"How daring." Although she had long known Itsuka Kotori might have such thoughts, hearing it firsthand was incredibly impactful.
Yoshino covered her small mouth, looking at Itsuka Kotori in shock.
So Itsuka Kotori was already thinking about marriage?
She hadn't expected her to have such intentions.
"How very interesting." * 2 Toujou Nozomi and Tokisaki Kurumi both stroked their chins simultaneously, exclaiming.
To have such a thought and still help her brother conquer other girls?
She wondered what Itsuka Kotori was thinking.
Didn't she have any possessiveness?
Didn't she get jealous when Itsuka Shido got close to other girls?
"Eh..." Takamiya Mana's voice paused upon hearing this, and she looked at Itsuka Kotori with a strange expression.
Shiina and the others, meanwhile, watched with interest this sister who could marry her brother.
Indeed, this was the biggest difference between a biological sister and an sworn sister.
But to state it so brazenly, Itsuka Kotori, you are the first.
For that statement, I'll give you 82 points, and the remaining 18 points will be sent to you in the form of 666.
Itsuka Kotori, by this time, had also regained her composure.
Her eyes widened abruptly, her cheeks turned bright red, and then she began tapping on the table, trying to act as if nothing had happened.
"In... in short! I'm his sister now!" Itsuka Kotori declared to Takamiya Mana.
On this point, she would absolutely not back down.
"What! Of course, a biological sister is superior!" Takamiya Mana took a sip of her drink to calm herself down and said seriously.
"Um... both of you, calm down." Itsuka Shido said helplessly.
He saw the people on the sofa who were watching the show.
They were now flushed with excitement, covering their mouths, their shoulders shaking, clearly trying hard to suppress their laughter.
"Shido, what do you think?" Itsuka Shido's question made Itsuka Kotori think of the person involved, so she directly asked him.
"Big Brother, are you pro-biological sister or pro-sworn sister?" Takamiya Mana also asked, following Itsuka Kotori.
Itsuka Shido knew that he absolutely could not answer this question.
Otherwise, he would definitely offend someone.
So Itsuka Shido looked at his two sisters and decisively changed the subject.
"Um, Mana.
Where are you living now?"
"Eh?" Takamiya Mana looked at Itsuka Shido, puzzled.
"If there's someone taking care of you, then I want to properly thank them in person.
After all, you're my sister, aren't you?" Looking at Takamiya Mana's confused expression, Itsuka Shido smiled and stroked Takamiya Mana's head.
Since he could now confirm that Takamiya Mana was his sister, Itsuka Shido would take on the responsibility of a brother.
"That, it's a bit hard to explain right now." Takamiya Mana looked at Itsuka Shido hesitantly.
She didn't know whether or not to tell her brother the truth.
"Could it be a place that can't be told to others?" Itsuka Kotori looked at Takamiya Mana.
This person, it seemed, must have some secret.
"It's not that, exactly.
It's more like a workplace with special accommodation." Takamiya Mana lowered her head, silently twiddling her thumbs.
Her actions showed her current nervousness and unease.
"Workplace? Have you already started working?" Itsuka Shido looked at Takamiya Mana with some concern.
Takamiya Mana looked like she was only a junior high student.
At such a young age, had Takamiya Mana already started working?
"Well, it's not exactly that.
Right! Right!
I just remembered I have an urgent matter!
I'll be leaving now!
I... I'll visit again!" Takamiya Mana glanced at Itsuka Shido with a hint of reluctance, then walked out in a hurry, leaving the Itsuka household.
Itsuka Shido looked confused, not knowing why Takamiya Mana had become like this.
"You guys, you've finished watching the show.
Now you should be able to tell us your purpose, right?
I don't believe your purpose in coming here this time was just to bring Takamiya Mana over to argue with me." Itsuka Kotori said unhappily, biting her lollipop, to Yoshino and the others.
She had been too focused just now and hadn't noticed these spectators.
And thinking that they were the ones who brought Takamiya Mana, she naturally felt annoyed, so she didn't give them a good look.
"Hmm~ Watching you two argue was just one of the purposes.
We do have other things, though." Toujou Nozomi tapped her chin, saying words that made a 'well' symbol appear on Itsuka Kotori's head.
This person actually said such a thing directly.
It made her want to hit her!
But she couldn't beat them anyway, and now they even had Nightmare, who was called the'Spirit of Calamity,' on their side.
It was better to calm down and listen to what they wanted to say.
"Do you know?
That person just now was an AST reinforcement recently transferred from DEM Company to the Tengu City Garrison.
Do you understand what that means?
She's a member of the side that deals with Spirits, which means she's your sworn enemy, understand?" She turned to look at Itsuka Shido, who was bowing his head, then at Yatogami Tohka, who hadn't reacted yet and was still eating kinako bread.
"As the Commander of Ratatoskr, you should know what the DEM Company organization is.
In other words, Itsuka Shido, who just met his biological sister today, are enemies, you know." It was like when you want to date a girl, and just when you feel it's time to confess to her, she tells you that she's actually your sister.
"No wonder she looked so troubled just now.
This truly isn't something ordinary people can know.
But this is indeed a bit difficult.
Why does she have to be a member of the DEM Company?" Itsuka Kotori rubbed her temples, feeling a headache.
Although she didn't like Takamiya Mana, she was her brother's sister.
Itsuka Shido would never make his brother fight his sister.
However, if they could use Itsuka Shido to get her to join Ratatoskr, Itsuka Kotori's eyes gradually lit up.
Given Takamiya Mana's infatuation with Itsuka Shido just now, this plan was completely feasible.
"Um, Kotori.
What exactly is this 'DEM Company' you were just talking about?" Itsuka Shido asked, puzzled.
He had only heard of Ratatoskr and AST at most.
He had never heard of anything like the DEM Company.
"DEM Corporation is a world-leading large enterprise, and also the only organization besides Ratatoskr capable of manufacturing Manifestation Devices. The Manifestation Devices secretly equipped by military police forces around the world, including AST, are all from DEM Corporation. It advocates actively eliminating Spirits and is Ratatoskr's rival. Do you understand now? Your sworn sister works there. In order to avoid causing trouble for you, an 'ordinary' person, she didn't tell you the truth." Itsuka Kotori glanced at Itsuka Shido and said, this guy, forgot his old sworn sister after getting a new one. She needs to teach him a lesson.
"Moreover, things aren't that simple. Takamiya Mana works for DEM Corporation because they once saved her. However, their rescue of Takamiya Mana was purposeful. You should know that as a girl of only fourteen years old, she possesses such strong power. Isn't that very suspicious? If there weren't special methods, she wouldn't have obtained this power." Toujou Nozomi hinted to Itsuka Shido, having said this much, he should understand what she meant.
"What... what do you mean?" He seemed to have thought of something, but the kind-hearted Itsuka Shido ultimately didn't consider that aspect.
"Sigh~ It seems expecting you to discover anything is truly impossible. But this is also my unit. I shouldn't have had any expectations of you." Toujou Nozomi sighed, despairing at Itsuka Shido's intelligence.
"Listen carefully! In order to deal with Spirits, the people of DEM Corporation performed a large amount of magical processing on Takamiya Mana's body. In this situation, it allows her to obtain the power to fight Spirits, but this approach comes at a price." Toujou Nozomi looked at Itsuka Shido with a serious expression. This is also why she dislikes DEM Corporation.
"That price should be damaging her lifespan, right?" Itsuka Kotori said on behalf of Itsuka Shido. She knew more about these things than the clueless Itsuka Shido. However, her words made Itsuka Shido's face turn incomparably pale. His sworn sister whom he had just met had her lifespan damaged?
"Yes, that's right. Because of what DEM Corporation did, Takamiya Mana has less than ten years of life left." Although the truth was a bit cruel, Toujou Nozomi still spoke the truth. Although she knew that Takamiya Mana would leave DEM Corporation sooner or later, Toujou Nozomi, who disliked them, wouldn't let them have an easy time.
"Don't ask me why I know so much, Itsuka Shido. You need to know that that child is your sworn sister, your blood-related sworn sister. Just like what she said just now, blood is thicker than water between you. Even if you try to escape reality and think this is just a lie to deceive you, be prepared for the unexpected. Next time you see Takamiya Mana, take her to Ratatoskr for an examination. That way, everything will be revealed." Looking at Itsuka Shido's face turning red and white, Toujou Nozomi said helplessly.
"I understand! I will make Mana leave DEM Corporation! The next time I meet her, I will definitely have her examined." Nodding to Toujou Nozomi, what she said was right. Even if Takamiya Mana went to have her body examined, it wouldn't be a bad thing. Moreover, he believed that although Toujou Nozomi usually liked to tease people, she wouldn't joke about such matters.
"Yes, it's good that you understand. Now, it's your problem. Commander Itsuka, have you been looking at Tokisaki Kurumi since just now because you have something to say?" Looking at Itsuka Kotori, who had been staring at Tokisaki Kurumi since just now, Toujou Nozomi said.
"...You, what is your relationship with Nightmare?" Being able to sit together so intimately made Itsuka Kotori feel uneasy. You must know that Tokisaki Kurumi is known as the 'Worst Spirit'. If she were to join forces with these people, it would be too terrifying.
"Can you tell us? You need to know that her reputation has always been bad. Can you vouch for her and ensure that she no longer kills innocent citizens?" Itsuka Kotori looked at Toujou Nozomi seriously. If she didn't receive a concrete answer to this matter, she definitely wouldn't be able to relax.
A few days ago, Ratatoskr received news that people from DEM Corporation attacked Tengu City Stadium, but the images they later obtained showed a completely frozen venue. Thinking of this, Itsuka Kotori couldn't help but look at Yoshino, who was spacing out. If she remembered correctly, among all the Spirits, the Spirit who could control water and ice was this seemingly soft and cute Little Loli. If she wasn't mistaken, all of them had been deceived by her appearance.
This isn't a kitten, but a big tiger.
Hearing Itsuka Kotori's question, Toujou Nozomi and the others looked at each other and nodded firmly to Itsuka Kotori, proving their attitude.
"I see, well then, I'll temporarily believe you for now." Nodding helplessly, she hoped that things were really as simple as they seemed now.
At the same time, a figure was eavesdropping on everything outside the Itsuka family's door. Tears streamed down her face. When she just learned about the things happening to Takamiya Mana, her emotions almost got out of control, but she still calmly recovered.
She watched Takamiya Mana's departing figure, and after making a firm decision in her heart, she disappeared near the Itsuka family.
"This time, this matter should have some impact on DEM, right? I wonder what new bad things they're preparing to do since they haven't made any moves for so long?" After leaving the Itsuka family, Toujou Nozomi said while walking on the way home.
"It's possible that they're researching new equipment. You need to know that Ellen collected Yoshino's ability data last time, right? They should be working hard to research new equipment to deal with Yoshino now." Although her strength last time wasn't all of Yoshino's strength. If the people from DEM Corporation thought that way, then they would definitely suffer next time.
"But now that Itsuka Kotori's line has been connected, now only Tobiichi Origami is left. But she hasn't become a Spirit yet, so how do we get the particle from her?" Toujou Nozomi turned to look at Yoshino. Although Tokisaki Kurumi was still next to her, there was nothing to hide since she had already signed a contract with Yoshino.
"Only by letting her know the truth, and finding Phantom, can we obtain the spirit crystal from her and turn Tobiichi Origami into a Spirit."
Although it was cruel, it was the only way to obtain the First particle.
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