Chapter Eight: Embracing Elegance

My name is Alaya.

I have dropped Ryuunosuke Uryuu off with Tokiomi Tohsaka.

25795:03:24

Aoi Tohsaka, the wife of Tokiomi Tohsaka, is a woman with a classical appearance, a gentle heart, and the refined grace of a traditional Japanese lady. Even when she is simply sitting still, she evokes the image of a well-bred young lady who has gracefully transitioned into married life.

Born into the Zenjou family, which counted mages among its ancestors several generations back, she possesses no magical talent herself, yet she understands perfectly well what it means to be a mage. When she accepted Tokiomi’s proposal, she was fully prepared to put the interests of the Tohsaka family above all else. Deep down, however, she still yearns for the simple happiness of an ordinary family, untainted by the complexities of magecraft.

At present, a factor that threatens this happiness has already emerged: her two daughters, Rin and Sakura, both possess exceptional magical talent. Yet, the Tohsaka family’s Magic Crest can only be passed to one of them. The other would be like a child clutching gold in a busy marketplace... She shakes her head, unwilling to dwell on the thought any further.

"I’m warning you, Ryuunosuke! Stay away from my little sister!"

"Alright, alright... I’ll keep my distance. You shouldn't stand so close to the fountain, you know."

"Hmph! Don't tell me what to do!"

In the fountain square of the park that afternoon, a young girl with twin tails shields her short-haired sister behind her, loudly scolding the young man who is clearly trying to look after them. The scene brings an involuntary smile to those who witness it.

"Um, Rin, Mr. Uryuu is only..."

"Sakura, don't be fooled by Ryuunosuke’s face! He’s definitely not a good person!"

The short-haired girl looks a bit shy. She seems to want to say a word in the young man's defense, but after being rebuked by her sister, she blinks and falls silent, offering only an apologetic look toward the blond youth.

A year ago, Aoi might have intervened to stop this and made her daughter apologize to her husband’s apprentice, but now, there is no need.

"Go away! You blond-haired jerk!"

"These are cookies the Mistress baked, Sakura. Would you like one?"

"Mm, yes please."

"Sakura, don't just take food from strangers!"

Ryuunosuke Uryuu, a youth born and raised in Fuyuki, accidentally awakened his magical bloodline while reading ancient books left behind by his ancestors. Unable to control his own magical energy, he sought help from the Tohsaka family, the administrators of Fuyuki. After a thorough investigation, Tokiomi took him on as an apprentice.

The young man is enthusiastic, cheerful, helpful, hardworking, and diligent. Everyone who has dealt with him speaks highly of him, and his magical talent has even earned praise from Tokiomi Tohsaka. Only Rin remains steadfast in her belief that he is a villain, to the point where Aoi has begun to wonder if there is something wrong with her parenting.

"Yo, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Kariya."

Aoi Tohsaka puts down her book and offers a smile to the childhood friend who has appeared before her. Kariya Matou still struggles with his appearance—his hair is a bit messy and his clothes are slightly outdated—but overall, he looks clean and his spirits seem high.

Although he ran away from home ten years ago because he refused to inherit the Matou family line and found work as a newspaper reporter in another city, he still returns from time to time to visit her and her daughters. Rin has called him ugly, but she doesn't seem to resent him.

"Is that kid Ryuunosuke still not getting along with Rin?" After some idle chatter, Kariya glances at the little girl who is currently expressing her disdain for the young man's hair color.

"Perhaps, as you say, it's just that water and fire attributes never mix," Aoi says with a smile. "Just like how you and Tokiomi never see eye to eye."

"Tch, as a childhood friend, I have to keep him on his toes so he treats you well." Kariya touches his nose, feeling a bit awkward, and looks away.

He has little feelings for her, and as a childhood friend, Aoi is well aware of them. But perhaps it is simply not meant to be; no matter what, she cannot place Kariya in any position other than that of an "older brother next door." Since he chooses to maintain the status quo, she has no intention of exposing it.

"It's Uncle Kariya!"
"Uncle Kariya..."

As they speak, the two little girls run over hand-in-hand, followed by the slightly helpless Ryuunosuke Uryuu.

"Here, a gift." Kariya ruffles their hair and hands each of them a ruby ornament. "Go play with your mother; I have something to discuss with Mr. Uryuu."

"Be careful! Ryuunosuke is a big liar!" Rin sticks out her tongue and makes a face before running off to chatter beside Aoi and Sakura.

"Yes, yes—" Kariya replies, walking toward the orange-haired youth.

"Your father has not yet made a request to Master regarding adoption, nor has Master mentioned anything about the inheritance of the Magic Crest." Before Kariya can speak, Ryuunosuke Uryuu says this, having moved a short distance away.

"Is that so... that’s good." Kariya breathes a sigh of relief.

He hadn't thought about this before, only realizing the danger after visiting Aoi and being asked several "questions inappropriate to ask a teacher" by this newly awakened mage.

When Sakura and Rin grow up, who will inherit the Tohsaka Magic Crest? Why had he never considered such a serious question? Was it because he had voluntarily abandoned his own family that he overlooked it?

The Tohsaka crest can only be passed to one person. The Matou family has no suitable candidate to inherit their own crest. The two families are on good terms, and Zouken Matou is an ancient monster.

As long as that old man makes a request for adoption, Tokiomi Tohsaka will surely agree—unless Kariya goes around exposing the fact that the creature has lived for 500 years and is only seeking a child to use as a new vessel.

In truth, the entity currently wearing the image of his father is indeed that "ancestor"—his father’s body was taken, and his idiotic brother Kariya's brother Kariya had failed to notice. Kariya had no choice but to flee under the guise of running away from home.

"If you're really worried about your family, just go back. You're all family; there's nothing you can't talk out," Ryuunosuke Uryuu says, cheerfully patting Kariya on the shoulder.

There is truly nothing to talk out with an ancestor from twenty-six generations ago. Kariya sighs: "In any case, if you see any signs of that happening, please contact me immediately."

"If you have a solution, just say it. I might be able to help." The cheerful youth continues to pat his shoulder, and Kariya can only offer a wry smile.

A solution? Of course, it would be to sacrifice himself. That old monster would surely not want to use a female body and would likely wait for the adopted girl to bear the next generation. But what might happen before then is hard to say.

His own body, which has been praised for its "decent aptitude" several times, would surely satisfy the old man enough to stop him from requesting an adoption. But that is a last resort. Kariya once saw the true form of that "ancestor," and it was simply...

And this kid, Ryuunosuke, acting so boastful while knowing nothing—it’s truly infuriating. No wonder Rin doesn't like him.

...No, wait. Could it be that Rin has the same attitude toward Ryuunosuke precisely because she has thought about the inheritance issue?

"Hiss! That's hot!"

In the next instant, Kariya Matou cannot continue his line of thought.

On the back of the hand Ryuunosuke Uryuu used to pat him, three strange red patterns appear, resembling twisted lightning. Even though Kariya Matou had run away and never systematically studied magecraft, he knows exactly what Command Spells look like.

25714:43:29

"In other words, in order for me, Tokiomi Tohsaka, to obtain three sets of Command Spells and emerge victorious, the Holy Grail has selected you... Tell me, is that clear?"

The current head of the Tohsaka family, the administrator of the Fuyuki region, a man who maintains aristocratic grace at all times, an excellent mage dressed in a deep red suit and holding a glass of red wine—Tokiomi Tohsaka introduces the Holy Grail system to his apprentices with a tone filled with confidence.

He had been in Italy negotiating a partnership with a friend regarding his own son's acquisition of Command Spells, only to receive news that the apprentice he had taken in—out of pride as the head of Fuyuki's greatest mage lineage—had also gained the qualifications to participate in the Holy Grail War. This led Tokiomi, who had always been steadfast in his pursuit of the Root, to wonder if perhaps he was favored by the gods.

"Teacher—" Ryuunosuke Uryuu raises his hand to ask a question.

Tokiomi’s feelings toward this apprentice, who was born and raised in Fuyuki and unexpectedly awakened a magical bloodline, are complex. His own talent was not outstanding; he had to rely on extraordinary effort to gain his father’s recognition and inherit the position of family head. Yet this youth, Ryuunosuke Uryuu, seems to display what it means to be a genius—awakening with sixty-six Magic Circuits and the ability to use simple, unsystematic magecraft immediately.

He had caught Tokiomi’s attention when he used that crude magecraft to save his wife from a traffic accident. Although Aoi would have been fine even if he hadn't intervened, Tokiomi noted the debt of gratitude. After thoroughly investigating his background, he accepted him as an apprentice when Ryuunosuke came to seek his guidance, and he has now become a very capable mage.

Because Ryuunosuke’s elemental affinity is Water, and Tokiomi’s is Fire, he can no longer teach him further. He had originally planned to write a letter of introduction to send him to the Clock Tower, but now...

"Is there a problem, Ryuunosuke?" Tokiomi asks, swirling the red wine in his glass.

"I am, of course, willing to help Teacher obtain the Holy Grail, but I did not know of its existence when I received my Command Spells," the blond youth says without hesitation. "So I think I know what my wish is."

So you have decided to stand against your teacher in this war? If this were a few years ago, he might have asked that question directly. But knowing his apprentice’s blunt nature, Tokiomi merely sips his wine and nods for him to continue.

"I was discussing the inheritance of the Matou family's Magic Crest with Mr. Kariya Matou. He mentioned that his brother was incapable of inheriting it, which made me think of the two young ladies. That was when I received the Command Spells," Ryuunosuke Uryuu says in one breath, then falls silent.

This is exactly what Tokiomi appreciates about him: while he is blunt, he doesn't ramble once he is sure the other party understands his meaning. So, setting aside that coward from the Matou family who avoids his responsibilities, what is the meaning behind Ryuunosuke’s words?

Ah, the crest—yes, Ryuunosuke is close with both his daughters and must be unwilling to see them separated.

Assisting his teacher in obtaining the Holy Grail and helping him reach the Root, with the premise that his teacher will not worry about the decline in family influence caused by splitting the Magic Crest—that must be it.

"I see. You are indeed my fine apprentice, and your wish is perfectly acceptable." Tokiomi Tohsaka, having grasped the situation, puts down his glass and gives Ryuunosuke a commendatory pat on the shoulder. "Reaching the 'Root' is the sole aspiration of the Tohsaka lineage. Once achieved, the prestige of the Tohsaka family will rise to unprecedented heights. At that time, even with only half of the Magic Crest, no one will dare to look down upon them."

History records that several people have reached the Swirl of the Root, but the moment they did, all evidence of their existence in this world was erased. They vanished without a trace and are believed to have never returned. Therefore, splitting his Magic Crest between his two daughters is entirely acceptable until he achieves final victory and steps onto the path to the Root.

"Is there anything else?" Although a mage should not be swayed by personal emotions, Tokiomi still feels pleased by his apprentice's concern for his wife and children, so he asks again.

"There is..." The youth scratches his head, revealing a shy expression like a young boy: "I have studied magecraft for less than a year, so my ability to command a Servant must be severely lacking. Please, Teacher, put me through more rigorous training before the Holy Grail War begins."

"No problem," Tokiomi says, even more satisfied. "From now on, you will live here and begin your training with Kirei. The next Holy Grail War is in three years; by then, you will both surely be mages capable of commanding Servants."

"Yes, Teacher, I will work hard." Ryuunosuke Uryuu bows to Tokiomi Tohsaka, then turns to the silent, black-clad, short-haired youth standing beside him and extends his hands: "Please take care of me, junior brother."

"..." Kirei Kotomine, who was brought back from abroad, is unaccustomed to such enthusiasm. He looks toward Tokiomi, and only after receiving an encouraging nod does he reach out to shake hands: "Please take care of me, senior brother."

Having obtained the combat power of three Heroic Spirits before the war even begins—how could I possibly lose?

Tokiomi Tohsaka thinks with absolute confidence.

As for the adoption request that Zouken Matou has hinted at several times without formally proposing—let it blow away with the wind.