167: One of the Four Heavenly Kings of Kurumi

Souta figured Kurumi probably thought wearing an eye patch was cool.

After all, one of the clones created by the future Kurumi had existed five years ago as part of the so-called "Four Heavenly Kings of Chuunibyou"—nicknamed "Eyepatch Three."

He glanced at this version of Kurumi, her long black hair flowing smoothly. In terms of appearance, she was identical to her future self, but her overall demeanor was different. It was as if she were deliberately trying to project an air of nobility and uniqueness… which, honestly, was kind of cute.

"Contractor, making me wait six whole days before appearing—your manners are sorely lacking. I must criticize you for this."

Kurumi spoke in a slightly displeased tone while sizing Souta up from head to toe, nodding repeatedly as if approving of something.

"Hmm… this lofty, disdainful attitude that looks down upon everything… As expected of the man I've set my eyes on. Quite to my taste. In that case… I'll forgive your rudeness just this once."

"…"

Souta lowered his head and examined himself but couldn't see anything particularly special.

Did he really look "lofty" and "disdainful of everything"?

…Well, maybe it was because he had just used divine power to teleport and hadn't yet suppressed his godly aura. That might explain why he was giving off an overwhelming, almost divine presence right now.

And yet, that somehow aligned perfectly with this era's Kurumi's preferences?

"You… do you know me?"

Souta looked at her in confusion.

Kurumi had called him "Contractor" right from the start. Even for someone with chuunibyou, that was a bit much.

In the mind of a chuunibyou, a "contractor" signified something special—like the wielder of the "Wicked Lord Shingan's (Tyrant's Eye)" or the "Dark Flame Master." A contract meant a bond.

"Of course. You are Souta, the partner of my future self—the one with whom I formed an eternal contract, correct?"

Kurumi spread her arms wide in a dramatic pose. At the same time, her shadow expanded unnaturally beneath her, and a classic flintlock pistol emerged from it, flying straight into her hand.

She spun the gun in an elaborate flourish before pointing it at Souta—not in an aggressive way, but as if she were striking a dramatic pose for a fated duel.

"I already know… You and my future self have forged a deep bond and are fighting together for this world."

"…"

Watching Kurumi showing off like this gave Souta secondhand embarrassment.

But after adjusting his mindset, he actually found it kind of amusing. His gaze toward Kurumi softened.

"Wait… Did you read the manga drawn by the Second Spirit? Is that how you know me?"

Souta made a guess.

"Hm?" Kurumi's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Contractor… are you saying… that mangaka Honjo Nia-sensei is actually the Second Spirit?!"

"Yeah," Souta nodded. "She used her 'Angel' to view past records and turned them into a manga."

"It was her…?"

Kurumi lowered her gun, frowning slightly, as if feeling somewhat conflicted.

She had been investigating this for so long, and now she had obtained the information so easily?

It left her feeling oddly unreal.

"Oh, right—Kurumi…"

"Hm? Kurumi…? Is that what my future self lets you call her?"

Kurumi found the name oddly fresh.

This version of her had barely interacted with others. There were almost no people who knew her real name, let alone called her "Kurumi" so naturally.

Being addressed like this by her future contractor… for some reason, it made her feel a bit happy.

"Um… Can you say it again?" Kurumi asked.

"Kurumi."

"Mm."

She smiled.

She liked the way it sounded.

Souta found her reaction amusing, but he didn't forget to get back to the main topic.

"Judging by your reaction earlier… You're still investigating the Second Spirit's whereabouts, aren't you?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

Souta frowned.

"Your wish should have already been fulfilled, shouldn't it? There's no need for you to continue chasing after this, right?"

"About that wish…"

Kurumi suddenly leaned in close, her expression filled with genuine gratitude.

"Contractor, you were the one who fulfilled my wish, weren't you? For that, I sincerely thank you. It seems that my future self has found a truly wonderful partner… I'm a little jealous."

"You are Kurumi. What's the point of being jealous of yourself?" Souta couldn't help but laugh.

"It's different. This is a separate matter."

Kurumi didn't dwell on the thought and continued,

"As for why I'm still investigating the Second Spirit… I want to find the Origin Spirit and confirm her identity. She's a dangerous figure. If she continues to lurk in the shadows, it makes me uneasy."

"Oh!"

Kurumi suddenly looked at Souta with sparkling eyes.

"Contractor! Since you've traveled back twenty-five years, you must already know who the Origin Spirit is, don't you?"

"Yeah." Souta nodded.

"Then… would you share that information with me?"

Kurumi gazed into his eyes, her expression filled with anticipation, making him want to pat her head.

"No." Souta refused without hesitation.

Kurumi was stunned for a moment before her face turned slightly disgruntled.

"…Why not?"

Her voice carried a hint of grievance.

"Aren't we supposed to be lifelong partners? You won't even tell me something this small…?"

She could feel the unfair treatment and wasn't happy about it.

"It's for your safety."

Souta instinctively wanted to pat her head but stopped himself, remembering they weren't that close in this timeline.

"If I tell you who the Origin Spirit is, you'll definitely try to approach her in secret and gather intel. But she's too strong—we're no match for her. What if she captures you?"

"Are you… worried about me?"

Kurumi touched her cheek, feeling an unfamiliar emotion stir within her.

She shook her head. "You don't need to worry, Contractor. I can protect myself. Even if I investigate, I'll just send my clones."

"Kurumi," Souta hesitated before speaking seriously. "Actually… your future self and I made a promise."

"A promise? What kind of promise?"

"You agreed to treat every clone with care—to stop using them as mere expendable pawns. In return, I would provide the time needed to activate your 'Angel.'"

Souta met her gaze.

"Your clones… they have independent thoughts. I just can't bear to see them get torn apart in battle. Maybe this is just me being selfish."

"Clones, huh…"

Kurumi looked a little surprised.

She never expected Souta to care so much about something she had always treated as mere tools.

Just like in the manga… He truly cherished every part of her.

That thought… made her secretly happy.

As expected of her future contractor.