Became the Glorious Owner

"I'm not! I didn't!"

Li Mo spoke with righteous indignation, declaring that he absolutely had no improper intentions.

Although Touko currently had her girlish charm maxed out, although the future Touko would have her intellectual charm maxed out, although Touko's beauty was maxed out no matter when!

But I, Li Mo, am not that kind of person!

As a virtuous and ambitious model youth, Li Mo felt that he should not be bewitched by beauty and throw himself headfirst into the bottomless pit that was Touko, abandoning all those many future wives who had once existed only as 2D characters to him!

All right, that was the real reason behind Li Mo's vehement denial!

But since I, Li Mo, had come to this world, I would never again let Sakura fall into suffering, never again let that cowlick fall into confusion, and more importantly, never again let a certain tsundere meet a certain unknown man dressed in red!

With that thought in mind, Li Mo painfully opened his mouth. "If possible, I hope you can teach me Puppet Magecraft!"

Huh?

The dazed Touko finally reacted. Staring blankly at Li Mo, she said, "Y-you're also...?"

"That's right!" Li Mo dipped his head and bent sharply at the waist. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. Li Mo, disciple of Lord Britisang of the Clock Tower's Department of Lore."

Huh? A Lord's disciple?

Touko was even more confused. Since he was a Lord's disciple, why did he need to learn Puppet Magecraft from her?

Well, perhaps she still had no idea what her extraordinary Puppet Magecraft truly represented. Maybe it was because her other personality had not yet appeared?

Li Mo looked her over and noticed that Touko was not wearing glasses yet.

That opened up many possibilities. Perhaps the glasses that changed her personality had not yet been made? Or perhaps that shrewd and composed personality had yet to split off?

That was right. The saying that most Magi were madmen did not exist for nothing, and Touko Aozaki was no exception. The future her would have two distinct personalities.

One was gentle and sweet, while the other was calm and persistent. With the glasses on her head acting as a switch, she could shift back and forth between the two personalities.

Thinking of this, Li Mo felt a little regretful. Had he been too absolute in declaring so firmly that he had no interest in her?

If he won over this ditzy innocent girl now, then once she split into two personalities in the future, wouldn't marrying one wife be the same as marrying two?

1 = 2. Having the best of both worlds would be that easy. Wouldn't that be wonderful!

"Li Mo? Li Mo?" Touko's voice pulled Li Mo back to reality. She kept patting his shoulder with an anxious look on her face and said blankly, "Oh no, Li Mo hasn't gone stupid, has he?"

"You're the stupid one," Li Mo said irritably as he brushed Touko's hand aside and set his thoughts straight.

Touko, however, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Her two dimples appeared as she foolishly said, "I was talking to you, but you didn't answer. I patted your shoulder, but you didn't react. Didn't you look just like you'd gone stupid?"

Li Mo rubbed his forehead. All right, he just didn't know which of them was the stupid one...

Why was the shrewd and capable Touko Aozaki from The Garden of Sinners such a ditzy innocent girl now? Just how had she become like that in the future?

The Clock Tower really could change a person. Lord Britisang had not deceived him!

Feeling that the topic had drifted off course, Li Mo's expression turned serious. He decided he needed to make an effort to steer it back.

"Let's get straight to it. Are you teaching me Puppet Magecraft or not?"

Touko blinked her big eyes, then looked at Li Mo with a puzzled expression. "Didn't I already say it? If you feed me, I'll teach you."

She had already said that? All right, Li Mo admitted that he had merely been distracted, definitely not immersed in some indescribable fantasy.

Still, teaching him in exchange for meals was a rather strange request...

Li Mo thought about it, then swept a suspicious gaze over Touko. "You don't... eat that much every meal, do you?"

After all, he had just taken Touko through the entirety of Chinatown to eat!

Touko's face reddened. Puffing up her cheeks, she pretended to be fierce. "No! I was already full ages ago. You were the one who insisted on dragging me around to eat!"

All right, all right. Whatever you say~

The two reached an agreement, and in the days that followed, Li Mo gloriously became Touko's feeder, responsible for her three daily meals at the Clock Tower...

Ordinarily, the story should have ended there. Li Mo thought it should have ended there too.

However, "No wonder you were able to counsel me about so much. Compared to me, you're the real veteran among women!"

"Merlin, get the hell out here!!!"

That was how Li Mo met Touko Aozaki, the future Grand Puppeteer. Whenever he recalled it in the future, he would let out pig-like snorts of laughter.

"Oink oink~"

"I never expected it, Li Mo. In less than half a year, you've already progressed this far." Within a vine-covered castle, a low voice slowly echoed behind Li Mo.

"Who is it?!" Li Mo was startled. He spun around, his hands instinctively preparing magecraft that could be cast instantly.

"Professor Kayneth? Why are you here?" Li Mo exclaimed. He had not expected to run into Director Ken here, especially since he had attended the Lord's class just a few days ago.

Kayneth remained silent. Several pools of silvery-white fluid floated around him, his gaze deep and his expression complicated. "Charlotte Van Lau is my prey. Why do you think I'm here?"

Li Mo froze. Had the mission been duplicated?

That was right. Though rare, before the Mage Association introduced computerized administration, it was still possible for duplicate missions like this to occur.

But why had it happened to a newbie like Li Mo?

Li Mo did not dare think about it.

"The New Year's almost here. Things haven't been easy for anyone. Professor Kayneth, I can give up what you want. How about that?" Li Mo said aloud, but he did not lower his guard in secret, and the magecraft gesture in his hand remained poised.

Kayneth snorted and said arrogantly, "You don't need to worry about me making a move against you. Although we're not at the Clock Tower right now, you, Li Mo, are still considered my student.

"Besides, I, Kayneth, am not someone so easily manipulated. I won't go along with those people's wishes."

Li Mo froze. What did that mean?

What did he mean by going along with those people's wishes? Could there be some other hidden reason behind this duplicated mission?

But Kayneth offered no explanation. With his pride, explaining himself to Li Mo would have been a joke.

Not to mention that Li Mo was merely a newcomer who had entered the world of Magi less than half a year ago. As for Kayneth himself, though those old fools looked down on him, he was still a genius and a Lord of the Clock Tower, wasn't he?

Was attacking Li Mo really something a dignified Lord like him would do?

"I don't care what you take, but Charlotte's Magecraft Notes are mine!"

Kayneth's tone remained arrogant, but Li Mo could not help letting out a sigh of relief. Patting his chest, he said, "You should've said so earlier. Professor Kayneth, please, take them. I thought you were going to snatch my high-ranking spirit body."

It was really great that they did not have to fight!

Although Li Mo possessed abundant mana—so much that even Brishisan admitted he could not compare—that was only because Brishisan had gone easy on his disciple.

Leaving aside Kayneth's magecraft attainments, honed over many years, Li Mo did not dare claim he could definitely break through the several pools of silver-white, ever-flowing substance floating around him.

Mage's Garb: Moonlit Spirit Marrow. Kayneth's crowning masterpiece, something that gave him enough pride to last a lifetime, and also one of the highest-tier five-star Mystic Codes in a game from Li Mo's previous world!

Though it looked like nothing more than a puddle that could be easily dealt with, its defenses had, so far, only been breached by the Origin Bullet Kiritsugu Emiya made from his own ribs!

Of course, Li Mo's Mana Burst could do it too—but would Kayneth give him that much time to prepare?

Kayneth's pride would not allow him to lie, so Li Mo truly lowered his guard now.

After all, the two of them were not after the same thing!

"The Magecraft Notes are still on him. Professor Kayneth, help yourself!"

This humble one will head back and cook first!