It probably all had to be traced back to ten years ago.
Shirou Emiya did not actually know of the Fourth Holy Grail War.
In his memories, when he awoke from unconsciousness amid a fire of unknown origin, the first thing he vaguely saw was—
A man who looked utterly hysterical, wearing a tragic yet warm smile as he grabbed his hand.
Clearly, Shirou had been the one rescued from the ruins by that man, yet the expression on the man's face made it seem as though he were the one who had been saved.
Then, Shirou felt himself being embraced.
Though he could not see clearly, he could feel it—a warmth so immense it was beyond imagining. He had been pinned beneath the rubble, and his internal organs had likely been shattered, yet beneath that immense warmth, it was as though he had never been injured at all.
The man pulled him from the ruins, and after a period of hospitalization and examinations, adopted him—the boy's parents had both died in that fire.
He finally learned the name of that man, his adoptive father.
Emiya Kiritsugu.
That was where his surname came from.
After that—
Life became relatively peaceful.
Emiya Kiritsugu was unimaginably gentle. Raiga Fujimura, who sold them the house, was also a very kind elder. Raiga Fujimura's granddaughter, Fujimura Yamato, was consequently very close to them as well. Then there was Miss Hinako Akuta next door, who seemed to be a friend of his father's. Though she appeared aloof, she was actually very gentle too.
The heart that had been scorched by the Fuyuki fire was warmed, sprouting anew—Shirou Emiya grew up healthy and cheerful.
But good times did not last.
Emiya Kiritsugu passed away.
Five years ago, Emiya Kiritsugu—the man Shirou Emiya described as unbelievably gentle—saw