Meanwhile, on the other side.
Rikuo was eating lunch in the classroom, while Tomori and Anon were practicing on the rooftop. After all, the band's first live performance was this weekend.
"It should be Sakiko-sensei, right? Wakaba Takafumi's matters are probably almost handled?"
Rikuo picked up his phone and saw Wakaba's note on it.
"What, it's Wakaba Takafumi."
He answered the call.
"Hello, Kamiyama-san, I am Mr. Wakaba's steward. From now on, I will be responsible for coordinating medical matters with you. We have already contacted the first client, and now we only need you to come for treatment. The address is..."
"Okay, I understand. I'll go for treatment right away. Is there anything else?"
"No, then I won't disturb Kamiyama-san's time. Please hang up the phone."
Rikuo didn't ask any more questions and hung up the phone.
"Sakiko's side must have finished coordinating, right? This one was quite fast today. Then I'll go to the hospital first. It's quite close; at full speed, I can probably be back before lunch break ends."
Rikuo used Concealment, summoned the Blue Spader, transformed into Blade, and rushed to the hospital.
"But why wasn't it Sakiko who notified me?"
...
Kichijoji.
After several days of repairs, the temple courtyard had been rebuilt.
Sakiko pushed open the old wooden door of the worship hall, and wind chimes jingled in the breeze. The temple was filled with the scent of incense, and Shima Noboru was sitting cross-legged beside the Buddha statue, holding a steaming cup of hojicha.
"Togawa-san, you are truly a person of action."
He looked up and smiled, gentle fine lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes.
"You got the Ace of Hearts's approval in just one day?"
Sakiko quickly stepped forward and took out the faintly glowing Ace of Hearts card from her pocket. The mantis in the heart highlighted its extraordinary nature.
"Shima-san, since I have passed the test, can I help Rikuo now? He needs a complete Rider System to fight, right?"
Shima Noboru did not answer immediately. Instead, he slowly put down his teacup and picked up an exquisite black lacquered wooden box from beside him. The lid of the box was carved with thirteen playing cards in relief, with a blank Joker in the center, representing the passing of another Joker.
"First, I need to correct you on one point. So far, the Kamen Rider is only Rikuo-san. And I'm not very clear about how you plan to help him."
Shima Noboru handed over the wooden box, and Sakiko solemnly took it with both hands.
"The contents of the wooden box will be a manifestation of your inner self. From what I understand, Rikuo-san's is a pen, representing the rewriting of destiny. So he can become the Kamen Rider of his ideals. As for you, Togawa-san, to be honest, I don't know how you can become a character like him; it's up to you."
"A manifestation of my inner self?"
Sakiko held the wooden box, wondering what her inner manifestation would be.
"Could it be the Ave Mujica mask?"
Shima Noboru picked up his teacup, preparing to take a sip, but hearing Sakiko's words, he smiled slightly, shook his head, and put down the teacup.
"It's not what you're thinking. The inner manifestation will be a representation of your inner resolve, similar to a Tarot card reading."
Sakiko nodded and solemnly opened the box.
Inside was a red plastic mug with a small blue octopus drawn on it, wearing an angry expression.
"Shima-san, are you sure you didn't pick up the wrong box?"
Sakiko took the mug out of the wooden box and waved it a few times in front of Shima Noboru, her face full of questions.
"...I definitely didn't pick up the wrong one. Your inner manifestation is indeed very special."
Shima Noboru was silent for a few seconds, barely maintaining his expression.
"But this... mug, it doesn't look like it can turn into a Rider Belt. If Rikuo's pen means rewriting destiny, then what does a mug mean?"
Sakiko's doubts grew even stronger upon hearing Shima Noboru's confirmed reply.
"Similar to Rikuo-san's pen, you need to look at the intended purpose of your manifested object and the meaning it represents. Speaking of cups, one cannot ignore the Holy Grail, which is a symbol of salvation and the goddess of life, and also represents a pure heart. Although, your Holy Grail might be a bit special."
Sakiko looked at the octopus mug in front of her, unable to connect it with the legendary Holy Grail.
"Shima-san said before that I am to be Rikuo's salvation. So, even though this Holy Grail looks very strange, it's generally fine, right? Probably..."
"It's fine in the end. How to use it specifically is up to you. I imagine Rikuo-san also didn't understand how to use the pen at first."
After hearing Shima Noboru's words, Sakiko bowed deeply to him again.
"Anyway, thank you, Shima-san. I should take my leave now. I've been avoiding Rikuo all day today; he's probably getting suspicious."
Shima Noboru waved his hand slightly, took an undead card from under a coaster, and handed it to Sakiko.
"The wind is quite strong at the end of spring. I almost forgot it was pressed under there. Take this; it's some help for you. It's 6 of Hearts, and its ability is a wind attribute bonus."
Sakiko took the undead card.
"Thank you, Shima-san. This time, I'm really leaving."
"Go, go."
Sakiko put away the 6 of Hearts. There was nowhere to put the mug she was holding, so she just held it and examined it.
"Although I feel all the necessary preparations have been made, I can't imagine how to fight with a mug."
Sakiko walked out of Kichijoji and suddenly remembered that she should call Rikuo back.
"After all, I told Rikuo this morning that I was going to deal with Wakaba Takafumi's matters. There's been no news until now; this preparation wasn't thorough enough."
Sakiko found Rikuo's phone number, noted as Mr. Hero. Sakiko thought for a moment, opened the edit bar, deleted the original note, and changed it to 'Beloved Idiot'.
She dialed the number, and Rikuo answered after about 5 seconds of ringing.
"Rikuo, today's client also..."
"Today's client? I already went for treatment at noon. The patient's emotions are very stable. He woke up and thought I was a liar. He said, 'How could I be in a vegetative state when I feel so good?'"
After Rikuo treated him with 2 of Hearts in Concealment, he deactivated his transformation. The surveillance was handled in advance with magnetic manipulation. The result was that the patient, upon waking, only felt refreshed and didn't believe he had been in a vegetative state just moments before.
"Is that so? That's quite interesting then."
'Good thing Rikuo interrupted me, or I would have been exposed.'
"Indeed, when I saw his family come over, I finally felt the satisfaction of showing off and slapping faces. This wave was not a loss. By the way, Sakiko, where are you now? I didn't see you at the hospital."
"I... after I finished dealing with things, I was going to practice piano. After all, the band is about to be formed, and I still need to practice a lot."
'I was indeed planning to go to the Wind Instrument Club to practice piano! So I didn't lie! At most, it's a difference in information!'
"Is that so? Poor Sakiko-sensei still has to borrow other people's pianos. Tomorrow, no, the day after tomorrow afternoon, I'll go with you to buy an electronic piano."
"Okay, then I'll hang up now. I still have to go practice piano."
"Okay, Sakiko-sensei, I love you."
"Mm, me too."
Sakiko shyly hung up the phone.
"I wonder how Rikuo can always say 'I love you.' I feel so shy just echoing it."
Sakiko didn't even think about what she did in the Ace of Hearts space.
At the same time, Rikuo was also confused.
"What did Sakiko-sensei just say? 'Me too'?"
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