"The Holy Grail! Where is the Holy Grail?!"
"Saber, you can't be so rude in someone else's house! Hey! Saber!"
"The Holy Grail! The Holy Grail!"
"Even you, Illya..."
Accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps and several familiar voices, led by Saber and Illya, Shirou's harem officially arrived in the Matou family's reception room.
As soon as they entered, Saber's Holy Grail sensor detected its presence. She stared dumbfoundedly at the gleaming Holy Grail (enhanced by her own mental filter) and then involuntarily walked towards it.
Illya, meanwhile, sensed a strong blood connection emanating from the softly glowing Holy Grail (also enhanced by her mental filter). As they say, blood is thicker than water, and the Grail was even thicker!
That is...
"The Holy Grail! This is the Holy Grail I've been seeking..."
"This is... Mother..."
Watching the large and small figures trembling as they gently caressed the Holy Grail, Shinji couldn't help but want to make a sarcastic comment.
Especially at Illya's calling it "Mother," he almost couldn't hold back.
Your mother has a much curvier figure and a fuller figure!
"By the way, how did they know about this?"
Shinji pointed to the two already deeply engrossed in their unique states and asked the sulking Rin, who was biting her pillow and glaring at him.
"Hmph!"
"It seems Rin informed Illya, and Illya then told Saber and me over the phone..." Shirou, the most polite one who had just caught up after changing into slippers, answered, then apologized, "Sorry for the disturbance, Shinji. And sorry I couldn't stop them."
"No, it's fine..." Shinji said, glancing at the two still lost in their special states, "But how long will they be like that? It feels like we're no longer in the same world."
...
On the sofa, Illya tightly held the Holy Grail, staring at it with a complex expression, her small hands constantly rubbing it.
Saber, sitting next to her, also stared at the Holy Grail in Illya's arms with a complicated look, gently caressing it as if touching a lover's face.
Shinji didn't mind this trivial matter of the two of them polishing the Grail for him. After all, they couldn't take it away, and the more they polished it, the shinier it would become!
"Well then..."
Rin frowned, but before she could say anything, Shinji put down his teacup and spoke first, "I participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War in a parallel world and won."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shinji noticed several of their gazes changing. Realizing something, he quickly added, "Don't worry, you all know what kind of person I am—a law-abiding citizen! To be honest, I didn't kill a single person!"
Shinji didn't feel he was lying. Apart from Ryūnosuke and Zouken, he hadn't killed anyone. Ryūnosuke was a psychopath, so he didn't count, and Zouken was just a bug, so he didn't count either.
"You may not have killed anyone..." Rin's eye twitched as she mentally added the second part: But you definitely screwed everyone over!
"I see..." Shirou visibly relaxed, "I knew Shinji wasn't that kind of person."
"Are you an idiot, Shirou?" Rin couldn't help but retort, "He might not have killed anyone, but he definitely screwed everyone over! Just like the Fifth Holy Grail War, he played everyone, including us!"
"You make it sound so bad..." Shinji spread his hands, shaking his head with a sigh, "How can you say I played everyone? I prevented a tragedy, and you see me as the villain?"
"Yes, Rin, Shinji did stop the tragedy from happening."
"Hey, how did you brainwash Shirou?"
"That's quite rude," Shinji said with some displeasure, then crossed his arms and snorted, "In the Holy Grail War I participated in, I didn't do anything. The final winner gave up the Grail, and I simply picked it up. That's all. I swear on the honor of my best friend, Shirou Emiya!"
"Swear on your own honor!" Rin exploded.
Meanwhile, the real Shirou Emiya—Archer—silently took two steps back, cursing Shinji inwardly. Shinji had glanced at him when he mentioned Shirou Emiya!
"Ugh!" Saber suddenly returned to reality, clenching her fist and showing some frustration, "Matou Shinji, why didn't you take me with you!"
Hearing this, Shinji's eye twitched. He didn't dare think about what would have happened if he had taken Saber with him.
If he had taken Saber, just the mana replenishment would have been a problem.
Replenish or not? His not-so-smart little brain couldn't make that decision!
Rider, hearing this, sneered inwardly.
Nice try, wanting to go when even I wasn't taken. Do you know how he replenishes mana? Speaking of which, this Saber is young, cute, and...
For some reason, Rider added Saber's name to her mental blacklist.
No way! My Master has a hard enough time replenishing my mana, I can't let it be divided among other Servants!
"Anyway, what I can tell you is that because of my involvement, the original tragedy involving 500 people in that world's Fourth Holy Grail War didn't happen. And Illya, your mother survived, and Rin, your mother didn't go insane and won't die alone."
Hearing Shinji's words, Shirou felt relieved, thinking his friend was indeed a good person.
Illya looked at Shinji in disbelief, then at the Holy Grail in her hands. If her mother didn't die, what's with this cup?
Rin, who didn't notice anything amiss, snorted. Though she didn't show it, she was internally grateful that Shinji was somewhat decent.
Uncle Kariya isn't doing well yet... but maybe in ten years? Shinji thought, believing he hadn't lied at all!
"Oh, Illya, I also brought photos of your parents."
"Really?!" Illya and Shirou exclaimed simultaneously.
"Yes, really. I took them myself for you to see."
Shinji casually retrieved a stack of photos from his system space and handed them to the eager Illya and Shirou.
Seeing Shinji's ability to take things out of thin air, Rin compared him to the wine-swilling Gilgamesh lounging on the sofa and thought of a suspicious possibility.
Could this guy be related to the Hero King? Like a descendant or something? Their abilities are eerily similar...
"Oh wow! Illya, your mother is a beauty! And this is Kiritsugu and..."
Shirou marveled at the photos, but before he could finish, he noticed Illya's expression darkening.
Before Shirou could ask, Saber, also looking at the photos, spoke up, "Shirou, this woman isn't Irisviel."
"Huh?" Shirou was confused, looking again at the short-haired woman passionately kissing Kiritsugu.
At that moment, Shirou realized something, his mouth twitching uncontrollably, and a bold idea formed in his mind.
Could Dad have... made a little mistake?
"Why..." Illya's small hands tightened, trembling as she murmured.
"What was that?" Shinji pretended not to hear.
"Why didn't you kill Kiritsugu..." The girl slowly lifted her head, her voice seething with anger, "Why did you let him live..."
"Because I'm... a good person who doesn't like killing."
Seeing Shinji's sincere expression, Rin mentally cursed: Who are you fooling! You, a good person? I...
"Can we go to that world again? If so, I'll pay any price to send me and Berserker there..."
"No, I can't. You can try asking the Second Magic user, Zelretch."
Hearing this, Saber remembered Shinji had once said that to achieve her wish, she needed the Second Magic user's magical circuits and started scheming.
If going alone isn't enough, maybe teaming up with Berserker...
"I'll go with you to find the Second Magic user, Illyasviel!"
Seeing the escalating situation, Shirou felt it was time to defend his father's honor.
"Calm down, both of you! And Illya, I believe Kiritsugu wouldn't make such a mistake! He must have... just made a momentary error!"
"What mistake?" Shinji feigned ignorance, then slapped his forehead as if remembering something, "Oh, I grabbed the wrong one. This is the right one."
With that, Shinji pulled out another set of photos from his system space.
Seeing the photo of Irisviel being princess-carried by Kiritsugu, Shirou quickly handed it to Illya, defending his father, "It was just a mistake. This is the real one, Illya, haha..."
But before he could finish laughing, Shirou realized something and stopped, looking back at the photo of Kiritsugu kissing Maiya.
Hmm...
Does showing the real Irisviel's photo help?
Can it change the fact that Dad made a mistake?
Uh... probably not.
"Uh... Illya, I believe it's just a misunderstanding! Although they were kissing in the photos from all angles, showing their lips touching, I still believe there's some misunderstanding! Maybe Dad just... accidentally bumped into her? In the dark, lost his balance, and happened to kiss her..."
"What are you talking about, Shirou?" Shinji sighed, then generously waved his hand, "Even Irisviel agreed to live as a family of four with Illya. How could it be a misunderstanding? I'm sure their family will be very happy after the Holy Grail War."
"Four... four people living together..."
Shirou's face twitched uncontrollably. His father's actions were truly beyond words. This is... a scumbag move, right?
Without a doubt, this is a scumbag move!
Rin and the others showed rare expressions of exasperation, while Archer pretended not to see or hear anything.
It's not my world, no matter how scummy it gets! Anyway, I didn't learn any of that! Absolutely not!
"How much..."
"Hmm?" Shinji didn't understand what the girl meant.
"How much will it take to send me and Berserker there? You can do it, can't you?" Illya's expression was frighteningly grim.
"I really can't." Shinji shrugged, "Maybe in the future, but not now."
"Then, when you can, let me know. I'll pay any price to thoroughly punish Kiritsugu! Kill him!"