Chapter 798: Index Librorum Prohibitorum! Himegami Aisa: I'll Do Anything
Following Ren's testimony, the group reluctantly accepted the silver-haired girl's bizarre claim. She really was a magician.
Index took the opportunity to formally introduce herself, puffing out her chest as she proudly declared her affiliation with the Anglican Church. But before she could finish her grand introduction, Ren ruthlessly dismantled her secrecy.
"You were raised in St. George's Cathedral in England from a very young age," he stated casually, leaning back. "And you belong to the 0th Parish of the Anglican Church, the special division known as Necessarius."
Index stiffened. Her emerald eyes widened to comical proportions as she stared at him in absolute shock.
Ren didn't give her a single second to recover. "Your official title is Index Librorum Prohibitorum. The Index of Prohibited Books. Index is just a convenient shorthand. As for your magic name? Dedicatus545, meaning the dedicated lamb protecting the knowledge of the strong."
A playful, teasing smirk tugged at the corner of Ren's mouth. "That about covers your true identity, doesn't it?"
"H-H-How do you know all that?!" Index shrieked, stumbling backward as if she had just seen a ghost. Her heart hammered against her ribs. These were highly classified secrets of the magic side, information that absolutely no ordinary person in Academy City should possess.
"Heh. My eyes can see quite a few interesting things." Ren chuckled, his gaze briefly sweeping over her small frame. He could see right through to the magical restrictions and the Collar placed upon her body.
But Index's existential crisis could wait.
Standing quietly to the side, Himegami Aisa gently rubbed the silver cross hanging around her neck. A deep frown creased her usually emotionless face. If this silver-haired girl truly was a genuine magician, then the implications for this cross...
"Himegami Aisa," Ren called out, drawing her attention. "Do you still want to eliminate your ability?"
She looked down at her hands. "...If what she says is true, then I won't need to."
That, of course, hinged entirely on the premise that this cross could genuinely seal her Deep Blood ability, just as Index had claimed.
"What she said is entirely true," Ren confirmed, his tone turning pragmatic. "However, there is a catch. That cross only suppresses your power while you wear it. The moment it leaves your body, it loses all effect."
"Then I'll just wear it all the time!" she replied immediately, her grip tightening on the metal pendant.
"And what if the chain breaks? What if it falls off while you sleep, gets lost in a crowd, or is stolen?"
Ren's casual string of hypotheticals instantly shattered her newfound sense of security. Himegami bit her lower lip, anxiety flooding back into her dark eyes. Life was long, and accidents were inevitable. She couldn't exactly sew the silver cross into her flesh and blood to guarantee it stayed put.
That creeping panic was exactly what Ren was waiting for.
"I happen to have a method right here," he offered smoothly, a sly glint in his eyes. "One that would allow you to freely control your power yourself. If you need it, of course."
"Really?!" Himegami's head snapped up, a rare spark of desperate hope lighting up her usually deadpan gaze. If she could actually control the Deep Blood herself instead of relying on an external crutch, that would solve everything.
"How is that even possible?" Index interrupted, crossing her arms. Even though her mind was still spinning with a dozen terrifying questions about how this strange boy knew she was the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, her vast repository of magical knowledge forced her to speak up regarding the Deep Blood.
"To the magic side, a Deep Blood carrier is a highly critical existence. They are the only living proof that vampires actually exist, serving as the key to explaining their lore!" Index lectured, her tone turning surprisingly authoritative. "Even the magic side possesses barely any records regarding this specific power. So how could you possibly have a method to control it freely?"
"Heh. You don't know because you are simply too weak," Ren chuckled dryly, completely dismissing the one hundred and three thousand grimoires in her head.
Before Index could protest the insult, Ren casually reached out and tapped his index finger against Himegami Aisa's forehead.
Himegami blinked, completely bewildered by the light touch.
"There," he declared smoothly. "Now you can control your ability. Oh, and I took the liberty of endowing your power with a few interesting extras."
Himegami stared at him, her expression a mask of utter confusion. 'That was it? A tap on the forehead?'
"Don't just stand there," Ren prompted, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Feel it with your heart. Focus inward."
Following his instruction, Himegami closed her eyes. She took a slow breath, directing her focus inward, searching for the cursed sweet-scented blood that had ruined her life.
A few seconds passed in absolute silence.
When her eyelids fluttered open, the deadpan stoicism was entirely gone, replaced by absolute, unadulterated shock.
"It... It really works?!" she gasped.
She raised her right hand, her palm facing upward. A tiny prick formed on her fingertip, and instead of dripping down, threads of crimson blood flowed upward, moving with the fluid grace of water. Under her direct, intentional command, the crimson liquid shifted, twisted, and danced through the air like ribbons of silk.
This was the little bonus Ren had tossed in for free. Absolute hemokinesis, the power to manipulate blood.
But in Ren's world, the things given away for free usually ended up carrying the heaviest price tags.
"How is that possible?!" Index shrieked again, leaning so close her nose almost touched the floating blood ribbons. Her jaw practically hit the floor. "I have never heard of a Deep Blood carrier being able to actively manipulate their own blood like that! That defies all magical logic!"
"Well, now you have seen it." Ren placed a hand flat against Index's face and unceremoniously shoved her little head away. "Stop making such a fuss over every little thing. Look at how calm everyone else is."
Standing nearby, Keisaku Mitori desperately wanted to raise her hand and clarify that she was, in fact, not calm at all.
Her mind was reeling. What had she just witnessed? With a single, casual tap to the forehead, a girl whose esper ability was entirely passive and imperceptible had suddenly gained high-level hemokinesis. Since when did Academy City's grueling, agonizing ability development programs become this ridiculously simple?
Dolly, however, puffed out her chest and beamed with absolute pride. "See, Mitori? I told you Ren-kun is all-powerful!"
"Uh... mm," Mitori mumbled, still staring at the floating blood. Whether this guy was truly all-powerful or not, she couldn't say for sure. But considering he possessed the power to casually revive the dead and single-handedly upend the entire power structure of Academy City, all-powerful felt like a pretty accurate description.
"Himegami Aisa," Ren's voice cut through the awe, carrying a distinct, predatory edge. "I am not helping you for free, you know."
Himegami immediately withdrew the floating blood, letting it absorb back into her skin. She looked at him, her expression turning incredibly solemn. "I know. I am just... truly happy that I can finally control my ability. That I won't have to inadvertently kill anyone anymore. For this... I will do anything."
"It is good that you have that mindset," Ren praised, his lips curving into a satisfied grin. "From now on, you are joining the Board of Directors. You will be working directly under Mikoto and the others. Mikoto, hand her the official Board of Directors rulebook."
Misaka Mikoto shot Ren a deeply complicated, thoroughly unamused glare. She was a thousand times unwilling to hand over that cursed piece of paper, but since Ren had given the order, she had no choice but to comply. Sighing heavily, she pulled out a small, neatly bound booklet and handed it over.
Himegami took the booklet, her curiosity piqued. She flipped open the cover to read the very first page.
Instantly, she froze. Her entire body turned rigid as stone.
Printed in unmistakable letters was a single line.
[Core Regulation: All members of the Board of Directors are officially members of Chairman Ren's harem.]
"Huh???" A highly uncharacteristic, squeaky noise escaped Himegami's throat.
She aggressively rubbed her eyes, utterly convinced she was hallucinating. But no matter how hard she rubbed, the absurd text remained exactly the same. Slowly, mechanically, she raised her head to look at Ren.
He was looking right back at her, sporting a shamelessly meaningful, wolfish grin.
"Hey, you were the one who just said you would do anything," Ren reminded her smoothly, crossing his arms. "I am a pragmatic man. I definitely won't be polite about collecting my dues."
Himegami was completely speechless. The words caught in her throat, choking her with a bizarre mix of embarrassment and disbelief. She couldn't even refute him, those had literally been her exact words less than a minute ago!
But still... this... wasn't this requirement way too strange?!
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Right at that moment, Index suddenly grabbed her silver hair, scratching her head in an absolute frenzy of frustration.
"You are such a bizarre person!" the little nun yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Ren. "I have met a lot of weirdos, but I have never encountered anyone as shamelessly strange as you in the entire Anglican Church!"
"The feeling is mutual." Ren shrugged casually, his tone dropping into something far more dangerous and deep. "I have also never met someone who foolishly lets their memory get erased every single year like you."
The air in the room instantly froze.
All the playful banter evaporated. Mikoto, Mitori, Dolly, and Himegami collectively snapped their heads toward the small nun, their eyes widening in horror.
'Having her memory erased every year?' What kind of sick, twisted operation was that?
Index just stood there. She blinked her large, watery emerald eyes, completely devoid of understanding.
"What... what are you talking about?" she asked, her voice small and filled with genuine, innocent confusion.
She truly had no idea why Ren would say something so ridiculous.
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