----"Joining forces."
For Misaka Mikoto, that was not an unfamiliar term.
But applying that term to the two of them made it feel utterly foreign.
It would not have been strange if those words had never come up for the rest of their lives.
The reason was simple.
In the past, Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki had worked together once in order to settle things with that man.
However, the result had been Misaka Mikoto getting thoroughly played by Shokuhou Misaki.
And under those circumstances, this woman actually had the nerve to suggest joining forces with her?
Misaka Mikoto had nearly been unable to stop herself from rewarding her with an electric shock.
Yet just as Misaka Mikoto was considering that, she stopped moving.
Because the expression on Shokuhou Misaki's face was more serious than ever before.
It was the first time Misaka Mikoto had seen Shokuhou Misaki wear such an expression.
That look, as though she were worried, restless, and anxious about something, was truly far too rare for this mental-type Queen who excelled at toying with people's hearts.
But Shokuhou Misaki really was worried, restless, and anxious.
"Although I have no interest in war or anything like that, since that man has gone so deep into such a place, I can't pretend nothing happened."
Still stirring the Black Tea in the cup before her with a spoon, Shokuhou Misaki spoke with a sigh.
"Even rationally speaking, with that man's abilities, he would be fine even against the armies of all Russia. But for some reason, I feel like I'll definitely regret it if I don't go find him."
This was what they called a bad feeling.
For some reason, Shokuhou Misaki had been feeling unsettled lately.
Her intuition told her—
Something extremely serious might be happening to Fang