"I didn't understand..." I said, my voice trembling.
"What else don't you understand, Emiya?" the voice on the other end of the line replied. "I told you in plain Japanese. What part of my words don't you understand? Come. You'll see everything with your own eyes."
I hung up the phone and staggered backwards. This couldn't be happening. It was impossible.
But even if... Just, if we assume for a moment that it's true... Then I have to personally see it for myself. Otherwise, there's no way. A dead person can't suddenly appear in the world. Alive.
It's impossible. It goes against not only the laws of normal logic, but also magic.
One day, Kiritsugu told me about his family. About how his wife had died and his daughter was now in a place he could never reach. He looked at me... Now I understand that he was expecting a negative reaction, but I just sadly thought about how unfortunate it was that they weren't with us.
I thought about it before and I still think about it now. It would be wonderful if both Illya and Irisviel lived with me in the same house. I managed just fine on my own with a little help from Fujimura-sensei, but it would be better to have... not blood relatives, but still family here. Even though Fujimura-sensei is like a sister to me, but...
I got ready quickly. All I needed was to grab a jacket because it wasn't as warm outside as it was in the summer, and I rushed out onto the street.
I didn't even bother locking the house - Sakura was somewhere inside. I didn't know what she was doing, since we were busy with our own things today... But it didn't matter! It felt like even if Sakura wasn't home, I still wouldn't have paid attention to whether or not I locked the house.
Another thing was important now. Maybe... Just maybe, this was true. Maybe this could be that person. Kenji-san said he found her in one of the hospitals and took her from there, using his connections. He knew my father, so he knew me too, and we sometimes talked. I didn't care what connections he had, the main thing was that we helped each other.
But all of this, damn it, was not important!
I switched to running. With my fastest pace, I could reach the bridge pretty quickly, and from there it wouldn't be far because the place they told me about was very close. Much closer than Miyama.
I ran, trying to push unnecessary thoughts out of my head and focusing on strengthening my legs. Time meant a lot in this situation. Who knows how weak she is? What if she dies? I have to catch her alive. I have to. My father's wife. My stepmother...
My heart tightened slightly. For a moment, I lost concentration and almost tripped, but quickly managed to regain my balance.
This is not the time to think about the past. Whatever is left behind the walls of the great fire in Fuyuki, let it stay there. Either way, I haven't remembered anything all these years. That boy who remained forever in the fire, let him stay there with his memories.
I am here now, and I cannot miss even the slightest chance to bring back the one who was dear to my father. The missing piece of our family. Because Fuji-nee can never replace a mother for me. She is still a child herself.
And so I ran. I ran as fast as I could.
Finally, the bridge appeared, and I ran across it at bullet speed. Or so it felt, but in reality, I was only moving slightly faster than an average person. Maybe at the level of a decent sprinter. Even though my legs were strengthened, reducing muscle and ligament friction and overall fatigue...it just wasn't enough. My breathing had long been disrupted, but I endured and pushed myself to my limits.
Now, the bridge ended, and in a matter of minutes, I arrived at the building that Kenji-san had told me about.
Like a bullet, I flew into the building and spent only ten seconds on the stairs before bursting into the room behind a closed door.
Breathing heavily, I pressed my hands against my knees, doubled over and closed my eyes. Everything inside was burning. I could feel the recoil from the exertion and such intense tension, and I was on the verge of collapsing right there, knowing that I was in a relatively safe place to lose consciousness.
But before I could fall, a strong hand grabbed me by the elbow and roughly pushed me into the nearest chair, where I continued to wrestle with the desire to shut down.
"Did ya run here or something?" the voice asked.
"Uh... Y-yes..."
"Seems like it was very fast," the voice noted.
Kenji-san always expressed a neutral interest in my abilities, never meddling in things that weren't his business. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him sitting in the chair opposite me, staring at me.
For a minute, we simply looked at each other in silence.
"So, what's the matter?"
I could only look at him in bewilderment. During the time I sat in the chair, I had managed to somewhat recover, channeling the revitalizing Prana through all the damaged nerves.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"What's your story, idiot? Who is da woman? Why did ya get so worked up? Is she somehow connected to..."
"Yes, she is," I cut him off sharply. "Kenji-san, allow me... let me see her?"
The tall and fit man, who looked like a successful businessman, surprisingly didn't resist or refuse in any way. Although, honestly, I expected him to. I don't know why. Perhaps his appearance and rough behavior played a strong role.
"Why not? If you've changed your mind about dying in my office, then I think you can walk a few more meters."
I eagerly got up and followed the man into another room. I had no idea what to expect: from the most absurd to the most terrible, but definitely not... this.
The woman, perhaps the most beautiful I had ever seen, stood with her back to us and gazed out of the window.
"But she...," he began, but I simply ignored him and cautiously entered the room, as if the sound of my footsteps on the floor could scare away this enchanting figure.
"Iri-san..."
My cautious approach startled her, and she turned around abruptly, fixing me with her incredible crimson eyes.
"Iri-san, it's really you?"
The woman frowned slightly, as if she pondered for a moment, and then nodded.
"Irisviel von Ainzbern, that's me..."
"Ainzbern?" muttered Kenji-san behind me in confusion. "Isn't that…"
The name of one of the noble families known for their magical abilities? Yes.
The woman, Iirisviel von Ainzbern, looked at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. I could sense the weight of her presence, her deep connection to the magical world, and yet her vulnerability seemed to shine through.
"Exactly. Exactly! Irisviel von Ainzbern!" I exclaimed joyfully, and the woman stepped back, but, bumping into the windowsill, she flinched and looked around.
"Who are you? And... Where am I? How do you know me?"
"Please, calm down, Iri-san," I extended my palms in front of me, indicating that I meant her no harm. I tried to smile as politely as possible, but I couldn't hide my joy at the fact that she was alive, that she was real. "You knew Emiya Kiritsugu, didn't you?"
"Kiritsugu... Oh my, Kiritsugu, of course, I..." She took a few steps towards me. "What... What happened to him? Where is he? And what about the Holy..."
On the last word, she faltered and fell silent, not continuing, while lowering her gaze to the floor. Perhaps she wanted to ask about what happened during the Fourth Holy Grail War? Logically, that should have been the last thing she remembered. I didn't want to believe that all these years she had been somewhere in the world, living, not knowing about her daughter and husband, or not remembering. And so...
"I am Emiya Kiritsugu's son, Iri-san. My name is Shirou," the woman looked at me, slightly parting her lips. Emotions rapidly shifted across her face – disbelief, reluctance to accept the obvious, a hint of irritation, and hurt. "Iri-san, Kiritsugu adopted me, so you don't need to worry."
Suddenly tears welled up in Iri's eyes as she processed the information. A mixture of relief, confusion, and a longing for the memories she had lost played across her features. She took a step closer to me, her voice trembling.
"Shirou...," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of love and sorrow. "I can't believe I've been apart from all of you all this time. I can't even remember... I'm so sorry…"
I reached out to comfort her, enveloping her in a gentle embrace. It was overwhelming to finally have her back, to know that she was alive and standing before me. The years of uncertainty and longing had brought us to this moment.
I allowed myself a slight smile as the evident relief washed over her face, even though I wanted to tell her everything right away. Especially that Kiritsugu had been dead for two years already. But that would only bring sadness, and that wasn't what I wanted now.
"Iri-san, would you... would you come with me to our home?" I asked, my voice filled with hope.
"Kiritsugu's son... even if you're adopted..." Iri-san murmured softly, her gaze drifting somewhere around my collarbones. "So, my adopted son... I... I... Of course! I want to see Kiritsugu so badly! And my daughter, Illya!"
"Then let's go," I replied.
The mention of the last name made me tense, but I didn't show any signs of not knowing who she was talking about. Well, I knew who she was referring to, but I didn't know where she was. I nodded towards the exit and extended my hand to her. Iri-san seemed so fragile, like glass. Very, very weak, as if she could crumble at any moment. As if to confirm my thoughts, she stumbled forward and faltered, but I quickly caught up to her and prevented her from falling.
"Thank you..." she whispered.
With a smile, I shook my head and took her hand as we headed towards the exit. Keji-san watched us with a shocked expression, clearly wishing for me to stay and explain everything. But now was not the time for that.
Right now, we were simply going home. I would do everything possible to make us a happy family. Although this desire may be slightly selfish, I would do anything for it. Who else but Iri-san had missed her so much, if the stories told by Kiritsugu were true? Perhaps even more than Kiritsugu himself.
And so... It was Illya who needed to see her mother more than anyone else. And I would do everything for that. Even if it meant going through another War.