After a long, confused, miserable round of explanations, Illya finally convinced Berserker that she and the other Illya had become one.
That the crying, disappearing girl was not dead—
just merged.
Berserker stared at her for a long, silent moment.
Then, with a soft rumble, lowered his head in acceptance.
Crisis avoided.
Kuro leaned in, curiosity burning in her eyes, and poked Illya's cheek without hesitation.
Illya slapped the hand away with a scowl.
"Kuro, what are you doing!?"
Kuro grinned mischievously, teeth showing.
"Well, I'm curious, you know?"
"You fused with this world's Illya, but your skin didn't change?"
"Aren't you supposed to look like your future self now?"
"And, and, how does it feel? Is it fun?"
Her eyes sparkled like a child discovering a new toy.
Timeline convergence!
Two souls becoming one!
It had to be awesome, right!?
Illya rolled her eyes, cheeks puffing irritably.
"It's not fun at all."
"All I got were memories, nothing else!"
"If anything changed, it's that I suddenly learned a ton of magecraft."
"It feels like waking up from a weird dream."
She lifted her hands, staring at her palms.
In that "dream," she had lived the other Illya's entire life.
Manufactured as a Lesser Grail.
Watched her mother die.
Endured every tragedy alone.
Even now, fragments of that grief clung to her chest—heavy and bitter.
"So that's how it was…"
"If Mama hadn't fixed the Grail in our world, I'd have gone through the same things, wouldn't I?"
She remembered the pure despair that came with losing her mother.
Her heart clenched painfully.
Without thinking, she grabbed Irisviel's arm tightly—
as if terrified she might disappear.
Irisviel blinked, then smiled softly.
"It's all right, Illya."
"None of that will ever happen again."
"Ever since Izumi-sama arrived, our fate changed, didn't it?"
"And now the worldline is converging."
"This world will slowly become just like ours."
Illya nodded, voice small.
"Mm-hm."
"I know, Mama."
If she had been born in this world,
she would have suffered the same.
But now—
their fate had changed.
...
Things ended almost too smoothly.
No battles.
No devastation.
And Illya somehow walked away with Berserker as her personal bodyguard.
With the Grail gone due to worldline convergence, the Servants could remain in the world indefinitely—
so long as Alaya and Gaia didn't interfere,
or someone didn't kill them.
After wrapping up at the castle, Irisviel led the group back to the Tohsaka residence.
By then, everyone else had returned as well.
The moment Illya entered, she threw her arms up cheerfully.
"We're home!"
She barged in with Kuro and Miyu close behind, looking absurdly pleased.
Izumi glanced at Illya's Command Seals, instantly grasping what must have occurred.
Then he clapped his hands together.
"Well then, since everything is resolved…"
"Rin."
"Time to honor our agreement."
"You'll be mine for one year—come to my world and stay there quietly."
Tohsaka Rin's face drained of color.
"You're serious?"
Izumi raised an eyebrow.
"What do you think?"
"An agreement spoken must be kept."
"And I'm taking Sakura back. What, you're not coming with her?"
Rin faltered.
Sakura stared at her sister, waiting.
Curious.
Hopeful.
As for her own decision?
Wherever Izumi went—
she would follow.
There was no room for debate.
...
On the sofa, Scáthach crossed her legs, eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"May I come?"
"Your world sounds interesting."
Izumi nodded slowly.
"It is interesting."
"But we're currently fighting other worlds."
"If you go, this body won't cut it."
"It's not durable."
"If your true body descended, then maybe."
He scanned her with his system casually.
Her current Servant-form strength: S-rank.
Pathetic.
At least in his world.
If Scáthach's true body descended, she would be SS-rank.
That was acceptable.
Scáthach's eyes lit with anticipation.
"Are there many strong people in your world?"
She leaned forward.
Like a warrior tasting blood.
Izumi snorted.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know if there are 'many,' but it's certainly dangerous."
"Even with my strength, I have to be careful."
"There are people who can kill me easily."
He hadn't reached SSS-rank yet.
There were plenty above him.
Scáthach already knew that Izumi was monstrous—
that was why she left the Throne to see him herself.
After a moment of thought, she slowly closed her eyes.
Her body began to fade—
like a dream dissolving.
Moments later, she reappeared.
And the air shifted.
Power—dense, ancient, predatory—filled the room.
Izumi's system window appeared automatically.
[Scáthach]
Overall Rank: SSRace: DemigodGender: Female
Abilities:
Primordial Runes
Wisdom of the Cursed Mirror
Gate of Shadows Overflowing with Death
God-Slaying Authority
Weapon:
Spear of Death Flight
...
As expected—SS-rank.
Still weaker than him.
But her skills could fight SS+ enemies comfortably.
Ordinary transcendents would be butchered.
Her true body had descended.
Izumi exhaled.
"So you really want to follow me?"
"Will Alaya and Gaia allow it?"
Scáthach shrugged casually.
"And if they don't?"
"If I wish to leave, who can stop me?"
"I have no attachment to this world. Those two threw me outside its boundaries long ago."
Izumi blinked.
That… actually made sense.
"Well, if you want to come, I have no objection."
"But—why not bring the Land of Shadows into my inner world while you're at it?"
His eyes gleamed.
If the Land of Shadows could be integrated—
his growth toward SSS-rank might accelerate dramatically.
This could work.
If Scáthach was coming anyway—
why not bring her domain with her?