"Sakura, please read the translation of this passage."
"Okay. 'That day, we beheld a sight never seen before: the swaying sea of flowers, the overflowing starry sky...'"
Watching the girl with the graceful figure, clear enunciation, and elegant demeanor reading the textbook content flawlessly, the eyes of the surrounding classmates continuously overflowed with envy and admiration.
Clearly, everyone held a great deal of favor for the girl named Sakura.
After Class...
"Sakura, did you see it? The radiance you emanate is so captivating."
During the lunch break, the duo of young girls was like the most eye-catching scenery in the entire academy.
Strolling along the student-filled path, Rin looked at her sister, her eyes full of doting affection for Sakura.
"Nee-san, you're exaggerating..."
Sakura replied, somewhat embarrassed.
"Where's the exaggeration? It's the most normal response."
Smiling at Sakura, Rin continued, "Speaking of which, Sakura, we have no classes this afternoon. Do you want to go shopping?"
"I've noticed the weather warming up lately and want to buy some seasonal clothes."
"Ah?" Blinking, Sakura's initial willingness seemed to pause as if considering something.
"I think we should skip it this afternoon. I want to stay home and spend time with Mom Irisviel and the other new family members."
Her mind preoccupied with something, the well-behaved, kind, and obedient Sakura regarded Crimson Moon, Female Gil, and the others as her most important family.
"Spending time with family? Hmm..."
Having grown up with Sakura, Rin knew many of her younger sister's traits. For instance, when she lied, her eyes would unconsciously glance towards the lower right corner. So...
"Sakura, do you actually just want to spend more time looking at Dad?"
Due to the watch-regulated war rules, the Holy Grail War wouldn't start for a few more days, so Sakura and Rin still attended classes daily.
This resulted in them having only the brief time between returning home in the evening and going to sleep to spend with Ryuya, despite having just met him.
Knowing that, as fellow daughters of Ryuya, whether it was Mordred, Arcueid, or Altrouge, they all had some profound shared experiences with him.
Even Illya was often held by her father for stories. Both Sakura and Rin felt a touch of envy in their hearts.
Even so, these two never spoke a word about it because they knew they were different from the others… they had no blood relation to Ryuya.
Among Ryuya's daughters, Illya and Mordred, though homunculi, were created based on Ryuya's genes.
Arcueid and Altrouge went without saying, as the two True Ancestor princesses were the fruits of the love between Ryuya and Crimson Moon.
Only Sakura and Rin were different. Their biological parents were Tokiomi and Aoi. This was their greatest distinction from the other daughters.
So, even if no one said anything, both Sakura and Rin harbored a bit of sensitivity and fragility inside. They didn't even dare to ask Ryuya for hugs or act coquettishly like daughters should.
They could only silently watch, like proper nobles, as their other sisters talked with their father. What they wanted was also very simple.
Able to roughly guess Sakura's inner thoughts, Rin sighed lightly.
"Sakura, I know what you're thinking. I actually feel the same way."
"Remember when we were little? Every winter, we would wait outside the castle with Mom Irisviel for Dad to return, but we never did."
Looking at her sister, who hid all her grievances and sorrow deep in her heart, Sakura smiled, "It's okay, Nee-san. Dad is back now, isn't he?"
"We'll be together from now on. It's alright."
As they spoke, they had already covered most of the distance. Seeing the school gate within sight, Sakura suddenly said, "Sister, let's go eat luosifen today? I heard a new shop opened near the school. How about we try it?"
"Ra? Sakura, you like that stuff?"
Having never been fond of spicy and strongly flavored food, although their magical energy meant neither Rin nor Sakura would gain weight no matter what they ate, they had always been deterred by the smell of luosifen and never tried it.
Hearing her sister actually wanted to eat luosifen, Rin was surprised.
"We should always try new things, right?"
Smiling at her sister, Sakura seemed to imply something more with her words.
"Sakura..."
Pausing for a moment, then nodding at her sister's demeanor, Rin smiled, "Yes, we should always try new things."
Walking together towards the new shop outside the school, just as Rin and Sakura were about to exit the school gate...
"This is... what?"
The sound of the wind, the voices of people, the shifting scenery… the world was still the same world, but both Sakura and Rin knew a bounded field had appeared.
"What a terrifyingly skillful technique. Who is this?"
The world presented to their eyes had turned black and white, yet they felt no magical energy. This was a bounded field deployed using extremely profound means without utilizing magical energy.
Their eyes calmly scanning their surroundings, Rin and Sakura's first reaction was that an enemy had arrived.
"No need to be nervous, little girls of the Tohsaka Family."
Just as Sakura and Rin were looking around, an elderly voice with a British accent sounded.
Suddenly appearing from the empty space before the two girls, Zelretch stood in his magnificent robes, holding a gem-studded cane, smiling at Sakura and Rin, "Not bad. Your vigilance and composure are no less than that brat Nagato's."
"Who are you?"
Feeling a sense of distance from Zelretch's overly familiar demeanor, Rin didn't care what he said.
"Who am I? What, you don't even know who I am?"
Frowning slightly, Zelretch inwardly sighed, 'Had the Tohsaka Family's education declined to this extent?'
Even so, he secretly marveled at the innate talent of Rin and Sakura. These were two promising seedlings.
"Nee-san, that person... I remember there's a portrait of him at home."
Tugging at Rin's sleeve, the 'home' Sakura referred to wasn't the Einzbern Castle, but the old Tohsaka Residence.
After the accidental deaths of Tokiomi and his wife, the sisters had moved to the Einzbern Castle. But the Tohsaka Residence was still their home, so Irisviel had purchased the old Tohsaka Residence and would occasionally take Sakura and the others back to visit.
Clearly remembering seeing Zelretch in the portrait of their ancestor, Tohsaka Nagato, Sakura pulled her sister's hand, stepping back slightly, and whispered softly into Rin's ear...