Even though she had done absolutely nothing, she still felt like she couldn't lift her head. Still, as Okita scrutinized her like an inquisitor, Irisviel couldn't help but sneak a glance at Su Mo.
She had already come to terms with Illya calling her "Mama."
But realizing that Illya had a father too—that meant she suddenly had a husband she hadn't agreed to! She was only nine! She hadn't even been in a relationship before! And now she apparently had a husband?
Was this… fate?Was this even legal?
In her heart, she wanted to rebel. As a modern mother, she ought to oppose her daughter's arranged marriage schemes. With that resolve bubbling inside her, she looked up at Su Mo… only to feel her resistance begin to crumble.
Maybe… maybe being fated to marry him isn't so bad after all?
Of course, she was mostly joking—but even she had to admit that her dislike had faded quite a bit. After all, in every era, good looks could practically buy you anything.
By this time, Su Mo—now fully aware of the little girl clinging to him—had pieced things together. As a transmigrator, his imagination and ability to adapt far exceeded Irisviel's. A few words from Illya were all he needed to understand what had happened.
"So, you're my daughter from the future," he concluded. "And you used the Servant summoning system of the Holy Grail War to manifest across time?" Illya beamed and nodded.
"Mhm! Daddy's so smart, just like I thought!" She was clearly thrilled that he understood so quickly.
"I see," Su Mo muttered, nodding slightly as he turned his gaze to the nearby Irisviel. So, he was destined to marry her in the future? With a single glance, Su Mo could tell that she was still completely pure—no signs of prior intimacy. So technically, she wasn't Mrs. Irisviel yet… just Miss Irisviel.
"H-Hello…" she greeted awkwardly, flustered under his gaze. Though she had plenty of noble etiquette drilled into her head, no one had taught her how to greet the future father of her child.
A kiss on the hand? No, they were still strangers…
"Nice to meet you, Irisviel. Just call me Su Mo," he said, accepting the situation for now with a polite nod. After the brief introductions, he cast a sharp glance around. There were still familiars monitoring the battlefield. Normally, he wouldn't care. But now, with Illya's unexpected appearance, things weren't so simple anymore.
So—
BOOM—
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
A fearsome wave of spiritual pressure swept across the battlefield, strong enough to fracture the ground beneath his feet. Every familiar—be it spirit-type or animal-based—was instantly knocked unconscious under the crushing weight of his Haki.
In a single moment, all the Masters lost their ability to monitor the battlefield. To the familiars, that Haki was a howling storm. But to those nearby—like Irisviel and the others—it felt more like a gentle breeze. Only the keenly perceptive Okita noticed how terrifying it truly was. Still holding the adorable Illya in his arms, Su Mo smiled at Irisviel.
"This isn't the best place to talk. How about we head home and sort everything out there?"
"…Alright," Irisviel nodded. She wanted answers about Illya too.
"Home! Yes! Let's go home!" Illya squealed with joy, clinging to Su Mo even tighter.
"Daddy, you have to praise Illya properly this time!"
"I completed all the missions you gave me!"
Her cheerful tone carried a weight that could not be ignored. Su Mo wasn't surprised. If Illya really had crossed time to reach this point, there had to be a reason for it. That meant his own appearance in this world had a purpose. And as his daughter, the most likely explanation was that she had been sent here to fulfill some mission on his behalf. Illya's excited words only confirmed his theory.
"Amazing. So, what kind of reward does my little Illya want?" Su Mo asked, warmly praising and encouraging her. "Ehehe~" Illya giggled, overjoyed at the praise.
"There's so much I want! But this time's special."
"Usually, it's Daddy giving Illya gifts… but now it's Illya's turn to give Daddy a present!"
"Even if… well, technically Daddy made it himself…"
Just as he suspected—she had something important to deliver. He didn't know what kind of gift from the future required this level of effort, but it had to be significant enough for his future self to send Illya across time. Even though he was curious, Su Mo knew better than to pry here and now. Better to talk it through at home.
....
....
The first clash of the Holy Grail War had come to an end not with a battle, but with a touching (and slightly chaotic) father-daughter reunion.
Just ten minutes earlier, back at the Matou estate—
After Su Mo and Okita Souji had departed, Sakura had been quietly sitting on the porch facing the gate, staring in the direction they had gone. Her eyes were filled with unease. She didn't know how dangerous the Holy Grail War truly was...
Although Sakura didn't understand the full extent of danger the Holy Grail War posed, she instinctively knew it wasn't some trivial affair. If something happened to Su Mo-nii or Okita-neesan during the fighting…
Just the thought of it made her tremble with fear. She was still too young, too inexperienced. There was nothing she could do to help her beloved Su Mo-nii.
"Sigh…"
A heavy sigh escaped her lips. A sigh that came from a six-year-old girl might usually seem like she was just pretending to be mature. But Kiyohime didn't see it that way. As someone who had reached the realm of transformation through pure obsession, she knew just how powerful a young girl's emotions could be. Her reason for answering the summon wasn't to find love. Rather, it was to support someone who was suffering through something like she once had.
She was surprised, of course, when her Master turned out to be a six-year-old girl. But the moment she saw the way Sakura looked at Su Mo, Kiyohime understood everything. That gaze, filled with raw emotion as though she'd burn herself to ashes if that's what it took. That kind of desperate, unconditional affection. Nothing could be more familiar.
Sakura was just like her. And so, Kiyohime made a decision—to support her Master. Not out of kindness, not for any personal gain. She simply wanted to prove one thing:
Yanderes can find happiness too!
No, wait—they're not yanderes!
They just… loved a little more intensely than most! That's not a crime! With this in mind, Kiyohime felt an overwhelming sense of duty. She quietly stepped forward and set a cup of tea down on the wooden floor, then sat beside Sakura.
She decided to ease into the topic gently—
"Master, you're in love with Su Mo-sama, aren't you?"
…Apologies. It seemed Kiyohime didn't know what "gentle" meant. Straight pitch, right out the gate.
"Pfft—!"
Sakura had just taken a sip of tea. The moment she heard that, she choked and sprayed the tea all over Kiyohime's robes.
"B-Berserker?! W-What are you saying?!" Her face turned beet red in panic.
"Oh? Trying to deny it?"
Kiyohime didn't seem to mind the tea stains. She casually wiped her front, then fixed Sakura with a sharp gaze from her golden eyes. "Master might not know this, but I can tell when someone's lying!"
"Even if you're not my lover, lying to me is absolutely a no-go!" Kiyohime hated lies—especially from her Master. She didn't see Sakura as a romantic partner, but she still wanted her to be honest.
"Uuu…"
Hearing that, Sakura let out a soft, embarrassed whimper. She hadn't meant to lie, really. It was just that Kiyohime had hit a nerve. And if Kiyohime hated lies, well, then she wouldn't lie.
"…I guess I do like Su Mo-nii a little." Her voice was barely above a whisper, her face burning red.
"A little?" Kiyohime raised a skeptical brow.
"…Maybe a bit more than a little."
"Hmm?"
"…Okay, fine! I like him a lot! A whole lot!"
Sakura finally gave up and confessed, almost shouting in exasperation.
"Alright, I'll accept that answer." Kiyohime nodded in approval, satisfied with the honesty. Of course, she didn't take a child's words entirely at face value. At Sakura's age, she probably couldn't even differentiate between dependence, admiration, trust, or romantic affection. But love always started from some seed of emotion. And Sakura's feelings were already heavy enough to summon Kiyohime herself. That kind of bond was no illusion. And with how deep those emotions ran, Kiyohime had no doubt—Sakura would inevitably fall for Su Mo in the future. She didn't worry she was forcing a match that wouldn't happen.
"Looks like you really want to stay with Su Mo-sama forever, don't you?" She smiled and asked.
"Mm!" Sakura nodded firmly.
She had a feeling she knew what Kiyohime wanted to say, and her eyes lit up with anticipation.
"Berserker, will you help me?"
"Of course I will!" Kiyohime answered cheerfully.
"That's the whole reason I joined this Holy Grail War!"
"Fighting and bloodshed are overrated. Helping Master win their beloved's heart—that's my true wish!"
"Thank you, Berserker!"
To think she'd gained an unexpected ally—
Sakura's eyes sparkled with joy. Kiyohime, seeing the little girl looking up at her with such trust, couldn't help but giggle behind her hand. For some reason, she felt a big-sisterly warmth.
"Master, allow me to pass down to you the ultimate top-tier secret Love Guide!" Kiyohime declared with passionate determination.
"Ooh!!"
Sakura clapped eagerly, giving her full attention. She was really good at reading the mood.
"Ahem! Rule number one of the Love Guide—and this is the most important part!"
Kiyohime cleared her throat, slipping into a strangely serious tone.
"It's to create opportunities to be alone with your beloved!"
—Who would've thought she'd actually sound so legitimate when she taught?
"Mm!" Sakura nodded, notebook already in hand from who-knows-where, ready to take notes.
"But… how do I create time alone with Su Mo-nii?" she asked. She was a practical-minded girl and didn't want to just memorize empty theory. And this was exactly the kind of question that played right into Kiyohime's expertise.
"Good question! Practice is everything!" Kiyohime gave her student an approving look, then answered with pride.
"In my experience, there's only one foolproof way to make alone time."
"What is it?"
"…Stalking!" Kiyohime declared, utterly confident.
"As long as you follow Su Mo-sama everywhere, eventually you'll catch him alone."
"And if, at that moment, he looks like he needs help—just swoop in and offer it!"
"If you do that, Su Mo-sama's favorability rating will skyrocket—and before you know it, he'll be completely smitten with you!"
Kiyohime laid out her ancient, secret romantic techniques without holding anything back.
…Scratch that. Her "love course" was clearly riddled with problems.
"Umm… stalking…" Sakura echoed hesitantly. It did feel kind of wrong…
But Kiyohime's examples were so persuasive. If she could really help Su Mo-nii when he needed it, surely his affection would grow, right? That thought took hold, and Sakura dutifully jotted down every word of Kiyohime's lesson.