Bab 165: Chapter 165: Touko Aozaki (Part 2)
Indeed, as Touko said, this place is only a temporary residence, not a workshop.
The room is arranged very simply. Apart from some necessary living facilities, only a few large boxes are emitting magical fluctuations, which speak of the uniqueness of the room's owner. The only refreshments offered to guests are instant coffee and plain water. Touko's life is not affluent.
However, this does not mean that Touko has a low income. Touko earns a considerable amount of money. Each of the puppets she creates is of significant value. For example, in the "Heaven's Feel" route of "Fate/Stay Night," the blank puppet that serves as the vessel for Emiya Shirou's soul requires selling all of the Matou family's book collection to afford. Justeaze once evaluated the value of the family book collection, and it was worth at least eight digits in USD, giving a glimpse of its worth.
The reason for Touko's simple lifestyle is not because she is stingy or lacks material pursuits. It is because her expenses exceed her income by an exaggerated amount. Touko is the type of person who wants to buy rare and peculiar items whenever she sees them. She often acts impulsively and purchases things at prices that do not match their actual value. This results in her constantly being in a financial deficit. Just two days before Shinji arrived in Mifune City, Touko had spent all of Kenneth's exorbitant medical fees. She is currently penniless and preparing to take on some commissions to earn a living.
Therefore, the first thing Touko says to Shinji after entering the house is, "I happen to be tight on funds, so I'll take any available commissions. As a gesture for the 'Dragon Smoke,' I'll give a discount on the commission fee."
"Well, that's great. This commission of mine is quite troublesome, and I was afraid you wouldn't be willing to accept it."
"What kind of commission?"
"Naturally, as a 'Grand Magus' puppeteer, I need you to create a puppet."
Touko took a deep drag from her cigarette and forcefully extinguished the butt. "A custom order?"
"That's right," Shinji waved his hand, dispersing the smoke that wafted towards him.
"What are the requirements?"
"Sign this first."
Shinji pulled out a roll of parchment from his bag and opened it in front of Touko. Touko glanced at it, and her slender eyebrows raised.
"A Contract of Geis?"
"That's correct."
"Forced confidentiality, no breach of contract... Are you doubting my professional ethics?"
Shinji remained calm and indifferent as he replied, "Both you and I know that magus are realists. The so-called professional ethics are merely chips that we abandon when the stakes aren't high enough."
"...," Touko was left speechless. Although the words were harsh, they exposed the essence of magus.
"If you are willing to sign, regardless of whether you accept the commission or not, we are willing to offer a compensation of 500,000 yen as an apology."
Since Touko needed money, Shinji decided to use money as a lure before arriving in Mifune City. He had already obtained authorization to access an amount close to nine digits in yen, with half of it coming from the Matou family's funds and the other half from Emiya Kiritsugu's assets.
"You're well-prepared," Touko remarked as she took off her glasses. Her intellectual demeanor instantly turned icy, creating a stark contrast.
"Because it's a matter of great importance, I dare not be unprepared," Shinji remained unfazed. He had long been aware of Touko's dual personality. The white-collar image with glasses was one side, while the ice-cold beauty without glasses was another.
"The money," Touko said bluntly, extending her hand.
"Here it is," Shinji handed her the bag directly, which contained a stack of 10,000-yen bills.
Touko casually cut her finger and used her blood to sign her name at the end of the parchment.
"Now, can you tell me?" she asked.
"Custom-made puppets, two in quantity. Their purpose is to serve as vessels for souls that have lost their physical bodies. The requirement is that they must not cause any harm to the soul and should resemble the original bodies as closely as possible."
Although it was only a brief description of two sentences, the information conveyed within them shocked Touko.
"Based on the reconstruction of the physical body from the soul, and for souls that have already lost their bodies, does this mean... you have a complete soul preservation technique?"
"Sort of. It's complicated to explain in detail. Since the Contract of Geis has taken effect, I'll let you directly meet one of the clients," Shinji replied. "Her name is Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern."
As Shinji called out, golden and pure white spiritual particles materialized, weaving together to form the figure of the "Winter Maiden."
"This, this is..." Despite her icy demeanor, Touko displayed immense shock.
"Although I already sensed the presence of a spiritual entity in you, but... this is an interference phenomenon with matter? No, it's an actual entity!!! Could it be..." Touko's voice trailed off.
"That's right," Shinji said, enjoying Touko's astonished expression. He snapped his fingers. "This is a miracle that magecraft cannot achieve: the materialization of the soul."
"The Third... Magic," Touko's voice suddenly became much softer. "So this young lady is a user of the Third Magic?"
"I wouldn't dare to be called a user of magic. My Third Magic is not complete, otherwise I wouldn't have asked Miss Touko to create a physical body for me," Justeaze naturally sat down beside Shinji.
Touko nodded thoughtfully. "I see... that's why it needs to be kept confidential. But... magic... magic, huh... magic..."
Three different tones, three sighs, not for anyone else, only for herself.
Almost the entire world of magecraft knew that the Aozaki family, despite being labeled as heretics by the Mage's Association, was a true "magic" family, inheriting the Fifth Magic, with the successors known as the Fifth Magic users.
The previous Fifth Magic user was Touko's grandfather. Since birth, Touko has carried the burden of being a genius and was recognized as the successor of the Aozaki family, bearing the title of "Blue" and nurtured accordingly. However, just when the entire mystical world believed that Touko would become a family head, her grandfather suddenly designated her younger sister, Aoko Aozaki, who had far inferior magical aptitude, as the heir. This led to a rupture in the once-good relationship between the sisters. Touko left the Aozaki family, and this is how the stories of "The Garden of Sinners" and "Fate/Stay Night" came to be.
It can be said that throughout her growth, Touko was constantly overshadowed by the shadow of magic. Ironically, during the eighteen years she was being raised as a Magi, she never met a magus other than her grandfather. Instead, after losing the right to inherit the magic, individuals related to the Third Magic came into her life.
In a daze, Touko lit another cigarette but didn't smoke it. She let the tobacco burn quietly until it scorched her index finger, and then she softly exclaimed, "Ah," and flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray. Somewhat embarrassed, she said, "Sorry, I got distracted."
"It's alright, I understand. If you're not in the mood today, we can come back tomorrow," Shinji, who knew the situation, certainly didn't mind Touko's "neglect."
"No need, I can give you an answer now. I accept your commission. Now, let's talk about the compensation. Custom-made dolls are not cheap," Touko said, putting her glasses back on. The white-collar mode was more suitable for business negotiations.
P.S.: In the "Paradox Spiral" chapter of "The Garden of Sinners," the day after Touko receives a deposit of 1.2 million yen, she spends all her money on buying the "Victorian-era Witch's Summoning Bell." Not only did she fail to pay Shiki's salary, but she also had to borrow money from Shiki to get by.
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