Aozaki Aoko Case File

The Aozaki sisters, now clad in stylish winter attire, were driving an off-road vehicle along the Rhine River. They had been in Europe for three days, and somehow, news of their arrival had leaked. This resulted in over ten attacks from European magus and mercenaries (some of whom were also magecraft users). Word had spread about Aoko's rampage at the Mage's Association.

But why would these people dare to come after her, knowing she was a Magician?

"How's our navigation?"

Aoko asked her sister, Touko, who was poring over a map in the passenger seat, her hand steady on the steering wheel.

"'In a forested mountainous area near a river in Germany, where it snows year-round,'" Touko replied, quoting the information they'd gathered. She circled a spot on the map with a marker and said, "If this intel is correct, the Einzbern workshop should be somewhere in this forest. We're about ten minutes from where we'll need to park."

Aoko nodded, adjusted their course slightly, and drove toward their destination.

The Einzbern castle lay deeper in the forest. Its inhabitants, homunculi who rarely ventured out, didn't require conventional transport. A single narrow path connected the forest to the outside world. Supplies for the workshop's operations were transported by special autonomous dolls, making the path unsuitable for vehicles.

Reaching a high clearing on the forest's edge, the sisters parked their off-road vehicle and stepped out. Aoko fetched a telescope from the trunk and peered into the forest's depths, while Touko drew rune symbols with cloaking properties onto the vehicle.

"There's a massive bounded field ahead; I can't see inside," Aoko said, pointing toward the forest's center.

"Let's prepare to enter from above."

With that, Aoko used flight arcane magic, carrying Touko with her, and ascended above the hemisphere-shaped barrier surrounding the Einzbern territory.

Once above the bounded field, Aoko adjusted Touko onto her shoulder to free up one hand. After calculating their position relative to the bounded field, Aoko began casting a spell with one hand, creating a portal to bypass the bounded field entirely. She avoided breaking the bounded field because, once everything was settled, this place would belong to the Aozaki family. Damaging their future assets wouldn't be wise.

"Can't you carry me like a normal person?"

Touko complained indignantly, squirming on Aoko's shoulder, her little butt uncomfortably close to Aoko's hand.

Aoko patted Touko's bottom lightly, eliciting a sound she hadn't expected. It seemed thermal tights made a unique noise when smacked.

Touko began trembling, on the verge of an outburst, forcing Aoko to quickly shift to a more conventional princess carry.

"Look," Aoko said, changing the subject, "that should be the Einzbern castle, the Winter Castle. It's quite grand, isn't it?"

"Hmph!"

Touko huffed, still irritated.

"It does look big. These homunculi are surprisingly wealthy!"

"Well, they are from the family of the Third Magic user," Aoko said with mock seriousness.

"Besides, they've had plenty of benefactors transferring funds to them over the years. It'd be odd if they weren't rich."

"…So, are you saying my chance to acquire the Third Magic lies with the Einzbern?"

Touko asked hesitantly.

"To be precise, you're already close to the Third Magic, sister," Aoko replied as they flew.

"The misunderstanding about the Third Magic stems from its previous user."

"What do you mean by that?"

Touko frowned, staring at Aoko.

"When did I have anything to do with the Third Magic?"

"When I first acquired the Fifth Magic Crest, it wasn't complete," Aoko explained.

Touko nodded, remembering her initial plan to defeat Aoko and take the Magic Crest back for herself.

"Even our grandfather, who was a magician, didn't fully grasp the Fifth Magic," Aoko continued.

"If he had, the path to the Root would have been closed."

"Wait, are you saying…"

Touko caught on, her interest piqued.

"But that doesn't make sense. The Third Magic was designed as a means to reach the Root. It should be complete, shouldn't it?"

"The Third Magic user only completed part of the Third Magic and then reached the outside of the world," Aoko said.

"According to my research, the Third Magic likely has three components: soul materialization, soul replication, and soul transfer."

"People in the past have managed soul transfer," Aoko added.

"But they usually relied on internal devices or created vessels to 'compress' the soul. That's hardly true soul transfer."

"And your work with creating perfect replicas," Aoko said, giving Touko a meaningful glance, "is essentially soul replication. You've dismantled, reconstructed, and digitized your sense of self, haven't you?"

"Yes, so what?"

Touko said confidently.

"You don't think that means I'm not me, do you?"

"That's just baseless worry from ordinary people," Touko scoffed, grinning smugly like a mischievous child.

"No, I think it's impressive," Aoko said earnestly.

"Unlike me, inheriting family assets, you've nearly reached the height of Magic on your own. You deserve praise!"

"So, you're saying my method of soul replication is, in a sense, close to soul materialization?"

Touko asked, her tone brimming with pride.

"Exactly," Aoko said.

"If you can infinitely replicate your soul, how different is that from a materialized, eternal soul? It's all the same to me."

"That's why I'll use your technology as a stepping stone to claim the Einzbern legacy…"

Aoko's tone turned ominous.

"That sounds suspiciously like the mindset of a traditional magus, Aoko," Touko said mockingly, wiping away fake tears.

"As your sister, I'm so proud."

"I've never claimed to be a normal person, but I'm no traditional magus either," Aoko replied.

"Also, I have a different perspective on our 'sisterly' relationship…"