Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

When Shido stepped out of his apartment, the sun was already shining brightly. He glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mahiru, but it seemed she had already left for school.

That wasn't much of a surprise, given the time.

Shaking his head, Shido pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, he would see Mahiru later when she returned. As he waited for the elevator, his phone suddenly vibrated, signaling an incoming call.

Seeing the name of the caller, Shido didn't hesitate and answered.

"Good morning, President! I hope I'm not bothering you."

"…What's wrong, Hazuki?"

...

"Please call me again once you arrive at the company, President, so I can welcome you."

"Alright, I got it, Hazuki."

"Geez, you don't have to be so formal, President. You can just call me by my first name directly."

"…If that's the case, then… Shizuku."

"Yes, President!"

"Alright, I'll be on my way now."

"Understood. I'll be waiting for you~."

The playful and almost coquettish, voice of a woman echoed from Shido's phone as he ended the call.

A small smile played on his lips as he wondered why that woman's voice sounded so enticing, as if it were suggesting something. However, knowing her personality, Shido reminded himself that this was simply her way of communicating.

As for who the woman in mention was, her name was Hazuki Shizuku. After the former president stepped down, she held the highest position and was therefore the one in contact with Shido, who had become the company's new president.

Putting his phone away, Shido donned his helmet and rode onto his motorcycle.

While touring the city with Frieren and Rumia, he had been thinking about getting a personal vehicle to make traveling around the city easier. True to Japan's efficiency, his motorcycle was already parked in the apartment's lot by the time the three of them returned.

Shido chose a Yamaha TMAX, a maxi-scooter celebrated for its perfect balance of comfort and performance. It wasn't as flashy as a sports bike, but its sleek, modern design and smooth lines gave it a stylish look without being intimidating. The matte finish and compact frame made it practical for weaving through Tokyo traffic, while still turning heads wherever it went.

As for the license, Shido already had it, having forged his identity along with various identification cards, just in case.

Slipping on his deep jade-green helmet, he started the motor and rolled onto the street, heading toward his company.

...

Since Eagle Jump was only in the next ward, it didn't take him long to reach the company. Shido parked his motorcycle in the small lot beside the building.

After parking his motorcycle, Shido walked toward the front of his company's building to take a look at it. The seven-story structure bore a white and orange signboard that read 'Eagle Jump.' It wasn't a huge company, but it wasn't bad either. After all, Eagle Jump wasn't a large company to begin with, yet their games had become a major success.

"I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!"

Just as Shido was about to step into the building, a frantic voice caught his attention from the sidewalk. He turned and saw a small, purple-haired girl with twintails who looked like a middle schooler. Strangely, she was dressed in a suit that didn't match her image at all.

'If I'm not wrong, this girl is...'

Shido observed her and immediately recognized who she was.

Although she was running at her full speed, she didn't seem fast at all. In fact, she was so slow that her running looked almost comical. As she drew closer, she didn't notice the person standing in front of the building until she was about five meters away.

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the person, the purple-haired girl tried to stop running, but instead, she tripped clumsily, about to fall onto the hard pavement.

"Ah!"

Just as she closed her eyes and braced for impact, a strong, warm arms wrapped around her small waist, catching her before she could hit the ground.

The girl kept her eyes tightly shut, unaware that someone had caught her before she hit the ground. It wasn't until a voice spoke beside her that she opened her eyes and realized she had been saved from falling.

"Are you okay?"

The voice was gentle and soothing, filled with concern for her. Turning her face to see its source, the girl froze the moment she saw the man's appearance.

She went dazed, staring at her savior's dazzlingly handsome face. In her mind, she couldn't help but imagine herself as a princess and him as her knight in shining armor, and she subconsciously nodded her small head. She didn't even realize how close they had become.

"Well, it looks like you're not hurt anywhere."

Saying this, Shido gently set the still-dazed girl on the ground, then patted her head. "Be careful, okay? Even if you're running late for school, rushing like this is dangerous."

The girl blushed as she felt his warm, comforting hands on her head. But his words snapped her out of her dreamy daze, and she suddenly became fully aware of the situation.

"Un, wait! I'm not a kid!"

The girl exclaimed desperately, tears of embarrassment welling in her eyes as she hoped Shido would believe her.

"Really?"

"...Y-Yes. I'm working at this company."

Still embarrassed, she straightened her posture and puffed out her cheeks, trying to appear more mature than she actually looked.

"I-I'm serious! I'm an adult," she insisted, her voice trembling slightly, as if she were trying to convince both herself and Shido.

Shido raised an eyebrow, a small, amused smile playing on his lips."An adult who looks like a middle schooler and cries when teased?"

Her face flushed even deeper, and she waved her hands frantically in protest."T-That's not fair! Don't say it like that!"

"Sorry, sorry. Please don't cry." Shido chuckled, patting her head gently as he coaxed her, seeing that she was on the verge of tears.

"...Un." The girl closed her eyes, seemingly comforted, and leaned into Shido's warmth.

This time, however, she didn't completely lose herself in her thoughts. Slowly, she lifted her head and peeked up at the attractive man before her, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Noticing her silence, Shido wondered if she felt uncomfortable being touched by him. Realizing he might have been rude, he withdrew his hands and apologized.

"Sorry, it was rude of me to suddenly pat your head."

"Ah… N-No, it's okay… I don't really mind…" The girl's cheeks burned with embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had actually said that, but a part of her secretly wanted to feel his warmth for just a little longer, and her inner thoughts had slipped out.

"...Is that so? Then you don't mind if I pat you again." Shido let out a soft sigh of relief, seeing that she wasn't uncomfortable with it. With a gentle smile, he asked, and the girl lowered her head shyly.

"...Un."

...

"By the way, do you have something to do with our company?"

Shido was standing in front of the building, so the girl assumed he had some business inside.

"Yes, I'm here to observe the company." Shido nodded before finally withdrawing the hand that had been gently resting on her head.

While the girl was a little disappointed, her thoughts became focused on Shido's words as if there was even a question mark symbol appearing atop of her head.

"Observe? Oh! Are you perhaps a new employee?" The girl's eyes lit up with excitement. If Shido was an applicant and got accepted, they'd see each other more often, making her heart race. On top of that, being the only employee accepted this year, she felt an unexpected sense of closeness toward him.

"Employee?" Shido found her misconception amusing, but he didn't correct her. After all, she wasn't entirely wrong, he was technically an employee too. The only difference was that he held the highest position. However, Shido didn't intend to tell her that as he felt it would be funny to see her reaction later when she discovered he was their president.

"Yes, you could say that. My name is Itsuka Shido. Please take care of me from now on, senpai."

Shido bowed politely, exuding a gentlemanly air, and the girl felt as if lightning had struck her, especially at the word senpai.

"S-Senpai? I… I'm a senpai now…?"

She couldn't believe she already had a junior so soon after joining the company, and such a striking one at that. Yet, she didn't dislike it. Instead, something seemed to stir within her, making her breathing rougher and her cheeks flush slightly.

"Senpai?" Shido couldn't help but smile at her reaction, though he realized it might be a bit overwhelming for her. He decided to pull her back to reality.

"Ah! Sorry about that." The girl flushed even more, embarrassed by how lost she'd been in her own thoughts, but she still managed to introduce herself.

"My name is Suzukabe Aoba. N-Nice to meet you, I-Itsuka-san."

"You can just call me Shido, Aoba-senpai."