I, Matou Sakura, Third of the Flame-Chasers!

She could now read minds. Aside from a few exceptional beings, she could understand what others were thinking.

In theory, this ability was not very useful against Heroic Spirits, yet she had still read Jeanne's heart.

Perhaps it was because that idiot was simply too naive.

To her, the other girl really was naive.

Jeanne froze when her thoughts were spoken aloud. When she came back to her senses, she saw Matou Sakura right before her.

There were barely two fists' worth of distance between them.

She looked at her own reflection in those unusual eyes—herself, pitch-black and burning with ominous flames.

Is that me?

"If you don't want to leave, then stay. Just don't get in my way."

Having more idiots around was not so bad. At least she could bully them whenever she felt like it.

Just like how, whenever he felt frustrated or angry back then, he would seek out Pardo. After paying a few shiny little trinkets, he would vigorously rub the cat's head to relieve his stress.

At first, people had misunderstood them.

But the misunderstanding eventually disappeared, especially after those who had spread the rumors all died fighting Honkai.

Once the rumor-mongers were dead, the rumors naturally vanished as well.

She hadn't done anything at all~

She walked past Jeanne, a faint smile curling at her lips.

Like a gust of wind, she vanished without a trace the moment one tried to grasp her.

11, Kidnapping in Progress

"Sorry."

In a forest, Aozaki Touko took a deep drag from her ladies' cigarette as she looked at the friend glaring furiously at her.

With her mouth taped shut, Kuzuki Alice could only make muffled whimpering sounds.

Watching her friend struggle like this, perhaps because of the immense pressure Matou Sakura had brought her, Aozaki Touko could not help feeling a little pity—or perhaps something else.

She put down her ladies' cigarette, then peeled away the tape sealing Kuzuki Alice's mouth.

"Could you put out the cigarette?"

That was the first thing Kuzuki Alice said after she was able to speak.

Aozaki Touko's mouth twitched. Speechlessly, she said, "That's what you wanted to say?"

Though she complained, she still stubbed out the cigarette in her hand.

She needed someone to vent her stress on, and Kuzuki Alice before her was an excellent choice.

However, she had only removed the tape from the other girl's mouth. She had not untied the ropes binding her body, much less removed the object placed inside her that could suppress Magic Power.

"Why did you do this, Touko?"

Kuzuki Alice shifted slightly, leaning herself against the tree trunk behind her as she calmly looked at the friend before her, someone who understood her.

She had considered Touko's return, as well as what she might do after coming back.

But she had never expected her to kidnap her and use her as a threat against Aoko.

She knew Aozaki Touko would return to this city to take revenge on her sister, but she never expected her to use such a method—to coerce Aoko through her.

This was not her style.

While using her as leverage was certainly something Touko would do, doing it like this did not feel like her style.

Moreover, Touko's muttering along the way had revealed certain things.

Aozaki Touko had not originally intended to do this. It seemed that she had encountered some sort of coercion, which was why she had done it.

Listening to her friend's analysis of her, Aozaki Touko lit another ladies' cigarette. She took a deep drag, then exhaled a large cloud of white smoke.

She knew the other girl disliked the smell of smoke, but she needed it to relieve her stress right now.

She was glad that the other girl had realized she was being coerced. Perhaps she would be able to understand her afterward.

But letting her know this had merely been a sudden whim.

If the friend before her suggested that they face this together, she would refuse without hesitation.

She knew very well that woman was not someone they could contend with, even if that idiot had awakened the Fifth Magic!

She already knew that the old bastard who had staged a fake death for her had truly died. Even the massive earthquake half a month ago that had nearly swept across the entire island nation had merely been the aftershock caused by that woman's battle with that old bastard!

Although the rampaging Ley Lines had played a part, she, as the main cause, clearly possessed the means—or rather, the ability—to make that great earthquake happen again!

She did not dare gamble, nor did she want to!

Before that woman, who was like a goddess, so-called magecraft was utterly powerless!

Everything she was doing now, including listening to Kuzuki Alice lay out her plan, was merely to ease her own stress a little, so that she could feel more relaxed afterward.

"Enough. Stop talking."

Aozaki Touko picked up the tape again, intending to seal her friend's mouth shut once more, but she gave up halfway through reaching out.

"Forget it."

She sat on the floor in a disheveled state, inelegantly crossing her legs. Between her two legs wrapped in black fishnet stockings, her black lace panties were conspicuously visible.

Kuzuki Alice frowned. It was the first time she had ever seen Aozaki Touko so wretched and powerless.

In her eyes, this woman had always been someone who would never admit defeat!

Just who was the one who had coerced Aozaki Touko?

{{!

"Aozaki."

A childlike voice suddenly rang out. Kuzuki Alice saw a golden werewolf slowly emerge from behind Aozaki Touko.

This was... a Phantasmal Beast?

A Phantasmal Beast still existed in this era?

In this age where Mystery had faded away, the existence of Phantasmal Beasts was nothing but a fantasy—a miracle, practically a miracle on par with Magic itself.

"Why are you here?"

Hearing Beowulf's voice, Aozaki Touko hurriedly turned to look.

Her expression changed slightly when she saw Beowulf's true form.

"Shouldn't you be by her side, acting like a dog?"

The strange remark gave Golden Wolf Beowulf an expression as vivid as a human's.

It was an utterly speechless expression.

"Can you even talk properly?! If I weren't by that lady's side acting like a dog, could you be this carefree?!"

At that moment, Beowulf truly wanted to punch Aozaki Touko right in the face.

Could she even talk properly?!

Besides, she hadn't wanted to act like a dog either! She was clearly a wolf!

Yet somehow, she had muddleheadedly become a dog. Not only did she have to be toyed with by that terrifying woman, but she also had to be mocked by that foolish country girl, who said she was less interesting than the husky kept by a family nearby.

When she heard that, she had genuinely felt the urge to kill someone!

But with that big shot around, she could only endure it.

And now Aozaki Touko had said it too. She was really angry!!!

I'm a wolf! The Golden Wolf!

"Enough. Let's talk business. What orders does that lady have?"

Seeing that Beowulf was on the verge of going berserk, Aozaki Touko hurriedly invoked that lady's existence.

Sure enough, Beowulf, who had been about to lose control, immediately calmed down. Obvious fear appeared in her highly human eyes.

Kuzuki Alice took all of this in, her expression grave.

Just who was the lady Aozaki Touko spoke of?

Why did she inspire such fear in both a powerful Phantasmal Beast and Touko?

Could it be that Aoko truly could not escape this calamity?

"It seems that lady intends to act personally."

The somewhat calmer Beowulf said coldly, "That lady has already reached an agreement with the two Counter Forces, Gaia and Alaya. So now, she intends to obtain the Fifth Magic from your sister!"

"How could this happen?!"

Aozaki Touko's expression abruptly changed as she hurriedly said, "Didn't that lady agree to leave the whole matter to me?"

"That is indeed the case."

Beowulf said in a deep voice, "The plan remains the same as before. You will provoke your sister into awakening the Fifth Magic ahead of time and becoming a Magician. Then that lady will act and obtain the Fifth Magic from your sister. That lady said that as long as you follow the plan, Touko, she will spare your sister's life. All that lady wants is the Fifth Magic!"

Beowulf glanced at Kuzuki Alice, whose eyes had widened behind Aozaki Touko. She knew what Aozaki Touko was thinking, but having witnessed part of that lady's power, she did not want Aozaki Touko to make the wrong decision.

That would only lead her to a dead end!

That lady would tolerate no traitors!

Twelve: A Slap for Personal Revenge

Silence dominated the room.

But Aozaki Touko broke it. She took a deep drag from the ladies' cigarette in her hand, and one-third of it instantly turned to ash.

She stubbed out the cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

"Being alive is better than being dead. I understand."

She ground the extinguished cigarette beneath her foot.

Beowulf merely watched the cigarette Aozaki Touko was crushing underfoot. She actually knew exactly what Aozaki Touko was thinking—it was far too easy to guess.

But should she remind her?

Though that lady hadn't said anything, she understood that she must be watching this place right now.

"I think that lady is watching us right now."

Beowulf said gloomily. By the time Aozaki Touko looked at her, she had already turned her head away.

"Oh, screw you! Why didn't you say so earlier?!"

Aozaki Touko panicked and hurriedly looked around, wondering whether a red beam would suddenly shoot out from somewhere and blast her away completely—not even leaving ashes behind.

Aozaki Touko's expression left Kuzuki Alice utterly stunned.

She couldn't help wondering if she knew too much.

Would it have been better if she had just fainted earlier?

"Alright, don't overthink it."

Seeing that no red beam had appeared, Aozaki Touko let out a small sigh of relief. After glaring at Beowulf, she walked up to Kuzuki Alice and, without a word, slapped her twice across the face, leaving Kuzuki Alice completely dumbfounded!

Then she smiled with satisfaction at the two red handprints on Kuzuki Alice's face.

"Aoko will definitely get angry when she sees this."

Was that really all you were thinking?

Kuzuki Alice glared fixedly at Aozaki Touko, who looked thoroughly pleased with herself. She had the distinct feeling this woman was settling a personal grudge and merely taking the chance to hit her!

Even if you really wanted to slap her twice to make Aoko angry, why didn't you do it in front of Aoko?!