12 I am something of a Magician myself

""""Happy new year!""""

Currently we are having a new year celebration at Shirou's house with me, Sakura, Shirou and Fujimura Taiga. Ayako couldn't come because she was celebrating with her family but apparently that doesn't apply to the resident tiger here.

After our first new year greetings to each other, we talk a bit about making some resolutions for the new year. Before Taiga interrupts us with logic which is very rare.

"Shirou, Shinji-kun and Sakura-san, you should go to sleep or you will wake up late for the new year shrine visit tomorrow morning."

"Alright, Fuji-nee I suppose it's time to sleep. Sakura-san, you can take the rooms in the outbuilding along with Shinji. And Fuji-nee you can use your usual spare futon."

"It's nice that you are obedient for once, Shirou."

Taiga says with a triumphant look while nodding to herself. On the other hand Shirou looks towards me with a helpless expression on his face.

By the Sakura looks at me with a sort of happy expression.

"Nii-san, you heard them. Let's go!"

I just nod at her enthusiastic face and then look towards the other two in the room.

"Goodnight. See you in the morning."

They return my greeting and I head towards the outbuilding that had western styled rooms with Sakura. Honestly while I enjoy Japanese culture, I prefer living in a western styled house. It's probably an influence from my previous life but I don't remember much about it.

Anyway, Sakura was against me celebrating New Years here at Shirou's in the beginning but when I insisted on it, she came here as well saying that she can't trust me alone with Shirou or something along those. I feel like she has misunderstood my relationship with Shirou but it's fine as long as it's nothing ridiculous.

"Nii-san, let's sleep together!"

Sakura suddenly says something ridiculous while I am lost in my own thoughts.

"Hmm, I don't think that would be appropriate Sakura."

I, as the big brother, say something that is acceptable. At least I think it is.

"Come on, just this once. Today is a New Years after all. And it's been a long while, since we last slept together."

As an admirable big brother there is only one response to this.

"Alright, but would we even fit on the bed?"

I ask a logical question.

"Eh, we'll manage. You don't have to worry about that Nii-san."

Sakura just brushes it off. But she can't conceal her delighted expression. I don't know why she is so delighted, does sleeping together have so much meaning to her? I suppose I am not giving her enough brotherly affection....maybe?

We then enter the room, lay down together on the bed and then turn off the lights. We adjust our positions as if we are hugging each other to make enough space for both of us. Sakura hugs me tightly and then says.

"Goodnight, Nii-san."

"Goodnight, Sakura."

After around half an hour, her grip on me is released and her breathing becomes regular as people who sleep. So I suppose she is asleep. Me on the other hand, can't sleep at all. There's no chance in hell I am comfortable sleeping like this. I mean sure the bodily warmth is nice, but I like my freedom more than this cuddling.

Plus it's not like I actually need sleep anyway. Sleep is for the weak anyway!

While I am ruminating in my stupid thoughts, I feel very weak mana fluctuations that are almost not noticeable if not for my extreme sense in this field. It's coming from the direction of the shed.

Shirou is quite dedicated, to even do this tonight of all nights as well. Should I prank him?

Hmm the more I think about it, the more this course of action pleases me. Plus I have an additional objective that will be complete by doing this. I am not a master manipulator but you don't need to be one to get something from Shirou. I have understood that from interacting with him for the past year.

So I get out of the bed quietly without waking Sakura up, and leave a note for her on where I am going so she doesn't panic.

Wait a minute. She wouldn't misunderstand right? There's no way right? Yeah I am overthinking it.

I then quietly exit the room and then enter the yard and sneakily head towards the shed, further made easier by my Presence Concealment.

The door is slightly ajar, and I can see Shirou holding a pipe and trying quite hard at reinforcing it. He is sweating and struggling quite a lot at such a simple magecraft. But I am not one to talk, considering that I am where I am because I have a system and basically cheating my way to power. Then again that's life, some people succeed at it without even trying and most people fail at it even after working hard.

"Shirou, what are you doing here at night?"

I ask him with a surprise filled voice.

This disrupts his concentration and he fails at Reinforcement and the pipe breaks. He gasps in pain of backlash and I run towards him with surprise on my face.

"Are you alright Shirou? What happened?"

After taking in and letting out breath for a couple of times. He responds.

"I am alright, Shinji. What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"I could be asking you the same thing. Anyway, I wasn't able to sleep so I came in the yard for some fresh air but then I heard someone in the shed so I came to take a look. I saw you looking at the pipe like a maniac so I called you out. So what were you doing?"

"Hmm, Shinji let's not talk about this."

"Why?"

"It's a family matter. Sorry but I can't tell you."

It seems like he is quite tight lipped about this, this is no fun. Let's spice this up.

"Hmm is it because you suck so much at magecraft, that you are ashamed about it?"

"Yes that's right....eh what?"

He first nods in agreement, then makes a surprised pikachu face.

"How do you know about magecraft?"

He asks me with a confused expression.

"You know, I am something of a magician myself."

Ah I said it! I always wanted to say something like that.

Surprise mixed with disbelief is present on his face.

"You...you!"

"Just say what you want to say, man."

"You are a magus too!"

"Yes, I suppose you can say that. Our Matou bloodline is an ancient lineage of magi with history of over 500 years."

"Are you the owner of this territory? Have you come to apprehend me on behalf of Mage's Association?"

He asks me a quick series of questions.

"Relax dude. I am not the Second Owner here, and I will not rat you out to that magus so you can rest assured. And it's not like Mage's Association would care much about an amateur magus like you."

He visibly relaxes at that.

"So why did you come out here?"

"Well, it was actually a coincidence that I found you like that. Your mana fluctuations are really weak so I couldn't sense it before tonight. So you are from a magus family too?"

"No I am not. I was adopted into the Emiya family by my father and he taught me what I know now about magecraft."

"I see, no wonder. But how do you suck so much at it? I mean no offense but Reinforcement is really basic."

He then proceeds to explain his past and his situation with magecraft. I, of course like a good actor I am, nod and shake my head at the right times. After hearing his explanation I say.

"You and your father are doing it wrong, or maybe he didn't teach you seriously. Performing such a dangerous thing as to 'make' a new magic circuit every time you perform magecraft is absurd. You only open the already present magic circuits in your body, you can't just make them every time because that's very dangerous and life threatening."

Shirou says nothing and just accepts my scolding.

"Oh well, I can teach you magecraft suitable to you. Or at least give you something that will help you on your path to become a 'superhero'."

I say the last part in a teasing voice. But Shirou disregards that.

"Really?!"

"Yeah but what can you give me in exchange?"

All his enthusiasm goes down the drain.

"Um I don't know what I can give."

"No need to think too much right now. Let me give you demonstration before you make any decision."

I pick up the broken pipe and under the confused eyes of Shirou bring us both to the [Slime ID (E Rank)].

Shirou suddenly gasps in astonishment and asks.

"Where are we?"

"It's something similar to a Reality Marble but you don't need to understand that. Anyway the reason I brought you here is to let you see the peak of what you can accomplish with Reinforcement."

I reinforce the pipe with full power, so much so that it reaches the level of a Noble Phantasm and then swing it at a hill. The air pressure from pipe explodes and forms a deep ravine on the hill. I look back and see an amazed expression on his face.

"See? That's the peak of Reinforcement."

"No way! That can't be just Reinforcement!"

"It is whether you believe it or not."

Well as soon as I say that, the pipe in my hands reduces to dust. I suppose the strain was too much for it.

"No! My pipe!"

"Sorry about that I suppose. So what do you think about my earlier proposal?"

I ask him.

"As I said earlier, I can give you nothing."

"No you can give me something, there is an object implanted in you that I would like very much. It's not very useful to you currently it might be useful to me. So would you like to make that exchange?"

"I have something inside me? Will that be life threatening?"

"No nothing of the sort, you just need to tell me whether you agree or not?"

"Alright I agree, it's not like I know about the item you talk about and if it can help you then go ahead."

"Thanks man, appreciate it."

I quickly buy a Memory Orb containing Muramasa Senji's life experience with 500,000 SP and take it out of the inventory.

"This is a memory orb containing experiences of a hero that has magecraft affinity very similar to yours, so it might help you on your path."

"Thanks Shinji."

"Don't thank me yet, I will implant this in your soul and you will slowly synchronize with the knowledge contained inside. I hope you reach the heights you want to reach with it."

I then put my hand inside his chest using Heaven's Feel and take out Avalon from his soul which I immediately put inside my treasury. Further increasing the power of Ea as a result. I then proceed to implant the memory orb inside him.

I do all this in under a minute because this level of soul manipulation is child's play to a user of Heaven's Feel.

"Oh I feel some new knowledge entering me. Thanks man, this seems useful and will help my training."

In his emotions, he comes over and hugs me.

"Don't worry, it was just equivalent exchange."

Yeah, I definitely didn't scam him out of a Divine Construct. No sir.

"Let's go back Shirou."

And he releases the hug with an embarrassed expression. I bring us back to the shed, while Shirou is looking at me with the same embarrassed expression.

But when I turn around to the entrance of the shed, I see Sakura emitting a terrifying aura for some reason. And then asks me a question.

"Nii-san what are you doing here with Emiya-senpai alone at night?"

Ah shit, here we go again.