Sealed by ice, the last city of Einzbelen.

Ancient magicians used it to secretly preserve the lifeline, an ancient city located deep in the deserted mountains. On that day, the long-lost was liberated from the wind and snow.

Although the sky is not clear, the milky white sky is much brighter than a snowy day.

In the winter land, where there are neither birds spreading their wings nor green vegetation, only light is abundant.

On days like these, no matter how busy and tired my father was, Eliasfeld von Einzberen and Kiritsugu, the guard, would go for a walk in the forest outside the city. That was one of their unwritten agreements in Einzbelen.

"Very good, I will definitely not lose today!"

With such a high-spirited declaration, Elias Fell walked ahead of her father, and marched towards the forest in high spirits, while struggling to step through the thick snow with her little boots, and at the same time peeping at the trees around her in a hurry, not missing a place, nor revealing a gap, the girl was now in a serious race with her father.

"Oh, found it, the first one of the day."

Hearing Kiritsugu's smug declaration behind her, Elias Fell turned around with a look of surprise and disbelief in her eyes.

"Liar! Where, where? I obviously didn't miss it! ”

Kiritsugu smiled smugly at the cute woman with a flushed face and a look of remorse, and pointed to a small branch on her head, on which a small, hidden winter bud could be seen.

"Hmph-hmph-hmph, I'm going to score first, so let's keep going."

"People won't admit defeat! I won't throw in the towel today!

The father and daughter repeated the competition in the Winter Forest, which was to find the winter buds of the walnut, and this year's record of Elia was 12 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw, compared to Illya, who scored a total of 427 points, and the heir was 374.

At the moment, although Ilia has the upper hand, the last few times have been three consecutive victories like a sea of Kiritsu, which has put a lot of pressure on the champions.

Elias Phil began to move forward quickly, looking at her appearance, Kiritsu smiled bitterly but did not stop, judging from the location of the winter buds found by her father one by one, her daughter was also desperate today, and finally, it seemed that this time it seemed that she was going to expose her methods.

"Ah, there you have it, Elia has found one too."

Behind the elated Elia, Kiritsu said with a wicked smile.

"Hmph, dad has found a second one."

At this moment, Elia jumped up like a cat splashed by a splash of water.

"Where? Where? ”

For the girl, this time it's a gamble on self-esteem, and it can be asserted that she will never miss it.

In fact, she didn't miss it at all, she was just a competitive opponent, and she actually used the "cunning" that lost her identity as an adult.

Holding back a laugh as he anticipated Elia's reaction in ten seconds, Kiritsugu pointed to the "second" Fuyubud.

"Huh? The branches, not walnuts? ”

Kiritsugu was referring to the branch that had been ignored by Elias Phil from the search target.

"No, no, Elia, that branch is Ze Walnut, it's Walnut's companion, so that's also Walnut's winter bud."

After two or three seconds of silence as if he had been teased by a fox. Elia shouted with her cheeks puffed out with a flushed face.

"Raippi! Lai Pi Lai Pi Lai Pi! Kiritsugu has always been in Raipi! ”

It's really a trick.,Since several times ago,Kiritsugu counted the winter buds of the walnut into the winter buds of the walnut.,It's not so much cheating.,It's more of a sophistry foul.。

"But, otherwise, Dad has no hope of winning."

"It doesn't work! The walnuts that only Kiritsugu knows can't count! ”

With nowhere to vent her anger, Elias Fell began to pound her father's knees.

"Hahaha, but Elia, another lesson, didn't it? However, the fruit of the walnut is different from the walnut and cannot be eaten, so it is important to remember this. ”

Facing her father, who couldn't see the introspection at all, Elia grinned "woo" and muttered as if to scare him.

"If I keep playing like this, Illya won't be playing with Kiritsugu again!"

"It's nerve-wracking—I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Kiritsu, who was given an ultimatum, apologized honestly and honestly. At this point, Eliasfil's mood finally began to improve.

"Promise not to cheat again?"

"I promise, I promise, I'll never count Ze Hucan again."

But next time there will be wild walnuts...... Kiritsugu snickered inwardly.

I don't know that my father has other plans in his heart, and I don't know how to doubt others, Ilias Fil nodded very contentedly, and puffed up her chest "hey".

"Very well, then, start the game again, the champion will accept the challenge at any time."

"Yes, it's an honor, Miss."

As a sign of obedience, today's search for winter sprouts turned into a horse.

"Ahaha, so high, so high!"

Elias Fell liked to ride on her father's shoulders very much, and even if her feet couldn't tread on the snow, Kiritsugu's long feet could easily cross it, and her vision became high, making it more advantageous for finding winter buds.

"Alright, let's go!"

"Boom-hiss-"

Kiritsugu let her daughter ride her neck and began to trot through the woods, and Eliasfell screamed "yaa, yaa" from the excitement of the vibration.

The little added weight on his shoulders made my father's heart ache.

I had no experience in parenting before Eliasfield, and of course Kiritsugu would not have had experience in things like the child's growth.

However, I can also understand that my daughter, who is now eight years old, weighs less than 15 kilograms, and no matter how I think about it, it is abnormal.

Probably because of the adjustment that came at the stage of birth.,Kiritsugu and Alice Field's beloved daughter.,It's obvious that the growth is slow.,Even if you continue to grow in age like this.,I don't know if my body can meet the standards of an adult.。

No, it should be said that such expectations seem empty, and with the knowledge of a magician, Kiritsu has already abandoned his personal feelings and coldly seen through everything, and there is probably a chance that Eliasfil's growth will stop in the early stage of the development of secondary sexual characteristics.

Even so, I want to be able to give her the happiness that she doesn't feel sorry for her body—it's just selfishness as a parent, but the pain when this longing runs through her chest is undoubtedly a testament to the love of Kiritsugu, a man.

The results of the match, Winter Sprouts in Search of Walnuts ended with the victory of Elia Sfeel, and the champion stopped a three-game losing streak. It should also be said that there are no wild walnuts found in the Einzberen Forest.

The two of them, who had finished the game, walked leisurely side by side on the way back, because they had reached the depths of the forest, and the majesty of the city of Einzberen was as hazy as a shadow on the other side of the fog.

"Next time, we'll have to wait until Kiritsugu comes back from Japan!"

Elias Field, who was ashamed of her success, looked up at her father with a smile on her face.

Kiritsugu tried to pretend to be calm, looking at the face that couldn't be looked at directly.

"yes...... Next time, Dad won't lose. ”

"Hehe, if you don't work hard, you're going to open up a gap of 100?"

The smug smile on the beloved daughter's face is too cruel and heavy for a man who has carried too many things.

How can I confess to her? ――Frankly, this may be the last memory between me and my daughter?

Kiritsugu didn't underestimate the death match that awaited him, but he definitely wanted to win, even if he had to sacrifice his life for this.

Then, even if I agreed with my daughter to play the next game in this Winter Forest, I would have to wait until after the victory.

Save everything, and forsake everything for it.

As a man who has sworn like this, **** is nothing more than thorns.

Once Emiya Kiritsugu falls in love with someone, he will be cursed by having to hold in his heart the consciousness that he will lose that love, which is the fate he bears that is equivalent to his ideals, **** will only be harsh, and never heal him.

But why—Kiritsugu asked himself, looking out at the cold white sky and the earth.

Why would I fall so much in love with a woman and a child with my blood flowing through it?

"How long does it take for Kiritsugu and her mother to work? When will you be back? Illia Field, unaware of her father's distress, asked in a cheerful voice.

"Dad, I'll be back in about two weeks—Mom, it may be a long time......"

"Hmmm! Illya also heard about it from her mother! Say it's an eternal parting or something. ”

The daughter's unmistakable answer gave Kiritsugu what can be said to be a fatal last weight, and his knees walking on the snow suddenly lost his strength.

The wife has already come to her senses, and she has brought her daughter the same enlightenment.

Emiya Kiritsugu will face the reality of taking his mother from this young girl.

"Mom told Elia before going to bed last night that even if she never sees Ilia again, she will always stay by Ilia's side, so Ilia won't feel lonely, so Ilia will always be with her mother in the future."

“…… Is that ......."

At that time, Kiritsugu realized that his hands were stained with bright red blood.

Filthy arms, who have not remembered how many people have been killed, will never be allowed to embrace their children like ordinary fathers, he admonished himself.

But that admonition is an escape, isn't it?

Soon, the child will never be able to be embraced by his mother again, if even Kiritsu, as a father, will give up that responsibility...... In the future, who should hug Eliasfield?

"-Ah, Elia." Kiritsugu called out to his daughter, who was walking beside him, and crouched down to hug the girl from behind.

“…… Kiritsu? ”

For eight years, every time he embraced this petite body like this, Kiritsugu had been doubting the fatherhood in his heart, both disgusted by the deception of posing like a father and sneering at himself who couldn't help but do so.

But this is also over, and compared to that, as the unique father of this child, he should accept the warmth in this arm, without evasion and without falsehood.

"Can Elia wait? Until Dad comes back, can you endure even if you are lonely? ”

"Hmmm! Illya will be patient, and will wait for Kiritsugu with her mother. ”

Elias Field, I plan to end this day of memory in joy in the end, and the cheerful and bright voice has nothing to do with lamentation.

“…… Then, Dad also made an appointment with you, and he won't let Illya wait for a long time, and Dad will definitely come back soon. ”

Emiya Kiritsugu has another burden on his back.

He tensed his whole body and endured the thorn called love, while holding his child tightly all the time.