Aozaki Aoko Case File

After being reverted to a loli, Touko's physical age was determined to be around eight years old through Alice's magic.

Although Touko's experience and knowledge remained at the level of an adult magus, her body had shrunk to that of a child. This drastic change in her physiology led to shifts in hormone secretion and sensory inputs, fundamentally altering how her brain processed information.

Aoko vividly remembered how bratty Touko had been as a child, constantly using magecraft to mess with her. However, this version of Touko, with an adult consciousness housed in a loli's body, was notably different from her past self.

In the Nasuverse, humans possess souls, but consciousness and personality aren't entirely dictated by the soul alone. A fascinating example of this can be seen in Servants. During the Holy Grail War, the beings summoned by Masters are not the actual Heroic Spirits recorded in the Throne of Heroes but rather specific aspects of them.

These aspects often reflect different stages of the Heroic Spirit's life, leading to variations in personality. Are these differences solely the result of life experiences?

Aoko didn't think so. She recalled a paper she had read in her past life (Self-Awareness and Cardiac Activity, Babo-Rebelo, M., Richter, C. G., & Tallon-Baudry, C. (2016)), which argued for a close connection between a person's consciousness and their cardiac activity.

If even subtle changes in heart activity could influence consciousness and personality, what would happen when the entire body regressed to a much younger state?

The answer, of course, was obvious. Just looking at the current Touko made it clear.

Aoko was certain the old Touko would never have gotten huffy and hidden away just because Alice had dressed her in one of her old frilly childhood dresses. (Of course, the camera Aoko gleefully produced to take a dozen pictures of Touko in that dress might have contributed to her reaction—but that was beside the point.)

Although Touko retained her magic circuits and skills, her reduced physical age limited her combat power. To ensure no mischief, Aoko forced Touko to sign a contract of geis that prohibited activating her prepared adult clone body, committing suicide, harming Alice or Aoko in any way, or enlisting others to do so.

However, Aoko wasn't entirely heartless. She allowed Touko to create and transfer her consciousness into a clone body of the same age, preserving a semblance of her pseudo-immortality—albeit in a less threatening, loli form.

By the time Aoko finished battling and bringing Touko back, it was already late. Explaining everything stretched the night even further, and it was nearly 2 a.m.

Now an eight-year-old, Touko couldn't resist the wave of drowsiness overtaking her. After exchanging a few words with Aoko and Alice, she finally collapsed onto the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.

"Kids sure do sleep soundly!"

Aoko remarked cheerfully, clearly amused. Alice, watching from the sidelines, chuckled softly.

"You can put Touko in the room on the second floor, at the far end," Alice suggested after a brief hesitation.

"It should be just right for her now."

"Huh?"

Aoko looked puzzled.

"What's special about that room?"

"That was my childhood room," Alice explained.

"It's too small for me now, but it should be perfect for Touko."

As she spoke, Alice glanced meaningfully at the slumbering Touko.

"Sounds good."

Aoko scooped up the sleeping loli and headed upstairs.

"Wait here. I'll be back after I tuck her in."

Carrying Touko, Aoko climbed to the second floor and entered the bedroom at the end of the hall.

The moment she opened the door, she understood why Alice had chosen this room for Touko.

It was adorable.

Every piece of wooden furniture had rounded corners to prevent accidents. The bed was a charming bunk style, with a study desk below and the sleeping area above—a setup that would make any child ecstatic. Plush toys filled the room, and a giant stuffed bear sat prominently on the bed.

Even the wardrobe was a custom-made, short model, designed for a child's reach. It was clear that Alice's father had poured his love into preparing this room for her return to Japan.

Just imagining how Touko would react upon waking in this room nearly made Aoko burst into laughter. Her mouth twisted into an exaggerated "S" shape as she tried to hold it in.

She quickly used a simple spell to clean Touko, dressed her in one of Alice's old nightgowns, and tucked her snugly into bed.

Before leaving, Aoko discreetly placed a surveillance spell to capture video. She was determined to record Touko's reaction in the morning and keep it as leverage for the future.

Quietly closing the door, Aoko returned to the living room.

This time, she couldn't hold back her laughter. The Kuonji Mansion's excellent soundproofing ensured Touko wouldn't hear a thing as Aoko cackled gleefully.

"Hahahahaha~"

Aoko practically wheezed.

"Alice, you're so wicked! That room is way too cute—our little Touko-chan is going to be overwhelmed!"

For once, even Alice joined in, covering her mouth as she laughed softly. It was clear that come morning, only one person in Kuonji Mansion would be unhappy.

"Alright, Alice, you go get some sleep," Aoko said, finally calming down.

"And you?"

Alice asked.

"Why aren't you going to bed yet?"

"I'm going to make breakfast for you and Touko, of course," Aoko replied, stretching.

"I need my eight hours for my beauty sleep, but what if you two get hungry in the meantime?"

"...I can wait until you wake up to eat," Alice said quietly.

"Thanks, but skipping breakfast isn't healthy," Aoko teased.

"I'll get it ready quickly—go ahead and sleep."

Although Alice didn't argue further, she stubbornly followed Aoko into the kitchen, watching her skillfully prepare breakfast for the next day.