After having his eyes opened and causing a ruckus aboard the Fraxinus, Shido finally returned home, bringing the still-excited Koushi with him.
Koushi smacked his lips, still savoring the experience, declaring, "This trip was totally worth it; my horizons have been greatly broadened," while stretching and adjusting his slightly disheveled collar.
"Alright, Shido, tonight was highly rewarding! To celebrate my joining this great plan to'save the world (and my sister),' I've decided to go out for a luxurious late-night snack! You don't have to wait up for me!"
Koushi said this, and without waiting for Shido's reply, he bolted toward the door like a gust of wind, yanked it open, and dashed out.
"Hey! Koushi! Wait, outside..."
Shido's outstretched hand —the 'Erkang Hand'—froze in mid-air, and he could only watch helplessly as the door slammed shut behind Koushi with a *clang*, wobbling slightly.
"Sigh..."
Shido sighed helplessly and rubbed his temples, feeling that his daily life was essentially spent looking after two (or perhaps more) problem children.
He walked back to the living room and found that Kotori and Reine were still there. Kotori was leisurely licking a lollipop, while Reine sat quietly beside her.
"Kotori, Miss Reine, Koushi... he ran out saying he wanted to get a late-night snack," Shido reported, a hint of worry in his voice.
Kotori did not lift her head, waving a hand dismissively, looking completely in control:
"Don't worry about him. Fraxinus's miniature drones have already followed him. They will ensure his safety and, incidentally, collect baseline data on his daily behavioral patterns."
Hearing Kotori say this, Shido felt slightly relieved. He sat down on the sofa, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the spot where Tohka had been sitting earlier, then glancing toward the guest room. A question that had been troubling him for a while finally slipped out:
"Um... Kotori, Miss Reine, I still have a question. Why is Tohka... also staying at our house?"
Reine replied in her slightly weary yet unnaturally calm tone: "Naturally —it's for Tohka's continued care."
"Continued care... What do you mean?" Shido was somewhat confused.
"Shido." Reine looked at him, her voice level but carrying an undeniable seriousness.
"Last month, you sealed Tohka's power by kissing her, correct?"
"Y-Yes..." Shido nodded slightly, his cheeks involuntarily flushing again, his lips seemingly recalling the subtle sensation of that moment.
"Aww, big brother is blushing~ How cute~"
Kotori immediately caught this sight and laughed as if genuinely amused.
"Sh-Shut up!"
Shido embarrassedly shifted his gaze, trying to hide his awkwardness.
Reine ignored the sibling's brief interlude and continued to explain:
"... Well, if that were the only thing, it wouldn't matter. However, there is a problem now... Currently, Shido and Tohka are connected by an invisible 'circuit.'"
"A circuit? What does that mean?" Shido was even more confused.
"... Simply put, if Tohka's mental state becomes unstable, the Spirit power sealed within your body might experience a 'backflow.'"
"Wha—!" Shido stiffened completely in fear.
—The sealed power of Tohka... the Spirit's power... will backflow...?
Did that mean Tohka would regain the power to cleave the heavens and split the earth with a single swing of her sword? If that were true —it would lead to a situation that was terrifying just to imagine.
"As you know, Tohka is currently residing in an isolation area on the Fraxinus."
Unsure if Shido's panic had been noticed, Reine continued in a calm tone.
"... Tohka's mental state is constantly monitored... When she stays on the Fraxinus, she seems to accumulate stress faster than when she is at school."
"Is... Is that so?"
"... Exactly. Furthermore, she doesn't seem to like the twice-daily routine checkups. Although it's still within the acceptable range for now, ignoring it wouldn't be a long-term solution. That's why we're doing this."
Reine put a finger to her chin. "... The inspection results show stable conditions, so we figured it was about time to move Tohka's residence out into the outside world."
"I... I see... So that's how it is."
"... Yes. Therefore, until the special housing unit for Spirits is completed, we decided to let Tohka temporarily stay in this house."
"Please, wait."
Shido held his forehead with his right hand, his cheek twitching. The information overload was too much; he needed a moment to process it.
"... Is something wrong?"
"Wh-Why did you choose my house?" After Shido posed the question, Reine muttered softly.
"... Well, to put it simply. Tohka can maintain the most stable condition as long as she is with you."
"Eh...!" Hearing this sudden statement made Shido hold his breath.
"... Conversely, apart from you, no other human has yet earned Tohka's trust. Although Kotori and I have had more opportunities to meet with her."
"—But... we want to place Tohka in a highly secure location first, hoping to use this opportunity to test if she can adapt to this kind of life."
"... Mmm..." Shido, whose forehead was beaded with sweat, groaned softly.
Indeed, after hearing the explanation, Shido finally understood the underlying logic.
Tohka trusts him, relies on him, and can only maintain emotional stability when she is near him, thus avoiding the huge risk of power backflow.
Placing her in his own home was indeed the most logical and safest solution currently available.
Furthermore—well, he didn't actually dislike the fact that "Tohka trusts him"... In fact, deep down, there was a subtle feeling of being needed.
However, thinking about the immediate prospect of permanently hosting a Spirit girl with a massive appetite, a poor grasp of modern common sense, and a subtle connection to him, plus his newly moved-in, headache-inducing troublemaker friend Koushi... Shido felt as though he could already foresee the chaotic and "lively" future life. He sighed deeply, deeply, feeling the burden on his shoulders grow heavier still.
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