Author's note:

Another chapter's out. Thank you very much for your support.

There's really nothing much to say about the chapter, except for a little spoiler that there will be action at the end. But everybody should've figured it out based on the chapter title already.

Finally, I want to give my special thanks to souvikkundu0017, who had made a big contribution for the story, regarding information about Nasuverse. I'm very grateful for his support.

That's all for now, please enjoy.

Beta by: Euphonia. Thank you for taking your time to beta my work.

P/S: Updated: Changed Excalibur with Caliburn due to technical issue (lol?). Also note to self: Listen to your beta more!


Lying on her bed, Agnes was trying her best to fall asleep as she still had guard duty the following morning. However, as much as she wanted to just close her eyes and drift off, it didn't happen.

She had too many things on her mind at the moment. It had been a crazy couple of days after all. Things had been out of control since the day of the stranger named Shirou Emiya's sudden arrival. However, whatever Agnes had suspected of the boy was completely thrown off track because of what she had witnessed after their conversation in the castle's courtyard.

Before, to her, Shirou was just a suspicious commoner who might or might not have been summoned by the Princess and made her personal guard. He could be dangerous given his unrefined appearance and his close position with the Princess despite being a newcomer. But he was nothing that Agnes couldn't handle should the need arise.

Now, however, she wasn't so sure. The shocking revelations about that boy during the last few days had left a strong impression in her mind. Agnes had watched his test in front of the whole Council, and had observed him on his first mission. Not to mention the piece of secret that the Princess was pressured into sharing with her at none other than Shirou's insistence - though with that bit of information added into the mix, many things had indeed become easier to explain.

What he did on the test was going to become an excellent material for the rumour mill for sure, Agnes sighed; even she couldn't deny how extraordinary that was. And if what she suspected turned out to be right, then Shirou was soon going to become a sort of celebrity amongst the commoners within the castle… no… maybe even the entire country if news travelled fast and spread widely enough. And Brimir forbid, the maids are on an entirely different level when it comes to spreading juicy gossip and rumours…

Sighing deeply once again, Agnes finally gave up the idea of sleeping early and got off her bed. Maybe a stroll through the courtyard would help clear the mess inside her head. Normally alcohol would be the better and quicker choice, but she wasn't one to rely on such a thing all the time - especially before, or during, her patrol shift.

"It's all bloody Emiya's fault if I don't get enough sleep," she grimaced.

Nothing had been the same, or even normal ever since his arrival... With that in mind, Agnes stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her back.


Two days earlier...

"With all due respect, I'm afraid I can't accept what you've just ordered me to do, Your Highness," bowing deeply, Agnes said with a firm voice. Sitting in front of the guard captain, Henrietta was staring at her with widened eyes. It was completely understandable though, for Agnes to go against a direct order from her Princess was a rare occurrence.

After a while the Princess asked, "Why is that?"

"You're asking me to work together with someone whom I don't trust. That's not possible, Your Highness," Agnes replied solemnly. "We've been gathering information just like you instructed. But I can't share them with a complete stranger who has only been here for a couple of days with unknown motives."

Taking a side-glance, she caught sight of the person she was talking about. Shirou was also summoned to this private meeting. And from the start, the boy had just stood there while the Princess gave her orders and instructions. Now, however, he was looking at her with a blank expression. All the while appearing not to be affected by her distrusting words at all.

Well, that's to be expected, Agnes thought with a mental shrug. He must be as thick as a board to not know how I feel about him after everything.

"Agnes," Henrietta's voice pulled the guard captain out of her thoughts. "I assure you that Shirou has my utmost trust and confidence."

"Your Highness, may I speak my mind?" In return, Agnes only replied with a question of her own after taking a quick look at her Princess. She then continued after receiving permission.

"Forgive my rudeness, but I've been close to you and serving you for years. I'm quite certain that I'd realize it if you were not telling the truth."

From her seat, Henrietta blushed and stared at her after the statement. However, Agnes silently released a sigh of relief. It wouldn't be good if the Princess had truly trusted a suspicious newcomer who had taken her hostage, even if he was a summoned familiar. Of course, Agnes knew that Henrietta wasn't all that trusting despite her young age. But it still worried her sometimes. The Princess was too kind and gentle for her own good, especially during this dangerous time. Her father had just passed away and her position was now very unstable due to all the oppositions from her own Council. And then there was still the possible invasion that could happen anytime now...

The King was assassinated. Of that much Agnes was certain. And she was sure that Henrietta also shared the same suspicion. They had no proof to back up such a claim, but that was the only reasonable explanation. The King's excellent health aside, the timing of his death right after his decision to make major changes in order to prepare the country for a possible invasion was questionable. Not to mention the fact that the rebellion suddenly became stronger and more vicious right after his death, forcing back Albion's force (which was clearly winning before the tragedy).

Obviously, that left Agnes to believe that there were traitors within their ranks who had connections with the rebellion. It wasn't a small feat to sneak into the castle undetected and then assassinate a tightly guarded King after all. And whoever did it managed to make it look like his target simply died peacefully in his sleep, without leaving a single trace, while the Queen was sleeping right next to him. During her time serving the royal family, Agnes had never seen a more shocked and devastated look than the one reflected on Henrietta and Marianne's faces when the Queen woke up the following morning only to discover that her husband was dead.

Soon after, Henrietta was made the Crown Princess. That was a move that Agnes strongly disapproved of. But the sad truth was that her voice carried no weight at all. Of course, she totally understood Marianne's grief over the King's death. But wasn't it irresponsible of her to push the duty of ruling an entire crumbling kingdom on the shoulder of her own daughter, who happened to be only seventeen years of age?

"Your Highness," suddenly from her side, Shirou spoke up and yanked Agnes out of her train of thoughts. "I believe that the Captain is right..." He then received a surprised stare from both girls, but he ignored them and continued. "If you want us to work as a team, you have to let us build some trust first. I have prior experience with working in a group, and I can tell you that not trusting your partner can endanger the entire mission. For that matter, I also have to say that I don't know just what the Musketeer Corp is capable of... It's not that I don't trust them, but rather their skill is what I'm concerned about."

"Excuse me. We're the best trained division of this country besides the Griffin squadron," Agnes glared at him, feeling a bit insulted. How dare he question the quality of the troops that she herself selected and trained?

"And how exactly am I supposed to know that?" Shirou raised an eyebrow, unfazed by her fierce glare. "You don't trust my words about my sincerity, and yet you expect me to take yours without question?"

"That's because there's nothing to question," she grunted, placing her hand on her sword. "How about I show you right here and now?"

"Agnes!" Henrietta raised her voice, snapping the guard captain out of her anger.

Bashfully turning back to face the Princess, Agnes once again lowered her head and said, "My apologies, Your Highness, for getting out of line in your presence."

"You're forgiven," Henrietta nodded, but clearly wasn't happy about the situation if her frown was anything to go by. She then turned to her familiar.

"Shirou, I understand your concern. But the Musketeer squadron has been serving this country for a very long time, and their skill is not something I'd doubt. However," she quickly raised a hand before Shirou could retort. "I understand your point. And seeing you take such caution to ensure the success of this mission pleases me. As it is, I give you permission to join Agnes and her squadron in the information gathering run tonight. You are to only observe and do nothing else. I'm certain that it will give you a better understanding of their skill. Is that acceptable?"

After hesitating for a moment, Shirou accepted the proposal. Agnes had no objection either. After all, his statement from earlier still stung a bit. It was a chance to show the bastard just exactly what they were capable of. As long as he didn't get in the way, of course.

"And Agnes," the Princess turned to her. "I now see that my words alone aren't enough to convince you of Shirou's truthfulness. So instead of asking you to blindly trust him, I wish for you to give him a chance. Is this possible?"

After thinking hard for a moment, Agnes finally sighed. "May I ask why you insist on him joining us, Your Highness? Our squadron alone is enough to bring back whatever proof you need to bring down the corrupted nobles. We've never failed you before."

"Yes, and for that I'm very grateful," Henrietta smiled gently. "But I'm sure that Shirou's abilities are needed. You'll see for yourself once you witness him in action. We need to handle this as quietly and covertly as possible in order not to tip off our targets before we bust them. And I think you'll agree that some of your methods for bringing down protection wards before breaking in aren't exactly...quiet, are they?"

"You're right, Your Highness," Agnes agreed grudgingly. Henrietta was spot on. In order to bring down wards they would have to either attack them until they collapsed, or find the ward stones and destroy them with explosives. Neither of those methods could be considered 'quiet', not to mention time consuming. However...

"So you're saying that Emiya can do it better than us? Taking down the wards quietly, I mean," she asked, glancing at the auburn haired boy.

"I can, and much quicker too," Shirou confirmed with a nod. "Your Highness has already explained the wards to me. So if what I suspect is true, I can take them down without much concern."

"So you're not sure about it either?" Agnes rolled her eyes.

"Of course, how can I be sure if I know next to nothing about your magic system?"

"Then how are you going to do it?"

"I don't want to reveal that now," Shirou shook his head slowly. "I want to test it first. I'll tell you after the test."

"And you ask me why I don't trust you," Agnes grumbled, obviously annoyed. "How can I trust you if you keep withholding this kind of information from us?"

However, before the boy could open his mouth to answer, Henrietta replied for him, "Agnes, I ordered him to keep it a secret. And we will reveal it to you if it's a success. In fact, it was Shirou himself who suggested letting you know about it in the first place."

The guard captain's eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before turning back to look at Shirou. She then sighed, resigning to the fact that further argument would lead her nowhere. She realized the firmness in Henrietta's voice, and she had gone against the Princess's orders enough for the day. "I understand, Your Highness. If that's what you wish, I'll obey."

"Very well," Henrietta nodded with a smile before turning to her familiar and said with a frown on her face. "Shirou, there's something else I want to inform you. In the meeting earlier, the Council has demanded that you to take part in a public test for the position of my personal guard."

Agnes's eyebrows rose as she quickly scanned the boy's face. To her surprise, he was still wearing that indifferent expression. His eyes only squinted for a second before he sighed, as if resigning to the unavoidable fate.

"You're not surprised?" Henrietta asked.

"A little," Shirou shrugged. "It's not unexpected though. I know I'm a unique case, but normally there should be some proper tests for these important positions."

"That's true," the Princess agreed. "However, I have no doubt that this time the test is nothing more than a scheme to make me look bad for summoning and choosing you."

"That's very likely," the boy nodded. "So what will I have to do?"

"A duel with a high ranking officer this afternoon in front of the whole Council. In fact, I'm pretty sure they will match you with Viscount Wardes..."

"He's the best knight in the whole country, captain of the Griffin squadron," Agnes explained before Shirou could ask.

"They're ensuring that you have no chance of winning, Emiya," she grunted, feeling her anger building up.

No matter how much she hated and distrusted the boy, it was still unfair to arrange a match like that. "Your Highness, I'm sure that you've realized what they're doing. A commoner can't win against Viscount Wardes."

"Sadly, there's not much I can do," Henrietta shook her head. "Imagine what will happen if I refuse? The Council, corrupted as it is, still carries enough weight in their voice. It would be too suspicious if I insist on Shirou being close to me without a proper test."

Agnes couldn't argue with that. Of course, with Shirou losing the duel, there might be a chance of him being separated from the Princess, which would ease her mind a little. However, such unfairness was unacceptable. Being as suspicious as he was the boy had done nothing to deserve being treated in such a way - with the exception of him taking the Princess hostage of course. To which Agnes didn't want to admit, but knew, that it could be nothing more than a misunderstanding. After all, it was her job to be suspicious of everything related to Henrietta.

"I have no choice in the matter, do I?" Next to her, Shirou sighed in resignation. "Fine, I'll take him on."

"But you can't win against..." Agnes started, only to be interrupted.

"We won't know until I try, will we?" He said. "I don't think a proud knight such as himself would use his magic against a commoner. And if it comes down to pure sword skill, I'm quite confident in mine. If I can't win, I can at least show the Council that I'm not a weak random commoner chosen by Your Highness for whatever obscure reason."

"Like they would see it that way," she snorted sarcastically.

In return, Shirou just shrugged without saying anything. It was only then Agnes noticed that Henrietta was watching their exchange with clear amusement.

However, the Princess only gave them a knowing smile before saying, "It's settled then. The duel will be at the courtyard after the afternoon meeting. I'll see you there, Shirou. And you may come and watch as well, Agnes."

Agnes accepted the invitation. It was a good chance to see just how good the mysterious Shirou really was. After that, Henrietta concluded the meeting. The Princess and Shirou went back to their respective rooms while Agnes resumed her patrol around the castle, pondering about what she had just been told.


Upon returning to his room, Shirou closed the door and approached his bed. He then reached under the sheet and pulled out a traced version of Caliburn that he had made the previous night, after the meeting with Agnes in the courtyard.

Placing it on his bed, Shirou then applied a quick 'Structure Analysis' on the sword. And the result brought a grin onto his face.

My suspicion is spot on, he thought with glee.

The idea had formed in his head the previous night, while practicing his magecraft. It was clear that he had been summoned into another world, and that had made Shirou wonder if Gaia was present here. If she was, then how strong was her presence here?

With that in mind, he had tried tracing Caliburn and simply left it under the sheet. Shirou was astonished with the quality of his 'Tracing' though. Back in his home world he could create near perfect copies of weapons, with only a single decrease in rank for Noble Phantasms.

This time however, after a quick scan over the sword he concluded that it was no different from the original one wielded by Saber. That by itself had already confirmed that Gaia's presence was at least very weak here, perhaps even non-existent.

And today's result pleased Shirou even more, the scan showed that the quality of his Caliburn hadn't decreased at all. Shirou could hardly contain his excitement. Needless to say, it had only been half a day or so since the sword's creation. He would need more time to be completely sure that Gaia didn't exist in this world. But should it be true, countless possibilities would be open for him to further his study in magecraft. Not to mention that he now had a large supply of prana from his Master.

Imagine being able to summon Unlimited Blade Works without having to maintain it constantly...Shirou shivered a little at the thought. It would be a blast on the battlefield. That much was a given. But exactly how much prana would be drained from Henrietta if he were to manifest his greatest weapon? There was also still the matter of hiding his real strength. Something as flashy as a reality marble would bust him for sure. Obviously if they managed to strengthen Henrietta's position, then there would be a day when all the secrecy wouldn't be needed anymore. However, for the time being Shirou was content with finding a chance to test it out in secret. Using Unlimited Blade Works in a real battle could wait.

Speaking of secrecy... He thought, remembering about the meeting they just had. Telling Agnes about him being able to use magic was a risky, but necessary move. Henrietta had made him swear to only reveal the secret if Shirou managed to bring down the wards with his method though. Shirou didn't mind. According to what the Princess had explained about wards and bounded fields of this world, he should be able to do so without much problem.

Shirou also wanted to gain Agnes's trust. She was loyal and trustworthy, if her actions were anything to judge by. If they were going to be partners, then she had all the rights to know about his abilities and potentials so that they could plan their missions accordingly.

"That girl sure is a surprise," Shirou snorted dryly.

Earlier, Agnes had actually defended him against the unfairness of the Tristain's Council. Or at least she was feeling angry on his behalf. He had made no mistake by assuming that their relationship had improved. However, her action had further proved that despite her stern attitude towards him, Agnes was a good person. Which was even more of a reason not to hide the truth from her once they started working together.

"Shirou, may I enter?" Henrietta's voice from the other side of the door interrupted his thoughts.

He then stood up and opened the door. The Princess was waiting outside together with a maid carrying a leather bag.

"You can leave it over there," Henrietta said, pointing at the tea table.

The maid quickly carried out her order and left the room, but not before subtly throwing Shirou a mischievous smirk. No doubt to remind him of the chase the previous day. He did nothing more than grimacing a little in reply though.

"The maids seem to like you," Henrietta commented with a hint of amusement after they had been left alone.

"What girl doesn't love her dress up doll?" Shirou answered sarcastically, making the Princess chuckled softly.

"It's all thanks to you, Your Highness."

"You're welcome. Some men would do anything to be that popular you know?"

Shirou just rolled his eyes without saying anything. With a bright smile, Henrietta finally dropped the subject.

She then proceeded to sit down beside the table and told him, "The materials for your outfit had arrived."

Shirou then checked the contents of the bag. Everything on the list he gave her was in it, plus some extra.

"Isn't this too much?" He asked. "I can make the outfit with my 'Alteration' spell, so there's no need for spares in case of a mistake."

"Well, you never told me how you were going to make it," Henrietta replied.

"Oh, that's right," Shirou scratched his head. "My apologies, Your Highness. May I start now? It only takes a few seconds after all."

After that, he placed the necessary materials on the table and applied 'Alteration' on them. Soon after, the materials started changing shape, snaking their way onto his body into a tight fitting black top and matching bottom with a similar design to Archer's armour, plus a pair of fingerless gloves. Shirou was careful enough to make this version long sleeved to hide the Familiar Runes on his arm, which shone whenever he used a spell.

"That was quick, and it fits you nicely too. Definitely better than the one you were wearing before," Henrietta stood up as he finished and walked around, checking out his new outfit. "It appears to be high quality as well. This can be compared to our best crafter's work..." She then pondered for a moment. "Can I make a suggestion though? How about adding a hood or something to cover your face with? Your facial features are very unique here. And I don't want anybody to see you out on a mission and recognize you as my personal guard. Especially when you're using magic, or magecraft."

"You have a point," Shirou replied after considering the idea for a moment. "I can add a hood and a mask. A hood alone should do the job though."

"It's up to you, as long as you don't let yourself get discovered."

"How about this then?" He asked, applying 'Alteration' on another piece of material, making it into a hood covering his hair and eyes.

"That should do it, yes," Henrietta nodded in approval after seeing the result. "No one will recognize you like this. But what if it falls off? And does it obstruct your vision?"

"It doesn't," Shirou shook his head. "And don't worry about it, Your Highness. I've made it so that it can't fall of easily unless it gets destroyed. I don't like wearing a mask, to be honest. In case the hood really gets destroyed, even with a mask on people would still recognize me by my hair anyway."

"That's true..." The Princess agreed. "Alright, let's move on then. Since we have some left over material here, how about making something else for you to wear within the castle? It isn't a good idea to walk around in the outfit that's supposed to be for your secret missions. Also, I'd like my personal guard to dress more... properly."

"Well, I can always alter this however I want though," Shirou shrugged, before tweaking the design of his outfit, making the hood and the sleeves disappear. He then altered the rest of the leftover material, making them into a deep red long coat. Pausing for a moment to observe his own work, Shirou then produced the Tristain's coat of arms and etched it onto the coat's back before nodding in satisfaction. Turning to look at himself in the mirror, he could almost see a version of EMIYA looking at him. Of course, Archer didn't use a coat but rather a holy shroud for the outer layer of his outfit, and his hair wasn't auburn like Shirou's.

"Very impressive, indeed," Henrietta smiled brightly after witnessing the progress. "Your power sure has a lot of use, doesn't it?"

"As long as I'm creative enough, Your Highness," he returned her smile. "So I take it this outfit has your approval?"

"I like it," she nodded. "Is your former one back home also like this? Or did you just think of this design by yourself?"

"I have some references," Shirou simply said. "And no, this one is different from what I have back home. I had to tweak it a little to cover the Familiar Runes. And of course, the hood is a new addition."

"I see. Great work, Shirou."

"Thank you," Shirou bowed a little at the compliment. "But I'm sure you're not here just for the outfit, Your Highness?"

With that question the smile quickly slipped of Henrietta's face, replaced by a solemn expression as she sighed. "You're right, Shirou. I also want to apologize for what happened this morning."

"You mean the duel with Viscount Wardes?" He raised an eyebrow. "I know you had no choice in the matter, Your Highness. You don't have to apologize for that. Besides, if the Council thinks he can beat me just because I can't use magic, they're in for a nasty surprise."

"I hope you're right, Shirou," the Princess smiled weakly. "But that's not all. I'm sorry for not trusting you too. It was just as Agnes said. And despite that I'm still giving you orders to act on my behalf. I feel like I'm just using you sometimes..." She bit her lower lip while avoiding Shirou's eyes.

"Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness," Shirou sighed after staring at her for a moment. "Sometimes you're too soft for the ruler of a kingdom on the verge of war. It's perfectly fine that you don't trust me completely. In fact, I'd be worried if you did. As you've already known, even though I'm your familiar, I'm not bound by the mind altering spell."

"Also, as a ruler, I think you need to be harder on yourself and your servants sometimes. Not abusing them, mind you. But a soft and indecisive leader won't be able to gain the trust of the people, especially in a time of war. And as for myself, please don't concern yourself with it. You might be using me, but it's done with my awareness and for the good of your country and people. That's a goal that I can approve of and wholeheartedly support. So as long as you stay firm on the track you're on, I have no complaints serving you as my Master and my Princess."

Henrietta's eyes widened at his words as she stared at him for several moments.

The Princess then blushed a little and replied with a smile. "Thank you, Shirou. That was very moving. You really know how to give speeches, don't you?"

"I was just speaking my mind, Your Highness," Shirou answered. "Please don't count on me to give speeches in the future or else you will be disappointed."

"We will have to see about that," Henrietta chuckled softly. She then stood up and slowly walked toward his bed. It was then Shirou realized that the Caliburn was still lying there in the open. It wasn't like he had any need to hide it from her though.

"This is a very beautiful sword. One of your creations, I guess?" Looking at the Caliburn, the Princess commented. "May I hold it? Does it have a name?"

"Please go ahead," Shirou said. "Its name is Caliburn. But you're right though. That's only a copy that I made. The original sword belongs to a very famous King back in my home world."

"Only a mere copy, you say?" Henrietta murmured, fidgeting with the sword in her hands. "I can sense a great deal of power radiating from it... This is a very powerful artefact. If this is only a copy, then I can't imagine how much power the original holds..."

"Actually, my copy's power is very close to the real thing. I take pride in my works, you know? Maybe you'll be able to witness its radiance someday."

"Maybe," she nodded. "So why are you leaving it here? Do you not intend to use it against Viscount Wardes this afternoon?"

"No, I'll use something else for the duel," Shirou shook his head. "I'm just experimenting something with it. And so far it's giving me positive results."

"Oh, really? What's it about?"

"Simply put, it's to see how long my creations can last in this world," he explained. "Back in my world there's a being called Gaia, or the Will of the World. Within her presence, our prana can't exist for long outside of the caster's body. If I were still back there, I would have to constantly supply that sword with my prana to maintain its existence."

"You make it sound like that isn't the case here," Henrietta inquired with transparent interest.

"I can't be sure. But it's very likely that there isn't a Gaia here," Shirou nodded. "I made Caliburn last night and haven't supplied it with any prana ever since. But its condition is still perfect."

"You might be right about that," said the Princess as she placed the sword back onto the bed. "I've studied magic since I was a child. But there's been no mention of 'Gaia'. It may go by another name, of course. But as far as I know, our magical power doesn't disappear, even if it's outside of our bodies."

"I see. If that's true then it would be great. We will be able to save a lot of prana that way. But I still want to keep this experiment for a few more days just to be sure."

"Indeed. It never hurts to be careful," Henrietta smiled. "It's almost lunch time now. Can you please escort me to the dining hall? It wouldn't do to leave mother waiting. And I still have the afternoon meeting to attend."

"Of course, Your Highness. Just a moment..." Shirou then quickly went over and put the Caliburn back under the sheet before following his Master out of the room.

And I still have a duel to prepare for, he thought.

In truth, Shirou wasn't too worried about the upcoming test. That didn't mean he wouldn't do his best though, since Henrietta's reputation was on the table. If he failed, the aftermath wouldn't be pretty.


That afternoon, Shirou was quietly enjoying a cup of tea inside his room when Agnes arrived to inform him that it was the appointed time for his test. Quickly getting up and grabbing Kanshou and Bakuya, which he had traced beforehand and wrapped inside a layer of cloth, Shirou strapped them onto his back and followed the guard captain to the courtyard.

On the way, he had tried to strike a conversation several times. But for some reason, Agnes didn't look like she was in the mood for talking, which surprised Shirou a little, given how the girl had always let him know what she was thinking, especially when it concerned him. In the end, he just shrugged it off. Maybe it wasn't such a big deal. He still had a duel to focus on after all.

As they arrived at the destination Shirou said goodbye to her before walking toward the centre of the courtyard, and to his further surprise, Agnes stopped him before saying.

"Good luck out there," she said, much to his confusion. "I don't like you, but I can't stand the underhanded methods they are using to discredit the Princess. So for once, I'll trust your...confidence, as you stated."

"Wow..." Shirou murmured while staring at her with widened eyes. After a while, he grinned widely. "Thank you, Captain. I'll try my best not to disappoint you."

In return, Agnes glared sharply at him. "Maybe it would be better if you lost and got sent away after all," she said. "But there's still Your Highness's position to consider, so I won't forgive you if you embarrass her. Got it, Emiya?"

"Loud and clear," Shirou replied. Still grinning as Agnes turned around and returned to her position beside Henrietta, who was now eyeing him with concern. With a firm nod to reassure the Princess, Shirou then made his way toward where his opponent was waiting.

Viscount Wardes was a man in his late twenties with long white hair. Shirou realized that he had caught glimpses of the man several times inside the castle, though he hadn't known his name. Everything about the Viscount definitely said 'Noble', from the way he stood and walked, to how he looked at Shirou himself. Shirou could see the question in his eyes, wondering just why he had to be the opponent of a commoner. Wardes was looking down on him, but there was also a hint of curiosity hidden behind the indifferent mask he was wearing.

"You certainly look more like a guard now than the last time I saw you," the man said as Shirou stood in front of him. Taking a quick glance around, Shirou could see that besides the Council, there were also many others present to witness his duel as well. Most of them were Nobles though, except for a few guards from the Musketeer and Griffin squadron, and a couple of maids. People immediately started whispering the moment he stepped inside the courtyard. However, he paid them no mind.

"Thank you for the compliment, Viscount," Shirou bowed politely. "I figured that since my opponent is a royal knight, I should not appear to be disrespectful by wearing improper outfit."

"Oh..." Wardes raised an eyebrow. "Very well, are you ready then? We shouldn't waste too much time for this."

Cheeky, aren't you? Shirou silently mocked as he raised both of his arms to grab the twin blades' handles. In front of him, his opponent was doing the same. "As ever. I'm ready when you are."

The two of them then drew their weapons while carefully eyeing each other. And just a moment later, Henrietta gave the signal. Without wasting any time, Shirou dashed ahead, intending to catch Wardes off guard with a flurry of strikes. He had the advantage when it came to attack speed after all.


Agnes was astonished. A feeling that was certainly shared by Henrietta, who was now sitting beside her. Not much was known about the boy named Shirou, but there was one thing for certain: He was good, very good, when it came to his swords.

It seems like his confidence isn't baseless after all, she noted.

In the middle of the courtyard, Shirou was now pushing back Viscount Wardes – the best knight in Tristain. The boy had managed to throw his opponent off balance. The two blades in his hands keep striking without resting. Black and White steel danced in the air, without any wasted movement, not giving the defender a chance to counter. It spoke of serious and extensive training, not to mention the experience one needed to pull off such a relentless assault without making mistake.

For a moment, Agnes had hoped that Shirou actually had a chance to win the duel if the current situation kept up. After all, the best defense would have to fall facing such vicious attack, as long as the boy didn't mess up. However, her wish proved to be unable to come true just a few seconds later, as the Viscount suddenly sped up and regained his balance. With an insanely quick side step, he dodged Shirou's black sword as it made an arc up ward and started countering. Soon enough, Shirou had become the one who was put on the defensive against lightning quick thrusts from Wardes's sword.

What now, Emiya? Your plan has failed, gritting her teeth; Agnes thought desperately, surprising herself to see that she was actually worrying about the auburn haired boy. I hope he wasn't stupid enough to have only one course of action...


"Sir Mazarin," Henrietta turned to her regent and said angrily. "It's clear that Viscount Wardes used a minor wind spell to increase his speed. It's unfair against a commoner."

"Indeed it is, Your Highness," Mazarin replied with a frown. Apparently, the regent himself was also displeased by how the event turned out. "However, the Council has decided that Viscount Wardes is allowed to use magic to aid him in this duel, seeing that his opponent was a high ranking guard you personally chose. If he can't face a little magic, then he's not qualified to protect you."

The Princess grimaced. Obviously she couldn't argue with that. All she could do now was to hope for the best. She knew that Wardes didn't have a good sense of magic like she did. So Shirou probably could reinforce himself a little bit without being busted to keep up with his opponent's enhanced speed. However, her familiar didn't know about that...

"Don't stress yourself too hard, Your Highness," next to her, Mazarin said, looking at her with concern. "Originally, Viscount Wardes had refused to use magic against a commoner opponent. But look at him now. Your familiar has pushed the best knight of Tristain into breaking his word. No matter how this duel turns out, I'll try to convince the Council that that boy is qualified enough to be your guard."

"Thank you, sir," Henrietta bowed politely, surprised by the action of the regent. This was the first time someone beside Agnes and her mother had openly showed support for her. "However, I don't think the other members will change their mind."

"It's worth a try, Your Highness," the man replied simply and returned to observe the fight.

Moved by Mazarin's words, Henrietta sat there and looked at the man for several seconds before turning her attention back to her familiar. No matter what he said, the chance of Shirou being accepted despite losing was extremely slim. If possible, Henrietta would like to avoid that scenario altogether.

Don't lose, Shirou, she prayed earnestly. I need your help, so don't lose now...


Oblivious to the concern of Agnes and Henrietta, Shirou Emiya was in fact, bored. To the eyes of the audience, he might appear to be pushed back. However, none of Wardes's attacks could truly threaten him, not even a little bit.

His first plan to overwhelm his opponent with his twin blades' assault had failed, but only because the Viscount had used his magic to escape from the corner he had been boxed into. That by itself was enough to show whose pure sword skill was superior. It was true that right now, Wardes with his magical enchantments was faster than Shirou, who was still completely unreinforced. But compared to a certain blond swordswoman he knew, or even some of the high ranking Enforcers that Shirou had been given the chance to practice together with, the Viscount was still too slow. Not to mention his fighting style with Kanshou and Bakuya was specifically designed to fight against opponents that outclassed him.

In his mind Shirou knew that his opponent wasn't fighting at his full potential, and was still looking down on him by refusing to use his magic to the fullest. He wasn't bothered by it a bit, however. The Viscount was going to be in for a cruel awakening if he kept on fighting with that attitude. Despite that, Shirou himself was still holding back. He wanted to see what Wardes was going to do once he realized that all of his strikes weren't connecting and figured out Shirou's fighting style. A skilled swordsman would have no problem doing so after all.

Just as I thought.

Subtly, Shirou grinned a few seconds later as Wardes' attacks started picking up speed. He could also sense the gradually increasing amount of prana that the Viscount was using. His thrusts were now more violent and much faster, but still were nothing Shirou couldn't handle.

There was more, he knew it. However, it looked like the Viscount had no intention of going at full strength. No offensive spell was used, and even the enchantment he used wasn't at its strongest state. By now, Shirou had gotten impatient and decided to end the match. There was no use prolonging it if his opponent didn't take him seriously.

Using Kanshou to parry the attack aimed at his head, Shirou made a wide upward swing with Bakuya in his other hand. The strike would surely sever his target in half if it connected. However, Wardes reacted in time to pull back his own sword and blast the white blade away, immediately following with another thrust at Shirou's heart. Apparently, he wasn't called the best knight for nothing.

Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, Kanshou once again intercepted his sword. Having already figured out the pattern, Wardes instantly ducked, avoiding Bakuya going for his head while launching another strike, to which Shirou dodged with a spin. He then used the momentum to bring Kanshou down onto his opponent, forcing him to leap backward to avoid getting sliced. With another spin, Shirou threw Bakuya as hard as he could toward the man. Of course, Wardes avoided it easily by leaning aside. Around them, snickers and mocking snorts could be heard. It seemed like the audience thought that Shirou had thrown his weapon in a desperate attempt.

They're all in for a surprise then.

Shirou then gripped Kanshou with both hands and charged ahead. With just one sword his attack speed decreased, only to be compensated by strength. Each of his attack blasted away Wardes's sword. But he wasn't fast enough to strike again before the man could reapply his defense.

It didn't keep up for long though. After getting over the surprise, Wardes was able to start his own attacks, slipping them in between Shirou's strikes and gradually forcing him to go on the defensive, which was admittedly significantly harder with only one sword.

Just a little more, gritting his teeth as he parried another thrust, Shirou then caught a glimpse of Bakuya coming back behind Wardes. Being an experienced royal knight, the Viscount took no time to notice that Shirou's line of sight was now directed behind him, and sensed the approaching danger. He spun around, just in time to see Bakuya heading straight toward his face. Hastily bringing up his sword to block and send the white blade away again, Wardes then realized his mistake.

Just a brief moment of distraction was enough for Shirou. He dashed forward, putting his entire body weight into a single strike. A moment later, Viscount Wardes found the hilt of Kanshou slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. Shirou did not let his opponent have time to recover, instantly punched the man as hard as he could with his empty hand, bringing him down on his back. The boy then immediately mounted the fallen opponent, locking his two arms under his knees. Catching Bakuya, he used it together with Kanshou to form a scissor pressed against Wardes's neck.

"It's over, Viscount," he said softly, but firmly. Under him, Wardes's eyes were widened in shock. The man, after staring at him for a long moment, started to burst into laughter, breaking the dreading silence that had fallen over the audience at the sudden turn of event.

"Very good. Very good. I've underestimated you big time, familiar," he said loudly and continued laughing. "I concede. The victory is yours this time."

With that, Shirou gave him a curt nod and stood up, allowing the man to follow as well. The audience on the other hand, was still too shocked to be able to speak.

"I have to say I didn't expect that," Wardes grinned after sheathing his sword. "How did you make your sword come back like that?"

"These two blades are a pair," Shirou simply shrugged. "If I throw one, it will always come back to the other."

"Impressive," the man nodded. "Well, as I said, you won this round. But next time I won't hold back anymore, and we will see who the better swordsman is."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

After that, Shirou turned away and started walking back to Henrietta's position. The Princess was beaming inside her seat while standing next to her was a gobsmacked Agnes with widened eyes.

However, just as he started walking away an old mage from the audience, whom Shirou guessed was a Council member, stood up and said, "The match didn't count. That commoner cheated by using a magical artefact."

Frowning, Shirou turned his gaze toward the man.

"How was that cheating, sir? I used whatever was available for me to win the duel fair and square. And you can expect me to do the same when protecting Your Highness. Or are you saying that I shouldn't use the magical artefact that belongs to me, even if her life was in danger?"

"Insolent boy, who gives you the right to speak to a noble like that?" Another one stood up and growled at Shirou. Their drama, however, didn't affect him in the slightest. The only thing that made him feel sick a little was how they reminded him the unfair treatment of commoners.

However, before he was able to give any further remarks, Marianne rose from the seat next to Henrietta's and spoke.

"Members of the Royal Council, please be rational," she said solemnly. "If I remember correctly, you've allowed Viscount Wardes to use his magic – which in fact he did, because you wished for the Princess's familiar to face a situation where magic is involved. So why would he not be allowed to do all within his ability to emerge victorious? Magical artefact or not, you didn't specifically ban him from using them, and so he has not violated any rule. Your argument is invalid."

On the other side of the Princess another man, who appeared to be the regent, also stood up.

"You're correct, Madam Marianne," he took a deep bow toward the former Queen. "Not to mention Viscount Wardes himself has conceded the match. I hereby announce the victor of the duel: Princess Henrietta's familiar – Shirou Emiya. He can now resume his duty as Your Highness's personal guard. I hope you will do your best to fulfill your duty."

"That much is certain, sir," Shirou bowed deeply, surprised at the sight of someone from the Council speaking for him.

Well, they can't all be corrupted. I guess there're still some people who support the Royal Family.

And that concluded the duel between him and Viscount Wardes. As the crowd started to disperse, Shirou and a still shocked Agnes started escorting a beaming Henrietta and her mother back to their quarters. On the way, he swore that he could hear the Princess humming softly while Agnes was throwing him confused glances, mixed with glares.

Well, that's one problem solved, Shirou sighed. Now I still have tonight's information gathering run with the Musketeer squadron to look forward to...

To be continued...