Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4 (section)

===Part 15===

“…No.”

The case didn’t directly affect her.

But it still led her to realize the truth.

“No.”

He couldn’t speak for himself.

He couldn’t even form facial expressions.

But everyone knew he was a living being with a mind of his own.

And yet….

“I’ll take care of him. I’ll take care of everything! So please don’t pull the plug! He didn’t do anything wrong! So please wait! Please!!”

It was over before she knew it.

It only happened because he showed no sign of recovery and caring for him indefinitely was considered a waste of money and personnel. Well, that and his genes weren’t considered valuable enough. That was all it took for a life to be lost.

That was when she realized the truth.

She realized it all had to do with what the doctors found most convenient.

Yes. And if that was how the adults did things, wouldn’t they also throw out her and her fellow students in the end?



“Hm?”

Hearing a splashing sound, the redheaded empress blinked drowsily and pulled her face back out of the bathwater.

“Oops. I feel asleep in the bath.”

She must have been even more exhausted than she had thought. Or maybe the thinner oxygen and stronger UV rays of the 5000m altitude were getting to her. Maybe she should have expected this exhaustion when the plan had run into a series of snags before it even got off the ground.

She had taken a bath to help refresh herself, but it had only sapped her of more strength. She languidly pulled herself out of the tub and walked to the dressing room where she lazily dried off and dressed in a new set of clothes.

(You fools. The blouse still smells of starch.)

She wore a Tokiwadai winter uniform with riding breeches below the skirt.

She already had a new halberd ready. Based on the feel and the heft, it appeared to be a titanium alloy, but not even that would last 10 minutes if she went all out.

That weapon symbolized her position in the equestrian combat club.

She twirled it like a baton and rested it on her shoulder before placing the tiara on her wet hair, leaving the shower room’s dressing room, and walking down the school hallway.

She spotted her attorney in a fancy suit.

“Where is Misaka Mikoto? I heard she was battling the Shokuhou Clique after we sent them after her as a loyalty test, but what became of that?”

“Th-that’s the thing…”

“If that hasn’t flushed her out like we wanted, then use a hostage. Capture some teacher or another and prepare her for execution. Announce the time of the execution over the speakers and Misaka Mikoto is sure to show up to stop it.”

“It isn’t that.” The attorney sounded unusually flustered. “She appears to be headed this way.”

“?”

“Misaka Mikoto and the Shokuhou Clique are still fighting while constantly on the move. B-but they appear to be charging toward Tokiwadai to drag us into their fight as well!!”