I don’t hate her…
How should I put it… When I was first adopted by the Itsuka family, I cried until the world went dark… Doesn’t that just prove how much I loved my mother?
And… some parts are already blurry, but I can still recall how gentle those arms that held me were, even now…
“Reine…”
There must have been some unavoidable reason for her to do that… If I had suffered a lot because of it, maybe I would hate her a little, but I’ve grown up healthy now, haven’t I…
“…Reine…”
Toward her… I probably only feel reluctance and guilt… If I had been more obedient back then, if I could have eased her worries more…
“Reine?”
Hearing a voice in her ear, the gaze fixed tightly on the boy’s lips wavered for a moment.
The earpiece blocking video and audio was on Shidou Itsuka’s side.
Kotori could still transmit sound to the analyst Murakumo Reine through her own emergency communication channel.
“Sorry…”
Supporting her swaying body as if about to collapse, Murakumo Reine murmured softly.
“Reine? Why are you suddenly apologizing??”
“Sorry…”
As if just coming back to her senses, this woman who always seemed on the verge of collapsing spoke with a hint of bitterness.
“…Mm… sorry, Kotori. I’m not in great shape. Could you repeat what you said earlier?”
“Ah… mm, it’s fine. Reine, you need to take care of yourself. It’s okay to sleep once in a while. Fraxinus matters can be left to Kannazuki for now.”
“I can’t sleep…”
The woman named Murakumo Reine held a record of thirty years without sleep—and still extending. This wasn’t a joke; even the girl knew it.
“Haa…”
Helpless against her friend’s insomnia, Kotori Itsuka sighed and spoke softly.
“…Did our family matters trouble you?”
“No, not at all… Rather, I’m very grateful to know this, Kotori.”
“You…”
The sound of a cup wall clinking against solid objects came through the earpiece.
Kotori Itsuka could already picture Reine filling her coffee cup to the brim with sugar and downing it without changing expression.
Her friend’s physical condition was a blind spot in Kotori’s knowledge—whether the insomnia or that astonishing sugar tolerance.
But since the other party felt fine, she couldn’t say much. She simply repeated what Reine had missed.
“You can turn the video and audio back on. This is our family business, after all—not good to bring into work. But it’s over now, so no need to keep the halftime break… And Fraxinus is probably getting rowdy, right?”
“…In a way, yes.”
Shifting her gaze from the boy, Murakumo Reine turned to look inside the command room.
Kannazuki Kyouhei—body bound with ropes, held down by Kawagoe and Nakatsugawa, being poked with needles on a straw doll by Chizaki while letting out strange screams—confirmed the girl’s words in a calm tone.
Thanks to Kannazuki’s sacrifice, no one objected to the earlier screen blackout.
This wasn’t just due to the masochist’s outburst; clearly, Kotori Itsuka was deeply trusted.
“I knew it… I’ll leave that side to you, Reine.”
Where her gaze landed was Princess, eating at a speed that even a big eater would find hard to match.
Under that bold yet adorably cute eating style due to her looks, Shidou Itsuka also let loose his appetite.
Seeing her favorite brother like this, had Kotori not already eaten a kids’ meal, she might have ordered a few more dishes.
Normally, unless necessary, Kotori Itsuka wouldn’t stay on Fraxinus often—mostly just sneaking up for a few Chupa Chups when cravings hit.
With the fixed living expenses sent by their foster parents and shouldering the Itsuka household budget, Shidou Itsuka wouldn’t skimp on his sister.
Whatever Kotori wanted to eat, Shidou would usually indulge her.
But now was public-funded eating time—rounded off, no less than a paid buffet.
Not eating until stuffed would feel like a waste.
A cool sensation pricked her cheek.
Kotori Itsuka shivered and turned around.
Her bright red ponytail slapped the arm Kyoumi had extended—judging by the motion, the other had just poked her face with a gloved fingertip.
“…W-What is it?”
In front of her was the spirit who had asked the question earlier.
She didn’t know what understanding the boy’s answer had sparked, but at least the girl no longer showed that intimidating aggression.
By that judgment, Shidou Itsuka had probably passed.
But that didn’t mean she was completely harmless. After all, she was a dangerous spirit with proactive attack tendencies.
Since Shidou chose to trust her, the vigilance duty fell to Kotori…
Well, personally, the girl didn’t dislike someone who could tell at a glance that she and her brother were well-matched—but the commander’s duty was here.
Forcing her slightly relaxed spirit—somewhat healed by the two’s eating manners—back to tension, under Kotori Itsuka’s watch, Kyoumi pushed the cup of fruit chocolate sundae (calorie-overload for a girl) toward her.
“I suddenly realized that forcing myself to finish this entire ice cream in this weather might kill me from brain freeze.”
With a matter-of-fact attitude, Kyoumi handed the other spoon to Kotori Itsuka.
“Help me eat some~”
Mid-April, not yet midspring.
Though occasional warm breezes blew, the weather was still cold.
The large sundae served was genuinely large.
For an ordinary person to force it all down in this weather, brain freeze would be minor—catching a cold wouldn’t be surprising.
…You’re the one who ordered the large cup!!
Kotori Itsuka wanted to say that, but Kyoumi had asked for two spoons from the start.
Perhaps she had considered this when adding the dessert and deliberately dragged her into it.
Kotori still had room, but ordering a new dish would be impossible to finish.
Just a bit of dessert…
Though Tohka looked like she had a big appetite, pushing leftover food to others wasn’t polite.
Kotori Itsuka wouldn’t do that to anyone but Shidou.
“No choice. Just a little bit…”
Dessert goes into a separate stomach—this saying had no scientific basis, but for a girl with no need to watch her figure, it was truth.
Figuring it out, she didn’t stand on ceremony.
The girl scooped into the thick cream chocolate, lifting half a strawberry into her mouth.
Her furrowed brows relaxed, eyes narrowing in enjoyment from the ample sugar and cool texture, showing a rather cute expression.
Her appetite greatly stirred by this beautiful scene, Kyoumi spooned up the cool dessert, enjoying the moment’s peace and reaching a conclusion in her heart.