Chương 78: Chapter 78
On the way home, Rin kept staring straight at Shinji's face as she walked beside him.
"What?" Shinji finally asked.
Rin didn't reply, continuing to scrutinize his face as if trying to uncover some hidden aspect of Shinji that she wasn't aware of.
"Seriously, you're something else." Shinji sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "Alright, I'll admit it. I did train in martial arts for a while, just enough to get the basics. I practiced Bajiquan, Taijiquan, Hung Gar, Xing Yi Quan, and Wing Chun."
"You mastered all of them?!"
Rin felt a pang of bitterness. She had trained in Bajiquan for ten years and still hadn't reached the basics. This guy was a real monster!
"And what did you give Lancer just now?"
"A VIP card for a nightclub."
Rin: ...
...
"Being escorted home by a girl, this is the first time in my life. It might be a black mark in my history that I can never erase."
Standing outside his house, Shinji sighed deeply and remarked.
"Consider it returning a favor." Rin turned her face away haughtily, thinking back to a certain Christmas night.
"By the way, I almost forgot."
Just as he was about to open the door, Shinji suddenly remembered something and reached into his pocket.
"Happy birthday."
"Huh? How did you know—" Rin was taken aback, but then she noticed the student handbook Shinji was holding out to her. "Is this mine?"
"I found it on the road."
"Oh."
Rin stood there in a daze, unsure whether to feel flattered or disbelieving, as she looked at the student handbook she hadn't even noticed was missing.
"Good night, 'Knight' of the evening."
As Shinji waved goodbye and was about to enter the house, Rin mumbled something under her breath, too softly for Shinji to hear.
"Huh? What did you say?"
Rin turned her red face away, placing one hand on her hip and trying to appear nonchalant. "I said, isn't it common sense that birthday wishes are usually accompanied by a birthday gift? You're really clueless."
"I always thought you were quite thin-skinned."
For the first time ever, Rin didn't get angry at Shinji's teasing. Instead, she muttered softly.
"Tightwad."
Is she acting differently today? Did she drink secretly? Shinji wondered, puzzled by Rin's uncharacteristic reaction.
"This is the first time I've been called a tightwad. Fine," Shinji said, looking at Rin. "I can tell you the hiding places of those two Servants. How's that for a birthday gift?"
"I'll figure that out myself eventually! Pick something else!"
"You sure you didn't eat something strange?"
Despite his words, Shinji began searching himself, hoping to find something useful.
"I don't want a VIP card for a nightclub!"
"Even if you wanted it, I only had one. I'm out of amusement park tickets too. What's left..."
Shinji pulled out his wallet and a cylindrical pen. "Pick one. If you're not satisfied, you can come to my family's warehouse. There are some jewels, magic artifacts, relics, and other mysterious items left by my grandfather that I haven't had the chance to dispose of yet. For the Matou family now, they're just unnecessary things. Even if you take them all, I wouldn't mind and might even be grateful."
Rin admitted to herself that she was tempted, but...
"No thanks! I'm not here to take out the trash!"
"For me, it's trash, but it might not be for you."
"I mean, I don't want things you consider trash! That doesn't feel like a gift at all!"
Shinji crossed his arms and pinched his chin. "That's tricky. There aren't many things in this world that I don't consider trash."
"Enough! This is why I find you so annoying! Fine, I'll take that!"
Seeing Rin point at him, Shinji was momentarily confused.
"What? You mean you want me as a—"
"That's not what I meant!" Rin blushed furiously, shouting. "I mean the necklace you're wearing! It looks new. If not, then that will do."
"You scared me. I almost decided never to speak to you again." Shinji patted his chest in relief, then murmured, "But you have good taste."
"What? Is it something important to you? Are you reluctant to give it up?" Rin raised an eyebrow.
Shinji didn't answer immediately. After a moment of hesitation, he took off the necklace with a ring on it and handed it to Rin.
"Huh? You're really giving it to me?"
"If you don't want it, forget it."
"I want it!"
When Shinji finally returned home, it was nearly 5 a.m.
Trying not to wake Sakura, Shinji made no noise, even opening and closing the door gently.
Creak—
Click!
As he closed the door and turned on the light, Shinji froze.
Sakura, why are you in my bed, wearing... nothing but... no, why are you sleeping in my bed?
Seemingly awakened by the noise, Sakura sat up, rubbing her eyes and clutching a towel around her.
The sight reminded Shinji of a creamy white candy from his childhood.
"Welcome back, big brother."
Shinji: ...Could you put some clothes on before we talk?
After Sakura explained, Shinji understood that she had fallen asleep waiting for him after taking a bath.
Though he couldn't understand why she didn't wear clothes while waiting in his bed, he appreciated the sentiment. She really was a... cough... good sister!
"Alright, I understand. But how about putting on some clothes first?"
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Shinji spoke.
"Brother, my..." Sakura, with a blush on her face, leaned against Shinji's shoulder, her voice soft and breathy. "My magic power is a bit low..."
Huh?! What did you do? Without the crest worms, your mana shouldn't be depleting.
The mana used to transfer the Command Seals was replenished by the mana recovery candy, right?
Sensing something was wrong, Shinji grabbed Sakura's hand and closed his eyes to check her with his mental energy.
Her body was fine, but her mana was indeed significantly depleted...
"You—"
"I was trying to clean the warehouse and touched a strange cloth. My mana was absorbed."
She must have touched some mysterious artifact left by Grandfather, Shinji thought, not overly concerned.
After warning her not to touch such things again and to leave them to him, Shinji pricked his finger and took out a glass.
"I don't have mana, only an extraordinary life force and mental energy. I don't know if it can be converted into mana by someone other than a Heroic Spirit, but let's try."
Seeing her brother's bleeding finger, Sakura wanted to say that wasn't what she meant.
"No, that's not—"
"Not enough?" Shinji showed his wrist. "There's plenty of blood!"
As Shinji raised the knife, Sakura quickly stopped him, symbolically sipping a little blood.
Could it be that my brother is dense in this area?
Such thoughts crossed Sakura's mind.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
koijiro21
koijiro21 Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
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