The reason Rin was deliberately trying to salvage Tohsaka Tokiomi's image at this moment wasn't to convince Sakura to stay at the Matou manor, but to lower Sakura's resistance so she would be willing to return to the Tohsaka family.
She had keenly sensed that after Tokiomi's heartless declaration, Sakura seemed to have completely lost hope in her parents.
She didn't want a situation where the original plan went off without a hitch, only for Sakura herself to refuse to go back. That would be troublesome.
"They're one of the Three Founding Families, after all. There won't be any problems! Not to mention, their family's resources are much deeper than ours!"
Even as she praised them, Rin didn't exaggerate too much. In reality, Tokiomi's choice was indeed the result of careful consideration.
The Matou family was not only a centuries-old magus lineage but had also accumulated considerable assets in the modern world.
One could say they were financially secure. As an heir there, Sakura would never have to worry about her livelihood.
Plus, the Matou family was also in Fuyuki City, so they could watch over and help each other.
If Sakura had to be given away, this family was undoubtedly the most suitable choice.
It seems my guess was right. Father did put some thought into it.
With this thought, Rin's mood improved considerably. If the Matou family was truly reliable, she wouldn't be too opposed to becoming their heir.
Her only doubt was, wasn't the Matou family's traditional magecraft based on water? Why had she seen so many insects when they passed through the bounded field earlier?
Just then, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye. After entering the Matou residence, Matou Zouken had taken the scarecrow directly to the backyard.
Seeing that the expression on his face seemed a bit off, Rin decided to follow him quietly. With Su Mo by her side, she wouldn't be discovered.
The three of them followed Matou Zouken and soon passed through a passageway in the back of the house, arriving at a basement.
The moment she saw what was inside, Rin nearly gagged on the spot. Sakura's face also turned deathly pale, clearly terrified by the unprecedented sight.
Madoka: "Wh-wh-what is this?!"
Erica: "I'm turning off the stream!"
Kanae: "Me too!"
Never mind Madoka; even the worldly Erica and Kanae, who had seen her fair share of disgusting creatures, couldn't handle the scene. The three of them fled in disarray.
Rin could completely understand their reaction.
As far as the eye could see, the entire basement was crawling with insects. At least several hundred thousand of them formed a veritable ocean here.
The massive swarm of insects writhed and climbed ceaselessly, leaving slimy trails on each other's bodies.
Their twisted, slick forms were enough to induce a physiological revulsion just by looking at them. It was a bizarre scene that excessively challenged human aesthetics and tested the limits of one's nerves.
Of everyone present, besides Matou Zouken, the only one who could remain calm was probably Lord Su Mo. But even Su Mo, looking at the writhing sea of insects before him, had a look of considerable disgust in his eyes.
"This is a worm pit? That old geezer built a worm pit here?"
Rin's expression was a mixture of shock and uncertainty. Water magecraft and insect magecraft might have some connection, and it wasn't strange for a magus family to hide five, six, seven, or eight secret arts.
But from Matou Zouken's perspective, wasn't today "Sakura's" first time visiting the Matou residence?
Even if he wasn't planning a surprise or anything, he should have at least let her rest and familiarize herself with the environment, right?
Why was he so eager to bring "Sakura" to the worm pit on the very first day?
This didn't seem like he wanted to start her magecraft lessons early.
For a moment, a deeply ominous premonition filled Rin's heart.
And at that very same moment, Matou Zouken's mouth split into a grin.
"The Imaginary Numbers attribute is precious, but it is not suitable for the Matou family's magecraft. So, go down and let the Crest Worms remodel you!"
As his words fell, he tapped his cane, directly tossing the scarecrow that had been following him into the worm pit.
In an instant, the scarecrow's figure was engulfed by the writhing tide of insects.
Seeing the scarecrow almost completely disappear, Rin and Sakura were both stunned.
Both girls were very intelligent, so they quickly understood what kind of treatment Sakura would have suffered if she had really been adopted by the Matou family.
If not for Su Mo and Rin's interference, the scarecrow's fate could very well have been Sakura's.
"How could this be... How could Father allow Sakura to be adopted into a family like this!" Rin's first reaction was disbelief.
To throw a five- or six-year-old girl directly into this overwhelming tide of insects—they might as well have just killed her!
Soon, she realized.
"Father... probably doesn't know what the inside of the Matou family is like either."
Whether it was from the perspective of magical achievements, proximity, lineage level, or even trustworthiness, the Matou family was the best choice.
But Tohsaka Tokiomi, who had done all his research, had dropped the ball on the most crucial point. He had no idea just how dark the Matou family's secrets were. It was completely different from the face it showed to the world.
"Dammit!"
Quickly, Rin locked onto the main culprit, glaring at Matou Zouken with eyes full of rage. Even though he had just pushed a scarecrow, it proved he indeed harbored ill intentions toward her sister.
That alone was enough for Rin to sentence him to death.
"Go to hell!"
Without a moment's thought, she instinctively threw two of the jewels she had treasured since childhood at Matou Zouken and immediately detonated them.
BOOM!
Years' worth of stored magical energy was consumed in that one explosion.
A few seconds later, the smoke and dust cleared.
Half of Matou Zouken's body was gone, but soon, a massive number of Crest Worms from the pit surged into his body, filling in his structure.
After being hit head-on by an attack of this level, Matou Zouken was finally able to break free from the cognitive interference and truly recognize the figures behind him.
"The eldest daughter of the Tohsaka family, and... Sakura?"
When he saw the unharmed Sakura behind Rin, Matou Zouken was instantly dumbfounded. If this was Sakura, then what was the thing that had followed him all this way and been thrown down by him?
A sudden chill crawled up his spine. He thought of an even more serious problem: Rin had been following behind him the entire time, so why had he not felt any sense of vigilance?
Clearly, the young Rin and Sakura were incapable of such a feat. The one who had truly blinded his senses could only be one person.
"Young man, you wish to make an enemy of me?"
Matou Zouken took a step back, forcing himself to look at the man in front of the two girls. Almost instinctively, he didn't dare to raise his head to look at him, but the tone of his voice was still harsh.
"Surely you're not foolish enough to fight a magus inside his own workshop?"