Chapter 352

Snap!

High five.

Click!

The camera that Ilya handed to the Grandpa in the security room; the sound of the camera taking pictures.

"Ivia-- "

Then, Ilya suddenly reached out her hand, her eyes shining, and looked at Ivia with a smile that would make anyone happy.

Please continue to guide me in the future!

As a result, he was captured, just like Shirou Emiya had been before.

"Me too, after all, Ilya, you were my first meeting."

"..."

The security guard pretended to have a stern, expressionless face, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile. He silently gave a thumbs-up and happily took one last photo.

Under the Cherry Blossom Tree blooming at the entrance of Homurahara Elementary School, next to a sign that reads "Closing Ceremony," stand two children with similar hair colors. The girl's hand wraps around the boy's back and over his shoulder, secretly making a peace sign.

A gentle spring breeze was blowing, a warm breeze that belonged to spring, and it ruffled the hair of the two people.

Then, for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Meanwhile, somewhere not far from the primary school.

"Huh? Shirou? Where's Ilya? Didn't I ask you to take a picture with her first?"

Sera Shirou Sella a puzzled expression. "Did your club just end today? Wait, you left that way, what's going on? Has Ilya already gone home?"

"No, it's just to give Ilya some private space. Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to perform well if there were people she knows around."

Shirou explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What do you mean? Private space? Could it be that you finally couldn't resist the urge to harm your sister? Mrs. Irisviel, it's all my fault. Now I have no choice but to drag Shirou Hell with me. Please forgive my incompetence all these years."

"..."

Seeing Sella's fierce expression, Shirou felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "I've always wanted to say that it's just normal family affection, isn't it?"

"Family affection? You mean rushing to you when something happy happens, and all sorts of other things? People like you, with your gentle nature, are the easiest to like, okay? You should be more aware of that."

"I really want to deny what you Sella later, Sera, but let's stick to what we said earlier."

"?"

"They're family, that's why they're so open about it. After all, how could you be so open about having a crush or something?"

Shirou chuckled, recalling how Ilya kept glancing in another direction during the photo shoot, her hands rubbing together, and her hesitant expression—it was all too obvious. This made his smile even wider.

"That's what it means to be careful, isn't it?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Anyway, is Ilya still at school?"

"In and..."

Shirou paused, seemingly remembering Ilya's denial, then smiled again, "Let's take pictures with her familiar classmate behind us at the school gate. Anyway, let's not bother her now; she's rarely so happy."

"Since you've put it that way, then fine..."

Sella nodded, then turned around and saw Leysritt, carrying a camera, swaggering behind her. "Leysritt? What are you doing out here? And if you hadn't accidentally thrown away the groceries I bought as trash, I wouldn't be so late! I missed this year's Ilya photos!"

"Oh, it's Sella. I'm so sorry, I accidentally lost it."

Leysritt's tone showed absolutely no remorse.

"Forget it, what are you doing now? Lu Image?"

"I'm filming the 'True Magic' moments of White Magical Girl. As a fan, I submitted it to Musashi's website to see if I can add any new storylines or characters. I received a reply to my previous Theater saying it was a super great submission and it's already firmly in number one in popularity. If there's more content, we can add new Magical Girl to the show."

Leysritt gently waved the camera in her hand and continued calmly.

"When Madam comes home that day, she'll play the new Musashi video for Ilya in front of everyone: Ah, pure and flawless, more dazzling than colorless, the White Magical Girl... Hehe, I'm really looking forward to little Ilya's expression then, just thinking about it is so interesting."

Time flies like an arrow; after a short three-day holiday, we entered the fifth grade of elementary school.

However, the arrival of the new grade didn't feel like much had changed for Ilya; it was still the same old routine. Perhaps it was because Ivia was now able to give some answers when I was telling her about Musashi's story, and she dared to look me in the eye for more than ten seconds... or rather, she could stare at me intently.

As for the three members of the 'Assist Ilya in Conquering Ivia' group, they were in a very difficult situation.

Putting aside the fact that Caren's Nurse’s Office wasn't locked up as they had hoped due to her petty actions, and that Caren herself caught them Taiga- handed, which almost infuriated Daikawa, who was there to fetch her, they were still quite persistent, relentlessly trying to intercept Caren every day during lunchtime, although the effect wasn't significant.

One night, as usual, Ilya returned the love letter to Ivia. After finishing her homework at home, she watched some True Magic Girl Bushido Musashi and then went to take a bath.

Feeling the warm water all around her, Ilya closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment while pondering how to dictate today's plot to Ivia tomorrow. If she didn't know Ivia was still living in a tent, Ilya would have already given her the DVD. But since she knew, there was no other way; dictating it wasn't out of the question.

"Hmm~"

Ilya hummed Musashi's Ed, gently patted the Lion-kun doll floating in the water, then took out the True Magic she had carefully kept since receiving it that day and started drawing randomly in the water.

"Pure and flawless, no one can surpass her, hehe..."

Since she was alone now, Ilya felt less embarrassed reciting those words.

"Her noble elegance is unmatched."

Then she got up and went to the other end of the bathtub, lowering her voice.

"Silence, silence... What is that?"

It was just a little game, but Ilya would play it once or twice a day while taking a bath. However, today, when she came to the other side, she noticed a red light flashing in the window.

Curious about what it might be, Ilya stood up and went to the window, squinting to see what it was, but she couldn't make it out. The only thing she could sense was that it seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.

Therefore, Ilya, who felt like a shooting star, immediately gripped her True Magic with both hands and made a wishing gesture.

Shooting star, my wish is--

"Huh?! How is this possible?! I was actually bounced back!? By a cheap, generic Magical Girl wand??? It's all Auntie Rin's fault for using up so much of my Magical Girl power, and now I can't replenish it!"

Upon hearing the strange noise, Ilya opened her eyes and saw only a red True Magic that had appeared out of nowhere in the Bathroom, and it was speaking!

This nearly scared Ilya to death; she shakily reached out her hand.

"That you--"

"Nice to meet you, I am the magic wand of love and justice~"

The red True Magic moved as if it were a person, "True Magic Ruby there, little girl, would you like to try becoming Magical Girl?"

The air froze. Ilya and Ruby stared at each other for over ten seconds, but remained silent.

Ruby felt she needed to intensify her efforts, otherwise it might be difficult to win him over, so she said sweetly:

Are you my comrade?

"Become Magical Girl and join me in defeating 'the one I consider evil'!"

What exactly is going on with this thing...?

"Oh, were you just thinking 'that's so fake'?"

"No, no... um."

Seeing the black line on Ilya's face, Ruby approached Ilya, causing Ilya to quickly wave her hand, but ultimately nod in acknowledgment.

"Oh dear, how pathetic! Are there no more gullible girls in modern times who dream of Magical Girl?"

What has this guy been rambling on about from the very beginning? I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about...

"Oh dear, little Ivia, you're always waving your True Magic while taking a bath. It would be so sad for Magical Girl to refuse you like this! Come be Magical Girl, and see how you soar through the sky at will! Or shoot beams at the enemy!"

"Um, actually, that's not my name..."

Ilya quietly refuted Ruby.

"But the Magecraft wand in your hand..."

Ruby paused, then her tone became cheerful. "Ah, I get it. It's about your crush, right? Engraving their name on something very symbolic, right? That's so youthful, not bad at all."

"I feel like I can't keep up with your pace at all..."

Seeing that Ilya still wouldn't listen to reason, and seeing the Ruby she had just displayed, he unleashed his ultimate attack—

"You can also use the True Magic of love to be all sweet and affectionate with the person you like!"

"!"

"You reacted to that one just now, right? Your crush is this Ivia, right? Right!"

No!

Ilya quickly shook her head, "No, not at all! It was just an accident. I got it in front of the Animal Paradise earlier. Before that, I helped my senior get two tickets, then tore one up and came back to life, so I had to give it away. After thinking about it, the only one I could give away was the new student sitting behind me. As for helping with the cleaning—"

"Wow, that sudden seriousness and eagerness is really suspicious."

Ruby boasted, "But they're actually classmates? What an old, tired plot."

"No, I'm not old and toothless! And who are you anyway?!"

Enraged, Ilya instinctively grabbed her True Magic and swung it at the Ruby.

Oh dear, little girl, a mere plastic True Magic can't possibly hit me or hurt me!

The confident Ruby simply waited for the girl to easily dodge, and then fall to the ground—

Oh dear, what an innocent child! How come I... can't move?!

The next moment, the Ruby was indeed knocked to the ground.

"This, how is this possible... Me, could it be that your Magical Girl power is too high, little girl? Ah, I'm dead."

Having said that, Ruby remained motionless on the ground as if dead.

"Is he really dead? He looks so strange..."

Crouching down and gazing at the unknown magic wand, Ilya murmured, "I should just throw it."

But when she raised the True Magic, ready to throw it out the window, she realized she couldn't move it. Turning her head, she saw that her finger was bleeding.

And the red True Magic, which was thought to be 'dead,' started talking again:

"It was much easier to hook than I expected."

"The bloodline authenticates the owner's identity, the contact establishes a usage contract, and then the girl's power of love, the key to activation, is all done in one smooth motion. Thank you for your cooperation~"

"Come on, there's only one last step. Say your name out loud—"

"I, Illyasviel von Einzbern!"

"Contract complete, Mirror World Corridor fully expanded. Not bad, she's a rather adorable Magical Girl ~ Ilya ~ I doubt anyone could resist her cuteness~"

The next day, early morning.

Last night, Ilya was caught up in a series of events due to the arrival of a strange True Magic. As soon as she arrived at school, she listlessly slumped onto her desk. At the same time, she kept groping around in the drawer of her desk, hoping for the best, and eventually pulled out two bottles of milk.

Actually, last night, after Ilya met Rin Tohsaka, the original owner of the Ruby, and discussed helping her find the Cards, she specially transformed into her Magical Girl form and went to the school at night to do what she had always wanted to do, which was to find an opportunity to deliver milk to Ivia, since she was thinking that after running away from home for so long, she might not be getting enough nutrition.

But no matter how early she got up in the morning, she couldn't get up as early as Ivia, and there was nothing she could do after school. So Ilya kept thinking about what to do, but the power of the Magical Girl gave her a solution.

And as she expected, Ivia knew it was she who sent it, which is why she returned it.

Therefore, she perked up, turned around, and gave Ivia a thumbs-up:

"That's amazing! As expected of Ivia, she's truly incredible!"

Ilya sighed inwardly, "Finally, I can say those words in a reasonable way..."

"Can you finish two bottles by yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Ilya, who had been pouting, immediately turned back and muttered softly, "Two bottles are fine, it's not like I can't drink them all."

Ilya is so cute; she actually came to school in the middle of the night to deliver something to her crush!

Ruby, who had been secretly spying on Ilya from inside her backpack, was marveling at how this was the mindset Magical Girl should have when she saw the Ruby -haired boy sitting behind Ilya making eye contact with her.

Even if it was only for a brief moment, Ruby was certain that this was not an accident, but rather that he had truly discovered himself and seen through his... true nature.

No, Ilya, my new master, is this boy sitting behind you, this Ivia, really the ordinary person you described as "actually alright," "misogynistic," "aloof," "basically just okay," and "who might actually secretly like Magical Girl"?