(That direction is…)
If Yutsuki rembered correctly, the direction Reine had co from overlapped exactly with the direction Kurumi's clone had left in after saying goodbye to them.
Yutsuki's expression beca sowhat grave.
Normally speaking, the human nad "Murasa Reine" and Tokisaki Kurumi had no direct connection. One was a backstage collaborator helping Shido conquer Spirits, and the other was a Spirit who wanted to obtain Shido's power in order to fulfill her long-cherished wish. Although their positions conflicted, there was no substantial grudge between them.
If it were anyone else, even if they noticed this, they would not think too much about it. But Yutsuki could not ignore it as a coincidence. She knew that Murasa Reine's true identity was the Origin Spirit nad Takamiya Mio, the culprit who had destroyed Kurumi's life and caused her to beco a Spirit.
(Did Reine et Kurumi?)
That guess surfaced in Yutsuki's mind.
Drawing a conclusion based on this one piece of information alone was sothing even Yutsuki felt was too hasty. Perhaps their routes overlapping really was just a simple coincidence. But considering that this was now an extrely delicate period, Yutsuki still decided to throw away any wishful thinking and continue considering things under that premise.
(Assuming Reine went to et Kurumi, what identity did she use to face her? Murasa Reine? Phantom? Or the Origin Spirit, Takamiya Mio? No… it probably was not the last one.)
Even Yutsuki, an uninvolved person, could see just how deeply Kurumi hated the Origin Spirit. If Reine had truly t Kurumi as Takamiya Mio, Kurumi would definitely have fought her to the death. No matter how strong Reine was, if she fought Kurumi, who possessed Zafkiel, it would surely cause a considerable commotion. There was no reason Yutsuki would fail to notice it.
(If it was Murasa Reine, who has almost no connection with her, the chance that Kurumi would pay attention to her is very small. Then the most likely possibility is that she disguised herself as Phantom. Was she trying to use so information to guide Kurumi? What was her goal… Ah, I cannot figure it out.)
In the end, although Yutsuki knew that Reine was the Origin Spirit, she only knew the side of her that acted as a human. She did not have any deep understanding of the rest. Trying to judge the other party's goal under such a severe lack of information could no longer be called guessing. It was simply fantasy.
Because she had gained nothing and only made herself more uneasy and irritated, Yutsuki decided to stop thinking about it for the ti being.
(Seriously, it feels like one wave has not settled before another rises…)
Yutsuki thought with a headache.
"What is it, Yutsuki? Is sothing wrong?"
Noticing the sudden change in Yutsuki's expression, Shido asked worriedly.
Seeing Shido's helpless, foolish look, Yutsuki felt speechless, but at the sa ti, she unconsciously relaxed.
(Honestly. I just told Shido not to be impatient and to deal with what is in front of him first, yet I am the one who got anxious first.)
The more she spent ti with this boy, the more Yutsuki understood the difference between herself and him.
To be fair, she was more rational than Shido, and she had more experience handling matters. But precisely because of that, she sotis worried too much about what ca before and after. When facing problems and danger, she often made choices leaning toward passivity because she considered risks and safety too much.
Just like when she noticed Reine's true identity. She had not chosen to further understand the other person. She had rely re-evaluated the proper distance she should keep from her, then buried the secret in her heart and maintained the status at it should be.
But Shido was different.
He always collided with others with the most straightforward and sincere attitude. And when he decided to save soone, he would truly disregard his own life and do everything he could to act.
It was not recklessness that ignored the voices around him and charged blindly forward. Shido truly listened to other people's opinions, thought things through, worried, and then finally gathered the courage to make his decision.
That was exactly why, no matter how absurd his words were—even when Shido said that he wanted to "go back thirty years ago in Kurumi's place"—Yutsuki's first reaction was that it was as hard as reaching the heavens, but in her heart, she still carried a faint expectation.
No, to be more precise, although Ryougi Yutsuki longed for a peaceful and easy life, at the sa ti, she also felt a contradictory hatred toward having to turn a blind eye to other people's pain. She wanted soone to pull her along and give her a reason to act for others.
So while Yutsuki felt worried and helpless about Shido's recklessness, she also admired and felt grateful for his way of living.
(Or rather, if Shido were not this kind of person, I would probably still be wandering alone in so corner of the world right now, avoiding communication with people.)
"Pfft… hehe…"
"Eh? Why are you suddenly laughing? Is there sothing on my face?"
Seeing Yutsuki suddenly staring at him and laughing, Shido could not help feeling confused.
Yutsuki smiled and shook her head.
"No? It is nothing. I just suddenly thought that your blank, silly look is very cute."
"Is that… supposed to be a complint?"
Shido's face filled with black lines.
"Of course it is a complint. Mm… yes, very cute. If you wore a wig and changed into won's clothing, it would be even more perfect."
"I cannot feel happy about that at all… Hey, what are you suddenly doing?"
"Ah~ I do not know why, but I feel like doing this can release quite a bit of ntal stress. Treat it as paynt for agreeing to accompany you in your nonsense. Pfft—hahaha—"
Yutsuki suddenly stretched out both hands and rubbed Shido's cheeks like kneading dough, making his face look like a strange grimace. Seeing that, Yutsuki laughed even more exaggeratedly.
"Whad ish thad… S-stop ih."
"No~"
Yutsuki answered with a mischievous smile.
Feeling the warmth of Shido's cheeks through her palms, her mood inexplicably improved quite a bit.
(I see. If Shido died, this face would beco cold and stiff, and it would no longer make any sound… Thinking about it that way, I really do owe Kurumi quite a large favor.)
"…Yutshuki??"
Noticing Yutsuki's expression, Shido asked unclearly.
Then, Yutsuki suddenly let go of Shido and patted her own cheeks, building up her spirit.
"All right! Shido, I have decided. I will help Kurumi. Not to assist you, but because I myself want to help her."
"O-oh—"
Not quite understanding the difference, Shido could only nod along.
"Also, Shido. About what you said earlier, wanting to go back thirty years ago and change history, I think it is better to keep it secret from everyone for now."
As she spoke, Yutsuki put away her smile and spoke to Shido very seriously.
Shido looked sowhat confused by this.
"Mm… Is there a reason? Are you afraid DEM will discover it?"
Yutsuki gently shook her head.
"No. It has nothing to do with DEM. To be honest, the mont you ca up with that idea, Westcott will sooner or later investigate it with Beelzebub. The reason I say we should keep it secret is because I do not want it to reach Reine."
"Reine?"
Hearing that, Shido could not help thinking of how Yutsuki had pulled him aside to avoid Reine just now.
"Speaking of which, just now you also…"
"Shh—"
Just as Shido was about to speak, Yutsuki suddenly raised her index finger to her lips, signaling for him not to make a sound.
Shido seed to understand sothing and imdiately closed his mouth.
Yutsuki could not be searched by Beelzebub. Although Shido had heard this from Nia, the one who had made him truly confirm it was Kurumi's clone.
Until now, in Westcott's eyes, the conversations between him and Yutsuki were nothing more than Shido talking to empty air by himself. So he could only interpret Yutsuki's words through Shido's responses.
In other words, what Yutsuki was about to say next was the true plan she did not want the other side to notice.
"Shido, what I am going to say next is the key. If you want your plan to succeed, there is one thing you absolutely must do. Without it, everything else is just empty talk."
Looking at Yutsuki's serious expression, Shido swallowed and nodded solemnly.
"Next, you must go on a date with Murasa Reine, and make her flustered like when you capture a Spirit."
"…Huh?"
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