Date A Live Encore - Volume 9 - Chapter 4

Origami Training

 “Shido! Shido! Look at this, Shido! I did it!” 

 “Mun… is this how you do it?” 

 “Well done, Mukuro!” 

 One afternoon, the kitchen on the first floor of the Spirit apartment complex was full of noise. 

 The Spirits, all dressed in aprons, were each facing the kitchen, filling their bento boxes seriously. Looking at the lunch boxes in their hands, Itsuka Shido smiled gently. 

 “Oh, it looks like everyone is doing really well. Ah, Kotori, it would look better if you pushed that piece a little bit further.” 

 “I-I know! I was just about to do that.” 

 Shido’s sister, Kotori, leaned forward and stared at the bento box while she wiped her cheeks. Although she usually displayed a maturity that didn’t match her age, she unfortunately seemed to be pretty bad at cooking. 

 Tobiichi Origami, who was staring into the kitchen, narrowed her eyes quietly. 

 —In the beginning, it all started with Tohka and Yoshino seeing some special character bentos on TV and asking Shido to teach them how to make them. It didn’t take long for the other Spirits to find out about this and chime in that they wanted to participate as well. In the end, what was supposed to be a quiet lesson between a few turned into a loud affair for all of the Spirits under <Ratatoskr>’s protection. 

 But that, on its own, wasn’t a problem. Origami was delighted to be able to cook together with Shido. 

 However— 

 Tohka, Yoshino, Kotori, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Miku, Natsumi, Nia, and Mukuro were also here. 

 Origami looked around as the Spirits swarmed around Shido. Her eyes moved around briefly in their sockets before she let out a quiet sigh. 

 —There were just too many people present. 

 Origami once again came to this realization. 

 Well, considering that the whole purpose behind <Ratatoskr>’s mission was to save the Spirits and seal their powers, there was no helping it. But as a future lifelong companion of Shido, the thought of having so many other girls around admiring him, Origami couldn’t help but be worried at the thought. 

 Of course, it didn’t matter who loved Shido right now, but as long as he ended up by Origami’s side in the end, that was all that mattered. At least, that’s what Origami wanted to think, but she was still a girl in love. It was normal to be worried about his indecisive attitude. 

 Moreover, there was no denying that the Spirits were all beautiful girls. Even though Shido loved Origami deeply, there wasn’t a whole lot she could do against his biological impulses. 

 “…Sure enough, in the future, I will have to stake a firmer claim.” 

 Origami mumbled to herself, her hand clenching into a tight fist. 

◇◇◇

 The following day, Origami, dressed in sportswear designed to be easy to move around in, left home with a backpack she’d prepared the previous day. 

 The weather was sunny. It was as though god itself was supporting Origami with perfect weather. Origami locked her door and then made her way to her intended destination with prepared steps. 

 Then— 

 “Greetings. Good morning, Master Origami.” 

 “…!” 

 Suddenly, someone greeted her, Origami found herself frowning slightly. 

 She turned around and spotted a girl with long hair tied into three braids. Looking at her face, Origami spoke without so much as a change in her expression. 

 “Yuzuru. What are you doing here?” 

 That’s right. It was as though she’d been lying in wait here, waiting for Origami to come out. The person she’d encountered was Yamai Yuzuru herself. 

 “Smile. Where are you going, Master Origami? Yesterday, you seemed to be whispering to yourself about something important.” 

 It seemed that her mumbling the previous day had been overheard. Origami gave up and sighed. 

 “—Bride practice.” 

 “…!” 

 Yuzuru’s eyes widened in amazement when she heard Origami’s response. 

 “Amazement. This so-called practice… is meant for future brides? Before getting married, you learn about cooking and sewing beforehand, that kind of bride practice?” 

 “Yes.” 

 Origami nodded and explained. 

 “There are very few Spirits who can support Shido with the housework. So, I figured that learning more would be an effective measure for the future.” 

 “Understood. So that’s what this is about… but are Master Origami’s housework skills not already good enough?” 

 “How naive. Although I intend to be able to do most of the housework, there is still one competitor.” 

 “Amazed. A competitor…?” 

 “Shido himself.” 

 “…Comprehend. Ah—…” 

 After Origami clarified, Yuzuru nodded in agreement as sweat trickled down her forehead. 

 As Yuzuru said, Origami was good at general housework. However, there was no denying that Shido himself was especially good at cooking and sewing on top of the usual chores. In light of this, Origami believed that in order to secure Shido’s attention, she would need to learn more. 

 At that moment, Yuzuru, her arms crossed, nodded in agreement before locking eyes with Origami. 

 “Request. I have always admired Master Origami’s wisdom. Please allow Yuzuru to join Master Origami’s practice.” 

 On some level, this was an expected reaction. Regardless, Origami remained silent for a moment. 

 Just like Origami, Yuzuru was another of the Spirits that spent time with Shido. Letting her join in her bridal practice could be considered ‘helping the enemy.’ However, if she refused her, Origami suspected that the other Spirits would find out about it. If Tohka, Yoshino, Kaguya and the others who were notorious for their curiosity, found out, there was no doubt that they would also want to participate in the bridal practice. It would likely turn into an event that everyone would participate in, just like yesterday’s bento box preparations. 

 Origami went speechless for a while. 

 “—Do you really want to come?” 

 “…! Approval. Yes…!” 

 When Origami asked the question, Yuzuru nodded quickly. 

 Origami nodded in turn to Yuzuru and led the way. Yuzuru was quick to follow behind her, not unlike Momotaro. 

 “Unexpected. But I had no idea there was anywhere offering cooking classes near here.” 

 “Strictly speaking, I’m not going to a cooking class.” 

 “Question. Then are we going to a sewing class?” 

 “That’s not where we’re going either.” 

 “Question. Then where are we—” 

 Yuzuru stopped speaking at that moment. 

 The reason why was obvious. Because in front of them was a familiar face on the road where Origami and Yuzuru were walking. 

 “Hmm… it should be somewhere around here, right…?” 

 The young woman wearing glasses mumbled as her gaze shifted between the leaflet in her hand and the area around her. 

 “Isn’t that—” 

 “Synchronized. Isn’t that Okamine-sensei?” 

 As Origami and Yuzuru finished speaking, Okamine Tamae, Origami’s homeroom teacher and the woman wearing glasses just ahead of them seemed to notice. 

 “Ah! Tobiichi-san… and Yamai-san from the class next door! What a pleasant surprise meeting you in such a place.” 

 “Good morning, but what is sensei doing here?” 

 Origami asked her teacher politely, and Tamae showed them the leaflet in her hand. 

 “Oh, according to this flyer, there is supposed to be a bridal practice classroom somewhere around here…” 

 She explained while humming, then Tamae smiled. After hearing the teacher’s words, Origami’s eyebrows twitched slightly while Yuzuru’s expression seemed a little sympathetic. 

 “That’s right.” 

 “Sorrow. If you work hard, one day, even Okamine-sensei will meet a good man…” 

 “Hey! What’s with that reaction! I’ve already found someone…” 

 “Question. Does such a person actually exist?” 

 As soon as Yuzuru spoke, Tamae’s eyes began to sparkle with excitement and the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile as she giggled. 

 “Oh, it’s not that I’m going to be getting married just yet. I contacted the person I met at a wedding party before… Ehehe…” 

 After she said that, she laughed in a way that sounded both shy and a little bit helpless. It seemed that she came here for the same reason as Origami and Yuzuru. 

 But there was something that was more worrisome than that. Tamae’s words made Origami and Yuzuru exchange a look with each other. 

 “—Sensei, you have to calm down. Do you have the other person’s real name and address? I can’t believe it. I need to see his driver’s license. In fact, if he said something like ‘my mother needs money or something while I’m sick’… even if he said such a thing, you can’t give him money.” 

 “Warning. Even if you intend to save funds for marriage for the future, please make sure to make sure they manage their own accounts properly. You should never save money just for each other.” 

 “Oh! Why would you assume that this is some kind of fraud?! Are you serious?” 

 Faced with the pair’s accusations, Tamae shouted unbearably. However, Yuzuru and Origami’s eyes were still doubtful. 

 “Doubt. Does it really matter?” 

 “Really! He’s a really good person! He’s tall, handsome, just like a prince from a certain country… he said ‘I think it suits you beautifully’… then he said something about sending him a picture with me in a nearby middle school’s uniform…” 

 Origami and Yuzuru exchanged looks once more. Even without having to speak, the two could immediately tell they felt the same way. 

 “…Blame. Okamine-sensei, that is—” 

 However, part way through the sentence, Yuzuru suddenly fell silent. The reason why was simple: there was a white van coming from the end of the street, interrupting Yuzuru as it came to a stop in front of the three of them. 

 “Ah! What’s with this van?!” 

 Suddenly, Tamae’s shoulders trembled. Then, as though responding to Tamae’s question, the driver’s side window opened, and a strict-looking woman poked her head out. 

 “—Are you the ones who were planning to come to the bridal practice?” 

 “Yes.” 

 In stark contrast to the surprised Yuzuru and Tamae, Origami responded to her without worry. The female driver jerked her thumb to the backseat before closing the window, pausing only to say ‘get in.’ 

 Origami opened the door without a second thought and took her seat in the van. 

 “Amazement. Master Origami, what is this?” 

 “Wait a minute, Tobiichi-san, you can’t just get into a strange vehicle like that!” 

 “It’s no problem. This was the car I was waiting for. There’s no need for me to be reluctant. If you’re not interested, feel free to simply stay there or go as you please.” 

 As Origami responded calmly, Yuzuru and Tamae also took their seats but both of them were still suspicious. 

 They’d since lost track of time for how long they’d been in the car. 

 “—Eh! Ah!” 

 “—Eh! Ah!” 

 The car continued to drive the road and traversed through the wilderness before coming to a stop in front of a temple-like building located somewhere deep in the forest. 

 “…This place.” 

 “Question. Is this the place…” 

 Sweat trickled down Tamae’s and Yuzuru’s faces as the car slowed to a stop. 

 Nonetheless, they couldn’t believe it. After all, in the square behind the gate of the monastery— 

 “—Hoo! Ha!” 

 “—Hoo! Ha!” 

 Were several people training without pause. 

 And these weren’t ordinary people. Everyone present was a woman—and all of them were wearing wedding dresses and holding bouquets in their hands. Indeed, this was a strange sight. 

 “—Hehehe, welcome ladies! To the Holy Soul Temple, the holy place of bridal practice.” 

 When Yuzuru and Tamae’s eyes widened in surprise at the scene unfolding around them, a voice spoke in front of them. 

 It only took a brief look to find a woman in her 60s before them. She was accompanied by two other practitioners. All of whom emerged from the depths of the temple. Although she was also wearing a wedding dress, she seemed paler compared to the others, and the veil and skirt had a long hem. Her posture was like that of an elder but her spine was still straight and her steps were steady. 

 “A holy place for brides to train…” 

 “Confirm. The Holy Soul Temple…?” 

 Tamae and Yuzuru asked blankly. “Yes,” Origami nodded and explained. 

 “Although this is bridal practice, at the end of the day, it’s still practice. If you want to do it, you have to see it through to the end.” 

 “Ah, but I don’t think that’s how it works for bridal practice?! This isn’t practice, but rather strict training!” 

 Tamae shouted as she finally understood the situation. However, the elder seemed to be used to this kind of reaction so she simply smiled and chuckled at the reaction. 

 “Marriage is a major event in one’s life. However, the majority of people sign into a marriage contract without adequate preparation… This temple has everything from cooking and laundry to even performing a tea and flower ceremony, as well as learning how to defend yourself, your partner, and your child in critical moments. Based on a wide range of needs, we’ve developed the courses to teach the necessary skills for marriage.” 

 “Such unexpected seriousness?!” 

 Tamae made a surprised voice. So the elder smiled again and accepted a pamphlet from one of the practitioners and showed it to the three of them. 

 “At any rate, it’s fine for everyone to start at the beginning. If there’s a course that we don’t already have that you think might be promising, feel free to suggest it.” 

 “Eh? Ah… so, I’ve always been bad at cleaning, this course on cleaning faster…” 

 “Choice. I’m so confused… Sewing would be useful, but it’s hard to pass up on parenting courses for the future…” 

 Tamae and Yuzuru looked intently at the brochure and spoke uncertainly at the options. 

 But Origami didn’t pay them any mind and instead stared straight into the elder’s eye and then spoke. 

 “…I intend to challenge the ‘Tower.’” 

 “…!” 

 Origami spoke calmly. The elder as well as the practitioners standing behind her widened their eyes. 

 “Question. The ‘Tower’…?” 

 “W-What is that?” 

 Perhaps it left an unsettling atmosphere building Yuzuru and Tamae noticed as they looked from Origami to the elder in confusion. 

 Sweat trickled down the elder’s cheeks, and at the tip of her chin turned into water droplets that fell and landed on the ground. The elder seemed to recover from the sudden paralysis as she finally spoke again. 

 “…Miss, where did you hear about that?” 

 “I have ways of getting information.” 

 “…Do you know where it is?” 

 “Of course.” 

 When Origami responded in the affirmative, the elderly could only close her eyes and shake her head. 

 “I don’t want to insult you but please give up on this endeavor. You’re still so young. If you continue training, you may one day reach that level.” 

 “—Practice while watching my beloved man and some other woman hold a wedding ceremony together?” 

 “…!” 

 That caught the elder off guard and rendered her speechless. 

 Soon after, the elder’s expression softened as she stared into Origami’s eyes. 

 “…If I’d had your courage, maybe things would have ended differently…” 

 “If you start now, there’s still a chance.” 

 “…hehehe…” 

 The elder smiled more brightly as she straightened her back and turned around. 

 “—Okay, then please follow me.” 

 “E-Elder!” 

 “But, the ‘Tower’—” 

 The two practitioners that accompanied her spoke up in protest. However, the elder shook her head to halt them. 

 “I’m still daydreaming even at this age. Please forgive my willfulness.” 

 “Elder…” 

 The two practitioners couldn’t bring themselves to argue with what the elder said. They took a few steps back and allowed her to proceed. 

 “…That…” 

 Tamae and Yuzuru, who'd been watching the exchange, tentatively raised their hands nervously. 

 “I didn’t understand what was going on from the start… But what exactly is the ‘Tower’?” 

 “Disappointment. Please don’t leave Yuzuru and Sensei out of this discussion.” 

 In that way, Yuzuru tilted her head in doubt while pouting her lips in dissatisfaction. 

 Before escorting Origami, the elder nodded exaggeratedly. 

 “It would be easier to show it to you than to try to explain it—Come, please follow me.” 

 The elder turned around once more and walked ahead with her hands behind her back. Origami turned and followed her, the other practitioners quickly following suit. 

 They made their way through the gates and past the square where the other brides were training. Soon they passed through the main hall and moved deeper into the temple. 

 After walking along a path through the forest for a while, they noticed a prominent outline clear through the misty sky. 

 There was a large tower with multiple impressive-looking roofs. Seeing its majesty, naturally anyone would be struck with awe. 

 “Magnificent. This is…” 

 “—This is the most challenging place that a bride at the Holy Soul Temple can go to train…” 

 “…What?” 

 After hearing what the Elder said, Tamae and Yuzuru found themselves surprised. Of course seeing it like this, it was impossible to understand just from the name. Origami continued. 

 “Each level is guarded by experts in cooking, washing, cleaning, childcare, housekeeping, neighbor relationships, park etiquette, and bedroom secrets among other things. At the top of the tower is the bride who has mastered all the bridal skills—the Queen of Brides. If you conquer them all, you earn the title of “Bride Master”. 

 “No, something like that, although I am concerned about the content, that title…” 

 Tamae spoke as sweat trickled down her face. Yuzuru, who was standing next to Tamae, gently tapped her on the shoulder. 

 “Question. What does ‘bedroom secrets’ mean?” 

 “Eh? Ah, that… how do I explain this…” 

 Although Tamae didn’t know how to approach the situation, she finally whispered a few words into Yuzuru’s ear. As she told her, Yuzuru’s cheeks flushed dark red. 

 “…Understanding. It turns out that I would have to learn those things.” 

 “Please continue,” Yuzuru urged. Incidentally, when it came to bedroom secrets, Origami’s best technique was naked wrestling. 

 The Elder nodded once more as she looked up to the top of the tower, obscured by mist. 

 “However, it’s an extremely difficult challenge to overcome. Even for those brides who have completed all the courses offered at the Holy Soul Temple, there’s no guarantee that they will be able to make it to the top—” 

 “Eh!… Then that means I can’t get married without completing this challenge…!” 

 “No, that’s not true. If it’s a question of passing the courses, as long as you feel comfortable with what you’ve learned then you can marry at any time. However, there is a bell at the top of the tower, and it’s said that the people who ring that bell will be destined for a happy marriage.” 

 “That’s all, after completing such a harsh challenge, that’s all the bell does…?!” 

 “No, no, that’s not all. In fact, everyone who managed to ring the bell managed to secure a happy relationship. Some people were even cured of a previously incurable disease. Other people managed to win the lottery.” 

 “No, no! That sounds like some sort of scam that you’d read about in a magazine!” 

 Tamae shouted while frowning. Origami remained unperturbed as she stepped forward. 

 “Just for that, to participate in such a harsh trial for some superstition…?!” 

 “It doesn’t matter. I still want to challenge it.” 

 As if to echo Origami’s sentiments, Yuzuru turned her determined gaze to look at the tower as well. 

 “Decision. Since this is the case, Yuzuru will go too.” 

 “Tobiichi-san… and even you too, Yamai-san!” 

 Yuzuru and Origami’s determination made Tamae look at them in shock. 

 Perhaps to confirm the pair’s intentions, the Elder looked back at Origami. 

 “Then it’s decided, just the two of you will be challenging the tower, is that right? Make sure to put on your training clothes immediately. Those who’d prefer to participate in the basic course, please come this way—” 

 Tamae shook her head forcefully as though to interrupt the Elder. 

 “N-No! I have to go with them! I can’t just let two students go off to such a dangerous place by themselves…” 

 Although Tamae’s shoulders trembled slightly from nervousness, she still spoke up. Although what was reflected in her gaze was not a sense of responsibility as a teacher but instead, ‘it would be awful to be left alone in this place—’ 

 That anxiousness also hid her inner thoughts, ‘could I really benefit from this…?’ but it seemed that Origami hadn’t noticed. 

 Perhaps because of this newfound determination from Tamae that the Elder smiled. 

 “—Okay. Now, open the door to the Blood Soulmate Tower!” 

 At the Elder’s command, the previously closed tower door swung open with the song of a wedding march echoing from beyond. 

 The tower itself was quite spacious, with a red carpet spread straight from the entrance. However, because of the dim lighting, it was difficult for them to see what was in front of them. 

 At the entrance, they swapped out their casual clothes for training clothes that they would have to wear to challenge the tower. They carefully followed the dim path while paying close attention to their surroundings. 

 “—Confirmation. Is this how you are supposed to wear the training clothes?” 

 “I-I don’t know. I’ve never tried wearing this before…” 

 Yuzuru and Tamae spoke once or twice in an uncomfortable manner as they changed into their gowns. 

Their reactions were understandable, of course. The clothes that they and Origami were wearing were the same as the wedding dresses that the practitioners training in the temple square were. 

 It was a light-colored dress that hugged the waist with a tight band. A veil hung down from the crown of the head; they each held a bouquet of flowers in their hands. This was the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to clothes one would wear anyday. Rather than for convenience, these were worn for the explicit purpose of training. 

 “Anyway, I’ve heard that wearing a wedding dress before your wedding day actually reduces the chance of a successful marriage…” 

 “Shiver. Is that really true? The Elder said that these were training clothes to improve the chance for marriage…” 

 “Hah… what marital spirit…” 

 “—Shhh. Be careful. There’s someone close by.” 

 After letting out a quiet breath, Origami interrupted the conversation between Tamae and Yuzuru to remind them of where they were. 

 As if to respond directly to what Origami said, the previously dim space was now bathed in a blindingly bright light. 

 “Eh…?!” 

 “Surprise, this is—” 

 Tamae and Yuzuru covered their eyes from the sudden flash. Origami’s eyes managed to adjust quickly enough that she didn’t have to do the same. She then quickly took in the change in their surroundings. 

 In as few words as possible, they’d found themselves in a kitchen. There was a gas stovetop and a refrigerator next to a small cooking table. It was not some grandiose kitchen but rather very homely-looking. 

 Almost immediately, they spotted a woman standing in the middle of that space. She had short black hair and a face riddled with scars. Despite her muscular appearance, she still wore the same wedding dress as all the other practitioners. On top of that, she also had an apron on and a cute neckerchief. Above her head, she held a kitchen knife decorated with ribbons and flowers. 

 “—Hoo hoo hoo…You dare face me, young challengers.” 

 The woman laughed roughly as her dress billowed. 

 “I am Aya, the person in charge of the first floor: the Cooking Challenge. If you’re able to beat me, you may proceed to the next floor.” 

 She explained as she waved the knife in her hand. She clearly had an impressive technique and combined with the many scars, she gave the impression that she was a veteran soldier rather than an aspiring bride. 

 “…Question. How exactly do we defeat her?” 

 “Oh, you have to show me one of the necessary skills to be a bride: cooking. You are allowed to use any techniques you want, but you’re only allowed to use the materials provided here. If any of you can impress me with your cooking then all of you will pass—So, who wants to go first?” 

 After she finished speaking, Aya smiled fearlessly. It seemed that despite her aggressive-looking appearance, she at least had fair rules for winning and losing. 

 Then, as though to respond to her challenge, Tamae stepped forward. 

 “Tobiichi-san, please leave this to me.” 

 “—Sensei? Can you cook?” 

 After Origami asked, Tamae nodded with a slightly nervous expression on her face. 

 “Of course. Actually, Sensei is very good at cooking. Even though I live alone by myself, it’s not a joke! Let me show you: Tamae’s lazy cooking!” 

 Tamae was immediately traumatized by what she said so confidently. 

 Well, if that was the case, there was no need for Origami to take the lead. Origami simply said, “Please do so” as she let Tamae take the lead. 

 “So it’s decided. Then—begin!” 

 At Aya’s command, the sound of a gong rang from somewhere. The sound of the gong and Aya’s voice took Tamae by surprise, but that didn’t stop her from getting started either. 

 “First thing’s first, I need to figure out what to make…” 

 Mumbling to herself, Tamae opened the refrigerator standing next to the counter. She took a closer look at the refrigerator’s contents intently. 

 “So this is what I have to work with… These are all leftover dishes. It’ll be tough to make something with these but…” 

 Just then, a smile curled onto Tamae’s lips as an idea came to mind. She pulled exactly what she needed out of the refrigerator. 

 “Observation. What is Okamine-sensei planning to do?” 

 Yuruzu asked as she watched Tamae begin cooking. Origami briefly examined the ingredients that Tamae selected. 

 “From what I can tell, she is using tofu and hamburger. Ordinarily neither that much tofu or meat would be able to make a dish, but it looks like she plans to mix the leftover minced meat with the tofu and add some root vegetables.” 

 “Apology. It seems a little complicated, but it looks delicious—” 

 “AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” 

 Tamae’s screams drowned out Yuzuru’s voice. 

 They soon discovered the reason for that—Aya had thrown a knife that very nearly hit Tamae’s hands as she was selecting her ingredients. Following that, she began cooking and raised her voice. 

 “Y-Y-You… what do you think you’re doing! That’s very dangerous!” 

 At Tamae’s shout, Aya licked the knife as she held it between her fingers and smiled. 

 “What nonsense are you talking about? This is not some ordinary cooking competition, it’s bridal practice too. If that’s the case, shouldn’t you expect something like this? Such as when you’re being interrupted by an evil in-law while you’re cooking?” 

 “No, isn’t that sort of thing just ridiculous?! How could there be an in-law who would throw a knife!” 

 “What are you talking about?! What if you end up falling in love with someone who is an heir to a clan of assassins?! If the other party’s family opposes the marriage, there is no doubt they will try to get rid of you!” 

 “Why would that even happen?!” 

 “If you’ve never trained at the Holy Soul Temple then you won’t ever be truly prepared.” 

 “Are you speaking from personal experience?!” 

 Tamae shouted at Aya, who touched the scar on her face as a cold smile creeped onto her face. 

 “Hmph—because of this, brides need to be stronger.” 

 Aya merely shrugged self-deprecatingly and threw the knife once more. The blade was buried in the metal counter. 

 “A-A-AH!” 

 It was already clear that this wasn’t a cooking contest anymore. Tamae stumbled away from the cooking station and returned to Origami’s side. 

 “Hmph, this one has no spine. One challenger eliminated. Next challenger, step forward!” 

 After she finished speaking, Aya pointed provocatively at them. Origami’s eyes narrowed as she stepped forward. 

 “T-Tobiichi-san! Don’t do it! It’s too dangerous!” 

 “No problem.” 

 Origami ignored Tamae’s worried tone as she made her way toward the counter. Aya smiled when she spotted Origami. 

 “Oh, my heart and soul—have expanded!” 

 After she finished speaking, Aya immediately threw another knife. 

 However, Origami simply raised her hand and caught the knife with her fingers. 

 “What…?!” 

 “Eh…?” 

 Both Aya and Tamae could only be shocked as she caught the knife. Only Yuzuru was still smiling as she mumbled. 

 “Appreciation. She is truly worthy of being called Master Origami.” 

 “Such a trick is useless against me.” 

 “…How interesting!” 

 —And so, Origami began cooking. 

 She continued preparing the dish that Tamae started: the tofu and hamburger meat. She put the ingredients into a large bowl. 

 “Aha!” 

 As she continued cooking, Aya continued throwing knives at her. But Origami managed to either sidestep every attack or even block them with a cutting board in order to continue cooking. 

 “Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and make it a size that encourages proper eating.” 

 “Ha…hahahahahaha! You!” 

 “Then fry the ingredients in a frying pan!” 

 “You think you’re so funny don’t you! Take this: Munekata Higto-ryu Okugi and Tengen kill technique!” 

 “Finally, add perilla leaves and radishes, coupled with some hand-made orange juice… Complete.” 

 Origami, lifted the lid of the pot and presented the finished dish to Aya. 

 Aya, now drenched in sweat, gasped as a sad smile formed on her face. 

 “…Haha, I didn’t expect you to be able to finish it—may I try it?” 

 “Please do.” 

 Aya stared at each of the dishes carefully, picked up her chopsticks and put the tofu burger into her mouth. After a few seconds of savouring the taste, she swallowed. 

 “…Hehe, you were incredible enough to be able to finish cooking despite the challenge, and even the taste caught me by surprise—Very well, go on ahead.” 

 After she finished speaking, Aya pointed to the staircase behind her. Upon hearing her judgment, Tamae and Yuzuru both clapped excitedly. 

 “T-Tobiichi-san!” 

 “Amazement. You are worthy of being called Master Origami.” 

 Origami nodded in response as she made her way past Aya, towards the stairs leading to the next floor. At that moment, Aya smiled, her gaze still focused on the floor. 

 “—You’re very strong. But, you can’t afford to be careless. The person in charge of the second floor is more powerful than me…!” 

 Suddenly, Aya’s voice went hoarse and her body trembled, forcing her to slump forward. Surprised at what happened, both Tamae and Yuzuru couldn’t help but gasp. 

 “W-Why, so suddenly…” 

 “Tremble. What happened…” 

 “Ah… rgh… um… ah… rgh…” 

 Her face flushed, Aya, who was breathing heavily, stared at Origami. Judging by the look on her face, it was clear that she couldn’t bear the thrill of the barrage against her body. 

 “Y-You, w-what… did… you… do…” 

 Aya stared at Origami blankly. Origami silently pulled out a vial from one of her gloves. 

 “This is the product of combining garlic, turtle blood, maca, and some other powerful spices. The effect is quite powerful as you can see.” 

 “W-Why would you do such a thing?” 

 “This is a bridal practice. The meal should be able to stimulate your partner—tonight will be a grand party.” 

 “…Eh?!” 

 Origami kneeled down and gently whispered in Aya’s ear. Aya suddenly felt her entire body cramping up and she soon lost consciousness. 

 “…It looks like the effect was too strong. I need to remember to adjust it in the future.” 

 “E-Eh…” 

 “Shiver. Master Origami is a scary girl.” 

 Yuzuru and Tamae trembled with fear while Origami simply pinched the skirt of her wedding dress, heading further up into the Tower. 

 “This is…” 

 It seemed that the second floor was vastly different from the first floor. 

 The entire floor was bathed in a pink light. They could smell a sweet fragrance wafting in the air. It was a scene that wouldn’t look out of place at a nightclub. 

 “What’s going here…?” 

 “Amazement. This is quite an erotic atmosphere…” 

 “—Alright challengers.” 

 They looked around and spotted a woman wearing a very revealing wedding dress—Or, rather, it would be more accurate to say that she was wearing underwear that was only vaguely reminiscent of a wedding dress. 

 “Feel free to come closer. So you’ve already defeated Aya. That’s impressive—but do you think that you’ll be able to conquer the master of the second floor, ‘Fusanaka Hitomi’?” 

 As she finished speaking, Hitomi hummed and blew a kiss. Yuzuru and Tamae gasped while blushing. 

 “Experiment. A farce—” 

 “So this is what they meant by the secret bedroom techniques…” 

 “Ahhhhh, you should be fine with this look, right? You’re going to be married after all. That is to say, you’ll have a strong relationship with your partner. A virgin wouldn’t understand the desires of men and women, right?” 

 Giggling, Hitomi spread her arms. Then, the curtains behind her were spread apart and revealed what was concealed behind it. 

 “What…!” 

 “Observation, that’s…” 

 Behind the curtains, they noticed two large beds covered with domes and mannequins were placed on the beds. On the pillows, they could see some kind of measurement instrument. 

 “Hahaha!” 

 Hitomi smiled seductively as she made her way to the bed on the right while gently stroking the mannequin’s chin. Almost immediately, the value on the meter shot up and then promptly returned to its previous state. 

 “As you can see, this mannequin is equipped with high-sensitivity sensors all over its body. Any way you can induce pleasure will increase the meter on the pillow. The one with the highest value is the winner. Originally, I wanted to use actual people for this… but let’s just call this bridal practice☆!” 

 Hitomi winked playfully. They could see the calm confidence in her expression. 

 But after listening to her explanation, Tamae was blushing as she tried to speak. 

 “…To be honest, I don’t think this kind of education is appropriate for these two. I don’t want Tobiichi-san or Yamai-san to take part in this challenge…” 

 “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Hun, you can hone your skills here without any loss. If you end up meeting some dictator who says to you: ‘Satisfy me. If you can’t do it, I will enslave you so that I can at least enjoy looking at you—’…” 

 “No, what are you talking about—” 

 “At that moment, I was really grateful that I trained at the Holy Soul Temple.” 

 “How did you get into that situation in the first place?!” 

 Tamae shouted unbearably at Hitomi, but Origami moved forward without a second thought. 

 “Focus. Master Origami…” 

 “Leave it to me.” 

 Origami said simply as she sat on the bed on the left. Seeing her determined look, Hitomi smiled while sitting cross-legged. 

 “Hmm, you sure seem confident! Okay, then let’s get started right away—Ready? Begin!” 

 After she finished speaking, Hitomi immediately stretched out her hands and wrapped them around the mannequin. 

 “Ah! Hitomi-san immediately started touching the mannequin!” 

 “Seductive. What a fascinating technique. The meter keeps going up…!” 

 “No! It’s no good! Tobiichi-san! There’s no way you can win this contest!” 

 “Description. If it becomes too detailed then Okamine-sensei will be responsible for the live broadcast, while Yuzuru will be responsible for explaining what is happening.” 

 “What are you talking about? Yamai-san! Compared to that, ah! Hitomi-san is doing that kind of thing on the mannequin’s ass! And… Ah! What is she doing now!” 

 “Apology. I didn’t expect her to be able to use that kind of thing in that way… Today I learned something new.” 

 “Is this really the time to say such things! Tobiichi-san is—Ah?! Is Tobiichi-san’s meter also increasing?!” 

 “Surprise. Is that true?” 

 “Do you recognize this Yamai-san?!” 

 “Confirm. I’ve heard of it. This is a Crawling Secret Fist · Thousand Palms. This secret technique makes your arms look like a blur through ultra-high-speed movements. I have seen it used in manga.” 

 “In manga?! Ah, but Tobiichi-san’s meter is rising faster than the naked eye can follow!” 

 “Reflection. It’s as though the mannequin is being stroked by a thousand hands at once…! This is… Nirvana—!” 

 At that moment, a harsh alarm went off and the meter next to Origami’s pillow began to flicker. It seemed that the outcome was decided. 

 Hitomi’s eyes widened as she spoke. 

 “W-What…! I didn’t expect my glorious machine gun technique to lose to anyone, let alone you…” 

 “Ah, so that’s why that move is called by that name…” 

 “Shiver. The way she moved her hands was amazing…” 

 Tamae and Yuzuru muttered to each other so no one else could hear them. Meanwhile, Hitomi jumped off the bed as she stared at Origami. 

 “That trick… How many men have you done so far…?” 

 “Unfortunately, I don’t have any actual experience…” 

 “What did you say…? But then how did you manage to short-circuit the system…” 

 Origami silently hopped off the bed. She took a deep breath and concentrated before spreading her arms wide around the room. 

 The next moment, Yuzuru, Tamae, and Hitomi’s eyes all widened in surprise. 

 “T-there was nothing there… and yet it looked like there was a faint figure…?” 

 “Disbelief. It had to be. That was… Shido! It was a silhouette of Shido! He was being hugged by Master Origami!” 

 “H-How is this possible…” 

 Origami let out a breath before slowly lowering her hand. 

 “Humans are creatures that can project their thoughts onto reality.” 

 “Ha…” 

 Origami stared at her, leaving Hitomi to collapse while she smiled weakly. 

 “I didn’t think you’d be able to beat me… Go on ahead. If it’s you… maybe it’s possible for you to defeat the Queen of Brides.” 

 Origami nodded gently and made her way towards the stairs leading to the third floor. 

 —With just a glance, they were able to understand the situation. 

 “Ah! I didn’t expect her to be able to resolve the situation so quickly!” 

 “Amazed. She managed to take care of the troubled neighbor in an instant…!” 

 “All Tobiichi-san had to do was whisper in his ear and the noisy child calmed down right away!” 

 “Overbearance. She managed to become the overlord of the park on the opening day…” 

 “In the end, she was able to take advantage of the store manager’s weakness and purchase things at such a low price!” 

 “Finance. After Master Origami started managing the account, the account balance increased thirteen-fold!” 

 Just like that, Origami managed to conquer through the toughest challenges of the Holy Soul Temple, making her way through each challenge the tower threw at them—At which point, they finally reached the top of the tower, where the Bridal Queen was waiting for them. 

 “Here it is, we finally made it to the top.” 

 “No, we made it here without even realizing it.” 

 “Conviction. As long as Master Origami is on our side, we will definitely win.” 

 Yuzuru and Tamae, who were also dressed in wedding dresses, were gasping as they reached the top only a few seconds after Origami. Despite their low success rate, the two of them had challenged each floor boss just like Origami. 

 Origami nodded as they spoke before pushing the door to the top floor open. The door creaked as she pushed it open. At long last, they finally reached the final room. 

 “—Whew.” 

 Just as she stepped into the room, Origami found herself gasping. 

 This room was designed differently from the Japanese-style of the outside of the tower. If anything, it looked like a church-like wedding ceremony. There was a red carpet spread from the entrance to the altar. Light shone through the luxurious stained glass panels. 

 However, the opulent decorations made Origami shudder. 

 A bride, dressed in pure white, was standing in front of the altar. 

 Just through her skin alone, she could clearly feel intense marital energy radiating from her. 

 “—Are you coming?” 

 An awe-inspiring voice reverberated across the room. Just hearing her voice made Yuzuru’s forehead burst into a nervous sweat and Tamae’s legs began to shake. 

 “Shock. What is this…” 

 “Wh-What’s with this person…” 

 “—The Bridal Queen.” 

 After Origami called out her name, the bride smiled and then lifted the veil covering her face. 

 Her nose was straight, her skin was white and without a blemish, and her light-colored lips were curved into a gentle smile. As for age, it was impossible to tell from looking at her. Just judging from her appearance, she looked like she was in her twenties, but the sophisticated atmosphere exuded from her, she could very well have been in her fifties. 

 “Welcome. I am the Bridal Queen, Misako. I have mastered all courses provided at the Holy Soul Temple.” 

 As she finished, Misako threw the bouquet in her hand to Origami. This was the so-called tossing ceremony. Origami reached out and grabbed the bouquet as it came down from its arc. 

 But at that moment. 

 “Ngh…?” 

 Origami couldn’t help but drop to one knee from the sudden weight in her hand. On closer inspection, the bouquet that Misako threw was made of metal flowers and other heavy ornaments. 

 “…It’s quite impressive for you to throw such a heavy bouquet with ease. Unfortunately my arm strength is poor. Maybe Tohka could have achieved a decisive victory…” 

 Origami shifted her weight back on her waist and legs to stand up once more. Then, Misako slowly held out her hands. 

 “Wow, it’s impressive to be able to catch my bouquet like that—As far as I can see, it looks like your marriage means more to you now than when you first challenged the tower. Did you mature during your battles on the way here? Maybe I’ll finally be able to use my full strength after such a long time…” 

 Misako smiled gently as she clenched her hands into fists. 

 A terrible shockwave radiated from Misako’s body and the skirt of her wedding dress fluttered in the wind. Her tremendous marital spirit rippled around the tower, cracking the stained glass looming behind her. 

 “What…?!” 

 “Shock. No…” 

 Origami crouched down to support herself against the impact. However, Tamae and Yuzuru were blown directly into the wall. 

 “Ahhhhhh! You two! Can’t you catch a good husband?!” 

 “E-Eh?! What is this!” 

 “Shiver. What terrible marriage power…” 

 “…You two, get to safety. I can’t fight and protect you at the same time.” 

 Origami spoke as she cautiously repositioned herself. Misako smiled happily as she looked toward Origami. 

 “—Oh, are you the only one who will face me? The way to win—That’s right: you just have to exchange wedding rings like any traditional wedding ceremony. Whoever puts a ring on the other party’s finger first is the winner. What do you think?” 

 Misako radiated an intense golden marital energy as she raised her left hand. The ring on her finger sparkled. 

 Origami wiped the sweat from her face; while staring intently into Misako’s eyes. 

 “…As you wish.” 

 “That’s the spirit—then, lovely bride, let our decisive battle begin.” 

 The moment that Misako made her declaration, the room fell into a deafening silence. 

 Origami stared carefully at Misako’s posture, both sides remained motionless. 

 Misako was doing much the same. This was a duel between two experts: the side that acted first would be the one creating an opening on herself. 

 In this quiet space, only one sound could be heard, their heartbeats. 

 Once the tension reached its critical point, the outcome would be decided in a single moment. 

 —But then: 

 “…Ara?” 

 Suddenly Misako’s cell phone rang and the tense atmosphere suddenly disappeared. 

 “Please wait a moment.” 

 At that moment, Misako pulled out her cell phone from her wedding dress and put it to her ear. 

 “—Hello, Jill? Didn’t Okaa-sama say that you had work today… eh? Ah, really? I understand. I’ll come back home immediately. 

 Misako hung up and looked at Origami apologetically. 

 “That… I’m really sorry. It turned out that my son seems to have fallen ill… Shall we put this fight off until next time?” 

 “…Eh?” 

 Origami froze in place. Misako clasped her hands together while making a funny gesture. 

 “I’m really really sorry! Please do come again! Anyway, farewell for now!” 

 Misako rushed past a stunned Origami while bowing her head earnestly before heading down the stairs to use the elevator. 

 Origami, Yuzuru, and Tamae could only glance at each other and then at the person dressed as a priest who remained in the room. 

 “…What’s with this situation?” 

 “Ah… I’m very sorry. Misako-san has been married five times and has eight children. Now, she’s working very hard as a single-parent.” 

 “Furious. She’s been married five times…” 

 “A single parent family with eight children…?” 

 “Well, because she is the Queen of Brides, it seems that she still gets marriage proposals from many men. She’s currently looking into who would be able to provide the most compensation and support when they inevitably get divorced—Ah, you can go up from here to ring the wedding bell at the top of the tower.” 

 After he finished speaking, the priest also left. 

 The three of them stayed in that room for a few minutes, dumbfounded, before eventually making their way to the top of the tower and to ring the wedding bell. 

 They achieved the goal they set out to accomplish but despite that, they felt an inexplicable sense of failure. 

◇◇◇

 “Hmm… It’s almost time for dinner… E-Eh? Speaking of which, where are Origami and Yuzuru?” 

 It was 7:00 pm at the Itsuka household. Shido looked around the living room from his place in the kitchen and tilted his head with uncertainty. 

 Normally, the Spirits would all be gathered together in the Itsuka living room at this time, but today Origami and Yuzuru were curiously absent. 

 Though, it’s not like they had a prior commitment and it wasn’t always possible for all of the Spirits to gather each day: Miku, Nia, and Kotori all had work and were often absent. However, it was rare that Yuzuru was absent. 

 “Kaguya, do you know where Yuzuru is?” 

 “The truth is buried in the darkness… Ah, but honestly, it looks like she left for somewhere early this morning.” 

 “Hmm? Did she say where she went? Hopefully she doesn’t come back late and has to ask <Fraxinus> for help.” 

 “—I’m back.” 

 Shido was halfway through his sentence when the door to the living room suddenly opened and Origami and Yuzuru stepped in. Both were clearly exhausted as Yuzuru immediately made her way to the sofa as soon as she entered. 

 “O-Oh, where have you two been? You both look exhausted…” 

 “—Here.” 

 Although Shido tried to ask where they went, Origami did not answer but instead pulled a snack box from her canvas bag and handed it to Shido. 

 “Huh? What’s this… Soul buns?” 

 “Souvenirs.” 

 “Ha, really… thank you.” 

 “Try them.” 

 “Eh? Now? But we’re going to have dinner soon…” 

 Shido stared at her, his gaze moving from Origami to the bun in the box before taking a bite. The taste itself was just like any other bun, but there was a hint of a spicy aroma. 

 As Shido chewed, Origami looked away and sighed deeply. 

 “—In the end, it was a valuable learning experience.” 

 “Huh? What are you talking about?” 

 “In the end, it turns out the best trick is just cooking raw rice.” 

 “Hey, what are you talking about…” 

 At that moment, Shido felt his chest thumping violently and he soon put a hand to his chest. 

 “This…what’s going on? My body feels like… It’s on fire…” 

 “—Ah…” 

 Shido suddenly noticed that Origami’s eyes were shining oddly brightly. Her hands began to move at such a speed that it was impossible to follow with the naked eye and gently began stroking Shido’s whole body from top to bottom. The ultra-fast speed gave the illusion that Origami had many hands. Needless to say, Shido could only feel strong stimulation surge throughout him. 

 “Hey… what are you doing, Origami?! A-A-A-Ah?!” 

 “…! Master Origami’s secret technique has been revealed: the Crawling Secret Fist · Thousand Palms…!” 

 “W-What do you think you’re doing to Shido, Origami?!” 

 From her place in the living room, Tohka quickly rushed over and forced Origami’s hands away from Shido. 

 —Although he had no idea what happened to Origami that day, in the time since then, both Origami and Yuzuru started approaching Shido more aggressively than usual.