Perhaps because Yutsuki had given him a heads up beforehand, Shido, though sowhat surprised by Kurumi's appearance, didn't feel entirely caught off guard.
If there was one thing that genuinely rattled him, it was the fact that Kurumi would show up at school so blatantly. He had originally assud their next encounter would be in so deserted alleyway dead of night, or in a desperate situation completely surrounded by enemies with nowhere to run.
"Phew..."
Looking at the smiling Kurumi, Shido slowly exhaled, forcing his racing heart to calm down.
"It's alright. Tohka, Origami, Kurumi probably doesn't plan on starting a fight right now. You don't need to be so on guard."
"Eh... Is that true?"
Tohka asked, her face full of confusion.
"If she wanted to attack right now, there would be no need for her to greet us. She could just summon her Angel and launch an assault. Right, Kurumi?"
Shido cast an inquiring gaze toward Kurumi.
Although officially the school handled Kurumi's disappearance as a leave of absence, the reality was that she had once deployed her life-draining City of Devouring Ti, holding the entire student body hostage to threaten Shido. It was only by a stroke of luck that she was finally repelled by an enraged Kotori.
If Kurumi were to reenact the scene from a few months ago... to be honest, Shido would still be completely powerless to stop it.
Hearing Shido's reasoning, a cheerful smile blossod on Kurumi's face.
"Hehe, as expected of Shido-san. To understand so well... my heart is actually fluttering a little."
"Then it's an honor."
Shido replied in a gentlemanly tone.
"Ah, Itsuka-kun is starting to make a move on Tokisaki-san."
"Even though he already has Tohka-chan and Origami-san, to imdiately go after a classmate who just returned to school... what an unbelievable scumbag."
"That's gross..."
"Itsuka~~ I'm begging you, put away your light novel harem protagonist like divine powers! You already have a harem of so many cute and beautiful girls, take pity on us single dogs! Show so rcy and leave us a way to survive!"
Noticing the exchange between Shido and Kurumi, the trio of Ai, Mai, and Mii seamlessly tead up to scold Shido with icy tones. anwhile, Tonomachi and the other boys, assuming yet another peerless beauty was about to fall to Shido's charms, let out mournful wails.
"Ufufu. You are as popular as ever, Shido-san."
Gazing at the lively scene in the classroom, Kurumi couldn't help but marvel, looking at Shido with a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Haha..."
To this, Shido could only offer a helpless, wry smile.
"Haha, the teacher is here. Everyone, please return to your seats and get ready for horoom."
Soon, with the arrival of their horoom teacher, Tama-chan-sensei, the clamor in Year 2 Class 4 quickly died down. Kurumi didn't make any sudden moves either, obediently returning to her own seat.
"Origami, Tohka. From now on, I want you to treat Kurumi just like any other normal classmate. If possible, try to avoid making any gestures that might provoke hostility."
"Umu! Understood, Shido."
Tohka agreed earnestly and readily.
"Are you sure about this, Shido?" Origami didn't imdiately agree to Shido's request. After sneaking a glance at Kurumi, she warned him with a deadly serious expression. "Her target is your life."
"Yeah, I know." Shido nodded to show he understood, replying, "But, just like I said earlier, fighting Kurumi right now puts us at a massive disadvantage. Furthermore, since she showed up directly in front of like this, maybe she has so other goal besides killing . I want to confirm what that is."
"...Understood. If you say so, Shido, I will cooperate."
After hesitating and considering for a mont, Origami compromised with Shido's proposal.
Horoom ended. The first period of the morning was Japanese literature. The teacher's monotone reading voice echoed in the classroom, acting like a lullaby that made most students' eyelids uncontrollably droop.
However, Shido wasn't among that group of students. Not because he was listening attentively, but because he was currently focused on his own little operation.
"Alright, this should do."
After writing down what he wanted to ask on a small peace of paper, Shido folded it tightly, hooked a rubber band between his fingers, and fashioned a makeshift slingshot.
He turned his gaze toward Kurumi. Right now, her eyes were focused on the blackboard, seemingly listening with great interest to the Japanese teacher's dull lecture.
(I am the bone of my sword~ Hit the mark, Broken Phantasm)
After silently reciting a chuunibyou incantation in his heart, Shido aid at the drawer of Kurumi's desk and released the fully drawn rubber band.
Instantly, the folded note flew out like a startled rabbit, closing in on Kurumi's drawer with pinpoint accuracy.
(Perfect!)
Shido couldn't help but pump his fist and praise himself. Thanks to Yutsuki's special training, his control had clearly leveled up significantly.
However——
——Smack!
Accompanied by a crisp sound, a textbook suddenly blocked the paper note's flight path. After colliding with the textbook, the note lost its montum and fell to the floor.
(What?!)
Shido widened his eyes in shock. He looked at the owner of the intercepting textbook—his bad friend, Tonomachi Hiroto—who was currently looking at him with a wicked grin.
(Heh heh, see how capable I am now? Itsuka.)
(Why did you stop , Tonomachi?)
(Shut up! Wait, no, we're communicating with our eyes right now—Anyway, every single move you make is already under my surveillance! I, Tonomachi Hiroto, representing all the single dogs in this class, declare right here and now: I absolutely will not allow you to touch a single hair on Kurumi-chan's head!)
(Wait, you've got it all wrong...)
(Hmph, words are useless! Bring it on, Harem King Itsuka! Every flag you shoot toward Kurumi-chan, I will shoot down without fail.)
(Ah... seriously...)
Seeing Tonomachi brimming with fighting spirit, Shido massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He truly hadn't expected his communication with Kurumi to be cockblocked by his own bad friend.
(I'll just find Kurumi and confirm directly later.)
Shido thought to himself. Since he had factored in the possibility of the note falling into soone else's hands, he hadn't written too much information on it. Even if he couldn't retrieve it, he didn't have to worry about being exposed.
Shifting his gaze to the note dropped on the floor, Shido's pupils suddenly dilated. He saw that Kurumi's shadow, cast onto the floor by the sunlight, was currently moving with bizarre movents. Without drawing the attention of the surrounding students, it slithered toward the note. Then, a pale, pristine hand reached out from the shadow, picked up the note, and retracted back into the darkness.
(...)
Looking at Kurumi, who seed to be entirely focused on the lecture, the corner of Shido's eye twitched uncontrollably.
—Kurumi, do you have so other goal?
(Heh~ As expected of Shido-san, quite sharp, aren't you?)
Reading the short sentence written on the note, Kurumi couldn't help but smile faintly.
(Now then, how should I reply...)
"...Hm?"
Just as Shido was feeling uneasy about whether Kurumi had seen his ssage, he suddenly felt sothing poking his stomach.
Looking down, a pale white arm was reaching out from his narrow desk drawer, repeatedly poking his abdon.
"—!"
Shido instinctively wanted to scream out loud, but realizing he was still in class, he clamped his hand over his mouth in the nick of ti.
(...Scared the shit out of . What the hell is this?)
Staring apprehensively at the hand in his drawer, Shido suddenly noticed that between its fingers, it was pinching the very note he had just flicked.
(Could it be...)
Seeming to understand, Shido raised his head and looked forward. Sure enough, Kurumi was looking at him with a stifled giggle. It seed this was also part of Kurumi's abilities.
(This is literally like a horror movie...)
After sighing with lingering dread, Shido took the note to check her reply.
—Hehehe. Did I scare you? Shido-san.
"..."
The very first sentence made black lines cover Shido's forehead.
—Also, I am not quite sure I understand Shido-san's question just now. I rely returned to enjoy normal school life, that is all.
—Is that so? I was dead certain you ca to take my life.
After writing his reply on the paper, Shido placed the note onto the hand in his drawer. He watched as the hand first vanished into the shadows of the drawer, then quickly returned carrying Kurumi's response.
(Well, if Kurumi wanted to kill right now, I'd definitely be dead already.)
Sighing with a bitter smile, Shido opened the note.
—Indeed, that is also one of my goals.
—One of your goals? aning there are other goals?
—Secret. You are still too green to try and coax information out of , Shido-san.
—Alright. But Kurumi, I want you to promise one thing.
—And what would that be?
—If you're going to attack, aim only at . Don't lay a hand on the people in this school.
—I see. Shido-san truly is gentle. But at a ti like this, it would be better to worry a bit more about yourself.
—This is the place where I go to school. If possible, I don't want my everyday life to be destroyed.
—Understood. I shall agree to Shido-san's request. As for when I might change my mind, who knows (laughs).
—Mhm, that's enough. Thank you, Kurumi.
Seeing this, Shido quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Just when Shido thought the conversation ended there, Kurumi passed another new note over.
—Speaking of which, do you still intend to seal my Spirit power? Shido-san.
Seeing the contents of the note, Shido hesitated for a mont. He didn't know what Kurumi was thinking by bringing this up, but after much deliberation, he decided to answer his true thoughts honestly.
—Of course. I absolutely must seal your Spirit power, to stop you from continuing to commit evil.(TL:you idiotttttt)
"Commit evil... huh..."
Looking at Shido's answer, a hint of bitterness surfaced on the corners of Kurumi's mouth. But she quickly adjusted her mindset, picked up her pen, and replied.
—Then, how about I give Shido-san a chance? As long as you agree to one condition of mine, I will entrust my Spirit power to you.
"Eh?"
Kurumi's answer took Shido by complete surprise.
(A trap?)
Shido's logic told him this. Based on his understanding of Kurumi, she definitely wouldn't give up her Spirit power so easily; rather, it was highly likely a setup designed to ensnare him.
However, Shido also understood that this was a breakthrough point to seal Kurumi's Spirit power. Even if it truly was a trap, as long as there was even a sliver of possibility, he had no reason not to follow through.
—What is that condition?
—Well, it is hard to explain in writing. We can discuss the details in depth after school. Furthermore—isn't a student's primary duty to study?
"Eh?"
"Itsuka Shido, you read the next passage."
Before Shido could comprehend what Kurumi's written words ant, the Japanese teacher suddenly called his na.
"Eh... um..."
Scrambling up from his seat in a panic, under the Japanese teacher's stern gaze, cold sweat broke out on Shido's back. It was obvious he hadn't listened to a single word of the lesson.
Right at this mont, Shido suddenly noticed Kurumi's hand in his drawer passing over a new note.
—Page 75, third line.
Is she helping ? Shido didn't have ti to overthink it; he flipped to the corresponding page and started reading aloud.
Veins instantly popped on the Japanese teacher's forehead.
"That was the material from the last class! Are you trying to make a fool out of , Itsuka Shido!? Go stand in the hallway!"
"Eeeeeeh!?"
"—Pfft!"
Seeing Shido's pathetic state, Kurumi couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
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