Aozaki Aoko Case File

Aoko didn't waste any time talking to Akiha or Ciel. Instead, she walked straight to the ordinary-looking coffin, kicked open its unsecured lid, and observed the situation inside.

"What are you trying to do?!"

Akiha struggled violently, visibly upset by Aoko's apparent insult to her family member's corpse. However, her resistance was futile. A magician-level suggestion spell wasn't something that could be broken simply through bloodline inheritance. While Aoko had little regard for the mysteries of the Moonlit World, she wasn't above using effective tools when the situation demanded it.

"This is…" Ciel also walked over, curious, and peered into the coffin.

"Tohno SHIKI. Akiha Tohno's older brother." Aoko explained, "A few years ago, I suspected that he might be a potential vessel for Roa's reincarnation. So, I planted a monitoring spell within him. If he ever transformed into a vampire or died, the spell would notify me."

"You're saying he's this generation's Roa?!" Ciel exclaimed in surprise as she began inspecting SHIKI's charred corpse. After a moment, she concluded, "There are indeed traces of Roa's parasitism, but it's incomplete."

"Exactly," Aoko nodded. "This guy was likely forced into a corner by Akiha Tohno before he could fully control SHIKI's body. So, he probably used the situation to his advantage and reincarnated again when Akiha decided to kill him."

"…That girl is that strong?" Ciel paused and asked.

"She's got some talent," Aoko shrugged. "She's likely the closest descendant of Tohno's Kijyo Koyo bloodline in generations. Roa, in his incomplete state, wouldn't have been able to defeat her."

Akiha, listening nearby, was utterly shaken. This young woman knew the origin of the Tohno family's bloodline?! Neither Akiha nor her father had ever fully understood it, only knowing that their lineage was mixed with demonic traits. Yet this woman casually mentioned Kijyo Koyo as if it were common knowledge, leaving Akiha speechless.

"SHIKI and Tohno Makihisa were both male," Aoko continued. "So, they couldn't fully inherit Kijyo Koyo'demonic' traits. The female heirs before Akiha didn't have her talent either, so they all died young. Akiha is the only one who satisfies both conditions."

"Then why didn't Roa choose Akiha as his vessel?" Ciel asked. "She's the better target, isn't she?"

"Why do you think he possessed you back then?" Aoko glanced at Ciel. "It's because the circumstances didn't allow it, right?"

"…I understand," Ciel said with a bitter nod. "Then my next task is to locate Roa's new reincarnation."

"Are you sure Roa will stay within the Souya area to reincarnate?" Aoko raised an eyebrow.

"No one knows Roa better than I do," Ciel shook her head. "Every time he reincarnates, he needs to rebuild his power. Since he was forced to abandon his body early this time, he probably couldn't reincarnate far from here. Most likely, his next target is still within the Souya region."

"Alright," Aoko shrugged. "You're the one paying, so I'll focus on handling the remaining Ancestors. But if you need help, feel free to contact me or Touko. You know Touko is an expert in soul-related matters, right?"

Ciel nodded and left the Tohno estate. Aoko, meanwhile, walked over to Akiha, patted her on the back, and dispelled the suggestion spell.

"Cough! Cough, cough!" Akiha, having been under tension for so long, collapsed onto the ground and started coughing. Aoko scratched her head awkwardly, feeling a little guilty about bullying someone so young.

"There's nothing left for you to do," Aoko said. "Bury your brother's body and pretend he never existed. Don't think about seeking revenge on that vampire. If things go well, you'll never see him again."

"Oh, right, and take this." Aoko suddenly remembered the potion she had commissioned Touko to make using Einzbern's alchemy. She handed it to the confused Akiha. "Drink this, and you won't have to worry about inversion impulse anymore. But it only works for you. If you have descendants, they'll still inherit the issue. Whether or not you drink it is up to you."

Without waiting to see Akiha's reaction, Aoko activated her flight spell and soared into the sky, disappearing from the Tohno estate in the blink of an eye.

Akiha silently stared at her brother's desecrated corpse and the coffin lid lying askew. Without saying a word, she began cleaning up the mess.

...

After returning to the hotel, Aoko explained the situation to Arcueid and Touko. Touko remained calm, but Arcueid was visibly upset.

"Why didn't you take me with you?!" Arcueid pouted angrily. "I thought you had something urgent to do and then—poof—you vanished. And it turns out it was Roa-related!"

"Even if I had taken you, it would've been too late," Aoko waved her hands nonchalantly. "Even if Roa had completed his reincarnation, you wouldn't be able to destroy his soul. That requires Touko's expertise. You can't handle that, can you?"

"Hmph!"

Arcueid crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, looking so adorable that Aoko couldn't help but laugh. This only made Arcueid even angrier.

"Alright, alright, don't be mad," Aoko comforted her. "Since there's nothing else to do tonight, Touko and I will play some board games with you. There are a lot of new ones you haven't seen yet!"

Since none of the three needed sleep to maintain their physical functions, they spent the entire night playing board games in their luxurious suite. By the next morning, Arcueid had completely forgotten about not being included in the Roa fight and happily devoured breakfast.

Perhaps because of the daylight, none of the supernatural creatures in Souya City made any moves. The Aozaki sisters even took Arcueid on a stroll through the shopping district, enjoying food and entertainment, without any Dead Apostles causing trouble.

While playing arcade games in a gaming hall, Aoko twirled the joystick and thought to herself: it seems they'd have to wait until nightfall to find those creatures.