Blocking Pursuit (Unsuccessful)
To get straight to the point, this world is not the world of A Certain Magical Index. There is no Academy City, no superpowers, and the church leaders aren't Laura Stuart, the great demon Coronzon, or Dion Fortune.
While A Certain Magical Index magic works and Telesma can be summoned, no one else recognizes or uses it. It's possible that either I am the only one who can use it, my reincarnation altered the world's rules, or it was always here, but unnoticed.
If the last theory is true, it may be due to the existence of a power that rivals magic: jujutsu. Jujutsu is literally a curse, powered by negative spiritual energy. In A Certain Magical Index, jujutsu would be considered a type of magic, but it operates on different principles.
The "reverse curse technique" appears to be a method that generates positive energy from cursed energy, which seems to be a different form of energy from Telesma.
After performing a healing spell at the clinic, I was summoned before high-ranking clergy, such as bishops and archbishops. While explaining the magic I used, we realized there was a fundamental difference in our worldviews.
Since then, we have been holding exchanges between magic and jujutsu. Though I'm more interested in discovering what magic I can use, they are very keen on my abilities, making it almost obligatory for me to participate. As a guest here, it's hard to refuse.
I have no intention of widely spreading magic and only teach harmless spells. However, my ability to refuse is becoming increasingly difficult.
The church has both a public-facing role and a covert one as jujutsu practitioners. Their secret duty involves exorcising monsters known as cursed spirits. Jujutsu is essential to combat these spirits, but some clergy resist calling their powers "curses," preferring terms like exorcism or sacrament.
As mentioned, cursed energy comes from negative emotions, and some clergy view jujutsu negatively.
This somewhat parallels A Certain Magical Index. To fight magicians, you need to understand their magic, but understanding corrupts the mind, and contact defiles the body. Hence, there was the Necessarius, the Church of Necessary Evil, to bear this corruption.
In this country, or rather the Christian side, the reverse curse technique that manipulates positive energy is highly esteemed. Many can heal minor wounds, but only a few can heal severe injuries or others, qualifying them for high clergy positions.
While I thought it wouldn't be bad to live here as a nun, some people's eyes on me have become intense. I feared being dissected as a lab animal, but instead, I've started to be worshipped.
I exude more positive energy than all the clergy in the country combined and can heal multiple people at once, even summoning angelic beings. My inability to generate cursed energy due to the counteraction of Telesma, and my neutral magic power, all make me an ideal figure to them.
Though in reality, magic is often less effective than jujutsu...
"Done."
I stand before the mirror, satisfied with the result. Reflected is a pure white habit embroidered with gold—a spiritual outfit resembling a church, designed with magical patterns for absolute defense against physical and magical attacks. Only the "Dragon's Breath," the beam Index used to destroy the Tree Diagram satellite, could damage it.
This is the "Walking Church," an emblem of Index. Without it, I couldn't start. Since it wasn't part of my initial equipment upon reincarnation, I had to create it myself.
Originally, the cloth needed to be an exact replica of the Shroud of Turin, pierced by the Spear of Longinus, but I resolved this with Telesma.
Telesma attribute is determined upon summoning, and in my case, it's "aether," which "resembles everything." By adding or materializing my Telesma, I hypothesized that I could create a substitute for spiritual equipment.
Using aether, which can mimic anything, I managed to imbue my habit with these properties. Humans can't process materialized Telesma scientifically or magically, so I applied it directly. My Telesma constantly supplies the habit, ensuring it never runs out of energy.
Having spent a year in the church, today, I plan to escape.
---
A flight from London to Japan departs from London, passes through Russian airspace, and heads to Haneda Airport. The flight takes twelve hours, exactly half a day.
"Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm."
Beef or fish, beef or fish. Even my humming sounds like a hymn. Despite my pure voice, my thoughts are filled with hunger. Although I ate enough for three people just a few hours ago, my body is already demanding more food.
My abnormal appetite is the biggest drawback of the Index body. It's strange that I don't gain weight and can eat beyond my body's physical capacity.
"Attention please, illegal traveler Index-chan, can you hear me?"
The in-flight announcement filled the cabin with confusion as it was not something you'd expect from the cabin crew or the captain.
It seems I've been pursued. Although I applied magical concealment when I escaped, they somehow managed to track me to this flight. While cursed energy can be detected, I'm a novice in jujutsu, so I might not have noticed any detection traps.
I can't deny using illegal means like forging a passport and brainwashing officials with magic, as my identity is ambiguous.
"It's cruel of you to leave Britain without permission. Everyone at St. George's Cathedral is crying, you know?"
Those tears are probably due to their loss rather than concern for me. Recognizing the value of magic, they wouldn't let someone like Index go easily.
Many tried to win my favor or issued orders through high-ranking officials, constantly attempting to use me. Traveling to Japan was to protect myself from such people—though it's also because I grew tired of it. Another reason is the significant power of cursed spirits and Jujutsu in Japan compared to the rest of the world.
Though there's no Academy City, Jujutsu flourishes in Japan. It's natural to think there's something here. If this is indeed a fictional world, events are likely to happen in Japan. I don't aspire to save someone on the other side of the planet, but I want to be in a position to respond quickly to a global catastrophe. I'd rather not be caught off guard by an apocalypse. If it's a domestic issue or beyond my power, I won't interfere.
I might seem cold-hearted, but I'm a pseudo-sister. I don't intend to role-play Index's character to the core.
Living comfortably while researching magic from the Index world is my goal. And... to eat delicious food.
Yes, food. I was eagerly waiting for my in-flight meal, so I wish not to be disturbed.
Looking out the window, I saw a man riding something like a broomstick, flying in the sky. He didn't seem to be a church member but perhaps a hired freelance Jujutsu sorcerer.
Despite the extreme cold and strong winds at an altitude of 10,000 meters, he showed no signs of discomfort and maintained his position effortlessly. When he noticed me, he gave a sly smile.
I'm not pleased to see you. Though tempted to give him the middle-finger, I restrained myself. While I don't role-play, I don't want to ruin my outward appereance.
Looking around the cabin, it seemed no other passengers noticed him. If they had, it would have caused a commotion. They're likely distracted by the earlier announcement. It's best to deal with him before anyone sees him.
"D W C T S, Oh, demons carrying this magic user, promptly let go! Q G Y H O."
I chanted an incantation encoded with Notarikon. He lost his ability to fly and vanished from sight instantly.
The spell I used is designed to crash those flying through magical means. It doesn't affect those flying by scientific means, but it works on jujutsu users. This difficulty in categorizing jujutsu—whether it's a supernatural ability, magic, or something else—is why it's so confusing. Some jujutsu interact with myths and legends, while others function within personal realities.
Is flying magic common in this world? In the Index world, this "crash spell" makes flying magic practically useless. The spell is based on the tradition that Saint Peter, the first Roman Pope who held the keys to heaven, prayed to bring down Simon Magus, an enemy flying with the power of demons.
It's simple, powerful, and well-known, making it widespread among magicians in the Index world. To fly despite this, one needs a strong magical barrier or to fly low enough to be considered "running."
There are many anti-flight spells in the Index world. In Christianity, there's also the "Saint John's interception spell" and the "Icarus wings," though the latter wasn't in the original series. According to my research from the 103,000 grimoires, significant preparation is required. It works on any object-based flight, not just winged ones. It even says it could melt airplane wings—not something I'd ever do.
When Simon the Sorcerer fell to his death according to the legend, it showed that the crash spell causes more damage than simply falling. If one gives up flying and uses magic or cursed energy for defense, they might survive and return alive. What happens after that isn't my concern.
Though I've dealt with the root cause, the cabin remains in turmoil. The captain announces that someone hijacked the in-flight announcement system but assures us it hasn't affected the flight's operation. Naturally, such an explanation doesn't suffice, and the commotion only grows.
Even if the existence of jujutsu doesn't come to light, it's bound to become a minor newsworthy incident. It's astonishing that the British jujutsu community isn't concerned about hiding this.
... Do I need to perform memory erasure here?
It's likely that even the control tower has been contacted, creating a major nuisance. Why do I have to clean up the mess caused by our enemies?
A sigh escapes me involuntarily.
The saying "sighing makes happiness escape" is merely a superstition. However, turning such superstitions into magical symbols is part of a magician's job, so it can't be dismissed entirely.
Yet, unless one consciously wills it as magic, it has no effect, and even if established as magic, its impact would be so minor that no one would notice.
In the first place, people sigh because they've encountered misfortune; the cause and effect are reversed.
There is no "Blythe Road's Treasure" in this world, and my right hand doesn't possess the "Imagine Breaker." I don't want to develop a habit of lamenting misfortune like a certain spiky-haired individual.