[Snow is always cold, much like a person's heart, always feeling a bit chilled.]
...
The heavy snow continued to fall...
Not long after, a sleek yellow sedan cut through the snowy veil, speeding from the distance before coming to a stop not far from the suburbs.
It was around six in the evening, in front of the main gate of the Tohsaka residence.
"Didn't expect you to know big shots like the Tohsakas..."
The old taxi driver parked by the roadside, glancing at the grand mansion gate ahead, letting out a slight sigh before curiosity got the better of him. "Distant relatives, maybe?"
"No, just someone who's met the Tohsaka head a few times."
Roy shook his head, pulling out his wallet as he answered the driver's question.
"That's still impressive, getting to mingle with folks like that..."
"In that case... need me to drive you to a side entrance?"
The driver adjusted his gloves, asking again.
"No need. It's just after New Year; since I'm paying a visit, knocking in person feels more sincere."
Declining the driver's offer, Roy handed him a sizable bill, waving off the change. It was New Year, after all—even a first meeting warranted a small gesture of goodwill, so the extra was a holiday tip. He then snapped his fingers with a flourish.
Click.
A crisp sound rang out.
Then he instructed, "Leave this place, delete the dashcam footage, and forget you ever brought me here."
"Alright..."
Thud.
Soon after, the car door shut.
After Roy stepped out, the driver, looking somewhat dazed, nodded blankly, floored the accelerator, and sped out of the suburban area.
...
About five minutes later, at the Tohsaka residence's entrance.
Knock, knock, knock—
Roy climbed the stone steps to the gate, gently pulling the metal knocker on the Tohsaka's grand iron door and striking it firmly. The loud clanging of metal startled the sparrows resting on nearby branches, sending them scattering into the sky.
"..."
But after knocking for a while with no response, feeling the cold touch of the knocker in his palm and staring at the iron door stiffened by the winter chill, Roy couldn't help but feel a mix of exasperation and resignation.
Visiting an ordinary household unannounced might, at worst, be seen as rude or get you mistaken for a thief and chased out. But visiting the Tohsakas was an entirely different matter.
To ordinary people, a home is simply a place to live. To a magus, however, a home carries a deeper meaning.
It is a stronghold for storing research, a sanctuary, an inviolable sacred domain—a Bounded Field, or a mage's workshop.
If Roy dared to force his way in or sneak inside, the magus within would detect it and treat him as an enemy invading their workshop—a declaration of war in the eyes of a magus.
So, no matter how frustrated he felt, Roy could only stand obediently in the snow, knocking.
Knock, knock, knock!!
A few minutes later, still no response. Roy pulled the knocker again, continuing to knock dutifully.
"Is the head of the Tohsaka family home? Roy Alexander Crowley, head of the Crowley family from the Clock Tower, requests an audience."
He raised his voice slightly while knocking, hoping someone inside would hear.
At the same time, his eyes darted around, his heart increasingly aware of the peculiarities and hassles of these old-school magi.
Like some of the Clock Tower's traditionalists, Tohsaka Tokiomi was a dyed-in-the-wool retro magus, completely oblivious to the conveniences of modern technology.
A prominent figure in Fuyuki City, living in such a grand mansion, yet not even a doorbell installed? What era was this, still using a knocker like some Edo-period relic? Roy couldn't fathom their thought process.
As for contact methods, it was even more absurd. Who'd believe the esteemed Tohsaka family didn't even have a telephone? Want to send a formal letter of visit? You had to write it by hand and send it via familiar—time-consuming and laborious.
Did Tohsaka Tokiomi think this archaic approach was stylish? Did the Industrial Revolution somehow skip the Tohsakas?
If you're chasing thrills, why not go all the way?
Why not toss out the incandescent lights and flush toilets too, fully embracing a medieval noble lifestyle for true elegance? Let's see how long you last.
Of course, Roy could only grumble these thoughts inwardly. He was on their turf, after all. Even a mighty dragon doesn't provoke a local snake, and as a magus noble from the Clock Tower, he had to keep a low profile here. Besides, he was here to charm their daughter, so his attitude and manners had to be impeccable.
Suppressing his irritation, Roy stood in the snowy cold for about seven minutes before the gate finally opened.
Creak!!
Hearing the sound of the metal gate being unlocked from within, Roy, standing in the snow, snapped back to attention.
"Welcome, Head of the Crowley family."
As the gate slowly opened, a refined, resonant male voice greeted him.
Roy shifted his gaze toward it.
After the gate swung open, a middle-aged man with a cultured demeanor, sporting a red goatee and dressed in a well-tailored red suit, stepped out with a cane in hand, offering a greeting to Roy, who'd been standing in the snow for some time.
Silently trailing behind him was a figure in green—a beautiful woman with long, smooth black hair, refined features, and a curvaceous figure, exuding the grace of a Yamato Nadeshiko.
At this New Year's moment, as the lady of the Tohsaka household, she accompanied her husband to greet this guest from afar.
As for why they took so long to appear, it was because Tokiomi, keen on upholding the Tohsaka family's dignity in front of outsiders, had spent extra time selecting his suit.
Though Aoi thought making a guest wait in the snow was far ruder than a suit choice, she couldn't dissuade her husband and simply followed to welcome the guest.
Red suit, goatee, and that ever-present air of forced elegance—it was indeed Tohsaka Tokiomi, the infamous "scourge of this world" from the Nasuverse, unmistakable in his distinctiveness.
And the beautiful lady beside him must be his wife, Tohsaka Aoi.
Upon seeing this familiar, well-mannered middle-aged man, Roy's eyes briefly scanned the pair before quickly withdrawing. He gave a polite nod and offered a greeting.
"Happy New Year, Head of the Tohsaka family, and Lady Tohsaka."
"Happy New Year, all well with you, Mr. Crowley?"
Tokiomi, just emerging from the courtyard, smiled and nodded, returning an appropriate greeting.
Facing Roy, a scion of a storied Clock Tower lineage, courtesy was paramount. As hosts, the Tohsakas couldn't afford to lose face and let a Clock Tower magus family look down on them.
Thus, Tokiomi, with a refined smile, exchanged brief pleasantries with Roy before extending an arm to guide the young man he'd met in London a year ago, his etiquette flawless from start to finish.
"This way, please."
"Very well." Roy nodded lightly.
Led by the host, Roy strolled through the sizable courtyard, gradually taking in the sights of the Tohsaka estate.
Like many magus families fond of ostentatious displays to showcase their prosperity, the Tohsaka courtyard was lavishly decorated.
Pebble paths, gardens, shrubbery, and even a lighthouse studded with rubies—every fitting ornament was present, fully displaying the grandeur of the local hegemon and the wealth and prestige expected of a magus family.
To ordinary folk, this setup was indeed imposing, but to a fellow magus like Roy, it was just par for the course.
Extravagant?
Somewhat, but it was merely standard for a magus family.
Nothing particularly rare stood out; it didn't even compare to his own family's arrangements, let alone those of the old noble houses.
His professor's estate, now that was true ostentatious wealth, flaunting inhuman extravagance right at the doorstep.
So, rather than these superficial, largely decorative landscapes, what truly caught Roy's attention were the Bounded Fields woven by the ruby-encrusted lighthouse, the familiars scattered throughout the courtyard's corners, and the numerous hidden magecraft arrays. These layered defenses made the Tohsaka courtyard an impregnable fortress.
Tokiomi clearly valued his stronghold highly. In Roy's eyes, this setup was a tightly guarded mage's workshop. Good thing he hadn't acted recklessly earlier, or dealing with these arrays would've been quite the hassle.
His gaze swept over briefly, not lingering or probing, as he quietly followed Tokiomi, engaging in light conversation. He trailed the man's steps along a concealed side path that bypassed the courtyard's defenses, leading straight to the main entrance.
Tokiomi was pleased, his impression of Roy quietly improving.
As expected of a London noble, despite family setbacks, the nobility in his blood remained untainted, his manners impeccable, which delighted Tokiomi.
Reaching the entrance, Tokiomi gently pushed open the main door of the residence.
"Please, Mr. Crowley."
"Alright..."
Before Roy could respond, the moment Tokiomi opened the door, a hurried clatter of footsteps echoed from the wooden staircase.
"Daddy!"
A lively yet somewhat childish female voice rang out, causing Tokiomi's expression to stiffen, turning a shade sour.
At the sound, Roy's thoughts stirred, and he glanced over. Running toward them was a little girl with a red butterfly hairclip, black twin-tails, and a youthful, adorable face.
In Roy's view, she was like a sprightly winter sprite, bounding cheerfully to Tokiomi's side and affectionately grabbing his sleeve.
Only when Roy spoke did she notice the guest. She turned to him with curious eyes and asked, "Who are you?"
"Rin, what's with this rash behavior? And don't be so rude to guests—have you forgotten the Tohsaka family's etiquette?"
Witnessing his daughter's poor conduct, Tokiomi's face visibly darkened.
"S-Sorry!"
Hearing Tokiomi's mildly displeased reprimand, Rin, who'd been cheerful moments ago, shrank back, her smile wilting like a fading flower.
At just six or seven years old, being scolded by her father naturally frightened her.
"..."
Seeing this, Aoi, standing behind them, opened her mouth as if to say something but held back, mindful of the important guest and wary of upsetting her husband.
"No matter, Head of the Tohsaka family. During New Year, it's only natural for a child to excitedly greet her returning father. If anything, I'm the one intruding."
Stepping in, Roy smoothly diffused the situation for Tokiomi.
Then he crouched down to the dejected little girl, smiling as he spoke.
"Hello, Miss Rin. No need to be scared."
"My name's Roy Alexander Crowley. If that's a mouthful, just call me Roy. Nice to meet you, and I hope we get along."
"...Roy Alexander Crowley, a foreigner?"
Rin mumbled the somewhat unfamiliar name to herself.
"Rin, introduce yourself to the guest," Tokiomi prompted.
Not dwelling on it long, urged by Tokiomi, she perked up and followed her father's teachings, introducing herself politely to Roy.
"Um, nice to meet you. I'm Tohsaka Rin. Please, let's get along."
"Good girl, Rin. So polite."
Roy gently patted her head in reassurance, and Tokiomi's expression softened slightly.
Just as Rin finished speaking, another little girl in a purple dress emerged from the living room, led by Aoi.
She too had long black hair and a round, cute face, but unlike Rin's vibrancy, she seemed timid, her demeanor somewhat resembling her mother, Aoi.
At Tokiomi's call, she stepped forward with her mother from the living room and, as instructed, introduced herself to Roy.
"I'm Tohsaka Sakura. Nice to meet you, please let's get along."
Seeing his second daughter execute the Tohsaka etiquette flawlessly, Tokiomi smiled with satisfaction, not missing the chance to lecture his somewhat impulsive elder daughter.
"Rin, you should learn from Sakura about Tohsaka etiquette. That rash behavior earlier won't do. Elegance must be maintained at all times."
"Ugh, got it, Father," Rin pouted, clearly displeased.
Meanwhile, spotting Sakura, the corner of Roy's mouth curved into a barely noticeable smile.
As expected, she's still here...
'My timing calculations were spot-on,' he thought to himself.
"Alright, alright, Head of the Tohsaka family, it's New Year—ease up on scolding the kids. Rin's liveliness is just right for her age."
Suppressing his smile, Roy stepped in to end the tedious topic of Tohsaka elegance.
Then, under Tokiomi's slightly surprised gaze, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two prepared gifts, handing them to the girls.
"Here, Sakura, Rin—these are for you, both as a meeting gift and a New Year present."
They were two beautifully colored gemstones: a ruby for Rin and an amethyst for Sakura.
"So pretty!"
Seeing the ruby, Rin instinctively took it, letting out a delighted squeal.
Sakura glanced at Tokiomi beside her.
Though surprised by Roy's generosity, Tokiomi didn't hesitate long, giving a slight smile and a nod.
"Accept them. It's a token of the Crowley family head's kindness."
Then Tokiomi turned to arrange a spot for the upcoming discussion.
"Thank you, nii-san!"
Rin happily held up her ruby, thanking him.
"Um, thank you, nii-san."
Sakura, far calmer, simply bowed slightly in thanks.
"Go play, you two. I'm here to see your father today."
After the brief interaction, Roy had a rough grasp of the sisters' personalities. He patted their heads gently, watched them head to their rooms, and then followed Aoi to the Tohsaka's reception room.
As the head of the Tohsaka family, Tokiomi was already prepared, even brewing tea for Roy to show hospitality.
Seeing Roy enter with his wife, he smiled, then instructed Aoi to leave so he could speak with Roy alone.
Aoi, without objection, nodded respectfully, quietly exiting and closing the reception room door.
Click—!!
As the wooden door shut, the room's atmosphere subtly shifted.
If their earlier exchange outside was mere worldly pleasantries, from the moment they entered this room, they were stepping into serious matters, conversing as magi.
Tokiomi had dismissed his non-magus wife for this very reason.
Roy, naturally, shared the same understanding.
Outside was outside; inside was inside. To thrive in the magecraft world, the two had to be kept distinct.
His visit to the Tohsaka residence wasn't a whim but came with a purpose.
Having exchanged pleasantries for so long, it was time to get to the point and discuss how to spirit away this man's daughter.
With differing intentions, the two men in the room raised their teacups, offering mutual compliments almost in unison.
"Please."
"Please."