"I can't leave."
Akatsuki sat on a park bench, leisurely watching Matou Sakura play with her former companions, looking just like a retired elder out for a walk with her granddaughter.
However, she had forgotten that theoretically, her body was younger than anyone else present; after all, it had only been a few months at most since she was created.
"..."
After being rejected by Akatsuki, Kirei Kotomine followed her gaze toward Matou Sakura, who was playing on the grass.
"Is this your reason for destroying the Matou Family?"
"What, has your hollow self taken a liking to your teacher's second daughter now? I won't allow that."
Akatsuki's lips curled into a mocking smile as she looked at Kirei Kotomine beside her. The latter, as if he hadn't heard her mockery, stared straight at Akatsuki and asked, "Why are you so certain that my heart is hollow?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Akatsuki didn't answer Kirei Kotomine's question directly. After all, she couldn't exactly say she was a transmigrator or someone thrown back ten years by the counter force. "In any case, if Tohsaka Tokiomi wants to find me, whether to talk about cooperation or anything else, tell him to come in person. Staying in the Tohsaka Family basement all the time isn't a good decision."
After saying that, Akatsuki ignored Kirei Kotomine. After staring at her for a while, he frowned and left. As for cooperation? Akatsuki hadn't considered such a thing at all.
She hadn't managed to chop off Gilgamesh's arm last time, and she didn't intend to let anyone beat her to it this time!
The warm sunlight spilled over Akatsuki, feeling cozy and pleasant.
"R-Rider! L-L-Let's go rest for a bit!"
Wearing sneakers and sportswear, Waver looked panting at Rider, who was strolling leisurely beside him, and couldn't help but suggest it.
"Hmm? Boy, we've barely gone any distance."
Looking at Waver, who looked like he might drop dead on the spot any second, Rider sighed and shrugged helplessly. "Fine, even during a march, one must rest at the appropriate time. Hmm? Boy, let's go rest over there!"
As if sensing something, Rider smiled and pointed toward a nearby park. Waver, feeling like his entire body was about to collapse, nodded weakly; he no longer wanted to think about anything.
"How much longer do you intend to keep watching?"
Opening her eyes, Akatsuki looked somewhat impatiently at Rider, who was sitting on the ground nearby. Although she didn't mind being in the same park as a Servant, Rider's gaze was truly becoming a bit much for her.
"Ah, I didn't expect to run into you here!" Rider grinned and greeted Akatsuki.
"Rider, what are you planning now!" Waver didn't have the strength to stop Rider anymore, but facing the terrifying existence who had been enough to defeat two Servants, Saber and Lancer, on her own last night, he had to force himself to stand up despite his aching muscles and tugged at Rider's shirt.
"It's nothing. It's just that your departure without a word last night didn't have even a hint of a kingly demeanor! Saber was quite angry once she realized you had vanished."
"Heh, doing as one pleases is the very hallmark of a king." Akatsuki leaned back on the park bench, propping her head with her hand. "Since we've met by such a coincidence, I'll have to ask your Master to help me translate these things."
As she spoke, Akatsuki reached out and made a phantom swipe in the air. The space seemed to be torn open by her, revealing a pitch-black, narrow rift. Akatsuki reached in and pulled out one book after another, tossing them to Waver.
"This is..."
Waver scrambled to catch the books, then did a quick scan. "These are... the journals of the Matou Family head and a summary of his lifetime's magecraft?!"
"What? Boy, is this important?"
"Of course it's important! The head of the Matou Family was that Zolgen Makiri, one of the founders of the Fuyuki City Holy Grail War! The worm-user of kiev! His magecraft journals are something many Magicians would dream of!"
"It seems I found the right person. Translate the contents of these books into the simplest, most understandable language before the Holy Grail War ends. During this time, you can study that Old Maggot's journals however you like. I will come to collect them personally after the Holy Grail War is over."
Seeing that it was about time, Akatsuki called out to Matou Sakura and strode out of Fuyuki Park.
"Hey, are you one of the Masters too!"
Rider's voice came from behind. Akatsuki gave a wave, flashed the command spells on the back of her hand to Rider, and then left with Matou Sakura.
"Wait, Rider, why would you ask that?"
"Last night she appeared at the docks alone, but today there's a little girl by her side. At first, I guessed that little girl was her Master, but she doesn't feel like a Servant to me at all—more like some kind of high-purity spirit. Seeing the command spells on the back of her hand just now made me realize that she is also one of the seven Masters in the Holy Grail War."
Waver was stunned, then recalled the events of last night.
Saber, Lancer, Berserker, Archer, and his own Rider, plus the Assassin who had attacked the Tohsaka Family earlier.
"That means... she's the Master of Caster?"
"I don't know."
"Eh?"
Seeing his Master's surprised expression, Rider scratched the back of his head and said awkwardly, "There's too little information. Besides, that woman's power might be such that she doesn't even need a Servant to win the Holy Grail War."
"Idiot! How can you boost others' morale while crushing your own!"
"Oh! Boy, that sentence finally had some spirit to it!"
Rider laughed heartily and slapped Waver's back with his massive palm, nearly sending Waver—who hadn't even caught his breath yet—straight to the afterlife.
"Lady Akatsuki, was that an acquaintance of yours?"
"Don't use honorifics." Akatsuki didn't answer Matou Sakura's question, but instead corrected the way Sakura addressed her. "As for them... consider them teachers I've scouted for you in advance, specifically for magecraft."
Holding Matou Sakura's hand, Akatsuki began to calculate when to send Sakura back to school. That Old Maggot, Matou Zouken, had deliberately forbidden her from attending school just to focus on altering her magical attributes; it was simply insane.
"Should I send Sakura to China to experience Chinese-style education?"
The thought was dismissed by Akatsuki as soon as it arose. If nothing else, with Sakura's purple hair, she'd probably be treated as a delinquent by teachers every day in China.
Furthermore, Chinese-style education probably wouldn't allow Sakura to reach her full potential and might even cause her psychological issues. All in all, the disadvantages outweighed the benefits.
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