Kapitel 14: Chapter 11, E-Rank Luck
Once again Shirou woke up at the same time, luckily he didn't have any strange dreams this time. So he repeated the same routine, got up, cleaned up, and started making breakfast. Soon, she heard her partner wake up…
—Uahhh. Is it day already?
"Yeah, after you get ready, can you go and see if we have anything in the mailbox?" Also take the opportunity to pick up the newspaper, please...
She nodded. What are we going to have for breakfast?
—It will be a classic American breakfast, we have already tried the European and the Asian, so this will serve to change things a bit.
She nodded. When you have vacations, we will go to the Arab countries so that you can learn the gastronomy there too, more variety is always good.
"We can't travel to a different country just so I can learn how to make you a different kind of breakfast," the boy replied incredulously.
The Princess laughed. Who said we would only go for that? There are many relics in those countries, you might learn a thing or two…
He knew that this was just a way of tempting him; but that didn't mean it wasn't true. Well... I guess if we get the chance...
She smiled-. Well, if nothing comes our way, the next vacation will be in the Arab countries!
He sighed and gave her a resigned smile, he really doubted that said vacation would happen; but, if they did, it would not be reused. I could learn a lot from those parts.
Altrouge left the apartment and he stayed behind making breakfast. After a while, her partner came back carrying some things, she seemed quite serious and curious about whatever she was reading.
"Is it the newspaper?"
She nodded.
-There is something wrong?
She handed him the news. Judge for yourself...
Shirou took the newspaper and read it, the news was varied; But there were some that caught his attention...
The expansion of the particle called Grain was slow, but steady. The death toll it was causing was increasing every day. Those who survived this, ended up with great mutations that, sooner or later, ended their lives.
"Grain... where did it come from?" he murmured.
"Where did everything that lives in this world come from, Shirou…" Altrouge answered.
He looked at her strangely. What are you talking about?
—Grain, that is the name that human beings have given him nowadays; but, its true nature, is something that the magicians will end up discovering sooner or later.
"And that is it?" the boy asked.
She smiled as if she were a little girl with an important secret, the kind of secret you never tell anyone. Ether…
-What? But that doesn't make sense, the ether is amorphous and also unable to materialize by its own power. It is impossible for him to take physical form and start mutating living beings like some kind of toxin.
The Princess nodded. That's how it is; but we are not talking about actual ether, we are talking about pure ether.
"Pure ether?"
—The ether is, in fact, the base component of all celestial bodies. I'll give you an example, and don't take it literally: let's put the planet as if it were the body of a human being. The current ether is something like diluted blood, it's weak, and humans can use it to strengthen their sorcery, and it doesn't do them any harm either. Then, we have the true ether, it existed in the era of the gods, if the current ether is diluted blood, the true ether is blood in its natural state, the humans of that time lived with it, just as the humans in the present live with the present ether. Although of course, current humans could not survive surrounded by the true ether, they could not breathe and would drown...
—I think I get it, pure ether would be something like concentrated blood, and it must have existed before humanity existed… And that's why it's toxic for current humans, right…?
—Jackpot. Now you know why it kills every living thing. Neither humanity, nor almost any current living being, is prepared to live together with the pure ether.
-But…. Why did it appear now?
She lowered her gaze. Tell me, Shirou, from where do you draw blood from a body...?
"Hmn?" From a wound-" Shirou widened his eyes. Don't tell me… The Aylesbury ritual in 1970?
She nodded. The planet was already damaged, and the ritual of Aylesbury was the final blow that was needed to open the wound, and that way the blood began to flow. —Altrouge lowered his gaze so much to the point where his hair covered his face, so he couldn't see what expression he had at that moment.
Without thinking twice, Shirou placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Don't blame yourself for everything. You never thought that the ritual would cause all this mess, and... it wasn't just you, there were also other apostles, right?
-Yes; but one thing does not remove the other. I have to clean up my own mess...
Well, that's what we're preparing for. And, considering that you're the only one who was present that I see is trying to do something, I think you're pretty good compared to the others...
This embarrassed the girl a bit. What are you talking about, idiot!? Maybe you see me like this now; but I am a being created with the objective of ruling or ending all humanity to keep the planet safe. I have destroyed countless members of your kind, to me, they are nothing more than walking sacks of blood…
Though a bit shocked at first, he still commented. It may be so; but, despite that, you're working with one of these "walking blood sacks" to protect the planet, aren't you?
-I suppose…
"Well, at least in my eyes, that makes you better than most members of your kind."
She clicked her tongue. You are too naive, you know...
He smiled-. I prefer to say that I am optimistic.
"Idiot would be a better word to describe you.
They both finished eating, and Shirou got up from the table to wash the dishes...
"Wait, look at the bottom of the front page," the girl said.
"Hmn?" This is…! Isn't that where Type Mercury is!?
"That's right, this is worrying...
Shirou nodded. What he was seeing was a kind of crystal area that had assimilated the entire area, transforming it into a surreal place, it was beautiful, without a doubt, but horrible at the same time. As if all of life had been stripped of its logic and transformed into something totally different. The news camouflaged the place as one of the places affected by the Grain particle, and warned that it should not be entered under any circumstances.
—The crystal area increases with the simple movement of the Mercury Type. That it's increasing, even if it's slowly, is really worrying," Altrouge said.
-Do you think that…
"No, not yet, but he will wake up sooner or later, and we must be ready to face him.
-I understand.
Then she pulled out something else. I also want you to be ready to travel in a few weeks.
"Hmm, what is this?" asked the redhead with a letter in his hands.
—The letter came along with invitations, they are for the Rail Zeppelin.
"The train that collects mystic eyes?" How did you get an invite to that place?
She looked at him in surprise. You do not know?
-What?
'The Rail Zeppelin is managed by a dead apostle.
-Really?
Altrouge nodded. Rita Rozay-en, she is number 15 of the ancestors. Although, I understand that he ran away after a battle with Touko Aozaki.
—¿Red?
Altrouge nodded.
—Number 15… Is she a friend of yours?
She shook her head-. Not especially, she's a typical high-class vampire with a taste for art. He is arrogant and usually does as he pleases, he also has a strange friendship with Sumire; it seems that they have sworn to die by each other's hands.
— ¿ Sumire?
—Another of the 27.
"What do you think she wants?"
She put her hand to her chin. Hmn… It could be anything. She is twisted and is never content with the completion of her own actions. Fortunately, it seems that he doesn't know where I am, the letter is signed by old Caleido, he wants us to go and let him know if something strange happens.
-Like what?
-No idea; but if it's Caleido, it'll definitely be troublesome…" Then Altrouge sighed. And yet, we must go, it's important...
-Why...?
"What do you know about mystical eyes?"
—Hmm... Only what the teacher has told us in class:
Mystic eyes are a type of special eyes, they grant the power to interfere with the outside world. As I understand it, the acquisition of mystic eyes occurs when there is some kind of mutation in the magic circuits located in the area around the eyes. These kinds of mutations can be created artificially through a process similar to forging a magical crest. However, I believe that only the mystical eyes of bonding, enchantment, and whispering can be produced in this way. Shirou then made a contemplative gesture. I also understand that innate mystic eyes are rare. Few cases of this happening are known, but they are said to be powerful enough to intervene with fate itself. Also, mystic eyes usually work as single action spells, so,
-Anything else...? Altrouge asked.
"Hmm... I also understand that these have ranks: Less powerful mystic eyes glow red or green, powerful eyes are said to glow gold, while those with powers reaching the realm of gods have a multicolored shine, as is the case of the jeweled ones and also of the most powerful eyes, the rainbow ones.
"Exactly, and based on the information Caleido has given us, a pair of Rainbow rank Mystic Eyes are going to be auctioned, and if Caleido's information is correct, then I need to obtain them.
"Are they that important?"
Altrouge nodded. Yes. In fact, I think your bad luck is absorbing mine; because I never thought it possible to run into mystical eyes of this type. My luck really must be at its peak.
The boy snorted. Well, I'm glad to be of help... —Shirou got ready for his usual classes and, seeing that his partner wasn't getting ready, he asked. Aren't you coming today?
The Princess shook her head. No, my urges are running a bit today, so I'll sleep to shut them up.
"I understand, see you later then."
So it was what he imagined. The blood example and her little outburst earlier were caused by her vampiric urges. Shirou decided that when he got back from class, he would give her some of his as payment for her help.
"By the way, take it, it's for you..."
-Another letter?
The Princess nodded before going to bed. It has no signature.
Shirou opened it and read its content:
"Dear little brother ." These words confused and made Shirou nervous. The word little brother was crudely written and underlined several times.
"Receive a cordial greeting from me, your dear sister, Illyasviel von Einzbern." It was only enough to read that name to put the boy on alert.
"I was really shocked to hear about you from old man Musik, you know… I mean… why would the little brother who stole Kiritsugu from me have the audacity to use me as a screen? When I first heard about it, I got pretty angry. In fact, for a moment, I thought about sending some of our homunculi to take your head ." This chilled his bones.
"Though later curiosity got the better of my anger... Why? Why now? Why does the person who prevented Kiritsugu from coming back for me treat me like we're brotherly? I don't understand... And that's why I love you." I write this letter...
That was the reason why I decided to cover for you before old Musik, although, unfortunately, grandfather didn't like it at all and punished me; But that does not matter now…
So, little brother , I hope you'll be kind enough to answer me. Otherwise, I will be forced to take action to protect the Einzbern name.
That said, in two weeks, Grandpa will send a group of homunculi to the Clock Tower. One of them will be one of my personal maids, she will wait for you that day in front of the main building premises, early in the morning, her name is: Sella. Give your answer only to her, and to no other homunculus, otherwise Grandpa will find out, and none of us want that, right?
I look forward to your response.
Signed: Your dear sister, Illyasviel von Einzbern."
Shirou took a deep breath, the fact that his older sister considered killing him chilled his bones. He could deal with certain powerful enemies, thanks to the weapons he possessed, but an attack from various homunculi created solely for battle was something he didn't want to face. If there were one or two, there would be no problem, but a whole squad, that was crazy.
However, it seemed that luck was on his side. Old Einzbern had no idea about this letter, which meant he could communicate with Illya without him getting in the way. After reading the letter, he realized that some things he and Kiritsugu had feared had come true: Illya had been lied to, saying that her old man hadn't tried to come back for her. But, with these letters, he could make her see the truth.
And, speaking of Kiritsugu, he told her that he would write to her when he was in town, this really had him worried. Shirou had already simulated the conversation several times in his head; but that did not remove his nervousness; In addition, he realized something extremely important and that he had not taken into account: His father did not know anything about Altrouge.
To begin with, he really wasn't entirely sure if he would ever see the ancestor again, and secondly, Shirou knew of the path his father had taken, and the regret he carried. How the hell was I going to tell the man whose dream was to become a hero, an ally of justice, him, who sacrificed his life and part of his family for the sake of many people having a better life, how was he going to to say that, one way or another, his goal had become saving the world.
Even if his dream wasn't to become a hero, in order to help Altrouge, and in order to create the sword that releases fate, he would have to. Or at least try...
Also, he had another problem, should he tell him about the true nature of Altrouge and Fou? The logical answer was clear: No. But wouldn't he be doing the same thing as his father? Keeping secrets...
With these doubts he left his room and walked through the facilities of the Faculty of Creation. After getting out of it, he used a bus stop and headed towards the central building of the Clock Tower. Fortunately, there were no major accidents in their classes, although there were some relevant events...
In his General Fundamentals class…
"Is something wrong, Shirou-kun?"
The one who was speaking to him was Ayaka Sajyou, who was also his partner in practically all the assignments in the General Foundations class. Both were rejected in said class, either because of their ancestry, in the case of both, or because of the acts committed by their father, or because of the recent acts committed by himself. Finally, neither of them was a hugely skilled magus, so they ended up being marginalized by the rest. If they had been alone, they would probably have been forced to leave the section and move to another; but, since they were together, they didn't care so much. They both supported each other and; In addition, Lord Trambellio was quite permissive with both, allowing them to do the work as a couple that had to be solved in larger groups, which, although many were happy for not having to team up with the duo,
It's not like his peers could say much, the Democratic Faction prized achievement before anything else, and recently Shirou had been involved in Gurdoa's capture, as well as solving the Marbury Workshop case. And both cases could have endangered the existence of the Moonlit World. In short, they could deny him; but they couldn't deny their achievements, which is why they couldn't complain much.
Since they had worked together for so long, in the end, both of them had dropped most of the formalities. He called her Ayaka, and she referred to him as Shirou-kun. He still couldn't get her to drop the honorific; but it was a big improvement compared to when they met.
"Look, Ayaka, there…" the boy said as he pointed to a ley line on the map that the Faculty of Astrology had created.
"That ley line?" the girl asked.
He nodded. It's the same ley line that's below the Marbury Workshop. Before, it was able to power the entire workshop with ease, but now…
"Now that you mention it, it's weakened a lot. Was it due to the abusive use of the workshop?
—Perhaps… —Shirou said that, but what he thought was very different: «If what they told me is true, in that place a portal to the Reverse of the World was opened. It is just like when I traveled in the abbey. Apparently, in places where a portal is opened, after it is used, the ley lines lose an enormous amount of strength. It is getting harder and harder to get to the other side, and it seems that the cost of doing so is the extreme weakening of the ley lines. Also, this is not something that has started to happen recently, it is a phenomenon that has been going on for almost three decades. 1970, truly was the year that the fate of the world was sealed...
-You are well? her companion asked worriedly. Did I mismeasure the force of the ley line?
—No, calm down. You measured everything correctly, in fact, you have improved a lot in the last few months. Much more than me at least, maybe you just needed someone to guide you...
She was a little embarrassed by the compliments and quickly denied them. N-It's nothing out of the ordinary.
"But still, you've improved a lot. And you're really good with formalcraft.
"W-Well, thanks…" The next thing she said surprised the boy a bit. I'm not like my sister, but I'm glad I'm getting better...
Unsure, he asked. Your sister?
-Yes. With an awkward smile and a slightly depressed expression, Ayaka said. My older sister was a prodigy never seen before, I'm really not up to her heels, but I'll try my best to improve as much as I can...
Shirou decided not to ask any more, it was quite clear that Ayaka was depressed by the subject. But two things stood out to him: the fact that Ayaka referred to her sister in the past tense, and, strangest of all, was there some kind of law in the Moonlit World that said if you had a sister senior, she must be an incredible prodigy never seen before? The same thing happened with Caules and, now that he thought about it, weren't Rin and Luvia older sisters too? In fact, wasn't Red also an older sister?
—¿Shirou…?
—¿Eh?
- You stayed spaced again...
Scratching his head, he apologized. Thus ended his first class and he continued to the next. His remaining classes were no different than normal, with the exception of the last one...
Now that he thought about it, he was happy for Caules. Apparently, during his stay at the Marbury Workshop, his partner had formed a contract with a Black Dog, one of the dogs in the Wild Hunt pack. The Black Dog was not an especially powerful familiar; but, for Caules, who could only contract with small familiars before receiving his family crest, the contract with his new familiar was a great achievement. Also, the fact that they both used electricity as a medium helped with their compatibility. In a certain way this reassured him, he wanted to help Caules, but doing it directly would end up being counterproductive; because the brunette was likely to see it as his achievement and not his own. The fact that he had managed it only with Sieg's help helped remove that doubt.
After his other classes and therefore putting up with Shinji's attitude and dealing with the clashes between Rin and Luvia, the redhead made it to his penultimate class. The self-defense class, for better or for worse, he did not participate in this, the reason: no one wanted to face the son of the magus assassin who, in addition, had injured one of the Princesses of the Dead Apostles. So, during self-defense class hours, he would try to reserve another room to train on his own. At least when she could, because they were usually already busy, and when she couldn't, she just took care of other things.
Arriving at the reserved room, he prepared a target and projected his bow. In one of his hands, he held an "arrow", although it was actually a sword twisted to the point where it could be streamlined enough to be considered an arrow. The transition from Eastern to Western style archery had been more complicated than he had imagined, from having to make changes in his posture, to things a bit more spiritual. In kyushu, whether the arrow hit its target didn't really matter, it was a path of self-discovery with each shot, and these required mental and spiritual preparation before each one. Ironically, when he practiced with Taiga, his arrows always found their mark. In Western archery, all that mattered was that his arrow hit the target.
Saying that, he shot the first "arrow", he clicked his tongue, it deviated slightly to the right, he would have to further adjust the shape. Apparently this was going to take...
After practice, Shirou headed to his last class. At first everything was going well, but it was obvious that his teacher was not in the best mood. He literally wrestled Flat just because he had a slight flaw in the materials needed to build a fenced-in field.
"Hey, Gray…" the boy whispered.
-Yes? she answered quietly.
"Is something wrong with the master?"
The tomb keeper lowered her eyes slightly, wondering if she should tell him what she knew, finally, she relented. Well, you see...
She told him that the letter that he had given to his teacher after receiving a big scolding from him, contained a very small piece of cloth. This was no ordinary cloth, it was a small part of the catalyst his master had used to summon Iskandar in the previous holy grail war. Apparently, when everyone had returned, they discovered that the Lord's office, as well as his apartment, were in a mess. The bounded fields and barriers had been breached, and the catalyst had been stolen. The letter invited the Lord to recover the catalyst and, in addition to the fabric, there were also invitations for the Rail Zeppelin.
-And that's what happened. Since then, the teacher has been worried and restless.
—Rail Zeppelin again…
"Do you know anything besides what we've been taught?" the girl asked curiously.
Shirou nodded. Yes, apparently it is administered by one of the 27 Ancestors of the Dead Apostles. Also, she disappeared after facing off against Red.
-Net? Do you mean Touko?
-Yes.
This made Gray think.
"Now that I remember, you guys clashed with Red during the Iselma Twin Princesses case, right?"
She nodded. Yes. Me, Svin, and Flat faced her while being supported by Lady Reines and the professor." Gray spoke softly, as if he was afraid of something besides the professor's anger.
Interested, he asked. If you had to define in a few words the impression she gave you, what would they be?
For a moment, Gray remembered, when he had confronted her in the case of the Princesses of Iselma, Touko's expression before unleashing that hideous monster. Freedom and…" Then she remembered the look of her body breaking apart and transforming into that creature. Terror…
Shirou was surprised to see Gray's expression, since he had met her, she had never been so terrified. He knew that Red was a prodigy and a monster without a doubt; but, to leave that impression on his partner… Who the hell was Red really?
He held her shoulder, trying to reassure her. You're amazing Gray...
—¿Eh?
Shirou smiled. You, Flat, Svin, the professor, and Lady Reines, are. Among the magi, Aozaki Touko is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people in our world. The simple fact of surviving a confrontation against her, is not something that many can say...
"Thanks, though… If I'm honest, I think she let us live. I'm sure he could have finished us off if he wanted to.
"You're probably right, but it's still amazing. Besides, it wasn't for nothing that Red was the one who made the dead apostle who ran the Rail Zeppelin run away...
-Really?
Shirou nodded. Rita Rozay-en, she is number 15 of the ancestors. As well as the person who manages the Rail Zeppelin, though, no one has seen her properly since her battle against Aozaki. Red really is someone incredible to have achieved something like that...
"Hmn?" Gray cocked his head and smiled slightly. But didn't you do something similar? You managed to fight and wound number nine of the Ancestors of the Dead Apostles.
He answered quickly. No no no! Due to the speed of her response, she forgot to keep her voice low. What I did was similar to what happened to you with Red. I just got out of there alive because she left me.
"But according to you, that's still amazing, isn't it...?"
Shirou sighed in defeat. Touch.
Suddenly, a piece of chalk flew up and hit Gray on the forehead, Shirou turned around and the first thing he saw was his teacher's hand coming down towards his face. Suddenly, it was he who was being given a grip of steel.
"If my class is so boring, and your conversation is so funny, you can both leave the room!" Waver said as he held the boy's head tightly.
"S-Sorry professor, w-we won't do it again," said the boy.
"Excuse me, master," Gray said.
"Concentrate from now on! He said after letting go of the redhead's head.
"We'd better not talk until class is over…" Gray said.
"Yes," Shirou replied as he turned off his cell phone, to make sure that no noise would arouse his teacher's anger again.
In the distance he could see how Flat made some gestures to him, thanking him because the young Lord had released him to go after them. With a wry smile, he gave a thumbs up.
Classes ended, and he met up with Rin so they could go test the Jeweled Sword prototype.
"Ready to try it out?" asked the redhead.
Rin nodded with a bright smile. Of course.
The two went to one of the smaller rooms and prepared to test the sword.
"Shirou, before we start, there's something I have to ask you…" Rin said after they both had reached the room. It's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time, but until today I couldn't.
He watched her curiously. What?
"Remember when we were talking about the holy grail war, just before the holidays.
Shirou nodded, it was just before his father introduced himself to the class.
"At that time, I kept you from finding out more about the war; but, now that I know who your father is, I have to ask you…" Rin took a light breath. My father, the former head of the Tohsaka family, also participated in that ritual...
This didn't surprise Shirou, he knew that a member of the Tohsaka family must have participated in the ritual. Considering that magus families were generally quite small, usually limited to three people, and knowing that Rin's mother was alive; but that she did not meddle in the affairs of the magus, said by Rin herself, it was very likely that it was her father who participated. Also, she had said that she had tutors who took care of her education and, in the Moonlit World, that was totally unusual; because generally the teachings were transmitted from parents to children...
"Rin, if your father participated... don't tell me he..."
Rin nodded seriously. That's right, he died in that ritual. What I want to know is: Was it your father who murdered him?
Shirou was silent, he didn't know how to answer. "If we're talking about Kiritsugu..." His hands were shaking, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed possible, and the fact that his father had murdered his friend's father was something he…
"Shirou, don't worry, he didn't hold a grudge against you…" said the girl who, to his surprise, was quite calm.
-Hey? he exclaimed in surprise.
Rin sighed. My father went to that war by his own decision. He knew that he could die at any time, no one forced him, and a magus is forced to walk with death. If it was your father who killed him, or it was any other participant, it was just part of the ritual. Complaining or trying to take revenge would be the attitude of an immature child and not a true magus. That is also the reason why the Lord Sophia-Ri has not acted against you, despite knowing that your father was to blame for his daughter's death.
"Rin, you really are….
"Don't say it, it's something natural for the heiress of the Tohsaka family," she answered proudly.
She could say that; but, in his eyes, that only made her more impressive. Not because she will behave like a dignified magus, but because, even if Rin was good at faking it, Shirou could tell that she was hurt by her father's death, and despite that, she was willing to hold no grudge against him. , neither as a magus, nor as her friend.
Shirou tried to act serious and calm, if she was doing her best to stay in control, so would he. I really don't know.
-Hey? she exclaimed confused.
—I only found out a few months ago that my father was a master of war. I did know that he had killed the daughter of the Dean of Evocation, and later learned of his involvement in the death of the previous Lord El-Melloi as well; but, he never told me what happened during that war, he didn't even tell me that he participated in the first place...
-But why…?
"Do you remember when I told you about how I became an orphan, Rin?
She nodded. Yes, you told me that it was in the Fuyuki Fire, that fire was caused at the end of the holy grail war…" At that moment, Rin understood. You won't believe that he was the one who caused it!?
—I don't know, nobody knows exactly what happened at the end of the war. It's something I plan to ask you about; but he went on a mission to the middle east a few months ago, and since then I haven't been able to contact him...
"I see…" Then Rin took a deep breath and tried to resume her usual attitude. Good! In that case, who caused the fire and who caused my father's death is something we'll have to find out, we can put it as our second secret project. Then she smiled. Thanks for being honest with me.
"It's the least I could do," he answered, making an attempt to act normal as well.
Saying that, Rin took out a short sword from her bag. It was whitish, along with a grayish edge, and its entire blade was made of a crystalline alloy, formed by the mixture of various jewels.
"Are you sure you want to try it yourself?" Shirou asked concerned.
Rin nodded. It is the task that was entrusted to my family, after all.
"I understand, but if it shows any kind of glitch or lack of control, make sure to throw it away.
"Don't worry, it's just a prototype.
Rin transmitted her Od towards the sword to activate the magic square. The sword began to shine slowly, soon, the magic square slowly began to work. Suddenly, the magic circle effect began: the multidimensional refraction phenomenon. It slightly opened an opening in reality, connecting two different worlds, the magical energy of the parallel world began to be attracted to where they were.
"Shirou, it works!" It's working!
Although Shirou was also excited, as he was looking at the whole experiment from the outside, he noticed that the magical energy began to fluctuate slightly.
—Rhine! The magical energy is increasing too fast!
-Hey? Rin watched as the magic square was drawing in more energy than the sword could handle, as the opening collapsed in on itself.
She tried to deactivate the magic square, but the amount of energy was already too great. Having nothing else to do, she threw the sword and it released the magical energy channeled into the blade, it shot out in a stream of blinding light that crashed into a wall and exploded, shaking the entire place, and destroying the blade. In its whole. The magical energy destroyed half of the room, wiping out the barriers surrounding it...
—Shirou…
-Yes?
"Sometimes we forget that we're building a weapon that was used to create a boundless aether cannon, and that it has the power to push back a mirror image of the moon... I think, maybe we should be more careful..."
They both heard how the door of the room opened and, through it, several teachers entered, followed by many curious students.
Seeing the look on his teachers' faces, the redhead said, "I think you're right. I also think that the first thing we should do is find a private place where we won't disturb anyone...
That day the scoldings were not lacking...
By the time the scolding was over, they had somehow ended up in Lord El-Melloi's office. Rin had been scolded by the Dean of the Faculty of Mineralogy, and Shirou by the Dean of the Faculty of Creation, since both were closely linked to both faculties. In turn, they both ended up being scolded by Lord El-Melloi for the same reason.
The young Lord had finished with him a few minutes ago, and now it is Rin's turn. Meanwhile, he was waiting for her outside the office...
"What were they supposed to be trying to accomplish?" Princess El-Melloi asked, to her surprise.
Not that the two didn't get along specifically, but it seemed that Lady El-Melloi always exercised extreme care and caution when it came to him. And he didn't blame him, his father had killed his uncle, although, for some reason, Reines called him brother; therefore, she only related to him when it was totally necessary; lately, however, he seemed to be a little less on his guard.
Shirou sighed. We were trying to recreate an ancient mystical code. But we did not foresee how dangerous it could become...
"Well, they destroyed half the room, shook the entire building, and took down several barriers. I highly doubt he will allow them to test it again inside the facility. Then Reines smirked. I'm surprised they failed to foresee this outcome...
"The excitement got the best of us, I guess...
Seeing that the scolding was going to take a long time, Shirou took out a small box from his backpack.
-What's that? the Lady asked curiously.
—Something tells me that this may take a while, so I'll take the opportunity to try this...
-Sweet? Gray asked, standing quietly with the other two in the hallway.
"Yeah, I tried to replicate the sweets we tried last time." You want to try?
Although Reines hesitated to take any, Gray remembered what Luvia and Rin said, so his curiosity overcame any other thoughts. She took it and suddenly her expression changed to one of pure happiness. Seeing this, Reines decided to take one as well…
Lord El-Melloi II finished scolding his other student and opened the door to his office, he was ready to give them one last scolding before letting them go. Although, he was concerned that he hadn't managed to get either of them to confess what mystical code they were trying to replicate, the only thing he had managed to find out was that it must be an absurdly powerful one.
However, when he left his office accompanied by Rin, he saw something really strange. There they were: his sister, his apprentice, and his student, as well as Trimmau, who had turned into a table, and on top of it was a tray of sweets with some cups of tea. Were they having a tea party in the middle of the hall?
Seeing her brother, Reines smiled and walked over to him. Brother, try this, they are really exquisite.
Although Reines was a teenager, she generally acted like a young lady slightly older than her actual age; therefore, seeing her act like a girl her age excited was, although not entirely strange, quite curious.
"A candy?"
Waver took the sweet, since that day, he wondered what kind of mystery his student had to allow him to cook such exquisite things. Something similar to the mystical eyes of charm, but in his hands? I didn't know, but I was going to find out...
Shirou finished his business and headed to his apartment, he needed to rest from everything that had happened and make sure Altrouge was alright.
The young apprentice magus arrived at his apartment to see a bundle wrapped in sheets on top of his bed. He couldn't help but smile a little, it was as if she was trying to get away from the sun, he would understand if she was a Ghoul or a simple Dead, but she was one of the Princesses of the Dead Apostles, something like sunlight didn't matter to her. would do the least damage.
"Are you okay, Altrouge?" the boy asked.
She got up, almost as if she were the living dead, which, technically, she wasn't, or at least not quite. Yes, I just need to rest a little more. Maybe I'll fall asleep for a few days...
He sighed, was it that hard for him to ask her to help him by giving him blood? He didn't particularly care.
Shirou was also not naive to think that normally his blood would be enough to satiate her. After all, dead apostles who can measure their lives in millennia require a colossal amount of energy. This, surprisingly, has nothing to do with his strength: it is simply the compensation required to sustain such a long life. Because Altrouge was only half a dead apostle, she didn't need such colossal amounts of blood; but that didn't mean he didn't need significantly larger amounts of blood than a single person could provide.
Fortunately, every month someone, probably members of his faction, sent him a decent number of blood packs. Thanks to Kaleidoscope, no one knew about these deliveries. Anything, as long as the Mage Marshal found his association with the Princess interesting. Unfortunately this month said shipment had been delayed.
He unbuttoned his shirt exposing his neck, and walked over to the bed.
"What are you doing, idiot?"
"I'm going to give you some of my blood, that will calm you down, won't it?"
Altrouge swallowed hard as he eyed his contractor's neck. T-Silly, your blood won't be enough and it will only make me lose control faster.
-I know; but Avalon should be able to regenerate enough for you to get your fill. Just try not to take faster than the pod can regenerate it, also remember that it is capped by how much mana it has at the moment, unless Gray is nearby. Oh, and be careful with his holy energy, he could do you some damage…
"A-Are you sure?" She said licking her lips and slowly approaching.
"Yes, it's my way of thanking you for helping me."
Shirou lay down like when she had tried to teach him to read the environment and, in the same way, she got on top of him. Now that they were face to face, the boy realized how embarrassing the whole situation was, his partner was not only on the verge of going into a starving state, but she was hyperventilating, flushed, and sweating slightly, almost like if I had a fever. He didn't know if it was because of excitement, or because it was a way in which his body warned him that he needed food to maintain his functions. The fact that he had half of his body exposed, and that she was dressed in a fine silk nightgown, did not help make the situation calmer.
Shirou turned his head to the side allowing her easy access. Well, indulge yourself.
"B-Bon appetit…" Altrouge lay down on top of his contractor. She hugged his neck and, with a quick bite, her fangs pierced his flesh, beginning to suck in the precious liquid she had longed for.
They stayed like that for a few minutes...
Shirou was really uncomfortable, he could almost fully feel his partner's body and, as mature as he wanted to behave, he just couldn't help but react to the stimuli he was receiving.
It was really strange… the feeling of having your blood sucked was absolutely unpleasant, it felt like your whole life was being liquified and then sucked out through a straw. However, at the same time, he was also feeling his partner's body heat, as well as her attributes and other parts of her body. This caused a clash of stimuli, one unpleasant and damaging, and the other exciting and addictive, causing him to squirm slightly as his body reacted to the stimulation.
His mate, on the other hand, didn't seem to care in the least how much he squirmed, she just released a bit of her first form's power and clung to him tighter, bringing their bodies even closer together than they already were. They were, if that was possible...
At that moment, Shirou couldn't think of anything, his reasoning was totally lost in a thick fog. She could not concretize any idea, nor react to any other stimulus that was not one of those that her partner was causing her.
Maybe that's why he didn't hear the sound of his door...
"Shirou…?" Are you here!? I've been calling you, but you don't answer...
The boy heard his name and, for an instant, all his senses were activated to their limits, that voice was not his partner's and the only person besides him and her who had a copy of the keys to his apartment was...
"Kiritsugu...?" "Indeed, the person in front of the door was her adoptive father.
"Shirou…?" —said the freelancer confused and surprised to see the situation.
"Kiritsugu?" The Princess whispered, she tried to separate from him; but, immediately, he drew her closer to his body, preventing her from turning around.
What would he say to his father if he saw Altrouge with blood running down his lips? His blood, to be specific!
"OLD MAN COME OUT FOR A MOMENT!" The desperate boy yelled.
Although slightly dazed by the situation, Kiritsugu reacted. Hey? Oh! Yes! Eh… I'll wait for you outside! he said before leaving, closing the door with a loud bang.
Shirou finally let Altrouge go, now he was the one who wanted to get under the covers and never come out.
"Hmn… So that was your father…" Altrouge wiped the blood from his lips. He entered without making almost any noise, he really is an experienced assassin. They are an interesting combination, you know?
—…
"Shirou?" What happens? You look as if death had knocked on your door, she asked, seeing his somber appearance.
"Like what's wrong with me…" he whispered. How am I supposed to explain all this to him!?
Shirou looked like he was going to have a fit, but ironically, Altrouge didn't seem to care in the least. Don't worry, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, from his point of view, you had a beautiful girl on top of you kissing your neck...
"And that's not bad enough!?"
Seeing her contractor's desperate expression, she decided to take charge, putting a hand on his shoulder, Altrouge said. Calm down, I'll take care of it.
-Really? asked the hopeful.
She nodded.
On the other hand….
Kiritsugu had just left the room. He was still a little stunned by what he had just seen. For him, hunting magus and doing what he had to do to take their heads was an everyday thing, but, that was because he was used to it, so even though what he had just seen was much more normal than his usual lifestyle, his unpreparedness, was the cause of his reaction.
He knew that Shirou was a "normal" teenager and must be past that age by now, and he didn't feel in the position to lecture him on relationships either, considering his few romantic relationships, and that his closest romantic relationship was with Iri, who wasn't exactly the most mature person he'd ever met.
But there was one thing he had to make sure of, if the girl was a magus, which was most likely, Kiritsugu had to make sure that she didn't want to do any harm to his son. Even if he trusted Shirou, he couldn't deny that the redhead was naive at times. Fortunately, the environment of the Clock Tower had helped a little with that, but he still wasn't suspicious enough of the rest of the mages, who only acted if there was some gain involved.
The door opened slowly, his son peeked out from the other side, it was quite obvious that he was nervous, and he decided to do his best to make this not so awkward for Shirou and the girl. Well, beyond what he wanted, of course.
"Come in…" the boy said almost in a whisper.
Kiritsugu entered the room, there was the girl already dressed in a more presentable way, he sat in front of her...
Shirou, for his part, sat next to Altrouge. Dude, she's-
"Wait, Shirou, let me introduce myself," interrupted the Princess.
He looked at her worriedly, but finally agreed.
—My name is Rouge Crimson, I am the girl who, lives, eats, and sleeps, in the same bed with her son for almost half a year. Nice to finally meet you! She said with an innocent smile.
—…
—…
—…
Altrouge turned to the side and saw the emotionless face of the magus assassin, then turned to his partner, he had his head down and his hands covered his face. Playing dumb and, holding back laughter, she asked. I said something wrong?
—It was… WAS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO SAY THAT, ROUGE!? —Shirou wasn't someone who lost control easily, but this situation totally overwhelmed him.
"But I haven't told any lies, have I?"
—W-Well, no; but…
She nodded. Exactly, don't you think it would be bad to introduce myself, ignoring everything that has happened between us?
"I-I guess…
-So what is the problem? she asked innocently.
"You should have said it with a little more subtlety!"
Altrouge pouted. Moouuu, I prefer the direct approach.
As these two interacted, Kiritsugu couldn't help but think that this girl was similar to Irisviel in terms of that kind of 'innocence', but it went to the point of making her look like she was somewhat unstable, or even a little insane, if this were to happen. It was an act, it was a really good one.
"So what is your relationship?" the magi killer asked, interrupting the duo's conversation.
Both remained silent, neither answered.
-Something happens? asked the freelancer.
—I wouldn't know how to define it… More than friends or associates; but we're not a couple or anything like that, so… I'm not sure. I think there is no term that can describe us, at least not yet. said the boy.
This reflection surprised Kiritsugu, it was a sincere answer as expected; but he knew that Shirou was not the person with the greatest ability to judge the rest of the individuals around him or, rather, to judge them objectively, much less to judge the relationships he had with these people. So the freelancer expected a simple answer: friends, lovers, or partner. That the boy had thought so much about what his relationship with the girl meant was a pleasant surprise, but had he grown that much in just half a year? Or it was because of the influence of said person.
"Hmn… I guess we're defining it then…" Altrouge commented.
This surprised Shirou; for he believed that only he had these doubts.
"What kind of wizard are you?" asked the freelancer.
-None. I am not a wizard. But I'm acting like Shirou's apprentice.
Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes. You're not a magus, but you're inside one of the Clock Tower's faculties, and you say you act like Shirou's apprentice, do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Kiritsugu sighed. Where did they meet?
"You know, these questions are starting to get annoying. —Then she smiled and her eyes turned golden, at which point Kiritsugu tried to cover his eyes; but it was too late-. Just accept our relationship as it is, and don't ask any more questions, will you? "One-shot spells were definitely terrifying, unpredictable, and hard to avoid.
Kiritsugu nodded without a second thought.
"What did you do to him?" Shirou asked confused.
—They are my Mystic Eyes of Enchantment, all the dead apostles possess them. I used them on you with much less force when we met. However, I can only use them continuously if I have my first form released. Saying that, his eyes turned crimson again, and Kiritsugu returned to normal. Well, Shirou, I'll go out for a moment, I know that you and your father have things to talk about...
The redhead nodded, still not having processed everything that had happened.
After saying that, she left the room.
—She's right, Shirou, it's better that we talk about everything we've discovered so far, I understand that she's your apprentice; But it's best we keep this between the two of us.
-Hey? "Oh yes," he said, snapping out of his stupefaction. You're right, how are things in the middle east?
—Not very well, the mana is gradually running out. Although life is still viable, thanks to the Grain, it will cease to be so in a few decades. All this, mixed with the political struggles and the armed conflicts in the area, mean that there are many lawless places, and smuggling is one of the most common things.
—The collective stress must also be affecting them...
The magus assassin nodded. In addition, the closest countries cannot withstand massive immigration, so immigrating from these countries has become a real challenge. Kiritsugu sighed. Ironically, this has caused the most desperate mages to head to these places to hide. The constant chaos serves as a cover.
"But was everything okay?"
—Yes, and thanks to fulfilling some contracts, I was able to obtain this…
Kiritsugu took out a piece of metal from his briefcase.
"Is that... the point of a sword?"
-That's how it is. I managed to ruin a smuggling operation from India to Turkey, in this way I saved several important relics, in addition to the payment for the work, I was able to obtain this. Use the Structural Analysis so you can see what it is…
Shirou used his Structural Analysis and was shocked by what he saw. The Blessed Sword by which the Force is Slain, Ascalon. The Sword of Saint George!
Kiritsugu nodded. Yes, Saint George was born in Turkey, and several of the main temples that venerate him are in India. It is said that his sword slew a dragon in Egypt, and that the sword changed shape once, it is not known if it was because of the magical abilities of the weapon, as legend says it was given to him by a witch, or it was because it was reinforced at some point. But, what is known is that it was fragmented at some point, losing its point and obtaining a diagonal edge.
"This is really amazing!" —At that time, Shirou looked like a child at Christmas, which would not be very wrong to say really, since said party would happen next month. Though he hoped he would never have to face a dragon...
"I'm glad you like it, it will add one more to your arsenal."
Shirou nodded, though his smile was short lived, now he had to bring it up. For a moment, she thought about backing out, but if she didn't ask now, then when?
Seeing her expression, Kiritsugu asked. Something happens?
Shirou nodded. I... I have also discovered several things...
-Like what? the mageslayer asked intrigued.
—I found out that in Japan there is a ritual called the holy grail war…
These words alerted the self-employed.
"I found out that the end of the last war caused the Great Fuyuki Fire. I found out that my master participated, that the former Lord of the Animusphere family did as well, that the ritual where you killed the former Lord El-Melloi and his fiancee was within this one, and, of course, I found out that you lied to me, that you didn't come to Japan after a failed mission, but you did it to participate in this war, right Kiritsugu?
A tense, awkward silence fell over the room.
—Shirou, yo…
"Kiritsugu," the redhead cut him short. I know your reasons, and I can understand them, and have even come to admire them; but, there's something I need to know: was it you who caused that mess?
"I... No, it couldn't have been me...!" he answered quickly. I would never wish for a disaster like that, not something like that…! Kiritsugu seemed desperate to deny those accusations.
"But you would cause it if it would save more lives…" Shirou whispered. Right, Kiritsugu!?
"I…" Kiritsugu wanted to reply immediately; but the look of his son stopped him in the act, the emotions on his face were clear: pain, sadness, anger. Worse yet, he couldn't deny it, he couldn't… The grail itself had taught him, the decisions he would be able to make in order to save the most people. But even with the words stuck in his throat, he answered. Y-Yes, I would…
"You said you didn't want it; but you did not deny that you could have caused it. —Shirou took a deep breath, this hurt him as much as his adoptive father; but he must know the truth, or he might never see Tachi's face again, not even his memory, or his parents, who had sacrificed their lives for his. What does that mean? What do you mean!?
Kiritsugu wanted to say that he didn't say anything to protect him, but that would be a lie, he was the one protecting himself. After all, for him, it wasn't Shirou who was saved that day, it was him. Shirou was his salvation, the only thing he could save from his mistakes, and he didn't want to lose him because of them. Knowing this, and even if it cost him, he had to do it, had to tell her and hope she would forgive him. You are right, I participated in the holy grail war and on the last day of it, I found out that the grail was corrupted. It had been since the third war, it turned out to work like a monkey's paw, no matter what you wished, it would always cause as much destruction as possible. And, also… I also discovered something important that day, even if you choose to save most of them, and even if you do, you may not succeed in the end…
-What did you do then?
With his head lowered, he began to explain. I managed to meet up with Saber when she was fighting Archer. Since we were involved in the battle, Assassin took the opportunity to steal the grail while we tried to defeat Archer. He noticed this and chased after Assassin, giving me time to meet up with Saber and explain the situation to her. We both agreed that the grail was not to be used, and chased after Assassin and Archer; but the grail began to release black mud everywhere and I couldn't continue to where the final battle was taking place. So the only thing I could do was use my last command spell to order Saber to do her best to destroy the grail. The last thing I saw was a great clash of energies,
"Couldn't you see the end?"
He shook his head. I could not; but I always had the doubt. Was it a mistake to order Saber to destroy the grail? Was that what caused the mud to overflow? Could I have done something else? Those doubts have plagued me for almost a decade…
Shirou let the pressure and anger leave his body, he couldn't pour everything into his adoptive father, it wouldn't be fair, much less if he himself didn't know if he had caused the fire. Sorry, man, I… I said a few things too much.
The magus assassin shook his head. No, it was logical that you would react like that, it would be strange if you didn't. I shouldn't have kept it from you to begin with, but I always feared what you would do when you found out. Kiritsugu folded his hands in front of him. That day I also went through many things, these made me rethink various aspects of my life... I simply wanted to leave everything behind...
"But I can't move forward... not without knowing what happened, that's why I need to know... Please tell me everything you know about the last holy grail war, this time, without concealment..." --More than a request, it seems that Shirou I was begging him.
"Okay, but first... There's another thing you should know..."
-What? The redhead asked confused.
—The corruption within the grail has a name: Angra Mainyu, when I was about to reach the grail, I met him and, at the end of our meeting, he cursed me…
This worried the young man. A curse, what kind?
"A curse that devours you to death has been consuming me ever since…
This alarmed the redhead. Then we must-!
Kiritsugu shook his head. It is a curse too powerful to be removed by current sorcery, one made specifically to kill human beings...
-But!
—It's already too late, at first, I thought I had somehow avoided her; but, with the passage of time, it has gained strength. Almost half a year ago, I had about a year and a half left to live; However, it seems that this curse accelerates the more I use my magic circuits, atrophies and destroys them at the same time that it consumes me and, the biggest test, was my stay in the Middle East during these last months...
-How many? How much time you have left!?
-Half-year…. I'm going to die in half a year, Shirou.
Shirou couldn't stop several tears from spilling from his eyes, even if he felt anger at the actions his father had committed, that didn't change the fact that he was the one who saved him from that hell, and who had raised him during those years. last years-. I-Is there nothing to…?
Kiritsugu shook his head with a sad smile. No, there is not, this is the punishment for all the lives I sacrificed, so I have assimilated it. He then flashed a peaceful smile. But I'm glad, you've grown up well, and if we manage to rescue Illya, even if I leave with regrets, I won't take any regrets with me. So, don't cry for me, thanks to you I have hope.
Shirou tried to dry his tears to no avail, he got up and looked for a piece of paper in a drawer, he handed it to Kiritsugu.
"This is, a letter?"
Shirou nodded. Yes, I want you to read it and be the one to answer it.
Reading the letter, Kiritsugu couldn't help but feel his chest tighten and his heart sink. Tears began to come out of his eyes, he hadn't cried for almost ten years, on that fateful day; but now he couldn't help it. The words he read came from his daughter, the one he once thought he would never see again. Illya…
Sauces:
"Come in…" the boy said almost in a whisper.
Kiritsugu entered the room, there was the girl already dressed in a more presentable way, he sat in front of her...
Shirou, for his part, sat next to Altrouge. Dude, she's-
"Wait Shirou, let me introduce myself," the Princess interrupted.
He looked at her worriedly, but finally agreed.
—My name is Rouge Crimson, I am the girl who lives, eats, and sleeps in the same bed as your son for almost half a year. Nice to finally meet you! She said with an innocent smile.
—…
—…
—…
Altrouge turned to the side and saw the emotionless face of the mage killer, then turned to his partner, he had his head down and his hands covered his face. Playing dumb, and holding back laughter, she asked. I said something wrong?
—It was… WAS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO SAY THAT ROUGE!? —Shirou wasn't someone who lost control easily, but this situation totally overwhelmed him.
"But I haven't told any lies, have I?"
—W-Well, no; but…
She nodded. Exactly, don't you think it would be bad to introduce myself, ignoring everything that has happened between us?
"I-I guess…
-So what is the problem? she asked innocently.
—That you should have said it with a little more subtlety.
"I prefer the direct approach.
As these two interacted, Kiritsugu couldn't help but think that this girl was similar to Irisviel in terms of innocence, but it went to the point of making her look somewhat unstable or even slightly insane, if this was an act, it was a really good one.
"That doesn't mean that sometimes there are things that are better left unsaid," Shirou said.
"I know idiot," Altrouge said with a pout. If he didn't know, I would have told him that my real name is Altrouge Brunestud, that I am the Princess of Eclipse, Blood and Contracts, that you met me at Aylesbury and we've been together ever since, that that little animal is, in fact, the restrained form of Primate Murder, the greatest murderer of humans that ever lived, and that together we have decided to face destiny and save the world! Even if it means facing the Ultimates, even if it means getting a miracle! Then she took a breath. EVEN IF TO DO SO WE HAVE TO FACE A GENOCIDAL STAR WHO COMES WITH THE ONLY OBJECTIVE OF DESTROYING ALL LIFE! She later smiled. But I didn't tell him, did I?
¡PAAAMMM!
—Altrouge…
-Yes?
"My father is on the ground, right?"
She turned to the mage killer and nodded. Yes, that seems...
"How good are you at erasing memory?"
The Princess of the Dead Apostles smiled.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein