Tohsaka Rin slowly opened her eyes, still drowsy.
"Hmm… Where is this?"
The unfamiliar surroundings made her tense up immediately. Her gaze swept the room with sharp alertness.
"Did you sleep well, Rin?"
The voice came from the man sitting casually beside her, flipping through a book with ease. When he noticed her stirring, he gave a light, almost careless greeting.
And on his lap, resting like a small animal seeking warmth, was her sister, Matou Sakura, snuggled against him with a blissful look.
"…Sakura?"
Rin blinked, and her mind began piecing everything together. Yes… after she reunited with her sister, the two of them, girls of the same age had quickly fallen into endless chatter. Well, most of it had been Sakura talking, or rather, passionately lecturing her on how amazing Roland was.
At first, Rin had listened with skepticism. But under Sakura's dreamy, heartfelt narration, even Rin couldn't help but feel her perspective shifting little by little.
Powerful yet reserved. Mysterious yet approachable. Gentle, but always maintaining just the right distance… If Sakura was being truthful, then maybe this Roland really was someone remarkable.
Of course, for Rin, her father was still the most perfect person in the world. No one could replace him. But for someone like her, a girl who secretly admired the ideal of adulthood, it was only natural that a man like Roland could make her heartbeat quicken for a moment and even provide treasures without care.
After exhausting themselves with chatter, the sisters had drifted into a nap on the sofa. Neither of them cared about their surroundings anymore. They simply basked in the warmth of being together again.
But when Rin opened her eyes now… Roland was already back. How long had he been watching?
"…What's wrong?"
Roland's calm voice broke her daze. His eyes lifted from the book as he looked at her curiously.
"N-Nothing!"
Startled, Rin blinked rapidly, then lowered her head to hide the faint blush spreading across her cheeks. Her earlier thoughts, those wild, girlish daydreams were far too embarrassing to admit.
She hopped off the sofa in a hurry. Her long black twintails swished like a pair of lively pendulums with every movement.
"What time is it?"
"Don't worry about it. I'll take you home," Roland replied casually, his voice as smooth as ever.
"No."
The words slipped out sharp and firm. No matter what impression Roland had left on her, Rin Tohsaka was not about to accept the charity of someone who had been her enemy just this morning. Even if they had struck a deal, she still had her pride!
"Are you sure?" Roland's tone was light, almost teasing. "School ended a while ago."
"…"
Like a thunderbolt, the realization struck Rin. The note she'd left at home only said she was going out early. If she returned late too… there was no way she could explain that.
Her father might be the head of the Tohsaka household, but he was rarely around. It was her mother Aoi Tohsaka who handled day-to-day life and discipline. Rin loved her dearly, believed her to be the gentlest mother in the world… but she also feared that serene smile when it turned cold with disappointment.
If only she could rely on Roland's strange power to slip home unnoticed…
But Roland, infuriatingly enough, seemed oblivious to her growing panic. His only response was to rest a hand on Sakura's head, smiling faintly in amusement.
"Uuugh…!"
That was the last straw. Rin dashed over, grabbed his sleeve, and glanced up at him with all the dignity of a kitten puffing its fur.
"Please, help me, Lord Roland!"
The words were squeezed out through gritted teeth, but they were still words of surrender.
Roland, of course, didn't mind in the slightest. The corners of his mouth lifted faintly as darkness welled up and swallowed both their figures in silence.
---
The Tohsaka Residence
By the time Roland appeared again, they were standing before the Zenjou family estate, the home Aoi Tohsaka now resided in.
She came out to greet them, and Rin froze.
Even now, Aoi Tohsaka was as graceful and dignified as ever, her beauty carrying the quiet refinement of an old noble lineage.
"I'm terribly sorry. This child always acts before thinking. I hope she hasn't caused you too much trouble."
With Rin's hand gently in hers, Aoi bowed deeply to the person who claimed to be a kind person who gave Rin a ride home. The motion carried such poise, her kimono brushing against her soft and voluminous curves.
"It was nothing at all." Roland's smile was bright and disarmingly warm. For someone who carried such an aloof and commanding presence most of the time, that kind of smile had the power to disarm hearts without effort.
They exchanged a few casual words. And in those brief minutes, Aoi found herself… surprised.
Roland was young, shockingly so, compared to the men who usually crossed her path. Yet he spoke with the calm maturity of someone who could handle anything: household work, cooking, daily matters… it all came naturally to him.
To a Yamato Nadeshiko like Aoi, reserved, traditional, and burdened by her status as Mrs. Tohsaka, friends had always been few and far between. For the first time in years, she felt herself smiling without restraint.
Yes, it was strange. She knew it was strange, how easily this young man made her feel at ease compared to her own husband, who spent his days socializing to maintain status or locked away in study. Their marriage was not cold, but it was not warm either.
"It's almost time for dinner," Aoi said softly, with a sincerity rare even for her. "Roland-kun, do you have other plans? If not… would you honor me by staying for a meal? I'd love for you to try my cooking."
Roland's smile held the slightest note of regret.
"I'd love nothing more than to accept such kindness… but unfortunately," he sighed with exaggerated embarrassment, "I must hurry home. My wife will be waiting."
"...Roland-kun, you're already married?" Aoi's eyes widened in gentle surprise. A soft laugh escaped her lips as she covered them politely. "Ah, I see. No wonder, you have someone so dear at home. How enviable."
"You flatter me. In truth…" Roland let his gaze drift, his tone faintly bitter, "it was an arrangement by her family. I had no choice in the matter. Even so… as a father, I cannot abandon my daughter. I bear that responsibility."
He paused, then let a fleeting smile curve his lips, just enough to let the words slip like honey.
"If I truly had a choice, though… a wife and mother as graceful as you, Miss Aoi, would be far more appealing to me."
"...!"
Before she could even process his words, a flush bloomed across Aoi's cheeks, soft, warm, and utterly unbecoming of her usual composure.
"Roland-kun is… quite the joker," she whispered, almost to herself.
But Roland only offered a polite nod, as if retracting his own boldness.
"Forgive my forwardness. Please don't take it to heart."
With that, he turned to leave. But just as his footsteps faded, he paused and looked back.
His eyes gleamed with something playful, and his voice was a low murmur meant only for her.
"Still… I meant every word."
And then he was gone, without so much as a backward glance.
Behind him, Aoi stood frozen, Rin tugging anxiously at her sleeve.
---
Aoi Tohsaka had never… felt this way before.
As a descendant of the Zenjo family, which was once a magic family, although Tousaka Aoi does not have magic circuits, her bloodline is still very excellent and she is a precious 'child bearer'.
She was a woman who had long accepted her fate: the political marriage arranged by her family, the quiet obedience expected of her. Therefore, from the very beginning, she was reserved by the Matou family. After Matou Kariya gave up on his own initiative, Tohsaka Tokiomi quickly chose to take over. So, Tohsaka Aoi actually did not have the freedom to choose her marriage. Though still, Tohsaka Tokiomi was an excellent husband, and she had given him nothing but loyalty in return, blind, unwavering loyalty.
Even if it meant sending one daughter away. Even if it meant knowing Rin and Sakura might one day become enemies. She had endured it all with a smile. Because that was her role.
She had never allowed herself to feel.
And yet, Roland's words still lingered in her mind, warm and dangerous like a forbidden flame.
"...Is he… someone like me?" she whispered, recalling his earlier confession. "Someone who couldn't choose… his own path?"
The thought shook her, shook her so deeply that she tore it away with force. She was Tohsaka Tokiomi's wife. That was an unshakable truth. As long as she bore that name, she would never betray it.
But… making a new friend wasn't wrong, was it?
"Mother?"
Rin's voice broke the silence. Aoi turned, masking every trace of turmoil behind her usual gentle smile.
"It's nothing, Rin. Let's go home."
Rin hesitated. She wanted to tell her mother, warn her who Roland really was. But… what excuse did she have? She herself had broken the rules today. She herself had fought without permission, even been defeated by him.
So in the end, the two walked side by side, each carrying thoughts they couldn't voice.
And at the door, Aoi knelt slightly, gazing into her daughter's eyes with unusual gravity.
"Rin. You mustn't tell Father about what happened today."
"…Eh?"
"In return…" Aoi's smile softened, though her tone allowed no refusal. "Mother won't tell him about you wandering Fuyuki unsupervised."
"Uuuh…"
Rin pouted, but there was no escaping that gentle steel in her mother's gaze. With a small sigh, she nodded.
"hmm…"