Chapter 63: The Once-Existent Source of Vice

──And then, the war began.

Kamijou-san’s event was pole toppling, and it seemed that, when it came to dividing up roles, the participants naturally split into two teams.
In other words, the offense team, tasked with toppling the opponent’s pole, and the defense team, tasked with protecting their own.

Kamijou-san, of course, chose offense. Without hesitation, he charged headlong into a literal battlefield where over a hundred different abilities were flying through the air.

"Kamijou-saaan! Do your best!"

《I see. That forehead girl is acting as the commander, using her telepathy to coordinate the entire team… Since our side doesn’t have a telepath, that kind of coordination ability is definitely a threat.》

Reicia-chan was making some odd-angled analysis, but… that aside, this was about cheering for the match.
If you’ve gone out of your way to watch your friend compete, it’d be cold-hearted not to cheer for them.
Go, go, Kamijou-san!

"Y-you… how can you just… Uuugh."

"Well, I mean… I get why you’re here, Shiren—you’re Shiren—but why’s Short Hair here? Even if it’s for scouting the enemy, there’s no real need to do it now, is there? You could just watch the footage later."

While I was cheering, Index and Mikoto-san were talking about something.
…Oops. If I focus too much on cheering and completely ignore the two of them, that’s no good either. Better cheer together.

"Index. You’re missing the point. The Daihaseisai lasts seven days. There’s no way anyone can push themselves at full power for all seven. Most likely, she wanted to gauge Kamijou’s performance here to decide whether to go for a short game or a long game."

"! Y-yeah! That’s right! As expected of Reicia, you get it!"

《Kukuku… Misaka, don’t think that just because I’ve entered the heroine race, you’ll be able to conveniently realize your own feelings of love…》

《Reicia-chan, let’s not go too far, okay?》

《Eeh, fine, but still…》

It’s not good to interfere in someone else’s romance. If Reicia-chan gets metaphorically kicked by a horse, I’ll feel it too.

Oh—Kamijou-san just knocked away an ability flying in from his blind spot with his right hand. That’s amazing… Normally, in a chaotic brawl, only being able to use your right hand would get you pummeled in no time, but he can block even that…

Honestly, if we went at him seriously with our Black-and-White Serrated Jagged Edge, Kamijou-san would probably find some weakness we never even imagined and slip past it with just that right hand…

《…If it were me, I’d put a ‘crack’ there… No, he’d probably dodge that… Then maybe if I…》

Yeah, Reicia-chan clearly has every intention of winning.

"By the way, what’s your next event, Shireicia?"

"Ah, next is the obstacle course. Mikoto-san, you have the scavenger hunt, right? Once this match is over, I’ll need to head straight to my venue or I’ll be late…"

"Well, you and I can just use our abilities to get there instantly… though we can’t really use them much during the events."

Right, abilities above Level 5 in interference rating are banned here.

Reicia-chan had flat-out refused to participate in such “plain” events, saying something like, ‘There’s no point in winning if you can’t use your abilities to their fullest!’, but Mikoto-san’s fine with that sort of thing.

By the way, since about sixty percent of the Daihaseisai participants are Level 0 espers or normal people, there are actually quite a few events—like the scavenger hunt Mikoto-san’s in—where abilities are practically useless.
Otherwise, most of the festival would unfairly disadvantage the majority.

"I see. Then I’ll come cheer for you, Shireicia! Touma too."

"Is that okay? Kamijou-san still has his own events, you know."

"It’s fine! Touma’s next event is the ‘Big Ball Roll’, and there’s a decent gap before it starts. Even if the match takes about ten minutes, as long as you send us to the next venue, there’s no problem."

"Then it should be fine. I’ll have a bento ready and waiting."

"Yaaay! Shiren, I love you!!"

Index beamed and threw herself into my arms. Aaah, Index really is adorable…

But still—right. With her perfect memory, Index has Kamijou-san’s schedule for today completely memorized… That was close. If the Daihaseisai Arc incident had actually happened on schedule, she might have come charging at me, suspicious as hell.

…Meanwhile, Mikoto-san, sitting beside me, seemed to be getting a little irritated at how the conversation was moving along on its own.

Sorry, Mikoto-san.
I’d honestly like to have Kamijou-san and Index cheer for me too, so… I can’t exactly throw you a lifeline here.

Oh—Kamijou-san just got blown several meters in a no-bounce arc by the shockwave from colliding abilities.

Chapter 1 – No Wind for the Cooper’s Shop — Psicopics.
Episode 52: The Once-Existent Source of Vice — Families.

And so.

After watching Kamijou-san’s match all the way through, I immediately deployed the black-and-white sawblade Jagged Edge and headed for the stadium where the members of GMDW were waiting.

Mikoto-san had followed me part of the way, but she had a scavenger race to prepare for, so we’d already split up.
Right now, it was time for the obstacle race.

"Ah, good, Shireishia-san! You made it just in time!"

Spotting my graceful landing, Yumetsuki-san ran over.

This was a dedicated sports stadium.
Unlike Kamijou-san’s normal high-school-style sports field with vinyl-covered bleachers, a competition featuring prestigious Tokiwadai meant they were using a much more expensive facility.

Around the grassy field were rows and rows of spectator stands, most of them already packed. There was even what looked like a VIP section in one corner, and reporters were swarming the place.

Well, with Tokiwadai competing, that was only natural. The camera loves cute girls, after all.

Of course, our arrival from the sky was probably caught on film as well. A little embarrassing, but apparently it was part of Reicia-chan’s PR strategy, so I had no choice but to go along with it.

By the way, since we came in from above, we hadn’t seen it ourselves, but I’d heard that this 16th Stadium in the 7th District had an incredibly luxurious entrance hall. Over there, they were apparently even selling bromides of Mikoto-san and Shokuhou-san.
Rough life, being a poster girl…

"Honestly, going to watch that man…."

The first thing out of Yumetsuki-san’s mouth when she greeted me was a pouty complaint.

We’d cut it pretty close timewise, so she’d been quietly against me going to cheer for Kamijou-san.

…Well, I also had my own reason—bringing a little something for Index—so whether or not I stayed until the end, I was definitely going to drop by and cheer.

While I was pacifying her with a “come on, don’t be like that,” Yumetsuki-san cut off her grumbling midstream and seemed to remember something surprising.

"Oh right. Reicia-san, your family’s here. They’re waiting in the entrance hall, so maybe you should go meet them before your event?"

M-my father and mother…?
Reicia-chan’s parents…!?

At this timing!?
I’d always known we’d meet eventually, but I wasn’t expecting it now!

Come to think of it, we hadn’t even told Reicia-chan’s dad and mom about me yet…

What should I do? How much do we tell them?

No—should we even tell them now? The earliest calm moment we’d have to talk would be after day one is over…

But would it be okay to keep things hidden and still have a nice family reunion? That… might be worse.

"Understood. I’ll go talk to them for a bit, so I’ll leave things here to you. How are the other kids doing?"

"Right now everyone’s fired up and raring to go. I left the other venue to Rinka, so I don’t know the details over there."

"Some of them are bound to burn themselves out from overexcitement—keep an eye on that. Ah, Amiya-san seemed a little nervous, so check in with her if anything happens."

Leaving those parting words with Yumetsuki-san, we headed for the entrance hall.

《I really would’ve preferred to avoid this timing… but it can’t be helped. Shiren, keep an eye on things for now. I’ll handle this however I see fit.》

《A-are you sure? Reicia-chan, you don’t have any secrets from your family or anything…?》

《Not particularly? Everyone has one or two things they don’t tell their parents. And Shiren—starting now, they’re your father and mother too. So don’t go calling them “your family” like they’re strangers.》

《O-okay…》

I felt like I’d just been scolded…

That wasn’t exactly what I’d meant, but… before I knew it, she’d completely steered the conversation elsewhere.

When we reached the hall, we immediately spotted them—a couple so striking you could tell instantly who they were.

The middle-aged man with slicked-back blond hair had slightly drooping eyes and a gentle air about him. He wore an expensive-looking suit that somehow enhanced his dashing charm, though there was an underlying impression of mild uncertainty.

The woman… she had to be over forty, but at first glance you’d think she was in her early twenties. With her blonde hair—so much like Reicia-chan’s—pinned into a chignon, and a deep-purple mermaid dress that stood out among the other parents, she looked like she belonged at a ballroom gala. If not for her slightly downcast expression, she’d have been the perfect image of a refined lady.

Gilbert Blackguard and Loretta Blackguard.

Reicia-chan’s parents—
And in this life, mine as well.

"Father! Mother!"

In a voice far sweeter than her usual tone, Reicia-chan called out to them and trotted over, first throwing her arms around her father.

She didn’t care who was watching—in a good way. To any onlooker, it probably looked like a heartwarming reunion between a beautiful daughter and her equally striking parents. Reicia-chan was incredibly skilled at crafting that kind of scene.

"Ah! My dear, sweet Reicia! How have you been? I was worried since I hadn’t gotten any letters from you lately."

"Darling, you’re speaking far too loudly… Haa… Reicia, I’m relieved to see you’re the same as ever."

"Father, Mother. I’m sorry for worrying you without even sending a letter. I’ve just been busy with my studies…"

"Ah, I heard from Nurikae-san on the way here. She told me you’ve been working very hard on your Ability Development?"

"…Yes, that’s right."

Ah… so they’ve been talking with Nurikae-san…

《She doesn’t seem to be here right now… but at this rate, we’ll probably run into her once the events are over.》

《I’m not ready for that mentally…》

《There’s no need to worry. I’ll handle all of the talking myself.》

Hmm… part of me is worried about leaving it all to Reicia-chan—she might go overboard.
…But honestly, maybe it’s better to let her take full control than for me to step in clumsily.

"Reicia… why don’t you drop out of your next event? I was watching the three-legged race, and you looked so unsteady that I could hardly bear to watch."

It was Father who spoke up with that. His expression was full of concern.
I guess he’s the overprotective type… as if Reicia-chan could ever get hurt in something like this.
And besides—if anything happens, I’ll be the one protecting her.

"Father, that simply will not do. I am the head of my faction. I must show the juniors what it means to be a Tokiwadai student—"

"That’s not necessary, is it?"

…Huh?

"Reicia. You’re our daughter. The heir to the Blackguard family. There’s no need to rush. Even if you do nothing, you’ll inherit the family estate, take Nurikae-san as your husband, and live a happy life. Spending resources on such effort… it’s not really meaningful."

That one line…

It was more than enough to explain why Reicia-chan had become such a fierce, uncompromising person.

I’m sure he meant it out of concern for her—he didn’t want his daughter in any danger.
I get that. His gentle tone made that much clear, even to me, someone with no memories of them.

But the value system underneath it was completely twisted.

Calling everything Reicia-chan worked so hard to build “such a thing”?

Saying that the resources she spent on her effort were meaningless?

I’d always wondered.

Even with all my support, she’d grown into someone so straightforward—so why had she ended up so warped in the past?

Why had a girl who could have turned out like she is now—without my help—wound up deciding to take her own life instead?
Why had no one stopped it from going that far?

Now I understood.

Because these trash parents never acknowledged the value of Reicia-chan’s own strength.

Because she was a Blackguard, she didn’t have to do anything.

At first glance, it sounded like harmless pampering—not even particularly cruel.
But in reality, it was a denial of her effort. A curse that erased the worth of everything she’d built for herself.

Reicia-chan is incredibly talented, with a wonderful gift. But if the people closest to her never acknowledge it—
Worse, if they implied it was somehow wrong—?

…Of course she’d end up feeling warped inside.

Reicia-chan is talented. She’s someone who can stand above others. For a child like that, is it strange to want her hard work—her abilities—to be acknowledged by someone? Isn’t it only natural that she’d direct those feelings toward the people around her?

Damn it.

Reicia-chan is an incredible girl. She united three factions into one… sure, it became a breeding ground for self-righteousness, but she really did bring them together and kept things running for an entire year.

Her abilities? She studied relentlessly, tried countless approaches, and even when she saw no results, she kept changing tactics, persevering with stubborn determination.

Even after everything fell apart once—when her heart should have been completely broken—she didn’t give up. She stood back up… and saved me!

And for someone to look at everything this wonderful girl has done and say, “That’s all it is”?
To say, “It’s meaningless”?

And it’s you—her own parent—who says that!?

It’s because of people like you that Reicia-chan had to take this long, winding road!!!

"…Father,"

With a faint, resigned smile, Reicia-chan tried to gently admonish her father—
But I threw my entire being into stopping her.

Maybe it was overstepping. Maybe it wasn’t my place as an outsider.

…But no. It’s fine. After all, didn’t Reicia-chan say it herself? 《They’re your parents too.》

If that’s the case, then it’s fine for me to act like a child—and rebel.

One step.

Two steps.

I closed the distance until our noses were nearly touching.

Then I grabbed Gilbert Blackguard by the collar, pouring into my voice the greatest anger I’d felt since possessing Reicia-chan’s body, and told him:

"—Just watch. Whether our efforts are meaningless or not is not for you to decide!!"