MMMS 81

Aoi melted into his kiss, her eyes fluttering shut with a blissful sigh.

Just as his hand slid from her cheek down to her waist—

Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling-ling-ling!

The sudden ringtone shattered the quiet, jarring and shrill like a smack across the air.

Both of them froze. Aoi blinked, then slowly turned her head toward the phone on the bedside table, which continued to ring without mercy.

“…Who even calls at this hour?” she muttered, her voice caught somewhere between disbelief and irritation.

She gave a small huff and added, “I’ll call them back later.”

She leaned in, lips brushing close to his again, clearly intending to pick up right where they left off.

But before their lips touched, Ryuuto gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

“…Aoi,” he said softly, “you should answer it.”

She blinked at him. “Huh? Right now?”

He gave her a small, knowing smile. “Yeah. Something tells me it might be important.”

She stared at him a second longer, then let out a reluctant sigh. She reached over and picked up the phone, brushing her hair behind her ear with her free hand. “…Hello?”

…

It was a calm, almost soothing morning. After staying up for more than two days straight, Tokiomi had finally gotten a full night’s rest. With the tension that had been grinding at his nerves finally gone, the head of the Tohsaka household looked and felt like himself again.

He sat in the sunroom, surrounded by quiet luxury, slowly sipping a cup of black tea he’d brewed himself. The warmth seeped through him as he organized his thoughts. The Holy Grail War had taken several unexpected turns, but it wasn’t over yet—not by a long shot.

Yes, Gilgamesh had lost Ea. But oddly enough, Tokiomi didn’t feel disheartened. If anything, this shift might prove to be an advantage. The golden king had set aside his usual pride. In its place was something sharper, more focused. That black-haired Master had stirred something in him—a glimpse of the true King of Heroes.

And Tokiomi still had one final card to play. A hidden piece no one had seen coming.

Berserker—Jack the Ripper.

With this, the Tohsaka faction remained the closest to the Grail.

But before he could throw himself into the final battle, there was something else he had to take care of. Something far more personal.

He had to apologize to his wife.

After calming down, he regretted what he’d said the night before. It had been too harsh, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Without hesitation, he reached for his phone and dialed her number. Each ring stretched a little too long, every second making him question if she would even pick up.

Finally, the line connected.

“Good morning, Aoi,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

There was a pause.

“…Tokiomi. What is it?”

Her tone wasn’t angry—but it wasn’t warm, either. It was cold. Distant. Something in the way she spoke made his chest tighten.

Poor signal? Maybe. Or maybe she really was still upset.

“It’s about last night. Aoi, I think there might’ve been a misunderstanding.”

“That?” Her voice was cold. “There’s nothing left to discuss, Tokiomi.”

“Please, just hear me out,” he said quickly, leaning forward with the phone pressed tight against his ear. “What I said last night… that wasn’t what I meant. I never wanted Rin and Sakura to end up fighting each other. That was never my intention. Please, believe me.”

He rushed ahead before she could respond.

“I regret everything that happened to Sakura. It hurts me just as much. And after this Holy Grail War is over, I swear I’ll use every bit of the Tohsaka name and fortune to make it right. No matter what it takes… I’ll bring Sakura home. That’s a promise.”

There was silence on the other end.

A long, quiet pause that made it hard to breathe.

Then, finally, Aoi spoke.

“Oh… I see.”

Tokiomi exhaled, the tension easing from his shoulders. That tone—she must’ve been moved by his words, right? Maybe she’d already forgiven him. Yes, that had to be it.

But just as he was about to say more, faint noises came from her side of the line. Muffled sounds. A strange rustling. Then, without warning—beep. The call ended.

Tokiomi stared at his phone, confused.

What… was that?

…

Evening settled in, just before nightfall.

Ryuuto stepped out of the Zenjou residence, his expression calm, the air around him light and unhurried.

At the doorway behind him, Aoi stood quietly, her fingers curled loosely around the wooden frame.

Her gaze followed him, lingering with a trace of quiet reluctance. “Ryuuto-kun… if you ever miss me, just call, okay? I’ll come to you… no matter what.”

She didn’t say the rest out loud, but he heard it anyway. ‘Because I’ll want to hold you again.’

The fading sunlight brushed her cheeks with a warm blush.

He reached out and gently squeezed her hand. “I will. I promise.”

Her grip tightened for a moment, just enough to show she didn’t want to let go.

He smiled gently, the kind of smile that stayed in a person’s memory. “Then I’ll see you again soon, Aoi. I’ll be in touch.”

He cast a glance at the nearby Mercedes, where Irisviel sat behind the wheel. The Winter Princess was happily spinning the steering wheel back and forth like a child playing pretend, a bright grin lighting up her face as she stayed lost in her own little world.

He turned back toward Aoi, taking a step closer to offer one last goodbye—but something stopped him.

A chill crawled up his spine.

Someone was watching.

From the side, at eye level, a pair of piercing, obsidian-like eyes locked onto him. A girl with long black hair tied into twin tails, dressed in a vibrant red top and a short black skirt. She was still just a child, but the elegance in her features hinted at the beauty she would one day grow into.

Rin Tohsaka.

“Good evening, Mama.” She walked up beside her mom, her tone perfectly polite.

“Rin, you’re back,” Aoi said quickly, withdrawing her hand from Ryuuto’s. She smiled and reached down to smooth her daughter’s hair.

“Yeah, I just came back from a friend’s place. Mama, who’s this?” Rin’s gaze flicked toward Ryuuto, calm and curious.

It wasn’t the look of a child meeting someone new—it was the look of someone trying to size him up. Something about her stare made him shift uncomfortably. Her tone was curious, but there was a quiet sharpness in her gaze, as if she already had her suspicions.

“Rin… this is Ryuuto-kun. He’s a friend I met not long ago.”

“I see.” she nodded politely, then turned to him. “Hello. I’m Rin Tohsaka. Nice to meet you.”

“Hello. I’m Ryuuto. Aoi-san… talks about you a lot.”

“Hmm…” Rin narrowed her eyes, studying him intently. Her expression didn’t change, but her gaze seemed to dig a little deeper.

‘This guy… He smells like Mama…’