Fate: Kill

Chapter 4

"My child," the bearded man spoke, cradling his son in his arms in concern. "I don't know what's wrong with him."

He nodded silently before passing the man to open the front door and beckoning them inside.

Akame who was trailing behind stared at his actions in peculiarity before slipping in through an open window and observing. She had already heard that Shirou was known as a local healer, but from the bareness of the cottage's interior, she couldn't see anything close to resembling medicinal tools or salves. Therefore, she couldn't determine what he was intending on doing.

Of course, she theorized that his 'healing' had something to do with his Teigu, but such notions left her mind after assuming that Shirou possessed a combat orientated Imperial Arm.

Remaining motionless, her eyes were keen on not missing a single detail as Shirou instructed the man to lay his son over a padded quilt. The result of her scrutiny would shock her more than she'd like to admit.

Moments after the man had placed his son down, Shirou bent over the boy and placed a hand over the boy's chest.

She blinked, then blinked again.

Her mouth hanging open as the boy's sickly complexions visibly faded.

Impossible.

She couldn't describe what she was seeing, nor explain her astonishment. She didn't see him use a Teigu. And this fact alone astounded her.

Due to Shirou's discreet action of Tracing the tip of healing type mystic code within his palm to make contact with the child, to Akame and the father, it really did look as if all it had taken was a touch to cure sickness.

The gratitude and veneration in the father's expression were impossible to hide as the father took his son into his arms and bowed his head low.

"Long live the town head," the father said sincerely. "If anyone makes trouble for you, my friends and brothers in arms will never let them go!"

Shirou shook his head at the mans earnest declaration before standing up and grabbing a bundle of preserved food from another room in the cottage and offering it to the father.

"Rather than place your efforts in repaying me, take this food and care for your son," he placed the sack of food in the father's free arm. "He still needs to recover his strength, and the winter this year may hit the town harder than it did before."

The father's lips quivered as he stared at the food in his hands and then to Shirou, the sheer emotion kept bottled behind his stern face palpable.

The father didn't say another word, hugging his son closely before leaving.

It was only Akame who saw the expression of the father's face as he departed, suddenly recognizing it from a wanted poster she had seen circulating within the Empire's merchant caravans.

Raiga, the leader of the Mounted Bandits. A group spanning several hundred men strong.

She froze, realizing for the first time, that there was something about the Border Town that was different from what it seemed.