Deep Mountain Town, Twins Pavilion.
After hearing Rider's report on Caster's identity and Noble Phantasm abilities, Bazett was delighted and praised Rider, marveling at the capability of the Servant she had been gifted.
Soon after, Bazett learned from Rider about Archer's side's intent to cooperate after dealing with Caster. Bazett's initial reaction was to ignore and refuse.
However, she reconsidered, remembering that Archer's Master was the head of the Tohsaka family, one of the three founding families. Shinji had mentioned this person before, asking Bazett to spare their life if possible. This left Bazett feeling conflicted.
"Rider, is Berserker's Noble Phantasm really as you described?"
"Yes." Rider, standing quietly to the side, nodded slightly. "Based on the probing on the first day and the battle between Berserker and Lancer last night, there's no mistake. It's a true resurrection ability after death."
"This is troublesome..." Bazett crossed her legs, rested her chin on her hand, and pondered for a few seconds before speaking again. Then she looked at Rider, "But we shouldn't agree right away. I have my own mission to consider. At least, we should wait until Caster, who is breaking the rules, is dealt with and see the situation. By the way, is Archer and Saber planning to attack Caster?"
"It seems so." Rider nodded slightly and then asked, "Bazett, we..."
"Hmm..." Bazett pondered for a moment, "If they are really determined to attack Caster, we can help without revealing our own cards. Caster's true name and Noble Phantasm...we can disclose it to them."
"I understand."
Seeing Rider, who was cold on the outside but exceptionally gentle in nature, Bazett couldn't help but show a rare soft expression, "Rider, you've worked hard."
...
5 PM.
The park where Illya met Shirou and Rin was not the one under the Miyama Bridge but a small park in the residential area and shopping street of Deep Mountain Town, where Shirou and Shinji had chatted before.
"If it's just to form a united front against Caster, I can agree to you joining us."
Rin crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows, and looked somewhat condescendingly at Illya, who was sitting on the bench smiling. Then she changed her tone, "But, there's a condition. Can you guarantee that you won't attack us while we're dealing with Caster?"
"Tosaka-san, Illya isn't that kind of person..."
Shirou began but was interrupted sternly by Rin, "Emiya-kun, be quiet! This concerns our lives! Alright, Illyasviel, answer me. Can we trust you not to betray us until Caster is defeated?"
"Of course, until Caster is defeated, I absolutely won't be enemies with Shirou!" Illya said, affectionately hugging Shirou's arm.
"Hey, Illya..." Shirou, a bit embarrassed, tried to pull his arm away, but the little girl didn't let go at all.
"Is it only Emiya-kun?"
"Rin, don't worry. It's the same for you. Until Caster is defeated, I won't attack you and Archer."
Illya's smile faded a bit, and she looked at Rin, asking in return, "But can you do the same? Can you not betray us until Caster is defeated?"
"Of course!" Rin turned her face away, showing a bit of disdain, "Don't forget, when I was cooperating with the novice Emiya-kun, I had countless opportunities to strike but didn't."
Rin suddenly paused, showing a surprised expression, murmuring in shock, "What! Archer has already figured out Caster's true name and Noble Phantasm?"
Shirou also looked shocked, "Tosaka-san! Does that mean Archer has already..."
After a few seconds, Rin nodded slightly, "Yes, it's probably accurate."
"Great!" Shirou clenched his fist in excitement.
Illya didn't seem to care, "It's just finding out an opponent's true name and Noble Phantasm. I can tell you that too, as a gesture of good... good... Japanese people's good..."
"Sincerity," Rin reminded, somewhat exasperated.
"Right! Sincerity! As a gesture of sincerity, I can also tell you Berserker's true name and Noble Phantasm! How about it?"
Seeing Illya's innocent and genuinely smiling face, Shirou felt that revealing the true name and Noble Phantasm of a Servant wasn't right and wanted to stop her.
"Illya, about the true name and Noble Phantasm..."
"Ahem!" Rin coughed twice, hinting to Shirou not to meddle. Such a good opportunity, let her speak!
Illya, seeing through Rin's thoughts, didn't mind. She let go of Shirou's arm, jumped off the bench, and twirled around on tiptoe.
"It's okay to tell you. My Berserker's true name is Heracles, and his Noble Phantasm is..."
...
More than two minutes had passed since Illya voluntarily revealed Berserker's true name and Noble Phantasm.
Rin and Shirou were still silent, probably because they were stunned by the fact that Berserker's Noble Phantasm, "Twelve Trials," indeed allowed him to resurrect twelve times! And only B-rank or higher Noble Phantasms could harm him!
Moreover, each time a life was taken, the same Noble Phantasm couldn't harm him again!
The most troublesome part was that the twelve lives could even recover, with one life regenerating in just a few days!
Initially, knowing the opponent's cards should have been a relief, but who would have thought they had such an overwhelming advantage!
It was like playing cards with a hand full of unbeatable combinations!
"Uh..." Shirou was the first to break the silence, scratching his cheek with his index finger, "Well... I feel like my life might end at seventeen, huh..."
"Shirou, don't you want to die?" Illya blinked her pure ruby-like eyes.
"Of course not!" Shirou replied with a bitter smile, "I've made up my mind, but if I can avoid dying, I prefer not to."
"Hmm... I see." Illya tilted her head, thinking for a moment. Then she smiled again, "Alright! I won't kill you, Shirou! I'll spare your life in the end!"
Seeing Illya's cute and sincere smile, Shirou felt inexplicably moved.
At this moment, Shirou couldn't hear the sorrow and helplessness in the little girl's words. In simple terms—
You can continue to live in this world, but I am destined to...
"Illya..." Shirou murmured, then smiled and unconsciously placed his hand on Illya's head, "Let's not talk about such things now. But I've come to understand that you're a good child, Illya."
Feeling the warmth on her head, Illya showed a rare moment of awkwardness but soon closed her eyes, quietly enjoying the touch and warmth from the hand on her head, even making contented humming sounds.
Watching the high school boy and the little girl getting along so well, Rin finally reacted, realizing—
Emiya-kun might have already secured his safe zone.
Rin's expression turned a bit strange, and she even had the fleeting thought of currying favor with Illya to secure her own safety in the end.
However, this thought quickly passed. No way, as the head of one of the three founding families, she couldn't easily bow down and beg for mercy. Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
"Hmph! Lolicon!"
Hearing Rin's muttered remark, Shirou blushed deeply, hurriedly explaining, "No! I'm not! I don't have that inclination! I just think Illya is a very cute and sensible child!"
Listening to Shirou, Rin's face twitched with black lines appearing at the corners of her eyes.
"Emiya-kun, your explanation makes it worse. I didn't expect you to be such a dangerous person for elementary schoolers..."
"I said I'm not! It's just that..."
Shirou turned his face away, scratching his cheek, searching for words.
At this moment, Illya switched roles, standing on tiptoe and patting Shirou's head with her small hand.
"Huh?"
Shirou was stunned, just about to say something, but Illya's smiling face made him speechless, leaving him in a daze.
To put it simply, seeing Illya's expression healed him! Both body and mind!
At that moment, a thought to protect this little girl arose in the boy's heart, but it only lasted for a second before Illya continued.
"It's okay to be a lolicon. Human preferences are free."
"Poof!!" Shirou spat, "Illya! Where did you learn such words?!"
"Shinji taught me."
"Shinji?! When?"
"Uh..." Illya tilted her head, thinking, "When we met this morning."
"Shinji likes to say inappropriate things..." Shirou's eye twitched, then he sighed, "Saying such things in front of children, I must talk to him tomorrow."
Shinji?
Rin's expression turned strange, thinking: Could he be a lolicon too? She had seen him wearing swim trunks with cute anime girls and even saying, "The charm of twin tails only exists at a specific age."
Seeing Rin's thoughtful expression, Shirou seemed to notice something and began analyzing seriously, "Tosaka-san, to be honest, I've suspected Shinji's preferences, but I haven't confirmed it yet..."
Rin: ...