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Fuyuki City, Tohsaka Residence
Tokiomi Tohsaka sat in his workshop, a space filled with arcane artifacts and ancient texts.
He listened intently to the voice emanating from a peculiar device—a contraption resembling a gramophone horn, powered by glowing, multicolored jewels.
Tokiomi, a traditional mage, eschewed modern technology, preferring the tools and techniques of his ancestors. He sat before the magical communication device, listening to the report from his friend, Risei Kotomine.
"There's still no sign of Aoi, Tokiomi. Whoever took her is—experienced. They've covered their tracks well."
Risei, a close friend of Tokiomi's late father, treated Tokiomi like his own son. At Tokiomi's request, he'd used the Church's intelligence network to search for Aoi.
But under Kokabiel's interference, their efforts had been fruitless.
Tokiomi frowned, lost in thought. After Aoi's—'departure' from the wedding, he'd sent his informants to find Kariya Matou, hoping to retrieve her.
But they'd found Kariya in Fuyuki City's new district, drunk and despondent, lamenting his lost love to the owner of a yakitori stand.
Seeing Kariya's state, Tokiomi knew instantly that something was wrong.
A man in 'that' condition couldn't have orchestrated Aoi's disappearance.
He'd immediately contacted Risei, asking him to use his connections to locate Aoi, and also—'the silver-haired young man' whose image had briefly appeared in Tokiomi's mind after the Artificial Sacred Gear's effects wore off.
"Tokiomi, it's been over twenty-four hours. I wouldn't get your hopes up. Whoever took Aoi is likely a professional mage, perhaps even from Europe. They've had plenty of time to leave the country," Risei's voice, tinged with regret, echoed from the device.
Tokiomi slammed his fist on the table, his anger barely contained. He knew what this meant. Mage criminals who discovered a high-quality—vessel, wouldn't hesitate to acquire it, by any means necessary.
Such—prizes were highly sought after on the black market.
Aoi, missing for twenty-four hours, could have already been sold.
The thought made his blood run cold.
Then, Risei's surprised voice came through the device. "Wait, I just received a report. Aoi's been spotted in Fuyuki Central Park. Alone. Taking a stroll."
Tokiomi shot to his feet, grabbed his Mystic Code, and rushed out of the workshop.
"Tokiomi, wait! It could be a trap! Be careful!" Risei's voice, laced with urgency, followed him.
Tokiomi knew the risks. But an exceptional vessel like Aoi was worth it. And he wasn't completely unprepared.
It was time to call in a—favor.
...
...
Fuyuki Central Park.
Tokiomi stood beneath a large tree, his eyes narrowed as he watched Aoi, two hundred meters away, walking in the gentle breeze.
"Aoi was kidnapped by a Magician? Is that true, Tokiomi?!" Kariya's voice, filled with panic, echoed from beside him.
The news had jolted him out of his drunken stupor. Having suffered under Zouken Matou, he knew the depths of a Magician's depravity.
Fearing for Aoi's safety, knowing full well Tokiomi's less-than-noble intentions, he'd still come.
Tokiomi placed a hand on Kariya's shoulder, gesturing towards Aoi.
"She's alright. See? She's unharmed."
Kariya's shoulders slumped in relief as he saw Aoi, a peaceful smile on her face, seemingly talking to someone.
Then, his eyes widened. 'Who was she talking to?' There was no one near her, yet she was smiling, her expression as if she were chatting with a close friend.
"Do you see it now?" Tokiomi asked, his voice flat.
"Is she—under some kind of spell?" Kariya's voice was tight with anger. He turned his head, a puzzled look on his face as he felt Tokiomi's hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing?"
"You look—unusually attractive when you're angry, Kariya," Tokiomi murmured, his eyes filled with a strange longing.
Goosebumps erupted across Kariya's skin. He backed away until he hit a tree, staring at the approaching Tokiomi with a mixture of confusion and fear. "What's wrong with you?"
'Whoosh!' The twang of a bowstring echoed through the air.
Kariya froze, his eyes wide, his gaze fixed on Tokiomi.
Kawakami's words echoed in his mind.
"Do what you want to do, kid. Don't hesitate. Even if it means defying the world. The Lord is with you." Kawakami's face had been—unnervingly serene.
"I understand now, Kawakami-san. I shouldn't have rejected this love…" Kariya's voice cracked, tears streaming down his face. It should have been a moment of joy, but why—why did he feel this overwhelming sadness?
He and Tokiomi embraced.
...
Gabriel's delicate ears twitched at the sound of the bowstring.
She turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she looked towards a small grove of trees two hundred meters away. She gasped, her hand covering her mouth.
"...."
"What is it, Mary-sama?" Aoi asked, following Gabriel's gaze, then blushed. "Is that—a couple? In public, how indecent…"
Then, she paused. Those figures... they looked familiar. 'Former classmates, perhaps?' She squinted, trying to get a better look.
As a normal human, her vision wasn't enhanced. After a moment's hesitation, her curiosity winning out, she took Gabriel's hand and walked towards the grove.
"Tokiomi, there's no one to stop us now."
"Yes, Kariya. Aoi's gone. We're free."
Aoi stared at the two men, their embrace passionate, their words—intimate, her face paling.
"Kariya, I thought you were normal—I suppose, there's no such thing as 'normal' in a mage family, I apologize for interrupting. And—congratulations."
She turned and walked away, pulling Gabriel along with her.
Gabriel, looking at the two men, each with an arrow protruding from their chests, murmured, "Cupid's arrow? Does this world's Cupid have a—mischievous streak as well…?"
...
Back at the Kobe Grand Hotel, Haru dispelled the [Sword of Salvation], a puzzled look on his face as Aoi rushed into his arms.
"What's wrong?"
"You...you only like girls, right?" Aoi asked, her voice hesitant.
"That's right. Why?"
"That's—that's good…" Aoi buried her face in his chest as if trying to—forget something.
After all, for a Yamato Nadeshiko raised in the 1970s, the sight of two men, together—was Disturbing.
Had she looked up, she would have seen the mischievous grin on Haru's face. He was a petty Devil King. She'd carried his child; her heart couldn't belong to another.
He'd subtly used his powers, planting suggestions in her mind, guiding her to witness Kariya and Tokiomi's—compromising position, orchestrated by Haru himself.
The effect had been—dramatic.
Aoi, a traditional girl at heart, had been utterly repulsed by their display, severing any lingering attachment she might have had for either of them.
Haru, seizing the opportunity, pulled Aoi closer, securing his place in her heart, and taking advantage of her vulnerability.
Strange sounds echoed through the hotel room.
...
In a dilapidated shrine on the outskirts of town, a young girl struggled to open the heavy wooden doors.
"Please, come in," she said, her voice small, as a middle-aged man approached.
The man knelt, his hand gently resting on the girl's head.
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