About fifteen minutes later, after sending the other Spirits away, Shido, Mikoto, Kotori, and Reine held a short eting at the Itsuka house.
"So, in other words, Izayoi Miku is a Spirit who was transford from a human. She once debuted under the stage na Tsukino Yoimachi, but because she refused the industry's unspoken rules, she was maliciously slandered. In the end, she lost her voice and left the music world."
After listening to Mikoto's explanation, Kotori gave a simple summary.
"With that, Miku's personality and her fear of n both have a reasonable explanation."
Reine nodded.
"So this is what Shido called Plan B? As expected of you, Mikoto."
Kotori looked at the exhausted girl and smiled in praise.
Although Ratatoskr monitored the Spirits to so degree when they went out alone, it was for safety reasons. Mikoto had always been emotionally stable, highly adaptable to society, and did not need others to worry about her much. On top of that, she had the defensive Angel, Tsukuyomi. Because of that, Ratatoskr felt very safe about her and did not pay too much attention to what she was doing.
As a result, before anyone noticed, Mikoto had dug up Izayoi Miku's background completely. Compared to her, even gossip magazine paparazzi would feel ashad of themselves. The information the girl brought back would no doubt beco an important card in future negotiations with Miku.
"Mm. With this, Shido now has a reason why he has to save Miku, right?"
Mikoto nodded.
The biggest reason she had paid attention to Miku's story was to let Shido understand Miku.
Compared to cross dressing, which only treated the surface problem and could cause a huge incident the mont it was exposed, if they wanted to truly conquer this songstress from the root, Shido had to understand what kind of despair Miku had gone through.
"Yeah! Of course. If that's what happened, then I'll definitely save her!"
Listening to the CD Mikoto had brought, to the song Miku had sung back when she was still Tsukino Yoimachi, Shido nodded.
He still could not forgive what Miku had done. But after learning Miku's story, the feeling that surged inside him was not disgust. It was an uncontrollable resolve to save her.
If this was the old Miku, if she had sung with that voice that did not carry any charm power but was full of a desperate wish to sing and give people energy, then Shido felt that he would definitely have beco her fan.
"Still, Mikoto, I have to say this. You should have asked Ratatoskr to handle this matter. Whether it was breaking into Miku's house or tracking down Tsukino Yoimachi's story, if you had left it to Ratatoskr, you wouldn't have worn yourself out like this."
Although Kotori was grateful to Mikoto, she was a bit unhappy about the way the girl tried to carry everything on her own shoulders.
"But Kotori and everyone else were already busy to the point of chaos because of the Tengu Festival, right?"
"Even so, Ratatoskr was created so Spirits could live happy lives. If we let you exhaust yourself like this, aren't we just taking advantages of you?"
"Then please have Shido properly reward his hardworking senpai. A rich dinner, please."
Mikoto laced her fingers together, winked, and said with a smile.
"Yeah, leave it to ."
Shido put on an apron and walked into the kitchen.
[There are fresh scallops in the fridge, so I'll make scallop pasta.]
In order to make a rich al, he decided to use the best ingredients.
"Honestly…"
Looking at the girl's warm smile, Kotori smiled bitterly and sighed. As for how much of her advice had actually gotten through to Mikoto, even she did not know.
"But Shido, even if you want to persuade Miku, you have to wait until after the seal, or until it becos clear that the seal won't go smoothly."
Turning around, Kotori spoke to Shido in the kitchen. The information Mikoto had brought was without question a trump card for conquering Miku, but they also had to consider the possibility that negotiations might fail, causing Miku to reject them or even go out of control.
"Yeah, I understand."
Shido nodded. Kotori was right. If they could directly win the contest and seal Miku, that would be best. Even if they had to persuade her, they could do that afterward.
After dinner, Shido thoughtfully walked Mikoto back to the shrine. On the way, the girl looked a little dazed and sleepy.
"Yakumo-senpai, you look really sleepy."
"Fuu… maybe I relaxed too much. After eating sothing delicious, all the tiredness hit at once."
Mikoto rubbed her eyes with her small fists, as if she could barely keep them open. Her voice was full of sleepiness.
"In that case, should I carry you, senpai?"
Shido said.
"Eh? Shi… Shido wants to carry ?" (TL:iya~ pervert Shido)
For a mont, Mikoto thought red rain might fall from the sky. That super herbivore boy, Itsuka Shido-kun, had actually offered to carry her on his own?
"D-don't look at like that. Yakumo-senpai has helped so much, so I wanted to repay you sohow. Or… do you not want to?"
Seeing Mikoto's surprised face, Shido scratched his cheek in embarrassnt.
"I do! I do! Of course I do!"
The girl clenched her small fists in front of her chest and said with full energy.
So Shido crouched down, and Mikoto obediently leaned onto his back.
Although he often carried a sleeping Kotori from the living room to the bedroom, Mikoto felt different after all. She was slightly heavier than Kotori, and there was also the unique softness of a girl. Especially when her full chest pressed tightly against his back, it felt as if his mind was about to lt.
"I'm… not heavy, right, Shido?"
Mikoto asked a little uneasily.
"Not at all. Yakumo-senpai is very light."
Shido smiled.
"Good. If you had said I was heavy, I would have bitten your ear."
The breath near his ear made Shido's legs go weak, and he nearly fell.
"P-please don't do that."
Shido protested with a bitter smile.
And then…
"Suu… fuu…"
He realized Mikoto had already leaned against his shoulder and fallen sweetly asleep.
"Really… thank you, senpai."
Shido smiled and carried the girl toward the shrine.
When he arrived in front of Mikoto's ho, he followed the girl's habit and took the spare key from under the flowerpot, then opened the door. At the entrance, he helped the still half-asleep girl take off her shoes, then carried her into the bedroom in a princess carry.
"Good night, Yakumo-senpai."
After placing the dazed girl into the futon, Shido smiled and said softly.
[!!!]
But before he could stand up, Mikoto pulled him into her arms.
"Se-senpai?"
"Ehehe… recharging Shido energy." (TL:ahhhh)
Mikoto giggled and hugged Shido without letting go.
Just like that, he was held in the girl's arms for who knew how long. The room was so quiet that it felt as if they could hear each other's heartbeats.
"Recharge complete. With this, I'll have the energy to help Shido again tomorrow."
At last, Mikoto smiled and let Shido go.
"Uu…"
Looking at the girl's innocent and adorable expression, Shido's face flushed so red that steam could almost rise from it, while his heartbeat once again shot up to the max.
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