Remaining Days: 3
For today, Saber and I decided that we will get back to the Arena to get some more training in. Well, and to give Saber a chance to blow off steam on someone—or rather some thing—other than Rin, Leo or even myself. Also, there is not too much else left to do so it is not like we have much of a choice.
I stay in bed with Saber until around noon, though. Thinking about it, for this week there is close to no point in waking her up early anymore. It is the last week, and besides training there is not too much more on our list to do. Information collecting is not needed either, because I am sure Saber knows Gawain better than I would from reading about him.
"You didn't wake me up," Saber notices, as she actually wakes up herself. In the early afternoon. So this is how long she would sleep if not for me?
"Yep," I say, "I think we should rest as much as we want to these last nights." Saber does not disagree with me—of course not. It does not take us long to get ready and go to the Arena, although even the newer Enemy Programs can be beaten by Saber without her working up too much sweat.
"Can I ask you something?" Saber just grins at me as she keeps walking next to me, waiting for a next Enemy Program to spawn.
"Just did." Saber… How could I expect an answer that would have been any more useful than that? It appears that my annoyance is obvious. "Sorry, sorry. Go ahead, Master."
"Have you ever fought Gawain?" Saber falls silent for a moment.
"I have." Her silence does not seem like a good sign.
"Training or serious? Who won?" If it is the latter, I doubt Gawain was the one to be victorious. After all, I know it was not him who killed Saber. And, from what I know about him, if they fought in her rebellion and she was to face him and would be to lose, Gawain would have killed her to protect his king.
"Both. The latter, I won." That is reassuring, at least.
"Does that mean…?"
"Yeah, I killed him once already, so to say." I would like to ask her more, even though knowing Saber already beat him once gives me hope for the fight, but from a distance I can spot Leo, along with his Servant. I can only hope they have not heard our conversation.
Wait… We are meeting in the Arena. Does this mean he wants to fight us now? The SERAPH would break this up before it got serious either way, but I doubt Saber could fight him without revealing herself.
"Hello, Leo," I greet him, for once earlier than him. "Surprising to meet you here." I really am bad at making small talk, I think. But maybe under other circumstances than "one of us will die in a few days" I could do better.
"Good day, Ritsuka. And Saber," he smiles at us. I am not sure how to react. The last few times I have met an opponent in the Arena, more than not they wanted to attack us.
"Do you not plan to fight us here?" It has seemed like they were waiting, after all. Maybe it was my imagination? Leo seems surprised at my question.
"Oh? Of course, I do not. Our duel will be the Elimination Battle, and we should leave it at that, if you ask me. Besides, I do doubt that you would stand a chance at this time." He seems to underestimate us greatly, I suppose. Also, he does not know that Saber actually stands more than a chance against his Servant.
"Do not get my Master wrong," Gawain adds. "He is referring to my nature as Knight of the Sun." Knight of the Sun? Does every knight of the round table have such a title? I will have to ask Saber about this later.
"Ah, right," Leo notices the confused look on my face. "I am sorry if this came off wrong—I did not mean to judge your skill or experience." The last part is directed at Saber, of course. Leo knows how inexperienced and unskilled I am, after all.
"What did you mean, then?" I ask. It is worth a try, maybe he would give out information easily. After all, he was also sure enough to give out his Servant's True Name to everyone. He just smiles at me.
"That is your duty to find out, is it not? Or would you give me hints to your Servant's True Name?" I know this is not a serious information trading offer.
"Not really," I admit. I would never sell out Saber's identity. Especially if this information is something I could get from her later on, without giving something in exchange.
"Well then, we need to take our leave. I am looking forward to face you," he bids us farewell, and then he is off with Gawain. As soon as I am sure they are gone, I turn to Saber.
"What sort of skill did he mean?" Saber grits her teeth. So, there will be a problem after all.
"Numeral of the Saint," she names his skill. "Excalibur Galatine has a fragment of the sun. Basically… this skill makes him invincible at noon." I realise why that is bad news.
"And… the Elimination Battle is at noon," I notice. Saber nods. "Excalibur Galatine?" I am not sure I understood that correctly.
"His sword. It's the sister-sword to Excalibur." So, you can say Gawain rivals Arturia in strength. Now I feel a bit silly for thinking this battle would be any easier than the last ones.
"How can we get around that Numeral of the Saint?"
"Stall time until the sun goes down?" Saber says sarcastically.
There must be another way, or we are done for.