While Arata was chatting with Accelerator and coaxing her into eating his cooking, creating a strangely warm and relaxed atmosphere, Agnese's unit had already boarded a cruise ship bound for Italy.
On the deck, Agnese used a communication rune to report directly to the Pope.
"That's roughly what happened during this mission. Although, thinking about it now, there were several inconsistencies in what that Saint said, I still can't find a clear way to refute it."
Agnese frowned slightly. Her tension while inside Academy City had caused her to overlook too many details, leading to a hasty retreat.
It was an immature mistake.
"I see."
The pope narrowed his wise, calculating eyes.
A mysterious Saint hidden within Academy City, possessing a technique capable of concealing their Holy Mark.
Both his identity and his claims were highly suspicious.
Most importantly, he was a Saint who had never been recorded, which meant his existence had been hidden by powerful magic from the very beginning.
This was not just a matter of identity.
It pointed toward something far more significant behind him.
He had considered the possibility of a Saint siding with the scientific side, but such a situation had almost no precedent. In the entire history of magic, such cases were extremely rare. Even neutral Saints would not align themselves with science.
"When you return, I will personally examine the communication rune." The said after a moment of thought.
The Pope had no desire to initiate a war against the scientific side. Such a conflict would involve countless civilians, destabilize nations, and could easily escalate into a global war.
However, the Roman Catholic Church was not under his sole control.
Many bishops and nobles were already preparing to provoke a full-scale conflict, intending to completely eradicate Academy City as a heretical force.
He was almost certain to lose the next papal election.
And the next Pope would very likely push for war.
"Perhaps establishing contact with this unknown Saint could become a turning point."
...
"Well then, see you next time. Hopefully, I'll find you dressed properly when I knock again." Arata said with a teasing smile as he stood at the doorway.
"This bastard... talking to you is impossible." Accelerator replied with a twisted expression.
To be honest, if she had the ability to overpower him, she would have already sent his vectors spiraling out of control.
But...
If it really came to that, could she actually bring herself to do it?
She wasn't sure.
At the very least, in him, she saw something she had always wanted.
Strength did not necessarily mean isolation.
Being powerful did not automatically mean being misunderstood.
It only meant you had not met the right person yet.
This man was far stronger than her, yet he lived freely, without restraint.
It was a life she envied.
A life she would never admit she wanted.
"Anyway, I've got something to deal with at home. Otherwise, I might've stayed the night. We are classmates, after all. We've fought side by side." Arata chuckled, completely ignoring her reaction as he turned and walked away.
Accelerator actually had a surprisingly stable temperament.
She was not some constantly laughing maniac.
As long as no one showed malicious intent toward her, she would not lash out, even if irritated. At most, she would ignore them.
But if someone did harbor ill intent, they would face her ruthless and overwhelming violence.
Accelerator's expression darkened further.
I really have changed because of him.
But what exactly changed?
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find an answer.
Looking around her room, everything was spotless.
The dining table had been cleaned perfectly.
For a brief moment, it felt like a normal household scene.
...Ridiculous.
Someone like me shouldn't even be thinking about things like that.
Once again, she denied her own path and shattered it with her own hands.
She could no longer see where that path would lead.
Arata hummed lightly as he walked out of the dormitory building.
This time, the conversation had gone smoothly. Unlike before, they had not ended things after just a few exchanges.
Accelerator, what you fail to see is already beginning to change.
This is the light you've been searching for.
The question is, can you reach it?
Arata glanced back toward room 307 with a faint smile.
The moment she stops rejecting her own existence, that will be the moment she truly begins to grasp it.
His figure disappeared instantly.
The next moment, he appeared inside the hospital associated with the frog-faced doctor.
Finding the doctor absent, he headed toward the logistics room where the Misaka Sisters were stationed.
Three Sisters dressed in nurse uniforms were gathered together, watching television while eating snacks.
"Oh? Only the three of you are here?" Arata asked with a smile.
The three Misaka Sisters immediately stood up and surrounded him.
"The other Misakas have been assigned to different departments, Misaka reports." one of them said, her cheeks slightly flushed, her hands held stiffly at her sides.
"Misaka 1012 has an important request for Arata. Please do not refuse, Misaka requests." Misaka 1012 said hesitantly.
"Misaka 9986 also has an important request."
"Misaka 1021 also has an important request."
"What is it? Want to go out somewhere, or are you craving snacks?" Arata asked.
Thanks to the emotional feedback system derived from the Sisters' network, although it was fundamentally a structured program, their expressions now appeared almost indistinguishable from normal human emotions.
"Misaka units 8912 to 8991 all received hair accessories from Arata. Misaka reports with slight disappointment that Misaka did not receive one." Misaka 1012 lowered her head.
"I see." Arata nodded, then gently patted her head.
He had been too busy recently and had overlooked this.
"Here. Hair clips for everyone. One for each of you. If you need more, just ask." Arata said with a smile, producing a box filled with hair accessories.
The Misaka Sisters could function as individuals or as a collective.
If one obtained something while the others did not, it created a chain reaction where all of them would desire it.
"Did the doctor give you any spending money?" Arata asked, recalling something.
"Paper currency used to purchase goods?" a Sister asked, then shook her head.
"I see."
Arata took out a one-thousand yen bill and handed it over.
"If you want drinks, use this. Just don't upload it to the Misaka Network. Let's keep this between us."
If the entire network learned about it, things would become unnecessarily complicated.
"A secret." The Misaka Sisters' eyes lit up simultaneously.
A shared secret between them and him.
...
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.