Somewhere in the snowscapes of Finland.
In a distant forest, amidst the Scandinavian mountains, a lone castle stood atop the precipice of a cliff surrounded by woodlands. Long had it withstood the test of time, from the earliest cusps of the middle ages all the way to the early modern era, the fortress had endured and weathered through many wars and storms. Yet, despite its ancient history, it hardly shied away from modernization.
While maintaining its medieval foundation, generations of past clan leaders had sought to innovate and improve upon its make with the sole exception of relocating it several miles over to a more strategic position. The reason for this being the ley line it sat upon. The end result? A prestigious castle with its own parking lot, within which sat several expensive luxury vehicles of various brands, state-of-the-art security systems, separate from the magical safety nets in place, and of course, its own helipad, complete with a ready-and-waiting private-use helicopter.
Truly, in the eyes of modern magi society, the Edelfelts were more oft than not the subject of criticism and derision. How could a powerful and top-class family subject themselves to the mundaneness of a non-magic human society? Known as the hyenas of the moonlit world, they were most well-known for their hobby.
That being scavenging whatever they could from failing, if not outright fallen, magi clans.
Whether it was through legal means, or shady 'negotiations', the Edelfelts would acquire and amass a great number of assets from their fellow magi. Few would refer to them as unimportant or irrelevant. Those who did were often the first to be… 'acquired' or 'negotiated with'.
It was their success in spite of the conservative nature of their peers that ensured their existence and continued prosperity for the foreseeable future.
And this fact both assured and frustrated one Tohsaka Rin.
The former was because her life, and by extension, her mother's was secured. Though not as top class as a Clock Tower Lord's own, her family name still carried clout among the organization's members. Such invited prestige and wealth. But it also invited envy. The rivalry was seen as a good thing. Competition bred innovation and hard work to trounce those in the same field. But bad blood between magi families more often than not assured those in a feeble standing wouldn't last, be it their legacy or lives.
Under the direct protection of the notorious and powerful hyenas, what was essentially left of the Tohsaka clan was preserved. In the meantime, at least. Despite the safety and leeway they were provided under the care of her father's former rivals, guests were just that.
'Guests'? Hmph. That's too generous. 'Assets' are more apt…'
Such were the thoughts swimming inside the talented brain of the blue-eyed, black twin-tailed, former heiress of the Tohsaka bloodline. Strolling through the long corridors of the modernized castle, she let her scowl for her keeper's show. She was alone and free to live her thoughts after all.
'Yet all the freedom allowed of me is nothing short of what one would relegate to property…'
This is what bore her frustrations. That of her and her last remaining family's precarious situation. It would be too naïve of her to assume anything less. She was a self-respecting magus. Her father was one too. And the Edelfelts were no better in that regard.
It's just that, despite their respecting her and her mother's rights as people, they were still magi. And the true magi wouldn't hesitate to use what they could for their research.
It was lucky for them that the current Lord of the Edelfelts didn't bear the same grudge and contempt as their predecessors. With their family history dating back to her grandparents, maybe even beyond, the grudges between their families weren't minor at all. Had they acted for the sake of said grudges, her mother would've been the first to suffer, and severely at that. Not being much of a magus disqualified for ripping out her Magic Circuits, yet still carrying the genes to bear fruitful prodigies like Rin herself… The girl shivered. She didn't dare wonder about the worst-case scenario for her own peace of mind.
Instead, she appreciated the current case. One wherein her mother had been employed to work as a simple maidservant, one of many to the Edelfelt household. Tohsaka Aoi had also been given a reasonable wage, even more generous considering her position as a bargaining tool. Though a child when they first came here, Rin keenly understood that their keepers were being very generous to them both.
Yet, regardless of the lack of cruelty, it was still expected of her to return the favour. Generosity requests gratitude, or so the saying goes. But in the moonlit world of mystics and magecraft, what gratitude could one offer up that was greater in value than servitude if not outright sacrifice?
She wouldn't be sacrificed in the literal sense. There was little to no worth in barbaric research methods. No. What she could provide though was her talent, her true worth as her father's successor. Research, contribution, innovations, whatever she had to provide that would benefit the Edelfelts. Anything in that regard, such were the expectations on her shoulders. Such was what the Edelfelts wanted of her in exchange for protection from external powers.
Setting aside the rest of her prospective future, there were also acquired property assets. Almost a decade ago, the Fuyuki ley lines were under the sole ownership of the Tohsaka family. It still is. However…
'Without the Church's backing, or my father's protection, it's pointless to try and keep hold of it on my own…' She was powerless in more ways than one. Staring out of the corridor's majestic windows, she spied the moon slowly disappearing in the horizon. 'If that's the case, then why to bother keeping it in our name…?'
Rin huffed silently. She actually knew the answer. She was just upset as to their reasons.
Despite how they accepted the nickname of 'hyenas', the Edelfelt were still a prideful bunch. Their daughter especially was the prime candidate that embodied that side of theirs in the truest sense for her pride knew no bounds. Hell, she couldn't be bothered to not show a gracious façade to outsiders when her real self was as sour and foul as a rotten orange.
Powerful, arrogant, cunning, so many words could be used to describe them, however, they preferred to be seen as generous and open-minded. Efficient visionaries that would leave nothing to waste for it was within their right and privilege as a noble class to make use of anything and everything to further themselves. It was their voracious power-hungry nature dressed in the noble image of an innovator and pioneer.
To keep such a façade, they even went so far as to 'manage' estate belonging to those they've… 'protected' over the years. Oh, they weren't the first to be pressured by the Edelfelts. The land and property she inherited from her father? Those were taken off her hands by them too, using the excuse that she was still underage to be given such a responsibility.
That was utter bullshit. In truth, everything from the house to the ley line, a majority of her family's research and assets, all of that had been reappropriated for use by the Edelfelts for future use. They couldn't sell it as it was under Rin's name, but it was hers in name only. She couldn't do a thing should they demand of her on the spot!
Even now, the teenager could see the writing on the wall.
The Edelfelts were no slouches. They played the long game. After putting Rin in their debt, a massive one at that, she would have no choice but to spend her entire life repaying it. Even should she prop herself up as the newest and more powerful successor to the Tohsaka clan, she would still be a minion of theirs in the end.
'Things would get even more complicated the moment I enrol in the Tower under their name…' she ground her teeth at that.
As an Asian-born magi, she would still require a sponsor or backer to even be allowed into the institution. A recommendation from a higher member like a lord would've propelled her career, but only if she had a chance to show them what she could do. As it stood, she was now under the Finnish family first and foremost. She'd no doubt be forced to play their politics and reputation games if given the opportunity to attend a lecture. Rin would rather not, but she had no say.
Had their family never suffered such a devastating blow in losing her father, had they not lost all their backers in the Church during the war, then maybe she could've been invited in as an independent case. But that path was gone now… Along with her father and their clan's prestige.
'That damned old man isn't even bothering to hide it either!' she fumed as she resumed her walk. Not a few days ago, after receiving a letter signifying the official transfer of all her father's assets to her name, she'd been summoned to discuss a couple of things with the family head. And by 'discuss', it was primarily the Lord congratulating her on finally inheriting it all followed by an immediate request to 'survey' and 'provide maintenance' to the ley lines. She said she would discuss it with her mother but it was no doubt a done deal. 'As if I had a choice in the matter!'
In all honesty, she would've preferred the man just sweep the rug from under her and claim the lands as theirs. By all rights, it was expected of the Edelfelts to have done just that… Only they chose not to for fear of backlash from the rest of the magi community.
It was bad press to kill off rival clan members but acceptable should there be a conflict of interests. It would be a concern if it turned to kidnapping potentially talented magi from other families. Things wouldn't have been simple had it not been for her mother voluntarily advocating their seeking asylum with their rivals.
'They offered back a fair enough deal. I give them what they want, they spare us our lives. Rather than humiliate, they would rather milk us dry for everything we're worth…' It would've seemed barbaric still for outsiders, but to Rin, it was fairly good considering the circumstance. A magi's work was worth more than their lives and that was a given with her talents as a mage. They even waived away any notion of marrying her off to one of their kin to acquire her assets through inheritance. 'Thank god for bad blood, huh? Ironic considering it's what landed us here, to begin with…'
Yes, it was the rivalry with the Edelfelts that, in their time of need, had forced her under their thumb. Yes, they would take anything of value that they could exploit from her family, be it through legal means or more… dubious coercions. But no, the Edelfelts wouldn't stoop so low as to mix their blood with hers.
Not out of thoughts of taint or supremacy, it was more… their pride that held them back.
Let it not be forgotten that, despite the current Lord Edelfelt's generosity in granting them asylum, giving them a small home and allowing them into their service, the rest of his kin wasn't as keen to forget the old grudges between their families.
Some sins weren't so easily forgiven, and abandoning one's family to aide a rising star certainly painted a poor picture. More so when those abandoned saw it as flagrantly stealing family secrets alongside a potential brood for future generations. They held her and her ancestors in contempt for stealing one of their own away, Rin was aware. But there wasn't anything she could do. Except for playing the hand, she was dealt, that is.
After all, they would rather go through the effort to prop her up as a protected puppet than allow the Tohsaka bloodline to intermingle with their own once more. Very well. She'd count her blessings for what they were.
Rin would even go so far as to bow to them in thanks (once), for it was better to play the fool than be forced to marry any of their shitty kids. Honestly, it was a godsend that the current head didn't have any sons at all! Putting that man aside, his daughter was already a handful enough for Rin. Had he had a son of close marrying age to her instead… Rin would've opted to run and stick it out on her own, cruel world of the magi be damned!
At the thought, Rin's steps slowed. Sparing a glance outside, the rising sun glared at her eyes as though to scold her.
Actually, no. She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't run. She couldn't abandon her mother. Not now. Not ever. They only had each other left. So she'd put up with it all. Even the damned condition was a longtime literal servitude to the daughter that was the clan's heiress.
'This damned wench, what time is she going to wake up?!' Stopping at her destination, she spared a glance at a nearby wall clock before once again thanking her lucky stars that her charge wasn't born a male. Through the nine years of her newfound job as a maid/personal aide, Rin had grown her patience to accommodate the worst enemy she'd ever made. Not that the blonde bimbo ever bothered to return the sentiment. "It's time to wake up, my lady. Rise and shine!"