Magical User Aozaki Aoko Case Files Chapter 168

On the third day of the new year, in the science department building of the University of Tokyo.

Aoko went back to the university specifically to greet her professor and explain that she might not be able to return to school for a while due to her upcoming activities.

“No problem at all!” the professor said with a smile, “Aoko, your previous research work was outstanding. I’ll help you cover for your attendance!”

“…Isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to say that given your position?” Aoko said to the professor tactfully.

“For capable people, the more freedom they are given, the better. That’s my teaching philosophy!” the professor said seriously, “So, this lady, is she your sister, Aoko?”

“This is Touko,” Aoko introduced, “She majored in… architecture in London and just recently returned to Japan. She’s not too familiar with the situation here.”

“Hello,” Touko, in a very professional manner, shook hands with the professor and handed him her business card, “My sister, Aoko, has been under your care.”

Touko, you really became more ambitious after becoming a Magus.

“Graduated from Cambridge University, Department of Architecture?” The professor raised his eyebrows and praised, “Both of you sisters are outstanding. I really envy your parents.”

“Ah, our parents basically let us do our own thing,” Aoko said, “Our development has been quite free.”

“Truly open-minded parents,” the professor exclaimed, “There are too few people like that in Japan nowadays. They always stick to the rules, and too many geniuses are buried.”

After chatting with the professor for a while and leaving, Aoko took Touko for a walk around the University of Tokyo campus.

“Touko, you rascal, your Cambridge degree isn’t fake, is it?” Aoko asked suspiciously.

“How could it be!” Touko said indignantly, “Of course, this genius’s degree is real, but I didn’t attend many classes; I just showed up for all the exams~”

“Isn’t that still cheating…”

“How can you call what a Magus does cheating!” Touko said, “As long as I have the knowledge of the corresponding level, isn’t that enough? A degree is just a certificate!”

“Alright, alright, I understand…” Aoko appeased, “So, Touko-sama, do you have any presentable architectural works?”

“…”

—Separation Line—

Around three o’clock in the afternoon, Aoko and Touko used teleportation to arrive in front of a restaurant in the Souya district.

Aoko reconfirmed the address the woman from the Church had just given her, then looked up at the sign that read “CoCo Ichibanya,” feeling a sense of doubt, “Did I come to the wrong place?”

Originally, the woman had said Aoko should meet her at the Church, but when Aoko called her a second time, she suddenly said, “How about we talk over a meal?”

Then, she gave Aoko an address, and only after arriving at the address did Aoko realize it was a curry rice specialty shop.

“Ah, over here, over here!”

A young girl in a high school uniform, with short blue hair and glasses, ran out of the shop and greeted the Aozaki sisters.

Although this person seemed to be dressed entirely in Japanese attire and enjoyed eating curry rice, she was undoubtedly a European Caucasian. As for why her hair was blue? Aoko’s hair was red, after all!

Aoko and Touko exchanged glances, somewhat speechless at the strange behavior of this Executor from the Holy Church. Was she suppressed for too long as a clergy member and now indulging herself after coming out?

The Aozaki sisters followed this “high school girl” and sat down at a table near the corner of the shop. The staff immediately brought menus, and the blue-haired girl excitedly began to order.

“…”

Aoko and Touko were a bit speechless, but they hadn’t had lunch either. Since things had come to this, eating curry rice here wasn’t a bad idea.

“I say… do your Burial Agency members usually have ‘pretending to be high school students’ as a hobby?” Aoko whispered, “Though this outfit really suits you.”

“Ahaha, thanks for the compliment~” the blue-haired girl scratched her head in embarrassment and said, “But we can talk about serious matters when we get to the Church, can we eat first?”

The Curry Demon lived up to her name; for the sake of eating curry, she could even postpone the serious matters entrusted by the Church.

The Japanese curry at this shop was indeed delicious; at least, Aoko preferred this localized style over authentic Indian curry.

Ciel ordered a super spicy chicken curry rice and ate it with sweat pouring down, yet showed no sign of wanting to stop, always giving the impression of bravely fighting on a battlefield.

In reality, among the three present, only Touko’s curry rice was a non-spicy variety. Aoko’s tolerance for spicy food was on a different level than the other two, so she appeared completely unfazed.

“Oh, curry rice is truly a great invention!” the blue-haired girl said with emotion after wiping her mouth, “I’ve been coming to this shop every day recently~”

“You really love curry,” Aoko said with emotion, “You’re quite different from the Church personnel I’ve met before.”

“Is that so?” Aoko always felt that the girl in front of her was feigning ignorance. “Perhaps our departments are different~”

“Is the Burial Agency that friendly?” Touko teased, “This is the first time I’ve heard of it, Miss Elesia.”

“…” The blue-haired girl’s smile stiffened for a moment but she maintained it, “I didn’t expect two Magi to even know about a small fry like me.”

“That’s how we Magi are,” Aoko wiggled her finger, “So, please try to be as honest as possible when we talk; that way, we’ll have a good outcome.”

Touko didn’t say much beside her, merely taking off her glasses to exert a little pressure on the blue-haired girl.

“…Alright,” the blue-haired girl sighed, her curry plate completely clean, showing how much she truly loved the food. “Please follow me, both of you. We’ll discuss everything in detail once we reach the Church.”

—Separation Line—

Not long after the three walked out of the restaurant, a small car stopped in front of them. The driver appeared to be a woman in her early twenties, with a side ponytail and hair a slightly lighter wine red than Touko’s. She had a subtle beauty mark at the corner of her mouth, making her a pretty, though not exceptionally beautiful, woman.

“This is my junior,” the blue-haired girl introduced, “She’s an assistant for this operation. Please get in, both of you.”

Aoko nodded at the somewhat reserved woman and, without hesitation, got into the car with Touko.

After about twenty minutes of driving, the car stopped in front of a church located in the suburbs of Souya City. The church appeared deserted, not looking like a place frequently visited by believers.

Upon arriving at the church’s chapel, the assistant closed the chapel door and then stood obediently to the side, saying nothing.

“Although you both know my former name, for now, please call me Ciel,” the blue-haired girl, Ciel, said. “Next, I will explain why I invited both of you.”

Aoko assumed a “please begin your performance” posture, looking at Ciel.

“…Actually, inviting both of you was a decision I made privately,” Ciel took a deep breath and said, “Our two goals are not actually any ‘Ancestor,’ but we realized that without resolving the ‘Ancestor’s’ interference, we wouldn’t be able to easily hunt our original target.”