After that incident, Tokiomi Tohsaka never again appeared near the Matou residence, and Sakura also completely gave up any hope in Tokiomi.
Although, in truth, Tokiomi wasn't actually planning to abandon Sakura as his daughter, and although Tokiomi was not a qualified father. It was just that because of Meruem's existence, Tokiomi took it for granted that Meruem was doing this in order to seize the Matou family's property.
After all, the timing of Meruem's appearance as a butler really was far too strange—far too perfect. The moment the Matou family head Zouken Matou died, Meruem appeared in the Matou household, helped the young Sakura ascend to the position of Matou family head, and Tokiomi Tohsaka—the biological father of Sakura Matou—wasn't even allowed to see her face. (Although in name Sakura had already had nothing to do with the Tohsaka family.)
Tell me, if it were someone else, what would you think?
Although Sakura truly didn't want to see Tokiomi, Tokiomi didn't really think so. In Tokiomi's self-satisfied understanding, he had always been a very qualified father, so from Tokiomi's perspective, this blame had to be shoved onto Meruem.
That damned bastard not only occupied property that should've belonged to the Tohsaka family, he even occupied his daughter—he was simply human scum. At least, in Tokiomi Tohsaka's eyes, Meruem was exactly that kind of person.
But even if he thought so, it was useless.
The one with the bigger fist has the right to speak—this rule works everywhere. As one of the Three Great Families, Tokiomi Tohsaka disdained seeking outside help. Uh, fine—actually, he had no pretext to seek outside help. In name, he had already adopted Sakura into the Matou family, so Sakura now, in name, had nothing to do with the Tohsaka family at all. And in name, Meruem belonged to Sakura Matou as her retainer (butler). What right did Tokiomi Tohsaka have to interfere in Matou affairs?
Emotionally and logically, it wouldn't hold up. Of course, if Tokiomi Tohsaka were strong enough, then even if he just forcibly killed Meruem, it wouldn't be anything. After all, magi die every day, and everyone's used to it.
But the key problem was: Tokiomi Tohsaka didn't have that strength. However, because the familiars posted outside the Matou residence confirmed that Meruem didn't restrict Sakura's freedom and also confirmed Meruem had no intention of harming Sakura, Tokiomi Tohsaka didn't make any excessive moves.
Because he had more important things to do.
The Holy Grail War—this is a war among magi held in Fuyuki City every sixty years. Once every sixty years, the spiritual energy in Fuyuki City's leylines accumulates to an amount sufficient to support the descent of the Holy Grail, and so the Holy Grail—possessing the power to immediately realize any wish, no matter what it is—appears in Fuyuki City.
And the magi's objective is to fight over this Holy Grail that can grant any wish.
Seven magi, each leading the heroic spirit they have summoned, engage in a battle for ownership of the Holy Grail. The final survivor, the victor, obtains ownership of the Holy Grail.
But in essence, it is a vast ritual system constructed by the Three Great Families—the Einzbern family, the Tohsaka family, and the Makiri family (the Matou family)—in order to reach the "Root."
At the beginning, only the Three Great Families who created the Holy Grail participated in the contest. But later, it developed into something that allowed other outside magi to participate as well (because information from the Third Holy Grail War was leaked and obtained by the outside world).
And now, the Fourth Holy Grail War was drawing very near.
Meruem wasn't unaware of the familiars near the Matou residence. He just couldn't be bothered to act. You, Tokiomi Tohsaka, want to watch? Then I'll let you watch. But Sakura will absolutely not be returned to you, so you can just stare all you want. You can see her but you can't touch her—ha, serves you right.
Tokiomi was very busy right now. This time, the Tohsaka family was determined to win the Holy Grail. Everything else would be dealt with after the Tohsaka family seized the Holy Grail.
Tokiomi Tohsaka had prepared for this Holy Grail War for years. He had even, three years ago, arranged for his disciple—also the son of his good buddy Risei Kotomine—Kirei Kotomine (Mapo) to obtain Command Spells.
Thus, he became one of the seven Masters of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Of course, when explaining the Holy Grail War to Mapo, Tokiomi and his good buddy inevitably performed a two-man "double act" explanation around Mapo that lasted for several hours.
It was only because Mapo's personality at that time was relatively cold; if it were someone else, they would've gotten dizzy from the two of them and started complaining long ago.
And Sakura, too, had been adopted into the Matou family because of inheritance issues in a magus household. Only recently—after receiving news that Zouken Matou had died—did Tokiomi suddenly remember Sakura, and think to go check on her. And even then, it was because he wanted to take over the Matou family assets.
So, Sakura was far closer to Meruem than to him, her father.
At Einzbern Castle, heavy, goose-feather snow was falling outside the windows. Inside the castle, a man with dead-fish eyes—eyes that held no color other than dullness—was talking with a beautiful woman with silver-white hair and ruby-like eyes.
"According to intelligence sent back by my infiltrator at the Clock Tower, there may be a rather troublesome opponent participating this time," the dead-eyed man said. But his face held only a single expression, with none of the reaction one would expect when saying the word "troublesome."
"Who is it?" the silver-haired woman asked.
"A troublesome one—the heir of the famous black-magecraft Archibald family: Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald."
Clock Tower
No one had ever truly understood Waver Velvet's talent. As a magus, he neither came from a distinguished lineage nor had the luck to meet a famed teacher. Half of this young man's abilities came from self-study, and he was ultimately fortunate enough to be admitted to London's top academy—the Clock Tower, headquarters of the Mage's Association that governs magi across the world.
Waver felt immensely proud. As one of the representative figures of self-made success, he sneered at modern theories of magus bloodline supremacy. For this, he even specifically wrote a paper: "Inquiring Into the Path of Magecraft in the New Century." If it could draw the attention of the Clock Tower's upper ranks, it would cause a major sensation.
Although, due to limitations of bloodline, Waver could only ever become a second-rate magus for his entire life, Waver's gift in magecraft theory and knowledge was extraordinarily high. And his future achievements would be even greater—he would become the Clock Tower's greatest instructor, without equal.
But right now, he was only a junior student at the Clock Tower. However, because the instructor he submitted that paper to was a representative figure who strictly adhered to bloodline theory, so...
A thesis he had conceived for three years and spent one year writing—was casually skimmed and then discarded?!
"Waver Velvet. Among my students, I actually have someone like you who lives all day in a fantasy world... How very disappointing."
"Someone with delusions like you is not suited to research into magecraft, Waver," Instructor Kayneth said condescendingly, his voice even carrying a hint of pity.
Waver would never forget Kayneth's icy gaze for his entire life.
In Waver's nineteen years of life, there had never been humiliation more severe than this.
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