.. that powerful addictiveness... if that was recklessly released into the world then the results will be catastrophic... people will be shaking with withdrawal symptoms and undoubtedly start wars over mushrooms."

"No way."

"Grr, whatever. Let's start the discovery of a new flavor."

"Yeah yeah... but I only have 3000 yen left."

"Nu? What's that?"

"I'm saying that because you keep buying stuff to eat my money is disappearing!"

"Muu, it's a tough world. Well then, I guess there's no other way. Wait a while, I'll go gather some funds."

"Wa...wait! What are you planning to do!"

Hearing that conversation, Kotori gave a long sigh.

Taking out the black ribbons from her pocket, she tied her hair.

It was Kotori's way of changing her mindset. Now, Kotori had transformed from Shidou's cute sister into her commander mode.

Then, opening her cell phone, she connected to <Ratatoskr>.

"...Ahh, it's me. It's an emergency. —Commence with strategy code F-08●Operation <Tenguu's Holiday>. All hands, immediately to your stations."

Hearing this, Reine's face twitched.

Waiting until Kotori's phone call ended, she raised her voice.

"...Are you serious about this, Kotori?"

"Yes. It's a situation where we can't give him any commands. There's no other way."

"...I see. Since it's like this—then it's part of Route C. ...Hmm, then I will be on my way. I will negotiate with the store ahead of time."

"Please."

Saying this, Kotori took out a Chupa Chups from her pocket, and put it in her mouth.

"......"

Comparing the numbers written on the receipt in his hand with the contents of his wallet, Shidou sighed. He didn't have much left, but luckily it was an amount that he could barely pay off.

"Cmon, let's go Tohka."

"Nn, already?"

Tohka said, staring in wonder. Shidou quickly stood up as if in a hurry. If they stayed here any longer then the only paths open to them would be to either wash the dishes or to eat and run.

As Shidou walked towards the front counter, Tohka caught up too. She was no longer emanating such a harsh hostility towards the surrounding customers. It seemed that she had pretty much gotten used to people being around.

For the moment, Shidou was relieved, as he placed the receipt along with three paper bills that made up 90% of his remaining money on the counter.

"I'd like to pay please."

Shidou said towards the employee standing at the counter—

"...!?"

He frowned greatly, and took a step back.

That was because, the employee that stood there was...

"...Thank you for your visit."

He recognized the woman with thick shadows under her eyes and seemed excessively sleepy.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh..."

"Nn? What's wrong shidou, an enemy!?"

Tohka turned her trembling face towards the visibly flustered Shidou.

"N-no, that's not it..."

He feebly denied Tohka's question.

Then, Shidou stared at the worker wearing the extremely cute uniform with a stuffed bear sitting on her shoulder, her sleepy eyes glowing.

For a moment, he thought he felt a glare as if saying 'if you tell anyone I'm working here then I'll kill you', but he soon realized that it had a different meaning.

"...Here is your change and receipt."

During the time Shidou was shocked, Reine had quickly completed the transaction. She passed the receipt over while tapping its surface.

On the bottom of that receipt, 'We will support you. Continue your date naturally' was written.

In other words, the glare just then was for Shidou to continue the date without letting Tohka find out that they knew each other... probably.

"D-don't worry about it."

Shidou said to Tohka, as he stuffed the receipt in his pocket.

Reine's sharpened gaze returned to being her usual spaced out look.

She then took out a single colorful strip of paper from the register's drawer and handed it to Shidou.

"...This is a raffle ticket for the shopping district. As you leave this store, if you follow the road on the right you will reach the place for the drawing.?If you would like, please have a visit."

In addition to explaining the location in detail, the last part was said very clearly.

Shidou scratched his cheek. Rather than 'if you would like', she was probably saying to definitely use it.

That said, it would've probably been fine even if she didn't emphasize it.

"shidou, what is that?"

Because Tohka had been scrutinizing the raffle ticket with intense interest.

"Do you want to go?"

"Do you want to go, shidou?"

"...Yeah, I can't wait to go."

"Then let's go."

Tohka cheerfully left the store in large strides.

After giving a light bow to Reine, Shidou chased after her.

"—Good work, Reine."

Hiding in the shadow of the counter, Kotori stood up after confirming that the two had left the store.

"...I can't get used to this, thank you."

Reine lifted the hem of the excessively frilly uniform, and said in a monotonous voice.

That had been strategy code F-08●Operation <Tenguu's Holiday>.

<Ratatoskr> had considered every possibility, and had grouped them into over 1000 strategy codes. This was one of those possibilities.

In the case that the Spirit escapes monitoring, and meets up directly with Shidou—<Fraxinus>'s crew will blend into the people on the streets and support Shidou from the shadows.

For this reason, the crew had all spent a minimum of one month learning how to act.

"It suits you. Very cute."

While licking candy, Kotori said, then she immediately pulled out her cell phone and called a number.

"Ahh, it's me. They just left the store. ... Mmm, be as natural as you can. If you mess up I'll have you skinned."

Concisely conveying the information and penalty, she hung up.

"The second group seems to be standing by. —Let's see, we should return to the <Fraxinus>. Even if we can't reach them by voice, we should at least watch the video."

"...Yeah, let's do that."

Hearing Reine's words from behind her, the tips of Kotori's lips curved upwards.

"Now—let our?datebattle?commence."

"Uhm, raffle... I guess it's that."

As Shidou and Tohka left the store and walked along the road, they saw a space with a long table lined with red crosses and a large lottery wheel placed on that table.

There were two men wearing happi coats[1E 2], one standing by the lottery wheel and one handing out the winnings. Behind them, stuff that seemed like prizes such as a bicycle and bags of rice were lined up. There were already a few people in line.

"..."

Shidou scratched his cheek.

He only faintly recalled... but in addition to the men wearing the happi coats, he seemed to remember seeing the faces of the customers in line inside of the <Fraxinus> too.

"Oooh!"

But there was no way Tohka would worry about something like that. Gripping the raffle ticket she received from Shidou (or rather, since it looked like she really wanted it so he handed it over), her eyes glittered.

"Cmon, let's line up."

"Mm."

Then, Tohka nodded, and they entered the back of the line.

Watching the customers in front spin the wheel, her head and eyes spun along with the wheel.

Quickly, Tohka's turn came. Imitating the customer before her, Tohka handed the ticket to the worker, and placed her hand on the lottery wheel. Taking a good look, the worker was <Bad MarriageTired Too Early> Kawagoe.

"Do I just spin this thing?"

Saying that, she spun the lottery wheel around. A few seconds later, a red consolation ball flew out of the lottery wheel.

"...That's too bad. Red is pocket ti—"

As Shidou began to speak, Kawagoe rang the bell in his hand loudly.

"First prize!"

"Oooh!"

"H-huh...?"

Shidou furrowed his brows but... seeing a different worker behind Kawagoe pull out a red marker and color in the gold ball drawn beside 'first place' on the prize board, he stopped his voice.

"Congratulations! First place is a complementary pair ticket to Dreamland!"

"Ooh, what's that shidou!"

"...A theme park? I haven't heard of it though..."

Shidou replied doubtfully to Tohka who had received the ticket in an elated mood.

Immediately, Kawagoe pulled his face close and without hesitation,

"There's a map drawn on the ticket, so definitely visit! You should go right now!"

"...O-okay..."

Taking a step back as if feeling pressured, he looked at the back of the ticket. There certainly was a map on it. And it was extremely close by.

"Was there always a theme park around here...?"

Shidou tilted his head, but oh well, this was <Ratatoskr>'s command. There must be something there.

"...Want to take a look, Tohka?"

"Mhmm!"

Tohka was filled with enthusiasm, so might as well walk there and see.

The place really was close. From the raffle stand it was a few hundred meters down an alley. The two sides were still lined with buildings, it was not a place that one would think a theme park would be built.

However—

"Oooh! shidou! There's a castle! Are we going there!?"

Tohka expressed an excitement more than ever before, as she pointed to the front.

While thinking that was ridiculous, Shidou looked up from the back of the ticket and turned his face towards the front.

"..."

Instantly, Shidou froze in place.

Certainly, while it was small, there was a western style castle. On the sign 'Dreamland' was written.

...And on the bottom of that, 'Rest●Two hours 4000 yen~ Stay●8000 yen~' was written.

In other words, it was a love hotel that only adults could enter.

"W-we're leaving Tohka...! I accidentally took a wrong turn!"

"Nu? It's not that?"

"Yeah that's right. C-cmon, let's go."

"Can't we stop there too? I want to go in."

"...! N-nonono. Let's not today! Okay!?"

"Muuu... okay."

He felt sorry for letting down Tohka, but that place was impossible after all. Shidou turned to glare at Kotori who was probably watching the whole thing from the sky, and turned back.

"Jeez, going all the way there only to turn around? What a complete chicken, even for my brother."

Sitting on the commander seat of the <Fraxinus>, Kotori shrugged her shoulders with a sigh.

"...Oh well, what did you expect. Suddenly doing that is cruel."

Sitting in the lower part of the bridge, Reine said while operating a console.

The numbers shown on the screen from her analysis were much more stable than yesterday. Though it was not enough to be considered lovers, the numbers showed that Tohka thought of Shidou as a trustworthy friend.

Well, that was why they tried a slightly drastic pattern.

"Even if they don't go to the very end, even if it was something like a kiss then it would've been?checkmate."

Saying this, the candy stick moved around, and she exhaled from her nose.

"...What should we do next."

"Nn, let's see. Let's go with 'coupling' and 'one-way maze'."

"Haa... haa."

Even though they didn't run, mysteriously he was out of breath. As they exited onto a road with various stores and buildings lined up, he slowed the pace.

"Are you not feeling well, shidou?"

"No, that's not it..."

"Then what's wrong?"

Tohka tilted her head and asked.

"...for a bit, my thoughts went to my sister in the sky."

"In the sky?"

Making a slightly surprised face, Tohka.

"Ahh. She had been a cute sister..."

To think that she had such a split personality, he sighed.

"Is that so..."

Seeing Tohka suddenly giving off a solemn aura, Shidou suddenly realized. The way he had been speaking just then, it was as if Kotori had died.

"Ahh that's not it Tohka, It's—"

Shidou's words stopped.

"Please have one."

Suddenly, a girl had held out a packet of pocket tissue in front of his eyes.

He reached out his hand and accepted it, and the girl gave a slight nod and left.

"shidou? What's that?"

"Ahh, this is called pocket tissue—"

Saying this, Shidou twisted his neck.

The pocket tissue given out on the streets were usually for advertisement. However, on the packaging of this pack of tissue, other than an illustration of a couple holding hands and the phrase 'If you're happy then hold hands', nothing else was on it. Was it some kind of religious organization?

Then, while he was wondering, from the electronics store on his right he heard a voice that he recognized from somewhere.

On the many television sets lining the storefront, a strange show was being broadcast.

"Wha...!?"

Shidou narrowed his brows and let out a sound.

There were many commentators on a set like the information programs that play during the day, but each and every one of them were faces that he recognized from <Fraxinus>.

"Someone who doesn't hold hands on their first date is no good after all."

"That's right. If you're a man then that much is obvious."

"......"

Then, as Shidou was silent, the surrounding couples increased to an unnatural level.

What's more, all of them were intimately holding hands, and periodically saying 'holding hands is nice!' or 'it feels like our hearts are connected!' and similar stuff, as if on purpose.

Feeling slightly dizzy, Shidou placed his hand on his forehead.

—This was probably?that?after all.

He gave a big sigh.

After a while, Shidou placed the pack of tissues in his pocket, and trying to calm his heartbeat, turned to look at Tohka.

"H-hey, Tohka..."

"Nn, what?"

Tohka tilted her head questioningly. Shidou gulped, and then held out his hand.

"Uhm, want to... hold hands?"

"Hands? Why?"

Without any ill will, as if a pure question mark had floated up, Tohka asked.

Somehow, it seemed more embarrassing than being outright rejected.

"...You're right. I wonder why?"

In reality, it was not something that he could explain. As he looked away, Shidou pulled his hand—

"Nn."

—back, but Tohka's hand grabbed onto Shidou's hand.

"..."

"Nu? What's with that face. You were the one who said to hold hands, shidou."

"A-ahh."

Lightly shaking his head, they started walking.

"Mm, this isn't bad, holding hands."

Saying this Tohka smiled, and she strengthened her grip slightly.

"...Y-yeah."

He realized that just by touching the small, soft, and slightly cooler hand, his face naturally turned red.

As much as he could, he tried to avoid thinking about the feeling, as he walked while thinking about other things.

Then, after walking forward for some time, he saw a yellow and black sign ahead that symbolized an area under construction. Men wearing helmets were busy working.

"Mm... we can't pass through here huh. Oh well, let's..."

Shidou turned towards his right, but this time along that path a do not enter sign was placed.

"Ah?"

While thinking that it was suspicious, he reluctantly turned back towards the way he came from.

But, this time, the path that they had just walked along, was blocked with a sign.

"......"

No matter what this was too unnatural. Shidou squinted at the faces of the workers.

Sure enough, he recognized a few of their faces. They were the <Fraxinus>'s crew.

Speechless, Shidou turned towards the hill, and looked at the road that extended from his left.

The only road they could take was that.

"...So they're telling us to go this way huh."

"Nu? What's wrong shidou?"

"No, nothing. ...For the moment, let's try going this way?"

"Mm, okay."

While making a face as if just walking like this is fun, Tohka affirmed.

"Now then, let's go shidou!"

"Y-yeah..."

In an awkward manner, Shidou walked towards the path on the left.