Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

Page 223

【"yes."】

Regina finally spoke.

Chapter 193: The Mad Maio, Aozaki Touko's Backup Plan

[Regina: "As twins, I can convey emotions and thoughts to some extent. But Karina's consciousness before her death conveyed to me..."]

[She said, "Save Mio."]

Rin Tohsaka: "...What kind of development is this?"

Lion Jie Li: "Hahaha, this is what they call love."

Liu Daolingxia: "I will dedicate everything for the one I love."

Leticia: "Such an effort is completely meaningless."

Everyone: "..."

[Regina: "Maio has only ever looked at Tiadea since he was little, and Karina has only ever looked at Mao, so we've decided to protect Mao, and that's all."]

Is it love?

However, what Maio must have seen was only Tiadea's beauty. That's why, when he heard about Karina's transformation, he naively rejoiced at the Golden Princess's rebirth.

Even so, did Karina ever have feelings for him?

Love is truly an incomprehensible thing.

[Aozaki Touko: "If I just asked, she might be willing to die."]

Weber: "What could have been perfectly resolved by simply talking things out has resulted in the current situation due to a moment of impulsiveness."

Fiore: "Hmph, I think even if we did it again, the result would be the same."

"I would also like to ask Lord Baruyeleta a question."

[The Second King said in a low voice, "Putting aside the plastic surgery, you should also know about Izeluma's transformation, at least you should know that the Golden Princess who attended the first public appearance gathering was an imposter, right?"]

"...Heh, who knows?"

Inole shrugged.

"I anticipated this situation. The Izeruma family has performed very well, but it will take several generations to produce results. Given the rumors that their research has suddenly skipped several stages and yielded fruitful results, with even my clumsy disciple making occasional appearances, it's quite predictable."

[King II: "So you let Atram do whatever he wanted, trying to find something on Izeluma."]

[Inole: "That's exactly it."]

Ilya: "I thought they were all on the first layer, but it turns out they're all in the atmosphere."

Kiritsugu Emiya: "Don't underestimate the higher-ups in this magician's world. If they didn't have enough resources, they would have been devoured long ago, leaving not even bones behind."

"I have a question too."

[Aozaki Touko looked at Inola and said, "I've always wanted to ask Inola-sensei, what were your thoughts when I was assigned the sealing order?"]

[Enolai: "I think this decision is correct. You are one of the most suitable magicians in the modern era for sealing the designated magician."]

"When everyone around me asked for my opinion, I strongly recommended you, saying that Orange Aozaki and her magic circuits should be preserved forever deep within the Bureau of Arcane Tribunals, and that this must be done."

"I've thought it would probably be like this."

Aozaki Touko shrugged, then suddenly noticed strange plant roots sprouting from her body near her chest.

Rin Tohsaka: "Huh? What is that?"

Lion's Robbery: "A plant growing from within my body, could it be...!"

Kenneth: "Hmph, I really underestimated this kid. I didn't expect him to be so cunning."

"Got it!"

[Mio, who looked haggard within minutes, suddenly became excited, a pill between his fingers.]

[Aozaki Touko: "Ah, is it medicine?"]

[It seems the memory-inhibiting medication I took earlier has other effects.]

[That's most likely a plant seed that, when she smells another drug mixed in the air, will use her body as a seedbed and grow rapidly.]

【"Hahaha!"】

[Maio laughed loudly: "What are Grand-ranked magicians! That kind of thing is meaningless! The only meaningful one is her! The only meaningful one is the end of my and Izeluma's dream! Am I right, Lord Byron!"]

"McDonald, McDonald..."

[Byron was also somewhat caught up in the rapidly changing situation; it seemed he truly was unaware of this matter.]

"Just one more time, just one more time, and that'll be enough!"

[Maio turned to face his two childhood friends and roared, "For me, have her get plastic surgery again! The Silver Princess too! Regina too! Slice them to pieces!"]

The kind but timid pharmacist has vanished, leaving behind a madman driven to madness.

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Did they drug the Grand Master?"

Gold: "He probably hadn't killed Karina yet at that time, how could he..."

Danic: "Heh, this is the real him."

Weber: "This guy really kept it a secret. I really thought he was harmless."

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "But he doesn't really think that he's controlled a Grand rank just like that."

Feng Xi: "If Heaven wishes someone to perish, it will first make them go mad."

"Otherwise, I'll lose my life, won't I?"

Despite the life-threatening situation, Aozaki Touko remained completely calm.

[Maio: "Yes! Those roots are connected to your heart, your vital organs, and all your important internal organs. If you try to undo the spell, I'll rip out your internal organs too. Even if you have a superior magical mark, you'll die..."]

"That's not very meaningful. I don't have any magic crests on me anyway, so I'll die easily."

[Aozaki Touko nonchalantly inscribed some kind of writing on the roots that pierced through her body.]

The next moment, the plant roots that pierced through her body crumbled off piece by piece.

[It's a rune.]

However, the puncture wound hadn't been sealed, leaving a fist-sized hole in the torso.

Toosaka Rin: "!!!"

Ilya: "What the hell?! How did they survive like that?!"

Kenneth: "Heh, I've been tricked by this woman again."

Weber: "Teacher, what do you mean?"

Feng Xi: "Haven't you realized yet? This isn't Aozaki Touko's real body at all; it's just a doll."

Everyone: "!!!"

Rin Tohsaka: "This woman is actually a doll!"

Fiore: "This, really, you can't tell at all."

Gold: "There is absolutely no difference between them and real people. This is the skill of a Grand Puppeteer."

Koles: "But the way he talked looked..."

Danic: "Idiot, that's a clone."

Koles: "A clone?"

Danic: "I transferred my consciousness into the doll, while my real body slept somewhere, though I don't know how far away it was."

Avisbro: "This woman's talent is really quite good."

"Is that so? It seems I've been too forgiving of myself for what I've forgotten. Anyway, I think I'll wipe the slate clean here, so I'll just enjoy every moment to the fullest."

[Aozaki Touko muttered, "Honestly, even I think my personality is terrible. Thanks to this, the curtain call will be a bit of a letdown."]

"I don't hold any grudge against Mio, but things have turned out this way, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"Although no one around the Clock Tower has tried to kill me recently because my methods were leaked."

"Oh, is that so? Didn't I tell you about this?"

Just then, a strange crackling sound rang out.

Unlike the sound of air vibrating against the eardrums, this sound was like a scraping sound heard directly by everyone's soul.

"Excuse me, could you please keep this for me?"

Aozaki Touko casually tossed her cigarette case to Inola.

[Inole's expression changed, and she said, "Orange, you..."]

[Aozaki Touko: "Haha, so the teacher knew all along."]

The strange noises around us gradually increased in volume.

No one else knew what the voice was, but Grey did.