Tohka noticed that Shido was in a bad mood lately. No, calling it "bad" would be an exaggeration but she could detect something was off. Although Shido didn't show it on his face, Tohka could tell based off the rough air in his movements. And it wasn't just a one-time event. It was something that happened everyday now.
"Shido… is there something wrong?" One day, Tohka decided to confront Shido about it.
"Hmm? What's this all about?" Of course, Shido didn't understand what Tohka was saying. He smiled at Tohka and while that smile was endearing as always, Tohka refused to step down.
"I've been watching Shido carefully. Even though Shido hides it, you always look as if something's on your mind. You keep sighing a lot and I even hear you groaning in your room whenever I sleep, muu."
"Ah, re-really…? Maybe it's just your imagination?" Shido tried to answer calmly but he couldn't help let out a stutter of nervousness. Tohka didn't miss this.
"Shido… did something… or somebody do something to you?" She calmly grabbed Shido's hand and looked at him with concern. Her purple eyes were shaking in distress, enough to make Shido feel guilty.
"I…"
"Please, talk to me, Shido," Tohka begged.
Shido stayed silent.
Lately, he had found his days a lot more boring with laundry and cooking being the only entertainment (he knew this was an uncommon hobby but so what, sue him). Even though he'd do his best to immerse himself in everyday life with the Spirits…
Kihihihi, shall I finally… eat Shido-san?
… his mind would always be thinking of his night with Kurumi. Who could blame him? That blowjob he experienced was unearthly. The way her tongue had just wrapped around his dick so perfectly and that dominative, seductive look in her eyes when she said that line… it still gave him the shivers.
"Shido?" Tohka narrowed her eyes at Shido, to which he immediately broke out of his daydream of Kurumi. He completely forgot about Tohka.
"It's just like I thought. Shido, you…"
"!" Her sharp glare was enough to make Shido gulp.
"…finally found out that I stole your pudding from the refrigerator, right?!"
"…eh?"
"Don't play dumb! The reason for Shido's sighing and groaning was because you must've been filled with hunger from not being able to eat such a delicacy, umu!"
"…haha, I guess I've been figured out." Shido rode the flow of this absurd development. He figured it was better than Tohka figuring out about Kurumi. Yet…
"Shido could've just told me if you wanted some pudding." Tohka said with a huge smile. "I'm going to buy as much pudding as I can and make sure Shido doesn't suffer anymore!
…guilt filled him. Tohka was genuinely worried about him yet he repaid her concern by lying to her face. It was the worst feeling possible.
"Tohka, actually, I…"
"Mmmm?" Tohka looked at him curiously.
"…it's nothing."
In the end, Shido couldn't bring himself to tell the truth upon seeing Tohka's clear eyes. He couldn't let Tohka and the others know about what Kurumi did with him, about how he willingly submitted to her and yearned for her every day. He wouldn't be able to stand their disappointment in him.
That's why he had to repress his feelings about Kurumi. But, God, was it impossible. Lust and lechery continued to fill his mind and cause sleepless nights. He could only hear Kurumi's sultry voice, telling him to give in to her and enjoy all the pleasures she could offer if he surrendered. There wasn't a single day where he could go through without relieving himself. Kurumi's joke about him doing that every night became a reality.
Shido couldn't get Kurumi out of his head and it was starting to visibly show. If even Tohka was able to figure out something was wrong, how long would it be for someone like Kotori to find out? Maybe they already had their suspicions.
Shido hoped to get a hold of himself. How would he be able to confront Spirits, both the ones he already sealed and the ones he had yet to meet, with an honest and sincere attitude if all he could think about was Kurumi?
When Shido woke up feeling his body a bit hotter than usual, he didn't take too much note of it. When he felt a pang of dizziness when arriving at school, he thought that he was just tired from sleeping too late. He probably should have gotten the hint when his pencil broke when writing but at that time, he thought that his pencil was just wearing out.
"I…don't feel so good." However, during gym class, after giving inhuman results from the physical tests, Shido collapsed to floor. Tohka, Origami, Kaguya, and Yuzuru saw this and rushed to his side.
"Shido, what happened?!"
"…how did he come to school like this? His temperature is 41ºC, his heartbeat rate is 125 bpm, and his blood pressure is at 160/140."
"Uhh, that sounds really bad! Even though I didn't understand anything!"
"Concern. He has a high fever."
Needless to say, they brought the unconscious Shido to Ratatoskr to be taken in for examination. Soon, the rest of the Spirits were gathered outside anxiously.
"Darling! What happened to Darling?!" Miku grasped Kaguya's hands as worry began to grow on her face. Unfortunately, Kaguya didn't have an answer for her.
"It's all my fault," Natsumi muttered. "When I said goodbye to him in the morning, he must've caught germs from my stinky breath, and now he's in this state. Agh, kill me now. I should've known that nobody needs someone as ugly, useless, disgusting, rotten, cheap as me…"
"Ummm, Natsumi-san… I don't think Shido-san is like this due to that…" Yoshino did her best to reassure Natsumi but it seemed that Natsumi was too stressed out from Shido's condition to listen.
"Shido…" Tohka prayed for Shido to be fine.
Meanwhile, Reine and Kotori were analyzing his body inside the Medical Realizer scanner. Reine, after looking at the monitor, gave a sigh. She had finished Shido's diagnosis.
"What's his status?" Kotori asked. She did her best to suppress the unease that her heart was emitting, keeping her voice under control.
Reine kept her eyes on the screen, recording the last of the results into the database before finally replying, "His sealed Reiryoku is overheating. The readings that Shin is giving off are basically like a Spirit."
Kotori frowned. "Is there a specific reason for this? I thought Shido was a vessel capable of holding the Spirit's Reiryoku. Don't tell me there was a limit?"
"There isn't a limit but…" Reine looked at Shido first before telling Kotori with a complicated expression. "Listen carefully and don't panic." Kotori nodded gravely as the situation seemed to have taken a grim turn.
Reine continued, "While the increased amount of Reiryoku inside Shin's body is one of the factors, the main reason the Reiryoku is going haywire is because Shin…" Kotori gulped. "… is sexually frustrated."
"…" Kotori looked at Reine.
"…" Reine returned the stare in equal silence.
"…wait, wait, wait, wait. I think I misheard you. Can you say that again, Reine?" Kotori pinched the bridge of her nose with closed eyes, her other hand shaking in the air in denial. Her ears must be going bad. Otherwise, she wouldn't have heard such a ridiculous thing.
Unfortunately, Reine shattered her hopes. "Considering Shin's neuropathic and emotional readings, the reason for Shin's condition is due to his sexual frustration. It is similar to how if the sealed Spirits are distressed, their Reiryoku will come back to them."
Kotori could only be flabbergasted as she looked as Shido, sleeping still in the Realizer. That Shido, sexually frustrated? Reine continued, "If we don't seal his Reiryoku by midnight, he will be in a critical situation, possibly dying. Thankfully, the solution to this is easy. Shin has been suppressing his frustration, constantly building up stress inside him. Thus, we just have to create an outlet for his pent-up emotions."
"And in order for us to do that, we have to seduce Shido and increase his happiness level." Kotori gave her understanding to Reine's suggestion but couldn't help look at Shido in a different light. Maybe being around such beautiful girls was too much for him? Shido never showed any signs of desire towards the Spirits so she found this hard to believe but she couldn't go against the data results. Reine did say that Shido was forcefully suppressing himself.
"I guess even Onii-chan is a boy with urges."
Two hours later…
"What do you mean sexually frustrated? He's literally a monk!" Kotori immediately complained to Reine, who could only shake her head perplexedly in response. She didn't think the situation would be escalated to this degree. Both of them thought that since Shido's libido was now higher than normal, this would be an easy task but that was far from the case.
Shido was an immovable fortress. Whatever the Spirits planned, no matter how lewd or suggestive it was, Shido's happiness level remained constant, only slightly fluctuating but never to the required level needed for resealing. Even Origami, who went full naked, much to the Spirit's protest, only received Shido's admonishment without any significant change to his happiness level.
And to make it worse, Shido was currently missing, having gone on a rampage due to his unstable Reiryoku. Having gone into an unconscious state, he used Metatron's and Raphael's power of light and wind to accelerate his speed and Gabriel's power to enhance his already fast mobility. It was an unprecedented combination of abilities that made all the Spirits open their mouths in astonishment as he flew across the atmosphere at unprecedented speed, escaping their sight in a blink of an eye. It was only when they realized the severity of the situation did they get a hold of themselves.
"Muu, is there anything we can do? At this rate, Shido will…!" Tohka exclaimed. It couldn't end this way. After everything that Shido did for them, for her, she couldn't even do this single thing for him. It was frustrating.
"But even if we find him… what can we do? … Shido-san doesn't… get affected…" Yoshino said in a defeated manner. She employed every tactic in her arsenal, whether it was acting cute or playing clumsy but nothing worked on Shido.
The white puppet on Yoshino's left hand, Yoshinon, added, "Exactly! If anything, Shido-kun is at fault! How is he not excited in front of our cute, cute Yoshino!"
"Eh, Yo-Yoshinon!" Yoshino tried to silence him, embarrassed by his excessive praise.
Overall, the situation was looking gloomy. The Spirits were incapable of solving Shido's Reiryoku condition and he had even escaped to who knows where. Reine and the other Ratatoskr's staff were doing their best to track him but as Yoshino said, even if they found him, what could they do?
"We're wasting time. We need to find Shido and make sure that he's safe. We can worry about other things later." Kotori broke the looming silence. As commander of Ratatoskr, she had to take the initiative and set an example for the Spirits around her. If she wanted to help Shido, they couldn't just stand here doing nothing.
Thankfully, the Spirits became motivated and under Kotori's direction, they split up to different areas to quickly find him. However, when Kotori came to Origami to tell her where to go, she unexpectedly refused. As for why...
"I'm have an idea and if I'm right, Shido can be saved."
"What?! Is that true?" Kotori asked but Origami shook her head, not wanting to get her hopes up. "I'm not confident and it's only a suspicion of mine. However, seeing our situation, it may be our only option."
She refused to explain any further, saying that she didn't want to worry her unnecessarily. After encouraging Kotori to find Shido quickly, Origami left the venue, going off to a place unknown.
Kurumi was on top of a skyscraper, looking down at the city lights as she observed the entire city with her mismatched-colored eyes. Of course, Kurumi wasn't here to enjoy the scenery. Over here, it was very easy to see where all her clones were for information gathering and almost nothing was hidden under her network. Thus, it was a simple matter to see the situation with Shido and the surprising guest that was making her way to her.
Swoosh!
A beautiful white figure from the night sky immediately dropped down on the roof, her blue eyes locked onto the gothic Spirit. Kurumi promptly recognized the person. Such a bright attire and white hair could only allude to one person.
"I finally found you, Nightmare." Origami opened her mouth as she descended to the rooftop.
Kurumi, giving a small curtsy, replied, "Ara, we have an interesting guest over here. To what do I owe the pleasure for this visit? Surely, you're not going to ask me again to send you back 5 years ago. We all know how that went, kihihihihi."
Kurumi wouldn't have found it surprising if she was looking at a doll based on the girl's expressionless face. However, if one looked closely, one would see that there was a slight wrinkle of dislike in the girl's face.
"Nightmare, don't push your luck. I'm not in the mood for jokes."
"Ara, it seems that I touched something I shouldn't have. So, what else would Origami-san want from me?" Kurumi stopped her giggling but her taunting smile didn't disappear.
When Origami saw her smile, she felt tempted to go up and dig her fist into that cocky face. However, as much as Origami wanted to tear her apart, a more pressing matter was at stake.
"Shido's in trouble." Origami began to explain. "His Reiryoku is out of control an-."
"I already know of the situation." Kurumi interrupted, not wanting to hear something her clones had repeatedly reported to her. She continued, "What's your point?"
"Can you help him?" Seeing there was no need to explain the situation, Origami decided to get straight to her request.
However, Kurumi raised her eyebrow at Origami. "Ara ara, what makes you think my assistance will be of any use? Isn't his situation quite the peculiar one?"
"That's exactly why I'm asking you. Aren't you the person Shido is seeing secretly behind our backs and the reason why he's sexually frustrated?"
"Ara ara, I didn't know Origami-san was capable of making such ridiculous jokes. Does Origami-san truly believe such a thing?" Kurumi narrowed her eyes at Origami's allegation, causing Origami's instincts to scream of danger. However, Origami forcefully kept her gaze firm, not backing down from Kurumi's glare.
When Origami initially saw Shido's change, she immediately deduced back then that he had an explicit experience with a girl. However, no matter how deep she investigated, she couldn't find any evidence of who this girl was. Shido obviously wasn't going to tell her. However, no evidence was evidence also.
Origami had already confirmed that it couldn't be any of the Spirits living with Shido, as she would've noticed any suspicious behavior between them and Shido. It couldn't be somebody from school; Origami was always observing Shido during this time, with there being no irregularities.
Thus, the only girl left who had a connection with Shido was Tokisaki Kurumi. With her control over shadows, it would be easy to meet up with Shido secretly without catching Origami's eye. As much as Origami hated the idea, it all made sense.
Seeing Origami's convinced expression, Kurumi released her glare with a laugh. It seemed that no matter what she said, Origami wouldn't believe her. "I'm glad that you think so highly of me. Didn't I tell you when we first met? That I'll make Shido mine and become one with him."
"…So, you're not denying you had sex with him." Even if Origami was confident, she didn't want to believe it and hoped Kurumi would tell her that she was wrong. But, seeing that Kurumi's positive response, she could only reply gloomily.
Kurumi looked amusedly at Origami. "Don't worry. Shido-san and I haven't crossed the final line but…" Kurumi licked her lips seductively. "I will say that we got very intimate with each other. Shido-san truly is delicious."
"…I see."
"Ah, forgive me." Kurumi bowed her head but not after adding patronizingly, "Origami-san wouldn't know now since she never had Shido-san's cock in her mouth, did she?"
"Nightmare, watch your mouth!"
Swish!
The air became turbulent as Origami's Reiryoku leaked out in a spike of killing intent. Origami, who was trying to hold back, finally had enough as white feather-like pillars spread behind her back, all of them aimed at Kurumi. Origami just had to give the command and at a moment's notice, dozens of lasers would be fired towards the gothic Spirit.
Despite this however, Kurumi's composure wasn't shaken and made no signs of movement. As if watching an entertaining show, she adorned a leisure smile and her eyes were filled with interest. Just the sight of her confidence only tempted Origami further to let loose.
Origami bit her lips.
Her Angel retreating, the lights that had temporarily lit up the night sky disappeared as the atmosphere calmed down. Holding herself back at the last moment, Origami calmed herself down. If she attacked now, all hopes for negotiation would be lost. As much as she hated it, Kurumi was in control right now and they both knew it.
"Nightmare, will you help Shido?" She asked, keeping her voice under control.
"Hmmm, I don't know. Will I?" Kurumi didn't give a straight answer as she looked to the side, playing with her fingers. "Origami-san was just about to attack me so I'm not feeling too inclined to help, you see." Kurumi turned back to Origami, expectant to see what kind of emotion Origami would have. Would it be frustration? Would it be despair? Or would it just be the usual boring expressionless face?
However, to her shock, Kurumi was met with an indescribable sight.
Origami was kneeling with her head to the ground in the dogeza position. It felt uncharacteristic to Kurumi who knew how proudful Origami was.
"Please, I'm begging you. Tokisaki Kurumi."
Clenching her fists and biting her lips, Origami spoke in anguish.
"Shido…he…he's someone that I don't deserve. He was willing to take the hand of a murderer like me… and offer relief when I had no right to. I... can't even describe how thankful, how much I'm indebted to him…"
The memory of Shido reaching her hand out to her while she was suffering from guilt from killing her parents, and taking her away from her Inverse form, that memory brought an intense emotion of love that she could barely contain.
"If he were to die…" Her voice cracked. "… then I would rather die than live a life without him! And not just me! There are people who still need him, people who still love him! Tokisaki Kurumi, you can take all my Reiryoku! Only, please, save Shido!"
"…"
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Kurumi. Here was a Spirit, who was offering her Reiryoku, her very life for something that Kurumi was already planning to do. After all, Shido dying would put all her plans in vain. She couldn't just have that happen. But, if she was able to partake in Origami's Reiryoku as a bonus, who was she to refuse?
Kurumi silently walked up towards Origami before stretching her hand out. However, she stood still in that position, not activating her City of Devouring Time yet. Only an unreadable expression could be seen from Kurumi.
A heavy silence settled in the atmosphere.
Was it one minute? Two minutes? Ten minutes? One hour? Origami felt an eternity had passed but she kept her head on the ground, not daring to look up. It was until finally…
"Kihihihi, you really changed, Origami-san."
Origami lifted her face towards Kurumi but abruptly found herself face to face with Kurumi, who had squatted down to her level. Kurumi gently wiped the remaining tears away from her eyes, making Origami feel alien from the unexpected kindness.
"Well, seeing how Origami-san just poured her heart out, if I were to just say no, wouldn't it look bad on me? I guess I'll go and help Shido-san since his current condition is partly because of me."
"Then…!"
"But, I have two conditions. Okay, Origami-san?" Kurumi smiled as she grasped Origami's chin with her soft fingers.
"First, Origami-san must not tell anybody else about me and Shido's trysts. It would become troublesome if the other Spirits happened to learn about it." Kurumi didn't want to get into any unnecessary quarreling with Ratatoskr so it was best if things were kept under wraps.
"As for my second condition…" Kurumi raised her lips bewitchingly. "I was under the impression that Origami was willing to do anything, right?"
Origami closed her eyes resignedly. Just as she thought, her Reiryoku was going to be devou-
"Call me Kurumi Nee-sama (older sister)."
"…what?" Origami widened her eyes abruptly to Kurumi's mischievous eyes. Kurumi rubbed her fingers against Origami's chin as she continued with a sweet voice, "Since Origami-san recently became a Spirit, isn't it right for me, who's a veteran Spirit, to be considered your older sister in this regard?"
"You…!"
"Ara ara, I'm willing to help Shido-san out of my goodwill yet Origami-san is not even willing to grant poor me this favor?" Kurumi smirked at Origami's speechless face.
"…" Origami stayed silent. She knew that it was just a simple request. Yet, it was a power play. She would never be able to live this down for the rest of her life.
But, did she have a choice?
"Kurumi Ne…Nee-sama." An alien feeling filled her mouth but she said it, albeit quietly.
"Louder," Kurumi commanded, not content however. Her tone was charming yet dominating, not leaving any room for negotiation.
Origami gritted her teeth and repeated with a rough voice, "Kurumi Nee-sama."
"Now, Origami-san, that's no way to speak to Nee-san." Kurumi cooed as she playfully ruffled her hand through Origami's hair. She breathed softly into her ear. "Say, 'please, Kurumi Nee-sama.' Nicely now or else…"
Kurumi's alluring voice became tinged with a bit of hysteria. She stared into Origami's eyes sadistically. She could do whatever she wanted to her and there was nothing she could do about it. Once Origami realized that, all resistance helplessly disappeared from her.
"Please… Kurumi Nee-sama." Her tone became more obedient compared to the last time.
"Mm, much better." Kurumi purred. "But, again. And don't stop until I say so."
"Kurumi Nee-sama."
Every time she said the Spirit's name in such an intimate way, a disturbing feeling formed like a knot in her stomach.
"Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama."
However, she forced the feeling down under Kurumi's expectant gaze. She couldn't stop. If she did, Kurumi might cancel the deal.
"Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama."
The words were getting easier to say. The repulsive feeling was gone and, in its place, something else had.
"Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama."
For some reason, she could only focus on Kurumi's face.
"Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama."
She didn't know if she was saying these words out of obligation or out of volition anymore. She couldn't think of anything else but the beautiful Spirit in front of her.
"Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama. Kurumi Nee-sama…"
At this point, it was akin to brainwashing. As if chanting a mantra, Origami continued to say Kurumi's name over and over again, each time becoming louder as she looked at the other person with a fervent look.
"Kurumi Nee-sama, please, I need…!"
"Mm, that's good enough." Kurumi nodded gleefully as she abruptly stood up, leaving her on her knees. Origami stared blankly for a second. Then, the humiliation hit her. What was she doing? Why did she have to go that far? What was she just about to say? Origami found herself scared and didn't want to figure it out.
"I really dislike you, Tokisaki Kurumi." Origami blurted out. Her voice felt sore from all the repeating which she only realized now.
"Ufufu, is that so? Regardless, Nee-san's in a good mood now so you're forgiven." Kurumi giggled as she waved her hand as if pardoning her. "My clones are already on the search for Shido-san so it won't be long till I find him so you can relax now. Just leave it to Nee-san." Kurumi said with a wink.
"…I won't thank you." Origami immediately launched off, not wanting to be with the time Spirit for any second longer. After that recent event, Kurumi's presence only made her feel meek. Origami shook her head, trying to get rid of it but it remained, giving her this sense of weakness. Origami wondered if this was Kurumi's plan, to create a shadow in her heart. If so, she had succeeded.
Meanwhile, Kurumi watched Origami's flight back with a wide smile. Ah, it really was an addicting feeling. The feeling when you break someone's defense and make them yield and submit to your will, to conquer over them. Especially when it was with someone with an iron heart like Origami. Oh, just remembering Origami's face calling her "Kurumi Nee-sama" was giving her jitters.
"Me, why didn't you take Origami-san's Reiryoku?"
A clone emerged from her shadow. She looked at Kurumi questioningly, wondering the original's intention.
When Origami had begged Kurumi for help, she was completely vulnerable. If Kurumi so desired, she could've taken Origami's Reiryoku without any resistance considering the girl's state of mind at that time. In fact, that was indeed Kurumi's plan initially but at the last second, she changed her mind and instead, had this absurd roleplay.
"Ara ara, if I were to kill Origami right there and then, wouldn't Shido-san look poorly of me from now on? It would ruin all the effort I put into seducing him. Besides, once I take Shido-san's Reiryoku, Origami-san's Reiryoku will also be mine at that point. So, it's fine."
"…I see, but if that's the case, for Shido-san, why didn't me just take his Rei…"
The clone was about to ask Kurumi something but stopped upon seeing the Spirit's imposing glare at her. A shiver ran down her spine and her inquisitive thoughts came to a halt.
"…I was out of place." The clone lowered her head with a slight bow.
"No worries. Me should just remember her position from now on." Kurumi's glare lightened as she flashed a sweet smile and dismissed the clone.
Once she couldn't see the clone any longer, Kurumi began to twirl around in joy as her dress fluttered in the moonlight. As much fun as she had with Origami, there was another person she still had to meet.
"Ara ara, I can't wait, I can't wait. He must be missing me quite dearly."
It was 9 pm with only three hours left till midnight.
Somewhere in the middle of a dense thicket, Shido was leaning up against the trunk of the tree with closed eyes. Sweat was pouring down from his head like drops from a bucket as he felt his Reiryoku stir violently inside of him. Now and then, a pang of pain would flare up inside of him and he would let out a moan of pain.
This…kuh… is really bad, huh?
Shido could only mock himself. When he first heard from Reine that the reason his Reiryoku was like this was that he was sexually frustrated, he could only hang his head in defeat and embarrassment. Imagine being told that you were going to die because of being sexually frustrated.
If that wasn't enough, he had to see all the Spirits doing their best to help him, only to see their crestfallen faces when they failed. It hurt Shido's heart to see that but he couldn't control how he felt. While he was perfectly aware of the amazing beauties around him, he just couldn't see them the same way he saw Kurumi.
And now, he was in the middle of nowhere. He was unconscious during his outbreak and once he regained his senses, he found himself on the ground with a high fever. Not to mention he was feeling really pent-up with lust.
"Ugh!"
Shido's head was throbbing in pain at this point. His hand clutched his chest tightly, trying to calm himself down but the Reiryoku continued beating violently inside him, threatening to explode. Just as he thought he couldn't handle it anymore…
"Kihihihi, so this is where Shido-san was."
Aberrant shadows formed underneath him and the next moment, he felt Reiryoku forcefully drained from him. Although it was painful and uncomfortable, he felt the rampage inside of him lessening to a certain degree. He knew this sensation; it was the "City of Devouring Time", an ability capable of stealing time and Reiryoku from those in its boundaries. He only knew one person that could use this ability and just as he expected…
"Thank you for the meal. Ah, just as I expected, Shido-san's power tastes delicious." Kurumi licked her lips as she canceled her ability. She basked in the feeling of absorbed Reiryoku that was now inside her before giving a gorgeous smile to Shido, who was still processing her appearance.
"I was right to come help when I heard that Shido-san was suffering. Although this is only a temporary measure, it should help relieve Shido-san's pain for the current time being."
"Ku… rumi…" Shido strenuously said. Although Kurumi had taken away some of Shido's Reiryoku, his emotions, which were still the main factor for his condition, were in a frenzy. Upon seeing Kurumi with her beautiful Astral Dress and signature smile, his lust was stimulated and he felt the urge to just ravage her. He could barely hold himself back.
"Ara, Shido-san, if you look at me like that, I'm going to be embarrassed," Kurumi commented teasingly at Shido's wanton gaze. However, Shido didn't register her words as he profusely kept his eyes on Kurumi.
Kurumi slowly approached him. With each step she took, the hunger in his eyes grew. He flinched when Kurumi reached out her hand and shivered when she patted his head. She looked down on him and put on a consoling smile.
"Ara ara, poor Shido-san. It's all because of me that you ended up like this, isn't it? Shido-san must've missed me so dearly. But, it's okay now. I'm right here. Aren't you happy?"
He was. He was so happy that his heart was jumping. Her touch was both fulfilling yet increasing his desire.
Kurumi slid her hand to the side of his face while lowering herself so she can look at Shido face-level. She could feel how hot his temperature was through his skin and the sweat that was running down the side of his face. She could also see the lust in Shido's eyes as it begged her to claim him, offering himself on a silver platter.
Kurumi couldn't resist but take a good, long lick with her tongue across Shido's cheek. Her eyes were of a predator, wanting to devour him and leave nothing behind. However, the craving in her eyes only attributed to her hotness, arousing him.
"I can see it in Shido-san's eyes." Kurumi slowly began unbuttoning his uniform from the collar down, revealing his upper chest. She ran a finger across his sternum. "Shido-san wants to feel me, touch me, and do whatever he wants with me. Isn't that right, Shido-san?"
Her finger had now swiftly unbuckled his pants and quickly released his erection from its layers. A breezy sensation passed through his groin as Kurumi smirked at his huge dick, flicking the tip with her finger.
"Well, isn't someone excited?"
Shido couldn't take it any longer. He grabbed Kurumi by shoulders and roughly pushed her down. Like an uncontrollable beast, he placed himself on all fours on top of her. There was no resistance from Kurumi's end as she allowed herself to fall backward to the ground.
Seeing Kurumi beneath him filled him with a different kind of feeling. She looked defenseless as her slender body lay on the ground with laziness. Her Astral dress revealed her tender shoulders, and her twin-tailed hair was spread messily on the ground. Overall, she was breathtakingly gorgeous.
"Well, Shido-san finally caught me." Kurumi squirmed a bit under Shido's body. Her conspicuous movement only made her even more irresistible. "As a reward, why doesn't Shido-san tell me what he wants?"
"Kurumi… I want you." Shido honestly confessed his desire with a slight flush of face. Ever since Kurumi arrived, that was the only thing he wanted. He couldn't imagine anything else he would want.
"I can help with that." Seeing Shido's desperate look, Kurumi refrained from further tease and immediately released her Astral Dress. Shido felt excitement grow as all of Kurumi's porcelain skin was revealed to him. She spread her arms out invitingly.
"Make me feel good, Shido-san." The moment Kurumi revealed her naked body to him, Shido didn't wait any longer.
Shido immediately leaned down to kiss her cheek. He knew Kurumi didn't want her Reiryoku to be sealed but that didn't mean kissing was off-limits. Kurumi slightly stiffened when she saw Shido's face close in so suddenly but once she realized her lips were untouched, she loosened up again.
"Mmmm…"
Shido gave several kisses and suckles to her jawline, tasting her skin and its sweetness. He enjoyed the soft texture and rich scent of her skin. He could feel a wave of ecstasy soothe over him as his tongue was filled with a musky fragrance.
"Ah~, Shido-san…"
Kurumi, gasping softly, put one of her hands to the back of his neck, demanding more from him. Shido, happy to oblige, began advancing down to her neck. He brushed his lips against the sides of her neck, his tongue tickling the rim of her sensitive nape, drawing a moan from Kurumi.
Kurumi immediately responded to Shido's advances by reaching her head over and taking the edge of his ear into her mouth. She began nibbling on his earlobe softly while letting her free hand reach down and squeeze his tip in a distracting manner.
"Ugh… Kurumi…"
Shido felt the touch of her fingers electrifying. He resisted the feeling to stop everything he was doing, fall on her soft body and let her continue touching him. God, was it hard though. It was hot thought, to just let Kurumi lead him by the dick and cum into her hand.
Her touch was making everything better for him, reminding him that this was what he was missing. None of the other Spirits had ever made him feel this way, this infatuation. It was only Kurumi who did. With Kurumi, he could strip bare his carnal self and act upon his lust that he kept locked during his daily life.
Shido began sucking on her neck harder, never getting enough of how soft her skin was. He grabbed her breast roughly, trying to elicit a reaction from her. It was successful as Kurumi finally gasped, letting go of his ear from her mouth. Now that he wasn't held back, Shido moved down to her upper chest, kissing it a few times before finding her nipple. He softly flicked the erect nipple with his tongue.
"Ah!" Kurumi let out a small shout, surprised by the hot wetness. After her initial reaction, however, under Shido's fervent ministrations, she started to moan in approval and began pressing harder on his neck and began rapidly jerking his hardened length. It made Shido feel heavenly as he felt himself on a time limit, already threatening to erupt. However, it would be selfish of him to just stop and cum, neglecting Kurumi. He wanted to give the appropriate attention to Kurumi's pleasure first, wanting to show his appreciation.
The last time when he touched her breasts, he realized that while her breasts were all-together perfect in terms of softness and texture, he found that her nipples were the most resistant and hard part of her.
Shido experimented more with this as he began sucking and licking on her nipple lavishly, tasting the sweet nectar that came from them. It was sweeter than anything he had before. He also used his hands to lightly pinch on the other nipple while rubbing his thumb across it constantly. He would then switch to the other side to make sure that the other side wasn't neglected.
"Mmmm, Shido-san got…ha… much better at this… You haven't…ha… been practicing on some other girl…ha… right?" Kurumi asked Shido with short breaths, impressed. Of course, she already knew Shido wouldn't dare pick somebody else over her. She squeezed his dick tightly as if to confirm that, causing him to moan, bringing him even closer to his orgasm.
Shido wanted to please Kurumi first but the sensation was just too overwhelming for him. With the tastes of her breasts and her touch stimulating him, along with heat arousing from their passion, Shido exploded first as Kurumi felt his cum land on her thighs.
"Ha… I guess Shido-san…ha… came first? Ufufu, it looks like…ha… it's my victory." Kurumi smiled victoriously, winning their nonexistent competition. On the other hand, Shido was panting, his head resting on Kurumi's bosom. As awesome as that orgasm felt, he couldn't help but feel frustrated with himself at his incapability.
"Shido-san, don't look so sad. You felt really good." Kurumi noticed his disappointed look and encouraged him but Shido shook his head.
"But, Kurumi… you didn't have your orgasm yet."
"Ara ara, if that's your concern, then don't let me stop you. Go all out." Kurumi chuckled. She felt herself being filled with anticipation upon hearing Shido's words.
Shido nodded with a smile as he resumed his approach. He kissed her breasts one last time before moving down, trailing his lips down to her stomach, and soon, he came to face with her vagina. This was the first time he was doing this, which made him a bit hesitant but he always wanted to do this for Kurumi. If he couldn't do this much, then he would be left with a sour feeling.
Shido hesitantly stuck out his tongue and licked the outer lips, not sure if he should be sticking his tongue directly in there.
"Mmgh!" Kurumi immediately stifled a moan upon feeling Shido's tongue. Right after that, she pulled his head in more. "Shido-san. More."
Shido became more daring as he began to kiss her outer lips and began licking her clit. She was already wet as Shido began to eagerly lap up the juices with his tongue. When tasting it at first, he gagged a bit initially but quickly swallowed the rest. It was surprisingly a taste that he could get used to.
Shido began applying firm pressure to her clit with his tongue and seeing that Kurumi was enjoying the pressure, decided to add his fingers to the play, rubbing her outer lips with his fingers and sliding them in to stroke the inner walls.
"Shido-san, you're…ah… you're a natural." At this point, Kurumi was constantly giving out loud moans. Wrapping her legs around him, she squeezes his head with her thighs sensually. The way Shido was eating her out was addicting, his tongue stimulating her insides and fulfilling the needs that she never knew she had.
"That's it! More! More! Shido-san, I'm…I'm about to-!" Kurumi grabbed his hair, pulling his head in more so that his tongue could go deeper and harder. She could feel herself on the edge as she felt herself becoming wetter at Shido's ministries.
Shido was encouraged as he began moving his fingers faster and using his tongue more aggressively until finally, with a shout, Kurumi orgasmed. Shido felt her juices splatter across his face but he didn't mind. Using his fingers, he cleaned himself up before sucking his fingers with his mouth.
Shido had now sat up, just looking at the girl he just ate out. He watched in admiration of Kurumi's sexy figure as she slowly regained her breathing from her orgasm. Kurumi flashed him a sweet smile when seeing his gaze, making him feel all fuzzy inside.
"Shido-san, how is your body feeling now? Do you still need help?" Kurumi asked. Upon hearing her question, Shido remembered the original purpose of Kurumi's visit. Shido realized then that his body felt much better. His mind was clear without pain and the turbulence of Reiryoku inside of him had disappeared as if it was a lie. In its place, a strong heat could be felt in his heart as he looked at Kurumi.
Kurumi saw that Shido wasn't going to say anything anytime soon and started, "Ara ara, I just helped Shido-san and this is his reaction? I thought Shido-san would give me his tha…!" Kurumi could only stop as she was grabbed by the shoulders. Before she could react, Shido went in to kiss her at the corner of her lips, barely touching it.
Dugen! Dugen! Dugen!
Kurumi's heart immediately began pounding from Shido's unexpected boldness. She had let her guard down. If she or Shido turned one inch to the side, their lips would fully connect. If that happened, then everything she had accumulated…
Kurumi should've pushed him away but found herself unable to, whether it was because of shock or of something else.
Thankfully, Shido slowly pulled away after a few moments but Kurumi could still feel the burning sensation his lips had left at the corner of her mouth. Fortunately, her Reiryoku didn't seem to be sealed but Kurumi could only speechlessly stare at Shido, who gave a bright smile, filled with pureness and innocence.
"Thank you, Kurumi. You saved my life."
"Ah, yes. No, I mean…" Kurumi showed a rare expression of flusterment, at loss for words. After a few seconds of bewilderment, she turned her head to the side, still blushing, "…It was my pleasure."
An arrow struck Shido's heart when seeing the cute sight in front of him. He usually saw her as teasing or dominative so seeing this vulnerable side of her was fascinating. He continued, "Kurumi, you're very kind."
"…kind?" Kurumi's expression slightly deteriorated but Shido didn't notice.
"Yeah, you're surprisingly gentle."
"!" Kurumi stiffened at his words as she looked down, her hair casting a shadow over her face so Shido couldn't see her expression.
"Kurumi?" Shido looked at Kurumi confusedly.
There was an uncomfortable silence. And then…
"Kihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi!"
A burst of frightening laughter erupted. It was a laughter that would induce an instinctual fear.
"Kind? Is that really what Shido-san thinks? Such a ludicrous idea makes me want to laugh!"
Shido widened his eyes at Kurumi's abrupt change as her face showed a wild nature. Shadows began to dance wickedly around her, forming her Astral Dress, and a vicious smile adorned her face.
"I was going to wait until Shido acquired more Spirits in his collection but now that Shido-san has the Reiryoku of eight Spirits, this should be more than enough."
Upon Kurumi's statement, the shadows from Kurumi immediately expanded until they reached Shido. The moment the shadows touched him, Shido felt his Reiryoku being sapped at an extreme speed. It was Kurumi's City of Devouring Time, the ability to suck away one's time to those who were in its shadows.
"Kurumi…"
"Kihihihi, did Shido-san really think that there was something between us just because of some intimacy? Shido-san really is a fool. Everything until now was so I could exert control over you. My goal has been, and always been, to eat you." The shadow's suction became stronger as Kurumi giggled uncontrollably. "Can Shido-san still say that I'm a kind person? Someone like me?"
"…" Shido only stayed silent as he felt his strength rapidly diminishing. He knew that if this continued, he would die. Definitely.
Kurumi watched as the shadows continued to plunder Shido's Reiryoku. It would only be a minute or two until she obtained everything. All the Reiryoku she would ever need would soon be in her hands. Yet…
"…why aren't you resisting?" Kurumi frowned. While the City of Devouring Time was certainly strong, those with Reiryoku were capable of moving within it. In other words, Shido was more than capable of fighting against her ability, whether it was to internally resist her ability to drain him or to physically escape from the shadows.
But, Shido made no signs of movements as the shadows continued to take away his Reiryoku at the fastest speed. This only angered Kurumi however.
"Do you think I'm joking about taking Shido-san's life? There's a reason why I'm called the Worst Spirit! After killing thousands of people, taking one more won't make a difference!"
"…"
"Don't you feel betrayed over me trampling over your trust? Don't you feel angry that I played with your feelings?"
"…"
"Everything that I did was just so I could use you! None of it was real! Curse me! Hate me! Say something!"
"…"
"At this rate, Shido-san is going to die! I'm completely serious!"
At this point, Shido's Reiryoku was almost completely taken. Kurumi could already feel a plethora of power filling inside her to the very tips of her fingers yet not a single hint of happiness could be seen in her face. Instead, there was only distress.
"Why? Why do you look at me like that? I don't deserve such…"
Kurumi looked into Shido's eyes, which were full of tenderness and compassion even when he was on the verge of death. No matter what she said, no matter what she did, those eyes never faltered.
"Kurumi…" Hearing Shido's voice, Kurumi focused her full attention towards Shido who finally opened his mouth with a gasp. "I will… definitely save you."
"…" This time, it was Kurumi's turn to be silent.
What was he saying? Wasn't he the one should be asking to be saved? Did he not understand the situation right now? By now, he didn't have that much time left. At most, he would only last a few more seconds left. Yet, he continued to look at her with the same eyes as her shadows continued to eat at his lifeforce.
Just when the last bit of Reiryoku and time was about to be taken from him…
"Zafkiel!"
…the shadows that were wrapped around Shido immediately retreated back to Kurumi. A shadow covered her face as she looked down to the ground. What was she even doing? She had already gotten this far. Did she not make her decision? To walk this path the moment she had everything taken away from her? How could she stop now after getting this close?
Kurumi looked again at the boy, who had shaken her once-thought unshakable resolve.
"Shido-san, why?"
Shido slowly stood up after hearing her voice. He barely felt any strength inside of him; even a slight breeze passed by him would shake his gait. Taking a few steps, his legs almost gave out but he somehow steadied himself as he kept his gaze on her.
"Kurumi, when you first came on to me, I was conflicted." Shido started explain his feelings. "It was the first time that I experienced something like sexual desire. I was infatuated after that night. At the same time, I was worried it could all be ploy to take my Reiryoku when my guard was down. But, I couldn't deny my feelings for you. Even though a small part of me was scared, another part of me was excited to see you."
Shido reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders. He could see confusion, fear, hesitation, all sorts of emotions in her eyes. He didn't know whether his feelings would reach her but he continued to speak from his heart.
"Yet, even that worry had disappeared. It was after you helped me save Tohka and had me redeem your favor. You could've easily taken my Reiryoku but you didn't. Once I realized that, I couldn't see you as the Worst Spirit any more but just as a beautiful, sensual girl that made me crazy over her with an amazing blowjob." Shido referenced to when Kurumi had stated that she was going to eat him. Back then, he had truly been scared that she was going to take his life but the only thing she ate out was his dick and his cum. Now, he couldn't even go on a day without thinking about it.
"That may be true but that was only one time. I could've been waiting for a more opportune time to take your Reiryoku." Kurumi tried to refute him but Shido shook his head.
"But you never did. Instead, you were always helping me whenever I felt at lost for what to do. Because of you, I was able to save Tohka and Origami. Even now, you came for me when I needed you. You were always there for me and helped me. How could I not fall in love with such a kind person?"
Shido smiled.
"Kurumi, I love you."
"Wha…" Kurumi's breath hitched and her heart skipped a beat.
"I love your long black hair and how smooth it is. I love your eyes and how it entrances me every time I see them. I love your smile and how cute it is. I love your skin and how beautiful and clear it is. And… I won't lie but I love how you tease and flirt with me and make me aroused with lust."
"Please stop, Shido-san…" Kurumi buried her face in her hands. She could tell how strongly he felt about her but, "… this is too much…"
"That's not all. I love how strong you are and how you protected me whenever I'm in danger. I love how smart you are and how you always had a plan to help me. I love how gentle you are and how I always feel safe and warm in your presence."
Shido tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Just as you saved me, I want to save you. Please, let me help you. I want to help you."
Kurumi was silent as she stared into Shido's passionate eyes. Ah, she almost forgot. Those were the same eyes from when he saved her from Kotori's attack.
Tokisaki Kurumi wasn't an honest girl. Having closed her heart to the people around her, she put on a façade of an innocent, cute girl. It was easier to manipulate people and be likeable in front of people. It was the same when she first met Shido.
When she first heard about him and how he sealed Spirits with a kiss, she thought that he would be one of those playboys who frivoled around with girls. So, she was surprised when she actually met him. She saw how gentle he was and the way he acted so shy and innocent in front of her was cute.
When she first "repaid" him, she convinced herself that it wasn't serious, that it was just for her own side entertainment. She thought that their relationship was one just based off of pleasure and nothing more. However, she severely underestimated how deep Shido's love for her was, going beyond just lust. And, she realized that her hardened heart, which couldn't trust anybody, had already softened for only one person. She wouldn't have this kind of relationship with just anybody just for the fun of it. She realized Shido's existence meant much more to her than just a supply of Reiryoku.
"Shido-san, I…" Her lips parted as both of their faces grew closer to each other. Her heart was already crumbling, a heavy feeling brewing in her chest. She could feel his warm breath tickle her lips as Shido pulled her in slightly, his face coming down to her own.
"…can't."
However, she knew what it meant to accept Shido's love.
"I just can't." Kurumi's shaken eyes looked at him. "I can't give up my goal, my Reiryoku to you. The only way Shido-san can help me is by letting me eat him and you won't allow that, right? So, I can't let you seal me."
Kurumi pushed Shido away roughly to the floor, catching him off guard.
"Zafkiel, Dalet." Kurumi shot Shido who was stunned by the impact of the ground. Upon receiving the bullet, Shido found all of his Reiryoku returned to him to his surprise.
"I'll be returning the Reiryoku I stole from Shido-san. However, don't think I've given up on it. I will properly receive it from Shido-san the next time we meet. But for now, … I just need time to think."
"Kurumi…"
"I'll see you again, Shido-san." Kurumi turned her back towards him and with a wave of her hand, opened a portal of darkness before her.
Shido, realizing she was about to leave, reached out his hand, "Kurumi, wait!" but Kurumi already leapt into the darkness.
The Spirits were shocked when they found Shido. He was all alone in a forest but his condition was now stable. When they asked him whether he was really alright, he replied, "Yeah, I guess I just needed some fresh air."
Kotori found his answer suspicious as she personally saw the state that Shido was previously in. It wasn't something that a mere stroll outside could solve. However, she didn't push him. For now, she was happy that he was safe and that was all that mattered.
Shido also found Origami looking at him weirdly but when he asked her what was wrong, she only shook her head and said that it was nothing. As much as Origami wanted to question Shido about Kurumi, she refrained, knowing that he would find it uncomfortable that she knew about his relationship with Kurumi.
While Shido was comforting the Spirits, Reine looked on by the side. To think that girl of all people would lend her hand in this. How unexpected, considering her personality. Reine was planning to intervene if the situation got critical but it seemed that there was no need to.
Shido was now in his room and resting in his bed. The Reiryoku in his body was acting perfectly normal, not a single hint of it going berserk. However, he quickly realized another thing.
…I don't feel the urge.
As embarrassing as it was, Shido never failed to masturbate every night. However, this night, he didn't feel the need to. It was because of Kurumi's Dalet, which rewinds the target's time. Not only had she returned his Reiryoku to him, she even rewound his mental state. Of course, he still got aroused when thinking about Kurumi but he now didn't feel any frustration from ignoring it or the urgent desire to touch it as he did before.
Kurumi…
He was now free from his addiction but his love for Kurumi only grew stronger. She had already returned his Reiryoku to him but to go this far for him, how could he not have feelings for this girl?
He would be lying if he said his heart wasn't broken after Kurumi's rejection. However, when he saw Kurumi's expression in response, he knew that the matter wasn't simple. He could only wonder what Kurumi was holding on to and what she was thinking. However, there was one thing he was sure of.
"Kurumi, I will definitely save you."