Without any surprises, the clock had struck six once again. Club activities had concluded, and Hozuki Nozomi made his way back to Sakura Dormitory through the familiar streets. The evening air carried a comfortable coolness, but his mind was occupied with more pressing matters.
Thanks to the unexpected complication of Miyamizu Mitsuha, he needed to properly greet and reassure each of the girls. If Mitsuha's innocent but potentially awkward behavior had created any misunderstandings—or worse, made any of them feel neglected—he needed to address it immediately.
Being a time management master was genuinely difficult work.
Wanting to maintain relationships with multiple beautiful women while keeping everyone happy and harmonious required constant effort and attention. Fortunately, Hozuki Nozomi had two advantages that made this challenging lifestyle possible: excellent kidneys and special skill entries that effectively transformed him into a human-shaped walking cannon.
These were, he reflected, necessary conditions for maintaining the delicate peace of his unusual household.
Night fell, and as he naturally drifted into sleep, the braided cord on his wrist began to glow faintly. Its power activated silently, drawing his soul across time and space to Miyamizu Shrine—three years in the past—where it settled into Miyamizu Mitsuha's sleeping body.
The soul swap occurred without fanfare, as naturally as breathing.
The power of fate, capable of transferring souls through temporal barriers, was truly wondrous. Perhaps the inheritance of Miyamizu Shrine held special significance for someone like Hozuki Nozomi—someone the system had designated as a "divine child."
Morning arrived.
Hozuki Nozomi's eyes opened naturally, adjusting to the unfamiliar ceiling above. Familiar yet not. He was back in Mitsuha's room, in Mitsuha's body.
His hand immediately pressed against his chest.
Soft. Definitely female. And developing nicely.
He was simply... assessing the situation. Taking measurements. Gathering data.
Perhaps he was enjoying himself a little too much.
"SWOOSH!"
The door slid open with violent force. Miyamizu Yotsuha stood in the doorway, twin pigtails bouncing as she planted her hands on her hips and fixed him with a glare that belied her young age.
"Big Sister! Time to get up and eat!"
"Uh... that is... Yotsuha..."
"BANG!"
Before he could formulate any excuse or explanation, the little loli slammed the door shut and scurried away on her short legs, her footsteps fading rapidly down the hall. She hadn't given him any chance to fool her.
Hozuki Nozomi's mouth twitched.
"How uncute," he muttered under his breath.
Shaking off the encounter, he rose and approached the mirror. A bright-eyed, charming girl gazed back at him—Miyamizu Mitsuha's face, expression caught somewhere between resignation and amusement.
"Good morning, Mitsuha," he said to his reflection.
As expected, he'd possessed her body again. Looking down, he noticed words written on his hand.
"DON'T RUB MY CHEST!"
Hozuki Nozomi chose to ignore this message entirely.
He'd already touched it anyway. What good would forbidding him now do? Besides, when Miyamizu Mitsuha controlled his body, she inevitably had to use the restroom, didn't she? He highly doubted she managed that without using her hands. Turnabout was fair play.
After taking a moment to appreciate Mitsuha's figure in the mirror—she really did have excellent proportions—he nodded with satisfaction and began preparing for the day. He changed into her school uniform, completed his morning routine, and headed to the living room.
Miyamizu Hitoha and the little loli Yotsuha were already seated at the table.
"Good morning, Yotsuha! Good morning, Grandma~" he greeted cheerfully, sliding into his seat.
The Yotsuha loli immediately pointed an accusing finger. "Grandma! Big Sister was rubbing her chest again this morning!"
Miyamizu Hitoha regarded her granddaughter with a slightly strange expression but maintained her benevolent composure. "Hurry and eat your breakfast," she said simply, her tone warm but non-judgmental.
Hozuki Nozomi, possessing the thick skin required for his lifestyle, felt not a shred of shame. "Yotsuha, I'm doing this for future development! It's a necessary massage for growth. You'll understand when you're older!"
As he spoke, he reached over and ruffled the little loli's hair, earning himself a pair of vigorous eye-rolls.
"Grandma! Look at Big Sister! She's become completely shameless!"
Miyamizu Hitoha observed the exchange with quiet interest but offered no commentary, simply continuing her meal with the serene expression of someone who had seen many strange things in her long life.
Hozuki Nozomi wasn't worried about being seen through. After patting Yotsuha's head one more time, he contentedly focused on his breakfast.
Miyamizu Yotsuha pouted, her dissatisfaction evident. "Big Sister, I don't care! Tomorrow I want to sleep in too! You have to get up and cook!"
The little loli had a point. She was only in fourth grade, yet she woke earlier than Grandma every day, prepared breakfast, and then had to wake her lazy older sister.
Hozuki Nozomi smiled. "Alright, tomorrow you can taste my cooking."
Yotsuha eyed him suspiciously. "You wouldn't put poison in the food, would you?"
"You're overthinking it. Why would I poison my own cute little sister?"
"...That's true."
The loli relaxed slightly. Despite Big Sister's strange chest-rubbing behavior, she was still her biological sister. Yotsuha trusted her.
Breakfast concluded, they prepared to leave.
"I'm done eating! Grandma, we're going to school now!"
"Take care."
Hozuki Nozomi took the little loli's hand, and together they descended the long staircase leading from the shrine. They passed through the torii gate, continued down the stone steps, and finally reached the concrete road below.
At the fork, Miyamizu Yotsuha quickly parted ways, heading toward Itomori Elementary with the boundless energy of youth.
Hozuki Nozomi continued alone, strolling leisurely along the road toward Itomori High. His hair was styled in a high ponytail, simple yet elegant. The school uniform fit well—perhaps a little too well in certain areas, as the front was pushed up into a noticeably full curve.
He'd also taken the precaution of wearing safety shorts underneath, ensuring no embarrassing incidents during physical activities. The safety shorts had come from his system backpack—conveniently accessible since the system was bound to his soul, not his physical body. Even while inhabiting Mitsuha's form, he could still access its functions.
It was worth noting that Mitsuha's physical fitness was genuinely excellent. Daily climbs up and down the shrine's long staircase had built impressive stamina and contributed to her graceful figure.
Hands clasped behind his head, Hozuki Nozomi continued his morning walk.
Soon enough, the familiar sound of an approaching bicycle reached his ears.
"Yo! Good morning, Mitsuha!"
He didn't need to turn around to identify the voice. "Good morning, Teshigawara. And Sayaka—good morning to you too."
Natori Sayaka hopped off the back of Teshigawara Katsuhiko's bicycle and immediately fixed her eyes on him with barely concealed excitement.
"Mitsuha! Looking at your hairstyle today, I'm guessing you're in Fox Spirit mode again?"
Hozuki Nozomi's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "That's right. Aren't you afraid I'll curse you?"
Sayaka rolled her eyes. "We're best friends! You wouldn't curse me!"
"Just kidding. Of course I wouldn't curse my good friend."
Sayaka's expression shifted to something more conspiratorial. She pulled a folded note from her pocket and pressed it into his hand.
"Here. For you. If you're going to curse anyone, curse Tano! He was talking badly about you yesterday—all those nasty looks and comments. So annoying."
Hozuki Nozomi glanced at the note. "Tano? Let me think... That would be the boy who thinks he's handsome with his dyed yellow hair?"
"Yes! That's exactly him!"
Sayaka had no qualms about reporting Tano's behavior to the "Fox Spirit." Mitsuha was her friend, and she was tired of watching people bully her.
Hozuki Nozomi nodded, pocketing the note. "Alright. I'll deal with him when we get to school."
Teshigawara Katsuhiko, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly found himself the focus of attention. Hozuki Nozomi turned and smiled at him—a warm, friendly smile.
Teshigawara immediately looked away, flustered. His cheeks had turned noticeably red.
Sayaka's eyes narrowed. "Teshigawara! Why are you blushing?!"
The boy scratched his head awkwardly. "I just... Mitsuha seems really special today, that's all."
"Well, duh! The current Mitsuha is the Fox Spirit!"
Hozuki Nozomi shook his head, laughing softly. "Let's not get carried away. Keep talking like that and I'll end up tied to a stake and burned as a monster." He paused, considering. "Besides, I'm not really a fox spirit. You can think of me more as... a divine envoy. A messenger of the gods."
The effect was immediate. Both Natori Sayaka and Teshigawara Katsuhiko's eyes lit up with intense curiosity. Teshigawara, in particular, leaned forward eagerly—he had always been fascinated by supernatural phenomena and mysterious existences.
"Divine envoy!" Teshigawara exclaimed. "Then... do you have any special abilities? I don't mean just playing basketball or solving math problems! I mean real supernatural powers!"