Because yesterday's progress wasn't very smooth, and too many unexpected changes occurred, Saber and Kiritsugu's relationship had also become quite strained.
Although she really wanted to mediate their relationship, it was clear that even if Irisviel had a good relationship with both Kiritsugu and Saber, when those two were together, their different ideals would inevitably lead to a rather tense atmosphere.
This made Irisviel, caught in the middle, somewhat troubled.
But unfortunately, she couldn't offer any solutions.
Thus, she could only suggest—
"Saber, how about we go to the mall together to change our mood?"
As an Einzbern homunculus, since birth—well, although it had only been about a year in this world, and the time spent with Kiritsugu might only add up to a few years—Irisviel had never left that snow castle. All her understanding of the outside world came from magically instilled knowledge or hearsay.
The reason she fell in love with Kiritsugu was probably because, for someone like Irisviel, who appeared adult but was essentially a child at heart, Kiritsugu, who came from the outside world and had experienced much, indeed fulfilled her fantasies about the world. Furthermore, Kiritsugu's ideal was something she deeply identified with.
Even if that man's actions to achieve his goals were despicable, even somewhat missing the point, what Kiritsugu pursued was the end of worldly conflicts. That was also the goal pursued by the Einzbern ancestor Justeaze, the Matou family head Makiri—now Zouken Matou—and the Tohsaka family ancestor Nagato Tohsaka.
For Irisviel, who had been instilled with this belief since her creation, Kiritsugu was indeed an exceptionally dazzling existence.
"Mm."
Although Saber was somewhat puzzled by this, she was still willing to accompany her.
After all, she really couldn't get along with that man. Just being in the same space as him made her feel uncomfortable all over.
Moreover, she was indeed interested in the shopping malls of this era.
Even though Servants are instilled with information about this world upon arrival, receiving information and personally experiencing it are two different feelings.
This renowned King Arthur, in the beginning, was ultimately just a little girl who was overly strict with herself.
Unlike Irisviel, who was enjoying the shopping trip under the banner of relaxing, although Saber was very interested in the dazzling array of food and even the lion-shaped dolls, the dangerous opponents in this mall...
Although she didn't go with Kiritsugu last night, she, being with Irisviel, had also seen through familiars: that woman named Aoko Aozaki and her Servant—the Venus goddess from Sumerian mythology, Mistress of Heaven, Lord of Fertility, Ishtar.
And that red-haired fellow... King of Conquerors, Iskandar.
Although driven away by Mordred, she still paid attention to the subsequent developments at the scene.
All troublesome enemies...
"Sorry, I need to go to the restroom."
Irisviel, not paying much attention to these things, made this request after feeling the urge of her bodily functions.
Thus, Saber was left waiting outside alone.
Humming a tune she had heard somewhere that suited her mood—perhaps due to yesterday's incident, although it was far away, the mall's business was still affected, so much so that even the restrooms were sparsely populated. Currently, it seemed she was the only one there.
With the sound of flushing water, Irisviel, having skillfully completed her physiological metabolism, while enjoying the quiet time alone in the single stall, couldn't help but recall the desirable items she had seen in the mall.
Really, really, there are so many things I like~
For the childish Irisviel, she was interested in any kind of interesting thing—at the same time, because she was a mother, she also somewhat missed her daughter Illya, who was far away in the snow castle. If she didn't know that she probably wouldn't be able to go back and see Illya on this trip, she really wanted to bring that child to this very interesting mall.
However... picking out memorable things and having Kiritsugu bring them to Illya for her later should be fine, right?
"Yada, I came here to change my mood, I can't be so sentimental." Irisviel patted her cheeks, somewhat annoyed.
"Mm, I can't let Saber wait too long either, eishu..."
She planned to quickly wash her hands and go out to find Saber, but... as she walked out of the stall, Irisviel seemed to suddenly hear something.
"Mmm..."
It seemed to be some rather indescribable sounds... And, judging by the voice, the age didn't seem very old?
Is there someone else in the restroom?
For some reason, Irisviel thought of some rather unhealthy content she had accidentally seen before.
I heard that similar things happen in Japan...
Could it be that she had encountered such a thing?
Somewhat surprised and astonished, her cheeks slightly tinged with red, Irisviel glanced at the stall from which the sound emanated.
....Hmm, it's probably better not to disturb them, right?
Quietly slip out...
Although very curious, Irisviel didn't plan to expose this kind of thing. After all, it was really embarrassing, wasn't it?
However…
As she carefully passed by that stall, the flimsy, somewhat dilapidated stall door creaked open, revealing quite a few gaps. Such a change, although Irisviel didn't want to see such an embarrassing thing, curiosity drove her to unconsciously take a peek.
And with just that one peek, the ruby-like eyes inside and outside the restroom stall met.
Irisviel instinctively wanted to apologize:
"Sorry!"
I didn't mean to interrupt this kind of thing!
She wanted to explain it that way.
However…
When she clearly saw the familiar silver-haired, crimson-eyed face sitting on the toilet, the originally somewhat embarrassed Irisviel was stunned.
"...Illya?!!"
The name she had been constantly thinking about blurted out.
And the door, with a creak, opened completely, revealing the situation inside the stall.
Little Illya sat on the toilet, her clothes somewhat disheveled, her little face slightly red, her not-so-clean little hands sparking the imagination—she had, of course, noticed that the door seemed to have some problems, but because there was no one in the restroom and she was just about to reach a critical point, she had relaxed her guard a little, but then....
She was caught red-handed—even so, she had planned to just close the door tightly, play ostrich, and sneak out after the person outside left, but... the moment her name was called out by that familiar face, little Illya's entire brain shut down.
Irisviel's gaze slowly moved down, and Illya's followed. Then... the latter's pupils gradually lost focus, as if she had lost her soul.
What could be worse than being discovered doing strange things in the restroom by someone else?
The answer is—being caught red-handed by a parent!
—Undoubtedly, little Illya's life seemed to have ended.
"Mmm.... Mom will wait for you at the door, Illya."
Although somewhat astonished and surprised, to the point where she didn't know how to properly express the look on her face, seeing little Illya's dazed appearance, the understanding Irisviel still made a gesture, even proactively helping to close the door.
Little Illya sat on the toilet, utterly embarrassed—she didn't want to go out, she wanted to stay in this toilet stall for the rest of her life!
She really wanted to become a magical girl and fly out the window directly.
But unfortunately, because she was doing strange things, to avoid being caught by Ruby, she had left Ruby with '[Illya],' so she couldn't transform at all.
And because she was a special Servant, like Saber, Illya also didn't have the ability to dematerialize.
Besides... Mom was right at the door. If she tried to run away and was discovered, she would definitely be KO'd by her!
Subconsciously recalling the Irisviel from her own world, who could become quite terrifying at times, and substituting her for this world's Irisviel, little Illya couldn't help but swallow after imagining that terrifying scene.
With immense difficulty, little Illya had never felt that the distance in this not-so-spacious mall restroom could be so vast.
And at the door, Irisviel was waiting with a smile.
Little Illya, her eyes lifeless, really wanted to argue—Mom, you got the wrong person, I'm not Illya.
But her intuition told her that if she said such a thing, the outcome would probably become very terrifying.
"...Isn't this child?!"
Saber, unsure what Irisviel was waiting for, was somewhat surprised and astonished upon seeing Illya.
She had been summoned before the Holy Grail War, back in the snow castle in Germany by Kiritsugu. Therefore, she had met Illya and even seen her riding that terrible man's horse, strolling in the snow.
To this day, Saber still found it hard to connect Kiritsugu, that shameless executioner, with the old father in the snow.
Of course, what concerned her more was clearly why Illya would appear here.
But this was clearly also what Irisviel was concerned about.
She looked at little Illya, who seemed to have lost her soul, her eyes filled with some confusion and sorrow.
Even for someone as optimistic as Irisviel, she didn't understand why Illya, who should have been imprisoned in Einzbern Castle, would appear in Fuyuki City, the battlefield of the Holy Grail War. Logically, Illya should have been held hostage to restrain Kiritsugu—similarly, she was also a reserve Master candidate for the next Holy Grail War in case Kiritsugu failed.
Yet now she appeared in Fuyuki City... Was it Kiritsugu's doing? Irisviel subconsciously thought of her husband.
If Illya could be brought out of the snow castle, it must be that he had made some deal with Patriarch Jubstacheit.
Otherwise, the will of Einzbern would not allow Illya to be released.
And if it was a deal, what would be the content, the price?
"Kiritsugu..."
Thinking of her husband, Irisviel bit her lip.
She knew very well what kind of person her husband was—undoubtedly, the man named Kiritsugu Emiya loved purely, yet because of that lofty desire, he became overly cruel. She admired Kiritsugu's goodness, and as for this cruelty... how should one put it, after all, he was a magus, so she understood to some extent, but within that understanding, there was more pity and similar emotions.
But if all this had to involve her daughter Illya... it was a bit hard to accept.
In the original scheme of things.
Everything the Black Grail showed Kiritsugu Emiya, although that Irisviel personality was simulated, merely for external display, or perhaps to confuse that man, one thing was definitely not false.
That was her love for Illya.
As a Justeaze replica, instilled from birth with the belief that everything must be dedicated to the Einzbern family's grand ambition, Irisviel could accept anything, even death.
Knowing that participating in this Holy Grail War would lead to her end, she would still calmly face death for the Einzbern's ambition and for her love for Kiritsugu—but this courage, besides the former two, actually had another important reason.
That is...
Irisviel knew very well.
If this grand ambition could not be realized in her generation, then her beloved Illya would—
definitely walk the same path as herself.
For Einzbern, for Kiritsugu... and also for Illya.
A child is the continuation of life, and also one of her few attachments in this world, the meaning for which she strives.
Many thoughts, because of the increasing extremism of her loved one, and also because of Illya's appearance, diverged uncontrollably.
But in the end, the most suitable way to find an answer was still to ask directly.
"Illya, tell Mom, how did you get here?"
Inevitably, with a hint of adult pressure, Irisviel stared at Illya.
The latter was extremely nervous.
"...By... by plane!" Subconsciously, she answered like this.
"...Was it Patriarch Jubstacheit or Kiritsugu who sent you?"
Little Illya, being 'interrogated,' stuttered a bit.
For her, who was still a genuine JS (elementary schooler) at the moment, she completely couldn't understand the meaning behind this, nor why Irisviel would ask her this way.
She could only passively shake her head, then felt it wasn't quite right and added:
"Mom, I'm here to save you."
This was indeed Illya's goal for this trip, so answering like this shouldn't be a problem, right?
She thought so.
But unexpectedly.
Irisviel, who was initially a bit puzzled by the previous sentence—Illya shouldn't lie to me. If it wasn't Kiritsugu or Jubstacheit, then who could it be?
But this sentence, 'Mom, I'm here to save you,' instantly made the somewhat bewildered Irisviel's gaze become clear and sharp.
She fell silent for a moment, then asked:
"...Illya, you're here to save Mom?"
"Mmm, yes, yes!" Illya paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously.
At this moment, Irisviel smiled and nodded.
Yes, she had roughly understood the situation.
"Saber, let's go home."
Irisviel proactively made this request to Saber.
This made Saber somewhat astonished:
"?... We haven't been at the mall for long, have we?"
They hadn't been here for long. Honestly, after briefly browsing the mall and tasting many delicious foods at Irisviel's suggestion, she was somewhat reluctant to leave this place.
Although Irisviel also saw Saber's reluctance, normally, she wouldn't mind continuing to browse with her. After all, one of the purposes of this trip was to change Saber's and her own mood.
However…
"...Sorry, I'm not in the mood to continue shopping right now."
"If there's a chance, I'll make it up to you later."
At this moment, even Saber noticed that the usually gentle Irisviel seemed somewhat cold. Although she didn't look like much, Saber could feel that it was like a seemingly calm sea surface, hiding an immeasurable, turbulent storm beneath.
It was the first time she had seen Irisviel like this. It was as if she were a mother lion whose taboo had been touched.
Out of concern, Saber tentatively asked:
"...Did something happen?"
"Nothing, I just have some things I want to talk to Kiritsugu about... The sooner the better. Now, immediately, right away!"
Irisviel almost gritted out those last few words.
"Okay."
Just like that, little Illya was directly picked up, put into the car, and disappeared from the reflection in those translucent eyes.
"Illya was taken away by her mother, you know~" Ruby's somewhat gloating voice sounded beside her ear.
The silver-haired girl sighed:
"Honestly, she really knows how to cause trouble."