Shirou Kotomine

"Is that so...?"

Hearing Rovey's answer, Rin Tohsaka was inexplicably moved.

You should know that she has always regarded Rovey as a very bad guy.

After all, it was because of him that he and his sister were separated for so long.

Although when they met again later, she saw that her younger sister was not only not being bullied, but was actually doing better than at home, and seemed happy and had made new friends, which made her feel more relaxed and less hostile towards Rovey, some childhood prejudices still remained, which is why she wanted to cause trouble for Rovey.

Hearing these words, she suddenly felt ashamed.

However, after some thought, Rin Tohsaka made a choice that surprised Rovey somewhat.

"Forget it, although what you just said touched me a little, I don't need it."

"Why?"

Rovey raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing some curiosity.

"Because my father taught me that one should take responsibility for one's own actions."

Rin Tohsaka replied seriously, "Since I caused this mess myself, I'll definitely have to clean it up by myself. I don't need anyone's help, and if I accept your help, I won't be able to hold my head up in front of you."

"He has backbone; it's beyond my expectations."

Having understood her meaning, Rovey nodded with satisfaction, adding, "It seems Tokiomi Tohsaka's upbringing is quite good."

"Of course! I'm Rin Tohsaka, so let me tell you, I will never be defeated by something as trivial as this!"

Rin Tohsaka snorted coldly, then her fighting spirit was rekindled, and she said confidently, "I won't let you, you big idiot, laugh at me!"

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Rovey Wei responded with a calm but polite smile. He glanced at the house and said quietly, "While it's impressive, such a large house must have very high utility bills over the years. Besides... Rin Tohsaka decided what kind of job she wants to do? Don't you have the Holy Grail War to participate in?"

Rin Tohsaka was slightly taken aback.

She seems to have forgotten about it.

There is only one week left until the Holy Grail War begins.

Where should she go to earn money?

Rin Tohsaka's expression showed that she had completely forgotten about it, and Rovey also smiled.

He had already learned when he explored the city's Leyline that the Holy Grail War had begun in less than a week.

Furthermore, according to Rin Tohsaka, Sakura and Aoko should also be coming. So he doesn't need to run around everywhere; he can just wait here to meet them.

Moreover, he can stay here for the next few days and watch how that unlucky girl Rin Tohsaka off her adventures.

"Hmm, this is really something to look forward to. Rin Tohsaka, who's penniless, actually has to work hard to make a living. Jewel Magecraft is very expensive, you know~"

Rovey reminded her.

"It's just a mere Jewel Magecraft, it's no challenge for me at all. At worst, I just won't use it..."

Rin Tohsaka continued to stubbornly hold on.

"The idea is good, but I think it's completely impossible."

"Why?"

Rovey looked at her calmly and said, "Let me remind you, the Holy Grail War is not as simple as you think. If you don't take it seriously, you could lose your life. You'll understand once you look at the records your father left behind."

"Huh?"

Rin Tohsaka was slightly taken aback. "How do you know so much about the Holy Grail War?"

"Because..."

Rovey raised an eyebrow, then a hint of reminiscence appeared in his eyes, "The victor of the last Holy Grail War is standing right in front of you. And in that Holy Grail War, both Kenneth- sensei and Aozaki Touko were there, and even your proudest father was my defeated opponent."

Rin Tohsaka's eyes widened. "What?!?"

"So enjoy it! The upcoming Holy Grail War will surely be an unforgettable memory for you."

Rovey stood up, smiled, waved, and prepared to leave for a while.

Since it's a rare opportunity to revisit a familiar place, he really wanted to see how his old acquaintances were doing now.

Chapter 357 Kotomine Shirou

Time: Evening.

Location: Inside the Forest Cathedral in Fuyuki City.

In the afternoon, after watching Rin Tohsaka perform the Tohsaka Family's ancestral lapse in judgment in front of him, and confirming that she was in good condition, Rovey, in order to prevent her from causing any more trouble later, tossed her the Holy Grail War materials left by Tokiomi Tohsaka Rin Tohsaka, telling her to read them carefully, hoping to change her somewhat frivolous attitude through learning.

As for him, he went to the church in Fuyuki City to find the priest who had changed the most and gained the most in the last Holy Grail War, hoping to learn about the state of the world from him.

After all, judging from Rin Tohsaka's expression just now, which looked like she was about to lose her dreams, it was clear that in the short term, Rovey had given up hope of getting any more information from her.

Only...

"Rovey Crowley, one of the seven participants in the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, and also Caster, the Queen of the Land of Shadows, and Scáthach's Master, am I right?"

"That's right."

Faced with this unexpected question, Rovey nodded slightly.

"Oh, it really is you! Although I saw your name in the records of the last Holy Grail War, I didn't expect you to be such a young Magus. Well, that doesn't quite add up, since almost ten years have passed, you must be in your thirties or forties by now. So I guess you must have used some kind of Magecraft or special means to preserve your youth. But that doesn't matter. Although it's a bit abrupt to say this, I still hope you can tell me everything that happened in the Fourth Holy Grail War."

"For so many years, I've really wanted to know what happened during that bizarre Holy Grail War that could have transformed my stubborn, cold, and boring father—who was practically Dead Apostle —into this strange person. He's not only earnestly started expounding the doctrines and keeping me company, but he's even taken on disciples!"

As soon as he entered, a graceful silver-haired girl dressed in a peculiar nun's habit pulled him to sit down.

At this moment, she sat at a table in the church and began to chat with Rovey about matters related to Kirei Kotomine.

"..."

Looking at her eyes, which were full of curiosity and exploration, Rovey and Kirei Kotomine, who appeared beside her, couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

Is it really appropriate to discuss one's father directly with a stranger in front of him?

However, since the other party did this, it meant that she knew that Kirei Kotomine's personality meant he wouldn't care about such a trivial matter.

And that is indeed the case.

At that moment, Kirei Kotomine also took the initiative to greet Lo Wei when he saw that it was Rovey who had come to the door.

Understanding this, Rovey smiled at the father and daughter whose interaction was still somewhat strange, then spoke to the silver-haired girl in front of him:

"About the last Holy Grail War? Hmm, that's a long story. But you might be asking the wrong person."

"Although I was the victor that time, I didn't have much contact with your father, so if you want to know the truth, you should let your father talk to you alone," Rovey shook his head and explained.

How could this happen?

The silver-haired girl found it hard to believe.

"Alright, Karen. Stop fooling around. There's no point in dwelling on the past. I've told you so many times. I wasn't impersonated. I just found what I was looking for during that Holy Grail War, and understood some things I lacked before... the feelings of being human."

"I'm still doing very well, I've never been better."

Kirei Kotomine explained to his daughter, grabbing her arm at the same time.

"And compared to me, how well did you do your homework today?"

Although the world is much safer now, as nuns in the church, daily prayers and combat training are still essential.

Previously, it was precisely because her father had spoiled Karen too much that Karen training had been somewhat delayed. That's why Kirei Kotomine brought her to his side in recent years to teach her alongside his students.

"Wow, it's Saturday today! Shouldn't we have a day off? Isn't it normal to work five days a week and have two days off these days?" Karen immediately retorted.

"Those are ordinary people, but we are not... I'll guide you through this later."

Upon hearing Kirei Kotomine shook her head, quickly dispelling her idea of slacking off.

"How could this happen?!"

"There's nothing we can do, that's the rule."

Upon hearing this, Kirei Kotomine helplessly patted Karen's head and calmly said...

"I'll come and keep an eye on you later."

Then, under Karen's shocked gaze, he uttered the horrifying words that he would catch up on his homework in a while and that he would personally supervise it.

"All right."

Knowing that resistance was futile, Karen could only accept this tragic reality. Then she looked at Rovey and said quietly, "See? That's how things are now. He's been like this for many years. If I hadn't secretly taken his hair for a paternity test long ago, I would definitely have suspected that my father was being impersonated by someone."

Clearly, no matter how much time had passed, the changes that had occurred to her father, Kirei Kotomine Karen, were so drastic that they were beyond her ability to accept.

"Karen... we have guests here, don't cause trouble." Hearing this, Kirei Kotomine sighed helplessly, then grabbed Karen's collar and obediently placed her back in her seat. He then looked at Rovey with a somewhat apologetic expression and said:

"I'm so sorry, this is my daughter, Karen. Because of some things that happened when she was little, our relationship isn't very good. Also, due to some past events, I've neglected to discipline her, and as a result, she's a bit too lively..."

She has indeed become quite lively.

Furthermore, her personality differed somewhat from what she had imagined Karen be.

However, her personality doesn't seem as bad as before; in fact, it's been replaced by liveliness.

As for his impression of Karen...

Rovey simply closed her eyes, and the next moment, the silver figure in the Carnival Phantasm who was bullying Cú Chulainn with a wad of banknotes involuntarily flashed through her mind.

That's so strange...

Let's think about it one more time.

However, in this flashback, Cú Chulainn seems to have been beaten up again.

Poor Cú Chulainn.

After thinking back for a long time, Rovey was surprised to find that his impressions of Karen were all of those rather strange images.

"..."

Seeing that his recollections were fruitless, he paused his wandering thoughts and decided to stop overthinking for the time being.

Otherwise, the art style would completely go astray.

In any case, this change is good for both Karen and Kirei Kotomine.

One child, with the guidance and companionship of their father, avoided the tragic events depicted in the original story and thus had a complete childhood. The other child, after realizing their true self, also understood what is precious and began to cherish their partner.

It could be said that their lives have now achieved a wonderful complementarity.

"Fine."

So, Rovey shook his head and then looked at Kirei Kotomine to indicate that it was nothing and he didn't care.

"It's good that you didn't take it to heart."

Upon hearing this, Kirei Kotomine turned to look at Karen, nodded slightly, and then turned his gaze back to Rovey, asking, "So, what brings you back to Fuyuki City? Is it because of the new Holy Grail War, or are you simply here to visit us?"

"... Well, actually it's both. I came back in a bit of a rush this time, so there are many things I don't know, and I wanted to come here to ask for your help. However, my visit tonight is also to confirm your current situation."

"Our living conditions...?"

Rovey picked up the glass of chilled tea and took a sip, then sighed, "Because this return was so sudden, there are many things that even I didn't truly anticipate. And since I'm already here, I naturally wanted to see you Master from the last Holy Grail War. However, let's leave aside the elusive Emiya Kiritsugu for now. The Matou Family was burned down, and I don't know where Matou Kariya lives, or even if he's still in Fuyuki City. Even Tokiomi Tohsaka went on a trip months ago. I searched all night, and the only old acquaintance I could find here was you."

"I see..."

"Indeed, ever since I purified Matou Zouken, those two brothers from the Matou Family, Matou Zouken and Byakuya Matou, burned the entire Matou Family to the ground. It is said that even the Matou Family's magical scriptures and Matou Zouken's familiars were destroyed in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing Rovey mention Matou Kariya and Emiya Kiritsugu, Kirei Kotomine, as the one who brought down that Holy Grail War, clearly knew a lot of inside information, so he took the initiative to bring it up.

"Byakuya Matou now runs a fairly large company in Fuyuki City and lives in the southern part of the city with his son, Shinji Matou. He has no intention of returning to the Magecraft World and is now a completely ordinary person. Matou Kariya also left the city and has not returned since."

"I see. It seems everyone has gone to pursue their own lives."

Upon hearing about the Matou Family's downfall, Rovey nodded.

This ending was entirely predictable.

Because of the Old Worm, the entire Matou Family had long become a den of demons. In addition, neither Matou Kariya Byakuya Matou had any intention of entering the demonic path. Therefore, after Matou Zouken died, it was extremely correct for the two of them to make such a choice.

As for Emiya Kiritsugu...

Kirei Kotomine said that he had some contact with him a few years ago.

Because the other party had made a request to Kirei Kotomine after the Holy Grail War, the two of them masked themselves and stormed into the Einzbern Family, kidnapping his daughter. It was because of this experience that Emiya Kiritsugu helped him a lot when he went to pick up Karen later.

Their relationship grew much closer as a result.