In the world of Type-Moon, start by becoming Morgan's husband!

"Saber!" the little loli shouted.

Hearing this shout, Artoria finally woke up from her extremely warm fantasy and returned to the cold real world.

"Um...what's wrong?"

"Nothing~" Illya still looked cute.

"I just want to know where my mother went."

"..."

Without much hesitation, Altria responded directly.

"Oh... the Master has left for a while and will be back soon."

"That's it~"

Illya didn't make a fuss as Altria had imagined - it seemed that these things were normal for her.

She continued:

"That--"

"Mom said you're a Saber, so you should have your own weapon, right?"

"..."

Although she didn't know what Illya wanted to do by asking this question, Altria still conjured up her Noble Phantasm, the Golden Sword of Victory (Caliburn).

Looking at the extremely exquisite sword blade, the little Loli's eyes revealed a bit of strange interest.

Soon, she asked a question that Altria was not expecting.

“Saber——”

"How did you kill someone with this sword?"

284. Dai Mao remembered his words/The dark tide of the fourth war/Unexpected rejection (4k)

"..."

Altria's expression froze for a moment.

She wasn't like this because she heard the question, but she was shocked that Illya could ask such a question.

You have to know that Mordred, who was about the same age as her, would never say such a thing.

In an instant, Altria realized that there was a side of Illya in front of her that her acting Master Irisviel had not mentioned.

Although according to the relationship between Servant and Master, she shouldn't interfere in this matter.

but--

Looking at the little loli Illya who asked such a question with an innocent look on her face, Altria felt that it was necessary for her to say a few words.

After all, she had once been Mordred's mother, so she naturally couldn't ignore all this.

"Illya." Artoria tried her best to keep her emotions stable. "Why do you suddenly want to know this?"

"because--"

Illya looked at the golden sword of victory (Caliburn) in Altria's hand and smiled a smile that was hard to describe as that of an angel or a devil.

"This sword is very beautiful~"

"It would be even more beautiful if I could use it as a weapon and stab it into someone's body, right?"

"..."

Just these few simple words were enough to make Altria feel an indescribable chill.

It was a feeling that even the northern wind could not compare to, but now it was actually presented before her.

She was not afraid of the coldness, but she felt that it appeared on the wrong person.

This is not right.

This is quite wrong.

Altria's instinct told her that she couldn't let Illya continue thinking like this.

She hugged the other person and let the little loli sit on her lap.

Then, Artoria asked back in a very serious tone:

"Illya, why do you feel this way?"

“Why do I feel this way??”

Illya looked up, still looking as if she had no idea how terrible the words just said were.

"Isn't this a matter of course?"

"Swords and the like are supposed to be thrust into a person's body."

"That's not the case." Altria shook her head.

"If the sword pierces the body, it can kill the person."

"Eh?!"

Hearing this, Illya seemed to have discovered a new world.

She blinked her beautiful red eyes and uttered extremely strange words.

"So it can kill people? Then why am I fine?"

"..."

Altria never thought that she would fall into endless doubts because of a single sentence.

She realized that something must have happened to Illya that she was unaware of.

But if she tried to probe it, it would probably bring back bad memories for her.

perhaps--

It has to be solved in another way.

I don’t know whether to say that the memory is too deep or that it was already destined.

At this moment, Altria recalled some words Ian had said to her many years ago.

My own thoughts on it seem to be applicable to this occasion.

"Ilia."

Altria hugged the little Loli in her arms tighter, and then spoke her treasured words in the most gentle tone.

"do you know?"

"The sword is a weapon, and sword skills are a way to kill people."

"No matter how you cover it up, it remains the truth."

"but--"

Altria looked down at Illya.

"We have the right to choose who to point our swords at."

"Who is qualified to point the sword at?"

Illya looked at Altria who was holding her like a mother, and couldn't help but pay more attention to what she said.

"Yes." The female swordsman nodded.

"We need to know who to point our sword at, rather than letting it hurt innocent people at will."

"That would only taint the weapon itself."

"Illya, you don't want this to happen, do you?"

"It will taint the weapon itself..."

Illya repeated Altria's words and suddenly thought of the contradiction.

"But if it doesn't kill people, doesn't the weapon itself lose its meaning?"

"That's not the case." Altria shook her head.

She transformed the golden sword of victory (Caliburn) in her hand into the blade that Ian gave her - although it was a little worn out at this moment.

Looking at the sword that was the token of love between her and Ian, the girl's green eyes were filled with a deeper love.

The tone of her voice also showed a hint of nostalgia for the past.

"Killing is indeed one of the uses of weapons."

"But--"

"Killing is not the only thing that proves the meaning of a sword."

"Can you understand what I mean?"

"..."

Illya tilted her head and thought for a while, then nodded thoughtfully.

"Saber, what you mean is that even if I want to make a weapon more beautiful, I shouldn't just use it to stab someone else's body, right?"

"Yes." Altria nodded in response, "It's okay for you to understand it that way."

"Eh--!"

Illya was very happy.

But her expression looked more like she had learned something new.

"I'm going to tell my mom about this right now!"

Having said this, the little loli was about to get off Altria's legs and go look for her mother Einsteinfiel.

"Hey, that's not right!"

Altria quickly stopped her.

"No, you shouldn't tell the Master about this kind of thing."

"Why?" Illya asked in confusion.

"Because she would find it horrible and might even get angry."

"this!"

When Illya heard that her mother Einsteinfiel might be angry, she immediately backed off.

"Then I won't say anything!"

"Saber, you are not allowed to tell! This, this is our secret!"

"……Um."

Altria smiled and nodded.

"Okay, our secret."

The cold wind from the north was still raging in the castle, but there seemed to be a hint of warmth.

[A conversation that had a great impact on the future ended without anyone knowing.]

[And the curtain of the Fourth Holy Grail War is also being lifted bit by bit. 】

【There are complicated reasons behind this. 】

[Countless tragedies also planted their corresponding seeds at this moment. ]

Inside the clock tower.

A blond man with a dangerous hairline slammed the table in anger and then roared.

"Weber, that bastard, actually dared to steal the cloak fragment from me without permission!"

The man's full name is Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald.