ide in order to get the ball.

However, since they reached the same spot at the same time, both of them *Bam* knocked each other on the head and fell down on the spot. During that time, the ball bounced inside the court and *roll**roll**roll* rolled on top of the sand.

"Kuhaa! Wha,what are you doing Yuzuru!"

"Objection. That is my line. Please do not disturb me."

Kaguya and Yuzuru pressed on their foreheads while glaring at each other.

".............Okay Tohka, that was one point."

"Oou! Really!"

In regards, the other side of the court was lively. Tohka and Reine *clap*, made a high five. Although Origami looked like she ignored it but, her hand was taken by Reine and was forced to participate.

However, not stopping to bother about that, Kaguya and Yuzuru continued their quarrel with each other.

"That was my territory no matter how much you think about it. Don't do anything extra!"

"Objection. I thought that the simpleton Kaguya would not make it in time."

"Wha, What did you say you bastard!"

"Return fire. What is it."

"O,Oi, both of you calm down..........."

And, at the same time when Shidou went between the both them to separate them, Reine from the opposite court, whispered something into Tohka and Origami's ears. When she did that,

"——Hou, I get it now."

"............I will definitely get the promised thing later."

While saying things like that, Tohka and Origami arrogantly looked down at Kaguya and Yuzuru.

"Fuu, what, Kaguya and Yuzuru aren't that much of a big deal!"

"A let-down. To challenge me when you are at that level, you don't know your place."

""..........!""

Towards those obvious provocations, Kaguya and Yuzuru responded with a twitch.

And once more, Reine softly whispered into Tohka and Origami's ears. Although a little..........[more foul languages. You are supposed to do it like that when the time comes] he felt that he heard something like this.

"Kaguya is a weak bug and Yuzuru is hopeless! Both of you two joined together are useless!"

"You XXXXX's. XXXXXXXX should just XXXXXXX. This is suitable for loser sons of a bitch."

An excessively childish insult and an excessively bland abuse were falling over from the other side of the court.

""..................""

Towards those two's agitation, Kaguya and Yuzuru quietly narrowed their eyes.

"............hey Yuzuru."

"Reply. Is there anything?"

"............wanna do it?"

"Agree. Let's do it."

Both of them mixed their sights together with a glance.

But having the next service, after Origami took the ball with her hands in an extremely calm manner, she shot it towards the corner of the court with a beautiful form.

"Yuzuru!"

"Reply. I know."

However, Yuzuru slid by the time she was almost finished and received the perfectly close service.

She then hit up to Kaguya, who returned it back to the opposite court just like that. It was a beautiful combination play, enough to think that the shameful sight from before was a lie.

But the opposing team was not losing. Origami hit up the approaching ball.

"Teacher Murasame."

".........Aah, I know."

The next thing after that, Reine *ton* lightly toss the ball. It was the exact same pattern from just now. When somehow managing to brace himself in order to avoid being preoccupied by her breasts, he saw Tohka once again jumping high up.

"Oooh!"

She shouted, and released a sharp attack from far away in the distant sky.

"Shidou, stop it!"

Kaguya's shout echoed. Shidou joined his hands while in panic, and prepared for Tohka's attack.

But, after the ball pierced straight towards his face instead of his hands, it then made a violent bounce high up into the sky just like that. The intense impact attacked his head and made his sight dance with glittering stars.

"Gueeh!?"

"Okay! Shidou will be taken to this team since the ball hit him, right?"

"............no, I did not hear of such a rule before."

He could hear things like that from the enemy court. It looked like that was the reason why Tohka's ball had been aimed at Shidou.

"Praise. Nice."

However, it was Yuzuru's voice that he heard inside his hazy consciousness.

"Establish. Kaguya."

"Okay!"

Yuzuru kneeled down on that spot and joined both her hands together and made the palm of her hands face upwards. And at the same time with the running Kaguya stepping on it with one leg, Yuzuru lightly threw Kaguya's body up to the sky.

"Wha.........!"

".............!"

He could hear Tohka and Origami's voice coming from the opposing court. The next moment——

"——Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Kaguya, that had jumped high up into the sky, hit down the airborne ball——it pierced towards the enemy court like an attack from an arrow. It was a really splendid attack.

"Okay! Same point! Did you see that BASTARDS!"

In a manner as if she had forgotten her usual tone, Kaguya made a guts pose midair.

And after landing and standing on the ground, she exchanged a high five with Yuzuru in an extremely natural way,

"Yahoooooo!"

"Excited. Yahoo."

"Yaa! That was perfect Yuzuru. Byuun It went up Byuun!"

"Positive. That was a magnificent attack. As expected from Kaguya"

"Nono, that was Yuzuru's——"

And, both of them twitched their shoulders at that point, and *fuun* averted their eyes away.

"Fuun..........don't get conceited you lowlife. Think of it as an honor to be stepped by my foot."

"Unpleasant. The smell has sticked onto my hands. It stinks. It smells like dried mackerel, natto[5D 1]?and surstromming[5D 2]?mixed together."

"I, it doesn't stink like that!"

And, they started quarreling as if they remembered. It was not a strange aspect at all.

However, Shidou did not have the pleasure to carefully observe them right now. While hearing shouts like [Shidou! Are you okay!?] echoing inside his head, the remainder of his consciousness sank into the darkness.

"Ouch Ouch........"

Shidou was rubbing the bump made on his head while walking sluggishly towards the toilet established at the beachside.

Incidentally, the moment when Shidou said he was going to the toilet, there were a few of them saying that it was dangerous for him to go since he was out-cold just now, so they said "I will follow" and tried to help him but, he vigorously refused by politely rubbing his head against the sandy beach.

"............Are you alright, Shin?"

And thus, he heard Reine's voice coming from his right ear. Shidou opened his mouth while making a wry smile as if he were tired.

"Well........somehow. How is it on the other end?"

"........honestly, I still can't say anything. What's left is to agitate their opposition as much as possible but——"

And, Reine suddenly cut off her words.

"Reine-san? What's wrong?"

He asked while raising his eyebrows but, he immediately found the reason out.

It was because right after Reine shortened her words, Kaguya popped her face out from the side of the toilet.

"Kaguya.......? What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be waiting where the others are?"

"Kuku........I who holds the divine protection of the hurricane, that kind of distance has no meaning to me."

"..........well that might be true. I was asking about the reason though..........."

When he spoke until there, Shidou immediately was taken aback. He slouched forward while shouting.

"I, I told you I don't need any help!?"

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

Kaguya's face turned red right after she went blank for an instant.

"Wha, I said that following the flow at the time! Don't take it seriously!"

"I, is that so........?"

"Isn't that obvious!? Wh, why must I, your........errr......"

Kaguya hang her head in shame at that point and shortened her words.

"Aa! Anyway, I am here for another matter!"

"O,ou........!"

He nodded unintentionally. Shidou then lowered his voice and sent his question towards the Incam.

"Reine-san, is this an instruction from your side?"

"............no, I have not said anything."

And, while Shidou and Reine were having a conversation, Kaguya called out to him as if she had gotten irritated.

"Hey, don't ignore me."

"Aah, my bad."

After Shidou returned his posture back to normal, in panic, he then faced back towards Kaguya. But......speaking of which, there was one thing that he was wondering about. He stared at Kaguya's face while scratching his cheeks.

"By the way........are you going to continue using that tone?"

"Ah."

Kaguya made an 'Oh no face'.

She then made a cough and cleared her throat awkwardly and took a cool pose.

"Kuku...........you have been deceived by my antics. I find you dancing on the palm of my hands very humorous."

"................."

".........what is with those eyes."

Kaguya made her lips go *buu* in displeasure. Shidou made a powerless wry smile while scratching his cheeks.

"No.......I was thinking about why you would especially force yourself to use that tone..........."

"I did not force myself! This is normal!"

"It's back it's back."

"Hah..........!"

After he said that, Kaguya made a shocked face, she then made a sigh and muttered softly.

"........that's because, it's that. Since I am a Spirit. Aren't I like super powerful? Then there should be some dignity similar to that, isn't something like that needed?"

"........is it something like that."

Shidou brought his eyebrows together and *u,un* groaned. He had met many Spirits until now but, he felt as if there were no such girls before.

"Well isn't it obvious. Since I have a cool origin of birth and, I have tragic circumstances prepared you know? Then I have to have a personality around that level."

"Well..........if Kaguya is okay with it then it's okay. So? What's the matter?"

When Shidou said that, Kaguya [ahh] nodded before continuing.

"It's kind of troublesome so I'm going to continue like this, right now me and Yuzuru, are having a battle for you right? So, it's about tomorrow's conclusion."

"Aah......I guess so. Wait, you, don't tell me. As expected isn't that kind of sneaky?"

He frowned, thinking that Kaguya was here to set a groundwork for herself.

——but Kaguya, spit out a totally unexpected line.

"——Shidou. Tomorrow——choose Yuzuru."

"......Heh?"

Towards those words that were not in his assumptions, he blankly opened his eyes wide.

"Don't, heh."

Kaguya shrugged her shoulders while continuing.

"There isn't any point to worry about, right? That's because, she is super cute. Although she is a little unsociable but, she's obedient, her breasts are big, and she is like a super Moe-like character shaped from guys delusions, isn't she? And what's more, if you choose her, she would most likely give you lots of services, right? There is nothing worth not choosing. That's why——"

"Wa, wait a second!"

Shidou was sorting out his confused head while stopping Kaguya's words. He couldn't understand what she was saying. No, he could understand the contents of those words. But, choosing Yuzuru tomorrow would mean——

"Kaguya, you.......said that the winner of this match would become Yamai's main personality right."

"Un, I said that."

"....... You said the loser, would be consumed by the winner and be erased right."

"Un, yeah."

"Then, why——"

When Shidou said that as if he were squeezing it out from his throat, Kaguya scratched her head while making a troubled smile.

"Hmm......well, even I don't want to disappear. But, more than that——I, want Yuzuru to live. I want her to see even more things, and go all out and have fun in this world."

"..........uh, you."

Although Shidou groaned painfully, Kaguya did not bother about it and continued her words.

"Rather, everything would have been solved if you had not barged in at that time. I was going to make a flashy clash and I would [Get defeated] get downed and everything was supposed to end."

Kaguya pointed her fingers at Shidou while saying that.

Shidou's face distorted. A detestable pain as if his heart was being pulled out, was swirling around his chest.

"Th,then, the first one to make me fall for them is the winner is——"

"Aah, that? Well that, isn't it obvious, Yuzuru is the cuter one. With this match, there should be no mistaking that Yuzuru would win, right?"

"But, that's.........."

When Shidou was about to finish, Kaguya moved in front of Shidou in an instance and used her index finger to block Shidou's lips.

"I did not really ask for Shidou's opinion. All you have to do for tomorrow is say Yuzuru is much cuter, lovely lovely Yuzuru-tan hahaha. ........if not, I will blast this island away together with all your friends."

Kaguya narrowed her eyes in the middle of her words and said it in a low voice.

Shidou *gulp* gulped. The threat that he had forgotten until now, was revived by that sight and words.

When Shidou was standing there nervously without moving, *Fuu* Kaguya loosen her expression and pulled her legs away.

And then *turn* she turned her body facing direction and took on an excessively cool pose.

"Kuku..........well then, I'm off human. The exchange right now was a blood pact. Know, your body will be scorched by the?Flame of purgatoryFeegefoia franme?right down to your medulla if you fail to keep the pact!"

She said that, and Kaguya ran away.

Shidou could only stand still on that spot.

"...........Shin."

After a while. He twitched his shoulders from Reine's voice echoing through his right ear.

"Reine-san, that was——"

"......aah, I heard. This has......turned out into something difficult. If those were Kaguya's true feelings instead of a strategy...........then tomorrow, there might be a chance Kaguya would not react to the kiss even if you stir her up. ——in order to let Yuzuru win."

".......guh....."

Shidou clutched his fist.

It's true there's that. It is a grave situation.

But, more than that.

Kaguya's determination to let herself die in order to let Yuzuru live——was heavily hanging onto Shidou's heart.

However, he couldn't let himself continue getting dumbfounded here. Shidou started walking by dragging his heavy legs. If he were to stay missing any longer, Tohka, Origami and more importantly Yuzuru would get suspicious——

"Stop. Shidou, please stop."

"................!?"

Suddenly a voice came from his back, and Shidou twitched his shoulders.

That was unmistakably Yuzuru's voice. For an instant, he thought that it was an auditory hallucination but.......that was wrong. Wondering since when she was there, Yuzuru was standing right behind him.

"Yu,Yuzuru............?"

"Reply. Yes, is what Yuzuru replied."

With a voice that had no accent. In a calm behavior. In an extremely calm manner, Yuzuru nodded.

"Wha,whats wrong?"

When Shidou asked her while having sweat flowing from his forehead, *Fuu* Yuzuru turned her face towards the direction Kaguya ran off to and quietly opened her mouth.

"Question. ——with Kaguya, what did you two talk about?"

"............!"

Shidou gasped. His heartbeat that had calmed down was once again throbbing roughly.

"What did.........errr."

And, when Shidou was being immersed in his thoughts, Yuzuru made a small shrug with her shoulders while sighing.

"Take back. No, as expected, it's okay. Yuzuru could guess pretty much."

"uh, I,is.....that so?"

"Affirmative. Most likely——in the occasion for tomorrow's selection, she said to choose her, right?"

"No.....that is."

When Shidou was about to release his words, Yuzuru used the palm of her hands and stopped him.

"Question. Although Yuzuru doesn't care about that but, did Kaguya do anything during that time?"

"What.........as in?"

"Example. Yuzuru is asking whether, for example, hugging Shidou and crawling her tongue around Shidou's nape, or putting Shidou's face in between her chest, or putting her hands into Shidou's swimsuit and touching your groin."

"Sh, she did not do something like that!"

Towards those unexpected words, Shidou shouted unintentionally. Yuzuru *good grief* shook her head as if she had given up.

"Disappointment. Kaguya, that's not good. You are too na?ve. If Kaguya were to seduce properly, you would easily drop Shidou to the level of a monkey in mating season."

It felt like he was somehow being insulted but, more importantly Shidou felt Yuzuru's way of speaking was out of place.

That's because, Yuzuru's words were as if——

"Appeal. Yuzuru has a request for Shidou."

And, as if to interrupt Shidou's thoughts, Yuzuru let out her voice.

"Request.......?"

Hearing a word like that, there were chills running up Shidou's spine. He unintentionally swallowed his saliva.

His throat hurt and his heart started to pump faster. *babump* *babump*. His blood vessels quickly expanded, and the feeling was like his whole body was being poured with blood vigorously.

However Shidou's mind was contrastively, as if intoxicated, getting hazy. But inside that, there was only one——the words he heard just a few minutes ago, were vividly brought back into his mind.

"Consent. That is correct."

After Yuzuru made a deep nod and continued her words without getting enthusiastic.

"Appeal. Shidou, this match,?please by all means choose Kaguya."

"———"

His voice did not come out.

Most likely, at the time Yuzuru appeared, he could already somehow predict this outcome.

Looking at Shidou's reaction, Yuzuru tilted her head in doubt.

"Question. Yuzuru feels that Shidou's reaction is out of place."

"uh, no, nothing at all.........."

"Request. More importantly, please. Tomorrow, Shidou must pick Kaguya. It's a promise."

"Wh-why..........something like that."

"Explanation. Kaguya is much more superior to Yuzuru. There is no room for worrying. Even Shidou should also know about Kaguya's cuteness. Although Kaguya somewhat pretends to be tough, she is earnest, and has a fragile body that looks like it would break when touched and the feeling when hugging it could only be described as heavenly. Most likely, if Shidou chooses Kaguya, Kaguya would do a lot of things for you. By all means, Kaguya——"

"But, if Kaguya wins, then Yuzuru will——"

When Shidou said that, Yuzuru cast her eyes downwards and nodded. Shidou only used words that he carefully thought over and over again.

"Kaguya is the spirit most fit to be the true Yamai. Even Shidou clearly knows that after this one day, right? Kaguya is very charming. There is no reason not to choose her."

"Tha,that's because, both of you, were so competitive........"

"Explanation. Although Kaguya looks like that, she is a shy girl. Unless Kaguya were stirred up, she wouldn't appeal to you like that."

"................"

When Shidou became silent, Yuzuru walked closer to Shidou and whispered towards his ears.

"Reminder. Tomorrow, please say Shidou would choose Kaguya. If not, misfortune will be brought to Shidou's friends."

After leaving threatening words similar to Kaguya's, Yuzuru ran off.

".............."

Reaching gathering time, Ellen, who was finally dug out from the sand pit, was sitting along the coast on the floor, grasping her knees while viewing the sea.

The target had already come over to this side of the coast and had gone to the changing room in order to change her clothes. She had also passed by Ellen who just now was buried in the sand (The part of the body made by sand was changed and improved into the shape of a body builder), and unmistakably should have laughed while holding her stomach.

Incidentally, the boy Tonomachi who was dug out one step earlier than her, extended his hands in a respectful manner, but since it was irritating, Ellen threw him into the hole she was dug in, and filled it up once again with sand.

"...........Miss executive officer, errr."

Coming from the Incam, the awkward voice of the operator echoed.

".............I'm okay. Don't worry. This is nothing. I'll use my favored method during the night. There is no problem. I will catch her properly in the hotel."

"I,I guess so.........."

The voice of the kind operator was somehow the one that sounded tired.

That day, the dinner didn't taste like anything.

It was not like the hotel chef took too much consideration on the guest's health or Shidou's sense of taste being dull. It was just simply because his mind was wandering off somewhere.

After finishing his meal without exchanging any conversations with the others, he was immersing himself in his thoughts absentmindedly while sluggishly walking in the hotel corridor.

The words that Kaguya and Yuzuru spewed out during daytime were still swirling inside his head.

——In order to let their other-self live, they chose to eliminate themselves.

The moment Shidou heard that, he was unable to understand those girls in an instant.

But, for example.

If Shidou would not sacrifice his life, his sister Kotori would die.

Most definitely——he would respond to that by shaking his head without hesitating.

It was not like those types of narcissistic motives, like self-sacrificing or devotion.

But simply, without consideration, that was the only choice.

There wouldn't even be any options to choose from, his head would simply make its own judgment.

"——dou."

So, he painfully understood Yuzuru's feelings for wanting Kaguya to keep on living, just as well as Kaguya's wish for Yuzuru to survive.

"shidou."

No, not only that. Rather——Shidou might even be happy knowing that Kaguya and Yuzuru think of each other to this extend. But——

"Oi, shidou!"

"uh!?"

A loud voice was released at his ears and Shidou immediately opened his eyes wide.

"Seriously, you finally realized shidou?"

Saying that, not knowing since when she was there, Tohka, wearing a yukata, *Puff* bulged her cheeks.

"To,Tohka........how long were you there?"

"I have been walking beside you for quite a while."

When Shidou said that, Tohka stared at Shidou's face.

"Wha.........what?"

"Nothing."

After Tohka *Fuu* averted her sight, she made a small smile with her lips and held Shidou's hand tightly.

"shidou, if it is okay, why don't we go outside for a little?"

"Eh...........?"

"The sea in the night——I want to see."

She said that and pulled Shidou's hand.

"Ah, wai, wait a sec.........."

Shidou braced his legs in panic and stopped Tohka's progress.

"No, isn't it bad going outside on our own accord. The teachers should be coming to patrol about now too............"

When he did that, Tohka stuck out her lips while *Haa* sighing.

"........sorry, shidou. I said a small lie."

"Eh?"

"That is........how to put it, even though we came to the school trip, but for some reason.......we haven't been talking with each other, right? That's why——together with shidou, I wanted the both of us to talk."

"..............uh"

"I am.......not allowed?"

After saying that, she made an upward glance while looking at Shidou.

"..............no, that, is."

If there were a guy that could say no after that, by all means he wanted to meet him. In the next instant, Shidou was pulled by Tohka who had a smile on her face.

"Haai! It is everyone's long awaited Trump tiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!..............and, aree?"

Ai who jumped into the room while shouting, looked around the room's interior while tilting her head.

Inside the room were only Mai and Mii.

"Aree, where's Tohka-chan? And Kaguya-chan too."

When she asked, Mai who was lying down and flipping through the travel guide and Mii who was having a boxing match with the string coming down from the light, faced towards her direction.

"Un——, if it is Tohka-chan then she was together with Itsuka-kun. Isn't she getting cozy with him?"

"I also saw Kaguya-chan. She was hiding behind the walls and looking at them."

Towards both of their words, Ai [HoHoo.....] patted her chin.

"You're kidding; don't tell me it's a love triangle? Kyaa——it somehow smells like an afternoon drama."

After Ai made a mischievous smile, she then dropped her sights towards the trump on her hands.

"But well, if that is the case then we don't have enough people. I was thinking of playing Daifugou?[5D 3]?though."

When Ai said that while shrugging her shoulders, both of them *ahaha* laughed.

"If that is the case then we need 5 people."

"How about calling Yuzuru-chan?"

"No, I did head towards her room but, it looks like Yuzuru-chan is not there too. Although I found Ellen-san, but I lost her half-way. I wonder where everyone went."

After Ai *Fuu* made a sigh, then how about, let's play shichinarabe?[5D 4]? And started shuffling the cards.

"——Haa, Haa"

While sticking onto the wall outside of the hotel, Ellen was taking a breath to re-arrange her rough breathing.

She then peeked back inside the hotel and heaved a sigh of relieve after confirming no one was there.

"..........That was a close call."

Speaking to herself in a monologue, she then wiped the sweat of her forehead. After seeing the target Yatogami Tohka going outside with a male student. The moment she thought that this was a good chance and was about to follow them, coming from behind, [Ellen-saaaaaaaaaann! Let's plaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!] The voice of her natural enemy echoed.

She then withdrew away from the area in a panic, honestly speaking, her heart was still beating hard even now.

"We,well, no matter, this is a chance."

After taking another peek at the hotel's condition just in case, Ellen extended her hands to the Incam.

"<Arbatell>, are you seeing this? The target has distanced herself from the hotel. Time to commence."

"——Understood."

"And also..........Please send one <Bandersnatch> around this area, and have it on stand-by."

"I don't mind but, why is that?"

"——There is master sergeant Tobiichi inside the hotel. I think it is an unnecessary anxiety but..........by any chance she is seen to make strange movements, I'm leaving the counter response to you."

"Roger."

After confirming the operator's voice, Ellen stepped out into the dark night.

There was no one on the beach at night, the uproar in the middle of the day fell into silence as if it had been a lie.

Well, the private beach Shidou and the others were at, was quiet even in the afternoon.

Shidou and Tohka, in a slow pace, were walking beside the breakwater while exchanging various conversations.

"——then, yesterday night, I had a pillow fight with Ai Mai Mii."

"Haha.........did you seriously do something like that."

"Umu. At first it was a match with Tobiichi Origami to determine who would be going to look after shidou but, it became heated up half-way, and we did it until both of us became tired and sleepy."

"........I, I see."

Shidou made a wry laugh powerlessly. If their match were to had ended faster and either one of them had had some energy left, then yesterday night would most probably had had another great disaster waiting for him.

But no matter.............how would you put it. Although they were exchanging a meaningless conversation with each other, for some reason his mood became relaxed.

And thus, after walking a little bit further ahead, Tohka suddenly turned around.

"So——shidou. What on earth happened?"

After being told that, *Babump* Shidou felt his heart jumping out.

"......uh, what do you mean."

"No, although I am not very sure about it but, something happened right?"

"Wh, why do you think that.......?"

When Shidou asked, Tohka [unnnn.........] touched her chin with her index finger.

"Somehow, I can feel shidou being troubled. I guess——err, at that time, the feeling was a little similar as that time with Kurumi."

Tohka said that while groaning a little. Shidou opened his eyes wide.

Tokisaki Kurumi. An evil s-->>

next page