If she agreed, their relationship would make a breakthrough.
However, she still was not mentally prepared at all.
That was why she had fled as if escaping.
Meanwhile.
Aozaki Touko left Kuonji Mansion and headed toward the Tohno Family, who lived on the other side of Misaki City. She intended to personally make a judgment about this family.
The demonic blood flowing through this family's veins meant they were not pure humans, but it also granted them power surpassing that of humans. It was said that the strongest among them even possessed the strength of a Heroic Spirit.
However, if that was the case, Aozaki Touko had no intention of paying them any mind.
Yet, in her previous life, there had been a theory that after the Tohno Family took control of Misaki City, they had killed Kuonji Alice, the witch.
Since this concerned Alice's life and death, she had no choice but to go take a look herself.
If this family truly posed an extremely high level of threat, she would annihilate them tonight and nip the threat in the bud.
After all, she would most likely be running all over the world in the future. She was destined not to pay much attention to Misaki City, which could easily lead to—
When she returned home, she might discover that... her family and Alice were both gone.
Thirty-Six: Can a Clockwork Maiden Get Pregnant?
Early morning.
The Aozaki Parents silently stared at the girl sitting across from them at the dining table. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and astonishment. The girl was dressed in a black kimono, and her features were exquisite and beautiful. She was unquestionably a beauty.
However, she was not their daughter Aoko.
She was the doll that their eldest daughter Touko had given to the little girl Aoko yesterday.
An autonomous doll named Yaya.
"Good morning, Father and Mother. I'm your daughter-in-law, Yaya. Please take good care of me!"
At that moment, Yaya suddenly spoke. She stood up and bowed, her tone extremely respectful, just like a bride meeting her parents-in-law in an ancient drama.
"..."
"..."
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.
The Aozaki Parents froze, unsure how to respond. Yaya's shocking declaration had probably left them stunned, and they could not even formulate a suitable reply.
"...You lustful doll, stop saying such strange things!"
Across the table, Aoko stood up and pinched Yaya's cheeks. Her face was filled with exasperation. "Your brain must have been defective when you came off the production line. Why do you have such strange ideas?"
"Waaah~"
Yaya did not resist as Aoko kneaded her face, merely letting out a whimper. Only after Aoko released her did she gently rub her reddened cheeks and say proudly:
"This is the personality Lady Touko programmed into me. It's meant to quickly construct a complete personality and let me reach the level of a fully autonomous doll."
"...That's taking 'personality' a little too far~"
Aoko felt a headache coming on. She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression turning fierce. "Be a little more serious and tone down that overly strong personality of yours."
"Eh... I'm telling the truth."
Yaya tilted her head cutely, then said with sudden understanding, "I'm going to be your wife, Aoko, and give birth to your child. I'm not joking about this."
The atmosphere once again became bizarre.
The Aozaki Parents, who had just barely composed themselves, were thrown into shock again.
"Give birth? I don't have the ability to make someone pregnant."
Aoko's headache grew worse. She began to suspect that her sister had not sent this doll to protect her at all, but to train her patience.
"I have the ability to extract another life-form's information and use it to become pregnant."
Yaya raised her head proudly. "I possess every function humans have, and I also possess functions humans don't have. I'm a top-tier doll created to surpass the very concept of humanity."
"Rest assured. I can give birth to a child who inherits the Aozaki Family's bloodline!"
None of this was a lie. She truly could extract another person's life information and then give birth to a human child. It would work even if the other party were impotent—or female.
"..."
Aoko fell silent.
Why did Big Sis Touko send such a strange doll over? Isn't she afraid of turning me gay? Or is she worried I'll never get married, so she sent me a doll that can continue the bloodline?
"Ah... It sounds pretty good."
Aozaki Father suddenly spoke. "If it can inherit the Aozaki Family's bloodline, then in a sense, it isn't a bad thing. As long as you have no objections, Aoko."
He knew his own family best. His eldest daughter did not seem interested in men, so there was probably little hope of her having descendants.
If Aoko could give birth to an heir together with the doll Yaya, that would be an excellent outcome.
At least the Aozaki Household would not have to worry about its line ending.
"..."
Aoko turned to look at her father, whose face clearly said he approved, then at her mother, who seemed disapproving but nevertheless supported her husband. Her mood grew even more irritable.
"Let's end this topic here. These are not matters we need to consider right now."
As she spoke, she sat down angrily and began eating breakfast. Her bites into the bread were unusually fierce. She swallowed it in a few mouthfuls, then downed her milk in one go.
Afterward, she grabbed her schoolbag and stormed out of the house.
"..."
Seeing this, Yaya blinked, then quickly wolfed down the rest of her breakfast and bowed to the Aozaki Parents.
"Father, Mother, I'm going to protect Aoko."
With that, she hurried out of the Aozaki Household, following Aoko by the scent she had left behind.
"What do you think?"
Seeing this scene, Aozaki Father turned to his wife. "Is having this doll named Yaya stay by Aoko's side a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Her personality is a little... strange, but she seems to be a kindhearted child. After spending some time getting used to Aoko, they should get along quite well."
Aozaki Mom raised a hand to her cheek, a motherly smile appearing on her face. "Besides, darling, don't you think having Yaya around would make the house much livelier?"
"Mm... Then let's just treat it as raising another daughter."
Aozaki Father nodded slightly, then smiled again. "Mm... Since Yaya's mission is to protect Aoko, let's handle the paperwork and have her attend school with Aoko."
Thirty-Seven: The Strange Arms
Tohno Family Mansion.
Under a butler's guidance, Aozaki Touko headed toward the reception room. Along the way, she sensed countless hidden, wary gazes.
All those gazes came from members of the Tohno Family. As time passed, more and more of them gathered. It was as if countless venomous snakes were slowly converging from the dark corners, ready to swarm over and bite the ignorant prey to death at any moment.
"Please, enter."
They soon reached the reception room. The butler bowed politely and withdrew.
Aozaki Touko deliberately swept her gaze over several shadowy corners, revealing an ambiguous smile. She then calmly stepped into the room.
Seated inside was a dignified middle-aged man.
"What an unexpected guest. The future head of the Aozaki Household has honored us with her presence. I'm truly sorry I couldn't welcome you in person."
Tohno Makihisa wore an enthusiastic yet somewhat apologetic expression, giving off an exceptionally friendly and reliable impression. Even though it was obviously merely a polite smile, it was still impossible to find fault with it.
Overall, he gave the impression of a worldly old fox.
"I was already being abrupt by coming unannounced. Please forgive me, Head of the Tohno Family."
Aozaki Touko smiled gently. Her elegant bearing made her look like a true young lady, and no one could tell that she was a secluded researcher of magecraft.
"How could I? How could I?"
Tohno Makihisa shook his head, then said with a smile, "May I ask why Miss Aozaki has suddenly paid us a visit?"
"Mm, I wouldn't call it guidance. I merely heard recently that the Tohno Family's business is flourishing. As your neighbor, it would be impolite not to come pay you a visit."
Aozaki Touko's tone suddenly turned cold.
"Haha... It's only doing a little better than before!"
Tohno Makihisa put on a modest smile, as if he had not noticed the chill in Touko's voice at all.
"Under your leadership, the Tohno Family has developed by leaps and bounds. It's only natural that you will occupy Misaki City in the future, isn't it? Having a patriarch like you must be a blessing for the Tohno Family."
Aozaki Touko's tone grew colder and colder. "However, if an unstable mixed-blood family like yours expands too far, that won't be good news for the residents of Misaki City."
Although this family had gained formidable power by mixing in demonic blood, it had also acquired a side effect known as Inversion Conflict. Once inversion occurred, they would lose their reason and become murderous demons.
It was one thing when a family with such a bloodline had only a small number of members.
But once they gained power and expanded and reproduced—
That would not be a good thing for humanity.
"..."
Tohno Makihisa's expression turned grim. He realized that this girl had come with hostile intentions, and that she likely knew quite a bit about his family's secrets.
"Miss Aozaki, what exactly is the purpose of your visit?!"
As he asked this, a faint killing intent came from outside the room.
There was no doubt that with a single command from Tohno Makihisa, the family members waiting outside would rush in and kill this magus. They would not give her the slightest chance to resist.
"I came to assess the level of threat you pose."
Aozaki Touko smiled lightly. "If you fall within an acceptable range, I'll pretend nothing happened. But if I judge that you pose a threat, I'll wipe you all out!"
"..."
Hearing such cold words, Tohno Makihisa's expression darkened. Suppressing his anger, he said, "How arrogant! Do you think we'll let you decide our life and death at will?"
"Kill her!"
His furious roar echoed through the room. Yet no one answered. It was as if all the family members lying in ambush outside had suddenly gone deaf, and the meeting room became terrifyingly silent.
"Mm... You don't seem to pose much of a threat, so I won't kill you all."
Aozaki Touko nodded slightly, then turned around and left with a brisk stride.
Meanwhile, seeing this, Tohno Makihisa instinctively tried to rise and stop her. But an incomparably powerful force suddenly pressed down on him, pinning his body firmly in place.
I can't move.
Realizing this, he turned his head and looked at his own body.
Several slender, pale hands had grown out of the floor, locking his body in place. Their tremendous grip made him feel as if his bones were about to shatter.
Yet he could not make a sound.
A pale hand had grown from behind him and covered his mouth. He could only emit painful nasal whimpers, utterly unable to resist.
All he could do was watch helplessly as the girl calmly walked away.
"What exactly is she?!"
At some point, the restraining arms vanished.
However, Tohno Makihisa no longer even dared to think of revenge. Cold sweat poured down his face, his heart pounded rapidly, and the aura of death had come far too close. Even he trembled in terror.
In truth, if his opponent had been evenly matched, then even if he lost and died, he would not have become this discomposed. But that girl was so powerful that she seemed utterly bizarre.
Her method of attack was bizarre as well. She could make arms grow from anywhere, and their grip was terrifying beyond imagination. If she had wanted to, she probably could have crushed his brain in an instant.
It was this completely irresistible, terrifying power that made him afraid from the bottom of his heart.
Thirty-Eight: Saving a Poor Little Girl
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