After some exploration—I died countless times, but I obtained some important information:
Inside Ryudou Temple, there is a Caster wearing a mage's cloak, hiding the upper half of her face under a hood. She is one of the seven classes, the Mage.
Judging from the character art and portrait, the Caster seems to be a very beautiful woman, and she possesses extremely powerful magical energy.
Don't ask Yamada Masaharu how he knows; saying too much just brings tears to his eyes.
I charged in twice, and both times ended in a total party wipe.
I never expected even the Caster to be this strong.
Furthermore, after some investigation, it turns out her Master is a teacher at Emiya Shirou's school.
Through dialogue and exploration, I learned that the teacher and Caster are a very close couple, and it is said that in some time, Souichirou Kuzuki will marry this beautiful fiancée.
The teacher's strength is also super high. With his body enhanced by magical energy, he can actually go head-to-head with Saber. Logically, a human's abilities should be far weaker than a Servant's, especially since a swordsman like Saber is considered one of the best among Heroic Spirits.
During the clash, Saber was even crushed by the teacher, and in the end, the whole group was killed by the teacher and Caster working together.
Yamada Masaharu couldn't help but cover his face.
This is literally trading lives for intel.
Besides possessing powerful magical skills, Caster also summoned an Assassin named Sasaki Kojirou through some method to guard the gates of Ryudou Temple.
This Sasaki Kojirou is also incredibly strong, making the fight particularly grueling.
Therefore, wanting to breach Ryudou Temple and defeat Caster and the teacher seems to be an impossible task at the moment.
It looks like I need to trigger certain plot events.
...
Previously, Sakura had lived at the Emiya residence for a while, but later, because new guests arrived at the Emiya household, she moved back to the Matou residence.
"Good morning, Senpai. Is today's breakfast already done?"
"Ah, yeah, just need to tidy up a bit more. Good morning, Sakura. Fuji-nee should be arriving soon, so come help me plate the food."
This morning, Sakura came over to help with cooking, but Emiya had already finished, so he invited Sakura to help in the kitchen.
"Okay. Then I'll go help."
Sakura put her school bag in the living room and greeted Saber.
"Good morning, Ms. Saber. Did you sleep well yesterday?"
"Yes. Although it is a room I'm not used to, as long as I get accustomed to this residence, it will be fine."
...Oh, the two of them are talking.
Yamada Masaharu thought to himself.
Although they didn't speak at all yesterday, it seems Sakura is able to accept her after one night.
Sakura really is a gentle and kind girl.
"Senpai, sorry to keep you waiting. Where should I start?"
"Hmm, one large platter and four individual plates. The salad is ready, so go ahead and put it on the plates."
"Okay. Wow, today's breakfast salad is German potato salad. Senpai, you're going for such a Western style right from the morning."
Although surprised, Sakura still plated the large amount of German potatoes onto the platter.
"Ah, it smells so good. Senpai, can I taste some first?"
"It's fine, but it's still very hot. It might be a bit sweet."
"?"
Sakura took a piece of potato with her chopsticks.
"Hmm... Ah, it's really sweet. Isn't this the sweetness of onions?"
Sakura licked her lips and named the ingredient.
That close proximity took Emiya Shirou by surprise.
Although I'm used to seeing Sakura taste the food, having her this close makes me feel a strange sense of charm.
"Mmm, it's delicious, Senpai! It's already very flavorful!"
Sakura seemed quite satisfied, and she happily moved the potatoes into the large platter.
She returned to the usual Sakura.
With the previous surprise faded away, Emiya Shirou patted his chest in relief.
...Outside the television, Yamada Masaharu had a mischievous grin on his face. Is this guy really still that naive?
But that scene just now was really sweet.
It's not just the potatoes that are sweet, you know.
Look at Sakura's status panel; she already has 3 hearts. It's almost time to successfully complete the route.
Keep at it, Emiya Shirou!
"— — — — — Uh, wait, Sakura."
"Yes? Is something the matter, Senpai?"
"Sakura, your right cheek, let me see it."
Sakura's right cheek—it was hidden by her hair and couldn't be seen, but there were indeed traces of having been struck.
"Ah... Senpai, you saw it wrong. This, I just fell down the stairs."
...There is only one person who could make Sakura so evasive.
It's been like this for a long time.
Sometimes Sakura falls into an unnatural state of manic highs or depressive lows.
Emiya realized that it was because she was scolded by Shinji, and sometimes even beaten by that guy.
...This isn't something that started just now.
About half a year ago, there was a large bruise on Sakura's wrist.
Emiya Shirou discovered it was Shinji's doing, and he took a beating from the angry Shinji.
But back then, it was like this—striking a girl's face like this, that had never happened before—!
"— — — — That guy."
"Sen, Senpai— — — —"
Snap.
Emiya Shirou snapped the chopsticks in his hand viciously.
In reality, Yamada Masaharu, sitting outside the television, had almost the same expression, gripping the controller tightly, wishing he could smash it to pieces.
"This is too much; it makes me furious. Didn't he say he wouldn't hit his sister again? To not even be able to follow such a common-sense rule, that guy...!"
"Senpai, you've got it wrong. It's really not like that. I just got this from falling... My brother just bumped into me, and I fell down like this."
"— — — — Sakura."
"It really is just like that, Senpai....Also, please don't get involved with my brother right now. My brother has been acting strange since last night. He seems very excited, so maybe he might say some strange things to you, Senpai."
Sakura is covering for Shinji.
But since Sakura, who was the one hit, said this, Emiya Shirou couldn't say anything more.
[...Also, I know the reason for Shinji's strange behavior. Last night, Shinji went off the rails. He lost his qualifications as a Master and was berated as worthless by his grandfather, Zouken Matou. After returning to the Matou residence, Shinji took his anger out on Sakura, who was at home. ]
"— — — — — — — — Ugh."
Sakura knows nothing.
She knows nothing about her brother Shinji, nor the secrets of the Matou household.
Then— — — is it safe for her to still be living with Shinji in this state?
Shinji has not given up yet.
One can fully understand that just by looking at his vile actions towards his sister.
"...Um, Senpai? I'm really sorry for causing you trouble so early in the morning."
"— — — — Idiot. Don't say such things."
"...It's me who is causing you trouble."
Last night, when I was fighting with Shinji, I should have thought of this.
A way to let Sakura live as she normally does.
A way to keep her smiling as she usually does—I just couldn't think of one— — — —
...I'm very angry.
Yamada Masaharu is also very angry, wishing he could just give Shinji a good beating.
What good is a brother like that?!
Breakfast ended in a gloomy atmosphere.
For some reason, Fuji-nee didn't show up, and Sakura didn't say a word from start to finish.
Saber is naturally taciturn, and I'm not the talkative type either.
So breakfast was finished in a flash, and because Sakura had morning practice, she left for school forty minutes early.
"...Um. I'll be heading off now, Senpai."
Sakura smiled forcedly and put on her boots.
"Ah, yeah. Don't push yourself too hard at the club. You weren't feeling well before, so there's no need to be too serious. Just do some light morning practice, then step back and have some tea. If Mitsuzuri says anything, just tell her it was my instruction."
"— — — — Yes. I think the captain will be very happy about that too."
Opening the entrance, Sakura bowed and left the entryway.
She accidentally bumped into the door.
"Sakura, Sakura— — — —!?"
"Ah, ah~~~~~"
Sakura touched her nose, which she had hit head-on, and then sat on the floor with her legs tucked under her.
"Are, are you okay, Sakura!? Are you bleeding from your nose!?" Emiya Shirou asked nervously.
"— — — — Yes, I'm fine. Senpai, you saw wrong, there's no nosebleed or anything— — — —"
Sakura stood up unsteadily.
...In any case, that intense collision couldn't have just been caused by Sakura's carelessness, could it?
"...Sakura, your body is really sturdy. Seeing that bump just now, I thought you would faint. You look a bit unsteady today."
"Eh...? That's strange, I don't feel that way? That was just my carelessness, um, how embarrassing."
"..."
"Well then, I'll take my leave. Sorry for the rudeness just now, Senpai. I'll tell Fujimura-sensei that the breakfast Senpai made this morning was delicious."
As if to dispel Emiya's worries, Sakura truly walked out the entrance this time.
She certainly seemed to be in high spirits.
If one had to point out fatigue, it wasn't physical, but psychological.
"...And there's the matter of Shinji. I can't just leave it alone..."
Although he said that, he didn't have any clear means to act.
He couldn't discuss this with Saber, nor could he tell Sakura the truth.
...In short, feeling very dissatisfied about the fact that Sakura was hit by Shinji.
Rushing to the school, Emiya grabbed Matou Shinji and gave him a sound beating.
Before beating Shinji up, several options appeared:
1. Have a serious talk with Shinji about Sakura.
2. Have a serious talk with Shinji about what happened last night. (Regarding the fact that his Servant was crushed by Saber)
3. Beat Shinji up and teach him a lesson.
Does this even need asking?
Of course, I choose 3.
Seeing Matou Shinji beaten black and blue, Yamada Masaharu finally felt a sense of catharsis in his heart.
Pokeni seems to understand the players' feelings very well; there are all sorts of fancy options for beating up Shinji.
A beating is definitely necessary, and I need to make this guy remember it well.
"Don't bully Sakura ever again."
"Heh, she's my sister, it's none of your business." Matou Shinji retorted stubbornly.
However, when Emiya raised his fist, this coward immediately put his hands up in front of him and quickly shrank into the corner of the wall.
He really is a coward.
Although this guy is a Master, he is surprisingly weak, Yamada Masaharu thought.
However, even such a weak guy is a piece of trash, frequently tormenting Sakura, which is truly disgusting.
Every character created in Fate has their own characteristics and charm, but so far, on Yamada Masaharu's personal list of scumbags, Matou Shinji definitely has a prominent place.
This guy always likes to be with other girls, and even though he's a member of the Archery Club, he doesn't do anything, always leaving the Archery Club in a mess. He also frequently gets into conflicts with Emiya, making Emiya Shirou clean up his messes.
Not only that, but Matou Shinji also frequently hits and scolds Sakura; how can one tolerate this?
AI Model: deepseek-chat
If the Matou hadn't withdrawn from the Holy Grail War, Yamada Masaharu would have gladly killed Matou Shinji twice over.
After giving Shinji a thorough lesson, Emiya Shirou, on Tohsaka Rin's advice, invited Sakura to stay at the Emiya residence.
In the evening, Emiya Shirou bought a large number of daily necessities.
When he placed them on the table, Sakura was also surprised.
"Huh? Senior, didn't you buy too much? It feels like you guys can't use all of this."
Although Sakura knew these were for Artoria, she couldn't help but marvel at the quantity.
"This isn't just for Artoria."
Emiya Shirou said, "Sakura, it's not safe outside these days, so you should stay here for now."
"Huh?"
Sakura was stunned for a moment, then blushed deeply with shyness.
She asked happily, "Is that really okay?"
Taiga, who was nearby, also chimed in, "Stay."
She winked at Sakura, "Shirou must be afraid you'll get jealous, that's why he made this decision."
"Ah... Senior, what are you talking about..."
Sakura's face turned even redder.
But her eyes sparkled, looking quite pleased.
Just as Sakura was about to take a bath, Taiga, with a mischievous grin, revealed a piece of news to Emiya Shirou:
"Well then, I'll tell you something good. Little Sakura is an E cup, you know.
Impressive, right? She's grown about thirteen centimeters since last year, hasn't she?
You've noticed too, Shirou. Lately, Sakura's figure has become so hot, you want to hug her, don't you think?"
"D-Damn!" Emiya Shirou was so angry he trembled, wanting to beat up his nominal guardian.
"F-Fujimura-sensei!"
Beside him, Sakura covered her chest with her hands, her face red as a volcanic eruption. "I didn't want Senior to know, so I told you secretly. Why did you say it?!"
"Huh? Huh? Ah!?"
"D-Don't talk nonsense, Fuji-nee is really..."
Emiya Shirou lowered his voice as he continued.
Fuji-nee was knocked to the ground by Sakura's counterattack.
Sakura's face was completely red, and she desperately pressed her hand over Fuji-nee's mouth.
"Ha, ha, ha... Ah, that startled me. Little Sakura, I didn't know you were a fighter too.
Suddenly cutting off my breathing, even I was surprised, sensei."
"I don't know, please reflect a little, Fujimura-sensei."
Hmph, Sakura pulled away from Fuji-nee.
Hahaha, seeing this, Yamada Masaharu couldn't stop laughing.
How cute, why bully such a gentle Sakura?
But seeing Sakura's shy face somehow felt incredibly adorable.
Emiya Shirou's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
[Actually, Sakura has become much brighter too.
The first time I met her was four years ago.
That was after I met Shinji and went to his house to play.
Sakura didn't speak and hid her face with her hair.
...Although that habit remains, back then Sakura was really introverted. She always had a gloomy face, standing quietly.
Thinking about that, seeing Sakura now makes me happy.
Back then, the girl with a lifeless expression staring at the ground can now smile happily. It's a relief.]
...
...
Sakura had been in the bath for over an hour. Emiya Shirou thought that was way too long.
Should I go check?
1. Yes
2. Call Fuji-nee to check
3. Call Saber to check
4. Wait a bit longer
Bathing...
Yamada Masaharu gripped the controller, rolling his eyes upward as he thought carefully.
Do you even need to ask about this?
Of course, I have to go myself.
This option, in real life, would definitely get you beaten, but as a veteran galgame player, it would be a shame not to be there firsthand.
Often, unexpected scenes happen at times like this.
However...
Yamada Masaharu frowned. This is Pokeni, can we really expect such scenes?
Choose option 1.
"Sakura...? Hey, Sakura, are you in there?"
Emiya Shirou knocked on the door.
...The knocking started softly, then turned into rough pounding.
"Sakura...! Hey, if you're there, answer me...!"
His anxiety gradually became reality.
...It seemed bad.
But Emiya still couldn't barge in. He would have to call Fuji-nee or Saber to go in and check the situation.
—
"Huh? Ah, ah, Senior? What's wrong, why are you so flustered?"
"Sakura, Sakura...!?...Ah, nothing. It's just that it's been a while. Did something happen?"
"Time...? That's strange, have I been in that long?"
"...?"
Sakura's voice sounded quite dazed.
It seemed weak, drowsy, as if she had just woken up.
"...Sakura. I think you might have—"
"...Yes. Um, because it was so comfortable, I dozed off a little..."
"Y-You idiot, don't scare me like that, honestly."
Emiya slumped down in the hallway.
"...Sorry. Um, I'll get up right away."
"Coming out now... Honestly, falling asleep in the bath will give you a cold."
Phew, Emiya leaned his back against the wall, finally relieved.
...Worrying for nothing like an idiot. Anyway, as long as nothing happened.
A good bath and a good night's sleep should help Sakura's condition.
"—Thump?"
A sound of something heavy falling.
It came from the other side of the door, no mistake.
"—Sakura!?"
No answer.
On the other side of the door, there was no sense of anyone present, just like before.
Yamada Masaharu's heart skipped a beat.
"Tch...! I'm coming in, Sakura!"
Emiya rushed into the changing room.
There, Sakura lay collapsed on the floor, limp.
Unlike the beautiful scene Yamada Masaharu had imagined, Sakura was on the ground but still clothed. She wore a white shirt on top, and although she hadn't had time to put on pants, only shorts, almost nothing was visible.
However, concern for Sakura overcame the pervert.
Yamada Masaharu dispelled the wicked thoughts in his head.
"Sakura, Sakura...!"
Emiya Shirou picked up the collapsed body.
A soft touch came from his fingers, burning hot.
"Ah—mm—"
Sakura seemed unconscious, breathing painfully.
Her hands clawed at her chest as if trying to tear off her skin.
"Ha... ah, ah—"
Her breaths were filled with pain.
...It was hard to watch.
The body in his arms was limp and weak, her purple hair disheveled.
Just wearing a shirt, Sakura became a Sakura he didn't recognize.
The tightly wrapped shirt emphasized the fullness of her chest, making it hard for him to look away.
Sakura gasped, her chest heaving up and down, revealing her white neck.
Sakura's temperature was abnormal. Even after a bath, her body shouldn't be this hot.
And she—her fingers clawing at her chest in pain only indicated anemia.
"Sakura! Hey, stay with me, Sakura...!"
Emiya shouted loudly in her ear.
"Ah—huh, ah..."
The hair plastered to her forehead fell loose.
Sakura slowly opened her eyes, dazed, looking at Emiya's face.
"Huh, Senior...? Why are you here...?"
"Idiot, what do you mean 'why'...! If you have a fever, you should say so!"
"Huh...? Fever, me?"
"Who else would it be...! Feel your forehead, it's really hot!"
"Huh... But is it that hot?"
Sakura was still half-asleep, groggy.
"Alright, be good and listen. I'll carry you to bed right away...!"
"Ah...!? Senior, what are you doing...!?"
"Taking you back to your room. Don't move for now. Because I'm not confident I can control myself."
Emiya carried Sakura in his arms and walked into the hallway.
"Wow...! S-Senior, you're carrying me!?"
Sakura seemed startled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Uh—"
His chest... was hit with a powerful elastic attack, but he had to ignore it for now...!
...
After taking Sakura back to her room and covering her with a blanket,
Emiya Shirou finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"—Ah. Body temperature just over 37 degrees... What, lower than I thought."
He shook the thermometer and looked at Sakura lying in bed.
"...Sorry... It seems that if I get nervous and take a bath, my temperature rises."
Sakura apologized apologetically and hid under the covers.
"—Well, since you have a fever, it can't be helped. This kind of cold will be cured with medicine and a good night's sleep. Tonight, just behave yourself.
I've put water on the chair for you to reach easily. If possible, don't leave the bed. Going outside will make you catch cold again."
To be safe, Emiya added another blanket and turned off the light.
"Good night. I'll come again tomorrow morning, so get some good rest."
Emiya patted Sakura's head and turned toward the door.
But just then, Sakura grabbed him.
"Sakura...? Sorry, you're holding my clothes, I can't get out."
"Huh?"
As if she just realized it when he mentioned it, Sakura let go in surprise.
"S-Sorry, Senior...! I, I think I'm lightheaded from the fever, um...!"
Sakura sat up from under the covers, explaining desperately.
Even with the lights off, he could roughly tell her expression was bright red.
"—Alright. Then please, Senior, stay with me for a little while."
A gentle breeze brushed his cheek.
It was probably the wind from Sakura adjusting her blanket.
...Well, if Sakura calms down, he can feel at ease.
[If I do this, compared to what Sakura usually does, it's not even interest.]
"..."
"..."
In the darkness, only the ticking of the second hand was heard.
Although his back was turned to her, Sakura's profile just now still affected Emiya.
Hiding the feelings that surged up when he picked her up, he now quietly gazed at the clock.
...Thus, the silence continued, each thinking the other was asleep.
"—Senior, are you still awake?"
A calm voice sounded in the quiet darkness.
"Yeah."
Emiya nodded in response.
Sakura seemed satisfied with that and let out a quiet sigh.
"...Thank you very much for today."
Then slowly, she fell into a peaceful sleep.
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