Saber's hand flew to the hilt of her invisible sword, her eyes narrowing with the practiced wariness of a seasoned warrior. "Who are you? Where am I?"
"Easy," I said, holding my hands up in a placating gesture. "You're safe. I found you injured on the street and brought you here."
Her eyes darted around my cluttered bedroom, taking in the anime posters and stacks of manga with clear confusion. Then, her gaze fell to the sheets pooled around her waist. A horrified realization dawned on her face. With a sharp gasp, she yanked the quilt up to her chin, her cheeks flushing a brilliant crimson.
"My clothes! My armor! What have you done, you cur?" she demanded, her voice a mixture of regal fury and deep embarrassment.
"Hey, I saved your life," I retorted, gesturing to her side. "Your armor was damaged, and you had a nasty wound. I had to take it off to bandage you."
She followed my gesture, her anger faltering as she saw the clean, neatly wrapped bandage around her torso. She tentatively touched it, her expression softening from outrage to grudging gratitude.
As I spoke, I subtly channeled my newly integrated Cosmo. It was a faint, warm current flowing from my palms, carrying the faintest hint of the restorative energy from my Mountain & Rivers Soul. I wasn't actively healing her, but I was creating an environment conducive to it, a pocket of vitality in the stale air of my room. My internal monologue was a quiet hum of concentration: Channel the Cosmo Flow, level three. Don't push, just guide. Let the warmth of the realm soothe the chaotic energy of her wound.
A system panel flickered, acknowledging my effort.
🌟 SYSTEM UPDATE 🌟
➤ Action: Cosmo-Aided First Aid
➤ New Skill Unlocked: Healing Infusion (Level 1)
➤ Effect: Can channel Cosmo to accelerate natural healing and soothe minor spiritual afflictions.
➤ Host Body Integration Progress: 60% → 62%
Saber's pride warred with her honor, and honor won. "I... thank you," she said stiffly. "You have my gratitude, Sir…?"
"Alan. Just Alan."
Her moment of peace was short-lived. Her eyes locked onto the Holy Grail sitting on my nightstand, and her demeanor shifted back to one of fierce, unwavering purpose. "The Grail. It must be returned to me. It is the reason for my summoning."
"About that," I said, leaning against the doorframe. I quickly explained how the Grail had appeared first, followed by her dramatic, sky-diving entrance. I watched her closely, looking for a reaction. "Your master, Shirou Emiya, must be worried sick."
A flicker of confusion crossed her face. "Shirou… Emiya? I know no such person. I was summoned to a Great Holy Grail War, but it was in a city of fire, fighting alongside a different master. We were defeated, and I was cast adrift through a dimensional rift."
The pieces clicked into place. This Saber wasn't from the main Fate/Stay Night timeline. She was from a prequel, a parallel world, or a timeline where she had lost her war. She was a stray, untethered to the canon I knew.
"Well, things are different here," I explained. "That Grail chose me. I'm its master now."
She accepted this with a solemn nod, the logic of her world overriding her personal desires. "If you are its chosen master, then I am its guardian. My duty is to serve you until your wish is granted and the contract is dissolved."
The word 'contract' sent a ping through my system.
🔔 CONTRACT STATUS 🔔
➤ Active Contract Holder: Witch-Entity C.C. (Rank: Epic)
➤ Current Bond Strength: 49% → 51%
➤ System Note: Primary contract supersedes all others. If the primary contract holder (user) dies, all bonds are severed, and all acquired abilities linked to those bonds will be revoked.
My life wasn't just my own anymore; it was the anchor for every power and alliance I was building.
"If I die, the contract breaks, and you're free," I told her, testing the waters.
"I will not allow any harm to come to my master," she declared, her voice ringing with conviction. "Now, state your wish, Master. Let us fulfill our purpose."
She tried to rise, to assume a formal kneeling position, but as she put weight on her body, the corrupting energy of her wound flared. A pained gasp escaped her lips, and she swayed, blackish-purple smoke coiling from beneath her bandages.
"Fool!" I snapped, rushing forward to catch her before she could fall. I eased her back onto the bed, my hand steadying her shoulder. The intimate contact, the scent of her hair, the feel of her skin beneath the thin sheet—it sent a jolt through me, a primal mix of desire and protectiveness. "You're in no condition to be playing knight. And you can't summon your big fancy sword, either."
To prove my point, she defiantly raised her hand, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I will show you the strength of a Servant! I call upon the hallowed name of the blade that cleaves evil! Excalibur!"
A faint, brilliant light gathered in her palm, but it sputtered and died in an instant. The backlash was immediate and violent. She cried out in pain, clutching her wound as fresh blood stained the white bandages.
🔔 ALERT 🔔
➤ Target [Saber (Prime)] has attempted a Divine-Tier Summon.
➤ Result: Failed. Overstrain detected.
➤ Subject Injury Level Increased by +2.
➤ Mission Protocol Updated: Stabilize subject. Extract Longinus Shard resonance before subject's spiritual core collapses.
"See?" I said, my voice softer now. I gently pushed her back down against the pillows. "Rest. Heal. The wish can wait."
"But what is it?" she insisted, her emerald eyes searching mine. "What is the great desire that you would call upon the Grail to grant?"
I sighed, a wave of weariness washing over me. There was no point in hiding it. This was my truth, the core of my being in this new, chaotic life.
"I wish for great power," I said, my voice quiet but firm. "Enough power to protect my sister. And," I added, meeting her gaze without flinching, "to protect all the other girls from the 2D worlds who might end up here."
A panel flashed in my mind, logging the wish with cosmic finality.
🌠 WISH LOG 🌠
➤ Wish Registered: "Great power to protect my sister and all transdimensionally displaced '2D' allies."
➤ Status: Binding Complete.
➤ Effect: User's 'Power Progression Curve' has been adjusted. New potential unlocked: [Guardian's Authority].
Saber stared at me, her expression unreadable. "2D... worlds?"
"It's complicated," I said, running a hand through my hair. "It means people like you. People from other realities, from stories. People who are lost."
A flicker of understanding, of empathy, crossed her face. The legendary King of Knights, herself a figure of story and myth, could grasp the concept better than most. She was no longer just a Servant bound by duty, but a potential recipient of the very protection my wish was meant to create.
"I see," she murmured, her strength finally failing her. "Master... may I have some water?"
As I turned to get it, she spoke again, her voice barely a whisper, but filled with a new, urgent warning.
"You must be careful. The Grail's appearance does not go unnoticed. There are others... hunters, who track these artifacts across the realms. They will be coming."