Filial Piety Beyond All Bounds (1/2-Please Add to Favorites!) / A Failed Heroic Spirit Summoning (2/2)

He only spoke of achieving victory, without specifying who would hold the rights to the Holy Grail... This Old Worm is actually playing word games with me.

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Rovey's lips, but he did not point it out.

While the other man was plotting against him, wasn't he harboring the very same thoughts?

...Matou Zouken.

...Marich Zorgen, this Holy Grail War would become your funeral as well.

"Hmph. In that case, I look forward to seeing what each of us can do next."

"Of course. In order to secure the final victory in this war, this old man will naturally give his full support to the Crowley Patriarch."

Matou Zouken nodded, then smiled calmly as he answered with apparent sincerity.

"Is that so? Then I'll have to trouble the Matou Patriarch to put more thought into it from here on."

Rovey likewise exchanged a few polite pleasantries with him.

If someone unaware of the truth saw this, they would probably think the two got along very well—perhaps like grandfather and grandson?

But in reality, when Matou Zouken turned and began walking ahead to lead the way—

The instant he turned around, the smiles vanished from both their faces without a trace.

Neither spoke again or made any further probes. Rovey merely walked forward at an unhurried pace, following him into the Matou Manor.

At this moment, the vast Matou Manor no longer possessed its usual bustle.

Looking at the empty estate and corridors, Rovey could not help asking in confusion,

"Such a large family doesn't even have a single servant? Do you normally use familiars and the like for cleaning?"

"Ah..."

Hearing that, Matou Zouken shook his head and explained,

"I drove them all out. They were nothing but useless people. Even if they stayed here, they would serve no purpose."

"Indeed. I heard that the descendants who inherited the Matou Family bloodline in this generation have declined completely. They cannot even produce a proper Magus, so it is no wonder they had to adopt someone else's child."

Rovey pondered for a moment before speaking casually, completely unconcerned that he had snatched Sakura Tohsaka away from Matou Zouken.

"Hehe... I no longer care about Sakura Tohsaka, so the Crowley Patriarch need not test me. This is our final opportunity, and naturally I will not let that group of useless trash interfere with our plans. Except for one rebellious descendant, of course."

As he spoke, Matou Zouken stopped before a room and directly pulled open the tightly shut door.

Then, in a hoarse voice, he said, "After avoiding this for so long, it is time for you to put your remaining warmth to use..."

"My useless and cowardly descendant, Matou Kariya."

As the wooden door opened, the figure of a man tightly bound to a stool gradually appeared before them.

Chapter 16: Filial Piety Makes One Strong (1/2, Please Save!)

As the door was pushed open from outside, a figure tightly tied to a chair with hemp rope entered their sight. It was Matou Kariya.

However, the already gloomy and frail man did not seem to be in a good state. Not only was his body bound tightly by ropes, but because Matou Zouken found him too noisy, his mouth had been stuffed with an unwashed burlap rag casually found in the bathroom. The stench made tears stream uncontrollably down his face.

After being locked in this pitch-dark room for two entire days, Matou Kariya finally saw light again.

"Useless fool, what are you screaming about in here? You cannot endure even two days?"

The instant the door opened, Matou Zouken walked in with his cane. Then, expressionlessly approaching him, he yanked the rag from his mouth.

Before Matou Zouken even had time to start cursing, he raised his cane and swung it hard into Kariya's body, knocking Matou Kariya and the wooden chair beneath him onto the floor.

"Ahhh!!!"

In an instant, a shrill scream replaced his earlier cursing. Matou Kariya, suddenly struck to the ground, clutched his stomach and curled up in agony. Clearly, Matou Zouken had made him into a punching bag.

"Tsk, that was vicious..."

Rovey could barely bear to look, feeling deep sympathy for Matou Kariya's plight.

He felt that Matou Kariya had truly made too great a sacrifice for this operation. He had not expected Matou Zouken to be so ruthless with him. It seemed he needed to treat him better later.

After they returned, he would have Kariya follow him back to the family at the Clock Tower as a butler. He could be responsible for caring for Sakura Tohsaka, which would at least settle his worries. However, given his current position, Rovey obviously had no way to help Matou Kariya. Kariya could only endure it himself.

"Useless thing, have you calmed down a little now? After not returning for so many years, you came back only to try and burn down your own home with gasoline barrels. You little bastard, you're about to kill me with filial piety!!"

Although he had tormented Matou Kariya a little, Matou Zouken's anger clearly had not subsided.

After all, when a descendant who had run away from home suddenly returned, acted submissive, and claimed he wanted to help you, only for you to discover that he was secretly planning to threaten you by setting your house on fire, no one would be in a good mood.

If not for the fact that he was one of the last remaining carriers of his bloodline and still had a use later, Matou Zouken would definitely have skinned him alive today to vent his anger.

"You old bastard... Are you trying to kill me?"

Matou Kariya raised his head and retorted.

"If I could, this old man truly would like to skin you alive."

Matou Zouken looked coldly at the utterly unrepentant Matou Kariya.

"But your miserable life will still be needed later. For now, keep that wretched life of yours and live properly for this old man..."

"So this is the Matou Patriarch's descendant of this generation?"

"Yes, Matou Kariya. He truly has the face of a loser."

Rovey stepped closer and bent down to inspect Matou Kariya sprawled on the floor. Looking at his originally rather handsome face, now nearly beaten into a pig's head by Matou Zouken, he smiled faintly.

Matou Kariya: "..."

At Rovey's merciless words, he frantically complained in his heart, You're the one with a loser's face!

Yet upon seeing the meaningful look in Rovey's eyes, he still gave an almost imperceptible nod, then turned his head away without another word.

"Hehe, this disappointing descendant of mine has made the Crowley Patriarch laugh. This useless Matou Kariya has lacked ambition since childhood, and he never attended to proper matters. During middle school, instead of staying home to study magecraft, he wrote some nonsense about Darkness... Darkness something Caria."

"He would rather dream during the day, cling to boring fantasies, and muddle through life than inherit the family magecraft. After growing up, even the woman he had secretly loved for so many years was stolen by that goat-bearded brat from the Tohsaka Family. He ran away from home for years, and now he has sneaked back for another man's woman. You have utterly disgraced this old man, you worthless thing."

Matou Zouken snorted coldly, frowning as he began listing every foolish thing Matou Kariya had done from childhood to adulthood, along with that rough, loser-like love story.

"Oh? Mr. Matou Kariya's life experience has been quite colorful..."

Rovey narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Matou Kariya, whose body remained sprawled on the floor and whose face had already turned bright red from Matou Zouken's mockery.

"Ahhh!! What the hell are you talking about, you damn old bastard?! When did you sneak a look at my diary?! I was wondering why I could never find my diary back in school!"

Before he could say anything harsher, Matou Kariya had already been enraged red by Matou Zouken exposing one dark secret after another. Finally, under Rovey's half-smiling gaze, he completely lost the courage to argue and could only lie helplessly on the floor, howling like a child whose embarrassing history had been publicly exposed by his parents during the holidays.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Now that I hear it, you really have had it rough, Mr. Kariya. Your romantic history is surprisingly rich."

"If you studied in the Spiritual Evocation Department, that resentment with nowhere to go might make excellent material for spiritual evocation. Perhaps you could summon something remarkable."

Rovey patted his shoulder and said with a smile.

"Are you making fun of me or mocking me... You two are both awful."

"Hmph, the resentment of a loser... Aside from wandering evil ghosts, I truly do not think he could summon anything worthwhile."

Matou Zouken snorted. He then swung his cane through the air, and the sharp strike was like a small blade. In a single instant, it severed the ropes binding Matou Kariya.

The newly freed Matou Kariya immediately sprang to his feet, pointed at Matou Zouken, and said,

"You damned Old Worm! Where exactly is Sakura?! Don't you dare lay a finger on her!"

"Useless trash, you truly are beyond saving."

Seeing that the first thing he cared about after getting free was another man's daughter, Matou Zouken completely gave up on him.

At last, too lazy to discipline him further, he casually waved a hand and said impatiently,

"The adoption plan for that little girl has been canceled. She is not in my hands now. If you have any questions, ask the Crowley Patriarch beside you later. He is Sakura Tohsaka's new guardian."

At that, Rovey smiled and winked at Matou Kariya.

The moment Sakura Tohsaka was mentioned, Matou Zouken could not stop himself from getting angry. His carefully arranged plan had actually been snatched away by Rovey.

Still, considering their current situation, this was fine as well. He had already decided to risk everything, and that little girl no longer had any use.

If she remained in his stronghold, she would instead draw Tokiomi Tohsaka's attention. Since Rovey wanted her, then he could have her.

After all, the purpose of adopting Sakura Tohsaka had been to prepare for the next Holy Grail War. This time, however, he would bring an end to this five-hundred-year obsession.

Of course, he had considered that if he truly could not win, he could use that little girl as a hostage to threaten Tokiomi Tohsaka. Rovey had not agreed to that, however.

"I see..."

Matou Kariya put on an expression of relief.

"Hmph, do not celebrate too early. Although that little girl is no longer involved, you still cannot leave. There will be a use for you later. Wait here obediently. Crowley Patriarch, let us go to the basement and inspect the Sacred Relic."

Seeing Matou Kariya looking so relieved, Matou Zouken mercilessly poured cold water over him. He then waved his hand as though shooing away a fly, telling Kariya to remain quietly in the manor for the time being before leading Rovey toward the Magic Workshop in the basement.

Before leaving, to prevent this idiot from escaping again, he did not forget to order several insect familiars to stay behind in the room and watch him.

A few short minutes later, only Matou Kariya and several insects remained in the vast manor, staring at one another.

Once the two men had left, an almost imperceptible sigh of relief appeared on Matou Kariya's face. He slowly opened his hand, revealing an old photograph crumpled into a white ball resting in his palm.

Rubbing the photograph in his hand and feeling its warmth and texture, Matou Kariya's heart became even more resolute.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, then turned his gaze toward the Matou Family basement.

"Just wait, Old Worm... You'll have plenty to regret when the time comes."

Matou Kariya clenched his fists and muttered to himself, his eyes shining with a resolve he had never possessed before.

"And you... Tokiomi Tohsaka. This time, I will definitely crush your unrealistic fantasies with my own hands!"

Chapter 17: A Failed Heroic Spirit Summoning (2/2)

Time: Night.

Location: Matou Family, Basement Workshop.

Not long after arranging Matou Kariya, two shadows—one tall and one short—appeared here under the lamplight.

"This is... a fragment of King Arthur's Round Table? Hmm, judging from the residual magical energy, it really is a top-notch item. I have to say, you did well to get your hands on something like this."

Taking the Round Table Fragment Matou Zouken handed him, Rovey narrowed his eyes and examined it closely.

Yes, the development was correct. Just as in the original storyline, the Old Worm still intended to use a fragment of the Knights of the Round Table's table for Heroic Spirit Summoning, and the Servant he would summon was Lancelot, Knight of the Lake, appearing in the Berserker class.

"It is certainly a fine item, but which Knight of the Round Table are you planning to summon? The range of Knights of the Round Table covered by this relic is simply too broad. With good luck, you might even summon King Arthur. With bad luck... Gareth, Gaheris, or even some obscure Knight of the Round Table would not be impossible. Their strength would not be particularly formidable in a Holy Grail War."

Though he already knew what Matou Zouken intended to do, Rovey still asked as a cover.

"Of course, I understand that. If one simply uses a Round Table Fragment belonging to the Knights of the Round Table, the uncertainty is far too great. It could affect our plan, so this time I came prepared..."

At Rovey's reminder, Matou Zouken nodded and pointed at the ancient inscription on the Round Table Fragment.

"Before using it, this old man searched through materials and translated it. After repeated confirmation, I can be certain that the words inscribed here are the name of Lancelot, Knight of the Lake. This fragment belonged to Lancelot's seat. Therefore, this fragment can summon one of the culprits behind Britannia's destruction—the legendary Lancelot, Knight of the Lake."

"Lancelot... That truly is a very powerful Servant."

Rovey nodded, fully agreeing as he asked, "Saber?"

"No, not Saber. The swordsman's class should already have been taken by someone else, so this time I intend to summon him in the Berserker class, then use a berserk incantation to catalyze him and make him even more destructive."

Matou Zouken explained.

More destructive... Hehe, normally speaking, Lancelot's greatest strength was his martial skill. Summoning him in the Berserker class, which came with Madness Enhancement and the evaporation of reason, was already a form of weakening. Adding a berserk incantation on top of that... Hehe.

Even if it truly increased his destructive power, what would it matter? Without his wisdom, how could he display his martial skill and exert the power he ought to possess?

Lancelot, possessed of wisdom, mastery of martial arts, courage, and strategy, was the Knight of the Lake who earned his great fame in legend. Without wisdom, the so-called Knight of the Lake would be nothing more than a rabid mad dog.

However, Rovey did not remind Matou Zouken. He merely watched silently and gave a slight nod.

"That works too. Berserker is not weak in any regard and is easy to control, so he has a considerable advantage in a Holy Grail War. As for me... I want to try using this first."

As he spoke, Rovey reached into his trench coat and rummaged around. Then he pulled out an old, worn-looking book and handed it to Matou Zouken.

"Ho? This is...?! It is actually this!!"