"Rin, why are you so flustered? What has become of your manners?"
A middle-aged man's voice, gentle yet tinged with a slight reprimand, rang out.
Looking at his daughter who had run out in her pajamas, Tokiomi Tohsaka shook his head.
"As the future heir of the Tohsaka family, you must remember to always maintain your elegance!"
"Yes, Father!"
Faced with the authority of her elder, the young Rin naturally did not dare to disobey. But she also clearly noticed that when Tokiomi mentioned the "heir of the Tohsaka family," her sister, standing to the side, lowered her head even further.
They were sisters, yet one was the future heir of the Tohsaka family, and the other was a burden to be sent away. For a young child, such a contrast was far too cruel.
Noticing this, Rin mustered her courage and spoke.
"Father, can we not send Sakura away?"
Although she already had Su Mo as an insurance policy, she still wanted to try one last time to change her father's mind.
As the heir of the Tohsaka family, she was not unaware of the reasons why Sakura had to be adopted. For an individual with extremely high potential in magecraft, it was very likely they would encounter a dangerous magical calamity if they did not receive the help of a magical inheritance in time.
And she and her sister, Sakura, just happened to be individuals with extremely high potential.
The Tohsaka family's inheritance could only protect one person. As such, adopting one of them out was the most suitable choice.
Considering it from this angle, Tokiomi's decision was also to protect Sakura's safety.
However, compared to being separated from her sister and sending her to a magus family whose situation was unknown, Rin felt that another way might be better.
"Sakura and I can inherit the Tohsaka family's Magic Crest together. I've looked it up. If we split it fifty-fifty, there won't be a problem!"
"So, can we let Sakura stay?"
Hearing Rin's words, and seeing her older sister fighting so hard for her, Sakura, who had been staring at the ground, looked up in surprise. Then, along with her sister, she cast a faintly expectant gaze at her father.
Hearing Rin's suggestion, and facing the expectant gazes of his two daughters, Tokiomi was not angry. Instead, he revealed a faint smile.
"Seeing you two sisters get along so well, as a father, I am very happy."
Hearing this, Rin and Sakura exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with excitement. Could it be that Father is about to be convinced?
But before they could be happy for two seconds, Tokiomi's tone changed.
"However, Sakura's matter has already been decided. It cannot be changed."
A single sentence sent the two daughters' hearts plunging from heaven to hell.
Tokiomi seemed to notice this, so he shook his head with a slight sense of helplessness and explained, "Not to mention, the Crest that the Tohsaka family has accumulated over generations cannot be split. That would be a defilement of the family's history."
"Even setting that aside, Rin, you must also learn to consider things from Sakura's perspective."
"Huh?"
Hearing Tokiomi's words, Rin was stunned for a moment. To consider Sakura's perspective, and so you're adopting her out? Are you sure?
"Don't look at the present; look to the future."
Seeing his daughter's dazed expression, Tokiomi shook his head.
"With your potential, you will surely surpass me in the future and become the most outstanding heir of the Tohsaka family. Your future can be said to be glorious and colorful, and you may even approach the long-cherished wish of us magi—to reach the Root!"
When he mentioned the Root, Tokiomi's expression was filled with longing.
"Under these circumstances, are you willing to see Sakura waste such precious potential and live in obscurity?"
"The Matou family is also a prestigious magus family. In terms of foundation, they are even stronger than our Tohsaka family. If Sakura can become the heir of the Matou family, then she, like you, will also step onto the path of magecraft and pursue the Root!"
"So, don't worry about Sakura's future. Only by going to the Matou family can her talent be maximized. Even for her own good, you cannot deprive her of the right to pursue happiness!"
"..."
Rin was momentarily dazed. What's going on? Why does this sound like I'm the villain?
Taking a deep breath, she looked at her father's face. Unlike Aoi's expression, although there was a hint of reluctance on Tokiomi's face, it was mostly filled with expectation.
He genuinely believed that sending Sakura away was the way to bring her happiness. In Tokiomi's view, being able to step onto the path of magecraft and pursue the Root was the greatest happiness for a magus. He was planning for Sakura's future.
On this point, she could not convince her father.
Realizing this with a sharp sense, Rin did not give up. Instead, she continued to question.
"What if the Matou family are all bad people? What if they don't like Sakura and are not good to her?"
Wasn't it worth worrying about sending such a young child away?
To this question, Tokiomi gave a confident answer.
"Rest assured! That will absolutely not happen!"
"Sakura's potential is so precious that even a Lord from the Clock Tower might be moved by it. As long as the Matou family has the most basic reverence for the path of magecraft, as long as they still possess the basic integrity of a magus, they will never treat such an outstanding heir poorly!"
"On this point, you can be completely at ease!"
Tokiomi held the Matou family, a prestigious magus family with a history of hundreds of years, in high regard. It was precisely because he knew the Matou family's background—at least, he thought he did—that he was willing to entrust his daughter to this trustworthy and prestigious family.
"..."
Rin fell completely silent. At this moment, she had come to a deep realization. No matter whether she could sabotage this adoption or not, her father and mother would not give up on the idea of sending Sakura away.
"Sister..." Sakura suddenly called out in a low voice.
Rin immediately looked over and saw Sakura silently shaking her head.
"I'll be fine," she said in a very low voice.
Rin's gaze fell, and she saw Sakura's slightly trembling fingers. Looking this scared, does she look fine?
"It's alright. Trust me," she immediately squeezed Sakura's hand, giving her sister confidence. "I will definitely solve this matter!"
"..."
Hearing Rin's decisive tone and firm attitude, a warm current suddenly surged through Sakura's heart. Even if she had been abandoned by her parents, her older sister had not given up on her.
As if grasping at the last straw, she also squeezed Rin's hand tightly.
Just then, she heard her sister mutter in an extremely low voice, "Even if I can't solve it, Lord Su Mo will definitely have no problem!"
Huh? Lord Su Mo? Who's that?
As a small question formed in Sakura's mind, Rin Tohsaka had already sent out a plea for help in the chat group.
Rin Tohsaka: "Waaaaah, Lord Su Mo, save the child!"
After chatting for so long, she had already learned to ask for help with a cute and pitiful act without batting an eye.
The Sakura of this moment certainly could not have imagined what her solemn and determined older sister was actually doing right now.