Chapter 2

Ask a Spirit

After morning homeroom, Tama left the class, and Shido pulled his phone out of his pocket to call Kotori.

It rang for a bit before he heard her languid voice.

“Hello? Big Brooo?” She sounded laid-back somehow, totally different from her thorny tone earlier. This was non-commander mode, regular Kotori.

“Hey, Kotori?”

“Ugh, why are you calling me at this hour? If my phone had rung ten seconds earlier, the teacher would have confiscated it!”

“I told you, you gotta turn it to silent when you get to school.”

“I just forgot today,” she replied grumpily. “So what’s going on?”

“Ohhh. Right. The truth is, okay,” he said, as he glanced toward Kurumi.

Despite the fact that she said she was “a Spirit” when she introduced herself that morning, clearly marking herself as a weirdo from the perspective of the average person, there was a group of people clustered around her desk, lobbing a stream of questions at her. It wasn’t just students from their class, either. People from other classes had also come to get a glimpse of the rumored beauty of a transfer student. Just like the day when Tohka had transferred.

Then he suddenly met her eyes. She turned a bright smile on him, and he held his breath, his face growing hot.

“Shido?”

“Y-yeah. A new student transferred into our class today. And so, like, she said.”

“What?”

“I am…a Spirit.”

“…” Kotori immediately fell silent. He heard the rustling of fabric from the other end of the line, almost like she was replacing the ribbons that tied her hair back. “Give me all the details.” Her tone was different now.

“Details? I mean…I already I told you everything. When she was introducing herself, she said, ‘I am a Spirit.’ …I’ve got no proof, but I feel like she was saying it to me.”

“Are you sure it’s not because you think everything is about you?”

“…”

“Well, whatever. It’s weird that she even knows what a Spirit is. We’ll check into it.”

“Great. Thanks.” He hung up, and the bell rang to indicate the start of first period.

In one corner of the Tengu Garrison, the measurement room where Spirit signals for the entire southern Kanto region were monitored, AST Captain Ryouko Kusakabe groaned.

“…! Impossible.”

She turned her gaze on the man operating the console—Lieutenant Ashimura. “Are you sure there’s no mistake?”

He shook his head from side to side, sweat beading on his forehead. “Unfortunately, no. This is the most accurate device in the country.”

“Right.” She ran her eyes over the numbers displayed on the screen once more and confirmed that her own understanding wasn’t wrong before changing her bewilderment into a sigh and expelling all the air from her lungs.

The scanning data of a particular person was displayed on the screen. Actually, person was maybe a bit of a misnomer. At any rate, these numbers indicated the subject was a world-killing catastrophe.

“A Spirit transferred to the high school? If this is a joke, I’m not laughing.”

Around nine that morning, the base had received a transmission from Origami requesting Spirit confirmation after a new girl in her class declared herself to be one. They had scanned the girl, not really expecting anything, but…

Ryouko wiped her forehead. Her sleeve was damp. The air conditioning should have been working perfectly, and yet her skin was clammy. But that was no surprise, really.

In order to transfer to the high school, a birth certificate, some proof of residence, and other documents were necessary. This meant a dangerous creature with enough power in a single finger to destroy the entire town had the knowledge to understand and apply the strictures of human society—after somehow slipping past their measurement devices to appear in this world. It would have been strange if a shiver hadn’t run up her spine.

“Captain? Is something here the matter?”

She heard a curiously polite voice from behind. She could think of only one member of her team who spoke like that. When she glanced back, Mana was standing there, just as Ryouko had expected.

“Hmm?” Mana glanced at the screen and frowned in annoyance. “This is… I see. So you have indeed shown yourself then, Nightmare?”

“Nightmare?” Ryouko asked.

“Codename Nightmare.” Mana sighed, irritated. “The worst Spirit. I’ve been chasing her.”

“The worst…Spirit,” Ryouko repeated, as though shuddering at the imposing phrase.

“Yes. This Spirit has produced over ten thousand dead. If we include the unknown victims, this number will inflate even further, I suspect.”

“T-ten thousand?! Th-that’s impossible. Was the evacuation order not given? Or was the spacequake that large—?”

“That’s not it,” Mana said solemnly, cutting Ryouko off. “The spacequake Nightmare brings about is the standard level. Of course, it’s not zero, but the number of dead doesn’t reach one hundred.”

“S-so then why…?”

“The reason is simple. She kills them directly with her own hands. There’s been over ten thousand victims.”

“…!” Ryouko was speechless.

Although the spacequake damage Princess and Hermit did when they appeared in Tengu City was serious, the Spirits themselves had never assaulted any human beings. But if a monster that could easily split the earth were to try and kill people… An AST member could easily imagine how terrifying that would be.

“—All right, then. Shall we prepare?” Mana asked, stretching lightly.

“What?” Ryouko said, baffled.

“A Spirit has appeared. In which case, there’s nothing to do but kill it.”

“Well, yes. But the citizens haven’t been evacuated. How on earth will we—?”

“No need for concern. Please leave everything to me. My area of expertise is eliminating that thing.”

“Uh. H-hey!” Ryouko grabbed Mana’s arm before she trotted off.

“Is there something that is the matter? Time is of the essence here.”

“…! Explain yourself. I’m your captain. You are not permitted to act on your own.”

“…” Mana fell silent, apparently running through various scenarios in her mind, before raising her hands. “Understood. I will obey.”

However, she quickly turned eyes on Ryouko like she was assessing her.

“But please make sure you do not forget. I’m from the company. If I were so inclined, I could act under the authorization of the chief of staff.”

“…I know that.” Ryouko screwed up her face in displeasure and let go of the girl.

The hands of the clock above the blackboard were already pointing at three o’clock.

Shido watched the usual end-of-day homeroom play out. Tama entered the classroom as the bell rang, opened the attendance book on the podium, and made the usual announcements. It was a typical scene. But he was tortured by unusual nerves.

“…!”

Kurumi shot a look toward him and waved out of the teacher’s line of sight.

“Uh. Um.” He figured it would be rude to ignore her, and so he waved back with a pained smile.

““…””

Seated to either side of him, Tohka and Origami glared with such intensity that their eyes threatened to set his skin on fire.

“S-so what am I supposed to do?” He sighed.

Tama clapped the attendance book closed. “That’s about it for announcements. Now, please go home in groups and make sure not to be out after dark.”

“Hmm?” He raised an eyebrow at the sort of admonishment they gave to classes in elementary school.

Now that she mentioned it, he felt like he’d heard something in this vein on the news that morning. It had caught his attention because they’d mentioned Tengu City.

Shido’s own safety was one thing, but he would have to make sure that Kotori was more careful. Although in the case of his little sister, this was more likely a needless fear.

The order to stand and bow rang out. Obediently, he stood up and bowed with the rest of the class.

“All right. Good-bye then,” Tama said and left the classroom.

All around him, he could hear the clatter of people standing up and chatting and laughing. Time to go home.

Shido, however, still had a job to do.

He fished the small earpiece out of his pocket and secured it in his right ear just in time for a shrill voice to shake his eardrum.

“It’s time, hmm? You ready, Shido?” Youthful, yet imposing. Shido’s little sister, Kotori Itsuka, in commander mode.

He couldn’t see them from here, but the elite forces of Ratatoskr were doing everything they could to prepare Spirit strategies on the bridge.

“Can’t believe she’s actually a Spirit. To be honest, I thought you were just saying stuff, Shido.”

“…Hey.” He narrowed his eyes.

But could he really say he was surprised? He himself half doubted this truth. A Spirit transferring into his class? It was a bit much.

The results of the measurements Kotori had ordered done on Kurumi were delivered to Shido’s phone over lunch. The conclusion was that she really was a Spirit.

“But this is actually good for us. Can’t believe she’d go and invite you out. And so long as the alarm’s not ringing, the AST can’t do anything. It’s all coming together. You raise your likability and get her into you.”

“Mm. I…guess,” Shido said, feeling uncomfortable.

She was exactly right. Something dark and anxious settled over his heart, possibly because he couldn’t get a handle on what Kurumi was even doing there.

“What? You sound unconvinced. You still don’t want to kiss the Spirits?”

“…! Th-that’s not… Uh, I mean, it’s not like I’m totally comfortable with it.”

“Whatever. Doesn’t look like we’ve got a whole lot of time to chat here.”

“Huh?” Shido felt a pat, pat on his shoulder.

“Shido. Shido.”

“Whoa?!” He cried out in surprise.

“I’m so sorry. Did I scare you?” The girl standing there—Kurumi—seemed apologetic.

“T-Tokisaki…”

“Hee-hee-hee! I don’t mind if you call me Kurumi.”

“R-right,” he stammered. “Okay, Kurumi.”

She grinned happily. “You will show me around the school, yes? Thank you so much for doing this.”

“S-sure.” He nodded and pressed a hand to his chest as if to calm his heart, which was suddenly beating a whole lot faster.

A beautiful face as if made to order. Refined gestures. Graceful movements. All of these passed through Shido’s senses to create a powerful impression. It felt like his eyeballs and brain had determined that any matter other than Kurumi was an impurity and excised it from their conception of the world. Her bearing went beyond the sort of finishing school manners of a girl from a wealthy family; not a soul would doubt her if she were to announce that she was part of a royal family somewhere.

“Wah-hak!”

“…!” He came back to himself at this deliberate clearing of a throat. When he looked up, Tohka was glaring at him with her arms crossed. She must have seen right through him.

“Oh. Um, so, like…” Shido started to try and plead his case.

“Now, then! Let us hurry. Hee-hee! I’m excited.” Kurumi was still speaking when she set out into the hallway on light feet.

“Uh. H-hey!”

“Hee-hee-hee! You must also hurry, please, Shido!”

“Shido, focus on Kurumi now.” He heard Kotori’s voice in his ear. “Tohka’s mental state isn’t so bad that it’s reached the danger zone. She’ll be back to her usual self if you pick up some kinako buns for her on your way home.”

When he glanced to his side, he saw Tohka still indignant. But he couldn’t do anything about that now. “Sorry!” he called out and then chased Kurumi into the hallway.

“So then, where will you guide me first?” Kurumi asked, cocking her head to one side, when he found her lying in wait immediately outside the classroom.

“Uh. Yeah… Right.”

Shido wasn’t exactly sure of that himself, and Kotori’s voice whispered in his ear.

Fifteen thousand meters in the sky above Tengu floated the airship Fraxinus, which belonged to the secret organization Ratatoskr. Tasked with the somehow ridiculous but difficult job of making Spirits—dangerous creatures that appeared irregularly and destroyed this world each time they did—all weak in the knees to render them powerless, the crew were currently in the middle of a mission. Thirty members of the organization, including their commander Kotori, sat on the bridge in the central part of the ship, each assigned to their own post operating consoles with practiced hands.

“Likability, forty-five point five. No change.”

“Mental state, all green. She’s stable.”

“Spirit signal, one-fifty point zero. Delta of minus three point four from previous measurement. Within tolerance.”

“Hmm. Well, looks good anyway,” Kotori said, as she moved the cherry Chupa Chups in her mouth and reclined in the captain’s chair in the center of the bridge.

The ribbons that tied her hair back were black. The jacket hanging over her shoulders was deep red. She was the very picture of a girl overly influenced by movies and cosplay. Looking almost absurdly out of place on the bridge, she glared down at her subordinates on the lower deck before coolly turning her eyes to the main monitor.

The enormous screen showed a torso shot of the Spirit in question, Kurumi Tokisaki. Her parameters were displayed on the edge of the screen, while the text produced by the Fraxinus AI was shown instantaneously in the window at the bottom.

Yes. It looked almost like the screen of a dating sim.

On the monitor, Kurumi cocked her head to one side and moved her adorable lips. “So then, where will you guide me first?”

“Uh. Yeah… Right.” Shido’s voice echoed through the speakers.

Kotori knew without asking that he was panicking at having to suddenly decide on a destination. She sighed as she pressed the transmit button and brought her mouth close to the mic. “Give us a sec, Shido. We’re analyzing things on our end.”

A new window popped up on the main monitor. It showed a rough overview of Raizen High School. The names of classrooms and facilities were displayed, and a red dot indicated Shido and Kurumi’s location. Several courses within the school were laid out, taking into consideration the distance from their current position and lines of movement.

The first place they would go was one of the following:

“This is our chance, hmm?” came a voice from behind the captain’s chair where Kotori was seated.

She glanced back to find a tall young man standing there with his hand on his chin. Fraxinus Vice Commander Kyouhei Kannazuki.

“It’s fortunate that he’s allowing us to make the decision of where to go in what order. Depending on how we combine the destinations, we’ll be able to create some interesting situations.”

“Mm, true. Choices, people! You have five seconds!” Kotori barked, and the results soon displayed on the small screen next to her.

She looked at the breakdown of the options and licked her lips. “Hmm, so the roof is the top choice?”

“Well, it’s the most obvious answer. The roof is the perfect spot for youthful hijinks! A space to give you a taste of freedom and the perfect view! There is no better place to kick things off!” Dimension Breaker Nakatsugawa spoke up from the lower deck.

“But you normally can’t go out onto the roof of the high school, right?” Deep Love Minowa remarked. “It’s too dangerous.”

“What?!” Nakatsugawa stroked his face and lowered his voice. “I-is that true…?”

Kotori cleared her throat. “No problem. We have several agents undercover at the school. It’s plenty possible to get one of them to unlock the door before Shido and Kurumi get there.”

“O-of course! Then indeed the roof is—”

“Please wait a moment.” Bad Marriage Kawagoe looked at her from the right. “How can you skip past the nurse’s office? The neatly ordered beds, the curtains to block the outside world. Isn’t this the preeminent spot for excitement on campus?!”

“Wh-what?! It’s far too transparent! How dare you compare this with the majesty of the roof?!”

“Pft! If you have objections, perhaps you could stop that nosebleed first, Nakatsugawa?”

“Ah!”

“Right.” Kotori turned her eyes to her screen once more. “And who is the single vote here for option three?”

A hand went up from a seat nearby. “…It was me.”

The excessively sleepy-looking woman moved eyes ringed with dark circles to look at Kotori. Reine Murasame, Ratatoskr analyst. Kotori placed great faith in her.

“You, Reine? That’s a surprise. Mind telling me why?”

“…Mm-hmm. Although I don’t have any serious reason. It’s a simple process of elimination.”

“Process of elimination?” Kotori repeated. “You’re saying the roof and the nurse’s office are no good?”

“…That’s not what I mean.” Reine shook her head. “It’s just, the school nurse is still in the office. It would be better to wait half an hour or so to unleash the full potential of that space… Likewise for the roof. Once the sunset starts, it would be lovely, wouldn’t it?”

“Gotcha. You’re quite the romantic, Reine.” Kotori lifted the corner of her mouth as she leaned toward the mic. “Shido, can you hear me? Show her the cafeteria and the school shop first.”

“Hmm. Okay, how about we take a look at the cafeteria and the school shop?” Shido suggested. “You probably need some stuff, I bet.”

“All right. That’s fine with me,” Kurumi assented, an adorable smile spreading across her face. She stood next to him and tapped her feet, half dancing. “Shall we?”

“S-sure.” He was a little overwhelmed by how excessively upbeat she was, but he managed to put his feet into motion somehow.

If they were going to the shop on the first floor, it was probably best to take the stairs on the west side of the building. He started down the hallway at a leisurely pace.

Curious eyes followed them as students moved past on their way home.

“Wow, who’s she?”

“The transfer?”

“That’s Itsuka from Class Four beside her, right? Why is he with her?”

“Ohhh, I heard she asked for him to show her around the school.”

“What? Isn’t he Yatogami’s husband?”

“Nah, I heard Tobiichi’s got him cornered, and he’s gonna be her boy toy now.”

“Whoa, whoa, he’s not satisfied with two-timing? He’s gotta go after the transfer student, too?”

“No way. Itsuka’s a real ape!”

…Say whatever you want. He managed to ignore the rude whispers around them and hurried forward.

“Mmm?” He heard Kotori groan in his right ear, separate from the other voices.

“Something wrong, Kotori?”

“No. There’s a signal that’s moving like someone is glued to the two of you. It’s possible you’re being followed.”

“Wh-what…?” This was unsettling news.

“Quiet. We’ll confirm a few things here. Right now, you focus on Kurumi. And, like, shouldn’t you at least say something while you’re walking with a girl? Rude much?”

“Huh? Oh!” Shido cried. He was so overwhelmed from nerves at walking with a girl, so many curious eyes on them, that he’d forgotten about the actual person beside him. “Crap.”

He glanced over at Kurumi, and his heart started to pound. Which only made sense. After all, she was staring at him with her right eye, the one not hidden by her hair.

Their eyes met, and Kurumi smiled like she was delighted from the bottom of her heart. Almost like she’d been waiting for Shido to look at her.

“K-Kurumi. You should face forward when you’re walking, you know…!” His voice was shrill.

Her eye flew open wide. “I’ll be careful. You’re so kind to be so thoughtful of me, Shido.”

“O-oh… It’s nothing!”

“Please, don’t be so humble. It’s my fault for being so captivated by your face in profile.”

“C-cap…?!” His cheeks grew red, and he touched his face. Wh-what did she just say? Captivated? No, that’s impossible. He knew better than anyone that there was nothing worth looking at on this utterly average face of his.

“What good’s it gonna do, her seducing you, Shido?” he heard Kotori say with a sigh, and his shoulders jumped up.

“S-sorry…”

“It’s true this is a type of Spirit we haven’t seen before, though. Not only does she blend in with human society, but she’s even the one putting the moves on you, of all things,” Kotori remarked. “She’s fascinating. I’d like to dig deeper for info. Maybe we can get some questions in as we get your likability up… And a selection of options comes up at the perfect moment. Hang on a moment.”

Once more, a window with options was displayed on the main monitor of the Fraxinus bridge.

“Choices! Now!” Kotori shouted, and the crew on the lower deck moved to press a key at hand.

The results were displayed on her personal terminal.

“I knew it. One, is it?” Kotori tapped on her chin. The aggregated results matched her own selection.

“Quite reasonable,” Kannazuki observed from behind her. “Kurumi can’t know that Shido knows about the Spirits. It might be a fine idea to shake her up a little.”

“Mm-hmm. By the way, Kannazuki, which one did you pick?”

“Three. Why?”

“Let me hear your reasons,” she demanded, turning slightly.

“Panties viewed through black tights are the ultimate gift to humanity. There is no room for doubt on this matter.”

Kotori snapped her fingers. Instantly, two muscular giants stepped onto the bridge and grabbed Kannazuki’s arms.

“Take him away,” she commanded.

“Yessir!” the giants bellowed in unison and dragged Kannazuki off.

“C-Commander! Have mercy! Mercyyyyy!”

Psht. The doors shut behind them.

On the now-quiet bridge, Kotori opened her mouth with a sigh. “‘What kind of panties are you wearing right now, Kurumi?’…Hmm. What’s up with this option?”

“W-well, a sassy comment can sometimes lighten the mood,” a crew member from the lower deck offered with a wry smile.

Kotori’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh!”

When she shifted position earlier, she’d accidentally pressed the mic switch with her elbow. Which meant that Shido had heard what she just said.

“H-hey… What kind of panties are you wearing right now, Kurumi?”

Having mistaken this for an instruction, the Shido on-screen was parroting her words exactly as is.

“Panties…?” Kurumi asked in return, stunned.

“…!!” Shido finally realized what he had just said. “Oh. Ah. No. I was…” He waved his hands and tapped his earpiece in protest.

“Idiot. That wasn’t an instruction! The real answer is one. ‘What on earth is this Spirit you mentioned this morning?’”

“H-huh…?”

“Just make up an excuse! Say it was a joke and segue into the real question!”

“R-right!” He nodded and turned back to Kurumi. “Uh. So, um, Kurumi.” Shido, however, stopped as soon as he caught sight of her.

She was holding the hem of her pleated skirt tightly, looking up at him anxiously. “Are you curious?”

“Huh?! Oh. I—I mean… No, uh…” There was no way that he wouldn’t be curious, but he couldn’t exactly say that.

While he was faltering, Kurumi whirled her head around to check the area and then stepped behind a nearby cleaning supply cabinet.

“K-Kurumi?” He raised an eyebrow, not understanding what she was doing.

Her cheeks grew red as if she were embarrassed, and she parted her small lips. “I…don’t mind. If it’s you, Shido.” She started to slowly raise the hem of her skirt.

“Huh… What…?!” His eyes grew wide at this entirely unexpected development.

She kept pulling her skirt up, gradually revealing more of those legs in black tights until the forbidden delta zone peeked its face out. Through the black material stretching out to either side, he caught a glimpse of white underwear.

“—?!” He immediately closed his eyes, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and yanked it down.

“Oh my goodness!” Kurumi said as if intrigued. “Whatever is the matter? If it’s you, Shido, I don’t mind, you know?”

“No! I’m good! Okay! Let’s keep going!”

“Hee-hee-hee. So you’re a shy one. Oh, but if we’re going to continue, would you mind releasing my skirt?”

“…!” His eyes flew open with a gasp. To an outsider, it would have looked as though Shido had dragged a girl into a hidden place and was now holding her skirt. He definitely would come off as a big perv.

“I-I-I-I-I-I-I’m sorry!” He hurriedly pulled his hand away, but Kurumi giggled, not seeming particularly upset.

“Shido, don’t panic. Get it together,” Kotori commanded.

He cleared his throat deliberately and returned to their previous route as he moved on to the question he’d been given earlier.

“Uh. So, um, Kurumi.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“This morning, you said you were a Spirit. What exactly is that?”

Kurumi looked briefly stunned but then quickly smiled. “Hee-hee-hee. You don’t have to feign innocence, Shido. You know very well what a Spirit is, don’t you?”

“…!” He gasped.

“What is with this girl?” Kotori sounded equally confused. “She’s certain you know about the existence of Spirits? What does that mean?”

He quickly realized this question was not directed at him. He opened his mouth as if to ask Kotori’s questions for her. “H-how do you know about me?”

“Hee-hee! That is…a secret!”

“Huh…?”

“But I did come to this school to meet you, Shido. I’ve been burning with excitement ever since I learned of your existence. To the point that there hasn’t been a day when I don’t think about you. Which is why I’m so happy right now.” Her cheeks flushed a cherry pink.

“…!!” Shido felt his face grow hot. He couldn’t see it himself, but smoke might have actually been shooting out of his ears.

What? What was this? This went far beyond flirting or playing the coquette. A feeling came over him that Kurumi was so precious and beloved, he could hardly stand it. An easy intoxication, like the time he’d gotten into the whiskey his dad kept in the glass cabinet when he was in junior high. He felt like if he let his guard down even a little, he’d crumple to the ground right then and there.

“You’re supposed to be doing to her what she’s doing to you!” Kotori’s voice brought him back to himself.

“Ah! W-we should hurry!” He took a deep breath and started moving, trying to avoid Kurumi’s eye as much as possible.

He wasn’t sure why, but he got the feeling that if he looked into her eye any longer, he was going to end up rooted to the spot.

“Tch. So she’s not gonna spill her secrets so easy? All we can do is keep going with our strategy. Pretty pathetic, though. She’s leading you by the nose, pal.”

“Sh-shut up…”

“Her having the run of things is annoying. How about we try shaking things up a bit?”

A set of options was displayed on the bridge’s main monitor.

Kotori flicked up the stick of the Chupa Chups in her mouth.

All the options were designed to initiate sudden physical contact. It was a little adventurous, but Kurumi’s mental state seemed stable, so the AI had apparently calculated that it was possible. It was true that this would be an effective means to close the emotional distance between them.

“Choices now!” she called and looked down at the results on her personal screen.

“I suppose so. One is a bit too familiar, and two is too obvious,” Kannazuki said, having returned at some point to his position behind her.

His shiny blond hair was a mess, and his chest had been laid bare. He also happened to not be wearing any trousers; all that covered his lower half was a pair of boxers with cute characters printed all over them.

“Oh my! You managed to get away from them, Kannazuki?”

“I was worried for a moment there. Who exactly are they?”

“I keep them on standby. Just in case.”

“For some reason, they tried to remove my boxers.”

“All in your mind.”

“What? I guess it was.” Kannazuki laughed out loud before his face snapped back to serious mode. “However, if we’re planning physical contact, isn’t there one other method?”

“Tell me.”

“First, Shido must suddenly lie down in the corridor.”

“And then?”

“From that angle, he will be able to gaze upon the Spirit’s panties through her black tights.”

“This again?” Kotori was about to snap her fingers once more, and Kannazuki hurriedly stopped her.

“Th-there’s more. The Spirit will feel embarrassed at having her panties viewed.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“In which case, of course, she will come to step on Shido lying in the corridor! It’s obvious that this will serve to deepen their rela—”

Kotori snapped her fingers, and the two giants stepped onto the bridge and dragged Kannazuki away once more.

“C-Commander, whyyyyyyyy?!”

Ignoring his cries, she pulled the mic toward her.

“Shido, it’s three. Try holding her hand.”

“…Roger.” Shido nodded slightly at Kotori’s instruction. He’d heard a scream like someone in the agony of death before this command, but for some reason, his sixth sense told him he didn’t need to worry about that.

“…” He swallowed hard and looked at the path ahead of them. A T-shaped intersection. If they turned left, they would be at the stairs.

This was perfect. He would grab Kurumi’s hand when she tried to keep going straight and guide her in the right direction. “Oh, it’s this way. C’mon.” He ran several simulations of the moment in his mind.

However…

“Ee…?!” His eyes grew round in surprise. Just as they were about to step into the T-shaped intersection, Kurumi grabbed his hand.

“What did she do?” Kotori cried out, stunned.

But her shock didn’t begin to compare with Shido’s. Slender, soft, slightly cool fingers wrapped around his palm and squeezed tightly. A fleeting, innocent pressure. If he were to let his guard down, blood threatened to come spurting out of his nose.

“K-Kurumi…?” He turned his head toward her awkwardly, the movement of a robot in a film back when there was no CG. “Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what’s up?”

Still holding his hand, Kurumi lowered her eyes, embarrassed, and turned her face away. “So…would you prefer if I didn’t do this?”

“…!! Th-that’s not… No, but…”

The tension eased out of her shoulders as though she were heaving a sigh of relief. She smiled shyly. “You really are so kind, Shido.”

“Uh! N-no…”

Augh, I don’t know where to look. Look away. I can’t think straight. Crap. Dammit, Kurumi. You’re super cute. Kurumi’s cute. Kurumi. Little Kurumi’s an angel. These thoughts that weren’t really thoughts flitted through his mind.

“Say, Shido?” Kurumi parted her small lips.

“Wh…at?”

“I have a favor to ask of you… Will you hear me out?”

A strange sensation. If it was a favor for Kurumi, he was ready to bob his head up and down, no strings attached.

“Uh. Y—”

However, in that moment…

“Nwah?!”

“…!”

He jumped at the shout and bizarre crash he heard from behind.

The cleaning supply closet had fallen over. The brooms and rags inside scattered all over the hallway. And then the culprits, two students, tumbled out on top of each other.

“T-Tohka… and Origami?!” Shido cried out.

Yes. Lying there were, without a doubt, Tohka and Origami.

“Oh, dear me! What are the two of you engaged in?” Kurumi looked at them curiously, still holding Shido’s hand.

Tohka and Origami both leaped to their feet.

“Th-this is…you know! Shido is showing Kurumi the school, so, um…maybe that’s what you’re doing, but no one told me anything about that!”

“—Kurumi Tokisaki. There is no need to hold hands in school. Release him immediately.”

“Yeah! What she said!” Tohka nodded, for once agreeing with Origami.

“Uh…” Shido realized that she was still holding his hand. He hurriedly tried to pull it away, but Kurumi squeezed it at exactly that moment, and he wasn’t able to free himself from her grip.

Kurumi glanced at him before turning her gaze on the other two girls and declaring theatrically, “The truth is, I suffer from terrible anemia. Shido, being the kind person that he is, was thoughtful enough to take my hand. I’d ask that you please don’t reproach him.”

Tohka and Origami listened to this and then turned their eyes on Shido with expressions that seemed to ask, “Really?”

“Uh, umm. It’s, well, yeah…,” Shido replied, rather vaguely, feeling like he had to avoid the question for some reason.

Origami abruptly fell to her knees.

“Origami?! What’s wrong?” Shido cried.

She yanked her face up and opened her mouth. “Anemia.”

“…” Shido’s face stiffened. Naturally, a drop of sweat trickled down his forehead.

“I can’t walk by myself.”

“…”

“You. Kind person.”

“…R-right.” Feeling a strange pressure, Shido held out his free hand.

Origami took it with a speed that seemed very un-anemic and pressed herself to his side.

“The both of you! Pathetic!” Tohka looked at Kurumi and Origami and sniffed in disgust as she crossed her arms. “Ah!”

A look of realization came across her face as she assessed Shido’s hands again.

“Sh-Shido! I’m also anemic!”

“You are…?”

“M-mm-hmm. The truth is, I don’t have a lot of meat on my bum!”

“Uh, that’s not what anemia means.” Shido grimaced.

Tohka waved her hands, flustered. “A-anyway! Me too!” She tried to take his hand, but Kurumi and Origami were already there.

“Hnnngh.” Tohka looked as though she were about to burst into tears and then stepped directly in front of Shido and dropped her hips like she was about to tackle him.

“H-hey, you’re not going to—”

The buzzing of a cell phone somewhere interrupted him.

Origami pulled her phone from a pocket. “Hello?” After some vague grunts into the mouthpiece, she gave Kurumi a sharp look for some reason. “…Roger.” She quietly hung up.

“Something came up,” she said and gave Shido’s hand a tight, regretful squeeze before letting it go.

Instantly, Tohka slid in and grabbed hold of his newly freed hand.

“…” Origami glanced at Tohka and then turned a gaze like knives on Kurumi once again before finally walking away. Her parting words in Shido’s ear were, “Be careful of Kurumi Tokisaki.”

“Wh-what…?”

“Shido? Shall we continue?”

“Huh? O-oh…” Urged on by Kurumi, Shido started walking, both arms held captive.

It went without saying that the stares of those around them grew even more intense.

Six PM.

Having finished the tour of the campus, Shido slipped through the school gates with Kurumi—and Tohka, who had half forced herself into the tour—and walked down the road, illuminated by the evening sun. Naturally, both of his hands were now free.

“And that’s basically it. Questions?”

“No. I’m so grateful… Although it would have been so much nicer with just the two of us,” Kurumi noted with a laugh.

“Ha… Ha-ha.” He gave her a wry smile in response.

To be honest, he was grateful to Tohka. Because she had tagged along, Ratatoskr’s instructions had been relatively softball, and even when they visited places like the roof and the nurse’s office, he’d been able to make it through without anything getting particularly romantic.

If he was thinking about it from the perspective of raising Spirit likability, then maybe he should have been concerned. Maybe. But he got the feeling that if he’d been tossed into a moody space alone with Kurumi, she would have eaten him alive. That was the kind of charm she had. Almost like—like a carnivorous plant that took all comers prisoner, oblivious to any argument.

“No, no.” He shook his head slightly at his own thoughts. He may not have said it aloud, but the thought that a girl would eat him alive or that she was a carnivorous plant was just rude.

“Well then, Shido, Tohka. I will take my leave of you here,” Kurumi announced as they came to the crossroads, and she bowed.

“Huh? O-okay.”

“Mm. Really? See you tomorrow then.”

Shido and Tohka waved, while Kurumi disappeared into the setting sun.

“—Aah, aah,” Kurumi sighed after leaving Shido and Tohka, as she walked alone at dusk. “That simply won’t do. I must be patient. I’ve come all this way, after all. I’d like to taste a little more of the pleasures of school life.”

She spun herself around, giddy.

“Hee-hee-hee! I really must save the most exciting bit for last.”

She half danced down the road and then abruptly ran into something.

“Whoopsy.” She braced herself to keep from falling as she looked up.

She had slammed into a man’s back. One of a boorish group gathered on the side of the road.

“Oh goodness! I am so sorry.” Kurumi bowed her head and moved to leave.

However…

“Hey, hang on there, miss. You weren’t paying attention. You think sorry’s gonna cut it?” growled the man she bumped into, a leering grin spreading across his face.

His friends moved to surround her.

“Oh my, oh dear?” Kurumi seemed visibly surprised.

One of the men whistled. “Look at what we got here; she’s a pretty one. We went and won the lottery.”

“Say there, miss, what’s your name? Let’s be friends.”

They spoke one after the other, eyes roving over Kurumi’s body.

Ohhh. Kurumi suddenly understood.

“Gentlemen. Are you perhaps wishing to have relations with me?” Kurumi asked, a bewitching smile on her lips, and the men gaped for a moment before putting hands to foreheads and laughing.

“Whoa now. ‘Relations,’ she says. Straight to it!”

“Nice, perfect. Now we’re talking. So you’re into that kinda thing?”

“Yes. As much as anyone else,” Kurumi said. “Perhaps we should move to a different location? We will draw attention here.”

The men chattered excitedly as they entered an alley, still surrounding her.

When her back was up against a wall in the dead end, the man Kurumi had bumped into reached out a hand, a lecherous smile on his face. “Well. Time’s a-wasting.”

But his hand dropped lower and lower, never actually reaching Kurumi.

“Uh? What’re you doing? If you won’t tap this, I—,” one of his friends cut in with a shrug.

“N-no!” The man reaching out toward Kurumi cut him off desperately. “My body’s just—!”

“Your body?”

And now the friends noticed the shadow at Kurumi’s feet. Several white hands stretched out to pull the man down.

“…?! What the—?!”

“Wh-whoaaaaaa…?!”

His friends cried out—but it was too late.

“Hee-hee-hee. Hee-hee!” Kurumi twisted her lips into a smile, as the white hands wrapped around their feet and began to drag their bodies into her shadow.

“Now normally, you would all be little nothings not worthy of eating. But I’m refraining from digging into the main dish for the time being, so I will make you a teensy snack, an hors d’oeuvre.” She clapped her hands together. “—Bless this meal!”

Instantly, the screams of the men echoing around her stopped.

Kurumi lowered her eyes briefly, as though savoring dinner, and then let out a sigh and patted her stomach.

“Oh my?” Her eyebrows jumped up at the sensation that abruptly came over her. A feeling like her whole body was being rudely caressed. If you swallowed whole an enormous creature without chewing, it might have felt something like this.

It wasn’t the first time she’d felt it. This was the force field produced by the Realizer that the modern wizards used, a Territory. And this one was special even among those. There was no doubt—it was her.

“Tch! Am I a second too late?” A girl appeared in front of her as if to prove her guess to be fact.

Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she looked to be of junior high age. Her clothing was casual, a pastel hoodie with culottes, but the air around her was as serious as a bird of prey having locked onto its target.

“It seems you’ve been kind enough to feed in a showy fashion again, Nightmare.”

“Oh my goodness. You’re…Mana Takamiya, was it?” Kurumi asked as she tilted her head to one side.

Mana snorted her displeasure. “I will credit you for remembering my name, but it does make me want to vomit hearing it in your mouth.”

“Oh, then I must apologize.” Kurumi bowed her head. “But names are quite important. It does make me sad to be called ‘Nightmare,’ you know. Would you mind please calling me Kurumi Tokisaki?”

Mana frowned, even more unhappy. “They are important, which is why I’d rather you didn’t use mine. They are important, which is why I won’t use yours.”

“You can be so difficult.”

“Quiet, Spirit.” Mana’s gaze grew sharper.

Kurumi felt a prickling on her skin.

After leaving Kurumi, Shido went with Tohka to pick up groceries for supper and now walked down the dark road, a heavy grocery bag in his right hand.

“Aaah, we got to the store at just the right time today.” His face naturally broke into a smile. Yes. They had entered the store just as the sale was starting, so he’d been able to snag a fair bit of ground beef for 30 percent off.

“Shido! What’s for supper tonight? Salisbury steak?” Tohka asked excitedly. She’d gotten accustomed to guessing the day’s menu from the ingredients over the last few weeks.

“Oh! My vote’s for that, too.”

He heard Kotori’s voice through the earpiece still connected to the airship.

“Aah, I don’t know.” He shrugged before breaking out into a grin. “I could also do some meat fried with daikon. Or a bowl with minced beef and egg maybe.”

“M-mm. Well, that wouldn’t be bad, either, but is Salisbury steak not okay?” Tohka asked, eyebrows raised in concern.

“What are you talking about? You went and bought all that ground beef. Don’t mete it out in dribs and drabs—just use it all in one go,” Kotori argued through his earpiece.

Up ahead, Shido heard the sound of a sneaker scraping the asphalt of the road and abruptly turned his face in that direction. “Hmm?”

A girl about the same age as Kotori was standing there, eyes wide open in surprise, hair up in a ponytail and a beauty mark under one eye. She was dressed casually in a hoodie and culottes. Red stains stood out on her white sneakers, looking fresh for some reason. Almost like blood.

“…?”

The face was unfamiliar. Or at least it should have been, but Shido couldn’t figure it out. For some reason, he had a slight sense of déjà vu. He couldn’t help but feel that he’d met her somewhere before.

That was when he realized that the girl was staring intently in his direction.

Unconsciously, Shido glanced behind him. He figured there was something in her line of sight that was surprising her somehow.

But there was nothing. All he could perceive on the familiar road of his neighborhood was the electrical poles at regular intervals and the garbage collection spots with their crow-deflecting nets.

Shido was basically the only thing she was looking at.

“Bru.” The girl moved trembling lips.

“Bru?” he questioned.

She started to run and leaped into his arms.

“Wha…?”

She wrapped her own arms around him and squeezed with all her might. Given that the victim was Shido and the perpetrator this girl, it was all well and good, but if their positions had been reversed, the police would have been dispatched in a heartbeat. Actually, Shido might have been arrested even in this situation.

“—Brother…!!” the girl cried, her face buried in his chest.

“Wh-what?!”

In that instant, the voices of the Itsuka siblings were magnificently in sync on the ground and on the bridge of Fraxinus in the sky above.