Remaining Days: 2
Today is another day for us to go to the Arena. Not necessarily for training—though Saber would never pass up the chance to make some Enemy Programs regret approaching her—but to collect the last Trigger. We only have today or tomorrow left, the time really seems to be running fast.
"Saber, I know you are awake," I say, remembering yesterday.
"When did you figure it out?" She mumbles, definitely drowsy. So at least her being grumpy and generally not a morning person was true, and not just an act.
"Yesterday," I say. "You know that you do not have to pretend being asleep just for a kiss?" Saber sits up and pouts.
"But when do you do it out of the night before an Elimination Battle, or to wake me?" I have never really realised this. Saber never shows it, so I sort of failed to notice that she would like to have more skinship. I hug her tightly.
"Sorry, sorry. But… you know, you could kiss me yourself," I remind her. Saber blushes.
"But that's… kinda embarrassing." I know where she is coming from, but still.
"Kiss me now," I order her, closing my eyes.
"T-That's…" But I do not say more, I just wait. Nothing happens for a good moment. Has she fallen asleep again?
When I open my eyes, Saber has the probably cutest expression I have ever seen on her face. She looks so focused, trying so hard, but with a tomato-red face it just looks adorable. Immediately, she smashes a pillow into my face.
"Why did you open your eyes! Stupid Master. Idiot!" She is beating me up with her pillow, but that would not hurt. I am almost sorry to have caught her in such an embarrassing moment, but I have no regrets.
"Sorry! Really, I am. But you were really cute!" I feel like her hits just got a tad stronger. When there is an opening—it seems even Saber cannot keep beating someone up for forever—I pull her close and peck her lips. "This is how you do it," I say, teasingly.
Saber kisses me back, though with almost a bit too much force. "Like this?" I know she is trying to come off as flirtatious, but her voice is as shaky as it would be if we just had our first kiss. I chuckle.
"Yes, but next time try less hard to bust my teeth in."
"I give up," Saber pouts, blushing even more now. I would feel sorry, if not for this overly cute reaction.
"Let us go to the Arena?" I suggest, and after we get ready, we immediately go there.
"What about Rin?" Saber asks me, as soon as we step into the Arena. I am honestly surprised she even cares.
"I did not see her this morning… But I suppose she still keeps some distance," I say. That is what it seems like to me, at least. It seems that Leo's harem-comment really ripped some wounds open again, and I do not exactly want to rub salt in.
Thankfully, it does not take us too long to find the very last Trigger we will ever have to find—Trigger Code Xi . With this, we are qualified for the last remaining Elimination Battle. And yet, we still need to find a way around Gawain's skill. Speaking of the devil…
We happen to run into Gawain in the Arena, all by himself. "Hello Gawain," I greet him as politely as he treats me. "Is Leo not with you?"
He gives me a warm smile, and if I would not be so in love with Saber I may as well wish him to be my Servant. "My Master is up in the library, trying to form a strategy. I am here to prepare myself."
"I see," I say. It must be unlikely for a Servant to be without their Master, but if it is Gawain, especially now at noon, I suppose he needs no support. Again, he eyes Saber.
"Are you sure we have never met?" Saber nods, though I can see that it is getting harder for her to keep up this lie. Just two more days, I think. "You remind me of someone, I must say." I need to keep this conversation going, and the focus away from Saber.
"Who is this someone?" I ask Gawain. I have not really thought well about this question; the answer should have been obvious. I am way too dense at times.
"King Arthur—the king of knights. The one I swore my loyalty to, but failed to protect," Gawain smiles bitterly. I can feel his regret about the failure. "I apologise for being this rude," he turns to Saber. "I know you have no relation to the king."
If only you knew, I think bitterly. It may be a bit of a shock.
"We will be on our way then… Good luck!" And with that, I grab Saber's hand and basically pull her out of the Arena. "Sorry," I tell her as soon as we are far enough from Gawain.
"For?"
"I know you do not really like to hear or talk about… you know who." Saber just harrumphs, but she does not deny it. This is what I like about our relationship, most of the time neither of us really has to speak things out. We would understand each other blindly.
Back in our room, I immediately knock at Rin's door, asking her to join us for a strategy talk.
"Is there a problem with Leo's Servant?" She asks. Well, of course Rin would know. Why else would I be bothering her, if I could guess she is not in the best mood?
"So to say… His skill, Numeral of the Saint, would prevent us from harming him at all at noon," I tell her.
"How does it work?" Rin asks. Of course . This is the most basic logic, even for hacking—if you can find out how something works, you can disable it. I turn to Saber—after all, she is the one with the knowledge.
"His sword contains a fragment of the sun, so it's about the sun," she says. Rin eyes her suspiciously.
"Just who are you?" Saber just shrugs, not revealing anything about herself. Then, Rin looks at me.
"Sorry, I do not have a clue," I lie. Rin thankfully drops this topic. I do not feel comfortable about lying, but it is definitely less uncomfortable for me than it would be for Saber if someone knew of her identity. Someone she does not get along with in the first place, on top of that.
Rin seems to ponder for a while, then checks her terminal. Then, she speaks up.
"The only way I see would be to… hack the sun. To turn it into the moon, for at least a while." I certainly know I am not able to write such a Code Cast.
"Could you do that?"
"I suppose," says Rin. "Leave it to me."
This has been taken care of, all we have left to do now is train and get Saber to perfect shape.