Tale of Discovery

Chapter 270: Perplexing ; Kind Interrogation

What is this feeling? Nothing. That's right. I feel nothing. It's almost as if I've lost all my senses.

Despite my current state, I can tell that my eyes are shut. My memories which were a little hazy begin to clear up, reminding me of where I am and what time it is right now.

Opening my eyes, I realize that nothing changed. The darkness from earlier still remains.

Taking in a deep breath, I try to configure my eyesight, which I succeed in doing so as the room begins to light up.

With my body's current state, I am unable to feel anything, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten how to move.

It's unclear what has caused this, but it's going to be more than a little problematic if this goes on for an extended period.

As such, I raise my torso from the bed and proceed to look to my side.

Is that me?

What?

At this moment, my vision darkens as my senses seem to return, judging from the soft feeling of the bed on my back.

Opening my eyes once again, I find a confused Kurumi who is sitting up naked and examining her body.

Hold on a moment. Just now was I inside Kurumi's body? Is that why I wasn't able to feel anything?

"Kurumi," I say as I raise my body, "Can you tell me what just happened?"

As a response to my words, Kurumi shakes her head and beams a smile before saying, "How odd. I was planning to ask you that myself."

"Is that so?" I say in a disappointed tone. Looks like she doesn't seem to be aware of what just happened.

Anyway, it has gotten much later than I was expecting it to, so I should take my leave soon.

As if realizing my intentions, Kurumi reaches her arm to my right shoulder and slides the tip of her finger across my biceps while saying, "In the end, we didn't discuss the time and location of our date."

Right. The whole point of us two meeting was for us to discuss that, yet we completely forgot to do so due to being lost in ecstasy.

"So, do we decide now?" I suggest.

"No," she bluntly responds, somewhat surprising me, "I have a better idea."

"How about I come to pick you up on a certain day, and we decide then like we did last time?"

Seriously? That's problematic in more ways than one, but I suppose it would be fine as well. Who knows what I would be doing in a few days, potentially making me miss out on the set date and location.

At that time, I would 'owe' Kurumi and would have to make it up to her. So, rather than that, it would be better to just go out and decide on the get-go.

---

Slowly opening the door leading to my room, I proceed to walk over to the bed and slide into the sheets beside Tohka.

Fortunately, she seems to have not woken up during the few hours I was away.

Well, I hope that she won't notice that something is off when she wakes up tomorrow.

For obvious reasons, I had to take a short bath upon returning here before I could come over to my room.

As such, I embrace Tohka's body as I begin to slowly doze off.

---

"Shido, wait!" Kotori calls out as I'm about to make my way to the door and head out for school.

"You do not need to head to school today."

"Why?" I ask, a little perplexed at the sudden decision.

"Don't you want to have a word with the AST members we have caught?" she says while squinting her eyes.

I was already planning to do that after school, but it seems like she wants me to do it as soon as possible.

Why though? There isn't a need to rush this matter, is there?

"That's right," I say, deciding to go along with her, "Will the ship come pick us up?"

"Yes," she responds, "We've already contacted the school regarding this. As for the princess, she will be attending school alone."

--

"Hello!" a blonde-haired man enthusiastically while casting glances at Kotori who is standing beside me with a deadpanned expression on her face, "Welcome aboard the Fraxinus once again."

Both Kotori and I remain silent as we stare at the man and wait for him to continue saying what he has to say.

"I assume you're here to meet with the ladies taken hostage so mercilessly?"

Annoyed by his attitude I telekinetically throw hurl him to toward the airship's wall before shifting my attention to the startled Kotori and saying, "Lead the way."

Understanding that I'm not in the mood for anything nonsensical, Kotori silently leads me through the airship over to an iron door with a palm reader attached to it.

Placing her palm against the sensor, the door proceeds to slowly open, revealing a room that's rather well furnished.

I take this moment to examine the girls who are all in a dour mood while seated on the two sofas present in the room.

"Good morning," I say in a merry tone.

The girls respond to me by raising their heads and staring at my face. Two of them, which happen to be the ones who have lost a leg, cower as they instinctively block their eyes using their arms.

Am I really that scary? All I did was fight them a little decisively and injure them during the process.

Even if the injury is not a small one, they shouldn't be this scared of me, right? After all, I have no reason to hurt them now that they are in such a state.

Well, whatever. It's not like they can guess what I have in mind for them, so it should be expected that they would be afraid.

Kotori takes this chance to leave the room, with the door closing behind her.

Left with me alone in this 'prison', all the girls, apart from the brown-haired one that was giving orders in the battle, begin to get visibly nervous as they cast glances at one another.

Deciding that it would better for me to interrogate them 'nicely', I look over at the two who lost their legs and slowly over to them.

Expectedly, they both get all the more nervous as an expression of pure terror covers their faces.

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, I say, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you any more than I already have."

The girls don't take my words seriously as they continue to stare at me motionlessly.

Shrugging my shoulders, I reach my arm out to the leg that is missing and begin to use Healing Factor.

The next moment, all those present, including myself, watch with interest as the bandages around their missing leg 'fade away' into motes of light as a golden light extends out in the shape of a leg.

Shortly after that, the golden light disappears, revealing a healthy-looking leg, as if the previous injury was all an illusion.

Against my expectations, the girls don't let their guard down but raise it instead as they look at me with horror and awe apparent in their eyes.

A little annoyed by the situation, I raise my right arm and scratch the back of my head while deliberating on a way to express my hospitality.

"Alright then," I say while moving away from the sofa, "Let's all introduce ourselves, alright?"

Hearing this, a confused expression appears on the girls' faces as they once more cast glances at one another, seemingly looking for solace in one another through eye contact.

It seems like this will take a while

Shaking my head, I use Creation to produce a chair before taking a seat on it and scanning the girls' faces.

"My name is Shido Itsuka. I'm what you guys would call a 'spirit', albeit a much more powerful one than any other ones you guys have faced off against in the past."

"That much is obvious," a sharp voice reaches my ears, "I doubt you're even a spirit."

Scanning the one that has spoken, I realize that it's the leader, the brown-haired girl.

"Is that so," I say with a smile on lips.

Finally, one of them is willing to converse.

"Do you mind introducing yourself?" I say while staring at her face.

The girl scoffs and says in a harsh tone, "Jessica Bailey. That's all you need to know."

Shrugging my shoulders, I say in a nonchalant tone, "Well then, Jessica. I'm going to have you tell me everything about yourself and that pesky organization that you belong to."

"Dream on," she immediately responds, "I would rather die than divulge anything to you."

Hah~ We will see about that.

---3rd POV---

"Commander, is it really okay to leave him in there alone? We never know what he might do," a blonde-haired man says.

"Kannazuki," Kotori responds in a cold tone, "Even if he has changed, Shido is still my brother. Knowing him, nothing will happen."

"Are you sure you know him?" Kannazuki replies while squinting his eyes, "So far, he has shown multiple traits that weren't present in the past."

Hearing this, Kotori glares at him and says, "I said that nothing will happen. That's all."

"Ohhh, yes, commander! Why not punish me for doubting your brother and your words?" Kannazuki says as a red hue covers his cheeks.

As a response to this, Kotori merely spares him a look of disgust before walking away without looking back.

Behind her, Kannazuki smiles and murmurs, "This is fine as well. Being stared at as if I were trash. Ah, commander!"