Humming happily, she walked toward Tokiwadai School, her steps light and unhurried as a soft tune escaped her lips. The pleasant aftertaste of her recent experience still lingered, brightening her mood in a way that even she found unusual. The city around her bustled as always, yet today it felt less oppressive, almost welcoming, as if the world itself had softened.
She even ignored the vending machine next to her, not bothering to worry about the money it had swallowed. Under normal circumstances, such an incident would have earned the unfortunate machine a sharp glare—or perhaps even a jolt of electricity in retaliation. Today, however, she simply passed it without a second thought, her mind too occupied with more extraordinary memories to dwell on such trivial losses.
At the same time, in a windowless building on the opposite side of Academy City, deep within enormous life-support equipment, a peculiar figure slowly opened its eyes. Suspended upside down, the being appeared paradoxical—resembling an old man and a child, a man and a woman, a saint and a sinner all at once. Tubes and machinery surrounded it, maintaining its existence in an eerie, artificial stillness.
"Has it reappeared?" the figure murmured inwardly. "What exactly is that door made of… that rainbow light?"
This individual was none other than the one Noa had casually referred to as the "old schemer."
The founder of Academy City.
The leader of the scientific faction.
The greatest magician of the twentieth century.
A man branded by the magical world as its greatest disgrace and most notorious traitor.
A public enemy to the entire magic side—
Aleister Crowley.
Just as Noa had anticipated, Aleister had already detected the anomaly the moment Misaka Mikoto disappeared from Academy City. From that instant onward, he had been quietly observing, directing his attention toward her every movement. Even during her time in the Great Tree Village, his awareness had never fully withdrawn, carefully noting each irregular fluctuation surrounding her existence.
Now, as Misaka Mikoto returned, he witnessed once more the phenomenon that had captured his curiosity—the swirling, rainbow-like vortex that marked the dimensional gate. Its structure, its energy, and its very nature defied simple explanation.
"Is it a form of spatial transfer magic?" he pondered.
Yet that hypothesis only raised further questions.
How had that girl come into contact with magic at all? Within Academy City, the domains of science and magic were strictly segregated, their coexistence fraught with danger and contradiction. If she had truly brushed against the magical side, it could signify a breach far more significant than it first appeared.
Or perhaps… something else was at play.
Had an unknown force already extended its influence into Academy City? Was this an isolated anomaly, or the first sign of a larger, hidden intrusion? The possibilities branched endlessly, each more complex than the last.
Numerous questions surfaced in Aleister's mind, yet none held his attention for long.
In the end, he dismissed them all with quiet indifference.
"Forget it. I will simply wait and observe," he concluded.
For Aleister, the world itself functioned as an intricate and carefully arranged system. Every person, every event, every deviation was merely a component within his grand design. As long as these new variables did not interfere with the trajectory of his plan, they were not worth the effort of deeper analysis.
He had no intention of wasting unnecessary thought on uncertainties that posed no immediate threat.
After all, in his eyes, everything was already accounted for.
As long as his overarching layout remained undisturbed, minor irregularities—no matter how strange—were ultimately insignificant.
Meanwhile, completely unaware that she had just drawn the attention of Academy City's most dangerous individual, Misaka Mikoto hurried back to her dormitory. The sky had already begun to dim slightly, signaling the approach of the access control deadline. Fortunately, she managed to return just in time, slipping inside before any rules could be broken.
The moment she opened the door to her room, however, her brief moment of peace came to an abrupt end.
Waiting inside was her roommate's junior—Shirai Kuroko.
A girl whose name might as well have been synonymous with trouble, given her usual behavior. Though outwardly refined and disciplined as a member of Judgment, her true nature revealed itself most clearly in moments like this—overly affectionate, unrestrained, and entirely fixated on her beloved "Onee-sama."
It was worth noting that although the school term had only recently begun in spring, Shirai Kuroko had already enrolled in Tokiwadai Middle School and successfully secured a place as Misaka Mikoto's roommate—a fact that continued to shape many of Mikoto's daily struggles.
"Ah~! Onee-sama, you're back! I haven't seen you for just a few hours, but Kuroko missed you terribly~!"
With that exaggerated declaration, Shirai Kuroko launched herself forward without hesitation, arms spread wide as she attempted to embrace Misaka Mikoto with full force.
In the past, such an attack would have triggered an immediate response. Misaka Mikoto would either sidestep with practiced ease, send Kuroko flying with a precise kick, or deliver a crackling burst of electricity—a so-called "whip of love"—to keep her in line.
But today was different.
Perhaps it was the lingering warmth from her time in the Great Tree Village, or perhaps it was simply the rare lightness in her heart. Whatever the reason, Misaka Mikoto did not react as she usually would.
Instead, she merely let out a small sigh.
And for once, she didn't bother to argue with Shirai Kuroko.