Chapter 55

"Oh, I see. No, it's nothing big. Haha, thanks. Well, to be honest, it's kind of like skipping school. Anyway, I can't go to school today. I'm sorry, but I'll ask Yumiko and the others to pass on a message... Sorry, Tobe. I'll make it up to you next time."

I turn off my phone and sigh.

Even though it was a convenient excuse, telling a lie, skipping school, and then asking for a favor caused me a kind of stress I had never experienced before.

However, this is absolutely necessary.

I switch gears and turn the doorknob.

When I returned to my room from the hallway, I found Hikigaya, Medea, and Bazett sitting in a circle talking.

In their midst were several silver spheres, about the size of a human fist, which Medea picked up and looked at intently.

Hikigaya noticed me and turned towards me, opening his mouth.

"Hayama, how did it go?"

"I contacted home and school. They were suspicious, but there shouldn't be any problems."

"I see. Keep it up and I'll have the rest."

"...Hey, is something like this really okay?"

I know almost nothing about magic, so it would probably be wrong for me to butt in. However...

"I'm amazed, I'm impressed."

"...This is an affront to magic...!"

I think it is natural to be worried about the attitude of these two experts.

"Methodologically, there shouldn't be any problem with it. However, it's probably a method that a magician would never think of."

Well, since Bazett says so, I guess it's okay.

"Well, before we can decide whether we can do it or not, we need to finish the preparations first. Whether we survive or not depends on you."

"Please spare me..."

He replied in dismay to Hikigaya's words. What kind of nerve does he have to make a joke at a time like this?

"I'm sorry, Hayato-sama. It's all my fault."

"Oh, no. I can't help it."

Medea-san bowed her head apologetically -- no, maybe I should have called her Caster. ...It was my fault that Bazett-san found out about this too.

The plan that Hikigaya came up with required extensive preparations, but the few familiars he sent out for that purpose were easily crushed.

It is likely the work of an assassin. The familiars that were hidden in the city from the start are safe, but it seems that they are not enough.

"...But this is truly a disadvantageous situation."

"Yeah. I wish I could have contacted Rider or Berserker's master..."

Hikigaya said as he clutched his temples.

Well, if my guess was correct, then that means four out of seven of the enemies are in cahoots. I understand how you feel. It's not something that just happens to me.

"Um, is it true that Tohsaka and Kotomine are teaming up?"

I asked, hoping for at least a little denial. But it wasn't Hikigaya who answered, it was Bazett.

"It's not confirmed, but in the last Holy Grail War, the church was working to ensure Tohsaka Tokiomi's victory. Kotomine's father, Kotomine Risei, used his position as supervisor to leak information to Tokiomi, and Kotomine himself participated as a Master and cooperated with them. Given the failure of the last war, it wouldn't be surprising if they were thinking that this time it would be different."

"Even though you had such an advantage, you still lost..."

A sudden thought slipped out, and it was Hikigaya who picked it up.

"It's possible that he felt responsible for that. Apparently, in the last Holy Grail War, he became Tohsaka's apprentice at a fairly early stage as a preparation for his cooperation with Kotomine. He was a live-in apprentice, so he must have been acquainted with the daughter. In fact, it seems he was her guardian after the Holy Grail War."

"I don't think he was such a noble person... But I think it's highly possible that Kotomine and Tohsaka are working together. Archer's defeat of Assassin was also a staging."

"Well, whatever the facts may be, I guess we should act on that premise. Let's double-check the plan."

After saying that, Hikigaya made sure the conversation had stopped before opening his mouth.

"First, I will be contacting Tohsaka, Emiya, Archer, and Saber tonight. Our goal is to get information on the missing Yukinoshita. However, as we discussed earlier, it is highly likely that they are teaming up with Kotomine, Assassin, and Lancer."

"It's not certain that they really have information about Yukinoshita-san."

"No, it's highly likely that Kotomine, who is the supervisor, has information about Yukinoshita. If they are working with Kotomine, then they can get information from him. On the other hand, if they are not working with Kotomine, then there is no point in telling such a lie."

I see. Either way, it won't be a waste. On the other hand, it can't be ignored either.

Hikigaya continued.

"As I said before, we will act with the understanding that Tohsaka and the others are teaming up with Kotomine, which means we are enemies. We will strike first and neutralize them."

"Is it impossible to discuss this? At least check first..."

"We are losing in terms of overall strength. If we want to win, it is absolutely necessary to take the initiative. Don't worry, if you are reading too much into it, we can all just kneel down and apologize."

"Hey"

"Our objective is information after all. Therefore, we won't kill them to get them to talk or to settle things with kneeling down. The objective of our operation will be to 'stop them from acting without killing them'."

"This is more difficult than a normal fight..."

But honestly, I'm grateful for this instruction. Not having to kill someone puts a whole lot of pressure on me.

I was the only one who looked relieved about that, but Hikigaya probably felt something similar. Medea and Bazett... I'll just assume they're the same. Even if it's a stretch.

"But if that's the case, then Bazette-san's Noble Phantasm won't be usable..."

I muttered as I picked up a ball that was rolling on the floor. This ball was apparently Bazette's Noble Phantasm, the 『Sword』.

Hikigaya had explained that a Noble Phantasm is a trump card that only Heroic Spirits possess.

Maybe that's why I was so surprised when I heard that Bazett had a treasure. Incidentally, Medea was also surprised. It seems to be a very special case.

When we decided to join forces with Bazett, we each revealed the cards in our hands to check our strength.

It was Bazett who spoke up.

It seemed Hikigaya had intended to do the same, but he prioritized checking his partner's hand over hiding his own. As for me, I didn't have anything to hide, so he may have thought that this gave him an advantage.

"That's true. However, my information has probably already been passed on to the enemy, so there's probably no chance of using it anyway."

Bazett-san replied to my muttering.

Bazette's Noble Phantasm can be summed up in one word as a "Trump Card Killer." It apparently reacts to the enemy's trump card, making it seem as though she "defeated the enemy before they could use their trump card."

To be honest, it was beyond my understanding, but Hikigaya told me "That's just how magic is, so just give up and accept it," so I decided not to think about it any further.

In any case, Bazett's Noble Phantasm is a literal kill'' that takes down the enemy without question, so it is hopelessly unsuited for a battle like this one where the goal is to capture someone alive.

"Although, that's exactly why I made capturing her alive my main objective. If the enemy knows about Bazett, then that's practically the end of their trump card. It may not be safe, but it's great that we can plan our strategy without worrying about what to do."

"...What if they still use their Noble Phantasm?"

"In that case, I'll leave it to Bazett's judgement. There will probably be casualties, but I can't let them get killed."

"That's what I thought..."

Bazett-san also nodded quietly.

I don't feel like it, but there's nothing I can do about it. I hope the enemy isn't stupid.

That's that.

"Saber, we understand about Archer. What about the rest?"

The countermeasures taken so far only cover half of the enemy's strength. The remaining half is merely a possibility, but it's not something that can be ignored. In fact, it's precisely because of this that they're sitting here worrying about it. Of course, even Hikigaya understands this.

Hikigaya continues speaking as if to prove his point.

"Assassins are weak. Luckily, we were able to specify the location, so we'll keep them out with Medea and Bazett's barrier. It's not an alarm or a detection type, it's the type that physically blocks their passage."

"...I was going to ask if it was possible, but I'm sure you could do something about it. Assassin is fine, but what about Lancer? The way you say it sounds like he could just use force and break through."

"The enemy knows Medea's true identity. Perhaps even her Noble Phantasm. In that case, they won't use Lancer against us."

"Even so, if he does show up, that's a good thing. We'll get Lancer back then and there."

Bazett-san said this with a somewhat grim look on her face.

When she found out about Medea's Noble Phantasm, she claimed that if it were possible, she would like to get Lancer back. At first, I thought she was a fighting machine, so I was relieved to see her human side.

I look down at the clock on my left wrist. It must be around the end of first period at school.

I stood up and announced to Hikigaya.

"It's about time. I'll get back to work."

"Understood. We need to hurry up with the modifications."

"...That's Medea who's working, not Hikigaya, right?"

"Just leave it, there's no other way."

Well, I guess that can't be helped.

I chuckled and left the room.

"Rin, I found you."

"This is the fourth one. Well done, Saber."

Tohsaka smiled when she saw the strange pattern Saber had found.

This is a seaside park located almost in the center of Fuyuki City. The caster's master specified this as the meeting place.

Tohsaka and I had come to investigate during the day, suspecting that some kind of trap had been set up, and sure enough, it was.

"Tohsaka, do you know what this is?"

"It looks like a runic barrier spell, the kind that blocks passage. To stop us from escaping, I guess."

"If that's the case, that's pretty bold."

"Well, that's true. Not only do they account for two of the remaining five, they even have an 'extra' with them."

I agree with what Tohsaka said. It would be strange not to be more assertive.

Tohsaka spread out a map of the park, confirmed the locations of the base points of the barriers she had discovered so far, and muttered.

"That's quite a wide area..."

"Are you talking about the range of the barrier?"

Tohsaka nodded at what I said and moved the floor plan to the side, apparently meaning for me to look.

When I looked in as instructed, I felt anxious as I was closer to Tohsaka than I had expected.

"What's wrong? Your face is red."

"Eh? N-no, it's nothing."

...There's no way I could say that Tohsaka's hair smelled nice.

"Hmm? Well, that's fine. So, about the barrier, what do you think?"

I was relieved that it was easily washed away.

I drop my gaze to the floor plan that Tohsaka is holding.

"...There are a lot of forests."

That was the first thing that came to mind.

The red circle Tohsaka had drawn was the predicted range of the barrier, but most of its interior was green.

Saber saw this and spoke up.

"Probably to counter Archer."

That's true. In a forest with poor visibility, the power of projectiles is halved.

I followed suit and added:

"And isn't there an ambush?"

"That's definitely it..."

The enemy is hiding the fact that they are ganging up together, and they don't realize that we know about it.

In that case, only the caster would show up at first, while the others would hide and wait for an opportunity to attack. And the terrain of the forest is ideal for setting up ambushes.

"...Okay, then let's use this barrier to our advantage. If it works, we can divide the enemy's forces."

"Can it be used in reverse? It's Caster's technique, right?"

"Even if we can't neutralize or transform it, we can at least change the target range. Let's add a few things to the magic formula so we can activate it here."

Tohsaka laughed ferociously and pointed to a corner of the floor plan.

"This corner by the river, this square is spacious enough and there's no cover. Saber and Archer can fully utilize their powers. We'll lure them here and defeat them swiftly."

"Will it work that well?"

"It's fine if Caster shows up, but it's the same even if he attacks suddenly. I don't know if that golden servant is a long-range or close-range type, but at least Lancer is a close-range fighter. No matter what happens, we'll be able to separate the enemy forces."

"What if he ran away instead of coming here?"

"In that case, it just confirms that Caster is the enemy. If she didn't take the bait when we hinted at information about Yukinoshita Yukino, that means she doesn't need it, right? Let's make her regret ever trying to frame someone else later."

Something like this.

Feeling that the conversation had come to a close, I sighed.

From what I heard from Tohsaka, she wanted to help her friend, so I wanted to cooperate if possible, but with this barrier in place, it seems like they are my enemy after all.

I want to avoid meaningless fights, but there's nothing I can do if the other person is the one to initiate them.

"...?"

Then, I noticed something strange at the edge of my vision.

"What's the matter, Shirou?"

"No... what is it?"

I've lost sight of it. I rubbed my eyes but I just can't find it.

I staggered towards the area where I sensed "something."

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Without responding to Tohsaka's voice, he looked around and discovered "it" behind the back of a bench.

"What is this...?"

I couldn't help but pick it up.

It was a piece of paper about the size of a fingertip. There was a pattern, or rather, letters, printed on it.

"These are magic letters... right?"

"Yeah, but... what is this?"

"Is this Caster's doing too?"

"No, no matter how you look at it, that's not the case..."

I can understand why Tohsaka is confused.

It's not because it's complicated. Quite the opposite. It's so meaningless that I hesitate to even call it sloppy.

The magic glyphs engraved on it are certainly real, but by themselves they mean nothing.

Incidentally, the paper used was ordinary ink and glued together with cellophane tape, which is hardly the work of a magician of the highest order.

"...Let me just check. Archer?"

Tohsaka called out to Archer telepathically.

Archer is on guard in the area after hunting the familiars in the area. He may be seeing something.

"...I see, thank you. Please continue to be vigilant. It seems that some elementary school kids in the neighborhood have been sticking the same things all over the place."

"Elementary school students? Are they being controlled by Caster?"

"That doesn't seem to be the case. It seems like she was just messing around with friends, so it might be some kind of spell. I wonder if it's popular."

Is it a spell?

Even though they are real magical letters, they are really basic, so it wouldn't be strange to find them in a book that goes into a little more detail on such things. Perhaps he just happened to pick them up.

It all makes sense. But...

"Isn't this dangerous? Even if Caster had nothing to do with it, it's still the real thing, right?"

Tohsaka's eyes widen in confusion at my words.

"No, no. It's true that they are characters used in real magic circles, but by themselves they have no effect."

He burst out laughing, raised his finger and began explaining.

"A magic square is made up of the type and number of letters used, the position, direction, and time. Other things include the color of paint used, the materials used, and even the simple size. All of these have meaning, and they all complement each other to enhance the effect."

Then he picked up the piece of paper and continued with a wry smile.

"The main purpose of these characters is to help align the direction of force. So there's no point in using them on their own. The placement is arbitrary, not to mention the material… Well, I guess they can be useful for getting a feel for the charm."

"But this felt weird when I saw it, right? That's what made me realize it."

"It is real after all. It will have a small impact on the world. But I'm surprised you noticed such a small distortion. That's actually what surprised me."

"So this really doesn't mean anything?"

"It's not pointless. I guess..."

Tohsaka thought for a moment, then smiled mischievously and said:

"If we lined up about 100 identical pieces in the correct order, we might be able to make them strong enough to fold into chopsticks out of paper, right?"

"What are you doing?"

"fart?"

The man turned around, making a goofy noise at the sound of my voice.

A boy, probably about my age, is reaching his hand out towards the wall of the station.

I say to him in a slightly harsh voice.

"Huh? No, I don't think so. Don't you think it's embarrassing to play pranks at your age?"

"Oh no, sorry..."

When I held out my hand with my palm facing up, the man apologized with an embarrassed look on his face, and surprisingly obediently handed me back what he was holding.

He handed me a small piece of paper.

There are marks on the white copy paper that look like neither letters nor patterns. There is cellophane tape attached to it, so it seems that the intention is to use this to attach it to the wall.

"...What is this?"

"No, a friend asked me to do something."

"friend?"

"Yes, it seems he was asked by someone else. I don't know what it means, but I thought it would be okay to help out."

"Of course not. Putting up a notice in a place like this without permission is against the law. If you think about it..."

"Oh no, sorry! You're right! I won't do it again, so please forgive me!"

"...That's enough. Go."

The man ran off at a trot. After seeing him off, I turned my head around looking for someone.

I quickly found my target, although he was so conspicuous that it was difficult to lose him.

"Have you taken care of those little matters, Yukino?"

My Servant called out to me as I walked over to him.

Unlike other Servants, he is unable to transform into a spirit form, so he stands out from the rest. By the way, he is not wearing armor, which is a given.

I ask, showing him the piece of paper I had taken from the man.

"Gilgamesh, do you know what this is?"

"Hmm...?"

Gilgamesh tilts his head slightly.

"I've seen the same thing elsewhere. I don't think it's just a coincidence."

Gilgamesh looked around at my words and then muttered "I see" with amusement.

"I don't know who he is or where he's from, but he comes up with some pretty interesting ideas."

"...Did you find out anything?"

"ah.IMeIt's the polar opposite of my tastes, but I'm impressed with how thorough he is. If there's going to be any movement, is it tonight?

"Movement?"

"It might not be a bad idea to go and have a look around. Well, the decision is yours. If you want to go, I'll at least show you around."

"Ah, wait a minute!?"

Gilgamesh just said that, but without providing much explanation he started walking away.

We've only known each other for a short time, but this guy is always like this. At first, I thought he was just flirting, but when he spoke clearly, he was right on the mark.

In other words, this man is extraordinarily intelligent.

It's not just his intelligence. His strength, his capacity, everything about him is out of the ordinary. And he has no intention of using it to help others.

(Can I really use this guy...?)

A dark shadow hangs over my mind.

It was something I was extremely familiar with. I had lived in its shadow since I was a child.

It used to be that person's.

Lately, in his shadow.

He shook his head to clear away the delusional thoughts and ran after Gilgamesh.

Yes. I will chase after him, and catch up with him.

That's why I decided to fight.