Who are you calling a stable boy?!

"You! Tell me the truth! What exactly did you go to do?!"

With her little head held high, Rin gritted her teeth.

She originally thought that Zheng Jing had negotiated something with the Matou family, so that the Matou family would agree to let Uncle Kariya lead Sakura away from Fuyuki City.

Just like her and her mother.

But when she asked Sakura about it, she found that Sakura's reaction was strange.

It's as if mentioning the Matou family reminds Sakura of some terrible memories.

Suddenly, Rin thought of Uncle Kariya's unusual behavior again.

In the past, Uncle Yanye would always squat down and smile gently at her when they met, but this time he kept his distance from her and kept wearing that large hood.

Forget smiling, upon closer inspection, Rin realized she couldn't even clearly see Uncle Kariya's face.

But with Sakura right in front of her and Uncle Kariya's familiar voice, she completely ignored these unusual things at the time...

Rin's first reaction was that Zheng Jing must have done something outrageous again!

"Shugo Chara!"

Faced with Rin's questioning, Zheng Jing smiled and waved his hand.

"But I managed to get Sakura out! As for bringing your Uncle Kariya along, and smashing Matou's bug nest, pshaw! What are you being so polite about? It was just a small favor! A small favor!"

Rin took several deep breaths in succession.

She never really liked boys her age, finding them noisy and like a bunch of mischievous monkeys.

But at this moment, she felt that those annoying boys her age had all become well-mannered and polite.

—Because when it comes to this kind of outrageous behavior, none of those boys his age are even a hair's breadth behind this man named Zheng Jing!

"...I'm sorry, Uncle Kariya."

Giving up on continuing the conversation with Zheng Jing, Lin looked at Yan Ye and bowed sincerely in apology.

"I really didn't expect him to go this far!"

Before Yan Ye could respond, Zheng Jing raised an eyebrow.

"Nonsense? I say, Lin-meimei, let's talk this out. How did I, Old Zheng, act recklessly?"

Lin remained silent.

But her expression after she straightened up revealed her thoughts.

"Hey, you little rascal!"

Zheng Jing grabbed Yan Ye's arm.

"Lao Yan, don't blame me for not giving you a chance. Will you speak yourself, or will I, Lao Zheng, do it? Hmm?"

What are you doing!

Seeing Zheng Jing capture Yan Ye, Rin, who had finally managed to put on a stern face, couldn't help but get anxious.

She ran a few steps and caught up with Zheng Jing and Yan Ye. Just as she was about to tiptoe to tug at Zheng Jing's clothes, before she could even reach him, she suddenly cried out in surprise.

"Uncle Yan Ye..."

"...Rin, I'm sorry, I startled you."

Taking off his hood, Kariya lowered his eyes, avoiding eye contact with Rin, whose face showed fear.

"Mr. Zheng didn't act recklessly, nor did he do anything wrong. I understand your thoughts, but please believe me, in my entire life, I have never been so grateful to anyone as I am now..."

His voice suddenly turned somber.

"The Matou family is a damned den of demons!"

Rin opened her mouth.

As a child, she was indeed precocious.

But everything that was happening before her eyes was still too complicated for her.

"elder sister......"

Just then, a faint call came from the stairs not far away.

Hiding in the corner, with only half of her face showing, Sakura looked at the two large and one small figures standing in a triangle, her eyes, which had finally regained some color, filled with tears.

"As expected... I still—"

"Little Sakura, you've seen your mom, haven't you? Aren't you happy? Come on, give me, Old Zheng, a smile? Or I, Old Zheng, will give you a smile? Hmm?"

With a swift movement, Zheng Jing suddenly appeared in front of Xiao Ying, squatted down, and gently pinched the girl's cheek with a grin.

"Oh dear, look at my memory! Little Sakura, don't worry, your mother is just too tired. It's normal to want to sleep when you're tired! By the way, Little Sakura is tired too. Why don't you sleep with your mother and get a good night's sleep..."

Zheng Jing's voice gradually softened.

"Once I wake up, there won't be so many sad things."

In the end, it sounded more like humming an unknown lullaby than speaking.

Sakura's eyelids seemed to grow heavy as he spoke.

"Really......"

Clutching Zheng Jing's clothes tightly, the dazed girl mumbled something.

"I, Lao Zheng, always keep my word."

One sentence silenced the room for a moment.

Looking at the back of the man holding the girl, Rin and Kariya were both at a loss.

"Kariya."

When his name was suddenly called, Yan Ye instinctively stood at attention.

"Explain everything you know to Rin clearly."

Holding Sakura, Zheng Jing stood up.

"She has the right to know, and more importantly, she needs to know."

"...You're right."

After that, holding the sleeping Sakura, Zheng Jing sat cross-legged on the sofa, listening silently as Yan Ye explained everything to Rin.

Of course, there were times when Rin didn't want to believe it.

But Kariya and Sakura were right there, right in front of her...

Finally, looking at Rin who was tightly hugging Sakura and sobbing, Kariya sat on the sofa and let out a long sigh as if he had suddenly unloaded all his burdens.

"...Mr. Zheng."

"Ok?"

"terribly sorry."

"no."

"Also, thank you."

"Hehe, I, Lao Zheng, love to hear this."

Zheng Jing smiled again.

Then he suddenly glanced at the clock in the living room.

"It's almost time, Rin, your mom should wake up soon."

Upon hearing this, Yan Ye was first taken aback, then panicked and tried to get up.

But as soon as he moved, Zheng Jing grabbed his shoulder.

Yan Ye looked at Zheng Jing, bewildered.

Zheng Jing grinned.

"Lao Yan, don't be afraid, I, Lao Zheng, will use my healing technique to restore you and Xiao Xiao Ying!"

Chapter 95: Come on! Lao Yan! Give us a show!

Crest Bug Modification is one of the Matou family's secret techniques.

By implanting imprinting insects, one can expand magic circuits, modify magical attributes, and even directly absorb the life force of the recipient to create magic power in a short period of time. This can be described as a terrifying method of turning the recipient into a flesh puppet.

Given Kariya's current condition, even if he doesn't die in the Holy Grail War, he won't live for more than two months.

Sakura's life is not in danger, but...

Both of them were personally modified by Zouken, an old ghost who has lived for over five hundred years. In this era, there are probably only a handful of people who can save Kariya and Sakura.

And those who can restore Kariya and Sakura are extremely rare in the world.

Hey!

Skillful!

Zheng Jing was neither of this era nor of this world.

—He doesn't care about this or that!

The Mark-Bug, right?

With a single, precise strike, two fingers act as a knife, slicing and grasping, bringing the dead back to life.

To bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bones.

A bathtub was used as an operating table.

They robbed him, the old Yama!

"You're awake. The surgery was a success."

When Yan Ye opened her eyes, the first thing she heard was Zheng Jing's words.

He volunteered to be the first person to go to the operating table—the bathtub—thinking he could use his life to give Zheng Jing practice.

Even if it only increases the success rate of Sakura's recovery by one percent, he can die in peace.

Zheng Jing had no idea of ​​the passionate fervor in Yan Ye's heart; otherwise, he would have made sure Yan Ye knew how Zheng Jing had earned his legendary reputation as a prankster expert at Liquan No. 1 Middle School.

For Zheng Jing, neither of the two challenges was difficult: Kariya or Sakura.

If there's anything else worth mentioning, it's that there's no insect, the original form of Zouken, inside Sakura's body.

Zheng Jing had anticipated this.

He could tell as soon as he saw Sakura.

It seems that Zouken had not yet decided whether or not to use Sakura as his next body.

-

"Well......"

Aoi Tohsaka slowly woke up.

In a daze, she saw a glimpse of gold.

After blinking, she saw the youthful face beneath the gold.

That was a peaceful sleeping face that she used to hold in her arms.

"......cherry?"

Aoi Tohsaka muttered something unconsciously.

Then, she seemed to finally realize what was happening.

The girl in her arms had dazzling blonde hair, but as a mother, how could she not recognize her little daughter's face?

"cherry!"

Her body instinctively pulled Sakura close, she closed her eyes, kissed her daughter's forehead, and softly called out Sakura's name.

Was it a dream?

She asked herself this question.