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Page 66
“I am Chris, the head of the Tohsaka family, and my master’s personal maid.”
Faced with the exquisitely beautiful, almost inhuman Chris, Rin Tohsaka was momentarily stunned. Glancing at the surrounding magicians, those who had heard of Chris's exaggerated fighting prowess immediately vanished, clearing the area. The aloof Chris then turned and disappeared down the corridor.
"You can continue your tour. I have other things to do. You can come back with me after this."
Before the two little girls could even think, Chris, who was tactically passing by, had already left. The tense atmosphere was broken, and a calm expression returned to Sakura's face.
"Then let's continue, Ms. Tohsaka."
"Oh well."
With her head down and seemingly lost in a state of self-isolation, Rin Tohsaka mechanically followed Sakura's steps.
Chapter 172 Sakura, the Little Devil
As the appointed time approached, Rin Tohsaka, returning to El-Melloi with Chris, sat awkwardly on the sofa in the reception area. Even though she had learned about the man she was about to meet from her letters to Sakura, the thought of the magician whom even her father admired so highly still made Rin feel uneasy about the unknown.
Click.
As the door lock turned, two footsteps drew closer, and Rin Tohsaka tensed up. Silently reciting the Tohsaka family's ancestral precepts, Rin once again forced herself to appear in accordance with the family's traditions.
"Chris, prepare some refreshments for me and Miss Tohsaka."
A young male voice, amiable yet subtly authoritative—that was Rin Tohsaka's first impression. Light footsteps faded away, and sensing the approaching presence, Rin tensed, straining to keep her body ramrod straight.
"Hello, Lord El-Melloi, I am Rin Tohsaka, the new head of the Tohsaka family."
As the figure passed by, Rin Tohsaka immediately stood up and introduced herself to Kenneth. Seeing Rin Tohsaka pretending to be an adult, Kenneth didn't care about Rin's form of address and went along with her.
Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald.
Under Kenneth's watchful gaze, Rin Tohsaka, who was already barely holding on, completely forgot her prepared remarks. Her body began to tremble, and white smoke of overload billowed from her head.
"Does the Tohsaka family want to join the El-Melloi school?"
Although Kenneth was a fun-loving person, he wouldn't go so far as to bully a little girl. Picking up a teacup that was at the perfect temperature, Kenneth took the initiative to explain Rin Tohsaka's purpose. Her anxiety and smugness eased, and Rin Tohsaka, now with a plan, immediately repeated the words she had prepared beforehand.
"Yes, Lord El-Melloi. The Tohsaka family has always stood on the tradition of aristocracy, and the Tohsaka family's magical constitution also originates from the founder of the Mineral Science Department, as..."
Despite his young age, Tohsaka's maturity far surpasses that of other children his age who are still playing in the mud. Although Kenneth despises the corrupt practices of the magic world, he has to admit that these magicians' upbringing of their children is truly extraordinary. Regardless of their personalities, this maturity beyond their years is enough to impress Kenneth.
While Kenneth was thinking, Rin Tohsaka, who had already finished speaking, nervously stared at Kenneth sitting opposite her. His fingertips tapped rhythmically on the table, each tap seeming to strike Rin Tohsaka herself.
“I see, that’s true. El-Melloi can offer assistance to the Tohsaka family, but what can the Tohsaka family offer El-Melloi?”
Kenneth had no intention of making things difficult for Rin Tohsaka. Kenneth also looked down on the Tohsaka family's possessions. Considering the family affairs he had witnessed in his previous life, Kenneth didn't mind helping Rin Tohsaka out of trouble; it was just a matter of a word.
The problem lies in how to obtain it. People are always more willing to accept things they pay a price for than to receive charity for no reason, not for anything else but for that sense of peace of mind. As a male lecturer who is well-versed in human nature, Kenneth would naturally not make such a low-level mistake. In any case, Kenneth would give everything he got in the end to Sakura anyway, and once the price was right, Kenneth would naturally agree to Rin Tohsaka's request.
Taking a deep breath, Rin Tohsaka, who was prepared, pulled a scroll from her pocket.
"Lord El-Melloi, this is the homework assigned to the Tohsaka family by the Tohsaka family's headmaster—the design blueprint for the Jewel Sword Zelridge. I can pawn it here until I come of age."
Although Kenneth could conjure a Jewel Sword with ease, Rin Tohsaka's boldness truly surprised him. It's important to understand that anything related to a Jewel is a treasure to any mage family, let alone the design blueprint for a Jewel Sword.
"It seems the situation with the Tohsaka family is far beyond my expectations. But Rin Tohsaka trusts my character too much."
The Tohsaka family's predicament is indeed related to Kenneth. The turmoil at the Clock Tower has affected the already fragile Tohsaka family. With Kirei Kotomine gone and Zenjou Aoi unable to manage the business left by Tokiomi Tohsaka, the Tohsaka family's situation has become even more precarious than in the original story, beset by internal and external troubles. As for why Rin Tohsaka subconsciously trusted Kenneth, Sakura says: I have no idea! I just mentioned "a few more" in the letter.
"Gemstone Sword Zelrich, it seems that the Tohsaka family's ancestor was indeed that person's disciple (the disciple of a meal). The conditions are equal. This is a self-forced certificate. Head of the Tohsaka family, please take a look."
Kenneth unfolded the scroll and glanced at it. He then casually took out the certificate. Although the certificate was useless to Kenneth, he didn't mind signing it to put Rin's mind at ease.
Taking the document and reading it word by word, Rin Tohsaka pondered its terms with a patience far beyond her years. Kenneth, unperturbed by Rin's sudden renewed wariness, waited patiently for her to sign. Nearly half an hour later, Rin finally signed her name with a pen imbued with magical power. With the activation of the document, a subtle contract linked Rin and Kenneth together.
"This item will be kept by El-Melloi until the head of the Tohsaka family comes of age. As a member of the El-Melloi school, El-Melloi will provide the Tohsaka family with the necessary assistance."
"Thank you for Lord El-Melloi's generosity. The Tohsaka family will remember El-Melloi's help."
With Kenneth's assurance, the heavy burden on her shoulders lifted, and Rin Tohsaka felt incredibly relaxed. She quickly bowed to Kenneth in gratitude. After gesturing for Chris to take her to rest, Kenneth, weighing the design in his hand, went to Sakura's room. Peeking out from under the door, Sakura immediately opened it and welcomed Kenneth into the room upon seeing him.
"Teacher, please have tea."
Kenneth took the tea from Sakura, sipped it, and then handed the blueprints to Sakura, whose face was full of confusion.
"The blueprints for the Jewel Sword, the work that the Jewel Elder left for the Tohsaka family, your sister temporarily mortgaged to me, and I'm entrusting them to you for safekeeping."
"The Jewel Sword Zelrich? Is this the homework that the Tohsaka family's master left behind?"
Muttering to herself, Sakura closed the blueprint in her hand. Then, as if remembering something, Sakura gave Kenneth a sweet smile just like Reines's.
"I understand, teacher. I will keep it safe."
Looking at Sakura, whose tail was almost sprouting, Kenneth really felt that Sakura seemed to have gained something compared to when she arrived.
"It must be my imagination..."
While Kenneth was having doubts, Sakura, who had carefully put away the blueprints, pulled out a stack of complicated spell formulas from under the desk in the distance, wearing slippers.
"Teacher, I've been having some questions about my studies lately. Could you give me some guidance?"
After a quick glance, it was clear that besides imaginary number magic, magic related to the five elements also occupied a significant portion. In terms of difficulty, Sakura's spells had reached the level of Kenneth's previous life after saving humanity.
"Teacher, this, and this too, I've encountered some difficulties in constructing the Moon Spirit Essence Liquid. The circuit and mercury aren't very compatible..."
Taking the materials from Sakura, Kenneth felt a little embarrassed. He was nominally the teacher of these little girls, but it seemed he hadn't given them a proper lesson yet, acting like a complete absentee parent. Since Sakura had a question, Kenneth wouldn't refuse, so he picked up a pen and paper, ready to answer her questions.
"By the way, Fujino and Reines probably have quite a few problems too, right? Let's call Ilya and Meiliu... uh, let's include her too."
"Teacher, they should all be asleep by now. Our questions overlap, so please explain them to me individually. I will explain them to them."
Seeing that Kenneth intended to expand the one-on-one tutoring into a classroom, Sakura, who had her own ulterior motives, answered Kenneth's question flawlessly. Kenneth glanced at the wall clock and then at the respectful Sakura, feeling that something was off.
"It's getting late, so I'll finish this first. Sakura, please inform them tomorrow that I'll be tutoring you for the next period of time."
"I understand, teacher."
Sakura stood up and bowed slightly to Kenneth. Despite her young age, Sakura's control over etiquette was arguably the best among the lolis. After receiving Kenneth's permission, Sakura, with a faint smile, gently lifted her dress and sat down beside Kenneth.
"What's wrong, teacher?"
"It's nothing, just these issues."
Two people, one big and one small, were crammed around the small desk. Looking at Sakura's innocent expression, Kenneth's strange feelings became more and more obvious.
"What am I thinking? She's just a child, how could she have so many thoughts?"
Eliminating the correct answer, Kenneth picked up a pen and began to analyze the spell before him for Sakura. What Kenneth didn't know was that, under the influence of Reines, a Kenneth fan, the little girl before him had long since deviated from the original character, and a newborn little devil had already begun to show her true colors.
"Then please begin, teacher. Sakura has a lot of questions."
"Alright, let's start here then, the Moon Spirit Marrow Liquid..."
Tonight, I will continue teaching until dawn.
Chapter 173 Two Arrogant Beauties
Rin Tohsaka suffers from insomnia. The chaos within the Tohsaka family dissipates thanks to a single sentence from Kenneth, but the growing distance between her and Sakura plunges Rin into a struggle. A conflict arises between Tokiomi Tohsaka's teachings and the bond forged through blood. Recalling Sakura's broken expression during the day, Rin, whose heart has never severed ties with Sakura, feels compelled to do something.
Amidst the rustling sounds, Rin Tohsaka, having changed her clothes, opened the door and cautiously peeked out. Wanting to have a late-night chat with Sakura, Rin stood in the somewhat unfamiliar hallway.
"Sakura's room? It should be over there."
Following her memories of the day, Rin Tohsaka groped her way to the other side. Meanwhile, a certain blonde, stubborn but physically honest, sneaked out of the mansion after her roommate fell asleep. Muttering to herself, Lydel decided to negotiate a deal worth hundreds of millions with Kenneth. Scaling walls and climbing windows with practiced ease, Lydel skillfully channeled magic into the keyhole in front of the study. With her legs involuntarily rubbing together, Lydel, her rear end sticking out, quietly turned the lock.
"Let me see, isn't he here? Where did that bastard go..."
"who are you!"
The swaying twin tails suddenly stood up, and shame welled up in her heart, while evil thoughts arose in her heart. Thinking that she had been arrested by the maid, Lydel turned around, grabbed her, and covered her mouth in one go. Just as Lydel was considering whether to make the other party physically amnesiac, a sharp pain came from her hand. The Coal Witch, who had been slapped hard by Rin Tohsaka, swallowed her cry of pain and threw the loli in her hand away.
"Who are you?" ×2
After questioning each other in unison, the two arrogant individuals, one big and one small, simultaneously covered each other's mouths. The corridor's overhead lights turned on, and the two, each with their own agendas, saw terror on each other's faces. For some reason, a mirror-like illusion simultaneously appeared in their minds. After confirming that no one had discovered them, the two arrogant individuals breathed a sigh of relief. With an inexplicable tacit understanding, the two released their hands from each other's mouths.
"Who are you?" ×2
"Why are you here?" ×2
"Don't you dare copy me!" ×2
...Fool...Fool...The two stared at each other, and the scene became somewhat awkward.
The case is solved. They are clones. They have the same bared teeth and the same glaring eyes. The two tsundere characters, created from the same template, are glaring at each other. Suddenly, Lydel, who reacted quickly, picked up Rin Tohsaka and rushed into the study, covering Rin's mouth tightly. The larger tsundere quickly gave the smaller one a quiet look. A moment later, a commotion broke out.
"Is nobody home? Did some bugs get into the house?"
Outside the corridor, a blank-faced Liselite appeared, dragging a broom. She glanced around blankly, then, oblivious to anything amiss, continued her patrol. As the footsteps faded, the sneaky Lidel finally used the steel plate to gently place Rin Tohsaka, who was nearly suffocating from being strangled, on the ground.
"Who are you?" ×2
The classic scene is repeated, and the repeating machine is back online. After tossing little Rin onto the sofa, Lydel, who is extremely annoyed, skillfully takes tea and snacks from Kenneth's study and places them on the table. Then, the Coal Witch, whose little excitement has been interrupted, narrows her eyes and looks at Rin Tohsaka, who is also putting on a tough act.
"I haven't seen you before. Are you new here recently?"
"Yes, I am Tohsaka, who came to visit today."
Watching Lydell, who seemed suspicious no matter how she looked at her, Rin Tohsaka secretly reached into her pocket as she answered. Considering Lydell's previous reaction, little Rin had already categorized Lydell as a thief.
"So she really is new here? Tohsaka, I seem to remember her... huh?"
Although she's a comedic character, Lydel's abilities are undeniable. As a magician who can revive even after her heart stops beating, Lydel saw right through Rin Tohsaka's little scheme. With their illicit little game yet tonight, how could the already abnormally developed Coal Witch allow Rin Tohsaka to ruin her plans?
With a snap, the gem that Little Rin had been accumulating for a year shattered instantly. Using black magic to control Rin Tohsaka, who was trying to escape, he flicked his blonde hair with a large-scale tsundere and struck what he thought was a cool pose.
"Listen up, little one! Standing before you is none other than the super☆British beauty, the first witch in history to have over 100 million fans, the universally recognized number one idol of the association, the head of the Archerlot family, and the monarch of the Clock Tower, May Lydel Archerlot!!"
Putting aside whether Rin Tohsaka could understand this series of titles, Rin Tohsaka simply didn't believe Lydel's self-proclaimed title of monarch. In Rin Tohsaka's mind, a monarch should be elegant, composed, and dignified, just like Kenneth. Did this blond-haired girl in front of her think she was a three-year-old?
"puff!"
Pushing out the cloth that Lydel had casually stuffed into her mouth, Rin Tohsaka, who had an inexplicable affinity with Lydel, gave her a "you're kidding me" look and put on a tough front, trying to verbally deter the thief.
"No matter who you are, this is the El-Melloi family's workshop, and you can't escape!"
Faced with an unfavorable situation, Rin Tohsaka had no choice but to invoke El-Melloi's name to pressure the seemingly unorthodox magician before her. A true expert's skill is evident in a single move, and the talented Rin Tohsaka had already discerned the difference in their magical abilities. Suppressing her unease, Rin Tohsaka could only hope to use El-Melloi's reputation to force Lydel to leave.
"Huh? Run away? Why would I run away? And don't you believe me? Hiss! I'm Lydia, the dignified..."
Rolling her eyes, Rin Tohsaka had already labeled the incessantly chattering Lydelle as a chatterbox and overly self-conscious. She quietly moved toward the desk. Rin knew that was the central point of this workshop. As long as she could get there, she could activate the barrier to subdue this magician.
Even when she was careless, Rin Tohsaka's little tricks couldn't escape Lydel's notice. With a simple magic trick, Rin, who realized something was wrong and tried to run away, was immediately frozen in place.
"Hmph! You little brat think you can escape my eyes, Lydel? I am Lydel! Hehehehe!"
With an extremely brainwashing laugh, Lydel calmly stood in front of Rin Tohsaka, hands on her hips, revealing an expression that said, "You're not so awesome after all." Lydel leaned down and pressed her head against Rin's face, her ugly face a perfect picture of the ocean, the beach, a leap, and mockery.jpg.
"You bastard! Don't underestimate me!!"
Rin Tohsaka activated her R skill, her boundless rage surging. Barely freeing herself from her restraints, she tossed the gem from her pocket onto the desk. As Lydelle's eyes widened, the gem activated the study's magic seal. A whooshing sound rang out, and the two tsundere characters, one big and one small, were instantly suspended in mid-air by the automatically activated barrier. Coincidentally, to satisfy a certain blonde's whims, Kenny had deliberately increased the seal's intensity, leaving the poor Coal Witch defenseless and bound like an art piece.
"What's going on with this thing?! Why is the defensive magic here so strange?! Ugh~~~"
Tonight, Rin Tohsaka entered a new world that someone her age shouldn't be entering.
"Teacher, what's wrong?"
Sitting next to Kenneth, Sakura, who was engraving a circuit under Kenneth's guidance, looked up at Kenneth, who had suddenly fallen silent.
"It's nothing, where were we? It's about connecting the circuits, the Moon Spirit Essence Fluid's circuit is..."
The unusual activity in the study caught Kenneth's attention. After a moment's thought, Kenneth guessed who would sneak into his study at this hour. Without rushing back, Kenneth continued his lesson to Sakura, whose eyes were sparkling.
As dawn broke, Kenneth had finished explaining the problem of the Moon Spirit Elixir to Sakura. After instructing Sakura to bring the little girls to class that evening, Kenneth stood in front of the study door.
"It's been a bit long, but Lydia is a magician after all, so this little bit of stimulation should be fine."
The moment Kenneth pushed open the door, he swore he never would have imagined such a thing in his life. The two haughty girls, one big and one small, were hanging in mid-air. Lydia, her face flushed, immediately gritted her teeth and glared at Kenneth after hearing the door open.
"This is really... beyond my expectations."
With a snap, Kenneth released the workshop's spell. After two dull thuds, Rin Tohsaka, who had just gotten up from the ground, wished she could hide her head in her stomach.
"My apologies, I hope Rin Tohsaka is alright."
He opened the window to let in fresh air, pretending nothing had happened, and Kenneth sat expressionlessly in the main seat of the study.
"Head of the Tohsaka family, Sakura is looking for you."
Without uttering a sound, Rin Tohsaka, feeling utterly ashamed, trembled violently and rushed out of the study in a fluster. The rules of the Tohsaka family were completely forgotten by Rin Tohsaka after that night of shame and indignation.
"What's with this spell? Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose?! You bastard! I'll fight you to the death!"
That night, it wasn't just Rin Tohsaka who was too ashamed to show her face. The puddle on the ground was enough to express Lydelle's mental state at that moment. Grabbing Kenneth's clothes and shaking him wildly, Lydelle, who wanted to escape this planet, glared at the professionally trained Kenneth with an expression that was very similar to Aqua's.