The Kabbalistic Tree of Life is a mystical diagram rooted in Jewish philosophy, part of the Kabbalah tradition. It is said to be a blueprint of divine creation.
In the world of Date A Live, each of the ten Sephirot corresponds to one of the ten Spirits created by Mio-tan (a.k.a. Reine/Mio Takamiya).
Keter (Crown) – Tobiichi Origami
Chokhmah (Wisdom) – Honjou Nia
Binah (Understanding) – Tokisaki Kurumi
Chesed (Mercy) – Yoshino (Shiryuu Yoshino)
Gevurah (Severity) – Itsuka Kotori
Tiferet (Beauty) – Hoshimiya Mukuro
Netzach (Victory) – Natsumi
Hod (Glory) – Yamai Twins (Kaguya & Yuzuru)
Yesod (Foundation) – Izayoi Miku
Malkuth (Kingdom) – Yatogami Tohka
By now, Yoshino, Kotori, Natsumi, the Yamai sisters, Miku, and Tohka had all been successfully sealed by Shidou. Origami's status was… complicated. Nia was willing to be sealed, but she stubbornly insisted her heart belonged to Melusine. As for Kurumi—she was still off somewhere being impossibly difficult.
And now, finally, the last unsealed Spirit—Hoshimiya Mukuro—had been located.
Though Melusine did know Mukuro's whereabouts, it wasn't she who provided the intel this time, but Honjou Nia.
For a while now, Kotori had been trying to "conquer" Nia, hoping to seal her Spirit power. But with her Angel Rasiel, the tome of omniscience, Nia could see through every one of Kotori's plans, which made her an infuriating target.
To get them off her back, Nia finally dropped a big one: the location of the last Spirit, Hoshimiya Mukuro.
Mukuro, however, was in outer space. Which meant the team needed time to prepare. So Kotori postponed the mission until after the New Year's holiday.
And today, the newly upgraded Fraxinus EX launched into orbit with Shidou and the others, initiating first contact with Mukuro.
Mukuro's Angel, Michael, grants her the power to lock or unlock anything—physical or conceptual.
The reason Mukuro could endure the boundless solitude of space was because she had sealed away her own heart using Michael.
During their first encounter, Shidou learned this. On their second, using Natsumi's Angel Haniel, he replicated Michael's power and—through great effort—managed to unlock the seal on her heart.
Moved by Shidou's determination, Mukuro agreed to give him a chance—a single date.
The date… went almost too smoothly. So smoothly that it made Kotori and the others nervous.
Even Melusine had the rare experience of sitting on the Fraxinus and helping Shidou make dating choices—it honestly felt like she was playing a galgame.
For example, when Mukuro began lamenting her overly long hair, three dialogue choices popped up on the Fraxinus main screen:
Option 1: Take her to a salon and have a professional style it.
Option 2: Have Shidou tie it up neatly for her himself.
Option 3: Walk behind her, carrying the trailing hair like a gown train—occasionally stroking or even licking it.
Melusine chose Option 3.
The only other person who picked the same was Kannazuki Kyouhei.
"...Kannazuki I've already given up on," Kotori said, face grim. "But Lancelot—why did you pick Option 3?!"
Melusine answered with complete sincerity:
"I merely imagined myself in Mukuro's position. If I were her, I'd want Master to do the same—to savor each other's scent, to cherish each other's warmth, to gently remove garments that got in the way... Though one as innately dominant as myself should be on top, if Master desired it so dearly, I would not object to being forcefully pinned below—"
After that, Melusine was banned from making dialogue selections.
Truly a joyous occasion.
Because Melusine normally conducted herself so solemnly (when it didn't involve her Master), everyone tended to forget that she was, fundamentally, a fellow degenerate on the same level as Origami... even if no one remembered Origami except Shidou.
By 7:00 PM, the date with Mukuro was nearly finished.
"She's opened up a lot today," Kotori noted. "We're just one step away from a seal. Kinda ironic after all the effort we put in…"
Melusine, stone-faced, spoke up.
"Which is why I must ask again—why not let me assist? While I cannot contribute to the romantic aspect, in combat, I possess overwhelming confidence. If you let me strike first and subdue the target, Master could then safely proceed to unlock her heart—"
"We can't rely on you every time," Kotori replied, slumped in her command chair, legs crossed. "It's too easy if the MVP just does all the heavy lifting. Makes the rest of us feel useless."
"And besides," she added, "unlocking Mukuro's heart is just one part. Shidou also has to show his resolve. If he doesn't, the date afterward might not even work."
"I see… So the key is to express one's feelings," Melusine mused. "But I've expressed mine to Master many times already. Has it been too subtle, perhaps?"
No, everyone thought silently. You've just misunderstood the meaning of "subtle."
The date ended without incident.
But just before Mukuro left, her final words to Shidou proved… troubling.
She told him that once they formed a bond, he was never to meet with other women again—not even the Spirits he had already sealed.
Naturally, Shidou couldn't agree. His goal was to save all Spirits. He couldn't simply cut them off.
He knew it sounded like the words of a scumbag. He genuinely felt guilty about it. For a moment, he even considered giving in.
Mukuro, however, smiled softly and said:
"My beloved, you are far too kind. I understand. You needn't explain further—leave everything to me."
And with that cryptic line, she stepped into a space portal opened by Michael and vanished.
Her sudden exit was so swift that Shidou didn't even have a chance to react.
But something in his gut told him—those last words weren't just a throwaway line.
Everyone went to bed that night with different thoughts in their hearts.
The next morning, Shidou woke up early.
Since I'm already up, I might as well make breakfast, he thought.
He washed up, changed clothes, threw on an apron, and made his way to the kitchen downstairs with practiced ease.
Time passed. He had no idea how long.
When the scent of grilled fish started wafting through the house, he heard footsteps coming down from the second floor.
He figured it was Kotori. She was the only one who lived here with him. All the other Spirits—except those with their own homes—lived in the Spirit Apartment next door.
Kotori had worked late last night organizing the data from their encounter with Mukuro. She had to be even more exhausted than he was.
Shidou turned just in time to see Kotori shuffle zombie-like down the stairs, rubbing her eyes.
"Morning, Kotori."
"Mm… morning."
Then—
Kotori's eyes suddenly snapped open.
"KYAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!"
She shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Wha—What happened?!"
Shidou jumped, hands over his ears.
Kotori didn't answer. Her gaze sharpened into a glare full of hostility.
"Who the hell are you?! And what are you doing in my house?!"
Shidou's brain short-circuited.
"…Huh? Kotori, what are you talking about?"
"Don't come any closer! I'll call the police! Why do you even know my name?!"
"Wha—"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, utterly lost.
Is this a prank? No way she's this committed to a joke…
While he was still trying to figure things out, Kotori suddenly grabbed a nearby decoration and chucked it at him.
"You—Why are you just standing there?! I told you to get out—!"
"UWAAAH?!"
And so, Shidou was kicked out of his own house.
He at least had the presence of mind to grab his bag and jacket on the way out.
"HEY! DON'T RUN AWAY!"
Her voice chased after him.
What the hell, Kotori… You just kicked me out and now you're yelling at me for leaving?!
Still confused and panicking, Shidou hurriedly jammed his feet into his shoes at the entrance and bolted into the street.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
He didn't slow down until he was sure Kotori was no longer chasing him. He stopped to take off his apron and throw on his school jacket.
"Man… even if you're tired, that was way too extreme… Onii-chan's gonna cry…"
It was early January. Just a jacket wasn't nearly enough for this kind of cold. He wanted to go back and grab some winter gear.
But if Kotori really had lost her memory somehow and called the cops… or just made a scene… it might affect the neighbors.
"…Guess I'll just head to school."
Shidou had no idea what was coming.
Maybe some part of him had noticed something was off… but his rational mind rejected the idea as too absurd to entertain.
There was no snow that day. But the wind was brutal—cold enough to steal both warmth and willpower.
If you could just curl up under a heated kotatsu on a day like this, that would be true bliss.
"Mr. Yano, should I put this last box here?"
"Yes, that'll do. That's the final one. Thanks again, Lancelot. I honestly didn't think I'd finish all this today."
Even in the dead of winter, Melusine was still helping others.
"You're heading to see your son for the holidays, right? Don't you want to spend a bit more time with him?"
"Hah! That brat's probably praying I get out of his hair."
Mr. Yano clicked his tongue and grumbled. "Graduated from college, got some fancy job in another city… so busy he can't even eat properly. Now me and his mom have to go visit him. Ridiculous."
"If he's that stressed, maybe he should look for something easier. A lower paycheck's not the end of the world. It's not like I'm retired—I can still work. He doesn't have to carry the whole household."
Despite the complaints, his tone was tinged with affection.
"You know… if you actually said that to him yourself, it might really help your relationship."
"Nah. I gotta keep up the stern dad image. I've been working on that since he was a kid. Besides, saying stuff like that to your own son? Embarrassing as hell."
Yano shook his head firmly, brushing off the idea.
Then he changed the subject: "So? Want something hot to eat? My treat. It's freezing—you should warm up."
"Then I'll have a bowl of udon."
Melusine nodded without expression. "I often saw Musashi-dono eating it with a look of utter bliss. I've always been curious."
"Sounds like a charming young lady. Is this Musashi a friend of yours?"
"She's…"
Melusine began to answer—but at that moment, a blue-haired boy came running from down the street, shouting her name.
"Lancelot!"
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T/N: errr please correct me if i get anything wrong here!