Across the heavens, I am the Avatar Sword Master

Deep in the Alps, in a bedroom in the city of winter.

Illya pulled the thick duvet tighter around her with trembling hands and slowly opened her eyes.

The dim light in the room made her feel a little relieved. She looked around and the familiar furnishings gradually came into view.

The fire in the fireplace was dancing happily, and a warm glow enveloped the entire room.

The firelight reflected on the wall, forming swaying shadows.

Outside the window, the cold wind was howling.

Illyasviel listened attentively. The sound of the wind coming through the thick glass windows seemed a little far away.

She knew that the biting cold wind could not penetrate the solid castle walls, let alone hurt her.

Despite this, a hint of coolness still sneaked in through the gap in the window.

Illya shrank back anyway, pulling the quilt higher until it covered her chin.

She looked around again, at the room that was warm and peaceful in the firelight.

The heavy curtains, the exquisite furniture, and the paintings on the walls, everything is so familiar.

"Mom... Illya is so scared..."

Illya curled up her body, her tender hands seeming to seek her mother's protection.

The howling of the blizzard still made her feel uneasy.

"What's wrong? Illya, did you have a nightmare?"

When she suddenly came to her senses, Irisviel was already beside the bed, stroking her daughter Illya's cheek and holding her in her arms.

Illya stared at her mother for a while, and felt her heart gradually calm down.

She took a deep breath and smelled the fragrance of her mother.

This familiar breath made her feel at ease, as if there was an invisible protective shield separating her from the outside world.

"Yeah! Mom, Illya had a nightmare. She dreamed that she turned into a big cup."

She looked at her mother's soft silver hair and gentle eyes with peace of mind and continued to tell her nightmare.

"Then, seven... strangely shaped objects, very large, emitting different lights, were put into Illya's body one by one. They were so heavy that Illya was about to burst. Her belly was bloated and it seemed like it would explode at any time. Illya wanted to escape, but she couldn't move. It was as if she was fixed. She could only watch them fill my body..."

The little girl's voice became smaller and smaller, almost turning into a whimper.

"Illya was so scared that she felt like she was about to burst... Then, Illya heard the voice of Justisa and another man. They seemed to be talking about something, but Illya couldn't hear it clearly... Then, a big black hole appeared above Illya's head, like a whirlpool, spinning all the time... Illya was so scared that she woke up..."

Illya hugged Irisviel tightly, her small body still trembling slightly, as if the shadow of the nightmare still loomed over her.

Irisviel hugged Illya tenderly and patted her back gently, as if soothing a frightened bird.

"It's okay, Illya, it was just a dream."

Irisviel comforted her softly, her silver hair falling on Illya's cheek, bringing a cool touch.

Illya gradually calmed down in her warm embrace, and the fear of the dream gradually dissipated.

Illya snuggled in her mother's arms, feeling the familiar heartbeat and body temperature, and an indescribable sense of security surged in her heart.

She knew that even in her worst nightmare, as long as her mother was there, she would not be alone.

Because she has a close connection with her mother and even with Justisa, who is known as the "Saint of Winter".

Whether it is her mother, her aunt, or the earliest "First Justisia", these existences are deeply recorded in Illya's heart.

As long as I call, I can hear my mother's voice and see her figure at any time.

"I...seemed to have dreamed of Kiritsugu's father...I dreamed that he seemed to be crying..."

Illya is still talking about that dream.

She also dreamed of Emiya Kiritsugu, the father who was said to be in a distant foreign country, helping her mother deal with difficult tasks.

In fact, Illya didn't tell the truth, or not the complete truth.

Before she dreamed of herself turning into a cup, she dreamed of her mother, Irisviel, who seemed to be killed, and Kiritsugu hugged her mother and cried.

But my mother was clearly right next to me, so that dream must have been just a weird one, right?

Illya seemed to realize that the nightmare just now seemed to symbolize bad things, and she became uneasy again.

"Mom... Will Kiritsugu's father be in trouble?"

Looking at Illya who was worried about her father, Irisviel smiled gently.

"It's okay, Illya, it's over. Dad and Mom will be here soon, Illya, and you won't have such terrible memories anymore."

Irisviel knew that if the Holy Grail War was not ended, her child Illya would eventually not be able to escape the fate of becoming the "Vessel of the Holy Grail".

This is the fate that the Einzbern bears.

Illyasviel von Einzbern is a product of alchemy, conceived by a magician in the womb of an artificial human.

It is an important part of his "Clothes of Heaven" plan after becoming the "Guardian of the Holy Grail".

Not only was the secret of the Holy Grail implanted in the embryo, but magic circuits were also added to the outside to make the body more suitable for the container of the Holy Grail.

Patriarch Haid had foreseen the possibility of a "Fifth" Holy Grail War long before the "Fourth" Holy Grail War began.

If he and Kiritsugu failed, then the child would continue to be transformed as the "Heaven's Clothes".

Whether it is Illya or her future children, this tragic fate will be repeated every time a new android is born and every time the Holy Grail of Fuyuki descends.

So Irisviel hoped to end this painful fate here.

Use your own life to end the Einzbern family's paranoia.

As long as he could obtain the Holy Grail, his daughter would be freed from this tragic fate.

If that child had nothing to do with the Holy Grail, she could have lived out her entire life as a human, right?

Irisviel thought so.

Illya's mood gradually calmed down because of her mother's comfort, and a smile appeared on her little face again.

She gently pushed away her mother's arms, raised her head, and her eyes were shining with anticipation.

"Are Kiritsugu's father and mother coming back soon?"

There was a hint of urgency and desire in Illya's voice.

Although the room was still filled with coldness, Illya ignored it and crawled out of the warm bed.

She flinched slightly when her little feet touched the cold floor, but she quickly adjusted and stood excitedly by the bed.

Illya's movement caused the duvet on the bed to slide aside, revealing the cute white pajamas she was wearing.

Her long silver hair looked particularly soft under the light, swaying gently with her movements.

She stood on the ground, looking up at her mother, her eyes filled with desire for reunion and longing for the future.

Illya knew that Kiritsugu's father was a very competitive person.

He always tries his best to complete every task, no matter how difficult it is.

Even if it is a "match to find Kurumi", Kiritsugu's father will find ways to win.

Therefore, she believed that once her father completed that important work, he would come back here without hesitation, back to her and her mother.

So in the days when Kiritsugu's father and Alice's mother left, whenever it was late at night and the cold wind was howling, Illya would always lie on the bed, gently counting on her fingers until that day came.

She counted the days carefully, as if that would make time pass faster.

Although she always felt cold when she slept alone, she knew that her mother would always be by her side, helping her to dispel the cold and fear.

On nights like this, Illya would wrap herself tightly in her quilt and look out the window at the castle that was always covered in snow.

She imagined her father working hard in a distant place, and her heart was filled with anticipation and longing for a future reunion. Even though she felt lonely sometimes, she tried to tell herself that she was not alone, because her mother's warmth and her father's promise were always with her.

This agreement she made with her father was the most precious treasure in her heart.

Whenever she felt shaken or uneasy, as long as she thought of the promise, a warm power would surge in her heart, supporting her to continue waiting.

"That's right. When Illya wakes up, mom and dad will take you away from here. We will go to Kiritsugu's hometown together. What do you say?"

Irisviel spoke softly, her tone full of tenderness and determination.

Her fingers gently combed Illya's soft silver hair, as if weaving a beautiful dream for her.

Illya looked up, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

She nodded vigorously, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"Ok!"