Chapter 73: The Face of Female Trouble
"What am I trying to do?"
Illya placed a finger to her chin and tilted her head at a forty-five-degree angle, tossing the question back at Emiya Shirou: "I should be the one asking you that, Onii-chan.
What did you mean by those things you said earlier?"
"I..." Shirou started to speak.
But before he could, Illya cut him off: "You said Kiritsugu always wanted to find me, but why did I never see him?"
Why was Illya so emotional regarding Emiya Kiritsugu and everything related to him? It was precisely because she felt he had abandoned her. He had left her behind in the Einzbern family to start a new family all by himself in Fuyuki City.
Illya had survived magical treatments that were only slightly better than the adjustments Matou Zouken performed on Matou Sakura. It was her hatred for Kiritsugu that allowed her to endure.
If Kiritsugu had truly come to Germany wanting to take her back, why didn't he save her while she was suffering through the Einzbern trials?
"That's because..."
"Because he couldn't get in, right?" Without waiting for Shirou's answer, Illya interrupted him again: "The bounded field surrounding the Einzberns kept Kiritsugu outside, didn't it?"
How did Illya know? Or rather, why did she react like this despite knowing? Shirou didn't understand.
"Yes, Illya. But since you know that, then why...?"
Unable to figure it out, Shirou asked the question directly. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Shirou—who knew through his past-life memories that Illya was Kiritsugu's daughter and his own sister—really didn't want to raise a hand against her.
But this wasn't a matter of whether Shirou wanted to fight or not.
"Because Kiritsugu wasn't strong enough, he abandoned me and Mama.
But I'm different. Berserker is the strongest!"
Illya spoke as if stating an obvious fact. Amidst Berserker's responding roar, she continued with innocent words: "So, Shirou, since I am strong, I can make it so you can never leave me. Of course, I'll turn you into my little doll."
At this point, certain that Shirou truly knew about her, Illya stopped playing "Onii-chan" and addressed him directly by name.
She issued a new command to Berserker: "Go, Berserker! It doesn't matter if you cut off his arms and legs, as long as Shirou's soul remains, it's fine!"
After all, Illya's current "affection" for Shirou was merely a transference of her feelings for Kiritsugu after his death. And her current feelings for Kiritsugu... could only be described as a tangled mess of love and hate.
In the Fate/stay night original story, in the Fate and Heaven's Feel routes, Illya's feelings for Shirou change because, during her attack with Berserker, Shirou recklessly risks his life to save Saber. That unexpected act reminded her of how Berserker had once risked everything for her, sparking the curiosity that led to the subsequent stories.
But now, before that event could take place, Illya's feelings for Shirou were limited to a possessive desire to drag him back and turn him into a doll.
Although Tohsaka Rin didn't know much about the Einzbern family's inner secrets, she did know about their specialty in Displacement Magecraft—information that was public knowledge.
Consequently, she quickly understood what "doll" meant and quipped: "What kind of bizarre family drama plot is this?
Emiya-kun, this might sound a bit harsh, but we really don't have time for you to keep chatting with your sister."
"She is right, Shirou. That Berserker is no ordinary Servant," said Saber, who had been summoned by Shirou using the magic circle in the Ghost Mansion.
Artoria, re-summoned via the [Avalon] buried inside Shirou's body—a catalyst that practically locked onto the summoned hero—spoke up. As a participant in the Fourth Holy Grail War ten years ago, she still held many memories of Illya, not to mention Illya's familiar crimson eyes and white hair. However, in this war, her Master was Emiya Shirou. Her stance in front of him made her loyalty clear.
"Lancer, aren't we going to help?" On the other side, Bazett looked at Lancer, who was watching the scene with great interest.
Was it her imagination? Bazett felt that whenever Lancer looked at Shirou, there was a strange mix of nostalgia and schadenfreude in his eyes.
In fact, Bazett's intuition was correct.
This was the mutual recognition between an Irish "Face of Female Trouble" and a Fuyuki "Face of Female Trouble."
"Help? No, that kid doesn't need our help." Lancer sighed with a face full of reminiscence. "At first I didn't think much of it, but now I'm certain.
Just like when he convinced you, Master, that kid won't lose in these kinds of situations.
Take it from my experience, Master. Just stay back and enjoy the show!"
It must be said that despite his Rank E Luck, Lancer was actually right about this. However, the "show" wasn't the kind he expected. It was something that would leave him utterly flabbergasted.
"—Trace on!!"
As the projection chant left Shirou's lips, that strange Japanese blade he had projected earlier as "Broken Fantasm" ammunition appeared once again, gripped tightly in his hand.
And under the stunned gazes of everyone present...
He used that slender blade to block the charging, brutal momentum of Berserker right where he stood!
CLANG!!
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