While Elias, Dee, and Asia were walking back from the church, someone else was walking up the stone steps of the Himejima shrine.
Tohsaka Rin stood at the front gate.
She looked around at the beautiful, quiet garden.
It didn't look like a scary Devil's lair. It looked perfectly peaceful.
She walked up to the main house and knocked politely on the wooden frame.
A moment later, the sliding door opened.
Shuri stepped out, wearing her traditional Miko clothes.
She looked at the teenage girl with a gentle, questioning smile.
"Hello,"
Shuri said softly.
"Can I help you?"
Rin stood up straight and put on her best, most polite smile.
"Good afternoon,"
Rin said.
"My name is Tohsaka Rin. I go to the same university as Elias Thorne. I am a friend of his. Is he home?"
Shuri blinked. Then, her eyes crinkled in amusement.
Elias had already told her all about the bossy girl with black twin tails and a red sweater who tried to trap him at the library.
Shuri knew exactly who this was, and she knew Rin was definitely not just a normal school friend.
But Shuri was a wise and polite mother.
She didn't reveal his secrets.
"Ah, Tohsaka-san,"
Shuri smiled warmly, bowing her head.
"Elias is not home right now. He went out for a walk with his girlfriend. But he should be back very soon. Please, come inside and wait. I will make some tea."
Rin felt a little surprised by how easily she was invited in, but she nodded.
"Thank you very much,"
Rin said, stepping inside the house.
She looked around closely, trying to sense any wild magic or hidden traps.
But all she felt was warmth and peace.
About twenty minutes later, Elias opened the front gate.
"We are home!"
Dee called out happily, pulling a very nervous Asia by the hand.
Shuri walked out to the porch to greet them.
When she saw the sweet, scared-looking blonde nun, her motherly instincts immediately took over.
"Welcome back,"
Shuri smiled. She looked at Elias with a questioning glance.
"Who is your new friend?"
"This is Asia,"
Elias explained gently.
"She just moved here from Europe. She was supposed to stay at the old church in the woods. But when we took her there, the building was literally falling apart. It wasn't safe at all. So, I told her she could stay with us for a while."
Asia stepped forward and gave a deep, nervous bow.
"I am so sorry to intrude on your home, ma'am,"
Asia said, her voice shaking a little.
"I do not want to be a burden."
Shuri walked down the steps. She gently placed her hands on Asia's shoulders and lifted the girl's chin.
Shuri's eyes were full of pure, unconditional kindness.
"You are not a burden at all, sweet girl,"
Shuri said warmly.
"You must be so tired and hungry after such a long trip. Our home is your home. You are always welcome here."
Asia's green eyes filled with happy tears. Since she had arrived in Japan, she had felt so lost and alone.
But this beautiful woman was treating her like her own daughter.
"Thank you,"
Asia sniffled, smiling brightly.
"Dee, why don't you show Asia to the guest room?"
Shuri suggested.
"I will start making dinner."
"Okay!"
Dee cheered, pulling Asia down the hall.
"Come on, Asia! I'll show you where we keep the good snacks!"
Once the girls were gone, Shuri turned back to Elias. Her gentle smile turned into a slightly teasing smirk.
"You did a good thing, Elias,"
Shuri whispered, stepping closer to him.
"I will take good care of Asia. But right now, you have another problem to deal with."
Elias frowned, confused.
"Another problem? Did the Fallen Angels break out of my spell?"
"No,"
Shuri chuckled quietly. She pointed her thumb toward the closed door of the living room.
"Your 'friend' from the university is here. The girl with the twin tails. Tohsaka Rin."
Elias froze. His jaw dropped slightly.
"She actually came here?"
Elias whispered in disbelief.
"She is waiting for you in the living room,"
Shuri nodded, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"She seems very curious about you, Elias. You better go talk to her before she starts interrogating the walls."
Elias let out a long, tired sigh and rubbed his face.
He had just saved a nun from a terrible fate, and now he had to deal with a stubborn, curious mage.
"Okay,"
Elias muttered, walking toward the living room.
"Wish me luck."
Elias slid the wooden door open and walked into the living room.
Tohsaka Rin was sitting perfectly straight on a floor cushion, sipping her tea.
When she saw him, she carefully set her teacup down on the low table.
Her blue eyes were sharp and focused.
"You took your time,"
Rin said, crossing her arms.
"I had to help a lost friend,"
Elias answered simply, sitting down across from her.
"So, you found my home. What do you want, Tohsaka-san?"
Rin leaned forward. She didn't beat around the bush.
"I want the truth,"
She said directly.
"I had my butler look into your background. Your documents are perfect, but they are completely fake. A ghost identity. I want to know who you really are. And more importantly, I want to know how you used my family's exact magecraft without a chant and without a magic jewel."
Elias looked at her quietly.
His mind worked fast. He didn't know what to tell her. If he told her the whole truth—that he was from another universe and learned about her from a manga—it would just make things way too complicated.
He decided to give her a simple, honest answer that wasn't the whole story.
"It is my bloodline power,"
Elias said calmly.
It was true. His Adaptivity was permanently burned into his body and DNA. It allowed his blood and muscles to instantly learn and copy anything that touched him.
Rin's eyes widened slightly, and then a proud, knowing smirk appeared on her face.
She reacted exactly like she had expected this answer all along.
"I knew it,"
Rin said, nodding to herself. She began to connect the dots in her own mind.
"Magecraft that doesn't need a medium. Power that feels wild but completely natural. The Thorne family must be an incredibly powerful, ancient magus clan. You hide your identity to protect your secrets, right?"
Elias just blinked.
She had completely made up a cool backstory for him in her head. He thought about telling her she was wrong, but he stopped himself.
'Why should I correct her?'
Elias thought.
'It makes her happy, and it keeps my real secrets safe.'
"Something like that,"
Elias said, giving a small, vague nod.
Rin smiled, looking very satisfied.
Then, her face turned very serious. The proud attitude faded, replaced by deep determination.
"Since you are a powerful magus, you must know about the Holy Grail War,"
Rin stated, looking him right in the eyes.
"Yes,"
Elias replied.
"A battle between magic families using summoned heroic spirits. The winner gets a cup that grants any wish."
"Exactly,"
Rin nodded.
"The next war is starting very soon. It is going to be brutal, and the other Masters will not hold back. I am going to fight in it, and I want us to be allies."
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"Allies? Why me?"
Rin looked down at her hands for a moment. Her voice grew softer, carrying a heavy, hidden pain.
"My father fought in the last Holy Grail War,"
Rin whispered.
"He was a great man, but he was betrayed and killed. I am the head of the Tohsaka family now. I have to finish what he started."
She looked back up at Elias, her blue eyes shining with fierce pride.
"I don't have a greedy wish. I don't want to rule the world or be rich. I just want to win to honor my father's memory. I want to prove that the Tohsaka family is the strongest."
Rin took a deep breath and made her offer.
"If you ally with me, our combined power will be unstoppable. And when we win the war... I will give the Holy Grail to you. You can have the wish."
Elias sat in silence.
He looked at the proud, stubborn girl sitting in front of him.
Beneath her bossy attitude, she was just a daughter trying to make her late father proud.
He could deeply respect that.
Plus, the offer of an ultimate wishing cup was definitely not a bad deal.
Read up to chapter 50 only $5 at [email protected]/jelopy_jelopy