Echo of the Void

Fuyuki, Emiya Residence.

Three months later.

Emiya Kiritsugu POV.

It has been three months since my "new life" began...

A couple of weeks after that, I managed to sort out all the bureaucratic details. Thankfully, amidst the general chaos of the fire and its aftermath, hardly anyone paid attention to a man who seemed to appear out of nowhere wanting to adopt a boy. Afterward, I picked Shirou up from the hospital; by that time, the house had been put in order, so everything was ready for our move-in.

To be honest, even after all this time, I still find it hard to find my place. After everything that happened, it's difficult to get used to the sudden calm. Even when I lived in the Einzbern castle, all my thoughts were consumed with the impending war. I felt like I was living from one battle to the next... And now, my fight is over, and I just don't know where I fit in this world...

However, right now my thoughts were occupied with Shirou. At first, I literally didn't know how to behave around him; after all, my experience with children was minimal, and Illya was mostly cared for by Airi and the maids. Moreover, my household skills were not just lacking; they were likely in the negatives. Several burnt-to-a-crisp omelets stood as testament to that.

I still remember his reaction: "If you want to kill me, there are easier ways…"

Yet this time, it seems fate was on my side. To my surprise, Shirou exhibited great talent in an area where I was a novice. After the third ruined dinner, he slammed his hand on the table and declared that either he would cook, or I would eat only what I prepared myself. Of course, at that moment, I merely smiled skeptically but didn't stop him. This was the first, but certainly not the last time he astonished me by preparing an omelet so delicious it drove you to near madness.

Shirou was quite different from children his age. I don't know whether he was like this from birth or if the fire had changed him... But despite being only ten years old, he was extremely serious, composed, even… mature. His behavior and way of speaking inevitably made one feel as if he were a few years older. Who knows, perhaps that's why we adapted to each other so quickly.

However, there was one aspect that troubled me a little. I noticed some peculiarities in his behavior on several occasions. He would suddenly widen his eyes and start scanning the entire room, look at his hands, pick up kitchen utensils or ingredients, and turn them around in various ways. Or he could simply sit there staring blankly at something for a while. Throughout all of this, I could see that he always did it discreetly, only when I wasn't around…

Nonetheless, the revelation didn't take long to arrive...

During our next encounter, I didn't hide my affiliation with magic, which might have been yet another foolish mistake on my part...

Because after a month, he started asking me to teach him. Naturally, I categorically rejected this idea; involving him in the world of mages was the last thing I wanted for him. But... one thing I couldn't take from him was his determination. None of my arguments proved convincing enough. I don't know if it was mere childish stubbornness or serious intent, but his enthusiasm didn't wane. And in this atmosphere, several months passed. Eventually, however, my stronghold couldn't withstand the siege...

— Kiritsugu...

— Fine, I'll do it, — I sighed heavily, finally cracking under the pressure like a sandcastle.

— Plea... Wait, what did you say?

— I said I would take on your training, but there will be a few conditions.

— Oh wow! Really? What are the conditions?

— First, I'll only teach you the basics, not because I'm mean, but because it's for the best. Second, no one must know anything about what I tell you—absolutely no one! And third, if I see that this in any way harms you or anyone else, then the deal is off. Agreed?

— Yes! — he nodded.

— Good, then we'll start this evening...

— So, to begin with, I need to assess how far your potential extends. Take off your shirt, sit down, breathe evenly, and try not to move, — I said, as we sat in the living room after dinner.

— What exactly do you want to do?

— I'll analyze your body with a spell, and in this way, I'll learn about your potential. It might hurt a little, but just try to stay still.

— Okay, — he nodded.

Taking a deep breath, I placed my palm on his back and directed a flow of prana into his body. I needed to find out how many magical circuits he had, as well as his Elemental Affinity and Source. That way, I could understand what I was dealing with. Hmm, let's see... Magical circuits—there are quite a few for someone who isn't an heir of a mage family... Could it be that his family was part of a branch of some clan? That would clarify a lot. Nevertheless, that was something I would never find out now, and it wasn't crucial anyway.

Next, Elemental Affinity... Void... And Nothing?

It's rather unusual to see such a thing... Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard of such...

Alright, let's move on to the next... Origin.

It took a tremendous effort not to burst out laughing; the irony of the situation was beyond comprehension. The symbolism of this moment was screaming that fate had decided to play an ill-spirited joke on him. Who would have thought that out of everyone...

Shirou's Source would be Denial...

What a cruel irony... A boy who was on the brink of death and survived gained a Source that symbolized his desire for life more vividly than anything else...

Lost in thought, I was preparing to withdraw my hand when something caught my attention... Quite faint, surprisingly enough for me to notice. And what could it be... Oh my god... Why are you doing this to me?

Innate magic... Reality Marble

I barely managed to quell the tremor in my hands. My thoughts raced chaotically, and I struggled to contain my excitement. Reality Marble —an ability that allows one to project their own dimension into reality, serving as a manifestation of the user's inner world. A power associated with Dead Apostles and rare individuals like Iskander. A power for which mages would unhesitatingly level entire cities to the ground. And it lies within this boy...

I literally didn't know what to think... My first thought was to erase Shirou's memories of my words and forget all of this as if it were a dream. But I immediately brushed it aside. No, that wasn't a solution; it would just mean I was fleeing from my problems... Besides, sooner or later, he would discover his gift for himself and begin to practice it alone. What would come of that was a thought I didn't even want to entertain... And if the Association found out... At best, he would spend his life in the Clock Tower's laboratories, caught between life and death, like a test subject. No... I must teach him everything I can; I need to prepare him for whatever he will have to face. After all, isn't that the duty of a parent?

— Um, Kiritsugu? Do I have to sit like this for long? — Shirou spoke up.

— M? Oh, sorry, I was just lost in thought... It's all done now, you can get dressed.

— And… How? — he asked hesitantly.

— What "how"?

— Well, that's what you should tell me; you scanned me, — he stumbled over the word he clearly wasn't familiar with.

— It's alright; I analyzed your body to see if you could be a mage. So starting tomorrow, I'll begin teaching you.

— Hey, you promised today!

— Tomorrow isn't far off, — I smirked.

— That's a long wait! — he whined, but didn't argue.

— We'll have enough time; for now, it's dinner and bed…

 ***

When Shirou fell asleep, I went outside, took out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. Sleep refused to come; there were too many thoughts swirling in my mind. So much news in just one evening, each piece more startling than the last... The more I thought, the clearer it became that my agreement had been the right choice.

Shirou's potential... was vast and incredibly dangerous. If the Association were to discover him... A Seal would be guaranteed. I had managed to avoid such a fate at one time, but that was only because, as a mage, I was of no significance. Yes, my abilities were unusual, but they weren't extraordinary either. I hadn't engaged in the family studies, and I had obtained my Magical Crest solely through Natalia's connections. But Shirou... he was different. only Reality Marble would be enough for him to spend his life on the run. So... I must prepare him, teach him to defend himself, get him ready for the onslaught the world would unleash upon him. After everything that has happened, it's the least I can do for him. And if all goes well, maybe he...

No...

No, I have no right to drag him into this. This is my fault, my responsibility... I must try on my own; no, I absolutely must try. But I'll think about that later. Right now, I'd better try to sleep...

  ***

From that day on, I began teaching Shiro the basics of magic. I spent the entire night pondering how to instruct him. Unfortunately, I had minimal experience as a mentor; recalling, Maya was my only pupil, though I never truly considered her one. Rather, she was just another tool. Ironically, what once seemed normal now filled me with guilt.

My thoughts were interrupted by a scream coming from the shed, now turned Workshop.

— Shirou, are you alright? Are you hurt? — I asked as I stepped inside.

— I don't know, I think not, — he replied somewhat uncertainly.

— What were you doing just now?

— Um, to be honest, nothing yet. I was just starting to create a magical circuit and... it started to hurt.

Creating a magical circiut? What is he talking about? Usually, everyone just uses the ones they already have. I had never heard of anyone creating them. Unless...

...Oh crap.

— Shirou, can you describe exactly what you were trying to do? — I asked him.

If he was trying to do what I think he was, then that gives me even more reason to teach him. Who knows what chaos he could have caused if I hadn't noticed it.

— Well, I envisioned a new circuit, and then I pictured magic flowing through it. Then I felt like a hot rod was stabbed into my back, — Shirou replied.

I wanted to bang my head against the wall. How could I have missed something like this? His words confirmed my worst fears.

— Shirou, listen. When you use magic, you don't create new magical circuits; you use the ones you already have. What you were doing can be compared to cannibalism. You were turning your nerves into disposable magical chains. If you do that a few more times, you'll risk ending up in a hospital bed again.

— And what is cannibalism? — Shiro asked.

I just sighed wearily. After all, sometimes I forget he's only ten years old.

— I'll explain another time. What's important is that you understand this is wrong. Magic is fundamentally based on Prana, which is composed of Mana and Od. Mana is the energy our planet emits, and it's all around us. Od, in turn, is the internal energy of your own body. We activate our magical chains once in a lifetime and use them for our entire lives. There is no safe way to create your own magical chains; otherwise, it could end in death. I won't lie to you, being a mage means walking hand in hand with Death. Your experiment could get out of control; you could overload your chains or fall prey to other envious mages. It's uncomfortable for me to tell you these things, but I know that if I sugarcoat it, I'll only make it worse for you.

— So what will happen to me now? Will I die? — Shiro asked, fear tinged in his voice.

Nothing surprising; I've told him some serious stuff...

— No, but that's exactly why I imposed those conditions on you. Right now, I'm going to teach you the basics; let's start with... the basics...

With that, I began my lecture on Origins, Elemental Affinity, and Elements...

— So every mage has a Origin and an Elemental affinity. The Origin is unique to each mage and is somehow tied to their essence. There are five Elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Ether. But often the Element is something outside of those categories. Moreover, a person can have Double Affinity and Double Origin? — Shirou summarized my lecture.

— Yes, that's correct, — I nodded.

— And what are mine? You know it, right?

For a couple of seconds, I hesitated but soon dismissed those doubts. There was no point in lying to him now.

— Your Origin is "Denial," and your related Elements are "Imaginary Numbers" and "Nothing," — I eventually replied, — But Shirou, you should not disclose these details to anyone, especially other mages.

— Why not? — he asked, quite logically.

— As I mentioned, other mages are highly envious; your abilities could attract unwanted attention. I think you wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life on the operating table… — I sighed heavily in response.

— Understood, — he nodded somewhat nervously.

— Good, then let's continue... Runes are ancient magic that came to us from Scandinavian lands. They work well for those who are not particularly skilled in conventional thaumaturgy. Each rune has its own meaning and range of possibilities, but experienced users can combine one or more to amplify the effect. For instance, the runes Ansuz and Solio, both tied to fire, can be combined to create a spell of greater scale or destructive power...

To my considerable surprise, I discovered that if not talent, then at least some ability to teach. It seems the saying is true: "The key is desire"...

 ***

After several days of theory, I decided to move on to practice. We started with the very basics — Structural Analysis. One of the simplest spells with minimal risk; to begin with, it was perfect.

At first, we focused on the simplest items: pencils, pens, knives, and other small objects with relatively simple structures. Then I decided to up the ante for him.

On one of the workbenches in the shed lay a pistol; its black sheen seemed to challenge Shirou. I chose it for several reasons, and the technical aspect was clearly not the primary one among them.

Shirou had potential, and deep down, I knew that he wouldn't bury it. I don't know whether it was experience or intuition speaking, but I felt that as a mage, he would easily surpass me. But just magic wasn't enough to survive in this cruel world; I was the brightest example of that. No spell would save you from a sniper who puts a bullet in your temple from five hundred meters away. No Barrier would protect you from an explosion or a building collapsing on you. No magic would help if your plane was shot down by an Stinger...

Shirou needed to understand that to win, he must utilize all available resources. No one would show him mercy; perhaps mages from noble families might understand concepts of honor, but Enforcesrs and Executors are oblivious to such notions. Sooner or later, he would come face to face with them, and it would be better if he held no biases or foolish chivalric code...

— The most important tools I had were not some artifacts, but modern firearms. That's why most considered me a heretic. You see, a pistol cannot store Prana well or for long. Even if you tried, it would almost certainly not work. This is primarily due to the materials and design. A pistol consists of many small metal parts. Most metals can store Prana; many renowned swords are made of enchanted steel or engraved with runes to make them magical. Most swords and spears are solid, single pieces of metal. Firearms, on the other hand, are made of numerous small, intricate parts. Therefore, for them to function as a Mystic Code, each part must be engraved with runes or altered through alchemy. As you can understand, the process is extremely complex, painstaking, and also outrageously expensive... — I paused and took a sip from the coffee I was holding, — This is why most of my weapons aren't enchanted, except for a few of my larger and more useful items, like my sniper rifle, which were made from pieces of steel large enough to hold a reasonable amount of Prana. I carved runes into them to ensure that bullets wouldn't go off course or incendiary rounds wouldn't explode before hitting their target...

I approached the workbench and handed the pistol to Shiro.

- Shirou, I want you to apply Analysis to this pistol and tell me everything you find, - I said to him.

Shirou nodded, and with cautious respect took the weapon, returning it to the bench before using the spell.

- Arms on… - Shirou whispered, then began speaking, - This is a Beretta 92SB. It was made in 1980 in Italy. The pistol uses Parabellum cartridges of 9×19 caliber and has fifteen rounds in the magazine inserted in the grip. It has been assembled and disassembled over two hundred times. The first time it was used was in 1983 when Kiritsugu Emiya shot Norikata Emiya. Since then, it has fired around eight hundred times...

At which point he paused, realizing what he had just said.

However, my expression was no less shocked. Not only had he identified the structure of the weapon, but he had also learned about its past? Not bad... But I needed to answer his silent question before he thought God knows what. I nodded toward the worn-out couch in the corner, and we sat down, and I began to tell him...

- My father was a mage. Actually, he was so talented that the Association placed a Sealing Designation on him, even though our family had only been around for four generations. When he learned that they were going to seal him in the Clock Tower, he spent the rest of his life on the run. He took my mother with him, and they fled from the Association. Somewhere in that chaos, I was born...

- From what my father told me, my mother was killed a few years later while trying to reach him. It didn't work out, and Norikata took me. When I was twelve, we stopped on an island called Alimango, and we lived there for about a year. I had a crush on a girl a few years older than me named Shirley... - A faint smile spread across my lips, - She was also my father's assistant. Judging by what he told me, Shirley had even more talent than I did... 

As I spoke, I found myself sinking into those old memories.

- Life was magnificent. I could play with my friends all day, and then spend time with Shirley and my father. But then... then Shirley let her curiosity get the better of her. She drank one of my father's experimental concoctions to find out what he was doing, but she had no idea what my father was researching... - I paused, as the pain of those memories washed over me again. My hands trembled traitorously, and I covered my face with my hands, as if that could drive the recollections away.

- He was looking for ways to become a Dead Apostle, - I said after a long silence. - He concluded that it was impossible to reach Akasha as a mortal, and he needed the longevity of a vampire. He couldn't afford to wait hundreds of years to transition from a ghoul to a full-fledged vampire. He wanted to skip that phase altogether... So when Shirley drank the concoction, she transformed into a vampire and infected the entire island. Soon after, the Enforcers and Executors arrived. They began burning the town and killing the undead, and they surely would have killed me too if not for a woman named Natalia, a mercenary who hunted down people like my father and sold their Magical Crest. When she found out what had happened and that there was a barrier around our home, she let me go to stop my father, - a bitter smile appeared on my face. - And do you know what's the funniest part? He didn't even try to look for me! He only cared about his research… He planned to run away again, taking me with him. He thought I would just listen to him after he was responsible for the death of the entire island. I... I didn't know what to do when I found him. I hadn't thought that far ahead; I expected he would say it was a lie. That he wasn't responsible for this hell and that someone had framed him, but when he admitted it, I just reached a breaking point... I stabbed him with a knife, and when he was bleeding out, I shot him with the pistol he kept in his office. The same pistol that's on the table now…

- The reason I'm telling you this is because I want you to remember that as long as there are living people, there will be those who can betray you. Knighthood is based on the principle that everyone trusts one another. Those who do not care about honor always win because they can deceive, lie, kill, and betray everyone and everything. The pistol you just saw is proof of that. The Association betrayed my father... Norikata, who in turn betrayed Alimango Island. I simply used this pistol to betray my father to end the chain of betrayals, but that doesn't mean I am innocent or any better than him..." I sighed heavily as I finished.

- It's okay, Dad… You certainly said some pretty horrifying things, but I don't think you're to blame. You did what you had to do. Personally… I don't think you were wrong. But you don't have to worry about me; I won't let anyone betray me,- Shirou replied.

His words had a strange effect on me... I felt relief and at the same time a kind of sadness. What he just said, listened to, and accepted... Is it normal for a ten-year-old to be like this? Sometimes I forget that, he acts too mature, too...

 ***

Days turned into weeks filled with such affairs and concerns. Shiro continued his training, and to my surprise, he was making progress. Not that I doubted him, but the pace of his development was impressive...

Gradually, I began to teach him the magic of Reinforcement and Runes that I knew myself. A little, but for a boy his age, that was more than enough. His capacity for learning continued to please me. If in the first week he was still breaking every pencil, he quickly moved on to pens, knives, and eventually arrows with steel tips. Those were his last attempts before he started training to strengthen his own body.

But, looking at his achievements, I couldn't shake the thought that was consuming me from within. I was well aware that I was not eternal; the Holy Grail curse was already starting to weaken me little by little. The changes were slight, but I knew it was just the beginning.

I worried about his fate. What path would he choose? I increasingly noted the similarities between us—not just in appearance but also in mentality. His way of thinking, behavior, attitudes toward certain things. And this fact didn't always please me.

Deep down, I understood that his life wouldn't be easy; with great power comes great troubles. How could I prepare him for life in a world where killings and betrayals are the norm? Would he get caught in the same deadly cycle as I did? What would he choose? To kill a hundred for the sake of millions or to sacrifice those millions for a few dear to him?

These questions kept me awake at night. Every time I thought that he might encounter the Einzberns and the Association, I wanted to prepare him for that. To raise his chances, even if just by one percent. But... what was the price of all this? Shiro devoted almost all his time to training, hardly leaving room for anything else. And yet, he was only ten; children his age have no idea about the things that seem normal to him...

Alright, it's not the time for melancholy now. I think I should go get some fresh air...

 ***

The night was quiet and moonless. Yet I was overwhelmed by a suffocating feeling. My intuition buzzed with danger like a bee. I had relied on it too often to ignore its warnings.

All evening and half the night I couldn't close my eyes. Shiro was peacefully sleeping, exhausted from a day of training. I, however, sat in my room, tapping my fingers on the grip of the Beretta, trying to organize my thoughts. But alas, it only added to the tension; it felt palpable. I could only hope that after all I went through, I was just being paranoid.

But fate had its own opinion on the matter...

A sharp ringing in my head signaled that someone had intruded into my home with malicious intent, and I seriously doubted they were just ordinary thieves.

Several loaded magazines found their way into my pockets. My hand instinctively wrapped around the grip of the pistol. I heard a barely audible sound of a door opening. Pressing against the wall, I waited for two of them to pass by. After taking a deep breath, I stepped out from the shadows and opened fire. The first bullet struck the first man's head, causing him to collapse onto the floor. The second attempted to turn, but I shot him in the knee, and he bent over, clutching the wound, only to have a second bullet sent into his head immediately after. From the voices on the other side, I realized they had now understood someone was waiting for them and began moving in my direction.

Japanese houses have rather thin walls; sound insulation is practically nonexistent. Moreover, they were using integrated flashlights on their weapons, making it easy to pinpoint their location. It seemed they weren't magicians, just regular assassins, but that only raised more questions that could wait.

Seeing familiar glimmers from the flashlights, I aimed and fired several shots through the wall. The shooting was done at random, so I used more bullets than necessary. But the sound of collapsing bodies testified to my success. As I passed by the fresh corpses, I fired two control shots into their heads. A sudden sound of tearing cardboard caught my attention; turning around, I didn't have time to react before a new opponent descended upon me.

I barely managed to stay on my feet before I saw the barrel of a gun pointed at my face. Time was measured in fractions of a second.

Time Alter: Double Accel!

Time slowed down, giving me the chance to move out of the line of fire and free my hand. A gunshot followed, but the bullet went wide. I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm. A few shots rang out towards the floor. The sharp click signaled an empty magazine.

A sharp pain immediately surged through my body, a side effect of the acceleration. The killer noticed it, and a second later, a knife blade whizzed just centimeters away from my face. I stepped back, dodging his lunges. After another strike, I moved aside, grabbing his wrist again, yanked it forward sharply, and struck his elbow. I heard a crack, and the killer dropped the knife. I took the opportunity, shooting him in the leg and then twisting his arm to shoot him in the head. His body collapsed helplessly to the floor. Silence reigned in the house for a few seconds.

It was quickly interrupted by the sounds of gunfire and screaming.

- Damn it, Shirou… - I whispered, horrified as memories of him flooded back.

Forgetting all caution, I rushed to his room. The door was wide open, and I saw blood trailing across the floor. The worst thoughts crept into my mind.

But I was not prepared for what awaited me…

On the floor lay the dismembered body of a man; he had literally been torn apart. The arm was perfectly severed at the elbow, next to it lay a split pistol, and the torso was simply halved, resulting in a pool of blood on the floor. I had seen many deaths, but even I felt nauseated by this…

Looking up, I saw Shirou standing against the wall. His clothes were drenched in blood, and he held a short knife, the very one he had often practiced Reinforcement with. Did he do this? Then I noticed another detail.

His eyes…

They burned with a strange light. It was far too unusual to be considered natural. I had dealt with something like this before, and putting two and two together was easy for me. These were Mystic Eyes…

- Shirou! - I darted towards him, trying to bring him back to reality, - Shiro, it's me! It's over! I'm here!

- K… Kiritsugu?- he replied quietly.

After a few seconds, his eyes began to return to normal. His gaze quickly scanned the room and fell on the body of the killer he had just killed. Then he noticed the knife in his hands, and I saw a shadow of horror in his eyes. He realized what he had done, horrified by his own calmness.

- Shh… It's okay, it's alright. You're not to blame; you did what you had to do, remember what I said? It's all for survival, either you or them, - I reassured him, gently taking the knife from his hands.

- Why them…?

- I don't know, Shirou. But I will find out, I promise. We'll talk about all this, but later… For now, just sleep a little… - I then put him under hypnosis.

He went limp, and I lifted him into my arms and carried him to the living room, laying him down on the sofa. Then I returned to his room, taking a closer look at the body of the mercenary Shirou had killed. The way he was killed… It was both horrifying and efficient; there was simply no chance of survival… But still… You can't achieve this with just a simple combat knife.

His eyes… It seemed the key to this mystery lay within them.

Mutated magical circuits near the eyeballs, granting the user additional abilities, and it seemed to manifest in an extreme situation. All his unusual behavior was apparently linked to them as well…

But I would think about that later; for now, I needed to clean up this mess; the neighbors had surely heard the shots. However, I knew who could help me.

Approaching the phone, I quickly dialed a familiar number. A minute later, a sleepy voice answered.

- Raiga? It's Kiritsugu… Yeah, still alive… You'll be surprised, but I'm not in the mood for jokes… Yes… Got it, thanks.

 ***

Fifteen minutes later, several cars were parked near my house. The Yakuza were tidying up the place while I spoke with Fujimura Raiga, the boss of the local Yakuza.

- You know, when I asked, 'Who did you kill this time?' it was a joke, - he said ironically.

- As you can see, there's a grain of truth in every joke, - I smirked as I lit a cigarette.

- How's the kid?

- He's asleep; after everything that happened, it's the best option…

- My guys checked them out; almost all are Asians, but definitely not locals. There were no documents or anything to identify them.

- They didn't look like amateurs, but they're certainly not pros either. Second-rate, just common thugs, clearly used to charging in headfirst.

- Well, with your experience… - Raiga smirked.

- I'm more worried about their employer… Who could know I'd be here?

- Well, that's not a question for me, - he shrugged.

- I know… though… I've taken out so many people that it's hard to think who it could have been.

- Boss! We're finished! - one of the Yakuza shouted to Raiga.

- Good, you know what to do with them, - he nodded, - And what will you do now?

- I'll leave, along with Shirou. It's no longer safe here. When someone barges into your home so boldly, you can't call it a fortress anymore. Can I ask you for one more thing?

- You can, but you know…

- Can your guys keep an eye on the house and take care of any… complications that arise?

- Are you really planning to come back? - Raiga smirked.

- Who knows… everything returns to where it started eventually… - I answered vaguely, extinguishing the cigarette.

- Alright, I don't think an empty house will cause me any problems.

- There's a box in the shed containing a sniper rifle, an assault rifle, several handguns, and ammunition for them. I think that's enough? - I asked with a smile.

- Ho-ho… More than enough. It's a pleasure doing business with you! - Raiga smirked satisfied.

- Great, and thanks again…

 ***

A few hours later.

Flight to Tokyo.

As promised, Raiga took care of everything with the police and witnesses. After a quick packing, we left the city; now I think it might just be for the best. There were too many problems in Fuyuki… and too many memories…

What happened in that house finally dispelled my doubts. I need to teach Shirou everything I know. Teach him to survive in this world, so that next time he's ready to face death. It's my duty, my obligation as a parent…

But another part of me understood perfectly that what drove me was not so much caring for him as my own selfish motives. I never forgot about Illya, who was imprisoned in the Einzbern castle. I realized that in my current state, I wouldn't be able to break through the barrier surrounding their castle. But Shirou… He would manage. He would be able to break into the Einzbern castle, save her, and prevent her from being turned into a weapon. He would succeed where I failed…

I despised myself for these thoughts, but there was nothing I could do about it. I would hate myself for this for the rest of my life. But I will teach Shirou everything I know, but better. I won't let him become a prisoner of that ideal of the Hero of Justice. He won't try to save everyone. He will save as many as he can, but his closest people and their safety will come first…

… And who could be closer than your family? Even if you haven't seen them?

I turned and looked at Shirou, who was peacefully sleeping against the back of the seat. Shirou, I hope… you find the strength to forgive me for who you will become…

I hope you forgive me… Emiya Shirou…