Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

"Wait, wait a minute, Aoko...!"

"Shirou, come help me hold down my sister's legs!"

Volume 2, Chapter 146: Wiping the Body?

"I mean, what kind of crude and vulgar technique is this...! Even if you have no taste, there should be a limit!"

"Ah, that's right. I'm the poor little sister whose artistic talents have all been inherited by my older sister. If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for being too talented, Orange."

The argument between the Aozaki sisters echoed far into the classroom on that snowy night.

After placing the curse on Touko that she would never be allowed to set foot in Misaki again, Aoko grabbed Shirou's hand and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute, I need to say a few words to Sister Orange."

Aoko glanced at Shirou with some curiosity, but she didn't say anything. She just exchanged a look with Shirou and left the school building first.

Shirou pulled a box from his pocket and tossed it to Touko.

"what is this?"

Aozaki Touko was about to ask a question, but after seeing the other person's true face, she revealed a genuinely happy smile.

This was the first time Shirou had seen her smile without any pretense.

Ah, this person can also make such a girlish expression, Shirou thought to himself.

"I found out from Sister Weijia that you only smoke this brand."

"Wow, you're so thoughtful~ Thank you, Shirou, you saved me again?"

The puppeteer licked his lips and unwrapped the Taiwanese cigarettes the boy had tossed to him.

After lighting it, Aozaki Touko brought the long cigarette to her lips.

Even Shirou, who hates cigarettes, thought the movement was too graceful. If it weren't for Arisu being right next to him, he probably would have been stunned.

"How long do you plan to keep memorizing it?"

Aozaki Touko gestured with her chin towards Yuzu, who was fast asleep behind him: "Let's put her down first."

Shirou shook his head to indicate that it was alright, then looked back at Aozaki Touko, who was leaning against the wall.

Her green dress was tattered from the battle, and her black pantyhose underneath were also torn. Her mature figure, damaged by the fighting, had gained a touch of allure.

"I'm telling you, you're not thinking anything really rude, are you? Unlike Orange Sister, Ayumi is very light..."

If you dare think that way, I definitely won't let you get away with it!

The doll with the cigarette in her mouth looked as if she had been reborn, showing no signs of having just been beaten half to death by her younger sister.

"What? Just kidding, Shirou is my savior."

Even I wouldn't be so cruel as to repay a boy who saved my life with evil...

Besides, I still owe you a bet; I lost the previous one.

Aozaki Touko extinguished the cigarette she had only half-smoked, then looked at Shirou with a serious expression.

"Shirou, what do you want me to do for you?"

I lost tonight, so as agreed, tell me what you want me to do.

"That... actually, it's no longer needed."

"What?" Aozaki Touko frowned.

Shirou originally intended to ask Touko to create a new body, but now there is no need for that.

Because just now, he died.

He died, and then was resurrected by the power of the First Magic.

Although the exact principle behind the First Magic is unclear, Shirou's aftereffects from the Fourth Holy Grail War have all disappeared.

The problematic parts of the body disappeared, but the experience gained in the Holy Grail War remained.

"Anyway, there's nothing I want you to do for me anymore... Uh, Orange, are you angry?"

Shirou noticed that Aozaki Touko was staring at him with eyes full of anger.

"I hate breaking my promise, Shirou."

Shirou understood the true meaning of her words.

Orange wasn't scolding Shirou for breaking his promise, but rather complaining that Shirou "made her break her promise."

"........."

The two sisters really do look alike... Shirou gave a helpless smile.

"I understand. I'll start thinking about it now... things I hope Orange will do for me."

"That's more like it..."

Hearing Shirou say that, Aozaki Touko showed a satisfied expression, and then reached for the cigarette again.

"Let me know if you think of anything!"

Quit smoking.

"………………Huh?"

Aozaki Touko's expression showed that she had seen something terrifying.

"Sister Orange, can you help me quit smoking?"

"Of course not! No way! Absolutely not! Impossible! Don't even think about it!!!"

"Just kidding, there's no need to resist so desperately... It's too ugly, Sister Orange."

Shirou rolled his eyes: "...I don't intend to use my precious wishes in a place like this."

"What do you mean by 'this kind of place'? That sounds awful... but it's best if you don't plan on doing anything stupid."

"Although I don't plan to make Orange quit smoking, but... she's only allowed one cigarette tonight."

Shirou stepped forward and confiscated the cigarette she was holding between her fingers.

"Wait, wait a minute, Shirou... no!"

Aozaki Touko clung to Shirou's leg, pleading desperately. If Aoko saw this, her eyes would probably pop out of her head in shock.

My sister has become such a useless person... No, although Shirou has also turned me and Ariel into useless people, I have no right to say that about her.

After her attempts to charm and plead failed, Orange finally gave up.

She leaned listlessly against the wall, her beautiful legs spread wide apart in a way that was anything but ladylike, and watched Shirou leave the classroom.

"Ugh~ Ugh~ What a terrible day~"

Despite having worked so hard and prepared for so long, he still lost to his younger sister in the end, and lost utterly.

Although she learned the truth about the Aozaki family's magic during her battle with Aoko, she never intended it to be her goal from the beginning.

Ultimately, Aozaki Touko is not the kind of magician who considers the origin as the ultimate pursuit.

Because her younger sister took away what was rightfully hers, she wanted to take it back—

Orange started the war, and that was all; it just so happened that what her sister stole was magic.

However, she wasn't the type to pester someone relentlessly.

Since she had failed, she had no intention of continuing to dwell on it; Aozaki Touko's straightforward admission of defeat was the right thing to do.

After tonight, Orange has completely lost interest in the Fifth Magic.

Moreover, she developed an unprecedentedly strong interest in another thing.

Amamiya Shirou.

Aozaki Touko had never wanted someone like this before.

Excuse me, Aoko...

Next, it's my turn to steal from you.

After all, it would be such a waste for Shirou to be paired with you...

The orange-clad magician's lips curled into a vibrant smile.

……

……

Shirou's original plan was to return to eight years later after resolving tonight's situation.

If I stay, I don't know what might happen.

Unfortunately, his plan failed.

On the very night he and Aoko Arizu returned to the mansion, both of them collapsed.

Aoko and Yuzhu both caught a bad cold.

It's not surprising that Yu-joo spent a long time in the snow wearing only a cardigan.

On Aoko's side, it seems to be due to a decrease in resistance after the magic ended.

Although it was a severe cold accompanied by a fever, magic should have been able to cure it easily... but for some reason it didn't work.

In short, Shirou had no choice but to stay in the mansion to take care of the two patients until they recovered.

"Yuzhu, it's time to eat. Do you want me to bring it to you?"

Shirou knocked on Arisu's door.

There was no response from inside; they must be asleep.

Shirou then pushed open the door and tiptoed inside.

Kuonji Yuzu lay quietly on the bed, her sleeping face serene. Shirou couldn't help but think of that time in the front hall.

After sitting quietly by the bed for a while, Yuzhu slowly opened her eyes.

"Amamiya-kun... Ah... I'm sorry."

Yuzhu looked weak and tried to get up, but Shirou quickly told her to lie down.

"It's okay... I feel much better now."

The black-haired girl struggled to support her upper body.

"what time is it now?"

"It's 2:30 in the afternoon, which is usually the time for afternoon tea."

As Shirou spoke, he handed her a glass of water.

Yuzhu sipped her lips and took a few sips, but her eyes remained fixed on Shirou: "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Shirou doesn't know what the correct answer is.

He really didn't know how to please girls, especially Yuzhu... He had always made her angry.

Shirou thought for a moment and finally chose an answer that shouldn't upset her.

"Yuju's sleeping face is so cute, I'm mesmerized."

"Cough...cough cough cough cough cough!"

The girl, who had choked on the hot water, coughed incessantly in bed.

"Youzhu!"

Shirou quickly took the water glass and gently stroked her back.

Yushu covered half of her flushed face with the blanket and stared at Shirou with great resentment, saying, "This kind of joke is not funny at all."

Shirou scratched his cheek sheepishly: "Do you have an appetite now?"

"Well, I guess so."