"Arata's cooking is so delicious! It's such a waste that Arata isn't a chef." Index stuffed the last piece of meat into her mouth, her chopsticks clenched in her fist, before collapsing onto the tatami with a satisfied expression.
"I have no interest in becoming a chef. I only enjoy cooking for the people around me," Arata said with a smile as he cleaned up the table.
After finishing, he sat down beside Index and spoke.
"Index, there's something I need to tell you."
"?" Index tilted her head, looking like a kitten seeing its reflection for the first time. "I didn't leave this room today~ It was a promise with Arata."
"No, that's not it." Arata looked into Index's clear eyes and said, "I already understand your situation."
"My situation?" Index blinked in confusion.
Arata then explained everything to her, including the identities of the two people pursuing her. Only then did Index finally understand the truth.
"Oh, I see. They weren't chasing me. They were my companions." Index's expression turned sorrowful. It turned out she had misunderstood all along. Those two had been protecting her.
From the beginning, they had only pretended to pursue her. It now made sense why, even when chased by magicians, she always managed to escape without being captured.
"My memories were erased because the Church placed a spell on me. I don't remember them, so I thought they were evil magicians. They must be very sad." Index clutched her chest, her face filled with pain.
"Silly girl, what are you sad about? You still have me, right? I'll help you until the very end." Seeing her like this, Arata gently patted her head and spoke softly, without any regret for telling her the truth.
Even after learning that the Church had cast a spell on her, she accepted it without complaint. Even when her life was at risk, she still worried about others first. That only made him like her even more.
"Yes! I believe in Arata." Index said quietly. In her current memories, Arata was the one who gave her the warmest and happiest moments.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A knock sounded at the door. Arata got up and opened it. Kanzaki Kaori and Stiyl stood outside, looking like debt collectors.
However, their eyes betrayed unease and hesitation.
"I've already explained things to her. Index won't see you as enemies anymore," Arata said softly to Kanzaki Kaori.
"Tsk! Who asked you to meddle?" Stiyl muttered, clearly displeased. He had avoided explaining things to Index because he did not want to hurt her.
"Thank you, young man," Kanzaki Kaori said with a complicated expression as she looked toward Index, who was watching them from inside. Guilt filled her heart.
"Come in," Arata said, turning to pour a glass of juice for Kanzaki Kaori. He deliberately ignored Stiyl, which immediately made Stiyl's expression darken.
"Index, I..." Kanzaki Kaori looked at the girl who was now able to speak calmly again after a year, her face filled with guilt.
"I'm sorry," Index said sadly. Even though her current memories only contained the image of being chased by them, she could imagine everything that had happened over the past year.
They had pretended to chase her while secretly protecting her. When they fought off other magicians who coveted the 103,000 grimoires, she would feel relieved, thinking she had finally escaped danger.
"No, I should be the one..." Kanzaki Kaori faltered. This was the third time she had heard Index say those words. The ones who truly needed to apologize were them.
"I don't know! I don't know! I really don't know. I was so scared back then. My mind was filled with the 103,000 grimoires and the fear of being in an unfamiliar place, so I ran away."
Index looked at Kanzaki Kaori with a heart-wrenching expression, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Even while you were protecting me and fighting other magicians, I secretly regained consciousness and ran away."
"I'm the one who should apologize. If, if I had been calmer back then and stayed by your side, you wouldn't have run away in fear. It's all my fault. Please stop apologizing. I truly don't deserve it."
Kanzaki Kaori trembled slightly as she spoke, biting her lip.
If what Arata said was true, then the reason they kept creating memories together only to lose them over time was because Index had never been given the chance to grow and understand the truth.
If what Arata said was true... then in just a few days, he had already realized something they had failed to see for an entire year. As her companions, they were utterly unqualified. They had no right to call themselves her friends.
"Please don't say things like that. It makes me very sad," Index said softly, lowering her head.
Stiyl then turned to Arata. "Now show us your proof."
"No problem." Arata shrugged and walked over to Index, speaking gently. "Index, tilt your head back and open your mouth as wide as you can."
"Why?" Index asked, blinking in confusion.
"Because the spell is on your throat. That's why no one noticed you were under magic."
"What!" Kanzaki Kaori and Stiyl's expressions changed instantly. This had been the main reason they doubted Arata's claims. They had never detected any trace of magic on Index, aside from the magical fluctuations of the Mobile Church.
"Ah" Index obediently tilted her head back and opened her mouth.
At the back of her throat, a black and purple magic formation composed of Hebrew characters and runes appeared.
It radiated an ominous aura.
"This is..." Kanzaki Kaori's expression turned solemn. She did not recognize the spell, but she could tell it was something extremely dangerous.
At that moment, she understood that Arata was telling the truth. They had unknowingly become accomplices in harming Index.
"The collar!" Stiyl's face darkened as he crushed the cigarette between his fingers.
"To use torture magic, the kind reserved for the most vicious criminals, on Index... that old woman must have done this."
To ensure Index would never betray her, that woman would not hesitate to use such cruel methods.
Far away, in St. George's Cathedral, a blonde woman suddenly sneezed.
"So, do you have a solution?" Arata asked calmly, crossing his arms.
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.