Chapter 94

6:30 PM

Carrying his basket of fish, Shinji was still walking on the pedestrian path of Mifune Bridge when he noticed a small, purple figure in the park below. At the same time, Illya, sitting on a swing in the park, seemed to have spotted Shinji. With a little shout, she jumped off the swing and landed gracefully, her arms spread wide.

Seeing this, Shinji, who was sure he wasn't a lolicon, couldn't help but find the sight of Illya, smiling and waving at him, quite adorable.

...

Taking the hot drink that had just dropped from the vending machine, Shinji walked leisurely toward Illya, who was sitting on a park bench, curiously looking at the fish in the basket.

"Here," he said, handing her the drink.

"Thank you, big brother," Illya replied, her face lighting up with a happy smile.

Shinji sat down beside her, leaning back on the bench, and opened his coffee. He took a sip and silently observed Illya, who was swinging her legs, holding the hot drink with both hands, and curiously blinking at the fish.

Even though Illya's wide eyes were filled with curiosity, Shinji could keenly detect a hint of sadness deep within them.

"What's wrong? You seem a bit down..." Shinji said casually, staring ahead. "Did a character you like in an anime die or something?"

"Pfft—haha..." Illya laughed suddenly. "Big brother, you're really strange. You're so young yet so perceptive..."

Shinji didn't respond, but he could guess what was troubling Illya. Someone as smart as Illya must have figured out or suspected that the Holy Grail had been corrupted, but she lacked concrete evidence.

In the HF route, Illya pieced together the truth through Sakura's behavior, Zouken's actions, and what she overheard from Taiga. This showed how exceptionally intelligent she was. However, without Zouken and Dark Sakura, she lacked the substantial evidence. She would have to win and sacrifice herself to see the truth.

(Note: Some say the Einzbern family already knew the Grail was corrupted, but if you carefully examine the story, you'll see they didn't. After the Fourth War, only Kirei, Gilgamesh, and Kiritsugu knew. Acht never opened the barrier, so he couldn't have known from Kiritsugu.)

Shinji knew that Illya, having thought everything through, wouldn't lament her fate. The only complicated feelings she might have would be towards Shirou, the boy adopted by Kiritsugu.

Did this magical girl go out looking for Shirou today and get turned down?

Shinji couldn't help but think so, and in fact, he was right.

In the afternoon, Illya had anxiously waited along Shirou's route home from school. Upon seeing him, she even leaped at him. But before Illya could say much, he gently turned her down with something like, "The people of Fuyuki are suffering (Caster)! I, Shirou Emiya, can't indulge in playing house! Sorry, I can't play with you!"

Moreover, Illya also learned in the afternoon about Shirou and Rin's temporary alliance. This harsh truth dealt a heavy psychological blow to her!

Why not me? Why her?

I was first... cough, wrong line.

"Shinji Matou, do you know?"

Illya's tone lost its playful edge, replaced with seriousness.

Meeting her gaze, Shinji's expression didn't change, nor did he show any sign of panic.

"What?" Shinji asked, feigning ignorance, then dropped a bombshell: "Are you referring to the complex feelings Zouken had for Justeaze?"

"Wha... wha... what?!"

Illya was so shocked she couldn't close her mouth. "Did Makiri really... for the ancestor Justeaze... Shinji... no! Big brother, tell me more in detail!"

Seeing Illya's face full of curiosity and surprise, Shinji sighed inwardly. Girls' interest in gossip really doesn't change with age.

"I don't know the details," Shinji said, waving his hand. "I only know that Zouken had very complex feelings for the silver-haired woman in that painting."

"There's... there's... there's a painting?!"

Illya was utterly stunned. Could it be that Makiri secretly admired Justeaze's painting whenever he had free time? Could Makiri have been a passionate man?

Seeing Illya like this, Shinji kept a straight face, but he was laughing inside. He then leaned closer to Illya, who seemed to be shouting, "Big news! I can't stay calm! Tell me more!"

"One last secret, but you can't tell anyone. Zouken died peacefully while looking at that painting..."

Illya's mind conjured the scene—

The frail and dying Zouken lying in bed, asking Shinji to place the painting beside him, gazing at Justeaze with tender eyes until his breath ceased...

"Oh my..."

...

Stunned by the overwhelming information, Illya said goodbye to Shinji and left the bench in a daze. It was only after walking a considerable distance that she snapped back to reality—Was this what she wanted to discuss? Why did she get so distracted?

Was she being led by the nose?

Realizing this, Illya stopped abruptly, put her hands on her hips, turned around, and angrily looked at Shinji, who was preparing to leave with his fish basket.

"Makiri big brother, you're mean!"

Shinji shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I shared such a big secret with you and you call me mean?"

"You're still mean! That's not what I wanted to ask!"

"But that's all I know..." Shinji said, spreading his hands.

"Hmph! I won't talk to you anymore!" Illya turned away with a huff, looking adorable in her frustration.

"Well, maybe..." Shinji mused, then smiled warmly. "Maybe that boy doesn't want to involve a girl in danger. Just a guess, but perhaps he sees a small, innocent, cute girl as someone who needs protection."

"Huh?"

Illya blinked, taking a moment to understand. After five seconds, she realized Shinji was referring to Shirou and herself.

"Good night, Illya."

With that, Shinji turned and waved goodbye, leaving Illya standing there, lost in thought, before she eventually walked away.

Sharing some lesser-known details:

Two months before the Holy Grail War began, the Einzbern family summoned the extraordinary hero Heracles to help Illya control her Servant.

Even with the Berserker class's madness attribute, Heracles retained his consciousness and enjoyed chatting with Illya.

However, Illya, looking down on the giant's ugliness and driven by her desire for revenge for Kiritsugu's death, didn't bother talking to him, focusing only on getting stronger for the war.

As she quickly mastered her abilities as a Master, Berserker's language skills diminished, and eventually, his rationality was completely lost.

Having endured the Einzbern family's hellish trials together, Illya began to like Berserker, but by then, the giant was fully consumed by madness, incapable of communication. They were like two different beings—human and beast.

Their disconnect wasn't due to a language barrier but a fundamental difference in consciousness.