Jacob, a newly appointed sacristan under St. Stephen's Cathedral, had been assigned to work at the relief center.
He was slightly overweight, and paired with his long white robe, he looked very kind.
"Oh, look at that full moon—tonight is truly a perfect night for moon-gazing," he said, sitting in the guardroom, gazing at the starry sky through the window.
"Hm?" Out of the corner of his eye, Jacob caught a flash of white.
He straightened up and looked directly—standing outside the guardroom, peering in through the glass, was a delicate white-haired girl, about 120 cm tall.
Jacob thought immediately that she must be a lost child, left behind by a careless parent.
Opening the guardroom door, he walked over and crouched down in front of her.
"Little one, what are you doing out here so late? Where are your parents?" he asked, pulling a piece of candy from his pocket and offering it to her.
As the white man in a long robe emerged, Selene thought, Time to put my acting skills to the test.
She shook her head in confusion, her eyes watering. "I... I don't know... sob sob..."
...
As expected, Selene's flawless performance stirred Jacob's compassion. She relayed a fabricated backstory to him:
Her mother had died from hemorrhage during childbirth, she had no father, and she had been raised by her grandmother. Because of her unusual diamond-shaped pupils, people in her small town avoided her, believing she brought misfortune. A week ago, her grandmother died from illness. After the funeral, the townspeople sent her here and left.
"Poor child. May the Lord's light ease your sorrow," Jacob said with pity.
Turning, he led her inside. "Child, what's your name?"
In a soft voice, the white-haired girl answered, "Selene."
Jacob handed her some bread and water. "Here, eat something. You must be hungry."
"Thank you," Selene said, pausing a moment before eating under Jacob's gentle gaze.
Seeing her timid demeanor, Jacob reflected on her story. Born without parents' love, raised by an elderly grandmother—"Poor child..."
"Selene, wait here a moment. I'll be right back," Jacob said, stepping out.
As he disappeared from sight, Selene's expression slowly faded. Sorry... I didn't mean to deceive you, she thought silently.
...
"Oh, you've finished. You must have been starving," Jacob said, smiling as he returned.
"Come on, let's get you registered."
Selene lowered her head and followed him.
...
One week later, Austria, Vienna, St. Stephen's Relief Center, dormitory building.
Selene placed a tourist guidebook back on the shelf and rubbed her forehead, murmuring tiredly, "Academy City, huh? Looks like I've found my next target."
"My powers... if measured in Academy City, they'd be classified as a Gemstone, right?"
[Yes. By Academy City's standards, you would undoubtedly be a Gemstone esper.]
Selene closed her eyes in thought, then stood.
She looked around. It was a brand-new single dorm room, about 20 square meters, with spotless, well-polished furniture and no decorations.
For someone like her, alone in the world, having a small space to herself was all she could ask for right now.
According to Jacob, this dorm building had only been completed last year. Her chance to stay here was thanks entirely to him.
She could now confirm that the timeline was still before the main events began. Academy City's Level 5 ranking hadn't been announced yet—if any Level 5 espers existed, the tourist guide would have mentioned them.
After all, Level 5 espers are Academy City's most prominent symbol. For now, she still had plenty of time to prepare.
Suddenly, Nina's voice came from outside the door. "Selene, are you there? Sister Savannah wants to see you."
"Alright, I'll be right there."
Nina was also an orphan at the relief center and had become one of Selene's recent acquaintances. She had short, ear-length hair tied into a ponytail, blue eyes, a petite figure—shorter than Selene by a head—and a gentle, soft-spoken demeanor.
Selene opened the door and looked at the small girl. "Let's go."
...
From the first time she saw Selene and recorded her information, Sister Savannah had noticed something different about her.
Over the past week, she had stood out even more among the children, like a crane among chickens.
She was always polite and respectful, never quarreling with others.
Her learning ability was exceptional—she had a photographic memory, clear thinking, and excellent logical reasoning.
Most notably, her diamond-shaped pupils and flawless, delicate features gave her an angelic appearance. Combined with her refined demeanor, she seemed extraordinary.
"She might be the most special girl I've met in my life," Sister Savannah thought in her office.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
"Sister Savannah, I'm here. What did you need me for?" Selene asked, bowing slightly.
Seeing the white-haired girl's textbook-perfect manners, Sister Savannah smiled. "Today is elective instrument day—violin, cello, piano, flute, oboe... What will little Selene choose?"
Selene thought for a moment. "The piano."
...
And so Selene's day passed in piano practice.
That night, lying in bed, Selene began to think about her abilities.
The "superhuman strength" trait was obvious in daily life—her natural strength was unusually high, and she could feel herself growing stronger each day.
Honkai energy manipulation was harder to manage. She couldn't yet predict the effects of directly releasing it on people or objects.
Space manipulation allowed her to open a black portal—perfect for stealing or spying.
She sat up in bed, extended her right hand, and activated her ability. Her hand passed into a black circle and reappeared from another black circle on the desk several meters away, picking up a cookie. She popped it into her mouth, chewing. The ability required no calculations—anything within range was hers for the taking with just a thought.
This was the hallmark of a Gemstone esper—a natural-born ability user whose powers were instinctive. In the Toaru Majutsu no Index world, Gemstones were extremely rare, with only about fifty in existence worldwide.
Unlike artificial espers, Gemstones could freely use their abilities as if they were part of their own body. Usually, Gemstones couldn't control their powers as children, which was how Academy City discovered and recruited them.
"Great Sage, what's my current maximum range for space manipulation?"
[About 50 meters.]
"How do I increase it?"
[Space manipulation is based on the strength of imaginary energy, which depends on Honkai energy levels. The Herrscher Core is key—in the previous world, the Second Herrscher Core briefly resided within you. Though it was removed, its essence fused with the Honkai Cube in your body. You can absorb imaginary energy to nourish it and grow stronger.]
"What's my current Honkai energy level?"
[About 80 HW. To become a Herrscher, you'd need over 2000 HW.]
"Still a long way to go. Well, no time to waste—let's start training."
Her body sank into a black circle.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a silent, purple-red space filled with particulate imaginary energy. This was not part of known four-dimensional space—it was a "folded dimension" parallel to ours, infinite in scope, unlike the "classical plane" we live in. Imaginary space could only be accessed with massive amounts of Honkai energy.
Selene sat cross-legged, awakening her core potential. The purple-red particles around her trembled, then surged toward her like moths to a flame.
Within a breath, her body shuddered violently. A layer of purple-red light rose from her feet and enveloped her entirely. She glowed with a dimming and brightening rhythm, an eerie yet mesmerizing sight.
The alternating pulses felt incredibly comfortable. The rush of strength from the imaginary particles was intoxicating.
...
Morning.
Selene reappeared in her dorm bed.
The comfort in her body made her involuntarily let out a soft sound.
Feeling her newfound strength made her want to revel in it.
She stretched, feeling refreshed. Watching the sun rise outside the window, her mood lifted.
"Today will be another day full of hope."