My Little Pony: Friendship is Unlimitedby Kujo BlazeChaptersStop Saber!...Follow them.Bring back Saber.Call back Saber....Head to the graveyard...Don't go.Do as Rarity said.Day 4: AwakenNo WoundWoundedGym Phone....Stay here.Stop Saber!“Eh?” It all happens in an instant. There’s a stallion in red in front of Saber. The stallion in red is in an unfavorable position after being attacked by Saber, and he’s about to receive a fatal blow. Behind them… The pony watching Saber from behind that stallion is somepony I know. “No…” I reach out with my left hoof and call out. I don’t know who that stallion in red is. But I’m sure Saber will attack the pony behind the stallion after she defeats him. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let Saber attack her! “Stop, Saber!” I feel a sharp pain. One of the marks on my hoof disappears. In its place… Saber halts her blow, which should not have been possible to stop. “……” The silver armor hesitates for an instant. Using that opening, the stallion in red quickly gets away. “That stallion… he’s…” I’m sure of it. That’s the stallion that was fighting Lancer. “……” Then the mare behind him is… Um, I don’t want to believe so, but is it really…? “Are you insane, Storm? We should have been able to defeat Archer and his Master here. So why did you go so far as to use your Command Spell to stop me!?” “……” What could I have done? I don’t understand the situation at all. I stopped Saber only because I didn’t want to see her slash at the mare who saved me. “Master, please retract your order. If you act like this, I cannot defeat enemies that could otherwise be beaten.” Saber readies the object in her wings again. In front of her is the red stallion she could not slay. “No, don’t do it. To be honest, I have no idea what’s going on. But the one you’re about to attack is somepony I know. I can’t let you attack somepony I know.” “What are you saying? She is Archer’s Master. She is our enemy, so we must defeat her here.” “……” Enemy? She and the stallion in red are enemies? “…I don’t care about that. First of all, I don’t even understand this Master thing you’re talking about. If you’re going to call me Master, you should at least explain to me what this is all about.” “That is true, but…” Saber hesitates. Then… “…Hm. So that’s how it is, amateur Master?” She calls out to me with a polite yet harsh voice. When I turn around, I see the stallion in red and the mare in her school uniform. “……” I gasp. …So I wasn’t seeing things. The pony with the stallion in red is definitely “that” Rarity Jewel. “Rarity… Jewel” How should I put this? Even I can tell that the stallion behind Rarity isn’t human. That thing is not of this world, just like Saber. Then… if Rarity is with him, she’s also… “Huh? Oh, you know me? Then this should be easy. First of all, good evening, Storm.” I don’t know what her intentions are. But Rarity greets me with a big smile. “Uh… huh?” I’m troubled. When she greets me normally like that, I forget about all these strange events and just greet her too. “A-Are you serious!? This isn’t the time for greetings! You’re…!” “Yes, I’m a Master as well. In other words, I’m a mage like you. We’re similar, so we don’t have to hide it, right?” “Mage? You’re a mage, Rarity!?” My eyes widen, and I point at Rarity. “Oh…” …Crap. I don’t know why, but she’s… She’s looking at me with real irritation… “Uh, no, that’s not what I meant to say.” “I see. I get it now. So that’s how it is, huh?” Taking a look at us, she turns to the stallion behind her. “Archer. Can you turn into spirit form for a while? I’m pissed right now.” “I don’t mind, but what do you mean by pissed?” “It means what it means. I can’t calm down unless I make him realize what kind of a situation he’s in. You won’t have anything to do until then, so go away. Saber won’t be able to lower her sword as long as you’re here.” “Sheesh, how difficult. Well, I shall obey if it’s an order. If I may warn you, however, what you are about to do is needless.” The stallion literally disappears. “R-Rarity, that was!” “Let’s talk inside. You don’t know anything, right, Storm? You can rest assured that I’ll tell you everything, even if you say you don’t want to know.” Saying this, she walks toward the entrance. “Wait, what are you thinking!?” I stop her. And then… She turns, and the smile on her face isn’t like the previous one. “Are you stupid? I’m thinking about a lot of things. That’s why I want to talk to you. Storm, it’s okay to be surprised by sudden turn of events, but it might cost you your life if you don’t just accept it. Incidentally, do you understand that now is one of those times?” “Uh… ugh.” “It’s fine if you understand. So, let’s go to your place. You’re fine with that too, right, Saber? I’ll explain things to your Master in return for sparing my life.” “…Very well. I do not know what your intentions are, but I shall restrain myself as long as you are helping my Master.” Rarity goes through the gate. “…She’s really pissed…” I don’t know why, though. I don’t know, but… “But still…” She’s totally unlike the way she is at school… So, I’m in a strange situation. In front of me is the school’s number-one idol whom I admire, Rarity Jewel. And following silently behind me is Saber, who calls herself a Servant. “……” Oh. The hallway suddenly feels like part of a different dimension. But I can’t be a coward forever. I’m a mage, even if I’m just an amateur. Rarity Jewel, a mage just like me, is acting boldly, so I have to act firmly as well. …But I can only work out a few things. First, about Saber, who’s following me. I’m sure that she’s some kind of a familiar, because she calls me Master and I’ve made a contract with her. I’ve heard that a familiar is a kind of assistant. Most mages transfer a part of their body into something and then summon it as another self. It is something that assists the mage. Consequently, it’s commonly accepted that small animals are the most suitable as to reduce the burden on the mage. …So I’ve been taught, but… “Hm? What is it, Storm?” “…No, it’s nothing.” …Saber looks pony no matter how you look at her. And she is clearly superior to me, her master. I don’t have the magical energy to control somepony like that, and, more than that, I don’t have the Magic Circuit to summon a familiar. “……” So Saber must rather be something else than a familiar. She said she’s a Servant. I don’t know what that is, but I think the stallion called Lancer and the stallion in red with Rarity were the same thing. Saber called Rarity a Master as well. I guess mages with a Servant are called Masters. …It seems Rarity is a mage as well, but I have no idea who she is. The Whooves family are just outsiders who came to this town in my father’s generation. That’s why I didn’t know that Rarity was a mage, and I’m sure Rarity didn’t know that I knew magic. …There are several mages in this town that I don’t know about. If Lancer is the familiar of another mage in this town, does that mean I’ve stuck my head into a conflict between mages? “Wow, it’s pretty big. I am not used to this Ponyville style. Oh, is that the living room, Storm?” Saying so, rarity goes into the living room. “……” I should stop thinking. Let’s just listen to Rarity’s story. I turn the lights on. It’s already past one in the morning. “Oh, it’s so cold! Hey, the windows are all broken.” “I couldn’t help it. I was attack by this Lancer stallion. I was desperate.” “Oh, I see. Then were you fighting him alone until you summoned Saber?” “I didn’t fight him. He just beat me up.” “Oh, so you don’t try to show off, huh? …I see, I see. You’re really just as you appear, Storm.” Rarity walks over to the broken window. “…?” Rarity takes a piece of the shattered glass, takes a look at it, and… “…Minuten vor SchweiBen.” She cuts the tip of her hoof and puts a drop of her blood onto the glass. “…!?” What kind of magic is this? The shattered glass recombines and restores itself in a matter of seconds. “Rarity, that was…” “It’s just a small demonstration. It won’t be enough to repay you for saving me, but I have to do at least this much. …Well, I’m sure you would’ve fixed it even if I hadn’t, but that’d just be a waste of magical energy, right? All you’d really have to do is replace the window, but we don’t want to talk in this cold, do we?” She says this as if it’s completely natural. But needless to say, her skills are beyond my comprehension. “No, that’s amazing, Rarity. I can’t do that sort of thing, so I’m glad you fixed it.” “Huh? Of course you’d be able to fix it. Handling glass is elementary. Restoring glass that broke a few minutes ago is like a simple admission test for school, right?” “So that’s how it is? I was only taught by my father, so I don’t even know the basics or the elementary stuff.” “…Huh?” Rarity freezes. …Damn. It seems I said something I shouldn’t have. “…Wait. Then you’re saying you’re just an amateur who can’t even run his own workshop?” “…? I don’t have a workshop.” …Well, I do have that shed as my training area, but I think Rarity would get mad if I called that my workshop. “…I’m going to ask, even though it’s impossible. Could it be that you don’t know how to handle the five main elements nor how to make a Pass?” I honestly admit that I don’t know. “……” Wow, that’s scary. She’s so beautiful usually, so this make her look pretty frightening now. “Then what are you, just an amateur?” “That’s not true. I can at least use strengthening magic.” “Strengthening… that’s an awfully odd magic. So, you can’t do anything other than that?” “…Well, to be honest, probably not.” Her glare makes me answer vaguely. “…Geez. Why did Saber get summoned to a stallion like this?” “Humph.” It makes me mad. I haven’t been playing around. I know I’m an amateur, but I don’t think it matters right now. “Well, I guess it doesn’t make any difference. There’s no point in complaining about what’s already happened. More importantly, I have to pay back my debt right now.” Rarity takes a breath. “Well, I’ll begin. Storm, you don’t know what kind of situation you’re in right now, correct?” “……” I nod. “I thought so. Well, it was obvious, but I had to make sure, right? It’s only putting flab on my mind if I explain it to somepony who already gets it.” “…?” I think that was a weird phrase but I‘ll stay quiet, as I think she’ll beat me up if I make fun of her now. “To put it bluntly, you have been chosen as a Master. You have a harmony sign on one of your hoofs, right? On your hoof or on your legs. There are personal differences, but there should be three Command Spells engraved. That is the sign of a Master.” “On my hoof… oh, this.” “Yes. That is also a spell that controls the Servant, so take care of it. It’s called a Command Spell and you can retain control over your Servant as long as you have it.” “…? What do you mean ‘as long as I have it’?” “The Command Spell enforces unconditional obedience. That mark overrules your Servant’s will and makes them obey your command. There’s no spell needed to activate it, and it will be activated when you put your mind to using it. You’ll be killed if you lose all your Command Spells, so be careful.” “What… I’ll be killed?” “That’s right. Masters killing other Masters is fundamental to the Harmony Grail War. And the Master that kills the other six Masters is awarded the Harmony Grail.” “What?” H-Hold on. I don’t understand what Rarity is talking about at all. Like the part about Masters killing other Masters. And the part where the winner gets a Harmony Grail… wait, does she mean THAT Harmony Grail!? “You still don’t understand? To put it simply, you’ve been dragged into a game. A survival game between the seven Masters, a game called the Harmony Grail War. A battle royale that won’t end until you kill all other Masters.” Rarity Jewel states this as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “……” The phrase I heard swirl in my head. I have been chosen as a Master. Rarity says she is a Master. Familiars called Servants. And… A battle to the death between mages, called the Harmony Grail War. “Wait. What’s this? What are you talking about all of a sudden?” “I understand how you feel, but I’m just telling you the truth. …Besides, you should understand deep down. Having nearly been killed by that Servant twice, you should know you’re in a situation you can’t run away from.” “……” That’s… Certainly, I was almost killed by that Lancer stallion, but… “Oh, that’s wrong. In fact, you weren’t almost killed, you were actually killed. I’m surprised you’re alive again.” “……” Not almost killed, but actually killed. …That’s right. I was killed by that stallion. I should be more surprised about the fact I’m alive than about this situation I’m in. …The wound in my chest. …The escaping blood. …The escaping warmth. And… The pure voice I heard amidst all of that… “Do you get it now? That is your situation. You can’t run away just because you don’t know anything. But you’re prepared, since you’re a mage, right? We are beings who kill and are killed.” Rarity is in a good mood, maybe because she enjoys watching me be troubled. “……” …Yeah. I’m already prepared. But… “…You know I was killed by Lancer, Rarity?” I wonder how she knows that fact. “…Damn. I got caught up in the moment.” She’s acting suspiciously. “That was just a guess. Forget about it, it’s trivial.” “…It’s not trivial. Somepony certainly…” “Forget about it! Your main concern should be grasping the situation you’re in. You’re one of the seven Masters of the Harmony Grail War.” Rarity turns her back to me and paces as if she’s a teacher or something. “Look. Every few decades, seven Masters are chosen in this town and are given a Servant. A Master uses his or her Servant to kill other Masters. This is the ritual called the Harmony Grail War. I’ve also been chosen as a Master. That’s why I made a contract with a Servant, and you made a contract with Saber. It doesn’t seem like you summoned Saber yourself, but Servants are given to Masters by the Harmony Grail. So it is possible for an ignorant mage like you to be chosen as a Master.” “……” Rarity’s explanation is too brief for me to understand. But there is one thing I do wonder about. “…Hold on. You say Saber is a familiar, but I not convinced. Familiars are things like cats and birds, right? Well, I do hear that some use human ghosts, but Saber has a body. Besides, she doesn’t look like a familiar.” I glance at Saber. Saber is quietly listening to our conversation. …She looks just like a pony. I don’t know her identity, but she’s a mare about my age. “Familiar, huh? Well, Servants are in that category, but they are on a different level. That mare over there is a Ghost Liner, considered to be the strongest of all familiars.” “Ghost Liner? Then do you mean she really is a ghost?” “A ghost… huh? She’s similar, but Saber would kill you if you compared her to one. Servants are heroes of the past given bodies. Beings surpassing ponies, more like spirits.” “Huh? Heroes of the past given bodies?” “That’s right. A legendary hero that was pulled from the past or the present or whenever and given a body; well, it’s the role of the Master to summon them, and the Harmony Grail does the rest. It’s impossible for a mage to give shape to a soul, so we’re assisted by a strong Artifact.” “Hold on. So a ‘hero of the past’ means… what!?” I look over at Saber. Then she’s a heroine from the past too? Well, it’s true that nopony would dress like that now, but still… “That’s impossible. I’ve never heard of any such magic.” “Of course not. This isn’t magic. Think of it as a phenomenon created by the Harmony Grail. It’s impossible to recreate a soul and give it a body without it.” “…Recreate a soul? Then a Servant isn’t a ghost?” “No. Haven’t you been taught that all ponies, animals or machines that leave any great achievements behind get removed from the ring of reincarnation and sublimate into beings of higher rank? Heroic spirits are like that. To put it simply, they have been worshipped and made into artificial gods. ’Ghost Magic’ such as supplicating ghosts uses heroic spirits to make miracles happen. But the Servants are familiars made from the heroic spirits themselves. So they accompany you in spirit form, but if need be, you can give them form to make them fight.” “…Hm. So you mean you can give them form or keep them in spirit form? That stallion that was with you disappeared by turning into spirit form?” “Yup. He’s keeping watch on the roof now. I think you could tell from that battle, but the only ones who can beat these Servants are other Servants, spirits like them. Well, we can attack them too if they take form, so we might be able to beat them. But Servants are all as strong as monsters, right? So we let monsters deal with monsters. The Master usually supports them from behind.” “…Hm.” Rarity’s explanation irritates me for some reason. She calls them monsters. I don’t know about the other Servants, but I don’t want her to talk about Saber like that. “Anyways, somepony who becomes a Master must kill all the other Masters using his Servant. Do you understand so far?” “…Technically, yes. But I’m not convinced. To begin with, who started such a thing and why?” “That’s not something I know about, nor should I answer. You should pose that kind of question to the one overseeing the Harmony Grail War. The one thing I can tell you is that all you can do now is fight, and since Servants are powerful familiars, you should use yours wisely.” Rarity says so, and now turns to Saber. “So from what I hear from Storm, you must not be in full form, Saber. You were summoned by an apprentice mage who has no idea how to be a Master.” “…Yes, I am not in full form as you say. Since Storm does not have the magical energy to give me form, it will be difficult for me to turn into a spirit or to replenish my magical energy.” “…I’m surprised. I’m surprised that you were in that bad of a state, but I didn’t think you’d tell me honestly. I was wondering how I ought to find out your weakness.” “I do not wish to let others know of my weakness, but I do not think I can fool you. It would be meaningless to hide our situation from you. So it will be better for us to tell you of our situation, and to have Storm better understand the situation he is in right now.” “Correct. And you have a good personality too. …Geez, I’m regretting it even more now. If I was your Master, I would have certainly won this war!” Rarity stomps her hoof with anger. “Hmm. Rarity, do you mean I’m not fit to be her Master?” “Of course not, idiot.” Wow. She just said something that any normal pony would have trouble saying. “What? Do you have any more questions?” And she doesn’t realize it. Her honor student image from school crumbles inside of me. …Good going, Applejack. Rarity certainly shows no openings, just like a devil. “Well. We’re done talking, so let’s get going.” Rarity suddenly says something strange. “Huh? Go where?” “We’re going to see the stallion who knows all about the game you’re involved in… the ‘Harmony Grail War’. You want to know the reasons behind the Harmony Grail War, right?” “Of course. But where is it? It’s already late, so…” “It’ll be fine. It’s in the neighboring town, so we should be back by dawn if we hurry. And besides, it’s Sunday tomorrow, so it should be fine to stay up late.” “No, that’s not the problem.” It’s just that a lot of things happened today, so I want to have a rest and think about them. “What, you’re not going? …Well, if you say so. But what about you, Saber?” Rarity asks Saber. “Hold on, this has nothing to do with Saber. Don’t push her.” “Oh, you’re already feeling like a Master? You don’t want me talking to Saber?” “T-That’s not it! It’s just that if what you said is true, the Saber is a heroine from the past, right? So she wouldn’t know about this time since she was just summoned. So…” “Storm, that is wrong. Servants can adapt to any time. So I know a lot about this age as well.” “Really?” “Yes. This is not the first time that I have been summoned in this age.” “Wha..?” “No way, what are the chances of that!?” Hey, Rarity is surprised too. …So that must mean Saber said something incredible. “Storm, I agree with her. You lack experience as a Master. As a Servant making a contract with you, I want you to be stronger.” Saber stares at me silently. …It’s a gentle stare that’s worried not for herself, but for me. “…All right. I’ll go. So, where is this place, Rarity? It’s a place we can come back from, right?” “Of course. We are heading to Blue Church in the neighboring town. That’s where the false priest, the one who oversees this battle, is living.” Rarity makes an evil smile. It looks like she’s having fun dragging me around while I don’t know anything. “……” It might be prejudice… But I’m beginning to feel like there’s a problem with her personality… We walk through the nighttime town. It’s past one in the morning and there’s no pony out at this time. The lights in the houses are out, and only the streetlamps illuminate the silent town. “Hey Rarity, are you planning to walk to the neighboring town?” “Yeah. The buses and trains have stopped running. A walk at night is good once in a while, right?” “I see, then if I may ask, do you know how long it takes to get there?” “Well, it should take about an hour walking. If it gets late, we can always take a taxi.” “I won’t waste that kind of money. And besides, what I mean is, it might be dangerous for mares to walk around at a time like this. You know it’s dangerous, right? I won’t be responsible if something happens.” “Don’t worry, nopony’s going to mess with us. You may be forgetting, but Saber is really strong.” “Oh.” She’s right. Whoever it is, if somepony attacks her, they will be counterattacked viciously. “Rarity. What was Storm saying? I did not quite understand.” “Huh? Well, he was just making a big misunderstanding or being plain stupid. He’s saying he’ll help us if some pervert appears.” “What? Storm is my Master. I should be protecting him instead.” “I don’t think he’s thinking about that sort of thing. He seems unconcerned about mages and Servants and all. I kind of wonder what’s going on in his head.” “……” Rarity and Saber now know each other well enough to talk to each other. Saber has been silent ever since I stopped her from going out dressed like she was. She said she wouldn’t take off her armor, so I made her wear a raincoat, and she’s been quiet ever since. Now, she follows me and only speaks to Rarity. “Wait, where are you going, Storm? Isn’t that the wrong way?” “We need to get to the bridge, right? Then this will be a shortcut.” I don’t want to walk alongside them, so I quickly make my way to the small side-road. They follow me without objection. We come out into a park. We have to cross that bridge to go to the neighboring town of New Ponyville, but… “Wow, I didn’t know about this road. I see, since you can get to the bridge from the park, all you have to do is head for the park.” Rarity looks up at the bridge, talking happily. Maybe it’s just because it’s nighttime. Rarity’s face, looking up at the bridge, seems even more beautiful than at school… I’m troubled. “Let’s go. We didn’t come here to play around.” I hurry Rarity, who is standing still in the park, and make my way up the stairs. Once we reach the road alongside the bridge, New Ponyville will be straight ahead of us. There’s no pony on the bridge. That’s only natural as not many people use it even during daytime. It’s more normal to use the bus or the train to get to the neighboring town, so this bridge is rarely used. That’s because it’s so long and it carries a fear that it might collapse on you. That must be why this place isn’t used for dates, even though it’s perfect location-wise. “…That’s stupid. What am I thinking?” Saber is following me silently and Rarity is walking besides me. Trying to ignore them, I hurry across the bridge. Beyond the bridge, Rarity leads us into the suburbs. When I think about New Ponyville, only the office buildings in front of the station come to mind, but there are streets from the older times once you get away from the station. The suburbs are the most extreme of those. There are hilly roads and a high ground overlooking the sea. As you go farther up the hill, there are fewer buildings and the foreigners’ cemetery built on the slope of the hill can be seen. “The church is up here. You must have been there at least once, right?” “No. I know it used to be an orphanage though.” “I see. Then it’ll be your first time today. You should prepare yourself. The priest there is a difficult stallion to deal with.” Rarity starts up the hill. …Looking up, I can see a building at the top of the hill; a church atop the hill. I never thought I’d visit Hasbro’s house for the first time for a reason like this. “Wow… this is really awesome.” The church is magnificent. The whole top of the hill must be the church’s land as a flat field welcomes me as soon as I reach the top. The church isn’t that big, but it is compelling, towering over its visitors. “Storm, I will remain here.” “Huh? Why? I can’t just leave you when we’ve come up here together.” “I did not come for the church. I followed to protect you. If your destination is the church, you should not go any farther, so I shall wait here for your return.” Saber says clearly. It doesn’t seem like she’ll budge an inch, so I decide to respect her decision. “All right. Then I’ll be going.” “Yes. Please do not let your guard down whomever you are facing, Master.” It is a large, impressive chapel. Since it’s so large, many ponies must come here during the day. If he’s entrusted with such a church, the priest here must be a stallion of character. “Rarity, what kind of pony is the priest here?” “It’s kind of hard to explain. I’ve known him for ten years, but I still can’t grasp his character.” “You’ve known him for ten years? That’s a pretty long relationship. Is he a relative of yours or something?” “He’s not my relative, but he is my guardian. On top of that, he is my senior as an apprentice, and my second teacher.” “Huh… senior as an apprentice, you mean apprentice as a mage!?” “That’s right, but why are you so surprised?” “Because he’s a priest! Aren’t priests forbidden to use magic!?” By their nature, a mage and the church cannot be in harmony. The organization that mages belong to is called the Magic Association, and the other side of religion, the side you wouldn’t see while living a normal life, is called the Harmony Church. The two are barely similar. They cooperate in name, but they’re always trying to kill each other when given the chance. The church hates heretics. They totally eliminate the inpony, and they count magic-using ponies among their targets. For the church, miracles are only given to the chosen harmony saints. Any miracles handled by other ponies are heresies. There are no exceptions, even for those within the church. The higher one rises in the church, the more one is prohibited from the impurity of magic. And for a follower entrusted with a church like this and the more divine protection one receives, the more one should stay away from magic… “…No, first of all, is the priest on our side?” “Yes. He is the one supervising the Harmony Grail War after all. He is a real Agent. …Well, I don’t know if he has divine protection, though.” Rarity’s hoofsteps echo as she approaches the altar. It’s bad manners to do that when the priest isn’t here, but it’s so late at night. He won’t be in the chapel, so if he’s anywhere, it will be the private room in the back. “…Hmm. So who is this priest? You said a name like Blue before…” “His name is Blue Blood. He’s a student of my father, and we’ve had an inseparable relationship for ten years now. …Well, I wish I’d never met him, though.” “…I feel the same way. I did not want an apprentice who did not respect her teacher.” A hoofstep. He must have noticed our entry as he slowly appears from the other side of the altar. “You didn’t answer my repeated calls, and now you bring a strange guest. …Hmm, so he is the seventh one, Rarity?” “Right. He’s a mage, but he’s pretty much a beginner, so I just couldn’t let him be. …I believe it was the rules to report here when one becomes a Master, right? It’s a rule you invented, but I’ll follow it this time.” “Very well. Then I must thank this young stallion.” The priest called Blue Blood slowly turns to me. “……” …Without realizing, I step back. …He’s not scary at all. …I don’t feel any hostility from him. But this priest still has a presence that makes the air around him feel heavy. “I am Blue Blood, the one entrusted with this church. What is your name, seventh Master?” “…Storm Whooves. But I haven’t agreed to this ‘Master’ thing yet.” I glare back at the priest, trying not to lose against his presence. “Storm… Whooves.” “Huh?” The weight on my back turns into a chill. The priest slowly smiles as if he’s met somepony pleasant. …That smile. It makes me… “I thank you, Storm. You have brought Rarity here. If it were not for you, she would not have come.” The priest makes his way toward the altar. Rarity moves away from the altar and stands beside me. “Then let us start. Storm Whooves, you are Saber’s Master correct?” “That’s wrong. I certainly made a contract with her, but I don’t understand this whole Master and Harmony Grail War thing. If a Master should be a proper mage, then you should go and choose a more suitable pony.” “…I see. This is serious. Does he really know nothing, Rarity?” “I told you he’s a beginner. Train him from the very first steps, will you? You’re really good at that, right?” Rarity urges the priest. “…Oh, I see, I see. That’s how it is, huh? I understand. This is the first time you have ever depended on me. Storm Whooves, I can never thank you enough.” Father Blue Blood laughs. Their conversation makes me feel uneasy. “First, let us correct your misunderstandings. Listen, Storm Whooves. Master is not a role you can give to somepony else nor is it something you can stop being once you are chosen. Those who have those Command Spells carved on them cannot resign from being a Master. You must accept that fact.” “…Why can’t I quit?” “The Command Spell is a holy mark. Becoming a Master is a trial placed upon you. You cannot escape it just because it is inconvenient. You cannot be released from that pain until you obtain the Harmony Grail. If you wish to retire from being a Master, all you can do is obtain the Harmony Grail and wish for it. If you do that, everything will be as you desire, Storm Whooves. Your wishes, even cleaning out all the mud inside of you, is possible… Yes, it is even possible to start everything over again. Therefore, you should desire it. If the time comes, you will appreciate being chosen as a Master. If you wish to erase those burns that cannot be seen, all you have to do is to accept that harmony mark.” “Wha…” I feel dizzy. The priest’s words don’t make any sense. They just confuse me more and more as I listen. …But still, his words soak into my brain and clot like blood. “Blue, don’t go off topic. I asked you to tell him the rules. I didn’t ask you to open up his old wounds.” A voice cuts in. “R-Rarity?” That clears up my dizzy head. “I see. It is pointless to say anything to these kinds of ponies, so I was trying to take away his mortality while he still misunderstood. …Heh, I guess it’s true that compassion is not good for others. And I rather enjoyed it too.” “What? Does it do you good to help him?” “Of course. Helping ponies means saving yourself in the end. …Well, it won’t do any good to preach to you now. So, let us return to the main topic, Storm Whooves. The battle you have been dragged into is called the ‘Harmony Grail War’. Have you learned from Rarity that this is an all out war between seven Masters, using seven Servants?” “…I did. It’s some ridiculous thing where seven Masters kill each other, right?” “Indeed. But we are not committing these inpony acts because we want to. Everything is a ritual to determine who is the most suitable to receive the Harmony Grail. Because of its greatness, we require trials to determine its owner.” …What trials? I’ll bet this priest doesn’t think of this Harmony Grail War thing as a “trial”. “Hold on. You keep saying ‘Harmony Grail War’, but what is it? You can’t possibly mean the actual Harmony Grail, right?” The Harmony Grail. A grail said to have received the blood of Hasbro. It is considered to be one of the greatest harmony relics, and said to be capable of many miracles. The most common rumor about it is that the one who obtains the Harmony Grail will obtain the world. …But that’s just an invention. After all, the Harmony Grail itself is almost something that “exists, but doesn’t exist”. “A Harmony Grail that makes wishes comes true” certainly appears in many folklores and legends around the world. But that’s it. A fictional power that doesn’t exist and isn’t possible. That is the Harmony Grail. “So answer, Blue Blood. Is the Harmony Grail you’re talking about really the Harmony Grail?” “Of course. The Harmony Grail that appears in this town is real. As a proof, the great miracle of the Servants has occurred. Summoning and controlling past heroes. No, a miracle close to resurrecting the dead is almost a sorcery. A Harmony Grail with this much power shall grant its owner unlimited power. The object’s unreality is worthless in front of that truth.” “……” So, he means that even if it is a fake, it doesn’t matter if it has powers that would overwhelm even the true Harmony Grail. “…All right. Let’s assume there really is a Harmony Grail. Then why is it required to do something like the Harmony Grail War? We shouldn’t be killing each other if the Harmony Grail exists. If the Harmony Grail is so great, we can all share its power.” “That is a fair argument, but we do not have such freedom. Only one pony can obtain the Harmony Grail. That is not something we chose, but what the Harmony Grail has decided. The Harmony Grail decides the seven Masters and summons the seven Servants. I told you that this is a ritual. The Harmony Grail chooses the ponies suitable to obtain it, and selects its appropriate owner by making them fight for it. That is the Harmony Grail War… the ritual where those chosen by the Harmony Grail kill each other to obtain it.” “……” The priest speaks plainly. I have no rebuttal, and I look down at my left forehoof. …There is the mark they call the Command Spell. It must mean that as long as I have this mark, I cannot quit being a Master. “…I’m not convinced. Even though only one pony can be chosen, I don’t like the idea that all we can do is to kill the other Masters.” “Huh? Hold on. You’re misunderstanding if you think that you have to kill them. There’s no need to kill the Masters.” “Huh? But you said we have to kill each other. Blue Blood said so too.” “You will kill each other.” “You be quiet, Blue. Now, the Harmony Grail in this town is in spirit form. It’s not something with form, so it’s something we have to call forth by a special ritual… meaning we have to materialize it. We can call for it as mages, but since it is in spirit form, we cannot reach it. Do you understand what that means?” “Yeah. Only spirits can touch spirits, right? …Oh, that’s why you need the Servants!” “Exactly. To put it simply, the goal of the Harmony Grail War is to eliminate all the Servants except your own. So there’s no rule that you have to kill the Masters.” “……” Sheesh, she could have told me that earlier! Honestly, Rarity and this priest were being mean. …Now I’m relieved. So even if we enter this Harmony Grail War, Rarity’s not going to die. “I see. I guess that is one way to think. Then let me ask you, Storm Whooves. Do you think you can beat your own Servant?” “…?” Beat Saber? That’s impossible. In the first place, magic is useless against her, and she is skilled with her sword. “Then let me ask you one more thing. It is a boring question, but do you think you are superior to your Servant?” “…?” What’s he saying? I can’t beat Saber, so there’s no way superior to her. For this question, my answer will always be that I am weaker than my Servant, so… “…Oh.” “That’s right. Servants are hard to defeat even with a Servant. So what should you do? See, it’s such a simple solution. Servants can only exist with a Master. No matter how powerful the Servant is, the Servant will disappear if the Master dies. So…” That’s right, it’s a natural solution. No pony would choose to take the hard way. If you want to win, the most effective way to kill the Servants would be to kill their Masters instead. “…Okay. I understand that killing the Master is an effective way to eliminate other Servants. But then, if their Servant gets killed, does that make somepony not a Master anymore? Only Servants can touch the Harmony Grail, right? Then there is no point to a Master that doesn’t have a Servant.” “No, the right to be a Master still remains as long as you have the Command Spell. A Master is a mage that can form a contract with Servants. As long as you have the Command Spell, you can form a contract with Servants. The Servants whose Masters are killed do not disappear right away. They can stay in this world until their magical energy runs out. If such ‘abandoned Servants’ exist, a Master with no Servant can form a contract with them. That will allow them to rejoin the war. That is why Masters kill other Masters. Because if you allow them to live, there is a risk that they will impede you in the future.” “…So what if you use up your Command Spell? Then you won’t be able to form a contract with other Servants, and the freed Servant will go off with somepony else too.” “Wait, that’s…” “Yes, you’re right. If you use up your Command Spell, you will be liberated from your duty as a Master. …However, I do not think a mage exists that would waste a Command Spell that allows them to use such powerful magic. If there exists such a mage, he isn’t even an amateur, but just a chicken.” The priest laughs, as he knows what I’m thinking about. “……” I’m annoyed. That priest is making fun of me. I think he’s trying to provoke me. “You must understand now. So we will finish the explanation of the rules. Well then, let us return to the beginning, Storm Whooves. You said you have no intention of being a Master. Do you still feel that way? If you want to abandon your responsibility as a Master, that is fine too. As you have realized, you may use up your Command Spell to end your contract with Saber. In that case, I will guarantee your safety until the Harmony Grail War ends.” “…? Hold on. Why do you have to guarantee my safety? I can protect myself.” “I do not have enough free time to care for you either, but this is one of the rules. I have been dispatched to supervise the repeating Harmony Grail War. That is why I must minimize the victims of the war. Protection of mages who lost their claims to being a Master is one of my biggest responsibilities as the supervisor.” “…Repeating Harmony Grail War?” Hold on. Repeating… does he mean that this kind of battle has happened many times before? “What do you mean? The Harmony Grail War didn’t just start now?” “Of course not. Do you think a supervisor would have been dispatched if it were so? This church bears a duty to recover the harmony relics, as we are the lowest of the special agencies. Originally, it was our goal to research and recover the harmony cross, but here, we have a duty to investigate the Harmony Grail. We have to investigate the 726th Harmony Grail that has appeared in this far eastern land. We must recover it if it is real, and dispute it if it is not.” “726th… that many Harmony Grails?” “Who knows? It just means that there have been at least that many things that seemed like one. And one of those is the Harmony Grail from the Harmony Grail War observed in this town. According to records, it is said that the first battle occurred about 200 years ago. Since then, the battles between Masters have been repeating in a cycle of about 60 years. This is the fifth Harmony Grail War. Since the last one was ten years ago, this will be the shortest cycle yet.” “Wha… are you ponies insane? You ponies have repeated this thing four times already!?” “I feel the same way. As you said, ponies have repeated this event many times. …Yes. In the past, the Harmony Grail Wars were terrible. Masters were driven by their desires, forgot their teachings as mages, and just killed each other indiscriminately. I think you already know, but it is the highest crime for a mage to use his magic in public. A mage cannot allow his identity to be revealed to the public. But Masters in the past have violated that. The Magic Association dispatched a supervisor to caution them, but they only made it in time for the third Harmony Grail War. The one dispatched then was my father. Do you understand now, colt?” “…Yeah, I understand we need a supervisor. But from what you said, isn’t this Harmony Grail War fundamentally bad?” “Oh? How is it bad?” “Because the past mages were ponies who would break the rules of the mages, right? Then let’s say this Harmony Grail thing really exists. What will you do if the one who remains is somepony who uses the Harmony Grail selfishly? It’s bad if such a thing is obtained by somepony who has no problem killing others. If it is the job of the Association to look after mages, then shouldn’t you ponies be punishing those kinds of ponies?” I question, with a little hope. But as I expected, Blue Blood laughs. “Of course not. There are no mages who will act outside their own interests. We only supervise the rules of the Harmony Grail War. We do not care about what happens afterwards The Association is not concerned about the kind of pony that obtains the Harmony Grail.” “That’s ridiculous! What if the Master that obtains the Harmony Grail is the worst pony possible!?” “It would be problematic, but we can do nothing. It is the Harmony Grail that chooses its owner. And we do not have the power to stop a Master who has been chosen by the Harmony Grail. It is a grail that makes wishes come true, after all. The one who obtains it will be able to do as he pleases. …But if you do not want that, then all you have to do is win it yourself. That is the most reliable way, isn’t it?” Blue Blood is trying to hold back his laughter. It’s like he’s enjoying my clumsy inability to accept the facts. “What’s wrong, colt? I think that was a good idea, so will you not accept it?” “…That’s none of your business. Anyway, I don’t have any reason to fight. I’m not interested in the Harmony Grail, and I don’t feel like a Master even if you tell me I am.” “Oh. So you are not concerned about what the winner of the Harmony Grail would do, even if it leads to disaster?” “That’s…” …I can’t answer the question. Crap, his words are violent. They force the truth onto me, whether I want it or not. “That is fine, if you have no reason to fight. So you are not troubled by what happened ten years ago?” “…Ten years... ago?” “That’s right. At the end of the last Harmony Grail War, an unsuitable Master touched the Harmony Grail. I do not know what the Master wished for. All we know is the result of the disaster that came afterwards.” “……” For an instant. That image of hell flashes in my head. “…Hold on. That can’t be…” “It is. It is an event that everypony in this town knows about, Storm Whooves. Five hundred killed or wounded. A hundred and thirty four buildings burned down. That inferno, still unexplained, is the remains of the Harmony Grail War.” “……” …I feel sick. My vision blurs. I lose concentration and I can’t focus my eyes. My body stumbles. But I hold myself firm. I hold onto consciousness by clenching my teeth. I hold back my nausea with the anger boiling up in me. “Storm? What’s wrong? You’re looking pale. …I know it’s not a comfortable story, but… if you want, we can take a rest for a while.” I must have looked terrible. I think it’s very rare for Rarity to be worried like that. “Don’t worry. I feel better after seeing your weird face.” “…Hey, just what is that supposed to mean?” “Oh, I have no hidden intentions. I meant it literally, so don’t worry about it.” “Well, fine… hey, that’s worse, you big oaf!” The school’s number one honor student, Rarity Jewels, smacks me in the head. That does it. With that, the nausea and anger go away. “…Thanks. You really did help, so don’t bully me too much. I have a few more things to ask about.” She looks like she hasn’t hit me enough, but she still lets me continue. “Oh, you still have questions? All right, let out everything you want to say.” He should know what I want to ask, yet he asks me to go on. Fine, Storm Whooves won’t lose to you. “Then I’ll ask. You said this is the fifth Harmony Grail War. Then, has anypony ever obtained the Harmony Grail?” “Of course. A sad event like that annihilation doesn’t happen every time.” “Then…” “Do not be hasty. It is easy just to obtain it. After all, the Harmony Grail is managed in this church. If you speak of just touching it, I touch it every day.” “Huh?” T-The Harmony Grail is at this church? “Of course, it is only the vessel. It is empty. Rarity said it earlier that the Harmony Grail is in spirit form. What we maintain is a well-made replica of the Harmony Grail. We use this as the catalyst to draw down the real Harmony Grail and transform it into a Grail that grants wishes. It’s like the relationship between Servants and Masters. …Yes, there was indeed a stallion who obtained the real Harmony Grail temporarily, using that method.” “Then, was that Harmony Grail real? No, what happened to the stallion who obtained it?” “Nothing. The Harmony Grail was imperfectly completed. It was the result of a foolish stallion, affected by sentiment.” …? With the previous pressure gone, the priest narrows his eyes as if in regret. “…What do you mean? Didn’t the Harmony Grail appear?” “It is easy to just make the Harmony Grail appear. Once the seven Servants are present, the Harmony Grail will appear in time. As Rarity said, there is no need to kill other Masters. But that does not complete the Harmony Grail. That thing decides its own appropriate master. And for that reason, it could not be obtained by a stallion who avoided battles.” “Heh, so that just means it’s useless to obtain the Harmony Grail without settling matches with the other Masters. The Master who obtained the Harmony Grail first in the last war was just a chicken. He just ran away from the Harmony Grail, saying that he didn’t want to fight other Masters.” So saying, Rarity looks away from Blue Blood. “…No way.” Does that mean Blue Blood was one of the Masters in the last war, and that he retired because he refused to fight in spite of obtaining the Harmony Grail!? “…Blue Blood. You didn’t fight?” “I did until halfway. But I made a bad decision. As a result, I only obtained an empty Harmony Grail. Well, I guess that was my limit anyway. Because the other Masters were all monstrous. I lost my Servant first and was taken under my father’s protection. …Come to think of it, it was inappropriate for a son of the supervisor to be chosen as a Master. Father died at that time. Since then, I have succeeded the role of the supervisor, and I protect the Harmony Grail at this church.” Saying that, the priest Blue Blood turns around. Before him stands the symbol of worship. “That is the end of our conversation. The only ones qualified to obtain the Harmony Grail are those who have Servants. When there is only one of you left, the Harmony Grail should naturally appear in front of you. Tell me your decision as to if you want to join this battle, the Harmony Grail War, now.” The priest requests my final decision. “……” I’m at a loss for words. I had no reason to fight until just now. Now, I have a reason to fight and a will to fight. But can I really accept that? “Are you still undecided? Look, a Master is not something you can be just because you want to be. Rarity has been training long as a mage, but it was not determined that she would be a Master. All that could be decided beforehand was whether to prepare for it or not. Only mages are to be chosen as Masters. If you are a mage, you should have been ready already. I guess it cannot be helped if you say you are not. You and your teacher were failures in that case. It is merely annoying for such a mage to be fighting, so get rid of your Command Spell now.” “…!” He doesn’t need to ask. I won’t run away. Honestly, this Harmony Grail War and Master stuff doesn’t seem real to me. But still, if I must choose between fighting or running away, I will never run away. The priest said it as well. If I am a mage, I should be ready. That is why I must decide. Even though I’m an amateur, Storm Whooves is a mage. If I have decided to become a superhero in the hoofsteps of Doctor Whooves whom I’ve admire all this time. “I will fight as a Master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago was the Harmony Grail War, I can’t let that happen again.” As if he likes my answer, the priest smiles with satisfaction. “……” I take a deep breath. I have cut away all hesitation. As a stallion, I said I will fight. So from now on, all I have to do is go forward with pride and refuse to go against my word. “Then I shall approve you as Saber’s Master. In this instant, the Harmony Grail War is accepted. I approve the battle in this town, from now until only one Master remains. Everypony shall follow their pride and compete fully against each other.” The priest’s voice echoes heavily through the church. There is no meaning to that declaration. Only Rarity and I heard the priest’s words. This stallion merely rang the starting bell as the priest of this church. “So it’s decided. In that case, I’m going home, but may I ask you a question too?” “I don’t mind. This might be your last chance, so I shall answer most questions.” “Then I shall ask. Blue, you’re the one in charge of overseeing this, so you should have information on the other Masters. I’ve followed the Association’s rules, so at least tell me what you know.” “That’s troubling. I really want to tell you, but I do not know the details either. Including Storm Whooves, there are not many legitimate mages this time. There are only two Masters I know about. Three if you include Storm Whooves.” “Oh, I see. Still, you should know the order in which they were summoned. You are the supervisor, after all.” “…Hmm. Berserker was first. Caster was second. The rest are pretty much the same. Archer was yesterday, and Saber was summoned a few hours ago.” “I see. Then that means…” “The Harmony Grail War has officially started. Rarity, you are not allowed to come to this church until the Harmony Grail War is over. The only time it is permitted is…” “When I lose my Servant and wish for protection, right? So I pretty much get points deducted if I come here for any other reason.” “That is correct. You may become the victor, but the Church will not ignore the points deducted. They will take the Harmony Grail away from you after a boring discussion. That would be the worst case scenario for me.” “You fake priest. A pony on the side of the Church supporting the Magic Association?” “I am serving Hasbro. That does not mean I am serving the Church.” “Whatever. That’s why you’re a fake.” And Rarity turns her back to the priest. After that, she just makes her way to the exit without saying goodbye. “Hey, is that okay, Rarity? He was your fellow pupil, right? So…” Shouldn’t there be a more proper farewell? “I don’t care. I feel rather relieved from breaking my ties with him. More importantly, you should leave too. You have no business here now.” Rarity walks across the floor without stopping and leaves for good. I sigh and follow her. And then… “…!” I feel a presence behind me and turn around. The priest, who’s behind me before I know it, is looking down at me. “W-What? Do you have anything else to say?” I back off as I say so. …Just as I thought, I don’t like him. Maybe we’re just incompatible or something, but I can’t get myself to like him. “If you don’t have anything to say, I’m going!” I make my way to the door, trying to escape his stare. As I go… “Rejoice, colt. Your wish will finally come true.” The priest says, as if declaring an oracle. Those words are… Aren’t those the true feelings I haven’t yet realized? “What are you saying all of a sudden?” “You should know. Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it is not something you approve of, a superhero requires a villain to defeat.” “…!” I feel like everything has turned black. The priest said it. The greatest wish and the ugliest wish I have are the same. …Yes, the desire to protect something… Is, at the same time, none other than the wish for something to violate it… “Y-You…” But there’s no way I’d wish for something like that. I don’t remember a moment when I’ve wished for that. Such an insecure wish… Just means the target ideals are inconsistent. But the priest says as if to pierce my heart, “Good thing you have an enemy now.” “No, you do not have to gloss over it. Your worries are normal for a pony.” The priest smiles. “…!” I shake off the priest’s words and walk to the door. “Farewell, Storm Whooves. This will be my last warning, but take care on your way home. Your world will change completely from now on. You are now at the point of kill or be killed. You are now a Master.” He says so as I quickly make my way out. …It’s a bit windy now. It must be partly because this place is on top of a hill. The wind is a bit stronger than normal and carries a sharp chill. “Storm. You done now?” “Yeah. I learnt more than enough about the situation I’m in. About the Harmony Grail War, about the Masters, everything.” “Then…” She comes closer and looks up at me. …It’s only natural for her to do so. Her fate is determined by my choice. “…I don’t know if I’m good enough for you, but I’ve decided to fight as a Master. I’m sorry that I’m only an amateur. Are you still content that I’m your Master?” “It doesn’t matter. You are already my Master. I have already sworn to be your sword.” That scene flashes through my mind. “You’re right …Yeah, I’m relieved that you say so.” I take a deep breath and look at Saber again. “Then let’s shake hoofs. Let’s do our best together, Saber.” I extend my right forehoof. I don’t care what relationship a Master and his servant should have, nor do I know what I should be doing now. If this is the way things are going to be, I at least want our first greeting to be in style. “……” “Saber? Um, are we not supposed to shake hoofs?” “No, I was merely surprised by this sudden action.” Saber takes my hoof as she says so. “I shall swear to you once more here. As long as you possess your Command Spell, I shall be your sword.” “I don’t get the situation too well, but yes, please.” Saber is really serious, so I nod. “Hm.” …Come to think of it, this is weird. We’re under the winter night sky. I’m shaking hoofs with a mare I just met, and we’re talking like we’re making a contract. “Ohhh. I guess I can leave you two, huh?” “…!” I quickly let go of her hoof. When I turn around, I see Rarity… and that knight in red. “You two are getting along well. You weren’t even talking before, but things have certainly changed. What, you trust Saber now?” “Um… No, that’s not it… Well, I guess you’re right. I don’t know anything about Saber yet, but I’ll be with her from now on.” “I see. Then you should be on your guard. Since you two are in this war, I won’t go easy on you either.” “…?” I tilt my head in wonder. For a brief moment, I don’t get what she said. “…Hey now. Do you understand that we’re enemies? I brought you here because you weren’t my enemy yet. But you’re one of the Masters now, right? Then I think there’s only one thing to do now.” “Um… hm?” Well, she’s right. But… “Why? I don’t intend to fight you.” “…Sheesh, just as I thought. Geez, it was meaningless to bring you here.” Rarity slumps her head. “Rare.” “What? I thought we promised that you wouldn’t talk until I tell you it’s okay.” “I know, but we will make no progress like this. We do not need to find out if our enemy is ready or not. If there are enemies we can defeat easily, we should attack them without holding back.” “Hey, I know that without you having to tell me.” “If you know that, act on it. Or what? Are you going to show him mercy again? …Hm. I don’t imagine so, but don’t tell me there’s a ‘special’ reason for this.” “T-That’s not it! …I just owe him one. I can’t fight him fairly until I repay him for that.” “…Heh, you sure are difficult. Then I shall be disappearing. Call on me again after you repay him.” The knight in red… Archer, disappears. No, rather, I just can’t see him anymore. According to Rarity, Servants are spirits. Saber says she cannot turn into a spirit form, but I’m sure Rarity’s Servant can since Rarity is a complete Master. Well, that aside… “Hey, Rarity. The thing about you ‘owing’ me… do you mean what happened back then?” “Yeah. No matter what the reason may be, you used your Command Spell to stop Saber. So I have to hold back a bit to balance things out.” “…Balance? You worry about weird things, Rarity.” “I know. I understand this is just flab on my mind. But I can’t help it. I hate owing ponies.” She turns away. “But this service is limited. I won’t hold back tomorrow, so go and make plans with Saber.” “…Hm. So the service is only for today?” “Yup. …Well, I brought you here. Um, so I’ll at least go back to town with you.” Rarity starts to walk without looking at us. “Let us go, Storm. As she says, it is not good to stay here.” “……” I nod to Saber and follow Rarity. The three of us descend the hill together. It might be because Rarity is walking ahead, but we go down the hill with few words. There is a forked road ahead of us. One path leads to the main street going towards the New Ponyville station, and the other leads to the big bridge leading to Old Ponyville. “……” Rarity stops at the intersection. “Rarity? Why are you stopping? We should head to the bridge if we’re going home, right?” “No. I’m sorry, but go home by yourself. I forgot since I’ve been concerned with you, but I’m busy. I’m already in New Ponyville, so I’ll go look while I’m here.” “Go look… you mean for other Masters?” “Yeah. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting for this time. This night, the start of the battles between seven Masters, the Harmony Grail War. So I can’t go home now. Since I couldn’t beat Saber, I need to take it out on some other Servant.” “……” …Rarity’s eyes show her determination. That makes me realize… Rarity Jewel is a mage. Her mentality and her knowledge as a mage are complete. “……” So why? “So we’ll part here. I’ve repaid my debt, and it would be troublesome if we stay together any longer. We should part here and become enemies from tomorrow on.” Why does she have this part of her that’s unlike a mage? She did not explain the rules to me out of any sense of obligation. She just supported me, understanding the situation I’m in, and acted fairly. So things are back to normal now that the explanations are over. As a Master, I will just be a target to her now. “……” But still, Rarity said those words to me. For Rarity, everything that happened tonight is unnecessary. ‘It would be troublesome if we stay together any longer.’ If she’s going to say something like that, she should have left us alone from the beginning. Rarity’s smart, so she should know that all too well. But still, she set aside all thoughts of loss or gain and helped me out. The Rarity in front of me is so different from the one at school. Even when I put it nicely, she’s sour, cranky, unapproachable, and so different that I want to scream. Sheesh, it feels almost like a fraud. Yet, still… Rarity Jewel is just how everypony thought she was. “I see. Rarity, you really are a good pony.” “Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden? I won’t go easy on you, even if you flatter me.” I know that. She won’t go easy on me, and that’s why she said it’ll be a bother if she feels empathy for me. “I know. But I don’t want to be enemies with you if I can help it. I like ponies like you.” “Wha…” Rarity falls silent for some reason. The silent suburbs… The church at the top of the hill and the silence of the foreigners’ cemetery feel surprisingly warm. “A-Anyway, just run to the church if your Servant ever gets killed. If you do, at least your life will be safe.” “I don’t like it, but still, I’ll take that advice. It won’t happen, though. No matter how I look at it, I’ll die before Saber does.” “…Phew.” Rarity reacts strangely once again. After letting out a sigh, she glances at Saber. “All right. I won’t give you any more warnings because that’d really be soft. Just be careful. Even though Saber is strong, it won’t matter if her Master gets killed.” She turns her back and starts walking. But… As if she’s seen a ghost, her hooves stop dead in their tracks. “Hey, have you finished talking?” A youthful voice echoes through the night. The melodic tone is unmistakably that of a young mare. My vision is drawn to the top of the hill. There… I don’t know when the clouds parted, but a brilliant moon is now shining in the sky. The shadow is long and grotesque, like a devil in a picture book. In this gloomy town of shadow-pictures stands a figure that should not be there. “Berserker.” Rarity mumbles a word I’m not accustomed to hearing. Even though I don’t know what she means, I can feel the giantess’s dreadfulness all too well. That thing is not pony. Then… it is one of the beings called “Servants”, just like Saber. “Good evening, brother. It’s the second time we’ve met like this.” The mare smiles as she says this. That innocence sends a chill down my spine. The mare looks so out of place next to the thing behind her, it feels like I am dreaming. “……” No, chill is an understatement. Not just my body, but my mind is frozen as well. That thing is a monster. I’m not even staring at it, but its mere presence roots me to the spot. “I’m surprised. He surpasses Saber in raw power!” Rarity glares at the monster above her, clicking her tongue. In her, I see despair… and the spirit to not lose to it. “Archer, this isn’t an enemy that can be beaten head on. You should fight it in your unique style.” She murmurs this quietly. The knight without form replies to her. “Understood. But what about your defense? You cannot defend against his charge.” “There are three of us. We can manage if all we need to do is defend.” He must have nodded to her words. The presence behind Rarity vanishes instantly. “Storm. You can choose whether to run or fight. …But if you can, try to run away.” “Are you done? Can I start now?” The mare laughs playfully. She bows in a manner quite out of place in such a situation. “Nice to meet you, Rarity. I am Luna. You should figure it out if I make that Luna Moon.” “Moon…” Rarity’s body stiffens, apparently recognizing that name. Perhaps she liked Rarity’s reaction, as the mare smiles happily. And then… “Then I’ll kill you now. Go ahead, Berserker.” …She orders the strange shape behind her, as if she’s singing. The massive form flies through the air. In one bound, the thing called Berserker crosses the dozens of meters from the top of the hill! “Storm, stay back!” In the moonlight… “Bullets” rain down on the descending giantess like shooting stars! They have extreme accuracy. The silver lights that are shooting through the giantess are indeed “arrows”. No, the word “arrow” is an understatement. It’s like a barrage from a machine gun, and each shot could pierce through the rocks. Eight shots of that. It should be able to mow down houses, but… “No way! It’s not doing anything!?” It has no effect on the giantess. The two swords clash. The giant sword of Berserker, who came down through a rain of ‘arrows’… And the sword of Saber, who ran to her landing spot. The two blades spark on contact! “Fuh!” The swords clash. Even though she is overpowered by Berserker’s attack, Saber does not yield. Silver lights run through the darkness. How much magical energy is in that small body of hers? Even though Saber is obviously weaker, she is proving to be a match against Berserker. She blocks, parries, and faces the assault of that giant sword head-on. “……” I must not be the only one who’s awed. The Master of that giant and the one standing next to me, Rarity, are also fascinated by Saber’s figure. “…! Archer, back her up!” Rarity screams out at once. In response, a silver light comes flying out of nowhere. The silver light strikes the giant right in her temple. The arrow that came flying through the air is as powerful as a tank shell. No matter what this giant may be, she has to take some damage from that. “Got him!” Saber slashes with her invisible sword right after the shot connects. But… Her attack is countered by a huge blow, and Saber is flung away. “Guh!?’ Saber slides across the asphalt. A black whirlwind runs in pursuit, and… Silver lights come flashing down to intercept her! But they have no effect. The three arrows hit the giantess square in her forehead, but simply disappear. The giantess does not stop. Saber blocks the giant blade with her own. “Saber!” My scream is meaningless. As Saber blocks Berserker’s sword head-on, she is flung away like a ball… and she falls to the ground. “…!” Is she dizzy? Saber has her knees on the ground and does not move. “This is it. Smash her, Berserker.” The mare’s voice echoes. The black giantess charges at Saber with brutal speed. “Keep firing, Archer!” Rarity starts running as she screams. She must intend to help Saber. She runs up the hill while taking out something that looks like a rock. “Gewicht, um zu Verdoppel ung!” Rarity scatters obsidian jewels in the sky, and numerous silver lights come flying from the heavens. Even with that, Berserker’s charge does not stop. “What a…” …Monster. …I finally understand how absurd she is. That giantess isn’t just “strong”. She must be protected by some “law” of immortality created from abnormal amounts of magical energy. “Good, ignore the annoying ones. Archer and Rarity shouldn’t be able to get past your Noble Phantasm.” The mare’s voice rings out. The giantess’s sword is swung. And… Saber bravely blocks it with her sword and is flung away once again. She flies dozens of meters. Saber flies through the air like a pitcher’s fastball and plows into the open terrain off the road. “……” She must be dead. Once is bad enough. But she can’t be okay after receiving such a blow twice. The black whirlwind moves. The match is already decided, but she’s not done yet. The giantess called Berserker roars and charges onto the open land. “……” She’ll die. Even if Saber’s still alive, she’ll surely die now. …And. As long as I’m here, I’m sure I’ll die as well. ‘If you can, try to run away.’ The one who said that isn’t here. Rarity went after Berserker. She must intend to keep fighting against this monster that is unscathed by all those attacks. “……” I… ...Follow them. ...Stay here. Do as Rarity said. ...Follow them.“……” I know I won’t be able to do anything even if I go. But still… I still feel her hoof in mine. I told her we’ll try our best. She shook the hoof I held out. So… “Sheesh, there’s nothing else I can do!!” I’ll be killed if I go up the hill after that giantess. My body trembling from that fact, but I suppress it and run up the slope. “Saber!” I run into the open land and then, the scenery that awaits me there is totally unexpected. Gravestones are flying around. Every time the giantess swings her sword, the heavy gravestones are split in two. In the midst of it… A knight bravely runs through the storm of gravestones. The axe-sword rages around. Gravestones are flung aside. In the chaos, Saber is fighting Berserker with the same… no, with more power than before. “……” Their positions are reversed here. The advantage belongs to somepony with a small body like Saber. Berserker is hindered by obstacles, and Saber acts as if there’s nothing in her way. I’m sure that a hindrance of this degree is only trivial for Berserker. But it’s more than nothing. It’s only a slight difference, but that slight difference is tipping the scale the other way now… “This way! You’ll get hit if you’re there!” “Huh!?” Whoa…!?” “What are you thinking!? I told you to run away, right!? Or did you not hear me!?” She’s really angry. “Um… I heard you. But I can’t just run away, right?” “What!? How could you reach that conclusion!? Can’t you tell that you’ll only be a bother to us since you can’t fight!? It can’t helped if you die trying to make a difference, but it’d be meaningless if you die doing nothing!” “…?” I don’t know why, but Rarity is seriously angry. Even though I’m getting yelled at, I don’t feel bad for some reason. “Hey, is that something you should get mad about? It shouldn’t matter to you if I die meaninglessly or not.” “It does matter! I told you I’d let you go for all of today, so it’ll trouble me if you don’t get home safely!” “……” I’m confused even more now. Rarity sure had a different face on at school. “Geez. Anyway, you’re not hurt, so run away right now. That Luna mare intends to kill us all.” “I know that. But I can’t run away. Saber’s fighting, so I can’t run away by myself.” “That’s a line for somepony who can make a difference. You’ll just die a meaningless death, as you can’t do anything to support her. This is your last warning. Just run away.” “That can’t be true. There should be something I can do as long as I’m alive. And besides, are you going to ask somepony to do something you can’t do?” “……” Rarity looks at me with a serious expression. “You’re right. I’m the shameless one for asking you to do something I can’t do.” She looks away. “Well, I don’t think there’s a need to run away. I don’t think Saber will lose now.” Rarity takes a peek from behind the tree. Their battle is continuing without change. Berserker’s attacks smash through empty space and only destroy her surroundings. Between the attacks… Within the swirling whirlwind and flying clods… Within the rain of broken gravestones… Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker. “……” It is a divine work of utmost excellence. My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere ponies. Instead, I am fascinated. I could not believe I was in this Harmony Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness. But all of it is blown away when I see her. Dancing swords, within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation. Maybe this scene made me accept everything. No matter what may fall upon us in the future… I’m convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me. “I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker’s sword on purpose.” Rarity murmurs without emotion. “Was that to lure Berserker here?” “Yup. It’s suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That’s why Saber chose this place as the battleground. She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you, all the while she pretended to be cornered.” “……” Then… Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill. “But you can’t expect backup in a battle like this. Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer’s arrows. Backup was meaningless from the start.” Rarity murmurs as she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker. “Archer’s arrows…” But those words catch my attention. Archer isn’t here. If he really is an archer, he should not fight hoof-to-hoof, but… “She got her…!” Rarity stomps her hoof. Just as she said… Saber’s sword must have hit Berserker or she must have lost her stance. Berserker’s body, holding firm until now, loses its balance. The beast lashes out desperately. Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both wings. This is it. As her desperate attack is dodged, Berserker loses her balance even more, and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power. Right then… “Archer? What do you mean, get away?” I notice Rarity’s confused voice, and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place. “……” Behind me. I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow. “……” It’s either nausea or a chill. He’s readying a bow. A bow that’s no different from before. It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit. So there is no need to feel any threat from it… “……” I feel a chill. What he is readying in his bow is not an “arrow”, but something completely different. And his intent to kill isn’t just directed at Berserker. “Sab…” I act instantly. I… Bring back Saber. Call back Saber. Bring back Saber.“Saber!” Before I realize it, I’m running out from my cover. “Hey, hold on,” said Rarity. I run at full speed towards Saber. “Storm?” She looks dumbfounded. Saber sees me and stops her attack on Berserker. I can make it! I can feel the danger coming up behind me. “W-Why did you come out!?” I ignore her, run to her at full speed, and grab her hoof! “Are you insane, Master!?” “We’ll talk later! Just come this way…” I put Saber on my back and jump away. The “arrow” is released. Archer’s arrows have not had any effect so far. The black giantess ignores it, as if saying it is not worth blocking. But at that moment… The black giantess turns her back to use and attacks the “arrow” coming at her with all her might… In that instant… All sound is lost. “…!” I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself. Maybe I’ve gone deaf, as I can’t hear anything. All I can feel is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground. Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of something pierces my back. “…!” I grit my teeth and endure it. The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant. I manage to survive the destruction. “Wha…” Saber is staring in astonishment. I’m doing the same as well. I don’t know what happened. Archer’s “arrow” razed this cemetery in an instant. There’s a crater at the center of the explosion. Archer has created this destruction. But the giantess still exists in spite of such abolition. “Berserker… She is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm…” Saber’s voice is weak. Sparks are flying through the night air. The black giantess is standing still in the fire, and everypony here watches this terrible spectacle without words. The crackling of the flames is the only sound present. Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire… “Huh…?” Something rolls towards me with a noise. “…A sword?” No, it is an “arrow”. An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade. Even if it’s a sword, it is an “arrow” if it’s used as a projectile. “……” I don’t know why it catches my attention so much. The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire. It fades away like candy melting under heat. It… Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason. “Storm, that was…” “It was Archer’s arrow. I don’t know anything else about it.” I raise my head to look at the distant Archer. “…!” I shouldn’t be able to see him. I shouldn’t be able to see him, but I do. He’s smiling. He’s smiling as if to tell me that he wasn’t aiming just at Berserker. “Damn him!” I feel a headache. The chill running down my back won’t go away. My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit… “…Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rarity. Your Archer’s pretty good.” The mare’s cheerful voice echoes through the air. “All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over first, but I’ve changed my mind.” …The black shadow wavers. The giantess starts to retreat through the fire. “What? You’re running away after all this?” “Yup, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want Saber, but I’m interested in Archer now. So I’ll let you live for a bit longer.” The giantess disappears. The mare giggles. “Goodbye. Let’s play again, big brother.” Saying this, she goes away. “……” The unexpected disaster leaves. Rarity must not intend to follow that mare in spite of what she said. Even I can tell that the mare let us go. So I don’t think Rarity will go and seek out such a reckless fight. “Master. I thank you for saving me. But can you let go of me now?” I hear Saber’s calm voice. “Oh… Yeah, sorry about that.” I manage to answer despite my throbbing head. I let Saber go, and when I stand up… I fall on my butt. “Storm? What is wrong? Do you not feel well… Storm, your back!” Saber sounds tense. I can’t see Saber’s face, probably because of my pounding headache. Saber supports me and puts her hoof behind my back. “Ouch.” I feel a sharp pain. …Even though it’s not as strong as my headache, there’s a sharp pain running through my back. “This is terrible. It is dangerous like this. Please hold still while I remove this piece.” “Huh? What do you mean by that…?” …! She doesn’t hesitate. Saber forcefully pulls something out of my back. “Ou… You’re rough…” I try to control my breathing. I’m a mage, even though I may be an amateur. I can manage this pain. “Haa… Haa, haa…” But this felt especially bad. It felt like my wing on my back was pulled out. “Your wound is healing… I see, you had a way to heal yourself.” Sighing with relief, Saber says something strange. “…?” A way to heal myself? I shouldn’t be able to use such difficult magic. “Are you all right, Storm?” Rarity comes to us. I raise my hoof to tell her I’m all right. “I see. Then let’s go. Ponies might come here with all the commotion we’ve caused.” Rarity runs out of the cemetery, her long mane fluttering behind her. “……” When I plant a hoof to follow after her… My vision suddenly goes white. “Master!?” I feel somepony support me as I start to fall. But the feeling fades as all my senses go away. What’s left is this throbbing within me. What’s irritating me? And what am I so concerned about? I’m about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb. Congratulations You've had earned Saber and Rarity love points +1 for both, But you got wounded. Continue Call back Saber.“No! Come back, Saber…!” When I notice, I’m yelling at the top of my lungs. “Master!?” She looks dumbfounded. Saber slows down as she hears my voice. But that’s not enough. She won’t make it if she only slows down…! “It is dangerous, so please stay back…!” “No, you’re in danger! Just come here…!” I reach out to her with my hoof. “I am…? …!?” She must have understood me, as she turns her back to Berserker and jumps away with all her might. Right after her retreat… He shoots the “arrow”. Saber jumps back like a spark, and Berserker tries to pursue Saber. Archer’s arrow is fired right between them. Archer’s arrows have not had any effect so far. The Black giantess ignores it, as if saying it’s not worth blocking. But at that moment… The Black giantess turns her back to us and attacks the “arrow” coming at her with all her might… In that instant… All sound is lost. “…!” I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself. Maybe I’ve gone deaf, as I can’t hear anything. All I can feels is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground. Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of debris bounces off my back. “…!” I grit my teeth and endure it. The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant. I manage to survive the destruction. “Wha…” Saber is staring in astonishment. I’m doing the same as well. I don’t know what happened. Archer’s “arrow” razed this cemetery in an instant. There’s a crater at the center of the explosion. Archer has created this destruction. But the giantess still exists in spite of such abolition. “Berserker… She is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm…” Saber’s voice is weak. Sparks are flying through the night air. The black giantess is standing still in the fire, and everypony here watches this terrible spectacle without words. The crackling of the flames is the only sound present. Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire… “Huh…?” Something rolls towards me with a noise. “…A sword?” No, it is an “arrow”. An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade, even if it’s a sword, it is an “arrow” if it’s used as a projectile. “……” I don’t know why it catches my attention so much. The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire. It fades away like candy melting under heat. It… Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason. “Storm, that was…” “It was Archer’s arrow. I don’t know anything else about it.” I raise my head to look at the distant Archer. “…!” I shouldn’t be able to see him. I shouldn’t be able to see him, but I do. He’s smiling. He’s smiling as if to tell me that he wasn’t aiming just at Berserker. “Damn him!” I feel a headache. The chill running down my back won’t go away. My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit… “…Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rarity. Your Archer’s pretty good.” The mare’s cheerful voice echoes through the air. “All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over first, but I’ve changed my mind.” …The black shadow wavers. The giantess starts to retreat through the fire. “What? You’re running away after all this?” “Yup, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want Saber, but I’m interested in Archer now. So I’ll let you live for a bit longer.” The giantess disappears. The mare giggles. “Goodbye. Let’s play again, big brother.” Saying this, she goes away. “……” The unexpected disaster leaves. Rarity must not intend to follow that mare in spite of what she said. Even I can tell that the mare let us go. So I don’t think Rarity will go and seek out such a reckless fight. “Thank you, Master. I would have been hit by Archer’s Noble Phantasm if you had not called out to me.” “O… Oh, I’m glad to hear that.” “Master…?” What’s wrong with me? Even though I’m not wounded, I feel sick, and my consciousness is… “Storm? You look really pale,” said Rarity. “Master…? Storm!” My knees buckle. My vision goes white. “Please pull yourself together! What is going on!?” I feel somepony support me as I start to fall. But the feeling fades as all my senses go away. What’s left is this throbbing within me. What’s irritating me? And what am I so concerned about? I’m about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb. Congratulations you didn't get hurt! Continue ...Head to the graveyardThe battle continues. Saber is fighting to protect me. Then… I should go even if there’s nothing I can do. The two Command Spells engraved on my hoof… I am standing here after swearing to fight as a Master and shaking hoofs with Saber. “Geez… What am I doing!?” I run, ignoring all hesitation and fear. I’ll be killed if I go after them. I suppress my trembling body with force and obstinacy, and I run up the hill. “Get back, Storm. You’ll get in Saber’s way if you go any farther.” I stop as she grabs my hoof. “Did you hear me? I told you that you should keep quiet and watch since Saber’s going to win. …Well, I think you can tell that yourself though.” She must have been hiding behind a tree, as she calls out to me with a calm voice. “Huh? Saber will win…?” Against that monster? Saber will win against that giantess she couldn’t even match until now? “Heh. You look like you don’t believe me. Why don’t you take a look? I don’t want to admit this, but your Servant is great in all aspects. Saber should be able to beat Berserker.” Rarity snorts and hides behind the tree. Clashing swords, Berserker’s attacks smash through empty space and only destroy her surroundings. Between the attacks… Within the swinging whirlwind, flying clods, and the rain of broken gravestones, Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker. “……” It is a divine work of utmost excellence. My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere ponies. Instead, I am fascinated. I could not believe I was in this Harmony Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness. But all that is blown away when I see her. Dancing swords, within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation. Maybe this scene made me accept everything. No matter what may befall us in the future… I’m convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me. “I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker’s sword on purpose.” Rarity murmurs without emotion. “Was that to lure Berserker here?” “Yup. It’s suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That’s why Saber chose this place as the battleground. She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you; all the while she pretended to be cornered.” “……” Then… Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill. “But you can’t expect backup in a battle like this. Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer’s arrows. Backup was meaningless from the start.” Rarity murmurs as she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker. “Archer’s arrows…” But those words catch my attention. Archer isn’t here. If he really is an archer, he should not fight hoof-to-hoof, but… “She got him…!” Rarity stomps her hoof.. Just as she said… Saber’s sword must have hit Berserker or Berserker must have lost her stance. Berserker’s body, holding firm until now, loses its balance. The beast lashes out desperately. Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both wings. This is it. As her desperate attack was dodged, Berserker loses her balance even more, and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power. Right then… “Archer…? What do you mean, get away?” I notice Rarity’s confused voice and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place. “……” Behind me. I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow. “……” It’s either nausea or a chill. He’s readying a bow. A bow that’s not any different from before. It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit. So there is no need to feel any threat from it… “……” I feel a chill. What he is readying in his bow is not an “arrow”, but something completely different. And his intent to kill isn’t just directed at Berserker. “Sab…” I act instantly. Continue. ...Don't go.I can’t be a burden on Saber. I can’t do anything even if I follow them, and Saber should be able to run away if she’s by herself. Saber got Berserker away from here. If she was protecting me, I can’t stay in this dangerous place forever… “Haa… Haa... Haa…” I passed the bridge from New Ponyville and ran straight home. I never looked back as I ran. I don’t know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind. Anyway, I desperately ran here. “……” The living room is just as I left it. The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Rarity came here. I go near the restored window. I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Rarity must have overlooked. “There’s no crack in the glass… I wonder how Rarity made up for these pieces.” I murmur to myself. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like turning the lights on. I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness. “……” What I should be thinking about. What I should say. I’m running away from these things. The ponies that were here until a few hours ago. The ponies who were by my side until a few minutes ago. I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can’t bring myself to get out of the dark. The wall clock points to three. It’s been thirty minutes since then. No matter who won, I’m sure the battle is over now. “……” I should go back. When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up… A sharp pain runs through my left hoof. “The Command Spell?” The color has faded from my Command Spell. Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber’s Master has disappeared. I understand instinctively what that means. “Saber…!” I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness. I run outside. I won’t make it now. I know I can’t make it, but I start to run back… And I’m stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing. …I can’t hear too well. I can tell there’s somepony in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can’t see very clearly. The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid. The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant. “Oh…” That’s right. Storm Whooves will be killed the instant Saber is lost. As I don’t have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber. But I didn’t realize that, and I secluded myself. This is the result. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the house or if I run away somewhere. “G…uh…” My mind starts to fade. I don’t care who it is or what I got stabbed by. It doesn’t matter if I die today or tomorrow. Because… The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well… Initiating Pinkie Gym... Session 15.. (Luna) Hi, this is the Pinkie Gym! Since this is part II, everything has been changed… Huh? (Pinkie) *whack* It's not even finished yet!!! Well, the story is in its second arc. The shocking route of Rarity has started. Do you have anything to say, Luna? (Luna) Ouuu… I’m sorry I lied to you… (Pinkie) Yes. Repent of your misdeeds. It does look like the title changed, but it’s the same on the inside. Rather… Everypony’s jumping about in arc 2. Is somepony trying to steal our roles? (Luna) Probably. Unlike me, you aren’t that fascinating as a character. We should put the focus on me and make Pinkie a guest… (Pinkie) *whack* Well, about this dead end! Why did this happen, you rebel!? (Luna) It’s because Storm was a coward. Oh, the killer is still unknown. (Pinkie) He was killed instantly once he left his house. You should go on and fight Berserker since Archer is in fighting condition this time. You should get them back for defeating you before. (Luna) Oh, are you sure it’d go so well? No matter which hero Archer may be, I don’t think he’s a big enough threat for me. (Pinkie) Hm. W-Well, we won’t know unless we try. We’re not in Saber’s route this time. (Luna) Really? Then let’s see what happens. Let’s see how a hastily-formed alliance fares against me. (Pinkie) Ugh… You’re starting to show your true form, you devilish mare. By the way, I’ve been wondering for a long time. Can I ask you something, Luna? How strong are you as a mage? Are you as strong as Rarity? (Luna) Me? Hmm… Strictly speaking, I’m not a mage. I’m more like Caster. I didn’t study magic from the time I was born. But rather, I already knew magic at birth. Do you get the difference? (Pinkie) Hmm. I don’t, and I don’t want to know. So in short, you’re really a devil? (Luna) Hehehe. You sure say cute things once in a while. I’ll kill you if you say something so close to the truth. (Pinkie) Gyaaa! Her face is scary! Help me, Goddess of the Sun! (Luna) Geez, asking me such a boring question. You’ll eventually find out who I am whether you want to or not. Well, let’s continue on for Storm. The new fight is just starting. Don’t go stumbling here! Quickly go back to Saber! Do as Rarity said.Rarity is right. Saber drew Berserker away from here. Then I should get away from this dangerous place and await Saber’s return… “Haa… Haa... Haa…” I passed the bridge from New Ponyville and ran straight home. I never looked back as I ran. I don’t know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind. Anyway, I desperately ran here. “……” The living room is just as I left it. The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Rarity came here. I go near the restored window. I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Rarity must have overlooked. “There’s no crack in the glass… I wonder how Rarity made up for these pieces.” I murmur to myself. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like turning the lights on. I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness. “……” What I should be thinking about. What I should say. I’m running away from these things; the ponies that were here until a few hours ago, the ponies that were by my side until a few minutes ago. I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can’t bring myself to get out of the dark. The wall clock points to three. It’s been thirty minutes since then. No matter who won, I’m sure the battle is over now. “……” I should go back. When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up… A sharp pain runs through my left hoof. “The Command Spell?” The color has faded from my Command Spell. Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber’s Master has disappeared. I understand instinctively what that means. “Saber…!” I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness. I run outside. I won’t make it now. I know I can’t make it, but I start to run back… And I’m stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing. …I can’t hear too well. I can tell there’s somepony in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can’t see very clearly. The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid. The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant. “Oh…” That’s right. Storm Whooves will be killed the instant Saber is lost. As I don’t have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber. But I didn’t realize that, and I secluded myself. This is the result. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the house or if I run away somewhere. “G…uh…” My mind starts to fade. I don’t care who it is or what I got stabbed by. It doesn’t matter if I die today or tomorrow. Because… The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well… Initiating Pinkie Gym... Session 15... (Luna) Hi, this is the Pinkie Gym! Since this is part II, everything has been changed… Huh? (Pinkie) *whack* It’s not even finished yet!!! Well, the story is in its second arc. The shocking route of Rarity has started. Do you have anything to say, Luna? (Luna) Ouuu… I’m sorry I lied to you… (Pinkie) Yes. Repent of your misdeeds. It does look like the title changed, but it’s the same on the inside. Rather… Everypony’s jumping about in arc 2. Is somepony trying to steal our roles? (Luna) Probably. Unlike me, you aren’t that fascinating as a character. We should put the focus on me and make Pinkie a guest… (Pinkie) *whack* Well, about this dead end! Why did this happen, you rebel!? (Luna) It’s because Storm was a coward. Oh, the killer is still unknown. (Pinkie) He was killed instantly once he left his house. You should go on and fight Berserker since Archer is in fighting condition this time. You should get them back for defeating you before. (Luna) Oh, are you sure it’d go so well? No matter which hero Archer may be, I don’t think he’s a big enough threat for me. (Pinkie) Hm. W-Well, we won’t know unless we try. We’re not in Saber’s route this time. (Luna) Really? Then let’s see what happens. Let’s see how a hastily-formed alliance fares against me. (Pinkie) Ugh… You’re starting to show your true form, you devilish mare. By the way, I’ve been wondering for a long time. Can I ask you something, Luna? How strong are you as a mage? Are you as strong as Rarity? (Luna) Me? Hmm… Strictly speaking, I’m not a mage. I’m more like Caster. I didn’t study magic from the time I was born. But rather, I already knew magic at birth. Do you get the difference? (Pinkie) Hmm. I don’t, and I don’t want to know. So in short, you’re really a devil? (Luna) Hehehe. You sure say cute things once in a while. I’ll kill you if you say something so close to the truth. (Pinkie) Gyaaa! Her face is scary! Help me, Goddess of the Sun! (Luna) Geez, asking me such a boring question. You’ll eventually find out who I am whether you want to or not. Well, let’s continue on for Storm. The new fight is just starting. Don’t go stumbling here! Quickly go back to Saber! Day 4: AwakenIt’s a landscape I’ve never seen before. The fiery sky above. An infinite number of swords at my hoofs. Are they traces of war? The world is inorganic, and there are no living things. The ashen wind courses through the forest of swords. The swords stand like trees in a forest. It’s not just ten or twenty. Not a hundred or two hundred. No matter how many there are, if it is impossible for them to be counted, they might as well be infinite. The tools are rusting without anypony to use them. A ruin of infinite swords. He thinks that… It is like a graveyard. …My vision returns. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I can feel the warm sunlight. “That dream…” I open my eyes and recall the dream I was having. …That hill of swords. I’m sure I saw that dream because I saw Saber along with the fire in the cemetery… “Oh, you’re awake? If you’re all right now, that’s good.” “Huh…?” Then… Rarity says this in her normal tone while looking down at me. I jump up. I instantly jump back to the wall to get away from Rarity. “R-R-R-R-Rarity!? W-W-What!? Why are you in my room…!!?” My head spins and spins. I should’ve been at that hill of swords… no, at the burning cemetery, so why am I asleep in my room!? “R-Rarity, why are you here, and what was I doing!?” My head spins even more after I say that. It’s not because of this surprising event. I’m surprised the most at seeing Rarity right when I wake up… and it’s causing my heart to beat at an abnormal rate. “You should just be surprised about one thing. You’re not skilled enough to handle two.” Rarity is acting cool. “Hm.” That snaps my groggy mind into focus. That’s right. It’s natural to be surprised at seeing Rarity immediately after waking up. But that must mean… “…I see. I guess you carried me here after I fell unconscious.” “Wow. You’re sharper than I thought. You’re confused, but you’re thinking as well. Yeah, this is certainly interesting.” …Hm. I wish she wouldn’t say things that I could take as either insult or praise. “…Then it’s been only half a day? If you were able to get me home, that means we were able to get away?” “Yup. I’m glad you’re so smart.” She must be satisfied. Saying goodbye, Rarity starts to leave. “Huh… hey, where are you going?” “Are you still asleep? This is your house. It’s not a place I can stay in.” She speaks clearly. Her eyes say… “we’re enemies.” …To me. That’s true. Last night… In that church, I said I would fight. So we can only fight each other. “You’re right. I’m sorry. And sorry for being late, but thank you.” Then… Rarity stops and glares at me. “Hold on. Why are you thanking me?” “Well, you helped me, right? I’m even more thankful that if you’re my enemy.” “Hey. Sit right there, Storm.” Rarity returns to the room. I don’t know what she wants, but I’m sure it’ll be bad if I don’t obey. “Come on.” She taps on the floor. …It seems she has a serious matter to talk about. I sit down. “Look. I’ll tell you, since you don’t seem to understand. You’ll die if you think like that.” “What do you mean if I think like that?” “I’m telling you not to thank your enemies. You’ll die a hundred times if you’re worried about such a thing. Look, others are just obstacles. Don’t think they’re like you just because they have pony form or they speak.” Rarity speaks with a strong voice and sharp eyes. …She’s certainly right. If it’s wrong to feel compassion for an enemy, it is also wrong to consider them to be just like you. Since I have decided to fight, they are only things I need to defeat. Yes, I understand her point of view. But… “Are you listening to me!? The Harmony Grail War is just a war to kill each other, so don’t consider other Masters as pony beings. Be ready to kill even your own family. Geez, this is the first rule of being a Master.” Rarity yells at me in annoyance. Well, but… “I understand that. Then why didn’t you kill me?” Isn’t this a problem? “Uh… t-that’s because…” Where did her previous attitude go? She grumbles angrily. “H-Heh. I just didn’t feel like it. I owed you and it’s not fair to get you when you’re sleeping. So I just wasn’t in the mood.” “Rarity. Didn’t you just say something like doing everything to win?” “Yes. So this is a mistake on my part. It was a mistake I made because I know I’m stronger. Well, I guess it’s flab on my mind.” Oh, I heard that phrase before. “Flab on your mind? Does that mean you’re fat?” “Hehehe. You sure are funny, Storm.” Rarity smiles. “But you shouldn’t say unnecessary things from now on. Stupid comments will only bring you death.” …That was scary. I feel a chill and back up. “Well, that’s all I had to say. Ask your Servant about the rest.” Rarity stands up and leaves for sure this time. “Goodbye. We’ll be enemies next time we meet, so be prepared.” And with that, she disappears. It really must have been a whim of hers to carry me here and to treat me. She left with no regret or sentiment, leaving only the line we’re enemies. “…Well.” I take a breath and analyze the situation. I haven’t had time to think since I saw that fight between Lancer and Archer last night. “…Oh. I see. Then that figure there must’ve been Rarity.” I finally realize. I was stabbed by Lancer after that, was saved for some reason, was attacked by Lancer again… “Saber saved me, and I became a Master.” What I heard at the church. The killings called the Harmony Grail War. The Harmony Grail which grants any wish, given to the winner. …I can’t absorb all the facts, but I have been attacked three times already. So I can’t be confused forever. And most of all, I said I would fight since I could not ignore this battle. A fight for a single chair, called the Harmony Grail War. No matter what your expectations are, once you enter it, you can’t survive unless you defeat your enemies. The problem is that defeating other Masters might result in harm to innocent people depending on your methods. That’s why… ‘Rejoice, Storm Whooves.’ My reason for fighting is not to win the Harmony Grail War. ‘Your wish will finally come true.’ It is to stop those that would try to win it by any means possible. …It shouldn’t be a mistake. Storm Whooves has been training in magic to become a superhero, to protect innocent ponies. “All right. I need to go talk to Saber.” I shake off the priest’s words and exit into the hallway. Wound point. No wound point. No WoundI look through the house. I look everywhere somepony could possibly be, including all the guest rooms, but I can’t find Saber. “Huh…? She’s in that outfit, so you’d think it’d be easy to find her.” Even so, I can’t find Saber anywhere. I guess Servants can become spirits, but I can’t turn her into one anyway. No, first of all… “Even though they call me a Master, I don’t know anything about her.” I don’t understand who she is or how she exists. The only thing I understand is… That I’m confident I’ll be able to win this strange war if I’m with her. “She’s not here either…” I’ve searched throughout the house. It’s a big house, but I didn’t play hide-and-seek here with Pinkie as a colt for nothing. I know the most efficient way to search this place. If she’s nowhere to be found after searching this much, then she should be in the gym or in the shed. “Huh?” Saber is in the silent gym. But her appearance is different from yesterday. Sitting on the wooden floor, she is not wearing her armor. She has changed into refined clothes that suit her well, and is sitting silently. …I lose my voice at the sight. Sitting with her back straight and eyes closed, Saber looks beautiful. Her state, melting into the silence, reminds me of pure water. And that removes the final doubts within me. Even if she is a Servant, I think she is harmony. So… I won’t be led stray if I’m with her. “Saber.” I call out. Saber slowly opens her eye and returns my gaze. “You are awake, Storm.” A calm voice. Her voice, echoing through the gym as if permeating it, is surprising suited to this place. “Yeah. I just got up. What were you doing here?” “I was resting. I cannot treat you, so I thought I’d make sure I was in perfect condition.” Saber looks at me as she speaks. …Well, um… I feel tension, different from the kind I felt with Rarity. “Storm? What is it? Could it be that your body is still…?” “…! N-No, there’s no problem…! I’m just perplexed for my own reasons, so don’t worry…!” I take a step back and shake my head. Looking away from Saber, who is tilting her head questioningly, I calm my pounding heart. “…Calm down. What am I so tense about!?” I take a deep breath. …But it doesn’t seem to die down quickly. In fact, I don’t think it ever will. “…Geez, why did she get changed…?” I complain without meaning to. Saber’s clothes are so real that they make me conscious of her marehood, whether I like it or not. …She is terribly beautiful. I thought I figured that out yesterday, but she really hits me with it now. Perhaps her armor looked so surreal that I didn’t notice yesterday. But when she dresses like a mare, I’m flustered, as any healthy stallion would be. “Storm.” I tense up the moment our eyes meet. But I didn’t look for her just to say nothing. I’m troubled, but I can’t stay quiet forever. I make up my mind and talk to her. It’s something I should have asked her the moment we got back last night. That if she really is my Servant… And if she really is going to be joining this battle… Continue WoundedI look through the house. I look everywhere somepony could possibly be, including all the guest rooms, but I can’t find Saber. “Huh…? She’s in that outfit, so you’d think it’d be easy to find her.” Even so, I can’t find Saber anywhere. I guess Servants can become spirits, but I can’t turn her into one anyway. No, first of all… “Even though they call me a Master, I don’t know anything about her.” I don’t understand who she is or how she exists. The only thing I understand is… That I’m confident I’ll be able to win this strange war if I’m with her. “She’s not here either…” I’ve searched throughout the house. It’s a big house, but I didn’t play hide-and-seek here with Pinkie as a colt for nothing. I know the most efficient way to search this place. If I haven’t found her after searching this much, then she should be either in the gym or in the shed. “Huh?” Saber is in the silent gym. But her appearance is different from yesterday. Sitting on the wooden floor, she is not wearing her armor. She has changed into refined clothes that suit her well, and is sitting silently. …I lose my voice at the sight. Sitting with her back straight and eyes closed, Saber looks beautiful. Her state, melting into the silence, reminds me of pure water. And that removes the final doubts within me. Even if she is a Servant, I think she is harmony. So… I won’t be led stray if I’m with her. “Saber.” I call out. Saber slowly opens her eye and returns my gaze. “You are awake, Storm.” A calm voice. Her voice, echoing through the gym as if permeating it, is surprising suited to this place. “Yeah. I just got up. What were you doing here?” “I was resting. I cannot treat you, so I thought I’d make sure I was in perfect condition.” Saber looks at me as she speaks. …Well, um… I feel tension, different from the kind I felt with Rarity. “Storm? What is it? Could it be that your body is still…?” “…! N-No, there’s no problem…! I’m just perplexed for my own reasons, so don’t worry…!” I take a step back and shake my head. Looking away from Saber, who is tilting her head questioningly, I calm my pounding heart. “…Calm down. What am I so tense about!?” I take a deep breath. …But it doesn’t seem to die down quickly. In fact, I don’t think it ever will. “…Geez, why did she get changed…?” I complain without meaning to. Saber’s clothes are so real that they make me conscious of her marehood, whether I like it or not. …She is terribly beautiful. I thought I figured that out yesterday, but she really hits me with it now. Perhaps her armor looked so surreal that I didn’t notice yesterday. But when she dresses like a mare, I’m flustered, as any healthy stallion would be. “Storm.” I tense up the moment our eyes meet. But I didn’t look for her just to say nothing. I’m troubled, but I can’t stay quiet forever. “All right. May I, Saber? It’ll be the first time we sit down and talk…” I make up my mind and talk to her. …And then. “Storm. Before that, there is something I would like to address regarding last night.” “…? All right, what is it?” “It is about last night. You are my Master it is troubling if you take such actions. Battle is my duty, so you must concentrate on your role.” “Last night?” I think about what happened last night. …Is she talking about the time I tried to pull her to safety when Archer attacked? “…Hey. I can’t help it. You were fighting, so that’s the least I could do. It’s only natural to help when your partner is in danger.” “…Impossible. You do not understand what Servants are, yet you have so much faith in me already?” Oh, wow. Saber looks really surprised. “Well, we did shake hoofs. And you’ve helped me so many times already. It’d be pretty strange not to trust you.” “…” Saber looks up at me in surprise. “Uh… Did I have the wrong idea about our contract?” I get nervous, so I ask. Saber shakes her head. “As a Servant, I appreciate your words. And I would have been dealt a fatal wound had you not stopped me. The method was not a good one, but your instruction was.” “…I see. That’s good. I was desperate, but that was good, huh?” “Yes. But please refrain from such actions next time. I can heal immediately even if I am wounded. But I have no way to heal you if you are wounded.” “Ugh… All right, I’ll watch out. That was definitely reckless. I’ll do better next time.” I don’t know how I can do things better, but I should stop doing things so recklessly. Then… “Yes. That is a good reply, Master.” Was I acting that funny? I think she smiled for a second. “…” I shake off my blush. There’s something more important right now. It’s something I should have asked her the moment we got back last night. That if she really is my Servant… And if she really is going to be joining this battle… Continue Gym Phone.“Going back to our conversation, Saber. …Oh, I’ll ask formally. Can I call you Saber?” “Yes. Since I have formed a contract with you as a Servant, I am your sword. I shall follow your orders, defeat your enemies, and protect you.” Saber says so without the slightest hesitation. There’s no room for me to question her about it. “Become my sword, huh? Is that to win this Harmony Grail War?” “…? Is that not why you have summoned me?” “No. I only summoned you by chance. As you know, I’m only an amateur mage. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the knowledge nor the power of a Master. But I’ve decided to fight, so I’ll fight. I’m an unskilled Master, but are you okay with that?” “Of course. You are my Master, Storm. This fact will not change. A Servant does not have the freedom to choose its Master.” “…” …I see. Then I should try to respond to her to the best of my ability. “…All right. So you’re content that I’m your Master?” “Yes. But Storm, I shall not allow defeat for my Master. If you have no chance of victory, I shall make one for you. I will use any means possible to have you obtain the Harmony Grail. We Servants do not serve the Masters without compensation. We serve because we also desire the Harmony Grail.” “Huh? Hold on. The Harmony Grail, you mean you want it too…!?” “Of course. After all, the only ones who can touch the Harmony Grail in spirit form are we Servants, who are also spirits. The Master that wins the Harmony Grail War will obtain the Harmony Grail through the medium of their Servant. After that, the Servant who served the winning Master will have its wish granted in compensation. That is the relationship between Masters and Servants.” “…” …I see. Now that she says it, it’s obvious something like a “heroic spirit” would never obey a mere pony. Since they have their own objectives, they serve the Master in exchange. …Then that means Saber has a wish she wants granted. That is why Saber has no doubts. But… “…Hold on, Saber. You said any means possible, right? Does that mean you don’t care what measures you take to win the war? For example…” Doing something like what the priest said. Involving innocent ponies and creating a disaster like what happened ten years ago… “Storm, that is not a possibility. I can only do things I allow myself to do. I cannot betray my beliefs. It is against the knight’s oath to hurt those who are unarmed. But I must obey if you order so. In that case, you will have to use one of your Command Spells to compensate for treading inside me.” I am overwhelmed by her angry voice. “…” But still, I’m happy and relieved. Her lack of doubt gave her the image of a cold fighting machine, but I know now that she is not a cold-blooded killer. “Yeah, I won’t let you do such a thing. Like you said, we have to do our best with what we can do. …I’m really sorry. I insulted you without realizing it.” “Ah… no, I leapt to a hasty conclusion without knowing your intentions. You are not at fault, so please raise your head…” “Huh? Oh, sorry, I apologized without realizing it.” I raise my head. I don’t know what’s so funny, but Saber has a small smile on her face. Well, I’m glad she’s smiling, so I won’t ask her about it. “…All right. Then can I ask you something else? A Master is a mage that summons Servants, right? That’s fine, but I don’t quite understand you ponies. Like, Saber and Lancer, I know those aren’t your real names.” “Yes, those are only names of the classes given to us. …All right, I shall describe it briefly since we have the chance. We Servants are heroic spirits. We have each won fame during our lives or have accomplished some great deed beyond pony ability. Whatever the means, we are beings that have reached the rank of gods with our own strength.” That doesn’t even need to be said. Heroic spirits are heroes that had supernatural abilities while they were alive, who are worshipped after their deaths, and are promoted into ranks of spirits instead of becoming ghosts. “But that is also to our disadvantage. As we are heroes, our weaknesses have been recorded. Revealing our names, revealing our identities, means revealing our weaknesses. It will not be a problem if we are fighting a lower spirit, but each of us is a spirit of capable of killing the other. If our weaknesses are revealed, the enemy will take advantage of them to defeat us.” “I see. Heroes usually do have opponents they’re weak against. That’s why you’re hiding your real name and using the name Saber?” “Yes however, I am not called Saber only for that reason. There are seven Servants called forth by the Harmony Grail, and every one of these according to class.” “Class…? You mean like Saber and Archer?” “Yes. Summoning a true heroic spirit is already almost a miracle. To summon seven is too much even for the Harmony Grail. As a solution, the Harmony Grail prepares seven vessels in advance and only calls forth heroic spirits compatible with these vessels. Those are the seven classes. Saber. Lancer. Archer. Rider. Caster. Assassin. Berserker. The Harmony Grail calls forth from all times the heroic spirits, with abilities corresponding to each of these classes. And those who receive these classes are called Servants.” “…I see. You were a heroic spirit skilled with swords, so you were summoned as Saber?” “Yes. There are heroic spirits that have multiple attributes, but I believe I am the best when it comes to swords. But that is also the weakness of the Saber class. Since I am not a mage, I can only defeat your enemies as your sword.” “So you’re not well-suited to trickery. No, I don’t think that’s a weakness. You’re that powerful, so that should be enough, right?” “Storm, you cannot win this war just by being strong in battle. For instance, if your enemy is stronger than you in combat, what will you do?” “Huh? Well… if I knew I couldn’t beat them in combat, I’d have to do something without fighting…” Having said that much, I understand. If the enemies are strong, you wouldn’t fight a proper battle. Beating opponents with your sword isn’t the only way to fight. If you can’t beat an enemy with your sword, all you have to do is beat them some other way. “Exactly. If your enemy discovers you are skilled in combat, your enemy will most likely not challenge you in combat. …And in that sense, Servants that lack ability will use any means possible. The Servant Assassin has low attributes, but has a special ability to hide its presence, and the Servant Caster is versed in magic that does not exist in this age. You cannot be optimistic because of a mere difference in power. And on top of that, we have our ‘Noble Phantasms’. No matter what kind of Servant we are, as heroic spirits, we have our guaranteed fatal attack.” “Noble Phantasm…?” That’s not a term I’ve heard before. I think I might know what it means from the sound of it, though… “Noble Phantasms are special weapons carried by Servants. Weapons like Lancer’s horn, Archer’s bow, and my sword are such. Heroes are not called heroes by themselves. Heroes have the weapons that symbolize them and make them a hero. The hero and his weapon are one. So those who became heroic spirits each wield a powerful weapon. That is the ‘Noble Phantasm’, the trump card for Servants, and the thing we must take the most care of.” …Saber says that Noble Phantasms are weapons that heroes wielded when they were alive. I recall that blue knight. The horn that absorbed magical energy from the air and pierced Saber’s chest with incredible movements. That was certainly not something fit for ponies. That horn itself carried a strong curse, but I also felt overwhelming amount of magical energy in the word Lancer said back then. Then could it be…? “Saber. Are Noble Phantasms magic? Lancer’s horn certainly seemed like a horn with history but the horn itself wasn’t extraordinary. But that horn went beyond the realm of weapons with his words. Isn’t that some sort of Magic?” “Yes, Noble Phantasms are certainly similar to magic. For example, Lancer’s horn itself is a Noble Phantasm, but it demonstrates its full potential only when he puts magical energy into it and says its true name. A Noble Phantasm could be called a materialized divine mystery. As spells are necessary to activate magic, recitation of the true name is necessary to awaken and to activate the Noble Phantasm. But there is also a danger in that. By saying the true name of their Noble Phantasm, the identity of the Servant is revealed.” “Oh yeah. Heroes and their weapons are one. If you know the weapon’s name, you naturally know the identity of the owner.” Saber nods silently. That is why the Noble Phantasm is a trump card. In exchange for revealing the name, it launches an unavoidable fatal blow. But when it does not prove fatal… the Servant will expose all its weaknesses. “Then, Saber. Is your Noble phantasm that invisible sword?” “…Yes. But I have not revealed its identity yet. No Servants should know my true name at this point.” Saying that, Saber looks down awkwardly for a second. “Storm. I have a request about that matter.” “Huh? What kind of a request?” “About my real name. Usually, Servants give their true names to their Masters only, to determine future plans. But you are inexperienced as a mage. A superior mage would be able to read your mind, so…” “Oh, so you can’t tell me your real name? …Yeah, you’re right. Like hypnotism, suggestion, or… well, I don’t think there’d be any, but if any other Master had mystic eyes, I might just start babbling about it. All right. Let’s do that. I’ll rely on you to decide when to use your Noble Phantasm.” “Uh… um, can you really decide that so quickly?” “It wasn’t easy. I thought it through. I agreed after thinking about it, so don’t worry.” …Well. I get most of this stuff, but I still don’t have a grasp of the situation. This is strange, now that I think about it. Even though I’ve decided to fight, the only enemy I know is Rarity, and I don’t intend to fight her. Well, I shouldn’t be thinking like that because Rarity is ready to fight me any day. “Hey Saber, do Servants and Masters have some sort of a mark? I don’t really know what I should be doing.” “No. Unfortunately, there is no clear way to distinguish them. But if other Servants are near, Servants are able to sense them. All the more if they are materialized. Servants themselves are powerful magic. I am sure you felt Berserker’s presence.” “Ugh… that is true. But it’s bad to be able to tell only when you’re attacked. I need to at least know before they approach, so I can take some sort of countermeasure.” “Then, how about searching for the Master’s presence? Masters are mage. Since they use magic for a living, they will leak magical energy. If you search for that, you may be able to determine the Masters in this town.” “…Sorry. Unfortunately, I can’t do that sort of thing.” After all, I didn’t even realize the real identity of Rarity, who goes to the same school as I do. We were in the same building for two years, and on top of that, I’ve seen her several times. “Geez. No wonder ponies call me an amateur. The only evidence I’m even a Master is this Command Spell. It seems there’ll be lots of difficulties ahead.” I sigh. And then. “Storm. Could you close your eyes for a moment?” Saber speaks with a serious face. “…? Close my eyes? Why?” “To prove that you are a Master. Just close your eyes and breathe normally.” …I close my eyes. I feel something slightly touching my forehead. Hey. It’s prickling could this be the end of her sword!? “Saber? Hold on, are you doing something weird?” “…Master, please stay silent and concentrate on the tip of my hoof. If you are a mage, you should be able to feel my magical energy.” “Hm.” I see, so it’s Saber’s Hoof that’s touching me. I pull myself together and calm down. Then. What is this? “Saber, what was that?” “It is not something you should be asking me. You and I are connected by our contracts, so it is only natural for you to be able to understand my status.” “Understand? You mean, what happened just now?” “I do not know how you saw it. It is your standard that measures the Servant’s ability. Some Masters classify according to color, and some classify according to animals. So in other words, you perceive it in a way most comprehensible for you. This is a standard concept for a Master, so please check frequently. Like me, once you see someone, you shall understand their details.” …I see. I was a bit surprised since it was so sudden, but I might be able to act a bit like a Master now. “Master. I have simplified things, but that is all the explanation I can give you.” “Okay. It was quick, but I get it now. Sorry, Saber.” “…You should not be ‘sorry.’ If you understand the situation, you should be deciding what to do from now on.” She asks me, leaning forward. …I see. Saber is the same type as Rarity: attack first. “Well, we won’t be doing anything different. I don’t have the will to go out and beat other Masters like Rarity.” “Storm, that does not make sense. Do you not have the will to obtain the Harmony Grail as a Master?” …Saber narrows her eyes. They are the calm eyes of a swordspony who allows no disagreement. I stare back, trying not to lose, and clearly tell her my intentions. “I do. But that’s only because I don’t want anypony evil obtaining it. I have no reason to want the Harmony Grail for myself. But that doesn’t mean I will not fight. I’m a mage, even if I’m an amateur. I understand I can’t back out of this now. I know I can’t survive this without doing anything.” “Then you are saying you are fighting not to obtain the Harmony Grail, but rather to prevent the conflict resulting from the Harmony Grail?” “…? …Yeah, I guess you could put it like that. Yeah, I think that’s what I mean. I can’t put it into clear words, but such a fight is worth something, right?” That’s right. I don’t feel anything toward the Harmony Grail. But for a reason like that, I think I can fight with all my power and with pride. “…I do not understand. You say that you are a mage. Then you should desire the almighty Harmony Grail. Do mages not master magic because they have a wish they cannot make come true?” “What are you saying? I have no unfulfillable wishes. I do have lots of things I have to do though.” That’s right. So for now, I should try my hardest not to involve any unnecessary ponies. “Then you are saying you do not want the Harmony Grail? That you will not fight to obtain it?” “I didn’t say that. Since I’m fighting, I do intend to obtain the Harmony Grail.” “That is a contradiction. Why do you desire something that you have no need for, going so far as fighting?” Well, because… Winning means obtaining the Harmony Grail, and most of all… “You need it, right? So we have to obtain it. Yeah, I don’t know what kind of ponies the other Masters are. Some of them may be really good ponies. But I’ve decided to be your ally. So if you say you want the Harmony Grail, it’s only natural to help you with all my power, right? …Well, it’s only an opinion that I received from my father, but he said I should be selfish to become a superhero. It’s pointless to support everypony, so he told me to only ally with ponies I like and trust. I never thought that way before, but I think that’s how I should be now. I can’t do something like fight for myself. But if I can fight for you, then that’s good.” And to be honest. If this mare seriously yearns for it, it’s only natural to want to obtain it for her. …Well, I am a stallion, you know. “Then are you saying you will not fight if I give up the Harmony Grail?” “Hm.” That’s a problem. If Saber says that, all my premises will crumble. “…No, it would still be the same. I said I’ll fight. So I won’t run. That is for sure, Saber.” I declare while looking at her in the eyes. Saber does not answer immediately, but looks up at me after letting out a deep breath. “I understand. If you say so as a Master, I will only obey. My goal is the Harmony Grail, and even if your goal is to stop the conflict, our destinations are the same. But, Storm.” Saber Stops. With eyes that seem to be gazing upon something far away, “I cannot clearly put this into words, but you will regret it later on. …You will surely regret it.” She says those words. We’ve skipped breakfast and it’s noon already, so we decided to eat lunch. Saber can’t turn into a spirit like Archer, and I’m not sending her magical energy like all the other Masters are doing. It doesn’t need to be said that this is because I’m an unskilled Master. It seems she can sleep to stop consuming magical energy, but doing so doesn’t replenish it. So food will be her only source of energy. I’m in charge of cooking, so I can’t be lazy about it. “Servants take physical form using magical energy, right? Then… since you can’t restore magical energy, you’ll get weaker every time you fight?” I ask her after cleaning up our meal. “It does not mean I cannot restore any magical energy. Magical energy is constantly created within oneself. A Servant without any outside source can create magical energy using its own Magic Circuit.” “I see. Then there’s no problem, right?” “…Well, how shall I explain this? Hmm, let me use that faucet as an example. Water is dripping out of the faucet right now, correct? Please consider that as my magical energy being created. And the cup receiving the drop is me. In this state, I can accumulate magical energy slowly. Well, there will be more dripping water the more water the cup holds. As long as the cup holds some water, the faucet will create more. But when the water runs out, when I use up my magical energy, the faucet shuts off. There will be no supply of magical energy, and the cup will be forever empty. That means elimination for the Servant. Either to receive a fatal wound or to lose enough magical energy… Well, the latter rarely occurs.” “…But all you need is at least a drop of water in the cup, right? If there’s a bit water left in the cup, the faucet will create more water and fill the cup up.” “Yes. But the water in the cup is constantly consumed. It is lost without me doing anything, and it will be lost at a faster pace during battles. …To put it simply, a more powerful action requires more water. If I am to use my Noble Phantasm, I could empty out the whole cup even if it may be full.” …This is getting complicated now. To sum it up, as I, her faucet, am not giving her magical energy, she can only restore magical energy at a slow pace. The rate being just that of dripping water. Therefore, she should end battles as quickly as she can and sleep right after that to stop consuming any unnecessary magical energy. “Man. So the Noble Phantasm is a luxury we can’t afford, huh?” “Correct. But it does not mean I cannot use it. I should be able to use it once if I reduce the power I put into it.” “What are you saying? I can’t let you do that. You’re not allowed to use your Noble Phantasm, okay? I don’t know how I’ll apologize to you if it causes you to die.” I place the tea in front of Saber. “Hm.” She frowns and reaches for the tea. Then. The phone rings. “…A phone call at this time on Sunday…” I have all too good an idea as to who it may be, but I’m scared by the consequences of ignoring the call. “Hello, this is Storm.” “Hi, this is Pinkie!” “……” I feel dizzy. She is the strongest in one regard. She simply discards all the chaotic events that happened since last night, and I feel like it’s just a normal day. “…What? Sorry, but I’m busy right now, Pinkie.” “Hey, I’m busy too. I gave up my day off to teach my students.” It sure is strange. I feel like Pinkie’s right in front of me, puffing with pride. “I see. Then I guess this isn’t the time to be chit-chatting. There are no robbers or fires here. You can rest assured and go back to your club.” I try to cut off the conversation. “H-Hold on! I’m calling you, so it’ll be terrible if you hang up without hearing me out!” …I’ve been in trouble since last night, but it won’t do any good to tell her that. Well, I guess she’s in a little trouble right now too. “…Fine. So what do you want?” “I want to eat lunch, Storm. How about that sweet omelet you make?” “……” “That’ll be it for my order. I want it delivered to the archery range right away. Bye.” …Geez. What’s up with that teacher? “…Sheesh, I guess it can’t be helped. I hear beasts go wild when they get hungry…” I put on the apron I just took off. …Well, we have leftovers from lunch, and the omelet will be easy to make. “I’m done… Saber, can you watch the house for a bit? I’ll only be gone for a while.” I carry Pinkie’s boxed lunch and go out into the hallway. Saber follows me for some reason. I put on my shoes. When I look next to me… Saber is there, putting her own shoes on. “…Saber?” I call out to her timidly. …Well, I know what she’s going to say, but I have to ask her. “Um, well?” “I shall accompany you if you are going outside. Servants protect their Masters. It is too dangerous to let you walk outside alone.” …I thought so. Well, this is something I have to tell her eventually. This is a good time, so I’ll tell her now. “Saber. Masters try to avoid getting attention, right? Then daytime should be safe time. They won’t attack me unless I go to an isolated place.” “I am aware of that fact. But there could be exceptions. Since you are inexperienced, I should be by your side constantly.” “Wha…” Does she mean she’ll be with me all the time…!? “Y-Y-Y-You idiot. I can’t do that! First of all, what will we do when I got to sleep!?” “Are you testing me, Storm? That is the time that requires the most attention. I shall be on standby, right next to you.” “Wha…!” I hide my blushing face and take a huge breath to calm myself down. …Damn, how stupid of me. I finally realize this important fact. This is what it means to fight alongside her! “What is wrong, Storm! I do not think it should surprise you. It is just that I shall be doing as Rarity did last night.” …! Don’t kid me! I’ll go crazy before I even fight if you do that! “I-I can’t allow that! I’ll prepare you a room, so you can sleep there!” …Ugh. I won’t give in even if you look at me like that. “Please stop this nonsense, Storm. I have tolerated most of your contradictions, but I cannot compromise on this. Your plan is full of mistakes for a Master. I cannot obey you unless you explain your reasoning.” Saber looks up at me. She’s putting pressure on me, but I stare back at her. “I-I don’t have a reason! I’m telling you to just do so. It’s safe during the daytime, so go ahead and rest!” “I refuse. I cannot obey unless you give me a clear reason.” “Y-You don’t get it, huh!? You’re a mare, so there’s no way I can sleep in the same room as you…!” Saber freezes. “A-Anyway, I’m going to prepare you a room when I come home, so rest until then…!” I run out the door. Sheesh, this is pathetic, but I’m running away. And I’m doing it in front of my opponent, too! “…Geez, am I a kid or something!?” I run outside and slap my blushing face. …Well, anyway. Saber should understand since I told her so firmly. I’ll apologize for yelling at her after I come home. I go down the hill. It takes about thirty minutes to get to school on hoof. I don’t have to hurry, but I’m walking quickly right now. The reason being… “……” The mare walking silently behind me. She’ll follow me to school if I don’t do anything. I have to clearly tell her right here! “Saber. I told you to wait at the house. You won’t obey your Master?” I stop and turn to her. After glaring at me… “Who knows. If a servant is not following its Master’s order, it must mean the Servant did not hear the Master.” She turns away from me. I ignore Saber and go down the hill. Behind me… Saber is there, silently putting pressure on me. “Go home now. Do I have to tell you that it’s annoying to have you following me?” I glare at the mare who is walking exactly five meters behind me. “……” I don’t know what her problem is, but I’m just met with silent defiance. …Geez. I have no idea what she’s so mad about, but I’m sure she’s just obstinate. “Fine, do what you want.” I ignore Saber and walk on. I go up the hill leading to the school. This town has lots of hills, but this one is especially long. The school on top of the hill is high enough to be able to see everything in this town. It’s a bit past one o’clock. Fortunately, I don’t see any students around. It’s Sunday, so I bet most ponies in the clubs are still resting after eating their lunch. “…Well, that’s good, but I still shouldn’t go any further.” I sigh and give up. “……” I turn around. When I stop, Saber comes up to me and glares. …She looks even more angry, as I’ve been ignoring her this whole time. “Saber.” “What is it? I believe you told me to do as I wish.” “…Hm. So you only hear things that are convenient for you, huh?” “Of course. I am a Servant, so I cannot allow my Master to be in danger.” “Geez. All right, you win. I give up, so let’s go to school together. You should understand that the school is a safe place if you go there. And I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier.” “Huh?” “Well, let’s make up a story for you. You’re a relative of my father, and you came here to visit and sightsee. Is that all right?” I walk up the hill with Saber. “Oh… Yes. I do not mind if that is convenient for you.” “All right, that’s what we’ll go with. Yeah… you would’ve met them sooner or later, so it doesn’t matter if I introduce them to you now.” That’s right. Saber is bound to meet Sweetie and Pinkie if she’s staying at my place. “Oh yeah. I forgot to ask you, but where did you get those clothes?” “Rarity gave these to me. She said I will need normal clothes since I cannot turn into spirit form.” That’s unexpected. I’m not surprised by Rarity’s kindness, but just that she’d have such feminine clothes. “Then what about that armor? Is that back at the house?” “No. That armor is formed from my magical energy. I can remove it at will. It will immediately protect me during battle.” “Hm. So you can take it out at will?” “Yes. So you need not to worry. I shall protect you even if an enemy attacks us here.” “Yeah, that’s comforting.” Maybe because I’ve kept so quiet up until now, my honest opinion slips out. Saber does not answer me and continues up the hill. We reach the school gate. Oh well. I guess I’ll just pretend I’m showing a new student around school. “Saber. If anybody stops you, just shake your head. It’ll be great if you can make an expression like you don’t understand Japanese.” I turn to Saber. “Saber? What’s with that sever expression? Don’t scare me like that.” “Huh…? Oh no, I was not looking at you, Storm. I was just surprised at how strong the lingering magical energy is here.” “Lingering magical energy? Is that true?” Saber says so, but I don’t feel anything. …Well, I can’t feel any magical energy unless it’s really strong. “Yes. But it is not something to be surprised about. Rarity is in the same grade as you, correct? This is a place where a great mage has gone for over a year. I am sure she has a workshop, so some magical energy will flow out no matter how well she may try to hide it.” It seems the magical energy Saber feels is from Rarity. “Hmm. She’s pretty stupid for getting her magical energy sensed even before you went inside. …Wait, is she in there right now!?” “No, it does not seem she is in there. I should be able to feel the energy more strongly if she is. Nobody resembling a mage is currently on this property. …There is a strange feeling, but there is no danger.” “I told you there’s no danger here. All right, let’s go in.” “Oh, Storm? What are you doing? Are you in charge of her meal?” “……” A pony that knows you well comes in handy at a time like this. Lyra, the captain of the archery club, even figured out why I was here just by seeing me. “I’m here to deliver her lunch as you guessed. Is Pinkie here?” “Yup. Sheesh, you’ve saved us. We were worried because she was hungry and started getting edgy. The cafeteria’s closed, so we were considering going somewhere to buy her food.” “Was it that serious? Wait, were you thinking of going to Shop district by yourself?” “Where else can I go? We’re short on money already, so I can’t be spending money on emergency food.” As expected from Lyra, the mare who hates to waste money. In the archery club, anypony resting their hoofs and taking a break is sent on a grocery run as an exercise. …It’s a contradictory custom because even though it’s an exercise to rest your hoofs, you have to carry back a lot of groceries. “…That’s some misfortune. Here’s lunch. It’s a bit late, but go ahead and give it to Pinkie.” I hold out the bag. “Wow, a three-layered boxed lunch. It’s been a while since I’ve seen this. You’re good at doing small, intricate things.” I don’t know what she’s happy about, but she smiles. …Oh yeah, she’s good at mass-production. Lyra is usually in charge of dinner during our training camp, and she surprises us every time. The world of cooking is deep, considering how a curry with whole potatoes in it tasted good. …Well, anyway. Lyra only looks inside the bag and doesn’t take it. “Hey, just take the bag. Isn’t it a problem in there with Pinkie going wild?” “Yeah. If you think so, you should go in there quickly and give the lunch to her. First of all, you should know she’d get mad if I turned you away here. I don’t want to be chewed out by Pinkie, so go on in.” She points to the range using her chin. “……” She’s right. It can get scary later on if I don’t at least go see her. I’m not here for archery practice, so I can go home as soon as I give her the lunch. I give up and head to the archery range. “But Lyra, you should be checking if Pinkie has her lunch or not since you’ve been here long enough. It’s bad if the teacher starts looking at her students’ lunches.” “Well, I was a bit tired this morning. I’ve been busy lately, so I don’t have much time to spare. Well, it does no good to be complaining to you…” Then, she suddenly comes up to me and whispers into my ear. “…So, who is she? She’s really beautiful. Do you know her?” Her voice is tense as she asks. Yeah… you’d usually be surprised to see Saber. All the more if she’s coming into the archery range after me. “So? Is that an acquaintance of yours?” “It’s kind of complicated, but let’s say she is. …And if you can go ahead and tell everypony not to make a fuss about her when we go in, I’ll be indebted to you.” “…All right. I’m curious, but I like that condition. Don’t take it back later, okay, Storm?” I open the door. Saber silently follows after me and Lyra. We enter the archery range. …The range is as loud as a battlefield, since it’s right after lunch. “Pinkie! Bon Bon is saying she’s going to die of stomach-ache! How old was that cracker!?” “That’s just her side hurting! I ate it and I’m doing fine, so just give her some kelp tea!” “Tiger! I’m going to practice, so can you move the stove? It’s cold in the corner of the range!” “All right. Since you have some guts, go run around the range three times in shorts. Go and beat that rotten character of yours into shape.” “Pinkie! We have somepony bleeding over here! Candy Mane cut her cheek with the bow string!” “Hmm, you don’t have to go to the nurse’s office for this small wound. Just rub some of the aloe planted in the back on it.” “Ouch. Geez, why is this bow like this? I can’t put the string on well if it’s like this.” “Oh, there! Don’t push on the top. You’re still young, so get somepony to help you if it’s difficult. If you break it, your neck will be broken later on. That is, I’m going to break your neck for breaking our precious bow.” “Pinkie! We don’t have any powder! My hoof’s slipping!” “Oh, really? Can somepony go to the storage room and get some of the stock?” “Pinkie, we’re out of stock as well! I think it’s because you forgot to order more the other day!” “Oh, man. Then, the first years are to go to the baseball club and steal some rosin bags!” “Sheesh, she’s nuts!” They scream in unison. Sheesh. This place doesn’t change at all. “…Well.” I can’t be watching this hellish scene forever. “Oh, great timing. Hey, Sweetie…” I call out to her. “Storm…!?” Sweetie puts down the bow in her hoof and runs to me. “Storm! W-Why did you come here today? Um, could it be, um…” “Yeah, I brought lunch for Pinkie. I’m sorry, but can you go get that crazy teacher over there?” “Oh… Oh yeah… She was calling somepony…” “…?” I don’t know where her cheerfulness went, as she slumps her shoulders. “That’s it. Pinkie’s giving absurd orders because she’s hungry, right? It might be too late, but let her eat this since I made it. Oh, I’m sorry for coming home later last night. And thanks for making me dinner.” “…Yes. I’m glad that you say so, but…” She looks behind me. There stands a rainbow-mane mare unsuited to this range. “…Um, Storm?” “Hm? Oh, was I too late? I made some for you as well, but was it unnecessary?” “Oh, no, that’s not true. I-I’m hungry as well! …Um, I gave half of my lunch to Pinkie.” “Yeah, I thought so. I made your lunch so that you can eat it right away. It shouldn’t take that long to eat it. …Well, I don’t think anypony’s going to complain if that’s the case.” “Y-You’re right! I’ll have some then. Um, will you be here all today?” “Yeah. Since I’m here, I’ll stay here until the club is over. I skipped making dinner yesterday, so I ‘ll cook dinner today. Come and eat with us.” “Yes, it’ll be my pleasure. Then I’m going to go get Pinkie. Storm, please don’t just drop off lunch and go away, okay?” Sweetie goes to get Pinkie in a hurry. When I look around, Lyra is explaining things to the students that are getting rowdy from seeing Saber. Well. I’ve accomplished my goal. “I’m full now. The sugar’s flowing to my brain, so I’m finally up to par now,” Said Pinkie. The break room. Pinkie is munching on some sweet bean jelly as she drinks some tea. The only thing audible in the quiet dojo is the sound of arrows. It must be because Pinkie is calm now. “Um, Pinkie. I’m going to the range now, so excuse me.” “All righty. Oh, can you tell Lyra to come here? I need to talk to her.” “Okay. Please stay at your leisure, Storm. If you can, it’d help me out if you would coach me.” Sweetie bows and leaves. But when she does so… She looks uneasily at Saber, who is watching us quietly by the wall. “So, what are you gonna do now? The club’s over at five, so will you just watch until then?” “…Hmm…” What should I do? It seems Saber is looking at the archery range with interest. So I should… Stay at the archery range. Go to the student council room. Show Saber around school. ...Stay here.I can’t move from here. I’m not obedient enough to follow her words and run away. But I can’t go after Berserker either. I’m scared of going up against that monster. But no more than that… what can I do even if I go? “Damn… it.” I stand by myself in the dark. It’s vexing, but I have no way to fight. I can neither help Saber nor fight Berserker. If there’s anything I can do, it’s run to a safe place right now. “!?” I hear unfamiliar noises from the top of the hill… from the open area that Saber was flung into. If I remember correctly, that’s the foreigners’ cemetery. Saber and Berserker, Their fight must still be going on. “…!” This is my final decision. I… ...Head to the graveyard. ...Don't go.
Stop Saber!“Eh?” It all happens in an instant. There’s a stallion in red in front of Saber. The stallion in red is in an unfavorable position after being attacked by Saber, and he’s about to receive a fatal blow. Behind them… The pony watching Saber from behind that stallion is somepony I know. “No…” I reach out with my left hoof and call out. I don’t know who that stallion in red is. But I’m sure Saber will attack the pony behind the stallion after she defeats him. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let Saber attack her! “Stop, Saber!” I feel a sharp pain. One of the marks on my hoof disappears. In its place… Saber halts her blow, which should not have been possible to stop. “……” The silver armor hesitates for an instant. Using that opening, the stallion in red quickly gets away. “That stallion… he’s…” I’m sure of it. That’s the stallion that was fighting Lancer. “……” Then the mare behind him is… Um, I don’t want to believe so, but is it really…? “Are you insane, Storm? We should have been able to defeat Archer and his Master here. So why did you go so far as to use your Command Spell to stop me!?” “……” What could I have done? I don’t understand the situation at all. I stopped Saber only because I didn’t want to see her slash at the mare who saved me. “Master, please retract your order. If you act like this, I cannot defeat enemies that could otherwise be beaten.” Saber readies the object in her wings again. In front of her is the red stallion she could not slay. “No, don’t do it. To be honest, I have no idea what’s going on. But the one you’re about to attack is somepony I know. I can’t let you attack somepony I know.” “What are you saying? She is Archer’s Master. She is our enemy, so we must defeat her here.” “……” Enemy? She and the stallion in red are enemies? “…I don’t care about that. First of all, I don’t even understand this Master thing you’re talking about. If you’re going to call me Master, you should at least explain to me what this is all about.” “That is true, but…” Saber hesitates. Then… “…Hm. So that’s how it is, amateur Master?” She calls out to me with a polite yet harsh voice. When I turn around, I see the stallion in red and the mare in her school uniform. “……” I gasp. …So I wasn’t seeing things. The pony with the stallion in red is definitely “that” Rarity Jewel. “Rarity… Jewel” How should I put this? Even I can tell that the stallion behind Rarity isn’t human. That thing is not of this world, just like Saber. Then… if Rarity is with him, she’s also… “Huh? Oh, you know me? Then this should be easy. First of all, good evening, Storm.” I don’t know what her intentions are. But Rarity greets me with a big smile. “Uh… huh?” I’m troubled. When she greets me normally like that, I forget about all these strange events and just greet her too. “A-Are you serious!? This isn’t the time for greetings! You’re…!” “Yes, I’m a Master as well. In other words, I’m a mage like you. We’re similar, so we don’t have to hide it, right?” “Mage? You’re a mage, Rarity!?” My eyes widen, and I point at Rarity. “Oh…” …Crap. I don’t know why, but she’s… She’s looking at me with real irritation… “Uh, no, that’s not what I meant to say.” “I see. I get it now. So that’s how it is, huh?” Taking a look at us, she turns to the stallion behind her. “Archer. Can you turn into spirit form for a while? I’m pissed right now.” “I don’t mind, but what do you mean by pissed?” “It means what it means. I can’t calm down unless I make him realize what kind of a situation he’s in. You won’t have anything to do until then, so go away. Saber won’t be able to lower her sword as long as you’re here.” “Sheesh, how difficult. Well, I shall obey if it’s an order. If I may warn you, however, what you are about to do is needless.” The stallion literally disappears. “R-Rarity, that was!” “Let’s talk inside. You don’t know anything, right, Storm? You can rest assured that I’ll tell you everything, even if you say you don’t want to know.” Saying this, she walks toward the entrance. “Wait, what are you thinking!?” I stop her. And then… She turns, and the smile on her face isn’t like the previous one. “Are you stupid? I’m thinking about a lot of things. That’s why I want to talk to you. Storm, it’s okay to be surprised by sudden turn of events, but it might cost you your life if you don’t just accept it. Incidentally, do you understand that now is one of those times?” “Uh… ugh.” “It’s fine if you understand. So, let’s go to your place. You’re fine with that too, right, Saber? I’ll explain things to your Master in return for sparing my life.” “…Very well. I do not know what your intentions are, but I shall restrain myself as long as you are helping my Master.” Rarity goes through the gate. “…She’s really pissed…” I don’t know why, though. I don’t know, but… “But still…” She’s totally unlike the way she is at school… So, I’m in a strange situation. In front of me is the school’s number-one idol whom I admire, Rarity Jewel. And following silently behind me is Saber, who calls herself a Servant. “……” Oh. The hallway suddenly feels like part of a different dimension. But I can’t be a coward forever. I’m a mage, even if I’m just an amateur. Rarity Jewel, a mage just like me, is acting boldly, so I have to act firmly as well. …But I can only work out a few things. First, about Saber, who’s following me. I’m sure that she’s some kind of a familiar, because she calls me Master and I’ve made a contract with her. I’ve heard that a familiar is a kind of assistant. Most mages transfer a part of their body into something and then summon it as another self. It is something that assists the mage. Consequently, it’s commonly accepted that small animals are the most suitable as to reduce the burden on the mage. …So I’ve been taught, but… “Hm? What is it, Storm?” “…No, it’s nothing.” …Saber looks pony no matter how you look at her. And she is clearly superior to me, her master. I don’t have the magical energy to control somepony like that, and, more than that, I don’t have the Magic Circuit to summon a familiar. “……” So Saber must rather be something else than a familiar. She said she’s a Servant. I don’t know what that is, but I think the stallion called Lancer and the stallion in red with Rarity were the same thing. Saber called Rarity a Master as well. I guess mages with a Servant are called Masters. …It seems Rarity is a mage as well, but I have no idea who she is. The Whooves family are just outsiders who came to this town in my father’s generation. That’s why I didn’t know that Rarity was a mage, and I’m sure Rarity didn’t know that I knew magic. …There are several mages in this town that I don’t know about. If Lancer is the familiar of another mage in this town, does that mean I’ve stuck my head into a conflict between mages? “Wow, it’s pretty big. I am not used to this Ponyville style. Oh, is that the living room, Storm?” Saying so, rarity goes into the living room. “……” I should stop thinking. Let’s just listen to Rarity’s story. I turn the lights on. It’s already past one in the morning. “Oh, it’s so cold! Hey, the windows are all broken.” “I couldn’t help it. I was attack by this Lancer stallion. I was desperate.” “Oh, I see. Then were you fighting him alone until you summoned Saber?” “I didn’t fight him. He just beat me up.” “Oh, so you don’t try to show off, huh? …I see, I see. You’re really just as you appear, Storm.” Rarity walks over to the broken window. “…?” Rarity takes a piece of the shattered glass, takes a look at it, and… “…Minuten vor SchweiBen.” She cuts the tip of her hoof and puts a drop of her blood onto the glass. “…!?” What kind of magic is this? The shattered glass recombines and restores itself in a matter of seconds. “Rarity, that was…” “It’s just a small demonstration. It won’t be enough to repay you for saving me, but I have to do at least this much. …Well, I’m sure you would’ve fixed it even if I hadn’t, but that’d just be a waste of magical energy, right? All you’d really have to do is replace the window, but we don’t want to talk in this cold, do we?” She says this as if it’s completely natural. But needless to say, her skills are beyond my comprehension. “No, that’s amazing, Rarity. I can’t do that sort of thing, so I’m glad you fixed it.” “Huh? Of course you’d be able to fix it. Handling glass is elementary. Restoring glass that broke a few minutes ago is like a simple admission test for school, right?” “So that’s how it is? I was only taught by my father, so I don’t even know the basics or the elementary stuff.” “…Huh?” Rarity freezes. …Damn. It seems I said something I shouldn’t have. “…Wait. Then you’re saying you’re just an amateur who can’t even run his own workshop?” “…? I don’t have a workshop.” …Well, I do have that shed as my training area, but I think Rarity would get mad if I called that my workshop. “…I’m going to ask, even though it’s impossible. Could it be that you don’t know how to handle the five main elements nor how to make a Pass?” I honestly admit that I don’t know. “……” Wow, that’s scary. She’s so beautiful usually, so this make her look pretty frightening now. “Then what are you, just an amateur?” “That’s not true. I can at least use strengthening magic.” “Strengthening… that’s an awfully odd magic. So, you can’t do anything other than that?” “…Well, to be honest, probably not.” Her glare makes me answer vaguely. “…Geez. Why did Saber get summoned to a stallion like this?” “Humph.” It makes me mad. I haven’t been playing around. I know I’m an amateur, but I don’t think it matters right now. “Well, I guess it doesn’t make any difference. There’s no point in complaining about what’s already happened. More importantly, I have to pay back my debt right now.” Rarity takes a breath. “Well, I’ll begin. Storm, you don’t know what kind of situation you’re in right now, correct?” “……” I nod. “I thought so. Well, it was obvious, but I had to make sure, right? It’s only putting flab on my mind if I explain it to somepony who already gets it.” “…?” I think that was a weird phrase but I‘ll stay quiet, as I think she’ll beat me up if I make fun of her now. “To put it bluntly, you have been chosen as a Master. You have a harmony sign on one of your hoofs, right? On your hoof or on your legs. There are personal differences, but there should be three Command Spells engraved. That is the sign of a Master.” “On my hoof… oh, this.” “Yes. That is also a spell that controls the Servant, so take care of it. It’s called a Command Spell and you can retain control over your Servant as long as you have it.” “…? What do you mean ‘as long as I have it’?” “The Command Spell enforces unconditional obedience. That mark overrules your Servant’s will and makes them obey your command. There’s no spell needed to activate it, and it will be activated when you put your mind to using it. You’ll be killed if you lose all your Command Spells, so be careful.” “What… I’ll be killed?” “That’s right. Masters killing other Masters is fundamental to the Harmony Grail War. And the Master that kills the other six Masters is awarded the Harmony Grail.” “What?” H-Hold on. I don’t understand what Rarity is talking about at all. Like the part about Masters killing other Masters. And the part where the winner gets a Harmony Grail… wait, does she mean THAT Harmony Grail!? “You still don’t understand? To put it simply, you’ve been dragged into a game. A survival game between the seven Masters, a game called the Harmony Grail War. A battle royale that won’t end until you kill all other Masters.” Rarity Jewel states this as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “……” The phrase I heard swirl in my head. I have been chosen as a Master. Rarity says she is a Master. Familiars called Servants. And… A battle to the death between mages, called the Harmony Grail War. “Wait. What’s this? What are you talking about all of a sudden?” “I understand how you feel, but I’m just telling you the truth. …Besides, you should understand deep down. Having nearly been killed by that Servant twice, you should know you’re in a situation you can’t run away from.” “……” That’s… Certainly, I was almost killed by that Lancer stallion, but… “Oh, that’s wrong. In fact, you weren’t almost killed, you were actually killed. I’m surprised you’re alive again.” “……” Not almost killed, but actually killed. …That’s right. I was killed by that stallion. I should be more surprised about the fact I’m alive than about this situation I’m in. …The wound in my chest. …The escaping blood. …The escaping warmth. And… The pure voice I heard amidst all of that… “Do you get it now? That is your situation. You can’t run away just because you don’t know anything. But you’re prepared, since you’re a mage, right? We are beings who kill and are killed.” Rarity is in a good mood, maybe because she enjoys watching me be troubled. “……” …Yeah. I’m already prepared. But… “…You know I was killed by Lancer, Rarity?” I wonder how she knows that fact. “…Damn. I got caught up in the moment.” She’s acting suspiciously. “That was just a guess. Forget about it, it’s trivial.” “…It’s not trivial. Somepony certainly…” “Forget about it! Your main concern should be grasping the situation you’re in. You’re one of the seven Masters of the Harmony Grail War.” Rarity turns her back to me and paces as if she’s a teacher or something. “Look. Every few decades, seven Masters are chosen in this town and are given a Servant. A Master uses his or her Servant to kill other Masters. This is the ritual called the Harmony Grail War. I’ve also been chosen as a Master. That’s why I made a contract with a Servant, and you made a contract with Saber. It doesn’t seem like you summoned Saber yourself, but Servants are given to Masters by the Harmony Grail. So it is possible for an ignorant mage like you to be chosen as a Master.” “……” Rarity’s explanation is too brief for me to understand. But there is one thing I do wonder about. “…Hold on. You say Saber is a familiar, but I not convinced. Familiars are things like cats and birds, right? Well, I do hear that some use human ghosts, but Saber has a body. Besides, she doesn’t look like a familiar.” I glance at Saber. Saber is quietly listening to our conversation. …She looks just like a pony. I don’t know her identity, but she’s a mare about my age. “Familiar, huh? Well, Servants are in that category, but they are on a different level. That mare over there is a Ghost Liner, considered to be the strongest of all familiars.” “Ghost Liner? Then do you mean she really is a ghost?” “A ghost… huh? She’s similar, but Saber would kill you if you compared her to one. Servants are heroes of the past given bodies. Beings surpassing ponies, more like spirits.” “Huh? Heroes of the past given bodies?” “That’s right. A legendary hero that was pulled from the past or the present or whenever and given a body; well, it’s the role of the Master to summon them, and the Harmony Grail does the rest. It’s impossible for a mage to give shape to a soul, so we’re assisted by a strong Artifact.” “Hold on. So a ‘hero of the past’ means… what!?” I look over at Saber. Then she’s a heroine from the past too? Well, it’s true that nopony would dress like that now, but still… “That’s impossible. I’ve never heard of any such magic.” “Of course not. This isn’t magic. Think of it as a phenomenon created by the Harmony Grail. It’s impossible to recreate a soul and give it a body without it.” “…Recreate a soul? Then a Servant isn’t a ghost?” “No. Haven’t you been taught that all ponies, animals or machines that leave any great achievements behind get removed from the ring of reincarnation and sublimate into beings of higher rank? Heroic spirits are like that. To put it simply, they have been worshipped and made into artificial gods. ’Ghost Magic’ such as supplicating ghosts uses heroic spirits to make miracles happen. But the Servants are familiars made from the heroic spirits themselves. So they accompany you in spirit form, but if need be, you can give them form to make them fight.” “…Hm. So you mean you can give them form or keep them in spirit form? That stallion that was with you disappeared by turning into spirit form?” “Yup. He’s keeping watch on the roof now. I think you could tell from that battle, but the only ones who can beat these Servants are other Servants, spirits like them. Well, we can attack them too if they take form, so we might be able to beat them. But Servants are all as strong as monsters, right? So we let monsters deal with monsters. The Master usually supports them from behind.” “…Hm.” Rarity’s explanation irritates me for some reason. She calls them monsters. I don’t know about the other Servants, but I don’t want her to talk about Saber like that. “Anyways, somepony who becomes a Master must kill all the other Masters using his Servant. Do you understand so far?” “…Technically, yes. But I’m not convinced. To begin with, who started such a thing and why?” “That’s not something I know about, nor should I answer. You should pose that kind of question to the one overseeing the Harmony Grail War. The one thing I can tell you is that all you can do now is fight, and since Servants are powerful familiars, you should use yours wisely.” Rarity says so, and now turns to Saber. “So from what I hear from Storm, you must not be in full form, Saber. You were summoned by an apprentice mage who has no idea how to be a Master.” “…Yes, I am not in full form as you say. Since Storm does not have the magical energy to give me form, it will be difficult for me to turn into a spirit or to replenish my magical energy.” “…I’m surprised. I’m surprised that you were in that bad of a state, but I didn’t think you’d tell me honestly. I was wondering how I ought to find out your weakness.” “I do not wish to let others know of my weakness, but I do not think I can fool you. It would be meaningless to hide our situation from you. So it will be better for us to tell you of our situation, and to have Storm better understand the situation he is in right now.” “Correct. And you have a good personality too. …Geez, I’m regretting it even more now. If I was your Master, I would have certainly won this war!” Rarity stomps her hoof with anger. “Hmm. Rarity, do you mean I’m not fit to be her Master?” “Of course not, idiot.” Wow. She just said something that any normal pony would have trouble saying. “What? Do you have any more questions?” And she doesn’t realize it. Her honor student image from school crumbles inside of me. …Good going, Applejack. Rarity certainly shows no openings, just like a devil. “Well. We’re done talking, so let’s get going.” Rarity suddenly says something strange. “Huh? Go where?” “We’re going to see the stallion who knows all about the game you’re involved in… the ‘Harmony Grail War’. You want to know the reasons behind the Harmony Grail War, right?” “Of course. But where is it? It’s already late, so…” “It’ll be fine. It’s in the neighboring town, so we should be back by dawn if we hurry. And besides, it’s Sunday tomorrow, so it should be fine to stay up late.” “No, that’s not the problem.” It’s just that a lot of things happened today, so I want to have a rest and think about them. “What, you’re not going? …Well, if you say so. But what about you, Saber?” Rarity asks Saber. “Hold on, this has nothing to do with Saber. Don’t push her.” “Oh, you’re already feeling like a Master? You don’t want me talking to Saber?” “T-That’s not it! It’s just that if what you said is true, the Saber is a heroine from the past, right? So she wouldn’t know about this time since she was just summoned. So…” “Storm, that is wrong. Servants can adapt to any time. So I know a lot about this age as well.” “Really?” “Yes. This is not the first time that I have been summoned in this age.” “Wha..?” “No way, what are the chances of that!?” Hey, Rarity is surprised too. …So that must mean Saber said something incredible. “Storm, I agree with her. You lack experience as a Master. As a Servant making a contract with you, I want you to be stronger.” Saber stares at me silently. …It’s a gentle stare that’s worried not for herself, but for me. “…All right. I’ll go. So, where is this place, Rarity? It’s a place we can come back from, right?” “Of course. We are heading to Blue Church in the neighboring town. That’s where the false priest, the one who oversees this battle, is living.” Rarity makes an evil smile. It looks like she’s having fun dragging me around while I don’t know anything. “……” It might be prejudice… But I’m beginning to feel like there’s a problem with her personality… We walk through the nighttime town. It’s past one in the morning and there’s no pony out at this time. The lights in the houses are out, and only the streetlamps illuminate the silent town. “Hey Rarity, are you planning to walk to the neighboring town?” “Yeah. The buses and trains have stopped running. A walk at night is good once in a while, right?” “I see, then if I may ask, do you know how long it takes to get there?” “Well, it should take about an hour walking. If it gets late, we can always take a taxi.” “I won’t waste that kind of money. And besides, what I mean is, it might be dangerous for mares to walk around at a time like this. You know it’s dangerous, right? I won’t be responsible if something happens.” “Don’t worry, nopony’s going to mess with us. You may be forgetting, but Saber is really strong.” “Oh.” She’s right. Whoever it is, if somepony attacks her, they will be counterattacked viciously. “Rarity. What was Storm saying? I did not quite understand.” “Huh? Well, he was just making a big misunderstanding or being plain stupid. He’s saying he’ll help us if some pervert appears.” “What? Storm is my Master. I should be protecting him instead.” “I don’t think he’s thinking about that sort of thing. He seems unconcerned about mages and Servants and all. I kind of wonder what’s going on in his head.” “……” Rarity and Saber now know each other well enough to talk to each other. Saber has been silent ever since I stopped her from going out dressed like she was. She said she wouldn’t take off her armor, so I made her wear a raincoat, and she’s been quiet ever since. Now, she follows me and only speaks to Rarity. “Wait, where are you going, Storm? Isn’t that the wrong way?” “We need to get to the bridge, right? Then this will be a shortcut.” I don’t want to walk alongside them, so I quickly make my way to the small side-road. They follow me without objection. We come out into a park. We have to cross that bridge to go to the neighboring town of New Ponyville, but… “Wow, I didn’t know about this road. I see, since you can get to the bridge from the park, all you have to do is head for the park.” Rarity looks up at the bridge, talking happily. Maybe it’s just because it’s nighttime. Rarity’s face, looking up at the bridge, seems even more beautiful than at school… I’m troubled. “Let’s go. We didn’t come here to play around.” I hurry Rarity, who is standing still in the park, and make my way up the stairs. Once we reach the road alongside the bridge, New Ponyville will be straight ahead of us. There’s no pony on the bridge. That’s only natural as not many people use it even during daytime. It’s more normal to use the bus or the train to get to the neighboring town, so this bridge is rarely used. That’s because it’s so long and it carries a fear that it might collapse on you. That must be why this place isn’t used for dates, even though it’s perfect location-wise. “…That’s stupid. What am I thinking?” Saber is following me silently and Rarity is walking besides me. Trying to ignore them, I hurry across the bridge. Beyond the bridge, Rarity leads us into the suburbs. When I think about New Ponyville, only the office buildings in front of the station come to mind, but there are streets from the older times once you get away from the station. The suburbs are the most extreme of those. There are hilly roads and a high ground overlooking the sea. As you go farther up the hill, there are fewer buildings and the foreigners’ cemetery built on the slope of the hill can be seen. “The church is up here. You must have been there at least once, right?” “No. I know it used to be an orphanage though.” “I see. Then it’ll be your first time today. You should prepare yourself. The priest there is a difficult stallion to deal with.” Rarity starts up the hill. …Looking up, I can see a building at the top of the hill; a church atop the hill. I never thought I’d visit Hasbro’s house for the first time for a reason like this. “Wow… this is really awesome.” The church is magnificent. The whole top of the hill must be the church’s land as a flat field welcomes me as soon as I reach the top. The church isn’t that big, but it is compelling, towering over its visitors. “Storm, I will remain here.” “Huh? Why? I can’t just leave you when we’ve come up here together.” “I did not come for the church. I followed to protect you. If your destination is the church, you should not go any farther, so I shall wait here for your return.” Saber says clearly. It doesn’t seem like she’ll budge an inch, so I decide to respect her decision. “All right. Then I’ll be going.” “Yes. Please do not let your guard down whomever you are facing, Master.” It is a large, impressive chapel. Since it’s so large, many ponies must come here during the day. If he’s entrusted with such a church, the priest here must be a stallion of character. “Rarity, what kind of pony is the priest here?” “It’s kind of hard to explain. I’ve known him for ten years, but I still can’t grasp his character.” “You’ve known him for ten years? That’s a pretty long relationship. Is he a relative of yours or something?” “He’s not my relative, but he is my guardian. On top of that, he is my senior as an apprentice, and my second teacher.” “Huh… senior as an apprentice, you mean apprentice as a mage!?” “That’s right, but why are you so surprised?” “Because he’s a priest! Aren’t priests forbidden to use magic!?” By their nature, a mage and the church cannot be in harmony. The organization that mages belong to is called the Magic Association, and the other side of religion, the side you wouldn’t see while living a normal life, is called the Harmony Church. The two are barely similar. They cooperate in name, but they’re always trying to kill each other when given the chance. The church hates heretics. They totally eliminate the inpony, and they count magic-using ponies among their targets. For the church, miracles are only given to the chosen harmony saints. Any miracles handled by other ponies are heresies. There are no exceptions, even for those within the church. The higher one rises in the church, the more one is prohibited from the impurity of magic. And for a follower entrusted with a church like this and the more divine protection one receives, the more one should stay away from magic… “…No, first of all, is the priest on our side?” “Yes. He is the one supervising the Harmony Grail War after all. He is a real Agent. …Well, I don’t know if he has divine protection, though.” Rarity’s hoofsteps echo as she approaches the altar. It’s bad manners to do that when the priest isn’t here, but it’s so late at night. He won’t be in the chapel, so if he’s anywhere, it will be the private room in the back. “…Hmm. So who is this priest? You said a name like Blue before…” “His name is Blue Blood. He’s a student of my father, and we’ve had an inseparable relationship for ten years now. …Well, I wish I’d never met him, though.” “…I feel the same way. I did not want an apprentice who did not respect her teacher.” A hoofstep. He must have noticed our entry as he slowly appears from the other side of the altar. “You didn’t answer my repeated calls, and now you bring a strange guest. …Hmm, so he is the seventh one, Rarity?” “Right. He’s a mage, but he’s pretty much a beginner, so I just couldn’t let him be. …I believe it was the rules to report here when one becomes a Master, right? It’s a rule you invented, but I’ll follow it this time.” “Very well. Then I must thank this young stallion.” The priest called Blue Blood slowly turns to me. “……” …Without realizing, I step back. …He’s not scary at all. …I don’t feel any hostility from him. But this priest still has a presence that makes the air around him feel heavy. “I am Blue Blood, the one entrusted with this church. What is your name, seventh Master?” “…Storm Whooves. But I haven’t agreed to this ‘Master’ thing yet.” I glare back at the priest, trying not to lose against his presence. “Storm… Whooves.” “Huh?” The weight on my back turns into a chill. The priest slowly smiles as if he’s met somepony pleasant. …That smile. It makes me… “I thank you, Storm. You have brought Rarity here. If it were not for you, she would not have come.” The priest makes his way toward the altar. Rarity moves away from the altar and stands beside me. “Then let us start. Storm Whooves, you are Saber’s Master correct?” “That’s wrong. I certainly made a contract with her, but I don’t understand this whole Master and Harmony Grail War thing. If a Master should be a proper mage, then you should go and choose a more suitable pony.” “…I see. This is serious. Does he really know nothing, Rarity?” “I told you he’s a beginner. Train him from the very first steps, will you? You’re really good at that, right?” Rarity urges the priest. “…Oh, I see, I see. That’s how it is, huh? I understand. This is the first time you have ever depended on me. Storm Whooves, I can never thank you enough.” Father Blue Blood laughs. Their conversation makes me feel uneasy. “First, let us correct your misunderstandings. Listen, Storm Whooves. Master is not a role you can give to somepony else nor is it something you can stop being once you are chosen. Those who have those Command Spells carved on them cannot resign from being a Master. You must accept that fact.” “…Why can’t I quit?” “The Command Spell is a holy mark. Becoming a Master is a trial placed upon you. You cannot escape it just because it is inconvenient. You cannot be released from that pain until you obtain the Harmony Grail. If you wish to retire from being a Master, all you can do is obtain the Harmony Grail and wish for it. If you do that, everything will be as you desire, Storm Whooves. Your wishes, even cleaning out all the mud inside of you, is possible… Yes, it is even possible to start everything over again. Therefore, you should desire it. If the time comes, you will appreciate being chosen as a Master. If you wish to erase those burns that cannot be seen, all you have to do is to accept that harmony mark.” “Wha…” I feel dizzy. The priest’s words don’t make any sense. They just confuse me more and more as I listen. …But still, his words soak into my brain and clot like blood. “Blue, don’t go off topic. I asked you to tell him the rules. I didn’t ask you to open up his old wounds.” A voice cuts in. “R-Rarity?” That clears up my dizzy head. “I see. It is pointless to say anything to these kinds of ponies, so I was trying to take away his mortality while he still misunderstood. …Heh, I guess it’s true that compassion is not good for others. And I rather enjoyed it too.” “What? Does it do you good to help him?” “Of course. Helping ponies means saving yourself in the end. …Well, it won’t do any good to preach to you now. So, let us return to the main topic, Storm Whooves. The battle you have been dragged into is called the ‘Harmony Grail War’. Have you learned from Rarity that this is an all out war between seven Masters, using seven Servants?” “…I did. It’s some ridiculous thing where seven Masters kill each other, right?” “Indeed. But we are not committing these inpony acts because we want to. Everything is a ritual to determine who is the most suitable to receive the Harmony Grail. Because of its greatness, we require trials to determine its owner.” …What trials? I’ll bet this priest doesn’t think of this Harmony Grail War thing as a “trial”. “Hold on. You keep saying ‘Harmony Grail War’, but what is it? You can’t possibly mean the actual Harmony Grail, right?” The Harmony Grail. A grail said to have received the blood of Hasbro. It is considered to be one of the greatest harmony relics, and said to be capable of many miracles. The most common rumor about it is that the one who obtains the Harmony Grail will obtain the world. …But that’s just an invention. After all, the Harmony Grail itself is almost something that “exists, but doesn’t exist”. “A Harmony Grail that makes wishes comes true” certainly appears in many folklores and legends around the world. But that’s it. A fictional power that doesn’t exist and isn’t possible. That is the Harmony Grail. “So answer, Blue Blood. Is the Harmony Grail you’re talking about really the Harmony Grail?” “Of course. The Harmony Grail that appears in this town is real. As a proof, the great miracle of the Servants has occurred. Summoning and controlling past heroes. No, a miracle close to resurrecting the dead is almost a sorcery. A Harmony Grail with this much power shall grant its owner unlimited power. The object’s unreality is worthless in front of that truth.” “……” So, he means that even if it is a fake, it doesn’t matter if it has powers that would overwhelm even the true Harmony Grail. “…All right. Let’s assume there really is a Harmony Grail. Then why is it required to do something like the Harmony Grail War? We shouldn’t be killing each other if the Harmony Grail exists. If the Harmony Grail is so great, we can all share its power.” “That is a fair argument, but we do not have such freedom. Only one pony can obtain the Harmony Grail. That is not something we chose, but what the Harmony Grail has decided. The Harmony Grail decides the seven Masters and summons the seven Servants. I told you that this is a ritual. The Harmony Grail chooses the ponies suitable to obtain it, and selects its appropriate owner by making them fight for it. That is the Harmony Grail War… the ritual where those chosen by the Harmony Grail kill each other to obtain it.” “……” The priest speaks plainly. I have no rebuttal, and I look down at my left forehoof. …There is the mark they call the Command Spell. It must mean that as long as I have this mark, I cannot quit being a Master. “…I’m not convinced. Even though only one pony can be chosen, I don’t like the idea that all we can do is to kill the other Masters.” “Huh? Hold on. You’re misunderstanding if you think that you have to kill them. There’s no need to kill the Masters.” “Huh? But you said we have to kill each other. Blue Blood said so too.” “You will kill each other.” “You be quiet, Blue. Now, the Harmony Grail in this town is in spirit form. It’s not something with form, so it’s something we have to call forth by a special ritual… meaning we have to materialize it. We can call for it as mages, but since it is in spirit form, we cannot reach it. Do you understand what that means?” “Yeah. Only spirits can touch spirits, right? …Oh, that’s why you need the Servants!” “Exactly. To put it simply, the goal of the Harmony Grail War is to eliminate all the Servants except your own. So there’s no rule that you have to kill the Masters.” “……” Sheesh, she could have told me that earlier! Honestly, Rarity and this priest were being mean. …Now I’m relieved. So even if we enter this Harmony Grail War, Rarity’s not going to die. “I see. I guess that is one way to think. Then let me ask you, Storm Whooves. Do you think you can beat your own Servant?” “…?” Beat Saber? That’s impossible. In the first place, magic is useless against her, and she is skilled with her sword. “Then let me ask you one more thing. It is a boring question, but do you think you are superior to your Servant?” “…?” What’s he saying? I can’t beat Saber, so there’s no way superior to her. For this question, my answer will always be that I am weaker than my Servant, so… “…Oh.” “That’s right. Servants are hard to defeat even with a Servant. So what should you do? See, it’s such a simple solution. Servants can only exist with a Master. No matter how powerful the Servant is, the Servant will disappear if the Master dies. So…” That’s right, it’s a natural solution. No pony would choose to take the hard way. If you want to win, the most effective way to kill the Servants would be to kill their Masters instead. “…Okay. I understand that killing the Master is an effective way to eliminate other Servants. But then, if their Servant gets killed, does that make somepony not a Master anymore? Only Servants can touch the Harmony Grail, right? Then there is no point to a Master that doesn’t have a Servant.” “No, the right to be a Master still remains as long as you have the Command Spell. A Master is a mage that can form a contract with Servants. As long as you have the Command Spell, you can form a contract with Servants. The Servants whose Masters are killed do not disappear right away. They can stay in this world until their magical energy runs out. If such ‘abandoned Servants’ exist, a Master with no Servant can form a contract with them. That will allow them to rejoin the war. That is why Masters kill other Masters. Because if you allow them to live, there is a risk that they will impede you in the future.” “…So what if you use up your Command Spell? Then you won’t be able to form a contract with other Servants, and the freed Servant will go off with somepony else too.” “Wait, that’s…” “Yes, you’re right. If you use up your Command Spell, you will be liberated from your duty as a Master. …However, I do not think a mage exists that would waste a Command Spell that allows them to use such powerful magic. If there exists such a mage, he isn’t even an amateur, but just a chicken.” The priest laughs, as he knows what I’m thinking about. “……” I’m annoyed. That priest is making fun of me. I think he’s trying to provoke me. “You must understand now. So we will finish the explanation of the rules. Well then, let us return to the beginning, Storm Whooves. You said you have no intention of being a Master. Do you still feel that way? If you want to abandon your responsibility as a Master, that is fine too. As you have realized, you may use up your Command Spell to end your contract with Saber. In that case, I will guarantee your safety until the Harmony Grail War ends.” “…? Hold on. Why do you have to guarantee my safety? I can protect myself.” “I do not have enough free time to care for you either, but this is one of the rules. I have been dispatched to supervise the repeating Harmony Grail War. That is why I must minimize the victims of the war. Protection of mages who lost their claims to being a Master is one of my biggest responsibilities as the supervisor.” “…Repeating Harmony Grail War?” Hold on. Repeating… does he mean that this kind of battle has happened many times before? “What do you mean? The Harmony Grail War didn’t just start now?” “Of course not. Do you think a supervisor would have been dispatched if it were so? This church bears a duty to recover the harmony relics, as we are the lowest of the special agencies. Originally, it was our goal to research and recover the harmony cross, but here, we have a duty to investigate the Harmony Grail. We have to investigate the 726th Harmony Grail that has appeared in this far eastern land. We must recover it if it is real, and dispute it if it is not.” “726th… that many Harmony Grails?” “Who knows? It just means that there have been at least that many things that seemed like one. And one of those is the Harmony Grail from the Harmony Grail War observed in this town. According to records, it is said that the first battle occurred about 200 years ago. Since then, the battles between Masters have been repeating in a cycle of about 60 years. This is the fifth Harmony Grail War. Since the last one was ten years ago, this will be the shortest cycle yet.” “Wha… are you ponies insane? You ponies have repeated this thing four times already!?” “I feel the same way. As you said, ponies have repeated this event many times. …Yes. In the past, the Harmony Grail Wars were terrible. Masters were driven by their desires, forgot their teachings as mages, and just killed each other indiscriminately. I think you already know, but it is the highest crime for a mage to use his magic in public. A mage cannot allow his identity to be revealed to the public. But Masters in the past have violated that. The Magic Association dispatched a supervisor to caution them, but they only made it in time for the third Harmony Grail War. The one dispatched then was my father. Do you understand now, colt?” “…Yeah, I understand we need a supervisor. But from what you said, isn’t this Harmony Grail War fundamentally bad?” “Oh? How is it bad?” “Because the past mages were ponies who would break the rules of the mages, right? Then let’s say this Harmony Grail thing really exists. What will you do if the one who remains is somepony who uses the Harmony Grail selfishly? It’s bad if such a thing is obtained by somepony who has no problem killing others. If it is the job of the Association to look after mages, then shouldn’t you ponies be punishing those kinds of ponies?” I question, with a little hope. But as I expected, Blue Blood laughs. “Of course not. There are no mages who will act outside their own interests. We only supervise the rules of the Harmony Grail War. We do not care about what happens afterwards The Association is not concerned about the kind of pony that obtains the Harmony Grail.” “That’s ridiculous! What if the Master that obtains the Harmony Grail is the worst pony possible!?” “It would be problematic, but we can do nothing. It is the Harmony Grail that chooses its owner. And we do not have the power to stop a Master who has been chosen by the Harmony Grail. It is a grail that makes wishes come true, after all. The one who obtains it will be able to do as he pleases. …But if you do not want that, then all you have to do is win it yourself. That is the most reliable way, isn’t it?” Blue Blood is trying to hold back his laughter. It’s like he’s enjoying my clumsy inability to accept the facts. “What’s wrong, colt? I think that was a good idea, so will you not accept it?” “…That’s none of your business. Anyway, I don’t have any reason to fight. I’m not interested in the Harmony Grail, and I don’t feel like a Master even if you tell me I am.” “Oh. So you are not concerned about what the winner of the Harmony Grail would do, even if it leads to disaster?” “That’s…” …I can’t answer the question. Crap, his words are violent. They force the truth onto me, whether I want it or not. “That is fine, if you have no reason to fight. So you are not troubled by what happened ten years ago?” “…Ten years... ago?” “That’s right. At the end of the last Harmony Grail War, an unsuitable Master touched the Harmony Grail. I do not know what the Master wished for. All we know is the result of the disaster that came afterwards.” “……” For an instant. That image of hell flashes in my head. “…Hold on. That can’t be…” “It is. It is an event that everypony in this town knows about, Storm Whooves. Five hundred killed or wounded. A hundred and thirty four buildings burned down. That inferno, still unexplained, is the remains of the Harmony Grail War.” “……” …I feel sick. My vision blurs. I lose concentration and I can’t focus my eyes. My body stumbles. But I hold myself firm. I hold onto consciousness by clenching my teeth. I hold back my nausea with the anger boiling up in me. “Storm? What’s wrong? You’re looking pale. …I know it’s not a comfortable story, but… if you want, we can take a rest for a while.” I must have looked terrible. I think it’s very rare for Rarity to be worried like that. “Don’t worry. I feel better after seeing your weird face.” “…Hey, just what is that supposed to mean?” “Oh, I have no hidden intentions. I meant it literally, so don’t worry about it.” “Well, fine… hey, that’s worse, you big oaf!” The school’s number one honor student, Rarity Jewels, smacks me in the head. That does it. With that, the nausea and anger go away. “…Thanks. You really did help, so don’t bully me too much. I have a few more things to ask about.” She looks like she hasn’t hit me enough, but she still lets me continue. “Oh, you still have questions? All right, let out everything you want to say.” He should know what I want to ask, yet he asks me to go on. Fine, Storm Whooves won’t lose to you. “Then I’ll ask. You said this is the fifth Harmony Grail War. Then, has anypony ever obtained the Harmony Grail?” “Of course. A sad event like that annihilation doesn’t happen every time.” “Then…” “Do not be hasty. It is easy just to obtain it. After all, the Harmony Grail is managed in this church. If you speak of just touching it, I touch it every day.” “Huh?” T-The Harmony Grail is at this church? “Of course, it is only the vessel. It is empty. Rarity said it earlier that the Harmony Grail is in spirit form. What we maintain is a well-made replica of the Harmony Grail. We use this as the catalyst to draw down the real Harmony Grail and transform it into a Grail that grants wishes. It’s like the relationship between Servants and Masters. …Yes, there was indeed a stallion who obtained the real Harmony Grail temporarily, using that method.” “Then, was that Harmony Grail real? No, what happened to the stallion who obtained it?” “Nothing. The Harmony Grail was imperfectly completed. It was the result of a foolish stallion, affected by sentiment.” …? With the previous pressure gone, the priest narrows his eyes as if in regret. “…What do you mean? Didn’t the Harmony Grail appear?” “It is easy to just make the Harmony Grail appear. Once the seven Servants are present, the Harmony Grail will appear in time. As Rarity said, there is no need to kill other Masters. But that does not complete the Harmony Grail. That thing decides its own appropriate master. And for that reason, it could not be obtained by a stallion who avoided battles.” “Heh, so that just means it’s useless to obtain the Harmony Grail without settling matches with the other Masters. The Master who obtained the Harmony Grail first in the last war was just a chicken. He just ran away from the Harmony Grail, saying that he didn’t want to fight other Masters.” So saying, Rarity looks away from Blue Blood. “…No way.” Does that mean Blue Blood was one of the Masters in the last war, and that he retired because he refused to fight in spite of obtaining the Harmony Grail!? “…Blue Blood. You didn’t fight?” “I did until halfway. But I made a bad decision. As a result, I only obtained an empty Harmony Grail. Well, I guess that was my limit anyway. Because the other Masters were all monstrous. I lost my Servant first and was taken under my father’s protection. …Come to think of it, it was inappropriate for a son of the supervisor to be chosen as a Master. Father died at that time. Since then, I have succeeded the role of the supervisor, and I protect the Harmony Grail at this church.” Saying that, the priest Blue Blood turns around. Before him stands the symbol of worship. “That is the end of our conversation. The only ones qualified to obtain the Harmony Grail are those who have Servants. When there is only one of you left, the Harmony Grail should naturally appear in front of you. Tell me your decision as to if you want to join this battle, the Harmony Grail War, now.” The priest requests my final decision. “……” I’m at a loss for words. I had no reason to fight until just now. Now, I have a reason to fight and a will to fight. But can I really accept that? “Are you still undecided? Look, a Master is not something you can be just because you want to be. Rarity has been training long as a mage, but it was not determined that she would be a Master. All that could be decided beforehand was whether to prepare for it or not. Only mages are to be chosen as Masters. If you are a mage, you should have been ready already. I guess it cannot be helped if you say you are not. You and your teacher were failures in that case. It is merely annoying for such a mage to be fighting, so get rid of your Command Spell now.” “…!” He doesn’t need to ask. I won’t run away. Honestly, this Harmony Grail War and Master stuff doesn’t seem real to me. But still, if I must choose between fighting or running away, I will never run away. The priest said it as well. If I am a mage, I should be ready. That is why I must decide. Even though I’m an amateur, Storm Whooves is a mage. If I have decided to become a superhero in the hoofsteps of Doctor Whooves whom I’ve admire all this time. “I will fight as a Master. If the cause of the fire ten years ago was the Harmony Grail War, I can’t let that happen again.” As if he likes my answer, the priest smiles with satisfaction. “……” I take a deep breath. I have cut away all hesitation. As a stallion, I said I will fight. So from now on, all I have to do is go forward with pride and refuse to go against my word. “Then I shall approve you as Saber’s Master. In this instant, the Harmony Grail War is accepted. I approve the battle in this town, from now until only one Master remains. Everypony shall follow their pride and compete fully against each other.” The priest’s voice echoes heavily through the church. There is no meaning to that declaration. Only Rarity and I heard the priest’s words. This stallion merely rang the starting bell as the priest of this church. “So it’s decided. In that case, I’m going home, but may I ask you a question too?” “I don’t mind. This might be your last chance, so I shall answer most questions.” “Then I shall ask. Blue, you’re the one in charge of overseeing this, so you should have information on the other Masters. I’ve followed the Association’s rules, so at least tell me what you know.” “That’s troubling. I really want to tell you, but I do not know the details either. Including Storm Whooves, there are not many legitimate mages this time. There are only two Masters I know about. Three if you include Storm Whooves.” “Oh, I see. Still, you should know the order in which they were summoned. You are the supervisor, after all.” “…Hmm. Berserker was first. Caster was second. The rest are pretty much the same. Archer was yesterday, and Saber was summoned a few hours ago.” “I see. Then that means…” “The Harmony Grail War has officially started. Rarity, you are not allowed to come to this church until the Harmony Grail War is over. The only time it is permitted is…” “When I lose my Servant and wish for protection, right? So I pretty much get points deducted if I come here for any other reason.” “That is correct. You may become the victor, but the Church will not ignore the points deducted. They will take the Harmony Grail away from you after a boring discussion. That would be the worst case scenario for me.” “You fake priest. A pony on the side of the Church supporting the Magic Association?” “I am serving Hasbro. That does not mean I am serving the Church.” “Whatever. That’s why you’re a fake.” And Rarity turns her back to the priest. After that, she just makes her way to the exit without saying goodbye. “Hey, is that okay, Rarity? He was your fellow pupil, right? So…” Shouldn’t there be a more proper farewell? “I don’t care. I feel rather relieved from breaking my ties with him. More importantly, you should leave too. You have no business here now.” Rarity walks across the floor without stopping and leaves for good. I sigh and follow her. And then… “…!” I feel a presence behind me and turn around. The priest, who’s behind me before I know it, is looking down at me. “W-What? Do you have anything else to say?” I back off as I say so. …Just as I thought, I don’t like him. Maybe we’re just incompatible or something, but I can’t get myself to like him. “If you don’t have anything to say, I’m going!” I make my way to the door, trying to escape his stare. As I go… “Rejoice, colt. Your wish will finally come true.” The priest says, as if declaring an oracle. Those words are… Aren’t those the true feelings I haven’t yet realized? “What are you saying all of a sudden?” “You should know. Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it is not something you approve of, a superhero requires a villain to defeat.” “…!” I feel like everything has turned black. The priest said it. The greatest wish and the ugliest wish I have are the same. …Yes, the desire to protect something… Is, at the same time, none other than the wish for something to violate it… “Y-You…” But there’s no way I’d wish for something like that. I don’t remember a moment when I’ve wished for that. Such an insecure wish… Just means the target ideals are inconsistent. But the priest says as if to pierce my heart, “Good thing you have an enemy now.” “No, you do not have to gloss over it. Your worries are normal for a pony.” The priest smiles. “…!” I shake off the priest’s words and walk to the door. “Farewell, Storm Whooves. This will be my last warning, but take care on your way home. Your world will change completely from now on. You are now at the point of kill or be killed. You are now a Master.” He says so as I quickly make my way out. …It’s a bit windy now. It must be partly because this place is on top of a hill. The wind is a bit stronger than normal and carries a sharp chill. “Storm. You done now?” “Yeah. I learnt more than enough about the situation I’m in. About the Harmony Grail War, about the Masters, everything.” “Then…” She comes closer and looks up at me. …It’s only natural for her to do so. Her fate is determined by my choice. “…I don’t know if I’m good enough for you, but I’ve decided to fight as a Master. I’m sorry that I’m only an amateur. Are you still content that I’m your Master?” “It doesn’t matter. You are already my Master. I have already sworn to be your sword.” That scene flashes through my mind. “You’re right …Yeah, I’m relieved that you say so.” I take a deep breath and look at Saber again. “Then let’s shake hoofs. Let’s do our best together, Saber.” I extend my right forehoof. I don’t care what relationship a Master and his servant should have, nor do I know what I should be doing now. If this is the way things are going to be, I at least want our first greeting to be in style. “……” “Saber? Um, are we not supposed to shake hoofs?” “No, I was merely surprised by this sudden action.” Saber takes my hoof as she says so. “I shall swear to you once more here. As long as you possess your Command Spell, I shall be your sword.” “I don’t get the situation too well, but yes, please.” Saber is really serious, so I nod. “Hm.” …Come to think of it, this is weird. We’re under the winter night sky. I’m shaking hoofs with a mare I just met, and we’re talking like we’re making a contract. “Ohhh. I guess I can leave you two, huh?” “…!” I quickly let go of her hoof. When I turn around, I see Rarity… and that knight in red. “You two are getting along well. You weren’t even talking before, but things have certainly changed. What, you trust Saber now?” “Um… No, that’s not it… Well, I guess you’re right. I don’t know anything about Saber yet, but I’ll be with her from now on.” “I see. Then you should be on your guard. Since you two are in this war, I won’t go easy on you either.” “…?” I tilt my head in wonder. For a brief moment, I don’t get what she said. “…Hey now. Do you understand that we’re enemies? I brought you here because you weren’t my enemy yet. But you’re one of the Masters now, right? Then I think there’s only one thing to do now.” “Um… hm?” Well, she’s right. But… “Why? I don’t intend to fight you.” “…Sheesh, just as I thought. Geez, it was meaningless to bring you here.” Rarity slumps her head. “Rare.” “What? I thought we promised that you wouldn’t talk until I tell you it’s okay.” “I know, but we will make no progress like this. We do not need to find out if our enemy is ready or not. If there are enemies we can defeat easily, we should attack them without holding back.” “Hey, I know that without you having to tell me.” “If you know that, act on it. Or what? Are you going to show him mercy again? …Hm. I don’t imagine so, but don’t tell me there’s a ‘special’ reason for this.” “T-That’s not it! …I just owe him one. I can’t fight him fairly until I repay him for that.” “…Heh, you sure are difficult. Then I shall be disappearing. Call on me again after you repay him.” The knight in red… Archer, disappears. No, rather, I just can’t see him anymore. According to Rarity, Servants are spirits. Saber says she cannot turn into a spirit form, but I’m sure Rarity’s Servant can since Rarity is a complete Master. Well, that aside… “Hey, Rarity. The thing about you ‘owing’ me… do you mean what happened back then?” “Yeah. No matter what the reason may be, you used your Command Spell to stop Saber. So I have to hold back a bit to balance things out.” “…Balance? You worry about weird things, Rarity.” “I know. I understand this is just flab on my mind. But I can’t help it. I hate owing ponies.” She turns away. “But this service is limited. I won’t hold back tomorrow, so go and make plans with Saber.” “…Hm. So the service is only for today?” “Yup. …Well, I brought you here. Um, so I’ll at least go back to town with you.” Rarity starts to walk without looking at us. “Let us go, Storm. As she says, it is not good to stay here.” “……” I nod to Saber and follow Rarity. The three of us descend the hill together. It might be because Rarity is walking ahead, but we go down the hill with few words. There is a forked road ahead of us. One path leads to the main street going towards the New Ponyville station, and the other leads to the big bridge leading to Old Ponyville. “……” Rarity stops at the intersection. “Rarity? Why are you stopping? We should head to the bridge if we’re going home, right?” “No. I’m sorry, but go home by yourself. I forgot since I’ve been concerned with you, but I’m busy. I’m already in New Ponyville, so I’ll go look while I’m here.” “Go look… you mean for other Masters?” “Yeah. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting for this time. This night, the start of the battles between seven Masters, the Harmony Grail War. So I can’t go home now. Since I couldn’t beat Saber, I need to take it out on some other Servant.” “……” …Rarity’s eyes show her determination. That makes me realize… Rarity Jewel is a mage. Her mentality and her knowledge as a mage are complete. “……” So why? “So we’ll part here. I’ve repaid my debt, and it would be troublesome if we stay together any longer. We should part here and become enemies from tomorrow on.” Why does she have this part of her that’s unlike a mage? She did not explain the rules to me out of any sense of obligation. She just supported me, understanding the situation I’m in, and acted fairly. So things are back to normal now that the explanations are over. As a Master, I will just be a target to her now. “……” But still, Rarity said those words to me. For Rarity, everything that happened tonight is unnecessary. ‘It would be troublesome if we stay together any longer.’ If she’s going to say something like that, she should have left us alone from the beginning. Rarity’s smart, so she should know that all too well. But still, she set aside all thoughts of loss or gain and helped me out. The Rarity in front of me is so different from the one at school. Even when I put it nicely, she’s sour, cranky, unapproachable, and so different that I want to scream. Sheesh, it feels almost like a fraud. Yet, still… Rarity Jewel is just how everypony thought she was. “I see. Rarity, you really are a good pony.” “Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden? I won’t go easy on you, even if you flatter me.” I know that. She won’t go easy on me, and that’s why she said it’ll be a bother if she feels empathy for me. “I know. But I don’t want to be enemies with you if I can help it. I like ponies like you.” “Wha…” Rarity falls silent for some reason. The silent suburbs… The church at the top of the hill and the silence of the foreigners’ cemetery feel surprisingly warm. “A-Anyway, just run to the church if your Servant ever gets killed. If you do, at least your life will be safe.” “I don’t like it, but still, I’ll take that advice. It won’t happen, though. No matter how I look at it, I’ll die before Saber does.” “…Phew.” Rarity reacts strangely once again. After letting out a sigh, she glances at Saber. “All right. I won’t give you any more warnings because that’d really be soft. Just be careful. Even though Saber is strong, it won’t matter if her Master gets killed.” She turns her back and starts walking. But… As if she’s seen a ghost, her hooves stop dead in their tracks. “Hey, have you finished talking?” A youthful voice echoes through the night. The melodic tone is unmistakably that of a young mare. My vision is drawn to the top of the hill. There… I don’t know when the clouds parted, but a brilliant moon is now shining in the sky. The shadow is long and grotesque, like a devil in a picture book. In this gloomy town of shadow-pictures stands a figure that should not be there. “Berserker.” Rarity mumbles a word I’m not accustomed to hearing. Even though I don’t know what she means, I can feel the giantess’s dreadfulness all too well. That thing is not pony. Then… it is one of the beings called “Servants”, just like Saber. “Good evening, brother. It’s the second time we’ve met like this.” The mare smiles as she says this. That innocence sends a chill down my spine. The mare looks so out of place next to the thing behind her, it feels like I am dreaming. “……” No, chill is an understatement. Not just my body, but my mind is frozen as well. That thing is a monster. I’m not even staring at it, but its mere presence roots me to the spot. “I’m surprised. He surpasses Saber in raw power!” Rarity glares at the monster above her, clicking her tongue. In her, I see despair… and the spirit to not lose to it. “Archer, this isn’t an enemy that can be beaten head on. You should fight it in your unique style.” She murmurs this quietly. The knight without form replies to her. “Understood. But what about your defense? You cannot defend against his charge.” “There are three of us. We can manage if all we need to do is defend.” He must have nodded to her words. The presence behind Rarity vanishes instantly. “Storm. You can choose whether to run or fight. …But if you can, try to run away.” “Are you done? Can I start now?” The mare laughs playfully. She bows in a manner quite out of place in such a situation. “Nice to meet you, Rarity. I am Luna. You should figure it out if I make that Luna Moon.” “Moon…” Rarity’s body stiffens, apparently recognizing that name. Perhaps she liked Rarity’s reaction, as the mare smiles happily. And then… “Then I’ll kill you now. Go ahead, Berserker.” …She orders the strange shape behind her, as if she’s singing. The massive form flies through the air. In one bound, the thing called Berserker crosses the dozens of meters from the top of the hill! “Storm, stay back!” In the moonlight… “Bullets” rain down on the descending giantess like shooting stars! They have extreme accuracy. The silver lights that are shooting through the giantess are indeed “arrows”. No, the word “arrow” is an understatement. It’s like a barrage from a machine gun, and each shot could pierce through the rocks. Eight shots of that. It should be able to mow down houses, but… “No way! It’s not doing anything!?” It has no effect on the giantess. The two swords clash. The giant sword of Berserker, who came down through a rain of ‘arrows’… And the sword of Saber, who ran to her landing spot. The two blades spark on contact! “Fuh!” The swords clash. Even though she is overpowered by Berserker’s attack, Saber does not yield. Silver lights run through the darkness. How much magical energy is in that small body of hers? Even though Saber is obviously weaker, she is proving to be a match against Berserker. She blocks, parries, and faces the assault of that giant sword head-on. “……” I must not be the only one who’s awed. The Master of that giant and the one standing next to me, Rarity, are also fascinated by Saber’s figure. “…! Archer, back her up!” Rarity screams out at once. In response, a silver light comes flying out of nowhere. The silver light strikes the giant right in her temple. The arrow that came flying through the air is as powerful as a tank shell. No matter what this giant may be, she has to take some damage from that. “Got him!” Saber slashes with her invisible sword right after the shot connects. But… Her attack is countered by a huge blow, and Saber is flung away. “Guh!?’ Saber slides across the asphalt. A black whirlwind runs in pursuit, and… Silver lights come flashing down to intercept her! But they have no effect. The three arrows hit the giantess square in her forehead, but simply disappear. The giantess does not stop. Saber blocks the giant blade with her own. “Saber!” My scream is meaningless. As Saber blocks Berserker’s sword head-on, she is flung away like a ball… and she falls to the ground. “…!” Is she dizzy? Saber has her knees on the ground and does not move. “This is it. Smash her, Berserker.” The mare’s voice echoes. The black giantess charges at Saber with brutal speed. “Keep firing, Archer!” Rarity starts running as she screams. She must intend to help Saber. She runs up the hill while taking out something that looks like a rock. “Gewicht, um zu Verdoppel ung!” Rarity scatters obsidian jewels in the sky, and numerous silver lights come flying from the heavens. Even with that, Berserker’s charge does not stop. “What a…” …Monster. …I finally understand how absurd she is. That giantess isn’t just “strong”. She must be protected by some “law” of immortality created from abnormal amounts of magical energy. “Good, ignore the annoying ones. Archer and Rarity shouldn’t be able to get past your Noble Phantasm.” The mare’s voice rings out. The giantess’s sword is swung. And… Saber bravely blocks it with her sword and is flung away once again. She flies dozens of meters. Saber flies through the air like a pitcher’s fastball and plows into the open terrain off the road. “……” She must be dead. Once is bad enough. But she can’t be okay after receiving such a blow twice. The black whirlwind moves. The match is already decided, but she’s not done yet. The giantess called Berserker roars and charges onto the open land. “……” She’ll die. Even if Saber’s still alive, she’ll surely die now. …And. As long as I’m here, I’m sure I’ll die as well. ‘If you can, try to run away.’ The one who said that isn’t here. Rarity went after Berserker. She must intend to keep fighting against this monster that is unscathed by all those attacks. “……” I… ...Follow them. ...Stay here. Do as Rarity said.
...Follow them.“……” I know I won’t be able to do anything even if I go. But still… I still feel her hoof in mine. I told her we’ll try our best. She shook the hoof I held out. So… “Sheesh, there’s nothing else I can do!!” I’ll be killed if I go up the hill after that giantess. My body trembling from that fact, but I suppress it and run up the slope. “Saber!” I run into the open land and then, the scenery that awaits me there is totally unexpected. Gravestones are flying around. Every time the giantess swings her sword, the heavy gravestones are split in two. In the midst of it… A knight bravely runs through the storm of gravestones. The axe-sword rages around. Gravestones are flung aside. In the chaos, Saber is fighting Berserker with the same… no, with more power than before. “……” Their positions are reversed here. The advantage belongs to somepony with a small body like Saber. Berserker is hindered by obstacles, and Saber acts as if there’s nothing in her way. I’m sure that a hindrance of this degree is only trivial for Berserker. But it’s more than nothing. It’s only a slight difference, but that slight difference is tipping the scale the other way now… “This way! You’ll get hit if you’re there!” “Huh!?” Whoa…!?” “What are you thinking!? I told you to run away, right!? Or did you not hear me!?” She’s really angry. “Um… I heard you. But I can’t just run away, right?” “What!? How could you reach that conclusion!? Can’t you tell that you’ll only be a bother to us since you can’t fight!? It can’t helped if you die trying to make a difference, but it’d be meaningless if you die doing nothing!” “…?” I don’t know why, but Rarity is seriously angry. Even though I’m getting yelled at, I don’t feel bad for some reason. “Hey, is that something you should get mad about? It shouldn’t matter to you if I die meaninglessly or not.” “It does matter! I told you I’d let you go for all of today, so it’ll trouble me if you don’t get home safely!” “……” I’m confused even more now. Rarity sure had a different face on at school. “Geez. Anyway, you’re not hurt, so run away right now. That Luna mare intends to kill us all.” “I know that. But I can’t run away. Saber’s fighting, so I can’t run away by myself.” “That’s a line for somepony who can make a difference. You’ll just die a meaningless death, as you can’t do anything to support her. This is your last warning. Just run away.” “That can’t be true. There should be something I can do as long as I’m alive. And besides, are you going to ask somepony to do something you can’t do?” “……” Rarity looks at me with a serious expression. “You’re right. I’m the shameless one for asking you to do something I can’t do.” She looks away. “Well, I don’t think there’s a need to run away. I don’t think Saber will lose now.” Rarity takes a peek from behind the tree. Their battle is continuing without change. Berserker’s attacks smash through empty space and only destroy her surroundings. Between the attacks… Within the swirling whirlwind and flying clods… Within the rain of broken gravestones… Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker. “……” It is a divine work of utmost excellence. My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere ponies. Instead, I am fascinated. I could not believe I was in this Harmony Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness. But all of it is blown away when I see her. Dancing swords, within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation. Maybe this scene made me accept everything. No matter what may fall upon us in the future… I’m convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me. “I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker’s sword on purpose.” Rarity murmurs without emotion. “Was that to lure Berserker here?” “Yup. It’s suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That’s why Saber chose this place as the battleground. She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you, all the while she pretended to be cornered.” “……” Then… Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill. “But you can’t expect backup in a battle like this. Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer’s arrows. Backup was meaningless from the start.” Rarity murmurs as she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker. “Archer’s arrows…” But those words catch my attention. Archer isn’t here. If he really is an archer, he should not fight hoof-to-hoof, but… “She got her…!” Rarity stomps her hoof. Just as she said… Saber’s sword must have hit Berserker or she must have lost her stance. Berserker’s body, holding firm until now, loses its balance. The beast lashes out desperately. Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both wings. This is it. As her desperate attack is dodged, Berserker loses her balance even more, and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power. Right then… “Archer? What do you mean, get away?” I notice Rarity’s confused voice, and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place. “……” Behind me. I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow. “……” It’s either nausea or a chill. He’s readying a bow. A bow that’s no different from before. It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit. So there is no need to feel any threat from it… “……” I feel a chill. What he is readying in his bow is not an “arrow”, but something completely different. And his intent to kill isn’t just directed at Berserker. “Sab…” I act instantly. I… Bring back Saber. Call back Saber.
Bring back Saber.“Saber!” Before I realize it, I’m running out from my cover. “Hey, hold on,” said Rarity. I run at full speed towards Saber. “Storm?” She looks dumbfounded. Saber sees me and stops her attack on Berserker. I can make it! I can feel the danger coming up behind me. “W-Why did you come out!?” I ignore her, run to her at full speed, and grab her hoof! “Are you insane, Master!?” “We’ll talk later! Just come this way…” I put Saber on my back and jump away. The “arrow” is released. Archer’s arrows have not had any effect so far. The black giantess ignores it, as if saying it is not worth blocking. But at that moment… The black giantess turns her back to use and attacks the “arrow” coming at her with all her might… In that instant… All sound is lost. “…!” I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself. Maybe I’ve gone deaf, as I can’t hear anything. All I can feel is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground. Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of something pierces my back. “…!” I grit my teeth and endure it. The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant. I manage to survive the destruction. “Wha…” Saber is staring in astonishment. I’m doing the same as well. I don’t know what happened. Archer’s “arrow” razed this cemetery in an instant. There’s a crater at the center of the explosion. Archer has created this destruction. But the giantess still exists in spite of such abolition. “Berserker… She is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm…” Saber’s voice is weak. Sparks are flying through the night air. The black giantess is standing still in the fire, and everypony here watches this terrible spectacle without words. The crackling of the flames is the only sound present. Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire… “Huh…?” Something rolls towards me with a noise. “…A sword?” No, it is an “arrow”. An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade. Even if it’s a sword, it is an “arrow” if it’s used as a projectile. “……” I don’t know why it catches my attention so much. The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire. It fades away like candy melting under heat. It… Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason. “Storm, that was…” “It was Archer’s arrow. I don’t know anything else about it.” I raise my head to look at the distant Archer. “…!” I shouldn’t be able to see him. I shouldn’t be able to see him, but I do. He’s smiling. He’s smiling as if to tell me that he wasn’t aiming just at Berserker. “Damn him!” I feel a headache. The chill running down my back won’t go away. My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit… “…Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rarity. Your Archer’s pretty good.” The mare’s cheerful voice echoes through the air. “All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over first, but I’ve changed my mind.” …The black shadow wavers. The giantess starts to retreat through the fire. “What? You’re running away after all this?” “Yup, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want Saber, but I’m interested in Archer now. So I’ll let you live for a bit longer.” The giantess disappears. The mare giggles. “Goodbye. Let’s play again, big brother.” Saying this, she goes away. “……” The unexpected disaster leaves. Rarity must not intend to follow that mare in spite of what she said. Even I can tell that the mare let us go. So I don’t think Rarity will go and seek out such a reckless fight. “Master. I thank you for saving me. But can you let go of me now?” I hear Saber’s calm voice. “Oh… Yeah, sorry about that.” I manage to answer despite my throbbing head. I let Saber go, and when I stand up… I fall on my butt. “Storm? What is wrong? Do you not feel well… Storm, your back!” Saber sounds tense. I can’t see Saber’s face, probably because of my pounding headache. Saber supports me and puts her hoof behind my back. “Ouch.” I feel a sharp pain. …Even though it’s not as strong as my headache, there’s a sharp pain running through my back. “This is terrible. It is dangerous like this. Please hold still while I remove this piece.” “Huh? What do you mean by that…?” …! She doesn’t hesitate. Saber forcefully pulls something out of my back. “Ou… You’re rough…” I try to control my breathing. I’m a mage, even though I may be an amateur. I can manage this pain. “Haa… Haa, haa…” But this felt especially bad. It felt like my wing on my back was pulled out. “Your wound is healing… I see, you had a way to heal yourself.” Sighing with relief, Saber says something strange. “…?” A way to heal myself? I shouldn’t be able to use such difficult magic. “Are you all right, Storm?” Rarity comes to us. I raise my hoof to tell her I’m all right. “I see. Then let’s go. Ponies might come here with all the commotion we’ve caused.” Rarity runs out of the cemetery, her long mane fluttering behind her. “……” When I plant a hoof to follow after her… My vision suddenly goes white. “Master!?” I feel somepony support me as I start to fall. But the feeling fades as all my senses go away. What’s left is this throbbing within me. What’s irritating me? And what am I so concerned about? I’m about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb. Congratulations You've had earned Saber and Rarity love points +1 for both, But you got wounded. Continue
Call back Saber.“No! Come back, Saber…!” When I notice, I’m yelling at the top of my lungs. “Master!?” She looks dumbfounded. Saber slows down as she hears my voice. But that’s not enough. She won’t make it if she only slows down…! “It is dangerous, so please stay back…!” “No, you’re in danger! Just come here…!” I reach out to her with my hoof. “I am…? …!?” She must have understood me, as she turns her back to Berserker and jumps away with all her might. Right after her retreat… He shoots the “arrow”. Saber jumps back like a spark, and Berserker tries to pursue Saber. Archer’s arrow is fired right between them. Archer’s arrows have not had any effect so far. The Black giantess ignores it, as if saying it’s not worth blocking. But at that moment… The Black giantess turns her back to us and attacks the “arrow” coming at her with all her might… In that instant… All sound is lost. “…!” I throw myself on top of Saber and brace myself. Maybe I’ve gone deaf, as I can’t hear anything. All I can feels is the heat burning my skin and the shaking of the ground. Many things go flying through the air, and a piece of debris bounces off my back. “…!” I grit my teeth and endure it. The blinding light must have only lasted for an instant. I manage to survive the destruction. “Wha…” Saber is staring in astonishment. I’m doing the same as well. I don’t know what happened. Archer’s “arrow” razed this cemetery in an instant. There’s a crater at the center of the explosion. Archer has created this destruction. But the giantess still exists in spite of such abolition. “Berserker… She is unwounded even after taking a direct hit from a Rank-A Noble Phantasm…” Saber’s voice is weak. Sparks are flying through the night air. The black giantess is standing still in the fire, and everypony here watches this terrible spectacle without words. The crackling of the flames is the only sound present. Right when I start to think that this might turn into a big fire… “Huh…?” Something rolls towards me with a noise. “…A sword?” No, it is an “arrow”. An arrow with a gorgeous hilt and a spiral blade, even if it’s a sword, it is an “arrow” if it’s used as a projectile. “……” I don’t know why it catches my attention so much. The arrow broken by Berserker disappears as if melting into the fire. It fades away like candy melting under heat. It… Makes me feel like vomiting for some reason. “Storm, that was…” “It was Archer’s arrow. I don’t know anything else about it.” I raise my head to look at the distant Archer. “…!” I shouldn’t be able to see him. I shouldn’t be able to see him, but I do. He’s smiling. He’s smiling as if to tell me that he wasn’t aiming just at Berserker. “Damn him!” I feel a headache. The chill running down my back won’t go away. My spine is burning like it does when I fail to create a Magic Circuit… “…Hm. I have a better opinion of you, Rarity. Your Archer’s pretty good.” The mare’s cheerful voice echoes through the air. “All right, come back, Berserker. I wanted to get the boring stuff over first, but I’ve changed my mind.” …The black shadow wavers. The giantess starts to retreat through the fire. “What? You’re running away after all this?” “Yup, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want Saber, but I’m interested in Archer now. So I’ll let you live for a bit longer.” The giantess disappears. The mare giggles. “Goodbye. Let’s play again, big brother.” Saying this, she goes away. “……” The unexpected disaster leaves. Rarity must not intend to follow that mare in spite of what she said. Even I can tell that the mare let us go. So I don’t think Rarity will go and seek out such a reckless fight. “Thank you, Master. I would have been hit by Archer’s Noble Phantasm if you had not called out to me.” “O… Oh, I’m glad to hear that.” “Master…?” What’s wrong with me? Even though I’m not wounded, I feel sick, and my consciousness is… “Storm? You look really pale,” said Rarity. “Master…? Storm!” My knees buckle. My vision goes white. “Please pull yourself together! What is going on!?” I feel somepony support me as I start to fall. But the feeling fades as all my senses go away. What’s left is this throbbing within me. What’s irritating me? And what am I so concerned about? I’m about to fall unconscious, but my head continues to throb. Congratulations you didn't get hurt! Continue
...Head to the graveyardThe battle continues. Saber is fighting to protect me. Then… I should go even if there’s nothing I can do. The two Command Spells engraved on my hoof… I am standing here after swearing to fight as a Master and shaking hoofs with Saber. “Geez… What am I doing!?” I run, ignoring all hesitation and fear. I’ll be killed if I go after them. I suppress my trembling body with force and obstinacy, and I run up the hill. “Get back, Storm. You’ll get in Saber’s way if you go any farther.” I stop as she grabs my hoof. “Did you hear me? I told you that you should keep quiet and watch since Saber’s going to win. …Well, I think you can tell that yourself though.” She must have been hiding behind a tree, as she calls out to me with a calm voice. “Huh? Saber will win…?” Against that monster? Saber will win against that giantess she couldn’t even match until now? “Heh. You look like you don’t believe me. Why don’t you take a look? I don’t want to admit this, but your Servant is great in all aspects. Saber should be able to beat Berserker.” Rarity snorts and hides behind the tree. Clashing swords, Berserker’s attacks smash through empty space and only destroy her surroundings. Between the attacks… Within the swinging whirlwind, flying clods, and the rain of broken gravestones, Saber rushes in without even dirtying her armor and attacks Berserker. “……” It is a divine work of utmost excellence. My fear has disappeared, seeing this battle that is totally impossible for mere ponies. Instead, I am fascinated. I could not believe I was in this Harmony Grail War thing, and I also had some uneasiness. But all that is blown away when I see her. Dancing swords, within the whirlwind of fatal destruction, the knight challenges the enemy without hesitation. Maybe this scene made me accept everything. No matter what may befall us in the future… I’m convinced that I will be able to match even a fierce god if I have Saber with me. “I thought so. It was strange, but she blocked Berserker’s sword on purpose.” Rarity murmurs without emotion. “Was that to lure Berserker here?” “Yup. It’s suicidal to fight Berserker in a place without cover. That’s why Saber chose this place as the battleground. She did it naturally, too. She got Berserker away from you; all the while she pretended to be cornered.” “……” Then… Saber must have determined that this place was a suitable battlefield when we were walking down the hill. “But you can’t expect backup in a battle like this. Our enemy is a monster that even nullifies Archer’s arrows. Backup was meaningless from the start.” Rarity murmurs as she watches the battle between Saber and Berserker. “Archer’s arrows…” But those words catch my attention. Archer isn’t here. If he really is an archer, he should not fight hoof-to-hoof, but… “She got him…!” Rarity stomps her hoof.. Just as she said… Saber’s sword must have hit Berserker or Berserker must have lost her stance. Berserker’s body, holding firm until now, loses its balance. The beast lashes out desperately. Saber dodges it by jumping back, and holds her sword with both wings. This is it. As her desperate attack was dodged, Berserker loses her balance even more, and Saber bends her knees to charge in with all her power. Right then… “Archer…? What do you mean, get away?” I notice Rarity’s confused voice and sense an intent to kill aimed from a faraway place. “……” Behind me. I see the knight in red standing on a rooftop hundreds of meters away, readying his bow. “……” It’s either nausea or a chill. He’s readying a bow. A bow that’s not any different from before. It cannot even scratch Berserker, even with a direct hit. So there is no need to feel any threat from it… “……” I feel a chill. What he is readying in his bow is not an “arrow”, but something completely different. And his intent to kill isn’t just directed at Berserker. “Sab…” I act instantly. Continue.
...Don't go.I can’t be a burden on Saber. I can’t do anything even if I follow them, and Saber should be able to run away if she’s by herself. Saber got Berserker away from here. If she was protecting me, I can’t stay in this dangerous place forever… “Haa… Haa... Haa…” I passed the bridge from New Ponyville and ran straight home. I never looked back as I ran. I don’t know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind. Anyway, I desperately ran here. “……” The living room is just as I left it. The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Rarity came here. I go near the restored window. I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Rarity must have overlooked. “There’s no crack in the glass… I wonder how Rarity made up for these pieces.” I murmur to myself. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like turning the lights on. I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness. “……” What I should be thinking about. What I should say. I’m running away from these things. The ponies that were here until a few hours ago. The ponies who were by my side until a few minutes ago. I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can’t bring myself to get out of the dark. The wall clock points to three. It’s been thirty minutes since then. No matter who won, I’m sure the battle is over now. “……” I should go back. When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up… A sharp pain runs through my left hoof. “The Command Spell?” The color has faded from my Command Spell. Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber’s Master has disappeared. I understand instinctively what that means. “Saber…!” I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness. I run outside. I won’t make it now. I know I can’t make it, but I start to run back… And I’m stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing. …I can’t hear too well. I can tell there’s somepony in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can’t see very clearly. The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid. The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant. “Oh…” That’s right. Storm Whooves will be killed the instant Saber is lost. As I don’t have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber. But I didn’t realize that, and I secluded myself. This is the result. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the house or if I run away somewhere. “G…uh…” My mind starts to fade. I don’t care who it is or what I got stabbed by. It doesn’t matter if I die today or tomorrow. Because… The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well… Initiating Pinkie Gym... Session 15.. (Luna) Hi, this is the Pinkie Gym! Since this is part II, everything has been changed… Huh? (Pinkie) *whack* It's not even finished yet!!! Well, the story is in its second arc. The shocking route of Rarity has started. Do you have anything to say, Luna? (Luna) Ouuu… I’m sorry I lied to you… (Pinkie) Yes. Repent of your misdeeds. It does look like the title changed, but it’s the same on the inside. Rather… Everypony’s jumping about in arc 2. Is somepony trying to steal our roles? (Luna) Probably. Unlike me, you aren’t that fascinating as a character. We should put the focus on me and make Pinkie a guest… (Pinkie) *whack* Well, about this dead end! Why did this happen, you rebel!? (Luna) It’s because Storm was a coward. Oh, the killer is still unknown. (Pinkie) He was killed instantly once he left his house. You should go on and fight Berserker since Archer is in fighting condition this time. You should get them back for defeating you before. (Luna) Oh, are you sure it’d go so well? No matter which hero Archer may be, I don’t think he’s a big enough threat for me. (Pinkie) Hm. W-Well, we won’t know unless we try. We’re not in Saber’s route this time. (Luna) Really? Then let’s see what happens. Let’s see how a hastily-formed alliance fares against me. (Pinkie) Ugh… You’re starting to show your true form, you devilish mare. By the way, I’ve been wondering for a long time. Can I ask you something, Luna? How strong are you as a mage? Are you as strong as Rarity? (Luna) Me? Hmm… Strictly speaking, I’m not a mage. I’m more like Caster. I didn’t study magic from the time I was born. But rather, I already knew magic at birth. Do you get the difference? (Pinkie) Hmm. I don’t, and I don’t want to know. So in short, you’re really a devil? (Luna) Hehehe. You sure say cute things once in a while. I’ll kill you if you say something so close to the truth. (Pinkie) Gyaaa! Her face is scary! Help me, Goddess of the Sun! (Luna) Geez, asking me such a boring question. You’ll eventually find out who I am whether you want to or not. Well, let’s continue on for Storm. The new fight is just starting. Don’t go stumbling here! Quickly go back to Saber!
Do as Rarity said.Rarity is right. Saber drew Berserker away from here. Then I should get away from this dangerous place and await Saber’s return… “Haa… Haa... Haa…” I passed the bridge from New Ponyville and ran straight home. I never looked back as I ran. I don’t know if I was scared of the unknown pursuer or if I felt guilty for leaving Saber behind. Anyway, I desperately ran here. “……” The living room is just as I left it. The air has been motionless ever since Lancer attacked and Rarity came here. I go near the restored window. I find two small pieces of glass on the floor that Rarity must have overlooked. “There’s no crack in the glass… I wonder how Rarity made up for these pieces.” I murmur to myself. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like turning the lights on. I hide in the darkness as if to hide my weakness. “……” What I should be thinking about. What I should say. I’m running away from these things; the ponies that were here until a few hours ago, the ponies that were by my side until a few minutes ago. I have to ask myself if it was right to leave them behind, but I can’t bring myself to get out of the dark. The wall clock points to three. It’s been thirty minutes since then. No matter who won, I’m sure the battle is over now. “……” I should go back. When I raise my head to turn the lights on and cheer myself up… A sharp pain runs through my left hoof. “The Command Spell?” The color has faded from my Command Spell. Even though the shape is still there, the bright light that proves I am Saber’s Master has disappeared. I understand instinctively what that means. “Saber…!” I follow my instinct and run out from the darkness. I run outside. I won’t make it now. I know I can’t make it, but I start to run back… And I’m stabbed in the heart by some unknown thing. …I can’t hear too well. I can tell there’s somepony in front of me, the one who stabbed my heart, but I can’t see very clearly. The one in front of me sneers and tells me I am stupid. The one in front of me is laughing that I have no way of surviving without my Servant. “Oh…” That’s right. Storm Whooves will be killed the instant Saber is lost. As I don’t have a way to protect myself, I have no way to survive without Saber. But I didn’t realize that, and I secluded myself. This is the result. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the house or if I run away somewhere. “G…uh…” My mind starts to fade. I don’t care who it is or what I got stabbed by. It doesn’t matter if I die today or tomorrow. Because… The instant my Command Spell lost its brightness, my life was lost as well… Initiating Pinkie Gym... Session 15... (Luna) Hi, this is the Pinkie Gym! Since this is part II, everything has been changed… Huh? (Pinkie) *whack* It’s not even finished yet!!! Well, the story is in its second arc. The shocking route of Rarity has started. Do you have anything to say, Luna? (Luna) Ouuu… I’m sorry I lied to you… (Pinkie) Yes. Repent of your misdeeds. It does look like the title changed, but it’s the same on the inside. Rather… Everypony’s jumping about in arc 2. Is somepony trying to steal our roles? (Luna) Probably. Unlike me, you aren’t that fascinating as a character. We should put the focus on me and make Pinkie a guest… (Pinkie) *whack* Well, about this dead end! Why did this happen, you rebel!? (Luna) It’s because Storm was a coward. Oh, the killer is still unknown. (Pinkie) He was killed instantly once he left his house. You should go on and fight Berserker since Archer is in fighting condition this time. You should get them back for defeating you before. (Luna) Oh, are you sure it’d go so well? No matter which hero Archer may be, I don’t think he’s a big enough threat for me. (Pinkie) Hm. W-Well, we won’t know unless we try. We’re not in Saber’s route this time. (Luna) Really? Then let’s see what happens. Let’s see how a hastily-formed alliance fares against me. (Pinkie) Ugh… You’re starting to show your true form, you devilish mare. By the way, I’ve been wondering for a long time. Can I ask you something, Luna? How strong are you as a mage? Are you as strong as Rarity? (Luna) Me? Hmm… Strictly speaking, I’m not a mage. I’m more like Caster. I didn’t study magic from the time I was born. But rather, I already knew magic at birth. Do you get the difference? (Pinkie) Hmm. I don’t, and I don’t want to know. So in short, you’re really a devil? (Luna) Hehehe. You sure say cute things once in a while. I’ll kill you if you say something so close to the truth. (Pinkie) Gyaaa! Her face is scary! Help me, Goddess of the Sun! (Luna) Geez, asking me such a boring question. You’ll eventually find out who I am whether you want to or not. Well, let’s continue on for Storm. The new fight is just starting. Don’t go stumbling here! Quickly go back to Saber!
Day 4: AwakenIt’s a landscape I’ve never seen before. The fiery sky above. An infinite number of swords at my hoofs. Are they traces of war? The world is inorganic, and there are no living things. The ashen wind courses through the forest of swords. The swords stand like trees in a forest. It’s not just ten or twenty. Not a hundred or two hundred. No matter how many there are, if it is impossible for them to be counted, they might as well be infinite. The tools are rusting without anypony to use them. A ruin of infinite swords. He thinks that… It is like a graveyard. …My vision returns. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I can feel the warm sunlight. “That dream…” I open my eyes and recall the dream I was having. …That hill of swords. I’m sure I saw that dream because I saw Saber along with the fire in the cemetery… “Oh, you’re awake? If you’re all right now, that’s good.” “Huh…?” Then… Rarity says this in her normal tone while looking down at me. I jump up. I instantly jump back to the wall to get away from Rarity. “R-R-R-R-Rarity!? W-W-What!? Why are you in my room…!!?” My head spins and spins. I should’ve been at that hill of swords… no, at the burning cemetery, so why am I asleep in my room!? “R-Rarity, why are you here, and what was I doing!?” My head spins even more after I say that. It’s not because of this surprising event. I’m surprised the most at seeing Rarity right when I wake up… and it’s causing my heart to beat at an abnormal rate. “You should just be surprised about one thing. You’re not skilled enough to handle two.” Rarity is acting cool. “Hm.” That snaps my groggy mind into focus. That’s right. It’s natural to be surprised at seeing Rarity immediately after waking up. But that must mean… “…I see. I guess you carried me here after I fell unconscious.” “Wow. You’re sharper than I thought. You’re confused, but you’re thinking as well. Yeah, this is certainly interesting.” …Hm. I wish she wouldn’t say things that I could take as either insult or praise. “…Then it’s been only half a day? If you were able to get me home, that means we were able to get away?” “Yup. I’m glad you’re so smart.” She must be satisfied. Saying goodbye, Rarity starts to leave. “Huh… hey, where are you going?” “Are you still asleep? This is your house. It’s not a place I can stay in.” She speaks clearly. Her eyes say… “we’re enemies.” …To me. That’s true. Last night… In that church, I said I would fight. So we can only fight each other. “You’re right. I’m sorry. And sorry for being late, but thank you.” Then… Rarity stops and glares at me. “Hold on. Why are you thanking me?” “Well, you helped me, right? I’m even more thankful that if you’re my enemy.” “Hey. Sit right there, Storm.” Rarity returns to the room. I don’t know what she wants, but I’m sure it’ll be bad if I don’t obey. “Come on.” She taps on the floor. …It seems she has a serious matter to talk about. I sit down. “Look. I’ll tell you, since you don’t seem to understand. You’ll die if you think like that.” “What do you mean if I think like that?” “I’m telling you not to thank your enemies. You’ll die a hundred times if you’re worried about such a thing. Look, others are just obstacles. Don’t think they’re like you just because they have pony form or they speak.” Rarity speaks with a strong voice and sharp eyes. …She’s certainly right. If it’s wrong to feel compassion for an enemy, it is also wrong to consider them to be just like you. Since I have decided to fight, they are only things I need to defeat. Yes, I understand her point of view. But… “Are you listening to me!? The Harmony Grail War is just a war to kill each other, so don’t consider other Masters as pony beings. Be ready to kill even your own family. Geez, this is the first rule of being a Master.” Rarity yells at me in annoyance. Well, but… “I understand that. Then why didn’t you kill me?” Isn’t this a problem? “Uh… t-that’s because…” Where did her previous attitude go? She grumbles angrily. “H-Heh. I just didn’t feel like it. I owed you and it’s not fair to get you when you’re sleeping. So I just wasn’t in the mood.” “Rarity. Didn’t you just say something like doing everything to win?” “Yes. So this is a mistake on my part. It was a mistake I made because I know I’m stronger. Well, I guess it’s flab on my mind.” Oh, I heard that phrase before. “Flab on your mind? Does that mean you’re fat?” “Hehehe. You sure are funny, Storm.” Rarity smiles. “But you shouldn’t say unnecessary things from now on. Stupid comments will only bring you death.” …That was scary. I feel a chill and back up. “Well, that’s all I had to say. Ask your Servant about the rest.” Rarity stands up and leaves for sure this time. “Goodbye. We’ll be enemies next time we meet, so be prepared.” And with that, she disappears. It really must have been a whim of hers to carry me here and to treat me. She left with no regret or sentiment, leaving only the line we’re enemies. “…Well.” I take a breath and analyze the situation. I haven’t had time to think since I saw that fight between Lancer and Archer last night. “…Oh. I see. Then that figure there must’ve been Rarity.” I finally realize. I was stabbed by Lancer after that, was saved for some reason, was attacked by Lancer again… “Saber saved me, and I became a Master.” What I heard at the church. The killings called the Harmony Grail War. The Harmony Grail which grants any wish, given to the winner. …I can’t absorb all the facts, but I have been attacked three times already. So I can’t be confused forever. And most of all, I said I would fight since I could not ignore this battle. A fight for a single chair, called the Harmony Grail War. No matter what your expectations are, once you enter it, you can’t survive unless you defeat your enemies. The problem is that defeating other Masters might result in harm to innocent people depending on your methods. That’s why… ‘Rejoice, Storm Whooves.’ My reason for fighting is not to win the Harmony Grail War. ‘Your wish will finally come true.’ It is to stop those that would try to win it by any means possible. …It shouldn’t be a mistake. Storm Whooves has been training in magic to become a superhero, to protect innocent ponies. “All right. I need to go talk to Saber.” I shake off the priest’s words and exit into the hallway. Wound point. No wound point.
No WoundI look through the house. I look everywhere somepony could possibly be, including all the guest rooms, but I can’t find Saber. “Huh…? She’s in that outfit, so you’d think it’d be easy to find her.” Even so, I can’t find Saber anywhere. I guess Servants can become spirits, but I can’t turn her into one anyway. No, first of all… “Even though they call me a Master, I don’t know anything about her.” I don’t understand who she is or how she exists. The only thing I understand is… That I’m confident I’ll be able to win this strange war if I’m with her. “She’s not here either…” I’ve searched throughout the house. It’s a big house, but I didn’t play hide-and-seek here with Pinkie as a colt for nothing. I know the most efficient way to search this place. If she’s nowhere to be found after searching this much, then she should be in the gym or in the shed. “Huh?” Saber is in the silent gym. But her appearance is different from yesterday. Sitting on the wooden floor, she is not wearing her armor. She has changed into refined clothes that suit her well, and is sitting silently. …I lose my voice at the sight. Sitting with her back straight and eyes closed, Saber looks beautiful. Her state, melting into the silence, reminds me of pure water. And that removes the final doubts within me. Even if she is a Servant, I think she is harmony. So… I won’t be led stray if I’m with her. “Saber.” I call out. Saber slowly opens her eye and returns my gaze. “You are awake, Storm.” A calm voice. Her voice, echoing through the gym as if permeating it, is surprising suited to this place. “Yeah. I just got up. What were you doing here?” “I was resting. I cannot treat you, so I thought I’d make sure I was in perfect condition.” Saber looks at me as she speaks. …Well, um… I feel tension, different from the kind I felt with Rarity. “Storm? What is it? Could it be that your body is still…?” “…! N-No, there’s no problem…! I’m just perplexed for my own reasons, so don’t worry…!” I take a step back and shake my head. Looking away from Saber, who is tilting her head questioningly, I calm my pounding heart. “…Calm down. What am I so tense about!?” I take a deep breath. …But it doesn’t seem to die down quickly. In fact, I don’t think it ever will. “…Geez, why did she get changed…?” I complain without meaning to. Saber’s clothes are so real that they make me conscious of her marehood, whether I like it or not. …She is terribly beautiful. I thought I figured that out yesterday, but she really hits me with it now. Perhaps her armor looked so surreal that I didn’t notice yesterday. But when she dresses like a mare, I’m flustered, as any healthy stallion would be. “Storm.” I tense up the moment our eyes meet. But I didn’t look for her just to say nothing. I’m troubled, but I can’t stay quiet forever. I make up my mind and talk to her. It’s something I should have asked her the moment we got back last night. That if she really is my Servant… And if she really is going to be joining this battle… Continue
WoundedI look through the house. I look everywhere somepony could possibly be, including all the guest rooms, but I can’t find Saber. “Huh…? She’s in that outfit, so you’d think it’d be easy to find her.” Even so, I can’t find Saber anywhere. I guess Servants can become spirits, but I can’t turn her into one anyway. No, first of all… “Even though they call me a Master, I don’t know anything about her.” I don’t understand who she is or how she exists. The only thing I understand is… That I’m confident I’ll be able to win this strange war if I’m with her. “She’s not here either…” I’ve searched throughout the house. It’s a big house, but I didn’t play hide-and-seek here with Pinkie as a colt for nothing. I know the most efficient way to search this place. If I haven’t found her after searching this much, then she should be either in the gym or in the shed. “Huh?” Saber is in the silent gym. But her appearance is different from yesterday. Sitting on the wooden floor, she is not wearing her armor. She has changed into refined clothes that suit her well, and is sitting silently. …I lose my voice at the sight. Sitting with her back straight and eyes closed, Saber looks beautiful. Her state, melting into the silence, reminds me of pure water. And that removes the final doubts within me. Even if she is a Servant, I think she is harmony. So… I won’t be led stray if I’m with her. “Saber.” I call out. Saber slowly opens her eye and returns my gaze. “You are awake, Storm.” A calm voice. Her voice, echoing through the gym as if permeating it, is surprising suited to this place. “Yeah. I just got up. What were you doing here?” “I was resting. I cannot treat you, so I thought I’d make sure I was in perfect condition.” Saber looks at me as she speaks. …Well, um… I feel tension, different from the kind I felt with Rarity. “Storm? What is it? Could it be that your body is still…?” “…! N-No, there’s no problem…! I’m just perplexed for my own reasons, so don’t worry…!” I take a step back and shake my head. Looking away from Saber, who is tilting her head questioningly, I calm my pounding heart. “…Calm down. What am I so tense about!?” I take a deep breath. …But it doesn’t seem to die down quickly. In fact, I don’t think it ever will. “…Geez, why did she get changed…?” I complain without meaning to. Saber’s clothes are so real that they make me conscious of her marehood, whether I like it or not. …She is terribly beautiful. I thought I figured that out yesterday, but she really hits me with it now. Perhaps her armor looked so surreal that I didn’t notice yesterday. But when she dresses like a mare, I’m flustered, as any healthy stallion would be. “Storm.” I tense up the moment our eyes meet. But I didn’t look for her just to say nothing. I’m troubled, but I can’t stay quiet forever. “All right. May I, Saber? It’ll be the first time we sit down and talk…” I make up my mind and talk to her. …And then. “Storm. Before that, there is something I would like to address regarding last night.” “…? All right, what is it?” “It is about last night. You are my Master it is troubling if you take such actions. Battle is my duty, so you must concentrate on your role.” “Last night?” I think about what happened last night. …Is she talking about the time I tried to pull her to safety when Archer attacked? “…Hey. I can’t help it. You were fighting, so that’s the least I could do. It’s only natural to help when your partner is in danger.” “…Impossible. You do not understand what Servants are, yet you have so much faith in me already?” Oh, wow. Saber looks really surprised. “Well, we did shake hoofs. And you’ve helped me so many times already. It’d be pretty strange not to trust you.” “…” Saber looks up at me in surprise. “Uh… Did I have the wrong idea about our contract?” I get nervous, so I ask. Saber shakes her head. “As a Servant, I appreciate your words. And I would have been dealt a fatal wound had you not stopped me. The method was not a good one, but your instruction was.” “…I see. That’s good. I was desperate, but that was good, huh?” “Yes. But please refrain from such actions next time. I can heal immediately even if I am wounded. But I have no way to heal you if you are wounded.” “Ugh… All right, I’ll watch out. That was definitely reckless. I’ll do better next time.” I don’t know how I can do things better, but I should stop doing things so recklessly. Then… “Yes. That is a good reply, Master.” Was I acting that funny? I think she smiled for a second. “…” I shake off my blush. There’s something more important right now. It’s something I should have asked her the moment we got back last night. That if she really is my Servant… And if she really is going to be joining this battle… Continue
Gym Phone.“Going back to our conversation, Saber. …Oh, I’ll ask formally. Can I call you Saber?” “Yes. Since I have formed a contract with you as a Servant, I am your sword. I shall follow your orders, defeat your enemies, and protect you.” Saber says so without the slightest hesitation. There’s no room for me to question her about it. “Become my sword, huh? Is that to win this Harmony Grail War?” “…? Is that not why you have summoned me?” “No. I only summoned you by chance. As you know, I’m only an amateur mage. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the knowledge nor the power of a Master. But I’ve decided to fight, so I’ll fight. I’m an unskilled Master, but are you okay with that?” “Of course. You are my Master, Storm. This fact will not change. A Servant does not have the freedom to choose its Master.” “…” …I see. Then I should try to respond to her to the best of my ability. “…All right. So you’re content that I’m your Master?” “Yes. But Storm, I shall not allow defeat for my Master. If you have no chance of victory, I shall make one for you. I will use any means possible to have you obtain the Harmony Grail. We Servants do not serve the Masters without compensation. We serve because we also desire the Harmony Grail.” “Huh? Hold on. The Harmony Grail, you mean you want it too…!?” “Of course. After all, the only ones who can touch the Harmony Grail in spirit form are we Servants, who are also spirits. The Master that wins the Harmony Grail War will obtain the Harmony Grail through the medium of their Servant. After that, the Servant who served the winning Master will have its wish granted in compensation. That is the relationship between Masters and Servants.” “…” …I see. Now that she says it, it’s obvious something like a “heroic spirit” would never obey a mere pony. Since they have their own objectives, they serve the Master in exchange. …Then that means Saber has a wish she wants granted. That is why Saber has no doubts. But… “…Hold on, Saber. You said any means possible, right? Does that mean you don’t care what measures you take to win the war? For example…” Doing something like what the priest said. Involving innocent ponies and creating a disaster like what happened ten years ago… “Storm, that is not a possibility. I can only do things I allow myself to do. I cannot betray my beliefs. It is against the knight’s oath to hurt those who are unarmed. But I must obey if you order so. In that case, you will have to use one of your Command Spells to compensate for treading inside me.” I am overwhelmed by her angry voice. “…” But still, I’m happy and relieved. Her lack of doubt gave her the image of a cold fighting machine, but I know now that she is not a cold-blooded killer. “Yeah, I won’t let you do such a thing. Like you said, we have to do our best with what we can do. …I’m really sorry. I insulted you without realizing it.” “Ah… no, I leapt to a hasty conclusion without knowing your intentions. You are not at fault, so please raise your head…” “Huh? Oh, sorry, I apologized without realizing it.” I raise my head. I don’t know what’s so funny, but Saber has a small smile on her face. Well, I’m glad she’s smiling, so I won’t ask her about it. “…All right. Then can I ask you something else? A Master is a mage that summons Servants, right? That’s fine, but I don’t quite understand you ponies. Like, Saber and Lancer, I know those aren’t your real names.” “Yes, those are only names of the classes given to us. …All right, I shall describe it briefly since we have the chance. We Servants are heroic spirits. We have each won fame during our lives or have accomplished some great deed beyond pony ability. Whatever the means, we are beings that have reached the rank of gods with our own strength.” That doesn’t even need to be said. Heroic spirits are heroes that had supernatural abilities while they were alive, who are worshipped after their deaths, and are promoted into ranks of spirits instead of becoming ghosts. “But that is also to our disadvantage. As we are heroes, our weaknesses have been recorded. Revealing our names, revealing our identities, means revealing our weaknesses. It will not be a problem if we are fighting a lower spirit, but each of us is a spirit of capable of killing the other. If our weaknesses are revealed, the enemy will take advantage of them to defeat us.” “I see. Heroes usually do have opponents they’re weak against. That’s why you’re hiding your real name and using the name Saber?” “Yes however, I am not called Saber only for that reason. There are seven Servants called forth by the Harmony Grail, and every one of these according to class.” “Class…? You mean like Saber and Archer?” “Yes. Summoning a true heroic spirit is already almost a miracle. To summon seven is too much even for the Harmony Grail. As a solution, the Harmony Grail prepares seven vessels in advance and only calls forth heroic spirits compatible with these vessels. Those are the seven classes. Saber. Lancer. Archer. Rider. Caster. Assassin. Berserker. The Harmony Grail calls forth from all times the heroic spirits, with abilities corresponding to each of these classes. And those who receive these classes are called Servants.” “…I see. You were a heroic spirit skilled with swords, so you were summoned as Saber?” “Yes. There are heroic spirits that have multiple attributes, but I believe I am the best when it comes to swords. But that is also the weakness of the Saber class. Since I am not a mage, I can only defeat your enemies as your sword.” “So you’re not well-suited to trickery. No, I don’t think that’s a weakness. You’re that powerful, so that should be enough, right?” “Storm, you cannot win this war just by being strong in battle. For instance, if your enemy is stronger than you in combat, what will you do?” “Huh? Well… if I knew I couldn’t beat them in combat, I’d have to do something without fighting…” Having said that much, I understand. If the enemies are strong, you wouldn’t fight a proper battle. Beating opponents with your sword isn’t the only way to fight. If you can’t beat an enemy with your sword, all you have to do is beat them some other way. “Exactly. If your enemy discovers you are skilled in combat, your enemy will most likely not challenge you in combat. …And in that sense, Servants that lack ability will use any means possible. The Servant Assassin has low attributes, but has a special ability to hide its presence, and the Servant Caster is versed in magic that does not exist in this age. You cannot be optimistic because of a mere difference in power. And on top of that, we have our ‘Noble Phantasms’. No matter what kind of Servant we are, as heroic spirits, we have our guaranteed fatal attack.” “Noble Phantasm…?” That’s not a term I’ve heard before. I think I might know what it means from the sound of it, though… “Noble Phantasms are special weapons carried by Servants. Weapons like Lancer’s horn, Archer’s bow, and my sword are such. Heroes are not called heroes by themselves. Heroes have the weapons that symbolize them and make them a hero. The hero and his weapon are one. So those who became heroic spirits each wield a powerful weapon. That is the ‘Noble Phantasm’, the trump card for Servants, and the thing we must take the most care of.” …Saber says that Noble Phantasms are weapons that heroes wielded when they were alive. I recall that blue knight. The horn that absorbed magical energy from the air and pierced Saber’s chest with incredible movements. That was certainly not something fit for ponies. That horn itself carried a strong curse, but I also felt overwhelming amount of magical energy in the word Lancer said back then. Then could it be…? “Saber. Are Noble Phantasms magic? Lancer’s horn certainly seemed like a horn with history but the horn itself wasn’t extraordinary. But that horn went beyond the realm of weapons with his words. Isn’t that some sort of Magic?” “Yes, Noble Phantasms are certainly similar to magic. For example, Lancer’s horn itself is a Noble Phantasm, but it demonstrates its full potential only when he puts magical energy into it and says its true name. A Noble Phantasm could be called a materialized divine mystery. As spells are necessary to activate magic, recitation of the true name is necessary to awaken and to activate the Noble Phantasm. But there is also a danger in that. By saying the true name of their Noble Phantasm, the identity of the Servant is revealed.” “Oh yeah. Heroes and their weapons are one. If you know the weapon’s name, you naturally know the identity of the owner.” Saber nods silently. That is why the Noble Phantasm is a trump card. In exchange for revealing the name, it launches an unavoidable fatal blow. But when it does not prove fatal… the Servant will expose all its weaknesses. “Then, Saber. Is your Noble phantasm that invisible sword?” “…Yes. But I have not revealed its identity yet. No Servants should know my true name at this point.” Saying that, Saber looks down awkwardly for a second. “Storm. I have a request about that matter.” “Huh? What kind of a request?” “About my real name. Usually, Servants give their true names to their Masters only, to determine future plans. But you are inexperienced as a mage. A superior mage would be able to read your mind, so…” “Oh, so you can’t tell me your real name? …Yeah, you’re right. Like hypnotism, suggestion, or… well, I don’t think there’d be any, but if any other Master had mystic eyes, I might just start babbling about it. All right. Let’s do that. I’ll rely on you to decide when to use your Noble Phantasm.” “Uh… um, can you really decide that so quickly?” “It wasn’t easy. I thought it through. I agreed after thinking about it, so don’t worry.” …Well. I get most of this stuff, but I still don’t have a grasp of the situation. This is strange, now that I think about it. Even though I’ve decided to fight, the only enemy I know is Rarity, and I don’t intend to fight her. Well, I shouldn’t be thinking like that because Rarity is ready to fight me any day. “Hey Saber, do Servants and Masters have some sort of a mark? I don’t really know what I should be doing.” “No. Unfortunately, there is no clear way to distinguish them. But if other Servants are near, Servants are able to sense them. All the more if they are materialized. Servants themselves are powerful magic. I am sure you felt Berserker’s presence.” “Ugh… that is true. But it’s bad to be able to tell only when you’re attacked. I need to at least know before they approach, so I can take some sort of countermeasure.” “Then, how about searching for the Master’s presence? Masters are mage. Since they use magic for a living, they will leak magical energy. If you search for that, you may be able to determine the Masters in this town.” “…Sorry. Unfortunately, I can’t do that sort of thing.” After all, I didn’t even realize the real identity of Rarity, who goes to the same school as I do. We were in the same building for two years, and on top of that, I’ve seen her several times. “Geez. No wonder ponies call me an amateur. The only evidence I’m even a Master is this Command Spell. It seems there’ll be lots of difficulties ahead.” I sigh. And then. “Storm. Could you close your eyes for a moment?” Saber speaks with a serious face. “…? Close my eyes? Why?” “To prove that you are a Master. Just close your eyes and breathe normally.” …I close my eyes. I feel something slightly touching my forehead. Hey. It’s prickling could this be the end of her sword!? “Saber? Hold on, are you doing something weird?” “…Master, please stay silent and concentrate on the tip of my hoof. If you are a mage, you should be able to feel my magical energy.” “Hm.” I see, so it’s Saber’s Hoof that’s touching me. I pull myself together and calm down. Then. What is this? “Saber, what was that?” “It is not something you should be asking me. You and I are connected by our contracts, so it is only natural for you to be able to understand my status.” “Understand? You mean, what happened just now?” “I do not know how you saw it. It is your standard that measures the Servant’s ability. Some Masters classify according to color, and some classify according to animals. So in other words, you perceive it in a way most comprehensible for you. This is a standard concept for a Master, so please check frequently. Like me, once you see someone, you shall understand their details.” …I see. I was a bit surprised since it was so sudden, but I might be able to act a bit like a Master now. “Master. I have simplified things, but that is all the explanation I can give you.” “Okay. It was quick, but I get it now. Sorry, Saber.” “…You should not be ‘sorry.’ If you understand the situation, you should be deciding what to do from now on.” She asks me, leaning forward. …I see. Saber is the same type as Rarity: attack first. “Well, we won’t be doing anything different. I don’t have the will to go out and beat other Masters like Rarity.” “Storm, that does not make sense. Do you not have the will to obtain the Harmony Grail as a Master?” …Saber narrows her eyes. They are the calm eyes of a swordspony who allows no disagreement. I stare back, trying not to lose, and clearly tell her my intentions. “I do. But that’s only because I don’t want anypony evil obtaining it. I have no reason to want the Harmony Grail for myself. But that doesn’t mean I will not fight. I’m a mage, even if I’m an amateur. I understand I can’t back out of this now. I know I can’t survive this without doing anything.” “Then you are saying you are fighting not to obtain the Harmony Grail, but rather to prevent the conflict resulting from the Harmony Grail?” “…? …Yeah, I guess you could put it like that. Yeah, I think that’s what I mean. I can’t put it into clear words, but such a fight is worth something, right?” That’s right. I don’t feel anything toward the Harmony Grail. But for a reason like that, I think I can fight with all my power and with pride. “…I do not understand. You say that you are a mage. Then you should desire the almighty Harmony Grail. Do mages not master magic because they have a wish they cannot make come true?” “What are you saying? I have no unfulfillable wishes. I do have lots of things I have to do though.” That’s right. So for now, I should try my hardest not to involve any unnecessary ponies. “Then you are saying you do not want the Harmony Grail? That you will not fight to obtain it?” “I didn’t say that. Since I’m fighting, I do intend to obtain the Harmony Grail.” “That is a contradiction. Why do you desire something that you have no need for, going so far as fighting?” Well, because… Winning means obtaining the Harmony Grail, and most of all… “You need it, right? So we have to obtain it. Yeah, I don’t know what kind of ponies the other Masters are. Some of them may be really good ponies. But I’ve decided to be your ally. So if you say you want the Harmony Grail, it’s only natural to help you with all my power, right? …Well, it’s only an opinion that I received from my father, but he said I should be selfish to become a superhero. It’s pointless to support everypony, so he told me to only ally with ponies I like and trust. I never thought that way before, but I think that’s how I should be now. I can’t do something like fight for myself. But if I can fight for you, then that’s good.” And to be honest. If this mare seriously yearns for it, it’s only natural to want to obtain it for her. …Well, I am a stallion, you know. “Then are you saying you will not fight if I give up the Harmony Grail?” “Hm.” That’s a problem. If Saber says that, all my premises will crumble. “…No, it would still be the same. I said I’ll fight. So I won’t run. That is for sure, Saber.” I declare while looking at her in the eyes. Saber does not answer immediately, but looks up at me after letting out a deep breath. “I understand. If you say so as a Master, I will only obey. My goal is the Harmony Grail, and even if your goal is to stop the conflict, our destinations are the same. But, Storm.” Saber Stops. With eyes that seem to be gazing upon something far away, “I cannot clearly put this into words, but you will regret it later on. …You will surely regret it.” She says those words. We’ve skipped breakfast and it’s noon already, so we decided to eat lunch. Saber can’t turn into a spirit like Archer, and I’m not sending her magical energy like all the other Masters are doing. It doesn’t need to be said that this is because I’m an unskilled Master. It seems she can sleep to stop consuming magical energy, but doing so doesn’t replenish it. So food will be her only source of energy. I’m in charge of cooking, so I can’t be lazy about it. “Servants take physical form using magical energy, right? Then… since you can’t restore magical energy, you’ll get weaker every time you fight?” I ask her after cleaning up our meal. “It does not mean I cannot restore any magical energy. Magical energy is constantly created within oneself. A Servant without any outside source can create magical energy using its own Magic Circuit.” “I see. Then there’s no problem, right?” “…Well, how shall I explain this? Hmm, let me use that faucet as an example. Water is dripping out of the faucet right now, correct? Please consider that as my magical energy being created. And the cup receiving the drop is me. In this state, I can accumulate magical energy slowly. Well, there will be more dripping water the more water the cup holds. As long as the cup holds some water, the faucet will create more. But when the water runs out, when I use up my magical energy, the faucet shuts off. There will be no supply of magical energy, and the cup will be forever empty. That means elimination for the Servant. Either to receive a fatal wound or to lose enough magical energy… Well, the latter rarely occurs.” “…But all you need is at least a drop of water in the cup, right? If there’s a bit water left in the cup, the faucet will create more water and fill the cup up.” “Yes. But the water in the cup is constantly consumed. It is lost without me doing anything, and it will be lost at a faster pace during battles. …To put it simply, a more powerful action requires more water. If I am to use my Noble Phantasm, I could empty out the whole cup even if it may be full.” …This is getting complicated now. To sum it up, as I, her faucet, am not giving her magical energy, she can only restore magical energy at a slow pace. The rate being just that of dripping water. Therefore, she should end battles as quickly as she can and sleep right after that to stop consuming any unnecessary magical energy. “Man. So the Noble Phantasm is a luxury we can’t afford, huh?” “Correct. But it does not mean I cannot use it. I should be able to use it once if I reduce the power I put into it.” “What are you saying? I can’t let you do that. You’re not allowed to use your Noble Phantasm, okay? I don’t know how I’ll apologize to you if it causes you to die.” I place the tea in front of Saber. “Hm.” She frowns and reaches for the tea. Then. The phone rings. “…A phone call at this time on Sunday…” I have all too good an idea as to who it may be, but I’m scared by the consequences of ignoring the call. “Hello, this is Storm.” “Hi, this is Pinkie!” “……” I feel dizzy. She is the strongest in one regard. She simply discards all the chaotic events that happened since last night, and I feel like it’s just a normal day. “…What? Sorry, but I’m busy right now, Pinkie.” “Hey, I’m busy too. I gave up my day off to teach my students.” It sure is strange. I feel like Pinkie’s right in front of me, puffing with pride. “I see. Then I guess this isn’t the time to be chit-chatting. There are no robbers or fires here. You can rest assured and go back to your club.” I try to cut off the conversation. “H-Hold on! I’m calling you, so it’ll be terrible if you hang up without hearing me out!” …I’ve been in trouble since last night, but it won’t do any good to tell her that. Well, I guess she’s in a little trouble right now too. “…Fine. So what do you want?” “I want to eat lunch, Storm. How about that sweet omelet you make?” “……” “That’ll be it for my order. I want it delivered to the archery range right away. Bye.” …Geez. What’s up with that teacher? “…Sheesh, I guess it can’t be helped. I hear beasts go wild when they get hungry…” I put on the apron I just took off. …Well, we have leftovers from lunch, and the omelet will be easy to make. “I’m done… Saber, can you watch the house for a bit? I’ll only be gone for a while.” I carry Pinkie’s boxed lunch and go out into the hallway. Saber follows me for some reason. I put on my shoes. When I look next to me… Saber is there, putting her own shoes on. “…Saber?” I call out to her timidly. …Well, I know what she’s going to say, but I have to ask her. “Um, well?” “I shall accompany you if you are going outside. Servants protect their Masters. It is too dangerous to let you walk outside alone.” …I thought so. Well, this is something I have to tell her eventually. This is a good time, so I’ll tell her now. “Saber. Masters try to avoid getting attention, right? Then daytime should be safe time. They won’t attack me unless I go to an isolated place.” “I am aware of that fact. But there could be exceptions. Since you are inexperienced, I should be by your side constantly.” “Wha…” Does she mean she’ll be with me all the time…!? “Y-Y-Y-You idiot. I can’t do that! First of all, what will we do when I got to sleep!?” “Are you testing me, Storm? That is the time that requires the most attention. I shall be on standby, right next to you.” “Wha…!” I hide my blushing face and take a huge breath to calm myself down. …Damn, how stupid of me. I finally realize this important fact. This is what it means to fight alongside her! “What is wrong, Storm! I do not think it should surprise you. It is just that I shall be doing as Rarity did last night.” …! Don’t kid me! I’ll go crazy before I even fight if you do that! “I-I can’t allow that! I’ll prepare you a room, so you can sleep there!” …Ugh. I won’t give in even if you look at me like that. “Please stop this nonsense, Storm. I have tolerated most of your contradictions, but I cannot compromise on this. Your plan is full of mistakes for a Master. I cannot obey you unless you explain your reasoning.” Saber looks up at me. She’s putting pressure on me, but I stare back at her. “I-I don’t have a reason! I’m telling you to just do so. It’s safe during the daytime, so go ahead and rest!” “I refuse. I cannot obey unless you give me a clear reason.” “Y-You don’t get it, huh!? You’re a mare, so there’s no way I can sleep in the same room as you…!” Saber freezes. “A-Anyway, I’m going to prepare you a room when I come home, so rest until then…!” I run out the door. Sheesh, this is pathetic, but I’m running away. And I’m doing it in front of my opponent, too! “…Geez, am I a kid or something!?” I run outside and slap my blushing face. …Well, anyway. Saber should understand since I told her so firmly. I’ll apologize for yelling at her after I come home. I go down the hill. It takes about thirty minutes to get to school on hoof. I don’t have to hurry, but I’m walking quickly right now. The reason being… “……” The mare walking silently behind me. She’ll follow me to school if I don’t do anything. I have to clearly tell her right here! “Saber. I told you to wait at the house. You won’t obey your Master?” I stop and turn to her. After glaring at me… “Who knows. If a servant is not following its Master’s order, it must mean the Servant did not hear the Master.” She turns away from me. I ignore Saber and go down the hill. Behind me… Saber is there, silently putting pressure on me. “Go home now. Do I have to tell you that it’s annoying to have you following me?” I glare at the mare who is walking exactly five meters behind me. “……” I don’t know what her problem is, but I’m just met with silent defiance. …Geez. I have no idea what she’s so mad about, but I’m sure she’s just obstinate. “Fine, do what you want.” I ignore Saber and walk on. I go up the hill leading to the school. This town has lots of hills, but this one is especially long. The school on top of the hill is high enough to be able to see everything in this town. It’s a bit past one o’clock. Fortunately, I don’t see any students around. It’s Sunday, so I bet most ponies in the clubs are still resting after eating their lunch. “…Well, that’s good, but I still shouldn’t go any further.” I sigh and give up. “……” I turn around. When I stop, Saber comes up to me and glares. …She looks even more angry, as I’ve been ignoring her this whole time. “Saber.” “What is it? I believe you told me to do as I wish.” “…Hm. So you only hear things that are convenient for you, huh?” “Of course. I am a Servant, so I cannot allow my Master to be in danger.” “Geez. All right, you win. I give up, so let’s go to school together. You should understand that the school is a safe place if you go there. And I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier.” “Huh?” “Well, let’s make up a story for you. You’re a relative of my father, and you came here to visit and sightsee. Is that all right?” I walk up the hill with Saber. “Oh… Yes. I do not mind if that is convenient for you.” “All right, that’s what we’ll go with. Yeah… you would’ve met them sooner or later, so it doesn’t matter if I introduce them to you now.” That’s right. Saber is bound to meet Sweetie and Pinkie if she’s staying at my place. “Oh yeah. I forgot to ask you, but where did you get those clothes?” “Rarity gave these to me. She said I will need normal clothes since I cannot turn into spirit form.” That’s unexpected. I’m not surprised by Rarity’s kindness, but just that she’d have such feminine clothes. “Then what about that armor? Is that back at the house?” “No. That armor is formed from my magical energy. I can remove it at will. It will immediately protect me during battle.” “Hm. So you can take it out at will?” “Yes. So you need not to worry. I shall protect you even if an enemy attacks us here.” “Yeah, that’s comforting.” Maybe because I’ve kept so quiet up until now, my honest opinion slips out. Saber does not answer me and continues up the hill. We reach the school gate. Oh well. I guess I’ll just pretend I’m showing a new student around school. “Saber. If anybody stops you, just shake your head. It’ll be great if you can make an expression like you don’t understand Japanese.” I turn to Saber. “Saber? What’s with that sever expression? Don’t scare me like that.” “Huh…? Oh no, I was not looking at you, Storm. I was just surprised at how strong the lingering magical energy is here.” “Lingering magical energy? Is that true?” Saber says so, but I don’t feel anything. …Well, I can’t feel any magical energy unless it’s really strong. “Yes. But it is not something to be surprised about. Rarity is in the same grade as you, correct? This is a place where a great mage has gone for over a year. I am sure she has a workshop, so some magical energy will flow out no matter how well she may try to hide it.” It seems the magical energy Saber feels is from Rarity. “Hmm. She’s pretty stupid for getting her magical energy sensed even before you went inside. …Wait, is she in there right now!?” “No, it does not seem she is in there. I should be able to feel the energy more strongly if she is. Nobody resembling a mage is currently on this property. …There is a strange feeling, but there is no danger.” “I told you there’s no danger here. All right, let’s go in.” “Oh, Storm? What are you doing? Are you in charge of her meal?” “……” A pony that knows you well comes in handy at a time like this. Lyra, the captain of the archery club, even figured out why I was here just by seeing me. “I’m here to deliver her lunch as you guessed. Is Pinkie here?” “Yup. Sheesh, you’ve saved us. We were worried because she was hungry and started getting edgy. The cafeteria’s closed, so we were considering going somewhere to buy her food.” “Was it that serious? Wait, were you thinking of going to Shop district by yourself?” “Where else can I go? We’re short on money already, so I can’t be spending money on emergency food.” As expected from Lyra, the mare who hates to waste money. In the archery club, anypony resting their hoofs and taking a break is sent on a grocery run as an exercise. …It’s a contradictory custom because even though it’s an exercise to rest your hoofs, you have to carry back a lot of groceries. “…That’s some misfortune. Here’s lunch. It’s a bit late, but go ahead and give it to Pinkie.” I hold out the bag. “Wow, a three-layered boxed lunch. It’s been a while since I’ve seen this. You’re good at doing small, intricate things.” I don’t know what she’s happy about, but she smiles. …Oh yeah, she’s good at mass-production. Lyra is usually in charge of dinner during our training camp, and she surprises us every time. The world of cooking is deep, considering how a curry with whole potatoes in it tasted good. …Well, anyway. Lyra only looks inside the bag and doesn’t take it. “Hey, just take the bag. Isn’t it a problem in there with Pinkie going wild?” “Yeah. If you think so, you should go in there quickly and give the lunch to her. First of all, you should know she’d get mad if I turned you away here. I don’t want to be chewed out by Pinkie, so go on in.” She points to the range using her chin. “……” She’s right. It can get scary later on if I don’t at least go see her. I’m not here for archery practice, so I can go home as soon as I give her the lunch. I give up and head to the archery range. “But Lyra, you should be checking if Pinkie has her lunch or not since you’ve been here long enough. It’s bad if the teacher starts looking at her students’ lunches.” “Well, I was a bit tired this morning. I’ve been busy lately, so I don’t have much time to spare. Well, it does no good to be complaining to you…” Then, she suddenly comes up to me and whispers into my ear. “…So, who is she? She’s really beautiful. Do you know her?” Her voice is tense as she asks. Yeah… you’d usually be surprised to see Saber. All the more if she’s coming into the archery range after me. “So? Is that an acquaintance of yours?” “It’s kind of complicated, but let’s say she is. …And if you can go ahead and tell everypony not to make a fuss about her when we go in, I’ll be indebted to you.” “…All right. I’m curious, but I like that condition. Don’t take it back later, okay, Storm?” I open the door. Saber silently follows after me and Lyra. We enter the archery range. …The range is as loud as a battlefield, since it’s right after lunch. “Pinkie! Bon Bon is saying she’s going to die of stomach-ache! How old was that cracker!?” “That’s just her side hurting! I ate it and I’m doing fine, so just give her some kelp tea!” “Tiger! I’m going to practice, so can you move the stove? It’s cold in the corner of the range!” “All right. Since you have some guts, go run around the range three times in shorts. Go and beat that rotten character of yours into shape.” “Pinkie! We have somepony bleeding over here! Candy Mane cut her cheek with the bow string!” “Hmm, you don’t have to go to the nurse’s office for this small wound. Just rub some of the aloe planted in the back on it.” “Ouch. Geez, why is this bow like this? I can’t put the string on well if it’s like this.” “Oh, there! Don’t push on the top. You’re still young, so get somepony to help you if it’s difficult. If you break it, your neck will be broken later on. That is, I’m going to break your neck for breaking our precious bow.” “Pinkie! We don’t have any powder! My hoof’s slipping!” “Oh, really? Can somepony go to the storage room and get some of the stock?” “Pinkie, we’re out of stock as well! I think it’s because you forgot to order more the other day!” “Oh, man. Then, the first years are to go to the baseball club and steal some rosin bags!” “Sheesh, she’s nuts!” They scream in unison. Sheesh. This place doesn’t change at all. “…Well.” I can’t be watching this hellish scene forever. “Oh, great timing. Hey, Sweetie…” I call out to her. “Storm…!?” Sweetie puts down the bow in her hoof and runs to me. “Storm! W-Why did you come here today? Um, could it be, um…” “Yeah, I brought lunch for Pinkie. I’m sorry, but can you go get that crazy teacher over there?” “Oh… Oh yeah… She was calling somepony…” “…?” I don’t know where her cheerfulness went, as she slumps her shoulders. “That’s it. Pinkie’s giving absurd orders because she’s hungry, right? It might be too late, but let her eat this since I made it. Oh, I’m sorry for coming home later last night. And thanks for making me dinner.” “…Yes. I’m glad that you say so, but…” She looks behind me. There stands a rainbow-mane mare unsuited to this range. “…Um, Storm?” “Hm? Oh, was I too late? I made some for you as well, but was it unnecessary?” “Oh, no, that’s not true. I-I’m hungry as well! …Um, I gave half of my lunch to Pinkie.” “Yeah, I thought so. I made your lunch so that you can eat it right away. It shouldn’t take that long to eat it. …Well, I don’t think anypony’s going to complain if that’s the case.” “Y-You’re right! I’ll have some then. Um, will you be here all today?” “Yeah. Since I’m here, I’ll stay here until the club is over. I skipped making dinner yesterday, so I ‘ll cook dinner today. Come and eat with us.” “Yes, it’ll be my pleasure. Then I’m going to go get Pinkie. Storm, please don’t just drop off lunch and go away, okay?” Sweetie goes to get Pinkie in a hurry. When I look around, Lyra is explaining things to the students that are getting rowdy from seeing Saber. Well. I’ve accomplished my goal. “I’m full now. The sugar’s flowing to my brain, so I’m finally up to par now,” Said Pinkie. The break room. Pinkie is munching on some sweet bean jelly as she drinks some tea. The only thing audible in the quiet dojo is the sound of arrows. It must be because Pinkie is calm now. “Um, Pinkie. I’m going to the range now, so excuse me.” “All righty. Oh, can you tell Lyra to come here? I need to talk to her.” “Okay. Please stay at your leisure, Storm. If you can, it’d help me out if you would coach me.” Sweetie bows and leaves. But when she does so… She looks uneasily at Saber, who is watching us quietly by the wall. “So, what are you gonna do now? The club’s over at five, so will you just watch until then?” “…Hmm…” What should I do? It seems Saber is looking at the archery range with interest. So I should… Stay at the archery range. Go to the student council room. Show Saber around school.
...Stay here.I can’t move from here. I’m not obedient enough to follow her words and run away. But I can’t go after Berserker either. I’m scared of going up against that monster. But no more than that… what can I do even if I go? “Damn… it.” I stand by myself in the dark. It’s vexing, but I have no way to fight. I can neither help Saber nor fight Berserker. If there’s anything I can do, it’s run to a safe place right now. “!?” I hear unfamiliar noises from the top of the hill… from the open area that Saber was flung into. If I remember correctly, that’s the foreigners’ cemetery. Saber and Berserker, Their fight must still be going on. “…!” This is my final decision. I… ...Head to the graveyard. ...Don't go.
