A:N- I decided to change things a bit, adjusting the last two chapters of the Prequel, I'll now have to change the Sequel too.


A New Beginning

The remaining days of Spring Vacation ended.

Rin did about six jobs. Six, high-paying jobs that earned her eight digits equivalent in yen, she's got a big bank account that combining all that along with her Grail War pay, she has nine digits in millions combined. Nearly a billion yen.

Damn magi sure pay well.

Rin cemented her reputation as a first-rate Magus. In strength and competence at just age 15 that she has fans among student magi her age.

In Clock Tower, she was known as Zelretch's best student, and the only Red Faction Master to survive the war to the end, earning herself a reputation.

At just age 15 and her Servant is still around and can keep him without support from the Grail whatsoever but Astolfo was another story. His Master was a Homunculus who definitely can keep him around easily but the weird part is a human sustaining a Servant without backup from the Grail.

In a Grail War, the Grail and the Master share costs by half.

But if the Grail War is over yet Servant still around, the Master would be forced to pay the full price...and demigods are EXPENSIVE in Mana Upkeep.

Karna's cost with the Grail was 3000. Grail gone? Double. And Rin can happily spam out high-thaumaturgy spells while him fighting and taking mana from her.

A normal magus probably wouldn't be able to move even a single finger while supporting him. Even a first-rate magus would be exhausted to the point that they couldn't use their own magecraft.

In Clock Tower records(which are clearly falsified and only Zelretch and Kairi knowing the truth), she has powerful hundred Magic Circuits. 100 A-Class Circuits that produce 30 units each. 3000 units of powerful prana and its enough for Karna's upkeep as A-Class prana can easily satisfy the needs of his full reserves if its power equivalence they're talking about, otherwise a magus with lower-quality circuits will be hard-pressed to keep up. Not only that, Rin is a master of Formalcraft she can absorb what was taken to maintain Karna's prana reserves that's double her own in high speed so she's never out of energy and Karna can spam out his NPs. It was no wonder that when choosing Masters for Servants Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri assembled, Zelretch picked Karna for Rin as the only magus capable in Clock Tower to sustain him who wasn't a Clan Head of the Lord Families.

Having 100 Circuits made her along the levels of children of Lords. And she's a magus from a fully-civilian family with no circuits. She was a miraculous birth and an Average One at that for a magus with no magical history whatsoever as her twin brother was just an ordinary human. She has mastery over her fields, and the best in crafting tools and Mystic Codes that she is able to create 'transformation wands' that boost her battle capabilities on Wizard Marshall levels if transformed. Let it be known that the costs of her transformation sticks the size of Sailor Moon transformation pens each costs around The Ritz Hotel's yearly income.

That much power yet her transformation sticks costs so cheap...if only because 'Rin begged her Master to just hunt for the needs to forge them than buy it off the tower for lower costs.' according to Zelretch. Otherwise it'd cost seven times more.

She was thus noted for her accomplishments but still, the tower's wasted genius. First-rate fighter and magic-user but second-rate as a magus as she was 'afraid to cross the threshold'.

It should also be noted that to prove that she can do the jobs she took by herself, she left Karna and Astolfo in the Clock Tower as guests, freely roaming around as celebrities since they were Servants who gets to stick around after a Grail War. For one, Astolfo's Magic Resistance was top-class thanks to his Noble Phantasms and Karna's armor enables him to no-sell anything so there was no worries leaving them in Clock Tower until she gets back...and came back with high-quality jewels for sale that further added to her income by Jewel Mages, starting from jewels students study and experiment on, to high-quality jewels seasoned Jewel Mages use in their craft.

Upon returning home having cooled down enough, she treated her Servants out.

Yes, Servants with a plural S as Astolfo's willing to follow her and do as she says even if Sieg is still his Master. He normally do as he wants when he decided on a set goal, as if he has a high rank in Independent Action, so...

xxx

Japan...

'Welcome back, you three.' Mephisto greeted them. 'How are your jobs?'

'Therapeutic.' Rin smiled. 'Though its still...upsetting.'

'I imagine, given how you grew up.' said Mephisto with a nod. 'But still, there's no denying it. However, nurture always wins over nature so don't see yourself as a monster simply because of your bloodline when you're far more humane than even your older brothers.' he reassured her. 'It took us several millennia to gain self-control and patience to be who we are today when we used to be no more than natural disasters from birth to adulthood.' he said. 'You who is potentially the strongest of us if given time to mature, is raised from the start with those two things.'

'But in your time, life back then didn't exactly reach a level of intelligence until the eras of Gilgamesh and Karna.' Rin deadpanned.

'Fufu, indeed so...but little sister, we are conceptual beings.' Mephisto told her. 'In a bid to blame anything for anything bad happening to them, the first humans used demons as an excuse. Then from that moment on, their belief in us gave birth to us. Us aside, there's also mythological beings brought to life by belief and the collective power of belief gave birth to us all. So Rin, your power lies in how much you believe in yourself as well now that you awakened your heritage out of necessity.' he told her. 'As a human mage, you had to work hard for your power. But as a half-demon now...you only need to believe in yourself.' he advised.

'...OK. Does Yukio know I'm a half-demon...?'

'Since he was seven years old.'

Rin was shocked.

'S-since grade school?!'

'Yes...he could see demons through temptaint...and he could see at a young age he needed to be trained for his safety.' said Mephisto. 'Demons ignore humans that can't see them unless said human's soul makes it easy for possession. But for humans who can see them...think of demons as annoying and malicious pranksters to the point of murderous, depending on the specie.' he explained. 'Yukio has been haunted until he opened up to your father that he sees things. Shiro told me he told him nothing happens when he is with you, but when you're separated...its when the chase begins for him.'

'So Yukio being a scaredy-cat back then...I never knew...' Rin croaked out as she remembered their childhood and Yukio's strange behavior. 'So when he's with me they never came...'

'Is because despite your being sealed, recognize you as the top of the food chain in your neighborhood.' Mephisto explained. 'And that included you being sealed and demons know not to tempt fate. By just being by his side back then, you were already protecting him until he found out the truth about your parentage.' he said. 'Astolfo and Karna will have no issues with demons either unless its a high-level one. You also won't have any issue as the Princess of Gehenna, our homeworld unless some are just plain stupid and suicidal.'

'That's...reassuring...'

'Well, your enrollment aside...' said Mephisto, 'Rin, as Karna is your Servant, I'd like your permission to have him as our Instructor in Knight Class for Third Year students in Cram School as well as a Trainer for those who wish to sharpen their skill in the blade or spear.' he said. 'As for Astolfo, I would like him for jobs I have in mind.'

'Well, Astolfo just does what he decided on, Master or not so its up to him to agree.' said Rin. 'As for Karna, I wish for him to decide on his own as well. The Grail War is long over and so is the period of Master and Servant and the obedience and compliance that came with it.' she said. 'Despite being tied to me through our contract, I want him to live his own life by his own decisions. I will accept his wishes. If he agrees, its OK isn't it?' Rin smiled at Karna who just looked amusingly exasperated. 'You really should learn from Astolfo in that regard.'

'Heehee, its OK to do what we want to do you know, as long as it wouldn't shame who we are today as we have our pride as heroes after all.' said Astolfo, patting his back. 'Let's enjoy our second life until our time is up!'

'You're very kind, little sister...when most Contractors will take advantage and milk it all for all its worth.' Mephisto chuckled in bemusement, shaking his head. 'Especially when you have the demigod son of Surya and a Paladin from Charlemagne's retinue.'

'Well...he is the first person to really care for me outside family...it wouldn't do if I didn't reciprocate by letting him act as he wishes since its time for him to appreciate life beyond obeying orders.' she said. 'So what's it gonna be?' she asked Karna.

'...it'll be a long discussion.'

Karna would give it a chance before accepting...

xxx

'A job huh?' Astolfo mused. 'That'd mean earning money right?'

'Yes.' said Rin. 'Nothing in this world is free so we work for it.' she said. 'And living in Japan is expensive so you really need a lot of money in this country.'

'Heeee...but still, Karna as a teacher huh...?' Astolfo mused. 'That'd be a sight to see.'

'I feel sorry for his students instead since he's a master of weapons and martial arts...' Rin giggled. 'Nobody can beat him and I don't know anyone who can defeat Karna in a skill-based fight.'

'Well, only one and did just that...though I lost my armor before it happened.' Karna told them. 'But even then, it was a pleasure as with or without it, he truly defeated me.'

'Heee...' Astolfo whistled.

Karna's armor made him an extremely formidable...weapon. Combined with his skills there are very few who they can count on two hands who can defeat him regardless of being armored or not.

Unknown to the pair...Karna has already discerned Amaimon, Mephisto and Yukio with his particular talent. He would meet more people and determine who's troublesome and who's not for his Master who may be a powerful fighter in her own right, but she is emotionally vulnerable and being isolated kept her immature and stayed as a 'child' in personality as she never got the chance to mature and suicidal out of loneliness and nowhere to belong. Her brother was just an excuse for herself to convince herself she's not alone though she cared for him.

That, and he felt that he would stay with her until she truly no longer needed him.

xxx

At home in Seijuuji Town...

They purchased a house for three with two bathrooms. Rin single-handedly paid for it without batting an eye, but had to use Karna as a front-face to the realtors, and then furnished their house. This enabled her to be a commuter as the school is just fifteen minutes away on foot unlike most students who had to pay for a dorm. But to maintain and keep it, Rin needed more than her current bank account even though she paid enough for ten years' worth ahead of time so she wouldn't have to bother worrying about mortgage for that time and the boys are free to decorate their bedrooms and buy a closet of clothes and shoes.

They were still a bit...nervous as its from Rin's own pocket but the girl could care less as there's more where it came from, and Clock Tower pays really big, if only to show off its wealth, something Rin is shameless in exploiting about. In her own mind, she can easily get rich just by taking a couple jobs, and secure herself a good nest egg.

Their house is fortified with formidable barriers that only a few people are keyed into it so they can visit her any time.

They lived there together as a 'family' with Astolfo as the cheerful, perky and eternally-optimistic 'brother' and Karna the only sane one in the house since he's with two childish people.

But he wouldn't have it any other way because he liked having a family since, well, he never got any. Father-figures and his actual father yes, but never a full house with a warm atmosphere.

Breakfast was Japanese, Lunch(and bento) was Indian, and Dinner was French.

Chores was also divided among them to be fair.

It was a well-oiled co-existence.

Such is their routine.

Karna and Astolfo also now have Exorcist Uniforms tailored to their fighting styles.

Astolfo is sent out on jobs and appropriately paid, while Karna works as an instructor, and his dangerous mouth was quick to shatter many morales and resolves and he's painfully-aware of it so he makes up for it in advices and good criticism to make up for the numerous flaws he found in his students, making him both a feared and respected instructor in Cram School. He is also a Sojutsu Teacher in Normal School Club so he has two different salaries from two different jobs.

As for Rin, she's now a student...again.

Wearing a school uniform.

It was a yellowish cream-colored blazer with a purple sailor collar and a purple pleated skirt. Girls have an option between a tie or a bowtie and free to wear any socks or stockings they like as long as its NOT fishnets or any other 'legwear' meant to be an 'accessory' to racy lingerie. So she wore a pair of pitch-black tights that covered hip-down so she can fight freely without worries about flashing people. Her long hair had to be worn in a high ponytail.

As a half-demon, she learned to shapeshift to hide her ears and tail.

'Looks like you're all set.' said Astolfo as they left the house together after breakfast with Rin spelling the dishes clean and with a flick of her wrist, made them fly back to the dish cabinet.

'Yeah but it feels weird being a student again when I'd rather go out working or go out on an adventure but alas, everyone's tied down by society.' Rin sighed. 'Life was much more fun a couple weeks ago.'

'Then why not stay as a magus?' Karna asked her.

'Society's in everyone's way!' Rin pouted. 'Because of the truant police on the lookout for kids outside school hours, even magus families have to reluctantly send their kids to school to keep the nosy inquirers away from their houses and see even a glimpse of sorcery practiced. If not for that, we'd be happily out on an adventure by now and while you can get away with it since you appear an adult, Astolfo's not as lucky since he's in his teens!'

'I'm 19 you know...' Astolfo pouted.

'You don't look 19.' came the deadpan retort from his housemates.

Astolfo whined in protest as they walked to school.