Bonus: Epilogues for Each

At the same time, somewhere in an unknown place.

In a dark room where the glow of monitors was scattered like starlight, a man sat deeply sunk into a cheap-looking sofa.

He was wearing a headgear device that covered the upper half of his face.

From the headgear, countless cables extended out and connected to multiple machines, each one bulkier than a refrigerator.

It was like someone had forcibly dressed up a thug’s hideout as a high-class research facility—the man’s image, with a large tattoo peeking from beneath the headgear, seemed to have soaked into the very walls of the room.

“…Aaah…”

Groaning absentmindedly, the man removed the headgear and muttered, looking utterly bored.

“…What a damn waste of time.”

Chapter 2: Not Bothered by Failure – Crazy_Princess.
Bonus: Epilogues for Each

“Seriously, what a damn joke.”

As he packed up his things, retrieved the data, and methodically burned the internal circuitry with chemicals—in short, took care of the “clean-up”—Kihara Amata muttered in irritation.

If anything, it was the very act of this clean-up that annoyed him. He knew full well that Misaka Mikoto, who had traced the signal controlling the Sisters during the battle, would be closing in sooner or later.

And of course, Amata could’ve fought her off. Electricity, magnetism, Level 5 esper abilities—none of it meant anything to Kihara Amata. Even head-on, he could crush a mere lab rat without trouble. …However, at this stage, he wasn’t permitted to make contact with Mikoto.

Thus, he withdrew. The humiliation of having to flee from someone clearly beneath him. That absurdity was one of the key reasons for his foul mood.

Especially when it came to Mikoto, the previous battle had irritated him to no end. He’d tried to overwhelm her with sheer numbers, ten thousand of them, only for her to halt the advance using the electromagnetic waves she constantly emitted. Worse still, her mere proximity hijacked the signals and snapped the Sisters out of their brainwashing. The fact that even he had been caught off guard left him thoroughly displeased.

But that wasn’t what had ruined his mood the most.

“That damn blonde bitch.”

What surfaced in his expression wasn’t so much anger, as it was envy.

“Must be nice. You don’t get your hands on a lab rat like that every day. That mutt guarding the brainstem and Aleister, messing around with that thing like it’s a toy. And that brat’s experiment? Treated like a sideshow. …So they’re off playing their own games outside the ‘Plan,’ huh.”

Amata frowned. He’d thought that man was someone who didn’t indulge in such extracurricular games.

Sure, Reicia Blackguard was an interesting subject. Just a glance told you she exceeded all aptitude score charts. She could even be used as a sample for multiple personality studies, and more than anything—that ability. Something potentially usable in the theoretical model Amata had constructed but couldn’t yet realize: the singularity of D-I-M-E-N-S-I-O-N-S.

That ability had a lot of potential applications. …If only she weren’t already Aleister’s toy, he would’ve snatched her up without hesitation.

“In the end, all I got was a front-row seat to that bastard’s science fair. What a goddamn joke. Shit, this pisses me off. Maybe I should go plant some timed bombs to blow off steam.”

Designing a bomb that reacts to Mikoto’s faint electrical currents and detonates instantly—trivial for a scientist like Amata. …Still, killing the third-ranked Level 5 out of pure spite would be beneath even a researcher. Grudgingly, he abandoned the idea, wrapped up his preparations, and left the hideout he’d been using.

“…Still, with someone that talented… Limiting her to a short-term run feels like such a waste. Might as well try making it permanent. If I remember right, there was that one…”

Muttering to himself, Kihara Amata disappeared into the night.

“Tohmaaa?”

And Kamijou Touma was cornered.

Standing before him was a nun in pure white robes, cheeks puffed out as she glared at him.

“Geez, you’re not that badly hurt, so I can’t even stay mad at you properly—but reckless is still reckless! I mean, the bigger problem might be that Reicia ended up more injured than you! What were you even doing, Touma!?”

“…I’ve got nothing to say in my defense…”

Having been protected by Reicia in that situation, Touma had no argument to offer.

“And what was Reicia even doing there with you!? If she could be there, then I could’ve gone too, right!? Why was I the only one left out!?”

“Well, it’s not like you were left out, exactly… Reicia got wrapped up in the whole mess through a separate route, and she came with Misaka, so…”

“I was left out!! I protest this! I could’ve helped Touma too!”

“…Sorry, but I doubt that. I mean, Index, you don’t know anything about science, do you?”

“Ugh.”

Hit with a deadpan reply, Index was left speechless. In the realm of magic, she was unmatched. But science? That wasn’t her field. For that reason alone, Touma had no choice but to keep her out of it—or so he believed.

“…But I still worry about you…”

…He believed that, but seeing the girl in front of him, he realized maybe he’d been too harsh.

If he reversed the roles—if Index got involved in some dangerous situation without him knowing, and he spent his time relaxing in peace—and then she told him, “Touma, you’re useless with magic, so you couldn’t have helped anyway.”

…He’d probably be really hurt.

“…I’m just glad you’re okay.”

But Index was the kind of girl who could still say that.

Pinching the hem of Touma’s T-shirt ever so slightly, she smiled with genuine relief.

“…Sorry, Index.”

So Touma patted her on the head and spoke from the heart.

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“…Mm. Also, you should thank Reicia later, too. All said and done, she probably helped you the most this time.”

“Yeah, no doubt about that.”

She’d been swept away into some kind of swarm of female friends or whatever, but if they crossed paths again, Touma intended to properly thank her—and ask just why she showed up in the first place.

“…A group of female friends, huh.”

At that moment, Kamijou Touma suddenly realized something.

Reicia had been surrounded—very naturally—by a group of girls. A young lady with a prominent forehead, another with ridiculously long ringlets, and many more. While all of them were clearly high-class girls, each of them had a unique personality, and they were undeniably her friends.

And even as they jostled her around—every last one of them wore cheerful smiles.

Not a trace of resentment among them… Just bright, carefree smiles, like any ordinary group of middle school girls.

“So she really did make up with them, huh.”

—Which was why Kamijou Touma found himself smiling with genuine relief.

“…You again.”

Turning in a corner of the hospital, Misaka Mikoto let out a drained sigh.

“Well, what a warm welcome. ‘You again,’ honestly—your attitude is appalling, says Misaka as she stares at you in disbelief.”

The one on the receiving end of Mikoto’s dry words—Misaka Imouto—replied without the slightest hint of remorse. In fact, she even shrugged and teased Mikoto back, showing how much composure she still had.

Despite having suffered serious injuries, her poker face—no, her utter lack of expression—made that hard to believe, Mikoto thought.

“…You okay? I mean, this is literally the day after.”

“Not really, but I’m allowed to wander around inside the hospital, replies Misaka, proudly puffing out her chest. Also… Misaka wanted to come say hi to her Onee-sama, she adds shyly.”

She then covered her face with both hands—still deadpan—as if to say kyaa, which honestly made it feel more like she was just teasing. But Mikoto knew. That kind of behavior from them often came from a place very close to sincerity.

“…I see. Well, I’m just glad to see you looking alright.”

With a sigh of relief, Mikoto leaned her weight against the wall.

This was the most she could do. She couldn’t extend the Sisters’ lifespans, couldn’t research ways to save them.

What a half-measure she was, Mikoto thought bitterly. A criminal who’d caused the deaths of ten thousand clones, and yet she could only manage to save less than half of them. Even then, she couldn’t have done it alone.

…And worst of all, if that girl hadn’t been there, she might not even have made the decision to save that many.

“Onee-sama? Misaka is trying to look worried as you suddenly go quiet, wondering if you ate something bad.”

“…You really don’t hold back, huh.”

Mikoto poked her index finger into the forehead of the Misaka Sister who’d just said something quietly rude and gave a wry smile.

This was the cross Mikoto had to bear. For the rest of her life, until her final breath, she would have to live with this sin. No matter how painful it might be—she was the one who’d started it. She had to carry it.

“…Onee-sama.”

As Mikoto was lost in thought, the Misaka Sister suddenly stood upright in front of her.

“…What is it?”

“Thank you, says Misaka, bowing her head honestly and respectfully to her Onee-sama.”

“…Huh?”

Caught off guard by the sudden gratitude, Mikoto blinked in confusion.

Still, the third-ranked esper's brain quickly reasoned: She must be thankful that I saved her, and so she reflexively tried to brush it off with a “It’s nothing, really.”

But then—

“Thank you for bringing us, the Sisters, into this world. Misaka adds, exasperated at how slow on the uptake you can be.”

The next words that came out of the Sister’s mouth—Mikoto couldn’t comprehend them.

“And also… thank you for calling us your sisters. Misaka adds her gratitude once more.”

“A-ah… th-that’s… I…! I was the one who created the environment where you were treated like lab animals and killed! And you’re saying… thank you!? After all that, for something like that…!”

“If we’re talking about causes, then yes—Onee-sama’s DNA map was the origin of it all, Misaka acknowledges calmly. But—”

Completely unaware of Mikoto’s rising distress, the Sister continued her speech with measured composure.

“That origin also led to who we are today, Misaka adds. And if that’s the case, then we must be thankful for that beginning, says Misaka.”

“That’s not right!!”

Mikoto’s voice rose in anguish, as if she were forcing the words out of herself.

It was guilt—guilt far too heavy for a mere fourteen-year-old girl to bear. Her outburst was the cry of a Misaka Mikoto crushed under the weight of an enormous cross.

“Sure, maybe you were all created because of something I said. Maybe you wouldn’t have existed otherwise. But after that, you all suffered so much! A parent who abuses their child doesn’t get to say ‘Well, at least I gave birth to them, so it was worth it’ and expect forgiveness! And me—I did horrible things to that girl…!”

“—The Sisters’ knowledge is stored within the Misaka Network. However, that doesn’t mean everything is shared equally.”

Cutting through Mikoto’s flood of emotion, the Misaka Sister quietly interjected.

“Things like Misaka 9982’s encounter with Onee-sama, or Misaka 10031’s interaction with you and that person, have been uploaded to the network… But no further data is shared beyond that.”

“…What are you saying…?”

“—Still, I don’t know why, but I find myself wishing for certain things. To play with a cat with you, to eat ice cream together, to receive a badge as a gift… Those are the things I want to experience, says Misaka.”

“…!!”

Those were—exactly the things Mikoto had done with 9982.

The Misaka Network, it seemed, only retained records—not actual memories. Given that twenty thousand individuals were linked together, it was likely the memory-sharing aspect had its limitations.

And yet—even so—this one Sister felt a personal attachment to the experiences of 9982.

"And that’s why… I don't want to see Onee-sama make such a painful faaaace."

And yet—even after saying something like that, something as cold as “Don’t show up in front of me with that voice and that face ever again”—even so, the fact that she was still thinking that way...

"What can be deduced from this, I think, is that the other units who died probably felt the same way as I do. Or so Misaka concludes from a logical standpoint. In other words—"

Gently.

Wrapped in a soft warmth, Mikoto felt something enveloping her. A beat later, she realized—she was being hugged.

"I don’t want to see you looking sad. If I could help it, I’d rather be laughing with you… That’s how Misaka honestly feels, even if it's embarrassing to admit."

"………………"

That was Mikoto’s breaking point.

Letting go of all the burdens she had been carrying, the girl allowed herself to cry—just as she should have from the beginning.

"Let’s have a victory party!!"

The one gleefully making this announcement was one of the two vice-captains supporting Reicia in GMDW: Sashika Mutsuki.

Overflowing with high spirits, Sashika buzzed around the room in tight circles—frantic but utterly pointless movement.

"We don’t know all the details, but you all fought and won against that Number One to save Misaka-san, right? That calls for nothing less than a celebration! This is the moment! Party time!!"

"Well, I mean…"

It was true, technically, but—isn’t this energy a little much? Reicia wanted to ask, but Sashika’s intensity made even that hard to say aloud. Turning to the other vice-captain, Ennai Rinka, hoping for some balance—

"You’re right! Just for today, we should cut loose and go wild!"

Usually the more level-headed of the two, even Ennai was letting loose today.

Reicia didn’t particularly mind the idea of a party itself, but she just couldn’t keep up with their mood. I’m too old for this junior high energy… she grumbled internally. People often forgot, but mentally, Reicia was a mature woman in her mid-twenties.

"Still, even if we’re doing a victory party, we’ve got nothing prepared… There’s time before curfew, yes, but it might be better to schedule this for another day…"

"It’s fiiiine, totally fine! While you were snoozing away yesterday, we got everything ready!"

"Wait, what!? What kind of surprise is that!? And if that’s true, aren’t you all sleep-deprived right now…?"

Ah. So that’s where the manic energy was coming from—sleepless delirium. It finally clicked for Reicia. You didn’t have to go that far… she thought, half-exasperated.

"What are you even talking about! We’re full of energy! Overflowing! Fired up! Instead of worrying about pointless stuff, Reicia-san should just jump on this victory vibe with us!"

"R-Right…………"

So much for the dignity of the senior. All Reicia could do was nod, completely steamrolled.

And so, led by the rest of the GMDW team, Reicia found herself in a private karaoke room, apparently rented for recreational use.

She was slightly surprised these refined girls had even considered using a karaoke box for a party—but that impression quickly vanished once she saw them fumbling awkwardly at the reception desk.

It seemed they had worked really hard to organize a party, doing things they weren’t used to. Their efforts were endearing—and yet watching their struggle was too painful, so Reicia ended up handling all the reception work herself. Unaware that the others were quietly baffled—“How does the one who looks the least street-smart handle this so smoothly…?”

"Alright then, Reicia-san! Please give the opening toast!"

"E-Eh……? M-Me…?"

"Of course! After all, Reicia-san is our Queen!"

Dragged here practically by surprise, Reicia couldn’t help but feel a bit conflicted—but at the same time, the fact that Sashika and Ennai, and by extension everyone else, accepted her as their leader without complaint also affirmed her position within the organization.

And the fact that they could throw her into something like this without hesitation—that was proof they trusted her.

And so, though still a little unsure, Reicia picked up the glass of iced tea she’d ordered instead of grabbing something from the drink bar, and raised it.

"Ahem. Then, if I may. —Everyone, thank you for your hard work. You served as my hands and feet, and you did so magnificently. …Truly. From the bottom of my heart—thank you."

As Reicia spoke, a chorus of lively cheers echoed around her. Are these girls really supposed to be upper-class ladies? she wondered silently, tilting her head. But realizing it wouldn’t do to end things on a gloomy note, she deliberately raised her voice and said:

"Then, in honor of everyone’s hard work and our victory—cheers!"

"Cheers!" came the reply.

The girls responded in full force, their energetic voices reverberating through the room.

"……Goodness, I'm exhausted."

That’s what she muttered, but even to her own ears, her voice held a tinge of happiness. Probably because—yes, she was tired, but even more than that, she’d had fun.

Well, it was a karaoke box, so there had been lots of singing and such. Their song choices were undeniably elegant, very much in line with their refined image—but still, it was something.

"…However."

Since no one else was around, her thoughts spilled out freely. Apparently, her high spirits hadn’t completely settled yet. That said, even now, she wasn’t reckless enough to assume Aleister wasn’t watching her after her battle against Accelerator. She still had the self-restraint not to say anything that might raise suspicion.

"We actually managed to win, didn’t we…"

Thinking back on it, it really had been close.

A very close call—but she still thought it had been the right decision to get involved. If she hadn’t, the Sisters would have fought on the enemy’s side from the beginning… and they would’ve had no means to defeat Accelerator. No, they probably would’ve hit a wall against his wind blasts and lost right then and there.

Honestly, she was grateful she’d woken up in time. If she’d been even an hour later, things would have ended in disaster. Really, the timing had been so convenient it almost felt orchestrated.

…There’s nothing behind it, right? I mean, in the original novel, Reicia-chan isn’t even treated as a proper character. But what if—what if Aleister has taken notice of the way my possession has made her grow far beyond the ranks listed on the Power Curriculum parameter chart…?

……………………………

It’s not impossible.

No, no, no, no, no.

Why didn’t I realize this? Sure, in the novels, it’s rare, but unplanned growth in powers has happened. Like with Takitsubo, or that girl who was kind of the counterpart to Shokuhou—can’t remember her name. Those were rare cases… but that doesn’t mean Aleister would ignore them.

This was careless. Far too careless. If Aleister had taken notice, then my sudden fainting and the events that followed might have just been me dancing in the palm of his hand…

………………But then again, thinking about it—is that really possible?

From Aleister’s perspective, there’s no way he’d know I’m a reincarnated outsider.

All I’ve done is mend Reicia-chan’s relationships, interact with Kamijou and company, and a few other minor things. Nothing that would scream “reincarnated” to anyone on the outside. Even I’ve made sure to keep that much airtight.

Unless Aleister can read minds or already knows about reincarnation from other worlds… but if he could do that, he’d be omniscient and omnipotent. And based on the novels, that’s clearly not the case.

So, from Aleister’s point of view, I’m just someone who attempted suicide and then experienced unplanned power growth afterward… which doesn’t really tie me to his grand schemes at all.

Sure, I might catch the attention of some scientists, but there’s no reason for Aleister himself to act against Reicia-chan.

Of course, there’s always a chance he sees potential in me that I don’t understand—but more likely, what happened this time was just that a researcher who knew about the Power Curriculum list saw Reicia-chan’s irregular growth and, in a paranoid fit, acted out violently.

That explanation fits reality—and the science side of this world—much better.

…Well, in any case.

"……Just a little longer now."

It’s always better to make your move before you have no options left.

"……Just a little more, and this will all be over. So please, just wait a little longer for me… Reicia-san."