Fate/Irregular Summons

Chapter 17: Clash of Souls part 1

FATE/IRREGULAR SUMMONS

Chapter 17: Clash of Souls part 1

Inside Fuyuki Church's rectory, Soichirou sat on a sofa and quietly read a book detailing the mythology of the Princess of Colchis. It was evident from his conversation with Medea that he had no intention of going back to Ryuudou Temple, but he hadn't been specific about why he wished to remain by her side. It wasn't that he was deliberately being coy with her. Rather, he had been trained to exist as an indifferent being, incapable of showing emotion and affection for anyone.

Therefore, he had no wish of his own to seek the Holy Grail for. If anything, he was more interested in assisting Medea with fulfilling her wish. Seeing her lying in the mud on a cold, rainy night in the middle of February, some kind of strange compunction inspired him to save her. He didn't understand what was happening to him. Despite this, he became her Master so that she could live longer in this world, and he gave her free reign to do as she pleased so long as it brought the Holy Grail to him.

Soichirou wasn't sure of what Medea was doing right now, but he didn't let it concern him. However, he heard a pair of heavy feet step into the rectory, disturbing his quiet reading time. He glanced back and found Archer standing at the doorway with as equally an impassive look as Soichirou's.

"What are you doing inside?" the stoic teacher asked. "Caster told you to patrol the perimeter."

"I got tired of going through the motions," Archer muttered. "Besides, me keeping watch is nothing more than a formality. Caster's eyes are already trained everywhere, including on me. Don't worry, I have no intention of causing trouble for you. If I do, she'll destroy me via Command Spell."

"... Then why are you here?"

"I could say the same for you. There's no benefit in your presence here. If anything, it may wind up being a great hindrance to Caster's efforts."

"No benefit for Caster perhaps. But there is something... No, two things I seek to accomplish here."

"Two?"

"Naturally, the first is to have Caster find her salvation."

Archer sat down on the chair across from Soichirou and said, "Her salvation, huh? Her aim is to use the Holy Grail to set herself free from the constraints that her history has trapped her in. I wonder if the Grail can really accomplish something so vague, but are you fine with this?"

"That's not a wish," Soichirou retorted. "It is simply a duty that one carries out in the natural course of their life. If anything, her real desire is not freedom from her status as a feared sorceress. For all of the power she amasses, she still cannot accomplish her real goal... of just going home."

"..."

Both men became silent as they thought about Medea and her storied mythology. In particular, Soichirou closed his eyes and imagined what she would have been like as a young teenager, standing at the beaches of Colchis and staring out into the horizon. Archer let out a small sigh, then muttered, "So what is the other thing you're here for?"

"... Second Lancer."

"Ah. The irregular eighth Servant. Despite her diminutive stature and flagrant inexperience, she is still one to be feared. Are you saying you met her before?"

"I'm not sure," Soichirou murmured. "The woman named Caren Hortensia brought a little girl with her, and she clearly was utilizing a disguise through Magecraft. When my eyes locked on to hers though, it felt like I was engaged in a duel for my life. Are you sure that she's supposed to be a small child?"