"Huh?"
Rin took the Holy Grail from Kirei Kotomine, a look of puzzled surprise on her face. It was indeed beyond Rin's expectation that Araya Souren, this 'monk' who had lived for over 200 years, would jump out at this moment. It was only January 1998, a full five months until Ryougi Shiki's awakening in the Kara no Kyoukai story. Rin never thought that guy, Araya Souren, would appear almost half a year early just because Rin, out of curiosity, had once briefly interacted with the unconscious Ryougi Shiki.
Rin bit her thumbnail, pondering Araya Souren's intention. 'Why did that guy, Araya Souren, show up so early?'
Unable to figure it out, Rin frustratingly hugged her head and let out a wail.
"Forget it, I won't think about it. If Araya Souren doesn't want me to contact Ryougi Shiki, then I'll specifically go contact her!"
Just then, Touko walked over to Rin and, pressing on Rin's head, said,
"Rin, don't go near Ryougi Shiki. She's sweet poison to a Magus. Don't you understand what the Ryougi family represents?"
Of course, Rin understood, even the existence of the Root itself. It was precisely because of the Root's existence that Rin only dared to secretly visit Ryougi Shiki once, not even planning to intervene in the Kara no Kyoukai plot, for fear that the Root would discover her, an outsider.
"Touko, I know, I just don't like that guy Araya Souren, daring to threaten me."
Touko shook her head, withdrew her hand, and returned to the sofa, continuing to play Chinese checkers with Aoko and Alice.
Rin carefully recalled the various details of the original work, then her eyes suddenly lit up. Staring at the Holy Grail in her hand, a sinister smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Servant Shiki, a Servant who appeared in a future human history event, the Kara no Kyoukai Singularity.
Although Servant Shiki was an exception born from a Singularity due to a future human history event, didn't this just prove that Ryougi Shiki, this individual, actually possessed the potential to become a Servant? Since she and Touko were already planning to use the Holy Grail ritual to research and create a blank spirit origin, why not change the plan and directly bestow this spirit origin upon Ryougi Shiki through the Holy Grail ritual to create a Servant Shiki? At that time, that 'monk's' face would surely be a sight to behold.
Thinking of this, Rin eagerly shouted at Touko.
"Touko!"
Touko looked at Rin, who was excited and had a mischievous smile on her face, and felt a headache coming on. In the past month of interacting with Rin, whenever Rin made that expression, someone was always going to have bad luck, either herself or Aoko, but more often it was those mercenaries. Now, seeing this expression again, she wondered what new mischievous idea this little devil had come up with. Fearing it would be her turn for bad luck, Touko asked cautiously,
"Rin, what wicked idea have you come up with? Who's going to be unlucky this time?"
Aoko also turned her head warily at this moment, standing up in a posture ready to flee, planning to run away immediately upon hearing her name.
Rin looked at the two sisters, veins throbbing on her forehead, and said exasperatedly,
"What are you two doing? What kind of image do I have in your eyes?"
"A little devil!" That was Touko.
"A walking natural disaster!" That was Aoko.
Upon hearing their retorts, Rin felt like an arrow had pierced her heart. She clutched her chest and, with a leap, pounced into Alice's arms on the sofa.
"Alice! Look at them two...Waaaaah."
At this moment, even Alice couldn't help but tilt her head and say to Rin,
"Troublesome!"
Rin was completely defeated!
Kallen and Shirou Kotomine, who were behind Kirei Kotomine, had been uneasy since entering and seeing the legendary Caster of the Crown, the Fairy Tale Witch, and the Fifth Magus. Now, seeing these legendary figures act no different from ordinary people, they finally let go of their apprehension and smiled happily.
After some playful banter, Rin finally put on a serious expression and slowly laid out her entire plan to Touko.
Touko rubbed her chin, thought for a moment, then asked Rin,
"How can you be sure that Ryougi Shiki can withstand that Spirit Origin? As far as I know, that young lady is just an ordinary person with good swordsmanship, right?"
Rin originally wanted to retort that Touko called Ryougi Shiki an ordinary person who only knew swordsmanship, but then she thought that indeed, among the people present, except for Kallen and Shirou Kotomine, Ryougi Shiki, who currently didn't have the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, did appear to be an ordinary person in the eyes of the others.
"Touko, you just told me what the Ryougi family represents, don't you understand? You should have understood when we went to the hospital to observe Ryougi Shiki."
"Hmm, indeed, we all checked Ryougi Shiki with magic at the time. Could it be! You mean the Ryougi family has succeeded? Then Rin, I understand why Araya Souren, my old classmate, warned you not to get close to Ryougi Shiki. If I were Araya Souren and intended to use this method, I would certainly see you as the biggest threat."
Rin looked at Touko, who had figured it out, and said eagerly,
"Then, Touko, are you willing to execute this plan with me and properly trick your old classmate?"
Touko showed a wicked smile on her face.
"If that's the case, I'd also like to see if my old classmate can show other expressions on his face."
Aoko looked at the two of them in confusion and asked,
"What are you two talking about?"
For Aoko, a half-baked newcomer, Rin and Touko's conversation left her completely bewildered.
Alice looked at the confused Aoko, shook her head, and explained to Aoko,
"The Ryougi family, this demon-slaying family, tries to create an omnipotent being by putting multiple personalities into the same body. In magical terms, this means creating a person who can connect to the Root. Rin and Touko seem to believe that the Ryougi family has succeeded, and the result is Ryougi Shiki. And that Magus, Araya Souren, seems to want to seize this achievement, which is why he sees Rin as a threat and issued a warning. Now, Touko and Rin plan to trick Araya Souren, that's all."
Aoko suddenly understood, and eagerly asked Rin,
"Hey, Rin, I'm also very interested in Touko's old classmate. I want to join too, you absolutely have to bring me along this time!"
Looking at the excited Aoko and the mischievously smiling Touko, Rin clenched her small fists. 'Araya Souren, you old 'monk,' you dared to threaten me. Let's see how you'll die this time.'
"Okay, Aoko, no problem!"
Alice, with a bland look, glanced at her three mischievous friends, then, with a slight blush, extended a finger and poked Rin's cheek.
Rin felt her cheek being touched, turned her head, and looked at Alice, whose face was calm but whose blush and longing eyes betrayed her. Suddenly understanding, she reached out to Alice.
"Alice, you come along too."
Alice reached out and placed her hand on Rin's, feeling Touko and Aoko's half-smiling gazes, and turned her head away.
"Rin invited me, it's not like I wanted to be with you guys..."
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