Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07/Epilogue

Title - Epilogue: 行動終了　The_Page_is_Shut.

Volume 07

Previous Chapter → 4

Next Chapter → Epilogue

Part 1
Kamijo’s injuries seemed to be more serious than he thought.

He can only piece together what happened after that with his fragmented memories.

He fainted in the ‘Marriage Chapel’…Index ran over, screaming…he’s sent on an ambulance…the administrative issues took quite some time before he’s sent for emergency treatment…he’s still sent back to Academy City in the end…the frog-faced doctor appeared before him…the moment he’s awake, he’s on the soft bed.

(……This hospital room again. Ugh, this is terrible, to think I can even tell by the scent.)

Kamijo keeps his eyes shut as he thought about this, before he suddenly senses someone beside him. He can hear a gentle sigh and the sound of clothes gently rubbing together. A warm and soft hand is stroking his fringe.

“Although I’ll be laughed at by Tsuchimikado……”

A voice rang.

“……But I really want to do this.”

There’s some sense of reluctance in this tone. The hand that was stroking his fringe is gone, and so is the warmth from the hand.

Kamijo opens his heavy eyelids.

“Hm……Kanzaki?”

“Ah…you’re awake? I was intending to leave.”

Kamijo’s voice seem to stun Kanzaki, as her upper body went slightly backwards. She’s sitting on the metal chair reserved for visitors, and it looks like she was staring at Kamijo closely.

Kamijo sits up on the bed and shakes his head, trying to keep himself awake.

It’s seems to be early morning now. The lights in the room aren’t turned on, so it’s a bit dark. The morning sun shines in through the window like it’s shining through the gaps between the leaves on a tree. On the short table beside him, there’s a box of seemingly high class snacks and a sheet of tissue paper. Kamijo continues to look around.

Kanzaki has already stood up from the metal chair. It seems like she doesn’t intend to stay here any longer.

“……Ah……”

Kamijo’s dizzy mind starts to work. Looking closer at Kanzaki, her attire’s still the same. A short T-shirt with a knot-tied at the bottom, revealing her navel; a pair of jeans below with one side sawed off, revealing her thigh. Because the T-shirt is tied down, her breasts are much more noticeable. One can see her snowy white leg, from the thigh all the way down. Although Kamijo feels that this get-up is hot, he doesn’t dare to say it, for he’ll get a punch the moment he says this. He quickly looked away and sees the note on the table, and reads from it,

“Since you’re still not awake, I’ll just leave a message……”

Before he even finished the first sentence, Kanzaki snatched the note on the table with astonishing speed. It’ll be a new unbelievable record if it were a competition. Kanzaki is flushed red now, as she gazes around, sweating all over, as she quickly crushes the small note. (Teh Ping: A case of mundane utility of superpowers……)

“It’s…it’s nothing important! Since we have the chance to talk to each other, there’s no need for this note!”

“Eh? But……”

“No buts! Saying the contents of a note to the writer who’s leaving is very embarrassing.”

Kanzaki wanted to throw the note, now crushed into a ball, into the dustbin. She thought about it, and decided keep it in her pocket. Kamijo is curious, wondering what she wrote that cannot be seen. Kanzaki places a hand on her ample chest, takes a deep breath, and regains her original expression.

“Is your…body fine?”

“How do I say this…the numbness isn’t completely gone, I’m not exactly sure where I’m hurting.”

“I’m sorry. Although the Amakusa have spells that restores a person’s health through eating, it’s useless on you.”

“Why do you have to say sorry? Now that you mentioned it, eating things like sushi and burgers can heal wounds? The Amakusa are really amazing, isn’t that an old element of RPG games?”

“Um……?”

Kanzaki is puzzled as she barely gives a perfunctory answer.

“Oh yeah, where’s Stiyl?”

“He already left Academy City. He doesn’t want to stay in a city where he can’t buy cigarettes. He grumbled to me a long time ago that Academy City is very strict regarding age when it comes to buying cigarettes.”

Kamijo muttered deep inside — this is how it should be.

“Can’t you buy it for him?”

“I’m only 18 years old, I can’t buy it for him.”

……………………………………………………

“Why a look of disbelief? What are you trying to say by digging your ear?”

“Liar! You faked your age, right? No matter how I see it, you’re already past the age for marriage…WAAAAAA!” Before Kamijo finished speaking, Kanzaki’s supersonic metallic punch brushes past his face. Being unable to react at all, Kamijo is scared, but Kanzaki’s expression isn’t any different from how she normally looks.

“I’m 18 years old.”

“18! You’re a high school student who can finally do those things! Kanzaki-senpai!”

Kamijo, whose teeth are still chattering, barely squeezes a smile out. Kanzaki sighs and retracts her fist. She seems rather tired.

“…Seems like I should have left after writing that message. We’ll never get straight to the point if we continue on like this.”

“The point?”

“Yes. Or I should call it the closing report…I want to tell you Ursula Aquinas’ current condition. Would you like to hear?”

“Yes! I’m very interested!”

Kamijo pulls his upper body over, answering without any hesitation. Seems like Kanzaki sighed when she saw him being so panicky.

“Ursula Aquinas and the Amakusa are accepted as members of the British Puritans. This is how the situation ended. The benefit of this is that they’ll be protected from any revenge and assassination plot by the Roman Catholics.”

Kamijo thought about Anieze and the other nuns.

“In other words, Ursula is still in danger, right?”

“No, the Roman Catholics might look like they’re not going to quit, but deep down, they’re not interested in her anymore. Because the British Puritans have declared to the world that Ursula found ‘the wrong way to decode the book’. Once everyone finds out that her way of decoding is wrong, nobody will bother her about the ‘Book of the Law’.”

In other words, if Ursula really found the correct way to decode the ‘Book of the Law’, she won’t be able to live a peaceful life. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Thinking about this, Kamijo broke out in cold sweat.

“Hm. However, you said that the Amakusa have become members of the British Puritans?”

“Yes. Although the main base of the Amakusa is still rather secretive, there’s no benefit to oppose the Roman Catholics anyway. Really, it’s like they’re hoping for this development. For example…do you remember that white T-shirt that Tatemiya Saiji wore? There’s a slanted red Cross on it.”

“……Is there? Now that you mentioned it, there does seem to be one.”

“That’s right. That red Cross is the logo of St. George, the symbol of the British Puritans. Wearing that shirt to battle, it means that he wants to join the British Puritans together with me. I ordered them that time not to follow me around.”

“That’s right…besides, you’re a British Puritan.”

Kamijo lamented. Kanzaki muttered, “Really.” She looks like a mother who’s seeing her child being unable to stand up on his own, it’s just that she never sensed it herself.

“However, are you alright with this? Even though the Amakusa is small, they’re still a religious sect. Now that they’re taken in by the British Puritans, isn’t it like a small company being absorbed by a large one?”

“Although the Amakusa are absorbed by the British Puritans, they don’t have to abandon their codes and teachings. Like a feudal lord allowing a general to keep a faction, the ‘Amakusa Catholics’ can still exist. Also, the Amakusa is a multi-religious group that can hide within history itself and change according to the age. They’re never picky on the rituals; as long as they can make their lives more convenient, they can work under any condition.”

Come to think about it, Kanzaki originally gave up her position as the leader of this small sect in order to protect these people. Thinking about it, she’s really an amazing person. Even though she says that she’s 18, to Kamijo, an 18 year old is an adult.

Just when Kamijo is casually thinking about this, Kanzaki suddenly gave a proper bow to him.

It’s not a simple nod, but a deep bow. She says,

“Erm…that…for what happened this time…I’m really sorry.”

“Ah? Eh? What? Why are you bowing to me? What are you really sorry about?”

At this moment, Kamijo just woke up so his mind is rather hazy. He feels that it’s really frightening for a ‘female to bow to him’, like he did something extremely evil.

Kanzaki stammered, a rare sight,

“It’s…that…what happened this time…due to some personal matters…I caused you some trouble……”

Seems like Kanzaki is unused to saying something like this, as she looks like she doesn’t know what to do. Kamijo, who’s still in a daze, completely doesn’t understand what’s going on, all he knows is that Kanzaki seemed troubled, so he said,

“Ah, sorry, Kanzaki. Did I do something that bothered you? If it is, let me apologize to you for that.”

“No, no, it’s not that. I’ll feel even more ashamed if you apologize to me. Eh, it’s not that, back to the original topic, anyway it’s……”

Kanzaki looks like she can’t open her mouth, as her fingers continue to play with her fringe. She stuttered, unable to say anything.

After a while, Kanzaki finally made her decision, and is about to open her mouth. At this moment, the door of the hospital room was rudely opened.

This tall guy, who goes into a hospital room early in the morning without knocking on the door, is wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a pair of blue shades.

Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

He’s holding a plastic bag, swinging it around. There seems to be gifts for hospital visits inside it.

“Hoho—hehehe—! Kamiyan, I’ve come to play with you! One entire honey dew is too expensive, so I bought those luxury puddings in the convenience stores, there’s honey dew topping on them! Just settle with this, won’t ya?”

Kamijo looks away from Kanzaki to Tsuchimikado.

“Hai! It’s time for school in a few hours, don’t you plan to sleep? Ah, sorry Kanzaki. What were you trying to say?”

“Ugh……”

Being asked by Kamijo like this, Kanzaki seemed terrified. She stares at Tsuchimikado from the corner of her eye, giving off a signal saying “Do I have to say it in front of this guy? Why is this guy so inopportune in coming here?”

Tsuchimikado, who’s acutely sensitive, immediately sensed that the atmosphere isn’t right, and says,

“Woah woah! Nee-chan, you’re finally planning to say thanks to Kamiyan? Let me guess, it’s a very cliché line, isn’t it? If it’s not ‘It’s hard to forget your grace even if my teeth are gone,’ it’s going to be ‘I won’t forget this even through death,’ right? Eh eh! Hahahaha! You think you’re the crane that showed gratitude in a fairy tale?”

“No……no way! Who will say that sort of thing to this immature brat whom lacks common knowledge!?”

“……Lack common knowledge…immature brat……”

Upon hearing this, Kamijo is hit really hard, and lowers his head.

Kanzaki is shocked, and quickly corrects herself,

“Ah, no! I don’t mean it, that…that statement was to make Tsuchimikado retract his ridiculous comments…but as for that thanksgiving…erm……”

“Why bother saying so much, besides, won’t nee-chan strip herself naked?”

“What…what strip naked!? Who will do that sort of thing!?”

“Oh? Or are you planning to cosplay in any costume to show your gratitude? What a sacrifice!”

“Shut your mouth! It’s because of your misguidance that this situation became so complicated!”

Kamijo is uninvolved in this as he sees the two bickering (to him, they’re bickering rather happily). At this moment, Kamijo thought of a ridiculous thing.

……She’ll wear anything to show her gratitude?

(No…no way! Kanzaki looks really serious! I can’t joke around in this situation! Stop thinking about Kanzaki as a big sister wearing that cute swimsuit that Index wore at the seaside! Hurry up and get rid of this idea!)

“……Are you okay? Why do I feel a strong aura from you?”

“It’s nothing! As a man, I definitely won’t buy that kind of book! I, Kamijo Touma, am not intending to stoop so low!”

“What?”

Kanzaki is confused, tilting her head over, wondering how to answer. Tsuchimikado however gives a cynical smile, saying,

“Hohoho! Say it, what’s your wish? Resting on nee-chan’s legs, let motherly nee-chan clean your ear for you? Or do you want nee-chan to make a bento that’s completely different from her character?”

“Don’t say any more! It’s not a casual talk between men now! Don’t say what I like in front of girls!”

“Tsuchimikado, although I’m not sure what’s going on, but you staying here may cause the patient’s condition to worsen. Can you please leave?”

“Ah, you want to be alone with him? What do you want to do? Don’t tell me it’s…!”

Tsuchimikado’s eyes glowed.

“Nee-chan wants to shape an apple into the shape of a rabbit and gently feed it to Kamiyan? Sorry, I didn’t notice it, how slow of me!”

“It’s not! I beg you, stop making random guesses and make yourself feel ashamed!”

“Ah, or you’re going to feed him with your mouth? However, although it’s nice thinking about it, it’s disgusting when one actually does it.”

“That’s enough, stop saying any more! Hurry up and disappear!”

Wonder what expression will Tatemiya Saiji give when he hears this? After creating quite a ruckus inside the hospital room, Tsuchimikado ran out of the room, laughing.

In an instant, the hospital room in the morning became extremely silent.

Kanzaki is gasping due to anger. Seeing her from behind, Kamijo is trembling throughout, thinking-Oh Tsuchimikado, Tsuchimikado, maybe you intended to lighten the mood by saying those words, but must you run away after saying all that?

“Ar…that…Kanzaki-san? Can I say something?”

“……Why the honorifics all of the sudden?”

“That gratitude or thanks…is only a joke by Tsuchimikado, right?”

Kamijo is afraid of being scolded furiously by Kanzaki, like what happened to Tsuchimikado, feeling really tense. But Kanzaki stammered,

“But…I have no other choice…protecting ordinary civilians like you should be our responsibility…but we ended up letting you get hurt. I understand that this isn’t a problem that can be settled with just one deep bow. So……”

Kanzaki got more upset the more she spoke, and her voice became even softer and softer. She again uses her fingers to play with her fringe. Maybe this is an action she’s used to doing when she’s frustrated. Then, it seems like she finally cannot take it, as she roughly grabs her hair and sighs. Kamijo thought, this action is like an author having a writer’s block crushing up a script and throwing it into the dustbin, there’s something similar between each action.

To Kamijo, anyone who’s still bothered by the situation even after it’s over, like Kanzaki, is a headache to him. If it’s the irresponsible Tsuchimikado, he’ll likely say “Sorry to bother you, bye.” Kamijo really prefers this simple feeling. Too bad that Kanzaki’s sense of morality is too strong, so he can’t do this.

At his wits end now, Kamijo sighs heavily.

Seems like he has to be more serious.

“So this is what your ‘point’ is?”

“Yes, I’m the type that will easily cause other people trouble. Especially you, who carried quite a burden several times because of me; I feel guilty every time. Besides, it’s not just me this time, but the entire Amakusa sect that caused you a problem.”

“Ooo…but, why do you have to bother so much? Besides, the problem between ‘us’ is settled, and there’s no one injured.”

Hearing this, Kanzaki is startled.

She blinks her eyes and asks,

“The ‘us’ you’re talking about is…”

“Um? That’s me and the Amakusa. Ah, and the British Puritans. Including Ursula, Index and Stiyl, and you, everyone’s that’s involved.

“……”

Kanzaki is stunned.

It’s like a difficult question that seemed impossible to solve being solved in front of her by someone.

“Do you have to be so surprised? What Britain, Rome or every problem, the way I, as an outsider, see it, there’s nothing different. To me, who’s a stupid and ignorant child, a group doesn’t mean anything.”

In contrast, without any hesitation, Kamijo continues on with fervor and assurance.

It’s as if he thought that this question is so simple that there’s no need to think about it.

“I’m not helping Index for the sake of the British Puritans, but helping the British Puritans because of Index.”

At this moment, one can hear someone running on the corridor.

Kamijo thought, maybe it’s Index.

As if he’s announcing his own stand, he continues,

“Next time, if Anieze asks me for help, I should help her. She was coincidentally the bad guy this time. Being a bad guy once doesn’t mean she’ll be a bad guy forever.” (Teh Ping: Cue Vol 11…)

Kamijo stops, smiling.

Kanzaki gives a surprised expression, and reveals a smile of helpless.

Maybe Kamijo Touma’s idea of doing things is too simple, too stupid.

But because of it, he’ll never be at a loss.

Never.

Part 2
There’s no difference between a rainy season and a dry season in England, as the weather is unpredictable throughout the year. Over here, the weather will change every four hours, this is common knowledge. Even if there’s good weather now, many pedestrians will be carrying their umbrellas along.

Right now, it’s been raining in London since evening. But the citizens won’t cancel their outdoor plans because of the rain. Many different coloured umbrellas are squeezed together on the narrow street.

Stiyl Magnus and Laura Stuart are walking side by side through this drizzle that’s like a wet fog. Stiyl is holding a black umbrella that’s like a bat, while Laura is holding a beautiful white umbrella that’s laced with gold lines on top, like a cup of red tea.

“If you’re just going back to Lambeth Palace, why don’t you just call a chauffeur to fetch you?”

“Those who hate rain shouldn’t stay in this city.”

The umbrella that Laura is happily spinning about says this. This is obviously prejudice. Someone like Stiyl won’t like this drizzle that’s like a fog. Even if he raises the umbrella, his clothes will be wet, and there’ll even be moisture in his cigarette, there’s no benefit at all.

Stiyl looks at the tip of the cigarette that’s unable to light up, and sighs.

Right now, Laura’s walking on her way home. Stiyl just caught up with her, intending to use this opportunity to give a final report. The Archbishop of the British Puritans that’s in front of him seems to enjoy her freedom a lot, as the time to go to and leave the Cathedral is rather flexible. She doesn’t like to stay at the same spot, so even mission reports or tactical meetings are normally held while she’s walking.

To Stiyl, he has to prevent the enemy from attacking or eavesdropping every time Laura’s walking on the road, and it’s a truly tiring thing. Like this time, the two umbrellas that they’re holding are specially modified such that they have the capabilities of a telephone booth. The voices of the two can be transmitted through the vibrations of the umbrellas, and the ‘voice’ won’t get outside any ‘area’ the umbrella is covering.

“—So basically, this is how this mission went. The Roman Catholics seemed to treat this as an act conducted by Anieze Sanctis and 250 militants. The Roman Catholics are declaring that the group did this independently, and that they have no intention to assassinate Ursula.

“Don’t they have to take responsibility for not managing their own people well?”

Laura bitterly laughs as she uses her fingers to play with her hair. Once the silky hair that gave a sense of solemn beauty got wet, it gives of a sense of sensual beauty like spider silk.

Stiyl glanced at Laura from beside her, saying,

“……Is there a need to do this?”

“Hoho, you’re referring to me accepting Ursula Aquinas and the Amakusa Catholics as formal members of the British Puritan Church? Are you very uneasy with this decision, Stiyl?”

“Since the Roman Catholics have formally declared that they ‘don’t intend to kill or hurt Ursula or anyone involved,’ even if they’re not protected by us, the Roman Catholics probably won’t dare to take action against them. According to the current situation, if they die an unnatural death, it’ll cause a serious problem that’s on a global scale.”

“But what if they die of a very natural cause?”

Laura gives a barbaric smile that’s like a pirate. The huge difference between the appearance and the expression dumbfounds Stiyl.

“Thinking about it now, you seem to have already understood the Roman Catholics true intentions. If so, why didn’t you order me to save Ursula Aquinas from the Roman Catholics? Why did I have to do it in such a roundabout way?”

“I don’t understand it completely. Even I didn’t expect Ursula’s method to be wrong.”

Laura pauses for a while, and continues,

“However, these aren’t important.”

Stiyl turns to look at Laura.

Laura spins her pure white umbrella, and says,

“Let’s think of this scenario, Stiyl. If in this situation we failed to save Ursula, is there any change to the scenario? Once she returns to the Roman Catholics, she’ll still be executed in the end. No matter whether we succeeded in saving her, the ‘Book of the Law’ will never be decoded.”

Laura makes her conclusion,

“So it’s the same whether we saved her or not.”

Ursula’s fate is but a trivial thing.

Stiyl sighs slightly, and says,

“If this is the case, then why did the Archbishop order me to hand the Cross over to Ursula? The original situation is distressing enough, and yet you added on to my workload. Although you’re not going to admit it, you planned on rescuing Ursula from the beginning, right?”

“Uuuu……”

“It’s somewhat weird that there’s too few reinforcements. Maybe you have already gathered most of the members of ‘Necessarius’ on standby near the Sea of Japan, so you have no manpower to give me? If Anieze and her group brought Ursula back to Rome by ship, the people waiting on the surface of the water will use something related to the ‘Cross’ as an excuse to launch an attack. Is there anything embarrassing about this that you refused to admit it? I really don’t understand you.”

“Mm mm! No such thing! No such thing! I interfered with this only for the sake of the British Puritans’ benefit!”

Laura is so embarrassed that her face is about to puff out smoke, while she frantically tries to deny it. Stiyl didn’t bother arguing back. Shouting alone made Laura even more embarrassed, and now her face is flushed red.

“Alright then, what is this benefit that you’re talking about?”

“……You’re convinced by me that easily? It’s Kanzaki Kaori.”

Laura twists her mouth,

“After this incident, I believe you found out that Kanzaki has a lot of power, and her sense of morality is too strong, so it’s easy for her to make an Arbitrary action. Although there’s no mishap, the situation is still perilous. There’s a need to add a chain on her for the sake of everyone’s safety.”

Stiyl’s cynical smile disappeared.

Laura’s face unknowingly became serious as well.

“We can’t use violence to stop her actions. No, we still can stop her, but a heavy price has to be paid. I believe you saw the report about what happened to those stupid Knights at the coastline of Japan.”

Stiyl remembered the reports of the other groups.

21 full-armoured Knights planned on their own to attack the Amakusa members, but were attacked by someone unknown such that they’re currently unable to battle.

“So we need something other than a violent method to chain her down. In this situation, the ‘solder’ between her and the Amakusa will be helpful to use. Also, we don’t need a detrimental shackle like ‘We’ll kill them if you don’t obey us,’ but rather a positive one like ‘We’ll protect them from the Roman Catholics if you obey us.’ If we force the Amakusa to do something that’s not beneficial to them, Kanzaki will definitely resist; but if the things we do are beneficial to the Amakusa, she won’t resist at all. So how? Isn’t this a huge benefit?”

Now that she finished, Laura reveals a radiant smile. Yet Stiyl’s heart feels chilly.

Laura Stuart. Though at first she looks like a naïve girl, she’s still the leader of the British Puritans, and even the cold-hearted manager who set up the lie around Index.

She’s the one who set up the rule that ‘there’s to be a memory wipe every year.’

She’s the one who forced Index to be protected by the British Puritans at all times, or she won’t live.

She’s the one who lied that these are the good deeds of the Church in order to prevent Index from rebelling.

She’s the one who even told Stiyl and others that Index will die if this isn’t done, making them unable to disobey it.

No one is better than her in manipulating human feelings, rationality, interests, ethics, and ‘necessary values’. Stiyl can’t help but increase his guard against this girl. The problem is that Stiyl is unable to do anything. If Stiyl takes any rash action, Laura will punish Index without hesitation and not Stiyl. She’s this kind of person.

Dong! Stiyl’s shoulder hits a pedestrian.

It seems to be a student, who barely squeezes in between Stiyl and Laura.

Stiyl turns around, only to find that Laura disappeared!

The telecommunication magic linking the two umbrellas is now removed.

Stiyl frantically looks around before he finally notices that far away, there’s a white umbrella laced with gold like a tea cup that’s spinning around.

He has no idea how she does this.

Thinking about it, the white umbrella is lost within the crowd.

“……”

Stiyl, who’s completely manipulated, can’t help but swallow his saliva.

The hidden dragon among magicians, she’s somehow able to get to the top, and it’s not done cheaply.

Again, Stiyl’s back feels chilly.

At the same time however, a question popped up inside Stiyl.

The reason why the Amakusa were saved is to control Kanzaki Kaori.

He can understand this.

So what’s the reason in saving Ursula Aquinas?

He really can’t understand.

Since the method of decoding the ‘Book of the Law’ that Ursula found is wrong, why do they accept her as a member of the British Puritans? Even if they saved Ursula, there’s no way they can control someone like Kanzaki. Although Ursula’s track record in evangelizing is rather impressive, such that her name’s even eligible to be the name of the new church, she doesn’t have any charisma, and is unable to lead a group or organization like Kanzaki. If Ursula had charisma, the Roman Catholics wouldn’t dare to plot against her, for such an action will bring about violence or even riots!

“……That sly woman.”

Stiyl Magnus smacked his lips reluctantly.

If he can think of the real benefit of saving Ursula Aquinas, Stiyl will think of Laura as a bad person. But this is where Laura is most brilliant at. The basis of judging whether she’s good or evil is too small. Or rather, she does as many good things as she does evil things. On the balance of good and evil, she’s keeping an intricate balance.

The balance continues without falling on either side, so of course it’s impossible to tell whether she’s good or evil, even if there’s lead weights on both sides of the balance.

Up till now, Stiyl is unable to make a decision, and can only continue to work for the British Puritans.

Maybe this is her motive.

The rune magician thought as he disappears into the smoky street.