I, Ritsuka, The Siscon Grand Hero

Ritsuka did a rough calculation and looked around. "I'll need clothes for all four seasons, plus pajamas and such. We can buy daily necessities at the department store later."

Ritsuka tapped her left palm with her right hand, then took out a note containing Miyu's preferences and handed it to Sakura.

"Please, Sakura, could you help your weak, helpless, and pitiful self?"

"Of course, Senpai."

After shopping for nearly half the afternoon, the two, having bought most of the clothes they needed, began their journey back. The setting sun cast its afterglow, painting the roadside in deep hues.

Ritsuka, who had originally planned to buy daily necessities, couldn't help but sigh as she looked at the bags in her hands and the ones Sakura was holding. She'd have to find another time to come out again.

Still, this was supposed to be Kiritsugu's job. He's the adult of the house, after all. Entrusting tasks to children... what a terrible person...

"By the way, Sakura, we're friends now, right?"

A voice laced with a hint of anxiety sounded as Ritsuka stopped at a street corner. The Emiya residence was already in sight.

Sakura handed her bags to Ritsuka and then smiled serenely. "Friends? I suppose so. Although I haven't given Senpai a gift yet."

"Sakura, how many times have I told you not to call me Senpai? Even though I'm a year older than you."

Calling me Senpai felt good, but it was still a bit awkward. It made Ritsuka feel like she was taking advantage of Sakura, especially since they had only recently met.

Remembering her preparations, Ritsuka carefully placed the bags on the ground. Then, she reached out and firmly took Sakura's hand, meeting her gaze directly, not allowing her to look away.

Having secretly made her preparations, Ritsuka parted her lips. "Sakura, I have something I want to give you. Can you close your eyes for a moment?"

"Okay."

Though unsure of Ritsuka's intentions, Sakura obediently closed her eyes. She knew Senpai wouldn't harm her.

Only Ritsuka... wouldn't harm her...

Gently taking Sakura's hand, Ritsuka took a deep breath and took out the Crystal Dice. She hesitated for a moment. Girls usually like dolls, right?

Limited by circumstances in her previous life, she hadn't experienced the psychology of a young girl, let alone in this life.

Black ears and eye circles, an orange-yellow bow tie, and a simple, utterly plain panda plushie...

Ritsuka looked up at Sakura, whose eyelashes fluttered slightly, and slowly said, "You can open your eyes now."

"Huh? This, this is..."

Sakura exclaimed in surprise. She looked at the item in Ritsuka's hand. This was something Ritsuka had noticed earlier, something Sakura had lingered to look at while Ritsuka was picking out clothes.

Ritsuka is such a thoughtful girl.

"This is a gift, a token of our friendship. You were there when I got it, so it's not anything valuable. Sakura, you can't dislike it, okay~"

Amidst Ritsuka's playful tone, Sakura's eyes welled up with tears, and a smile bloomed on her face, one that was far too beautiful for her age.

"I definitely won't dislike it. This is... the best gift I've ever received in my life!"

Chapter 15: Zouken Matou's Choice

After parting ways with the girl named Ritsuka Emiya, Matou Sakura walked home, gradually approaching the depths of Miyamachi.

A gloomy mansion stood at the end of her line of sight. It was a two-story villa, with a Western style, yet it gave off an eerie, haunted feeling.

Without pausing, Sakura took out her key, unlocked the mansion's gate, passed through the Matou family's magical barrier, and entered the grounds.

It seemed no one was home. The quiet, dark environment was quite unsettling.

Having lived here for quite some time, Sakura had grown accustomed to the atmosphere of the Matou mansion and felt no fear. Hugging the gift from Senpai—the little panda plushie—she quietly made her way to her room.

"Sakura, you're back."

"...I'm back, Grandpa."

Sakura paused, forcing a smile onto her face.

Zouken Matou, the elderly head of the Matou family, stood not far from the staircase, watching Sakura as she prepared to go upstairs, a benevolent smile on his face.

Unfortunately, due to his personal appearance, the old man's smile looked rather sinister.

The hunched-over elder, leaning on his cane, approached the small Sakura. A hint of confusion flickered across his face as his gaze fell upon the plushie in her arms, his eyes flashing with an unreadable emotion.

The corners of his mouth curved slightly. "Sakura, did you buy this doll yourself?"

"...Yes, I bought it myself. Grandpa, I'm sorry, I spent money carelessly."

Children of the Matou family, due to the family's considerable assets, received a substantial allowance, far more than children their age.

For an unexplainable reason, Sakura instinctively lied to Zouken Matou.

She didn't want her actions to implicate her newly made friend...

"Well, it's just a small doll. Grandpa won't say anything. Be a good girl, Sakura. Put the doll in your room first, then go down to the basement."

Sakura said nothing further, her body instinctively trembling. A hint of fear flickered in her pupils.

Watching Sakura depart, Zouken Matou stood quietly at the foot of the stairs, lost in thought. A man suddenly emerged from a shadowed corner behind him.

"Father, Sakura's doll was a gift from a girl named Ritsuka Emiya, whose father is named Kiritsugu Emiya."

Kiritsugu Emiya.

Hearing the name, Zouken Matou narrowed his eyes and looked at his son, Tsuruno Matou, the nominal head of the Matou family, who was reporting to him.

"The Magus Killer. He's quite a troublesome opponent. Could he have his sights set on Sakura..."

Zouken Matou muttered to himself. He had naturally heard of the renowned 'Magus Killer,' who was said to possess specialized methods for dealing with mages and was incredibly formidable.

However, he wasn't overly fearful, given his centuries of accumulated experience.

"Father, are you really not going to tell Sakura the truth?"

"Tsuruno! Shut up."

With a furious roar and a glare, Zouken Matou silenced the man named Tsuruno Matou, who dared not speak further.

Turning around to confirm Sakura had entered the basement, Zouken Matou looked at his nominal son and sighed.

"Don't you hate me? For devouring your father."

"..."

Tsuruno Matou remained silent, not responding, only keeping his head down as if he could see a flower blooming on the ground.

"You and Shinji have no talent, and the Ainsworths are pressing us. Sakura is my only choice. Butterfly Magic is the only way to counter that exchange."

"Go. Your task is to manage the Matou family's assets and support Sakura's magical training."

"I understand, Father."

The two parted ways. Tsuruno Matou immediately left the Matou residence, while Zouken Matou headed towards the basement. As he walked, he began to awaken the swarming insects within the basement using his magic, and his own body began to undergo subtle changes.

Even caterpillars eventually break free from their cocoons to become butterflies. The Crest Worms have all been replaced. His time is running out...

In the cold, damp environment, the swarming insects in the basement rose like a tide, engulfing the small figure. Magic of the void attribute manifested. Sakura, who had only learned a superficial understanding of magic, struggled against the sea of insects controlled by Zouken Matou.

"Try a little harder, Sakura. Otherwise, Grandpa's bugs will devour you whole."

A distorted smile on his aged face filled Sakura with dread. Especially when his lips curled, bugs even fell from his mouth.

Her fear shattered her limits, and for a moment, the magic Sakura was using nearly dissipated.

Frowning, Zouken Matou immediately controlled the swarm, reducing the number of insects rushing at her to a level she could handle.

Even a prodigy from the Tohsaka lineage was still too young. Zouken Matou's time was limited, so he had to be a bit harsh. Only then could he provide more protection for the Matou family before he departed.

For example, by nurturing a successor to his magic.

However, simply imparting knowledge and practical experience wasn't enough. After all, he was holding back considerably. Sakura's improvement would plateau after a certain point, requiring more drastic stimulation...

Manipulating magic, one insect flew around Sakura's magic shield. Its wings, sharp as knives, grazed her tender face.

"Ah!"

The magic shield shattered instantly, and the lightning-like offensive magic vanished. The insects swarmed, tearing at Sakura's hair, pain engulfing her entire body.

Butterflies fluttered. Sakura, still unskillful with Butterfly Magic, brought out her trump card. Butterfly Magic, adept at illusions, briefly 'affected' the swarm, even 'influencing' Zouken Matou himself.

Flames surged, the best element against insects, which Sakura held in her hand. For a moment, several fireballs 'overturned' the sea of insects.

Sakura possessed exceptionally outstanding magical aptitude. Her magical attribute was the extremely rare Void.

Although it hadn't been developed, due to its unique and powerful characteristics, Sakura's learning speed for other types of magic was still quite fast. After creating distance, she grasped two gems.

With the aid of the items, she couldn't hold on for long in a direct confrontation, so she would try harder with other means.

Flames and lightning shattered countless insects. The overflowing magic crushed many of the fragile bugs, and Sakura, having expended a significant amount of magic, gasped for breath.

Jewel Magic, one of the most famous prodigal magic arts, was also somewhat related to Sakura. This was because she was from the Tohsaka family, which had been wiped out in a Holy Grail War several years ago. That family had believed Ainsworth's lies, and out of the four family members, only Sakura survived due to Zouken Matou's protection.

While Jewel Magic itself didn't consume mana, maintaining Butterfly Magic to 'successfully' interfere with Zouken Matou was quite difficult. Her performance today was definitely beyond her usual level.

"Very good, Sakura, but you're still far from it."

Zouken Matou, who had been 'under the influence' for a while, broke through the Butterfly Magic. The magic backlash instantly sent Sakura flying, and countless insects swarmed, beginning to bite at her body.

In an instant, Sakura fell unconscious.

The sea of insects fell silent, then burrowed deeper into the basement, leaving Sakura, with numerous bloodstains on her body, lying quietly in the center of the pit.

Zouken Matou gently picked her up and walked towards the basement exit—

"You held on for nine minutes today. With this speed of progress, Sakura, you will surely be able to bear the heavy responsibility of the Matou family."

Chapter 16: Those Who Believe in Miracles Are as Remarkable as Miracles Themselves!

Time flowed by in the blink of an eye. Ritsuka lived an unprecedentedly peaceful life, spending their days cooking and cleaning, with only two options: playing with Miyu and cultivating.

As time passed quickly, a problem loomed over this fragile family: with Miyu's growth, the power known as Divine Child was nearing its end, and the deadline was Miyu's upcoming sixth birthday.

There were only seven days left until the time when the power of the Divine Child would disappear, as recorded in the ancient texts of the Tsukishiro family...

Dawn arrived. Listening to the pattering rain outside, Ritsuka, who woke up precisely on time, yawned and gently pried Miyu's arm, which was wrapped around them, off.

Getting up cleanly from the tatami mat, Ritsuka put on slippers and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast as usual. It was a bit early, so Kiritsugu and Miyu, who often stayed up late, were still sound asleep.

The light rain fell on Fuyuki, suppressing the rising heat in the air and filling it with a fresh scent.

A cold wind blew. Ritsuka, opening the door and stepping outside, shivered and immediately closed the door behind them, preventing Miyu from catching a cold while asleep.

Having lived here for nearly a month, Ritsuka was already very familiar with the routine. It quickly walked to Kiritsugu's room, intending to take out the daily trash.

Gently pushing the door open, Ritsuka froze in place. Kiritsugu, shrouded in smoke, sat by a low table in the corner, continuously flipping through an ancient book in his hands.

"Kiritsugu, you haven't slept all night again?"

Holding its nose, Ritsuka walked into the room and opened all the windows for ventilation. The morning sunlight streaming into the room made Kiritsugu squint uncomfortably. Having stayed up all night cultivating, his eyes were bloodshot and looked rather grim.

"And try to smoke less; your health isn't great."

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Watching Kiritsugu cough incessantly, Ritsuka's face was filled with worry. Kiritsugu's health had been deteriorating rapidly lately, and seeing a doctor hadn't helped.

It was clear that Kiritsugu's physical condition could still be described as critically ill. Some substance was continuously eroding his body, leaving it riddled with holes. He himself seemed to have given up, not adjusting his condition, resulting in a consistently poor state each day.

"Don't push yourself too hard. Also... Miyamachi's birthday is in a week, and she wants to get along well with you too."

Ever since bringing Miyu back, Kiritsugu had rarely appeared in her sight, mostly confining himself to his room, likely engrossed in ancient texts and internal struggles.

Ritsuka still remembered what Miyu had asked it before: if Kiritsugu hated her, which was why he was unwilling to sit and eat with her.

"..."

"Lately, has Miyu shown her Divine Child traits anymore?"

After a long silence, Kiritsugu finally looked up at Ritsuka, asking a different question.

Holding the ashtray, ready to take it for cleaning, Ritsuka paused slightly, then let out a wry smile. "She's becoming more and more human."

Divine Children were human children close to gods or spirits, possessing the ability to grant wishes indiscriminately. Upon reaching the age of seven by traditional reckoning, they would lose their powers and completely return to being human children. Therefore, this was indeed not good news.