"I'm going to the company. You two stay home."
Irisviel checked her phone and hurried out.
"Bye, Mom!"
Illya and Beimu said together.
The door shut.
Illya immediately grew bolder, curling deeper into Beimu's arms.
"Onii-chan, your prediction was spot-on. If I didn't know this was just uploaded, I'd suspect you spoiled me."
She wiggled in his lap and chugged soda.
Beimu frowned.
"Illya, don't eat so much junk. Still hungry?"
"What? I'm eighteen already. It's just my body can't grow, okay? I want to be taller too."
She puffed her cheeks—then the doorbell rang.
"I'll answer. Get down first."
Beimu set her aside, stood up.
"Onii-chan, you've been gone so long people won't recognize you. I'll go."
Illya pushed him back onto the couch and ran to the door.
"Coming!"
Beimu sat down to keep watching, but the voices outside caught him.
"Illya… your brother is back?"
"Rin-nee, how did you know? Are you here to see him?"
Illya's tone tightened with caution.
"Illya, who is it?"
Beimu walked over.
The instant he saw the girl outside, he froze.
First thing in view: smooth, rounded legs wrapped in black thigh-high stockings.
Familiar.
Like a pair from his memories—only even more perfect now.
Not an ounce of excess. Athletic and elegant.
"Beimu-ge, you really are back!"
Her voice was bright with joy.
"Rin Tohsaka… long time no see. You've grown into a beautiful young lady."
Beimu sighed.
She had been six years younger than him.
Now the child who once trailed after him calling "big brother" sounded fully grown.
"I couldn't believe what I saw yesterday… you really came back. But you're the same as before—no change at all."
Rin's hands trembled around her sleeve.
He was alive.
The man who had once saved her sister.
When Beimu vanished, she'd searched everywhere.
She'd admired him back in school.
Then he disappeared like smoke.
Now seeing him again felt unreal.
"Let Rin-nee come in. Don't leave her outside."
Illya quickly shoved Beimu back inside—shielding him from Rin like a jealous guard dog.
"Rin-nee, Onii-chan's body is still at the age he vanished. So he may feel like he saw you yesterday, but we haven't seen him for six years."
Illya sat right on Beimu's lap again and wriggled, looking at Rin as if declaring ownership.
"I should say… long time no see, Rin Tohsaka."
Beimu slid tea over, awkward because Illya clung to him.
He couldn't reveal anything about the system.
But he knew Rin well.
He had even seen her face in the Uruk era before.
And sixteen-year-old Rin had appeared in other missions.
"You're still as gentle as ever."
Rin accepted the tea, ignoring Illya's stare.
They had fought plenty in class.
Illya's grades had soared in these years, but mentally she still felt like a kid.
Her body too.
Rin decided not to bother with her.
She would come here more often now.
And perhaps bring Sakura.
Sakura had also missed Beimu terribly, close to depression.
Yes—she would bring her sister for her sister's sake.
Rin's mind cleared instantly.
"Rin, you—"
"Onii-chan, Rin-nee is in the video! That woman looks exactly like her!"
Illya shoved the tablet in Beimu's face, pointing.
Illya shouldn't interrupt, but the tablet had slipped and autoplayed.
"Yeah. Rin, want to see?"
He set the tablet between them after coaxing Illya down.
"Me…?"
Rin looked—and her face went crimson.
That person was absolutely not her.
The outfit was too shameful.
She had never worn anything like it.
"Beimu, believe me. That woman in the video isn't me. This is ridiculous—who's spending this much money to frame me?"
She wanted to crawl into a hole.
Beimu was staring at "her" on screen. What if he misunderstood?
"Are you sure? Don't regret it. Her background is huge."
Beimu smiled faintly and gestured for her to keep watching.