Part 292: Truth

""
She walks on, uncaring.
If there was a pact forbidding the two families to associate, it was broken eleven years ago.
It was originally formed by the heads of the two families.
They had abided by it for two hundred years, though its purpose had been forgotten.

Neither Tohsaka nor Matou have obtained the Holy Grail during that time.
Their pact was made to obtain the Holy Grail.
But since their wish never came true, there is no reason to follow such an ancient pact now.

Music: Whirlpool of Fate 2



"Well, that's true, but…"
Rin searches through the Matou household with a sour expression.
…The Holy Grail War provided her with the reason to come here.
Therefore, she is not bound by the pact between their families.
Even though she persuades herself, she cannot change her personality.

"…I see. This is the first time I've gone against my dad's instruction."
She mutters to herself.
But it's nothing special.
It's not like something important was destroyed by disobeying her father.

If she regrets anything…
"…How stupid of me. I should've came here earlier if I was going to break the pact anyway."
…It's the remorse towards someone who has endured it for over ten years.

"Rin. It's about the layout of the house. There are two blank areas."
"Huh? Where is that? Is it on the first floor?"
"The second. It's a bit small to be a stairway, but it probably goes down to the basement."
"…Okay. By the way, have you noticed it, Archer?"
"Of course. But it shouldn't be harmful. If you choose to ignore it, I will as well. Our target is that monster."
She nods to his words and goes to the second floor.

Even though the red knight is not visible, he is by her side.
She brought him in case of combat, but it seems he takes notice of small details.
After traversing the house once, he has come up with a blueprint and can point out where the empty spaces are.
Rin has come to realize that Archer is skilled in analyzing the design and structure of objects.

"…I've been thinking. That strong point of yours isn't suited for an archer."
"You can whine later. Here, I got it open. It's dark, so watch"
They stop talking.
From the opening in the wall…
Damp air flows out of the pathway to the basement.
The rotten smell is unbearable even for Archer, who has not taken form.



"This is the training ground of the Matouthe Makiri"
She gets dizzy.
It's not because of disgust or chill.
It is anger that causes her to shudder, repent, and vomit.
This is the training ground.
A place like this is used as a training ground.
This space containing rotten moisture, the smell of corpses, and infinite worms is the "room" given to the successor of the Matou family.

"!"
What can one learn in such a place?
The only thing here is breeding stock.
Worms to breed. Worms to raise. Worms to train.
The people of Matou have trained, urged, and bred their successor with these worms



How different is this world from her own?

The cold-hearted ways, the difficulty of the tasks, and the pain of the engraved Magic Circuit.
She's not comparing the severity as the successor.
If one is to talk about the burdened sufferings and the harshness, hers is incomparable.
She overcame more difficulties and hardships than anyone.
That is why she is a genius magus and an Average One, the user of the five elements, that the Magic Association is accepting as a scholarship student.



Rin can create a spell that the successor of the Matou family has been unable to create even after ten years.

Butthis method of learning is madness.
If asked whether she could withstand being violated by these worms, she can only hesitate.

The inheritance of the magic here is not a study, but a torture.
A magic that is taught not to the mind, but to the body.
That is how the Makiris pass on their magic, and this is the preference of the old magus, Matou Zouken.
Therefore…
To be chosen as the successor of the Matou family means to be tortured forever



Her footsteps fade.
…After that.
The worms swarm around what she has vomited out.





"…Hmph. I was going to ignore you and go home, but I've changed my mind. Let's talk for a bit, Matou-kun."
"!"
Matou Shinji glares at Rin, but follows her request.

…He is obviously afraid of her.
His fear is not because of facing a Master and her Servant, but rather because of the threatening attitude she's taking.

"D-Don't kid me. I have nothing to talk about. First of all, the Tohsaka family shouldn't associate with the Matou family. Why are you here?"
"Oh? We both go to the same school. I don't think it's strange for me to come over."

"Hah, don't make me laugh. You break the lock, search through my house, and then call it 'coming over'? …Heh, so I guess it's true that you lost your manners after your dad died. What a pack of morons. Since when did the Tohsaka family start acting like burglars?"

"Is that how I looked? …Hmm, that's not such a bad idea.
There's nothing here worth stealing, but burglars do more than that, don't they?
They go into violent rages when they're found.
Yes, I do want to act like a burglar right now."
She's joking.
But she isn't smiling at all.
Tohsaka Rin is coldly staring at Matou Shinji, who has his back to the wall.

"……! Y-You idiot, you're wrong! I have nothing to do with Zouken! I didn't know what that old bastard was doing until now…!"
"Yeah? So why did you become a Master?"
"…! That's because"

A gritting sound.
Even though he is cornered by Tohsaka, he swallows his words.
He was willing to tell her anything she wanted to know about the old man.
This girl is dangerous right now. There's no telling what she will do if he keeps quiet.
In the worst case…
She might simply kill him out of rage.

"Because?"
"Because…"
But he can't say it.
Telling her why he became a Master is like asking for death.

Even if…



…It's something trivial for others.

"……! Tohsaka, you…!"
"Am I wrong? You didn't have a Magic Circuit even though you were born to the Matou family. But that's not your fault. The Matou blood was fading away anyway. The duty of the Matou family as the seeker was fading away from the time you people came here.
But you persisted.
You thought it was special to be special, and you demanded something you didn't need. You can't be a magus even if you obtained a Magic Circuit like that, but you clung to the special right that should've been given to you."

"D-Don't talk like you know everything…! Don't talk bullshit! I can't be a magus…!? How do you know that!?"
"I can tell. I can say with certainty that you will never be a magus, even if you obtain the Holy Grail.
You just don't have the talent. That's the difference between you and Emiya-kun."

"What…?"
His jaw drops.
That name is unexpected for Matou Shinji.
It's fine if Tohsaka Rin opposes him as a Master. He expected that.

But it cannot be possible for Emiya Shirou's name to come from her lips.
He is just an amateur.
He isn't from a family of magi, nor is he suited to be a Master.
It's too much for him to have Saber, so why is his name coming out of Tohsaka Rin's mouth!?

"HaHah. What? Stop that, Tohsaka. Why are you talking about Emiya!?"
"Because he's stronger than you. And he has the right qualities to be a magus. Emiya Shirou has something Matou Shinji does not.
…Yes, he doesn't have the talent, just like you. But he has the quality to be a magus. He is the best at it, and it's something he won't lose in."

"He's the best!? Him!? Hah, don't make me laugh, Tohsaka…!
There's nothing he has that I don't have! He's the one who's got nothing! He's just a lucky bastard that made a contract with Saber…!"

Shinji's hatred for Shirou must have blown his fears away, as he now faces Rin straight on.
The girl sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

"……I see. I guess you really are beyond help if you don't understand after all this. I thought I'd hold you responsible, but you're not even worth it. I'll let you go, so go run to the church before Emiya-kun beats you."

She turns her back on him.
Telling him she has no business here.
She heads for the door, not even bothering to treat Shinji as an enemy.



"Tohsakayou, you……!"
A voice filled with deep resentment.
"Geez, I guess it can't be helped."
She stops, and says goodbye to the boy that used to be the successor.

"Fine, this is the end, so I'll tell you.
Those who aim farther for others' sake. Those who think of others before themselves. …And those who hate themselves more than anyone.
These are the qualities of a magus. There is a place you can't reach, no matter how much talent you have.
…Humph. I never thought anyone would meet this condition. This is a contradiction you can only have if you're born broken."

"Shinji. You're a good example of someone who nurtures a needless inferiority complex by despising others. You love yourself so much that you believe everyone else is below you, even when they are superior in every way.
…You're empty inside. The only one who thinks you're full is you, and you're just like a balloon. Your destination changes depending on the wind."
"Uhguh."

"Do you understand? One such as you is unfit to be a magus. A Servant would never obey such a person.
This world is unrelated to you. No matter how much you consider yourself to be a Master, you can never be a Master."

The sound of retreating footsteps.
Tohsaka Rin leaves Matou Shinji alone in the dark room.

"Ha. Haha, hahaha."
He drops down the wall.
Matou Shinji crumples down like a puppet with its strings cut and keeps laughing.



Music: Stop