[Shirou POV]
"...I wonder what kind of place the campsite we're going to is?"
"...Well, I don't know, I haven't heard..."
It's a dream again. Lately, I often have dreams where I'm aware that I'm dreaming. This type of thing is called a lucid dream, isn't it? The reason I know this is a dream is because Illya seems a bit aloof.
In response to that, my reply was also somewhat somber and stiff. This is an event from shortly after I became an adopted child. At that time, we hadn't yet been able to measure our distance from each other. It wasn't that we disliked each other, we just didn't know how to interact.
Seeing us like that, Dad and Mom (Irisviel) decided to take us camping to help us get along better. This is probably a dream about that time. In fact, Illya and I did become much closer during that camping trip.
Unlike the strange dreams I've been having recently, this is a dream about my past. In that sense, it might be a proper dream. It's not about another me or nor about the Heroic Spirit of Nameless Archer, but a dream of myself, Shirou Emiya.
As a new family member, as a brother, I struggled to be kind to Illya. It seems like I'm reminiscing about that nostalgic scene. Looking at Illya calmly like this, I can tell she's nervous.
And she's trying hard to get along with me, starting conversations. She wants to be spoiled, but can't bring herself to do it, and seems restless. The old Illya, who would sneak glances at me sitting next to her.
Ah, she was so cute. Well, even now my sister is cute. If Sella heard that, she'd probably call me a siscon again. In the back seat, we keep having such exchanges.
In the driver's seat and passenger seat, Dad and Mom respectively sit. Dad is driving, and Mom in the passenger seat looks dissatisfied and asks to take over driving. Don't change drivers, Dad.
Remembering Mom driving, even in a dream, I plead with Dad in fear. It's because it's become a trauma. Mom driving doesn't cause accidents, but it's scarier than a roller coaster.
After all, for her, a red light means "slow down," not "stop." That's not all. She'd race down winding mountain roads at over 100 kilometers per hour. That's too scary.
Dad seems to know this, and he pretends not to hear his wife's plea while pulling a strained face. Good job, Dad. After all, I already have a fear of cars due to the accident with my real parents.
Like a dream, the scene changes abruptly. Before I know it, I'm at the campsite. Yes, that's right, it was a place like this. A campsite on a plateau, with a cliff visible in the distance. There was a fence on that cliff to prevent falls.
There was a beautiful cottage, and my father and my Mom were unloading our luggage from the car. Ilya and I, we were just standing there watching, seeming a bit idle. As children, we were simply too weak to help.
Still not having overcome the awkwardness with Ilya, I couldn't muster the courage to go and play just with her. As a result, it felt like we were just standing there side by side. That's right, we were like this at first.
However, this camping trip somehow turned our relationship into... wait... How did it happen again? It's odd. I remember that this trip brought us closer, but I can't remember the specifics.
Even though we had this kind of relationship, how did we become so close? Did we just talk normally during the camping trip? No, that's ridiculous. There's no way that's all it was. There must have been some kind of trigger.
But I can't remember. Why have I never questioned this before? I'm confused. Once again, I look down at Illya beside me. Then, as if she had been watching me, she diverts her gaze as our eyes meet.
She seems interested but doesn't know how to start a conversation. It should have been an intensely memorable moment, when we started talking normally from this state. But despite that, I can't remember.
It's strange. Sure, it's a long time ago, but it's only 6 or 7 years. I was around 10 years old. At that age, my memory should have been firmly established. Especially with such a deeply impressive event. After all, I remember this camping trip.
It feels unsettling. Something unnatural seems to be going on. Leaving my confusion behind, the dream goes on. Before I know it, the barbecue has started. That's right, I remember this. I remember it vividly.
And Ilya and I are still the same. We want to close the distance between us, but we can't seem to do it. My father and My mom look at us with troubled expressions. Then, the scene changes again.
We go fishing, play in the river. Time passes moment by moment, and the distance between us doesn't seem to get any closer. Eventually, my father and my mom decide to leave us alone to bring us closer, and they go for a walk.
Yes, that's right. Something like this happened. Left alone in the cottage, Illya and I were wondering what to do. We decided to go see the view from that cliff... And then, we walked through the wide meadow together.
While it was still a bit awkward, we tried hard to make conversation and get to know each other better. I was trying my best to speak in a kind voice. Illya tried to show a smile, and then...
And then, what happened? I can't remember what came next. My vision distorts, and the world warps. What on earth is happening? Finally, everything in front of me turns pitch black, and I can't move.
What is this? I can hear Illya's voice. She's calling my name desperately in a tearful voice. Since I can't move my body, I try to regain my sight. I manage to open my eyes slightly, and realize that they were closed.
"Onii-chan, Onii-chan!"
"..."
I can see Ilya, crying her eyes out. It seems like I've collapsed, and Ilya is looking into my face as if covering me. Wait, did something like this happen? Why is Ilya crying?
I tried to say, "Don't cry," but no voice came out. Illya keeps saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," while crying. What's the matter, Ilya? Don't cry. I always want Illya to be smiling."
Illya's tears fall onto my face. Unable to move my body, I couldn't even wipe her tears or comfort her by stroking her head. I felt a surge of regret and powerlessness.
Then, as if in sync with Ilya's sorrow, droplets of water began to fall from the sky that had been clear until a moment ago. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and it started to rain. The intensity of the rain continued to grow.
Illya's hair soaked up the rain and stuck to her face. The sound of the pouring rain drowned out Illya's sobbing. This isn't good. If I don't find shelter from the rain soon, Illya might catch a cold.
Despite the situation, I thought about it nonchalantly and desperately tried to move my immobile body and mouth. At least, at least just one word...
"...Iri... Are you... okay...?"
Wait, why am I saying this? The words I finally managed to say, while desperately trying to move my unmoving hand and touch Illya's cheek, were unclear. Upon hearing them, Illya nodded while crying.
"...I'm, hic, fine, so..."
Illya managed to utter these words, in between sobs and hiccups. Hearing that, I murmured 'good' and lowered my hand from her cheek. Well, it wasn't so much that I lowered my hand, but rather it fell from sheer exhaustion.
I didn't understand what was happening. But knowing that Illya was alright, I felt a deep sense of relief. I didn't understand anything myself, but I was truly relieved. At that moment, I heard my father's shout from above.
"Dad, help!"
Ilya's heart-wrenching scream echoed in my consciousness....
before I lost consciousness, I saw a vision of a katana sword chained with fiery chains, the fiery chains embedded in the ground above the mountain, the sword staked upright to the fiery mountain as if it was locked, in the vision I knew this place "Universe of Endless Blades"
『Tsumukari Muramasa!!!...』 this the last word I hear before I was sinking into darkness....
...............…
"...What was that dream just now... that kanata sword appeared in my dream...just like I've seen it before?"
Before I knew it, I was mumbling this in my bed. What on earth was that dream about? Well, it was probably just an old dream, right? There were some odd parts, but it was just a dream.
While the ancestral memory does bother me, it hasn't caused me any real harm so far. Even so, I thought about asking Ilya a bit about it. I wonder if Ilya remembers. That time.
"If only dad and Mom were here... Those two would definitely remember."
But those two aren't in the house right now. They're overseas for work. Apparently, Mom did come back home during that Berserker incident, but she seems to have gone back to work immediately.
"Sella and Liz didn't accompany us on that camp, so asking them would be pointless..."
Thinking so, I decided to get up from the bed and try asking them anyway. When I checked the clock next to the bed, it was 6 in the morning. Ugh, I woke up at such an odd time.
Sella is in charge of making breakfast today. I could help, but Sella would object. I was slightly conflicted about what to do but thought that going for a morning jog might feel good. If I took a light lap around the town...
"That's what I'll do. I had a bit of a nightmare and feel off. A nice run and a shower should clear that feeling. It's also a good exercise for club activities, killing two birds with one stone. Once I've decided..."
I undressed from my pajamas and changed into a jersey. When I left my room and descended to the lower floor, I smelled the nice aroma of the breakfast that Sella was cooking. This smell was of miso soup. So, today's breakfast is Japanese style.
Initially, Sella could only cook Western food. But once I started cooking for myself because I wanted Japanese and Chinese food, she started competing and has now mastered Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine. She is a versatile housekeeper.
"Oh, Shirou. You're up early. I thought you said there was no morning practice for your club today?"
"Yeah, I just woke up early. So, I'm going for a little jog."
"I see. Take care."
After this exchange with Sella, who poked her head out of the kitchen, I headed for the entrance. As I put on my shoes and stepped outside, the air and streets of Fuyuki, lit by the morning sun, greeted me. I took a deep breath of that air.
What a good morning... I did some light stretching in front of the entrance and started running. By then, the restlessness and uneasiness I felt when I woke up had disappeared from me, as if deliberately made faint.
...............…
"Phew."
After finishing my jog and taking a shower, I let out a breath while drying my hair. Good. I feel a lot more refreshed. Finally, it feels like I can start a pleasant morning. Well, time to head out...
I put on my school uniform and leave the bathroom. As I enter the living room, Sella is carrying breakfast to the table. I want to help, but she would definitely get angry if I step in. If that happens, my current refreshing mood would disappear.
"I'll go wake up Ilya."
"Yes, please do, Shirou. But don't do anything weird to Illya while she's sleeping..."
"I won't! I won't, so stop saying that."
"Is that so? If you say so, then it's fine."
What does Sella think of me? Doesn't she trust me? Well, I understand that past events may have caused some misunderstandings. Under Sella's piercing gaze, I head to my sister's room.
The current time is 7 in the morning. If I eat breakfast and get ready, it should be just in time to go to school. When I reach my sister's room, I knock on the door as usual. It would be easy if she wakes up with this.
"Ilya, it's morning. Wake up."
"..."
Just as I thought, no response. I sigh at my unresponsive sister and enter the room after calling out. This sleepyhead of a sister won't wake up on her own unless I wake her, so I have no choice but to wake her up, even if she dislikes it. It's also to prevent her from being late.
"Come on, wake up."
"Mmm..."
"Illya never seems to improve in the mornings."
Ruby:『I totally agree.』
While shaking Ilya, I heard a woman's voice with an echo from next door. I'm used to it now, so I responded to that voice without being surprised. Before I knew it, a round object was floating in the air.
It had wing-like decorations, and in the center of the round object was a star-shaped decoration. The sight of such an object floating in the air is extremely fantastical, but I'm already used to it. This is Ruby, the magical stick.
The incident in which this thing was involved was extremely fantastical and heavy, but it had already been resolved. About two weeks ago. I was dragged into a life-threatening battle, but somehow managed to regain my daily life.
And even after that incident was over, this thing remained here like this. The others involved, somehow, also integrated into my daily life as is, and I've been living a busy but enjoyable day-to-day life.
Finally, the daily routine and tranquility had returned. Feeling the love in that, I continued to try waking my sleepyhead sister by opening the curtains and calling out to her. Then, Ilya began to say something that seemed like sleep talk.
"...Onii-chan..."
"This pattern again...Alright alright, what is it today, Illya? Are you going to say 'five more minutes' again?"
"...Good morning..."
"Oh, you're awake for a change...wait, huh?"
While I was trying to listen to Illya's sleep talk, my face had drawn close to hers. The moment I was rejoicing at her morning greeting in her sleep, Illya's arm was wrapped around my neck. Wait, hey Illya. What's going on here?
"I-Ilya...?"
"...Ehehe, Onii-chan...a good morning kiss..."
"Oh!"
"What are you saying Illya!?"
By the time I finally understood the situation, Ilya's face was right in front of me. His lips, shining attractively, moved closer to mine. Wait, wait Ilya! In a panic, I reached out my left hand to illya's face and Illya kissed my palm that my ex had just washed my poo with a tissue that morning.
"...Shirou?"
"...Shirou-san?"
"Ah!?"
From behind me, I heard two eerily low voices. With dread, I slowly turned around, and there was Sella, sending a glacial gaze so cold that it made the phrase "absolute zero" seem lukewarm.
Next to her was a black-haired girl about Ilya's age, Miyu. Miyu's gaze was also very cold. Wait, both of you, hold on a second. This is a misunderstanding. Please, just calm down and listen to me.
"I'm pretty sure I told you not to do anything strange to Illya while she's asleep, didn't I?"
"That's why I'm saying, wait, Sella. You guys are misunderstanding."
"...You were holding Illya's face and it looked like you were about to kiss her..."
"No, it's not like that...! Miyu, Sella. Please, just listen to me for a second..."
This is bad. Really bad. There's no way to play this situation off. From the entrance of the room, they couldn't see that Ilya and my lips weren't actually touching. In other words, I have to convince them that they are misunderstanding the situation.
However, looking at their eyes, I couldn't believe they would trust me. The key person, Ilya, is still in her dream world. In other words, there was no one to prove my innocence. Ruby was of no use either!
"Yo-you...!"
"Shirou-san's...!"
Ah, it's hopeless. Seeing them both take a deep breath, I finally gave up on making excuses. How did it come to this?
"Shirou, you're such a siscon!"
"Argh!"
I got punched by Sella and slapped by Miyu. It's usual for Sella, but being called that by Miyu dealt a deep blow to my heart. And so, another busy day in my new daily life began...
__________________________________________________________________
Yes, it was a slightly different start from the content of "Fate/Kaleid Season 2".
What does this dream really mean...?