"Illya."
Yuto greeted her with a smile.
The huge, wild-looking Berserker stood at her side, his entire body radiating a fierce presence.
The pressure rolling off him still carried the lingering edge of battle, as though he had only just returned from one.
"Good evening, Boss."
Tonight, Illya wore a purple outfit that resembled a formal dress, complete with a tall hat resting neatly on her head.
"Good evening."
Yuto returned the greeting, feeling both surprised and a little helpless.
He had not expected Illya to appear now, yet her timing was almost too perfect.
Unfortunately, she had missed everyone she wanted to see. Gilgamesh and Heracles had both left only a short while ago.
Illya approached the counter with Berserker following silently behind her.
Her dress made it awkward to climb onto the stool, but before she could say anything, Berserker crouched and held out one hand.
Illya placed her foot in his palm, and he carefully lifted her onto the seat.
The sight looked almost like a loyal knight helping his princess onto a throne.
"Thank you, Berserker."
Illya turned and smiled at him.
Berserker gave no reply. He simply returned to his place beside her and stood as still as a stone statue.
"Would you like something to eat tonight?" Yuto asked as usual.
The previous night, Illya had visited solely to look for Heracles. He had offered her food then too, but she had declined.
This time, she blinked and considered it before giving a small nod.
After the battle she had just gone through, sitting down with something sweet sounded like a pleasant way to relax.
"Of course. What would you like?"
Illya tilted her head, her silver-white hair shifting softly with the movement.
Her eyes looked like a clear, mysterious pool beneath the moonlight.
"Hmm... I want something sweet~"
She smiled adorably at him.
"No problem. Would you like to try a dessert I only added recently?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Illya nodded happily, her bright expression making her look like a cheerful little deer.
"Does Berserker want anything?"
Yuto turned toward the giant standing beside her.
Berserker did not react. Even when Yuto addressed him directly, his gaze remained fixed ahead.
"Berserker probably doesn't need anything."
Illya thought about it briefly before shaking her head.
"All right. Wait here for a moment. I only need to warm up a canelé."
Yuto was about to turn away when Illya suddenly called after him.
"Boss."
"What is it?"
"Did Heracles visit tonight?"
She stared at him expectantly, her purple eyes shining like jewels.
A smile appeared on Yuto's lips.
He nodded.
Illya's whole face brightened.
"Did you give him my present?"
"Of course."
Joy almost spilled from her eyes.
"Did he say anything?"
She leaned across the counter, watching him with such intense expectation that she looked like a small white rabbit hanging over the edge of a branch.
"Mm. He asked me to thank you for him."
"Did he like the bracelet?"
A trace of worry appeared on her face.
"He liked it very much. He looked genuinely happy when he received it."
"You're not allowed to lie to me, Boss!"
"Of course not. I never lie."
Yuto deliberately put on his most serious expression.
Illya threw one hand into the air with a cheerful cry. Her face overflowed with joy, as though she had just won an important battle.
"Was there anything else?"
She leaned over the counter again, still watching him eagerly.
"He gave you this."
Yuto reached beneath the counter, retrieved the gemstone, and placed it in her hands.
The moment Illya touched it, a faint flash passed across its surface.
It vanished so quickly that it could easily have been mistaken for reflected light.
"It's so beautiful!"
Illya cupped the gemstone in both hands, her long silver hair falling around her wrists and reflecting softly against its dull surface.
For a moment, she looked like a young saint holding a sacred relic.
At some point, Berserker's gaze had moved toward her.
His usually savage expression softened slightly, and the way he watched Illya felt almost like a father looking at his daughter.
His eyes shifted briefly toward the gemstone.
Something seemed to change in his expression, but it disappeared before anyone could understand it.
While Illya admired the gift, Yuto quietly slipped into the kitchen.
He took one of the canelés he had prepared earlier from the freezer and placed it inside the oven.
Canelés took a long time to make, so he always kept a few ready in advance.
Whenever someone ordered one, he only needed to warm it.
He set the timer for fifteen seconds.
A canelé was meant to be held and eaten by hand, so it did not need long.
The oven soon gave a sharp ding.
Yuto opened it and took out the pastry.
The brief heating had softened it slightly, and a faint wisp of steam drifted from its surface, carrying a gentle sweetness through the kitchen.
When he returned and placed it in front of Illya, however, he noticed a trace of sadness on her face.
That made him pause.
For a moment, she looked nothing like the young child her appearance suggested.
There was a quiet maturity in her expression that felt far too heavy for someone so small.
...
Tap.
Yuto set the plate on the counter.
The crisp sound startled Illya out of her thoughts.
She looked up at him, and the mature, distant expression vanished almost instantly.
A bright smile returned so naturally that it was impossible to tell which one reflected her true feelings.
Yuto quietly sighed.
"Sorry, Boss. I was thinking about something and didn't notice anything else."
"It's fine."
He waved it off and gestured toward the canelé.
"Give it a try. It's a new dessert, and I've been pretty proud of it lately."
"In that case, I won't hold back."
Illya happily picked it up with one small, pale hand and took a bite.
Her expression changed immediately.
Joy and surprise lit up her face.
"It's delicious!"
She let out a delighted cheer, satisfaction shining in her eyes as a wide smile appeared on her lips.
"Right? I reacted the same way the first time I tried one."
Yuto smiled.
As he spoke, he remembered the first canelé Kaori's father had made for him. He had been every bit as surprised as Illya.
That memory naturally brought Kaori to mind.
She looked like a quiet, refined young lady, yet her personality was endlessly lively and restless.
Come to think of it, she was supposed to visit the next evening and perform on her violin.
That was something worth looking forward to.
Then Yuto remembered what Tohru had said at the time, and his mood grew heavier again.
He became so lost in thought that he did not notice Illya calling him.
The girl puffed out her cheeks, mildly annoyed at being ignored.
"Boss!"
She raised her voice.
This time, Yuto heard her and quickly returned to his senses.
"Sorry. I got distracted thinking about something too."
Illya continued pouting as she studied him suspiciously.
"Boss, you didn't ignore me on purpose because I was distracted earlier, did you? Were you getting revenge?"
"Of course not. I'm not that petty."
Yuto hurriedly defended himself.
He had not expected her thoughts to go in that direction.
Seeing his helpless expression, Illya gave a soft hum and leaned back slightly, a smug smile appearing on her lips.
"Hehe. I was only teasing you~"
She looked delighted that he had fallen for her trick.
Yuto immediately understood.
Her anger had been fake from the beginning.
He felt both amused and helpless.
Then an idea came to him.
His expression suddenly became cold and stern.
Illya panicked at once.
"Eh?! Boss, please don't be angry!"
She hurriedly waved both hands.
Yuto could no longer hold back and began laughing.
The moment his expression softened, Illya realized what had happened.
She had fallen for the exact same trick.
Her cheeks puffed out again, though this time the anger quickly gave way to helplessness.
"I'll definitely see through your prank next time, Boss!"
Illya declared it with childish seriousness.
The sight made Yuto want to laugh again, but that would have been a little cruel.
He nodded repeatedly and played along until her expression finally returned to normal.
She took another small bite of the canelé.
The satisfied look on her face resembled a cat having its chin scratched.
"Your desserts are much better than the ones the maids make at home, Boss. Where did you learn to make this?"
Illya looked at him curiously, her fawn-like eyes reflecting the warm lights of the restaurant.
"I learned it from a cake-shop owner who loves his daughter very much."
Yuto casually began telling her how he had learned to make canelés.
On a quiet night like this, stories from the past were a pleasant way to pass the time.
As Illya listened, however, her expression gradually dimmed.
The corners of her lips lowered slightly, as though an invisible weight were pulling them down.
Yuto noticed the change and stopped speaking.
His heart tightened.
Everyone carried some hidden corner of pain that outsiders could never fully understand.
Age had nothing to do with it.
Illya stared blankly in his direction.
Her eyes appeared fixed on him, but in truth, she was looking through him at something far away.
She was not the kind of girl who enjoyed drowning in sadness.
People often said girls were overly emotional, but Illya had always believed she was different.
Because she was strong.
Strong enough to grow up beside her mother without a father.
Strong enough to regain her composure the day after learning of her mother's death.
Strong enough to smile naturally despite spending her childhood without friends.
Strong enough to continue living as though nothing had happened after enduring so many painful modifications to her body.
Strong enough to—
But for some reason, hearing Yuto describe a father's love for his daughter made sadness rise inside her.
What did a father's love feel like?
She had seen photographs of her own father.
He looked stern.
His name was Emiya Kiritsugu.
Her family had told her he was a failure because he had not won the Holy Grail War for the Einzbern family.
Illya did not care about that.
She remembered reading that a father's love was often quiet and difficult to express.
Fathers did not always say what they felt.
Sometimes, they simply remained nearby and protected their children without asking for anything in return.
If that was true...
Could Berserker be considered another father to her?
He was always silent, yet he never left her side.
Whenever danger appeared, he was the first to stand in front of her.
Whenever she needed something, Berserker helped her without a word.
Someone like him should count as a father too.
The thought brought a quiet ache to her chest.
'Did Father ever think about me after he left?'
Then another fear returned.
It was something she had worried about before—the same thought that had left her staring blankly earlier.
When the Holy Grail War ended, would Berserker disappear as well?
Would she be left alone again?
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