Chapter 3: Day 2 ①

I finally finished cleaning up in the morning.

If I could use magic like Rin, it might have been over sooner, but since I unfortunately can’t, it took this long. I couldn’t do anything about the blasted-out ceiling, so I covered it with some cloth to at least maintain appearances.

...No, but I think I did well.

Once the cleaning was done, I had nothing else to do and felt idle, so I decided to make breakfast.

I rummaged through the refrigerator, but it seemed there weren't many ingredients—almost none, in fact—so it was definitely going to be toast and scrambled eggs as the main items.

Since that was too lonely, I garnished it with lettuce and tomato for color. The fact that they were from the bottom of the vegetable drawer was somewhat unsettling, but as far as I could see, they looked fresh. Probably. Yeah.

It was then that my hearing caught a faint sound. Rin must have woken up.

It was a sound you’d have to listen carefully to even notice, yet I clearly perceived it. Saber’s hearing seems to be quite sharp. As Emiya Shirou, I would have certainly missed it.

"Good morning, Archer..."

"Good morning, Rin. Your hair is a mess."

About a minute later, the sound of the door opening was followed by Rin's greeting. Looking at the living room entrance, Rin was walking towards me with messy hair and a half-asleep, vacant expression.

Her eyes were aimed at my face, but the focus was slightly off. The hair that is usually tied up in two is now down. It seems she woke up and walked straight here.

That sight was completely unchanged from her sleeping face in the past—or rather, the future? The huge gap from her usual self brought up the phrase, 'Even a century of love would cool off.'

...No, it's not like I'm in love. Although I did admire her.

"Ugh... milk."

"Here you go."

I poured the well-chilled milk from the refrigerator into a glass.

When I presented it to Rin, who hadn't moved since earlier, she groaned another mysterious "Ugh" as she took it and downed it in one go right there.

"...Well, I'm going to go wash my face."

With just that, she shuffled off towards the washroom. After watching until she was out of sight, I began setting the table.

I put the toasted bread on a plate and placed the plate with the scrambled eggs on the table. Just as I took out the butter and jam from the refrigerator, Rin returned from the washroom.

Her hair was tied up, and she was the Tohsaka Rin I knew. ...However, she was still moving a little sluggishly, perhaps not yet fully awake.

Once Rin sat down in a chair, I placed the jam jar and butter on the table and sat in the chair opposite her.

"Hmm. It looks better than I thought. Huh? Did you make this?"

She looked around the room completely, and finally seemed to notice the food placed on the table.

"Yes, I did. Was there a problem with that?"

"You were a King, weren't you? I didn't picture you cooking."

"Ah."

Rin's unexpected comment made me panic. R-Right. I was cooking without question, but Saber was a King. Honestly, I hadn't thought that far.

"No... that's... well, yes. On my campaigns, there were days when we would camp with a small number of people."

A part of me posed the obvious question: would a King cook even if they were camping with a small group? I ignored it. I couldn't think of a better excuse.

...Does it sound forced?

"Hmph."

I couldn't tell if she still wasn't fully awake or if she just asked without much interest, but Rin gave an unenthusiastic reply.

...That was a relief. I have to be careful how I act, or my cover will be blown immediately.

"Oh, I basically don't eat breakfast. Since you went to the trouble of making it today, I'll have some, but you don't need to prepare it starting tomorrow."

............

"Rin."

"Hm? What is it?"

"That is an unacceptable statement. I perceive a lack of understanding regarding the necessity of a meal. Listen, a meal is the source of energy for the day. Skipping breakfast is out of the question. The energy gained from breakfast is indispensable for human activity. If you don't eat this, you won't be able to exert your full power when you need to. Furthermore, I deduce from your earlier appearance that you have low blood pressure, correct? It affects your morning because your blood sugar is low. Getting into the habit is important, and if you keep saying you won't eat, you'll never..."

"Eh? What? O-Okay, I'll try my best to eat. Okay? I understand, so please calm down a little."

Mmm... I don't know why, but I found myself pressing Rin on the matter.

I didn't really have such a strong obsession with food before. Making it is a different story, though.

"—Ahem. So, what are you planning for today?"

I sat properly back in my chair and asked Rin, who was spreading marmalade jam on her toast.

While asking the question, I glanced at the calendar on the wall. I believe... Rin had skipped school that day.

"Let's see... Today, I was thinking of touring the town to search for other Masters and to get a sense of the geography, but—Archer?"

Stopping the hand that was spreading blueberry jam on her toast, I looked up, and our eyes met.

Ignoring the eye contact, Rin continued to stare at me with a puzzled look. Yes, as if looking at something rare.

...Why?

"Is something wrong, Rin? Do I have something on my face?"

I asked exactly what I was thinking.

"Um, are you going to eat too?"

"Eh? Was I not supposed to eat?"

Reluctantly, I placed the toast, thickly spread with blueberry jam, onto the plate.

Although I answered Rin, my eyes couldn't leave the toast. No, I couldn't take them off.

What is this feeling? It's a strange sensation, but the magical energy flowing through the Pass is abundant, and my body is overflowing with vitality. With this, it's true that I wouldn't need to eat.

But... somehow... I feel hungry, if I had to say. It's close to the feeling of mouth-loneliness (a craving to chew something), but it might be slightly different.

Just imagining the taste of the crispy toast with jam and the scrambled eggs with ketchup right in front of me makes my mouth water, and I involuntarily swallow.

In other words, I want to savor delicious food.

This desire won't leave my mind. ...Was Saber like this too?

"It's fine, but... Servants eat too, huh."

"No, normally we don't need to eat, but... well, in my case, it's to satisfy a desire."

"You just mean you want to eat, don't you?"

Rin immediately picked apart my words and looked at me with a bewildered expression. But I could see her eyes were smiling.

Ugh, how embarrassing. I could feel my face reddening.

"Ah, um. ...W-Well. Rin, w-would you like some coffee? Or how about some tea?"

"Hehe. Tea, please."

Please, don't look at me with that 'What a cute girl' look as I hurriedly get up from my seat.

The slightly teasing breakfast ended, and Rin returned to her room to prepare to head out into town.

In the meantime, I washed the dishes used for breakfast. When I finished washing up and came out of the kitchen to call Rin, she was just coming out to call me, and we met halfway.

It's complicated how my nature instinctively made me wash the dishes without being asked.

"Rin, are you ready?"

"I am. Alright, Archer, please follow me in spirit form."

Spirit form... Ah, right.

"...Um, Rin."

"What? Is there a problem?"

"Yes. I cannot enter spirit form."

"Eh?"

"Somehow, I can't transform from this state."

As a Servant, I know the procedure for spiritualization and materialization from the records in the Throne of Heroes—the basic information of a Servant—but even after trying, it doesn't work.

"...Maybe something went wrong during the summoning. Your appearance location was also distant, so maybe the ritual wasn't fully completed. Well, I suppose we should be thankful the summoning itself wasn't a failure... that time difference was a critical mistake after all."

Saber couldn't spiritualize either, and since I have Saber's body, it might be expected that I can't.

After all, Saber is summoned as a Servant, but she is not dead yet, so there's no way I, who has become Saber, can turn into a spirit.

After mumbling to herself for a while, Rin seemed to accept the situation and started speaking with a clean, resolute face.

"Well, fine. If it's only about not being able to spiritualize, that's something that can be handled somehow. For now, I'll lend you some clothes so you don't attract attention. Put them on and follow me. Hmm, given Archer's physique, my middle school size should be fine."

With that, Rin rummaged through the top of her closet. I've had a bad feeling about this for a while.

"Here you go."

Rin prompted me to take the clothes. Ah, just as I thought. A skirt... it's a woman's garment.

"Um, Rin. If you have any comfortable jeans or something..."

"Ah, sorry, but the only size I have that would fit you is this skirt. Too bad."

For some reason, Rin looked like she remembered something unpleasant. ...It doesn't seem like she has other clothes but is hiding them. Besides, I can't be selfish when she's lending me clothes.

Armor won't work, right? It won't work. In that case... I have to undress. And then I have to wear a woman's outfit.

It's Saber's body, of course.

Rin stared at me with a puzzled look because I wasn't changing.

—It seems there are no other options.

Brace yourself, Emiya Shirou! And sorry, Saber!

"Um, Rin..."

"What? You don't know how to put on your underwear?"

"Y-Yes... Um, could you please show me?"

"No, no! Put the top on first! The skirt comes later."

"Ugh, sorry..."

By the time I managed to finish changing, well over an hour had passed.

Being taught how to wear women's clothes by a woman was honestly hell. The embarrassment and sense of worthlessness led to intense self-loathing.

I felt like one more of my strongholds as a man had been captured. No, it was definitely captured. How many more are left?

"So, is this okay?"

"Yes, it's fine."

The figure reflected in the full-length mirror was Saber from a previous time. The clothes were the same as the ones she had borrowed from Tohsaka before.

The only difference was the color of the eyes. Eyes the same color as Emiya Shirou's. Even though only the eye color is different, the appearance feels somewhat subdued and plain.

The Saber in the mirror was looking at me with an expression that was hard to describe.

I reached out my hand. My hand and the hand of the Saber in the mirror met.

I knew it, but because I hadn't confirmed it in a mirror, I hadn't fully realized it.

Facing this, I finally understood that I had become Saber.

If I have become Saber, then where has the real Saber gone?

If I exist here as Archer, does that mean...?

"What are you doing, Archer? We've spent an unplanned amount of time, so let's go soon."

Rin said that and walked briskly out.

...Haa, it seems I don't have time for contemplation. For now, I'll think about my own situation slowly after things settle down.

Smiling wryly at my easygoing Master, I also put on the provided loafers and followed her.

It doesn't matter, but skirts are surprisingly unsettling. It feels airy and is somehow inconvenient.

It felt nostalgic. I don't know why I thought that. Looking at the townscape, I involuntarily felt my tear ducts soften.

It was the same as the town in my memory. It's natural that it hadn't changed, but I was genuinely happy to see it again.

Looking around busily, I walked a path that I should have been familiar with.

"Is it that rare?"

Rin was smiling. Since I was looking around so restlessly, I probably looked like a foreign tourist.

When I turned to face her, golden threads swayed at the edge of my vision. Yes, after all, I have blonde hair now.

"No, that's not it..."

"Compared to ancient Western Europe, the district is organized, and the townscape itself might be rare. I heard Servants know the era they are summoned to, but maybe it's just knowledge."

And with that, she concluded on her own. Rin, please stop jumping to conclusions on your own. It's awkward when I'm put on the spot.

We circled the area around Miyama Town, and Rin made her checks. After walking around for a while, it became noon.

We went to a famous fast-food restaurant on the main street for lunch.

Honestly, I was dissatisfied with eating here, but Rin bought food for my portion too, even though I had said Servants don't need meals. And after hearing her murmur, "I see, my food expenses will double from now on...," I couldn't possibly object.

We placed the trays handed to us by the clerk on a table and sat down. Even though we chose a corner seat to avoid attracting attention, I felt like we were gathering stares from around us.

"Um, Rin. For some reason, aren't we attracting attention?"

"...What, Archer. Didn't you notice?"

What is it? —Ah, I see.

Indeed, foreigners are rare in Fuyuki Town. And blonde hair must stand out even more. That makes sense.

"It's true, this blonde hair stands out. Is there anything we can do about it?"

"Well, that might be part of it."

"What else is there?"

"Hmph. Fine, Archer. Since you don't seem to understand, I'll tell you clearly."

"Huh..."

"You are cute."

"Huh?"

Time seemed to stop around just me. I tried to understand what she said, but my brain instantly rejected the idea.

"A beautiful, blonde girl with refined features. And I'm sitting next to you. A pair of girls your age without an escort would naturally be the center of attention, mainly for the boys."

"A-Ah. Yeah. I see. That's right."

I was caught off guard and reverted to my old self. For some reason, I even ignored the magical restraint on my speech pattern.

That's right. I'm Saber now. No, it's not that I forgot I was Saber, but I had overlooked her appearance.

Certainly, Saber is beautiful and cute. Since becoming Saber, I haven't had many opportunities to look at my face, so the reality hasn't sunk in.

Especially since, as Emiya Shirou, I never had an opportunity to be conscious of public scrutiny.

"Well, that's fine. It's not like we can use recognition obstruction on every single person who sees us. Although attracting attention isn't ideal. Now, should we check out Shinto next?"

Rin said that, slurping her juice through a straw, and I pondered.

...Honestly, considering what comes next, it’s quite distressing. Because I already know the whereabouts of most of the Masters.

Saber's Master is me. No, the Emiya Shirou of this world.

Since Emiya Shirou was the seventh and last one to be summoned, the remaining class, Saber, should be summoned by Emiya Shirou.

Archer's Master is Tohsaka Rin. And that Archer is me.

The one who was supposed to be summoned was that red man. Whether I can fulfill his role is something I don't know. But I will definitely protect Tohsaka.

Lancer. His Master was ultimately unclear.

His location was also unknown. Well, if I knew that, I could probably guess the Master.

Berserker, the Master is Illya.

She lives in a castle in the forest outside of town. I think they will probably come after us.

Rider's Master is Matou Shinji.

Of course, he's probably at the Matou residence since that's his home.

Caster... she said she killed her Master. Who it was is ultimately unknown.

The one at Ryūdō Temple is probably Caster. If I trust Shinji's words, a witch is nesting there.

Caster was indeed a woman, and her class and abilities are certainly worthy of being called a witch.

Her Master might have been at Ryūdō Temple too.

Assassin. Master unknown.

But the Master must be inside Ryūdō Temple. Assassin was bound to the Ryūdō Temple gate. It's strange for a Servant who must protect their Master to be defending the base.

In that case, they might have formed an alliance with Caster. Or, the Master is somehow commanding two Servants.

However, if I speak this information here, I don't know what will happen to Shirou. That's why I can't act rashly.

He might be killed without knowing anything simply because he didn't meet Rin. At that time, I didn't even know of the existence of Servants, yet I had a Command Spell on my left hand, which was a hopeless situation. Even if I hadn't summoned a Servant, having a Command Spell would mark me as a Holy Grail War participant, and my life would be targeted.

...It seems I have no choice but to follow Rin, just like the original plan.

Rin had finished drinking, making a crinkling sound with the paper cup.

That's bad manners, Master.