His face instantly flushed crimson, and some images began flashing uncontrollably through his mind:
With that purple-haired Spirit girl... and that... that reliable, composed "Welt" uncle dressed in a suit... Some extremely terrifying and absurd images began flashing uncontrollably through his mind:
That reliable, composed "Welt" uncle dressed in a suit... He would be forced to go on a date with him... The other party would elegantly push up his glasses with his white-gloved hands, critiquing the coffee in a deep voice... Finally... finally he would have to stand on his tiptoes... or the other party would lower his head... and then... (Wait... wait a minute! What am I thinking?!)
(Kissing... kissing that uncle?!)
(Imaginary Scene A: The other party suddenly takes a step back, a suspicious blush appearing on his usually placid face, and he gruffly says: "Im... impudent fellow! What propriety is this!")
(Imaginary Scene B (Worse): The other party instead shows an expression of interest, taking the initiative: "Oh? An interesting proposition...")
"Pfft—!" Shido violently shook his head, feeling his sanity and something important quietly shattering.
Shido violently shook his head, trying to banish these extremely bizarre and horrifying images from his mind; his cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg.
"You... you must be joking, Kotori?! How is that possible?!"
Itsuka Shido stood rooted to the spot, as if he had turned into a statue.
His brain had completely crashed.
A life review seemed to flash before his eyes: that tall, composed, and scholarly middle-aged man in a suit... Mr. Walter... (I have to go... and make him... fall for me?)
(And also... kiss... him?!)
(A Spirit... who looks like a university professor... and can conjure an army of mechas out of thin air... and declare war on the whole world?!)
An extremely intense, indescribable sense of absurdity and crushing pain (a double whammy of physical and mental anguish) instantly swept over Shido!
This wasn't a matter of difficulty anymore! This was the ultimate challenge to his orientation and preferences! It was reality's most malicious joke played on him, an ordinary high school boy!
"I... I, I, I..." Shido's lips trembled, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time, finally squeezing out a groan of near collapse from his throat:
"...This is impossible... Absolutely impossible! I'll die! I'll die in every sense of the word Ahhhhhh!!!"
"I regret to inform you, this is the only conclusion reached after multiple observations and analyses."
Reine confirmed this from the side in her characteristic deadpan tone, as if stating the most ordinary thing.
"The abnormal short-term increase in the Spirit codenamed 'Princess's' affection toward you, as well as the faint Spirit energy reaction detected within your body, all prove this point."
Kotori looked at her Onii-chan's world-shattering expression, a mischievous, devilish smile playing on her lips; she seemed to be enjoying his current predicament. She licked her lollipop and dropped the final bombshell:
"Therefore, my dear Onii-chan, your first mission target is very clear."
"Find a way to approach the Fourth Spirit who calls himself 'Welt' and comes from Anti-Entropy, as well as the Princess."
"And then—" "Use your 'love' and a kiss to 'persuade' him and them to willingly have their powers sealed by you."
Looking at her Onii-chan who was clutching his head in collapse, commander mode Kotori, though maintaining a serious expression, showed a flicker of extremely complex emotions deep in her eyes—a mix of helplessness, sympathy, and "this mission is seriously too damn sadistic."
(It can't be helped, Onii-chan... Who told this newly appeared Spirit to be such a 'hardcore' character...)
Itsuka Shido was petrified on the spot once more.
(Go... go on a date with that muscular uncle in a suit who can conjure mechas out of thin air, dares to declare war on the whole world, and can even fight back and forth (albeit miserably) with the world's strongest magician?! And make him blush?! And kiss him?!)
(I can't do it! Absolutely impossible!!! This is ten thousand times harder than talking to that sword-wielding Spirit girl just now!!!)
Inside the bridge, Shido's desperate wails and Kotori's successful, mischievous chuckle echoed.
"—Good. Based on the latest data, the Spirits won't appear again for at least a week. Without further ado, let's start training tomorrow."
"Ah...? Training...?"
Inside the bridge of the Fraxinus, Itsuka Shido's despairing cries echoed. His path to the shura field seemed, from this moment on, to have taken an incredibly rugged, dark, and suffocating detour.
Meanwhile, the real "Welt" himself, looking like a drowned rat, was in his apartment bathroom, letting out a silent scream at the mature, reliable face paired with a woman's body reflected in the mirror.