Starting from Adopting Sakura in the Type-Moon World

The driver smoothed his gloves and asked again.

"No need. It's just after the New Year, and since I'm visiting in person, knocking at the door myself shows more sincerity."

Declining the driver's offer, Rovey handed him a banknote of considerable value without taking the change. After all, it was the New Year—even a first meeting could warrant a little good luck, and the extra could serve as a holiday tip. With a wave of his hand, he got out of the car and snapped his fingers at the driver.

Snap.

A crisp sound rang out.

Then he gave his orders: "Leave this place. Remember to delete the dashcam footage, and forget that you ever brought me here."

"Yes, sir..."

Thud.

Soon, the car door closed.

After Rovey stepped out, the driver, looking somewhat dazed, nodded blankly, then pressed the accelerator and sped out of the suburban area.

About five minutes later, at the entrance of the Tohsaka Residence.

Knock, knock, knock—

Rovey walked up the stone steps to the door, grasped the metal knocker on the Tohsaka family's iron gate, and struck it heavily against the steel surface. The loud clang of metal on metal startled the sparrows resting on nearby branches, sending them fluttering away.

"..."

But after knocking for a while, he received no response. Feeling the icy chill of the knocker through his palm and looking at the iron door stiffened by the winter cold, Rovey couldn't help but feel both exasperated and helpless.

If he were visiting an ordinary household, entering unannounced might just be seen as a breach of etiquette, earning a scolding from the owner—or at worst, being thrown out as a thief. But visiting the Tohsaka family was a completely different matter.

Unlike the common understanding of a home as merely a dwelling, in the eyes of a Magus, a home carries a much deeper meaning.

A home is a stronghold for storing one's research findings, a sanctuary, an inviolable sacred domain—in other words, a Magic Crest or a Magic Workshop.

So if Rovey dared to force his way in or try to sneak inside, the Magus within would detect him and treat him as an enemy invading their workshop. In the eyes of a Magus, that was tantamount to a declaration of war.

Thus, no matter how frustrating it was, Rovey had no choice but to stand obediently in the snow and keep knocking.

—Knock, knock, knock!!

After several more minutes with no response, Rovey pulled the knocker again and continued knocking politely.

"May I ask if the Tohsaka Patriarch is home? I am Rovey Crowley, Magus of the Clock Tower and head of the Crowley Family, here to call on the Tohsaka Patriarch."

As he knocked, he raised his voice a little, hoping to be heard from inside.

At the same time, Rovey's eyes twitched, and he grew increasingly annoyed at how eccentric and troublesome these classical Magi could be.

Just like some of the old-school Magi at the Clock Tower, this Tokiomi Tohsaka was a die-hard Retrograde Faction Magus who seemed completely oblivious to the conveniences of technological progress.

He was a prominent figure in Fuyuki City, wealthy enough to live in such a large mansion, yet he couldn't even be bothered to install a doorbell. What era was this, and he still had to knock using an old-fashioned knocker like it was the Edo period? He really couldn't fathom how these people's minds worked.

And as for contact methods, they were even more absurd. Who would believe that the esteemed Tohsaka family didn't even have a telephone? If he wanted to send a visiting card in advance, he'd have to write a letter and have a familiar deliver it—troublesome and exhausting.

Did Tokiomi Tohsaka really think this retro style had class? Or had the Industrial Revolution somehow skipped over the Tohsaka family?

If he was so keen on chasing that thrill, why not go all the way?

Why not throw out the incandescent lights and the flush toilet too? A complete return to the medieval aristocratic lifestyle would have even more flair—let's see how many days he could last.

Of course, Rovey could only grumble about this in his head. After all, he was on their turf. Even a strong dragon doesn't crush a local snake, and as a Magus Noble visiting from the Clock Tower, he had to keep a low profile. Besides, he was here to take the man's daughter away, so he had to be polite and observe proper etiquette.

Suppressing his irritation, Rovey finally waited about seven minutes in the snowy weather before the gate opened.

Creak!!

Hearing the sound of metal being unlatched from inside, Rovey, standing in the snow, quickly snapped back to attention.

"Welcome, Head of the Crowley Family."

As the gate slowly swung open, a refined and gentle male voice rang out.

Rovey turned his gaze toward the sound.

When the courtyard gate opened, a middle-aged man with a refined face, a red goatee, and a well-fitted red suit stepped out, holding a walking cane. He offered a greeting to Rovey, who had been standing in the snow for a while.

Silently following behind him was a figure in green—a beautiful woman with long, smooth black hair, delicate features, a graceful figure, and an aura of Yamato Nadeshiko.

At this New Year's hour, as the lady of the Tohsaka household, she accompanied her husband to receive this guest from afar.

As for why they were so slow to come out, it was because Tokiomi Tohsaka had wasted some time picking out a suit, unwilling to lose the Tohsaka family's dignity in front of an outsider.

Though Aoi Tohsaka felt that keeping a guest waiting in the snow was far more discourteous than any suit choice, she couldn't stop her husband's behavior and could only follow silently to greet the guest.

Red suit, goatee, and that ever-present air of forced elegance—it was definitely Tokiomi Tohsaka, no mistake. The famous Scapegoat of This World from the Type-Moon World was quite recognizable.

As for the other beautiful lady, she must be his wife, Aoi Tohsaka.

After the familiar-faced, well-mannered middle-aged man appeared, Rovey's gaze briefly swept over them both before he quickly looked away, politely nodding in greeting.

"Happy New Year, Tohsaka Patriarch, and Lady Tohsaka."

"Happy New Year. It's good to see you again, Mr. Crowley."

Tokiomi Tohsaka, who had just stepped out of the courtyard, smiled and nodded, returning the greeting with appropriate courtesy.

Facing Rovey Crowley, a noble from the Clock Tower with such a long lineage, proper etiquette was essential. As the host, the Tohsaka family absolutely could not lose face and let the Mage Family from the Clock Tower see any fault.

Thus, Tokiomi Tohsaka, wearing a refined smile, exchanged a few pleasantries with Rovey before extending his arm to guide the young man he had met in London a year ago. From start to finish, his manners were impeccable.

"Please, come in."

"Alright." Rovey gave a slight nod.

Under the host's lead, Rovey strolled through the sizable courtyard, taking in the sights of the Tohsaka family grounds step by step.

Like those Mage Families who loved to decorate their facades to showcase their prosperity, the Tohsaka courtyard was lavishly adorned.

Gravel paths, gardens, shrubs, and a lighthouse inlaid with rubies—every suitable ornament was present, fully displaying their local lordly opulence and the wealth and prestige befitting a Mage Family.

Still, such worldly arrangements might impress ordinary people, but for Rovey, who was also a Magus, they were just so-so.

Luxurious?

Perhaps a bit, but it was merely the standard for a Mage Family.

There was nothing particularly precious here; it couldn't even compare to his own family's setup, and compared to old aristocratic families, the gap was far from small.

After all, his teacher's estate truly flaunted extravagance and wealth without restraint.

So, rather than these landscapes that were only intimidating on the surface with no real function, what truly caught Rovey's attention were the barrier formed by those ruby lamp posts, the familiars scattered in every corner of the estate, and the many magic arrays hidden in the shadows. These layered defenses made the Tohsaka courtyard airtight.

It seemed Tokiomi Tohsaka truly valued his family's stronghold. At least in Rovey's eyes, this level of arrangement counted as a tightly guarded Magic Crest. It was fortunate he hadn't acted rashly earlier, or dealing with these magic arrays would have been quite troublesome.

With just a few glances, Rovey didn't dwell on it or pry. Instead, he silently followed behind Tokiomi Tohsaka, conversing with him as they walked along a hidden side path that bypassed the courtyard's layout, leading straight to the front door.

Tokiomi was pleased with this, silently raising his opinion of Rovey a notch.

As expected of a noble from London. Though his family had suffered some misfortune, the nobility passed down through his bloodline hadn't been lost. His manners and upbringing were proper, which delighted him.

Upon reaching the door, Tokiomi gently pushed open the entrance.

"Please, come in, Mr. Crowley."

"Alright..."

Before Rovey could respond, the moment Tokiomi opened the door, they suddenly heard a somewhat hurried clatter of footsteps rushing down the wooden stairs.

"Daddy!"

Then a lively but childish female voice reached their ears, causing Tokiomi's face to stiffen, turning somewhat sour.

Hearing that youthful voice, Rovey's mind stirred, and he turned to look. What came into view was a little girl running toward them, wearing a red butterfly hair clip, her black hair in twin tails, with a cute, innocent face.

In Rovey's eyes, she was like a lively little elf in winter, bouncing over to Tokiomi and affectionately grabbing his sleeve.

Only when Rovey beside her spoke did she realize there was a guest in the house today. She cast a curious glance at Rovey and asked, "Who are you?"

"Rin, what's with this reckless behavior? And don't be so rude to a guest. Have you forgotten the Tohsaka family's manners?"

Seeing his daughter's poor performance, Tokiomi's face visibly darkened.

"S-sorry!"

Hearing her father's displeased scolding, the cheerful Rin shrank back, her smile wilting like a withered flower.

After all, Rin was only six or seven years old. Being suddenly scolded by her father naturally frightened her.

"..."

Behind them, Aoi Tohsaka opened her mouth as if to say something, but realizing there was an important guest present, she held back, afraid to upset her husband.

"My apologies. My daughter is a bit unruly. Please forgive her, Mr. Crowley."

"It's fine, Tohsaka Patriarch. At New Year's, it's a good thing for a child to happily welcome her father home. If anything, I'm the one intruding."

Seeing this, Rovey took the initiative to smooth things over for Tokiomi.

Then he bent down, looked at the downcast little girl, and spoke with a smile.

"Hello there, little Miss Rin Tohsaka. Don't be scared."

"My name is Rovey Crowley. If that's hard to say, just call me Rovey. Nice to meet you—please take care of me."

"...Rovey Crowley? A foreigner?"

Rin stood there, quietly murmuring the strange name.

"Rin, introduce yourself to the guest," Tokiomi said.

Without hesitating long, urged by her father, she pulled herself together and, following the manners her father had taught her, introduced herself to Rovey.

"Um, nice to meet you. I'm Rin Tohsaka. Please take care of me."

"Mm, Rin is such a polite, good girl."

Rovey reached out and gently patted her head to comfort her. Seeing this, Tokiomi's expression eased slightly.

Just as Rin finished speaking, another little girl in a purple dress emerged from the living room, led by Aoi.

She too had black hair and a round, cute face, but she lacked Rin's vitality, looking a bit timid. In terms of appearance and demeanor, she resembled her mother, Aoi.

Hearing Tokiomi's call, she followed her mother out of the living room and, as instructed, walked up to Rovey to introduce herself.

"Happy New Year, big brother. Hello, I'm Sakura Tohsaka. Nice to meet you—please take care of me."

Watching his second daughter gracefully complete the Tohsaka family rites, Tokiomi Tohsaka, standing nearby, wore a gratified smile. He didn't miss the chance to lecture his somewhat impulsive eldest daughter.

"Rin, you should learn from Sakura how to conduct yourself with Tohsaka family decorum. That rash behavior of yours just now is unacceptable. Always maintain elegance."

"Oh, I understand, Father." Rin Tohsaka pouted in displeasure.

At the same time, Rovey caught sight of Sakura Tohsaka's figure, and the corner of his mouth curled into a barely perceptible smile.

Still here, after all...

'My timing was indeed spot-on,' he thought to himself.

"Alright, alright, Tohsaka Patriarch, it's the New Year—no need to scold the children. A lively spirit like Rin's is exactly what kids their age should have."

Suppressing the smile at his lips, Rovey finally spoke up to end the tedious topic of maintaining Tohsaka elegance.

Then, to Tokiomi Tohsaka's somewhat surprised gaze, he fished two prepared gifts from his coat pocket and handed them to the two little girls before him.

"Here, Sakura, and Rin. These are welcome gifts for you, and also New Year's presents."

They were two beautiful gemstones of different colors—a ruby for Rin Tohsaka and an amethyst for Sakura Tohsaka.

"So pretty!"

At the sight of the ruby, Rin instinctively took it and let out a delighted cry.

Beside her, Sakura Tohsaka turned her head to look at Tokiomi Tohsaka.

Though somewhat taken aback by Rovey's generosity, Tokiomi didn't hesitate long. He gave a slight smile and nodded.

"Accept it. It's a token of the Crowley Family head's goodwill."

With that, Tokiomi turned and left, taking the initiative to arrange a place for their upcoming conversation.

"Thank you, big brother!"

Rin raised the ruby happily and offered her thanks.

"Mm, thank you, big brother."