It was nine years ago, the scenery that has been forgotten. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

The sky began to be filled with snowflakes, as if to bury all the pain and sorrow.

"Hoo ......"

Stepping over the snow that seemed to never melt, Emiya Kiritsugu stopped. In order to find the source of this pure white, I looked up at the sky, the temperature was very low, and the body in heavy clothes also felt cold, and the air was so cold that it seemed to freeze everything, and it was almost completely covered by white snow as far as the eye could see.

"What's the matter, Kiritsugu."

Illia Field, who was walking on the snow with her hand by the hand, asked curiously. She didn't know why she was brought out, and thought it was the same playful play between father and daughter, the game of finding walnut winter buds in the forest.

Of course, Illya didn't care at all as to why she chose to play the game when it was snowing heavily this time. Just being able to play with her father was enough to make her so happy that she forgot about anything else.

Although it was a pity that he couldn't hang out with the two friends he had made in the castle, Kiritsugu also said that he couldn't tell anyone. For the sake of Kiritsu, she put aside all the doubts in her heart.

Kiritsugu was frozen by the warmth in his hands, and he looked at Illya's silver hair, inherited from his mother, and laughed with joy with her. The more innocent and pure his daughter was, the more he was overwhelmed by his deep sins and could not breathe.

“…… Ahh ”

Seeing that the snow was getting heavier and heavier, Kiritsugu picked up Illya and let her ride on his shoulder like a regular frolic.

"Ahaha! It's so high! What do you say? So where are we going? ”

"Japan...... We're going to Japan......"

The voice was almost stuck in his throat, and the faces of countless undead still lingered in Kiritsugu's mind in the town of Fuyuki. It was where reality and nightmares intertwined—but he had to go back.

"Japanese ......"

Illya repeated the strange word, for she who had never left the castle, no place in the world was unfamiliar.

"It's okay! If only I could be with Kiritsugu! And then what? What are we going to do when we go to Japan? ”

Still looking elated, Illya raised her hands high. The little added weight on his shoulders made my father's heart ache.

"Then, you have to forget everything here and live happily like an ordinary person."

Kiritsugu looked back at the footprints he had just stepped on, but in a few minutes, they were gradually covered by snowflakes. Then, like a black ghost, he staggered on.

Snow, like it will bury everything.

This includes the painful and sad things that happened not long ago, as well as the facts that are still impossible to look at directly.

Even so, Kiritsugu wants to be able to give Illya a life that she won't be sad about - it's just selfishness as a parent. However, the pain when this longing runs through his chest is undoubtedly a proof of his love.

But he forgot that the snow would melt one day.

When the snow melts, the buried facts, the forgotten memories, all the facts that have been concealed by false peace, will reappear in the light of day.

It's like the black and dirty, trampled mud that is unsightly unsightly.

*****************************************************************

"Ah......h

When Illya opened her eyes, the first thing that caught her eye was a snow-white ...... Is this a hospital ward?

"--I was in danger of my life for several days, but ...... The doctor says you are in very good health. ”

With a flat tone and eyes as cold as ice, Shirou was dressed in a pure black priest's outfit as usual. In this room, where the walls, sheets and floors are pure white, it is like bare sludge in the snow.

"Now that you've decided to be in this Holy Grail War, you should be more careful. It's not going to be so lucky every time. How's that, do you want to quit? It's still too late. ”

That's right, neither she nor Saber was careless. Just now, Shirou could easily break Illya's neck, but Shirou was not looking forward to such an ending.

Of course, this is not for any gentlemanly or bushido reason.

“……”

Illya just bowed her head and didn't say anything, her body motionless, and she didn't know if she heard what Shirou said.

"Illya?"

"Yike...... Sorry, I'm thinking about something. It's weird, I've been having weird dreams lately. ”

Illya stroked her long silver hair, and for some reason, she now exuded an aura that was almost extreme and unapproachable.

"The Master who has signed a contract with the Servant can sometimes peek into the memories of the Heroic Spirit in the form of dreams. This is not surprising. ”

She clasped her hands over her shoulders, trembled slightly, and muttered, "No, this is not Saber's memory, this ...... It's like ......"

"Is there any special magic effect on the Assassin's attacks? Where did you get hurt? ”

"Ah, it looks like ...... on the back of the neck"

"It's rude."

Shirou leaned in and gently pulled down Illya's collar. But there were no signs of stabbing on the smooth skin on the back of Elija's neck.

…… No signs of injury?

No, if Elijah hadn't been seriously injured and in urgent need of medical attention, Saber wouldn't have left her side in order for Elijah to be properly treated.

Blows, cuts, magic ...... Neither. Why are there no traces? Is Saber reading it wrong? Is it that the Assassin uses an attack that science and magic can't observe? Or is it ......

"You...... Why not quit this Holy Grail War? Do you have something that you want to pursue even at the cost of your life? You are not one of those people who have to work hard to fill their stomachs, and no one in Japan, where the petty bourgeoisie is everywhere, has long since done this. So for what? Can I hear your reasoning? ”

Since the Holy Grail gave her the Spell and not Kiritsu, Shirou still had doubts about this.

"I ...... Shirou, aren't you the same, obviously we are about the same age, why would you be willing to do such a dangerous thing? I've heard about you from Rin, too......"

Shirou's gaze didn't leave Illya, and he couldn't help but smile softly.

“…… Illya, we are different. I kept some reason to go back to Fuyuki and participate in this game, do you have enough reasons? That's what makes us different, right? ”

"I ...... I'm not sure what happened these days was like a dream. Dreams and reality were so mixed up that I was almost losing sight of the difference myself. There was a bit of confusion in Illya's voice, "If those things are true—"

The hospital room smelled of disinfectant potions—but now it was the cold wind in the blizzard that took over Illya's touch, the cold, damp and deadly wind still whispering in her ears.

Looking at Iliya with a serious look in front of her, her vague answer. Shirou unexpectedly felt more and more interesting, and he talked a lot more than usual.

"In that case, there is no need to stop and hesitate."

"Huh?"

Shirou ruffled Illya's silver hair and brought it back to her back.

"When I was in seminary, the dean told me a story. It was the story of a man who went to the city to preach the Bible. ”

"A certain man came to a street corner in this city and preached the will of God, the miracles, and the man kept talking, and insisted every day, and at first many people were very curious, and some even wanted to enter the church, but -- his teachings were in conflict with the government of that place, and he was branded as a cult, and everyone gradually lost interest, and they did not want to get into trouble."

Facing Illya, Shirou continued with a soft gaze and voice that was completely innocent.

But the man didn't stop, the years passed, and even though no one was listening, he continued to persevere. One day, a boy passing by listened to the man's words and asked him, "Why do you continue to insist every day even though you don't have an audience?" 】

The man replied, "At first I thought I could change everyone and make the city a better place, but now I know that this is an impossible dream. But, boy, in spite of this, the reason I don't stop is—]"

Involuntarily, the strength between the fingers holding the silver hair increased slightly, and Shirou pressed the surging heat while curbing the high spirits in it, trying not to let the fire escape.

"I don't want to let it be a lie."

Unconsciously, Shirou chuckled softly.

"You understand, Eliya, now Rin and Saber are the same, and if you decide to continue participating, there's no room for regret. The determination to keep going no matter what you lose. If the Holy Grail is something worth pursuing, then risk everything to get it. ”

Illya looked at Shirou in a daze, then lowered her head and clenched the white fist that grabbed the sheets.

"Huh!?"

At this moment, Shirou's keen hearing caught someone approaching in front of the door of the ward, and quickly moved his gaze to the door, it was not an ordinary doctor or nurse - the kind of pace that habitually tried not to make footsteps could only be possessed by those who had been wandering in the dark world for a long time.

Squeak -

The moment he appeared, Shirou's time stood still.

“…… Who are you, Shirou Yanfeng? ”

The man who opened the door looked at Shirou with cold and empty eyes, the empty eyes of people who were used to killing.

"You are, Emiya Kiritsugu."