[Your suggestion wasn't born out of mere impulse.]
[Although the precise reasons behind Tohsaka Tokiomi and Zenjou Aoi's intention to leave their daughter in the Matou household remained shrouded in mystery to you.]
[One thing, however, was crystal clear in your perception—Tohsaka Sakura harbored no desire to stay in this place.]
[With this understanding, the objective of your actions became sharply defined.]
[It was to empower the usually submissive Tohsaka Sakura to voice her own feelings to her parents, to break free from the chains of her passive acceptance.]
[And in that moment, tears, a primal expression of emotion, seemed the most readily accessible and potent tool to achieve this.]
"Eh? Cry?"
Little Tohsaka Sakura, her innocent mind struggling to grasp the implications, hadn't anticipated such a suggestion from Mr. Ghost.
A wave of nervousness washed over her small frame.
"B-but, that wouldn't be right, would it? Papa and Mama will be angry with me!" Her voice trembled slightly, reflecting her ingrained fear of displeasing her parents.
The idea of deliberately crying, especially in front of others, felt like a transgression against the implicit rules of her upbringing.
"That's not true at all." Mr. Ghost's voice resonated with unwavering certainty, a comforting anchor in her sudden apprehension.
"Trust me... If you truly don't want to stay here, then do exactly as I said." His tone held a gentle yet firm conviction, urging her to take a leap of faith.
"Otherwise—"
"Such an opportunity might never arise again." The weight of his words hung in the air, underscoring the potential finality of this moment. He knew that the window for Sakura to assert her will was narrow and closing rapidly.
"..."
Whether it was the seed of courage planted by Mr. Ghost's words finally taking root, or simply the overwhelming sadness at the prospect of being left behind finally breaching her carefully constructed defenses, Tohsaka Sakura fell silent for a moment. Then, to everyone's surprise, genuine tears began to well up in her large, innocent eyes, quickly followed by heart-wrenching sobs.
"Waaaaaaahhhhhhh—!!!"
"Papa, Mama, please don't leave me!" Her voice, thin and filled with genuine distress, cracked with each sob. The carefully constructed facade of her usual quiet obedience shattered, replaced by a raw outpouring of fear and abandonment.
The sound of the little girl's cries, amplified by the hallway's acoustics, swiftly echoed throughout the entire corridor. Her small body shook with the force of her emotion, the rabbit plush clutched tightly in her arms offering little comfort against the rising tide of her despair.
In an instant, all eyes converged on the source of the commotion—Tohsaka Sakura. The sudden outburst had caught everyone off guard, their initial assumptions about the quiet child dissolving in the face of her genuine distress.
However, each individual present reacted to her tears in their own distinct way, their inner thoughts and motivations coloring their responses.
The old man, Matou Zouken, his face a roadmap of wrinkles etched by time and malice, gritted his teeth, a flicker of intense displeasure crossing his aged features. The sound of a child's wailing grated on his nerves, a discordant note in his carefully orchestrated plans.
[That brat! Making such a racket. If there weren't these fools around, I'd have shut her up myself. These sentimental displays are nothing but a nuisance.]
If they had been alone, away from the judging eyes of the parents, he likely would have unleashed a torrent of harsh words upon the small child, his voice laced with the venom of his years, until she was cowed into silence, her tears drying up from sheer terror.
Tohsaka Tokiomi, on the other hand, displayed a profound sadness, his usually composed features etched with a deep sorrow. His eyes, reflecting the dim light of the hallway, held a mixture of pain and resignation.
[Sakura...] He clenched his fists tightly at his sides, the knuckles turning white under the strain. His internal turmoil was palpable, a battle raging between his duty as a magus and the instinctive love for his child. He appeared to be simultaneously condemning his own powerlessness in this situation, the agonizing choice he felt forced to make, and harboring a silent, impotent rage against the unfairness of Tohsaka Sakura's fate, the destiny he believed he was powerless to alter.
The most significant reaction, however, came from her mother, Zenjou Aoi. Her emotional state had already been teetering on the brink, a fragile dam holding back a torrent of maternal anguish. Upon hearing the sound of her daughter's heart-wrenching cries, the dam finally broke, and she reached a point of near collapse.
With a sudden surge of desperate energy, Zenjou Aoi tore her hand away from her husband's grasp, whirling around and running towards Tohsaka Sakura with an urgency born of pure maternal instinct. In a few swift strides, she reached her daughter and swept her into a tight embrace, her own tears now flowing freely.
"Sakura, don't cry, Mama's here!" Her voice was thick with emotion, each word a balm against the raw pain of her daughter's sobs. The carefully constructed composure she had maintained for so long finally crumbled, revealing the depth of her inner turmoil.
"Waaaaah~"
Tohsaka Sakura clung tightly to her mother's clothes, her small body wracked with sobs as she spoke in broken, hiccuping words.
"Mama... don't... don't leave me." Her tiny hands gripped her mother's fabric as if it were a lifeline, her desperate plea tearing at Aoi's heart.
"Sakura... I'll... I'll be a good girl." She promised through her tears, her innocent mind desperately trying to bargain for her place by her parents' side.
Hearing these words, Zenjou Aoi felt as though her heart was shattering into a million pieces, each shard a testament to the agonizing choice they were contemplating.
"No, no, it's not like that." Zenjou Aoi's voice was choked with tears as she desperately tried to reassure her daughter, even though the truth lay heavy on her own heart.
"Mama... Mama won't leave you!" She repeated the promise, clinging even tighter to Tohsaka Sakura, as if she could physically prevent her daughter from being taken away, from vanishing from her embrace.
"..."
"..."
An oppressive silence descended upon the hallway, the only sound the muffled sobs of the mother and daughter. The air crackled with unspoken emotions, the weight of the situation pressing down on everyone present.
[Your suggestion has yielded a resounding success.]
[The situation unfolded precisely as your earlier observations had indicated—Zenjou Aoi was indeed unable to bear the thought of parting with her daughter, Tohsaka Sakura.]
[This outpouring of maternal love has become the unexpected turning point in this delicate situation, a potential key to resolving the matter in Sakura's favor.]
[However, the situation seems to have taken another unforeseen turn, a ripple effect from Sakura's emotional display.]
Witnessing the heartfelt reunion between Zenjou Aoi and Tohsaka Sakura, the depth of their mother-daughter bond laid bare, Matou Zouken's eyes narrowed, a distinct look of distaste marring his already unpleasant features.
[Sentimental fools. This is exactly why dealing with emotions is so tiresome. Can't they see the bigger picture?]
He muttered under his breath, his voice a low growl barely audible to those nearby, a complaint directed at the perceived weakness of human sentiment.
Then, the old man turned his gaze towards Tohsaka Tokiomi, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion as he spoke.
"What exactly is going on here?" His tone implied a breach of their prior understanding, a deviation from the agreed-upon plan.
"This... isn't quite what you initially described, is it?" His words carried an undercurrent of accusation, suggesting that Tokiomi had failed to adequately prepare his wife for this moment.
Realizing that Matou Zouken appeared to be growing visibly displeased, Tohsaka Tokiomi immediately moved to rectify the situation. His composure, carefully cultivated over years of training, resurfaced, masking the internal turmoil he was still experiencing.
"My apologies..." He offered a respectful bow towards the elder magus. "It seems Aoi's emotions have gotten the better of her." He offered a strained smile, attempting to downplay the intensity of his wife's reaction.
"Old Man Zouken, please allow me to say a few words to her, to try and calm her down." His voice was measured and conciliatory, attempting to reassure the head of the Matou family that he could regain control of the situation.
"..."
A flicker of barely concealed impatience crossed Matou Zouken's aged eyes. He tapped his foot lightly on the polished floor, a subtle indication of his growing annoyance.
[Hurry it up, Tohsaka. Don't waste my time with these melodramatic displays. The girl needs to be dealt with, and the sooner the better.]
However, he ultimately refrained from expressing his full exasperation, offering Tohsaka Tokiomi a curt nod.
"Fine." His voice was clipped and dismissive.
"But make it quick. Don't waste any more time." He gestured impatiently towards Zenjou Aoi and Tohsaka Sakura, his meaning clear.
"Yes, sir." Tohsaka Tokiomi replied quickly, eager to appease the powerful magus.
Mentally reciting the tenets of a magus, the importance of composure and control, Tohsaka Tokiomi managed to regain a semblance of his usual calm, suppressing the whirlwind of emotions that still threatened to overwhelm him.
He walked over to his wife's side, his footsteps echoing softly in the silent hallway, and spoke to her in a low, soothing voice.
"Aoi." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his touch meant to be reassuring but also carrying a subtle undercurrent of urgency.
"Please, calm down... We've worked so hard to reach an agreement with the Matou family." His words were a reminder of the precariousness of their situation, the delicate balance they had managed to achieve.
"..."
Zenjou Aoi offered no verbal response, her only acknowledgment of his presence being a slight tightening of her embrace around Tohsaka Sakura. She simply continued to hold her daughter tightly, as if physically incapable of letting go, her silent resistance speaking volumes about her inner turmoil.
Seeing this, Tohsaka Tokiomi knelt down beside his wife, attempting to reason with her further, his voice gentle yet firm.
"Aoi." He repeated her name softly, trying to break through the wall of her distress.
"You must understand... that things cannot continue like this." His words were carefully chosen, avoiding any direct mention of the painful decision they had intended to make.
"Sakura, she..." Tohsaka Tokiomi trailed off, unable to bring himself to utter the cruel words that hung unspoken in the air. He looked at his daughter, her face streaked with tears, and let out a helpless sigh, the weight of their impossible situation pressing down on him.
[Tohsaka Tokiomi's reaction provides ample information.]
[You've confirmed that the Tohsaka family is burdened by a hidden circumstance, a secret they are desperately trying to keep from Tohsaka Sakura. The weight of this secret is palpable in their every action and word.]
[You realized that your seemingly simple suggestion might have triggered a chain of unforeseen and potentially significant consequences, unraveling their carefully laid plans.]
[You decided against offering any further advice to Tohsaka Sakura for the moment—you resolved to allow her to process her emotions and consider her own actions moving forward. The ball was now in her court, and the next move would determine the course of her destiny.]
"Papa."
Tears streamed down Tohsaka Sakura's face as she looked at her father through blurry eyes, her small voice filled with a heartbreaking mixture of sadness and hope.
In an almost pleading tone, she uttered words that tugged at the very core of his being.
"I won't eat any more sweets... Please, don't leave me here, okay?" Her innocent plea was a desperate attempt to bargain for her place, to offer up the simple joys of childhood in exchange for remaining with her beloved parents.
"..."
Tohsaka Tokiomi turned his face away, his hand trembling slightly as he fought to maintain his composure. The conflict within him was tearing him apart.
The magus within him screamed that the best course of action was to ignore his daughter's heartfelt plea, to sever the emotional ties and leave with his wife immediately, before their resolve weakened further. This was the logical, pragmatic choice, the one that aligned with the cold, calculating world of magecraft.
But the father within him, the man who cherished his daughter with every fiber of his being, cried out in protest. He couldn't simply abandon her against her will, couldn't leave her in this strange and foreboding place, not when she was begging him to stay.
Torn between these two conflicting identities, the man who was both a skilled magus and a loving father began to despise his own perceived inadequacy as a magus, the limitations that had forced him into this agonizing decision.
It was Zenjou Aoi who ultimately brought this agonizing scene to a close.
Hearing her daughter, Tohsaka Sakura, utter those desperate, almost begging words to her husband, she felt her heart shatter completely. The dam of her carefully controlled emotions finally gave way, unleashing a torrent of raw maternal anguish.
"We're not leaving her, absolutely not!"
Zenjou Aoi declared through her own tears, her voice filled with a newfound resolve.
"Tokiomi, did you hear her?" She turned to her husband, her eyes blazing with a mixture of grief and determination.
"Sakura said she doesn't want to stay here... We, we can't do this to her!" Her voice rose with each word, her earlier composure completely abandoned in the face of her daughter's distress.
"But Aoi..."
Tohsaka Tokiomi began to protest, his voice laced with a desperate plea for reason, but he was cut short as Zenjou Aoi grabbed his arm with surprising strength.
Her usual gentle demeanor completely vanished, replaced by a raw, almost frantic desperation as she roared at her husband, her voice echoing in the silent hallway.
"We can't, absolutely not!"
"She said she doesn't want to!" Her grip on his arm tightened, her knuckles white.
"Tokiomi, can't you hear her?!" Her voice was a desperate cry, a mother's primal refusal to abandon her child.
"..."
Realizing that his wife, Zenjou Aoi, was on the verge of a complete emotional breakdown, her carefully constructed composure shattered beyond repair, Tohsaka Tokiomi knew he had to make a decision, and quickly.
After a moment of intense internal struggle, weighing the potential consequences of his actions, he made a difficult choice, one that went against the very core of his magus beliefs.
He stood up, his gaze meeting that of Matou Zouken, who had observed the entire exchange with a look of barely concealed fury. Then, in an act of profound humility, he offered a deep bow to the old magus.
"My deepest apologies, Old Man Zouken." His voice was low and filled with regret.
"It appears today is not an appropriate time to leave Sakura here." He swallowed hard, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.
"I... I will take her back for now, if that is alright?" He braced himself for the inevitable backlash, the potential ramifications of this unexpected turn of events.
Hearing these words, a flicker of intense displeasure flashed across Matou Zouken's aged eyes, a storm gathering behind their dark depths.
[Insolent fools! How dare they defy my wishes? This is unacceptable.]
However, he managed to suppress his immediate rage, offering Tohsaka Tokiomi a curt nod, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
"...As you wish." His tone implied that this was far from over, a temporary reprieve rather than a true resolution.
"Furthermore, the door is that way. See yourselves out." He gestured dismissively towards the exit, his earlier pretense of politeness completely gone.
"I won't bother seeing you off." His words were laced with thinly veiled contempt.
"Understood." Realizing that Matou Zouken was clearly furious, Tohsaka Tokiomi had no desire to prolong the conversation. The air in the hallway felt thick with unspoken threats.
After offering a polite bow towards the old man, a gesture that felt hollow and inadequate in the face of the situation, he took his wife and daughter by the hand and led them out of the Matou residence, the weight of their uncertain future heavy on their shoulders.
As he watched the retreating figures of the Tohsaka family, Matou Zouken's expression twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated rage. His frail body trembled with barely contained fury.
He hissed under his breath, his voice a venomous whisper, "A bunch of fools! Couldn't they have just pretended not to hear? Such a waste of my time."
Then, his expression hardening with a grim resolve, he muttered to himself, "It seems... I'll have to call Kariya back after all." His plans had been disrupted, and he needed to implement his contingency measures.
"No matter the means, I'll make him..." The old man's voice trailed off, his thoughts dark and filled with a malevolent determination.
Carrying a palpable aura of resentment, he turned and shuffled deeper into the shadows of the hallway, his plans for the Tohsaka girl far from abandoned.
[You remained unaware of Matou Zouken's furious reaction after you left.]
[All you knew was that Tohsaka Sakura's wish had been granted—she had indeed not been left behind by her parents in the Matou household.]
[However, the atmosphere was far from lighthearted or celebratory.]
[During the journey back to the Tohsaka residence, Tohsaka Tokiomi remained completely silent, his face a study in grim contemplation, while Zenjou Aoi held her daughter, Tohsaka Sakura, tightly in her arms, her silent tears continuing to flow.]
[Your plan had seemingly succeeded in its immediate goal, but a sense of unease lingered in the air, a feeling that perhaps this victory was only temporary, and that the underlying issues remained unresolved. It felt like a success, yet also strangely like a failure.]
Inside the Tohsaka residence in Fuyuki City.
With her head bowed low, Tohsaka Sakura sat on the edge of her bed in her room, clutching her beloved rabbit plush.
The time was dusk.
The soft, fading sunlight, filtering through the partially drawn curtains, cast long shadows across the room, illuminating the little girl's face.
It was an expression etched with profound disappointment. Her shoulders slumped, and her gaze was fixed on the worn fabric of her rabbit toy.
Tohsaka Sakura appeared utterly dejected, her small form radiating an aura of deep sadness. The events of the day had clearly taken a heavy toll on her young heart.
"Ghost-san," the little girl whispered, her voice barely audible. "Are you there?"
"I've been here all along."
The voice Tohsaka Sakura referred to as Mr. Ghost responded almost immediately, a constant presence in her young life.
"What's wrong?" His tone was gentle, filled with concern for the troubled child.
"It's just..." Tohsaka Sakura hugged the rabbit plush tightly to her chest, her small arms wrapped around its worn body.
"I want to know... did I do something wrong?" Her voice was filled with uncertainty and a hint of guilt.
The images of the silent journey home flickered through the little girl's mind. The strained atmosphere in the car, the lack of communication between her parents, the absence of even the simplest exchange of glances—it was a stark contrast to their usual affectionate demeanor.
This unfamiliar coldness from her parents filled Tohsaka Sakura with a sense of unease and self-blame. She couldn't shake the feeling that her refusal to stay at the Matou residence had somehow caused this rift, this palpable tension that hung in the air between her mother and father.
"I... I should have stayed at Uncle Matou's house, shouldn't I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with doubt and a deep-seated fear of having displeased her parents.
"..."
[You realized that although Tohsaka Sakura had indeed achieved her immediate goal through her tears, her fundamental personality, her ingrained tendency to shoulder blame and prioritize the happiness of others, remained unchanged.]
[She still believed that all the problems stemmed from her own perceived selfishness, her own act of defiance—even though she couldn't logically connect her desire to stay with her parents to their current somber mood.]
[You couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for this excessively considerate little girl, who carried the weight of the world on her small shoulders.]
[You decided to offer her some much-needed reassurance and guidance, to help her understand that her feelings were valid and that she wasn't responsible for her parents' current distress.]
"Well—" Mr. Ghost responded to Tohsaka Sakura, his voice calm and reassuring.
"Sakura, tell me honestly, did you want to stay there?" He posed the question directly, wanting to elicit her true feelings without any external pressure.
"..."
Tohsaka Sakura hugged her rabbit plush tightly, remaining silent for a long moment, her thoughts swirling with confusion and a lingering sense of guilt. Finally, she shook her head slowly, her dark eyes filled with a quiet certainty.
"No." The single word held a weight of conviction that belied her young age.
"I felt very uncomfortable staying at Uncle Matou's place." She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, the memory of the oppressive atmosphere still fresh in her mind.
"Then that's all that matters, isn't it?"
Having received her honest answer, Mr. Ghost's voice gained a slightly more cheerful tone, a hint of triumph in his words.
"Since you didn't want to stay there, why would you force yourself to think that doing so was the right thing?" He wanted her to understand that her own feelings were important and valid.
"But if I did, Papa and Mama would be very angry." Tohsaka Sakura's voice dropped to an even softer level, her fear of her parents' disapproval evident in her tone.
"I don't want them to dislike me..." The thought of losing her parents' affection was clearly a source of deep anxiety for the little girl.
Hearing Tohsaka Sakura's heartfelt confession, Mr. Ghost chuckled softly, a warm and comforting sound in the quiet room.
"How could they possibly dislike you for something like this?" He reassured her, his tone filled with gentle amusement.
"If they truly disliked you, wouldn't they have left you at the Matou residence just now?" He pointed out the obvious contradiction in her fear.
"On the contrary—"
"They actually love you very much." His voice held a note of gentle emphasis, wanting to instill this crucial understanding in her young heart.
"They love me very much?" A glimmer of hope flickered in Tohsaka Sakura's eyes, chasing away some of the sadness. "Is that true?" She looked up, her expression searching for confirmation.
"Of course, it's true."
"Look... as soon as you said you didn't like being there, didn't they immediately bring you back?" He patiently explained, guiding her towards a more positive interpretation of her parents' actions.
Mr. Ghost continued to calmly and patiently explain things to Tohsaka Sakura, wanting to alleviate her guilt and confusion.
"They really care about your feelings, Sakura."
"So, you don't need to worry about them disliking you."
"You're Papa and Mama's daughter... no matter what, they love you." His words were meant to be a comforting affirmation of her place in her family.
Having listened to Mr. Ghost's gentle guidance and insightful observations, Tohsaka Sakura, who had been consumed by guilt and confusion, suddenly understood. A wave of relief washed over her as she began to realize that her actions weren't a terrible mistake after all.
"Hmm~" The little girl hugged her rabbit plush tightly, a sweet smile finally returning to her lips, chasing away the shadows of her earlier distress. "I understand!"
"Thank you, Ghost-san~" Her voice was filled with genuine gratitude for his help in navigating her complicated emotions.
[You successfully helped Tohsaka Sakura untangle the knot of guilt and confusion in her young heart.]
[However, the predicament faced by Tohsaka Tokiomi and Zenjou Aoi remained unresolved; their underlying problem had not magically disappeared with Sakura's emotional outburst.]
[Or rather—they were now backed into an even tighter corner, their options dwindling with each passing moment.]
In another room within the Tohsaka residence.
Tohsaka Tokiomi and Zenjou Aoi sat side-by-side on the edge of their bed, both bearing expressions of deep sorrow and worry.
Just moments ago, they had lost what they believed to be their only chance to ensure their daughter's survival. The weight of that lost opportunity pressed down on them, heavy and suffocating.
"I'm sorry, Tokiomi." Zenjou Aoi spoke first, her voice filled with heartfelt apology. Tears still glistened on her cheeks, evidence of her earlier distress.
"I... I got too emotional." She lowered her gaze, a wave of guilt washing over her for what she perceived as a failure on her part.
"It's alright." Tohsaka Tokiomi reached out and gently squeezed his wife's hand, offering her a comforting smile.
"Aoi, you did the right thing." He surprised her with his words of reassurance, his tone filled with a newfound conviction.
"I've been thinking, and I've realized... since Sakura doesn't want to stay there, we truly shouldn't force her." He admitted, his earlier resolve wavering in the face of his daughter's genuine distress and his wife's unwavering love.
"As for the Matou family, I'll find a way to explain things to them." His voice, however, lacked its usual confidence, betraying the uncertainty he felt about how to navigate this delicate situation.
"..."
Sensing the lack of conviction in her husband's voice, Zenjou Aoi let out a soft sigh, her own anxieties mirroring his.
She tightened her grip on his hand, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke her deepest regret.
"Tokiomi, if only I were a magus too." The thought had often crossed her mind, a silent wish for the power to share his burdens.
"That way... I could help you shoulder some of this pressure." She looked at him with a mixture of love and helplessness.
"Don't say such things." Tohsaka Tokiomi gently stroked Zenjou Aoi's long hair, his touch filled with affection and a hint of protectiveness.
"It's better for our family if I'm the only one who needs to be a magus." He tried to reassure her, clinging to the traditional beliefs of their lineage.
"But—"
Zenjou Aoi lifted her head to look at her husband, her eyes filled with worry and a growing sense of desperation. Her earlier outburst of maternal love had brought Sakura back, but it had also seemingly closed off their only viable option.
A wave of regret washed over her for her earlier actions, a fear that her emotions had jeopardized their daughter's future.
"What are we going to do about Sakura?" Her voice trembled slightly, reflecting her deep anxiety.
"If we can't send her to the Matou household, isn't that essentially condemning her to a slow death here?" The unspoken truth hung heavy in the air between them, a stark reminder of the cruel reality they faced.
"I won't let that happen."
Tohsaka Tokiomi's grip on his wife's hand tightened, his voice filled with a newfound determination, a steely resolve hardening his gaze.
"She is our daughter, after all." His words were a silent vow, a promise to protect his child no matter the cost.
"..."
A flicker of hope ignited in Zenjou Aoi's eyes, a fragile spark in the darkness of their despair.
She knew her husband wouldn't make such a promise lightly—he must have conceived of some alternative plan, some desperate measure to save their daughter.
"Tokiomi, have you thought of something?" Her voice was filled with a hopeful anticipation.
"Yes." Tohsaka Tokiomi nodded firmly, as if having made a crucial and irreversible decision. His eyes held a new intensity, a glint of determination that hadn't been there before.
"I... I think perhaps we should try contacting the Edelfelt family." His words hung in the air, a testament to the desperate nature of their situation. The Edelfelt family, another prominent lineage of magi, represented a long shot, a gamble born out of desperation.