Becoming Aozaki Touko's Life

"If it's human trafficking, then take her back to your own magic workshop."

Kuonji Alice said with a cold tone.

"No… this is human trafficking for you to see."

Aozaki Touko held up Tohno Akiha in her arms and said to Kuonji Alice, "Look… isn't this child adorable? Don't you want to have one of your own?"

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

Tohno Akiha, being held up, blinked her eyes and subconsciously looked at the Magician named Alice, who happened to look up at Tohno Akiha at the same time.

Their gazes met, then immediately shifted away.

"…Let me reiterate, there is still plenty of time, and I am not considering an heir for the moment."

Kuonji Alice's face was slightly flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment, her tone was as cold as ever, but her overly hurried speech seemed to imply something else.

"Oh, what a shame~"

Chapter 40: She Gave Too Much

The next day.

Tohno Residence.

Tohno Makihisa sat cross-legged on the main seat, chain-smoking. The ashtray was already overflowing with cigarette butts, but the man had no intention of stopping.

The room was filled with the pungent smell of smoke, yet the windows remained closed. This was because the Tohno Residence used this place for secret discussions, and confidentiality was the top priority.

"…Father, do you have any further instructions?"

Tohno Akiha maintained her kneeling posture, wearing a kimono with cherry blossom patterns, and softly called out with grace and propriety.

She had intended to wait for her father to speak, but after reporting the situation from last night, her father had been continuously smoking, lost in thought, and had ignored her for a long time.

If he had simply ignored her, it would have been fine. Having been trained in etiquette, she could absolutely maintain an elegant seated posture for a long time. However, the increasing concentration of smoke in the room made her feel quite uncomfortable.

"Mm…"

Tohno Makihisa was slightly startled. Noticing his daughter's discomfort, he stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and then put on a fatherly smile.

"Akiha, do you dislike going to Miss Touko's house? What are your thoughts on her?"

"…"

Upon hearing this, Tohno Akiha pondered for a moment, recalling the events of the previous night. Aside from being held by big sister Touko like a doll and sleeping through the night, she didn't really feel any displeasure.

So, she honestly shared her thoughts.

"Big sister Touko's house is very warm. As for her, she's not a bad person, just someone who really likes to tease people."

Yes, these were all her current thoughts. She held no ill will towards Aozaki Touko, who had brought her along yesterday. However, because Touko seemed to have ill intentions towards the Tohno family, she couldn't feel favorably towards her either.

"…Is that so? I understand."

Tohno Makihisa nodded slightly, then said in a flat tone, "From now on, if you wish to visit Aozaki Touko, all related lessons can be suspended, and the family will arrange a special car to take you there."

After saying this, he waved his hand at his daughter, then lit another cigarette and continued to smoke in silence, as if exhaling the emotions contained within his heart through the smoke.

"Then, Father, Akiha will take her leave."

Tohno Akiha bowed and respectfully exited the room, gently closing the door before she left.

Tohno Makihisa saw all of this. His eyes suddenly flashed with ferocity, which was then suppressed by bitter helplessness.

While he didn't understand much about the mysterious side of things, he did know a bit about the Aozaki family in Misaki City. He knew that the Aozaki family had an incredibly powerful grandfather, and Aozaki Touko was his successor, her power far below his.

In other words, this family's strength far surpassed their Tohno family, possessing the ability to annihilate their entire clan at any moment.

This was why he could only endure. After all, Aozaki Touko alone possessed the power to suppress the entire Tohno family. If they had to face both Aozaki Touko and her grandfather, their clan would be doomed.

Furthermore, he didn't know what methods those Magicians might have. Some insidious methods, it was uncertain if they would work. If they failed, their family would face utter destruction.

In short, they were in a dilemma.

"What does that woman want?"

Tohno Makihisa's expression turned agitated, veins bulging on his face like wriggling maggots.

"Is she trying to threaten me by holding a successor hostage? Or is she planning to kill me after my Instinctual Turn is born, and then control Akiha to seize control of our Tohno family!?"

He continuously analyzed Aozaki Touko's motives, finally concluding that this woman's schemes were incredibly profound, aiming to subtly swallow the Tohno family's influence and assets.

"Hahahaha, unfortunately, I have already found a way to suppress the Instinctual Turn. It's impossible for her to take over the Tohno family through Akiha!"

Saying this, he walked out of the room with hurried steps and got into a car heading to the Miyokage Family.

Their clan's Instinctual Turn was a fatal flaw, but with the power of the Miyokage Family, one of the Four Great Exorcist Families, it would be a completely different story.

The Miyokage Family possessed the superpower of sensory ability, capable of transferring their stamina to others through bodily fluid exchange, thus achieving replenishment or reinforcement.

This ability was exactly what Tohno Makihisa dreamed of. Because this ability could suppress their clan's demonic blood, which in turn could suppress the Instinctual Turn.

A dilapidated shrine.

"...I'm very sorry, Kohaku and Hisui were sold this morning."

A middle-aged man with a scoundrel's face said in a tone of genuine regret, "You came too late. Just a few hours too late."

"Didn't we already agree on a price?"

Tohno Makihisa said with a dark expression.

"What could I do? As their uncle, I wanted Kohaku and Hisui to have a better future, so I came up with a plan on the spot."

The scoundrelly man picked at his ear, showing a look of disdain.

"You scumbag, you have such a kind heart?"

Tohno Makihisa said bluntly.

"Of course I do."

The scoundrelly man pulled out a bank card from his pocket, his expression extremely excited. "Do you know how much that person gave me? This card has seventy million yen in it, which is many times more than what you gave."

"With so much money, Kohaku and Hisui will naturally live happier lives."

He said these words as if they were the most natural thing in the world, and he looked at Tohno Makihisa with contempt, as if disgusted that the man had offered so little before.

"Hehehehehehahahahaha"

Suddenly, Tohno Makihisa let out a strange laugh, then grabbed the scoundrelly man by the neck and tore him apart with great force. Hot blood immediately gushed out, and the man was then torn into countless pieces.

"You bastard!"

Chapter 41: Mel-Lydele Archleot

Night

Kuzuki Western Mansion.

In the living room.

"..."

Kuonji Alice's expression was blank, her lips tightly pursed, and she stared at Aozaki Touko opposite her with a sharp gaze. A multitude of emotions churned within her, making her aura increasingly cold.

After sending off the young girl Tohno Akiha this morning, Aozaki Touko had been almost completely missing for the day. When she returned in the evening...

She had brought two more young girls back to the Kuzuki Western Mansion.

And now, with Tohno Akiha, who had come to play tonight, added to the mix.

Her mansion now housed three young girls.

"..."

On the sofa opposite, the three little girls looked a bit nervous, instinctively crowding closer to Aozaki Touko, embracing her like three kangaroos in a pouch.

Seeing this, Kuonji Alice's delicate and pretty face became even more displeased. In fact, she didn't like too many people coming to her mansion. If it weren't for Aozaki Touko's special relationship with her, she wouldn't have let Aozaki Touko stay there for so long.

"...You've scared them~"

Aozaki Touko smiled gently, calmly deflecting Alice's icy gaze. She raised her hand and stroked Hisui and Kohaku beside her, then said with a smile, "Alice, you have too cold a personality. If you have children in the future, it will be difficult to take good care of them. So, getting a little used to children beforehand isn't about you giving birth quickly, it's just about interacting with them a bit and getting familiar with how to get along."

"..."

Listening to this, the coldness in Kuonji Alice's eyes gradually receded, and another thought emerged. That is, how much do you want me to get pregnant, Touko? You're even starting prenatal practice now. Don't tell me you've already thought of the baby's name.

"...As long as they aren't too noisy."

Saying this, she got up and left the living room.

"Understood, I'll tell them."

Aozaki Touko replied with a light laugh to the departing Alice, then vigorously ruffled the hair of the three lolis beside her, saying in a very gentle tone, "This mansion is a treasure left by Alice's parents. Be very careful not to damage anything, or Alice will be very sad..."

"Understood*3"

The three little lolis responded in unison.

Just then, Kuonji Alice returned, holding a exquisite chocolate box. She placed it on the table, opened it, took out a few chocolate balls, and offered them to the three nervous lolis.

"Eat up, this is considered hospitality food."

The three little lolis exchanged glances, then looked up at Aozaki Touko. Seeing her nod slightly in permission, they cautiously accepted the chocolate balls.

"This is a delicacy that can only be tasted here."

Aozaki Touko took out a chocolate from the box, smiling charmingly. "You won't be able to find this even if you search every corner of the world. It's a high-class dessert exclusive to this mansion. Alice doesn't usually offer it to guests."

This was not an exaggerated lie, but truly a delicacy exclusive to this mansion worldwide.

However, this was not ordinary food, but familiars made of chocolate. They could monitor and search to a certain extent, and could also be used as emergency medical supplies to treat wounds.

Of course, these familiars made from ingredients were also edible, as expected.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, Miss Alice."

Hearing this, Tohno Akiha expressed her sincere gratitude. Kohaku and Hisui beside her quickly followed suit with their thanks.

"…No, thank you."

Kuonji Alice shook her head coolly, then turned her head away as if a little shy.

Her expression at this moment was incredibly cute, making one feel an unbelievable fondness from the bottom of their heart. The Beguiler's charm was on full display in this instant.

At the very least, seeing this scene, the three little girls' initial fear vanished at this moment.

"…Isn't this great~?"

Aozaki Touko smiled slightly, then said with a soft laugh to the three little girls beside her, "You can go play by yourselves, but stay within this sunroom. Don't run around anywhere else."

"Yes!"

The three little girls responded in unison, then left Aozaki Touko's side. The three quickly started playing together and happily enjoyed themselves.

"…"

Seeing this, Kuonji Alice turned her head to look at Touko and said coolly:

"When do you plan to head to the Clock Tower?"

"Hmm… within these two days. Once I've arranged some follow-up matters, I'll set off for the Clock Tower immediately."

"I'll have Lydele notify you then. With her as your contact there, you should find things much more convenient at the Clock Tower."

"If it's her, then the trip to London should be quite interesting."

Aozaki Touko smiled.

The girl named "Mel-Lydele Archleot" was one of Alice's rare friends, and their relationship was so good that Alice's friend would come every year for her birthday.

She had now been adopted as a daughter by the Archleot Family, one of the Lords of the Clock Tower.