The Brutal Academy Festival, the Brutal Sports Meet

"Come to think of it, why isn't Ilya here?"

I looked around, but didn't spot the silver-haired loli who should have been cheering and pouncing on me by now. It was a little strange. Rin Tohsaka and the others should have come with Ilya, right? As I recalled, that miser Tohsaka had voluntarily taken on the responsibility of looking after her and had even arranged her schooling—uh, could it be because of that? Had Demon Rin forced the poor little girl into a sweatshop to earn money, so that even during a holiday celebration like this, our poor silver-haired loli could only huddle in a howling cold wind, guarding a cold, cobweb-covered fireplace because her demonic guardian had cut expenses, nibbling half a hard loaf earned through a day's labor while carefully protecting the coins she had saved so she could buy her freedom someday?

My mind played an endless stream of Ilya looking pitiful in a dark, cold, lonely mansion. I was filled with respect for Miss Tohsaka: What a thrifty homemaker!

...It seemed I had gone in a subtly wrong direction with that jab.

"Although I don't know what Uncle is thinking, the way you're looking at me is incredibly suspicious!" Tohsaka looked at me warily, her tone dripping with displeasure. "And you really are a loli lover, aren't you? You've already abducted so many innocent girls, and you still won't spare poor Ilya?"

"Ahem, I was just wondering why Ilya didn't come with you."

What had just gone through my head was already pushing the boundaries of morality, so I certainly couldn't let this disrespectful brat know about it. I hurriedly shifted the topic back to something normal.

"That girl's behind us. She happened to run into Berserker, and the two started chatting—ah, there they are."

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