The auto bus was at an auto bus stop.
Like the other passengers around her, Oriana Thomson glanced around.
This wasn't an ordinary parking for passengers to alight and board the bus. As the bus was too heavy, the AI controlling the bus had immediately come to a halt. It seemed that as there were already so many people on the bus, and yet there were other people boarding it, the bus had reached its limit.
A female voice came from the audio speakers on the bus. It seemed to be pre-recorded, as there was no sense of any emotion in the voice.
"This bus will now stop due to safety concerns, we're sorry for this inconvenience—"
Basically, they weren't informed on how to settle this problem. If no one was getting off the bus, the overweight situation wouldn't be solved. However, it would be a different case altogether if someone was willing to give up his own baggage.
Oriana decided to get off the bus.
From the comfort of the cooling air-conditioning to the asphalt road.
Instead of staying in the bus, not knowing when it could move, it might be better to go off and look for other methods of transport.
She then walked onto the street. There may have been an arena nearby, as there were many people around. The surrounding stalls were also selling stuff used for cheering, like megaphones and round fans.
Oriana was completely unable to see what was behind the bus stop.
(So now, it's seems that Kanzaki Kaori isn't coming.)
She gently sighed.
(Now that I've confirmed that no one else is pursuing me, the card that's to be specially used against a Saint can't be used. That card doesn't seem to be effective against normal magicians…so who's going to satisfy my thirst of battle? Never mind. I'll probably face off against a Saint in this long life.)
At this moment, Oriana thought of the black-haired girl whose upper body had been badly damaged, the female student whose flesh had been destroyed together with the hidden Cross.
(…)
Oriana looked at the stack of flashcards in her hand.
She bitterly tore a flashcard and activated a communicating spell. This was a spell that transmitted a person's thoughts to another, as Oriana sent over a certain scene that was etched in her mind.
"Lidvia."
"I know what you want to say."
The other party was Lidvia Lorenzetti.
But what Oriana heard wasn't an interrupted way of speaking.
"The girl that you took care of was just an ordinary person."
This interrupted tone.
Bang! Oriana kicked hard at the ground.
Though she knew that doing so would attract a lot of attention, it seemed to have been done on reflex.
(Not just once, to misfire twice…!!)
This icy tone reverberated through Oriana, who was gritting her teeth.
"There was a name and photo in the report regarding the Alchemist incident. Her name is Himegami Aisa, and though she has an important power, she's not a magician. That Celtic Cross is used to seal a unique power, and is just a spiritual item that was given by another magician, there's no offensive capability at all. In order to avoid a misunderstanding, the Anglican Church once gave a formal report."
The report about Kanzaki Kaori was really a bluff. And, to think that girl who she mistook as an enemy had nothing to do with the Anglican Church.
"…The worst scenario."
"It's really the worst scenario. We have laid hands on someone who's completely unrelated to this incident, and twice to boot. Though the reason for the first time was due to other magicians getting involved, we're fully responsible this time."
Lidvia said in a firm voice.
"We have taken action against those we should be protecting."
This was truly the voice of a nun who evangelized to others who didn't know about Christianity.
"The people we should extend out our hands to aren't Saints who have great morals, but sinners who are lost and need redemption. This is what the Son of God said to Matthew, the tax collector who was hated by everyone else, when he ate with him. We have defied this rule. Do you know what this means?"
"…"
Oriana remained silent.
Lidvia's words weren't interrupted, as there was no sense of hesitation in these words. From the beginning to the end, that was a voice that followed the decision of the Bible, and a voice that allowed no interruption. Also—
"We can't make a second mistake again. For these people whom we have hurt, we have to be extra careful, and use the Croce di Pietro to take over Academy City."
There was no sense of hesitation in her tone.
No matter the amount of downsides, she had to turn all these into positives.
Lidvia Lorenzetti continued on with this kind of feeling.
She was reflecting on it, and at the same time, regretting it.
Lidvia should be in even more emotional pain than Oriana.
But she would use this pain as food for progress. She understood the meaning of the word 'training', and no matter how painful it was, she would use this chance to increase her pace.
Thus, Oriana wouldn't stop.
From birth till death, she wouldn't stop.
Oriana felt a chill flowing down her backbone.
Not because of the difference in power, but because of the 'difference' in ideals.
"Really…?"
Then, Oriana asked this nun who was not the least swayed.
"…Thus, everything would be successful, right? All the problems would be solved as long as we take in Academy City, right?"