Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

As luck would have it, as soon as Matou Kariya entered the room, he saw Matou Tsuruno anxiously questioning a bruised and swollen Tohsaka Tokiomi.

"Head of the Tohsaka family, what's going on...?"

"Ahem, it was an accident. I accidentally bumped into a tree."

Tokiomi Tohsaka subconsciously touched his bruised eye socket and coughed in response.

Hit a tree? Twice?

Matou Tsuruno looked bewildered, a huge question mark appearing in his mind.

However, before he could ask any further questions, Tokiomi Tohsaka avoided the enthusiastic Matou family head and, with his equally confused wife and daughter in tow, headed towards the end of the guest seating area.

Looking at the disheveled figure, Matou Kariya suppressed his secret pleasure, tried his best to keep his face taut, and walked to the front of the stage with a solemn expression. Together with his brother Matou Tsuruno, he simplified the process, nailed the brand-new coffin lid shut, and sent their "beloved" father to the chosen burial site.

The monks who were responsible for lifting the coffin also had an easy time.

Because there were no remains in the coffin, only a cenotaph.

As for those who died of illness, how could their remains be completely destroyed?

Well, the Matou family's private explanation is that such risks are common when learning their family's magic.

Adhering to the principle of protecting the employer's privacy and not asking questions that shouldn't be asked, Ryudouji, who was in charge of taking the order, wisely refrained from digging deeper and was even somewhat pleased.

After all, the price is the same, and they can save money by hiring someone to clean and décor the corpse.

After a joyous funeral, Matou Kariya, exhausted, returned home only to be dragged away by his older brother, Matou Tsuruno, who insisted he stay to help count the funeral offerings.

The Matou family isn't particularly short of money as a gift, but according to Japanese funeral traditions, the family often reciprocates with a "kōden-gaishi" as a token of gratitude and condolences for attending.

Furthermore, if someone in the family suffers misfortune in the future, the amount of funeral expenses prepared by one's own side should also be carefully considered, and should at least be equal.

Since the old house was practically deserted, Matou Tsuruno had no choice but to conscript men, making Matou Kariya share the hardship.

Fortunately, the two worked together and quickly finished counting most of the funeral gifts.

However, near the end, Matou Tsuruno noticed that his younger brother was staring intently at a funeral offering, so he couldn't help but ask him about it.

"Yan Ye, what's wrong? Is something the problem?"

"It's nothing, it's just that the signature on this is beautifully written."

Upon hearing this, Matou Kariya snapped out of his reverie, smiled faintly, and offered a casual explanation. His gaze immediately fell upon the "Samael" signature on the funeral offering, and he murmured to himself inwardly.

...It looks very familiar.

Chapter 134 The Awakening of the Tohsaka Family

Night falls at the Tohsaka residence.

The lights in the underground magic workshop flickered, and a tall, slender figure sat at a desk, engrossed in writing on paper.

However, after writing only a few lines, the man would often get frustrated, crumple up the messy draft into a ball, and throw it into the already overflowing wastebasket next to him.

"Bang!"

Finally, after holding on for several breaths, Tokiomi Tohsaka, his brows furrowed, roughly swept the ink bottle on the table to the ground.

A dull thud echoed in the basement, leaving a glaring black stain on the pristine white wall.

This was a rare instance of him losing his composure.

Tokiomi Tohsaka glanced at the chaotic scene and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

In order to maximize his chances of winning, he made thorough preparations before the Holy Grail War began.

On one hand, he originally planned to give Sakura to the Matou family in order to win the support of Zouken Matou and gain allies in the field.

On the other hand, he is allied with the Church of Christ as the overseer through his grandfather's old friend, Kotomine Risei, and learns about the information and movements of each Master, thus gaining an advantage in intelligence and an edge outside the arena.

This is the family's accumulated network of contacts. More than 200 years ago, the Tohsaka family were Christians who hid among the people and took in many priests during a time when Christians were being persecuted.

Therefore, the Tohsaka family and the church established a good relationship.

With a two-pronged approach, things should have gone very smoothly.

However, within just a few months of formulating the plan, the situation developed far beyond his control.

First, Zouken Matou's sudden death interrupted the Matou family's magical lineage, indirectly depriving them of the right to compete for the Holy Grail, eliminating them from the competition, and rendering them no longer worth cooperating with.

Secondly, Matou Kariya's heavy blow made him belatedly realize that he had almost pushed Sakura into a fire pit, and he was now even more troubled about how to protect his two daughters whose talents and demonic nature were becoming increasingly apparent.

Finally, it seems that Kotomine Risei is busy with the life changes of his adopted son and son, and has not yet given him a definite answer on cooperation.

Now, with war imminent, the fate of the remaining six Masters and the Heroic Spirits they summoned remain a mystery.

Beset by internal and external troubles, even though Tokiomi Tohsaka tried his best to restrain himself, he could not suppress the frustration in his heart.

Phew! No way!

I am the father that Rin and Sakura trust and admire the most, and the number one person in the Tohsaka family!

Tokiomi Tohsaka raised his hands and vigorously rubbed his cheeks, trying to calm his breathing and use his years of self-cultivation to try to straighten his chaotic mind.

The man who had been pacing in the magic workshop pondered for a moment, calmed down, returned to his desk, turned on the magic communication device that used gemstone resonance to transmit information, and solemnly contemplated.

"Immediately speed up the archaeological team's progress! I want to see results within a month!"

"The law? When have you ever obeyed the law?"

"I'll say it again, problems that can be solved with money aren't problems at all, and the Tohsaka family can afford the price!"

"No matter the difficulties, no matter the reasons, results are all I want! Otherwise, our cooperation ends here!"

Tokiomi Tohsaka, who has always been demanding of himself to be self-disciplined and composed, became somewhat impatient after being faced with a series of unexpected events that exceeded his expectations.

However, faced with the client's domineering attitude, the contractor had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

After putting pressure on the other party on the other end of the magic communication device, Tokiomi Tohsaka felt inexplicably relieved and leaned back in his chair to relax.

Just as Tokiomi Tohsaka closed his eyes to ponder his next plan, light footsteps came from the spiral staircase, and the rich aroma of tea and sweet pastries filled the air, instantly invigorating him.

Wearing pajamas and carrying a tray, Zenjo Aoi brought the prepared midnight snack and tea to her husband's table. She glanced at the messy room, then silently bent down to sweep up the broken glass and debris on the floor.

Seeing that his wife had noticed his lapse in composure, Tokiomi Tohsaka coughed and spoke.

"Let it go, I'll handle it myself later."

Zen City Kui obediently put the broom and trash can back in the corner, but did not turn around and leave. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes showing worry.

"What happened during the day...you and Kariya..."

"Don't worry, what could possibly happen to us? It was really just an accident. After the old man's mourning period is over, I was planning to have Yan Ye take Ying and the others to the amusement park."

Tokiomi Tohsaka subconsciously touched his still swollen eye sockets, then took his wife's hand, patted it gently to comfort her, and replied with a smile.

"That's good."

Hearing her husband's reassuring and gentle words of comfort, Zenjo Aoi, who had been somewhat worried, breathed a sigh of relief.

Their childhood companionship has led her to gradually regard Yan Ye as a younger brother she needs to take care of.

One was her beloved husband, and the other was her caring younger brother; she really didn't want them to have a conflict.

After calming his wife down, Tokiomi Tohsaka casually changed the subject.

"About Sakura..."

As a magician, he didn't want his wife to be exposed to too many taboos.

As her husband spoke, Zenshiro Aoi pursed her cherry lips, suppressing her surging maternal instincts, and thoughtfully reassured him of any worries.

"You are the head of the family, so you should make the decision. I understand your difficulties, and I believe that Sakura will understand in the future."

Hearing his wife's words of comfort, Tokiomi Tohsaka felt moved and guilty, but also somewhat amused and exasperated.

"What I mean is that I have given up on that idea and decided to keep the children with us."

"Really?"

The sudden happiness filled Zenshiro Aoi, who was already reluctant to part with her daughter, with joy, but she was also somewhat worried.

"But the Holy Grail..."

"Rest assured, I will fulfill the Tohsaka family's long-cherished wish!"

Tokiomi Tohsaka slowly rose to his feet, his gaze firm, his expression solemn and resolute.

Standing tall and shielding oneself from the wind and rain is the responsibility that a husband and a man should fulfill.

Seeing her somewhat dejected husband regain his fighting spirit, Zenjo Aoi was overjoyed, her eyes filled with infatuation and tenderness.

Back then, I was attracted by that kind of confidence and elegance.

"By the way, where are Rin and Sakura?"

"They're all asleep."

With her worries dispelled, Zenjo Aoi's face beamed with a happy smile as she spoke of her daughter, her eyes overflowing with loving kindness.

But then, the virtuous wife and loving mother, in the style of a Yamato Nadeshiko, turned to look at the bedroom on the second floor of the house and mentioned something slightly unusual.

"Sakura is fine, but Rin hasn't been sleeping well at night lately. She says she keeps having strange dreams."

"Really? I'll prepare some calming items later and see if that helps her get a good night's sleep."

While comforting his wife, Tokiomi Tohsaka offered solutions, and in the enchanting atmosphere, the couple grew closer and closer.

Meanwhile, in the second-floor bedroom.

Wearing a disheveled white nightgown, Rin Tohsaka straddled the pillow like a koala, tossing and turning restlessly on the bed, her mouth moving in unison with her rolling movements, uttering indistinct murmurs.

"Maanna! The door's open, time to go in!"

"Very good, very good, elegantly, magnificently, boldly... let's plunder!"

"Gemstones! Woohoo, so many sparkly gems!"

"Ahhh, the treasure chest flew away?! Don't run! Don't run! I order you to come back right now!"

The little black-haired girl in bed frowned and relaxed, her pretty face sometimes smiling foolishly, sometimes angry, and finally biting the blanket, crying and making a fuss in grief and indignation.

It wasn't until this less-than-pleasant dream left Rin Tohsaka completely exhausted that the little girl finally grumbled as she wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and fell into a deep sleep.

In my dream, ancient fortresses of gold and blue, the fertile lands of the two rivers in West Asia, and figures that seemed familiar yet indistinct... flashed through my mind like a fleeting glimpse.

Chapter 135 Inheriting the Royal Stomach (4.2k)

A few days later, at Ryudong Temple, in the guest rooms, the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

Through the misty fog, Samael looked with a hint of helplessness at the black-haired youth sitting opposite him.

"Hey Kariya, why did you choose to leave the Matou family's big house and come to a poor place like Ryudouji Temple?"

“I’m used to wandering around. I don’t care about hardship or not. I prefer this kind of unrestrained place.”

Matou Kariya picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and turned her gaze from the distant view of Mount Enzo to the man before her, speaking with a faint smile.

The tea was good, and the people were very nice.

However, I do like to joke around.

Samael pointed to himself, then to the other person, with a resentful look on his face.

"There's no need for you to be in my room all the time, is there? A man and a woman alone in a room together can easily lead to misunderstandings."

"There's no way around it. You not only took great care of my father's funeral recently, but you also generously donated money as a condolence gift. As his son, I should come and visit more often to express my gratitude."

Matou Kariya rolled her eyes at Samael, slowly finished the remaining half cup of tea, and spoke meaningfully.

As they spoke, the man took out a funeral envelope and an unsigned letter from his backpack and placed them on the table.

Samael glanced at the similar handwriting on the paper, paused for a moment, then realized what he meant and a few playful smiles appeared on his face, but he wasn't surprised.

After all, he had no intention of hiding anything.

Matou Kariya remained silent for a moment, then looked at the man before her with a deep gaze.

"How did he die?"

"Is this important to you?"

The ancient snake slowly picked up the teacup, blew away the foam on the surface, took a small sip, and asked with a smile.