Part 118: The anger of the great devil

Remember when Sakura got upset at Rin staying over, and we had the option to chat it over with her during lunch? ...I didn't think so.



Music: Tender Scenery




"Um, is there something wrong, Senpai?"
She tilts her head in question as soon as she comes out.
I thought she would be depressed after what happened with Shinji, but she seems okay.

"No, nothing happened. I just want you to forgive me for that thing with Tohsaka. I couldn't talk to you about it this morning, so I want to apologize before I went home."


"…? Um, what thing with Tohsaka-Senpai should I forgive you for?"

"Well, her staying at my place for a while.
I should have consulted you beforehand, so I'm sorry for making the decision on my own.
But, there is a reason for her staying, and there aren't any bad intentions. Um, you might not forgive me, but I just wanted to say that."
I lower my head to apologize.


"D-Don't do that, Senpai! You have nothing to apologize for.


"…I was certainly surprised that Tohsaka-Senpai was staying over, but Fujimura-Sensei approved of it, so I don't think there's any problem.
That house is your house, so you can do as you wish with it, and it's not my place to say anything about it."

"Idiot, what are you saying, Sakura? That house is mine, Fuji-Nee's, and yours. It's not something I can just selfishly decide about."


"EhSenpai?"

"So it's only natural for me to apologize. You should be mad at me, not at Tohsaka. …Um, since I'm the one who invited Tohsaka without asking my family.
About her staying over, I'll stop it if you don't want it. That doesn't make it forgivable, but I can't keep on doing something you don't like."

They're not words to smooth things over, but I say them from the bottom of my heart.
Cooperating with Tohsaka doesn't necessarily mean living with her.
There should be other ways to cooperate efficiently with her.




"Um, then I'll forgive you. I'll approve Tohsaka-Senpai's stay, and I'll forgive you for your selfishness.
Is that okay, Senpai?"
"Huh… is that all right, Sakura…?"


"Yes. I won't ask what kind of circumstances you're in. It's enough for me to have you say that."



"Thanks, Sakura. Um, I'm really glad."


"No, I'm the one that's really glad.


Uh, but Senpai… Just hypothetically, but what would you do if I said I didn't want it?"

"Hm? Well, I guess maybe I would have gone to her instead. I have to be with Tohsaka for a while."


"Huh… Senpai goes instead, um… to…"

"Yeah, instead of having Tohsaka over, I think I would have stayed at Tohsaka's place. That way, I wouldn't bother Fuji-Nee or Sakura."


It's too terrifying to think about staying over with a girl I admire… no, admired. But there're no other options.

"…But, thanks. If that happened, I think she would tease me even more."
Thank God.
I'm so happy Sakura forgave me… huh?

"Sakura? What's wrong? You look pale."
I call out to her, wondering if she's all right.
Sakura seems to be deep in thought,


"T-Thank God I didn't say that"
And she lets out a sigh that I don't quite understand.

Music: Surrounded by Smiling Faces





Music: Stop



Music: Nightmare

"Oh yeah.
I suddenly remember, but I was told something this morning."
I was told something, but now, I'll go through with pretending that I forgot.
No, I won't be able to explain if I do that, so let's say I didn't hear it or something…



"Ugh."
I'm caught, as I expected.
Well, even if I do go home, there's nowhere to run. It seems there'll be less damage if I'm caught here, so I stop.



She's so angry, you'd never think she's the school's number one honor student.

"Hey. What a coincidence, Tohsaka. If you're going home, do you want to go home together?
We're heading the sa"

Music: Stop




"Not 'let's go home', you idiot…! Do you understand the situation you're in!? I was going to warn you, so why didn't you come to the rooftop!?"

Music: Gentle Everyday

"Ugh."
This threatening attitude.
It seems she won't listen to any excuses, but I bet she won't calm down unless I make some excuse.

"…Sorry. I was with Sakura during lunch, so I couldn't go to the rooftop."
She doesn't seem too calm, so I tell her honestly.

Music: Stop



Tohsaka looks at me in blank amazement, as if she's seen a ghost.


"With Sakura… you mean, talking about me staying at your place?"
"Yeah. It was unclear this morning, so I had her approve of your stay."


"…………

Music: Tender Scenery


…I see. Well, I guess it can't be helped in that case."

"…?"
Tohsaka quickly gets rid of her anger, and for some reason,


"All right, I'll forget about what happened during lunch. I'm sorry Sakura caused you trouble."
And she apologizes with a gentle expression.

"Uhno, there's no need for you to apologize, but…
W-What was it you called me to the rooftop for? It was something important, right?"


"Y-Yeah. I called for you because I had something to tell you as a Master. I wanted to warn you to be careful, since there's a boundary field set up at the school"

"Huh…? H-Hold on. Boundary field… you mean, at this school…!?"


"Yeah, it seems you haven't noticed, but there's a troublesome one set here.
The sign is constructed with a wide range, so once it is activated, it will pretty much encircle the whole school.
This boundary field is the type that steals blood and meat from the humans inside it. It's still in the preparation phase, but haven't you noticed everyone's kind of listless?"

"Ah"
Come to think of it… I felt a bit strange on Saturday, but was that it?
Then that must mean

"Sothere's a Master at this school…?"


"Right. There's certainly an enemy lurking here. Do you understand, Emiya-kun? I don't think he'll attack us at school, but I wanted to tell you to be on alert, so you'd be ready even if you're attacked."

""
My relaxed feelings go tense.
…No wonder Tohsaka got so angry.
I didn't even know about it and spent the day peacefully.

"…Sorry. I was at fault at lunch, Tohsaka."


"Well. Saber entrusted you to me, so if it had been a stupid reason, I would have cast geas on you.
But I'll let it pass this time. Nothing happened today, even if it's just how things turned out."

All's well that ends well, huh?
I feel a bit better if she says so.

"…So. Do you know who the Master that set this boundary field is, Tohsaka? …Is it someone from this school?"



…I don't feel any magus-like presence here other than me, so it might be an outsider, but there are cases when an amateur like you becomes a Master, right?
So I can't be sure. …Well, it's most likely that it's the doing of someone from this school.
It needs to be someone that wouldn't look suspicious here, since they had to set up a boundary field at the school."

""
…Someone who wouldn't be seen as suspicious even on school grounds.
Student or teacher, either way, a Master other than ourselves is lurking here.



Shirou. Once this boundary field is finished and activated, it will melt every human in it and absorb them. It's like we're in the stomach of something alive.

"…Well, it shouldn't have any effect on people like us who protect ourselves with magical energy, but those without magical energy will weaken and die without knowing why.
It's not just a matter of dragging ordinary people into this mess.
Once this boundary field is activated, everyone in this school will die.
Do you understand? A Master at this school is absurd enough to prepare something like this."

Music: Stop

""
My vision blurs for a bit.
Trying to comprehend what Tohsaka is saying, I take a deep breath.

That's it.
Even though my understanding is incomplete, I imagine the worst possibility and engrave that image inside me, accepting the situation I am in.

Music: Tender Scenery

"I get it.
So, Tohsaka. Can you destroy that boundary field?"



I found all the sources for the boundary field, but I can't destroy it. All I can do is to weaken the source temporarily and delay the activation."

"Delay the activation…? So the boundary field will not be activated as long as you're here?"



The boundary field is already set up and the magical energy for activation is gathering bit by bit. According to Archer, it should be ready in about eight days.
When that happens, this school will fall into hell as soon as the Master or the Servant puts their mind to it."

"Then before that happens…"


"We have to defeat the Master lurking at this school.
But finding the Master will be difficult. The guy pretty much won as soon as he set up the boundary field. The boundary field will be activated even if he does nothing, so he won't appear until then. So if there is a chance…"

"…It'll only be when he emerges?"


"Exactly. So you should stay quiet for now. You will have to fight when the time comes, so it's just stupid for you to go out searching and have the enemy find you before that."

…I get it.
I can't forgive a guy who would set up such a field, but it might have the opposite effect if I just go randomly searching now, since I don't know the Master's identity.


"That's all. I've done everything I can to deal with the boundary field today, so the rest comes tomorrow.
There's nothing left to do in the building now, so you go home ahead."
"…? I'm fine with that, but what are you going to do?"


"Don't worry about me. You're making Saber wait, so she'll get mad if you don't hurry."
"Geez…"

That's right.
Saber was against me going to school, so I had her approve of my independent action on the condition that I go home before the sun goes down.



Maybe she has something to do at the gym, as Tohsaka heads to the back of the school.
I see her off for a while, and leave the school building after that.