Date a Live Mukuro Planet chapters 1-4

Chapter 1 - First Shrine Visit of the Year
Legends tell that the amount of money you offer into a saisen-box (TL note: those which you
see in shrines) doesn't seem to correlate with fortune. Although simply throwing a 5-yen coin
can bring about good luck, however, tossing in six of those could lead to an ungratified
destiny - thus is the meaning behind that myth. The 500-yen coin, having the highest
nominal value, is meaningless to offer, carrying an excessive hundredfold of the original
value.
(TL explanation: Japanese coins include denominations of ¥ 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500. ¥5 or
ご円 is read as “go-en” whereas fate/destiny or ご縁 is also read as “go-en”. These words
are known as homophones. With six(六) being read as “roku”, offering six ¥5 coins is hence
read as “roku na goen ga nai” which is homophonous to an unsatisfying fate/destiny.)
Well, the impartial gods wouldn't judge someone based on how much he or she offered, so
anyone proffering a ¥10 000 note in exchange for a beneficial omen or prognostication
would likewise end up with unfulfilled wishes.
Nevertheless, Shidou, being a senior high school student, hadn't the slightest notion of
putting forth such a huge sum of money. Frankly, he was grateful for the deities’
benevolence and paid his respects by throwing in a 5-yen coin and ringing the bell that
resonated a clank sound.
“.....”
He closed his eyes and made a wish.
Actually, for the almighty divinities situated inside the temple to grant worshippers their
aspirations, such a possibility was not to be considered. Although there are 8 million deities
that originate from Japan, it assigns people to gather the various wishes of worshippers onto
a single deity's domain, this cruel legend.
However, Shidou did not bother to mull over the significance behind praying.
Aspirations, demands, and aims are things that everyone possesses. Such vivid
circumstances also arise in everyday life.
Naturally examinees and girls in love often portray their own wishes, but these kinds of
people ought to live in happiness. Very few people who find themselves in turmoil and
confronting adversity will ponder over their problems. Healthy people will unlikely be inclined
to depend on themselves and those with wealth will not prefer to scrape a meager living with
such aspirations. Even though these are all extreme instances, everyone has their own subconscious bliss,
therefore Shidou earnestly hoped.
The joy you feel now can last forever.
“...phew,” Shidou gently exhaled and opened his eyes. Observing either of his sides, Shidou
glanced at the girls who were praying in suit. To his right stood Tohka, while Origami,
Kaguya and Yuzuru where to his left.
Everyone there attended Raizen High School and all are also Spirits previously sealed by
Shidou. Resplendent kimonos which gleamed under the sun decorated the attires of said
devotes. They, together with Shidou, prayed for a rather long period of time unknown of what
they were actually praying for.
“Un.”
As he wondered about that enigma, beside him Tohka unraveled her dark crystalline eyes.
Her bundle of long black hair the color of the night which glistened beneath the sunshine
was softly brushed aside her cheeks.
“Oh, have you waited for long, Shidou?”
“It's alright. What did you wish for?”
“Umu, I wanna eat a lot of delicious food this year!”
“Haha, that's true,” it was indeed a Tohka-like wish. Faced with such thoughts Shidou
couldn't help but to think over tonight's menu, however, Tohka continued,
“One more wish.”“Yeah?”
“I hope I can stay together with Shidou and everyone else forever,” said Tohka while
emanating a sunny smile. Shidou momentarily widened his eyes.
“Aah, that's right,” he giggled and nodded.
As if in tandem, the Yamai sisters - Kaguya and Yuzuru - shifted towards Shidou after
completing their worship.
“Oh, what did you all wish for?” asked Shidou. Kaguya, who wore a kimono with alternating
orange and black, made a commanding gesture with her hand.
“Wish? Kuku… and I thought thou implied otherwise. To conquer this miniscule plot of land
to the extent of a deity's prowess was something I sought for long ago. Nevertheless,
whosoever remains under my awe forsooth tremble and shudder.”
“Disclosure. Lies, Kaguya undoubtedly whispered, ‘I hope to ascend the stairs of
adolescence this year,’ just now.”
“Hush, talk not of such nonsense. I obviously vocalized my desire to impart on a date with
Shidou,” without finishing, Kaguya responded with a slight tremor on her shoulders.
Shidou scratched his now blushing cheek, having heard his name being mentioned, and
stirred away from their line of sight.
“No uhh… I’ll consider that.”
“ ..... ! “
Seeing Kaguya’s face redden, Yuzuru smirked, “Smile. That'd be great.”
“Ahhh… really..,” the now teary-eyed Kaguya began to playfully pound Yuzuru’s back.
“Withdrawal. It hurts.. Kaguya.”
“Hey now, don't trouble someone else.” Shidou forced a grin and stopped the pair.
Their current location was a shrine in the vicinity of the Itsuka household. Although it was still
the 4th of January, the liveliness and excitement over the last three days had somewhat died
down. Several people could still be seen here and there visiting the shrine. Kaguya also
noticed her face regaining its color after regulating her breathing.
“...OK. Me thinks my composure hast returned. I need not remind thee that I possess dark
magical recoverability.”
“Sure you do. Well then, let’s get going.”As everyone started to leave the shrine, Shidou noticed that there was still one more girl
standing in prayer with palms held together before the shrine.
A girl dressed in a pure white kimono adorned with paper crane motifs - Origami was still
piously praying and muttering incantations.
“Origami?”
“Time is truly everlasting. What did thou pray for?” Kaguya curiously approached Origami
and leaned closer to her ear.
“ ….. ! “
The nearing Kaguya caught wind of Origami’s words and her previously flushed face
instantly turned even more flushed with a surge of blood rushing to her cheeks, retreating
afterwards at full speed.
“Kaguya?”
“Muuu.. what did Origami say?” Tohka decided to walk over to the person in question with a
perplexed expression.
Kaguya panicky rushed over to prevent any loss of innocence, “No! It's too early for Tohka!”
“Muu…..?”
“What.. what in the world did she wish for?”
Seeing Kaguya all panic-stricken, Shidou took a deep breath and wiped his perspiration. At
that time, Origami advanced towards them.
“Are you done, Origami?”
“.....” As if in response to Shidou’s question, Origami remained silent and rubbed her belly
before giving Shidou a thumbs up.
“Preparations complete.”
“For what?!” Shidou lamented. With a hand on his forehead he exhaled, “Anyway, there are
people queuing. Let's go.”
The Spirits all agreed and Shidou apologized to the other worshippers waiting behind them
for the ruckus they created. They turned back and left the saisen-box.
After reaching a sparser area they observed their surroundings.
“Where did Kotori and the others go?”Not long after, Shidou spotted the figure of his sister Kotori. Although they had originally
planned to visit the shrine together, due to the limited size of the saisen-box, the number of
people allowed was fixed. As a result they had no other choice but to split up.
“Hey Onii-chan~~~,” a familiar voice called out from behind. And as though his imagination
realized, Kotori and the others appeared with something enthralling in hand. Beside him,
Tohka shook her head with uncertainty.
“Muu? Kotori? What are you guys doing?” This was also futile, however.
Where Kotori stood lay a long conference table. The Spirits who came to revere, with pens in
hands, seemed to be scribbling something.
“Hmm.”
Currently equipped with her white ribbons, Kotori was wearing a fiery red kimono and picked
up the wooden cuboids beside her hands. The topmost punctured part was used to hoist
said miniature planks with a knot.
“Ooh what's this?”
“It's a wishing plaque. If you write your wishes on it, they will come true.”
(TL explanation: “Ema” consists of two Kanji: 絵馬; the one for “picture” and
the one for “horse“. Horses were seen as the “vehicles of gods” (神の乗り物）
and during the Nara period (奈良時代) people donated horses to the shrines so that
the gods would be more likely to listen to their prayers and fulfill wishes.
However, horses were expensive and thus people who couldn’t afford it used horse
figures made of wood, clay or paper instead. Finally the wooden wishing plaques
with a picture of a horse on them were born.)
“What! Really?!” Tohka’s eyes emitted a glimmering shine.
“First the star festival, then the prayers just now, and now this - I didn't know so many
methods existed to materialize wishes, life's good!”
“Ahaha.. well, even though they may not really come true, don't expect much,” said Shidou
with a grin.
“Umu,” nodded Tohka. “I know, Mr. God has his work cut out for him.”
Tohka wriggled with enthusiasm, her eyes fixed on Shidou’s. Looking over to the Yamai
sisters, Shidou noticed that their expressions were similar to Tohka’s.
“Since this is a rare opportunity, let's all give it a try.” Shidou made a wry smile.“Yay!” cheered the Spirits.
Elated to such a degree, Shidou didn't want to ruin the mood thus he obtained wooden
wishing plaques for everybody.
“Let's move to a quieter place to write.”
“Umu.” Tohka and the others picked up the pens provided on the table. Shidou too did the
same, yet he turned towards the group of Spirits that had already been writing theirs.
“That's very nice, Yoshino.” Shidou peered into Yoshino’s plaque, and espied a cutely drawn
rabbit wearing an eye-patch on the right half of the plaque.
“Thank... you very much,” Yoshino’s cheeks turning a bright shade of red due to her
bashfulness. Today, her apparel consisted of a light emerald green kimono, in addition to
elegantly tied hair. It looked as if she was a bit more mature than usual.
“Hehehe, rest assured. Shidou-kun would definitely say that, wouldn't he?” Incidentally, the
puppet fixated on Yoshino’s left hand began to move its mouth. Its cotton outfit resembled
that of Yoshino’s kimono, and its appearance was no different from the picture drawn on her
plaque.
“Such a cute plaque, even the gods would fancy it.” Hearing Shidou’s words, Yoshino
couldn't help but giggle, albeit very softly.
“Ah… but Natsumi-san’s and Nia-san’s wishing plaques are also… wonderful,” said Yoshino
as she observed.
“Eh?” Shidou gazed in astonishment.
A short distance away from the group, two girls were composing something on their wishing
plaques together. However, the ambience which encircled them was entirely different.
The petite girl in a dark green kimono and the girl covered in a down-filled coat wearing
glasses were in the process of applying distinct colors in drawing lovely personifications of
schoolgirls. In fact, there was nothing bewildering about this activity alone; however, the pair,
rather than being regular visitors to the shrine, resembled more to professional mangakas
rushing manuscripts just before an impending deadline.
Moreover, their drawings have superseded even expert standards. Rumors say that one of
them is really a professional. They’d unavoidably attract attention.
(TL note: A mangaka (漫画家) is someone who draws manga as a profession.)
“Hey - the both of you,” only after perceiving his voice do Natsumi and Nia finally notice
Shidou’s presence. “ ….. ! “
“Oh, Boy. You're too slow.”
Natsumi, suddenly shocked, hurriedly brushed her hair up whereas the plain Nia only fixed
her eyeglasses’ position, and a smile formed on her face.
“Haha, very impressive. No wonder you're a mangaka.”
Nia stiffened her chest, “Well for the time being I can only draw like this, it's simpler.”
Opposite to her, Natsumi only revealed an unwilling expression and concealed her drawing
altogether.
“.... I just drew because Nia let me, not because I wanted to ….”
“Hehe, you've gone this far and still refuse to admit it? Merely moments ago we were just
discussing about the plot advancements for our manga side by side, weren't we?”
“When did I say that?! And what's a plot advancement for god’s sake?!” exclaimed Natsumi
unbearably. Nia just laughed it off and faced Shidou afresh. “Well regardless, in practice little Natsumi has a great future. To be honest I even want her
to be my own personal assistant. How about it? I’ll pay you a salary of course. If you're
interested I can even introduce you to my editor.”
“No, I'm not too captivated. So what about Natsumi?”
“Eh? You see, when I first befriended little Natsumi here, she didn't possess an innate
artistic talent.”
“Hm, I don't feel like there's any connection between those.”
Sweat dripped from Natsumi’s face, and Nia didn't seem to hear what Shidou had said. Yet
she proceeded to embrace her arms in a rueful manner.
“Anyway, talking about Natsumi, if you combine ‘Natsumi’ and ‘nut’, you get the sensation of
being protected, don't you? Just like slightly prying open a crack on a pistachio.”
(TL note: ‘Natsumi’ and ‘nut’ are pronounced similarly.)
“...Pffff”
As a matter of fact, such an imagery of Natsumi isn't that difficult to picture, Shidou
unconsciously let out a chuckle.
“.....” Natsumi stared at Shidou *jiii~~~*. He surreptitiously coughed a couple of times before
turning towards Nia.
“Compared to that, you're fine the way you are, Nia. Ratatoskr had originally prepared your
kimono….” Shidou looked at her ordinary attire, though she waved it away shortly after.
“Ah.. um, I once wore one of those before, it was rather inconvenient to move in. And also I
was practically working backstage all the time, so to be able to see everyone in such brilliant
dresses satisfies me enough.”
“Is that so? But I think that one suits you very well.”
For some reason after listening to him Nia widened her eyes.
“Heh, heh, heh, already flirting with lovely Nia this early in the year? Fascination deserves to
be worldly renowned and fathomed by every man. Could thou be thy legendary ‘Hero that
saves the Princess’?”
“Uh, ah, no, this isn't what you think!”
“So that's how it is. Boy has a kimono fetish, eh? Does ogling skin exposed between kimono
slits arouse you? Alright then, I’ll give you this.”While speaking explicit stuff Nia reached into her pocket for an already finished wishing
plaque and handed it to Shidou.
“Um what's this, so you've already made another one… huh this is?!” The plaque in his sight
had obscured Shidou’s words from coherence.
Of course, it had to be this. On the plaque was a picturesque drawing of a very pretty girl
wearing a kimono, intertwined with a boy. This illustration was simply unsuitable for children
and feigned a mature age warning. Not only that, beside it wrote, ‘I hope to encounter an
opportunity to experience such sensations… - Nia.’ What a specific wish.
“N-nia.. what is this?!”
“Oh that? Actually I wanted to hang that one up.. but your bad-tempered imouto-chan said
that it would offend public decency and didn't let me. So I’m giving it to you now.”
“You….” Cold sweat exuded from Shidou’s forehead as everyone intently stared at the item
held in his hands. He could do naught but store it in his bag quickly. Nia subtly grinned at his
predicament.
“Moving on, I’m serious about Natsumi’s case. Ah, you come too, Boy.”
“Me? I’m not that skilled in drawing.”
“Nono, an assistant’s work doesn't pertain to only drawing manga. Preparing food, washing
clothes, sweeping the floor and what not are also included. Rather than a helper, it's more of
a husband’s job. Oh, that's not such a bad idea, let's get married Boy.”
“No thanks..” replied Shidou.
“Well, I could really use an aide. Not only for manga, occasionally, I would be able to hug
Natsumi for H-material!”
“Wha..”
“Hiiiiiii?!” 《Your fate is sealed, Natsumi.》
Having heard Nia’s indifferent declaration, Shidou and Natsumi were taken aback, halting
their breaths. Although it was a habitual joke of hers, the person involved was present right
in front of them.
The next second, sounds of footsteps could be heard *tap tap tap*. With a rustle of skirts, a
girl in a kimono appeared at the table.
“Darling~, what are you talking about?? I think I heard Natsumi-san’s name being mentioned
perversely.” said the girl with a slender stature, her eyes emanating an electrifying sparkle. “M-miku?!” Her sudden appearance caused Shidou to glare in awe. She was one of the
Spirits whose spirit power Shidou had sealed, and simultaneously one of the mere handful of
popular idols, Izayoi Miku. However, from her present state it looked as if she had broken
away from showbiz and entered a whole new world.
“Ahh, could it be that you were discussing who gets to be Nia-san’s assistant? If Darling and
Natsumi-san are going then I'm going too!! With more than three people we can definitely
make something good!”
“Really? That'll be great help. But Miki, you're an idol.. your wages should be quite
expensive..”
(TL note: Miki is Miku’s nickname as called by Nia. I'm not fairly certain whether it's ‘Miki’ or
‘Micchi’ but they sound similar.)
“No problem! I don't need any salaries, I'll even donate some money!” affirmed Miku with a
thumbs up.
Abruptly, Miku felt something tug on her body and turned around, only to discover Kotori and
Tohka were pulling her legs in hopes of making her fall.
“In any case, you're still an idol,” said Kotori who had inconspicuously changed to her black
ribbons some time ago.
Miku struggled, “Aww.. Kotori-san and Tohka-san are so mean~.”
“Muu.. don't be so willful Miku.”
“Hey, don't, it's dangerous.” The table lost its balance and toppled over, taking with it the
three people as well. Shidou extended his hand to support them, but in vain. He too
surrendered to the force of gravity and entered the entanglement with the others, collapsing
on the ground altogether. “Ouch… is everyone okay? Huh.. what's this?” That was bound to happen. Shidou found
himself laying atop Tohka, pressing onto her kimono.
“Wh-what are you doing Shidou?!”
“Aahh s-sorry!”
“Waa only Darling and Tohka-san get to have fun! Can anyone swap places with me?”
All the commotion attracted Nia, who was sitting nearby, to come over. She picked up a
plaque which fell out from Shidou’s pocket and compared the drawing with his state of
affairs.
“This shrine really grants your wishes.” Shidou’s and Tohka’s position shared a striking
resemblance with her illustration. “This is the stuff! Stand up Tohka.”
“Uuuuu..” Tohka, her face now imitating a bright red cherry, grasped onto Shidou’s hand and
up righted herself. After apologizing to nearby worshippers, Shidou returned the desk to its
former state.
“Really… be careful.”“Sorry.. .I’ll fall onto Kotori-san next time.”
“.....” Kotori remained speechless.
Catching sight of the scene, Nia laughed, “Ahaha, I’ll never get tired of watching this.”
“It's not funny..” said Shidou exhaustively. Nia grabbed her pen and resumed her work.
“Looks like the plaques here are really effective. Alright then, I wish - ‘Boy will be my bride.’”
“Even if it's just a joke shouldn't I be the husband?!”
Nia’s pen continued to wander her canvas regardless of Shidou’s protest. “Haha, excuse
me. Now where should I hang this…..”
“.....”
Putting back her pen, Nia stood up. “....eh? What's with this headache.…?” A sudden
dizziness struck her out of nowhere and she lost control of her body.
“Nia! What's wrong?” Shidou instinctively reached out his arm to assist her. With her body
steadily losing strength, Nia managed to let out a weak smile, “Ara.. how prince-like of you..
Boy.”
“Never mind that, are you really fine? We better head back and rest,” Shidou suggested with
concern.
“Don't mind me. How can I let everyone worry about me on this ‘Otome game’-like
Valentine’s Day?”
Nia shrugged her shoulders and Kotori’s voice was emitted from behind Shidou.
“What are you saying, up until yesterday you were confined to a wheelchair… one is
available at all times for any contingencies. If you're feeling uncomfortable anywhere you
can inform us so we can at least give you a full-body checkup.”
“Kyaaa no way! Imouto-chan worries too much, I'm fine really. Being rightfully embraced by
Boy here after pretending to faint has a pretty good effect. You should give it a try too,
imouto-chan.”
Kotori furrowed her eyebrows, and Nia proceeded with hanging her wishing plaque.
Watching her silhouette, Kotori sighed, “Really... such a solemn subject reverted so
quickly...”
Nia never really did ascertain thoroughly, maybe she disliked heavy atmospheres. She
always extricated herself from such situations with a jest. That being said, Kotori feeling
anxious about Nia was excusable. No matter what, a few days ago Nia was indeed tethering
on the very verge of succumbing to death.“.....”
Recollecting the events which occurred on the 31st of December, Shidou was still fuming
with rage between gritted teeth till this very day. On that day, under DEM industries’
command, Nia was forcibly inversed and deprived of her Sephira crystal. Had Shidou and
the others not been there, Nia wouldn't have been able to sit here today. However, her
survival was not grounds for relief. The enemy had acquired inverse Nia’s Demon King -
Beelzebub, which would do naught but augment DEM industries’ assaults on Spirits in the
future. This was also one of the reasons why Shidou wished for their days to remain
peaceful forever.
There was something else on Shidou’s mind.
“Kotori, about that..”
“Yeah.”
“We carried out a few investigations but were unable to verify it.”
Shidou shut his eyes and answered, “I see.” He couldn't cease thinking about what Nia had
said on New Year's Day.
“Pure Spirits? But aren't all Spirits formerly humans?”
In the small hours before the 1st of January, on the rooftop of a building, whilst sitting on a
wheelchair Nia said thus.
The surroundings sank into silence. Those who were truly dazed by Nia’s words, those who
conjectured the truth behind these utterances, as well as those who solely went with the
flow; although their reactions were subtly distinctive, everyone was without a doubt
dumbfounded.
Spirits - living existences which critically cause exceptional calamities. Their raisons d’être
are unknown; but are confirmed to be the cause of spacequakes, an acknowledged
phenomenon in today's world.
Kotori, Miku, and Origami can serve as examples of humans absorbing Sephira crystals and
transforming into Spirits. As far as Shidou knew, Spirits could be distinguished from humans,
but examples were just examples.
But Nia’s statement contradicted all that. If it was something worth investigating then Shidou
and the others wouldn't be confused. Pure spirits like Tohka are different from former
humans like Kotori; they didn't have the slightest inkling about this world when they first
emerged. Although there are those like Natsumi, Kaguya and Yuzuru who have adapted to
living here, they adjusted only after gaining timeless experiences and intellect from
traversing between both worlds; hence fitting in with humans.Shidou couldn't just ignore Nia’s doubt. Although she was robbed of her Sephira crystal, and
thus drastically losing a major part of her power, Nia still possessed her omniscient angel
<Rasiel>. More importantly, Nia could gather all the information she wanted, consequently
being able to trace Shidou and the other Spirits’ pasts.
Shidou swallowed. If what Nia says is true, then the Spirits he deemed to be pure Spirits
until now were ----
“What's wrong? Sorry, did I startle you?” Nia broke the silence as Shidou was immersed in
his thoughts.
“....., hm?” The possibilities left Shidou stupefied. “Oh what is it, Nia?”
“In manga we call this ‘the soulless truth’,” said Nia while pouting and sticking out her tongue
*bleh~*.
Shidou remained despondent for a few seconds before standing up and releasing and deep
breath.
“You..”
“Ehehe, sorry, sorry. Although I'm just guessing based on my own circumstances, this entire
Spirit hypothesis isn't so amusing, eh?”
Seeing the carefree girl, Shidou once again loosened a breath. Kotori and the other Spirits
who were hearing this for the first time also put on a similar expression.
“Time to go home. It's quite cold out here.”
Kotori shrank back her shoulders and the other spirits all nodded. Everyone went back inside
and Shidou pushed Nia’s wheelchair like how he always did.
Then Nia turned back her head and whispered to Shidou, “Boy, come to my room later.”
“Eh?” Hearing her unbecoming somber tone, Shidou suspected that something was out of
place.
Nia immediately resumed her unusual disposition, “What's the matter, Boy? If it's that cold
then quickly enter. Is it possible that you're expecting someone to warm you up using their
body?” While speaking, Nia demonstrated by hugging herself and writhing on the
wheelchair.
“.....”
Shidou rephrased her sentences as if he had misheard, eventually pushing the wheelchair
into the indoors.
-- Approximately one hour later.After the Spirits had all returned to their mansion, Shidou walked over to Nia’s ward through
Ratatoskr’s underpass alone. Confirming the room number, Shidou knocked on the door.
“Please come in~.”
“Nia, I'm here. What did you--” Shidou stopped his words midway as he entered the room.
Because the room had another person.
“Kotori? What are you doing here?” Sitting on the chair beside the bed was Kotori, with her
favorite lollipop in her mouth.
“Ahh, I told imouto-chan to come, since she's the commander here. I thought it'd be easier to
explain to the both of you.”
“What did you want to say?”
Kotori flicked the lollipop in her mouth, “It's about earlier just now, right?”
“About the topic of Spirits originally being humans? I thought that was a joke.”
“Yeah, I don't think it'd be appropriate to talk about it in front of them. That was just a cover
up I thought of. Consider it a courtesy to previous matters.” Nia poked out her tongue.
“Like the story of the boy who cried wolf.”
“Oh ho, Boy likes to wolf down H-stuff.”
“I see, so that's how it is.” Shidou felt as if he was already accustomed to Nia’s manner of
speech owing to the fact that he heard her tsukkomis nearly every day. On the other hand,
this directly conveyed a single fact.
“That means, everything you said just now is true?”
“Yup. Not completely though, because there's something you need to comprehend. The allknowing
angel <Rasiel> isn't genuinely omniscient.”
“..What?!”
“Let me elaborate in order.”
Just when Nia intended to explain, the door flung open. Shidou thought it was strange that
the medical staff would visit this late. He looked up to identify who it was, and astonished
himself.
“Origami! Mana!” Origami, who was also together with Nia on the roof earlier, appeared together with Mana,
who was wearing a patient’s robe similar to that of Nia’s.
“Why are the both of you here? Or did Nia call you too?”
Origami quietly shook her head, “No, I wasn't summoned here. What Nia said just now felt
somewhat dubious, so I came here to seek proof. That's all.” She looked at Nia who
exaggeratedly pressed against her chest with both hands.
“Heee.. This impression of ganging up against Nia-chan is making her heart burst!” said
Mana after Origami’s long period of stillness.
“.....”
“A moment ago when I went to the restroom I recognized Onii-sama’s shadow and I wanted
to clear up something… so I decided to follow you. Unexpectedly I met Master Sergeant
Tobiichi along the way.”
Nia then raised her voice, “Wait a minute. What did you just say?”
“Eh? There were some things I wanted to clear up with…”
“No No! Not that! What did you say before that?”
“I saw Onii-sama?”
“ONII-SAMA?!”
Nia tranced into absent mindedness akin to a heavenly clergy and put her palms together.
“Excellent! Onii-sama! Such an honorific has only manifested twice in reverie! This is my first
time! Ne, neee~, say it again a few more times!”
“So disgusting…” Mana feigned repugnance and retreated a few steps back. Shidou then
decided it was a good time to introduce them.
“This is Honjou Nia. She's a professional mangaka and a Spirit. Although her powers were
sealed just yesterday, a lot of things happened and she had to be placed under intensive
care.”
“Hello~~,” Nia greeted and waved her hand.
Mana bowed and initiated her self-introduction. “I’m Takamiya Mana, Onii-sama’s sister and
presently a wizard. Although I fought for Ratatoskr before, Kotori-san is currently imprisoning
me as you can see.”
“Wait a moment. Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't like it when people flaunt their
superiority!”Kotori resentfully folded her hands and seemed to mind Nia’s words. “Boy’s sister?”
“Didn't you shout ‘Onii-sama’ just now?”
“Ah sorry, whenever I hear that phrase I keep getting so flustered that I forgot about it.”
“.....” Shidou had a déjà vu look on his face.
“But that doesn't match. Isn't Boy’s surname ‘Itsuka’? Don't tell me it's a complicated family
relationship? Or perhaps Boy is a siscon and forced you to call him ‘Onii-sama’?”
“How did it come to this?!”
Nia laughed ridiculously at the siblings’ embarrassment. “Don't you think ‘Onii-sama’ is such
an adorable form of addressing him?”
“Eh? Does it sound awkward?”
“Could it be that you've always casually greeted him this way?” said Nia conscientiously.
Mana furrowed her eyebrows. If she started to address Shidou differently from then on then
Nia would be at fault.
“Well, we've spent too much time chatting about our kinship. Let's continue the previous
matter.” Shidou adjusted his breathing and Nia agreed.
“Alright then, although there are two more people, Ori-ori and imouto-chan #2 are fine.”
(TL note: yes, that wasn't a typo. apparently Nia just created a couple more nicknames right
off the bat.)
“Hold on.. what's with that ‘imouto-chan #2’?” Shortly after Nia started, Mana protested
again.
“Well you see, ‘imouto-chan #1’ is already taken,” said Nia while pointing at Kotori, which
triggered a fit of anger from Mana.
“Kotori-san is his adoptive sister, I’m his genetically related blood sister. In any case she
should be the second!”
“Wh-who are you calling second?!” This time it was Kotori’s turn to scream. Once again, the
subject has shifted to this argument.
“Even if you compare our hairstyles, my hair is tied in a single ponytail while Kotori-san’s is
tied in twin tails! In combat, I'm technique-oriented whereas Kotori-san is strength-oriented!”
“Don't make me sound like a brainless brute!”“Calm down you two. Nia, I can't go on like this. Can you think of another name for Mana?”
Shidou defused the quarrel and Nia pondered for a little while.
“What about Manacchi?”
“Oh so I'm an aquatic animal now?!” (TL note: reference to ‘manatee’)
Mana still had her qualms but decided to stop pursuing the matter any further. In light of
seeing that the discussion was making zero progress, Nia cleared her throat and continued.
“Now about the hypothesis ‘all Spirits are ex-humans’, it's still uncertain whether that's true
or false.”
“I fail to understand that point. Nia, you regained your memories of being a human before
right?”
“Yup,” nodded Nia. “How should I put it, according to Boy I'm not categorized as pure.”
“Eh? Wasn't it because you remembered being a human?”
“According to Boy, that is.” Nia erected her finger. “Because I was also clueless when I
descended upon this world with a spacequake.”
“.....EHHH?” Shidou couldn't help but expand his gaze. What Nia said did correspond with
Tohka and the others’ cases.
“Wait.. what about your memories…?”
“Well, listen. Although I didn't know who I was when I appeared here, I was aware of one
thing. This should be the same with the other Spirits’ cases.”
“That is….?”
“-- We had powers from our angels.”
“Ahh…” It was just as Nia said. Be it the unaware Tohka, Yoshino, or Origami who was
entrusted with spirit power, they could all utilize their angels unrestrainedly. The divine
medium must have contained the cognition for its master to freely manipulate its capabilities.
Shidou felt at ease when he thought of Nia’s ability.
“The unknowing me could only rely on my omniscient angel <Rasiel>.”
“Don't tell me.” Kotori looked attentively at Nia, to which she replied back, “Yeah, at that time
I came to know, what kind of existence I was, how I attained my power, and why I
manifested there.”
“Wha…!” Shidou was utterly shocked. Nia added, “I was once human, but after an incident I lost all hope on my kind….that was
when a certain Spirit appeared right before my eyes.”
“.....! Phantom?!” shouted Kotori. It was the same when it happened to Miku, Origami and
herself. That infatuated being which could transform humans into Spirits, that furtive Spirit
whose body and whereabouts are covered by mosaics, codename <Phantom>.
“Phantom..?”
“Yeah, the Spirit who turned us all into Spirits and has a body hidden in static. Did he or she
also appear in front of Nia?”
“Oh so that's its name. Although it's unclear whether it was the same Spirit who approached
imouto-chan and the others, there's one thing we know - even if it was me I wouldn't be able
to ascertain its identity.”
“Couldn't you use <Rasiel> to search for it?” inquired Kotori.
Nia shook her head, “The spoiler-hating Nia-chan that time couldn't quell her curiosity and
tried to investigate, but I couldn't find anything.”
“How is that possible..?” Kotori couldn't believe it. <Rasiel>’s omniscience is absolute. There
shouldn't be any information shrouded in its bibliography.
“Hmm how should I say this.. Rasiel could obtain the data, but I'm unable to decipher it.”
“That means something occurred?”
“I don't know… only <Rasiel>’s referencing was severed, or more precisely its power was
forcefully obstructed by some kind of unduly angel using a ‘bug’. Analogous to the manga
industry, if the competition is too much, you'd get swamped by the gauged efficacy.”
“Yeah..” Although Kotori understood what Nia meant, she still felt choked.
“Well in short, I was bestowed a Sephira crystal and transformed into a Spirit by that
Phantom. My human recollections were also sealed after that and I remained inactive prior
to my arrival.”
“.....” Shidou was speechless. If Nia’s testaments turned out to be true, then there's a
possibility that Tohka and the others also harbored a human past. Seeing Shidou in deep
thought, Nia continued.
“That's why I thought everyone was like this. But looking at it attentively, not everyone has
the ability to see the past like me. For this reason alone, I avoided discussing it with
everyone.”
“I see..” muttered Shidou. It's true that with Nia’s experience, one would think so. “Everything I investigated into was about me, sorry it's quite subjective.”
“No,” interrupted Kotori while autonomously sucking on the lollipop in her mouth. “The
information you provided is very useful. Theoretically speaking, if you're correct, it'll
revolutionize what we think. Looks like we'll need to check whether there was a lost girl 30
years ago.”
“Sorry about that too. If I hadn't gotten my <Rasiel> snatched away, I could execute that
now,” repented Nia.
“Never mind that, I'm glad you're safe.”
Origami, having kept her mouth shut until now, suggested, “However with your mere reserve
of spirit power left, Shidou shouldn't have be able to seal you and you could summon your
angel and manifest your limited Astral dress.”
“Eh? There's still some left?” asked Nia in puzzlement. Origami nodded.
“Power sealed by Shidou can flow back during unstable emotions or after controlled
training.”
“A restless consciousness, eh?” Nia closed her eyes and began whispering something.
“Hey Nia, you haven't fully recovered yet so don't force it.”
“Oh yeah?” As if masking Shidou’s words, Nia’s body emitted a pale radiance which
coalesced into a book on her hand.
“Ooh! Really..”
“Woah!” The sudden materialization of <Rasiel> startled him.
“That easy?!”
“Ehehe, don't underestimate a mangaka’s wishful thinking! All it takes is a simple deadline!”
Nia gave a thumbs up.
“.....” Looks like every mangaka in the world can summon angels, Shidou now respected
them more.
“Okay, let's see.. where is it..” Nia licked her lips and kept flipping the pages of the levitating
tome. After a few moments, she knitted her brows.
“What is it, Nia?”“Hm this won't work. Although <Rasiel>’s ability to scour for information is still functional, it
can no longer transmit it to me. I can't understand anything that is inscribed here anymore.
It's about the same as when I tried to look up that damned fellow before,” sighed Nia.
“Well then, there's no other way.”
“I'm sorry.. ---Ah but it's not completely indecipherable. Boy stashes his treasure in..”
“What the hell are you searching for?!” shouted Shidou with an abashed look on his face.
Kotori and Origami continued unaffectedly.
“At the backmost part of his desk drawer.”
“There are a few in his encyclopedia case.”
“Ehhhh?” Shidou unpurposely spewed out.
Mana’s perspiration flowed down her cheeks. Staring at the two, “How do you two know
that??”
Kotori and Origami just shrugged away, with an expression of guilt and indifference
respectively.
On the other hand, Nia was in the course of affirming <Rasiel>’s leftover power and thought
of something.
“So that's how it is.. perhaps..” Nia extending her hand, trying to manifest her Astral dress,
and a pen materialized out of thin air. “Oh, very capable I see.”
Nia proficiently manipulated the pen and scribbled onto a page on <Rasiel>. Unrecognizable
characters and innumerable lines formed on the page. A fine example of poor handwriting.
“Nia, what are you doing?”
Nia raised the corners of her mouth and answered, “I'm writing the future.”
Shidou was amazed at her words. Future inscription - that was one of Nia’s (godly) abilities
which allowed her to realize whatever she wrote on Rasiel.
“It's functional?!”
“This is indeed <Rasiel>’s strongest ability; therefore, in my incomplete condition I can't use
it. And also that head of the organization which stole my Sephira crystal, DEM, can't utilize it
too.”
“I see..” Shidou was relieved after hearing that.
Head of DEM industries, Westcott, having acquired her Sephira crystal after she inversed -
or her inverse Sephira crystal - could arbitrarily call forth the Demon King Beelzebub at any time. Suppose he had the future inscription ability as well, Shidou and the others would find
themselves in a rather desperate situation.
“But why?”
“I have an idea -- <Rasiel> originally constituted of informative pages and blank ones.
Ordinary future writing employed blank pages.” Nia showed them the pages filled with what
resembled children's drawings.
“This is…”
“Ehehe, <Rasiel> and <Beelzebub> were formerly a single embodiment. The pair couldn't
both exist simultaneously. If <Rasiel>’s database in such a state, then I suspect
<Beelzebub>’s wielder is also experiencing exhaustion.”
“Ah…” Shidou realized Nia’s intention. Having witnessed Westcott command Beelzebub,
Kotori and Origami too followed suit.
“True, the all-knowing Demon King Beelzebub falling into enemy hands is a tremendous
loss, this way we can hamper our adversary.”
“Well.. only a minor hindrance. It's just that the search engine is now a chaotic mess.”
“Even if it's only that, it means quite a lot. Very quick-witted, Nia.”
“Hehe, I got praised by imouto-chan.” Nia complacently puffed out her chest.
“Nevertheless, hindering the enemy doesn't mean that we've disabled them, we must be
extremely cautious at all times. For this reason it's enough that I be the only one to shed
blood.”
“.....” Shidou was at a loss for words.
“....Aah, can't let anyone get injured. That includes you too, Nia,” Shidou finally uttered. Nia
faintly blushed and smiled.
“Ehehe, what's up Boy? Don't tell me you like older girls? And I thought you were lolicon.”
“Y-you…”
“But I’m happy. Thanks,” said Nia shyly.
“U-uh yeah..”
Looking at the scene at hand, Kotori sighed, “However, as Nia mentioned, there's the most
powerful wizard Ellen M. Mathers and the Demon King <Beelzebub> that's already quite
troublesome. Not only that, but a new wizard has appeared.”“.....” Origami shuddered while listening to Kotori’s words. Seeing her reaction, Shidou
thought of the wizard who descended from the sky and incised inverse Nia’s abdomen
yesterday. Come to think of it, Origami knew her name.
“Hey Origami, that time..”
“.....” As if she read Shidou’s mind, Origami immediately answered, “Yes. I’m acquainted with
that wizard.”
“What?” exclaimed Kotori.
Origami continued with an unchanging expression, “Her name is Artemisia Bell Ashcroft.
She’s affiliated with England's Anti-spirit Team.”
“Artemisia?!” This time it was Mana’s turn to dissent. She gave an unconvinced look and
turned to Origami.
“Are you familiar with her, Mana?”
“Yes, she’s very popular among wizards, I met her before. SSS-rank wizard, Adeptus 2,
almost as strong as Mathers. If she had enrolled in DEM at that time, my position would
have decreased by a rank.”
“She's that strong….” Cold sweat dripped from Shidou’s forehead. Mana’s level was in the
top five wizards and for her to speak like that… Artemisia’s power was unimaginable.
“That's right… but” Mana looked over to Origami as if asking for authorization. Origami
nodded affirmatively.
“The Artemisia I knew didn't join DEM, maybe something happened.”
“So that's it. We all know what DEM industries are capable of.” Kotori frowned.
“Anyway, no matter what happened, the truth is that Artemisia is now an enemy. Other than
investigating Spirits, we should also be alert against her.”
“.....” Shidou and the others agreed with Kotori’s statements.
“Okay, let's stop here for today. It would be bad if a certain wounded someone rested too
late.”
“Oh? Imouto-chan is worried about me? Don't worry; I used to work throughout the night
before.”
“I said your current condition requires a lot of rest.” Kotori face palmed.
Nia, meaning no ill will, bowed apologetically to Kotori and allowed <Rasiel> to vanish in the
air.“Alright, it's time for us to leave.”
“Ah okay.”
After everyone left the room, Shidou paused in his tracks, as if remembering something.
“Mana, you wanted to ask me something just now?” Everyone had their attention focused on
Nia, forgetting Mana’s intention when she arrived.
“Aah that's right,” Mana remembered at last. “Onii-sama, didn't your Spirit power go berserk
last month?”
“Yeah, you were a big help back then,” remembered Shidou. Actually, he could only faintly
recall his memories of that time. Last month, as result of the spiritual path narrowing, the
spirit power overflowed and went amok. Aside from the Spirits, Mana had also lent a hand.
“No, it's my duty to help Onii-sama when he needs it.”
“But”
“Onii-sama would do the same for me right?”
“Eh? Of course.”
“That's why,” said Mana truthfully. “But there's one thing I mind.”
“And that is?”
“When you were fighting Ellen, Onii-sama said to me, ‘It’d be great without any problems,’,
‘what's up with Mio, didn't she come to help?’”
(TL note: Chinese Character used here is 澪, which is a close equivalent for the katakana ミ
オ used for Mio .)
“Mio….?” A confused look formed on everyone else's face.
“Yes, when I heard that, I inexplicably went dizzy, and a hazy image reminisced in my mind.
Perhaps this has something to do with me and Onii-sama’s past memories?”
“Is that so…? But..” Shidou puzzled. He had heard this name somewhere before, but he
didn't even know if he had actually said those words. “I’m sorry but..--”
Just then. Shidou felt a violent dizziness as if the whole world was spinning in his head.“Eh…” Shidou’s whole body involuntarily trembled and he collapsed onto the ground.
“Onii-sama?!” Mana tried to support him, but Shidou’s vertigo did not halt.
A vast expanse of whiteness filled his vision and a diminished voice spread through the fog.
《----Mio. That's… my name.》
《Un. I’m happy, very happy.》
《I love you. Let's always be together.》
“Th-this is….”
A perfectly clear figure of a long haired girl could be seen within his muddled mind. The next
moment, Shidou’s consciousness fell into an abysmal void.♢♢♢
“I was really shocked that time and suddenly fell,” said the kimono-outfitted Kotori at the
shrine.
“Sorry for making you worry..”
“No problem, I’m used to it already.” Although she said so care freely, after hearing from
Mana, Kotori was the most anxious one back there.
“....What's wrong with that?”
“Ah.. nothing,” Shidou petted her head. “I wish Mana was here today.”
“Well, even though she said that she detests crowded places, there were no issues with her
medical examination. Maybe we should’ve pulled her here..”
Seeing Kotori fiddle around with her hair, Shidou couldn't help but grin wryly. In response,
Kotori shied away timidly.
“Anyway, did anything pop up afterwards...regarding Mio?”
“Nothing at all,” heaved Shidou. He did perceive a sense of familiarity when he heard Mio’s
name. However, everything, be it hallucinations or illusions, disappeared without a trace.
“Is that so...” Kotori fished out another lollipop from her sleeve, tore the wrapper, and
slipped the treat into her mouth.
“That's just if.”
“Eh?”
“....If it was back then, including Mio’s case, what would you do, Shidou?”
“Kotori…,” whispered Shidou. “Don't worry, I’ll be your Onii-chan forever. I won't go
anywhere.”
“Wha...I didn't say that!!”
“Haha, sorry. Anyway let’s write our wishing plaques.” Shidou handed over the pen to
Kotori, which she accepted with a ‘teehee’.
♢♢♢《Tch, that Kotori’s association of sugar….》
“The problem with this world was neither war nor drugs; rather, it's an elevator breakdown.”
--- Ellen M. Mathers.
Repeatedly reciting those lines in her mind, Ellen was currently ascending the stairs in DEM
industries’ Japan branch.
“Ha….. ha…..” Legs cramped and lungs exhausted, Ellen wailed in agony as her knees
were at breaking point. Her whole body quivered as if she was gushing perspiration
everywhere, her pale blond hair sticking laboriously to her face and neck.
“Why…. why did it have to stop now of all times…”
“Everything fine, Ellen?” said the young girl in front of her.
She had slightly deeper blond hair with sapphire eyes and hadn't even broken a sweat -
Artemisia Bell Ashcroft. She had joined DEM a few days ago and is now Ellen’s direct
subordinate.
“Yeah.”
“But you look tired. Do you require any assistance?”
“There's no need for that.”
“Even though there are still four more floors left?”
“This is merely because we went swimming in the pool just now!” exclaimed Ellen. Before
she was convoked, Ellen was indeed exercising in the newly built facility for training.
She exhaled deeply, remembering the previous scene. Wearing a swimsuit which exposed
her smooth limbs, Ellen boldly entered the swimming pool. Held in her hand was her beloved
weapon Puriduen, named after a goddess. Seeing her posture at the scene, numerous
wizards cleared her path.
“Could that be a… buoy in her hand? Is it possible that the chief executive can’t --”
“Idiot don't say that out loud! Are you tired of living?!”
The wizards who were training began to talk in whispers. Although it was difficult to hear
from such a distance, Ellen’s frightening disposition made them shiver in fear.Ellen then raised her hair, ignorant to what extent the commoners would venerably revere of
her. Anything works.
“Well then, let's begin.” Ellen readied her preparations and approached the poolside.
Without violating propriety and directly diving in, Ellen slowly touched the surface with her
toe and plopped into the water. Puriduen in her hand, she started pitter-pattering her legs.
Unaware of how far she advanced, Ellen spotted her colleague Ashcroft in a nearby lane.
“Ha....Phew...”
A wizard’s main source of capacitance is his CR-unit and isn't hugely affected by his own
body's stamina. But enhancing basic physical strength is also very important; hence it wasn't
odd that they came here.
Ellen shifted her focus back to the front and tried her best to strike the water with her legs
while forwarding her head.
“Ha…. ha….” After reaching the center of the pool, as if she had reached her physical limit,
Ellen stopped to gasp for breath, and headed towards Ashcroft. It looked like even Ellen was
no match for her.
“Uwaah~.. so fast. How many laps had that swimmer completed?”
“I think it's around her eighth.”
“What about chief executive?”
“Don't ask if you don't want to die!”
The other wizards whispered while observing Ellen and Ashcroft. Although it was unclear,
the chief executive proved to be the strongest even out of the battlefield. She was used to
being extolled by mortals, but they had begun to gossip and she thought it was time to force
them to drop that point.
As Ellen began to vigorously swim towards her destination, a message was broadcasted.
“Second chief executive and vice chief executive, please proceed to the general affairs
room on the 30th floor immediately.”
“....? What's going on?” panted Ellen as she lifted her head after hearing the transmission
through the water.
Although she lagged behind Ellen a few seconds, Ashcroft finally arrived at the goal. She
then hopped ashore and called Ellen, extending a hand to prop her up.“Ellen, that's us. Let's go.”
“I know.” Ellen had wanted to reject Ashcroft’s offer, but the accumulated fatigue from
intense exercise had disordered her body. It was impolite to ignore an act of goodwill too, so
Ellen relinquished.
And… now.
“Under normal conditions, these stairs wouldn't be a problem for me. But now this is the
result of an occasional drill…”
“I also swam you know..”
“I’m different from your extraordinarily sluggish pace!” Ellen disdainfully turned to Ashcroft.
“If this goes on, Sir Westcott will be kept waiting.”
“Kuh… that's right..” Indeed, Westcott, the Director of DEM lay in waiting on the 30th floor.
“Okay.” With determined resolution, Ashcroft snuck up behind Ellen and carried her
princess-style.“What are you doing?! Put me down this instant!”
“We’ll be at the 30th floor soon.” As soon as she finished speaking, Ashcroft dashed up the
stairs at an inhuman velocity, as if Ellen was weightless.
“Waaa?! R-release me!”
“Soon.”
“Ackk.. at least change the position! This posture evokes inappropriate thoughts!”
(TL note: she's probably referring to Volume 12 when Shidou did that to her.)
Ellen struggled to forget that disgraceful event and attempted to bang her head against the
wall. Ashcroft sighed as if she was handling an insolent brat.
“Be a good girl and stop messing around. It'll be over soon.”
With a chorus of countless steps, Ashcroft climbed over the ultimate flight of stairs. When
she finally arrived, Ashcroft liberated Ellen and straightened out her uniform.
“Never do that ever again, you're not my mother!”
“Okay okay. Aren't you going to knock on the door?”
“You don't need to tell me that!” Ellen then did so.
“---- Please come in.”
“Pardon me.”
“Forgive me for making you wait.”
Peering inside, they could see a man sitting on a chair in the room. An impaling pair of eyes
under a dark ashen hairline - alongside a floating pitch-black book at hand. He was the
renowned ruler of this company - Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott, in person.
“Yaa~, I’ve been expecting you, Ellen and Artemisia. You look like you're exhausted, what
have you two been doing?”
“Nothing important. Besides that, you called us for something?” asked Ellen vaguely.
Westcott nodded, and directed their attention towards the book. Demon King <Beelzebub> -
the 31st of December's catastrophe of despair.“--To tell you that <Beelzebub>’s searching encountered some interference a few days
ago.”
“Ehh? Did it originate from <Sister>?”
“It seems so. This heavily restricts its omniscience function, a grave mistake. But I
managed to decipher that information just in time.”
“Then that means…” Ellen was momentarily overtaken by Westcott’s words.
“I found it at last - the location of the new Spirit.”
“….. !” Ellen inhaled, and tightened her fist.
“Has it appeared yet?! Where's the result?”
“----Heh.”
Westcott raised his index finger and pointed at the sky.

Chapter 2 - The Spirit from Space
Monday, January 9th.
Up until yesterday, Raizen High School was a peaceful edifice, only for the large aggregate
of students to report to school successively the next day. As they passed through the gate
with misted breaths, each of them advanced towards their respective classrooms and
exchanged amenities with their fellow classmates. Although their dialogues were
quintessentially disparate, most comprised of “Happy New Year” and “Long time no see” and
so on, such conventions.
The winter holiday had concluded and today was the school opening ceremony.
From today onwards, Raizen High School would welcome its third semester. (TL note: in
Japan, school years are divided into three terms, April to July (first), September to December
(second), and January to February (third).)
“Un…” Shidou, who arrived together with Tohka, shrugged his shoulders to adjust his school
uniform. The garment felt a bit antiquated although it had only been a couple of weeks since
he last wore it.
But there was nothing he could do about it. With the beginning of every year, a substantial
checklist of activities refreshed its contents, let alone the various events which occurred
during the winter vacation.
A certain boy’s voice called out from his right, as Shidou stretched while contemplating these
quandaries,
“Hey long time no see, Itsuka.” In the direction of said voice, Shidou discerned a boy with
spiky hair styled using a pomade - his classmate Tonomachi Hiroto. For some reason
Shidou felt he hadn't seen him in ages. Shidou emotionally sighed and proffered his hand.
“Ah, Tonomachi. Happy New Year.”
“You too, say, what have you been doing?”
“Hm?” The question caught Shidou off guard. Tonomachi thereupon pointed his finger
behind him, to which Shidou inspected three girls quietly whispering something while looking
over at him every then now.
A girl with a disheveled uniform, a girl emphasizing an expressionless expression, and a
petite girl wearing spectacles. The trio’s names from right to left are Ai, Mai, and Mii. They
were a pretty famous group from class 2-D.It wasn't difficult to see that they were gossiping about Shidou barefaced. Indeed, it was
obviously regarding a negative issue.
“Ah—……” Shidou was at a loss for what to do. He just didn't get them.
According to the rumors, when the spiritual path had destabilized last month, Shidou had
unconsciously uttered a pile of superfluous maudlin words to the three. Of course, Shidou
hadn't the slightest reminiscence of that time. But whether he remembered or not, none of
that mattered to them.
“Uh… I don't know.” Regardless of how, it was unnecessary to propagate allegations of
himself. Shidou blurted out a perfunctory sentence attempting to forget about that.
“Hmhm~ well no matter. Anyway, I just saw Tama-chan at the teacher's office—” Halfway
through Tonomachi’s sentence, the bell signaling the start of classes rang.
“I’ll be going then.” With that said, Tonomachi also returned to his own seat.
“Hey where’s Tama-sensei?”
“Um well she should be here soon —there she is.”
“.....” Shidou waved his hand as he watched Tonomachi sit down, his mind full of unfavorable
premonitions. Although she also had no memory of the incident whatsoever, Shidou did
animatedly propose to Tama-chan when his spiritual path fluctuated.
Basically the follow-up with everything interrelated to that incident should have been handled
by Ratatoskr analyst Murasame Reine, who is also Shidou’s vice-class teacher. As he sank
into unpleasant thoughts, the door of the classroom suddenly opened, revealing his
homeroom teacher, Okamine Tamae, also known as Tama-chan. And around her delicate
body, an unparalleled gloomy was overcast.
“Uoohh…” leaked Shidou while seeing her condition, as well as his classmates. The
students all began to enquire confusedly.
“Muuu.. Shidou, what's going on with Tama-chan-sensei? She looks so sad today,” asked
Tohka beside him.
“Aah, uhh.. I have no idea,” mumbled Shidou.
As if she was deaf, Tama-chan sluggishly trod into the room and stepped onto the platform,
attendance book in hand.“....Everyone, happy new year. How was your vacation? Christmas plus New Year's Eve
plus New Year's day….—must've been quite happy,” greeted her. Although she didn't say
anything weird, she didn't prohibit the whole class to gasp. Tama-chan smiled hypocritically,
devoid of any emotion.
“How old is everyone this year? Since everyone was promoted from your second to third
years in high school, you should be around 18 years old. Those of you born later should be
17. My birthday will be in March, guess how old sensei will be…”
Raizen High School’s most famous teacher, Tama-chan was 29 years old. Everyone knew
that for a fact, but no one dared to say that. Looking around, she let out a weary smile as if
she attained enlightenment.
“I… will finally graduate from my late twenties to my thirties… huhuhu.. great right?”
Perhaps it was due to miserable pity that everyone remained silent. Ai softly called Tamachan’s
name. Fluorescent light reflected off her eyepiece, dazzling Ai with its radiance.
“Shut up. From now on, anyone who wants to speak with me must add ‘Sir’ before and after
sentences!”“S-sa…. yes Sir!” Ai was overwhelmed by Tama-chan’s momentum and respectfully
followed her order.
(TL note: words in bold are spoken in English by the characters. Also, although Tamae is a
female, she explicitly said Sir instead of something like Mam.)
“Sir, Tama-chan what happened, Sir?!” repeated Ai, to which Tama-chan ruthlessly
ridiculed.
“Nothing, nothing happened. Everything's fine, except for some news worthy of celebration.
My friend from primary school Airi-chan will be getting married next month. Huhuhu, really
good news. Because Airi-chan’s so great, her husband must be great too. We were together
for every birthday and Christmas each year, and even exchanged chocolates every
Valentine’s day. When we drank till we were drunk, she used to carry me and say, ‘Ugaahh~
if I’m still single when I reach thirty, marry me Tama-chan!’ and so on. It seems like her
future spouse is a doctor younger than her by a couple of years. During last year's ‘Men are
all bastards’ reunion for us girls, Airi-chan sprained her leg while drunk and fell in love at first
sight with the doctor that treated her, their relationship developed fiercely. Although I was at
the scene that time, I got drunk and fell asleep at the clinic, becoming a third party. Who
would've thought that in that short amount of time, my best friend for all those years fell into
the river of love right in the next room? Life is so unpredictable, how I wish everything was a
dream. In reality I was also thinking that if even Airi-chan who’s such a wonderful girl didn't
get any attention, men sure are blind. Airi-chan is really a remarkable woman. Beautiful,
elegant, she was practically a model. Because she was still single, I felt that it was still
unimportant. But Airi-chan was captivated by a man behind my back. Actually I started
noticing that she came to our reunion less frequently last year. Airi-chan’s so evil. How could
she betray me like this by getting married? All those lies ‘it's so embarrassing’ and
such...they were a ploy to arouse men's lasciviousness. I need to carefully learn this skill
too.” Tama-chan rattled on monotonously while leaning her upper body on the lectern.
“Hu..huhu...and another one of my classmates gets married.. Vile! Evil! Spouses are all
outstanding fellows…”
(TL note: yes, she spoke for that long.)
Tama-chan began to cachinnate *he.he.he* derisively as if she was possessed by some
entity.
“Everyone… everyone abandoned me… tell me.. How many more wedding celebrations do I
need to attend…?”
“S-Sir, that uhh.., Sir!”
“Wait for me everyone… I’ll join you soon.. ha..haha.. I’m so incapable.. Why has god
forsaken me so…” As if something had finally cracked inside her, Tama-chan glared at the
dumbstruck students.
After a considerable period of quietness, she flipped open the left out attendance book.
“...Alright, begin roll call.”Tama-chan approached Ai, Mai, and Mii indifferently, to which the trio shook their heads
imposingly.
“N-n-n-no!”
“Sir, you look problematic, Sir!”
“Sir, get some rest, Sir!”
“What? I’m perfectly fine,” smiled Tama-chan with perfect relief. “But if a demon appeared
before me right now and offered me a wish in exchange for my life, I’d probably wish for a
meteor to befall Japan next month.”
“That's why such a thing is…!”
“Isn't that how a primary school pupil would think before school starts?!”
“Huhuhu.. didn't I say that was a joke? Hee.. hee.. meteorite… unleash yourself..” Chalk in
hand, Tama-chan pretended to be a magic girl waving her magic stick and hurled the piece
of calcium carbonate out the window with a *haa!* as if she casted a magic spell.
—And then, in that instant.
An enormous deflagration in the sports ground reverberated throughout the now vulnerable
classroom, the shockwave shattering the glass windows and fluttering the curtains. The
students inside screamed in unison and hid under the tables.
“Uaaahh!”
“Hyaaaaa!”
“W-what’s.. going on?!” With one hand covering his resonating ear, Shidou carefully brushed
off the shards of glass on his uniform and stood on a chair to peer outside.
“—Shidou, look at that,” pointed Origami who affirmed the situation first. Shidou walked over
to the window, creaking over the fragments. Trembling with trepidation, he gingerly gazed
down.
Shidou observed the now annihilated school sports ground, along with the nearby roads and
expanses, as if the whole area had been decimated by a spacequake. However, there was
no warning siren so he searched intensively—.
“....Eh?”
At the epicenter of the destruction, Shidou could indistinctly identify a black lump of matter.
From his location, he couldn't distinguish anything clearly but it appeared to be some sort of
ultimate demolisher or huge rock. In other words, it could be deduced that the gigantic crater and previous shockwave emerged from ‘That Thing’ colliding with the surface. Since the
impulse of force was so great, it must've dropped down from somewhere high.
The other students should have figured out something similar. Tonomachi idly gazed at the
sky, and said, “M-meteor..?”
“Haauu..” Tama-chan’s complexion returned to its ghastly pale state.
“Uwaaahh~ Tama-chan summoned a real meteor!!!”
“She unwarily contracted a demon?!”
“Tama-chan! Don't die on us!!!” Everyone ran towards her despite her supercilious look.
Meanwhile, Shidou’s phone rang in his pocket, an incoming call from ‘Itsuka Kotori’.
Although it was against the rules to talk on the phone during class, the current matters
warranted an exemption. Shidou headed towards a quieter corner and pressed the converse
key.
“Shidou! Are you okay?!” shouted Kotori at the other end.
“A-ah listen to me Kotori, Tama-chan signed a contract with the devil and summoned a…”
“Haa? Have you gone crazy? Anyway take Tohka and the others to the commander office
here! Fast!”
“T-that means…” Shidou was stupefied.
“Yeah, a new Spirit has appeared.”
♢♢♢
After travelling in the bus for about 10 minutes, Shidou, together with Tohka, Origami, Reine
and the Yamai sisters from the next class, arrived at Ratatoskr’s underground facility.
Ratatoskr had originally employed its floating airship Fraxinus as its headquarters; however,
it had suffered critical damage in the previous warship battle and was in repair. Therefore
Shidou and the others had occupied the nearby underground facility as their impromptu
base.
At the security check, Shidou and Tohka parted from the others and headed towards the
command room. Despite the fact that they were specifically instructed to wait in another
room caused Tohka to feel dissatisfied, Shidou had to discuss strategies once a new Spirit
appeared. It was best not to let the other Spirits see the scenario. As Shidou stepped inside the command room, he felt a complicated sense of nervousness
directly on his face. The crew of Fraxinus all assembled in front of their respective
automation console monitors within the room, urgently carrying out their tasks.
“You're here,” said Kotori while sitting on the captain's seat in the center of the command
room.
(TL note: this isn't the command room in the warship in actuality, but it says so in the original
text, maybe faulty wordings.)
Seeing Shidou beside her, Kotori switched her ribbons, undeniably to black. She wore her
military uniform with crimson stripes on her shoulders.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Reine, who came here together with Shidou, took off her white overcoat and sat on an empty
seat. Kotori returned to Shidou, “No, you've done well.”
“Alright, the situation is like this.”
“Ah...how did that come about? You said that meteorite was generated by a Spirit, but the
spacequake warning didn't ring. Is it an unhostile apparition? But immediately attacking the
school… could it be targeting Tohka and the others?”
“—U-un..” Towards Shidou’s question, Kotori adopted a perturbed expression and held her
chin. “What in the world is going on? To be honest, even I haven't the slightest idea.”
“Wh-what does that mean?”
“Hmm… Show the current site on the monitor.” The crew began to operate their consoles.
Then on the large screen in front, the world map was projected. Red dots scattered over
every continent, island and ocean.
“This is….?”
“Aye, an unknown object appeared in your school’s campus right? Identical phenomena
occurred in every marked location on the map simultaneously.”
“Wha..?” Shidou couldn't help but wrinkle his eyebrows and stare fixedly at the cartogram.
“All these places… at the same time?”
For a moment it was hard to believe, that artilleries dropped onto 42 locations in the whole
world altogether, including a multitude of Anti-Spirit Team bases and various DEM industries’
branches in many countries. Therefore, the possibility that, in response to sensing feeble
spirit waves and magical power, it was a sniper operation executing on those places could
not be eliminated. “W-wait a moment. Even South America was raided! But isn’t that on the other side of the
world?! Were those locations attacked by duplicate Spirits like the Yamai sisters?”
“N-no, that doesn't seem to be the case. The Spirit is without a doubt a single entity. Also to
be precise, that projectile isn't truly a meteorite,” replied Kotori with a light shake of her head.
Shidou perplexed.
Kotori presumably knew that her words weren't completely clear. Flicking the now double
lollipops in her mouth, she issued orders to the crew.
“Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Play the video.”
“Roger!” exclaimed one of the crew’s members, ‘Boss’ Mikimoto, while operating his
console.
The screen which previously graphed the world map now began to play a video.
“——” Watching the scene which transcended reality and fantasy, Shidou ceased breathing
for a split second.
On the frame was a matt black abstruse darkness. And within that unilluminating flickered
countless tiny specks. Shidou first believed it to be the night sky, but quickly dismissed that
notion as he noticed something was amiss.
There was a gradually rotating sphere at the bottom of the frame. A vortex of white and blue
as far as the eye can see. Indeed, that was the planet where Shidou and the others resided,
Earth.
“The universe….”
That was the literal metaphor of the consummate separation of the heavens and the earth.
And at the very center, a young girl floated unconstrainedly.
Above all, her beautiful long hair continuously radiated magnificent phosphorescence in spite
of the black hole-like darkness that shadowed everything else. The unparalleled gorgeous
golden hair would make anyone recognize her as the fairytale girl Rapunzel, drifting leisurely
in that deep dark realm. Her Astral dress was embellished with patterns of various
constellations and in her hand held a rather lengthy staff.“This girl is….?”
“Yeah—we just recently confirmed this Spirit. We haven't decided on a fixed codename for
her yet. For convenience, we’ll call her <Zodiac> temporarily.”
(TL note: correct translation for the codename is ‘the twelve constellations on the ecliptic
plane’, but ‘Zodiac’ is more convenient for translation.)
“First time?”
“Yup, of course excluding any unobserved possibilities, at least in Ratatoskr’s database. Her
angel, Astral Dress, abilities, temperament and et cetera are still unknown.”
“So that's how it is. Is her method of attacking the Earth identified yet?” questioned Shidou.
“To tell the truth, there's a reason why we were able to detect this Spirit,” sighed Kotori.
“A reason?”
“Aye. Broadcast the video taken three hours ago.”
“Roger.” And so the big screen displayed a different tape.
Although the background was still outer space, this time <Zodiac> seemed to be dormant,
her whole body curled up and calmly floating in the cosmos. “This is….” Shidou’s words halted midway.
The recording showed a different figure.
“A space warship?!” Shidou was taken aback and rounded his eyes.
An armada of three gargantuan space warships emerged from Earth and not only that.
Innumerable termite-like figures gathered around each ship. Upon closer inspection, each of
those figures could be distinguished to be humanoid machines.
There's no doubt that those were DEM industries’ unmanned weaponry Bandersnatch.
“Could that be... DEM?!”
“Yeah, they were the ones who discovered <Zodiac>’s presence. After we sensed
something suspicious from their warships we used automatic cameras to scout that area and
found her too,” replied Kotori with a hint of disgust.
“H-how can DEM find Spirits….” Shidou blurted, stopping in realization. Kotori shared his
opinion and nodded.
“I’m afraid it's <Beelzebub>. It couldn’t be helped, even though Nia can hamper it somehow.”
Then the screen showed another change.
DEM’s warships locked onto the inactive <Zodiac> and carried out preparations for an
assault. The warships expanded their territory and charged up numerous cannons with
devastating magical power. Meanwhile the Bandersnatches around the Spirit began to load
their own CR-units.
“Oii… isn't that a bit overkill?”
“Just keep watching.”
<Zodiac> gained awareness of her surroundings and unhurriedly lifted her head up. With an
indifferent expression, she glanced as if she didn't care about the impending danger,
stretched her body and raised her right hand.
“<”Seal-Removing Lord” — Michael>,” called the girl softly.
(TL: Fūkaishū is written alongside Micheal)
The next moment, a luminous staff materialized immediately from the hollow void, the same
as the one grasped in her hand in the previous video. At the top end of the staff adorned a
luxurious star accoutrement, and on the bottom end inlaid saw tooth edges, resembling a
key.
“An angel…?”“Looks so.”
The Bandersnatches commenced their assault and encircled <Zodiac> while charging their
laser sabers. She kept herself calm and composed and inserted the front end of the key in
vivo the Bandersnatch, turning it to the right as if it was in a keyhole.
“——《Segva -Lock》.”
(TL note: looks like the original text uses Hebrew, like for Metatron)
With a sound of metals colliding sonorously, the Bandersnatch’s four limbs drastically lost
their turgidity and its territory vanished into nothingness. Every single one of them instantly
lost their will to fight and remained motionless, as if their power source was sealed off,
despite being at the offensive moments ago and their fearless nature.
“Th-this is….” gasped Shidou.
“<Michael>. From analysis of the video, we can infer that this angel has the ability to seal the
target’s function by impaling it with the key,” interpreted Reine smoothly. By that time,
<Zodiac> had already crippled the incoming Bandersnatches, machine by machine.
However, DEM had already expected that result. A few Bandersnatches would be
insufficient to seize <Zodiac>. While she was dealing with them, the three warships had
finished charging their cannons with magical power. The fleet then opened fire from three
different directions, releasing a dense accumulation of magic. The dark space was instantly
permeated by dazzling rays of light.
“Uwaaah…”
But <Zodiac> remained unaffected by her imprisoned plight and directed the bottom end of
her staff to the front.
The key faded as if it had been engulfed in space, and <Zodiac> turned it to the left.
“——《Rā taibu -Unlock》.”
In that instant, a collapsed black hole energized around <Zodiac>, absorbing all the
bombardments fired at her.
“Wh-what….?!” Shidou widened his eyes.
Yet it had not ended there. Another black hole emerged behind the warships and
Bandersnatches. The artillery had not just been nullified, but the astonishingly powerful
bombs were also teleported, without losing a shred of their energy. The pitch-black world was once again reignited as explosions burst forth. The whole armada
of three warships and countless of Bandersnatches were blown away by their own immense
firepower.
“DEM’s bombs were….?!”
“...Yeah. That's one of Michael’s abilities.”
“The key alters the very fabric of space-time to unlock space, thereby creating a wormhole.
Moreover, she can also set its destination.”
“A Spirit opening gates with a key… could she be…?!” realized Shidou, who turned towards
Kotori.
“Figured it out? Well, afterwards <Zodiac> started attacking the Earth. Opening gateways
like previously, ingesting the aftermath of DEM’s warships’ wreckage.”
“How did she designate the tens of locations throughout the world?”
“It seems so. She was sleeping peacefully but was woken up by warships...she's certainly
enraged with wrath. In the event of the remnants escaping combustion in the atmosphere
and being directly delivered to the surface, they would preserve their mass and smash into
the ground. On the other hand, luckily she didn't do so and the force of her attack was
reduced by a large margin maybe due to her not throwing it over several thousands of
kilometers.”
“Is that so… the shockwave felt really powerful though.” Shidou furrowed his brows as he
remembered the scene.
“If meteors of that size actually showered, it definitely won't just be till this extent. It wouldn't
be surprising if the blast radius covered tens of kilometers - it would be a fait accompli for
someone like her capable of generating wormholes. No, the damage just now is already
critical.”
“.....” Cold sweat covered Shidou’s face. An extremely horrifying ability… On the basis of its
distinct applications, perhaps even the Earth could be annihilated. Shidou stabilized his
mood by taking deep breaths.
“...Then, what should I do?” Shidou was aware that he had to get acquainted with the new
Spirit in order to seal her powers.
However, this time his target's location is in outer space. He couldn't just approach her and
chat with her. On the contrary, it was already hard enough to come into contact with her.
“That's right. No matter how hard it is, it’d be quite troublesome if she were to launch another
blitzkrieg. In short, time is of the essence. Let's conduct a dialogue with her.”
“Converse with her….how? Telephone and mail will get us nowhere.”Kotori showed solicitude to her blockhead brother. “Are you stupid? How do you think we
captured this video?”
“Video...ah! There was something like that!” realized Shidou. He had forgotten about this
point.
“Of course, although there are a few adjustments, function-wise it's similar to Fraxinus’ Yggd
Folium. As it has a Realizer installed, it can spread out its territory.”
“I see. If I can stay within the territory's range…”
“Aye. Normally it's impossible for sound to travel through a vacuum, but it can be transmitted
utilizing the territory. Also, bring that thing.”
Kotori’s second in command Kannazuki Kyouhei then responded, “Roger,” and beckoned
Shidou to come over with an object. After removing something from one end of the object,
he handed it over to Shidou.
“Come, Shidou-kun. Wear this and stand upright.”
“Eh? What's this?” accepted Shidou.
It appeared to be a receiver in the form of a piece of head wear, some type of supplementary
goggles. Although he didn't know what it was for, Shidou followed Kannazuki’s instructions
and put it on overhead.
Kannazuki then aimed the camera lens at Shidou and began to operate his console.
“Commander, preparations OK!”
“Very well. Start the experiment then. I'll leave it to you.”
“Roger!” Responding to Kotori’s order, Probation Officer ‘Deep Love’ Minowa operated her
automation console. Soon after that, the apparatus in front of Shidou started to give out a
mechanical sound.
“What's going on?” puzzled Shidou.
——In front of Shidou, another Shidou appeared.
“Waah!?” Shidou got intimidated by the unexpected appearance and fell down on his back.
Surprisingly, the other Shidou imitated his actions.
“O-o-ouch… is that..?”
“This device can read Shidou’s physical data and project a three-dimensional image. Of
course, the Realizer’s automated camera also has this utility.”“Looks very lifelike...”
Shidou extended his hand to poke his other self, but due to it being a mere hologram, his
finger penetrated right through.
“For the time being it isn't switched on yet, but the goggles will display what the camera
records when you begin.”
“So that's how it is. This way I’ll be able to communicate with the spirit vis-à-vis.” Shidou
thought, ‘If you had such a device why didn't you let me use it sooner?!’
“Yeah. We haven't got much time so let's start. Who knows when she’ll launch another
attack.”
“—Ah, understood,” nodded Shidou firmly with a hand on his chest to regulate his
palpitation. Frankly, he wanted to get accustomed to the goggles first and prepare himself
mentally. But just as Kotori said, there wasn't any time for him to plan his strategies, so he
clenched his fists and exhaled deeply.
Shidou clapped his nervously stiff cheeks and smiled. When confronting Spirits, Shidou’s
deck didn't consist of weapons, but loving words. His heart should possess the firm belief to
save the Spirit in order to suppress his fear of talking face to face.
“Ready anytime, Kotori.”
“Not bad.” Kotori raised the corners of her mouth and repositioned herself on her seat. She
took out her doubled lollipops from her mouth and pointed at the screen.
“Well then, commence operation ‘Long-Distance Love’!”
“Understood!” affirmed the crew in unison, each carrying out their respective assignments.
“Autonomous camera number 1 approaching target.”
“Initiating Realizer projection.”
“Target’s state of mind synchronized on monitor.”
“Preparations completed. Get ready, Shidou-kun.”
“Yeah!” The next instant, Shidou’s field of view changed from the command room to outer
space.
“..... !” Shidou couldn't help but gulp.The boundless darkness was incomparable to the limitless stars which glowed brilliantly, as
well as the celestial mass of greenish blue in his sight. That majestic scene strove for
Shidou’s attention.
But now was not the time for sightseeing. Shidou slowly came back to his senses.
Before his eyes was the silhouette of a slender blonde girl floating in midair. That mysterious
and awe-inspiring look really suited her.
“Let's begin, the Earth’s and the Cosmos’ long distance relationship.” Although Kotori’s
words contained a tinge of comedy, her tone was serious.
“Hi, good morning.”
“.....”
The Spirit immediately raised her staff at Shidou’s head in response, emitting a ray of light.
“Uoohh..!?”
Although his body reacted, it was too late. Rays of golden chromatic light weaved into a
single beam and burst forth through Shidou’s head and into the endless universe at light
speed.
“What the hell!?” Shidou exaggerated his shock and toppled onto the floor, his whole body
writhing and both hands covering his head. Simply, it was a pitiful condition.
“K-kotori! I-I’m dead!! My h-head!!”
“Stop freaking out. Your head’s still there.”
“.....! Aah…” Shidou retrieved his calmness. Due to the image being too authentic, the
misconception of actually being struck arose. But in reality, only Shidou’s volumetric
hologram was hit. Shidou did get hurt though, from hitting the back of his head during his fall.
Shidou felt embarrassed and stood back up.
“What a cruel Spirit… I’d be screwed if that was the real me.”
“Maybe she's still agitated by DEM’s assault. I wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly heard a
voice behind her and thought it was an enemy. Let her know that we mean no harm.”
“Th-that’s right…”
After unwinding, Shidou equipped the goggles again and his avatar's head regenerated. His
display returned to the sight of the girl.
“Please calm down. I’m not your enemy and I won't attack you.”“.....huehh?” The girl looked expressionlessly at the second Shidou and inclined her head in
confusion.
Not waiting for him to reply, the girl immediately flew away to piles of rubble, accelerating
past Shidou.
“Gwaahh!?” Shidou jolted instinctively but not as pathetically as before and continued while
quelling his shock, “Wait, I —”
The girl who circled around Shidou used her staff to ruthlessly pulverize his head, again.
“Kuhh!? N-no, hear me out—”
“.....”
The tattered fragments of scrap metal which obeyed Newton’s laws of motion pierced
through his limbs as they collided with the girl’s momentum.
“L-listen to me….”
“.....”
Dozens of rays of light punctured Shidou into a honeycomb.
“Ugaaaaahhh!!” mourned Shidou as his body was torn to pieces.
“This war maniac! It's only been a few minutes and I died five times already!!”
Reine touched her chin, lost in thought, “Hmm.. I didn't expect her to be so violent. It looks
like using the hologram was the right choice.”
“—! Wait! The Spirit!” shouted ‘Nail Knocker’ Shiizaki. Everyone directed their attention
towards the big screen, only to discover the girl engrossed in Shidou’s regenerative body.
That gave a bewildered invariable expression, but her movements were substantially
different.
“——Inconceivable. Why doth thou not decease?”
(TL note: Mukuro’s manner of speech is ancient/archaic. it’s a pain to translate but I’ll try
what I can. it resembles Kaguya’s comic mannerisms, but is purely archaism.)
Her intonation lacked any modulation, tranquil to the utmost point. Even so, she had finally
replied in a way unrelated to combat. Shidou overly nodded.
“Ah, aahh! First time I’m speaking with you. I wanted to talk to you so I placed a threedimensional
projection here. So a-ahh ouch.. stop.. Don't dig other people's stomachs when
they're speaking!” (This receiver actually transmits electromagnetic stimulus to pain
receptors.)Shidou muffled his abdomen in agony. The girl used the front end of her staff to stab his
belly, stirring it as if it were a soup spoon.
“Three-dimensional projection, eh? Inconceivable in sooth, better in my mind not undertook.”
“O-oh..” grinned Shidou wryly. “A-anyway, if you don't mind may I know your name?”
The girl stopped mixing Shidou’s belly and lifted her head.
“Mine name? It matters naught. ‘Tis Mukuro. Hoshimiya Mukuro.”
“Mukuro… that's your name?”
“By my troth,” nodded Mukuro. “Thou art? To enquire another's fore claiming thine own --
deplorable morality.”
“Ah sorry, I’m—” Halfway through, his vision was thrown out of the window.
“Waa!? What's wrong?”
“Prithee, hast thou some ill a’brewing?”
“N-no.. .everything’s fine..”
“Calm down, options have appeared,” came Kotori’s voice as text popped up.
It seems that the options which appeared on the big screen in the command room had also
appeared in Shidou’s vision. How marvelous.
① “I’m Itsuka Shidou. Let's be friends.”
② “I’m Itsuka Shidou. Be my lover.”
③ “I’m Itsuka Shidou. I’ll be your master from now on. Be my obedient slave. I’ll train
you until you can no longer live without me.”
“Everyone, choose!” The sound of button pushing could be heard. The statistics were shown
in a pie chart. And the option with the largest proportion was:
“I see.. ③ huh?”
“Affirmative. At first glance ① and ② look safer and more reliable, but we need to go on
the offensive here.”“That's true. Right now we're unaware whether her state of mind is favorable or not, so we'll
need to see her response pattern.”
“Makes sense. Well it's just a hologram anyway so it won't die. We need to exploit this
advantage. --- Shidou, it's ③.”
“Wait just a moment!!!!”
As always, the final decision kept driving Shidou mad.
“What's wrong Shidou? Suddenly shouting like that..”
“What's wrong my ass! Why is it ③ ?! Isn't ① good enough, ① !?”
“Stop overreacting. The truth is, you won't die anyway so you need to test her reactions with
tougher words. Hurry up, Mukuro’s waiting.”
As Shidou was neglecting Mukuro, he hesitated to agree with the choice but finally decided
to open his mouth.
“I’m Itsuka Shidou. I-I’m going to be.. your m-master! B-become my s-slave, I’ll train you until
you can't live without m-me!!”
“Hueh.. Itsuka Shidou, eh?” repeated Mukuro, while holding her chin and treating it like
nothing out of the ordinary.
“She didn't care at all?!” screamed Kotori and her subordinates. Although Shidou expected a
bad reaction, her despondency exceeded his expectations.
“ How is the Spirit’s emotional state and happiness level developing?!”
“No changes at all!”
“The values are too stable!”
“How is that possible?! Did she not hear Shidou? But she got his name...” retorted Kotori in
astonishment.
“Curiosity I have. Wouldst thou aught with me?”
“Eh? A-ah..” As Shidou prepared to answer, Mukuro pointed her staff at the Earth.
“Three-dimensional projection… thy flesh must be on I ‘heavenly body from whence thou
appear. Loathsome sham, Fie! Dare thou spit falsehoods, this me shall punish thy ground.”“Wha…?!” Shidou bit his lip, dreading the meteor which had fallen in the sports ground
previously.
“What say thee?” asked Mukuro for his reply. Kotori sighed.
“She's serious. Shidou, talk with her. Complicating things will be troublesome.”
“A-ah, okay,” nodded Shidou.
“I want to—save Spirits like you.” Shidou then revealed everything, his objective, the
existence of Ratatoskr and the hostile corporation DEM, as well as his powers.
“...Hmm,” contemplated Mukuro without any expression. Shidou looked at the pair of golden
eyes staring at him between her flowing hairs and held his breath.
“True to thy heart, Gramercy. This self hath undergone tremendous change early to
venturing herein.”
“Ah, so will you come to the surface for me to seal your powers?” requested Shidou
nervously.
“Methinks thine offer best unheeded,” replied Mukuro without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Be that as it may, this was well anticipated. After all, there had been similar cases before.
Shidou furrowed his eyebrows and continued.
“Guuu.. well I can't force you to believe in me. But what I said is true. I want to save—”
“I carry no doubt.”
“...Eh?”
“Fair intentions imbue thy words, ergo I suspect naught.”
“If that's the case, then why…?”
“Thy gist I hath procured. But I shan’t with take any alms. I simply be as I be.”
“B-but that way DEM may attack you again!”
“D, E, M….” enunciated Mukuro clumsily as she tried to recall something.
“The crude iron I dismantled? I will obliterate every mortal instrument disregarding their
numbers.”
“That's not it; DEM has even more powerful weapons called wizards which are dangerous!”“Likewise, there exists not something that can triumph over my angel. If I become
entrenched in peril, Michael will open a gate for me to flee. Or can this D, E, M thou speak of
pursue me at the rapidity of even light?”
“That…” Shidou was at a loss for words. If Mukuro was indeed capable of those, then
whoever tries to capture her will face near impossible difficulties. But he couldn't just leave
her like that. There were Ellen, Artemisia, and the now wielder of Beelzebub, Westcott. Who
knows what they were capable of?
However, that was not the only reason why Shidou wanted her to come to the surface. He
continued to persuade her.
“But there's a lot of fun stuff on Earth and there are also Spirits like you. Don't you feel lonely
being in this kind of place all by yourself?”
“...Lonesome, eh?” Mukuro shook her head. “As terrified as I am with thine anxiety,
loneliness remains unfelt.”
“But how? Don't be so stubborn. Being together is—”
“Fie, all perceptions, be it mirth, melancholy, wrath or grief, art bygone from me. Love’s fair
share too. Long a gone hath I locked mine heart.”“....Eh? L-lock??”
“Aye, Michael’s favor.” Mukuro showed Shidou her staff.
<Michael>. 《Segva -Lock》 is one of its abilities, which seals any target’s power. Shidou
had witnessed it in action before when Mukuro locked the Bandersnatches, snatching
away their power and rendering them to pieces of scrap.
If her angel could affect even intangible objects, then it could indeed seal Mukuro’s feelings.
“H-how did it come to that…? Not only sadness and sorrow but even joy…!”
“Perjury lay not upon me. Ask thou why? Dispensable forfeiture, nay, and aspects of
misfortune I say. I know not what I used to anymore.”
“B-but you can talk to me normally like right now…”
“Speech retains, though gentle riddance grieves me not. At root, serenity t’was all I desired,
thus I journeyed this untouchable universe. To be infuriated or to endeavor kin affection,
everything would disrupt the status quo. The aerolites I dropped were mere admonishments
to ward off humans invading my domain,” explained her with an unchanging look.
She resembled a recluse, introverted hermit, or whatever dry and dull celestial being. Shidou
couldn't help but grasp his fist.
“That… that's too sad. Please, return to Earth. I want you to be happy!”
“.....” Mukuro remained speechless.
After a modicum of moments, she started to move her mouth.
“I pray thee, Shidou, thou seemed to have misunderstood.”
“....Eh?”
“What I deem as happiness—’tis unjust for thou to resolve hither and thither.”
“..... !” Shidou felt suffocated by her words.
“Thou may have saved Spirits from damnation before that I believe. But I am me. Why doth
thee wish to aid me?”
Shidou was dumbfounded by what she said. Mukuro continued, ignoring whatever reply he
had.“Ere I be redeemed or happy, in sooth I would be not. Thine infallibility marks thy words.
Methinks thou take me for granted.”
“Th-that, kind, of thing…” Shidou’s voice shivered, wanting to deny what Mukuro said but he
didn't have any strength to refute. Mukuro seemed to have noticed something and stared at
him.
“All drained of rebuttal?” It came from a voice from behind him.
“What do you mean..?” Hearing that, Shidou remembered that Ratatoskr was still supporting
him. As he reflected about his issues, Mukuro resumed her interrogation.
“This so-called D, E, M originates from whence thou came, ay? If thou hath sealed me,
couldst thou also ensure my protection? Hath thy sealed Spirits never sustained another
fiendish foray?”
“....! Th-that’s…” Shidou couldn't vociferate any reason.
The battles against DEM flitted across his mind. Ahh, that's right. Shidou did seal the Spirits’
powers. He had always thought it was for the Spirits’ own good and the Spirits were willing
too. But as a result, they also encountered many crises. Seeing Shidou’s inner conflict,
Mukuro softly declared her standpoint.
“All in all, Shidou, thy hypocrisy is like a maze lest I be snared. Cease ever returning and
begone.”
“..... !” Shidou pained from rejection, as if he got hit by an iron bar on the head. If only it was
real, he wished. Mukuro’s hurtful words spread throughout his body like wildfire.
“...Shidou, don't be too upset. What you have done for us definitely isn't a mistake,” said
Kotori, the first Spirit he sealed. Shidou couldn't live with himself, although having
understood Kotori’s words. But—
“‘Tis the end of our banter. Where I depart lays only tranquility, only preservation. Where no
soul may bother me — I bid thee farewell,” said Mukuro monotonously as she raised her
staff and pointed to Earth.
“I hereby command thee, Michael, halt this planet’s motion,” a fatal verse.
“W-wha….?!”
“Its powers are capable of even that…?!” Kotori’s predicament reverberated in Shidou’s
eardrums.
“With this, that D, E, M will begone. This shall be our eternal parting, Shidou. Henceforth
adieu.”
Mukuro raised her staff and stabbed the front end through Shidou’s projection camera. “——《Segva -Lock》.”
As Mukuro turned her key, in that instant—
With an accompaniment of static noise, Shidou’s field of vision was thoroughly obstructed.

Chapter 3 ­ New Wings
“What's going on with the image?!”
Kotori’s shout reverberated throughout the command room, but to no avail, as Mukuro’s
image on both the screen and Shidou's goggles vanished in the miscellaneous
electromagnetic waves.
“Error! The automatic video camera isn't responding!”
“Kuh…did Michael seal it?”
Kotori recollected the moments before the footage and sound were cut off. Mukuro had stuck
her tongue out towards Kotori at that time. Hearing her words, Shidou removed his earpiece.
“I… I want to…”
Shidou squeezed out from his now parched throat while tightly grasping his fist. But it was
too late. Mukuro was already gone.
The mission to save Spirits had been initiated under Ratatoskr’s request; nevertheless, there
was a feeling of hope that the Spirits could live a normal life. But have they ever lost their
futures due to Shidou intervening? His heart felt uneasy. His arsenal descended with a
clang.
“It hurts…” wept Shidou with a pained expression. He turned around towards his sister, a
look of resignation painted on his face.
“What now...Kotori…?”
“Why are you giving up just because you couldn't convince her?”
Kotori mocked condescendingly. She sat back onto her commander chair and gestured
Shidou to come over.
“Of course, her words aren't meaningless. But as meaningful as they are, abiding them won't
do any good.”
True, Spirits were existences which needed to be saved. They represent natural disasters in
themselves; there was no reason to place them on Earth. But Shidou refused to accept such
an unjust fact.
“But if I just sit here and do nothing, wouldn't that be worse than trying to talk to her?”Kotori fiddled with the guilty pleasure in her mouth and responded.
“If only that was true. Didn't Mukuro also mention DEM? Humans are all virtually the same to
her. Even if we don't take care of her, DEM will.”
“Guuu….”
Shidou muttered in anguish. If he and the others were to cease coming into contact with
Spirits due to their danger, that'd be nothing but a cruel joke. There wasn't any difference
between that and Ratatoskr planning a physical attack. Realizing Shidou’s intention, Kotori
pointed her lollipop at him.
“Now that DEM is aware of Mukuro’s presence, they'll undoubtedly dispatch assassins to
murder her. If they succeed, her Sephira crystal would fall into Westcott’s hands. If they were
to fail, she would suspend the Earth’s motion. Although we don't know which, both outcomes
would spell the end of humanity.”
“When you put it that way…”
“The only way is for us to interact with Mukuro before she suffers another assault ­ that's all
to it.”
Kotori’s words slapped some sense into her brother's mind.
“Aah, that's how it is… Sorry I wasn't thinking clearly.”
“Good. I can understand how you feel.”
Shidou could sense that too. Under the present circumstances, DEM couldn't simply ignore
Mukuro. But that alone didn't contradict what she said.
If only DEM didn't exist.
If only we could lessen Mukuro’s burdens.
Kotori reached a conclusion. As if she perceived Shidou’s opinion, Kotori continued while
staring into the distance.
“...Keep in mind. The Spirits that you saved by your own hand, at least they can stay here
and live a happy life.”
“Ah, thank you Kotori.”
Shidou suppressed his urges to hug his sister on the spot. Now was not the time to stop his
progress. Every single move they take henceforth could very well bring about serious
damage to the world.“Yeah, we can do this.”
“Un. You're right.”
At that moment, Reine emitted a dejected voice.
“...That determination may not last long.”
“Reine, what's the matter?” replied Kotori as she moved her line of sight.
“Take a look at this.”
Reine motioned towards a statistical table on the monitor. It appeared to display Mukuro’s
happiness levels and mental state. Shidou couldn't help but take notice in an instant. The
reason was simple.
The numerical values showed in the chart indicated absolutely zero deviation. There were
only straight lines parallel to the abscissa and perpendicular to the ordinate.
“During Shin’s conversation with Mukuro, the monitor was connected continuously. Yet the
affection levels, happiness measurements, and every other parameter remained constant. It
looks like she wasn't joking when she said that she had sealed her heart.”
“W­wha…?” Kotori widened her eyes in shock.
That was to be expected. To seal a Spirit’s power, it was a necessary prerequisite for Shidou
to kiss said Spirit. However, if the Spirit couldn't open the door to her heart, it was impossible
for Shidou to seal her.
Although Mukuro had spoken to him in such a manner, her impression of Shidou stayed
invariant. So far, he had been abhorred and detested by sorrowful Spirits before, but being
treated like that by a deadpan Spirit was a first. It'd be a hassle to seal Spirits if this were to
continue.
“Mukuro wields the angel Michael in the form of a key. You had witnessed one of its abilities
just now ­ locking a target’s will. If she used that on her own heart, any external influence
would be rendered incapable of affecting her.”
“Such a result… what should we—”
As Shidou began to utter something depressing, whispers could be heard from outside the
door of the command headquarters.
“...? What's that sound?”
Kotori made a suspicion as she resolutely approached the door.Kotori flung the door open the next instant. With a loud thud, the Spirits that were supposed
to wait in another room surged inside altogether.
“Ugaaah!”
“Kyaaa!”
“Constriction. So heavy. Kaguya, you need to lose weight.”
“Why should I!? It's not just me!”
Each and every one of them was entangled in a chaotic mess of bodies, sluggishly standing
up. Shidou, looking at the present situation, couldn't help but speak.
“E­everyone…! What are you doing here?”
“Muuu...sorry. We didn't mean to eavesdrop…” Tohka apologized dejectedly.
“It's not Tohka­san’s fault! Darling made us worry in these conditions!” accused Miku while
holding onto Tohka’s shoulders. The other Spirits nodded in agreement.
“You guys…”
Kotori gave a sigh and made a face­palm. Origami, who was looking straightforwardly,
moved her lips.
“Although we arrived halfway through, we still heard. There must be something we can do.”
Kotori covered her mouth in an *Oh* interjection. If possible, she'd like the Spirits to be as far
away from danger as possible. As if they figured out what Kotori had in mind, the Spirits
vociferated their opinions in quick succession.
“Won't the Earth be destroyed at this unwilling rate? I still want to read my favorite manga!”
“If Mukuro­san sees the beauty of this world, she wouldn't want to disrupt it! Please let us
lend a hand!”
“Everyone…” Kotori was overwhelmed by the momentum and turned towards Reine for
advice.
“.....”
Reine made a ‘go with the flow’ expression. Kotori yielded and exhaled.
“...Haah, I see. Alright, you can stay.”Having received Kotori’s permission, the Spirits’ faces lit up with determination.
“But this time, we can't win with Spirit power alone. If we can't boost her affection levels, we
won't be able to seal her. Plus her heart is firmly locked,”
Kotori emphasized in a sincere tone.
“Enquiry. Is there any way to unlock Mukuro’s heart?”
As Yuzuru questioned to Reine, everyone focused their attention to her.
“...Although it's uncertain whether it’ll work or not, there is one method.”
“There is?!!”
Tohka couldn't believe what she heard, the other Spirits too following suit. Reine emanated a
dispassionate aura.
“If her angel can lock her heart, then it can also unlock it. Mukuro has to use Michael once
again.”
“That…”
Shidou lamented from the recesses of his throat. What Reine said was all true.
Angels possess miraculous forms and appearances. To undo an effect caused by an angel,
its power must be used again. The problem was that, as its name states, <Seal Removing
Lord> belonged to Mukuro. Due to her having sealed her heart, Shidou’s feelings and
intentions were unable to touch her. It was as if he was trying to open a treasure chest with
the key inside it.
Kaguya complacently puffed out her chest, “Huhu, angels we have. I shall force her to open
her heart.”
“Doubt. Mukuro is in space. How will you go there?”
Yuzuru, her counterpart, gave a retorting remark.
“Uhh… well…”
“Right.”
As Kaguya tried to think of a comeback, Shidou pondered as well. Like Yuzuru said, the
location posed a problem too.
Shidou had employed a three­dimensional projection to converse with Mukuro, blithely
thinking that it'd work. He didn't even have the means for step one.However…
“Space….space huh…..”
Kotori brainstormed while playing with her lollipop until something popped up in her mind.
“The time is just right. Maybe there is a way.”
“Eh?”
Hearing her words full of self­confidence, Shidou was mind­blown.
♢♢♢
“——Total annihilation?!”
DEM Industries’ Japan branch’s communications room received a status report on the
satellite tracking of the airships, Ellen gave out a shocked, terrified voice. Within the dark
and gloomy space, there flickered a mere few light­emitting diodes of display screens that
dimly illuminated the room. Ellen moved towards a pitch­black corner, gazing fixedly at the
monitor which faintly resounded every now and then.
“...A fleet of three aerial warships and ninety Bandersnatches and not a single scratch on the
Spirit… plus the all­out frenzied retaliation on the ground surface,” came the trembling voice
of one of her subordinates through the communication device.
“—Marvelous.”
Westcott’s commanding voice reverberated from the back of the room.
“I never expected the vanguard troops to defeat her, but this power… such magnificent
power… Excellent!”
As he continued his rumination, Ellen cast a glance at him askance, immersed in deep
thought.
Although the tracker satellite, Dectas•NUMBER, hadn't participated in the battle, its
assignment wasn't to capture the Spirit, but to clearly investigate the figure asleep amidst the
cosmos. That way, they could force her down to Earth.
However, this operation ended in failure, epic failure. Not only that, but the wreckage was
shot down as meteors worldwide. Ellen breathed out in displeasure. If this was to be the
outcome, they should’ve let Ellen go in the first place.“Is the Spirit still at its previous coordinates?”
“A­affirmative. The Spirit still remains under surveillance, but… I’m afraid it's preparing to
launch another counterattack.”
“Hmm…”
Ellen groaned quietly. She lifted her head and looked towards Westcott.
“—Ellen.”
Realizing her intention, Westcott severely nodded his head.
“Ah, it'll be troublesome if holes keep being chiseled into DEM’s facilities. I’ll leave it to you
and Artemisia. I look forward to your results.”
“Yes, definitely,” answered Ellen briefly. She saluted and left the communications room.
——After Ellen exited.
“...About that, Managing Director Westcott,”
One of the wizards there called towards him with the utmost caution.
“Hm? What is it?”
“Is it really okay to let chief executive Mathers to go to space…?”
“Yes. Are you saying that my decision is mistaken?”
Westcott intently stared at the pitiful wizard, like a predator hunting its prey. The unfortunate
girl’s facial expression instantly paled, and she hurriedly shook her head in subordination.
“N­n­no! T­that's not what I meant! Will chief executive Mathers still fight when she finds out
about that thing…”
The wizard muttered in a feeble voice as Westcott shrugged his shoulders.
“Ah~, that's right. That's how it should be.” Westcott uncovered his right hand and a black
levitating tome materialized, <Beelzebub>. As he shifted his vision to the manuscript, new
lines of words began to form ­ about the recent Spirit and how to capture her.
“I expect a lot from you, Ellen. But for a long time, you wouldn’t want to avoid getting yourself
bathed in blood from head to toe.”
Westcott finished as he indifferently let out a laugh.♢♢♢
The muffled noise of rotating propellers and consecutive oscillations vibrated throughout
Shidou’s body and eardrums. His current location was not the command room of the
temporary subterranean facility under Tenguu city, but an enormous carrier helicopter. Of
course, he wasn't without company. In front of him was a long row of Spirits and Ratatoskr’s
crew.
“Naa, Kotori, where are we going?”
Shidou interrogated the person in question, their commander. During the several hours in
route, Shidou and the other Spirits couldn't obtain any information and sat dumbfounded. To
tell the truth, being taken anywhere had always felt rather anxious to him. The Spirits, such
as Tohka and Kaguya, who were riding such a huge helicopter as passengers for the first
time, took pleasure in it.
Although Kotori had noticed Shidou’s concern, she simply swayed the treat in her mouth.
“Sorry, but I can't reveal any details. Though I don't doubt you, but the place we're heading
to now is known to be Ratatoskr’s technological center.”
“Will we find a method to reach Mukuro there?”
“Yeah. I think we should be arriving soon—” A message was then broadcast inside the
aircraft.
“Commander, we're arriving at our destination. Please prepare for landing.”
“Ara, looks like there's a timer in my body.”
She then issued instructions to her crew.
After a few moments, the helicopter’s shaking came to a stop and its rear hatch sprang
open, accompanied with an electronic tone.
“Good work. This way please,”
The person who urged them seemed to be one of the staff members. Shidou and the others
blinked their eyes in confusion and chased after Kotori, who had already exited the aircraft.
“This place…”Shidou did a quick sweep of his surroundings and pursed his eyebrows. The spaciousness
all around the helicopter had exceeded his expectations.
Naturally, Shidou couldn't imagine the room precisely as he had never been there before,
but thought it was some sort of hangar. In front of him lay a gigantic wall which towered over
everything else in the commodious room. Shidou couldn't even get a glimpse of the ceiling
when he gazed upwards. There was a number of mechanics working on various kinds of
appliances and deployments, each occupied with their respective jobs.
“A warehouse…?”
“Well it's that sort of place. Follow me.”
Kotori gave that instruction with a tap of her boots. Afterwards, Ratatoskr’s crew ensued
behind her. For some reason, Shidou recalled a scene from a TV drama of a hospital
director’s consulting room.
“Shidou, we should go too."
“Ah yeah.”
Heeding Tohka’s reminder, Shidou followed them. The other Spirits looked left and right, and
reached what looked like the entrance to the warehouse.
“Here it is,” said Kotori as she aimed her gaze at the others and placed her hand onto the
installation beside the door.
After a tiny beep was sounded, the large door started to unravel its hinges. The interior
shined onto their eyes blindingly.
“...This is…!” The Spirits behind Shidou were also stunned by the light.
“Uoohh…!”
“Kaka, I see. This may just work.”
“Uwaah~... What is this plaything? Imouto­chan, can I take a picture for material? Just one!”
“Of course not. This is highly classified,” replied Kotori half­heartedly to the excited Nia.
Although her words were understandable, Shidou too thought the same way when he looked
at that for the first time. He inhaled deeply and stared at the object before him.
The door had broadened into a warehouse as he had anticipated, but what lay inside was
not another helicopter. It was a giant warship. Although it may not be one, to Shidou it was a
warship.The sharp pointed body of the vessel composed of white and colored glaze, and a cannon
was mounted at the center. Extensive protrusions jutted out of the rear section like branches
on a tree, and the few sheets of metallic foliage diffused a brilliant hue. The warship itself
had a rather unusual design for its exterior.
But that was normal. After all, the ship wasn't going to sail the roaring sea, rather it was
going to fly in the heavenly skies.
“Fraxinus…!” Shidou called its name as his body quivered.
Ratatoskr’s prided warship, Fraxinus. The airship, which had sustained critical damage
during the fight against Inverse Origami; and hence forth was in overhaul, was now intact
before them.
Shidou brushed away that notion. The airship in front of him was indeed Fraxinus, but he felt
that there was a discrepancy with the original in appearance.
“It looks… different?”
Shidou soliloquized as Kotori proudly gave out a humph.
“I see you've noticed. Correct, this is a brand new model upgraded with Ratatoskr’s most
advanced Realizer unit, and overall performance improvements. Its name is Fraxinus­EX!”
announced Kotori loudly. Her vice commander, Kannazuki Kyouhei, spread both his hands
and feet and adopted a thumbs up gesture. The other crew members symmetrically stood to
his left and right. The final member, Reine, fished out a multicolored piece of paper from her
pocket, casting a blank expression.
“E­EX?”
“Yes. Although Fraxinus’ damage was caused by the battle with Origami, it was also
mercilessly wrecked by Ellen Mathers’ Goetia in the previous world so merely repairing it
wouldn't be enough. It took quite some time too,”
Kotori said that in a self­deprecating tone.
Shidou reminisced the time when he returned to the past and altered history with the help of
Tokisaki Kurumi’s power. In that previous world, Fraxinus had been utterly defeated by
DEM’s warship.
“So that's how it is. We can reach Mukuro with this.”
“That's right. We'll fly over,” summarized Kotori as she threw an imaginary paper plane.“It’ll take a while before takeoff since the ship needs some final adjustments but we can
board now. —Follow me, there's someone who wants to see you.” Kotori beckoned for her
brother to come over using her finger. Shidou couldn't help but feel odd.
“Someone wants to see me?”
“Yeah. Well you’ve met each other in normal circumstances many times before, but this
should be the first time you’ve seen her here.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll know soon. Come fast,” ordered Kotori as she approached Fraxinus.
“Uuuu… who wants to meet Shidou?”
“Not sure…”
Shidou let out a perplexed expression as he, the other Spirits, and the ship’s crew followed
behind Kotori.
After she ensured that everyone had assembled under the airship, Kotori raised her head
and yelled.
“Alright. If you please.”
As soon as Kotori’s voice reached Shidou and the others, an undulating radiance engulfed
their bodies and an unthinkable feeling of levitation lifted them upwards. The next instant,
everyone's view transformed from the warehouse into the interior of the airship.
“Uoohh…”
Fraxinus’ teleporter utilized its own Realizer unit to function. Although Shidou had
experienced this countless of times, he still couldn't help but feel startled since he hadn't
gone through it for a long time. He exhaled deeply to recover his palpitation and observed
his surroundings. The bridge was subdivided into two sections, with the commander's seat
right in the middle. The rest consisted of the crew’s stations and their respective automation
consoles along with their display screens in front of them. Compared to the old Fraxinus,
there was a bit more space available and the quantity of display screens increased as well.
But there was one more difference which caught his attention.
“So we can directly teleport to the bridge now eh…”
Shidou noted as he looked under his feet. He and the others were at the entrance of the
bridge, and a platform which seemed to be a transport terminal was beneath them. Shidou
recalled that previously it was located in the lower part of the warship and he needed to
travel a considerable distance to arrive at the bridge.“Yeah. Now that there are various terminals installed all over the airship, destinations can be
freely chosen. So you can now teleport here directly from the residential area instantly.”
“I see. Then who did you say wanted to see me?”
Shidou enquired as he searched the interior. Although he thought that the teleport operator
would be in the room, there wasn't even a single shadow of a person. Kotori ridiculed evilly.
“Hello. Long time no see, Fraxinus,”
Kotori yelled as if she was conversing with either herself or the vessel.
Then.
『Yes, it has been a long time, Kotori.』
A girl’s voice came abruptly from the monitor’s audio amplifier, and it was accompanied by a
faint glow.
“Waa?!”
Shidou retreated back a step owing to the suddenness and a look of astonishment formed
on the other Spirits’ faces.
“W­what’s going on?!”
“That frightened… me.”
『Your reaction lacks manners, Shidou. There would be a penalty if you speak to a Spirit
that way.』
Shidou was dumbstruck for an airship to preach him like that and gazed around in confusion.
“T­this is…”
“What are you making a fuss about, Shidou? She has always taken care of you. She's
Fraxinus’ Artificial Intelligence. After the recent update, the AI can now interchange
dialogues with you,”
Kotori explained as the speaker continued.
『Good morning. Long time no see—this is becoming repetitive… I have always kept an eye
on you. My name is Maria. Please take good care of me from now on, Shidou.』
Shidou felt rather intrigued by her voice and answered with an earnest smile.“Aah~, please take care of me too, Maria.”
Simultaneously, the Spirits behind Shidou swarmed, squeezing in front of the display screen.
Of course, there couldn't be Maria’s face on the monitor but it did display the letters ‘MARIA’.
It was very lifelike.
“Ooh! Very well done! How did you do this?”
“Ehh so there was something like this!”
“This voice will read out the options? Is it real?”
All the Spirits encircled the small Maria and made all sorts of comments. Looking at them,
Kotori was utterly helpless with the situation and simply clapped her hands.
“Settle down, don't make Maria feel uncomfortable. She still has a job to do.”
Kotori waited until everyone calmed down before asking Maria.
“How long till the warship can take off?”
『The entire maintenance will take approximately 90 more minutes.』
“There's no time. Get it done within an hour.”
“As merciless as always… I pity your future husband.”
“Even though the airship is new, your jokes are as disappointing as ever. Resume
maintenance after this battle is over,”
Kotori gave the command as she narrowed her eyes. Conversely, Maria began conversing
with the crew as if she didn't understand the syntax of her command.
『Although the data settings for the automation consoles and display screens are default,
everyone please confirm preparation for all contingencies. The execution of the current task
shall be synchronized here.』
The ship’s crew nodded one after another and Maria renewed her explanation.
『In addition, please keep the personal articles held in the bridge to a minimum. Although
interference is unwanted due to this being categorized as individual space, in my opinion
<Nail Knocker> and <Dimension Breaker> carry unnecessary items in the bridge.』
Hearing Maria’s words, <Nail Knocker> Shiizaki and <Dimension Breaker> Nakatsugawa
exposed a stupefied expression.
“H­how…”“Wasn't it fine before!?”
『Previously I had no means of speech. If you feel that these items are absolutely
necessary, please submit your reason(s) in no more than 1200 words.』
“T­these are for cursing enemies when they appear!”
“I’m unable to work at 100% efficiency when I’m not with my wives.”
『Denied.』
『Denied.』
Maria coldly rejected their requests. Shiizaki and Nakatsugawa both wailed, “Noooooo!”
The other crew members watched their two colleagues’ embarrassment. <Boss> Mikimoto,
<Bad Marriage> Kawagoe, and <Deep Love> Minowa laughed heartily.
“Can't do anything about that. Those items are indeed inessential for work purposes.”
“Aah, we had thought so too from long ago.”
“Public and private affairs should be clearly differentiated.”
『Also, private phone calls to wives or daughters in shops are no longer permitted hereafter.
Please forgive any inconvenience caused. That includes sending automatic cameras to
boyfriends or girlfriends.』
『Eh?』
The other three crew members were dumbstruck by Maria’s regulations. Seeing their
responses, Kotori’s veins popped out of her forehead.
“You guys…. how dare you use Fraxinus’ equipment on those kinds of stuff?!”
“A­ no­ that­”
“You're mistaken! We usually handle our assignments seriously…”
The crew tried to provide an explanation with incoherent words. Kotori sighed as she saw
them in such an unpalatable state.
“The point is—there's not much time. Let's just concentrate on getting the maintenance over
with, Maria.”
Receiving Kotori’s command, the ship’s crew gave a salute and shouted ‘Roger!’ in unison.“Next, we should…”
『That said, there's a person who wishes to speak to Kotori at the base. What do you think?
』
“Speak with me? Who?”
『About that, it's Elliot Woodman­sama.』
Maria’s reply dazed Kotori.
♢♢♢
Shidou, after exiting Fraxinus, returned to the corridor.
The airship’s crew was currently in the bridge and occupied with the final adjustments to
Fraxinus. And now there stood only Shidou and the Spirits, with Kotori as their leader.
“...Shidou, Shidou,” called Tohka from behind him.
“Un, what is it, Tohka?” Shidou turned around to face her.
“Who's this Woodman guy? Kotori seems to respect him a lot.”
Shidou directed his sight towards Kotori. Indeed, after Maria had mentioned that name,
Kotori immediately flustered, wearing the overcoat on her shoulders properly and buttoning it
up neatly. Kotori’s head didn't turn back but she explained while she kept walking.
“Woodman­sama is the chairman of Ratatoskr’s board of directors. He's essentially the
organization’s very top and also its founder. Without him, Ratatoskr wouldn't exist.”
“.....!” Shidou twitched his eyebrows as he heard this.
Shidou recollected a verse which Mukuro had spoken before, ‘What doth thou, nay, thine
aristocrats fore mind?’ He didn't doubt the integrity of Ratatoskr, but felt offended even
though he had decided to pull himself together. Perhaps it was because he couldn't refute
Mukuro’s statement that time.
Then, Shidou noticed that Nia, who was walking beside him, bore a complicated expression
on her face.
“Nia? What's wrong? You look scary.”
“.....!” Nia jumped due to Shidou’s sudden call.“Hm? Ahaha, it's nothing. As for you, Boy, since when did you level up to the extent that you
can now detect slight changes?”
“Hey…”
Shidou smiled wryly in response. Nia’s face suddenly turned grave and she whispered
seriously.
“It feels like I’ve heard the name Woodman before.”
“Eh?”
Just as Shidou attempted to question her further about the matter, Kotori stopped right
before a door. After pressing the intercom beside the door and informing of her presence,
Kotori turned the doorknob.
“Alright. Come in.”
“E­excuse us.”
Shidou and the others disorderedly entered the room, being hastened by Kotori. The overall
layout of the room resembled that of a private study which accepted innumerable books and
other works of literature, bookshelves placed together side by side. The atmosphere of the
chamber when compared to the previous machinery facility was as different as black and
white.
In the innermost part of the room, the silhouettes of two people could be seen behind a
massive business table. One of them was a man who looked to be over fifty years old, sitting
on a wheelchair. He wore green colored thin frame eyeglasses and tied his rather lengthy
hair into a single bundle, while emanating a gentle impression. Beside him stood a woman
who also had glasses on and wore Western­style clothes, while maintaining an upright
posture.
“Eh?”
“Muu?”
Shidou and Tohka couldn't help but knit their eyebrows when they saw the man ­ they had
met him before. It was some time before Natsumi appeared; a foreign man on a wheelchair
had exchanged some words with Shidou and Tohka when they were taking a walk.“Mr. Baldwin?”
As Shidou exasperated the name, the man let out a mischievous expression fitting of his
age.
“Yaa~, long time no see. The girl over there too, it’s good to see that you're in good spirits.
Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Elliot Baldwin Woodman,”
The man addressed Shidou and Tohka, who both had their mouths wide open.
“.....! Woodman­sama, have you met them before?”
As Kotori was taken aback, Woodman simply winked an eye.
“During my visit to Tenguu city.”
“What if something were to have happened to you?!”
“Haha, forgive me. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
Woodman responded without the slightest regret. Kotori sighed, and placed her hand on her
forehead. Although he had heard from her before, Shidou didn't expect the man to be this
straightforward. As he was thinking of that, Woodman’s expression turned solemn and faced
Shidou in seriousness.
“Well then, forgive me for summoning you here. We were supposed to visit you instead.”
“No need to be so formal, please,”
Shidou said as Woodman closed his eyes.
“First of all, I am very grateful and I thank you for your efforts in saving the Spirits.”
“Eh… ah... You're welcome.”
Shidou equivocated while scratching his cheeks. He felt rather puzzled, being thanked so
specially.
“About that, we feel the same. Without Ratatoskr, I wouldn't even be aware of the existence
of Spirits and everyone would still be suffering from DEM’s and AST’s attacks. The very
thought of that makes me feel unhappy,”
Shidou added before continuing.
“Being able to help Kotori when she was transformed into a Spirit by <Phantom> five years
ago, I appreciate it.”Shidou earnestly bowed with respect.
Woodman nodded in acknowledgement and fixed his eyes onto Shidou’s.
“In that case, I would also like to apologize for getting you involved in the matter concerning
<Dáinsleif> last time. I will strictly give orders so that such a problem will never occur again.”
“Ah…”
<Dáinsleif>. Hearing this term, Kotori’s eyebrows evidently twitched for a moment. Although
Shidou himself doesn't have any memory of the incident, that term was indeed used as the
code name for the special­purpose weaponry which would be used to destroy him, a
precaution readied by Ratatoskr. According to Kotori’s explanation after the commotion had
ended, the weapon was activated without authorization by one of the members of the board
of directors.
“No, even though I do feel somewhat conflicted, I think such a precaution is indispensable in
the event that I lose control. And even if you had informed me beforehand, I’d still choose to
save the Spirits.”
“Shidou…”
Tohka’s voice was glad but she also worried for Shidou. He smiled and softly stroked her
hair. Shidou was able to save Tohka and the other Spirits. The tactile impression that he
could perceive from the palm of his hand allowed Shidou to firmly believe that he was doing
the right thing.
However.
“.....” Shidou’s heart still felt unconvinced somewhere ­ Mukuro’s words. He flashed through
his mind, not realizing that he had opened his mouth subconsciously.
“Umm… May I ask a question?”
“What question?”
“I’m thankful for it, but why does Ratatoskr want to save Spirits?”
“...Oh?”
Woodman slightly inclined his head to Shidou’s question.
“Are you unsatisfied or confused with something?”
“No! I just mind about something, you see…”As if he was instantly seen through, Shidou waved his hands helter­skelter. Origami then
picked up his words for him.
“Regarding that matter, I too admit that Ratatoskr is an organization devoted to saving Spirits
and I'm very grateful for that. Nevertheless, is there something hidden behind our backs?
Even if you have a grand budget for expenditure why do you still save Spirits?”
Woodman nodded as if he already knew their intentions and started to speak.
“I can understand your misgivings. Indeed, Ratatoskr, as an organization, is overly caring for
you Spirits. I don't blame you if you feel that it's unreasonable.”
Woodman verbalized as he forcefully grinned.
“This is a bit baffling. I’m afraid I can't say a reason easy for you to understand.”
“...What do you mean?”
“To save Spirits. That is my greatest goal.”
“.....” Origami puckered up her eyebrows. The next moment, Nia, who was on the opposite
side of the room, opinionated in sync with Origami.
“Are you a little over your head with that noble sage attitude? As they say, you can't expect
everyone to be squeaky clean. Don't you feel that this is a bit suspicious?” Nia’s manner of
speech at that time was not her older sister tone, but somewhat acrimonious and fierce. Her
current air caused Shidou to shudder in fear.
“Nia…?”
Alas, she turned a deaf ear and kept her piercing eyes on Woodman, continuing her
demanding demeanor.
“Woodman. Elliot Baldwin Woodman. That's your name right?”
“Aah~, that’s correct.”
“Then let me ask you again. —As one of the original founders of DEM Industries, thirty years
ago when you caused the appearance of the First Spirit. Why do you still hide your identity
and spout these high­sounding words?”
“W­Wha…?”
Shidou and the other Spirits, without exception, all caught a breath of cold air after hearing
Nia’s shocking revelation.“W­what’s going on, Nia?? Mr. Woodman is a part of DEM…? And what do you mean by
causing a Spirit to appear?”
Shidou asked with all the more uncertainty. Nia coldly turned her head and answered him.
“Yes. A month ago, when my Rasiel was still in perfect condition, I had the chance to
investigate, ­investigate the state of affairs of this world when the First Spirit appeared.”
“.....?! W­what did you say?”
“It was at that time when I found out. —Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott, Ellen Mira Mathers,
and… Elliot Baldwin Woodman. As the three founding members of DEM Industries, they had
the utmost involvement in the appearance of the First Spirit.”
As Nia said this provocatively, Woodman gently sighed and began to speak.
“I see… so your angel <Rasiel> knows everything already. I do not wish to painstakingly
conceal this, but now should be a good time. Yes, I once caused the appearance of the First
Spirit in this world together with Ike­ Westcott and Ellen.”
“.....”
Shidou felt his breathing was clogged. Knowing that Woodman was once partners with his
two most hated enemies was already overwhelming, but to think that he also brought about
the existence of Spirits…
“Aah~, by the way, I haven't introduced her to you yet. The person beside me is Karen.
She's one of the members who left DEM with me.”
Woodman acquainted as if he just remembered the fact. The woman, who appeared to be
his secretary, stood by him and nodded.
“My name is Karen Nora Mathers. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ahh~, Hello… eh? Hm?”
While he exchanged amenities with the opposite party, Shidou unexpectedly took notice of
her name; he had heard it before somewhere.
“Mathers…?”
“Yes. Ellen Mathers is my sister.”
“EHHHHHH?!”
Suddenly realizing such an impactful detail, Shidou and the Spirits all yelled altogether.“T­t­that Ellen…!?”
“Predicament. You do look familiar though.”
“T­this sisterly development?!”
“Miku STOP your deep breathing!”
Natsumi advised as she saw Miku immersed in chaos.
“Alright, calm down.”
Miku honestly nodded her head. After the instruction, Miku grabbed both Natsumi’s arms
and plunged her head into her unkempt hair while inhaling profusely. Natsumi struggled with
her four limbs to resist Miku as if her life depended on it, but to no avail. Confronting Miku’s
unimaginable warmhearted bear hug, her thin arms were incapable of any resistance and
Natsumi ultimately chose to accept her dire fate, losing strength from head to toe.
Shidou quietly relaxed and placed his hand on his chest as he observed Karen’s facial
features. Excluding the spectacles and increasing the length of her hair, she did look exactly
alike with that wizard. It's just that Ellen being the older one looked to not even be in her
twenties; whereas Karen being the younger one seemed well over twenty.
On the other hand, there were more pressing matters that required clarification so Shidou
calmed down and turned towards Woodman.
“A­anyway, what did you mean by causing Spirits to appear? How?”
“Let’s discuss that in proper order. I’ll answer Itsuka Shidou’s and Tobiichi Origami’s queries
first.”
Woodman glanced in Origami’s direction and continued.
“As Nia had initially mentioned, I am one of the founders of DEM. Originally I had similar
intentions to Westcott, and wanted to harness the power of Spirits.”
“.....” Shidou tensed up and swallowed his saliva. For the head of an organization which
saves Spirits to say those kinds of words was truly shocking.
“However, when I first met with the First Spirit, I changed my ideas. Abandoning my original
goal, I left DEM Industries and established Ratatoskr. I made up my mind to protect Spirits
with my life, even if it meant that I had to renounce my old friends and comrades.”“...What was the outcome?” Woodman shrugged his shoulders and made a gentle
expression.
“—I fell in love with her.” His unexpected reply made Shidou widen his eyes in disbelief.
“F­fell in love?”
“Aah~, the First Spirit stole my heart the moment I met her and I became restless with
anxiety. I couldn't let anyone exploit her power for their selfish purposes.”
Woodman confessed with an eager intonation of a lovestruck teenage boy.
“Therefore I couldn't stand for other Spirits like her to suffer or live in misery. Although this
idiocy may perhaps make people burst into laughter, this reason is my one and only reason
as to why I want to save Spirits.”
“.....”
Shidou was speechless, numb in his position. He didn't plan on invading his privacy any
further, but Woodman’s statement felt somewhat unverifiable. Shidou shook his head.
“I don't think that it's a foolish reason,”
Shidou replied as he moved forward a step.
“It'd be better to say that I share your opinions, Ratatoskr’s founder.”
Woodman was surprised at Shidou’s comment and regained his composure.
“Thanks, you have a kind heart. I'm happy to see that you're the one sealing Spirits.”
“Ahh, you're welcome,”
Shidou responded while waving his hand. Origami, who was listening to their conversation,
let out a wondrous expression and shifted her view to Karen.
“—So what's your reason for following him and defecting from DEM?”
“I fell in love with Elliot.”
“....Ahem?!”
Shidou coughed at the unanticipated statement.
“...It's like that…? But Mr. Woodman has already… with the First Spirit…”“I'm not giving up if he already likes someone else. If he changes his mind and there's no
one else, wouldn't he have no other choice?”
“T­that’s not wrong…”
“Speaking of greedy desires, I would very much like to undergo reproductive activities with
Elliot and conceive his child. Although I highly respect Elliot’s wishes, it would be a great loss
for the world if his bloodline ends.”
“.....?! Ha…..”
Shidou was having a hard time accepting such a barefaced statement and felt awkward as
he heard her words. Woodman forced a smile.
“Haha… this is quite bothersome.”
“Elliot, no need to trouble yourself, I’ll wait for the right moment.”
“I concur. I admire and acclaim your sublime determination.”
“I should be the one thanking you. You're the third person to endorse it.”
Karen supported as she shook hands with Origami.
“.....”
It looks like they've entered waters uncharted for Shidou, as he couldn't keep up with their
ideals. Although it vaguely insinuated a morality crisis, Shidou decided to leave them be after
they had befriended each other with great difficulty. Woodman propped up his glasses and
straightened his body.
“Forgive me, Itsuka Shidou. Can you come closer so I can see you? Recently my sight has
diminished greatly.”
“Eh? Okay.”
Shidou advanced towards Woodman, who attentively examined his face, murmuring
something inaudible.
“I see… you do look familiar—with the boy from then…”
As Woodman muttered to himself. Shidou couldn't help but purse his eyebrows.
“The boy from then? Who—”
At that moment, an intense vibration raided the room.“Uwaaah…?!”
“Ooohh?!”
“Hyaaa!”
As if an explosive had detonated nearby, the walls, floor and ceilings violently shook, the
books on the shelves were tumbling down onto the floor altogether.
“Is everyone alright?” checked Shidou.
“Umuu… what happened?!” replied Tohka.
“Could it be…Mukuro­san?”
Yoshino gave out a timid voice.
“Another meteor?”
Yoshinon, the puppet on her left hand, used both hands to cover its head in dismay. Kotori
shook her head with alertness.
“No… this is…” A flurried radio broadcast sounded within the room as if in response to
Kotori.
“Woodman­sama! Emergency!”
“Calm down, what's the matter?”
“A surprise attack! Aerial warship confirmed above the base! It's… DEM!!”
“Wha….?!”
Shidou shuddered at the warning.
“DEM… Really, they even discovered this place…”
Kotori stated before pausing in route as she remembered something important.
Concealment meant nothing now.
“Beelzebub…! Of course, the omniscient Demon King <Beelzebub>.”
Nia swallowed and smiled sarcastically.
“...Probably. Even though its search function was obstructed, I can't do anything about what
happened before that.”“Kuh… so they finally came. Searching for this particular location, I guess the enemy is
targeting Fraxinus now…”
Kotori faced Woodman.
“Your orders, Woodman­sama.”
“…Hm.”
Woodman racked his brain for a countermeasure against their current situation and lifted his
head up.
“Let's get moving first. We're sitting ducks if this place has already been discovered,” waved
Woodman. “Commander Itsuka, take the Spirits to Fraxinus at once and hurry to <Zodiac>.
She'll definitely be saved.”
“Understood, I’ll make sure that they get there. But… what about you?” worried Kotori.
Woodman alleviated his expression.
“Karen and I will use an alternate route. Can't let Westcott destroy this facility, after all. I
have something to take care of afterwards. My two legs would burden you anyway.”
Woodman lightly tapped his legs.
“But!”
Kotori refuted grievously while tightly grasping her fist.
“It’s fine, my escape route has already been established so don't worry. This life won't die
that easily. I've already decided to die holding my loved girl’s hand.” Woodman winked his
eye.
“Mr. Woodman…”
Shidou whispered in a low voice. Karen fixed her eyeglasses.
“My hand is empty, you know.”
“I can't have someone as talented and splendid as you dying here with me.” Woodman
shrugged his shoulders as Karen exuded a lonesome but happy to be praised expression.
“Go now, Commander Itsuka. I wish you good luck,”
As Woodman gave his order, Kotori hesitated for a few seconds before finally bowing to her
superior.“...Understood. Please be safe.”
Woodman nodded and Kotori began issuing instructions to Shidou and the others.
“Let's go everyone, don't let Fraxinus fall into the enemy's hands again!” Kotori’s every
movement was filled with a sense of obligation. But behind her firm resolution, she faintly
trembled. That was natural, as with danger that came doubt. However, Kotori, as Ratatoskr’s
commander, couldn't openly display such apprehensions. Shidou prepared himself for the
worst and nodded in agreement.
“Aah, let's be quick.”
“Umu, fast!”
“Yes…”
The Spirits all agreed, and Shidou exchanged glances with Kotori for a moment. Without any
prior consultation, they bade farewell to Woodman respectfully and brought everyone out of
the room. As they ran through the corridor with all the agility they could muster, the sounds
of detonations and Territories being breached ceaselessly resonated throughout.
“Kuh… what in the world invaded this place?!”
“I'm not sure, but we can affirm it through the airship—”
Unaware of how long they had traversed the passageway, Kotori’s voice was interrupted as
the wall in front of them cracked open.
“Uaahh?!”
“Wha…”
Concrete debris flew randomly all over the air and diffused white smoke. Amidst the cloudy
suspension, a distorted humanoid figure appeared. Mechanical limbs with a metallic texture,
a simple eye embedded in the center of its head and sharp talons arranged regularly on its
rigid arms. Like it was hunting prey, the robotic figure slowly entered.
“...Bandersnatch!”
Shidou shouted while gnashing his teeth. That monstrosity was the name of DEM’s
unmanned weaponry, Bandersnatch. The camera on its head turned towards Shidou’s
direction.
“.....!”
“Move away, Shidou!”As Origami’s voice came, she released a ray of blinding light past Shidou’s hair.
“Uoohh…?!”
Permeated thoroughly by an intense light ray of Spirit power, the Bandersnatch instantly lost
its functionality. Shidou looked behind him and an angel in the form of feathers was already
floating there ­ Origami’s <Metatron>.
“T­thanks, Origami.” Hearing Shidou’s gratitude, Origami nodded with self­satisfaction.
But now was not the time to rest. The combat all around them had not stopped yet. If their
location was already breached, then there's no guarantee that Fraxinus’ warehouse is safe.
“Anyway let's hurry, there isn't much time—” Shidou stopped his sentence, unwillingly.
Suddenly.
An unexpected voice sounded from in front of them.
“——Oya~, I didn't expect to see you here.”
“Wha….?!” Shidou furrowed his eyebrows as he heard that ice cold voice which was
inharmonious with the current situation.
Lingering amidst the white smoke was a man wearing black Western­style clothes and a
wizard equipped with a CR­unit. The two leisurely walked out of the mist.
“Westcott?!” There was no mistaking it, the head of DEM Industries and Shidou’s archenemy
­ Isaac Westcott.
“.....”
“What?!”
Witnessing his physique reveal itself from within the smokescreen, expressions of rage, ire,
fury and the like formed on the Spirits’ faces. When ascertaining the enemy's advancements,
one would not allow his or her leader to strike first. But Westcott had let Ellen do all the work.
However, Westcott was an eminent adversary that did not permit any shred of hesitation.
The man who stood before them was completely different compared to himself one month
ago. What were they supposed to do—.
“—Metatron.”Dense light rays of Spirit power elongated towards Westcott like previously on Origami’s
command, ripping apart Shidou’s train of thought. Just before the piercing radiance impaled
Westcott, an unadorned book page manifested in front of him, dissipating the energy in
midair.
“Westcott­sama!”
“Are you hurt…?” The wizard beside him gave out a distressed voice. Westcott objected and
nodded eloquently.
“Such an unmitigated attack, excellent!”
“...Damn,” cursed Origami remorsefully. Westcott merely grinned mockingly and raised his
hand.
“What a pity. A limited Astral dress’ angel cannot harm me in my current state.” Following his
motions, a book which emitted an ominous aura materialized in his hand.
“—Beelzebub.”
“.....!” gasped Shidou in fear and trepidation. <Beelzebub>, the omniscient Demon King
which Westcott had plundered from Nia. Sensing the impending danger, the Spirits called
forth their limited Astral dresses one after another.
“Ha!”
Accompanying the pale shine of the Astral Dresses was an angel in the form of a gigantic
sword in Tohka’s grip, <Sandalphon>. The girl charged forward in an attempt to slay
Westcott. The wizard defending him heaved her saber, leaping to meet the attack head on.
“Gu…”
“Don't block me!”
The edges of the swords clashed and diffused through the angel. The wizard expanded her
Territory’s strength in response, but was sent flying and crashed towards the wall.
“Hu….”
“.....!”
The wizard cried in agony as Tohka changed her target to Westcott. Although the man was
presently engaged in battle, he simply sneered derisively.“How valorous, <Princess>. What a waste, although I appreciate your combat­stricken
welcome, I’m not after you today.”
“What are you talking about? You think you can escape?”
“Haha, who said anything about escaping? Though leaving you be would be rather
vexatious…”
As Westcott grinned in a bewitching manner, his hand began to wander atop the book.
“Just a little should be fine. Show me what you're capable of.” Westcott chanted to the book.
“<Beelzebub>, <Ashufiriya ­Phantom Library
>.”
“..Tohka!”
Shidou shouted unbearably. Although he was unaware of what happened, Shidou felt a
sensation as if dozens of ice thorns pricked his back. The next instant, the space under
Tohka’s feet distorted into a shadowy book crevice.
“Wha—”
Tohka inhaled a breath of chilled air and retreated backwards at full speed. But it was too
late. The enormous book snapped its pages shut, entrapping Tohka inside like a bookmark.
“Tohka!”
Shidou yelled as he jumped to her rescue. Before his hand could even reach the book,
Tohka had already disappeared into the void. But it wasn't finished yet.
“Yaaa…!”
“W­what's this?!”
The other Spirits mourned lamentably while Shidou turned to face them. Similar books had
appeared behind and under them and began to suck them in.
“Kuh…!”
“Damn, <Rasiel>….!”
“Everyone, run!” shouted Shidou, albeit uselessly. The books that had appeared in the
corridor trapped the Spirits one by one.
“W­waa, help!”
“S­shidou!”The cries of the Spirits reverberated throughout the place as the books swallowed them and
vanished. Witnessing everything helplessly, Shidou was petrified and glared at Westcott.
“....You evil bastard!! Where did you take them?!!”
“Hahaha, don't be so agitated. You'll reunite with them soon enough.” Westcott stirred up the
corners of his mouth. At that moment, Westcott administered the merciless coup de grâce.
“U­uaahh!?”
“I’ll leave you for after I deal with Elliot. During that time, feel free to worry to your heart’s
content… in that illusory world.”
Westcott enunciated as he unhurriedly closed Shidou’s entrapment.
“Hm… it doesn't feel very exhausting even though this is the first time I've ever used this
power,” inferred Westcott while fiddling with a page from Beelzebub, realizing why he could
decipher unwritten records.
“Westcott­sama…” His bodyguard wizard who was previously knocked down by Tohka
returned to his side and apologized.
“Forgive me, I was careless…”
“It doesn't matter. I obtained the opportunity to experiment with Beelzebub’s power anyway.”
Westcott grinned, dumbfounding the wizard.
“Then, where did the Spirits go?”
“Aah~...” Westcott’s sight fell onto a page from Beelzebub, raising the corners of his mouth.
“Now, within a fairytale… struggling in fantasy.”
“Fairytale…?” The wizard inclined her head. Well, she couldn't understand directly. Humans
other than Westcott had no need to fathom a Demon King. He closed Beelzebub and
diverted the topic of conversation.
“Rather than that, our target takes precedence at the moment. I look forward to meeting my
old friend in person.” As Westcott commanded, the wizard promptly saluted in response.

Chapter 4 - Fairy tale
“...Uh, eh…”
Shidou groaned softly yet articulately while peeking through his fuzzy eyes. It was difficult to
distinguish whether reality was blurred or if the blur was reality.
Shidou meticulously rubbed his eyes in order to restore his distorted vision, and the hazy
scenery gradually clarified.
“.....?”
However, an abnormal discordant sensation ensued as the appearance of his periphery
became clear. It was as if Shidou was reclining on a bed-like structure, although the
encompassing space was obviously an unfamiliar place for him.
“Where is… this place…?”
Shidou furrowed his brows as he propped his body up with a rustle. It would appear that the
piece of furniture he was surreptitiously lying on was made of interwoven rice straws. On closer
inspection, the weathered housing, which Shidou had found himself in, was likewise made out
of similar material - the tatterdemalion walls and ceiling, every ramshackle nook and corner.
“This is….”
Shidou’s shoulders abruptly shuddered.
Just a few moments ago, he was inside Ratatoskr’s secret warehouse being engulfed within the
pages of a book on Westcott’s discretion.
“Am I… inside a story…?”
Shidou’s expression distorted with bewilderment as he sluggishly left the obsolete bed.
Something was wrong. His body felt seemingly deteriorated as his movements were somehow
less nimble. Shidou doubtfully gazed upon himself and noticed that he was wearing thick cotton
clothes for some reason.
“What's with these clothes… it's so inconvenient.”
Shidou pursed his eyebrows while moving his body, and removed the linen clothes. Discarding
the mask covering his face, Shidou forcefully flexed his neck. Afterwards, he observed the collar
of the stripped outfit and turned away with incomprehension.
“.....A pig?”Flesh-colored skin in addition to curved, folded ears and the characteristic protruding snout,
Shidou was wearing an amusing stuffed animal costume which generally appeared in folktales.
He instantly recognized his current resemblance and his body froze motionless.
“...Pig… straw house… could this be…”
At that moment, the entire hut was unexpectedly blown away by a violent windstorm, destroying
the already worn out framework.
“U-uwaah!?”
Shidou, whose steps were unsteady due to the intense pressure, was also thrown onto the
ground along with the piles of rubble.
“It hurts… what happened?”
Shidou racked his brain as he quaveringly stood up while protecting his head on reflex with his
arms. The cause of the massive destruction was evident by then. An expansive shadow had
blanketed Shidou entirely.
“.....”
Shidou lifted his head with considerable unease. What had materialized before him was a
gargantuan wild beast that could effortlessly intimidate any onlooker with its fearsome
disposition. Its sharp and pointed jaws were bared, only to be rivalled by its hound canine fangs
which appeared to target Shidou. A pair of gleaming, penetrating eyes marked him as prey.
Fulvous hair furred the entire length of its mammalian body. Its towering height, several times
taller than that of Shidou’s, only served to magnify his minuscule proportions comparatively.
With its bipedal stature, the predatory creature resembled the villainous antagonist of a
children's story. Canis lupus - the wolf.
“Kehehe, delicious pig-chan. I'll eat you in one bite!”
The wolf greedily licked its mouth with the tip of its tongue in an exaggerated manner,
splattering spit all over the barren ground and onto Shidou’s unfortunate head.
“T-that…”
Shidou trembled while perspiring profusely. “Wait a moment. Calm down, I'm…”
“Gaaaaaaaah!” The wolf extended its gaping jaws towards Shidou, with utter disregard for his
words.
“Uwaaaaaaah!?”Aside from the wolf's exterior impression and behavior, it was a comical character if not for its
unruly boldness and the bestial odor coming from its body. Shidou could only think of one thing -
death. He shouted till his lungs burst and escaped from there while in his lamentable state.
“Hahahaha, you can't run from the likes of me!”
The wolf howled, loud enough to shake even the surrounding air, and chased behind Shidou. By
that time, his mind must’ve already been cleared of all chaotic distractions as he ran for his very
life. The stuffed animal costume, the straw house and the wolf in hot pursuit…it seemed like
“...The ‘three little pigs’!?”
Shidou recited the title which popped up in his head while running past the vast grasslands.
True, the ‘three little pigs’ is an excessively well-known fairy tale. Each of the three pig brothers
built their own separate houses. The eldest brother who used straw and the second brother who
used wood had their huts dismantled to debris by the big bad wolf. Only the youngest brother
who had devoted his time and used bricks to build his house was ultimately safe. At least, that's
how the story goes. Shidou contrasted the story he recalled with his current predicament. He
had slept in that rice straw hut… which signified that…
“I'm the first brother that gets eaten, aren't I!?”
Shidou yelled, almost as if he was crying.
“Come back here, pig-chaaaan!”
The wolf roared in a voice which wholly inundated the former’s feebleness.
Perhaps it was sheer luck, or that fate was in his favor. The wolf which was on Shidou’s trail
was pursuing him at a pace unfitting for a four-legged beast, due to it awkwardly standing on its
hind limbs. As a result, the ridiculous animal couldn't exert enough kinetic energy to overtake
Shidou’s speed. Nevertheless, he too had almost reached his limit - his whole body ached, his
muscles fatigued, his heart and lungs anguished from all the circulation.
“Hah… huu…”
The moment Shidou stopped; he would be swallowed into the wolf's gluttonous belly right away.
Thus, he maintained his speed, faltering now and then as he sought for a way to break free.
“.....!”
Unaware of how long he was being chased in a life and death situation, Shidou spotted a tiny
building ahead. Furthermore, it wasn't the second brother's plain wooden hut. He knew it was
impolite to barge in, but his current circumstances warranted otherwise. So Shidou crudely
entered the house and locked the door behind him.
“Ha… ha… ha…”Shidou leaned his weight against the door, doing all he could to prevent any subsequent entry.
A few knocks from the other side echoed throughout the room, scaring the daylight out of him.
He pressed on as long as he could and continues to counter the wolf as he vigorously strikes
the fragile door. After some time had elapsed, the sounds hushed as well, quietening until only
silence could be heard. The wolf must've already abandoned trying to wreck Shidou’s refuge.
“S-safe at last…”
He slowly regained his lost composure and stabilized his uneven respiration by stretched out on
the floor. Shidou blithely raised his head as if he had neglected something crucial. He
recollected that the final scene enacted in the story involved the wolf attempting to invade the
youngest brother's brick-and-tile house through the chimney after failing to destroy it repeatedly.
“This place doesn't look like it was built by the other pig brothers. Anyone here…?”
Shidou yelled in order to inform any inhabitants of the impending perilous chimney invasion by a
ravenous wolf.
“Excuse me! Is anyone here!?”
An almost inaudible whisper could be heard from inside one of the interior rooms, quiet enough
as if it was replying to whoever spoke the line itself.
“Y-yes… who might you be….?”
It looks like someone was there. Shidou felt obliged to tell whoever it was about the danger—
“....Nn?”
Shidou unconsciously inclined his head. He had heard that familiar voice before.
“Just now it was…”
Shidou wrinkled his eyebrows as he approached the source of the previous frequency and
peeped into the room. Just as he had expected, a young girl who he knew very well stood there.
She has hair like flowing ocean waves and a petite stature in addition to a rabbit puppet
mounted on her left hand.
“S-Shidou-san?!”
“...Shidou-kun, good grief!!!”
Yoshino and Yoshinon, who were also pulled into the book world previously, widened their
glowing eyes in astonishment. Shidou heaved a sigh of relief and entered the room.
“Yoshino-Yoshinon, are you two okay?!”
“Y-yeah… it's good to see you, Shidou-san!”“Un, but Shidou-kun, where is this place hm?”
Yoshinon skewed its head.
“I'm not all too sure myself. When I woke up, I found myself in the ‘three little pigs’ story….eh?”
Shidou halted his sentence midway. Since he was overwhelmed by the touching reunion with
Yoshino and Yoshinon, Shidou didn't immediately catch sight of the differences in their apparel.
The lovable dresses there were ones that only appeared fairy tales - a cute white blouse, a
fancy skirt with decorative lacing, along with a red hood and cloak. She inexplicably resembled
Little Red Riding Hood.
“Y-Yoshino… your attire?”
“I don't know, it was already like this when I woke up. Then I was called to granny's place…”
“Yup yup, for some reason we can't use our powers and angel, and we don't know anything
about this place!”
Small droplets of sweat beaded atop Shidou’s forehead as he listened to their qualms. It was
worthy of praise that even Japanese people had heard of these stories. The Three Little Pigs
and Little Red Riding Hood were indeed worldly famous fairy tales. As the story goes, when little
red riding hood arrives at her grandmother's house, she was already…. Shidou feigned
repugnance at such a thought. He noticed that somebody, or something, was wriggling under
the bed sheets inside the room.
“Ah little red riding hood, is there a guest?”
A voice resounded that was rather doughty for an old lady.
“Y-yes. About that… grandma, I should be going soon. I'll put the bread and grape wine right
here.”
As Yoshino said that, the grandma swayed under the quilt with a snort.
“Good girl, good girl. You even brought me a delicious pig despite my condition.”
The next moment, an enormous wolf squeezed out of the blankets, disguised in pajamas, a hat
and a pair of glasses. That was the same wolf that had chased after Shidou all the way there.
“Yaaaaaah!?”
“Uah! Grandma turned into a wild animal?”
The ventriloquist pair yelled out in shock. The wolf ripped its pretentious clothing and jeered at
them.“Long time no see, pig-chan. Did you think that you could get away that easily?”
“Whaaaa! How did you…!”
Shidou gave out a shocked tone, dumbstruck by the non-sequential series of events which had
occurred. Common sense dictates the impossibility of that identical wolf concealing itself
inconspicuously under the blanket when it had been chasing Shidou from the beginning.
“Haha, what nonsense are you spouting in ‘this world’? Forget it; allow me to gorge on your
succulent flesh!!!”
“Escape fast, Yoshino, Yoshinon!”
“Y-Yes!”
Shidou firmly grasped Yoshino’s hand and exited the house in a flurry, stomping on the
doorstep. Like before, they fled to the wilderness in disarray to shake off the wolf. Even so,
Shidou, who was leading Yoshino, reached his body's maximum capacity after some time and
carelessly slipped in his thoughtlessly.
“Kuh….”
He somehow managed to let go of her delicate hand amidst the disorder so that she didn't
stumble as a consequence. However, a substantial amount of time was required to
painstakingly attain the former speed, especially after decelerating to rest.
“Shidou-san!”
Yoshino was worried and lent a hand to help Shidou. But it was too late. A vast gloom had
formed above the disabled Shidou and the nearing Yoshino.
“Nowhere left to run.”
The wolf's eyes glistened with insatiable hunger as it intently watched their every move. Shidou
oppressed a breath and gave Yoshino a push with all the might he could muster.
“Yoshino, run! Hurry!”
“No! I won't abandon Shidou-san! I'm not running away!!”
“Ahahaha! Very well, how exquisite! I trust that you won't have any misgivings. Now then, I shall
begin my feast!”
The wolf opened its jagged jaws wide to gobble up the both of them in one big mouthful. Shidou
embraced Yoshino as if to adamantly protect her till the very end. He gritted his teeth, enduring
the pain. Yet it never happened no matter how long they awaited. Meanwhile, the metallic
resonance of a katana being impaled could be heard, along with several loud gunshots
accompanied by the excruciating woes of the wolf.“Kuhh, who are you people?!”
“Eh?”
Shidou lifted his head out of curiosity after hearing the wolf's unusual howls of agony. Two girls
had emerged there, standing guard and defending him.
“Are you okay? Shidou! Yoshino!”
“Ehehe, that was a close call, Boy.”
“Tohka! And Nia!?”
Shidou couldn't be gladder when he confirmed the duo’s identities verbally. Indeed, in that
moment of imminent peril, two girls had appeared out of nowhere. Tohka was wearing a
glittering feather-woven war garment with breezy short pants and hardwood sandals and
holding a polished blade in her hand. Nia, on the other hand, was in a long black coat and
wielded dual silver pistols in each hand. Although their outfits were as eccentric as Shidou’s,
theirs were specifically designed for the character roles of skilled combatants, unlike his and
Yoshino’s. They had launched a brutal offensive against the wolf to protect Shidou.
The wolf's carapace was inflicted with stabs and gashes, along with bullet wounds all over.
Even so, it didn't reveal any cowardice and merely deepened its ferocious taunt while muttering
crippled sufferings on the bloodstained ground.“Oh, scrumptious! Not sure what you're up to, but my stomach shall welcome you all!!”
“Hmph, tenacious beast. I guess simplicity doesn't convert well to strength.”
Nia aimed her guns as if she was blatantly conveying her inconvenience. She looked in Tohka’s
direction and continued her rant.
“Tohka-chan. That dumpling on your waist, why don't you unleash it on that damned mutt?”
“Un, this one?”
Tohka nodded in agreement and executed Nia’s suggestion. She fished out a millet dumpling
from the pocket on her waist and hurled it at the wolf.
“Here it goes.”
“Gaaaaaaaaaa-a?”
Regarding it as an attack from Tohka’s side, the wolf hastily opened its mouth and ate the
dumpling, swallowing the rice ball in amazement. The next second, the wolf entered a
remarkable, almost deceiving, trancelike sitting posture that was different from its previous
vulgar figure.“Eh….?”
The wolf lowered its head apologetically as Shidou gasped.
“Yaa pig-chan and little red riding hood-san, I'm sorry for what I did. I was too enthusiastic since
I was really starving…”
“Ah, uh….”
The sudden discontinuity in the wolf's attitude startled Shidou. At the same time, Nia chuckled
with a slight hint of derision.
“As expected of Momotarou's dumplings, it sure is effective against dogs,”
Nia praised as she patted Tohka’s shoulders. Like she said, Tohka’s dress up could easily be
recognized by any Japanese person. Japan's number one folklore, the Peach Boy. 1
“Is such a thing called a dumpling….?”
“Well, the details don't matter,”
Nia explained as she shrugged her shoulders. Although some things weren't so elaborated yet,
it was as she expounded. Shidou could unwind and rest at last, and deliberately sprung up to
his legs to confront the pair.
“Umm… thanks, Tohka, Nia.”
“Un, what matters is that you're fine.”
Tohka smiled as she expertly sheathed her blade into its scabbard with a clank. Her hair was
tied into a single ponytail and she wore a trademark headband across her forehead. Somehow,
her costume emitted a peculiar sense of masterful coordination.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, never mind. Anyway, do you know where this place is, Nia? Are we rolled up inside
<Beelzebub>?”
Being interrogated by Shidou in such a way, Nia abashedly let out an *un* of acknowledgement.
“Not exactly… Sure, we are in Beelzebub, but we’re not only in Beelzebub. To be precise, the
fantasy we're seeing is an adjacent world created by Beelzebub.”
“Another world?!”
Shidou furrowed his eyebrows when he listened to her inferred conclusion. The Adjacent World
- that was where the Spirits were stranded without any hope.“It just looks like that. Basically, we're in a separate space cut off from the external world.”
“I-I see, then what about Yoshino’s and everyone's clothing?”
“Un, the Phantom Library is based on everyone's imagination. Fantasies and dreams are the
blueprints which depict this space.”
“That means?”
“Well, in brief, Beelzebub gathers information about various monogataris and combines their
scenarios. We, being trapped inside it, are also mixed in among them.” 2
“Monogatari…”
“Yeah. Your clothes look rather ordinary, Boy. Did you associate them with anything?”
“Ah, when I woke up I was in a stuffed pig costume, and then I got chased by this wolf…”
“Huh? Oh of course, the Three Little Pigs! Ahh why did you take it off?! I wanna see…”
“D-don’t make a fuss about that!”
As Shidou declined Nia in shy embarrassment, he observed everyone's appearances anew.
Indeed, everyone was wearing costumes of different fairy tale characters. Shido’s the Three
Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Momotarou, furthermore—
“Hm?”
Shidou gave a puzzled expression towards Nia.
“Nia, which character are you?”
Although he could roughly deduce the others’ attires fundamentally, Shidou couldn't make out
who Nia’s was. At the very least, he had never seen such a protagonist in any of the stories
which he had heard of before.
“This? It's Silver Bullet’s Fatima.”
“Silver Bullet…. Huh, isn't that the manga you drew?!”
Nia’s contradictory answer caused Shidou to exclaim in derangement, even though it was a
bona fide fact. Her clothes inexplicably shared a striking similarity with the leading hero in
Honjou Souji’s manga, Silver Bullet.
“Kukuku, there's nothing strange about producing a plot, Boy. The probability of a popular piece
of work to rise in the rankings is high, passing a lot of others for granted. But in my case, my
monogatari was realized by the hand of fate!”“R-Really? And I thought it was restricted to only fairy tales…”
“Nonsense. If we're talking about people's opinions about stories, they exist no matter where
you are. As a convenient analogy for the public, isn't there an extremely popular and also
familiar modern character that likes walking in big strides? You know, that renowned black and
white mouse—”
“Stop! I don't think you should touch on that particular topic.”
Shidou yelled while shaking his head from side to side.
“A-Anyway, I've acquired an approximate understanding about what kind of place we're stuck in.
But I was unconscious when I came here… do you know how much time has passed since
then?”
Shidou restlessly crooked his brows and enquired such. When he and the others had first
arrived there, they were in route to Ratatoskr. If they blindly squander away their precious time,
Ratatoskr’s base would probably be ravaged by either Mukuro from the cosmos or DEM’s
devilish claws until practically nothing remained. As if she noticed Shidou’s anxieties, Nia gently
unfolded his clenched palms to soothe his uneasiness.
“Well, haste brings no success. Boy, you need to calm down at a time like this. The flow of time
is slower in this world, nothing major should happen in a short while.”
“I-Is that so?”
Her words gave his mind some peace. Nia resumed her speech.
“Though that'd be great, we still haven't found a way out or any prerequisites for that, so we
shouldn't be too relaxed.”
“That's right, I almost forgot. How are we supposed to get out of here?”
Nia crisscrossed her hands on her chest, troubled by the sudden question.
“Well… the only surefire method is to get Westcott to reopen the passageway with
<Beelzebub>, but…”
“Hmm…”
Shidou exposed a cumbersome expression. There was no way that he and the others could
entrust their hopes to the very foe that had captured them. First and foremost, even if Westcott
wanted to liberate them for some reason, it would only be after he had achieved all of his selfish
objectives.“Besides that… we have no other choice but to seek a character that's able to smash this world
from the inside. Either one of those protagonists that only come on stage in fairy tales, or
possibly an omnipotent superhero…”
“Does someone like that even exist?”
“Yeah, this world consists of all kinds of monogataris mingled together, be it ancient or modern.
I'm not sure which one has that type of role, but even if there is one, don’t you think that he will
be willing to lend us his power readily.”
Shidou pursed his eyebrows carelessly towards Nia’s statement. He was completely unaware of
how absurdly broad that world was - it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Yet, Shidou
was unable to stay still and plainly do nothing. He poured out a light breath, raising his head
decisively.
“In short, we should find everyone else first. Kotori and the others must have been sent flying to
somewhere here too.”
“Un, that's about it.”
“In that case, let's begin. It'd be meaningless to return if everyone isn't here.”
Shidou said that resolutely as the others nodded in endorsement. However, Tohka awkwardly
hugged her chest with both hands.
“But Shidou, how will we do that?”
“Um, that's…”
Shidou was at a loss for words to reply her. As a policy, it was the right thing to do. But frankly,
he hadn't the slightest clue as to how. Shidou vexingly sank into deep thought. The wolf, which
had remained reticent up till then, was attentively listening to their heated conversation and
slowly raised its paw.
“About that, could it be that you're looking for your companions who came into this world
together with you?”
“Ah, that's correct.”
Shidou answered perplexedly to the courteous wolf which had undergone a total personality
change just a few moments ago. The wolf haughtily thumped its chest in pride and continued.
“Then this nose of mine may come in handy. With regards to this world, you guys are foreigners
with a unique smell. I can sniff out this peculiar odor and follow its traces.”
“R-Really?”
“Rather competent eh, wolf.”Tohka’s facial expression brightened with vivid liveliness as she petted its furry head. The wolf
certainly regarded the person who had fed it a dumpling as its master, barking cheerfully.
“Saa, we should get a move on and set out. Although it's meager, I sense something in a small
town north of here.”
“We'll depend on you then.”
Shidou forced strength into both feet and shakily stood up. But due to excessive usage, his
exercised legs soon toppled over after a split second of frailty.
“Otto-to…”
“A-Are you okay, Shidou?”
“Aah I'm fine, just a bit tired.”
Hearing Shidou’s words, the wolf felt a twinge of guilt and curved down its ears.
“Truly sorry, it's my fault. Let me transport little pig-san as an apology.”
“There's no need to go that far.”
“No no, don't worry about it. Come, please enter my mouth. I'm the type that swallows my prey
whole and doesn't bite. I'll regurgitate you when we arrive, don't worry.”
“........”
Shidou could only shake his head in silence towards such an unduly frightening offer.
♢♢♢
“....-ri! Kotori!”
“..... no… such thing.”
Under her ever fading consciousness, Kotori’s frail ears heard a nostalgic voice. Nevertheless,
her body was unable to detect any sufficient stimulus, and it wasn't limited to only her physical
body. Even the cognition of her brain was incapable of issuing a response. The only thing that
governed Kotori’s sleepy body at that time was profound drowsiness. Her cold hands and feet
were frostbitten until she couldn't even feel them anymore. If she were to surrender to the
unyielding demon of sleep then, it would be unlikely for her to wake up ever again. Although this
especial point was well understood in her wavering mind, Kotori couldn't surge up any
meaningful effort to resist. Only a thin sliver of withering awareness remained in her, and it was dropping little by little into the bottomless void of slumber, like tiny grains of sand in an
hourglass.
“Ah Shidou, good timing. Kotori’s out cold!”
“Request. This is extremely dangerous. Please carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation.”
“...Uah, fondling her chest right from the start. Truly brave.”
“Disregard. A little won't matter in urgent situations like this. Please engage directly.”
“...W-W-What are you doing!!”
Kotori yelled unbearably as she felt her two breasts being kneaded. She instantly opened her
eyes in surprise, only to discover that the person passionately fondling her chest wasn't her
dear brother Shidou, but two girls with identical faces.
“What are you doing…? Kaguya, Yuzuru,”
Kotori asked with half a glance. They looked at each other and immediately turned to Kotori.
They were wearing simple and crude clothing and carried some sizable luggage. Although their
outfits were alike, Kaguya was wearing short pants whereas Yuzuru was wearing a skirt. Their
physiques and hairstyles were similar, augmenting the fact that they were born as twins.
“Kuku, we’ve deceived you good, Kotori.”
“Agreement. Shidou’s name awakens you with great efficacy through the power of love.”
The two girls who had been massaging Kotori’s bosom up till then unhurriedly wandered their
fingers. Kotori suddenly brushed them off and attempted to stand up, only to collapse onto the
ground in exhaustion.
“A-Anything wrong?”
“Worry. You appear to be fully debilitated.”
“....Of course I'm weak.”Kotori exhaled a foggy breath and weakly gazed at the wretched condition of her surroundings.
Their current location was one that only showed up in fairy tales, an ordinary street in a foreign
country. The problem, however, did not lie there, but in the treacherous climate. As far as her
eye could see, everything was pure white. The endless snow had dyed the entire scene in a
fluffy blanket of silvery white. Under the harsh weather, Kotori only wore simple and crude
clothing, without any decent barrier against the icy winter cold. It was inevitable for her body to
be weakened. She peered inside the frosted basket in her hands, and encountered a pile of
soggy matches.
“Really… I look like The Little Match Girl.”
“The Little Match Girl?”
“Enquiry. What is that?”
The twins inclined their heads in the same direction and Kotori replied with a minor sigh.
“It's a children's story written by Andersen. A poor girl tries to sell matches in the street in the
winter, but couldn't sell even a single match. Unable to tolerate the frigid cold, the girl ignited the
matches to warm herself…. *achu*” 3Kotori sneezed halfway through her storytelling. Although she was painstakingly revived by the
Yamai sisters, her dire situation hadn't improved much compared to before.
“A change of place seems proper. ‘Tis much cold-seasoned.”
“Consent. We must evade the snow somewhere else.”
Kaguya and Yuzuru firmly pulled onto Kotori’s hands as if supporting her shoulders upright, and
trampled across the unimpeded snowfield. After numerous minutes had elapsed, the three
finally arrived at a narrow, cramped alley. Naturally, the cold was still present everywhere, but
that place was a disposal site for waste scraps so there weren't any gusts of freezing wind
blowing through. Thanks to the many overhead roofs of the condensed buildings, the snowfall
couldn't accumulate on the tundra-like ground.
“Indoors would be preferable, but we ought to make do with this alternative.”
“Approval. If only we had a fire.”
Yuzuru said while looking into Kotori’s basket as she realized a brilliant idea. Kotori, who
already knew what Yuzuru was thinking of, reciprocated by extracting a box of matches from the
basket in her hands.
“Though this is merchandise, I can't do anything about it so allow me to use it like the little
match girl did.”
Kotori declared as she took out a match from the box.
“By the way, the story's incomplete. What did the girl do after that?”
“Ah that….”
Kotori struck the match against the side of the box for friction and the tip burst into flames. The
next moment, faintly discernable hallucinations of lukewarm soup, roasted chicken and various
other delicacies drifted in the finite space illuminated by the fire.
“Waa, what is this sorcery?!”
“Astonishment. Cuisine appeared out of nowhere.”
The Yamai sisters widened their eyes, astounded. Kotori was no exception. Although she was
placed in the little match girl's position, Kotori didn't expect to view such phenomena. But the
match could only burn for that long. After all, the puny flame could only last for mere seconds
and soon died out, along with all the delicious illusions.
“Ah… it vanished.”
“Wonder. What an unthinkable event. Is there an ingredient in the match that can incur these
imaginations?”“I don't think it's related to that….”
Kotori grinned wryly. Kaguya was exuberantly captivated by the remaining matches.
“Then did the story proceed this way?”
“Ah well… the girl lit the matches after that, and saw visions of the happiness she never had.
She passed away peacefully the next morning.”
“Eh… how did it become so sad?”
“Suggestion. If so—”
Yuzuru thought of something and quickly gathered a few pieces of timber from the recesses of
the road to construct an impromptu bonfire.
“Request. Kotori, ignite this.”
“Eh? Alright.”
Kotori hurriedly scraped a match and kindled the disused wood. The previously unreliable spark
soon turned into a robust fire. As if in direct proportion to the flame, the scenes of dainty
delicacies manifested once again like an infinite supply of recherché food, a nice and warm
stove, and the image of a gently smiling Shidou.
“Uwaah, a mirage?! It looks so lifelike!”
“Amazement. Even Shidou is here, sure enough he responded to Kotori’s heart.”
“S-Shut up... forget it. Thank goodness we're warm.”
Using the matches to arbitrarily light a bonfire somehow violated the sullen atmosphere of the
little match girl, but survival required sacrifice. No matter how joyous or morose a story was,
playing the main character and freezing to death under the snow wasn't worthwhile. For the
sake of retaining her body temperature, Kotori thrust her stiff hands above the bonfire and her
numb fingers regained their sense perceptions at last. As if in concert, her mourning stomach
furtively let out a low-pitched grumble.
“Hm? Kotori, are thou famished?”
Kaguya asked with concern, causing Kotori’s cheeks to blush red with bashfulness.
“Kuh…. What can I do, it's so cold… If only I could eat these.”
Kotori yearned as she extended her emaciated hand towards the fluttering images. However,
the optical illusions were only virtual images, so Kotori could only clutch the airy nothingness
futilely.“Should’ve expected this much…”
Kotori muttered to herself with unreconciled dissatisfaction. Simultaneously, Kaguya clapped
her hands while theorizing a sudden notion.
“Hey, Yuzuru that stuff from before.”
“Eureka. We do possess that.”
“What is it?”
Kotori wrinkled her eyebrows utterly baffled by the twins’ synchronized exchange. Afterwards,
Kaguya and Yuzuru advertently unfolded the bulky luggage that they had subtly carried along
with them, revealing a mysterious item to Kotori.
“This is….!”
Kotori was completely overwhelmed with awe, flabbergasted as expected. The reason was
simple. What Kaguya and Yuzuru had taken out from the bags on their back was a colorful
variety of gingerbread biscuits, sugary sweets and pastries galore.
“You two, where did you get these?”
“Hm? I hath awakened with Yuzuru inside the forsaken Schwarzwald. Together we explored
athwart the cursed Black Forest, and encountered the devil's candy abode.”4
“Explanation. Due to hunger, we fetched a portion of the house's walls and roof.”
“Wha….”
Kotori was incessantly stupefied at their intricate descriptions, but she could comprehend their
circumstances were reasonably similar to hers.
“So that's how it is. You two are Hansel and Gretel.”
“Hansel and what?”
“Doubt. Gretel?”
Towards the twins’ discombobulation, Kotori nodded in affirmation.
“Yeah. It's another fairy tale. A pair of siblings that were abandoned by their stepmother and
afterwards they discovered a candy-coated house in a forest. Anyway, did the both of you find
anyone living there?”
Questioned by Kotori, they seemingly recalled the sequence of events which had occurred and
confirmed her uncertain suspicions.“Come to speak of it, an elderly dame resided there and beckoned us to enter forthwith. The old
frailty seemed rather dubious; hence we paid her no heed.”
“Concurrence. Then, she got enraged and chased after us furiously.”
“Kaka, that wretch of a cur stood no chance against the likes of us Yamai!”
“Authentication. Kaguya was so frightened that she wet herself when she saw the witch's
viciousness, and cried like a baby while running.”
“I did no such thing!!”
“.......”
Listening to their casual remarks caused Kotori to smile, albeit forcefully. Hansel and Gretel
were successfully deceived and captured by the wicked witch in the original story, but for those
two twins, there wasn't anything worth worrying about.
“Well… what's important is that you're fine. May I have some of those?”
“Of course, eat as much as you desire.”
Thus, Kaguya straightened out her chest and handed over some light refreshments to Kotori, to
which she gratefully accepted. Kotori blissfully placed a wide range of high-calorie edibles such
as chocolate chip cookies and honeyed doughnuts in her waiting mouth, chewing on their
sugary goodness. Although these sweet treats were commonly regarded as a girl's natural
enemy, they were a dependable source of sustenance and energy in Kotori’s bleak situation.
Kotori could vibrantly experience the mild, mouthwatering sensation of the starchy sugar melting
in the depths of her mouth, pure sweetness was diffusing throughout her taste buds. At the
same time, her entire body permeated with rejuvenation, her limbs nourished by the nutritious
carbohydrates.
“Oh, sure wish there's a lollipop somewhere in here… No, I shouldn't say such extravagant
words.”
“I see it. I see a stick I shouldn't be seeing…!”
“Amazement. An illusory lollipop.”
Kotori couldn't help but grimace at the two's exaggerated reactions.
“What are you two saying…? Well thanks for saving me, Kaguya, Yuzuru.”
“Kaka, mind not. ‘Tis nothing for us Yamai.”
“Consent. We ought to mutually assist each other in times of need.”As the twins leisurely expressed their intimate camaraderie whilst softly giggling, Kotori lightly
scratched her chin in awkward embarrassment.
“Be that as it may, we aren't far off from where we started. What the hell is this world…. are we
really trapped inside a book?”
The very last memory they could faintly recollect was of the fierce confrontation against
Westcott at Ratatoskr’s secret base, and being ruthlessly engulfed within the phantasmal pages
of a gigantic book afterwards. That was undoubtedly one of the Demon King <Beelzebub>’s
diabolical abilities. But they were still clueless and unaware of where they were currently
situated in, along with their current circumstances.
“In short, we need to find a way back.”
Kotori summarized briefly as Kaguya crisscrossed her svelte arms on her chest.
“Easier said than done. What's our plan?”
“That's… unknown. But since we've been thrown into this world, the others should also be here.
For the time being, let's rendezvous with everyone else first before we come up with a
strategy—”
Kotori’s sentence was abruptly interrupted. Discrete sounds of horse-drawn carriages traversing
through the road's gateway reached their ears from that direction, in addition to the informal
chattering of pedestrians.
“.....Today's carts are plenty eh, what goes on?”
“Haven't you heard? A banquet’s to be convened at the royal palace to announce a certain
fellow.”
“Some fellow? What merits that, some king's bastard offspring?”
“Nah… a servant at the palace I know says that someone had stumbled upon a legendary
mermaid and wants to offer her to the King. The King plans to hold a ball and unveil the
mermaid there.”
“Mermaid? In your dreams… Since when did something like that exist?”
“It's true! It looks like the mermaid keeps singing ‘Darling, Darling’.”
“.......”
Hearing that conversation, Kotori and the others stared at each other with blank deadpan faces.
“...What do you think?”
“Um, uh…”“Predicament. That mermaid seems rather familiar.”
After several seconds of silence, the three unconsciously stood up altogether.
♢♢♢
At Fraxinus’ bridge, a warning alarm which signified an emergency situation rang throughout the
room.
An urgent scene, captured by a surveillance camera, was clearly displayed on the large LCD
screen. A sketched schematic map of Ratatoskr’s base which was marked with a multitude of
flashing red dots was shown on the monitor, inciting chaos amongst the disordered crew
members.
“Although the aerial bombs have stopped, it seems like a gunfight has broken out at the base!”
“DEM Industries’ wizards’ and numerous Bandersnatches’ signals have been confirmed there.”
“Where's the Commander and the others?!”
“She isn't responding even though we've been trying to contact her several times!”
“How did this happen! Aaaaaaa, my shenmisiti-sama!”
The entire bridge was filled to the brim with the crew's laments and howls. On a side note,
Nakatsugawa placed a figurine of one of his waifus which was supposed to be strictly prohibited
on the panel as a decoration, devotedly praying to the statuette with his palms closed as if it
was an image of God.
But that was a matter of course. From Ratatoskr’s intelligence, DEM Industries’ warships had
appeared above their base and launched an all-out attack. To Fraxinus’ crew members, who
were conducting maintenance for an operation in space, the assault was like being hit at their
flanks without prelude. To the many mechanics that were doing onsite reparations, it was
completely unexpected as well.
“Hu… Hu…”
One of the members of the team, Shiizaki Hinako, attempted to temporarily calm her fervent
heartbeat down by placing her hands on her chest and suppressing the intense rhythm.
However, the more she thought of calming down, the faster and more violently her heart pulsed.
Then, the characters 《MARIA》 appeared on each of their personal monitors.
“Eh?”Hinako rounded her eyes in surprise as she heard Fraxinus’ AI, Maria’s voice from her
automation console’s speaker.
『Please calm down, Hinako. You will lose if you are more afraid than the enemy during a time
like this. Relax, follow your training. No problem, you are outstanding and I am aware of that the
most.』
“T-That… Roger.”
Hinako whispered dazedly towards Maria’s sincere advice. Attentively observing the
surroundings, the other crew members seemed to be in the same boat. Their respective
monitors brightened up, and conversed with them as if to console them. Everyone was as
astounded as Hinako, but they all retrieved cool heads in the end. As if in harmony with the
situation, Vice Commander Kannazuki’s voice reverberated throughout the bridge.
“Really. Like Maria said, keep your cool everyone. Where's the notification from the base?”
“Roger! After locating Fraxinus’ Commander Itsuka and Shidou-kun, along with the Spirits, we'll
begin the operation for <Zodiac>!”
“Hm, very well. We will complete preparations prior to Commander's and the others’ return, and
also defend this place.”
Kannazuki instructed in a composed manner, to which the crew answered ‘Understood’ with a
deep breath.
However.
The next moment.
An explosion louder than before shook the whole bridge.
“Kuh…! This is…?!”
Kawagoe shouted as the monitor displayed a visual of outside Fraxinus. Innumerable
Bandersnatches and wizards equipped with CR-units could be confirmed from the warehouse. It
appeared that the enemy had finally arrived there.
“Base lower ground has been shot! Although damages are minor, the enemy's wizards have
already invaded Fraxinus’ interior!”
The crew felt the engines shudder.
“Damn it! If we don't retaliate at once…!”“But if a battle occurs in the warehouse—”
The entire bridge roused into a confused uproar, only to sink into silence when Kannazuki
clapped his hands.
“I have a countermeasure. Maria, deploy the ship's Territory, limit the scope to 50, and define its
attribute to obstruct any production of magical power.”
『Understood. Initializing Realizer basis. Deploying Territory.』
As Maria commenced the processes, feeble sounds of subjugation resounded from inside the
warship and an invisible Territory spread out around the ship. In an instant, the numerous
Bandersnatches inside the warehouse suddenly collapsed, like puppets having their strings
detached.
“The Bandersnatches!”
“Aah, utilizing our Territory neutralized their magical power sources, essentially rendering them
inactive.”
“A-As expected of Vice Commander!”
Mikimoto gave out a praise, to which Kannazuki preserved a conscientious expression instead
of a complacent one.
“However.”
Simultaneously, another explosion rocked the whole bridge.
“This only blocks Territories. It's meaningless against fleshy humans and metal bullets.”
“Wha….”
“Then what's the use!” cried the crew.
The next moment, a *boom* blasted the bridge's door open, and several wizards wearing linear
armor with firearms in hands entered the room.
“All personnel, hands above your heads!”
“Any suspicious movements and we'll shoot!”
“Gaaah!?”
Confronted by the unexpected series of events, Hinako couldn't refrain from uttering her
grievances with hands held aloft. The other crew members obeyed the enemies’ directives too, following suit. The wizards inspected the state of affairs and eyed at each other, speaking in low
whispers.
“Heh~ So this is the legendary Fraxinus?”
“The warship that even Arbatel couldn't shoot down now stifled by us three, this truly deserves
some merit. Westcott-sama will be greatly pleased.”
“Don't get too full of yourselves, you two. Rather than speaking about useless stuff, tie them up
and turn off the ship's AI.”
The words were uttered by man who appeared to be their captain. The other two immediately
obeyed.
“Saa, I'll be binding you then. Don't worry, Westcott-sama fancies you a lot, he won't do
anything bad to you.”
The wizard inattentively held his gun and approached the closest hostage, Hinako, grabbed her
hands and pushed her onto the floor.
“Ah….!”
“Don't resist. I've been told to capture you alive if possible.” The wizard's tone was unrelenting.
“....ch.”
At that moment, a huge tiger's head appeared from above Hinako and roared thunderously at
the wizard.
“Uaaah?!”
The wizard was staggered by the sudden manifestation of the tiger's stature, and gave out a
stunned yell while pulling the trigger on his gun. Yet the bullet just went through the tiger and hit
the wall, recoiling off hoarsely. By then he had finally realized that the tiger was just a
holographic hologram.
“Wha….?!”
The remaining two wizards’ attentions were also drawn by the tiger, to the extent that they
believed Kannazuki had covertly escaped. The wizard that was startled by the faux animal
projection let out a dejected wail and toppled backwards as he lost balance.
“Eh….? Ah—”
Without delay, Kannazuki instantly grasped the favorable turn of events, at a rate that even the
naked eye could not discern, and kicked the wizard's lower jaw with his leg.
“Well done, Maria. I'll clean your motion unit as a reward.”『Disgusting, Kannazuki.』
Maria replied to Kannazuki’s commendation with a cold shoulder. The dumbfounded wizards
aimed the muzzles of their guns at him as they regained composure, albeit sluggishly.
“You little….!”
“Don't resist….!”
Just before their fingers pressed the triggers…
“Ah… Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Nakatsugawa’s sorrowful mourning echoed throughout the bridge.
“W-What happened?!”
His sudden anguished lamentation caused the wizards to redirect their weapons in his direction,
though Nakatsugawa was not in the least concerned about that and resumed choking with sobs.
At the center of his palm, the cause of his weeping could be perceived. Due to unusually bad
luck, the bullet which previously ricocheted had found its way to the object currently in
Nakatsugawa’s palm, destroying its upper body.
“Curse you… Curse you curse you curse you!! How dare you do this to my Misty!!!”
Nakatsugawa shed tears of blood as he impetuously charged at the wizard who was pointing a
gun at him, full of fury and resentment. Politely speaking, Nakatsugawa’s body wasn't really
slim, he could still be considered as a human projectile, literally.
“Kuh….?!”
The wizard took aim at him and pulled the trigger, the bullet puncturing Nakatsugawa’s shoulder
as blood spurt out. But he couldn't feel any dread or agony and kept charging whilst fueled by
his rage until he knocked the wizard down onto the floor.
“Kuheh!”
The wizard's head forcefully collided with the hard surface, eliciting a cry of acute pain. Yet
Nakatsugawa still didn't cease his relentless assault at that point, crushing the wizard with his
body weight as he began to beat him up.
“Gaaaaah!”
“I —puuhh…”There was no great distinction between an ordinary person and a wizard who had his Territory
disabled. The one who was being rode by Nakatsugawa desperately shielded his sore head
with his hands. Seeing this, the last wizard aligned his gun to Nakatsugawa’s body. The
distance between them was approximately a mere 10 meters; moreover, Nakatsugawa was a
stationary target. An experienced wizard could easily hit the bullseye with extremely high
accuracy.
“Uu!”
In a flash, Hinako reached into her bosom to fish out a voodoo doll, and quickly recited a highspeed
chant whilst firmly gripping onto the doll.
“Uaaah!?”
The wizard who had a gun in his hand consequently issued an intriguing voice, as if cursed by
Hinako’s dark arts. Kannazuki couldn't let go of that opportunity to exploit the wizard's
momentary weakness and swiftly advanced towards him, kicking the gun in his hand away. His
offensive did not end there, as he used his arm to vigorously strangle the wizard's neck until he
fainted from the lack of oxygen.
Converting to the exact duration, the whole procedure didn't even take an estimate of three
minutes. Within that short period of time, the crisis that had arisen in Fraxinus was addressed
and dealt with accordingly.
“Ha, that's sorted out now.”
Kannazuki said that as he flexed his wrists. Everyone other than Nakatsugawa breathed a sigh
of relief.
“Ha….I thought we were doomed.”
“This is bad for my heart… Ah Nakatsugawa-kun, that guy's unconscious already so you can
stop now.”
Minowa told Nakatsugawa, as he tearfully whimpered and relinquished.
“Uu, Misty…. I'm sorry, Misty….”
As if he finally remembered that his shoulder had been severely wounded by a bullet,
Nakatsugawa yelled in pain while rolling on the floor.
“Ahh my shoulder! It hurts! Uaah! Uaah!”
“Geez, don't move around so much! Analyst Murasame, can I leave him in your care?”
“Ah, I'll stop the bleeding. It seems that the shoulder blade has been fractured. A medical
Realizer should do the trick. Remove your jacket first.”
Reine began emergency treatment of Nakatsugawa’s injury. Suddenly, Maria spoke.
『Everyone, good work. Please retrieve the wizards’ weapons and Realizer units while they are
still unconscious, and restrain them. Also, Nakatsugawa and Shiizaki.』“W-What’s the matter?”
The two people who had their names unexpectedly called lifted their heads with curiosity. Maria
continued in her monotonous voice.
『I have come to realize the strategic implications of figurines and dolls. I shall review whether
or not to permit such objects in the bridge.』
♢♢♢
“Achoo! Achoo!”
Towards Nia who repeatedly sneezed in an unladylike demeanor without any fair virtue, Shidou
merely forced a wry smile.
“Hehe, are you alright?”
“As if. What's up with this place…? It's so cold…”
As she complained, Nia buried her head in her long black coat and securely buttoned the lapels.
Her actions were understandable, as Shidou and the party had navigated through a hazardous
mountain range with fortitude under the kind wolf's altruistic guidance. But as they arrived at the
destined small town, the season, the weather, and even the very concept of time significantly
transformed in a split second. A silvery white sheet of snow had covered the entire settlement,
and the darkening sky had already begun to dusk. The solitary path was dimly illuminated by a
few streetlamps, creating a picturesque scene which amply resembled an aesthetic painting.
Such a landscape was one that solely existed within an amalgamation of incongruously unique
monogataris.
“Hey Boy, do you still have your animal costume?”
“Not anymore. Aren't you wearing an overcoat yourself? Tohka and Yoshino, are you two doing
alright?”
“Un, I'm fine.”
“No p-problem, I'm used to the cold.”
As the other two nodded in reply, Nia exaggeratedly sneezed again.
“So cold, dammit. Let's find imouto-chan fast and go somewhere warm…”
“Right. About that… according to the wolf, the scent is coming from that castle there.”
Shidou shifted his line of sight to the great castle located deep in the recesses of the street. The
wolf, who was conveniently leading their way, had parted ways with the group before they
collectively entered the residential district. No matter how, it was simply too conspicuous to
bring an oversized animal into the town just like that. It would stir up an unwanted commotion
throughout the place. As a matter of fact, a number of townspeople and freelance travelers were
already allured by the strangely dressed Shidou and the others rather clandestinely, like they
were otherworldly foreigners on the qui vive. After all, they were an alienated crowd of people with unlike outlooks and nationalities compared to what the norm was there. Although the
denizens and townsfolk could somehow relate, there was always an explicit sense of discomfort
and unease amongst them which lead to Shidou’s and the others’ anathematization, vilifying
them as if they were their bête noire.
“In short, let's head to that castle. We don't have any other clues anyway.”
Everyone separately expressed their approval regarding Shidou’s suggestion. He nodded back
to them, and resolutely strode onwards on the main road. ——Not knowing how long they had
walked for, Shidou and the others soon halted their footsteps as they arrived at the preordained
castle. The reason was simple. Some sort of dispute had occurred in front of the castle.
“That's….”
Shidou gazed at that place from a safe distance. It would appear that a man who seemed to be
the guardian of the castle's gate was being forcedly interrogated by three demanding young
girls. They looked like—
“Kotori! Kaguya! Yuzuru!”
Shidou called out the girls’ names, and the trio instantly turned back in response.
“Shidou! Are you okay…. why are you guys in those clothes…?”
Kotori’s expression deviated as she observed their outfits while Shidou quickened his pace as
he ran towards his dear sister.
“I'm glad you're okay too… What happened here?”
“As you can see, someone in the castle knows of a mermaid.”
Kaguya responded as she folded her hands in discontent.
“Mermaid?”
“Aah, a rare critter that keeps singing ‘Darling, Darling’.”
“I-I see….”
Shidou, while perspiring profusely, was convinced he knows that mermaid.
“However, this idiotic excuse for a guard right here doesn't understand human speech.”
“Contempt. He won't let Yuzuru and I enter the castle.”
The soldier put on a solemn face towards the Yamai sisters’ words.
“No way am I letting you rascals in! A prestigious ball is being held in the castle today for
noblemen and the highly privileged elite. Shabby commoners like you aren't allowed any entry!”
“What did you say with those crippled lips of yours?! How dare a lowly wretch like you ignore my
overflowing magnanimity?!”“Indignation. Judging someone by their looks is utterly disrespectful.”
“Go to hell! That new guy over there looks even more suspicious! Get lost or I'll throw you
bastards in jail!!”
The guard’s voice became more boorish as he waved his hand as if to usher Kotori and the
others away. His distrust had grown exponentially with Shidou’s and the others’ arrival.
“If this goes on, we won't be able to get in the castle.”
“But we can't just go in like this. Want to try to sneak in?”
“No, making the guard pass out is faster.”
“Agreement. Good idea.”
While Kotori and the Yamai sisters discussed their mischievous acts, the guard’s temper went
from bad to worse.
“I heard everything, you group of vile criminals! That's enough. Guards—”
At that moment, the sounds of travelling carriages could be heard from the back, and the guard
couldn't help but stop his sentence abruptly while widening his eyes in shock.
“Hm?”
Shidou felt a cold chill down his spine and looked behind his back, acquiring realization of the
guard’s agitated chagrin. Galloping gracefully on the main road leading to the royal castle was a
majestic carriage which was drawn by knightly horses with sparkling white fur and had a
resplendent chariot that gloriously bathed under the sublime incandescence of the streetlamps.
It was as if the light vehicle had emerged from a fantastical portal to the dream world. Shidou
and the Spirits who intently stared at the ethereal proceedings were being thoroughly captivated
in absolute silence. With all eyes focusing on it, the carriage’s wheels were slowly brought to a
fixed stop as it reached the gate. The coach driver then stepped down the cart and respectfully
opened the main compartment, revealing an elegant woman. She wore a ceremonious dress
with a gemstone-like radiance which only served to magnificently highlight her beautiful looks
that were not inferior in any aspect, in addition to her glittering glass heels. Under such holy
circumstances, the on looking guard, and all the invitees to the ball held their breaths in
admiration as if they had been graced by the presence of a goddess.
“Ah.”
But only Shidou and the others who originated from the outside world knew of her identity and
induced a response of familiarity. She was indeed very pretty, striving for everyone's attention.
But firstly, that girl was—
“Natsumi?!”
A Spirit who was also sucked into that world with Shidou and the others.
“Ara, Shidou, everyone, how are you?” Natsumi, who was wearing a gorgeous dress, greeted them. Although she was clearly Natsumi,
her proportions weren't of the normal Natsumi’s size. Her charming long hair was obviously
recreated by <Haniel>.
“What happened, Natsumi? That appearance… you are able to use your angel?!”
Kotori asked Natsumi, to which calmly shook her head in denial.
“Uun, a magician appeared before me and transformed my appearance. Pretty, right?”
Natsumi did a quick pirouette to show off her beauty, causing Shidou and Kotori to look to each
other as if they knew what the other was thinking. It looks like Kotori had theorized which fairy
tale Natsumi was involved in. On the other hand, Natsumi, the person in question, showed not
even the slightest care and merely faced the guard.
“Hello guard-san, can you let me in?”
“Yes madam! Please enter as you wish!”
In an attitude that was completely disparate from before, the guard cleared the way. Seeing this
preferential treatment, Kaguya pouted in dissatisfaction.
“You damn jerk! What's with your two-faced persona!?”
“S-Shut up! How can you compare to a noble like her?!” refuted the guard. As if she noticed
their current situation, Natsumi swayed her eyebrows.
“Ara, do Kaguya and everyone want to go in the castle too?”
“Aah, but this imbecile is blocking our way.”
“Hmm… is that so?”
Natsumi said that as she seductively used her finger to caress the guard’s chin.
“They're with me; can you let them in too?”
“Ha?! But that way…”
The guard uttered as he held his breath, intoxicated by Natsumi who mystifyingly relaxed her
lips.
“Ne~, please~”
“Alright, come in—”At that time, the giant clock precariously mounted on the castle's wall ringed a hymn as the hour
hand struck twelve. Accompanying the sounds of bells, Natsumi’s body gently emitted a pale
glow and diminished back to her normal size.
“Eh?!”
Not only did her body revert, but her dress also changed into patchy frayed clothing and the
carriage she had rode on turned into an orange pumpkin.
“Huh…. What's going on here?!”
Natsumi, whose height had shortened to about Yoshino’s, was flustered by the events, which
were unfolded contrary to her hopes, and examined herself. Shidou caught sight of the clock,
and immediately made the connection between Natsumi’s transfiguration and the current time.
The clock had struck midnight. In other words, it was time for Cinderella’s magic to expire.
“.....”
The guard who had been assailed by Natsumi just a few seconds ago once again exposed a
sinister expression, glaring at the miniature Natsumi. Frightened by him, Natsumi timidly hid
behind Yoshino.
“Bitch! How dare you deceive me with your repulsive witchcraft?! You're not passing through
over my dead body!!”The guard kept on staring at Natsumi with hostility, adamantly blocking the path to the castle. It
looked like the revelation only served to aggravate his already provoked guarding. But Shidou
couldn't just abandon all hope like that; therefore, he retreated a few steps back and conversed
with the others in a volume that was inaudible to the guard.
“This has become quite troublesome… We need to find a solution fast.”
“But… w-what are we supposed to do?”
Yoshino asked as she furrowed her eyebrows into an inverted V shape. Then, Nia raised her
finger with an *ah* interjection.
“What if we deal with him like how we took care of the wolf, by feeding him Momotaro’s
dumplings? Aren't those super effective against dogs, monkeys and chickens? Humans and
monkeys don't have many differences between them, so shouldn't it work?”
“No, even if it did, he's already marked us as suspicious. There's no way he'd eat something
from us. Will he let us in if we change our clothes into something more decent like what Natsumi
wore before?”
Kotori issued an astringent expression towards Shidou’s suggestion.
“But how will we get the dresses? Sorry but I don't even have a single penny on me. I almost
froze to death because of that. I only have some cakes and matches left—”
Kotori seemed to have thought of a method that just might work as she stopped her words and
held her chin.
“Un? What's wrong, Kotori?”
“...Everyone, can you come over here for a while?”
As she led everyone away from the castle's gate, the guard heaved a sigh of annoyance and
swung his arms like he was shooing a stray dog.
“Hey where are we going, Kotori?”
“Don't mind that, just come along.”
Kotori followed the road for a while and came across some vegetation which looked like thin
pieces of disused timber. She ripped the lower hem of her skirt off and rolled the fabric around
the chip of wood, ingeniously making a torch on the spot.
“That's…”
“If only I had some oil to dip this in… well this should last for some time,”
Kotori said that while shrugging her shoulders in disappointment. She then took out a single
match from the box in her other hand and chanted something with closed eyes, igniting the
torch. Kotori’s attire, after being shone by the flame, transformed into a bright scarlet dress.
“Uah! This is…!” Shidou exclaimed in awe. The Yamai sisters clapped their hands like an ovation.
“So that's how! The Little Match Girl’s mirages!”
“Comprehension. This indeed looks realistic.”
That being said, even Kaguya’s and Yuzuru’s clothing instantly transformed into splendiferous
dresses, full of elegance and grandeur. Not only had theirs, but all the Spirits under the torch’s
light had their attires beautified to the extent that they resembled rich nobles.
“Oh! Amazing!”
“So… beautiful.”
The Spirits each vociferated their astonishment loudly. Although they were unaware of the
mechanics of this phenomenon, it was enough to fool the guard’s eyes. However, Shidou’s
forehead was sweating anxiously when his vision fell upon himself.
“Why am I also wearing a dress…?”
That's right; even Shidou’s clothes had turned into a splendid skirt. There was even makeup put
on his face, and his hair length reached his waist. He appeared to be Shidou’s female
counterpart, Shiori-chan.
“I think a girl would be more likely to be granted entry to the ball that Cinderella was going to.
Isn't Prince-sama searching for a partner in marriage from the many aristocratic families? No
offense though.”
“Is that true?” enquired Shidou as if he was acting. Kotori nonchalantly replied with a usual *hai,
hai*.
“.....”
Although there were some unexpected mishaps, Shidou had no other choice. He deeply sighed
in earnest and followed Kotori to the royal castle with determination.