Part 117: Time limit / Tiger Dojo 12

Let's try not getting stabbed at the beginning of Day 15.

Music: Breach



I can't stay here another second.
I want to get out of this building as fast as I can.
This place is bad.
It's been bad for a long time.
This church is a terrible place for Emiya Shirou.
I should never have entered this building nor met that priest.





Music: Tender Scenery



""
As soon as I get home, I'm surprised.
Saber is standing at the entrance.

"Oh. I'm home Saber."


"It is not 'I'm home'! How many times do I have to tell you not to go outside by yourself!?"

"Uh… yeah. That's right, sorry. I'll be more careful next time."


"There will not be a next time! I am really angry this time. Shirou, tell me your reason for going out.
Why are you causing me trouble when your wounds from yesterday are not healed and when Gilgamesh could attack at any second!?"

Saber glares sharply at me.
…But…

"Um, I went to the church. I thought it would be beneficial if we could ask the priest about Gilgamesh's weakness or something."


"Eh… the church…? But why now?"

"I consulted him before. As the supervisor, I thought he might be able to do something about a Servant that's still here after the last war.
But it was useless. I failed.
…I guess it's only natural for you to yell at me. I have you, so we should have gone to the church together."

I lower my head once more in apology.


"Uh… n-no, if you understand, it is fine…"
Saber withdraws her threatening attitude instantly.

…That's right.
Saber was really mad at my stupidity, but she's soft enough to forgive me.
Um, if I'm not conceited, it's like her resentment at being left alone was cancelled just by having me come home.



"That's not true. You were waiting for me, right Saber? …Honestly, that really helped me out. My anxieties finally went away when you yelled at me."


"…? You were helped by my yelling?"
"Yeah. I was really relieved, knowing that I could come back to you."


"Wha-"

…Yes, I'm happy to be back.
I'm able to see Saber again.
If I had gone down those stairs, I feel like I would have never returned.
Thinking about it, I think that choice was a good one.

Yay for not getting stabbed!

Music: In the Sunlight



It's past two in the afternoon. I look at Saber over the slightly belated lunch table.


"I said we should cooperate with Lancer. Gilgamesh exists outside the rules of the Holy Grail War. Lancer will not be able to overlook him as well, so he should be willing to cooperate with us if the conditions are right."

"…Hmm. You mean our enemy's enemy is our ally?"
"Yes. If some collateral were provided, he should ally with us temporarily."

…An alliance with Lancer, huh?
There certainly might be no other way.
We can't match Gilgamesh by ourselves.
But if Saber and Lancer can cooperate, we should be able to come up with some measures.

"You're right. I don't know if Lancer will ally with us, but it won't hurt to ask him.
…Then the problem would be"


"Yes. How to find Lancer.
Lancer has not appeared since that night, and his Master is still unknown. I did not think he would stay quiet when there are only two of us left…"

"Yeah. But he's not coming out, so does that mean he's scared to fight you one on one?"


"Of course not. Lancer is a worthy hero. He would be happy to fight me, and certainly not reluctant.
But he still has not appeared, so perhaps he has some reason not to."




"Rin, how long have you been there…!?"
We are both surprised at the same time.




"For some time now.
Shirou is only watching Saber, and Saber is only watching Shirou. I felt stupid, so I just kept quiet.
Wasn't that the right choice? You guys had such a good atmosphere going, I couldn't intrude on you."


"Wha!? R-Rin, we are Servant and Master, such things are…!"


"Fine, fine. I'll say you're right.


But about what you two were talking about… I agree that we should cooperate with Lancer. If that goldie is Gilgamesh, we would need to do that to even have a chance of beating him."

…Whoa.
I don't know how long she's been listening, but Tohsaka understands the situation.
It seems while we were eating, she's heard that the true identity of Archer is Gilgamesh and that his Noble Phantasm exceeds that of Saber's.


"So, I'll go home for a while. I need to get a weapon, get ready to lure Lancer out, and prepare some medicine for Ilya."
"Medicine for Ilya…?
Tohsaka, is something wrong with Ilya…!?"


"Nothing. Her condition hasn't changed since yesterday. Her breathing is stable, and her fever is down. She just doesn't have any energy right now.
Well, she should wake up and wander in when she gets hungry, so cook her something good when she does."

She puts down her empty bowl.
…Tohsaka was nonchalantly eating lunch too…?



Music: Stop

After Tohsaka goes home, Saber and I do nothing and just stare at the clock.
"……"
"……"
…For some reason, the living room is tense.




We raise our heads at the same time and freeze as soon as our eyes meet.

"W-What is it, Saber? If you want to say something, say it."


"N-No… umyes, some more tea, please."
"A-All right. I'll go and prepare some right away."

An hour passes in this way.
If we're not doing anything else, I should be being taught some sword techniques or be resting.
But neither Saber nor I mention that.

…I know myself that I'm acting strangely.
I know, but I want to be with Saber like this for now.
No matter how awkward and nervous I am, and even though this is the tenth cup of tea, I still want to watch her face.

"…?"
…And then.
When I stand up to go to the kitchen, the doorbell rings.

"A guest…? At a time like this…?"
Not many people come by my house.
Sakura is the only one who might ring the doorbell, but she won't come here until my cooperation with Tohsaka is over.
Fuji-Nee is undergoing medical care at her house as well, and it's not like I associate much with my neighbors.


"Shirou."

"That doorbell. It is emitting a strong murderous intent."

"…Yeah. Come with me, Saber If something happens, I'll let you deal with it."


"Yes. I shall protect you no matter what."



""
My breathing stops for a second.
The guy on the other side of the door is the guy I went to see this morning.





"No, I'm fine. Can I open the door, Saber? I'll send him away if you don't want him to come in."

On the first night we met, Saber did not want to enter the church.
I remember that, so I check with her.


"I do not mind. I shall abide by your decision."

I answer her with a nod and open the door.

Music: Midnight Interval



"You took quite some time. Are you for some reason unwilling to see me, Emiya Shirou?"
"…No. I was just surprised since I didn't think you would come to see me. …You have something to talk about, right? Come in."

I pull back and try to lead Kotomine into the living room.
But.


"No, we can talk here standing. I have discovered only a bit, so the conversation should be quick."
The priest pulls back and tries to leave the hall.

"Hey, where are you going, Kotomine?"


"I told you we shall speak standing up. …But I cannot do so with that Servant standing there. If she threatens me like that, I prefer to value my life."



Kotomine is right.
Saber is emitting a terrible murderous intent that even makes me pale.

"…What is a Master from the last war doing here? I remember that Kiritsugu shot and killed you."


"Certainly. When I abandoned my rights as a Master and raised my hands, he shot me from the back. If I did not have God's divine protection, I would have died then.
But what of it? It must be like yesterday for you, but it happened ten years ago for me. Are you going to bring up a fight that has already ended?"



""
Saber's murderous intent doesn't weaken at all.
"Saber, he's right. Forget about the last war for now."


"Shirou. But this man cannot be taken lightly. Kiritsugu targeted this priest before any other enemy because he was an enemy who had to be defeated before anything else."


"That is an honor. If the ones that survived to the end say that of me, perhaps I am not that bad."





…Crap.
If things go on like this, I really won't be able to stop Saber.

"Hold on, Saber. I had Kotomine investigate Gilgamesh. …We already know his true identity, but everything else about him is a mystery, right?
Don't we need to know as much as we can about him now?


"T-That is true, but"



"I do not mind either way. It might not be that useful.
…And it is not like I have no feelings.
I feel bad getting such rude pressure from the Servant of the man who shot me. As I am inexperienced, I might not be able to act as a priest should."


"That goes the same for me as well. I will not trust an old enemy."
The two glare at each other.
…This isn't good, things won't get anywhere like this.

"Saber, stay back. I'm going to talk to Kotomine."


"Shirou…!? No, this man is dangerous. If you are to talk with him, I will also…"

"Yeah, I know how you feel, but I'm a Master. I won't die that easily even if something happens, and you would come right away if something did, right? Nothing dangerous is going to happen."


"Of course not. A human cannot outwit a Servant.
Emiya Shirou. It seems your Servant is an excessive worrier."

"…Don't provoke her too much.
I'll listen to you. I'll have Saber stay away, so that's enough, right?"



"No, I do not feel like talking here. There is no way to run if Saber attacks me.
…There should be a courtyard. I can at least run for a few seconds there even if Saber goes mad. You could stop her in that time with your Command Spell."

"Fine. But that won't happen.
…Saber, stay by the porch. I'll call for you if something happens."


"…Yes, if you say so, Master."

Music: Stop





Music: Surrounded by Smiling Faces



"So. What did you find out, Kotomine?"


"Hn? Oh, I would like to confirm one thing with you before that."

Music: Stop



"…!! The sound of the boundary field…!?"
The alarm goes off.
The boundary field Father put up, the alarm that reacts to intruders with malicious intent is going off…!?


"Lancer is the cause of the disturbance. He must have entered this place with some reason in mind."

…I can't hear the priest's words too well.
The thing he threw at my feet.
I can't take my mind off of it since it looks like it can only be the corpse of a small child.


"…So Saber went to meet the enemy. He cannot fight with full power inside the building. The enemy would need one more move to kidnap Ilyasviel."





Aw, dammit. I spoke too soon.


"A human cannot outwit a Servant.
Of course. Only Servants can outwit other Servants."

I don't care about the priest's scornful laughter.
I don't mind that my heart has been pierced and I'm spewing out blood from my mouth like a hose.

"Why…"







Video: Tiger Dojo 12 (mirror)




Hi, are you all doing well?
I'm sure everybody hates scary places, so you decided to wait and see, but it turns out you're trapped in hell.

It's time for the Tiger Dojo, the Q&A corner to comfort those of you who suffered surprise attacks!


Um, right now, Saber-chan and Lancer are duking it out in the mansion.

My senior student was captured, and Shirou is dead in the yard. What is with the morals in this place!?


Kids these days are so rude that it makes me sad.




"Men of virtue avoid danger" is a good phrase, but you cannot reach the goal if you keep avoiding things.


Go back to the choice and challenge the darkness of the church, ready to die!


The story really is almost at the climax.
The long night is about to end.


Will Saber-chan's wish come true?
What is the distortion hidden in Shirou's mind?
And is there a way to defeat the king of heroes…!?