A Certain Magical Index: The Primal Spirit Descends to My Side

Early in the morning, Shirai Kuroko walked out of the medical room in the Tokiwadai dormitory, with a corner of the bandage on her left arm peeking out from under her sleeve.

The battle a few days ago had taken a toll on her. Although her older sister arrived in time to help her out of the crisis, the fractured ribs and soft tissue contusions wouldn't heal overnight. The doctor advised her to go to the general hospital for a check-up twice a week, and today was the scheduled check-up day.

She walked out of the dormitory with her schoolbag in her hand. The July sun was already quite dazzling. Shirai Kuroko squinted as she walked toward the bus stop, but suddenly stopped when she passed the alley in front of the side gate.

A figure walked out of the dormitory side door, and for some reason, Shirai Kuroko instinctively hid behind the wall.

She was a woman wearing a beige fitted dress, the hem falling about three fingers above her knee, paired with simple white low-heeled sandals, and a minimalist brown handbag slung over her shoulder. Her long black hair wasn't meticulously styled as usual, but instead flowed smoothly over her shoulders, the ends curling slightly inwards. Her usually stern face was lightly made up, with almost transparent pink lip gloss on her lips, slightly curled eyelashes, and even a very faint blush on her cheeks.

If it weren't for that face, Shirai Kuroko would hardly have recognized that it was actually the dormitory supervisor? The dormitory supervisor who always wore triangular-rimmed glasses, walked silently, and could silence the entire floor with just a few words?

Shirai Kuroko's pupils contracted sharply, and she dared not even breathe heavily, for fear of being discovered.

The dormitory supervisor looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to him, then walked with unusually light steps in the opposite direction from the bus stop.

A flash of inspiration struck Shirai Kuroko. She pulled out her phone, unrolled the scroll bar, and pressed the speed button. "Onee-sama! Where are you right now?"

"Just left the dorm? What's wrong? Why do you sound so nervous?" Misaka Mikoto's slightly puzzled voice came from the other end of the phone.

"The dorm supervisor went out in civilian clothes! And she's even wearing makeup! I'm following her now, please come help immediately, sister! I'll send you her location!"

"Wait, wait... You mean the dorm supervisor? In casual clothes? With makeup? Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

"I'm sure, please, sister, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Shirai Kuroko hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and then explained to herself. This wasn't gossip; it was for the long-term peace of the dormitory. As a disciplinary committee member, keeping track of everyone's movements was a basic duty.

Although she knew that this reason was untenable, she still followed.

The dormitory supervisor's route was surprisingly simple. She didn't take a detour; she simply headed south along the main road of District 7 and then turned into a pizza shop on the eastern end of the commercial street that wasn't yet in its peak business hours.

Shirai Kuroko hid behind a vending machine across the street, zooming in with her phone camera. Through the pizzeria's glass window, she saw the dorm supervisor standing at the counter, talking to the clerk for a moment, then taking out his wallet. Immediately afterward, the clerk brought out several enormous pizza boxes, stacked almost half a person's height.

The dormitory supervisor swiped her card without batting an eye, picked up the stack of pizza boxes with both hands, turned around, and walked out of the store. Without even calling a taxi, she continued walking steadily south, carrying the enormous pizzas.

"So many pizzas... The dorm supervisor is eating them all by himself? No, he must be going to see someone. Such a strict dorm supervisor, carrying so many pizzas to see someone..." Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, each one more outrageous than the last. Just then, someone patted her on the shoulder.

"Wow--!"

"Sorry, sorry, it's me..." Misaka Mikoto's face appeared behind her, her short brown hair slightly disheveled by the morning breeze, her breathing slightly rapid. "So what's going on?"

"Big sister, that's great!" Shirai Kuroko grabbed Mikoto's wrist. "The dorm supervisor just came out of the pizzeria, carrying pizzas and heading south. We can still catch up with her!"

"Pizza?" Mikoto's lips twitched. "Is the dorm supervisor going on a picnic?"

"We don't know, so we need to see for ourselves." Shirai Kuroko's eyes burned with a fierce curiosity. "This concerns the peace of our Tokiwadai dormitory, Onee-sama!"

"You just want to see the dorm supervisor make a fool of himself, don't you...?"

"This is a legitimate investigation to maintain order in the dormitory!"

Mikoto sighed, but her feet followed involuntarily. To be honest, she was also very curious about what that imposing dormitory supervisor was like in private.

The two maintained a distance of about several dozen meters, following the dormitory supervisor through the commercial street, past a small park, and finally arriving at a quiet residential area. Tall sycamore trees lined the streets, their shadows dappling the pavement. The dormitory supervisor stopped in front of an iron gate, and Shirai Kuroko pulled Mikoto behind some bushes, peeking out halfway.

A wooden sign hangs on the iron gatepost; the characters are somewhat faded, but still legible: "Luohan Cypress Garden".

This is an orphanage.

The dormitory supervisor pushed open the iron gate and went inside. Immediately afterwards, cheers erupted from the courtyard.

Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto exchanged a glance, then simultaneously climbed over the low wall about half a person's height next to the iron gate, crouched down, and went around to the bushes on the side of the main building.

They saw it—

The dormitory supervisor was squatting in the courtyard, surrounded by seven or eight children around five or six years old. Some of the children hugged her legs, some held her hands, and one little girl threw herself into her arms, burying her face in the front of her dress.

"Ah! It's the auntie!"

"Who's this auntie? If you don't call me 'sister,' I won't give you any!" She smiled, her eyes crinkling, a genuine smile from the heart. She reached out and gently ruffled the hair of the little girl who rushed towards her, her voice so soft that Shirai Kuroko almost thought she was hallucinating.

"Xiao Cai, is your cold from last week better?"

"Okay! Teacher Da Yu gave me some very bitter medicine, but I ate it all obediently!" The little girl looked up, laughing and jumping around in the dormitory supervisor's arms.

"Good girl~" The dorm supervisor ruffled her hair again, then picked up the pizza. "Look, I brought everyone's favorite pizza. But you have to wash your hands first, okay? No pizza for those who don't wash their hands!"

"good--!"

The children burst into cheers and crowded around the dormitory supervisor as they headed towards the washbasin in the corner of the yard. Hidden behind the bushes, Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto's expressions were completely frozen.

"No way?"

"Child protection agency, Izumi-no-Ki Garden... This is a facility that keeps the good and discards the bad..."

"Are those the orphans who 'keep the good and discard the bad'?"

Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko exchanged a glance, then simultaneously looked towards the dormitory supervisor. The headmistress emerged from her room and bowed deeply in gratitude. "Thank you so much... having a volunteer like you is a huge help... Please continue to look after us..."

"No, no..." The dormitory supervisor waved his hand and quickly bowed. He was then surrounded by the children who rushed out of the room and escorted into the room.

"Gah...!" Shirai Kuroko suddenly let out a strange cry, then slammed her head against the railing. "I had no idea that the dormitory supervisor was such a kind and pure person! Compared to her, we were actually gossiping behind her back, saying she was heartless, an old maid who couldn't get married, and stuff like that... How shameless..."

"Ah...you're the only one who said that, right?"

"Huh? Shirai-san? Misaka-senpai?"

Saten Ruiko stood behind them, carrying a bucket of water and a rag in her other hand; her apron was already soaked. A few steps behind her, Uiharu Kazari, also carrying a rag and wearing a hat made of folded newspaper, was jogging towards them.

"What are you doing here?" Saten Ruiko blinked, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto. "You're not here to volunteer either, are you?"

"It's a long story," Shirai Kuroko replied succinctly, then glanced at the old aprons the two were wearing. "But you two, you come every week?"

"Yes! Haru and I come here every Wednesday morning to help with cleaning." Saten Ruiko nodded, then seemed to suddenly remember something.

Before she could finish speaking, Shirai Kuroko raised her hand to interrupt her. "That's exactly why we're here."

Shirai Kuroko's voice was extremely low, but her tone carried an undeniable certainty: "The situation is now basically clear. Please keep everything you saw today a secret for now and come with us here."

She gestured for the four of them to go around to the side of the main building, where there was a row of neatly trimmed shrubs that could both block the view and not be too sneaky. Even if they were discovered, they could explain that they were weeding.

"So, you saw it too?" Shirai Kuroko leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her gaze sweeping over the three of them.

"Since everyone has seen it, I'll state my guess: ... " Shirai Kuroko held up one finger and lowered her voice, "The dorm supervisor is in love..."

The air fell silent instantly.

"Eh?!" Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari exclaimed at the same time, and were immediately covered up by Shirai Kuroko by pressing down on their shoulders and covering their mouths. The process was smooth and quick, and it was clear that they had been prepared.

"Keep your voice down!" Shirai Kuroko released her grip and continued her analysis in a low voice, "Look at the dormitory supervisor. He's usually so fierce and ruthless, but now he's so gentle at the orphanage… There must be a reason for this!"

"Furthermore, the dorm supervisor makes a point of avoiding the gaze of that person named Ooyuki-sensei while she's working, hehehe... she's just like a girl in love~"

"You...you actually?!" Shiori Uiharu looked at her in disbelief.

"Of course, this is the basis of reasoning." Shirai Kuroko spread her hands as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Saten Ruiko had recovered from her initial shock. Her eyes gradually brightened, and her voice carried a clear excitement. "Th-what do we do now? Are we going to try and bring them together?"

Her words were interrupted by a buzzing sound—it was Shirai Kuroko's phone. She took her phone out of her pocket, glanced at the notification on the screen, and her expression changed slightly. At the same time, Uiharu Kazari's phone also rang.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously pressed the answer button.

"The Security Headquarters has issued an emergency notice: Starting tomorrow, a large-scale anti-gang operation will be launched in the 7th School District. The main target is the armed but incompetent group that has been causing brawls and violent incidents in multiple locations since last week. Starting at 10:00 AM tomorrow, a full-scale crackdown will be carried out in Area G of the 10th School District of Academy City (collectively referred to as Strange)."

Looking out the window at the bright sunshine, the air was filled with the afternoon heat. Kofumi put down her iced barley tea, stood up and changed into an outfit she wouldn't normally wear—a mix of mature and cute styles. She casually placed the disciplinary committee member armband she pulled from her pocket on the table.

crunch--

The dormitory door seemed to have gone unlubricated for a long time; the hinges sounded strained. I'll get it fixed next time I come back. With that thought, Kofumi Miwei took a step out…

"Meiwei~ You forgot your things."

Liu Po ​​Bi Mei peeked out from the corner of the wall, waving a piece of cloth that represented a disciplinary committee member. Kofumi Mei Wei glanced at the armband only, then turned and closed the door.

The wind is very strong on the rooftop.

When Kofumi pushed open the iron gate, the hot July wind, carrying the afternoon cicada chirps, rushed towards her. Kurotsuma Minaru leaned against the gray steel railing at the edge of the rooftop, one foot on the edge of the central air conditioning exhaust fan assembly, holding a carton of Musashino milk in her hand, her fluffy red hair being blown into a mess by the wind.

He didn't turn around when he heard footsteps.

"Hey, Meiwei, what brings you here today?"

Gu Famei stood at the entrance to the rooftop, not moving forward. She didn't know what to say. The person she longed for day and night was right in front of her, but the security guard's notice had already been issued. She would never see him again tomorrow, and she would become one of the culprits who prevented her from seeing him.

However, the action was righteous, for the personal safety and maintenance of order for all students in Academy City, and there was nothing wrong with it. As a girl who had fallen in love with the man in front of her, she could not arrest him; as a member of the disciplinary committee of branch 177, the principle of confidentiality prevented her from telling him what was about to happen.

So what is she doing here? Officially, she shouldn't be here; she's a disciplinary committee member and should be back at her post. Personally, she wants this man to live, wants to see him again, wants to remember his face, and doesn't want to be separated from him again.

Ah, I see...

Gu Famei opened her mouth; she knew what she was about to say. Her feelings were clear, her emotions had been put on hold, and now all that was needed was a trigger—

The iron gate to the rooftop was suddenly pushed open.

Kofumi's voice stopped abruptly. She turned her head and saw the person standing at the door.

Misaka Mikoto.

"Ha... I knew it... it's here..."

Mikoto was panting heavily, one hand still bracing against the doorframe. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead, and her short, brown hair swayed wildly in the wind. She glanced at the scene on the rooftop: Kofun Miyu and Kurozuma Watari stood face to face, very close. Kofun-senpai's eyes were slightly red, and her lips were still slightly parted as she had spoken.

The sentence was left unsaid, but Kofumi knew she would never be able to say it again.

"I don't think this is a place for Senior Law student!"

Looking at Misaka Mikoto not far away, seeing her vibrant appearance, Kofune Miwa could only close her eyes and gaze at the distant sunset. "Yes... this isn't where I should be... but, it was my senpai who told me this."

Her hand traced the messy scribbles on the railing. Misaka Mikoto recognized them; they were the Matchmaking Umbrellas, a legend that said if you wrote your name under one, you could be together forever. But why would Kofun-senpai bring this up?

"It was because my seniors gave me the courage to face these things that I became who I am today..."

Misaka Mikoto was completely confused, having no idea what her senior was talking about. She spoke up somewhat angrily, "But isn't your senior a disciplinary committee member? Then you shouldn't be here! Trying to let a criminal escape is unacceptable! This is so illogical! And..."

"Ah...that does seem a bit illogical..."

Kurozuma Watari, who had been leaning against the railing, stood up and put the empty milk bottle in her pocket. She then walked to the wall. "Two years passed since then. I woke up in the hospital, then was transferred to a facility. Actually, I only really got out about six months ago..."

Kurosawa Mianliu turned to look at Kofuku Miwei, only to see her step forward and grasp his arms with both hands. "Senior, I..."

"At that time, I thought I would never have the chance to see this view again..." Kurozuma Mianliu closed her eyes, no longer looking at Kofunomi, and withdrew her hand. "I also thought it was better not to see you. But if I see you, then..."

"Are you going to have to bear everything alone again?"

"I created the Giant Spider myself..." Kurozuma Mianliu gazed at the distant sunset, golden sunlight illuminating his face. "The Giant Spider is my organization, and this is my responsibility. I will handle it myself. Rather than watching my organization be destroyed by the guards, I'd rather take matters into my own hands..."

"Don't go!" Kofumi's voice trembled as she desperately gripped Kurozuma's hand. "You've always been like this, always worrying about others without permission and acting on your own whims! It's because of you that I..."

"Likewise, right?" Kurozuma Miyuri interrupted her again, this time in an even softer voice, almost like a sigh. "So that's why you came to find me at this time and in this place, isn't it?"

The silence lasted for a long time. Finally, Kurozuma Watari guided the gaze, turning to look at Misaka Mikoto, and Kofumi Miwa followed suit.

"Alright, you should go back now. Look, she's been looking troubled ever since..."

Kurozuma Watari patted Kofune Miwa on the shoulder, then turned and left. "Goodbye, remember to cherish everything you have!"

"I want to go too..." Kofumi's voice regained its composure, but her body was still trembling. "I don't want to have those memories anymore..."

Kurozumi Miyun took a deep breath, then sighed. "Enough is enough, Miwei. Things have changed for both of us..."

"What does it matter now or in the past!" Kofumi turned around and shouted at Kurozuma Mianliu's retreating figure, her voice strained and trembling with a fragile sob, "Even if my place of refuge has changed, my heart remains the same!"

-

That evening, Shirai Kuroko sat at her desk, holding her notebook, and began to plan in detail the Disciplinary Committee's objectives for the next day. Misaka Mikoto lay on her bed, flipping through a manga, but hadn't turned a page in a long time.

"Hey... Kuroko?"

"What's wrong, big sister?"

"Does true love really exist, where feelings remain steadfast even as time passes and perspectives change?"

"Or rather, that's how one person's feelings for another should be..." Shirai Kuroko stopped her fingers flying across the keyboard, turned her head, and her long brown hair appeared even softer under the light. "Then, that feeling accumulates and makes that person shine..."

Mikoto remained silent for a while.

"Accumulation..."

"Although it's a bit shameless, my older sister and I are the same way. Although we haven't spent much time together, we've developed a deep bond."

"I see... then it will continue to accumulate in the future..."

The room was quiet for a moment, then Mikoto's voice came from behind: "Hey, Kuroko, I have a little request~"