Inside the Tohsaka residence.
Atalante slowly moved closer to Ian, then carefully asked, "Um—Master... what's wrong with Rin? Why has she been so down ever since she came back with you?" Atalante wasn't speaking idly; this was her observation. Ever since returning with Ian, Rin Tohsaka, who was usually quite lively, seemed like a different person. She sat silently on the sofa, looking completely preoccupied. As her Master, and especially after their recent interactions, Atalante had come to regard Rin Tohsaka as a friend. Faced with this situation, her heart was naturally filled with worry.
"..." Atalante's perceptiveness was sharp, so much so that Ian couldn't deny what she was saying. "You're right," the man nodded. "Something did happen—something not so good." Ian's tone made Atalante realize that the problem might be more serious than she had imagined.
"So—" she pressed further, "what exactly happened? Could it be some irreparable mistake?"
"..." Ian sighed. "Let's find somewhere to talk," he suggested.
[You took Atalante to the courtyard of the residence.]
[It was after dinner, so essentially no one would come here.]
[You could safely chat with her here.]
[You told Atalante about Kirei Kotomine's matter, exactly as it happened.]
In the courtyard. After listening to Ian's account, Atalante showed a surprised expression. "What?!" she exclaimed. "Rin treated her father's murderer as her master for several years?"
"Yes," Ian nodded, confirming Atalante's understanding. "That's the situation now."
"No!" the little cat-girl exclaimed, agitated. "This is too absurd! Master—! Are you mistaken about something?"
"No," Ian shook his head. "It's basically impossible to be mistaken—after all, the one who told Lily and me this news was someone Kirei Kotomine had killed."
"..." Atalante now fully understood why Rin Tohsaka had reacted that way. Let alone this young girl, even she, who had grown up in the forest and lived as a hunter since childhood, would feel her mind explode when faced with such a revelation. Her own master was actually her father's killer? This was simply too difficult to accept.
However—Atalante knew that merely resisting wouldn't achieve anything. Since it had already happened, regret alone wouldn't change anything. What needed to be done now was to find a way to solve the problem.
"So—" Atalante looked at Ian, her expression growing more worried. "Master, have you figured out how to solve it?"
"..." Ian looked at Atalante's expectant face, and after a moment of thought, he nodded. "I have a rough idea now. But—I can't guarantee success, and I'll need your help with it."
"Eh?" The little cat-girl Atalante pointed to herself. "Me to help? Master... are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"I'm not mistaken," Ian nodded. "Lily needs to go cheer up Viviane. Sakura doesn't really want to see me right now—Atalante, you're the only one who can help me."
"..." Suddenly feeling that she had been entrusted with an incredibly sacred duty, Atalante straightened her back a bit more. "Then—Master, what do you want me to do?"
"Drag her out," Ian replied.
"Eh?" Atalante looked confused. "What does that mean?"
"It's like this..." Ian leaned in close to the cat-girl's ear and whispered his plan.
"Oh, I see..." The little cat-girl nodded, half-understanding.
Late at night. Rin Tohsaka sat on her bed, hugging her knees, looking quite despondent. The news Ian and Artoria brought back today was simply too difficult for her to accept. Kirei Kotomine... was actually the murderer who killed her father! And she had treated him as her master for so many years. Thinking of this, Rin Tohsaka couldn't help but pound the bed next to her, her expression and actions filled with endless regret.
Just then—Atalante's head popped out from the side. "Rin," she said softly. "Are you alright?"
"Eh?!" Rin Tohsaka was startled. "Archer, why did you suddenly pop out from there?!"
"Um—" Atalante put on an innocent expression. "Rin, didn't you ask me to maintain the highest level of vigilance? So I'm just staying by your side."
"..." Rin Tohsaka genuinely couldn't refute Atalante's words for a moment. After all, she had indeed made such a request of her.
"Alright," Rin conceded. "Then Archer, you continue to stay vigilant... I'm going to sleep now."
"Eh eh, no you can't!" Atalante grabbed Rin Tohsaka's arm, stopping her from burrowing into the blankets. "Rin, don't sleep yet!"
"What's wrong?!" Rin Tohsaka asked, looking very confused as Atalante held her hand. "I have school tomorrow, I definitely need to sleep now."
School was a pretense; Rin Tohsaka knew she didn't need to study those lessons. She just didn't want to explain to her Servant what that earlier incident was about. Troublesome matters were enough for one person to bear; there was no need to spread them like a virus and make more people suffer with her.
"If you have something to say, then hurry up and say it."
"Uh... this." Atalante didn't know how to begin. While part of her actions stemmed from her concern for Rin Tohsaka, most of it was due to her Master's mission. That's right. Ian had given Atalante an order—he told her to prevent Rin Tohsaka from sleeping. But she didn't fully understand why he wanted her to do this.
"Rin, let's chat for a bit!"
"What's there to talk about?" Rin Tohsaka looked at Atalante, her eyes full of helplessness. "You've been with me all day; you should know what happened to me just as well as I do. So, no more talking, let me sleep!"
"Just a little longer!" Atalante grabbed Rin Tohsaka's hand again, pulling her up. "Just a little longer!"
"You!" Rin Tohsaka was getting a little agitated. She was already upset, and Atalante's antics made her even more displeased. But even so, Rin Tohsaka didn't directly lash out. She looked at her Servant and spoke in a very serious tone:
"Archer! I really need to sleep now... whatever you want to say, say it tomorrow! Otherwise—" Rin Tohsaka showed the Command Seal on the back of her hand, "—I might do something that everyone will regret."
"..." Atalante was much more compliant now. After all, she knew how powerful the Command Seals were.
However, luck favored the diligent little cat-girl who was diligently carrying out her master's mission once again. Just then, a knock came from the door, followed by a question that Atalante and Rin Tohsaka hadn't expected.
"Rin-chan," a gentle voice said. "May I come in and talk to you?" It was Aoi Zenjou!
Atalante and Rin Tohsaka exchanged glances, completely surprised that she would be here at this hour. But Rin Tohsaka immediately replied, "Yes! Of course, you can!"
After answering her mother, Aoi Zenjou, she looked at Atalante and said, "Archer—"
"..." Knowing she was in the wrong, Atalante didn't persist. She stood up and walked towards the door. After exchanging a glance with Aoi Zenjou, she nodded and then left the room.
What Atalante didn't expect, however, was that Ian was standing right outside the door. "Eh?" Atalante blinked her eyes. "Master, why are you here too?"
"Of course I have to be here," Ian said, reaching out to stroke Atalante's head. "Otherwise, how would I have brought Mrs. Aoi here?"
"You brought her?"
"Yes," Ian nodded. "It just took a little time. Atalante, you did well this time."
[You explained your plan completely to Atalante.]
[If you wanted to solve Rin Tohsaka's problem, there was essentially only one way—and that was Rin Tohsaka's mother, Aoi Zenjou.]
[Only she, as her mother, could help her daughter overcome this emotional hurdle.]
[Of course, this wasn't a guaranteed method for success.]
[After all, Aoi Zenjou might not be able to withstand such pressure—she was facing a cruel truth.]
[But in fact, you underestimated this lady's strength.]
[Or rather, someone who could continue to live so diligently after her husband's death was inherently not a fragile person.]
[Your communication with her was very effective.]
[This mother decided to suppress her grief and guide her daughter.]
[The time Atalante gained was fully utilized by you.]
"So that's how it is." Atalante nodded, then realized another crucial question. "Master... what if it doesn't work?"
"I don't know," Ian said, looking at the closed door. "But—we have to try, don't we? At least this might be an action that makes her feel less miserable, right?"
"...You're right," Atalante nodded. "Then Master, what should we do now?"
"I'll just wait here alone," Ian said, leaning against the wall. "Atalante, you can go back and rest."
"No way," Atalante said, leaning beside Ian. "However long you wait, Master... I'll wait too!"
"..." "Alright," Ian didn't refuse Atalante's kindness. "We'll wait here together."
[This was a much longer wait than expected.]
[After all, it wasn't something that could be soothed with just a few words—in a sense, it represented the past of the Tohsaka family.]
[You heard the mother and daughter crying from inside the room.]
[You noticed Atalante also became sad.]
[This made you wonder about the meaning of the Holy Grail War—it had caused so many tragedies.]
[Gradually, you began to have the idea of wanting to end all of it.]
After an unknown amount of time, the door opened, and Aoi Zenjou walked out, then approached Ian and Atalante. Her face had two tear streaks—a sign that she had been crying with her daughter. However, at this moment, she bravely wiped her eyes and, with a gentle voice, spoke to the two before her:
"Um—Rin-chan wants you both to come inside for a moment."
"I understand," Ian replied immediately, without hesitation. He knew this was a critical moment to resolve the problem—not even a single moment should be missed. After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Aoi Zenjou, Ian led Atalante into the room together.
With a soft click, the door closed. The desk lamp cast a faint glow, illuminating Rin Tohsaka on the bed. Her voice was somewhat hoarse—a result of crying.
"Ian," Rin Tohsaka said, her eyes tear-filled as she looked at the man before her, her gaze becoming a bit complex. "You... called my mom over, didn't you?"
"Yes," the man replied, not attempting to hide it. "It's true that I called Mrs. Aoi over."
"Why didn't you tell me beforehand... it made me cry, which is so embarrassing," Rin Tohsaka said, wiping her eyes, trying to erase the traces of tears.
"I apologize, I didn't consider that," the man said, looking at the girl before him and apologizing very sincerely. "But—this was the only method I could think of."
"Yes, yes!" Atalante, unable to bear watching Ian be reprimanded by Rin Tohsaka, also spoke up in his defense. "Ma... Master, he really planned this well for this matter. He really didn't intentionally want to make you cry."
"..." Rin Tohsaka turned her face away, looking a little embarrassed. "I didn't say I was going to blame him."
"Ian... come sit over here with me."
"..." Although Ian didn't know what Rin Tohsaka intended, he followed the girl's suggestion and sat beside her. As soon as he sat down, something that left Atalante dumbfounded happened. Rin Tohsaka tilted her head slightly and placed a kiss on the man's cheek, then said shyly, "Thank you. After talking with Mom... I don't feel as bad as before. Your idea was very good."
"Is that so? That's great," the man said, wiping the kiss mark from his cheek. "In that case—I won't disturb you and Atalante's rest."
"Wait!" Rin Tohsaka grabbed Ian's hand.
"What's wrong?" the man turned back.
"Ian," she said, looking up at him. "You still have to sleep on the sofa tonight, right?" Rin Tohsaka's face was shy, but her inner conviction felt strong. She realized she might have wanted to say this for a long time.
"Then—why don't you just stay and sleep here for the night?"