[Sweet Sauce Flying Kick]

Shiori Itsuka

The girl Qian Huanyue had initially mistaken for "Shido."

As they spent more time together, Qian Huanyue discovered that she was quite interesting in every way. She was so gentle that she was almost too nice, always instinctively caring for and accommodating others, even to the point of seeming a little foolish.

What Qian Huanyue found most amusing was that this seemingly ordinary blue-haired girl appeared to be especially prone to embarrassment.

Even when Qian Huanyue merely drew close on a whim or naturally took her hand—ordinary gestures even between friends—Shiori's cheeks would instantly flush a lovely crimson.

That soft, helpless reaction, as though steam might rise from her at any moment, never failed to amuse Qian Huanyue no matter how deliberately she teased her.

But—

Qian Huanyue lightly rose from the command chair, her silver hair tracing an elegant arc behind her. She winked at the stunned Kotori, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. "As for dating, I refuse."

"W-Why?" Kotori asked instinctively. The Chupa Chups lollipop in her mouth even stopped spinning. "Wouldn't dating my sister be good? You could get to know her better, and we could help you better too..."

"Help based on the premise of 'sealing spirit power'?"

"Shiori is a very interesting girl. I'm happy to be friends with her, but unfortunately—"

"—I'm quite satisfied with my current state. I'm used to the convenience of the Seraph of Thousand Blades, so I don't want to be sealed."

For now, that was what Qian Huanyue thought.

A crisp crack sounded in the air. It seemed Kotori had bitten through the lollipop in her mouth.

"Hey, think about it—" She lowered her voice mischievously. "Hasn't it been a long time since I caused a Spacequake? I've been staying peacefully in the human world."

She was telling the truth. Ever since she had found a stable place to live—though she was freeloading at Kurumi's place—and gained Shiori to tease and Tohka to feed—

Her life was already full and satisfying.

For now, she had no intention of being sealed.

"We won't give up." Kotori remained resolute in her determination to seal her, her red eyes utterly unwavering.

"Mm..." Qian Huanyue raised her chin, wearing an expression that said, "I really can't do anything with you."

"Then good luck?"

"..."

"Mm...?"

Caught off guard by that utterly unconventional response, Kotori was left speechless. She could only watch as Qian Huanyue coolly waved her hand and turned toward the teleportation zone.

[Sweet Sauce Flying Kick] A technique name for a wake-up service??

Qian Huanyue regretted it beyond measure.

Had she known, she would have simply teleported back to the ground with the Seraph of Thousand Blades instead of messing around with the controls in the Fraxinus teleportation zone just to look cool. And now...

"Urgh!"

She landed squarely on the stomach of the sleeping Shiori.

She was thankful that she preferred flat shoes and was fairly light, but the force of the impact still made the sleeping Shiori let out a muffled groan and snap her eyes open.

Huanyue shrank back a little in embarrassment.

"Hu-Huanyue?!" Shiori's cry was filled with the confusion of someone who had just awakened and the pain of an attack to the abdomen. "You... how did you..."

The cry also woke Tohka, who had been leaning nearby. The purple-haired girl rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked confusedly at the chaotic scene before her.

"Shiori, Huanyue! What are you doing?"

"Ah...!" Qian Huanyue covered her face with one hand, the tips of her ears turning red. "...Sorry."

"It's all right, Huanyue." Shiori rubbed her still-aching stomach and actually gave her a tolerant smile. "Kotori has woken me up with this move many times before. Now... I guess I've built up a little resistance to it."

What kind of hell had you been living through before? ()

"I really slept well today." Once she was awake, Shiori rubbed her eyes and felt that the dark circles beneath them had faded quite a bit.

"Thank you, Huanyue."