Fate/Zero:Act 2 Part 2

221:36:01

Sealed in ice, the Einsbern castle at the farthest end.

That day, the old castle of Miyama where people do not go, quietly preserving the lives of ancient magi, was released from the snowstorm.

It can't be reached until the sky cleared up, but it is remarkably brighter than the days the sky whitens up in snow. There is no flying birds or green plants on the soil of winter, but plenty of light.

On those days, however busy or tired the father is, they go out together in the forest outside the castle. That was the first unwritten rule between Ilyasviel von Einsbern and Emiya Kiritsugu.

"Alright, today, I will not lose!"

Saying so, the exulting Ilyasviel quickly moves into the forest before her father. She is pitiful with her small boots in the thick snow, but her fidgety eyes don't miss anything of the surrounding trees, not careless for one minute. Right now, the girl was in the midst of a fierce battle with her father.

"Oh, here's one. The first for today."

Hearing the triumphing Kiritsugu behind her, the eyes of the surprised Ilyasviel changed into the color of anger as she turned around.

"No way! Where? I can't have missed it!"

Returning a bold smile to his beloved daughter red with vexation, Kiritsugu pointed at a twig above his head. From a frost branch of walnut, a humble winter sprout was sticking out.

"Fuhhuhu, I get the first point. Let’'s keep that rhythm."

"I won't lose! I swear I won't lose today!"

The open competition between the father and the daughter in the winter forest is the search for the first walnut sprouts in winter. This year's score for Ilya is 12 victories, 9 defeats, one tie. The total count for Ilya is 427, against 374 for Kiritsugu. The champion was under a heavy pressure.

Ilyasviel had to hurry. Watching over her, Kiritsugu couldn't stop smiling bitterly. Checking one by one which winter sprout her father found, the girl can see her impending death for today. Apparently, today is the day she will have to reveal her skills.

"Ah, here. Ilya found one too~"

Kiritsugu giggled wickedly from behind the merry Ilya.

"Fuhuhu, daddy found a second one too."

This time, Ilya sprang like a sprayed cat.

"Show me! Show me!?"

This time, her girlish pride is at stake if she wants to claim she doesn't miss anything. Actually, she didn't miss any. Only the one she is up against is childishly cunning.

Ilya's expected reaction, 10 seconds later, had Kiritsugu suppress his laughter as he pointed at what he said was his "second" winter bud.

"Eh― ? That branch doesn't have walnuts, right?"

What Kiritsugu pointed at is a branch Ilya hadn't considered it to be her target until then.

"No no, Ilya, this branch is a Japanese wingnut, a variety of walnut. So that too is the winter bud of a walnut."

As if she had been tricked by a fox, Ilyasviel remained silent for 2 or 3 seconds, then she shouted, her cheeks all red.

"Not fair, not fair not fair not fair! Kiritsugu, that was mean!"

As a matter of fact, he was indeed unfair. Since before the last time, Kiritsugu was counting the wingnuts with the walnuts. Not only was it fake, it was indeed a foul play.

"Oh, but if daddy doesn't do that, he'll never win."

"You can't! It doesn't count if it's a walnut only Kiritsugu knows!"

An extremely angry Ilyasviel starts pounding on her father's knees.

"Hahaha, but, Ilya, isn't it a new opportunity to learn something? In fact, wingnuts aren't edible like walnuts, remember that."

Ilyasviel growls at him, not considering it at all.

"If you are so unfair, then Ilya won't play with you, Kiritsugu!"

"That bothers me― sorry, sorry, I apologize."

From the ultimatum, Kiritsugu apologized obediently. With that, Ilysviel gradually regains her good humor.

"You won't cheat again, you promise?"

"I swear, I swear. The wingnuts are gone."

But I still have the field nuts... Kiritsugu snickered silently.

Ilyasviel, who didn't know how to distrust people yet, threw out her chest in pride, nodding with satisfaction at her incorrigible father.

"Fine. Then I'll challenge you again. The champion must always accept a challenge."

"Yes. You honor me, princess."

In sign of allegiance, for today's walnut hunt, Kiritsugu then played the horse.

"Ahahah! That's high!"

Riding on her father's shoulders was by far what Ilyasviel liked best. Kiritsugu's long leg can even cross the deep snow Ilyasviel can't walk in. With a higher point of view, she could also hunt walnuts more efficiently.

"He―re we go!"

"Yawohl!"

Kiritsugu comes out of a grove, his daughter straddling on his neck. The thrill make Ilyasviel kick up and laugh merrily.

Such disdain for her father's shoulders made him sad.

Having no experience in raising children before Ilyasviel, Kiritsugu doesn't know how they grow up. But he understands that it isn't normal for his daughter, who turns 8 this year, to weigh 15 kilos.

Perhaps, the absurd adjustments she received at birth are the reason. To Kiritsugu and Irisviel, it was obvious she would be late in reaching adulthood. Will her body turn into that of an adult as years pass or not?

No, rather, they had no hope. As a magus, Kiritsugu has already closed his ruthless diagnosis. At around 18, 19, Ilyasviel's growth will stop before her secondary sex characteristic appear.

Even so, rather than seeing her future as bad luck, she must have plenty of happiness― that wish is only the parents' ego. Yet, the pain of that thought drilling his chest was proof of the love of the man named Kiritsugu.

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