Fate Identity Reborn

by Nick of Fire

Kirei Kotomine, at the temptations of Gilgamesh, gave in to his dark desires and caused a flood of death and tragedy. But, what if he didn't give in and remained true to his ideals? A cavalcade of changes would follow. The birth of the makeshift family of Kirei, Rin, Sakura, and Caren. Another makeshift family of Artoria, Irisviel, Illyasviel, and Gray. This is a new Fate.

3. Chapter 3: More than a Grail

Fate/Identity Reborn Chapter 3: More than a Grail

Irisviel von Einzbern stared at a great mound of corpses, ones that had dead expressions. Well, calling them truly deceased seemed inappropriate, since they can hardly be said to have ever lived. All those bodies, strewn atop each other without even the dignity of any clothing, were identical to Irisviel.

They were what she could have been. They were her sisters, her predecessors, her prototypes.

Tears welled up in her eyes, tears born from horror at the surreal sight of her own image dead and in droves, but also pity for their sorry state. Most of all, she was experiencing a feeling of understanding, understanding that she was as disposable as they were, a mere vessel, a tool that could only be used once before getting thrown away.

"Are you crying? Are you mother?" Illyasviel was looking up at her. Her daughter, Her precious daughter. They were in her bedroom. "Hey, mother, I had a scary dream." Her daughter hugged her. "I had a dream where I turned into a cup, and then I dreamed that these seven gigantic lumps started to come into my body."

"It's okay. It's okay." Irisviel barely got the words out as she held her daughter, tears gently falling down her face. "I would never let that happen. I promise that will never happen to you, Illya." Dark snow fell from the ceiling as the room started getting covered in black. "I know in my heart that you will be released from the shackles of fate."

The black snow fell as Irisvile looked upon the pile of her predecessors, all their eyes fixed on her. Their bodies were getting covered in the darkness. Irisviel saw one of them smile.

The mud was rising towards her, surrounding her in a dome shape. "Am I inside the Holy Grail? Why is this happening?" The ground below her was now a corrupt mud. From that mud came small arms like those of infants. They grabbed at her, pulling her into the manifested impurity. There were too many to fight back against. She was fully submerged in the filth.

"Who am I?"

Inside her seeped the corruption, and she knew what the Holy Grail truly was. The omnipotent wish granting device was infected. No possessed. No it was supplanted. Its will was replaced, or rather it was given one. It was once just an esoteric machine, but now it housed the hatred of a being so great that it became a vector for destruction.

It wanted to be born into the world, and when it did, it would kill all of humanity. That was what it desired, what it existed to do.

Irisviel was dissolving. Her individuality was being wiped away. She sunk deeper and deeper into the mud, five of seven lumps weighing her down.

Irisviel felt the hatred be injected into her mind. She felt angry. She wanted to destroy everything. All that she once deemed beautiful was now seen through a nihilistic lens that made only the imperfections stand out. She knew all the reasons why humanity would be better off not existing.

She thought of Kiritsugu Emiya, and all she saw was the horrible things he had done to achieve his childish, unrealistic dream.

She thought of Artoria Pendragon, and all she saw was another fool who wasted her time hating herself and being disconnecting from all around her for the sake of more idiotic ideas of what's best for the world.

She thought of Illyasviel von Einzbern.

Illyasviel.

Illya.

Her daughter.

The daughter she had to protect, the one she couldn't let go through the horrible experience of being a weapon for the Einzberns only to be dissolved into a bottomless cauldron of hate.

Irisviel fought against the Greater Grail's attempted distillation and filtering of her personality. If she had been killed at this point, killed at the hands of a priest as she was in another timeline, she would lack the energy to fight back, but she was still alive. Her will persisted, and so she swam up against the great weight of the ever increasing mud above her. As the limbs of her willpower became ragged and weak, as the corruption made he feel that there was no point, that Illya couldn't be saved, that she should just die, rest, and fade away, Irisviel remembered the husband she loved who wanted to save the world, the kind and gallant knight who made her last few days a joy, and the daughter she would give anything to protect.

Irisviel von Einzbern would not be consumed by the Grail, not when she had so much to live for.

The woman breached the surface of the mud. Light came that should have stung her eyes, but instead invigorated her and made her mind clear.

Irisviel felt her body again. She still had her humanoid form. She had absorbed five Heroic Spirits at this point. The Grail should be activated in a limited capacity. She should have been nothing but the Lesser Grail, but her will was strong enough to resist the transformation. If she had been killed, she wouldn't have the willpower necessary to keep on existing at this point, but she was still alive. This may have been a malfunction in her design. She wasn't created to have emotions. They were something she learned from being with Kiritsugu. The Lesser Grail inside her wasn't built to overcome emotions that could get in the way of its programming.

Irisviel awakened to see she was atop a table. That table was on a stage in a great hall. She must have been in the Fuyuki Civic Center since it was one of the places the Grail could be invoked. She wasn't sure because the area was almost completely decimated. Fragments of chairs and walls all over the place while hanging seating areas had crashed to the ground.

There were also loud bangs resonating through the air. Sounds like metal against metal, like objects crashing into things.

Irisviel propped herself up onto her elbow to get a better look at the area. Standing with his back to her was Archer. The golden man stood with a conceited calm as he fired Noble Phantasms at two individuals.

They were Saber and Kiritsugu, the knight having to put her all into deflecting the oncoming projectiles while Kiritsugu dodged them by pushing his time dilation magecraft to the limit. Both were covered in wounds. Saber in particular had multiple weapons sticking out of her. The kniught winced with every movement but kept going nonetheless. Kiritsugu was better off thanks to having Avalon inside him, but it was a losing battle at this rate.

Irisviel didn't know the details of how this situation came about. The last thing she remembered was Maiya getting killed while trying and failing to save the homunculus from getting kidnapped by Archer. The golden Servant knocked Irisviel out, but that didn't matter. She needed to tell everyone the truth of the Grail.

"Stop fighting! The Holy Grail is corrupted!"

The fighting paused as everyone faced Irisviel, surprised to see she was conscious.

"Irisviel!"

"Iri!"

"What do you mean the Holy Grail is corrupted?" Gilgamesh did not find this amusing.

"My mind was absorbed into the Grail, I was nearly destroyed, but I managed to free myself. The Grail has been corrupted! There's something inside it that has turned it into a device that only destroys! If you were to have it grant you a wish, it would do it through the most destructive means possible!"

Both Kiritsugu and Saber had a similar reaction, shock at what Irisviels was telling them. Her awakening was already sudden. To be told that the thing they had been fighting for was evil was even more staggering. This was followed by a pained struggle to accept this new truth. Both of them had dedicated themselves to their dreams, ones they were willing to sacrifice much for, that they had already sacrificed much for, but now it was made clear to them that it was all for naught.

"Destroy me!" Irisviel yelled. "The corruption inside the Grail wants to enter the world, we can't let that happen. Destroy my entire body before the Greater Grail is properly invoked!" Irisviel winced as she felt a pang as the five weights inside her became heavier. "I don't know how long I can last!"

"Irisviel, there has to be another way!" Saber was too kind, she had lost so much.

Kiritsugu's reaction was more internal. He was at war within himself over his desire to save Irisviel, and his desire to save the world.

Gilgamesh had been quiet, but finally decided to speak. "The Grail is corrupted you say? Well, now I am more intrigued. As a mere tool for wish granting, I only held interest in it as much as it is something valuable, and thus inherently mine. If it truly has the potential you say it does then it has become far more interesting."

"Archer, you don't understand! The Grail could destroy all life on Earth and you with it!"

"You dare claim the Grail's power could overcome me? You don't understand your role. You are a mere vessel." Gilgamesh opened a golden portal behind him. A spear floated through with its tip pointed at Irisviel. "From what I understand, you don't need to be alive to continue your duty as a vessel. I'll kill you and get rid of that superfluous personality of yours."

Kiristugu sharply inhaled and, in a moment of desperate emotion, put a hand in front of his torso. A golden light shined from his body's trunk as a scabbard floated out. "Saber!" He tossed it at his Servant.

"Avalon?" Saber caught it. "Why-"

"Just use it, save Iri!"

Saber nodded, her expression becoming one of determination.

Archer glanced back at the commotion behind him. "What's that? I can tell it is an implement of great quality, as befitting my Saber. But, do not think it will change anything, mongrel."

The golden man turned to face his opponents once more. He opened many more portals. Between Archer and Irisviel was a wall of golden ripples from which hundreds of Noble Phantasm peaked out towards Kiristugu and Saber.

Irisviel couldn't see what was happening, but she heard Saber yell out "Master!" before all the weapons fired off and everything in front of Archer was covered in a cloud of dust.

"As if a single Noble Phantasm could allow one to stand up to my treasury."

Bursting from the fog came Saber. Her body was missing the weapons that were once impaled into it. She was now dressed in a bounded field of golden light that cut her off from the world. She swung Excalibur's glittering blade at Archer as the field vanished.

The armored man dodged to the side with a jump and reached into his treasury. He pulled out a key that transformed into a sword with a cylindrical 'blade.' As the weapon rotated and red energy that warped space itself gathered around it, chains shot out from ripples in the air around Saber.

"Avalon!" The chains tried to hold her yet the golden light returned and they failed to affect Saber. She ran at Archer and severed the arm that held the bizarre weapon.

The golden man's composure broke. He looked genuinely distressed. Archer wrapped chains around himself and pulled himself out of Saber's range while having one chain grab his dropped weapon. Artoria charged Excalibur all the while. Little particles of light rose up from all over the hall. There was a sense of peace about Artoria as time seemed to slow down. "This is your true Noble Phantasm! The land of the fairies, cut off from the rest of the world!" Archer unleashed a storm of Noble Phantasms while a pillar of radiance rose from Artoria's blade, piercing through the ceiling. The wind whipped about as debris was blown away and Irisviel nearly got flung off the table she sat on.

As Avalon's light left, Excalibur's replaced it. "Ex-" Gilgamesh grabbed the cylinder sword, but it was too late. "-calibur!"

The blade of light swung down, destroying all of the oncoming Noble Phantasms and consuming Archer's body. The golden man was wiped away by an even more brilliant gold color that destroyed him in his entirety. The light, despite its brightness, was too brilliant to look away from, even more so than when Irisviel first saw it.

The legendary slash cut a massive gape into the building and reached the clouds, parting them and leaving a wide enough space in the sky you could fit a country's width in it.

Archer was gone.

Before any words could be said, Irisviel felt the sixth lump enter her and she groaned in pain. She felt herself being pulled back towards the mud.

"Irisviel!" Saber ran to her. "What's wrong?"

"I can't fight it anymore. My personality is going to dissolve and the Greater Grail will be summoned. You have to destroy me before that happens."

The mud was creeping back in and dripping all over Irisviel's mind. It's disgusting touch was polluting her being.

"No! There has to be another way!"

"Saber, there's no time! As long as I'm connected to the Greater Grail, it will eventually consume me and be summoned!"

"Can you break the connection?"

"No!"

The mud was piling higher. It felt like it was about to overflow. Irisviel's body began to be consumed in ethereal fire.

"Irisviel!"

Soon, the homunculus known as Irisviel von Einzbern would be burned away and all that would be left would be the Grail.

Saber's look of fear and frustration turned to resolution again. Avalon materialized in her hand.

"Saber, Avalon's healing won't be enough."

"It's not its healing ability that we need." The scabbard was pushed into Irisviel's body. As it entered her, the homunculus could feel it vainly try to heal her, to fight back against the pollution. But, there was no effect.

The flames grew larger. Irisviel would be gone soon.

Saber put a hand on Irisviel's chest. "Avalon!"

Avalon's light, the light that was the garden where the fairies dwelled. Avalon was a conceptual weapon that cut its user off from the rest of the world, and that ability could theoretically be used to cut off unwanted connections.

The lumps inside Irisviel seemed to get pushed out, as was the mud that was about to paint over her existence. Irisviel felt a sense of peace, cleanliness. The hateful hand of the Greater Grail lost its grasp on her and retreated to wait for a new vessel, failing to be fully invoked this Holy Grail War.

The light faded, as did the flames, and Irisviel panted heavily. Those brief moments where her body was freed from the Grail's hold felt like days merely due to the intensity of the moment.

Looking herself over, the homunculus found it hard to accept her reality as truth. Irisviel began to cry tears of joy. She was allowed to live. Years before the Fourth Holy Grail War even began, she had accepted she would not live past it. Since birth, she knew she existed merely to be a vessel and die, lacking the self-awareness to even question that fact. Upon meeting Kiritsugu, she learned to truly be a person, but she still knew and accepted the fate that she would die to be the Grail's vessel for the sake of Kiritsugu's dream.

Now, here she sat, presented with a future she never truly considered, one where she lives.

Wrapping her arms around Saber she wailed, an unexpected happiness washing over her.

Saber reciprocated silently.

But, she didn't let it last long.

While Irisviel was still sobbing, Saber gently pushed her away. "Irisviel, I'm sorry, but he doesn't have much time." Irisviel was scooped up into Saber's arms. She jumped off the crumbling stage and over to a spot where many bloody pieces sat.

"Kiritsugu!" Irisviel got out of Saber's grasp and fell to her palms and knees as she stared at what remained of her husband. He was alive, but he wouldn't be for much longer. The only parts of him that weren't completely liquified were his upper torso and his head. Even those parts weren't in good shape. "No, this can't be happening!" She put her hands before her chest as a light came from it.

"Avalon can't heal me. Not at this point. Not fast enough." A raspy whisper came from Kiritsugu.

"Kiritsugu! Please, we need to try!"

"Iri, please, I don't want my final moments to be watching you struggle in vain."

"Kiritsugu, I can't live without you! You made me who I am! If it weren't for you, I'd just be another emotionless homunculus! I need you! Illya needs you!"

"You'll both be okay. You're strong."

"Why did this have to happen! I was the one who was supposed to die, not you! Saber should have saved you, not me!"

"Don't say that. You deserve to live far more than me. Unlike me, you didn't kill so many, commit so many atrocities for a pipe dream."

"You were just doing your best, no one can blame you!"

"You're kind Iri. Illya needs a mother like you, not a father like me."

Irisviel was moaning as she put her hands on Kiritsugu's face and gently kissed him one final time.

He smiled. "Thank you." He painfully turned his head towards a somber looking Saber. "Saber, no, Artoria Pendragon. I know I don't deserve to request anything from you, but-"

"There is no need to apologize. We may have had our differences, but in the end you showed you are not a machine, but a human. You're a man who was willing to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves. I am honoured to have been your Servant, and I'll fulfill your last request no matter what."

"You're also kind. I ask that you stay with Iri. It will cost more mana from Iri than normal, but if we transfer my Command Spells to Iri, she can be your Master and you can stay in this world. I want you to protect and take care of her. She still doesn't know so many things about the world and I don't know what the Einzberns will do at this point. Please protect her, and Illya too. I want to make sure Illya can live a happy, peaceful life. Can you do that for me?"

"Absolutely, my Master. As a knight, Irisviel will be my lady, and both her and your daughter will forever be in my care."

"Thank you. Find my arm. I saw it intact somewhere nearby. We'll transfer the Command Spells."

They did just that, or rather Saber did while Irisviel continued to mourn. A sting hit her hand once the Spells transferred.

"Another request. Collect my body and turn all my bones into Origin Bullets. Give them to Illya and teach her to use firearms. It'll be the best weapon to protect herself, even against those stronger than her. Also, I think my Magic Crest is intact. When she's ready, transfer it to her."

"Okay." Irisviel said between hiccups.

"Good." Kiritsugu laughed lightly. "I finally did something good that didn't hurt anyone. I just took being killed for me to do it. Maybe it's karma or some-" Kiritsugu's eyes lost any light they had left. He was dead.

Irisviel cried and cried as Saber held her tight.

The Fourth Holy Grail War had reached an end.

Despite the heating of the car, Irisviel still felt cold as she stared out the lightly frosted window. The outside was a blizzard, as it always was around the Einzbern castle.

Irisviel was returning home. Saber was driving through the forest. Irisviel wasn't in the mood to take the wheel herself. The gloom of Kiritsugu's passing was still draped over her like a veil. She half expected she'd end up losing focus and crashing if she was allowed to drive.

She just needed to reunite with Illya. Irisviel may have lost Kiritsugu, but she still had Illya. She had to get back to her. That's all she needed.

"Irisviel, do you wish to talk?" Saber seemed hesitant to speak. She was unconfident in a way that didn't befit her.

"Talk about what?"

"Anything you want to. You seem…trapped in your own thoughts right now. If you want to talk about them, I'll listen, though I don't know how helpful I could be beyond that." Irisviel didn't say anything. Saber was trying to make sure Irisviel was okay and the homunculus appreciated that, but she really didn't understand what she was even feeling. All her attention was stuck on Kiritsugu and Illya. "We could also talk about other things. Normal things."

"Do you even know what things are normal for people to talk about?"

Saber looked away to hide her blushing. "Of course I do."

"Name some then."

"…Food. Weather…and family things. Games. Music."

"When you say games, what do you actually mean?"

"Games like…running around and…pretending to fight. Also playing with toys, like wooden swords."

"Swords you run around with pretending to fight?"

"Potentially."

"Was that what most of your childhood was?"

"Potentially."

Saber's ears were getting redder and redder. Irisviel couldn't suppress her giggles. Her knight sometimes seemed like she could do anything. Then the next moment, she was adorably awkward. "I'm sorry for laughing. Thank you, Saber. I respect your attempt at trying to make me feel better."

"You say attempt, but your laughing implies I succeeded." Saber regained some composure and even looked pleased with herself for a job well done. There was a competitive instinct in her, and making Irisviel laugh was a marker of her victory over her.

Irisviel began adjusting in her seat as she felt the magical energy of the Einzbern estate's main Bounded Field. "Stop the car. We're approaching the Bounded Field. I need to open a path or it'll try to repel us and the Einzberns will think we're intruders."

Without a word, Saber slowled the car to a gentle stop. Irisviel made sure she was bundled up well before getting out of the car and walking in front of it. She faced the invisible barrier and began reciting the incantation necessary to 'unlock' it.

But, it didn't work.

Irisviel felt a bead of sweat slide down her face despite the cold. She tried the incantation again, making doubly sure she spoke every word perfectly. It still failed. She tried a third time. Still nothing. It was as if the 'lock' had been changed so her 'key' no longer fit.

Irisviel stepped closer to the Bounded Field. "Hello? It's me, Irisviel! I've returned from the Holy Grail War." There were definitely familiars acting as surveillance, listening and reporting to Grandfather Acht. "It's me, Irisviel von Einzbern! I can't get through the Bounded Field! Can someone open it for me?"

"Irisviel, what's wrong?" Saber had exited the car.

"I can't open a path through the Bounded Field for some reason."

"Irisviel." That voice. Grandfather Acht. Some snow rose up and piled together. As if clay in a master sculptor's hands, the snow took shape. The snow sculpture looked like Grandfather Acht. It was a weak instant homunculus that Grandfather could speak through.

Irisviel got on one knee, ignoring the frigid touch of snow. "Hello, Grandfather. I've returned from the Holy Grail War. I'm sorry, but I failed to seize victory and complete the Heaven's Feel, but I have good reason."

"I have no interest in your excuses."

Irisviel's head raised up. "Wait, it isn't an excuse. The Grail was polluted by a dark presence. It makes it a weapon of destruction."

"Do you have any proof?"

"Well, n-"

"Of course you don't. You really expect me to believe the Grail is evil or some such nonsense. If that was so, why are you still here and not destroyed by it? Why didn't Fuyuki become devastated in the war's aftermath?"

"It's because I was able to maintain my individuality even after having enough Heroic Spirits absorbed to become the Grail."

"That isn't possible. Once you absorb five or more spirits, you transform into the Lesser Grail."

"I swear it's-"

"Your word has no worth to me. From where I stand, it seems convenient that the end result of the war was one where you get to live, almost as if you actively shirked your duty to the Einzberns and abandoned the Grail."

"That's not what happened!"

"I'm done listening. You are no longer a part of the Einzbern household, Irisviel. Now leave."

"Wait, what about Illya?" Irisviel sprung to her feet.

"We anticipated you might fail so we began the proper surgeries and rituals necessary to make Illyasviel our next vessel and Master, our greatest one yet."

"No, you can't do that! You can't take her from me!" Illya was all Irisviel had left. If she couldn't be with her, IIrisviel may not be able to bring herself to live anymore.

"She isn't yours. You don't have anything. You were a tool, and you weren't sufficient, so we've gotten a new one."

"She's my daughter, you can't take her!" This couldn't be happening. This absolutely couldn't be happening.

"And what will you do if I don't? Sick your Servant on me? King Arthur may be powerful, but the defenses of the Einzbern Castle are more than enough to repel even her."

"You must be quite arrogant to think so little of King Arthur." Irisviel felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to see Saber. "If you really possessed such power, why haven't you won a Holy Grail War yet?"

"We have prepared a myriad of defense mechanisms that are specifically designed to send Servant's such as yourself back to the Throne of Heroes. We have automated traps that perform amplified versions of the church's Baptism Rite that will evaporate you at the slightest touch. You may be a hero, but you're just a ghost of one."

Saber smiled. "It's unfortunate for you that the nature of my contract with the Grail makes it so I was summoned from before my death. I am a Living Spirit, and thus the rites you use are far weaker than normal when inflicted upon me."

"What?"

Summoning her Invisible Air, Saber sliced the snow homunculus in twain, the wind dispersing the white powder.

"Saber." As the knight summoned her armor, Irisviel felt entranced.

"Irisviel, wait here. Actually, get the car ready so we can make a quick getaway once I've retrieved Illyasviel."

"Wait, Saber, that's dangerous! The castle is full of evil spirits and golems and other things that could overwhelm you! They're expecting you so they're probably readying even more traps and weapons!"

Saber looked Irisviel in the eye. "I promised Kiristsugu that I would take care of both you and Illyasviel, and I intend to keep that promise. Even if I didn't make such a vow, I want you to be happy, Irisviel. You and Illya deserve that much, and far more. Irisviel, you are a lovely person, one with kindness overflowing. You're a woman who adores the act of living itself, who makes the mundane an exciting experience, such is your enthusiasm for even the slightest freedoms. Your spark doesn't deserve to die. And, if Illyasviel is anything like you, she is a child who's just as immaculate and deserving of the best the world has to offer."

The snowflakes seemed to stop in the air. Irisviel felt the charisma of Artoria Pendragon and her heart thumped faster than before. Such kindness and bravery. It reminded Irisviel of Kiritsugu. It reminded her of why she loved Kiritsugu.

Tackling through the Bounded Field and dashing towards the castle at speeds so great that Irisviel couldn't see what happened, the homunculus still knew what Saber's enchanting visage looked like as she ran through the blizzard. She was like a missile, yet also like an elegant hero. The snowflakes got caught in her golden hair, but melted soon after from the intense heat born from Saber's speed and magical energy. She kept the unbearable cold away with the warmth of her being.

Shaking her head, Irisviel started up the car again and turned it around so she could immediately drive off with Saber and Illya when they got back.

They would come back, right?

Saber had been gone a while.

How long had Irisviel been waiting?

They were going to come back.

But, what if they didn't?

Would Irisviel just sit there, forever waiting until she perished?

Maybe she'd actually build the will to try and start a new life.

No, that wouldn't happen.

But, Saber was going to come back, with Illya in tow. She would. She would. Irisviel was going to be reunited with her daughter and they'd escape the Einzberns and they'd make a new life somewhere and Irisviel would tell Saber how she feels and everything would be great. That was going to happen. It was.

No it wasn't

Saber was going to die. Illya was going to become a tool of the Einzberns and live a life of suffering. It was all pointless. It wasn't fair. Why was this happening? Why couldn't the Einzberns just be reasonable? Why was everyone so terrible, so selfish? Irisviel wished everyone would just die.

No. Why was she thinking that? Was it stress? It was probably stress.

How long had Irisviel been waiting?

Irisviel was beginning to feel cold. The heating of the car didn't stop the cold feeling that was overtaking Irisviel.

All Irisviel knew was despair. That's all life was, despair.

That sound.

Irisviel looked outside the car and saw a cloud of kicked up snow. The wind blew the white mist away and revealed Saber, and in her arms, struggling to break free was-

"Illya!"

"Mother?" Illya stopped trying to free herself when she spotted Irisviel who was out of the car before she knew it. She pulled Illya out of Saber's hold and held her tight. The little girl made a pained hiss upon her body being constricted by her mother. Irisviel loosened her hold and inspected her daughter's form. Illya was covered in bandages, spots of red bleeding through the white.

The Einzberns said they had altered Illya's body to make her the ultimate Master. These wounds must be the result. How many times had they performed surgery on her? How many times had they made her the center of inhumane rituals?

Irisviel wanted to destroy something. The rage inside her was boiling over. How dare they do this to Illya. The Einzberns had to pay. Saber should have used her Excalibur to obliterate the whole castle and everyone in it. Why didn't Saber do that?

"Irisviel!" Saber had gotten behind the steering wheel. "Get inside, we need to go, now!"

The darkness in Irisviel's mind pulled back and she complied. She got in the car with Illya and the car sped off. It seems whatever pursuers the Einzberns sent couldn't keep up. Thank goodness.

Illya was looking around as she sat in Irisviel's arms. She was confused about what was happening. But, she was safe now. Irisviel was warm again.

For a long while, the only sounds were the whooshing of the blizzard and the hum of the car's heating.

"Mother, where's daddy?"

A chill ran through Irisiviel before her body froze, as if she was just turned to stone. Irisviel had to tell Illya the truth. She had to. But, it would break Illya's heart. She was still just a child. Plus, it would require Irisviel to think about what happened to Kiritsugu. Couldn't she wait to tell Illya the truth? Just for a little while?

Irisviel was crying. She looked at the concerned face of her daughter and knew she couldn't hide the truth. Illya deserved to know. The longer she waited, the more it would hurt them both when the truth came out.

They couldn't run or hide. They had to confront reality.

"Illya, I'm sorry, but your daddy is gone. He's dead."

Illya just stared at Irisviel for a few moments. She was anticipating some clarification that would make it clear that Kiritsugu was alive, that what Irisviel said didn't have the meaning it appeared to have.

But, no clarification came.

Illya clutched Irisviel's body and began to cry. She wailed and Irisviel silently sobbed. Together they mourned the loss of Kiritsugu, the man who made their lives what they were.

Kiritsugu was gone, but they had each other. And, they had Saber.

"Are you ready Illya?" Irisviel asked her daughter.

After taking Illya from the Einzberns, Irisviel and Saber realized they'd need to go into hiding to avoid the Einzberns hunting them down to take Illya back. Taking up aliases, they moved to Denmark, buying a row house in Copenhagen using the large savings Kiritsugu had stored up. They also bought a wardrobe for Saber. Since Irisviel picked it out, it mostly consisted of more suits. Irisviel knew her preferences and Saber was comfortable with the homunculus' tastes.

"Y-Yes. I'm ready."

In their new home, the trio was about to perform a simple procedure that may be able to save Illya from her apparent fate.

Irisviel analyzed Illya's body to figure out how she had been altered by the Einzberns, and she found that, in order to make her a more powerful Master for the next Holy Grail War, she now has to sleep twelve hours a day and her lifespan has shortened to the point that she won't live to see adulthood. On top of all that, her physiology was already altered so she physically aged at an extremely slow rate.

Irisviel was heartbroken, despair seeming to come over her at the seemingly inevitable end of her daughter's life before she even had a chance to really live. It wasn't right. Why was the world so cruel to them? Was it because they were homunculi? Were they not loved by God the way normal humans were?

And that was when Saber had the idea to use Avalon to undo the negative effects Illysviel was afflicted with. By putting the sheath inside her, its healing abilities, powered by Saber's continued existence, would counteract the afflictions and allow Illya to live as a normal girl.

As Illyal lied on the couch. Avalon floated above her, beginning to descend towards her. Irisviel clasped her hands and prayed to whoever would listen that this would succeed.

Avalon began entering into Illya and she made a squeaking sound. It did feel odd having an object enter your body and transfer to an entirely conceptual existence housed within one's being.

"Tell me if anything starts feeling wrong." Saber said.

"Okay."

The sheath fully entered Illya and at first there was no discernable reaction.

"Illyasviel, do you feel anything?"

"Not yet. Is-" Illya began screaming and writhing out of nowhere.

"Illya!" Irisviel grabbed her daughter and turned to Saber. "Take it out of her!"

"Okay!" Saber was about to comply, but then noticed something. "Wait, Irisviel, look, her body!"

Illya's body was growing. Avalon was working, it was countering the negative effects of her alterations. Saber and Irisviel watched as Illya slowly began physically shifting to her true age, around eight years old, all while Irisviel cradled her pained daughter and whispered in her ear about how it would be okay. She was suffering, but it would be okay. It would only be temporary, and then Illya would be okay.

The girl's pain died down soon enough, her body completing its transformation to its true age. Irisviel continued to hold her daughter, rocking her back and forth until she fell asleep. It was best that she rested after such an intense experience.

Saber carried the sleeping Illya to her room, tucked her into her bed, and gently closed the door.

As soon as Saber turned around, she was dragged into a hug by Irisviel.

"Thank you. If it weren't for you, Illya would be, wou-, I-, thank you. Just, thank you."

Saber was Irisviel's hero. When Kiritsugu passed away, Saber comforted Irisviel. When it seemed like Irisviel would lose her daughter, Saber reunited them. When Illya was ravaged by the experiments of the Einzberns, Saber found a cure for Illya's afflictions. Saber was miraculous. She could do anything.

The legendary King Arthur could have been arrogant, cruel, selfish, believing she was above the problems of a mere homunculus. But, instead she was empathetic, giving, loving.

She truly deserved to be called a Heroic Spirit. She was enchanting. She made Irisviel's heart beat faster, harder. Irisviel knew why.

Irisviel looked up at Saber's face and noticed something.

"Saber, you're blushing."

Irisviel was looking Saber right in the face. Those big green eyes. Emeralds. No, emeralds were cloudy and dull in comparison to those eyes. Her hair was like gold, the little hair sticking up atop her head being absolutely adorable. Saber's features were feminie yet masculine, possessing the best of both worlds. She had monopolized all forms of beauty and she didn't even know it.

The King of Knights' eyes darted around. "Uh, I am feeling very uncomfortable right now. I mean, it's not that I am unhappy, rather I am overcome with…something. I don't know what to say."

Irisviel narrowed her eyes in observation before breaking into a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just funny seeing the King of Knights get flustered from her first crush."

Saber's face was a blank canvas for a moment as an obvious realisation dawned upon her. "Oh. That's what it is. That makes sense. I, I mean it feels like I should be denying it, but also that any of the reasons I'd have had to say your wrong are long gone. I don't know, but I've felt strange lately. After I learned what the Grail really was, I felt strange. I think I'm going through some sort of change right now. This is a transition in my existence. This infatuation is part of it, I think. I've never fallen for anyone before, be they man or woman, not even Guinevere. Then again, I've never met a woman so…fetching? Arresting? Delightful?"

Irisveil's guffawing died down. She felt her face warm up. She was blushing too now. Saber's words were so powerful. King Arthur thought Irisviel was attractive. Quite the notch to have on her belt. "I like you, too. You're so inspiring. So generous. So handsome, yet beautiful."

"Irisviel."

"I'm not against having some kind of relationship with you. The only reason I hesitate is, well, Kiritsugu passed so recently. I'm still mourning, and I feel like moving on so soon would be some kind of betrayal."

"Irisviel, I honestly never knew Kiritsugu well enough to really judge whether or not he'd want you to move on, so there's little I can say. What do you truly think he would feel about the possibility of there being something between us?"

"He would laugh. He was a stoic man, but he could find humor in silly things. He'd also say he'd want me to move on as soon as possible. He'd want what would bring me and Illya the most happiness. He was always thinking of others." Irisviel's nose was runny.

Pulling out a handkerchief, Saber handed it to Irisviel, who gratefully accepted it to dab at her nose and eyes.

"Such a gentleman." They both chuckled and Irisviel hugged into Saber again. "I want to try. I want to see if we could be happy together, as more than friends."

"I would as well." Saber smiled back in a way Irisviel had never seen before.

"This is quite surreal."

Two years after the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War and the beginning of their new lives, Irisviel, Illya, and Saber decided to take a vacation. They went to the United Kingdom to let Saber see what had become of her land.

They were visiting Glastonbury Abbey, standing before the supposed tomb of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. It wasn't true, but it was still interesting for Saber to see a monument to her own life that attracted so many. Despite her perceived failings, she got to see how she had earned the respect of many in the modern era.

"I must admit I still hold regrets over Camelot's fate and my part in its downfall, But, I'm happy to see with my own eyes that the land of Britain had prospered in the long run. I'm less pleased with some of its actions between my death and the present. Forming an empire and enslaving many people is one of the things that are rather objectionable, but that empire is gone for the most part at least."

"Does it give you some closure, y'know, seeing that Britain's survived so long?"

"Yes, I think it has. During the Fourth Holy Grail War, I was obsessed with acquiring the Grail and undoing my own reign. I placed all the blame on myself and thought that changing the past would make things better. After the Holy Grail proved tainted, a stake of despair pierced my heart. The reality hit me that I couldn't undo my mistakes and I had to live with them. But, I'm more than my mistakes, the world is more than my mistakes. My duty isn't to change the past and save Camelot. My duty is to protect you and Illyasviel, and I'm happy to dedicate my existence to that cause." Irisviel saw the smile on Saber's face. She was finally making some peace with herself.

Saber turned to see Irisviel staring at her. "What is it, Irisviel?"

"You just seemed happy. I like watching you when you're happy."

"I feel the same way about you." Their fingers intertwined as they held hands. They were in love. They couldn't deny it. "I feel smitten like the maidens of chivalric romances, yet I'm supposed to be the one taking the role of knight." Irisviel chuckled at that.

"Well, I can take the role of knight every once in a while, if you'd like."

"That may be interesting, though I don't know how good of a fair maiden I make."

"You just don't realize how fair a maiden you really are."

"Maybe. Going from a king to a maiden, quite the shift. Though I'm not really a king anymore, anyway. This life may be simpler than my last one, but it may be the life I've always needed to truly be happy."

"I'm happy you're happy."

"Are you happy?"

"Of course. I'm with you right now, how could I not?"

As long as she was with Saber and Illya, Irisviel would be okay. Speaking of Illya, Irisviel turned to check on her daughter who was on a distant bench, tired from how much walking they had done that day. Irisviel noticed her daughter was looking at her and Saber. She was upset. It wasn't like she was going to start crying or have a fit, but she was sad. Irisviel immediately keyed in on what the problem was.

Saber was looking at Illya, too. "I think she knows about our relationship, not that we've been especially secretive. Neither of us have actually talked to her about it. We can't keep ignoring her feelings."

"You're right." Irisviel and Saber walked over to Illyasviel. The King of Knights got down on one knee. "Illyasviel, how are you?"

"Fine." The girl was staring at her hands. Her fingers wrapped around and pressed into each other as she fidgeted. She was nervous.

"You know me and your mother have been…in a relationship for a long time now, haven't you?"

"Yeah."

"How does that make you feel?"

"I don't know."

"Does it upset you?"

"I don't know."

Irisviel crouched down. "Are you mad at me? Do you think I'm trying to forget your father?"

"I don't know." Despite her words, it was clear Irisviel's assessment was accurate.

"Listen, no one could replace your father. Kiritsugu will always hold a special place in my heart. I could never forget him, he's the reason I have you after all." Illyasviel slowly shifted her vision to look her mother in the face. "I'm just trying to find new happiness, okay?"

Illyasviel still seemed hesitant. Saber spoke up again. "Illyasviel, I have no intention of replacing Kiritsugu. I would never do such a thing, especially due to my respect for him as my former Master. I do love your mother, and I would never do anything to hurt her. I am a knight and she is my lady. It is my duty to put her best interest before my own. I also care about your feelings before my own. Illyasviel, if you really don't want me to be with your mother, I will comply."

The little girl shifted in her seat before speaking. "I want mom to be happy. If you make mom happy, then I want you to be with her."

Saber smiled. "That's very mature of you. Thank you."

"Thank you Illya." Irisviel hugged her daughter who reciprocated.

Irisviel was driving through the Welsh countryside, Saber holding her seat tight in the passenger side and Illya laughing happily in the back seat.

So much open space. Perfect for drifting. Irisviel rarely had a good excuse to really go all out behind the wheel. A nice flat area with nobody around was a paradise for Irisviel. She could go full throttle like she was a racecar driver.

"Irisviel, I trust your driving ability, but I still think this might be a little much when Illyasviel's with us."

"It's fine." Irisviel said breathily. "I know what I'm doing. Besides, if anything happens, Illya will be fine, you're here to protect her, right?"

"I trust in your driving ability. You're skilled enough that I'd believe you possessed the Riding skill. My issue is that I think this may be a bad influence on Illyasviel."

"Do a drift, do a drift!" Illya said.

"You see what I mean?"

"It's fine. We can deal with that later." As the wild yet controlled driving continued, Saber became quiet. "Are you upset?" Irisviel began driving normally, feeling she had made Saber mad for what was probably a good reason in hindsight.

"No, it's not that. I feel a connection. My magical energy is flowing out of me and into something else not too far from here. It feels similar to my connection with you as my Master."

"Wait, what? Is it some kind of attack?" This was bad. They needed to get Illya somewhere safe. Should Saber grab Illya and run? Irisviel could catch up later, it was most important that Illya was safe.

"I don't think so. It doesn't feel like my magical energy is being pulled out of me as much as the magical energy I naturally expunge is traveling somewhere rather than dispersing into the environment like normal. I don't think the culprit of this is doing so intentionally."

"But, it's still stealing your energy."

"No more than I would release anyway. I'm not in any danger, I think. Can you stop the car, please?"

Irisviel compiled. She knew what Saber was going to do and she wasn't fond of the idea. Saber opened the door and stepped out.

"I'm going to follow this link to its source. It would be unwise to ignore it in case it is a threat. Irisviel, take Illyasviel back to the hotel. Set up an extra Bounded Field. If anything happens, you can call me back with a Command Spell."

"But, what if you end up in trouble?"

"If I'm not able to handle it on my own, I doubt there would be much you could do to help other than boost me with a Command Spell. If worst comes to worst, I'll contact you telepathically to warp me to you with a Command Spell. I doubt that will be necessary, though. The top priority is making sure you and Illyasviel are safe."

She was still thinking of others before herself. She never changes, but that's also what caused her biggest failures. No, not the time for those thoughts.

"Okay, but be careful."

"I will."

"Be safe." Illya said from the backseat.

Saber had a warm expression. "I will. Thank you, Illyasviel."

With a grand kick off, Saber sprinted off so quickly the sound barrier broke. Irisviel drove back to the hotel with Illya. The whole drive there, Irisviel only thought of every possible thing that could go wrong. Maybe Saber's magical energy would get completely siphoned off and she'd disappear. Maybe she'd face a Servant-level fighter and lose. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe whatever. Irisviel couldn't keep thinking of everything that could go wrong. She'd give herself an anxiety attack at the rate she was going.

But, even when Irisviel and Illya were back in their hotel room and Illya was in her private room, Irisviel just kept pacing about, hands clasped. She pressed them into her chest so hard she half expected to hear her ribs crack. The sensation helped keep her mind off things. Actually, it really didn't, but Irisviel wished it did.

This was the worst. Why did Saber have to be so reckless? She may have thought she was being altruistic, but what would happen if she got herself killed. Irisviel would be left all alone to raise Illya. Saber was her rock, her emotional support. Saber's life wasn't just her own anymore, but she was still willing to throw it away. She was so stupid.

Irisviel was going to be left to raise Illya all alone. Would she even be able to afford that? Kiritsugu had made a small fortune, but it wasn't endless. She'd need to get a high paying job, but those all required college degrees. She barely had the equivalent of a highschool education because her stupid family was a bunch of hermits. She should have had Saber kill them all. They ruined her life. They gave her a life, one she never asked for, a life that's just pain.

No, wait, stop. The dark thoughts. The dark thoughts kept coming back. Irisviel knew the cause. She'd been having them ever since that day, that event.

Could she tell anyone? Would they look at her the same? Would they be disgusted by how she had been tainted, at how she was dirty?

The Bounded Field. It detected someone. Saber. Saber and someone else. A child?

The front door opened. It was Saber, and she was holding the hand of a little girl in ragged clothing. She-she looked just like Saber, but her hair was silver. Her face was Saber's, but younger. She was scared.

In the girl's hand was a…cube? Did it have a face?

"Hey, this place ain't half-bad. If we get to live in a place like this, we might actually get to feel like people of something. Wouldn't that be the day?" The box spoke with an obnoxious voice.

"Hello, Irisviel. Uh, this is Gray, that's her name, the little girl's. Her name is Gray. She's, well, she's from a village I happened upon. She's the one I felt-feel a connection with. The box is called Add. What happened was, I, Gray, how about you sit down on the couch over there. Irisviel, let's talk privately in the other room."

The timid child did as Saber suggested, sitting stiff on the cushions as if she wasn't used to such soft seating. Wordlessly, Irisviel and Saber entered another room so they could speak privately.

"Who is she?" Irisviel spoke with a tone of annoyance that made Saber reel back slightly. The King of Knights was confused, off put, but continued.

"The village I happened upon was a cult. They were a cult dedicated to me." Saber's voice cracked when she said "me." "They had a plan to try and resurrect me, their god. From what I figured out, the ritual they were planning was born from the machinations of my sister, Morgan le Fay. Gray, who I think is a descendant of mine, was meant to be my vessel upon rebirth. Around the time The Fourth Holy Grail War occured, her face morphed to mirror mine. I don't know if that was intended or not, but either way, it set in stone what the plans of the villagers were." Saber pulled out a wrapped up blade, peeling some cloth back to reveal it was a gold dagger. "This is Erosion. It was a weapon my sister used. It can sever the mind and soul from the body. They were going to remove Gray's mind and soul so I could enter her, killing Gray in the process." Saber was furious.

"What about Add?"

"As for Add, he's a Mystic Code that actually contains my spear, Rhongomyniad. It preserves Rhongomyniad's mystery so it is as strong as it was during my lifetime. It was meant to be my weapon upon my return."

"I'm guessing you decided to foil the cult's plans."

"Yes, that's why I took her away. Actually, the woman I presume was her mother wanted her to leave, as well. She seemed to understand what was best for Gray."

"So, now what? You rescued her, what next?"

Saber was looking away, but managed to force herself to look Irisviel in the eye and speak with confidence. "I want her to live with us."

"You want her to live with us?"

"Yes. Gray couldn't stay there. One way or another, they would end up killing her."

"I'm not disagreeing with you on that. I'm just wondering why you want us to take care of her. Why not put her up for adoption?"

"We can't ensure she will go to a good home if we give her away. Also, I feel responsible for her. She wouldn't have gone through what she had as that cult's planned sacrifice if it weren't for me."

"Saber, you had no way of knowing a cult would form around you. You can't blame yourself for this."

"You're right, I understand that, but I still want to take her in. I'm sorry, but please allow me to be selfish this one time."

Irisviel sneered. "Selfish this one time? We came to the UK just for you. I would have rather gone somewhere else. This whole trip is for you and now you suddenly want to adopt a child when we already have Illya to deal with."

Artoria was taken aback. "Irisviel, this trip was your idea, I never suggested we come here. Also, why are you talking about Illyasviel like she's a burden? You're not acting like yourself. Is something the matter?"

The spiteful anger that had possessed Irisviel vanished and the next thing she knew, she was crying.

"Irisviel, what's wrong?" Saber was desperate to know what was happening with Irisviel.

"I'm so sorry." Irisviel's emotions were raw. "I've been trying to keep it a secret, I didn't want you to leave, for you to take Illya away to keep her safe!"

"Please, Irisviel, take a deep breath and stop for a second."

Irisviel cooperated, slowing her breathing and stopping her near hyperventilation. "Okay. Okay. Thank you. It's just so much."

"Take your time." Saber put her hands on Irisviel's shoulders. The homunculus held one of the hands offered to her and leaned her cheek against it.

"When I was absorbed and nearly killed by the Grail, its mud consumed my mind and soul. I managed to dig my way out, but I came out…warped. The rage and nihilism of the corruption got into me, molding me. Even after my body was cleansed, I was still changed. It made me closer to what the Grail is, closer to its ideology in its attempt to devour me. Now, everything has this lens over it, making it seem worthless. Everything that happens I end up perceiving in the worst way possible, the worst assumption being my instinctual reaction to everything. Every time I try to enjoy something, I hear my own voice telling me it's worthless, that we all die in the end, that all the bad things in the world outnumber the good. I have to actively fight these instincts all the time just to be happy, just to not be hateful towards everyone around me. But, it just becomes too much sometimes. I'm…dirty." Irisviel barely managed to get that last word out before breaking into dry sobs.

"Irisviel, you're so strong." Artoria cupped Irisviel's cheek.

"What do you mean?"

"The Grail has made your life so hard, and yet despite its wounds trying to force you to hate the world, you manage to keep fighting. You're a greater warrior than I could ever be."

"But, I'm dirty. You and Illya shouldn't be around me."

"Irisviel, I'll never abandon you. I'll help you. Anytime you feel these urges become too strong, you can scream your hatred at me. You can purge yourself whenever the darkness overflows by slinging cruel words my way when we have a private moment, because I know that isn't you, and when that isn't enough, I'll be there to help however I have to."

"But, you deserve better! Kiritsugu didn't tell you to stay by my side to endure something like this!"

"I'm not doing this because Kiritsugu asked me to. I'm doing this because I love you, Iri."

Illyasviel's mind became blank before she formed a smile that pierced through the anger, nihilism, and guilt, such was its strength. Tears that seemed to reflect the light and form rainbows of color poured down her face.

"I love you, too, Artoria."

Neither had to say anything more as they pulled each other close and kissed.

"You're such a bitch, you know that? You just go around acting better than everyone else, because you're a knight but really you're just so annoying and pretentious. God, I decided to live with you, I have to spend the rest of my life with you and I'm just passing the time away, day by day, and then I'm gonna die and nothing will have mattered and you'll still be here because you don't age. God, it's so unfair."

"Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." Irisviel kissed Artoria on the cheek and they left their bedroom. Irisviel complaining to her beloved king was routine at this point as a way of releasing the built up anger and melancholy that she felt every so often as a result of having touched the Grail's mud.

It has been five years since the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki. Irisviel and Artoria managed to get a civil union thanks to being residents of Denmark and they lived happily with their two children.

"Were you two having a good time in there? Honestly, in the middle of the day, and with your kids in the house? You couldn't have waited until nighttime?"

Also, Add was there.

"Weren't doing anything perverse, Add." Artoria scolded.

"Perverse? I never said anything implying you were doing that. I just said you were having a good time. You're the one with a dirty mind. Ihihihihihihihih!"

"You really are just like Kay. One the one had, you make me nostalgic for my youth, on the other, you remind me of why I found my brother so difficult to deal with." Irisviel knew Artoria liked having Add around, even if she wouldn't admit it.

"Add, stop bothering mom and mama." Gray was timid, but she was able to be more assertive with Add. The seal for Rhongomyniad was kept in a purse that Gray always had on her when they were public, a purse Gray shoved Add into as punishment.

"Hey, let me out! The only time I get to be free is when we're home, come on!"

"That doesn't mean you get to talk about dirty things with mom and mama."

Irisviel was mama and Artoria was mom by the way.

Said mama noticed mom was looking at Gray with the expression she usually had when the little girl wasn't looking her way. Guilt.

Gray's silver hair was nearly completely golden at this point, and her physique kept resembling Artoria's more and more. Gray began changing almost immediately after she was adopted into the family. Upon some research, Irisviel and Artoria put together that the link between Artoria and Gray was due to Gray being an extremely distant relative of Artoria's that was imprinted with the essence of the physical form of King Arthur. Due to the connection born by these two being alive at the same time, magical energy from Artoria kept flowing into Gray, causing Gray to slowly physically metamorphose into a copy of Artoria.

Irisviel and Artoria had been desperately researching magecraft that might be able to undo her transformation, but nothing has worked so far. One might think Avalon could use its ability to heal things or sever connections would be perfect to help Gray, but due to it being an artifact infused with the power of King Arthur, it would just accelerate the changes.

Gray noticed Artoria was looking at her and the child pinched a few of her golden locks, looking at them and a dour mood seemed to envelope her.

Their adopted child hated her changes. She left the village where she was born to forge her own identity, yet it seemed like she was losing more and more of what defined her as an individual. Her personality was still her own, but her body was not hers.

Artoria felt deep guilt due to this. She had told Irisviel so many times about how she felt like she was taking Gray's identity away herself, like she had pried off Gray's face and plastered on her own. She wanted to save Gray, but nothing they tried worked.

This led to a rift forming between Artoria and Gray. They didn't hate each other, they weren't rude to each other. Functionally, they were just a little bit distant at times, but they still got along. They still cared for each other and could have moments of closeness. But, Irisviel could see that there was always an understanding whenever they were together that due to Artoria's existence, Gray was losing her own identity, and they both hated it.

They were on the same wavelength, yet they subconsciously refused to resonate.

"Gray, do you want to make some of that fudge you know how to make? It's so good. I'll make dinner, so you focus on that!" Breaking the awkward tension, likely intentionally, was Illya. Thanks to Avalon she was aging like a normal girl, looking like the thirteen year old she was.

"Oh, okay." Gray perked up, happy to have an excuse to make her birth mother's fudge.

Illyasviel always took care of Gray like a good big sister. She was Gray's opposite, being very outgoing.

Gray and Illyasviel made their way towards the kitchen. Since Irisviel and Artoria both lacked any skill in cooking, it was up to their children to cook most meals, much to the couple's embarrassment.

"Mom, don't you have to get to work?"

"Right, sorry." Artoria jogged over to grab her keys. She worked as a chauffeur, taking advantage of her riding skill and elegant charisma. She originally wanted to be a food taste tester, but that didn't work out due to Artoria being better at the act of eating than describing flavours. It has since become an inside joke within the family.

Irisviel, for her part, worked at an inbound call center where she's one of their best workers due to her pleasant personality.

"Mom, by the way." Illya peaked out of the kitchen as Artoria kissed Irisviel on the cheek and was about to leave.

"If it's about making extra servings for me when I get back, the answer is always yes."

"No, not that. I just wanted to remind you not to get too frisky with your clients." Illya had a cheeky grin. "I know you like making the ladies swoon but mama's still your wife."

Artoria used to get flustered by Illya's mischievous remarks, but now they just made her roll her eyes. Irisviel wondered if Illya was being influenced by Add or if it was just her nature.

"I'm heading out."

"Bye, honey." Irisviel watched her lovely Artoria leave, and despite the different struggles their family faced, she knew they were happy.