The commotion was massive enough now that almost the entire world, from major world powers to the Mages' Association, had their eyes fixed here.
The fact that the United States had nearly been nuked was simply too terrifying; it could have directly sparked World War III. Currently, the international community was filled with voices calling for peace. Even the United States, which had been domineering for so long, had calmed down after witnessing the space fireworks that were clearly visible even from across the ocean.
"I can't take the fall for a disaster this big, Miss Firefly!" Tohsaka Rin abandoned all sense of image and rushed over, clutching Xia Yu's leg and wailing. "Please, I beg you, let me go!"
Archer couldn't help but press a hand to his forehead and shake his head at the sight.
"Alright," Xia Yu reached out and gently patted her head. "Seeing how sincere you are, I won't go."
"My dear Master," right then, Medea reached out and hugged Xia Yu from behind. "The dismantling ritual for the Greater Grail is ready... I can activate it whenever you wish."
"No rush," Xia Yu shook her head. "Once the Greater Grail is gone, you all will have to return to the Throne of Heroes. Since you've come to the living world, you might as well stay and enjoy life for a while."
"Anyway, All the World's Evil has been dealt with. It doesn't matter if we keep it around for a bit."
Under normal circumstances, by the time a winner was decided in the Holy Grail War, the other Heroic Spirits would have already returned to the Throne of Heroes, save for the winning pair. But Xia Yu had directly bypassed the step of using Heroic Spirit souls to open the 'Throne' outside the world to reach the Root.
The Counter Force had simply packaged up what she wanted and sent it over.
Thus, the Servants were basically still in the living world.
"Shirou!" Illya stood before Emiya Shirou with her hands on her hips. "You have to listen to your sister, got it!"
"Yes, yes, yes, Illya," Emiya Shirou could do absolutely nothing with this sister of his.
"Oh, so now you know you're the sister?" Xia Yu teased. "Who was the one calling him 'Big Brother' over and over before?"
"Aaaah! Berserker!" Illya's face turned red before she snapped. "I haven't settled the score with you yet! When did you get your hands on Caster? How did I, your Master, not know a thing!"
"Oh, Medea," Xia Yu leaned back directly into Medea's embrace. "I ran into her during a night walk. Seeing her wandering the streets alone, I felt I couldn't just leave her be, so we signed a contract."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Illya puffed out her cheeks.
"Why tell you?" Xia Yu playfully pinched her cheeks, which were like round buns. "You know? In a Holy Grail War, the Master is just a mascot!"
She said righteously, "Illya just needs to be responsible for being cute! Can't you leave everything else to me?"
"You!" Illya's eyes went wide. Just as she was about to say something, Xia Yu puffed out her chest and said with perfect logic, "Just tell me, did I get you the Third Magic or not!"
"Uh..." Illya was instantly at a loss for words.
"See, the Third Magic is secured," Xia Yu blinked. "The long-cherished wish of the Einzbern family has been realized. Does the process really matter that much?"
"Of course it's not important, Lady Firefly," Sella, who was standing by, said respectfully. "Compared to the family's five-hundred-year-old wish, the process... is something that can be entirely omitted."
At this, Xia Yu winked at Illya, looking triumphant.
Illya found herself completely unable to refute this and could only turn her gaze toward her only younger brother, the one person she could bully.
"We've already bought this mansion," she said, pointing at Emiya Shirou. "In a bit, we're going to buy that road in the middle too, and then connect the two estates directly!"
"Huh?" Emiya Shirou and Matou Sakura looked at each other. "I'm afraid that's impossible. That road is a public facility."
"I don't care!" Illya said willfully. "Since we're family, of course we have to live together!"
"Um, Young Mistress," Sella couldn't help but remind her, "As for the family back home..."
"I don't want to go back," Illya pouted. "Back to that lifeless castle? Sella, listen up. Now, I am the successor of the Third Magic, the legitimate heir of the Einzbern!"
"Where I am, that is where the family is!"
"Understood. Then, shall we relocate everyone from the family side here?" Sella naturally had no objections.
"No," Illya said willfully. "I hate them!"
"The Head of House is correct," Sella smiled slightly. "Then, from now on, we are the Main House. They... can be considered a branch family."
"Hmph," Illya looked proud. "That's how it should be!"
"But Illya," Emiya Shirou said helplessly, "Buying a road... is really quite difficult."
"Then build an overpass!" Illya's eyes darted around as she came up with an idea. "Like the ones you see in the city. Anyway, our homes must be connected!"
If they didn't live together, were they even a family?
Illya always had a strange obsession with such things.
"Um, wouldn't it be easier if you guys just moved over?" Matou Sakura asked, tilting her head.
"No way!" Illya shook her head violently. "This is the home we bought! It's already crowded enough with me, Sella, Leysritt, and Firefly!"
"If we all cram into your house, how would we live!"
In truth, these were all excuses. Illya simply couldn't stand seeing the two of them acting all lovey-dovey.
After all, she had finally found a relative, and yet he spent all day making eyes at his girlfriend. This love-starved little girl was naturally unhappy, and all of this was just to make things difficult for the young couple.
Then again, it was true—from the beginning until now, those two hadn't let go of each other's hands... Everyone stole a glance at them from time to time.
"While I'm really moved that Illya is thinking of me," Xia Yu scratched her head and said, "did you forget something?"
"What?" Illya turned her head blankly.
"Look, I'm your Servant, an Heroic Spirit," Xia Yu pulled her into a hug and kneaded her cheeks. "The Holy Grail War is over. It's time for me to leave this era."
"What? You're leaving?" Illya looked at her in disbelief. "And Heroic Spirit?!"
She struggled out of Xia Yu's clutches, looked around at the people nearby, and pointed. "Which of them do you think actually believes you're an Heroic Spirit?"
What kind of Heroic Spirit kills a Beast in ten minutes? Not even a Grand Class could do that!
The surrounding Servants all looked over, recalling the beating they had received last night... and nodded in unison.
They saw things clearly now. The reason she had made everything so complicated was entirely to resolve the friction between the Tohsaka sisters. If Matou Sakura hadn't seen her sister risking everything just to save her, that knot in her heart would have been very hard to untie.
The same went for Emiya Shirou, going from being an ally of justice to being an ally of just one person... Ugh, it was incredibly sappy.
"But I truly did come to this era as an Heroic Spirit," Xia Yu shrugged. "This isn't my home, Illya."
"You have to accept reality," Xia Yu said to her earnestly. "I can't stay with you forever."
"At most, I can stay for a few more days."
"Can't you just stay?" Illya lowered her head and whispered.
"It's not a question of whether I want to or not," Xia Yu sighed. "It's a question of whether I can. In this regard, I'm not strong enough yet, Illya."
"Don't you already have the Third Magic?" Illya's voice was low. "And you had a physical body from the start, didn't you? Why could a Servant from the last Holy Grail War survive by reconstructing a body, but you can't?"
"Then why can you guys never summon a Servant from the future?" Xia Yu spread her hands. "Because this isn't a problem a mere Holy Grail can solve. My arrival in this era wasn't thanks to a measly Holy Grail."
"...I'm going for a walk," Illya was silent for a few seconds before standing up. "Since I'm going to live here from now on, I need to get familiar with the surroundings."
With that, she fled.
"Sigh," Xia Yu shook her head.
There was nothing for it; partings always come.
"Aren't you going after her?" Fujimaru Ritsuka walked up to her side and blinked. "This is the kind of moment where you can raise your favorability by chasing after her."
"Her problem isn't a lack of favor; it's that her favorability has already exploded," Xia Yu glanced at her. "And you—I imagine you have a lot of things to ask me too?"
"I'm in no hurry," Fujimaru Ritsuka chuckled. "I have plenty of time. I'll just treat this as a vacation."
Suddenly, Tohsaka Rin stood up abruptly.
"What's wrong, Rin?" Archer asked with a look of confusion. "Did something happen?"
"The investigators sent by the Clock Tower have already arrived in Fuyuki City," Tohsaka Rin said with a face full of panic. "The one who came is that legendary Lord, El-Melloi II!"
"The so-called Lord V-Lord, Professor Goodwill... It's said he even personally participated in a Holy Grail War!"
"Can I really fool someone like him?"
"They certainly react fast," Xia Yu raised an eyebrow. "It's fine. Just go pick them up and bring them back."
"You guys go cook," she looked at the clinging Emiya Shirou and Matou Sakura, then at Archer and Sella. "Make it a feast. Let's treat it like a group party, and we'll welcome this Lord El-Melloi II while we're at it."
"Leave it to me, Rin," Xia Yu said with a smile. "I'll help you solve any lingering worries. Alright, now I need to find that kid, Illya."
She turned and left the room, walking out of the mansion until she reached a small, snow-covered park.
Illya was sitting on a swing, staring blankly, lost in thought.
"What, can't bear to let me go?" Xia Yu sat down on the swing next to her.
"...Why are you so good to me?" Illya's voice was slightly choked with tears. "You're clearly just a Berserker!"
"You're so strong; you clearly could have finished the Holy Grail War in a single night. To remove All the World's Evil from the Grail, you didn't actually need Matou Sakura, did you? I'm a Lesser Grail too!"
"You could have used me as the vessel. You clearly could have solved everything in one night... yet you dragged it out this long... You had everything prepared."
"You found Medea and signed a contract, using her Master status to mix in with Shirou and the others, manipulating the situation... You did almost everything, leaving nothing for me, your Master, to do!"
"In the end, you even shared the Third Magic that the Einzberns have dreamed of with me... even though I did nothing... Why are you so good to me?"
"Hey now, you summoned me based on compatibility," Xia Yu reached out, pulled her from the neighboring swing, and tucked her into her embrace.
"If I'm not good to you, who should I be good to?" She gently rested her chin on Illya's head. "Just like Medusa—Sakura summoned her based on compatibility too. You saw how she treats Sakura."
"So, is it because I'm also a homunculus?" Illya looked up and asked.
"There are plenty of homunculi," Xia Yu said without hesitation. "Aren't all the Einzberns homunculi? I didn't plan on being their babysitter."
"Illya... Illya... my dear Illya..." Xia Yu winked at her. "Yes, I have no way to stay by your side, but I have one more gift for you."
"What is it?" Illya blinked, asking curiously.
"Look," Xia Yu pulled a lantern out of the void. "I found this inside the Greater Grail."
"This aura..." For some reason, Illya felt a sudden urge to cry.
"Yes, it's your mother," Xia Yu gently placed the lantern in her arms. "Shh, she's still sleeping."
"After I leave, let her take care of you."
Wait, doesn't that sound a bit backwards?
Whatever, forget it.
"You'll just have to find a way to get her a body yourself. Ever heard of Aozaki Touko? Her puppet craft is super impressive; she should be able to do it."
In the Heaven's Feel route, Emiya Shirou's soul was saved by Illya in this way and handed over to Matou Sakura and Tohsaka Rin. A few years later, the two finally found a blank puppet left behind by Aozaki Touko and resurrected him.
"Mom..." Illya hugged the lantern, tears falling like rain.
"Berserker..." She lifted her head with misty eyes and sobbed. "Why are you so good to me..."
"Because Illya is cute," Xia Yu gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Make sure you stay cute and live a happy life from now on, okay?"
"Mm..."
Meanwhile, at Fuyuki City Airport.
Lord El-Melloi II, or rather, Waver Velvet, stepped off the plane.