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Helping others and being a Hero of Justice weren't the same things.
That was something Shirou had realized after spending time with the man named Kiritsugu Emiya.
The same man who had participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War ten years ago. The same man who had released the curse of fire upon this world after ruining the half-manifested Holy Grail at the end. The same man who had taken an orphaned Shirou under his wing later.
Seated in his home's dining room, as Shirou looked at the red-hooded tall Heroic Spirit, he couldn't help but remember that man.
No matter how ridiculous it felt — the feeling just didn't go away.
It was more so after hearing in detail about Kiritsugu Emiya from the Overseer just yesterday.
Seated a step behind him, and to his right, Saber noticed Shirou's gaze on Assassin, sighing to herself.
Suddenly, her left shoulder jolted, making her wince.
"My apologies, Saber," Rin said, having a tea, seated opposite Shirou. "I was too occupied to contact Assassin and end the battle sooner."
Saber shook her head. "This injury is nothing," she said as Shirou looked at her with worry. "It's neither a curse nor permanent. If Shirou had enough Mana, I could have regained my strength right at this moment."
Rin's eyes narrowed. "You — sound familiar with Assassin's attack."
Assassin was standing against a wall behind Rin. Hearing Rin's words, he lifted his head and stared at Saber with his dark eyes as well. Ever since she had named his weapon during their battle, he had been feeling the same.
Assassin didn't remember his past.
He didn't know who he was before — what he had done before.
All he had was a desire — forced onto him — to vanquish the All Evil.
However, on the night of his Summoning, Rin had used a Command Spell to force absolute obedience on him, helping him counter the constant urge to go after the All Evil — which was the product of a battle at Matou Mansion before Rin had summoned him.
Now, seeing Saber deliberately keeping her mouth shut, Assassin was getting curious as well.
"This isn't my first time getting summoned in this era," Saber told them.
Shirou spun around and gawked at Saber, too, because she hadn't mentioned anything like that to him yesterday.
Rin gasped, putting down the tea cup in her hands as Assassin straightened his posture.
"Do you mean to say…" she asked, looking behind before staring at Saber again. "… you have met Assassin before?"
Saber closed her eyes, remembering the man from ten years ago. "You can say that," she said, deciding not to mention Kiritsugu at this moment.
It didn't matter if Assassin was truly that person or not. Now, he was just another Servant, and, if she was being honest with herself, her Master's enemy as well.
"Strange," Rin observed. "Assassin can't recall anything…"
"Regardless of Assassin's actions," Saber said, looking at the girl, "I would like to offer my thanks for saving Shirou's life, Rin. If it weren't for you, he would have died…"
Rin took the compliment with a blush.
Shirou laughed wryly.
Slam!
Rin put the empty tea cup with an angry twitch on her mouth. "And what were you doing at the School?!" she demanded. "I specifically told you to leave school and return to Saber as soon as possible, didn't I?!"
"I was cleaning the Archery Club…" Shirou hurriedly explained.
After Shirou's sudden appearance at the sports field, where Rider, Lancer, and Archer were fighting against each other, things had taken a surprising turn.
Rider had voluntarily reverted her Bounded Field before running away.
Lancer had left not a second later as well as if he was being called back by his Master.
That left a breathless and Manaless Rin and an almost dead Shirou, with weakened Archer by their sides.
To Rin's great relief, she had still carried the red, heart-shaped pendant her father had left behind for her. It was the same pendant she had used to summon her Servants.
As it was a great carrier of magical energy, the Mana it carried had been enough for Rin to heal not only herself, but Shirou as well.
However, just as she regained her Mana, and Shirou came back to his senses, they found Assassin and Saber tangled in a bloody fight on the school's roof.
The only thing good that came out of this sudden disaster was that Archer assured Rin that there had been no other Servant nearby. So, her great secret was still a secret, if she didn't count…
"I still can't believe it," Shirou said, looking at Assassin. "That Priest said one Master can have only one Servant… but you have…"
Rin let out a sigh.
Archer was currently outside, guarding for unexpected Servants' attacks.
Still, in her mind, she could almost hear him scoffing at her for such a childish mistake.
"I am not entirely sure of the reason behind this, either," Rin said. "Also, I will owe you one if you don't tell someone…"
Shirou smiled gently. "It's not a big deal…"
Saber nodded. "That's something expected of us, Rin."
Rin looked at Saber and buckled over, pounding the floor. "Why… Why… She's so… perfect… Why do you have Saber…"
After complaining about it for a few more seconds, Rin patted her clothes and stood up, her face gaining a serious expression.
"You were there at Matou Mansion, right?" Rin asked.
Shirou's gaze fell, the horrible moments from that night replaying themselves in his mind.
"What happened — happened," Rin said, sounding determined. "We can't bring Shinji back… but we still have Sakura to save. So — Shirou Emiya, Master of Saber — I ask of you — Are you willing to call a temporary truce and join hands with me in getting Sakura back?"
Shirou's head snapped up. "Are you sure…"
Over the table between them, Rin reached out with her hand, smiling.
Slowly, Shirou stood up, his fingers balled into fists, his knuckles shaking as they turned white.
He shared a glance with Saber and then nodded at Rin, reaching out to grab her hand.
Why wouldn't he join hands with her to save Sakura?
Why wouldn't he do anything and everything to save Sakura, when —
— that's why he chose to continue to fight as a Master in this Holy Grail War, to begin with!
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AN: Original Image of the Dining Room (with Characters) is available
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