"The Spirit Heroine, huh…
Tokisaki Kurumi had turned out quite different from how Shichen remembered her. He had expected change, but not this kind of change. He honestly did not know how to judge it.
Still, it was a good sign: at least she was no longer the indiscriminate killer once known as Nightmare, but someone whom the powerful branded a dream‑demon simply because she had slain too many villains.
Those two labels were worlds apart.
The former meant being utterly inhuman; the latter meant upholding justice from on high, merely treading on certain people's interests—though she had gone rather far.
Shichen, however, did not mind her butchering the wicked. Evildoers rarely received the punishment they deserved; that was unfair to their victims. Since the appearance of Spirits had already made this world extraordinary, there was no need to follow ordinary rules. In his eyes, nothing was wrong with what Tokisaki Kurumi had done.
Of course, that might also be his bias—he had always let his values follow his eyes.
"Shichen-nii, what are you going to do?" Itsuka Kotori asked.
"Stick to the original plan. I'm going to protect Kurumi as well," Shichen replied.
"She has killed quite a few people," Kotori reminded him.
"They were all people who deserved it, weren't they?" he countered.
"Some didn't deserve to die."
"Then they were just unlucky."
"Don't tell me you fell for Nightmare at first sight? You're totally taking her side."
"How could that be… But isn't Kurumi beautiful? She even has a young‑lady air about her."
"You've definitely been bewitched! All because she flashed her panties at you!"
"Y‑you know about that?"
"Hmph, did you really think the people of Ratatoskr sit around doing nothing?"
"Oh? Then did you see what just happened just now?"
"No, I only heard your conversation."
"Then that's fine."
"You really are… Fine, if you're determined to protect Nightmare, we'll cooperate with all we've got."
"Thanks—I'll be counting on you."
"It's nothing… Anyway, I have class now."
After hanging up, Shichen asked Murasame Reine for Kurumi's detailed file. One look told him she truly deserved the title Spirit Heroine.
In this timeline she had not killed over ten thousand people, only a few hundred—but most of those few hundred were fiends who deserved a thousand deaths: decades‑old murderers, arsonists, bullies, career criminals, rapists, kidnappers—men, women, young and old.
By her standard, anyone who did evil, regardless of age, had to die.
"Decades, huh…" Shichen's mouth twitched; he could really feel her age now. Good thing age did not bother him—and Kurumi was a Spirit anyway: outwardly a beautiful girl, so age no longer mattered.
Wasn't Yoshino about the same age? Had that ever dulled his fondness for her?
For now it seemed Kurumi had come simply to see him, though whether she had other motives was unknown. What he needed most was to learn what had happened in the past, and that meant experiencing it himself.
…
With no afternoon classes, Shichen spent the time in the physics prep room with Reine, who said nothing about Kurumi and merely watched him court the heroine in his game.
When the dismissal bell rang they headed toward the classroom. Before they reached it Kurumi approached them, Yatogami Tohka and Tobiichi Origami following behind. Origami's face looked rather solemn.
"Shichen-sensei~" Kurumi greeted him with a light smile.
"Kurumi… Tohka, Origami, why are you here too?"
"It's on the way. I'm heading to the cooking club next," Tohka said.
"Cooking club again?"
"Mhm. The senpais are making me delicious food," she nodded.
"…How do you pull that off?"
"Hmm?" Tohka tilted her head, puzzled.
"Never mind. People naturally like you. Go on."
"Okay! Oh—wait for me so we can go home together."
"Got it. Now go."
"Mhm!"
Watching her trot away, Shichen shook his head with a chuckle. Food really was her greatest lure, though the main reason she felt at ease was that Kurumi had done nothing all afternoon.
"Shichen-sensei, you seem to spoil Yatogami-san~" Kurumi said, sidling up to him with a bewitching voice.
"You can tell?" He made no attempt to deny it.
"Ara, but Shichen-sensei needn't worry. I'm not like modern girls—I'm very traditional and don't mind sharing."
"Doesn't that make Shichen-sensei happy?" she whispered, pressing close.
"Not really…"
"Oh? Truly?"
"Someone already told me the same thing."
"What? There's another woman as traditional as I am these days? Who is she?" Kurumi asked curiously.
Shichen merely glanced at the frowning Origami.
"Oh~ Tobiichi-san?" Kurumi caught on.
"Shichen-sensei."
"Origami, what is it?"
"Could I speak with you alone?"
"Well—"
"Of course, no problem," Kurumi said casually.
"Kurumi, please wait here for me."
"No problem. I'll be good and wait."
"…Origami, let's talk over here."
…
At the stairwell Shichen asked, "What did you want to tell me?"
"Shichen-sensei, could you… please stay away from Tokisaki-san?" Origami said hesitantly.
"Why?"
"She… is dangerous."
"Kurumi's just a girl. What's dangerous about her?"
"Please believe me! I would never lie to you!" she said earnestly, grasping his hand.
"I do believe you, but you still owe me a reason."
"I… can't say."
"Not even to me?" He feigned hurt.
"I… I can tell you, Shichen-sensei!"
"Really?"
"Mhm… but you mustn't tell anyone."
"And if I do?"
"I would… be terribly troubled…" Origami pursed her lips.
"Heh—you're too cute." Unable to resist, he ruffled her hair.
"Mm~" She closed her eyes in enjoyment.
"Alright, I won't tell a soul. Go ahead."
"Um… Shichen-sensei, do you know what causes spatial quakes?"
"No…"
"In fact, they're caused by Spirits. They live in a different world, and when they descend into ours, the space trembles."
"I see… And this relates to Kurumi because—?" He put on a look of shock.
"Exactly." Origami nodded gravely. "Tokisaki-san is a Spirit—an extremely dangerous one."
"How could that be…?"
"Shichen-sensei, think about it—don't you find her unbelievably beautiful? That's because she's a Spirit, beauty beyond mortals."
"I believe you… So Kurumi is a Spirit. No wonder she's so pretty… But Origami, you're beautiful too—no less than Kurumi. Are you a Spirit?"
"Eh? I—I'm pretty?" Origami blinked, cheeks flushing.
"Of course—you really are," he said sincerely.
"I… see…" She grew visibly shy.
"So you're not a Spirit?"
"I'm not… But I've been searching for them. My parents' disappearance is tied to them."
"That's why you didn't want my help."
"Yes… I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I know you didn't want me in danger."
"Then… Shichen-sensei, could you please stay away from Tokisaki-san?"
"Well… Kurumi doesn't seem intent on hurting me. And she's so pretty—can she really be that dangerous?"
"Shichen-sensei, do you like Tokisaki-san?"
"I wouldn't go that far…"
"Then… what about me?" Origami asked suddenly.
"Huh?" He stared at her.
"Didn't you say I'm beautiful too? Can't I take her place? Besides, I can do things like this…"
With that, she seized his hand and pressed it against her chest.
"W‑wah—!"
"That's…"
"Shichen-sensei and Tobiichi-san…!"
"How bold~"
By ill‑timed coincidence a student came downstairs just then and witnessed everything.
Shichen's eyelid twitches—he had never imagined Origami would do something like this in public. How was he supposed to handle it? Even in private he'd have been embarrassed to follow his heart.
But the familiar sensation under his palm made his right hand tighten involuntarily—neither big nor small, perfectly filling his grasp, delicate and soft.
"Mm~" Origami let out a soft moan.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 150+ Chapters Ahead of Others!