Every famous Espers in Academy City had a nickname designed for them by the board directors who oversee everything using an advanced AI from rumors and the said Esper’s ability.

  And mine, Delusional Angel, was taken from my pure white appearance and my ability. It made me look like a crazy delusional person on drugs, which was why I didn’t like it.

  More importantly, it sounded cringe!

  “Why is he here? Isn’t he supposed to be busy taking care of these papers?!”

  “This is bad. We can’t win against him. He’s on another level!”

  “If we fight against him together…”

  They began to mutter such things as if I didn’t stand here.

  How rude. They really had no education at all. All Esper Resistances members were either those failing in their Academies or drop out due to breaking laws. They really were a bunch of troublemakers that spread terror in Cypherion, trash among trash.

  Because they showed their hostility and showed off their halos in response to my warning, I didn’t need to hold back. White halo appeared behind my head. I controlled my wings and channeled my Psion through them, moving each feather to face my enemies.

  The feathers detached themselves from my back with a flap and launched themselves toward the people before me at an incredible speed.

  Woosh!

  Countless feathers flew and the maid who created the wall earlier exclaimed.

  “Shit!”

  The beige halo behind her head shone and she put her hands on the ground. A tall, sturdy wall of dirt rose in front of them to block my feathers, but…

  “It’s useless.”

  Every feather had a power similar to a bullet behind them. The wall only managed to stop a mere few before it was filled with holes and crumbled down. I could see my enemies already fled without any trace.

  They know they can’t beat me so they just cover my vision and run, huh? One of them surely has teleportation or a super speed ability to run that fast. Not even I can do that.

  In a battle, I couldn’t use my Detective’s Eyes to trace their Psion trail, so I only relied on sight and my senses. I never thought proud members of Esper Resistance would run away, though.

  I sighed and ruffled my hair, deactivating my Daydream. Maintaining Angel Wings’ form took Psion and stamina as I utilized both my ability and Psion technique to move them freely, so I couldn’t keep it for a long time.

  This was also one of my ability’s weaknesses which I was aware of.

  [Daydream ended. Returning to reality.]

  [Your Psion’s reserves: 97%]

  Still…

  “It’s not like I have to chase after them, though.” I mused as I began to walk out of the alley.

  There, I saw a crowd of people dressed wearing vests with PMC written on the chest circling the fled enemies. The three guys and two maids were handcuffed with special equipment that disturbed their imaginary field and Psion use, rendering them weak.

  I had already guessed the Public Moral Committee would arrive as soon as I made that commotion. They were always fast at times like this but they couldn’t solve any problems before it happened, leaving the student council to take care of it.

  “Good work.”

  I waved my hand at them and their representative, a short-haired girl with glasses, saluted at me.

  “Good work for you too. Thank you for your fast response.” She said, lowering her hand, “Though we would appreciate it if you don’t destroy the public facility, Vice-President.”

  “You’re always so stiff, Tina.” I addressed the girl casually.

  Tina Rosecraft, PMC’s secretary as well as the second team leader, responsible from District 13 to 15 out of 21 Districts in Cypherion. She was the definition of a strict, follow the rules to the T student.

  I am not good with her. I laughed wryly, hiding my inner thoughts. “I will count on you to deal with them. I think they are the ones responsible for spreading the papers around Cypherion, but interrogate them just in case.”

  “We will do that.” Tina answered, gesturing for the PMC members to take them away, “And I will send the document regarding reparation to the student council.”

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  My lips twitched at her words. Why did she have to be so strict with everything? Sibyl would chew me out if I added more work to her. That or I had to handle this personally.

  “Tina, we can talk about it right now. This building isn't civilian owned, right? Esper Resistance bought it to do their activities, which means it’s a terrorist base. Dismantling it isn’t a problem and I don't need any documents.”

  “From the data I received, they only rent this building for 3 months.” Tina pulled out a tablet and fiddled with the screen, “Hence, we need to send compensation to the building owner and fix it. Everything needs a document so the board director can process it.”

  They only rented it?!

  Damn Esper Association! If they wanted to have a base, couldn’t they just buy the building instead of renting it?

  “What is… going on here?”

  To make things worse, Sibyl appeared right after Tina said that. She looked at the hole I made and then turned at me.

  “Ciel-”

  “Fine, I will handle the document.” I sighed in resignation. I already knew what she wanted to say before she finished.

  In the end, I worked until night in the student council office under Sibyl’s supervision. She stayed with me until there were only two of us.

  I gritted my teeth at the Academy City’s students’ diligence. Please let me slack off for a moment!

  Though, in a positive light, Sibyl told me that my blazer would be fixed using the student council’s money because it was burned from the job. She was really kind in an unexpected place.

  ***

  Sun went down, casting its last light over Cypherion’s skyscrapers. Darkness engulfed the whole artificial island for a second before being cast away by fluorescent lights.

  Now, the whole Academy City was lit brightly, as if day had arrived for the second time. However, underneath these bright lights was shadow, dark enough to engulf anything dared to touch it.

  Still, the darkest shadow didn’t always stay underneath the light. Sometimes, the place above the light would be the darkest spot, hidden by the glorious warmth.

  “Hnn~”

  In the now empty student council’s office, a red-haired girl moaned on the couch where her colleague… No, maybe calling him her rival and best friend might be a better fit to define their relationship.

  Yes, just best friend, nothing more and nothing less.

  “Ah, Ciel…”

  Her green eyes mixed with crimson color held a hint of madness as she clutched into a slightly burnt white blazer in her hand. She sniffed deeply, taking the lingering aroma into her nostril before sighing in content.

  After a while, she put the blazer into a ziplock and secured it in her bag. Her lips curled up like a crescent moon, beautiful yet mysterious.

  “This will be number #3. I have yet again found an unexpected collection.” A cheerful voice, vastly different from her usual serious and cold one, rang in the room. “He’s so cute. He doesn't want to work, yet he’s worried about a peaceful life and ends up destroying a hidden base.”

  Ciel Rune, a normal yet abnormal boy.

  At first, Sibyl thought he was just another student in the Academy City. Just another Esper with no strong point. Another student with common Esper ability who would just fade into this large artificial island.

  His existence was a mere ant in a large colony compared to her who was praised as a genius and excelled in everything when she was first tested.

  Physical Fitness, Psion Reaction, and Mind State. She had achieved a triple A in these three, and added with her being Advanced Psion in the test, putting her at the cream of the crop.

  Not to mention, her Esper Ability being Sun Flare, a step above the normal Pyrokinesis in terms of temperature her fire could reach.

  A true personification of the elite among the elites.

  With her fame grew, so did the emptiness she felt. There was no joy in everything she did. And because of her position, no students wanted to be friends with her. Some tried to get close, but they had ulterior motives, so she drove them away.

  Then when she met him again, he seemed to be different. In fact, he didn’t care about her reputation and acted like a normal person. They fought due to differences many times. Of course, she won easily, for the first few fights.

  Slowly but surely, he got stronger. His use of ability became unpredictable due to his versatile mind. Before she knew it, she enjoyed his company every now and then. She also began to look forward to their next meeting.

  Then, at the peak of their rivalry at the Esper Academy Tournament, she was defeated. The title of strongest Esper in Cypherion she obtained in her first year was robbed.

  But she didn’t feel disappointed. Instead, she felt freedom. All of it was thanks to Ciel, that’s what she thought.

  “He will visit this office often now. At least until the culprit behind the terror is apprehended.”

  Which meant more time to spend together, just the two of them, in this cramped office where she held the highest authority over everyone including him. Not that she would force him to do something he didn’t like. But she might use that authority to tease him every now and then.

  Ring ring ring~

  At that moment, the telephone on the desk rang. Sibyl looked at the old, traditional cable telephone and sighed. Everytime this secure line rang, a trouble big enough for the board director to notice would happen or already happened.

  Sibyl hated yet loved it at the same time. She hated being ordered around like a slave to the Cypherion’s higher ups, but loved the fact that having trouble meant more time to spend with Ciel.

  The darkness has reached out to her.

  With a sigh, her cold demeanor returned and she took the call, listening to the information given to her.

  [Student Council President, there is a mission your organization has to accept. Clearance level: B and above.]

  Hearing that, her brows furrowed and light disappeared from her eyes. Her guess was right on the money.

  “I am listening, board director.”

  [Good. The details will be sent through the usual way. We’re counting on you.]

  “I understand. We work for Cypherion’s safety.”

  [Don’t disappoint us.]

  With that, the call was cut off and Sibyl sat on her seat. Cypherion’s scenery lay out on the window behind her, a city more advanced than anywhere else in the world, where wonder, dreams, and danger mixed into one pot.

  As they said, the darkest spot is right under the light.

  “I understand Ciel’s desire to laze around now.” She muttered, her lips curled into a mocking smile.