Chapter 28: It’s About Time Already

“All right, everyone—it’s been successfully accepted.”

When I said that, still staring at the computer screen, a collective sigh of relief spread throughout the room.

The location was the same as always: a room in the research facility typically used by GMDW. Ever since our reconciliation, the room had been repurposed not just for research but also as our regular hangout. And despite it being a summer evening—more like almost nighttime—the full group was assembled.

However, everyone’s expressions were... well, far from good. Actually, calling them bad wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“………………Well, I mean, a lot—really a lot—happened, but... the manuscript is finished, and now all that’s left is the academic conference.”

Leaning against desks, slumped back in chairs, propped up against walls, or even against their classmates—these noble young ladies could no longer support their own weight, and seeing them like that, I gave a sheepish smile.

Well, it's no wonder. While I was out of commission, they were so worried they couldn’t get any proper research done.

The day after that incident was resolved and the party was over... we were slammed with a mountain of unfinished work.

As you can probably guess from how I’m using the past tense, we managed to finish everything... but man, it was rough. We resumed work on August 22nd, and we were only 70% done at that point.

And thanks to my brilliant directions, we ended up overturning half the lab while running simulations. Data got scattered everywhere, which meant it took a whole day just to reorganize it.

Then we had a backup failure and lost about 20% of our progress, and while I was calming down a teary-eyed first-year girl who felt responsible, I still had to give instructions. On top of that, I had to contact the relevant people to inform them about the delayed submission and apologize profusely to the partner institutions who had supported us...

…………Yeah, now that it’s all over, I can finally say it.

That was hell.

Well, all that work paid off in the end—we managed to submit our presentation materials, both the abstract and the slides, right at the buzzer on August 30th (thanks to an extended deadline, of course).

I still have to practice reading the manuscript and check all the equipment, but for the rest of the faction, their job here is done. Seriously, it was that close. I mean, the conference is on August 31st. We submitted our stuff one day before. Originally, we planned to have everything done ten days in advance, spend three days revising it, and submit it a week early—on the 24th.

I mean, yeah, the team was solid, and the editing still turned out okay. We managed to meet Tokiwadai’s quality standards, at least. And since my hospitalization was fairly well-known, Yumetsuki-san said we had things set up so this whole ordeal could be turned into an inspirational story thanks to our faction’s influence.

But honestly, I’m worried we’ll still get slammed for poor self-management. If it happens, I’ll just take it on the chin.

“Anyway! Good work, everyone. I think today we can finally take it easy. Just make sure not to oversleep—”

Just as I was wrapping up with some encouragement and a warning, the ringtone from my phone suddenly started playing in my pocket.

“...Ah. Pardon me.”

“Reicia-saaaan? I know it’s not technically work, so I won’t tell you to turn off your phone, but could your timing be any worse?”

“Yumetsuki-san, even Reicia-san can’t control when someone calls her, you know!”

“Ahaha... excuse me for a moment.”

After excusing myself, I checked the number on the screen.

…? It’s from Mikoto? We did exchange contact info after that incident, but why now, of all times...? Hmm... now that I think about it, there was some stuff planned for the end of summer break, but nothing that sounded dangerous...

Still, it’d be rude to keep her waiting, so I picked up quickly.

“Hello? Misaka-san? What’s the matter, calling at this hour—”

『Hello? Reicia-san? …Sorry, but I have a favor to ask.』

………Um.

…See, I kind of need to adjust my reading script now…

Chapter 3 – I Won’t Let You Get Away With a Win
(N)ever_Give_Up.
Episode 23: It’s About Time Already
Please,_Give_Me.

To summarize Mikoto’s “favor”:

Apparently, on the day of the academic conference, a researcher named Aridome Haruki is planning a large-scale terrorist attack, leading an underground group called STUDY, using around 20,000 powered suits.

Apparently, they don’t have the firepower to handle it on their own.

Apparently, after the last incident, she’s realized how foolish it is to try and shoulder everything by herself.

Apparently, that’s why she’s asking for the help of Reicia Blackguard... and her allies.

……Once a call like that is overheard, well, you can imagine what happens. Yumetsuki-san and the rest of our faction’s bleeding hearts weren’t about to just sit back.

Not that I can say much, since I’m usually the first person who can’t stay silent after hearing something like that.

“—I see. So if we can neutralize the powered suit army, you expect the enemy’s main force to show itself shortly after, and you want someone in place to stop them.”

“…Yeah. I’m planning to strike the enemy’s HQ. Febli doesn’t have much time left. We can’t cover everything by ourselves.”

Mikoto bowed her head apologetically in front of me as I nodded.

After I took the call, I brought Yumetsuki-san and Rinka-san along to the Judgment 177 Branch. The others stayed behind—it’d be too much to bring a whole crowd.

In the office were Mikoto, Kuroko, and the flower-headband girl... Uiharu, and um... Saten. Also, that glasses-wearing Judgment officer whose name I forgot.

Hmm, this was... what was the name of that incident again? It started with an S, I think? It was something from the anime’s second season finale, an original arc if I remember right... or maybe not. It’s been years, so it’s all a blur.

………Oh right, Kongou-san’s not here! In the original—well, in the manga—I think she transfers in during the second semester, so I guess we haven’t met her yet?

So I guess that makes us their replacements this time.

“…So, what we want you to do is take out the main combat force that’ll likely appear after the powered suits are neutralized. It’s a big ask, but...”

…Ahh, there she goes—Yumetsuki-san is literally trembling beside me.

I’ve gotten used to her personality by now, so I can kind of guess—this kind of development is exactly her jam. She’s all about grabbing the outstretched hand of someone asking for help. Actually, she also loves grabbing the hand of someone who stubbornly refuses to ask for help, as I learned firsthand.

And when you get a request like this...

“You’re such a stranger, Misaka-san!!”

…And so, that’s how it ended up.

As expected, Yumetsuki had grabbed both of Mikoto’s hands with a wham!!, eyes blazing with intensity. Like, seriously, what happened to your sleep deprivation?

“You’ve done so much for us. …Sure, compared to Reicia-san, our connection might be weaker. But!! If someone’s in trouble, no matter how difficult the road—!”

“…………Okay okay! Sorry, everyone! She’s just running on no sleep and acting weird right now!”

Rinka, right on cue, swooped in and reeled the overheated Yumetsuki back. Thank you, as always. You’re a lifesaver.

“――――I understand the situation. …My, I suppose I’ve been a bit underestimated, haven’t I?”

With a deliberately warm smile, I turned to the group and offered them a reassuring look.

“Don’t worry. I may be a little... well, I can’t exactly deny I’m running on sleep fumes after these intense research days...”

Ah, there it is—everyone's giving me worried glances now. Sorry, no, I’m fine. Really.

“That said. Unless we’re dealing with something like a one hundred million Celsius plasma burst, I assure you, no mere summer project sabotage is going to get the better of me. White-Black Serrated Jagged Edge, Reicia Blackguard, isn’t so fragile. And Misaka-san, of all people, should know that best.”

“…………You're especially full of confidence today, Blackguard-san.”

“Girls have their moments, Shirai-san. …Besides—”

That was mostly just a bit of bravado. A cool joke to lighten the mood and reassure Mikoto. After that incident, it became very clear to me just how deeply responsible that girl feels about everything.

Now for the real reason:

“――――If someone’s trying to ruin what my girls poured their hearts into over this past month... I simply can’t stay silent. I’m not cold-blooded enough for that.”

We went through so much to get here.

Like miscalculations in data analysis, equipment malfunctions, or losing all the readings—again and again. I fell into a coma. I wandered off without telling anyone. We threw a party. I caused all kinds of trouble. And still, they stuck with me through it all, and we completed our work together.

Honestly, if I had tried to do it alone, it probably wouldn’t have even gotten halfway done. Maybe not even taken shape at all.

In other words, this presentation is the crystallization of their dedication.

So no one—no one—is going to mess with it. STUDY? The darkness of Academy City? We had more than our fill of that during the last incident. I’d really like to put an end to all that, once and for all.

That’s why—

“Leave the details to us. Though we might just end up taking over your roles too, you know?”

“…………You’ve got some bark, Reicia Blackguard…!!”

I threw in a cheeky wink, and Kuroko let out a rather spiteful groan. Haha, don’t worry—I don’t actually expect to take your place. I’m not exactly in top condition, and more importantly, teleportation is just too powerful.

“Well, jokes aside. Let’s work well together, everyone.”

I smiled at the members of Judgment Branch 177.

Here’s to tomorrow. And if possible, may we get even just a sliver of nap time...

………Ah, right. I still need to rehearse the reading script...

"...She wasn't quite what I imagined from what Shirai-san told me."

Afterward.

Once Reicia and the others had left the room, saying they were going to inform their faction members of the plan, Saten murmured that aloud, sounding relaxed.

Reicia Blackguard.

According to Shirai, she was arrogant and had a sarcastic personality... although she could take a joke, and deep down wasn’t a bad person—that was the gist of it.

And while it was true that her first impression had come off a bit cold, and she clearly had pride in her abilities…

"She felt more like a kind, big-sister type, you know?"

The natural way she picked up the conversation from Shika and Sonai, the gentle tone of her voice overall, the way she handled Shirai’s sharp words with a smile and let them roll off her back—honestly, Saten’s straightforward impression was that she didn’t seem like a middle schooler at all.

Also, her figure. That bust was totally cheating—that had been Saten’s very first comment after Reicia and the others had left the room.

"She did seem a little sleepy, though."

That addition came from Uiharu.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Those girls are participating in the Academic Conference. And that Reicia girl? She was in a coma until just a week ago. …To be honest, there were even rumors her presentation was hopeless. But not only did she finish her thesis, she’s even helping us out on top of it all. …They really are amazing kids.”

Kongou chimed in with a plain statement of fact.

In truth, the timing of her awakening had been carefully calculated—but to outsiders who knew nothing of the circumstances, it came across as a miraculous recovery and dramatic comeback.

“She really is amazing. A Level 4 ‘Powerful Esper,’ the leader of a whole faction… and yet she’s still someone even I feel like I could get along with. That’s rare.”

“Oh my, Saten-san. Believe it or not, not too long ago she was a reaaaaally difficult person to deal with.”

“Whaaat!? No way!”

Shirai teased playfully, and Saten blinked in surprise as she replied.

With a wry smile, Shirai continued,

“Even so, she regretted what she’d done, reflected on it, changed completely, apologized for everything, and grew into someone who’s respected and admired by her subordinates like that.”

“…And from what I hear, she also took care of a whole bunch of messy problems along the way.”

Although Mikoto didn’t go so far as to say “including my own messy problems,” the implication was there.

“Huh… If it were me, I don’t think I could reflect that deeply on what I’ve done, or try to change myself that much... That’s amazing.”

Saten hadn’t seen Reicia’s past for herself, so her thoughts remained vague—but there was something about her perspective that Mikoto and Shirai nodded along with.

Indeed, even if someone regretted their actions, the ability to wake up from a suicide attempt and start working to change everything about themselves within a day was rare. It could be called an extraordinary display of self-mastery.

“…But, more than that, I think I’m worried.”

“…Hm? About what?”

Precisely because she’d been so moved by that willpower, that sense of admiration and respect—Saten had realized something that hadn’t occurred to Mikoto.

In one way, her concern was off the mark. But in another—it cut straight to the heart of things.

“I mean, reflecting on your old self, regretting it, apologizing, changing, and leading everyone like that… Sure, it’s impressive, but if you try to do all that at once, don’t you get exhausted? I’m just a regular person, so… doing something that intense all at once sounds like way too much.”

Saten laughed awkwardly, scratching her cheek.

“It’s like… I worry she might burn out someday, all of a sudden.”