Chapter 39: Day 9 ②

I was walking while reflecting on the events that had just unfolded.

The story goes back about an hour. It was immediately after we had parted ways with Caster and both Lia and I had disarmed—

We had passed through the gate of Ryudou Temple and were perhaps halfway down the stairs. Rin suddenly stopped, crossed her arms, and looked down at Shirou from several steps above.

Seeing this, I stopped a few steps below Rin and looked up at her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shinji pass right by Rin, seemingly unbothered.

“...Emiya-kun. Is it about time you tell me?”

At those words, Shirou, who had been leading the way down the stairs, stopped and turned around.

Looking at Rin with a somewhat hollow expression—perhaps out of sheer exhaustion—Shirou let out a heavy sigh, likely unconsciously.

Now, as for Rin’s demeanor: although she wore a smile on the surface, she was undoubtedly on the verge of screaming. If you looked closely, her face was flushed, and if it wasn't just my imagination, I could see flames flickering in her eyes.

In contrast, Shirou seemed dazed, seemingly unaware of what he was being questioned about.

“Tell you what, exactly?”

He answered nonchalantly, completely failing to notice the state Rin was in.

...As for Rin’s question, I had a good idea what it was. It was undoubtedly about the Projection Magecraft he had used against Kuzuki.

I was exasperated by Shirou’s obtuseness, but then again, I couldn't really talk; in the previous timeline, I wouldn't have realized the abnormality of my own magecraft if Tohsaka hadn't pointed it out herself.

Actually, even now, I don't feel it's particularly strange, but from what I’ve heard, a proper magus wouldn't hesitate to dissect someone like that.

While I was lost in these thoughts, Rin, having heard such an off-target answer, turned bright red and began to tremble.

“I’m talking about how you brought out those black and white swords Alto was using, manifesting them over and over again! What on earth was that all about?!”

Rin exploded.

The air vibrated from the sheer volume of her voice. Lia and I instinctively covered our ears. Since our hearing had been enhanced as Servants, the sound made our eardrums ring painfully.

“Guh... Don't just scream like that, Tohsaka. Even if there are no houses nearby, it’s still a nuisance... Ah, yeah. You meant those swords. I get it. I get it, so please, stop glaring at me like that.”

Shirou, who had been unsteady from the loud noise, suddenly stood as stiff as if a rod had been shoved down his spine under Rin’s sharp glare.

Good grief. To be that much of a "maverick" in the face of an infuriated Rin... Shirou really is something else.

And standing beside that interaction was me (another "maverick"), feeling impressed by Shirou's pace.

“Umm, but I’ve told you before, haven't I? I told you I learned Projection Magecraft before I learned Reinforcement.”

“...So what? Are you trying to say those were just ordinary, run-of-the-mill Projections?”

“Ah, yeah...?”

Rin glared sharply at Shirou. Perhaps her anger meter had finally broken; she looked stunned for a moment, but her expression quickly grew grim. Proportional to her reddening face, her killing intent began to climb without limit.

“Y-You’re calling that Projection? ...Heh, hehehe.”

Rin was laughing. She was letting out a voice while radiating bloodlust.

Yeah. This is bad. Hearing Rin’s laughter only made chills run down my spine.

I covered my ears, closed my eyes, and braced myself for the inevitable roar.

Sorry, Shirou. Rest in peace. I can't save you. —Well, I remained a bystander mostly because I was certain Rin wouldn't actually kill him. Rin’s laughter was the only thing filling the area. I could do nothing but wait for the storm to pass.

“Uagh...”

Along with Shirou’s sudden, small cry, his presence wavered.

I instinctively opened my eyes just in time to see Shirou tumbling down the stairs with a series of dull thuds.

“Eh? ...Shirou?”

“Shi—Shirou!!”

Rin’s confused voice was drowned out by Lia’s panicked one.

Lia leaped down the stairs and caught Shirou’s body just as it stopped on the landing. Shirou was breathing heavily, unconscious, and blood was trickling from his forehead, likely from hitting his head during the fall.

I also rushed over in a panic and pressed the handkerchief I had in my skirt pocket against Shirou’s forehead. ...Thank goodness. It didn't seem to be a very deep wound.

“Eh? W-wait, Shirou?”

“R-Rin. No matter how much you dislike what Shirou did, I think using Mystic Eyes is a bit much.”

I threw those words at Rin cautiously, choosing them carefully so her anger wouldn't turn toward me.

As expected of the Red Devil. When she acts, she really goes all out. Terrifying. Rin seemed flustered now, so I assumed she realized she had gone too far.

“I—I didn't use anything like that!”

“Then was it a Gandr shot? Either way, using magecraft out of pure anger is just...”

I hadn't detected any Prana, but if it was Rin, she might be capable of such a feat. There was no logical basis for it, but… hmmm. The fact that I couldn't call it impossible was what made it truly frightening.

“I told you I didn't use anything, Alto!!”

She glared at me, forcing me into silence.

As Rin shifted her gaze with that same expression, Shinji, who was standing behind her, let out a small "Hiii!" of terror. When she glares with that face, your instincts just tell you: "I’m going to be killed."

——End of Flashback.

And so, because Shirou collapsed, the topic was dropped. We were now walking back from Ryudou Temple, led by an obviously displeased Rin.

However, we were only delaying the inevitable; once Shirou woke up, Rin’s interrogation would surely resume. I glanced back and sent a silent prayer of "my condolences" to the unconscious Shirou being carried on someone's back. It was a path I had walked once before, after all.

Then, I reflected on today’s events.

...There were a mountain of things to reflect on this time. My way of fighting Assassin was one thing, but the handling of Caster and Kuzuki afterward was also clumsy. It was a bitter mistake that Lia and I—the Servants—focused entirely on Caster, leaving Kuzuki to Shirou and Rin. Logically speaking, there was no way Shirou could hold his own against Kuzuki, a man who could overwhelm Lia. It turned out okay because Shirou managed to hold out using Projection, but if things had gone poorly, Rin and Shirou could have been captured, and our positions would have been reversed.

...But then again, if I hadn't moved toward Lia then, Caster might have used Rule Breaker, and I would have lost her. Either choice was flawed, but looking at the result, this course of action seemed to have at least a slight chance of keeping everyone safe.

As I was thinking about this, I realized Rin was staring at me intently.

...I had a bad feeling about this. No, I had been having it.

“Alto, what were those weapons you threw at Caster and Kuzuki-sensei?”

“...Even if you ask me that, they were just short swords.”

—Ah, I knew it.

Since becoming this Saber-like body, I’ve become more sensitive to strange premonitions or chills. I had felt a sense of wrongness before, but since it was instantaneous, I thought I was just imagining things.

It was only recently that I realized it was an intuition suggesting what was about to happen. At any rate, when I get a "bad feeling," an unfavorable situation is definitely about to occur.

It sounds like a convenient ability, but it’s useless when the situation is already unavoidable.

“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking why you have Chinese swords like that.”

“E-eh, well...”

Umm, putting aside the interrogation about the swords, why is she angry? More importantly, I need... I need a reason!

............I—I can't think of anything!

As I let my gaze wander desperately for a good excuse, I noticed Lia, standing right beside me, looking my way.

I looked at Lia with a desperate expression that screamed, "Please help me, I beg you."

Lia let out a small sigh and turned her gaze toward Rin as if she had no choice.

It seemed my message got through loud and clear. ...I'm saved.

“Rin.”

“What, Lia? I’m talking to Alto right now.”

“No, it’s about those Chinese swords.”

“Eh?” Rin turned a puzzled face toward Lia.

“As you know, Rin, we were kings in our past lives. Naturally, my country had exchanges with other nations.”

“Yeah, I know that. But what about it?”

Both Rin and I watched as Lia suddenly began her explanation.

“To put it simply, that included countries like China. I think you can gather the rest from that.”

“...I see. You’re saying you obtained them as tributes or gifts during your life. But don't Servants usually use weapons they are most familiar with?”

“Yes. That is correct. I cannot use a Chinese sword like the one Alto threw.”

Eh? Wait a minute, Lia. Then aren't you just explaining that it’s weird for me to be able to use Kanshou and Bakuya?

Ignoring my internal panic, the conversation between Lia and Rin continued.

“Then it’s still unnatural for Alto to have them, isn't it?”

“Yes. However, there is something we can infer. In Alto’s case specifically, perhaps she can use weapons she obtained in his lifetime during this Holy Grail War? I only have the aptitude for the Saber class, and my class is indeed Saber, but Alto is different.”

“In other words, is it a trait of the Archer class, or is it because she’s an Irregular?”

“Yes, it’s strictly a hypothesis, but...”

I—I see. There was a way to play it like that!

Historically speaking, Kanshou and Bakuya already existed during the time King Arthur lived, so it wasn't an impossible story. Rin likely wouldn't realize those two Chinese swords were the actual 'Kanshou and Bakuya,' so the logic held up.

“Alto, is that true?”

“Y-yes. It seems so.”

Rin stared at me intently. I gratefully accepted the excuse Lia had prepared and nodded.

“Well, fine. Then I’ll ask again: why didn't you tell me about this until now?”

“...Because I only just recognized this ability myself. Seeing Lia being attacked by Caster, I just acted instinctively.”

After a moment's thought, I gave my answer. I realized I’d become quite good at lying since becoming 'Alto.' I wasn't happy about it at all.

“—I see.”

Rin directed a suspicious gaze at Lia and me, but after a small sigh, she turned back to me as if she had regained her composure. Naturally, my body tensed up.

“Fine. More importantly... those are Noble Phantasms, or at least something equivalent, right? In my opinion, they felt like quite the high-tier items. The kind that, if they existed today, would be in a museum or kept as a family heirloom by some prestigious house.”

“Y-yes. Craftsmanship of that caliber isn't something you see every day.”

“...They are the kind of things that would be gifted to a King, after all. Well, whatever. If anything, I should be happy our hand has gotten stronger. We've discovered an advantage Alto has over Lia, even if she loses in pure swordsmanship. The problem is...”

After saying that much in one breath, she took in as much air as she could—loudly enough to be heard.

“The problem is! How on earth can this—this idiot project a sword that could be called a Noble Phantasm?!”

Wow... her tone is getting more and more intense. Rin was practically howling. Her blood pressure must have skyrocketed today.

...However. As much as I wanted to back Shirou up, I couldn't possibly fake an explanation for that. I simply couldn't think of an excuse at all.

“...I'm afraid I don't know. Please interrogate Shirou himself, not me.”

“Alto...”

Lia shot me a cold look for so easily abandoning Shirou.

“I know. I know, but...”

But it couldn't be helped. How am I supposed to connect Emiya Shirou to King Arthur?

“H-hey! You guys, pay a little attention to what’s happening behind you! I’ve been walking all this way carrying this guy!”

Before I knew it, Shinji, who was walking far behind us, started ranting.

The question was: why was Shinji so far behind? Well, for some strange reason, Shinji had actually offered, saying, “Fine, I’ll carry Emiya or whatever.”

“Shinji. That is why I told you I would carry him,” 

"…Shut up! You Red one! I said I’d carry him, so you guys should just match my pace!"

Hmph. As expected of Shinji. His selfishness is second to none.

“Matou-kun, watch your tone. I haven't forgiven you like Shirou has, you know.”

“Hmph!”

“............”

Rin silently pointed her left hand at Shinji. The Magic Crest on her left arm was glowing. She looked like she was actually going to do it this time.

Thinking that was going a bit too far, Lia grabbed Rin’s arm and stepped between her and Shinji.

“Rin, calm down!”

“Lia, let go! I’m going to make this idiot understand his place once and for all!”

It seemed Rin had lost her cool.

As for Shinji, despite his loud mouth, his attitude was honest—likely remembering her gaze from earlier. He was sneakily hiding behind me to avoid Rin’s sight. Alto Shield deployed.

"H-hey, Blue one, you should learn from the Red one. You’re Emiya’s Servant, aren't you? The Red one acts way more like Emiya’s Servant than you do."

But apparently, his mouth still wouldn't quit. He shouted at Lia from behind my shadow.

Still, could we do something about these "Red one" and "Blue one" nicknames?

“...”

Lia silently manifested her combat armor. For some reason, I was caught in her sharp, icy glare as well.

Perhaps reacting to the bloodlust, Shirou began to groan in his sleep on Shinji’s back.

“Sigh... Lia, you calm down too.”

Since there would be no one left to stop them, I had to be the one to soothe Lia.

“Honestly. Shinji isn't a Master anymore, so couldn't both you and Rin try to be a bit more friendly?”

When I addressed the two of them, their gazes focused on me simultaneously.

“There’s no ‘being friendly’ with this idiot! I’m going to beat that rotten personality out of him!”

“Furthermore, why is Alto defending Shinji?!”

“That’s right, Alto! Whose side are you on, anyway?!”

Huh? Umm... why am I the one being blamed here?