A Certain Magical Index.
In his previous life, this series was a monument in the history of light novels.
With over thirty-one million copies sold, it ranked among the top three bestsellers of all time.
Its spinoffs—manga, anime, games, drama CDs, movies—formed an industry chain so massive and influential it was almost terrifying.
Even just the side story, A Certain Scientific Railgun, crushed ninety-nine percent of so-called "hit series" in both popularity and commercial success.
And Misaka Mikoto—"Railgun" herself—became a legend, reigning year after year as champion of the International Saimoe Tournament.
And now, that entire monument—its outlines, worldbuilding, character notes, and polished drafts—lay perfectly intact inside Seiji Fujiwara's mind.
"Talk about rain in a drought," Seiji muttered with a satisfied grin.
6 Days, 6 People, 6 Guns had been on sale for half a month. Its initial heat was already cooling.
So far, sales across Japan had hit three hundred thousand copies. According to Undokawa's estimate, it might eventually reach five hundred thousand—
But that would take years.
Normally, this was when an author started preparing their next book.
Naturally, Seiji wasn't going to just sit back and coast. He'd use Index to break into the long-form field.
His dark, punchy debut short had already built him a solid reputation.
If his next work kept up the quality, the results would be spectacular.
And with Index, there was no question of quality.
With that thought, Seiji stood, dried himself off, and headed to his study.
He flipped open his laptop and began to type out everything that overflowed in his mind.
…
The next morning.
Kyoto, Minato Ward. Seven a.m.
Golden sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room.
Seiji sat at the head of the table, slowly enjoying his breakfast.
"Not bad. Still plenty of room to improve, though," he said casually as he ate.
Utaha had made it.
In a normal arrangement like theirs, no one would expect the girl to cook. Who made their mistress handle breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
But Seiji was paying five hundred thousand. Well above market price.
So Utaha had no choice but to do more.
"I'll practice," she replied evenly, eating across from him.
She was already dressed in Toyogasaki Academy's uniform—white short-sleeved blouse, red-and-black plaid skirt, and those iconic black stockings that made her long legs look dangerously breathtaking.
Today was only her second day officially living in his apartment.
The struggle and hatred she'd shown at first had faded, replaced by a quiet calm.
After enduring Seiji's repeated storms, Utaha was becoming numb. She could keep her composure most of the time now.
Even if she loathed it, she could suppress her instincts and play the role demanded by their contract.
From the moment she signed, there was no turning back. Resistance was meaningless.
All she could do was follow through, play her part, and wait until her "sentence" ended.
…
Her thoughts drifted back to a few days earlier.
The day she brought her mother home from the hospital and settled her into a new apartment.
Her mother's expression had been silent, her gaze heavy.
"Utaha… where did the money come from?" she asked.
That surgery had cost a fortune. Their savings were long gone. How could Utaha, a single college-aged girl, suddenly afford so much—plus a new apartment?
"Don't worry, Mom. I have a boyfriend now."
Utaha took a deep breath and delivered the lie she had prepared, voice steady, adding a hint of girlish shyness. Even though her own performance disgusted her.
"His name is Seiji Fujiwara—our neighbor. He's really capable. He just made some money recently, and when he heard about our situation, he helped us out.
Oh, and that night you collapsed? He's the one who called the ambulance and got you to the hospital."
Mrs. Kasumigaoka closed her eyes, pain twisting her face. She couldn't bear to watch her daughter force a smile.
Things like that were never so simple.
Why, for example, was Utaha not living with her, but somewhere else?
There was only one answer.
This wasn't love. It was a transaction.
Her daughter had sold herself.
Tears spilled down her mother's face, drowning her in regret and guilt.
But what could she do? Go confront Seiji? Call the police?
And then what? Lose the medical care, the new apartment, the financial lifeline? Drown once more under crushing debt and drag her daughter back into despair?
And with that much money involved, Utaha would surely be trapped, unable to escape cleanly.
The only thing she could do was cooperate.
Choking back sobs, she nodded like a mother overjoyed her daughter had found a good home.
"That's good… as long as he truly treats you well, I can rest easy."
"He's wonderful, Mom." Utaha squeezed her mother's hand, forcing a smile. Her voice turned soft, comforting.
"He respects me. We get along great. Just focus on recovering. Once you're better, I'll bring him to meet you."
Of course, it was all lies.
But people lived on lies.
And materially speaking, Seiji had not mistreated her daughter.
…
"What are you thinking about?"
Seiji's voice dragged Utaha back to the present.
"Nothing," she answered quickly, lowering her gaze.
"Really?" Seiji didn't press. He wiped his mouth, stood, and said, "Call me when you're done. We'll head to school."
"…Okay."
Utaha picked up her sandwich and ate quietly.
Seiji, meanwhile, returned to his study, resuming his furious typing on Index.
The workload was enormous.
And when he received the series, he had also inherited the original author's inspiration and creative experience.
The early and later arcs of Index had distinctly different styles. The later volumes were more polished, more in tune with changing times and readers' tastes.
Seiji wanted perfection. He even made small adjustments to the early chapters, which slowed his writing far more than 6 Days, 6 People, 6 Guns.
Still, there was no rush. That debut novel was still selling strong, and the editorial department wasn't breathing down his neck yet.
He's writing a novel?
Utaha's gaze lingered on him, a flicker of complicated emotion passing through her eyes.
She had once dreamed of writing herself.
But her father's accident had shattered all her plans.
That book—6 Days, 6 People, 6 Guns—was incredible… I still can't believe that bastard Fujiwara wrote it.
She had bought it herself. Its ideas and prose had shocked her, impressed her.
But knowing the author's rotten personality in real life made the disconnect unbearable.
Forget it. I still need to pack his bento.
Utaha shook her head and focused back on her breakfast.
Meals weren't the only thing she had to handle for Seiji. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all hers to prepare.
…
Meanwhile, at Toyogasaki Academy, rumors were swirling.
In Class 2-B, a heated discussion about "Kasumigaoka Utaha" was underway.
"She's been absent for almost two weeks, hasn't she? The forums are going crazy."
"Yeah, what's going on? Some say it's family trouble. Others say she secretly went overseas. And I even heard…" a boy lowered his voice, looking conspiratorial, "she was kidnapped."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Class rep Mayu Kimura pushed her glasses up, frowning.
"The teacher already said Kasumigaoka-san just has family matters to deal with. She'll be back soon!"
Even so, worry gnawed at her.
To disappear for so long without reason—something had clearly happened.
And judging from the teachers' reactions, it wasn't good.
Mayu sighed. As class rep, she resolved to check in on Utaha properly once she returned.
Elsewhere, in the student council office—
President Kenta Igarashi paced restlessly.
As one of Utaha's most devoted admirers, he was losing his mind.
"Kasumigaoka-san still isn't back?"
"President, she doesn't really have friends. We can't get any information," one of the other council members said helplessly.
"Damn it!" Kenta slammed a fist against the desk, his eyes burning with determination.
"She must be in trouble! There's no way she'd abandon her studies. Once she's back, I'll confess to her face. I'll tell her she's not alone in this fight!"
The other council officers nodded, fired up by his words.
They tossed around wild speculations—family disasters, yakuza entanglements—spinning plots worthy of a light novel themselves.
Utaha Kasumigaoka was Toyogasaki's reigning beauty. Every move she made drew attention.
Her sudden absence for two weeks had the entire school buzzing.
…
But soon, her absence stopped being the point.
Because—
That very morning, Utaha Kasumigaoka appeared at the school gates.
And she wasn't alone.
A hush fell over the bustling stream of students as if someone had hit pause.
Every pair of eyes locked onto the pair walking side by side.
Utaha Kasumigaoka.
And beside her—a familiar older student. Seiji Fujiwara.
Why were the two of them together?
But the real shock came a moment later.
That proud, untouchable Utaha Kasumigaoka—was clinging to Seiji's arm like a lovestruck girl.
The campus exploded.
"That—That's Kasumigaoka-senpai?!"
"No way! Why is she holding his arm?"
"Are they dating? Since when?!"
Gasps, disbelief, confusion, and envy rippled through the crowd.
But Utaha's face remained calm.
And Seiji? He looked downright pleased—like a man savoring the thrill of walking openly with the school idol on his arm.
It was as if he had stolen every boy's dream girl and flaunted it for all to see.
The feeling was intoxicating.