In the underground meeting room owned by <Ratatoskr>.

Kotori was facing the dolls placed on a round table.

And of course, it’s not like she was talking to the dolls. Speakers were placed under each doll and each of them were connected to the highest leaders of <Ratatoskr> in the world.

“----Commander Itsuka. What is the meaning of this?”

The speaker placed under the crying mouse, was giving a perfectly pathetic voice just like the doll’s face.

“Wasn’t Itsuka Shidou’s going out of control a very low possibility?”

“...........the data is correct. This case should not have happened. Every responsibility goes to me”

“This isn’t something we can settle with you taking responsibility”

The drooling bulldog raised his voice angrily.

“He has the Reiryoku of 8 spirits stored in his body right now. If control is lost then........just how much damage do you think would happen!”

The ugly cat doll talked to suppress him.

“Calm down.-----we prepared the <Dáinsleif> for this right?”

“............uh”

Kotori frowned her eyebrows and made a hateful expression when she heard those words.

Now that she thinks about it, it was this ugly cat that placed a [Condition] when the plan to use Shidou’s ability to seal the Spirits was acknowledged.

“.....however, the Spirits hold Itsuka Shidou as a dear existence to them. If we kill him now, the Spirits will all go berserk and might end up inversing in the worst scenario, am I right?”

“Aah, that might be so in normal circumstances. But, it’s a different story now right?”

“That’s.........but no matter which it may be, we will be losing all the Spirit powers we gathered if that happens, am I right?”

“I know. But, it’s much better than the worst scenario right?”

The stupid dog shut up after hearing the ugly cat’s words. In this situation, that definitely shows the action of agreement.

“...........”

Kotori gritted her teeth. -------all of them were pissing Kotori off.

It’s doesn’t sound like Kotori’s emotion was found out but, the ugly cat continued its words to Kotori.

“With that said, Commander Itsuka. I will be counting on you for his disposal, if anything happens. That is your role”

“.............”

Kotori tried responding while suppressing the urge to barge in over at the other side of the speaker to punch the cocky person voicing the ugly cat.

But, faster than Kotori’s reply, the squirrel doll sitting at the back of the circle table------the chairman of this board meeting- Eliot Woodman voiced himself.

“------Don’t misunderstand this, Commander Itsuka”

“Eh.......?”

“Your most important task is not to give judgement when the time comes. It is diligently work to prevent the [When the time comes] to happen”

“..........!”

“I am counting on you, Commander Itsuka”

“......Yes!”

Kotori fixed her posture and saluted.

After a few hours Shidou collapsed. The girls were in a large resting room-like area while they were in their uniforms.

It was a part of the underground facility <Ratatoskr> owns. There are several vending machines, monitors, and decorative plants beside the wall, while table and chairs were placed at random spaces.

Normally, this place is where organization members have friendly conversation during breaks but------the room right now was flowing with a gloomy atmosphere as if this was the waiting room of a surgery room.

After the event, the girls carried Shidou outside and after meeting up with the person sent by <Ratatoskr>, they accompanied Shidou to this facility.

Since treatment and analysis take some time, they were told to go home first but, Tohka, Origami and the Yamai sisters did not budge. If anything happened to Shidou after they left..........just the thought of it, made them reluctant to go home.

“Is Shidou going to be okay.......”

Who knows how many times Tohka mumbled that sentence in the silent room.

However, no one was blaming her. That’s only normal. Everyone in here was feeling the same anxiety.

“He will..........definitely”

“Yes yes, he will be up and daisy if we look after him. Ah, we might increase his fever instead?”

The one who replied to Tohka were the small girl sitting opposite Tohka and the rabbit puppet worn on the girl’s left hand.

Yoshino and her friend [Yoshinon]. Just like the girls, she is a Spirit living in the mansion beside the Itsuka House. She also heard the news of Shidou collapsing and ran over here.

“T-that’s right..........Kotori and Reine are around. It will be okay..........”

However, after Tohka made a nod, the girl with a bad expression sitting beside Yoshino, opened her mouth with a dark face.

“........no, I wonder about that. There’s always that unlikely event. I think it’s better to be prepared just in case...........”

Etc etc, she said it in a way that made the originally gloomy atmosphere even gloomier. Tohka looked shocked after hearing those helpless words.

“N-no way..........”

“Hey! Don’t say such ominous things!”

“Scold. That’s right Natsumi. Tohka will believe it”

The Yamai Sisters raised their voices. When they did that, Natsumi twitched her shoulders and shrunk her hunched back even more.

“........but based on my experience, comparing getting slammed down after clinging to hope and having some preparations for the worst case scenario before failing; the latter choice is much better right........?”

“No, like we said, can you stop talking with failing set in mind!?”

“......So-sorry.........”

After Kaguya said that with a screechy voice, Natsumi looked away apologetically.

After a while from that event, silence flowed. The sound of the analog clock placed on the room wall sound oddly loud.

“-----But even so”

Origami talked as if to break the silence.

“No matter how sick he was, Shidou’s condition was off normality today. It’s like-----a Spirit who is unable to control its power”

“.................”

Hearing Origami’s words, Tohka, the Yamai sisters, everyone who actually saw Shidou’s actions, *Muu* moved their throat.

It’s true that Shidou has fallen sick many times before. Especially, he looked quite in pain when he was bedridden after catching the mumps.

But, just like what Origami said, today’s Shidou was clearly different from that time.

“You mean........Shidou was also a Spirit?”

“I don’t know”

Origami swung her head without changing her expression. But after a while, she continued with a [But].

“I can’t imagine Shidou being a normal human. Leaving aside the first problem, even the reason why Shidou can seal the Spirits power wasn’t explained to us either”

“.............does that mean, either Shidou or <Ratatoskr> is hiding something from us?”

The person who said it was Natsumi who was hiding under Yoshino’s shadow.

“I did not go that far. There is a possibility that <Ratatoskr> and Shidou has not fully grasped the reason why the person in question has this ability and his real identity.------but, in a another case, the organization <Ratatoskr> has too many mysteries.”

Origami continued fluently.

“I am thankful that they saved me. I am so grateful that I can’t put it into words. But, why would <Ratatoskr> protect the Spirits in the first place? Don’t you think that this dangerous action without any sort of payment is just a waste of resources?”

“That’s.......”

Tohka pulled back her lips.

No, Tohka wasn’t alone in this. Kaguya, Yuzuru, Yoshino and Natsumi were looking at Origami while keeping quiet.

It might be just as what Origami said. At first Tohka, who was clueless of this world did not questioned this before but, after living a human lifestyle, she could somehow understand how much crazy authority the organization <Ratatoskr> had.

Such an organization was doing everything they can for the girls. And naturally, they were not conscious of this since they were the ones being blessed but, without <Ratatoskr> the girls would not even be able to go to school.

Why would they go so far as to provide such hospitality to the girls-----now that they were asked that again, it was a fact that they could not immediately come up with an answer.

“Muu........”

The same time Tohka groaned painfully, the room door opened and Kotori and Reine came inside.

“----Kotori!”

“Hi Tohka. Sorry that my brother caused you trouble”

After Tohka shouted, Kotori shrugged her shoulders while looking around the room.

“........? What’s wrong?”

Kotori tilted her head as if she felt the weird atmosphere filling the room. Origami then changed the topic by swinging her head.

“Nothing. More importantly, how is Shidou’s condition?”

“..............?”

Kotori looked at everyone faces one more time in wonder but, she immediately nodded.

“Then I’ll explain..........Miku isn’t here yet I see”

After Kotori said that, Reine standing beside her quietly echoed her voice.

“.........I already called her but; apparently she’s in Kansai because of her job”

“Uuuun, then I have no choice. Well, things will work out if she gets here within today. I’ll tell everyone first-----“

Right when Kotori reached there, loud footsteps could be heard echoing over from the corridor.

“-----------daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinngggggggggggg!!”

“Eh?”

After Kotori opened her eyes wide, a shadow came jumping over from the opened door and hugged Kotori who was standing there, tightly.

It was a tall girl with bluish purple hair. She was in make-up, and wearing a gorgeous outfit which seems to be her stage costume; a coat was being placed on top of her outfit.

“Mi-Miku!?”

Kotori shouted but, Miku strengthened both her arms as if she did not notice and hugged Kotori tightly while rubbing her cheeks.

“Are you okay darling!? I could not stand still when I heard you collapsed, it’s your Miku who chartered a helicopter and came backkkkk!”

“Hey......calm down-------“

“Aaah, how pitiful you are darling! You turned this small........! Aren’t your arms, legs and other parts so squishy!? Now that I think about it, your skin is so smooth that it’s like you are Kotori-san!”

“It’s not “Like” It is really me!”

After Kotori shouted, Miku finally opened her eyes wide.

“Oh my, Kotori-san. What are you doing here? You appeared into my arms before I knew it, Kufufu, Kotori really likes getting pampered huh”

“You’re doing this on purpose right!? Rather, will you stop squirming your hands around!?”

“Aahhn, meanie”

After Kotori pushed Miku away to escape from her constraints, Miku puckered her lips in reluctance.

“Seriously............go sit where you want. I will explain Shidou’s condition.”

“Okaaay”

Miku raised her hand obediently and sat on a nearby chair. Natsumi twitched her body and moved to a position where Miku could not see her.

Kotori let out a soft sigh after seeing that, before looking towards Reine.

“Then, Reine, I am counting on you”

“.......Okay”

After Reine said that, she spread her terminal on the table and started operating something.

When she did that, the big monitor installed in the room’s wall, showed the same screen as Reine’s terminal.

“That’s........”

Tohka mumbled softly while looking up at the monitor.

There are several numbers around Shidou’s body diagram and a graph was shown on it.

“This is a graph made after analyzing Shidou’s condition. ------things would have gone faster if it was done in the <Fraxinus> but a certain someone gave it a good breaking last time”

“There are some evil people out there”

After Kotori said something ironic, Origami immediately replied back nonchalantly. Kotori made a wry smile while shrugging her shoulders.

“-----Well leaving that aside, this is Shidou’s current state. Look at the red line on the graph. That signifies Shidou’s Reiha readings. In a nutshell, those are crazy values........but well, the fact that we are able to observe Reiha in a human by itself is weird though”

“Muu........I don’t fully understand but, why is this happening?”

After Tohka asked, Kotori talked to [Reine]. Reine then responded and changed the graph displayed into something else.

On the screen, the Spirits were placed around Shidou who was placed in the middle. There were dim glowing lines between Shidou and each Spirits; a light was moving forth and back on each line.

“.........Think of this as his normal condition. Shin has the ability to seal the Spirits Reiryoku but, that it’s not like he fully taken the power or isolate it somewhere from the Spirits; an invisible pass is formed between him and the Spirits, and while he maintains most of the Reiryoku inside him, I want you all to think that the power is cycled around little by little”

Riene pressed the key while saying that. When she did that, the light coming from Shidou was distributed towards the Spirits through a pass.

“........This picture shows what happen when you Spirits have an unstable mental state. The Reiryoku ratio inside you girls and Shin would change, giving you all the ability to manifest your Angel and Limit Astral dress”

“Fumu....I see”

“Pointing out. Kaguya is pretending to understand”

“I-I am not pretending! I actually understand!”

Kaguya and Yuzuru started having a small quarrel. *Kohon* Reine then made a small cough.

“........Can I continue?”

“Y-yes........”

“Apology. Please go on”

After both of them dropped their shoulders, Reine manipulated the Terminal again and returned to the previous screen.

“........And, this is what is happening with Shidou’s body”

The same time Reine said that, the pass between Shidou and the Spirits shrunk this time and the moving light turned slower.

“Th-that’s........”

“.........after seeing the result of the analysis we found out the pass connected between you all and Shin suddenly shrunk and is obstructing the Reiryoku cycle”

“What....does that mean?”

While making her eyebrows look like a 八shape because of the anxiety, Yoshino asked her; Reine then nodded with a wobbling action.

“............aah, the Reiryoku which normally should be cycling around, stopped in Shin-----and caused a overheat situation. That’s the reason for Shin’s symptoms. Since the Reiryoku had no way to go, it appeared through Shin’s body and probably displayed itself as tremendous physical abilities”

After Reine pressed a key, Shidou in the screen turned red.

“Oh my God........isn’t that a disaster!?”

After Tohka stood up while slamming the table, Kotori erected the Chupa chups in her mouth while folding her arms.

“Yes. This is not a jolly situation. If this condition continues, there is a possibility that the Reiryoku trapped inside Shidou would go rampant. It’s an explosion worth 8 Spirit’s Reiryoku. Just thinking about this gives me the chills”

“I-Is there a way to save Shidou!?”

Tohka approached Kotori as if to count on her. Kotori then, *Pon**Pon* patted Tohka’s head to calm her down.

“Of course, there is.------------that’s the reason why I called you all”

“Mu.........?”

After Tohka opened her eyes wide, Kotori stood up from her chair and continued.

“Basically, we just have to return the pass between Shidou and us, into its normal state. Once we do that, the Reiryoku will cycle around, and Shidou’s condition will improve”

“I-I see!”

“But, what should we do to widen the Pass?”

Miku placed her finger on her chin and tilted her head.

And for some reason, Kotori fumbled her mouth in a hesitant manner.

“Errr, well that’s..........”

“........eh, don’t tell me, we are going to do it without knowing the method?”

Natsumi said it with half her eyes opened.

“Y-you’re wrong. We know the method”

“...........errr, then is the method something really hard or something ........is that it?”

“No........it’s not like that”

“Then tell it already. Just what should we do to save darling?”

“W-well..........”

After Kotori was at lost with words while her cheeks were blushing, Reine could no longer watch her and opened her lips.

“.........By kissing”

“Eh?”

“What did you say........?”

Reine nodded to answer everyone’s surprise.

“............Shidou will kiss a Spirit to seal her Reiryoku. Which means, a pass was tied between each individual by that action. So in order to widen the contracted pass, we need all of you to kiss Shin again”

“I-I see.........”

Tohka nodded before touching her lips with her finger.

Now that she thinks about it, Tohka and Shidou kissed when Tohka’s power was sealed. If that’s the reason why a pass was formed between them, it makes sense that the pass will open again if she does it again.

But. After thinking that far, Tohka [Mu?] twisted her neck.

“Wait just a second Reine..........which means, perhaps, Shidou kissed everyone?”

“......? Yes, that’s correct”

Tohka opened her eyes wide when she heard Reine’s words.

“Wha........I-is that true!?”

“Eh, perhaps Tohka-san didn’t know?”

“Errrr.............Then how did you think he perform the seal”

“Mu........? Err like.........”

After Kaguya told her that, Tohka placed her hand on her chin to think and groaned. Leaving the first problem aside, Tohka could not tie sealing = Kissing inside her mind.

“I see........so that’s how it is”

Tohka told Shidou that she wanted him to save the Spirits last time. But at the same time, she told him not to kiss anyone else other than her.

“Muu............”

She finally understands why Shidou looked so troubled at that time. That’s because, kissing is essential to seal the Spirit’s power. Without Tohka knowing, she apparently asked something unreasonable from Shidou.

“Err, Tohka-san?”

Miku asked her while peeking into Tohka’s face. To respond to that, Tohka suddenly raised her face.

“Okay......I will do it! I will do it! Shidou saved me. It’s my turn to save Shidou!”

After Tohka said that, the Spirits around her followed on with their raised voices.

“I........will work hard.....!”

“Fuun.........he’s a handful of a brother after all”

“Kaka! Kissing to wake the person up, it’s like a fairytale!”

“Consent. It’s the sleeping beauty featuring Princess Shiori”

“Eh, what is that? Hey, can you give me more details on that talk?”

“.........So that’s the part you got hooked on”

“I don’t care what it is. I am able to save Shidou and kiss him at the same time; this is the verb “One grain of rice with twice the deliciousness”. I have no objections”

Reine slowly nodded after hearing the Spirits answers.

“.......Thank you. Let’s begin immediately; I will lead you all to Shin’s medical room. If we let this drag on, it will probably be painful for him”

“Umu, let’s go!”

While saying that, Tohka *Bam* hit her chest while standing up. The others nodded to show their determination and followed her.

But, right when Reine was about to leave the room to lead everyone, she suddenly stopped.

“..........Oh, by the way. If any of you are afraid to kiss in front of everyone. It’s okay to enter the medical room by taking turns and......how about it?”

After hearing Reine’s words, the Spirit’s *fuumu* groaned after imagining their kissing scene-----and immediately blushed.

“Mu.........it will be helpful if we do that”

“T-that’s true......”

“Fu.......the eyes of the person who sees my kiss will receive an irreversible curse”

“Translate. Kaguya is saying she’s embarrassed”

“I-I did not say that!”

As expected, everyone is embarrassed of letting their kiss being seen. One female [Ehhhh, I don’t really mind actually. Rather, I think I prefer kissing darling who is asleep and kissing everyone else as an extra] said this but, well she was a rare case.

“.........Fumu. Let’s do that. Please simply pick your turn”

“Yeah, let’s do that”

The Spirits agreed after Kotori’s words.

But.

“I don’t mind being last. Also, I want to know if the medical room has a lock. It’s even better if the room is sound-proofed”

The moment Origami said that, everyone twitched their eyebrows.

“.........as expected, I think it’s better if everyone enters the room”

“True, that seems better”

“Why?”

Origami tilted her head but, everyone ignored her and followed Reine.

They walked down the long corridor and reached a certain door before Reine stopped.

“..........over here. I think he is still sleeping so enter quietly”

“Umu, I understand”

After Tohka dropped her head forward, she slowly opened the door.

Inside the room, the interior was made exactly like a real medical room. Inside the 12 tatami sized white room, a big bed was placed there.

And on top it, Shidou who was sleeping in pain-----

Was not there.

“Nu.....?”

“Ah-re.......where’s Shidou-san........?”

Everyone opened their eyes wide after they entered the room.

But it was only natural. On the bed which was thought to be where Shidou slept on, had a dent signifying someone was lying on it just now, casually taken out IV drip needles and the several electrodes which was attached to him, were all scattered about.

In the small island-Neryl Island floating on the Pacific Ocean, a rare hustle and bustle visited today.

20 years ago, ever since this inhabited island was bought by the United Kingdom’s DEM industry, a grand scale laboratory facility was constructed underground.

Nonetheless, its existence was not brought out to the public and the position of this island is not placed on the map. Basically, it’s a facility created to conduct experiments which will definitely bring unavoidable criticism from the world if this island was to go public.

Because of that, the only people normally there were researchers reaching around the number of 50, approximately 30 staff members for the daily routines and few Wizards to act as bodyguards.-----well, if the experiments inside the facility are counted as human, the numbers would increase by a hundred fold.

Regardless, the Neryl Island seen from above would get supplies frequently once every week, and since the big shots from the Main branch will not visit even if it’s by whim, the Island is unusually quiet.

---right now in that Island, around 100 Wizards were gathered there. What’s more, all of them were in their wiring suits and equipped with CR-units, and were prepared for battle. Adding on, there are above 300 remote controlled <Bandersnatch> deployed around the island. If this scene was seen by someone who has not seen the usual island, the person will probably think that a war is about to start.

“........This is quite dangerous”

While looking at the runway filled with Wizards from the transporter Cockpit, Knox *Fuu* sighed. As if to respond to him, the copilot sitting beside him- Burton nodded.

“That’s just how important [Material A] is”

After saying that, he pointed his thumb backwards in the cockpit.

Yes, they were given the mission to transport the most important goods---Nicknamed [Material A] which was kept deep inside Neryl island.

“Well that’s only natural. But even so, this is just a little too much. What’s with this number of Wizards? Are we going to attack the seventh fleet or something?”

Burton made a wry smile after hearing Knox’s jokes.

And at that moment, Knox blinked his eyes.

Right in front the transporter------a small human figure suddenly appeared in the middle of the roadway.

“Hn......?”

The Wizards thought it was a researcher from Neryl Island but----they were mistaken. A young girl was standing over there.

She was wearing a dress that looks like it’s covered with blood and shadow, had an irregular hairstyle and different eyes. Also------her left eye looked like a watch.

“What....the heck is that. Halloween ended a few months ago”

The same time Knox mumbled his suspicion, it seems the Wizards on the roadway noticed the girl’s existence a moment later. They pointed their guns at the girl and shouted.

“Who are you!? Where did you come from!?”

A Wizard’s voice could be heard over the communicator.

But in the next moment.

“----Kihihi, finally found you,?miss 2nd Spirit-san”

Just when he thought the girl’s voice echoed through the communicator, the shadow under the girl extended towards the Wizards feet. Several white hands came out from it and pulled the Wizards down.

“Wha.......what is this....!?”

“The Sha-shadows....!?”

“You fool! Don’t get carelessly get close! She’s----<Nightmare>!”

After 1 Wizard said that, the girl *Nii* made a smile.

Next, a group of girls that looks like <Nightmare> crawled out the shadow which resembles a carpet.

“U-uwaahhhhh!”

“Calm down! We have to protect [Material A]!”

The Wizards readied their CR-unit while the group of <Nightmares> took out olden type pistols and rifles from the shadows.

---the quiet Island completely changed and swiftly turned into severe battlefield.

The solid defense was getting taken down one after another. That’s because, no matter how many enemies the Wizards slaughters, inexhaustible supply of girls would gush out from the shadows. It’s only a matter of time for those devilish hands to reach the transporter.

“----Pilot Knox! We can’t keep this up any longer! Start the Transporter!”

“You’re joking!? There are still some bodyguard Wizards not on board! Also, are you telling me to run through this runway!?”

“There is no other way! Hurry up!”

“Kuh........!”

After Knox frowned his face, he grabbed onto the control stick.

---the motor sound echoing from the transporter started turning louder.

Having sharp-ears, <Nightmare>-Tokisaki Kurumi heard the sound and made a smile before raising her pistol and ordered the [Group of Kurumis].

“I won’t let you run. Am I right-----all of me?”

Listening to Kurumi’s voice, several of her clones flew to the transporter.

But in the next moment.

“------!”

The moment a gasp could be heard, the heads of the 5 clones heading towards the transporter, flew up in the sky at the same time. After a moment, large quantity of blood gushed out from the body below while falling towards the ground and twitched a little.

“......Oh my, oh my?”

While sharpening her gaze, Kurumi looked at the Wizard who appeared at the spot.

“..............”

She’s different from the other Wizards------it was a blonde haired girl wearing the exact same wiring suits as Ellen Mathers. Her face still has the meekness of a child but it was being decorated with a dangerous expression.

Kurumi let out a soft snort. She could see that she’s a different?thing?compared to the other Wizards with one glance. The high-quality of the Territory. The wiles showed when she cut of the clones head in an instant. She’s definitely not a normal person.

“An annoying one appeared huh........but, did you think I would give up because of something that trivial?”

She smiled provocatively.

But, the girl did not responded and readied the special Laser blade in her hands.

“-----<Arondight>”

Instantly, the clones deployed around Kurumi, flew towards the girl all at once.

However, once the girl manipulated her Territory, the movement of the clones dulled for a moment, the girl took this chance to rush towards Kurumi before slashing her body.

“Ah----Gah..........”

Large amount of blood gushed out from her chest and while looking at the cloudless blue sky, Kurumi fell on her back on the roadway.

After a few seconds, she could see the loud transporter flying away at the edge of her view.

“Oh my, oh my..........I, really got......taken down, huh..........”

Even though she was suffering from hemoptysis, Kurumi’s fearless smile did not break.

“But..........this is not......the end you know? [I] will take.....Miss 2nd Spirit-san......”

“...........”

The girl swung <Arondight> up.

Kurumi’s consciousness was cut off at that moment.

Within his cloudy consciousness caused by his feve-->>

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