Before long, Illya smoothly accepted the fact that "the child of Mom's friend staying at our house is actually a priest from the hidden world of the Church."
For a girl whose worldview had been shattered beyond repair just days ago, even if she discovered her mother practiced magecraft, her father was a ruthless assassin, or her brother could summon weapons while being amazing at high jumps—she would accept it all without hesitation.
After voluntarily revealing his identity, the distance between Sakatsuki and Illya instantly shrank. As a grade-schooler who had just become a magical girl and was immediately thrust into collecting Class Cards, Illya had been bottling up countless secrets with no one to confide in—nearly driving her mad.
And now, here was a priest with maxed-out affinity, seemingly around her age and willing to listen to all her stories.
Besides, if even her magical girl secret had been exposed, what else was there to hide?
The afternoon weather was perfect—neither humid nor stiflingly hot. Basking in the refreshing air, Sakatsuki leaned against a tree trunk, quietly listening to "The Troubles of Illya."
"Suddenly rushing at me, suddenly turning me into a magical girl—it's all so ridiculous!"
"Who could resist the temptation of keeping such an adorable girl like you close?"
"Ruby, I'm calling the police, you know? Oh, and then the very next day, we had to go collect Class Cards! Rin-nee is way too reckless!"
"And then Rin-nee got replaced! After working all night to get the Class Card, some jerk just stole it! Ugh, if I ever find that person, I'll—I'll—"
"You'll what?"
"I'll... I'll... Oh! First, make them apologize to Rin-nee, then punish them by doing my homework and cleaning for a week!"
"Wow, that's quite the severe punishment."
"Right?!"
A cathartic venting.
A young girl didn't need to worry about convoluted futures or perilous destinies. Filled with joy and minor grievances, she recounted every past event as if treasuring each one, her ruby eyes reflecting vibrant light.
Homework assignments and the desire to befriend certain people were complicated enough—saving the world wasn't even on her mental radar.
Sakatsuki silently watched the girl sitting on the ground, her face alight with an innocent smile.
Though not as dazzling as a polished gem refracting brilliance, the untainted rawness of her untempered spirit held its own endearing charm.
She hadn't endured a decade of loneliness or suffered the torment of having her heart torn out. The Illya before him was just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life, attending school like any other.
But precisely because of that, he couldn't help but think of another...
"Oh! Right, there's also Miyu! Sakatsuki-nii, do you know Miyu? She's a magical girl too!"
"Ah... Of course I know her. What about her?"
"Um, well, ah... How do I put this... Oh! Right—she's too perfect!"
Finally landing on the right description, Illya excitedly continued:
"Her grades are amazing, her drawing skills are insane, she's incredible at cooking, and I can't even outrun her in P.E.! She's basically a perfect superhuman!"
At this point, Illya slumped dejectedly. "Not only that, but she's the one who retrieved the Rider Class Card... Ugh, I can already feel the gap in talent ┭┮﹏┭┮."
"Ahaha." Sakatsuki's laughter carried a hint of pride. "No need to feel down. That gap isn't worth worrying about. Besides, as her partner in collecting Class Cards, you should be happy for her."
"Partner? But Miyu feels so hard to get along with..."
"You're wrong about that, Illya."
"Eh?"
"Just like how the wand chose you, the fact that Miyu became a magical girl means she has wonderful qualities too." Sakatsuki gestured to Ruby floating nearby. "Though the fairy's personality leaves much to be desired, at least her judgment of character is reliable."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ruby fluttered her wings, unamused.
"So, you mean..."
"I mean, Miyu isn't cold." As someone who inherited the memories of the Great Hero, Sakatsuki smiled. "She just isn't good at communicating with others."
"To put it in perspective—hm, think of a girl who's only ever lived with her brother and never stepped outside."
"Whoa, that example sounds kinda scary..."
"It's just an analogy. Don't take it literally."
"Mmhm, I get it." Illya nodded thoughtfully, then looked up at the sky. "So, if I take the initiative, I can become friends with Miyu, right? Uh—"
"Hm?"
"Sakatsuki-nii, the sky seems to have... something... FALLING!"
Like a meteor striking Earth, the forest outskirts erupted in a geyser of dirt.
The instant something plummeted, Sakatsuki used Clairvoyance to pinpoint the landing spot, displacement magecraft to reposition, projection to create a cushion, and Imaginary Numbers to disperse the impact—catching the falling object effortlessly before dismissing the buffer.
When the dust settled, Illya—who had panicked and transformed into a magical girl to flee skyward—saw Sakatsuki standing unharmed at the crater's center, holding a familiar girl who had squeezed her eyes shut in terror.
"Miyu...? Why were you up there—"
"No need to guess. This is absolutely something her temporary guardian would do." Sakatsuki rolled his eyes, reluctantly setting Miyu down.
The magical girl, still clutching her staff, landed but barely had time to thank him before noticing Illya floating midair.
"...She's flying."
"Yep. Naturally soaring through the air."
For Miyu, who had been kicked out of a plane by Luviagelita and still failed to learn how to fly, this was utterly unbelievable.
"Wait, when did Sakatsuki-nii get over here? He was just leaning against the tree..."
"Magecraft... You—are you really a priest of the Church?"
"Of course. The genuine article." Sakatsuki tugged at his robes with a smile. "I've just dabbled in some basic magecraft. Nothing noteworthy."
"At this level, it's not about being noteworthy anymore..." Ruby muttered under her breath. Among those present, only she understood the terrifying depth of his magecraft.
Meanwhile, Miyu—who hadn't properly thanked him yet—was distracted by Illya's way of addressing the priest.
"Sakatsuki?" The sapphire magical girl instinctively turned to the boy, her golden eyes locking onto his radiant ones.
"Illya said your name is... Sakatsuki?"
At this, the two reacted differently.
"Ah, she used my name!" —Illya.
"Indeed, I am Sakatsuki." The white-haired, golden-eyed priest—now bearing little resemblance to a younger Shirou—placed a hand over his chest, his lips curving into a flawless, inscrutable smile.
"Good afternoon, fair lady."
"No..." Miyu shook her head, stepping back as if resisting something. Her amber eyes met Sakatsuki's, her tone deadly serious.
"You can't be called that name."
***
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