Part 388: Geas / Rin-sama gets angry / Geas / Tiger Dojo 31

This is one of the longer dead ends in the game. You're committed to it as soon as you agree to do anything Rin says on day 9, but it won't actually trigger until the end of that (very long) day.

Music: Whirlpool of Fate 2





"What's wrong, Tohsaka? Was my answer not good?"


"It's nothing. It was an ideal answer. I'm not satisfied, but if that's what you say, that's how it'll be.


Then accept my magic, Emiya-kun. I'm going to make those words real."

"Huh… make the words real…?"
"I'm going to put a geas on you. It's not something I can use readily since it's one of the worst curses around.
But I can lock it if you accept it."

"A curse of coercion… Is it like the Command Spell for a Servant?"
"Yes, but it's not almighty.
Binding you would be the most it can do, and I can't force you to do anything that has to do with your life. It'll be effective for the duration of the Holy Grail War. That's fine, right?"

"Oh… Yeah, that's fine."


"Then close your eyes. Don't move your body or your Magic Circuit."

""
…I do as I'm told.




"Satz.
Beklagter, meine Wörter, werden geglaubt.
Weiß ist schwarz.
Richtige übliche Peitsche.
Die Vergeltung vom Himmel."



A sound as if a small bottle is shaking.
Right next to my heart…
Another heart is created

Music: Stop








"Now, let's meet at the front gate after school.
You're going to have club activities at my place, starting today."
"Hmclub activities at your place?"


"Yup. We're cooperating, so I need to teach you how to fight by yourself, right?
…Well, I know from what I've already seen that you're an amateur, so you'll be working overtime every day."

"Well, I don't mind, and that's actually helpful
But is that starting today?"


"Of course. I have to figure out your ability and determine our plan from tonight on.
You'll be going home late, but since you live alone that's not a problem, right?"
"Huh? Well, that's true, but how do you know that, Tohsaka?"






A-Anyway, that's how it's going to be, so you just have to wait for me at the front gate!"

""
Tohsaka waves goodbye and runs off.
It's Friday today… Classes run to sixth period, so we'll be going home after three o'clock.

"…This is bad. I told Sakura I'd be coming home early, but I can't cancel Tohsaka's proposal on the very first day."
I feel bad for Sakura, but I'll go with Tohsaka for today.



From there, the day proceeds similarly to this update, only it doesn't end with a choice. Instead, Shirou automatically chooses to stay silent.

Music: Tender Scenery



And Tohsaka says…


"You don't correspond to anything. Further analysis would be useless."
…And quickly gives up diagnosing my Magic Circuit.

"Hey. Does that mean you can't tell?"
And when I ask her…


"Excuse me. I found out that you're not related to the five elements. Any more consecration is out of my expertise, so it's useless to keep going.
I'll just see what magic you can use and figure out from there."

…That's how it is according to her.
I run through the "strengthening" magic using the clay she prepared.

It's called an ether cluster, and it's a strange object that returns to its original form no matter what happens to it. It's a good conductor of magical energy.
I strengthen it so easily that I'm afraid it won't recover, but…


"It's like shiniku, so don't worry about it. It restores its original state in a day even if you bundle it with strong magical energy."
…She says something like that.
Shiniku, by the way, is meat that never goes away, no matter how much of it you eat.

…Anyway, I keep repeating the strengthening magic on the clay.
I can't fail in front of Tohsaka, but I only succeed two out of ten times.
Activating my Magic Circuit, which was easy when I had Saber, took a lot of time and effort.

Tohsaka asks me a few questions while I cast the strengthening magic.
Whether I'm self-taught, whether I can use any other spells, how Kiritsugu taught me, and what I have the easiest time imagining.



Tohsaka's expression darkens further with each answer I give, and by the end she's shut up entirely.
I don't know what she's angry about, but it's really awkward to be here if she makes a face like that.

"Tohsaka? …Um, I know it's only a matter of course, but are you regretting cooperating with me because I'm such an amateur?"
I ask her the most likely thing.


"Huh…? Yeah, I do regret that you're an amateur, but in your case, you were taught wrong… Or should I say that I'm surprised you're still alive with the way you're doing things."
Tohsaka ponders.

"…? Heeey, Tohsaka? You lost me."


"………?"
Why is she glaring at me?


"……Fine. I guess if I'm going to correct you, we'll have to start with the fundamentals. But let's go back to what we were talking about earlier. Is it true that the things you projected are still in your shed?"
"Yeah. Things don't normally go away unless you break them, right?"


I told her that I use projection as a breather in between strengthening magic.
It seems Tohsaka is particular about it, and told me to use projection using the clay.
She told me to make a vase. Everything started out smoothly, but in the end I still failed.


"Hmph. For now, I'll teach you how to turn your switch on and off.
It's faster to make an actual switch in your body. Stay over tonight. It's a drastic measure, so you'll have to stay in bed all night."

"What? You mean here?"


"What's with that face? Don't worry. I'm not going to be performing surgery on you. You'll just drink some medicine. Well, you won't be able to move for a while because it's so strong."

"Oh… Um, it's not that I don't like drastic measures…"
…I look at the clock.
It's almost five.
I didn't notice since it's cloudy today, but it's getting late.

Tohsaka is helping me as a fellow magus.
I'm worried about leaving Sakura alone in her condition, but today's an exception.
…Tohsaka's cooperating with me, so she takes precedence.



You don't mind taking drastic measures, right? Then just give up and accept it."

"…Yeah, I will. But let me make sure, Tohsaka. This thing will end today, right? I'll really be in trouble if I can't move tomorrow."


"…Well. I can't deny that possibility, to be honest. I can't tell how it'll turn out, and it'll take longer if your body has matured to the point where it can't be tampered with. And there's the possibility of the operation itself failing.


Well, that's all up to your luck. How's your luck recently, Emiya-kun?"

…It's bad.
It's worse still given that the one asking me holds my fate in her hands.

"…Hold on. That's really troublesome.
I have to go home by tomorrow."


"Huh? Your home?"

"Yeah. Sakura's lying sick at my house, so I want to go check on her. I won't be able to rest easy while I'm lying in bed unless I'm sure she's all right."


"CrapI forgot about it."
…She's astonished.
Tohsaka stares at me, bewildered, and…


"You idiot! I wouldn't have kept you here for so long if you'd told me earlier…!"
…As if trying to get back at me, she gives an unexpected response.

"We can talk about the switch later! We can do that at your house!"
"W-What…!?"
She yells at me as she crosses the room and puts on her coat.


"Let's go. We're done with what we have to do here, and we can do the rest at your place. We'll continue as soon as you're done with nursing Sakura, so let's hurry."
"Eho-okay. That'll help me out."



Your nature is in projection and not strengthening.
I don't know where you made your mistake or what your misunderstanding is, but you're a magus that belongs on the 'side that creates'."
Tohsaka walks off down the hallway.



Music: Stop

Everything else happens as normal until the very end of the day, when Shirou returns to the church after deciding to save Sakura.




"!"




"I see. I get your point.
You're going to protect Sakura over other people, right?"
"Yeah. Don't say I'm mistaken. If you're going to kill Sakura, I'll stop you."


"Stop me? I think not. You can't even move an inch, let alone stop me. You can't interfere, no matter how badly you want to protect her."

Tohsaka's voice contains no emotion.
And…
"What……?"
…I try to react and realize that I can't even move a finger.

Music: Footsteps of Destruction

"Guh…!? Tohsaka, you…!"



"…You said I can't say you're mistaken. But you did make a mistake. If you wanted to follow your own path, you shouldn't have given me the right to decide."

""
My heart beats loudly.
No, it's not my heart, but the bind made right beside my heart.



I'm not satisfied, but if that's what you say, that's how it'll be.

"Curse of coercion…"


"Yes. It was just horseplay, but I never thought it would come in handy like this. You can't go against me from the moment you swore absolute obedience to me.



…You made a contract with me instead of making a promise. Instead of being my ally, you chose to be my servant."

"Wha"


"I'm going to go kill Sakura, Emiya-kun. But don't get it wrong. You couldn't have stopped me even if you didn't have the geas.
This is my duty. You're not at fault here."

"! Tohsaka, w"
I can't even tell her to wait.

…Tohsaka leaves.
"No waywhy?"
I still can't move.

"Damn, don't kid me! Why!?"
I struggle with all my might.
I have to free myself quickly.
I fight the binding, hoping that it's not too late.
And suddenly, I'm free once again.



Music: Stop

"Sakura."
My legs give way.
Without a place to go, my mind breaks.



The fight will continue.
The Holy Grail War will continue, and I will end the war along with Tohsaka, the one who killed Sakura.

…But that is no longer my concern.
Emiya Shirou's position has been eternally lost.
From now on, I must continue onward with neither a guide nor a goal



Video: Tiger Dojo 31 (mirror)







I did not expect that sentence to end with "-ll collector".


Osu! Heading straight for the underground kingdom after carelessly signing a contract!

Music: Tender Scenery


Yeah. Man, these contracts sure are scary.
They pull your leg when it counts, even when you don't mean it.
Don't get tricked by such sales, okay, everyone?
The scariest things are always right next to you where you don't expect them.




…? Stop it, that's embarrassing.
I don't know why, but I feel bashful if you stare at me so much.


See, isn't she scary?


So, the cause of this death is your contract with Tohsaka-san.
She makes unreasonable demands of you, but there is one thing you should not say "yes" to.
Try starting over from the beginning of day 9.




Oh, as expected from the heroine (candidate) returning from the main storyline!
You have awesome information.


Ugh… I thought we promised not to say that…


Well, this is the last Tiger Dojo in day 9.
What lies ahead is a hell filled with dead ends!
Face the battles with care!