Shirou's Return from the Fae Kingdom

During his years in Britain, Shirou knew almost nothing about his homeland, the general human history, except for stories like the legends of the Knights of the Round Table, which he learned through "Drifting Objects."

If he were to start understanding the world from scratch, it would take several years.

That wasn't a problem, though. Shirou was only seven this year, so he had plenty of time.

The issue was that Magic in this world seemed to regard "concealment" as the supreme principle.

Even if he wanted to learn, Shirou, an orphan with no parents, had no way to do so.

Now, he had obtained a database named Zouken Matou.

The genius Magus Makiri would answer all his questions, saving him five hundred years of effort. It felt great.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Sakura."

Seeing the red-haired boy's recent actions, Sakura Matou instinctively felt fear, but she immediately remembered that Shirou had just saved her from the insects.

Recalling his firm embrace, the girl's heart was filled with warmth.

"Brother Shirou, thank you for saving me."

"Yeah, let's go back."

"Okay, okay."

Sakura Matou quickly followed, stealing glances at the toy duck in Shirou's hand.

"Ah, I'm sorry. He's your Grandfather, and it's rude of me to be holding him like this. Here, take him."

Shirou tossed the toy duck over, but Sakura Matou dodged it with a look of disgust, letting "Grandfather" fall to the ground.

"Please don't throw that thing at me, Brother Shirou."

"That, that thing!?"

The boy was quite dejected by the girl's extremely cold tone.

After sending Sakura back to her room, Shirou knocked on Tsuruno Matou's door.

Starting tomorrow, he would be the new head of the Matou Family.

Volume 1, Chapter 012: The Visitor

The next day, Shinji learned that his Grandfather had gone abroad for a trip.

The Matou Family was able to enjoy a brief period of peace.

For a while afterward, Shirou Amamiya continued to stay at the Matou residence.

Under Tsuruno Matou's arrangements, he obtained proof of identity and enrolled in a primary school in Fuyuki, becoming a schoolmate of the Matou siblings.

During the day, he would go out with the Matou siblings to school to learn about this world.

At night, through the "Magic Terminal · Makiri," he obtained information about the mystical side of general human history.

Before long, Shirou Amamiya learned about the secret ritual known as the Fuyuki Holy Grail War—

And the even deeper, darker truths within it.

The Holy Grail War.

A secret Magic ritual held every sixty years, based on the vast ley lines possessed by Fuyuki City.

The participants in the ritual were seven Magus, and seven Heroic Spirits (Servants) manifested through a summoning ritual.

These seven pairs would fight, determining the single final victor—

The core of the Magic ritual was the Holy Grail, known as the "Almighty Wish-Granting Machine."

This was the superficial information.

Then, Shirou Amamiya also obtained more profound, top-secret information through the "Magic Terminal · Makiri."

It was the truth about the Holy Grail, known only to the three founding Magus families of the Holy Grail War: the Einzbern, Matou, and Tohsaka.

The "Almighty Wish-Granting Machine" was merely a lie spread to conceal the value of the Holy Grail War and reduce the number of powerful opponents.

The three families founded the Holy Grail War to sacrifice all seven Heroic Spirits, thereby reaching the Vortex of the Root.

The Vortex of the Root refers to the coordinate of Origin where all things begin.

The seat of God, which records all phenomena from the beginning to the end of all things.

"Cause" gives birth to "Effect."

"Cause" contains "Effect."

Therefore, by reaching the "cause," one can know and manipulate all "effects."

For Magus who crave truth, reaching the Root is the sole and ultimate aspiration.

The Fuyuki founding families concealed the information that "the Holy Grail can open the path to the Root," which is why the Fuyuki Holy Grail War was not taken seriously by the Magus world.

"I see, the Vortex of the Root... Morgan also talked to me about similar topics before..."

Shirou suddenly understood, so that's why she named my eyes the "Boundless Mage's Eye."

"Arriving at the Origin" and "Arriving at the End."

Two seemingly opposite phrases, yet they hold the same meaning on a magical level.

"But then again, the Fae Kingdom doesn't even have a magic civilization, so why would Morgan know such profound information?"

Although he knew he wouldn't see her again, Shirou felt a sliver of awe for his Savior.

"It's me, Tsuruno Matou."

In the evening, Tsuruno Matou arrived at the study Shirou had been frequenting.

Ever since that night, he no longer saw Shirou as an ordinary seven-year-old child.

To him, Zouken Matou was a symbol of terror and absolute authority.

Yet, the monster that had dominated the Matou Family for centuries was eliminated by a boy no older than seven near his own workshop.

Shirou Amamiya was undoubtedly a more terrifying monster who had devoured that monster.

Although he said that Tsuruno Matou would be in charge of the Matou Family from now on, the man couldn't truly believe it.

He, who had effectively worked as Zouken Matou's secretary, now had a job that was largely unchanged, with just one addition—

Teaching Shinji and Sakura the basics of Magic.

This was the only task Shirou Amamiya had given him.

While it might be strange for a biological father to say this, was there any point for Shinji to learn Magic?

He really couldn't understand his thoughts.

Looking at it this way, the true head of the Matou Family would be decided between those two.

Shinji was a son completely devoid of talent.

The daughter of the Tohsaka Family was a once-in-a-century genius.

The gap between them was immense, but—

Who would become the next head of the Matou Family, at least for now, seemed to rest entirely on Shirou Amamiya's whim.

"So, what are your plans?"

"Huh?"

Tsuruno Matou quickly added, "I mean about the upcoming Fourth Holy Grail War."

"Ah, right, the Matou are one of the Three Founding Families, we have to make preparations."

The red-haired boy looked at the man, "Zouken is gone, Tsuruno, are you going to participate?"

Tsuruno Matou shook his head vigorously: with his Magic talent, he likely wouldn't even be able to manifest Command Spells.

"Then no one from the Matou Family will participate," Shirou said regretfully.

To be honest, he was quite interested in the Holy Grail War.

The "Holy Grail" that could grant any wish, the omnipotent wish-granting machine, the Vortex of the Root... those held no interest for him, utterly boring.

Shirou was primarily interested in the existence known as Heroic Spirits.

Tsuruno Matou, guessing the boy's thoughts, whispered, "Can't you participate yourself...?"

Shirou mused inwardly: I don't have any wishes I want the Holy Grail to grant me, so the Holy Grail won't choose me...

"Shirou! Let's play! I bought a new card game!"

"Brother Shirou! Where are you?"

The voices of Shinji Matou and Sakura Matou interrupted his thoughts.

Sigh, elementary schoolers are still elementary schoolers. They should enjoy their childhood properly.

Shirou walked towards the siblings, and just then, a "Bang!" echoed from the doorway.

"Zouken!!! Get out here!!!"

A young man in a tracksuit roared at the entrance of the Matou residence.

Shirou shielded Sakura and Shinji behind him, thinking speechlessly: What is it this time?

The young man who had barged into the Western-style mansion with such ferocity was named Kariya Matou.

Although he didn't have the characteristic purple hair of the family's seaweed-like dye, he was of genuine Matou blood, even though he had run away from home ten years ago and severed all ties.

"Huh? You're saying that shady old Vampire went on a trip abroad? You think I'd fall for a lie like that, Tsuruno!"

"Believe it or not! Can you stop yelling at the entrance! After all this time, how can you still have the face to come back?"

Kariya Matou and Tsuruno, the two brothers, started arguing the moment they met.

"Little Sakura!"

Kariya Matou noticed the girl hiding behind Shirou, pushed Tsuruno Matou aside, and rushed over.

"Eek!"

Shinji shrieked, startled by Kariya Matou's overly ferocious and agitated expression.

"Sakura! Did Zouken do anything to you?"

The young man knelt on the ground, tightly gripping the girl's arm.

"Mmm, Uncle Kariya... it hurts..."

Sakura Matou wore a pained expression.

At this moment, a hand gently rested on the young man's shoulder.

"I understand how you feel. Sakura is fine, please calm down for now."

Shirou said, blinking his eyes rapidly.

Seeing what had just happened, he probably understood what was going on.

For Kariya Matou, who had now awakened his Fervent Skill, mere words would likely be useless, so he decided to use a more aggressive method—

Shirou infused his words with the power of suggestion.

"Okay..."

The young man nodded blankly, then followed him to the reception room.

There, Kariya Matou, forcibly calmed by Magic, listened to an explanation of the events.

Sakura Matou had not been harmed.

Furthermore, the malevolent spirit that had loomed over the Matou Family—Zouken Matou—had been exorcised.