Rin opened the scroll in her hands and couldn't help but sigh silently for Aozaki Touko. This scroll was the crystallization of Aozaki Touko's life's work and effort, even including Touko's breakthroughs in the "human-like puppet" technology that made her famous.
In the not-too-distant future, in the process of pursuing the archetype of the physical body, she inadvertently discovered the technique of creating puppets identical to herself. This transcended the absolute law left from the golden age of Magecraft in the Middle Ages: "Even if a puppet superior to humans can be created, it is impossible to create one identical to a human."
Touko therefore had the thought, "With this, won't I no longer need my current self?" Thus, she always kept a dormant version of herself ready. Once the living Touko died, her memories would transfer to the prepared body and awaken. The awakened Touko would then create an active body and then enter dormancy again.
Although Touko herself couldn't determine which was the original body, because they were identical and only one Touko would be active at any given time, she cited the "Schrödinger's Cat" paradox: although each self might be a creation, since there was no way to differentiate, each Touko was real.
From a certain perspective, this technology was the realization of humanity's age-old goal of immortality, constantly creating puppets identical to oneself at their peak and continuously replacing bodies. During body transfer, memories, knowledge, and Magic Circuits would all be completely preserved, countless times more perfect than Matou Zouken's method of taking over others' bodies, truly achieving the method of immortality.
Touko was clearly making arrangements for after her death. She didn't want her life's hard work to vanish with her passing, and Aoko was clearly unable to inherit the delicate Magical techniques of puppetry. Alice would not choose any path other than the Shard of the First Magic. Touko placed her greatest trust in Rin, with whom she felt an immediate kinship, entrusting her life's efforts to her.
I remember I also promised Shizuki Soujuurou an arm. I originally planned to ask for it later, or buy him a Magical prosthetic arm from Touko. I never thought the world's best puppet-making technology would arrive uninvited like this.
Rin carefully put away the scroll into her Magical pocket, then looked up at the lonely grave before her. After a moment of contemplation, Rin turned and left. At least there was nothing left to find here.
According to Touko's description, the Old Magician Aozaki was cremated into ashes immediately after his death. Although she didn't attend the funeral, she watched him being cremated and interred in a casket the entire time.
Undoubtedly, the previous aozaki was as dead as could be. But Rin didn't know why, after talking with the Old Magician Aozaki and learning more about the truth of things, Rin increasingly felt that someone was hiding behind the scenes, observing the development of all events, and the biggest suspect was still the previous Old Magician Aozaki.
But where was he? Without a body, even a Dead Apostle couldn't be formed, and he himself wasn't a Puppet Master, so body replacement was impossible. And in this modern era where Phantasmal Species are almost extinct, it's impossible for an existence like a ghost to be generated.
So if it really was Old Magician Aozaki manipulating everything, where was he hiding?
Finally, Rin, whose head was aching from this question, shook her head and decided not to think about it. Finding a way to solve the problem between the aozaki sisters was the right thing to do, and there really was no good solution at the moment, so she could only take it one step at a time according to how things unfolded.
The so-called plot had already completely spiraled out of control the moment I met Shizuki Soujuurou. Now that Alice had become Touko's target, who knew how many more unexpected changes would occur.
It was at times like these that Rin sighed even more at her powerlessness and weakness. The more she understood the current situation, the more helpless Rin felt, because there was simply no room to intervene between these two sisters.
If I had the strength of a Grand-level Magus, I... forget it, fantasizing is meaningless. Let's go back, I'm hungry.
By the time she returned to Misaki City, the rain had already lessened, becoming a light drizzle about to stop. Rin had taken the day off from work today, so she naturally had to sort out lunch herself. Thus, Rin was currently looking left and right among the shops on the street, preparing to find a place to solve her hunger.
Just as Rin was still indecisively searching, she suddenly heard a shout. Although it wasn't her name being called, she could tell it was directed at her.
"Hey! Little delivery girl with the perverted-level gaze!"
I didn't even need to turn around; I knew who it was... Rin turned and darted in front of Aoko, grabbed her, and pulled her into a nearby alley. She turned back and said irritably, "I said, can't you have a little awareness as someone from the mystical side? Even if what you're shouting would just make most people think you're a chuunibyou teenager, do you know how many mystical rats there are in this city?! My Fifth Magus trainee, Miss Aozaki Aoko!"
Aozaki Aoko, dressed in her school uniform, waved her hand dismissively at Rin, "Relax, relax. Why are you acting just like Alice?"
"Thank you, that's a basic quality a Magus from the mystical side must possess."
"Oh, you really are just like Alice, always lecturing. I saw you looking around on the street just now, were you thinking about where to eat?"
"Mm."
"Then it's perfect, let's go together! I'm planning to feast at Great Capital BBQ. Why don't you come too? That restaurant's grilled meat is amazing! The various grilled meats, marinated with a secret recipe, whether medium-rare, well-done, or rare, unless a completely clueless airhead burns the meat, it's absolutely beyond amazing."
"Eh? Eat grilled meat?"
"That's right, let's go together. It's not far, come with me, my treat!" Aoko suddenly became generous?
"I can eat a lot, be careful or I'll eat up all your living expenses in one go!"
"Don't worry, it's a buffet restaurant."
"..."
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