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 formed 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.
Natsume Sonoko, immersed 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 bloomed on her face, just like a flower in full bloom.
At the same time, what made Natsume 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 times that of a Level 0's (as a Level 3). After entering Tokiwadai, it became eleven times a Level 0's. And now, having passed the Level 4 assessment, her scholarship was receiving another massive increase.
Doing the math, she could get at least twenty times 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 seemed to be a considerable gap with Shirai-san too (Judgment members received a quite substantial subsidy).
But it was more than enough compared to Wannai-san!
Poor Wannai-san.
Starting today, I, Natsume Sonoko, am also a Level 4 at Tokiwadai! I should send a message right now to tell Misaka-senpai and Wannai-san.
"Natsume-san, Natsume-san, you haven't withdrawn your ability yet." A teacher urgently addressed Natsume, 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 immediately go to the locker room for her phone.
Natsume Sonoko looked up, somewhat confused, at the teacher's anxious face.
"Natsume-san, while you may have withdrawn the ability itself, you still need to deal with this heatwave.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." Natsume Sonoko finally realized.
Of course, she couldn't feel the temperature change herself, so it wasn't immediately 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 Natsume-san had dutifully covered the entire target and the surrounding space with her ability when she used it.
Natsume-san, where did your good memory go? Please think of the teachers nearby sometimes.
"It's over." After about four or five seconds, the teachers finally let out long sighs of relief.
Under Natsume-san's gaze, the temperature in the air began to plummet rapidly. Due to this intense temperature shift, it seemed like numerous tiny water droplets even condensed high in the air.
"All done." After roughly lowering the temperature to near room temperature, Natsume-san stopped using her ability.
At that moment, the wind formed by the difference between hot and cold air blew again, ruffling Natsume Sonoko's hair somewhat messily.
Not wearing a skirt, Natsume Sonoko naturally felt the breeze's caress.
The heat in the air dissipated rapidly upon contacting the constant-temperature layer around Natsume Sonoko's body.
By the time the wind reached her, it was just a refreshingly cool breeze at a comfortable temperature.
Retrieving her assessment form, Natsume 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 summer uniform and pleated skirt, Natsume Sonoko sat on a bench in the locker room, pulled out her phone from her bag, and started sending messages.
She had to share the joy in her heart; keeping it bottled up was unbearable.
Natsume Sonoko wasn't one who could keep things to herself for long. She quickly drafted a bunch of messages, though only to those she was on good terms with.
[Misaka-senpai, the assessment was a success. I'm Level 4 now :) :)]
[Wannai-san, some 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 assessment went perfectly.]
'Urban Legend Secret Investigation Group'
[Level 4, achieved!] – From Natsume Sonoko
[Congratulations, Natsume-san.] – Quiet Night Color
[Congrats, congrats! This newly joined kouhai is really amazing (fist-and-palm salute)] – From Balance Beam-senpai.
Even now, Natsume-san had never met 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. Natsume 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 somewhat 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," Natsume 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 assessment forms and handed hers back.
"Natsume-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.
Natsume 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, Natsume 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.
Natsume 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 something heavy hitting the floor.
"Your heart is rotten to begin with!" An angry, flustered shout came from a shower cubicle nearby.
Was that Misaka-senpai's voice? Natsume Sonoko, who had just put her clothes in the washer, thought idly.
Shirai-san must be doing something to make Misaka-senpai angry again. She definitely is.
"It was merely a bit of casual skin-ship," came Shirai-san's voice, sounding defensive. Huh, why did 'defensive' come to mind?
"Shut up!" Again, Misaka-senpai's furious voice.
Shirai-san seemed to become a completely different person in front of Misaka-senpai.
Natsume 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.
Meanwhile, Misaka-senpai emerged 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, Natsume Sonoko enjoyed a comfortable shower.
However, Natsume-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 became perfectly comfortable the moment it got near her.
Someone was in the next cubicle too. This Tokiwadai student, peering through the glass wall at the mist-shrouded cubicle next door, nearly gaped in astonishment.
--+--
This was a cafe restaurant located in a bustling part of District 7.
"Welcome to Joseph's Coffee and Restaurant." The staff greeted every customer 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 Judgment Branch 177. She often says she'd love to meet you if possible." Shirai carefully appraised her coffee, speaking slowly with her head slightly lowered.
"I know you usually find fan behavior troublesome, 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 arrangements 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 me and Onee-sama!"
Putting her coffee down, Shirai-san suddenly stood up, planting her hands on the table and glaring at Natsume Sonoko, who was sitting calmly beside Misaka-senpai and sipping her coffee.
"Misaka-senpai invited me. You should be careful, Shirai-san."
Natsume 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 message from Misaka-senpai inviting Natsume to celebrate her level-up.
"You! You are my greatest enemy, Natsume 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 seemed 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.
Natsume Sonoko also curiously turned her head, seeming rather interested in the notebook's contents.
"You suddenly said one of your fans was coming. Even Natsume-san would find it troublesome. I originally thought we could just celebrate with Natsume-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 Meeting Uiharu.'" Misaka-senpai read the title of Shirai's operation plan aloud, her brow gradually furrowing.
Beside them, Natsume 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 fundamental nature of certain obsessive fan behaviors didn't change just because someone else crashed the party. Shirai-san was still Shirai-san.
As Misaka-senpai continued reading Shirai-san's plans aloud, Natsume 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 medicine'. 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.