Choice

Shido stared at Origami, unsure of how to begin. Tohka, equally curious, turned her gaze toward him, silently urging him to continue.

He let out a small sigh."Let's just say... Kurumi has a pure heart and once wanted to become a hero of justice."

"Her? She wanted to be a hero of justice?" Origami echoed in disbelief.

Both girls stared at him, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. To them, Kurumi was nothing more than a deranged, bloodthirsty Spirit, someone who would kill without hesitation.

Watching their reactions, Shido could only let out a wry chuckle. It was exactly the kind of response he had expected.

To those who knew her, Nightmare was a name synonymous with danger, a Spirit feared for her merciless nature, especially given her infamy for killing ten thousand people. Even Shido, had he not watched the anime in his previous life, he would have found it hard to believe that her actions were ever rooted in a desire for the salvation of the world.

Yet, that was the truth. Kurumi's goal, as twisted as her methods were, had always been for the greater good. She bore the burden of countless sins in her attempt to right a single, overwhelming mistake.

Her plan to kill the First Spirit could, in theory could reset everything, undo the death and erase the suffering. But what if she failed? What if all her sacrifices were in vain?

Shido knew the answer to that. If Kurumi were to fall short, if all her pain led to nothing, she would undoubtedly breakdown. Despair would consume her, and in that moment, she would eventually transform into her Inverse form.

From what he remembered, that Inverse form was called the White Queen. A near true manifestation of Kurumi's negative emotions, the White Queen was more than just a clone. She was the embodiment of Kurumi's deepest darkness, her fractured self, born from hopelessness.

Even though Shido understood that Kurumi's intentions were for the sake of all humanity, he couldn't allow her to succeed.

He truly felt sorry for her, for the pain she endured, for her desperation to turn back time and save her friend. But regardless of how noble her goal seemed, Shido knew he had to stop her. It might be hypocritical of him, but the risk was too great. If there was even the slightest chance that Kurumi failed or succeed, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

After all, this wasn't just about ideals anymore. The two women he loved, Kurumi and Reine, were both willing to do anything for their own purposes. That alone was something he could never accept.

But Shido wouldn't let that happen.

He was selfish, he could admit that. But more than anything, he cared for them. If either of them died, he would do everything in his power to bring them back. No matter the cost.

Fortunately, with Anos' magic in his possession, he didn't have much to worry about on that front. He just had to stop Kurumi before her plan went too far.

"Is it that hard to believe?" Shido asked calmly.

Origami frowned, her gaze fixed on him. "If it were this dumb girl who wanted to be a hero of justice, I might actually believe it. But her?" she replied, subtly tilting her head toward Tohka, as if the comparison was obvious.

"What are you trying to say, Tobiichi Origami?!" Tohka snapped, glaring at her. Despite usually being an airhead with her thoughts mostly filled with food and Shido, she could still tell when someone was mocking her.

But Origami didn't respond to Tohka's glare. Instead, she continued to stare straight at Shido, her eyes calm yet unreadable.

"So, what are you planning to do?" Origami asked calmly.

Shido could feel both Origami and Tohka's gazes fixed on him, silently urging him to answer.

"Of course, I'm going to save her." Shido said firmly. His eyes shifted upward, watching the sparks in the sky where bullets clashed with halberd.

"I figured as much," Origami replied with a sigh. Her usually expressionless face softened into a faint, helpless smile. "It wouldn't be like you to ignore a beautiful girl in need, after all."

Shido blinked and scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Was that last part really necessary?"

It felt like she had seen right through him, and that made it even harder to deny.

"You don't want to?" Origami asked quietly.

"Well…" Shido felt awkward, unsure how to respond.

Tohka's on the other hand, came close to him and clutched the hem of his shirt, looking up at him with a pitiful expression. "Shido… you're not planning to make her your girlfriend too, right?" Her voice trembled just a bit, laced with insecurity and fear that she might be replaced.

"Of course not," Shido said quickly, his tone firm and reassuring. "Tohka is my only girlfriend."

"Really?!" Her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Really," he repeated with a soft smile.

"Yay! I love you, Shido!" Without warning, Tohka leapt into his arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"Haha, hey, don't jump at me so suddenly! What if I didn't catch you?"

"It's okay, I believe in Shido," she said with complete trust, nuzzling her face into his chest as if to leave her scent on his body.

"Shido."

A calm voice called his name, and before he could turn around, he felt someone press against his back.

Origami had wrapped her arms around him from behind, her face buried against his shoulder. She inhaled deeply, as if savoring his scent, then let out a soft, satisfied sigh. "You smell nice…"

"Origami-san? What are you doing?" Shido froze in place then helplessly look at this perverted girl who keep sniffing him.

Tohka's eyes flared with irritation as she glared at the silver-haired girl. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

But then, she paused, then recalled that Origami also had that kind relationship Shido.

Her expression shifted to one that is unhappy, and she puffed out her cheeks in a pout. Casting a sideways glance at Shido, she narrowed her eyes and stared at him.

Shido, feeling her gaze pierce through his soul, quickly looked away, pretending to be oblivious.

"What about her?" Tohka asked sharply, her hands sliding to Shido's waist, then twisting it a full 180 degrees.

"Ow, ow, ow! Tohka, that hurts!" Shido grimaced, even though his pain resistance dulled the actual pain. Still, he knew better than to test her mood. If he didn't act, Tohka would be triggered even more.

Trying to buy time, he played innocent. "W-What do you mean by 'what about her'?"

Tohka narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced. "Geez, do you really not know, or are you just pretending to be dumb?"

"A-Ahahaha, I really don't know what you're talking about..." he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Hmph!" Tohka pouted, puffing her cheeks. She jabbed a finger toward Origami, who was still shamelessly clinging to his back. "If I'm your girlfriend, then what does that make her, sniffing you like some kind of a dog?"

"She's my lover," Shido answered without a hint of hesitation.

Tohka blinked. "Lover?" She had heard the word before, but the exact meaning escaped her.

"Yes," Shido nodded, completely shameless. "A lover is… kind of like a girlfriend."

Tohka's expression instantly shifted into a deep pout. "Then she's also a girlfriend?!"

She looked like she was about to bite Shido, as if Shido had just said made Tohka very unhappy.

"Well, I never said she wasn't." Shido replied casually, his face as thick as steel, not even flinching under Tohka's intense stare.

"You… you playboy!" she cried out, lightly pounding her fists against his chest. "You're collecting girlfriends like they're food!"

"How did you even come up to compare a girlfriend with a food?" Shido smiled wryly, he was speechless with Tohka's comparison.

"I hate to interrupt your lovey-dovey moment," a voice called out dryly, "but we still have a situation here."

Tohka froze then pouted, turning toward the new voice. Shido followed her gaze and spotted the blue-haired girl standing nearby, arms crossed with a smiling face.

"Oh, Mana, you're here."

"Yes." she nodded briskly. "Reine-san sent me to assist."

"Perfect timing." Shido said with a relieved smile. "Now we can finally wrap this up."

He was more than happy to change the subject and escape Tohka's burning glare.

As if to emphasize the urgency, a massive explosion suddenly tore through the sky above them. The shockwave rippled outward, and streaks of light danced in the air, another fierce clash between powerful forces.