Becoming Aozaki Touko's Life

If she agreed, their relationship would make a breakthrough.

However, she wasn't mentally prepared for it yet.

That was why she fled like she was running away.

On the other side.

Aozaki Touko left the Kuonji Mansion and headed toward the Tohno Family, who lived on the other side of Misaki City, intending to make a judgment on this clan herself.

The blood flowing through this family's veins was Demonic Blood—they weren't pure humans, but because of it, they gained power beyond human limits. It was said that the strongest among them even possessed strength on par with Heroic Spirits.

But even so, Aozaki Touko had no intention of bothering with them.

However, in her past life, there was a theory that after the Tohno Family took control of Misaki City, they killed Kuonji Alice, who was a witch.

Since it involved Alice's life or death, she had no choice but to go and check it out personally.

If this family truly posed an extreme threat, she would annihilate them tonight, nipping the danger in the bud.

After all, in the future, she would likely be running all over the world, and her attention to Misaki City would inevitably be limited. That could easily lead to—

Coming home one day to find her own family and Alice gone.

Chapter 36: The Clockwork Maiden Gets Pregnant

Morning.

The Aozaki Parents sat silently across from the girl at the dining table, their eyes filled with curiosity and surprise. She was a girl in a black kimono, with an exquisitely beautiful face—undeniably a stunning beauty.

But she wasn't their daughter Aoko.

She was the doll their eldest daughter Touko had given to the little girl Aoko yesterday.

An Autonomous Doll named 'Yaya.'

"Hello, Father and Mother. I am your daughter-in-law, 'Yaya.' Please take care of me!"

Suddenly, Yaya spoke. She stood up and bowed, her tone extremely respectful, like a bride meeting her in-laws in an ancient play.

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere suddenly turned stiff.

The Aozaki Parents froze in place, unsure how to respond. They were probably stunned by Yaya's earth-shattering declaration, their brains failing to construct any relevant reply.

"...You lustful doll, stop saying such weird things!"

Across the table, Aozaki Aoko stood up and pinched Yaya's cheek, her face showing a pained and troubled expression. "You must have had a faulty brain straight out of the factory—why do you have such strange ideas?"

"Wuwuwu~"

Yaya didn't resist Aoko's pinching, letting out a whimpering sound. Only when Aozaki Aoko let go did she gently rub her slightly reddened cheek, speaking with a hint of pride:

"This is the personality Lady Touko set for me, to quickly build a complete personality and reach the level of a Fully Autonomous Doll."

"...That personality is a bit too much~"

Aozaki Aoko felt a headache coming on. She crossed her arms over her chest and put on a fierce expression. "Be a little more serious and tone down that over-the-top personality of yours."

"Ah... but I'm telling the truth."

Yaya tilted her head adorably, then said with understanding: "I am meant to be your wife, Aoko, and give birth to a child for you. That is no joke."

The atmosphere turned strange again.

The Aozaki Parents, who had just barely adjusted their composure, fell back into shock.

"Giving birth? I don't have the function to get someone pregnant."

Aozaki Aoko felt her headache worsen and began to suspect that her sister had sent this doll not to protect her, but to train her patience and self-control.

"I have the function to extract life information from others and make myself pregnant."

Yaya raised her head with some pride and said, "I have all the functions humans have, and I have functions humans don't. I am a top-tier doll created to surpass the concept of humanity."

"Please rest assured—I can give birth to a child that carries the bloodline of the Aozaki Household!"

None of this was a lie. She truly possessed the ability to extract life information from others and then give birth to a human child herself. It would work even if the target was impotent or female.

"..."

Aozaki Aoko fell silent.

Why did Sister Touko have to send such a strange doll over? Wasn't she afraid of turning her into a lesbian? Or was she worried Aoko would never get married, so she sent a doll that could continue the bloodline?

"Ah... that doesn't sound bad."

Suddenly, the Aozaki Father spoke up. "If it can carry on the Aozaki bloodline, then in a way, it's not a bad thing. As long as you're okay with it, Aoko."

He knew his own family's situation. His eldest daughter seemed uninterested in men, and the matter of producing offspring was likely hopeless.

If Aozaki Aoko could have a child with the doll 'Yaya,' that would be a very good thing.

At least the Aozaki Household wouldn't have to worry about their lineage being cut off.

"..."

Aozaki Aoko turned to look at her father, who wore an expression of full agreement, then at her mother, whose face showed she didn't approve but supported her husband anyway. Her mood grew even more irritable.

"Let's just drop this topic. None of these issues need to be considered right now."

Saying this, she sat down in a huff and began eating breakfast, biting into her bread with a ferocity that was almost aggressive. She swallowed it in a few bites, then downed her milk in one gulp.

Afterward, she grabbed her school bag and stormed out of the house.

"..."

Seeing this, Yaya blinked, then quickly wolfed down her own breakfast. She bowed to the Aozaki parents.

"Father, Mother, I'm going to protect Aoko."

With that, she hurried out of the Aozaki Household, tracking Aozaki Aoko's scent to follow her.

"What do you think?"

Watching this, Aozaki Father turned to his wife and asked, "Is it a good thing or a bad thing to have that puppet named Yaya by Aoko's side?"

"Her personality is a bit... odd, but she seems like a kind-hearted child. Once she and Aoko have some time to adjust to each other, they should get along well."

Aozaki Mom raised a hand to her cheek, a maternal smile spreading across her face. "And, dear, don't you think having Yaya around would make the house a lot livelier?"

"Hmm... then let's just treat her like another daughter."

Aozaki Father nodded slightly, then chuckled. "Well, since Yaya's job is to protect Aoko, let's go ahead and process the paperwork to let her attend school with Aoko."

Chapter 37: The Sinister Arm

Tohno Family Estate.

Aozaki Touko walked under the guidance of a butler toward the reception hall. Along the way, she could feel numerous covert, wary gazes fixed on her.

These gazes all came from members of the Tohno Family's main branch, and as time passed, the number of eyes gathering grew. It was like countless venomous snakes slowly converging from the shadows, ready at any moment to swarm forward and tear apart an unsuspecting prey.

"Please, come in, guest."

Soon they reached the reception hall. The butler bowed politely and withdrew.

Aozaki Touko's gaze swept deliberately over certain shadowy corners, a noncommittal smile playing on her lips. Then, with composure, she stepped into the hall.

Seated inside was a dignified middle-aged man.

"What a rare guest. The next head of the Aozaki Household honors us with your presence. My apologies for not welcoming you from afar."

Tohno Makihisa wore a warm yet slightly apologetic expression, giving off a very friendly and reliable impression. Even knowing it was a polite smile, one could find no flaw in it.

Overall, he gave the feeling of a wily old fox well-versed in human affairs.

"I'm the one intruding unannounced. Please don't take offense, Head of the Tohno Family."

Aozaki Touko returned a gentle smile, her demeanor as elegant as a true lady, belying any hint of a reclusive mage researcher.

"How could I dare~"

Tohno Makihisa shook his head, then put on a smiling face. "May I ask what brings Miss Aozaki here so suddenly? Do you have some advice to offer?"

"Hmm, I wouldn't call it advice. I've simply heard recently that the Tohno Family's affairs are flourishing. As a neighbor, it would be a breach of etiquette not to pay a visit."

Aozaki Touko's tone suddenly turned cold.

"Haha... it's just a bit of improvement!"

Tohno Makihisa wore a humble smile, as if he hadn't noticed the chill in her voice.

"Under your leadership, the Tohno Family has made considerable progress. It would only be natural for you to dominate Misaki City in the future. With a head like you, it's truly the Tohno Family's good fortune."

Aozaki Touko's voice grew colder. "However, for an unstable mixed-blood family like yours, too much expansion would not be a good thing for the residents of Misaki City!"

This family had gained formidable power through mixing Demonic Blood, but it came with the side effect known as the Inversion Conflict. Once they inverted, they lost their reason and became murderous demons.

If the number of family members with this bloodline remained small, it was manageable.

But if they gained power and expanded their numbers...

That would not be a good thing for humanity.

"..."

Tohno Makihisa's expression turned grim. He knew this young woman had come with ill intent and likely had considerable knowledge of his family's secrets.

"Miss Aozaki, what exactly is the purpose of your visit here?!"

As he asked this, faint killing intent seeped in from outside.

There was no doubt—if Tohno Makihisa gave the order, the clansmen outside would rush in and slaughter this magus, leaving her no chance to resist.

"To assess your level of threat."

Aozaki Touko let out a light laugh. "If you stay within acceptable limits, I'll act as if nothing happened. If I judge you to be a threat, then I'll wipe you all out completely!"

"..."

Hearing such cold words, Tohno Makihisa's face darkened with suppressed anger. "How utterly arrogant. Do you think we'll let you decide our life and death so easily?!"

"Kill her!"

The roar of rage echoed. But there was no response from anyone, as if the clansmen lying in ambush outside had all gone deaf; the meeting room fell into a terrifying silence.

"Hmm... You lot pose no real threat, so I won't bother killing you all."

Aozaki Touko gave a slight nod, then turned and strode away with grace.

On the other side, Tohno Makihisa instinctively moved to stop her, but an overwhelming force suddenly pressed down on his body, pinning him in place.

—His body wouldn't move.

Realizing this, he turned to look at himself.

Several slender, pale hands had grown out from the floor, locking his body in place. Their crushing grip made him feel like his bones were about to shatter.

Yet he couldn't even cry out.

Because a pale hand had sprouted from behind him, covering his mouth. All he could manage was a pained nasal sound, utterly powerless to resist.

He could only watch helplessly as the girl walked away with calm composure.

"What the hell is she?!"

At some point, the binding hands disappeared.

But Tohno Makihisa didn't even dare to think of revenge. Cold sweat streamed down his face, his heart pounded frantically—the breath of death had been far too close. Even he trembled in fear.

In truth, if it had been an evenly matched enemy, even if he lost and died, he wouldn't have been this humiliated. But that girl's strength was eerily abnormal.

Her methods were bizarre, too—hands could sprout from anywhere, and their grip was terrifying beyond imagination. If she wanted, she could probably crush his brain in an instant.

It was this utterly insurmountable, horrifying power that filled him with genuine dread.

Chapter 38: Rescuing a Pitiful Little Girl