"Good morning, Tohka."

As the ray of sunshine entered the bedroom, Shido rolled over and poked the beautiful sleeping face of his Spirit lover.

"Hmm…"

However, the girl shook her head drowsily, refusing to open her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Shido chuckled and planted a kiss on her forehead, before getting out of bed for a wash up.

Last night was amazing, considering it was the first time these two got this intimate. Thanks to her counterpart from the other world, she finally plucked up her courage and decided to take the next step. With that, he was thankful to her, after all, he had been wanting to get closer to Tohka as well.

Seeing his face in the mirror, Shido noticed something on his neck: Hickeys!

It would be causing chaos if he simply walked out and let everyone see them, so he took a shower in record time and washed off the scents and traces last night. Nevertheless, no matter how clean he became later on, it wouldn't change the fact that everyone knew how dirty he was earlier.

Even so, there was a need to be sanitary.

When he stepped out of his room, he nervously peeked his head over, examining the rooms of different Spirits. Thanks to Rinne and Marina, their new home was nice and comfy, not to mention spacious enough to allow a dozen girls sleeping in their respective rooms. He even considered asking them to make a space station while they were at it; after all, he was a guy, and he loved tech and spacecrafts.

As he stepped inside the kitchen, he saw that Rinne was already up, standing beside her was Mukuro. The two of them were preparing breakfast together.

"Morning, Rinne, Mukuro."

"Good Morning, Shido."

"Nushi-sama, good morning."

After greeting, Shido noticed something: They were preparing miso soup, salmon, fried eggs, plain crackers and toast, along with salads and fruits. In addition, hot ginger tea.

Those items were quite normal, but he felt that they were specialized for some reason.

At this time, more and more girls finished washing up in their rooms and started coming out. Origami, Kurumi, Yoshino, Kotori, and the others all came to share the load of their work.

"Morning Shido, would you like to have me, or me, or maybe, both me(s) for breakfast?"

"I would like you to wash the fruits, Origami."

Typical words from Master Origami, which Shido dismissed and told her to do other work.

"Yoshino, Kotori, set up the tables please."

"...Alright."

"No problem, onii-chan!"

The two lolis nodded and helped. It wouldn't be this easy if Kotori was wearing black ribbons, but thankfully, she was in white ribbons.

At 0730, breakfast was ready. It was a supple meal on a long giant table, the scent of yummy food tickling the noses of every girl. As expected from the combination of Shido and Rinne leading the course.

Of course, at this time, Tohka emerged from Shido's bedroom due to the aroma of the food. However, she looked different.

"Morning Tohka, I didn't wake you because…watch out!"

Shido called out to her, but stopped when he noticed her wobbling. He quickly moved to her and caught her just when she was about to trip.

"...you are too attentive."

Her muttering entered Shido's ears, making him widen his eyes a bit.

"Tenka?"

"...Heh!"

The cool girl snorted and looked away.

Seeing her like this, Shido felt super nervous. After all, he just had a very hot and steamy night with Tohka, who had another soul residing in her mind. When he was doing all sorts of…naughty things to the girl, what was the other girl supposed to….

"Don't overthink it. I….didn't feel a thing because I slept!" Tenka cut off his train of thoughts with a sharp burst, then grabbed Shido by the collar. "You didn't bully Tohka, did you?"

"Not at all, everything we did was consensual." Shido raised his hands defensively.

"...sure."

Tenka released him and went to check on the others.

Seeing her silhouette, Shido felt sweat on his back, feeling relieved as if he just dodged a bullet. But he knew that he shouldn't be relaxing, after all, there was no guarantee that she didn't…

"Naughty Darling, doing both sisters at once~"

Two squishy mounds suddenly pressed against his back, sending him a heavenly feeling of softness as he gasped.

"Miku, the kitchen is not big enough for all of us, so go help at the table."

"Meanie, hehe."

The idol Spirit giggled and wandered off merrily.

At this time, all the girls were present, except for one.

"I'll get her."

Natsumi volunteered, but was interrupted when a figure appeared from the room. As it turned out, it was Marina carrying Nia with her arm on top of her shoulders, leading the drowsy girl to walk toward the dining room.

Everyone was quite surprised by this duo, after all, the sense of Marina taking care of Nia never crossed their minds.

"What are you staring at? Haven't you seen this old lady before?"

"...so mean…"

Their energetic and exhausted status were quite the contrast.

"Did you stay up late last night again, Nia? It's not good for your skin and health."

Natsumi crossed her arms.

"...no, I slept at 11:59, quite early right hehe?"

"That's the problem!"

Nia heartily dismissed the pouting Natsumi, making her way to the table and sitting on her seat. Giving Beast Tohka a little thanks, she stared at the wondrous meal in front of her, however, she did not seem enthusiastic to eat.

"You really shouldn't stay up late, Nia. It's ruining your appetite."

Shido commented as well.

Nia looked at Shido with a gaze that was different from any other, making the guy a bit nervous.

"...Nia?"

The blue-haired male asked tentatively, but the silver-haired girl just looked at him, her lips trembling and shaking.

The silence filled the room for a good minute, and Nia's cheeks were heating up at a rapid rate. Very soon, she was blushing like a tomato.

"Are you gonna tell him, or should I?"

Marina broke the silence.

"...No, I will say it." Nia took a deep breath, and stared into Shido's eyes. "You know, Rio will not always be an only child in the family, right?"

…

(Earlier)

Nia Honjou paced back and forth in her studio, her hands fiddling nervously with the hem of her shirt. Her usual confidence was nowhere to be found, replaced instead by a swirl of anxiety and hesitation. She had faced countless challenges as a Spirit, wielding the power of [Rasiel] to uncover the deepest truths of the world. But this truth—the one she now carried within her—felt different.

She glanced at the mirror, her reflection revealing the faint curve of her belly. It was barely noticeable beneath her loose clothing, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. She placed her hand over her stomach, her heart beating fast. "How do I even tell him?" she murmured to herself.

Shido had always been kind, always there for her and the other Spirits. But Nia wasn't used to being vulnerable, and this news felt… monumental. She didn't want to overwhelm him, but she also knew she couldn't keep it a secret forever.

"Like I said, you should just tell him."

Marina Arusu, the AI Spirit who had always had beef with Nia, crossed her arms as she got dressed up. She stayed in the same room with the silver-haired Spirit last night, despite her Tsundere expression.

"I know, it's just …. I don't want to overwhelm him." Nia lowered her gaze, pondering. "I mean, he just solved the issue with my Angel, and now… another one…?"

"It's not the first time you caused issues anyway." Marina dismissed her sentiment. "It's about time they prepare breakfast, I will go take care of Rio." With this, she left the room and went to Rinne's, leaving the older girl alone.

Nia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

Come on, Nia Honjou, don't be a coward. Everyone except for him knows, so if he's gonna know, he better hear it from me.

…

(Back to the present)

"I'm pregnant with your child!"

With her ultimate courage, she told him the breaking news.

"!?"

The words hung in the air for a moment, and Nia braced herself for his reaction.

Shido gasped and took a step back, his hands holding onto the chair so that he could stand firmly. His eyes were widened to an extent of making his eyeballs almost popping out, his mouth hanging open and big enough to swallow a whole egg.

Nia lowered her eyes and stared at her belly, her heart pounding like a maniac's as she calmed her breath futilely.

"You're… pregnant?" he repeated, his voice filled with disbelief but also something else—happiness.

Nia nodded, biting her lip nervously. "Yeah. I just found out a little while ago, and I wasn't sure how to tell you. I didn't want to surprise you too much, but…"

Before she could finish, Shido's face broke into the widest smile she had ever seen. He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her gently, careful not to put too much pressure on her. "Nia, this is amazing. I can't believe it. We're… we're going to have a baby."

Nia's eyes welled up with tears as she leaned into his embrace. "You're really okay with this? I mean, I know it's a lot…"

Shido pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes with unwavering sincerity. "Of course I'm okay with this. I'm more than okay—I'm happy. This is incredible news, Nia. I'm so grateful you told me."

Relief flooded through Nia, and she laughed softly, wiping at her eyes. "You're such a charmer, boy."

Shido chuckled, placing his hand over hers on her stomach. "I mean it, Nia. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Clap Clap Clap!

At this moment, the two finally snapped out of their little world and looked around, realizing that their interactions were under the playful yet jealous gazes of every other Spirit. Well, except for Rio.

Origami, always composed, gave a rare, genuine smile. "This is wonderful news. I'm happy for both of you." She then stepped forward, grabbing Shido by the collar. "But you were supposed to impregnate me first, so as a payback, you must give me your…"

"Stop! Rio is still here, Origami!"

Mayuri quickly covered the thirsty girl's mouth and swayed her arm in the air.

Kurumi stepped forward, her golden eye glinting with amusement and affection. "Well, well, Nia. You've certainly given us all something to celebrate. Congratulations, dear."

Miku clasped her hands together, practically glowing with excitement. "Oh, Nia, this is the most wonderful news! You're going to be a fabulous mother."

The other Spirits gathered around Nia, each taking turns hugging her and congratulating her and Shido. Natsumi, who had always looked up to Nia, was the last to approach. She gave Nia a sly grin but couldn't hide the warmth in her eyes.

"Nia, you've always been the coolest," Natsumi said, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "Now you're going to be a mom? That's awesome. Congrats."

Nia laughed, pulling Natsumi into a hug. "Thanks, Natsumin. That means a lot."

The Spirits then insisted on planning a new celebration, filling the room with laughter and joy as they began brainstorming ideas for a baby shower. Nia watched them all, her heart full. She had been nervous about telling Shido, but now, surrounded by the love and support of their family, she knew everything was going to be okay.

With this peace of mind, she leaned closer to Marina, giving her a nudge.

"It's about time you tell them the other news." She urged.

"Are you sure?" Marina stared at her blankly, and received a nod.

"Alright, people. There is something else that is crucial for us to deal with." She clapped her hands, gathering everyone's attention. When she got them, she raised her hand and generated a ray of light, performing a Powerpoint presentation.

On the screen, a picture of a girl with long purple hair was shown. She was in a school uniform, apparently the ones from Raizen High School. She bore a mischievous smile, a hand making the signal for a gun.

"Ren attended your school yesterday, asking for your presence."

…

A/N:

We are back to Shido's school after one year of hiatus lol.