"Come on, Aozaki Touko, this is not like you!"
Aozaki Aoko grabbed Orange's collar and shook her back and forth.
"The Oranges I know are always decisive. No matter if it's a good idea or a bad idea, or a good thing or a bad thing, once you decide, you will do it, even if you know you will lose or die! Because my sister is like that!!!"
In desperation, Qingzi finally called out that name, the name she had not called out for a long, long time - sister, the sister whom she had admired, trusted and respected since childhood.
This sister was so determined to break up with her family, and she did not refute even when she was accused of killing her grandfather. She left home alone and went to London, entering the clock tower even though she was in a huge debt, and even attacked the magician to gain power, which eventually caused the riot of "Magic Night".
She is always so strong, so aloof, so proud, and she is unwilling to explain, even though she is covered with scars and bloody heads.
How could a sister like this, a woman who would move forward even if she was hated by many people and was alone, be so weak!!!
"Then what do you want me to do?" Orange did not resist and just let his sister who suddenly became crazy carry him.
"Make a decision, right now. Either confess, or reject, or... ah, think about it yourself. Anyway, don't be like this, it's really ugly. Show some of the spirit you had when fighting me! I'll give you ten seconds. If you don't decide, I'll make the decision for you!"
"Only ten seconds, isn't that too short?"
"It's not short anymore. Now let's start counting down from ten, nine, eight, seven..."
"Okay, okay, it's decided."
Perhaps because Aoko had tortured him to no avail, Orange scratched his hair in a very ungraceful manner.
"This is the Orange I know. Tell me, whether it's a confession or a rejection, I'll help you beat up anyone who dares to object."
Qingzi finally loosened his hands and rubbed his fists. If the "Human Rocket Launcher" wanted to beat someone up, even the "Gem Man" would have to consider the consequences.
"Neither." Orange shook his head.
"That's—?"
"I'll take a gamble."
"What's the bet?"
"Let's bet on fate. Didn't he talk about fate, past life, and reincarnation last night? Then let's make a bet, and the bet is myself! If we are really destined to be together, then when I see him again, I will give myself to him. If we are not destined to be together, then there is nothing to say."
Orange said as she walked towards her room, Aoko quickly following.
"Are you... leaving?"
"Yes, let's go now and leave Hokkaido."
I have been tied to you for too long, so long that I have forgotten my original intention. I must leave you and truly see my own heart. Even if I have to lose, I must lose completely and thoroughly.
"Is this really okay?" Qingzi looked at Chengzi woodenly.
"You asked me to make the decision, why are you hesitating now?" Orange asked back.
"No, it's just a little different from what I thought."
"How can I be your sister if you can guess my mistakes so easily? Oh, by the way, you made me make the decision, so you should take responsibility."
"Ah? There are still responsibilities?"
"Yes, I have been receiving living expenses from him since 1995, and his mistress is managing my income. I will definitely be left with no money after leaving this time, so I can only rely on you for support temporarily, my dear sister."
"Wait, wait, why does this sound so weird? He's supporting you?"
"It's okay if you understand it that way." Orange was not ashamed, but proud of it.
"... "
"Are you sorry for pushing me to make a decision?"
"A little bit."
"It's too late. You should know that once I make a decision, it won't change."
"Wow, so decisive in a place like this." At this moment, Qingzi really wanted to bang her head against the wall, "Okay, okay, let's go, we haven't been together for a long time... Hmm? You said you had living expenses? From 1995 to now?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
"Then why are you still spending money in my name? Someone who can help you get the 'Seal Designation' can't be stingy. You, you—pay back the money, pay back the money, pay back the money!!!"
"I don't have any money, but I have my life." Orange put one hand on his waist and acted like a rogue, "Kill me if you dare."
"I, I'll beat you to death—"
Qingzi immediately pounced forward with fangs and claws bared, but before he could touch Chengzi, he was pinned down by the next sentence.
"You get angry when I mention money. Why did you call me sister, sister, sister just now? Ah, it's been years since I heard you call me sister. Call me sister a few more times, maybe I'll be in a better mood and pay you back."
"Orange, you..."
"Don't call me sister anymore? Sister."
"Ugh! I'm such an idiot for worrying about you." Aoko went crazy.
"Just so you know."
...
Fighting is fighting, bickering is bickering, once Chengzi has made a decision, she will immediately put it into action. The same is true for Qingzi, since she has forced her sister to make a decision, she will take responsibility to the end.
When Shinji came back, the house was already empty, with only the untied dishes and teacups on the table and the turned-over note paper left.
There was an extra line of words on the back which was originally blank.
"I'm leaving. Don't look for me. See you again if we're lucky."
The signature is Aozaki Touko. Compared with previous signatures, this signature is particularly flying. Just by looking at it, you can feel a free and easy atmosphere.
"Really? Let's go." Shinji put down the note and sighed with a complicated expression.
"Why are you leaving just after arriving? Did something happen at the Toono family?" asked Yustisa, who was confused.
"Not that kind of thing. They really left and will never come back, whether it's the Matou family or the Tohno family."
"But, but didn't she just accept Miss Wu Yue as her inner disciple? How come—"
"This is Orange's nature. She is the wind and cannot stay in one place forever. I guessed this day would come when I signed the certificate with her. I guess it was Aozaki Aoko's arrival that awakened her nature."
"How could this happen? I, we have always treated her as a family member, why... why..."
Justisa was a little confused. She had always regarded Orange as her best friend, but he left suddenly, which was hard for her to accept.
Shinji gently held Justisa in his arms: "It's okay, she's still family even if she's gone. Don't you feel it? The longing contained in it, she will come back, one day."
Justisa hummed, "She didn't even wash the dishes. She won't last long."
"Even if she can persist, I have a way. She can't run away."
Shinji grinned, revealing his teeth gleaming with a cold light.
...
Half a month later, Orange received an envelope from Kato Danzo who had come to meet them.
There was a photo in the envelope, which showed Orange and Aoko, who were still hungover, hugging each other, with their heads against each other, their faces against each other, and their mouths against each other.
There is also a familiar funny face and message on the back of the photo.
"Have a nice trip."
"Aoko."
"Um?"
"Go ahead and kill him. I won't stop you."
"... No."
"Why?"
"Don't include me in your flirting."
"... "
PS: Given that the time span is a bit long, the El-Melloi Case Files, um, the Shinji Case Files are listed in a separate volume, which is the next volume, so this volume is over.
PS2: Ah, just talking about the plot and readability, "Night of the Ancient Magus" is really good, and "Jisei Case Files" is equally good. I highly recommend it.