Ye Sizhen slept soundly.
Partly, she supposed, it was because her conversation with Shirou before bed had lifted her spirits.
And partly, it was because she had finally cleared away the confusion that had been weighing on her heart.
It was about time... to say goodbye.
Four days had passed since she had been brought here.
The injuries she had suffered that night still had not fully healed, but they were no longer serious.
Ye Sizhen had come to Japan for a specific mission. She could not afford to spend too much time recuperating.
On top of that, she had defeated the Tohsaka Family Magus who governed Fuyuki that night. By now, she had probably already caused a stir among the local Magi.
If she did not act quickly, carrying out the next stage of her mission would only become more difficult.
The reason Ye Sizhen had struggled to make up her mind and return to the fight.
At this point, there was no need to hide it. It was because she had met that child.
Ye Sizhen had once heard a saying from the Western Magecraft world:
Magecraft was, in essence, an obsession with the pursuit of truth.
To become a Magus was to transform oneself, through endless research and practice, into a component (a gear) for constructing Mystery.
Ye Sizhen's goal was to become a perfect practitioner of Thought Magecraft.
Born into a family of Taoist priests, she had devoted all her passion to study from a young age.
She had not gone so far as to cast aside her humanity completely, but the conscience and common sense of ordinary society had always belonged to a world beyond her reach.
And yet this cold, rational woman.
After Ye Sizhen arrived in Fuyuki and met a certain young man, a small change took place in her heart.
She was so deeply drawn to him that whenever she had a moment to spare, she found herself thinking about him.
Of course, Ye Sizhen knew exactly what the pure feelings budding in her chest were.
She felt neither ashamed nor vexed by them.
For a Magus with so little empathy to once again feel such intense human emotion...
It was nothing short of a miracle.
At the same time, she realized that her words and actions had become far more frivolous and careless than before.
If her classmates at Spiral Manor saw her now, they would surely stare in disbelief and shout something like, "You've fallen!"
Ye Sizhen did not care. She was deeply grateful to Shirou, the boy who had made her fall in love. More grateful, even, than she was for him saving her life.
It was that child who had made her realize that she was still a human being with a "heart."
Ye Sizhen had already made up her mind. As soon as he came back in the morning, she would say goodbye.
This was not a farewell forever, only a brief parting.
Once she had properly dealt with all the work that had brought her to Japan, she would come back.
When that time came, she would tell him everything she could not say now.
Feeling the morning sunlight fall across her face, Ye Sizhen slowly opened her eyes.
"Ah, you're awake."
"!"
Ye Sizhen's eyes widened as she cried out inwardly. This is bad.
What came into view was not the ceiling she had grown used to, but a beautiful girl with silver hair and red eyes.
Leysritt sat by the bed, blinking her curious eyes as she studied the unfamiliar woman who had appeared in the tatami room.
Shirou had not come home last night. Since it was a rare opportunity, Leysritt had decided to clean both tatami rooms while he was away.
After all, ever since Shirou entered middle school, he had become reluctant to let Leysritt freely enter and leave his room.
The Homunculus girl had gotten up early and spent an hour cleaning Shirou's room.
But when she came to the neighboring room where Irisviel had once stayed, she found an unfamiliar woman sleeping there.
"Excuse me. Are you... a burglar?" she asked, tilting her head.
"......"
Ye Sizhen frowned.
The intense magical energy radiating from the silver-haired girl told her that ordinary suggestion Magecraft would not work.
She slowly reached toward the pillow.
Hidden beneath it was the medium Ye Sizhen needed to activate Age of Gods Magecraft.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch the shell, Leysritt seized her wrist.
"Don't make any sudden moves."
"Ugh...!"
Ye Sizhen realized she could not move at all.
Such incredible strength. Was this girl really human?
"Come on. You're coming with me to see the lady."
She grabbed Ye Sizhen by the wrist and forcibly dragged her out of the tatami room beside Shirou's.
...
...
I'm sorry, Shinji. I still ended up causing you trouble...
Ye Sizhen lowered her head, apologizing to the red-haired boy in her heart with overwhelming guilt.
At that moment, she was sitting at the dining table in the living room, facing a silver-haired woman with a gentle smile.
Thanks to the maid's introduction, Ye Sizhen learned that this woman was Shirou's guardian.
"Sizhen-san, may I call you that?"
"Yes, Lady Irisviel."
Ye Sizhen sat up straight, staring at the tatami with an extremely awkward expression.
She looked exactly like a high school girl who had run into her boyfriend's mother on the street and been dragged into an unavoidable conversation.
Irisviel rested a finger against her delicate chin and said, "I understand what you've told me.
So it was Shi... ahem, it was Shinji who saved you when you were on the brink of death and brought you back to his room."
The moment Ye Sizhen mentioned the name "Shinji," Irisviel immediately understood that Shirou was using a fake name with a girl again, though she did not expose him.
"And for the past few days, you've been hiding in the room beside Shi... Shinji's to recover from your injuries, and you were planning to say goodbye today."
"I'm very sorry... I should have greeted you sooner, Lady Irisviel."
It was Shirou who had asked her to keep it secret.
Of course, Ye Sizhen would never say that aloud. She did not want to drag Shirou into trouble because of her.
"It's all right. I'm sure that was the boy's request anyway," Irisviel said.
"...I'm sorry."
Ye Sizhen froze for a moment at Irisviel's answer. Did Shirou often sneak girls home?
"No wonder the food in the kitchen has been disappearing a little faster than usual lately."
One of the maids behind Irisviel, Sella, murmured.
"They must have been preparing extra meals for Sizhen-san."
"...I'm sorry."
"No, no, there's no need for you to apologize. Please don't worry about it."
Irisviel said earnestly, "I'm not blaming you, and I don't think there's anything wrong with helping someone in need.
Keeping something like this from the family is just a tiny bit wrong, but it's fine. I'll make sure to properly educate that boy afterward."
Ye Sizhen breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness... Shinji's family was very understanding.
But that was only natural. Anyone who lived under the same roof as that child could hardly be a truly harsh person.
Ye Sizhen said, "Lady Irisviel, I plan to say goodbye to Shinji once he returns this morning."
"Oh, you're leaving already? Won't you stay a few more days?"
Irisviel tried to persuade her. "You were badly injured. It would be better for you to rest a little longer."
Ye Sizhen shook her head. "No. I've already caused you enough trouble, and... thanks to Shinji's timely treatment, my body is fine now."
"Um... I'll explain everything to Shinji! It isn't that you're trying to drive me out. I'd already decided to leave."
"Hehe, Sizhen-san, is that what you're worried about? It's all right. Shi... Shinji wouldn't think that."
Irisviel spoke with a smile.
"..."
Looking at the silver-haired noblewoman's smile, Ye Sizhen suddenly felt something strange stir inside her.
It was as though she could sense the deep, unshakable trust between Shirou and this woman.
It was a wonderful feeling.
Ye Sizhen could not help letting her thoughts wander.
If... she meant, if...
If she and Shirou became husband and wife someday, could they trust each other like that too...? Uuu!
"Um, Sizhen-san, are you all right? Your face is so red. Are you still not fully recovered?" Irisviel asked worriedly.
"No... that's not it..."
Ye Sizhen covered her flushed, burning cheeks.
To make that sort of face in front of Shinji's mother... How utterly disgraceful...
She forced herself to calm down as much as possible, then changed the subject.
"Um... Lady Irisviel, unless I'm mistaken... are you pregnant?"
"Huh?"
Irisviel blinked. "You could tell?"
She was already four months along, and her belly had begun to show, but with loose indoor clothing on, it should have been impossible to notice.
"Yes, I could."
Ye Sizhen nodded with a serious expression. "I am a Thought Magus from Spiral Manor.
Thought Magecraft is different from Western Magecraft. It is especially suited to observing the flow of 'qi' within the human body.
I can faintly sense a new life growing inside you."
"A-Amazing..." Irisviel was astonished.
"Congratulations, Lady Irisviel," Ye Sizhen said with a smile. "Do you know the baby's gender yet?"
"Yes, she's a girl. We've even picked out her name already."
With a blissful expression, Irisviel said, "Illya."
"What a beautiful name. I'm sure she'll grow up to be as lovely as her mother."
"Hehehe... You certainly know what to say."
Watching Irisviel smile so happily she could barely close her mouth, Ye Sizhen clenched her fist.
Wonderful! She had successfully won over that child's family!
At that moment, a question suddenly occurred to Ye Sizhen.
Come to think of it, where was the child's father?
From what she had observed over the past few days, only Shirou, Lady Irisviel, and her two servants lived in this enormous mansion, which was almost like a hotel.
There was no one else.
Did the child's father not live here with them?
Ye Sizhen thought to herself that it would be better not to pry into another family's secrets.
"You're wondering where Illya's father is, aren't you?"
"No..."
"Hehe, it's all right."
Irisviel gently stroked her belly and spoke.
"Illya's father... is 'that child.'"
"!?!!"
Ye Sizhen's eyes widened.
She suspected she had misheard, and asked in a trembling voice, "Um, excuse me... what did you just say...?"
Irisviel said, "Illya's father is no longer here, so that child is her father...
He said he would protect me and Illya. He would be her older brother, and also become Illya's father.
My Shi... cough, my Shinji is quite amazing, isn't he?"
S-So that was what she meant...
Ye Sizhen suddenly understood, and at the same time, she silently scolded herself for letting her imagination run wild.
What is wrong with me? What on earth was I thinking?
Then again, Ye Sizhen thought, Lady Irisviel's expression just now had been a little bewitching, almost as if she were deliberately showing off to her... Was that just her imagination?
"By the way, Sizhen-san."
"Yes?"
"You haven't always lived in Japan, have you? Did you come to this country for some particular reason?"
"......"
Ye Sizhen fell silent.
The woman before her, Irisviel, had forgiven her with such kindness. Ye Sizhen felt she could not keep lying.
She would tell the truth.
Not only out of personal conscience, but also to protect Shinji.
To keep him and his family from being dragged into unnecessary trouble.
Ye Sizhen took a deep breath. "The truth is, I came to Fuyuki to search for a Magus."
"To search for someone?"
Irisviel realized at once that this was not a simple matter, because she sensed killing intent from the woman in the cheongsam.
Ye Sizhen nodded.
"The ritual once held in this city.
The person I'm looking for is the final victor of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Shirou Amamiya."
The other three present fell silent. "........."
Ye Sizhen noticed the subtle looks on their faces and frowned.
"Excuse me. Is something wrong?"
Ye Sizhen had already prepared herself for the worst.
Shinji was also a Magus living in Fuyuki, so of course there was a possibility that he might know her target, Shirou Amamiya.
They might even be friends.
However...
"Shinji is actually an alias."
Irisviel bit her lip. "That child's real name... He didn't tell you, did he?"
"...!?"
Ye Sizhen froze.
Her graceful body trembled as though it had been pierced through.
In a stiff voice, she asked again, "Shinji isn't his real name... Then who is he?"
"He is the Shirou you're looking for... Shirou Amamiya."
"Shirou..."
Ye Sizhen's voice broke off, and despair colored her dark, cold eyes.
"That child is Shirou... Wait. Was he lying to me...?"
"No! I don't think that's it!"
Irisviel said anxiously, "It was probably out of self-protection, or perhaps he was simply being too cautious...
In any case, it's definitely not what you're imagining, Sizhen-san!"
"..."
Ye Sizhen was speechless.
Thinking about it carefully, he had not known she was searching for someone named "Shirou Amamiya."
He... Shirou had not asked her a single question after saving her. He had simply let her recover in peace.
The warmth she had felt from his back that night.
Ye Sizhen felt that this beautiful memory alone would be enough to sustain her through every low point in the rest of her life.
So he could not have deliberately deceived her.
Even so, learning that the name given to her by the person she loved was false...
Ye Sizhen placed a hand over the Red Spider Lily Tattoo on her chest, and her composed face twisted slightly.
"......This is awful."
Why did he have to be Shirou Amamiya?
She could not help thinking that all of this was probably retribution.
Because she had intended to harm Shirou from the very beginning, she had been made to meet him in the worst possible way...
"Fate really is cruel..."
Feeling a pain in her chest as though it were about to tear her apart, Ye Sizhen spoke from the heart.