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Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver
Little Lady Arc - Chapter 3
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One of the multi-residential apartment buildings that is lined up
roughly close to the Sunshine 60 building, Toshima prefecture, Ikebukuro.
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A roof which shouldn’t have anyone on it.
A time, that’s already suitable enough to be called early dawn rather than express it as midnight. The building which held various business services on each floor is uninhabited on all levels, and it should have been the same with the roof as well.
However, there is one girl there.
One would probably call it, some kind of――――bizarre scene. The person who shouldn’t be there is there like it’s natural for her to be there, and it’s the same as the lance user from before in a sense, however the presences that came with them are different. If the one from before was an aggressive bizarreness which rips apart those who approach her, then what, is this? How should he express it?
At least for the Saber of this moment, he couldn’t find the words to compare it to. Arriving “here” at the agreed upon spot, he stares back, at the girl’s whole smile.
Saber: “Manaka”
Briefly, he calls the girl’s name.
Manaka Sajyou.
His master as a Servant.
A magus.
My sole Master, who challenges the Holy Grail War to obtain the Holy Grail with me.
Manaka, sits quietly on top of a camp sheet that’s spread out on one corner of the roof, she appears to have been waiting for me to come here.
For the moment, she has a huge basket and a portable thermos with her.
Manaka: “You’re here right on time. You’re so amazing, Saber.”
She says, as she pours black tea with rising steam from the thermos into a cup.
Manaka: “Right, I’ve just about finished making my preparations too. See, will you please be seated?”
Radiantly, she calls out to me with such a whole smile.
It’s like, like she’s a girl of marriageable age who came for a date to a huge park, and decides to play enough for an entire day off.
No.
It might be that I have these types of strong emotions for Manaka.
I spread out myself on the sheet. Like this, she hands over the warm drink to me.
Manaka: “I took you outside, I somehow exposed you to danger, and I was absolutely against it, but…...”
While tilting her head a bit, she smiles.
Manaka: “But. If I had known that waiting together like this would be something enjoyable, then it’s scary.”
Saber: “Scary?”
Manaka: “After all, it makes it seem like I want to go out again and again, even though I…….”
Saber: “……. That is troubling.”
I retort with my non-deceitful thoughts. It’s not that my body is shivering to the coldness of the night, although the hot tea is pleasant. As I moisten my throat with a gulp of it, I quietly consider, whether I should somehow admonish my Master for her very ill-advised words. Though the words didn’t come out immediately. After all, I’d just discovered with my body, the other day, that it wasn’t necessarily limited to sending my words from over here to my lovely and even pretty Master.
And then―――
Since it was still dinner, with that, Manaka opens the nearby basket, and starts spreading out the food she prepared.
There’s bread with lots of ingredients sandwiched in it, and something that was flavoured with salt and rolled up into rice―――
Manaka: “Sandwiches or Rice balls, which do you prefer?”
Honestly speaking, I haven’t tasted either of them before.
They’re probably dishes from the modern era. I haven’t heard of them nor seen them, in my homeland before.
Manaka: “Have you heard of the Earl of Sandwich? He’s Britain’s, no your future……no, if you look at it from now then it’s the past, uhh, just forget it, however that noble was the one who created this. The Earl came up with the idea of it because he wanted to enjoy his games without taking time out for meal times, and he was kind of a, a strange person, I think.”
As she smiles, Manaka gently takes out the bread.
Manaka: “So, this is well. A meal fit enough for a middle of a game.”
Saber: “I see.”
I bite into the item that had been handed to me.
It’s good.
It was an item with toast which had been fried brown on its front and back sides with ingredients sandwiched into it. The way it was made had fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and fresh lettuce inserted on either side of the roast chicken and cheese, which was then further inserted into the toast. The many juicy and fresh tomatoes, very much suits the meat and cheese.
Indeed, I can feel that it’s a matching item.
In the era that he once lived in, fresh vegetables were extremely precious items.
However, in this city of 1991 CE, there’s no one who’d speak that.
Manaka: “……. Good?”
Saber: “Yes.”
I nod, as I eat.
Although the Earl’s name hadn’t been attached to it, the custom of eating ingredients inserted into bread itself was something that had been passed down in Britain, since the time of Ancient Rome. Saber honestly nodded.
The bread which I eat like this, ever since before I―――
Saber: “I like it.”
Since way before.
I’ve liked it.
Those words of his were not a lie.
Saber who didn’t hesitate to mention that he was a king and a knight at the same time, didn’t rarely tell a lie.
So, for now, he’ll simply state the facts.
Manaka: “Just……now…….”
Manaka, is flustered?
Saber: “Hm?”
Chew chew.
As she stuffs the sandwich into her mouth, she looks at me.
Manaka: “Just, now, I guess…...”
Manaka’s cheeks flare up.
Saber: “Hm?”
Chew chew.
Next, I think I’ll try eating some of that rolled up rice thing.
Manaka: “I think, I’m just a bit overly self-conscious, I guess.”
Like I thought, Manaka’s cheeks are red.
This is better.
Yes, he thinks.
For example, this cruel behaviour of hers like when she told her father about tonight’s “strategy,” doesn’t really suit a girl her age.
This is better.
With the healthy red tinging her sweet cheeks. the radiance of a fairy and the brightness of a flower suits her a lot better than this.
Manaka: “You’re so mean. Saber.”
Saying that, she puffs up her cheeks as if to sulk.
Manaka pouts her lips.
―――A lovely girl.
‘Yes,’ Saber thinks from the depths of his heart.
Thus, I am compelled to think of the dangers of her throwing herself into the cruelty of the Holy Grail War. For example, it’s true that even now, in this moment…...The Holy Grail War has already started.
The first ever historical large-scaled magic war.
A mutual slaughter where magi who wield mysteries and Heroic Spirits who can force even the most powerful of physical laws to be subordinate to them will kill each other, but…...Even though it is, she had proved that she could safely go out like this, and so on. However, these actions are far too dangerous.
More than anything, she’s too overprotective of me ---- a Servant.
Until the very end, Manaka had opposed the idea of taking Saber outside. The other day, Manaka who was unyielding even to her father who was preaching to her about the vitality of tactics and strategy in the Holy Grail War, and how Servants were their fighting strength and the key to all their movements, had refused to expose Saber to danger, and stubbornly said this……
Manaka: “I’ll do something about it myself.”
And thus, there shouldn’t be any way for her to survive. If it was your regular magus, then they’d probably wouldn’t even survive for half a day.
But.
She, was special.
Manaka: “That’s it!”
Manaka: “I just came up with a great idea, Saber!”
Manaka who smiled as she said this, suddenly, spun around and proposed tonight’s patrol. In other words, it was an active patrol for the other Servants and Masters in this late at night city. Manaka and Saber would act separately, carry out intelligence gathering, and meet up with each other at this spot in early dawn. And then…... Of course, he had argued against it.
He had, but Manaka hadn’t listened to him.
Saber: “I confronted a Servant, just now. It’s probably―――”
Swallowing the sandwich, I briefly tell her. About the start of the Holy Grail War, and the previous battle just now. The encounter with Lancer, the fourth ranked Servant. And that after they had fought for a number, she quickly retreated immediately after having taken something. Whether the small vial that she produced is her “Noble Phantasm” is still unclear for now.
Manaka: “Hmm……”
Manaka only nods uninterested.
As Saber gently tries to scold her with an “Master if you are separated from me, then you mustn’t take independent action, if our positions were reversed, you would’ve been exposed to danger,” but she just calmly―――
Manaka: “Fufu, were you worried about me?”
Saber: “Of course I was.”
Manaka: “Don’t be such a worrywart, Saber. Yep, I wonder if its cause you’re kind. But don’t worry. I’d immediately know, if someone was approaching us.”
I try to smile and slightly say, “it’s not nothing.”
Certainly, I know that a barrier has been attached to this building with magic. Although he who is not sensitive to magic is there, it wouldn’t be difficult for a Servant to sense the magic of this place, after all they are beings who are standing here now because of prana.
There’s a barrier here. Additionally, it’s not a simple one like one that’s been made in a day. It’s a powerful barrier, fitting for a first ranked magus who holds seven feathers. If it’s a normal person or an average magus, they’d wouldn’t be able to come up to the second floor let alone the roof.
However, the Servants we confront are all powerful Heroic Spirits.
How far could they get through this modern magus’ barrier?
More importantly, the existence of a barrier itself basically shouts that “there’s a magus here.”
Truthfully, I think that Lancer had probably shown herself, because the magus who is Lancer’s Master had probably sensed the existence of the barrier that Manaka has spread over this building.
Saber: “No, it’s too dangerous. Let's say……yes, if it was Servant Assassin.”
Manaka: “If it’s about Assassin then it’s fine. I’ve came to an arrangement with her, just now.”
Saber: “Huh?”
Came to an arrangement?
Manaka: “It’s not like I beat her up. But, she’s, not our enemy anymore.”
Saber : “By, not an enemy. What do you exactly mean by that?”
Manaka: “That I took care of her, silly.”
Without any hesitation―――She said it with an expression that still had the radiance of a blooming flower on it. In that instant, Saber ponders on her words.
A single magus, against a Servant Heroic Spirit?
I, didn’t feel the unique presence of a Servant tonight.
The prerequisite knowledge the Holy Grail brings, right, imprints even the general etiquette of Servant battles into Saber’s mind.
A strange pressure like that of the one that I felt when I faced Lancer, if that is the unique presence of a Servant, then I can puff my chest out with pride and say that I didn’t feel the existence of any Heroic Spirits besides Lancer at this downtown area tonight.
Of course, considering if it is Assassin who has the “Presence Concealment” skill which allows them to erase their presence with their own mind then it is possible.
He himself, was also worried about it.
‘But, a magus confronting a Servant one on one, and coming out safe.’
It’s not something that I can believe so offhandedly.
Even so―――
Manaka: “It’s safe here. There are no Servants or Magi within 3 kilometres of the surrounding area.”
I can’t feel, the lies, in Manaka’s words or eyes.
It was her clear eyes.
It was her serene voice.
And there’s……such a loveliness, and, sweetness, in that smile.
Manaka: “Hey, Saber.”
There is some sort of passion, there―――
Manaka: “Since I took care of a Servant by myself……”
It was the radiance of a fairy.
The brightness of a flower.
However, would a fairy, or a flower be approaching me like this?
Our distance….
Is close.
As he notices her, the girl’s slightly florid cheeks were immediately right in front of Saber’s face.
Manaka: “May I have a reward―――?”
With a voice brimming with hope, Manaka said it thusly. Quietly.
Still with her gaze towards him.
Originally Posted by Arashi_Leonhart
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