"…You never change, always acting tough."
No need to rush answers. Stopping isn't a sin.
The girl gently stroked Kurumi's hair—slowly, tenderly, with heartfelt emotion. The sleeping face lacked Kurumi's usual transcendence, revealing a fragile beauty, as if loved by a god.
Her hand brushed Kurumi's cheek, fearing it might break. A wish for a moment of peace, for happy dreams. Her touch carried—overwhelming affection.
"—How is 'I' doing?"
"Stable, but she won't wake for days."
A light knock, and a maid-clad Kurumi entered. The white girl responded, turning with a neutral expression to the clone's complex one.
"Days, even with a Spirit's recovery? That severe?"
"Partly, but her heart's the real issue."
Kurumi's surface wounds had healed. Internal damage would mend in days with her Spirit regeneration. The true problem was her mental strain.
"…She never showed weakness, always pushing forward. The sudden emotional weight was too much."
"The path to her 'vow' was near, but it meant consuming dear Shidou. Unable to, 'I' shielded him instead. And he shielded 'I'. Beautiful, tragic, sad—I can't comprehend it."
"Of course. You're 'Kurumi', not Kurumi. Her emotions are hers alone, unshared without updating your past. If she were cold enough to shrug it off, it'd be easier."
The Spirit Tokisaki Kurumi was ruthless. The girl Tokisaki Kurumi was kind. Ruthlessness was needed for her vow, but kindness led her to this path.
An ultimate contradiction. To undo tragedy, she created tragedy. To undo everything, including her actions. Yet it didn't absolve her sins. The girl bore constant guilt, driving the Spirit to atone for lost and trampled lives by never stopping.
Then came a boy, too kind, who could end her journey—a poison that corrupted the Spirit, maddened the girl. And she maddened him.
That poison eroded the Spirit. The lie to protect her eroded the girl. The boy's maddened feelings were venom, capable of remaking the world.
"I understand. But the vow is everything to 'me'. Isn't it natural to complain when 'I' became the mummy while 'I' wasn't listening?"
"…If a clone had done this, Kurumi would've returned it to shadow without mercy. But her near-self-destruction chilled me. I nearly stepped in countless times…"
To the girl, Kurumi's word was absolute. She never defied it—except in cases like this.
"Hehe, and stepping in led to this scene. How odd."
"It was close. If I couldn't make it, I'd have pushed them both out."
Everything exceeded her expectations. Shidou's passion for Kurumi was shocking, and Kurumi's desperation unforeseen. For her to shield Shidou, disregarding her own redo-capable body—such a heart was unknown to the girl, no matter her knowledge.
"…I have plans, so Kurumi… and Shidou can't die yet. This time was an exception."
"Care to share this plan?"
"I've said it's not worth sharing. If Kurumi fulfills her vow perfectly, my plan succeeds. Though things have… shifted."
The maid Kurumi stared curiously, but the girl had no intention of explaining. Until recently, Kurumi's vow was the best path, but Shidou's irregularity changed that. The girl had hoped for it, but this clash of unpredictable emotions left it up to them.
For now, she'd wait for Kurumi's recovery. Her task: deal with the unsealed Kotori Itsuka.
"…Time to repay a debt."
"Oh? Sounds fun."
The maid Kurumi grinned, pulling her gun—clearly misunderstanding.
"Wonderful! A raid on their leader! I'll join!"
"…Why assume that? It's not."
"Oh? I thought you'd be merciless to Kurumi's enemies."
"I won't deny that."
The maid smirked triumphantly. The girl sighed. She'd show no mercy to Kurumi's foes—if Kotori acted willingly.
"…If Kotori chose that, I'd respond accordingly. But that wasn't her."
"Not her?"
"Strange phrasing, but yes."
It started as Kotori, confronting Kurumi to stop her self-destruction, even unsealing her powers. The girl felt gratitude. But what emerged later wasn't Kotori.
A hunch formed. She needed certainty before acting.
"…Sephira Crystal imbalance? Or unstable bonding—akin to inversion. Do they have countermeasures…?"
"What's that?"
"…Nothing. I'm stepping out. Watch Kurumi."
"Where to?"
The girl paused, then grinned mischievously, though her words weren't cute.
"…To infiltrate their proud airship."
"—You idiot, Shidou!!"
"Guh!?"
Kotori's fist landed a critical hit on Shidou's stomach. Super effective!!
"…W-What, Kotori…?"
Gasping, he questioned his sister's sudden attack. Moments ago, they'd been serious, now this. Confusion reigned.
Reine led him to a room unfit for a commander—a cage-like space. There, Kotori and his recovered memories revealed truths.
Five years ago, Kotori became a Spirit. Neither recalled much. She offset Kurumi's spacequake on instinct. Someone likely erased their memories. Shidou sealed her powers, granting him his regeneration. Afterward, Ratatoskr found Kotori, who joined to save Spirits, choosing Shidou to persuade them.
Amid his foggy memories, Kotori's punch added to his confusion. She spoke, fuming.
"What? I told you you'd die easily! Why'd you jump in front of Camael to protect Kurumi!?"
"I… my body just moved…"
"Moved to near-suicide? Are you stupid? No, I know you are."
"…Not exactly… sorry."
Shidou didn't want to die. His body acted. He barely remembered his thoughts, only the need to protect Kurumi.
Kotori's harsh words came from concern, so he apologized. Sighing deeply, her face mixed relief and worry.
"…Even with regeneration, Camael nearly killed a Spirit like Kurumi. A human would die instantly. Please, care for yourself more. I barely regained control… diverted the blast slightly…"
"Regained control? So you were…"
Not herself. Kotori changed mid-battle, as if truly intent on killing Kurumi. That outcome would've saved no one.
"…Yeah. I don't know why, but since you returned my powers, I've been off. Urges to destroy, to kill, drive me. Drugs suppress it for now."
"What…?"
"I'm scared. Controlled by something unknown, with foggy memories… I might've killed someone. If I hadn't seen you, I would've killed Kurumi."
"…!"
Kotori trembled. The bold, black-ribboned girl was scared. It shook Shidou deeply.
"…That's not like me. Forget it—"
"Kotori."
He met her eyes firmly. Her face flushed as they locked gazes. Shidou couldn't ignore her fear, no matter his confusion.
"Fweh!?"
"Is there anything I can do? Anything. I'll make it happen."
"…Anything?"
"For my cute sister, anything."
He didn't know if he could help, but he had to. Spirit or human, she was his irreplaceable sister who saved him from despair.
Blushing, Kotori spoke shyly.
"Then… make me fall for you."
"…Huh?"
His resolve drowned in confusion again.
"Reine-san, Kotori…"
"…She's fine. For now."
"For now…?"
After Kotori's comment, they discussed resealing her powers. Her demeanor shifted, and Reine forced Shidou out. Her words now stoked his unease.
Reine, eyes downcast, spoke outside.
"…In two days, you'll date Kotori."
"Why two days?"
"…It's her limit. She can't withstand her powers longer."
"—!?"
Reine's words stiffened him. Her expression seemed darker.
"What does that mean!?"
"…Her episodes are growing closer. Sedatives and stabilizers hold it back, but two days is her limit. Beyond that, she may not be the Kotori you know. Stability and her limit align in two days. Miss it, and there's no second chance."
"—"
Words failed him. Cold sweat crawled. His body shook.
A death sentence. Kotori could cease to be herself in two days. In that brief window, Shidou had to win her over.
Make his sister fall for him. Fail, and she'd be lost.
Another daunting mission after Kurumi. But Shidou wouldn't turn back. He never wanted to see that Kotori again or let them fight in pain.
"…So that's the plan."
Unseen, White murmured and vanished.
---------------------------------------------------------
🚀 Want more?
📖 Unlock 10+ early chapters on my Patreon!
💖 Support me here: patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
🔓 Get ahead of the story today!