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registry
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Iri's storehouse
Mirror of Kibisis
Reopening
Persimmon cooking
Rider, bicycle, and the jealous Sakura
The King's clothes are a swimsuit (waterfront king: prologue)
Saber lately
Afternoon light
The battle of today's menu
Sakura-san lately
Fuji-nee's persimmon feast
Towards the "splash"
That past is already
Caster's shopping (hobby edition)
Quo Vadis
Lancer
Lancer's Heaven I
Lancer's Heaven II
Lancer's Heaven III
Wabi-sabi-tsumami
Horn (definitely)
Horn (no echo)
Matou residents
After coming back
Return of the wise man
The big three female Servants' super-battle
Sea of memories
Bridge of eternity - right
Warrior's knowledge
Murder at the Twin Mansion
Spearman at work (flower shop edition)
Her holiday villa
For your forgetful self
Murder at the empty mansion
Caster's delivery
Illya strikes back!
Rider and the sandwich
The light on the way home
Great problem at the archery club
How about a training camp?
Crest fever
Sakura and deluxe lunchbox
Sisters' lunch
Educational guidance
The student council chairman is still going strong.
Let's go for lunch!
Fuji-nee's teacher form
Cat-tiger family rampage
Rin and Mitsuzuri on campus
On the verge of a dream
Plushie
Potato sorrow
Marron pie temptation
Rider, reading, and the jealous Sakura
Light-hearted promise
A guest from 5 years back
The trap of high-class ingredients
Sugar candy teatime
This is not Heaven.
Rider's errand, no return
Cleaning alone
Cleaning with everyone
Caster's shopping (good wife edition)
Mimic Tohsaka Lvl 1
Mimic Tohsaka Lvl 2
Mimic Tohsaka Lvl 3
Familiar kid
Angel and a diamond
Visitor
Suspicious pair
Makidera and Rin's pendant
Loitering on the way, main road
Towards the cultural festival
Caster's cooking practice
Dowsing housing
100 views of corpses
Respecting the countless servants
Iron and the second button
Gorgon's cellar
Selected for the King
Pool tickets and a threatening letter
What kind of wedding?
Sakura's memories
Autumn, sky, and a golden taste
Because I groom it twice a week
Mitsuzuri visits
Rin and high tech
Three girls one day
Killing and a fancy bear
Persistent cooking Caster
Successor
Bridge on an ordinary night - left
Two detectives
Mitsuzuri's revival
Himuro Kane's inquiry
Smuggling, fishing boat, round-the-world trip
Rin's magic lesson
Invisible servant
Sakura, Mitsuzuri, and the archery club
Mitsuzuri Minori
Snake princess in the evening sun
Lunch with the track-and-field club
Day of the festival
Praying Fuji-nee
Rider investigates
Adventures of Himuro Kane
A samurai and a wild flower
Dragon trance military history (??)
Pool and the Mystic Eyes seal
Penguin-shaped shaved ice machine
Level up?
Tohsaka exploration party
The secret to finger pressure massage is devotion.
Dreaming cooking Caster
Gossip between the two
Anachro-analog Rin
Border
Adventures around the maid
Sakura and Caster, united edition
Shin-chan and the sea
Blue Panther vs. Black Panther
Big trouble! The ancient legend of the resurrected supreme king inscribed in stone
Big pursuit! Two teachers, an elf, and an apprentice
Flip-flop 2
Flip-flop 3
School maid
On the way home
Crosswords and shogi problems
Training camp, approval
Justice and the kitten
That night: ghost stories
Curse collector
National treasure
A cat, a priest, and a stubborn teacher
Rin at the temple
monster
Ath nGabla
Final night
Good night
Hero of the bath
Sisters' crisis
The future is now
Airmail
Emiya massage
Quartet overture
Stray tiger
Dead Bridge (I)
Dead Bridge (II)
The things that suit Rider
In London
Peace and quiet (I)
Peace and quiet (II)
Peace and quiet (III)
Peace and quiet (1)
Peace and quiet (2)
Peace and quiet (3)
Ritual window
Kagetsu Tohya
Awakening (fake)
Awakening (not yet)
Silver thread
Decisive battle
Temple guardian
End of the four nights
Cruel teacher
One last drink
Execution appreciated
Those that give and take
The shore where he stayed
Choice sake - proof of the wild
Streets at night (patrol)
Streets at night (battle)
Haunted mansion
Tohsaka's advice
Haunted night
Good night - Illya
Good night - winter
No trespassing
Ghost Gossip
Ghost Gossip Glamorous
Hotel Einzbern
Memory
Twilight castle
Not yet
Reopening
A moment in the morning
Rin comes back
Wish.
Sisters' summer (apple)
Sisters' summer (lemon)
Medical medicine
A siblings' game
Waterfront king
Heaven's dress
(31)
unlimited blade works
heaven's feel
Caren I
Caren II
Caren III
Caren IV
Caren V
Caren (?)
Spider ladder
Spiral ladder
Reverse Moon
Holy Grail
Heaven's Feel Backnight 1 (church)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 2 (rooftop)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 3 (Dialogue Möbiuslink)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 3 (out on the town)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 3 (love)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 4 (Endless)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 5 (Void)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 6 (arm)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 6 (church)
Heaven's Feel Backnight 7 (Cradle Hollow)
Chaldea
Accel/Zero Order
Unlimited raise/dead
Let's Tell a Tale of World Salvation
17 - Night at Kageyama
I pursue that figure.
I pursue it, because this time I must meet it.
[He recalls Caren, surrounded by the Avenger beasts]
--That’s right.
Lest that night, yet unknown to me, happen once again.
I enter the temple grounds.
The figure is moving to the rear woods, as if to escape from me, or maybe to lure me.
...It’s alright, I can catch it.
There’s less than an hour to go until the date changes.
If I can catch it before then, the abnormality behind these four days will finally be made clear--!
My field of vision expands.
Past the tunnel of trees looms a familiar hilltop.
The moon tonight is annoyingly beautiful.
As if frozen by its shine, the silver-haired girl is waiting for me to arrive.
CAREN: --
SHIROU: You, are…
Lightning runs through my brain.
My synapses are running wild with deja vu.
I know her.
Was it once, or was it many times?
On an incalculable number of nights, Emiya Shirou has died in front of this girl.
...I take a step forward.
Despite all I’ve been through until now, I feel no hostility or wariness towards her.
Completely unarmed, I slowly shorten the distance between us,
CAREN: --Caren.
One final step away, I hear a voice.
SHIROU: --What?
CAREN: Caren Ortensia. That is my name.
A cool indifference, like that of a machine.
As if just doing her job. Businesslike and curt.
And yet, this girl’s voice,
SHIROU: Caren -- Ortensia.
rings through my chest like fine music, caring and sympathetic.
SHIROU: Ah… Um, my name is…
CAREN: I already know it. Emiya Shirou. As Saber’s Master, you were the winner of the Holy Grail War. I performed an investigation on you before I came here.
SHIROU: --You... investigated me…?
My mind fires up once again.
My sense of vigilance that had gone dull instantly forces me to keep my distance from the girl.
SHIROU: What’s going on? This is my first time meeting you, so why have you been investigating me?
CAREN: ...It is precisely because this is our first meeting that I investigated you in advance. Emiya Shirou. You do not truly understand your own nature. From your tone, it sounds as though you claim to be a harmless human.
She keeps a casual watch over me.
...Somehow, I feel intimidated.
She’s nonchalantly rude to me, yet I still feel like agreeing and apologizing to her.
SHIROU: Ugh-- No, I’m no… harmless, but I don’t really think I’m harmful either.
CAREN: You are conscious of yourself. That is good. Had you insisted you were harmless, I would have had to sentence you to hard labor… My impression of you has slightly improved, Emiya Shirou.
SHIROU: Ah… Thanks, I guess.
Completely indifferent all the way through, the girl only states the truth.
...What a strange power. Somehow, she makes me feel like I’m being scolded.
SHIROU: ...Wait. You’re throwing everything out of whack. Harmless or harmful, let’s leave that for later. There’s something more important right now--
There’s something I have to ask.
Caren’s identity.
The various oddities hidden in the city.
The truth behind this reproduced Holy Grail War of only four days.
SHIROU: Exactly who are you? Why are you investigating me? ...No, forget about me, what about the city? Why on Earth would you lead that pack of monsters here?
CAREN: Are you saying that I brought the monsters with me…?
SHIROU: W-What? I won’t fall for it even if you try to trick me. I definitely saw-- No, it wasn’t really me, but I saw you cover the whole town with those monsters many times. Stop playing dumb. It may fool others, but it won’t fool me.
CAREN: …...pazienza……
A quiet sound.
CAREN: Lord. Forgive this person’s thoughtlessness and rash remarks. ...While You are at it, quiet this anger of mine that is hard to extinguish.
SHIROU: Hah?
CAREN: ...Pardon me. I took up more of your time than needed. I had not anticipated that the winner of the Holy Grail War would be such an unperceptive human, so I could not help myself.
...I will answer your question. I am the person sent in order to investigate and to supervise you all. That is, you, the magi that participated in the Holy Grail War. My main purpose is to study the surge of activity exhibited by the Holy Grail that once again appeared in this town.
...Investigate, supervise…?
Come to think of it, wasn’t there someone else who kept saying the same thing?
No, no, more importantly, if she’s here to “study the surge of activity”...
SHIROU: --So you are… not an enemy…?
CAREN: If you do not think so, there is no need to treat me as an enemy… While I do pose harm, I am harmless to those who do not perceive me as harmful.
The girl is not lying.
No, this, in a sense, courteous girl may mislead, but would not speak an outright lie.
I have no proof, but I can guarantee that much.
SHIROU: --No, but…
The girl definitely brought those monsters along with her.
The fourth night.
The moment the moon approached the summit, just like it is now--
--Now, it’s the promised time--
SHIROU: …!!!
The air changes.
The tremors are reshaping the world.
The sky is black.
In an instant, that familiar hill…
Becomes a piled-up mountain of corpses, a hell on Earth.
SHIROU: …!?
My eyes are fixed on Caren.
Just like back then, the girl is shedding blood and suffering.
CAREN: Tch…!
...There’s a horde of them.
Those eerie monsters were being born here.
The piled-up corpses are, one by one, awakening and surrounding us.
...Hate. Hate, hate, hate--!
Howling becomes a chorus.
The almost inaudible low sounds are destroying my sanity.
It’s an awful sensation, like a centipede entering through my ear and rummaging around inside, tearing off my nerves.
SHIROU: …...kh. ...Caren, right? What are these guys? You are their owner, aren’t you? Can’t you tell them to stay away…?
CAREN: ...You are wrong, Emiya Shirou. I have nothing to do with them.
SHIROU: Mmph… Nothing to do with them? Really?
CAREN: It’s true. I can swear to the Lord, if you like.
Having seemingly recovered from the mysterious bleeding, she catches her breath and stands back-to-back with me.
SHIROU: Wai… W-What the heck, if you’re injured, just take it easy, I’m telling you.
CAREN: ...Right now, I shall prioritize your safety over my wounds. I am unrelated to them. No, they don’t have any interest in me. The only one their eyes see, no, the only person they will voluntarily harm, is you.
--I found you. Tonight as well, I’ll quickly--!
The monsters close in.
The immense hatred is directed at no one but me.
SHIROU: --Only, me?
The claws covered in entrails are clearly stating their desire to tear me up.
I know.
If I’m torn to pieces by those, this time, once again, I will--
SHIROU: ...That’s right, you too…
The same as those monsters, no, those monsters were born from her body.
CAREN: ...You already saw it, didn’t you? However, you can be at ease. I shall not be affected while staying here. No, these children will not make me change. The only ones that can alter me are the phenomena known as demons.
She says indifferently.
I hear the sound of rustling clothese.
Behind me, Caren’s red Holy Cloth of Magdala whirls in the air.
--SurRoUnd surRoUnd surRoUnd surRoUnd--!
Shut up already. Those grudges that you can’t get out of your stupid heads are drowning out the beautiful rustling.
--Obstacles everywhere.
I want to stay calm.
I want to talk to this girl.
No, what’s even more important right now--
--I want to hate those shadows more--
SHIROU: Huh?-- ...They won’t… affect you…?
CAREN: Correct. All the monsters here are dead. You and I can speak normally.
SHIROU: All the monsters are dead…? But these guys are still moving.
CAREN: They are different. They weren’t alive to begin with. ...Look closely, and you will see. These are nothing but forgotten remains. The power they possess as individuals is insignificant.
Remains.
They certainly do look like a scrap pile of abandoned machinery.
I wonder if someone threw them away here.
I won’t go so far as to say it’s infinite, but this pile is enormously tall. There are probably over a hundred million corpses, a chain of death that you’d give up counting the links on.
Won’t forgive, won’t forgive, won’t forgive, won’t forgive.
--But I don’t care.
These bastards have been invading my eardrums as they please for a while now.
CAREN: --Here they come… I shall protect your back.
Just survive somehow until the date changes.
SHIROU: --
There is an avalanche.
The mountain of corpses is crumbling.
A swarm of monsters, countless as the stars, coming to kill me and only me.
SHIROU: Ha-- Somehow, huh? Sure is easy to say that.
There’s no time to hesitate.
A switch clicks in my brain.
My peaceful self withdraws, and is replaced with one that knows of nothing but defeating the enemy.
--Lose it, lose it, you’ll also lose it--!
The change in my thought process went astonishingly smooth.
It was so simple. A manifestation of pure sadism kicks my solid reasoning to the curb.
SHIROU: Trace--
I don’t hesitate.
Frankly, faced with this sea of garbage, I have already lost my sanity, and…
SHIROU: On--
There are models for the weapon I will project scattered among the trash before me--!
A cloud of dust rises up.
The swarm of claws is rushing towards us.
Beastly daggers crawling out of every crack, in every direction.
Sparks dance in the muddy moonlight.
Narrowly avoiding the claws coming to gouge both of my eyes out, I end up nearly kissing one corpse in the face as I dispatch him with a dagger.
Debris from the crumbling wreckage looms over me.
For each one of their brethren that goes down, there’s another swarm coming to skewer me.
SHIROU: --Ha…!
I retaliate ferociously.
Three strikes in one second. Projecting twelve of the weapons at once, I shoot them all off towards the monsters.
SHIROU: --, --, hah, ah--!
My breathing speeds up.
It’s a limitless barrage of madness, an endless stream of lethal weapons.
The back hills are being carpet-bombed with malice.
With the enemies rushing at me, both my mind and body are reaching their limit.
SHIROU: --Ah, --haa, --ha……!!!!
But this limit is endless. For this night only, the limits of ability and the limits of physical strength are no longer connected.
My strength is left behind, and my ability shoots up with no end in sight.
The muscles needed to wield a dagger are long since overstretched and destroyed.
Yet my head is crystal clear.
The weapons I am projecting must be highly compatible with my own self, for not only am I not running out of magical energy, the speed at which they appear is not going down, either.
If this keeps up…
Thirty minutes is nothing. I can fight to the death.
The girl behind me is warding off the beasts just as well.
Like a snake moving of its own volition, the red cloth warns, rebukes, and forces the monsters to retreat.
SHIROU: Huu, haah, ha--, you…!
It’s gentle to the point of making me envious.
A defense that accepts the beasts while it rejects them. Sadism and masochism. Affirmation and denial. That girl is making something incompatible become compatible. Ha. I’ll pass, thanks. If I ever got wrapped up in that, I’d just melt from all that warmth.
A woman defending my back with all her might.
Thanks to her, I am still alive.
Thanks to her, the swarm of corpses around me is getting ever so smaller.
--You’re in the way.
There’s no real reason for it.
This woman has become irresistibly ▓▓▓▓ to “me”.
Now-- Kill, kill, kill, kill--!
A grand chorus repeats again and again.
A grand chorus repeats again and again.
A grand prayer cuts down again and again.
SHIROU: , ha--!
Everything’s perfect. Even faced with over a hundred million alone, I will not lose…!
--Hate, hate, hate, hate--
SHIROU: Ha-- Ah, hah, ha--!
Shut up.
Shut up.
SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!
Shut up you bastards, it’s the first time I’ve felt this good, my head feels like it’s roasting in a fire, there’s no end to the expansion of this tiny consciousness, more, make more, make endlessly more, make infinitely more, aaaaah, I’m so, so, so--
SHIROU: Ha-- Haha, haha, hahaha, ah--!
I’m so close to the climax, so don’t you dare stop me now…!
SHIROU: Ha, haa, haa, h-- ...ah, huh…?
The mountain of corpses is fading.
The impure air is clearing, and the muddy moon is regaining its innocence.
The dagger in my hand vanishes, unable to contain magical energy any longer.
SHIROU: ...They’re… gone…?
The date had changed without me noticing.
The scorching excitement that was burning down my sense of reason only moments ago is already cooling off.
I fall to the ground on my knees.
I’m exhausted, and can’t move a single step.
Reason, magic, strength. Having abuses all three, the outcome is hardly surprising.
CAREN: --Disgusting.
Standing in front of me, Caren has not changed one bit.
What is she looking down on me for? I’m too tired to work it out.
CAREN: But you have passed. At long last, the two of us were able to meet.
...I hear a voice from afar.
Is it Tohsaka?
I guess she must have felt the disturbance and come running from the temple.
Not interested in meeting Tohsaka apparently, Caren is about to disappear into the forest.
SHIROU: Wait. You haven’t told…
CAREN: No, this is it for our meeting. The present you can go no further than this. ...However, yet another gap is now filled. We can meet at any time now, if you so desire.
The sound of footsteps is getting closer.
Tohsaka is running along the forest road.
CAREN: Sweet dreams. Once you wake up, please come to my house alone.
Her silver hair is slipping away into the darkness of the trees.
The girl that introduced herself as “Caren” will never appear before me again.
If I am to meet her again, it will only be once this incident is resolved.
It will be our first meeting, and the first exchange of names.
SHIROU: --, ha--
Tohsaka’s coming, so it’s alright if I just fall asleep like this, isn’t it?
...I’m so tired. I just want to sleep.
Out of all the many others running alongside me…
Looking back, if Emiya Shirou has done anything of significance at all, it would be on this night.
I close my eyes to fall asleep.
I got past the night of the fourth day. When I wake up, everything should be back to normal.
OnLY yoU weRe saVeD agAIn.
...A faint imprint of the cursed voices remains on my eardrums.
But even that will be forgotten by the time I wake up--
summary
-She introduces herself and states that she's been investigating him as part of her role as supervisor
-He asks about her involvement with the monsters, but she claims not to be connected to them
-They are attacked by an endless horde of the monsters
-Caren states that the monsters are already dead and only interested in Shirou
-He fights the monsters with an uncharacteristic bloodlust, projecting Avenger's daggers countless times
-When the date changes, the onslaught stops and Shirou collapses in exhaustion
-Caren tells him they can now meet whenever he wants and disappears