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Radiant----

 

You were honest, prideful, and affectionate.
Your smile was as gentle and brilliant as the morning sun.
You were compassionate. You loved all that is good and believed in Justice.
Even though you despised conflict, you were unmatched when you wielded a sword.
The shining blade, which righted all wrongs in the world and purged all evil.

----A faeirytale prince.

 

Such a prince did not exist.

It was meaningless to seek him.

The real world was rather cold and ruthless.

 

We were raised under these doctrine, by our loved ones, by our teachers.

Or in other words, by the world.

The world was cold and merciless.

It was drenched in black, at best it was grey.

Princes or white stallions, those did not exist.

Dazzling dreams and illusions would not exist anywhere.

 

But we knew.

The prince existed somewhere.

 

That's right, we knew.

For him to have existed in fairytales, he must lived somewhere.

 

Yes----

 

We knew.

Brilliance (You) existed in this world.

Fate (You) existed in this world.

 

Parted at times, united at others, but one day we would be united.

Even if we were torn by the darkness of the world.

Shrouded in grey and silver, wielding a blade more radiant than everything

 

------ You, have arrived.

 

Fate/Prototype Argent Fragments

 

 

The dead cannot return.

That which hath passed is forever lost.

No matter how great a miracle,

It may only affect those who still exist.

The dying world shall be saved once again.

Heavenly Jerusalem shall appear once more.

The Kingdom shall judge all.

And from the hither shore of the roaring waves, seven heads and ten crowns shall emerge.
O’ you which hath sunken deep into sin.

Thy name is the Enemy.

Thy pursuits are of gluttony.

Thy praises shall morph into blasphemy and sweep across the land.
The miracle that nourishes this land shall be the foundation.

 

Henceforth I invoke the law of reversed logic, and show all the lost love of our Lord.

 

Holy Grail War.

That was the slaughter on which the magi gambled their wishes.

There were seven magi who gained the Angelic Ranks, and seven Servants.

The Heroes of the past who died of "unnatural causes" acquired the spiritual vessels known as Servants and were able to briefly materialize in the modern world. These Heroes then gathered with their Master magi and waged fierce battles that were beyond human comprehension, until there was but one left.

The time was 1999 AD.

The end of the past millennium.

At the promised land in the Far East ---- the latest Holy Grail War began in Tokyo.

 

Now----

There was a Servant standing before me.

Grey eyes.

Argent armour.

The strongest Servant stood beside me, the 7th-Angel of Rule, the lowest ranking Master, and vowed to fight in this war together.

The knight who vowed to protect me.

Sabre.

 

You towered over me at that time.

I gazed upon you, the same you from eight years ago.

Eight years ago, you stood by my sister, fighting at places I did not even know.

There was so much I did not know.

What happened to you?

What happened to father?

This Holy Grail War, what was its purpose?

What happened to my sister?

 

Sister---

Manaka.

 

The one who was more dazzling than everyone.

The one who fought by your side in that Holy Grail War 8 years ago.

I was young at that time, so I could not recall much now. However, I could remember some things.

 

For example, I------

 

 

Dazzling sunlight filtered through the gaps in the closely shut curtain.

Birds chirped on the branches near the window as if to report the time.

The feeling of morning. The darkness and coolness of the night disappeared like magic. Last night's "tomorrow" finally arrived as "today".

"MmmMmmm---"

Rubbing her heavy eye lid, Sajyou Ayaka awakened from her soft bed.

Sunlight. Bird song.

Although the morning atmosphere should be refreshing and comforting, Ayaka found it hard to love it since it came at such an unfortunate time.

(It's already morning.)

She could not deny that she really loved the feeling of the bed that had her body temperature. If asked she liked or disliked such a warm bed suited for napping, of course she would like it.

(The alarm clock had not rung yet.)

With a sense of anticipation, she stretched out a hand and reached for the alarm clock beside her pillow. Her head was still buried in blankets.

She liked the sensation of cold air around her right hand.

The clock was cold as expected. She pulled into the blanket.

The clock displayed year, month, and day. It was quite a high end clock. She received it as a birthday present last year. Although she wanted something cuter, she could not be bothered to complain to his bother. She had been using it for more than a year.

[1991]

After looking at the rarely checked calendar, she shifted her eyes to the time.

[6:14AM]

For girls her age, this would be a time to go back to sleep. Ayaka's life style was a bit different from normal elementary school girls. She looked at the displayed time with a somewhat bothered expression.

"... just about the right time."

She muttered to herself, while shutting the alarm of the clock.

The set alarm time was 6:15 AM.

It was certainly just about right. Ayaka felt she could not snooze any longer.

She slowly climbed out of her bed, and sluggishly removed her pajamas.

The morning air was real cold. Chilly. She reached for the clothes she put on the chair last night before bed, and quickly put them on.

When did she learn to change by herself?

At least since she was in elementary school. Then again, she could not recall anyone helping her change. Was it father, or was it mother who helped her? She could not really remember.

It was probably not father.

Even though she could not remember, surprisingly this she was certain.

"OK".

After changing, she stood in front of the mirror beside her wardrobe.

Everything was in place, looking good.

This top with bright red was Ayaka's favorite. The green buttons were certainly cute.

Looking at the time on the clock, she quickly combed her hair.

Since her hair was not that long, she quickly finished. Good, there was enough time. However, she was still in a bit of hurry because it was close.

(.... if I were to cook, I had to be earlier.)

Although she could change by herself, cooking was still an issue. It had been handled by father.

Many household chores were handled by father alone. Although helpers did come occasionally, for the Sajyou household with many forbidden rooms, father still ended up taking care of everything. Ayaka only helped with chores when permitted by father.

"Father should be awake now."

Father was still up late last night. Ayaka usually did not help in preparing breakfast. At the most, she would arrange the utensils.

She had other duties to attend to in the morning.

The scheduled daily morning exercises.

In other words ---- black magic training, both studying and practice.

 

The air in the hallway was much colder than the rooms. Ayaka's breaths were white.

She huffed at her hands to warm them, and walked to the washing area. She stepped on top of the platform father built for Ayaka and washed her face with icy water that was colder than the air.

The lightheadedness of morning disappeared instantly.

Her sleepiness vanished, and her senses cleared.

Ayaka wiped the moisture from her face with her towel. Mmnn, she nodded. She looked in the mirror, a lot of hair on her forehead was wet. It would have helped if she helped it up with a clip. Her reflection showed a sense of frustration.

"Don't make weird faces, Ayaka."

She nodded again, and returned to the hallway.

Then, something happened.

"Eh?"

A tasty aroma, was it from a neighbor's breakfast? Although bacon and egg were no stranger to the Sajyou breakfast menu, the aroma was like bacon, but also like some other type of cuisine. Since Ayaka was unfamiliar with cooking, she really had no idea.

What was it? Ayaka pondered as she walked down the hallway.

She turned after she reached the end.

Ayaka walked towards the garden.

After exiting the washing area, one needed to open the door to the hallway outside, walk along the hallway, and finally open the glass door before reaching the garden.

"Ayaka's house's huge", her classmates would say. Perhaps because she always lived here, she never felt anything special except when she visited the garden.

It was not just big, it was vast.

However, it was not obnoxious.

Even if she walked very far for school everyday, even if she had a lot of homework, she never hated coming here.

----- It was not a yard. It was not a park.

------It was a garden.

Thriving trees. Flowers. Dozens species of plants. And innumerable doves.

Recognizing Ayaka's silhouette, some of the doves flied towards her and congregated at her feet.

There were too many plants in it to call it a yard, but it was not sizable enough to be called a park. Ayaka thought calling it a garden was appropriate.

A long time ago Ayaka asked "why was it called a garden", father did not really provide an answer except nodding vaguely. Ayaka thus thought father did not name this place. 

It must be mother.

If one were to classify it, the garden would definitely be a greenhouse.

The wall and the ceiling were made of glass to maximize light exposure. During home visits, teachers used to comment that the garden was a countermeasure against the acid rain and making such a garden was a reflection of father's greatness. In reality, it was not even certain that any of that were the reason for creating the garden. It was not even clear if father was involved in making the decision.

"Good morning."

Not "morning", but "good morning".

Ayaka did not pay attention to the gathering doves. This was Ayaka's morning practice area. It was similar to father's workshop, with medicine bottles and mountains of tomes. Ayaka found her greetings reaching no one but the wooden wall.

"Eh?"

She tilted her head.

Father was usually here at this time.

Between six thirty and seven thirty, an hour before breakfast, Ayaka usually learned black magic from father.

This was Ayaka's morning lesson.

However, there was no one here.

"Father."

Maybe he was not there, but at some other place in the garden. She gently called out. One second, two seconds.

No reply.

Only the doves cooed.

"I am not talking to you..."

Think, was father not supposed to teach me black magic today?

Training was the daily lesson, and also father's teaching. A morning with nothing to do did not exist.

Ayaka was scolded before for forgetting things, so maybe she had forgotten last night father's instructions about this morning.

Come to think of it ----

 

"Something...."

 

---- Now.

 

"It's going to start?"

 

----It's starting.

 

"And so"

 

----We must participate.

 

"Ye....."

 

------It was House Sajyou's tragedy.

------No, it was a necessity for achieving our grand wish as magi.

 

"Don't talk to the doves, I told you before, Ayaka."

A familiar voice.

Ayaka immediately turned to the direction of the voice.

Besides the glass door at the entrance of the garden, stood the towering father. Because the sunlight was too bright from his back, shadow casted over father's face. Looking up, Ayaka could not discern his expressions.

"Father."

"Don't make a sound to the sacrifices, and don't talk either. We must not develop empathy with the sacrifice. Empathy breeds hesitation and leads the black magus astray. I told you many times before."

"... yes"

Ayaka lowered her head and nodded.

She remembered because she was told many times, but because of this it never entered his consciousness. Now she carelessly talked to the dove at her feet.

The doves were really close to her.

There were only several when she entered the garden, now there were almost ten.

"Doves cannot talk to people. They have no capacity for empathy, even someone as young as you should be able to immediately recognize that."

"......"

"It's for your own good, Ayaka."

She had been scolded about this many times.

The speech was repeated every morning, and repeated yet again.

Ayaka wished to meet her father's expectations.

However, the doves were so close to her-----

It was true that she felt a sense of resistance when she attempted to do it her father's way.

"Black magic and sacrifice are inseparable. The source of black magic's power is the suffering felt by the sacrifice."

This too, had been repeated many times.

The speech was repeated every morning, even one with a poor memory such as Ayaka could not forget it.

"I will work harder."

She murmured. She could not lift her lowered head. In her sight was a white dove pecking at the tip of her shoes.

"That's all for this morning, go ahead to the dining room."

----- eh?

She did not understand what she just heard.

Father never let her out of the garden before breakfast time.

Ayaka finally raised her head.

Father did not look her way. His sight was on the main building. Ayaka could not tell where he was looking, but the direction, it was probably the dining room----

"It's breakfast time. Go keep Manaka company this morning."

She came into the hallway, and the two of them walked together.

Ayaka did not ask anything.

Father's teachings were absolute, so she only replied with "Mn" and nodded. Ayaka did not mind replying "yes" to father's scoldings, but not asking the question "why" often wrecked her brain into a spiral that spun nonstop.

"....."

Silently, she lifted her head and stared at the back of her father.

Will he tell me what is going on?

Or will he not say anything just like this?

Ayaka did not really talk to her father about anything besides magecraft.

For example, father never replied any of her questions regarding mother. It was the same thing about the garden. He just vaguely nodded and dismissed the question.

But-----

"Manaka---"

Father said without looking back at Ayaka.

"She is going to cook breakfast. Sorry, do go accompany her."

"Big sis?"

"It's better for you to go compared to me."

"?"

It was hard to understand what father meant.

Ayaka tilted her head.

Usually Father, Manaka, and Ayaka spent the breakfast time together, so it was not unusual for Manaka to be in the dining room already. However, it was too early. It was only about six thirty.

"Big sis is hungry?"

After she finished saying it, Ayaka felt it was not quite right.

Big sis----

Sajyou Manaka, the elder sister of Ayaka who was six years her senior.

Ayaka felt it was special to have a big sis like Manaka.

Ayaka felt big sis will never say something like "I want to have breakfast earlier". Those were something a "normal kid" would say. Ayaka firmly believed that big sis would never say that.

Therefore, she did not understand what father was saying.

"It seemed Manaka wanted to cook."

"Cook?"

Ayaka saw big sis cooking a few times before.

However, it was only because father was too busy, not because Manaka wanted to do it. From what Father said, this time Manaka wanted to do it.

"Big sis said so?"

"Correct."

"Is that so."

Ayaka nodded obediently.

Although she felt this was unusual, but if big sis said so, then it must be so.

She would let us witness some flawless cooking, Ayaka naturally though.

Because------

 

It was because big sis was someone amazing.

She was cute, no, beautiful, intelligent, and could do anything.

"Ayaka, could you get the plates? And the toast?"

"Yes, big sis."

"Ah, not over there. You want the small ones because it is for bacon and fried eggs. They are like the one you broke before. Also, you want the thin-sliced toast, not thick."

"Ah, yes, yes----"

 

See, it was the same in the kitchen.

Big sis was swift and very elegant.

Although big sis substituted for Father a few times before, but different from this time, it was just to prepare the necessary things. She was skillful and efficient.

However, unlike this time, she was quick like a cook, without the beauty of "mother" in stories.

It was different now.

It was hard to describe. Big sis was great then, but this time the meaning was different.

A difference in character?

You could tell by looking the number of utensils.

Before, they had bacon, egg, toast, salad, and milk.

Now there were bacon, eggs, toast, salad, milk, kidney pie, cod and chips, ham and cheese, porridge, scone, red tea, and sliced peach and plums for dessert. 

The amount was so large they could not finish it!

No matter which one, big sis prepared it precisely and swiftly.

It was an awesome sight just to see her alabaster hands working with the knife.

She was only six years my senior.

How could she be so beautiful?

Although there were cute girls in elementary school, but big sis was different ------

"Thank you, Ayaka. Hehe, why are you absent-minded?"

"No, I..." She could not say "It was because you are beautiful".

"Is that so?"

 

Manaka was beautiful.

The kitchen was part of the grand hall of the castle, and big sis was the princess who danced and twirled there.

She cooked many dishes, and she seemed to be happy and having fun.

Ayaka could not remember what Mother looked like, but she must be like this too.

The sun shone through the window.

Big sis was dazzling.

She had always been like this, but this morning more so than usual.

Beautiful and radiant.

 

"The book says the people of the UK love to eat cod."

 

Although I am not sure if the British do ----

Big sis beamed while bathing in sunlight.

Pretty, so pretty.

Her smile was more beautiful than anything, far excelling pictures or princess dolls.

How long has it been since I saw big sis so happy?

The big sis who knew everything.

Be it studying, black magic, or math, big sis seemed to be able to do everything. Unlike me, who could not do anything right.

 

That's right, everything.

Doves.

Cats.

They would not stand there like I did.

 

I always thought big sis would not say something like "doing it for fun" or "happy I could do it".

But it seemed I was wrong.

Big sis is so happy right now. Smiling. Beautiful-----

 

"Ayaka, can you try this for me?"

"Yes, ok."

"Alright, open wide. "

I opened my mouth like big sis said. She picked a piece of fried fish with her slender fingers, and I took a bite. Although I do not really like fried food, but...

"How is it?"

"Delicious..."

It was really delicious.

Even though I did not like fried food, it was crisp and fluffy, not greasy at all.

"It seemed that the sour cream charm worked, if Ayaka doesn't mind♪"

"Charm?"

"The charm that makes dishes delicious. It is secret and much more powerful than magecraft~"

 

Father choked on his coffee and coughed.

Before big sis and I could say anything, Father said "It's nothing."

I felt Father was startled by what big sis said.

Magecraft. Curse.

I remembered too.

Magecraft existed.

Our----

"Well, something more powerful than magecraft, umm....

"What?"

"Father said before, there is one thing more powerful than magecraft in the world."

"So I used it."

 

Big sis.

Her face seemed to say, what are you saying, you should know.

She was radiant in the morning light.

From the cherry blossom coloured lips.

The voiced seemed to say----

 

"It was the magic of love~~"

 

Like the real Magic?

I thought, not knowing what it is.

 

"Love?"

"Hehe, Ayaka doesn't know. It's the magic of love ~ ~ ~"

 

Big sis whispered to me, but it seemed as if she was talking to someone behind me.

 

"It is more powerful than any mystery a magus has."

 

 

 

 

END ACT 1

 

 

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