Chapter 36: What behind the mask

Everything up to now had somehow led to this moment.

Shido sat in the far corner of the wide, worn-down room, legs folded beneath him. The only light came from a faint streetlamp outside, slipping in through the cracked and dusty windows.

He gritted his teeth, watching the news on the old, flickering screen.

An army of brainwashed people.Coming after him.

Great. Just great.

He dragged both hands down his face, letting out a shaky breath.

“Okay, Shido… think.”

This wasn’t the first time he’d been in a tight spot. Spirits, disasters, world-ending threats—that was just Tuesday.But at least back then, he had backup. Support.Now? Nothing. No weapons. No team. Just him.

His eyes shifted across the room.

The spirit in the bear costume sat quietly on the other side, knees pulled in, back against the wall. The oversized bear head hid her face, but even without seeing her eyes, he could tell—she was hesitating.

He’d expected more.

The entrance. The energy she carried. The quiet pressure in the air when she first appeared—it all pointed to her having something. A plan. A reason.

But all he got… was a small wave, a silent gesture to come inside.

And after that… nothing.

She hadn’t said a word since. Just a few quiet mumbles under her breath, keeping as much distance between them as possible.

She didn’t even sit near him.

He almost laughed.

—He wasn’t angry at her. Not even disappointed. If anything, the frustration was aimed more at himself than anyone else.

He had already figured she was dealing with something—something that pushed her into this state. 

He should’ve realized it sooner. Just like with the other Spirits he’d met, it should’ve been him offering support—not the other way around.

If only he’d met her under better circumstances…Maybe then, he could’ve at least offered her an ear—let her pour out whatever she was holding inside.

“Akh…!”

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he rose to his feet.

“Ek!!”

“Oh... s-sorry”

Once again, his sudden shift in temper made Sawa flinch in surprise.

Still… the fact that she brought him here had to mean something, right?

She had a reason. She had a purpose for this.

Shido took a slow step forward, approaching her cautiously. As he moved, the oversized bear head lifted, her hidden eyes meeting his.

“So… um… did you need something from me?”

The silence dragged on.

Shido waited—still, patient. The question hung in the air longer than he expected. Too long.

Sawa didn’t look up.

Her head had lowered long ago, the bear mask hiding her face, hands resting on her knees. No movement. No sign she was going to speak.

Just stillness.

Then, at last—

“…I…”

The word was quiet. Unsteady.

“I… want to help you…”

That was it.

The room stayed silent. Sawa didn’t lift her head. Her eyes remained down, locked on nothing.

But Shido knew there was more.

There had to be.

She had a reason—something behind those words. Whether she didn’t trust him yet, or just couldn’t bring herself to say it—it was there.

And this time, unlike before, Shido could tell she was trying. Really trying.

Trying to hold the words together.

Trying not to show fear.

Trying to speak without breaking.

That alone was enough.

He stepped forward—careful, slow—and knelt to her level.

“Thanks,” he said.

Sawa stayed quiet.

But she didn’t move away.

That was enough for now.

—

“Hee-hee.”

—

…Someone laughed.

“…?!”His shoulders jumped, and he shot to his feet with a sharp gasp.For a split second, he thought his hiding place had been discovered by a Miku-controlled resident. But there was no sign of anyone.

Then the owner of that voice revealed herself.

A shadow.

Just as he thought the darkness in the corners of the room was shifting, a girl crawled forward from within it.

A dress of bloody crimson and shadowy black. Dark hair tied asymmetrically on both sides. A clock face embedded in her left eye, its hands ticking away each passing second. Her features—so flawless they almost looked artificial—were curled into a smile that hovered somewhere between delight and mockery.

“Hee-hee-hee… your face is quite gloomy indeed.”

“Kurumi…?!”Shido’s eyes went wide.

“...?”

Only then did Sawa lift her head, following Shido’s line of sight.

“You seem to be in some sort of trouble—ne, Shidou-san. Would you care… to negotiate with me?”Her voice floated in from the shadows, laced with amusement.

Shido froze.

That sight—it stunned him speechless. He couldn’t even scream. All he could do was stare.

She was beautiful. Unnaturally so. But that beauty came with a weight—a presence that made your skin crawl.

Yes, shuddering in fear... that was more fitting than awe.

Because that smile on her face wasn’t one of joy, or warmth, or kindness.

It was the smile of a predator.

Her uneven hair swayed with every soft giggle, and the blood-red dress clung to her small frame like a curtain drawn over danger itself.

“Tokisaki… Kurumi…!?”

Shido finally managed to choke out her name.

Kurumi.His former classmate.The worst Spirit—one who killed of her own will.

As he spoke, her brows twitched ever so slightly, and her shoulders relaxed, as if amused by his reaction.

“Ara… Did I get it wrong? I saw a Spirit abducting Yoshino-san and the Yamai sisters. Tohka-san, captured by DEM Industries… and then, your helpless expression.”

“Wha—”

Shido tensed.

—She was exactly right.

“K-Kurumi? What are you doing here?”

“Hm?”

“...?”

Both Shido and Kurumi turned toward the voice.

Sawa had already stood, casting an uncertain glance at Kurumi.

Kurumi, in contrast, held eye contact with her for only a second before letting out a soft sigh.

“It seems your day off didn’t go quite the way we hoped, did it?”

“Um… so much happened…”

"Hold up..."

"hm?"

"?"

Shido’s eyes flicked back and forth between the two

“…You two know each other?”

“Oh my, excuse me,” Kurumi said with a small tilt of her head, one hand delicately resting on her cheek. “I didn’t mention it, did I, Shidou-san?”

Her lips curled with amusement.

“She and I are… well, more like roommates, I suppose. We've shared a roof for a little while now.”

“Um…”

Sawa nodded in response.

“…Roommates?”

For a moment, something short-circuited in Shido’s brain. He flicked his gaze back and forth between them again. The contrast in their personalities was just…

What kind of life did Sawa have to end up as Kurumi’s roommate…?

Even though he muttered that part under his breath, it wasn’t quiet enough.

Kurumi’s eyes lit up with playful offense.

“My, that sounded rather judgmental. Don’t worry, I’m quite the considerate housemate. I clean. I cook. I even give her space when she needs it. Isn’t that right, Sawa-san?”

“…”

“Right?”

“U-Um… yeah…”

Sawa seemed to hesitate there for some reason...Though her focus shifted soon after.

“So, um… y-you two… are you friends?” Sawa asked, tilting her head slightly.

Shido opened his mouth to answer, but—

“We’re dating,” Kurumi said without hesitation.

“Wha—?!” Shido nearly choked on air. “Kurumi?!”

Sawa’s eyes widened. “E-Ehh?! R-Really?!”

Kurumi rested a hand on her cheek and tilted her head, wearing the most innocent expression imaginable—which, coming from her, only made her look even more suspicious.

“Ufufu~ my, was I not supposed to say that out loud?”

Shido flailed in protest, spinning toward her. “We’re not dating!”

Kurumi giggled softly behind her fingers. “Ara, I was only joking. We’re not… yet.”

“…‘Yet’?”

Just as the two continued to bluff with each other, Sawa suddenly perked up, her eyes widening with realization.

“…Huh?! W-Wait—'Shido'? That name....Is that the same playboy you were talking abou—?”

The words suddenly stopped leaving her lips, or rather refused...

“Okay, let’s stop right there. There’s no need to—”

It was only when Sawa shifted her gaze toward Kurumi’s shadow that she realized why she couldn’t speak any further.

Kurumi’s shadows had stretched farther than they should’ve, curling into her bear costume, threading their way around her like vines—reaching her mouth, and silencing it.

Realizing that, Sawa simply nodded at her.

Kurumi let out a satisfied breath as the shadows slowly retracted. Her crimson eye turned back toward Shido, her smile still lingering… but the teasing edge in her voice was gone.

Her gaze had turned serious—and so did Shido’s.

“So, Shido-san,” Kurumi said softly, “as I mentioned earlier... right now, I wish to negotiate with you.”

Shido narrowed his eyes. “What is it you want to negotiate?”

“Mm— It’s about what happens after.”

“After?” he echoed, confused.

As Shido tried to make sense of her words, Kurumi slowly stepped closer, her heels tapping rhythmically against the dusty floor. She stopped just in front of him, leaned in close, and whispered near his ear.

“Ne, Shido-san… weren’t you going to help Tohka-san?”

“…What?” Shido blinked, his voice barely more than a breath.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said,” Kurumi replied with a knowing smile. “Don’t you want to rescue Tohka-san from DEM Industries?”

“Isn’t that obvious?! They’re an organization that hunts Spirits! How could I ever leave Tohka in their hands?!”

“Ehehe~ well said, well said. That’s our Shido-san.”

Still smiling, Kurumi leaned closer again and—without warning—ran her tongue lightly along the shell of his ear.

“…nngh—!”

In the background, Sawa had already turned to face the wall, as if to give the two their privacy... Her ears, however, were tinged noticeably red.

“So you want to save Tohka-san, but no matter how badly you want to… You can’t do it alone, can you?”

Her words struck like ice.

“You don’t even know where they’ve taken her, and even if you did, you’d still have to fight your way through DEM, an entire organization trained to capture Spirits. Not to mention…”

Her gaze darkened, her voice dropping slightly.

“You do remember the one who captured her, don’t you? That woman—Ellen—is no ordinary opponent. She’s not someone a human can simply ‘defeat.’”

“Tsk… I know that!” Shido snapped. “But that’s exactly why I—!”

“Eh, eh,” Kurumi interrupted with a finger to his lips. “That’s exactly why you’re acting like a noble fool, Shido-san. But sheer emotion alone won’t get you anywhere. If you rush in by yourself, you’ll be either killed… or worse, captured.”

“Kh…” Shido clenched his fists. “So what are you trying to say?”

“Ufufu… isn’t it obvious?” she said, voice lowering into a whisper. “I’m going to help you.”

“…What?!”

His eyes widened at the words that had just left her lips.

“You’re… going to help me?”

Kurumi gave him a gentle nod, her smile curling in that familiar, cryptic way.

“Mm. I’ll help you save Tohka-san.”

As Kurumi said those words, she smiled once more.

Shido brought a hand to his forehead, trying to ease the storm of thoughts building in his head.

Kurumi was a Spirit—one with an Angel of overwhelming power. That much he knew. If she was serious about helping, then yes, there might actually be a sliver of hope in rescuing Tohka.

But even so… he couldn’t bring himself to celebrate.

“…What’s your real intention?” he asked warily, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

“My intentions?” Kurumi tilted her head, “I simply want to help you, Shidou-san.”

Even as she said it, she clearly knew how unbelievable it sounded. Which was likely why she didn’t bother trying to sound too sincere.

“You…”

“Ara ara~” Kurumi pressed her hands to her eyes in mock grief, peeking between her fingers. “How tragic. And here I am, offering my help from the goodness of my heart…”

“…Right.”

“Distrust,” she said with a dramatic sigh. “Well, I suppose I can’t blame you.”

Shido stared at her for a moment before letting out a quiet breath, his shoulders lowering just slightly.

“Truthfully, I do have my own reasons for going after DEM. And as a reward for helping you, well—”

She paused.

Her crimson eye shifted, this time toward Sawa.

“I don’t see a better chance to finally get your freedom, Sawa-chan.”

“…”

“Hmm?”

Shido blinked, not sure what she meant. But as he followed Kurumi’s gaze toward Sawa—her back still facing them—he noticed something.

An aura.

Strange… too calm.Not the kind of calm that came from peace. But the kind that came when something inside had settled. Quietly. Fully.

It didn’t feel like the spirit he knew her to be.

Shido’s eyes stayed on Sawa a moment longer, only to remember her words—soft, broken.

I… want to help you...

He already realized back then, There was more behind that offer.

Something personal.

Something tied to DEM.

His mind drifted back to that moment—when Ellen appeared.

The way Sawa froze.The way her voice vanished.

This wasn’t just fear.It was deeper than that.

Shido took a quiet breath.

Maybe it was better if she stayed out of this. Whatever happened between her and DEM… she wasn’t ready. And with Kurumi on his side now—maybe that was enough.

He walked over slowly and knelt beside her. She still faced the wall, wrapped in that oversized bear costume, refusing to meet his eyes. But that was fine.

He just wanted her to hear him.

“I’ll take it from here,” he said, patting her gently on the head. “Thanks for the offer… but I have to refuse. Still—thanks.”

Behind him, Kurumi gave a small shrug, her smile tilting.“Hmm~”

Shido stood again, gave Kurumi a quiet nod—it was time to go.

And just as the two turned their backs to her—

—

“?!!”

“...”

A sudden flash.

Blinding white light burst from behind, filling the entire room.

Shido winced, throwing up an arm to shield his eyes.

“What—?!”

Behind him, Kurumi only smiled. Quiet. Knowing.

As the light faded, Shido slowly opened his eyes—

And froze.

Standing before him… was Sawa.

But not the Sawa from moments ago.

She had changed.

Her Astral Dress shimmered softly, pure white like untouched snow, shaped like a wedding gown—simple, yet striking. The fabric flowed down her form, light and quiet, with soft green lines tracing upward like tree veins, branching out gently across the skirt.

The dress left her shoulders bare, the back open just enough to reveal the line of her spine. Long white gloves reached halfway up her arms, stopping just below the elbow. A thin headband made of colorful flowers rested in her hair.

That hair—long and brown—fell past her waist. It looked a little dry, a little messy… but still, there was something noble about it. Something quiet. Something real.

Her eyes held the same deep brown, steady now… not hiding anymore.

Shido didn’t say a word.

He didn’t need to.

He hadn’t realized the beauty hidden behind that oversized costume...

“I want to come with you…”

There was no hesitation in her words, leaving no room to argue.