A week and a half had passed since the Holy Grail was destroyed. Peace had finally come to Fuyuki, though the aftermath of the war had drawn numerous eyes. Buildings and mountains vanished, a whole new canyon appeared, hundreds of innocents had disappeared, and the city was full of curious individuals from scientists to conspiracy theorists. Thankfully, as things had quieted down, some of the people attracted to Fuyuki had begun to filter out due to boredom. The Mage's Association and Holy Church were still furious, so many of the participants in the war would have to answer for what had happened. As for those participants, all that had survived the battle had mourned those that gave their lives for the cause and licked their wounds. Thanks to Mordred's Avalon, everyone was able to quickly return to full health and even regrow any lost body parts. The only thing that could not be fixed was Gray's lost eye as she was wounded by a weapon that negated regeneration. She didn't seem too bothered by that fact and she even said that she 'looked more unique now.' The last week and a half had been a time of rest and preparation for what everyone would do next.
As for Kirei Kotomine, he would be going to the Vatican. He had been subpoenaed by the Holy Church to explain why the Grail War had gotten so out of hand. If things went well, Kirei would be forgiven with only a minor penalty and he'd get a new church built for him, at worst he and maybe even his family would be killed. Rin was in a similar position with the Clock Tower, as were Bazett, Luviagelita, Henriikka, Lord El-Melloi II, Reines, and Chloe. The Pendragons were off the grid essentially since they were in hiding from the Einzberns for so many years, so they didn't have to go anywhere but home. Considering just how much of a disaster the war had been, normally the Clock Tower would kill everyone involved who was still alive, but the many participants were allied with one another and several were of significant power. There was no way for the Association or Church to tell how many Heroic Spirits remained. Plus, individuals like El-Melloi and the Edelfelt Sisters possessed significant influence and there would be many who would side with them if a large-scale conflict broke out. Considering the potential strength of this coalition, the Clock Tower and Holy Church would be unable to slay them all without sustaining a few casualties of their own. The coalition would still face punishment, but it would be limited in scope.
Speaking of punishment, Kirei was currently witnessing something of the sort in the backyard of the estate where Fujimura was letting everyone stay.
"Thinking of running away?" Luviagelita crossed her arms and she stood in her sleeveless dress. Across from her stood Fujimura who unsheathed her katana, a normal one as all the Noble Phantasms and Mystic Codes Assassin had projected for her had disappeared since his death.
"Not at all." Fujimura bent her legs while Luviagelita's skin lit up with the light of her Magic Circuits, her body reinforcing.
"Is this really necessary?" Henriikka whined as she stood with the rest of the spectators on the back porch, which included Kirei, Rin, Caren, Reines, Lord El-Melloi II, Bazett, Scáthach, Illya, Mordred, Chloe, and Leysritt.
"She took Clown's life and cut out my tongue." Luviagelita crouched into a grappling stance while keeping her eyes on Fujimura. "Such indignities can't be forgiven. It would soil the Edelfelt name."
"Just-" Henriikka exhaled through her nose and crossed her arms. "Just don't hold back. I don't want you dying because you were too busy posturing."
"Don't worry, I'd never pull my punches against someone who has earned my ire the way this scoundrel has."
"Even if she does hold back, I can't see how Fujimura could win." Bazett had her arm around Scáthach's shoulder while the queen held the suited woman's hip. "Just reinforcement magecraft is enough to make the user's skin too tough to pierce with a normal sword swing. Fujimura has no way to hurt Luviagelita without Assassin's equipment."
"Hm." Scáthach made a noise.
"Did you use Clairvoyance?" Bazett said.
"I did."
"How does this end?"
"Interestingly."
"Mind sharing?" Chloe spoke slowly to show her annoyance with Scáthach's reticence.
"Don't spoil it." Caren interjected. "That ruins the fun."
"Caren." Kirei spoke sternly. Caren may have grown, but only so much. Caren and Reines began whispering to each other and despite not being able to hear them, Kirei was annoyed. Lord El-Melloi II pinched the bridge of his nose.
"One of you, say when to start." Luviagelita's demand was met with Kirei stepping forward and raising his arm.
A moment of silence. A frigid breeze blew through. A misty breath left Kirei's mouth.
"Fight." The arm swung down.
Fujimura didn't notice Luviagelita had moved until the magus' fist had already buried itself into her gut and lifted her off the ground. Without any supernatural defenses, Fujimura was completely at Luviagelita's mercy. The ex-yakuza vomited from the blow to her stomach, the mess getting all over the magus' arm and skirt.
"You are the second person to regurgitate on me in a duel!"
Rin smiled when Luviagelita said that for some reason.
Despite being a wrestler, Luviagelita unleashed a flurry of fists that beat Fujimura around like a sandbag. Welts covered the ex-yakuza who somehow managed to stay standing. She wasn't even fighting back.
"Why did Fujimura even agree to this?" Illya winced at seeing the ex-yakuza get brutalized. She didn't seem to be enjoying watching this which was a surprise considering the vendetta the homunculus had against the woman.
"How do you like the weight of your sins?" Luviagelita's fist swiped across Fujimura's jaw and knocked out half of her teeth.
Luviagelita relented in her assault. Fujimura stood slouched forward, blood dripping from all over her body. She could barely hold up her katana.
"I asked you a question. How do you like facing the consequences of your actions?" Luviagelita put her hands on her hips.
"It feels good. It's like having a bucket of water dumped on you after you haven't bathed in a decade." Fujimura said.
"Oh." Illya said. She figured out why Fujimura agreed to this. There was only one way this could end and it was what the ex-yakuza wanted.
"I see." Luviagelita's lips pursed. "I'm fighting a corpse. I'll bury you then."
With grace, Luviagelita dashed behind Fujimura and wrapped her arms around her opponent's waist before lifting her up. She was going for a German suplex. It would splatter Fujimura's upper body upon impact with the ground.
Most everyone leaned forward to watch this finale to the battle except Scáthach who already knew the conclusion to come.
It was when Luviagelita was beginning to arch backwards that Fujimura suddenly went from sluggish to filled with urgency. She spun around her katana so she held it in a reverse grip with both hands, the tip pointed towards her own torso. The sword pierced its owner's chest without any hesitation, the blade going straight through Fujimura's body and hitting Luviagelita. Was this Fujimura's plan from the beginning, or was this something she was inspired to do by some last second survival instinct? The blade's tip couldn't pierce Luviagelita's reinforced skin, but that didn't stop Fujimura from putting both her hands on the pommel of her sword and pushing with all her strength. Her teeth grit so hard her gums bled and teeth cracked. The expression on her face presented a fierceness that seemed beyond her up to this point. Such passion in the face of overwhelming odds made her seem like the tiger that challenges the dragon.
Snap. The katana broke in two under the strain while Luviagelita's body remained unharmed. The hilt dropped to the ground while the blade remained lodged in Fujimura's chest. This was the end of the ex-yakuza. It was time for her to pay the price for all the sins she had committed. Fujimura appeared to accept this as she closed her eyes and let her limbs hang limp. Perhaps she could finally attain peace this way, as horrific as that was to say about the end of a person's life.
Luviagelita didn't move. She just needed to arch a little more backward and she'd complete her suplex. She also could have just squeezed Fujimura tighter to split her in two. It was actually rather strange that Luviagelita stopped her suplex when Fujimura tried to stab her. She could have just kept going. Luviagelita leaned forward and gently put Fujimura onto the grass. There was a tiny hole in the chest of Luvia's dress. Kirei could see a dot of blood where Fujimura's blade had thrust into the ringlet girl. The swordswoman had barely managed to do damage to her opponent.
"Mordred, give Fujimura the sheath, quickly." Luviagelita said and Mordred did as he was told, running over the ex-yakuza and inserting the scabbard of Excalibur into her body.
"I'm going to need to take this out." Mordred touched the blade in Fujimura's torso. "I'll count to three and then-"
"Just rip it out." The ex-yakuza let out only a long grunt as the weapon in her body was yanked out. Fujimura breathed slowly as her wounds began to heal and she accepted that she was alive. She looked over to the woman who had spared her life. "Why didn't you kill me?"
"I would have if you didn't fight back. As I said before, I would have just been burying a corpse, but you weren't a corpse." The ringlet haired girl was handed a rag and bucket of water by Henriikka to wash off the blood and vomit she was covered in. "You have the will to live and thus the will to properly atone for your transgressions."
"I don't understand."
"You dying achieves nothing. It wouldn't undo the sins you've committed, nor would it create an equivalent amount of good in the world to counterbalance your previous evils. If you truly want to repent, you must live and dedicate yourself to making the world a better place!" Luviagelita pointed at Fujimura. "Do you wish to repent?"
The ex-yakuza looked at the grass that had been colored red with her blood. She tried to wipe a couple blades clean with her sleeve, resulting in some of the redness going away, but not completely. A chuckle left Fujimura's throat and she looked up at Luviagelita again.
"I do. I will repent."
"Then from now on, you are my new butler!" Luvigelita's words were followed by silence and the sound of the breeze.
"What?" Chloe said.
"Why?" Rin said.
"This is stupid." Caren said.
Everyone was gobsmacked except Scáthach who smiled and Henriikka who was fuming.
"The Hell are you talking about?" Henriikka yelled. "You want a criminal as your butler?"
"She killed Clown, so she must take his place as my personal attendant." Luviagelita held her chin. "It makes sense, no?"
"No! You can't make her your butler!"
"It's not your decision to make, it's mine and Fujimura's. So, Taiga Fujimura, you shall serve me for the rest of your days!" Luviagelita crossed her arms.
Fujimura had an almost absent minded look on her face as she gawked at the ringlet haired girl. Then she began to laugh. It was a loud and uncontrolled laughter that made Fujimura clutch her stomach. She was swaying her body to and fro as she was overwhelmed by a degree of jubilance that brought tears to her eyes. Her laughing transitioned into coughing mixed with giggles before the ex-yakuza finally managed to calm down and stand up.
"Alright. I'm your butler." Fujimura extended a hand. Luviagelita took it and they shook. "I'll dedicate my entire being to making your life a lovely one."
"I'm glad you're being cooperative."
"Has everyone gone crazy?" Henriikka grabbed her head.
Fujimura was going to live and would now have the opportunity to make up for her crimes, and it would also provide her the opportunity to find inner peace. The benevolence Luviagelita was displaying was admirable and somewhat mind boggling. Henriikka wasn't unjustified in her distrust and distaste for Fujimura, and Luviagelita also hated the ex-yakuza, so the ringlet girl's actions were hard to parse in terms of underlying motivation. Perhaps she saw making Fujimura her butler as a form of punishment, perhaps planning to treat the swordswoman poorly. It was also possible that she decided to turn the other cheek in order to be the bigger woman. Was Luviagelita planning to do this from the beginning, or was it spontaneous? Considering the magus was clearly holding back in the fight, otherwise Fujimura would have been blown to pieces from the first punch, Kirei leaned towards the idea that Luviagelita never planned to kill the swordswoman. In the end it wasn't the motivation that mattered, but the result. This was Fujimura's chance to turn her life around and that was a wonderful thing.
"What a lame ending." Caren walked away with Reines following behind her. Chloe and Leysritt followed suit, as did Rin and Lord El-Melloi II.
"I understand what you meant when you said this was an interesting ending." Bazett held her beloved tighter. "I should have known this wouldn't have ended in a standard way considering your description. You're very particular with your words."
"It's important to speak precisely when you're a teacher. You need to be aware of how your phrasing of things will influence your students' perceptions of what you tell them."
"I love listening to you explain things." Bazett smiled and pressed the side of her face into the top of Scáthach's head. "You're so intelligent."
"And you're so kind." Scáthach raised her free arm to hold the hand on her shoulder. "What do you want to do now? We have to leave for London soon, so we can't go out."
"Let's just relax."
"No training?" Scáthach snickered.
"Train for what? I'm quitting being a magus and a Sealing Designation Enforcer." Bazett had a cheeky smile that made Kirei do a double take. Seeing such an expression on the suited woman's face was so strange.
"You've changed so much." Scáthach said.
"In a good way?"
"In a very good way." Scáthach and Bazett kissed.
Bazett and Scáthach had a cheeriness to them that seemed so divorced from their behavior before they were reunited. Their stoicism gave way to a calm enthusiasm for life born from their infatuation with each other. They were in the honeymoon period of their relationship, and such periods always end. As time marched on, they would face new challenges that would test their relationship, the most daunting of which being Scáthach's immortality and Bazett's mortality. One would live forever and the other would not. Could they truly dedicate their lives to each other and become deeply attached to one another in the process when that would lead to Scáthach's suffering once Bazett passed on? Neither Bazett nor Scáthach were the type to rush into things without contemplation, so it was possible that they had good reason to believe they could overcome the ultimate problem of the queen's immortality. No matter what the future held, Kirei appreciated seeing Bazett so happy. She had lived a life of quiet tragedy. She endeavored to achieve great things because it was the only way she could perceive herself as worthy, doing so at the cost of her parents disowning her. Despite her aspirations, Bazett was rejected by the Clock Tower, the organization proceeding to taunt her with the smallest sliver of acknowledgement in exchange for acting as their tool. Thus she became an Enforcer whose profession was her life. She was alone, desperate for acceptance. Scáthach was the savior who provided that acceptance. Even if the jubilation Bazett and Scáthach felt now might someday disappear, it didn't make their current happiness any less valuable.
Illya walked over to Fujimura and cleared her throat to get the swordswoman's attention.
"Hey, uh, so, like, I still hate you." Illya's eyes were looking everywhere but at Fujimura who had an eyebrow raised. "You nearly ruined the lives of everyone in my family so, y'know, fuck you, I hope you burn in Hell."
"That's fair." Fujimura said.
"But you still helped me get stronger and if you hadn't, then I probably wouldn't have been strong enough to help beat Gilgamesh, so thanks for that. It still doesn't make up for what you did and I never would have needed to get stronger if Assassin didn't attack mama, Mordred, and Gray which caused mama to lose control, so really you were doing the bare minimum to fix your fuck up, but you still helped, so thank you." Illya had a fist raised in front of her face.
"You're welcome." Fujimura spoke slowly and with hesitance.
"Fuck you. Anyway, bye." Illya scampered away into the house.
"I'd apologize for Illya being so abrasive, but I kinda hate you too, so, y'know." Mordred shrugged.
"Don't worry, I think it's best that you all hate me. My sins shouldn't be brushed aside." Fujimura watched as her swollen skin shrunk down. "Thank you for letting me use your scabbard by the way."
"I mean we've basically been playing hot potato with it for the last week and a half to fix everybody. I feel more like a doctor at this point than a knight. Anyway, I'm heading inside. I'll take back Avalon in a few hours." Mordred waved as he entered the mansion.
As an exasperated Henriikka began to air her complaints to Luviagelita and Fujimura about the latter being employed as a butler of the Edelfelt family, Kirei decided to enter the house as well.
The priest arrived in the living room and its connected kitchen. The Pendragon family was currently having lunch with Chloe, Sella, and Leysritt. Mordred and Chloe sat down on two free pillows next to the short table that had been covered in so much food it resembled a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast. There were so many plates and bowls of German and Danish cuisine crowded together that they actually needed to put two tables together to have enough room for it all. There was smoked fish, pickled fish, sausage, potatoes, asparagus, meatballs, rye bread, rolls, cheese, salami, curry, hard boiled eggs, roast pork, oysters, roe, lobster, and more. They were having one last big meal before they had to leave.
"Hello, Father Kotomine." Irisviel spoke with a quiet anger like a low flame. She still hated the priest for trying to kill her, which was fair.
"Would you like to eat with us? There's plenty." Gray spoke with a smile. She had a black eyepatch covering the eye she lost.
"I'll refrain, thank you." Kirei thought it a bit inappropriate to share a meal with a woman he once attempted to murder. Also, despite Gray saying there was an excess of food, Artoria and Mordred were eating such large quantities that the priest was doubtful. That said, Kirei was low on fuel. "I'm just going to make something small for myself in the kitchen."
"Okay. Let us know if you change your mind."
Kirei proceeded to search the fridge for ingredients, becoming disappointed with the lack of spices. All the while, the luncheon behind him was full of delight and fervor. Artoria and Irisviel were sitting so close together that they were practically conjoined, the lovers whispering sweet words to each other. Mordred and Chloe bickered while Sella chided them and Leysritt occasionally added her own commentary. Gray and Illya were chatting about a cute girl named Miyu Sakatsuki that Illya had met a few days ago in town. She and Illya were apparently the same age and they had gone on a few dates. Now Illya was going to start a long distance relationship with her. It seemed a little fast to start that kind of relationship in Kirei's opinion, but Gray was supportive. The Pendragon family was having a wonderful time after having undergone so much trauma during the Holy Grail War. They had all fought hard and their efforts were rewarded, allowing them to have this moment of peace. Chloe had not been so lucky, because Heracles gave his life to save mankind. The hero who had saved Chloe from her captors was gone, and yet the homunculus did not let herself wallow for long. She was just as cheery as everyone else eating lunch. Heracles had saved her life, so it would be a waste not to enjoy that life. This was what the hero would have wanted.
"So you're going back to Germany?" Illya asked Chloe.
"Just to pick up the leftover treasures in the Einzbern vault to keep us funded for the rest of our lives. We aren't taking Das Rheingold since it's cursed and all. We're also gonna donate any of the non-cursed fortune that we don't need to different charities and poor countries."
"Make sure the charities are reputable."
"We will." Sella finished a piece of fish on her plate. "We're going to do a lot of research, both into the charities and into the governments. We're going to send the money to the places where it will be best used for the greatest good."
"Have you decided on where you'll settle down?" Artoria said before she dug into a large serving of roast pork.
"We haven't decided yet." Chloe twirled the fork in her hand. "The United States seems fun. Maybe New York City or Snowfield would be good. Finland also sounds nice. I dunno."
"You could…" Illya trailed off and she cringed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"We wanted to propose something to you three." Irisviel gestured towards Chloe, Sella, and Leysritt as she took the reins for her daughter.
"Shoot." Chloe leaned forward.
"We talked it over as a family and we realized that we want our family and your family to keep in touch."
"That'd be nice."
"We also thought about how you three need a place to live, and our family is already going to need to buy a new house since our old one doesn't have a room for Mordred, so we were wondering if you wanted to live with us."
"You're asking us to join your family?" Sella was so taken aback that her fork missed the piece of sausage she was going for, the tines scraping against the plate which released a screech that gave Kirei goosebumps.
"If you want." Irisviel emphasized.
"We already see you as family." Illya looked straight at Chloe. "It would be nice if we stayed close, especially when there's so few of us."
"We aren't trying to pressure you." Artoria said. "If you don't want to live with us, feel free to be honest. We won't be offended. We understand that we're being presumptuous."
"No, no, you aren't being presumptuous." Sella waved her hands. "You're making a reasonable suggestion and I'm not opposed to it. Uh, Leysritt, Chloe, what do you think?"
"What Chloe wants is what I want." Leysritt didn't look up from her sandwich.
Chloe crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and leaned her head back.
"Chloe?"
The tanned girl's lips flapped as she blew out her mouth. Then her head jerked back down and her eyes shot open.
"I'm down."
"You'll live with us in Denmark?" Illyasviel perked up.
"If Sella's okay with it."
"I'm fine with it." Sella nodded.
"Cool. We're Pendragons then."
"Yes!" Illyasviel pulled Chloe into a bear hug, the recipient responding by attempting to punch her twin in the liver.
"Let me go!"
Smiles and laughter abounded at the humorous display of affection.
Merry conversation returned to life as Kirei finished making himself a plate of curry. He planned to eat in his bedroom, but as he left the living room and entered the hall, he heard a question that made him stop.
"You don't care if you look like mom anymore?" Mordred blurted out which killed the simultaneous discussions and left the feasting group quiet and curious again. Kirei's intrigue got the better of him so he stood just out of sight in the hall so he could eavesdrop.
"I'm over it I guess." Gray said.
"Are you sure?" Irisviel spoke with an uneasy lilt.
"You aren't just saying this because you don't want to bother us, are you? We're happy to try and find a way to give you your own face. You know that, right?" Artoria's voice lacked strength. "All we care about is making you happy."
"I'm not holding back or anything. I really don't care anymore, well, not exactly. I still care a little. Some moments I care more, other moments less. But just because I'm not perfectly happy doesn't mean that I'm not happy at all, and it's not like the disappointment I sometimes feel could ever possibly ruin the happiness I have now. After nearly losing my personality for good, I've come to appreciate my ability to think my own thoughts. No matter how I look, as long as I can think, I am me. My body is another part of me, but it's not all that I am."
"How enlightened." Chloe said.
"I don't think I'm enlightened, just more appreciative."
"Are you really sure you're okay?" Artoria sounded like she was on the brink of crying.
"I'm sure. Honestly, being upset about how I looked all the time was exhausting." Gray said with a goofy tone before giggling.
"You're such a strong girl." Artoria was certainly crying now.
"Please don't cry. This isn't your fault. No more blame. Let's just enjoy the present and look forward to the future."
"Okay." Artoria sniffled.
"Besides, I have this now." Kirei couldn't see what Gray was referring to, but it was obvious what it was. Her lost eye. "This is something I have that none of the rest of you do. No matter what, I'll always have this to make me stand out. I guess it was the Lion King's last gift to me."
Artoria was correct when she said Gray was strong.
Kirei decided he had listened enough and continued down the hall towards his room.
As the priest made his way, he passed by Lord El-Melloi II who was playing his PlayStation Portable as he walked with an expression even more sour than normal. The two men nodded wordlessly as they passed each other.
The Lord was doing well considering how upsetting his battle with Iskandar must have been. To face the man he longed to see for so long, only to have to kill his tainted reincarnation, it was so horrible that it made Kirei feel pleasure at the thought. And yet the Lord didn't let that daunting trial defeat him, nor did he let the bitter taste that event must have left with him stop him from living his life. He was such a scrappy lad in the Fourth Holy Grail War, desperate to prove himself yet terrified to take action. Now he was a man who had proven himself one thousand times over. He attained what his younger self had dreamed of and he probably didn't even care. Kirei did not know Iskandar well, not at all, but if he wasn't a fool, then would be proud of the man his former Master had become.
The priest entered his room which contained nothing but a futon, a dresser, and a suitcase with Kirei's personal items packed inside for when he left in less than an hour. Kirei sat on the ground and began eating his curry. He ate at a precise pace, not too fast, nor too slow to optimize his consumption speed without risking any stomach problems. The curry was nowhere near spicy enough, but it served as fuel for the body and that was what mattered most.
Upon finishing his meal, he grabbed his plate with one hand and his suitcase in the other. It was time he left. He left his room and power walked back to the living room. He quickly washed his plate in the sink before addressing the feasting Pendragons.
"I'm leaving now for the Vatican. It's been a pleasure fighting alongside you all. I wish you all well."
"The honor's been ours." Artoria stood up and shook the priest's hand. The rest of the Pendragon family followed suit with their own farewells of varying enthusiasm and formality.
Kirei journeyed throughout the estate, saying goodbye to all the members of the alliance until he only had Rin, Sakura, and Caren left to talk to.
Arriving in the dojo, Kirei found Caren and Rin sparring while Sakura was kneeling near one wall, watching the match. Rin was actually giving Caren some trouble, no doubt thanks to the knowledge she gained from her future self. Caren raised a leg before stomping it forward, her upper body slingshotting towards Rin as she punched. Rin spun around the fist and used the momentum from her motion to slam her back into Caren, the white haired girl nearly getting knocked off her feet.
She managed to keep her feet on the floor as she slid backward, Rin pursuing her and kicking low. Abandoning using Bajiquan, Caren crouched as soon as she stopped skidding, the kick that was originally coming for her leg now headed towards her upper body. Caren raised her arm and took the hit to her side before wrapping her arm around the leg. Like a decompressing spring, Caren shot up from her crouch towards Rin, all while continuing to hold her opponent's leg which forced the Tohsaka girl to fall back. The magus hit the floor and Caren got on top of her, the white haired girl's fist raising up before swinging down like a hammer towards Rin's nose.
Caren's fist stopped right before it hit Rin.
"I win." Caren stood up and Sakura clapped.
"Good match." Rin got up and extended a hand for Caren to shake, which the white haired girl took, much to Kirei's surprise.
"An excellent bout." Kirei made his presence known.
"Kirei!" Sakura rose to her feet and jogged towards the priest. "You're leaving now?"
"I am. Sakura, Caren, did you move your things into the Tohsaka Mansion?"
"We did, not that there was much left to move after the church got demolished." Caren said. Sakura and Caren would stay at the Tohsaka family mansion for as long as Kirei was gone. The priest would purchase a permanent residence once he had returned.
"I actually need to leave now too." Rin said as she looked at some suitcases in the corner of the dojo.
"I'm going to miss you both." Sakura put her hands to her chest.
"I'll be back soon." Kirei said.
"I know." Sakura was mainly upset about Rin's departure. She wasn't just going to be interrogated and punished for the events of the war. She was a Magician of the Second Magic now. The Clock Tower was going to want to recruit her immediately, and Zelretch was going to be especially interested in mentoring her. The Mage's Association would stipulate in their punishment for Rin that she'd have to immediately start training in London, as well as use her Magic for their own purposes for at least a while. In short, Rin wouldn't be returning to Fuyuki any time soon.
"I'll visit whenever I can." Rin smiled at her sister.
"You don't need to." Sakura smiled back. "You're going to be doing what you've always dreamed of doing. Don't distract yourself because of me."
"Sakura." Rin's eyes got misty. "In that case, make sure you live the normal life you've always wanted here in Fuyuki."
"I will. I'm actually going to ask Shirou out on a date the next time I see him."
"That's great! He better say yes or I'll fly back here and kick his ass."
"Don't bother, I'll kick his ass myself if he says no."
Both Rin and Sakura laughed before they grew quiet and just looked at each other. In unison they hugged and let tears fall from their eyes. The Tohsaka sisters would be leaving each other after a lifetime of codependency. It would be difficult to put it lightly, but they could do it. They had both grown into fine young women during this war, so much so that they were nearly unrecognizable to Kirei. Rin and Sakura were no longer obsessed with each other and instead were each able to stand on their own. Rin was a genuine Magician and was going to probably change the world of magecraft in more ways that Kirei could count. Sakura was freeing herself from the Tohsaka name to live the life of a normal person. It was hard to believe, for the priest most of all, but Kirei felt proud of his two wards. At this point, they were essentially his daughters and he was blessed to have had them, so much so that he felt guilty that he still couldn't feel normal kinds of happiness since it meant he couldn't perfectly appreciate what he had.
It was as Kirei was introspecting that he felt himself get dragged into Rin and Sakura's hug, as was Caren.
"Don't mention this to anyone, Kirei." Rin hid her face.
"Of course." Kirei rolled his eyes. There were some things that never changed.
The priest noticed that Caren wasn't resisting this family hug the way she normally would. Kirei's eyes locked with his daughter's. There was a sheen around her eyes, as if Caren was on the brink of crying. She looked away and pouted. She was actually emotionally moved. It seemed that she would miss Rin that much. Despite her barriers, Caren cared about her family. It brought untold relief to Kirei to know that his daughter would not be forced to live a life with the same unholy instincts, at least not to the same degree. Caren could live a peaceful life without needing to exist with an emptiness inside like the priest had to.
Though at this moment, Kirei didn't feel particularly empty. He wasn't happy, but there was a stirring within him. It was a sensation that was similar to the one Kirei felt when he was with Claudia, the feeling that compelled him to be with her. The only word that came to mind that somewhat captured the sensation was satisfaction. Perhaps he was satisfied with how well his three daughters turned out. No matter the answer, Kirei was at least at peace knowing that his children were all following paths that made them happy and would likely make the people around them happy as well. What more could he ask for?
For the first time in a long time, Kirei smiled.