The misty air made it hard to see clearly, but her hair color and slender figure left no doubt—this was Illya. It was true that his first Script entry always placed him near his target, but this was the first time he'd found himself in such an awkward situation.
Breaking into the bathroom of a bathing little girl—no matter the reason—was a crime punishable by death. Realizing he was clearly in the wrong, Jiang You immediately closed the bathroom door and retreated. But the moment he turned around, a slipper loomed larger and larger in his vision. Recently, Jiang You's reflexes had improved. Almost instinctively, he pulled the attacker into the range of his Noble Phantasm, successfully blocking the strike brimming with murderous intent.
"So strong!"
Hearing Illya's scream, Sella rushed in with her younger sister. Unlike in their original world, Sella hadn't been specifically trained for combat in this Parallel World. However, as an Einzbern homunculus, she had been pre-programmed with combat capabilities. Ordinary, burly adult men stood no chance against her—three or five at once wouldn't even pose a challenge. This kick alone could have felled any enemy. Yet the black-haired youth opposite her simply stood his ground, neither dodging nor blocking. Her attack vanished into thin air the moment it made contact. This man was no ordinary foe—he was clearly a Magus!
"Leysritt, take Illya and run!"
Sella made a snap decision. "This man is dangerous—he's not just some ordinary loli(?)con! Get out of here and call the police immediately, and notify the family head!"
"Wait a moment, I can explain!"
Jiang You raised his hands in surrender, desperate to avoid having his reputation ruined.
"Explain? How are you going to explain this?"
Though he didn't understand why they were trying to negotiate instead of attacking outright, he knew reasoning with them was futile.
"I'm not a stranger. Illya actually knows me. You can ask her yourself. I didn't expect her to be in the bath right now."
"Do you even hear what you're saying?" Sella retorted.
Seeing Jiang You begin to back away, Sella quickly closed the distance, forcing him away from the bathroom door so Leysritt could escape with Illya.
"Even if you're an acquaintance, who barges into someone's bathroom to look for them?! You lolicon!"
"Sella... wait a moment. I do know him..." Illya called out from behind the door.
This Illya was a good child. She knew Jiang You was coming, though she hadn't expected him so soon, so she wouldn't let him be misunderstood. Not that Jiang You's actions could exactly be called a misunderstanding. She hurriedly wrapped herself in a bath towel and emerged, water droplets still clinging to her damp hair.
"Even if you know him, you can't just barge in like this!"
Sella's expression softened slightly, but remained far from forgiving. After a moment's reflection, her face darkened again. "Besides, Illya, this guy is clearly an adult, probably a college student at least. You're only in fifth grade! He definitely has ulterior motives for approaching you!"
Jiang You realized she was right. He was more than ten years older than Illya; no matter how he tried to explain, it would inevitably sound suspicious.
"It's not like that..." Illya struggled to find an explanation. Ever since becoming a Magical Girl, she had her own little secret. Jiang You was essentially an accomplice to her secret, so she couldn't just stand by and watch him be sent to the tower. Besides, they still needed his help finding the black-haired girl's brother.
"Oh, right! Remember that outfit? My clothes were torn, and he lent me his. Anyway... anyway, I told him his clothes were in the bathroom. It was just a coincidence about the timing... yes, that's it! So you can't blame him."
Sella narrowed her eyes at Illya's flimsy explanation. She had indeed seen the outfit suddenly appear with Illya. The high-quality materials had prompted her to investigate its origin, and the price had left her speechless. She had specifically asked Illya where it came from, but Illya had always stammered and avoided giving a straight answer. Now, looking back, Sella realized Illya had known this young man all along. As for the claim about the torn clothes, that was utter nonsense. Sella had been acting as Illya's guardian whenever Kiritsugu and Irisviel were away. How could she not know if Illya's clothes were torn?
Sella scrutinized Jiang You again. He did indeed have a handsome face—it wasn't surprising that a young girl like Illya would be drawn to him.
"Illya, lying isn't a good thing."
"I... I didn't lie."
Illya visibly panicked. What secret could a fifth-grade girl possibly keep hidden?
Jiang You seized the opportunity to defuse the situation, intervening to help Illya. "Miss Sella, I'm actually a friend of your master, Kiritsugu Emiya. So it's not surprising that I know Illya."
"That's impossible! Kiritsugu's whereabouts..."
Just as Sella was about to call out Jiang You's lie, she noticed the Origin Bullet he offered. Here, Kiritsugu's life trajectory mirrored the original, allowing Jiang You to use artifacts from the Fourth Holy Grail War as tokens of trust. Sella recognized the bullet immediately—it was Kiritsugu's most prized possession, his trump card. If it were in someone else's hands, that person could only be either an enemy who had defeated him or a close friend.
If he were an enemy, there would be no need for explanations. Therefore, he must be a friend. Given Kiritsugu's notorious reputation, having friends was practically a miracle.
"I had no idea about this connection," Sella admitted. "I was too suspicious. I apologize."
"Huh?"
This Illya barely knew Jiang You, only that he was a close older brother to her counterpart in another worldline. Given that she knew him, it was perfectly normal for her to also know Kiritsugu.
"Yes... exactly! So, Sella, this older brother and I need to talk about something. It won't take long, just give us a moment alone. Don't worry."
"...Absolutely not!"
Sella shook her head vehemently. She couldn't even entertain the thought of leaving Illya alone with him.
"Even if you're Kiritsugu's friend... no, this has nothing to do with friendship. Illya is only ten years old! I won't allow you to lay a hand on her!"
"Ah?"
Now it was Jiang You's turn to be bewildered, but he quickly pieced things together. His dramatic entrance had likely terrified Sella, Illya's guardian, at the prospect of them being alone. In truth, discussing these matters in front of Sella wouldn't have mattered much, but he understood Illya's desire to keep her Magical Girl secret. "That's impossible. You're overthinking things. Hmm... we don't need to be alone, but every little girl has her secrets, right? Let's talk outside. You can follow us, as long as we remain within your sight, right?"