Invincible Me Only Wants to Slack Off

Her fingers gripping the thermos turned white from the pressure, while the other hand resting on her thigh had already curled slightly, as if ready to form some kind of hand seal at a moment's notice.

The brief sense of ease brought on by the Yuzu Tea and the promise of family warmth was utterly shattered, leaving only a razor-sharp vigilance and scrutiny in her ice-blue eyes.

The cozy cedar-scented air freshener in the car now carried a hint of danger.

Chen Tian seemed completely oblivious to Tohsaka Rin's tense posture and the sudden icy sharpness in her gaze.

He even maintained his earlier lounging pose, merely shifting his gaze from the window to settle steadily on Rin's wary face.

"Whether you're back for the Holy Grail War or not, Miss Tohsaka Rin." His voice remained calm, still carrying a trace of the warmth from their earlier talk about Oyakodon. "This matter," he paused, the corner of his mouth lifting into a gentle smile, though his eyes held little mirth, "don't let Xiao Meng know, okay."

"...Okay."

Tohsaka Rin's voice was soft, the wariness still lingering deep in her ice-blue eyes, but she eventually nodded slowly in agreement.

Her mind raced, countless questions churning—how did Chen Tian know about the Holy Grail War? Who was he really? He carried no magical energy fluctuations of a Master; was he hiding it too deeply, or using some unknown method?

Or... did he not belong to the world of Magicians at all?

Chen Tian got the answer he wanted, and the gentle smile at the corner of his mouth seemed to deepen slightly, though the scrutiny in his eyes didn't fade.

"Good." His tone lightened, as if they'd just been discussing the weather. "You're just making a brief stop in Tokyo this time, right? Heading back to Fuyuki City soon?"

His fingers tapped idly on the armrest, his gaze returning to Rin's face with a probing certainty. "This Holy Grail War... is it still in Fuyuki?"

That sentence hit like a pebble tossed into a still pond, stirring far greater ripples in Rin's heart.

Not only did he know about the Holy Grail War, but he also knew the specific location?

And he even used the word "this"?

"...Yes." Rin's reply was even shorter, her voice barely suppressing the turmoil within.

She was almost certain that this seemingly ordinary "Brother-in-law" knew far more than he let on.

"Good." Chen Tian's smile widened, but a hint of cold distance crept into his deep eyes. "As long as you're not here to disrupt my life,"

he paused, "I won't disrupt your war either."

The air inside the car seemed to solidify into a tangible, icy pressure.

Rin's nails nearly dug into the metal shell of the thermos.

Chen Tian tilted his head slightly, that faint, elusive smile still playing on his lips. "More precisely, don't disrupt my circle of life."

His tone was flat, carrying an indifferent firmness. "Otherwise,"

those dark eyes locked onto Rin in an instant, the smile vanishing completely, leaving only a cold, emotionless edge.

"I'll just smash your Holy Grail to pieces."

Tohsaka Rin's heart felt like it was seized by an invisible giant hand, stopping for a split second before slamming violently against her chest.

A chill shot from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head, making her scalp tingle.

She didn't even have time to process the sheer absurdity of "smashing the Holy Grail" before a primal sense of danger—like facing an absolute superior being—gripped her as a Magician!

Her body reacted faster than her mind—her magical energy nearly surged out of control, and the gems hidden in her pocket began to grow warm.

Her ice-blue pupils contracted sharply from sheer terror.

She could clearly "sense"—not hear, but perceive it like a tangible force—the will to destroy in Chen Tian's words.

It wasn't the ignorant boast of a madman, but the absolute confidence and execution of someone casually declaring they would annihilate a miracle.

In that instant, before Rin's rationality could even analyze the absurdity of the statement, her battle-hardened instincts had already issued the highest alert:

This man in front of her—he could really do it! And he absolutely meant what he said!

The lingering chill of the threat seemed to echo in the car. Tohsaka Rin's back was rigid, fine beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead. Every nerve in her body was on high alert, magical energy nearly spilling from her fingertips.

"Heh..." A low, soft laugh broke the dead silence.

The terrifying coldness on Chen Tian's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a harmless, slightly apologetic smile. He even gave a playful raise of his left eyebrow.

"Did I scare you? Miss Tohsaka Rin." His tone turned light and lively, carrying a hint of reassurance. "Sorry about that."

Rin stood frozen like a stone statue, her mind a complete blank.

Chen Tian leaned slightly toward her, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret: "It's mainly because... some clueless guy before," he shrugged, his expression both helpless and a little disdainful, "completely ignored my warning. And the result..."

He spread his hands, as if recounting something trivial: "He tore down my little house. Tch, such a hassle."

"So," he reverted to that warm, big-brother tone, looking at Rin earnestly, "I came off a bit strong just now. I just don't want that kind of mess again. It's not personal."

He even leaned forward slightly, a hint of pleading in his voice: "Don't tell Xiao Meng about any of that, okay? If she finds out I scared you, she'll definitely be mad. And when she's mad, I'll have a headache for ages~"

Tohsaka Rin: "..."

Her fingers still gripped the thermos tightly, but now it wasn't from tension or fear—just sheer shock-induced stiffness.

Her ice-blue eyes were filled with nothing but confusion and disarray.

One second, he was a terrifying presence radiating destruction, ready to shatter the Holy Grail at the slightest provocation. The next, he was a "Brother-in-law" worried about his girlfriend's anger, speaking gently and even a little playfully?

The sheer whiplash made Rin feel like she was on a mad roller coaster.

The chill hadn't fully left her spine before a new wave of absurdity filled her chest. She stared at Chen Tian's face, so full of "sincerity" and "innocence," and her brain completely short-circuited.

Absolutely insane, right?!

(Explanation of the timeline: Tohsaka Rin is heading to study abroad in England. According to the original plot, this should happen after the Fifth Holy Grail War, but it's been moved up here.)

Chapter 31: Does Marin Want to Be Rin-chan's Guardian?

The car glided silently into the quiet residential street, finally stopping in front of Chen Tian's house. The driver swiftly got out and respectfully opened the rear door.

Chen Tian stepped out first, and Rin followed, her steps slightly hesitant. Those ice-blue eyes, carrying a trace of lingering confusion and scrutiny, quietly studied Chen Tian's profile—as if confirming whether this man was as she'd imagined, with a split personality...

"Thanks for the trouble," Chen Tian said, nodding slightly at the driver, his tone calm.

"You're too kind, Young Master Chen." The driver bowed deeply again, his movements meticulous. "Please feel free to call on me anytime."

The driver got back in, and the black Elfa drove off quietly.

Chen Tian turned to Rin, his face once again wearing that gentle, harmless, perfectly "brother-in-law" smile. "Let's go. Your cousin Marin," he pointed at the closed door, from behind which faint noises could be heard, "should be back by now."

Rin's gaze lingered on his face for a moment before she finally nodded. "...Mm."

The two walked toward the entrance. As Chen Tian pushed open the door—

A strange smell, mixed with the burnt odor of food, immediately hit them.

At the same time, a clear clattering sound came fiercely from the kitchen, accompanied by a sense of frantic activity.

Rin's steps halted. A flicker of understanding and... deep helplessness passed through her ice-blue eyes.

The smile on Chen Tian's face paused subtly, then softened into a helpless fondness. "Tsk, looks like the making of 'Oyakodon'... was quite intense."

The sound of the door lock turning and their footsteps alerted the person in the kitchen. A golden ponytail suddenly peeked out from the doorframe.

Kitagawa Marin had a few black smudges on her face, sauce splattered on her apron, and an unidentifiable burnt object on the spatula in her hand.

"Rin-chan!" Her eyes lit up instantly. She rushed over in three quick steps, the apron strings fluttering in the air. She casually shoved the spatula into Chen Tian's hand and threw herself onto Rin. "I missed you so much!"

Rin staggered back half a step, the mixed scent of caramel and soy sauce filling her nose.

She instinctively reached out to catch her cousin, the corners of her mouth lifting involuntarily. "It's only been half a year..."

"Half a year is 182 days!" Marin clung to Rin like a koala, burying her head like a kitten in Rin's neck and taking a sniff. "Ah~~~ The smell of Rin-chan~"

A dull thud suddenly came from the kitchen.

Chen Tian stood amidst the mess, a bottle of mirin rolling on the counter. He held a charred frying pan in one hand and a half-cooked egg in the other, his expression rather helpless.

Marin immediately let go of Rin and ran over barefoot. "Tian-kun~ My Oyakodon!"

"Theoretically..." Chen Tian poked the burnt rice with the spatula, "this should be called 'Charcoal-grilled Parent and Child'?"

Marin stuck her tongue out at Chen Tian and said coquettishly, "Didn't Tian-kun say you don't like half-cooked eggs? I thought I'd fry them a bit more, just... went a little overboard."

Chen Tian shook his head helplessly, pulled a tissue from the dining table, and dampened it with some water. He gently cupped Marin's chin with his left hand and carefully wiped the black smudges off her cheek with his right.

Marin tilted her face up, her eyes curving into crescents, like a docile little cat.

"There." Chen Tian put the tissue away and ruffled her hair. "Go keep your cousin company. I'll handle this."

"Mm-hmm!" Marin nodded cheerfully, hopping out of the kitchen. As she passed Rin, she winked triumphantly. "Tian-kun's cooking is amazing!"

Rin stood at the kitchen doorway, her expression a bit stunned.

Through the glass door, she watched Chen Tian skillfully tie on the apron and clean up the mess on the counter with swift, efficient movements.

That man who had exuded a dangerous aura in the car was now focused on picking out usable ingredients, his demeanor so gentle he seemed like a different person.

"He... can actually cook?" Rin blurted out without thinking. "Maybe I should go help?"

Marin giggled, grabbed Rin's arm, and pulled her toward the living room. "Don't worry, Rin-chan! Tian-kun's cooking is amazing!"

They sank into the soft sofa, and Marin pinched her own cheek. "See? I've even gained weight since living with him."

"Wait..." Rin suddenly sat up straight. "You two... are living together?"

"Yep!" Marin's eyes curved into crescents. "Three months and seven days now~"

The throw pillow in Rin's hands nearly fell. "And your uncle... didn't say anything?"

"Dad?" Marin swung her feet. "At first, he came to check on us every day. Once, he even suddenly knocked on the door at three in the morning." She let out a laugh. "But then he saw Tian-kun making me Brown Sugar Ginger Tea, and he never came again."

The sound of a spatula clinking came from the kitchen, and the aroma gradually drifted out. Marin suddenly lowered her voice. "Actually, Dad really likes Tian-kun now. Last week, he even secretly asked him when he was going to marry me."

Rin nearly spat out the tea she'd just drunk.

"Just kidding~" Marin stuck out her tongue, then suddenly turned serious. "But Tian-kun is really attentive. He even remembers my period better than I do."

Inside the kitchen, Chen Tian was sprinkling chopped green onions over the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, the apron strings tied into a neat bow at his back.

Chen Tian worked quickly. Before long, three dishes, one soup, and Pan-fried Dumplings were neatly arranged on the table.

The Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes looked appetizing, the Stir-fried Green Peppers with Pork were tender and glossy, the Stir-fried Lettuce was crisp and refreshing, the Pan-fried Dumplings were golden and crispy, and a simple bowl of Seaweed and Dried Shrimp Soup steamed with warmth.

"Miss Tohsaka, my apologies," Chen Tian said, taking off his apron with a hint of regret. "We're a bit limited on ingredients at home, so I could only prepare these simple dishes."

Tohsaka Rin quickly waved her hand. "You're too kind, this is already plenty." She picked up her chopsticks, took a helping of Stir-fried Green Peppers with Pork, and brought it to her mouth.

The next moment, Rin's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Savory and perfectly seasoned, the pork was tender and smooth without a trace of gameyness, the heat control so precise that each bite yielded an ideal softness. The sauce had layered flavors, flawlessly coating the ingredients.

This level... far surpassed ordinary home cooking.

She tried the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes next. The eggs were fluffy and silky, rich with egg fragrance, while the tomatoes were sweet and tangy with plenty of juice. The two melded together seamlessly, with no eggy smell or raw tomato taste.

Even the simple Stir-fried Lettuce was crisp and refreshing, carrying the wok's breath, with garlic aroma just right.

Rin herself was a skilled cook well-versed in Chinese cuisine, and she knew how hard it was to bring these homestyle dishes to such a masterful level.

Her fingertips holding the chopsticks loosened slightly. Just how many sides did this man have?

"Delicious, right?" Kitagawa proudly stuffed a Pan-fried Dumpling into her mouth, cheeks bulging as she mumbled, "Rin-chan, you eat up too!"

Tohsaka Rin nodded, said nothing more, and quietly picked at her rice and dishes.

The sweet-and-sour of the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, the savory saltiness of the Stir-fried Green Peppers with Pork, the crispness of the lettuce—all were just right. Even the ordinary seaweed soup tasted naturally fresh.

Kitagawa watched her revel in her boyfriend's cooking, her big eyes curving into a bridge as she smiled, wearing a smug look that screamed, "Admit I've got good taste."

Half an hour later, the three set down their chopsticks. The plates were mostly empty.

"I'll wash the dishes," Rin said, standing up to gather the tableware.

"Oh, Rin-chan, you're a guest!" Kitagawa quickly tried to stop her.

Chen Tian also spoke up. "Miss Tohsaka, just leave it to me."

Rin shook her head, stacking the plates with brisk efficiency. "You worked hard on the cooking, it's only right I do the dishes."

Her tone was gentle but brooked no refusal. Kitagawa and Chen Tian exchanged a glance, smiled helplessly, and let her be.

From the kitchen came the sound of running water and the crisp clatter of dishes knocking together.