He hurriedly brushed the cigarette butt off his pants, then turned stiffly to look at Aoyama Aohana.
"Don't joke around... My Magic Crest is incomplete. It's not worth as much as you imagine."
As he spoke, he could even feel his throat growing dry. He was so afraid to feel the burn on his leg that he could barely sense it at all. It was as if countless ants were crawling out from his heart and into his limbs and brain, making it difficult to control his body.
"..."
Aoyama Aohana did not answer. Her gaze remained fixed on Emiya Kiritsugu.
To Emiya Kiritsugu, that gaze was as sharp as a knife. He could not help turning his head away to look out the window, where a beautiful girl with long orange hair entered his field of vision.
"My boss is back. I'll go over first."
He forced himself to speak calmly, then opened the car door and walked quickly toward the Western Mansion in the distance.
***
Inside the Western Mansion.
Aozaki Touko sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, looking at Emiya Kiritsugu with an amused expression, as if she had seen through the secrets hidden deep within the man's heart.
Beside her, Illyasviel bent over as she brewed tea. She handed the two steaming cups to them, after which Kohaku and Hisui brought over some pastries and biscuits and set them on the table.
"...Thank you~"
Emiya Kiritsugu thanked the maid, then turned his gaze to Touko and asked, "Boss, did you call me here for something?"
"Well..."
Instead of answering, Aozaki Touko asked with a faint smile, "Emiya Kiritsugu, your charity funds must be getting a little tight by now, right?"
"..."
Looking at that familiar smile, Emiya Kiritsugu felt his stomach begin to ache,