After receiving the message from Kotori, Ratatoskr immediately launched into discussions regarding Durandal's doubts. The conclusion they reached was… to stall.
What else could they do? Go out and actually say, 'We can date Spirits and seal their powers'?
That kind of declaration would only make Schicksal think they were insincere, using Schicksal as mere muscle.
Even though that was essentially their plan, they couldn't just show their hand.
After all, Schicksal was, by all accounts, the world's most powerful military organization, complete with its top-tier intelligence agency.
If not for Japan's unique status as a 'rice-heavy' nation—already unofficially considered one of Ratatoskr's spheres of influence, and an island too small for the World Serpent to bother with—Shiori Itsuka would likely have been discovered by Schicksal long ago.
Not that they actually believed they could manipulate Schicksal. Stalling wasn't the end goal; it was a means to buy time until they could produce concrete results, proof that they truly possessed the ability to seal a Spirit's powers.
Although Kotori Itsuka, commander of the Fraxinus, was herself a living example, they… could never put Kotori forward.
After all, Shiori Itsuka wasn't just their only candidate for sealing powers—she was also Kotori's older sister.
Pushing Kotori into the spotlight might not physically harm her, but it carried a high risk of alienating her from Ratatoskr, which would inevitably lead to Shiori's non-cooperation.
So, the higher-ups were feeling pretty 'blue' about the whole situation too.
Kotori wasn't surprised when she got this response.
'You all have it tough? But isn't it even tougher for me, the one who has to deal with them directly? It's easy for you to say "stall." Stalling a normal person is one thing, but that Durandal… she clearly doesn't play by the rules of negotiation. All she knows is demanding answers.'
Stalling for a day or two might work, but with someone like her, it wouldn't hold for long.
They could only pray a Spirit would show up here soon.
But before that, she needed to talk to Shiori about all this, and fast. They were past the point of letting her slowly figure things out on her own. Neither DEM nor Schicksal they'd invited in would give them the luxury of time.
Kotori felt a headache coming on, but her shift was over. She sent the reply to Durandal. Whatever came next could wait until tomorrow.
With that thought, she perked up a little.
She changed out of her uniform and into her school clothes, teleported to a street near home, walked for a couple minutes, then unlocked the front door, putting on her best 'just got back from school' act, a sweet smile plastered on her face.
"I'm home! Big sis…?"
The moment she stepped past the genkan, Kotori laid eyes on the last people she expected to see.
The maid who had been standing with her on the Fraxinus just hours ago was holding two plates of what looked like freshly baked chocolate cake, casting a puzzled glance her way.
The maid was facing the dining table in the living room.
Seated at that table was not only her sister, Shiori Itsuka, but also Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, Durandal herself.
Why was this group so comfortably settled in her home?!
For a split second, Kotori suspected a mole from the World Serpent within Ratatoskr.
No, having moles was normal—but having a core mole who knew about Shiori Itsuka? That wasn't normal at all!
But she quickly dismissed the thought. Others might be scheming, but even from their brief interaction, she understood Durandal's character: straightforward, direct, not the type for intricate plots. And the maid's expression seemed genuinely surprised by her arrival.
Wait, not arrival—her return.
"Kotori, welcome back."
The blue-haired girl sitting across from Durandal, a teacup cradled in her hands, offered a gentle smile.
She wasn't the epitome of a Yamato Nadeshiko, but she clearly carried the air of a traditionally soft-spoken beauty. "You're back a bit late today. Did club activities run long?"
"Ah… yeah! That's right!"
Kotori did her best to keep her expression natural, her face the picture of lively innocence, a far cry from the authoritative commander she was earlier. Even Rita raised an eyebrow subtly.
"I thought the surname sounded familiar. So you really are family."
Amber had been waiting for this moment. While she found it amusing, she didn't let it show, maintaining a straightforward and slightly surprised demeanor.
"I just didn't expect Commander Itsuka's home to have such a warm atmosphere."
"Commander?"
Shiori looked curiously at Kotori. She had been about to introduce everyone, but it seemed they already knew each other?
"Th-they're friends from the board game club! When we play, my rank is 'Commander'!"
Kotori had already decided to tell Shiori about everything, but she hadn't planned on doing it completely unprepared like this.
She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway! Sis, I'm so tired and thirsty, could you please take my bag up to my room for me?"
Shiori didn't mind; she was used to and fond of her sister's spoiled requests. But with guests present, leaving her duties as host felt a bit rude, so she was a little embarrassed.
Still, her sister's well-being and mood came first. She offered Amber an apologetic look. "Please excuse me. I'll just help Kotori with her bag. Durandal, Miss Rita, please make yourselves at home in the living room."
"Of course," Amber nodded.
"Kotori, don't cause any trouble for our guests," Shiori said. Knowing her sister's somewhat introverted nature, she wasn't truly worried, but she felt she had to say it.
"I won't cause any trouble…" Kotori muttered under her breath.
"There, there." Shiori was very fond of her adorable little sister. She took the schoolbag and headed upstairs to put it away.
Watching Shiori leave, Kotori promptly yanked off the two white ribbons in her hair, replacing them with black ones.
Her expression shifted instantly, becoming assertive. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Indeed," Amber replied, who honestly hadn't expected it either. "After we finished training, we went out to get ingredients for dinner. We happened to run into your sister on the way."
Her explanation gave only the cause and effect, skipping the process entirely. So, Kotori turned her gaze to the more articulate one.
"After our training session, Lady Durandal and I went to purchase some fresh ingredients. Perhaps because we don't look like locals, or perhaps we simply appeared to be easy targets, the vendor attempted to charge us a significantly inflated price."
Rita smiled as she provided a clearer account. "Then, Miss Shiori, who was also shopping for groceries, stepped in and corrected the price discrepancy."
Truth be told, Rita could have handled the vendor herself. Even though it was her first time in Japan, she had done thorough research and knew the standard prices.
But since someone else intervened, she saw no need to take matters into her own hands.
"Though I must say, Commander Kotori's family is unexpectedly… ordinary, isn't it?"
It wasn't that Shiori was ordinary—a beautiful girl with a good personality and excellent grades like Shiori Itsuka was extraordinary anywhere.
The home itself was the same; you could feel the warm, happy bond between the two sisters.
But all of this felt strangely incongruous when contrasted with Kotori's identity as the commander of the Fraxinus.
Why would a family like this produce a commander like Kotori?
Rita's eyes narrowed slightly with interest.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.