"Shinji?"
Touko's surprise on her face had not yet faded when her gaze caught another figure.
A tall man, clad in black, oppressive enough to make it difficult to breathe—startlingly, it was her recently killed classmate.
"Araya!!! How could you—"
"If you want to resolve things, you have to strike with a move that can kill. That's how it is," Souren Araya, who was confronting Shinji, said calmly in a deceptively serene tone. Touko sensed an inexplicable irony in his words.
"I see so that earlier one was a puppet?" Touko looked at the Araya before her and then glanced at the remaining half of the body on the other side, a glimmer of understanding flashing in her eyes.
Araya gave an affirmative answer. "That's right. Although my puppet-making skills are inferior to yours, I possess the techniques of my predecessors. You should be familiar with the name of the Monk, the puppet maker."
The one devoured by the red cat earlier wasn't the true Araya but a puppet that closely resembled him. It was precisely because of the existence of the puppet that Araya didn't rush in for close combat with Touko. This incredibly realistic puppet deceived Touko's eyes, making her believe she had already achieved victory and thus letting her guard down. In the meantime, Araya's true self moved behind Touko and launched a surprise attack.
If it weren't for Shinji's timely intervention, Araya would have dug his claws into Touko's heart, then decapitated her and preserved her consciousness in a container, just as described in the "Spiral of Paradox" chapter 5.
However, it was unclear when Araya had switched places with the puppet, whether it was from the beginning or midway through. This temple was created by him, and anything could happen here.
After answering Touko's question, Araya no longer paid attention to her and instead focused all his attention on the boy who had interrupted his killing blow.
"Shinji Matou."
"It's me, Souren Araya," Shinji nodded, his expression showing no sign of relaxation. Magic power spread throughout his body along his magic circuits, strengthening his body to its current limit.
Souren Araya, empowered by the Hounouden Rokujyuyonshou, was more formidable than any Dead Apostle Shinji had encountered. With the slightest carelessness, he would end up like Touko.
"This time, are you going to stop me again?"
"No, I've come to collect a debt," Shinji shook his head, defying Araya's expectations.
"A debt?"
"You said it yourself, once you achieve your goal, you can grant me the bounded field six realm magecraft."
"I did say that, but I haven't achieved my goal yet," Araya's voice carried a heavy mix of melancholy, sighs, and hateful tones.
"But once you achieve it, you won't be in this world anymore. How will you give it to me?" Shinji countered.
"That's true." The black magus fell into silence for a moment and then made a suggestion. "In that case, let's settle it your way. Let's make a deal. I'll give you my bounded field of six realms on the condition that you no longer interfere."
"That's acceptable—"
"Shinji!"
Touko's dissatisfied voice came from behind, but Shinji waved her off, signaling her not to speak.
"Add one more condition. I want to take Touko with me."
"As long as she promises not to interfere," Araya added to his condition.
"Even if she doesn't agree, I'll watch over her," Shinji answered without hesitation. "As long as we leave the apartment, I'll sign the contract of geis."
"That's acceptable."
With Araya's permission, Shinji maintained a defensive stance while lifting Touko and slowly backing out of the apartment. He stopped in front of the apartment's main entrance and took out a piece of specially treated parchment from his pocket. The parchment already contained pre-written contractual terms.
"Contract of Geis: Target - Shinji Matou
Based on the following conditions, I pledge to become the subject of the prohibition, without any exceptions—"
Using his blood to fill in the content, Shinji signed his name at the end of the document and threw it to Araya standing at the edge of the temple.
Quickly scanning the document to confirm its accuracy, Araya tossed out two scrolls that were thicker than Shinji's thighs.
Shinji glanced briefly at the scrolls and placed them in the backseat of the red Honda. He then put Touko in the passenger seat and finally sat in the driver's seat, skillfully driving away.
Araya glanced at the departing car and turned to walk back into the apartment. He casually glanced at the suitcase left behind by Touko, and it immediately shattered into pieces.
Inside the broken suitcase was a device containing lenses and film. It emitted a "clicking" sound as if it were a functioning projector.
This was the true nature of Touko's familiar—a projection creature created with a projector. Even if the ethereal body reflected in the air was destroyed, as long as the mechanical body continued to operate, it could constantly regenerate, rendering various attacks ineffective.
Araya stared at the projector at his feet, motionless like a statue. He nostalgically recalled his time studying in London.
In the academy, only he and she didn't belong to the group. He pursued the prototype of the soul, while she pursued the prototype of the body. He had been certain that she would be the first to reach the "Origin," and he had even entertained the idea of competing with her to see who would arrive first. He held great affection for her.
But—she gave up. She gave up the goal, even the identity of a magus. She abandoned the past of studying and gaining power for a certain purpose, for salvation, for fulfillment.
At the thought of this, anger filled his heart.
"You have fallen, Touko Aozaki."
◇◇◇
Inside the car, the fallen woman spoke, "Are you not going to care anymore?"
"I don't care anymore. I've signed the documents, so what's there to care about?" Shinji made a turn at the first intersection and entered a spot where he could overlook the Ogawa Apartments.
"Really?" Touko's lips curved into a playful arc, and the orange hue in her eyes almost overflowed. "Don't tell me you just arrived today and happened to save me. I don't believe it's that coincidental, and what about the phone call you made to me?"
"It's true—" Shinji pulled the handbrake and raised his hands in surrender. "—you can see through everything. I'm afraid of you."
"Then you better come clean. When did you have contact with Araya, and why did you start keeping it a secret from me?"
"That's why I hate dealing with smart people."
"Sorry for being smart. If you like idiots, I can introduce you to my sister."
"..."
"Wait, what's with your weird silence?"
"Nothing, I just thought your proposal earlier was lacking in quality and didn't match your usual level of intelligence. I was thinking of how to mock it."
"Is that so?" Touko scrutinized Shinji's changing expressions with a skeptical gaze. "Why do I feel like you're not being sincere? Could it be that you're interested in that idiot?"
"If I say I'm not interested, you definitely won't believe me. After all, that idiot you speak of known as Miss Aoko, the Fourth Magus who wields the Fifth Magic, a human rocket launcher. But my interest is only limited to curiosity."
"Is that so? I still don't think you're telling the truth." Touko remained unconvinced, her gaze as sharp as a razor.
Shinji chuckled, a mix of amusement and resignation. "Do I have to say it—no matter what happens, I'll stand by your side. Although I'm interested in your sister, I'm more interested in you. It's because I like you."
"I'm not a little girl anymore."
Touko leaned back against the leather seat, her skepticism and smile fading away, leaving only a hint of worldly wisdom shaped by time and life's changes. This kind of charm was what Shinji admired the most, especially Touko.
"But I'm still a little boy."
Shinji grinned foolishly, revealing an expression that matched his age, but only in moments like these.
=====
Support Me At Patreon.com/AbsoluteCode