Chapter 15: Day 5 ④

After all the classes were over, Tohsaka and I split into two groups to search for the 'Key Point of the Barrier' said to be set up on the school grounds. Tohsaka would search inside the school building, and I would cover the rest. Even if one of us were attacked, we could surely rush to assist the other within the short distance of the school premises.

"Even if you can't analyze it, as long as you can channel some prana, even you, Emiya-kun, should be able to figure out the key point's location from the prana repulsion during the search," Tohsaka had said...

Regarding analysis magecraft, I think I can perform at an average level... but since I don't even know what the standard 'average' is, I decided to just nod in silence.

I walked around the schoolyard, attempting analysis, but achieved no results. The area is large, so I was starting to feel a little tired, but I couldn't afford to rest.

Excluding the main building, the remaining areas are the club rooms, the gymnasium, the archery dojo (kyuudoujou), and the martial arts hall (budoujou).

Deciding to start with the closest location, the archery dojo, I headed towards its entrance. That's when I saw Shinji approaching from beyond the dojo.

Given the location, I initially thought he was there for club activities, but that didn't seem to be the case. A smug grin was plastered across his face. It looked like Shinji's business was with me. His steps were heading toward me without hesitation.

"Honestly, I had to search all over for you, Emiya."

"Hmm. You need something? Sorry, but I don't have time for any favors today."

I stopped and turned only my face toward Shinji, who had called out to me.

Based on past experience, any task that required him to specifically search for me was usually some kind of chore or favor, so I decided to refuse preemptively. I was severely pressed for time right now. I couldn't possibly weigh the school barrier, which could potentially lead to casualties, against one of Shinji's requests.

"Hmph. That makes it sound like I'm always asking you for favors, doesn't it? I was looking for you because I had something I wanted to discuss today. And you seem to be in the middle of a search yourself. ...Oh, right. Just to be nice, I'll tell you this: wandering around here won't find you anything you're looking for in the archery dojo."

"Something I'm looking for... Shinji, do you know something!?"

"Yes. At least the minimum amount a Servant's Master should know. Obviously. Emiya, you're participating in this as a Magus, aren't you?"

Just now, words that should not have come from the mouth of the supposedly ordinary Shinji were spoken.

'Magus,' 'Master,' 'Servant.' In Fuyuki at this moment, these words carried a particularly special significance.

"...Shinji, did you become a Master!?"

"Well, that's irrelevant."

Shinji sighed and slumped his posture, leaving me momentarily speechless.

No, because this shouldn't be something he can just brush aside so easily. It shouldn't, right?

"Speaking of which. I overheard a little rumor—what's this about you, Emiya, dating Tohsaka?"

Shinji's face suddenly took on a serious expression. Confused by the abrupt topic change, I couldn't keep up, of course.

"Huh? Ah, yes, apparently that's what people think."

"Tch—You know yourself that you and Tohsaka are mismatched, don't you, Emiya? And Tohsaka is an idiot anyway. There are people more suited to form an alliance with. Honestly, she's just demeaning herself."

He grimaced for a moment, then recovered and smirked at me. As for me, Shinji's words... had hit a nerve.

"I am well aware that we are mismatched. But that doesn't give you the right to disparage Tohsaka in front of me as an excuse."

I could accept criticism about myself, but degrading Tohsaka was a different matter. Forgetting to mention that we were only doing this "under the pretense of an alliance," I was driven by some unknown impulse to respond that way.

"...Ha. You're just being used as my stalking horse, Emiya. You're going to be abandoned in the near future, so wouldn't it be better to pull out now? Besides, Tohsaka is a Master. I think you should cut ties before she sneaks up and slits your throat."

After a slight pause, Shinji, with a malicious grin, continued his advice, saying, "That would be for your own good, Emiya."

My blood seemed to be boiling, and I replied before I could think calmly.

"I won't do that. Because I trust Tohsaka."

Silence fell between Shinji and me. Shinji glared at me irritably, then raked his hand through his bangs after a while.

"—I get it, Emiya. You're saying you trust Tohsaka more than me. Fine, then you're my enemy. I'll let you go for now, but don't complain if I kill you later."

With that, Shinji turned his back and started to walk toward the school gate.

"Wait a moment before you go. Shinji, is it you who set up the barrier here?"

I called out to Shinji as he walked away, showing me his back. Annoyed, Shinji turned to face me, but then a smirk crossed his lips, as if he'd thought of something.

"And if it was, what are you going to do about it, Emiya? Are you planning to kill me?"

"I wouldn't do that. But if you did, I would stop you with everything I have."

"Hahaha! Emiya, you really are an amateur!"

"Shinji."

"......Hmph. It wasn't me."

As I spoke his name quietly, Shinji dropped his frivolous smile.

"Besides, even if I'm a Magus, I'm practically an ordinary person with just the knowledge. I couldn't possibly set up a barrier. In the first place, why would I do such a thing?"

'Practically an ordinary person with just the knowledge'—this should have been an overwhelming disadvantage, yet Shinji's composure remained unshaken. He smiled at me, seemingly confident, and said, "Isn't that right?"

"I guess so. You're right."

My answering smile must have been awkward. —But inwardly, I was definitely relieved.

Though I had loudly declared my intention to stop him, if Shinji had been the one who set up the barrier, I wouldn't have known how to proceed.

Of course, what I said earlier wasn't a lie. I intended to stop him with all my might and do everything in my power, but I didn't think Shinji would simply comply just because I told him to.

I would have had no choice but to resort to force. And there was no guarantee that we would both come out of that unharmed.

"Well, I understand why you're suspicious, but you should be careful not to overdo it, or people will start to dislike you."

This time, Shinji turned his back on me and started walking away for good. I watched him go and called out to his retreating back.

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

I cut my gaze and started walking toward the archery dojo myself. —Just as Shinji had said, I couldn't find anything resembling the 'Key Point of the Barrier' I was looking for there.

I met up with Tohsaka at the school gate, and we walked the road together.

It seemed Tohsaka hadn't been able to find the 'Key Point of the Barrier' either. Since we hadn't covered all the areas, the rest would have to be searched another day.

Along the way, I told Tohsaka about my conversation with Shinji. I hesitated about whether I should share such a conversation, but in the end, I decided to tell her the whole exchange. The primary reason, sentimentally, was that I didn't want to betray Tohsaka's trust after she had allied with me.

In addition, it seemed Shinji knew that both Tohsaka and I were Masters. This meant we were behind Shinji in terms of information. In the current situation, where the identities of many Masters are unknown, a single piece of information can determine victory or defeat. Knowing who our opponent is might give us an edge in battle.

While my own mind can only process so much, Tohsaka should be different. I did, however, ask her not to kill Shinji, but I didn't know how that would turn out.

Tohsaka, listening to my story, was genuinely surprised.

True to Shinji's words, he is not a Magus. Although he was born into a Magus family, Shinji apparently possesses no Magic Circuits.

She speculated that he might have borrowed the right to summon a Servant from someone else using some method, but the details were unknown. "Given the Matou family's actions and the school barrier, maybe we should just wait and see," Tohsaka murmured softly.

When we arrived at Tohsaka's house, I waited outside for a few minutes until she emerged carrying a small bag. She said it contained "a lamp to check my magecraft refinement level and something to help with circuit switching."

I took the bag from Tohsaka and carried it for her. It felt pathetic as a man to let a girl carry her own luggage. Since the contents were for me, there was no reason for me not to carry it.

Carrying the bag, we walked home while making idle small talk.

By the time we arrived home, it was already getting dark outside.

"Ah, it was my turn to cook dinner, wasn't it?"

With that, Tohsaka stepped through the entrance, quickly took off her shoes, and hurried off toward the kitchen.

"Have you just returned, Shirou?"

"Welcome back, Shirou."

Voices called out from inside to me as I entered the living room, still holding the luggage from Tohsaka's house.

The voices were the same—Saber's and Archer's. They were sitting in the living room, apparently enjoying tea together.

They still looked identical, but Archer's ribbon had changed from blue on her chest to red, making it considerably easier to distinguish between them.

"Yeah, I'm home."

...Right, there was something I wanted to ask the two of them. I hadn't had time this morning, and Fuji-nee and Sakura were around, but now should be fine.

"Speaking of which, this morning when Fuji-nee asked for your names, you both introduced yourselves as Lia and Alto. What was that about?"

The two had given names that I had never heard before, names that Tohsaka herself didn't even know, during the morning introductions. This had been bugging me and making me wonder all day.

At my question, Saber lowered the teacup she was bringing to her lips and looked up at me.

"—That matter? Archer was concerned that using our class names would be inconvenient if asked by a civilian, so those are aliases she thought up on the spot."

"I see... Archer did that."

After finishing her explanation, Saber took a sip of her half-drunk tea. Archer then turned her gaze to me.

"My apologies, Shirou. Was that overstepping?"

"Oh, no, you actually helped a lot. Since 'Saber' and 'Archer' are too specific and suggestive."

Even Fuji-nee might become suspicious. ...Well, I thought it was probably fine nine times out of ten, but still.

I was surprised by the sudden change this morning, but I should honestly thank Archer for her quick thinking.

"There you have it. Saber, was I not correct?"

"A-Archer! I didn't object to it, did I!"

While watching the two argue, I realized I was still standing. I placed the bag down near the edge of the room and sat down cross-legged (agura).

Putting that aside, are you two getting along quite well now?

"Well, that's fine, but... which names should I use to call you both from now on? I feel like I'm calling a person when I use their names, so I prefer Lia and Alto, if possible."

In my personal opinion, using 'Saber' and 'Archer' for girls felt a bit impersonal.

Even though they are Servants, they are still human, and calling them by names that sound like tools of war just didn't sit well with me.

They probably don't think that way, but if they have proper names, it should be better to use those.

"I do not mind either way. Please call me whatever is easiest for you, Shirou."

"If Saber says so, then you are welcome to call me whatever you like as well."

Saber answered as if the name didn't matter. Archer answered somewhat reluctantly because Saber had agreed.

"Alright. Then I'll call you Lia and Alto from now on. It's better to unify the names so things don't get confusing. Hmm, what will Tohsaka do?"

"Then I shall go and inform Rin."

Saying that, Ar... Alto stood up and headed toward the kitchen. But then Tohsaka's voice called out from that direction.

"It's fine, isn't it? The names are a little simple, but they conceal your class names, so they might confuse other Masters and Servants. I don't think it's a bad idea."

"Indeed," Alto said, sitting back down across from Saber... no, Lia.

Even though I was the one who suggested unifying the names, it felt strangely unfamiliar. ...Also, how did Tohsaka hear our conversation so clearly from so far away?

Itadakimasu

The collective pre-meal greeting. Even Lia, who had been confused during our first meal together, chimed in loudly this time.

Now, about the crucial dinner: Tohsaka seemed to have put together a Chinese-themed meal. The dishes in front of us were all things we hadn't had much chance to eat at the Emiya household before.

Water dumplings (Sui-gyoza), Twice-cooked pork (Hoi-kourou), and Chinese soup with sesame and wakame. I figured she focused on Chinese cuisine because I had made Japanese food first, and Alto had made Western food last time.

And, as I expected,

"Delicious!"

It looked delicious from the start, and it didn't betray that expectation at all. While working my chopsticks, I glanced around.

Tohsaka was puffing out her chest with a smug fufun, practically saying, "Right?" when looking at me and Alto.

Lia was simply nodding enthusiastically and bringing one dish after another to her mouth. A happy aura was practically oozing from her body. Alto hadn't stopped eating either. She looked slightly teary-eyed... Since she cooks herself, perhaps she was moved by this modern seasoning that didn't exist in the past?

Even without saying a word, the sight of the two of them was the highest compliment. Tohsaka nodded in satisfaction.

I, myself, was considerably impressed by Tohsaka's cooking.

I had previously underestimated Chinese food as monotonous with unchanging seasoning, but I was now painfully aware that this was a misconception. The deep flavor that suggested thorough preparation, the satisfying crunch left in the cabbage...

While Alto's cooking yesterday had incorporated Western techniques in its preparation, Tohsaka's dishes also featured cooking methods unique to Chinese cuisine, such as quick deep-frying (yutoushi).

Their culinary skills are probably equal, though their styles are different.

This means I need to redouble my own efforts. I find it irritating to be looked at by Tohsaka like that, and I can't let myself lose to either of them.

Incidentally, both Lia and Alto were on their third helping of rice.

I, myself, was enjoying my second. The downside of Chinese food might be that it makes you eat endless amounts of rice.

Since I muttered "Delicious," everyone had been quietly savoring their meal.

The only sound in the living room was the clinking of tableware.

Dinner at the Emiya house was originally supposed to be this quiet, but for some reason, it always gets noisy.

"Rice, rice~♪ Delicious rice~♪"

Along with the clatter of the sliding door being thrown open, that weird song could be heard again.

Needless to say, this was the cause of the constant commotion in the house.

I stopped eating and went to the kitchen to fetch Fuji-nee's portion of the food, which had been set aside.

Alto, without a word, was already scooping rice into Fuji-nee's bowl.

Tohsaka was wiping her mouth and tidying herself up.

Only Lia continued to consume the dishes on the table without rest.

I felt like their personalities were clearly expressed just by looking at this.

Fuji-nee finished her meal without paying any particular attention to Lia and Alto.

When she found out Tohsaka was the one who cooked, she murmured, "Tohsaka-san, you're a perfect superhuman..." The subject of her compliment played it off modestly, yet there was a clear look of triumph in her eyes, making their exchange quite memorable.

Everyone drank their after-dinner tea, and a relaxed, leisurely atmosphere began to settle over us.

Just as I let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking she had forgotten her words from the morning, Fuji-nee rose unsteadily.

"...Well then, Lia-chan, shall we go to the dojo?"

...It didn't work, did it?

I wish she could have just forgotten about it.