To become a king and a magician

"I'm still a little uneasy. It was my first time going out on a mission and I didn't contribute anything... But since you said so, Mr. Natsukawa, I'm relieved. If the Dean gets angry later, I'll use you as a shield."

Hearing Shion's words, Natsukawa Tiger couldn't help but chuckle.

"Whatever you like."

"OK~~~ Ah, I'm almost ready to get on the bus, so I'll stop here."

“I remember you took a train to Tokyo, then transferred to another train to the airport, and then flew to Egypt, right? That must have been quite a hassle.”

"Well, I guess I'll have to go now. See you later, Mr. Natsukawa, Ms. Hiel, Ayaka, and Touko-senpai."

After saying that, Ziyuan quickly followed the flow of people into the station.

Watching her from behind until she was out of sight, Aozaki Touko stubbed out her cigarette: "What an energetic young woman."

"Miss Orange, you sound old when you say that."

"I'm still young."

After giving a sarcastic retort to Ayaka Sajou, Touko Aozaki patted Torata Natsukawa on the back and said, "Well then, I should probably be going too."

"Huh?"

This sudden remark left Xia Chuanhu and his two companions stunned.

Is Aozaki Touko leaving too?

Why so suddenly?

“Really? I think it’s a perfectly timed farewell,” Aozaki Touko laughed. “Otherwise, why do you think I came here with you? Even though it’s to say goodbye to that little girl, I also bought a ticket, and it’s the next train.”

"I originally returned to Misaki City for that dead disciple Tatari, but now that you've taken care of Tatari, I have no reason to stay any longer, right?"

Aozaki Touko's casual words surprised Natsukawa Torama and the others, but considering her personality, it wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, the Aozaki sisters were alike; they couldn't stay in one place forever and would always disappear unexpectedly.

It's already quite remarkable that they're still saying they're leaving now.

Xia Chuanhu took his phone out of his pocket and waved it: "I know, but at least give me your phone number before you leave, so that it won't be like the past two years, where I can't reach you when I want to."

"It's no good for you to come to me... Well, that's fine too, at least I can occasionally mooch a meal from you."

After entering her phone number into Natsukawa Tora's phone, Aozaki Touko reached out and vigorously rubbed his head: "Then I'm leaving. Like Shion, see you later if there's a chance. Hiel, Ayaka, Tora."

Looking again at Aozaki Touko's figure, now lost in the crowd, Natsukawa Torama touched his hair: "Really... why are you suddenly touching my hair? Do you think I'm still a child?"

“In a sense, that is true,” Hiel laughed. “Now that Shion and Aozaki Touko have both left, what are you going to do next, Natsukawa? I’m under your command now, so I’d like to ask about my future plans.”

"Where will I go from here...?"

Xia Chuanhu scratched his head.

“That makes sense. Anyway, let’s go back to the Clock Tower first. My leave from the Clock Tower is about to expire, and I need to go back to work. Also, there’s Ayaka’s matter. If the old man with the gem can’t send Ayaka back, we need to arrange accommodation for her.”

There's also Arcueid.

However, she is still fast asleep. Last night, in order to maintain the Zhu Yue of a thousand years later, she took it seriously for once and went to bed as soon as she got back. She hasn't gotten up yet.

In the past, Arcueid would come out and immediately return to Millennium City after witnessing the resolution of the matter. This time, Natsukawa Torato wanted to ask her if she had any intention of staying.

After all, it wouldn't be good to leave her alone in Thousand Year City.

"Well, let's go back and wake up that lazybones Arcueid first."

66. Next time I must go alone.

Inside Arcueid's apartment.

When Natsukawa and the others returned, Arcueid had already gotten up and waved to them as soon as he saw them come back.

"You're back. Hmm... it seems like Shion and Touko have both left?"

“Well, I’m about to leave too. I don’t have much time to stay,” Natsukawa Tora said. “Arquette, what are you planning to do?”

"Of course, we should go back to the City of a Thousand Years."

Arcueid replied matter-of-factly, "I came out this time because I sensed the appearance of Tatali and had a vague feeling that you might come, so I ran away from the Thousand-Year City. Now that things are over, it's only natural to go back to sleep."

This is the same ending as before. Arcueid used to leave Millennium City to hunt Roja, returning immediately afterward. The same thing happens now, even though she no longer needs to deal with Roja.

"So, have you ever thought about not going back to Thousand Year City?" Xia Chuanhu suddenly asked. "Anyway, you'll just be sleeping if you go back. Rather than being alone in that castle, why not stay outside?"

Should we stay outside?

This was an option Arcueid had never considered.

"Staying outside... How exactly do I need to stay? I've never tried staying outside for an extended period before. Tiger, do you want me to stay outside?"

"Yes, that's what I think."

Xia Chuanhu put it bluntly: "After all, we can't just let you stay in the Thousand-Year City forever, can we? It was fine when your power was still inside me, you could see things outside through my eyes, but now that I don't have any of your power left, if you go back, you'll really just be sleeping."

"To be honest, I think that kind of life is pretty terrible. Maybe staying outside would allow you to experience a lot more happier things."

"I see... Hmm, I can feel the genuine emotions you're conveying, Tiger. This is your true thought."

Because of Tatari's disappearance, Arcueid and Natsukawa Tora's previously faint connection has returned to normal. Now that they are in the same room, they can sense each other's situation more clearly.

Therefore, Arcueid could sense that Natsukawa Tora genuinely wanted to stay in the real world.

After thinking for a while, Arcueid shook her head: "No, I think it's better not to. I'll just go back to Millennium City."

"why?"

“As for the reasons, well… specifically, there are two.” Arcueid held up three fingers. “One is my own condition.”

"Although the vampire urge was killed once by that Ryougi Shiki seven years ago, that only killed the portion I had accumulated over the past eight hundred years. The vampire urge itself did not disappear and is still accumulating. Maintaining physical slumber is the best way to suppress the vampire urge, so I will return to the Thousand-Year City to fall into slumber in order to suppress it."

"The second reason—Tiger, do you really have that much time left to spend with me?"

If the previous question was something that Xia Chuanhu could understand and accept, then this second reason left him somewhat bewildered.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand, but rather that he was bewildered that Arcueid would ask such a question.

Arcueid started counting on her fingers: "Let me count. First, there's that succubus you like the most, then there are those two Root Mages who are very possessive, then there's Gray, and then there's your fiancée, the monarch named Lydel, plus the magicians who appear from time to time... Oh, and also, back in Japan, Ryougi Shiki and Atalanta require you to come back for a week every month, right?"

"Besides, you already have your own things to do, and I feel that staying here would only make you feel more lonely—"

"Snapped!"

Before Arcueid could finish speaking, Natsukawa Tora suddenly delivered a chop to her head.

After a moment of surprise, Arcueid immediately nudged him: "Tiger, why did you hit me!"

"Are you really Arcueid? That doesn't make sense. How can you be so smart as to be able to figure this out? Shouldn't you be an idiot?"

"You're the idiot! A super idiot! Stupid Tiger!" Arcueid stomped his foot in annoyance, then punched Natsukawa Tiger hard in the chest. Unfortunately, although the punch looked powerful, Natsukawa Tiger felt it was like a drizzle.

Meanwhile, listening to Arcueid's analysis, Hiel and Ayaka Sajou looked at Natsukawa Torato with a variety of expressions.

“Nightmare, magician, monarch, sorcerer... Natsukawa, you really have quite a lot to say about yourself.”

As a member of the Burial Agency, Hiel knew a little about the church's depravity, and that some of the high-ranking church officials were no different from beasts in human clothing. He never expected that Natsukawa Tiger would also be moving in that direction.

Although she knew he was definitely a good person, this level of relationship between a man and a woman...

"Perhaps I should have gone with Orange just now." Hiel sensed a sense of danger.

The same goes for Ayaka Sajou.

She knew that Natsukawa Torama and Aozaki Aoko were lovers, but she didn't expect that Natsukawa Torama had so many lovers besides Aozaki Aoko, including a monarch he was already engaged to!

Even if you're a womanizer, you can't be this womanizer!

Meanwhile, Ayaka Sajou also realized a crucial piece of information that was extremely important to her: among Natsukawa Torama's lovers was a [Root Magician]. If she remembered correctly, her older sister seemed to be someone connected to the Root, and Natsukawa had previously mentioned that her sister worked as a maid in his house...

"Xia Chuan."

"What's wrong, Ayaka?"

"abnormal."

"Huh?! Why are you suddenly yelling at me?!"

"You deserve to be scolded for being a stupid tiger. Who told you to cause trouble everywhere like this?"

Arcueid chuckled and joked, "Well, so Tiger, you should just stay in the real world and keep those people company. We'll see each other again next time. I hope that next time I leave Millennium City, Tiger, you can come and keep me company by yourself! There were just too many people this time!"

"Also, you don't need to worry about me feeling lonely in the City of a Thousand Years. Although I can't speak, I'm actually always watching over you."

"I see."

With a slight sigh, Natsukawa Tora then laughed: "Since that's your plan, I won't force you to stay. Goodbye, Arcueid. I wonder when we'll meet again."

"Okay, see you later, you silly tiger—make sure you come see me alone next time!"

67. Brother-in-law? Sister's husband!

At dawn, accompanied by the ringing of the built-in alarm clock, in Natsukawa Torami's room where some sunlight was faintly shining in, Sajou Rei woke up from her master's bed.

As she drew back the curtains to look out at the bright, sunny morning, Sajou Rei got up and stretched.

"Today is another beautiful day—are you awake, my other self?"

Good morning, I woke up at the same time as you.

"Well, good morning."

Rei Sajou and Aika Sajou have always had a good relationship. Although they sometimes have disagreements about time allocation, dosage distribution, and seating arrangements, they are generally quite harmonious. After all, they are actually the same person and currently share the same body, so they can't help but get along well.

Of course, the more important reason is that I don't want to worry others. If I cause my owner to worry about me because of my own reasons, then I'm putting the cart before the horse, although it's nice to be cared for by my owner.

Sajou Rei doesn't have her own wardrobe, nor does she need to wash her face or brush her teeth. As a magical costume made of the Philosopher's Stone, she only needs to reconstruct her body to address hygiene issues.

The same applies to clothes. She doesn't need to wear clothes. She can recreate any kind of clothes anytime, anywhere. This is one of the reasons why her owner loves her so much. Her owner unexpectedly likes all kinds of uniforms. Moreover, there's no need to worry about wasting clothes if they are recreated. Even if they are torn, a new one can be taken out immediately.

Rei Sajou, a replica of one of the Seven Weapons of Atlas Institute, knows her true form well, but she prefers the abilities that come with it to her as a weapon.

After all, the owner likes it.

"What kind of clothes should I wear today? Master is coming back today, so should I wear a maid outfit and pretend to be a maid to welcome Master home, just like when we went on the Magic Eye Collection Train? Aika, what do you think?"

[Isn't this a bit cliché? It was only a week ago that I wore a maid outfit; the repetition is too fast.]

"Then let's change the stockings to black and white ones, how about over-the-knee socks?"