Shua—
By the time they returned to the capital, the group of four had become five.
Sawa Yamauchi followed Mio with wide-eyed curiosity. Setsuna arranged a place for her to stay and gave her a brief introduction to her new surroundings.
As a newly awakened Spirit, she was fascinated by this new world.
She couldn't stop circling Setsuna, bombarding him with questions.
For a girl who had been an ordinary high school student just moments ago, this man's presence was overwhelmingly powerful.
He ruled over an unbelievable megacity with a population of millions.
He commanded multiple space fleets beyond imagination—something akin to a god descending from heaven in the eyes of someone from the 1990s.
He was surrounded by countless magic-wielding Heroic Spirits and Spirits.
And now, he had granted her a new kind of power.
How could a high school girl have ever encountered someone of this caliber?
The most popular boys at school? The star of the basketball team? Even the heirs of wealthy families?
Compared to Setsuna, they were nothing more than ants.
Sawa Yamauchi suddenly realized how narrow her worldview had been. In an instant, her perspective had expanded tremendously.
She looked up to the Spirit of Origin with deep admiration. And when she gazed at Setsuna, there was even a trace of girlish infatuation in her eyes.
"Setsuna, so this is your capital? It's amazing…"
"I… I'll do my best from now on. Please take care of me…"
The girl stammered, struggling to put her feelings into words.
"…"
Kurumi Tokisaki pressed her fingers against her temple, her mind momentarily unable to process everything.
This was not how she had expected things to go.
Sawa Yamauchi didn't remember her, but she was undoubtedly alive.
That alone was enough. Her long-standing wish had been fulfilled.
The only small problem was that Sawa seemed far more interested in Setsuna and Mio than in her.
The group toured the city.
In the end, they left Sawa with the group of Spirits who lived with Mio.
Origami, Kotori, Yoshino, and the others cheered as they welcomed their new companion.
They prepared a feast to celebrate Setsuna's return and to welcome their new guest.
"Sawa-nee, did you also come from another world? Oh, I did too! I was in the hospital before, and Mio-nee and the Commander saved my life…"
"I used to be a singer. Hmm, I had a bit of a falling out with my producer, and Mio and the Commander helped me out, so I became a Spirit."
The Spirits warmly shared their past experiences with Sawa.
Origami, Nia, and Kotori had all joined out of a young girl's fascination with other worlds and Spirits—just like Sawa.
Yoshino, Miku, and Natsumi, on the other hand, had been helped by Mio and Setsuna in resolving their personal troubles and had willingly chosen to become Spirits.
Compared to the original timeline, where Mio had manipulated and deceived them, Setsuna's methods were far more gentle.
With shared experiences and similar ages, Sawa quickly bonded with the other Spirits.
Before long, they were all laughing and playing together.
"…"
Amid the lively banquet, Kurumi Tokisaki's expression flickered between relief and loneliness.
She quietly tugged at Setsuna's sleeve.
"Setsuna, come with me for a moment."
"…"
The two of them walked to the small garden outside.
A cool breeze swept through the night air, refreshing their senses.
Under the moonlight, she appeared even more enchanting.
"Something on your mind?"
Setsuna studied the girl before him with interest.
She seemed hesitant, as if struggling with something.
"Setsuna… Thank you."
Kurumi gently parted her lips, bowing slightly as she spoke in a soft voice.
"See? I told you I wouldn't lie to you, didn't I?"
Setsuna smiled, gently patting her head before softly tracing his fingers across her fair cheek.
"I told you I'd reunite you with Sawa, and I always keep my word."
"Now that the issue with the Spirit of Origin is resolved and Sawa Yamauchi is back, you can slowly rebuild your friendship with her, even if she doesn't remember you for now."
"From now on, take it easy. No matter what happens, I'll be here."
"…!"
Kurumi nodded silently.
This was a happiness she had never even dared to dream of.
For over a decade, she had carried the burden of revenge, killing and gathering power to travel back in time and slay the Spirit of Origin to change everything.
Then Setsuna had appeared.
He rewrote the timeline, creating a world without tragedy.
And with the power of Spiritron Transfer and dimensional manipulation, he allowed her to see her dearest friend once more.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
As a Spirit who controlled time, she had always taken pride in her power, unwilling to rely on anyone.
But now, for the first time, she felt the desire to lean on someone—as if, with him around, nothing was impossible.
"You really know how to make girls happy…"
Kurumi murmured, lowering her head.
The usual cunning glint in her eyes was gone. Instead, she looked… shy.
"You said that a few days ago too."
Setsuna lifted Kurumi's chin. Her crimson eyes shimmered with a trace of anticipation before she closed them, rising onto her toes to meet him.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted between them. Kurumi didn't seem to use lipstick.
Setsuna gently embraced her. By the numbers—85-59-87—Kurumi was quite well-proportioned.
"Hmm?"
After a few minutes, sensing Setsuna's subtle movements, Kurumi pulled away slightly, taking a few steps back. She looked at him with a teasing, knowing smile.
"Setsuna, this isn't proper behavior toward a lady."
"You shouldn't be so hasty."
"Hm?"
Setsuna raised an eyebrow at her unexpected resistance.
"Oh? You're more reserved than I thought?"
"If you're unwilling, we can stop."
"That's not it—Setsuna."
Kurumi reached out with her slender fingers and pressed them against his lips.
"I just think… before we do anything, there should be some ceremony, some preparation, shouldn't there?"
"Look at Mio—she got to travel the world with you for over a month. Your shipgirls are always by your side…"
"But when it's my turn, you just take advantage of me without anything special? Isn't that a little unfair?"
Pfft—
Setsuna chuckled. Was she… jealous?
"Didn't I just reunite you with Sawa?"
"And I already thanked you for that."
Kurumi tapped her lips with a playful glint in her eyes.
"So that was my reward?"
Setsuna smirked, seeing the hint of mischief in her expression.
"Alright, what do you want? A trip to another world? Some other wish?"
"…"
Kurumi's gaze flickered as she thought for a moment. Then she spoke softly.
"Didn't you say that if I asked, you'd spend time with me alone?"
"Yeah, and you told me not to regret it."
Setsuna pinched her cheek.
"Then go on a date with me tomorrow, Setsuna. Let's see who ends up regretting it."
Kurumi licked her lips.
"Tsk, are you provoking me?"
Setsuna had a feeling she was scheming something.
Still, he agreed without hesitation.
"Alright, time and place—your choice."
...
The next day.
In the capital's central plaza, Setsuna spotted Kurumi Tokisaki waiting on a bench.
She was still wearing a dark-colored JK uniform, the snug fit accentuating her figure. A red ribbon was neatly tied around her collar as an elegant accessory.
Her lower half was adorned with a blue pleated skirt, and her legs were wrapped in sheer black pantyhose.
Her long black hair was styled into twin braids that cascaded over her shoulders, while her crimson eyes lazily observed the world around her.
Kurumi idly toyed with a snack in her hand, using it to tease the kitten resting on her lap.
Upon spotting Setsuna, she turned her head slightly and smiled.
"Setsuna, you're two minutes late."
"Making a lady wait is not a good habit."
"…"
Setsuna suspected that Kurumi had some peculiar obsession with time—or she simply enjoyed teasing him.
"I'd say that's within an acceptable margin of error."
"Mm-hmm, I'll forgive you then."
Kurumi drew out her words as she gracefully stood up.
She had once again assumed her usual refined and composed demeanor.
After adjusting her outfit, she stood beside Setsuna, tilting her head as she spoke.
"So, Setsuna, how do you plan to enjoy my first time?"
"…"
"You mean our first date, right?"
Setsuna was unfazed.
"Perhaps it's my first time in more ways than one."
Kurumi's smile deepened as she brought a hand to her lips, her expression filled with allure.
"To be honest, I've always wanted to devour you, Setsuna…"
"You have such immense power within you. If I were to consume you, perhaps I could surpass even the Spirit of Origin."
"…"
Kurumi's idea of 'devouring' could be symbolic—or it could be quite literal.
Their conversation had immediately veered into unpredictable territory.
"Well then, my Eternal Snowfall is still under modification, but the bedroom above the administrative center is empty. No one's there during the day. Want to come with me?"
Setsuna arched a brow, stretching slightly.
"Don't worry, I know you lack experience, but I'll teach you properly."
"…"
Kurumi froze for a moment.
"Ara, Setsuna, talking to a lady like that… isn't that considered harassment?"
"You started it."
Setsuna smirked, looping his arm around hers.
"I hope your mouth is as sharp tonight as it is now."
"?"
Kurumi hesitated once more.
She was used to effortlessly captivating troublemakers and flustering naive schoolboys with just a few flirtatious words.
But against Setsuna? Completely ineffective.
Trying to tease a man who had five or six shipgirls—and the Spirit of Origin—by his side was a fool's errand.
What hadn't he seen or done before?
"…"
Setsuna tightened his grip around her arm, his grin widening.
"Understand now? That little act of yours works on innocent high school boys, but not on me. You're walking straight into the lion's den, little Kurumi."
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