What was she thinking?
Natsume Sonoko gazed at the Dorm Supervisor with an intensely serious look, but the irrepressible smile and joy on her face betrayed what she was really feeling.
Whether she had the capability of a Level 5 or not, this was an opportunity she absolutely couldn't pass up. Worst case scenario, she could just borrow some computational power from Reiko.
Her mind didn't even entertain the option of refusing. In almost no time, she had decided. She was going to take this assessment.
"Miss Supervisor, I've decided I want to take the assessment. This is the result of careful consideration," Natsume Sonoko declared, nodding vigorously like a chick pecking at rice, bobbing her head seven or eight times in quick succession.
"I see. Here is your medical examination form," the Supervisor replied, handing over a stack of documents and a pen, her tone quite stern.
"All the information is already filled in. You just need to sign it. After signing, it will be submitted for archiving and kept by a designated research institute. They will contact you for subsequent check-ups, which will likely coincide with your next scheduled physical."
"Okay," said Natsume, taking the documents and studying them carefully.
Opening the cover, the second page featured a photo of her face, her distinctive bun taking up nearly a third of the picture.
--+--
[Name: Natsume Sonoko]
[Father: Natsume Ryunosuke; Mother: Natsume Tomoyo]
[Place of Birth: Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo]
[Age: 12]
[...]
[School: Private Tokiwadai Middle School]
[Ability: Thermal Control (Heat Manipulation)]
--+--
After reading through the extensive personal information, Sonoko realized the record was even more complete than she'd expected. It felt less like a simple medical form and more like a detailed dossier, documenting her life, studies, and ability development since her arrival in Academy City.
She could barely remember when she first became a Level 1, yet it was clearly recorded here—not just the test results and evaluations, but even the name of the examiner from back then.
Reading through the form was like reviewing her own life. A strange feeling washed over Sonoko, a sense of how quickly time had flown. In the blink of an eye, she was already in middle school.
Finding no issues with any of the terms, Sonoko uncapped the pen and scrawled 'Natsume Sonoko' with dramatic flair.
The four characters were utterly unremarkable, looking like the most common font found online, but she pressed down so hard with the pen it nearly tore through the paper.
"All filled out," Sonoko said, looking up and handing the documents back.
"Hmm, the handwriting is quite neat. Much better than some students'," the Supervisor remarked, glancing at the form and giving a slight nod.
"But let me be perfectly clear. Regardless of whether you pass the assessment and obtain the Level 5 position, there is one thing you must always remember."
"Do not expect a Level 5 to receive any special privileges within the dormitory. Everything remains the same. If you break the rules, the punishment will be no different. Do I make myself clear?"
The Supervisor's authority was palpable. A sharp glint flashed behind her glasses as she adjusted her black frames, her presence growing somewhat ominous.
"Understood! I will strictly abide by all school and dormitory regulations. I absolutely won't cause you any trouble, Miss Supervisor," Sonoko said urgently, her face the very picture of earnest seriousness.
"Good. I hope you won't disappoint me, Natsume-san," the Supervisor said, gathering the documents and standing up to leave.
She paused mid-step, then suddenly turned back, her expression softening into one of encouragement. "Oh, and Natsume-san, do your best on the assessment."
On the street, Natsume Sonoko carried several large and small bags, clearly having just come from the supermarket.
The hot pot party—ahem, the study group—at Saten-san's place was tomorrow.
Impatient, Sonoko had gone ahead to buy the ingredients early.
Though her mind was still occupied with thoughts of the Level 5 assessment, her mood had begun to relax. The assessment was still days away; right now, there were more immediate matters to attend to.
She mentally listed the important recent events, counting them on her fingers.
The study group, the assessment, school starting soon, the cellular adjustments for the Sisters, and, oh right, looking after Reiko.
Not long ago, they'd also received an email from Nunotaba-senpai, which Misaka-san had gotten too. It said the plan to implant the emotional program had failed.
The original idea was to use the memories of a single Sister to upload emotional data into the Misaka Network, thereby affecting all the Sisters. But it seemed they had encountered interference from a higher-level entity.
Only Misaka 19090, who was still in the cultivation pod and received the program directly, had a successful implantation.
The emotional program itself was still intact; they could still implant it into each Sister individually, but that would consume a massive amount of time and effort.
According to Senpai, bundling the emotional program implantation with the Sisters' cellular adjustments was the more practical approach.
She had already prepared to join the cellular adjustment work.
Meanwhile, the awakening of the Sisters was in full swing. Over the next few weeks, the Sisters would be awakened one after another. Most would be sent outside the city for their cellular adjustments, but a significant number—at least five hundred—would remain in Academy City.
Sonoko could already imagine the future scene: Sisters gathered in groups on the streets, calling out "Misaka!" and having hundreds of heads turn at once.
Her train of thought was broken by the weight of the bags in her hands, which were filled to the brim with her 'spoils of war.'
Takoyaki, beef balls, siu mai pork dumplings, and shrimp balls were just the basics. She also had tofu, tempura, lamb skewers, and similar fare.
As for vegetables, she'd only picked out potatoes and tomatoes.
With her haul so plentiful, Sonoko's anticipation for the hot pot party grew even stronger.
Thanks to her successfully approved outing request, the originally scheduled duo cleaning duty in the dormitory cafeteria tomorrow had been graciously postponed by the understanding Supervisor.
"Natsume-chan! Fancy running into you here!"
A petite, pink-haired woman who was a 'legal loli' waved happily at Natsume Sonoko from within the crowd.
"Eh? It's Komoe-sensei!"
Just hearing the voice was enough for Sonoko to guess who it was.
As the saying goes, the pinker the hair, the fiercer the fighter, but Komoe-sensei was the exception, possessing not a shred of aggressiveness.
Turning around, Sonoko noticed a girl in miko attire standing beside Komoe-sensei. A Germanic-style cross hung around her neck, clashing oddly with the Shinto priestess outfit.
A miko who follows Christianity? Probably some new kind of cosplay.
Sonoko felt like she'd seen this girl somewhere before. Wasn't she the one known for her gluttonous appetite?
"Ahem, let me introduce everyone. This is Himegami Aisa-san, and this is Natsume Sonoko-san. Himegami-san is currently staying at my place, so she's my roommate!" Miss Komoe said, pulling Himegami Aisa over and smiling at Sonoko.
"Hello," came the girl's voice, plain and carrying a hint of shyness. The miko-clad girl nodded at Sonoko.
"Hello. May I ask, are you a miko?" Sonoko's eyebrows rose slightly, her eyes widening with curiosity. She was quite intrigued by mysterious professions like that of a miko.
"No, I'm a magician," Himegami Aisa shook her head. She produced a stun baton from her hand, pressed the button, and blue electricity crackled through the air with a sizzling sound.
"...Eh? A magician?" Sonoko's gaze was full of doubt. She'd seen magicians before, but none of them used stun batons, especially not the police-issue kind.
"That's correct. I am a magician," Himegami Aisa stated firmly.
"Aisa-chan is a hardworking girl. Perhaps you and Natsume-san could become good friends," Miss Komoe chimed in.
"Friends... I would like that," Himegami Aisa said, slowly lifting her head. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her long bangs neatly covering her eyebrows. She was a very cute girl.
Her eyes were somewhat lifeless, her pupils slightly unfocused, giving her a bit of a 'dere' vibe.
"I actually like making friends too. Here, this is for you," said the girl with the distinctive bun.
With that, Sonoko pulled a box of siu mai pork dumplings from one of her shopping bags and pressed it into Himegami Aisa's hands.
--+--
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.