Chapter 13: Saber's Return
At the same time, on the other side.
Shirou had no time to worry about his backyard, which had been turned into a mess by the magical storm, because at this moment, his gaze was entirely captured by the figure that appeared after the light dissipated.
Finely spun hair like golden sand tied into an intricate braid, emerald eyes carrying a gallant gaze, and a holy sword that could not be seen by the naked eye gripped firmly in hands encased in gauntlets.
She was the Eternal King from Celtic mythology, the chosen one who pulled the holy sword from the stone, the Red Dragon of Britain—Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights.
The girl looked up at Shirou and revealed a faint smile. Even though his appearance had changed slightly, Artoria instantly recognized Shirou—the boy who had made a promise with her at the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War.
"See? I didn't break my word, did I?" Shirou reached out his hand toward the girl.
"Yes. Keeping one's word is the most brilliant of virtues; without a doubt, you possess it, Shirou." The corners of Saber's mouth curved slightly, revealing a beautiful smile.
Then, Saber declared:
"Saber, Artoria Pendragon, has come in response to your summons. I shall seize the Holy Grail together with the promised one, Shirou Orihara!"
"This time, we will definitely succeed," Shirou said with a smile.
Their hands clasped together.
"The pact is formed."
The crimson Command Seals flickered for a moment. Shirou met the girl's eyes.
'In this Holy Grail War, it seems there will be quite a few variables' Shirou thought to himself.
Since several of the original participants in this Holy Grail War had already died, the Heroic Spirits appearing this time would fundamentally be subject to change. Additionally, as the Wizard Marshall Zelretch had said, the ten-year period had arrived, and the chaos generated in this world would gradually reveal itself.
While the feeling of not being able to master the "plot" was a bit annoying, overall, Shirou felt this was better. Things that were completely within his grasp were no longer interesting to him; it was precisely this kind of unreadable situation that provided the pleasure of seeing through it.
"However... there is probably one Servant who likely won't change much..."
That was Caster. He remembered that woman's original summoner wasn't Soichiro Kuzuki, but a magus from a rising Middle Eastern lineage belonging to the Mages' Association, named Atrum Galliasta.
Saber looked into Shirou's eyes with some confusion. Having been stared at for so long, even she couldn't help but feel a bit troubled. Furthermore, the hand being held had not been released yet. Out of etiquette, Saber felt it would be improper to simply pull away, so she remained as she was.
Shirou seems different from before... Since she couldn't move for the moment, Saber simply began to scrutinize the youth before her. Whether it was the contours of his face, his physique, or his aura, everything had become several times more refined than before. Moreover, his grip had become much stronger; Saber moved slightly, only to find that even with her strength, she couldn't budge.
Although she knew she was a woman, her strength was certainly several times greater than that of an ordinary person.
"Shirou... why haven't you let go of me yet..."
Hearing Saber's voice, Shirou finally snapped back from his thoughts.
"I was thinking about matters regarding this Holy Grail War, though I don't have many clues yet. It's quite late; why don't we go inside the room to rest first?"
Shirou explained, then spoke to Saber:
"By the way, Saber, are you hungry?"
"That..."
A trace of hesitation appeared on Saber's expression, which then turned into wavering. Originally, she hadn't felt hungry, but now that Shirou mentioned it, she felt as if she were indeed a bit hungry.
"A little bit..." As Saber said this, she felt her cheeks grow hot.
To think that after being summoned, before she had done anything at all, she was asking her Master to prepare food for her—it was truly a bit embarrassing.
"Don't worry too much about it, Saber. If you're going to fight, you can't do it on an empty stomach."
Hearing this, Saber couldn't help but nod in agreement. The ahoge on her head swayed freely along with her joyful mood.
"Yes, what you say makes perfect sense, Shirou!"
"I sense the presence of several people in this house. Won't my entering like this be an intrusion?" As a Servant, Saber immediately detected this.
"Of course it's fine. We just need to keep our movements quiet."
"I see, I understand." Saber immediately lightened her footsteps and carefully entered the house.
However, the armor on her body was too much of a hindrance; no matter how much she lightened her steps, they would still make a sound. Because of this, Saber simply dispelled her armor, revealing the white dress underneath, and followed behind Shirou to the kitchen.
Inexplicably, she felt her heart rate begin to accelerate.
What is wrong with me? Saber placed her hand over her heart, feeling the racing pulse with confusion.
"What's wrong?" Shirou suddenly turned back to ask.
"N-nothing..." At the moment their eyes met, her heart beat more intensely than ever before. Saber spoke with a hint of fluster.
Not seeing any clues from the girl's expression, Shirou began to cook. As a natural chef with a photographic memory, the recipes stored in Shirou's mind could fill an entire room.
"By the way, tomorrow I'm going to school with Sakura. Saber, do you want to go?"
"I am your Servant, Shirou. Naturally, I must be with you," Saber answered without hesitation. Seemingly feeling her words were ambiguous, she added, "This is for the convenience of protecting you."
"In that case, that outfit definitely won't do. You'll have to change." Shirou revealed a smile.
Saying this, Shirou left the kitchen and headed toward the living room. Watching his back, Saber felt an inexplicable bad premonition in her heart.
Then, in less than half a minute, Shirou returned to the kitchen holding a blue top and skirt.
"Change into this, Saber."
"This..."
Saber, who didn't know much about schools, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded under Shirou's eager gaze.
"The bathroom is over there," Shirou pointed.
"Alright." Saber walked into the bathroom with light steps and closed the door.
Then, the rustling sound of clothes being changed echoed. Shirou didn't pay it any mind, focusing instead on his cooking. To make Saber accept her current situation, he first had to use delicious food to silence any dissatisfaction.
After about ten minutes, just as Shirou's cooking was finished, Saber walked out wearing the brown top and black skirt.
"Shirou...!" The girl called out softly, as if seeking help.
Hearing this voice, Shirou hurried over. "What's wrong?"
Walking out of the bathroom, Saber's cheeks were slightly flushed. She awkwardly used both hands to cover the skirt that revealed her fair legs.
"The skirt... is a bit too short..."
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