Combatants Remaining: 128

Remaining Days: 6

The first thing I see upon opening my eyes is a plain white ceiling. It takes me a moment to really get my mind up to speed. There's a blanket covering me, and I'm still in my school uniform. I seem to be lying on a bed, which is just uncomfortable in a school uniform…

Looking around, it appears I'm in the infirmary.

Right, makes sense.

I remember now — I fainted, right? Yeah, I sure did. And not just out of nowhere. The strange events from right before I lost consciousness come back to me and feel just unreal.

Like a dream. Entirely unreal.

Maybe it was a dream after all? This is clearly a school's infirmary. Why would I be here after walking down a path in some indescribable space? It makes no sense whatsoever. I must have simply fallen asleep in class or so, maybe I passed out in PE.

Although I fear for the answer, I check my left hand — just to find a red symbol etched into my skin. It… wasn't a dream after all. I still clearly remember the pain in my hand when it appeared, and the voice calling it a 'Command Seal'. Its existence is proof enough that those events really did happen, against all sense.

As if to drive that point home, the girl who saved me yesterday materializes next to the bed out of thin air. I sit up to face her more properly.

"You finally woke up," she comments neutrally.

It doesn't appear she has been worried about me, and she doesn't seem happy about it either. Either she really feels nothing about this, or she's just incredibly hard to read. I honestly can't tell which it is.

There are so many things I'd love to ask her, it's hard to decide on what to start with. I start with the most basic one.

"Who are you?"

"You must be kidding, right?"

I wish. I really wish I was kidding, and I wish I knew the things I'm apparently supposed to have awareness of. My face and downward gaze seem to say it all, and I don't need to tell her that I'm serious.

"Do you at least know what the Holy Grail War is?"

This is a situation in which I somehow feel as though giving the wrong answer would lead to my death, merely for offending her. But it can't be helped; it's not like I could lie about this anyway.

"I don't," I admit. "The first time I heard of it was by that voice when I met you."

She sighs deeply, and I can hear enough frustration and disbelief for a whole life in that sigh. It's the sound of someone who reevaluates all their life choices, as the culmination of them is what lead them to this exact point.

"Fine. I'll explain. It would be too much of a disadvantage to leave you unknowing."

She sits down on the bed opposite to me and fills me in. I listen intently, grateful she takes the time to make up for my ignorance.

"Simply put, the Holy Grail War is a tournament in which magi summon Servants to fight for possession of the Holy Grail. The battles are to death. There is only one winner."

My eyes widen in shock, though at this point I should have expected as much. I'd rather wipe this off my memory, but I involuntarily think back to the dead students on that platform. They, too, have aimed for the Holy Grail, I presume. But unlike me, they haven't even made it to be accepted into the Holy Grail War. I myself only have been told about it after this girl showed up and cut down the effigy that meant to take my life.

"Servants are created in the image of Heroic Spirits. People who have turned their life into legend, for better or for worse, get summoned in the form of a Servant, assigned one of seven classes. The one that suits them best."

I nod in understanding. Not that I fully comprehend it, I don't think it would be that easy, but her explanations are boiled down to the basics and easy to follow.

"My class is Saber as I'm wielding a sword. For the most part, Saber class Servants excel in close combat, obviously."

That makes sense.

"What are the other classes?"

"Even if I tell you, it won't do anything for you. You lack the basic knowledge for the Grail War, including all there is to know about Servants. There is no point in knowing a name if there is no association to connect it to."

That's quite harsh, but I get her point. All I know about the Saber class is them being swordsmen; though I would have known her to be a swordswoman without knowing her class, simply because I saw her with her sword.

"Then… who are you?"

"My true name? I'm not planning to give it to you until you've proven yourself. You may be my Master, but at the moment it's questionable whether you should even qualify as one. Until the day I can accept you as a proper Master, I will keep my true name to myself."

I can't blame her, I suppose. I find myself in this by mere chance, so naturally I'm neither physically nor mentally prepared. Not that I have a choice, but I accept her terms. In the end, it probably matters less who she was, and more that she is willing to be by my side in this so-called 'Holy Grail War'.

"What am I supposed to call you, then?"

"Just Saber. It's common to call a Servant by their class."

"All right, Saber. Thank you for saving me," I tell her.

It's something I should've told her right away, but I wasn't able to.

"It's a bit early to consider yourself saved, Master. There are over 100 Masters competing for the Holy Grail, all of them stronger than you."

Ugh… Yeah, that makes sense. My life has been saved for now, but the next threat to my life is just around the corner. Though I'm not planning to die just yet. Not any soon, at least.

"If you're fine, you should get up already. Time is limited, we can't just waste it like this," Saber says before disappearing into thin air again.

I assume that's regular behavior for Servants.

Anyway, I get up from the infirmary's bed and put on my shoes that are next to it and leave the area behind the curtain — where I find Sakura Matou at a table, seeming to read a book.

"Ah, Hakuno Kamiyoshi," she says as she gets up and walks towards me. "Your vitals seem to be fine. I can't detect any injuries in you. Please don't forget to organize your memories to make sure they didn't get corrupted."

"Speaking of that… I don't really have memories. I think I should've regained them, but… I didn't?"

"Oh. That's unexpected. However, I'm just an AI, so I am unable to help you with that."

…what? She's not real? I could swear… She looks just like a real person. But seems like she isn't, huh?

Wait a moment, an AI? How can an AI so indistinguishable from a human, with its own body, even exist?

"I see… Thank you anyway," I say.

Sakura wasn't able to help me regarding my memories, but as I've been resting in the infirmary, it just feels right to thank her anyway.

She reaches into the pocket of her white coat and pulls out what looks to be a device, handing it to me.

"This is your terminal. As a Master, you need one. You can use it to compile information on your enemy, check your Servant's status and some other things."

"Thank you, Sakura."

I bid her farewell and leave the infirmary, though I'm not entirely sure where to go. I don't exactly have a plan.

It helps that I'm still in the same school that I left, or a carbon copy of it. Meaning, I know my way around it and don't get lost as easily.

"Where to go," I mumble to myself as I walk down the hallway.

Out of all the options, I decide to head for the rooftop. I can't remember if I've ever been up there, but I think I'd enjoy the fresh air and the view. Hopefully the door isn't locked.

After my ascent of the stairs, I find that I'm in luck and the rooftop really is accessible. There's a light breeze blowing, and it does feel nice out here. It was a good decision to come.

But it appears I'm not the only one here, there's a girl staring into the distance. The combination of a black sweater and a red skirt that barely covers what a girl wouldn't want anyone just walking by to see really makes her stand out. Though the transition between the black top and red bottom is so seamless that it might just be a dress just made to look like a sweater & skirt combination.

I can't help but think she's really good-looking, even just seeing her profile, and something about her just carries a special aura. Do I know her? Have I ever met her before?

As I approach her without even noticing myself, she turns around to face me.

"Huh, didn't know they would come up here," she mutters to herself, her curiosity apparently piqued.

Who's they, I wonder? Does she consider me part of a certain group?

She walks towards me with some intent I can't quite figure out, stopping just mere centimeters from me.

"That's a good chance, actually." She smiles to herself, touching my cheek gently.

I freeze up on the unexpected contact. What…? I don't—

Her fingers feel so delicate and soft, in contrast to her strong gaze. As if noticing something on my face, she gets closer, our noses almost touching. I can feel her breath on my cheek. Her scent reminds me somehow lightly of strawberries.

I know I should say something. Do something. Anything!

But at the same time, I'm just like frozen in place. Almost captivated. There's a million thoughts racing through my head, but I can't grasp a single one of them.

"…feels warm somehow… And turning red? I didn't know NPCs could do that," she mumbles, as if taking mental notes.

NPC…? Does she think I'm…? How? Sakura said she's an AI, but…

Keeping her hand on my cheek, as if to keep me in place, her free hand pats my shoulder and moves down my arm. She softly pats my stomach, seeming interested in every single square-centimeter of my torso.

From my stomach, she moves her hand to my side, onto my hip. Rather than tapping me further, she just moves her fingers over my body. I'm glad the fabric of my uniform separates us, else this feels like something… way too inappropriate. Especially so out in the open.

All of a sudden, she halts her movements, something having apparently caught her attention.

Without removing either hand, she turns her head to face someone diagonally behind her. I… assume her Servant is there? It really must be a general thing for Servants to disappear, or rather become invisible.

"Geez, what's the problem? No need to react like that!"

It appears that her Servant said something to her, though I didn't hear anything. What a Servant says in that state must only be audible to their Master, I take it.

"Calm down. There's nothing 'inappropriate' about checking out an NPC. It's not like they're conscious!"

She said something along the lines before… she really thought I'm an NPC? What? How would that be possible!?

"I'm not an NPC," I say, making her turn to meet my gaze.

Her face goes from mildly annoyed — at her Servant still — to realization and then shock, and from shock to deep red. As if gotten burnt, she hurriedly removes her hands from me, taking a step back to gain some distance.

"Why didn't you say anything!?" She verbally lashes out, but doesn't give me any time to respond.

"This is just your fault! How should I have known someone this bland could be anything but an NPC!?"

"I'm sorry," I say, though I don't know why. I don't think I'm really the one to blame here.

Though it's not like she really crossed any line to begin with. No harm done, so it doesn't matter, I think. An honest mistake, nothing I would hold a grudge over.

"Agh, no need for your lecture! I get it. I get it already!" She complains towards her Servant, her face still as flustered as the second she realized her mistake.

Her Servant clearly disapproves of what she just did. It seems they are a good person, maybe a bit strict, though it might be a bit early to conclude that.

She sighs deeply, massaging the bridge of her nose.

"What's with you, anyway?" She asks me. "You were completely defenseless, too. Aren't you a Master?"

"I am, but…"

"But what? Spit it out!"

She seems not the kindest or most patient person around. Huh… Now I know who she is. Of course. This must be Rin Tohsaka. I never got to meet her before, I think, but I heard plenty about her.

The school's idol practically — beautiful, smart and athletic. Though the less friendly things some had to say about her all related to her personality. I can understand all of those claims. I don't think I'd disagree with either side, really.

"I didn't regain my memory," I tell her plainly.

That's what should have happened, apparently, but didn't. I'm sure with my memory I'd be more aware of various things and details, but knowing nearly nothing, I don't really know how to act.

Her face flashes to genuine concern for a moment, before her expressions grows more serious again.

"You didn't…? That's a big problem. What do you remember?"

"Uh, my memory starts today or yesterday. I'm not sure… I fainted and woke up in the infirmary today."

She rubs her chin in thought.

"That does add up… You started accumulating memories the moment you remembered your self, but your memories from before that didn't return to you. I don't think there should be any problems with making new memories, but…"

Yeah, I don't need her to finish. Starting as a blank page are possibly the worst circumstances here. The knowledge, experience and preparation others can draw from, I can't. And I'm not particularly strong or smart to make up for that deficit either.

"You should probably ask Kotomine about it. He's the NPC responsible for teaching Masters about stuff, he might know what to do. You can't expect other Masters to help you."

"Yeah, that makes sense," I agree. If this is a tournament to death, naturally people wouldn't want to reach out to their opponents. "Thanks anyway."

"Don't thank me for that. Without your memory, your chances to make it through the first round are practically zero anyway," she brushes off my gratitude harshly.

"She's right," Saber agrees with Rin from next to me, invisible.

I don't need Saber to tell me that, I figured as much already. But 'practically zero' and 'zero' aren't the same. As long as there is a chance, no matter how small, it's a possibility, and I will aim for it.

Since the conversation seems over, I make my way down the stairs again, looking for that Kotomine person. Though I remember him being the priest at school, I think…? I really hope those memories hold up.

A girl with exotic skin and lilac hair walks past me, heading for the third floor, it seems. In a way, her outfit stands out, though compared to Rin Tohsaka she blends in a lot more. It must be the colors, because I can't say that her outfit is less revealing in comparison.

"Oh?" She stops and turns towards me, and I do the same.

"…Is something wrong?" I ask. I don't exactly want to be felt up by another girl. Once a day is more than enough.

"You appear lost," she comments.

"Yeah… I'm looking for Kotomine."

"In that case, I suggest you try the cafeteria. For some reason he enjoys staying there."

"Thanks, I'll try."

I give the girl a nod and go on towards the cafeteria.

Can't expect other Masters to help me is what Rin said, and even though it seems logical, it's not that simple, is it? Though maybe others are just taking pity on me and don't think it any risk to help me out.

Yeah, thinking about it, that's entirely possible.

Reaching the cafeteria, I do find a priest in a dark robe who I remember as Kirei Kotomine. Rather than having a meal, he's just standing there, near the entrance, watching over the students, it appears.

That's not a bad thing, at least I won't bother him, then.

I walk over to him, and he acknowledges not only my presence, but also my issue.

"Ah, Hakuno Kamiyoshi. It appears you didn't regain your memories."

I nod at that.

"I can't help you with that. I don't have the access privileges to mess with Masters' memories, I'm afraid."

For some reason, though I can't pin it down exactly, I'm glad he lacks those rights. Something tells me it's for the better, really, that he doesn't have them.

"However, if you require information about the Holy Grail War, then I'm the right person to ask. It's my job to provide all the required general knowledge to Masters, make sure that they are able to fight on equal enough terms."

Equal enough… not equal. Naturally, it's pretty much impossible to keep one person from having an advantage over another, as long as people are different.

"Yeah, that would be great. Please tell me everything I need to know."

Kotomine nods at my request and leads me to an empty table where we sit down. So it'll be quite a long talk… though I should've expected as much.

He goes over all the basics with me. I heard about the Holy Grail War from Saber, and about Servants. But it's Kotomine who tells me that the Holy Grail can grant any wish, and that the winner of this Holy Grail War — the sole survivor — is the only one gaining that privilege.

It makes sense for so many people to risk their life for this chance, I suppose. Honestly, many more people than those in this Holy Grail War must have a wish they need fulfilled so badly that they're willing to put their life on the line.

It makes me wonder — what was my wish? If I'm here, I must have had one. One so dear and important to me that I considered my life a fair price for the chance of attaining the Grail. It's depressing that I can't remember what it was.

Kotomine's explanations don't end there, though.

This isn't simply a school, this is — simply put — a simulated school on the moon. To be specific, in the Moon Cell; the supercomputer that the moon turns out to be. It sounds so outlandishly crazy that I would have trouble believing it if I hadn't suspended by disbelief at this point.

It's why AI, or NPCs — same thing — can exist here, with a body indistinguishable to humans. Humans aren't really here, magi — spiritron hackers — send their soul into cyberspace; their body stays on earth.

"Each round consists of a six days long preparation period. You are free to use the time as you like, be it training, information gathering or lazing around. However, you are required to collect two Triggers in that time. You can find them in the Arena you can use to train."

"What happens if I don't get them in time?"

"Both Triggers are required to access the Coliseum in which the Elimination Battle on the seventh day is held. If you are unable to show up for the battle, it is your loss and you will be deleted. That means death."

He seems to look forward to that consequence. Or maybe death in general.

"And if I win…?"

"Then your opponent gets deleted. The winner is the only one who lives and moves on."

I swallow.

Yeah, I knew it's battles to death and I'm planning to survive. But that means… I will have to kill people. Or be responsible for their death. They boil down to the same thing, though. Morally speaking, I see no difference.

Masters who joined this Grail War not only putting their own life on the line, but willing to take others' lives to make their wish come true, huh.

Did I really have something I wanted that badly? Does someone like Rin?

It's unfathomable, really. Such high stakes… It doesn't feel like something a normal person should have to concern themselves with.

"Your opponent will be announced via the bulletin board on the second floor on the first day of each round. Don't forget to check it. The first Trigger is generated on the second day of each round, while the second Trigger is generated on the fourth day of each round. I wish you the best of luck."

With those parting words, of which I don't know how genuine they are, Kotomine leaves me alone at the table, wallowing a little in my misery.

I must have chosen to be here, but I can't remember it at all. For all I know, I just happened to get dragged into this. And now my only choices are 'die' or 'kill'. It's awful.

"Maaan, that guy sure is a weirdo, right?"

Across from me, where Kotomine sat just a minute ago, is now someone else. A cute girl with long pink hair in a braid, seeming to have no care in the world.

"Uhm… who are you?"

I can't help but wonder that out loud. Everyone I've met here so far has either ignored me, been rather cold or at the very least serious. Not this girl, who seems nothing but carefree despite the situation. It's not that she doesn't realize things, right?

"Hmm, pretty sure Master will get mad at me if I tell you…"

A Servant!?

Immediately, I tense up. This is dangerous, right? They're the proxies doing the main battling here, running into a Servant means danger 9 times out of 10, I'd say.

"Calm down," I hear Saber's voice. It's definitely reassuring to know her by my side. "That Servant doesn't seem dangerous."

I'll trust Saber's judgment here. She has more experience in any of this than I do.

… not that that says much, but still.

"I-I see," I respond. I can't say I'm sure how to approach a Servant…

"I can't tell you mine, but what's your name?"

Really, there is no malicious intent at all in that Servant's voice or expression. It's like I'm having a conversation with a kid — carefree in every way, no ulterior motive. Though some would consider that especially suspicious, I suppose.

"I'm Hakuno Kamiyoshi. A… well, a Master. But you probably knew that."

"Whoa, no way! Hakuno, really? So that's you, huh."

I felt this conversation was awkward from the very beginning, but what's that? How does that Servant know who I am?

"You know me?"

"Nah, that's no—"

Before I can get any proper response, the Servant is interrupted.

"Ri— Agh, I mean, you! What are you doing there!?"

The Servant tenses up noticeably, jumping up from her chair to run towards her Master — who turns out to be a panicked Shinji.

Turns out he made it into this Holy Grail War, just like me. Though… I suppose I should have expected something along these lines.

"No worries, Master! I didn't introduce myself this time, promised! Just ask her, Hakuno will tell you the same," the Servant says, clearly proud of not giving her true name away.

That's… worrisome, isn't it? Saber wasn't even willing to tell me, her Master, what's her name. Telling any other Master? That can't be good. I'm glad I happen to have a Servant who isn't as open about, well, everything, in this case.

"You better say the truth! It's stupid enough you gave it to some random peasant Master this morning, but giving it to Kamiyoshi of all people would be the worst!"

Ouch. Thanks.

"I didn't, I didn't! Geez, Master. You should trust me more!"

Shinji clears his throat, ignoring his Servant who reacts with a pout.

"Not gonna lie, Kamiyoshi. I was kinda surprised you're here," Shinji approaches me.

Well… In a way, so was I.

"Though it sucks to be you, really. You're practically guaranteed to lose the first round. At that point, why'd you even participate, right?"

He laughs to himself in the most arrogant way. Though since this is Shinji, it just comes off as a little awkward, maybe a slight bit aggravating. I decide to ignore his tone, for some reason I don't feel offended in the first place.

"What do you mean?" I ask, however. He can't know about me having no memories, right?

"Huh? Don't tell me you didn't check the bulletin board yet?"

"I didn't get to it yet, no."

Shinji bursts out into laughter again. I can hear Saber click her tongue, she seems a lot more bothered by him than I am.

"Damn, that's something. Are you planning to throw or what? Not that I mind."

I want to ask what he means by that, but he simply waves his hand and leaves, still cackling to himself. His Servant, however, gives me a smile as she waves and follows him, humming to herself.

That's certainly an odd pair. I didn't think anyone would let their Servant walk around freely, but… Well, even with how little time I've spent with Shinji's Servant, she seems to be quite a free spirit. Must be rough.

Since I have no other business here, and nobody else feels the need to approach me, I do as I should and check the bulletin board on the second floor.

They don't give a preparation period of six days for no reason. The best way to prepare surely is gathering information on your opponent, and for that, knowing who they are is the first step.

When I get to the bulletin board, though, I can't believe it.

Hakuno Kamiyoshi…..Shinji Matou

Of all the Masters… Of all the people I don't know, it has to be not only one I do know by name, but one I consider somewhat of a friend. Just what are the odds? This must be some kind of cruel joke.

Saber appears next to me.

"So that's what got him into that obnoxious fit," she comments.

"Yeah," I say absentmindedly.

"Listen, Master. You may consider that boy your friend, but in battle such ties don't matter. Friend or foe, if they're in your way, we will cut them down."

"…I know."

She's right. I don't think there's some magical way to bend the rules. No crazy loopholes, no deus ex machina. If someone is assigned as an opponent… then either them or I get to live to tell the tale.

If I don't want to die… then it'll have to be Shinji this time.

I hate the mere idea. I don't want to survive on the cost of another person's life. But I don't want to die either.

Saber grabs my shoulder and forcefully turns me to face her directly, her golden eyes' gaze burning deep into my soul. This girl isn't kidding. She may be a bit shorter than me, but that doesn't hurt her intimidation in any way.

"Master. No matter when, no matter where: It's the strong who live, and the weak who get crushed. Accept that fact and act accordingly. Which category do you want to belong to?"

I swallow.

In all honesty? Neither. Or rather, if asked that exact question in a setting in which it's not realistic at all, I'm sure I would choose to be crushed rather than to crush others. I don't think I have it in me to cold-heartedly walk over others.

But this… Heck, I don't know. It's not just a hypothetical question, it's reality. Either I kill or I die. No take-backs.

Is it even really a decision? Is there any living being who would willingly choose to die, to go down without a fight?

"If I have to choose… I'll be strong. But I don't want to be cruel," I say, adding the last bit for clarification.

I would rather live than die, but unless I absolutely have to… I don't want to harm another person either.

"That's good enough for now," Saber relents, letting go of my shoulder. "However, Master, it's a fact that you are weak. Even if that maggot's Servant happens to be weak, I can't draw anything near my full strength with a Master this incompetent."

"I'm sorry, Saber." I look down onto the floor. Though feeling bad about myself won't do a thing. "In that case, we should train."

"I like the sound of that," Saber approves.

And thus, we make our way to the Arena. I'm lucky Saber knows where the entrance is located… though I should've been able to guess it myself. It's the same 'dead end' I used to get here.

The Arena is, in a way, stunning. The walls seem to be made out of a barrier of pure light, though not nearly bright enough to be blinding, while the surrounding area is underwater. Sure, I'm aware this is virtual, but it looks so mesmerizing. For this view alone I'm glad I ended up in this somehow.

Saber drags me out of my admiration, however.

"You're completely inexperienced, so let's only cut down five or so," Saber suggests, gesturing towards the strange almost animal-like beings moving through the Arena.

They appear to be like a weird mix of mechanical and alive, somehow. Saber tells me they're referred to as 'Enemy Programs' and should be treated as more valuable punching bags to hone one's skills.

Saber's skills of wielding her sword — though I doubt she needs any more training — and my skill for judging a situation and making the right call.

For today, she tells me to simply watch her and analyze the movements of her as well as the Enemy Programs. What's her stance like? How does she react to an attack from the enemy, or lead into a counter? How do the Enemy Programs behave?

It's honestly confusing at first, and I'm unsure what I'm supposed to see. I feel like I can hardly even follow any movements. Though, honestly, I'm starting to notice some patterns eventually, and it starts becoming a bit easier from there.

Seeing the pattern is one part, then I need to remember it and what type of enemy uses it, then see if there are deviations in it in different types of situations.

There's no way I can completely figure out an enemy this soon, but I feel I'm getting a better grasp on this, and my role as a Master.

"Seems enough for today," Saber decides, wiping what must be at most a single droplet of sweat from her forehead.

She said to only cut down about five enemies, but I'm pretty sure it was a little closer to fifty… Saber didn't seem to tire of it, though. I suppose she must be someone who enjoys combat in some way.

We make our way back to the entrance of the Arena.

"You overdid it a little, Saber," I comment.

"I didn't. You wouldn't have learned a thing if I stopped too early. Our time to train is limited, we shouldn't waste it."

"You do have a point," I agree.

"I hope you did learn something, Master."

I nod in response.

"There's certain patterns that vary between enemy types, but also situations. Though I'm not that sure about most of them yet."

"Good. You seem to be a fast enough learner. In that case, you can take a more active role tomorrow."

Active, huh…? I wonder what I'll have to do. I'm not sure such decisions and planning should be left to the Servant in the first place, but as a Master with neither memory (experience) nor skill, it's better this way. Saber knows what she's doing and I trust her to lead me to become a Master who can keep up with her, at least just enough.

Back in the school, Saber is yet again turned invisible. The sun sets and that reminds me of something pretty crucial.

Where am I supposed to go now? I need to sleep, right?

There's no way I can stay in the school building all night, but how far does this world even reach? Surely it wouldn't simulate a whole town for no reason. For a lack of better options, I walk to the infirmary.

Sakura is the school's nurse and an NPC, so she should be there regardless of the time, right? Or do the NPCs sleep? Maybe they just activate some kind of sleep mode that gets turned off automatically when a human approaches…

Just imagining that feels creepy.

When I open the door to the infirmary, I really find Sakura, looking out of the window. Is she enjoying the sunset? It does look beautiful, so I can understand that.

"Kamiyoshi?" She addresses me slightly surprised, though she doesn't show much emotion in general. "Can I help you? You don't seem to be injured at all, only a little exhausted."

She really is well-equipped for her role, huh. Almost concerning how much data about me she can access, now that I think about it.

"I just came back from the Arena," I explain. "I was wondering, uh… Where should I stay the night?"

"Oh my, did nobody tell you?"

Sakura seems surprised I don't know. Kotomine was probably supposed to tell me about that, among the other things. Makes you wonder how much other things he might've forgotten or omitted.

"I'm so sorry… Do you see the building over there?"

I look into the direction her finger is pointing towards and nod.

"That's a dormitory. Each Master gets their own room to share with their Servant. Your terminal has a pass-code that lets you access your room. You can't access anyone else's room. The private rooms are highly encrypted and completely safe. They're basically their own world," Sakura explains.

"Thank you, Sakura. I'll take my leave then. Good night," I tell her with a smile, she seems confused.

Right… I suppose NPCs don't sleep, then?

Either way, I get to the dormitory. Once I walk inside, I briefly wonder how I should find my room, but I decide to take out my terminal. And truly, it says where my room is located. Room 809 - on the eighth floor. I use the elevator to get up there and it doesn't take me long to find the door to my room. 'Hakuno Kamiyoshi' it says on a sign at the door.

Still holding my terminal, I touch it to a device on the door and am immediately teleported into what appears to be a frugally furnished dorm room.

There is two beds, each just big enough for one person to comfortably sleep on, a desk, a bookshelf and a closet. At the very least Saber gets her own bed, it would be pretty cramped otherwise.

This is a virtual world, so is there any need for a closet and a change of clothes…? Well, I can take off my clothes, so it makes sense I'd be able to get changed normally.

I open the closet to find some digital-looking cube in it. Upon touching it, it turns into a simple, light red pajama set consisting of a plain shirt and shorts. I get changed and decide to go to bed.

Not like there's anything else I could do today.

Saber materializes, though rather than get changed — not that there is another set of clothing here — she dematerializes the armor of her outfit, leaving her in a simple but pretty, black dress.

"It's a good idea to get enough rest," she says, getting into the other bed.

"Good night, Saber," I tell her, before falling asleep.

AN: It sure is hard sometimes to narrate from Hakuno's POV and only refer to whatever she might know and how she perceives things. A fun experience at the same time, though.

Is this the right time to mention "oh yea anyway I'm also changing up Servants, opponents and that stuff here and there a bit, enjoy having at least some surprise!"? Ahaha~

At least Rin's got her first appearance now, making the best impression possible.

Side note: Hakuno's dorm number isn't random, I used my very little goroawase knowledge. 8 can be read as ha(chi), while 9 can be read as ku - 89 = haku. I didn't get a "no", and I wanted the format of three numbers in general (no, room 899 doesn't exist, there aren't that many rooms per floor) so I made it 809. The 0 is just filling space.
Rin's room number would be 103. (10 - toh, 3 - sa(n); again, omitting the ka, because 103 at least works.)
Please don't expect me to assign a room number for everyone, though...

I sure need more people I can annoy about my ideas, thought processes and everything regarding this story regularly...