On the last day of the Daihaseisai, Judgment Branch 177 was mostly empty, yet faint sounds of clattering objects could still be heard from within.
Considering this was one of Judgment's headquarters, and that a notoriously ruthless Teleporter often ran her side business here, the nature of anyone visiting this place was certainly questionable.
All traces of the previous visit by the magician had completely vanished. Even the walls and floors had been repaired, now sporting a strong, cozy, homely style.
A newly built small balcony extended slightly from the outer wall.
To avoid affecting the building's main structure, the extension was only about a step long, with a few newly purchased potted plants placed on the railing.
Rumor had it they were a gift from that senior, Yanagisako Aomi.
Although that senior was also a member of Judgment here, she was always busy with romance and enjoying her coupled life, hardly ever showing up for branch activities. Even Shirai-san hadn't seen her more than a few times.
The sound of busy footsteps filled the room, occasionally accompanied by the soft muttering of a girl, likely pondering some difficult problem.
The bookshelf that once held various documents and files had now been inexplicably stuffed with a pile of manga. Even a camping grill and a dutch oven were neatly arranged near the coat rack by the window.
Somehow, a large quantity of instant canned food and various seasonings had appeared around the expensive black tea and sweets the flower ring girl had splurged on.
It seemed someone had moved their entire camping set over.
Apparently feeling there still wasn't enough space, a certain girl rested her chin on her hand, thinking hard, before suddenly having an epiphany as she looked at the largest storage cabinet in the room.
If she just squeezed Shirai-san's things into the corner, and placed Konori-senpai's Musashino Milk here, then the freed-up space could fit even more stuff.
"Lucky I wasn't picked for the closing ceremony, I can't stand all that endless nagging. But suddenly I feel a bit sad… the Daihaseisai is ending just like that, and I feel like it only just started."
"Heh, you need to face reality, Saten-san. Besides, there's the bonfire party tonight, so it's not completely over yet."
"Even so, just thinking about classes and that whole string of ability development sessions totally kills my mood."
The sound of conversation came from the entrance; it seemed the soundproofing here still wasn't good enough.
Uiharu bent down to look at the miniature camera on Branch 177's door, and the iris-recognition enabled door opened with a thump.
As the two groups stared at each other in surprise, Natsume-san finally put down the things in her hands, offering a slightly embarrassed smile.
"Eh? Natsume-san, you're moving your things into the branch!?"
Uiharu glanced somewhat suspiciously at the assortment of instant cans and seasonings near the black tea.
She felt these things didn't quite match the image of an ojou-sama in her mind, though a certain Teleporter had already done plenty to shatter that image.
Ojou-samas were supposed to be like in shoujo manga, not doing anything, just drinking tea and eating snacks all day, then being dressed in elegant, gorgeous evening gowns by maids to attend various balls and such.
But this was probably just Uiharu's wishful thinking.
The reality was that the ojou-samas of Tokiwadai led arduous lives, details of which were rarely known to outsiders.
Beyond normal studies, they had to learn everything from upper-class arts like flower arrangement and tea ceremony, down to practical skills like sewing and cooking.
The more comprehensively they studied, the better they could cater to students' different needs and adapt to the development of various ability types. But for Natsume-san, it seemed she had now unlocked quite a few extra life skills.
Come to think of it, "Tokiwadai ojou-sama" was just a playful nickname, not specifically referring to truly wealthy young ladies from rich families.
After all, Tokiwadai Middle School didn't need to rely on hefty scholarships to attract students.
The hard requirement for entering Tokiwadai was reaching Level 3 "Strong" ability or higher, not one's family background or status—there was even a case of a foreign royal applicant being rejected.
It was just that girls who reached the "Strong" level were so rare in Academy City that they ended up with the "ojou-sama" title.
Of course, there were still quite a few genuinely wealthy young ladies at Tokiwadai Middle School. Kongou-senpai and Shirai-san counted, and even Natsume Sonoko herself could be considered one.
"Yeah, my dorm room is a bit too full, and I couldn't bear to just throw these things away. But I already told Konori-senpai before I came."
Natsume-san explained a little sheepishly.
She had noticed Uiharu and the others earlier, but saw no need to avoid them. In fact, she had specifically chosen to bring over things that everyone might find useful.
"I see. Well, there's always a spot for you here in the branch, Natsume-san."
Uiharu seemed pleased, nodding quite seriously.
Just like Shirai-san, Natsume-san was a very reliable partner in Judgment, even if Natsume-san's position as a Judgment member was a bit… unique.
"Whoa, are these those legendary multi-piece camping sets? I've seen them on TV shopping!"
As if she'd discovered something amazing, Saten-san exclaimed, pointing at a pile of cramped-together, unused iron junk.
During these days of the Daihaseisai, all duties had been handled by Anti-Skill. Even Judgment's routine patrols around the school had been suspended.
But that didn't mean the Judgment system had ground to a complete halt. Various documents and information had piled up in the computers, needing timely processing.
"There's been a large gathering of armed Skill-Out groups in District 1. Anti-Skill thinks it might be related to that game targeting the Skillless, maybe some kind of demonstration."
"And there's a specific group calling themselves 'Skill Out' that's under heavy suspicion by Anti-Skill."
Uiharu was flipping through recent documents when she suddenly frowned, looking intently at one piece of information.
"Targeting the Skillless? What kind of game is that supposed to be?"
Having just fetched some black tea from the cabinet, Saten-san paused her movements, annoyed, as wisps of steam rose from the teapot on the table.
Ability level had nothing to do with character, which inevitably meant the esper community was a mixed bag.
Most espers could restrain their own desires—that was why Academy City could barely maintain stability—but the city wasn't short of troublemakers looking for fights.
These types couldn't get into the Dark Side, couldn't be good students, and were even looked down upon by the armed Skill-Out groups. They were just scum who only knew how to bully the weak.
"I heard Konori-senpai mention this matter. But if everyone knows about it, why hasn't anyone dealt with it yet?"
Natsume-san asked, puzzled.
If Judgment or Anti-Skill stepped in, this sort of thing should be suppressed quickly.
"Because the vast majority of the attacks happen in blind spots—places without cameras or satellite coverage. Even if we can confirm the perpetrators' identities, we lack the evidence to convict them."
"And some of the victims… don't seem willing to trust Judgment or Anti-Skill either." Uiharu sighed.
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T/N: 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.