Going back five years, to Minami-Kacho.
"Phew..."
Hiding in the shadows ford by the ruins, Shido wiped the ash from his face with his hand and poked his head out slightly to look outside.
"Dad! Mom!"
Amidst the burning streets, a little girl with short, light-colored hair could be seen frantically throwing herself into the arms of her slightly bruised parents.
"Origami!"
"It's okay. Mom and Dad are here."
Surviving a fatal disaster, Origami's parents hugged their child tightly, tears of joy streaming from their eyes.
(That's great! Origami.)
Looking at the girl curled up in her parents's arms, crying loudly like an ordinary child. Shido couldn't help but show a relieved smile.
"Speaking of which, what was that thing just now? A satellite weapon? How were we saved?"
"I don't know. It felt like soone suddenly pushed us from behind."
Looking at the crater not far away that looked like it was left by a teorite, Origami's parents, having cald down, looked at each other, their faces showing confusion.
"Um, um—"
At this mont, the young Origami suddenly looked up and said.
"Just now, I saw a big brother with blue hair suddenly rush out from behind Mom and Dad. He pushed Mom and Dad."
Hearing Origami's words, her parents' eyes showed surprise.
"A boy... saved us?"
"Then isn't that child now—!?"
(Haha—Sorry, actually you don't need to bla yourselves. I'm still alive.)
Peeking from a distance and seeing Origami's parents looking guilty because they thought he died, Shido smiled bitterly and silently apologized in his heart.
Actually, after returning to the past this ti, Shido had been staking out in the Minami-Kacho area.
It wasn't until the fire broke out, confirming that Origami's parents were about to be hit by Origami's laser in a few seconds, that he rushed out and pushed them out of tatron's attack range. Then, in the next instant, he deployed Zadkiel and Raphael, swiftly retreating amidst Origami's attack, creating the illusion for the young Origami that "he had died".
As for why he went through such a roundabout way...
[If possible, I hope you, Shido, can change the past with the minimum amount of alteration. This way, we can avoid unnecessary butterfly effects as much as possible. From here on is my personal wish... If possible, I hope that in the changed future, Origami can still beco a Wizard, and then, with your help, Shido, reunite with everyone.]
Therefore, Shido chose to replace Origami's parents and beco the one killed by the Spirit in Origami's eyes.
"Seriously... dancing on the edge of a knife like this really isn't a good feeling, Yutsuki."
Shido couldn't help but smile bitterly. It was a good thing he had trained in faking his death to confuse enemies and escape in the virtual world beforehand. Otherwise, Shido really wouldn't have been confident in grasping the exact timing to save Origami's parents the mont they were about to be killed.
But since Yutsuki rarely made a request of him, how could Shido refuse.
"Well then, your wish and request. I've completed it perfectly~"
Shido muttered to himself sowhat proudly.
But on second thought, if it were Yutsuki, she'd probably just give him an evaluation like "barely passing."
Shido couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.
Subsequently, an intense sense of imbalance suddenly filled his mind, seemingly telling Shido that his mission in this era was complete.
"Origami..."
Turning his head, at the final mont before leaving, looking at the innocent and cute Origami who hadn't ignited the flas of hatred, just like a normal little girl, Shido whispered a blessing.
"Live well, and grow up happily."
_____________________
"Nightmare?"
Hearing Ellen's report, Westcott raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Yes, from the place where Ryougi Yutsuki and Origami were fighting just now, the spirit waves of Nightmare have clearly been detected."
"Ah—how could I forget about this. Ryougi Yutsuki has had a cooperative relationship with Nightmare."
In the past, Westcott had confird that Ryougi Yutsuki and Tokisaki Kurumi had established so sort of mutually cooperative relationship and acted together. However, to carelessly overlook such an important detail, Westcott knocked his head in slight annoyance.
"What is the situation with Ryougi Yutsuki and the inverted Tobiichi Origami?"
[The spirit wave reactions of both are very weak. They both seem to have entered a weakened state.]
Both are still alive...? Hearing this unexpected answer. Westcott crossed his legs, tapping the table thoughtfully with his fingers.
[What should we do, Ike? Should I go retrieve Ryougi Yutsuki and Tobiichi Origami's Sephira Crystals right now?]
"No... forget it."
After pondering for a long ti, Westcott gently shook his head.
[Why?]
Ellen asked in confusion.
"Well... I don't know either. It's just my sixth sense telling that taking another step forward now will only put us at a disadvantage."
It wasn't that he doubted his subordinate's abilities. Rather, he felt a sense of incongruity regarding Ryougi Yutsuki not choosing to kill the inverted Origami. Because from the current situation, killing Origami was the best choice.
Furthermore, the fact that Itsuka Shido still hadn't appeared was also sothing Westcott was very concerned about.
The current Itsuka Shido, who could proficiently use the powers of Spirits, even if he didn't go save the Spirits... Relying on the power he used to shoot down the satellite back then with Natsumi, whether it was in the airship battle between Ellen and the Fraxinus, or the battle between Yutsuki and Origami, he could be an existence that couldn't be ignored.
If Yutsuki and Westcott were chess players engaged in a fierce ga on a chessboard, then Itsuka Shido seed like a child who suddenly barged in and flipped the chessboard over.
Although he had no basis for it, Westcott still decided to give up the victory that was close at hand to avoid exposing his trump cards.
Hearing her superior's inexplicable answer, Ellen remained silent for a mont, then calmly nodded.
[Understood. I trust your judgnt, Ike.]
"Hah... stopping right before a checkmate is truly very frustrating."
After ending the call with Ellen, Westcott leaned back on the sofa, looked up at the ceiling, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"It seems I can no longer treat you as just a simple 'key'. Takamiya...—no, Itsuka Shido."
_______________________
[Seriously, how could you be so reckless too, Yutsuki-nee!]
"Haha—sorry, sorry. I was wrong, okay, Kotori-chan."
Hearing Kotori's almost berserk voice from the other end of the earpiece, Yutsuki hurriedly smiled bitterly and apologized.
[Well—forget it. Although I don't know why Ellen's side suddenly retreated. But it's best that you're fine. I'll go over right now to retrieve you and Tobiichi Origami for treatnt. Wait—?! Why are Tokisaki Kurumi's spirit waves near you?!]
"Ah, ah—don't worry about her. I'll explain it properly to you later."
Saying that, Yutsuki hurriedly cut off the communication with the Fraxinus and exhaled tiredly.
"My, my~~"
Watching Yutsuki, who was just heroically fighting a death match against an inverted Spirit, now hang up the phone because she was at a loss for words under Kotori's questioning. Kurumi couldn't help but find it sowhat funny.
"Then, since DEM has retreated. I shall also take my leave,Yutsuki-san."
"Mhm, thank you, Kurumi. If it weren't for your help, Shido probably wouldn't have been able to change the past so smoothly."
"Not at all. I should be the one saying thank you."
Kurumi chuckled and shook her head, her blood-red eyes revealing a rare gentle light.
"Thank you and Shido-san. For proving to that changing the past—is not an impossible thing."
Saying that, Kurumi lifted the hem of her skirt, bowed solemnly to Yutsuki, and slowly sank into the shadows.
"Well then..."
Seeing everything resolved smoothly, Yutsuki relaxed her whole body and lay spread-eagle on the ground.
"Owowow—Ah, as expected, lying on a cratered field in the wilderness isn't comfortable at all. The bed at ho is still the best."
Subsequently, the intense pain brought by the bumpy ground pressing against her wounds made Yutsuki gasp. She quickly rolled over and sat up.
"Wouldn't you say so... Tobiichi Origami."
"..."
Next to Yutsuki was the inverted Spirit Tobiichi Origami, who had been completely turned into black charcoal and lost consciousness entirely.
In that final arrow, just before the arrow hit Origami, Yutsuki released the Spirit power inside the arrow prematurely. She released all of Tobiichi Origami's own Spirit power, which she had gathered earlier, entirely in the form of an explosion.
Under the point-blank detonation of her own highly destructive Spirit power, although Tobiichi Origami didn't die, the Astral Dress on her body was completely destroyed, and her main body fell into a state of comatose shock.
"Honestly, both you and I should properly thank Shido and Kurumi. If it weren't for those two gunshots, that arrow would have pierced your heart without hesitation."
Yutsuki shrugged and said.
[Airfra damage... 100%... System restart... Operation impossible...]
"Sorry, Brunhild. I used you as a disposable item. I hope you et a truly suitable master next ti."
Hearing Brunhild final voice in her ear, looking at the already shattered ch on her body, Yutsuki couldn't help but secretly apologize to this partner who had helped her.
"Ah... damn it. I really want to go ho, drink cola, eat potato chips, and leisurely watch ani."
Sitting on the desolate earth, Yutsuki looked up, gazing at the crescent moon hanging high in the night sky, and let out a dissatisfied complaint.
Honestly, why did Yutsuki go out of her way to fight a death match with Origami? And why, when Shido had saved the past, would Yutsuki spare the current Origami?
The reason was simple. If Yutsuki killed the current Origami. Would the dead Origami conflict with the present generated after changing the past, creating a new parallel world?
After all, Yutsuki didn't know exactly what theory this world's ti system was based on.
Would the butterfly effect caused by changing the past overwrite the current world like in Steins;Gate? Or would it create another parallel world branching off from this point? Or perhaps so other possibility?
All she could do was list all the possibilities she could think of one by one and do her best to minimize the negative impacts they caused.
At the sa ti, there was also a small personal reason why she spared Origami.
If she killed Origami, Yutsuki felt that she would probably be unable to face everyone due to guilt, and would choose to leave this place.
[—Worldline fluctuation detected—]
Suddenly, Ratziel in her hand emitted a mysterious fluorescence. Imdiately after, her incredibly familiar electronic voice rang in Yutsuki's mind.
Honestly, it wasn't until she heard this voice that Yutsuki truly and completely sighed in relief.
"Tobiichi Origami. Honestly, regarding your experiences, all I can offer is sympathy. If I had the sa encounters as you, I'd probably feel the sa way—that death is my only release and atonent."
"..."
Even knowing that Origami couldn't possibly hear her voice right now, Yutsuki continued talking to herself.
"But—but! No matter how much you can't forgive yourself. I know that in this world, there is also soone who desperately hopes you will stay, and gave it their all for that. So, even if it's just for that person, you absolutely must—"
Saying this, Yutsuki paused for a mont, and with an incredibly solemn and sincere tone, pleaded with Origami.
"You absolutely must—live on well!"
[—'α' Worldline leaping to 'β' Worldline—Comncing host data preservation—]
Then, in the next instant, Ryougi Yutsuki clearly felt it.
This world, had been changed.
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