After May finished her cake, Roy stood up with the two girls and left the café.
Takina saw the three of them out, then turned around and let out a deep sigh of relief.
Finally, that formidable presence was gone!
"I'll be staying in Tokyo for the next few days. You two will stay with me. Don't worry, there are plenty of rooms, and it's very safe. Once everything is settled, I'll take you back to Fuyuki City."
"We'll follow Lord Roy's arrangements."
Nino and Itsuki exchanged glances and obediently agreed to Roy's plan.
At this point, having a place to stay was already a blessing. Hoping for somewhere safe was almost too much to ask. Roy's accommodations would undoubtedly be better than where they were staying now. With plenty of rooms, they wouldn't have to worry about boundaries between men and women or Roy suddenly losing control in the middle of the night.
Not that it would matter much even if Roy did lose control, but at least they'd feel psychologically safer.
At that moment, Waver and Iskandar also finished resting and stepped out of the café.
Then, as if accommodating Waver's stamina, the two of them—including the red-haired giant—followed closely behind Roy's group, matching their pace.
Roy didn't pay them much mind, assuming they were just heading in the same direction.
But after walking another kilometer and turning two corners, Waver and Iskandar were still trailing them.
Roy frowned.
Even Nino and Itsuki sensed something was off, sticking close to Roy with nervous apprehension.
Right now, staying near Roy was the only thing that gave them any sense of security.
"Why are you following us?"
Roy turned around, his gaze sharpening with suspicion.
Were these two really not up to something?
"Sorry, but it seems our destinations overlap," Waver said, his expression slightly awkward.
"Our destination is just up ahead. We'll probably part ways soon."
He didn't seem to be lying—it was likely just a coincidence.
Roy didn't respond but quietly activated his "Eye of the Mind (True)." If anything seemed even slightly off, he'd strike first without hesitation.
After walking another kilometer, the group of five came to a stop in front of the gates of the Tohno family's estate.
Roy and Waver stared at each other.
"...This is our destination."
"What a coincidence. It's ours too."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Hahaha! Looks like we might've been invited here for the same reason!"
Iskandar laughed heartily, completely unfazed by the tension between them, and stepped forward to ring the doorbell.
Before long, Kohaku emerged from the mansion, trotting up to the gates.
"Welcome back, Lord Roy. And these two are...?"
Her gaze lingered on Waver and Iskandar, studying the odd pair with curiosity.
"My apologies, miss. Here's the letter Mayor Tohno sent me."
Waver stepped forward and handed her an already-opened letter.
After examining it, Kohaku's eyes lit up in realization.
"Ah, so you're the legendary expert in dismantling magecraft—uh, I mean, the renowned master! It's an honor to meet you. Please, come in!"
Waver's face darkened for a moment.
Roy's group of three and Waver's pair were ushered together into the Western-style mansion.
Nino and Itsuki gazed at the enormous mansion—its gardens, gazebos, and fountains vividly visible. No matter the angle, the estate was so extravagantly luxurious it was almost unbelievable, nearly making their jaws drop in astonishment.
Just a temporary residence, yet so extravagant—was this the influence of a Crown-class Magus?
First floor of the mansion, the drawing room.
Both siblings of the Tohno family were present here.
Shiki Tohno's expression was quite grim, his pallid face tinged with confusion and exhaustion. Akiha Tohno stood stiffly to the side, her thoughts unreadable.
"Kohaku, arrange two rooms for them."
"Yes, Lady Akiha, leave it to me. Please follow me, you two!"
Nino and Itsuki bowed respectfully to Akiha before following Kohaku out of the drawing room toward the guest quarters.
"Miss Tohno, are these two also helpers you invited?"
Roy stepped forward, glancing briefly at the visibly distressed Shiki before ignoring him and taking a seat on the nearby sofa. He then gestured toward Waver and his companion and asked Akiha.
Waver and Iskandar had wondered why they'd been summoned to Tokyo City.
Turns out, Akiha Tohno had invited them. Given the timing, Roy could only think of one reason—the unusually frequent cursed spirit incidents plaguing Tokyo.
"...How did you all end up meeting?"
"Ran into each other at a café."
"Walked too much, needed a break."
"..."
Akiha sighed, her composed expression faltering slightly.
"Very well. Indeed, I invited Mr. El-Melloi II for support in dealing with the current cursed spirit incidents."
"Mhm."
Roy nodded repeatedly.
"I reached out to Fuyuki City for aid shortly before inviting Mr. El-Melloi II. This isn't a lack of trust in Fuyuki's capabilities—it's just that the situation demands as many hands as possible."
Seeing his unreadable expression, Akiha felt compelled to explain further.
Fuyuki City was the leading force among Japan's four major fortress cities, holding a de facto leadership position—especially since the Witch of Misaki City had no interest in governance. Still, Fuyuki's dominance in Japan was undeniable.
For Akiha to invite others after requesting Fuyuki's aid might have offended some prideful magi.
"No misunderstanding here. You needn't worry—after all, there was never any trust between us to begin with."
Roy smiled dismissively.
Akiha frowned subtly, unable to gauge his thoughts.
Kohaku had already reported the incident at the school to her. Roy's strength far exceeded her expectations, and she hoped he wouldn't take offense.
She had intended to keep Roy and Waver separate, smoothing things over in a more palatable way—but she never expected them to cross paths on their own.
Still, judging by his good mood, he didn't seem displeased.
Dealing with powerful individuals required extra attention to subtle details.
Such was the reality of their world—the demand for strong magi was simply too great.
Waver glanced between Roy and Akiha, lost in thought.
Tohno Akiha set aside her distracting thoughts for the moment, her usually cold face now showing deep solemnity.
"Now then, regarding the current situation in Tokyo City, there are some things you all should be aware of..."