Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Irisviel blinked and said, "You figured it out?"

She was four months pregnant, and her belly was starting to show a noticeable bulge, but it should be completely invisible after she put on loose indoor clothes.

"Yes, I found it."

Ye Sizhen nodded seriously and said, "I am a thought magician from the Spiral Pavilion."

Mind magic differs from Western magic in that it is very adept at observing the flow of "qi" within the human body.

I can vaguely sense that new life is developing within you.

"Wow, that's amazing..." Irisviel exclaimed in surprise.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Alice,” Ye Sizhen said with a smile. “Has the gender been determined?”

"Hey, it's a girl, and they've even picked out a name for her."

With a happy expression, Irisviel said, "Her name is Ilya."

"What a beautiful name. She will surely grow up to be as beautiful as her mother."

"Hehehe... You really know how to talk."

Seeing Irisviel beaming with joy, Ye Sizhen clenched her fist.

Great! We've successfully won over the child's family!

At this moment, Ye Sizhen suddenly thought of a question—

Speaking of which, where is the child's father?

Based on her observations over the past few days, she discovered that only Shirou, Lady Iri, and her two servants lived in this enormous, hotel-like mansion.

There was no one else besides him.

Doesn't the child's father live here with them?

Ye Sizhen thought to herself: It's better not to pry into other people's family secrets.

"You're curious about where Ilya's father is, aren't you?"

"Do not……"

"Hehe, it's okay."

Irisviel gently stroked her belly and began to speak.

“Ilya’s father… is ‘that child.’”

"!?!?"

Ye Sizhen's eyes widened.

She wondered if she had misheard, and asked in a trembling voice, "Um, excuse me... what did you just say...?"

Irisviel said, "Ilya's father is gone, so that child is her father..."

He said he would protect me and Ilya well—he would be both my brother and Ilya's father.

My son, Shi... cough, my son Shinji, isn't he amazing?

Oh, so that's what it meant...

Ye Sizhen suddenly realized what was happening, and at the same time, she scolded herself for letting her mind wander:

Honestly! What on earth is I thinking?!

On another note, Ye Sizhen thought: Madam Alice's expression when she spoke just now was a bit seductive, as if she was deliberately showing off to me... Was it just my imagination?

"By the way, Miss Sizhen."

"exist."

"You haven't always lived in Japan, have you? Is there anything I need to do in this country?"

"........."

Ye Sizhen fell silent.

The woman before her—Irisviel—forgave herself, feeling she could no longer lie.

Be honest.

This wasn't just out of personal conscience, but also to protect Shinji—

To avoid getting him and his family involved in unnecessary trouble.

Ye Sizhen took a deep breath: "Actually, I came to Fuyuki in search of a magician."

"Find someone?"

Irisviel realized that things were not simple, because she sensed the murderous intent emanating from the woman in the cheongsam.

Ye Sizhen nodded.

"The ceremony that once took place in this city—"

The person I'm looking for is the ultimate victor of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Shirou Amamiya.

The other three people present: "………………"

Ye Sizhen noticed the subtle expressions on their faces, so she frowned and asked.

"Excuse me, what's wrong?"

Ye Sizhen had already made the worst-case scenario plan before this.

Shinji is also a magician living in Fuyuki, so this possibility certainly exists:

He and his target, Shirou Amamiya, might actually be acquaintances.

however--

"Shinji is actually a pseudonym."

Irisviel bit her lip: "The child's real name... he didn't tell you."

"...!?"

Ye Sizhen froze.

Her beautifully curved body trembled as if it had been pierced.

In a stiff voice, she asked again, "Shinji isn't his real name... then who exactly is he?"

"He is the Shirou you are looking for... Amamiya Shirou."

"Shirou—"

Ye Sizhen's voice stopped abruptly, and her dark, cold pupils were filled with despair.

"That child is Shirou... Wait, is he lying to me...?"

"No! I don't think that's the case!"

Irisviel exclaimed excitedly, "Should it be out of self-protection, or should we say I'm being overly cautious...?"

In short, it's definitely not what you imagine, Miss Sizhen!

"..."

Ye Sizhen remained silent for a moment.

Thinking about it carefully, he had no idea that I was searching for the character "Amamiya Shirou".

After he saved me, Shirou didn't ask about anything else, he just told me to focus on recovering.

The tenderness I felt on his back that night—

Ye Sizhen felt that this beautiful memory alone would be enough to support her through the low points of her life.

Therefore, it is not possible that he intentionally deceived himself.

That being said, she learned that the name the person she admired had given her was fake...

Ye Sizhen placed her hand on the red spider lily tattoo on her chest, her usually dignified face slightly contorted.

"…………This is terrible."

Why is he specifically Shirou Amamiya?

The woman couldn't help but think that all of this was probably retribution.

Because I intended to harm Shirou from the very beginning, that's why I met him in such the worst possible way...

"Fate is truly cruel..."

Ye Sizhen felt the pain in her chest, as if it were being torn apart, and said from the bottom of her heart.

----------

Volume 4, Chapter 187: One glimpse of Shirou, and my life is ruined.

After that, Irisviel revealed her true identity to Ye Sizhen—

Like Shirou, she was a Master who participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Silver hair and red eyes are the most famous physical features of the Einzbern family, so famous that alchemists would immediately associate silver hair and red eyes with artificial life forms.

However, Ye Sizhen was not a Western magician, which is why she did not realize Irisviel's identity immediately.

Ye Sizhen listened as Irisviel recounted the little-known history that had occurred in Fuyuki eight years ago.

At the end of the ceremony, inspired by Shirou, she resolved to betray the Einzbern family and end the Holy Grail War with him.

Ye Sizhen found it very incredible.

Shirou saved the world once when he was only 8 years old.

“…You’re really amazing, Shirou.”

Ye Sizhen developed her first love for the boy who saved her.

And Shirou, in a place unknown to himself, had experienced such a magnificent life and battles...

For Ye Sizhen, the thought magician who dreams of one day leaving his footprints all over the world, such a discovery is an absolute treasure.

"Right? Shirou is the best, hehehe?"

"Ah."

Ye Sizhen nodded in agreement with Irisviel from the bottom of her heart.

The silver-haired woman in front of her, her eyes shining as she recounted that experience, looked so happy that she didn't seem like an artificial life form at all.

Ye Sizhen couldn't help but think that this must also be thanks to Shirou.

Just like Shirou made Ye Sizhen realize that she wasn't a heartless machine (a magician)...

It was Shirou's appearance that gave artificial life forms a true "soul".

That child was far more outstanding than I had imagined.

Ye Sizhen felt both happy and endlessly lonely.

This is certainly not because "Shirou Amamiya" is the "target" he is looking for, but rather...

She suddenly realized that she was not good enough for Shirou at all.

Normally, Ye Sizhen wouldn't have such thoughts.

As a renowned top student in the Spiral Pavilion, she has always adhered to the principle of doing her best.

If she falls in love with someone of the opposite sex, she will pursue that person at all costs, regardless of any obstacles between them.

Age, seniority... even if the other party is already married, Ye Sizhen doesn't care at all.

However, she wasn't in the mood for that right now.

It wasn't because Shirou was a noble person, or because he had secretly saved the world.

It wasn't because he was better than me as a magician or stronger than me as a warrior.

Ye Sizhen simply noticed one thing.

Shirou is now living what he considers the happiest life.