Volume 4.pdf

Fate/Zero

The Fires of Purgatory

By: Urobuchi, Gen; Nasu, Kinoko

Interlude

Sometime, somewhere

"Kerry, you do know where the name of this island comes from, right?"

Shirley asked while leisurely handling the creaking car’s wheel.

The boy called Kerry, sitting in the passenger’s seat, shook his head and squeezed

out a "Not really" as if he was scared that the vehicle’s intense shaking would make

him bite his tongue.

The pick-up truck they were both driving in was a vehicle so antique it may have

come from the time when coaches were just running out of use. Moreover, the road

they were driving on now was not a paved bitumen road but a dirt road. Even an ox-

cart would have to slow down on these roads. Right now, they almost feel like they

are sitting in a small boat floating on the sea during a storm.

Although this vehicle looked like a pile of junk about to go out of service, this is one

of the only three or four precious vehicles on Arimago Island – Besides, as a fishing

village with only about 300 families, people who need a car are uncommon enough

on Arimago Island. The people troubled with living without a vehicle are probably

just the family of the boy and Shirley, the maid who did the housework. In the far-

removed house of the boy's family, far away from the fishing village, there were truly

no other transportation facilities but this worn-out truck.

"Arimago... did it mean giant crab?"

Shirley nodded and answered the boy’s question.

"A long long time ago, this island was a place used to keep the offerings presented

to a deity of the sea. However, there was a time when a girl didn't have anything to

feed her sick mother, and had to steal the offerings of the deity. Then, that girl was

punished with divine retribution, and was changed into the shape of a crab."

"It's a terrible story."

"After that, it was told that if you eat a crab caught on this island, it would cure any

disease. The mother of the girl recovered from her long illness as well."

"That’s even worse. It is such an outrageous sea deity."

However, such folktales recorded in media such as tapestries aren't rare. If one

were to look carefully, such tales can be found all over the world.

"Um, does the shrine where people sacrificed to this deity still exist?"

"It disappeared a long time ago. Besides, no one knows whether it really did exist.

According to the myth, it seems to have been built right next to where Kerry's

mansion is now."

“Then the girl who was turned into a crab actually made her way to the heart of this

deep jungle so far away specifically to steal the offerings? It would have been much

more convenient to just catch some fish at the beach instead.”

“That myth is the reason why people of the village wouldn't get close to your house.

Legend says that's an ominous place, and you’ll get cursed if you go near it too often.

I’ve been warned of it as well."

"But how!... then, what about me, who's living there?"

"It's because Kerry is a foreigner. But even then, don’t the people at the village see

you as my little brother?"

Although the words ‘little brother’ didn’t completely make the boy feel relieved,

compared to his father, who never stepped outside the house, Kerry does indeed

need to help Shirley with the shopping every time. Therefore, they would basically

ride in the truck to go into the village everyday.

It has been almost a year after he moved to this island. Any of the island’s

inhabitants would warmly greet the boy when they saw him. Even the other boys of

the village, who fought with him whenever they saw him beforehand, are also

already making pranks on other people together with him.

Although he was in a strange land very far from his home land, the boy still likes this

place called Arimago Island very much.

Although he felt extremely boring everyday during the first few weeks after he

moved over, the dazzling southern sun and multi-colored sparkling waves of the

southern ocean had gradually captured Kerry’s heart.

However, for his father, who never approached anyone and didn’t step out of the

house at all, it would be hard to feel that there is anything delightful at all.

"If father would communicate more with the people at the village, he would surely be

a bit different..."

"Mmm, who knows..."

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