Becoming Aozaki Touko's Life

Aozaki Touko chuckled softly, then negated her own thought, "But, it feels like that guy in the sky is quite boring."

"...Is that so."

The girl in the kimono smiled faintly.

Then, with the sound of a can falling, the coffee can she threw flew into the trash bin, and the scene abruptly cut off.

The world returned to how it was.

The wind and snow still blew, the park was still the same park.

The two of them were still sitting peacefully on the bench.

Chapter 44: Whispers

Was that her future?

Aozaki Touko felt no concern about this, nor did she intend to dwell on it.

The reason was simple: if her fate had been completely seen through by Root Shiki, she wouldn't have woken up now and specifically come over to talk to her.

As for the calculated path, the moment she saw the deduced will, she had already understood the outcome.

It was an existence that wanted to analyze all phenomena with unparalleled computational power and then control everything.

Was it powerful?

Undoubtedly powerful.

In the deduction, she could absolutely kill her current self with ease, even if she possessed a greater immortality than a True Ancestor Dead Apostle.

She—would absolutely be crushed and killed easily.

So, this path with a clear progression route, should she learn and imitate it?

After all, this was the path to the level of an Overgod.

"Hmm... it seems my future is really important."

Aozaki Touko chuckled softly, then negated her own thought, "But, it feels like that guy in the sky is quite boring."

That's right, the one deduced was boring to her, that was her genuine feeling. Honestly analyzing this world like that, the time required to reach the "final realm" would be unimaginably long.

The significance of unwavering resolve was important, but flexible adaptation was also very important.

There was a way in this world for her to easily surpass the "final realm."

Her gaze shifted to Root Shiki beside her.

"...Is that so."

Beside her, the girl in the kimono smiled faintly.

She was very satisfied with Aozaki Touko's answer. Being able to maintain her own self and feel no confusion was exactly what she hoped to see.

This calculated worldline, although merely calculated by her from some basic information at random.

However, this did not mean that this future could not be realized.

In fact, if Aozaki Touko wished, she could easily replicate the deduced path.

A brilliant future was practically within reach.

However, if it were only like this, she would lose interest in Aozaki Touko as an existence.

And she would never respond to her again, because this girl had been completely incorporated into the realm of the known.

Just like the people of this world, her past and future were all within her sight.

However, she was satisfied with Aozaki Touko's answer.

Thus, with the sound of a can falling, the coffee can she threw flew into the trash bin, and the scene abruptly cut off.

The deduced worldline was trimmed away.

The old world returned to its place.

The wind and snow still blew, the park was still the same park, as if nothing had changed.

The two of them were still sitting peacefully on the bench.

"How should I address you now?"

Aozaki Touko looked at the remaining coffee in her hand, then threw it into the nearby trash can. Turning to the girl in the kimono, she asked with a light laugh.

"Ryougi Shiki... or perhaps Shiki?"

"Hmm... this is quite difficult~"

The girl in the kimono closed her eyes, thought for a moment, and then gently placed her hand on her chest. "Just use the name you're familiar with. You can call me Root Shiki too."

"...Mm, I'll just call you Shiki then."

Aozaki Touko shook her head and said, "As for addressing me, you can call me Touko or my full name."

"Do you prefer this name?"

The girl in the kimono lightly chuckled.

"After all, in this world, it's only natural to use this name."

Aozaki Touko replied.

"...Just call me Touko~"

The girl in the kimono nodded slightly, then said with a light laugh, "Now that we've exchanged names, does that make us friends?"

"Of course, isn't that why I came here?"

Aozaki Touko said.

She had only one purpose for this trip: to become friends with Root Shiki. Of course, if she could become her wife and have free access to the Root in the future, that would be even better.

She thought to herself.

The girl in the kimono, however, cast a meaningful glance at her, as if she had seen through Aozaki Touko's thoughts. But she said nothing, merely maintaining a gentle smile.

The air suddenly became still.

"..."

Aozaki Touko shifted her gaze and said softly, "Were you just reading my mind?"

"No, reading your mind would probably make you uncomfortable,"

The girl in the kimono shook her head and said with a smile, "But you were being a little too obvious, wanting to come and go..."

"Ahem~"

Before she could finish, Aozaki Touko said with a serious expression, "Speaking of which, why did you cooperate with me so tacitly in running out this time? Is there something you need? If I can do it."

In fact, she already knew why Root Shiki had come to find her.

She was a transmigrator... not part of the predetermined fate. To an omniscient being like Root Shiki, she was the most attractive existence.

"Hmm... Do you have any wishes?"

The girl in the kimono tilted her head, her gentle voice tinged with seriousness. "Is there anything you want to obtain? I can basically grant any wish!"

Chapter Forty-Five: The Promise

"Hmm... Do you have any wishes?"

The girl in the kimono tilted her head, her gentle voice tinged with seriousness:

"Is there anything you want to obtain? I can basically grant any wish!"

This answer would determine her relationship with Root Shiki.

Aozaki Touko instinctively felt this. Although if she wished based on her selfish desires, Root Shiki would most likely grant her wish, she wouldn't get a perfect score from Root Shiki this way.

And her goal wasn't merely to get a chance to make a wish.

She wanted to obtain Root Shiki herself.

And so.

"...Since you're asking about my wish!"

She tilted her head and asked, "Then, do you have any wishes you want to achieve? If possible, I will grant your wish."

In the quiet park, the atmosphere suddenly turned silent.

Snowflakes drifted down slowly, and the accumulated snow on the branches, unable to bear the weight, fell. The streetlights by the roadside cast a pale yellow glow, and the bright moon in the sky flowed with silvery moonlight.

"..."

The girl in the kimono blinked her eyes, a fleeting expression of surprise flashing across her face. Then, she quietly gazed at Aozaki Touko for a moment and revealed a gentle smile.

"Is this an exchange?"

"No, this is probably my overestimation of myself. However, if you want to consider it an exchange, then it's not impossible."

"Is that so? You're quite greedy."

She smiled beautifully.

Her aura also shifted slightly. If she had been like a god transcending all things before, now her eyes contained a different kind of humanity.

With this simple conversation, her relationship with the girl Aozaki Touko had changed.

"...Miss???"

Just then, a man's voice, filled with surprise and uncertainty, echoed from not far away. Then, a man cautiously walked over, his gaze fixed intently on Root Shiki.

The gentle woman sitting on the bench was Ryougi Shiki. Her subtle intuition told her so, but her logic denied this fact.

This violated the common sense of an ordinary human.

"...It seems time has come~"

The girl smiled gently and said, "Let's stop here for today."

As she spoke, she walked towards the man who was filled with surprise and uncertainty, and as if time were flowing backward, the years on her body began to reverse, turning her back into the little girl she had first met with each step.

"As for Ori... I can create a body to house her,"

Aozaki Touko said, watching her depart.

At some point in the future, another personality within It, the existence known as 'Ori', would perish. However, Aozaki Touko rather liked that person, so if the opportunity arose, she would be willing to lend a hand.

"I understand... I'll preserve her personality then."

It paused slightly, turning its head and chuckling softly.

"Then I'll be counting on you."

Aozaki Touko smiled, stood up, and merged into the darkness.

All objectives for the night had been met, or to be a bit self-satisfied, her objectives had been far exceeded. When she was about to ascend to the "Final Realm," she should achieve it without any unexpected issues.

This was an equal collaboration, reached after both parties were satisfied with the outcome.

Accurately grasping what each side needed, without pleas, without prostration, without prayers.

Achieving the result as a matter of course.

"Miss... what exactly is going on?"

Beside her, the man who had witnessed everything asked, dumbfounded, "That strange woman, and your body suddenly growing and shrinking, what is going on?"

Although he could confirm that the little girl beside him was Ryougi Shiki, it didn't mean he could comprehend the current situation. On the contrary, his worldview had been hammered to the brink of collapse.

"She is my contracted person."

The little girl smiled gently and said, "The changing body was just to accommodate her a little. It's probably because she is too important."

"Miss... I don't understand at all."

The man replied honestly.

His young lady's answer just now was less like speaking to him and more like talking to herself. Without understanding the events, one could not grasp the full picture.

"Let's go, let's go back."