Chapter 334: Pick Up a Daughter First
The coordinate anchor point was provided by Tokoyogi Aya.
As for the location of the coordinates...
"Are you sure you want to use the LCO headquarters as the teleportation anchor point?"
These words were spoken by Mahiro, but his gaze kept shifting back and forth between Tokoyogi Aya and Meiga Itogami.
The meaning was clear: even if he was fine with it, Meiga Itogami was an outsider. Was it really okay to casually enter your headquarters like this?
Tokoyogi Aya seemed to understand his thoughts. She glanced at Meiga Itogami and then said calmly:
"It's fine."
"Alright, in that case, hold onto me tightly." As he spoke, Mahiro extended his hand toward the woman.
Looking at Mahiro's outstretched hand, Tokoyogi Aya hesitated for a moment but still placed her hand in his palm.
However, the hand that was originally held in his palm suddenly shifted into an interlocked, fingers-entwined state. Tokoyogi Aya felt waves of warmth emanating from the other's fingers.
This made her both embarrassed and annoyed, but before she could react, she suddenly felt a tremendous force pulling her, causing her to uncontrollably fall into the other's embrace.
"Hold on tight."
Mahiro naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling its slender form even through the thick clothing. Combined with the faint, sweet fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose, Mahiro's heart began to wander.
This time, a flicker of anger appeared in Tokoyogi Aya's beautiful eyes.
But just as she was about to react, Mahiro reached out with his other hand and grabbed Meiga Itogami by the back of his collar.
Tokoyogi Aya felt her vision blur. When it cleared, she realized they were no longer in the barrier prison. They had moved from the confined bedroom to a spacious area.
Although the lighting was very dim, the surroundings now looked all too familiar.
In front of her stood a girl around ten years old, accompanied by several expressionless maids. Though the short-haired girl looked rather boyish, her aura was identical to Aya's.
At this moment, the little girl, who seemed carved from the same mold as Aya, was staring with adorable, bright eyes at Aya and Mahiro.
"..."
Although it was the first time she had seen the daughter she had created, Tokoyogi Aya was very familiar with her.
A faint trace of pleasant surprise slowly surfaced in her eyes. She hadn't expected this young man to actually be able to bring her out of the prison.
Meanwhile, Mahiro was also observing this unfamiliar yet familiar mother and daughter pair.
They really did look alike.
The resemblance between their pretty faces was about ninety percent. Both were exceptionally beautiful. If there were differences, they lay in their pupils and hair.
Tokoyogi Aya's eyes were as brilliant as bright rubies—a pair of fiery eyes.
Her gently smiling eyes held an unusual, somewhat ominous quality, and her long, flowing black hair nearly reached her feet.
Tokoyogi Yuuma's pupils, on the other hand, were amber-colored, and she kept a neat, boyish short haircut.
However, aside from the differences in hair length, eye color, and slight age disparity, the two were nearly indistinguishable.
Once the little girl grew up, she would undoubtedly look just like her mother, becoming a rare, great beauty.
"Great Librarian."
Several attendants bowed respectfully to Tokoyogi Aya.
But Aya merely gave a soft hum and a slight nod, then turned her gaze back to the little girl before her.
"Mother... Mother?"
For the first time, the little girl saw the familiar, graceful figure from her memories, and her voice wove together with complex confusion and unease.
"Aya, she must be your daughter, right? She's so adorable."
Mahiro crouched down in front of her, smiling as he greeted her.
The girl, a bit shy, glanced timidly at Mahiro before lowering her head, not daring to look up again.
"Of course.
Such a girl is a simple clone produced by my parthenogenesis.
She was created solely to break the seal of the Prison Barrier—nothing more than a shadow of my existence!"
Tokoyogi Aya spoke with a cold expression, seemingly devoid of any emotion toward her own clone.
However, such words caused Mahiro to furrow his brow and purse his lips in dissatisfaction.
But before he could say anything, a voice suddenly echoed once more.
"What a rare scene of a mother-daughter reunion. But since I've already left the prison, I'll take my leave now."
The speaker was Meiga Itogami.
Compared to Tokoyogi Aya, his overall abilities were slightly inferior, so he had only just begun to recover.
Yet his gaze toward Mahiro was filled with shock and gratitude.
He never expected that this young man, who seemed shrouded in mystery, could truly bring him out of the prison—and in such a swift and decisive manner, using magic entirely different from Natsuki Minamiya's.
Just who is this person?
Though he wanted to learn more about this man, he had no reason to stay any longer.
"Why the hurry?" Mahiro asked, puzzled.
To be honest, he genuinely wanted to have a proper conversation with Meiga Itogami.
But Meiga Itogami shook his head, a bitter smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"I have unfinished business to attend to, so I won't disturb you any further."
With that, Meiga Itogami stood up, preparing to leave the room.
Having been cellmates with Tokoyogi Aya for so many years, even if he didn't understand many things about her, he had some grasp of her personality.
If he lingered any longer, he would surely be thrown out by this cold-blooded, heartless Witch.
Not to mention, he truly had his own matters to attend to—like figuring out how to retrieve his weapon.
However, just as he was about to leave, Meiga Itogami suddenly paused, turned back, and said with a hint of amusement:
"Don't forget what I mentioned earlier. If you're interested, you can give it a try. I look forward to that day."
After speaking, Meiga Itogami left without looking back, his resolute attitude as if he had made some kind of decision.
Yet his hurried footsteps seemed to urge his own weary legs to move faster.
In any case, he vanished in the blink of an eye.
But the moment Meiga Itogami left, the room suddenly underwent a drastic change.
"Ah—!"
A scream shattered the silence in the room.
From Yuma's throat burst forth a mournful cry, as sorrowful as a cuckoo weeping blood.
From behind her, a human-shaped phantom materialized through magical power—a faceless knight clad in blue armor.
That was a demonic familiar granted through a contract—the "Witch's Guardian."
The entire body of the blue knight floating behind the loli was gradually being eroded by eerie, black, vein-like patterns, as if attempting to forcibly seize Yuuma's control over the Guardian.
"No... please stop... Mother, it hurts!"
The loli pleaded in a faint voice.
Yet, Tokoyogi Aya's crimson eyes merely gazed down at her, revealing a cold, scornful smile.
"The power I lent you must now be returned... My daughter, since I have already escaped prison, you have no reason to exist anymore, Yuuma."
Tokoyogi Aya raised her left hand, and in an instant, several sharp, firecracker-like sounds erupted. Yuuma let out a scream that was barely human.
A massive hand of magical force, as if tearing the wings off a bird, wrenched something from Yuuma's arched back with a sickening crack—
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
That was the false contract forged between Tokoyogi Yuuma and the Witch's Guardian.
The spiritual pathway was brutally severed by Tokoyogi Aya, and the magical energy flowing through it gushed out like blood.
The azure armor once worn by the loli's "Guardian" was now completely stained black.
Like a beast freed from its chains, the faceless knight roared.
Its form wavered like rising heat, shifting to stand behind Aya.
Tokoyogi Aya had completely seized control of the loli's Guardian.
Though it could hardly be called seizing, for it was originally Tokoyogi Aya's Guardian.
After reclaiming the Guardian, Tokoyogi Aya's magical energy grew intensely dense, her power rapidly escalating.
Yet this process had taken only a few seconds, while the pain the girl endured felt like years.
Cast aside like a broken doll, Yuuma's body slumped, but in her fading consciousness, she did not fall onto cold ground—instead, she landed in a warm embrace.
Mahiro caught her with one arm, holding her close.
Simultaneously, the "Regeneration" magic activated. The wounds on the girl's back healed at a visible pace, and her dwindling vitality gradually restored. Unfortunately, the contract that had been forcibly torn away could not be mended.
Witnessing this, Tokoyogi Aya's brow furrowed slightly for no apparent reason.
For some unknown cause, seeing this boy grieve so deeply for that doll stirred an unprecedented discomfort within her.
Meanwhile, the treated girl opened her eyes once more. Her unfocused pupils vaguely made out a handsome face, filling her with confusion.
But as her peripheral vision caught sight of her cold-faced mother, a sense of helpless terror and fear sprouted anew in her heart.
In that very moment, she recalled her past.
Though she appeared to be around ten years old, she had only been born into this world a few years ago.
Once, she had asked her Guardian and those who taught her magic: aside from her assigned mission, did she have any other value in existing?
No one answered her. She wondered, what would become of her after rescuing her mother? She dared not imagine it!
She had never anticipated everything that suddenly happened today. She had once thought that if she worked hard to save her mother whom she had never met, perhaps she could, like other children, embrace her mother and receive her mother's love.
In reality, she was mistaken. She never imagined that her mother would personally strip away her Guardian from her body, discarding her like a tool.
For a Witch, a "Guardian" is not merely a familiar or a weapon.
It is the price paid by offering one's soul to a demon.
The "Guardian" obtained by abandoning one's human identity is like a part of one's own flesh.
And what Tokoyogi Aya did was nothing less than forcibly carving out a piece of flesh from her own daughter, even akin to a heart!
At that very moment, Yuuma could clearly feel her magical power and life force rapidly draining from her body. If she hadn't received treatment, she would likely be dead by now—and in the most agonizing way!
However, she could understand her mother's actions.
Yes, her mother was already free, and she no longer had any value.
"Tokoyogi Aya, do you know what you just did?"
After the treatment, Mahiro continued to hold the exhausted little girl, casting a cold glance at Tokoyogi Aya.
"Of course I know. I merely took back what originally belonged to me. As the price for Yuuma to gain power as a Witch, she had to free me from the Sealed Prison.
With the contract annulled, I naturally reclaimed the Guardian I bestowed upon her.
Moreover, to reclaim the Dark Oath from Natsuki Minamiya, I must regain my original power."
When Tokoyogi Aya said this, there was not the slightest emotional fluctuation, and even a trace of confusion could be detected.
For Tokoyogi Aya, Yuuma was merely a tool created for her escape from prison.
This woman had not shown even a shred of maternal love to her daughter, who shared the same blood as her.
"To achieve your dreams at any cost... You truly are an irresponsible mother."
Although he knew this was an inevitable scene from the future plot, merely occurring earlier than expected, he couldn't help but voice his accusation.
Because he couldn't believe that such a cold-blooded mother truly existed in the world.
Even someone as cold and ruthless as Yotsuba Maya had, from beginning to end, deeply loved him. Though this love had been hidden for too many years and was too twisted, he could still clearly feel it when it was finally revealed.
"Why are you so angry? She is merely a puppet I created. How I handle her is my own freedom, isn't it? After all, only one Tokoyogi Aya is needed."
Tokoyogi Aya showed a genuinely surprised expression, though her brow subtly furrowed.
"A doll..."
Mahiro softly repeated the term, a cold smile slowly curling at the corner of his lips.
He was furious.
Extremely furious!
For no apparent reason, even he himself didn't understand why.
Perhaps it was because Yuuma Tokoyogi's plight reminded him of the children he had saved in the Black Bullet world, or perhaps it was because it brought to mind the Guardians within his family and the relieved smile Sakurai Honami wore at the moment of her death.
At this moment, an overwhelming rage inexplicably surged within his heart.
"What's wrong with being a puppet?"
"What did you say?" Tokoyogi Aya furrowed her brows, sensing that things were taking an unexpected turn.
"I said, what's wrong with being a puppet?!"
He abruptly raised his head, his gaze icy as he stared at the woman, enunciating each word clearly: "Even if her origin is different, she possesses an independent soul—she is a living, breathing person! You keep saying your daughter is your shadow, and you keep complaining about your grievances with this world, saying Witches are cursed, that the world itself is cursed!
But in reality, aren't you Witches yourselves just puppets created by the world, bound by fate?
By your own logic, why go to such lengths to resist the fate the world has imposed on you Witches?
Tokoyogi Aya, when it comes down to it, you're nothing but a hypocrite who preaches ideals while applying double standards!"
"You... you dare question me?!"
Tokoyogi Aya trembled slightly, her voice lacking conviction as she whispered.
At that moment, she truly felt a pang of panic.
Yotsuba Mahiro's words struck her heart like muffled thunder, leaving her mind in a daze.
Even a voice emerged from deep within her—
Yes, even if Yuuma is a clone created from my own genes, the confusion, joy, and fear she just showed were real. That cry of 'Mother' was real too.
She is indeed my daughter as well...
Yet, as soon as this thought surfaced, she dismissed it.
She's nothing but a mere puppet!
When she tried to refute this point, she met Mahiro's eyes, and in an instant, her body was enveloped by an emotion named fear.
What kind of eyes were those?
Crimson like blood, emitting an obscure and ominous red light. The magic circle swirling within his pupils was something she had never seen before, and the ancient runes inscribed and flowing within it were even more unprecedented.
With just a single glance, she felt as though he could erase her from this world with the slightest movement of his finger.
"Fine. Since you don't want her, she's mine now. After all, you never treated her as a daughter—just a discarded tool. I'll take her instead."
As he spoke, Mahiro held the girl tightly in his arms, as if to give her all the warmth in the world.
Hearing Mahiro's words, Yuuma, still in pain, shed a crystal-clear tear from the corner of her eye and clung tightly to her only source of reliance and warmth.
"You... you want to be her father?"
For some reason, upon hearing Mahiro's words just now, her heart tightened, skipping a beat, and she found herself asking this question almost involuntarily.
"What, is that not allowed?" Mahiro retorted coldly.
"No!"
Tokoyogi Aya immediately refused, though even she didn't know why she was refusing.
Logically, she should be happy that someone was taking care of unwanted trash for her.
But she simply felt deeply displeased.
However, her response only made Mahiro frown even more deeply.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're the one who said you didn't want her, and now you're the one insisting she stays. What exactly do you want? Have you eaten too many red beans and have a death wish?!"
At that moment, Mahiro held nothing back—his killing intent was fully exposed.
Enveloped by a heavy killing intent, Tokoyogi Aya's heart suddenly sank. With a grim and threatening expression, she said:
"Do you think you can kill me?"
"How would I know without trying?"
The moment the words fell, before Tokoyogi Aya could even react, she felt her vision spin wildly. When she regained her senses, she realized she was already being held at the waist by the other.
"You—what are you trying to do?! Let me go!"
She struggled desperately, her two fair, slender legs drawing chaotic yet graceful arcs in the air.
She even forgot she was a Witch and should have used magic to resist.
"Didn't you say I couldn't touch you? Now you'll find out."
As a cold laugh echoed in her ears, the next second, Tokoyogi Aya suddenly felt a chill on her lower body—her fair thighs were completely exposed to the air.
In that instant, Tokoyogi Aya's pretty face flushed with a rare blush, one of utter shame and fury.
Having lived for so many years and been a Witch for so long, everyone she met had treated her with respect. Never had she suffered such humiliation!
But before she could even resist, a sharp slap suddenly echoed through the room.