"So, you're saying…"
Kotori pulled the Chupa Chups from her mouth, pointing the stick at a seemingly empty space displayed on 's main screen. "You both see a giant sphere around here… is that right?"
"Yeah," Shidou nodded.
"Indeed, that's correct," Kurumi affirmed.
"Got it," Kotori said, popping the lollipop back into her mouth. She adjusted her position in the commander's chair, cleared her throat with a small cough, and shot a half-lidded glance at the girl standing beside Shidou. "So… why exactly is Kurumi here?"
"Haha…" Shidou let out an awkward chuckle, scratching his cheek and looking away.
He knew there was no dodging this with a nervous laugh. Kurumi's enigmatic smile—different from the one she showed him—seemed designed to keep her thoughts unreadable. Otherwise, she was her usual self, standing confidently in the heart of 's bridge.
"My, my," Kurumi said, her tone teasing. "Does , champion of Spirit protection, refuse to welcome me? How heartbreaking. I might just cry."
"N-No one's saying that!" Kotori snapped.
"Then please, don't mind me," Kurumi replied smoothly.
"…"
Kurumi's crocodile tears vanished as quickly as they appeared, replaced by a carefree expression. Kotori glared, her eyes practically screaming this girl. Shidou couldn't help but marvel at Kurumi's silver tongue and theatrical flair—she had both siblings wrapped around her finger. Not that he was innocent in this; he was just as entangled in her charm.
"Hehe, no need to worry so much. I'm not here to cause trouble," Kurumi said. "I merely came to confirm an uncertain variable. Though, depending on that 'mad dog' over there, I might not hold back."
"Hmph, look who's talking," Mana retorted sharply.
The air shifted from playful to tense in an instant. Kurumi's provocative gaze met Mana's, and a spark of killing intent crackled between them. Shidou, sensing danger, hurriedly stepped in.
"Whoa, hold it, both of you! Kurumi, stop egging Mana on!"
"Mana, stand down. Don't fall for her cheap provocations," Kotori ordered.
Even though Mana had defected from DEM to , her relationship with Kurumi hadn't softened. One wrong move, and they'd be at each other's throats. Shidou suspected Kurumi was deliberately baiting Mana for amusement. There'd already been a scuffle when Kurumi arrived, but he'd managed to separate Mana just in time.
Kurumi likely knew Mana wouldn't start a fight in a bridge full of delicate equipment. Compared to Mana's barely restrained hostility, Kurumi seemed almost recklessly unguarded. Kotori, aware that an unsealed Spirit like Kurumi could wreak havoc, permitted her presence precisely because of that calculated trust.
Kurumi shrugged, turning her gaze to the monitor. Mana, following Kotori's command, reined in her aggression—though her sharp glare lingered. Kotori sighed, unfazed by the familiar dynamic.
"Let's get back on track," Kotori said. "Kurumi, you called this sphere an 'uncertain variable,' so you must have some idea of what it is, right?"
"It's merely a hypothesis," Kurumi replied. "My own 'sensitivity' isn't enough to be certain, which is why I hoped to borrow your expertise."
"—Analysis complete!" a crew member announced.
The main monitor flickered, displaying an image of the sphere Shidou and Kurumi had seen. More accurately, it was a reconstruction of the spiritual energy detected—a spiritual sphere composed entirely of spirit power.
"We've confirmed faint spiritual waves emanating in a spherical pattern from those coordinates," the crew reported.
"So it's real," Kotori said, narrowing her eyes. "But that's not all you wanted to confirm, is it, Kurumi?"
"Indeed," Kurumi said. "What I wish to verify goes beyond this. I want to know whose spiritual energy makes up this sphere."
Kotori's expression sharpened. "From the way you're talking, it sounds like you have a guess. Don't tell me it's some new Spirit we don't know about?"
"No, no, hardly," Kurumi said with a smile. "If it were a new Spirit, I wouldn't be here. That would be far too predictable."
If the sphere belonged to a new Spirit, Kurumi wouldn't have bothered coming to . She'd have left Shidou to handle the "conquest" alone, as she often did. This was an irregular situation, one that compelled her to take every precaution and join them here.
Kotori's suspicion deepened as Kurumi shook her head. "You're being awfully cryptic. If it's not a new Spirit, are you saying it's made of the spiritual energy of someone we know?"
"My, how perceptive, Kotori-san," Kurumi said, turning her gaze to a woman at the console, typing furiously. "Isn't that right, Reine-sensei?"
"…Indeed," Reine replied, her tired eyes shadowed with dark circles. "Your perception aligns with our measurements."
"Wonderful. It was worth coming here to confirm," Kurumi said, her smile brimming with certainty.
Kotori, frustrated by their cryptic exchange, raised her voice. "Hey, stop acting like you two have it all figured out! What do you mean, 'perceptive'? Don't tell me you're serious…!?"
"…The sphere's wavelength appears complex, but when broken down, it closely resembles the spiritual signatures of six individuals," Reine explained. "Namely—"
"This spiritual sphere is composed of the spiritual energies of Tohka-san, Yoshino-san, Yuzuru-san, Kaguya-san, Miku-san, and Kotori-san," Kurumi interjected. "In other words, the spirits Shidou-san has sealed."
"What!?" Kotori exclaimed.
Her shock was understandable. A mysterious sphere infused with the power of six Spirits? Even Kurumi had doubted her own senses, seeking confirmation here.
"Our spiritual energy…" Kotori muttered.
"What's that? So this is just the commander's prank?" Kannazuki said, poking Kotori with an exaggeratedly annoying tone. "Such a troublemaker!"
"…Hmph!" Kotori deftly spun her Chupa Chups stick, flicking Kannazuki's finger back with force. It looked subtly, excruciatingly painful. Shidou winced, but Kannazuki's ecstatic expression was, as always, par for the course.
"Ow! Thank you for the subtle pain!" Kannazuki squealed.
"…Is he always like this?" Kurumi asked.
"Embarrassingly, yes," Shidou admitted, his face flushing.
"Ability and personality are truly separate matters," Kurumi mused.
Shidou felt a pang of secondhand embarrassment, though the crew's quirks were part of their brilliance. Their competence was unmatched, but their eccentricities stood out starkly when pointed out. As Kurumi said, skill didn't equate to character.
Reine turned to Kurumi. "…It's impressive you could sense such a complex blend of spiritual waves on your own."
"It's not so difficult," Kurumi replied. "Any experienced Spirit could do it with enough practice."
"…Experience, then. You've lived as a Spirit for quite some time, haven't you? You… and the girl with you."
"I'll leave that to your imagination, Reine-sensei," Kurumi said, her captivating smile deflecting further probing. Whether Reine's question stemmed from curiosity or suspicion, she didn't press further, merely nodding.
Kotori's gaze sharpened. "Fine, then let's hear your 'hypothesis,' Miss Super-Sensor. Why can only you and Shidou see this sphere? And why did it appear in the first place?"
Shidou, who'd stayed silent, now looked to Kurumi expectantly. If the sphere was indeed made of Tohka and the others' spiritual energy, Kurumi's keen insight was their best asset.
With no intention of dragging things out, Kurumi touched her chin thoughtfully and began. "As I've said, this is merely my speculation. I can't prove either point. Is that acceptable?"
"Go ahead," Shidou urged.
"As for why only Shidou-san and I can see the sphere, let's assume it has some cloaking ability. I counteract it with my own power, and Shidou-san does so through the spiritual protection he wields."
It was similar to how Shidou had resisted Kurumi's or Miku's voice-based control. Spiritual power could counter spiritual power—a logical deduction.
Shidou nodded, impressed by the reasoning. "Makes sense."
"However, it's not definitive," Kurumi cautioned. "There's no way to prove it."
"True," Kotori said. "We can't exactly reverse the sealed spiritual energy to test it."
Theoretically, Kotori could unleash her power to confirm, but with an unknown sphere tied to their energy, such a move was too risky. The potential benefits didn't outweigh the dangers. "Nonsense," Kotori said playfully, to which Kurumi nodded.
"As for the sphere's appearance," Kurumi continued, "Reine-sensei, don't you share my hypothesis?"
"…I'm not sure it's identical, but I have my own theory," Reine replied.
"Reine, really?" Shidou asked.
"…Yes. I believe this sphere might be a manifestation of the Spirits' unconscious minds."
"Indeed, we're in agreement," Kurumi said, smiling.
"What does that mean?" Shidou asked, tilting his head. This was beyond his grasp. If the sphere was made of Kotori and the others' spiritual energy, was it born from their unconscious thoughts?
"In other words," Kurumi said, raising a finger like a teacher, her smile gleeful, "if the sealed Spirits' mental states became unstable, causing a reverse flow of spiritual energy, what if this sphere materialized from the emotions they harbor? Isn't that intriguing? For example—"
"Like a possessive desire for Shidou-san, perhaps?"
"—What!?" Kotori shot up, slamming the console.
Her reaction wasn't alone. Shidou, the crew, and even Mana—still warily eyeing Kurumi—were stunned. Only Reine, who shared Kurumi's theory, remained unfazed. Expecting anyone to stay calm after that bombshell was unreasonable.
Kotori, face flushed, shouted, "W-What are you even saying!? Possessiveness!?"
"My, my," Kurumi teased. "Are you saying none of you hold even a hint of affection for Shidou-san? That I alone see his charm? How sad, how cruel."
"Tch—! Don't just assume things!" Kotori snapped. "Of course I love Shidou—!" She froze, realizing her slip.
Kurumi's exaggerated sigh had baited her perfectly, and Kotori fell right into the trap. The crew's warm gazes, Shidou's awkward stare, and Kurumi's gleeful look pierced her.
"As you can see," Kurumi said, "it's not surprising if the Spirits harbor such desires deep down. The heart sways in unexpected ways—I'm hardly one to talk, though."
"…I'll agree with that last part," Kotori grumbled, slumping back into her chair with a huff.
Shidou replayed Kurumi's words in his mind. The heart sways unpredictably—she wasn't wrong. Their relationship, born from such unpredictability, had grown through their war dates. Kurumi, usually bold and unshakeable, occasionally let slip self-deprecating remarks, a habit that started after those dates began.
Shidou didn't like it. He loved every version of Kurumi, and her tendency to undervalue herself—despite her confident facade—wasn't something he could ignore. But for now, the sphere took precedence.
"So, if Kotori and the others' spiritual energy is in that sphere, like you and Reine say… is there a way to deal with it?"
"…We're not at the stage of certainty," Reine said, "but if it's a manifestation of their unconscious, we should investigate the sphere while addressing the Spirits' stress."
"How?" Shidou asked.
"My, my, Shidou-san, you're being awfully dense," Kurumi said.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Reine added.
Their gazes pinned Shidou, and in perfect unison, they spoke a single, familiar word:
"—Date."
"Wha…!?" Shidou yelped.
They pressed on, unfazed by his shock, their voices in sync.
"Why be surprised?" Kurumi said. "You've won over Spirits through dates before. Fulfilling their desires through dates is an efficient solution."
"…One by one, give them the dates they want," Reine said. "In those moments, Shidou, you'll be theirs alone."
"It's uncertain if this will resolve the issue," Kurumi added, "but it's worth trying. A peaceful war date—why not enjoy it, Kotori-san?"
"…I suppose it's better than doing nothing," Kotori admitted, arms crossed, her face red as she tried to maintain composure. "If there's no other option, fine!"
"Hehe, it's settled, then," Kurumi said.
"…I'm counting on you, Shidou," Reine said, patting his shoulder.
"Uh… sure," Shidou replied, dazed.
Things had escalated quickly. Another date with the Spirits he'd already won over—this time, as Kurumi put it, a peaceful war date.
"Hey… should we have mentioned that girl?" Shidou asked as he and Kurumi walked through 's corridors.
Kurumi had said she'd learned what she needed and was ready to leave, but Shidou insisted on seeing her off. Naturally, there'd been another scuffle with Mana, but that was beside the point. Now alone, Shidou voiced his lingering concern.
By "that girl," he meant the blonde girl who'd appeared briefly before they spotted the sphere. Her strange aura and timing seemed too significant to be unrelated, yet Kurumi had silenced him with a glance when he'd tried to bring her up.
"I know there's no proof, but it doesn't feel like a coincidence," he said.
"You're right," Kurumi agreed. "If the sphere is simply a manifestation of the Spirits' emotions, it's unlikely to have cloaking abilities. We should suspect some third party's involvement—though whether it's her, I can't say."
"Then why—"
"But that's just a possibility," Kurumi interrupted, tapping his nose playfully, almost scolding. "Such doubts have no place in your peaceful dates with the others, do they?"
Shidou froze, catching her meaning.
"No need for tactless thoughts," she said. "Just enjoy your peaceful dates with everyone, Shidou-san."
"A peaceful date…" he murmured.
"Indeed," Kurumi said, her smile tinged with something unreadable. "Something I cannot achieve."
"Kurumi…"
What lay behind that smile? Was it joy at Shidou's dates with the others, or longing for something she couldn't have? A peaceful war date was a privilege for those he'd saved—a privilege denied to Tokisaki Kurumi, who refused his salvation.
That salvation was beautiful, but to a sinner like Kurumi, it was forbidden. She couldn't let her beloved bear her sins, even if Shidou wished it.
But Shidou wasn't one to stay silent.
"—I'll!" he began.
"…?" Kurumi tilted her head.
"I'll take you on a date free of any burdens! I'll make it happen, no matter what!"
He didn't know the weight of her sins or her true purpose. But he understood their heaviness and refused to stop reaching for her. That was the essence of their war date—a battle waged with his life on the line.
"I'll say it as many times as it takes," he declared. "I'll save you, Kurumi."
"Because you love me?" she asked softly.
"Yeah. I love you—more than anyone in this world."
"You haven't changed," she said, her voice warm. "Since that day… you're always so straightforward, dazzlingly so."
Because he loved her, he wanted to save her. A selfish, impure motive. Months ago, on that rooftop, his words had shaken her resolve. Even now, he hadn't wavered in his mission to save Tokisaki Kurumi.
"…If you love me, won't you grant my wish?" she asked.
"Sorry, my selfishness won't allow that," he said, adopting a playful tone. "But anything else, my lady?"
Their banter was becoming a ritual, a way to navigate their war date. They'd likely repeat this exchange countless times.
I love you, so be mine. I love you, so be mine. To others, it might seem futile, frustrating. But for them, it was a way to savor this endless, life-or-death war date. Two parallel lines, never meeting—yet that was why they could share these moments.
"My, my," Kurumi said. "Then escort me to the surface, my dear Shidou-san."
"With pleasure, my beloved Lady Kurumi."
He took her offered hand with a bow.
Whether their hands would truly intertwine one day—only the end of their war date would tell.
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