Natsumi used Haniel's power to open a hole in the bed. Then she transford a stuffed doll into herself and placed it on the bed with the hole in it, before sealing the opening back up.
After sneaking under the bed, she used her Angel to open a passage in the floor, bypassing the room and reaching the outside.
However, the underground facility was full of caras and other devices. If she walked around in her current form, she would probably be discovered before she got very far.
"Haniel…"
The mirror in her hand gave off a faint glow. After thinking for a mont, Natsumi transford into the person easiest to move around as inside this underground facility—Itsuka Kotori. Through her observations over the past few days, she had more or less learned Kotori's position in this facility.
Before she had gone very far, Natsumi, now disguised as Kotori, ran into one of Ratatoskr's crew mbers—Shiizaki. From her, she learned that the real Kotori was not currently in this underground facility, and that Shido and the others' goal was to seal her spirit power.
[Hmph! I knew they were up to no good!]
After learning Shido and the others' true goal, Natsumi thought bitterly.
After that, she ran into Tohka and Yoshino standing beside a vending machine.
Because she had obtained important information from Shiizaki earlier, Natsumi realized that if she spoke to them as Kotori, they would no longer treat her with "fake kindness" like they did when facing 'Natsumi'. So she decided to use Kotori's identity to test Tohka and the others.
"What does everyone think of Natsumi right now?"
She asked while trying her best to imitate Kotori's expression and tone.
"What do you an by think of her?"
Question marks seed to appear above Tohka and Yoshino's heads.
"Don't you think that girl called Natsumi is really disgusting? We praised her just a little, and she imdiately got carried away, even though she's obviously an ugly freak."
Natsumi took the lead in insulting herself, trying to draw out Tohka and the others' real thoughts.
However…
"What is wrong with you, Kotori? Saying sothing like that doesn't sound like you at all."
"I don't… think Natsumi-san is disgusting at all."
"Could she be exhausted from overworking?~"
What she received was an unexpected answer. It left Natsumi completely stunned.
___________
A few minutes later…
Tap, tap, tap!
Having fallen completely into confusion, Natsumi ran away from that area. It was not just Tohka and Yoshino. Even Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Miku, who later joined the conversation, all beca angry when "Kotori" insulted Natsumi.
[What is wrong with those people…? I did so many horrible things to them, so why are they all defending instead? There must be sothing wrong with their heads!]
Natsumi thought.
Just like that, as she kept running, she raised her head and realized that, before she knew it, she had arrived at a place that looked like a tea room. Sitting there was a girl—the sa Mikoto she had t not long ago.
[That's right!]
According to her investigation, Yakumo Mikoto was extrely close to Shido. She should know more about the truth behind everything. And also…
[There's no way I could trust a boy or anything…]
"Yo!"
With that thought in mind, she walked forward and greeted her.
"Kotori? You should take proper breaks from work too. Would you like so tea?"
Mikoto smiled and invited her over.
"Mm, then I won't hold back."
After receiving the cup of tea that Mikoto handed her, Natsumi sat down on the other side of the table. Then she looked at her and said:
"Speaking of which, that Natsumi really is sothing. An ugly freak like her wouldn't actually start thinking she's cute just because we praised her a little, would she? There's a limit to not knowing your place."
Just like when she t Tohka and the others, Natsumi took the lead in badmouthing herself.
"What are you saying, Kotori? That doesn't sound like you. I think Natsumi really is cute. She just lacks confidence."
Mikoto looked at Kotori in surprise, then shook her head as she spoke.
"Eh? B-but…"
Natsumi had never expected the other girl to truly think she was cute, and instantly fell into confusion. Even so, she forced herself to calm down. The girl before her had once seen through her disguise. She had to be careful.
"Don't be stupid. She didn't appreciate your kindness at all, and even went around spreading that lie you made up about being a boy. What part of a woman like that is cute? She's ugly to death, inside and out."
[!!!]
Upon hearing "Kotori's" words, Mikoto clearly trembled, spilling tea onto the table.
Even so…
"It isn't a lie. Everything Natsumi said is true."
She looked into Kotori's eyes and said calmly.
"Eh? But… how is that possible…"
"I'm truly sorry for lying to Kotori and everyone for so long. But before becoming a Spirit, I really was male. Natsumi was not lying or slandering , so please don't misunderstand her because of that."
Mikoto said that.
[What is this… Tohka and the others, and now this person too… Why are they all…]
Natsumi beca even more confused. Compared to the fact that her own secret had been exposed, Mikoto seed even more unwilling for Natsumi to be misunderstood because of it.
"Are you crazy? Why would you tell such an important secret to soone who has caused so much trouble for you and everyone else?"
She shouted.
"Because I wanted Natsumi to beco more confident. If, after learning this secret, she could feel that at least she isn't like , soone who can't even be counted as a real girl, then that would be wonderful."
Mikoto smiled bitterly, then said:
"Ah… but it failed."
[!!!]
Natsumi was now completely unable to speak.
Lies. This had to be fake. There was no way Mikoto had been a boy. She absolutely would not believe it.
"Hmph! I didn't expect what Natsumi said to actually be true. A girl who used to be a boy? What is that supposed to be, a shemale? And you even kept hiding it from us. Changing clothes with everyone like normal and all that… are you so kind of pervert?"
So she deliberately put on a cold expression and said that with a laugh.
Clatter!
With a crisp sound, the tea cup in Mikoto's hand fell to the floor. The girl stared blankly at Kotori, her expression looking deeply hurt.
"I'm sorry. I never ant to hide it from you all on purpose. I just thought it would be better not to say it than to say it."
Even so, she still tried hard to smile.
"Hmph! When you told Natsumi that secret, you should have expected this to happen. So? Do you regret it now?"
[She's not acting! That expression, that reaction…]
Seeing Mikoto's state, Natsumi was shocked to realize that Mikoto really had once been a boy, and that she truly did not want anyone to know this secret.
"Mm, a little."
"See…"
Hearing Mikoto's words, Natsumi laughed inwardly.
[So you're the sa after all. You regret telling that secret to soone like , don't you?]
"Because even in the end, Natsumi still wasn't able to believe ."
Mikoto said with a smile that looked as if she was about to cry.
"Eh…"
Hearing Mikoto's words, Natsumi froze completely.
She regretted telling Natsumi that secret, not because Natsumi might spread it everywhere, but because Natsumi had never been willing to believe her from beginning to end.
For the first ti, Natsumi, who had always treated everything around her as a source of disaster, felt sothing from another person called goodwill.
Clatter!
The tea cup in her hand fell to the floor. She stared blankly at Mikoto, then turned around and ran off without saying a word.
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