In a corner of Tokiwadai Middle School's sports field.
The lingering heat still radiated in all directions.
Without its controller, the high temperatures gathered around the target ford waves of restless hot air, the thermal energy scattering outwards and frightening several teachers into hastily backing away.
Air waves nearing a hundred degrees Celsius could easily scald human skin.
Natsu Sonoko, imrsed in the joy of advancing to Level 4, felt the tension in her heart completely vanish, replaced by a profound sense of satisfaction filling her chest.
A smile blood on her face, just like a flower in full bloom.
At the sa ti, what made Natsu even happier was that this month's scholarship wouldn't just include the standard Tokiwadai stipend, but also the scholarship awarded for becoming a Level 4.
Before entering Tokiwadai, her scholarship had been nine tis that of a Level 0's (as a Level 3). After entering Tokiwadai, it beca eleven tis a Level 0's. And now, having passed the Level 4 assessnt, her scholarship was receiving another massive increase.
Doing the math, she could get at least twenty tis a Level 0's scholarship now.
It still couldn't compare to a big shot like Misaka-senpai, nor could it match the family fortune of a senpai like Kongou, and there seed to be a considerable gap with Shirai-san too (Judgnt mbers received a quite substantial subsidy).
But it was more than enough compared to Wannai-san!
Poor Wannai-san.
Starting today, I, Natsu Sonoko, am also a Level 4 at Tokiwadai! I should send a ssage right now to tell Misaka-senpai and Wannai-san.
"Natsu-san, Natsu-san, you haven't withdrawn your ability yet." A teacher urgently addressed Natsu, snapping the girl out of her own world.
"Huh? But I did withdraw it." Forcibly pulled from her thoughts, she quietly shelved her plan to imdiately go to the locker room for her phone.
Natsu Sonoko looked up, sowhat confused, at the teacher's anxious face.
"Natsu-san, while you may have withdrawn the ability itself, you still need to deal with this heatwave. The target is fine, but the computers can't take it!" the assessing teacher said frantically. It wasn't just the computers; they couldn't take it either.
The temperature on the target had started to drop, and while hot air generally rose, they were just too close to it.
"Ah, right, right. Sorry, sensei." Natsu Sonoko finally realized.
Of course, she couldn't feel the temperature change herself, so it wasn't imdiately tangible. She had been so focused on withdrawing the ability that she'd forgotten to adjust the temperature back.
Without her control, the hot air had simply started dissipating into the surroundings.
The target wasn't small either, standing as tall as an adult. And Natsu-san had dutifully covered the entire target and the surrounding space with her ability when she used it.
Natsu-san, where did your good mory go? Please think of the teachers nearby sotis.
"It's over." After about four or five seconds, the teachers finally let out long sighs of relief.
Under Natsu-san's gaze, the temperature in the air began to plumt rapidly. Due to this intense temperature shift, it seed like nurous tiny water droplets even condensed high in the air.
"All done." After roughly lowering the temperature to near room temperature, Natsu-san stopped using her ability.
At that mont, the wind ford by the difference between hot and cold air blew again, ruffling Natsu Sonoko's hair sowhat ssily.
Not wearing a skirt, Natsu Sonoko naturally felt the breeze's caress.
The heat in the air dissipated rapidly upon contacting the constant-temperature layer around Natsu Sonoko's body.
By the ti the wind reached her, it was just a refreshingly cool breeze at a comfortable temperature.
Retrieving her assessnt form, Natsu Sonoko politely thanked the teacher and hurriedly ran back to the school locker room.
Taking off her gym clothes and changing into her slightly dirty sumr uniform and pleated skirt, Natsu Sonoko sat on a bench in the locker room, pulled out her phone from her bag, and started sending ssages.
She had to share the joy in her heart; keeping it bottled up was unbearable.
Natsu Sonoko wasn't one who could keep things to herself for long. She quickly drafted a bunch of ssages, though only to those she was on good terms with.
[Misaka-senpai, the assessnt was a success. I'm Level 4 now :) :)]
[Wannai-san, so good news! I'm a Level 4 esper now. Jealous? (pat pat)]
[Shirai-san, I saw you arguing with Kongou-senpai earlier. Is everything okay? Thanks for your advice before; my assessnt went perfectly.]
'Urban Legend Secret Investigation Group'
[Level 4, achieved!] – From Natsu Sonoko
[Congratulations, Natsu-san.] – Quiet Night Color
[Congrats, congrats! This newly joined kouhai is really amazing (fist-and-palm salute)] – From Balance Beam-senpai.
Even now, Natsu-san had never t this mysterious Balance Beam-senpai.
[No way! Am I the only one in the whole group who isn't Level 4 now?? This isn't scientific.] – The Elegant Photographer
[....]
The habit of idly chatting in groups transcended worlds. Natsu Sonoko chatted for a full ten minutes before reluctantly putting her phone away.
Looking at the classmates around her who had finished changing and were leaving, she reined in her sowhat unladylike grin and checked her appearance in the mirror.
"What a pain. My skirt's a bit dirty. I should stop by the Returning Bath Facility before leaving school to clean up," Natsu Sonoko sighed helplessly. Holding her schoolbag in front of the stain, she left the locker room and headed for the Returning Bath Facility.
At the school building entrance, she encountered the teacher collecting the assessnt forms and handed hers back.
"Natsu-san, you've been working very hard. You're very diligent in class, and you've reached Level 4 so quickly in your ability too."
"Thank you for the praise, sensei."
-- --
The Tokiwadai Middle School Returning Bath Facility was specifically for students to freshen up before leaving school.
The bathhouse was about the size of five classrooms, equipped with nearly ninety showerheads. Each was separated by translucent glass walls and sliding doors, forming small shower cubicles.
Natsu Sonoko, wrapped in a bath towel, waited by the washing machines at the outermost area of the bathhouse.
There were fifteen machines lined up here, but they were all currently running at full capacity. Holding her laundry basket, Natsu Sonoko waited in line, bored.
These Tokiwadai washing machines didn't just clean clothes impeccably; they also spin-dried them completely by the end of the cycle.
"Stopped." A green light lit up on one machine.
Natsu Sonoko's eyes instantly brightened. She hurriedly moved the finished clothes from the machine into their owner's basket, then loaded her own clothes in for washing.
Thump!
From within the bathhouse, a glass door slid open and shut urgently, followed by a cry of dismay and then a sound like sothing heavy hitting the floor.
"Your heart is rotten to begin with!" An angry, flustered shout ca from a shower cubicle nearby.
Was that Misaka-senpai's voice? Natsu Sonoko, who had just put her clothes in the washer, thought idly.
Shirai-san must be doing sothing to make Misaka-senpai angry again. She definitely is.
"It was rely a bit of casual skin-ship," ca Shirai-san's voice, sounding defensive. Huh, why did 'defensive' co to mind?
"Shut up!" Again, Misaka-senpai's furious voice.
Shirai-san seed to beco a completely different person in front of Misaka-senpai.
Natsu Sonoko walked over to the showerheads and found an unoccupied cubicle. The cubicle was enclosed by glass, with only the middle section treated to be frosted for privacy.
Right now, Shirai-san was showering obediently.
anwhile, Misaka-senpai erged from her shower cubicle, wrapped in a towel, and sat down on a rest bench, sulking, her face still flushed with residual anger.
Turning on the shower, Natsu Sonoko enjoyed a comfortable shower.
However, Natsu-san didn't notice that the water temperature display read 80 degrees Celsius. She had completely forgotten to mix in cold water.
Not that it mattered, as the water temperature beca perfectly comfortable the mont it got near her.
Soone was in the next cubicle too. This Tokiwadai student, peering through the glass wall at the mist-shrouded cubicle next door, nearly gaped in astonishnt.
-- --
This was a cafe restaurant located in a bustling part of District 7.
"Welco to Joseph's Coffee and Restaurant." The staff greeted every custor who entered with a polite, practiced smile.
"You say she's my fan?"
"She really admires you, Onee-sama. She works as my logistics support at Judgnt Branch 177. She often says she'd love to et you if possible." Shirai carefully appraised her coffee, speaking slowly with her head slightly lowered.
"I know you usually find fan behavior troubleso, Onee-sama, but Uiharu is different. She's a good kid who knows her boundaries, and she's a partner and friend I'm proud of. Please, for my sake, could you reluctantly agree?"
Misaka-senpai rested her head in her hand, a thoroughly troubled expression on her face. She took a sip of ice water and sighed involuntarily. It really was a difficult situation.
"I'll do my best to ensure you don't feel any unnecessary pressure. I've taken care of all the arrangents for today's itinerary myself."
Having said that, Shirai-san took a notebook from her schoolbag and began carefully reviewing its contents, though the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
"Speaking of which, when did you manage to sneak in here? This was a pre-arranged date between and Onee-sama!"
Putting her coffee down, Shirai-san suddenly stood up, planting her hands on the table and glaring at Natsu Sonoko, who was sitting calmly beside Misaka-senpai and sipping her coffee.
"Misaka-senpai invited . You should be careful, Shirai-san."
Natsu Sonoko paid no mind to the unreasonable accusations from the chestnut-haired twin-tailed girl.
She waved her phone in front of Shirai-san, showing a ssage from Misaka-senpai inviting Natsu to celebrate her level-up.
"You! You are my greatest enemy, Natsu Sonoko! You've completely ruined mine and Onee-sama's plans!" Just as Shirai-san was about to pounce and teach a certain dumpling-head a lesson, she suddenly felt her hand empty.
The notebook she had been holding seed to have been snatched away.
Shirai-san's expression instantly turned panicked. As she tried to grab it back, Misaka-senpai pressed a hand firmly on her head, immobilizing her.
"Wait a second!" This was Shirai-san's helpless wail.
Natsu Sonoko also curiously turned her head, seeming rather interested in the notebook's contents.
"You suddenly said one of your fans was coming. Even Natsu-san would find it troubleso. I originally thought we could just celebrate with Natsu-san. But I need to see this itinerary you planned first."
Holding Shirai's head with one hand, Misaka-senpai opened the raised notebook with the other and began reading.
"'Operation: Date with Onee-sama under the Guise of eting Uiharu.'" Misaka-senpai read the title of Shirai's operation plan aloud, her brow gradually furrowing.
Beside them, Natsu Sonoko nearly choked on her coffee, quickly giving up on taking another sip.
She then looked at the rapidly deteriorating Shirai-san with a sense of awe.
The fundantal nature of certain obsessive fan behaviors didn't change just because soone else crashed the party. Shirai-san was still Shirai-san.
As Misaka-senpai continued reading Shirai-san's plans aloud, Natsu Sonoko saw cold sweat begin to pour uncontrollably down Shirai-san's body.
"Step One: Build rapport at the cafe. Step Two: Visit lingerie store to purchase 'decisive' underwear. Step Three: Browse aphrodisiac shop for 'spring dicine'. Step Four: Get rid of Uiharu. Step Five: Go to a hotel with Onee-sama."
-- --
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.
User Comments
0 comments from readers