Einzberns (Part 2)

(POV Anos Arcana)

"So what do you do for fun around here, Lady Einzbern?" I asked after we arrived in the garden.

Illya looked at me for a moment before puffing up her cheeks. "Not Lady Einzbern! Call me Illya! Illya!" She complained.

I shook my head a bit and sighed. "Alright then, Illya. You can call me Anos too."

Illya smiled when I said that and nodded to me with a happy blush on her face. It's not that she likes me or anything, she was just genuinely happy.

"I like to search for Walnut buds in the forest with Kiritsugu!" She said.

"Oh? Who is Kiritsugu? Is he your friend?" I asked innocently. I can't have her know that I know he is her father. That is secret information kept by the Einzberns.

"No, he's... awe never mind! Let's go looking for them!" She said as she ran off. She must have not known that I wouldn't know what they looked like right, plus the fact that it was the verge of winter, so we should be looking for the actual walnuts rather than their buds.

I ran after Illya and we played and talked together with each other while looking for walnuts in the forest. I purposefully ignored about half of the ones I found to let Illya win by a landslide. Then I praised her for her 'keen eyes'.

It wasn't until halfway into the evening that we returned to the castle carrying a large number of walnuts in our pockets. I had promised Illya to make her a Walnut Cream Cake since it was something I liked in my previous life. Our chef occasionally would occasionally create something like it whenever I asked and I learned the recipe from him on one of my days off. The only downside to my Mystic Eyes is that I can only use them to instantly learn Magecraft and not mundane skills like this, which I had to practice on.

"Hey, hey, Anos! Is walnut cream cake good?" Illya asked as we approached the back gate.

"Of course! Haven't you ever had Walnuts before!?!" I said a bit surprised at her.

"Well I have but I don't know about having them on a cake." She replied.

"Fufufu! Never fear, young Illya. For I am He- *cough* for I am the best walnut cream cake maker in the world!" I boasted.

"Whoah! Really?" She looked amazed at me.

I nodded confidently as we entered the halls of the castle.

"Welcome back, Lady Illyasviel, Lord Arcana." One of the homunculi maids who had been stalking us the entire time said as we entered. She had made an effort to look like she was awaiting our return, however, I could sense she was always nearby when Illya and I were outside playing.

"Oh. Merrie! Yup. Anos said he is going to make us some walnut cream cake. Did you know? He's the best Walnut Crea, Cake maker in the world." Illya bragged proudly.

"Oh!" Merrie said, faking astonishment and going me a short applause, which wasn't hard, considering her emotionless facial features.

"You may not believe me right now, but it's the truth. Weres the kitchen?" I said, trying not to sound condescending or irritated.

"Right this way," Merrie stated as she lead us through the halls.

'Oh. Illya, did you want to watch?" I said as I looked back and saw Illya was following me.

"Yup!"

"Well alright then, allow me to knock your socks off!" I replied. Dealing with Illya as a child without her sadistic personality, later on, was actually quite nice. her cheerful loli nature helped heal the heart.

...

After spending the next hour or so making the cake, I finally finished. I had made sure to use my own custom Reinforcement Magecraft on all of the ingredients to increase their quality and taste. I then used a bit of Metamorphosis Magecraft to increase the quality further by getting rid of all the impurities in tbe ingredients and increasing their freshness before adding Evolution Magecraft to increase the taste by one level. Finally, I used a bit of Temporal Magecraft to ensure that it wouldn't burn in the oven.

The result was as perfect a cake as could be physically made. Illya was amazed by my use of Magecraft to bake with and I had her help me prepare the ingredients and stir the cream. Merrie and a few other homunculi had gathered around the kitchen to watch us, and when it came time to actually eat the cake, I made sure to give them a a slice.

Illya, Irisviel, my father, and my mother all had a slice and were amazed.

"Whoah! Anos, this is amazing!" Illya said as she shoveled another piece into her mouth.

"Indeed. I didn't know you had such talent in cooking Anos." Irisviel praised. "You're making me doubt my wifely charm."

"See! I told you Anos-kun is a genius." My mother said, gloating a little.

"Yeah. I should save a piece for Kiritsugu." Irisviel replied.

"If you want to, you better hurry up. The maid is looking at the last piece with hungry eyes." I commented making sure to point to the homunculus maid in the corner staring intently at the last slice. She was even trying to keep herslef from drooling but failing miserablely.

Irisviel laughed awkwardly before gesturing to the maid that she could have the last piece.

After a few more pleasantries, it was finally time for us to depart. According to my father, he had struck a deal and my assistant would be delivered to us by the end of the week. I made sure to give Illya our home phone number. It would definitely be worth my time to keep in contact with her for later on in life. My mom gave Illya the copy of Sailor Moon before we left and we all got back in the car and headed home.

"That was fun, we should come over again soon." my mother stated.

"I think it would be best that we stayed away for a while." my father replied.

"Why do you say that? Is it Illya-chan? She is such a sweet girl that I think she would be a good match for Anos-kun". My mother asked.

"No, its not because of that. Illyasviel is a wonderful girl and if Anos wants to marry her then I'd have no issues with that. The reason why we shouldn't visit is because the old fart."

"What do you mean father?" I asked.

"The payment he asked for was too much, yet I also couldn't say no." He replied.

"Ara. But dear is usually pretty shrewd and I didn't think the Einzberns were the kind of people to overcharge" my mother replied.

"No, its not about the money. Its about the fact that the payment he wants is a favor, a dangerous one at that."

"What do you mean?" I asked my father with a bit of seriousness in my voice.

"He wants me to investigate a ritual taking place in Japan. It seems someone stole the Holy Grail War ritual blueprints-"

"It can't be! Do they want you to be a master in that bloodbath!?!" My mother yelled, serious for the first time in my life.

"Thankfully they don't, I simply need to figure out how they were stolen, by whom, and disrupt the ritual." He said.

"Still! This is too dangerous and definitely not worth the price!'" My mother stated.

"Unfortunately this isn't just a request from the Einzberns. The Clock Tower is also involved. One of the prime suspects in this case is a Holy Church Cardinal."

I was a bit stunned hearing this. On the one hand, this was huge news. What he was describing was the Tokyo Holy Grail War. I had assumed it was going to happen, yet the method ROB had used to facilitate it was different.

"... I see... when do you leave?" My mother asked somberly.

"The day they bring over the Homunculus is the day I leave. I don't know when that will be, but it probably will be by the end of the month."

"Then lets go together!" I stated. Both of my parents looked at me shocked.

"Anos, son. I know that you're a prodigy and even stronger than I am right now, however its too soon for you to get involved in matters like this." My father said trting to convince me.

"Father, what you're saying isn't incorrect, however, this is an opportunity for me that I cannot pass up!" I replied.

"Anos-kun?"

"If I were to use my Mystic Eyes on the Grail, then I could oneday recreate it. We could have Servants serve us and protect us in the future. Besides, all it would take was for me to see the grail once to end the ritual instantly, they wouldn't be able to start again for many years." I argued.

"Be that as it may, it is still far too dangerous!"

"Father!" I spoke up a bit. "You were the one that told me that I was now the head of the Arcana family and that you would only hold onto it until I was ready to reveal myself. As the head of the family, protecting other members is my duty. Let me protect you, father!" I said with my voice full of conviction.

My father looked into my eyes through the rearview mirror for a moment before he smirked. My mother also smiled happily.

"Spoken like a true Arcana. Alright son, I'll bring you with me, but you have to promise me you'll stay safe and stay hidden. If the time comes for us to fight, you'll flee immediately with Spatial Magecraft. Am I clear?"

"Crystal!" I replied.

"Oh its time for another trip to Japan hu? We haven't been to the main islands yet. I wonder if I can buy some Manga in Akihabara!" My mother declared.

"Olvia, your coming too?" My father asked.

"Of course, its a mothers job to support her husband and children. Besides, I think I can pick up some more Manga and anime for Illya." She replied.

"You just want to watch it yourself before giving it to the poor girl don't you?" My father said with a sweatdrop.

"Oops. I was caught" My mother said as she stuck out her tonge and brought her fist to her head with a *bonk*.

"... Haaah. What am I going to do with you two?" My father said.

"Well pretty soon it'll be 'you three' you know." My mother replied.

"Eh?" My father and I replied.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it before." She said as she rummaged through her purse. She then pulled out a pregnancy test and showed it to my father.

"Its positive!"