Third Second Night

"Stop!! Saber!!" Shirou shouted as one of the command seals took effect and forced Saber to stop.

"Guh! Master what are you doing! Enemies are before us!" Saber shouted back as she was forced to obey the command of the master.

"No, Saber. They are not the enemy. They've saved my life." Shirou then turned his sight to Evander before he looked at Rin. "Tohsaka. I don't understand what is going on but can we stop this meaningless fight?"

"Meaningless fight? Hah! Don't let other masters catch you saying that Emiya. Holy Grail War is a sacred ritual." Rin replied as she crossed her arms.

"Holy Grail War…?" Shirou tilted his head because of his lack of knowledge. "Is this what it is? Saber, Archer, Lancer… is this all for the sake of a war?"

"Hmm?" Rin narrowed her eyes as she deeply looked at Shirou. "Haah You really don't know anything about the situation you are in, do you?" Then said after a sigh. "Let's go. We should find a better place to talk about this."

***

In the Emiya residence.

Rin, Shirou and Saber sat at a table and quietly looked at each other.

*sigh* "Archer… what are you doing?" Rin sighed and asked Evander, who was currently in the kitchen and was humming a tune to himself.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Evander asked as he placed a saucepan on the oven and grabbed some stuff from the kitchen and got to chopping.

A tick mark appeared above Rin's head. "Why are you cooking food… when we are in a hostile environment!" *slam!* then slammed the table.

"Ah… it is okay Rin. I don't think they will try to attack you. Besides, you haven't eaten anything since this morning, you must be hungry." Evander gave a thumbs up with a harmless smile and went back to chopping meat on the board.

**grumble**

Then came the grumbling from Rin's stomach.

She held her stomach as her face turned red from embarrassment. 'Eh?' Then she lifted her head as if she realized something.

There was another person whose stomach grumbled.

She looked towards Saber, who was sitting right across her with a stoic expression on her face as if there was nothing wrong.

"Uhh…Saber, are you hungry perhaps?" Shirou asked as he looked at his servant.

"No, master. I am not. I am a servant, I don't need food to survive."

"But that grumbling…"

"You must have misheard master."

'It can't be… right?' Rin thought. If she wasn't mistaken, the sound came from Saber. But she could be wrong too.

"Anyways. Emiya, since you are unaware of the situation you are in, I will explain it to you simply and tomorrow we will go see the overseer of the War to sign you up as one of the masters." Rin said as he composed herself.

"No! I don't want to be a part of this war!" Shirou said as he looked at Rin defiantly.

"Whether you like it or not, you were already chosen as a master. There is no going back. You can deliver your complaints to the overseer tomorrow." Rin said as she shrugged her shoulders.

*sniff*

Then a wafting aroma spread throughout the room and together with that, came an almost inaudible sniff from the person sitting right across her.

It was Saber. But her face betrayed no emotion as she sat there like a robot and gazed into distance. Shirou also heard the sound but chose to remain silent.

'This one…too? What's with the servants and food in this war?' Rin thought as she stole subtle glances at Evander who somehow found an apron with 'kiss the cook' written on it.

"Okay the food is ready." Evander said as he brought plates on to the table.

Saber's eyes sparkled as she looked at the food but no one pointed it out.

"How do I know this food isn't poisoned?" Then Saber asked as she grabbed the fork.

All the people knew that she was barely restraining herself from digging in the food.

"Try it yourself then. I am an Archer not an Assassin. Even if I had poison, it wouldn't be strong enough to kill servants." Evander said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hmm, that's a plausible argument. Then master, wait for me to check out whether it is poisoned or not." She nodded to Shirou and dug into the food.

In no time, the plate was cleaned and Saber was cleaning her mouth with a napkin. "Indeed, there is no poison in my plate." She said as she subtly looked at Shirou and his plate alternatively.

Shirou, who got the assignment "Maybe my food is poisoned. Why don't you try it Saber? I am not hungry anyways." Said as he pushed the plate towards Saber.

"Indeed. He could've poisoned your food. As expected from my master. A superb analysis of the situation." Saber nodded with all seriousness and grabbed her fork once again.

Meanwhile the duo sitting right across them had different expressions on their faces. Rin was speechless as she looked at Saber and almost forgot to eat, and Evander had an amused and a proud look on his face.

***

By the time the conversation was finished, night had passed and left its place to day.

"Then Emiya, see you tonight." Rin said as she put on her shoes.

On side, Saber was looking at Evander with pure focus, and some reluctance in her eyes.

Evander knew what she was thinking that's why, "Let's have a spar tonight Saber. Our fight being interrupted left a bad taste."

A little bit light dimmed in Saber's eyes. "I don't plan on partaking in a spar when we are in a war. Wasting mana might leave me vulnerable for an enemy attack." She said as she shook her head. The single strand of hair on her head drooped down, as if reflecting her emotions.

Evander put a hand on his chin, "Hmm, I guess that's true. Besides, if we spar I'll have to cook food again. That's a bad habit of mine. I always crave some good food after a spar."

Then, the strand of hair on Saber's head stood straight as an arrow. Light returned to her eyes as she nodded her head continuously. "Umu. Sparring is a good idea. It will keep me sharp for an enemy attack. I will wait for tonight."

'…what is this adorable creature?' Evander thought as he looked at Saber intently.

"Ahem." Rin faked a cough from the side to draw Evander's attention. "Let's go. Archer." She said a little irritatedly.

"Oh got it." Evander replied as he shifted to his incorporeal form.

***

After they've left the Emiya residence, the duo was walking as they made simple talk.

Then, from the corner appeared a girl with purple hair tied with a red ribbon on the side.

Rin stopped as she looked at the incomer, and the purple haired girl also did the same.

"Tohsaka-senpai…?"

"Ohh uhh good morning Sakura." Rin replied with haste.

Sakura looked at Rin first, and then looked at the place she was coming from. "Why are you here… Tohsaka-senpai?" She asked with a tiny voice.

"Oh nothing. I just went out for a walk." The. She noticed the bags in Sakura's hands. "Don't let me hold you Sakura. See you at school." Then walked past her.

Meanwhile, Evander looked back as Sakura watched them leave before walking forward herself. He looked thoughtful.

"Who was that Rin?" He asked.

"…Just an underclassman from school." Rin replied.

"Hmm, she is nobody important then?" Evander asked once again.

"Why do you ask?" Rin asked as she also got curious from the sudden questions from her servant.

"Well, she is probably gonna die in a few days if nothing is done."

"What?!" Rin shouted as she stood rooted in her place and turned to Evander who shifted to corporeal form.

"As I said Rin. My eyes are sensitive to supernatural. And I saw a lot of worms squirming in her body. One even took over some of her nerves. I don't believe anyone would feel well with those things in their body."

"Wha… what… are… you saying… Archer?" Rin who looked like her whole world was about to collapse said barely as she supported her body on the wall.

"She wasn't just an underclassman after all Rin." Evander said with a small smile on his lips as he carried Rin in his arms and disappeared from the street towards the Tohsaka manor.

"N-No! What are you doing! Let me down Archer! I have to save her!" Rin shouted as some strength returned to her body.

"Now now calm down a little."

"How can I calm down!! She's my little sister! Archer! Let me down. Now!" Rin shouted as one of the command seals lit up.

But Evander stopped her before she could use her command seal. "I can save her Rin. But losing composure right now will be detrimental instead of beneficial."

"You can save her…?" Rin asked with hope in her voice.

"Yes. I can. Tonight, not now. Whoever put those worms in her body will be able to sense everything, so if we do anything right now, that will destroy any hope of saving her. We just need to get rid of the one controlling the worms. And I have a plan. Just sit back and wait."

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Let me know your thoughts please~

And also… Tohsaka's thighs might not reign supreme…🫠

As always, comments, stones and reviews are welcome^^