Standing before Roy was a young girl dressed in a dark brown Japanese-style maid outfit.
She had rose-red bob-cut hair with a navy blue bow tied at the back of her head. Her dark golden pupils exuded an innocent and cheerful aura, while her thick eyelashes fluttered like crow feathers.
As she opened the gate, the aged double-winged lattice door creaked and swung outward, revealing a snow-white stone path leading to the Western-style mansion.
"I'm here from Fuyuki City to provide support. I'd like to meet the mayor," Roy said, retrieving Tokyo City's emergency request document from his imaginary pocket and presenting it to the girl.
"Support personnel arriving this quickly? That's amazing!" The girl covered her lips in surprise, maintaining ladylike manners while gazing at Roy with astonishment.
"Please follow me inside. The mayor is at home!" She gestured invitingly and led Roy into the estate.
"How should I address you, honored magus?"
"My name is Roy. Just call me by name."
"Understood, Lord Roy. Then you may also call me by my name—Kohaku! Lady Akiha should be in her study right now. With the recent surge in cursed spirit disasters, she's been losing quite a bit of hair. She must be terribly worried. Such smooth, beautiful hair—I really hope she doesn't go bald too soon..."
The girl was extremely talkative, her words flowing like an unending stream once she started speaking.
"Is it really okay for you to diss your master's hair like that?"
"Hahaha, as long as I don't say it in front of Lady Akiha, it's fine!"
The girl guided Roy along the wide stone path, past the entrance fountain, until they reached the three-story Western mansion spanning over a hundred meters wide. With a creak, she opened the double-winged mahogany doors.
"Please wait in the reception room. I'll inform Lady Akiha immediately!"
After ushering Roy to the first-floor reception area, Kohaku hurried off with light footsteps toward the dual staircase at the far end of the hall.
Before long, the reception room door opened.
A young girl entered.
"Forgive my tardiness in greeting our distinguished guest. I am Tohno Akiha, mayor of Tokyo City."
The girl swept her waist-length black hair behind her ear and took a seat opposite Roy.
She appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, wrapped in a long trailing dress with a fluffy collar that looked exceptionally warm. Her black hair was indeed as smooth and lustrous as Kohaku had described—undeniably a beautiful young girl.
Yet her cool, elegant features carried an air of detachment, making her seem unapproachable despite her beauty.
"I'm Roy."
Roy gave a brief self-introduction while studying Tohno Akiha closely.
When he learned that Tokyo City's mayor was Tohno Akiha, Roy had been surprised.
But upon reflection—with Tsukihime's setting now relocated to Tokyo and the Tohno clan controlling the underground world surrounding the city—it wasn't so strange for her to become the new Tokyo City's ruler.
Any discrepancies could simply be blamed on parallel world differences.
As Roy observed Tohno Akiha, she was likewise assessing him.
White hair and red eyes.
The moment these distinctive features registered, she immediately understood: Roy was a homunculus.
However, his physique was remarkably robust, completely unlike the stereotypical pale and frail build of homunculi. His entire body exuded an aura of formidable strength.
Akiha understood—Roy was likely an exceptionally unique homunculus, incomparable to ordinary ones.
"Forgive my bluntness, but is Roy the only supporter who came from Fuyuki City?"
Akiha looked at Roy, her naturally delicate brows slightly furrowed.
In her letter, she had explicitly requested at least ten magi for the support to be of any use in this situation.
"That's correct. I'm the only one providing support this time."
Roy answered Akiha's question frankly.
"I know what Mayor Tohno wants to say—you doubt my individual capabilities, right?"
Akiha remained silent, tacitly confirming his assumption.
Wasn't that only natural?
No matter how strong a homunculus might be, no matter how exceptional their talents, their inherent limitations remained. And with just one person, how much difference could he possibly make?
"I won't waste words, so I'll just say this."
Seeing Akiha's silent agreement, Roy smiled noncommittally and raised a single finger.
"If even I can't resolve Tokyo's current crisis, then this fortress city is beyond saving. If you don't believe me, feel free to test me in a fight. You can even use that hidden power of yours if you'd like."
The moment Roy finished speaking, Akiha's gaze shifted.
It became like that of a life-devouring demon, filled with an oppressive force that seemed ready to strike at any moment.
Yet beneath that pressure, Roy's expression remained utterly unchanged, as if basking in a spring breeze—completely unfazed by her intimidation.
Compared to Fan Xinglou's bone-crushing aura, Tohno Akiha was far too inexperienced.
"...If you're that confident, then I'll trust you."
Akiha exhaled imperceptibly, her expression regaining its calm composure.
"I'll have Kohaku prepare a guest room for you in the mansion. Until this cursed spirit disaster is resolved, you'll stay there. Any objections?"
"None at all."
Roy continued smiling with unshaken ease, though his expression grew slightly more serious.
"However, before that, there's something else. Another reason I came to Tokyo was to find the family of my attendant. But at the refugee camp, I heard Mayor Tohno took them away?"
"You're quite considerate of your attendant..."
Akiha gave Roy a somewhat surprised glance.
"What do they look like?"
"Like this."
Roy produced the photograph again.
"Twins... no, quadruplets?"
For once, a look of astonishment crossed Akiha's typically aloof face.
"I do have two sisters here who look exactly like them. If their family is in Fuyuki City, I have no issue with you taking them back. However, they aren't at the mansion right now."
"Where are they then?"
"At school."
"School?"
Roy slowly formed a question mark in his mind, utterly baffled.
Given Tokyo's devastated state, where people struggled just to feed themselves, they actually had the resources to reopen schools?
Not that prioritizing education was a bad thing—but were the resources truly sufficient?
How many meals do students have in a day? What do they study? Surely they don't still learn subjects like Japanese and English, right? At the very least, they must study math, physics, and chemistry, no?
"I'll have Kohaku take you there. You'll understand once you arrive."
Akiha showed no intention of explaining further. With a cold expression, she rose from the sofa.
"Right now, cursed spirits beyond the capabilities of ordinary magi could appear in Tokyo City at any moment. I hope you'll remain prepared to provide support at all times."
After saying this, she turned and left.
Truly here one moment and gone the next.
Judging from what Kohaku had mentioned earlier, disasters were frequent in Tokyo City now—Tohno Akiha was probably swamped with work.
"Lord Roy, shall we head to the school now?"
Before long, Kohaku returned to the parlor with her usual cheerful smile.
"Let's go pick them up while there's still no cursed spirit activity!"
Roy exhaled deeply and stood up. Things might get busy later, so it was best to ensure his sisters-in-law's safety now.
Wait, were they really his sisters-in-law?
Those two sisters who had crossed over to Tokyo City—were they Nino, Yotsuba, or Itsuki?
***
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