[Divine Fragment detected!]
The voice in his head—her voice—made the announcement.
[Target: Illya.]
[Mission: Spend one year with her. Let her experience fatherly love. Once complete, the Divine Fragment will be collected.]
[After the mission, you may travel to another world to continue searching for fragments.]
[Mission Perks: Immunity to magic damage, immunity to Noble Phantasms, top-tier culinary skills (limited to one year)]
[Perks become permanent after collecting the fragment.]
"Shichen, do you... have a daughter now?" Frieren looked at Illya curiously, her expression calm as ever.
"Of course not," Shichen frowned—though it wasn't at her question, but at her prompt.
This message was different from before. It wasn't just another person carrying a fragment. No—this fragment had something to do with Illya calling him "Dad"?
And what was that about making her feel paternal love for a whole year?
Besides, he could tell Illya was different from anyone he'd encountered so far. She wasn't just hosting a fragment—she felt completely enveloped by it.
Frieren and the others merely carried traces of that divine energy within.
"Daddy!"
Illya didn't hesitate. She took off running straight toward Shichen.
"Illya, stop!" Sella stepped in front of her just in time.
"Sella, what are you doing?" Illya paused, confused.
"You can't go near that man."
"But he's my dad! Move, please!"
"There's no way he's your father…"
"He is! I know it!" Illya looked toward Shichen, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Sella, see? I told you he was Illya's dad," Leysritt chimed in.
"Quiet!" Sella snapped at her.
"Okay, okay…"
"Illya, he's a stranger. He's not your dad."
"No! I'm sure—it's a feeling deep down… he's really my dad!" Illya shouted happily.
Her excited, innocent face was overflowing with joy. And as Shichen looked at her, he couldn't help but feel something stir in his chest.
"…Illya, come here."
He gently set Frieren down and knelt, holding his arms open with a big smile.
"…"
Frieren stood off to the side, a bit stunned.
"Daddy!"
Illya suddenly ducked under Sella's arms and rushed forward.
"Illya!"
Sella couldn't stop her—Illya threw herself into Shichen's arms, and he caught her.
"You smell like Dad… I finally found you!" Illya said with a radiant smile, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
"Hehe~"
"I'm so happy to see you too, Illya." Shichen held her gently, afraid she might break from too strong a hug.
"Aww, that's adorable," Leysritt murmured, completely absorbed in the moment.
"Wait… is he actually her dad? But he's so young…" Sella stared at them, still unsure.
She thought about pulling Illya away. She didn't know who this man really was. But… seeing Illya smile like that—smile like she never had before—made her hesitate. Illya had always seemed lonely until now.
"Didn't you say you didn't have a daughter?" Frieren asked.
"Well… I do now," Shichen replied with a grin, standing up with Illya in his arms.
"You're not just saying that because she's cute, right?"
"Of course not. Though she is incredibly cute~"
"Hehe~ Really, Daddy?" Illya giggled.
"Definitely~" Shichen rubbed his cheek against hers—soft, smooth, and a little chilly.
"Ehehe~" Illya giggled and tightened her hug around his neck, beaming.
"You…" Sella stepped up with her broom at the ready. "Who are you really?"
"Like she said—Illya's dad," Shichen said sincerely.
"No way! Illya doesn't have a dad!"
"Well, she does now."
"Isn't this a good thing, though? Illya's clearly happy, and he doesn't seem like a bad guy," Leysritt added.
"Zip it!"
"…Okay…"
"Put Illya down. I need to ask the head of the house."
"No!" Illya protested.
"Illya…"
"I want to stay with Daddy!" she clung even tighter to Shichen.
"…Fine. Then he's coming with us."
"What's going on here?"
A soft voice echoed through the hallway, and a graceful figure stepped forward.
She looked just like Sella and Leysritt… and even more like Illya. Actually, she seemed like a grown-up version of her.
She had flawless doll-like beauty, crimson eyes like rubies, and long, silver-white hair that shimmered like snow.
"Who are you?" she asked when she spotted Shichen holding Illya.
"Mom, it's Dad!" Illya beamed.
"…Dad?" The woman blinked, stunned.
"Yep! He finally came to find me!"
"How…?" she looked at Shichen, suspicious and confused.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Shichen—Illya's father." He gave her a polite smile.
"…Come inside first."
Shichen, still holding Illya, followed her into what seemed to be a reception hall—large, elegant, with an extra-long table.
She sat at the main seat. Illya led Shichen to sit beside her, and Frieren sat nearby, looking around curiously at the modern architecture—it was all new to her.
Sella and Leysritt didn't follow them in.
"I'll introduce myself properly. I'm Irisviel von Einzbern, Illya's mother."
"Pleasure to meet you," Shichen nodded.
"You're not a magus, are you?" Irisviel asked, unsure.
There was something strange about him. Not magical… not a Master, either.
"Nope."
"And her?" Irisviel looked toward Frieren, pausing at the sight of her pointed ears.
"Me?" Frieren glanced at her, then at Shichen.
"She's Frieren. A companion of mine. Don't worry about the ears."
"…Fine. I've got more urgent questions anyway."
"Mom?" Illya looked at her.
"Illya, are you absolutely sure he's your father?"
"Yes! I'd never mistake it! He is Dad!" Illya nodded fiercely.
"You don't need to worry," Shichen added. "I mean no harm. And yes, I really am her father."
"…There's no way. How could you be Illya's dad?"
"Simple. How did you get pregnant with her?"
"I… I…" Irisviel looked flustered.
"Let me guess—you got pregnant unexpectedly, right? A homunculus like you, suddenly conceiving?"
"H-How do you know that?" she asked, eyes wide.
"Because Illya is my daughter."
"Wait… are you saying you got me pregnant?!"
"Whoa, no! That's not what I meant," Shichen coughed, flustered.
"Then what do you mean?"
"To be blunt—something of mine ended up inside you. That's what made you conceive."
He'd already figured it out—Illya was the Divine Fragment.
"That's insane! That can't be real…"
"It is. You can feel it, can't you? Illya's energy and mine are exactly the same." As he spoke, he released the aura of the fragment inside him.
Irisviel opened her mouth but couldn't refute it.
"I came here to retrieve what's mine… but clearly, she is mine now." Shichen looked down at Illya with warmth in his eyes.
This time, he really had a daughter.
"Daddy!" Illya grinned and hugged him tighter.
Shichen gently stroked her silver hair. "So yeah… Illya really is my daughter."
"You… you're not here to take her away, are you?" Irisviel asked, clearly shaken.
Back then, she never expected to get pregnant—but once Illya was born, her life changed.
"No need to panic. I'm not taking her anywhere," Shichen reassured her.
"Then… why are you here?"
"How old is Illya now?" he asked.
"She's seven. Why?"
"The Holy Grail War… it's about to start, right?"
"You came because of the Grail War?"
"Not really. But since it's happening… might as well take part."
"…Huh?"
"By the way—is Kiritsugu Emiya around?"
~~~
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