It didn't take long for Arthur to find a furnished apartment available for rent.
A few minutes later, everything was already settled, and he had entered the place with Sakura.
"From now on, we'll live here. This will be our home."
Arthur gently stroked Sakura's head as he spoke in a soft voice.
"Our home…?"
"Yes. You don't need to worry about anything. Now come inside—I have a few things to explain to you."
"…Mm."
After organizing the essentials in the apartment, Arthur sat down with Sakura and began explaining the Holy Grail War.
Of course, he explained it in a simple way so she could understand everything.
As the former second daughter of the Tohsaka family, she already had some basic knowledge about magecraft… and about the Holy Grail War itself.
At the very least, she knew that the father who had abandoned her would be participating in that war.
"Arthur… do you really have to fight? Fight against other Servants… and against my father?"
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Even if I didn't want to fight, the other Servants and their Masters would eventually come for me. So fighting is inevitable."
He paused briefly, looking at Sakura with a gentle smile.
"But don't worry. I will win."
"…I understand." Sakura nodded, her face lighting up with a shy but genuinely happy smile.
After glancing at the time, Arthur spoke casually:
"Sakura, do you want to go out with me? Let's take a walk around Fuyuki… and have dinner at a nice restaurant. What do you think?"
Upon hearing that, Sakura's eyes sparkled.
A pure, happy smile appeared on her face as she immediately moved closer to him.
---
About a week passed after Arthur was summoned.
The day after his summoning, he bought a house to live in with Sakura.
While watching the news on television, Arthur drank his morning coffee with a calm expression—almost emotionless at first glance—but behind that composed gaze, his mind had already moved far beyond the present.
During the night, he had activated his Sha Naqba Imuru, observing the many possible futures of this world.
And what he saw was far from pleasant.
He discovered that his summoning in this world was connected to a place called Chaldea—a place that had yet to be built, yet somehow was already linked to him.
He also realized that his fate in this world was deeply intertwined with that of several girls, all around Sakura's age.
No matter what he did, he would inevitably encounter them.
But that, in itself, wasn't the problem.
The real issue… was the future that awaited each of those girls.
In nearly every future he saw, he met them under deplorable circumstances.
Arthur rested his chin lightly on his hand, his eyes fixed on the television screen, though his thoughts were elsewhere.
"…Misaki City, the Asakami and Tohno families… I'll really have to go there to deal with this," he murmured to himself.
"Going to Europe will be relatively simple as well…"
Over the course of that week, using the information gathered through his abilities, he managed to identify the girls.
A girl with long, pale silver hair and golden eyes.
A pale girl with blood-red eyes, a melancholic gaze, and long dark-purple hair.
And two small red-haired twins.
"Are we going now…?" Sakura asked, lying with her head on his lap while idly swinging her legs.
Arthur looked at her, his expression softening.
"Yes. If we don't find them now… they might go through something very bad in the future."
Sakura puffed her cheeks slightly.
"But then I'll have less time with you," she said, clearly annoyed.
Arthur chuckled and placed his hand on her head, gently stroking it as if soothing something fragile.
"You don't need to worry about that… I want you to get along with them."
"…Okay," she replied, still puffing her cheeks.
Arthur laughed and lightly squeezed her cheek, making the air puff out.
"Could you be any less adorable?" he teased, ruffling her hair.
---
A few hours later, Arthur set out with Sakura.
Misaki City, Tohno Mansion.
Even if every combat-capable member of the family had gathered and attacked at once, they were no match for Arthur.
One by one, they were defeated with overwhelming ease.
Holding Sakura's hand, Arthur advanced calmly, his steady footsteps echoing through the corridor as he completely ignored the fallen bodies around him.
At last, he stepped over the unconscious patriarch of the Tohno family and opened the door to the main room.
Inside, two girls were watching him.
They were twins.
One had amber eyes, while the other had emerald eyes.
Both looked at him with curiosity—but no fear. If anything, there was even a hint of relief in their eyes.
Arthur crouched down to their level and extended his hand.
"Do you want to come with me? I know you understand what would have happened here… so I'm asking you to just… trust me this once."
The two girls exchanged a silent glance.
And then, as if reaching a mutual understanding…
They extended their hands.
Their small palms touched Arthur's.
It was a firm hand, yet strangely… comforting.
---
Asakami Residence.
A girl carrying a backpack watched Arthur and the three girls behind him with an empty, melancholic gaze.
She tilted her head slightly in confusion upon seeing them.
Arthur smiled.
"Your name is Fujino Asakami, isn't it? Do you want to come with me?"
His voice remained as gentle as ever.
"I have a way to cure your condition and make sure you never have to go through that again."
The girl's pupils shrank slightly upon hearing his words.
Then, without hesitation, she walked toward him.
---
In a small church in Europe.
A girl with white hair and golden eyes was sweeping the floor with a bored expression, clearly irritated about something.
Probably about being stuck there.
"Why is that old man taking so long…?" she muttered irritably.
At that moment, the door opened, and the priest entered alongside Arthur.
Behind him were the four girls.
"Caren," the priest said casually.
"Starting today, you'll be living with him."
"…What?" Caren fell silent for a few seconds.
Her eyes then shifted to Arthur.
She observed him for a moment.
Wow, he's pretty handsome, she thought.
But then her gaze moved to Sakura.
The twins.
Fujino.
And then she smiled at Arthur.
"Tell me, do you have a thing for little girls, or are you a human trafficker?"
Arthur's face froze instantly.
The veins on his forehead seemed to pop.
"Listen here, pipsqueak…"
He took a deep breath, clearly irritated.
"I have absolutely no interest in a child like you. I prefer mature women."
"Oh?" Caren tilted her head, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
"You're interesting."
She dropped the broom in the corner as if she had no attachment to the place.
"Then I'll go with you."
She took a few steps forward.
"This seems far more entertaining than spending the rest of my life here."
"…Yeah, sure," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Thanks for the respect."
Caren waved casually at the priest.
"Goodbye, old man. Even though you're a miser who kept me out of school just to save money… I acknowledge that you took care of me."
"You really have no filter at all…"
Arthur sighed.
Then, without warning, he placed his hand on her head and lightly messed up her hair.
"Learn how to speak properly to your elders."
"…Hmph."
She didn't resist, but she didn't complain either.
Arthur then looked at all of them.
Sakura had already begun to naturally approach the other girls—still shy, but clearly trying to befriend them.
That made Arthur smile.
"Well…" he shrugged. "Let's go."
Caren raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going now?"
Arthur turned toward the exit.
"To Japan."
"What?!"
---
(End of Chapter)
A/N: Anyone familiar with Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai, and Fate will understand the reasoning behind my actions with these girls.