Chapter 35: Where the Light Shines

“…I see. So you’re planning to ask others for help as well?”

Reicia nodded confidently in response to Shika’s question.
It wasn’t that she had only approached the members of GMDW for assistance. What made them special was that they were the very first ones she reached out to. For Reicia Blackguard, they were the people she should turn to first. That’s the position they held.

However, in truth, they weren’t the ones best suited to play a major role in resolving this issue.

“Yes. I’ll be asking for help from Semi-san and the others, from Misaka-san and her group, and… Kamijou Touma. I intend to reach out to every connection I can.”

“…That’s going to be quite the gathering.”

“But it has to be done. And with all of them behind me, I’ll be the one to welcome that idiot back and give him a proper scolding. Only then will my victory truly be complete.”

She was clearly picturing it in her mind. The way she gave a smug snort of pride was enough to draw a smile—she was confidence personified. Maybe it was childish stubbornness, but… there wasn’t a trace of malice or darkness in it.

This, too, was one of the many possibilities within the girl named Reicia Blackguard.

Shika didn’t think this was her true nature.

But she did believe—deep down—that Reicia had always had the potential to become like this.

She wasn’t like that other personality, the one who led them from the front.

Still, in a different way, she was someone Shika couldn’t just leave alone—like a little sister you couldn’t help but look out for. That’s how she felt now.

“…Come to think of it, we’ve always just called them ‘the second personality,’ but… did they ever have a name?”

“…A name?”

Reicia paused, thoughtful, as if reaching into her memory.

“…Shiren. I believe that’s what they called themselves—Shiren.”

“Shiren… as in ‘trial’? Huh. That’s a pretty ironic name, all things considered.”

It was as if Shiren had shouldered all the trials Reicia herself was meant to face… and now, their disappearance had become one final trial blocking the path to Reicia’s future. That’s what Shika felt.

…A trial.

Yes, a trial indeed.

“…First things first—we need a lead. And we don’t even have that much right now.”

Chapter 3: I Won’t Let You Get Away With Just Winning
Episode 28: Where the Light Shines – The_Breakthrough

After parting ways with the GMDW team, Reicia headed to the research lab she regularly used for development.

In other words—where Semi and her team were.

And in this situation, asking for their help was practically a given. They were the professionals who had overseen every aspect of Reicia’s development. In other words, they knew her better than anyone else.

“…I see. Then… maybe I should say congratulations.”

“…Huh?”

It was precisely because of that familiarity that Reicia didn’t immediately understand Semi’s response.

After explaining that her past actions were the result of another personality—and expressing her own remorse—the first thing Semi said was that.

“L-Like I said, all of my behavior up until now was actually the other personality’s—”

“Doesn’t matter which personality. You’re still Reicia, aren’t you?”

Semi replied with a clear, unfazed smile as Reicia flusteredly tried to correct herself.

And with that, Reicia understood everything.

Semi—and the rest of the developers—were scientists. And adults.

They knew that dissociative identity disorder was a psychological condition. And because of that, they regarded both personalities as facets of the same person: Reicia Blackguard.

“What’s more… we’ve known from the very beginning that you showed symptoms extremely close to full-blown dissociative identity disorder.”

And then came that truth.

“Of course we did. We’re professionals when it comes to the brain. Variations in processing patterns, abnormal distributions in brain function—any irregularities were observable from the very start. In fact, we were so afraid that these deviations would destabilize your abilities that, at first, we couldn’t even run proper tests.”

She gave a dry, self-deprecating laugh.

In other words, from the start, they had treated Reicia as someone with multiple personalities.
Most likely, they’d hoped to foster her sense of self-worth through development and gradually integrate her personalities—to effectively treat the condition by helping her grow.

In that light, this outcome must’ve seemed to them like the beginning of the happy ending they’d hoped for.

The story where the “unneeded” personality, having fulfilled their role, quietly disappears and everything ends peacefully.

“…I’m sorry. We were worried that saying too much would make things worse, but if you were struggling that much, maybe we should’ve just explained everything from the beginning. Really… we’ve just kept failing, haven’t we?”

But then, Semi reached out and gently stroked Reicia’s head.

Just like an adult would for a child.

“You’ve done so well, Reicia-chan. There’s no longer any need for you to bear such a heavy burden.”

Such kind words.

Just that was enough to bring tears to Reicia’s eyes—but for a reason entirely different from the comfort they offered, she now felt like crying for real.

Because the meaning behind those words… wasn’t “we’ll help you.”

After all, Semi viewed the disappearance of Reicia’s second personality—Shiren—as a sign of recovery, a hopeful sign that she was healing from a mental disorder.

In this situation, if Reicia were to say she wanted to help Shiren… she would no doubt be gently dissuaded. There was no way they’d accept it. These adults who cared for her deeply, they would no longer hesitate to put themselves on the line to stop her from heading down a self-destructive path—for Reicia’s sake, and Reicia’s alone.

“…Thank you. Truly.”

The warmth of those words made Reicia genuinely happy, from the bottom of her heart.

And yet.

At the same time, that very warmth filled her with despair.

“…If the Developers are out, then… that just leaves Kamijou Touma and… Misaka-san?”

The name surfaced suddenly in her mind.

Initially, she hadn’t planned to rely on Mikoto at all—not out of pride, but because the nature of the situation wasn’t something that should be spread around unnecessarily, not even under a cover story.
But Mikoto’s abilities were undeniably exceptional. Now that she couldn’t rely on Semi and the others, there was no reason not to at least ask for her help.

“…In that case, no time like the present.”

Reicia reported the outcome to the GMDW team via smartphone and began walking. The current time: just past 1 PM.
According to Shiren’s semantic memory, August 31st was packed with events—and around this time, Mikoto and Kamijou were supposed to be engaged in a battle against a man named Umidahara (a fake), or something along those lines.

If she headed toward the expected source of the commotion, she might just run into both of them.

And as it turned out, Reicia’s hunch was exactly right.

“…Well, sorry for dragging you along. That takes care of my side of things. You go deal with your own mess now, alright?”

“Got it. See you around, Misaka.”

“Uugh… W-Well, yeah. See you…”

…It was a bit of a sentimental, youth-drenched exchange, but Reicia completely ignored it.
Even if she had matured somewhat, she still retained her typical arrogance—the kind that wouldn’t even consider indulging such personal moments.

And so, as the two were about to part ways and leave—

“You two!”

She called out with all her might.

“‘Please help me!’ …if you would?”

For some reason, her words synchronized perfectly with Kamijou’s voice.

As it turned out, he was apparently on the verge of death because he hadn’t even started his homework.

To this, Reicia coolly replied, “That is irrelevant at the moment.”
Her level of arrogance was, frankly, refreshing.
Not that it mattered much—once he heard her out, Kamijou would probably jump in without even a tenth of a second’s hesitation.

“‘Irrelevant’? Hey, this is a life-or-death issue for me! Isn’t that a bit harsh?!”

“You can deal with all of that after we’re done here. More importantly, please listen to what I have to say.”

“Wait, hold on—Reicia-san, you’re acting kinda different… this feels like the old— I mean, seriously! Why are you naturally stepping in to look after this idiot like it’s your job?!”

“I said—please let me speak!!”

Reicia raised her voice to rein in the two, who seemed all too ready to spiral into comedy if left unchecked.

Sensing from her intensity that there was no room for jokes, the two immediately straightened their expressions into something serious.

Seeing that, Reicia lowered her gaze and began to speak—

"So, what do you need us to do?"

They answered in perfect unison. Reicia, who had approached them as Shiren, had expected that at the very least she wouldn’t be rejected outright. Still, she hadn’t been sure whether they’d agree so easily. Their swift and wholehearted acceptance had defied her expectations.

Apparently not fond of the dumbfounded look on Reicia’s face, Kamijou bared his canine teeth slightly as he spoke.

"What? You seriously thought I’d be like, 'I’m a different person now so we’re basically strangers'? …Don’t be stupid. That’s not happening. You’re Reicia—no, you saw me and Misaka through Shiren’s eyes all this time, didn’t you? You chose to come to us because you trusted that we’d be the ones who’d help. …So how could I just turn my back on that?"

Kamijou clenched his fist.

Of course, Kamijou understood. He knew exactly who the hero of this story was. He didn’t need anyone to tell him.

This was a story where a girl, once saved by a foolish man who blindly followed some ridiculous principle, now pulls that same fool out of death’s grasp. It was the final chapter of a young girl’s rebirth.

Kamijou Touma—was nothing more than a supporting character summoned to help that girl.

And yet, understanding all that, Kamijou Touma, the boy who was just a side character, thought:

—Ah, there’s nothing more gratifying than this.

"…Besides, Shiren, they’re my friend too. Helping them… getting to be a part of that beautiful illusion—why the hell would I say no? …It’s only natural."

"I'm with this idiot on that."

Standing beside Kamijou, Mikoto—unlike him—knew about Reicia’s dark past. Even so, she wore the same fearless grin as he did.

"…Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing this out of guilt or anything boring like that, okay? I mean, that person—Shiren-san—I’ve only ever ended up owing them. Honestly, being able to separate the 'credit' between them and you has made things way easier for me. …Anyway! I don’t have any reason to turn down someone like you who's asking for help right now. And I sure as hell don’t have a reason to ignore someone who’s off trying to die on their own!"

There was no reason not to go.

The two of them said the same thing. That was the difference between them and everyone else.

The reason they were heroes. Not even Reicia—or perhaps even Shiren—could reach that place. Thinking that, Reicia understood.

(…I see. So that’s why they looked at them with such awe in their eyes.)

“?”

“Hehe. I said you two are very reassuring.”

She smiled as she spoke to the two heroes, who tilted their heads in unison.

In the end, no solution had been found yet.

But.

With such reliable heroes at her side, and more than capable friends backing her up—

It was more than enough to break through.