"How's that!"

Still gripping the controller with his left hand, Shidou raised his clenched right fist towards the sky.

It has been ten days, including rest days, since the start of the afterschool training with Kotori and Reine.

Shidou had finally met with the game's happy ending screen.

...But well, he didn't even want to count the number of times his old scars had been dug out during that time.

"...Nn, quite a bit of time has passed, but let's say that the first step has been cleared."

"And, it seems he's viewed all the CG, so for now it's a passing mark I guess. ...But even then, in the end this is only with dealing with virtual girls."

Gazing at the credits roll from behind him, a sigh could be heard from Reine and Kotori.

"Well then, for the next training... let's move on to real females. We're tight on time after all."

"...Hm, will he be alright?"

"It's fine. Even if he fails, the only thing lost would be society's trust in Shidou."

"What did you just casually say!"

Shidou had been quietly listening to their conversation, but he couldn't control himself and interrupted.

"Uggh, were you eavesdropping? You still have such bad hobbies huh. You voyeur, peeping tom."

Kotori frowned while covering her mouth with her hand and said.

"It's not called eavesdropping or anything if you're talking right in front of me!"

Shidou shouted, and Kotori with a "Yeah whatever" held up her hand as if to silence him.

Somehow, it made him feel like he was the one who had said something weird instead.

"So, Shidou. About the next training..."

"...I'm amazingly unmotivated but, what?"

"Let's see... I wonder who would be good."

"Ah?"

Shidou tilted his head sideways, as Reine started operating the console in front of her. On the displays lined up on top of the desk, various images of the insides of the school appeared.

"...That's right, let's go with something safe first, what about someone like her?"

Saying this, Reine pointed to the right side of an image, at teacher Tama-chan.

For an instant, Kotori raised her eyebrows—

"—Ahh, I understand. That's fine, let's go with it."

Immediately, an evil smile appeared.

"...Shin. The next training has been decided."

"Wh-What kind of training is it?"

Holding back his anxiety, Shidou asked, and acknowledging his question, Reine replied.

"...Ahh. During the actual run, when a Spirit appears, we will have you hide this miniature intercom in your ear, and you deal with the problems by following our instructions. We would like to treat this training as the real thing, and practice with it once."

"So, what do I need to do?"

"...For the moment, go seduce teacher Okamine Tamae."

"Huh?!"

Raising his eyebrows, he yelled.

"Is there a problem?"

As if enjoying Shidou's reaction, Kotori said while grinning.

"Of course...! There's no way I could...!"

"You'll have to face much harder opponents during the real thing you know?"

"—Th-Thats, true, but...!"

Shidou replied, and Reine scratched her head.

"...I think she is suitable as your first opponent. Most likely, even if you confess she will not accept, and it doesn't seem like she would go around spreading the news either. ...Well, if you're against it no matter what then it would be fine to change it to a female student..."

"Uuuu..."

An unpleasant scene appeared in Shidou's mind. The female student Shidou called out to returned to the classroom and gathered her female friends together. "Hey hey, Itsuka-kun just like, confessed to me~" "Ehh~, seriously~? Even though he shows a face like he's not interested in girls, that's pretty bold of him." "But there's no way for him~" "Yeah, no way. Like, he seems super gloomy~" "Ah~, you said it~, ahahahaha."

...It seems that a new trauma had been born.

Regarding that, if it was Tamae, then there seemed to be no chance for that scene to occur. No matter how young she appears to be, she is a grown up female. She'll probably ignore it as a student's joke.

"So, what will you do? In the real thing, failure is equivalent to death, so no matter which you pick we were planning on only giving you one chance."

"...The teacher please."

Kotori so asked, and as cold sweat dripped down his back, Shidou answered.

"...Great."

With a small nod, Reine took out a small device from the desk's drawer, and handed it to Shidou. She then pulled out what seemed like a receiver with a mike and headphones attached to it and placed it on the desk.

"What's this?"

"...Try placing it in your ear."

Doing as told, he put it into his right ear.

After he did so, Reine grabbed the mike, and as if whispering, moved her lips.

"...How is this, can you hear me?"

"Woah!?"

Suddenly Reine's voice echoed in his ear. With a start, Shidou's shoulders trembled and he jumped up.

"...Great, it's properly connected. Is the volume okay?"

"U-Uh... yeah, I think..."

Shidou replied, and Reine immediately wore the headphones that were placed on the desk.

"...Nn, okay. There's no problem on our side either."

"Eh? Did it manage to pick up what I just said? But there's nothing that looks like a microphone on my side..."

"...It comes with a highly sensitive microphone installed. Background noise is automatically filtered, and it transmits only the important sounds to us."

"Haaah..."

Shidou sighed in admiration, as Kotori pulled out what seemed like another tiny gadget from within the desk.

With a flick of her finger, just like that it expanded its wings and danced in the sky like an insect.

"Wh-What is that?"

"...Take a look."

Saying this, Reine operated the computer in front of her and pulled up an image.

Displayed there was the physics preparation room that Kotori, Reine, and Shidou were in.

"So this is..."

"...Ultra-small high-sensitivity camera. We will follow you with this. Make sure not to mistake it as a mosquito and destroy it."

"Huh... these are amazing."

*boom*, his butt was kicked.

"Whatever, hurry up and go you stupid turtle. The target is in the 3rd floor corridor in the east school building. That's close."

"...Fine."

Realizing that anything he said would be useless, Shidou weakly nodded.

If he dragged it out, there's the possibility that they would change the target to another person. Shidou somehow moved his unwilling legs and left the physics preparation room.

Then, looking left and right at the bottom of the stairs—he spotted the back of Tamae in the hallway.

"Teac—"

In the middle, his voice was clogged.

It was a distance where if he raised his voice it would reach her... but he wanted to avoid the attention of the students that were still left in the school and of other teachers.

"...Guess I have no choice."

In a light jog, Shidou chased after the back of Tamae.

After a few meters, it seems that she noticed Shidou's footsteps, as Tamae stopped and turned around.

"Oh, Itsuka-kun? What happened?"

"...U-Um—"

Even though it was a face that he saw almost every day, to treat it as a target to seduce instantly increased his nervousness. Shidou faltered unintentionally.

"—Calm down. Don't forget, this is training. Even if you fail, you won't die."

In his right ear, Kotori's voice ran out.

"Even if you say that..."

"Eh? What was that?"

Reacting to Shidou's muttering, Tamae tilted her neck.

"Ah, it's nothing..."

Probably getting irritated that Shidou hadn't been able to advance the conversation at all, once again a voice came over the intercom.

"How useless. —For now let's be safe, and try giving her a compliment."

Hearing Kotori's words, he looked over Tamae from head to toe, searching for something he could compliment.

...No, wait. Shidou immediately gave up the idea. In a how-to book he read a few days ago, rather than directly try to compliment a woman's looks, it seemed that asking about other things is better for carrying on the conversation. In this case, to compliment their clothes or accessories, or more directly appreciating their fashion sense apparently is better.

Making up his mind, he opened his mouth.

"B-By the way, those clothes... are cute."

"Eh...? I-Is that so? Ahaha, you're making me embarrassed."

Tamae's face was flushed with delight as she smiled while scratching the back of her head.

—Ohh? Isn't this a pretty nice response? Shidou lightly gripped his hand.

"Yes, it suits you very much!"

"Fufu, thank you. It's actually one of my favorites."

"That hairstyle is also very nice!"

"Eh, really?"

"Yes, and also, those glasses too!"

"Ah, ahahahaha..."

"And that attendance book is also super amazingly cool!"

"Uhm... Itsuka-kun...?"

As she became more and more bewildered, her face gradually turned into a wry smile.

"You way overdid it you baldie."

In his right ear, he could hear an amazed Kotori.

But even if he was told that, he had no idea what he should say next. For a while, they stood in silence.

"Uhmm... Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

Tamae tilted her head.

They probably thought that there wasn't much time left, as this time a sleepy voice could be heard in his right ear.

"...Oh well. Then, please just repeat the words I tell you."

He was thankful for that. Shidou tilted his head forward a bit, showing that he understood.

And then, without thinking at all, he repeated the information he heard as-is.

"Um, teacher."

"What is it?"

"I've found coming to school recently to be a lot of fun."

"Is that so? That's great isn't it."

"Yeah. ...It was since you became our homeroom teacher."

"Eh...?"

Surprised, Tamae's eyes opened wide.

"Wh-What are you trying to say, jeez. What's with this suddenly."

Shidou continued, repeating Reine's words.

"Actually, since a long time ago, I've—"

"Ahaha... that's no good. I appreciate your feelings, but you know, I'm a teacher."

While patting the attendance book, Tamae gave a bitter smile.

As expected of a teacher, an adult. It seemed she was planning to reject him unhesitantly.

"...Hm. How should we attack."

Reine, who had been continually weaving sentences, gave a small sigh.

"...If I remember, she is 29 this year huh. —Then Shin, try saying this."

Reine gave the instructions for the next line. While thinking pretty much not at all, Shidou moved his mouth.

"I'm serious. I seriously want to—"

"Uhmm... this is troubling for me."

"I seriously want to, marry you!"

—Twitch.

The moment marriage came out of Shidou's mouth, Tamae's face seemed to change slightly.

And then after a short silence, a small voice spoke.

"...Are you really serious?"

"Eh..., ah, haa... yeah."

Faltering because of the sudden change in atmosphere, Shidou replied, and Tamae suddenly took one step forward and grabbed Shidou's sleeve.

"Really? When Itsuka-kun becomes of marriable age, I will be already over 30 you know? Even then, is it okay? Should we go greet our parents now? After you graduate high school, will you come live together with me?"

As if a different person, her eyes glittered and glowed, and with ragged breaths Tamae drew closer to Shidou.

"Uh...uhm, teacher...?"

"...Hm, it seems it was too effective."

As Shidou staggered backwards, Reine spoke along with a sigh.

"Wh-What is going on?"

In a voice that wouldn't reach Tamae, he asked Reine.

"...Well, single, female, 29 years old, for someone like that the magic word marriage is like a deadly spell. As her old classmates each start building their own families one by one, her parents start pressuring her, and the walls of being thirty closing in on her, she is in a very insecure position. ...But even then, she seems a bit too desperate."

In a slightly perplexed voice rare for her, Reine said.

"Th-That's nice and all, but what do I do about this...!"

"Hey Itsuka-kun, do you have a bit of time now? You're still not old enough to sign the marriage registration, so for now let's go make a blood pact. We can probably borrow a chisel from the art room. Don't worry, I'll make sure that it doesn't hurt."

Edging up to Shidou, words gushed from Tamae's mouth. Shidou let out a sound like a scream.

"Ah, getting caught up any more in this could be annoying to deal with. You've accomplished your mission, so give a suitable apology and escape."

Shidou gulped, and after making up his mind, opened his mouth.

"So-Sorry! I don't think I'm ready to go that far yet...! Please just treat it as if this never happened...!"

Shouting, Shidou dashed away.

"Ah, I-Itsuka-kun!?"

Hearing Tamae's voice calling from behind him, he continued running.

"Whew~, that teacher has quite the personality."

Kotori's carefree laugh could be heard. With his legs still moving, Shidou raised his voice.

"Don't screw with me...! Why are you laughing so—"

Just as he started to talk.

"Caref...!?"

"...!"

Since he was focusing on the intercom, Shidou crashed into a student that had just appeared from around a corner, and fell down.

"...S-Sorry, are you alright?"

Saying this, he picked himself up. And...

"Eh...?!"

Shidou felt as if his heart was squeezed. After all, there was that Miss Tobiichi Origami.

Also, that was not all. When she fell, it seems that she landed on her behind, and just happened to be facing Shidou with her legs spread in the letter M. ...It was white.

He involuntarily averted his eyes. However, Origami did not seem panicked at all,

"I'm fine."

She said, and stood up.

"What's wrong?"

Then, Origami asked Shidou.

But she did not seem to be asking about why Shidou was running down the hallway. If it's anything— right, it was probably about why Shidou had his head turned downwards with his hand on his forehead.

"...Nothing, don't worry about it. I was just shocked at encountering a situation that I thought was definitely impossible..."

The last fortress crumbled. <Ratatoskr>'s simulation abilities are to be feared. For some reason, it almost seemed like that game was actually quite well done.

"I see."

Saying only that, Origami started to walk down the hallway.

At that moment, Kotori's voice rang in his right ear.

"—This is a perfect opportunity, Shidou. Let's continue our training with her."

"H-Huh?!"

"It's probably best if we could obtain some data on someone in the same generation, instead of a teacher. Also, though she isn't a Spirit, she is an important member of the AST. Don't you think she'll be a pretty good reference? As far as I can tell, she doesn't seem to be the type to spread rumors around either."

"You..., are you messing with me?"

"Don't you want to talk to the Spirits?"

"..."

Shidou held back his breath, and bit his lower lip.

Preparing himself, he threw his voice towards Origami's back.

"To-Tobiichi."

"What?"

Origami turned around with a timing that seemed as if she was waiting for him to call.

Shidou was slightly surprised, but he calmed his breathing and opened his lips. Somehow it seems that because of the experience from Tamae's case, he was a lot calmer than before. That's right, if he doesn't overdo it, then it's good, as long as he doesn't overdo it.

"Those clothes, they're cute."

"School uniform."

"...That's right."

"Why did you choose her clothes you antlion."

Even though it was just the name of a bug he felt as if he was suffering a tremendous amount of abuse. Mysterious!

—It's because it worked with the teacher...! With that meaning, he shook his head slightly.

"...Should we help?"

They were probably getting impatient, as once again Reine offered to help.

While he was still feeling uneasy, he didn't have the confidence to be able to continue the conversation by himself. Shidou gave a small nod.

Following the words he heard in his right ear, he let out his voice.

"Hey, Tobiichi."

"What?"

"I, actually... I've known about you since a while ago."

"I see."

Still with short sentences, Tobiichi continued with unbelievable words.

"I knew you too."

"—!"

While he was extremely surprised inside, he couldn't make any sound. It seemed that if he said anything other than Reine's instructions, that immediately this pace would be broken.

"—Is that so. I'm happy. ...Also, being in the same class for 2nd year made me super happy as well. This entire week, I had always been looking at you during classes."

Uwaah, even Shidou thought that was disturbing. As he thought of stalkers, it felt like that line would be what they would say.

"I see."

However, Origami,

"I was looking too."

Looking straight at Shidou, she said.

"..."

He gulped. In reality, Shidou felt awkward and had not looked towards Origami during class at all.

As if to calm his rapidly beating heart, he repeated the words that entered his ears.

"Really? Ah, but really, that's not all. After school I would stay in the classroom and smell Tobiichi's gym clothes."

"I see."

As expected what follows this would be a *dong*, was what he thought, but Origami's expression did not change at all.

Rather,

"I do so too."

"......?!"

—Do so, with whose?! With her own right?! If that's so then say that!

Shidou's face became filled with sweat.

And also, haven't the lines from Kotori and Reine become rather strange?

But with his head spinning, it was impossible for Shidou to continue the conversation with his own words.

"—Is that so? Somehow, it seems that we suit each other."

"Yes."

"Then, if it's fine with you, will you go out with me—or isn't this progressing way too fast no matter how you look at it!"

He no longer cared about the training or whatever. Unable to stand it, he turned around and yelled.

From Origami's perspective, he was a weirdo who just confessed and then randomly played a huge tsukkomi[1D 1]?on himself.

"...Well, I didn't think you would really go ahead and say it."

"Weren't you the ones who told me to just say it like that!"

After shouting out his resentment, he then sighed and turned towards Origami.

Origami was emotionless like always... but maybe it was his imagination, that compared with a moment ago, just a tiny bit, her eyes seemed to be open wider.

"Ah, uhm, about that... sorry, that was—"

"I don't mind."

"...............Huh?"

Shidou let out a dumb sound. He was completely stunned. His mouth opened feebly, and his limbs grew limp. Basically, his whole body was dumbfounded.

—Wait, what is this. What did this girl just say?

"Wh-What?"

"I said, I don't mind."

"Wh-Whwhwhwhwhwhwhwhwhat?"

"I don't mind going out with you."

"...?!"

Sweat gushed out on Shidou's face. He lightly placed his hand on the side of his head, calm down, calm down, he told himself.

There's no way. If you think about this normally there's no way. No girl would give an OK to dating a boy with whom the number of conversations they've had could be counted.

...Well, it probably wasn't impossible, but he definitely did not expect this kind of reply from Origami.

—No wait. Shidou's eyebrow twitched. Maybe, Origami was misunderstanding something.

"Ah, aah... it was about going out with me to some place right?"

"...?"

Origami tilted her head slightly.

"Was that what you meant?"

"Eh, ah, no... Uhm, Tobiichi, what did you think I meant...?"

"I thought you meant dating."

"...!"

Shidou's body trembled as if his head had been struck by lightning.

For some reason, hearing the word "dating" come out of Origami's mouth felt terribly immoral.

"Am I wrong?"

"N-No... You're not wrong... But."

"I see."

Origami responded as if nothing happened.

In the next moment, Shidou regretted his decision.

—Why, why did I say something like "you're not wrong"! No, I can still do it, I can still turn it into a misunderstanding!

But.

UUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu—————

"!?"

At that moment, without any warning, the alarm echoed around them.

At almost the same instant, Origami raised her face slightly.

"—An emergency. See you."

Saying that, she turned heel and ran down the hallway.

"H-Hey—"

This time when Shidou called out, she didn't stop.

"Wh-What should I do, about this..."

Before long, he heard a voice over the intercom.

"Shidou, it's a spacequake. For now we'll have you return to <Fraxinus>. Come back at once."

"S-So, it's a Spirit after all...?"

Shidou asked, and a beat later, Kotori continued.

"Yes. The predicted location where it will appear is—hereRaizen High School."

The time is 5:20 PM.

The three of them who had moved to the airship <Fraxinus> floating above the city while staying out of sight from the students beginning to evacuate, looked over the various information displayed on the screen in the bridge.

Changed into their military uniforms, Kotori and Reine periodically exchanged words and nodded meaningfully, but Shidou didn't really understand what the numbers on the screen meant.

The only thing he could understand was—on the right side of the screen, a map centered on Shidou's highschool was there.

"I see, mm."

Sitting in the captain's seat, exchanging words with the crew while licking Chupa Chups, Kotori raised the edge of her lips slightly.

"—Shidou."

"What?"

"I'll have you get to work immediately. Go get ready."

"..."

Kotori's words caused Shidou's body to stiffen.

Well, he had imagined this would happen, and he was supposed to have resolved himself too.

But even then, he couldn't hide his nervousness now that it's time for the real thing.

"—Are you letting him take part in the real fight already, commander?"

Standing beside the captain's seat, while staring at the screen, Kannazuki suddenly asked.

"The opponent is a Spirit. Failure is equivalent to death. Has he had enough trainin—gefu."

In the middle of his sentence, Kotori's fist sunk itself into Kannazuki's solar plexus.

"Questioning my decisions, you've become quite a person huh Kannazuki. As punishment, until I say otherwise you will speak like a pig."

"O-Oink."

For some reason, seeming extremely used to it, Kannazuki replied.

Looking at this scene, Shidou wiped the sweat that had surfaced.

"...But, Kotori, I think that Kannazuki-san has a point..."

"Ara, Shidou, you can understand pig language? As expected of someone on the same level as pigs."

"D-Don't underestimate pigs! Pigs are unexpectedly amazing animals you know!"

"I know that. They love cleanliness and are strong. It's even been said that they have more intelligence than dogs. That's why for my capable subordinate Kannazuki, or for my honorable brother Shidou, it's with the greatest respect that I am calling you pigs. Pig. You pig."

"...Guuu."

It didn't sound like she was using it as a respectful title.

However, Kotori probably understood Kannazuki's question and Shidou's anxiousness the most. Her candy's stick pointed straight upwards, and she motioned to the screen.

"Shidou, you're pretty lucky you know."

"Eh...?"

Following Kotori's gaze, he looked at the screen.

As expected, numbers of unknown meaning danced around the screen, but—on the map on the right, he noticed something different from before.

Inside Shidou's highschool, there was a single red icon, and surrounding it, many small yellow icons were shown.

"The red one is the Spirit, and the yellow ones are the AST."

"...and, what's lucky about this?"

"Look at the AST. See how they haven't moved at all?"

"Ahh... seems so."

"They're waiting for the Spirit to go outside."

"Why? Aren't they going to charge in?"

Shidou tilted his head, and Kotori gave a big shrug.

"At least think a bit before speaking. I'm so ashamed, even mold is slightly more intelligent than you."

"H-How dare you!"

"CR-Units weren't created for fighting in small rooms to begin with. Even if you expand a territory, there are many obstacles and the corridors are narrow, so inside a building your mobility will definitely decrease, not to mention that your vision is also obstructed."

Saying this, Kotori snapped her fingers. As if responding to that, the image on the screen changed to real-time footage of the school.

A shallow bowl-shaped hole appeared in the schoolyard, and surrounding it the roads and even a part of the school building were cleanly cut through. It was exactly like what Shidou had witnessed that other day.

"After appearing in the yard, it seems to have entered the half destroyed school building. It's not often you get this lucky, because now you can make contact with the Spirit without the AST's interference."

"...Ohhh, I see."

He understood the logic.

However, Kotori's words caused Shidou to consider something, as he narrowed his eyes.

"...If the Spirit had appeared outside like normal, how was I supposed to approach it?"

"Wait for the AST to be completely defeated, or to charge through the middle of the battle, something like that."

"..."

Shidou understood much deeper than before just how thankful he should be for the situation right now.

"Nn, then let's quickly move out. —Shidou, you haven't removed the intercom right?"

"Ah, yeah."

He touched his right ear. As expected the intercom he had been using just a while ago was still equipped.

"Okay then. The camera will be following you, so if you're in a pinch, make a sign, and tap the intercom twice."

"Mm... I understand. But well..."

Shidou narrowed his eyes, and looked towards Kotori and Reine, who was at her own post in the lower part of the bridge.

From their suggestions during training, they were really quite hopeless support members.

Probably figuring out what he was thinking from his expression, Kotori formed a fearless smile.

"Don't worry Shidou. There are a lot of reliable people in <Fraxinus>'s crew."

"I-is that so?"

With a doubtful face Shidou replied, and Kotori flung out her coat with a floomp and stood up.

"Such as,"

And then with vigor, she pointed at one of the crew in the lower part of the bridge.

"Having experienced marriage five times, Romance Master●<Bad MarriageTired Too Early> Kawagoe!"

"But that means he divorced four times doesn't it!?"

"Boasting great popularity with the Filipina in the stores at night, <President> Mikimoto!"

"That's completely through money appeal isn't it!?"

"Her love rivals encounter misfortune one by one. The 2AM Woman●<Nail KnockerStraw Doll> Shiizaki!"

"She's definitely got some curse on her!"

"Man With One Hundred Brides●<Dimension●BreakerPerson Who Surpasses The Dimensions> Nakatsugawa!"

"They are brides with a proper z-dimension[1D 2]?right!?"

"Due to her deep love, now the law won't let her within 500 meters of her loved one●<Deep●LoveOn Probation> Minowa!"

"Why are there only people like this here!"

"...Everyone, as the crew, their skills are certainly real."

From the lower part of the bridge, Kotori's mumbling voice could be heard.

"E-even if you say that..."

"Whatever, hurry and leave already. If the Spirit goes out then the AST will come swarming."

Shidou had started complaining, and Kotori vigorously kicked Shidou's butt with a *bong*.

"...ow, y-you..."

"It's fine even if you don't worry. If it's Shidou, even if you die once or twice, you can immediately start a new game."

"Don't mess with me, what am I, a plumber?[1D 3]"

"Mamma Mia[1D 4]. A brother that doesn'-->>

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