Rider didn't show Shinji any kindness. She stood at the bedside without moving, her expression cold and unchanging, as if she were a lifeless corpse.
It wasn't until Shinji raised his right hand to show her the water stains on it.
Even when Rider was picked up and thrown onto the boat, she didn't say a word. Her face, slightly flushed but still icy and expressionless, remained fixed on Shinji.
"How did you know I recently became interested in silent characters?"
Shinji was puzzled but didn't dwell on it.
"Keep it up, I like it."
To Rider, this was a clear command.
But what could she do?
She was just a Servant, at the mercy of her Master, unable to resist and forced to accept her fate.
"Huh?"
Just as Shinji was about to bet his descendants' lives in a duel with this challenging Servant on his exclusive battlefield, he suddenly sensed something.
Feeling a foreign entity, like a fine needle, piercing through his barrier and slowly making its way to his room, Shinji didn't hesitate.
"Rider, disappear for now."
Rider was stunned.
What? We're not fighting?
...
Lurking in spirit form in a corner outside the Matou residence, Rider watched as Shinji, acting dazed, was silently and uncontrollably pulled by some floating thin threads toward a certain direction.
She could smell the stench of Caster on those threads from afar!
Ugh, that disgusting witch!
For some reason, Rider suddenly felt a strong agreement with Bazett's plan to prioritize taking down Caster.
As Shinji moved farther away, becoming a speck in the distance, Rider materialized, her fists clenched tight.
That witch must die!
Wait...why is Caster targeting Shinji?
They have no connection!
Could it be...
That woman is also one of Shinji's pawns?!
In reality, even Shinji didn't know why Caster was targeting him.
Maybe she made a mistake, got the wrong house while kidnapping?
Meant to take Shirou but mixed up his house with mine?
Unable to figure it out, Shinji hid all his mental strength, pretending to be under Caster's spell, letting the disorienting murals invade his mind.
Come closer~
Come closer~
Hehehe~ Come on, come on~ Closer~
The seductive voice in his ear was almost identical to a madam from those ancient TV dramas doing her business!
Shinji wanted to see what Caster had in store for him. If she really intended to do something, he'd have to reluctantly accept and go along with it.
But if she could implant these images and sounds in his mind, could he reverse it and invade her mind?
Acting quickly, Shinji carefully manipulated his mental energy, sending an almost imperceptible thread along the one piercing his neck, silently infiltrating her mind.
Perhaps due to Caster's overconfidence and Shinji's caution, Caster didn't notice the foreign presence in her mind.
Upon realizing his success, Shinji was delighted and began carefully searching for something of interest.
—like the live broadcast from that night.
Just as Shinji found the file among countless folders and was about to view it critically, he remembered something.
Could it be first-person?
The female's first-person? And the male is Kuzuki?
Thinking this, Shinji immediately severed the connection! He narrowly avoided experiencing Caster's perspective firsthand, shaken by the thought.
That was close!
He had nearly experienced a VR project from a female first-person perspective that he'd never even heard of before!
Damn!
...
At the Emiya residence.
Since Shirou hadn't rested well for several days, Saber had no objections to resting tonight to recover strength.
However, she felt regretful that despite collaborating with Rin and having two Servants, they were not taking the offensive.
Even without Archer, Saber believed they wouldn't lose with her alone.
As Shirou's friend said—she was the best among the seven Servants!
"Fine, since no one else is willing to test the waters, the best Servant should take the initiative."
Murmuring to herself, Saber took one last look at the exhausted Shirou before quietly closing the door.
Stepping out of the Emiya residence, Saber summoned her armor.
Once armored, she was a resolute knight.
Without hesitation, she swiftly headed towards Ryuudou Temple!
...
Meanwhile, Archer, given orders by his Master to act freely tonight, was patrolling within a few kilometers of the Tohsaka residence.
As he passed the Matou residence, Archer sensed something amiss—a feeling like spider silk! The presence of magic!
That man had claimed the Matou family had abandoned magic...
Archer appeared, frowning deeply.
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious that man seemed. Deciding not to hesitate, Archer became spirit form again and entered the seemingly unguarded Matou residence.
After searching, he found the source of the magical presence—the man's room!
Carefully entering the room, Archer discovered that the magic wasn't coming from Shinji, but from a thin thread extending through the window!
Looking at the empty room and the open window, Archer had a strange expression.
How does this ordinary man always attract the attention of Servants?
...
At Ryuudou Temple.
When Shinji noticed the chaotic historical slideshows and the madam-like calls disappearing from his mind, he pretended to wake up slowly, opening his eyes.
He knew the routine by now.
First, he looked around in confusion, mumbling, "This is...Ryuudou Temple? How did I get here?"
Then, as if just noticing, he looked at the threads binding him, his brows furrowing.
"What is this..."
"Hehehehe..."
The woman's laughter echoed around the temple, making Shinji want to curse—so loud!
Before him, a cloud of black mist formed, looking nothing like any righteous magic.
Amidst the laughter, the mist took shape, revealing Caster!
Seeing the robed and hooded figure with only her seductive purple lips showing, Shinji's brows knitted into a frown.
"You are..."