Tatemiya Saiji had left.
Stiyl seemed intent on escorting Index back to Academy City. Kamijou dejectedly walked under the night sky. Index wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know what to say.
Although this was the capital of Japan, the night away from the center of the city was still dark. It was past one in the morning; most of the lights in the city were out. Lights could be seen from the windows of the apartments, like an incomplete set of teeth. There would occasionally be taxis driving past them, carrying drunkards inside. The streetlights continued to shine, attracting numerous flies to them.
The days full of battle were about to be over. In a few hours, his daily life would consist mostly of school. Kamijou would bring his tired brain along to school, listen to some boring lessons, talk nonsense with Tsuchimikado and Aogami, and get electrocuted by Mikoto because he had infuriated her by not completing his punishment—holiday assignments.
"What should I do?"
Kamijou muttered.
Index heard this, and looked at Kamijou. But Kamijou still looked down.
He really wanted to help Orsola Aquinas.
But he couldn't think of any way to help her.
"As an amateur, I can't possibly beat an expert no matter what I do; I understand that. But an outsider should be able to turn the situation, right? Like the first time when I met Orsola, I should have brought her to Academy City. Or not help the Roman Catholics, and allow the Amakusa to escape with the special teleportation spell."
"Touma…"
"I understand; I didn't see the consequences of these options, so I was hopeful. Even if Orsola escaped to Academy City, the Roman Catholics would invade Academy City to hunt her down. Even if we didn't help the Roman Catholics, they can use human wave tactics to form a perimeter and find out where the Amakusa gather. No matter what, the result is the same. I'm clear on this."
Kamijou Touma thought.
The first time he had met Orsola Aquinas, she had sounded perturbed when she asked him how to get to Academy City. When she had smiled in the theme park, it was because she had found a friend she could trust that she had continued to talk.
Also…
That cry full of despair that had come from nowhere.
"But… really. What should I really do that'll be right?"
Kamijou understood that him thinking like this showed that he was an amateur who lacked a sense of danger. The situation was completely unrelated to him. A high school student had gotten a rather harsh insight into the magical world, and was about to return to his own world; it was just that simple. Nobody could blame him. Anyone could see that the magical world was dangerous and scary, and to see a common civilian like Kamijou come back would be a huge relief for them.
Maybe Stiyl had already said what he wanted to say a while back that he remained silent about Kamijou's accusations.
In the meantime, Index turned to look at Kamijou's face, and said,
"…Touma, this is an issue between magicians; you don't have to blame yourself. I can't help out, so I can't say anything much, but since Tatemiya Saiji said that he'll handle this on his own, we can only rely on him…"
"…Really?"
"Yeah. The law never said that you have to settle every conflict between magicians. I have to be blamed for being unable to take on a magician. But even without Touma, there'll be a solution to the problem. As an outsider, Touma has already met quite a number of magicians. But the world has many more that you don't know of, and these people have their own problems. Even without your help, they're able to settle these problems on their own; it's the same as now. This is only the first time that you aren't involved with the final events."
"I see."
Kamijou gave a machine-like answer, but he was feeling quite surprised deep inside. Index should be able to imagine what would happen to Orsola, so why was she telling him to not interfere with the situation any further?
Maybe it was because…
There was no way to comfort him besides saying something that contradicted his feelings?
"Hm, the previous situations can be considered abnormal. Nobody can solve every problem in front of them. Touma, you should learn to rely on others, and let others settle the problems. Even if there's a house on fire in front of you, and there's an infant inside, you don't have to rush in yourself. Asking others for help isn't a shameful thing."
Index continued on, trying to persuade Kamijou.
"Touma, you should rely more on others. Necessarius exists for this purpose. Even an organisation like us faces tough issues like these. If you can't solve it on your own, who'll blame you?"
"…"
He was not involved in this final scene. Maybe it was just like that. His part was over, but it didn't mean that the scenario would suddenly end like this. Next, Tatemiya Saiji would be the lead and end it on his own.
It was true. Seeing a mass murderer commit a crime didn't mean that the eyewitness had a duty to stop him. The eyewitness wouldn't be condemned if the murderer was subdued by the police.
"Will Tatemiya succeed?"
"There is some chance since he's a real magician, and the Amakusa, who're used to being suppressed, are rather skilled in doing this. He won't be stupid enough to try and take on an enemy when there's no chance."
"Un."
Kamijou nodded his head.
He might as well mention it, Kamijou thought. Since the situation could be resolved without him getting involved, an outsider didn't need to get involved. It was a logical way of thinking. If an outsider who didn't know anything got involved, it was likely that the situation may get out of hand, so he might as well stay on the sidelines.
The law never decreed that Kamijou had to settle everything on his own.
From a larger point of view, there was a majority of scenarios that Kamijou wasn't involved in.
Even if he saw one, he didn't need to mind.
Even if Kamijou wasn't involved, someone would settle it.
Kamijou looked at the night sky, raised his hands, and stretched. The fatigue in his body was starting to build up, and at the same time, he was starting to miss the futon in his dormitory.
"Alright, let's go home."
Kamijou said.
Just this sentence alone created a segment between what was daily and what was non-daily.
"Oh, yeah, before we go home, I have to buy some things. At this time, the supermarkets and department stores should be closed, and there're only convenience stores open. But there's nothing in the fridge, got to buy some food… oh, well, I'm interested in what the convenience stores outside Academy City are selling. Maybe we can find bentos inside."
"…Touma, why are you so concerned with everyday life now?"
"I'm sorry, I'm an ordinary student who recently began to like remembering things."
"I feel like forgetting all this and eating a good meal."
"It's alright if you don't let me go; but there's only an empty tray and water for breakfast. You have to think of the rest yourself."
"Touma—!"
Index shouted out, not caring that it was the middle of a silent night.
Kamijou laughed upon seeing this gluttonous girl turn pale so easily.
"Alright, then I'll be looking for a convenience store, and buy tomorrow's breakfast along the way."
"Hm? How about everyone go together?"
"If I bring you along, you'll stuff everything you see into the basket, and it'll be really difficult for me to buy things. I'll be leaving for a while, so Stiyl, please bring Index back to Academy City. Since you can bring her out, you can probably bring her back in, right? Of course… with you being so carefree, I'm somewhat troubled."
"Since it's beneficial for her, I can grant your request."
Stiyl shook the cigarette in his mouth, and said,
"However, do you know where it is?"
"…Finding a convenience store shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"Very good."
Stiyl gave a cynical smile, and brought Index back into the darkness of the night. Index wanted to accompany Kamijou, but he waved his hands profusely, indicating to her to not follow.
When those two disappeared, Kamijou turned around.
And headed down the road he had originally walked on.
"That guy seems to have noticed…"
Kamijou smacked his lips, and muttered to himself.
I left my wallet in the dormitory, so why would I go to a convenience store?
Kamijou pulled his cell phone from his pocket. The white light from the screen illuminated his face.
He pressed several buttons, and opened up the GPS satellite search map. Of course, the target wasn't a nearby convenience store. Kamijou thought of what Agnese Sanctis had said.
"Our specialty is that we have a lot of people. Our compatriots are in 110 countries throughout the world, and even in Japan, so there're many of our Church Ministries there. Also, we're building a new house of God called the 'Church of Orsola'. If I remember correctly, it's located near here. Once it's complete, it'll be the largest Church in Japan. It's about the size of a baseball stadium."
The GPS function of Academy City was extremely accurate and updated really fast. Besides the latest buildings, it would accurately display buildings that were about to be built. In contrast, old businesses that had closed, like the "Gloaming House", would disappear quickly from the map.
Of course, the name of the construct that was about to be built wouldn't appear, as it would appear as "to be built" on the GPS. But it was easy to spot by looking at the image, as there was only one building as big as a baseball stadium.
"Yes. Orsola once went to three pagan countries to preach Christianity to them, therefore her contributions are large, so the superiors specially allowed a Church to be built in her name. Doesn't she speak Japanese really well?"
Kamijou looked at the image on his cell phone, and quickened his steps. Just like Agnese had said, the "Church of Orsola", the gathering point of the Roman Catholics, was in this city. Since moving in a large group was a weakness to that group, they would use the Church of Orsola nearby to act as a deport base. Although the building wasn't complete, it wasn't a problem to them because they had much more magic that Kamijou didn't know of.
The Roman Catholics should be there.
Including Agnese Sanctis and Orsola Aquinas.
"After the Church is built, we'll be sending invitations. However, before this, let's settle the problem before us and not let this bother us."
Kamijou remembered that joke that Agnese had first made, and chuckled.
"Although the party isn't set up, and the invitations may not be finished, I can't wait."
Since their objective was clear, he had no need to stop.
He walked faster, and unknowingly started running on the pitch-black road in the night.
He had no reason to get in and fight.
Even if he didn't interfere, others would come in to settle it.
Index had said before: "Even if there's a house on fire in front of him, and there's an infant inside, the law doesn't decree him to rush in and save the infant."
Asking others for help or letting others settle the problem wasn't a bad thing.
But…
What if the infant left behind in the fire always believed that Kamijou would save him?
The smartest way was obviously to call the fire brigade.
But no matter how stupid it was, Kamijou was not willing to let the child see his back. Even to himself, when it was the safest method, Kamijou wasn't willing to let down the child's expectations.
Maybe up until now, Orsola Aquinas still believed in Kamijou Touma.
Even when Kamijou had made so many bad decisions, she still believed in him like a child.
Luckily, Kamijou wasn't affiliated to an organization like the Anglican Church or the Roman Catholic Church. He was just an ordinary student, an outsider. So there was no burden on him. Although he couldn't ask insiders like Index or Stiyl for help, he could do what they couldn't.
If he had a slight concern, it would be that he would be considered a citizen of Academy City, a member of the science side. However, if the situation wasn't good, it was likely that Academy City would settle it quickly by expelling him in order to disassociate themselves from him.
It was alright even if they expelled him, Kamijou thought.
Either way, Kamijou still insisted on what he believed in.
Thinking about it, he laughed.
There was no reason for him to fight, but he was running in the night.
There was really no compelling reason for him to interfere at all costs.
But he wanted to.