"Hm… judging from the results of the physical examination, there are no abnormalities in any aspect of Ryougi Yutsuki's body."
Aboard the ship Fraxinus, hovering fifteen thousand ters above Tengu City, Murasa Reine reported to Itsuka Kotori while her eyes drooped sleepily, almost closing.
"I see… got it." Kotori pressed her temple as she replied. Then, turning to Ryougi Yutsuki—who was clinging to her and rubbing her face against hers—she forced herself to maintain a dignified expression. "Then… Ryougi-san, could you please get off now?"
"Mmm… Kotori-chan slls so nice. It's really comforting~ Let hug you a bit longer~"
With a blissful expression, Yutsuki rubbed her cheek against Kotori's and spoke in a soft, lting tone.
Kotori held her head in distress. Although a sealed Spirit looked no different from an ordinary person, if their emotions beca unstable, the spiritual power sealed inside Itsuka Shido could easily flow back. Therefore, it was best to satisfy a Spirit's requests as much as possible.
To think that sothing that usually happened to her brother would one day happen to her. Was this what people called karma?
Letting out a helpless sigh, Kotori resigned herself and stayed still like a doll in Yutsuki's arms.
"Wow, even the commander's helpless expression is so cute."
"Yeah, when the commander doesn't talk, she looks just like a doll—so adorable."
"Oooh—yuri is the best!"
Hearing all kinds of chatter from the crew below, Kotori's lips twitched slightly. She could feel that if this continued, her once-majestic commander image would be completely ruined.
"Um…Ryougi-san, that's about enough. Could you let down now?"
"Mmm, don't call 'Ryougi-san' so formally." Yutsuki puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction and said, "Since Shidou and I are already family, and Kotori-chan is Shido's little sister, that makes you my little sister too. I'll only let go if Kotori-chan calls onee—… uh, onee-chan."
"Uh…" Kotori froze, utterly speechless at that logic.
Since they had worried that being monitored at the ti might affect Yutsuki's mood, Kotori—after much hesitation and at Reine's suggestion—had allowed Shido and Yutsuki to be completely alone. As a result, she did not really know what Shidou had done to make Yutsuki agree to be sealed.
She cast a pleading look toward her crew—but what she got in return was enthusiastic support.
Fraxinus operations prioritized fulfilling the Spirits' wishes as much as possible. Seeing everyone's reaction, Kotori imdiately realized her mistake.
"…Yutsuki-nee."
After struggling for a mont, Kotori could not bring herself to say the extrely embarrassing 'onee-chan' in front of everyone, and instead chose a compromise.
Yutsuki seed fairly satisfied with that. Honestly, if Kotori really started calling her onee-chan all the ti, she might get goosebumps.
"Seriously… as expected, Kotori-chan's brocon tendencies only show when it cos to her brother, huh."
Reluctantly letting go, Yutsuki sighed.
"N-no, that's not it! Wh-who would have that kind of feeling for Shido—?!"
Watching Kotori frantically shake her head in overreaction, Yutsuki inwardly thought, Thanks for the treat.
Seeing Yutsuki's smile, Kotori imdiately realized her loss of composure. She quickly tidied her slightly disheveled appearance, returned to the command seat, cleared her throat, and regained her usual dignified expression.
"Now then, Yutsuki-nee. After your examination, we'll arrange for you and the Yamai sisters to transfer into Class 2-3 at Raizen High School. As for your residence, you'll stay in the Spirit-exclusive apartnt specially built by our organization, Ratatoskr. Tohka and Yoshino also live there. Is that okay?"
"No problem!"
Although Yutsuki could have arranged these things herself, if soone else was willing to do it for her, why not? As for that Spirit apartnt, she already knew it was basically just an apartnt next door to Shido's house. It looked no different from an ordinary building. Aside from Fraxinus discreetly monitoring the Spirits' ntal states, there was nothing particularly strange or invasive.
At least for now, it seed she could finally enjoy a period of normal life.
"Oh right, Yutsuki-nee." Kotori suddenly seed to rember sothing. "Tomorrow, Shido and the others are going to the beach and then on a hot spring trip. Are you interested—"
"Yes yes yes!"
Before Kotori could finish, Yutsuki imdiately shouted in excitent.
"I-is that so?" Kotori stamred, startled by her sudden enthusiasm.
Ever since Yutsuki arrived in this world, because of spacequakes, she had been living rough—let alone traveling, even maintaining a normal daily routine had been difficult. A beach trip? A hot spring vacation? Those were things that only appeared in her dreams now and then. With such happiness suddenly within reach, how could she not seize it?
Even better, along the way she would get to enjoy the sight of high-quality Spirit girls like the Yamai sisters and Tohka in swimsuits. And as a girl herself, she could even enjoy benefits that even Shido-the harem protagonist could not…
"Huh? Yutsuki-nee, you're bleeding from your nose?!"
"That's strange… the checkup showed no problems. Just in case, we should run another test."
"It's fine. The food I ate earlier was too hot, so I got a bit overheated."
Without changing her expression, Yutsuki took out a tissue from her jeans pocket and wiped away the nosebleed.
"Oh right, Kotori-chan. I want to prepare so things for tomorrow's trip. Can I go shopping in Tengu City now?"
"That's fine. I'll have soone take you to the Fraxinus teleportation room."
"No need, I know where it is. I'll go myself."
With Kotori's permission, Yutsuki walked out of the command room. But just as the automatic door was about to close, she seed to rember sothing and turned back.
"Hm? What is it, Yutsuki? Sothing else?" Reine asked, tilting her head slightly.
Yutsuki nodded lightly.
"Yeah, I just rembered—I have sothing to give Kotori-chan."
"To ?"
Under Kotori's puzzled gaze, Yutsuki placed an item into her hands.
A silver white ,six and a halfi nch screen. The casing was already marked with many scratches, showing that it had been used for quite so ti—and that it had gone through quite a lot with its owner.
It was a very common tablet model. Yet everyone present turned serious, because they all knew what it was.
This was the equipnt used by the S-rank Spirit Hacker to hack humanity's strongest weapon-the Realizer
"I don't need what's inside anymore. Consider it a thank-you gift to Shido,so I'm giving it to his little sister. Also, if I get the chance later, I'd like to ask you a favor."
Placing the tablet in Kotori's hands, Yutsuki smiled slightly and jogged out of the command room, leaving everyone stunned.
"Oh, Yuzuru, Kaguya. Want to go prepare things for tomorrow's trip together?"
"Oh~ as expected of my comrade, to resonate with my dinsional will."
"Surprise. Yuzuru and Kaguya were also planning to invite Yutsuki to shop for travel supplies."
Apparently running into the Yamai sisters in the hallway, the voices of the three gradually faded away from the command room.
"…What are you going to do with it?"
After a mont of silence, Reine asked calmly.
"What else can I do? If the higher ups with ulterior motives find out this thing exists, the world will definitely fall into chaos." Kotori rarely showed a bitter smile. "But destroying it is not an option either. For now, I'll hide it and keep it aside. When I get the chance, I'll hand it over to Woodman."
This big sister really handed a ridiculously troubleso hot potato.
Looking at the white tablet in her hands, Kotori's lips twitched slightly.
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