a hollow perception (Fate/Zero × Demon Slayer)

prologue: at first sight

And in additional to his family, it looks like Tohsaka Tokiomi will be telling about the lilac-eyed woman in the garden. And so, Kirei listened, more closely than his master talked about his family.

Tsuyuri Kanao was her name. According to the reports his master gathered, this wasn't her birth name, just a title of distinction given to her among the orphans. His master also told him that Tsuyuri grew up in an unknown organization that seemed to fight supernatural monsters of the night, trained to fight against these creatures.

Kirei raised an eyebrow to that. "An unknown organization that fought supernatural monsters? Isn't that the Church's Executor job?" he asked in slight bafflement. He wasn't aware such organization had existed until now.

"No one knew what kind of organization it was nor was their purpose to train orphans to fight these creatures. Others speculated that this organization was trying to usurp the Church's authority or someone that was spurned by the Church trying to create his own army. But no such reports was gathered. It was dismantled immediately as it was discovered. Almost everything about the unknown organization was erased as if it never existed to begin with."

Kirei listened intently of his master's words but there was something he was confused. "Why is she still in this household if she got a relationship to this dubious organization?" he asked. If she knew how to fight, there's a possibility that she might pose a danger to his master — by extension, to the Tohsaka household.

"Tsuyuri Kanao stayed because of the compassion of my wife, but what made me resigned to accept her was my daughters." Kirei saw the distant look on his master's eyes as if remembering something. "It has been two years since she approached this household, crouching in the gate like a cat waiting to be picked up. Aoi helped her behind my back and my daughters eventually joined my wife. Rin and Sakura begged profusely for her to be cleaned and dressed. I accepted. And then the demands continued and I keep accepting again and again because of my daughters." Tokiomi sighed in resignation. "Really, to be defeated at childish demands, such is the responsibility of a father."

"But the fact that she had connections to the mysterious organization stays," Kirei reminded.

"I know," His master agreed. "But that organization was already as good as gone, and she already confessed about her knowledge and her connection to it. It is one of reason why I've accepted her."

"Confessed?"

"That's right. It might be surprising but she told me that she had nothing to hide."

Kirei returned his attention outside the window and saw no one lurking in the garden. "I see," he muttered.

"That must have been a boring topic to you, Kirei." His master stood up. "Aoi and Rin still didn't know we're already here. All we have to do is wait for them and surprise them with our presence," Tokiomi told him as if trying to reassure him.

"Ah." Kirei only made a sound affirmation, simply just to tell his master that he was listening. But his attention still lingered at the garden where that lilac-eyed woman had been watering the flowers. Her eyes... he thought as he recalled her gaze on him — through him like she was piercing him skin deep with just a simple look.

That eyes of hers, what does she see through him?

...

A squeal of delight entered his hearing when Tohsaka Aoi and Tohsaka Rin, his master's wife and daughter respectively, arrived home. His daughter literally flew at her father and hugged him as tightly as she could with her little arms. "Father! You're here!" she exclaimed in happiness before she turned her attention to the lilac-eyed woman who had been standing beside Kirei silently. "Why didn't you tell us, Kanao?" the little girl demanded with small pout.