Picking up her rag, she soon had the cafeteria's tables and chairs wiped spotless.
She'd paid particular attention to the table where that certain ponytail girl always sat, even meticulously cleaning between the seams—going above and beyond the dorm supervisor's assigned task.
Carrying the dirty water out to the drain behind the cafeteria, Natsume Sonoko dumped it out with a swift motion.
She watched the grimy liquid gurgle away, marking the end of her lunchtime cleaning duties.
After tidying up her supplies, a thoroughly drained Natsume trudged out of the cafeteria, walking alongside a still-energetic Misaka.
"Well then, see you tonight," said Tsuchimikado, leaning casually against the cafeteria doorframe with a laid-back expression.
"I know," Natsume replied, sounding almost resigned.
It was already the tail end of August.
With Tokiwadai Middle School's start date just four or five days away, the new term was practically upon them.
Even so, that didn't stop everyone from savoring what was left of their break. After all, their holiday homework had long been finished.
But something did catch Natsume's attention. Not long after leaving the cafeteria, she received a meeting invitation from a research institute located in District 18—a facility specializing in ability development.
According to them, they offered personalized ability development tailored to the individual's needs. On top of that, participants would receive a rather generous stipend.
Their credentials and paperwork were all in order. It was a legitimate institution under Academy City's jurisdiction, equipped with numerous precision instruments, including a supercomputer.
The stipend they offered was nothing to scoff at, either.
Depending on the level of cooperation—from basic to in-depth—the monthly payment ranged from ¥500,000 to ¥5 million. For a middle school student, that was an incredibly lucrative contract.
Yet after only a few seconds of consideration, Natsume flatly refused the invitation.
Though the generous stipend and high-precision equipment were tempting, she didn't buy into the idea of "personalized ability development."
In simple terms, it meant leasing herself out as a research subject.
Thanks to a certain Ito, Natsume Sonoko had already experienced what it was like to be a test subject once—and she knew exactly how it worked.
Natsume had zero interest in lending herself out for research. Besides, she already had Reiko. A lot of her ability development could be done without a supercomputer now, so her refusal was swift.
Thinking it over, Natsume felt even more grateful to Kiyama-sensei.
Pressing the red button on her phone screen, she sent off her rejection.
This was the first time Natsume had received such an invitation, which made her frown slightly.
It lined up with what Nunotaba Shinobu-senpai had analyzed—she really did seem to be drawing attention from various parties.
The incident involving the unknown individual's fight with Accelerator had just settled, yet many seemed to have already guessed that individual's identity. She had no idea how they'd figured it out.
The thought troubled her.
She hadn't shown her face at all during the whole ordeal, and she'd only spoken a single line.
That bun haired girl wasn't used to being in the spotlight—after all, she was more accustomed to lurking in the shadows, like some kind of magical girl.
Maybe it was because she'd been too conspicuous standing alongside the Sisters.
Speaking of the Sisters, she wondered if Nunotaba Shinobu had managed to install the emotion program yet.
But according to Reiko, there hadn't been any major changes in the Sisters so far.
--+--
At a certain university hospital, Doctor Heaven Canceller sat by Banri, helping remove the monitoring equipment attached to her.
"Doctor, doctor, can I be discharged now?"
The girl named Edasaki Banri—wearing a hairband that revealed her smooth forehead—blinked her lively eyes, full of hope.
"The test results are all healthy. You've made a full recovery. However, after you're discharged, be careful not to overeat—it's easy to put on fat if you do."
The face of the frog-like doctor curved into a gentle smile.
Hearing this, Banri's bright expression instantly deflated.
Thanks to the hospital's nutritious meals, she'd gained a little weight, looking somewhat plump and healthy—a far cry from the thin, frail girl she'd been when she first woke up.
"Alright… thanks for the advice, doctor," she mumbled, lowering her head.
"Banri, we're here to see you!"
Uiharu came in first, followed by Saten, Shirai, and Haruue.
"Everyone's here! Are those takoyaki? I love them!"
Banri exclaimed joyfully, taking two takoyaki balls and biting into them right away, puffing out her cheeks.
Out on the hospital balcony, Natsume Sonoko was speaking with Doctor Heaven Canceller, while Misaka occasionally chimed in.
"I only found out recently—the Level 6 Shift Project was unexpectedly halted. Traces of an electricity user and a thermal ability user were left at the scene. It's less that Accelerator was defeated by one person, and more that it was the result of two people working together."
Heaven Canceller's expression remained neutral, but his opening words startled both Natsume and Misaka.
"So that's why you called us here. We do know a little about the incident," Misaka replied calmly, neither denying nor confirming anything. She still looked surprised that Heaven Canceller—who shouldn't have been involved—was aware of it.
As for the incident itself and those involved, it was no longer a secret within certain circles.
"This is big news. Whether the #1 was defeated or fought to a draw, word spread instantly in our community. Now there are even rumors circulating among the student body."
Heaven Canceller nodded, though he didn't seem particularly interested, his face still impassive.
Hearing this, Natsume was taken aback. She thought of a certain senpai in her club. It wasn't too strange that researchers knew, but if even students were talking…
It seemed like nothing in Academy City could stay hidden—once something happened, it spread across the network. As someone who'd helped orchestrate events from the shadows, Natsume knew this all too well.
She'd initially thought the fight with Accelerator wouldn't cause much of a stir, but the aftermath had far exceeded that ponytail girl's expectations. Now she had no choice but to brace herself and deal with the less-than-ideal fallout.
Thankfully, Natsume hadn't been widely exposed—or at least, there was no direct evidence linking her.
"But I didn't call you here to discuss the #1. It's about the clones—Misaka's Sisters," Doctor Heaven Canceller said, his expression turning serious.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.