Chapter 29: The Crest Worm (Patreon)

This calm and composed young man was truly powerful. Even if she used her Noble Phantasm, victory wasn't certain. Moreover, she had just been summoned and didn't have much magical energy.

Her Master also didn't possess abundant magical energy. If she forcefully used her Noble Phantasm... and this Master's body seemed somewhat unusual.

Fortunately, this big boy, whom the Master called her brother, held no killing intent or murderous aura towards her Master.

The eyes that always held a heartache weren't feigned either. And even after being pierced by the Master, he hadn't done anything to harm her. Perhaps...

Under Rider Medusa's watchful gaze, Shinji arrived in front of Sakura and gave a light smile, as if to soothe her emotions this way.

"Nii-san..." Sakura brought her hands to her chest, looking up at her brother who stood more than a head taller than her, murmuring softly.

"Hold on a little longer. It will be over soon, Sakura. Believe in me."

Realizing something, Sakura's eyes widened sharply.

Could it be...!

Could it be...!

Sakura looked at Shinji with disbelief. Was her brother trying to... save her?

This incredible thought, which would have been impossible before, flashed through Sakura's mind. But the next moment, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. Looking down, she saw that her chest had been pierced by her brother's index and middle fingers.

It all happened too fast. Even Rider, who had been watching closely, didn't react in time, let alone Sakura, who had just let her guard down.

The modern knowledge instilled by the Grail—"men are all unreliable scoundrels"—proved true!

"Nii-san... why?" Sakura lifted her head to ask.

"Trust me."

Shinji spoke with a serious look in his eyes. His index and middle fingers swiftly pulled out a strange-looking insect covered in blood from Sakura's chest. Simultaneously, he bent backward, effortlessly dodging Rider's attack, then followed with a backflip, easily evading the flying chain and creating distance from Rider.

Seeing her attack miss, Rider didn't press forward. Instead, she quickly retracted her move and steadied Sakura, who, after hearing Shinji's "heartfelt" words, was about to collapse.

"That... that is..." The weakened Sakura stared at the insect with a long tail in her brother's hand, still emitting sharp cries, and murmured her question.

The moment the insect was pulled out by her brother, Sakura sensed it—certain ingrained notions had vanished. For example, the instinctive, unquestioning obedience to Zōken from the depths of her heart...

"Grandfather's main body, the Crest Worm that replaced part of your nerves." Shinji explained, then looked down at the strange insect stirring in his hand. "Good morning, Grandfather."

"Replaced part of my nerves..." Sakura murmured. "So that's it. So that's why I couldn't defy Grandfather's orders and had to obey him unconditionally."

As she spoke, Sakura's tears fell once again. Some truths, upon being known, reveal their own absurdity.

"Just when did you figure it out, Shinji? And how?"

Something bizarre happened—the insect was speaking with Zōken's voice!

"Grandfather, I am a genius, you know. I pieced it all together ten years ago, when you announced Uncle Kariya's death. Are you satisfied with that answer?"

"Impossible! A mere child couldn't possibly have..."

Shinji shook his head.

"Oh, but I did. But there was nothing I could do back then. So I hid my true self, even putting on an act for ten long years in this very house. It was exhausting, Grandfather, matching wits with you day after day."

"But I won. The proof is that even now, you never realized... I'm just like Father and Uncle Kariya. I have absolutely no interest in magecraft, magi, or this rotten world of magic."

"Honestly, didn't you ever find it suspicious? Generation after generation of your descendants despise the path of magic, and then suddenly one comes along who's obsessively dedicated to it—without you even having to lift a finger."

"I see... So a true genius finally appeared among my descendants. A pity this old fool never noticed until the end." Zōken's voice was thick with rueful irony.

"Alright, we can continue our little chat later." With that, Shinji started toward Sakura again.

But this time, Rider made it abundantly clear she wasn't letting him pass.

"Relax, I told you I'm not going to hurt her."

"Just now..." Rider's words were clipped, her meaning crystal clear.

Basically: You said that last time, right before you gave my Master that very "heartfelt" confession.

"Well, I had no choice! That was the only way to force Grandfather's true body out into the open."

Rider didn't budge. She crossed her nail-like daggers, sinking into a low combat stance, ready to fight.

For some reason, Shinji suddenly felt like the woman in front of him was striking a pose just to show off for him—after all, it was right there in plain view!

Her ample breasts were squeezed together by her crossed arms, the deep cleavage on full display as if she were deliberately pushing them up for his gaze. And with her body lowered like that, her hips thrust slightly forward, accentuating the curve of her ass straining against her tight outfit... Oh ho...

Damn, this was getting to him. No wonder the original work was rated R18—it really hit hard!

"Let Nii-san come over."

"But..."

"It's fine."

...

Watching the girl's wound slowly heal under the secret art in Shinji's hand—different from healing magecraft—the wariness on Rider's face gradually lessened a bit.

Dense, white runes burrowed into Sakura's wound, repairing the inside of her body and the injury itself.

These runes were transformed from Shinji's purest life force, operating on the principle of "brute reiryoku solves everything."

"Does it still hurt?" Shinji withdrew his hand. Sakura's wound was now as good as new.

Sakura shook her head gently. The warm, comfortable feeling inside her body made her feel at ease.

Sakura had many questions she wanted to ask, but she also knew it wasn't the best time.

After draping his coat over her shoulders, Shinji pulled out a popsicle as if by magic and held it in front of her.

Sakura shook her head; if she were good at snarking, she'd definitely quip right then: No matter how you look at it, now's not the time to eat something like this, right?

"Trust your brother."

Looking at Shinji's grinning face, Sakura inexplicably reached out anyway. But before she could take the popsicle, Shinji beat her to it and shoved it straight into her mouth.

"Mmm!" The cold hit Sakura first, but then she sensed something and wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"Don't waste it. Took a long time to make."

One for 20,000 yen!

The popsicle's effect wasn't just clearing out the crest worms from her body; it also converted them into pure life energy to replenish the damage they'd done to her flesh, nerves, and magic circuits.

Not to mention the bonus perks like beautifying and nourishing the skin, treating low blood sugar, malnutrition, bidding farewell to fatty liver, curing constipation and diarrhea, regulating menstrual irregularities, and perking up the mind and spirit.

And finally... it actually tasted pretty good—watermelon flavor.

"What did you do to Sakura?" Zouken demanded.

"Just cleared out the stuff you've been putting in her for the past eleven years. It's over now, Grandfather."

"You bastard!" Zouken roared in fury.

"Look, Grandfather,"

Shinji rubbed his forehead with a sigh and continued.

"There was a painting in my room of that woman in her heavenly garb, and you, who comes in and out of my room all the time—why did you never remember it?

What about your original ideals? The reasons you planned the Holy Grail system with the first head of the Tohsaka family, Nagato Tohsaka, and the Saint of Winter, Justeisa Lizrich von Einzbern—how could you forget them so completely?

The reasons you first pursued immortality—why have you forgotten every single one? And why, even at this point, do you cling to such a twisted will to survive?

I really don't get it at all..."

"Heh, this old man's wish is simply immortality. The sensation of flesh and soul decaying day by day, the agony of rotting even as you breathe...

My grandson, can you truly understand? There are no humans who don't fear death—you're the same!

To fulfill my wish, I'd gladly slaughter every last human on this world!"

Hearing Zouken's words and learning his true goal, Sakura's face twisted in utter disbelief.

"Grandfather's wish is actually... immortality..."

Slurp slurp...

Mmm, this cool watermelon-flavored popsicle is pretty tasty!