World of Date a Live, Tenguu City.
Two days had passed since the timeline was repaired, and things within Ratatoskr had returned to normal—or at least, that's how it seemed. Yuki knew that without Kotori and Reine, the danger had not yet passed.
Moreover...
"She still hasn't woken up..."
Yoshino remained in a coma. Yuki didn't fully understand what had happened, as the fusion between the two Yoshinos was the result of power from another timeline.
It was possible that her coma was due to Kotori not yet closing her timeline. Since Yoshino was the key to that other timeline, she had entered a state of rest.
Fortunately, her spiritual world had recovered, and she was now at peace. However, Yuki wasn't sure what would happen if another spirit claimed her throne. Natsumi had left the seal weakened, making the risk substantial.
(But if the Thrones aren't complete, the Requiem won't stop.)
Similarly, the Coffin of Weapons would devour him if he lacked the necessary strength. But if he gained more power, the Demon King would be unleashed.
(This sucks…)
Yuki couldn't help but lament his situation. He felt trapped between a rock and a hard place.
But this wasn't enough to break him. As an assassin in his previous life, he had faced more dangerous situations. Unfortunately, he no longer remembered them—or rather, he no longer had those memories.
"Darling… what should we do?"
Miku was also worried about Yoshino, but there was nothing she could do.
"Relax, she'll be fine. Hey… you're too close..."
"It's fine~ After all, Darling is my Darling..."
Yuki tried to maintain boundaries with Miku, but failed, as this clingy girl took every opportunity to latch onto him. It wasn't that he didn't want her close, but with the delicate balance he needed to maintain with the Demon King, he didn't want Lilith to emerge and cause trouble...
"Miku! Get away from Yuki!"
"Kya~ I've got plenty of love for you too, Tohka-chan~"
"No! Stay away from me!"
Luckily for Yuki, Tohka was his guardian, keeping this clingy girl at bay. Although Tohka paid the price by being harassed by Miku, she wasn't all-powerful. While she chased Miku away, another challenge arose.
"Origami, even if Miku's gone, it's not the time for you to try to take off my pants."
"Onii-chan, it's necessary for us to unite. Please release your restraint..."
"..."
Sighing in defeat, Yuki looked down at the beautiful but expressionless girl who was tugging determinedly at his pants—spiritual pants that he had created with his powers, and which wouldn't come off unless he allowed it. Nevertheless, this girl pulled with all her might, which was both amusing and strange.
Yuki didn't know how to respond to Origami's perverted behavior. This had almost become routine for them, where he was attacked every night by Miku and Origami.
It wasn't as if he didn't want it, but Natsumi had left his spiritual world in bad shape. Otherwise, he would've already indulged in these advances. He needed to take it slow, which left him feeling depressed.
He wasn't stupid enough to keep rejecting the girls, but despite the situation, Yuki didn't hate it. His life remained peaceful for the moment, which was something he appreciated...
"It's time..."
"Are you going, Danna-sama?"
"It's inevitable. I have to go."
That night, Yuki waited until all the spirits were fast asleep before leaving. Kurumi saw him but didn't stop him. She knew it was impossible—this was a battle he had to win, no matter what.
"Take care of them. I'll be back soon."
"Alright, Danna-sama. I'll be waiting."
Closing her eyes, Kurumi bowed like a dutiful wife, and Yuki tenderly kissed her forehead. At the same time, Kurumi sent a message to the other spirits in the crown.
[Don't let Danna-sama do anything stupid.]
Kurumi knew what Yuki was capable of. He would do whatever it took to win, even if it meant sacrificing himself, just as he had done in God Eater.
Kurumi didn't want that to happen again. Unfortunately for her, Yuki had already done just that—he just didn't know it yet.
[Don't worry, Kurumin. If he overdoes it, I'll personally bring him back.]
[I'll protect Nushi-sama.]
[Hmph! You don't have to tell me that.]
Nia, Mukuro, and Natsumi easily agreed to Kurumi's request. In fact, they were just as worried, so even without her reminder, they were determined to protect him.
---
The darkness of the night was comforting for Yuki, a spirit who controlled shadows. He teleported to the top of a building where a figure was already waiting for him...
"Did you wait long?"
"No, you're right on time... Surprised?"
"A little, I won't deny it."
"....."
Yuki sighed, feeling a bit helpless as he gazed at the mature beauty before him. After all, they had spent time together and maintained a decent relationship. At least, this woman had never tried to attack him or the spirits...
Reine, on the other hand, smiled softly as if the person in front of her wasn't her enemy. Instead, there was a strange sympathy in her heart, along with a feeling of familiarity.
"You did well to come."
"It was a given. I won't abandon Kotori..."
"I understand..."
Kotori was Yuki's adoptive sister, a fact that Reine was well aware of. She also knew Kotori was an important piece to Yuki, giving him two strong reasons to never abandon her.
"And I also came for you..."
But Yuki's next words left Reine in shock.
He came for her? Reine almost laughed in anger. Those words meant that Yuki wanted her in his crown, and that was unacceptable.
"....."
Reine's gaze turned as cold as a glacier. Her dark circles deepened, and her power began to leak out.
"You're either very brave or very stupid. Are you sure you've come for me as well? I could easily kill you if I wanted to. Or do you think I won't?"
With each word, Reine's voice grew colder, and her power increased. Unfortunately for her, Yuki didn't care.
"Don't you hate me? Or was destroying a timeline not enough for you? Do you enjoy pain? Or did they mean nothing to you?"
"Of course it was enough. I don't want any more timelines to collapse. They are my entire world. I suffered for them, almost lost my mind for them. They're so important to me that I can't imagine life without them..."
Returning to the bleak existence of his previous life was not something Yuki wanted. His girls had brought new light into his life, and he didn't mind giving his life for them.
But while he was willing to die for them, that didn't mean he would sacrifice himself. He would face despair if necessary to be happy with them. No matter what happened, Yuki would do whatever it took to hold on to the happiness that was so difficult to achieve and so easy to lose.
"And it's for that happiness that I'm here now."
"Hm, such simple words."
Reine's anger faded, replaced by a sad but gentle smile.
"Can I kill you then? If so, everything will be much easier."
"You can't kill me, and I know you won't."
"Oh? And why are you so sure?"
"Because you're not Mio Takamiya."
"....."
Both fell silent at those words, the moonlight illuminating their faces.
"So, you knew? How did you find out? I was sure I altered the Akashic Records."
With the Akashic Records altered, not even the world itself knew who Reine was. Yuki shouldn't have been able to find out through Rasiel. It should have been impossible for him to know.
"Natsumi. The moment she appeared, it was strange. I was suspicious of you from that point. I thought you were Mio, but I changed my mind. And when I fused with Natsumi, I learned everything."
Reine wasn't Mio. She was a clone created by Mio Takamiya as a contingency plan against Yuki. In case something happened and Mio couldn't defeat Yuki, Reine was a decoy created to stab him in the back.
Reine's mission was also to monitor and observe the spirits, which was why she joined Ratatoskr.
And because she was a clone, resonance was impossible. Even so, the moment Yuki joined Ratatoskr, he sensed her presence. Though she quickly hid, Yuki remained alert until he finally connected the dots when Natsumi appeared.
---