Alternate Reincarnation

Interluding Date, Part I

Salutations! Time to continue reposting the second half of the already completed chapters!

Here is Chapter 11, "Interluding Date, Part I"

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"I messed up..."

The Ruler whispered while averting her gaze, unable to face her partner.

She couldn't stop her feet from shifting nervously, partly because of embarrassment and partially out of guilt. Kurumi didn't even face her, the gothic girl was staring down the school's yard from the rooftop's fence.

She knew that this Kurumi was just a temporal clone of the original. The real Nightmare Spirit was preparing for the second phase of their plan. However still, clone or not, Kurumi had right to be angry.

The conversation with Itsuka Kotori just now was a mess. The Ruler didn't expect the Spirit of Fire to actually cause her genuine anger. Or rather, Rinne overestimated her own ability to stay calm.

Threatening Kotori was never a good idea. Not only the ensuing fight with her could hurt Rinne herself and the Itsuka sister, it could also hurt the students there, not to mention obliterate the school. All of which would cause Shido to lose his trust on her, and ruin the date before it even started.

"It's intolerable, especially for her..."

"Do you think so?"

The pink-haired girl widened her eyes as she heard a soft, gentle voice instead of the expected fury. She looked up to her partner, just in time to see her turning around.

"I think what you did was quite adorable."

As their eyes met, Kurumi smiled at her, one that was full of warmth and appreciation.

Dumfounded and not knowing what caused her to do so, Rinne only stared at her blankly. "Huh?"

"It was rash, I have to say." Kurumi chuckled.

"But I can't reject your actions, considering for whom you did it for."

Rinne sunk into a contemplative silence at her words. 'For whom you did it for'? Did that mean Kurumi appreciate it? Her impulsive and not-very-well-thought actions?

"No way... Kurumi never accept mistakes..."

"Kurumi, you-" Rinne was cut off.

"I know this doesn't sound like me, but I am quite... pleased that you defended me the way you did."

Kurumi paused for a moment, looking away as if she was trying to find the right words. After a moment, she continued.

"Only you and Shido-san would ever do that for me. And unlike him, nothing stops me from thanking you."

Realizing the implication, the Ruler Spirit was suddenly at a loss of words.

"Eh, um, I..."

Being appreciated so openly, Rinne couldn't help but feel embarrassed at Kurumi's words. However, the lyre player knew that, those words- didn't fit her partner.

Sonogami Rinne had known Tokisaki Kurumi for nearly five years. The Ruler had known the Nightmare inside-out. Therefore, she could tell what the goth girl would have responded.

However, as if Kurumi just read her mind, she spoke again.

"Ara, do you find me acting differently from usual?"

As she said that, Rinne nearly gasped in surprise. Not only she was correct, Kurumi basically admitted that she was acting strange.