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Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver
Little Lady Arc - Chapter 5
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A magus who has been loved by mysteries goes to play with their family――――――
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――――Drip, drip, drip.
――――Lots of drops of water are pouring down from the tilted watering can.
The weight which I hold is quickly getting lighter.
The water permeates into the soil, down to the roots of the densely and thickly growing green Garden.
As she stares at her hands and the ground, Ayaka Sajyou breathes a little. Her white breath. Although the sun was already rising right above her, the air was cold. Even the light of the sun which was shining in here from the nearby glass walls, didn’t feel so warm to her.
As usual, watering the plants is carried out after my morning chores.
The time is a bit slow today.
I’m late today, too.
Ayaka: “My studies…….”
My magic studies. I should probably do them.
‘Yes,’ she slightly thinks.
Even if I try to think about it, the answer won’t come to me.
There are some things that I probably appear to have to do, either way it’s studying. ‘My magic studies, or my school studies?’
Her Papa is always saying that both are important, so Ayaka vaguely took it to mean ‘I probably should do it.’
‘Obviously, I must study magic because it’s our family lineage’s magic.’
‘Obviously, I must do my school studies because I’m a modern human.’
‘Both are necessary.’
‘Both are also a matter of course.’
‘Even without a teacher―――――’
Ayaka: “……….”
Taking a glimpse, I return my gaze to my surroundings.
Several pigeons are loitering around in a spot that’s a slight distance from my feet. As their reserved chirps make cooing sounds rumble from their throats, they’re peeping at my appearance.
‘My appearance. Peeping. Really?’
It might be my imagination, but I have a hunch that the pigeons are anticipating something from my own words and actions.
Ayaka: “No good.”
I mumble in a small voice.
Ayaka: “I, already gave you some food.”
My reply is met with a couple of coos and motions.
As if they were saying “I don’t care,” or “I didn’t even get anything,” they tilt their necks.
“Phew,” Ayaka exhales. Despite having broken the rules and called out to them, I don’t even think that the response that’s sent back to me will be somewhat stupid as this. I guess I’ll be glad if I don’t have to call out to them.
Ayaka: “Good grief.”
I exhale a sigh not at the pigeons, but towards myself.
I carry the watering can which has gotten light enough to hold in one hand, vigilantly in both of my hands.
I won’t make that kind of mistake again.
Yesterday, when I was giving water to the flowers and the green trees that grow thickly in Garden, I was just absentmindedly carrying the watering can which got lighter the more its contents lessened, not noticing that the weight balance was shifting each time it did, my hands carelessly let go of it, and……. My entire body got soaked in cold water.
Moreover, not once, but thrice.
My premonition where I was feeling that perhaps, or rather―――― it’s not one of my good points came true.
Certainly, I’m clumsy myself.
If I weren’t so, then yesterday would’ve passed unexpectedly casually.
That’s why, I won’t make that mistake again today.
Regardless of whether I’m clumsy or reckless, I must learn from my mistakes. I’ve always heard it as such, from Papa. I must be aware that my mistakes are a good opportunity to grow. I was probably told this countless times already. “Yes, countless times,” I nodded.
I won’t drop my guard. I’ll carry the watering can with both of my hands, and water it down to the last drop.
Ayaka: “Yep.”
Nodding, I return to the watering spot.
Deliberately ignoring, the gathering pigeons who had misjudged it as me having finished the watering.
After hanging the hose into the watering can’s open mouth, I turn on the tap. A sound echoes, of the sound of flowing water running through the water pipe and pouring into the watering can.
There, they overlap with the pigeons’ warbles.
Regardless of whether its firmly soundproofed, I can’t hear the outside noises. Is it an automobile on the main street?
It’s just, like I’m in the middle of a forest――――
Despite not knowing how it is like a real forest, ‘Yes,’ I vaguely think.
It was because after a little while I realized, ‘there’s no water pipe or service in a forest.”
Ayaka: “……. I wonder, if they’re not here again today.”
My grumbling voice.
It’s small enough, to fully disappear into the sound of the water filling up the watering can.
Ayaka: “Papa.”
I haven’t seen him since this morning
Same as yesterday.
Ayaka: “Big Sister.”
Big sister Manaka didn’t even show her face for yesterday’s breakfast.
This morning too.
Ayaka: “An important ritual, what is it?”
Being held in Tokyo here, is a large-scale magical ritual.
It is said to lead to the magi’s greatest ambition.
Including the Sajyou family, all mages from past to present have wished, desired and continue to have reach out to this great item. In order to reach it, the ritual must be carried out. In the middle of the night of the day before yesterday, her Papa had said that much with a serious tone, to Ayaka who was nodding off with half-sleepy eyes.
As she mixes his speeches.
An important ritual.
Papa, as well as Big Sis, are participating in it.
When I asked, “Should I also do something too?” Papa shook his head.
“You mustn’t get involved with the ritual, but for a while, please take a break from school.”
As he said that――――
Ayaka: “I wonder if I always be on break…….”
Yesterday, today too.
I’m taking a break from elementary school for the second consecutive time.
I’m always, in the house.
Because I’ve been instructed to, “Never leave the grounds.”
Although no matter how much she inquired about the reason for it, like “is the combat situation building up into a more chaotic state than first presumed?” or “did a Master leave?” or “Do we have to be careful of Assassin?” or “is there a knot already suspected in the Reiroukan manor?” her Papa who was just muttering some non-coherent speech to himself, never did give a proper answer to Ayaka.
Although she thought it was strange, Ayaka, obediently obeyed her Papa with an “okay.”
It’s not even, particularly, the first time that Ayaka had taken the day off from school.
There was the time when she was absent when she was completely bed-ridden with a fever, or the time when her chores had dragged on, or the number of times when she couldn’t go to school as the barrier had been extended due to Ayaka’s own poor skill. To that extent, I think that since Papa contacted my homeroom teacher last time, surely, I should do something similar and contact her too this time. Like when my daily chores dragged on, I could do it while concealing the magical part.
‘How did he contact her?’ I had a bit of interest, in that.
When I was absent with a real cold and fever, some classmates did come over bringing prints, together with some other people over for a visit, but nobody came when I was absent for my magic studies. And yet, when I went to the classroom the next day, my classmates would say something like “You were absent, are you alright?” The same things as when I was absent with a cold and fever.
Did he use some sort of magic, perhaps?
I wonder how he did it?
I, don’t really know. I’d go ask him, but Papa isn’t here.
He didn’t show himself during my daily morning chore hours. Yesterday, as well as today too.
Although my morning breakfast was prepared in the refrigerator, a memo with “Please heat and eat the frozen food in the microwave for lunch and dinner,” written on it, was placed on top of the dining room table. It’s exactly the same as yesterday.
I don’t really like frozen food.
But, I like frozen gratin quite a bit.
But, I slightly hate it, when I have to eat it over and over again.
Ayaka: “If I ate it, for lunch…….”
As if I’m talking to the pigeons beneath my feet, I talk to myself.
Ayaka: “What should I do, should I watch some TV…….”
The puppet TV show program that’s playing on the education channel is fun, and pleasant to watch every day.
But, I think it’s just a bit lonely, when I can’t see my classmates.
I also can’t meet with Papa and Big Sis.
To be absent from school, for Papa and Big Sis to go far away for some reason, doesn’t mean that I wasn’t lonely up till now. Papa especially would often leave home for several days for work.
But, it was rare for them to overlap.
Taking a break from school, all by myself in a house with no one in it.
I always water Garden immediately after doing my daily chores, like this, so that he won’t get angry about it even if I do have free time to spend until lunchtime.
Since I’m alone, nobody can say anything to me.
Ayaka: “……The Holy Grail War.”
While stopping the water that had overflowed from the watering can, I mutter, those few words.
“The Holy Grail War.” They were, the words that I caught from Papa’s speeches on that evening, the day before yesterday.
An important ritual.
The Magi’s great ambition.
The Holy Grail War.
I don’t know the details of it, and I don’t understand it.
But, there was something that even Ayaka could sense in it, just a little.
About a few things――――
For example, Big Sister.
Big Sis Manaka.
She’s way more sparkly than before, she’s gotten prettier too.
For example, my Papa.
Father.
He’s become different due to the changes in Big Sis, he’s, become a bit scared of her.
Papa’s speeches are somewhat―――――
Even though I have never heard of it even once, until now…….
Originally Posted by Nobody
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