Chương 119: Killing Someone and Breaking Their Spirit?
Matou Kariya was a familiar figure to Matou Sakura, once known as Tohsaka Sakura. Back then, Kariya often brought small gifts for her and her sister.
As one of the few members of the Matou family who dared to defy Zouken Matou, Kariya chose to distance himself from the family, traveling extensively and bringing back souvenirs each time.
Even as Tohsaka Aoi's unrequited suitor, Kariya continued to send gifts to her and her daughters, despite no longer being connected to them.
However, the current Kariya was vastly different from the man she once knew. The Crest Worms had eroded his body, turning his hair white and making his skin grotesque.
When Sakura's gaze fell on him, Kariya's heart filled with joy, and he eagerly began to speak.
"Uncle Kariya, why are you here?"
Yet Sakura's expression was far from joyful—there was a subtle trace of disdain. Unlike in the original timeline, where the Worm Pit left her emotionally numb, this version of Sakura retained a richer emotional range.
Her expressions, however, inflicted even greater damage on Kariya—there is no deeper wound than seeing disgust in the eyes of someone you care for.
Kariya wasn't the sort of masochist who could thrive on rejection. When he saw Sakura's response, his heart plummeted.
"Yesterday, Grandfather—or rather, Matou Zouken—tried to throw me into the Worm Pit. Where were you then, Uncle Kariya?"
Sakura's tone was calm, as though recounting something trivial, yet her words sent chills down Kariya's spine. His entire purpose for enduring the Crest Worm modifications and entering the Holy Grail War was to rescue Sakura from the Worm Pit. But Zouken had almost ensnared her anyway—something Kariya had no knowledge of.
Zouken, keen to ensure Kariya's full commitment to the Holy Grail War, had deliberately hidden this from him. He feared Kariya might rebel if he found out. Though Zouken enjoyed tormenting others, he planned to savor Kariya's suffering only after the Holy Grail War was over.
Zouken had even driven Kariya out of the house the previous day to ensure he remained unaware of Sakura's ordeal, leaving him to fight on Zouken's behalf in ignorance.
"I no longer have anything to do with the Matou family. From now on, I will live my own life."
Leaning against Zuke, Sakura regarded Kariya with a gaze as cold as that of a stranger.
"Please leave, and don't come looking for me again."
Kariya left in a daze, and Zuke could see the Crest Worms under his skin reacting violently to his emotional turmoil. This shock would likely shorten Kariya's already fragile lifespan. For most people, stress-induced aging is a figure of speech. For Kariya, it was literal.
Zuke couldn't be bothered to intervene in the fate of a dying man. In fact, he was mildly curious—if the Holy Grail War seemed out of reach, would Kariya seek vengeance on Tohsaka Tokiomi? Kariya's resentment for Tokiomi was palpable. The people Kariya cherished—Aoi, Rin, and Sakura—seemed like afterthoughts to Tokiomi, stoking Kariya's jealousy.
In the original story, Kariya had lashed out at Tokiomi in a desperate bid for revenge. Would he go all out this time as well?
Zuke suddenly found himself empathizing with Gilgamesh's amusement at the chaos.
"Still reading so late?"
After Kariya's departure, Zuke noticed the books laid out on the table, realizing Sakura had been studying magic. Her dedication to becoming a competent mage, with hopes of summoning Zuke again in the next Holy Grail War, was evident. Among her belongings, he even spotted the black feather he'd left her, carefully stored in a small box.
"Yes, I need to work harder if I want to summon you, big brother."
Sakura nodded earnestly, her determination shining through.
"I see… but the magic books from the Matou family can only take you so far."
Zuke glanced at the pile of books—an assortment he had casually brought based on Sakura's needs. The quality varied widely; some were introductory texts for beginners, while others required advanced expertise. One book even detailed the Matou family's Worm Magic, a subject Zuke had no intention of letting Sakura study.
Though Zuke could be ruthless toward his enemies, he was protective of the young girl who idolized him.
"Sakura, how would you like to study magic at the Clock Tower?"
The Clock Tower was undoubtedly the best place to learn magic. As the world's foremost magic academy in Britain, it attracted mages from around the globe and served as a hub for the nobility of the magical world. While lineage mattered greatly at the Clock Tower, Sakura's heritage wasn't bad.
The Tohsaka family, though considered minor in the eyes of the Clock Tower, had a prestigious history. Their ancestor, Tohsaka Nagato, was once a disciple of the renowned Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, a modern sorcerer of immense influence. As a descendant of the Tohsaka lineage, Sakura would likely receive some degree of respect.
"Really? Is that possible?"
Sakura's eyes lit up—not because she wanted to become powerful, but because training at the Clock Tower would improve her chances in the next Holy Grail War.
However, her initial excitement gave way to hesitation.
"But, big brother, aren't you a Heroic Spirit?"
Her question was simple: as a Heroic Spirit—a being technically "deceased"—how could Zuke send her to the Clock Tower? Even if he'd wielded significant influence in life, would the Mage's Association honor it now?
"I can't personally take you there, but I can arrange for someone else to."
Zuke smiled, thinking of a particular participant in this Holy Grail War. That person was not only a student of the Clock Tower but would eventually become one of its most distinguished instructors. Zuke believed they would make an excellent mentor for Sakura.
What if they refused to take her?
Well, Zuke mused, he could always "convince" them.
To be continued...
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