Part 300: Sakura collapses / Report Rin
"Mm
whoa……"My neck feels heavy because my shoulders are stiff.
I probably strained my neck when I slept on my stomach.
On the other hand, my back feels much better now.
I don't feel any pain, so it shouldn't hinder my normal life.
"
Crap. It's past seven.""Ouch!"
I feel a sharp pain in my stomach.
It's fine as long as I stay still, but it hurts when I suddenly move.
"
It's a bruise, so I bet it'll hurt for a while."But it's nothing I can't endure.
It's not like it's bad enough to stop me from moving, so I should be able to act normally.
Music: In the Sunlight
"Morning. I'm sorry I slept in. Is there anything I can still help with?"
Oh no! 7:00!
"Good morning, Senpai. It's rare for you to sleep in."
"Ugh, I'm sorry. Um, it was already morning when I noticed."
"It can't be helped because you're injured. I went to wake you up earlier, but you didn't even show signs of waking up. I think your body's tired."
Wow.
I have no memory of Sakura coming to wake me up.
Not only are my shoulders stiff, but it seems my head is still asleep.
"I'm sorry. I'm gonna go wash my face. I'll be back right away."
"No, please take your time. I'll prepare breakfast by myself today, so please go wash your face."
Sakura is really energetic.
"……?"
Well, if she's making the offer, I shouldn't turn her down.
"Then I'll go ahead and go wash my face."
"Yes. I'm confident in today's miso soup, so please look forward to it."
I nod and head into the hallway.
Music: Stop
"……!"
I hear something falling to the ground.
I don't know if it's because I've heard it many times these past few days, but I realize it's the sound of someone falling.
I run back into the living room.
…Sakura must have been on the ground, as she slowly raises her upper body.
"Sakura."
I support her staggering body.
"……!"
Her body is hot, just like before.
Her breathing is ragged and her shirt is wet with her sweat, telling me how bad her condition is.
She must have come to her senses.
Sakura looks at me with unfocused eyes.
"Geez. I told you to take your time, but you came back right away. …Um, please hold on. I'll prepare breakfast right away."
She smiles and brushes my hand off of her.
"
Sakura."It doesn't seem like she's pushing herself, but rather that she doesn't notice she's sick.
Maybe she thinks it's just heartburn.
"Hold on. You don't have to make breakfast. Just go back to your room and lie down. You have a high fever."
"Huh…? I have a fever?"
"Yes. …Damn, it's really bad if you don't know it yourself! Why
"Why didn't I notice something so obvious?
Even though I was depressed about Saber, there's something wrong with me if I can't care for Sakura's health.
"Um, Senpai…? I'm really fine. I just fell, so it's not like I'm dizzy or anything…"
"Don't say stupid things! You have such a high fever! I don't even need a thermometer to tell that!"
He doesn't need a thermometer because fevers on this route are always exactly 101 degrees.
"Oh
"I pull her into the living room.
I have to let Sakura rest for now.
I'll report to the school that she's going to be absent, make some breakfast that's easy to digest, and for lunch
yeah, I'll ask Fujimura's old man and have one of their housekeepers come over.
Sakura still hasn't grasped the situation.
All her energy must have been a result of the fever.
"You're not going to school. You're resting in your room today. I'll let the school know. I'm going to see Fuji-Nee in class, so I'll tell her then."
"Eh
I'm not going to school?""Right. Who else would it be? I'm… well, I'm injured, but I'll be fine. There's no reason for me to stay home."
"
"…Well, there's no reason for me to push myself and go to school. Because I lost Saber, I don't have such liberty.
But there's something I have to do.
I can't be staying in my house until I go tell Tohsaka about last night
about Matou Zouken and Assassin."Anyway, you're to stay home today. You're working hard every day, so you can rest once in a while. I'll come home right away after I'm done with my business."
So let's eat breakfast and go to school. This fever will go away if I do…!"
"Such a thing won't happen, you idiot. You're being absurd, Sakura."
"I-I'm not being absurd!
You're the one being reckless. I'm feeling perfectly fine, and you're injured! But I'm the only one staying home? That's
""Eh… Whoa, Sakura!"
"H
uh? That's strange, Senpai. I'm… having trouble… breathing"Sakura's breathing hard and is about to fall to the ground.
…I support her, but her body is heavy.
She must not have the power to stand up, or maybe she can't stand up because her body is heavy.
Either way, Sakura's so sick that she can't walk by herself, and she's the only one who thinks she's fine.
"…You idiot. Look, I'm going to make you stay home today no matter what. I don't care if you don't like it or not, but you'll end up staying home tomorrow too if you use up extra energy."
"……But, Senpai. I… have to… go to school."
Delirious, Sakura punctuates her sentence with ragged breaths.
"
"Ignoring her, I lift her up and head to the guest room.
Music: Tender Scenery
"
"I lay her on the bed.
"Oh… Senpai…?"
Her voice is vague.
Sakura is staring at the ceiling, not at me.
"
Sakura."Her ragged breathing, flushed cheeks, sweat-dampened clothes, and heaving breasts…
"
!"She looks so erotic that I quickly look away.
Why am I so imprudent when Sakura's sick!?
Breathing difficulties, high temperatures, and body odor are such turn ons.
"…Crap. I guess I'll have to ask their housekeeper."
…I can't change her clothes or wipe her down.
Her breathing has calmed down since she is lying down, so she should get better with some fever medicine.
Once she can walk again, I can take her to the hospital to go get some medicine.
They got those extra strength rolaids there. So much better than the regular kind.
"Sakura. I'm going to go get someone, so sleep until then. You're familiar with Fuji-Nee's housekeeper, right?"
"
"There's no reply.
Her breathing still sounds painful, but it seems she's asleep.
"
Phew. You're obstinate in weird ways, Sakura. Why do you want to go to school so bad?"I'm just talking to myself.
I know there won't be a reply because Sakura's asleep.
"Bye. I'm going to school."
I step away from the bed and head to the door.
Then."…I want to go to school with you, Senpai."
I hear her answer.
"Sakura…?"
I turn around.
Sakura is still asleep, and her eyes are closed painfully.
"…Oh, she's just talking in her sleep."
Music: Stop
"……Because I have to protect Senpai."
…protect him so hard he can't walk.
She says this in feverish tones.
Music: Tender Scenery
It has dozens of scary-looking people that call themselves company employees even though it's not even a company.
Many of them live in the outbuilding, so they are a large family.
So there are many housekeepers, and one will be free to spare if I ask.
Music: Gentle Everyday
"Then what!?
Matou Zouken is Assassin's Master, and he tried to kill you and not Saber!?"
…Tohsaka getting really angry.
"T-That's right. What's with you all of a sudden?"
"It's not sudden!
From what I heard, Zouken tried to kill you after Saber was defeated. That's strange. The process is wrong no matter how you look at it!"
Tohsaka leans forward and glares at me.
I back up just a few centimeters because of her attitude, but we're sitting in our spot behind the water tower.
Tohsaka Rin glares at me in dissatisfaction.
"Ugh."
…As if her attitude wasn't bad enough, now she's getting right in my face.
This space is small, so there's no room for me to back up.
I'm like a mouse in a trap. There's nowhere for me to run.
"Umm…… What was strange?"
"It's the priorities. Zouken didn't try to kill you, even though you two were alone.
It was fortunate that Assassin was able to beat Saber, but there was also a chance of Assassin's defeat. Zouken should've tried to kill you, Saber's Master, as quickly as possible."
"…Well, that's true.
But maybe Zouken was confident that Assassin could beat Saber."
…I bet he had a reason not to kill you.
Well, I can think of two reasons."
Music: Stop
