Suddenly, a complex magic circle surfaced around Index's throat, emitting a sinister purple-black glow.

Kanzaki Kaori gasped.

"Magic! That's… the 'Memory Shackle'…"

Her voice nearly gave out.

"It… really exists…"

This collar—using Index's life as leverage—forced annual memory erasures via a spell and ceremony. It was also the shackles preventing her from betraying them. The collar's spell was etched deep in Index's throat, protected by multiple layers of barriers.

Rei Ao's fingers kept probing deeper, triggering an even stronger restraint.

In an instant, Index's body began to convulse violently. Then Rei Ao pushed one finger further into her throat.

Once the collar was disturbed, the Church's second safeguard, called "Auto Rebackup" (or "Automatic Spiritual Preservation"), would activate. The purpose of Auto Rebackup was to protect the knowledge of the 103,000 grimoires from would-be thieves, giving Index a mode where she lost her self-awareness and functioned like a machine, able to parse and explain magic on autopilot.

In combat mode, her eyes would show a magic array—just like now.

Her whole body floated into the air as she lost consciousness, eyes closed.

"!!!"

When she opened her eyes again, blood-red magic circles glowed in her pupils.

"Magic…"

Kanzaki Kaori stared in astonishment. In her understanding, Index couldn't use magic. Yet here she was, demonstrating something beyond anything Kanzaki had imagined. Everything Rei Ao said was turning out to be true. They really had been deceived by the Archbishop.

Index began to speak:

"Warning! Chapter 3, Section 2: It has been confirmed that the first through third barriers of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum's collar have been destroyed!"

Her voice was mechanical, devoid of emotion.

"Reinitialization… failed…

Collar cannot regenerate.

Under the current circumstances, priority is to engage the intruders to protect the 103,000-volume library."

Her eyes no longer looked human—there was no trace of warmth in her gaze.

"So this is the Church's failsafe…"

Kanzaki Kaori muttered darkly. She understood perfectly: the Church had likely arranged it so that anyone who discovered the truth would be erased.

"According to data from the 103,000 volumes in the library, reversing the barrier-breaking magic formula… failed…

No suitable magic found.

Preparing to execute the designated anti-intruder spell… Spell located."

Index tilted her head like a puppet on strings.

"Successful. Preparing to use the single most effective anti-personnel invasion magic.

Next is the designated magic 'St. George's Sanctuary'—target: destroy intruders."

With a thunderous roar, the magic arrays in her eyes rapidly expanded.

"Aah…"

She started to sing, though it was a song impossible for normal human understanding. A massive magic formation began to coalesce.

"Hey, gorilla, what are you spacing out for? Do something!"

Shokuhou Misaki yelled, her body instinctively sensing danger. She was frustrated: dragged into a bizarre situation with unknown powers, and her psychic ability had become useless again.

"I'll block it!"

Kanzaki Kaori sprang forward. She recognized how terrifying St. George's Sanctuary could be.

"No need."

But Rei Ao merely lifted his left hand, pointing a finger forward.

"Break."

Just one word, spoken like a supreme command. Instantly, the magic array forming in front of them froze, as if erased by a giant rubber eraser. Its edges disintegrated in silence—no explosion, no shockwave—simply disappearing.

Kanzaki Kaori stood there dumbfounded, her Seven Heavens Seven Swords half-embedded in the ground. She'd just witnessed the impossible: St. George's Sanctuary had been canceled with a single snap of his fingers?

This went way beyond her understanding.

Rei Ao didn't pause. In a flash, he moved before Index and lightly touched her forehead. Golden light flowed from his fingertip into her brow, and the spell-mark in her throat melted like ice in the sun.

Index's body trembled violently. Then she gasped awake.

"Ha!!!"

She breathed in huge gulps of air as though she'd just recovered the ability to breathe, her eyes brimming with confusion.

"Where… am I?"

She had that same blank look she showed every time her memories were erased. Kanzaki Kaori could no longer hold it together; tears flooded her eyes.

Index glanced around at everyone, her gaze lingering on Kanzaki for a moment before she clung to Rei Ao like a frightened cat.

"Ah! You're bad people!"

Seeing that tore at Kanzaki's heart.

"Is she all right now?"

Mikoto asked curiously.

"Yes," Rei Ao nodded. Then he added, "But your troubles still aren't completely over."

Mikoto's brow furrowed.

"You mean that conspiracy?"

"What conspiracy? You're hiding something from us?"

Shokuhou Misaki picked up on the shift. The magicians had been dealt with, so what else was there?

Rei Ao didn't immediately answer. He simply stood calmly, gazing off into the distance, clearly pondering something bigger. After a while, he spoke quietly:

"First, get Index settled. As for the rest, I'll handle it."

With no further explanation, he vanished on the spot.

"He…"

Index looked at her now-empty hands, feeling a pang of loss—she'd sensed a strange closeness to him.

"Index…"

Kanzaki Kaori approached with anguish in her eyes.

"Ugh! S-stay back!"

Index shrank away, still traumatized from being "pursued."

"…"

Kanzaki bit her lip, unable to voice the words she wanted to say when faced with Index's fear.

"Tch, not only is she clueless, but she's got no EQ either."

Mikoto couldn't hold back.

"Aren't you supposed to be 'family?' Then speak up and explain yourself!"

~~~

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