To become a king and a magician

For Aozaki Aoko, returning to Misaki City was not an easy task, because there were just too many interesting things that could happen during her travels. Even if she had the idea of ​​returning to Misaki City, she would quickly put it out of her mind because of something that happened unexpectedly.

Since graduating from high school and leaving Misaki City, she has returned on average only once a year. The last time she came back was around the end of July last year. During her travels, she heard some things about her eccentric older sister, and since she happened to be in Southeast Asia, she took the opportunity to come back.

"Well, let's go back and check on Yuzhu and Jingxi first."

Kuonji Temple has Suzu and Shizuki Sojuro.

These two are the closest to Aozaki Aoko in her not-so-wide circle of friends. The battle with Aozaki Touko in high school, and an experience before that, have kept the three of them on friendly terms to this day.

After all, they were practically brothers in arms.

Kuonji's residence was located on a hill in Misaki City more than a decade ago. While it wasn't exactly far from the city, it wasn't very close either, maintaining a sense of detachment from it.

Over the past decade or so, due to the continuous development of Misaki City, that hill was eventually included in the development zone. Aozaki Aoko still remembers how angry Arisu was when she heard that the area around her house was going to be developed.

Fortunately, they eventually managed to avoid this problem, but as a consequence, the area was immediately regarded as a haunted hill infested with evil spirits, and occasionally some mischievous students would run to the vicinity late at night to hold a test of courage.

Walking along the familiar road, she arrived at the familiar gate. Aozaki Aoko pushed open the half-closed door, and the moment she stepped into the courtyard, she saw someone busy in the courtyard.

"Yo! Jingxi! I'm back!"

"Aozaki?"

When his name was called, the man sweeping the courtyard—Shizuki Sojuro—instinctively looked in Aozaki Aoko's direction. Seeing his expressionless face, unchanged for over a decade, Aozaki Aoko couldn't help but tease, "You don't seem happy at all that I'm back?"

No, I'm very happy.

"Then you should at least change your eyes and expression a bit. I can't tell at all that you're happy."

That's what they say, but Aozaki Aoko knows that if Shizuki Sojuro says he's happy, then he really is happy. He's the kind of person who honestly expresses his feelings.

Although you can't tell from her face at all.

"Is there a pearl?"

"At home."

"Then I'll go find Yuzhu first. You can continue with your work."

Watching Aozaki Aoko drag her suitcase and stride briskly into the mansion, Shizuki Sojuro's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.

"Yes. Welcome back, Aozaki."

——————————————————————————————

Inside the Kuonji residence.

Upon entering the living room, Aozaki Aoko saw the black witch sitting quietly on the sofa, engrossed in a grimoire, and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Arisu, I'm back."

"Ok, I know."

Gently closing the book, Kuonji Yuju looked at her friend.

"I came back a bit early this time, earlier than before."

"I heard some things during my travels, and they were related to Misaki City. I thought you might need my help, so I rushed back," Aozaki Aoko said with a smile.

After a moment of silence, Kuonji Yuzu sighed softly: "I don't need your help. Besides, in Misaki City now, even if I encounter difficulties, there are people more suitable than you to help me."

"Huh? Really? Who is it?"

"orange."

An unexpected name immediately froze the curious look on Aozaki Aoko's face.

orange!?

My own older sister!?

"Hey hey hey hey? Orange's back? Really?"

"Just five minutes before you came back, Sixpence saw her at the North Exit Station."

Isn't that exactly the bus before my own?

(So, if I hadn't eaten that extra bowl of noodles, I would have taken the same bus back as Orange?)

Thinking of this, Aozaki Aoko suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if she had survived a disaster.

To be on the same train as Aozaki Touko? Just being in the same environment as her made Aozaki Aoko feel uncomfortable all over. Even though ten years had passed, and the sisterly grudges between the two should have faded, Aozaki Aoko was sure that she would definitely not be able to resist if she met her.

"Orange has actually returned to Misaki City... That makes sense. The curse I placed on her back then has long since expired, so it's not impossible for her to come back."

[Once you set foot on the land of Misaki City, you will turn into a Madagascar Rainbow Frog] - More than ten years ago, after defeating Aozaki Touko, Aozaki Aoko borrowed the power of her future self from ten years later and placed this curse on her.

"So, what's Orange doing back here? Is she here to get revenge?"

“Yes.” Kuonji Yuzu nodded. “She has already taken the person who accompanied her to the Golden Wolf’s side. According to the information obtained from the Song of Sixpence, she seems to intend to challenge magic again, and... it seems that she came prepared.”

"Then let her come!"

Aozaki Aoko smiled confidently.

"I could beat her more than ten years ago, and I can do it now too. A mere orange, I'll take her down in no time!"

This wasn't Aozaki Aoko being arrogant, but rather a confidence that arose from a clear understanding of the gap between herself and Touko.

Over the past decade, Aozaki Aoko has come to understand what kind of magician her older sister is—a Grand Puppeteer, a genius magician who revived the foundation of Rune Magic. In the realm of magicians, she is considered top-tier. But even so, she cannot reach the realm of magic, and her combat strength is even weaker.

As for Aozaki Aoko's attitude, Kuonji Yuzu responded calmly. Anyway, Aozaki Touko's target was Aozaki Aoko, which had nothing to do with her; as long as their fight didn't affect her, it was fine.

"Aren't you going to put your luggage down?"

A pearl was asked at Kuonji Temple.

"You're staying here tonight, right? Your room is still there; remember to clean it yourself."

"Huh? I'm not staying here?" Aozaki Aoko shook her head. "I just came back to see you guys, and I'll go find a hotel to stay in afterward. If I stay here, it might bother you and Shizuki, right? I don't want to be a third wheel, it's too awkward."

As she spoke, Aozaki Aoko's gaze fell on the ring fingers of Kuonji Aratsu's hands, then she seemed to chuckle softly, "But it's been seven years, hasn't it? He still hasn't given you a ring, is he—"

"Aoko!"

"Hee hee hee!"

11. Rooftop Parkour

Nighttime, on the streets of Misaki City.

Aozaki Aoko was taking a walk after dinner.

Although she returns to Misaki City every year, Aozaki Aoko feels that the city is still changing rapidly. Every time she comes back, she finds that some places are different from what she remembers. When she came back the year before last, she almost couldn't find her way to the Kuonji Mansion.

This is a good thing—at least for Aozaki Aoko. She's someone who loves new and interesting things, otherwise she wouldn't travel the world. If Misaki City hadn't changed much, she wouldn't have wanted to come back.

Of course, another reason for coming back now is to see how the relationship between Arisu and Kusajuro develops.

Seven years ago, seemingly encouraged by a few close friends, Shizuki Sojuro confessed his feelings to Arisu on Christmas Eve, somewhat confused. Because of Aozaki Aoko's departure, it was practically just Kuonji Arisu and Shizuki Sojuro living together in the mansion, and their feelings for each other began to blossom.

Because of that forced confession, their relationship developed in that direction.

Unfortunately, both the man and woman were completely clueless about relationships, almost like a rock and an ice sculpture. Seven years had passed and there was still no news, which made Aozaki Aoko quite anxious. She had to urge them every time she came back.

"But... since Ayumi and Shizuki are like that, shouldn't I also start thinking about myself?"

Normally, this is something that teenagers in puberty would think about, but Aozaki Aoko spent her entire puberty training in magic and magic, as well as traveling the world, which is why she is already twenty-seven years old and only now starting to think about such things.

(But even so, I really don't want to look for one. The idea of ​​having a boyfriend would make me feel too tired, and I probably wouldn't be able to find someone who meets my expectations...)

"I wish I could find one on the street like in novels and comics."

It's obvious to anyone with a brain that this is impossible. If it were to actually happen, Aozaki Aoko would rather use that luck to buy lottery tickets or explore ruins to find treasures.

So Aozaki Aoko was just venting.

"Whoosh—!"

However, just as Aozaki Aoko was thinking this, a blue shooting star suddenly streaked across the black night sky.

No, that wasn't a shooting star, but a trailing flame of magical energy. Aozaki Aoko was very familiar with this phenomenon because she often witnessed it herself.

The flames rose from the roof on the left, arced through the air, and landed on the roof on the right.

(This situation... is similar to mine?)

They enhance their bodies with magic and then use superhuman physical abilities to move at high speeds.

Aozaki Aoko often does this herself, but this is the first time she has met anyone else who does it.

This seems interesting?

Instantly piqued by her playful nature, Aozaki Aoko quickly disappeared into a nearby alley. Using her enhanced body with practiced ease, she leaped over walls and onto a rooftop, and then—

"Bang--------!"

With the tremors of the atmosphere, Aozaki Aoko, whose body was instantly enveloped in a faint glow, charged directly toward the meteor!

A second meteor streaked across the night sky over Misaki City!

--------------------------------

"Teacher Orange is really something, she actually told me to get to her within ten minutes."

"Meteor!" Natsukawa Tora complained as he sped across the rooftop.

"Does she even know how far the airport is from here? She came all the way from the suburbs; if I weren't fast enough, I definitely wouldn't have made it."

Just minutes earlier, Natsukawa Tora, who had just disembarked from the plane, received a call from Aozaki Touko at the airport, asking him to come to Misaki City within ten minutes to meet her and then go find Aozaki Aoko to "settle the score." Because she could finally get revenge, Aozaki Touko's voice sounded somewhat excited.

Nestled in Natsukawa Torato's arms, Gray, while pressing down her hat to shield herself from the wind, chuckled, "I think Miss Orange must have known how fast you can walk to get here, that's why she made that request. She's been carried like this by you before."

[So you know everything about the guy's abilities, huh? Hey buddy, why don't you go even faster and surprise her?]

"Think about Grey, okay, Yard?"

If it were just Natsukawa Torato by himself, he would definitely go full speed ahead. Why would he have to jump over only one rooftop at a time like this? He could easily jump over two or three rooftops, right? Not to mention that this is the result of him not using his enhancement magic seriously.

Hey buddy, something's up!

"Huh? What's going on?"

Someone is following us.

Yad's report startled Natsukawa Tora—someone was following him? Following him at this speed?

"magician?"