Irisviel even felt an urge to bash her head against the wall. Embarrassed, she covered her face.
Shirou walked up to her and placed a hand over the back of hers.
"Eiri."
"Shi, Shirou..."
The Silver-haired homunculus raised her head and saw the young man's face right in front of her. Her heart began beating even faster.
"If we continue, the relationship we've built up until now will be completely ruined, won't it?"
"I-I'm sorry..."
The red-haired boy smiled when he heard that. "Eiri, you don't need to apologize. I told you just now—this is a responsibility I should take."
"Shirou...?"
A bewitching glimmer swirled through Irisviel's moist red eyes.
For the first time, she had a new impression of Shirou beyond he's so cute.
Irisviel no longer looked at Shirou as a "boy," but examined him through the eyes of a "woman." And the result was—
Shirou is so handsome tonight. He was just like a grown-up, a true man.
No, not "like."
Shirou was a true man. Wasn't he about to make me a woman?
Irisviel soon fell into a state of distracted fancy again, but Shirou quickly shook her awake.
"Listen to me, Eiri."
"I-I'm listening! I'm not spacing out!"
Shirou said, "After tonight, our relationship will completely fall apart, won't it?"
Irisviel nodded lightly, looking somewhat depressed. "Yes."
"But—that's all right too."
"I-It is!?"
"Yes, it's all right."
Shirou smiled. "Because I finally understand what I truly want.
"Whatever happens to our relationship, I don't care. To me—as long as I can continue living together with Irisviel from now on, that's enough."
Irisviel's eyes widened.
Shirou interlocked his fingers with hers and said gently, "As long as I'm with you, Eiri, even if our original relationship can't be maintained, we can surely build a new one.