For some inexplicable reason, she felt like cooking. Equally inexplicably, she picked up a spatula and boasted—completely without basis—about her amazing culinary skills.
Natsume Sonoko carefully shifted the ingredients in the pan with her spatula, flipping the sunny-side-up egg right at the center. She didn't break the yolk, executing a perfect 180-degree turn instead.
Once both sides were fried to a golden brown and a faint, toasty aroma rose from the pan, Natsume Sonoko finally added the seasoning.
She didn't dare use too much—she wasn't confident about judging saltiness. If it ended up too bland, a little soy sauce would fix it right up.
But if it was too strong, there'd be no saving it.
Excellent. Natsume Sonoko gazed cheerfully at her masterpiece: a pretty decent-looking fried egg.
"It looks quite good on the outside," Kiyama Harumi remarked with a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected the girl to actually have some skill—though how it tasted was still up in the air.
"Would you like to try it, Kiyama-sensei?" Natsume Sonoko asked, a little smug.
"That won't be necessary. We still have over a dozen eggs left—finish frying them all first." Kiyama-sensei shook her head and brought out a carton packed with eggs.
"Alright." Rather pleased with herself, Natsume Sonoko wasn't fazed by the large task ahead and simply kept nodding.
While she was busy frying eggs, Kiyama-sensei handed her an apron.
"Put this on. Oil splatter isn't good for your clothes."
"No need. They'll obediently stay away." Natsume Sonoko pointed at the trail of oil smoke drifting toward the window.
Kiyama Harumi, meanwhile, busied herself sorting the fresh vegetables she'd bought. Clutching a cookbook, she studied it with a focused, meticulous gaze—like any ordinary housewife.
"Oh—I forgot to start the rice." Kiyama-sensei set the cookbook down, only just realizing it.
Watching Kiyama Harumi hurry off to rinse the rice, Natsume Sonoko suddenly thought it might be better if the research institute hired a maid.
'I'll ask Tsuchimikado-san later if she has any classmates she could refer.'
Even if it couldn't count as a practical internship for the maids, Kiyama-sensei was wealthy enough to afford the hiring costs.
As she thought about it, Natsume Sonoko recalled that Kiyama-sensei drove an imported Lamborghini—far more expensive than her own bicycle. It must've cost… a lot, surely.
In Academy City, maids weren't mere servants; they were considered part of the family, more like assistants. Their bond went deeper than a typical employer-employee relationship. And once a maid began formal work, it was often a lifelong commitment.
Arranging the fried eggs in a row, Natsume Sonoko felt a wave of relief—not a single one had failed.
While frying them, she'd simply repeated the steps from the first egg. Once a reliable template was set, quantity was just a matter of time.
Eggs made this way lacked soul, but Natsume Sonoko's standards weren't that high.
'Should I try one?' A flicker of curiosity crossed her face. There was one extra egg—she could taste it.
"So bland." The moment she bit into it, her mouth was filled with a plain, unseasoned taste—nothing but the egg's natural flavor.
'But low salt and low oil is healthier—Tsuchimikado-san always says that.' Natsume Sonoko consoled herself. If anyone found it too bland, they could just add soy sauce.
"Are the fried eggs done?" Kiyama Harumi had just plugged in the rice cooker, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"Next, let's cook some vegetables and meat." Kiyama pointed to a recipe in the book.
"Is it good, Banri?"
Sitting beside Banri, Natsume Sonoko watched with concern as Edasaki Banri ate her dinner.
She felt she understood a little of what Tsuchimikado-san must feel—she often asked her similar questions.
"It's good. The food Sonoko-neechan made is delicious." A faint blush touched Edasaki Banri's cheeks as she nodded.
"No need to force yourself. If it's too bland, you can add soy sauce." Natsume Sonoko held a bottle of soy sauce at the ready, speaking earnestly.
Heaven Canceller, standing nearby, shook his head. "Banri and the others have more sensitive senses than ordinary children. Their long sleep heightened their bodily awareness."
Before leaving, Natsume Sonoko made sure to share her suggestion with Kiyama Harumi.
"So, hiring a maid to look after Banri and the others?" Kiyama pondered.
"Mm. I don't think you're very skilled at cooking, Kiyama-sensei, and I can't stay here forever. I happen to know a few maid classmates—they're professionals at this sort of thing," Natsume Sonoko explained.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you, Natsume-san. I'll cover all expenses, and I'll explain it to the doctor."
Kiyama Harumi nodded and agreed without much hesitation.
"Then I'll take my leave. I'll visit again another day." Natsume Sonoko glanced at the darkening sky as she spoke to Kiyama.
--+--
By the time she returned to the student dormitory, dinner hours were long over. But Natsume Sonoko wasn't worried—she still had some local specialties her cousin had sent, perfect for a quick bite.
"Shirai-san, why do you look so happy?" Right at the dorm entrance, she ran into Shirai Kuroko, who was beaming like a lovestruck fool. Natsume Sonoko stared at her, baffled.
"Onee-sama… There are two Onee-samas!" Shirai giggled vacantly, completely ignoring the question.
Quietly stepping around her, Natsume Sonoko thought, 'Shirai-san's acting strange again.'
But two Misaka-senpais… Now that was something to ponder. She made a mental note.
'So, when's the best time to investigate that MAR research institute?' Lying on the sofa, she felt a little uncertain.
Unlike the Advanced Education Bureau she'd visited before—which had been abandoned—this was a fully operational research facility under Academy City's protection.
Natsume Sonoko saw herself as an ordinary student, bound by a student's way of life. Changing that mindset would take some push.
'Only those completely disillusioned with Academy City can brazenly break its rules, I suppose.'
'No more hesitating. The sooner this is resolved, the better for Banri and the others. I'll go tonight.'
Natsume Sonoko had finally made a bold decision. She sat up slowly from the sofa.
Her abilities were growing—she felt she could accomplish more now. Maybe she could resolve this cleanly.
'Maybe that's why Academy City keeps such tight control over students.'
She didn't want Edasaki and the others to fall asleep again, nor did she want Kiyama-sensei to do something she'd regret. Kiyama still had to live here in Academy City. And if Natsume Sonoko herself ended up outside the city, it'd likely cause trouble for a lot of people.
To recharge her energy and avoid collapsing from exhaustion like last time, she buried her head in the sofa cushions, intending to rest. Unexpectedly, she dozed off almost immediately.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the sound of knocking on her door roused her groggily.
"Coming, coming!" Bare feet thumped softly against the floor as Natsume Sonoko hurried to answer.
As soon as she opened the door, she found the Dorm Supervisor staring back at her, stern-faced.
"Natsume-san, if you had taken any longer, I would have marked you as absent for the night." The Supervisor's voice was strict, her eyes scanning Natsume Sonoko up and down. That authoritative gaze instantly chased away any lingering drowsiness.
What an unparalleled way to wake up. No matter how much her abilities improved, facing the Dorm Supervisor always left her a little terrified.
'Truly, the rumored Level 6 who keeps Tokiwadai Dorm in line.'
If you gathered all the students from her dorm—assuming they had decent combat skills—Natsume Sonoko suspected they could take on a modern military regiment. Actually, going by Academy City's standards, Misaka-senpai alone could probably do it.
Yet even Tokiwadai Dorm, with students like that, submitted to the Dorm Supervisor's formidable presence.
"Sorry, I just fell asleep," Natsume Sonoko explained with an apologetic smile.
"I see. In that case, get some rest early, Natsume-san. Don't oversleep in the morning." The Dorm Supervisor nodded and headed toward room 211 next door.
"It's over."
Natsume Sonoko let out a long sigh and realized she wasn't sleepy at all anymore.
--+--
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.