6:00 PM.
Maki sat down on the gym floor, gasping for air as she tried to catch her breath.
A mock sparring session against Toji.
Today was another defeat.
"Dammit."
Maki exhaled a ragged breath and clicked her tongue in frustration.
She unzipped her training jersey, revealing a chest slick with sweat.
Around her, those engaged in close-quarters combat drills or strength training in the corners of the gym stole glances at her.
Her physicality and her looks were a lethal combination.
She was, by all objective standards, exceptionally stunning.
Some looks were lecherous; others were full of awe.
To anyone else, such attention might have been offensive, but not to Maki.
This was thanks to the education she had received from Koyanskaya.
—"A charming woman naturally draws in all sorts of desires. Accept it as a matter of course."
There was no need for offense, and no need for arrogance.
She simply had to accept it as an empirical fact.
Maki remained faithful to that teaching, only taking action if someone dared to cross the line.
Mai was the same.
The sisters realized they were attractive, yet they never grew conceited.
Because they knew well the sheer, overwhelming level of the women who surrounded the one person they actually wanted to appear attractive for.
"That frustrated, huh?"
The source of Maki's frustration sat down across from her.
It was Zenin Toji.
Several years had passed since Maki first met him.
Much time had flowed by, yet Toji's appearance remained frozen in time.
Even considering his Heavenly Restriction, he looked impossibly young.
The same held true for Zenin Sae.
It was strange, even if one considered that she drew from Toji's vitality almost every single day.
How was this possible?
Toji had pondered the reason and reached a conclusion.
Leaving aside the fact that she had given birth at a relatively young age, the core reason was the Elixir of Ibuki-douji they received as a gift every year.
"Of course I'm frustrated. I've been coming at you for years and I can't land a single winning blow."
"Still, you've become quite usable. If you're going to live as a jujutsu sorcerer, that level is more than enough."
Toji offered Maki a gentle consolation.
He was relatively kind when it came to women.
"Thanks for the compliment, but it doesn't help when I can't win even once. If my win rate was at least twenty percent, I wouldn't feel this way."
"It can't be helped. There is a wall between you and me."
Toji stopped smiling and answered with a grave expression.
He wasn't trying to belittle her.
It was the wall that separated the two of them, despite both being born with Heavenly Restrictions.
By current standards, it was an absolute wall.
Toji possessed a complete Heavenly Restriction.
Conversely, the difference stemmed from the fact that Maki's restriction was incomplete because of Mai.
"You mean the wall of perception? Can I really not cover that distance?"
"You can't. Reclaiming stats that were downscaled, rather than just improved, requires a very special method."
"Damn. Do you have to be so blunt about it?"
"You like it when I speak plainly like this. However..."
Toji paused for a moment, meeting Maki's eyes.
His gaze was calm yet serious.
"If it's the Boss, he might find a way for you."
"...You mean Master?"
"Yeah. The Boss probably knew you were restricted and unstable the moment he saw you. He's not the type to just sit back and watch that, is he?"
Toji's prediction was spot on.
Even if he hadn't stepped forward himself, he had been putting years of effort into this.
And now, they had reached the final stretch.
"Master... is that kind of person."
Maki's cheeks flushed crimson.
He lived like a wanderer, not even attending school, but he was a man who had earned that right.
A kind person who had taken the sisters in.
Lately, her face grew hot just thinking about him...
But she still liked it.
'She's become a woman in full,' Toji thought, shaking his head as he looked at her.
He wondered if she would give birth as soon as she became an adult, or if she would cause an "accident" even before then.
"Anyway, it's not something you can achieve through mere effort. My theory isn't certain either. So, the best you can do is establish a way to fight despite your deficiencies."
"So that's the only way, after all?"
"Yeah. If you're going to be a jujutsu sorcerer, the aid of a Cursed Tool is inevitable. Unarmed combat is important, but focus more on your weapon techniques."
"Got it."
Maki nodded with a determined face.
While she was grateful for the help, she didn't want to be entirely dependent.
She feared that if she continued to rely on him, he might find her a nuisance.
She feared being abandoned because of her incompetence.
This was a thought the original Maki would never have entertained, but with her environment changed, it was a natural outcome.
"Anyway, that's enough for today's training. You can head out."
"Thanks."
Maki nodded and stood up.
Since she was drenched in sweat, she planned to wash up in the gym's shower room before leaving.
Most of the members in Toji's gym were men, but a women's shower room had been provided nonetheless.
It was strictly for Maki and Mai.
There were only three showerheads—a scale just right for the two of them.
Still, perhaps because of Maki and Mai's presence, female members occasionally knocked on the door.
Naturally, they were aspirants in the world of martial arts or physical training.
Maki washed her body and changed her clothes. It was a white training jersey.
"Toji. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah."
Maki slung her crossbody bag over her shoulder and left the premises.
The bag felt heavy because of the weapons inside.
Heavenly Restriction made her strong, but dealing with Cursed Spirits required Cursed Tools. Because of that, Maki always carried weapons with her.
However, the weapon Maki usually carried wasn't a Cursed Tool.
It was a Mystic Code.
Its effect was based on the Inverted Spear of Heaven: the neutralization of Cursed Energy.
The weaponry consisted of two types: a collapsible staff and a dagger.
The dagger was kept in a holster wrapped around her bare skin, right beneath her chest.
The staff stayed in her bag.
Thanks to the magical processing, the holster strap felt comfortable against her skin. There was no sharp friction.
Since her chest had grown, she could tuck it underneath such that it didn't even stand out. The shadow of her cleavage concealed it perfectly.
This allowed her to respond instantly if she suddenly encountered a Curse. Just like right now.
Slick.
Maki drew the dagger from the holster beneath her clothes and swung it.
The entire process took less than half a second.
A swift draw. The speed and precise trajectory of her rotation were flawless.
The impeccable diagonal slash cleaved through the Curse lurking behind her.
It was a rat-shaped Cursed Spirit.
—Squeeeeeeeak...!
The rat, its throat severed, let out a shriek before crumbling into dust.
The end of a low-grade Curse.
'Was that a Grade 3?'
Maki toyed with the military dagger in her hand as she walked through the alley.
She felt no other presence. Fortunately, no more Curses appeared by the time she reached the end of the alley.
Finding nothing else, she slid the dagger back into its holster.
"Phew."
Lowering her guard, Maki boarded the bus home. Various thoughts raced through her mind.
—A ritual?
—Yeah. Koyanskaya-san told me. She said to clear our schedules for that day, no matter what.
—I'll clear it if she says so, but... what kind of ritual is it?
—I'm not sure. She just said she'd replace the 'twins of the jujutsu concept' with the 'twins of the magecraft concept.' Do you understand what that means?
—No. Not at all.
It wasn't that she was ignorant of the concept of Magecraft. She had received explanations.
She knew it wasn't the kind of "magic" people usually imagined. She knew it was a different system from jujutsu.
She knew all that, but that was as far as her knowledge went.
She had no intention of entering that world, and initiation would have been impossible for her anyway.
At any rate, the scheduled date was right before her eyes. It was tomorrow.
In jujutsu, twins are treated as the same individual.
In Magecraft, she had heard that twins were treated as complementary beings.
I'm not a die-hard Type-Moon fan, so I didn't know the specifics, but... I was certain they weren't treated as a single entity.
The Edelfelt sisters came to mind immediately. Or the Dioscuri. There was no sense of them being considered a single being.
"To substitute a jujutsu existence with a magecraft existence, we must touch the soul. It requires extremely delicate adjustments."
In the deep of the night, Koyanskaya of Light, the Assassin, muttered as she looked at the sisters lying side-by-side.
Beside the Assassin was Koyanskaya of Darkness, the Foreigner. Opposite them, Ibuki stood beside me.
"I know. That's why it took years."
"Yes. It took time to find the method, refine it, and test it. We finally completed the thaumaturgical formula just a few days ago," the Assassin murmured with a hint of a sigh.
She added that she felt the lack of a Grand Caster like Medea or Circe acutely during the process.
"You worked hard."
"Indeed. Everyone, including Lady Ibuki-douji, went through a lot of trouble. This kind of magecraft is not our specialty, after all."
"But the fact that you pulled it off is impressive. You've worked so hard that I want to do something for you in return..."
I sincerely consoled my Servants. Not wanting to give them false hope, I had kept this a secret from the sisters.
They had invested hours every night for years. It was only today that I revealed the truth.
To ask for their consent.
—Once the ritual ends successfully, things will be much better. Maki's Heavenly Restriction will be perfected, and Mai's Cursed Energy capacity will increase. However, it is also dangerous.
The gains, and the risks. I explained both in detail and waited for their answer.
Though the three Servants had struggled to devise the formula, the choice belonged to the sisters. Even if they refused, or if they accepted, I intended to reward my Servants regardless.
The fact that the three of them had suffered for my sake remained unchanged. It was an immutable crimson truth.
—If Mai allows it, I'll do it.
Surprisingly, Maki yielded the choice to Mai during the process... but it didn't seem intended to pressure her. Perhaps it was because she could handle being in danger alone, but she couldn't bear to sacrifice her younger sister for her own greed.
"I'll do it."
After a moment's hesitation, Mai gave her consent with a sigh and lay down on the bed. Just as she was now.
"You're serious about that, Master?"
"I hope you aren't thinking of taking back what you said now."
"Big sister would be quite disappointed if you did, you know?"
Suddenly, the eyes of the three glinted. There was a touch of madness even in their softly curved lips. I couldn't take back what I'd said. All I could do was nod.
"I don't know what it is yet, but please, keep the requests gentle."
"Understood."
The Foreigner answered as their representative, smiling. Her motivated expression was both reassuring and terrifying.
"Then, shall we begin?"
Ibuki knelt between the sisters. She placed her hands over their hearts from the center. The Assassin sat by Maki, and the Foreigner by Mai, layering their own hands over the hands already on the sisters' hearts.
Soon, a blue light began to leak from beneath their palms.
The strange tension was suffocating. It felt like a dangerous surgery, yet also like a solemn prayer.
'It looks subtle,' I thought.
Looking at the three Servants' expressions, I could guess how much they were concentrating and how delicate the work was. To a casual observer, it just looked like they had frozen with their hands on the girls' chests. The flickering blue light was the only sign of change.
Altering a Spirit Origin was akin to altering a part of the soul. They were even incorporating elements of spiritual healing thalmaturgy.
I was told it wasn't as difficult as the Third Magic, the Materialization of the Soul. But altering the soul? I felt like I'd heard of this somewhere before...
'Huh?'
As I pondered, the phone in my pocket vibrated. I had to step out. I exited the room as quietly as possible. When I pulled out my phone, Naobito's name was on the screen.
"Hello?" I asked as I picked up.
Coincidentally or not, he was calling at a perfect time.
—Yes. It's been a while.
Naobito chuckled on the other end. It had been several months since we last spoke, so it had indeed been a while.
"Yes. To what do I owe the call?"
—That brat Naoya visits you often, but I haven't seen your face in years, have I?
"Ah. You want to meet?"
—Indeed. Why don't we see each other in person to confirm one another's well-being? Choose a time and place that's convenient for you.
"Anywhere is fine with me."
—Then I'll come see you tomorrow. Let's say... five in the afternoon. We can meet then and have an early dinner together.
Tomorrow already? It was sudden, but not bad.
"Sounds good. Where?"
—Let's meet in Shinjuku or Shibuya, places you favor.
"Understood. I'll see you tomorrow."
I hung up after finalizing the appointment. This call came just as Maki and Mai were undergoing the ritual? Was it a sign from the heavens to let them meet? If the magecraft finished on time, I'd let them meet him. Otherwise, I'd have to let them rest.