The sound of the dismissal bell was like a hymn of salvation, yet simultaneously felt like the preparatory bell for another public humiliation class.
Phoenix-in Chinatsu packed her school bag at top speed, her icy-blue ponytail cutting a sharp arc in the air, wishing only to instantly turn invisible and vanish.
"Um... Classmate Hōōin!"
Itsuka Shido's voice came from behind her, carrying a hint of imperceptible nervousness and hesitation. Chinatsu's body stiffened, and she maintained her cool expression as she turned around.
"Wh-what is it, Classmate Itsuka?" Her voice was steady, betraying no emotion.
Shido took a deep breath, as if steeling himself. Just during the last break, he had been quietly called out by Kotori (commander mode) and Reine, where he received emergency instructions in the empty physics lab... Minutes ago, aboard the Fraxinus.
Kotori crossed her arms, her expression serious: "Shido, we checked. The identity of 'Phoenix-in Chinatsu' has a problem—a big problem."
Reine calmly added:
"The household registration records are perfect, but tracing her adoptive family and previous schools yielded no clues. Electronic hospital records exist, but in the corresponding years of physical paper archives, there is absolutely no birth or medical record for 'Phoenix-in Chinatsu.' Her existence... is logically impossible."
Kotori pointed her lollipop at Shido:
"She is extremely likely to be a Spirit! Escorting her home this time is a perfect opportunity. Question her thoroughly, focus on finding out the exact nature of her relationship with Koushi, how they met, and... what exactly her goal is!"
Reine, holding the organized files, added once more, "The only good news is that for some reason."
"Chinatsu's affection level for Shido is very high, almost at the level of a best friend. With a little effort, you should be able to seal the deal."
... Thinking of Kotori's words, Shido's feelings became even more complicated. He looked at the "friend's younger sister" before him, who appeared beautiful yet slightly aloof.
It was hard to associate her with terms like "dangerous Spirit" or "fake identity." But Kotori's order had to be carried out.
Shido scratched his slightly flushed cheek, his gaze drifting toward the cherry blossom tree outside the window, unable to look at her:
"You just transferred here, so you're probably not very familiar with the area yet, right? And... Koushi is also... indisposed. I... I'll walk you home?"
His fingers unconsciously picked at his backpack strap, like a middle schooler asking a girl home for the first time. Shido tried hard to make his tone sound natural.
(W-walk me home?! Alone?! And we have to keep up this awkward conversation?!)
Chinatsu wailed internally.
(Aha! Today's fun quota has already been exceeded! No! Just let me quietly lick my wounds alone, you bastard!)
But the persona couldn't break. Her persona was that of a "fragile younger sister who just arrived and needs to care for her injured Older Brother."
"...Then I'll rely on Classmate Itsuka." She lowered her head slightly, her voice soft and delicate, perfectly conveying a hint of dependence and gratitude.
And so, an extremely awkward walk began... Location: Fraxinus Bridge - Real-time Monitoring Room.
On the massive main screen, split views displayed Shido's slightly shaking first-person footage and the full-body shot of the two captured by a drone from a distance.
Inside the Bridge, the atmosphere was "serious" yet "lively."
"Target has begun moving. Distance, 1.5 meters. Atmosphere index: Awkwardness off the charts."
A crew member reported meticulously.
"Tch, Idiot Older Brother, why is he keeping such a distance? Get closer! How are we supposed to collect useful information like this!"
Kotori, in commander mode, chewed on her lollipop and tapped her baton against the armrest in dissatisfaction.
"Ah, ah~ You speak wrongly, my great Commander!"
Kyohei Kannazuki immediately chimed in, clasping his hands over his heart and gazing dreamily at Chinatsu's back on the screen.
"This perfectly calculated sense of distance! This bashful, unspoken atmosphere! This is the most beautiful seasoning of youth! Itsuka Shido, relying on his virgin intuition, has inadvertently stepped into the most sophisticated realm of ambiguity! Oh~!"
"Bang!"
Without turning her head, Kotori used the data pad to smack him down onto the floor again. "You're too loud, pervert! Analyze this using normal human thought processes!"
Murasame Reine, sporting her usual dark circles, calmly observed the data stream:
"...Target 'Chinatsu' has a stable heart rate, normal body temperature, and no significant emotional fluctuations. Shido's heart rate is elevated, and his galvanic skin response is intense, indicating a state of high tension."
"See! He's completely suppressed by her aura! This useless Older Brother!" Kotori stomped her foot in frustration...
The setting sun stretched their shadows long. Shido deliberately maintained a half-step distance, walking on the outside, trying hard to play the role of the "chivalrous escort," but his tense profile and misplaced gaze made him look more like a warrior marching toward the execution grounds.
Chinatsu, meanwhile, strode forward, her impossibly long legs swaying gracefully under the sunset, each step like a walk down a runway, attracting the attention of countless passersby.
This formed a stark contrast with Shido beside her, who radiated the aura of "so awkward he could carve out a three-bedroom apartment."
The air seemed to solidify; only the rattling of backpack buckles and the sound of footsteps were clearly audible.
Chinatsu's internal monologue:
(So quiet... So awkward... Say something, Koushi Hōoin! Aren't you supposed to be a mischief-maker?! Hurry up and find some fun... Ah, ptooey, hurry up and find a topic!)
(Why is he walking so slowly? Does he not want to walk with me?)
(Did he just sneak a peek at my legs?! Boys really are all... Wait, I'm not qualified to say that right now... The memory of gym class is attacking me again! That "Kya" sound! Ahhh! Help!)
Although her heart was churning with internal turmoil, outwardly she looked straight ahead, her expression indifferent, as if unconcerned with everything around her; only the slight tightening of her lips betrayed a hint of unnaturalness.
(Why is this guy so nervous? He doesn't know what to do with his hands or feet... Hmm? Wait a minute, that faint electronic buzzing sound in his ear... Is that a communicator?! Fraxinus?!)
(I see... Walking me home is fake, questioning me is real, isn't it? That naturally evil Kotori brat, she's already starting the capture operation?)
Shido's internal monologue:
(What should I do? What should I do? Directly asking "Are you a Spirit?" definitely won't work... I have to beat around the bush...)
(Questioning... How do I even question her?)
(She seems very unhappy... She won't say a word... She must think I'm a pervert because of gym class...)
(Koushi's sister... Up close, her skin is really nice... Her eyelashes are so long... No! Itsuka Shido! Stop your dangerous thoughts!)
(I need to find a topic... The weather? Too cliché... Schoolwork? She seems very smart...)
Outwardly, his gaze darted everywhere, afraid to look at the person beside him, his palms slightly sweaty. "Um... Classmate Hōōin, are you... are you getting used to the school curriculum?"
"Mm." Chinatsu replied concisely.
"...Oh." Shido closed his mouth in defeat...
In the Fraxinus monitoring feed, Shido and Chinatsu maintained a subtle distance, walking in silence.
"Si... Silence! A silence lasting 1 minute and 47 seconds!" another crew member shouted. "Morale is still dropping!"
"Hurry up and find a topic, idiot!" Kotori growled into the microphone.
"Shido, the target's affection level for you is very high; you don't need to be so timid. You can attack boldly. First, disrupt her thoughts—her past is fake—use these topics to unsettle her heart before attacking!"
... Just then, Chinatsu's superhuman perception (perhaps the The core of reason, or perhaps the intuition from her previous life as a keyboard warrior) caught the extremely subtle feeling of being observed. She abruptly turned her head to look at the street corner behind them.
Under the setting sun, there were only a few scattered students from the school, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
It seemed only a flash of white reflection darted across the corner of the wall, like a trick of the sunlight, or perhaps a familiar strand of hair quickly disappearing.
("...An illusion? Or... Master Origami?!")
Chinatsu's heart skipped a beat.
(Has the AST already grown this suspicious? Have they started tracking and monitoring me?)
She immediately raised her guard, but outwardly remained calm.
After a long, suffocating silence, Shido finally racked his brains and came up with an explosive topic.