Sword of Fate | Chapter 33

To save someone means to remove them from danger. To protect someone was to prevent the danger from occurring in the first place.

If he wanted to be a defender of justice, the ideal that Emiya Kiritsugu upheld and pursued, he had to choose.

Protect, or save? The many or the few?

He could feel it. A decision was coming.

You cannot save everyone. That was a truth that Shirou found he could not deny, not now.

In his pursuit of that ideal, Kiritsugu had lost those close to him. The man had never said it, but Taiga told Shirou that the elder Emiya had been married when they met. And then there had been the pained looks in the distance and the constant trips without explanation.

Shirou understood now. It must have been painful. But... even then, hadn't he locked the feelings away? Sacrificed them in pursuit of that ever distant utopia?

Would Shirou have to do the same? Would he lose those around him on the path of his ideal?

Could he?

...Or would the pain break him, as it did for the other Kirito?

Shirou snapped out of his thoughts. A glance at the clock showed 6AM. An hour had passed without him realizing it.

A knock on his door, then Kirito pulled it open. "Hey, Shirou. Sakura's here now, so-" He stopped as he saw Shirou's clammy face. "You alright there? Did using the Sword Skills do that to you? Because if it did, I don't think-"

"It's not that." Shirou shook his head and stood up, letting out a sigh. "I just had a... nightmare."

"Nightmare?"

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." The red-head grabbed a spare set of clothes and walked out of his room, Kirito stepping back from the door to let him past.

Shirou planned on just letting the dream be, but he had to verify it. He couldn't be Emiya Shirou if he didn't. "...Hey, Kirito. Did you ever kill a red-haired samurai on Christmas Eve?"

"No." Kirito frowned. "Why are you asking?"

A tension in his gut that Shirou didn't realize was there cleared up.

He shook his head. "No reason. Just curious."

It wasn't him then. Whoever that boy had been, no matter how much it looked like Kirito, it wasn't him.

But then who was it?

"Tell Sakura that I'll be out to help her in a bit. I just need to take a shower first."

"...If that's what you want, Shirou. But whatever you saw, you shouldn't keep it to yourself."

"It's really not important."

A pained smile crossed Kirito's face. "That's... usually how it starts. Trust me. Keeping information, no matter how small it might be, from your allies will only result in pain for you. Not to say that I want you to tell me now, that's your choice. But... think carefully on it."

That was strange. Did Kirito know what Shirou saw? Of course. It was his experiences, after all. But... what did he mean by it?

"Ah." Kirito shook his head, a smile on his face, when he saw Shirou's expression. "Don't think about it too much, Shirou. I'm probably just being silly. Go take your shower. It wouldn't be polite to keep your 'kouhai' waiting when she's devoutly preparing you breakfast."

"Wha- Kirito! We're not like that! Sakura's just a good friend!"

"So she's gone from 'just an underclassman' to a 'good friend' now, hm? Interesting."

Shirou let out an exasperated sigh and stalked off towards the shower, ignoring Kirito's teasing laughter behind him.

"More rice, Kirito-san?"

"Yes, please."

It was breakfast again in the Emiya household. Monday.

The usual three had grown to four, and were seated around the table eating amiably.

Taiga set down her paper and turned to Kirito. "So, Kirito. What do you plan to do today? Don't you have classes to attend?"

The swordsman shook his head, sitting down with his refilled bowl of rice. "I'm not attending at the moment. To be honest, I'm a bit of a NEET..."

A loud thud. Shirou had slammed his head against the edge of the table in exasperation.

"Senpai!"

Shirou groaned. Kirito's outrageous story grew by the day... yet remained entirely believable. What was it? Did he have some kind of blessing when it came to ridiculous lies? Charisma? No. Maybe it was that Harem Aura he mentioned. That would surely increase the gullibility of the opposite sex.

...No. There had to be a limit. Even Kirito couldn't be that ridiculous. Shirou could believe his sword skills. He could also believe that he was a hardcore gamer and anime enthusiast. But a Harem Aura? The line had to be drawn there.

"Shirou, you alright there?"

The subject of his ire called out in a polite voice.

Shirou raised his head and waved off their concerns. "I'm fine. Just... a bit light-headed, I guess."

It was an obvious lie, but at least it would save some face.

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