Chapter 7: Mitsuzuri Ayako
Possessing a Western-style manor in this day and age is the primary evidence. Even if it is a reconstruction, having the assets to rebuild it is enough to say everything. Furthermore, the Tohsaka family is a lineage of magi who inherit the mysteries of magecraft. If one speaks of antiquity, they indeed possess an ancient history.
"Forget it, it's not something to be particularly proud of..."
Or rather, it is not something that can be casually publicized. After all, if an ordinary person were to stumble upon the affairs of the world of magecraft, the consequences would be quite severe. A "magus" is someone who chants incantations to perform miraculous feats.
Although saying that, it doesn't mean one can fly through the sky on a broom, nor can one wave a magic wand and make stars pop out. While it is possible to do similar things that appear like illusions, Rin has never done them because they are meaningless.
Fundamentally, magi are heretics hidden within the world. They are forbidden from doing anything conspicuous; if they have the spare time for such things, they might as well stay hidden at home researching magecraft. Additionally, what magi use is not "Magic" (True Magic), but "Magecraft." Just as one can use magecraft to summon flames, human technology can easily do the same, even reaching greater heights. Magecraft that seemed like a divine miracle in ancient times has become far less mysterious in the modern era.
However, there still exist true practitioners of Magic in this world—those who can perform miracles that no one can imitate, which modern science cannot explain. That which cannot be realized no matter how much time or technology is spent is "Magic." Conversely, no matter how incredible it seems, if it can be achieved by anyone given enough time and technology, it is "Magecraft."
Yet even so, magi are not recognized by the modern world. Magi, who believe in, manipulate, and study these unmeasurable things, are existences completely incompatible with modern society. In the end, magecraft has little practical meaning. Rather than learning magecraft, attending a normal school and becoming a normal adult is several times happier than becoming a magus. Human technology is great; even Rin, proud of the Tohsaka lineage, must use modern technology to provide heating. A magus requires their own magical energy to perform magecraft, but modern technology does not require the operator to pay "magical energy."
For several hundred years, magecraft has been chasing behind the civilized world. The things humans cannot do have begun to decrease one by one. Magecraft that was once like a miracle seems like nothing more than a slightly interesting trick in modern eyes. However, magecraft has its own merits. Just as there are places only science can reach, there are places only "Mystery" can reach. If science runs toward the future, then magi run toward the past.
"But such philosophical things... I'll leave them to think over slowly in my old age."
Dressed in her school uniform, Rin opened the gates of the manor. The interior suddenly became bright as motes of dust floated in the orange beams of light shining in from outside. Just as she was about to leave, Rin suddenly remembered an important matter and hurriedly turned back into the room.
"The pendant, I have to bring that..."
Although bringing such a thing to school felt a bit off, it would be a waste to leave it behind. "After all, it's a gemstone with a hundred years of history. Among the gems in this house, it's far ahead of the others." No, it would be accurate to say it is on a different dimension.
This was the gem Rin obtained by deciphering her father's will, containing ten years' worth of stored magical energy. If there is a legendary treasure passed down in the Tohsaka family since ancient times, it is likely this gemstone. The magi of the Tohsaka family, who specialize in conversion and the flow of power, transfer their own magical energy into gemstones whenever they have time. Simply put, the magus is the handgun, and the gemstone is the bullet.
As for other things inherited from her father, there was the Tohsaka Magic Crest engraved on her left arm. Simply put, a Magic Crest is proof of the successor—a tattoo-like object that condenses the magecraft passed down through the Tohsaka lineage.
"Although the Holy Grail War hasn't started yet, it's always right to be careful."
Rin wondered if that person would participate in this Holy Grail War; the thought suddenly occurred to her. "Heh... how could he? Someone who hasn't appeared for nearly ten years, why would he suddenly show up..."
Without her noticing when it began, Rin's eyes would always be misty with tears every morning. I can't keep overthinking, Rin took a deep breath to calm her darkening mood. Then, she looked back at the manor she had lived in for ten years and whispered a short, magically charged incantation.
"Schliebung (Lock). Verfahren, drei (Code 3)."
As a magus, one cannot slacken their security when leaving one's base of operations. Even if there has never been an intruder like a thief, a lost child, or a stray cat in the past, it remains the same. In fact, not even the neighbors have come by to say hello. "Hmph, that's fine. It just means even a stray cat can't get in."
With a soft hmph, Rin turned and walked toward the school. A breeze brushed past, fluttering the girl's skirt; she lightly pressed her hand against it, maintaining an elegant posture from start to finish.
Fuyuki is a strange city. On the other side of the intersection, the residential area has many martial arts dojos, while this side has many Western-style manors like Rin's home. Although it
seems to be because many families immigrated from abroad long ago, conversely, one almost never sees foreigners. While there is a foreign cemetery in Shinto across the river, it only contains the graves of the generation that immigrated.
"What's going on? It's quieter today than I thought..."
Rin looked around curiously. It was very quiet outside, with none of the usual morning bustle. "Well, there are days like this occasionally." Since she didn't sense anyone using magecraft, Rin relaxed her spirit slightly. She figured everyone just happened to oversleep this morning; after all, the weather was cold today, and everyone wants to huddle in their blankets.
"Mm... but it's still a bit strange..."
No matter how you look at it, not seeing a single student is too weird. By 7:30 AM, it should be a time when uniforms are visible everywhere. Yet she was the only one at the school gate; it looked like morning club practice had only just begun.
"Ah, Tohsaka? You're here exceptionally early today."
The person who suddenly called out to Rin was a female student with regular features who could definitely be called a beauty.
"It's Mitsuzuri. Good morning."
Rin looked at the beautiful girl with shoulder-length brown hair. Mitsuzuri Ayako. Her age was close to Rin's, around sixteen or seventeen. She was beautiful, with a look that drew attention even without excessive dressing. Her refreshing, shoulder-length short hair made her look even more heroic and spirited. Her eye and hair color were both brown.
Like Rin, she was a second-year student in the high school division of Private Homurahara Academy. She was the ace and captain of the Archery Club, with a bold and straightforward personality. Popular among both boys and girls, she was one of Rin Tohsaka's few female friends. She tends to speak with a masculine tone when being sincere. her famous quote is "A beauty must learn martial arts," and her best martial art is the Naginata.
"Good morning, Tohsaka. It's cold again today," the girl said in a frank tone. As she spoke, her short brown hair swayed in the chilly breeze.
"Mm... Hey, Mitsuzuri, let me ask you an unrelated question. What time is it now?"
"Huh? Isn't it seven? Tohsaka, are you sleepwalking?"
Curious, Mitsuzuri waved her fair hand back and forth in front of Rin's eyes.
"The clocks in my house... they seem to be an hour fast. And all of them are fast—not just the alarm clock, even the wall clock."
Rin's chest rose and fell as she sighed. What could have caused this? Rin couldn't help but wonder.
'Could it be because of that pendant Father left behind?'
"Tohsaka?"
At Ayako Mitsuzuri's call, Rin snapped out of her brief daze.
"Don't mind me, it's nothing big. By the way, Mitsuzuri, do you have morning practice today too?"
"Yeah. The Archery Club has a lot of problems, and unfortunately, we're down another person. To attract new members in April, we at least have to make the exterior look good."
"I see. You're always worrying; that hasn't changed," Rin replied somewhat blankly, not yet fully recovered from her state of mind.
"Well, you say that since it's someone else's business. Do you want to come and take a look while you're at it? The boys will be very happy if Tohsaka comes to visit," Ayako Mitsuzuri let out a breath. "Sigh, if only we could recruit a member who's great at archery..."
"What are you thinking? How could such a savior suddenly appear out of nowhere?" Rin said with a slight laugh.
"Hmph! Always making sarcastic remarks. Why don't you come and try it too!" Ayako Mitsuzuri urged.
"I don't know how to shoot an arrow," Rin refused matter-of-factly.
"You really don't want to go. I always feel like Rin never pays any attention to those boys. Is it because you already have someone you like?"
Since they were the earliest to arrive today and there were no other students around, Ayako's topic became bolder. Who would have thought that this single question would make Ayako Mitsuzuri witness an unexpected scene.
"I... I do not..."
The unexpected, somewhat bashful answer left Ayako Mitsuzuri momentarily stunned. Ayako immediately broke into a gossiping expression.
"Hiss... could it be...!?"
"Enough!" Rin immediately cut her off. "It's absolutely nothing of the sort. Stop overthinking, Mitsuzuri!"
"But your reaction just now was so strange~" Ayako Mitsuzuri winked mischievously.
So strange, Tohsaka today. Ayako thought to herelf. "I'm really curious what kind of guy it is to make Tohsaka so absent-minded."
Just as Ayako was marveling with curiosity, she suddenly noticed the girl in front of her had a dazed expression, her gaze fixed straight toward the school gate.
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