"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Le Bleu is still with you."
As if just remembering another tool's presence, Aya slowly turned and looked at Yuuma calmly. But it was only a glance, not lingering for even a second longer.
"Le Bleu, return."
Aya spoke calmly. The next moment, the figure of a knight in sky-blue armor left Yuuma's back. As the Guardian departed, Yuuma's Witch powers also vanished.
After all, the Guardian was the guarantee of the contract a Witch signed with the Devil, as well as the embodiment of that contract. All of a Witch's magic stemmed from the contract with the Devil, so naturally, once the Guardian was gone, her powers would disappear too.
Yuuma felt her body weaken, and she collapsed helplessly.
Releasing a Guardian wasn't a pleasant experience for a Witch. Natsuki, who cared for her niece, immediately helped Yuuma stand.
However, the greatest sorrow is a dead heart, and Yuuma was almost at that point.
But before Natsuki could say anything to Aya, Aya paid no attention to Yuuma's current weakness. She spoke in a tone that was almost commanding.
"You're free, Yuuma."
"Wherever you go, whatever you do, it's up to you. You never signed any contract with the Devil. You were only using the power transferred from me."
"Your purpose was solely to save me, and now that I'm out of the Prison Barrier, your existence no longer has meaning."
"Aya, your words are a bit too harsh. Even though you're Yuuma's mother, you can't say that to her!"
Natsuki deliberately emphasized the word "mother" reminding Aya that there was still time to mend her relationship with Yuuma.
For her niece, Yuuma, though Natsuki was shocked, she felt more joy. She also hoped Yuuma could soften Aya's cold, solitary, and sharp-tongued temperament through her role as a daughter.
Of course, looking at the current situation, such a thing was basically impossible. It would be good enough if Aya didn't kill Yuuma with her own hands.
After all, a clone with genes and magic identical to Aya's was a significant risk. If someone used Yuuma's hair to cast a curse, there was a high chance Aya would be cursed too. With Aya's personality, she wouldn't allow herself to have too many weaknesses. A daughter's weakness was too obvious.
However, Aya hadn't expected that Yuuma, whom she painstakingly created to help her escape, would lose her purpose now that Aya was free. If Aslan hadn't brought Yuuma, it was likely Aya would have destroyed her remotely.
Never underestimate the power of the Witch of the Notaria, who had nearly memorized all the Grimoires in the LCO. This was also why Aslan brought Yuuma.
Aya rolled her glowing red eyes, looking at Natsuki with a frown of displeasure. "Natsuki, you're meddling a bit too much."
Even when they were very close in the past, neither interfered in the other's personal life. Let alone now, when she and Natsuki hadn't reconciled.
This was her personal matter. What right did Natsuki have to interfere?
So Aya's accusation was bold.
At that moment, Natsuki, feeling guilty, quietly elbowed Aslan's waist, reminding him that the child he brought home was his responsibility to handle.
"Auntie, it seems you've misunderstood. Yuuma is my war trophy." Aslan said to Aya with a half-smirk.
"She's the war trophy I personally acquired by storming the LCO and defeating countless Witches and Attack Mages."
The LCO, or Library of Criminal Organizations, was an internationally notorious criminal organization composed solely of high-level Attack Mages and Witches. It was named so because it held numerous Grimoires.
They collected Grimoires from around the world, classified and sealed them, and only lent books to select individuals. Not for developing magic or maintaining world peace, but merely to satisfy their own desires.
But their strength was mediocre. Aslan defeated them with ease. They surrendered far faster than the prisoners in the Prison Barrier.
Aya's face immediately turned ugly, but in front of Aslan, she could only suppress her anger. "You should've heard, I've already given this child her freedom."
Hearing this, the vacant eyes of Natsuki and Yuuma suddenly lit up with a different spark. Aya didn't seem as cruel as she appeared on the surface.
Taking back the Guardian was only to prevent it from harming Yuuma for failing to fulfill the Devil's contract. Yuuma could fully sign a new contract with the Devil and obtain her own Guardian. Taking back the Guardian would only weaken Yuuma for a few days.
As Aya's clone, Yuuma's talent was no weaker than her mother's. Aya genuinely intended to give Yuuma true freedom without any shackles.
At that moment, Aya seemed to realize her tone was off, and her face grew cold. "However, if you wish, you can use this tool as you please."
At this point, Aslan said something deeply hurtful. "Including dressing her up to look like you and using you both together?"
(What should I do? It's kind of tempting.)
Aya froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Aslan to be so shameless.
Natsuki, standing nearby, was stunned and instinctively blurted out, "Hey, hey, this is my niece!"
Aslan shrugged nonchalantly and said, "But she's not my niece, right? Who said she's your niece? Yuuma could also be your sister."
After all, cloning ethics weren't fully established. Yuuma could be considered not just Aya's daughter but also her twin sister, an avatar, or something else.
(Those words aren't wrong, and I can't argue back…)
Natsuki gripped her folding fan angrily, her expression like that of a wife watching her husband enter a massage parlor.
"If you're pleased, go ahead." Aya said coldly.
She feared losing her composure momentarily and attacking the man in front of her. If that happened, she and Yuuma might die on the spot.
Instead, by staying icy and placing her hopes in Natsuki's integrity and conscience, Yuuma still had a good chance of surviving. At the very least, Natsuki wouldn't stand by and watch someone try to "eat an oyakodon" and would do everything to stop it.
Seeing Aya so angry she wanted to hit him but unable to move, only able to console herself, Aslan curled his lips playfully. He lowered his head and reached out to pat Yuuma's head, who was greatly weakened from losing her Guardian.
"Do you think this child is like the embodiment of a Witch, exploited since birth?"
Aya's face suddenly turned extremely ugly.
"That's right, the one exploiting her isn't anyone else—it's you, her mother."
Aslan's smile was like a thorn, piercing deeply into Aya's heart. "How does it feel? The feeling of going from a victim in the past to a perpetrator now, the feeling of becoming the evil dragon to a dragon-slaying hero?"
Aya's face paled. She stood in place, speechless, her figure so unsteady it seemed a breeze could knock her over.
"Do you remember the Devil's contract you signed?"
Aya seemed to recall something. She slumped onto the sofa, not even noticing her loose bathrobe slipping slightly.
"The contract I signed with the Devil was to create a world without the tragic fate of Witches, to cleanse the Devil's tragic desires."
To that end, she was willing to create a real world without magic. Without magic, there would be no Devils, and no Witches to be oppressed and exploited.
"Aya…" Natsuki looked at Aya with a hint of empathy.
Just like how she was born, forced bit by bit by those who wanted to exploit her to establish the Prison Barrier and become a Witch.
In the beginning, the Witch of the Notaria, Tokoyogi Aya, was merely a tool created by the LCO Witches to record dangerous Grimoires. Since when did a victimized Witch become one who victimized others?
Natsuki let out a deep sigh, then said while looking at Yuuma, "Give this child some attention. At least don't let her end up like we did."
"Do as you please." Aya said coldly. Then she stood, preparing to leave the room.
At that moment, Aslan suddenly said, "Aya, what if I make your daughter your colleague?"
"You dare!"
The moment Aslan's words came out, Aya knew what he was thinking and instinctively turned, glaring at him fiercely.
"See, didn't she panic right away?" Aslan said to Yuuma with an infuriatingly smug expression.
Though Yuuma was very weak at the moment, seeing Aya like that, she couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
Natsuki also glared at Aslan fiercely.
(No, you really want an oyakodon?)
Aya didn't respond. She merely turned her face, looking at the confused Natsuki beside her, and showed a mocking expression. "Natsuki, you can't even control your man anymore?"
(You think I don't want to control him…) The corner of Natsuki's mouth twitched uncontrollably. She tugged at her hair in slight frustration.
At that moment, Aslan lowered his head, summoning the power of the Eleventh Beast Vassal. While healing Yuuma's injuries, he asked, "How do you feel?"
"I'm not sure how to describe it." Yuuma said with a shy smile.
Being suddenly captured and meeting her mother, who was supposed to be imprisoned, the shock of their first meeting, the panic of being abandoned for the first time, and now the joy of realizing her mother didn't truly abandon her but had hidden reasons—Yuuma, having experienced such drastic changes in one day, just wanted to rest and calm her emotions.
Aslan nodded slightly, rubbed his chin, and said, "Rest well. Stick with Aya for the next few days."
"I don't think Aya would feel at ease if you were placed elsewhere."
Hearing Aslan's words, Aya only snorted, her arms crossed over her chest. Her attitude remained cold. But Yuuma could sense a slight warmth from her mother. Of course, that warmth was only for Yuuma.
For Aslan, Aya's face would only grow sourer.
Not just Aya—even Natsuki's gaze toward Aslan held a hint of wariness and scrutiny.
"Mm." Yuuma nodded slightly. She looked up at her mother with a bit of hope. "Mother, can you take me to rest for a bit?"
"Such a hassle." Aya said coldly. Yet her actions completely contradicted her words. She immediately took her daughter from Aslan's hands and led her to the room Natsuki had prepared for her.