Chapter 63

I was floating in boundless darkness.

Well, floating isn't quite accurate, because I was "sitting" in empty space.

It's a vast "somewhere" that is neither underwater nor in outer space, and where you can't grasp any sense of up or down.

Not even a single sliver of light was shining through the air, blocking out all vision, making it impossible to even see one's own hands. Despite this, one could clearly see what was happening around them.

How long has it been since I was put in here?

It couldn't have been that long, but my senses were so distorted that I couldn't imagine anything. I had grown accustomed to this strange sensation of being able to "see" even though I couldn't see.

"Hikigaya-kun..."

If I lift my head I can see him, clearly, even though he should be invisible.

A painful sight with a large hole in his abdomen. He's not dead yet, that's all.

It seems that Gilgamesh's treasures do not contain any items capable of healing such injuries. Or perhaps he has no intention of using them for Hikigaya-kun's sake. Either way, there is nothing I can do.

He was inside something that looked like clear crystal.

According to Gilgamesh, time doesn't flow inside this crystal. So he's not dead yet. He's just frozen on the brink of death.

"This is not the way it should be used. However, since you requested it, I will let you keep it until I retrieve the Holy Grail."

That's what Gilgamesh had said. It seems he plans to extend his life with this and then revive him with the power of the Holy Grail.

I buried my face in my knees, trying to avert my eyes from Hikigaya-kun's painful state.

"Why……"

Those words slipped out without me thinking.

He had never wished for this to happen. In fact, he had participated in the Holy Grail War to avoid such a situation.

I wanted to protect Hikigaya-kun.

I wanted Hikigaya-kun to acknowledge me.

No, Hikigaya-kun accepts me. It's me who doesn't accept me. I wanted to be someone who could stand next to him with my head held high.

But the reality is this.

Since they entered the battle knowing full well, there's no excuse for them being weak.

"What do you want to do...?"

As I was sinking into self-loathing, a weak voice suddenly spoke to me.

When he turns his head, he sees a girl in armour bound by chains.

Saber. The Heroic Spirit of the Sword.

She was hanging from Gilgamesh's chains with her arms outstretched to either side.

The chains also seem to be special, and Saber is completely unable to move. However, it seems that she is weakened more by the loss of her Master due to Medea's Noble Phantasm.

I tried to respond to her, unsure of how to respond. While I was unable to respond, Saber continued speaking.

"Wasn't that guy your comrade? Why did you attack..."

"fellow?"

"Is it different?"

"I don't really get it..."

I don't know why, but that's what they seemed to think. I wish I could agree with that, but there was no way they could have the nerve to call him a friend after driving him into this situation.

"I thought if I stopped this fight, I could protect him."

"…So Archer has gone berserk. I'm just trying to give you some good advice, but stay away from that man. He's not someone you, no, anyone can handle."

That's probably true.

Gilgamesh is too strong. In every sense of the word.

Their strength, their heart, and their being.

Everything shines like the sun, and the weak will be burned to ashes just by approaching it.

That is a disaster in human form.

Without realizing this, I tried to obtain power that was too much for that person to handle.

Still, if it was me who was doomed, I would have accepted it. And yet, the one who had to bear the responsibility was, of all people, Hikigaya-kun.

Why? I repeated in my mind once again.

Why does everything I do always backfire? Wouldn't it be better to just do nothing?

Thinking that far, I suddenly realized something.

Ah, I see. So this is the thinking of a weak person.

It's not that doing nothing would be easier, but rather that I'm afraid that doing something will have a negative impact.

(I can't laugh at Hikigaya-kun like this)

When I think about that, despite my gloomy heart, my mouth forms a sarcastic smile.

As if to hide her smile, she hugged her knees again and curled up. A little while passed like that.

How long had he been doing this?

It may feel like a long time has passed, or it may feel like a surprisingly short time. I guess it doesn't really matter which way it is.

In any case, his voice echoed inside the storehouse.

"We've arrived, Yukino."

A feeling of floating.

Before I could be confused by the concise words that came to me, I felt like I was being pulled somewhere.

I forcefully swallow the scream that threatened to escape my eyes and grit my teeth. When I turned my face in the direction I was being drawn to, I thought I saw a small light in that direction.

That must be "outside."

I glare at the light.

Regret, doubt, repentance, all of that can be put off for later.

Once you start, you can't afford to stop.

"Why...?"

That was the meaningless question he squeezed out in a trembling voice.

"What?"

"Why are you in a place like this?"

His calm attitude made me raise my voice without thinking.

But she was not shaken at all, and continued to answer in a light-hearted tone with a smile on her face, just like always.

"Is it really that strange to come over to your sister's room to hang out? And what was Hayato's intention in barging into Yukino's room without permission?"

Unable to say anything in response to the words that came back to him, he groaned.

The content of each line is reasonable, but I can't agree with any of the emotions expressed.

Instead, he says something else, his fists still clenched and shaking.

"...Hikigaya is dying. Yukino-chan was the one who did it."

"Yeah, I know. Yukino's Servant, to be exact."

"Why is she involved in something like a Holy Grail War?!"

"That's something I'd like to know."

She said this with a joking shrug. But as someone who has known her for a long time, I knew she really didn't understand the situation.

"What on earth is going on? What should I do?"

"Hey, Hayama, are you okay?"

I was overcome with a mixture of emotions and collapsed to my knees.

Ignoring Emiya's worried expression, he crouches down and holds his face.

It seems like I've really reached my limit. I feel like crying.

Glancing at us, Bazett-san stepped forward and announced.

"I believe you are Yukinoshita Haruno. If you have no intention of being hostile, I would like to exchange information with you."

"Of course. That was your intention when you contacted us, wasn't it, Master of the Clocktower?"

While Bazette naturally becomes wary, Haruno continues to maintain her frivolous attitude.

Both of them continued talking without losing their pace.

"First of all, I would like to confirm that Yukinoshita Yukino's actions represent the wishes of the Yukinoshita family."

"Not at all. Yukino-chan didn't know anything about magic, and mom had no intention of letting her get involved. Mom loves you, Yukino-chan."

Ah. So their family is a lineage of magicians after all.

It's too late now, and it's something I had expected a long time ago, but hearing the words that confirm the facts come out of his mouth still hurts me quite a bit.

However, it seemed that Yukino was the only one who had been able to live her life without any involvement with magic. And I felt a little bit saved by that.

"...Did Bazette-san know about Haruno-san and the others?"

"Yes. The Clocktower had Yukinoshita Haruno in mind as a candidate for Master. I had heard that her sister was being steered away from magic, so I didn't expect her to show up."

When I nodded in response to her question, she glared at Haruno-san. Naturally, she seemed suspicious.

Haruno shrugged slightly, not seeming to care at all.

"This was really unexpected for us too. I thought I would be the one chosen, but Yukino-chan called out first. Even so, I intended to leave things as they were since the Master rights were transferred to Hikigaya-kun, so I couldn't have imagined that he would bring along another Servant."

...I've always thought he was a bad person, but this guy is even worse than I imagined.

So basically, the one who was going to be sacrificed was Hikigaya, not Yukino, so he was planning to leave him alone, right? But wait a minute.

"Haruno-san. From the way you just said it, it seems like you never intended to take part in the Holy Grail War from the start."

"That's right. I was planning to rearm as soon as I got the command spell. My magic isn't really suited for combat after all."

"...Should I trust those words? I'm sure there are magicians who don't necessarily need the Holy Grail. But the fact remains that the Holy Grail is a useful magical resource for everyone. So I think it's only natural that someone would try to obtain one at the earliest opportunity."

"Normally, you know. A clocktower magician would have heard the rumors about 'The Rising Yukinoshita', right?"

"…………I see"

For the time being, Bazett appears to be convinced.

It seems that Haruno's family is fairly well-known among magicians, but in a bad way.

I make up my mind and ask.

"Um, what do you mean by upstart?"

"I have heard that Yukinoshita is using magic to make money. As a result, there are many who despise her, saying that she has forgotten the true path of a magician and fallen into worldly desires. There are probably many who are not happy about the fact that she has achieved a fairly high position in the Clocktower with the enormous fortune she has amassed in a short amount of time."

"We don't intend to forget about it. We're just using money to supplement the things we need for research. Money is very useful."

"...Um, are there any problems with that? I remember hearing something about concealing mysteries or something like that."

I'm sure Medea said so. Apparently, it's bad for magicians if information about magic becomes widespread among the general public.

Apparently, it's not a matter of ethics or social conventions, but rather that some kind of negative impact will actually occur. I don't know the reasoning behind it, though.

"Since they aren't directly selling magic, but are merely using it to gain advantage in business opportunities and political struggles, they aren't subject to punishment. Still, there are many who are jealous of a newcomer making a name for themselves. That's why they're called 'upstarts who bought their position in the Clock Tower with money.'"

"I wish they'd stop being so jealous. They're the ones benefiting from it all. In today's world, everything you do costs money."

Saying that, Haruno-san shrugged her shoulders dramatically. As always, her theatrical gestures looked really good.

...Well, I can understand both sides, and it's probably not my place as an outsider to interfere. I do have some thoughts, though.

"By the way, Hayato, when did you and Yukino make up?"

Suddenly, Haruno said that.

When I looked, he had a nasty grin on his face. I didn't know what he was talking about, but it definitely wasn't anything good.

I try to be conscious not to show my wariness as much as possible, but I can't stop my brow from furrowing.

"...What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"No, it's because the way we call them goes back to the old days."

When I heard that, I quickly covered my mouth.

I hadn't noticed it at all, but now that I think about it, I've definitely been calling her "Yukino-chan" like a child all this time.

I glared at her, aware that her face was turning red, but Haruno turned her whole body away and her shoulders shook violently. I'm going to punch this woman one day.

After a moment, Haruno turned to me, wiped the corners of her eyes with her fingers, and spoke.

"Well then, shall we get on with the discussion now? We have time for some small talk, but I don't think we're in a situation where we have that much time."

"Well, first of all, could you tell me how much you know about us?"

Night is a time of silence.

The darkness is where people and life go to sleep and gather strength for the next morning. It is also the domain of the exiled.

It is the role of the dead to lurk in the darkness of the night, and for the living to enter there is tantamount to wishing to join the ranks of the dead.

Therefore, if one seeks to connect with the non-living, it is best to do so at night.

"…………What do you want?"

As I finished my daily nightly prayer, I suddenly heard the door open.

"I'm sorry, but I can't entertain you at this late hour. Above all, I think it's a bit rude to visit at this time."

He stands up and offers the usual advice and clichés to his unexpected visitor.

"However, the doors of the House of God are open to all. Welcome. Due to the time we are in, I cannot even offer you tea, but I will listen to your confessions."

"Repentance, right? I wonder if it's too late now."

In response, the visitor - a boy in a school uniform - gave me an unpleasant grin.

"Hmm...Then what do you want again? I don't think this is the kind of place where a young person like you can come and have fun."

"Well, I remember something my grandfather told me a long time ago.ChurchhereBut isn't it supposed to be quite a sacred place?"

I turn around, feeling inwardly wary: this is clearly a visitor with aggressive intentions.

"But there's no point in you having something like that, right?"

With a moist, viscous smile plastered on his face as if to prove it, the boy, with two Servants following behind him, spoke of his simple purpose.

"So, since there's no other way, I'll take it."