Chapter 3

Double Approach

Fast forward to 6:50 PM.

The sun was setting, and the humid heat, which had been so oppressive during the day, was finally easing a little. The sounds of the cicadas that had echoed through the afternoon were gradually replaced by those of the katydids.

The class had waited for Tohka to wake up before heading to the inn for the night. They all carried their bags to their rooms, had supper, and were now enjoying some free time.

All except for Shido.

“Aah… Why this again…?” He held out a hand against the wall as he staggered down the hall of the inn.

Once again, unsealed Spirits had shown up out of nowhere and dragged him into a whole situation. All while no one had evacuated to shelters.

Kaguya and Yuzuru had settled down a great deal after Reine spoke to them at the museum. That wasn’t quite enough to put his anxiety to rest, however.

“I have to…do something.” He trudged forward, a grimace on his face.

He was on his way to Reine’s room. When they left the museum, she told him to come see her later so that they could discuss their next steps.

But he stopped as he approached the end of the hallway.

A head was poking out around each corner, and two sets of eyes were staring at him intently.

He quickly realized whom they belonged to, swallowed his nervousness, and opened his mouth. “Wh-what are you doing, Kaguya, Yuzuru?”

The two Spirts stepped out in front of him.

“Keh-keh… You sensed my presence then. I’m impressed.”

“Argument. Is it not that your hiding technique was poor?”

“…! I—I don’t need to hear that from you, Yuzuru! I was hiding way better than you were!”

“Objection. There is no possible way that Kaguya is able to hide better than Yuzuru.”

If Shido were allowed to weigh in, they were both equally conspicuous, but he decided to keep that to himself.

“What are you doing?” he asked, and the two girls exchanged a look before glancing back at Shido.

“Keh. I shall tell you. You’d do well to come.”

“Guaranteed. Come this way.”

At exactly the same moment, they each pulled on one of Shido’s arms.

“Wh-what’s going on?” Looking back and forth between them, baffled, Shido was dragged along until they reached their apparent destination.

A blue curtain and a red curtain were hanging over two neighboring entrances. One said MEN and the other WOMEN in big letters. They were at the outdoor bathing area the inn was famous for.

“…The bath?” Shido frowned.

“Keh-keh.” Kaguya nodded in her exaggerated way. “The stain of the everlasting darkness has accumulated on your body. Allow me to purify it.”

“Huh?”

“Translation. She’s saying to please get in the bath and get cleaned up.”

“Ohhh, is that it…? But it’s not time to take a bath yet. I don’t have a towel or a change of clothes, either. And there’s somewhere I need to be right now.”

He started to turn around and was yanked back by firm hands on each arm.

“Owww! Wh-what are you doing?”

“You believed you have a choice? Enough complaints about trivialities. Clear away your impurity.”

“Petition. Please. We have made all the requisite preparations for bathing.” Yuzuru dropped her gaze to indicate a stack of folded towels and yukata robes.

“Wh-why would you…? What exactly are you planning?”

“Keh… My abstruse and sublime thoughts could never be understood by an average person.”

“An idea. A large bathing area with no one else in it is a very good thing.”

“…” After looking back and forth between them with doubtful eyes, Shido let out a long sigh. It wasn’t as though Reine had said any specific time, and he was a bit worried about what they would do if he refused. “Fine. Then I’ll get in the bath first.”

“Keh-keh… As long as you understand.”

“Praise. I express respect for your decision.”

He still had no idea what they wanted, but at the same time, he did want to get in the bath and wash away his sweat and exhaustion. He grabbed a towel and a robe and went into the men’s bath.

When he glanced back, Kaguya’s cheeks were pink like she was a little embarrassed, and Yuzuru had a hand to her mouth for whatever reason. Still suspicious of their motives, Shido took off his clothes in the changing room and opened the door clouded with steam, small towel in hand.

“Whoa… This is incredible,” he said in admiration of the scene before his eyes.

Hot water, faintly tinted, filled an enormous tub cut out of stone, clouds of thick steam puffing up above it. And beyond the tub was a view of the ocean, filling the air with the sound of gentle waves. Because it wasn’t bath time yet, the place was deserted. He started to understand what Yuzuru meant about an empty bath being a good thing.

He quickly washed himself in the shower area before setting a small towel on his head and sinking into the hot water.

“Aaah…” He groaned like an old man and stretched out his arms and legs, so that heat soaked into every part of his body.

Klak. He heard a clattering sound as the door to the bathing area opened.

Shido turned his eyes toward the entrance to check if someone had come in and then froze in the water. “Wha…?”

Kaguya and Yuzuru, whom he had supposedly left in the hallway, were standing there, wrapped in bath towels.

“Wh-what are you doing?! This is the men’s bath!” he shouted, but they strode without hesitation into the bathing area and walked over to where he was soaking in the tub.

The steam made the thin towels cling to their skin, casting their bodies in sharp relief. Shido’s face automatically turned red, and he sank deeper into the water.

“K-keh-keh-keh.” Kaguya crossed her arms, her cheeks reddening. “Well? You are forced to prostrate yourself before my charms.”

Yuzuru snorted. “Sneer. Charms. Laugh. This is the first I’ve heard of you having any such thing.”

“…Hmph. I’ll make you weep soon enough. When I make Shido my slave!”

“Counterattack. Challenge accepted.”

They bent their knees to step into the tub with Shido between them.

“…?!” It was against the inn’s rules to get into the tub while wearing a towel, but there was no way Shido could point that out now. Frozen with tension, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Keh-keh… You’d do well to prepare yourself, Shido. Once you know this bounty, you shall never be satisfied with any other.”

“Negative. Shido will become a slave to Yuzuru’s body.”

“Wh-what?!” Their words only made him tenser. What was this absurd scene? And what would happen to him now? He was swept up in a fear of the unknown and the faintest hint of anticipation.

However…

“…Hmm?” When nothing happened even after a few minutes had passed, Shido slowly opened his eyes.

The two girls encamped on either side of him were simply staring at each other.

“Keh… Out of the kindness of my heart, Yuzuru, I shall permit you to go first.”

“Negative. That is unnecessary. In fact, Kaguya, you need a leg up. I am willing to cede the initiative.”

“Y-you don’t get it, do you? The instant I lower my hand, Shido’s eyes will be glued to me. Don’t you understand I will leave you no opportunity to step onto the stage?”

“Skeptical. Isn’t the truth that you don’t know what to do?”

Kaguya twitched. “O-of course not! I’m very s-s-sexy! Wh-what is this girl even talking about?! I have plenty of adult techniques at my disposal that you’ve never even dreamed of!”

“Dubious. Then please show me.”

“Wha—?! H-hmph! Fine, watch and learn!” Kaguya stood up and looked at Shido as she put one hand on her head and the other on her waist—a pose that even a pinup girl past her prime would reject. “…Yoo-hoo.”

Yuzuru put a hand to her mouth to suppress giggles.

“Umm…” Shido scratched his cheek, not sure what he was supposed to say here. Oh, it wasn’t that it wasn’t sexy. The way the wet bath towel clung to Kaguya’s skin was definitely provocative. But the desire to flee was greater than any other feelings she might have inspired.

Kaguya’s cheeks turned bright red, and she dived back into the tub. “Wh-what is with you two?!”

“Sneer. Kaguya’s charms—asterisk laugh asterisk—are indeed a different breed.”

“Wh-what did you say?! And wait. Is that actually it? You’re the one who doesn’t know what to do!” Kaguya snapped a finger out at her sister, and Yuzuru’s eyebrows shot up.

“…Negative. That is not possible.”

“Ha! I wonder! How about you go ahead and show me then!”

“Admission… I suppose I could.” Yuzuru turned toward Shido. “Sex appeal. Muah!” She blew him a kiss like some star of yesteryear.

“…Oh. Uh-huh.” Once more unsure how to react, Shido flashed her an awkward smile, sweating a little.

“Wah-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Kaguya clutched her belly and laughed out loud. “What was that? I mean, what was that?! You call that sex appeal?!”

“Offensive. I do not need to hear from you, Kaguya.”

“Ha! We’re in the same boat here!”

“Negative. Kaguya’s childish body was never seductive.”

“…! I-it’s no different from yours!”

“Objection. Numerically, the ratio of flesh differs, albeit only marginally.”

“K-keh-keh… It appears you don’t know the appeal of a slender body.”

“Sneer. Slender. Asterisk laugh asterisk. The facts do not change simply because you replace the words with something that sounds better.”

“H-hmph! They’re nothing more than lumps of fat in the end, are they not?!”

“Offensive. I cannot overlook this. I conclude this to be an outburst of Kaguya’s jealousy.”

“I am not jealous! Nor am I envious! It’s obvious that Shido thinks I’m much cuter than a fattie like Yuzuru!”

“Negative. Having no chest is a fatal blow in appealing to men. No one would touch chicken bones like Kaguya.”

“Wh-who are you calling chicken bones?!”

“Counterattack. Who are you calling a fattie?”

“What? Also, you have so many more split ends than me! Seeee? Shido hates women like that!”

“Argument. Kaguya smells slightly sweatier than Yuzuru. Your appeal as a woman is decreased.”

“Wh-what did you say?! You have a higher body fat percentage than me!”

“Pity. I feel compassion for you whose only power is to point out such things.”

“Shut up! Come on, fattie! Jiggle-jiggle!”

“Counteroffensive. Flat as a board. Super flat.”

The two of them began to squabble once more.

“…?!” Shido jumped a little in the water when he heard the door open again and someone start to come their way. “H-hey…someone else’s here. It’s gonna be bad if you two don’t hide.”

This was the men’s bath. Naturally, the new intruder would almost certainly be a boy.

But Kaguya and Yuzuru looked perfectly calm.

“Keh-keh… Whatever do you mean, Shido?”

“Negative. We are fine. There is no need for concern.”

“Huh?” He cocked his head to one side, not understanding what they meant.

“Hiyah!” The new bather leaped into the bathtub. And then met the eyes of Shido.

It was a voice he’d heard before. Long hair the color of night. A figure with beautiful curves that was a far cry from a certain pair’s slender forms. Yes. That face… Without a doubt, this was Tohka Yatogami.

“Mm?” Tohka also noticed the current occupant of the tub. She looked at him, stunned.

“…”

“…”

And then…

“Aaaaaaaah?!”

“Aaaaaaaah?!”

They let out the exact same scream.

Tohka hurriedly slapped one arm over her chest and the other over her lower half. “Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-why are you in here, Shido?!”

“N-no, no, no, no, no! Why did you come in here?! This is the men’s bath!”

“What are you talking about?! I went in the red one just like everyone told me to!”

“Huh?!” Shido gasped. A very bad feeling crawled up his spine. “You didn’t actually…!” He looked to either side of him, and Kaguya and Yuzuru stared back blankly.

“Mm-hmm. Before you went in, we switched the curtains. Impressive as always, if I do say so myself. Strategy master.”

“Question. Is there a problem with that?”

“Why would you…?!” he shouted and glared at them. He wanted nothing more than to curse them out, but now was not the time for that. He turned back to Tohka and bowed his head so deeply that it almost went into the water. “Tohka, you have to believe me. I swear, I would never do something like this on purpose!”

“U-uhhh…?!” Tohka looked baffled. “Th-then why are you in here?”

“I was tricked! I’m sorry. I’ll leave right now!” He started to get out of the tub, trying to look at Tohka as little as he possibly could.

“Ah… Shido!” Tohka grabbed his hand. Almost as if to hold him back.

“Wh-what, Tohka?”

“Oh… I think that’s a bad idea.”

“Huh?” At the same time as Shido’s eyes narrowed to points, the door opened again, and a group of girls came in. “Wha—?”

He immediately sank into the tub and hid behind a rock.

Now that he thought about it, this was only natural. If it was bath time and Tohka was here, that meant the other girls would all be here sooner or later, too.

“Wow! It’s so big! And the ocean’s right there!”

“Oh, the transfer students are already here. You guys were fast!”

“Huh? Tobiichi, you’re not getting in the bath?”

“I have something I must do.”

“O-oh… Good luck.”

He could hear the high-pitched voices of the girls in his class. It was only a matter of time before they found him.

“C-c-c-c-c-c-crap! Wh-what am I gonna do?!” Faced with this unprecedented tight spot, Shido cradled his head in his hands and sent his eyes racing around the room.

If they found him here, they would string him up by his toenails. Actually, he’d be lucky if that was all they did. He would probably be branded as a sex offender and haunted by it for the rest of his life. He’d have to spend the rest of high school being called a pervert or a degenerate or a youthful mistake. In the worst case, they could report him to the police…

He shuddered as Tohka moved out in front of him, as if to hide him.

“T-Tohka?” he asked.

“It’s not your fault, right?” She glanced back at him. “So you have to hide behind me and hurry up and escape.”

“…! Th-thanks. I owe you!”

Fortunately, he was less than clearly visible, thanks to the steam and the reddish-brown water. With Tohka serving as his barrier, he might actually be able to make it out of here alive.

“Okay,” Tohka said. “Here we go.”

“R-right.” He nodded.

Tohka began to crabwalk slowly, still submerged in the tub. Shido moved along with her, hiding behind her.

However…

“Oh! I found Tohka!”

“What are you doing over there on the edge?”

“Whoa! Your skin’s amazing! Let me give you a rubdown!”

The Ai-Mai-Mii trio jumped onto the scene. The music for an enemy encounter in an RPG began to play in Shido’s head.

“Eep!”

“O-oh, no reason! Don’t bother with me!” Tohka said, but Ai-Mai-Mii were bubbling over with interest in her. They were sure to notice Shido behind her like this.

“Ah!” Tohka shouted and pointed into the distance. “There’s a huge kinako bun over there!”

The three girls whirled their heads in that direction.

“…!”

The perfect opportunity. Shido spun around and dived over the stone wall into the ocean.

Meanwhile, a number of gentlemen were assembled in a circle in one corner of the men’s bath, speaking in whispers.

“Hey, Tonomachi, are you sure about this?”

“Yeah, no mistake.” Tonomachi’s lips curled up at the edges. “If you’re just bathing like normal, you wouldn’t notice it, but there’s a gap in part of the hedge that separates the men’s and women’s baths.”

“Whoa!” Brothers in battle cried out with their shared purpose.

Tonomachi bobbed his head up and down and thrust a hand forward. The others layered their hands on top of his.

“You raring and ready to go?!”

“Yes!”

“Excellent! Then follow me! I’ll show you paradise on earth!”

“Yaaah!”

Their throaty cries rang out as they threw their hands up into the air.

Tonomachi lowered his eyes as if savoring the lingering sense of intoxication before starting to walk slowly along the hedge as quietly as possible.

“Wohkay, here we go…” He looked his comrades over, and they all nodded.

“You go first, Tonomachi.”

“You’ve given us courage. Lead the way.”

“Burn the scene into those eyes and that heart.”

“Guys…” Tonomachi wiped away the unbidden hot tears and nodded in return. “Here goes nothing. Watch how I live, men!” He straightened up and peered through the hint of a gap in the hedge.

“…”

“…”

He met someone’s eyes.

Staring in from the women’s bath side was Origami Tobiichi.

“…S-sorry to have disturbed you,” Tonomachi croaked and retreated.

“…Hmm?” Reine lifted her face from her small terminal. She could hear wet footsteps in the hallway outside.

The noise stopped in front of her door, followed by a knock.

“…Come in,” she said, and the door slowly opened.

Shido stepped inside, wearing only a towel around his waist. For some reason, he was completely soaked, clutching his shoulders and shaking.

Reine took a few seconds to think and then slapped a fist into one hand. “…Isn’t it a bit early for a covert nighttime rendezvous?”

“Keh-keh… Base humans. Consider it an honor to be in this sleeping space with me. Carve my exalted name into your heart. Child of the hurricane, Kaguya Yamai.”

The girl introduced herself thusly to Tohka and the rest of her new roommates in Room 401, sat down at the table, leaned back, and stretched her legs out. Her tone was undeniably rude, but Kaguya’s smug face and high-pitched voice kept her declaration from being particularly offensive or high-handed. It was more the sort of thing that garnered a fond smile, like a small child pretending to be their favorite TV character.

“Mm. Glad you’re here. Let’s have fun!” Tohka nodded, crossing her arms. Smiles also spread across the faces of the team members sitting next to her: Ai, Mai, and Mii.

They had been surprised when Reine asked them to make space in their room for this girl, but they liked all things fun and cute, so they adapted fairly quickly. Their faces were filled with delight, and they began to stroke Kaguya’s hair and poke her cheeks.

“Aaah! You. Are. So. Cute! I can’t stand it!”

“Your hair’s so soft. And your cheeks are so pokable!”

“Do you like sweet things? You want some Pocky?”

“St-stop that, peasants! Have you no manners?! Nnngh…!” Kaguya cried out. But she did help herself to some Pocky.

“Ah! Mii, I want some, too!”

“Yeah, yeah. Here you go, Tohka… Oh! Sorry, sorry. That was the last one I gave to Kaguya. Want some Yan Yan instead?”

“Wh-what is Yan Yan?!” Tohka examined the cylindrical object she was given from every angle with a serious look on her face, while Ai-Mai-Mii peppered Kaguya with questions.

“Hey, so, like, where are you from?”

“It’s weird to transfer schools at this time of year!”

“Does this mean you’ll be in our class next semester?”

Kaguya sniffed haughtily as she uncrossed and recrossed her legs. “Where am I from? Good question. The peak of the heavens and the bottom of the earth. The farthest end of the realm of the dead, the very edge of the material world. A realm that the scope of thought of those such as yourselves could never begin to understand.”

“Realm… Material world…?” Tohka cocked her head to one side. Kaguya was saying something that sounded pretty impressive. “Mm. That’s impressive, Kaguya. You really know lots of difficult words!”

“Keh-keh… So you do understand then, don’t you? You interest me. Speak your name.”

“Mm. Tohka Yatogami.”

“Tohka… Keh-keh, a fine name. See? I shall caress you.” For some reason, Kaguya was in excellent spirits. She began stroking Tohka’s head.

“Mm? Wh-what? This tickles.”

“I see great potential in you. Perhaps I shall make you my retainer on this night of nights.”

“Retainer? What’s that?”

“Keh-keh… The right to be my camp mate and by my side in the line of battle. It means that you will be able to link your name to the greatest tribe of this world.”

“Oh! I don’t really understand what that is, but you’d do something that amazing for me?!” Tohka said, taking Kaguya very seriously for some reason.

Overcome with emotion, Kaguya twirled a finger in the air. She looked somehow like an artist or an inventor who had finally, for the first time, encountered a kindred spirit. “O-of course! I shall protect you with my very body and soul! Consider yourself honored!”

“Mm, I’m definitely honored!”

Ai-Mai-Mii put their hands on their cheeks and cried out, “Awww!”

“Ugh! You’re killing me. You two are too cute!”

“Hey! Can I snap a pic? Look over here!”

“Gender is such a tiny detail. Doesn’t matter at all.”

They squirmed, readied their digital cameras, looked on with shining eyes, and licked their lips.

Kaguya frowned at them before opening her eyes wide as though she had suddenly realized something. “Tohka, you said, hmm? You couldn’t be… Are you the one Shido hoisted onto his back earlier?”

“What about Shido?” Tohka replied.

Kaguya narrowed her eyes, grabbed Tohka’s hand, and marched them over to a corner of the room.

“Whaaat? Where are you going, Kaguya?”

“My retainer and I must share some critical information. Because these words are cursed and humans cannot endure their power, your ears will drop off if you hear me speak them. If that is acceptable, then you may stand and listen.”

“Ohhh, secrets, huh? Ha-ha-ha! Don’t worry, we won’t eavesdrop on you!” Ai said, laughing.

But Tohka wasn’t having it. She shuddered as she pressed on her ears with both hands. “M-my ears will fall off…?”

“Do not fear. Now that you have become my retainer, a mysterious power dwells within you. Rest assured.”

“Oh yeah? This retainer thing’s amazing,” Tohka murmured, marveling.

Kaguya nodded, satisfied, before lowering her voice and asking, “Tohka, you appear well acquainted with Shido.”

“Mm? Mm-hmm. I know him pretty well.”

“! So you do. Keh-keh… Then I have a number of questions I wish to pose to you.” Kaguya held up her fingers to indicate exactly how many.

“Petition. I am in your debt tonight. I am Yuzuru Yamai. Thank you for having me.” With her listless eyes half-shut, Yuzuru splayed her fingers neatly on the floor and bowed her head.

“O-oh, you don’t have to be so formal!”

In fact, Yuzuru’s excessive politeness seemed to make the girls in Room 402 feel obligated to act formal as well. They fidgeted and looked away and forced awkward smiles onto their faces. This group was mainly made up of the quiet girls in class, leftovers come together to fill a room. Because they never really talked much to start with, the conversation didn’t go any further than that.

“…”

Origami didn’t care how awkward the atmosphere was. In fact, she actually liked this group because they were always quiet, and she didn’t have to converse more than necessary.

Sitting in a corner of the room and looking out the window, she sighed. As a result of the thorough research she’d done before the trip, she had discovered that there was a gap in the hedge that separated the women’s and men’s baths…but she hadn’t been able to catch sight of Shido.

“Uh. Um,” said another member of their group, perhaps unable to stand the silence. “Don’t your legs hurt? There aren’t any floor cushions, so if you want…”

“Appreciation. I accept your kindness,” Yuzuru said and walked over to the members of the group.

They seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief. The weight hanging over the room lightened ever so slightly.

“It must be hard to suddenly transfer schools. If there’s anything you need to know, feel free to ask, okay?”

“Gratitude. I am in debt to your thoughtfulness.” Yuzuru bowed her head again.

The girl in glasses smiled awkwardly.

Yuzuru lifted her head. “Question. Well then, I would like to ask you one thing. Is that all right?”

“Sure. Of course. What is it?”

“Petition. I would request that you teach me how to attract male attention,” Yuzuru said, her face expressionless.

“What?!” The other girls froze.

“Uh. Umm. What was that?”

“Repetition. How to attract male attention. Please instruct me in the art of seduction to rip away the fetters of reason and transform a man into a wild animal.”

“…?!”

The girls’ faces turned red. They were the quietest girls in class. They no doubt had little immunity to this kind of frank discussion.

“Right…,” the girl who had spoken first said nervously, perhaps feeling an obligation after telling Yuzuru to feel free to ask her anything. “Like, touching his hands and pretending it was an accident?”

“N-no, that’s something out of a shojo manga…”

“Hmm. So what would be good?”

“Um, okay… Try handing him a drink you’ve already drunk from?”

“Weak,” Origami interjected. The group looked at her with surprise on their faces.

“Huh? T-Tobiichi…?”

“What do you mean…?”

“That won’t get you anywhere. You can’t pursue the object of your affection with such aimless acts.”

“Petition.” Yuzuru’s eyes were shining quietly. “You appear to be no ordinary mortal. Please instruct me.”

“…” Origami sighed softly, turned toward Yuzuru, and held a finger up in front of her.

Yuzuru immediately got up and sat formally on her knees in front of Origami.

And then Origami began to speak quietly. “First, the key to it all is…”

Having somehow managed to pull himself out of the ocean and make it to Reine’s room to borrow her spare yukata, Shido polished off the cup of tea she poured for him before finally heaving a huge sigh. “Thanks. You saved my life…”

“…It’s fine,” Reine said, shrugging. “So you had a disaster.”

Shido unconsciously averted his eyes. Reine was wearing one of the inn’s yukatas, but the obi belt was tied rather sloppily, so every time she moved, her chest peeked out. It was a rather potent poison for the eyes of a healthy teenage boy.

“…? Is something wrong?”

“N-no. Anyway, have you restored communication with Fraxinus yet?”

Reine shook her head. “…No.”

“No…huh. Um, so then, those two—Kaguya and Yuzuru…”

Reine nodded and began to tap away at a small laptop computer on the table. Shown on the screen were two figures dancing in the wind recorded from a distance, together with a detailed numbers and text display.

He couldn’t make out the faces. “Is this…Kaguya and Yuzuru?” he asked, pointing at the screen.

“…Yes, probably.” Reine tilted her head a little to one side. “The truth is, they’re kind of famous in our world. The second I heard you saw two Spirits fighting in the wind, I had it more or less figured out.”

“Famous? Meaning?” he asked, and she held up a hand as if to say she would get to that.

“…They’re called Berserk. Spirits attended by the wind, like you saw.”

“Berserk…”

“…Yes. This pair of Spirits has been sighted all over the world. When they appear, they only ever mess with each other… But the scope of their bickering is an issue.”

“Yeah…” He recalled the incredible storm that afternoon that had mowed trees down and whipped up the ocean. The thought of that happening again was almost overwhelming.

“They’re responsible for a noninsignificant percentage of sudden storms that have occurred around the world. On top of that, there are also plenty of witness reports. A gossip magazine in the United States once caught a picture of them, and there were arguments about whether they were angels or UFOs or even the flying spaghetti monster.”

“Witnesses…? Oh!” Now that she mentioned it, he remembered that the spacequake alarms hadn’t gone off even though the Spirits had appeared so close by.

The northern sector of Arubi had a high rate of shelter penetration, on par with Shido’s home of Tengu City. Alarms would definitely have gone off if the smallest hint of a spacequake had been detected.

“No way. Those two appear silently?” he asked, a shiver running up his spine.

Reine shook her head. “…No, it seems that signs were detected. But it was in the sky, high above the Pacific Ocean.”

His eyes grew wider. “The sky…above the Pacific Ocean?”

“…Yes. The scale of a Berserk spacequake is rank A. The explosions caused by Tohka and the others don’t begin to compare. But for some reason, the majority of them have been detected in the sky miles away from anything at all.”

“Huh? So then, why are they on the island here…?”

“…Simple. They came here after they showed up in the sky. In mere minutes, they moved hundreds of kilometers while locked in a grappling match, like a moving low-pressure front.”

“Wha…?”

“…A typhoon with a mind of its own, tormenting the world. They never display any clear intent to attack people or any hatred toward the planet. They’re capricious, wild warriors who destroy forests, mountains, and cities with nothing but the aftershocks of their battles.”

Reine tapped the ENTER key on her terminal, and the screen displayed a city that had been completely annihilated.

“…The damage they do is enormous. Additionally, given that they’ve exposed themselves several times to the eyes of the general public, they are a bit of a nuisance for organizations that would like to keep the existence of Spirits a secret. Thus, Kaguya and Yuzuru have been designated priority targets by both Ratatoskr and the AST… But no one’s been able to make contact with them.”

“Wh-why not?”

“Because of the range and speed of their movement. We try and follow them whenever they appear, but no one can keep up. So the fact that you happened upon them could be considered a miracle.”

“I—I guess that makes sense…”

Reine wobbled her head before continuing. “…Communication with Fraxinus has been cut off, so we’re unable to receive support from the ship. I can’t do sufficient analysis, either, with the materials I have on hand now. A mission now will be even riskier than usual. But it’s not all bad.”

“Meaning…?”

“…They’re vying for your attention right now, aren’t they?”

“Yeah…” He felt hot under the collar. That had caused him more than a bit of trouble earlier that evening.

“…With Berserk’s extremely low encounter rate, this is a situation we couldn’t have even dreamed of. If we let this chance slip away, it’s no exaggeration to say we might never see Kaguya and Yuzuru again. So I want you to lock them away before they change their minds about you.”

“So then you’re saying…take them on without help from Ratatoskr?” Shido asked and then gulped nervously at his own words.

It was fifty-fifty whether the AI’s proposals in any given situation were useful or not. But the fact that he wouldn’t have any information on his opponent’s mental state was a big blow. And above all else, just the knowledge that he had a group of someones to back him up, the fact that he wasn’t alone, helped him maintain his composure more than he had realized.

“…That’s basically it. And there’s one other thing that could be a problem in attacking them.”

“One other thing… Which is?”

“…Simple. Berserk is two Spirits. And right now, they’re fighting over which one can entice you. If you kiss one of them…who knows what will happen?”

“Oh…”

If he kissed one of them to seal her power, the girls would almost certainly consider whoever he kissed to be the winner of their contest. But that victor would lose her Spirit power in the moment of victory. If the loser refused to accept the outcome and started running wild, there would be no one left to stop her.

“…It’s not that I doubt their principles or pride, but…we can’t expose the students and the people of Arubi to danger.”

“I…guess not. S-so does that mean my only choice is to kiss each of them in secret?” Shido suggested.

Reine frowned. “…We can’t say that’s a good idea, either. They were originally one Spirit, right? It’s possible that a Spirit path runs between them, like with you and Tohka. In that case, the other would notice if you sealed one of them.”

“S-so then what exactly am I supposed to do?” he asked, grimacing.

She crossed her arms and nodded. “…It’s not that we have no cards to play. I went ahead and came up with a strategy.”

“Strategy?”

“…Yes. I struck an agreement with them this afternoon. I said I would make you choose who was more appealing before the morning of the last day of the trip—the day after tomorrow.”

“The day after tomorrow…”

“…Yes. If they know that they’re definitely going to get a result in two days’ time, they won’t be so fast to lash out or seek revenge. At the very least, we’ve bought ourselves a day. Time is more precious than anything for us. In the meanwhile, you’ve got a date.”

Shido swallowed hard. “So you’re saying…I have to make Kaguya and Yuzuru weak in the knees tomorrow? But—”

“…No, that’s not quite it.” Reine shook her head, cutting Shido off.

“This time, I’m going to make you weak in the knees.”

“……Huh?”

“…So you make them weak in the knees while I do that.”

Shido gaped at her, baffled by this so-called strategy. He couldn’t see his face himself, but it must have looked pretty idiotic.

Reine didn’t laugh at him, however, instead continuing quietly. “…I’m going to give Kaguya and Yuzuru earpieces, Shin, and help them attack you. All you have to do is react favorably to the things I instruct them to do. That’ll convince them they can trust me.”

“Huh? No. Wait. I don’t—”

“…As long as they decide that the advice I give them is accurate, it’ll be possible to control their behavior to a certain extent. For instance, I could tell them to kiss you at the same time.”

“…?!” Shido gasped.

Kiss them both at the same time. Naturally, he’d never tried to kiss two Spirits before, but if he could pull it off and seal both of their powers at the same time, then Reine had nothing to worry about.

“…The difficulty of the mission’s unchanged. But…I think this is the only way to handle the two of them. What do you think?” She stared into his eyes.

“What…do I think?” Shido looked back at those eyes ringed with dark circles and swallowed.

There was little doubt this would be an extremely difficult mission. If he made a single misstep, he wouldn’t be the only one exposed to danger; Tohka, Origami, everyone from school, and the people of the island would get dragged into it, too. But if he didn’t do it now, that hurricane would just pop up somewhere else in the world.

He bit his lip.

Ever since he heard about the relationship between Kaguya and Yuzuru, Shido had felt an unendurable nausea. They fought for the seat of main personality; the loser would be swallowed up into her opponent. It was the worst storyline: Kill or be killed in order to survive. From the moment they were born, they were saddled with the absurd destiny of one of them having to disappear.

But if Shido managed to seal their Spirit powers, then they might be able to reject that hopeless fate.

“…”

Memories of the Spirits he’d come into contact with flooded his mind. Tohka. Yoshino. Kurumi. Kotori.

The danger, what would happen to the world, all was secondary. Or even tertiary. None of that mattered. He just wanted to help the Spirits, these girls trapped by fate. That alone was plenty reason for him to reach out his hand.

“I understand… I’ll do it.”

“…Thanks. I appreciate it,” Reine said, dipping her head in a slight bow.

“Whoa. I mean, I—,” he started. “Wah-choo!”

His shoulders shook with a rather dramatic sneeze. Now that he was thinking about it, he did feel a little chilled despite the warm summer weather. It appeared his dive into the ocean earlier had come back to bite him.

“…Catch a cold?”

“No… I’m sure I’m fine,” he said, sniffling.

Reine dropped a fist into one hand as if she’d just had the most amazing idea.

“Reine? Is something the matter?”

“…Mm-hmm. You really do have to take care of yourself. You head to bed.”

“Huh? No, but it’s really…”

“…If you’re down for the count tomorrow, what are we going to do about Kaguya and Yuzuru?”

He groaned. “Fine. Then I’ll call it a day here.” He was about to stand up when Reine grabbed his hand.

“…Wait, Shin. You’re sleeping here.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Huh?”

Twenty minutes later, Shido understood what Reine’s plan was.

“Keh-keh… Reine informed me, Shido. It seems you have a cold? Ha-ha, how fragile humans are. That your body would be pained by a simple virus.”

“Declaration. Please rest easy. You will be in peak health by tomorrow if nursed by Yuzuru.”

Kaguya and Yuzuru told him from the doorway.

“…Oh, thanks,” Shido said, forcing a smile onto his lips as he lay under the blanket with a damp cloth covering his forehead.

For an instant, the words And whose fault is it? Hmm? threatened to slip out of him, but he locked them away in the bottom of his heart.

Reine had given him the basic overview of the situation. The girls taking care of him would increase their intimacy levels while he tried to grasp their behavior patterns.

So under the pretext of preventing him from infecting the other students, she had vacated her teacher’s room, and Shido was lying there alone. There were hidden cameras everywhere, and their actions were being recorded in detail.

Kaguya and Yuzuru were raring to go, hoping to earn some points and sway Shido’s choice. They were oddly excited.

“Keh-keh… I’m coming in then.”

“Pardon. I shall humbly enter.”

They took off their slippers and stepped into the room, coming to either side of Shido to sit formally on their knees in their yukatas. They stared down at his face.

“…Umm, what?” he said, and Kaguya and Yuzuru lifted their faces and exchanged a glance.

“Keh-keh… Yuzuru. Let me inform you now, you will be burned if you assume I am the same Kaguya Yamai as I have been up to now. I have gained an excellent retainer and have been reborn.”

“Sigh. Kaguya’s bluffs have begun once again.” Yuzuru shrugged, exasperated.

It was an obvious challenge, but Kaguya did not take the bait. The corners of her mouth only softened and slipped up into a bold grin.

Yuzuru sensed this new freedom in her sister and narrowed her eyes. “Admiration. It appears that this was not necessarily a lie. But Yuzuru is the same. I have also obtained a magnificent teacher. As I am now, none can hope to challenge me.”

“Oh-ho? Interesting. Well then, a contest as usual!” Kaguya said and dropped her gaze back to Shido.

“Mm.” Having changed into pajamas after her bath, Tohka was walking down the hallway when she ran into Origami at the intersection.

The other girl was in loungewear of a simple design, had a small pouch hanging from her wrist, and was carrying a plate covered in plastic wrap. It looked like it held onigiri.

Tohka was curious as to why Origami would have such a thing, but she was honestly never happy to see her, and she would have preferred not to start a conversation. She looked away and continued toward her destination.

“…Mm?” She furrowed her brow doubtfully. Origami was inexplicably walking with her. “Mm. Why are you following me?”

“I’m not following you. I’m just going in the same direction,” Origami replied matter-of-factly, the look on her face unchanging.

The crease between Tohka’s brows grew even deeper. “You’re not actually going to Reine’s room, are you?”

Origami’s eyebrow twitched.

Tohka was also on her way to Reine’s room—or to be more precise, on her way to take care of Shido, who was resting in Reine’s room.

Earlier, she had gone to Shido’s room wanting to hang out and had been told that he’d caught a cold and was currently being isolated from the other students in a different room. But to think that Origami had gotten a hold of that information, too!

“I’m enough on my own to take care of Shido,” Origami informed her. “You can just go back to your room.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Tohka said. “I’m the one who’s going to take care of Shido!”

“I doubt you could.”

“What?!”

“Well, what specifically would you do?”

“That’s obvious. First…,” Tohka began, brimming with confidence.

Shido’s breath caught in his throat.

Kaguya’s face colored slightly before her cheeks tightened as if she had made up her mind, and she started to cheerfully crawl into Shido’s futon.

“H-hey! Whoa! What are you—?”

“Keh-keh… When you have a cold, you have to warm up. And, Shido, according to talk I have heard, you are especially fond of sharing a bed with a lady, yes?”

“H-huh?!” he cried, holding up his blanket with both hands. Well, he was a teenage boy. Naturally, he didn’t hate the idea of sharing a bed, but… “Wh-what’s that about? I don’t remember telling you that.”

“No? My retainer told me that when she woke up one morning, she discovered that you had crawled into her futon under the cover of darkness.”

“…Oh. Sorry. That did happen,” he replied, his face stiffening. Most likely—which was to say without a doubt—this “retainer” of Kaguya’s was Tohka. And it was true that Kotori had once arranged for the sleeping Shido to be tossed into Tohka’s bed.

Kaguya chuckled triumphantly and nodded with satisfaction at Yuzuru. Then she tried once more to push her way under his blankets.

“N-no! I said—!” Shido held the blankets down in an attempt to keep her out, and Kaguya’s eyebrows scrunched together.

“Ngh. A-am I…not welcome?”

“…! Th-that’s not what I— Aah, fine!” He put a hand on his forehead, at his wit’s end.

“…and so you lie together and warm him up!” Tohka crossed her arms smugly, snorting with satisfaction.

Yes. She remembered that Reine and Kotori had said that it was important to get warm when you had a cold. Not to mention, Shido liked sleeping with other people so much that he had climbed into Tohka’s bed. She had been surprised then by how sudden it was, but now that he wasn’t feeling well… Well, that was different.

Origami shook her head from side to side, exasperated. “I knew you would be insufficient. You should be good and go back to your room.”

“Wh-what?!”

“You didn’t prepare anything.”

“Prepare?” Tohka said, glaring.

Origami dropped her eyes to the pouch hanging from her wrist. “I’ve prepared a thermometer, cooling sheets, and a towel to wipe his entire body. No omissions.”

“H-hmph! There are towels in his room! I mean, even I—”

Origami shook her head vigorously. “There’s no point in that. You can’t confiscate the room towel, despite your hard work in wiping his sweat away.”

“M-mm…?” Tohka didn’t really get what Origami was talking about. Something like a groan escaped from her throat.

“And you don’t understand the important things.”

“Important things?”

“Yes. Using a towel is a last resort.”

“What? But then you can’t wipe the sweat away?”

“Personally, I would do it like this.” Origami began to speak matter-of-factly.

While Shido and Kaguya were busy playing defense and offense, Yuzuru took a slow step toward Shido and then ripped the blankets away in one fell swoop.

“Aah?! Wh-what are you doing, Yuzuru?!”

“Ngh! Yes! How dare you interfere with my plan to sleep beside him, you coward!” Kaguya, who had been trying to get under the blankets, cried out in rebuke, as if suddenly sympathetic with Shido’s plight.

But Yuzuru paid her no mind and twitched her nose. “Confirmation. I am able to see sweat forming.”

“Huh? Ohhh… Well, a little, I guess.” Shido nodded. Because he was acting like he had a cold, he had this thick blanket over him, even though it was summer. Naturally, he was going to sweat.

“Point. If the sweat remains as is, it will rob you of heat due to vaporization. It must be wiped off immediately.”

“Oh… Well, I guess. Maybe…”

Yuzuru grabbed one side of his yukata and yanked it open to expose his chest, and his eyes flew open in surprise.

“Ah—”

She laid herself on top of him, stretched out her tongue, and began to lick his chest. The soft, warm, damp sensation tickled. It was so sudden that Shido unconsciously emitted a high-pitched shriek.

“Y-Yuzuru?! Hey…!”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you doing, Yuzuruuuu?!” Kaguya shouted at the same time, grabbed Yuzuru’s head, and ripped it away from Shido.

Yuzuru licked her lips and got a strange look on her face. “Doubt. Why did you stop me?”

“Wh-why?! What exactly are you doing?!”

“My master taught me that this is the best way to wipe away sweat.”

Shido shuddered. He got the feeling that there was just one person this “master” could have been.

But first things first. He tugged his yukata back over his naked chest and pulled back up the blanket that had been stolen from him.

“…and in this way, you lick away the sweat with your tongue.”

“Wh-what’s the point of that?!” Tohka shouted, sweat beading on her own forehead.

Origami sighed. “I almost feel pity for your impoverished sensibility.”

“Hngh…” For some reason, even though she was the one in the right, Tohka felt an indescribable sense of defeat and gritted her teeth. But she couldn’t let her opponent overtake her now. She shook her head vigorously. “B-but the end result is you need to lie down together after wiping away the sweat!”

“True. You have a point. Sleeping together is a very important factor.”

“You see! I can be useful!”

But Origami once again denied her. “For that, too, I am enough.”

“C-cut it out! I can sleep with him better than you!”

The two girls glared at each other, daggers flying between them.

When Shido yanked the blanket back up, Kaguya got on all fours and peeled back the corner, as if she’d been waiting for this.

“Keh-keh… It seems that Shido would prefer it if I were the one to sleep alongside him.”

“Negative. Yuzuru possesses superior technique in bed. If you are to warm yourself, please use Yuzuru.”

“No, this is weird! Something is definitely weird here!” Shido shouted, desperate.

Kaguya and Yuzuru opened their eyes wide.

“What…? Human skin is best when trying to get warm, though?”

“Affirmative. I have heard this.”

“Th-this isn’t the top of a mountain. I’m fine by myself,” he told them, clutching the blanket to his chest to escape their clutches. He looked like a heroine being assailed by a gang of hoodlums.

Yuzuru slapped a hand against her knee as though she’d had a revelation. Then she stood up and untied the obi belt keeping her yukata closed.

““Wha…?!””

Shido’s and Kaguya’s confusion overlapped perfectly.

But Yuzuru paid them absolutely no mind and calmly looked down at Shido. Her seductive skin and her matching bra and panties peeked out through the opening in her yukata now that the obi had been untied, and Shido’s pulse quickened.

“Wh-wh-wh-what are…?”

“Comprehension. Now that you mention it, my master says that if you are to warm someone up, there’s no point unless you are touching skin to skin.”

“What is this half-baked theory?!” Shido nearly shrieked again.

Yuzuru ignored him and slipped under the blanket. And then she took Shido’s shaking arm and tried to slide it into her own yukata.

“Huuuh?!” he cried, his face beet red. He couldn’t see it himself, but he was pretty sure that smoke was shooting out of his ears. “H-hey! Wh-what are you squirming around like that for?!”

“Ignore. It’s better if Kaguya doesn’t know. Beneath the blankets is a space for adults.”

Kaguya gritted her teeth in vexation. “D-don’t you underestimate meeeee!” She slapped a hand onto her own obi belt and yanked it off.

“Wha…?!” Shido’s eyes widened.

Because Kaguya had slipped off the belt with more force than Yuzuru, her yukata flapped up for a moment. And…

“Wh-why are you naked, Kaguya?!”

Yes. Although even Yuzuru was wearing a bra and shorts underneath her yukata, Kaguya had absolutely nothing. Shido quickly closed his eyes.

“…! Shock. To think you would go that far.” Yuzuru opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Kaguya was confused. “Huh? Isn’t this how yukatas work? I mean, Tohka said—”

“No, that might be technically right, but!”

“Y-yaaah! It will be what it is!” Kaguya shouted with an edge of desperation in her excited state and dived onto Shido’s futon. And then just like Yuzuru, she took Shido’s hand and wound her legs around him.

“N-now…Shido. Feel my healing power! I’m warmer than that Yuzuru, yes? See? Yuzuru tends to be chilly!”

“Negative. Given how much sadder your chest is, Kaguya, you would generate less heat.”

“Hngah?!”

In the middle of their argument, Shido exhaled, his entire body tensing. Not only was he pinned down on the futon, but they were pressing in on him from either side. He could keenly feel the skin glued to his, the breath in his ears, the faint scent of sweat wafting by. He was in serious trouble. He didn’t think he could stand much more.

“Restraint. Kaguya, Shido’s face is turning red.”

“What? Do you mean to say that even though we’re both warming him, his condition is deteriorating?”

“Hypothesis. He might be allergic to Kaguya. Please try moving away from him.”

“D-don’t make it sound like I’m some house dust!”

“Counsel. Setting aside the jokes, we must do something.”

“Something? What are you saying we should do?”

“Suggestion. Now that you mention it, although she said ‘direct,’ don’t you think the skin contact area should be limited?” Yuzuru had no sooner spoken than she abruptly untangled the hand she had wrapped around Shido’s left arm.

Phew. He let out a sigh of relief. But in the next instant, he tensed up again.

The reason was simple. Yuzuru’s hand had started to undo the obi fastening his own yukata.

“Hey! St—wh-what?!” he shrieked with teary eyes, but Yuzuru’s hand did not stop. In fact, not to be outdone now that she had noticed what Yuzuru was doing, Kaguya started actively trying to peel his yukata off, her face reddening as she did.

“E-eeeaaaaah! Eeeeeeeeeek!”

“Quiet! Calm yourself! You’re making it harder to get this off!”

“Agreement. It is not as though you are an innocent here.”

She wriggled around under the blanket, and Shido’s yukata was tossed off to the side. To be honest, he didn’t know exactly what had happened. It was almost like sleight of hand.

But that was not the end of the nightmare. Next, Kaguya’s and Yuzuru’s fingers settled upon Shido’s last bastion of defense—his underwear.

“N-now… This is the end.”

“Affirmative. Let’s do it together.”

Excited and breathing heavily, the two girls yanked at the fabric.

“N-nooooooo?!” Shido’s high-pitched shriek echoed through the room.

Having fallen into a stalemate against Origami in the hallway, Tohka suddenly heard a scream and frowned. “Mm? Did you hear something?”

“You must be having auditory hallucinations. This is serious. You should go back to your room. Leave Shido to me.”

“Are you still saying that?!” Tohka jabbed a finger at the plate Origami was carrying. “What about that plate?! No one needs that for Shido’s recovery!”

“A late-night snack for Shido,” Origami replied as if this were the most natural thing in the world. “You have to keep your strength up when you have a cold.”

“H-hmph! You show your true nature! People who have colds are supposed to eat rice porridge!” Indeed, Tohka was sure that Reine and Kotori had said something about that before.

But Origami wasn’t taken aback in the least. “When you have a cold, you should have something easy to digest. That much is obvious,” she responded dispassionately.

“What…? Then why would you—?”

“I will turn these into paste at Shido’s side and pour it directly into his mouth. There’s no issue here.”

“Wh-what…?” Tohka frowned. It didn’t look like Origami was carrying any other tools, so how was she going to make the rice balls into a paste? And what exactly was “pour directly” supposed to mean?

While she pondered this, Origami began to move silently.

Tohka gasped and grabbed her shoulder. “St-stop! I’m going to take care of Shido!”

“Let go. Shido’s waiting for me.”

“As if! There’s no way—”

While Tohka and Origami argued in the middle of the hallway, three shadows ran up and crouched down in a circle to surround them.

“Wh-what…?” Tohka jumped and looked at the girls deployed around her. She knew these faces. Ai, Mai, and Mii had made their way over from her own room.

“Hey, hey, you two! Full of vim and vigor again today!”

“But hanging out like this? You’re in everyone’s way!”

“How about you leave this contest to us?”

The three girls said one after the other, crouched down and swaying from side to side like a runner eager to steal a base.

“Mm…?”

“…”

Tohka and Origami looked at each other curiously.

Watching from where she was plastered to the wall of the inn hallway, Ellen confirmed that her target, Tohka Yatogami, had gone into the room. She pressed a finger to her earpiece and started giving her report.

“This is Adeptus One. I have confirmed target entry into room.”

“Roger. Shall we deploy Bandersnatches?”

“Three outside the room, please, just in case. But it appears that Master Sergeant Origami Tobiichi is also inside. Please exercise caution in the range of Territory deployment.”

“Roger. Bandersnatch One through Three en route.”

Ellen was about to give her next instruction over her earpiece when something came flying out of the room suddenly at her face. “Hw-aaugh?!”

She tumbled backward.

“Ngh! What was that?!” She sat up, holding her nose, and froze. “They can’t have discovered me?”

Although it hadn’t done any real damage, that blow had definitely been aimed at her.

But there was no way. Ellen focused her own thoughts and shook her head. The Bandersnatches hadn’t taken any conspicuous action yet, and Ellen hadn’t done anything herself. But if the Spirit had special powers of perception…

Regardless, the threat hadn’t changed. Ellen was about to leave when…

“Oh! I found the photographer!” A happy-go-lucky voice from inside the room pinned her to the spot.

“Oh! You’re right, there she is. Ellen, right?”

“Don’t let her get away! Capture her!”

Shrieking, three girls raced out of the room to surround her.

“Wh…” Ellen gritted her teeth.

She had seen these girls before. They were students staying in the same room as the target. She cursed her carelessness. Most likely, the Spirit had taken them over and was now controlling them. There was no other explanation for this abnormal behavior.

Ai-Mai-Mii grabbed on to Ellen’s arms and legs and carried her into the room.

“Ngh. What are—?”

“Heeeey! The photographer said she’s in!” Ai said.

“Perfect!” Tohka shouted. “We’ll bury them together!”

“You’ve got guts.”

Tohka and Origami glared at each other. They lifted something up high above their heads and threw it.

“Nice try! Photographer barrier!” Ai dropped Ellen’s legs and shrank down as if to hide behind her.

Objects like hardened fabric struck Ellen in the face, one after the other.

“Bwah!” Ellen exhaled like she’d been shot in the chest and collapsed on the spot.

“E-Elleeeeeeeeeen!!”

“Are you okay?! It’s just a flesh wound!”

“Stay with us! You’ve got family waiting for you back home!!”

The very people who had used Ellen as a shield were now dramatically pretending to wipe away tears.

In Ellen’s confused mind, she considered the projectiles that had brought her down.

“…Pillows?” she muttered, and the war began anew.

Once the staff meeting was over, the homeroom teacher, Tamae Okamine, stopped at Reine Murasame’s room, next door to her own.

One of Tamae’s own students, Shido Itsuka, had fallen ill suddenly, so he was being prudent and resting there. If he was sleeping, then it was better not to wake him, but…as his homeroom teacher, she had to check in on the situation. Tamae knocked quietly on the door.

“Itsuka? I heard you have a fever. Are you all right?” She slowly opened the door.

“St-stoooooop!” Shido Itsuka himself flew out of the room, screaming pathetically. Naked, for some reason.

“…”

“Huh…?” Shido saw Tamae and stared, stunned.

In the next moment…

“Eeeeaaaaaaaah?!”

Their screams echoed throughout the inn.