love towards her.

? <Elegant Beautiful Teacher>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: Out of all the extracurricular school activities, why did Shinji choose the Archery club, and how did he get started in Archery?

Q: Out of all the extracurricular school activities, why did Shinji choose the Archery club, and how did he get started in Archery? <Namiyasou>

Nasu: It’s not as popular as the other athletic teams, and it looked like a stoic sport, I guess? I’m sure he would have joined the Fencing Team if there was one.
Takeuchi: Mm… It’s so complicated.
Nasu: He just couldn’t stay normal. But he was normal. That’s why this story is at an end, Rock…
Takeuchi: It’s too cruel… I can’t stand to watch…

? <Namiyasou>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: The difficulty of Heroic Spirit summons changes by era, land, and how humanity exists, but is there some sort of prerequisite of “it will never work without this”?

Q: The difficulty of Heroic Spirit summons changes by era, land, and how humanity exists, but is there some sort of prerequisite of “it will never work without this”? <Silver Moon Mandao>

Nasu: You again, Madao? (greetings)
Takeuchi: How many times has it been, Silver Moon? (greetings)
Nasu: The memories of the land (history), or the memories held by the relic brought in-I don’t think a summons would be possible if either of those were missing. There are cases where the summoner himself is the catalyst, so perhaps it’s just impossible to summon when it’s simply a case of “link/zero.”
Takeuchi: So Sasaki had some sort of link to the Ryudouji (Ryudou Temple)?
Nasu: He has nothing to do with Ryudouji. He merely trained on the mountain and died on that mountain.
Takeuchi: So, it was the mountain…

? <Silver Moon Mandao>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: The mages call Heroic Spirits “Boundary Recording Bands (Ghost Liners),” but is this the actual terminology? And what does it symbolize?

Q: The mages call Heroic Spirits “Boundary Recording Bands (Ghost Liners),” but is this the actual terminology? And what does it symbolize? <Someone at the far end>

Nasu: They are not minions created by the Mages themselves, but minions called forth from the history of humanity itself, so they use the term “Ghost Liners” with the nuance that they are “calling forth a phenomenon that was once recorded.” It’s a liner based on the perception that servants are not living creatures but something more like scrolls and documents.
Takeuchi: Oh, I see. It is true that Heroic Spirits is the common name and doesn’t sound like a Magecraft concept.
Nasu: It’s a term that’s been around from the beginning of the beginning of Fate, even before I wrote the scenarios. But when Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files was starting up, Mita asked me, “Is there an official term to address Heroic Spirits?” and I presented him with the term. To have it show up in the series world view after 15 years kinda ruins the mood.
Takeuchi: Says the guy who’s been holding back a ton of settings for 20, even 30 years.

? <Someone at the far end>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: What do Sakura’s classmates think about her? Do the boys in her class say stuff like “I’m kind of interested in Matou” or something?

Q: What do Sakura’s classmates think about her? Do the boys in her class say stuff like “I’m kind of interested in Matou” or something? <Misunderstanding Boy>

Nasu: Sakura is very gloomy in the classroom, so no matter how pretty and how dangerous a body she has, she is alienated from the boys and slightly avoided by the girls.
Takeuchi: I… I’m an unfortunate pretty girl…
Nasu: Do stuff like that in Carnival Phantasm. The main storyline is supposed to be super serious.
Takeuchi: Right.

? <Misunderstanding Boy>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: By the hands of Zouken Matou, the True Assassin was summoned from the Mountain Gate Assassin, but was that a secret trick that was only possible because it was Zouken? Or can other mages suited to become Masters do something similar?

Q: By the hands of Zouken Matou, the True Assassin was summoned from the Mountain Gate Assassin, but was that a secret trick that was only possible because it was Zouken? Or can other mages suited to become Masters do something similar? <Ojaki>

Nasu: It was a secret trick that was possible only because Zouken properly knew the structure of the Holy Grail War. It was like, “What? There’s already an Assassin summoned forth!? Well then, I’ll use the body of that fake Assassin as ‘magical energy to use for summoning’ and summon the true Assassin. The numbers match up, so the Holy Grail will surely malfunction.”
Takeuchi: The boss character’s rank depends on how many backdoor tricks he has up his sleeve.
Nasu: Because he was the one who created the system, he knows about the backdoor (structural mistakes) that are dangerous if poked at. When boarded up with wook, it gets more and more distorted in shape, and you end up with a blubbery, big, fat Holy Grail War system! However, the Greater Grail itself is perfect in shape, so that remains beautiful forever.
Takeuchi: Good for you, Grandpa Zouken.

? <Ojaki>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: Mr. Kuzuki vs. True Assassin wasn’t shown, but was Mr. Kuzuki defeated without being able to land a single blow on True Assassin?

Q: Mr. Kuzuki vs. True Assassin wasn’t shown, but was Mr. Kuzuki defeated without being able to land a single blow on True Assassin? <Kyuhey>

Nasu: He might have had some sort of a battle if it was a Servant that faced him head-on, but he was facing an assassin… The logic here is that when it’s an assassin vs. an assassin, the one who strikes first gets the perfect victory.
Takeuchi: Though I wanted to see an all-out battle between a magecraft buffed Kuzuki by Caster versus True Assassin…

? <Kyuhey>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: Was Sakura wearing short sleeves in February because the maiden within her wanted to show cute loungewear to Shirou? She was cute.

Q: Was Sakura wearing short sleeves in February because the maiden within her wanted to show cute loungewear to Shirou? She was cute. <Ramuda>

Nasu: Sakura burning up her inner maiden is worth 10 campfires.
Takeuchi: Yup, that concept is an upgrade from miniskirts in the middle of winter. Was she not cold? Of course, she was cold!
Nasu: A scary story is… that level of cold, compared to the torture she routinely goes through, is merely “cold” for Sakura. It probably isn’t “hard” for her.
Takeuchi: SAKURA!!

? <Ramuda>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: There were different presentations in parts between the original story and the movie. The one that surprised me was the battle between True Assassin and Lancer. That battle must have created a large number of casualties and witnesses. How did the priest go about dealing with all of it afterwards?

Q: There were different presentations in parts between the original story and the movie. The one that surprised me was the battle between True Assassin and Lancer. That battle must have created a large number of casualties and witnesses. How did the priest go about dealing with all of it afterwards? <Kohabu@Egg>

Nasu: They entered a different city midway, so Kotomine probably pretended he didn’t know.
Takeuchi: That was the first time we’ve seen expressways and stuff.
Nasu: Probably in Chapter 2 we’ll have some aerial combat, and a helicopter will fall on Goto’s house.
Takeuchi: And then ufo’s version of Himuro no Tenchi will begin…

? <Kohabu@Egg>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: Shaitan, the original owner of the cursed arm that is the True Assassin’s Noble Phantasm “Delusional Heartbeat,” is said to be “an evil spirit” or “demon god” or “demonic man” depending on the literature. What category does he fall under?

Q: Shaitan, the original owner of the cursed arm that is the True Assassin’s Noble Phantasm “Delusional Heartbeat,” is said to be “an evil spirit” or “demon god” or “demonic man” depending on the literature. What category does he fall under?

Nasu: I believe “an evil spirit” would be the most correct nuance. An incarnation of a spirit that was tainted by the human world. However, the incarnation was after his fall, so most of his authority is already gone. It’s rough that I can’t just simply say that he’s the devil.
Takeuchi: Why can’t you say so?
Nasu: Think about each country’s characteristics.
Takeuchi: Ooh……

? <Big Flag>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: After the battle against Lancer, True Assassin looked up at the sky after eating the heart. What happened after that? Did he go pick up his Dirk like how it says in the settings?

Q: After the battle against Lancer, True Assassin looked up at the sky after eating the heart. What happened after that? Did he go pick up his Dirk like how it says in the settings? <Mangan>

Nasu: “Heheheh…. Things are very useful nowadays, I can get as many Dirks as I want at 99-cent stores…”
Takeuchi: The problem is that things are too useful. More like, big trouble in Fuyuki’s little 99-cent stores?
Nasu: “Heheheh… though that squiggly thing that came from the bottom of the water is seriously scary… I don’t want to go anywhere near it…”
Takeuchi: Of course, you wouldn’t.

? <Mangan>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: How was Zouken Matou controlling the dead Caster?

Q: How was Zouken Matou controlling the dead Caster? <Starry Sky>

Nasu: He applied his Crest Worms. He peeled off the vertebrae and squished in a bug that would mimic the spinal cord.
Takeuchi: That’s some true artisan skills. I wouldn’t recommend amateurs to try.
Nasu: Sometimes, I want to be controlled like that too. I could leave the bug to do my work, and I’ll go gather new materials.
Takeuchi: What a sad creature… That aside, I’ll give you more work today…

? <Starry Sky>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: How good of a Mage was Zouken in his prime?

Q: How good of a Mage was Zouken in his prime? <Agnes Takajin>

Nasu: Equivalent to Gordolf (an average third-tier noble Mage) x10.
Takeuchi: Make it easier to understand and be more specific.
Nasu: If we were to say his prime was “before joining up with the Einzberns,” he would fare well even against a servant, and can even win (probably against one Servant) under good conditions. He’s a Pride around level 70.
Takeuchi: How many Kariya’s from Zero would it take?
Nasu: Hohoho. No matter how many zeroes you get, it’s still zero.

? <Agnes Takajin>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: How did Archer have a clue about what the “Shadow” was? Did he encounter something like it in life, or did he stamp out something like it during his duties as a guardian? I’d love it if you could answer.

Q: How did Archer have a clue about what the “Shadow” was? Did he encounter something like it in life, or did he stamp out something like it during his duties as a guardian? I’d love it if you could answer. <Deucalion>

Nasu: I don’t think he encountered it while living. When you’re a guardian for a long time, you end up encountering things where “its existence itself is antagonistic to humans.”
Takeuchi: The design orders for the octopus was something like: “an alien existence that would be recognizable at first sight; a materialization of a nightmare,” and it had been a while since I got shivers up my spine when I saw the footage.
Nasu: I just love stuff like that! Japanese horror that silently appears in the corner of everyday life is the best!
Takeuchi: The costumes that will appear in the second half is used as a motif by all sorts of characters but the pure octopus form was an unexpected reunion after 10 years, and I almost had a new story between me and octopus.

? <Deucalion>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: How often does Kotomine eat out at Taishan (Chinese Restaurant)?

Q: How often does Kotomine eat out at Taishan (Chinese Restaurant)? <Gyro>

Nasu: When he feels like it. He usually tries to eat frugally at the Church.
Takeuchi: When does he feel like it?
Nasu: You know how humans have strange premonitions at times? Like that spark of intuition where you think, “Oh I think I can pull a good one with a summon ticket right now.” Stuff like that. So Kotomine himself can’t control it, either.
Takeuchi: So, it’s not like he eats at the restaurant every day, then.

? <Gyro>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: According to True Assassin, Servants cannot oppose the shadow, and pure Saber will lose her sanity merely by touching it. Does this “purity” refer to how she is a hero and not an anti-hero?

Q: According to True Assassin, Servants cannot oppose the shadow, and pure Saber will lose her sanity merely by touching it. Does this “purity” refer to how she is a hero and not an anti-hero?

Nasu: Correct. A straightforward Heroic Spirit has no tolerance against curses, so the Spirit Origin will be corrupted along with extreme pain. For an anti-hero, who is “closer by source,” there will be some corruption but no extreme pain, giving them a slight mental margin to think, “Oh, this isn’t good, this really sucks.”
Takeuchi: So, to the certain darkest of darkness, it would be like soaking in the hot springs?
Nasu: Right. But his anti-magical energy and stuff are at the lowest rank, so it’s like “it doesn’t hurt, but will get swallowed up instantly.” Though in his case, he would still take joy in things even after getting swallowed up, saying stuff like, “By the way, is there a manga cafe around here?”
Takeuchi: I sense a spin-off in the works! Lethargic cynical everyday life manga, The darkest dark’s Holy Grail Living in the Cheap Lifestyle!

? <S from Romania>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: When Rin went into the insect hold, she was at a loss of words at its terrible sight. Just how much about Sakura and the current standings of the Matou household did Rin know at that time?

Q: When Rin went into the insect hold, she was at a loss of words at its terrible sight. Just how much about Sakura and the current standings of the Matou household did Rin know at that time? <Helt>

Nasu: Mages conceal their own teachings and spells, so she could only imagine what kind of teachings Sakura was receiving. Matou has their own way of teachings, and to try to find out what they would be equal to a deathmatch.
Takeuchi: If she knew, she wouldn’t have let them be, either.
Nasu: It’s such a sad tale when the hero you had so much faith in sending off ended up becoming a slave for a company that exploits employees…
Takeuchi: In the end, they get promoted amazingly well, though…

? <Helt>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: In the Fifth Holy Grail War that Archer was retracing, were the inner dealings of the Matou clan or Sakura’s circumstances known? If he had known, how did Sakura look through Archer’s eyes in this particular Holy Grail War?

Q: In the Fifth Holy Grail War that Archer was retracing, were the inner dealings of the Matou clan or Sakura’s circumstances known? If he had known, how did Sakura look through Archer’s eyes in this particular Holy Grail War? <Black Pawn>

Nasu: That Archer only has “memories of Saber” when it concerns the Holy Grail War. When he was summoned, seeing his summoned before him, he started to acknowledge things around Rin as “his own things.” The inner dealings of the Matou clan is something he didn’t know before turning into a Servant, and Sakura’s current circumstances were something he deduced after being summoned for the Holy Grail War. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that he would assist Sakura. Archer is Archer. It’s not the guy.
Takeuchi: He remembers just Saber… you’re talking about the opening scene in the original game.
Nasu: It’s not that he clearly remembers details. His memories are vague, and at the point where he was assigned as a guardian, his memories are all blended together chaotically regardless of past or future. So, he no longer has the sensation of “what he feels is beautiful” anymore. Just think the “first contact with Saber” was something engraved into his soul as an Art Graph. Also, how that young man met Saber and how he was involved is something completely different from that in stay night.

? <Black Pawn>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
Q: After seeing HF for the first time, what kind of conversations and comments were made among TYPE-MOON staff?

Q: After seeing HF for the first time, what kind of conversations and comments were made among TYPE-MOON staff? <Smile>

Nasu: Amazing! Just amazing!
Takeuchi: Amazing! Just amazing! …were words that did not readily come out because they were probably completely floored. It had a strong enough impact that you could say we were all intoxicated.
Nasu: It was the late-night premiere showing at Machi*Asobi, but we were all so excited afterwards that we couldn’t sleep. Meanwhile, Ms. Kawasumi was a part of the premiere showing the next day, and she left a heartwarming tale that she saw the movie even in her dreams.
Takeuchi: Yeah. If that showed up in your dreams, it’s definitely a nightmare.

? <Smile>

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Fate/stay night - Heaven’s Feel II. lost butterfly Animation Material[]

[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.20 [T]
Q: When Shirou decided he will become a hero of justice for Sakura, what did Archer think?

Q: When Shirou decided he will become a hero of justice for Sakura, what did Archer think? <Minazuki>

Nasu: He acknowledged that “he is now completely different from myself” and didn’t pity or admire him. It’s something like a stern judge watching where a criminal will end up.
Takeuchi: Hmm. So for Archer, it ended up being a parting from his own curse.
Nasu: Perhaps, simply the fact that “it was possible for myself to pursue such a path” became somewhat of a salvation. Even if it had nothing to do with EMIYA, and was something that wasn’t tangible for him.

? <Minazuki>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.20 [T]
Q: Even if Dark Saber were to accept Avalon from Shirou, would she be able to use it? If she could use it, would her Dark state be undone, or would it change characteristics?

Q: Even if Dark Saber were to accept Avalon from Shirou, would she be able to use it? If she could use it, would her Dark state be undone, or would it change characteristics? <Godoh>

Nasu: Too bad! Dark Saber doesn’t even try to look at a utopia...!
Takeuchi: What do you mean?
Nasu: She pursues a common ground that is more realistic, so she doesn’t even think about entering a utopia...It’s like “It’s good to pursue ideals. But humans die meaninglessly. That is how I will treat them.”
Takeuchi: So that’s why Dark King likes junk food.
Nasu: That may be a king’s way of relieving stress. There is nothing that soothes the heart than a burger when you want to be mad but can’t show anger...

? <Godoh>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.20 [T]
Q: Zouken Matou tells True Assassin “Don’t ruin everything by letting the Einzbern girl get away”. In the end, he let her get away, so did True Assassin get a lecture from Grandpa Zouken?

Q: Zouken Matou tells True Assassin “Don’t ruin everything by letting the Einzbern girl get away”. In the end, he let her get away, so did True Assassin get a lecture from Grandpa Zouken? <Norimori>

Nasu: If the result of putting your best effort results in a failure, grandpa will not give punishment. There was the irregularity of EMIYA as the antihero but that made an exit from the field so it would be simply scolding like “That’s enough, but there is no next time.”
Takeuchi: Seriously? That’s like the ideal boss!
Nasu: The conditions were pretty much a win for Zouken, so a big part of it was that even letting her get away here, he could recover from it.
Takeuchi: I had the impression that he’d be a lot scarier.
Nasu: He is kind to people who he thinks he can use.

? <Norimori>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.20 [T]
Q: The battle between Saber Alter and Berserker clearly wasn’t at a level that you could blame the gas company. How did Kotomine cover it all up?

Q: The battle between Saber Alter and Berserker clearly wasn’t at a level that you could blame the gas company. How did Kotomine cover it all up? <Nunba>

Nasu: There possibly can’t be any gas pipes running around there.
Takeuchi: He leaked out a government conspiracy theory.
Nasu: Oh, no way. It’s just a forest fire. A forest fire. Though it did get put out in an instant.
Takeuchi: Yup. It’s something that happens often in the Fuyuki district.

? <Nunba>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.21 [T]
Q: If Saber Alter and Gilgamesh seriously fought each other, which of them would be stronger?

Q: If Saber Alter and Gilgamesh seriously fought each other, which of them would be stronger? <Takenoko>

Nasu: Dark Saber has lost what you call the protagonist’s compensation, or rather the glimmer of the stars. So a miracle wouldn’t happen against Gilgamesh, it would simply be a measure of their abilities...
Takeuchi: If it’s not in life but as Servants, wouldn’t it change a lot depending on who the Master is?
Nasu: Back when they were alive, both had extraordinary magical energy output so it would be a pure battle of firepower. With his omnipotence and cunning (INT), Gil is slightly advantageous here. If it’s a Servant battle, Dark Saber can win against Gil if the “Master’s capacity as a Mage” is high. Gil will win against Dark Saber if the “Master’s charm as a human” is high.
Takeuchi: What does that mean?
Nasu: It’s because Gilgamesh tries to fight only with his own power, regardless of his contractor being a first-rate or third-rate Mage.

? <Takenoko>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.21[T]
Q: I think Rin and Illya had suspicions about the true nature of the shadow before Shirou, but what was going through each of their minds emotionally?

Q: I think Rin and Illya had suspicions about the true nature of the shadow before Shirou, but what was going through each of their minds emotionally? <Fruit Ponch Samurai M>

Nasu: Rin was almost sure but with no “irrefutable evidence” she didn’t jump to conclusions, and is trying not to think (about killing her) until that time comes. Illya feels pity like “poor thing”.
Takeuchi: In other words, Illya is looking at her like “I feel sorry for you, but you’re being sent to the hog farm tomorrow”?
Nasu: That metaphor is as cold as the alleyways in England so I have some problems with that, but well yeah, something like that.
Takeuchi: (whistles) Noblemen~!

? <Fruit Ponch Samurai M>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.21[T]
Q: What kind of reaction would Shinji have if he found out Archer’s true identity?

Q: What kind of reaction would Shinji have if he found out Archer’s true identity? <Mizuame>

Nasu: He’d laugh and not acknowledge it, like “There’s no way that can be true!”
Takeuchi: Is there a chance Shinji can become Heroic Spirit SHINJI?
Nasu: Even if someone like Rin were to explain the mechanics of the Heroic Spirit system in detail and prove how all the facts are related, he’d look bored and shoo Rin away, like “So what?”
Takeuchi: He’s a guy that lives only in reality...

? <Mizuame>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.21[T]
Q: What did Sakura mean when she judged Kotomine as “he cannot beat me”? Did she get the chance to investigate into Kotomine’s characteristics and desires?

Q: What did Sakura mean when she judged Kotomine as “he cannot beat me”? Did she get the chance to investigate into Kotomine’s characteristics and desires? <Kitsuneme Lambda>

Nasu: As the Dark Grail, she instinctively felt that “I am stronger”.
Takeuchi: Like she (Sakura) is advantageous 10-0 no matter what?
Nasu: Right but well, I don’t think Sakura back then thought she was really holding his heart in her hand.

? <Kitsuneme Lambda>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.21[T]
Q: If Sakura had stayed with the Tohsaka and Rin was adopted instead of Sakura into the Matou family, how would each of them have ended up?

Q: If Sakura had stayed with the Tohsaka and Rin was adopted instead of Sakura into the Matou family, how would each of them have ended up? <Futaba>

Nasu: In the end, Sakura couldn’t be handled by Tokiomi (the Imaginary attribute is too rare so Tokiomi who is simply a brilliant person couldn’t teach her) so she would be sent abroad to the Clock Tower or something⸺
Takeuchi: Rin would be Dark, and ultimately end up as the Heroic Spirit TOHSAKA. Please refer to Capsule Servant for more details.
Nasu: Oh no, she wouldn’t end up like that...
Takeuchi: But she already has!

? <Futaba>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22[T]
Q: If Sakura had been sent to the Edelfelt family instead, what kind of life would she have led? From looking at the Case Files, it seems Edelfelt is quite out there as well.

Q: If Sakura had been sent to the Edelfelt family instead, what kind of life would she have led? From looking at the Case Files, it seems Edelfelt is quite out there as well. <Marumaru>

Nasu: A babyfaced super-dark heel character would be created.
Takeuchi: Bondage Sakura…!
Nasu: Seriously speaking, Luvia is of a similar disposition as Rin but believes in aristocratism, so she would prioritize strengthening her talent. As a result, you have a cool and dark yet good-natured top tier Mage.
Takeuchi: That’s a wonderful thing~

? <Marumaru>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22[T]
Q: Did Zouken have a choice to become a Dead Apostle when he sought immortality? If he did, I'd like to know why he didn't transform into a Dead Apostle.

Q: Did Zouken have a choice to become a Dead Apostle when he sought immortality? If he did, I'd like to know why he didn't transform into a Dead Apostle. <Pon De>

Nasu: If you become a vampire, the Holy Church will be after you all the time, so he couldn't take that risk. If his objective (goal) was to become "immortal", he may have turned into a vampire, but other than that, well, it's whether or not he had the talent to become a vampire. There are only about 27 idiosyncratic people like a certain Ms Yumizuka and her "You thought I was common? but I'm actually SSR!" in this world!
Takeuchi: What? Aren't there actually a few more out there?
Nasu: Yeah, let's say we undercounted and add about three more.

? <Pon De>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22[T]
Q: There are various departments in the Clock Tower, but what department did Zolgen Makiri belong to when he was in the Clock Tower? Since he had written a paper about Ghost Liners, was he in Spiritual Evocation?

Q: There are various departments in the Clock Tower, but what department did Zolgen Makiri belong to when he was in the Clock Tower? Since he had written a paper about Ghost Liners, was he in Spiritual Evocation? <Silver Moon Madao>

Nasu: Likely Botany and Curses. He probably reached the Einzbern as part of the research to reach the Root, and thought he could prove the existence of Ghost Liners which are a permanent and not temporary way for a soul to be.
Takeuchi: So Heroic Spirit summons are all thanks to Einzbern?
Nasu: Heroic Spirit summons in itself is Magecraft from the Clock Tower. Einzbern are descendants of alchemists that succeeded just once in the "materialization of a soul". So it all stems from the hypothesis that if you have the Einzbern system (Holy Grail) you can summon a Heroic Spirit which was previously thought to be impossible.
Takeuchi: I see. That's it. Did you get that, Madao?

? <Silver Moon Madao>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22[T]
Q: Can Sakura in the other routes live just like other ordinary girls? Even if she doesn’t run out of control like in the HF route, I’m worried about how the insects affect her.

Q: Can Sakura in the other routes live just like other ordinary girls? Even if she doesn’t run out of control like in the HF route, I’m worried about how the insects affect her. <Dyumi>

Nasu: ………
Takeuchi: Why are you silent?
Nasu: ………
Takeuchi: Say something.
Nasu: Believe in your dreams.

? <Dyumi>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22-23[T]
Q: Was the spell for Heroic Spirit summons something that the Three Families came up with?

Q: Was the spell for Heroic Spirit summons something that the Three Families came up with? <Kariyan the Shut-In Cat>

Nasu: The original text exists elsewhere, but they made an arrangement in the details so that the wishes of the Three Families are embedded, Kariyan.
Takeuchi: Wishes?
Nasu: "The eradication of all XXXX from this world" are their... or rather, Zolgen and Justeaze's wishes. Nagato Tohsaka just kept an eye on how those two felt.
Takeuchi: You get a glimpse into complicated relationships there.

? <Kariyan the Shut-In Cat>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.23[T]
Q: BAD END 30 in the original game (which fans call the "Ironhearted END") Kotomine declares that Shirou will decide to kill Zouken, Ilya, and Rin to survive until the end. How does he go about killing all three of them?

Q: BAD END 30 in the original game (which fans call the "Ironhearted END") Kotomine declares that Shirou will decide to kill Zouken, Ilya, and Rin to survive until the end. How does he go about killing all three of them? <Hero of Justice>

Nasu: With how weaklings stand in mind, and with disregard to personal safety, he spares nothing engaging in one kill per person. He basically creates "if I can swing things into this situation there is a 1 (Shirou) to 9 (opponent) chance of winning, and a loss is instant death" situations and survives until the end.
Takeuchi: A Holy Grail War is something you can win like that?
Nasu: Barely if you use time, luck, and humanity and everything else as tools to win. But these tools disappear once you use them. You can't ever replenish them, either.
Takeuchi: Great tasks cannot be completed while sane. And that's why you call doing these things that of the ironhearted, I guess...

? <Hero of Justice>

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] II. lost butterfly Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.23[T]
Q: In the ending credits for this movie, the role played by Ms. Kawasumi was "Saber Alter". What are the definitions for "Dark" and "Alter" in this work?

Q: In the ending credits for this movie, the role played by Ms. Kawasumi was "Saber Alter". What are the definitions for "Dark" and "Alter" in this work?

Nasu: Dark is when "something that was white is contaminated and turns black". Basically falling to the Dark Side. In Fate/stay night, it just doesn't flow well to say "Dark Saber" so that later got the "Alter" title. Originally, "Alter" would be an affix for when "that Heroic Spirit is summoned with an alternate side/interpretation". No matter how different they are, they are the same Heroic Spirit.
Takeuchi: When a Dark Servant is called Alter, it just looks cool on paper, too. By the way. Alterego is also categorized as an alternate take, but is it okay to understand that it's different and separate from Alter?
Nasu: Alterego is when "one persona of that Heroic Spirit gains independence as a separate entity" so it is categorized as a separate individual. Altria and Altria Alter are the same person, but "BB" and "Passionlip" are different people, right?
Takeuchi: It just gets confusing because there is an Alterego named "Okita Alter".

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Fate/stay night - Heaven’s Feel III. spring song Animation Material[]

[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.35[T]
Q: Is Zelretch's name that well known?

Q: Is Zelretch's name that well known?

Nasu: Old bloodlines teach their children his name, and even young families have heard that "in the Clock Tower the great magician who led the World of Magecraft into battle long ago is still alive". Those who rise to the rank of Cause may eventually hear of another Magician by the name of Yumina.
Takeuchi: Is Zelretch still a vampire in Fate worlds?
Nasu: No, but he's got something along the lines of immortality all the same.

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[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.34-35[T]
Q: Looking at Case Files Information, it sounds like the First Magic was made later than Third Magic? (Also I seem to like you sleep all day?)

Q: Looking at Case Files Information, it sounds like the First Magic was made later than Third Magic? (Also I seem to like you sleep all day?)

Nasu: HOW YOUNG!! Instead of sleeping all day, I spend almost everyday just sleeping!!

To return to the main topic, the situation is somewhat complicated. The Third Magic itself existed before the Common Era, but it disappeared alongside the End of the Gods (It cannot be recreated), and 1000 years later the one who recreated it was Juzteaze. The reason why the First is called the First is a very special reason to its special nature.
Takeuchi: You know for awhile now, this corner have been asking us the Setting Information that we haven't revealed properly yet. How impressive.
Nasu: This is probably the last time for this, so I decided to take all the question without resorting to just jokes, at least the ones I can right now.

ロード・エルメロイII世の事件簿のマチリアルによると、第三魔法は紀元前100年ごろから伝わっていたようですが、第一魔法の使い手が誕生したのはAD第一魔法の方があとに成立したといたとでしょうか?? <たまに一日い>

奈: 若いな!いいコトです!こっちはた。まにどころか毎日1日中眠いです。それはそれとして、ちょいここややこしいのですが、第三魔法そのものは西日以前らあったものの、神代の終わりと共に失(実現不可)になってしまいました。すこれを1000年たって再現可能状態にしたのがユスティーツァとなります。また、一魔法が「第一」と分類されるのは、その特性も関与しています。
武: さっきから知らない設定がどんどん示されていく……このコーナーすげえ……
奈: 最後だからか、みんな遊びのない質が多かったんだよ。こっちも最後だからできるだけ答えています。

[v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] III. spring song Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A[T]
Q: Would Lord El-Melloi II still need to dismantle the Grail after Heaven's Feel?

Q: Would Lord El-Melloi II still need to dismantle the Grail after Heaven's Feel?

Nasu: With the thing that broken, it'd be more of a removal than a dismantling, but still yeah, someone has to put on the work make sure it can never operate again.
Takeuchi: I mean, logically, if you have a device that can change the world, you can't just break it and call it a day.
Nasu: Opening an event is a lot of work, and cleaning up after it's done is just as much work... This words have been hitting me very close to home for the past 20 years.

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