"...Ru~#ge!!!"
Within the village, the Werewolf Leader's pupils suddenly contracted. His gaze was completely drawn to the little golden-haired, green-eyed girl accompanying them. There was no mistaking that sacred aura—she was the Golden Wolf, the deity worshipped by their entire race.
There was absolutely no doubt about it!
In other words, that female Magic User... had really defeated a Phantasmal Beast from the Age of Gods?!
"My name is Beo now~"
Beo's crisp, childish voice rang out. Looking at the stunned Werewolf Leader, she scratched her cheek sheepishly. After all, losing to a human as a Phantasmal Beast was indeed an embarrassing matter.
However, she still had to announce the news.
"Mm... Touko gave me this name... In other words, I've already lost to Touko!"
"..."
Within the village, the werewolves' green eyes were somewhat dazed. If the Golden Wolf had been tricked through words, they could still understand and accept it. But if she had been beaten into submission by relying on brute force, that was a little too absurd!
To use an analogy, if a human killed a dinosaur bare-handed, anyone would find that ridiculous.
"...Everyone, we can now discuss the future of the werewolf race!"
Aozaki Touko raised her hand and rubbed Beo's head. Then, she looked at the werewolves with a half-smile. "As long as you work for me, I can solve your race's problems. Whether it's your living environment or your reproduction issues, I can handle them all!"
"How will you... do that?"
The Werewolf Leader stepped forward, his tone much gentler this time.
This female Magic User was ruthless. Since she could defeat and subdue the Golden Wolf, she could presumably crush the werewolf race as well. Not to mention that she had the Golden Wolf in her hands. They no longer had any chance of doing anything to her...
"I have a potion that can increase your chances of reproduction!"
Aozaki Touko took out a bottle of potion and tossed it to the Werewolf Leader. "You can have some of your people try it first. However, I suggest testing it on animals beforehand. That way, you'll be able to see the results more directly!"
This potion had come from Kuonji Alice. Before heading to the Einzbern Family, she had specifically asked Kuonji Alice for it so she could use it to entice the werewolf race now.
"...?!"
The Werewolf Leader cautiously caught the potion and carefully held it in his hand.
If this potion was genuine, it would be the hope of his race's future. Even if he had to pay with his life, he absolutely could not allow it to suffer the slightest damage.
"I can continue supplying the potion in the future...!"
Aozaki Touko swept back her long hair, her gaze confident and brilliant. "If you still think reproduction is too slow, I can carve out a few werewolf cubs for you in the future!"
As the future Puppeteer... once her skills became sufficiently polished, carving out a few werewolves should be completely possible. If she obtained the Third Magic, she might even be able to carve out Phantasmal Beasts for fun.
"...You really are impressive!"
The Werewolf Leader was silent for a while before looking at Aozaki Touko. "To be honest, this potion alone would be worth selling our lives to you. But... let me ask one more greedy question. How will you solve our living-environment problem?"
"Just buy this primeval forest!"
Aozaki Touko chuckled. "I plan to open a pharmaceutical company. If nothing goes wrong, it should be quite profitable. You'll provide security for it, and once the company grows, I'll buy this land!"
That was her solution to the werewolves' living-environment problem.
Once the time came, she only needed to buy this primeval forest in the name of environmental protection. Then there would be no possibility of excessive development.
"...That's truly an irresistible bait!"
The Werewolf Leader smiled bitterly. The conditions proposed by this female Magic User were so good that he could hardly refuse. They were all things his race could not reject. Their habitat and reproduction were both their weak points.
"Hart... Why don't we agree?"
A female werewolf stepped forward and spoke with hope in her voice.
"..."
The Werewolf Leader turned to look at his wife, then at the rest of his people. The hope in their eyes made it obvious that they had been deeply attracted by the female Magic User's conditions.
"...I agree!"
Chapter Fifteen: Grandfather's Questioning
Misaki City.
"..."
The Magic User stared at the girl before him. His cold eyes showed not the slightest emotion, and the color of humanity was exceptionally faint in him.
"Aoko... do you like magic?"
He asked the question without the slightest emotion.
Aozaki Aoko stared at her grandfather in surprise, yet remained silent without answering.
If Kuonji Alice had asked her this question, she would have answered that she liked it without hesitation. However, if the question came from her grandfather of the Aozaki Household, it carried an entirely different meaning.
Even if she had not yet stepped into the world of Magic Users,
she knew that only one person could inherit the magic.
If her grandfather intended to teach her magic, that meant she would have to compete with her older sister for the position of Magic User heir. At the same time, it meant becoming enemies with her sister.
It was true that she wanted to make contact with the world of magic.
But that was only so she could grow closer to her older sister.
She did not want to compete for the position of Magic User heir.
"Grandfather... why are you asking this?"
After thinking for a while, she asked cautiously.
"...Was that not a direct refusal?"
Her grandfather did not answer. Instead, a pleased laugh came from him.
As she listened, Aozaki Aoko suddenly felt increasingly irritated. It was as if she disliked having her thoughts seen through, or as if her intuition was trying to warn her of something. In any case, she spoke as though trying to make up for her answer:
"I am indeed somewhat interested in the world of Magic Users, but I absolutely don't want to become enemies with Touko!"
Her words were exceptionally firm.
Hearing this, her grandfather laughed even more happily. He waved his hand and said:
"Aoko, you may go back."
"Yes... Then I'll be leaving~"
Her irritation grew even stronger, but Aozaki Aoko still bowed politely before turning around and leaving the cave.
"..."
Watching Aozaki Aoko leave, her grandfather remained silent for a while before murmuring emotionlessly, "Become enemies... Aozaki Touko won't become your enemy... The Fifth Magic isn't something she must obtain!"
With that, he turned and walked toward the depths of the cave.
Elsewhere.
Above Einzbern Castle.
A helicopter slowly descended. The airflow stirred by its rotors turned into a violent gale, blowing away the snow on the ground and revealing a smooth, clean landing area.
"..."
Hadon stood some distance away, ignoring the raging wind.
He was waiting for an answer he had known long ago—an answer that could greatly increase the chances of fulfilling the Einzbern Family's long-held wish.
"...Hadon, it's been a long time!"
Aozaki Touko and the others emerged from the helicopter, accompanied by a Phantasmal Beast named Beo.
At that moment, Hadon's gaze locked onto Beo. As if sensing it, Beo turned her head, her childish eyes carrying a hint of wariness.
Then Hadon felt a dangerous aura of death.
"He's not a bad person~"
As if noticing something strange, Aozaki Touko rubbed Beo's head. Beo's wary gaze relaxed, and she once again became a cute and innocent little girl.
"Congratulations on successfully forming a contract with a Phantasmal Beast!"
Hadon praised her. "This is practically a miracle. Aozaki Touko, you truly are an extraordinary existence. Even mastering two kinds of magic at once might not be impossible for you!"
"..."
Hearing this, Aozaki Touko frowned before revealing a helpless smile. "It seems no one throughout history has ever mastered two magics at the same time!"
According to common sense, as the heir to the Fifth Magic, if she won the Holy Grail War in the future, she might truly be able to master both magics. However, the person who would master the Fifth Magic in the future would not be her.
"Something not existing doesn't mean it's impossible."
Hadon answered this way.
As the heir to the Fifth Magic, she would certainly master the Fifth Magic in the future. As long as Aozaki Touko won the Holy Grail War, the Third Magic would also fall into her hands. Mastering two great magics at once was not impossible.
Rather, the possibility was extremely high.
"...Perhaps~"
Aozaki Touko smiled indifferently before asking, "Have any letters for me arrived during this time? According to my estimate, one should have been sent by now!"
"It has already been delivered to your room."
Hadon answered coldly.
"Is that so!"
Aozaki Touko nodded slightly before saying, "I've been traveling for so long, and I'm a little tired now. Forgive my rudeness, but I'll take my leave for the time being!"
"Then I won't disturb you."
Hadon turned and left directly, without the slightest reluctance or hesitation.
He had already seen what he wanted to see, so there was no need to remain here. Besides, he knew that he and Aozaki Touko did not get along very well.
The night deepened.
The fireplace burned with bright yellow flames, radiating comforting warmth.
At that moment, Aozaki Touko sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, reading the letter in her hands word by word. The smile on her face gradually turned solemn.
"Asking whether Aoko is interested in magic...? It seems the time is almost here."
Chapter Sixteen: Catching Kiritsugu's Mother
"...It seems I'll have to work even harder!"
Aozaki Touko chuckled as she sighed. She stood up and walked out of the room. The letter in her hand was tossed into the air, where it suddenly caught fire and burned away completely.
She still had plenty of research left unfinished, especially the creation of the Rose Maidens. It had now reached a crucial stage.
She believed that before long, the prototypes of all the Rose Maidens would be completed.
The capital of Germany, Berlin.
The werewolves who had emerged from the primeval forest stepped off the plane and followed a silver-haired, red-eyed man into a line of cars that had been waiting for them.
Then, under the curious gazes of the people at the airport, the convoy slowly drove toward the city center.
"...Can you explain our mission in detail?"
Looking at the skyscrapers outside the window, the werewolf leader named Hart turned his head toward the strange-smelling man. "At the very least, give us a general idea, so we won't be like headless flies when the time comes!"
"It shouldn't be difficult for you."
The Android from the Einzbern Family spoke in an elegant, calm tone. "The place you're going to belongs to a pharmaceutical company under Miss Aozaki, named 'Umbrella.'"
Before you continue