"...Haa. What in the world am I doing?"
Standing atop the school roof, I looked down at the sprawling landscape and muttered to myself. Even I didn't truly know. What exactly was I playing at?
My thoughts drifted back to the events of this morning.
—Berserker! Come down to the first floor at once!
Startled by Illya's sudden telepathic summons, I descended to the lower hall, half-expecting some manner of emergency. Instead, I found only Illyasviel and Medea standing together.
Contrary to my assumption that they might be at each other's throats, the two seemed to be getting along remarkably well.
Regardless, I looked toward Illya, wondering why she had called for me. Sensing my presence, she turned her head to meet my gaze.
"Ah, you're here, Berserker?"
"...I am. But why are you both dressed for the city?"
Illya was already in her outdoor attire, and Medea had traded her usual dark robes for a set of casual, modern clothes.
Seeing my bewilderment, Illya nodded with a bright smile.
"Mhm! I've decided to spend the day playing with Medea!"
"Indeed. I chose to spend some time with my charming little Master," Medea added.
"Look! I had Sella and Liz help me dress Caster. Well? What do you think?"
At Illya's prompting, I turned my attention to Caster. Clad in a soft sweater, she looked far more approachable—and frankly, much better—than she did when shrouded in those gloomy robes.
"It suits you well, Caster. Far better than the robes, in fact. Why not try wearing such things more often?"
"...I shall make an effort," she replied. Flustered by the praise, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she began to twirl a lock of her hair around her finger.
Illya nodded vigorously, clearly satisfied with Medea's transformation.
"Exactly! My thoughts precisely!"
"...Heh. Thank you, Master."
"....."
The two then fell into a lively, harmonious chatter. Watching them, I felt entirely out of place, wondering if this was what people meant by 'girls' talk.' My mouth remained shut as I stood there like a statue.
Noticing my awkwardness, Illya spoke up.
"Hehe. In any case, Berserker, since I'll be busy with Caster today, I want you to go on a patrol of Fuyuki City."
"...Understood. But then, who shall remain to guard the Einzbern castle?"
"It'll be fine. We have the Bounded Fields and the Workshop here. Plus, Caster has left her familiars on guard."
"Well then, goodbye!"
With that, Illyasviel and Medea departed the castle grounds, leaving me behind.
"Sigh... those two became friends far quicker than I expected..."
Then again, Illya had spent her life mostly in my company or alone; it wasn't strange for her to want to associate with a woman like Medea. And given Medea's known soft spot for 'cute' things, she was likely more than happy to indulge the girl.
Well, I suppose it's for the best. It wasn't a bad thing for Illya—who had only ever known Homunculi—to finally have someone else to bond with.
"...Hmph. I haven't found anything out of the ordinary so far. Perhaps it's time to head back..."
I whispered to the twilight sky as the sun began to dip below the horizon. I had spent the entire day wandering, yet found nothing of note...
Actually, there was one thing: the Bounded Field erected around Homurahara Academy.
According to the knowledge I had gathered during my long years in Britain, this was a specific type of field designed to treat everyone within the school as a living sacrifice. If activated, those inside would surely waste away and die. A magus with basic Magic Resistance might endure, but one couldn't expect such things from ordinary students.
"Ha... It would be a great help if I could remember the original records more clearly. This is a problem."
I remembered that the source of the field was Rider, but for the life of me, her True Name eluded my grasp. While I held the broad strokes of this Fifth Holy Grail War in my mind, the finer details had faded. My centuries spent in Britain had taken a toll on my memory, it seems.
I stood up from the roof's railing, preparing to return to the castle.
"...Hmm?"
Just as I was about to leap down, I felt a distinct ripple in the prana within the building.
"...What is happening?"
I turned back toward the school and saw a brilliant flash of blue light. Judging by the concentrated magical energy, it was clear someone had cast a spell.
Well, likely just Masters engaging in a skirmish. The students should have all headed home by now; there was no pressing need for me to intervene.
—Aaaaaaaagh!!!
...The sudden, piercing scream of a girl made me look back instantly. Haaa... well, that changes things.
Fine. I am on patrol, after all. It is only right that I investigate before leaving. Assuming my spirit form, I leapt from the rooftop.
As I reached the ground, I saw a female student collapsed, with Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya attending to her. And then, aimed directly at them, came a mysterious projectile wreathed in a sinister aura, launched from beyond the school gates.
At that sight, I materialized directly in front of Tohsaka and caught the projectile in mid-air.
"—Ugh!"
"—What in the...!!"
A long metal spike, attached to the end of a chain, had stopped inches from Rin's face. She recoiled in sheer terror, while Emiya jumped back, his eyes wide with shock.
The chain grew taut in my grip, as if its owner were desperately trying to yank it back. Clenching my fist around the spike, I spoke low to the two behind me.
"...Flee, you brats."
My Master's Command Spell forbade me from speaking during combat, but since the battle had not yet truly joined, it was a different matter entirely.
The two looked at me with startled eyes. Emiya, upon seeing my face, gasped.
"...You, from that time... Berserker...?"
Ah, I had shown him my face before. I was currently in my civilian attire, the same way I had appeared during our first encounter. He clearly remembered.
This is getting complicated. I frowned, annoyed by the situation.
"—I said flee. This is no place for the likes of you."
"...Tch! Emiya-kun... that Servant is right. We cannot win this, not like this."
"...Even so. I can't just stand by and do nothing!"
"...Haa."
Right. This boy was a terminal idealist. That was one detail from the records I remembered vividly. If I let him be, he'd ignore all reason and throw his life away. I decided to act before he could finish his thought, striking him across the neck with the edge of my hand.
"...Sleep, then."
"—Gugh!"
"—Emiya-kun!!"
Emiya, having taken a calibrated blow to his vitals, collapsed to the ground. I had controlled my strength; he would wake with a stiff neck, but nothing more.
Appalled by my actions, Tohsaka cried out.
"...What was that for?! Do you intend to kill us?"
"...Hmph. Had I intended to kill you, you would already be cold. I merely realized that no amount of words would reach that boy's ears."
"—Ah."
Tohsaka nodded, appearing oddly convinced. Strange. I didn't think she'd accept that so easily. Just what kind of reputation do you have, Shirou Emiya?
I pointed toward the fallen student and the unconscious boy.
"Take them both and leave. A magus of your caliber should be able to carry them easily with Reinforcement."
"...You are an enemy. I won't thank you for this."
"...Hmph."
Leaving those tsundere words behind, Tohsaka gathered the two and quickly retreated from the school grounds.
Once I confirmed they were gone, I flooded my hand with prana and yanked the chain toward me with all my might.
The chain rattled violently as Rider—with her distinctive long, pink hair—was dragged out from her hiding spot toward the center of the field. I released the spike, and she landed gracefully on the pavement, her face twisted in a scowl.
As I activated my Prana Burst to manifest my armor around me, I locked eyes with her.
"...Now then, Rider. Let us dance. Are you prepared?"
"...You should be the one to prepare, Berserker. I am quite..."
Fast, she meant.
With that, Rider lunged. As the battle commenced, the weight of the Command Spell pressed down on my throat, sealing my voice once more. Yet, I smiled.
The spike whistled through the air toward me. I raised my blade to parry the strike, my heart racing with the thrill of the hunt.
I quite like that spirit of hers.