I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

This was Tenguu City, in a hospital tucked away in a quiet corner of town.

A young girl sat on a hospital bed, her back against the wall.

Her head was wrapped in thick bandages, leaving her unable to see — a sight that tugged painfully at the heart.

At this late hour, most children would already be asleep.

But the girl sat there in silence, as if waiting for someone.

Thanks to the quiet surroundings — and the way her hearing had grown especially sensitive after losing her sight — she heard the faint footsteps approaching from beyond the door.

If she had once resembled a delicate, lifeless doll, then the moment she heard those footsteps, it was as if that doll had finally come to life.

When Melusine pushed the door open, she was greeted by the sight of the girl lying back on the bed, a radiant smile blooming across her lips.

"Lan-nee."

"Zino, you're still awake?"

Melusine's voice softened noticeably, gentle and warm, like a flower unfolding under the sunlight.

"Nope, because I knew Lan-nee would come to tell me a story."

"Is that so? But you know, if you're feeling sleepy, you should go to bed early."

"Only by resting well can you get better faster, understand?"

"Mm-hmm, Zino understands."

The girl's earnest obedience brought a faint smile to Melusine's face.

She pulled over a chair and sat down beside the bed.

"So, what kind of story would you like to hear today?"

...

Over half an hour later—

"That's the end of today's story."

Closing the picture book, Melusine glanced at the bed.

By now, Zino's breathing had grown even and steady — she had fallen into a peaceful sleep.

"Sweet dreams, Zino..."

Whispering a soft blessing, Melusine carefully tugged the blanket up to Zino's chin, then slipped out of the room without making a sound.

Outside the door, Itsuka Shidou was struggling to stifle a yawn, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes.

"If you're really that tired, you could've gone home."

Melusine's voice snapped him back to alertness.

"A nurse came by earlier."

Wiping his eyes roughly, Shidou tried to sound more awake.

"She said... you come to visit this little girl every night."

"Zino underwent surgery a few days ago," Melusine said matter-of-factly, her earlier gentleness completely gone.

"She needs to be kept under observation for at least four months."

"Her parents are heavily in debt from the medical bills."

"So during the day, they take turns coming here."

"But at night, they have to work extra jobs."

"I know them, so I agreed to stop by and look after Zino during the nights, and sometimes, if she has trouble sleeping, I'll tell her stories."

"If nothing urgent comes up, I usually visit during the day too."

"I see..."

Looking at her, Shidou felt a complicated mix of emotions.

Does someone this kind really exist...?

Then, as if remembering something, Shidou blinked, and asked:

"Um... Don't you need to Lost?"

The term Lost referred to the phenomenon of a Spirit leaving this world and returning to the Neighboring World.

If Lancelot could visit every night, didn't that mean she was staying here permanently?

This question...

Probably Kotori asked him to bring it up, Melusine thought.

"Let me guess — in your understanding, all Spirits are supposed to return to the Neighboring World eventually, right? And none of you can control when it happens?"

Melusine gave a slight shake of her head.

"I can feel the pull toward that space."

"But I can resist it."

"If I chose not to resist, I would return just like any other Spirit."

If her memory was right...

the Neighboring World should be governed by Phantom Beasts.

And Phantom Beasts were pretty much the only existence in this world that Melusine was cautious of.

If she could avoid it, she had no intention of setting foot in their domain.

In fact, when Melusine had first descended into this world, she had initially appeared in the Neighboring World — only to immediately flee into the human world.

Another wave of drowsiness hit Shidou, and he couldn't help yawning again.

"Come to think of it... don't you need to sleep?"

"Hmm... No, I don't."

Melusine answered casually.

"I am a dragon — the sole dragon fairy in existence."

"My biological functions are fundamentally different from you humans."

"Even without sleep or food, I can continue functioning indefinitely."

After leaving the hospital, Shidou checked the time.

"...It's already almost two in the morning?"

"Would you like me to escort you home?"

Melusine's offer made Shidou's expression turn a little strange.

Wasn't it supposed to be the guy who escorted the girl home?

How did it end up the other way around?

Shidou instinctively wanted to refuse, but Kotori barked at him through the earpiece:

This is a great chance to keep talking and gather more info! Don't waste it!

Sighing quietly, Shidou nodded.

"Speaking of which..."

Walking alongside Melusine, maybe just to break the silence, Shidou suddenly asked:

"Feels like... tonight, I've been the one asking you all the questions."

"Don't you have anything you want to ask me?"

Hearing that, Melusine gave him a brief glance and answered in a completely flat tone.

"No."

"I don't have anything I want to ask you."

Because the things I truly want to know...

you probably wouldn't know either.

"I see..."

Scratching his head awkwardly, Shidou tried again.

"Then, uh... Lancelot, is there anything you like?"

"Hey! Shidou!"

Kotori's furious voice exploded through his earpiece.

"I told you to invite her on a date, not ask random questions!"

"But... with the way the mood is right now, I really don't think she'd say yes..."

Shidou muttered under his breath, covering his ear with one hand.

"How would you know if you don't even try?!"

"Come on, her starting affection toward you is crazy high — there's no way she'd turn you down! Just go for it!"

"...It's just a feeling, okay?!"

Shidou wanted to cry but had no tears.

Compared to when he first tried to win over Yatogami Tohka, Itsuka Shidou had matured considerably.

He was now capable of making his own decisions — otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to ditch his earpiece during a date with Kotori's crew watching over him.

Right now, his instincts were telling him loud and clear:

This is definitely not the right time to invite her on a date.

"What do I like, huh..."

Melusine thought for a moment.

"I like rainbows."

"Rainbows?"

"Yes, rainbows..."

"Even though they're just a scattering of light, they're the most beautiful dream that gave shape to what I am now."

Even if that original love had been a lie...

If she hadn't seen that rainbow on that day, she might never have had the chance to meet her Master.

From that alone, the beautiful aurora — that fleeting vision — shone brighter than the 4.6 billion years' worth of memories encoded in her being.

"Then... is there anything you dislike?"

"Dislike..."

Melusine tilted her head slightly.

"I can't really think of anything..."

"Maybe... ghosts?"

"Huh? Ghosts?"

Shidou blinked.

"Are there really ghosts in this world?"

"Maybe there are... maybe there aren't. I'm not sure either."

Melusine continued quietly,

"More accurately — what I dislike, or rather, what I fear... are the souls of innocent people who died because of me."

"I don't know if they really exist."

"But I see them, often, in my dreams."

"..."

For a moment, Shidou didn't know what to say.

Even aboard Fraxinus, the air turned unbearably heavy.

Some staff even burst into tears.

"Uuu... Lancelot, Lancelot... how can you be so pitiful..."

"Such a good, kind child — yet because she's a Spirit, she had no choice but to harm others..."

"She must be living with deep remorse... even dreaming of the souls of the dead accusing her..."

"Waaah... I just want to hug her like a mother would and tell her everything's okay..."

In their minds, Melusine had now become a "pure and gentle girl unable to forgive herself for killing innocent people during spacequakes."

None of them even doubted her words.

After all, the sorrow and guilt on her face as she spoke couldn't possibly have been faked.

And Melusine wasn't lying.

The innocent souls she spoke of were the fallen members of the Mirror Clan — the ones she had slaughtered with her own hands.

When she saw the souls of the Mirror Clan, even someone like Melusine, usually so composed, would feel real fear and lose her calm.

...

When they finally reached the house, Shidou spoke up again:

"Would you... like to come in for a bit?"

"I told you before, didn't I?"

"We only just met."

Melusine responded casually, as if it was a matter of course.

"Inviting a strange girl into your house is a rather presumptuous thing to do."

"But you're not a stranger, Lancelot."

Shidou gazed at her seriously, his voice low.

"We're friends already. Aren't we?"

"...When did I ever become your friend?"

"Because... you trust me, don't you?"

"Whatever I ask, you answer."

"You even act like you know me really well."

"..."

"And you took me with you — To meet people you knew, to see the places you visit."

"...Wasn't that just because you insisted on following me?"

"But you didn't turn me away, did you?"

Taking a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp night air, Shidou fought off his exhaustion for a little longer.

"To me, you're not a stranger anymore, Lancelot."

"I know your name."

"I know what you like."

"I know what you fear."

"But that's not enough."

"It's not enough for me."

"I want to know even more about you."

"I want to be your friend."

Shidou didn't say he wanted to date her —

He simply said he wanted to be friends.

It was pure instinct — or maybe it was the guidance of something deeper.

But right after speaking, he regretted it a little.

Because Melusine's prolonged silence pressed down on him with a suffocating weight.

Thankfully, before the awkwardness could stretch too long, the front door suddenly swung open.

"Shidou! You're finally back!"

"Shidou... -san..."

"Fufu, my loyal vassal! Though I must commend your courage for violating the dark pact, surely you are prepared to face my wrath!"

"Displeasure: Shidou's lateness is unacceptable. Yuzuru and I formally protest."

All of them — every single girl inside — were, without a doubt, stunning.

"Wha—!"

Shidou's mouth fell open.

"None of you went to bed yet?!"

"You went out so late,"

Tohka said, sounding perfectly serious,

"Of course we were worried."

Yoshino's rabbit puppet Yoshinon covered its mouth and giggled.

"Kyahaha! Shidou, you heartless playboy! You made sweet little Yoshino and all these other lovely girls stay up worrying!"

Feeling Melusine's gaze on him, Shidou broke into a cold sweat.

"Oho~! So this must be the next candidate for a pact?"

It was the ever-enthusiastic Kaguya Yamai who first noticed the silent Melusine, bounding excitedly over to circle her like a shark.

"Hmm! Hmhmhmhm!"

"This small frame hides tremendous power!"

"Of course, she's still not quite a match for the Twin Wind Sisters!"

"Joy: With a new member joining, Yuzuru and I can finally shed the title of 'junior members.'"

Meanwhile, Tohka — the so-called "main heroine" — just stared at Melusine blankly, as if a "Loading..." symbol was floating above her head.

New friend → Everyone happy → Celebration → Food.

"Shidou! Will there be food?"

"No, it's too late now.

Eating this much at night would be bad for your digestion — bad for your health overall."

"Ughhh..."

"...But starving yourself before bed isn't healthy either."

"So a small snack is acceptable."

"Yay! Shidou is the best!"

At that moment, a tiny girl — just a few centimeters shorter than Melusine — shyly approached.

"U-um... Hello..."

Her soft voice, her bashful gaze — it was impossible not to find Yoshino utterly adorable.

For Yoshino, even initiating a greeting like this must have taken tremendous courage.

"Ooh!

Well done, Yoshino!"

Yoshinon's puppet hand lightly bumped her in encouragement.

"Being able to greet a new friend on your own is a huge step!"

"Hello."

Melusine gave a slight nod to both Yoshino and Yoshinon, her voice calm and composed, carrying a certain cool, knightly charisma.