Chapter 10: The Grimoire Smiles Silently

In the end, we parted ways with Kanzaki.

Before the operation began, it was decided that Kanzaki would explain the situation to Stiyl and persuade him.

As for us, we would regroup with Index and explain everything to her. That’s how we split up the roles.

…Well, let’s just say it took a while to actually find her.

"Honestly! Touma and Reicia both just go wandering off on their own! I looked all over for you, you know!"

We found Index just a few minutes ago, aimlessly wandering a main road off the path to the public bath. We’d spent over thirty minutes searching for her.

Now that I think of it, even though Index has perfect memory, she’s notoriously bad with anything scientific, so there’s this thing where she can’t seem to remember the layout of the city. Or maybe the real reason is that this is an experimental city, and the layout keeps changing so often that it never matches her memories…

Anyway, despite having gotten completely lost, Index is now angrily puffing her cheeks like nothing happened (which is basically her flipping the blame), but none of us could bring ourselves to say anything.

That’s because Kanzaki had already told us—Index had been chased around separately by Stiyl. In other words, while we were apart, she was being hunted by that guy, and yet she’s still pretending like it was no big deal. …At this point, you can’t help but feel like crying for her.

…Not that Kamijou is the type to just silently accept something like that.

"I ran into that magician's partner."

The moment Kamijou spoke, I saw Index’s body tense up.

"He also told me that you were being chased around by that guy while we were gone."

"…………"

"Let’s not do the whole lying thing, alright? Let me apologize. I’m sorry I left you alone. I’m sorry for letting you go through something so scary. …At least let me say that much."

Honestly thought he was going to blow up, but he’s surprisingly calm, Kamijou.

Going off his usual personality, I half-expected something fiery like, “You think something like that’s gonna break me?! Don’t underestimate me!” or something… Right? Sounds like something he’d say.

"I—I’m so—"

"You don’t need to apologize, Index-san. In this case, the blame lies with us. That’s all there is to it, so please just accept it for what it is. …More importantly, there’s something we need to say before this turns into an apology battle."

At that, I cut in and changed the flow of the conversation.

…From here on, it’s going to be a pretty rough ride for Index.

If you asked me whether it’s fair to keep lying to her out of overprotectiveness, I’m sorry, but as an “irresponsible bystander,” I’d have to say “NO” without hesitation.

---

Chapter 1 – I Don’t Know Anything About Predetermined Harmony
Theory_is_broken.

Episode 8: The Grimoire Smiles Silently
"Forget_Me_Not."

---

And then.

Before Kamijou, Index, and me—two magicians appeared.

"…………………………"

"…We heard everything."

Stiyl and Kanzaki’s faces were completely expressionless. Cold—like true magicians.

But we already knew what lay behind that. A bottomless love for Index. The truth was, they wanted nothing more than to hug her, press their foreheads together, and laugh.

"I’ve had a ‘collar’ put on me—one that will kill me if I don’t have my memories erased every year. And you two… you were the best friends who supported me through all that."

In contrast, Index’s expression was overflowing with compassion. Or perhaps it was painted in guilt. Knowing that her best friends were suffering because of her—Index would grieve. That’s the kind of person she is.

Standing beside her, Kamijou spoke.

"Just us isn’t enough to save Index. We need your power too. If we want to destroy this miserable story… we need your help. So please—lend us your strength."

He extended his right hand.

That right hand capable of even destroying the miracle systems of God.

"…………………………You seem to be misunderstanding something."

Stiyl’s voice cut through Index and Kamijou’s words without a single hint of emotion.

"I’m not here because I agreed to talk things out."

"!! Stiyl!"

"Don’t chicken out, Kanzaki. Our supreme objective is to at-least-with-absolute-certainty save her life."

"Stiyl, you bastard—"

"Don’t call my name so lightly, Esper."

Even though he’d turned the whole room against him, there wasn’t a single flicker in Stiyl’s sharp gaze.

…This wasn’t about Stiyl being stubborn or Kanzaki being uncertain. This couldn’t be wrapped up in such shallow terms.

"Sure, Index has a collar on her from the Church. We were deceived. I’ll admit that much. But is relying on some sappy gamble really ‘for her’? Smashing the collar—without even understanding what might happen afterward? If that’s what you call ‘for her,’ then I don’t want it. I’ll do it for my own sake. Just mine. I’ll save her life with certainty—even if it’s for my own selfish satisfaction. And for that, I’ll kill anyone. Anything. Even if it means turning her against me—"

"Please."

Index cut him off, still facing him with that same compassion.

"I… I don’t want to throw away the me who stood with Touma, Reicia… Kaori, and Stiyl. I know you care about me, Stiyl. That’s why this is just me being selfish. —So please… save me."

"…………………………………………!!!!!!!!!!"

Stiyl clenched his teeth so hard it was like his molars might shatter. A few silent seconds passed.

And then—

"I hereby prove the reason my name is the strongest—Fortis931."

…That was what Stiyl called his True Name.

But ‘that’—his magic name—carried a deeper meaning.

For example, it might symbolize the very first wish that led a magician to rely on the supernatural in the first place.

"Fine. Yeah, I get it, damn it!! My belief is to save you. And for that, I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way! —Even if that belief itself has to die!!"

That’s what he said.

I can’t even imagine how painful it must have been to force those words out. But he made the decision. And once you’ve done that, all that’s left is to give it everything you’ve got.

"Let’s grab it, magician. That perfect happy ending, where science and magic finally come together!"

Kamijou never once withdrew the right hand he had offered.

That was his resolve.

Stiyl, without a word, seized that hand roughly in his own.

The previous story was about one boy saving one girl from the irrational system of God.

In this story, there’s no such thing as “the savior” or “the one being saved.” No such cheap distinctions exist.

Every character is simply working together—for their own shot at happiness.

---

"Woman—I will never forgive you."

Later.

As everyone began making preparations, Stiyl suddenly spat those words out, glaring directly at me. Talk about timing, right after a speech about “everyone working together”…

…Well, considering his personality, I more or less expected this.

"I heard from Kanzaki. That this entire operation was your idea."

"…So what if it was?"

"Sure, she might forgive us. She’s stupidly kind like that. But at the same time, it’ll hurt her. She’ll suffer from knowing that her former friends endured so much pain because of her. And you—you forced that pain on her. Pain she didn’t need to go through. No matter how you dress it up, that’s unforgivable. Did you really think I’d thank you just because you gave us a path to reconciliation? …Don’t insult me."

"Feel free to hate me. I won’t stop you."

I never expected to be thanked for doing any of this anyway.

Unlike Kanzaki, who deep down still wants to be friends with Index, I know that Stiyl just wants Index to live in peace—not knowing any of this. I know he’s already settled on that as his one and only wish. I know he doesn’t want her to ever know the pain of parting ways with him or Kanzaki.

…I only read the damn novel. But even just from reading, I get it. That this guy is the real deal.

Honestly, if I just wanted to be thanked, I could’ve copied what Kamijou did. That would’ve guaranteed that Stiyl’s wish—to save her safely—would be fulfilled, at least for now. He might’ve even thanked me with some sarcastic comment.

And yet, even knowing that I’d earn Stiyl’s hatred… I still chose to do this.

"But she’s not so fragile that she can’t overcome this level of pain."

In the end, I believe she’ll reach a far happier conclusion than anything I’ve seen.

She might suffer at first—feel guilt, sadness. There might be conflict in her relationships. But if none of that ever happened, it would all just end right there. Sure, there might be moments where we clash, where I hurt her. She might even end up hating me for it. But if you let the fear of that stop you, then you’ll never grasp anything.

And in the long run—that would be nothing but a tragedy for Index. Saying “if she never learns, she’ll never hurt” is just a convenient excuse.

I know a certain “completely ordinary high schooler” who overcame that kind of fear, stood against the whole damn world, and reached a happy ending.

To put it bluntly, I don’t care what they think of me right now. I’ve already factored that in. I’m ready to accept everything and push forward regardless.

"In the end, it’s just a meddling interference from an ‘irresponsible outsider.’ However—"

"‘However,’ what?"

"I believe this choice will, without question, increase the number of smiles."

This choice will surely bring about a future where Stiyl, Kanzaki, and Index can smile together again.

Compared to helping build a future like that, being hated by Stiyl is a small price to pay.

"…Tch. I’ve already taken that man’s hand, so I’ll cooperate. But don’t you forget—I still have every reason in the world to kill you."

………………………

…Aah, sorry, Reicia-chan.

I’ll do my best to smooth things over before you come back… really.