Alvin was thinking about something.
Based on current deductions, there was a good chance that Manaka Sajyou was behind Irisviel's kidnapping.
So, the question was... as Irisviel's daughter, why would Illya come looking for the kidnapper's Servant?
First, there was Manaka Sajyou, then Matou Sakura, and now Illya... My place is practically turning into a l** nest, Alvin thought wryly.
If this were the time of the Fifth Holy Grail War, these girls would probably have grown up by now.
But for now...well.
To be honest, he preferred older women.
At that moment, a silver-haired girl(I'm not gonna say it ..I won't risk my account getting banned again) lay unconscious on the sofa, her lips tightly pressed together, her face etched with exhaustion.
It wasn't surprising.
When Manaka Sajyou invaded the Einzbern Castle, it was the dead of night. Illya hadn't expected to be kidnapped in the middle of the night.
If not for the Winter Saint, Illya might still be trapped in that cramped mage workshop.
Alvin stood and turned on a nearby heater, then sat by the sofa, watching the sleeping silver-haired girl and quickly noticed she had left in a hurry.
Despite the heavy snow outside, Illya hadn't brought an umbrella, and she was dressed in a simple white spaghetti-strap nightgown.
The snow had soaked her dress, the fabric clinging to her pale skin, exuding a subtle charm.
Her dainty, snow-white feet, visible beneath the skirt, seemed slightly blue from walking through the snow.
'This won't do...'
Even if she was a homunculus, her body was still human...
After thinking about it for a moment, Alvin took off his black cloak and carefully draped it over Illya, taking care not to touch her skin as he replaced her wet clothing with the cloak.
Perhaps sensing the warmth, or maybe stirred by Alvin's movements, Illya's brows furrowed slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes, looking at a young man with a handsome face kneeling beside her, watching her.
"You're awake?"
Alvin gave a gentle smile as the girl instinctively glanced at the clothes covering her, then looked at young man with confusion.
An ordinary girl might have made a fuss or questioned him, but Illya didn't.
She simply gazed at the Servant before her and soon said.
"Saber...?"
Her voice was clear and pleasant, like the chime of jade, carrying an innocent purity.
"You know me?"
Alvin was surprised. "What's your name?"
Since he hadn't met Illya before, asking her name was a precaution to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
"Illya."
Illya's crimson eyes stared at Alvin as if observing a rare creature as she continued, "My mom said she originally intended to summon you as her Servant... but for some reason, the one who appeared ended up being another Servant."
There were two White Dragons in Britain, and even with the correct relic, the summoned dragon could be Vortigern... It was entirely a matter of fate.
Alvin had no prior connection with the Einzbern family, and with so many Masters aiming to summon a White Dragon in this Holy Grail War, it wasn't surprising that Irisviel's summoning had failed.
Still, even he hadn't expected this Holy Grail War to be filled with White Dragon enthusiasts... even the Einzberns had initially planned to summon a White Dragon.
As he thought this, he noticed a faint trace of worry in Illya's eyes, as if she were hesitating about something.
"What's wrong?"
Alvin asked with concern.
Illya's small mouth opened slightly, but the words caught in her throat, her face showing a trace of hesitation.
Though her mother had told her to follow the 'silver threads' to find Saber... he was still an enemy Servant.
Would he really help her?
Before Illya could hesitate further, a warm hand gently rested on her small one.
Feeling the soft, cool touch of the silver-haired girl's snow-white hand, Alvin looked up and smiled.
"You called me Saber... so you know about the Holy Grail War, right?"
"If so, you must know I'm an enemy Servant. Why come to me?"
Illya hesitated for a miment, then said softly, "Because of Manaka Sajyou..."
A look of 'as expected' crossed Alvin's face.
As he suspected... Irisviel's disappearance was indeed connected to Manaka...
What was she trying to do?
"Why did Irisviel tell you to find me?" Alvin spoke, however, Illya shook her head, her tone tinged with confusion, her small hands fidgeting nervously.
"I don't know... Mom told me to follow the silver threads to find you. I followed them, and before I knew it, I ended up here."
'So, Irisviel trusts me that much...?'
But that didn't make sense.
She shouldn't know him at all.
Wasn't she afraid he was in league with Manaka?
As Alvin thought this, his gaze returned to Illya.
Perhaps due to her long journey, her delicate, doll-like face showed faint signs of exhaustion, her eyes slightly lowered, betraying a hint of unease.
Clearly, despite Irisviel's guidance, Illya didn't fully trust Alvin.
After all, his Master had kidnapped both her and her mother not long ago... And now, having barely escaped, she had come to find Alvin of her own accord.
If Alvin had any ill intentions, she would have no chance of escaping on her own.
'She's scared but came to find me anyway...' Alvin quietly observed Illya's anxious expression and her trembling body, chilled from the cold, and let out a warm smile.
"Where's your mother now? Tell me her location."
"Huh...?"
Illya lifted her head abruptly, staring at Alvin in disbelief, as if she couldn't comprehend what she was hearing.
The latter smiled and said.
"I'm also looking for Manaka... To be honest, I'm just as confused about what she's up to."
With Manaka Sajyou's magical power and Alvin's strength, they could have easily dominated the Holy Grail War...
Yet, for some reason, the Root Princess had chosen to kidnap the 'Lesser Holy Grail' first.
Even though any action to seize the Holy Grail during the War could be justified and he wouldn't blame her even if she did something cruel...not to mention, she hadn't harmed innocents...however, Alvin was still filled with confusion.
'What is that girl doing.'
Illya hesitated, then opened her right hand as a soft white glow emanated from her palm.
Within the glow, a silver thread quietly formed.
The silver threads, Irisviel's magecraft, had been imbued with 'life' by the Winter Saint in secret, using the Holy Grail's 'cheating' to lock onto Alvin's location.
It was through the combination of these two that the threads had guided Illya to Alvin.
"They'll lead you to where my mom is."
As she spoke, Illya cautiously glanced at the young man.
"Will you really help me?"
Alvin gently patted Illya's soft silver hair, smiling. "Of course. If only as a reward for the effort you put into finding me... I won't let you down."
As his words fell, a line of text quietly appeared before his eyes.
[On a snowy night, your promise to the girl touched her heart, leaving a lasting impression in her memory.]
[CG Achievement Unlocked: The Oath Beneath the Snow]
A CG illustration appeared in his vision, depicting a dimly lit hall where a young man knelt before a silver-haired girl, one hand gently resting on her head.
His smile was warm and radiant, exuding a reassuring presence.
As expected... Illya could also trigger a CG achievement?
Alvin wasn't surprised, but he gazed thoughtfully at the achievement before him.
On the other side, the silver-haired girl looked at him with a mix of anticipation and doubt, whispering, "...Thank you."
To most people, a simple "thank you" might seem trivial, just a movement of the lips.
But as Illya spoke, her crimson eyes remained fixed on Alvin, as if she wanted to engrave his face into her memory.
Manaka Sajyou's presence was overwhelming and despair-inducing for a girl of her age.
Illya couldn't imagine how devastating it would have been if, after finding Alvin tonight, he had refused her or even taken her back to Manaka.
Yet he hadn't even asked about her identity before offering her shelter, and after learning the full story, he readily agreed to help her.
On a stormy, snowy night, a girl seeking help alone, met by a young man with a consistently calm demeanor...
It was like a ray of sunlight piercing through a crack in the darkness.
Even years later, whenever Illya recalled the events of this night, she would feel an almost unreal sense of nostalgia, so vivid and beautiful that, during the Fifth Holy Grail War, she used every means possible just to see him again.
Alvin gently touched the silver thread, and in an instant, the thread imbued with 'life' emitted a soft, radiant glow before drifting toward the door.
It then turned back toward him, as if urging him to follow.
"To think an object could achieve this level... Is this the Third Magic, capable of materializing souls and granting immortality?"
Alvin thought, quietly astonished.
But he quickly gathered his thoughts and said, "Illya, I'll follow the silver thread to check things out. Stay here and rest for tonight."
The silver-haired girl nodded obediently, letting out a soft "Mm."
Click...
As the door closed, the hall fell into a brief silence.
Illya sat alone in the dimness, her small hands instinctively clutching the black cloak draped over her shoulders, as if she could still feel its unique warmth.
...
...
Late at night, the silver thread emitted a soft glow, drifting toward a certain direction on the street.
Alvin followed it through the snow, his mind racing with thoughts.
As the 'omniscient and omnipotent' Root Princess, Manaka Sajyou could foresee her entire life, so she must have known about the assassination attempt tonight.
That's why she played along, faking her death to deceive everyone present and seizing the opportunity to kidnap Irisviel and her daughter.
As for the reason for the kidnapping... Irisviel was the 'Lesser Holy Grail,' so Manaka was clearly planning something with the Grail.
But as the Root Princess, who had no desires or wishes, why was she so fixated on the Holy Grail now?
Alvin's mind raced with fleeting thoughts, but he soon shook his head to dispel the clutter.
Though he wasn't sure of the reason, his priority now was to find her quickly and bring her back.
His [Instinct] told him that letting Manaka Sajyou run rampant could lead to irreparable consequences.
The silver thread wove through dark alleys and streets, with Alvin following it through a Fuyuki transformed into a snow-covered city.
Soon, he crossed a large bridge, arriving in Fuyuki's 'old town.'
The three great families, Matou, Tohsaka, and others, resided in this old town area.
To think Manaka would come this far on her own...
Alvin marveled in his heart, following the silver thread.
After nearly an hour, he reached a port.
The biting wind stung his face.
Though Servants weren't affected by the cold, Alvin couldn't help but sigh inwardly... It was impressive that Illya had managed to travel so far in such harsh weather.
An ordinary person would likely have collapsed in the snow by now.
The silver thread silently slipped into an abandoned warehouse in a corner of the port.
The air carried a faint smell of dust, and deep within the warehouse was a well-hidden iron door.
Without the silver thread's guidance, Alvin would never have noticed such a concealed entrance.
He quietly suppressed his presence.
Though his Saber class couldn't fully utilize the 'Night Watchman' authority, he could still manage basic presence concealment.
Stepping forward, he slowly pushed open the heavy iron door.
Creak...
With a grating sound that set teeth on edge, the door opened.
In an instant, an overwhelming surge of magical energy flooded out.
Behind the door, silver threads bound a silver-haired beauty from all directions, leaving faint marks on her skin.
She wore a pure white dress, its thickness perfectly accentuating her graceful, mature figure... almost like an older version of Illya.
Her eyes were tightly closed, a faint trace of sorrow between her brows, evoking an inexplicable sense of pity.
The Command Seals that should have been on the back of her hand were now gone.
...Irisviel!
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