She had arrived.
The room she found herself in was made of stone, with shelves of various different items and a large desk. In front of her sat… ah? Was that her katana?! It was!
She was a relatively short girl, with platinum blonde hair in a ponytail. Her skin was pale, eyes silver-gold. On her body she wore a white and blue, short kimono, and a black scarf. Sheathed at her side was a katana different from the one sheathed at her feet.
The one that was already present must have been the catalyst used to summon her… Nodding to herself, she now directed her gaze towards the one who had done the summoning. The girl was quite surprised to see what looked like a child. Who… who would involve a little girl in the Holy Grail War!? Wasn't that wrong!?
… Well… she had to seal the contract. Then she could make sure not a single person hurt this little girl!
"… Servant Saber, Okita Souji!" she declared, bowing, "Are you my Master?"
"Ha… hawawa…"
Slowly, as she straightened, the tiny girl raised one hand.
"Y-you're a girl!" she cried.
"… Oh, um…" Saber looked down at herself at a moment. Well, she certainly was. "… Yes, I am! Um… were you surprised?"
She tilted her head to one side. Her Master trembled, wide-eyed.
"Th-this whole time I was expecting some tall, scary guy… n-not… not a pretty girl…" the brunette little girl stammered, wide-eyed.
"… Eh-heheheh…" Saber raised one hand, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. So she'd been looking for someone more intimidating, then? "If you wanted that, you should have summoned Hijikata-san…"
"N-no!" the small girl practically shouted, "I-I mean… um… this is fine! I-it's better even, um… I… um…"
"Better?" the Servant asked. Well, that was good to hear, even if the silvery-haired girl didn't quite understand why that was the case. Maybe the little girl felt more comfortable with girls in general? Wait, did she see her as a Motherly figure? No… no way! She was more of the big sister type, wasn't she? Regardless, Saber knew one thing above all others: She had to try and protect this little girl!
"I don't really understand," she continued, "But don't worry. I'd never let a little girl like you get hurt. As long as this body lasts, I'll keep you safe!"
Unexpectedly, her Master suddenly took on an expression of utter despair, her gaze drifting down to her feet as she did.
"… Ehhh? Master? Are you okay?!" cried Saber, stepping forth from the circle towards the little girl. Was there some kind of feedback from the summon? Had the burden of summoning a Servant hit her all at once?!
"… Of course… even though I'm eighteen, even my Servant thinks I'm a little girl…" said the brunette, dully. Saber's eyes widened.
"Ah? No, er…" she stumbled over herself for a moment. Her Master was eighteen!? That was… that was older then her current body… But she didn't look it at all! "I… I apologize, Master! I'll… I'll make up for it with my services to you!"
She bowed once more.
"… I… oh… er…" her Master too a deep breath and straightened, seeming to remember herself. "I am your Master, Saber. My name is Matsushita Ai."
"It's nice to meet you, Matsushita-san," Saber replied, with a smile, "I'd like to keep referring to you as my Master, though. It feels more proper to me!"
The platinum blonde girl nodded slowly to herself.
All that Ai could do was nod weakly. To be truthful, she had never expected things to turn out like this. That the samurai she would summon would turn out to be such a lovely, beautiful girl, so… cute and pretty and… and…
Ah… She was lucky, wasn't she? For once, she'd been truly lucky…
Saber tilted her head slightly to the side. For her, her Master seemed to suddenly zone out for a few moments, simply staring at her. Honestly, she was concerned that there just might have been some kind of feedback from the summoning that had weakened the brunette girl.
"Er… I can take spirit form, if I'm straining you," she offered. Frankly, she would have preferred not to, but if it would lessen the burden on her Master then she would do it without a second thought. She was being supplied an ample amount of mana, more then enough for her even if a battle ensued. Still, that didn't mean that she wasn't somehow straining her Master.
"Ah? Eh, n-no, no," Ai replied, shaking her head and waving one hand. Her Servant's words had snapped her out of her thoughts, but she couldn't help herself. She looked the platinum blonde girl samurai up one more time in awe. She hadn't expected to summon a girl at all, "I… I guess I'm still in a bit of a shock, eh-heheheh…"
"Ohhh, I see!" declared Saber, "I guess summoning a Servant is pretty overwhelming when it's your first time doing it… So, I think it'd be best for you to ask some questions, Master! I'll answer whatever you ask to the best of my ability!"
It… seemed a little bit silly, but in the end Ai couldn't think of a better way in which to learn Saber's strengths and weaknesses. But… how was she supposed to ask? Even if Saber didn't seem too defensive when she brought it up, if she asked the wrong question, or something of that nature, she could leave a terrible impression on the girl samurai. But if she didn't say anything, it would be rather strange, wouldn't it? So she had to say something, but she didn't know what to ask. What did someone say in a question and answer session with a famous hero of the past? Especially when that hero just turned out to be a beautiful girl.
"… Er… you don't have to," Saber began, waving one hand. This girl was a worrier, that much she could tell, constantly concerned about what she was going to say. At the moment, all the Servant could do was hope she didn't find another way to upset her Master.
"Um…" Ai shifted from one foot to the other, quietly, before finding her words, "S-so, what are you good at?"
"What I'm good at?" Saber repeated, before folding her arms with a proud smile, "Well, that's easy! Raw strength might not be my strong suit, but when it comes to my skill with a katana, Okita Souji is second to none!"
Indeed, in life she had stood as the most skilled of the Shinsengumi, who each were skilled samurai an experts in swordplay. If there was anything Saber felt confident in, it was her ability with a blade.
"And I doubt you'd be able to find a faster sword, either!" she declared, with an air of triumph.
Indeed, using her ability as a Master to see Servant parameters, Ai could see this was the case. An especially high degree of ability, though her other stats weren't particularly high…
"Wow, you… you really are fast!"
Saber's pride swelled, and she placed her hands on her hips. There was something else the Servant noted, as well. The air felt… especially clear here. She could breathe easily.
"… I think my Weak Constitution isn't as much of a problem here, too!" she declared, somewhat more excitedly. The skill, inflicted on her due to modern beliefs, could cripple her if it activated during battle. All because of that illness in life… but somehow, she felt like it wouldn't be much of a problem while she was here!
"U-um, that's good…" Ai responded with a nod.
"So, what are we going to do tonight, Master?" asked Saber. This was her chance to fight again, properly, so to be honest she was feeling a little bit excited. Still, she would do what her Master wished, as long as it didn't put the girl's life in danger for no reason.
"Um… well…" before Ai could settle on a response, she realized just how tired she was, all at once. Exhaustion hit her all at once. While she had enough mana to comfortably support her Servant, that didn't mean that the strain of the summoning was totally lost on her, either. While she'd been running on adrenaline for a moment, now it was all seeping away and leaving her in an incredibly tired state.
"… I'll decide on that tomorrow…" the small brunette said, with a yawn, "I'm… suddenly feeling really tired…"
Ah… Saber rather quickly understood just why her Master was so exhausted so suddenly. The act of summoning a Servant had to be tiring, didn't it? Admittedly, she didn't really know anything in particular about magecraft whatsoever, but she at least grasped the idea of the effort exerted while performing spells being a draining one.
"Don't worry, Master!" she declared, "I'll protect you while you're asleep!"
"… Good… Saber…"
And then she collapsed where she stood, falling into an exhausted heap.
"Ah?!"
Oh, no… it really had been too much for her Master! Covering the distance between herself and her Master, Saber scooped the tiny girl up into her arms. To think, she fell asleep right where she was standing… After only a moment of hesitation, she proceeded up the stairs. She had no idea where the girl slept, but she couldn't just be left in the basement.
When Saber arrived at the top of the stairs, she was greeted by the sight of a white-haired girl in a western maid outfit. She seemed surprised for a moment, before managing to compose herself.
"… You must be Saber," the maid began, "… Ojou-sama's bedroom is upstairs. The last door on the left. Onee-san will make her ready for bed."
Saber nodded. It was good that everything seemed to be in order, already. Heading for the stairs, she carried the small, limp, sleeping girl to her bedroom. There, she was greeted by another identical maid, this one wearing a kimono and kappougi as opposed to a more western outfit.
"Ohhh, so you're Saber?! You're not a scary guy at all, fufu~" the maid declared, waving her sleeve, "You're a pretty, cute girl~ I bet ojou-sama was surprised!"
"… Er, yes, but she needs rest now," Saber replied. She couldn't help but feel they had been expecting Hijikata at this point, but then again they had used her favorite katana as the catalyst for the summoning, hadn't they? Well… regardless, she proceeded into her Master's bedroom.
"I can't believe such a famous samurai was such a cute girl~" continued the maid, following her inside, "Fufufu…"
"Eh-heheheh… I guess it is a bit surprising," the platinum blonde girl replied, giving a somewhat awkward smile. She really wasn't used to having her looks commented on so much, and it made her feel a bit off-balance as a result. Still, she carefully laid her Master on the bed.
"I'll handle it from here~" said the maid, "You should stand guard outside, Saber-chan~"
"… Er… right!"
Saber nodded, turning away and stepping out of the room.
The door shut behind her.
Her summoning… it sure was off to quite a start, wasn't it? Her Master seemed… admittedly kind of frail, which made the girl samurai more concerned about her. But at the same time, she was supporting her well, so maybe that meant she was a really good mage? She hoped that was the case, for her Master's sake more than anything else. It would mean her Master was better able to defend herself, after all. That being said, Saber hoped that wouldn't be necessary at all. After all, she had Okita Souji as her personal sword to keep her safe! Surely, surely, Saber would ensure her Master would never have to try and fight for herself!
Those maids seemed quite eccentric, though… and the one in a kappougi kept talking about her looks. It was a little awkward.
But there was no more time to dwell on such things. Left alone in the upstairs hallway, Saber nodded quietly to herself. From this day forth, it was a battle. The Holy Grail War. She couldn't be certain who her opponents were, nor could she know when they would strike. Therefore, the only way to be prepared was to be ready at all times, to expect potential attack at any moment. When it came to one on one engagements, she was confident in herself. However, unlike some other Servants in her class, she possessed no wide-range method of destroying exceptionally large foes, or hundreds of enemies, in a single blow. Therefore, the platinum blonde samurai knew it was for the best to force her enemies into single combat.
As far as she knew, there had not yet been any conflict.
But even if her Master didn't know it, the Grail War had already begun.
Ai awakened to the sunlight streaming into her room. Blearily, the small girl rubbed at her eyes, yawned, and slowly sat up. In her early morning haze, the events of the previous night seemed dreamlike and foreign. Had she really summoned the Saber-class Servant Okita Souji successfully? Had she really spoken to a figure from human history? Had that figure from history really been a beautiful girl, rather then the intimidating man she had expected?
The small brunette rubbed her eyes again, trying to shake away the sleep. Her limbs felt like lead, and her head felt fuzzy. It was like she was recovering from strenuous physical activity, and yet she hadn't done anything of the sort. No, it had to be because she had summoned Saber. It felt kind of surreal, now, as she slowly shuffled out of bed. The fact that she had summoned her Servant, and now she was about to undertake her daily routine like nothing strange had happened. But she had to go to class, as much as she felt uneasy about it… maybe it would be a good time to show Saber around town? It made sense to do that. After all, it wouldn't be very helpful if Saber didn't know anything about the place she'd be doing battle in. Ai understood that much, at the very least.
Even if she really had no idea how she was going to start.
As she stood up beside her bed, the door opened. In through the door came Charlotte.
"Good day, ojou-sama," she began, "Your high school has already been contacted."
"… Eh?" Ai said, yawning and rubbing her eyes in an effort to wake herself up. What had they contacted her school for? Was there some kind of event? She hoped not… "Um… why…?"
"… Ah, let me explain," Charlotte nodded to herself, "Given the strain of summoning a Servant, you were allowed to sleep until noon."
"… E-e-ehhh?! N-noon!?" cried Ai. But she'd slept so late… so late, what were they going to think!? It was bad enough having to go to a new school, but now they'd see her as truant. Tsubaki had been nice to her, but would she really be nice to some girl who skipped classes?
"Do not worry, ojou-sama," replied Charlotte, "Onee-san called ahead and informed them that you had fallen ill. Your absence will not be questioned."
Ai's shoulders slumped. On one hand, if that was the case, then she could at least focus on the Grail War today rather than try and grapple with handling classes the day after she summoned her Servant. And that was what was far more important, wasn't it? But missing a day for a fake illness still made her feel guilty, deep down… even if there was a part of her that was also relieved about it.
But all of this reminded her of one thing in particular…
After some hesitation, Ai exited her room and peered down the stairs.
Saber was no-where to be seen.
But she could feel it. The contract, the connection she now had with her Servant. Where was she? A few more moments of fidgeting later, the small brunette proceeded down the stairs. As she reached the main hall, the front door opened.
There was her Servant. That silvery platinum-blond hair, pretty, delicate features, grey-gold eyes… the blue and white kimono and black scarf… She really hadn't imagined the previous night.
"Saber…" she hesitated. What did she say now?
"… Oh, Master!" declared her Servant, with a smile, "I moved to the front door when the sun rose, to keep guard over the house while you were asleep."
She nodded firmly.
"There wasn't a single attack, so if you were worried, you don't have to be!"
Ai nodded, slowly, even though the thought of being attacked during the night was terrifying to her. Her eyes once again traveled up and down the samurai girl. She had to confirm Saber was real to herself again. Even as a magus, the inherent unreality of her situation was staggering. The small girl really had managed to summon a famous samurai.
And that famous samurai was in actuality a beautiful girl. It felt like she was in some sort of fictional scenario, that this couldn't possibly be real. But it was.
… Ai could smell breakfast from the kitchen, too, and realized just how empty her stomach felt. Shifting from one foot to another, she tried to gather her thoughts.
"Um…" she paused for a moment as she tried to collect herself, "Th… that's good… I wouldn't want to be attacked at my home so soon, eh-heheh…"
She trailed off.
"Even if you were, I'd do everything in my power to defend your lands!" declared Saber, brightly. She sounded fairly confident in herself, which Ai felt certain was probably a good thing when it came to Servants.
"S-so…" the brunette's eyes drifted towards the door to the dining hall, "… I… I know Servants don't need to eat, but, ah…"
She fidgeted again. Should she be asking something like this? She had no idea how to handle herself around most people, let alone a historical figure. For that matter, let alone a historical figure who was also an incredibly pretty girl.
"Hm?"
Saber tilted her head, quite clearly waiting to hear what her Master had to say.
"… Would… would you like to have breakfast with me?" Ai asked, finally, "W-we can discuss our next moves while we eat, or something…"
"Oh… well… sure!" the girl samurai replied, with a nod, "Just because I don't have to eat doesn't mean I don't want to, and food can help keep my mana supply up!"
"Ah, um, that's good!" Ai responded with a weak nod. At least her Servant seemed nice… "A-and… and… and afterwards I'll… I'll buy you some clothes!"
Saber nodded, but then a look of confusion almost immediately came over her face. She'd been expecting something obvious, and then been taken completely by surprise.
"Eh?"
The maid in a kappougi, whose name Saber had now learned was Marianne, had prepared an excellent breakfast. The rolled omelet in particular had been fantastic! Of course, she was still a bit uncertain about what was to come next. It wasn't as if she didn't approve, far from it. She'd prefer not to have to remain in spirit form if it could be helped, and that did mean getting clothing that wouldn't stand out. The Holy Grail War had to remain secret, after all.
Rather than that, it was because she wasn't really certain what to expect from the modern world's clothing. While the grail provided her with knowledge of the modern world, at the same time it didn't exactly give her an idea of what the current fashion trends were.
But regardless of anything else, it seemed that was the plan for today. To buy her clothing.
"Um… we can use it as a chance to look around town, too…" Ai had mentioned during breakfast. Certainly, Saber felt that was absolutely necessary. It was important for a warrior to know of her battlefield! She needed to see as much of the town as she could, to know where the most secluded areas for battle would be, and to be aware of any potential traps. However, well…
Her Master didn't seem particularly confident about going shopping for clothing either.
"U-um…"
After her Master had showered, they had gotten ready to leave the house. Marianne had provided Saber with an outfit to wear, lending her something of Charlotte's. It was a simple white dress, and it didn't fit very well, but she couldn't deny it was more subtle then going out in her kimono. Ai looked… rather nervous as they left the mansion.
"S-so, um, wh-what kind of c-clothing do you like…?" she asked, finally, looking up at Saber nervously.
The platinum blonde girl was silent for only a moment as she mulled it over.
"If I wasn't in uniform," she began, reflecting on her past outfits, "One of my favorites was a pink kimono with a purple hakama. I guess I just felt like I looked nice like that, eh-heheh."
She scratched the back of her head. While it was something she had thought about, Saber simply wasn't used to talking about her looks.
"But I guess if that's not an option, er…" she trailed off for a moment, "… Something simple and easy to move in? That's all I really need!"
"Um… s-simple and easy to move in… o-okay!" Ai repeated to herself, nodding. That seemed straightforward enough…
For a while, they continued in silence. It was admittedly rather awkward, and it was becoming clear to Saber that her Master wasn't the most talkative person. She hesitated for a moment, before trying to come up with a topic herself.
"So… where are we going, then, Master?" she asked, glancing towards the small brunette as she spoke.
"O-oh, um…" the tiny girl fidgeted. Saber was aware that she herself was on the short side, but her Master could easily be mistaken for a child. After all, she'd made that mistake when she was summoned in the first place! "We're heading for the shopping district. I don't really go down there too much, but um… I remember the way!"
"Ohhh, I see, I see," the platinum blonde samurai said with a nod. While she didn't think the middle of a shopping district was likely to be a good place to fight, that didn't mean visiting it was without any benefits from the point of view of the Holy Grail War. It was good to be aware of any possibilities, after all. And on the other hand… well, she kind of wanted to see what her new outfit would be like. The maid's dress fit her a bit oddly, too tight in some places and made for someone who was a little taller. Not by much, but enough to make a difference in how it fit. "I guess that makes sense. Where else would a clothing shop be?"
"Um… I don't know," replied her Master, averting her eyes nervously, "I g-guess… somewhere where lots of people go, um… since that would get it a lot of business…"
"… Ah, I wasn't really expecting an answer, Master," Saber responded, waving her left hand towards the small brunette, "You didn't have to try and think about it seriously."
"E-eh? Oh… s-sorry…"
The girl samurai waved her hands. "You don't have to apologize, either!"
Her Master simply fidgeted at that. Ah… Ai really was a nervous person. Saber just wanted to try and speak with her a bit, she hoped she hadn't really upset her at all.
"Um… o-oh, um…" Ai trailed off for a moment, before catching site of the shops up ahead. They were relatively busy at this time of day, even though it was a little on the hot side. Saber didn't seem to by bothered by the high temperatures, but that was due to her nature as a Servant, of course. "Ah, um, there's a shop up ahead, so um…"
Saber followed her line of vision. There, indeed, was a clothing shop up ahead, with a fancy sign above up above it reading 'Velvet'. Though really, it didn't look like a lot of the clothing inside was made from velvet at all. Maybe it was some sort of mistake.
"We'll go there, eh-heh…" Ai stepped forward and lead the way into the shop. Saber followed.
Once they were inside, the platinum blonde girl was ushered to the back, where a woman took her measurements. This was… kind of embarrassing, to be honest, the measuring tape being wrapped around her body like that… but at least it didn't last very long. Soon enough, she was on to trying to pick out an outfit. She couldn't help but notice the way her master was watching her as she changed, and to be honest she wasn't really sure why she was doing so. Eventually, she picked out something she liked, a white, short-sleeved shirt with a blue design on the front, black shorts(Ai had picked out a particularly short pair for her, saying it was good for the weather), black thigh-high socks, and long, brown boots. It was fairly comfortable and easy to move in, even if the shorts felt a bit small!
After a few more, similar outfits were picked out, her Master had purchased the clothing and the pair departed from the all the things Saber had expected, she hadn't really expected to be clothes shopping. She didn't mind it, though, even if she was surprised Ai was willing to spend that much money on different outfits.
From there, though, the course of action was fairly straightforward.
Ai guided Saber around the shopping district, pointing out various shops. Admittedly, there were a few that peaked her interest particularly. One specific example was a bakery. She could smell the pastries being prepared within, and there was no way she didn't want to visit it… but there were far more important things to keep in mind. Going to have snacks, as much as Saber desired to do so, was absolutely not a priority.
Eventually, they left the shopping district, as the day was wearing onwards. By now, the local schools had let out, and there was new activity on the streets. Saber noted that Ai was trying to keep her head down, and soon they took a detour into a nearby park.
"… Um, while we're here…" the small brunette began, looking around somewhat apprehensively. Saber felt like she was trying to make sure she didn't see anyone who would recognize her… "This is Ashikaga Park, um… it's usually a nice place to go and um… have a walk for a little while, um…"
Once again, her Master was fidgeting.
"… I see," Saber replied, in an attempt to be reassuring, "It does seem like quite a nice park!"
But that wasn't the only matter on her mind. The green grass, the lush vegetation, the river nearby… it provided a lovely backdrop for a stroll, but also a battlefield. At night, when most of the battles of the Holy Grail War would be conducted, such a location provided both cover in the form of the trees, but also open space that allowed for the ability to evade enemy attacks rather effectively. It could prove to be an important battleground in the war simply for its versatility.
"It also seems like a valuable location for battle," Saber added, nodding to herself as she surveyed their surroundings.
"A-ah? Really?" Ai's eyes widened in surprise.
"Of course!" the girl samurai replied, turning to face her Master fully as the paused in the middle of the path. "Not only do the trees provide some cover, but there's a lot of room to maneuver as well. I feel good about my chances fighting somewhere like this, myself!"
"Wow…" the small brunette cast her gaze around the park once more, adjusting her glasses, "I never would have thought about it like that… um… it was easy to forget when you're a cute girl in cute clothes, but you really are a skilled samurai!"
"Eh-heheh…" Saber scratched the back of her head once more, "I don't really understand it, but thanks? I know you were giving me a compliment, at least!"
"Eh-heheheh…" Ai responded with Saber's awkward laughter with some of her own, "But, um… so you think this would be a good place to fight, then? Um… are you going to try and draw enemies here?"
"If I can," replied the platinum blonde Servant, folding her arms beneath her chest, "But there's nothing guaranteed in a battle, so I have to be prepared to fight anywhere in the city!"
She saw her Master's eyes widen once more.
"R… r-right…"
Ah… she was still pretty scared about the idea of fighting, wasn't she? It hadn't been Saber's intention to frighten her at all!
"But you don't need to worry about that, Master!" the Saber-class Servant declared, doing her best to sound as strong and confident as she possibly could, "Remember, as long as I'm here, I won't let a single thing touch you! You're safe with me!"
That seemed to help at least a little bit. Her Master took a deep breath and let it out, seeming to relax a bit.
"Y-you're right, Saber," she replied, "I… I should just keep my faith in you, e-even if I'm not a very good Master…"
Not a very good Master…?
"I can't say I know very much about magecraft," started Saber, giving the small brunette a smile as she spoke, "But I don't see how you can say you're not a very good Master! I feel like I'm fully charged all the time, so you're supplying me plenty of mana!"
"U-um, but, um… I don't know if I can support you too well…" responded the small brunette, in a rather morose fashion, "I-it's not as if I can't do a-anything, but I don't know how much I can do that would actually be helpful to you…"
"Just keep supplying me with mana, and I can handle everything, Master!" declared Saber, brightly, pumping one fist into the air. Unfortunately, she could immediately tell that didn't seem to help very much. Ah… She wasn't sure how to give the tiny girl a real confidence boost… but she felt like she had to do something, right? Part of the Master-Servant relationship was to support one another after all.
Ai sighed, shoulders sagging.
"… Um… but if you want to do something more…" Saber trailed off as she tried to wrack her brain for her scant amount of magical knowledge. She knew vaguely of onmyodo, and presumably that was essentially the same as other sorts of magecraft, right? "Um… well, you have something like shikigami, right? Familiars, I think?"
"Ah?" Ai raised her head, brightening slightly, "Um… well, I have familiars, yeah… cats…"
"Then send your cat familiars out all over town!" Saber asserted, "You can use them like scouts, can't you? That'll give us a better picture of our battlefield and let us spot anything strange going on!"
"O-oh… that's… that's right!" Ai exclaimed, bobbing her head and making her braided pigtails bounce, "I can send them out to look around town! I… I can't believe I didn't think of that, um…"
"Don't worry about that part, Master," Saber continued, with a nod and a smile, "Just send out your familiars when we get home, and that's enough!"
Not to say that Ai couldn't figure out how to help more, though Saber demanded nothing from her Master beyond staying safe, but for the moment that was all she needed to do in order to be of assistance, if that's what she wanted. Use her cat familiars to scout around town and keep track of any strange activity.
"R-right!" declared the small brunette, with a look of determination in her eyes, now. There! Saber had managed to provide her some kind of comfort. She had felt a bit guilty about how it seemed as if she'd kept upsetting her, but it seemed like she may have finally turned things around.
Soon enough, the pair of them had exited the park. By this point, the sun had begun to sink somewhat lower in the sky.
A pair of schoolgirls walked by, and when Saber's Master spotted them she immediately turned away. The girl samurai grimaced, slightly. There must have been some reason she didn't want to be seen by them…
"Inoue-san didn't show up today, huh?" she caught part of the conversation, though it didn't seem particularly important.
The second girl shook her head. "I heard she called in sick."
"Wow…" responded the first, "I never thought I'd see the day that Inoue Tsubaki called in sick. I thought she was the Undefeatable Student Council President!"
"Well, it looks like a cold finally beat her," replied the second, with a giggle. Soon enough, both girls had passed out of earshot.
"… Inoue-san didn't show up today?" Ai asked, turning to watch the girls go, "I only met her yesterday, and I can't imagine her staying home… she must be pretty sick."
"Is she a friend of yours?" Saber asked, peering at her Master. The tiny girl seemed concerned about it, after all.
"Um… I only met her yesterday," Ai said, shaking her head, "She's the student council president… I g-guess I don't really know her, but it's kind of hard to imagine her calling in sick… she seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't let that get in the way, um…"
For a few moments, Saber was silent. She seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't allow being ill to get in the way, did she…?
"… I see."
She didn't feel angry at her Master. It wasn't as if Ai had any way of knowing. But her mind had now drifted into deeper, less-traveled places.
But she was here to make up for that, wasn't she? She was here to get that chance.
Saber shook her head in an effort to regain her composure, her attention focusing on her Master once again.
"Well… what do we do now, Master? You've shown me around a lot of the town, so where re you planning on taking me next?" as she asked her question, Saber did her best to push those darker, less pleasant thoughts to the back of her mind and bury them as deeply as she could. There was no need to burden her Master even more with something like that, after all.
"Um…" Ai was silent for a moment, seemingly as she attempted to decide just what she had to do next. Then, realization dawned on her face.
"Ah! Um, the Church!" she cried, "Um, I need to register with the Overseer…"
The Overseer? Ah… The Holy Grail War also involved the Christian Church, didn't it? So that they could take a measure of the relic capable of granting wishes. No-where was this more apparent then in the Overseer. Not only was their purpose to gauge the Grail itself, but also to keep the war from raging out of control, if necessary.
As Saber understood, both the Church and the Magi worked towards that particular end. In fact, any Master and Servant pairs who attempted to cause chaos would have the rest of the war organized against them.
Personally, she would gladly participate in the defeat of such people. While many things were acceptable on the battlefield… involving so many innocent people felt wrong to the Saber-class Servant.
"I understand, Master," replied Saber, "Lead the way."
With that, they headed away from the park. As they walked, the girl samurai noted they were heading for the edge of town. So the Church was outside of town, then? That's what seemed to be the case, at least.
Eventually the building came into view. It was a small chapel, ivy crawling up the sides of the grey stone. Saber had never seen such a church in life, or any buildings associated with Christianity for that matter. It was somewhat strange, but she didn't pay it any further heed.
They approached the doorway, and after a moment of apprehension, Ai raised one hand and knocked on the tall wooden doors.
After a moment, they slowly creaked open, revealing a long, red carpet, and numerous candles lit all across the room. Long, wooden benches lined the carpet…
At the opposite end of the room was a young woman, clad in a nun's habit. She had rather alluring features, and sported crimson eyes and long, blonde hair, with a rather mature figure. There was something strange about her, though… Something about her seemed almost predatory.
The nun rose to her feet, and smiled.
"Welcome, Master of the Holy Grail War, and Servant… Saber?" she paused for a moment. "Am I correct?"
"Er… yes, Overseer," Ai replied, with a nod. After another pause, both Master and Servant walked across the room and approached the blonde gave a pleasant smile, and yet something about it set Saber on edge. Something about this woman was… strange… As if she was something far more then she appeared.
"My my… you need not refer to me so formally, fufu~" the nun chuckled, "I am Estrizia Vennele, the overseer of this Holy Grail War."
She bowed her head, as the two girls stopped in front of her.
"I shall take this chance to inform you that you can take refuge at the Church, if you Servant is slain," she added, with a smile. Something about the way she spoke… it just bothered Saber. It was nothing to do with who she was, or what she was saying, but something behind her actions, her tone, everything about her seemed to be somehow predatory. As if her behavior could become twisted at a moment's notice. "But first… I'd like to take a closer look at your Servant~"
"Ah…?"
Before either Ai or Saber could respond, the nun had suddenly stepped forward, coming far too close for the girl samurai's liking.
"Ah… how lovely… such soft, delicate skin…" Estrizia commented, licking her lips as she spoke. Her hand rose, and to Saber's surprise and embarrassment, ran down her cheek, down her neck… "Such a fine, beautiful Servant… indeed…"
Her hand drifted lower, towards her chest.
"And here-"
Before she could attempt to grasp at Saber's breasts, the Servant quickly stepped back, covering her chest defensively and blushing.
"I-I… I know th-that's not necessary!" she protested. What was with this woman!? She was… why did she think that doing such a thing was okay? Saber couldn't disguise how embarrassing it was to be touched like that, especially by this stranger…
"… Ah, I apologize," replied Estrizia, placing a hand to her cheek, "I simply got… carried away. Ahh… the both of you are free to visit at any time, of course~ Fufu… I shall always have an open spot for guests, and meeting you is a… rare opportunity~ Aaah…"
The platinum blonde samurai watched the nun warily for a few moments, stepping back towards her Master, who was mumbling weakly under her breath, blushing just at seeing such a thing.
"I should certainly like to… learn more, if you give me the opportunity~" the nun continued with a widening smile, "Certainly, to observe a Servant's body is a unique experience, as well~ I'd like to conduct a thorough investigation."
"A-aaah… u-um…" Ai stammered. Before she could speak, however, Estrizia simply continued.
"Don't think I would leave the Master untouched, of course~"
That was enough.
"… M… Master, we… we need to be leaving, now," Saber insisted. She couldn't take any more of this. This woman was just… there was something off about her, and she had no sense of personal space whatsoever!
"Ah? But I haven't finished," said the nun, "I'm certain that your Master would like to hear what else I have to say, wouldn't she?"
For a few moments, Saber was silent. She glanced towards Ai, who took a deep breath.
"… I.. what else do you have to say?" she asked, stepping forward. Her Servant fell silent, and instead looked back towards the blonde woman and glared at her. If she made at sudden, strange movements, Saber was going to be ready for them this time.
"Mmm… well, now that you've registered the fact that you summoned Saber," began Estrizia, "I should hope you're aware of what you have involved yourself in. This is a battle to the death, and only the safety of my church can guarantee that you won't perish yourself. After all… Many Masters may view you as a threat, even if you've surrendered and your Servant has been defeated."
Saber's glare intensified. That wasn't outcome she would ever accept. There was no way she ever would.
"Ah… Saber doesn't like the idea of that, does she?" commented the nun, cocking her head to one side, "Of course, I would hope such a thing doesn't happen. I'm speaking with honesty, so don't give me that look~ But if the worst happens, at the very least, I wish to be able to protect your Master. Surely you can sympathize with that desire, can't you~?"
While Saber had no ability to look into the minds of others, no matter how strongly she scrutinized the nun's words, she couldn't determine them to be anything but genuine. No matter how uneasy Estrizia made her feel, at the very least she seemed to be honest in her words.
"A Servant's life has already ended," the blonde woman continued, with a wave of one hand, "This second life, summoned by the Holy Grail, is another chance to obtain something they couldn't in life. Certainly, tears can and should be shed for those who fall in battle, but it is the lives of the Masters I am most concerned with. They can keep on living after this… so shouldn't they be given the opportunity to do so? To achieve more in their lives, before the pass on?"
She gave both Master and Servant a sly smile. As much as she didn't like to acknowledge it, Saber couldn't help but agree with the woman's assessment. It didn't mean she necessarily trusted her, no matter how truthful her words could be, but the life of her Master was something she intended to preserve at all costs. To know she was safe, to ensure she could be kept safe, that was what was most important to Saber.
Certainly, the samurai had a wish she desired to have fulfilled. But even with that in consideration, the life of her Master was what was most important.
That didn't mean she liked the predatory and self-satisfied attitude the overseer behaved with.
"Fufu, I can see it in your eyes, even if you don't want to speak," Estrizia replied, "You agree with me, don't you?"
Saber continued to glare as the nun approached one more… suddenly, her hand drifted down, and ran across her Master's side, towards her backside. Ai yelped and nearly jumped, her cheeks going bright red. In an instant, Saber had placed herself between the two, one hand on Estrizia's wrist.
"… Ah," began the nun, simply, "Well, if you want the attention, I can focus on you instead… I just thought your Master looked lonely~"
"That won't be necessary, Overseer," came Saber's flat reply, as she stared right into the nun's crimson eyes.
"Fufu, oh my~ How protective~" the blonde woman began, stepping back. Saber released her wrist. "As you should be~ You're a fine Servant, Saber~"
"U-um… um…" Ai stammered, fidgeting and blushing, "W-we… we should um… we should be going now…"
"Fufu, see you around~"
With that, Ai turned, moving rather quickly to depart from the church. With one last glare at the nun, they both exited through the wide wooden doors once more.
They creaked shut behind them.
Saber didn't like it. No matter how truthful the overseer's words seemed, there was something about her behavior that set her on edge. Something about the way that the overseer carried herself, her body language… it was like she was trying to hide it.
There was no doubt in Saber's mind. That nun was a killer.
"Um… Saber, er…" her Master began, hesitant, "What… um… you kept glaring at the overseer, um…"
Ah… So her Master had definitely noticed. To be honest, the girl samurai had to admit that she wasn't exactly being subtle there. At the same time, she had a feeling telling Ai that the reason she was so wary was because 'the nun was hiding the fact that she was a killer' seemed like it would be a bad idea. She didn't want to make the small brunette even more on edge, after all.
But what did she say, then?
"Er…" Saber paused for a moment as she tried to think of a reasonable response. "Um, she just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess. Something about her bothered me."
It was true, even if it wasn't the whole truth. Was it okay to hide it from her Master? Scaring her by saying the overseer was a killer didn't seem like the wisest plan… And she really had to keep her Master's wellbeing in mind, above everything else. Scaring her wasn't exactly conducive to that.
"O-oh, um… I see," Ai said with a nod. She was still blushing, embarrassed from Estrizia's overly hands-on approach. Saber couldn't blame her at all, she was still embarrassed as well. What was with that nun? Weren't they not supposed to do things like that? Saber didn't know much about Christianity, but it felt like that was the case.
"Well, now that we've registered with the overseer, we never have to go back there again," Saber asserted. Quietly, Ai nodded, glancing back at the Church one more time as they proceeded away. "So she won't get a chance to be all… all… touchy-feely!"
It wasn't exactly an area Saber was experienced with, so she wasn't too sure how else to describe it. Still, now it was time to head home.
Ai leading the way once more, Saber glanced towards the sky. By this point, the sun had sunk quite low on the horizon, the sky painted a darker shade of origin, as shadows grew long and stretched away from their origins. With every moment, the light started to fade more and more. As they walked, Saber also noted that the streets were largely empty. She guessed that most of the people who were out earlier had sense gone home. On top of that, there simply weren't many people in this area of town to start with, so it wasn't exactly surprising that they were alone on their return home.
"… Um… Saber… you, um… you were okay with going out and getting clothing, right?" Ai asked, suddenly, stopping to turn and look up at her Servant, "It didn't feel like it was useless or unnecessary, right? I… I know you must be a lot better at planning out battles then I am, so… so if I do anything stupid I want you to tell me…"
The diminutive brunette girl trailed off into silence. Ah… there was that lack of confidence again…
"… Don't worry about it, Master," Saber answered, giving Ai a bright smile once more, "That wasn't stupid at all. I'm glad you're giving me the chance to walk around without using spirit form. These clothes help mask the fact that I'm a Servant. Um… you said yourself, earlier, that it was easy to forget I was a samurai!"
She nodded to herself, firmly.
"Even if I don't really understand it," she continued, "You already know I'm a Servant, so if you can forget something like that so easily, there's no way anyone else could recognize me as anything but a regular girl, right?"
"Ah, um… that's… that's right, um…" her Master replied, shuffling her feet a bit where she stood. It looked like Saber's words had gotten through to the small girl, at least! She hadn't gotten a chance to prove herself in battle, but so far she hoped she was able to help Ai cheer up, at least. It wasn't any good for her to leave her Master upset, if she could help it.
"… Um… er… is there anywhere, um… tomorrow is the weekend, so um…" stammered her Master, before taking a deep breath, "Is there anywhere you'd like to go during the day tomorrow? It's not like we can fight during the day, after all, um, and I don't have classes, so um… you could see more of the town and all…"
"Eh? Um…" Saber was taken aback by the sudden question. While she couldn't deny that seeing more of the city was important, well… once again, this isn't really what she had expected from being summoned as a Servant for the purposes of doing battle in the Holy Grail War. At the same time, she could hardly call it anything like unpleasant. No, rather, it was not an unwelcome surprise… but it was still quite surprising.
"Um… hm…" the platinum blonde girl had to take a few moments to think this through. Which of the shops had really stood out to her before? The most interesting ones had been restaurants, to be honest, but that wasn't all… oh, that bakery!
"I liked the look of that bakery!" declared Saber, rather cheerfully remembering the sweet scenes that had radiated from the shopfront. She'd seen all kinds of things through the glass, too… the taiyaki looked wonderful! "I really wanted to try their taiyaki, it looked delicious!"
"Ohhh…" Ai nodded to herself, "The Mimura Bakery… So Saber has a sweet tooth, then?"
"I guess I do!" the swordswoman responded, placing her hands on her hips, "I've always liked all kinds of sweets. My favorites are dumplings and konpeito, but if it's sweet I'll probably eat it!"
"Wow, so my Servant doesn't just have a sweet tooth, she has a super sweet tooth!" said Ai, "… Um… that was really lame, wasn't it…"
"Ehhh? No, it was fine, Master!" Saber replied with a wave of her hand to try and assuage her Master's worries, "I get what you mean. I like sweets a lot, so maybe it's some kind of enhanced sweet tooth, right?"
"Um… y-yeah!" Ai said, "That's it!"
For a moment, she fell silent, but Saber could feel the small brunette's eyes looking her body over once more.
"… Even if you're a samurai, I'm surprised you have that kind of figure when you ate so many sweets…" she commented, somewhat more quietly.
"Oh… I guess it's because I had a lot of exercise, so I burnt all the sugar off?" the silvery-eyed girl said, half to herself, as she looked down at herself. Yeah, she did eat plenty of sweet things in life, but at the same time she did plenty of training to keep herself overall fairly slender. Though… her Master's eyes seemed to linger on certain locations, for some reason… "And I don't think Servants can gain weight, so it's not really going to affect me now, anyway."
Well, whatever. At this point, it was becoming clear how dark it was outside. It was getting later and later.
"… Yeah, that must be it," her Master finally said, nodding to herself before looking back up towards the Saber-class Servant, "So we'll go to the bakery tomorrow, um… and then we'll set out and explore the rest of the town, everything that we missed today, so you have the full picture! Um, i-is that a good plan, Saber…?"
The girl samurai smiled.
"Of course, Master! I get to try out all kinds of sweets, and then I'll get to see the rest of our battlefield!" she responded, cheerfully. Of course, going to the bakery did feel kind of indulgent, but as long as they were also getting some more experience with the city's layout they were also doing something important to their efforts in the Holy Grail War. It was only a matter of time before they encountered an enemy Servant, but by exploring during the day they avoided being attacked when they were completely unprepared. It was a good strategy. None of the other Masters or Servants would risk charging out in the middle of the day to try and start a fight where anyone could catch a glimpse of their battle.
Therefore, exploring during the day was the best option. Granted, more isolated areas could still bring with them a risk of battle, but it was something to be prepared for. It was incredibly important to be prepared at all times, after all. The more populated areas were safe, though. They could explore the city during the day, then head out and prepare for battle at night.
"Y-yeah… maybe, um… n-never mind, um…" Ai trailed off, fidgeting. Ah? Had her Master been trying to say something else? But the brunette girl didn't continue. She simply remained quiet as they walked.
Just what had she meant to say, though? Saber couldn't help but feel a bit concerned, knowing that her Master was such a nervous and uncertain girl. But if she didn't want to say it, it was hardly the Servant's place to press her on the matter.
Moments passed. It grew even darker, the stars lighting the sky as they passed by streetlights.
"… I… I hope we can win, Saber…" Ai said, finally.
"… It's my job to win this, Master," replied the platinum blonde Servant, "And you can count on me. Don't worry about it, I'll make sure that we win somehow!"
"U-um… r-right! Right…"
This time, it didn't sound like Ai had mustered much confidence. But… Saber knew. She knew that she could win this. Even if her foes were powerful, and indeed they would be, she felt confident in herself. Here, in her homeland, the air was clear. The skill that could cripple her was left without its bite. She'd defend her Master, and together they could claim the Holy Grail. She could fight as she'd hoped she could. Her Master could win.
And then…
Before she saw anything, she felt it. That presence.
They were no longer alone. They had taken their time talking, they had taken too much time talking. The empty streets, the darkness of night cloaking them… of course it was the perfect time.
It was the perfect time for a battle between Servants, wasn't it?
In a split second, the mood had changed.
Ai stopped dead in her tracks.
"S… Saber…"
And ahead, finally, she saw the source of the presence she had felt.
Illuminated by the streetlight was an armored figure. In one hand, she clutched a long cavalry lance, white and gold. She had a long, blonde, braided ponytail, and the armor that covered her body was the armor of a European knight. Her features were beautiful and elegant, and she had strikingly brilliant blue eyes.
A cape fluttered in the breeze. Her armor matched the color of her weapon, white with gold decoration. On her hip was another weapon, a sheathed sword of some description. From this distance, there was no way for the girl samurai to tell what kind of blade it was.
There, before Ai and Saber, stood an enemy Servant.
"Saber, then?" called the enemy Servant, stepping forward as she did, raising her lance as she did. "Given what I overheard, it is only fair that I introduce myself by class as well. Lancer."
She bowed her head. As she did, Saber swiftly stepped forward. Pink motes of light travelled across her body, starting from her right. They fluttered through the air, resembling cherry blossom petals as they did, and once they had faded completely she was clad again in her blue and white kimono, one hand placing itself on the hilt of her katana.
"Stay back, Master," Saber asserted, her voice firm. All that Ai could manage as a small nod, her hands shaking.
"Worry not, Saber," Lancer replied, noting the way that Saber had stepped ahead to defend the diminutive brunette, "I am no barbarian. These may be transient bodies on a transient battlefield, but I will not stain my hands with unnecessary blood."
Saber nodded, standing firm. Her blade glinted in the moonlight.
"That maybe be so, but I do not want to risk my Master being caught up in our battle," she said, sliding her feet into a more ready stance.
"Of course, Saber," Lancer replied, with a nod, "This is to be a duel between a knight of the west and samurai of the east. To risk the death of your Master wouldn't be acceptable to such conditions."
Saber couldn't help but smile. Her first opponent in the Holy Grail War was at least an honorable one. They could conduct a one on one duel without tricks, or threats to either of their Masters.
"Then I will make no attempt to harm your Master, as well."
Though, she didn't see Lancer's Master anywhere nearby.
In the scant moments it took for Ai to retreat to a safe distance, Saber took stock of her enemy. The cavalry lance had no edges, meaning that at a close enough distance its threat could be neutralized. However, if swung hard enough, the blunt sides could still be a bludgeoning weapon. On top of that, the sword sheathed at Lancer's side could still be a threat at close range, as well. The armor seemed sturdy, but not impossible to pierce. It was unlikely that Lancer would be willing to use any of her Noble Phantasms on the first night. There was no guarantee this battle would end in any conclusive victory, and it was early in the war. Revealing your trump card was far too risky.
Therefore, if nothing else, Saber was confident she wouldn't have to deal with that. A battle strategy had formed in her mind already. Get in close, stay in close, and try to overwhelm her opponent with speed.
Her grip on her katana tightened. Her black scarf fluttered in the wind.
And then…
"Wait, Lancer!" a voice said from behind the enemy Servant, "Before you fight, there's something… there's something I need to check!"
Was that Lancer's Master? It had to be, who else would it be? And indeed, the figure that emerged from the darkness couldn't be anyone else. Saber quickly took in the details of her appearance. Tanned skin, from sunlight. Short, black hair, and a sleeveless top with a skirt. When she glanced back over her shoulder to confirm her Master had remained at a safe distance, she noticed, to her surprise, that her Master's eyes were rooted to the shape of the approaching Master. Did… did they know one another? There was no other explanation for that wide-eyed look, they had to.
But Saber couldn't let something like that get in the way. While she wouldn't attack the enemy Master without reason, in respect to her opponent, if Lancer or her Master made any sudden moves… well, she would act to defend Ai in any way she had to. No matter what.
"But... Master!" called Lancer, "She may have vowed not to harm you, but even still... stepping forward into the battlefield so suddenly is dangerous!"
The lance-wielding knight approached quickly, but the tanned girl raised a hand to make her stop. Reluctantly, Lancer halted her approach.
Saber's eyes followed the enemy Master. She didn't seem to have any hostile intent, but even still… She had to keep a close eye on her every movement. In battle, conditions could change with every instant.
She stopped a few meters away from Ai, cocking her head to one side.
"I never expected one of my opponents would be you, Matsushita-san," the black-haired girl said, simply.
Her trembling Master's eyes widened in shock, and she could exclaim only one thing.
"I… Inoue-san?!"