"Why?"
Kotori saw Shido break through the barrier and showed a shocked expression.
Even Gungnir could not pierce that Angel. By all logic, it was not sothing Shido's strength could destroy.
"It was probably because Mikoto's heart wavered."
Reine, who had been watching the screen the whole ti, said this.
The instant Shido charged at the barrier with all his might, Mikoto's emotional values shook violently.
The nature of the barrier was "rejection."
However, to Mikoto, Shido, who was trying so hard, was soone she absolutely could not bring herself to reject.
That was why the solid fortress that even Gungnir could not take down broke in an instant, like a glass artwork.
"I... got in?"
Even Shido himself had not expected that he would really enter Tsukuyomi.
[Listen, Shido! Because of your reckless, stupid actions, Mikoto's emotions have been shaken. I don't know the exact reason, but right now, you should be able to break through those barriers.]
Kotori's voice ca through the earpiece.
[Mikoto is straight ahead of you. Do your best, baka Onii-chan.]
Perhaps because Shido's reckless behavior had affected her as well, Kotori's voice sounded a little heated.
"Yeah, I know!"
The inside of Tsukuyomi had already beco another world.
It was no longer the familiar concrete buildings of Tengu City.
Rows of old-fashioned buildings, winding stone steps, and solemn torii gates seed to tell every intruder that this was the dwelling place of a god.
Following Kotori's directions, Shido ran down the path.
[Spirit power reaction detected. Be careful, Shido!]
As if answering the voice from the earpiece, a torii gate rose on the road ahead.
"Don't get in my way!"
Shido did not stop. He sped up instead.
He protected his head with both arms and slamd hard into the newly made barrier.
The barrier covered in night-colored light turned into clear, shining fragnts and scattered into the wind.
[It's fine!]
So Shido was sure now.
Just as Kotori had said, although he did not know why, Mikoto's barriers really could not stop him.
"Yakumo... senpai..."
He tightened his grip on the amulet in his hand and ran toward the shrine hall.
————————
"As I thought... I still can't reject Shido."
Several minutes later, Mikoto looked at Shido, who stood in front of her, gasping for breath.
His carefully chosen outfit was torn and ruined. His long wig was stained with dried blood. The four-leaf clover hair clip that had been used as a cute decoration was long gone.
Seeing him like that, Mikoto spoke with a helpless smile.
She understood.
It was because of the hope and pity in her own heart that Tsukuyomi had lost its guard.
She had hoped to see Shido.
She could not bear to watch him hurt himself again and again.
"Ahh, I really am greedy."
She sighed.
"Yakumo-senpai?"
"Even though I know this will only bring misfortune, I still hoped I could see Shido one more ti before returning to the Neighboring World."
Mikoto smiled bitterly.
It was such a small wish.
But because she was a Spirit, even that wish had beco sothing far too much to ask for.
"It doesn't matter how many tis you want to et . I won't let Yakumo-senpai leave like this!"
Shido shouted.
"Don't you understand, Shido? A Spirit is soone who brings disaster to anyone who gets involved with her. One day, Shido might end up like Tamako obaa-chan too..."
"That's not true!"
"Huh?"
Mikoto's words were roughly cut off.
"Tamako obaa-chan isn't dead. This is the amulet she gave !"
Shido stepped forward and handed Obaa-chan's amulet to Mikoto.
Mikoto opened the cloth pouch.
Inside, it was stuffed full with three things.
A letter.
A photograph.
And a key.
[Mikoto:
When you see this letter, I will have already left the shrine.
My daughter left Tengu City many years ago. She is currently working in Britain, and she married an employee of DEM Industries.
About the cancer, you don't need to worry. I heard that the company has very advanced dical equipnt, and that it can cure my illness. Because of that, I plan to leave for Britain for a while.
When I said, "I only got a week left" this is what I ant.
Back then, you seed to misunderstand what I ant. But I did not correct you. Sohow, I felt that if you knew the truth, you would not stay here.
I do not know what happened to you, but I could not just leave you alone when you looked like that.
And you know, living alone in the shrine really is lonely.
Having you keep this old woman company made very happy, Mikoto. It felt as if I suddenly had a granddaughter.
I'll leave the shrine key to you.
Stay here.
Think of the shrine as your ho.
There is so money in the bedroom that I no longer need. Go to school. Make more friends. Don't beco a lonely old woman like .
That is all.
-Tamako obaa-chan]
The photograph showed an old woman wearing stylish travel clothes, holding a bright, colorful suitcase. She was grinning happily at the cara while taking a selfie.
"What... what is this..."
The turn of events was so ridiculous that Mikoto sank weakly to her knees.
The girl's eyes were full of tears. She looked at the letter and the photograph with an expression that was half crying, half laughing.
No matter what, Obaa-chan being alive was wonderful.
No matter where she had gone, the fact that she had not been caught in the explosion was truly, truly wonderful.
Maybe the god of the shrine had shown a miracle.
Mikoto thought this.
Although she had already noticed sothing about Obaa-chan's illness, that old woman really had not looked like soone who was about to die. Not only did she still care about her daily TV dramas, she even went out for walks from ti to ti.
Even so, Mikoto had stayed.
Perhaps because that choice could have dragged the old woman into danger, she had fallen into despair after the explosion and firmly believed that she had killed Obaa-chan.
"Thank you, Tamako obaa-chan. Thank you so much."
Mikoto held the small key close to her chest.
Tears kept flowing and dripping onto her bright Astral Dress.
"Obaa-chan isn't dead. So Yakumo-senpai doesn't have to bla herself anymore. And you don't need to fall into hatred either."
Shido stepped forward and reached out his hand.
No matter what, they had managed to avoid the worst possible situation.
He had heard from Kotori that Mikoto had trapped the AST mbers because she wanted revenge.
"Shido... do I really have the right to be happy?"
She raised her head and asked in a weak voice.
That fragile tone was filled with a heart afraid of being denied and hurt.
"Yeah! Of course you do!"
And so Shido answered with an attitude a hundred tis stronger than her doubt.
"Even if Shido gets dragged into trouble like today because of ... no, even worse trouble than today?"
Even if her Spirit power was sealed, a Spirit was still a Spirit.
Mikoto was not naive.
She understood that just having this unusual identity was enough to bring misfortune to herself and the people around her again and again.
"That's too bad for trouble, then. I've already been stuck in that kind of trouble for a long ti. So when you run into trouble, co to as much as you want. I will definitely protect you, senpai!"
"Shido..."
Under the moonlight created by the Angel, Shido's smile was full of honesty.
Mikoto smiled weakly and reached out with a trembling hand, as if trying to grasp the rope hanging down from heaven.
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