Otherwise, you can find another savior.

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The problem is that the magic and spirit of magicians are too synchronized, which poses a risk.

That is, if one party has malicious intentions, it can use this method to manipulate and control the other party.

The relative strength of the two sides will only affect whether the process goes smoothly.

For the bloodless and heartless world of magicians, it would be entirely detrimental and offer no benefit whatsoever, and therefore it would almost never be considered.

Therefore, conversely, the existence of this technique is the best explanation for the relationship between Shiomi and Morgan.

"I'd like to make things easier, but unfortunately, there's no tech tree in the British Lostbelt, so this is the only way," Shiomi explained with a smile.

"It sounds like you're doing this out of desperation. If Morgan hears this, he'll be angry with you, won't he?" Orange reminded him helplessly.

tide Jian was taken aback, and quickly raised her finger: "I misspoke just now, please don't tell Morgan, otherwise I'll have to sleep in the corridor."

"If you get kicked out, you can come to my room," Orange suggested cheerfully, seemingly ignoring what was being said.

"Hey……"

"Let's not talk about that. You mentioned the hot spring before we left. Do you do this every year after you got married?" Orange was referring to the family trip.

"Pretty much. After all, before that, I was actually traveling all over the world on the mission of sealing the designated executor." Shio nodded. "So I think that whether you are an ordinary person or a magician, it is necessary to broaden your horizons and see a wider world in order to better take care of your two identities as a magician and an ordinary person."

"Oh?" Orange gestured for Shio to continue, showing interest.

After all, this is a concept that Xijian would not show to her, nor is it necessary for her to show it.

Sakura and Kallen are his children, magicians who inherited the original runes, which is why Shiomi needs to pay attention to these aspects.

“Ultimately, magic is just a special ability and skill. If studying and living as a magician is too hard, it’s better to put it aside,” Shiomi continued. “That’s what I’ve always told them.”

“But that doesn’t mean we don’t have expectations for them,” Orange pointed out.

“Yes, rather than hoping they become independent magicians, I hope Sakura and Kallen can be happy.” Shiomi nodded frankly. “If that happiness cannot be obtained through magic, then it is better to let it go. After all, I am not the heir of a magician family with a thousand-year-old tradition. I am just a disciple chosen by my master. My master has never asked me to inherit the skills of the Shadow Country.”

"So, before choosing to become a magician, you prioritized fulfilling your parental duties...?"

It seems neither strange nor unreasonable.

Chengzi roughly understood that if they hadn't separated back then and had actually married and started a family, they would inevitably have disagreements about their children's education sooner or later.

At that time, Aozaki Touko was a more thorough magician than at any other time.

"To transform flesh-and-blood offspring into devices for passing on magic through years of rigorous training. Especially if they have been raised with this goal in mind throughout their lives, only to be abandoned in the end for being unsuitable, without considering the abandoned child at all... I think that's something no human being could do."

tide Jian let go of Chengzi's hand and jumped onto the steeper upper part of the mountain path first, preparing to pull her up.

When he turned around and said these words to Orange, Orange was slightly stunned, and then her expression suddenly hardened.

It wasn't that they had a problem with Shiomi's statement, but rather that a strange entity shrouded in black mist had appeared behind him.

"Tianxi! Behind...?"

She raised her voice slightly to warn Xijian to be careful, but before she could finish speaking, the strange, spider-like creature, its slender limbs raised to stab out, was suddenly severed from its body.

"What happened behind your back?" tide Jian smiled calmly.

"You..." Orange sighed, then laughed again.

However, just as they had resolved the strange phenomenon of the creature disappearing before they could even clearly see its true form, the two were about to continue their journey to the hotel to meet up with their companions.

A peculiar magical fluctuation emanated from the forest.

Then came the sound of boots stepping on the ground, leaves, and soil.

"That's really something. I thought it was some ordinary person in danger who I wanted to help, but it turns out it's so powerful, taking down that thing in no time. Looks like I don't need to help at all—"

A blue-eyed woman with long, jet-black hair spoke with great energy, but as she emerged from the foliage, she was so startled by what she saw that her words came to an abrupt halt.

Chapter 60 Aozaki Aoko

"Big...Sister?"

A stylish young woman with black hair muttered to herself as if she had seen a ghost, as if she were greeting someone or confirming that she might have mistaken them for someone else.

"What? It's Qingzi. What are you doing running around in this deep mountain forest all by yourself? Investigating the spiritual veins? Or collecting materials for magic? No, the latter shouldn't be your area of ​​expertise."

While offering fluent greetings and teasing, Orange was also quite surprised. This was a "time travel" from a blank planet to the year 2001, before the doomsday of human destruction had arrived.

She originally envisioned a leisurely trip where she would experience the spirit transfer firsthand and then go on a hot spring trip with Shiomi.

But Orange never expected to meet her blood relatives here.

Her younger sister, Aozaki Aoko.

Taking 2001 as the starting point, more than ten years have passed since the sisters' rift and battle in Misaki City.

Although both the older and younger sisters looked the same as they did back then, the only difference was their makeup and attire.

"That's what I wanted to ask too. Big sister, what are you doing here alone... no, what are you doing in a place like this with your companion?" Qingzi looked a little nervous, and even subconsciously ignored the fact that there was another person there.

They seem to mind a fight breaking out here.

However, Aoko could sense that her sister had no intention of fighting. Touko seemed quite relaxed and was obviously not as confrontational as she used to be.

Although more than ten years had passed since that incident.

Aoko thought to herself, then suddenly paused.

ten years?

Putting myself aside for now, is my sister truly a sister of this era, or...?

Before Aoko could figure out what was going on, she saw Touko grab Shio's arms and be pulled up the steep slope by him, standing on the hillside at about the same height as herself.

"Is she your sister, Orange?"

As Shiomi spoke, she stretched out her left arm, slightly shielding Touko behind her back, while her right hand fingers were slightly bent and exerted force, like a longbow whose string was being drawn taut, ready to be released at any moment.

"Ah, speaking of which, it seems you've never even met Aoko before," Orange remarked with a slight sigh.

“I only know her name. When you helped Sakura prepare the relic, weren’t you just using your sister’s name?” Shiomi complained. “Besides, let me make this clear: in my memory, when I came here with my family for a trip in May 2001, I didn’t see your sister at any of the hot spring inns here.”

Orange pushed up her glasses: "Considering Qingzi's situation, she's probably in a similar situation to us."

"Also?" Aoko narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression becoming subtle.

They didn't lower their voices intentionally, and Qingzi could hear them.

Regardless of the strange man's protective manner towards his sister and their seemingly intimate way of talking, what Aoko is most concerned about right now is that Touko said "everyone's situation is similar."

“Now that you mention it, it’s true.” Shio recalled the scene from a moment ago. “When your sister appeared, the magic and the way it operated were somewhat similar to Chaldea’s spiritual particle transfer.”

“So…” Orange nodded to Shiomi, then stepped out from Shiomi’s protective wing area, “You’re not Aoko from this era, right?”

Aoko immediately made a rather unflattering face: "As expected of the eldest sister, you saw right through me. And you just said your situation is similar to mine..."

Then, it is clear that priorities must be distinguished. Whether we are going to fight here or part ways here, there are issues that must be clarified as much as possible.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Shio asked again to confirm Touko's opinion.

Orange kept laughing: "It's alright, it's alright. It concerns Chaldea's secrets, so you're the one who has the right to decide. Besides, even Aoko is here, which means the situation is indeed not simple. It would be troublesome to leave it unattended."

"Yeah."

Shiomi sighed, then gave Aozaki Aoko a brief explanation of the Chaldea event.

After hearing the explanation, Aoko was skeptical, but she had to admit that it was indeed very thorough; at least they shouldn't be enemies with conflicting goals.

"That's all there is to it. Next, we'll be going to the inn in Kumano Onsen. Where are you going next, Aoko? I wouldn't mind if you came along," Touko said.

Aoko revealed a somewhat subtle expression, as if she were reminiscing or feeling relieved.

"So my relationship with my older sister has improved after all..."

"So-so," Orange replied ambiguously, seemingly unwilling to comment further.

"Well, since we're going to the same destination anyway, it's not impossible for us to travel together." Aoko then looked at Shiomi, "And this magician, could you please tone down your barely concealed murderous aura?"

Then, Orange patted Shiomi on the back without making a sound, and he finally loosened the taut bowstring.

"I'm so sorry, this is the first time I've ever met a living mage. After all, I haven't even had the chance to visit Zelrich," Shiomi said with a gentle smile. "Spending so much time on the battlefield, it's inevitable to think... um, how about trying to kill someone?"

"Alas……"

Aoko felt that these words were full of the eldest sister's wicked humor, and her expression became subtle and disgusted again.

She began to understand why Orange would come to the hot springs with a man like that.

"Let's skip those battle-maniac pronouncements."

Orange, who had taken a step forward, laughed heartily as she casually brushed her hand over tide Jian's shoulder, finally landing on his arm and linking arms with him as if nothing had happened.

“I sometimes want to say lines like those from a TV drama,” Shiomi said with a smile.

"Let's hurry up and get back to everyone first, so we can sort things out," Orange said.

tide Jian casually flipped up Chengzi's collar and nodded, "Mm."

Following behind them, Aoko felt like she was watching a horror movie, finding the scene before her both terrifying and bizarre.

My older sister has always been the center of attention since she was a child, and she is very popular with the opposite sex, but there has never been any news of her dating anyone.

However now—

"Let me confirm one more thing, Mr. Magician, what is your relationship with Big Sister?" Aoko asked from behind, her dead fish eyes wide.

"You're still as clueless about this as ever, Aoko." Touko turned around with a teasing expression, looking down at her sister from the slope. "Why don't you just look and see?"

"...Wh-what?!"

Qingzi was struck dumb, and immediately wilted, losing the dashing air she had when she first appeared, looking like an eggplant that had been hit by frost.

"Don't assume that everyone is like you, stuck in the same place no matter how many years pass."

Orange simply let out a series of meaningful laughs in response.

Chapter Sixty-One: Oranges and Green Fruits

Kumano Onsen Ryokan is nestled deep in the mountains, surrounded by forests. The only way to get there is a mountain stream that is fifty or sixty meters wide, with an overpass across it and walking paths on both sides, allowing guests to enter and exit on foot or by car.

For the Shiomi family, hot spring trips are a must-do activity during their stay in Japan.

But I visit hot springs in different places every year.

Izu, Beppu, Yuzawa, Sado...

Kumano, one of the many options, has only visited the Shiomi family a few times.

2001 was the second to last year.

After the Fifth Holy Grail War, to comfort the disheartened Sakura, the family visited again before leaving Japan.

After that, because Sakura and Kallen delved into the world of magicians, Shiomi spent the remaining seven or eight years in England. She never returned to England until the invitation to Chaldea arrived.

Seeing the mountain and forest scenery of this area for the first time in a long time, Shiomi was filled with emotion.

He had originally planned to take everyone from Chaldea to Japan for sightseeing and act as their tour guide after dealing with a bunch of things with the Mage's Association.

But now, even that is no longer possible.

They don't even know when the crisis of Earth becoming a blank slate will be resolved, and wanting to see what the world was originally like has become an unspeakable luxury.

Despite her feelings of regret, as Shiomi walked out of the mountain path, along the man-made road, and across the bridge into the Kumano Onsen area, she became aware of another "anomaly".

That is, not only did Orange hold his arm, but during the journey, she leaned her body against him, giving off a more petite and affectionate vibe.

When Orange is wearing glasses, she has a subjective yet humane personality, and also possesses some romantic qualities that she shares with her personality when she takes off her glasses, but she is definitely not the type to cling to people easily.

At least, I wouldn't do that in front of others.

In the past, Shio could only be leaned on so unreservedly when she was sleeping in bed with Toki.

"I'm in a great mood," tide Jian said softly.

"It was somewhat enjoyable," Orange said without hiding it.

“I’m happy to see you in such a good mood…” tide Jian said without turning her head, “But ever since just now, your sister’s gaze has been fixed on my back like it’s something real…”

Orange casually turned around, only to see Aoko immediately look away, as if she wasn't paying attention.

In fact, Aoko had been observing the two of them the whole way, wondering on one hand that the older sister in front of her was actually someone in disguise, and on the other hand that this was indeed the way the older sister acted.

because--

"After all, even if you become a magician and one of the top figures in the magic world, you can't change your current situation, and you don't even have a lover." Orange withdrew her gaze and began to expose Qingzi's shortcomings without any attempt to hide her voice. "I saw her when I went to London two years ago, and she was still single at that time."

“Two years ago…” Shio knew that Orange was referring to 2015.