Type-Moon, is this really not the Reverse Side of the World?

The phone Risei Kotomine dialed for Mrs. Tohsaka rang a few times before it was answered.

"Hello, this is Aoi Tohsaka. How may I help you?"

Hearing Aoi's gentle voice, Risei sighed inwardly. His father and Tokiomi's father had been old friends. Furthermore, three years ago, the Holy Church had selected Tokiomi to be the victor they would support in the Fourth Holy Grail War. He had maintained a close relationship with Fuyuki's master, often visiting the Tohsaka household. He saw Aoi frequently. In his eyes, she was a perfect wife who deeply loved her husband. If she learned of his death, she would surely be heartbroken.

Risei found it difficult to speak. It wasn't until her voice came over the line again that he finally said, "Mrs. Tohsaka, this is Risei Kotomine. I have something to tell you."

"Ah, Supervisor Kotomine. What is it?"

"It's like this... I am very sorry to inform you that your husband, Tokiomi Tohsaka, has been found dead. The Tohsaka family's Magic Crest has also been lost."

Silence.

Shock, grief, collapse, screaming—none of the reactions Risei had anticipated occurred. There was only a dead silence. More chilling than the silence was the completely calm, even breathing on the other end of the line, as if she hadn't just heard that her beloved husband was dead.

"Mrs. Tohsaka?"

"I'm here. Is there anything else, Supervisor Kotomine?"

Risei felt his scalp tingle, his throat dry. "Your husband is dead. Your family's Magic Crest, passed down for hundreds of years, is lost." He could only hope that she was in disbelief, or that she hadn't heard clearly.

But the reply was an exceptionally flat, "Oh."

Oh? How can you be so calm?

Risei didn't know where this fear came from. Not even during his first battle with a Dead Apostle in his youth had he felt such terror sweep over him. It was like when he first learned of Tokiomi's death from his subordinates—a sudden, unsettling fear that things were spiraling out of his control.

"Mrs. Tohsaka, are you not surprised by your husband's death?"

"Surprised? Why should I be surprised?" Aoi's voice remained flat. Then, as if understanding something from Risei's trembling tone, she explained softly, "Tokiomi's Command Spells and the Tohsaka Magic Crest are in my hands."

BOOM!

Risei's mind felt as if it had been struck by a giant hammer; it went completely blank. The receiver fell from his hand.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be hanging up. I need to prepare breakfast for my daughters."

Aoi's gentle voice came from the phone, the sound of the most ordinary, gentle, and great of mothers performing their daily, repetitive tasks, not the voice of a wicked wife who had just murdered her husband and plundered everything he had.

It wasn't until long after the dial tone started that Risei came to his senses. He stared at the receiver, dangling by its cord, his pale lips trembling. It was broad daylight, yet he felt a bone-deep chill.

"What... what manner of sin is this?"

"What manner of evil curse is this?"

Risei suddenly snapped back to reality. He stumbled back to the room where Tokiomi's body was being kept. "Kirei!"

Kirei turned to look at his father. The panic, fear, and helplessness on his face were things he had never before seen on this incredibly steady man who always seemed to have everything under control.

"Tokiomi Tohsaka was killed by his wife, Aoi Tohsaka."

"The teacher's wife?" Kirei was stunned. The image of Aoi appeared in his mind, but then, remembering something else, he understood. When my teacher ordered me to kill that boy, he probably never expected this day would come, did he?

"That woman has gone mad!"

"The Grail... is a curse!" Risei declared, grabbing his son's arm tightly. "Kirei, we absolutely cannot let that evil thing fall into anyone else's hands, especially not Aoi Tohsaka's! She has gone completely insane! We must stop them!"

Aoi hung up the phone. Thinking of her two daughters coming downstairs to have breakfast with her, she was in a good mood, a gentle smile on her lips. Tokiomi was dead. No one could hurt Rin and Sakura anymore. The only regret was that Jiuan wasn't here. But that was alright. Tonight, she and Gilgamesh would kill that bitch who dared to steal her Jiuan, along with her Servant. After that, no other bad woman would ever steal her Jiuan or destroy her family again.

"Mother?"

Aoi looked toward the living room entrance. Sakura was holding her sister's small hand, looking up at her curiously. Rin was also looking at her mother with curiosity. She didn't think she had ever seen her mother look so happy. Her mother always smiled, a gentle smile for them, but this kind of radiant, genuine happiness was a first.

"Ah, Sakura and Rin. Just a moment, breakfast will be ready soon."

"Okay!"

Soon, Aoi had breakfast ready, and the family of three sat down at the table.

"Mother, when is brother Jiuan coming back?" Sakura asked.

"There was a small accident last night, but it's okay. When Sakura wakes up tomorrow morning, you'll be able to see him."

"Really?"

In contrast to Sakura's excitement, Rin was very gloomy. Last night, she had planned to sneak out to find her father after Sakura fell asleep. But she couldn't outlast Sakura and ended up falling asleep first. She had no idea what had happened with her father...

As Rin was thinking, she noticed the crimson marks on the back of her mother's right hand as she held her chopsticks. She froze. That's... a Command Spell?

Rin's pupils contracted, her hand holding her own chopsticks trembling. Father... is dead? But why are the Command Spells on Mother's hand?

Looking at her mother, who was smiling more gently than ever, radiating a genuine happiness and freedom, Rin suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity, of fear. The question, 'Mother, why are Father's Command Spells on your hand?' was stuck in her throat. Rin didn't know the process, but she could guess the outcome.

Confrontation? Anger? Hysteria?

"Rin, what's wrong? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Sister?"

Looking at her sister's innocent smile, then at her mother's genuine happiness, Rin remained silent for a long time before forcing a smile. I've already lost my father. I can't lose my mother and sister too.

"Yes, I had a little trouble sleeping last night. I'm sorry."

....

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