The snowstorm was growing fiercer, the heavy snowfall threatening to swallow the entire world in white.
"Looks like leaving here quietly today... isn't going to happen."
Shirou Emiya sighed inwardly.
He began chanting a spell in that same hoarse, beast-like voice:
"Guard of the forest."
At that moment, their eyes met.
Kiritsugu Emiya's gaze sharpened. He had heard the cloaked figure chanting something—but he didn't know what was about to happen.
Then, he saw the figure's eyes.
Beneath the black cat mask were a pair of deep, pitch-black pupils—dark as the midnight sky.
These weren't the eyes of a monster. On the contrary, paired with the figure's small frame, they looked more like a child's.
No. Kiritsugu rejected that idea immediately.
This wasn't some ordinary child. Judging from the size, if this was a child, they couldn't be older than ten.
But a child with this level of power, this level of composure… was a monster in their own right.
---
A soft green glow appeared around Illya.
It was a protective spell to shield her from what was to come.
Though Shirou hadn't learned as many spells as the old veterans at the Clock Tower, he had focused intensely on the ones he wanted to master.
This spell—Forest's Guard—created a barrier-like shield around the target's body.
He was about to unleash the majority of his magic power. If Illya remained in his arms, she would be affected without a proper shield.
---
In the next instant—
Without warning, Kiritsugu and the four homunculi struck at once.
BOOM!
A terrifying surge of mana erupted from Shirou.
The raging snowstorm was instantly blown back. The shockwave from the release of magical energy repelled everything nearby. Trees splintered and shattered into debris under the pressure.
Kiritsugu and the homunculi were all blasted backward.
Seizing the opportunity, Shirou leapt forward.
Snow exploded beneath his feet as his body shot off like a cannonball.
In his current state—his body flooded with mana—his speed had reached a terrifying level.
---
On the asphalt road…
Noka was dozing off in the driver's seat.
As usual, he was waiting in the car for Shirou Emiya.
The wait had been long… and boring. So dull, in fact, that sleep had begun to creep in.
But in the next second, a terrifying burst of magic flared in the distance. Norka jolted upright—sleep gone in an instant.
"BANG!"
Something crashed onto the asphalt with such force that the road cracked beneath it.
A figure in a black cloak—cradling something in their arms.
The car door opened. The figure climbed into the back seat.
Only then did Noka see what Shirou was holding: a petite, delicate girl.
"Drive."
That raspy voice spoke, and Noka didn't hesitate for even a moment.
He had already started the engine when he saw the black cloak approaching. The moment Shirou gave the word, the Mercedes S300 roared to life and sped off down the road, leaving the area behind in seconds.
---
They stopped in a concealed area.
From the trunk, they retrieved pre-prepared clothes. The plan was to disguise themselves as a father traveling with his two children.
Their tracks had to be completely covered.
With the Einzbern family's vast resources, returning to Fuyuki without any disguise would lead to immediate discovery.
Even with a disguise, all it would do was buy time—but once they reached Fuyuki, Shirou was confident that even the Einzberns would struggle to locate him.
---
The spell keeping Illya asleep was released, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Big brother…? Where are we?"
Illya looked around, confused.
She was in a moving car, speeding down a road.
Though she had never met Noka before, the familiar presence of Shirou Emiya kept her calm. There was no fear in her eyes—no anxiety.
To her, big brother would never hurt her.
Her pure, innocent heart could always sense true kindness. And Shirou's warmth was genuine—from the bottom of his heart.
---
"Illya," Shirou said softly, ruffling her snowy hair. "Want to go see the world outside?"
Finally, he'd done it.
He had successfully abducted the little loli.
---
"But… but Papa…"
Illya hesitated, the memory of Kiritsugu's sudden appearance still fresh in her mind.
She knew now—she had left the castle.
---
"There are all kinds of tasty things outside," Shirou said with a tempting smile. "Even better than taiyaki and dorayaki. And there's a big, beautiful ocean too."
His voice carried an irresistible charm.
---
Soon, the group arrived at the airport.
Illya had changed into a blue-and-white outfit, a black-and-white checkered scarf wrapped around her neck, and a white hat covering her silver hair. She looked like a porcelain doll—delicately carved and impossibly cute.
Even though they'd tried to dress her as low-key as possible, hiding her silver hair under the hat, Illya's cuteness stood out no matter what she wore.
Her delicate face, ruby-like eyes, long lashes and wide, curious gaze… anyone passing by would be captivated.
---
"Wow! Big brother, big brother, there's so many people!"
Illya clung to Shirou's hand, her tiny face lit up with excitement as she looked around at the bustling crowd.
There were a lot of people waiting for their flights, and Illya's eyes sparkled with childlike curiosity.
---
"This is an airport," Shirou explained patiently. "It's normal for it to be full of people."
To this bundle of curiosity, Shirou showed no sign of annoyance. In fact, he loved hearing Illya chirping away with question after question.
---
"It's so big! And it has wings! What's that? Is it a bird?"
Illya pointed excitedly at the large passenger plane, her face glowing red from the excitement, making her look even more adorable.
---
"That's an airplane. You can sit inside and fly through the sky. It can take you far, far away."
Shirou couldn't resist pinching her soft cheek lightly. It felt smooth and tender—too cute to resist.
---
Off to the side, Noka watched the exchange between the "master" and the girl, and his brain felt like it had stopped working.
What the hell was going on?
Last time, they'd been spying on the Tohsaka family, and his master ended up abducting the youngest Tohsaka daughter.
Now, after traveling back and forth to the Far East, he'd abducted another little girl?
And looking at how his master smiled and laughed with this little girl… he just couldn't wrap his head around it.
Where was the cold, ruthless aura of the Devil—the one said to be the embodiment of all evil?
Right now, he looked just like a kid himself.
His master was supposed to be the embodiment of evil—All the Evils of the World… the Primordial Darkness…
So why was he acting like this?
And what was the point of kidnapping all these little girls anyway?
Tohsaka's daughter had inherited a distinguished bloodline of skilled magi.
But this girl… she wasn't ordinary either.
If Norka's eyes hadn't deceived him, this was a homunculus—the pinnacle of the Einzbern family's alchemy.
That silver hair, those ruby eyes—classic features of an artificial human.
Author notes: Homunculi (plural of homunculus) Have a great day readers!
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