Illya seemed unaware of the danger as she swung her little legs and ran over. When she passed Kaguya, she froze for a moment and innocently asked, "Who are you? Why are you in our home?"
Kiritsugu's pupils constricted as he watched her actions, and his heart almost stopped. He hadn't expected Illya to appear at such a moment. If Kaguya used her as leverage...
Just then, Kaguya reached out and gently pulled Illya over.
"Illya!" Kiritsugu shouted urgently as he vaulted over the railing, leaping down from the second floor.
But the terrifying scene Kiritsugu imagined didn't happen.
Kaguya held Illya's small hand and smiled, "Is your name Illya?"
"Who are you? If you don't answer me, I won't tell you anything!" Illya frowned, tilted her head proudly, and responded haughtily.
"Alright, I'll go first. My name is Kaguya," Kaguya's lips curved slightly as she glanced at Kiritsugu on the second floor, adding, "I'm a friend of your daddy's."
"Oh?" Illya looked puzzled, then said, "Are you really daddy's friend?"
"Yes," Kaguya nodded gently with a smile. "If you don't believe me, ask him."
"Illya, she's our guest. Don't be rude. Come over here," Kiritsugu said in a serious tone.
"Okay." Illya obediently ran to him, grabbing onto Kiritsugu's sleeve. It was clear she was still very attached to her father. Seeing that her father seemed unhappy, she sensibly kept quiet.
Kiritsugu lovingly patted Illya's head, then turned to Kaguya, saying, "Could you come with me for a moment? There's something I want to discuss with you."
"Oh?" Kaguya smirked playfully. "Aren't you worried I might harm you?"
"No," Kiritsugu replied. "Not if we're friends."
"Friends?" Kaguya flashed a bright smile. "If that's the case, I'm interested in hearing what you have to say. Don't disappoint me."
"Kiritsugu!" Irisviel called out anxiously. She had already sensed that something was off. This silver-haired girl in front of them might not be their friend at all, but an enemy.
"I just want to talk to her privately. Is that alright, Iris?" Kiritsugu asked earnestly, turning to Irisviel.
"But..." Irisviel anxiously twisted her fingers together, clearly worried.
At that moment, Saber stepped forward and said gently, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to him. If you're concerned, I'll go with him to protect him."
"Thank you, Saber," Irisviel gratefully took Saber's hand.
Saber nodded lightly and walked toward Kiritsugu.
"Hey, hey," Kaguya said, feeling a bit helpless at their defensive stance. "Are you all idiots? If I wanted to kill him, I would've done it long ago. Why wait until now?"
Everyone froze at Kaguya's words. Thinking back to the immense power she displayed earlier, they realized she had a point. Still, they remained cautious, while Illya hugged Kiritsugu tightly, her large, beautiful eyes watching Kaguya warily.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen," Kiritsugu said calmly. "As she said, if she really wanted to harm me, I might already be dead by now. I just want to speak with her alone."
Seeing Kiritsugu had made up his mind, Irisviel was still anxious and worried but ultimately didn't stop him. She softly said, "Be careful."
Kiritsugu nodded gently.
Meanwhile, Illya made an adorable face at Kaguya and said, "If you hurt Daddy, I won't forgive you! Hmph!"
Seeing her cute expression, Kaguya felt an urge to pat her head. But considering this little girl might bite her in retaliation, she restrained herself.
Kaguya followed Kiritsugu down a secluded path, eventually arriving at a dark room. Once inside, Kaguya was momentarily surprised.
The room appeared small from the outside, but the interior was surprisingly spacious, spanning several hundred square meters. It was sparsely decorated, with even the brick walls left bare. In the center of the room was a large pool, emanating a strong aura of magical energy.
What surprised Kaguya, however, wasn't the pool itself but what was inside it. With her celestial eyes, she could clearly see shadows floating in the pool—human corpses. But upon closer inspection, these didn't seem like ordinary humans. They lacked the unique essence of life, appearing more like empty shells.
At that moment, a flash of realization struck Kaguya's mind like lightning.
"Are these homunculi?" Kaguya's gaze sharpened.
"You can see them, after all," Kiritsugu paused before turning around. "Yes, they are homunculi. These are the failed creations from recent years at Einzbern."
"Why did you bring me here? What's your purpose in showing me this?" Kaguya frowned, sensing something was off.
"There's no purpose," Kiritsugu replied. "This is the hidden secret of the Einzbern castle. No outsider can enter here, and no one can listen in either."
"So now, can you tell me why you brought me here?" Kaguya brushed her hand against the cold wall and turned to him.
"Bringing you here is the purpose." Kiritsugu took out a cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and took a drag.
"What?" Kaguya's elegant brows furrowed, and she felt a growing sense of unease.
"I told you earlier," Kiritsugu said, fixing his gaze on the beautiful silver-haired girl before him. "This is the secret of Einzbern. No outsiders can enter, and no one can leave."
"You tricked me?!" Kaguya turned sharply, her eyes gleaming with an icy light.
"Apologies," Kiritsugu said as he turned away. "Even though I believe you don't mean us any harm, I can't allow an unstable factor to disrupt my plans. So, I'm sorry. If sacrificing one person can save many more..."
Kaguya's eyes narrowed, and a powerful aura surged from her. Her clothes fluttered despite the lack of wind as she raised her smooth, jade-like arm, and a force exploded from her palm.
Boom!
A deafening explosion shook the room, and dust fell from the ceiling. A translucent barrier suddenly appeared, like a shell, trembling slightly as it blocked Kaguya's attack.
"Don't waste your energy," Kiritsugu said, turning back from the door with a calm expression. "This is a barrier created by Einzbern's magic. While it's not as strong as the one at the castle in Germany, no one has ever broken it. Not even you can do it, especially after expending so much of your power earlier. So just stay here. If you conserve your energy, you might last until the end of the Holy Grail War. If possible, I'll personally release you when it's over. And again, I'm sorry."
With that, Kiritsugu turned, opened the door, and left.
I let my guard down.
Kaguya's beautiful brows furrowed briefly, but then she relaxed, her lips curving into a mocking smile.
Did he really think this decaying barrier, fit for a coffin, could trap her?
How naive.
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