Chapter 45: Day 9 ⑧

By the time I finished tidying up the washbasin and washing my face, the living room had mostly returned to its usual atmosphere.

Where had all those swords vanished to? Pushing that question aside for now, I took my usual seat.

"Sorry about that, Emiya-kun. I intended to finish confirming Alto's abilities before you woke up."

"No, it's my fault for collapsing in the first place, so don't worry about it. So... Tohsaka, what's the situation?"

Tohsaka curled the corners of her lips into a smile, but of course, it was only her mouth; her eyes weren't smiling at all.

My memories from the point I was clashing with Kuzuki-sensei were quite hazy, and since I didn't remember much of what happened after that, I didn't understand why Tohsaka was so on edge.

"...Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

"Yesterday? You mean when we told Caster at Ryudou Temple not to attack Shinji anymore and to stop draining Life Force from the townspeople?"

Her True Name was Medea. ...Good, I remembered that clearly.

But why bring that up now? Although Tohsaka and Caster both looked exasperated with me, we achieved our goals, so I thought it wasn't a bad plan in the end.

"Well, that in itself isn't wrong, but the way you put it makes us sound like some kind of vigilante group."

"Though, as the Second Owner of Fuyuki, my actions aren't technically wrong," Tohsaka continued, and I remained silent.

A vigilante group... Since my goal is to prevent casualties victims of the Holy Grail War, that is exactly what I intend to be. However, it's probably better not to say that out loud. She’d likely glare at me.

"Haa—fine, whatever. What I really want to ask about is the Projection Magecraft you were using yesterday."

Saying that, Tohsaka picked up Kanshou and Bakuya from the table—the only remnants of the previous event. However, the twin swords seemed too heavy for a girl to hold one in each hand, so she set Kanshou down and gripped Bakuya with both hands.

The tension seemed to leave her, or perhaps it’s more accurate to say she became deflated. The aggressive energy she had while trying to interrogate me vanished, and she began to speak in her usual tone. Or maybe she was just fed up with me.

"Since we're at it, would you mind showing me your Projection? Since the originals are right here, I want to see just how much precision your Projections can achieve. Of course, if you're not feeling well, I won't force you."

"No, I don't mind. My body feels fine. ...Actually, Tohsaka, could you let me borrow that for a moment?"

"This? Alto, is it okay if I lend it to him?"

Tohsaka asked while holding Bakuya. After a brief pause, Alto nodded. Seeing the confirmation, Tohsaka placed the sword on the table with the hilt facing me.

I had performed Structural Analysis on them countless times yesterday, so I didn't necessarily need to hold them to project, but if the models were right here, I wanted to take my time and analyze them thoroughly.

Yesterday was a sudden battle; I didn't have the luxury to analyze these swords slowly. Projection requires a solid image; I should be able to create something of higher quality than last time.

"——Trace On (Structural Analysis, Start)."

I dove into Kanshou and Bakuya as I gripped them to confirm their feel.

Information flooded my mind. There were components identical to the data I read yesterday, but for some reason, several parts had been reinforced and remade into something of a higher grade.

The logical foundation—the base that draws out the structural integrity—was already complete. I certainly thought so yesterday, but was that merely a passing point?

No, I hadn't reached full understanding. I had misread the maker's obsession—his "soul"—within the swords. Even at the point I saw them yesterday, they were masterpieces beyond comparison to existing blades... but likely, even this wasn't their perfect state.

There is still a level above this. The foundation can be even firmer. The hardness can still increase. I believe all of this stems from a "blank space" within the blades.

——However, I lack the "content" to fill the blades of these two swords. In other words, I cannot see a more completed form than this. Even if I project these now, I can likely only create a degraded version of this incomplete state.

But it wasn't in vain. I don't know why, but the models have been refined further, ascending to even greater heights. In that case, I will also—!

"——Trace Off (Synchronization, Complete)."

I exhaled lightly and placed Kanshou and Bakuya back on the table.

So the sensation in my head wouldn't fade, I breathed slowly and submerged into my own consciousness.

"Projection, Start——Trace On."

I forgot yesterday's Projection for a moment. I rebuilt them from scratch using the knowledge and information I had just obtained.

Right now, the twin swords I should aim for are the two from a moment ago. Yesterday's data is no longer useful.

……………………

"——Projection, Complete. Trace Off."

In my hands were the two rugged blades that had already appeared. Their weight suddenly bore down on my arms.

"Ugh—!"

My vision blurred, turning slightly white. I instinctively pressed a hand to my forehead and looked down. My brain felt like it was overheating. The sensation in my limbs momentarily vanished.

"Shirou, are you alright?!"

"Y-yeah. Just a little..."

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

Had "something" inside me been reshaped by yesterday's Projection? Despite performing a higher-precision Projection than last time, the burden had settled to roughly the same level.

No, there’s no way my body could get used to this load after only one Projection. This lightness didn't make sense. Did something happen while I was sleeping? Ever since opening my Magic Circuits, I could perceive a smoldering heat dormant deep within my body.

...By the time I opened my eyes, my vision had returned to normal. Perhaps there was some lag; while my feet were fine, the sensation in my hands wasn't returning easily.

"I'm okay now. So, Tohsaka, is this good enough?"

Well, I just lacked sensation; if I wanted to move them, they moved, so it wasn't a problem. It would probably return to normal with time. In fact, my feet were already fine.

I lined up my projected Kanshou and Bakuya on the table, making sure not to mix them up with the ones Alto had produced.

When placed side-by-side, the flaws in my Projections were still noticeable. Even so, compared to the final one I projected yesterday—the best one I made while clashing with Kuzuki-sensei—these were vastly superior. I could actually defend with these. They weren't just hollow shells meant to take a single hit like yesterday. They were a crystallization of a single obsession, polished for the purpose of killing.

I had read the original from one to ten, but I couldn't replicate it perfectly. Still, I should have reached about eighty percent completion.

"...The level of completion is incredible. Even the internal structure is perfectly reproduced. If it’s this, then the story of you taking a hit from Kuzuki-sensei isn't impossible."

"——I see."

The one who whispered after Tohsaka was Lia. I wondered what words would follow that statement.

"If it is this, then it is understandable that you could withstand it"? ...For some reason, I felt her words were leading somewhere else.

"Emiya-kun, are you maintaining these by constantly feeding them Prana? If you have enough to keep things like this manifested with such ease, your Prana capacity must be more than average... no, it looks like you have twice as much as a standard magus."

"Eh?"

"What?"

For a moment, I didn't understand what Tohsaka meant and asked back. What I got in return was a similar sound of confusion from Tohsaka.

"Is a typical Projection something that requires a constant supply of Prana?"

"No, that's not it. Usually, you use Prana when forming it, and that Prana dissipates over time, causing the projected object to vanish."

"Is that how it works?"

"I can't use Projection Magecraft, so I don't know the details... But wait, what? I thought it was strange, but aren't these completely materialized?"

Materialized... I thought that was obvious. If I couldn't do that, I wouldn't be able to hold them like this.

"What is this? Even normal Projections materialize, but... this isn't Ether, is it? Could it be they actually exist? More importantly, there's a Link from Emiya-kun..."

"What are you saying, Tohsaka? If they didn't exist or materialize, I wouldn't be able to clash with those fists, right? Even a reinforced shinai gets snapped like a twig, so something vague wouldn't last a single exchange."

"I know that! I saw your reinforced shinai get broken by Kuzuki-sensei, and I saw you clashing against those fists with Chinese swords! What I'm saying is... oh, honestly!"

Tohsaka scratched her head in frustration. However, I didn't quite grasp what she was saying. It seemed my understanding of Projection was different from the general explanation.

"Hey, Tohsaka."

"Emiya-kun!"

"...Yes?"

As if resetting the mood, Tohsaka straightened her posture and glared at me challengingly. I followed her lead and straightened my own back.

"These projected Chinese swords—just how long can you keep them manifested in this world?"

"How long...? Well, unless they break or shatter, I think they’ll stay like this. Ah, though I think I can make them disappear if I want to."

When I projected them yesterday, I caught a slight knack for how to do it.

Projection is about reflecting the object inside yourself and then giving it form on the outside. When the Kanshou and Bakuya I used to block Kuzuki-sensei's fists broke, I felt the image crumble from its weakest points.

What matters is the image I envision. If I solidify the image, assemble it, and build it exactly as planned, it becomes that much closer to the real thing.

Conversely, if I deny the image in my head, the projected swords will lose their existence accordingly.

"So you're saying as long as you don't choose to erase them yourself, and they don't receive an impact strong enough to break them, they'll stay in existence?"

"Yeah, probably. Some of the stuff in the shed are things I projected years ago, and they're still there."

A teacup was placed quietly on the table. Noticing it, I looked up and met Lia's eyes.

Seeing the rare sight of Lia pouring tea, I looked around for the person who usually takes that role and found him immediately.

It seemed Alto had indeed prepared the tea. Holding the teapot, he was filling the teacups that Lia and Alto had clearly taken a liking to. It appeared Lia had been tasked by Alto with the role of delivering the tea.

I had some thoughts about the relationship between Lia and Alto, but I decided to keep them to myself. For now, I thanked Lia with my eyes and took a sip of tea. In front of me, Tohsaka was still staring intently at the Kanshou and Bakuya I had projected, examining them.

"...Emiya-kun, whatever you do, don't show this Projection Magecraft to other magi."

"Well, I don't exactly have the urge to go around showing it off..."

"That's good, but do you realize how unique your magecraft is? To be honest, if you bring it up to this level of precision, I doubt even a magus specializing in analysis could tell the difference. Even I wouldn't believe such nonsense if I hadn't seen you perform the magecraft right in front of my eyes."

Is it really that big of a deal?

"Heh, so even Tohsaka can't tell."

"——Hmph."

Tohsaka reacted with a hint of dissatisfaction to my casual remark. ...I only meant it as a frank impression, but it seemed Tohsaka didn't take it that way.

"Listen, your magecraft... if things go south, you might end up with a Sealing Designation. If that happens, consider your life as both a human and a magus over. You'll never see the light of day again."

A Sealing Designation... that's the one where you're "preserved" while still alive, right?

"I-I get it. I understand. By the way, Tohsaka, my magecraft aside, we need to discuss what to do next or we won't have a plan."

"True. Let's discuss it then."

Once again, the four of us organized the information we had.

Apparently, Alto had defeated Assassin. We can assume Caster is no longer a threat. That leaves three remaining Servants: Rider, Berserker, and Lancer.

"Of these, the only Master we know for sure is Berserker's."

"Isn't Shinji the Master of Rider?"

"I told you the day before yesterday, didn't I? Shinji was only borrowing the right to command from the true Master."

"So Rider and her Master are still out there."

I had thought that since his Command Spells were gone, Rider would eventually fade away, but I guess it’s not that simple.

"And even though we know the Master of Berserker, we don't know where their stronghold is. Now, what should we do..."

If we don't know their location, like with Caster, we can't attack. ...Wait, Berserker's stronghold? A castle...

"Tohsaka, about Berserker... I don't know the exact location, but I know the general area."

"Ah, Shirou, that...!"

"I heard it from Illya, Berserker's Master. Apparently, there's a castle in the forest on the outskirts of town. I heard Illya is staying there."

After I finished speaking, I noticed Alto, who had spoken up a beat late. Her eyes were wide, and she was shaking her head "no" several times.

...Huh? Did I mess up?

"A castle in the forest on the outskirts... that's very important information. Now then, Emiya-kun. You say you 'heard it from Illyasviel,' but exactly when did you meet Illyasviel?"

"......"

I was at a loss for words. I finally realized my mistake.

Seeing me like that, Alto covered her face with one hand. Beside her, Lia, sensing that Alto was also involved, shot a piercing glare at her.

And right in front of me was Tohsaka, staring me down from point-blank range.

"Uh—when Alto collapsed in the bath from the heat, I went out for groceries, right? I ran into her by chance. Illya didn't seem to have Berserker with her, so we just chatted a bit."

Since I’d said this much, I couldn't hide it anymore. I chose to confess proactively before she could press further. Maybe there’d be a chance for a reduced sentence if I showed remorse.

"...And why did you keep that quiet?"

"Well, I felt like if you found out, Tohsaka, you'd want to attack without hesitation... wait, am I stepping on a landmine again?"

I realized it mid-answer and asked Alto, who responded with a grim "Most likely." Beside her, Lia gave me a look of pure pity.

Trembling, I turned back to the front. Tohsaka was wearing a truly, truly beautiful smile.

Ha... haha. I've been doing nothing but making Tohsaka angry lately.