"Are you feeling homesick?" Shichen asked, looking at Irisviel.
Irisviel shook her head. "Not exactly. I'm really happy here—I can do whatever I want, no restraints, and I have so many family members. I just… miss Leysritt and Sella a bit."
"Fair." Shichen nodded. "With the two of them around, Tohru and the others could have it easier."
"Hey." Irisviel puffed her cheeks and shot him a mock glare. "We're not bringing them over as unpaid labor."
The way her flawless, mature face switched into that pouty, girlish expression was so natural it was almost unfairly cute.
But then again—her "actual" age had only ever been a handful of years, since she was an artificial lifeform.
Even if that label didn't fit quite the same anymore. After Shichen's familiar-binding, her body had stabilized into something living and tangible—flesh and blood, not a "normal human," but undeniably a real, natural life.
Still… "only a few years" as a starting point was enough to make Shichen feel faintly guilty sometimes.
He'd already… crossed that line with her.
Thankfully, Irisviel's mind was that of a mature woman. Shichen had never cared about some literal number anyway—and in her case, "age" wasn't something that could be measured the usual way.
"I get it," Shichen said. "They took care of me too. And I'm sure Illya misses them a lot."
"Then what do you think?" Irisviel asked.
"Then let's go back for a visit."
He'd been meaning to go back at some point anyway. If Irisviel wanted to do it now, then they might as well move.
"Won't it get in the way of what you need to do?" Irisviel asked, still worried.
"I don't have anything urgent right now. Being with you all is my important business."
"That sounds nice," Irisviel complained with a pout. "But you haven't spent time with me in ages."
"…" Shichen paused. "Aren't we about to have plenty of time now?"
"True~"
"So… we leave now?" Shichen asked, getting back to the point.
"Let's wait until Illya gets back and bring her too," Irisviel said. "She might want to see the place."
"Works for me. Then I'll ask Sakura too."
After school that afternoon, Illya and Sakura came home, and Shichen asked what they wanted.
As expected, both of them wanted to go.
Not because they missed that world in particular—more because they wanted to go with Shichen.
And if he was taking the two of them, then of course Artoria had to come along too.
Shichen also asked Frieren. Unfortunately, she didn't feel like going.
But that was fine—her opinion didn't really matter. Shichen could decide.
And honestly, taking Frieren would make it perfect.
Once the group was set, Shichen ran into one more question: should he return to the exact time they'd left… or to ten years later?
Do the Holy Grail War again?
Probably not necessary. The later Grail Wars weren't worth participating in anymore.
Just as he was thinking that, "she" spoke up for once.
[Go to ten years later.]
[Why?]
[Someone is waiting for you.]
[Who?]
No answer came.
But if "she" was saying it, Shichen would listen. He chose the ten-years-later point.
He didn't know who could be "waiting" for him—and if "she" mentioned it, it definitely wasn't Rin Tohsaka.
Speaking of Rin… Sakura reuniting with her while looking basically the same age would be… interesting.
They were sisters with only a small age gap before. Now it would look like there was a nine-year difference.
…
The next day, Shichen took Irisviel and the others back to the Fate world.
"Fuyuki City ten years later… it doesn't feel that different," Irisviel murmured.
"That hotel is gone."
"And that bike shop too."
"…."
The moment they arrived, Irisviel and Illya couldn't help comparing things.
Logically, a ten-year jump should feel massive—especially since they hadn't lived through it.
But the changes weren't as dramatic as they expected.
Because compared to the "main world" they'd been in, this era still felt older and slower. That contrast made the ten-year difference feel smaller.
"I wonder how Leysritt and Sella are doing…"
"I kinda miss Sella…" Illya admitted.
"Then let's go straight to the Einzbern castle and check," Shichen said.
He used space-movement to take everyone directly to Einzbern territory.
Since this was the future, not the past, all of his markers were still there.
"…What is this?!" Irisviel froze.
"The snow is gone!"
"What happened?"
The sight of the castle grounds made them all go still.
Where they remembered endless snowfields, there was only bleak desolation now.
The ground was dry and cracked. The trees looked dead—like everything had been drained of life.
"Shichen… why is it like this?" Irisviel asked quietly.
"It feels like… there's no mana here anymore," Frieren answered, instead of him.
"No mana?"
"Yeah. When we came before, this place was saturated. Now there's basically nothing."
"So… the mana was extracted?" Irisviel realized.
Frieren hugged herself and nodded. "Mm."
She was dressed too lightly for the cold and was visibly shivering.
"Let's go inside—now," Irisviel said, suddenly anxious. "What if Leysritt and Sella—"
"Don't worry. They're fine," Shichen said, pulling Frieren into his arms to share warmth.
"…Okay." Irisviel exhaled. She trusted Shichen.
"But let's confirm what happened," he added.
…
"Milady! Master!"
"Illya!"
The moment they entered the castle, Sella and Leysritt hurried out to greet them.
Neither of them looked any different from when Shichen says he'd last seen them—same faces, same clothes, same presence.
"Sella, Leysritt… thank goodness you're alright." Irisviel stepped forward and hugged them tightly.
"Milady…?" Sella looked confused. "What's going on?"
"The territory outside changed so much," Irisviel explained. "I thought something happened to you."
"We're fine," Sella said. "But we honestly don't know why everything outside became like that."
"Can you tell me everything you remember?" Irisviel asked.
"Of course…"
"Not so fast," Shichen cut in. "If they're safe, then everything else is a small problem. Let's go back to the main hall first."
"Master is right," Leysritt said sleepily.
"Then we'll do as Master says," Sella agreed.
Back in the main hall, the familiar atmosphere settled Shichen down.
He sat on the couch with Frieren still in his arms, sipping tea Sella had made—and making sure Frieren drank too.
Frieren couldn't really resist. She ended up drinking it anyway.
"Sella, tell me—what happened?" Irisviel asked again, barely touching her tea.
Sella nodded and began recounting what little she knew.
In short: not long after Shichen and the others left, the snow stopped.
Then the snow melted.
Then the trees began to wither.
The castle itself remained unaffected.
That part made sense—Shichen had left barriers in place because he hadn't dealt with Gilgamesh and Kotomine Kirei back then. Without the Gate of Babylon and Ea, Gilgamesh couldn't do much anyway.
"So that's it…" Irisviel said. Even without a clear answer, she visibly relaxed. What mattered most to her was that Leysritt and Sella were safe.
"Milady… Master… why did you come back?" Sella asked.
"Probably a family visit," Leysritt drawled lazily.
"What are you even saying…?" Sella sighed.
"Pretty much," Irisviel said with a warm smile, cutting in gently.
"Huh?" Sella blinked.
"We came back to see you," Irisviel said.
"To see us…?"
"Sella, Leysritt—Dad's taking you with us," Illya chimed in brightly.
"Taking us…?" Both of them looked stunned.
"Ooh~ So Master has ideas about us too?" Leysritt glanced at Shichen with a teasing look.
"…Leysritt." Shichen shot her a flat stare. "Go cook."
Master and servant aside, they both had their own personalities—Sella was serious, Leysritt was laid-back.
And both of them wore that same deadpan expression while saying absolutely outrageous things.
"Master's embarrassed," Leysritt teased.
"Leysritt!" Sella snapped.
"Seriously, Sella—already siding with Master?" Leysritt sighed dramatically. "Ten years must've been unbearable."
"Leysritt!" Sella's voice rose another notch.
"Okay, okay." Leysritt finally backed off.
"Hehe. You two really haven't changed at all," Irisviel laughed.
"Milady…"
"This time, we're bringing you both to live with us," Irisviel said. "As for whether Shichen has 'ideas' about you… I have no clue."
"Hey!" Shichen protested automatically.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— This Fanfic is Completed in Patreon!
Patreon.com/Bleam
– Gifting Patreon Membership in my Patreon Page! Check it out!