Amidst bickering and laughter, the family walked along the road at the foot of the mountain and headed up the approach to the shrine.
Not long after, they saw the iconic gate of Ryudo Temple, which had withstood hundreds of years of wind and rain and had survived four Holy Grail Wars, and still stood tall.
In a sense, this is the oldest witness of Fuyuki City, older than Fuyuki City itself.
Shinji stopped and wiped away the snow on the pillar of the mountain gate, revealing the weathered stone pillar. There was a clear mark on the stone pillar, running diagonally through most of the pillar. Although the mark had been worn away by time, it was still relatively new compared to the other small marks on the stone pillar.
Shinji stretched out his index and middle fingers, moving them from one end of the mark to the other, closing his eyes and whispering:
"Master, Happy New Year."
This mountain gate was the site of the final battle between the two remaining servants at the end of the Holy Grail War in the winter of 1994, and this mark was left by Scathach with the Vermillion Spear in her hand during the battle.
Whenever he walked here, Shinji would stop here for a moment, remembering the woman who had the greatest influence on his life and the woman who made his heart beat for the first time in this world.
After doing all this, he looked up at the junction of the pillar and the gatehouse. There was also an obvious mark there, which was caused by the sword pressure of the other person in the final battle.
"Happy New Year to you too, Saber, no, Artoria Pendragon."
Just as Shinji was immersed in memories of the past, a clear voice came from above.
"Ah, you're looking at the gate again, Matou Shinji."
Looking up, I saw a girl with two ponytails and a red jacket standing on a higher step, with her hands on her hips and her chin raised high. Her turquoise eyes were particularly dazzling in the snow.
"Happy New Year, Rin."
Shinji smiled as he walked towards the girl who was the same age as him. She was Rin Toosaka, Sakura's biological sister, and one of the few people Shinji felt guilty about.
"Don't call me so affectionately! I don't know you well!" Even though she was on the same level as Shinji, Rin still didn't change her condescending attitude.
Shinji was not angry: "You and I are not familiar with each other, but I am very familiar with you. After all, we have a common sister."
"Ah, how dare you say that!" Rin got angry when this matter was mentioned, and her hanging twin ponytails trembled.
"Sister, sister—" Ying saw that the atmosphere was not right and quickly ran between the two of them, "—please don't quarrel with brother, okay."
"Sakura... don't worry about it. This is between me and Matou Shinji!" Rin snorted and bypassed her sister's obstruction.
"So, don't call me that way anymore." Shinji shook his head helplessly.
"Hmph, none of your business." Rin turned her head and her ponytail almost hit Shinji's face.
"Rin, don't be rude."
Hearing this gentle female voice, Lin's "arrogance" immediately wilted.
"Mom, mom."
The only one who can control her tsundere daughter is her gentle mother, Aoi Tousaka, a woman whom no one in the Matou family can find fault with, a Yamato Nadeshiko who is becoming increasingly rare in modern Japan.
"Happy New Year, Aunt Aoi, and Uncle Toosaka."
Shinji naturally bowed to Toosaka Aoi and Toosaka Tokiomi who was supported by her. Since they were wearing suits, he followed Western etiquette.
Sakura also performed the ceremony with Shinji. By now, she could naturally call out this unfamiliar name in front of outsiders.
Seeing the brother and sister's humility and courtesy, Tokiomi and Aoi nodded secretly, once again confirming that they had made the right decision to send their daughter to the Matou family.
Although the Tohsaka family studied Western magic, they were an orthodox Japanese family and followed all the etiquette and customs. In the past, they would have stayed in front of Ryudo Temple until the New Year's bell rang, but after the Fourth Holy Grail War, Tohsaka Tokiomi's body was eroded by the curse of the black mud and was no longer as good as before. He could not stay up late and had to settle for the next best thing. Of course, they did not wear kimonos because the Tohsaka family's family style was more Western than the Matou family's, even though the Tohsaka family was authentic Japanese.
Although Tohsaka Tokiomi's fate was due to his obsession with the Holy Grail, Shinji also contributed to it. As for Tohsaka Tokiomi himself, Shinji had nothing to say. They were all participants in the Holy Grail War, and he was merciful for Sakura's sake by not killing him.
But Shinji couldn't get over the hurdle of gentle Aoi and innocent Rin, and that's where the guilt came from. Therefore, no matter how Rin threw a tantrum or how venomous she was (how venomous could a daughter raised by Aoi be?), Shinji would not get angry, but would just face it with a smile.
Now it's the same, and he's still saying good things for Rin, like Rin wasn't rude, it was just him who couldn't help himself and took advantage of her. But he doesn't know that the more Shinji does this, the more fake it feels to Rin, and the angrier she gets, but because her parents are present, she can't get angry, so she can only hold it in.
Shinji noticed this, patted his sister on the shoulder, signaled her to talk to her biological parents for a few more words, and then quietly retreated back to his family.
Uncle Kariya also retreated with him, retreating to the snow outside the shrine. Before leaving, he asked Orange for a lighter and cigarettes. Kariya didn't usually smoke, and only wanted to smoke when he saw Aoi taking good care of Tokiomi. Although he always coughed because of the choking, it was better than watching his sweetheart being affectionate with another person.
He had thought about forgetting Aoi, and also thought about finding someone to spend his life with. But in the end, he found that the beautiful figure that had been rooted in his heart since his youth was not diluted by time and experience, but like a jar of old wine, it became more mellow and its taste became deeper with the passage of time.
Perhaps I can only watch over her like this for the rest of my life. Even if Tōsaka Tokiomi has passed away, the chances of her choosing me are slim.
Seeing his younger brother choking and his face turning red until he burst into tears, his elder brother Tsuruya felt sorry for him. He turned his head and asked the two authority figures in the family: "How long can Tohsaka Tokiomi hold on?"
"There's not much time left." Justisa showed a trace of sadness, sad for the end of yet another member of the Big Three.
"Yes." Orange nodded in confirmation, "This year, we will definitely not see the sun of the new century."
"Really?" Tsuruya narrowed his eyes, and his expression was exactly the same as when Shinji was planning something evil.
"Dad." Shinji called out indifferently.
"What?"
"I know what you're thinking. Some things are better left alone than just thinking about them. If you really put them into practice, it might backfire."
No one knows his father better than his son, and no one knows his son better than his father.
"Have you thought about that, too?"
"Yes, but for a woman like Aunt Aoi, those methods are useless. I'll tell you something when you get back and you'll understand."
"Well, that's a shame."
He also sighed unwillingly. There were two prodigal sons in the Matou family. The elder brother had turned back and hoped that the younger brother could also find his own happiness.
"Is there really no other solution?"
"Not yet. When Rin and Sakura are older, there may be a glimmer of hope."
External forces cannot influence Aoi, a woman who is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. Only her closest relatives can influence her.