Chapter 37: Declaration of War Before the Finale

“Calm down! Origami! Take a good look at this!” 

Fearing that the girl’s trembling hands would cause the rifle to misfire, Ryoko Kusakabe quickly pressed the slightly unusual device—the spirit power detector—against Origami Tobiichi’s cheek.

The girl stiffly turned her neck, directing her somewhat unfocused gaze toward her captain.

That gloomy expression gave Ryoko Kusakabe the uncomfortable feeling of being caught cheating…

No, what the hell am I even thinking?! 

I haven’t even been in a relationship!

A black line slid down her forehead. 

Ryoko moved the device a little farther away so Origami’s line of sight would fall on the displayed value instead of staring through her at the empty ground.

“?”

“…Exactly what you’re seeing. After Princess and your little boyfriend… uh… did that? Though I also doubted my own eyes for a moment, the spirit power detector really shows no reaction from her anymore… So it seems that uniform earlier was her Divine Raiment in disguise. If we had attacked rashly, it probably would have been blocked.”

“So?”

“I don’t know what method he used, but a Princess with undetectable spirit power should have physical strength not much different from a human’s. In that case… just bear with it a little longer. Maybe the other two spirits can also have their spirit power removed by him. That way, we’d have an even greater chance of killing the spirits, right?”

“…There are still two left?”

“…” 

I know you’re under a lot of pressure, but stop staring at me like that! What does your young people’s love drama have to do with me??

Only after staring at Ryoko Kusakabe until she felt uneasy all over did Origami Tobiichi finally look away. 

She re-raised the CCC, which was more heavy sniper than rifle, and her fingers stopped trembling.

“…Shidou’s chastity will be protected by me.”

“…Hey?”

“It must be the spirits forcing Shidou to do such things. I have to protect him.”

“…Wait a second, there’s more going on—”

“Haa… I had planned to wait a little longer for you, but since Metatron (Seraphic Armor) is already out, I can’t just let her go back unsatisfied.” 

Kyoumi exhaled, slowly pushing Tohka, who was behind her, forward. 

The girl’s body began to rise.

“Kyoumi…?”

More precisely, mechanical carapace began emerging between her boots, assembling into ferocious-looking war armor on her lower limbs.

Dark purple radiance extended to her elbows, forming massive “claws.”

Impossible to forget—that outfit, that beast-like pressure.

It was the very form that had nearly taken Shidou Itsuka’s life just yesterday, and for the girl, it also represented the countdown to 【disappearance】.

“The sun is about to set…” she murmured, announcing her impending action. 

“My time… is always so short…”

“What do you mean, Kyoumi?!” 

Unlike Tohka’s confusion, Kotori Itsuka vaguely sensed something. 

She lowered the hand that had been touching her earpiece and canceled the order for the crew to send clothes down for Tohka.

It was hostility directed at her—clear enough that simply sensing it led to the unavoidable conclusion.

“…Didn’t I say it before? If bearing your spirit power becomes too much, it’s fine to vent a little.”

“Hah? Pulling this stunt right before disappearing? I’m not in the mood to play along!” 

Despite saying she didn’t want to, Kotori Itsuka’s expression unavoidably turned ugly.

“…Do you really think you can suppress 【that】 without using spirit power? The longer you hold it in, the worse it gets.” 

With no intention of hiding from the others, Kyoumi leaned forward slightly, assuming a starting stance. 

The twilight fell on those ferocious, sharp claws, casting an ominous dark red glow.

“Don’t act like you’re trying to help me! What do you know?! If I don’t suppress it—”

“You’ll stop being yourself? Or do you think that violent power will hurt the people around you? I acknowledge that Kotori is a beautiful girl, but pretending to be strong has its limits. Besides…”

“I already mentioned this to Shidou. You didn’t really think your suppression was perfect, did you?”

“You?! Shidou?” 

If there was news in the world she didn’t want to hear, this sentence would top Kotori Itsuka’s list right now. 

The girl looked at the boy in shock, while Shidou Itsuka took a deep breath and put on a resolute expression.

“…When Kyoumi dragged me out of the restaurant, she told me about the abnormality in Kotori’s spirit power… I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to bring it up, but…” 

Quickly stepping in front of the girl, Shidou Itsuka spread his arms like a mother hen protecting her chick, shielding Kotori behind him. 

“Please give me a little more time! I’ll resolve Kotori’s issue as soon as possible!”

“Then who’s going to give me time? Shidou, I don’t have much time left in this world. It’s good that my kin can be sheltered, but I don’t want any unstable factors remaining before I return next time.”

“…Wha? Hey?! What on earth are you all talking about?! Why did you suddenly manifest your Angel? Kotori looks weird too, Shidou!” 

Question marks practically filled Tohka’s head. 

She looked left and right, then stomped her foot in frustration.

“Kyoumi, you’re not allowed to bully Shidou! Sandalphon!”

“…Eh… How…?” 

No throne rose from the ground, no special effects fluttered. 

After Tohka’s stomp, nothing happened.

“Sandalphon! Sandalphon—Sandalphon!! Why won’t you come out?!”

“Because Tohka’s spirit power has already been sealed… Don’t worry, this isn’t bullying anyone. It’s also for your safety.” 

Stepping forward with heavy sounds, Kyoumi gently lifted Tohka, who had squeezed in to block the way, and set her aside. 

She looked down at the boy standing in her path. 

“If you still want to try sealing me next time, step aside, Shidou. Your sister will be fine.”

“There’s no way she’ll be fine!”

“Step aside, Shidou.” 

Kotori Itsuka pushed the boy away. 

Her middle school uniform had transformed into a feathered robe burning with flames.

“Kotori?!”

“Reine, retrieve Tohka and Shidou. Don’t let him interfere with what comes next.”

The analyst’s movements were unexpectedly swift. 

Before the boy could react further, he and Tohka were recovered into Fraxinus.

“…Kyoumi, do you really have a solution? You know, if I overuse my spirit power, I might not be able to stay rational. I could become something that’s no longer Itsuka Kotori…”

“I’m very strong, Kotori.”

“Hm?”

“Let it out without holding back, Kotori.” 

Scarlet light appeared in Kyoumi’s pupils. 

The massive claws lightly scraped together, producing a knife-sharpening sound. 

“Every time it comes out, I’ll beat it back until your spirit power is completely exhausted.”

“…Hah… What a simple and crude answer…”

“This spirit power reading is…?!”

“—Efreet!!!”