Emiya Shirou was just about to reply when he suddenly felt someone grabbing his sleeve. He turned his head and found Elysia hiding behind him shyly. Her immature face was slightly pale, and her usually joyful and carefree pink pupils rarely showed fear.

Emiya Shirou was puzzled because ever since he had taken Elysia out of the house and introduced her to the outside world, she had always been an extremely cheerful and outgoing child. When the spring snow melted, she would pick flowers and give them to everyone she knew. When the sun shone, she would willingly help the residents in the town weed the orchard and eagerly anticipate the harvest season. When the leaves fell, she would create beautiful leaf scrolls and share bedtime stories with other children. She would even sing songs from books without hesitation.

Even when facing strangers, Elysia always wore a pure and friendly smile. Her natural openness and warmth allowed her to quickly integrate with the residents of the small town. That's why Emiya Shirou was puzzled by her unusual fear when meeting an outsider for the first time.

Although confused, Emiya Shirou didn't dwell on it. After all, Elysia has never encountered a long line of military jeep convoys like the one parked in front of them. The woman in the car had a fierce and intimidating presence in both her appearance and voice, which might explain Elysia's fear.

Emiya Shirou himself couldn't help but feel apprehensive at the sight of the long convoy suddenly stopping in front of them in the swirling yellow sand. Suppressing his uneasiness, he held Elysia's sweaty hand and gently squeezed it, signaling her not to worry. He then stepped forward, standing calmly in front of her, even though he was shorter.

Raising his head, Emiya Shirou met Himiko's sharp gaze without any fear. He took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, it's just the two of us in our family." Normally, when two children face strangers alone, Emiya Shirou would avoid sharing details about their family. After all, it's uncertain whether strangers have good or evil intentions. However, after carefully observing Himiko's attire and the outfits of the others in the car, Emiya Shirou realized they were likely soldiers. Therefore, he decided to reveal their information first.

Since the other party was a soldier, she could easily access Emiya Shirou's personal information through official means. Concealing their situation would be pointless, so Emiya Shirou decided to use the information that would inevitably be exposed to gain as much information as possible from the soldiers in exchange for some trust or sympathy.

Emiya Shirou wasn't someone bound by rules. Ever since he started learning magic, he had strayed from the path of rigid adherence to rules. Especially when someone needed his care, he didn't mind using the soldiers in a way that wouldn't cross any boundaries or cause harm, even if he felt a little sorry for them.

As Emiya Shirou expected, after he spoke, the tense atmosphere surrounding Himiko suddenly froze, replaced by embarrassment and bewilderment. Himiko apologized, saying she didn't know.

Being the youngest captain of Fire Moth, Himiko possessed exceptional fighting skills and psychological resilience. However, her social experience was lacking compared to Emiya Shirou, who had lived in the town. Additionally, Emiya Shirou's appearance, looking only six or seven years old, made it difficult for Himiko to realize she was being subtly manipulated by him.

Emiya Shirou shook his head and pretended to be tender, saying, "It's okay, Auntie." Then he continued, "But let me ask, why did you block this town? Did something happen?"

Himiko's face turned blue, and she straightened

up, forcing herself to speak in a stern tone. She said, "That does not concern children. Also, you should call me sister, not aunt!!"

After this slightly embarrassing remark, Himiko opened the car door and jumped out of the passenger seat. She instructed a female soldier sitting in the back to sit in the co-pilot seat. Then, she gestured towards Emiya Shirou and Elysia, saying, "You two, get in the car. We'll take you back to town..."

Emiya Shirou frowned. Drawing from his past experiences, he discreetly retrieved one of the class cards from the simulator's warehouse and placed it in his pocket. He then turned to Elysia, seeking her opinion with a questioning look.

Not understanding at first, Elysia was momentarily puzzled. But in the next moment, she grasped the meaning behind his gaze. Emiya Shirou was asking for her opinion.

If Elysia thought it was alright, they would both get into the car. However, if she shook her head, Emiya Shirou would try to reject the soldiers' offer. Regardless of Elysia's choice, Emiya Shirou would do his best to support her. This not only demonstrated his consideration for her in all aspects but also showcased his complete trust in her.

Regardless of the reason, Elysia felt afraid at that moment. Emiya Shirou had already made up his mind to take good care of her, so it was his responsibility to protect her from the things she feared. Once Elysia understood this, her fear dissipated, replaced by a sweet warmth filling her heart.

She squeezed Emiya Shirou's hand and blinked her big eyes, which were now free of any fear. Her pink pupils shone as brightly as ever. Witnessing the unspoken communication between these two young children, Himiko, who had been single until now, felt an indescribable heartache and found herself drowning in the feeling of witnessing a blossoming love story.