As the evening drew on, just as Shinji was about to speak, Bazett beat him to it.
"The body's functions have somewhat recovered, but I've lost too much blood. Full recovery will still take some time."
"I see," Shinji replied softly. "There's nothing we can do about that. Without magic, I can't help you with such things."
"That's alright," Bazett responded, her demeanor seeming to revert to its usual coldness.
"Do you want more?" Shinji asked, gesturing to the nearby rice cooker.
"Yes."
Bazett's face reddened slightly again. Being gently fed by a handsome young man was still somewhat embarrassing for any woman, even Bazett.
The second time Shinji applied medication and bandaged Bazett, he was much more proficient. He managed to avoid accidentally touching any particularly dangerous areas this time.
It was definitely due to practice, not because Bazett was awake this time.
Even so, once the bandaging was done and Bazett was dressed, her face was still flushed.
Even though Shinji's expression and eyes were devoid of any lewd thoughts, Bazett still found it difficult to look him in the eye for a while.
Hearing the rain outside, Shinji suddenly thought of something.
"Could it be today is..."
"Bazett-sis, I need to go out for a bit."
"It's dangerous outside," Bazett instinctively tried to stop him, her face still a little red. "Even though the Holy Grail War hasn't officially started, it's still unsafe for an ordinary person to be out at night..."
"It's fine. I'm just going to the convenience store. And didn't I mention? Even though I'm not a mage, I have a few small tricks up my sleeve."
"Be careful."
In the end, Bazett said something she didn't even understand why she said.
"See you later, Bazett-sis."
In a forest outside Ryuudou Temple, Shinji, hidden from sight, looked at the faint traces of blood being washed away by the rain with little emotion.
The blood traces indicated that Caster, or Medea, had been rescued by Souichirou Kuzuki.
Shinji felt only a slight twinge of regret for not intercepting them.
In reality, Shinji didn't need Caster. Beyond other reasons, just their personalities alone would make them difficult to get along with.
Cold, ruthless, and unscrupulous, Medea was a true villain adept at various schemes, something Shinji didn't need. He was already sufficient when it came to strategies.
It was just a fleeting thought that having one... no, two more Servants might make things easier.
Of course, Shinji wasn't so arrogant to think he could easily subdue Medea. If he had intercepted Kuzuki, Medea's nature might have caused many problems, conflicting with Shinji's goal of acting covertly during the Holy Grail War.
Shinji convinced himself of this.
Damn you, Kuzuki!
After cursing in his mind, Shinji looked up at the insect perched on a tree trunk.
Due to his concealed presence, Shinji wasn't worried about being discovered by the insect.
This insect showed just how omniscient Zouken was.
Therefore, Shinji always acted cautiously, hiding his true intentions as much as possible, fearing that one misstep could ruin everything.
Time to head back, Shinji sighed inwardly.
After all, staying wouldn't accomplish anything.
Should he stick around to eavesdrop at Ryuudou Temple?
Thinking of this, Shinji hesitated.
It didn't seem like a bad idea...
Late at night, upon returning to the Twin House, Shinji hadn't even gone upstairs when he saw Bazett, wrapped in a coat, leaning against the second-floor staircase with an indifferent expression.
Was Bazett... worried about me?
This thought suddenly crossed Shinji's mind.
Walking up the stairs, Shinji asked, "Bazett-sis, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just heard some noise and came to check."
As she spoke, Bazett, supporting herself with her right hand against the wall, limped back. However, she almost fell due to her unstable footing, but Shinji quickly steadied her.
"Be careful."
"Yes."
January 26th.
After three days of Shinji's care and her own recovery, Bazett was now able to handle some simple activities, like going to the bathroom by herself.
In the morning, watching Bazett slowly eating breakfast at the table, Shinji smiled. "It seems you're starting to appreciate the taste of food, Bazett-sis."
"Will you come again today?"
"Yes, if nothing comes up, I'll be back."
Bazett remained silent, perhaps unsure of how to respond.
"What's wrong?" Shinji asked.
"Nothing."
Bazett shook her head but felt a strange sensation in her heart.
In just a few days, this handsome, dependable young man, though ordinary, seemed to touch a part of her that she had been unaware of...
"By the way, even though you can move around a bit now, it's best to stay inside for safety. This place is the safest."
"I understand."
"I left lunch in the fridge. Just heat it up when you're ready to eat."
"Okay."
After finishing breakfast, Shinji bid farewell to Bazett, who stood in the yard, looking away from him with a subtle, unreadable expression.
"Take care."
Perhaps because it was her first time saying such a thing, Bazett seemed uncomfortable, her voice barely audible.
"Alright, I'm off."
Just as he was about to open the gate, Shinji stopped and smiled back at her.
Seeing Shinji's smiling face, Bazett once again looked away, her face inexplicably feeling a bit warm.
In the following two days, Shinji rarely visited Bazett except to bring food, medicine, and disinfectant supplies when no one was around.
With the Holy Grail War approaching, Shinji was busy preparing, unaware of the subtle changes in Bazett's attitude.
January 28th.
Morning, outside Homurahara Academy.
Recently, Shinji had rarely been home, so he was surprised to hear Sakura's soft voice calling him as he was about to enter the school.
"Brother, Grandpa wants you to come home today."
"I understand," Shinji replied curtly, walking past Sakura without looking back, his attitude so indifferent it was as if he didn't notice her.
Only after Shinji had walked far ahead did Sakura turn to look at his tall, imposing figure, her eyes filled with complex emotions she couldn't quite decipher.
Especially when she saw him greeting his classmates with a smile, her eyes darkened even more.
How does he do it?
Even with the darkness in his heart, he can stand in the light that I can never truly reach...