Kamijou, who had been stepped on like a rug, walked into the competition area with Misaka Mikoto, through the white tape of the finishing line.
The competitive area was in a completely different dimension compared to where they had the 'Wrench Pole Match'. This place seemed to belong to some sports university, as the orange concrete floor had white lines on it, like it was a standard race track. The spectator stands were ladder-type, like a professional stadium, and there were so many more video cameras used for reporting and security guards.
The high school committee members stationed there covered Mikoto with a large sports towel after she finished running the marathon. The signals they gave to provide drinks and a mini oxygen task were executed beautifully. Not only were they practical, it was like they had also considered that they were on air. After this, there would be a recognition ceremony and a simple interview. Before the next few participants arrived, the first few had to wait at another area.
(So completely different…even the committee members seem like they were trained intensively.)
The female high school committee member who was taking care of Mikoto stared at Kamijou's face. What now, Kamijou thought as he raised his guard. At that moment, the committee member whispered,
"...(Kamijou Touma, there's nothing wrong with the 'specified object', but aren't you getting hit on by girls quite often?)"
"...(This voice, wa! Fukiyose-san!?)"
Kamijou looked carefully, the person in front of him was Fukiyose Seiri. She was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, shorts and a thin jacket. She stopped whatever she was doing, but because it was work time, she couldn't just shout at him like usual. They whispered to each other,
"...(I'm really sorry for what happened just now, because of me, Kamijou Touma's neglect, I accidentally saw you changing clothes…)"
"...(I'm trying really hard to forget about that, so don't mention it again, Kamijou Touma!)"
"...(Uuu, I'm really sorry. Hm, come to think about it, Fukiyose, is that lamb-shaped infrared device really that good?)"
"...(—You want one?)"
"...(No…it's not that, I'm just curious. I never said that I wanted it!)"
"...(Keep quiet. Everyone's really serious! Anyway, don't interfere with the running of the competition or meddle with the competitors!)"
Fukiyose didn't listen to Kamijou. She picked up the record board that was placed on the ground together with the carton full of drinks and jotted down the records of the competition with a ball-point pen. On a side note, both of them didn't notice Mikoto, who was right beside them, giving a sulking expression.
From the atmosphere of the discussion, Kamijou sensed that Fukiyose was unwilling to talk anymore, so he turned to Mikoto, who had forcefully dragged him along.
"Come to think of it, Mikoto. I'm sweating profusely, and my calves are aching. I remember that for this competition, the third-party has to agree; did I see it wrongly?"
"Ah—you saw that wrongly. But the notice never said that you can't promise afterwards."
"..."
"Alright, don't sit down like a useless bum. Really, it's ugly looking."
Mikoto covered Kamijou's head using the towel that was placed on her, and rubbed the sweat off his face forcefully.
Kamijou felt ashamed as it feels like an adult drying a child's hair. But Mikoto was too forceful, and he couldn't wave it off. He thought that it'd be a lot more childish if he was swinging his arms about, and so he endured it silently.
After that, Mikoto wanted to get him a drink and a straw, but she stopped after seeing the straw. Mikoto looked at Fukiyose, and shook the isotonic drink in her hand slightly. Fukiyose, who was about to write something on the record board, looked up, and shook her head. Seemed like a participant couldn't request more than one bottle of drink.
".................."
Mikoto froze for a while, she shyly watched the sand flew into Kamijou's mouth, who was coughing non-stop, and was a bit fearful. She trembled for several seconds,
"Oi! You're really useless! I really don't know how to deal with you! Take it!!"
"Wah!!"
Mikoto pressed the bottom of the drink onto Kamijou's face, not expecting the drink to burst out of the straw. She was flushed red now as she turned her back to Kamijou and vanished to the stage. Because of the number of people participating, the rules for the class vs class and same year vs same year were rather lax, but the top three individual would be commended. Mikoto, who came in first place, would definitely be commended.
Fukiyose, who was standing aside, suddenly sucked her tongue contemptuously. As the competition was still going on, she was standing by, preparing for the next person.
The one being commended was only Mikoto. Kamijou's existence was similar to that of a bun being eaten in a bun eating contest; there was no use for it after the competition, so he just walked to the exit.
(Being stepped on and kicked...to think that in this competition, an ordinary civilian gets it much worse than the participant? Isn't this competition supposed to be about having a participant get involved with the public, and being unable to use their own abilities?)
Kamijou thought about this, but nobody could give him an answer. He sipped the drink that Mikoto had given him, thinking that Index was still at that 'no access' place.
Suddenly, a piece of paper was carried to him by the wind.
It seemed to be the instructions of the Scavenger Hunt. There were no other participants here other than Mikoto, who was so far ahead of the pack, so this sheet of instructions should be hers. Fukiyose had already recorded the results on the record board, so it should be useless. The cleaner will clean it up if I leave it here, Kamijou thought as he picked up this flammable trash.
(What...)
What's was written on the paper was,
"A high school student who participated in the first competitive event."
(What, that's what it's all about? The 'Wrench Pole' match did occur directly after the opening ceremony. But besides me, there are hundreds of thousands of people who fulfill this criteria…so why am I…forced…to run this much?)
Kamijou, whose fatigue was rising rapidly, drooped his shoulders as he limped towards the exit. While walking out of the exit, he thought, eh? Why did Misaka know that I took part in the Wrench Pole match? And became puzzled.