Despite the change of timeline, the Matou family mansion remains the same.
Dark blue brick walls eroded by time; a roof that is cleaned regularly but still has tenacious vines growing on it; a layout that blends in with the environment; a house that has a unique charm despite being different from modern architectural styles.
Everything was no different from the home Shinji knew.
"It seems that my father is still in charge of these matters." Shinji stood in front of the gate and sighed softly.
Ever since Shinji could remember, his father had been handling all kinds of administrative work. Whether it was business dealings, hiring servants, or maintaining the house, it was all done by Tsuruya, which was why the Matou family in the two worlds looked almost the same from the outside.
Appearance only.
Although he didn't go inside, Shinji was sure that it was completely different from the home he was familiar with - not in terms of the specific decoration or furnishings, but in terms of the feeling of home.
In this world, the shadow of the Matou family and its founder, Matou Zouken, has not died yet.
In this world, his most important family member, his sister Sakura, was not adopted into the Matou family.
"Matou is still Matou, but it is no longer my Matou, my home." Shinji sighed, used his body to gain leverage on the outer wall, climbed over the roof, and flipped into the backyard.
In another world, every morning, he and his sister would exercise in the yard according to the master's teachings. When there was no schedule, they would each bring out a recliner and make a pot of tea, either Japanese tea or Western black tea, depending on Sakura's mood. Shinji didn't care about this. Then he would hold a book and read for an entire afternoon. When he got tired, he would cover his face with the book and take a short nap, with limited laziness, warmth and tranquility.
In this world, there is also such a child, lying on a recliner that is older than the child, reading a book. The boy is so focused on reading that he is unaware of the intrusion of the uninvited guest.
The unannounced guest casually glanced at the title page of the book, and a hint of understanding emerged on his face - it was one of the books in the Matou family's collection, an introductory book on magic written by the ancestor of the Matou family. He, his sister Sakura, and his uncle Kariya all entered the door of magic according to the records in this book.
Since it was an enlightenment book, it naturally recorded very simple things. According to the normal education system of magician families, the content of this book only applies to education before the age of eight. But the child in front of him was half an age older than eight, four years over the age limit.
Why are you so sure
Because this child has dark blue curly hair, a pair of dark blue eyes, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth and even every part of the body, Shinji is extremely familiar with it - how could he not be familiar with his own body
That’s right, this is Shinji Matou in this world, and himself in the parallel world.
There was no need to do any examination. Just by looking at the book in the boy's hand, Shinji knew that the boy was just like him. His magic circuits were completely closed due to acclimatization. In other words, he did not have the qualifications of a magician and was just an ordinary person.
That is why he is still reading introductory books at this age, because he cannot enter the door of magic at all.
"It's no use."
Shinji's voice interrupted the boy's concentration. The boy raised his head and looked at the young man who suddenly appeared in the yard.
"Who are you?"
"Just out of interest, no, a passing magician."
For some reason, the boy felt that the person in front of him was very familiar.
"Magician, are you a magician?" The boy's eyes showed a hint of excitement, but also a little uncertainty, "Which magician?"
"It's the kind described in the books you read. Watch carefully." Shinji chuckled, "Water."
As the monosyllabic chant continued, the moisture in the air gathered in Shinji's hands and condensed into a water ball.
The boy stretched out his finger and carefully poked the water ball, as if to verify its authenticity.
"Do you believe it now?" Shinji asked.
"I believe it, I believe it." The boy nodded repeatedly, "Well, can you teach me magic? I want to learn it, but I just can't do it."
"Then why do you still want to learn?"
"Because our Matou family is a family of magicians, we are special. Although my grandfather said that I don't have the qualities of a magician and can't learn magic, I am the heir of the Matou family and I believe I am special. I must learn magic, and even if I can't, I will remember it." The boy's face was full of determination. This was a belief that he had buried deep in his heart since childhood and it has never changed.
"If you became a magician, what would you want to do?"
"Well..." the boy lowered his head and thought for a while, then said, "I'll finish reading all the books in my home and recreate all the magic tricks."
"Then what?"
"I haven't thought about it yet. I can't even feel the magic power now." The boy's expression darkened.
"You're going to stick with it even though this is happening?" Shinji's voice had an inexplicable meaning.
"Yes." The boy was unwavering.
"Even if my whole life is in vain? Even if my whole life is wasted?"
"yes."
"Remember what you said today, remember how you feel at this moment, and never forget it—especially after you become a magician."
The boy was stunned when he heard what Shinji said: "Can I still be a magician?"
"able."
"But Grandpa—"
"Don't worry about that old antique, he is out of date. If I say it is possible, it is possible." Shinji said firmly.
"What should I do?" the boy asked doubtfully.
"Take off your shirt."
"ah?"
"What are you talking about? Just take it off when I tell you to. You are not like a man if you are so fussy."
"Oh, oh." The boy began to borrow the coat, "Um, take it all off?"
"Take it all off!"
"Then what?"
"Then I will open up your blocked magic circuits." Shinji explained, "You are right about one thing. You are indeed different from ordinary people. Ordinary people do not have magic circuits, but you have 32 in total. The quality and quantity are very good. Although not top-notch, it can be ranked among the top. However, your magic circuits have been solidified and blocked for some reason. That's why you cannot generate magic power."
"If I open up the magic circuit, can I become a magician?" the boy said excitedly.
"The direction is correct. Of course, there is still a long way to go, but it is better than no hope at all. Lie down on the chair and don't move. I will help you open the magic circuit now."
Shinji waved his hand, and the boy immediately lay down obediently, not moving.
Shinji continued, "The process of opening the magic circuit will be very painful, so painful that you will want to die. But no matter how painful it is, you must endure it. The first step to entering magic is to recognize death. If you can't even pass this level, you don't want to be a magician, do you understand?"
"I understand. I will definitely hold back because I am the heir of the Matou family. I am Matou Shinji!"
"Very good, that's the right momentum, let's get started!"
The young version of Matou Shinji laughed and slapped the boy on the chest. The magic power stored in the Servant's body poured into the latter's body like a tide.
PS: This is not to glorify the original Shinji. Shinji is indeed sincere in seeking the way of magic. He has been searching for books and recording unusable magic since he was a child, although the reason for this is because he is special and superior to others.
PS2: Explanation of the title: Red A, that is, the Heroic Spirit Emiya, passed his experience directly to Shirou Emiya in the UBW line of "Fate stay night" to help him cheat. Shinji is also cheating for himself in the parallel world.