Tohka: Yes, I Still Haven't Appeared

If that day's date had been brief yet wonderful.

Woooooo—

Without any warning, the Spacequake alarm blared its Hibiki throughout the area.

The time was 5:20 p.m.

Shiori walked into the shadows with a grave expression and was teleported back to Ratatoskr's airship, the Fraxinus.

"Be careful, Shiori. This isn't a Spirit you're familiar with. She may be hostile toward you." Kotori sat in the captain's seat, a fruit-flavored lollipop in her mouth and a smile curling her lips.

"...!"

"The opponent is a Spirit. Failure means death." Kotori sounded serious, but she looked utterly at ease, without the slightest hint of panic, as though Shiori's life or death had nothing to do with her.

Noticing Shiori's nervous gaze,

"Don't worry." Kotori aimed the finished lollipop stick and mercilessly threw it at Kanazuki, who was striking poses before the screen and preparing to offer some remarks.

"Ah! The Commander's whip of love!" Kanazuki clutched his poked eye and slowly collapsed with an enraptured expression.

Kotori did not even glance at him. She continued expressionlessly, her tone carrying an almost cruel certainty:

"If it's my sister, even if she dies once, she'll immediately be reborn!"

What did that mean, Kotori? Before Shiori could make sense of it, she was teleported nearby.

Before her stood her own school campus. Just a few hours ago, that morning, it had still been a normal building where Shiori attended class and took notes as usual.

But now, it had become a series of broken walls, their cuts unbelievably smooth, leaving the desks and interiors within fully exposed.

Clearly, Shiori was not the sort of student who would cheer when her school blew up. A faint sadness filled her heart, only to fade away soon after.

Thanks to humanity's advances in Realizers, damage to buildings like this could be repaired in just a day or two.

Meanwhile, Qian Huanyue had also sprung into action. Before the alarm let out its Hibiki, she had bought a certain amount of soybean flour bread and stuffed it into her backpack.

Dressed in casual clothes, she looked like any ordinary student. Avoiding the crowd, she let the [Seraph of Thousand Blades] clear the way before leaping through space in a single bound.

The two girls, setting out from different places, rushed toward the same center of disaster.

As Shiori steadied herself amid the ruins, she turned and met a familiar figure's eyes—

"Wah!"

She nearly cried out.

Standing beside the noticeboard of the tilted mathematics building was Qian Huanyue, a bulging backpack slung over her shoulders.

Before Shiori could make a sound, Qian Huanyue covered her mouth.

"Shh—" Qian Huanyue raised a finger to her lips.

"Huanyue!" Shiori looked at her in delighted surprise, then scratched her cheek with slight embarrassment.

"Why are you here, Mr. Shido?"

"I... um..." Shiori stammered, taking half a step back.

Qian Huanyue narrowed her eyes halfway and folded her arms, looking as though she would make Shiori regret it if she did not explain herself.

Inside Ratatoskr's Fraxinus, a red alarm let out its Hibiki! Kotori bit down on her lollipop.

"This is bad! Shiori, her favorability has dropped a lot compared with that day!"

Shiori felt her heart clench.

"Then what should I do, Kotori?"

"Tell her the truth, Sis."

"Huanyue, I..." Shiori took a deep breath. "Actually, I belong to Ratatoskr."

"Our organization's purpose is to coexist peacefully with Spirits." Shiori continued explaining, her voice gradually becoming firmer. "Through dialogue, we seal away Spiritual Power... allowing Spirits to integrate into society and live normal lives."

"..."

Qian Huanyue fell silent and lowered her head slightly, letting the shadows beneath her bangs cover her eyes. (She did it on purpose.)

That moment of silence made Shiori panic terribly.

"So you're finally willing to tell me, Shido?"

Qian Huanyue raised her head. There was no disappointment or anger in her eyes as Shiori had expected. Instead, her eyes curved into crescents, and a faint smile spread across her lips. Her entire person seemed bathed in a soft glow.

Let me help you, Itsuka Shido. That way, I can reasonably and peacefully accept Ratatoskr and the Fraxinus taking care of me.

I won't have to think that being cared for is a privilege reserved only for Spirits.

Shiori froze. That excessively perfect tolerance was like a fine needle pricking her heart, bringing a dense ache.

She would rather have seen Qian Huanyue grow angry and question her than face such restrained, proper gentleness.

Would there be a barrier between them from now on?

Seeing that Shiori seemed to have misunderstood something, Qian Huanyue narrowed her eyes and flicked her forehead in exasperation.

"Hmph." She puffed out her cheeks in feigned displeasure. "Do you really think I have such a terrible temper?"

"Sorry!!" Shiori apologized instantly, bringing her hands together so fast they left afterimages. It felt as though, if Qian Huanyue did not respond, she might even drop to the ground in a full dogeza.

That flustered appearance finally made Qian Huanyue burst out laughing. She reached out and straightened Shiori's wind-tousled collar.

"Let me help you."

"Huh!?" Shiori instinctively shrank back, the tips of her ears rapidly flushing crimson.

"Shiori, accept her offer." Kotori's voice came through her earpiece with a Hibiki. "She's a Spirit. If you stay with her, your chances of protecting yourself will increase."

Although she had said things like, "If it's my sister, even if she dies once, she'll immediately be reborn," Kotori knew full well about the secret inside Shiori—her own Spirit power had been sealed within her sister, and inside Shiori's body, it would automatically heal fatal injuries.

But even knowing that protection existed, Kotori still hoped her sister would suffer fewer injuries. After all, the pain would not disappear.

"Come back safely..." Kotori added softly, watching the screen with worried eyes. "...Sis."

At that moment, Shiori in the ruins seemed to sense something. She looked up at the sky. Though she could not see where the Fraxinus was, she still gave the clouds a gentle nod.

"Okay." She turned to Qian Huanyue and finally showed a relieved smile. "Huanyue, let's go together."