7. Chapter 7

After lunch Taiga went away, and now only Shirou and Castere were into the living room.

"So, when do you want to start the cooking lesson?" Asked Caster.

"Well, if you want we can start even now." Shirou said as he turned and watched the clock.

Caster thought for a second and then said: "Sure, let's start."

*3 hours later*

After looking at the kitchen Shirou sighed and started to massage his left temple.

"...Caster, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?" She asked as she turned her attention from the plate that she had just finished to make to Shirou.

"We prepared different kinds of plates and you had almost no problem with any of them since they were very simple..."

Caster nodded at Shirou's words.

"You know almost all the basics, you just need to refine them... a bit..."

"And?" Caster then asked.

"Also you have to get used to modern cooking tools..."

"What is your point?"

"...How do you manage to make 'all' the eggs catch fire?" Shirou asked as he watched her.

"..." Casters stood still and remained silent.

"Caster?"

"...I... I don't know..."

"I... Just... I don't understand what is your problem with eggs... You even made those eggs catch fire... while they were boiling."

"..."

Caster herself didn't know what happened, she did not use any kind of magic during the cooking lesson and yet when she put those eggs in the pot they caught fire underwater, in truth she did not even turn on the gas.

"Ok, from now on I will be the one to take care of the eggs..." Shirou said as he watched Caster, he didn't know but he was sure she had some kind of curse with eggs in general. After some moments he turned and looked at the clock and said: "Soon I will have to go to work, let's stop here for today and continue tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure, and thank you for everything." Said Caster.

"I-I did nothing special, there is no reason to thank me." Shirou said..

'Once again Shirou you're being self- wait! I can use this opportunity to my advantage.' Caster then thought immediately.

"Didn't you listen? I thanked you for everything you did for me until now Shioru."

"...What do you mean?" He asked as he turned towards her.

"Did I ever thanked you for saving my life?" She then asked him.

"...You don't have to do it, I did it because I couldn't just let you there... it was nothing special, really." Shirou lied through his teeth. Shirou himself had said that day had been one of the most important days of his life, and Caster knew it.

"It may have been nothing special for you Shirou, but for me, it was a miracle." Caster said. "You know my story, you know who I am, and you know the things that I have done... and yet keep to treat me like a normal person. No one has ever done it before... no one had ever truly helped me..." Caster stood silent for a moment as she watched Shirou, then after she continued.

"Just like you, I was lost and left alone in this cruel world, but unlike you I became evil... I have been blinded by hatred. I hated the gods because they forced me to love a man that I never loved, I hated Jason because he forced me to betray my family and my country, I hated everyone because no one ever tried to help me... I hated myself for what I became and for the horrible things I did." Caster said as she looked down and watched her hands.

There was a long silence after that.

"But then Shirou, you saved me. At first I didn't know how to react or what to do since being saved and helped was something alien to me... but there is something that now I know for sure..." Caster then raised her head and looked Shirou in his eyes. "This short time that I spent with you was the most peaceful time of my life. I didn't have to fear being betrayed, I didn't have to fear being lynched or persecuted, and I never even had the thought of fleeing to save my life... I felt secure. You have welcomed me into your home with open arms, you treated me fairly, you never judged me, you are willing to fight the war with me..." She turned her head and watched the kitchen. "...and now you are even giving me some cooking lesson... I never thought once that I could find an ally or let alone experience a normal life ever again... I... Thank you." Caster said before she looked down again.

For a minute no one moved or said anything, they just stood there, they simply did not know what to say.

At one point Caster turned her back to Shirou and said: "Shirou, you should go or you will be late for work. Also, you don't have to worry, I'll clean everything here."

"...You're right, I have to go." After saying that Shirou turned around and started to go toward the exit of the room.

"Please, stay safe Shirou." Caster then told him moments before he got out of the room.

After Shirou got out of the room Caster sighed.

At first, she wanted to take advantage of the situation by thanking Shirou and make sure that he knew how much he did for her, by doing so she hoped that it would somehow increase Shirou's self-esteem, but then it ended in her making some kind of confession.

But after saying all of that she felt better, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her.

'Why do I feel so much better?' Caster asked to herself.

After a while she snapped out of her thoughts and she watched around herself, there were many plates to clean.

'Still, I have to clean the kitchen before Shirou returns home.'

'Today had been a really strange day...' Shirou thought while returning from work.

While working he could only think about what Caster told him.

When she thanked him he felt a happiness that he never felt before, not even when he saved her he felt so happy.

He knew that Caster really meant those words, he knew that in her past life no one helped her before... but right at that moment he asked himself another question... how could he know all these details from Caster's past? When she said that he knew who she was and what she did she was right, but he knew her a bit too well.

At one point he stopped walking and started to ask himself how he knew all those things... he supposed that maybe it was thanks to their connection.

'No, it can't be, I somehow knew who Caster after immediately I met her, when did I discover her story?' He thought. After a moment he decided he had to inform her.

(Caster.)

(What is it? You've noted something strange?)

(No, I just wanted to tell you something.)

(Sure, tell me.)

(...I know too many things of your past.)

(...What do you mean?)

(Well, truth is that I never studied your legend at school or in any other place, but somehow I know your story in all its details...)

(...You are telling me that you know who I am and what I did, but you don't know how?)

(Exactly. Until I met you I knew nothing about you, do you perhaps know why?)

(...Until we met? Could it be...?)

(...What?)

(Shirou, I too have something to tell you, we should talk when you return home.)

(Ok, see you soon.)

And with that Shirou began to walk faster.

When Shirou arrived at home Caster was already waiting for him at the ingress, after greeting each other they went to the living room to talk. When he entered he noted that there were 2 cups of tea on the table.

Caster sat down and immediately after Shirou did the same, Shirou then took a sip from the tea and noted that Caster copied his recipe perfectly.

"Shirou, you know what is this?" Asked Caster before taking out a strange blade.

Shirou remembered that he already saw that blade, it was the only possession that Caster had when he found her.

"Yes, it's Rule Breaker, It's your Noble Phantasm and is capable of dispelling and destroying any kind of magecraft." Shirou naturally said.

"Huh, very good." Caster said impressed. "Now tell me, how do you know it? Where did you find these information?" Caster asked as she leaned a bit toward him and carefully studied him.

"How do I... know?" Shirou said confusedly and surprised. Really, how did he know?

"Shirou, I know that you are now confused, but tell me, do you remember what kind of incarnation you are?"

"I am the reincarnation of Sword..." Shirou said slowly.

"Yes, and what you are familiars with?"

Shirou froze, he then raised his head and asked: "You are telling me that I found all those information... by seeing your blade?"

"Exactly. You now know all the details and powers of this blade, its history, the history of the owner, and the things the owner did with it." After saying it she stopped for a second and then she asked: "Now, do you know how we will use this ability of yours?" Caster then asked him as her eyes became sharper.

"I will be able to discover the others heroic spirits' identities, I just need to see their weapon..." Shirou said as he realized the tremendous advantage that it could give them during the war.

"Yes, and with my abilities, we will be able to observe them just from our base, without even the need of approaching them." She said with a sly smile.

"Then after I discover their identities we will search and find their weakness to exploit it if they have one. If everything will go well the war may end very soon." Shirou concluded.

"You're right, but I have to remind you that if we are lucky we will be able to find the other Masters before they summon their Servants, the war may end before it even starts."

"...Good!" Shirou said after a moment while frowning. "Since they are willing to do everything to win, why we should be any different?" Shirou asked as a wave of cold anger started to rose in him.

'Perfect.' Thought Caster as a smile appeared on her face.

She could see that in Shirou's eyes there was no trace of hesitation. She knew that Shirou desired to end the war as soon as possible, and he will do 'everything' in his power to do so.

"Shirou, now I have to ask you to analyze my Noble Phantasm."

"Ehm, sure." He simply said.

Caster handed him her blade and Shirou started to analyze it, and after a bit, he returned it to her. He had already analyzed in a half-assed way weeks ago, but now his analysis was more deep and precise since he went throughout all and 7 septs: Judging the concept of creation, hypothesizing the basic structure, duplicating the composition material, imitating the skill of its making, sympathizing with the experience of its growth, reproducing the accumulated years and excelling every manufacturing process.

"Done... why did you make me analyze it?" He asked curiously.

"Because I want you to try and project it, tomo-"

"What?!" Shirou said surprised and then he remained silent for a couple of seconds. "Caster... I'm sorry but I'm not capable of projecting a Noble Phantasm... it's impossible..."

"...Shirou, in truth there is something that I never told you about yourself..." She started to say.

"...What is it?"

"...You have a Reality Marble." She told him bluntly.

"I have... a Reality Marble?" Shirou asked confused.

"Yes, you have."

"...You mean the same innate bounded field that only the Daemons, the Dead Apostle Ancestors, and other powerful monsters possess?"

"Exactly."

Shirou remained silent for over a minute as he remembered all the lessons about bounded fields that he had with Caster, he had started to find it strange that Caster taught him about these inner worlds every time they had a lesson about magic.

"Why you didn't tell me earlier?" He then asked.

"It's because even as a mage from the Age of Gods I don't know much about Reality Marbles other than the basic things, and at first I wanted to avoid the matter because I thought that you would not be able to use it... that until you started your projections." Caster said.

"What about my projections?" Shirou asked confused.

"They are not normal projections Shirou, what you do in reality is not creating them, but you take the blades from the place where they are created. You understand what I mean?"

"You're saying that I'm taking my projections from my Reality Marble? So I do not create them, but I summon them from my Inner World?"

"Exactly, and now I'm wondering if your Reality Marble is capable of copying Noble Phantasm."

"Huh... Well, there is only one way to discover it."

Shirou then closed his eyes, stretched out his arm, and said: "Trace-"

"STOP!" Screamed Caster as she slammed her hands on the table.

"W-What?" Asked Shirou a bit startled.

"FOOL! Don't you remember that you can't yet control your improved circuits?! You'll kill yourself!"

"S-Sorry, I forgot I-" Shirou started to say, knowing that he had a Reality Marble shocked him and made him forget that he had yet to control his circuits, but he stopped talking when Caster got up and went towards him. "C-Caster?" He started to say.

"Quick, take off your shirt!" She ordered him.

Caster was in front of him, now Shirou could see that Caster had a worried and angry expression, but in the same moment Caster lifted his shirt and placed her hand on his chest.

After about 15 seconds Caster took off her hand from him and sighed with relief.

Then she started to strongly pinch Shirou's cheek.

"Shirou you stupid moron! Do you realize that now you could have killed yourself if you used your circuits!? You are lucky that I stopped you and that you had your protective amulet on, or now your circuits would have fried you right now!"

"I-I'm sorry! I will be more careful from now on!" Shirou said as he was powerless in front of Caster's fury.

"I hope that you will!" Caster said before she let go Shirou's cheek, who in the meantime became incredibly red. Shirou then started to massage his now sore cheek.

"By the gods Shirou, how do you want to fight in the war if you kill yourself before it even starts?" She then asked him.

"...Sorry."

"...It's okay, I should have told you tomorrow." Caster sighed before she turned to look at the clock. "Now it's almost time for dinner... may I help you with something?"

"S-Sure, do you have any preference?"

"Hmmm, what about-"

After they prepared dinner nothing much happened, they ate and after that they both went into their respective rooms.

After half hour Shirou fell asleep and Caster was now in his room observing him.

She kneeled and placed her hand on Shirou's chest and started to calibrate his circuits with her magic, that way he will be able to safely use magic by the next morning. As she did she noted that the Fae artifact was already doing it on its own, it even aided her to adapt the new improved circuits in Shirou's body... the artifact was amazing, she really wanted to know what it could do at its full power.

Now she wanted, and needed, Shirou to be ready soon as possible since she didn't know when and where the next Servant will be summoned, and she was not yet in any conditions to fight it.

If she should ever discover that an enemy Servant was coming for them she would immediately form a contract with Shirou, he then would not be able to summon his Servant, but at least they wouldn't die and there would be a Servant in less in this war. It was a win-win situation no matter how you tried to look at it.

After calibrating Shirou's circuits for almost all night long, and then leaving the Fae artifact to finish the job, she got out of the room and went to her workshop to prepare other familiars to send all around Fuyuki, that way she could control everyone and everything that entered the city.

Caster also increased the numbers of familiars controlling the 2 mage houses, if she should ever discover that one of the inhabitants was a Master she would raid their place as fast as she could... without letting Shirou know of course.

She did not care about Sakura, Caster did not hate her or saw her as an enemy, but if she discovered that the girl was a master she would take 'care' of her... also she didn't know why but recently the girl gave her a very strange and 'familiar' feeling.

It was morning and Shirou just woke up, he had yet to recover his senses, but he could already feel the immense power flowing into his circuits, and he was sure that he could start to use them.

After going through his usual morning routine he was now into the kitchen, and thankfully Caster was not there.

...Not that he disliked her cooking, but she still had to make many, many, improvements to do. If Caster was a master of the arcane arts or not mattered little in "his" kitchen.

After he started to cook Caster entered the living-room and sat down at the table.

"Good morning Shirou."

"Good morning Caster, what are today's plans?"

"After breakfast we will start to see how well you can use your improved circuits, and if everything is alright we will see if your Reality Marble is capable of copying Noble Phantasm."

"...Do you think that my Reality Marble is capable of doing it?" Shirou asked as he turned toward her.

"As I told you yesterday, I don't know what your Reality Marble is capable of. Every Reality Marble is unique to its user and the only thing that they have in common is that they are so powerful that they can bend reality itself. Normally one would not be able to use its power without many decades of training, but somehow you can already use it in part. You can summon weapons from it without the need to manifest your separate word, maybe it's because you are the Incarnation of Sword or something else, I'm not sure about it."

After breakfast Caster took Shirou inside of her workshop.

Before they started anything Caster wanted to analyze Shirou and make sure that he could be able to use magic, and just like she expected Shirou was already able to use magic without any problem, he could not yet use his circuits at their full power, not that now he needed to.

After a while she had drew and put Shirou inside of a magic circle.

"Caster, can you tell me why you put me inside of this circle?" Shirou asked as he watched the circle.

"I don't know what will happen when you will try to recreate my Noble Phantasm, that circle will make sure that no matter what, nothing bad will happen to you."

"...Then can I start?" He then asked.

"Sure, but remember to concentrate and to be careful." Caster simply told him.

She would have gave him more advices but the kind of magecraft Shirou was using was unique to him, and she still knew little on how it worked, so she just told him to be careful.

Shirou closed his eyes and started to concentrate, he could feel the power flowing in him, he stretched his right arm and opened his hand.

"Trace..."

As he said thse words he saw for an instant the hill of swords that he always dreamed of, but right now he could see on top of a hill Rule Breaker.

"...On!"

A strong light came out of Shirou's right hand, and after one moment a copy of Rule Breaker was in his hand.

Shirou was too distracted watching the blade in his hand to note Caster both amazed and shocked expression.

'He... He did it!' Caster thought amazed. 'He can copy Noble Phantasms!'

The more things she discovered about Shirou, the more shocked she was... well, not by that much since she knew that she was standing in front of a Incarnation of Sword that had a Reality Marble, but she was still surprised!

She was now watching Shirou's copy of Rule Breaker, she could sense that it was somehow inferior to the original, but he still managed to copy her Noble Phantasm.

She started to consider their chance to win the war and she stated that no matter what, they had very good chances. If Shirou even managed to summon a powerful servant she could say without any problems that they had already won.

Her thought had been interrupted when she saw Shirou's smiling face.

"Caster, have you seen? I was able of copying your knife! I'm capable of copying Noble Phantasm! Now with your help I will be able to end this war as soon as possible!" Said Shirou excited after he turned towards her.

"Congratulations Shirou, now you will be able to fight against Servants... you've become strong."

After saying those words Caster saw Shirou dropping his smile and turning to watch her knife, as he did she could see a little flame burning in his eyes. She could only be happy for him, after all, being a hero is one of the only things that will ever bring happiness to someone like him.

"Now can I start to train normally? Or it's too soon?" Shirou then asked.

"Sure we can start, but let's do it slowly, okay?"

"No problem!"

That morning training was no different than usual, they had their little lesson on the theory of magic, then they passed to the practice, and from time to time Shirou projected Rule Breaker.

Both Shirou and Caster noted that 'projecting' a Noble Phantasm required much more energy than a normal sword, not that they didn't expect, on the contrary they expected a much higher cost and some kind of draw back.

Caster also noted that the normal swords that Shirou could project had increased in numbers and quality. Now every weapon that he took out of his Reality Marble was a masterpiece, she was not an expert but she too could see that they were of the highest quality. This was probably related to the fact that now Shirou knew from where those weapons came from, and what he really did was not creating them, but summoning them.

After the training Caster could say that Shirou had good control on all of his circuits, with her and the Fae artifact help he will be able to control all of them perfectly in more or less than a week.

'Everything is going accords the plan...' She thought.

It was almost time for lunch and Caster now was sitting at the table in the living room and she was considering if she should let Shirou rest for that day, but she knew that Shirou wanted to keep going with the training. She then decided that she would lower the number of the dragon warriors that she would summon so that Shirou would not push himself too much...

'...Right, I almost forgot, Shirou did swear to me that he would never push himself too much ever again.' She smiled a bit at the thought.

Even if just by a little bit, she made sure that Shirou would not put himself into danger even when training, it was good progress... still, it was not enough for someone like him.

She turned her attention back to Shirou and she noted that he was in a very good mood.

"SHIROOOOOOOOU." Taiga screamed from the entrance.

"Caster, can you gently go to open the door? I have almost finished here."

"Sure." She said.

At that point Caster got up and went towards the entrance, she started to hum a little as she walked at the door.

Once she opened the door she saw a smiling Taiga and Sakura waiting at the entrance.

"Good morning Caster-san!"

"Good morning Caster-san."

They told her at the same time.

Caster smiled at them and said: "Good morning."