Talent Workshop.

Shokuhou Misaki's long golden hair shone like honey under the lights. She deliberately slowed her pace so Dolly could keep up. The corridor of the Talent Workshop was a lot more crowded than usual—every few steps, they'd encounter Misaka Sisters in matching uniforms.

"This place has changed so much," Dolly said curiously, looking around. Her slender fingers lightly brushed the walls they passed.

"In the past, only I and a few researchers would walk here."

"Well, we need to accommodate twenty thousand Sisters now," Shokuhou pointed her remote at Misaka #9982 in the distance, who was busy organizing supplies.

"Though it's cramped, it's so much better than that experiment, right?"

Suddenly, Dolly halted, her pale green eyes contracting slightly. Shokuhou instantly realized she'd said the wrong thing and felt a stab of pain in her chest. Spinning around, she faced Dolly, her starry eyes tinged with anxiety.

"S-sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned…"

"It's fine, Misaki."

Dolly smiled, shaking her head. That smile reminded Shokuhou of a small white flower she'd once grown on a windowsill—pure and flawless.

"Just walking here with you like this makes me really happy."

Dolly was easily satisfied, perhaps because her previous short life had left her with nothing.

"It's just…"

She hesitated.

"I still don't understand—why were we resurrected? Why would that guy named Rei Ao help us?"

Shokuhou felt her throat tighten. She unconsciously fiddled with the buttons on her remote, the metal casing turning cold in her grip.

How could she possibly explain? Should she tell Dolly that it was bought by trading her body and dignity? Or that Mikoto, that dummy, had also sold herself to Rei Ao for her sisters' sake?

Not to mention Mikoto and the rest still hadn't left that room, and Shokuhou had no idea what was happening there.

"He… he's a very special person," she finally managed, in a near whisper.

"Strong enough to rewrite life and death, but… the way he claims payment is also quite special."

Dolly tilted her head, her gaze so pure it hurt Shokuhou inside.

"Misaki, did you pay something? You look so complicated."

Shokuhou clutched her remote so tightly her knuckles turned white.

At that moment, she heard a voice only she could perceive, as though it struck directly into her brain:

"Little Honeybee, looks like I arrived right on time."

"Since you're talking about the cost, it's high time you paid up for your status—I'm waiting for you here."

The teasing amusement in that voice made Shokuhou's entire body tremble. She knew that voice all too well—Rei Ao! He had returned!

"Misaki? You suddenly look so pale."

Dolly reached out, wanting to check Shokuhou's forehead.

"I—I just remembered I have something to do!"

Shokuhou stumbled back a step, forcing a smile.

"Dolly, maybe go find the other Sisters for a while, okay? They're all connected to the Misaka Network, so I'm sure you can sense—"

"But—"

"It's fine!"

Shokuhou had already turned and was briskly walking away, her high heels tapping out a frantic beat on the floor. After rounding a corner, she leaned against the wall, breathing hard. Her chest rose and fell, causing the ribbon on her school uniform to quiver.

"Damn it…"

She bit her lower lip, rummaging through her bag for a makeup mirror. In its reflection, she saw her own eyes rimmed with red, as if she were about to cry. Shokuhou slapped her cheeks twice.

"Get it together… It's only a… a transaction."

…

Thirty minutes later.

Shokuhou stood before a pitch-black door. She had hurried back to her dorm for a shower, changing into Tokiwadai's winter uniform. She knew full well these preparations were ultimately meaningless. Her hand hovered over the doorbell, trembling for a few seconds, but she couldn't press it.

"Just come in. I know you're there."

Rei Ao's voice penetrated the heavy door, carrying an irresistible power. Shokuhou took a deep breath and pushed the door open—then froze on the spot.

In the spacious, quiet room, Rei Ao was lounging on a black leather sofa she recognized all too well. He was wearing a loose black yukata, collar undone to reveal a well-defined chest.

But that wasn't what made Shokuhou's mind go blank. It was the girl kneeling there, diligently working at… something.

"M-Mikoto?!"

Shokuhou shrieked, dropping her purse, from which her remote control rolled out.

"Pffft," Rei Ao let out a low, amused laugh, his rainbow eyes gleaming happily in the dim light.

"You've got it wrong, Little Honeybee."

"This is Misaka #00001."

As if to confirm his words, the tea-brown-haired girl lifted her head, indeed wearing Mikoto's face but missing Mikoto's signature sharpness in her gaze. Her slightly parted lips looked easy to deceive.

"Misaka #00001 is currently carrying out close-contact tasks with Rei Ao-sama as part of an intimate relationship. Misaka is attempting to explain the situation but feels very embarrassed."

Shokuhou felt dizzy enough to collapse. She had to brace herself against the door to keep standing. She saw Rei Ao's slender fingers gently stroking #00001's hair in a gesture that to her eyes was both tender and possessive.

"W-what did you do to the Sisters?"

Her voice trembled. Rei Ao arched an eyebrow, speaking righteously:

"What did I do? I simply responded to their confessions."

"Confessions…?"

He grinned.

"All 20,000 Misaka Sisters confessed their love for me. As proof of reciprocating, I plan to build a deeper relationship with each of them in numerical order, starting today."

He deliberately emphasized those last words. Having achieved the rank of the One God, Rei Ao found himself bored, so he was revisiting his arrangement with the Sisters. Even he felt a bit of pressure from 20,000 of them.

~~~

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