Chapter 2: Day 1

The sensation of mud clinging to the body.

Even if I struggled, my body was heavy, and there was no sign of it moving forward.

Darkness that tolerated absolutely no light.

It wasn't even certain if my eyes were open or not.

How long had I been there?

An hour, a day, a month... perhaps I had just 'been' there for years.

In my vague state of consciousness, I was suddenly pulled toward somewhere, quite forcibly.

My body wouldn't move, and I was dragged along helplessly. I felt like I saw a flash of light beyond it.

Fuu, my consciousness awakens.

What comes into my sight is a destroyed ceiling. The room is littered with wall materials that must have fallen when it was broken.

The ceiling is high, and the room is spacious. The furnishings are all high-class, suggesting a very affluent home.

...somehow, I can't grasp the current situation. For now, I should calm down.

I sit up, perform a seiza (formal kneeling) on the floor, and close my eyes. Perhaps it's a habit from my Kyūdō (Japanese archery) days, but doing this naturally calms me down.

Information spontaneously rises in my mind.

That I was summoned. That the purpose is the Holy Grail War.

That I was called forth as a Heroic Spirit, as a Servant. That my class this time is Archer.

And faintly recalled information about other Heroic Spirits, and numerous fierce battles that feel entirely unreal. Memories that definitely didn't exist during the time Emiya Shirou lived.

So, I'm a Heroic Spirit...?

This knowledge is likely something passed on from the Throne of Heroes.

A few more seconds pass, and I hear the sound of footsteps running from outside the door.

"Oh, come on, get out of the way, this—!" accompanied by the sound of the door being violently flung open.

Judging from the voice, it's a woman. ...for some reason, it sounds familiar.

"You are my Master, correct?"

I can feel prana flowing from that person.

It's a strange sensation, but even I can tell that the amount being sent is considerable.

It makes me recognize that this person is an excellent Magus.

I open my closed eyelids to see the person's face and turn my gaze toward the entrance to confirm her appearance.

The person who entered is panting for breath... wait?

...Tohsaka!?

As I stare blankly with wide eyes, Tohsaka mutters something while looking around. Perhaps because I'm preoccupied, I can't quite catch what she's saying.

"Uh... you, by the looks of it, are you Saber?"

---Indeed, it is Tohsaka, Tohsaka Rin. Her sharp, strong-willed eyes are staring at me.

Her glossy black hair is divided into two sections on the sides. She is casually wearing a red outfit that would look ill-fitting on an average woman.

She questions me, seemingly irritated.

"N-No, I'm Archer, but..."

Surprised by the unexpected appearance of this person, I somehow manage to reply. My mind is blank. The answer was reflexive.

"No way! You clearly look like a Swordsman!!"

"Huh? No, but I am Archer, surely..."

I slowly stand up and look over my own appearance.

Looking down, the first thing I notice is armor. There are red engravings in various places. The fabric covering my arms is red, almost painfully bright.

I look at my hands and see gauntlets. They are designed to protect even my fingers. Also, my perspective is low. ...Did I shrink?

Why? I don't understand the meaning or the reason for the information coming into my sight.

I desperately try to recall my memories from life. It's only after reviewing the moment of my death that the cause suddenly dawns on me. Immediately, the blood drains from my head.

---Could it be that I... am still in Saber's body?

While I was staring blankly at my own appearance, Tohsaka seems to have regained her composure.

"Why on earth are you Archer?"

...that's the first thing out of her mouth.

"Hmph. Are you saying you're dissatisfied with me being Archer?"

"Yes! I intended to summon Saber, yet... sigh."

She mutters about having used so many of her jewels, her face contorted in distaste.

To flatly state "I'm dissatisfied with you" right in front of the person she summoned. And she even sighed. Well, if you say "like Tohsaka," then yes, it is.

"Wait a moment. If I'm summoned abruptly only to have you immediately express disappointment, even I would be hurt, you know."

"Ah, I'm sorry. Well, since I was the one who summoned you, it's wrong for me to take it out on you. So, Archer, you are my Servant, right? Let's get straight to it: what is your True Name?"

My True Name, huh? Is 'Emiya Shirou' acceptable? No, but given this appearance, maybe it's better to answer with 'Arthur'... but.

I'm at a loss for an answer. None of them feel wrong, yet all of them feel wrong. As I'm absorbed in thought about what to do...

"---I think I, as your Master, have the right to ask, don't I?"

For some reason, Tohsaka, who has misunderstood something, comes into my view, smiling while her temple twitches.

Tohsaka seems quite upset. Her boiling point is lower than usual, or perhaps she's just stressed.

Now then, more importantly, what should I do about my True Name? Of course, it's not that I don't trust Tohsaka.

In fact, I trust Tohsaka, especially concerning anything related to Magecraft, but...

"My True Name... honestly, even I don't know."

"Huh? Are you trying to make a fool of me!?"

"No, I'm not making a fool of you. It's just that... there seem to be two, or something. But if you ask whether both are correct... hmm, I wonder."

I desperately try to calm down the agitated Tohsaka and explain vaguely. Hearing this, Tohsaka looks at me suspiciously.

"Two, you say...? Well, just tell me for now."

I'm sorry, Saber. I'll have to use your name. ---After all, what would happen if I said 'Emiya Shirou'?

Besides, 'Emiya Shirou' never did anything to become a Hero, and before that, he had neither the skill nor the ability.

"Artoria Pendragon. Perhaps it's easier to understand if I say King Arthur."

"Artoria Pendragon, hmm... Pendragon? As in Arthur!? Amazing!!! Isn't that a considerably famous Heroic Spirit!! When you said Archer, I thought, 'Oh no, what am I going to do?' but!"

The moment I said it, Tohsaka's eyes sparkled, and she grasped both of my hands.

Being disappointed was humiliating, but being rejoiced over somehow makes me feel apologetic. I'm struggling with how to react.

"Hmm? But if that's the case, shouldn't you all the more be 'Saber'?"

"That should be the case, but..."

Indeed. If I was summoned in Saber's body, my class should be 'Saber.'

Yet, I'm 'Archer.' Do I even possess the skills necessary to be 'Archer'?

"Well, never mind. You genuinely don't seem to understand. And I understand the reason for your way of speaking now. You were behaving like a man, Archer."

"Ah, yes. I suppose so?"

It seems she's come to a favorable misunderstanding. Since I can't easily come up with a good reason, I just nod.

Speaking of which... the fact that the Tohsaka I know is right in front of me means this is, after all, the Holy Grail War I participated in during my life...

And Saber. Will the me in this world be able to summon Saber?

After all, I, who possess Saber's body, even if fake, have been summoned here, so I don't know how things will turn out.

"But still, you should try to speak in a way that matches your appearance a little more. You have such a cute appearance, after all."

I was sinking into a sea of thought, but Tohsaka's unexpected words forcibly yank me back to reality.

"No, I firmly refuse that. Besides, shouldn't I be free to choose my own manner of speech?"

"Archer, listen. Since you don't seem to get it, I'll tell you: King Arthur is known as a man, right? Wouldn't it lessen the possibility of your true identity being revealed if you look and speak like a 'girl'?"

This is... the meaningful smile I often saw when I was Emiya Shirou.

Tohsaka Rin, still going strong here, too. How troublesome. Since everything she says is logically sound, it's difficult to object.

"Ugh. That may certainly be true, but..."

That's a bit much, though. Even if my appearance is Saber's, the inside is Emiya Shirou.

Imagining myself speaking in a feminine manner makes me frown. For some reason, the image that surfaces in my mind is of me when I was unequivocally a man.

...I think a Saber who refers to herself as 'ore' is also questionable.

"Nope. It's impossible. I refuse."

"..."

"............?"

............Huh? There's no reply from Tohsaka. She's looking down, so I can't see her expression.

Why? I feel restless, or is this feeling an ominous premonition?

"...Hehe."

I hear a laugh. I know where it's coming from, yet I quickly look around.

"Archer, it seems you still don't understand your position."

Tohsaka quietly inches closer. As she approaches, her expression is revealed.

...her eyes are fixed. She has dark circles under them, too. She's strangely panicking; perhaps she's sleep-deprived?

Also, I seem to have quite a lot of composure...

"Vertrag... Ein neuer Nagel Ein neuer Gesetz neuer Verbrechen---..."

"Wait, what are you doing? ...Don't tell me!"

"Exactly. Obey my command!"

A pseudo-wind caused by prana whips up. A part of the Command Spell on Rin's hand glowed red and shattered.

"No way... I can't believe she'd use a Command Spell for something like this."

"Then let's start immediately. Archer, change your tone of speech."

I forcibly close my mouth, which was about to ask, What are you thinking?

I feel a strange sensation around my mouth. This must be the forcible binding by prana. If I spoke like this, it would probably come out in a feminine manner.

But I won't speak. I just need to avoid speaking as much as possible.

"An answer?"

"I understand."

Gah! I started speaking involuntarily!?

"Good, good. It's still a bit stiff, but I suppose that can't be helped. Well, let's start right away: would you mind cleaning up the room?"

"Toh---, no, Master. I believe it is somewhat inappropriate to use a Servant for such chores."

I was about to call her Tohsaka, but something caught in my throat, and I corrected it to Master. I realized the oddity was my inability to pronounce "Tohsaka" in Saber's voice.

Come to think of it, Tohsaka hasn't told me her name yet. I was almost caught on the first hurdle.

Even so, despite it being a command via a Command Spell, it seems I can resist and object if I try hard enough.

The tone of speech, however, seems to have taken full effect, perhaps because she used the Command Spell for that specific purpose. When I try to speak, I get the impression that my words are being automatically translated just enough to keep the meaning intact. For some reason, my manner of speech is becoming like the original Saber.

"It's fine, isn't it? I haven't slept since I summoned you."

"...That cannot be helped, then. I shall tidy up as much as possible while Master rests."

"Oh, really?"

"But before that, there is one thing I must ask of Master."

I stop Tohsaka as she turns on her heel and attempts to leave the living room. She should be doing something more important than giving me cleaning instructions.

"Hmm? Is there an immediate problem?"

Tohsaka stops the leg she was stepping with and tilts her head. I turn squarely toward her and state with a serious expression, as if this were of utmost importance.

"Yes. It is a very crucial matter. Without exchanging this, it will not be easy to build trust between you and me."

"Eh!? Wait a minute... Exchange?"

She genuinely seems not to understand. Did she panic upon hearing that it would be difficult to build trust? She puts her hand on her chin and falls into thought.

Perhaps her brain isn't working due to lack of sleep. I suppose I'll have to initiate.

"---Yes. Since I have told you mine, I would very much like you to tell me your name, too."

Saying that, I offer my right hand. It's meant as a gesture of From now on, let's work together.

The moment she heard those words, Tohsaka visibly stiffened, turned red, and became flustered, although I don't know what the surprise attack was.

"Ah, right. Yes. I'm Tohsaka Rin. Please call me Rin."

"I understand. Then, Rin."

"Y-Yeah. Nice to meet you."

She timidly shook my right hand, and then dazedly opened and closed the hand that had gripped mine.

"...Um, well. I'm going to sleep now, then."

She said that and left the room. She must have been tired. Her words seemed distracted.

If I look closely, her steps were wavering as she returned to her room.

Rin has left the room, and I stand still in my armored state, contemplating the current situation. I need to sort things out a bit, or I'll lose track of what's happening.

First, I was summoned to the Holy Grail War that the me from my life—Emiya Shirou—participated in. Second, my current body, summoned here, is Saber's. Yet, my class is Archer. It makes no sense.

For now, the fact that I am in the 'Archer' slot probably means that the other Archer won't be summoned into this world. Ironically, this outfit is based on red, the same color as his.

---Speaking of which, I know almost nothing about him. All I know is his strength to fight on par with Lancer and his ability to kill that Berserker multiple times.

I can't tell how skilled he was now, but it seems I'll have to fulfill that role.

I try to recall the memories that immediately surfaced in my head upon being summoned, hoping to gain some information, but all I learn is that they are Saber's 'records,' not Emiya Shirou's memories.

...Even when I try to recall them, they are vague and don't seem like they'll be of much use.

---Speaking of which, what were Rin and Archer doing on the following day and the day after?

The past me was, of course, not present for Archer's summoning, nor did we act together afterward. Things would be manageable after Rin and Shirou—I'll call the Emiya Shirou of this world Shirou for convenience—join up.

For the next two days or so, it seems I have no choice but to follow Rin's instructions.

I would like to act as much as possible like the previous time and reduce the resulting casualties, but if I don't know what they were doing, there's nothing I can do.

I never thought about starting over and saving those who died, but I believe it's wrong not to save those who can be saved. To that end, I should assist Rin and ensure the damage is as minimal as possible.

Furthermore, since I was summoned as Rin's Servant, I must protect Rin, regardless of whether I'm actually an amateur or whatever.

Ultimately, the decision is to go with the flow and act flexibly. There is too little information at this moment.

It won't suit me, and I don't really want to do it, but I might have to resort to some slight trickery.

After thinking that much, I look around the room again. Ah, right, I have to clean the room.

The ceiling, for example, is so collapsed that you wonder what it took to cause it. The fragments are scattered all over the floor, and you can't even step anywhere without sweeping. Chairs are overturned.

I don't know why it became like this, but this looks like it's going to be quite a chore.

My first job as a Servant is to clean a room, huh?

"...Haa, I have a bad feeling about the future."

A sigh involuntarily escapes me. I wonder what will happen now.