"Mm!"
Shirou jolted and hurriedly looked away, explaining that his flushed face was due to the alcohol.
"Oh, I see. Shirou, you're so cute?"
Irisviel covered her mouth and giggled, looking delighted.
Shirou shook his head, banishing the wicked thoughts from his mind.
I really have been getting more and more abnormal lately.
No, at this rate, he would waste this rare time alone with her.
"Um, Eiri..."
"Listen to me, Shirou..."
They happened to speak at the same time.
"..."
Shirou fell silent for a moment and let Irisviel speak first.
The Silver-haired homunculus nodded and began, "I heard everything Shirou and Lady Avalon said that night."
"Hm?"
Shirou blinked in confusion. What conversation... Ah!?
"The only way to ensure that Irisviel's life continues is to make her a true mother."
"As long as Irisviel gives birth to a child... she can continue living as a human."
"A test-tube baby won't do. She has to conceive naturally, like a human."
"As for the father, that's already been decided. It's you, Shirou."
"It has to be you. It has to be your child—you have to get Irisviel pregnant."
Shirou: "..."
Irisviel had heard that?
No, but...
Shirou looked at Irisviel.
Her beautiful face was lightly flushed. That delicate color was not caused by alcohol, but by the embarrassing words she had just spoken—
Indeed, Irisviel's room was right next to Shirou's Japanese-style room. It was hardly strange that she had overheard their late-night conversation...
"Mm."
Shirou remained stunned for several seconds before finally coming to his senses and objecting.
"Eiri, I'm sorry... for making you worry needlessly.
"You don't have to take anything my teacher said to heart. There's absolutely no credibility to anything she says.
"She's probably the most unreliable person in the world. If you believe her, you'll