The guards escorted Sarah, Ela, and the young Shirou to their shelter tent upon arrival. Ela instructed them to wait outside while they packed their belongings, her hand still covering Shirou's mouth. Once inside the tent, she allowed Shirou to speak.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Shirou demanded of Ela. Turning to Sarah, anger seething in his voice, he declared, "And don't think your help there means I forgive any of you for what you did to Mom. I will kill every one of you," he threatened Sarah.
Sarah faced Shirou with unwavering resolve and said, "I have a deal for you."
"I will not accept or listen to any deal from my mother's murderer," he retorted, the memory of the past fueling his rage.
"Just listen me once. I offer you a chance to face me in a sword duel. If you manage to land even a single hit, I will surrender, and you can take a revenge on me. I won't resist," she proposed, her voice steady.
Shirou was taken aback, a mix of shock and elation coursing through him. If he could land just one hit, he could avenge his mother's death.
Ela, equally stunned, protested, "Are you mad, Sarah? You don't have to do this. You killed the Demon Queen because she was evil, but that doesn't mean you owe him this."
"But that doesn't change the fact that I took his mother's life. To him, she will always be just that—his mother," Sarah replied, her eyes burning with determination.
"Maybe you realize what you did was wrong. Fine, I accept your offer," Shirou said, a sly grin spreading across his face. But Sarah cut him off, "If you fail to land a hit within 30 minutes, you must come with me and follow my commands," she countered firmly.
After a moment's consideration, Shirou accepted, seeing it as his chance for vengeance.
Ela approached Sarah, whispering with concern, "Are you sure about this? If he lands a hit... What about Alica and the other children?"
"I have no intention of dying here. Besides," Sarah whispered back, glancing at Shirou, who watched them with confusion, "if I let him do as he pleases, he won't survive. He'll die eventually."
Ela smiled at Sarah, admiration in her eyes. "I thought you'd never recover from the shock of losing Max, but you've grown stronger and still care for others."
"Hm..." was all Sarah uttered in response.
"Hey, what are you two whispering about? Let's get on with it," Shirou urged impatiently.
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Reaching an open plain, Ela handed wooden swords to both Sarah and Shirou and took her position as the referee.
"Are you both ready?" Ela asked. They nodded, and the duel commenced.
The match began with Shirou dashing at full speed, while Sarah stood her ground, poised for his attack. As Shirou swung his sword with all his might towards Sarah's head, she deftly dodged with a single step back. The moment her feet touched the ground, Shirou unleashed a flurry of strikes from left and right, hoping to unbalance her and find an opening.
However, Sarah's experience was evident. Having trained for years and being the strongest warrior in the conflict, she easily evaded Shirou's relentless assault. Sensing a gap in his offense, she counterattacked, her sword striking Shirou's abdomen with such force that he was sent flying, clutching his stomach in agony.
"Are you finished? Where's your determination to avenge your mother?" Sarah taunted, urging him to continue.
"Silence! I'm far from done. This pain is nothing. I will certainly avenge my mother," Shirou retorted, rising to his feet despite the lingering pain that made his legs and body tremble.
Regaining control over his trembling body, Shirou charged once more. But as he prepared to strike, Sarah sidestepped again. In a surprising twist, Shirou dropped his sword mid-attack and lunged forward, attempting to grapple Sarah with his bare hands.
Sarah, taken aback by this unexpected maneuver, realized how Shirou had managed to overcome the guards. His keen observation and adaptability were clear. Yet, she remained elusive, delivering a swift blow to Shirou's back as she moved past him.
Shirou fell to the ground, the impact painful, but his resolve unshaken. Sarah, witnessing his struggle to stand, knew that to make him forfeit the match, she would have to crush his spirit. She closed in on him, determination in her eyes.
As Shirou glared at her, fury burning within, Sarah raised her wooden sword and struck him repeatedly, each hit a message in itself.
Ela, observing the duel, understood Sarah's intent. She wanted Shirou to realize that pursuing vengeance for his mother would only bring him pain and sorrow. The lesson was harsh, but perhaps necessary for Shirou to understand the true cost of revenge.
As the match ended, Shirou mustered all his strength to land a single hit on Sarah, but to no avail. Deep down, he knew he stood no chance against the war hero Sarah. Yet, driven by a desperate need for vengeance for his mother—the woman who had shown him love and offered support in his darkest hour—his heart ached with the weight of defeat and unfulfilled revenge.
Sarah approached the exhausted and injured Shirou, who was panting heavily from the duel's exertion. "I..." Shirou began, but his words were choked by tears that spilled from his eyes, betraying his frustration at his powerlessness to save his mother or exact revenge.
"Why is it always like this? Just when I think I've found someone who understands me, someone who's there when I need them the most... The person who gave me my name... Why couldn't I save her? Why can't I avenge her? Why am I so weak?" he lamented.
Ela moved to comfort Shirou, but she halted as she noticed Sarah's gaze upon her.
"You are not weak," Sarah said firmly. "Strength isn't measured by physical prowess alone, but by the courage to pursue what you desire." She sighed, offering Shirou a hand to help him stand. "If you truly wish to be strong and seek your revenge, I will train you. I'll give you the chance to face me again when you're ready. But until then...I want you to live with us in our house" Her voice softened, and a warm, encouraging smile lit up her face.