“Really? Can I actually hold a cosplay convention at DEM?”
Natsumi excitedly leaned over the office desk, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Aili.
“No problem at all. A single phone call is all it takes to organize it.”
Aili, whose small head was barely visible above the office chair, stated.
“After all, we have an abundance of powerful, beautiful girls here, and most of them have now become their master’s dependents!”
“That’s wonderful! I love you, Lily-chan.”
Natsumi hugged Aili and gave her a fierce kiss.
“Ow, ow, ow! Stop it, I can’t breathe!”
Though Aili said this, a clear expression of delight graced her face.
Only after Natsumi released her embrace did Aili instruct Ellen, “Ellen-mama, please make a call and inform them that all the Second Executive Department’s magicians who are in the company tonight must attend the cosplay convention.”
“Understood!”
“I’m counting on you, Little A.”
I lay sprawled nearby, observing the entire exchange, and couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.
After all, it was Ellen who had originally captured Natsumi for the inversion experiment. It was quite unexpected to see them getting along so well now, with no hint of their past relationship.
One could only say that Natsumi, the ‘old auntie,’ possessed a remarkably good mentality. It was no wonder she consistently served as a comedic relief character in the original story without much issue.
After all, the old auntie was useless at everything except for aiding the enemy, where she excelled.
Kurumi, on the other hand, was still glaring at Ellen with eyes full of resentment.
“Kurumi, are you still thinking about the First Spirit?” I asked.
“Yes. Even if I manage to gather enough spiritual power to travel thirty years into the past, I still wouldn’t be able to defeat the First Spirit.”
Kurumi fell into distress. She had finally obtained information about the First Spirit from Natsumi, only to learn that even with this knowledge, it was useless. The power gap between her and the First Spirit was too vast to overcome.
It was crucial to remember that Mio Takamiya, the First Spirit, was the root of all Kurumi’s tragedies. Deceived by Mio, Kurumi had mistakenly killed her dearest friend, Sawa Yamauchi. This was why Kurumi had obsessively sought a way to eliminate the First Spirit and reverse everything.
Yet, if she lacked the power to kill Mio Takamiya, then all her efforts were merely impotent fantasies.
However, other methods did exist.
“Isaac Ray Peram Westcott!”
Kurumi glanced at Aili with her wine-red right eye.
“Ellen Mira Mathers!”
Kurumi then looked at Ellen.
“And Elliot Baldwin Woodman!”
This time, Kurumi didn’t look at anyone, instead lowering her head in contemplation.
“These three are the true culprits. If I were to return further into the past and eliminate them, then… Ow, what are you doing?”
As Kurumi was deep in thought, I gently pawed at her face with my feline paw pads. It left no mark on her flawless complexion, but it was enough to redirect her attention to me.
“Kurumi, I know you have your reasons, but don’t overthink things right now. There will always be a way to reach a happy ending.”
“So, unless it’s absolutely the last resort, it’s best not to use methods like altering the timeline, whose consequences are unknown. Who knows if traveling to the past will create a time loop or cause even greater trouble?”
“Ara ara, Miss Qianye certainly cares about me, doesn’t she?”
As Kurumi spoke, she lifted me onto her lap and began stroking my soft fur.
“Meow!”
I purred involuntarily, utterly comfortable.
‘Wait, what am I doing? Why am I feeling comfortable?’
‘Damn it, I’ve been a cat for too long; my thoughts are being affected. No, I need to return to my own body.’
‘Anyway, everything that needed to be done is done. It’s time to go back.’
“Kurumi, I’m returning to Tengu City. You can decide what to do next.”
“Tengu City? Is it for that boy named Itsuka Shido?”
Kurumi quickly grasped my intentions, a dazzling smile gracing her crimson lips.
“Ara ara, I’m curious to see what kind of charm this boy, capable of sealing Spirits, possesses.”
“It won’t be long. You’ll find out soon enough.”
With that, I transmitted my consciousness back to my original body.
In an apartment somewhere in Tengu City, I abruptly opened my eyes. I then stretched out my hand, wiggling my fingers towards the ceiling.
“Hah, my original body feels so much better!”
I propped myself up, and the duvet slid away, revealing skin as smooth and pristine as white jade.
“Now, let our date (war) begin!”
****
“Onii-chan, get up quickly, Onii-chan!”
Kotori, wearing her white ribbons, skipped down the hallway, completely disregarding Shido, who was still asleep.
“Onii-chan, hurry and get up… Huh? The door’s open? Has Onii-chan already woken up?”
Noticing Shido’s door ajar, Kotori happily pushed it open and rushed inside.
“Onii-chan, hurry up and make breakfast… ε=(´ο｀*))) Huh?”
The moment Kotori entered, she saw her brother, Itsuka Shido, wearing a blue wig, women’s underwear, and a skirt.
“No… no, it’s not like that, Kotori! Listen to me, I can explain!”
Shido frantically tried to cover himself, looking as flustered as a maiden caught changing in her boudoir.
Kotori didn’t bother listening to Shido’s explanation. Instead, she quietly closed the door, removed her white ribbons, replaced them with black ones, then opened the door again and took a deep breath.
“Idiot Shido, what in the world are you doing?!”
Kotori’s voice echoed throughout the entire Itsuka residence.