Fate

1st Day

(POV of Emiya Shirou)

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

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

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

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

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

I was the only one alive around here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[----]

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

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

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

----That took place ten years ago.

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

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

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

My soul was already dead.

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

"----Mm"

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

"Ah----Eh?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He was really sincere, speaking with such exaggeration.

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

"----Wow, you’re awesome"

I was impressed, and had answered him almost instantly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[----]

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

[----]

"Are you awake, senpai?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[----]

I walk toward the house from the storehouse.
The house of Emiya, is a dojou located outside the urban district.
Dad isn’t well-known aristocrat from this area, so it's hard to imagine how he managed to end up with such a big house.
That itself was already a mystery, not adding on to the fact that Emiya Kiritsugu didn't seem have any relatives in Japan.
After Dad passed away, no one took ownership of this house, and naturally it came into my possession, as his adopted son.

But to be honest, I myself don't have any managing skills either.
Death duty, property tax and complicating things like that were all handled by Uncle Fujimura.

Uncle Fujimura is the most influential landlord around here.
Dad used to say 'That uncle is like a criminal boss '.
Of course this was biased.
Uncle Fujimura wasn't just like a criminal boss; he IS a criminal boss.

"............"
I didn’t even ask, seeing the big problem that question could bring.

And speaking of the grandpa of the Fujimuras, should I say he is fearsome, well he is still pretty active that much I can be certain of, but he's not a bad guy at least.
If I help him modify his favorite motorcycle, he will pay me an insane amount of allowance in return.

Anyhow, all these reasons resolved in the fact that I live in this big house by myself.
Dad already passed away for five years.
Time sure flies.
I can't help but sigh when I ask myself how much have I matured over the past five years.

I never stop training everyday to become like Kiritsugu, but in reality it was not as smooth as I expected.
In the beginning it may be due to my lack of talent, but to not improve a bit over a span of five years, it was very questionable indeed.

If I want to describe the present situation with one sentence, it would be that the goal was set too high, and I haven't even touched the starting line yet.

"--------"
Well, it's not good to be over-anxious.
In brief, I should just practice whatever I can and do as much as possible.

Anyhow, what I should do now is----

[----]

There is a majestic dojou inside the house of Emiya.
It is built along with the constructing of this house.
It was built totally on a whim though.
The dojou doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever.

"----Okay"
Before I have my breakfast, I do a little exercise as a warm up.
I am not exactly practicing martial arts, 'If you want to do the same thing as me, physical training comes first'
Ever since Dad said that, physical training became my daily homework.

"......Ninety-nine, one hundred, done......"

Finishing the routine sit-ups, I take off my dojou clothes and change into my school uniform.
Because I overslept this morning, the time available for exercising my body completely was limited.
I left out the warm up exercises, just enough sit-ups.
I don't have the physical build to develop massive muscles, even though the body is one's capital, but I am not going to spend it on brawling with others either way.

A body only needs enough ability to react to unexpected incidents, and to keep up with the occasional reckless behavior.
Since what I wish to become, is the opposite of athletes.

"......Oh, it's already at this hour"
I place the dojou uniform which is soaked in sweat into the laundry basket.
The time is six-twenty.
For people in the house of Emiya who are accustomed to waking up early, breakfast had already started at this hour.

Breakfast had been already prepared.
Just like Sakura's style, the elegant scent of a morning meal is spreading from the dining table.

"Good work, senpai. I am done with preparing breakfast as well."
"Hm, thanks. ......Sorry, I overslept myself, and yet I still troubled Sakura."
"It was nothing, I wasn't troubled at all-. Plus Senpai didn't oversleep. Since Senpai doesn't have any club activity, to wake up at this hour is already early."

"Clubs have nothing to do with it. If that's the case, wouldn't Sakura, who has morning practice and yet still comes to my house, be even earlier?"
"Ah......No, I volunteered for this. Please don't worry about me, Senpai"

"Hm, You always say that. ......Anyway, so the reason I decided to wake up early has nothing to do with the clubs. Since Sakura is coming over, wouldn't it be really rude to you if I don't get up"

For me, waking up early means waking up before Sakura comes over, and oversleeping means letting Sakura prepare breakfast by herself.
This routine of ours started about a year and a half ago.

"Hee hee. Senpai really does care about this kind of things. Mitsuzuri-senpai often says, Emiya is careless but he's also too polite and long-winded."
Sakura smiles as if she thought of something amusing.
Speaking of Mitsuzuri, she is the female president of the archery club which Sakura belongs to, she and I are pretty close by chance of twisted fate.

"...Humph. That girl, is she bad mouthing me in front of Sakura again?"

"Yes. Mitsuzuri-senpai said she will definitely impress Senpai before graduation, she’s been practicing very hard everyday."

"......Good grief. Mitsuzuri is already in a higher dan than me. I guess that's just how it is, memories are always invincible. I don't have a problem with being glorified, but that depends on person."
"Mitsuzuri-senpai really doesn't like losing. So I think she must treat Senpai as her arch-rival secretly."

Sakura talks as she fills the bowl with rice.
It's almost six-thirty.
The morning practice of archery club starts at seven.
Though it's voluntary, you can never be too relaxed.

"Fuji-nee......should almost be here. Oh well, it's her fault for not coming here on time. Sakura, let's dig in first."
"I guess you are right. Here, please go ahead, Senpai."
Sakura smiles as she hands me the bowl.
"--------, um"
......Oh.
Though it's something I see everyday, and should’ve been used to already, my sight was captured by those fair-skinned fingers effortlessly.

"-------Um"
......How should I put it, this is bad.

Is she in her growth period? Because recently Sakura seems to have acquired an inexplicable charm.
Those unpretentious and gracious movements truly are beautiful, and the number of my gulps has also increased.
Is this retribution for never considering Sakura as a member of the opposite sex? Now, I am ever more conscious of her feminine side----

"Senpai? Is there something wrong?"
"---No, nothing. There's nothing wrong, don't mind it."
"?"
......Seriously, I'm beat.
Why am I so nervous about my friend's sister?
Sakura is only a nice understanding kohai, a kohai that I have to look after.

And in the first place, We are only in a kohai-senpai relationship.
Sakura is the sister of a friend of mine, but because she was one grade lower than us, I wasn't particular familiar with her.

This help-each-other-out relationship only started a year and a half ago.
I was suffering from an injury at that time and Sakura came over to make my meals, she persisted in coming over afterwards, and eventually it became what it is today.

......In the beginning I thought that we had an unspoken agreement that this relationship would only last until my injury was healed, however something trivial happened along the way, and for some reason I let her continue to help around the house chores.

Anyway Sakura's cooking is really delicious, and her house-keeping is also first-rate.
It is a big favor to me for her to come over so early to help around, but in recent times, it feels a bit awkward.
The problem lies not with Sakura, but with me.

"----"
To be honest, Sakura is a beauty.

Sakura already stands out among the first year students, and there must be countless people eagerly trying to get into a serious relationship with her.
Lately, she had filled out in where they count, so it’s natural that I’m often entranced by her casual gestures.

This is where the awkwardness stemmed from.
......My worry of falling in love with the sister of my friend.
It's usually fine, but sometimes I get embarrassed from sudden gestures like that, so am I really fit to be her Senpai......?

Breakfast is on the dining table.
Chicken breasts and hornwort salad, salmon teriyaki, boiled spinach, miso soup with radish and carrot, even a yam soup; there really isn't anything you can complain about this meal.

"Let's eat"
"Let's eat"

After saying this, Sakura and I sit up and proceed to enjoy our meal quietly.

Only the sounds of our chopsticks are heard.
Sakura is not a talkative girl, and I don't have the skill to talk while having food in my mouth.

So naturally, we are quiet when we’re having our meals.
Actually, it is a little bit noisier usually, but this morning, that noisy person-

Well, maybe she watched a spy movie last night or something, and now she’s hiding her face behind the newspaper, and observing the two of us secretly.

"Fujimura-sensei, don't you think it's a bad idea to read newspaper while eating?"
"....................."

Fuji-nee ignores Sakura who speaks up politely.
Though it is really suspicious, this is not the first time Fuji-nee is acting all weird during the breakfast anyway.
Sakura is probably used to it as well, as she stops paying attention to her and goes on with her meal

[----]

Speaking of which, Sakura originally specialized in Western-style cuisine.
She learned how to make Japanese-style cuisine after coming over to help.
Both Fuji-nee and I prefer Japanese cuisine, and Sakura thought that she should at least make something to our liking, so she picked up some Japanese-style cuisine as well.

As of now, Sakura's cooking skills have already surpassed mine, I being the person who taught her in the first place.
Especially the salmon teriyaki, her control of the heat is simply divine.
The flavor of her miso soup is also top notch, and recently she even has time to grind some yams to make yam soup.
Now that I think about it, I don't think this is the first she put yam soup on the table.

"Excuse me. Sakura, could you pass me the soy sauce?"
"Sure---Ah, oh no, senpai. Senpai's soy sauce was used up yesterday."
"Fuji-nee's is fine too. Go on."

"Can I, Fujimura-sensei?"
Um, Fuji-nee replies and nods.
*Rustle* The newspaper makes some noise as it shakes a little.

"Please go ahead. Is Senpai going to match this with yam soup?"
"Yeah. Doesn't yam soup generally go with soy sauce?"
Ptts, I pour the soy sauce in the yam soup.
After stirring for a while, I put it on my rice and take a bite.

Hm, the consistency of this mashed yam, and my personal insistence on this soy sauce's ultra strong spiciness-----

"Yuck......! Whoa! This tastes horrible, plus this is seasoning! And oyster oil at that!"
I couldn’t help but spit out the rice.
And now

"Hu hu, ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Whang, Fuji-nee tossed away the newspaper with her might

"How about that!? This is my battle plan of taking-advantage-of-the-morning-to-swap-the-labels-of seasoning-and-soy-sauce-!"
Ho-ho, the female spy raises her hands and yells excitedly.

"What, what were you thinking so early in the morning!? Why are you still acting like this when you’re over twenty-five already?!"
"Humph humph-, now you realize my hatred yesterday. Doesn't the one who bullies his nee-san with everyone else, deserve the wrath of Heaven?"

"It's supposed to be from Heaven, and not from people! I had thought it strange for you to be this quiet, and it turns out that you were planning this since yesterday!"

"Exactly-. It's all your fault that I now have to quickly grade my test papers, Humph, I really need to hurry or I’ll be in trouble!"

Fuji-nee sits back on her seat, finishes off her breakfast with an intense vigor.

"OK, I am full. Today's breakfast is very good too, Sakura-chan"
"Ah......yes. It's nothing special, sensei."
"I’ll be going first then. If you two are late, I will be very angry-"

Ta ta ta ta ta-, she ran off just like that.
......-The thought that such a person is a teacher of our school, really leads one believe that there's something wrong with this world.

"......Um, senpai?"
"Sorry. We finally can have breakfast but we can't enjoy it after Fuji-nee's rampage"
"No, that's not what I want to talk about......Um, did senpai do anything to Fujimura-sensei yesterday? For Fujimura-sensei to actually resort to messing with the food, it’s too much even for her."

"Hm......nothing really, it's because I accidentally used her nickname yesterday."
"It’s no wonder then. Senpai didn't apologize to Fujimura-sensei, did you?"
"You got me. I forgot about it since it was pretty common."

"It’s not surprising then, since Fujimura-sensei especially hates Senpai to use her nickname. Senpai definitely made sensei cry again, didn't you?"
"......She cried non-stop before running off by herself. Thanks to her, we had a study period for yesterday's English lesson."

And so, I accepted a student honor award made out of everyone's notebook paper, but of course, it was immediately tossed in a garbage bin.

"Seriously, Senpai is in the wrong this morning."
To Sakura, Fuji-nee is like her real sister, so it’s natural that she's on Fuji-nee's side.
Of course, this is a good thing, but I hope she also considers my feelings as the one who is spending the whole day with Fuji-nee.

Fuji-nee was a friend of Dad, and since I became the adopted son of Dad, she often dropped by at the house.
She still shows up frequently after Dad passed away, and now she has breakfast and dinner in my house, like a freeloader.

---Actually.
It was maybe because Fuji-nee acting this way and being here, I could manage to live by myself after Dad died.
Now Fuji-need, Sakura, and I are the three residents of the house of Emiya.

......Despite all that, I am still the only one knows about Dad being a Magus.

He said, a Magus must conceal one’s true identity.

Therefore I, who became the apprentice of Dad, also hid the fact that I'm learning Sorcery.

It’s just that, even though I'm supposed to be learning, I am still an amateur Magus who can't use Sorcery competently.
.
For someone like me, it does not matter whether I conceal or not, but since it was written in the will, I’ve continued to train everyday in secret.

After having breakfast, I start to prepare for school.
As I listen to the news on the television, while clearing away the dishes.

"---"
Sakura watches the television expressionlessly.
There is a sensational caption 'Gas leak accidents, continue to occur' on the screen.

The neighboring town Shinto apparently had a major accident.
The scene of the accident is in a building in the business district and all the people inside were caught in a lack of oxygen and in a life threatening state of comatose.
Though it was treated as an accident caused by leaking gas, but the same thing happened over and over recently.

"Are you disturbed by the news just now, Sakura?"
"Eh----No, not really. I just realized the accident took place in Shinto, which is quite close from here. ......Senpai, your part time job is over at Shinto, right?"
"Yeah, but it's not in a building as big as those. I don't think that accident in the news report will happen to us."

......Although I say this, these accidents shouldn't be ignored just because it didn't happen to us.
Gas leaks can happen to anyone, and more importantly, there are a few hundred victims now and my heart aches whenever I think of it.

The same accidents keep happening, and rumor has it that the cause was originated from rushing constructions back in Shinto's swift developing period.

Whether it's true or not, I really hope that no more victims show up----

"......That is dangerous. We have to watch out for it too"
"Ah, don't worry, Senpai. I always double check the plug for gas, so please relax."

Sakura thrusts out her chest with pride.

"That's not what I meant."

......Hm. I actually thought about this before, but it seems that Sakura had a few strange particularities.

[----]

"Senpai, did you lock the door inside?"
"Yeah I did. I put the latch on, any problem?"
"No. Then I will lock the front door. What time are you coming back today, Senpai?"

"I guess I will be running a little late. And Sakura?"
"Just as usual. Though I think I will probably be back earlier, so let me take care of the preparations before dinner."
"......Hm, I appreciate it. I will try to come home as early as possible"

Click, the door is locked.
Both Sakura and Fuji-nee have the key to my house, so it's up to the last person leaving to lock the door.
"Let's go. You won't make it to morning practice if we don't hurry."
"OK. Then let us walk a little faster, Senpai."

[----]

Sakura and I walk towards town together.
After passing through a long row of walls and going down the slope, a more crowded residential area is spread out before us.
The Emiya resident is on top of the slope, which was a fair distance from the central region of the town.

Along this way down the slope, then walk out of the residential area, if you keep going, you will arrive at the crossroads of the central region.

From here, there is the main bridge that connects to the neighboring town, the slope to Ryudo Temple
The residential area that is opposite my house, the shopping district that Sakura visits often, and finally, the school we are heading now, there are many different forks.

Without strolling around, we head to the school directly.
Sakura steps on the slope without talking much.
Since it's only seven o'clock, the road to school is quite deserted.
Other than us, there are only a few students walking leisurely, for the club activities in the morning.

"Then see you later. Good luck with your club."
Parting with Sakura at the school gate is part of our custom as well.
As Sakura is in the archery club, we go our separate ways from here in the morning.

".................."
Despite that-
Sakura didn't go straight to the archery club.

"Sakura? Are you not feeling well?"
"......No, it's not that......um, Senpai. Do you want to go visit the archery field sometimes?"

"No, I have nothing to do in the archery field anyway. Plus, Issei asked me to do him a favor today, I have to go to the student’s council quickly."

"......That, that's true. Sorry, I said too much."
Sakura lowers her head, and bows.
"?"

"Excuse me for now. Senpai, please look forward to the dinner"
Sakura runs toward the archery field with an apologetic expression on her face.
"......?"
Eh. Was there some sort of meaning behind those words......?

[----]

"Issei, are you there?"
"I'm here. You’re a little late this morning, Emiya."
Was he studying before class, the male student who seems to be reading some sort of report, raises his face.

"Is Issei the only one present, what happened to the others? It shouldn't be unusual for them to be here by now."
"No, unfortunately our club members are very professional. They follow the working hours precisely, and don't intend to arrive early or stay after."
"Is that why the president of student council has to handle the all odd ends by himself? Sounds tough."

"How so? I volunteered for this. It makes no sense for Emiya to sympathize with me"
"? No, who said I was sympathizing with Issei?"
"Hmm, what a pity, don't bother it then. We both gave it too much thought."

Doh doh, the one filing the reports is Issei, the boss of this student council room
Issei is the guy that had planned to reform the laid-back student council from scratch, and he has been my friend since first grade.
His full name is Ryudo Issei
An delicate face in contrast to that antique name, he is extremely popular among the female students
On top of that, he's also the president of student council

"Hm, the best drink for morning is indeed hot tea that numbs the tongue after all."

He takes a sip of the boiled tea, I still don't understand
Issei's personality is very modest this way
Yet he is often misunderstood, though he has never been involved in any relationship, nor does he fool around like other students
When it comes down to it, he is the son that's going to inherit the Ryudo Temple on the mountain
Since even he himself thinks that inheriting the temple is a is a good idea, there is a high possibility that he will become a lofty monk after graduation.

"Well. What are we going to do today?"
"Hm? Aah, sit down and drink a cup of tea first---is what I wanted to say, but there is no time. I will explain as we move along, and bring the usual tools."

[----]

"Let me be frank. Our school is extremely unbalanced when it comes to money."
"I know. Special treatment towards the sport related clubs, and nothing left for the others, right?"
"Humph. As a result, the members of the cultural club are treated unfairly. I already tried my best to request for more budget, but it's not going well as the distribution of the school budget is unclear. The classrooms for cultural clubs are still no good for this reason. Especially we can't do anything about it if the stoves are not enough for winter"

"Is that so. ----Ah, give me the flat-bladed screwdriver. The largest one. And the conducting wire too......Hm, this should be fine"
"Conducting wire? ......Hm, is this it? Sorry, I can't really tell. Correct me if I’m wrong."
"There is no need for that if you're right. Then, what happened to those with not enough stoves? Are there other broken ones somewhere?"

"Yes. The stoves in the second multi-media room and the fine art club have some problems. There are more and more petitions for requests to buy new ones."
"But there isn't any budget for it, is that it?. ......It's only deteriorating after all. It should be fine as long as there isn't anything wrong inside"

"......Hu. Can you fix it, Emiya?"
"I can do it. In this kind of situation, old fashioned things are easier to understand. It's only a distribution line that had short circuited. So once it’s replaced with a new one, it will be good to go this year."
"So that's it! You are great Emiya, I am very happy to have asked you."

"Your Japanese is weird, Issei. ......Oh, just one more thing, could you leave for a second?"
"Hm, I definitely can't distract Emiya."

Issei leaves the classroom quietly
......It appears that, he thought I was going to work on some delicate operations

"......Well, it is pretty delicate, if you think about it......"
I touch the old fashioned electric stove
Generally speaking, even if you are accustomed to this type of repairs, it's still difficult to figure out where's the problem by sight alone.
The reason why I’m able to know is because my method is not ordinary

I close my eyes, and observe the interior of the stove with my senses
---In the meantime
An image appears in my brain

"......There are two broken circuits in the electric heating wire......the electric heating unit is still there......the power coils can be fixed with insulating tapes......"
......Great, it can still be repaired with just the tools on hand.

If the electric heating unit is spoilt then an amateur won't be able to take care of it
By that time I will have to take a non-amateur way to 'enhance' it, however to be able to observe the interior is enough for now

All of Emiya Shirou's 'Sorcery' was taught by Kiritsugu

"----Alright, let's get to work"
Opening the case, I start to repair the interior circuits
Since I already know where the problem is, the procedure after that becomes easy
"......Sigh. I am only good at this."

Without a doubt. Emiya Shirou has almost no talent for Sorcery.
On the contrary, I am ridiculously good at observing the interior of objects and relating them to actual blueprints.
In fact, when I reproduced the imagining blueprints, Dad's eyes went wide open in shock, sighed as he said 'What a useless talent.'

What I am good at is apparently a meaningless talent
Dad said, it's a waste to grasp the structure of an object visually
As an Magus, there's no use to accurately comprehend the most minute details of the structure

Theoretically, to be able to read the core of the object quickly, and then change it faster before anyone else, is how battles of the Magi are fougt.
Therefore it's only a waste of energy to read the blueprints, because even if you read it, you would only know which route is easier for Mana to pass through

For many reasons, I can only use my forte to repair malfunctions
However you look at it, I don't have the need to dismantle objects to find the problems
Just quickly finding out where is wrong with it, then with the repairing technique, most of the things can be repaired

But, of course this is limited to the junk that can be repaired with 'a little amateur's common sense'

"---Done. Let's move on to the next one".

Collecting the used conducting wires, I grasp a screwdriver and a wrench in my hands and go to the hallway.

[----]

"Issei, I am done fixing."
----Oh
Out in the hallway, there is another female student besides Issei

"----"
I am a little surprised
Issei is talking to Tohsaka Rin from second year class A.
The young lady who lives in an extraordinarily large mansion on the hills, is also a top student
She’s attractive, has good grades, along with excellent athletic talent, and zero drawbacks
She has a well-bred and rational mind, and doesn't act arrogant just because she is beautiful; she’s what every man wants

And because she is like that, it’s needless to say that she is worshiped like an idol by the male students
But in Tohsaka's case, she has become a unapproachable flower because she’s too perfect
All the boys agree on this, and the only ones who can talk to Tohsaka are Issei, and the teachers

......Well, to be honest, I am also male
Emiya Shirou is, without exception, among the male students who are in awe of Tohsaka Rin

"..............."
Tohsaka is looking at us, as if she’s not in a good mood
Rumor has that Issei and Tohsaka don't get along with each other, seems likely

"Ah, excuse me. Sorry I had to let Emiya do all the work, even though I was the one that asked you to do it in the first place. Please forgive me"
Ooh
To completely ignore Tohsaka and instead starts to talk to me, Issei is incredible

"Don't mention it. So, where's the next one? We're running out of time."
"Aah, next one is in the multi-media room. Apparently it's not working the way it should for quite some time now, and this time it finally went flat."

"If it's already dead, then there's no way I can fix it. It would be better if you just bought another one."
"......That's true, but just do me a favor. Although it looks like its near the brink of death to me, but maybe if you took a look at it instead, it would just be faking it."

"Is that so? Let me give it a try then."
There is not even thirty minutes left until homeroom
If we want to repair it, we better hurry or we won't make it

I hurried Issei toward the multi-media classroom
But, since we already met, it's impolite to ignore her completely

I stop and turn my head towards Tohsaka
"You're early today, Tohsaka"
After giving my honest comment, I go after Issei

[----]

"We almost didn't make it. Sorry Emiya, I troubled you again. I can't be called your friend if I make you late for helping me out."
"Don't sweat it. It's okay for me to be late. It would be a problem if Issei was late though"
"That's true. Phew, luckily we made it"
Issei gives out a sigh, and walks to his seat while patting his chest

The time is exactly eight o'clock
The bell before homeroom rings, so Fuji-nee should be here in five minutes

"---Phew"
Since I ran all the way from the multi-media classroom, my breathing is a bit unsteady
After taking a deep breath, I walk to my own seat

"Emiya, you've been pretty busy this early. I was wondering what you were up to after quitting the club, so I guess you went ahead to kiss Ryudo's arse? It has nothing to do with me, but don't do anything that will lower the reputation of our club. After all, you don't have much integrity."

In front of my seat, stands my friend since middle school, Matou Shinji
From the last name Matou you can tell, he's the brother whose one year older than Sakura

"Hey. Is everything alright in archery club, Shinji?"
"Of, of course......! There is no point to talk to outsiders, but ever since we got rid of a certain pushy guy, the club has become a lot more peaceful. Maybe we can even get a good ranking in the next competition again!"

"I see. So Mitsuzuri is working hard."
"Huh? What rubbish are you babbling about? It's all because of me that the archery club can break the record. Emiya, you are already an outsider, don't you feel ashamed to talk as if you know everything?"

"I see, I will be careful. But I don't have any business with the archery club anyway, it shouldn't matter"
I put the book bag on the table, and pull out the chair

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you're not interested in my archery club?"
"Business, not interest. I am already an outsider, wouldn't it be strange for me to hang out in the archery field. But if you have something to say, just say it. If you need any help, I will do it for you. Shinji is not very good with pulling bowstrings and repairing bows, right?"

"I see, thanks. If there are errands available, I will let you take care of it. But there shouldn't be anything like that."

"Aah, I am relieved. One cannot be called a president if he leave errands unattended. Don't upset Fujimura-sensei too often. She is really scary when she's angry."
"......! Humph, that's uncalled for. Anyway, you are already an outsider so don't come close to the field!"

Shinji returns to his seat as usual
......Hm? Why is that guy especially irritable today

"What's that guy babbling. How can he say that when he kicked Emiya out himself?"
"Oh Issei, so you were here"
"What do you mean by 'oh'! How can you treat a very concerned friend who listened in so coldly!"

"? What concern? I haven't done anything that would concern Issei"
"Fool, of course I was concerned since you’re very short-tempered. Though everyone will cheer you on if you beat that Shinji, the girls would probably send you a storm of complaints. It's not good to put a friend in this position."

"I see. Hm, that’s true when I think about it. Thanks Issei. I doubt that will happen, but thank you for your concern."
"Hm, as long as you get it. ......But I must say I am very surprised. Emiya is obviously short-tempered, but you are very lenient toward Matou"
"Aah, Shinji has always been that way. I got used to it after a while"

"Hm, so that's it"
"That's it. Alright, if you understand then go back to your own seat. It's about time for Fujimura-sensei to fly in here."
"Ha ha ha. Rather than flying, it looks more like floating."

[----]

The bell rings as the homeroom begins
Even though most of the homeroom teachers come in five minutes earlier, our teacher is nothing like that

For second year class C, our homeroom starts at exactly one minute after the bell, or

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late---!"

When we welcome the screaming and dashing Fuji-nee to the classroom does it really start

"Good, I made it-! Everyone, mor----"

Ko-dong
Fuji-nee trips over and makes a sound that feels dangerous from a physiology point of view

"--------"

The classroom suddenly becomes speechlessly silent from the chaos only a minute ago
What a blunt way to change scene
No wonder Fuji-nee is the only one worthy of the title 'The Human Jet-Plane'

......Then again, the angle she fell at was no joke
Fuji-nee collapsed after she bumped into the desk
Though we couldn’t see her face, but that leaves us more space for horrifying imagination

"......Hey, the front row, call the teacher up."
"......Eh-, no way-......She will slurp me if I get close."
"......It's not like she's an alien, even Fuji-nee won't do that."
"Hey you, if you say so then why don't you go?"
"Whoa, I can't do that. I am not good at this."
"Me neither! And why do we girls have to do it!? You boys should handle it!"

The front row is becoming restless
For us who are seated in the middle row, we still don't have a clue about Fuji-nee's predicament

Since we don't have a clue, everyone just starts to stand on their seats to take a peep

"Hold on a second, sensei is not moving. Did she knock herself out?"
Someone asked a very sensible question.
The problem now is how are we supposed to take Fuji-nee to the nurse under these circumstances?

Everyone has already spent a whole year with Fuji-nee
It's about time to break the tradition of taking the homeroom teacher to nurse

"Fujimura-sensei......? Um-, are you ok-?"

A female student speaks up bravely
Fuji-nee didn't move an inch
The wavering spreads out gradually

"......The way she fell just now looked pretty bad. Didn't her head bump into the lecture table in a bad angle? Fujimura must be invincible if she is still not hurt after that."
"Hm-, how about letting Fujimura-sensei joins the baseball club?"
"Do, don't scare me......! Back when Tiger was our advisor, we made it all the way to Koshien!"
"Fujimura-sensei, Fujimura-sensei......! This is bad, there's no response......!"

"Hey, you should go wake her up since she's right in front of you"
"Eeh!? No way, I will get myself killed if I do that."
"But, we can't just leave it like, I'm afraid that something scary might happen."
"So no one wants to do it."
"......There is no other way then. We can only do that when it comes down to this."
"Yeah, let's do that."
"One, two, three-"

Everyone is in unison
......Aah, except Shinji and I, as we don't dare to open our mouths for something on such a terrifying scale/

"One, two, three-, Wake up-, Tiger!"

Everyone in the class call out together, but the voices are as quiet as if they were murmuring
Especially with the pronunciation of 'Tiger' almost unrecognizable
However

......(Trembling)
Fuji-nee who has remained silent up till now, begins twitching

"Ooh, she moved!? Everyone, it's working!"
"OK-Let's keep going!"
Perhaps their minds are fried because of the approaching finals
Just leaving her alone is fine, but not only are they waving their hands, they even used Fuji-nee's nickname

"Wake up Tiger. It's already morning-"
"Sensei, You are a Tiger if you don't wake up!"
"Don't lose, Tiger! Stand up, Tiger!"
"OK-, wake up sensei! This is the way of Tiger!"
"Ti-Ger-! Ti-Ger-!"

"Growl---! Don't call me Tiger---!"

A flash
There is not a scratch on Fuji-nee even after that kind of impact, as she stands tall on the earth glaringly

"......Ah? What is everyone doing? You shouldn't stand up during homeroom. Hurry, sit down before it starts"

Fuji-nee is standing before the lecture table as usual
......Apparently, all her memories of dashing into the classroom to standing back up, have been neatly forgotten.

"......Hey, Tiger doesn't seem to remember"
"......Lucky, we've been having pretty good luck since this morning"
"......No, can you really call this good luck......"
The students are making a racket as they returning to their seats

"Humph. Who was that, do you take your sensei for a fool?"
"Oh, no. You are hearing things, sensei"
"I see, very well then. Everyone listens up, today's homeroom is going to start."

Fuji-nee begins the homeroom leisurely
She even adds in some gossip in between announcements, so no one is taking her seriously

"That's all, everyone will need to follow the scheduled time for leaving school. School closes at six, and even those with clubs can't stay longer than that."
"Eh-, six, but then it will be all over in a minute-. Taiga-sensei, could you go easy on the sport clubs?"
"No can do. And Gotoh, you have to address sensei as Fujimura-sensei, and if you call me by my first name the next time, I will be angry, ok?"
"OK-, I will make a note of that-"
Gotoh acts as if he is not going to take a note of that at all and sits back down

......What a novice
When Fuji-nee says she will be angry, she really will be. Even if the opponent is a student and she’s a teacher.
That was the very last diplomatic warning when she's going extremely near to her limit, and that Gotoh didn't even realize it.

"Then that concludes today's homeroom. I will see you all in the English class in the third period-!"
Fuji-nee walks away while waving her hands

Homeroom teacher of second year class C, Fujimura Taiga
Also known as Tiger
Though the nickname rouses her angers, but she can't do anything about it since it's true

Though she was named Taiga despite being a girl, Fuji-nee gets along with everyone. But Fuji-nee herself hates the nickname Tiger very much.
Fuji-nee said that the nickname is very unladylike
But since she acts in that manner, who else is to be blamed for her unladylike nickname

"Class begins. Student on duty, give the word."
And so, the teacher of first period class passed by Fuji-nee and walked in
The morning of our class has been like this invariably, since Fuji-nee always spends every last minute of the homeroom

And then, an entire day of classes ended as usual
Some students are rushing to their clubs, and some are going home right after school, while those who have nothing to do just stay in the classroom, all sorts
As for me, I am not in any of those three categories

"Excuse me, are you free, Emiya? I want to continue what we started this morning. Do you have spare time today?"
"Well, I do have plans."
Its not for fun though
The main reason why I quit the archery club was because of my part-time jobs

Ever since Dad passed away, I thought that I should at least take care of my living expenses so I started to work part-time, and it had been that way for five years.
Even after taking so many jobs, there are some requests that I just can't turn down

Such as today
For the bar's wholesale, the owner hoped that I could come because she needed as much manpower as she could get.
Its not necessary that I have to go though. The job is the kind where we simply gather around some friends
So we can have fun after work

"----"
There are two choices
I want to----

[----]

The repairs are not done yet
So let me wrap up what we started this morning.

"Change of plans. Let's continue on the repairs from this morning, so just leave them to me. I am going to finish off the repairs before the exams."
"I am saved. Let's take a look at the patient in the fine art club then."
"OK. ......Oh, just make sure you drive away the people. I can't concentrate when there's somebody watching."
"Certainly. No one will distract you."
I follow the hasty Issei to the hallway and leave the classroom in a hurry

When I left the school building, it was already dark outside.
The school gate is closed
The time now is seven o'clock, and though it’s way over the closing time, but I wasn't reprimanded thanks to Issei's intervention.

"Sigh, I am really saved today. I will definitely repay you, whatever you want, just say it and don't hold back"
"Alright, I will ask you when I need it. Then again, I don't really have anything in mind. But it's not like I helped you in order to get something in return, plus I don't really need to beg Issei for favors anyway."

"......Seriously, you should reflect for being too nice. I was saved because Emiya is here, but I can't stand how other people asking you to run their errands for them. Helping people is a good deed, but shouldn't you at least pick the people you're going to help? In Emiya's case, you just grant favors to anyone who asks for it."
"? I’m really not picking the people?"
"Humph. You are been taken advantage of by fools unwittingly. Emiya, you're busy yourself, so it's ok to turn down others' requests from time to time."

"----"
I'm not so sure, but it seems that Issei is worried about me.
Ever since middle school, people often praise me, saying that Emiya is very helpful in that he never refuses any request, and doesn't ask favors in return

Issei finds this bad
But I am doing this voluntarily, so there shouldn't be a problem since I also refuse people very frankly if I don't think I can handle it

"Don't worry about it, Issei. I know myself the best. Plus, helping others is a good deed, right? It's not something to be reprimanded by the son of a temple."
"Nevertheless, you’re overloading yourself. You will breakdown if this continues."

"Your advice is noted. See you tomorrow in school."
"......Humph. See you tomorrow then."

Issei looks dissatisfied as he walks off.
His home at the Ryudo Temple requires him to go towards the hill in order to reach it, so it’s natural for us to split here on my way home.

I walk on the night-lit street.
Gazing at the starry night of winter as I walk on top of the hill road, I notice that there is no one around
It's about seven-thirty
I won't be surprised if there are people walking everywhere at this hour, but there is nobody outside

"......Of course, now that I think about it."
Just a few days ago, something happened in Miyama town
I think it was a robbery and murder case of home intrusion
No pedestrians, along with the school’s closing time changed to six were probably caused by that event

"......Gas leaks and robbery. It's getting dangerous around here."
No wonder people have stopped going out at night
It's dangerous to let Sakura walk back by herself
Fuji-nee is another matter, but Sakura's home is in the residential area on the other side
I have to walk her home starting from today---

"......?"
For an instant, I doubt my own eyes
A figure appears on the aforementioned deserted hill road
In the middle of the hill road, as if lowering her gaze towards me from up there, that figure comes to a halt

"-------"
I hold my breath unconsciously
The silver haired girl smiles as if amused, and walks down the hill without making a sound

In the middle-

"If you don't call it out quickly, you will be dead, Oniichan."

Bizarre words came out from her lips.

[----]

I came back home after climbing up the hill
The lights in the house are on, so Sakura and Fuji-nee have already returned

I can smell a delicious aroma once I enter the living room
Sakura and Fuji-nee are having dinner right beside the dining table
Tonight's main dish is butter chicken, and Fuji-nee who loves white sauce the most appears to be in a good mood.

"Senpai, you are home. Sorry we started without you."
"I'm home. Sorry for being late. I wish I could come back earlier."
"It's ok, you still have time. Just a little longer, your meal will be ready in a second"
"Hm, I'll leave it to you then. I am going to wash my hands, watch out for Fuji-nee, and don't let her take other people's food"
"Yes, I will watch her carefully."

[----]

I am back in my room
The room is pretty empty when compared to the warehouse, but since I don't have much hobbies, these are enough decorations for me
Though most of these are objects with unknown purposes that has been thrown around by Fuji-nee

After washing my hands, I change my clothes and return to the dining room, in which dinner has already been prepared on the dining table

"Let's start."
"Yes, hopefully the food is to your liking......"
Sakura is being very humble.

Sakura's cooking skills have been improving dramatically over the past year.
As of now, there is no chance for me to beat her in Western style, though I can still manage in the Japanese style, but neither of us know Chinese style though
I feel happy for the improvement made by my apprentice, but a master will always feel lonesome when he’s surpassed by his apprentice

"----Mm"
It’s just as good as I expected.
The longer you cook chicken, the harder it gets. That's why you should bake the surface nicely before cooking, despite all the troubles, this is the only way to make a juicy finishing product without losing its flavor
The control on this part is rather delicate, and it's a professional art that the clumsy Fuji-nee can never master

"How is it, senpai......? Um, I thought I did pretty well today......"
"Flawless. The white seasoning sauce is quite stunning. I am no longer on par with Sakura in Western style cooking."

"Mmm, ever since Sakura-chan took over the kitchen, all the dishes with meat have begun to taste better."
At this point
Fuji-nee who has been concentrating on dining, raises her head

"Ah. Bad-, Shirou. Students shouldn't come home this late"
......Ah
She was in a good mood because of the dinner prepared by Sakura, but now her mood is ruined after seeing me

"Seriously, you went out of your way to help others again, right? While that certainly is a good thing, you should really come back earlier. Didn't I already mention that ‘it's dangerous as of late’ during homeroom? That was meant for you, Shirou"

"......Let me put it this way. You didn't have to take up homeroom time just for me, why couldn't you just tell me at home?"
"It’s because you wouldn't listen. Making specific announcements in the school for Shirou is far more effective"
"......Sensei, I think that's abusing your professional authority and involving private matters in public affairs"

"No way, it wouldn't be effective against Shirou otherwise. You are always at a loss by helping others. To come straight back to home for a break once in a while isn’t such a bad idea, stupid"
"Humph. What do you mean by stupid? What's wrong with helping others out, you are not at a loss if you actually help someone."

"......Sigh, so much like Kiritsugu. Nee-san will get worried if you are like this."
What worry? Fuji-nee is taking in food heartily.

"......Um, Fujimura-sensei. Did you say, senpai was like this since a long time ago?"
"Yep, since a long time ago. He's the type that will help out anyone who is in trouble by himself. He’s not exactly poking his nose into others' business, but Shirou is just simply precocious."

He he he, Fuji-nee makes a threatening smile
"Fuji-nee. I will get angry if you say something redundant. And Sakura, stop asking such boring questions."

I glare at the two
Fuji-nee groans and conceded, but yet
"Fujimura-sensei, please go on"
Sakura is taking it seriously

"Then I will keep going. Well-, Shirou has the personality of a man who can't ignore people in trouble. The kind of man that support the weak and oppose the strong. He once wrote that his dream was to become a defender of justice on his composition when he was little"

"----"
......Talking about the past again, Fuji-nee
I can't interrupt her since she's speaking the truth
Also, to become a defender of justice is an unchanging goal even now

"Wow. Senpai was such a wonderful child"
"Hm, wonderful indeed-. He would always come to the rescue when girls are being picked on by the older boys, and he tried very hard to be familiar with house-hold chores because Kiritsugu was lazy."

"A-ah, he used to be so adorable and pure, how did he end up being such a difficult child-"

"Because Fuji-nee was here. The child thought about lots of things after growing up while watching an useless adult. If you can't swallow that then make your own meals."
"------What"
Fuji-nee took a blow
I thought she'd lower her head and reflect on herself

"Sob, Nee-san is so hurt. Sakura-chan, one more serving."
Yet she just sticks out her rice bowl for the third time

After dinner, I took a break, the clock now points at nine

"Alright, let's do something."
There is still time until my night training
For now----

[----]

---True
I should rest a bit in preparation of tonight's training

"The bathing water is heated up as well. I will just ask Fuji-nee to walk Sakura back"
Let's do it now since I already made the choice
First off, wake up Fuji-nee who fell asleep in the living room, then thank Sakura for the dinner, watch those two going back home, take a back
And finally take a break----

A day ended, period
Right before twelve at midnight, Emiya Shirou must proceeds the 'Sorcery' that has already became a daily lesson

"--------"
I sit down and cross my legs, adjusting my breaths
First, I turn my mind into a blank sheet of paper as much as possible
Then, peel off the contacts to the outside world, and finally turning all of my consciousness inward

"----Trace, on"

Similar to self-suggestion, I recite the incantation that I accustomed to
No, that probably really is self-suggestion
Without any magical seal, nor knowledge of Sorcery, incantating is the only thing I can do to change myself.

...In the beginning, there are no nerves inside human body that could transport mana
To create pseudo-nerves that are changed temporarily, you need a concentration that will overpower your body and entire nervous system

Sorcery is a battle with oneself
For example, at the moment, my backbone feels as if it were penetrated by a burning hot iron rod
That iron rod is the only 'magical circuit' I can prepare
It is by taking this circuit and extending it deep inside my body before connecting it with the other nerves, can I only use Sorcery

This is not an analogy
In actuality, there is 'something like a fire-tong' that cannot be seen nor touched on Emiya Shirou's backbone, slowly inserting in

----I am a Magus

Kiritsugu who said this, was in fact a Magus
Learned in the numerous ways of the occult, has a deep understanding of the structure of the world, making various miracles, purely a Magus
When I was young, I looked up to Kiritsugu and begged him to teach me Sorcery

However, not everyone can be a Magus. One requires inborn talent, along with the corresponding knowledge
I certainly didn't have any inborn talent, and Kiritsugu never taught me the knowledge necessary for Sorcery either
When I asked him why, he said I didn't need them.

I still don't know what his words meant.
But, I didn't care either way when I was young
I thought that as long as I could use Sorcery, I could be just like Kiritsugu

Even though I have neither the inborn talent---such numbers of magical circuits, and the magical achievement that has been accumulated through generations.

The magical achievement of Kiritsugu......as in the magical seal of the Emiyas, apparently can only transferred to blood relatives
The proof of Magus, the magical seal, will cause rejection on people with no blood relation
As a adopted son, I cannot accept the seal of the Emiyas

However
In actuality, I’m ignorant of what a magical seal is, so the possession of it or not doesn't really make a difference
It's all up to me in the end
If I want to be a Magus, I can only learn Sorcery that is compatible to my own attribute

Sorcery, radically speaking is a technique of releasing mana
Substituting mana with vitality is fine too
Mana can be divided into the large source which fills up the world, or the small source which is born inside the body of living things

Speaking of large and small sources, it’s needless to say large source is superior to the smaller source
The mana made by a human's small source, and the large source that fills up the world, the extent of power is on a different level
No matter what the Sorcery, it can surpass the Sorcery used by individuals easily, as long as it has access to a larger source

For this reason, all the great Magi are experts at techniques that draw mana from the world
It is similar to a filter.
Magi let their bodies to be used as transferring circuits; drawing mana from the outside world, and thereafter, convert it into mana accessible by men

This transferring circuit is referred as a magical circuit by Magi

This is a true inborn talent, as the number of magical circuits are decided from the moment of birth
Ordinary people barely have any magical circuits at all
Since it is something rare to begin with
Therefore Magi would accumulate the lineage for many generations, by letting their descendants to have flesh that is more compatible to Sorcery

There are clans would go so far as to do things like modifying genes to increase the number of magical circuits in their children

......Enough of that. Because of this, I, who was born into an ordinary family, did not expect to have a lot of magical circuits.

There is only one way in this case
Kiritsugu said that there is at least one compatible system of Sorcery for everyone
He also said something about following man's 'origin' to take out his mana, but I couldn't understand that part at all
One thing for sure though, there is a Sorcery that even a person like me can use, if I train that Sorcery, then I can maybe one day become like Kiritsugu.

And so, I learned only that Sorcery.
That was eight years ago
Kiritsugu hesitated for a long time, before he accepted me as his apprentice with a solemn expression

--Listen well, Shirou. Learning Sorcery is to stray from reason. When it's your time to die you must die, when it's the time to kill, you must kill
Since our essence is not life, but death. Sorcery, is only a road to self-destruction---

The mind of a boy couldn't comprehend what fear is
Kiritsugu placed his hand on top of Emiya Shirou, who was nodding whole-heartedly, and he gave a bitter smile helplessly

---What I’ll be teaching you will bring forth disputes
Do not use it in front of others, and you shouldn't slack off in training because it is difficult
But it's okay to give up
The most important thing is that Sorcery is not for oneself, but rather it is for others. In such a case, Shirou can only be a spell-caster, not a Magus

......Kiritsugu probably didn't wish Emiya Shirou to become a Magus
I think that is fine too
What I looked up to was Kiritsugu, not a Magi
If I can only become like Kiristugu, like that blazing red sun which exist for others, then I will----

"--------"
......Some distracting thoughts show up
It feels like the iron rod penetrated my body and slipped into a forbidden zone

"Uh, um----!"
If my breath is thrown into disorder now, then I really can’t be saved. The pseudo-magical circuits will erode my body, tearing apart my insides piece by piece
It will be all over to that point
Emiya Shirou will become known as the amateur that lost his life, from failing to use this basic technique----

"---, ----, ------------"
I grind my teeth as if I want to crush them, and then the connection again.
After struggling with the pain of walking on top a mountain of needles, the iron rod reached the depth of my flesh, and finally melted itself as part of my body.

......Up to this point, I spent almost an entire hour
Spending all that times to finally made a pseudo-nerve, which will turn myself into a mana producing circuit.

"----Basic substance, confirmed"

And then it's just letting the mana flow in naturally
Emiya Shirou is not a Magus
But rather a spell-caster that produces mana inside his body, and then transfers that mana to objects

Meaning that his sorcery could only do one thing
That is----

"----Composing materials, confirmed"

The enhancement of objects
It is just a 'enhancement' Sorcery that grasps the structure of the target object, and transfers mana to reinforce its abilities temporarily

"----Basic substances, change"
In front of my eyes is a broken iron pipe
Pouring mana into it, is simply a Sorcery that enhances its hardness

Supposedly, to pour in one's own mana into objects beside oneself, is the same as mixing poison
For instance, Emiya's blood is not blood to the iron pipe. Even if it can be enhanced by pouring in a different blood, it will only increase the speed of disintegration
In order to prevent such a situation, and turn that poison into medicine, one must correctly grasp the structure of the component, and then pour in mana into the 'open void'

"--, --, Composing materials, reinforce"

......This is probably a piece of cake for a experienced Magi, but in my case, I who can't even produce mana properly, this is as difficult as shooting a target a few hundred meters away
On a side note, the distance of one shot for archery is twenty-seven meters
I don't I think there's a need to explain how tough it is, when the difficulty is multiplied by a double digit number----

"Uh......!"
The heat inside my body is fading rapidly
The iron rod that penetrated my backbone disappeared, and my lungs are pressed to its limit, demanding oxygen greedily

"Hah---ah, hah, hah, ah----!"

My body curled up, enduring the vertigo which can easily snatch away my conscious

"Ah----ah, shit, did I fail again----"

The iron pipe didn't change. The mana I pour in gets dispersed outside

"......it's so difficult to do it on something that already has shape and form."

It’s is like adding an additional stroke to a completed piece of art.

Performing a Enhancement on a completed object bears a danger of decreasing its completeness
The supposedly reinforcing stroke sometimes can also decrease the value of the art piece itself
And as a result, 'Enhancement' is a simple yet difficult Sorcery, so not many Magi like to use it

......No, I don't really like to use it as well, but there's no other way since I have no alternative ability
It's probably easier to rub and knead shapeless clay to make copies, but those copies are only reproductions of the originals, and even then, it is only on the exterior and not the interior

The junk lying around are examples of that
When I fail to use 'Enhancement' Sorcery, I also started to practice making copies to calm myself, and these are the results, all of which are lacking interiors
Since it's the blueprint that clearly describes the object, it can therefore reproduce the exterior extremely well, though the interior is empty, which is of course useless in that case

"--------"
I wipe away the sweat on forehead
When I came to my senses, I found my entire body drenched in sweat as if it was splashed by water
......Anyway, to be able to end it at this stage is already fortunate
The situation I was in just now was really dangerous
If I had recovered just a breath short, then almost all of my internal organs would've be ruined

"......If I can improve on the brink of death, then there's still hope"

There’s no way something that convenient would happen
However it's true that Sorcery cannot be improved if one is fearful of death

Because the day you learned Sorcery, was the day that death would always be beside you
Even the common, worthless Sorcery you are used to everyday, can go awry as a result of one little mistake, taking away the life of spell-caster

The first realization as a Magus is to accept death

----Kiritsugu said that it was sorrowful

Perhaps he was only hinting at it, as he didn't wish for me to have that sort of realization

"......Helping someone is not helping someone else. ......Is the defender of justice, very selfish......"
When I said that I want to become like Kiritsugu in the past, Kiritsugu would say these words to me again and again
I didn't understand the meaning behind those words
Just that, Emiya Shirou, must become someone like Kiritsugu who help others everywhere, and become a defender of justice

"......On the contrary, I can't even handle the basics. How can I have distracting thoughts at this crucial moment, idiot"

Capturing the structure of an object with sight is amateurish
An outstanding Magus only capture the diseased part, pour in mana without wasting

----My dream is to become a defender of the justice

I recall Fuji-nee's words during dinner
I don't believe that it is something to be ashamed of, nor impossible to achieve
Because it is absolute. Emiya Shirou will inherit it from Emiya Kiritsugu

I am doing what I can do, despite being an amateur
I don't know what kind of man a defender of justice is
But it is precisely because of my ignorance, that I am only helping others within my ability at the moment, and approaching my goal in this manner

Even after five years, though I know what direction to take, but I’m still confused

"......Aah really, I don't understand Kiritsugu at all. Just what do I have to do to become a defender of justice?"

I gaze at the sky through the window
There is no point in doing it for the clouds, for others
I know that a defender of the justice is not just about helping others
Even though I knew, but over the past five years, I never caught the important part of what to do in order to become a different man

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