A light gray women's suit, a cup of coffee steaming faintly.
The Dorm Supervisor instinctively adjusted her glasses; the office lights were bothering her eyes.
Frowning slightly, she held a freshly printed medical report, her expression clearly displeased as she stared at the stammering girl standing before her.
As expected, Natsume-san was just no good at lying.
She'd almost tripped up after just a few words, and could only bow her head, putting on an excessively well-behaved act.
Surprisingly, this wasn't too far off from her usual timid demeanor, so it didn't raise much suspicion.
Medical records in Academy City were closely tied to student IDs. Any treatment received at a hospital would be promptly relayed to the student's school and dormitory.
Usually, it came via fax or email. Sometimes a phone call.
Perhaps because she'd caught someone trying to sneakily swipe their card at the gate and slip into the dorm, the Supervisor had personally pulled the medical records and was now interrogating a certain mummy-girl wrapped head-to-toe in bandages.
"Extensive burns on the right arm, with additional minor injuries on the abdomen, neck, and forehead. Even for Judgment duties, you must prioritize your own safety."
"Shirai's case was bad enough, and now you, Natsume, end up in this state. I'll be calling Anti-Skill headquarters to fully understand and provide feedback on your situation. From now on, you are forbidden from participating in any external public safety activities without authorization, no matter the reason..."
Her leather shoes clicked rhythmically against the floor. Perhaps because these injuries kept happening one after another, the Supervisor's tone was laced with frustration.
Considering how Shirai-san had been immediately placed under strict confinement by the Anti-Skill teacher, this Supervisor's complaint likely played a part in that.
The Supervisor knew Natsume Sonoko had been recruited into Judgment, and assumed she was showing off and overreaching outside her duties, much like Shirai-san.
She didn't know that Sonoko didn't actually have regular duties and was more of a... mascot.
Sonoko stammered, wanting to explain, but she couldn't very well mention the Level 6 Shift project. So she just stood there frozen, a picture of bewildered clumsiness, blinking helplessly.
'Fine, let it be. This is awful. It's so much harder without an Anti-Skill teacher here.'
Natsume-san found herself desperately missing the days when she had an Anti-Skill teacher backing her up. But honestly, the recent situation wasn't something teachers should have been involved in.
Even fully equipped in specialized Powered Suits, they'd have been mere cannon fodder in a battle of that scale.
It wasn't about looking down on Anti-Skill. It was just that ordinary security forces weren't equipped to handle disasters of that magnitude.
"One more thing," the Supervisor's voice cut through her thoughts, "You are excused from tomorrow's events, and the subsequent games for the next few days. I will arrange a leave of absence for you at the school."
After this lengthy scolding, delivered while Natsume-san wore a thoroughly dejected expression, the Supervisor's tone finally softened.
For all her seemingly harsh and cold exterior, this Supervisor was, at heart, a kind person. Even after her own romantic disappointments, she diligently volunteered at Asunaro Park.
A trace of genuine concern flickered in her eyes.
The Supervisor was actually quite fond of this overly respectful young girl, especially since Natsume-san was, in every sense, the youngest resident in the entire dorm.
But Espers naturally attracted attention, forcing the Supervisor to be stricter with them. This was true concern; being permissive would be irresponsible.
These girls had left their homes so young to live independently in Academy City. It fell to the staff, like herself, to take on a parental role and guide them toward sound life principles.
"Eh?!"
The hanging head jerked up. The frozen robot suddenly powered back on.
Natsume-san looked utterly shocked, as if she'd just heard something unbelievable.
"Dorm Supervisor, that's... that's not necessary."
"Actually... my injuries aren't that serious. The bandages will probably come off in a day or two. There's no need for a long leave."
Her brief flicker of excitement died as she suddenly remembered something, halting her initial impulse to just accept the offer.
An intense internal struggle played out on her normally blank face. Taking a deep breath to clear her mind, Natsume Sonoko finally shook her head.
She remembered the three-legged race. She remembered Hanazono-san, who had practiced so hard with her all those days.
If she dropped out now, Hanazono-san would be really disappointed, wouldn't she?
As much as she really, really wanted to just lie down and sleep through the entire Daihaseisai, Natsume-san couldn't bear the thought of letting someone else down.
"Very well. Until those bandages are removed, you will rest properly, Natsume. You may participate normally in the events after that."
The Supervisor looked somewhat taken aback, studying the disheveled girl—her former 'bun-head'—for a moment before continuing.
Leaving the Supervisor's office, she returned to the second floor with Juufuku-san, who had been waiting for her by the door.
The dormitory hallway was mostly empty, so they made it back to her room, 210, without causing a stir. Only after closing the door did Natsume-san finally let herself relax completely.
With all the bandages, a proper shower was out of the question.
She settled for a quick sponge bath and changed out of her gym clothes, tossing them neatly into the laundry basket alongside the set from noon.
Two stuffed bears, one new and one old, sat on the sofa. The new one was the gift she'd brought back that morning.
Somehow, only a single day had passed, but everything felt different, like she was looking at a changed world.
Natsume-san flopped face-first onto the sofa, sinking into the cushions. She clung to the new bear, refusing to let go, the very image of fickle affection.
The healing speed of the wounds on her arm was also much faster than she'd imagined. By now, they only felt a bit itchy, without any sharp pain even when touched.
She seemed unsure what to do with herself. Her phone was broken, so she couldn't kill time browsing the net. She'd have to buy a new one in a few days.
Then she remembered—she'd already advanced next month's scholarship allowance to buy holographic projectors for the Sisters. Her budget was about to get even tighter.
"Ah! I almost forgot! I need to call Mom."
Her head shot up from the sofa. A belated realization dawned on the slow-on-the-uptake Natsume-san. The memory of Ms. Tomoyo, whom she'd left hanging all afternoon, made her face instantly flush with panic.
Even if Uiharu and the others had already contacted her, she, Sonoko, couldn't skip out on it herself.
Slipping her shoes on quietly, she hurried down to the first-floor public phone area and dialed the number for a certain lady.
Under the curious gazes of passing students, a girl wrapped in bandages, wearing thin pajamas, stood holding the receiver, a picture of pure desolation.
--+--
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.