Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Origami proposes a visit to a mixed-gender hot spring, provoking Shido’s discomfort. Lingmeng stops her from pushing the joke too far, then joins the others in agreeing to visit the bathhouse.
• Tohka and Yoshino explore the many pools, while Kotori heads for a massage spring to ease her sore shoulders.
• Lingmeng chooses a pool at random and discovers too late that it is a fish-therapy bath. A fish slips into her swimsuit and swims around, startling and tickling her as she struggles to catch it without using her powers.
• Tohka retrieves the fish from Lingmeng’s swimsuit. Lingmeng thanks her, jokes about the fish’s lecherous behavior, and decides to put it back. She then steps into a puddle.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng acts as the group’s playful chaperone, teasing Yoshino about the hot springs and Shido, but becomes flustered and helpless when the fish gets into her swimsuit. Her embarrassment contrasts with her usual confidence; she ultimately shows kindness by sparing the fish.
• Origami continues her shamelessly provocative pursuit of Shido, while Shido reacts with awkward discomfort.
• Tohka remains enthusiastic and curious, and readily helps Lingmeng when asked. Lingmeng’s gratitude and affectionate head-pat reinforce their warm rapport.
• Yoshino is shy and inquisitive, asking Lingmeng about the different-colored pools, then joins Tohka in finding her.
• Kotori shows a more everyday, weary side by mentioning the strain of sitting in the commander’s chair.

Significant themes

• Comedy through contrast and embarrassment: Lingmeng’s cool, capable image is undercut by her struggle with a tiny fish.
• Friendship and trust: The group readily supports one another, and Tohka helps Lingmeng without hesitation.
• Kindness despite annoyance: Lingmeng chooses to release the troublesome fish rather than punish it.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng falls while carrying a fish, accidentally sending it flying into a nearby 70-degree hot spring. She mourns it briefly, then jokes that boiled fish is better than sashimi and quickly moves on.
• Shido and Kotori relax in a massage hot spring. They notice Origami is missing—until Kotori pours water into a tube protruding from the pool, forcing Origami to surface in diving gear with a camera.
• Origami admits she was photographing Shido and intends to lick the pictures. She misreads Shido’s protest as permission to lick him directly and moves toward his neck. Kotori pulls them apart, while Lingmeng jokes about the risks of hickeys.
• Tohka misunderstands “hickeys” as strawberries, and Lingmeng briefly considers taking advantage of the misunderstanding to kiss her. Yoshino blushes, while Kotori objects to being called a child.
• Shido ends the awkward encounter by suggesting everyone leave the bath. Afterwards, Lingmeng enjoys a soda and is teased for acting more like an old man than a gentle young woman.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng is accident-prone but resilient, recovering quickly from the fish mishap and using humor to defuse awkwardness. She playfully teases Origami and is in turn teased by Yoshino and another companion about her unladylike habits.
• Origami remains intensely fixated on Shido, escalating from covert photography to an attempted intimate advance. Her behavior prompts Kotori to intervene.
• Kotori is protective of Shido and openly pushes back when Origami crosses a line. She also resents Lingmeng treating her as a child.
• Shido is embarrassed by Origami’s actions and tries to keep the situation from becoming more uncomfortable.
• Tohka takes the word “hickey” literally and innocently asks about strawberries; Yoshino is bashful but appears familiar with romantic themes from soap operas.

Significant themes

• Comedy through misunderstanding and absurdity: the fish’s accidental “bath,” Origami’s literal reinterpretation of Shido’s protest, and Tohka’s confusion over hickeys.
• Boundaries and protectiveness: Kotori intervenes when Origami’s attention becomes unwanted.
• Relaxation amid ongoing chaos: even a planned hot-spring outing becomes another source of mishaps and awkward encounters.

Summary

• Origami’s plan is interrupted: Lingmeng jokes that she prefers being silly and entertaining over acting like a refined, marriage-minded woman. Origami offers Shido a bottle of milk, which he drinks without realizing it has been tampered with. She then tries to take him aside, but Tohka blocks her. A call from her captain, Ryoko Kusakabe, summons Origami back to the base; Ryoko hints that an incoming item might help Origami fulfill her wish to kill Efreet. Origami leaves, cryptically telling Shido to “hang in there.”
• The potion takes effect: Soon after Origami leaves, Shido develops a fever and realizes the milk contained the same Stamina Potion Origami used on him before. Having drunk the entire bottle, he is overwhelmed by its effects.
• Shido kisses Lingmeng: In a dazed state, Shido declares that he likes Lingmeng and kisses her passionately in public. Tohka and Kotori are stunned, Yoshino peeks through her fingers, and the Fraxinus crew reacts with a mix of excitement and alarm. The female crew members recognize that Shido is not behaving normally; their readings point to the potion, and Reine suspects Origami is responsible.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng remains playful and content with her carefree persona. Shido’s unexpected confession and kiss leave her shocked.
• Origami prioritizes a possible opportunity to pursue her revenge against Efreet over her time with Shido, though she appears to have drugged him before leaving.
• Tohka confronts Origami to keep her away from Shido and is relieved when she leaves.
• Shido loses control under the potion’s influence, creating a startling and inappropriate romantic moment with Lingmeng.
• Fraxinus’s male crew celebrates Shido’s boldness, while the women correctly worry that he is acting under the potion’s influence.

Significant themes

The episode contrasts genuine affection with manipulation and impaired consent: Shido’s apparent confession and kiss are caused by a drug, not a clear choice. It also highlights Origami’s competing desires—her future with Shido and her pursuit of vengeance—and uses the crew’s divided reactions for dark comedy.

Plot points and events

• After being drugged into an aggressive, sexually driven state, Shido forcibly kisses Lingmeng. She throws him into the pool, then collapses in embarrassment and distress.
• Shido turns on Tohka and Yoshino, frightening them, before Kotori intervenes. He knocks Kotori down and starts touching her; she initially resists, then seems to accept what is happening.
• Lingmeng, horrified by the scene and especially by the prospect of Shido and Kotori kissing, attacks him with lightning and unleashes a long barrage of martial-arts moves. Tohka, Yoshino, and Kotori eventually pull her off.
• Once everyone has calmed down, Kotori makes Shido and Lingmeng kneel and account for their actions. Lingmeng heals Shido, whose injuries are not serious.
• Shido apologizes for kissing Lingmeng. She cuts him off, insisting that the apology only makes her relive the incident. He remembers the episode clearly, adding to his shame.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng is deeply humiliated by the forced kiss, partly because she sees herself as devoted to Shiori and cannot forget anything due to her unusually strong memory. Her jealousy and distress erupt in violence when Shido turns to Kotori.
• Shido is mortified after regaining control, since he remembers his behavior. He tries to apologize, but his words make Lingmeng’s embarrassment worse.
• Kotori takes charge after the incident, scolding both of them. During Shido’s assault, however, she finds herself unexpectedly wavering rather than resisting consistently.
• Tohka and Yoshino are alarmed by Shido’s behavior, while later joining Kotori in restraining Lingmeng.
• Reine chooses not to intervene, believing Lingmeng’s emotional collapse will not trigger a dangerous Spirit Power reversal.

Significant themes

• The chapter uses chaotic, exaggerated comedy to explore the consequences of impaired judgment and unwanted intimacy.
• Lingmeng’s shame, jealousy, and inability to forget highlight the emotional weight she attaches to romantic boundaries and her bond with Shiori.
• The aftermath shifts the focus from physical danger to accountability: Shido remembers what he did and must face its impact, even though he was drugged.

Summary

After Shido accidentally kisses Lingmeng, she theatrically cries until he agrees to dress as Shiori and sleep beside her that night. The other Spirits join in, turning the promise into a possible group sleepover. Lingmeng drops her tears the moment Shido gives in, revealing she had been manipulating him—and proudly calls it making use of her advantages.
At a late lunch, Shido asks Reine whether Kotori’s affection toward him has changed. Reine says it shifted slightly after Shido nearly pinned Kotori down earlier, but doesn’t clarify how; she also reveals Lingmeng’s affection rose sharply after their kiss. Embarrassed, Lingmeng insists she only reacted because she briefly mistook Shido for Shiori. Lingmeng privately suspects Kotori’s feelings are already very strong, but keeps that to herself so Shido will continue taking their date seriously.
Kotori leaves the table, and Shido worries about how she feels. Lingmeng reassures him, then provocatively suggests he kiss Kotori by force. Shido rejects the advice and hurries away, while Lingmeng calls after him to pin Kotori against a wall.

Character developments and interactions

• Shido feels guilty and exhausted over his earlier behavior toward Kotori, and remains anxious about her feelings. He also gives in to Lingmeng’s demands despite recognizing her familiar manipulation.
• Lingmeng acts playful and shameless, using exaggerated tears to get her way. Beneath the teasing, she is protective of Kotori’s chance at a meaningful date with Shido.
• Kotori appears comfortable enough with Shido’s earlier actions that Lingmeng suspects her affection is exceptionally high, though Kotori herself leaves the table without explaining why.
• The other Spirits side with Lingmeng and eagerly volunteer to join the promised sleepover, further overwhelming Shido.

Significant themes

The chapter blends comedy and romantic tension, especially through Lingmeng’s scheming and Shido’s embarrassment. It also explores guilt, affection, and consent: Shido worries about having crossed a line with Kotori, while Lingmeng’s joking suggestion of a forced kiss deliberately clashes with that concern. Lingmeng’s decision to hide her suspicions about Kotori highlights her wish not to undermine Kotori’s date.

Summary

Lingmeng tells Tohka and Yoshino that Kotori is a Spirit and that Shido’s date with her is meant to help seal her powers. The two girls are surprised but supportive, especially because Kotori has helped them before. Lingmeng asks them to wait while she goes to check on Shido and Kotori—though she is also eager to investigate what is happening.
At the restroom, Lingmeng finds Shido with Reine. Reine reveals that Kotori is suffering from dangerously unstable Spirit power and has been suppressing it with an extreme amount of tranquilizer. Kotori insisted on going on the date despite her condition and asked Reine not to tell Shido. Seeing Kotori collapsed and in pain, Shido blames himself for failing to notice. Reine asks him to act as if he knows nothing, for Kotori’s sake, and leaves.
Away from the restroom, Shido admits that Kotori’s affection has barely increased and worries that she may lose control. Lingmeng argues that his usual dating strategy is the wrong approach: Kotori is both his younger sister and the deputy commander of the Fraxinus, so she knows his personality and recognizes when the crew is manipulating events. Shido begins to realize that their date cannot succeed if it feels staged.

Character developments and interactions

• Tohka and Yoshino respond with concern rather than jealousy, showing their affection for Kotori and willingness to support Shido.
• Lingmeng acts as an intermediary and adviser. Beneath her teasing and intrusive curiosity, she recognizes the seriousness of Kotori’s condition and helps Shido understand why his plan is failing.
• Shido moves from confusion about Kotori’s lack of affection to guilt over her suffering, then starts to see that he must approach her as her brother—not simply follow the Fraxinus’s dating tactics.
• Reine provides the crucial medical explanation and protects Kotori’s wishes by asking Shido to conceal what he has learned.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts genuine affection with manufactured romance: Kotori can see through a date shaped by others, so Shido must connect with her honestly. It also emphasizes family loyalty and hidden suffering, as Kotori endures pain to spend time with her brother while keeping her condition secret.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng helps Shido understand that Kotori wants time with him as her older brother—not as a Spirit negotiator or Efreet. She suggests he take Kotori somewhere personal and privately, then manage the other Spirits herself.
• Shido chooses the amusement park where he and Kotori used to go with their parents. Lingmeng encourages him, though she also gives the questionable advice to kiss Kotori if anything unexpected happens.
• When Kotori assumes the date is another Ratatoskr assignment, Shido proves otherwise by throwing his communication earphones into a pool. Kotori points out they cost over a million yen, prompting his immediate regret; she then agrees to go with him.
• The chapter shifts to Origami at the JGSDF’s Tengu Garrison Base. Ryouko shows her a huge, five-meter-tall white mech that dwarfs the AST’s standard equipment.

Character developments

• Shido finally recognizes Kotori’s need for a sincere sibling outing and decides to act from his own feelings rather than follow instructions.
• Kotori remains guarded and assumes Shido’s invitation is work-related, but accepts once he insists it was his own idea.
• Lingmeng acts as Shido’s adviser and offers to keep the others occupied, while her teasing and dubious guidance reveal her mischievous side.
• Origami’s storyline begins with her being summoned to inspect a powerful new machine.

Significant themes

• Personal connection versus duty: Kotori wants to be treated as Shido’s sister, not as a Spirit or mission objective.
• Sincerity and shared memories: The amusement park represents their childhood and offers a chance to reconnect.
• Comedy and awkwardness: Shido’s attempt to look decisive backfires when he learns the price of the earphones he discards.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng bluntly explains Kotori’s feelings, encourages Shido, and agrees to distract Tohka and the others.
• Shido invites Kotori on a nostalgic outing and rejects her assumption that Ratatoskr is directing him; her agreement marks a small breakthrough between them.
• Ryouko introduces Origami to the massive white mech, setting up a new development in Origami’s plotline.

Key plot points and events

• AST examines the White Lycoris, a DEM prototype originally intended for Mana. Its powerful weapons could theoretically kill a Spirit, but operating it for just thirty minutes permanently incapacitated a Wizard during testing. The AST lacks both the authority and ability to use it.
• Origami asks whether the machine could help her kill a Spirit, revealing how strongly she remains driven by revenge for her parents. She has no leads on Efreet, but Ryouko offers to show her AST footage.
• The footage shows a red Spirit interrupting a confrontation between Lingmeng and Kurumi, countering Kurumi’s Spacequake with her own. Origami recognizes the Spirit’s face as Kotori Itsuka.
• At the amusement park, Lingmeng returns with ice cream for Tohka and Yoshino. Shido and Kotori are away together, and Lingmeng explains that Kotori’s condition is worsening, so Shido needs to seal her powers. She takes Tohka and Yoshino on a Jungle Cruise instead.
• Shido and Kotori ride a roller coaster. Shido teases Kotori for being frightened, recalling how she once made him ride repeatedly during his date with Lingmeng.

Character developments

• Origami remains consumed by vengeance and willing to consider extreme measures, but learns that White Lycoris’s power comes at a devastating cost. The discovery that Kotori is Efreet gives her a startling new lead.
• Ryouko responds to Origami’s questions practically, explaining the prototype’s limits and sharing the footage that advances Origami’s investigation.
• Lingmeng looks after Tohka and Yoshino while giving Shido and Kotori privacy, and tries to keep the others occupied.
• Shido and Kotori share a playful sibling moment, though their outing is framed by the urgency of Kotori’s worsening condition.

Significant themes

• Power and its price: White Lycoris offers humans a way to fight Spirits, but its use can destroy the operator.
• Revenge and its limits: Origami’s determination to kill Efreet confronts the reality that even powerful weapons may demand an unbearable sacrifice.
• Hidden identities and revelation: The footage links Kotori to the Spirit Origami has been seeking.
• Care and companionship: Lingmeng’s small acts of consideration, and Shido’s teasing with Kotori, contrast with the chapter’s danger and tension.

Character interactions

• Ryouko informs Origami about White Lycoris and helps her pursue Efreet by showing AST footage.
• Origami reacts intensely to the revelation that Efreet looks like Kotori.
• Lingmeng gives Tohka and Yoshino ice cream and amusement-park tickets, while explaining why Shido and Kotori need time alone.
• Shido playfully challenges Kotori’s claim that she isn’t afraid of the roller coaster.

Key plot points and events

• Shido and Kotori spend the day at the amusement park while Lingmeng looks after Tohka and Yoshino aboard a yacht. Kannazuki watches the date through a screen and loudly fantasizes about Kotori mistreating Shido, irritating Lingmeng.
• Lingmeng spots something white speeding toward the park but dismisses it as a plane.
• At the AST base, Ryouko learns that Origami has stolen the experimental White Lycoris Realizer and its ammunition. She orders the squad to search Tengu City and bring Origami in.
• After the rides, Shido and Kotori reminisce about their last amusement-park visit, five years earlier—a period linked to Kotori becoming a Spirit and Origami’s parents’ deaths.
• Reine reports that the date has gone exceptionally well and Kotori’s mood and affection are at their peak.
• An explosion interrupts the date: Origami ambushes Kotori in the unfamiliar Realizer. Kotori blocks the attack, while Origami’s Territory shields Shido but leaves him trapped. Lingmeng prepares to intervene.

Character developments and interactions

• Shido teases Kotori by choosing frightening rides, turning her earlier advice about his date with Lingmeng back on her. Despite her protests, she enjoys the date and becomes visibly embarrassed by Shido’s serious-sounding remark about being somewhere private.
• Kotori and Shido share a rare, reflective moment as they remember how much has changed since their last visit.
• Lingmeng remains protective of Shido and Kotori, though Kannazuki’s obsessive commentary keeps her from relaxing. She is relieved to hear they are unharmed and regrets not stopping Origami earlier.
• Ryouko’s frustration with Origami’s reckless actions is clear, and she mobilizes the AST to capture her.
• Reine and Lingmeng agree that Shido’s natural charm—not just the crew’s support—has helped the date succeed.

Significant themes

• Past and change: The amusement park brings back memories of the events that transformed Kotori’s and Shido’s lives.
• Affection and trust: Shido and Kotori’s playful teasing gives way to a more intimate, emotionally grounded connection.
• Protection and danger: The peaceful date abruptly becomes a confrontation, with Shido protected but isolated and Lingmeng rushing to help.
• Recklessness and responsibility: Origami’s unauthorized attack endangers everyone and prompts the AST to act against her.

Key events

• Lingmeng transforms into her Limited Astral Dress and takes Tohka and Yoshino to help Shido and Kotori.
• Origami confronts Kotori, convinced that Kotori killed her parents five years earlier. Kotori’s power overwhelms Origami at first, but Origami’s accusation shocks Kotori into losing the will to fight.
• Origami prepares to kill Kotori. Shido tries to protect his sister and insists that Kotori is not his enemy, explaining that another Spirit caused the incident that turned her into one. Origami refuses to trust him and vows to eliminate the other Spirits as well.
• Origami binds Shido and fires her Magic Cannon at Kotori. Lingmeng arrives in time to shield Kotori, revealing that the attack did not harm her.
• Lingmeng asks Shido to take Kotori somewhere safe so he can seal her. Reine confirms that it is safe, and Shido carries Kotori away. Enraged, Origami prepares to continue fighting Lingmeng.

Character developments and interactions

• Shido is devastated by his inability to protect Kotori, but Lingmeng’s arrival restores his hope. He trusts Lingmeng and follows her instructions, with Reine’s reassurance helping him overcome his hesitation about sealing Kotori.
• Kotori is shaken by Origami’s accusation and collapses in guilt and confusion. Though incapacitated, she survives thanks to Lingmeng.
• Origami remains consumed by grief and vengeance. Her certainty that Kotori is responsible leads her to reject Shido’s explanation and target the other Spirits too; her attack also carries some guilt, despite her resolve.
• Lingmeng acts decisively as protector, bringing Tohka and Yoshino along and taking responsibility for confronting Origami. Her calm confidence reassures Shido.
• Tohka and Yoshino readily join Lingmeng and support Shido, with Tohka helping him up and bringing him to safety.

Significant themes

• Protection and helplessness: Shido’s anguish comes from wanting to protect those he loves but being unable to stop violence himself.
• Grief and vengeance: Origami’s pain shapes her judgment and turns her against Kotori and the other Spirits.
• Trust and hope: Shido’s faith in Lingmeng—and Reine’s confirmation—allows him to act even amid fear and uncertainty.

Plot points and events

• Origami, wearing the powerful new White Lycoris combat gear, attacks Lingmeng, Tohka, and Yoshino. Lingmeng shatters Origami’s light ribbon, but Origami proves far stronger than before, overpowering Tohka and deflecting Yoshino’s ice.
• Lingmeng sends Tohka and Yoshino away and faces Origami alone. Origami traps her in a defensive Territory and bombards it with a maximum-output cannon and missiles.
• Elsewhere, Shido brings Kotori to safety and seals her Spirit Power with a kiss after declaring his love for her and asking her to admit her feelings. Kotori’s Astral Dress disappears, and Shido receives a hazy memory along with her power.
• Lingmeng survives Origami’s attack by teleporting out of the Territory. She catches Origami’s sword with newly formed metal armor, then restrains her with giant vines.

Character development

• Origami is newly confident and aggressive, relying on White Lycoris’s major boost in power. Her determination to defeat every Spirit remains unwavering.
• Lingmeng stays playful and composed under pressure, but demonstrates that her teleportation and elemental abilities make her difficult to trap or injure.
• Tohka and Yoshino recognize Origami’s strength and withdraw when Lingmeng tells them to, trusting her to handle the fight.
• Kotori regains her composure through Shido’s emotional appeal and openly affirms how much she loves him. Shido successfully seals her power, though the resulting memory transfer is new and unexplained.

Themes

• Power and confidence: Origami’s advanced equipment transforms her combat ability, forcing the others to reassess the threat she poses.
• Trust and protection: Tohka and Yoshino leave the fight to Lingmeng, while Shido risks embarrassment to help Kotori.
• Emotion as connection: Shido’s sincere confession helps Kotori regain control, and sealing her power creates a deeper link through shared memories.
• Humor amid danger: Lingmeng’s teasing remarks contrast with the serious battle and Origami’s hostility.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng taunts Origami and tries to talk her down, but Origami refuses to negotiate and attacks.
• Tohka and Yoshino briefly team up against Origami before Lingmeng takes over the fight.
• Shido reassures Kotori with an emotional declaration; she reciprocates, allowing him to seal her Spirit Power.
• After escaping Origami’s attack, Lingmeng restrains her and continues needling her rather than accepting her demand for another fight.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng defeats Origami and restrains her with vines. Tohka and Yoshino praise Lingmeng’s strength, while Lingmeng jokes that she could destroy the world at full power.
• Shido arrives carrying the unconscious Kotori, whose Spirit powers he has sealed. He thanks the others, then asks Lingmeng to release Origami despite her recent attack on Kotori.
• Shido explains that his restored memories confirm Kotori did not kill Origami’s parents. Origami refuses to accept his account without evidence, insisting that she still considers Camael her enemy.
• Shido clarifies that Origami wants to kill the Spirit Camael, not Kotori as a person. When Origami confirms this, he stabs himself with a sharp stone and uses Kotori’s Blue Flame power to heal the wound.
• Shido declares that Kotori’s power has transferred to him, making him Camael’s current bearer—and offers himself as Origami’s target instead. Origami raises her cannon, but she cannot bring herself to attack him.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng remains cocky and irreverent, treating the fight casually and joking about her motives, though she stays alert in case Origami attacks again. She also recognizes Shido’s sacrifice as a clever attempt to protect Kotori.
• Shido shows compassion toward Origami despite her actions. He takes responsibility for redirecting her hatred onto himself, using his own body to prove that Kotori’s power can belong to someone other than her.
• Origami remains unconvinced by Shido’s explanation, but her stated distinction between Camael and Kotori gives him an opening to protect Kotori. Her inability to attack Shido reveals the emotional conflict beneath her resolve.
• Tohka and Yoshino respond warmly to Lingmeng’s victory and rush to Shido’s aid when he wounds himself.
• Kotori is unconscious after being sealed and is carried by Shido, then Lingmeng.

Significant themes

• Identity versus power: Shido argues that possessing Camael’s power does not make Kotori the only possible target; he separates the Spirit’s power from the person who once wielded it.
• Sacrifice and protection: Shido willingly injures himself to spare Kotori and confront Origami’s anger.
• Trust and proof: Origami wants to believe Shido but demands evidence, showing how grief and certainty can persist even when someone she cares about offers another explanation.
• The limits of hatred: Origami’s refusal to attack Shido suggests that her feelings for him complicate her mission.

Key plot points and events

• Origami, torn between Shido’s claim that Kotori did not kill her parents and her own grief, prepares to attack Lingmeng and the others. Before she can act, the White Lycoris reaches its thirty-minute limit. The strain causes her to bleed and collapse.
• Shido catches Origami, and Lingmeng explains that Origami has likely injured her brain by overusing her Realizer. She says the damage should be treatable with a Medical Realizer.
• Lingmeng decides to take Origami back in time so she can witness what happened five years earlier and see firsthand that Kotori was not responsible for her parents’ deaths. Using the Elemental Spirit, she opens a clock-patterned portal and takes them to Tengu City five years in the past.
• Lingmeng revives Origami but leaves her only partially healed, both to limit trouble and because Origami had been trying to kill her. Once she understands where she is, Origami asks Lingmeng to save her parents instead of merely showing her the truth.

Character developments

• Origami remains conflicted and distrustful: she cannot yet accept Shido’s explanation, but her request to save her parents shows that preventing their deaths matters more to her than proving who caused them.
• Lingmeng shows confidence in her time-travel ability and takes charge of resolving Origami’s doubts. Her casual manner also reveals a provocative, teasing side.
• Shido is alarmed by Origami’s collapse and skeptical of the risks of time travel, but trusts Lingmeng’s reassurance.
• Tohka helps by taking care of Kotori while Lingmeng tends to Origami.

Significant themes

• Grief and the search for truth: Origami’s painful memories make it difficult for her to accept evidence that challenges her belief about her parents’ deaths.
• Power and its cost: Origami’s combat gear exacts a severe physical toll, while Lingmeng’s time-travel ability offers a way to investigate the past.
• Prevention versus understanding: Origami’s immediate wish to save her parents suggests that changing the tragedy may matter more to her than simply learning what happened.

Character interactions

• Shido tries to protect and reassure Origami after she collapses; Lingmeng tells him her condition is treatable.
• Lingmeng explains her plan to Shido, who questions the danger of altering or visiting the past.
• After arriving in the past, Lingmeng explains the purpose of the trip to a wary Origami, who responds by asking her to prevent her parents’ deaths.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng explains that her time travel can only observe the past: any changes would create a parallel world, not alter the present. Origami is frustrated but agrees to follow her.
• They travel to the day Kotori became a Spirit. From hiding near the park, they see nine-year-old Kotori crying alone on her birthday.
• A mysterious, mosaic-covered figure approaches Kotori, pretends to know her parents, and offers her power so she can become stronger and earn her brother’s recognition.
• Kotori accepts the Spirit Crystal. Its transformation causes a massive fire that spreads through the park and nearby buildings. Lingmeng protects herself and Origami with a barrier.
• Origami remains unconvinced that Kotori is innocent of her parents’ deaths. They continue watching as Kotori stays by the burning house, crying for Shido.
• Shido eventually arrives, and Origami notices he must have run a considerable distance to reach Kotori.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng tries to show Origami what happened, explains the limits of her ability, and points out that Kotori was transformed against a child’s vulnerable wishes. She is curious about the Spirit Crystal but cannot intervene.
• Origami moves past her initial disappointment and watches the events closely, but clings to her suspicion that Kotori may still be responsible for her parents’ deaths.
• Young Kotori is lonely and self-blaming, convinced her brother has grown tired of her. The mysterious figure exploits her desire to be stronger and loved.
• Young Shido appears at the scene after running to help Kotori, underscoring his devotion to her.

Significant themes

• The limits of changing the past: witnessing history does not mean being able to repair it.
• Manipulation and vulnerability: Mosaic uses a child’s loneliness and insecurity to persuade her to accept the Spirit Crystal.
• Truth versus grief: Origami’s pain makes her reluctant to accept evidence that challenges her belief about Kotori.
• Family and responsibility: Kotori longs for Shido’s approval, while Shido’s urgent arrival shows his care for her.

Key plot points and events

• Kotori loses control and gravely injures Shido. Mosaic appears and tells her that kissing Shido will save them both.
• Kotori kisses her brother. Her Astral Dress disappears, and Shido’s newly acquired healing power restores his wounds.
• Shido wakes, gives Kotori the black ribbons he bought for her birthday, and ties them into her hair. He reassures her that he likes strong girls.
• Mosaic calls the outcome a “success,” then knocks Shido and Kotori unconscious with a flash of light, apparently making them forget what happened.
• Lingmeng and Origami realize that Kotori never left the area after becoming a Spirit, so she could not have killed Origami’s parents. An unknown Spirit must have been responsible.
• A sudden attack hits Mosaic, leaving a crater where he stood. Lingmeng sees him fighting a woman in white, whose appearance resembles an angel and whose face shocks her because it looks like Origami.

Character developments and interactions

• Kotori shifts from fear that Shido has abandoned her to relief and joy when he gives her the birthday ribbons. His kindness also reinforces the “strong girl” identity associated with her Commander Mode.
• Shido protects Kotori despite his injuries, comforts her, and shows he remembered her birthday. He also demonstrates the ability to seal a Spirit’s power and use it to heal.
• Origami witnesses Shido’s transformation of Kotori and begins to question whether he is truly human. Learning that Kotori did not kill her parents overturns a key assumption about their deaths.
• Lingmeng remains suspicious of Mosaic and frustrated by his interference. She recognizes that he engineered the crisis and is manipulating events, though his motive remains unclear.
• Mosaic presents himself as helpful after causing the danger, then erases Shido and Kotori’s memories. His remark about achieving one “success” suggests a larger plan.
• The chapter ends with Lingmeng recognizing a striking resemblance between Origami and the mysterious attacker fighting Mosaic.

Significant themes

• Memory and truth: Shido and Kotori are made to forget, while Origami’s understanding of her parents’ deaths begins to unravel.
• Manipulation and hidden motives: Mosaic controls events while concealing why he intervenes.
• Family bonds and reassurance: Shido’s birthday gift and comfort restore Kotori’s trust and sense of belonging.
• Uncertain identity and fate: Shido’s powers and the Origami-like Spirit raise questions about who the characters are—and what happened in the past.

Key plot points

• In the past, Lingmeng sees a Spirit fighting Mosaic whose face is identical to Origami’s, while the human Origami beside her cannot make out the battle.
• The fighters head toward the site of Origami’s former home. Mosaic dodges the Spirit’s attack, which instead strikes the ground. Mosaic disappears, and the Spirit vanishes after seeing the damage.
• Origami realizes the blast may have killed her parents and cries out in grief and hatred. Lingmeng suspects the Spirit was Origami herself but cannot prove it, and avoids revealing what she saw.
• Lingmeng reminds Origami that Kotori was not responsible for her parents’ deaths, then returns with her to their original timeline.
• At the amusement park, AST arrives to arrest Origami for using an experimental Realizer without authorization. Origami accepts that she must face the consequences and refuses Lingmeng’s offer to help her escape. Ryouko orders the arrest.

Character developments and interactions

• Origami briefly lets her grief show, then quickly returns to her usual restraint. Her determination to endure pain without crying or smiling remains strong, and she accepts responsibility for breaking the rules.
• Lingmeng tries to comfort Origami and protect her from a painful truth, but feels trapped between honesty and the risk of making Origami’s distress worse. She ultimately respects Origami’s decision to face AST.
• Lingmeng and Origami share a tense but caring exchange: Lingmeng offers comfort and later an escape, while Origami responds bluntly and declines both forms of intervention.
• Ryouko and AST treat Origami as a subordinate who has violated protocol; Ryouko is also confused to find Lingmeng with her.

Significant themes

• Trauma and endurance: Origami confronts the loss of her parents again but refuses to break down.
• Truth and uncertainty: Lingmeng recognizes the Spirit’s resemblance to Origami, yet lacks proof and withholds the information.
• Responsibility and choice: Origami accepts punishment rather than fleeing, while Lingmeng chooses not to override her decision.
• Tragic self-conflict: The possibility that Origami herself caused her parents’ deaths suggests that her quest for revenge may be entangled with the very tragedy she seeks to avenge.

• Origami’s arrest: After Origami is pinned down by AST members using a Territory, Lingmeng leaves the scene, concerned about the serious consequences Origami may face for stealing military weapons and using a Realizer in public.
• Kotori’s sealing and Shido’s misunderstanding: Back aboard the Fraxinus, Lingmeng tells Shido that Kotori’s affection for him had already been at its maximum, so a date was never needed to seal her. Reine confirms this with the ship’s data. Shido is stunned to learn he was the only one unaware.
• Kotori wakes up: Kotori arrives in a hospital gown and explains she only needed a nap. With her Spirit Power sealed, she should no longer risk losing control. She denies being especially attached to Shido, then offers Lingmeng and Reine valuable game items and cream puffs to back her up. They promptly pretend the affection data was faulty, irritating Shido.
• A brotherly confession—and a new lead: Kotori asks whether Shido meant his earlier declaration of love. He says he did, but clarifies he meant love for her as his little sister. Kotori retreats, embarrassed and disappointed. She then says she must record what she remembers from five years ago before it fades, and investigate “Phantom,” the mysterious figure obscured by Mosaic.
  Character developments and interactions: Lingmeng shows concern for Origami and warmly welcomes Kotori back, while teasing Shido about his obliviousness. Kotori’s affection for Shido is revealed to be deep, though she tries to deny it; Shido remains clueless about the romantic implications. Despite the awkward exchange, he ends by complimenting her ribbon, prompting Kotori to leave for her work.
  Themes: The chapter mixes sibling affection and romantic misunderstanding with comedy, while stressing the uncertainty of memory and the need to investigate the past. It also hints at the consequences of Origami’s increasingly serious actions and introduces Phantom as a possible Spirit.

Key plot points

• Kurumi reflects on her recent fight with Kotori, which cost her about five hundred clones and damaged Zafkiel. She has since restored it by draining time from people in a high-rise and replenishing her strength.
• A mysterious Mosaic confronts Kurumi. Kurumi confirms that Shido and Lingmeng possess unusually valuable Spirit Power, but says she will not target them yet while she recovers.
• Kurumi reveals her goal: use Zafkiel’s final bullet, Yud Bet, to travel back thirty years to the birth of the Origin Spirit and kill them. She hopes this will erase every Spirit, including herself. The Mosaic calls her kind; Kurumi reacts angrily and fires, but the stranger vanishes.
• Aboard the Fraxinus, Lingmeng tells Shido, Kotori, and Reine that, during her trip five years into the past, she saw a Spirit who looked exactly like Origami. The Spirit wore a white, wedding-like Astral Dress and had killed Origami’s parents.
• Reine searches the confirmed-Spirit database but finds no record of this figure.

Character developments and interactions

• Kurumi remains calculating and dangerous, yet shows a measure of restraint toward Shido and Lingmeng because they saved her. Her stated wish to eliminate all Spirits—including herself—suggests a self-sacrificing motive beneath her predatory behavior.
• The Mosaic knows about Shido and Lingmeng and seems interested in Kurumi’s plans, but keeps their identity and intentions hidden. Their exchange ends in a brief confrontation when Kurumi tries to shoot them.
• Lingmeng is emphatic about what she witnessed, even swearing on her chest to convince the others. Shido questions how the vision could be possible, while Kotori and Reine respond seriously.
• Reine’s failed search leaves the group without an explanation for the Origami lookalike and raises the possibility that this Spirit is unknown or absent from official records.

Significant themes

• Self-sacrifice and morality: Kurumi seeks to erase Spirits at the cost of her own existence, complicating her reputation as the “Most Evil Spirit.”
• Hidden identities and uncertain knowledge: The Mosaic’s secrecy and the unrecorded Origami-like Spirit suggest that important truths remain concealed.
• Power and cost: Kurumi’s plans depend on gathering immense Spirit Power, which makes Shido and Lingmeng potential targets despite her temporary restraint.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng insists she saw a mysterious Spirit, despite Ratatoskr having no record of her. Kotori and Reine offer possible explanations and promise to investigate.
• To distract Lingmeng from worrying, Kotori reminds her that Shido promised to spend the night beside her while dressed as “Shiori.” Lingmeng eagerly heads home to prepare, leaving Shido to protest.
• Shido is forced into a wig and pajamas and joins Lingmeng in bed. She cuddles and makes increasingly intimate advances; when he tries to escape, she uses her Spirit powers to pull him back.
• By morning, Shido is exhausted and disheveled. He says he resisted her going further, though the night was still deeply embarrassing. Kotori teases them about having a baby and even suggests a name; Lingmeng wakes and praises “Shiori,” prompting another flustered protest from Shido.
• In the afterword, the author and characters joke about the author’s long absence. Lingmeng calls him out for neglecting her and forgetting details about her character.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng remains distressed about the unrecorded Spirit, but her excitement about spending the night with Shido quickly overtakes her concern. Her affection for “Shiori” is playful and physically forward.
• Shido tries to comfort Lingmeng and honor his promise, but is uncomfortable with the situation and becomes the target of Kotori’s teasing and Lingmeng’s advances.
• Kotori balances concern for Lingmeng with mischievous matchmaking, deliberately using the promised sleepover to cheer her up.
• Reine contributes a practical theory: the mysterious Spirit may be able to change her appearance.
• In the afterword, Lingmeng’s banter with the author portrays her as outspoken and resentful of being treated as an afterthought.

Significant themes

• Trust and uncertainty: Lingmeng’s unexplained sighting raises questions about the Spirit’s identity and the limits of Ratatoskr’s knowledge.
• Affection and embarrassment: Lingmeng’s devotion to Shiori clashes with Shido’s discomfort at being dressed and treated as a girl.
• Comedy through teasing: Kotori’s matchmaking, Shido’s exaggerated distress, and the afterword’s self-aware jokes drive the chapter’s humor.

Summary

Author Q&A and interlude: The author explains that Lingmeng’s overwhelming abilities were created impulsively and now make it difficult to write convincing fights or keep her from solving problems too easily. Lingmeng teases the author about her improvised character design, while Shido and Kotori join in the joking exchange. The author also discusses familiar fanfiction tropes, the possibility of Lingmeng going Inverse, plans for future stories and illustrations, and a four-month hiatus caused by discouragement and writer’s block. Reader requests and renewed motivation have brought the author back, with a goal of writing daily and a Yamai-focused arc planned. The interlude ends when Xier Ya impatiently sends everyone away so she can play games.
Main story: Origami stands before a military tribunal at the Tengu Garrison Base, facing punishment for stealing the White Lycoris and using a Realizer without authorization to attack Efreet at an amusement park, endangering civilians. Although the offenses could have cost her military status and led to her memories being erased, Lieutenant General Kiriya sentences her only to one month of confinement. The unexpectedly lenient verdict is secured by Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott, the powerful president of DEM Corporation, who has intervened on Origami’s behalf. Origami does not know why he helped her.

Character developments and interactions

• Origami faces the consequences of her reckless actions but receives a surprisingly light punishment; Westcott’s motives remain mysterious to her.
• Westcott displays both immense influence and a chillingly pleased demeanor, suggesting that his assistance may come with strings attached.
• Kiriya appears reluctant as he delivers the verdict, implying that outside pressure has shaped the outcome.
• Lingmeng, Shido, Kotori, and Xier Ya provide a playful, self-aware interlude before the story shifts to a tense military hearing.

Significant themes

• Power and narrative limits: Lingmeng’s extreme strength creates challenges for conflict and characterization.
• Fanfiction conventions and audience influence: The author reflects on popular tropes and the way readers and other writers shape creative work.
• Discouragement and persistence: A prolonged hiatus gives way to renewed effort after readers continue asking for updates.
• Authority, influence, and accountability: Origami’s tribunal raises questions about whether justice can function fairly when a powerful corporation can intervene.