Chapter 49

Before Shiori could finish speaking, a camera shutter clicked.

When Shiori came to her senses, she found Origami holding up her phone and taking picture after picture of her with a remarkably professional pose.

"Cute. I don't know why you're dressed like this, Shido, but if you like it, I support you."

Origami kept edging her phone's camera closer to Shiori's skirt as she muttered.

"Safety shorts...? Shiori, take them off!"

Disappointment crossed Origami's face when she discovered the safety shorts hidden beneath Shiori's skirt. She made her demand with more excitement than usual.

"No! You're making me uncomfortable!"

Shiori immediately clutched the hem of her skirt and refused.

"I see..."

When Shiori refused, Origami said nothing more. She simply lowered her head and looked through the photos she had just taken.

"Not bad. Shiori, you look good from every angle."

The corners of Origami's mouth lifted in satisfaction.

Why do you have the same expression as Lingmeng...?

The familiar sight brought a bead of cold sweat to Shiori's forehead.

"Oh, right—Lingmeng!"

Remembering that she had something far more important to do, Shiori sprang to her feet and pleaded.

"Tobiichi! Please, you have to help me! Lingmeng's in danger!"

When Shiori thought of Lingmeng still fighting over a hundred Wizards, she knew she had to do something.

Origami's answer, however, stopped Shiori cold.

"I refuse." The answer was blunt.

"Why...?"

"If I remember correctly, the Lingmeng you're talking about is the girl who was with you yesterday, right, Shido?"

"Y-yes... Um... Is there a problem?"

Shiori asked timidly.

"Then there's no question about it." Origami's expression turned grave. "Qian Lingmeng is a Spirit, isn't she? And she's the strongest Spirit currently known: Element Maker."

"!!!"

Shiori's heart gave a violent thump. She hadn't expected Origami to know.

"You already knew, Tobiichi? When did you find out...?"

"I knew she was a Spirit after she teleported and knocked me unconscious yesterday. An Ordinary Person couldn't move that fast.

"When I went back and checked the records on Spirits, she matched Element Maker's appearance one hundred percent, just as I expected."

"I see..."

Shiori's face darkened. She knew Origami, whose parents had died because of a Spirit, would never help Lingmeng. Even so, she had to try.

"So what if she is? Tobiichi, please believe me. Lingmeng may be a Spirit, something people call a natural disaster.

"But she doesn't mean anyone harm. She feels joy and sadness just like an Ordinary Person. She even blames herself for the pain she causes others. She doesn't want to trigger Spacequakes.

"So please give her a chance. I promise I'll seal her powers. I won't let this go on!"

"No. Spirits are evil creatures. They can never coexist peacefully with humans. Even if you're asking me, Shido, I can't agree.

"Besides, my assignment is only to monitor DEM. I can't interfere with their attempt to capture Element Maker."

Origami refused again.

But Shiori wasn't ready to give up. She suddenly dropped to her knees and bowed her head to the floor.

"Please!"

Origami's answer didn't change. "No."

"Please!"

"No."

"Please, Origami... You're the only one I can count on now..."

They went on like that for several minutes. Shiori was gasping for breath, and blood marked her forehead where she had struck it against the floor again and again.

Even that wasn't enough to shake her resolve.

"..."

Origami fell silent as she watched Shiori.

She truly hadn't expected Shiori to go this far for someone she had known for less than two days.

But then she remembered the boy who had appeared before her five years ago, after a Spirit killed her parents. He had comforted her and given her hope to keep living, along with the drive to take revenge on Spirits. Origami's resolve began to waver.

In the end, unable to watch Shiori keep hurting herself, Origami let out a helpless sigh.

"Fine... But you have to tell me what happened, Shido."

"Huh?" Seeing that her plea had worked, Shiori answered with delight. "Yeah! Of course!"

"So that's what happened."

After hearing the gist of it, Origami rubbed her chin and frowned.

"If that bomb really goes off, it'll be a disaster."

"Do you have a way to deal with it, Origami?" Shiori asked.

"Find it and disarm it," Origami replied seriously.

"Huh?" Shiori stared at her.

Origami's plan was certainly the most useful one they had, but Shiori still had trouble picturing a second-year high school student disarming a bomb.

Then again, most second-year high school students hadn't joined AST like Origami had.

"Then there's no time to lose. Let's head downtown, Shiori."

"Uh... You can keep calling me Shido, like before..."

Shiori looked awkward at the change in how Origami addressed her. Then she smiled.

"Thank you, Tobiichi. Thank you for being willing to help Lingmeng."

Origami answered without a trace of expression.

"Don't misunderstand, Shiori. I'm doing this for you, not Qian Lingmeng. Besides, if she uses her powers to avoid capture, this whole city could be destroyed. Those are the only two reasons I agreed."

"Uh... I see." Shiori's mouth twitched, and she gave an uneasy smile.

A Hair's Breadth from Death

"Oh, right, Tobiichi. Could I borrow your phone?"

Before heading downtown to find the bomb, Shiori remembered someone else who could help her: her younger sister, Kotori Itsuka.

"Sure." Origami handed over her phone without asking any questions.

Shiori entered Kotori's number and tapped the call button.

"Beep... Beep... Beep..."

Meanwhile, Kotori's phone rang as she sat in the Command Seat.

"An unknown number? Who's calling?"

Kotori frowned at the unfamiliar number on her screen. She didn't think much of it, assuming it was a sales call.

So she barked into the phone.

"I'm not interested in whatever you're selling. Don't call again!"

But just as Kotori was about to hang up, Shiori's voice came through—

"Wait, Kotori! It's me, Shido!"

"Hm?"

Kotori sounded puzzled, but she caught on almost immediately.

"That does sound like my idiot brother. What is it, Shido? Why are you calling from someone else's phone? You sound worried. Did something go wrong on your date with Lingmeng?"

Kotori doubted a sudden call from Shido meant anything good.

At Lingmeng's request, Ratatoskr hadn't interfered with their date today.

But Shido, who was supposed to be alone with Lingmeng on that date, was calling her. Something had definitely gone wrong.

"Yeah... And it's bad..."

"I knew it. We dressed you up so well you could turn a straight guy's head, and you still failed? Your brain really is no bigger than a walnut."

With no regard for Shido's feelings, Kotori unleashed the sharp tongue that came with Commander Mode.

As she spoke, she even pictured a ridiculous scene of Shido's date with Lingmeng going wrong.

"This isn't the time for that! Lingmeng's in danger!"

Shido was practically shouting from the other end of the call.

"..." Kotori frowned at her brother's tone.

Normally, no matter how harshly she spoke to him, Shido would do no more than grumble once or twice. She hadn't expected him to get this worked up. It must be serious.

"Calm down first, Shido. Tell me exactly what happened."

"Okay..."

"What!? DEM threatened Lingmeng with a bomb to capture her!?"

After hearing Shido's explanation, Kotori slammed her hand down on the desk at the Command Seat.

The crew below saw their commander's reaction and realized how serious the situation was.

After a few seconds, Kotori managed to regain her composure.

"Don't worry, Shido. Ratatoskr will do everything we can to help you.

"We'll send specialists to help you disarm the bomb. As for Lingmeng, we'll send capable reinforcements to help her. So try to stay calm."

Kotori laid out her plan steadily, trying to keep Shido from getting too worked up.

"Got it. What should I do next?"

"Come back to Fraxinus and get some rest. Don't think you're useless. You've already done well."

"...All right..."

Shido wasn't happy with that answer, but he agreed. He had contacted Kotori and gotten her help.

That meant he had done the one thing he could do. If he stayed, he would only get in the way.

"Sorry, Tobiichi. I don't think I can go downtown with you. Kotori's sending people to help you. If we all get through this safely, I'll do my best to give you whatever you want afterward."

"I won't let the bomb hurt you, Shido."

"Thanks..."

Shiori apologized to Origami. The next second, she was teleported back to Fraxinus.