Listening to the eerie laughter in the thick fog, Alice Kuonji casually tossed out a die. As it landed on three, two bizarrely shaped penguins appeared before her—the Annoying Twins.
The two penguins immediately charged into the fog and vanished, leaving behind only faint sounds of battle.
Touko boredly watched the surrounding fog. She took out a cigarette and had just lit it when Aoko snatched it away and threw it to the ground.
"No smoking."
Touko shot Aoko an annoyed glare.
"Are you picking a fight?"
"Heh, do you want to turn into a frog again?"
Just as the two sisters rolled up their sleeves and prepared to tear into each other, the fog suddenly dispersed. With their vision restored, they saw Arisu approaching and simultaneously turned away with a cold snort. "Hmph." x2
"Arisu, how was it?"
Alice Kuonji looked at the questioning Aoko and nodded.
"That's right. It's Fairy Tale Magecraft, probably derived from a Russian folk tale."
"Then Arisu, are you planning to take Sakura in?"
Arisu looked at the expectant Tohsaka sisters and nodded.
Rin happily grabbed Sakura, lifted her into the air, and called out to her excitedly.
"Sakura, Sakura, did you hear that? From now on, you'll be able to walk your own path too. Aren't you happy, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded happily. Although she had been exposed to magecraft long ago, the Tohsaka family's inherited magecraft was utterly unsuitable for Sakura's Imaginary Number Attribute. For a long time, she could only study Basic Magecraft. It was only after Rin exchanged for the Man-eating Grandma of the Chicken-Leg Hut from the system and taught it to Sakura that Sakura truly stepped through the gates of magecraft.
However, Rin's Fairy Tale Magecraft came from magecraft of the A Certain Magical Index world exchanged through the system. Lacking research materials related to Fairy Tale Magecraft, no matter how Rin improved or studied it, she could not make the magecraft display its original power in Type-Moon. Seeing Sakura's path of magecraft stall once more, Rin researched tirelessly but found no solution. She could only choose a teacher for Sakura from her memories, and only recently, when the timing had ripened, did she decide to bring Sakura to Alice Kuonji as her apprentice.
Touko watched the happily frolicking Tohsaka sisters and gave Aoko beside her a nostalgic look before silently turning toward the Kuonji residence.
Aoko sensed Touko's gaze and turned her head, but all she saw was Touko's retreating back. She shrugged in confusion.
Night, Kuonji residence.
After having Kirei Kotomine find lodging for himself at the foot of the mountain, Rin came to Arisu alone.
"Big Sister Arisu, may I call you that?"
Arisu, who was sitting on the sofa reading, turned to look at Rin and nodded.
"Big Sister Arisu, can I trade some of my magecraft for magical research materials related to 'Mystery'?"
Arisu put down her book, looked at Rin, and said coolly.
"No need. The shelf in the basement, row 5A, contains the relevant materials. You can read them yourself."
With that, Arisu picked up her book and ignored Rin.
Rin smiled and bowed to Arisu.
"Thank you, Big Sister Arisu."
When Rin arrived in the basement, she saw Sakura sitting at a desk just inside the door, hugging a thick book as she studied it seriously. Nearby, Touko lay sprawled on the floor without a care for her image, using a stack of books as a pillow while reading another book in her hands.
Rin did not disturb the focused Sakura. She silently walked over to the bookshelf and, following Arisu's directions, quickly found the books she needed. She casually pulled one out, walked over to Touko, sat down beside her, and rested her head on Touko's soft thighs.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing?"
"There aren't any seats left."
"Who asked whether there were seats? I'm asking why you're using my thighs as a pillow."
"Saving resources. No waste."
Hearing Rin's answer, Touko rolled her eyes at her and simply could not be bothered to argue. She let Rin do as she pleased.
Sakura, immersed in her book, heard her sister's voice and slowly raised her head. She happened to see Rin shamelessly acting like a spoiled brat.
Seeing Rin like this, Sakura carefully covered her mouth and giggled. Hearing Sakura laugh, Rin raised her head, looked at Sakura, and hurriedly asked.
"Ah, Sakura, what's wrong? Did Big Sister disturb you?"
Sakura shook her head and looked at Rin, who was resting on Touko's thighs.
"No, Big Sister. It's just that ever since we left home, I haven't seen you like this. Seeing you this way again today just makes me happy."
Rin smiled. I really have been too tense lately. But it's wonderful that Sakura's future path of magecraft can finally go smoothly. As she thought this, Rin reached out and patted the thigh she was resting on, then said to Sakura.
"Sakura, it's really soft. Want to try it?"
Touko put down her book, sat up, and angrily grabbed Rin's cheeks, pulling them hard to both sides.
"Kid, I only agreed to be your bodyguard. I never agreed to be your nanny. Do you know when to stop?"
"Mmph! Mmph!"
With her cheeks being pulled, Rin could not speak. She could only use Reinforcement Magecraft to pull Touko's hands away.
"I was just joking. But it really is comfortable," Rin said as she rubbed her reddened cheeks.
Touko looked at the little witch who had revealed her true nature, shook her head, stood up, gathered the books, and returned them to the shelf.
"Kid, you and your sister can read slowly. Sigh, I'm going out for a walk."
Rin and Sakura watched Touko leave the basement in frustration. They looked at each other, then burst out laughing together.
Sakura stopped laughing and quietly muttered to herself as she watched her sister continue to laugh.
"Big Sister hasn't been this happy in days. I'm sorry for making you worry about me all this time. Now I can control my own power too. From now on, I definitely won't leave you alone again. Big Sister, I love you the most!"
As she spoke, Sakura walked over to Rin and buried her head in Rin's arms.
A recommendation for a big shot's new book.
"Gunfight Game Great Summoning"
Season of Parting!
Time quietly arrived in January.
After more than a month of studying, Sakura, whose school term was about to begin, planned to return to Fuyuki City today.
Kirei Kotomine carried their luggage behind the two sisters and followed them to the station.
"Sakura, sorry, Big Sister can only see you off this far. Kirei, remember to take good care of Sakura on the way. After you return to Fuyuki City, remember to bring the Holy Grail and come back early."
Kirei Kotomine looked at Rin, who was speaking like a little adult, and smiled.
"Rin, be careful on your way back to Miss Kuonji's house too. News of your arrival in Misaki City has attracted many people with ill intentions. Are you sure you don't want to call Touko over to accompany you?"
As he spoke, he put down the luggage and took out his phone, waiting for Rin's decision.
While Sakura had been studying magecraft in seclusion under Alice Kuonji's guidance, she had not known that a large number of mercenaries from outside the magecraft world had entered Misaki City. Hearing Kirei Kotomine's words now, she looked at Rin worriedly.
"Big Sister, you should have Aunt Touko and Master Arisu come pick you up at the station."
Rin confidently waved her hand and struck a bodybuilding pose at Sakura.
"Don't worry, Sakura. The magecraft knowledge I accumulated through years of research has been fully developed over this past month and turned into practical combat formulas. If some idiot comes looking to die, I can use them to test my current level."
After saying that, Rin glanced at several passersby not far away. They were squatting by the roadside pretending to read newspapers, but their eyes kept stealing glances at Rin.
"Then Big Sister, you have to be careful. Oh, right, take this Mystic Code with you."
As she spoke, Sakura took the Fairy Tale Book that Kirei had given Rin for her birthday years ago from her little shoulder bag and handed it to Rin.
Rin took the Fairy Tale Book and ran her small hand over the rough surface of the Mystic Code. Recalling that moment, she smiled knowingly and handed the Fairy Tale Book back to Sakura.
"No need, Sakura. I have my own Shorthand Codex and the family's Jewel Sword as Mystic Codes."
Seeing that Sakura was still worried, Kirei Kotomine walked behind her and patted her head.
"Sakura, since Rin has already made her decision, we should trust her. Come on, Sakura."
"Then Big Sister has to pinky promise me that you'll absolutely keep yourself safe."
Seeing that her little sister still worried about her safety, Rin stepped forward and lightly kissed Sakura's forehead. Then she turned around, waved, and strode out of the station.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Sakura's face turned bright red. Steam continuously rose from her head as she stood frozen in place. Big Sister kissed me. Big Sister kissed me...
After leaving the station for some distance, Rin headed straight into an abandoned factory.
"Come out already. Following me all the way must have been tiring."
At Rin's words, several men dressed as mercenaries emerged from the shadows of the buildings behind her.
Rin slowly turned around to face the silent mercenaries pointing Mystic Codes and firearms at her.
"Just a pack of hyenas drawn in by the bounty? I thought I might run into a worthy opponent."
The wary mercenaries realized something was terribly wrong upon hearing Rin's words and hurriedly tried to dodge.
But it was too late. At some point, a small gemstone had appeared in Rin's hand. It was now giving off a mysterious glow, and the moment the mercenaries saw that light, their consciousness vanished.
This mysterious radiance was the Starlight of Venus, derived by Rin through researching the Aztec Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli's Spear. It represented the power of Ishtar, goddess of war and destruction, and used the Mystery acquired from ancient starlight to reproduce, through Idol Worship Theory, the power of Venus when Ishtar devastated and destroyed sacred Mount Ebisu.
Of course, the small amount of Starlight of Venus that Rin had collected and reflected using gemstones was nowhere near the level of myth. But against ordinary people and the ordinary magi lying on the ground, it was nothing less than the light of death. The moment they saw it, their consciousness had already been destroyed by the Starlight of Venus that symbolized destruction.
Looking at the fallen mercenaries on the ground, Rin tossed the gemstone in her hand.
"Are you still not coming out?"
Only then did a man in a leather jacket, with several claw scars over his left eye and sunglasses on his face, slowly emerge from behind a concrete mixer.
The man raised both hands high over his head, showing Rin that he meant no harm.
"Miss Rin, your father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, hired me to protect you. Please don't attack."
As he spoke, the man carefully reached into his clothes, took out a Self-Enforcement Contract, and held it up before Rin.
Rin casually glanced at the Self-Enforcement Contract. After confirming that the man had indeed been arranged by her father, she regretfully pursed her lips and left the abandoned factory without looking back.
Lunchtime.
Rin returned to the Kuonji residence carrying food she had bought along the way. The moment she walked through the door, Touko impatiently snatched the food away.
Looking at the two older single women who ate takeout every day, Rin shook her head and went over to help Touko and Aoko heat the food.
As the food was reheated with magecraft, Arisu slowly entered the dining room as well.
Arisu glanced at Rin and casually asked.
"Rin, how was it?"
"No good, no good. Everyone I ran into today was trash. I did encounter one capable guy, but he turned out to be someone my father hired to protect me."
Taking advantage of Aoko's attention being drawn to Rin and Arisu's conversation, Touko swiftly stole a fish from Aoko's bowl with her chopsticks.
Aoko suddenly felt her bowl grow lighter. She turned back and glared furiously at her sister, then refused to be outdone as she extended her chopsticks and snatched the fish from Touko's bowl.
Touko also stared at Aoko, the corner of her eye twitching.
"Aoko, as the younger sister, what's wrong with letting your older sister have one fish?"
"Hmph, do you think we're still children?"
"Ha, Aoko, you dare bring up when we were children? Give me back my fish right now, or I'll show you what an older sister is today."
"Touko, do you want to become a frog again?"
"If you have the guts, try it..."
Seeing that the Aozaki sisters were about to fight again, Arisu helplessly shook her head and glared at them.
"If you want to fight, go outside. Don't damage the house."
Rin smiled as she watched the two older single women and teased them.
"You two really get along well."
"Who gets along with her?!" x2
The two sisters spoke in unison again. They looked at each other, gave simultaneous cold snorts, put down their bowls, rolled up their sleeves, and walked outside.
The scene that had played out countless times at the Kuonji residence unfolded once again.
Rin calmly ate her food. Listening to the explosions and curses coming from outside, she calmly turned to Arisu and said.
Before you continue