Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 6===

“Come to think of it, what is your dream?”

Shiratori Okibi had asked that question in an afterschool classroom dyed orange by the setting sun.

Mugino had calculated out the bare minimum number of days she had to show up at school, so she didn’t know her classmates’ names, or even her teacher’s name. That wasn’t a problem if they didn’t care about her either, but unfortunately the Level 5 brand name held a lot of weight at this ordinary school.

“Um, you actually take having a dream seriously?” asked Mugino, looking exasperated.

“My point is you have to write one down on your future plans form.”

So the problem was with the school. This was supposed to be a prep school, so Mugino felt like they should be gathering some more valuable data on their students.

Shiratori grinned.

“To give you an example, my dream is to become an even better detective. I don’t want to be a novice or a hobbyist. I want to use my logic as an actual job.”

“A professional detective, huh? Do you actually know what that job would entail?”

“Ah ha ha. I know it probably wouldn’t mean dramatically solving locked room and timetable mysteries.”

Shiratori laughed bashfully and dropped the topic. She appeared to know that the most common job for Academy City detectives was to tail spouses and romantic partners suspected of infidelity.

“But I’d be able to do so much more if I had a real title. Some things are out of reach when you’re only a hobbyist, but that would change if I was a pro.”

“Such as?”

“One day, I will rescue you from the darkness.”

“…”

“I don’t know what kind of world you’ve gotten yourself involved in! But I can tell you have something going on outside of school and I can guess that it isn’t anything as peaceful as working part-time at a convenience store after school.”

If she had really known, it all would have ended back then.

That dream was only valuable because it was so awkward and unrealistic.

In a peaceful school classroom with no connection to the dark side, Shiratori laughed.

“Hee hee. So I will bring you back into the light of the sun and make an honest person out of you!”