… …
Kotori, who was supposed to be going to school, was sitting alone in a corner of the underground facility owned by Ratatoskr in Tengu City.
The girl's features are her long hair tied into two ponytails with black ribbons, a crimson coat draped over her shoulders, and a jackpot lollipop in her mouth. She looks very cute for her age, but her expression is as serious as that of a soldier who has experienced many battles.
This was also something that could not be helped.
Because Kotori was holding the information of the spirit [Demon] that Katsu had successfully sealed last month.
[Devil]. It was a inverse spirit that was listed as a first-level alert target along with the most evil spirit [Nightmare] Tokisaki Kurumi.
Her true identity is former AST member Tobiichi Origami in the old timeline. The documents Kotori reviewed not only recorded the details of the "devil", but also the results of her interrogation.
"...Hmm." Kotori hummed softly, while her eyes fell on a certain message on the paper.
Although she was very interested in changing the world and unifying personalities, what attracted Kotori's attention the most was the time when Origami relied on Kurumi's angel [Zafkiel] to return to the past five years ago.
That's right. It is said that Origami went back five years to save her parents' lives and confronted a certain existence.
——[Phantom]. A mysterious being that grants Kotori, Miku, Origami and others the power of spirits.
"Although I can't say I've caught you by the tail..." Kotori said to herself.
She had seen the Phantom in person before. However, the Phantom was covered with something blocking everyone's vision, and his or her voice was like it was through a voice changer, so she couldn't grasp its true appearance at all.
However, it is said that Origami fought with the [Phantom] and used the power of the angel to peel back the noise barrier. Although it was only for a moment, she heard her voice and saw her back.
According to Origami──The [Phantom] is a young girl.
And the girl said she had a purpose. Kotori stared at the sketch of the "Phantom" drawn according to Origami's memory and said softly:
"[Phantom]...Who are you? What is your purpose?" After saying this, someone knocked on the door at this time.
"Who is it?"
"…It's me."
"Oh, come in." The door opened as Kotori answered, and a woman in a Ratatosk uniform walked into the room.
With her hair tied up casually and eyes decorated with deep dark circles, she is Ratatoskr's analyst and Kotori's confidant, Murasame Reine .
"What's wrong, Reine?"
"...Well, I was going to contact you via the terminal, but I heard you were here today."
"Yes." Logically speaking, Kotori should stay in school like Yoshino and the others.
"I want to investigate something. Ah, of course, I did count the days I attended, and it's still within the safe range. So, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"...Yeah. There's something I'm concerned about."
"Something you care about?" Kotori tilted her head, and Reine showed her the tablet in her hand.
The screen displayed various numerical values and graphs with several interlaced lines.
"This is..."
"...This is everyone's recent spiritual wave value chart. Look here." Reine said and pointed to two lines - these two lines are abnormally rising, and... the waveforms are gradually becoming similar, as if they are resonating...
"What's going on? Everyone's mental state should be stable these days, right? Whose is it--" Before she could finish her words, Kotori suddenly shook her shoulders.
"Could it be Origami Tobiichi?" She had just been sealed. She was originally an inverse spirit, showing great power. It would not be surprising even if she showed some abnormality... "However, if there are two - the other one---"
But before Kotori could finish her words, Reine slowly shook her head.
"…No, it's not Origami."
"Who is that? Tohka? Yoshino? You're not going to say it's me, are you?"
"…Neither. This is caused by resonance, and the two people who resonate are—" Reine slowly said two names that made Kotori's pupils shrink slightly.
… …
After finishing the math class, They are now going to the third class.
The next subject for Class 2, Grade 4 is physical education class together with Class 3.
"Katsu, do you want to go to the playground together?"
Katsu, who was lying on his bed, yawned and turned his head leisurely: "Is the next class physical education?"
Shidou nodded, then suddenly frowned, and couldn't help but raised his hand to rub his temple---
"Huh? What's wrong with you? You look a little pale! Do you have a cold?" Katsu noticed Shidou's actions and asked with some concern.
"Hmm... I don't know. I've been feeling a bit sluggish since this morning..."
"Well, are you okay, Shidou? If you're not feeling well, you should skip gym class."
"It's okay, it's not that serious---" Shidou waved his hand.
At this moment, another close friend of Shidou... or bad friend, happened to pass by here---
So Shidou called him and said, "Wait, Tonomachi, do you know what the physical education class is about today?"
After Shidou asked, Tonomachi stopped and shrugged at Shidou, as if to say, "Did you forget? Isn't there a physical fitness test today? And the place where boys and girls take the test is next to each other. I plan to show my strong side as a man! For this day, I even lifted my butt off the chair a little bit during class!"
"Your strong side?" Katsu couldn't help but roll his eyes at Tenmachi.
Tenmachi shrugged, then he faced Tohka and Origami and gave a thumbs up.
"So, my fellow female students, if you want to fall in love with me again, please do so now. Please look forward to my great performance."
Katsu's mouth twitched, and he decisively withdrew his gaze from Tonomachi, and then looked at "Shidou, are you really okay? Do you want to go to the health room?"
"Don't force yourself, Shidou. Go to the health room and rest." Tohka also said the same thing.
Even Origami couldn't help but cast a concerned look towards Shidou.
"Oh, are you ignoring me? Is it so hard to listen to me? I'm going to lose my temper!" Tenmachi pouted and said with dissatisfaction.
Katsu vomited on the spot---
Shidou smiled bitterly and slowly stood up from the chair.
"I should be able to handle this level of physical fitness test. It will be troublesome to postpone it to the next time. I will participate."
"Okay, don't force yourself. You only know how to worry about others, but you don't care about your own physical condition." Katsu shrugged, sent Tenmachi away, turned to look at Shidou, and said so.
"Haha... I'll pay attention. Kotori also said something similar to me."
"Oh, that means we have reached a consensus on this point, little clerk---"
"… …" Shidou's mouth twitched.
"Okay... physical fitness test, right?" Shidou said while looking at Tohka---
"… Just to be on the safe side, let me make it clear first, Tohka, don't take it too seriously. Although your power has been sealed, your physical fitness is still stronger than that of an ordinary person."
"Yes, I know. I will control my strength well."
So Katsu also turned to look at Origami---
Without waiting for Katsu to speak, Origami said, "I will keep my power within the scope of common sense."
"Yeah---" Katsu nodded with satisfaction.
Then Shidou looked at Katsu and whispered: "Katsu, although I know you are very reliable, sometimes you are inevitably a little off the track... Let's not talk about the spirits... Can you control your power?"
"Tsk, who do you think I am?" Katsu waved his hands disdainfully, and said with an expression that he was the best in the world---
"Um... I always feel a little uneasy... But never mind. Actually, the people I'm more worried about are Kaguya and Yuzuru. I'll remind them not to compete with each other and update too many records..."
"Well, that makes sense. According to their personalities..." Thinking about the scene where the two of them were unwilling to give in and were competing with each other... Katsu immediately shook his head. It was too scary: "Sure enough, I'll go and remind them right away."