Becoming Aozaki Touko's Life

This girl, Aozaki Touko... was clearly blackmailing me.

"Even if you sell me... I don't have that much money!"

In reality, if she had two hundred million dollars, why would she still be a bounty hunter? Although she wasn't a bounty hunter solely for money, having two hundred million dollars would clearly open up better options.

"...That's true."

Aozaki Touko put on a "you're right" expression, then turned to Beo beside her and said casually, "Kill her, Beo... consider it your lunch."

"Eh... Yes!"

Beo was slightly stunned, and then her eyes turned cold. The aura of a Phantasmal Beast erupted, its transcendent existence sending a chill down one's spine, making it impossible to even consider resisting.

"Wait a minute! Don't you think that's too hasty a decision!"

Stirred by Beo's aura, Natalia couldn't help but become flustered. It was her Succubus bloodline trembling; the child before her was a monster far beyond human comprehension.

"Do you still want to kill her?"

Hearing this, Beo asked Touko as if seeking confirmation.

"Just a moment~"

Aozaki Touko smiled. "I suppose it was a bit hasty. Let's lower the conditions slightly. You'll work for me from now on, until you've repaid the two hundred million dollars."

"...I understand."

Glancing at the innocent-looking Beo, Natalia gave a wry, resigned smile. This successor to the Magic User seemed far more terrifying than she had anticipated.

If she had another chance to choose, she would absolutely never take this mission again.

"Then sign the contract!"

Aozaki Touko nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Irisviel took out the contract from her handbag and placed it on the table. Clearly, this document had been prepared long ago, with the contents already drafted.

Natalia: "..."

Big shot, you're so powerful, you could have just told me to sign directly. Why go through the trouble of scaring me and then presenting the contract?

She really didn't have any ability to resist.

Chapter 20: The Person Who Advances the World

Berlin.

A sharp, cold wind swept snowflakes across the bustling city.

At this moment, Aozaki Touko stood alone on the rooftop of the Umbrella Corporation building, as if waiting for something, or perhaps simply enjoying the night view.

Suddenly, the wind intensified.

The roar of spinning propellers echoed from the distant sky.

A helicopter was flying directly towards the Umbrella Corporation building, its destination clearly the rooftop where Aozaki Touko stood.

"...Quite the grand gesture... I suppose one would expect that from the Financial Demon King!"

Aozaki Touko looked up, her orange hair fluttering, her gaze locking onto a middle-aged man in the helicopter. He was a man like a medieval nobleman, leaning on a cane, with a gentlemanly smile on his face.

A dignified nobleman, that's what a normal person would likely conclude.

"Hahaha... I'm just someone who likes to worry about idle matters!"

From the helicopter, Vavylm leaped out, descending from a height of nearly ten meters. He landed effortlessly beside Aozaki Touko, the impact of his fall scattering the accumulated snow but causing no other anomalies.

A height that could shatter bones and cause instant death had no effect on him whatsoever. This level of physical conditioning far surpassed that of a normal human.

This was the physical prowess of a True Ancestor... a limit that no normal person could ever reach.

"I wish that were the case."

Aozaki Touko smiled noncommittally, showing no tension at having a True Ancestor standing beside her, as if he were just an ordinary middle-aged man. Her expression remained elegant and composed.

"It seems Miss Aozaki misunderstands me!"

Vavylm shrugged, showing a wry smile. "But I believe... we will have opportunities to understand each other slowly in the future, shedding the common impressions attached to True Ancestors."

"Lord Vavylm has the world in his heart, far beyond what an ordinary person like myself can fathom."

Aozaki Touko offered a compliment, then her tone turned sharp. "However, there's one thing I'd really like to understand. Why is a True Ancestor who cares about ecological and climate protection paying attention to an ordinary Magician like me, and specifically coming to pilfer my research results?"

The wind and snow suddenly grew colder.

Vavylm gazed at the young girl beside him. The cold wind and snow stirred his clothes, and his magic began to circulate instinctively – a reaction born from an instinctual sense of danger.

Unbelievable... she's only fifteen or sixteen years old.

Yet, incredibly, she could make a True Ancestor feel a sense of danger.

To what extent had this girl grown within the Einzbern family?

"...Perhaps it's a coincidence."

As if not noticing the chilling atmosphere, Vavylm continued speaking to himself. "After all, you are the successor to the Fifth Magic. Even I would pay attention. It is, after all, a power that stands at the pinnacle."

"I originally intended to be satisfied with just basic information. However, upon discovering that you were researching the path of the doll and making astonishing progress, I began to pay even more attention to you, wanting to understand your existence more deeply."

"Aozaki Touko, I'm very interested in you!"

A gentle, gentlemanly voice echoed through the cold wind and snow.

An ordinary woman might have felt her heart race and her cheeks flush.

But.

"...How disgusting... Are you a pervert!"

Aozaki Touko's pretty face showed disgust, and she hugged herself tightly, rubbing her arms together. This was, naturally, not from the cold, but because 'Vavylm's' words had given her goosebumps.

"...The more I pay attention to you, the more I notice your abnormalities!"

As if he hadn't heard her disgusted words, Vavylm continued speaking to himself, "After observing you for a period, I've reached an interesting conclusion: Aozaki Touko is likely to be someone who drives societal progress, akin to great figures like Einstein and Newton."

"..."

Aozaki Touko's mouth twitched. She replied in a completely flat tone, "...That's quite an unimaginable evaluation. However, I suspect I may disappoint you. I, a perfectly ordinary Magician, cannot possibly achieve something as grand as driving societal progress."

"Perhaps you don't have the intention to push society forward."

Vavylm didn't seem to mind. He simply said, "But your exceptionally extraordinary talent, even if unintentional, will bring about changes in this society."

As he spoke, he tapped the ground with his cane.

"The anti-cancer drug you're currently researching... isn't that a clear example? Even if your initial goal was simply to acquire money, it cannot be denied that you've taken a step forward in medicine."

"..."

Listening, Aozaki Touko was somewhat speechless.

In fact, her anti-cancer drug was merely a byproduct of her research into puppetry. Combined with her knowledge of medicine from her past life, she had reconfigured it into a drug that could be manufactured using science.

Her true intention was indeed to accumulate money, which would then be used as research funding for her magical studies.

However... it had undeniably contributed to the progress in cancer treatment in this world.

Chapter Twenty-One: Challenge, The Night of the Full Moon

"...As expected of a True Ancestor with a long lifespan, you possess a more transcendent perspective. You must have discerned the patterns of rise and fall in the human world."

Aozaki Touko chuckled lightly, supporting herself on the railing of the rooftop with her slender hand.

She looked towards the building opposite them, her tone casual as she said:

"However, you might be disappointed. Driving the progress of an era sometimes requires not just people, but more importantly, the environment and the times they are in."

"There might not be room for me to exert myself right now."

This was a lie... If she truly wished to drive large-scale societal change, she could indeed bring about a super transformation.

All she needed to do was become the Third Magic User and then materialize the souls of all humanity. At that point, all humans would be freed from birth, aging, sickness, and death, from love, hate, resentment, and grudges, becoming higher life forms.

Such a monumental shift would surely be unprecedented.

"This will have to be witnessed by time."

Vavylm smiled, then followed Touko's gaze. He saw that on the adjacent building, there were many peeping eyes – individuals from various forces such as the Holy Church's Executors, the Mage's Association's Enforcers, and other miscellaneous groups.

To be honest, being watched by so many onlookers was quite unpleasant.

However, this was unavoidable. One was a True Ancestor among Dead Apostles, and the other was the successor to a Magic User; both were incredibly significant figures.

If a conflict were to break out in Berlin, the resulting destruction would be unimaginable.

This was something neither side wanted to see, which was why so many personnel had been dispatched to monitor this situation, all to prevent things from escalating uncontrollably.

"...I hate being stared at like an animal. If you continue to watch me with your twisted curiosity, one day I'll lose my temper and kill you!"

Aozaki Touko's tone turned sharp. These words were clearly directed at Vavylm, yet her fierce killing intent was directed towards the building next door, as if warning them not to be too brazen.

Frankly, with her acute senses, the gazes observing from the opposite building were as conspicuous as searchlights, disturbing her and making her increasingly annoyed.

Shortly after her words fell.

The brazen observation from the other side suddenly became covert and cautious. After all, the person on the other side was, by all accounts, the successor to a Magic User, and offending her would not be worth it.

"Heh heh... I'll be mindful of the distance!"

Vavylm said with a smile. "This time, I was simply too curious to know if the anti-cancer drug you are about to sell contains any mysterious ingredients."

"What's the point of being curious about this?"

Aozaki Touko retorted coldly.

"Of course, there is... If it is purely a product of science."

Vavylm's gaze became serious. "My evaluation of your talent... will rise another level, and it will also solidify my own ideas."

"...Is that why you came to steal my research results?"

Hearing this answer, Aozaki Touko felt somewhat speechless.

She felt that Vavylm's thought process was rather peculiar, or perhaps the mindset of an immortal being differed from that of short-lived mortals, who enjoyed observing humans with their fleeting lives.

"...Not entirely~"

Vavylm shook his head, a gentlemanly smile appearing on his face. "Based on my understanding of you, you should have almost completed the development of the Rose Maiden by now. Therefore, I wanted to see your research results."

"..."

Hearing this, Aozaki Touko's demeanor suddenly turned icy, her gaze clearly filled with killing intent. "Magicians are beings who play with mystery. Being too well-known is a great taboo."

As her words fell, those peeking from the adjacent building grew tense. Faint roars of beasts could be heard from below the Umbrella building, as if a battle could erupt at any moment.

This was no time for the dead of night.

People who had finished their work were currently enjoying their leisure time in the evening.

This was not a suitable time for conflict to break out.

"As the foremost Puppeteer... it's incredibly simple to infer the progress of you, a growing doll-maker."

Vavylm maintained his elegant smile. "However, it's only up to this point. Right now, you are like Avicebron back in the day; you've grown to a level that cannot be casually gauged."

These were not empty words. The truth was, he couldn't even roughly estimate the extent to which this young lady's doll-making had progressed.

Unless he could face this young lady himself.

"Let's have a battle."

Aozaki Touko turned back, revealing a confident smile. "If you lose, you'll offer sincere compensation. If I lose, I'll overlook your rudeness for now."

"...Are you using me as a touchstone?"

Hearing the young lady's words, Vavylm showed a delighted smile. "However, I truly have no reason to refuse you. After all, I also very much want to understand what level you've reached."

"Mm... then let's set the date for the challenge three days from now."

Saying this, Aozaki Touko turned and left.

"...Three days from now. That's the night of the full moon."

Vavylm looked up at the moon. Immediately, a sharp, cold wind blew, and the person had vanished from the rooftop at some unknown time. Along with the howling wind and snow, all traces of their presence were completely buried.