Chapter 44
Sprinting down the stairs and hallways, she rushed to the living room that was the source of the crash. Jiggling the door knob on the door to the living room, she found it to be jammed.
"Damn it!"
*boom!*
Reinforcing her leg, she kicked through the door and stumbled into the living room. The moment she raised her head, she was greeted with the sight of a man seated on the debris of her former living room, now in shambles from the summoning.
Her eyes were immediately drawn to his pure white hair, a natural white that was not the result of dyeing. Skin the color of tanned leather was visible on his face and hands. Even sitting down, she could still tell he was relatively tall. Red cloth wrapped around his arms, shoulders and waist, while black body armor covered his chest and torso, silver lines tracing his muscles on it. A metal plate on his collar glimmered slightly under the light, as well as the two metal knobs on his hands and another plate connecting the red skirt around his waist. Straps circled his black trousers at regular intervals, ending in to black metal plated shoes that seemed to be attached to the trousers.
Tohsaka idly noted that his face wasn't too bad either, close to the cool older type that she liked, to say nothing of his musculature.
His eyes opened a moment after she crashed in, revealing dull gray eyes filled with experience. He took one look at his Master, and then smirked while closing his right eye.
Then Tohsaka noticed the broken grandfather clock behind him.
"Ahhh, all the clocks were an hour fast!"
She sank to her knees and clutched her head.
"Why do I keep messing up at the most crucial of times? Father..."
Then she remembered that she had still managed to successfully summoned a Servant, and turned back to him.
"Well? Who are you?"
Archer lazily gestured his hand at her.
"That's the first thing you say to me? Good grief, seems like I've been drawn by an interesting Master. Perhaps I drew the short straw this time."
Tohsaka got back on her feet and walked towards him.
"Are you my Servant?"
"And are you my Master?"
Archer shot back at her smoothly.
"When I was summoned, you weren't present."
Tohsaka arched an eyebrow.
"You're a Servant, not a baby don't imprint on the first person you lay your eyes on."
She sighed.
"Well, whatever. I'm just asking if you're my Servant or not. Our relationship should be clearly defined immediately."
Archer stared at her evenly.
"I agree, but can you prove you're my Master?"
At this, Rin raised her right hand for him to see.
"This is my proof."
His gray eyes locked on her Seals, widening. Then he closed his eyes and tilted his head forward in acceptance.
"Hmph, you seem to have misunderstood. I wanted to know if you're someone worthy of my loyalty."
Tohsaka wrinkled her forehead in confusion at his words.
"Hah? You think I'm not good enough for you?"
"Of course. But I'll still call you Master, on one condition."
He stood up and walked right up to Rin.
"I'll be giving the orders here. No matter what you say, I'll ignore it. I trust you have no qualms with that."
With that said, he went back down to the ruined furniture and sat down on it.
Rin stood in place, mulling over his words.
"So you'll still call me Master, but you won't listen to me?"
"Yes. We may be bound by a contract, but the bond is only a superficial one. Hence, I'll only be your Servant on the surface."
He shifted back into his original position on the furniture, leaning back on the damaged couch.
"I'll be giving the orders around here. Until the War ends, I suggest you hide in the basement."
He smirked.
"Even someone like you should be able to stay alive like that."
Rin lowered her head as her body trembled.
"Oh, have I angered you? I have nothing but respect for your office however, and I was summoned to win for my Master. If I win, all the spoils will go to you as well. So wouldn't you agree that this is the best course of action?"
Rin bit her lip as blood filled her mouth, the bitter iron taste flooding her tongue.
"That's all. Just leave everything to me and take care of yourself."
"After all, I don't expect anything from you."
Rin broke.
She stamped the ground and yelled as her face twisted into a furious scowl.
"You bastard! I'm mad now!"
She raised her right hand and grasped it firmly with her left.
"If that's how you want it, then FINE! I'll use this on you!"
"Anfang!"
"You can't-"
"I will!"
"You insufferable lout!"
She closed her eyes and focused.
"Vertrag...Ein neuer Nagel…"
"Wait, stop it right now Master!"
"Ein neues Gesetz...Ein neues Gesetz…"
He stood up, his body tense as she continued to chant.
"Don't be so frivolous!"
"Ein neues Verbrechen!"
"No Master would do something so-"
"Shut up!
She opened her eyes and glared at him.
"You're my Servant! Understand?"
She raised her right hand high above her.
"That means absolute obedience to me!"
A wave of red light pulsed out of her hand, passing through Archer and making his body glow for a moment. A mark faded from his hand as the large red outer circle disappeared. Her hand remained in the air as he started berating her.
"Think things through! Why would you use a Command Seal on something so vague?"
Rin blushed as she realized what she had done after her anger abated, looking away from Archer's face.
"L-let's take this elsewhere. Follow me."
Turning around, she left the room as Archer followed behind her, both of them stewing in various emotions.