"Praetor, please keep it together! Can you hear me?! Praetor!" The girl found herself lying on the ground, barely moving. She registers a familiar voice in the distance, but it seems to be getting further away as the seconds past.
What? Where...where was she? What happened to her? What was going on? The girl didn't know, but all she knew was that she was getting more tired by the minute. It felt incredibly taxing just trying to keep her eyes open.
"Oh no! Has it spread that much already?! Curse that servant and his tricks! She needs medical treatment! But-" The voice is now sounding so distant even to her own ears. Tired...she feels...so very tired...
As much as she wanted to stay awake, the girl finds it difficult to do so. And so her eyes begin to droop and fall, slowly closing as she gives into the exhaustion. The last thing she sees before darkness claims her is the blurry image of a woman with blond hair and green eyes.
...Blond hair and green eyes? Wait...then this woman...she was...
No...no she hasn't...this...what was going to happen to her? She must stay awake...she needed to stay awake...
Sorry...for causing trouble like this...Sa...
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Hakuno's eyes slowly open. She lies still in bed for a moment, her chest slowly rising and falling as she breathed. She blinks at the ceiling, adjusting her eyesight before a hand slowly goes to her forehead.
Another dream. And while the contents are fuzzy in her mind, she somewhat manages to recall that voice...and that woman she last saw before she woke up. That woman...she had encountered her before in a dream just two days ago too. But...who was she?
It seemed like the woman was quite anxious in her dream, yelling at her to get up. Why though? What was the woman going on about and trying to tell her? It seemed urgent from her tone of voice...and yet...she couldn't figure it out. To begin with, what was that dream all about anyway?
"Good morning, Master." She is broken out of her thoughts, jolting slightly at suddenly hearing her servant's voice. Looking over, she sees that her servant is already wide awake, staring at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you alright, Master? You seem to be deep in thought. Something on your mind?" She pauses, not sure how to reply as she slowly gets into a sitting position. Bitting down on her bottom lip, she slowly shakes her head.
It wasn't that she wanted to keep things from her servant, but rather, she doesn't even know how to explain the vague dream she had. Her servant would think that she was losing her mind or going crazy if anything. "No...I'm fine, but thanks for asking."
Her servant narrows her eyes at her suspiciously, obviously unconvinced before he sighs. "Okay...if you insist. But if something is bothering you, you can always tell me."
The brown-haired master is somewhat surprised at her servant being all considerate first thing in the morning, but slowly smiles. "Yeah...I know, thanks Archer." While it wasn't like he was giving her a heart to heart talk or advising her or anything, she could sense the sincerity in the action nonetheless, that her servant was willing to lend a listening ear if she had any troubles, and that alone was good to know.
And thus came the third day of the preparation period. They've already grabbed the first trigger and have been training hard every day since the second round has started...but Hakuno can't help but still feel worried. So far, they haven't gotten much information about Dan's servant at all.
While Rani was on board with helping them, Hakuno still had her doubts on whether her 'astrologist powers' would be of any help in obtaining more information regarding that hooded stranger's True Name. And all they knew as of now was that he could conjure a poisonous barrier...and had an arrow made of Yew, which wasn't much to work with.
Sighing, Hakuno tries to focus on Taiga's lectures, taking down notes every now and then as the teacher went on. This wasn't good. Unlike the first round, they barely knew a thing about their opponent at all. At this rate, the two of them were at a major disadvantage for the upcoming Elimination Battle.
But what could they do? They haven't ran into that servant yesterday, and unlike Shinji, Dan doesn't seem to be that confrontational with her especially on school grounds. He was certainly more tight lipped compared to Shinji too, so drawing information out of him had proven to be difficult so far. This was hard.
She supposed she could go to the library and read up to try and read up more about the Yew Tree. That, and the two of them definitely needed to train a lot harder to make up for the difference in power.
Regardless whether the enemy master got along with their servant or not, the two of them were probably still way stronger compared to her and Archer. She needed to buckle down and get serious.
The girl was so lost in thought that she didn't even register that classes had ended before she feels someone tapping on her shoulder. Whirling around, she looks up at her servant in surprise, who once again sighs at her. "Classes had already ended quite a while ago, Master. What is going on in your head to make you so unfocused today?"
The master slouches in her seat at that, frowning. It seems that her servant was always good at picking up her mood, no matter the circumstances. "Sorry...it's not...I'm just bothered that barely know a thing about Dan's servant." She fiddles with her pen in frustration before looking back at Archer for his opinion.
The tanned man crosses his hands over his chest, knitting his eyebrows. "Hmm...well you're right about that. We're pretty much counting on that astrologist girl to help, as ironic as it seems." So even he admits that they were in a tight spot...this couldn't be good.
He looks over at her, lightly flicking her forehead. "But don't let that get to your head, Master. Even in a war, there are times when we must be patient. I'm sure that with some thorough investigation, we'll get some information on that man." Well...yes...he had a point...but even so...
The man suddenly grows serious, looking around the area. "On that note...Master, haven't you noticed anything strange?" Huh? Archer's question prompts Hakuno to look around the classroom as well, eyeing each of the masters in confusion. "Um...what do you mean by strange? I see nothing wrong."
Archer shakes his head, clarifying what he meant. "I don't mean by the scene before us. Haven't you sensed anything different in the atmosphere?" ...The atmosphere? What was he going about now?
Seeing his master only getting more confused, he facepalms and decides to just get straight to the point. "The atmosphere around the whole school is more tense than usual. I'm not sure if all the other masters have noticed this as well...but something strange is definitely going on." This explanation causes Hakuno's eyes to widen. Now that he pointed it out...
She tries to concentrate hard, and after what feels like a whole minute had passed, she senses it. He's right. Something was wrong. She couldn't quite put her finger on it...but this atmosphere...this aura that creeped up her spine and caused the hairs on her back to stand on edge...
"Archer...this.." Gulping, she slowly stands from her seat, now on high alert. "It doesn't seem like the culprit behind this intends to make himself known. This aura of death that's lingering around the school...I suggest you proceed with caution, Master." Easy for him to say. Now that she was aware of it, Hakuno couldn't help but be paranoid of her surroundings, looking left and right as she quickly exited the classroom.
Just who was behind this? And why did the other masters seem unaffected? Was it Dan's servant? With her eyes darting around, she tries to look around for anything remotely suspicious. No...aside from the dangerous aura lingering around the school, everything else seemed fine. What was going on? Maybe staying here on this floor wasn't a good idea.
However, as the girl sets foot on the first floor foyer, a sudden chill runs through her and freezes her in place. The floor, which usually should be filled with some other students, was now completely empty, with her being the only lone master around.The atmosphere suddenly grew ten times tenser, with the growing pressure enough to almost suffocate her. Her heartbeat accelerates, and the master finds herself panicking.
Her servant immediately materializes before her, a grim expression now on his features. "Master, don't move around recklessly, otherwise your death will be assured." He didn't need to tell her twice. She already feels stressed enough getting cornered into such a situation right now.
The signs were obvious now; someone was definitely watching them. There's no room for doubt that she was being stalked by a servant...Dan's then? She doesn't see him anywhere near the vicinity though...so where could he be hiding?
Archer swiftly grabs ahold of her hand, prompting her to look at him in the eyes. "There's no time to determine the extent of the threat. When I give you the signal, run." Wait...what?! Hakuno looks at him like he had grown a second head. So they were just going to run then?! Where should they even run to?!
No wait, she had to calm down. There was no time to hesitate when someone was clearly out for her head right now. There were a limited number of places she could run to now that they were being targeted here on the first floor.
The second floor and up would be too dangerous, since there were other masters present up there, and as much as she'd like to say Dan's servant was the culprit, one shouldn't be too sure. Running downstairs to the commissary may not be a good idea either, since Hakuno could barely turn in that direction and run without that intense feeling of killer intent at her back.
The nurse's office? Probably not, since she could very well get attacked the minute she opens the door and heads in. Same probably goes for the school gardens and the chapel. She anxiously looks towards the shoe lockers, noticing the large glass doors of the exit leading outside. Maybe they should head outside and-wait no, that was even worse of an idea. She'd just be a sitting duck waiting to be taken out then.
After quickly going through her options, it's clear that staying on school grounds was dangerous. So that meant they were left with only one other place. Agreeing with her servant, Hakuno makes eye contact with him, nodding and preparing to take action.
One...two...three...?
"Now!" Without turning back, Archer holds onto his master's hand firmly as the two dashed as fast as they could towards the direction of the Arena. She could still feel someone stalking her from behind, but could not bring herself to even stop, her eyes fixed onto the door leading to the training grounds. Almost...there...!
With her hand on the doorknob, Hakuno throws open the door, with the duo dashing inside, firmly slamming it shut behind them without a second glance.
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The duo practically scramble into the Arena, with Hakuno finally daring to look behind her as they entered. Seeing nothing behind her, she feels a mild sense of relief. If they've come this far...then maybe-
"No, we still can't take a breather just yet, Master. We're still being targeted by whoever is out for our blood." Her joy is short lived by Archer's statement, her expression falling. He couldn't be serious. Then...this meant that they couldn't relax just yet!
Archer nods, his eyes already darting around to scan the area. "Whoever it is, they prefer sniping to engaging us directly. They're a fan of guerrilla warfare. Can't say I'm crazy enough to play along." Her servant was correct about that; even now, it doesn't seem like the culprit intends to show himself to the two of them.
Grabbing onto her arm, Archer is already dragging her along down the hallway, ignoring her look of protest. "We need to head further into the Arena. Staying here is still too dangerous. Let's quickly go to somewhere where we can get a clear view, Master." Wait...was he suggesting that they engage directly with the culprit then?! He must be crazy! They didn't even know who they were facing against!
Hakuno honestly wants to argue back, but this was clearly not the time to be picking a fight with her servant. While his proposal sounded incredibly dangerous, she had no other choice but to tag along and follow him. His reckless plan aside, he did had a point. Staying by the Arena entrance could pose a threat to the two of them, so either way, they had to advance into the Arena to be on the safer side.
The master could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest as they ran. What happened if they did run into the culprit and had to fight? They had no idea what they were up against, which made the master all the more anxious and frightened.
Unwanted memories started flashing by in her mind, reminding her of the first round Elimination Battle. Archer back then had gotten severely injured trying to protect her...and even her...
Her eyes glazed over at her servant's broad back, shaking her head a moment later. No...she can't back down. They needed to confront this one way or the other. She couldn't be afraid now.
Whatever happens, she needed to be there to provide backup and support for her servant. And Archer too...she knew Archer would be there to protect her like the usual. She needed to be strong, she can't cower in fear now...!
The two of them continue to run as fast as they can, quickly fighting off or even running past several enemy programs along the way. It didn't take long for them to eventually reach a broader, open space. By then, Hakuno is on full alert. A voice is screaming inside her head that they had to keep running, but she can't.
By then, the master was breathing heavily, chest heaving from running around so much. She looks around warily, chocolate irises surveying the area. It didn't seem like anyone was chasing after them even after they've gotten so far. Were they able to get away then?
"Haha, so called that. Thanks for being such an easy-to-read master, ojou-chan." That voice...! Snapping her head up in alarm, Hakuno is barely able to arrow zooming in on her at breakneck speed, eyes going wide in shock. Oh no, she can't get away in time!
Thankfully, her servant had fast reflexes, and had also anticipated such a sneak attack. Standing in front of her, the servant had already materialised his twin blades in advance, cutting down the arrow in half. The wooden arrow, now split cleanly in two, falls to the floor a short distance away from her.
Archer narrows his eyes dangerously at the attacker hidden in a corner, a familiar green cloak draped over their shoulders with the hood concealing part of their face. "So it was you all along. Figured that would be the case." The enemy servant laughs, clearly not bothered that he had been exposed. "Oh wow, you sure are fast! Didn't think you'd manage to see and intercept that blow!"
Archer continues to stand in front of his master protectively like a shield, glaring at Dan's servant while Hakuno watches the exchange worriedly. "Sorry buddy, but you missed. You're going to have to do better than that if you want to hurt my boss." Hakuno gulped as the situation quickly took a turn for the worst. At any rate, she was glad that Archer was quick enough to block the arrow-
...!
Hakuno doesn't even get to finish that thought before she winces, feeling a sharp pain shoot through her left arm. What the...?Looking down, she sees a long but thin gash on her arm, blood now slowly trailing down her sleeve. Her heart nearly stops at the sight. "...Eh?" Wait...what? When did-
It all came too soon for her to even register. Collapsing onto her knees, Hakuno now grasps onto her arm in pain. It hurt. The sharp pain in her arm was already beginning to intensify and spread throughout her body. She opens her mouth to call out to Archer, but no words come out.
Instead, she feels nauseous, more nauseous than seeing a small wound like that would warrant. It seems that while Archer had indeed stopped the first arrow earlier, the two of them didn't notice a second arrow being shot at her. Dang it...they were too careless...!
She could hear the enemy servant chuckle from a distance. "What was that about missing again? Funny, it seems that the shot managed to land anyway. If anything, I would say you ended up missing instead, Mr. Knight." It was only then that Archer turned to see his master in pain.
"...! The enemy's an Archer who uses poison arrows...! Damn, are you ok, Master?!" Archer's realisation comes in a tad bit too late, as he quickly rushes over to his master's side. Carefully grabbing onto her arm, he inspects it and yanks her sleeve up only to see what appeared to be an ugly, purple rash slowly spreading from the wound on her arm. No doubt about it, it was the poison from the arrow that was behind this.
Gritting his teeth, Archer curses aloud. His master was clearly not fine. Her complexion was already going pale, sweat dotting her face as she struggled to stay conscious, the poison starting to course through her system. It hurt for the brown-haired master to even breathe, much less speak. Whoever Dan's servant was, they landed a good shot. There was no doubt in her mind that he wasn't an Archer too.
"Master, stay with me. You can't collapse now!" Hakuno is barely able to register her servant's voice as she continues to grasp her arm in pain. This is probably worse than the gunshot she took from Rider back then. Every part of her body burned with every second that they were there. It felt like her arm was getting ripped off.
"Master, we need to get out of here immediately. Staying in the Arena will only allow the poison to continue spreading to the rest of your body!" As much as he wanted to go after that bastard and make him pay, he couldn't leave his master to suffer in this state. Any longer and the poison would spread throughout her body and inevitably kill her.
Hakuno could only let out a choked cough in response, numbly nodding her head to show that she was still able to hear and understand him. Right...she...she needed to get out of the Arena as soon as possible. What good is knowing the enemy servant's class and abilities if she was just going to topple over and die? She needed to get away from the Arena...and fast.
With the help from her servant, Hakuno rising back onto her feet, albeit with some difficulty. Her legs were wobbling as she stood, and Hakuno's laboured breathing doesn't help the situation. She hears Dan's servant laughing at their misery, clearly enjoying seeing the two of them suffer. "Hah, enjoy your master's final moments. That poison may be slow in spreading, but it's still pretty deadly. She's going to die anytime soon as we speak."
The world around her was beginning to spin as she took a few clumsy steps forward. The master forces herself to keep her eyes open. As painful as it was, she needed to endure this. No...she couldn't...she couldn't perish here, not yet...! She wasn't going to die...!
Guided by her servant, the two of them begin to steadily head towards the direction of the exit. It hurt immensely with each step that she took, but Hakuno knew she couldn't fall here. They needed to keep going. Looking at her servant's worried face, she pushed herself to go onwards.
It was evident in his expression that her servant wanted to carry or at least support her so that he could alleviate some of the burden and they could get back to the school faster, but she also knew that he had a good reason for not doing so. Dan's servant was still lingering around in the Arena, and especially in her current condition, he couldn't afford to mess up a second time in case the enemy decided to shoot a third arrow. That, and there could be some enemy programs in the area too.
Through her blurry vision, Hakuno could see the exit. Just...a bit...more. Gathering the last bit of energy she could muster, the master reaches her destination, panting heavily. They...they've finally...made it...
"Damn, you're one tough master. To think that you've actually managed to make it and still be able to stand, I'm impressed, ojou-chan!" Out of the corner of her eye, Hakuno sees a shiny blur coming at them. Another arrow?! Dammit...she can't move away...!
Running in front of her, Archer swiftly blocks the arrow and destroys it with his blades. "Don't think I'll let you land another hit on my Master like that, Archer!" her servant hollers back at him, a murderous glare now on his features. He looked even more pissed than he was back when Dan's servant approached her in the gardens.
"Tch, you little...! Hmph, no matter. I'll let the poison do its job. Don't think your master is going to be fine just because you've managed to escape." The enemy servant's poison had pretty much paralyzed most of her body by then, and it took her all of her strength just to stay conscious. Without any hesitance, Hakuno returns the two of them back to the school while she could still move her legs.
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"...We're back. Master, how are you feeling?" She hears Archer's voice next to her. It is night, and it appears that they've finally arrived on school grounds, the master manages to register, slowly lifting her head to meet her servant's eyes. He looks concerned, which was obvious given her current state.
Looking up at him tiredly, she opens her mouth to reply, but can barely form a sentence when her legs finally give out, with the master collapsing hard onto the cold floor with a loud thud. She feels so tired after that fiasco, and can barely keep herself awake as she sees her servant hovering over her, calling out to her. This scene...why did it seem so familiar? And his voice...it sounded...so worried...
She wants to get up and tell Archer that she's fine, but she can't. Hakuno's eyes were already falling and she finds that she can fight it no longer. Closing her eyes, the master passes out by the Arena entrance, unable to stay conscious. In the corner of her hazy mind, she wonders...what was going to happen to her?
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She slowly opens her eyes, blinking blearily at a familiar ceiling. This was...her private room...? The master slowly turns her head, only to see her servant sitting by her bedside. The man stares back at her, his face still holding that same worried expression from earlier.
Upon seeing her wake up, the servant looks relieved. "You've finally woken up. For a moment I thought you weren't going to regain consciousness...suddenly collapsing like that back there." It takes a while, but the tired master finally remembers what had happened.
Right...they had been ambushed by Dan's servant...and she was struck by one of his poison arrows. And then...she promptly passed out. As much as Hakuno wants to feel embarassed over the whole ordeal, she feels way too tired at the moment too. But wait...if they were in their private room now...and with her lying on her bed...
"I carried you here of course, since you were still unconscious. Don't worry, there weren't any other masters around to see us, if that's that you're thinking about," her servant quickly adds upon noticing the blush colouring his master's face. O-Oh...so her servant carried her here...figures. Good thing there wasn't anyone around at least, otherwise that would've attracted some unneeded attention.
"H-How long was I out for?" she asks, trying to divert the topic elsewhere. "Not for too long. Only for a few minutes. I was wondering whether or not I should wake you up after setting you down here, but you managed to wake up anyway after a while." Oh, well that was good to know at least. For a moment there she thought she had passed out for almost the whole night instead.
"...Colour me impressed about the poison arrows. Just one shot could kill a master." Archer doesn't look the least bit relaxed as he says this, contrary to his joke. In fact, the servant looks grim, gripping his hands together before he gives a long sigh. "But awe isn't what I should be feeling. I should be ashamed at my own incompetence."
Looking over to her, the servant frowns. "I'm sorry, Master. Because of me, you were injured. Not only that, but you're suffering now too due to the lasting effects of the poison." Grabbing her left hand, he lifts it up to inspect it. Her eyes follow the action, and she sees that the purple rash had stopped by her palm, thankfully not spreading onto her fingers.
"...At least no true harm was done. For now, you should get plenty of rest." His frown deepens as he elaborates. "Holy Grail War rules protect master safety on campus. As long as you're here, the poison won't get worse." Oh, well that was good to know. At the very least, she was glad that the poison wouldn't spread to the rest of her body then.
"First thing tomorrow morning, it's the nurse's office for you. We'll resume training in the Arena after you've healed." Why did it feel like she was being nagged by a parent or something? Well...she wasn't going to try to argue with Archer on that one.
The man looks away from her, now avoiding eye contact. Could it be that...he was feeling guilty? Granted, neither of them were expecting the surprise attack, so the fact that she was still alive and breathing was already more than enough of a good sign, at least to her. But it appears that to her servant, he feels responsible for what happened.
"Archer-" "Before you say anything in defense and claim that it isn't my fault, no, it is." Archer runs a hand through his hair in frustration, looking at the state his master was in. She wants to object and say that just like the first Elimination Battle, neither of them were prepared for that sneak attack.
It was bad enough that Archer was blaming himself over the incident, but Hakuno wanted him to understand that he didn't need to beat himself up over it. Sure, he may be a servant, but it wasn't like he possessed the ability to see into the future or anything. They were both unable to predict what was to happen...so really, he didn't need to be so harsh on himself.
"Archer...it wasn't your fault. We didn't know that Dan's servant would launch a surprise attack on us to begin with...so-" Archer stands, towering over her as he clicks his tongue in irritation. "But look at you now! Can you honestly tell me that you're alright?! No, you're not! You look like you could faint again at any moment as we speak!"
The tanned man massages his temples as he goes on, clearly infuriated. "How can you look unfazed?! Are you not bothered that the man nearly killed you?! If I had been more careful, we wouldn't have gotten ourselves into this mess to begin with!"
Archer's raised voice silences the master almost instantly. She stares at him, both bewildered and hurt, before anger begins simmering inside of her. There he was, getting angry at her without hearing her out again. "Fine, maybe I am not okay right now. But why the heck are you getting mad at me for?!"
She grips onto the blanket tightly as she goes on, unable to keep the fury from boiling over. "Did you think that yelling at me would solve the problem then?! Alright, go ahead and knock yourself out! But if you could just calm down instead of shouting at me and listen to me, maybe I would start getting better!"
Even with how tired she felt, the master was indeed still upset and pissed at him. "It's true that both of us can't predict the unexpected all the time! Stuff like this happens Archer, and I know you care, but you can't also expect me to come out unscathed every single time!"
The two of them go quiet, with Hakuno glaring daggers at him. Unfortunately, the argument only served to make her even more exhausted, and she really hopes Archer would just take the hint and not decide to continue the fight. She's in no condition to argue him, and her servant's bad mood wasn't helping.
At last, her words seem to penetrate his thick skull, because Archer finally calms down, looking somewhat ashamed of himself. "...You're right. I'm sorry Master. It's just..." He slowly sits back down, letting out a long sigh. "...You...had almost died back there. If we didn't manage to get out of the Arena in time...you would've been gone for good."
"I know that...but I'm still alive." She looks at him straight in the eye when she says this, unflinching. "I'm still alive Archer. And as long as I still am, that's all that matters." She too also releases a sigh from her lips, before continuing. "I appreciate that you mind, Archer...really, I do. But you still did your best, and even defended me against two of those arrows. For that, I am grateful."
"...Even so...I...a part of me still feels like I've let you down and disappointed you as a servant. After all, it's a servant's job to protect their master at all costs...but seeing you take that blow..." His eyebrows furrow together as he says this, recalling the earlier events that happened in the Arena.
Hakuno's expression softens at this, shaking her head. "You're being ridiculous and overthinking. You haven't disappointed me or let me down or anything y'know."
She cracks a small smile to prove her point. "You told me back then, didn't you? That as long as the contract exists, you'll continue being my servant and fight for my sake. Well...I believe in you and trust you as my servant...and that hasn't changed, and won't change as long as I am your master. So really...you should just stop worrying too much."
"..." Archer now stares at her with a neutral expression, most likely processing her words. The minutes go by slowly, before he finally resigns, chuckling to himself. "Really, my master has a way with words sometimes. But alright."
Hakuno is filled with relief when he says this, finally glad that the argument was resolved and over. She could only hope that Archer still didn't feel too bad that she was in this state...but hey, at least he wasn't glaring at the floor and cursing to himself anymore.
The master tries to get into a sitting position, only to feel a numb pain resurfacing. Wincing, her head immediately falls back onto her pillow, with Archer standing up to help her. Dang...she felt sluggish all over, like her limbs were trying to waddle through a thick mud. What on earth did this poison do to her? Whatever it was, it was still extremely effective.
Man, this was so lame of her; she felt like a disabled patient in a hospital. "You shouldn't get up or move around too recklessly. The poison did still affect you while we were in the Arena after all, even if it isn't continuing to spread now." Right...she almost forgot about that part.
Adjusting her position, he props Hakuno up so that she was now sitting and leaning comfortably against the bedframe. Rummaging through the first aid kit, he takes out a few bandage rolls and some antiseptic, gesturing towards her arm.
"We should probably treat that wound, otherwise it'll be hard for you to rest properly." Oh...right. Hakuno almost forgot about the wound too. Maybe withstanding the poison earlier affected her ability to think.
The master moves her arms by reflex to remove her blazer, only to let out another wince of pain. Ok, the pain in her left arm hurt a lot more than she realised...even while on campus. Archer shakes his head, sighing. "What did I tell you earlier? You shouldn't be moving around too much."
Moving over, the man gently helps her out of her blazer, setting it down on a nearby chair. Hakuno frowns at the blood staining her sleeve; that would certainly be a pain to wash off later. Archer continues to stare at her, or rather, her clothed arm, eyebrows knitting together.
The seconds passed, and he's still staring at her arm. "...Is something wrong?" Hakuno pipes up a moment later, wondering what her servant may be thinking about. Archer brings a hand to massage the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. "It's nothing. Although...pardon me for asking this Master, but I'll need you to undress."
Silence filled the room as Hakuno stared back at Archer, eyes slowly growing wide and mind going blank. Even as tired as she was, her mind was now running at full capacity, about to combust and burst into flames. Did...did he just say what she thinks he said? "...Excuse me?!" What the heck did she just hear?! He had to be kidding. But...even for a joke...that was still...!
Archer shakes his head profusely, trying to clear the misunderstanding. "It's not what you think. I just need you to take off your sweater. I can't properly treat your wound otherwise, and I'll also need to examine your entire left arm just in case." Oh...so that's what he- wait no, even if that were the case...! That meant...that she had to take it off...in front of him...?!
The master felt the heat rush to the back of her neck instantly, her cheeks turning pink at the realisation. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one...as even Archer at least seemed extremely awkward at the current situation and turn of events. "Um...I apologise for the crude suggestion...but if it'll make things any better, you can wrap this around yourself to cover yourself..."
Handing her a towel, her face is practically burning at this point. Was she really going to do this?! Letting out a sheepish laugh, Hakuno decides to politely decline, trying to come up with an excuse instead. "Um...you know what? I'm ok. This pain is nothing. We can always get this treated at the nurse's office tomorrow-"
"And risk the wound getting infected? It's better to get it treated now. You're also still bleeding as we speak." Of course the nurse's office just had to be closed at night !Archer could see right through her like an open book, definitely aware that she was lying through her teeth even with the pain. Guh...she hated that he was right...but even so...
"I...I can treat the wound myself," she insists, causing Archer to raise an eyebrow. "When you can barely move at all? Yeah...I'm sure you can." Oh, of course he chooses to insult her now of all times! So what if he's right?! In her defense, she was just trying to avoid a very awkward scenario!
Archer resisted the urge to sigh, instead trying to sympathize with his master. "Master, I understand that you're embarassed. Believe me when I say I am too. But...it'll only be for a while. I'll try to get it done as soon as possible. The sooner we do it, the faster it'll be over." Yeah...of course she knows that...but...!
Biting down on her lower lip, she tries to calm herself down. Archer had a point...and besides, he was being extremely considerate to her even in these circumstances. It wasn't like she was going to be showing her bare chest to him or be stripping completely or anything. Right...this would only take a while, no need to be embarassed...!
She finally concedes, internally reminding herself that this was all for the sake of getting herself treated, on one condition. "Um...I'll uh...take the sweater off myself. So uh...if you could...maybe look the other way...I'd appreciate it."
Her voice was soft, Hakuno trying to keep it together and not melt into a puddle of sheer embarassment and shame. Awkwardly nodding his head, Archer turns his head to the other side and shuts both of his eyes, thankfully not insisting that he helped her or something like with her blazer. She was embarassed enough as it is, having to do this.
After making sure he wasn't peeking or anything, Hakuno sucks in a deep breath and slowly lifts the black turtleneck sweater over her head. It is a slightly clumsy process and takes a little longer than usual due to her left arm, but she manages to pull it off.
She takes a brief moment to stare at the wound, the purple rash having spread throughout her arm up until the side of her neck, leaving behind some nasty bright red blotches too. All in all, it looked like some alien...mutated...arm or something.
It was surely not a wonderful sight to see, that's for sure. One would probably puke out their dinner or even faint at seeing this. To think that the poison was this deadly...it was almost a miracle that she managed to survive.
Returning to the matter at hand and not wanting to keep her servant waiting for too long, Hakuno quickly grabs the towel, wrapping it securely it over her chest. It was a good thing that she had a camisole on today too.
Once she was ready, the girl mentally steeled herself. Right...it'll be over before she knew it. "O-Ok. You can uh...l-look now." The girl immediately wanted to kick herself after those words tumbled out of her mouth. She hated how shy she sounded. This was not some shoujo manga they were in for pete's sake! And she was technically still fully clothed for the most part...with a towel on too!
Why was she getting embarassed?! She could do this! Yeah...no biggie...this was all just to get her arm treated...nothing weird at all! Besides, this was her servant who was helping her, the same man who constantly berated her with every chance he got! Hence, all the more reason why she didn't need to feel tense around him at all...yeah!
She doesn't know if her servant didn't notice her awfully high pitched voice, or just chooses to spare her from the shame and not make her any more flustered than she already was, but he remains calm, like he always was. "Ok...then um...I'll turn around now." Turning his head back, Archer slowly opens his eyes.
The master watches as he froze, and while she was certain that he wasn't being a pervert and staring at her chest, she wasn't sure why he paused like that. Was he perhaps looking at her arm? It must've been that bad then.
"Um...Archer...?" she croaks, causing him to snap out of his daze. "Oh...right. Sorry about that," was all he said before he grabbed some cotton wool with a pair of tweezers and dipped it in the antiseptic.
"This may hurt quite a bit," her servant warns before he dabs the cotton wool onto her wound. She let's out a low hiss of pain, her fingers immediately curling around the bedsheets. Maybe it was due to the rash, but the pain from the antiseptic against her skin was even worse than what it would've usually felt. It didn't even feel this bad when she was treating her wounds during the first Elimination Battle.
She tries to think of something else aside from the stinging pain as Archer works on sterilising the wound. "I...sorry about this, for making you treat my wound. It must be annoying and disgusting, seeing my arm like this too," she says in between, holding in a gasp of pain as Archer applies more antiseptic.
The man gently grabs onto her arm, preventing her from pulling it away from him as he looks at her seriously, not a hint of disgust present in those steel-grey eyes of his. "Stay still. And no, it's not annoying nor disgusting. Believe me when I say I've seen and treaten wounds far worse than yours." The master didn't seem overly convinced, but with him being so serious as he worked, she supposed he was telling the truth.
It was...an odd feeling, watching him work up close and seeing him being all focused and...not sarcastic. Granted, he displayed a similar look whenever he was on the battlefield, but that was a different matter. And to think that just a few minutes ago they were arguing, but now he was treating her wound so carefully. She knew that it was mostly because servants needed to look out for their master's wellbeing, but even so...
While it does hurt a lot, the master bears with it until Archer is eventually done. Carefully wrapping the cut in bandages, Archer snips off the end and ties a knot to secure them together. Hakuno couldn't help but secretly admire his handiwork. Damn...he was better at doing first aid after all.
"T-Thanks a lot. You're...good at this...first aid and all," she remarked, staring at the bandages. He cocks his head to the side, shrugging his shoulders. "Kinda. I did have to do first aid on myself a lot of times in the past when I was still alive after all. Became better at it the more I did it."
So basically, he was a natural at the task then. No wonder he seemed so amused when she was busy treating his wounds back during the first Elimination Battle. The sneaky man...he was probably getting a kick out of seeing her awkward bandaging job...!
Keeping the rest of the materials back inside the kit box, he takes her by surprise once again, placing a hand against her forehead. Wait...what was he doing now?!Hakuno remained as still as a statue, not saying a word while Archer's hand was still on her forehead.
"Hmm...you might have a fever," he slowly says after a moment, withdrawing his hand from her forehead. O-Oh...no wonder he did that. He was just measuring her temperature then. Hakuno almost felt silly at this point for getting worried or embarassed over the smallest things.
But...a fever huh? The girl didn't know whether she should feel depressed or not. The fact that she not only got herself injured with a poisoned arrow...but also ended up getting sick too. That being said, Hakuno was definitely putting more work onto Archer by not only fainting from the poison, but getting sick on top of that.
It was then that Hakuno had noticed all the sweat she had accumulated. Perhaps it was due to fighting off the poison, but the master was feeling sticky and gross all over, with the sweat even causing her hair to stick to the back of her neck.
While the master was tempted to take a shower, she knew that it would be impossible with these bandages now around her arm. And no...there was absolutely no way she was going to suggest something as ridiculous as asking her servant to help her into the shower either, even if he was being really helpful and nice right now. She didn't know if Archer would feel bothered (though he'd probably will), but she'd probably pass out from embarassment if that happened.
Then again, not only was she sick, but she was pretty much completely spent and could barely move a muscle. The girl tiredly leans her head against the bedframe, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position. A wave of exhaustion suddenly hits her like a truck, and the girl found herself feeling worn out despite the pain she was still feeling in her left arm. This must be the side effects of the poison then.
The girl pretty much dozes off for a while, almost falling into a state of slumber before she hears a clinking sound. Slowly cracking her eyes open, she groggily sees Archer placing a small basin of water onto the table with one hand while the other was holding onto a small towel.
"Archer...?" she weakly looks up at him, calling out his name in a hoarse and soft voice, as if saying it had already sapped most of her energy. The servant dips the towel into the basin, letting it soak up some of the water before he lifts it up and squeezes some of the excess liquid to prevent it from dripping everywhere. Wait...was he...? No...he couldn't be-
"Please pardon me again, Master." Before Hakuno could even react, Archer gently lifts her up by her back so that her position was upright, supporting her with his hand. A pink hue immediately colours her cheeks, and she presses her hand against his chest weakly to push him away, finding that even her other hand had little to no strength to move. "A-Archer...what are you-"
"Calm down. No need to be alarmed. I'm just wiping you down, from your head to your arms and back, or it'll be uncomfortable for you to sleep later otherwise. Besides, you're sick." Even so...couldn't he have asked her first?
And really...he was going above and beyond just 'helping her out' at this point. Sick or not, she wasn't a kid or anything. "You don't need to-" "Please Master. Just...let me do this. It's the least I can do for you now. A sick person that you are should just keep quiet and let me finish." He frowns at her when he says this, showing that he wasn't going to budge.
The master had tried to reach for the towel to grab it from him, only for Archer to lightly swat her hand away. That look he gave her...it was...unfair, especially when she's sick like this. She knew he was just helping her but did he have to be this nice about it? Her servant was almost acting like a completely different person, and it sort of irked her. Was the world going to end tomorrow or something?
Hakuno was still having mixed feelings on this, but eventually gives in, knowing that she has no strength to pull away anyway. A few thoughts began running through her head as she silently watched her servant. Archer...he really was a kind man underneath and stoic exterior he puts up.
Although strict at times, she also knew that he was only being hard on her for her sake. While Hakuno wasn't going to start telling him to act this way all the time (it wouldn't be good for her heart either), it was still...a nice change of pace, a refreshing change, a good thing to note that he cared for her.
But then again...there were times when she really wonders...just why does he care for her so much? Why is he being so gentle with her right now too? It didn't make sense. After all, the two of them were only bounded by a temporary master-servant pact. He had no obligation to treat her kindly like this...and yet...Hakuno couldn't help but appreciate the sweet gesture. This was indeed a weird feeling, a feeling that's foreign to her...a feeling she couldn't quite describe herself.
Her eyelids by then were growing heavier by the second, the cool feeling of the wet towel against her shoulder quite pleasant. Unknowingly, the girl finds herself leaning against the man's shoulder, too tired to hold herself up.
The man seems surprised at the action, stiffening at the close contact at first, but eventually allows her to rest her head on his shoulder anyway. Watching him take care of her like this was a strange experience indeed...and yet...she couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty.
Being taken care by him wasn't bad but...it further made her realise how useless she was. Again, she has to rely so much on her servant...what a hopeless case she was. She wished she could be more reliable and stronger as a master...she wished that she could do something in return to thank him, but the master at this point could barely move or talk at all.
How pathetic. She said that she needed to buckle down and get serious...but look at her now, being nothing but human baggage for her servant, and he was probably thinking the same. She couldn't do anything for him despite being his master. She should probably apologize...no...she definitely needs to.
"Archer..." Her voice at this point is as soft as a whisper, her eyes closing as she breathes, before muttering, "...I'm sorry...for troubling you." Hakuno needed to get her act together. She needs to try harder, to work harder so that this won't happen again. The girl wishes she could properly and sincerely apologize to him for the additional burden she's placed on his shoulders, but the master can no longer stay awake, and soon drifts to sleep in his arms.
Just before she was fully unconscious...although somewhat muffled, she almost could've sworn she heard her servant's voice in her ears. "Idiot...you aren't troubling me at all. Sleep well...Master."
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Screams. She heard screaming everywhere. Ear-piercing screams that tore through the silence of the night, screams of pain and fear, screams that could penetrate through her entire being.
The girl was surrounded by darkness. All around her, she could hear the screams of various people. They were yelling out for someone, anyone to save them. Hakuno wants to cover her ears to try and drown out the sound of these screams, but they don't stop...and only intensify in volume instead.
Suddenly, she fells something tug at her feet. Looking down, her eyes widened in horror at the corpses of various Tsukumihara students covered in blood, grabbing her feet and legs. "Help us...save us...!"
She finally realized that the screams she had been hearing were theirs, the voices of all these fallen masters who had died during the prelims and first round that cried out in desperation. She knows she cannot grant them the salvation they desire, and yet the guilt eats at her. She struggles against their hold as the corpses begin dragging her down into an unknown and putrid black mud below.
Panic wells inside of her as she continues to fight back, a scream of her own erupting from her mouth. She needs to live...she doesn't want to die...and yet...did she even deserve to live in the first place? Knowing that she had no desire for the grail, that she was purely fighting to survive...did that make her worthy enough of living on?
The corpses continue to tug at her body, and Hakuno sees that she is soon fighting a losing battle. The bodies pull her in with immense force, submerging her body into the mud. The master coughs, gasping for breath as she tries to keep her head afloat the mud. She didn't know what this mud was...but it was gradually sucking all of the energy out of her.
A sharp pain erupts in her left arm...but her body is already submerged to the point where the master has no way of checking if her limbs were alright...or even still intact for that matter. No...it couldn't end like this...! She didn't want to end up like them...! She still wants to live...!
"How could you?" She hears a familiar voice amongst the chorus of screams, freezing in place. "How could you live on selfishly like that, and leave me to die, Hakuno?!" The voice sounded both hurt and betrayed. No...it couldn't be...!
She feels a pair of ice cold hands roughly snake around her neck, grabbing ahold of it and squeezing to a point where all the air leaves her lungs. She let's out a strangled cry followed by a few choked coughs, trying to breathe despite the tight hold on her neck. It almost felt like her neck was going to snap in half at the intensity of the death grip.
A blood-covered face appears in front of her, causing her eyes to nearly bulge out of her sockets in fear. She wants to escape, but finds that she can't.The woman stares at her in the eye, her face devoid of emotion before she let's out a shrill cry, her voice that was dripping with anger and venom echoing across the abyss. "HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THIS?!"
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"...e. Master, are you alright?!" Hakuno's eyes shot open, with tears already forming and pricking the edges of her eyes as she let's out a quiet sob, gripping onto the bedsheets tightly. She blinks profusely, trying to rid her eyes of the tears and clear her vision, ignoring the soreness of her throat.
The first thing she sees this time is not the ceiling, but her servant's face looking down at her in concerned. The dim moonlight that shone through the windows of the room highlighted his creased eyebrows, a deep frown on her face. It was an peculiar expression on him, seeing him so worried.
"A...A...Arch..." The brown-haired master let's out a harsh cough despite her throat hurting, unable to even call out her servant's name. Her servant was there before her, and she wasn't dead...not yet. She could definitely feel and hear the loud thumping of her heartbeat against her ears. So...that had all been...
"Are you ok, Master? You almost gave me a fright, yelling and thrashing around in your sleep." So her servant had forced her awake. A fever dream perhaps? She didn't know. While she wanted to thank him, her throat still burned, most likely from screaming.
A sharp pain shoots through her left arm, causing her to let out a hiss of pain. She tries to move to grasp her arm, except it only makes it worse, and the girl practically writhes at the burning sensation that tears through her arm and shoulder, like someone had taken a knife and repeatedly stabbed her with it. Noticing her discomfort, Archer immediately helps her up, propping her against his shoulder for support.
Her body trembles violently at the pain, eyes squeezing shut as she shudders, letting out a few more coughs. It hurts...it hurts so bad...! By then, tears were inevitably streaming down her cheeks, but all Hakuno could focus on was the pain that wracked through her entire being. She couldn't even think nor speak, and could only lie helplessly against her servant.
The servant looks down at her, and for a moment she almost thought she saw a glimmer of fear flash by his eyes. Hesitantly, the servant begins rubbing a few slow circles around her back to try and calm her down. She tightly grips onto his shirt, letting out a few ragged gasps amidst her uneven breathing, her chest heaving.
After what felt like an eternity, her body begins slumping in exhaustion, and soon, her breathing evens out and returns to normal. The numb pain lingered in her left arm, but the master was glad that she was feeling slightly better now. She continues to lie against her servant weakly, unable to move with her left arm limp by her side. It feels strangely comfy relaxing against him, with the unwell master leeching off of her servant's warmth.
"...Feeling better now?" she hears her servant's deep voice asking, careful not to make any sudden movements in case the pain might return. Despite the increasing tiredness weighing on her body like a pile of bricks, she musters a nod, her eyes drooping.
"...Sorry about this, Archer," the master murmurs. She could barely register the sound of her own voice, and could only hope that her servant was able to hear it. The man does to her relief, and she could feel him shaking his head. "Hey, don't worry about it. You're suffering a lot more than I am right now anyway."
What came after his snarky remark felt like the remnants of a tired laugh bubbling at the surface of her throat. Sarcasm aside, she appreciated him for trying to cheer her up anyway. Gently laying her back onto the bed, Archer carefully tucks her in, and it was at that moment that Hakuno realises she was properly clothed in her black sweater.
Odd...she didn't recall putting it back on before she fell asleep. Did her servant help her then? While she should feel very embarassed, the lack of energy continues to nip away at her body. At this point, she can't tell if her mind was still connected to her body with how disoriented she was. Archer wasn't mentioning anything about it either, so she should probably save them both the embarassment and keep quiet.
Setting her back on the bed slowly, Archer walks away, only to come back what appears to be a glass of water later on. "Think you can drink this yourself?" he asks her, and as much as she wants to say yes...she really can barely move right now without her body possibly erupting into another fit of pain. Instead, she stares hard at the glass in his hand, almost as it doing so might allow the glass to levitate in the air, before giving up and slowly shaking her head, ashamed.
She feels the bed dipping slightly with her servant pressing his weight on it as he gently lifts her head with a hand, directing and tipping the glass to her lips. She gladly sips the liquid, albeit slowly, feeling the cool liquid slide down and soothe her aching throat just a tiny bit. Archer doesn't say a word the entire time, placing the empty glass by the bedside table once he was done, and Hakuno is just glad for her servant's patience with her once again.
Grabbing the towel that had fallen from her face onto the bed, Archer dips it into the water slightly before wiping off the sweat that covered her pale face, placing the soft item atop her forehead when he was done. The cold feeling of the wet towel felt good against her forehead, and Hakuno once again begins to feel extremely drowsy despite having just woken up from a bad dream.
"...Had another nightmare?" her servant questions a moment later, expression now neutral and more calm. She pauses, eyeing him through glassy eyes that were filled with fatigue and weariness. She wasn't going to deny it this time, a dull ache throbbing in her head. Another slow nod of the head, the master finding it difficult to speak up even if she wanted to.
As much as possible, she didn't want to recall anything about that nightmare. It obviously wasn't the first nightmare she had since the war began...but it was still terrifying. All the sensations she experienced, they all felt hauntingly real that she didn't know what to think of it.
What did she do to deserve this? Was this some sort of curse that she was doomed and stuck with? All because she lived on and wanted to survive while many others perished? She doesn't know...and she doesn't want to dwell on it either, her mind a muddled mess with the stupid pain and fever disturbing her train of thought.
"...I see." The servant seems to sense her foul mood, as he gently places his hand on top of hers. In her feverish state, his palm went cool and soothing, almost like a source of comfort for her. "Hey, don't worry about it too much. Whatever you dreamed of earlier...it won't come for you anymore." He says this all lightly, but Hakuno feels that it is his way of trying to cheer her up.
A lump suddenly starts forming in her throat as she tries to swallow it down. She turns her neck slightly, biting down on her bottom lip in remorse. She really was hopeless. This wouldn't do...all she's doing is causing trouble for him and making him worry for her.
"Archer...I'm really-" "You need to stop apologizing." Her servant cuts her off, tugging the blanket up so that her arms were properly covered. "It's not your fault, Master...and it isn't burdensome for me either. For now...just focus on getting enough rest. I know it's tough on you too, sleeping while fighting off the poison." He gives her hand a light squeeze after he says this, almost as if trying to show the genuine sincerity in his words.
She stares back at him for a moment, looking into the depths of those steel-grey irises. Hakuno's beyond touched at her servant's thoughtfulness and care, and it takes her all her willpower not to possibly break down and start crying all over again (Archer would probably panic if she did). Every time when she was at her lowest point, it was her servant that came to her aid, and remained by her side until she got back up. She couldn't even begin to wonder how to express her gratitude.
So instead, Hakuno smiles through the pain and exhaustion, chuckling a bit. Her voice sounds incredibly tired to her ears, but she forces herself to stay awake. "Thanks...Archer." She hopes that she is able to convey even just a little of how thankful she was to him. And someday...she also hopes to return the favour.
Hakuno doesn't know what expression her servant is making, but she does see the surprise in his eyes. The servant let's out an awkward cough, hiding part of his face behind a hand, before he clears his throat. "It's nothing much. You don't have to thank me either. What servant would I be to neglect my master in need of help?" She knows that he's humble at heart, but still, she wants to thank him.
A random thought pops up in her mind, and she doesn't know if it's due to her fever or not, but Hakuno just decides to ask it anyway out of curiosity. "Archer...that day...why did you seem so angry with Dan's servant approaching me about changing servants?" Her servant pauses, and she feels his grip on her hand tightening slightly at that. He stares at her, not expecting the question at all. "...Why do you ask?"
Why did she wanted to know anyway? Probably because her servant looked particularly pissed and bothered in that moment? Because usually he'd be more calm, so seeing him snap like that was surprising. "Hmm...I'm not sure. I was just...curious," she instead responds, deciding not to go to deep into her reasons.
If anything, she'd assume Archer wouldn't have minded the proposal. She was a weak master to begin with, and so she thought Archer would've preferred to side with a stronger master too, but was astonished to see Archer defending her like that.
The servant goes quiet, as if trying to think of what to say. "...You don't have to think too much on it. It was...more so a matter of me being selfish." Selfish? What does he mean by that? The servant scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, almost as if embarassed to elaborate.
"Like I said, you don't have to dwell on that too much. It was just a matter of me acting on my own volition. That, and that guy was being too creepy and handsy, not to mention he was very suspicious. It was a good thing that you didn't end up tagging along with him, Master." Hakuno's mouth dropped slightly at this explanation. So that meant...he didn't mind having her as his master?
The tanned servant let's out another sigh. "Really...you think too negatively sometimes. In case you forgot, I answered to your summons back during the prelims, and I don't intend to prematurely erase our contract just like that." He raises her left hand slightly, showing the command seals. "So long as these command seals exist, I will continue to fight for you. That was the contract we established, was it not?" Well...even so...she didn't think he would actually stick to it.
"I don't know what other negative thoughts are running through your head, but you can put your mind at ease. I don't intend to break off our contract like that. Only you will be my master for this war." He says this firmly, and with conviction too, that Hakuno is at a loss for words. So...he doesn't want to change masters after all? Even when she's so flawed as a magus?
Archer nods his head, resting her hand back onto the bed. "Well...you aren't the best master out there. There are certainly stronger and more capable participants, Dan being one of them, but I'm not so heartless just yet as to abandon my current master for another one."
His expression softens slightly as he says this. "You aren't that amazing yet...but you're improving. So stop worrying about these small things. I'm not going anywhere, and you're stuck with this sarcastic servant here too. If anything, just focus on our opponents for now. You have to get back at that servant for shooting a poisoned arrow at you too." This causes Hakuno to chuckle once again, now feeling more relieved than ever. It was good to know that her servant wouldn't betray her in that way.
It didn't take long for a yawn to escape her lips, even while she tried to hold it in. Dang this poison, making her so tired like this. "...If you're tired, you should rest. Go back to sleep, Master." He urges her back to sleep, but part of her still feels hesitant and afraid. Did she want to sleep? Perhaps...given how tired and lethargic she still felt. That, and her whole body, particularly her left arm, still hurts a ton. But to fall asleep and risk getting attacked by another nightmare...that was...
As if reading her mind, Archer speaks up once again. "It's alright, Master. Just rest...I'll be right here by your side as you sleep." The corners of his lips tug upwards, trying to give her some form of reassurance.She wants to decline his offer, but perhaps it's the fever getting to her head, because she finds that she cannot reject it. He really didn't need to...and yet, the servant still chooses to do it anyway.
Just like that...like some invisible spell that was casted on her, the unease slowly begins to fade away. Her eyelids by then were feeling immensely heavy, and after pondering on her servant's words, gives in and closes her eyes. Somehow...a part of her now felt safer, knowing that she'll be able to rest better this time.
"...Hope you have pleasant dreams this time, Master." She vaguely hears her servant's voice before she loses consciousness, the large, calloused hand that continued to hold onto hers securely lulling her back to sleep.
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Archer had screwed up...big time.
It wasn't as if this was his first time being a servant in the Holy Grail War before. He had gone through this battle royale before, so he should know what he was doing. While he didn't find much merit in bragging, he did think that he was proficient in his job, skilled enough to fight enemies and hold his ground against them.
And so when it came to protecting his master from harm, Archer thought for sure that he knew what they were facing. Throughout the whole morning, ever since they had left the private room, Archer could already sense that something was off. There was killer intent in the air, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that his master was being targeted.
The tanned man could pretty much guess who it was, and he was fairly confident in the accuracy of his assumption too: Dan's servant. The Archer-class servant decided to bring up the matter after classes had ended, swiftly taking action and bringing his master into the Arena. He didn't know how secure the area it would be, but it was definitely safer than remaining on school grounds.
Next came the harder part: luring in the enemy. He knew that the enemy's attention had already been caught ever since they made a mad dash towards the Arena, but would this be enough draw out the culprit? Going further into the Arena with an anxious master by his side, Archer could only hope that his plan would work...or this would all be for naught.
Intercepting the arrow that was shot at his master, the servant smirks at the hooded man. It was a mediocre attempt to assasinate his master, with Archer being able to see the arrow coming from a mile away. Standing in front of Hakuno, he readies the blades in his hands, prepared to launch a counterattack of his own and attack the hooded man...
...Or so he thought.
Whirling around, the servant's eyes widened in disbelief as he saw his master now kneeling on the ground, clutching her arm. Although thin, the line of blood training down her sleeve didn't go unnoticed. Wait a second...there was a second arrow that had been shot?!
He knew there was a sneak attack coming, but to think the enemy servant had shot two poisoned arrows within such a short span of time, and one of them managed to bypass his sight! That damn bastard...so he was an Archer too?!
Curses were already flying out his mouth as he quickly took a look at his master's arm, seeing that the poison had already begun to take effect, spreading through her arm. The man wanted to punch himself for his carelessness, but there were more pressing matters to address at the moment.
The colour was already steadily draining from Hakuno's face as they navigated their way to the exit. Archer wanted nothing more than to drive one of his blades through that servant's heart at that very moment, and while he was tempted to just grab onto his weak master and quickly make their way out of this place, but he knew better than to be hasty and irrational, especially after missing that second arrow earlier.
Thankfully, his instincts were right this time, and the servant manages to block the third arrow directed at his master. A deadly threat along the lines of skewering that bastard's face with a few arrows were on the tip of his tongue, but it seems that it was a threat to be saved for another day, as his master sends them back to the school immediately.
Just as that guy had warned, his master's condition hadn't gotten any better even on school grounds, with Hakuno passing out right at the Arena entrance shortly after they returned. Carrying the petite girl upstairs, the man curses aloud.
He knew that the poison wouldn't spread any more than it already did, so that was fortunate for them, but it seemed that the enemy servant's plan still succeeded to some extent, as the poison had spread enough to affect the girl nonetheless even on campus. The girl's complexion wasn't improving even after several minutes had gone by, breathing heavily in his arms as he carefully balanced her body in one arm, opening the door to their private room with the other.
Shutting the door behind them with his foot, he walks over and deposits the unconscious master onto the bed. Even though his master needed urgent medical attention, they would only be able to head to the nurse's office tomorrow morning, which meant that his master would have to deal with the effects of the lingering poison tonight whether they liked it or not. He could only hope that Sakura would be able to treat and get the poison out of her system tomorrow...or there would be more trouble arising in the future for both of them if she couldn't.
If he had paid enough attention, he definitely would've noticed the second arrow too. And now, his master had to suffer through the consequences of his actions, much to his displeasure. The man clenches his hands into fists, grinding his teeth to prevent him from potentially punching through the wall to let out his anger.
Had his skills dulled over time? No, it couldn't be. He had spent years...decades even using and honing his mastery over all kinds of weapons. Then what? The only other indicator was that...he had let his guard down, and only had himself and his arrogance to blame for what had happened.
The man sucks in a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within him, the part that wanted nothing more than to hunt down the man that was responsible for inflicting this pain onto his master. But he knew that he couldn't leave his master alone now, that when she was in so much pain.
His master had woken up shortly after, and based from her expression, she was looking worse for wear. Her skin looked sickly...deathly white like a sheet of paper even, and sweat clunged to her skin as she struggled to stay conscious, her eyes looking unfocused and tired. Lifting up her hand, he frowns at the purple rash that had spread up to her palm. As much as he wished he could help her, he knew he couldn't take away the pain she was feeling.
The servant hadn't intended to get mad or take his anger out of on his unwell master...since she was already suffering and trying to cope with the effects of the poison after all. However, seeing her try to defend him and say that no, it wasn't his fault that she was in such a sorry state, the thin thread of his patience snapped.
Wasn't she concerned about herself at all?! She nearly died back there, and here she was still trying to act normal through it all like nothing had happened. The servant found it ridiculous that she didn't care much of her wellbeing even in this situation.
He had expected her to at least get a bit upset, but no, none of that. Her face still had that neutral expression, trying to assure him that it wasn't his responsibility. She was being too kind on him...and he needed to be harsh with himself for allowing her to get wounded.
He should very well be bothered. His master was on the verge of knocking on death's door after all. The man felt that he had failed. Just like with the first round Elimination Battle, he had allowed his master to get severely hurt.
He knew that she wasn't as strong as his previous master, that was certain, but he was still careless and that almost costed him his master's life. All he had to do was protect her from harm, and he had assured her of that in the past, but even he couldn't do that properly. The man was frustrated with not only her but with himself.
He watches as his master retreats into silence, stunned. Even so, he hadn't expected for his master to get mad at him in return, raising her own tired voice against his own and yelling back at him. She huffs, eyes glaring holes at him, annoyed and angry. The man now feels bad at getting mad at a sick person if anything, now calming down. She was right. What good would it do to get mad at her of all people, especially now that the damage had already been done?
And so he sighs. Just what was he trying to accomplish by getting angry at her? Just what was he trying to prove? Archer had always believed in being rational, level-headed and calm no matter how dire the situation became...and yet here he was contradicting his own beliefs by taking it out on her. Truly...his master was making him feel messed up. It had definitely been a long time since he felt raw anger and rage, and all these other emotions he hadn't expressed in a while either.
Just like before, his master too simmers down and the two of them talk it out, eventually coming to a truce, a consensus. However, then came another problem...which was treating the wound on her arm that had been neglected up until now.
Now...even with how sarcastic he may be, Archer was still a man of morals. He obviously couldn't leave his master to slowly bleed out throughout the night with an open wound, and yet it was probably impossible to properly treat the wound with her sweater on. And no...he didn't have any weird or sick, ulterior motives for doing so.
Of course, his master had reacted exactly like he imagined, embarassed and incredibly flustered. He had gone about it in the most polite way possible, trying not to startle her too much. Granted, he too was also feeling incredibly awkward at the turn of events, especially after asking her to remove her sweater. There was a bit of back and forth banter between the two, with Hakuno obviously making excuses. Her excuses however, weren't even remotely convincing given how terrible she looked.
At last, he manages to finally convince her, and being the decent gentleman that he was, turned around and closed his eyes so that his master could get to work with removing the piece of clothing herself. The man tries not to think too much about rustling of clothing he heard in the background, after all...this was purely to treat her injury.
Upon looking at her, the man couldn't help but stare, mildly astonished. While he was somewhat aware that his master was quite thin...a little too thin if he may add given how extremely light she was whenever he carried her, it was still a surprise to see just how small and incredibly thin her stature was without the thick sweater or slightly bulky blazer on.
She didn't look malnourished or bony per se, but she was definitely on the more thinner side in terms of her build. Her shoulders and arms were frail with little muscle, almost looking as fragile as a twig that could easily snap apart. Overall, she seemed...small and fragile, and it was then that he couldn't help but feel pity for his master yet again...this girl that was thrown into this mess of a bloodshed against her will, and forced to participate in the Holy Grail War.
What caught his attention the most however, was her left arm. He knew that that the rash from the poisoned arrow had spread, but he didn't imagine that the damage that would be this bad. His master's left arm was in such a terrible state that it almost seemed to be a different part of her body, further highlighting the deadliness of the poison that was still coursing through her system...the rash that was indirectly his doing.
"...Um...Archer?" His master's hesitant voice brings him out of his thoughts. Right, he should start handling the wound as soon as possible. Grabbing onto his master's arm, the man sets off to work, carefully treating the injury while his master tried her best not to squirm too much from the pain.
"I...sorry about this, for making you treat my wound. It must be annoying and disgusting, seeing my arm like this too." His eyes are still focused on the gash on her arm, but he doesn't pull away either. Was he repulsed by the sight? No, he wasn't. It was true that he had seen worse in the past. Dislocated limbs, severed limbs, dead bodies, burnt or decaying corpses...he had seen them all. In fact, he had so much exposure to them to a point where the man doesn't even flinch if he sees a dead body in front of them now.
In actuality, he was more so angry and frustrated at himself yet again, but was trying his best not to show it on his face while he continued to apply the antiseptic on the injury. Had he been more aware of his surroundings, they probably wouldn't even be stuck in this dilemma to begin with. But the man doesn't bring it up, for he doesn't need to add more problems for his master to deal with, trying to instead shove the negative thoughts away and concentrate on the task at hand.
It was during the treatment that he noticed all the sweat that his master was exuding. He wasn't disgusted...but figured that his master would feel uncomfortable later when she eventually slept. With how tired she was (and that she was literally on the verge of falling asleep too), he supposed she wasn't in a state where she could wash herself off too.She'd probably end up hurting herself even more even if she tried in that condition. Scrunching his eyebrows, he stands to keep the first aid kit. The man hesitates.
...Would it be considered intrusive or too much to help her? Granted, he was only thinking of wiping her down from her head, arms and back so that she could sleep better later. He doesn't mind, but his master probably would, and he didn't want to possibly end up being misunderstood as some pervert or something. His conflicted thoughts however, are interrupted when his eyes go back on his master that was now staring off into space, her tired eyes looking unfocused and hazy.
Now that he took a closer look, his master looks flushed, and not from embarassment. Without thinking, Archer calmly walks over and places a hand on her forehead. His frown deepens, feeling a hot sensation on his palm; she was burning up.
It must be a side effect from processing and retaliating against the foreign substances of the poison in her system. Whatever poison had entered her body, it was definitely a strong and still active one. After considering it a while longer, the servant sighs. Screw it, he was going to take matters into his own hands and just help to wipe her down. The sooner she got back to resting, the better for her body.
Rummaging around some of the cupboards, shelves and boxes in the classroom, he manages to find a small plastic basin and a towel. The items appear oddly clean and in good condition rather than musty, so he supposed he could make use of these two. Brisk walking to the bathroom, he runs some water just to rid the basin of its thin layer of dust, before filling it up.
Setting it down on the bedside table, he wets the towel before helping the brown-haired master to sit upright, holding her up by her back. Her back feels hot against his fingers, further emphasizing how feverish she must be feeling.
She looks at him, glassy eyes bewildered as he places the wet towel against her forehead to wipe off the beads of sweat that had formed. Her hands were already reaching for the towel to grab it from him, a sound of protest on her lips, but he swats it away. Really...even with how weak and sick she seemed, Hakuno still insisted on doing it herself. It was times like these that he wished she could just rely on him more and accept his help.
Luckily, the master doesn't seem to fight back as much this time, most likely because she was way too tired to do so. Most of her energy was probably gone anyway, with whatever was left of it focused on resisting the poison. Instead, she stays still, staring at him silently as he gently brushed the towel over her face, before moving to her neck and carefully parting her long, wavy hair out of the way.
Here, as he supported her body, did he notice just how much tinier and fragile she was in comparison to himself, how easily she could vanish at any given second, how this young girl held so much responsibility and burden on her shoulders as a master in this war. He doesn't say a word. He doesn't dare to, for he knows that his words wouldn't change the fact that she still needed to fight so long as those command seals on her hand were present.
It was then that he felt Hakuno's head on his shoulder, causing him to freeze. He remained perfectly still for a minute, somewhat confused when his attention goes to her breathing that was beginning to slow down. With her eyes drooping like that too, she was probably about to sleep. He doesn't push the master away, but rather, he allows her to lean against it, repositioning himself slightly so that she was more comfortable. Even with her weight pressing against him, she still felt so light.
"Archer..." Her voice cuts through the pin drop silence, although incredibly soft. She pauses, as if taking a moment to form the words on her tongue, before she pipes up once again. "...I'm sorry...for troubling you..." The man purses his lips together, frowning. She didn't need to apologize. He was doing it out of his own will...so it wasn't as if she was forcing him or anything.
He gazes at her sleeping face, the sight of it somewhat serene. Really...what an odd master he had. Even when she was suffering herself, did she still think of him rather than her own wellbeing. Then again, that was just one of the signature traits she had as his contractor...to put others first over herself. He didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
Finishing the cleaning process, Archer was about to set his now sleeping master back down onto the bed when he pauses, suddenly faced with yet another problem. He had almost forgotten that his master had taken her sweater off earlier. A quiet curse spills from his mouth as he alternates between staring at his master and the sweater placed on the bed.
...Should he do it? It shouldn't be too hard to put the sweater back on for Hakuno, especially now that she was fast asleep. And yet he finds himself hesitating yet again...for obvious reasons. Looking down at the sleeping girl in his arms, the man finally concludes that like before, it was better to just not think too much and do it. He didn't need his master getting any sicker than she already was, or feeling cold while she slept.
Grabbing the article of clothing, Archer mutters a quiet apology to his master. Gently peeling off the towel that was wrapped around her chest, the man silently thanks the heavens that she was at least wearing a camisole.
He tries not to look too much as the man tugs the sweater over her head and arms as quick as he possibly could, careful not to move her around too much or startle her awake. Thankfully, she remains asleep during the entire procedure, and the man has to let out a sigh of relief at that.
Setting his master down onto the bed, he draws the blanket over her body, before placing the wet towel over her forehead to try and help with the fever. With nothing much to do now that his master was sleeping, the man decides to wash her blazer, carrying it to the bathroom.
While scrubbing at the bloodstain, Archer couldn't help but reminisce back on the past. It had been a while since he's done something like this. He had almost forgotten what it was like to take care of someone else, having spent many years alone and looking out for himself. Heck, he could barely recall the last time he had to do mundane chores such as this.
His previous master had been independent for the most part and rather insistent on taking care of herself, so there was barely any need to assist her outside of combat. Well...there was that time when he had to spend the whole night cleaning the living room after he trashed it upon his summoning...but that was a different matter. Overall...it was...a strange experience...taking care of his master like this, and yet the man found that he didn't really mind it either.
Hanging out the blazer to dry, he returns returns to the room, dragging a nearby chair before he plops himself down by the bed, finally able to rest after all the mayhem that had occurred today. Folding a leg over the other, he settles in that position, finding it a little difficult to get comfortable with only a simple wooden chair and nothing else, especially with his height and long legs...but no matter.
He continues to eye his unconscious master, getting lost in his own thoughts. His master was so still while she slept...and with that complexion of hers, she could easily be mistaken for dead as a corpse if not for the slow rise and fall of her chest being the only indicator that she was alive.
Dan's servant...he wondered who he really was. Annoying personality aside, the man seemed to be rather skilled in handling and using poisons...not to mention that he was Archer too given his use of poisoned arrows, infuriating as that may be.
The man was also rather proficient in attacking from the shadows, almost like an Assassin. The two of them would need to be on the lookout from now on and expand their information search a lot more. Now he was pretty much counting on that Rani girl to be useful and provide them with the information they needed...or else...
He shakes his head, groaning. No point going about the matter in circles and worrying pointlessly. He supposed now, he should focus more on looking after his master. The servant makes sure that the wet towel on her master's head is still cool and damp before he crosses his arms over his chest.
Well...now that she was asleep...there wasn't anything much to do except to watch over his master. Even with the lack of energy tugging at his bones, the servant found that he didn't really feel like sleeping...at least not yet.
And so, he stands to rummage through the shelves and boxes a little more, soon finding what he was looking for: a sewing kit. He holds the item in his hands with raised eyebrows. Man...he hadn't seen or used these things in quite a while too.
It was almost strange how the boxes coincidentally contained some pretty useful everyday items and essentials...ranging from basic amenities to convenient tools...even an iron for ironing out clothes but he wasn't going to question it too much at this point. He supposed this was all prepared and left behind by the SE.RA.PH or something to cater to the master's bare minimum comfort while they stayed in the school for the duration of the war after all. That...and it would make his task a lot easier too.
Going to the bathroom, he makes use of the hairdryer to try and blow dry the blazer as much as possible. It does take quite a while, but the servant does have a lot of time on his hands too. Picking up the slightly damp blazer, the servant shrugs his shoulders; he supposed this is the best he could do for now. Heading back to the room, he tries not to be too loud as the man begins to iron out and straighten the wrinkles on the blazer.
Granted...his master could just produce a new uniform to wear from her terminal or even buy one from the commissary at a fairly cheap price, he still found it a waste to throw the piece of clothing away, especially when it wasn't that damaged to begin with. Sitting himself back down onto the chair, he gets to work and begins stitching up the torn sleeve.
Doing all these menial chores...it certainly did bring back a feeling of nostalgia. He almost wanted to chuckle at the situation. Here he was...as a servant in yet another gruesome Holy Grail War...doing chores that was pretty much equivalent to housework. What a weird turn of events this really was.
Archer, having finished repairing the sleeve and was now keeping all the tools back in their respective places, suddenly heard a groan behind him. Turning his head, he sees his master stirring in her sleep, her breathing quickening as her eyebrows knitted together. It was probably due to the pain in her left arm...
Suddenly, a scream tore out of her lips, startling the man. What the...? Without wasting time, Archer rushes to his master's side, examining her state. Had the poison on her left arm gotten worse without him realising? Yanking the blanket off, he sees that Hakuno's arm was still the same as before. No...her left arm's condition hadn't worsened. Then...
By then, the master was violently thrashing her arms around, kicking at the blanket that tugged at her waist and legs. Archer immediately grabs ahold of her arms, trying to wake her up. Another nightmare? This wasn't like any of the other nightmares his master had though. He had never seen her in such a state...it was almost as if she had been possessed in her sleep. What on earth was happening to her??
"Master...please wake up." His voice is firm as he tries to get her to wake up from whatever she was experiencing. Seeing that she wasn't responding to his voice, he begins shaking at her shoulders, careful not to grip them too tightly and hurt her. Dang it, was this another one of the poison's side effects or something?! Just what was going on?!
"Master, please wake up! Can you hear me?! Master, are you alright?!" At last, it seems that his master had managed to somehow register his voice in her sleep. That, or him shaking her shoulders managed to pull her out of her state of slumber...he wasn't really sure. But he watches as Hakuno's eyes shot open, breathing heavily.
Seeing the immense pain that gripped her body, Archer quickly picks her up with no hesitation, resting her body against his. Her body was shaking and convulsing so much that he was almost afraid that she would suffer from a heart attack or something. Tears were freely falling from her eyes as she coughed, unable to do anything but endure the pain and wait for it to subside.
He couldn't even begin to imagine the hell that his master was going through as she laid against his body. As much as he wished he could take at least some of the pain away from her so that she wouldn't be suffering as much, he couldn't. He could only watch as she continued to writhe and gasp in pain, almost as if her whole body was on fire.
So instead, the servant tries to provide some comfort, hesitantly and slowly rubbing small circles around her back to soothe her. 'Don't give into the pain' was a thought he had as he continued to silently stare at Hakuno. He doesn't know if it'll help...and frankly...he also feels quite awkward doing this, but he begins to see his master gradually relax, and soon her body slumped tiredly against him, unmoving. Whatever pain had been seizing Hakuno, it was gone...well...mostly gone from her reaction.
"...Sorry about this, Archer." Again, she apologizes...when she really doesn't need to. His master should really be putting her wellbeing first over anything in this situation especially. But he chooses not to lecture her and sour her mood any further, instead heading to fetch her a glass of water to ease the pain in her throat. He comes to yet another realisation upon bringing the glass to his master. Right...she probably wouldn't be able to drink her by herself.
So he helps her again, carefully placing the glass against her mouth. His master doesn't say much...or rather, she is unable to in her state, instead gladly accepting the water and gulping it down. Only after she was finished does Archer choose to ask. Though he knows that it is an obvious question, he asks more so to see her response. After all, she had reacted pretty badly earlier.
Just a short nod of the head and a frown...though that torn and worried expression already gave him the answer he was looking for. He won't go deeper into it seeing that she was uncomfortable, but he tries to tell that everything was alright nonetheless. He doesn't know how convincing he sounds, but that manages to put some ease on Hakuno's face, and she insists of apologizing yet again. His master was really a little too nice sometimes.
He places his hand onto hers as some form of encouragement. At this point, the man isn't too sure what he's doing, but he just hopes that he can give his master a bit of reassurance if anything. Rather than pulling away and giving her space like before, the servant feels like his master needed someone there by her side.
Hakuno flashes a smile to him in gratitude in return, and it was then that Archer couldn't help but feel a tad bit embarassed, not being used to be sincerely thanked for whatever he did...hough it wasn't as if she needed to thank him either. He wasn't as if he had cured her off the poison, or done anything particularly spectacular in this situation.
Her sudden question was like a curveball; it threw him for a loop. The question came out of nowhere...and honestly, he's not quite sure how to respond. Why did he stop that man anyway? To begin with, he was trying to maintain a low profile and keep his identity hidden from the other masters and servants while on campus, so the intervention was completely unplanned and by instinct. Even so...why does he do it then?
Even with the confusion tugging at him, Archer still tries to answer his master's question as earnestly as possible, seeing the relief on her face. Could it be...was she afraid that he actually wanted to swap masters too?
Finally letting her master go back to sleep, he gazes at her sleeping expression once again, her face now more peaceful and calm compared to earlier. With one hand still on hers as she slept, he facepalms, internally sighing to himself. Man, did he sound so corny back there...but at least it got the message across and did the trick.
He could suddenly feel the tiredness crashing onto him. Tonight was certainly a chaotic one for him, though to be fair part of it was still his fault to begin with. He could only hope that his master could now sleep properly. The man didn't know what to do if she kept waking up like this throughout the rest of the night after all.
It was...definitely strange. Granted, his master was a lot weaker and inexperienced too than his previous one, but even Archer hadn't expected to worry about her to this extent. He certainly felt conflicted, being mad one minute then worried and even anxious the next.
He hadn't felt this stressed in a long time. It was confusing and frustrating...the way his current master managed to have his emotions get tugged in all directions. He wondered if he was even losing his mind at this point at how ridiculous it all seemed. But then the question still remained: why did he even bother to care for her in the first place?
Sure...Archer didn't wanna be a douchebag, but given his lousy personality, he certainly could've still left his master to figure it all out herself. And yet he doesn't. Rather, it seems that he is even doing the opposite of that, tagging along with her plans and even helping her along the way. And now he was even taking care of her. This was...it was unlike him.
The man wasn't even sure why seeing her with Dan's servant in the gardens bothered him. Was it just because the man was a very suspicious, highly untrustworthy bastard? Then again, it didn't feel like that was the reason he intervened...but he didn't know why either.
In any other situation, it would've been wise to accept the proposal, and fight for a more experienced master such as Dan. But he didn't know why...perhaps it was due to the circumstances that led to her becoming a master, or it was just her being a magnet that attracted all sorts of trouble, but he found that he couldn't leave her alone and out of his sight, especially after today. But what did that mean then?!
The man runs a hand through his hair, feeling frustrated and irritated for no reason. Whatever, he shouldn't think too much of it for now. There were other matters he could be busying his mind to ponder over, such as Dan's servant. As if a dark cloud had emerged over the servant's head, he clicks his tongue.
Getting reminded of that bastard suddenly made him pissed all over again. Whatever the case, that hooded man was going to pay for what he did, and get what he deserves, that was certain. That...and he also needed to do a better job at protecting his master in the future to prevent something similar from happening again.
This...the tanned servant silently vows to himself as he continued to watch over his sleeping master.