Chapter 22

He slept extremely comfortably, and it wasn't until the next day when the sun was high — oh no, rather, it was noon under dense dark clouds, looking like heavy rain was about to fall — that Broly was woken up by a prompt from the Crystal Palace.

【Prompt: Matou Sakura's Happiness Value is decreasing】

【Prompt: Rin Tohsaka's Happiness Value is decreasing】

……

【Prompt: Matou Sakura's Happiness Value is increasing】

【Prompt: Rin Tohsaka's Happiness Value is decreasing】

……

What does it feel like to wake up and see your stocks all in the red? Although there was an increase prompt sandwiched in between, overall it was a massive drop.

Matou Sakura, whose Happiness Value had originally long exceeded three digits, now only had twenty-odd points left.

Rin Tohsaka, who had reached seventy Happiness Value yesterday after finding a friend, had now also dropped to single digits.

Broly didn't know what had happened in between, but he was clear on what he had lost.

In an instant, Broly's Qi went berserk.

A tornado whipped up inside the room, the tatami floor sank downward, the roof was directly blown off by the fierce air current, and debris flew everywhere.

This huge commotion attracted the Fujimura family's people, only they didn't dare approach at all — the room whose door and walls were gradually being carried away — and they looked with somewhat terrified gazes at the boy standing in the center of the terrifying air current.

"What's wrong, Broly?"

Only when the girl who had chosen to take the day off and stay home today, Fujimura Taiga, came over and asked the boy what had happened, did this massive air-current tornado finally subside.

Debris fell pattering down, Broly's eye sockets were somewhat red, and his voice carried grievance and distress: "Fujimura-nee, my happiness is gone."

"Ah?"

Fujimura Taiga was somewhat confused; after approaching and inquiring for a while, she learned that the little Sakura Broly had originally kept by his side, and the desk-mate girl he had met at school — these two who could be recognized by the Crystal Palace as Targetable Objectives, and whose Happiness Values had already been raised very high as Crystal Palace Reserve Members — had suddenly plummeted in Happiness Value.

Knowing clearly what kind of life the boy had lived before, understanding the meaning of Happiness Points to the boy — they were literally exchanged for the food that let him live a happy (normal) life — Fujimura Taiga instantly understood the reason for the boy's near-breakdown now.

"Broly, don't panic. The most important thing when encountering a problem is to stay calm. Panicking is useless, and losing your temper is the same. What's most important for us right now is to think about how to solve this problem."

Fujimura Raiga had just come over when he heard his own granddaughter using the words he had taught her just the day before yesterday to admonish the boy who had caused such a commotion; his expression became somewhat subtly complex.

"Mm, I understand."

Broly nodded, striving to gradually calm the Qi still surging in his body under the influence of his emotions.

"Then what should I do now?"

"There's always a reason for a drop in Happiness Value. We should find those two girls and ask the cause of their Happiness Value drop.

Your desk-mate is farther away, but little Sakura is in Fuyuki City, right? We can go to her door and ask about the specific situation."

Fujimura Taiga suggested, but Broly shook his head: "Last night I heard that little Sakura and my desk-mate are actually sisters, and she's gone to her mother's side now."

"Uh, then let's go to your desk-mate's house."

"I don't know where her house is."

"Ah, this……"

Just as the two, one big and one small, were at their wits' end, Fujimura Raiga walked over, coughed once, and reminded them: "Taiga, don't forget our family has connections. I can directly call that school's principal and have him check where Broly's desk-mate lives."

Although the old master didn't know what had happened, the house being destroyed like this also made him realize this matter might be very important to Broly.

Although he no longer hoped to recruit Broly into the Fujimura Group, maintaining a friendly relationship between his granddaughter and this child was still very important.

"Grandpa, your words are truly too timely!"

"Thank you, Grandpa."

One must give thanks when receiving help; Broly looked at the old master, then lowered his head and thanked him.

"Small matter, small matter."

Fujimura Raiga waved his hand and hurried off to call the principal of First Elementary School of Shin-Far Town.

"You're hungry, right? Go eat first. That principal didn't go to school today; rushing over to the school side to investigate information will still need some time."

During Broly's meal, people from the Emiya Residence came over to inquire about the situation; upon learning this scene was caused by Broly, they just went back.

That commotion just now gave them a scare — they thought some Servant had attacked, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

After Broly finished his noon meal, Rin Tohsaka's address was also inquired out.

"Big Sister, Young Master Broly, you're all seated? I'm driving off."

Since the day before yesterday, the way the scar-faced man addressed Broly had upgraded from "brat."

The vehicle traveled on the road; Broly only felt it was slow. He could fly, but with an address he didn't recognize, he could only continue enduring and let the scar-faced man drive him.

Fortunately, Shin-Far Town wasn't far from Fuyuki City; in half an hour, they arrived at the Zenjou family's detached residence gate at breakneck speed.

"Anyone home?"

Fujimura Taiga went over to knock.

"Who are you?"

Someone heard the movement and came to open the door; seeing the trio outside — especially the scar-faced man — they frowned.

"We're here to find Lady Aoi Zenjou."

Fujimura Taiga said; Aoi Zenjou had originally changed her surname to her husband's after marriage, but coming to evacuate ultimately required deceiving eyes and ears, so she used her original surname again.

"What business do you have with her?"

The man at the door was a Zenjou family person, and also knew some things about the Holy Grail Ritual; hearing someone come looking for Aoi Zenjou, he became somewhat vigilant.

"My child and her two daughters are friends, and we agreed to come visit today."

Fujimura Taiga made up a reason.

"Eh?"

The man gazed into the distance at the sky dense with dark clouds — visiting when heavy rain was about to fall? "Sorry, their family never mentioned this to me.

And this morning, their whole family already left here."

"Where did their family go?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you. Hmm, if you really know them, you should have a phone number too, right? Why not call and ask yourselves?"

"It's precisely because we can't get through to Lady Aoi Zenjou's phone that we came here to ask."

If they could get through, Fujimura Taiga would have called long ago.

"Then there's nothing I can do."

The man shrugged. From the girl who knocked's reaction, he saw that her words just now were a pretext; who knows if they're bad people.

Just as he was about to close the door, the door suddenly wouldn't close — Broly had extended a small hand, bracing it against the door.

The man looked at the boy bracing the door with his hand, and disbelievingly pushed hard, only to discover his own strength still couldn't match a child's.

"What do you intend to do?"

He demanded.

Broly had little patience. He raised his hand, aimed at the mansion's facade, and fired an energy bullet. After blasting the front gate and eaves into annihilation, he moved his palm to aim at the man pushing the door.

"Either talk, or die."

The voice was childish, but with the eaves now gone, the man didn't dare treat those words as a joke.

"They left for Fuyuki City this morning. A man of solemn bearing came to pick them up. As for what exactly they returned to Fuyuki City to do, I don't know. Please don't harm me, don't harm the Zenjou family."

Like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, the man rapidly spilled the Tohsaka family's whereabouts, not daring to conceal a thing.

A married daughter is like spilled water. Aoi Zenjou is, after all, a married woman. For the sake of relatives they took them in temporarily, but if a formidable fellow comes knocking, the Zenjou family wouldn't dare stop them, because they know the terror of the magecraft world.

Back in the car, the scar-faced man prepared to drive off, but noticed the boy still standing outside the car, and hurriedly said, "Young Master Broly, aren't you getting in the car to hurry back to Fuyuki City?"

"This is too slow. I plan to fly back."

"Fly back?" Before the scar-faced man could react, Broly slipped under the car, effortlessly lifted the two-seater vehicle, gathered his breath, and flew toward Fuyuki City.

Mid-journey, because some parts fell off the car, he had to slow down somewhat, but still returned to Fuyuki City in under two minutes, arriving directly above the Tohsaka Residence.

Descending from the sky, setting the car on the ground, Broly saw the two who got out of the car — their complexions were not too good.

Although riding on the flying vehicle wasn't very bumpy, that intense G-force gave the two inside a tremendous fright.

"Broly, next time you take people flying, remember to say so in advance."

Her heart pounding violently, Fujimura Taiga didn't even get to exclaim "So you can fly!" — instead she directly started lecturing the boy.

"Uh, sorry."

Through the Crystal Palace seeing Fujimura Taiga's current unhappy state, the boy who knew he'd erred directly lowered his head and apologized.

"It's alright. It's not your fault, but ours — we who experienced flying in a car for the first time."

Fujimura Taiga exhaled, and said comfortingly.

Striving to calm her mood, she soon recovered to a state where she could produce points.

"Let's go, press the doorbell."

Fujimura Taiga led the way again, walking toward the Tohsaka Residence's front door.

Just as she pressed the doorbell.

At the Emiya Residence, Kiritsugu Emiya, watching via modern surveillance, also discovered their tracks.

"No way, why did that kid go to the Tohsaka house?"

Irisviel happened to be at the side too. Seeing the three people in the surveillance feed, she became somewhat surprised.

Kiritsugu Emiya recalled the first time he encountered the boy — the Tohsaka family's little daughter was by his side then.

Connecting the big commotion next door just now, Kiritsugu Emiya formed a judgment: this matter might be related to the Tohsaka family's little daughter.

"Seems no one's home."

After ringing the doorbell for a while, no one came out to open the door at the Tohsaka house.

"Bang~"

Hearing that, Broly didn't hesitate either. He lifted his foot and kicked the big iron gate, directly barging in.

"Ah, this... excuse us!"

Seeing this, Fujimura Taiga wanted to say something, but couldn't say anything, only managing a polite remark before hurriedly following.

But before she could get close to Broly, the Tohsaka Residence front yard's defensive magecraft activated. The gems embedded in the statues lit up, and beams of energy light shot toward the intruders.

Broly was hit. He glanced at the energy beams striking his body — too weak, didn't break skin, but the clothes Fujimura Taiga bought him were burned ruined.

His mood was already bad; now he was even more furious. He raised his hand and fired two energy bullets, left and right. Bang, bang — the Tohsaka Residence front yard was blown up, the magecraft defense system laid out here directly annihilated under the terrifying energy explosion.

Fujimura Taiga: "..."

Should she be glad she entered this mansion last time by ringing the doorbell, or glad Broly didn't barge in and blow up the whole yard last time?

"If there were people in this mansion, with a commotion that big just now, they'd definitely know."

After searching the Tohsaka Residence once around, not a single figure in sight, the scar-faced man said a line.

"But they returned to Fuyuki City, not going home — where else could they go?"

Fujimura Taiga frowned.

"There's one more place."

"Where?"

"The Matou Family."

Broly thought of the place he first transmigrated to. Although he doesn't know the roads, he remembers the general direction.

【Today is a terrible day!】

Young Sakura felt this way, but not because the weather was terrible — simply because today, someone needs to return to that nightmare-like worm home.

Last night at midnight, Mother suddenly said many things to her and her sister. The gist was that Father hopes she can return to the Matou Family, continue serving as the Matou Family's adopted daughter, inherit the Matou Family's magecraft path.

She cried, she made a scene, but it was no use; her mother said through tears that this was her father's decision, and as a daughter of the Tohsaka Family she had to abide by it.

Upon hearing this news, Young Sakura fell into despair and also began to distrust her family, but her mother loved her, she could feel that, because her mother hoped to keep her and have her Elder Sister go to the Matou Family as the Successor in her place.

Her Elder Sister loved her too; even though she was afraid, she pretended to be strong, and when their father's will could not be changed, she was willing to go to the Matou Family as the Successor in her place, and because of that Young Sakura felt this warmth from her family.

"Rin, you are a strong child, so don't end up like your Younger Sister, running away from the Matou Family."

Tohsaka Tokiomi, wearing a Red Suit, spoke these words, wanting to pat his Eldest Daughter's head, but Rin Tohsaka dodged him.

However much she had worshipped her father before, after learning of his decision last night, Rin Tohsaka resented this man just as much.

"Very well, I know you cannot understand me now, but when you grow up you will understand."

Tohsaka Tokiomi sighed; he could understand his Eldest Daughter having emotions.

"Then, Matou Family Head, Rin will……"

"Wait a moment."

Tohsaka Tokiomi had not yet spoken the rest of his "please take care of her" when he was interrupted, and the one who interrupted him was precisely his Younger Daughter.

"Sakura, what is it?"

"I've made up my mind; I'll still be the one to go back to the Matou Family as the Successor."

Young Sakura could remember the pain of Worms crawling over her body; thinking that her Elder Sister, who was willing to take her place as the Successor to the Matou Family, would suffer the same ordeal, at this final moment of the Successor handover, she still couldn't help but speak up.

"Sakura, are you sure?"

Tohsaka Tokiomi felt some surprise and delight; compared to having his somewhat frail Younger Daughter inherit the Tohsaka Family, he actually hoped more for his more mature Eldest Daughter to inherit the Tohsaka Family.

"Sakura, what nonsense are you saying?"

Aoi Zenjou tugged at her.

"That's right, wasn't it already decided that this time it would be Elder Sister going to the Matou Family?"

Rin Tohsaka also said.

"Elder Sister treats me well, yet I can't let Elder Sister cry; compared to Elder Sister, I'm actually more used to the feeling of Worms crawling over my body."

Her father's love, she could no longer feel; her mother's love she could feel, but she could also feel that her mother loved her father more; only her Elder Sister, she loved her.

Young Sakura didn't understand what impulse was, but she didn't want her Elder Sister lying in a pile of Worms crying; if someone had to cry, she had already cried once, crying once more probably wouldn't matter.

The girl's Small Face showed a forced smile; she didn't know why the 'Grandpa' beside her had his head blown up yet was still alive and whole, but she didn't care anymore; enduring her fear, she walked up to him and said: "Grandpa, I'm home, no need for Elder Sister to enter our Home."

"Sakura, you've become even stronger."

Zouken Matou revealed a smile, but it was a smile carrying deep malice.

"One would think you should also be more able to accept Grandpa's Modification now."

Tohsaka Tokiomi heard nothing amiss; an incomparably elegant smile surfaced on his face, and he began praising his Younger Daughter who had once again become a thing of the past: "Sakura, although you are once again not a child of the Tohsaka Family, I am still proud of your courage."

Young Sakura bit her Lips, turned her head away; this time, no longer dazed, she did not want to acknowledge this man who was once her father.

The Sky was overcast, looking like a downpour was coming; Young Sakura's Mood had also hit rock bottom; she thought this time no one would come……

"Eh?!"

Magic Suddenly, Young Sakura's eyes widened; what did she see? She saw a car, in the sky thick with dark clouds, flying toward This Side at Extreme Speed.

"Boom—"

Amidst flashing Thunder, Broly carried a small car, Falling from the Sky!

(Chapter End)