Illyasviel and Rin pushed open the door to the guest room and walked in, with Heracles and Lancelot manifested behind them.
"Big brother, you really are here."
Illyasviel smiled faintly upon seeing Souta. Since no one was in the main hall, she figured he must be here.
Across the room, Irisviel shot to her feet, eyes locked on the petite girl who'd entered.
"Illya... it's really you!"
Her words came out in a jumbled rush, betraying the storm of emotions within her.
This was her daughter—from the future.
Illya looked slightly older than she remembered, maybe by a year. The change wasn't much, but a mother knows—Irisviel sensed immediately that Illya's demeanor had changed.
Where once her child had been full of innocent joy, now there was a coldness to her, as if she'd sealed off her heart.
"Mother..." Illya whispered, momentarily lost for words.
She'd known this meeting was coming and thought herself prepared. But now, standing before her mother after ten long years—the emotional weight was too much.
Souta patted her head gently, speaking warmly:
"This is a rare reunion. Go talk to your mom. Just smile."
Illya nodded, and just as she stepped forward, Irisviel rushed in and hugged her tightly.
Feeling the cool, distant aura from her daughter, Irisviel's heart ached. Ten years alone in that cold, emotionless castle—her daughter must've suffered so much.
Despite being only nine years old, Irisviel radiated pure maternal warmth.
Illya felt the heat of her mother's embrace, her nose stung, and she took deep breaths, burying her face deeply.
"Illya's still so small... her body hasn't grown at all."
Irisviel's face twisted in guilt, softly stroking Illya's hair.
Because of magical alterations in the womb, Illya's body had stopped growing at nine years old. She'd never be able to live like a normal person.
Irisviel blamed herself—she had never truly fulfilled her role as a mother.
Illya patted her back, quietly comforting her:
Compared to the emotional Irisviel, Illya was calm, perhaps because she was now nine years older than her mother.
The touching scene between mother and daughter moved everyone in the room.
Souta sighed in relief, finally feeling validated—he had done the right thing.
Rin came over and patted his shoulder, giving him a thumbs-up.
"You fulfilled Lancer's wish?" Souta asked.
"...I feel like you're asking for a punch with how you phrase that." Rin's expression was... complicated.
"If Lancer were still alive, I think he'd spear you right now."
"No no, if he knew his original fate, he'd be grateful to me," Souta grinned.
"Besides, this time, he died with honor, fulfilling his wish."
"...I think I get why you always mess up negotiations," Rin sighed.
"Anyway, yeah, Lancer's done. With Heracles, no one can stop us now—except that golden jerk."
"Iskandar, the King of Conquerors?"
"...I'm done talking to you."
Rin glanced at Irisviel and Illya, her eyes filled with envy.
Souta noticed and gently took her hand, reassuring:
"Your mother will be fine too. You'll get to be spoiled as well."
"Tch, I'm not some little girl like Illya."
Rin pouted, full of pride.
"I'm not that childish."
Even so, she was deeply moved.
Even Artoria, standing guard, let a smile grace her stern face.
But when she sensed two Berserkers, she instantly tensed up again. Souta's intel had been spot on.
Yet... why did one of them exude such hostility toward her, like he wanted to kill her on sight?
"Souta," Rin also noticed Lancelot's shift and warned,
"Berserker's about to lose it."
Souta approached Lancelot and used divine magic to soothe the raging madness in him.
Instantly, the murderous aura faded, though Lancelot hadn't fully regained reason.
"Excuse me, could I speak with you?"
Kiritsugu suddenly approached, gesturing toward the window—he clearly wanted a private word.
Souta nodded and followed.
Kiritsugu pulled out a cigarette, trying to strike a cool pose, lighting it for dramatic effect. He tilted his head back at a 45-degree angle to look at the sky, about to puff out a smoke ring and play the mature man role.
But it wouldn't light.
Try as he might, the lighter failed repeatedly, turning his suave act into an awkward comedy routine.
"...." Kiritsugu looked sideways at Souta.
"Sorry, I hate smoke, so I... tinkered a bit."
Souta shrugged, then scrutinized Kiritsugu.
"Seems like you absorbed the memories I gave you. Strange... I thought you'd be dead—uh, I mean, you actually retained them? That's... not normal."
Though puzzled, Souta didn't overthink it.
The Time Reversal Card from Kurumi only healed the body—it didn't alter memory, just like she retained her injuries' memory after healing.
Maybe memories weren't stored in the brain after all?
Kiritsugu, hearing the word "dead," rubbed his head and put on a deadpan expression—his face comically dark.