Shido POV:
… This… this is truly, well, weird.
No, saying it's weird isn't quite enough.
The whole thing, to be precise, is more so—
"You look hilarious."
—Yeah, that's one.
Before me right now is Tome, now donning a… well… how to describe it at all…?
… Welp, that aside, I gotta remind her to close the door while changing clothes.
"Humu? Really?"
Murmuring Time through the layers of clothes with a barely audible voice, as I just can't deter my eyes away from her.
She donned 12 scarves with different colors on her neck, which practically covered her face whole. Not only that, she also wears a long black robe, one that hides every part of her presence from the view—if they are blind per say, along with a similar coif over her head.
She looks like a walking fashion disaster, to the point of attracting every gaze with disgust and curiosity, which does exactly the opposite of what she desired.
"Shido…"
Tome voice immediately brought me back from the line of thoughts, as she struggled with her horrendous clothes.
"… Help me."
Hearing her rather cute pleading, I let out a small chuckle before helping her take off those clothes.
It took me 10 minutes straight just to get the clothes out, and Tome finally let out a long breath once I threw the last scarf away.
"Phew—! I live!"
She stretched her hand with a victorious face, acting none appropriate to her mature look.
… Considering her actual age, I'd say she's more than mature enough. Besides, her clothing isn't the worst—nah, it is.
Besides, from what she told me she basically uses her Astral Dress, the
The fact that she didn't tear all those clothes in one go is honestly quite a feat considering her… lifestyle.
Speaking of which…
"Tome, who gave you these clothes?"
I asked her while eyeing between the clothes on the floor and what remained on her, which thankfully there is, or else I'm gonna commit Senpuku for seeing her bare again!
After stripping down the unnecessaries, she's now only donning a simple brown jumper with gray sweatpants, which combine with her ponytail only further showcase her laid back attitude.
Frankly, I was both thankful and hooked up with her current looks, thankful for decent clothes under all that fabric and hooked up with her look.
Seems like God still loves me here, and somehow guides her to wearing appropriate clothing.
"Hm? Oh, Reine gave me all of them and told me that I can try them all on!"
… And now I know why everything turned out this way.
Reine didn't teach her anything, she just threw everything at her and expected me to guide her out of this.
I immediately picked up the phone following the 'Eureka', dialing Reine number, waiting for a few seconds before a response.
"What's wrong Shin?"
"Reine-san…"
Holding back all my anger eager to be lashed out, I quietly asked her.
"May I ask… why didn't you teach her how to wear clothes?"
"Oh, that."
Even with my hidden anger engraved in each of my words, she still responds with her usual mono voice.
"It was your mission Shin, naturally. After all, such a thing is normal in a relationship altogether, so I wished for your best."
And with that, she ended the call, leaving me behind desperately trying not to outright sigh at this certified doom…
… Kotori, seriously, for once, I wanted to hate you here…
"Dang it… forcing me to do that…"
I mutter the word to cut my thought short, swallow down the wrath that's already on the edge.
"Hm? What do you mean by that, Shido?"
Tome tilted her head with the question, one that slightly jolted me along that innocent face of her…
… Now I truly feel bad for ever thinking of her in that light! Dang it!!
…
After an hour, one I wished to forget entirely, I finally managed to teach her the basics on how to suit up.
Surprisingly, I wasn't as exhausted as I thought… probably due to the fact I cover most of my vision when she's worn up piece by pieces.
… That, and probably the fact that I already saw what I mustn't—Nope, already forgot that.
Overall, I won't do it again in my lifetime.
"So… how do I look, Shido?"
Announcing herself with a rather timid voice, Tome slowly opens the door and showcases her clothing choice.
And what I could say is… she looks gorgeous.
She wears a sleeveless white blouse, combined with a short gypsy black skirt. She let her hair loose from her ponytail, and let the purple stream flow down to her waist.
A simple combination, but vastly better than her previous loose clothing an hour ago… and yet, Tome herself in the combination… stole my breath for a bit.
"Shido…?"
I regained my composure the moment she expressed her concern, and hastily let out my compliment—
"It's nothing… It looks good on you, Tome. Truly stylish on your part!!"
—And stumbled the whole way through with my clumsy reaction, one that I still can't let go even now.
Crap, seems like Kotori training ain't done things on me at all… well, not that I ever did thought so when all she did was embarrassed me at all time.
… Which makes me wonder, where is she right now? I haven't met her since the day I sealed Tome, like at all.
She didn't even appear at the training session that Reine prepared, one that she definitely absolutely adored all this time.
… Nah, she's probably busy with important things right now, and not hearing her teasing during those hellish times is, as guilty as it sounds surprisingly, peaceful.
"Shido…"
"Hm?"
I look back at Tome… and slightly taken aback out of surprise.
Tome, contrary to her usual clumsy and childish manner just now, is now staring at him with a serious gaze, totally shifting the attitude.
"… Do you want to go out?"
"Huh? I mean…"
At her… unusual request, or more specifically, her unusual attitude for such a normal question, I tilt my head while agree with confusi—
—Oh… right… I forgot.
Her attitude is unusual, yes, at least for most of the case… one that didn't involve decimating the whole city and killing hundreds.
A crime, in Tome word, she couldn't let go.
After the whole fiasco that she… accidentally did, she's now officially become the hottest face upon the Internet.
Not for a good reason, that's a given. And one that they couldn't quite wipe under the rug.
From what Reine (with an even more haunter voice, due to her extra works as she said) mentions, that despite Ratatoskr's best effort to delete everything related to her, and did successfully hide the whole thing from the mainstream with the reasoning of a gas leak, not everything is smooth sailing.
The identity of the culprit… of Tome in her Astral Dress, has successfully been interpreted deep within the deepest part of the Internet, too deep for anyone to interfere without revealing himself to the world—or DEM.
… I truly have nothing to say about those DEM, not after everything she did for us.
That girl Ellen… I still couldn't comprehend her actions, especially after she killed me…
She did this. She makes her lose it. She plunged the whole city into flames.
She did all of that… She killed all those people… all just to fight her.
… I won't forgive her for everything. Ever!
"Shido?"
Tome speaks up with hesitation, her gaze drops its seriousness as her eyes waver on me. And only then that I finally remember her question and hastily respond with a not-so-faithful joyful tone.
"Oh, sure. Let's go then!"
Tome slightly flinched with my response, which I kinda feel guilty for with my over the top expression.
But she quickly hid her reaction and let out a bright smile, as she dragged me by the hand downstairs.
It took us quite some time for Tome to wear up her disguise and walk to the avenue, now totally rebuilt almost completely in the span of days with the power of
But despite that, most of the shops around here are still closed down, spare for some coffee shops and the mall.
I let out a small frown looking at the closing door beside the walkway, for I knew exactly why they hadn't opened yet… and it bothered me—
—No. Don't. I shouldn't think about it.
That's none of our fault. It was their fault. Tome is, by all way, the victim here.
… Yea…
I turn to Tome with the intention to suggest the cafe across the street, and feel my words stuck at my lips.
For Tome shares a haunted look, one reflected that of hesitant and immense guilt on the quiet street beyond us.
That combined with her long pale white hair, only intensified her looks and… clenched my heart.
I know it.
Even if no one did, I am.
For all that matter, for all I achieved… I too have contributed a hand in their demise.
"Tome."
I silently called out for her, feeling her guilt vanished as I turned to me with a faint smile.
"Hm? What's wrong, Shido?"
"I…"
I thought for a moment with her stranding expression, and decided to swallow back what I wanted to say.
I don't know why… but I feel like I should do that.
"… Was asked if you wanna go there?"
I point to the coffee shop across the street for Tome to see, as she immediately nod her head
We then crossed the street right then, as there's almost no vehicles going around, and reached the place.
There's no one at the shop, probably due to the same reason the other shop closes, so we quickly reached the stall.
"Hi, how may I help you?"
The reception, despite the really tired look, managed to greet us with a professional smile.
Ignoring the pain lingering in her eyes, I take a quick glance at the menu overhead and pick out one.
"I'll have a black coffee."
"… May I have a frappucino?"
Hm?
I turn to Tome, feeling perplexed with the order and look back at the menu. And at the bottom of the list, one that I ignored just now, listed the drink.
The receptionist ignored my confusion as she repeated the order once more and, hearing our confirmation, turned around to begin the work.
"Hey Tome…"
"Hm?"
"May I ask how did you know what a frappucino is?"
I casually asked Tone about that, wondering how she could know about the drink.
To think the girl who didn't even bat an eye on her food twice could pick out such a specific order, and one that should sound weird for her nonetheless…
To say this feels weird is an understatement, one that I'm quite interested to know… well that, and to avoid a certain topic if we just keep silent.
"Oh, it's—"
For a moment, just a fraction of a moment, Tome's gaze suddenly turned uncertain.
I silently noted that and locked it deep inside my mind, as Tome spoke up with a faint sigh.
"Well… it's due to that thing."
"That… thing?"
"You know, the thing that beat Ellen the last time we met."
My mind quickly shifted into gear hearing the mention, remembering back the gaze from the above.
A gaze filled with so much disdain, hatred, anger…
A gaze that of judging, one that believes in its authority to do so.
And yet, it wasn't that that truly unsettled me.
It was a feeling, a faint, unimportant yet persisted feeling. Struggling to linger in my mind even when I tried to "save" Tome…
I… honestly didn't know how to explain it. Not yet.
What is it… what am I missing…?
"Um… how did you meet it, if you don't mind me asking?"
Swallowing back my fear deep inside, I asked her about the history between her and it.
Not that I didn't know about its involvement with the Spirits… but I didn't know that it had met her before.
… Another thing Kotori hid from me, then?
"Well… believe it or not, you're not the first one I met."
… Huh?
Wait… so that means—
"You… met it first?"
Tome nodded her head wholeheartedly at my question, seemingly yet noticing the concerns in my voice.
"Well, I met it the first time I manifested in this world, right when I faced those mecha gal for the first time, and protected me from them… somewhat…"
"It then invited me to a… coffee shop, I think, and called me a frappucino… and it tasted kinda good."
… So that's why she knew about the drink—and it still left me confused.
Why did it even do all of that? Why did it risk being caught in the crossfire between her and the AST just for a cup of coffee? Why did it even try to approach her?
Why?
"Here you go."
My train of thought suddenly halted by the tired voice of the receptionist, as she placed 2 paper cups before us.
Not wanting to disturb the stall any longer, we took them and settled down on a table nearby.
While Tome begins to look between the straw and the cup, her expression slowly turns to confusion, I take a look at her face.
Her hair, originally having dark lavender color tied into a ponytail, now changed into a pale white color.
Her eyes, once a sparkling lavender color filled with warmth, now turned pure dark shade with a distant feel to it.
Overall, her disguised look is now vastly different, if not totally contrary, from her Spirit self. If I didn't know her and knew about this beforehand, I wouldn't even know that this is the same person.
… Maybe a little too well, cause I'm now a bit concerned regarding the maniac look while acting all innocent from Tome.
And yet, despite that, I knew that this was the only solution for her, at least for the moment, after everything that happened.
But still, why donning this haunted look on her if the point is for her to join society
… Should I complain about this to Reine…?
"Shido!!!!"
… Huh?!
When I awake completely from the piercing scream, the first thing I saw… is a concerning Tome inches before my face.
"Wha—what are you doing?!"
I let out a surprise scream, all the while my face quickly turned bright crimson. And yet, Tome just tilts her head cutely, her gaze wavered into that of confusion.
"You're dozing off for a while now. Are you okay?"
"… I'm fine, just thinking about things."
I waved Tone concerns away with a faint laugh, and her gestures softened a bit with the response.
I then turned to the coffee, lifted it to my lips and slowly sipped it, feeling the burning yet sweet sensation fill my tongue…
… The cup sounds… Well, not horrible, but also not good. Tastes kinda boring overall.
"Makemeyourbestlatte."
Hm?
"Shido?"
Tome asked me with a confused tone, probably worried about my sudden stiffness, but my attention isn't on her at the moment.
I stared at the stall, now occupied by a dazzling girl with light indigo hair, wearing the most extravagant dress I've ever seen while expressing a dominant gesture, all the while crowded by a group of girls toward the receptionist.
"I-I'll make it r-right away, n-nee-sama!!"
And the receptionist reacts with a frightened yet delirious look at the girl, which seems pretty weird considering her mundane attitude from earlier.
The girls around her showered her with compliments and requests, all filled with abnormal affection and longing, one that kinda stung me in the brain.
"Humu…"
Tome, following my line of sight, let out a breath with a considerate gaze, while I just felt… weird.
I don't know why, I don't know how… I just feel that girl… is a bad deal.
"Fumu—hm?"
The girl, with a satisfied look while adoring their non-stop admiration, finally turned toward—and stopped.
Her eyes slightly widened, her body slowly shaken, her overall mood shifted completely.
Seeing such a drastic shift in her looks, I subconsciously flinched. For I've already experienced a similar case.
And so that I already knew—this won't end well.
"You…"
The girl begins grunting with hatred, one that slightly jolted me away. And then, as if practiced beforehand, every other girl swarming around her immediately turned toward me with a disdainful look.
"Don't you dare look at me, you filthy scum!!"
She let out a scream, filled with nothing short of resentment, right at my face, as the girls seemingly ready to lunge at me.
But before that could happen, someone suddenly stood between us.
"Hm?"
"Tome?"
Both of us exclaim in surprise, as Tome practically leers at the girl while slightly lifting her arm before me as if… protecting me.
"You…"
The girl, staring at Tome with slightly surprised eyes, murmurs with an undistinguished voice at her, while the others are seemingly ready to attack Tome.
"Don't you dare touch Shido!"
Tome let out a screech at her face, looking just as offensive on that day, with an overall vengeful gaze.
"Oh dear…"
And then, much to my surprise, that girl, instead of lashing out like with me, let out a seductive smile at her.
"Oh you gorgeous… why did you even go with…"
She took a step closer to Tome with an exhilarated smile, which flinched both of us in surprise, while speaking to her with an endearing voice.
"... Him?"
She said the last word with as much venom as possible, her eyes momentarily wandering to me with seething rage.
"Come here."
Tome's body suddenly stiffened with that girl's word… along with mine.
Just now… it was that same sensation from earlier, from when she spoke to that receptionist.
And then, similar to what happened just now, Tome slowly walked toward that smirking girl.
"Wa-wait Tome!!"
I frantically stand up and grasp her arm, as the girl's face immediately frowns down in disgust.
"Ditchhim."
The same sensation waves through me again, before Tome forcefully knocks my hand away and stand before her.
… Huh?
"Fufufu ~ my dear."
The girl slowly stroked Tome with a rather… interested gaze to say the least, while licking her lips in a seductive manner.
"Wait!!"
I immediately approached the girl, intended to stop it all at once… only to be restrained by the others.
"How annoying… typical."
The girl narrow down her eyes with pure disgust at me for a single moment, before lifting Tome head and move closer to her—
No…. No!!!!
I try to break free from their restraint, yet their grasp is abnormally right despite their looks.
"Like the boy say, Izayoi—"
At that moment, everything stopped. Not just the feeling, but the sound, the smell, the movement… they all literally cease to be.
I slowly turned to the main entrance, and saw a lone figure standing there.
And yet, despite the human looks, I knew exactly what it is.
It's here. In an entirely different body. But it's here.
"—Let her go."
The