“What should we do, hmm~?”
Yuu Kagami tapped her lips with her fingertip, her eyes narrowing with a hint of mischief.
What a miscalculation…
I should’ve seen it coming the moment she started explaining.
This girl…
“What do you want to do?”
At first, Kotori Itsuka had felt a spark of excitement about conversing with a spirit, maybe even showing off her “dating skills” to Shidou.
But now, she was retracting that thought.
“Well, if it were up to me, I’d go over, have a quick chat to clear things up, and shoo this Princess who came for her date.”
“After all, the person she made the promise with is hiding in his turtle shell and won’t show up. Whether she’d have any further dealings with you all after being stood up isn’t my concern,” Yuu said with a light chuckle.”
“Her searing gaze seemed less directed at Kotori and more at the people behind her—those aboard Fraxinus.”
“What do you say, big brother who’s late for the date he promised?”
From the moment she confirmed Kotori was still wearing the communicator linked to Fraxinus and seemed convinced by the “worried family” excuse…
This girl’s target had been Shidou Itsuka, the “overprotective brother.”
Was it a petty retaliation for her date being disrupted by this brother, or another test of Fraxinus due to lingering wariness?
Whatever the reason, her move had achieved the desired effect.
Kotori could clearly sense the malice and amusement in that smile, as if this were merely a trivial prank to her.
…Perhaps to her, it really is just a prank.
The problem was on their side.
If Shidou stood Tohka up, there was no doubt Yuu would, as she said, use harsh words to sabotage his agreement with Tohka, rendering all his prior efforts meaningless.
Though Ratatoskr’s mission was to protect spirits, Kotori didn’t want Shidou getting close to ones as dangerous as this self-proclaimed Yuu Kagami.
When Shidou first approached Tohka, Kotori had confidently boasted from the airship that dying once or twice to win over a spirit was fine.
But after that battle, she’d realized something.
Even with her spiritual energy, Shidou wasn’t guaranteed absolute safety.
Broken limbs, pierced hearts, even a bullet to the head—she was certain her healing flames could save him.
But decapitation?
What then?
She couldn’t be sure and didn’t want to gamble.
Her insistence that Shidou stay on the airship to provide support wasn’t entirely free of her desire to avoid that risk.
Yet here it was, dragged back into the open.
“…Shidou, let’s pass this time. There’ll be other chances to meet Tohka.”
There was no need to hide it—the spirit beside her knew who she was talking to.
Kotori spoke softly, her words reaching the airship.
“No, if we miss this, there won’t be another chance!”
Her brother’s rebuttal came through the earpiece, stirring an inexplicable irritation in her.
Before she could respond, Reine’s voice sounded in her ear.
“Kotori, Tohka has spotted you.”
“What—?”
By all accounts, Princess wasn’t the type to approach humans or seek them out.
Even with her prior contact with Shidou, her wariness toward humans hadn’t diminished.
But there was a “familiar face” here she wouldn’t forget.
“You’re the one who took Shidou that day?!”
Kicking aside the rubble in her path, Tohka’s brows furrowed, her face visibly flushed with anger.
Crashing through the unsteady ground with a sonic boom, the unthinking Princess charged toward Yuu in an instant, her massive double-edged sword slashing downward.
BOOM—
Kotori’s eyes widened.
Not because she couldn’t keep up with Tohka’s speed or was shocked by her attack.
But because of what followed: Yuu, wielding a longsword in each hand to block the strike, had her blades shattered, her body sent flying five meters back, and stood up slightly disheveled.
How is that possible?!
Until now, Beast’s combat and destructive prowess had always outmatched Princess’s.
Even without using her Angel, how could a casual strike shatter her Divine Raiment and send her flying?
“Eh~ Even though Kotori invited me on this date, you’re not protecting me?”
The broken sword handles in Yuu’s hands dissolved into purple motes of light.
Despite her disheveled state, her face showed no surprise, as if this was all within her expectations.
“Who are you? Her accomplice?!”
After knocking Yuu back, Tohka seemed to notice Kotori for the first time.
She pointed Sandalphon at the girl with clear hostility but didn’t attack immediately, giving her a moment to respond.
“Accomplice? That doesn’t sound bad,” Yuu replied before Kotori could.
“But you’ve got it wrong. I’m here on a date with Kotori, and we’re both waiting for Shidou.”
Tohka swiftly redirected Sandalphon toward Yuu, the blade moving away from Kotori, who was close by.
Slightly uneasy, Tohka stepped back, her heels tapping the ground.
A majestic throne materialized, forming a wall between her and Kotori.
“Waiting for Shidou? A date?”
Only then did she start processing the familiar term.
Her skeptical gaze darted between Yuu and Kotori, hesitating.
“…”
Kotori couldn’t speak.
Any sudden move now would heighten Tohka’s unease, undermining Shidou’s previous efforts.
But arguing?
Kotori wasn’t confident she could outwit this unpredictable girl.
She glared at the increasingly irritating spirit with conflicted emotions.
Her irritation grew, an unnamed flame quietly burning in her eyes.
She wanted Shidou to show up and change the situation.
But she didn’t want Shidou to come, not when he’d be entering this dangerous area without protection.
“Don’t mess around! Shidou only promised to go on a date with me!”
Tohka snapped.
“That’s why I’m waiting for him too,” Yuu replied.
Tohka’s probing question was deftly deflected with calm assurance.
Even Tohka, seeing that confident expression, began to waver.
“Then tell me… what’s a date?”
“From what I know, it’s when a man and a woman agree to go out and have fun together.”
“A man and a woman… having fun…”
Though some terms were still unclear to her, Tohka’s sharp mind could at least distinguish between men and women.
Including herself, there were one, two, three—three women present.
By that logic, once Shidou arrived, it would indeed be a date.
“Is that how it works?”
But something felt off.
Tohka pondered, half-convinced.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m late, Tohka.”
A boy’s figure appeared as promised.