Fate
2nd Day
......It was very dark when I woke up
Perhaps I’m the type that doesn't dream too much, because so long as nothing momentous has happened, I’ll just keep having the same dream over and over again.
[----]
......The thing I imagined was usually a sword
For some unknown reason, that's the only thing that came up in my mind
There is no meaning nor explanation for it
Perhaps, it may be the substance that Emiya Shirou is composed of
I do not dream
The things that I recall after falling asleep are what others have told me in the past
Things related to Magi for example
Even for an amateur Magus, it's only natural for me to be curious about the world that I exist in
---In short, Magi are loners in contrast to civilized society
Even if they are loners, they can't exist without gathering in groups
Kiritsugu told me that the organization of Magi was named the 'Mage Association'
......Furthermore, I should never be involved with them
The organization that is the Mage Association, is allegedly responsible for the concealment of Sorcery, and the monitoring of Magi
To put in simple terms, they are a dangerous authority that prevents Magi from influencing modern society with Sorcery, though they do not prohibit them from abusing Sorcery
According to Kiritsugu, the Mage Association is only concerned with the concealing of the occult
Take for example if there is a Magus who sacrificed many normal people in his research, then the Association would not punish them
Their aim is to hide Sorcery from the public, and not the prohibitation of Sorcery
Put simply, they are a group of dangerous people who would resort to any means necessary, as long as their secrets are safe
However, the monitoring from the Mage Association is absolute
Many a research on Sorcery has ended up sacrificing normal people, thus exposing the existence of Sorcery.
Consequently, the Mage Association will not tolerate any kind of experiments that would threaten the common citizenry.
In the end, Magi confined themselves to their living quarters, and conduct research without making any trouble, while shrugging off the affairs of the world
----In some cases
Magi who conceal themselves, are most likely avoiding termination by the Association
......Consequently, it's possible for other Magi to be in this city that I am not aware of
Because Fuyuki City is apparently excellent ground in terms of spiritual force
This type of land must be occupied by a famous clan in history. They are called the administrators, or the leaders who were entrusted with this land by the Association
When Magi wish to settle on the same land, they must greet them first, and then obtain the permission to establish their own workshops
......From this perspective, our family is a thief that sneaked in without notifying the administrators
Dad cut his ties with the Association, disregarded the regulations, and did not receive any approval to live here
The administrators did not know that Emiya Kiritsugu was a Magus, and Kiritsugu did not know who the administrator was
For this reason, the position of my family is really ambiguous
Dad, the real Magus passed away
I, as his son and apprentice, was not familiar with the Mage Association nor did I possess the knowledge of a Magus
......According to the rules of the Association, an amateur like me should be locked up as soon as possible and dealt with, but I don't feel I’m in that danger recently.
No, since the Mage Association has very little influence in Japan, they probably didn't find out about me
---Even though I say this, but I still feel unease
Supposedly the Mage Association is able to monitor anywhere, more so, if there is an event that was caused by Sorcery
The Church that hunts down heretics won't remain silent either
......No matter what type of Sorcery, if it’s used without restraint, it would attract difficult enemies
With that in mind, Emiya Shirou only needs to become a Magus through self-taught methods
[----]
"............, Hm"
The sunshine that gleams through the window wakes me up
The sun just risen, so it's still dim outside
"......So cold. It's harsh in the morning after all"
I refuse to lose to the cold morning air and stand up, quickly folding the mattresses
It's five and a half
My forte, no matter how late I stay up, is always waking up at this hour. Though sometimes I also lose my face like yesterday, but I can get up by myself most of the time
I thought I'd only sink lower and lower if I depend on an alarm clock, so I stop using it when I was young
"Let's make breakfast---"
I already allowed Sakura cook yesterday, so I will feel bad about it if I don't return the favor this morning
Let me quickly prepare everything before Sakura comes around
Steam rice, miso soup
I pick onions and potatoes as ingredients for the miso soup, since yesterday was with radish and carrot
At the same time, I make the omelet with soup, cook the rest of the konjak, and the preparation is done
I sprinkle salt as I probe in the main dish Mackerel Pike with my kitchen knife, then all it needs is to be baked, I should stop right there.
"OK, this should be enough for now"
It's almost six o'clock
I finished earlier than I expected, so there is some spare time
Next, what should I do with the remaining time
"---Alright. Let's work up a sweat since there is so much time left."
Morning exercise is also a daily routine, let's move my body around a bit
There is a majestic dojou inside the Emiya residence
It was built along with the establishment of this house
Done completely on a whim.
As a result, the dojou was not built for any purpose whatsoever
"But, Fuji-nee does come over to use it on her own."
Before I came to the Emiya residence, this place apparently used to be Fuji-nee's playground
However, as I took over this place when I became the apprentice of Kiritsugu, Fuji-nee used to hold a grudge against me for it
"......Alright"
I come here for only one thing
Being a Magus doesn't mean that I can relax on my physical condition
Staying in good shape is also one of the conditions of becoming a Magus
We had many matches here when Kiritsugu was still alive
But since I was the only one takings blows, I didn't find any way to win
......But I found out the difference between a brawl and a fight at least
In simple terms, it is the difference of defeating the opponent and murdering the opponent, I learned how to judge that
Knowledge and experience is different
Without this understanding, it's difficult to decide whether one is brawling or killing
......It is quite simple
Since learning Sorcery , sometimes you may die by yourself, while sometimes you fight with others
To the Magi, fighting is the same as killing
The thing that Kiritsugu wished to teach Emiya Shirou was the conviction of facing death
However, the man who taught me this is long gone
I, who became alone, can only work on simple exercises
Push-ups, sit-ups or calisthenics; what I am doing is not much different from the morning practice of archery club
The only difference is the amount that I’m doing.
[----]
"Good morning, senpai. Is breakfast already prepared?"
"Aah, I have already prepared breakfast. Except for bringing out the dining utensils, and grilling the fish"
"Ah, please let me help out. I will bring out the dining utensils"
Sakura wants to lend me a hand eagerly
The one comes after the enthusiastic kohai is
"Ah, this is the smell of Shirou's omelet. I see, we will be having the breakfast prepared by Shirou today-"
Fuji-nee is shifting toward the dining table without a care in the world
"......Whatever, let's ignore that for now"
First roast the fish prepared beforehand
"Sakura, pick the plate right in the middle. It looks more delicious that way"
"Eh......? That, you mean this one with bulges on its surface?"
"That's the one. When you roast food, you also need to consider which plate to match with. And now, carrots are washed---"
Sakura probes her hand deep into the cupboard to get the plate
"----"
On the wrist of Sakura, who leans her body forward, shows a faint bruise
"Sakura, hold on"
"Yes? Anything wrong, senpai"
"The bruise on your wrist, what happened"
"Ah----"
Sakura avoids eye contact awkwardly
I realized who made the bruise at that moment
"Was it Shinji again? That bastard, to his own sister even, what was he thinking......!?"
"No, that's not true senpai......! This, that......I made this when I tripped over and hit myself. I am clumsy, right? So I often trip over, and keep hurting myself"
"Stupid, how could a trip over leave that kind of mark? That bastard Shinji, apparently he didn't get enough of a beating ......!"
"Don't, don't do it senpai......! This, has nothing to do with brother. I hurt myself, so there is no reason for senpai to get angry"
"----"
And then Sakura falls into a silence
......Though she appears to be very obedient, there is also a stubborn side of Sakura when it comes to certain things. At this point, no matter what I say will only make things worse.
"......I see. I will pretend that is the case if Sakura says so. But I won't be able to hold back if I see it again next time"
"......Yes. I'm sorry, senpai"
"Why should you apologize, Sakura? The one at fault is Shinji."
".................."
When I mention Shinji's name, Sakura turns her face aside awkwardly
Which means he is the reason for the bruise on Sakura's wrist
Matou Shinji. Sakura's brother, who has an bad tendency to take everything out on Sakura
I first noticed this a year ago
Sakura got hurt sometimes, and she never answered me directly whenever I asked her of the reason
I consulted Shinji with her concern in mind, and that bastard admitted he was the one who beats Sakura
I asked him why, and he replied that it was because he found her disagreeable
---And then I snapped, and returned Shinji with exactly what he had done
Ever since then, Shinji and I drifted apart
I didn’t regret beating Shinji up even now
I just felt that it was my responsibility that Sakura was involved
"......Senpai. Did you, um, make up with brother?"
"Huh? Aah, yeah. But it wasn't a fight or anything, there's nothing to make up for"
"......While that was true for senpai, but it was a fight for brother. So, um......please be careful"
"?"
Sakura mentioned something strange
"Be careful? Be careful of Shinji?"
"......Yes. I heard brother is treating senpai as an enemy. ......That senpai quit the club was also because of him---"
"That's not it. Shinji had nothing to do with my decision. Well, maybe a little, but Sakura doesn't need to worry about that. Sure it wasn't pretty, because it turned out just like what Shinji said"
I point to my right shoulder
There is a bit of scar
It was one and a half years ago
The stock came crashing down when I was taking a part-time job and my right shoulder was rammed. Though it only caused a fracture, the stock fell down was something troublesome, that left burn marks on my skin
After that accident, I quit the archery club
The archery club of our school is very emphasized on formalities, students are also required to carry out ritual archery
Ritual archery for men requires exposure of the right shoulder, shooting while bare skinned
I quit the archery club, because Shinji complained that it was an eyesore to let someone with burn marks on his shoulder carry out ritual archery, and because I happened to be busy with part-time work.
"Um, senpai. I know this is long-winded, but are you really quitting archery? Fujimura-sensei said the injury is not a problem anymore."
"You are taking it too lightly! Fuji-nee would say that it’s not a problem even if I had bone fractures all over my body, Sakura."
"Senpai, I am taking it very seriously"
Sakura lowered her head and looked at me as if she wanted to say something
"......Hm"
I can only answer seriously at this point, but unfortunately I cannot give Sakura the answer that she is hoping for
"I don't have the time to be involved in clubs right now. I do enjoy archery, but it's not in my priorities now, I think I won't take it up for a while"
"......How long is, a while?"
"Until I want to take it up again. However, it should happen before Sakura graduates. I will be in your palm by then, Sakura"
I pat Sakura's shoulder lightly
After Sakura was dazed for a second
"Ah, yes......! I will be looking forward to that, senpai!"
The time is approaching seven-thirty
Sakura, who has club activities in the morning, and Fuji-nee have already left
I went to school early yesterday because of Issei's request, but today I’m following my normal schedule
When I arrive at the intersection, I see an unusual sight
There are cruisers parked in front of a household
Was there a commotion? the surrounding atmosphere is tense, and about ten to twenty people have gathered around
"?"
It caught my interest, but I don't know what's happening because the crowd is in the way
And there's no time, I should head to school first
I reach school ten minutes before the first bell sounds
As I walk through the school gate relaxed
"Hey, morning Emiya"
I suddenly meet an familiar female student
"Mitsuzuri, why didn’t you change yet? It’s almost Homeroom. This isn't the time to greet me, right?"
"Ah ha ha ha ha! Eh, that's right. You are still such a heartless man, Emiya"
I don't know what she's so happy about, Mitsuzuri is laughing without caring about the presence of other people.
Mitsuzuri Ayako
She was in my class in first year, and now is the president of archery club
Perceptive to the point that one can't consider her a student, she was the capable woman that was expected to become the next president since the first year
......Simply put, her mental age is more mature than her real age, she was the elder sister type that everyone relied on since the first year
However, she will get angry if you tell her this. She will argue that she's not that old
"Ah? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"
"I will never spill out that kind of thing. I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Mitsuzuri to feel angry if you so wish"
"Oh, good call. Not bad, an honest reply, but that doesn't reveal what you are really trying to say. Emiya, you are different from Shinji, since you don't have any opening"
"Shinji? Why did you mention Shinji all of a sudden?"
"No particular reason, aren't you and Shinji buddies? Shinji's only male friend is you, right?
And you might not remember, but I am still the president of the archery club. Don't you think it's only natural for me to group the troublemaker in my club, and the troublemaker that quit my club together?"
"Aah, it's indeed natural. Though I’m not related to the archery club anymore, he and I are only together because of bad luck"
"Ah, I am pissed now. You gave me the cold shoulder whenever the archery club is mentioned. What a hot shot, you ran away and left Shinji to us. Have you considered Sakura’s, or my feelings?
"Hm. Did that Shinji do something again?"
"Did he ever stop doing something? ......Anyway, even then what he did yesterday was unreasonable. A first year boy quit the club yesterday"
Sigh, Mitsuzuri lets out a groan with a solemn expression
It's a rare sight for her to have this kind of expression, but more importantly, I can't just ignore what was just said after listening
"What was that all about? A member quit the club, why?"
"Shinji took it out on him. He specially gathered all the girls, and let a student who just learned archery to shoot in front of them, and kept making fun of him before he shot the target."
"Eh!? Why did you allow that kind of foolishness to take place!?"
"How could I allow?! But, as a president I have other matters to attend to. I can't always be in the dojou, and you know it, Emiya"
"......That is certainly true. But what was Shinji thinking? Even if he is sometimes more harsh than needed, he isn’t the kind that ridicules amateurs"
"----You surprise me, Emiya. You really are that."
"Hm. What do you mean by that? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"
"Eh-h, I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Emiya to feel angry if you so wish"
"......Hey you, answer me with something sounds familiar from a minute ago. Forget it, what happened to Shinji? Why did he do that"
"Hm-, I heard a rumor that he was rejected excessively by Tohsaka or something"
"Eh......Tohsaka, as in that Tohsaka?"
"Do we have any other Tohsaka in our school except that one? The excellent student from the second year class A, Ms. Perfect Tohsaka"
"......No, this is the first time I hear that nickname"
Anyway, I understand now
If the subject was Tohsaka Rin, then it's possible for Shinji to get rejected, and more importantly---
That Tohsaka apparently said something merciless when she cutting her ties to others
"In brief, Shinji has been acting that way since yesterday. Thanks to him, I had to oversee the dojou until this hour"
"...... Shinji is very irritable. Mitsuzuri, keep up the good work even though it's going to be tough"
"Yeah yeah. Anyway, Shinji doesn't learn from his lessons, right? Maybe one day he will seek out Tohsaka again and get rejected, and then he might do something to Tohsaka-"
"No, even Shinji wouldn’t go near the person who rejected him. That guy is very insistent on this"
"But there is no other choice if the subject comes near, right? Tohsaka, for some reason, often visits the dojou. You don’t know this since you’ve quit the club"
"?"
That's the first time I heard of this
Tohsaka Rin isn’t part of any club at all, apparently because of the circumstances of her family. She refused the recommendation to the student council with the same reason, so I always thought that she goes straight to home directly after school
"Forget it, this way is fine too. She is so arrogant, maybe it's not half bad for her to get nailed down once. Should I feel regrettable, or apologetic?"
Mitsuzuri is saying some seemingly dangerous words
......Now that I think about it, Tohsaka Rin has allegedly many enemies, is Mitsuzuri one of them?
"Hey Mitsuzuri, however you put it"
"Ah, it's almost time. See you later Emiya, come see me shoot arrows the next time"
Mitsuzuri runs away rashly
"---She hasn't changed a bit"
Then again, I’ve appreciated her straightforward personality a long time ago
I feel that my temper is calming down, and walk toward the classroom
Lunch period
Our school owns a luxurious cafeteria, and majority of the students have lunch in the cafeteria
However, there are also old-fashioned people who bring bentos with them. I am one of them, and so is the president of student council in front of me
"Emiya, could you give me a piece of fried chicken knuckle, the protein in my bento is devastatingly insufficient"
"......Sure. But why is your bento so plain? Even in the temple, there shouldn't be any prohibition on alcohol beverages or meat"
"What incorrect age terms are you speaking in? This is only my Dad's hobby. He said there were no leftovers for young monks to waste, and if I am not satisfied with it, then I should think of something on my own. I was just thinking whether I should start to preparing my own food"
"Ah-, that does sound like him"
Issei's father is the abbot of Ryudo Temple, he is a charismatic man that is an acquainted of Fuji-nee's father, and since he's said to be congenial with the grandpa of the Fujimuras, you can't exactly expect him to have a normal personality
"Ehh. Then, I supposed this is one of those favors that will be returned one day"
I stick out my bento
"Eh, thanks. This is also a practice of collecting pious alms"
Issei thanks me sincerely
......How should I put this, what am I doing, remembering that Issei is a son of the temple because of something like this
"Aah, by the way Emiya. There was a commotion over the 2-chome this morning, did you know that? It was right over the intersection where Emiya and I departed"
"The intersection......?"
Speaking of the intersection from this morning, there was a commotion and several cruisers were parking over there
"Apparently it was a homicide case. I don't know the details, but out of the family of four, only the child was saved. The parents and the sister were murdered, but the weapon was neither kitchen knife nor short knife, but a naginata, very unusual"
"--------"
Naginata? Something like a Japanese sword
A homicide case, and both the parents and the sister were murdered
......Imagine this
Deep night, an intruder. An inappropriate act of violence. An one-sided pillage, for instance, a traffic accident
Parents who were chopped down. Sister, who was sacrificed along with no apparent reasons. And the child who was dyed in the blood of family members consequently
"Issei. Has the culprit of that homicide been caught yet?"
"Apparently he hasn't been captured. The rushing construction accidents over Shinto, and the random homicide case over here. Of course the school will close earlier---What's wrong Emiya? Did you choke yourself with rice?"
"? Nothing, why did you ask that all of a sudden?"
"No......Since your expression was very serious, I was a little shocked. Sorry, this is not a good topic for lunch"
Issei is soothing up the atmosphere as if he's really sorry
......No, though there wasn't anything really, but was my expression that serious?
And then, a door knock resounded in the quiet room of student council
"Excuse me. Is Ryudo here?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. Can I help you, sensei?"
Issei is talking about something with Kuzuki-sensei who just came in
Is it simple arrangement of student council's agenda, Issei looks relaxed
"......Hey"
Now this a rare sight
Despite his looks, Issei is actually a self-disciplined man that doesn't talk to strangers much. The type of boy that draws a line between students and teachers, however he is really at ease when facing Kuzuki, the advisor of student council
"......Maybe it's their sincere that get along well"
The homeroom teacher of second year class A, Kuzuki Souichirou, is a very sincere and honest man
Perhaps it's this characteristic clicks with the wavelength of Issei, who focuses on discipline
"--------"
The two continue to converse
While watching them, for some unknown reasons, I can't shake away the homicide case from my head
Classes are over, and it's time to leave the school
I have a part-time job today, so I can't be loitering around
There is not much to do in school, and I have to go to the next town directly, but---
Mitsuzuri's words from the morning are still bugging me, and when I came out of it, I have already arrived at the archery field
"---Aah seriously, what am I doing?"
According to Mitsuzuri, Tohsaka Rin often comes here
Therefore---Though it really isn’t any of my business, I think it will be a problem if Shinji attacks Tohsaka
"......That Shinji, he can't hold back once he's fired up......"
If Shinji, who was rejected by Tohsaka, resorts to force, that will be wrong
......No, I am not sure what exactly will be wrong, but anyhow it will be
I am ticked off from just imagining that kind of scenario, and I must prevent it as much as I can
[----]
"---What, Tohsaka isn't here."
Tohsaka is nowhere near the archery field
Mitsuzuri's worries were in vain
"Hey, ‘who isn't here’ you said?"
"!"
I turn my head at once
"I-said-, Who isn't here you said?"
It's Issei who just took off a while ago
"I, Issei. Don't surprise me"
"No, it's Emiya's suspicious behavior of looking at the field that let this happen. ---So, who isn't here you said?"
"Who? Tohsaka, I meant. She apparently had a fight with Shinji. That's why I came over to see the situation"
"Ooh. Suspicious indeed. I didn't even ask you, and you already explained the reason. Didn't I only ask who isn't here?"
"----! So, so what?! There's nothing wrong with that. Can't I do whatever I want?"
"Humph, that's true. But it's useless, Emiya. Tohsaka is not here. Since she skipped class."
"What?"
Skipped class, which meant, absent?
"I see, absent is it......Hold on, Issei. Why did you say Tohsaka that skipped class. She couldn't possibly do that kind of thing."
"She just did, was it possible for her to catch a cold? From my point of view, she is a villain. You will be swallowed in a bite, Emiya, if you’re deceived by her appearance"
"----Humph"
For some reason, I am not content with Issei's opinion
Sure I don't know Tohsaka personally, but I don't believe she is a villain either
"You went overboard, Issei. Tohsaka is not that kind of girl."
"Hummph? What? Is Emiya pursuing Tohsaka as well? Aah, then that was my fault, just forget about what I said"
"----!"
W-who is pursuing Tohsaka---!
"D-don't decide that on your own! I am just, because if Shinji happened to have argued with her then something bad would’ve happen so---"
"So you are going to stop Shinji from beating Tohsaka up, is that it? You are undertaking a thankless task again. ......I don't mind, but your taste is just horrid, Emiya"
"I didn't undertake it so of course it's thankless. Anyway Issei, did you just say something strange?"
"Hm? You mean pursuing Tohsaka is bad taste?"
"Yeah. Isn't Tohsaka very popular? And I never heard any bad rumors about her"
"Aah, there isn't any indeed. But that just disgusts me even more"
Issei makes a groan and turns aside
"Disgust of what?"
"Everything. She’s a she-fox. An enchantress. A demon. I can't stand her from a physiological standpoint. I won't spread any rumors, but Emiya should despise her too"
"Issei. ‘Don't criticize people behind their backs’, isn't that your slogan?"
"Fool. This doesn't count as criticizing people behind their backs. Other people can hear me talking as well"
Aah, no wonder I felt stares from the archery field
......Great
The fact that Tohsaka picked today to be absent is just great
"Please, Issei. Though this is embarrassing, please do hurry and change it into ‘behind their backs’."
"Humph, I understand since Emiya says this. However, I am not verbally assaulting her. All I am saying is Ryudo Issei is keeping an eye out for Tohsaka Rin. This is just within the boundary of personal preference"
"But you did mention something about demons and enchantresses"
......Now that I think about it, isn't enchantress an obviously biased term?
"What are you talking about, that was praise. There are innocent ones among she-foxes and demons as well. I am only adopting a way that can clearly express the virtues of Tohsaka the best. Ha"
Issei is laughing frankly
"Then I will be on my way. I am going back to the student council room, don't you have part-time job, Emiya? You don't have time to loiter here"
Is he relieved because he spilled his guts out? The figure of Issei walks away leisurely
We have known each other for two years, but to be honest, I still can't figure out that guy's mind
Twenty minutes on the bus from school
Crossed the bridge, to the neighboring town, Shinto
"......Hey, it's not even five yet. There is a little more time"
Though there are no part-time opportunities like in the residential area Miyamachou, however for the developing city, Shinto, it's because every opportunity has already been taken
It is also because of that I accept simple jobs, since school regulations allow it
Among them, my personal favorite is work requiring hard labor, because the painstaking job can be done in a short time if you apply enough effort
Physical training and earning money at the same time, it is killing two birds with one stone.
Today's part-time is from five to eight, a simple transportation of goods
Though it’s only three hours, but the volume of the contents is six hours worth. However you put it, this is a job running back and forth without even a minute of break
Therefore, even if it's only ten minutes, I should rest whenever I can
Loitering until time for part-time is only a waste of muscle, let's rest in the park
The park located in the center of the Shopping District that appears to be a giant square covered by forest and grassland
If it's a holiday, then there should be families and couples spending time in this lively park, but there are not many visitors at this time
No---To begin with, even among the parks, this is the only place that doesn't have any visitors in any given time
"It still hasn't changed"
I am a bit shocked
The land left here is desolate, and much more rugged compared to the surroundings that has been properly taken care of
Is it because I'm walking on this wasteland? Even the wind blown on my face is freezing.
This is the remains of the fire from ten years ago, the location where I, who should’ve been burned to death, was rescued
"Why wasn't the turf planted? It’s a shame for it to kept it this way"
Such vast land, if properly taken care of, the park can expand as well
While idly thinking about these kind of things, I randomly picked a bench and sat down
"--------"
I look over the land scarred with burn marks to whittle away the time
I never did recall what happened here in the past
I couldn't remember because I was but a child, and also it wasn't a simple scene that could be memorized easily
What I do remember, is the heat and the suffocating
And that I intended to help others, and failed
"Why did it happen that way?"
Take for a instance, an adult that intended to rescue a child from a burned down house, and died in the rescued child's stead
Take for a instance, a thirsty crowd, gasping their lives out for drink while the water that remained was only enough for one person
Take for a instance, one that intends to run away from the fire site as soon as possible, and the people who were left behind failed to escape without exception
And, take for a instance
One offers something that would help himself, to a total stranger, before finally exhausting himself and dies
"------"
I do not like that
It pisses me off when people who work hard are sacrificed
Is it greedy to hope that everyone can be saved, and smile happily ever after
All I wanted was to see people to breath normally, steadily, why couldn't I accomplish even that?
"That is very difficult. Because what Shirou said means to save everyone"
To my younger self, Kiritsugu replied as such
Of course, my younger self couldn't submit myself to his view
For Kiritsugu was the one who saved me. And I knew he was a Magician that could do anything
I also knew that he did not seek any reward, a defender of justice that helps others only because he could not stand watching people suffering
Therefore---I believed if it was Kiritsugu, then he could’ve helped everyone at that time
To me who poured my words on him, Kiritsugu showed a perplexed expression, and he spoke of words that he only said once, yet even now I can still remember precisely
"Shirou. To help someone is not to help someone else. Listen well, because the ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the only ones that the defender of justice can save. This is seemingly obvious, however it is the definition of a defender of justice"
I knew it
Of course, this was obvious if I thought about it
Assuming there is a robber and hostages, the robber intends to kill the hostages
Following normality, the hostages would most likely to be killed
Even with some miraculous ways, that can rescue all the hostages, yet there still exists one that cannot be rescued
And that is the robber that had his hostages rescued
The ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the ones that were chosen to be saved
Even the gods cannot realize the dream of saving everyone
"......Even more so for natural disasters. No matter who he is, he cannot save everyone"
Such as the fire from ten years ago
I, who miraculously survived, was not in the place of expressing anything
"But I don't like it"
I don't like that kind of thing
I don't want the number of people can be saved to be pre-determined
I have to lend my hand no matter how impossible it is
I can't stand what happened then, with strangers surrounding me who walked towards death step by step
Therefore, with the current me was here ten years ago, I would definitely charge into the fire, in spite of the impossibility----
"And waste my life away, without a doubt"
That is a certainty
Seriously, I really lack a dream
"Oh, shit. It's already five while I dozed off"
The bell signifies five o'clock is rang
I stand up from the bench, walking toward the place I work at speedily
When my part-time job ended, the sun had already set
And it's not even eight
My job ended ahead of schedule, because I worked too hard
Perhaps the reason why I worked so desperately was because of the place I visited just before the job
Night has just started, but in front of the train station
There are crowds already, and the vehicles on the road never stop moving
I raise my head, the inside of the sky crapper is still lit, seems like a complicated illumination
"Buy a gift for Fuji-nee---Nah"
I walk as I raise my head to look at the illuminated building
For it's the tallest building in Shinto, it’s no wonder that I can't see what's on top clearly
As I enjoy the night view by looking at the tower
"----?"
It feels as if something is out of place
"What was that?"
I halt my steps to look at the rooftop
Concentrating my consciousness into the eyes, a rice size subject is captured vaguely within the range of my eyesight
"----What"
That looks like someone I know
What's the point?
For what reason is she standing there?
Her long hair floating, she does nothing as she gazes upon the street
"----"
She apparently hasn't noticed me
No, there is not a chance for her to see me
That's a height that even I, who already have above average eyesight, require mana to enhance my vision to see that far
Also, it is because that she is standing alone in that kind of place that I’m able see her, while on the other hand, she shouldn't be able to see me, I who is mixed in the crowd below
She is only gazing upon the street
Is she looking for something? To be able to sense the sharp line of sight from such a distance...
"--------"
I lost track of time, my head raised and directed at the girl standing in the middle of void
Above the high tower
Against the moon, she gazed upon the realm beneath, like a Magician
"Ah"
Was she bored, seeing that she turned around altogether
The figure had disappeared from the rooftop, and only the beautiful scenery of night remained
"Wasn't that Tohsaka?"
Theirs is not any concrete evidence, but I shouldn't be wrong
Not many girls have such glaring features, and more importantly, I am not foolish enough to mistake the subject of my secret admiration
"......I see. However..."
How should I put this, that
You have weird hobbies, Tohsaka
[----]
Unlike Shinto, you can't find anyone out on streets in Miyamachou
Pedestrians are nowhere to be found after eight at night, and the town returns to tranquility
On the intersection, stood the house I've seen in the morning
No one is inside, and there is only a no entry sign hangs on the door
......Just in one day, the house was deserted like a ruin
What kind of future is awaiting for that child, whose parents and sister were brutally murdered by a trespassing robber?
"----"
I bite my lips for my incapability
Though I swore to become like Kiritsugu, I couldn't even handle the events take place around me
Though I thought of helping others, in the end, I don't even know what I can do for now
I return to the Emiya residence, after climbing up the hill road
The lights are still on, so it seems Fuji-nee and Sakura are still there
"I am home--Ah, is only Fuji-nee here?"
"Hm? Ah, Shirou you're home-"
Fuji-nee turns her head around as she bites a rice cracker
Some noisy variety shows are on the TV
"Jeez, you came back at this hour again. I told you to come home earlier, because the sun sets early during winter, right?"
"I am home early. I chose the part-time that works to eight, so stop messing around. ......Anyway, what happened to Sakura? It looks like she only stayed to make dinner"
"Sakura-chan went home long ago, don't you know? She said she was busy today, so she only came to make dinner"
Fuji-nee appeared to be in a good mood as she talked
To this person, a good guy would probably mean someone who could cook
"I see. Certainly, maybe this way is better for now. It's recently getting dangerous outside, just let me take care of the dinner until the new semester"
"Eh-, Objection-! Doesn't Shirou come home really late? If you start cooking after that, I will have to wait pass ten to have my meal."
"......Hey. Don't you have the option of having a meal in your own house?"
"But isn't this my house?"
Fuji-nee tilts her head confusingly
To be honest, I don't know whether I should feel happy or upset about this
"Alright, I get it. There is no point to ask Fuji-nee to cook. ......That doesn't matter, what's that under your feet? Did you pick up some unnecessary thing again?"
Fuji-nee has an incorrigible hobby of dumping garbage in my house
For example, a giant bowl from a family restaurant, a fairly heavy tea cup from the Shopping District, and a suspicious guitar that starts performing by itself, in brief, she is taking other people's house as a convenient garage
"Let me take a quick look. If it's garbage, I will toss it away"
"This? Hm-, it's surplus posters from my house"
Fuji-nee hands over the poster to me
Probably some posters of Enka singers that no one cares or something
"Let me see."
See, an obvious fake background of blue sky, a young man wearing military uniform, his thumb raised up as he smiles
The title looks like it was written in someone's blood
'The adorable corps of love, now is the time to join the SDF'
---Hey, isn't this a poster for SDF recruitment of personnel......!
"I don't want it anymore, it's yours"
"Whoa, I don't want it either!"
I quickly roll up the poster, aiming it at Fuji-nee's head
"He he-, you miss me-"
However
Fuji-nee, takes out another hidden poster blocks it with a Jodan, then counterattacks mercilessly
Clang
I am hit by a light, light poster----
"Whoa!?"
Stars! I just saw stars!
"Humph humph humph. Shirou's skills are still too unrefined to hit me. If you don't want to admit it, then train yourself more"
"Ow......T-that wasn't the problem. H-how can a poster made of paper make such a destructive sound......"
Is it possible that it was a master technique that chops the chopsticks with the paper pouch of chopsticks......!?
"Eh? Ah, my bad. The poster over here is a luxurious iron plate version of limited first edition. ......Shirou, is your head OK......?"
"......Fuji-nee, you will definitely kill someone one day with that kind of personality......"
"He he-. I won't have to worry about it if I marry to Shirou by then-"
"Humph, I will reject you in full thrust. I don't intend to take a natural murderer as my wife"
"Humph. I don't think I am that dangerous"
"Thought so. The rumor that says that these types of people don't have self-awareness is true"
Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha
I have to live through everyday being cautious to prevent myself getting killed
"Humph, say as much as you want. What's important is that I am hungry, Shirou. I've been putting up with it until now, so hurry up and prepare for dinner"
Fuji-nee stands up at once
......How unusual. Fuji-nee is coming to help (though only preparing the dining utensils), she must be really hungry
"Yeah yeah. Get the dishes and bowls then. You should know how to fill the rice bowl at least"
"Of course-? Then Shirou, I can get the big bowl, right?"
"Sure. Sakura is not here today, there is going to be some leftover rice anyway"
"Good, good. Then Shirou should do the same too"
Fuji-nee quickly fills the big bowl with rice
"..............."
Forget it. I would get another bowl anyway, and wasting time arguing with what Fuji-nee does, is what really make the dinner disappear
And also
This kind of reckless dinner is a common sight for all these years
......A day ends
Finishing the noisy dinner, escort Fuji-nee to the door way, take a bath
Follow by the daily secret training in the warehouse
It ends as usual, then go to sleep
It’s one o'clock in the morning
Nothing happened, and a day ended smoothly
Next
2nd Day
......It was very dark when I woke up
Perhaps I’m the type that doesn't dream too much, because so long as nothing momentous has happened, I’ll just keep having the same dream over and over again.
[----]
......The thing I imagined was usually a sword
For some unknown reason, that's the only thing that came up in my mind
There is no meaning nor explanation for it
Perhaps, it may be the substance that Emiya Shirou is composed of
I do not dream
The things that I recall after falling asleep are what others have told me in the past
Things related to Magi for example
Even for an amateur Magus, it's only natural for me to be curious about the world that I exist in
---In short, Magi are loners in contrast to civilized society
Even if they are loners, they can't exist without gathering in groups
Kiritsugu told me that the organization of Magi was named the 'Mage Association'
......Furthermore, I should never be involved with them
The organization that is the Mage Association, is allegedly responsible for the concealment of Sorcery, and the monitoring of Magi
To put in simple terms, they are a dangerous authority that prevents Magi from influencing modern society with Sorcery, though they do not prohibit them from abusing Sorcery
According to Kiritsugu, the Mage Association is only concerned with the concealing of the occult
Take for example if there is a Magus who sacrificed many normal people in his research, then the Association would not punish them
Their aim is to hide Sorcery from the public, and not the prohibitation of Sorcery
Put simply, they are a group of dangerous people who would resort to any means necessary, as long as their secrets are safe
However, the monitoring from the Mage Association is absolute
Many a research on Sorcery has ended up sacrificing normal people, thus exposing the existence of Sorcery.
Consequently, the Mage Association will not tolerate any kind of experiments that would threaten the common citizenry.
In the end, Magi confined themselves to their living quarters, and conduct research without making any trouble, while shrugging off the affairs of the world
----In some cases
Magi who conceal themselves, are most likely avoiding termination by the Association
......Consequently, it's possible for other Magi to be in this city that I am not aware of
Because Fuyuki City is apparently excellent ground in terms of spiritual force
This type of land must be occupied by a famous clan in history. They are called the administrators, or the leaders who were entrusted with this land by the Association
When Magi wish to settle on the same land, they must greet them first, and then obtain the permission to establish their own workshops
......From this perspective, our family is a thief that sneaked in without notifying the administrators
Dad cut his ties with the Association, disregarded the regulations, and did not receive any approval to live here
The administrators did not know that Emiya Kiritsugu was a Magus, and Kiritsugu did not know who the administrator was
For this reason, the position of my family is really ambiguous
Dad, the real Magus passed away
I, as his son and apprentice, was not familiar with the Mage Association nor did I possess the knowledge of a Magus
......According to the rules of the Association, an amateur like me should be locked up as soon as possible and dealt with, but I don't feel I’m in that danger recently.
No, since the Mage Association has very little influence in Japan, they probably didn't find out about me
---Even though I say this, but I still feel unease
Supposedly the Mage Association is able to monitor anywhere, more so, if there is an event that was caused by Sorcery
The Church that hunts down heretics won't remain silent either
......No matter what type of Sorcery, if it’s used without restraint, it would attract difficult enemies
With that in mind, Emiya Shirou only needs to become a Magus through self-taught methods
[----]
"............, Hm"
The sunshine that gleams through the window wakes me up
The sun just risen, so it's still dim outside
"......So cold. It's harsh in the morning after all"
I refuse to lose to the cold morning air and stand up, quickly folding the mattresses
It's five and a half
My forte, no matter how late I stay up, is always waking up at this hour. Though sometimes I also lose my face like yesterday, but I can get up by myself most of the time
I thought I'd only sink lower and lower if I depend on an alarm clock, so I stop using it when I was young
"Let's make breakfast---"
I already allowed Sakura cook yesterday, so I will feel bad about it if I don't return the favor this morning
Let me quickly prepare everything before Sakura comes around
Steam rice, miso soup
I pick onions and potatoes as ingredients for the miso soup, since yesterday was with radish and carrot
At the same time, I make the omelet with soup, cook the rest of the konjak, and the preparation is done
I sprinkle salt as I probe in the main dish Mackerel Pike with my kitchen knife, then all it needs is to be baked, I should stop right there.
"OK, this should be enough for now"
It's almost six o'clock
I finished earlier than I expected, so there is some spare time
Next, what should I do with the remaining time
"---Alright. Let's work up a sweat since there is so much time left."
Morning exercise is also a daily routine, let's move my body around a bit
There is a majestic dojou inside the Emiya residence
It was built along with the establishment of this house
Done completely on a whim.
As a result, the dojou was not built for any purpose whatsoever
"But, Fuji-nee does come over to use it on her own."
Before I came to the Emiya residence, this place apparently used to be Fuji-nee's playground
However, as I took over this place when I became the apprentice of Kiritsugu, Fuji-nee used to hold a grudge against me for it
"......Alright"
I come here for only one thing
Being a Magus doesn't mean that I can relax on my physical condition
Staying in good shape is also one of the conditions of becoming a Magus
We had many matches here when Kiritsugu was still alive
But since I was the only one takings blows, I didn't find any way to win
......But I found out the difference between a brawl and a fight at least
In simple terms, it is the difference of defeating the opponent and murdering the opponent, I learned how to judge that
Knowledge and experience is different
Without this understanding, it's difficult to decide whether one is brawling or killing
......It is quite simple
Since learning Sorcery , sometimes you may die by yourself, while sometimes you fight with others
To the Magi, fighting is the same as killing
The thing that Kiritsugu wished to teach Emiya Shirou was the conviction of facing death
However, the man who taught me this is long gone
I, who became alone, can only work on simple exercises
Push-ups, sit-ups or calisthenics; what I am doing is not much different from the morning practice of archery club
The only difference is the amount that I’m doing.
[----]
"Good morning, senpai. Is breakfast already prepared?"
"Aah, I have already prepared breakfast. Except for bringing out the dining utensils, and grilling the fish"
"Ah, please let me help out. I will bring out the dining utensils"
Sakura wants to lend me a hand eagerly
The one comes after the enthusiastic kohai is
"Ah, this is the smell of Shirou's omelet. I see, we will be having the breakfast prepared by Shirou today-"
Fuji-nee is shifting toward the dining table without a care in the world
"......Whatever, let's ignore that for now"
First roast the fish prepared beforehand
"Sakura, pick the plate right in the middle. It looks more delicious that way"
"Eh......? That, you mean this one with bulges on its surface?"
"That's the one. When you roast food, you also need to consider which plate to match with. And now, carrots are washed---"
Sakura probes her hand deep into the cupboard to get the plate
"----"
On the wrist of Sakura, who leans her body forward, shows a faint bruise
"Sakura, hold on"
"Yes? Anything wrong, senpai"
"The bruise on your wrist, what happened"
"Ah----"
Sakura avoids eye contact awkwardly
I realized who made the bruise at that moment
"Was it Shinji again? That bastard, to his own sister even, what was he thinking......!?"
"No, that's not true senpai......! This, that......I made this when I tripped over and hit myself. I am clumsy, right? So I often trip over, and keep hurting myself"
"Stupid, how could a trip over leave that kind of mark? That bastard Shinji, apparently he didn't get enough of a beating ......!"
"Don't, don't do it senpai......! This, has nothing to do with brother. I hurt myself, so there is no reason for senpai to get angry"
"----"
And then Sakura falls into a silence
......Though she appears to be very obedient, there is also a stubborn side of Sakura when it comes to certain things. At this point, no matter what I say will only make things worse.
"......I see. I will pretend that is the case if Sakura says so. But I won't be able to hold back if I see it again next time"
"......Yes. I'm sorry, senpai"
"Why should you apologize, Sakura? The one at fault is Shinji."
".................."
When I mention Shinji's name, Sakura turns her face aside awkwardly
Which means he is the reason for the bruise on Sakura's wrist
Matou Shinji. Sakura's brother, who has an bad tendency to take everything out on Sakura
I first noticed this a year ago
Sakura got hurt sometimes, and she never answered me directly whenever I asked her of the reason
I consulted Shinji with her concern in mind, and that bastard admitted he was the one who beats Sakura
I asked him why, and he replied that it was because he found her disagreeable
---And then I snapped, and returned Shinji with exactly what he had done
Ever since then, Shinji and I drifted apart
I didn’t regret beating Shinji up even now
I just felt that it was my responsibility that Sakura was involved
"......Senpai. Did you, um, make up with brother?"
"Huh? Aah, yeah. But it wasn't a fight or anything, there's nothing to make up for"
"......While that was true for senpai, but it was a fight for brother. So, um......please be careful"
"?"
Sakura mentioned something strange
"Be careful? Be careful of Shinji?"
"......Yes. I heard brother is treating senpai as an enemy. ......That senpai quit the club was also because of him---"
"That's not it. Shinji had nothing to do with my decision. Well, maybe a little, but Sakura doesn't need to worry about that. Sure it wasn't pretty, because it turned out just like what Shinji said"
I point to my right shoulder
There is a bit of scar
It was one and a half years ago
The stock came crashing down when I was taking a part-time job and my right shoulder was rammed. Though it only caused a fracture, the stock fell down was something troublesome, that left burn marks on my skin
After that accident, I quit the archery club
The archery club of our school is very emphasized on formalities, students are also required to carry out ritual archery
Ritual archery for men requires exposure of the right shoulder, shooting while bare skinned
I quit the archery club, because Shinji complained that it was an eyesore to let someone with burn marks on his shoulder carry out ritual archery, and because I happened to be busy with part-time work.
"Um, senpai. I know this is long-winded, but are you really quitting archery? Fujimura-sensei said the injury is not a problem anymore."
"You are taking it too lightly! Fuji-nee would say that it’s not a problem even if I had bone fractures all over my body, Sakura."
"Senpai, I am taking it very seriously"
Sakura lowered her head and looked at me as if she wanted to say something
"......Hm"
I can only answer seriously at this point, but unfortunately I cannot give Sakura the answer that she is hoping for
"I don't have the time to be involved in clubs right now. I do enjoy archery, but it's not in my priorities now, I think I won't take it up for a while"
"......How long is, a while?"
"Until I want to take it up again. However, it should happen before Sakura graduates. I will be in your palm by then, Sakura"
I pat Sakura's shoulder lightly
After Sakura was dazed for a second
"Ah, yes......! I will be looking forward to that, senpai!"
The time is approaching seven-thirty
Sakura, who has club activities in the morning, and Fuji-nee have already left
I went to school early yesterday because of Issei's request, but today I’m following my normal schedule
When I arrive at the intersection, I see an unusual sight
There are cruisers parked in front of a household
Was there a commotion? the surrounding atmosphere is tense, and about ten to twenty people have gathered around
"?"
It caught my interest, but I don't know what's happening because the crowd is in the way
And there's no time, I should head to school first
I reach school ten minutes before the first bell sounds
As I walk through the school gate relaxed
"Hey, morning Emiya"
I suddenly meet an familiar female student
"Mitsuzuri, why didn’t you change yet? It’s almost Homeroom. This isn't the time to greet me, right?"
"Ah ha ha ha ha! Eh, that's right. You are still such a heartless man, Emiya"
I don't know what she's so happy about, Mitsuzuri is laughing without caring about the presence of other people.
Mitsuzuri Ayako
She was in my class in first year, and now is the president of archery club
Perceptive to the point that one can't consider her a student, she was the capable woman that was expected to become the next president since the first year
......Simply put, her mental age is more mature than her real age, she was the elder sister type that everyone relied on since the first year
However, she will get angry if you tell her this. She will argue that she's not that old
"Ah? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"
"I will never spill out that kind of thing. I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Mitsuzuri to feel angry if you so wish"
"Oh, good call. Not bad, an honest reply, but that doesn't reveal what you are really trying to say. Emiya, you are different from Shinji, since you don't have any opening"
"Shinji? Why did you mention Shinji all of a sudden?"
"No particular reason, aren't you and Shinji buddies? Shinji's only male friend is you, right?
And you might not remember, but I am still the president of the archery club. Don't you think it's only natural for me to group the troublemaker in my club, and the troublemaker that quit my club together?"
"Aah, it's indeed natural. Though I’m not related to the archery club anymore, he and I are only together because of bad luck"
"Ah, I am pissed now. You gave me the cold shoulder whenever the archery club is mentioned. What a hot shot, you ran away and left Shinji to us. Have you considered Sakura’s, or my feelings?
"Hm. Did that Shinji do something again?"
"Did he ever stop doing something? ......Anyway, even then what he did yesterday was unreasonable. A first year boy quit the club yesterday"
Sigh, Mitsuzuri lets out a groan with a solemn expression
It's a rare sight for her to have this kind of expression, but more importantly, I can't just ignore what was just said after listening
"What was that all about? A member quit the club, why?"
"Shinji took it out on him. He specially gathered all the girls, and let a student who just learned archery to shoot in front of them, and kept making fun of him before he shot the target."
"Eh!? Why did you allow that kind of foolishness to take place!?"
"How could I allow?! But, as a president I have other matters to attend to. I can't always be in the dojou, and you know it, Emiya"
"......That is certainly true. But what was Shinji thinking? Even if he is sometimes more harsh than needed, he isn’t the kind that ridicules amateurs"
"----You surprise me, Emiya. You really are that."
"Hm. What do you mean by that? You didn't just happen to say out some criticism, did you?"
"Eh-h, I just thought of associated objective facts. But, it's up to Emiya to feel angry if you so wish"
"......Hey you, answer me with something sounds familiar from a minute ago. Forget it, what happened to Shinji? Why did he do that"
"Hm-, I heard a rumor that he was rejected excessively by Tohsaka or something"
"Eh......Tohsaka, as in that Tohsaka?"
"Do we have any other Tohsaka in our school except that one? The excellent student from the second year class A, Ms. Perfect Tohsaka"
"......No, this is the first time I hear that nickname"
Anyway, I understand now
If the subject was Tohsaka Rin, then it's possible for Shinji to get rejected, and more importantly---
That Tohsaka apparently said something merciless when she cutting her ties to others
"In brief, Shinji has been acting that way since yesterday. Thanks to him, I had to oversee the dojou until this hour"
"...... Shinji is very irritable. Mitsuzuri, keep up the good work even though it's going to be tough"
"Yeah yeah. Anyway, Shinji doesn't learn from his lessons, right? Maybe one day he will seek out Tohsaka again and get rejected, and then he might do something to Tohsaka-"
"No, even Shinji wouldn’t go near the person who rejected him. That guy is very insistent on this"
"But there is no other choice if the subject comes near, right? Tohsaka, for some reason, often visits the dojou. You don’t know this since you’ve quit the club"
"?"
That's the first time I heard of this
Tohsaka Rin isn’t part of any club at all, apparently because of the circumstances of her family. She refused the recommendation to the student council with the same reason, so I always thought that she goes straight to home directly after school
"Forget it, this way is fine too. She is so arrogant, maybe it's not half bad for her to get nailed down once. Should I feel regrettable, or apologetic?"
Mitsuzuri is saying some seemingly dangerous words
......Now that I think about it, Tohsaka Rin has allegedly many enemies, is Mitsuzuri one of them?
"Hey Mitsuzuri, however you put it"
"Ah, it's almost time. See you later Emiya, come see me shoot arrows the next time"
Mitsuzuri runs away rashly
"---She hasn't changed a bit"
Then again, I’ve appreciated her straightforward personality a long time ago
I feel that my temper is calming down, and walk toward the classroom
Lunch period
Our school owns a luxurious cafeteria, and majority of the students have lunch in the cafeteria
However, there are also old-fashioned people who bring bentos with them. I am one of them, and so is the president of student council in front of me
"Emiya, could you give me a piece of fried chicken knuckle, the protein in my bento is devastatingly insufficient"
"......Sure. But why is your bento so plain? Even in the temple, there shouldn't be any prohibition on alcohol beverages or meat"
"What incorrect age terms are you speaking in? This is only my Dad's hobby. He said there were no leftovers for young monks to waste, and if I am not satisfied with it, then I should think of something on my own. I was just thinking whether I should start to preparing my own food"
"Ah-, that does sound like him"
Issei's father is the abbot of Ryudo Temple, he is a charismatic man that is an acquainted of Fuji-nee's father, and since he's said to be congenial with the grandpa of the Fujimuras, you can't exactly expect him to have a normal personality
"Ehh. Then, I supposed this is one of those favors that will be returned one day"
I stick out my bento
"Eh, thanks. This is also a practice of collecting pious alms"
Issei thanks me sincerely
......How should I put this, what am I doing, remembering that Issei is a son of the temple because of something like this
"Aah, by the way Emiya. There was a commotion over the 2-chome this morning, did you know that? It was right over the intersection where Emiya and I departed"
"The intersection......?"
Speaking of the intersection from this morning, there was a commotion and several cruisers were parking over there
"Apparently it was a homicide case. I don't know the details, but out of the family of four, only the child was saved. The parents and the sister were murdered, but the weapon was neither kitchen knife nor short knife, but a naginata, very unusual"
"--------"
Naginata? Something like a Japanese sword
A homicide case, and both the parents and the sister were murdered
......Imagine this
Deep night, an intruder. An inappropriate act of violence. An one-sided pillage, for instance, a traffic accident
Parents who were chopped down. Sister, who was sacrificed along with no apparent reasons. And the child who was dyed in the blood of family members consequently
"Issei. Has the culprit of that homicide been caught yet?"
"Apparently he hasn't been captured. The rushing construction accidents over Shinto, and the random homicide case over here. Of course the school will close earlier---What's wrong Emiya? Did you choke yourself with rice?"
"? Nothing, why did you ask that all of a sudden?"
"No......Since your expression was very serious, I was a little shocked. Sorry, this is not a good topic for lunch"
Issei is soothing up the atmosphere as if he's really sorry
......No, though there wasn't anything really, but was my expression that serious?
And then, a door knock resounded in the quiet room of student council
"Excuse me. Is Ryudo here?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. Can I help you, sensei?"
Issei is talking about something with Kuzuki-sensei who just came in
Is it simple arrangement of student council's agenda, Issei looks relaxed
"......Hey"
Now this a rare sight
Despite his looks, Issei is actually a self-disciplined man that doesn't talk to strangers much. The type of boy that draws a line between students and teachers, however he is really at ease when facing Kuzuki, the advisor of student council
"......Maybe it's their sincere that get along well"
The homeroom teacher of second year class A, Kuzuki Souichirou, is a very sincere and honest man
Perhaps it's this characteristic clicks with the wavelength of Issei, who focuses on discipline
"--------"
The two continue to converse
While watching them, for some unknown reasons, I can't shake away the homicide case from my head
Classes are over, and it's time to leave the school
I have a part-time job today, so I can't be loitering around
There is not much to do in school, and I have to go to the next town directly, but---
Mitsuzuri's words from the morning are still bugging me, and when I came out of it, I have already arrived at the archery field
"---Aah seriously, what am I doing?"
According to Mitsuzuri, Tohsaka Rin often comes here
Therefore---Though it really isn’t any of my business, I think it will be a problem if Shinji attacks Tohsaka
"......That Shinji, he can't hold back once he's fired up......"
If Shinji, who was rejected by Tohsaka, resorts to force, that will be wrong
......No, I am not sure what exactly will be wrong, but anyhow it will be
I am ticked off from just imagining that kind of scenario, and I must prevent it as much as I can
[----]
"---What, Tohsaka isn't here."
Tohsaka is nowhere near the archery field
Mitsuzuri's worries were in vain
"Hey, ‘who isn't here’ you said?"
"!"
I turn my head at once
"I-said-, Who isn't here you said?"
It's Issei who just took off a while ago
"I, Issei. Don't surprise me"
"No, it's Emiya's suspicious behavior of looking at the field that let this happen. ---So, who isn't here you said?"
"Who? Tohsaka, I meant. She apparently had a fight with Shinji. That's why I came over to see the situation"
"Ooh. Suspicious indeed. I didn't even ask you, and you already explained the reason. Didn't I only ask who isn't here?"
"----! So, so what?! There's nothing wrong with that. Can't I do whatever I want?"
"Humph, that's true. But it's useless, Emiya. Tohsaka is not here. Since she skipped class."
"What?"
Skipped class, which meant, absent?
"I see, absent is it......Hold on, Issei. Why did you say Tohsaka that skipped class. She couldn't possibly do that kind of thing."
"She just did, was it possible for her to catch a cold? From my point of view, she is a villain. You will be swallowed in a bite, Emiya, if you’re deceived by her appearance"
"----Humph"
For some reason, I am not content with Issei's opinion
Sure I don't know Tohsaka personally, but I don't believe she is a villain either
"You went overboard, Issei. Tohsaka is not that kind of girl."
"Hummph? What? Is Emiya pursuing Tohsaka as well? Aah, then that was my fault, just forget about what I said"
"----!"
W-who is pursuing Tohsaka---!
"D-don't decide that on your own! I am just, because if Shinji happened to have argued with her then something bad would’ve happen so---"
"So you are going to stop Shinji from beating Tohsaka up, is that it? You are undertaking a thankless task again. ......I don't mind, but your taste is just horrid, Emiya"
"I didn't undertake it so of course it's thankless. Anyway Issei, did you just say something strange?"
"Hm? You mean pursuing Tohsaka is bad taste?"
"Yeah. Isn't Tohsaka very popular? And I never heard any bad rumors about her"
"Aah, there isn't any indeed. But that just disgusts me even more"
Issei makes a groan and turns aside
"Disgust of what?"
"Everything. She’s a she-fox. An enchantress. A demon. I can't stand her from a physiological standpoint. I won't spread any rumors, but Emiya should despise her too"
"Issei. ‘Don't criticize people behind their backs’, isn't that your slogan?"
"Fool. This doesn't count as criticizing people behind their backs. Other people can hear me talking as well"
Aah, no wonder I felt stares from the archery field
......Great
The fact that Tohsaka picked today to be absent is just great
"Please, Issei. Though this is embarrassing, please do hurry and change it into ‘behind their backs’."
"Humph, I understand since Emiya says this. However, I am not verbally assaulting her. All I am saying is Ryudo Issei is keeping an eye out for Tohsaka Rin. This is just within the boundary of personal preference"
"But you did mention something about demons and enchantresses"
......Now that I think about it, isn't enchantress an obviously biased term?
"What are you talking about, that was praise. There are innocent ones among she-foxes and demons as well. I am only adopting a way that can clearly express the virtues of Tohsaka the best. Ha"
Issei is laughing frankly
"Then I will be on my way. I am going back to the student council room, don't you have part-time job, Emiya? You don't have time to loiter here"
Is he relieved because he spilled his guts out? The figure of Issei walks away leisurely
We have known each other for two years, but to be honest, I still can't figure out that guy's mind
Twenty minutes on the bus from school
Crossed the bridge, to the neighboring town, Shinto
"......Hey, it's not even five yet. There is a little more time"
Though there are no part-time opportunities like in the residential area Miyamachou, however for the developing city, Shinto, it's because every opportunity has already been taken
It is also because of that I accept simple jobs, since school regulations allow it
Among them, my personal favorite is work requiring hard labor, because the painstaking job can be done in a short time if you apply enough effort
Physical training and earning money at the same time, it is killing two birds with one stone.
Today's part-time is from five to eight, a simple transportation of goods
Though it’s only three hours, but the volume of the contents is six hours worth. However you put it, this is a job running back and forth without even a minute of break
Therefore, even if it's only ten minutes, I should rest whenever I can
Loitering until time for part-time is only a waste of muscle, let's rest in the park
The park located in the center of the Shopping District that appears to be a giant square covered by forest and grassland
If it's a holiday, then there should be families and couples spending time in this lively park, but there are not many visitors at this time
No---To begin with, even among the parks, this is the only place that doesn't have any visitors in any given time
"It still hasn't changed"
I am a bit shocked
The land left here is desolate, and much more rugged compared to the surroundings that has been properly taken care of
Is it because I'm walking on this wasteland? Even the wind blown on my face is freezing.
This is the remains of the fire from ten years ago, the location where I, who should’ve been burned to death, was rescued
"Why wasn't the turf planted? It’s a shame for it to kept it this way"
Such vast land, if properly taken care of, the park can expand as well
While idly thinking about these kind of things, I randomly picked a bench and sat down
"--------"
I look over the land scarred with burn marks to whittle away the time
I never did recall what happened here in the past
I couldn't remember because I was but a child, and also it wasn't a simple scene that could be memorized easily
What I do remember, is the heat and the suffocating
And that I intended to help others, and failed
"Why did it happen that way?"
Take for a instance, an adult that intended to rescue a child from a burned down house, and died in the rescued child's stead
Take for a instance, a thirsty crowd, gasping their lives out for drink while the water that remained was only enough for one person
Take for a instance, one that intends to run away from the fire site as soon as possible, and the people who were left behind failed to escape without exception
And, take for a instance
One offers something that would help himself, to a total stranger, before finally exhausting himself and dies
"------"
I do not like that
It pisses me off when people who work hard are sacrificed
Is it greedy to hope that everyone can be saved, and smile happily ever after
All I wanted was to see people to breath normally, steadily, why couldn't I accomplish even that?
"That is very difficult. Because what Shirou said means to save everyone"
To my younger self, Kiritsugu replied as such
Of course, my younger self couldn't submit myself to his view
For Kiritsugu was the one who saved me. And I knew he was a Magician that could do anything
I also knew that he did not seek any reward, a defender of justice that helps others only because he could not stand watching people suffering
Therefore---I believed if it was Kiritsugu, then he could’ve helped everyone at that time
To me who poured my words on him, Kiritsugu showed a perplexed expression, and he spoke of words that he only said once, yet even now I can still remember precisely
"Shirou. To help someone is not to help someone else. Listen well, because the ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the only ones that the defender of justice can save. This is seemingly obvious, however it is the definition of a defender of justice"
I knew it
Of course, this was obvious if I thought about it
Assuming there is a robber and hostages, the robber intends to kill the hostages
Following normality, the hostages would most likely to be killed
Even with some miraculous ways, that can rescue all the hostages, yet there still exists one that cannot be rescued
And that is the robber that had his hostages rescued
The ones that can be saved by the defender of justice are the ones that were chosen to be saved
Even the gods cannot realize the dream of saving everyone
"......Even more so for natural disasters. No matter who he is, he cannot save everyone"
Such as the fire from ten years ago
I, who miraculously survived, was not in the place of expressing anything
"But I don't like it"
I don't like that kind of thing
I don't want the number of people can be saved to be pre-determined
I have to lend my hand no matter how impossible it is
I can't stand what happened then, with strangers surrounding me who walked towards death step by step
Therefore, with the current me was here ten years ago, I would definitely charge into the fire, in spite of the impossibility----
"And waste my life away, without a doubt"
That is a certainty
Seriously, I really lack a dream
"Oh, shit. It's already five while I dozed off"
The bell signifies five o'clock is rang
I stand up from the bench, walking toward the place I work at speedily
When my part-time job ended, the sun had already set
And it's not even eight
My job ended ahead of schedule, because I worked too hard
Perhaps the reason why I worked so desperately was because of the place I visited just before the job
Night has just started, but in front of the train station
There are crowds already, and the vehicles on the road never stop moving
I raise my head, the inside of the sky crapper is still lit, seems like a complicated illumination
"Buy a gift for Fuji-nee---Nah"
I walk as I raise my head to look at the illuminated building
For it's the tallest building in Shinto, it’s no wonder that I can't see what's on top clearly
As I enjoy the night view by looking at the tower
"----?"
It feels as if something is out of place
"What was that?"
I halt my steps to look at the rooftop
Concentrating my consciousness into the eyes, a rice size subject is captured vaguely within the range of my eyesight
"----What"
That looks like someone I know
What's the point?
For what reason is she standing there?
Her long hair floating, she does nothing as she gazes upon the street
"----"
She apparently hasn't noticed me
No, there is not a chance for her to see me
That's a height that even I, who already have above average eyesight, require mana to enhance my vision to see that far
Also, it is because that she is standing alone in that kind of place that I’m able see her, while on the other hand, she shouldn't be able to see me, I who is mixed in the crowd below
She is only gazing upon the street
Is she looking for something? To be able to sense the sharp line of sight from such a distance...
"--------"
I lost track of time, my head raised and directed at the girl standing in the middle of void
Above the high tower
Against the moon, she gazed upon the realm beneath, like a Magician
"Ah"
Was she bored, seeing that she turned around altogether
The figure had disappeared from the rooftop, and only the beautiful scenery of night remained
"Wasn't that Tohsaka?"
Theirs is not any concrete evidence, but I shouldn't be wrong
Not many girls have such glaring features, and more importantly, I am not foolish enough to mistake the subject of my secret admiration
"......I see. However..."
How should I put this, that
You have weird hobbies, Tohsaka
[----]
Unlike Shinto, you can't find anyone out on streets in Miyamachou
Pedestrians are nowhere to be found after eight at night, and the town returns to tranquility
On the intersection, stood the house I've seen in the morning
No one is inside, and there is only a no entry sign hangs on the door
......Just in one day, the house was deserted like a ruin
What kind of future is awaiting for that child, whose parents and sister were brutally murdered by a trespassing robber?
"----"
I bite my lips for my incapability
Though I swore to become like Kiritsugu, I couldn't even handle the events take place around me
Though I thought of helping others, in the end, I don't even know what I can do for now
I return to the Emiya residence, after climbing up the hill road
The lights are still on, so it seems Fuji-nee and Sakura are still there
"I am home--Ah, is only Fuji-nee here?"
"Hm? Ah, Shirou you're home-"
Fuji-nee turns her head around as she bites a rice cracker
Some noisy variety shows are on the TV
"Jeez, you came back at this hour again. I told you to come home earlier, because the sun sets early during winter, right?"
"I am home early. I chose the part-time that works to eight, so stop messing around. ......Anyway, what happened to Sakura? It looks like she only stayed to make dinner"
"Sakura-chan went home long ago, don't you know? She said she was busy today, so she only came to make dinner"
Fuji-nee appeared to be in a good mood as she talked
To this person, a good guy would probably mean someone who could cook
"I see. Certainly, maybe this way is better for now. It's recently getting dangerous outside, just let me take care of the dinner until the new semester"
"Eh-, Objection-! Doesn't Shirou come home really late? If you start cooking after that, I will have to wait pass ten to have my meal."
"......Hey. Don't you have the option of having a meal in your own house?"
"But isn't this my house?"
Fuji-nee tilts her head confusingly
To be honest, I don't know whether I should feel happy or upset about this
"Alright, I get it. There is no point to ask Fuji-nee to cook. ......That doesn't matter, what's that under your feet? Did you pick up some unnecessary thing again?"
Fuji-nee has an incorrigible hobby of dumping garbage in my house
For example, a giant bowl from a family restaurant, a fairly heavy tea cup from the Shopping District, and a suspicious guitar that starts performing by itself, in brief, she is taking other people's house as a convenient garage
"Let me take a quick look. If it's garbage, I will toss it away"
"This? Hm-, it's surplus posters from my house"
Fuji-nee hands over the poster to me
Probably some posters of Enka singers that no one cares or something
"Let me see."
See, an obvious fake background of blue sky, a young man wearing military uniform, his thumb raised up as he smiles
The title looks like it was written in someone's blood
'The adorable corps of love, now is the time to join the SDF'
---Hey, isn't this a poster for SDF recruitment of personnel......!
"I don't want it anymore, it's yours"
"Whoa, I don't want it either!"
I quickly roll up the poster, aiming it at Fuji-nee's head
"He he-, you miss me-"
However
Fuji-nee, takes out another hidden poster blocks it with a Jodan, then counterattacks mercilessly
Clang
I am hit by a light, light poster----
"Whoa!?"
Stars! I just saw stars!
"Humph humph humph. Shirou's skills are still too unrefined to hit me. If you don't want to admit it, then train yourself more"
"Ow......T-that wasn't the problem. H-how can a poster made of paper make such a destructive sound......"
Is it possible that it was a master technique that chops the chopsticks with the paper pouch of chopsticks......!?
"Eh? Ah, my bad. The poster over here is a luxurious iron plate version of limited first edition. ......Shirou, is your head OK......?"
"......Fuji-nee, you will definitely kill someone one day with that kind of personality......"
"He he-. I won't have to worry about it if I marry to Shirou by then-"
"Humph, I will reject you in full thrust. I don't intend to take a natural murderer as my wife"
"Humph. I don't think I am that dangerous"
"Thought so. The rumor that says that these types of people don't have self-awareness is true"
Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha
I have to live through everyday being cautious to prevent myself getting killed
"Humph, say as much as you want. What's important is that I am hungry, Shirou. I've been putting up with it until now, so hurry up and prepare for dinner"
Fuji-nee stands up at once
......How unusual. Fuji-nee is coming to help (though only preparing the dining utensils), she must be really hungry
"Yeah yeah. Get the dishes and bowls then. You should know how to fill the rice bowl at least"
"Of course-? Then Shirou, I can get the big bowl, right?"
"Sure. Sakura is not here today, there is going to be some leftover rice anyway"
"Good, good. Then Shirou should do the same too"
Fuji-nee quickly fills the big bowl with rice
"..............."
Forget it. I would get another bowl anyway, and wasting time arguing with what Fuji-nee does, is what really make the dinner disappear
And also
This kind of reckless dinner is a common sight for all these years
......A day ends
Finishing the noisy dinner, escort Fuji-nee to the door way, take a bath
Follow by the daily secret training in the warehouse
It ends as usual, then go to sleep
It’s one o'clock in the morning
Nothing happened, and a day ended smoothly