Aozaki Aoko Case File [253]

"Ymir... Does he think we will become gods in the Lands Between?" Touko took the letter from Aoko's hand and said in surprise, "Does he believe that the two of us have a better chance of success than Queen Marika's offspring?"

"Probably because we are outsiders," Aoko shrugged helplessly. "From the information that Professor Ymir told us, the top authority over the Fingers in the Lands Between isn't the Greater Will. There is an intermediary manager involved."

"The Mother of Fingers," Touko interjected. "What exactly is that? The creator of all 'Two Fingers'?"

"It sounds like it," Aoko recalled the contents of the letter. "It seems that all the Finger Creepers and Fingers originate from this 'Mother of Fingers.' If that's the case, then the orders supposedly conveyed by the Two Fingers to Queen Marika and the demigods become questionable.

Maybe the Greater Will never actually issued any commands to the Lands Between at all."

Aoko had even more doubts in her mind. For instance, she immediately thought about who had given the order to destroy the Eternal City and why that order had been issued. However, without more information, she didn't want to jump to conclusions.

The Nox people created blades designed to hunt Fingers, but who exactly was harmed by these blades that would have angered the Greater Will? Or perhaps, the true target of the blade wasn't the Greater Will itself, but rather the 'twisted source' Ymir mentioned—the Mother of Fingers?

There were many questions, but there were also many tasks at hand.

Aoko and Touko's main goal was to study the local knowledge and find a way to travel from the Shadow Realm to the Lands Between or obtain its coordinates. Additionally, they had accepted Professor Ymir's investigation mission—to explore the last Finger Ruin in the Shadow Realm, Miyr.

Since Ymir could still obtain information about the Lands Between despite being trapped in the Shadow Realm, then in a sense, he must also have a way to determine the coordinates of the Lands Between.

Aoko had previously discussed this with Ymir, but at the time, he dodged the question, saying, "There is no point in going to the Lands Between right now," and brushed it off. Could Aoko interpret this as meaning that once they resolved the issue at the last Finger Ruin, they might gain the opportunity to go to the Lands Between—or even the method to do so?

It sounded a bit far-fetched, but it was the most reliable lead they had. If it didn't work, the two of them would have to dig around in the Shadow Realm for whatever benefits they could find before slinking back to Earth.

As for becoming gods here? What a joke. Aoko was having way too much fun being a Magician. If she became a god, she might end up trapped in the Lands Between—what would be the point of that?

In the Type-Moon Earth, the gods had already been pushed to the outer edges of the world by the aftermath of the Age of Gods' decline. The star's tendrils were merely 'tool gods' holding authorities—how could they compare to the freedom of the Magician?

She didn't know exactly what gods in the Lands Between could do, but she was sure it wasn't what she wanted. After all, living in a magical medieval world couldn't possibly compare to the quality of life she enjoyed on Type-Moon Earth.

"The mechanism Professor Ymir mentioned should be on this chair, right?" Touko circled the high-backed chair twice and said, "I can't believe he just sits on this thing all the time... Wouldn't his butt feel cold?"

"Probably because he doesn't trust anyone," Aoko crouched down and began feeling around under the chair, searching for the hidden mechanism. "Got it!"

With a crisp click, Aoko pressed a switch hidden beneath the high-backed chair. Immediately, they heard a series of mechanical movements beneath their feet, followed by a heavy rumbling. The floor beneath the chair shifted aside, revealing a passage leading downward.

"A ladder, huh?" Touko curled her lip. "How old-fashioned."

"Not a problem," Aoko clapped her hands and stood up. "I'll just carry you down; no need to climb."

The dark passage was a vertical shaft, narrow at the start—designed to prevent too many people from discovering or accessing it.

At the very least, Aoko was sure this passage wasn't meant for the massive-bodied demigods.

With Aoko leading and Touko following above, they descended vertically using flight magic. At first, they thought they would reach the bottom quickly. But after nearly fifteen minutes of descent, they realized something was off.

"Good thing I don't have claustrophobia," Touko's voice came from above. She pouted. "Otherwise, this deep and narrow space would be enough to trigger it instantly."

"I'm sure we're not stuck in some kind of looping space," Aoko replied. "It's just that this passage is long.

There must be something incredible in the last Finger Ruin, Miyr."

Just as Aoko finished speaking, the two of them suddenly emerged from the narrow tunnel into a vast underground space filled with dim light and mist.

Adjusting Touko's floating position to be beside her, Aoko looked downward—and what appeared before them was—

A bizarre road formed from countless massive, entangled Fingers.

Towering petrified Fingers stood on either side of the path. The road twisted upward, pointing in the same direction as the Fingers. At the end of the path stood a familiar structure.

"A bell tower," Aoko murmured. "Looks like our final task is to ring it and see what happens."

"It won't resurrect the Mother of Fingers, will it?" Touko joked with a laugh.

"There's a problem with the way you said that," Aoko gave her a meaningful look. "Because the Mother of Fingers was never dead—so how could it be resurrected?"

The two landed on the Finger-formed pathway and began walking toward the bell tower at a normal pace. Along the way, Aoko glanced into the mist on either side—there was no visible bottom. The Fingers growing here must have been immensely long.

When Aoko finally stood before the last bell tower, ready to sound it, Touko suddenly clung onto her back, wrapping her arms around her from behind.

Aoko glanced back. Oranges had reverted to her child form to make it easier to catch a ride.

"Don't get the wrong idea!" Touko's face turned slightly red, and she spoke in the classic tsundere tone. "Ringing this bell is going to trigger something major. To prevent you from being teleported away, I need to synchronize with you through direct contact magic. That way, in terms of mysticism, we'll be considered a single entity."

Aoko gave a noncommittal nod and, for once, didn't tease Touko-chan. Instead, she took a deep breath, lowered her head, and prepared to blow the whistle placed inside the hollow of the bell.

A deep, eerie chime—the most unsettling sound they had heard so far—resonated through the underground space. Aoko felt a slight tickle on her neck. Looking down, she realized it was Touko's long, wine-red hair, now draped over her.

But when Aoko raised her head again, she realized they were no longer standing beside the underground bell.

They had arrived in a space even vaster, stranger, and more surreal than before.