Chapter 34
Himeko left after expressing everything she wanted to tell Shirou Emiya. She decisively placed a memory card on the table and departed. The sound of the closing door filled the room as Elysia, sitting on the sofa, gazed at the wooden door and then turned her attention to the kitchen.
"Emiya, what were you talking about with that attractive older sister in the kitchen?" she asked, curiously.
Shirou Emiya emerged from the kitchen, his head lowered in deep thought. Upon hearing Elysia call his name, he looked towards her direction, and a gentle smile formed on his lips, curving softly.
"It's nothing. I was just discussing when the town will be unblocked," he replied.
"Oh..." Elysia paused, lowering her head and averting her gaze from Shirou Emiya's face. She pouted slightly, her eyebrows furrowing in an unhappy expression.
"What's wrong?" Shirou Emiya walked behind the sofa, reached out his hand, and gently stroked Elysia's hair. "Am I overthinking? Why did Himeko's departure seem to upset you?"
Elysia remained silent for a moment and then spoke with a sullen, low voice, her pink lips parting. "...Emiya is a big liar." Shirou Emiya thought Elysia's question stemmed from mere curiosity, but he overlooked the fact that there was no barrier between the living room and the kitchen. If Elysia wanted to listen, she could hear the conversation between him and Himeko clearly.
Shirou Emiya couldn't help but display a helpless expression and sighed softly. "Don't think too much. The conversation between Himeko and me is not something you can understand at your young age. You're still too young, and those things... you'll naturally understand them when you grow up."
Elysia pouted and disregarded Shirou Emiya's explanation, repeating unhappily, "...Emiya is a big liar."
Shirou Emiya sighed helplessly. "Alright, I'm a big liar. Can our little Ellie forgive me?"
Despite being accustomed to such words, the moment Shirou Emiya admitted to being a big liar, Elysia inexplicably became a little annoyed.
"Don't talk to me like that!" Elysia shook her head, raised her hand, and slapped Shirou Emiya's hand away. "Don't touch my head! I don't want a liar touching me!"
Uh... Shirou Emiya, suddenly being slapped away, appeared somewhat embarrassed. Being repeatedly scolded as a liar truly hurt him. However, upon careful reflection, he realized that, although regretful and sad, he had no grounds to refute Elysia's accusation. He had no right to do so.
After all, from a certain perspective, he had been deceiving Elysia since the day they first met, projecting a beautiful illusion that would one day be shattered. He had told Elysia that he was her family and would always take care of her, as well as being her guardian elf who would protect her until she could stand alone.
But... silence filled the air. Elysia crossed her arms and didn't even look at the boy standing behind her. Her lips were tightly pursed. Shirou Emiya, realizing his lack of position to deny Elysia's accusation, sighed quietly.
He reached out as if he wanted to touch Elysia's head again but remembered her resistance when she slapped his hand away earlier. Thus, his outstretched arm halted in mid-air. "Yes... I'm sorry."
"What's wrong with me?" Elysia asked angrily.
"Hmm..." Shirou Emiya hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, "Shouldn't I treat you as an adult and avoid deceiving you?"
"What are you going to do in the future?" Elysia continued to press.
"...I won't lie to you anymore and I'll treat you like an adult," Shirou Emiya replied.
"Then I'll forgive you," Elysia said, turning her head to glance at Shirou Emiya's suspended arm. She reached out her hands, held his dangling palm from left to right, and then placed it back on her head. She raised her hand and pointed her index finger at the tip of Shirou Emiya's nose. "Remember! Don't be a liar in the future! I don't like talking to liars, and I don't want liars touching me!"
Observing Elysia's serious expression, Shirou Emiya couldn't help but feel dumbfounded. He gently moved the hand that Elysia had placed on her head and spoke in an affectionate tone, "I know, I know. To prevent our little Ellie from ignoring me and not letting me touch her, I promise I'll never lie to Ellie again."
After all, the next time he needed to lie, it would probably be...
("Miss, how much time do I have left?")
[There are still 1,848 days remaining in the contract.]
Assistant Miss's emotionless voice echoed faintly in Shirou Emiya's mind.
One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight days... In other words, a little over five years left?
Shirou Emiya pondered secretly.
There were still 22 days until Elysia's seventh birthday. Although they had extended the contract by two years during their almost seven years together, on what basis could the contract's duration between him and Elysia be extended?
Based on the information provided by the "Mother Simulator," the simulation period appeared to be automatically extended depending on the "satisfaction level" of the simulated individual. However, what exactly did this "satisfaction level" refer to? Was there a specific criterion? Up until now, Shirou Emiya had no idea.
Even if he were to ask Assistant Miss this question, all he would receive is an answer devoid of any human touch.
[This simulator is solely responsible for establishing the relationship between the player and the simulated individual. The specific state of the simulated individual needs to be understood and explored by the player.]
Regardless, since only five years were remaining in the simulation, all Shirou Emiya could do was treat each day with Elysia as if it were their last and give it his all. Five years might not be short, but in terms of length, it wasn't really long either. If Shirou Emiya's original plan was to send Elysia to elementary school... perhaps, even when the time for his departure came, Elysia, who hadn't yet graduated from elementary school, might struggle to meet the criteria for independence.
However, considering the character and intelligence Elysia had displayed so far, even if she were to leave, she... probably could rely on her talents and lovable personality. With the help of the town's residents and the social welfare system, she could lead a peaceful and stable life in this small community.
Although Shirou Emiya could roughly envision Elysia, with her strong personality and kind heart, creating a life of her own after leaving, he couldn't completely alleviate his concerns. Even knowing that their child had found their own path in life, parents couldn't sever the caring bond they held for their children. It was a contradictory sentiment.
Maybe... it's time to make a decision. Thinking of this, Shirou Emiya made up his mind and retracted his hand from Elysia's head. He walked around the sofa, positioned himself in front of Elysia, who looked puzzled, and squatted down, bringing himself to her eye level. He earnestly stared at her and spoke in a calm and serious voice.
"Elysia, what are your plans for after the town's blockade is lifted?" Elysia, who had forgiven Shirou Emiya, couldn't help but feel a little confused and asked, "What... how do you mean?"
"Didn't I say I would treat you as an adult? So, I want to discuss our future plans carefully with you," Shirou Emiya replied.
Elysia's expression turned serious in an instant. She sat upright, swallowed nervously, and responded, "Okay... I'll listen carefully to what you have to say. What do you want to discuss, Emiya?"
Observing Elysia trying to act like a grown-up despite her seriousness, Shirou Emiya twitched the corner of his mouth and couldn't help but suppress a burst of laughter. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Well! I was just thinking that Ellie is still a child."
"Huh—???" Elysia's reaction to those words was explosive, as if stepping on a landmine.
"Are you kidding me? Emiya, you're not reflecting at all, are you? Big idiot! Stupid man! Heartless! Blockhead!" Elysia's words poured out like a rapid-fire machine gun.
Although Elysia had tried to come up with offensive words based on her acquired knowledge, they weren't particularly hurtful. Coupled with her lovely voice that rang like a silver bell, for some individuals with peculiar interests, this string of cursing might be seen as a reward of sorts.
However, from Shirou Emiya's perspective, he didn't feel offended at all, and his smile became more subtle. As a result, Elysia, who was already fired up, became even more furious.
"You... you idiot who doesn't understand girls' hearts! I... I will never forgive Emiya again!!"
"Hey, hey, wait, don't run away!" Seeing Elysia about to turn away, Shirou Emiya quickly grabbed her wrist and smiled. "I'm not joking. I really want to discuss something with you."
Elysia, pulled by the wrist, turned her teary eyes towards Shirou Emiya with a mix of anger and impatience, remaining silent.
"Cough, ahem, cough, ahem." Shirou Emiya cleared his throat, putting in a considerable effort to suppress the smile on his face.
Although he recognized that his thoughts were somewhat malicious and derogatory, even to himself, Shirou Emiya couldn't help but find it amusing to tease children. Perhaps he had been subtly influenced by unreliable adults. However, Shirou Emiya would never admit that he would become such a tasteless and mischievous adult.
Finally, with a serious expression on his face, Shirou Emiya continued the conversation while inwardly shaking off any guilt.
"Do you know, Elysia, based on your current age, after your next birthday when you turn seven, I can prepare to send you to school and give you an elementary education."
"School...?" Elysia blinked her eyes and suddenly realized that Shirou Emiya was genuinely discussing her future plans. Forgetting her anger, she asked nervously, "Emiya, you want to send me to school?"
"Yeah," Shirou Emiya nodded. "Ellie, do you dislike the idea of going to school?"
Elysia opened her mouth but shook her head slightly, although she couldn't understand why she felt a bit uncertain. "...I don't dislike school, but... I..."
As she spoke, Elysia's voice trailed off, her expression blank, and her eyes filled with indescribable confusion. She was sure she didn't dislike going to school. It would allow her to learn new knowledge, meet new classmates and friends, and relieve some burden from her mother... Emiya. But for some reason, when asked if she wanted to go to school, Elysia couldn't simply nod her head.
In the end, she lowered her head and softly said with a hint of dejection, "I... I don't know..."
Although she had prepared herself to become an independent adult, Elysia found herself in a state of confusion and indecisiveness. She realized she was far from being capable of being on her own, which frustrated her.
However, Shirou Emiya wasn't surprised by Elysia's response. He continued, "Do you still want to leave this town?"
Elysia bit her lower lip and remained silent.
"It's okay, don't feel pressured," Shirou Emiya squatted down in front of Elysia, raised his head, and encouraged her with a reassuring gaze. He lightly held Elysia's hands and said, "Whether you want to go to school or leave this town, I'll support you."
Elysia stared into Shirou Emiya's eyes, a mix of expectation and fear evident in her own. "If... if I say I want to leave, Emiya, will you...?"
"Of course, I'll always be with you," Shirou Emiya interrupted her without hesitation, a smile on his face. "And if you decide it's better to be on your own and want me to leave midway, I'll respect your choice." Before Shirou Emiya could finish speaking, Elysia angrily covered his mouth.
"Don't say things like that!" Elysia firmly asserted as she pressed her palm against Shirou Emiya's lips. "Idiot! I don't want you to leave, you big dummy!!!
