Chapter 288: Don't Let Anything Happen

Yuanban Shichen set down the phone handset emitting a busy tone, and a clear crack appeared on his elegant Mask.

The call was from his wife Aoi, whose voice trembled with uncontainable panic—Rin, their daughter, had been missing since last night.

According to Aoi, Rin seemed to have slipped out of the house secretly, likely to come to the Yuanban Residence looking for him, her father.

(Looking for me?)

(But I never saw her!)

A chill crawled up Shichen's spine to the back of his head.

Last night the port melee, Archer was humiliated, a mysterious Caster and his Master visited, Assassin's unpredictable behavior, plus his own inexplicable lingering discomfort… everything was chaotic, and he paid no attention to whether any child was near the residence.

If Rin really was nearby last night, what would she have seen? The battling Heroic Spirits? Or something even more dangerous? Would she be drawn in?

"Kirei…"

Shichen rubbed his throbbing temples, forced himself to stay calm, and activated the emergency contact Magic with his disciple.

The message was brief and heavy: Rin missing, possibly lost or met an accident near the residence last night, ordering Assassin (Baimiao) to search thoroughly, but must remain covert to avoid alarming anyone.

After doing that, he felt a wave of exhaustion as if drained.

It wasn't just Magic Power Consumption, but a deep sense of helplessness.

The Holy Grail War was far more dangerous than he had imagined; even as a Master he found every step arduous, and now his family was also entangled.

(Rin… where are you really?)

(Please, don't let anything happen…)

A familiar cramping pain surged in his abdomen, more intense than before.

Shichen clutched his stomach, his face turning pale as he leaned against the chair back.

The meals these past days were prepared by trusted staff within the residence; what unclean food had he actually eaten?

Gentle morning sunlight filtered through the heavy velvet curtain seams, spilling onto the guest room bed.

Yuanban Rin groggily opened her eyes, feeling as if she had slept a long, heavy sleep.

She blinked her still drowsy blue eyes, habitually reaching for the rabbit plush at the head of the bed, but felt nothing.

(Hm? My room… )

Memory slowly returned—sneaking out of home to go to the Jian Tong Family to find Sakura, seeing a strange person at her own doorstep, then a pink‑haired odd sister covering her mouth, and then… a pain behind her neck, and everything went blank!

She sat up abruptly, scanning the surroundings warily.

The unfamiliar spacious and lavish room was not the Yuanban Family's.

Then her gaze fixed on the other bed beside her.

A tiny, slender figure was curled inside a soft down comforter, purple long hair exposed, sleeping soundly.

Rin's breath instantly caught.

(This figure… )

(Sakura?!)

"Sakura! Is that you?"

She couldn't help shouting, her voice full of incredulous joy.

The girl on the bed was startled awake, sitting up groggily, her violet‑indigo eyes clouded with early waking, looking toward the voice.

When she saw it was Rin, those eyes usually shrouded in gloom instantly brightened, as if infused with starlight.

"Sis… sister?"

Sakura's voice was tiny.

"It's really you! Sakura!"

Rin suddenly jumped down, ran barefoot over, clutched her sister tightly, her eyes reddening at once, "Thank goodness! You're okay! I—I thought…"

She recalled her ominous premonitions about the Jian Tong Family, and felt a lingering dread.

Sakura, held by her sister, first tensed slightly, then gradually relaxed, her small hand gently returning to hug Rin, burying her face on her sister's shoulder, and muttering a muffled "mm".

The familiar warmth dispelled the chill of last night's nightmare.

"Where is this? How did we end up together?"

Rin released Sakura, surveyed the room, and asked confusedly, "I think I was knocked out…"

Sakura explained as clearly as possible: "It was Sister Chang Ye Yue and Sister San Yue Qi who rescued me, bringing us from a dangerous place to here. This is… Einzbern Castle, the residence of another Master participating in the Holy Grail War. They said it's temporarily safe."

"Chang Ye Yue? San Yue Qi?"

"They are also Masters and Servants?"

Sakura nodded.

At that moment, the room door was gently knocked, then opened.

A pink head poked in, it was San Yue Qi.

She wore a radiant smile: "Good morning, little ones! Did you sleep well? Time to get up and have breakfast! The lady prepared an ultra—deluxe feast!"

When Rin saw San Yue Qi, she instantly flared up like a startled kitten, leapt up and pointed at her: "Ah! It's you! You're that bad sister who hit me!"

"Eh?! No, that's not it!"

San Yue Qi quickly waved her hands, a panicked expression as she explained, "It was an emergency then! If you shouted, it would have alerted the fighters inside, very dangerous! I did it for your sake! And… didn't I later bring you here safely?"

She tried to put on the most innocent expression, her big eyes blinking.

Sakura gently tugged Rin's sleeve, whispering, "Sister, San Yue Qi and Chang Ye Yue are good people; they protected me."

Seeing her sister's trusting gaze, and glancing at San Yue Qi's utterly sincere, even slightly clumsy demeanor, Rin's taut hostility eased a bit, but she still pursed her lips and hummed, "Then… you still can't just knock someone out casually!"

"I'm sorry!"

San Yue Qi clasped her hands together, apologizing sincerely, "Next time… uh, try not to use this method! Alright, alright, let's go eat first; you need a full stomach to have the energy to be angry, right?"

Tempted by the food (and Sakura's persuasion), Rin reluctantly agreed to set aside the "grudge" for now.

She pulled Ying's hand, and followed San Yue Qi out of the room.

The castle's interior, with its splendid and ancient decorations, made her unable to stop looking left and right, and she whispered in awe.

"Um… San Yue Qi sister,"

Walking down the corridor, Lin couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are you really a Heroic Spirit?"

"Hmm, I guess so." San Yue Qi nodded; she had already gotten used to the Heroic Spirit title in this world.

"Then what's your occupation?"

Lin pressed on, her eyes flashing with curiosity about the "mystery."

"Uh…" San Yue Qi's face collapsed at once, showing an embarrassed and reluctant expression, and her voice lowered, "It's… Berserker, you know…"

"Berserker?!"

Lin gasped, her large blue eyes scanning San Yue Qi up and down.

This Fen Mao sister before her was actually the legendary Frenzy, a Berserker who had lost Reason String? But then she recalled the force that had knocked her out cleanly last night.

"Hmm… thinking it over, it does seem reasonable."

Lin stroked her chin, wearing a little‑adult expression of "I get it," "After all, her actions do have a bit of a violent streak."

"Hey! How is that reasonable!"

San Yue Qi couldn't help but complain, puffing her cheeks, "I call that efficient action! And I'm usually very gentle, okay? It's just the occupation that slightly… affected my style a bit!"