Chapter 71: A New Friend for Aoi Tohsaka

Rin Tohsaka slowly opened her eyes, still groggy.
"Mm, where am I?"
Upon realizing she was in an unfamiliar place, she immediately looked around warily.
"Did you sleep well, Rin?"
The man sitting beside her was leafing through a book, and upon noticing her, greeted her casually.
Her sister, meanwhile, lay with her head pressed against the man's leg, looking blissfully content, like a young beast seeking warmth.
"Sakura?"
Bit by bit, Rin recalled everything. After reuniting with her sister, the two—being the same age—had quickly fallen into conversation. Most of it revolved around how extraordinary Roland was, but Sakura's starry-eyed recounting had shifted Rin's view of him somewhat.
Powerful, enigmatic, unpretentious, gentle yet always maintaining a certain distance—perhaps Sakura's sincere admiration played no small part in this change.
Although her father remained Rin's ideal, the perfect figure in her heart, she could not deny that Roland, as an adult to aspire to, sometimes stirred her feelings.
When they grew tired of talking, the sisters, comforted by each other's company, paid no mind to their surroundings and dozed off on the sofa. She hadn't expected to wake and find that Roland had already returned.
"What's wrong?"
Roland asked, noticing Rin staring at him blankly.
"Nothing at all!"
Rin blinked her large eyes, instinctively lowering her head to hide the blush brought on by her earlier daydreams. She sprang from the sofa, her dark twin tails swaying with her movement.
"What time is it now?"
"No need to worry. I'll take you home."
"I don't want that."
Even though her impression of Roland had deepened, Rin wasn’t ready to accept the good will of someone who had been her enemy just a few hours ago. Even if they'd made a deal, she had her pride!
"Are you sure? It's already after school."
Roland didn’t press the matter, simply stroked Sakura’s head, his expression amused as if watching a show unfold.
"Ugh—!"

Rin felt as if struck by lightning. The note she'd left for her mother only explained her early departure; she might be able to cover for that, but if she was late coming home, there’d be no way to explain herself.
Although Tokiomi was the head of the Tohsaka household, he only oversaw matters of magecraft; daily life was managed by Aoi, who had always guided Rin. Rin truly believed her mother was gentle, but she also feared her when angered.
If she relied on Roland's ability to slip through shadows, perhaps she could still make it home in time.
Roland, meanwhile, seemed oblivious to the conflict on Rin’s face. He wore an innocent smile and said nothing further about escorting her home.
Barely ten years old, Rin suddenly understood the dirtiness and helplessness of the adult world. She ran to Roland, tugged his hand—under Sakura’s suddenly sharp gaze—and abandoned her recently recovered dignity.
"Please help me, Lord Roland!"
Though the latter half sounded as if she forced it through clenched teeth, Roland paid it no mind. Darkness surged around them, enveloping both their figures.

At the entrance to the Zenjou mansion, Roland once again met Aoi Tohsaka. She was as dignified and beautiful as ever, radiating that inherited grace unique to the Tohsaka lineage.
"I'm truly sorry. This child always acts on instinct without regard for reality, and ends up causing trouble for you."
Holding Rin’s hand, Aoi bowed deeply to Roland, who claimed to be a passerby and had kindly brought Rin home, displaying her graceful figure.
"It was nothing at all," Roland replied, flashing a bright smile. He always carried an air of calm arrogance, so when he smiled like that, it felt especially warm.
They chatted casually for a moment, and Aoi was pleasantly surprised to find that, despite his youth, Roland was adept at household chores, cooking, and all sorts of daily tasks. Because of her Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor and her status as Lady Tohsaka, Aoi had few friends, so for once, a genuine smile bloomed on her lips.
Though the feeling was somewhat complicated—getting along so well with a much younger man—compared to Tokiomi, who was always busy with maintaining prestige or magical research, their daily interactions, though not cold, never felt warm. This state was far more relaxing for Aoi.
"It’s nearly dinner time, isn’t it? Do you have other plans, Roland? If you’re free, please come to my home and try my cooking."
"I’d love to accept, but unfortunately," Roland showed a troubled expression, "seeing how wonderful you are as a wife, Miss Aoi, I must hurry home and check on my own wife."
"Roland, you’re married already?" Aoi was a little surprised, covering her mouth as she smiled. "No wonder. Compared to someone like me, a young wife at home must be much more appealing."
"You flatter me. To be honest, it was an arranged marriage by the wife’s family—I was the passive party," Roland sighed theatrically. "Still, as a father, I can’t neglect my own daughter. If I had my choice, someone as virtuous and gentle as you would be far more attractive to me."
Before Aoi could process the revelation that Roland had a child, her elegant face was flushed with a rosy hue.
"…You’re teasing me again, Roland."
"It was just a bold remark, please don’t take it to heart." Roland bowed gravely to Aoi, making his exit before she could grow wary. "Well then, I’ll take my leave."
But after a few steps, Roland turned back, winked at Aoi, and flashed a mischievous smile.
"Still, my praise was entirely sincere."

With that, he left without waiting for their reactions.
Aoi stood stunned until Rin tugged at her sleeve, bringing her back to herself.
As a descendant of the Zenjou family of mages, Aoi had no magical circuits but her bloodline was excellent, making her a prized mother. From the start, she had been earmarked by the Matou family, and after Kariya Matou withdrew, Tokiomi quickly stepped in, so Aoi had never truly had a choice in marriage.
Yet, because of her upbringing, she felt no resentment. Tokiomi was an excellent husband and treated her well, so she repaid his kindness with blind devotion—even if their daughter was to be sent away, even if Rin and Sakura might one day become rivals, hatred and conflict between them.
Strong as she was, Aoi never showed her emotions, but obeyed dutifully. Sakura’s usual behavior was simply a reflection of her mother’s own example.
Such direct praise from someone like Roland was a first for Aoi.
"He couldn’t choose his marriage either? Just like me…" Misunderstanding Roland’s words, Aoi instinctively equated his situation with her own, and quickly shook her head, banishing the thoughts that shouldn’t have arisen.
She was Tokiomi’s wife; as long as she held that status, she must remain loyal, like a vassal to a lord.
But if it was merely making a new friend—surely that was allowed?
"Mother?"
Rin, wary, squeezed her mother’s hand. She had never seen her mother look so gentle, with eyes full of longing and a hint of shyness.
"It’s nothing, Rin. Let’s go home," Aoi smiled sweetly at her daughter, heading toward the Zenjou mansion.
Rin, who wanted to warn her mother about Roland’s true nature, found herself unable to speak—her own secrets, like being possessed by Ishtar, or destroying the Matou family and being subdued, left her without a suitable excuse.
And so, mother and daughter, each harboring their own thoughts, finally arrived at the mansion’s entrance.
Aoi bent down, studying her daughter’s face with unusual seriousness.
"Rin, you mustn’t tell your father about today."
"In exchange, I won’t tell him you wandered around Fuyuki after school when you shouldn’t have."
"Mm…"
Rin looked at her mother’s expression, and finally nodded in resignation.