Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Ellen watches the service center and recognizes Kaguya and Yuzuru as the Spirits known as Berserk. She is also puzzled that they, like Lingmeng and Tohka, are close to Shido, whom she recalls from footage involving Efreet and Origami. Ellen resolves to investigate him after her current mission.
• Lingmeng catches Ellen spying, playfully pats her head, and leaves to wander around.
• After Reine rearranges the inn’s rooms to keep the newly arrived Yamai sisters apart, Lingmeng returns to the inn and goes to its women’s hot spring.
• Finding the bath empty, Lingmeng happily enjoys a quiet soak—until Kaguya and Yuzuru arrive. When Shido then appears to enter the women’s bath with them, Lingmeng is left stunned.

Character developments

• Ellen grows more suspicious of Shido and recognizes that his connections to several Spirits are unusual.
• Lingmeng shows a carefree, playful side, but also prefers solitude when she wants to relax. Her reaction to Shido’s apparent entrance into the women’s bath is shocked and distrustful.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru remain theatrical and competitive, hinting that they are plotting a trick involving Shido.

Significant themes

• Growing mystery and suspicion: The increasing number of Spirits around Shido draws Ellen’s attention.
• Privacy and comfort: Lingmeng seeks a peaceful break from the chaos of group life.
• Comedy and misunderstanding: The sisters’ dramatic plans and Shido’s unexpected appearance set up a farcical cliffhanger.

Character interactions

• Ellen observes Shido and the Spirits from outside; Lingmeng teases her and sends her on her way.
• Reine rearranges the sleeping arrangements to prevent Kaguya and Yuzuru from clashing.
• Lingmeng overhears the sisters discussing a scheme, then encounters them—and apparently Shido—at the bath.

Key plot points

• Lingmeng realizes Shido Itsuka has entered the women’s hot spring with the Yamai Sisters. Embarrassed to be seen naked, she hides behind a rock but secretly watches them.
• Shido asks why Kaguya and Yuzuru brought him along. The sisters compete to impress him, each claiming her charms will win him over.
• Their attempts at seduction are awkward: Kaguya strikes an unconvincing pose, then Yuzuru blows Shido an old-fashioned idol-style kiss. Their rivalry ends in mutual embarrassment and teasing rather than romance.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng’s thoughts become increasingly flustered and suggestive as she watches, and she briefly wonders if she is jealous of the sisters’ closeness with Shido—though she vehemently denies it. She also gains a little confidence in her own appeal after seeing their clumsy efforts.
• Kaguya tries to act bold but is inexperienced and easily embarrassed. Yuzuru mocks her, then proves no more skilled herself.
• Shido is awkward but not particularly fazed by their antics, having endured many unusual romantic situations before.

Significant themes

• The chapter plays romantic rivalry for comedy, undercutting the sisters’ grand claims with awkward reality.
• Lingmeng’s conflicted attraction, jealousy, and voyeuristic curiosity create a contrast between her denial and her increasingly obvious interest.
• Shido’s growing familiarity with bizarre romantic situations highlights how ordinary embarrassment has become for him.

Key events

• Kaguya and Yuzuru each try to impress Shido with a pose, then mock one another and fall into another wrestling match.
• Shido attempts to stop them but is knocked into the hot spring. Unable to intervene against the Spirit sisters, he retreats behind a rock.
• Lingmeng is hiding underwater nearby. When Shido’s towel briefly shifts in the choppy water, she catches an unintended glimpse of him, loses focus, and surfaces—headbutting him as he leans down.
• Shido recognizes Lingmeng, then realizes she is naked. He apologizes and closes his eyes; embarrassed and flustered, Lingmeng punches him lightly in the chest.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru hear Lingmeng’s voice and come over. A few minutes later, Lingmeng explains she was there before them and stayed hidden while they competed for Shido’s attention.

Character developments and interactions

• Shido tries to manage the Yamai sisters’ rivalry, then withdraws when he cannot safely stop their fight. He remains apologetic and carefully avoids looking at Lingmeng after the accidental exposure.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru continue their familiar pattern of theatrical one-upmanship, insults, and physical rivalry. Their sparring accidentally causes the water disturbance that leads to Lingmeng’s mishap.
• Lingmeng shifts from panicked embarrassment to a more defiant attitude. She reasons that she and Shido have seen one another exposed before, though Shido is still uncomfortable and keeps his eyes averted.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and competition: The Yamai sisters’ rivalry centers on winning Shido’s attention.
• Awkward intimacy and embarrassment: Accidents, misunderstandings, and mismatched comfort levels drive the scene’s humor.
• Limits of ordinary intervention: Shido’s attempt to mediate shows the gap between his human strength and the Spirits’ abilities.

Key plot points and events

• Kaguya and Yuzuru discover that Lingmeng witnessed their earlier attempts to seduce Shido. Lingmeng teases them, then agrees to keep the embarrassing incident secret.
• The sisters notice Shido blushed at seeing Lingmeng but barely reacted to their own flirting. Yuzuru concludes that Shido responds to seeing naked girls and, to test the idea, drops her towel. Kaguya follows after Yuzuru taunts her about her small chest.
• Shido tries to leave, but the sisters grab him and insist he choose between them. Lingmeng refuses to help, amused by his predicament.
• Shido realizes he thought he had entered the men’s bath. Lingmeng explains he is actually in the women’s bath. Kaguya admits she switched the bath curtains to trick him; Yuzuru switched them back after he entered.

Character developments

• Lingmeng is playful and shameless about the situation, teasing the sisters and declining to rescue Shido.
• Kaguya is theatrical and competitive, but easily provoked by comments about her figure; she joins Yuzuru’s risky attempt to win Shido’s attention.
• Yuzuru is calm and strategic, treating the sisters’ contest as a serious reason to overcome her embarrassment.
• Shido is flustered by the unexpected nudity and physical attention, while protesting that he entered the bath believing it was the men’s.

Significant themes

• Embarrassment and teasing: The characters repeatedly expose one another’s vulnerabilities for comic effect.
• Rivalry and competition: Kaguya and Yuzuru escalate their efforts to win Shido’s choice.
• Misunderstanding and mischief: The swapped curtains create the central bathhouse confusion.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng’s teasing turns the sisters’ earlier seduction attempts into a shared embarrassment, briefly strengthening their friendship with her.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru compare themselves with Lingmeng and challenge each other over who can attract Shido.
• The sisters corner Shido together, while Lingmeng watches with amusement.
• Kaguya’s curtain prank—and Yuzuru’s later reversal—leaves Shido caught in an awkward situation neither he nor the others initially explain clearly.

Key plot points and events

• The Yamai Sisters’ prank leaves Shido trapped in the women’s bath with Lingmeng and the sisters. Lingmeng realizes he was set up rather than entering out of any improper interest.
• Tohka arrives, sees the group, and initially pushes Shido away. After Lingmeng explains the prank, Tohka accepts that Shido is not to blame.
• Lingmeng scolds Kaguya and Yuzuru for causing trouble, but the sisters remain proud of their scheme and get a playful “Hand Chop” for their behavior.
• Shido tries to escape before anyone else arrives. Tohka then remembers that their classmates are coming, and Ai, Mai, Mii, and Origami soon enter the bath.
• Shido hides under a rock to avoid being discovered, while Lingmeng stays behind. The girls chat and admire one another’s figures.

Character developments

• Shido is increasingly panicked about being caught in the women’s bath, though he is ultimately an unwilling victim of the prank.
• Lingmeng takes charge, explains the situation to Tohka, and reprimands the Yamai Sisters. She also shows some embarrassment at the crowd and admits to herself that Shido’s predicament is genuinely difficult.
• Tohka quickly accepts Lingmeng’s explanation and shows her cheerful, uncomplicated priorities—she is disappointed mainly because she thought she had arrived first.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru remain mischievous and unapologetic, treating their trick as an impressive accomplishment.

Significant themes

• Embarrassment and misunderstanding: Shido’s presence in the women’s bath looks incriminating, even though he was tricked into being there.
• Pranks and consequences: The Yamai Sisters’ amusement creates real trouble for Shido and prompts Lingmeng to chastise them.
• Appearance versus reality: Shido may seem fortunate to be surrounded by girls, but Lingmeng recognizes how stressful the situation is for him.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng explains Shido’s innocence to Tohka and stands up for him.
• Lingmeng rebukes and playfully punishes Kaguya and Yuzuru, who defend their plan rather than apologize.
• Tohka and Shido’s conversation turns awkward when he approaches her, prompting her to shove him away.
• Lingmeng warns Shido to hide before the rest of the class arrives; he follows her advice as the other girls enter.

Key plot points and events

• The girls tease one another about their chests at the hot spring. Mai gropes Kaguya, Mii gropes Yuzuru, and Ai targets Tohka while Lingmeng watches.
• Lingmeng slips away and finds Shido considering a jump into the sea as his only apparent escape. She startles him, catches him before he falls, then offers to teleport him back to his room.
• As Lingmeng tries to send Shido back, Ai sneaks up and grabs her. The surprise disrupts Lingmeng’s concentration, and she accidentally teleports Shido into the sea about 200 meters away.
• Lingmeng realizes her mistake and feels guilty, but Ai’s continued groping immediately distracts her again.

Character developments

• Lingmeng shows concern for Shido by stopping his jump and offering a safer way back, though her mischievous prank and interrupted teleportation create new trouble.
• Shido’s resolve to jump collapses once he remembers Lingmeng can teleport him; the chapter ends with him accidentally sent somewhere far more dangerous.
• Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Tohka react with embarrassment to the trio’s teasing, while still maintaining their distinct personalities: Kaguya’s dramatic bravado, Yuzuru’s composed remarks, and Tohka’s innocence.
• Ai, Mai, and Mii are portrayed as exuberant and physically teasing, with Ai’s impulsiveness causing the central mishap.

Significant themes

• Playful embarrassment and slapstick comedy drive the hot-spring scene.
• Good intentions can go wrong when distraction and impulsiveness interfere: Lingmeng tries to help Shido, but Ai’s interruption turns rescue into danger.
• The group’s intimacy is expressed through teasing, though the chapter also frames unwanted touching as a source of discomfort, particularly through Lingmeng’s objections.

Character interactions

• Mai and Mii openly tease Kaguya and Yuzuru, while Ai targets Tohka and then Lingmeng.
• Lingmeng and Shido share a brief exchange in which her teasing gives way to an offer of help.
• Ai’s attack on Lingmeng interrupts that exchange and derails the teleportation, leaving Lingmeng to protest while Ai casually defends her behavior.

Key events

• Ai teases Lingmeng about how she might react if Shido touched her, making Lingmeng blush. Lingmeng soon remembers Shido is still lost at sea and leaves the inn to rescue him.
• At the hot springs, Tonamachi and the other boys try to peep through a hole between the baths. Origami catches them, asks whether Shido is there, and leaves when she learns he isn’t. When the boys try again, a girl pokes Tonamachi in the eye; Ai, Mai, Mii, and the other girls loudly condemn the group.
• Lingmeng locates Shido floating near the inn, hauls him up in a conjured net, and teleports him to a nearby beach. She removes the sea creatures caught with him, rinses him with warm water, and gives him a towel and yukata. Still cold from the night air, Shido continues shivering, so Lingmeng creates a flame to warm him.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng’s embarrassment around Ai reveals a softer, more bashful side, but her concern for Shido quickly takes priority. She feels responsible for his ordeal and takes practical steps to care for him.
• Ai enjoys teasing Lingmeng, while Lingmeng tries to brush off the teasing and hurry away.
• Origami remains intensely focused on Shido, hoping to see him at the baths, but her discovery of the boys’ scheme shifts attention to their misconduct.
• Tonamachi’s confidence turns to humiliation when Origami catches him and the girls expose the peeping attempt.
• Shido is exhausted and freezing after his time at sea, while Lingmeng acts as his rescuer and caretaker.

Significant themes

• Care and responsibility: Lingmeng’s rescue and efforts to warm Shido show her concern despite her awkwardness and initial reluctance.
• Embarrassment and attraction: The bathhouse banter and Origami’s interest in Shido play romantic feelings for humor.
• Consequences of misconduct: The boys’ attempt to invade the girls’ privacy is confronted and publicly shamed.

Key events

• Lingmeng warms the stranded, sea-soaked Shido with magically created fire, then grills the seafood they brought ashore.
• She unusually offers Shido a shrimp and even feeds it to him, making him suspect something is wrong.
• Lingmeng admits she was only acting sweet because she felt guilty for dragging him into the sea and leaving him wet. The mishap began when Ai unexpectedly touched her chest.
• Shido reassures her, explaining that the swim was no great hardship compared with past ordeals. He pats her head, and she accepts the comfort.
• Lingmeng decides Shido’s kindness leaves her “losing out” and retaliates by patting his head—prolonging it to make up for all the times he has patted her.

Character development and interactions

• Shido shows patience and affection toward Lingmeng, forgiving her and comforting her rather than holding the accident against her.
• Lingmeng’s guilt briefly brings out a considerate, tender side, but she quickly returns to her playful, competitive self. She and Shido trade teasing and head pats, reversing their usual roles.

Themes

• Care and forgiveness: Shido’s reassurance eases Lingmeng’s guilt.
• Playful reciprocity: Lingmeng turns affection into a mock contest, insisting on repaying every kindness.
• Humor and contrast: Her exaggerated sweetness contrasts with her familiar mischievous personality.

Key events

• After playing tag on Orumi Island’s moonlit beach, Shido tires out and agrees with Lingmeng to return to the inn before their teacher notices they are missing.
• Lingmeng teleports them to the entrance, where they find the boys doing punishment cleaning while Ai, Mai, and Mii supervise. Ko-tama mourns their behavior.
• Ai explains that the boys tried to peek into the women’s bath and were caught by Tobiichi, so the teacher ordered them to clean the inn.
• Ai suspects Shido also peeked. Tonamachi and the other boys seize the chance to accuse him, even though Tonamachi knows Shido did not join their attempt. Tonamachi blames Shido indirectly for the trouble and wants revenge.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng and Shido continue their playful, teasing rapport: she boasts about outrunning him, while he protests that she has a Spirit’s advantage.
• Shido is embarrassed when Ai questions him and then exasperated as Tonamachi’s group falsely piles on.
• Tonamachi’s apparent reluctance to explain the punishment proves to be shame over getting caught; his resentment also motivates his scapegoating of Shido.
• Ai is quick to judge Shido, while the girls enforce the boys’ punishment without sympathy.

Significant themes

• Playful rivalry and camaraderie: Lingmeng and Shido’s teasing contrasts with the boys’ rowdy group dynamics.
• Accountability and embarrassment: The boys face public consequences for their misconduct, but they try to shift blame rather than admit fault.
• Unfair scapegoating: Tonamachi knowingly twists the truth to punish Shido for an indirect connection to the incident.

Plot points and events

• Tonamachi tries to escape blame for the hot-spring peeping rumor by accusing Shido and persuading the class to believe him.
• Lingmeng defends Shido, claiming they had been on a date and that their walk together gave him an alibi. Ai accepts this explanation and theatrically reconstructs events—mostly incorrectly—declaring Shido innocent.
• Ai then turns the supposed date into a romance spectacle, teasing the pair about love, marriage, and future children. The class joins in, with the boys envious and the girls offering congratulations.
• Shido briefly imagines what a child with Lingmeng might be like, then realizes how far his thoughts have run.
• When Shido suggests they might marry when they are older, Lingmeng blushes, calls him an idiot, and runs away. Ai interprets her reaction as embarrassment rather than anger.
• Tonamachi jokes that he might pursue Lingmeng, prompting Shido to angrily tell him to back off. Tonamachi concludes that Shido has feelings for her.

Character developments

• Shido is grateful to Lingmeng and shows growing romantic interest, though he remains flustered and denies that marriage is actually planned.
• Lingmeng protects Shido by inventing an alibi, then becomes increasingly embarrassed as others tease them. Her defensive, affectionate reactions suggest she may welcome Shido’s interest.
• Ai is quick to believe Lingmeng and spins her explanation into an elaborate romance narrative, acting as a teasing commentator.
• Tonamachi proves willing to sacrifice Shido to save himself, then deliberately needles him to test his feelings for Lingmeng.

Significant themes

• Rumor, trust, and loyalty: Shido is quickly condemned by the class, while Lingmeng’s support clears his name.
• Romantic embarrassment and miscommunication: A practical rescue is mistaken for a date, and playful teasing turns it into a presumed relationship.
• Appearance and social judgment: Shido notes that Lingmeng’s beauty makes others accept her claims readily.
• Friendship and rivalry: Tonamachi’s betrayal and teasing contrast with Lingmeng’s loyalty.

Character interactions

• Lingmeng shields Shido from the class’s accusations; Shido responds with gratitude.
• Ai questions Lingmeng, accepts her explanation, and enthusiastically teases both of them.
• Classmates amplify the romantic rumors with jealousy, congratulations, and jokes about children.
• Lingmeng and Shido exchange shy, teasing remarks about marriage, while Tonamachi’s provocation draws out Shido’s jealousy.

Chapter summary

After Shido and Lingmeng’s affectionate moment, Tonomachi teases Shido about their public displays of affection and envies his apparent romance. Shido brushes off the teasing and heads to his room. Tonomachi then proposes marriage and children to Ai, Mai, and Mii, who reject him together; he dramatically collapses in despair.
Lingmeng walks back to her room, embarrassed by how strongly she reacted when classmates joked about her marrying Shido and having children. She wonders whether the Yamai sisters’ arrival has brought her feelings for Shido closer to the surface. Though she usually denies being interested in him, she recognizes that she does care for him—and that, as Reine has noted, her affection can rise well above its usual level when something stirs it.
In the room she mistakenly returns to, Lingmeng finds Kaguya appointing Tohka as her “retainer.” Tohka happily accepts, drawn to Kaguya’s impressive-sounding vocabulary, and Kaguya is delighted to have someone appreciate her dramatic way of speaking. Realizing she has gone to the wrong room after the room switch, Lingmeng leaves them to get along.
Lingmeng then reaches her assigned room, where the atmosphere is painfully quiet. Yuzuru and Origami sit apart, while the other girls are tense and withdrawn. One timid girl offers Lingmeng a cushion, but conversation soon dies out. Frustrated by the silence, Lingmeng bluntly demands that the girls say something, startling them. The excerpt ends before their response is given.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng becomes more aware of her feelings for Shido, even as she tries to dismiss them and focus on enjoying the trip. Her direct, impatient side also emerges when faced with the awkward silence in her new room.
• Tonomachi envies Shido’s romantic prospects and unsuccessfully tries his own luck with Ai, Mai, and Mii.
• Shido responds awkwardly to Tonomachi’s teasing and withdraws from the group.
• Kaguya and Tohka quickly bond: Kaguya takes on a self-appointed master role, while Tohka willingly becomes her retainer and admires her vocabulary.
• Yuzuru, Origami, and the other girls form a subdued, uncomfortable group; Lingmeng’s attempt to break the silence leaves them startled.

Significant themes

The passage mixes romantic embarrassment and jealousy with comic misunderstandings and contrasting personalities. It also explores how affection can be stirred by outside events, while the different room dynamics highlight the challenge of bringing people together—especially when some are shy or socially reserved.

Key plot points

• Lingmeng apologizes after making a girl feel bad, and the group decides to talk about romance rather than sit in silence.
• Yuzuru joins them and asks how to make a man fall in love with her. She clarifies that she does not particularly like him; for various reasons, she needs him to fall for her.
• The girls offer bashful, inexperienced suggestions, such as brushing a boy’s hand or sharing a drink. Lingmeng enjoys imagining how such gestures might affect Shido.
• Origami dismisses the ideas as naive and presents herself as more qualified to advise Yuzuru, citing her near-success in taking Shido’s first time.
• Yuzuru is impressed and begs Origami to teach her. Origami refuses, but Yuzuru persists.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng shifts from boredom to amusement as the conversation unfolds. She is embarrassed when the others notice her imagining herself with Shido, and becomes flustered when Origami boasts about her history with him. Lingmeng hints that she has her own claim to Shido but cannot bring herself to explain.
• Yuzuru shows a direct, practical interest in learning how to win Shido’s affection. She treats Origami with formal respect and quickly decides she is the mentor she needs.
• Origami displays her usual blunt confidence, dismissing the group’s romantic advice and asserting her experience with Shido. She remains cool and resistant even as Yuzuru pleads to become her student.
• The other girls are shy and inexperienced, but try earnestly to help Yuzuru. Their discussion also prompts them to tease Lingmeng about having someone she likes.

Significant themes

• Romance and inexperience: The girls’ well-meaning advice contrasts with their limited experience.
• Competition over Shido: Lingmeng, Yuzuru, and Origami each reveal—directly or indirectly—a connection to him.
• Embarrassment and self-restraint: Lingmeng’s feelings surface through her reactions, even when she tries to deny or conceal them.

Key plot points and events

• Origami accepts Yuzuru as a disciple after seeing her resolve. Yuzuru eagerly agrees to train and begins calling her “Master Origami.”
• Lingmeng protests that their sudden teacher-student bond makes the story feel like a battle anime, but the pair ignore her and begin their lesson.
• Worried Yuzuru might become too much like Origami, Lingmeng leaves the room. While wandering the inn corridor, she collides with Shido and falls.
• Shido helps her up, notices she is blushing, and checks her temperature by touching his forehead to hers. Lingmeng is flustered but moved by his concern.
• Lingmeng brings up Shido’s earlier marriage comment. He apologizes and offers to avoid the subject, but she insists it does not bother her.
• Shido says he would like to see her in a wedding dress. Lingmeng jokes that, if they married, he would be the one wearing it. Shido points out that she has implicitly raised the possibility of marrying him, leaving her startled and wondering if he has tricked her—though she concludes he probably has not.

Character developments and interactions

• Yuzuru shows unwavering determination and admiration by seeking Origami’s guidance; Origami softens enough to accept her, becoming a composed but willing mentor.
• Lingmeng serves as the comic observer of the new “teams” forming among the group, but her interactions with Shido reveal her romantic embarrassment and growing sensitivity to his attention.
• Shido is caring and sincere, apologizing when he thinks he has upset Lingmeng and openly complimenting her. His oblivious question catches her off guard.

Significant themes

• The chapter plays with the contrast between the group’s romantic-comedy setting and the sudden seriousness of a martial-arts-style master-disciple relationship.
• It explores how affection can emerge through ordinary acts of care, while marriage talk and teasing expose Lingmeng’s feelings.
• Lingmeng’s humorous commentary highlights the increasingly tangled rivalries and pairings among the characters.

Key plot points and events

• Lingmeng denies that she genuinely wants to marry Shido, insisting she was only teasing him. Shido replies that he would be happy if she did, flustering her and briefly making their conversation awkward.
• Shido heads to speak with Reine about the Yamai Sisters, and Lingmeng insists on accompanying him.
• Reine explains that sealing Kaguya and Yuzuru will be unusually difficult: because the sisters are rivals whose Spirit Power is connected, the one left unsealed could exploit the other’s weakened state.
• Their safest option is to seal both sisters simultaneously. They must do so before the school trip ends, in less than two days, leaving Shido with a daunting challenge.
• Shido compares the deadline to previous Spirit-sealing missions and reflects that winning over Lingmeng had been comparatively easy. Lingmeng immediately guesses what he is thinking and calls him out for it.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng shifts between flustered sincerity and playful teasing. Though embarrassed by Shido’s response, she quickly returns to her confident, mischievous manner and supports him as he faces the Yamai problem.
• Shido is caught off guard by his own bold remark, then shows that he has not grasped the strategic danger of sealing the sisters one at a time. He becomes anxious when he learns the tight deadline.
• Reine calmly lays out the risks and the simultaneous-sealing plan, despite appearing exhausted.
• The exchanges among the three balance practical planning with teasing: Lingmeng explains the sisters’ rivalry to Shido, encourages him, and later detects his private comparison of her sealing process to the others.

Significant themes

• Trust and romantic uncertainty: Lingmeng’s denial clashes with her visible embarrassment, while Shido’s unexpected warmth deepens their awkward intimacy.
• Teamwork and strategy: The Yamai Sisters’ connection means Shido cannot solve the problem by focusing on one Spirit at a time; both must be won over and sealed together.
• Time pressure: The approaching end of the school trip gives Shido less than two days to succeed, continuing the story’s pattern of high-stakes deadlines.

Plot points and events

• Reine explains her plan to coach Kaguya and Yuzuru through earpieces so they’ll trust her advice while trying to win Shido’s affection. Once they’re ready to be sealed, she intends to have both kiss him at the same time, reducing the risk that one sister acts while the other is sealed.
• Reine moves Shido to a separate room, inventing an excuse that he caught a cold after falling into the sea while hunting jellyfish. She plans to send the Yamai Sisters to care for him.
• Shido and Lingmeng part ways. Lingmeng warns Shido to keep control of himself, while he insists he is not a “harem protagonist.” They trade teasing banter before separating.
• Lingmeng encounters Kaguya and Yuzuru, who confidently boast about their chances with Shido. Yuzuru mentions that Origami has been teaching her, prompting Lingmeng to worry about what Origami might have taught her.
• Tohka and Origami are also arguing over who should care for Shido. Lingmeng tries to tell them the Yamai Sisters have already been assigned, but Tohka interrupts her.
• Tohka proposes getting into bed with Shido and holding him to warm him up and cure his cold. Lingmeng is baffled, though she recalls an earlier incident that may have given Tohka the idea.

Character developments and interactions

• Reine takes charge of the sealing strategy, using deception and coaching to coordinate the Yamai Sisters.
• Shido is uneasy about the plan but agrees to cooperate, then jokes defensively with Lingmeng about his romantic reputation.
• Lingmeng serves as the wary observer and comic voice of reason. She worries that Yuzuru may have absorbed Origami’s eccentric “lessons” and tries, unsuccessfully, to prevent Tohka and Origami from escalating their rivalry.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru are both determined to win Shido’s affection and boast about their advantages; Yuzuru’s new connection to Origami adds to Lingmeng’s concern.
• Tohka and Origami compete over who is best suited to care for Shido, while Tohka reveals a naïve, overly intimate interpretation of how to treat a cold.

Significant themes

• Romantic competition and jealousy: Several girls vie for time with Shido, turning his illness into another contest.
• Manipulation for a good cause: Reine’s plan relies on a false story and carefully guided behavior to seal the spirits.
• Comic misunderstandings: The characters interpret caregiving, romance, and even medical treatment in increasingly absurd ways.
• Lingmeng’s protective concern: Beneath the humor, she worries about Shido’s safety and the consequences of Origami’s influence.

Key plot points and events

• While Shido is sick, Kaguya slips under his covers and pins him down, citing a rumor that he likes sharing a bed with girls. Shido silently fumes over whoever started it.
• In the corridor, Tohka and Origami argue over who is better equipped to care for him. Origami’s bag contains proper sick-care supplies, while Tohka has brought nothing.
• Lingmeng spots a condom in Origami’s bag. Origami insists it is chewing gum, then pretends to chew it to maintain the lie—until she has to spit it out and rinse her mouth.
• Origami announces plans to wipe Shido with a towel, lick away his sweat, and feed him chewed food mouth-to-mouth. Tohka blocks her, calling her a pervert; Origami counters that she is Shido’s girlfriend.
• Lingmeng realizes that both Tohka and Origami have already advised the Yamai sisters on how to care for Shido. Alarmed, she concludes that the situation is likely to get worse.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng acts as the exasperated mediator and practical voice, but her attempts to manage the rivalry are repeatedly undermined by the girls’ extreme behavior.
• Tohka is earnest but inexperienced at nursing. She is confused by Origami’s claims and possessive when Origami threatens to approach Shido.
• Origami is well prepared with medical supplies, yet reveals her usual shameless romantic fixation on Shido. She stubbornly keeps up her “chewing gum” story even at personal cost.
• Kaguya takes advantage of Shido’s weakness to get physically close to him, while Shido remains trapped and internally protests the rumor.
• Tohka and Origami’s rivalry escalates from arguing about caregiving to competing over who has the right to be near Shido.

Significant themes

• Care versus romantic pursuit: Genuine nursing preparations are mixed with attempts to turn Shido’s illness into an opportunity for intimacy.
• Rivalry and possessiveness: The girls’ concern for Shido repeatedly becomes a contest over their closeness to him.
• Comedy through contrast: Lingmeng’s practical exasperation contrasts with the girls’ outrageous, deadpan behavior and Tohka’s innocent misunderstandings.

Plot points and events

• Lingmeng worries that Tohka and Origami have sent the Yamai Sisters after Shido while he is sick. Ai, Mai, and Mii interrupt, eager to turn the dispute into a pillow fight.
• The sisters recruit Tohka and Origami, who agree to fight as opposing team members. Lingmeng declines so she can check on Shido, and Ai promises to keep the two Spirits occupied—while teasing Lingmeng as Shido’s “main girl.”
• Origami starts the fight by hitting Tohka with a pillow. Tohka retaliates, and the mock battle quickly becomes an all-out pillow barrage, with Mai and Mii joining in.
• Ellen, secretly surveilling the group for DEM, reports that Lingmeng and Tohka have separated. She is accidentally struck by a flying pillow, then dragged into the room and forced into the pillow fight.
• On her way to Shido’s room, Lingmeng runs into her teacher, Tamae. Tamae asks to be addressed more respectfully, but Lingmeng keeps calling her “Ko-tama,” frustrating her.

Character developments and interactions

• Lingmeng shows concern for Shido but prefers to stay out of the childish contest. She accepts the sisters’ help keeping Tohka and Origami away from him.
• Tohka and Origami’s rivalry shifts from arguing over Shido’s care to a competitive pillow fight. Their familiar hostility remains playful but intense.
• Ai, Mai, and Mii act as enthusiastic mediators, though their real priority is having enough people for a game. They also tease Lingmeng about romance and marriage.
• Ellen’s attempt to maintain covert, professional surveillance is undermined by the group’s carefree chaos; she becomes an unwilling participant.
• Tamae tries to assert her authority as Lingmeng’s teacher, but Lingmeng responds with teasing familiarity.

Significant themes

• Comedy through contrast: DEM’s serious surveillance operation is disrupted by an ordinary pillow fight.
• Rivalry and affection: Tohka and Origami’s competition reflects their shared interest in caring for Shido.
• Playfulness and embarrassment: The sisters’ matchmaking jokes and Lingmeng’s protests add light romantic teasing to the scene.

Key plot points and events

• Ko-tama visits Shido because she heard he has a cold. Lingmeng is also there to check on him.
• Ko-tama assumes Lingmeng is Shido’s girlfriend. Lingmeng denies it for now, but her flustered answer leaves open the possibility.
• After lamenting that she is nearly thirty and still single, Ko-tama asks Lingmeng for help finding a husband.
• Lingmeng recommends Fraxinus vice commander Kyohei Kannazuki, describing him as tall, wealthy, attractive, and unusually tolerant of abuse.
• Unbeknownst to Lingmeng, Kannazuki suddenly senses he has found his destined partner and draws an exact portrait of Ko-tama, complete with imagined personal details. His crew doubts his heterosexuality until he insists he dislikes muscular men.
• Ko-tama eagerly demands Kannazuki’s contact information, explaining her family pressures her to marry. Lingmeng sends it to her.

Character developments

• Lingmeng is embarrassed by the girlfriend rumor but cannot clearly rule out a future relationship with Shido. She also shows a playful, matchmaking side by suggesting Kannazuki.
• Ko-tama shifts from a teasing teacher to an emotionally overwhelmed, marriage-minded woman, revealing her loneliness and frustration at family pressure.
• Kannazuki is portrayed as eccentric and devoted to Kotori, yet he appears convinced that Ko-tama is his destined partner.

Significant themes

• Romantic rumors and uncertain feelings.
• The pressure placed on unmarried women by family and society.
• Comedic fate and matchmaking, especially the coincidence of Lingmeng’s recommendation and Kannazuki’s “vision.”

Character interactions

• Ko-tama teases Lingmeng about Shido, then presses her for details about a potential husband.
• Lingmeng tries to comfort Ko-tama and ultimately connects her with Kannazuki.
• Kannazuki’s crew reacts with disbelief to his sudden romantic certainty and portrait, while Ko-tama’s enthusiasm overwhelms Lingmeng.

Key plot points and events

• Ko-tama agrees to contact Kannazuki about Lingmeng’s proposed matchmaking help, but decides to wait until she has some privacy. She and Lingmeng then head to Shido’s room.
• Inside, the Yamai Sisters’ attempt to sleep beside Shido turns into a chaotic struggle. Kaguya and Yuzuru try to seduce him, and Shido escapes—naked.
• As Lingmeng reaches the door, Shido bursts out and knocks her down. He lands on top of her in an intimate-looking position, while the unclothed Yamai Sisters emerge behind him.
• Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Lingmeng freezes and faints. Shido calls Reine for help; Reine confirms that Lingmeng is unharmed and fainted from the shock.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru tease Lingmeng and show little remorse. Shido responds by chopping both of them on the head.

Character developments

• Lingmeng is unexpectedly flustered by physical closeness with Shido, a sharp contrast to her earlier, confident teasing of him. Her reaction hints at feelings or vulnerability she has not acknowledged.
• Shido tries to escape the Yamai Sisters’ advances and is embarrassed by the accidental collision with Lingmeng. He remains concerned for her afterward and mildly scolds the sisters.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru continue their bold, competitive pursuit of Shido, treating the episode as amusing rather than recognizing how distressing it was for Lingmeng.
• Ko-tama remains practical about her own matchmaking situation and leaves the scene after Reine gives her a vague explanation.

Significant themes

• Comedy through misunderstanding and embarrassment: Shido’s escape creates an accidentally compromising scene.
• Unacknowledged affection and vulnerability: Lingmeng’s unusual reaction suggests that her feelings toward Shido may be changing.
• Boundaries and teasing: The Yamai Sisters’ playfulness crosses into unwanted pressure, while Shido’s attempts to resist provide the scene’s central conflict.

Character interactions

• Ko-tama and Lingmeng briefly discuss the matchmaking plan before going to check on Shido.
• Shido struggles against Kaguya and Yuzuru’s coordinated advances, then collides with Lingmeng.
• Reine calmly explains Lingmeng’s fainting to Shido.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru mock Lingmeng’s embarrassment; Shido pushes back by bonking them on the head.

Key events

• Shido tells Kaguya and Yuzuru to apologize to Lingmeng when she wakes. Reine ends their attempt to win him over for the day and takes them away to plan their next approach.
• Tohka and Origami resume their pillow fight, accidentally hitting Ellen, who is then fussed over by Ai.
• While keeping watch beside the unconscious Lingmeng, Shido admires her appearance and, alone with her, kisses her without permission.
• Lingmeng wakes during the kiss. Shido pulls away in a panic, and the two sit in an awkward silence. Rather than lash out, Lingmeng hides under her blanket and wriggles in embarrassment.

Character developments and interactions

• Shido prioritizes Lingmeng’s wellbeing over continuing his date with the Yamai Sisters, but his decision to kiss her reveals an impulsive, possessive side at odds with his self-image as gentle and reserved.
• Kaguya and Yuzuru accept Shido’s rebuke and agree to apologize, while continuing to rely on Reine’s guidance.
• Lingmeng seems surprised by her own reaction to the kiss: alongside resistance, she feels excitement and happiness. Her embarrassment, rather than anger, shapes the aftermath.
• Tohka and Origami’s competitive banter turns into another pillow fight, with Ellen caught in the crossfire and Ai comically treating her as though she is gravely injured.

Significant themes

• Consent and romantic boundaries: Shido’s kiss is uninvited, and Lingmeng’s complicated feelings do not erase that boundary.
• Embarrassment and romantic tension: The kiss forces both characters to confront feelings they cannot yet comfortably express.
• Comedy amid drama: The pillow-fight mishap contrasts with the intimate, tense scene between Shido and Lingmeng.