Chapter 407: · The Mad Mio, Touko Aozaki's Backup Plan

【Lei Jina: "As twins, I can convey emotions and thoughts to a certain extent. However, Karina's consciousness before she died conveyed to me..."】

【"She said, 'Save Mio.'"】

Rin Tohsaka: "... What kind of development is this?"】

Shishigou Kairi: "Hahaha, this is what is called love."】

Rokudo Reika: "For the sake of the one you love, dedicate everything."】

Laeticia: "Such dedication has no meaning at all."】

【Everyone: "..."】

【Lei Jina: "Mio only looked at Tiadra-sister since he was a child; similarly, Karina only looked at Mio, so we decided to protect Mio, that is all."】

【Is it so? Is it love?"】

【However, what Mio saw should have been only Tiadra's beauty. Precisely because of this, when he heard that Karina was disguised, he naively rejoiced at the rebirth of the Golden Princess.】

【Even so, did Karina love him too?"】

【Love is indeed something that makes people unable to understand things."】

【Touko Aozaki: "Sure enough, if she had just asked, she might have been willing to die."】

Waver: "Originally, it was a matter that could have been perfectly resolved if spoken about properly, but because of a momentary impulse, it caused the current result."】

Fiore: "Hmph, I think even if it happened again, the result would be the same."】

【"I would also like to ask Lord Baljelleta."】

【Waver said in a low voice: "Setting aside the plastic surgery, you should also be aware of the Izellma anomaly; at least you knew that the Golden Princess who attended the debut party was a fake."】

【"... Hehe, heaven knows."】

【Inorai shrugged.】

【"I thought it would be this situation; the Izellma family performed very well, but it would take a few more generations to produce results. Since there were rumors that their research suddenly skipped a few stages and blossomed, even my clumsy disciple showed up from time to time, so it was foreseeable."】

【Waver: "So you let Atrum do whatever he wanted, attempting to seize Izellma's handle."】

【Inorai: "That is exactly how it is."】

Illya: "I thought they were all on the first floor, but it turns out everyone is in the atmosphere."】

Emiya Kiritsugu: "Don't underestimate the upper echelons of these mages; if they didn't have enough means, they would have been eaten to the bone long ago."】

【"I also have a question."】

【Touko Aozaki looked at Inorai and said: "I have wanted to ask for a long time, Teacher Inorai, what was your opinion when I was subject to Sealing Designation?"】

【Inorai: "I think this decision is very correct; you are one of the mages most suitable for Sealing Designation in modern times."】

【"When the people around me asked for my opinion, I also strongly recommended you, saying that Touko Aozaki and her magic circuits should be preserved forever in the depths of the Department of Sealing, and it must be done."】

【"I thought it would be about like that."】

【Touko Aozaki shrugged and suddenly discovered that strange plant roots were growing from her body near her chest.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Hmm? What is that?"】

Shishigou Kairi: "Plant growing from the body, could it be!"】

Kayneth: "Hmph, truly underestimating this kid; I didn't expect him to hide so deeply."】

【"G-got you!"】

【Mio, who had become haggard within a few minutes, showed excitement, holding some kind of pill between his fingers.】

【Touko Aozaki: "Ah, is it a drug?"】

【It seems that the memory-hindering drug she drank earlier should have other effects.】

【That is likely the seeds of a plant that would grow all at once using her body as a seedbed when she smelled another drug mixed into the air.】

【"Hahaha!"】

【Mio laughed loudly: "Wh-what is a Crown-rank Mage! That kind of thing is meaningless! The only thing that is meaningful is her! Only the end point of my and Izellma's dream! Am I right, Lord Byron!"】

【"M-Mio..."】

【Byron was also unable to keep up with the rapidly changing situation; it seems he really didn't know about this.】

【"Ag-again, just re-create her one more time!"】

【Mio turned to face the two childhood friends and roared: "For my sake, ag-again, perform surgery on her one more time! The Silver Princess too! Lei Jina too! Slice, slice them up to your heart's content!"】

【The kind and timid pharmacist had already disappeared, leaving behind a madman who had fallen into insanity.】

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "To think he actually drugged a Crown-rank."】

Gordes: "At that time, he shouldn't have killed Karina yet, to think..."】

Darnic: "Hehe, this is his true self."】

Waver: "This guy really hid too deeply; I really thought he was harmless."】

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "But he doesn't really think that this would control a Crown-rank, does he?"】

Extra Feng Xi: "Those whom Heaven wishes to destroy, it first makes mad."】

【"Otherwise, I will die right here, is that it?"】

【Facing this life-threatening situation, Touko Aozaki was not panicked at all.】

【Mio: "Yes! Th-those roots have already connected to your heart and all important internal organs. If you try to dispel the magic, I will pull out your internal organs along with it. Ev-even if you possess an excellent magic crest, you will die right here..."】

【"That doesn't have much meaning; I don't have a magic crest on me to begin with, so I will die easily."】

【Touko Aozaki carved some kind of text on the roots piercing her body without caring at all.】

【The next moment, the plant roots piercing her body crumbled piece by piece.】

【It was a Rune.】

【However, the pierced parts did not close up, and there was a fist-sized hole in her torso.】

Rin Tohsaka: "!!!"】

Illya: "What the hell, can she survive like this!"】

Kayneth: "Hehe, played by this woman again."】

Waver: "Teacher, what does it mean?"】

Extra Feng Xi: "Haven't you seen it yet? This is not Touko Aozaki's true body at all; it's just a doll."】

Everyone: "!!!"】

Rin Tohsaka: "This woman is actually a doll!"】

Fiore: "This, it's really completely indistinguishable."】

Gordes: "There is no difference from a real person at all; this is the strength of a Crown-rank Puppeteer."】

Caules: "But the way she speaks looks like..."】

Darnic: "Idiot, that's a clone."】

Caules: "Clone?"】

Darnic: "Transferring one's consciousness to a doll, while one's true body sleeps somewhere; I just don't know how far away it is."】

Avicebron: "This woman's talent is really quite good."】

【"Is that so? It seems the me I forgot was too lenient. In short, I think it will be wiped out here, so just enjoy it to the maximum in every moment."】

【Touko Aozaki murmured: "Really, even I think my personality is so bad. Thanks to this, the curtain call will be a bit disappointing."】

【"I have no resentment toward Mio, but since things have turned out this way, I can't stop it either."】

【"Although recently, because the method was leaked, no one around the Clock Tower has tried to kill me."】

【"Is that so? Did I not tell you about this?"】

【Just then, a strange 'crackle' sound rang out.】

【Different from the air vibration sound that shakes the eardrums, this sound seemed to be a scraping sound heard directly by everyone's soul.】

【"Excuse me, keep this for me."】

【Touko Aozaki casually threw her cigarette case to Inorai.】

【Inorai's expression changed: "Touko, you..."】

【Touko Aozaki: "Haha, Teacher really knew."】

【The strange sound around gradually increased in volume.】

【Everyone didn't know what this sound was, but Gray knew.】

【This is exactly the sound made by the creature that froze her in the forest.】 ===== CHAPTER 409 =====