Inside the Esper Association headquarters, Elizabeth stepped out of the interrogation room, her expression unreadable.
Waiting for her in the dimly lit corridor was a man with sharp features, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.
"Did you get anything from him?" he asked without looking up.
Elizabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It seems like he genuinely doesn't know anything."
The man hummed thoughtfully. "So this incident isn't directly related to him… but we still can't rule out the Minami or Fiolera families' involvement."
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before adding, "Something strange happened to the boy."
At that, the man finally turned to face her. "What do you mean?"
"His Esper powers… they're gone. Completely. As of now, he's just an ordinary human, not an Esper."
A heavy silence settled between them. The man, deep in thought, narrowed his eyes.
"Any idea why this happened?" Elizabeth pressed.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied her carefully, his gaze sharp, calculating.
"Could it be related to Miyazaki Aria's power?" she asked cautiously.
This time, the man's reaction was different. He stiffened—just for a fraction of a second—but it was enough for Elizabeth to catch it.
He didn't answer her question. Instead, he turned away. "Just do your job. Observe her. Don't ask unnecessary questions."
Then, without another word, he walked away.
Elizabeth clenched her fists. "Takeru!" she called after him.
No response.
Frustrated, she raised her voice, her tone sharp with anger and desperation.
"Miyazaki Takeru!!"
At that, the man stopped.
Elizabeth took a step forward. "At least tell me what you know. Trust me—I won't do any harm to your daughter."
Takeru stood there for a long moment, his back still turned to her. Then, without a word, he resumed walking and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
Elizabeth exhaled slowly, her mind racing.
Something was happening.
And Miyazaki Aria was at the center of it.
***
On a certain island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean stood the secret headquarters of a particular secret organization. There, an important meeting was taking place.
"We have finally found it. The vessel of our god has finally been born into this world after thousands of years," said Executive A.
"...Are you sure?... This isn't another false alarm, is it?" asked Executive B.
"...It's real this time... I saw it with my own eyes..." replied Executive A.
"Fufufu... finally, something interesting... May I be the one to capture the vessel?" said Executive C.
"Hey, you damn wench!!... The impact of the incident you caused last time is still lingering. We need to handle this carefully so the Esper Association doesn't find out," scolded Executive D.
"Don't call me a wench, you damn hobo... Hmph... I will be careful and avoid making a big scene this time," Executive C retorted.
"You?... Not making a scene during a mission?... Hahaha... Don't make me laugh." Executive D sneered.
A cute voice suddenly shouted.
"Both of you, shut up now!!..." ordered Executive E.
"Sorry, darling, but this idiot started it," said Executive C.
"I started it?!... You're the one who threw out a bad idea during this important meeting!"
"Enough with this useless debate. We must act quickly and decisively. We don't have time to argue like elementary school kids!" Executive A snapped in frustration.
Executive C and D stopped bickering.
"...Right... So where was the vessel found?" asked Executive B.
Executive A then threw a dart at the map on the wall. The dart landed at a point between the Philippines, Japan, and Micronesia—the federal capital of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. A man-made island housing more than seven million people: Tsukuru City.
"...Hey... Leader... Did you really have to throw a dart at the map? I just bought that map last week," complained Executive E.
"Ah, sorry... I just wanted to look cool. I'll buy a new map after this," said Executive A.
"...Ahem..." Executive A cleared his throat before continuing. "Anyway... The vessel is currently living in Tsukuru City. They are attending a prestigious school called Tsukuru Academy. The academy has tight security, making it difficult to infiltrate. As you all know, Tsukuru City is also home to the headquarters of the Esper Association. Taking the vessel right under their noses will be an extremely difficult task."
Executive A then turned toward Executive C.
"This is not a mission for you."
"...As I said... damn wench," muttered Executive D.
"...Don't make me start again!!" Executive C snapped.
"Huh... You two should get along if you're really serious about achieving our goal," sighed Executive B.
"Let them be..." said Executive A. "As long as they don't mess thing up... I can still tolerate it."
"So, what's the plan, Leader?" asked Executive E.
Executive A turned to look at Executive E.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?" Executive E asked.
"My plan is you..." Executive A said.
"...Eh? Me?..." Executive E looked confused.
"...Yes... I want you to enroll as a student at Tsukuru Academy." said Executive A.
***
I remember something from when I had just regained the memories of my past life. It was about a week after those memories resurfaced, though the exact time didn't matter. What mattered was what I did back then.
That night, Irana was having trouble sleeping. She tossed and turned in her bed, fidgeting with the edge of her blanket. At first, she wanted to call Mom and ask her to tell her a bedtime story. But I stopped her and offered to tell her one instead. She hesitated at first, biting her lip as if weighing her options. Then she smiled and nodded, trusting me completely. She said that since I was her Onee-chan, I probably knew more than she did—despite us being born only a few minutes apart.
I asked Irana to lie down and get comfortable. Then, I began telling her a story.
...
...
...
A long time ago, when the world was shrouded in endless darkness, there existed a being whom people often called the Lord of Darkness. He was the one who had cast the world into shadows, a figure of terror whispered about in hushed voices. Because of this, people feared him and dared not approach him.
The Lord of Darkness lived in solitude. He had no companions, no one to share his existence with. The silence stretched for eons, and in the depths of that endless isolation, his mind began to unravel. His loneliness drove him to madness, and his unchecked power threatened to annihilate the already desolate world. However, amidst his madness, one thing held him back—the distant, fading memories of his beloved.
Realizing the agony of his existence and the destruction his loneliness had wrought, the Lord of Darkness made a final decision. Tired of being alone, weary of seeing a world swallowed by shadows, he resolved to end his own existence. But before that, he had one last task.
The Lord of Darkness created six new beings—his children. To each, he granted immortality, so that time would not erode them. He gave them consciousness, so they could think, dream, and shape their own destinies. He showed them the state of the world and told them of the beauty it once held. He warned them of the cruel fate that might one day descend upon them, and how only unwavering determination could change it.
Then, he spoke of the inevitable end—the fate that awaited all things. No matter how mighty or eternal something seemed, it would one day perish. Even those called immortal would find an end, just as he would now.
The six children lived with the Lord of Darkness for a long time, learning under his guidance. He taught them about ethics and morality, about love and loss. He painted vivid pictures of a world filled with light, of a time before darkness swallowed everything. He took his six children on journeys across the remnants of existence, showing them forgotten wonders and telling them stories of what once was.
For the first time in thousands of years, the Lord of Darkness felt something foreign to him—happiness. His long-lost emotions returned, rekindled by the six lives he had created. For the first time in an eternity, he smiled.
But it was fleeting.
He always knew that once his children had grown, his time would come to an end.
The six children matured, and he watched with pride. When he was certain they were ready, he divided his immense power into six parts and bestowed it upon them.
Thus, the Six Primordial Authorities were born:
Origin
Time
Consciousness
Reality
Fate
End
Having passed on his strength, the Lord of Darkness created a barrier to protect his children. Then, with one last glance at them, he smiled—his first and final smile of true contentment.
He bid them farewell.
And then, he was gone.
Everything crumbled. The darkness that had once engulfed the world collapsed in on itself. Reality shattered into nothingness.
Nothing remained.
Not even the Lord of Darkness himself.
Only his six children were left alone in the void, carrying with them the weight of the power he had entrusted to them.
...
...
...
To this day, I still reflect on that story. I don't recall ever hearing it anywhere, yet I could tell it as if I had recited it countless times before. There was something about it—something that felt deeply personal, as though it was an integral part of me. But no matter how much I pondered, I couldn't grasp why it felt so important.
That night, after hearing the story, Irana began to cry. Tears welled up in her big, bright eyes, and she sniffled as she clutched her blanket.
"That was so sad…!" she whimpered. "Why would you tell me something like that before bed? Now I can't sleep!"
She tossed and turned restlessly, still sniffling. And then, after a long moment of hesitation, she did what I had initially stopped her from doing—she ran straight to our parents' room and climbed into bed with Mom, asking her to tell a different bedtime story.
But not before loudly complaining about how mean I was for telling such a tragic tale.