Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 553 553: Remembering the Past

Ding-dong.

With a crisp bell sound, the elevator arrived at the top floor of the office building, and the doors slid open to both sides.

After stepping out of the elevator, Ellen's slightly furrowed brows relaxed. Although the elevator had been repaired for so ti already, every ti she recalled the elevator malfunction at the end of last year and the hellish journey she had experienced, she could not help feeling a lingering fear.

No, of course the strongest Wizard could not possibly be defeated by such a minor setback. But if public company equipnt frequently suffered such failures, it would undoubtedly have a negative effect on employee attendance. Even considering that aspect alone, she had to give the technology departnt and maintenance departnt a warning that would be carved into their bones.

"It really is nice when the elevator works, right, Ellen-san?"

Hearing those words, Ellen could not help glaring in Mulian's direction. Back then, even though Ellen had clearly refused, this woman had still forcefully carried her to the top floor in a princess carry. Because of that, she had made Ellen rember even more unpleasant things.

"Hmph. Do not waste your breath. Let us go."

"Understood~."

Upon entering the office, Artemisia had already arrived ahead of them and was waiting there.

"Mulian, Ellen. You are here."

"Mm."

"Hey…"

Artemisia greeted the two with an elegant smile. In response, Ellen gave a brief reply out of courtesy, while Mulian made an extrely lazy sound.

"Good. Everyone is here."

The chair before the office desk slowly turned. A gray haired man faced the three of them, revealing a faint smile that could be called either relaxed or leisurely.

"Ike. Why did you gather us?"

Ellen asked.

"Well, how should I put it? Originally, I intended to drag things out until Nightmare gave up on her own, but she is more troubleso than expected, so I am getting a little bored."

Westcott shrugged as he spoke.

"Bored… you say?"

Hearing Westcott's words, Ellen narrowed her eyes slightly.

Just yesterday, when Westcott was speaking with her, he had still said in an extrely calm manner that Nightmare would sooner or later destroy herself through her own ti looping ability. Yet not even a day later, he had lost patience first.

Of course, Ellen did not intend to complain about this. After all, Westcott suddenly changing his mind like this was hardly a first or second occurrence. Although every ti Westcott gave the impression that he acted without thinking, when the result ca out, he was often the correct one.

"So, what do you intend to do?"

"Well, it is very simple. We will crush them with all our strength."

In response to Ellen's question, Westcott spoke without hesitation.

"Oh… so suddenly, you are going to send out the whole army, Boss?"

Mulian could not help sounding surprised.

"Mm. Just as the words an. We will mobilize the full power DEM possesses. We will completely crush Itsuka Shido. We will do it to such an extent that, even if Nightmare knows everything, she will absolutely be unable to avoid it. Hope, ideals, everything—we will crush it all."

"But if we do that, will the residents of this city not be caught in the crossfire?"

Artemisia could not help raising her concern. The plan she had received previously, the one that used the entire city's residents as hostages, had supposedly only been an empty threat ant to intimidate the enemy, but it had still made her uneasy.

"I completely understand your concerns, Artemisia."

Westcott answered with an attitude full of understanding.

"Of course, if we are going to launch a full scale war, we must naturally avoid unnecessary casualties. Before the battle begins, I will first arrange for the local Wizard units to evacuate the citizens. Do not worry."

"I see. That is good."

Artemisia clearly sighed in relief.

"Any other questions?"

"N-no."

"…"

In response to their conversation, Ellen's expression did not change. After all, she already knew full well just how thick skinned Ike's face was.

While Mulian, outside Artemisia's line of sight, revealed a speechless sneer.

"Good. Next, the assassination plan will be temporarily suspended. We will launch the general offensive on the 20th. Everyone, take the chance to rest and prepare."

As he spoke, Westcott summoned his Demon King, Beelzebub, and opened the pale leather book before everyone to show them.

"Can you see what is written on it?"

Staring at the dense scribbles on the pages that looked like so kind of ghostly graffiti, Ellen shook her head.

"I do not understand it."

"Mm… unreadable writing."

"Boss, did you not say that no one except the user can understand this thing?"

Mulian could not help retorting. In response, Westcott's smile deepened.

"Well, that is true."

As he spoke, Westcott lightly snapped his fingers. Imdiately afterward, several Nibelcole poked their bodies out from the ceiling.

"Father, Father. Look, look."

"We caught this."

Unlike the delighted Nibelcole, the sudden sll of blood spreading through the air made the expressions of the three won turn slightly grave.

In the Nibelcole's hands, they were dragging a girl's head.

Two uneven black twintails with snow white skin. Her unclosed left eye was engraved with a delicate pattern like a clock face. Perhaps because she had only been beheaded monts ago, crimson blood continuously dripped from the severed surface of her neck onto the floor.

This girl was undoubtedly the Spirit that Westcott had just ntioned—Tokisaki Kurumi.

"A clone?"

Ellen asked.

"Mm, most likely an individual sent to gather information or assassinate . It seems she overheard our conversation just now. You have done a great service, Nibelcole."

Westcott nodded while stroking the cover of Beelzebub, praising them.

"Ehehe~"

The Nibelcole could not help dancing joyfully in midair. If not for the bleeding head, perhaps it would have looked like a warm scene of father daughter interaction.

"All right, Artemisia, Mulian. The operation tasks have already been sent to your personal terminals. Next, I will trouble you to notify the other departnts of the plan as well."

"Yes~."

"Understood."

…

"Is this all right? Letting Nightmare's other clone run away like that."

After Mulian and Artemisia left, Ellen asked Westcott.

"It is fine. Even if we silenced her, Nightmare would sooner or later learn of this through looping. Besides, I deliberately let her hear our conversation just now, so that she could pass the information to Ryougi Yutsuki."

Westcott shook his head, indicating that there was no problem.

"More importantly, Ellen, we need to go to the airship hangar and make so preparations."

"Preparations?"

In response to Ellen's question, Westcott seed almost unable to suppress the excitent in his heart. He revealed a joyful smile.

"The adjustnt of the magic reactor, and the writing of the Spirit formula."

———————

At night, after saying goodbye to Kurumi's clone, Shido and Yutsuki returned to the Fraxinus EX.

Here, Tohka, Origami, Yoshino, Kotori, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Miku, Natsumi, Nia, Mukuro, as well as Reine and Mana, were waiting for them. If one had to add to that, then Maria and Marina were probably also watching their situation through the room's caras.

Just as Shido and Yutsuki had decided earlier, they told everyone about Kurumi's past, her resolve and long cherished wish, and how she had traveled through ti over a hundred tis to save him.

Although Kurumi would perhaps hate having these things known, Shido still wanted everyone to understand. The girl nad Tokisaki Kurumi was not simply a villain who piled up sins for selfish desires, personal gain, or pleasure.

After hearing all of this, whether because it did not feel real or because they could not accept it, everyone present fell into a long silence. After all, most of those present did not have a good impression of Tokisaki Kurumi. Especially Mana, who had the worst relationship with Kurumi. After listening, her expression beca as subtle as if she had eaten an expired sour plum.

"Hah—although I do not believe at all that that utterly wicked, beast in human skin, man eating Nightmare would do sothing so kind. But since Nii-sama and Yutsuki-neesan said so, I will accept it for the ti being as true. The next ti I see her, I will hold back the urge to cut her down and listen to her explain a few words before attacking."

Fortunately, thanks to the trust Shido and Yutsuki had accumulated in daily life, although everyone had so doubts, they still chose to believe what the two said.

"Still, if what Tokisaki Kurumi said is true, then DEM really has gone far too far."

Kotori bit the candy in her mouth to pieces, her face showing a trace of anger. Whether it was their repeated, brazen rampages in Fraxinus EX's territory, or their desire to put Shido to death, the other side's actions had undoubtedly touched the bottom line of this brocon commander.

"Reine, contact everyone. We are holding an operation eting tomorrow."

"Mm… understood…"

At this mont, Mana seed to think of sothing and asked Shido,

"Also, Nii-sama, there is one more thing that concerns ."

"Mm… what is it?"

"The matter of the woman nad Takamiya Mio, whom Nii-sama saw in Nightmare's mories."

"…"

Hearing Mana's words, Shido's throat let out a small groan.

Takamiya Mio. The girl who appeared in Kurumi's past, and who possessed the sa surna as Mana. Moreover, according to Mana, during Shido's spiritual power rampage, he himself had once spoken the na "Mio".

This was impossible to brush aside as a simple coincidence.

And if Kurumi had not lied, then Takamiya Mio had the ability to turn humans into Spirits. In that case, she was very likely the sa person as "Phantom", who had turned Kotori, Miku, and the others into Spirits. That ant Shido, Kotori, and the others could not claim to be unrelated either.

Was she a relative from before Shido lost his mories? Soone he had t sowhere? Or was it simply an accidental case of two people sharing the sa full na?

Everyone made various guesses and discussions about this. But unfortunately, due to insufficient information, they could not reach an answer.

"If Nushi-sama desires the answer so deeply, Nushi-sama need only rember it."

At that mont, Mukuro looked at the troubled group and proposed with an expression of confusion.

"If the mories are sealed, then Nushi-sama need only to unlock them with Michael."

Hearing Mukuro's words, Shido's heart gave a jump.

It was not rely because he was surprised that he had failed to think of such a simple thod. Rather, it was because, only a few minutes before returning here, Yutsuki had brought up the sa thing to him for a different reason.

…

"Next, you must go on a date with Murasa Reine, and make her flustered like when you capture a Spirit."

(Huh?)

"Well, you are probably wondering right now what this has to do with changing history. Unfortunately, this is a step that absolutely cannot be skipped."

"It is not that I cannot tell you the reason, but I do not intend to do so. Because what I understand is also very one sided. Even if I told you, it would not convince you. If you face Reine with that kind of half baked mindset, you will never succeed. Just like if you had only heard other people describe Kurumi's past without experiencing it through Yud (Tenth Bullet), you would not truly understand Kurumi's regret and grief."

"So use Michael to unlock your past mories, Shido. Mukuro's Angel should be able to help you recover the mories you lost."

"When that ti cos, you should understand what I an."

…

Honestly, Yutsuki's words at that ti had jumped ahead too quickly, leaving Shido sowhat confused.

Why would changing history thirty years ago be connected to Reine? Why did he have to rember his lost mories in order to conquer Reine? What relationship did Reine have with his past?

Because he could not sort through these questions all at once, Shido had only managed to answer with "I want so ti to think about it", putting the issue aside.

However, he had not expected that he would face the sa question again so quickly.

Shido unconsciously glanced toward Yutsuki. Ever since the conversation turned to Takamiya Mio's background, she had taken on an indifferent attitude, rarely joining in everyone's discussion.

It was as if she had long since known the answer to this question in her heart.

Thinking that, Shido could not help turning his gaze to Murasa Reine on the other side.

"Mm… What is it, Shin?"

Seeming to notice Shido's gaze, Reine asked in confusion.

"No… um… Reine-san, what do you think? If we use Michael, will I be able to rember my past?"

Shido withdrew his gaze and asked sowhat flusteredly.

"Mm… that is true… If Shin and Mana's mories were caused by so kind of seal, then Michael's unlocking ability may indeed be able to restore those mories… However, this is only theoretically possible. I do not know what the actual result will be…"

After thinking for a mont, Reine analyzed it very objectively.

"I see…"

(My past, huh…)

With the choice placed before him, Shido could not help hesitating.

Even though Yutsuki had not explained clearly, deep in his heart, he had faintly sensed so clues.

A very important event was hidden in his past. And that mory was very likely the source of everything. Even if not for changing history for Kurumi's sake, in order to understand who he truly was, and in order to protect everyone, he had to recover that mory.

"…Shido."

Seeming to have guessed Shido's decision, Kotori looked at him nervously.

Even if he successfully regained his past mories, those mories might not be what Shido and the others hoped for. Moreover, after regaining them, there was no guarantee that Shido would still be able to maintain his current personality. It might not be to the extent that the current Shido would be swallowed by the past Shido, but it could still have so unknown effect on him.

After rembering his past, would "he" no longer be "Itsuka Shido"?

In truth, Shido himself had a similar anxiety. That was why he had subconsciously avoided this matter.

However—

"It will be all right. No matter what happens, I will always be your brother."

Shido stroked Kotori's head and answered firmly.

"Onii… chan…"

Hearing those words, Kotori was imdiately so moved that the corners of her eyes grew moist. But she quickly realized everyone was watching and hurriedly shook her head to explain.

"I-I was not worried. No matter how useless you are, you are still my onii-chan. That is only natural. Sothing like this will not change that."

"Yes, yes~"

After rubbing Kotori's head with a smile, Shido took a deep breath and silently recited the na of the Angel in his heart.

Ratziel...

[Received—manifesting—Michael—Tefete (Small Key).]

Soon, a Michael with the size of a normal key appeared before Shido together with a tal gauntlet.

"That is right, Nushi-sama. Nushi-sama need only insert this key into the head."

Mukuro carefully explained from the side.

"Into the… head?"

Hearing this, Shido could not help swallowing. How should he put it? On the physical level, it gave him several extra worries.

"All right…"

However, since they had co this far, he could not back down now. Shido took a deep breath and slowly pressed the key against his temple.

"Then, I am starting—"

"Umu…"

"No need for worry. Trust Michael."

"Ahh. To think Darling must insert such a sharp thing into his body!"

"…Miku, please do not talk for now."

"Haha…"

Listening to the Spirits's conversation with a bitter smile, Shido's shoulders relaxed just the right amount.

Then, by chance, Shido's gaze t Yutsuki's.

"Do your best."

Yutsuki encouraged him softly.

"Mm."

Nodding lightly, Shido took a deep breath and thrust Michael into his own head in one motion.

Then, Shido's vision turned pure white.