Words Count: 4941

A/N: The next few Eps will mostly be Leo and the girls. I feel like I've neglected them long enough, but after that comes what Malcolm has in store for Leo-tan. Hope you guys enjoy! Btw, nearly got pulled over today. It's super hot and I took off my helmet for a while, which's a problem since I rode a scooter. Thank Gods a kind gentleman- in his forties perhaps?- told me there were cops ahead.

Here's my usual spiel:

You can read from Episode 103 to 111 (And 31 Eps of the Sequel – Fate: False Sovereignty.) in advanced. The Tier starts from as low as 1USD, try it out!

P a tr e on . com (/) LiamThePoor

I did not end up staying for that dinner, despite the fervent protests coming from both Taiga-nee and Shiro. Sadly, there were works to be done, mainly placating a certain tsundere for disappearing on her for four whole months.

As the genius that I was, I had already prepared a crap ton of crystals, jades and gems of all kind, taken straight out of an illegal mine in Nepal to use as apology-gifts. I got these for cheap– A disdainful snort interrupted my thoughts as the Daemon living rent-free in my psyche scoffed. 'Motherfucker, stop lying, you didn't pay a dime for those! You stole them from the treasury of some Drug-Lord in Nepal three months ago.'

Releasing a short, awkward laugh, I licked my lips nervously. 'W- Well… I did pay for the plane-ticket at least… I think?'

'You didn't pay for that either, Lorelei Barthomeloi did.' Angra drawled, a look of loathing creeping on his skeletal and somewhat see-through face. 'Now, stop being a bitch and ring the bell already! You've been loitering in front of their Mansion for fifteen minutes straight, and people are starting to ask questions!'

'Alright, alright. Stop nagging, you are not my wife.' Taking a deep, deep breath that did wonder calming me down, I raised a fist to knock. My knuckle lightly hit the beautifully-carved, polished wooden frame. 'Bro, are you fucking serious right now? The Mansion is like three-thousands square feet… Nobody can hear that–'

The words had barely escaped his mouth when the Daemon was immediately proven wrong, the door flinging open to show a sweaty Rin still in her crystal-blue pajama. By the look of it, she must have been lazing in bed again. While her appearance would not suggest it, the real Rin Tohsaka was actually quite lazy.

In fact, if I were to be honest, I was fairly sure she was not very passionate about Magecraft either. The tsundere just loved the prestige and attention it brought her. Obviously, the fact that she could rub her superiority in others' faces also contributed to this need to advance her Family Craft a lot.

But, I believed the genuine reason Rin spent all her life practicing Magecraft and doing works she didn't appear even the slightest bit interested in was due to a sense of duty and… Surprisingly enough, fear. It always struck me as odd how Cannon-Rin decided to save Shirou out of the goodness of her heart. Although, she tried to justify it by saying he's her imouto's only friend, a blind man could see that's not the entire reason.

Rin Tohsaka was not cut out for this life,

She should have never inherited the Tohsaka Ladyship,

If anything, Sakura was a much better fit given her past and disregard of anyone not Shiro and maybe Taiga.

The younger Tohsaka was more jaded and practical than her elder sister could ever be, making her the perfect candidate for a Heiress. This merely displayed Tokiomi's incredibly poor decision-making, as after she was shipped to Zouken, Sakura while a demure girl by nature, had already shown her resilience by surviving past what the old Worm put her through on a daily basis.

And while she was not sane, could any Magus with a shred of humility claim to be?

Not to throw shade at Rin, but with how she was, it's honestly a question of mine as to why Tokiomi even chose the tsundere in the first place. "Hope I didn't disrupt your sleep, Rin-sensei… How are you doing–?!"

Before my confused look, the tsundere shook her head like a Rockstar, her twin-tails being flung violently my path. To make it even worse, she seemed to have reinforced those beautiful black strands beforehand, each carving ugly and prominent lines into the once pristine wood-frame of the unnecessarily expensive door her Ancestors had installed. None hit me, obviously, but Rin refused to relent with the hair-whips.

'Fuck… I thought I was done with this crap after Gabriel's death?!'

"YOU DAMNED, STUPID, IMMATURE AND- AND–!" Out of derogatory terms to use, the tsundere opted for a very vocal, "– IDIOT! GO DIE IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE?!"

As a result, the crowd which was originally quite big, grew even further thanks to all the commotions. "What's wrong? Isn't that Rin, that famous Tohsaka girl? Why's she fighting with that boy?"

"He looks older than her… *Gasp*– Could it be?!"

"What? What could it be?! Don't leave us in suspense, Katagiri-san!"

'These gossipy motherfuckers…'

Katagiri-san, the seemingly gentle housewife with a bag of grocery in her hand smiled, slapping a palm over her mouth in faux shock. "Could it be Rin-chan is pregnant?!"

''… What?/The fuck is going on im this woman's head?! What kind of horrifying scenario are you conjuring up, woman?! Why's that the first conclusion you arrive to?!'' Both Angra and I were shell-shocked. Seeing as the Daemon's senses were connected to mine, he could make out the conversations happening around us, unlike Rin. "Think about it–"

The woman purposefully lowered her voice, as though the baseless rumors she just spouted were the most precious thing in the World. "– My child said Rin-chan hasn't been feeling well for months, she barely eats at lunch, and her grades have suffered a lot… What could it be but a hidden, older boyfriend?!"

'This fucking bitch!'

'Hmmm… She does have a point, but I'm more surprised nobody is questioning how Rin is able to wreck solid doors with her hair alone.' I- That's a good question actually. Oh-Well, it's Fuyuki, if Taiga could manhandle men twice, sometimes thrice her size in a fight, then this must be common too. And-Hey, if they weren't surprised by it, no reason to draw attention to the tsundere's obviously Supernatural feat.

"B- But she is too young, and she isn't showing at all."

Another voice added in the midst, to which Katagiri-san merely waved away their suspicions with a huff, her expression calm and self-assured.

"Children nowadays grow up really quickly, Hatake-san! They are not like us purebred traditional women. Beside, Rin is an orphan, the priest- Her guardian has recently been filed as missing as well… Boy looks well-dressed, I won't be surprised she got into bed with him for his money, there have been news about the Tohsaka's dwindling finance after all–"

The annoying bitch had the nerve to let out a laugh after spreading such malicious rumors about my Rin?! I caught a flinging fist from Rin, eyes growing dark as I shot a baleful death-stare at the group of housewives. "Bitch, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

I asked loudly, not an ounce of emotions in my tone as I called out to them.

"What kind of shitty rumors are you spreading in my presence, you fucking lowlife?" I raised my voice even more when they all pretended to not have heard me, much to the tsundere's shock. "Leo?! What are you doing? C'mon, let's get inside–"

"No." My refusal was loud and clear, "Not until that bitch apologizes. Yes, you, I'm pointing at you. Why don't you come closer and repeat what you just said to our faces?"

"She didn't do anything, don't be unreasonable, Leo!" Rin hissed angrily, but I'd not relent, not this time. I didn't spend the last four months killing Horrors unimaginable to their uselessly small and petty minds, just to have both Rin's and my honors brought into question. "Misses Katagiri, is it? Do I need to repeat myself? Are you not ashamed, talking about two children behind their backs?"

"I- I-"

I released the tsundere's hand, moving closer and closer to the group, most of whom were already sweating bullets at this point.

It's moment like this- people like this that reminded me why Gil was so genocidal in the Cannon-Routes.

I looked down to see a girl, about the tsundere's age glancing at us, then at our feet. She was by no means ugly, but compared to the exquisite and noble features of the Tohsaka Sisters, the inhuman beauty of Gil, and the sheer cuteness of a certain redheaded Heroine of Justice, she would almost always lose to them by a mile.

What's more, there seemed to be a deep inferiority-complex hidden beneath that bright gaze.

"Katagiri-san, Himari-san–" Smiling awkwardly, Rin tried futilely to diffuse the situation. "– I'm so sorry about Leonis, I don't know what came over him…"

I felt the pressure on my back increased as Rin attempted to make me bow to the woman, whose expression was changing rapidly, before self-assurance crept in. Like a hunting viper seeing its prey, Katagiri began to let out a tirade about how disrespectful we were, how loud we were being in a residential area, and a bunch of other insults that may or may not have touched on the topic of Rin's orphan-status.

While this all took place, I calmly swept Spatial-Awareness to assess the situation. There were a lot of people here, but none was an Officer of the Laws, which meant… 'Can we bash her head in, can we, can we?! Please tell me we can!'

'Why are you even more excited than I am?'

'She reminds me of someone in my past…' That's all Angra said, refusing to elaborate further.

I saw Himari, whom I presumed to be the Katagiri's 'Little Miss' revealed a smirk while her mother berated us. 'Ah… I see how it is. So her daughter has an inferiority-complex against Rin, and now she's taking it out on her.'

The grip Rin had on my shoulder had grown tenser at the mention of her deceased parents, especially her father- Tokiomi. "What would your father say if he could see the kind of people you hang out with, Miss Tohsaka?! And you, young man, are an embarrassment to your parents! I ought to teach you in their place."

"There is no surveillance camera in the area… Good." I muttered beneath my breaths, smiling wickedly as rapid footsteps neared, before Sakura burst out from the Tohsaka Mansion. "Nee-chan, why are you taking so long– What- What is going on here?"

Confused, the young Tohsaka looked at us, then at the group of women.

Unfortunately, I couldn't hit the group, killing them in my territory would do me no good, and I doubted it would make Rin and Sakura happy either. Thankfully, Katagiri seemed to have a bicycle here… Fearless, I approached the group, the look and bloodlust I radiated must have bene quite intense for these normal housewives, because they all backed away from me like the plague itself.

Even the mother and daughter duo were no different,

I smiled apologetically at them, hands reaching for their bicycle and with a twist, turned the vehicle into an abstract art of a spring-roll. "… You- You‐?!"

"Go on, since my parents have done such a terrible job at raising me, why don't you try, Misses?"

"My bicycle!" With a mighty heave, I sent the horribly-bent bicycle at a nearby car. It was a McLaren, which according to my rudimentary knowledge about cars, was quite expensive. "Oh-My, I don't think your insurance will cover that, Katagiri-san! You should go back home and scour the house for every dime and penny to pay that off."

There was no way that could be fixed, the bicycle had been completely imbedded into the poor McLaren's side, and due to the impact, it had also crashed into the wall, leaving it totaled. "I- I'll inform the police that you–"

"You'll tell them what exactly?" I interrupted before she could finish, a taunting smirk tearing its way to my lips. "That I– A boy in his early teen was somehow able to break your bicycle by hands, then threw it with such force it totaled a car? Do you really think they will be more inclined to believe that I did this than you driving recklessly and causing an accident, you dumb cunt? There is no surveillance camera here to prove your words either, and your friends won't help."

I glanced at the other women. "You bunch don't want to take a visit to the nearest, local Asylum, do you?"

They all looked down, diverting their eyes from Katagiri and her now scared daughter. "To cause such a huge accident while your child is in the backseat, plus trying to frame a poor, innocent boy for the crime… Will they take custody of your daughter, I wonder?"

Seeming to have finally understood the severity of their situation, the duo paled, faces blacker than the bottom of a pot. "Apologize, before I'm forced to do something even more drastic."

I laughed sadistically. "I mean, if I can do all that without trying, just imagine what I can do to your very frail, very squishy bodies…"

Pointing at the ground in front of me, I ordered. "All of you, kneel and apologize now."

I was on an unstoppable momentum when a poke at the side of my ribs, a clearly reinforced poke snapped me out of the vindictive haze I had fallen into. There stood Rin, her features ever sharp, nicely-angled and noble, but even that could not veil the distaste visible on her face and body language. "That's enough, Leo! I don't know what they did or said, but you're crossing the line here!"

I looked at her, and I meant really looked, yet the tsundere did not seem quite as deterred by the stone-cold, stoic gaze that had terrified so many before.

"Can you just let this go, please… For me?" She pleaded, and the silent rage seething in my chest appeared to subside. "Well, I suppose that's enough punishment for Katagiri-san, but–"

A cheeky smile gracing my lips, I glanced at the frozen woman who flinched violently, much to my pleasure. "– The next time you speak, watch what comes out of that mouth of yours, Miss. It'd be a terrible shame if you wake up one day to find it missing, wouldn't it?"

Then, I clapped with a lighthearted grin. "Alright, everyone! Show's over, time to go home and do remember, if you say a word about what happens today… Well, I don't think I need to explain to you all what will happen, do I?"

That said, I left the group of housewives to their own device, while I helped the two girls inside, pulling their hands gently and leading them into the Mansion. "What the Hell was that, Leonis?! Are you trying to expose us to the World? Why are you looking for troubles all of a sudden?!"

Her tone was high and shrill, the classic signs of anger, though what truly caught me by surprise was the slight touch of unease and concern in her voice. It's a fact that Rin hated showing her emotions, one of the many side-effects Tokiomi's Heiress indoctrination left on her psyche. To her, it was a sign of weakness, hence why she would always show concerns via screams and scolding.

Those who were less familiar with her might find this odd or/and even disturbing at times, but if you paid close attention and were able to ignore the rather… Violent presentation, she's a nice girl, one of the nicest I had met thus far. It's why I allowed those mother and daughter duo to leave without an apology, the tsundere would not appreciate my effort to defend her honor particularly if I went any further.

Of course, the fact that Katagiri-san would now have to deal with a ginormous debt in compensation to the unknown McLaren owner contributed too. No reason to beat a dead horse. It's not like I could make it any 'deader'.

The second we went through the door, hidden by the scrutinizing gazes of the gossipy housewives, I jumped towards the girls, more Rin than Sakura, and drew them into my arms, purring softly. "Ah-How I have missed you two!"

They struggled out of my embrace, echoing in unison. "Le- Leo-senpai, what are you doing?"

One said shyly,

"Let go you idiot, you're not getting out of this that easily! Either you tell me what just happened, or you can leave!"

Take a wild guess as to which was Sakura's response, and which was Rin's? C'mon, guess. "I was merely defending my honor and yours, not that you seem that appreciative of it…"

I pouted, slumping on the tsundere's smaller form, my head resting on hers. Continuing after a brief moment to take in the familiar, homey feel of the Tohsaka Mansion, I scoffed. "That woman was spreading rather unsavory rumors about you… Or more precisely, about us. Insinuating things like I got you pregnant, then ran and the likes."

It was really fucking rude actually, but expected in this environment. People always looked for ways to beat down someone they considered superior to themselves, Rin was just unlucky enough to be that someone, having aced every class, subject and skill she had ever grown an interest in.

Yes, I was a shitty person who probably deserved a beating for my many vices, but that did not automatically make me a shitty father by default, dammit! To insinuate otherwise was to insult me to my face. If, and that a big 'if', I ever got a girl pregnant, no matter how much I despised the woman, I'd be there for the child- my child.

His memory of a childhood without the presence of his father had made sure the thoughts of abandoning my spawns an irredeemable act in my eyes, same went for things like mind-control and rape. Don't get me wrong, I'd still manipulate others mentally via [Mesmerize] and [Axii] as long as it benefited me, but I'd never use that on the girls, nor would I ever use it in any manner of sexual depravity.

As of now, those Spells were reserved for my subordinates, just in case.

I'd implant certain thoughts and suggestions in their minds, making it so it's almost impossible for them to betray me and mine. Most of the times, I instilled an almost instinctual fear that's deeply rooted in the cores of their persons, which was the easiest method I had thought of so far to ensure their loyalty.

"It was annoying… I mean, I'm not a good person, but do I really look like the sort to run and abandon my own kids?" I pursed my lips, pretending not the notice the redness creeping on the tsundere's adorably-twitching ears. "I- Well, thank you. I understand why you did it, but please you can't be threatening people in broad daylight, okay?"

The tsundere said softly, while Sakura stared at us, a suspicious and sadistic smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Will you stay for dinner or do you have to leave immediately, Leo-senpai? I'm sure nee-san will appreciate your presence."

'Sakura… She has changed a lot, hasn't she? The girl even knows to tease us now.' It made sense, it had been four whole months since I cured her of her condition and she's now living, surrounded and practically submerged in the kindness and love of her senpai and her nee-san. 'She does seem to be doing much better, though I'm rather concerned with this 'Ara-Ara' vibe I'm getting from her.'

"Sakura!" Rin yelped, eliciting pang in my heartstring at the sheer cuteness of her actions. "Rin-sensei, you're so cute, let's do it right here and now!"

"What are you saying, idiot?!" She screeched, her cheeks bright red, while Sakura put a hand over her mouth, her eyes curving knowingly. "Well, I guess that's my cue to leave, don't let my presence in the house stop you two, and remember to use protection."

"Sakura?" The tsundere asked, seeming baffled at the abrupt betrayal of her sister, her gaze lingering on the back of the former Lesser Grail. "Sakura, wait- wha–?! Put me down, Leo!"

I heaved, throwing her like a sack of potatoes on my shoulders. "It's a bit expose here… Let's do it in your Workshop instead, Rin-sensei."

Each word of mine was accompanied by a musical touch as I raced to the basement of the Tohsaka Mansion, giggling all the way while Rin knocked lightly on my back. It did not take long for us to reach our destination, and as I put the tsundere on the somewhat dusty desk, wiping it telekinetically with a flick of my hand, I spoke cheerfully. "Alright, now off with your clothes!"

Speechless, the tsundere looked at her feet, fiddling awkwardly with the sleeves of her red shirt. "Le- Leo, I- I don't think I'm ready yet…"

Ripping open a portal to my Workshop, the one underneath the Fuyuki Church, I grabbed a hospital gown and threw it at her. "… You're not ready to undergo the Ritual? Why didn't you say so?"

"I- Wait, you brought me here to perform the Ritual on me?" She asked, the shy look on her face stiffening. "Why else did you think I carried you all the way down here for? I did promise to give you the Ritual after all… Unless–"

I licked my lips, raising my brows with a cheeky smile.

"Did Rin-sensei think I was going to do something else? Something… Depraved, perhaps? Oh-Rin, you dirty-minded girl!" The words barely got out of my mouth when a string of [Finn Shot]s were shot my way. Nice, it seemed my tsundere hadn't neglected the offensive aspect of her Magecraft. Whereas before she could only use the lesser variant of the Spell- [Gandr], now she could throw out [Finn Shot] left, right and center with relative ease.

The drain on her Mana was still enormous, but I expected it to lessen once she had grown older and more familiar with the Spell. Still, compared to the innate potentials of Sakura and Shiro, her progress was indeed quite… Well, let's just say it was not living up to my expectations. It's understandable really, unlike Sakura who had spent years as a living battery and host to the tainted Lesser Grail, which made her body more accustomed to the foreign Energy,

Plus the Ritual of Grasses and help from Avalon itself, Rin did not have any cheat.

I had the Game, and Shiro with her infantile Reality Marble was almost guaranteed to grow into a better fighter than the tsundere could ever hope to be. Thankfully, I had a solution to that…

Retrieving the ingredients necessary for the Ritual, I flashed her a smirk, amused by the upset in her expression. "Don't be like that, Rin-sensei. Give it a few more years, if you still want to do it, I'm more than willing to oblige–"

The small, clenched fist passed by exactly where my head once was– Keywords here: 'Once was'. "I'm going to beat you up."

There was no stuttering in her voice, no stumble of words, just pure, icy coldness that radiated from her. Immediately, I raised my hands in surrender, unfortunately that no longer seemed to work. "You just upped and disappeared for four months, then dared to come back and tease me? You really want to die, don't you?"

I laughed nervously. "He- Hey, how about you put that chair down and we can talk it out?"

"Like Hell I would, you insensitive idiot!"

.

..

…

The Ritual was a complete success!

I smiled, grimacing as I felt a bruise form on my cheek.

Rin might be small, but she sure packed a mean punch.

"Is nee-san not joining us today?" Sakura asked as I helped her set the table. "I don't think she will, though she will probably get some major munchy in the morning, so you might want to work on breakfast beforehand. I hope you don't mind my presence, I can leave if you want? It is rather late."

I offered politely, knowing unwanted presence might put the traumatized girl on edge. She had suffered a lot under Zouken and Shinji's hands, and while he had met and talked a bunch, there were always people nearby when it happened– Either Rin or Shiro. I didn't want to make the girl uncomfortable by overstaying my welcome.

My relationship with the tsundere and a certain Heroine was good, but with Sakura, there always appeared to be a distance between us. Not that I minded, both he and I had never had a thing for Sakura, and not because of her past or anything of sort… No, I just was not compatible with her personality. The smaller girl was too… Fake, which wasn't to say that I disliked her, but I wouldn't lose any sleep if she were to abruptly disappear on a sunny morning.

It's similar to how I felt about the character Shinobu in Demon Slayer.

"No, it's alright, senpai. I've made more than enough foods for three people anyway." We continued in silence, and once we were done, we both sat and began digging in under a tense atmosphere. "My sister's Ritual went well, I hope?"

"It did." I had spent weeks- Nay, months wracking my and Lord Gardner's brains to ensure nothing bad would- could happen. Even the possibility of it was not allowed, and after all that efforts, all those sleepless days and nights, we were finally able to lower the risk to a single digit. Yes, there was a three-point-five percent chance of something going wrong, but it's miniscule compared to my, Sakura's and the Freys child's.

'You forgot his name again, didn't you?'

I ignored Angra's inquiry, not wanting to admit he was right. What? Why should I be bothered to remember the name of a random child I might or might not meet ever again? "The Ritual went smoothly as could be, I've also stimulated her muscles to allow better growth in the future… Although, Supernatural physiology does come with a downside, Rin will have to eat many times more foods than her current diet."

Plopping a sushi in my mouth, I chuckled.

Once more, silence reigned over us as I poked my foods.

Sakura's cooking was good, on the level of a newbie chef actually, but Shiro's was the stuff dreams were made of.

"I see." The younger Tohsaka gently scooped up a spoon of soup, tucking a strand over her earlobe. "Leo-senpai, can I ask you a question?"

My manly-senses were tingling, a foreboding premonition for what's to come. "You– *Gulp*– You may, kouhai."

"What are your intentions towards nee-san and Shiro-senpai?" Now, it might just be my imagination, but I could have sworn a flash of pure, tentacles-shaped darkness seemed to sprout and wiggle behind Sakura the second she uttered those words. I narrowed my eyes, watching her every motion tensely. The tainted Lesser Grail might be gone, though I'd not cross it leaving certain repercussions out of my list of possibilities.

Even with Avalon's interference, All the World's Evils were a Force in and unto itself, it's only natural it left… Marks on her psyche and Mana.

"I do not know." I admitted truthfully. "I like them, I care for them and they're like family to me–"

I hungrily swallowed a mouthful of food. I was starving, but that's not why I decided to eat while having this conversation. It's a pretty common tactic used by employees and students to buy themselves time when faced with a hard question. "– But I have a feeling that's not truly what you want to ask… No, you want to know if I wish to get in a relationship with them, am I right?"

Not wasting any time, Sakura bobbed her head, hair flying all over, revealing a pair of pointy ears that elicited an overwhelming urge in me to touch and see what they felt like. "Well, my adorable kouhai, I don't know. Like I said, I have a fondness of them and I do love them, but I'm not… In love with them, if that makes sense? Maybe it will happen in the future, though I won't force it, nor will I try to leverage my helps to emotionally blackmail either of them into a relationship."

Why should I? They already had feelings for me anyway.

Sakura responded with a nigh inaudible whisper, "Good… Then I won't have to hurt you."

Others might not have heard it, but to me, it's like a flash of thunder ringing my ears. Then, all traces of seriousness were wiped from her expression, giving way to the familiar demure smile often associated with the kind girl she usually played. "Let's hope that never changes, Leo-senpai. I'm thankful for your help in curing me, but nee-san and Shiro-senpai are all I have left… I won't hesitate to strike you down should you hurt them, or die trying."

'Bro, she just straight up threatens you.' The Daemon's laughter echoed in the empty dinning-room as he nearly choked on spits. I could understand why though, it's unthinkable the infamous Leonis Magnum was being threatened by a girl in her early teens. Hell, Sakura was even younger than Shiro and Rin by a year!

Now, there were two ways I could react to this,

I could be… Well, me and acted like a mean dickhead, or I could let it slide given our targets of protection were one and the same. I wanted the best for Shiro and Rin, so did Sakura, why the Hell should we fight?

Thus, I merely laughed at her words, raising a glass of vintage wine to her. "To hoping I never change then."