Shido's trembling invitation ("Shooting game...") entered her ears, abruptly pulling Chinatsu back to reality from her tense situational analysis and self-doubt.
(What am I doing...?)
She blinked, and the layer of deliberately feigned "anger" in her icy blue eyes quickly receded like a tide. Although the information she had just detected was unsettling, if she thought about it carefully... (The AST didn't make a direct move, which means they either lack sufficient evidence or they have reservations.)
(Origami only received a phone call. It might not necessarily be an operational order targeting me. Perhaps it was just a daily report?)
(Furthermore...) Her thoughts settled on the most fundamental issue.
(...The mission notification from that bastard Aha hasn't signaled completion yet. This means that today's "date" must proceed no matter what.)
(Instead of being paranoid and scaring myself here, I might as well hurry up and complete the mission objective.)
A more "open-minded" thought popped up: (So what if the AST really comes? If I can't beat them, can't I run away? The authority of Reason Law isn't just for show!)
(As for DEM... according to the "script," that tomboy Ellen Mathers should still be busy handling other matters at the British headquarters. How could she specifically rush to Amamiya City just for me, a "suspected Spirit"? Unless the script has a bug!)
Thinking this way, she immediately felt much lighter. The tension stemming from the unknown was replaced by a "come what may" attitude, akin to "if soldiers come, block them; if water comes, cover it with earth."
Since she had to spend time with Shido today anyway, she might as well make herself comfortable.
Thus, the "murderous" expression on her face instantly melted away like ice and snow, replaced by a look of slight helplessness and casualness.
She even let out a soft "Tsk," as if despising her own fussiness, and then nodded toward the still anxious Shido:
"A shooting game? Fine, I have nothing better to do anyway."
Her tone returned to its usual coolness, but lacked the previous deliberate sense of distance, sounding much more natural.
Seeing her suddenly "clear up," Shido, though confused, let out a huge sigh of relief and quickly pointed to the "Water Track Boat" ride nearby, where tourists could use water guns to shoot targets along a slowly moving track:
"H-How about that one? It looks quite interesting!"
Chinatsu glanced at it. The ride was indeed two-seater and looked highly interactive, perfectly meeting Fraxinus's requirement to "create opportunities for being alone," while also avoiding further entanglement with Origami.
(Forget it, this one will do.)
"Mhm, let's go."
The two quickly lined up and boarded a pink and blue boat.
The small boat slowly moved along the preset track through the winding waterway. On both sides were various cartoon-shaped targets, and a water gun with considerable power was placed in front of each seat.
At first, the atmosphere was still slightly awkward. Shido, remembering Kotori's instruction to "show enthusiasm," tried hard to find a topic:
"Um... Chinatsu-san, look at that pirate target, it looks like it's about to pop out..." "Mhm, I see it."
Chinatsu responded distractedly, her attention focused more on familiarizing herself with the water gun's operation.
(The recoil is a bit stronger than I expected... the sight needs adjustment...)
However, when the first target—a pirate captain wearing an eyepatch—popped out from the side.
As it let out a strange "Wahahaha" laugh, Chinatsu instinctively raised her gun, aimed, and fired!
"Pshh!" A precise jet of water hit the pirate's single eye directly!
"Oh, not bad aim."
She blurted it out subconsciously, her tone carrying a hint of smugness, exactly like how she felt when making an excellent play in a game.
Shido was stunned by her sudden "show of skill" and slightly familiar tone, but then he laughed too, aiming at another target without showing weakness: "Watch this!"
Unfortunately, his aim was slightly off, and the jet of water skimmed past the edge of the target.
"Pfft—" Chinatsu couldn't help but laugh out loud, her icy blue eyes curving up as she spoke in a teasing tone:
"Hey, Itsuka, your aim is terrible, isn't it? Have you been too busy cooking normally that you haven't played this much?"
This natural utterance of "Itsuka" and the blunt teasing made Shido feel momentarily dazed.
It felt less like he was on a date with a cool, beautiful transfer student and more like he was playing a game with a good buddy.
This relaxed atmosphere involuntarily eased his constantly tense nerves.
"W-Who said that! I just haven't found my rhythm yet!" Shido blushed and aimed again defiantly.
"Yes, yes, yes, take your time finding your rhythm~" Chinatsu laughed, but her hands didn't stop. She fired two more "Pshh" shots, cleanly hitting two consecutive targets, causing the score counter to chime.
"Wow! You're too fast! Leave some for me!"
"If you're fast, you get them; if you're slow, you don't, buddy~"
"Damn it! Watch this wave... Eh?! Why is there no water left?!"
"Hahaha! Out of ammo, are you! That's what you get for shooting randomly! Conserve your ammunition, idiot!"
Unconsciously, the two completely dropped their initial awkwardness and testing, acting like two genuine friends out having fun, teasing each other and fighting over targets.
They cheered for hitting high-score targets and groaned over misses and running out of "ammo."
Water splashed onto them occasionally, bringing waves of coolness, yet making the atmosphere even more lively.
Chinatsu completely relaxed, enjoying the long-lost feeling of ease where she didn't need to pretend and could freely display (part of) her true personality.
She even temporarily forgot the threat of the AST, the mission from Aha, and her own complicated identity, simply immersing herself in the fun of the water gun game.
And Shido, through this rare "buddy-like" interaction, sensed a different side of Chinatsu beneath her usual cool exterior—a little smug, fond of teasing, highly skilled, and deeply engaged when playing. This made the girl in front of him feel more real and more... adorable.
On the Fraxinus bridge, everyone watched Chinatsu on the screen, who was finally no longer "murderous" but was having a great time with Shido, even smiling exceptionally brightly, their feelings complex.
"I-It seems like... the atmosphere suddenly became very harmonious?" Kanmoto said uncertainly, looking at the rapidly rising "Pleasure Level" curves on the data panel.
"But... 'buddy'? Did she just call Lord Shido 'buddy'?!" Kawagoe wore an expression of having his worldview shattered.
"W-What kind of development is this?!"
"As long as the affection level is rising, the title... shouldn't matter, right?" Shiizaki said faintly.
"Aha! I understand now!" Kannazuki passionately exclaimed again.
"This is a higher realm! It is a spiritual resonance that transcends gender barriers! It is the sublimation of love into an unbreakable bond! How noble! How..."
"Shut up!" Kotori grabbed an empty soda can and threw it accurately again, but her gaze was fixed intently on Chinatsu's cloudless smile on the screen.
(This smile... it's completely different from the calculated or fake feeling from before... Is she truly relaxed and happy?)
She frowned, vaguely feeling that this Phoenix-in Chinatsu seemed even more... elusive than they had imagined.
The small boat slowly sailed toward the finish line along the track, and the water gun game was nearing its end.
Chinatsu reluctantly put down the water gun, feeling the breeze brush past her hair tips dampened by water droplets. She felt a rare sense of ease, one she hadn't often experienced since coming to this world.
(It seems... playing like this occasionally isn't bad?)
She turned her head and looked at Shido beside him, who was equally soaked but smiling somewhat foolishly. The corners of her mouth also unconsciously curled into a shallow, genuine arc.
The small boat slowly entered the terminal station, and to the accompaniment of cheerful ending music, Chinatsu and Shido reluctantly put down their water guns.
Both were splashed with water to varying degrees. Shido's hair was plastered wetly to his forehead, making him look slightly disheveled, while crystalline water droplets hung from Chinatsu's icy blue hair tips, sparkling in the sunlight.
"Whew—I didn't expect that to be quite fun." Chinatsu lightly shook her head, her tone carrying the lightness of post-exertion.
That "fierce battle" had allowed her to temporarily cast aside all her worries, and a flush of excitement still lingered on her face.
"Yeah..." Shido stared, somewhat mesmerized, at Chinatsu's rare, cloudless smile, and subconsciously replied, "Chinatsu-san, your aim is really good."
"Well, basic operation."
Chinatsu raised an eyebrow, a hint of smugness in her expression, and then, as if remembering something, added, "But your rhythm did improve later. You hit those last few targets pretty well."
This tone of slight approval made Shido feel flattered, and he quickly waved his hands: "N-Not at all, I still have a long way to go..."
The atmosphere between the two was unprecedentedly harmonious, and the "buddy-like" sense of ease had not yet completely faded.
They exchanged smiles and disembarked from the boat one after the other, ready to head to the next attraction. Shido inwardly rejoiced, feeling that Fraxinus's instructions seemed to finally be working.
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