Despite being in a different timeline, the Matou family's mansion remained unchanged.
The ancient black-and-blue brick walls, eroded by time; the roof, regularly cleaned but still home to tenacious vines; the layout that blended seamlessly with its surroundings; the Western-style house, distinct from modern architectural trends yet possessing a unique charm.
Everything was the same as the house Shinji knew.
"It seems Father is still managing these things," Shinji murmured, standing before the main gate.
Since Shinji could remember, it was his father who handled all sorts of affairs. Whether it was business dealings, hiring servants, or maintaining the house, everything was managed by Byakuya Matou. This was why the Matou house looked almost identical in both worlds.
But only on the outside.
Though he hadn't entered, Shinji was certain that the inside was completely different from the house he was familiar with—not in terms of the specific decor or furnishings, but in the sense of home.
In this world, the shadow of the Matou family was still alive, as the founder Zouken Matou had not yet died.
In this world, his most cherished family member, his sister Sakura, had not been adopted by the Matou family.
"The Matou family is still the Matou family, but it's no longer my Matou, my home." Shinji sighed, using the outer wall for leverage, vaulting over the roof, and landing in the backyard.
In another world, every morning, he and his sister would exercise in the yard according to their Shishou's teachings. When there were no scheduled activities, they would each take out a recliner, and brew a pot of tea—whether it was Japanese tea or Western-style black tea depended on Sakura's mood, as Shinji wasn't particular about it. Then they'd each pick up a book and read for the entire afternoon. When tired, they'd cover their faces with the book and take a short nap, enjoying a limited yet blissful, peaceful laziness.
In this world, there was also a child, lying on a recliner, engrossed in a book. The boy was so focused on his reading that he didn't notice the unexpected guest's intrusion.
The uninvited guest glanced at the book's title page and smiled knowingly—it was one of the Matou family's books, a magical primer handwritten by an ancestor. Both he, his sister Sakura, and his uncle Kariya had stepped into the world of magecraft through this book.
Being an introductory book, its contents were naturally simple. According to the normal educational system of a magus family, the book's content was only suitable for those under eight years old. Yet, the boy before him was half again as old, four years past the intended age.
Why was Shinji so sure?
Because this child had deep blue curly hair and deep blue eyes. Every feature—his eyebrows, nose, mouth, and every part of his body—was intimately familiar to Shinji. How could he not recognize his own body?
Yes, this was the Shinji Matou of this world, himself from a parallel universe.
There was no need for any examination; just from the book in the boy's hands, Shinji knew that, like him originally, this boy's magic circuits were completely sealed due to incompatibility, meaning he wasn't qualified to be a magi and was just an ordinary person.
Because of this, he was still reading an introductory book at his age, as he couldn't enter the world of magecraft at all.
"That's not going to work," Shinji's voice broke the boy's concentration. The boy looked up at the young man who had suddenly appeared in the yard.
"Who are you?"
"A magus by interest, no, just a passing magus."
For some reason, the boy felt the man before him was very familiar.
"A magus, you're a magus?" The boy's eyes lit up with excitement, but he was also uncertain. "Which magus?"
"Just like the kind described in the book you're reading. Watch closely." Shinji chuckled. "Water."
With a single-syllable chant, the moisture in the air gathered into Shinji's hand, forming a water ball.
The boy extended a finger and cautiously poked the water ball as if verifying its authenticity.
"Do you believe me now?" Shinji asked.
"Yes, yes!" The boy nodded repeatedly. "Um, can you teach me magecraft? I want to learn, but I just can't seem to get it right."
"Why do you still want to learn it then?"
"Because our Matou family is a family of magus, a special existence. Although Grandpa says I don't have the qualities of a magi and can't learn magecraft, I am the heir of the Matou family. I believe I am special. I must learn magecraft, and even if I can't, I want to at least remember it." The boy's face was full of determination, a belief deeply ingrained in his heart since childhood, never changing.
"If you become a magus, what do you want to do?"
"Well..." The boy lowered his head and thought for a while, then said, "I want to read all the books in our library and recreate all those spells."
"And after that?"
"Haven't thought about it. I can't even sense mana right now." The boy's expression darkened.
"Even so, you still want to persist?" Shinji's voice carried a certain inexplicable tone.
"Yes." The boy was unwavering.
"Even if it's a lifetime of futility? Even if it wastes your entire life?"
"Yes."
"Remember what you said today, remember how you feel right now, and never forget it—especially after you become a magus."
Hearing Shinji's words, the boy was stunned. "Can I become a magus?"
"You can."
"But Grandpa—"
"Forget that old fossil. He's outdated. If I say you can, you can," Shinji declared with certainty.
"What should I do?" The boy asked, skeptical yet hopeful.
"Take off your shirt."
"Huh?"
"Huh, what? Just take it off. Stop being so hesitant like an old woman."
"Oh, oh." The boy began removing his jacket. "Um, should I take it all off?"
"Take it all off!"
"And then?"
"Then I will unblock your sealed magic circuits," Shinji explained. "You were right about one thing—you are indeed different from ordinary people. Ordinary people don't have magic circuits, but you do—thirty-two in total. Their quality and quantity are quite good. Although not top-tier, they can still be considered first-class. However, your magic circuits have been solidified and sealed for some reason, which is why you can't generate mana."
"Once the magic circuits are unblocked, can I become a magus?" the boy asked excitedly.
"You're on the right track, but there's still a long way to go. It's better than having no hope at all. Lie down on the chair and don't move. I'll unblock your magic circuits now."
With a wave of Shinji's hand, the boy obediently lay down without moving.
Shinji continued, "The process of unblocking your magic circuits will be very painful, so painful that you'll want to die. But no matter how much it hurts, you must endure it. The first step in learning magecraft is to recognize death. If you can't get through this, you might as well give up on becoming a magus. Do you understand?"
"I understand. I'll endure it because I am the heir of the Matou family. I am Matou Shinji!"
"Good, that's the spirit. Let's get started!"
The older version of Shinji Matou laughed heartily and struck the boy's chest with his palm. The mana stored in his Servant's body surged into the boy's body like a tidal wave.
PS: This isn't about glorifying the original Shinji. Shinji's pursuit of magecraft was indeed sincere. He had been searching for books and recording magecraft he couldn't use since childhood, although the initial reason was that he considered himself special and superior.
PS2: Title explanation: Red Archer, that is, Heroic Spirit Emiya in "Fate/Stay Night," passed his experience directly to Shirou Emiya in the UBW route, helping him cheat the system. Similarly, Shinji is helping his parallel self cheat the system.