Dream Coalescence

by Benjilabu

As the infamous Fifth Holy Grail War is about to start, one of its main actors is replaced by a mysterious man. How will his arrival change the war? What is his goal? No one knows, though he seems to know more than he should... Retake on F/SN with a new MC, covers the full war.

3. Day 2 : A New World

Updates will happen on Sundays.

DAY 2 - A NEW WORLD

I wake up early. The last part of my night wasn't pleasant and witnessed a few bad dreams. Saber is still sleeping on her side. She looks so peaceful that I wonder if she'd really react instantly in case of an attack. She probably would... Her face brightens my sour mood a bit before I stand up. My leg is doing well thanks to Avalon. The seal on my left shoulder doesn't throb anymore and the pain seems to be gone. I hope I won't have to use it too much, because it was even more painful than a broken leg. I walk to the bathroom and wash myself. When I enter the living room after that, I see a lone figure sitting at the table.

"Good morning, Saber. Did I wake you up?"

She seems to be in a good mood.

"Good morning, Ben. You did, although it was time for me for be up in any case. I had enough sleep."

I start making us some tea. We'll eat breakfast with Rin.

"How are your wounds?"

Talking without looking directly at her is easier and the kettle makes a perfect excuse.

"The ones from the fight with Berserker have healed up well, but the one caused by Gae Bolg is still present. It should remain like that for a couple of days."

She doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Damn cursed lance..."

"Do not worry, Ben. I shall be able to face any opponent that is not Berserker."

"I'm not doubting that but still, it must hurt."

I walk to her while she answers with her usual solemnity.

"I am used to pain and trained, so my Master should not care about it unless it has a visible impact on our forces."

I crouch, facing her directly. My frown seems to surprise her.

"Ben?"

"Guess what? Your Master cares anyway."

I extend my right hand above her modest chest, where she was pierced, and cast a healing spell. It takes me a bit of time, but I can sense that it helped. She makes a bashful expression.

"I am thankful, but I would rather have you keeping your prana for battles."

"I have more than enough to do this, so if I can help you at least a little, I'll do it."

The kettle noise saves me from this embarrassing moment. I walk back and grab it, avoiding Saber's gaze. I'm starting to pour two cups when a face emerges from the corner of the corridor.

"Good morning..."

The figure makes its way to us and opens the fridge. Either that was a fast zombie or...

"Rin. Did you pull an all-nighter?"

She stares at me with hazy eyes, a bottle of milk in hand.

"I'm not a morning person. Don't mind me."

She drinks some milk from the bottle, realizes what she did, shrugs and keeps it in hand as she plops down near the table, facing Saber. I smile and put the two teacups on it before sitting down.

"We were waiting for you to start breakfast, actually."

She slowly shakes her head.

"I don't eat it. There was a bathroom somewhere, right?"

Her sleepy voice amuses me. "Uh, yes. Over there."

She stands back up and follows the direction I pointed at with a yawn.

I turn to Saber. "How about you? Feeling hungry?"

For some reason, the question makes her defensive.

"Ah? Yes. Servants can live without eating, but additional energy cannot be frowned upon, as minor as it might be."

... I think she just likes to eat. I chuckle and go to the kitchen corner.

"We will have to buy some more groceries today, there's nothing much."

I go for the same meal as yesterday and cut the loaf this time. Rin comes back while we're eating, looking more awake now. She sits down between us.

"So, Ben, any plans for today?"

"Mostly patrolling with Saber and getting used to the city during daytime."

She looks at me funnily.

"You really arrived recently, didn't you? I thought you'd have visited the city at this point."

I frown. "I was sent late. Also, patrolling with my Servant will be more useful and a necessary action."

Saber, too busy with munching, approves with a light nod.

"Also, Rin, do you think we could take a look at the school? That boundary field would be a good starting point."

She frowns. "You can't walk around school without being a student, idiot."

That earns her a glare. "I know that, idiot. The owner of his house was wearing a school uniform, so I could borrow a spare one. As for Saber... Surely you have an extra one?"

Rin's eyes widen. "That's..."

She goes into pondering mode, mumbling more for herself than for us. That's rather impolite.

"It could work, technically, but you'd be spotted fast. You both stand out as foreigners and you can't attend class. Two wandering students would draw attention quickly."

I sigh. "I'm aware of that, but I plan on being stealthy... Well, you have a point. Can you at least give one to Saber in case we decide to go there?"

"I can, but I'd rather have you explore it at night. Leave it to me during the day. I'm a model student and know the place perfectly."

I can't help teasing her. "Model student? I'd never have figured that out."

I look away from the glaring blue eyes and glance at my smiling Servant. I notice that while we were talking, she ate her share and a bit more. I quickly dig in before there's nothing left.

-.-.-.-

Rin left to school after lending a uniform to Saber. She said she would look for the Master hiding there and check on the boundary field. We cleaned up the table and Saber went to the bathroom for a moment. Now we're standing in the courtyard. The weather is cold but sunny.

"Ben, is your leg fine today?"

I stretch, feeling in a good mood. It's the first day I'm going to spend with her in good shape.

"Yes, everything's mostly fine. Avalon is a lifesaver."

"I am relieved. Should I wear the uniform while we go on our patrol?"

As tempting as it is to see her in wearing that kind of thing, I shake my head.

"Nah. We will take a general look at the school and its boundary field, but there's no need to infiltrate the place and draw unnecessary attention on us, since we don't even know what or whom to look for."

She nods. "I understand. You are a wise Magus when not being reckless. I am surprised."

Was that a compliment? Her smile is still up, with a hint of teasing. I give it back with pleasure, feeling my face reddening.

"Thanks, Saber. Now let's go."

We leave the house. She is wearing her outfit from yesterday, and I'm dressed in black, as usual. A gust of wind lifts my coat up and I shiver. It's cold, even with the bright sun. I extend the boundary field to the entrance door, making sure no one will intrude while we're away. Now that I think of it, we should be back before Rin or else she won't be able to enter. I can clearly picture her reaction in my head. We start walking in the same direction as we did on the first night.

"Any plans, Ben?"

Saber's tone is focused. It's funny how her attitude contrasts with the quiet atmosphere. I can't blame her, though.

"I suggest we check on important locations like Shinto and the school. The residential district is worth a visit too, but we can't cover everything in a morning."

She tilts her head. "A morning?"

"Yes. We have that sword training scheduled this afternoon, remember?"

She doesn't hide her surprise. "So you were serious?"

"Of course. Have you changed your mind about that?"

She blushes and shakes her head. "That's not it."

Her composure comes back in an instant.

"Forgive me, I did not realize you wanted to do it seriously. I should pay more attention to my Master's will."

"Geez, it's okay, Saber, no need to be so formal."

That seems to confuse her. "But... I misinterpreted your words."

"Don't sweat it. I know I can be reckless, so you probably took that more as a bravado than something serious."

She answers bashfully. "If you say you do not mind, I will accept that."

Her seriousness can be as funny as annoying at times. I sigh and we walk towards the bridge leading to Shinto in silence. I have to take regular small breaks to not tire my leg too much.

-.-.-.-

We reach the most modern part of the city soon. It contrasts greatly with all the traditional areas around it. It's quite early but the place is buzzing with people going to work. Saber looks around with interest.

"These buildings are a perfect spot for a spellcaster or Archer."

I give that remark while looking at the tallest of them all. She frowns.

"You are right. We could suggest that place to him, but I am certain that he is already well aware of that."

"True. Do you want to climb up there and have a general view of the surroundings?"

She thinks about it for a bit. "If we can, that could be useful. This area had not been built the last time I battled in this city."

"I guess that's why it's called 'Shin'to, eh? I just hope we can enter the building without trouble."

I start walking but she doesn't follow me, forcing me to turn back.

"Saber?"

"Aren't you... surprised?"

It takes me a moment to understand what she is referring to. It's easy to forget what I'm not supposed to know.

"What do you mean? I know that you took part in the last war. I didn't use Avalon at random. As I said yesterday, I studied Holy Grail Wars a lot."

Her eyes widen. "Ah... Understood."

I don't have anything to add but I feel like this topic will be brought up again eventually. We walk to the building, trying to behave like mere citizens. It turns out that the place isn't guarded at all, so we take the elevator, then climb something like ten floors before finally reaching the top. The strong wind doesn't help me catch my heavy breath, and my leg hates me right now. Saber looks at me with concern.

"Are you all right, Ben?"

"Yeah... My leg didn't like the stairs much. Let's take a look."

We walk to the edge of the roof and look at the beautiful view for a while. I can see Kirei's church, the bridge leading to our base and Rin's home... We fought Berserker there. Shinto is surprisingly big for a place built in a few years. I guess they had to act fast after that tragedy. The park nearby severely lacks life. I can feel how ominous that place is, and why they gave up building anything on it.

"From what I know, the Fourth War ended in a disaster. It happened there, didn't it?"

She's also looking at the park with a bitter expression.

"The Holy Grail was destroyed by my hand there. I had no idea it had caused so much damage to the land."

"I heard hundreds died, with very few survivors. If I can ask, why did you destroy it?"

It sounds like I'm blaming her... Damn. Her voice is pained.

"My Master commanded me."

I fake surprise as well as I can.

"He did that? Why?"

"We never talked so I could not begin to comprehend his reasons. That man had no consideration for me and used every trick he could to kill Masters and Servants. He wanted the victory at all costs, yet ended up ordering me to destroy the Holy Grail."

I sigh. "He sounds like an asshole. Did he really never talk to you?"

"I think he disliked the nature of Servants. He insulted my honor as a knight, and that war ended in a disaster."

She looks back at the park. A huge fire happened after she destroyed the Holy Grail. The reality is more complex than that and involves Kirei, but now is not the time. Taking a few steps back, I speak with a solemn tone, reminding myself of that damn priest for a second.

"I understand why you hate that man, and I don't want to ever spoil your honor. We will fight this war as fairly as possible, but I don't want us to die because of it."

She turns to me without a word. I raise my hands to emphasize the message.

"I mean, I want to defeat the others without becoming a monster. I will not spare other enemies as I did with Rin either. You will have my permission to face any Servant you want to and I will consult you for any plans we make."

Her silence is starting to disturb me.

"That's how I picture it... mostly... Saber?"

"I see your point. I hope you will stay as level-headed when fighting, given how reckless you were two days ago."

I scratch the back of my head, feeling a bit guilty.

"I hope so too. Also, it's obvious that we won't attack normal citizens to make you stronger, or for any other reason."

That seems to please her more.

"I agree. I would not do such a thing unless you used a Command Spell, thus I am relieved we share the same view on the subject. It seems you are a most suitable Master for me, Ben."

That makes me blush suddenly and I turn away to hide it from her. She returns and gets past me, heading to the door. She stops in front of it and looks back, since I haven't moved.

"Are we done with this place?"

She's smiling. I bet she knows that I'm embarrassed.

"Uh, yes. Let's go, Saber."

We get back to ground level without saying more.

-.-.-.-

"So this is one of the places where the pretended gas leaks occurred..."

We strolled around Shinto and eventually stumbled upon an office building with a police barrier blocking its entrance. Even I can feel that something magic-related happened there.

"Too bad we can't visit now."

"Shall we come back at night, Ben? It is definitely a place we should explore."

"We shall, unless we find a bigger target. Let's head to the park since we're close to it."

We soon reach it, and the feeling of death is even more present. Most people around just pass by and the benches are rarely taken. I sense no danger but I don't feel like it'll become a regular jogging spot for me. I groan and put a hand on my right leg. We've walked for an hour without stopping and it's starting to feel stiff again. Saber notices, unsurprisingly.

"Let us sit on a bench, Ben. You should not push your leg that much."

Defeated, I turn to the nearest one. "You're right."

We sit next to each other and I rest my head back, looking at the sky. The sunlight, strengthening as the day progresses, makes me close my eyes soon after.

"May I ask you a question?"

Her voice makes my heart jump. I've been walking at her side for hours, but it's weird to sit calmly on a bench like lovers. Her seriousness kinda kills that particular impression though.

"Of course, Saber. You don't need to tiptoe like that, I'll answer anything."

"There is one crucial matter we have not mentioned yet."

"Really? What is it?"

I look at her and meet a direct, gleaming emerald stare.

"Benjamin."

I gulp and feel my heart racing. That's actually the first time she says my full name.

"I have sworn to be your sword and make you win that war, yet I forgot to inquire about the most important matter."

I think I know what she means.

"Yes?"

"What wish do you want to be granted?"

Agh, I actually dreaded that moment.

... What can I possibly answer to her?

It's not something I can put words on without sounding crazy. She is expecting some kind of ambition one would find in any Magus, but I don't have that. My wish was... to meet her, to fight at her side. It was partly granted. I'm here for the road to victory, not victory itself. I don't care about the Holy Grail, especially given its true nature. Arturia stopped being a human being when she took out the sword from the stone, but there's still a person with a heart in her. I want to meet that person. I want to bring her back.

... Yeah, I can't really tell her that, can I?

This body that I built, the powers that I carved into it, all these efforts were to make this situation happen. Now I'm here to make it last as much as I can and fight this war at her side. I don't know what to answer to her. Her voice echoes with confusion.

"Ben? Are you all right?"

Ah, I daydreamed for too long. I scratch the back of my head and look straight ahead. It's easier to talk like that.

"Sorry, Saber, I was lost in thought. Your question is complex."

I can hear surprise in her answer.

"I understand if you want to keep it a secret, since you told me that I could keep mine if I desired, but how is it complex? You studied the previous wars and prepared yourself for this moment. You would not have done that if you did not have had an idea about what you wanted to accomplish."

I shrug. "What I mean is that I don't have a clear answer. I've been fascinated with this ritual for years, and my main goal would be to see the miracle occur. It's as simple as that. Also, I want to make my family proud, and show the Association what I'm capable of."

I pause to think about what to say next. She's listening with attention.

"What I want to see is the Holy Grail. I want to see if it's as powerful as I was told. As a Magus, I was born curious, Saber. Also, I'd like to see you make your wish come true."

I smile at her, happy I didn't stutter because of my half truths. She blushes lightly, confused.

"That's... You do not know about my wish, yet you want me to accomplish it? Masters should focus on their own goals. Servants are only-"

I groan and interrupt her. "We are partners! I told you that yesterday. Can you just accept once and for all that I want to win this war at your side?"

She's speechless for an instant, which pushes me to insist.

"As soon as I summoned you, I knew that you deserved to have your wish granted. You are a proud person that anyone would want at their side."

Her cheeks keep reddening and her face turns bashful.

"Ben, I appreciate the compliment, but you should not praise me that much. We have not fought together much yet, and you having such a strong impression of me is strange."

I smirk. "I'm good at seeing what people are. Does that mean you don't trust me yet?"

She raises a hand, panicking. "I did not say that!"

"Then we're all good."

I go back to my relaxed position, my point made. Saber speaks in a smaller than usual voice.

"Unbelievable. You are as reckless when dealing with allies as with enemies."

I laugh. "Do you really mind that, Saber?"

"I do not. I am glad that my Master has faith in me, and I will make sure to honor it until the end."

I don't answer, feeling a nice warmth in my heart after she said that. The floating silence that follows is relaxing, although she breaks it soon.

"Then, you do not seek the Grail for a specific wish, but rather to be the witness of its power?"

"You can sum it up like that. Is that stupid?"

"It is unusual, but I like the way you put it."

Damn that blush.

-.-.-.-

We don't talk much after that, and I hope my point got across. Saber doesn't seem unhappy, at least.

"How about we go check the school surroundings now?"

I stand up right after saying that. My leg is better now and shouldn't cause a problem if we avoid staircases. Saber follows the motion.

"Please lead the way, Ben. Do you know its location?"

Oops. I remember Rin talking about it when we walked to Kirei's church but that's pretty much it.

"I believe... it's further than the residential district. We have to go back."

As we start walking towards the bridge, something comes to my mind.

"Actually, we could check the temple out instead. It's much easier to locate, and Rin can show us the school tonight, or later. What do you say?"

Saber thinks about it for a bit.

"It seems like a good course of action, but you must know that the temple is the worst possible place for a Servant to be in."

I feign ignorance yet again.

"How so?"

"It has a boundary field which repels any spiritual entity that tries to cross it. If a Servant tried, they would feel as bound as if they were resisting multiple Command Spells."

"I see. That means the place is Servant-free, right?"

"There is still one way, through the main gate."

As we get to the bridge, I take one last look back to Shinto and speak up.

"Then it's a perfect ambush post."

"It is still an uncomfortable place for a Servant since they would be seen as intruders. I do not see why one would try to make that place their base."

"You're right, but if one managed to, they'd benefit from a barrier, a good location to cast magic, and a perfect setup to greet attackers. I wouldn't be so sure about the place being safe."

Saber nods. "Then it is worth checking. If a Servant has managed to get there, it will mean a frontal attack."

That seems to motivate more than discourage her. I chuckle.

"Are you making fun of me, Ben?"

She glares at me, reminding of Rin.

"I just like how appealing it sounds to you, that's all."

She starts scolding me.

"As a knight of the sword, it is my speciality! I would rather have you not mocking that."

I sigh. "I said I liked it, Saber. Don't be mad."

She really can't take jokes. The rest of the trip to the traditional part of the town passes silently.

-.-.-.-

"It's on top of the hill, right? Let's go."

"Will your leg be okay?"

I wave my hand. "Sure, as long as there are no stairs."

We climb the hill. The area is very calm, most people being at school or work. Even though it seems logical, I still find it a bit too quiet. I guess the recent incidents in town have played a role in that regard. At least it's practical for us. We reach the temple soon enough. Well, not the temple itself but a big set of-

"You've got to be kidding me..."

I groan. Not only this will hurt to climb right now, but a rather narrow way in a forest is a very bad spot to attack from. The fact that Assassin is the temple sentinel does not help either. Saber looks at the place and frowns.

"Sense anything?"

She sighs. "I am afraid not. As I thought, the boundary field is still up, and it disturbs my senses. Sensing enemies from afar is not my speciality, and this makes it nearly impossible."

She seems mad at herself. I shrug and walk a couple of steps towards the stairs. I know that Caster is hiding up there, and I know that I can't do much in broad daylight, but still...

"Wait."

She tensed up. I get on guard, channeling prana into my legs, and murmur between my teeth.

"What is it?"

She doesn't have the time to answer me, as a dagger flies towards me at high speed, coming from the forest next to the stairs. It's deflected before I can think about reacting. Saber instantly took out her sword and dashed in front of me to repel the weapon. It looks like a long nail, attached to a chain that quickly retreats between the trees. She arms herself and rushes to them as I stand there, dumbfounded. Rider? That's a surprise. I wait for her as there is no point in following. She comes back quickly, visibly angry.

"They ran away. I cannot feel an enemy presence anymore."

I sigh in relief, a bit disappointed.

"I see. Did they come from the temple?"

"I cannot say for sure. They appeared so fast that they could have been coming from anywhere. I sensed them a second before the attack, which means that they have presence concealment or are very agile."

"Okay. Let's leave for now. There is no point in entering this place without a plan."

Saber looks at the stairs and I feel like she wants to break through the gates anyway, but she turns away soon.

"You are right. We cannot attack during the day. However, Ben, I feel like we should check this place as soon as we can."

I disagree but that discussion will have to wait. We leave at a faster pace than before and decide to head back home. Once far away from the temple, the dagger comes back to my mind.

"So you think it's an agile Servant like Lancer?"

"Possibly. However, their weapon was certainly weak. I do not think they would be a threat if we faced them directly."

"So we'll have to watch out for surprise attacks."

Saber nods. I know for sure that Rider is one of the weaker Servants, but that attack scared me. What if my Servant isn't fast enough next time? I shiver. It takes me a while to calm down. Saber's instinct is flawless. I shouldn't fear weak attempts like what just happened.

"The problem is that they saw us. I know that I cannot really hide my nature, but one Master will know what you are now, Ben."

"It's okay. I trust you to deflect any half-assed attempt like that one."

I give her a reassuring smile. She sighs, annoyed with my carelessness, but doesn't add anything. We soon reach home. I deactivate the front door boundary field to let us enter. It must be around eleven now.

"Damn."

"What is it, Ben?"

"Groceries. We forgot to buy food."

She freezes on the spot.

"... You are right. Is there anything left to eat here?"

I shake my head. "Unless you want to live on old bread, then there isn't."

"That is bad... we- I mean you must gather energy! You cannot fight properly if you do not feed yourself healthily."

Was that a "we"? I hardly contain a laugh.

"Then let me go grab some, the shopping district is nearby."

She frowns. "Why do you want to go there alone? Whether you have a good reason or not, I must accompany you wherever you go."

Damn. I just need a moment to relax, honestly.

"Come on, I won't be attacked in a crowded street at this hour. Just let me do this and set up the table if you wish. I'll be back before you know it."

I turn my back to her and start walking to the door. I can feel her aura of disapproval scratching my neck.

"That is too dangerous, Master!"

I turn back and frown. "What, should I use a Command Spell to be able to walk alone for half an hour?"

She gasps. "You cannot use one for something that irrelevant!"

"Then we agree, it's irrelevant. Look, last days' events shook me a bit and I need some time for myself, to gather my thoughts. I promise that I will call for you if I sense anything. Will you allow that?"

"..."

"No?"

With a lot of reluctance, she bows her head.

"If that is what you desire, I will obey. Please be back as soon as possible."

I can tell she's boiling inside, but I try to keep a smile up. "I will."

-.-.-.-

That lonely walk helped me. I thought about my general course of action so far, and I think I haven't made any mistake. I must be certain that I don't let anything suspicious slip out. Right now my biggest concern is Kirei knowing what I did, but I doubt he will tell anyone.

"You don't belong here."

Archer's deep voice echoes in my mind and makes me shiver. Now that I'm alone, I realize that I'm much more vulnerable, and start questioning my whim. It was kind of selfish.

I put some food that I can cook in the grocery bags. I could make some Cantonese rice tonight... Rin will have to give me a list for what she wants because I have no clue about half of the things I ate with her. I pay and leave the store. I should get back quickly or Saber will likely beat me to death with a shinai. Let's hope that food will at least calm her down.

As I start walking towards the street I came from, someone tugs on my coat from behind. The hand isn't much high, so they must be a-

I realize and turn back with the same terror I had when Kirei snuck up on me, praying that I'm wrong. There... stands Ilyasviel von Einzbern, whose red eyes scan me intensely. My mind crashes and the only reaction I have is to take a big step back. Why is she here?

"You are walking around without your Servant?"

I prepare myself.

"She's nearby and ready to strike."

My shaky voice gives away my blatant lie. Ilyasviel smiles mischievously.

"She isn't here, I can feel it."

I groan while she closes in, her smile still up.

"Now, I wonder... who are you, exactly?"

I think every word through before answering her, knowing how dangerous the situation is.

"I'm... just a Master, like you."

She frowns. "You appeared out of nowhere. I was expecting someone else to show up on that night."

Her glare could be kind of cute if it wasn't terrifying.

"But you came out and had fun ruining my plans."

I don't know what to answer. She sighs and her enmity seems to dwindle slightly.

"I believe we were not introduced. My name is Ilyasviel von Einzbern."

She does a short reverence and speaks in a good-mannered tone.

"You're here to kill me, aren't you?"

I don't see why she would want to meet me. She looks at me like I just said that the sky was green.

"Eh? No. Berserker is sleeping at home, and we can't fight during the day."

That's a relief, but I'm not letting my guard down.

"Then... why?"

Her mood seems to switch as her next stare is different. It's not a murderous face like the one she made that night, rather the one of an upset child.

"I gave you my name and you didn't return the favor. That's very impolite, Saber's Master."

That surprises me. Is she really here for a mundane chat? I do know that she has a Mystic Eye and could hypnotize me if I'm not careful, but I see no reason to upset her more. I try to retrieve a normal tone.

"Ah... Sorry but it's weird having such a conversation with an enemy."

She huffs. "We are not fighting during the day! If you don't tell me your name, I'll be very mad!"

I sigh. "Fine, fine. I'm Benjamin."

"Ben... ya..."

She starts butchering it.

"Ben is fine, don't bother."

She smiles. It's... adorable. Damn, Ben, stay focused.

"Ben. What a weird name!"

I smirk. "Yours is pretty unusual too."

"It's one of the most famous Magi family names!"

"I know. But Ilya... sfeil..."

Guess I'm a butcher too. Her pout turns into a smug stare.

"Ilya is fine, Benben!"

I groan. I really hate that nickname.

"It's just Ben, Ilya."

"Don't you like it?"

That small exchange lightened the atmosphere dramatically. This is surreal. I can't believe we're having such a conversation after she almost killed us all.

"Anyway, what do you want from me?"

She shrugs. "I want to talk. You weren't my main target but you will do since I can't find him."

"That's it? You want some info about Saber?"

She makes a cute dismissive hand motion.

"No, that's boring. I just want to talk!"

"Talk about... what?"

This time she throws both arms in the air.

"Just talk!"

I don't feel like I'm going to escape her easily, so I decide to make the best of the situation. Ilya is the epitome of innocence, which means that she has zero notion of good and evil. It explains why she can switch from a cold murderer to a lovely child. I have an idea...

"I'm up for it, but first, let's promise that we won't try to harm each other. How does that sound?"

She looks genuinely surprised.

"I told you I wasn't here for that, but okay."

She gets close to me with a dancing motion and shows me her right fist.

"Uh?"

She shakes it impatiently. "Kiritsugu told me that when you do a promise in this country, you shake pinkies!"

Her little finger perks up, waiting for mine. Well then... I crouch a bit and extend my own.

"I promise."

Our fingers link. Her pinky is barely half the size of mine, and I think I'm blushing. Damn.

"I promise."

The contact lasts a couple of seconds, then she dances around me, apparently happy. I don't know why she would be, really. Her cheerfulness quickly becomes contagious, though, and I allow myself to smile.

"I think we shouldn't talk in the cold street like this."

She stops and ponders. "Oh? I don't mind the cold, but you are right! What's a good place to talk in?"

She singsongs while I look around. I don't know the area at all, but I spot a café near our position.

"How about that place? We can drink something and talk, as you asked."

She looks at the direction my index is pointing at and her eyes fill with hope. She fidgets, her stare alternating between me and the café.

"We can...?" She asks shyly.

"Sure. It'll be my treat."

She laughs happily and heads straight to the café. Well, she waltzes around more than going straight, and the pure cuteness she radiates makes me forget that I should've already been back home. While I catch up to her, I think about what this encounter can grant me. I can't kill her for a few reasons. The main one is that she is the Holy Grail vessel, so we'll need her for the final ritual. My goals here would be to make her more friendly, and fish info.

As she turns back to me, expectant, I realize I don't wish to kill her anyway.

"Hurry up, Benben!'

I take that back. I groan as we reach the café door and push it open. We sit at a table and take our coats off. It's quiet at this hour and we can hopefully talk without worrying about spies.

"Did you come here by yourself, Ilya?"

She nods, apparently proud of herself.

"Hmhm. I had to sneak out since Sella wouldn't approve!"

I'm left wondering about who Sella is - probably one of her maids - while she looks at the menu with curiosity.

"So, we wait for the lady to bring us what we want, is that right?"

I smile. "That's it. Never been to a café before?"

She shakes her head. "Never. This is the first time I go to a town like this."

"Well, let's make sure you enjoy it. You can order what you want."

Her eyes widen. "Really?"

"Yup. If it's your first time, I've got to make sure it's good."

Her eyes narrow and scan me like when she tugged on my coat. She quickly gets back to the menu though.

"You are surprisingly nice, Benben. I was expecting to meet just another boring Master."

The fact she uses that last word sends me back to two days ago and my voice loses some of its cheerfulness.

"Well, sorry for defending myself. You did try to kill Saber and me."

She pouts. "I was aiming for Rin in the first place. Also, you killed my Berserker once!"

I'm about to answer but the waitress approaches us with a smile. I wonder what she thinks about the weird duo we make. After asking about pretty much everything on the menu, Ilya orders a sandwich and a hot chocolate, while I go for a beer. I need it right now, and I have a lunch with Saber planned so food will wait. Once the woman is out of hearing distance, I answer my temporary companion.

"He came back to life so that doesn't count."

"It takes him days to regenerate his lives, so it does."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh really? How many does he have anyway?"

Her stare comes back and scares me for a second. "I can't tell you that."

Heh, I tried.

"You had no hesitation revealing his name though."

She answers in a matter of fact way. "There was no point in hiding it since no Servant is a match for him, and you shouldn't have lived to talk about it if things had gone right."

It's weird how she can switch from childish to that kind of tone like it's nothing. Both personalities are her, in the end.

"Why did you help Rin? You would have one less enemy if you hadn't interfered."

Damn, why does everyone ask me this question these days?

"I came because there was a fight. Why did you attack her?"

Ilya shrugs. "It's obvious. Her Servant had been hurt, so she was useless. Plus, she's the heir of the Tohsakas, and she isn't ladylike either. I want to kill her as soon as I can."

"Ah, I know about the three great families. I helped her because the only way to survive this fight was to ally against you."

I speak honestly, which makes her smile mischievously again.

"You should have let her die, Benben. Maybe you're too nice."

I frown. "I'm not. I plan on winning this war."

"She will probably betray you, if I don't kill you before."

Is that seriously a conversation to have in a café? Or anywhere on this planet?

"We'll see about that, Ilya."

The waitress comes back with the order, putting a pint, a cup and a sandwich on the table. I thank her and Ilya imitates me before looking at her food with interest. I take a sip from my beer. It's pretty good.

"You can eat. I promise it won't bite you back."

I mock her hesitation, taking revenge where I can find it. She takes a very small bite of her sandwich. Apparently satisfied, she then starts eating normally. She stops midway through and makes a dissatisfied face.

"What is it? Does it taste funny?"

"Eh? No. It's good."

She sulks. "We ended up only talking about our Servants."

I cross my arms. "Well, you participated."

"I know, but it's boring. I want a normal conversation, but I don't know how it's like."

She looks upset, and I can't help finding it cute. I relax and take a sip before smiling.

"Well... We don't know each other, so can talk about ourselves. Where we're from. What we like."

Her eyes gleam with expectation.

"That's what I want! Who are you, Benben? You didn't tell me your last name..."

I shrug. "It doesn't matter, my family isn't famous or anything. I come from France and was sent here late to participate in the war."

She listens with attention. "So you're a foreigner too?"

"Yes. I know that the Einzberns are also from Europe. I take this is your first time in a foreign country?"

"It is... it's the first time I leave my castle. I have one here, but I'm not supposed to leave it on my own. I told you, I snuck out."

It's a depressing thought. The first time that girl can see the world is to take part in a battle royale.

"You have the right to have some time for yourself. Even I kinda escaped from Saber to get here."

She seems surprised. "Time for myself...? Maybe that's it. I just wanted to see the city during the day."

I nod. "That's a good reason. Besides, even if we get lectured back home, we'll know that it was worth it."

"Why?"

I take a long sip before answering her, realizing that I'm relaxing more and more. It's probably a bad idea given whom I'm talking to but I don't really care.

"Because we are having fun, and that'll be a good memory, whatever happens after."

She seems happy to hear that, which is oddly heartwarming.

"It is fun meeting people! I will be sad to kill you, Benben."

Yeah, without the sporadic death threats, I'd be having a very good time. I chuckle, but it's a bit forced.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Ilya takes a few sips from her chocolate in silence. She seems lost in thought.

"What's up? Something bothering you?"

She blushes. "Eh? I just... I'm just wondering where someone is."

"Who? Maybe I can help."

She ponders for a short moment.

"A boy with red hair. I saw him three days ago but I think he disappeared."

I frown and stay silent, which she quickly notices.

"Why are you making a weird face?"

Should I tell her the truth about him? I could use my knowledge to disturb her, but that would be risky.

"I... think I saw someone fitting that description."

Her face lights up. "Really? When?"

I should try to be as tactful as I can.

"On the night we met. Are you talking about Emiya Shirou?"

She nods. "I am. Do you know him?"

I gulp, dreading her reaction.

"I'm afraid he was... killed by Lancer."

She gasps. "Oh... Are you certain about that?"

"Yes."

She looks downcast.

"That dummy... I told him to summon his Servant or he'd be killed... He ruined everything."

"I know the Einzberns and Emiyas had connections in the past war, but I heard it didn't end well."

That seems to wake her up. She gives me a frown.

"You are well-informed, for an unknown Magus. How do you know that?"

"I studied the Fourth Holy Grail War, so I know that your family hired Emiya Kiritsugu as a Master, only for him to betray them in the end. Saber gave me more details, though she has no idea why he did that either."

Her expression grows more and more suspicious. Fun time is over, apparently.

"You are from the Association, aren't you?"

I take another sip before nodding.

"I'd rather not, but I enrolled at it in order to reach where I am now. As for the Emiyas, you can forget seeking any of them. They both died."

I'm bad at being tactful, it seems. She stays silent so I go on.

"I investigated their house and understood that Kiritsugu had died years ago. I'm... sorry."

I don't really know if I should comfort her or not. She seems more upset than saddened.

"They died before I could..."

She sighs. I wonder how that will change her future actions.

"Since they apparently were your targets, do you still plan on fighting?"

That question is greeted by a sudden glare.

"Of course!"

She's lost her objective, and now she will fight purely to save her family honor. It's a depressing thought that briefly brings back the guilt I felt after killing Shirou. We stay silent after that, and I soon finish my beer. She comes back to me once she's also done.

"Are there other things you know about all this?"

If she knew... I decide to be partly honest with her.

"Ilya... I know what you are. The Einzberns specialized in creating homonculi and bringing the Holy Grail vessel to the land provided by the Tohsakas. The dots aren't hard to connect."

"You..."

She is visibly shocked. Her voice loses some of its previous assurance.

"Is that why you agreed to talk with me?"

I smile sincerely. "Nah, it doesn't matter."

She slightly tilts her head.

"What do you mean...? It should be important to you."

"We decided to talk and have a quiet time together. In that context, I couldn't care less about what you are, Ilya. Wasn't that what you wanted too?"

Her cheeks redden a bit and she nods hesitantly. It's so cute that I might need some air soon.

"It was... We almost only talked about the war, but I understand what you mean."

I enjoy the nice atmosphere for a moment. She will become a terrifying enemy once night falls, but something tells me that I will never be able to hate this girl. She looks away before speaking up in a dreamy voice.

"Berserker woke up... I must go back."

I nod and stand up. "Let me pay for this, then I'll walk you outside."

She watches me paying with curiosity, then we leave the café together.

"Ilya, sorry for earlier, I was a bit blunt. I had a good time with you today."

Those red eyes narrow and her mouth curls into a mysterious smile.

"You are interesting, Benben."

She waltzes away with that odd remark, shouting something happily.

"Thanks for the food! Don't die before I kill you!"

A lot of heads turn towards me.

... Why would you yell that in a crowded street!?

-.-.-.-

I am late. Very late. I'd run if I could, but my bad leg forces me to walk at a brisk pace instead. I take a deep breath before opening the door. She's waiting just behind.

I'm glad to see Saber, but her face makes me want to turn back and run for my life.

"Hey... I'm back."

"..."

I lift up the grocery bags, smiling.

"I... bought food?"

"You left for more than hour. I believe you mentioned half of one at worst."

Her tone leaves no doubt about how mad she is.

"There were a lot of people at the store and my leg started acting up, so I stopped at a café before heading back."

I decide against mentioning Ilya. That meeting will remain a secret for now.

"A café?"

"Yeah. Drank a beer and lifted off as soon as I could."

She gives me an incredulous look.

"You put your life in danger to consume such a beverage? Unbelievable."

That makes me sulk.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration. I told you, I needed to rest."

She points at me theatrically.

"You should only do so when I am nearby! Besides, consuming alcohol that could slow you down is completely irresponsible."

"Just a beer isn't what I call alcohol, Saber."

She's about to come back at me, but I walk past her to the living room.

"I get it mom, now please let me in so I can cook lunch."

That takes her off guard, but she jogs behind me soon enough.

"We aren't done, Ben!"

I place the groceries on the table and look at her.

"There's nothing to add, though. I'm sorry I was late, but are we really going to argue about that forever?"

She puts her hands on her hips.

"I can accept an apology, but please assure me that you will refrain from taking such initiatives in the future."

I raise both of mine. "All right, you win. Sit down while I cook us something good."

She silently glares at me, not much calmer. I sigh and sort the food I bought then start slicing potatoes. I throw them into a frying pan and reach for the meat before sensing a presence behind me. I turn back and see that Saber approached. She's trying to act like she's not curious... and failing pretty hard.

"What's up?"

She tries to look at the pans without much success, given our height difference.

"What are you cooking?"

I grin. "Hungry, eh? It's true that you had a plain breakfast and skipped dinner yesterday."

She gasps.

"That's not it! I am merely checking if this is balanced."

I chuckle and move to the side to let her see.

"I'm making some beef and potatoes. Kinda simple, but I'm not a good cook anyway. It should give us plenty of energy for the afternoon."

"I see. It seems a bit heavy, but lunches are supposed to be so."

"I agree. Mind setting up the table?"

She gets on it, and I realize how cute that moment was. Focus, Ben...

Lunch is served, and we get on it. It's simple but filling, and a long moment passes without a word being said.

"Is it good, Saber?"

"It is, Ben. That should give us the energy we need."

That's a relief. I bet she will say otherwise when she gets to try Rin's cooking skills though. After we're done, I hand her an eclair I bought this morning and take one for myself. Saber looks at it with interest.

"You don't know eclairs?"

She takes a tentative bite and nods slowly. Then she wolfs the rest down in two more.

"Well, you do now."

"These are delightful sweets. Did you buy more?"

"Eh, yes, for tonight."

She looks at the bags and sighs. "For tonight..."

"Yup. I think that Rin won't pardon us if we eat her share."

I stretch and stand up to do the dishes. Once everything is clean, I turn to her.

"Now, Saber, how about we work out a bit?"

I'm positive she won't think about an innuendo there.

"You want me to train you in swordsmanship, don't you?"

We head to the dojo together while talking.

"Yes. I'm sure it'll have a positive impact on the incoming fights."

"I must warn you, though... I am not versed in teaching."

"It's worth a try in any case. It should improve my reactions and resistance."

"Understood."

We reach the dojo and I grab two shinais. She looks at her own for a moment before walking ten meters away from me and taking a kendo stance.

I've never used one before... I face her and try to imitate her stance, nervous. It might be just a training but the atmosphere has tensed up.

"Are you ready, Ben?"

She's dead serious about this, like one would expect from a warrior. I will disrespect her if I take this lightly.

"I am, Saber!"

I take one step forward before she dashes at me at blinding speed. I'm on the ground after a single hit. She is way too fast!

"Ugh."

I stand back up while she stares at me from her original spot, emotionless. I surely can do better than this! I decide to save my magical energy for now and run to her. The strike I deliver with all my might is repelled like an annoying fly. Her strength drives my shinai away, and she hits me with the guard of hers, which is enough to make me fall again.

"Damn!"

The cycle repeats. I manage to parry a blow at times, but never hit her and inevitably end up on the ground with accumulating bruises. Saber sighs as I stand up for the... I lost count, actually.

"You have some will, but your attacks are basic, Ben."

"But Saber, in a real battle I will be using body enhancement and a real weapon."

The green eyes narrow.

"Certainly... Moreover, you do not plan on attacking a Servant again, do you?"

"Probably."

My tease draws the intended reaction. Her shocked face makes an entertaining sight.

"You said you would try your hardest!"

"That was a joke, Saber. I'm aware of my limitations. I'm not sure this kind of training is helping, though. Do you mind if I use a bit of magical energy?"

She looks surprised but nods.

"You provide me largely enough, so it should not cause any problem. What do you want to do?"

"Use my actual weapon. Could you arm yourself? I know I won't ever hit you, but I'd rather not fight you seriously in that outfit."

She lowers her shinai and closes her eyes. "I understand. In that case..."

Her armor appears as if it was never gone. Once out of my amazement, I throw the shinai aside and focus. I activate my magic circuit, channel some prana in my body and raise my right hand.

"Yamato."

The katana in its black sheath appears from its dimensional space. My magical energy is ready to go to my leg or arms, depending on what I need. I'm sure I can manage to parry more than one blow like that. I hang the sheath at my side and take out the blade.

"Now will be a good opportunity to show me what you are made of, Benjamin. Please do not restrain yourself."

The atmosphere is different now. She's armed and I'm holding an actual weapon. I know I can't hurt her, but can I attack her with all my might?

Her stare tells me that I must. What she just said was sincere.

"Vitesse divine."

I grit my teeth, hoping that my leg will follow up, and dash at her as fast as she did earlier. The blow aiming for her chest is parried easily again. Even with a wooden weapon, our strengths are incomparable. She repels my katana and delivers a quick blow to my side. I groan and take a step back. She doesn't let me catch my breath and follows me, her body lowering. This is bad-

I can't react to the ascending hit that makes me fall again. Damn, isn't there anything I can do? She goes back to her original spot and stares at me without a word. I guess she's making this a lesson about not fighting against Servants. I stand back up, panting, and take a moment to think. Is there really a point in enhancing my legs? I decide to do the opposite this time. Since she's holding a wooden weapon, I might be able to at least slow her down if I put magical energy into my arms when I strike.

"Force divine."

I feel much more power in my grip now, even if the flow hurts. I take a few steps forward until we're at striking distance. Our stares cross, and I realize our spirits were never that focused in a moment together. All the awkwardness and arguments far behind, this is where Saber really shines. A part of her is made for fighting. I thought I didn't like that, but now that I can see it from up close, I find it mesmerizing. I take one last step and strike with all my might. She blocks it but this time I hold my ground, to her surprise. I put more energy into my arms to push her back, but she lowers her body, groans and repels me again. I quickly regain my balance and strike again, from the other side. She parries it without much trouble, but I was able to hit twice in a row! She sends me away with her damaged shinai, and we get back to our original positions. I wasn't thrown on the ground, and I feel that's an improvement.

"This is better, Ben. However, you cannot expect to overpower me, no matter how much you enhance your abilities."

I nod and put back Yamato into its sheath. She tilts her head.

"Is this enough for you?"

Her apparent disappointment makes me smile. I'm a bit nervous about trying this style against an expert, but I should see that as a perfect opportunity to learn. I ready the sheathed blade.

"Here I come, Saber."

Her look of surprise vanishes instantly. For this to work, I've got to be able to switch magical energy from my legs to my arms quickly. It will likely cost me a lot of prana, but I refuse not to show her what I can do. I need to use the dash inertia as a buffer to deliver a stronger hit. I take a deep breath and once again run to her at enhanced speed. Holding the sheath with my right hand. I strike at her head without taking the blade out. As expected, she guards against it, but I channel prana into my wrist to support it. We hold our ground for a second like this, but it's supposed to be a diversion. I groan and advance my left foot, extending my free hand to catch her throat. After what I hope to be a surprised expression, she counters with a violent kick in my belly that sends me flying back where I came from. Adrenaline overrides the pain I should be feeling and I get on my feet immediately.

"That move was a daring plan, but why would you keep your sword in its sheath?"

I don't answer and focus on my body. The bruises should heal up just fine with Avalon, but it'd be reasonable to stop soon. I will try one more stunt, then.

"There's a reason for that."

This is my last chance to show her that I can fight. I lower my body and hold the sheath as if I was going to deliver an iai strike, although that wouldn't work on her. My plan is trickier than that. I dash and strike to her chest, with the guard of Yamato pointing in her direction and the sheath arching upwards. She parries it with a hit from above, as I expected, and I put as much energy as I can into my hands. During that small timeframe when both of our weapons are still, I pull Yamato out with the hand I kept on its guard. The empty sheath should be able to hold her shinai for the second it takes to slash her side. The execution is perfect!

But of course, she has a flawless instinct, so sharp that it's one of her abilities as a Servant. She dodges it, arching her body back just a bit to avoid the slash. I hear a small clang though. I touched the armor! The shinai overpowers the sheath right after and she hits me on the head. I fall on the ground and see stars.

-.-.-.-

I open my eyes and see Saber staring down at me. Her shinai is in a bad state and she's smiling. I sigh.

"Damn, that was my special attack."

"It was interesting, Ben. It could do wonders against a human opponent."

Her praise is heartwarming.

"Hey, I managed to hit you! I heard the sound."

She puts her hands on her hips and her usual serious face comes back.

"You did lightly brush my armor, but please refrain from using that move unless you have a clear advantage. It leaves you completely open."

I get back up, slowly. My whole body is bruises right now.

"I know, I know... I wanted to show you what I got, I guess. Sorry."

She sighs. "Do not apologize either. I am not fond of all or nothing attacks, but you have developed an original style. Keep that spirit and you will become a decent swordsman in no time."

I scratch the back of my head, a bit embarrassed.

"Thanks. Damn, you sure had fun beating me up."

Her composure shatters and she shakes her head vehemently.

"What? You are completely wrong! I do not enjoy hurting my Master, but you told me you wanted a spar, and I am a terrible teacher, and-"

She is too easy. I interrupt her after chuckling.

"I had fun too, don't worry."

Her cheeks redden as she calms down.

"You put so much energy in it that I could not answer softly..."

"And that's what I wanted, Saber. Facing you directly gave me a better grasp on your devotion. We can't lose this war."

That seems to surprise her.

"You say that as if it were odd, but I was summoned only to fight in the first place. It is obvious that I must put all my will into any battle. Other matters are irrelevant and do not concern me."

I frown. "I get that you take your role as a Servant at heart, but don't you want anything else?"

She calms down and gets back to serious.

"I must worry about your sake, strategy and fights. I do not see what you are talking about, Ben. I have mostly accepted your odd vision of our pact, but your question does not make any sense."

This is what precisely annoys me.

"Heroic spirit or not, you are still a person that is alive in this world, even if it's temporary. So if I can have good times with you, I will make that possible."

That leaves her speechless. "Ben, I just told you..."

I decide to end the discussion before it turns into a verbal joust and raise my hands.

"I know, I know. Look, forget I said anything, okay? I wouldn't mind a cup of tea."

She stares at me without a word for a moment and then puts back the shinais on the wall. As we start walking to the courtyard, I look at her. How should I interpret that quietness?

"You know, you can take off your armor for tea."

"Ah... You are right."

I guess she was lost in thought. Her armor disappears into the afternoon sunlight.

-.-.-.-

We decide to sit on the porch in the courtyard. The fresh air is much welcome after all these efforts. There's been an awkward silence since our small argument and I don't like that. Waiting for my drink to cool down, I speak without looking at her directly.

"Sorry if I offended you earlier, Saber."

She doesn't answer immediately and takes a small sip from her cup.

"You did not, Ben."

This time I turn to her. "Really?"

To my surprise, she smiles gently.

"We had a small disagreement on my role, but I also understood that your intentions were well-placed. So, no, I am not offended."

That's a relief. I quickly focus on my tea, unable to hold her stare for too long.

"However, please stay focused on the war permanently. We do not have the luxury of distracting ourselves."

I sigh. "You're right..."

We drink in silence. It's hard to think we're at war at times like these.

"By the way, Saber, I think that's obvious, but I'd rather keep my weapon and close combat abilities a secret from Rin."

She nods. "Understandable. She will be our enemy eventually. The less she and Archer know, the better."

"Same goes for your holy sword. Though we mustn't hesitate if the situation calls for it."

"That is a good analysis and I agree."

I throw glances at her after that while finishing my cup. She picks up on my behavior soon enough.

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Actually, yes. Would you mind showing it to me?"

My curiosity must be showing because she smiles before putting down her cup. She extends her hands and summons the invisible blade. She focuses and the barrier of wind vanishes, leaving the golden sword visible.

"Wow..."

I stare at it in awe. It's magnificent. She is refraining its energy but I can feel how powerful that weapon is.

"This is Excalibur. Sadly, the original sword, Caliburn, was broken."

"Wait, isn't Excalibur the sword you took out from the rock?"

She calmly casts the invisible barrier back before making her sword disappear.

"It is not. Caliburn was the one I took out, and Excalibur was given to me by the Lady of the Lake later."

"Oh... Now that you mention it, I recall something like that in the legend. Was Caliburn a better sword?"

She shakes her head. "As it was a weapon that showed rank, it was not forged for pure efficiency. Excalibur is certainly stronger. However, I had a deeper bond with Caliburn."

She looks at the sky with a wistful face. I guess I brought back bad memories. Standing up, I extend a hand to her and smile.

"Come on, the afternoon just started. How about we patrol in the neighborhood until Rin comes back?"

She looks at me and takes my hand to help herself up. The soft touch that lasts an instant makes my heart jump.

"Good idea, Ben."

-.-.-.-

We ended up walking around without anything happening, so I guess the neighborhood is safe for now. Saber was even more focused than usual, probably mad about what had happened near the temple this morning, thus we didn't talk much. We decided to head back to the dojo and spar with shinais again, more to pass time than anything. I managed to fix the one we had damaged with a spell. It's now past five, so Rin should be back soon. After a few exchanges in which I get my ass kicked repeatedly since I don't use any magic, Saber lowers her weapon and speaks up.

"Ben, about your abilities. If you were to attack another Master, you would use your sword, wouldn't you?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Well, yeah. My magic can't really kill someone from far away, as you saw."

"I see. We are both melee fighters, in the end. The most crucial difference is that you do not have magical resistance."

I listen with attention.

"You will be at a disadvantage against a spellcaster unless you take them by surprise."

I nod. "True. The spell that Rin used against you would have torn me to pieces in an instant."

"It would have done that to any human. I believe she used stored energy, because it is highly unlikely that a Magus would cast something that powerful at such speed. I saw her throwing something before the spell occured."

She has a keen eye. It's true that Rin's magic focuses on that kind of storage.

"Then, maybe it's a limited resource. I'll try to know more about that during our alliance, Saber. But.. are you saying that I shouldn't attack a Master directly?"

"I am not saying that either. If the opponent is a spellcaster, please do not rush at them without getting a grasp of their abilities beforehand. You would surely kill a human or Magus in close combat without much trouble, but the difficulty lies in reaching them."

"Got it, that was pretty obvious anyway. No suicidal attack."

I lower my head. "Sorry. Guess that a Magus like Rin would be more useful to you."

"Do not say that, Ben. You know healing spells and defensive magic. It is evident that you are a suited Master for any Servant."

For once her lecture is comforting.

"Ah... Thanks, Saber. You know how to lift my spirits up."

She smiles awkwardly.

"I just want my Master to feel confident."

She takes a firm hold of her shinai to regain her composure and then proceeds to beat me up even harder.

"That's where you two were hiding!"

After about half an hour, a familiar voice echoes in the dojo. I should've felt her entering the house thanks to my boundary field, but I guess I was too busy taking hits. Rin looks at us with curiosity. Apparently she took the time to change herself before joining us, since she's wearing a casual (and quite cute) outfit made of a black skirt and a red sweater. We stop and look at her.

"Good afternoon, Rin."

"Hey there."

Saber is as serious as ever, which makes me smile.

"You've been doing this all day? I guess some of us are having a peaceful war."

It's obviously in jest, but I can't help protesting.

"Hey now, we spent most of it patrolling the city. Saber only kicked my ass for a couple of hours."

Rin smiles with empathy.

"At least you're being honest about it. I wouldn't have believed you if you had told me you were a match for her."

I mock sigh. "Tell me about it. She is merciless."

Saber doesn't look too happy at us making fun of her.

"You are being unfair. I would be disrespecting Ben if I took him lightly, and I warned him that I was a terrible teacher. He brought this on himself."

I laugh. Her annoyed tone is somewhat adorable.

"You're right. It was fun nonetheless."

Rin looks at me quizzically.

"Why would you need that anyway, Ben? From what I saw, you seem more versed in defensive magic."

I take Saber's shinai and walk to the wall while answering her.

"Training can't hurt if I have to face a Master or a Servant directly."

As I turn back to the girls, I see Rin nodding.

"I surely agree with that philosophy."

She makes a smug smile.

"I'm not sure that getting beaten up repeatedly will help you though."

I cross my arms. "It's good exercise in any case. It's not like we've been lazy today."

"Ah, about that, it's debrief time. I brewed some tea already so let's head to the living room, shall we? It's too cold in here."

With that, she turns back and walk out. I soon follow and Saber walks behind me without a word.

I stop in the middle of the courtyard and take a deep breath. The boundary field above and around us is still holding up, and normally can't be seen from far away. Only someone familiar with magic would notice it from up close, since it's not really powerful. Saber follows my gaze and looks back to me after a moment.

"How are you feeling, Ben?"

I smile at her. "Great. Our first active day is definitely interesting, and it's not over."

She frowns.

"If you call 'interesting' the fact of sneaking outside for too long and getting ambushed in the same morning, I do not think we will last long."

"Hey..."

A smile shows me that she was only half serious.

"Though you are right. Being active is the most rewarding path to victory, and I am certain we will also make progress tonight."

Her fierce spirit elevates mine as we walk to the living room.

-.-.-.-

Rin had all the time she wanted to put three full cups on the table during our small pause in the courtyard. She's now waiting impatiently.

"You guys are slow. I want news!"

She reminds me of Ilya's childish mode from this morning. Saber and I sit down, facing each other as always.

"A lot happened today, Rin. We didn't check out the school since I have no idea where it is."

She smiles. "Right, I only gave you a vague direction. It doesn't matter because we are going there tonight. I'd like you to see the boundary field, especially since it's a magic you are familiar with."

Saber takes a tentative sip and we imitate her before Rin resumes.

"What's more on the list of things you didn't do?"

She's always trying to push my buttons, isn't she?

"I'm getting to it, damn. We went to Shinto first and climbed the tallest building, The nearby park is really ominous..."

She nods.

"A huge fire killed hundreds after the Fourth War's end."

Saber doesn't react but I can tell that she's listening with attention.

"Right, I heard about that. We also saw a place where one of the 'gas leaks' occurred and thought it would be a good spot to check out at night."

"I agree. I checked one yesterday and felt subtle traces of magic, although nothing happened."

I shrug. "Doesn't hurt to try again. After that, we gave up on the school plan and went for the temple instead."

Rin raises an eyebrow. "Ryudou? That's certainly an interesting spot, but also a way too obvious one."

She starts muttering for herself again. "Although those incidents happened in a widespread manner, and that could mean..."

"Rin, we were attacked."

She gasps comically.

"You were!? In broad daylight?"

I nod. "A flying dagger, linked to a chain. Saber deflected it but the enemy immediately ran away."

I know what she's going to ask so I don't let her speak and continue.

"We don't know if the Servant came from the temple since we were attacked from the forest below it. It happened at the bottom of the stairs"

Saber speaks up. "It was a very agile Servant given their speed, though not Lancer since the weapon does not match."

Rin looks at her. "Assassin, then? That method would certainly fit the class."

"It is likely. The attack was very weak but could have killed a Master, which is Assassin's entire purpose. If we are not careful, you or Ben could be taken out by a surprise attack."

Rin ponders. I know that it was Rider, but I can't really say that out loud, can I? I focus on the Servant while the girls keep talking. What bothers me is that she was far away from her Master, since he attends school with Rin. Maybe he skipped class? I really can't ask her about that since I'm not supposed to know him. Perhaps he ordered Rider to patrol on her own and she took an initiative. However, if he had been nearby, we couldn't have felt him since he doesn't have any magic circuits. The actual Master of Rider would be Sakura, but I doubt she's taken any action yet. Saber can defeat Rider, that's for sure. But if she starts using hit and away tactics like that, she's going to be a big nuisance. Well, that means I will put even more effort into dealing with the school problem as soon as possible.

From what I see, Saber's explained the temple boundary field to Rin in detail while my mind was elsewhere.

"Ben, are you with us?"

Both girls are looking at me now.

"Yeah, sorry. I knew that already, so I spaced out."

I can feel a dangerous atmosphere of disapproval around me, so I decide to get back to the topic quickly.

"About that field, sure, the place is obvious, but a Servant would be very well-protected if they set up their base here."

Rin nods. "You are right. We can't leave this unchecked, but without more information, we should be very careful too. I've done some thinking, and Ryudou Temple is one of the only places one could operate in such a widespread manner from, since it sits on a leyline."

Saber tilts her head. "You are thinking of the pretended gas leaks?"

"Yes. I doubt that it's a nomad Servant. It suits one that owns a powerful workshop more."

She's sharp.

"Of course, that's just conjecture. We don't know the other Servants' powers, and one could have a special ability that allows something entirely different."

I finish my tea and speak up. "Which means we need to be ready to face anything. It's a good theory nonetheless."

She smiles and does the same.

"Saber, I also agree with Rin on the fact that we shouldn't attack the temple until we have more information."

She looks at me for a bit before answering.

"Understood, Master. I will obey your plan."

I swear I can hear her adding a sharp "for now" given how strongly she's implying it. I guess she doesn't trust me strategically yet, which would be a valid reasoning given how much trouble I've caused in two days.

"Did something else happen after that, Ben?"

I shrug. "Nah. We got back, bought groceries, ate and trained."

Saber glares at me. Uh oh.

"I shall add that by 'we bought groceries', Ben decided to go gather them on his own."

Rin seems shocked. "He did what? And you let him do, knowing you had been attacked right before?"

My Servant makes a clearly annoyed face, crossing her arms.

"I did tell him repeatedly that it was a foolish call, but he got angry and went outside. In the end, he returned late and consumed alcoholic beverages on the way."

This is too much! I defend myself before Rin can open her mouth.

"I drank one beer at a café because my leg wasn't doing well! Plus, you got angry, not me!"

Saber's stare doesn't soften. She's still holding a grudge for my rebellion, apparently. Rin speaks up first.

"I don't care about what you drink, as long as you keep your mind clear, but are you seriously going to go out without your Servant? I thought you had learned some lessons."

"I needed a small break, okay? Just some fresh air, alone."

Before they can interject again, I find a more suited argument to throw at them.

"Also, Saber can't turn to spirit form, so walking around all day with her makes me easy to identify for other Masters. I realized that after the temple attack."

That's a low blow. I honestly just thought of this, and jabbed Saber on the way to defending myself. She looks down and grits her teeth.

"That's..."

Rin interrupts. "Decent point, Ben, but still, it's more dangerous to go around without your Servant than anything else, especially since someone has discovered your identity."

That was a perfect counter to my shaky defense, and I made Saber mad. I bow my head, angry at myself.

"Fine. Sorry, I was too selfish."

Rin snorts and Saber just stares at her empty cup. An awkward silence follows. I can't stand it for too long, so I decide to resume the conversation as if nothing happened.

"So, Rin, what about your day?"

"Nothing much. The boundary field is slowly getting stronger, but it's far from dangerous for now. As for finding the Master who's responsible for it, well, I wasn't lucky either. I'm certain that there isn't a Magus at this school, but perhaps I missed something."

She seems angry at herself for making no progress. One idea pops into my mind.

"Don't you know any student or teacher that goes to Ryudou Temple?"

She's surprised. "Uh? Yes, there's one. The Student Council president, Ryudou Issei. I doubt he's related to this war though."

I know that he isn't a Master, but it's a good track to follow.

"Still, you could ask him if he's noticed anything weird there recently."

"I could but..."

She smiles awkwardly. "We don't get along. I mean, he doesn't like me."

It seems to be more of a laughing matter than anything for her. I groan.

"Well, try? I'm sure you can get past a small enmity?"

She sulks. "Of course! I will extract all info he has. Just leave it to me!"

I chuckle and relax. I guess the important matters were discussed for now. The only thing bothering me is that Saber hasn't opened her mouth since I blamed her for something I shouldn't have done. I feel kind of bad about that, so I should address this as soon as I get to be alone with her. After a moment, Rin looks at me with a smug smile.

"So, remember that you're cooking tonight?"

I get on the defensive instinctively.

"Of course. I'm not as good as you, but I've brought my bigger guns, so just you wait."

It's around six but my Cantonese rice takes some preparation, so I should get on it soon. Rin looks satisfied with the reaction she got.

"Good. I'm going to my room for now. Call me when it's ready or if the kitchen catches on fire."

She stands up, grabs the teacups and puts them in the sink, then exits the living room while ignoring my glare with dignity. Saber and I are left alone and she's still not looking at me. I calmly head to the fridge. I grab my earnings from this morning. Rice, ham, chinese mushrooms, nuoc-mam sauce, peas, eggs, shrimps. Perfect. There's a big wok where I can put all that, but first I need to boil the peas and mushrooms, and make the omelette. While they're all heating up, I steal a glance at Saber. She is sitting still and looking at the wall. I hate that atmoshpere, especially after such a nice day with her. I get an idea just a bit later, when the first step of the recipe is done.

"Saber?"

She answers immediately. "Yes, Ben?"

Her voice shows no anger, but it doesn't carry the usual gentle tone either.

"Would you mind helping me out? I know you can use a knife well."

I look at her, expecting a denial. Asking a king that you just offended to help you cooking is probably enough to be liable to decapitation with a shinai, but she stands up and goes to my side, calmly.

"What do you need to be done?"

She looks at me, dead serious.

"Erm, if you can cut the mushrooms in very small parts, and dice the ham, that would be very helpful."

She grabs a knife and gets to it while I'm taking care of the rice and starting to fry the shrimps. The mushrooms are squishy and hard to cut, but she quickly gets the hang of it, slicing them in the most equal way she can.

I smile. "They don't have to be the exact same size, Saber, don't bother."

Taken off guard, she stares at them quizzically.

"You said that you wanted small parts, so I figured it would look better."

I take the knife out of her hand to show her, cutting parallel mushroom lines. Since their shapes aren't regular, I don't make a particular effort into cutting them perfectly. I just make sure they're small enough. She watches me without a word, and my cheeks soon heat up. This is a bit too much...

"There. It adds a bit of randomness too."

A very small chuckle escapes her lips. That's a rare occurrence.

"What is it?"

"I was just remembering how you made sure that the futons were perfectly parallel, but now you are telling me that I am cutting overly regular pieces."

I get back to my rice while pretending to grumble.

"You got me. I guess I can't make up my mind, can I?"

"No. It shows that you are not stuck in your own rules."

Her tone is back to usual, but that seemingly innocent sentence makes me ponder for a bit. Was it really directed at me? After a moment of silence, I speak up again. She's almost done with the mushrooms, and is still cutting them a bit too regularly. It makes me smile.

"I owe you an apology about earlier."

The knife stops and she shakes her head calmly.

"You were right. The fact that I cannot turn into spirit form is a burden for us in this war."

"It isn't."

Her eyes widen out of surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Well, our goal is to find out who the enemies are, isn't it? So walking around is a good way to attract them. Also, as Rin said, it's still better than me going on lone strolls."

She registers what I said without a word.

"Honestly, I used that as a hastily made defense and I'm not proud of it. I would never consider you a burden."

Her expression turns bashful.

"I am also at fault. I should not have gone back to a topic we had already discussed and harassed you. I overstepped my boundaries."

She takes a quick bow and gets started with the ham while I stand here, dumbfounded.

"You dummy."

"Ben?"

"I blamed you for something I did wrong. Don't apologize for that."

She nods and doesn't add anything. Argument over, I guess. Soon the ham is diced and I can start on frying everything together. Saber sets up the table meanwhile and decides to sit at it while I finish.

I don't like this Servant-Master relationship much, and that last bow bothered me. We should treat ourselves as equals. I don't want to insist on the topic more though, so the rest of the hour passes silently.

-.-.-.-

The rice is done and being kept warm in the pan. I think I didn't mess up anything.

"Saber, can you get Rin? Dinner is ready."

I don't feel like knocking at her room door because she would find a way to mess with me.

"I'll check the boundary field meanwhile."

I spend my life making excuses, don't I? Saber nods and leaves, while I walk to the courtyard. It's starting to get colder and I shiver. The boundary field looks perfect. We're still at the early phase of the war, but I'm sure it will come in handy someday. I stretch and look at the walls. Archer must be up there, glaring at me. He doesn't sneak up on me this time, and I quickly get back to the living room where the girls are waiting. Rin is rubbing her hands in anticipation.

"Hurry, Ben, I want my victory to be official!"

She can be so childish... The worst part is that I'm falling head first into her trap.

"I told you you were better already..."

"I think it smells very nice."

Saber says a nice thing out of the blue. Rin settles down and smiles.

"You're right. You know I'm just teasing, right, B- you're blushing!"

She grins while Saber tilts her head quizzically. I can't come up with any counter, so I just groan and walk to the kitchen.

The dinner is silent until Rin points her chopsticks at me.

"You really can't use those, can you?"

I shake the weird items in vain. "Nope. I never use them in my country."

Saber doesn't seem to struggle with them at all, on the other hand. Rin takes a mouthful of rice before speaking up again.

"This is actually good. I'm surprised, given the fuss you made about your skills."

"It's the only complex thing I can do. If you leave other meals to me, they will be European, and plain."

Saber shakes her head. "Today's lunch was good and fulfilling too. You should not underestimate yourself."

"Uh, thanks."

I dive into my bowl to avoid further embarrassment. Soon, Rin mutters something.

"I still win."

-.-.-.-

We spend the evening peacefully with tea and eclairs before lifting off around ten. The streets should be mostly empty, which will make any encounter easier to deal with.

"Let's go, guys."

Rin is eager to move after her calm day. Us three standing in front of the house remind me of the first night, and I hope it's not a bad omen. We plan on going to school first together, then checking two places where the incidents took place to see if we can find some hints. Archer is with us in spirit form. Our walk is mostly silent and focused. We clearly don't want an encore of the fight with Berserker, so our senses are sharpened. I also register the way to school, since it is an important location, holding two enemy Masters. While we're in the residential district, I look at a peculiar old mansion. Rin follows my gaze.

"This is the Matous' household, heirs of the Makiris."

I frown. Getting past this place is dangerous since Rider lives in it, but I can't say anything about it.

"Are you sure they aren't involved in this at all?"

"Shinji can't be a Master since he's no Magus, and I would know if Sakura was one."

She won't tell me the whole truth, uh. Sakura is actually Rin's sister who was adopted by the Matous so that they could raise a Magus since their bloodline had lost its magic circuits. They sent her to that terrible place, and I won't even think about what she had to endure there.

"How?"

She groans. "I'd just know. We are friends, and she's the last kind of person you would expect to take part in a war."

I turn to Saber. "Do you sense anything?"

She focuses on the mansion and makes a difficult expression.

"There is... something odd, but I do not feel the presence of a Servant."

Rin is growing more and more upset.

"Of course it feels odd, it has a heavy history! Just trust me on this, guys."

We give up and resume our trip, soon reaching the school. It's deserted and the gate is closed, but we should be able to enter without trouble. There is a forest nearby, and I don't like that. It makes a perfect escape route. Rin takes us to a spot where we just have to get over a small wall, and we enter the grounds. As soon as I land, my throat tightens. The air is so heavy Saber could cut through it. We stay still for a bit, watching out for any threat.

"Should I arm myself, Master?"

"Yes."

After a distinctive clang and a couple of minutes of nothing, we start walking to the main building.

"Can you feel it?"

Rin asks a dumb question.

"Even a beginner Magus would do so. I get what you said about it better now. We can't allow this to activate."

"You're right. Archer and I believe that it should take around three more days to reach its purpose."

"Consuming human souls."

Saber adds that in a disapproving tone. As we progress, the school seems completely empty. If there was a Servant, Archer and Saber could feel them, even in spirit form. Only the Assassin class can hide its energy completely, and this war's one is the temple gate guardian.

Rin addresses me once we reach the entrance.

"Since you use boundary fields youself, you might find hints I could have passed on."

"Okay, let me focus while we tour the place."

We go into the building and explore one floor after another before Rin takes us to the roof. So far she knows every spot I've found. The air is even heavier here. While trying to protect myself from the winter wind, I speak up.

"The roof is an important spot!"

I shuffle around and end up revealing a magical symbol on the ground. Saber crouches to look at it, but Rin just stands there with her arms crossed. After some tries, I shake my head.

"This is too complex for me. You were right, definitely a Servant's work."

She smiles.

"Told you. I found the exact same spot, and came to the same conclusion. We were attacked by Lancer shortly after."

I stand back up and look at her.

"Right, you mentioned that on the first night."

She sulks. "It wasn't a lucky day for Archer and me. Three fights, three losses."

Saber asks before me. "He lost? He looked unscathed when I faced him."

I bet she's wondering why he didn't oppose much resistance to her.

"Lancer was about to use the attack you told me about, but someone showed up and he ran after him instead."

I speak up.

"Okay, and that someone is the witness that got killed. I get the whole story now."

She nods, but her face tells me that we should talk about something else. I look at the symbol.

"In any case, I doubt this is Lancer's work. I want to check more of the surroundings. There must be other key points, and I'm not even sure this one is the main one."

Saber answers while looking around.

"I agree, though my instinct tells me that this place is unsafe. We must all be cautious."

I swear she's staring at me intentionally after that last remark. I answer that silent warning with a chuckle.

"No need to tell us that, Saber. I trust your intuition."

We start walking back to the roof door before a voice echoes around us.

"Leaving already?"

We all tense up instantly. Saber takes out her invisible sword and I activate my magic circuits. There is no clear source from which the feminine voice echoes. She isn't here, this is just a spell. Wait, that voice...

"Show yourself!"

Saber shouts, angry at the enemy's cowardice. We hear a rattling sound as shapes appear around us. They quickly take form.

"... Golems made out of dragon teeth?"

Rin identifies them easily. They don't seem too strong but they surely are numerous. I can count at least ten of them and they're not leaving any escape route. The amused voice echoes again.

"You are sharp, young lady. However, that won't help you much without a valid Servant."

Rin grunts. I guess most Masters know that Archer isn't at his best right now, which is indeed pretty bad for us. What bothers me more is that this voice and golems are Caster's, and the witch has no business with the school boundary field. I was expecting to meet her defenses at the gas leaks sites. There's no time to think more, though, since the golems are approaching. Saber steps forward and makes a large horizontal swipe that crushes three of them at once. She then turns back in an instant and dashes between us two, destroying two more that were going to attack us. Rin's arm is glowing, ready to shoot, but for now she's just staring at the Servant in awe. I can't blame her since I'm doing exactly the same.

"You are certainly as strong as I expected, Saber. But how about this?"

The rattling returns, and the slain golems reform to attack again. They aren't living things, so she can just regenerate them as long as she has the energy to do so. Saber throws herself into the battle without hesitation. I'd rather not use Yamato. These golems aren't a serious threat, and I'd like it to remain my trump card. I run prana through my fists and mutter "force divine", turning them into weapons. Rin has already started to shoot orbs from her magic crest, taking some of the golems down with a few shots each. One comes at me. It throws a vertical blow with its bone sword, but I'm able to dodge it. It's fast, but nothing compared to what Saber gave to me this afternoon. I throw my right punch at its head and crush it. I would feel badass if I didn't know that it was going to reform itself in no time. Two more approach me and a fistfight would be risky, so I extend my hand instead.

"Brûle et ne laisse aucune trace."

I feel pain running through my nerves as the fire spell is cast, destroying one of them and slowing the other down. It's finished off by an orb shot by Rin. Soon the foes are all down. Saber took care of most of them without trouble, it seems. They immediately stand back up and I groan.

"This is endless!"

Rin snorts and resumes her shots. The fight continues for a bit, but I just feel like they're getting more numerous than anything. It just never stops. If only Archer could fight normally! While punching another golem, I get angry at myself. The only one I should count on is already at my side.

"Saber!"

"Yes, Master?"

"You must find the caster!"

She slashes another group before closing in on me.

"I could easily break through, but can you hold your ground while I do that? It should not take me much long to find her, although..."

"Give me around twenty seconds and take off as soon as I cast my spell."

She nods without raising questions and runs back to the enemies. I crouch slightly, picturing a hemisphere in my mind. The first part before the chant is imagining the shape. The bigger I want it, the more time and energy it will consume. One that covers us shouldn't take too long. Rin stands in front of me and shoots a golem that was about to strike us. The feeling of working as a team really is thrilling.

I close my eyes and begin the casting.

"Un dôme sera révélé

Me cernant de sa lumière"

"Are you done, Ben?"

Damn it, Rin!

"Protège et repousse les énergies négatives."

The ground starts glowing and I call out to her.

"Rin, come here! Saber, go!"

She shoots one last wave and steps back to get close to me while Saber charges to the door without trouble. A light pink dome forms around us and expands to a final diameter of three meters. It pushes back the standing golems without destroying them. They try to hit it with their swords but those are deflected without doing any damage. Rin smiles fiercely to me as our stares cross. That surprising expression warms my heart and makes me forget that we will eventually be enemies for a moment. She catches her breath before speaking.

"How long can this hold?"

"I can maintain it for a long time once activated, and these golems are far too weak to break through. We are safe."

They've stopped moving and I doubt they're conspiring against us, but we should remain careful. I feel drained and Saber is consuming some energy too. Now that we've stopped fighting, I can hear loud noises in the school below us. Without warning, Rin gets on her toes and whispers to my ear, making me blush.

"Archer went after her in spirit form."

I nod and relax a bit. The golems try a couple more times to hit the boundary field, then all head to the door. I'm about to ask her about our next move when she shakes her head.

"For now, let's wait."

INTERLUDE - SABER

The knight keeps crashing through the swarms of enemies without slowing down once. They are nowhere near a threat to her, but she is worried about her Master. His last spell seemed efficient, but the longer she takes to locate the summoner, the more danger he and Rin will be in. She dashes through another corridor, trying to feel a Servant's presence. It is not her speciality although she should be able to detect any heroic spirit in this building. There is something ahead of her, even if it seems too weak to be a Servant. She shall follow that track for now. The golems regenerate behind her but now that she is on the move, it does not matter. Will they run after her to protect their summoner or head to the roof instead? In any case, she must solve this situation as fast as she can.

Something does not compute. The boundary field and these summons do not feel alike at all. Did two Masters unite, like Rin and Benjamin did? She dodges a simultaneous attack from two golems and cuts them in half with her invisible sword. She could get faster by releasing more power, but she should not show too much of her strength until there is an actual enemy to fight. The swarm gets thinner. As she gets down another staircase, the walls start glowing with red symbols.

"Runes-?"

It is too late. An explosion of fire engulfs her. She was overconfident and fell into the enemy's trap.

That is what the Servant responsible for this mess is probably thinking. She runs out of the fire unharmed, passes a couple of doors and opens one leading to a classroom. There, a human-shaped shadow is standing, its face hidden by a black veil. Its purple robe flutters although there is no wind. Saber stops, holding her sword upright. Something feels off. This looks definitely like a Servant, but it does not carry the aura of one. The shadow speaks, and it is the same voice as the one they heard on the roof. A feminine, subtle voice, with a hint of mockery.

"My, you really meet my expectations, and even more, Saber."

She glares at the woman, unsure if she should strike right away. She recalls Ben saying "info gathering is important!".

"Who are you?"

She can guess a smiling, arrogant face under the hood.

"I am a Servant, just like you. I'm really envious of your strength, though. Your magic resistance is first class..."

Saber ignores the praise and grits her teeth. That trap was merely a test of her powers! The temptation of attacking the woman right away is growing on her more and more.

"If you joined me, Caster, we would be invincible and even that annoying Berserker couldn't stay in our way. This war would be over before you know it."

The knight answers with confidence.

"To think you have to resort on such vile ways... You surely are twisted, Caster. There is no way I would betray my Master or join you."

The shadow's smile drops.

"That boy is boring... and weak. You are passing on a great opportunity. I am not asking you this because of being in a difficult position, but offering you the key to victory in a few days timespan."

She is definitely starting to get on Saber's nerves.

"I believe I was clear enough the first time. Stop insulting my honor."

She cannot help thinking about how confident Caster sounds, though. The key to victory in days? It surely is worrisome, if it is not a bluff to lure her into joining the witch. As she feels a familiar presence making its way to them, she understands that she should distract the enemy for a bit longer.

"Did you set up the boundary field around this place?"

She already knows the answer - it has become too obvious after facing her. Caster shakes her head.

"Crediting me for such dirty magic is as much insulting, Saber. Do not underestimate me."

"I see. I take you are the type of Magus to use more subtle tricks, as in draining people's lives around the city, aren't you?"

Caster smirks. "Perhaps I am..."

Rattling noises make her understand that the golems are going to this room. Their owner does not seem to be eager to attack for now, as she just stands there.

"I will ask you one last time, do you want to- agh!"

A black short sword pierces her chest from behind. Archer materialized behind her and stabbed her back without mercy. The mysterious woman vanishes with a smile. The red knight sighs.

"A fake. That's why we couldn't feel her aura well."

Saber nods. She was suspecting the same thing.

"Are they safe?"

She can feel her Master's presence well, but she is still worried about what might have happened.

"They are. Your Master's little shell hid them perfectly."

His snicker grinds her gears.

"I won't accept any mockery towards him, Archer!"

Crossing his arms, he raises an eyebrow.

"Or what? I thought you were one to respect alliances, but if you want to throw ours out the window and attack me while I'm wounded, feel free. I will defend myself."

He knows she would not do that. Rin has definitely found a suited companion in terms of sarcasm. He does not let her answer, which is probably for the best.

"Why didn't you attack Caster right away, if you feared for your Master's life?"

She makes her sword disappear and thinks about it for a bit before answering.

"Gathering information is important. I thought that you would help them out with the golems, but maybe was I expecting too much?"

That is called taking revenge where she finds it. Archer seems amused.

"Well, everyone is alive, so I guess you made the right choice."

His eyes narrow after saying that.

"They are coming."

Their Masters' footsteps can be heard far above them. All other sounds stopped, meaning that the creatures made out of dragon teeth were indeed linked to Caster's shadow. As Saber is starting to relax, Archer walks to her and talks with a quieter voice than before.

"Were you summoned properly?"

Such an odd question takes her off guard.

"Why would that interest you?"

His stare changes. It is not sarcastic anymore, but genuinely interested or... worried? It makes him look like a nicer person she thought he was. He looks away, bashful.

"Sorry, I guess my question was misplaced."

Her tension leaves, and she decides to answer him honestly.

"The summoning was perfectly executed."

That makes him furrow his brow in thought, to her surprise.

"Archer?"

INTERLUDE OUT

We lift off immediately after the sounds stop. I feel tired after casting all those spells, but I should be able to go on.

"They're this way, come on!"

Rin leads the way, but stops at the top of a staircase. I'm about to ask why when I see its state. We heard something like an explosion earlier, and that must have been its source. If me or Rin had fallen into that trap... Wait, did Saber take it in the face? My brain heats up and I make a couple of jumps to reach the floor below.

"Saber!"

Rin yells at me from above. "Don't go so fast, you idiot!"

Her kind advice is a bit late. My bad leg takes a hit on the last jump, and I have to half limp to the classroom our Servants are in. I can hear Rin behind me, shouting that Saber is safe, but I have to witness it myself. When I reach the room, the two heroes are facing each other. They are not fighting, or even talking. The atmosphere is weird and I think I've interrupted something.

"Eh, guys?"

Rin catches up and stops by my side. Archer sneers at me, but I ignore it for now, looking for any wound on Saber. She seems strangely absent.

"Are you okay, Saber? That explosion didn't hurt you, right?"

She slowly blinks and tilts her head.

"It did not. You do know I have magic resistance, don't you?"

I sigh, relieved. "I was still worried."

Rin laughs while walking to her Servant.

"Worried? You ran faster than a horse when you saw the rubble."

Saber gives me a disappointed stare, back from her weird dizziness for good.

"Do not fear for my safety, Ben, especially against spells. There was no danger anymore, but someday you could run to your death because of a rushed decision."

Is it the moonlight's reflection playing tricks on my eyes, or is she blushing lightly while saying that? Her usual lecturing tone calms me down, still. Saber is well.

"So guys, what happened?"

Rin sounds curious, and I can't really blame her. Archer answers in his usual laidback tone.

"It was Caster. We didn't feel her presence because she had only sent a shadow. The skeletons disappeared when I pierced her, but her real body is alive and well somewhere."

Saber takes over. "She still had the energy to summon the golems and set up that runic trap while being far away."

That makes Rin ponder.

"Such power... I mean, these golems were weak, but if she can operate without actually putting herself in danger, she's gonna cause us some trouble."

I see, Caster wasn't here in person. That sounds like one of her tricks for sure. I want more details though.

"Nothing else? Did you talk to her?"

Saber turns to me.

"I did extract information from her, although some of it could be plain lies."

I nod, encouraging her to go on.

"She presented herself as Caster. She was apparently here to measure our strengths, and tested me out with the runes. I revealed my magic resistance to her."

She frowns. "She also asked me to cooperate with her."

Rin is shocked by that.

"She did!?"

"Yes. I refused, and she told me that we could get the Holy Grail in a matter of days if we got together. She mentioned Berserker as a main threat."

I nod. "That's reasonable. I guess she has a good grasp on the war and Saber would complement her powers perfectly. Still... in a matter of days? That's optimistic."

"I believe she only said that to make her offer the most appealing. The golems were about to come back, but Archer got behind her back in spirit form and stabbed her. I take she did not see him coming since she was a fake."

Archer doesn't add anything, apparently satisfied with her presentation.

Rin sighs. "We're going to have to deal with her until we find her workshop. What a mess..."

Something comes to my mind.

"Uh, Rin? More importantly, how are we going to fix those stairs?"

She smiles for some reason.

"That fake priest is here for those cases. I'll just give him a phone call when we get home, and he'll make sure that the damage is fixed for tomorrow."

The mention of Kirei turns my sweat cold for a second, but I manage to smile back. Saber speaks up again.

"Also, there is an important point that I did not address. Caster is not responsible for the school boundary field."

No one is surprised by that revelation. I already knew, and Rin had probably guessed too. She crosses her arms.

"I had a feeling. It just doesn't feel the same. That boundary field is gross, but Caster's magic is more subtle... if you can call this mess subtlety."

"I also asked her if she was responsible for the incidents in town. Although she did not give me a straight answer, I have a feeling that it is one of her maneuvers."

We have nothing to add, and Archer comes back to spirit form soon. I still want to check the surroundings for other key points, so Rin and Saber follow me outside in silence. The knight looks at my leg after a while.

"Why are you limping?"

Rin chuckles. "Remember that running like a horse part? Well, he also jumped down a whole floor."

I groan while Saber sighs. "Unbelievable."

She throws glances at me regularly, and I find that weird, compared to her usual uptight attitude.

"Something wrong, Saber?"

Taken off guard, she looks away. "Nothing, Master."

She doesn't sound convincing at all.

... Wait. I let Archer and Saber alone together. That guy is Emiya Shirou, the one I killed in cold blood. What did he tell her? He is dangerous. Once we don't need him anymore, we should get rid of him as soon as possible. I end up being the one staring at my Servant sporadically before something catches my attention.

"There..."

In front of the archery club lies the key point. It's even stronger than the one on the roof.

"This is the center."

Rin looks surprised.

"I didn't notice that one. The archery club...?"

I look at her. "Does that place ring any bell?"

Of course it does, that's where the Matous go every morning. She shakes her head.

"Not really, but I shall watch over this place during the day when I can. This excursion surely was useful."

Nothing attacks us during our discussion, neither while leaving the school. Once back to the streets, I stretch.

"I still want to check one of the places where the incidents occurred."

Rin looks at me and smiles again.

"I was about to say the same thing. We could at least confirm that's it's Caster's doing. Do you have enough energy, Ben?"

"Of course!"

I used a lot of prana, but I won't lose to her and give up on today after one minor fight. Plus, Saber is doing fine and I'm sure she wants more too.

-.-.-.-

We head to Shinto. My leg quickly heals up and I can walk normally again. No one voices it, but I know that we all dread another encounter with Berserker. We wouldn't be able to face him right now, with Saber's wound still there. Archer hasn't recovered either, and according to Rin it should take him a couple more days.

As we pass the bridge, our ally turns to me.

"We should split up."

We both look at her in disbelief.

"Say what?"

"It's obvious. There are several places where these happened, so we should cover more ground. You guys go to the one you saw today and I'll go to another spot no too far away. We'll meet up at home."

Saber objects. "I know this was our original strategy, but Caster might chase you down. You should not put your life at risk like that, Rin."

She smiles with confidence. "Don't worry, I know when to run away. I'll see you at home!"

Then she runs runs towards the city. I sigh heavily.

"And she tells me to not be reckless?"

Saber looks ahead and smiles.

"I think she cannot stand depending on someone. I am sure she can handle any minor threat."

"Still, if she stumbles upon Berserker or Lancer, she will die without a doubt. I don't get it, honestly."

I can't help thinking that it wouldn't be that bad, though. Archer is too big of a danger. Was I even right to spare them in the first place? It's not like I don't like her but I might regret it someday.

"You are right. Let us hope that they will manage on their own."

We reach the place with the police barriers. The city is dead quiet at this time, so no citizen should disturb us. I take one last look around before approaching the door.

"Sense anything, Saber?"

"Not yet, Ben."

I motion her to follow me and we enter the office building. We explore it with caution. It's empty and intact, and no one would think something bad happened here. No one that doesn't know magic, that is.

"It's light, but there are some traces..."

Saber nods and looks around.

"Be careful. I have the same feeling as when we were at school."

The faint magic around us definitely feels like Caster's. It's not a surprise but at least it confirms it. Soon after we enter a big room filled with desks and computers, a rattling sound resonates.

"Oh no..."

There's a flash, and a mass of bones emerges. It quickly takes shape and grows bigger than anything we've seen so far. A bone dragon. Standing six meters long, it claws away the desk and roars at us, making my heart act up. I bet it's stronger than the golems, but it shouldn't pose any problems to Saber. My Servant gets between me and the enemy in an instant and takes out her invisible sword.

"Let me handle this and get safe, Master."

She dashes at it and jumps above its swipe. Her slash hits it hard, but doesn't destroy it at once. It's definitely tougher than the golems... I guess Caster went for quality instead of quantity this time. If it keeps regenerating like the ones in school did, this is gonna turn badly.

...

"Kill it! I will look for the source!"

Enough hiding, Ben, time to act. I run to the side door and enter the corridor, ignoring Saber's protest. I run as fast as I can, trying to feel an enemy's presence. Two golems appear in front of me. Damn, no time for this!

"Yamato!"

The sheathed katana materializes. My body lowers as I put magical energy into my legs. I cut one of them in half with an iai before parrying the other's attack with my sheath and cutting its head. They are too robotic and weak to pose a real threat in small numbers. I run past them before they can get back up.

"My, the cowardly Master can fight? How amusing."

Caster's mocking voice echoes around me. I grit my teeth and try a few rooms at random without finding anything. She can't be that far away since she summoned something that big! Today's prana consumption is starting to weigh on me, but I have my seal if things really get awry and even so, I won't stop. I must find the shadow and kill it. I must show Saber that I'm a useful Master... and probably prove it to myself too.

There are no more golems. I hear noises above me, so Saber must be still fighting that thing. After a few other rooms, I eventually find what I was looking for. The woman in purple is standing in a small room with a single desk. It is her shadow, definitely. If it was the actual Caster, she'd carry much more presence. I glare at her, Yamato ready. She smiles.

"I thought I would test out Saber again but you came to me on your own. How convenient."

Adrenaline suppresses the fear I should be feeling. I smile back and spit my words out.

"I'm not scared of a mere shadow. Plus, if you want Saber that much, you shouldn't kill me, right, Caster?"

I know for sure that her shadow can't use her Noble Phantasm. I raise my blade slightly, but she doesn't look like she wants to defends herself.

"That 'mere' shadow was able to get your Servant busy and isolate you. It seems that you are just a foolish, reckless boy."

My brain quickly processes the situation. I have nothing to gain talking to her and no info to extract. The more I wait, the more she can take measures against us, and the more Saber has to fight.

"Vitesse divine."

Her smile drops. I'm on her in a second, and my katana pierces her body without mercy.

"I have nothing to say to you, witch."

She disappears, but her face right before that is deformed with anger.

"You are too annoying. Farewell."

The walls light up in red. Runes. I recall something that Saber mentioned earlier today.

"Do not rush at spellcasters."

The symbols start glowing, announcing my doom. I grab my left shoulder in a hurry and loosen my seal.

"PROTEGE ET REPOUSSE!"

Unbearable pain assaults my whole body as I give myself a prana boost at a high price. However, it's the only way for me to cast a protection in a matter of seconds. I see the flames licking the dome I summoned around me. They quickly disappear, and I cast it away before falling on the ground. My head is spinning violently. As I'm trying to tighten the cloth again, I hear a voice coming from the door.

"Ben!"

Saber kneels down next to me and analyzes the situation in a second. She takes the knot and tightens it quickly.

"What in the world were you thinking?!"

It feels good having her nearby, even if she sounds as angry as panicked. She takes a deep breath and puts her hand on my chest.

"Saber?"

She motions me to shut my mouth and focuses. After a couple of minutes, I start feeling better.

"Thank God you have Avalon in you. At least I can heal you with my energy if I am close."

"I see... That's useful."

The pain is still there, as it was more of an inner burst than an actual wound, but I should be able to stand up and walk.

"The dragon?"

"It kept rising back, and eventually disappeared when you did..."

She looks around. The desk pretty much doesn't exist anymore, the window broke, and the walls turned black.

"What happened exactly?"

I gulp, ready for a heavy lecture after that.

"Since I knew it would regenerate, I decided to chase after Caster's shadow. I defeated two golems with Yamato before finding her."

Hoping for some sort of praise is probably too much.

"Then, she insulted me and since I had nothing to ask her, I decided to attack her. As soon as the shadow disappeared, she told me to die and activated the runes. I had to loosen the seal and cast an instant boundary field to not get burned to death."

Saber grows more and more mad at my explanation.

"I told you to not underestimate spellcasters! What am I here for if you keep running to danger?"

My headache sharpens my tone.

"What, am I supposed to watch you fight an unkillable enemy and count points? I found the solution."

"I would have killed it, Ben."

"But you would've had to reveal more of your powers to Caster, and I thought it was a better call to reveal a part of mine instead. I thought she wouldn't try to kill me since she wants you, though. That's the only thing I miscalculated."

"The only...?"

She makes a bewildered face before sighing.

"We cannot stay here. You will hear more from me when we are safe, Ben. Can you stand up?"

Lecture postponed, I guess. I nod and get on my feet slowly.

"Let's go home."

"Yes. Stay near me and you should be able to walk normally soon enough."

I can tell that she's only containing her anger.

-.-.-.-

We reach home safely after half an hour. Rin is standing in front of the door, apparently pissed. Woops.

"I can't enter!"

I regret laughing, since it sends more pain through my nerves.

"Sorry, I forgot to show you how to deactivate it. Did you wait for long?"

She crosses her arms and sulks.

"I just arrived, but... hey, what happened?"

I guess I'm in a bad state. "Let's get inside first."

I extend my hand to the door and say "Laisse-moi entrer". The boundary field opens. Rin tilts her head.

"What does that mean?"

I answer while we enter the house.

"It means 'let me in'. Remember it or you'll be stuck outside unless you break through. While I don't doubt your ability to do it, this thing takes me a full hour to cast so I wouldn't recommend it."

"Okay. Say it again?"

"Laisse-moi entrer."

"Lay... geez."

After some tries, she manages to say it in an acceptable fashion.

"Stop making fun of me!"

I can't help mocking her struggle. We sit down at the table and I feel completely exhausted. Saber has been staring silently at me the whole time, and Rin starts doing the same thing after a moment. I raise an eyebrow.

"What's up with those stares?"

"Ben, go to bed."

"Eh?"

Saber nods. "I agree, go rest. You are in such a bad state that Rin noticed too."

I raise my voice in a childish way.

"No! We need to debrief!"

"Ben, I don't know what you two did, but your magic circuits seem completely burned out. Get some sleep and try to recover. Saber will tell me about the situation if she wants to."

I'm about to protest more but a wave of pain makes me flinch. I guess she's right. Avalon has its limits when it comes to this kind of problem.

"... Fine. I'll see you two tomorrow."

I stand up with difficulty. Saber wants to help me but I shake my head and make my way out of the room. The last thing I hear is Rin speaking with a dumbfounded voice.

"What kind of magic would even do that?"

I go to bed, angry. We did a lot tonight, but I almost died in the process. Should I be more careful or just get better? I feel like there's no correct answer.

I fall asleep soon, confused and mad.

INTERLUDE - SABER

She told Rin what had happened tonight, excluding details on her Master's powers as much as she could, but it is obvious that their future enemy has a clearer idea about what he is capable of. Rin went to bed after calling the supervisor, and Saber stepped into the courtyard. She does not want to speak to Archer, but some things he said made her think.

"Were you summoned properly?"

After asking her an odd question, he made her realize something that she should have wondered about. How did her Master get Avalon? Kiritsugu had it in his body at the end of the last war, and he lived in this house. The boy who was killed by Lancer had the same name. How did a Magus from France get his hands on her artifact that was in Japan? She is overthinking. Perhaps it was sent back to the Association and he was able to get it there. Her only goal should be the Holy Grail, and such questions are an insult to what she is and her Master. Archer tried to make her doubt her own pact. A strategic move? He did seem sincere at the end, but perhaps she was fooled. She looks at the roof, but the knight in red does not appear.

This isn't right.

She won't doubt her Master, and she will win this war. That is the only thing she should strive for.

"We are partners. If you fall, I fall too."

She smiles while looking at the stars. It was a completely foolish thing to say to a Servant, but his thoughts were well placed. If she manages to calm his recklessness, she knows that they can form a great team. She decides to put aside Archer's doubts. It is not his business, and she should not listen to an enemy. She walks back to the bedroom in which her Master is sleeping peacefully.

After undoing her hair, she lies down in her own futon and closes her eyes, telling herself that she will have to lecture him for hours tomorrow, if that is what it has to take.

INTERLUDE OUT

To be continued in Day 3 - Pride and Duty

"I can't fight at the side of someone who self-destructs. Explain or leave."

"If you move a single muscle save for your filthy mouth, you die. Understood?"

"By opportunity, do you mean that I can shoot her?"

"Did honor ever bring you happiness, king?"