After pinky-promising a mutually beneficial agreement with Esdeath, the two of them finished the pot of meat soup as a midnight snack.
Esdeath did some quick washing and went back to her tent to rest, conserving her energy for tomorrow.
Byakuya, meanwhile, returned to the Nasuverse.
Over the past few days, besides returning for the three fixed meals a day to eat with Sakura Matou and the others, he would return once or twice a night to get updated intelligence from Morgan.
Although there had been no movement from the Einzbern family, and there was no news regarding the remaining two Master slots—whether they had fallen to Kayneth, Waver, or some other magus—the possibility of the Holy Grail War suddenly commencing was low.
But…
what if?
Furthermore, setting the Holy Grail War aside, maintaining the habit of checking in occasionally often led to unexpected harvests.
“Kariya Matou?”
Looking at the young man standing frozen in the courtyard, held fast by a binding spell cast by Morgan, Byakuya recognized him and signaled Morgan to release the restraint.
“Cough…
*gasp*…
*wheeze*…”
Kariya Matou, who had clearly been restrained for a while, took several deep breaths.
Once he recovered slightly, he looked up at the strange man and woman before him.
“Who are you people?
Why are you here?”
“Didn’t the reports say that the second son of the Matou family left years ago and severed all ties with the clan?”
Byakuya asked with a smile, “Could the intelligence be wrong?”
“…”
Kariya Matou remained silent, panting heavily.
It was exactly as the man said.
The twisted magecraft, the sickening worm pits, the old monster who could be called either a father or an ancestor…
Deeply loathing all of it, Kariya Matou had chosen to break free from the shackles of his family and leave that place, which felt like a living hell.
As for why he, who had been gone for years, had returned to the Matou residence today…
That had to start with his childhood friend, Aoi Tohsaka, who had now married into the Tohsaka family and borne two daughters for Tokiomi Tohsaka.
To preserve the Matou bloodline, Zouken Matou had discovered early on that Aoi from the Zenjo family possessed excellent qualities as a mother.
Thus, he had arranged for Kariya Matou to be in contact with Zenjo Aoi since he was a child.
However, because he never wanted to bring Zenjo Aoi into the worm pits, Kariya had always suppressed his feelings for her.
When Tokiomi Tohsaka intervened, Kariya confirmed that the Tohsaka magecraft was more normal than the Matous’ and that Tokiomi’s side as a magus was not as twisted as the old monster in his own home.
He had then silently decided to let her go and offer his blessings.
‘Marrying that man…
should be able to make you happy, right?’
At least, that was what Kariya Matou had thought—until today, when he happened to be free and returned to Fuyuki with gifts to visit the Tohsaka mother and daughters.
At first, when Kariya Matou heard that Aoi Tohsaka had returned to her parents’ home with her daughter, he assumed it was simply a rift in their relationship.
After all, they had been married for six or seven years; a “seven-year itch” was perfectly normal.
But then he rushed to the Zenjo estate and spoke with Aoi and Rin Tohsaka.
What did he mean by, “Because the Matou family’s magical bloodline had died out, and in accordance with an ancient covenant, Tokiomi Tohsaka adopted Sakura, the second daughter of the Tohsaka family, into the Matou house”???
Upon learning that this had happened nearly a week ago, Kariya Matou felt as if his entire world was crashing down.
‘I stepped aside and let you have Aoi just so she could stay far away from that hell, and this is how you reward my trust, you piece of shit, Tokiomi?!’
Terrified that Sakura might encounter something horrific after entering the Matou family, Kariya didn’t even stop to drink his tea.
Under the astonished gazes of Aoi and Rin, he bolted out the door.
However, the moment he stepped into the courtyard of the Matou Residence, before he could do a single thing, Kariya found that his body had been frozen.
He only regained his freedom several hours later.
Taking a deep breath, Kariya spoke.
“I think I have a guess as to who you people are…
You’re helpers the old man brought in from the outside for *that* matter, aren’t you?”
Although he hadn’t inherited the family’s magical arts, Kariya had been the only one of the younger generation with any magical aptitude before he left home.
Because of this, Zouken Matou had once vaguely mentioned that if Kariya had inherited the family’s magecraft, he might have been able to participate in a war that held immense significance for both the Matous and the Tohsakas.
Combining that with what Aoi had told him recently—that Tokiomi had sent them away from the Tohsaka estate for their own safety…
Having connected the dots, Kariya said, “Since you know my identity and my relationship with him, can you let me see him first?
There are things I need to say to him personally.”
“…Are you sure?”
Byakuya looked at him with an expression that Kariya found somewhat strange.
“I’m sure!”
Kariya gritted his teeth and nodded firmly.
“Now that I’ve returned to this place, I’ve mentally prepared myself to face whatever comes.”
“Then be my guest.
I’d suggest walking a bit further away, though—it’d be a shame to get blood on the floor here.”
Byakuya gestured for him to leave.
“?”
“It seems you aren’t aware,” Byakuya stated.
“Zouken Matou died a few days ago.
If you want a face-to-face meeting, you’ll likely have to ‘go down’ there yourself.”
“What?”
Kariya froze on the spot.
Dead?
That’s great!
Wait!
“Then what about Sakura?
The little girl adopted from the Tohsaka family a few days ago.
Five years old, black hair, about this tall…”
Kariya didn’t have time to wonder about the stance of the mysterious couple now occupying the Matou Residence—especially considering they had somehow disposed of Zouken Matou, a man who had lived for centuries and had been perfectly capable of receiving Sakura just days prior.
He asked urgently, gesturing with his hands to describe her height.
“Her?
She’s in her room, already asleep.”
Byakuya sensed the aura in Sakura Matou’s room.
“It’s late, after all.
It’s not good for children to stay up past their bedtime.”
“Right, right, she needs her rest.”
Kariya agreed quickly, then paused to confirm once more.
“That old man…
is he really dead?
It’s not that I don’t trust you two, but from what I know, his survival capabilities are far superior to those of a normal magus…”
“In the end, he was nothing more than an old worm who spent everything he had on a stubborn obsession to maintain his life.”
Byakuya shook his head.
“Since you aren’t an enemy, come back tomorrow.
I’ll let you see the little girl then.
As for today…
perhaps you should go find your brother?
He and his father are currently staying at the Hyatt Hotel in Shinto.”
After giving Kariya Tsuruno Matou’s hotel room number and contact information, Byakuya waved him off, signaling that any further conversation would have to wait until tomorrow.