And if Aozaki Grandfather really asked her to extend his life, then even though she did not like him, she would do so out of gratitude for his guidance. She would not truly sit by and watch him die.
But she really had not expected Aozaki Grandfather to accept death so calmly.
It even seemed as though he had hurriedly chosen death. The feeling was like finishing a difficult task and rushing home for the New Year. It hardly resembled someone who was about to die of old age.
"Touko, aren't you amazing at magic? Can't you extend someone's lifespan?"
Beo looked at the letter and raised her head in confusion.
She had once heard Lady Touko say that magic was one of the few powers in this era capable of threatening her, a Miracle from Beyond pursued by magi.
Although she was extremely skeptical of Lady Touko's claim that few powers in this era could threaten her—after all, there was a Dead Apostle Princess in this little household who could definitely beat her up, and her subordinates could probably do it too—
That did not stop her from understanding how powerful magic was. After all, becoming a Magic User was her master's goal. It was a higher existence, a rank above that of her master, the magus.
By rights, such an existence should have been able to break through the limits of lifespan.
After all, Lady Touko had already broken through the limitations imposed by lifespan,
so shouldn't a higher-ranking Magic User be able to break through them as well?
"...I don't know either~"
Aozaki Touko sighed softly and said, "Even after being the heir to the Fifth Magic for so long, I still don't know its true nature. Whether it can extend one's lifespan is also a mystery to me."
"—Is it really that secret?"
Beo found it difficult to understand. They were even keeping it secret from the heir.
"After all, my grandfather is a pure magus."
Aozaki Touko smiled and said, "Mystery has probably been carved into his bones. Unless someone inherits the Magic Crest of the Fifth Magic, he probably won't tell anyone."
"Hmm... Magi are so boring~"
After hearing that, Beo made this solemn judgment.
"I'm a magus too, you know~"
Aozaki Touko flicked the letter away, casually traced a Rune in the air, and then transformed it into a fireball. The fireball struck the letter floating in midair and burned it into black ashes.
"Touko is different. You're a future Magic User."
Beo shook her head and seriously refuted her.
Although Aozaki Touko was a magus, she was Beo's master, so she could not possibly be a boring person. She was instead a far nobler existence.
"...Beo is getting better and better at flattering people."
Aozaki Touko laughed happily. She found it amusing that Beo, the child who had come out of the mountains, could now say things that sounded like praise.
"...I think she meant it sincerely."
Irisviel approached from nearby, carrying a cup of coffee. She placed it in front of Aozaki Touko and sat down beside her.
"Am I really that amazing~?"
Aozaki Touko smiled faintly. She then set Beo down and said, "Go play with Kohaku and Hisui. I'm going to rest for a while."
"Kohaku and Hisui went to learn maid skills from Illyasviel."
Beo spoke in disappointment.
Beo could play whenever she wanted each day. Kohaku and Hisui spent most of their time learning from Illyasviel how to become perfect maids, leaving Beo with nothing to do most of the time.
"...I see."
Aozaki Touko laughed helplessly. She pulled Beo back into her arms and vigorously rubbed her golden hair. Seeing this, Irisviel covered her lips and said with a smile:
"When I have some free time later, I'll take you out for a walk, Beo."
"Okay!"
"Then go change into something cuter. We'll go out and have fun together later~"
Irisviel winked playfully, while Beo excitedly broke free from Touko's arms and ran toward her room.
"...Touko, are you planning to go back?"
After Beo left, Irisviel turned to ask Aozaki Touko.
"Hmm... I suppose I should go back for a while."
Aozaki Touko nodded slightly.
"Then shall I go back with you?"
Irisviel asked with a smile.
"Ah... about that."
Chapter Eighty-Five: I Want It All!
"Then shall I go back with you?"
Irisviel asked with a smile.
"Ah... about that."
Aozaki Touko lifted her coffee and took a sip, her eyes filled with thought.
Originally, she had planned to return home after Irisviel gave birth to Illya. However, Aozaki Grandfather had chosen to pass away so quickly that it had caught her completely off guard.
Under these circumstances, if she brought Irisviel to the funeral, she would probably have to introduce her to everyone.
And at such an important occasion, Kuonji Alice would certainly be present.
Would she really have to introduce Irisviel to Azu by saying, "This is my wife"?
The scene was so beautiful that merely imagining it made Aozaki Touko's heart nearly stop.
"Hmm... Touko, are you going back to Japan?"
At that moment, Altrouge came downstairs and said to Aozaki Touko, "As your patient, I can't leave your side, so I'm going with you too."
"Are we going to Japan?"
On the other side, Illyasviel walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron, with Kohaku and Hisui beside her. Her face was full of anticipation.
"Then please be sure to take Illyasviel with you, Lady Touko. Let me serve you."
"If you're going to Japan, sorry for the trouble, but please take me with you. I haven't seen Azu in a long time."
Lidell poked her head out from the second-floor corridor, having somehow heard the news, and eagerly volunteered herself.
"..."
"..."
Aozaki Touko did not answer. She drained the coffee in her cup, set it down, and looked around at everyone before speaking in a strange tone:
"Hmm. Looking at this, does everyone want to go back?"
"If that's the case, quite a few people really do need to go back~"
Irisviel smiled and said, "Since Illyasviel wants to go too, Kohaku and Hisui shouldn't stay here. And if Miss Altrouge is going, then her guards will have to follow her as well."
"That's quite a lot of people~"
Aozaki Touko smiled helplessly, her gaze sharpening. "Since everyone wants to go back, then we'll all go together. It isn't much trouble anyway."
That was right. No matter what happened during this trip to Japan, she would face it head-on and resolve it. After all, if one wanted to gain more in this world, one naturally had to face more as well.
Running away would solve nothing.
Of course, she did not look down on those who chose to run away. When faced with problems that could not be overcome or that one was unwilling to accept, she actually approved of escape as an option.
In the end, it was simply a choice.
It was just that she chose to have everything.
And in order to obtain what she wanted, she had put in the corresponding effort.
She spent nearly every day researching magecraft like an overworked programmer.
She did it so that her will could be carried through.
"Don't worry. If there are any difficulties..."
Irisviel reached out and clasped Touko's hand, her smile gentle yet carrying a strange undertone. "As your wife, Touko, I'll face them together with you~"
"...Thank you, my lovely wife~"
Aozaki Touko smiled helplessly. "I wanted to wait until Illya was born before taking you home to surprise my parents, but it seems that won't be possible now."
"Oh my... You could actually do that now, you know~"
Irisviel covered her flushed cheek with her right hand, looking embarrassed, but her eyes were filled with anticipation.
"My mental maturity should have reached the required level by now. I'm already capable of taking care of a child."
She was an Android based on the Winter Saint. Every aspect of her abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people, whether it was her learning ability, her magical energy, or her appearance.
With only a short period of study, she could achieve tremendous growth and become an outstanding person.
Not to mention that she had deliberately studied knowledge about raising children of her own accord.
Under these circumstances, she was already capable of working as a professional infant caretaker.
Therefore, even if she had a child now, she could still be a qualified mother.
She was fully mentally prepared as well.
Why did I bring this up?
Aozaki Touko fell silent, feeling a headache coming on. She did not want children yet. At the very least, she would only have time to consider it after the Holy Grail War. She was already busy enough researching magecraft.
"I still have to research magecraft. If we had a child now, I wouldn't be able to spare the time to take care of her or keep her company..."
"I understand. Then we'll consider it after you have more time, Touko."
Irisviel nodded gently. She was not saddened by the refusal and accepted it as a matter of course.
She understood the situation very clearly. The magecraft Touko was working so hard to research could increase their chances of victory in the future Holy Grail War, and that concerned the long-cherished wish of the Einzbern Family.
For both emotional and practical reasons, she could not stop Touko from researching magecraft.
"It won't be long. Once the Holy Grail War is over and I complete the Third Magic, it'll be fine."
Wife.jpg
Chapter Eighty-Six: Teacher Touko Is Going to Kill Her Sister to Attain Enlightenment?!
London, Britain, Clock Tower.
Inside a classroom, a handsome blond boy lay sprawled across his desk, looking completely unmotivated. He was practically a dreamless salted fish.
"...It's rare to see you looking so unmotivated. Teacher Touko is giving a lecture today, and she's your favorite. If you don't hurry, there won't be any seats left."
A black-haired girl walked over and tapped the boy on the head with a book.
Based on what she knew of her friend, he should have rushed to the Plant Department by now like a lovesick teenager to listen to Teacher Touko's lecture.
"Ah... Lorona."
The blond boy turned his head while still lying on the desk. His voice was dry, like that of someone dehydrated in a desert.
"There's no point in going... Teacher Touko isn't here anymore~"
"She isn't here? Did she die?"
The black-haired girl tilted her head, then quickly denied it. "That possibility is far too unlikely. Someone with Teacher Touko's strength would be extremely difficult to kill."
Although she was not particularly interested in Aozaki Touko—or, more precisely, she was not interested in the things people enthusiastically pursued—she was the sort of old-fashioned magus who only followed her own pace.
Even so, she had a basic understanding of Aozaki Touko's existence, or rather, of the consensus the public held regarding Aozaki Touko.
That was that Aozaki Touko was a genius among geniuses, practically overwhelming every magus of the current era. Whether in the field of magecraft research or individual strength, she was flawless.
Someone standing almost at the peak of the magical path would be extremely difficult to kill.
"She went home. Teacher Touko went back to Japan~"
The blond boy raised a hand and waved it weakly. "There's no telling when she'll return. She might not come back at all!"
"You don't need to worry about that... Teacher Touko will be coming back after a while to receive the Grand title~"
The black-haired girl hugged the book to her chest and tilted her head in thought. "It's basically been confirmed that Teacher Touko revived the Foundation of Magecraft for the Runes. After the Twelve Lords held a meeting and discussed it, they decided to grant Teacher Touko the title of Grand. I don't think even Teacher Touko would refuse such the highest rank of magecraft."
Before you continue