"Shichen-nii, why are we still going to school?"
In the morning, Rin Tohsaka and Shichen headed to school together, walking side by side with their hands clasped.
"You already don't want to go to class?" Shichen glanced at her.
Seriously—why did everyone hate school so much? Didn't they know how much they'd miss it once they started working?
"It's not that…" Rin shook her head, her twin-tails swishing. "I just mean… aren't we ignoring the Holy Grail War?"
"Finish class first."
"…" Rin didn't know what to say.
Compared to the Grail War, Shichen-nii cared more about attending class?
She remembered he didn't even have PE today.
Was he… doing this just to accompany her?
The thought made Rin's heart wobble. The hand he was holding suddenly felt warm enough to make her palms sweat.
"Hm?"
Shichen noticed Rin seemed to hesitate, like she wanted to pull her hand away.
They'd agreed on holding hands—what was this now?
He looked around. No one was nearby, so it didn't seem like she was embarrassed about being seen.
Then he looked back at Rin. Her face was pink—whether from the cold or from fluster, he couldn't tell.
Whatever it was, he wasn't letting go. Her hand was slim and soft, and he didn't plan on losing that.
Rin felt him grip even tighter. Now she was even more worried he'd notice her sweaty palm.
"Shichen-nii…"
"What is it?"
"Can you… let go for a second?"
"Why?" he asked.
"I…" Rin hesitated. There was no way she was going to admit she was nervous and her hands were getting clammy.
"Not saying? Then I'm definitely not letting go."
"Onii-chan…"
"Don't tell me you're shy—worried someone will see us?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Rin wasn't worried about that at all. If she chose to do something, she didn't care what others thought.
"Then why do you want me to let go?" Shichen raised a brow. "Don't tell me you've changed your mind."
"No!" Rin denied it immediately.
"Then there's no reason to let go," Shichen said shamelessly.
"…"
Rin kept walking with him, half happy and half flustered. After a brief mental war, she decided to stop overthinking it.
They arrived at school like that.
As expected, everyone stopped to stare.
Rin was already a campus celebrity, and now she was tangled up in a "teacher-student romance"—even if a PE teacher didn't really count, and even if they'd known each other before the teacher-student relationship happened.
Strictly speaking, a "real" teacher-student romance was when the teacher met the student first, then crossed the line.
Even that could be "solved" later by waiting until graduation to go public, cooking up some excuse like "we met again afterward."
But Rin and Shichen didn't need to care about any of that. Neither of them cared about social rules.
Even under all those gazes, Shichen still didn't let go. He strolled in, pulling Rin along like it was the most natural thing in the world.
No students dared tease him. Even when students were bold, they still feared teachers on instinct.
Rin was a little embarrassed.
Being stared at that much would make anyone blush, but she held it in. In a way, Shichen was making his stance clear—at least to her.
Not that it mattered. These people wouldn't be part of their world for much longer anyway.
At school, Shichen still wouldn't do anything too excessive. After separating from Rin, he went to the faculty office.
The warm heater felt amazing.
He didn't need to worry about home. With Heracles guarding the place, no one could break in.
Even the King of Heroes couldn't do it now—he didn't have his Noble Phantasms anymore.
There were other teachers in the office, and they were all paying attention to Shichen.
In their eyes, he was… kind of outrageous, openly acting close to a student.
They'd never dare, even if they secretly fancied one of their students.
Mostly because they were all in their thirties or older—unlike Shichen, who looked like a college student in his twenties.
A college student with a high schooler? People wouldn't even blink.
Looks really did change everything.
Shichen didn't bother with them. He wasn't here to make friends.
By noon, Shichen and Rin ate lunch together on the rooftop, enjoying their little two-person world.
Truthfully, Shichen wanted to spend as much time with Rin as he could while he was here. He planned to end the Grail War quickly, so this was his "stolen leisure" time.
After this, the time they'd have together would be limited.
For Shichen, the best thing in the world was simply being with the people he cared about—spending time, building closeness.
In the afternoon, Shichen didn't stay at school. He went home and had Lily get ready.
Tonight, he planned to sweep through the Grail War in one clean run.
He'd play the "righteous hero" and end it fast.
Bringing Lily was partly for her sake—she'd just been summoned. If the war ended without her doing anything, it would feel pointless.
He wasn't bringing Artoria. She'd become too strong—so strong it wasn't even funny anymore.
Even a fully powered King of Heroes wouldn't be her match.
For a simple reason: she could treat Excalibur like a normal attack.
So this time, she wouldn't get the chance to have her duel with that Assassin.
At dusk, Rin came home after school, ate dinner, and then Shichen took her and Lily out to "clean house."
Their first stop: the Matou residence.
He didn't bring Sakura. Not because he feared upsetting her—she was already long past that.
No need to drag her into unnecessary ugliness. Better to let her stay home and play with Illya.
To prevent anyone escaping, Shichen cast a barrier the moment they arrived, sealing off the entire area.
In this world, no one was getting out.
"Master… this place is creepy," Lily murmured as soon as she stepped inside. "It feels… wrong."
"Normal," Shichen said calmly. "The owner here dabbles in disgusting bugs stuff."
"Bugs—?!" Rin immediately clung to Shichen's arm.
"You're scared of bugs?" Shichen looked at her, amused.
"I'm a girl! Of course I'm scared!" Rin snapped without shame. "They're gross!"
"…Fair enough. Then let's end this quickly."
Shichen led them by sensing the source of the corruption down into the basement.
It was worse.
The floor was crawling—like a living tide. The sound alone was enough to make your skin crawl.
Even Lily paled. Without thinking, she copied Rin and grabbed Shichen's other arm.
"Master… this is disgusting…"
"Don't be afraid," Shichen said gently. "I'll clear it."
He exhaled, and his power flared—holy fire blooming outward in a wave.
Here, it was the perfect counter. Everything corrupt recoiled.
The flames surged, lighting the entire basement with a harsh, clean glow.
The swarm scattered in panic—but it couldn't outrun the fire.
"Aaaah—!"
A scream tore through the blaze.
Inside the fire, the crawling mass suddenly gathered into a humanoid shape.
It was Shinji Matou.
He writhed in agony as the flames consumed what was holding him together.
No blood spilled—only ash and the remains of the swarm falling away.
"Shinji Matou?!" Rin stared, disbelief written across her face. "How did he end up like that?"
"That's not really him anymore," Shichen said calmly.
"Huh?"
"He's been taken over—by his grandfather. The Matou family head. Zouken Matou."
"That's impossible!" Rin shook her head.
"It's exactly what's happening," Shichen replied, his gaze steady.
Shinji—no, Zouken—glared at Shichen through the flames, hatred twisting his features.
"You…! Why are you back? Someone like you shouldn't care about the Grail—"
"I don't care about the Grail," Shichen said flatly. "But letting you live makes me feel sick."
"I… I never provoked you! And that child… wasn't she taken by you already?!"
"It doesn't matter. You're still going to die," Shichen said, voice cold.
Zouken and Shinji were both beyond forgiveness. Conveniently, they'd fused into one target.
Shichen didn't waste another word. The holy fire intensified—then the screaming stopped.
He didn't leave room for "maybe." He burned the entire basement clean.
When there was no trace of movement, no presence left to sense, Shichen finally exhaled.
Then he took Rin and Lily and left immediately.
Staying there even a second longer felt disgusting.
"Master," Lily asked as they emerged, still pale, "what about the Servant here…?"
~~~
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