Encounters

Tohka’s eyes sparkled, mirroring the delight of a child who had just found their most cherished toy.

“Kinako bread? But…”

Tohka seemed to lack any understanding of such an item. Faced with this unknown, she found herself unsure of how to proceed.

“It appears she only came due to the scent of bread earlier. Shido, why don’t you buy her one to try?”

Kotori let out a soft sigh of relief, then delivered her instructions with a teasing lilt in her voice.

Shido observed Tohka, brimming with curiosity yet hesitant to approach due to her underlying suspicion. He readily agreed to Kotori’s suggestion.

“Tohka, don’t wander off. Wait for me.”

With those words, Shido stepped into the shop.

“Why is Yina’s cooking always so incredibly delicious? Did you used to cook often?”

Yisha gently rubbed her slightly overstuffed stomach, a look of pure bliss gracing her features.

Compared to Yisha’s voracious eating, a whirlwind of consumption like a hungry ghost reborn, Yina’s pace was remarkably slow. She took small, delicate bites, chewing each mouthful with unhurried grace.

Moreover, she consistently followed every chopstick of a dish with an equal measure of rice.

‘How does Yina manage to sit here eating for an entire half-hour? It’s making me incredibly impatient!’

Yisha, growing restless, heard the faint jingle of the bell above the door.

“Hm? My apologies, but we’re not open today.”

Yisha addressed the blue-haired boy who had just entered, then inexplicably felt the urge to slap herself.

‘When will I ever conquer this habit of my mouth outpacing my brain!’

The swiftness of her change in demeanor stemmed from her recognizing the boy’s face.

He possessed blue hair and a rather neutral, common face—so utterly unremarkable that he could be found anywhere. He was, quite simply, an ordinary boy.

Yet, Yisha had seen him before. More precisely, she had encountered his details within the student archives.

Having previously identified Itsuka Kotori as a unique individual, Yisha had naturally undertaken a thorough investigation into her family’s background.

Regrettably, she had uncovered nothing substantial. While the parents were on extended business trips with unknown destinations, it was presumed their research involved classified information, rendering it untraceable.

The sister, too, was exceptionally unique. But this eldest son…

‘Even if he was adopted, could he truly be this unremarkable?’

Driven by this lingering question, Yisha had also delved into his history prior to adoption. Alas, that aspect had been meticulously erased, so thoroughly that it led her to suspect Itsuka Shido might be an artificial human.

“Ah? My apologies for disturbing…”

Before Shido could even finish his sentence, the girl who had spoken to him moments earlier appeared instantly before him.

“No, no, no, I just misremembered! We are open today. What can I get for you, sir?”

Without allowing him a chance to react, Yisha took his hand and guided him into the shop.

“Hmph~ How irritating.”

A voice of complaint drifted from the side. Yisha furrowed her brow, turning her head towards the source of the sound.

“Ooh ho~ How intriguing~”

Shido listened to the girl’s enigmatic words, feeling utterly perplexed.

“Um, do you still have kinako bread here? I’d like to buy one.”

The boy stated his purpose. Yisha offered him a professional smile and a nod.

“Certainly~ Which kind would you prefer, customer? We just opened today, so freshly made ones will take a moment. We also have some left over from yesterday.

If you’d like a fresh one, please feel free to wait at the table on the side.”

“Hmm…”

Shido found himself in a dilemma. Meanwhile, the support team on the airship eagerly presented their options.

“One: Purchase a freshly made one, have Tohka rest here, and simultaneously impart some common knowledge.”

“Two: Purchase yesterday’s bread, and swiftly proceed to the next designated dating location.”

“Three: Buy nothing at all. Instead, drag her directly to Dreamland and feed her deoxyribonucleic acid.”

“Everyone, cast your votes!”

The final tally stood at 3:3:1.

Predictably, no one selected the last option. It should be noted that this refers to normal individuals, perverts excluded.

“Who chose three?”

Kotori swept her gaze across her subordinates, a dark expression clouding her face. In unison, they all shook their heads.

“Ah~ Tohka’s absolute power! If we were to go there, I would undoubtedly be crushed beneath her feet and mercilessly beaten, perhaps even with her Angel.

Ah~~ The mere thought of being violently trampled and assaulted by Tohka-chan… I cannot, I must not betray the Commander… Ah~~~”

The handsome blonde man, Vice Commander Kannazuki, declared with a theatrical flourish.

‘A pervert.’ [by everyone]

“Indeed, a pervert. I imagine you can endure even more perverse situations, can’t you?”

Kotori snapped her fingers. Instantly, two robust, ‘philosophical’ men appeared beside him. Each seized one of his arms and promptly escorted him away.

“You can enjoy a thorough exchange with the members of the Free Club. I’m certain you’ll gain many valuable insights.”

The girl waved her hand, dismissing the Vice Commander—a man undeniably capable in his duties, yet equally undeniable in his peculiar personality.

“Shido, choose option one. Take this chance to rest well. Later, unless Tohka explicitly states she’s tired, you won’t have a moment’s peace.”

Upon receiving the command, Shido informed Yisha of his preference for a freshly made bread, then went outside to retrieve Tohka.

Some of the crew expressed their confusion regarding Kotori’s decision.

“Why opt for freshly made? We have the Date City at our disposal; shouldn’t we dictate the terms of the date?”

“The Dancer remains within this city. Changing areas impulsively risks her discovering us. If that sparks her suspicion, we’ll face a major predicament.

Reine, how are your preparations coming along?”

“The transfer of the shopping street’s shops still requires another thirty minutes. We are currently deploying personnel there.”

Kotori sighed, a sound of exasperation, upon hearing Reine’s report.

“Without the Date City, our efficiency drops so drastically. Reduce that time to within twenty minutes. By then, the bread should probably be……”

Just then, an earth-shattering roar erupted from the speakers. The sound was so immense that it made them wonder if someone had forgotten breakfast and was causing a ruckus on the bridge.

A flock of crows flew past, and a deathly silence descended upon everyone. No one dared to voice a thought about the deafening noise.

“Grumble~~~~~”

Yina looked at Tohka with a touch of surprise. She had never imagined a stomach could rumble with such tremendous volume; even Yisha, when hungry, remained silent.

Having grown up within her family, always well-fed and comfortable, she had never worried about worldly matters. Strictly speaking, this was the very first time she had heard a stomach growl.

“Has this young lady not had her meal yet?”

Out of both responsibility to a customer and the knowledge that the other party was a Spirit, Yina gently inquired.

“Yeah, I came out with Shido this morning. We were so caught up in our date.”

Tohka slumped onto the table, visibly dispirited.

“Excuse me, I’ll just take her…”

Yina smiled, gracefully interrupting him. She bowed slightly and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone.

“Sir, allowing your girlfriend to go hungry is hardly the mark of a true gentleman. Since you’re waiting for my sister to finish the bread, our shop will offer a special courtesy today: we’ll prepare breakfast for you both, free of charge.

Please wait just a moment.”

As her words concluded, Yina, having perfectly executed her polite gestures, turned and stepped into the kitchen, intent on finding ingredients and rekindling the stove.

“Uh…”

Shido sensed something amiss, yet he couldn’t quite articulate it. Was it the shop’s unique character, or the proprietress’s unusual nature?

A bread shop that offered breakfast, with a proprietress so eager to aid a date that she declined any payment.

‘Is it both?’

The boy abandoned his contemplation, choosing instead to explain more about this world to Tohka.

This encompassed, but was not limited to, kitchens, pots and pans, various ingredients, kitchen knives, and even billhooks.

Shido ceased his explanations only after detailing every unfamiliar object in the shop to Tohka. He took a sip of water to soothe his throat, inwardly reviewing whether he had misspoken anywhere.

‘Is this just my imagination? I feel quite uneasy here, and did something peculiar slip into my explanation just now?’

His thoughts yielded no answers, so Shido simply gave up. Judging by the enticing aromas wafting from the kitchen, both individuals were nearing completion of their cooking.