Beneath the warm and gentle sunlight, the glare reflecting off the Anti-Skill building's windows was particularly dazzling, creating a significant amount of light pollution.
Tilting her head up to match the gaze, Natsume Sonoko stared directly at the Anti-Skill teacher wearing a stern face, her own fair, translucent features still etched with struggle.
Under the pressure of the other's imposing presence, the girl found her mind inexplicably flooded with keywords like 'take responsibility,' 'be brave,' and 'honesty is the best policy'—clear signs of someone with little life experience being easily led astray.
That's right, she thought. I'm a proud Level 5 of Academy City. How can I be irresponsible?
And all this hesitation? I don't accept it at all.
I'm acting honorably, handling everyone's problems, confronting those criminals head-on, protecting the clear blue skies of Academy City. So, sharing these good deeds with a teacher shouldn't be a big deal.
Besides, didn't Yomikawa-sensei say that there's still room to discuss the whole written apology thing?
"But, Sensei, if you think about it that way…"
She took a deep breath, suddenly remembering the two pitiful teammates waiting for her at home. A sliver of reason returning, the bun-girl tried to put up a fight.
At the very least, she needed to discuss this with everyone first. This wasn't something she was handling alone; she cared deeply about what her friends thought.
"What I think isn't important. What matters is what you think, Natsume-san."
Unnoticed, Yomikawa Aiho's deliberately stern demeanor faded, replaced by a gradually awkward expression.
"Honestly, putting a student in a difficult position is no way for a good teacher to act. Trying to play the strict, rigid type… I really don't have the talent for it," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head with an embarrassed laugh.
She'd been too hasty.
So single-minded about getting to the bottom of the incident, she'd overlooked the student's own feelings. That wasn't how a teacher should act.
Even a well-behaved, sensible girl like Natsume Sonoko must have secrets she couldn't easily share, even with a teacher.
Just as she would never aim a weapon at a student, Yomikawa Aiho also cared deeply about her students' feelings and worked hard to protect this city they called home.
Without the shelter of this city, most of these students wouldn't even have the right to live normal lives.
Even the Level 0s assessed by Academy City were students who had undergone the Power Curriculum Program. To the outside world, they remained valuable research subjects.
Level 5s like Natsume-san were the pride of Academy City, standing at the pinnacle among its two million residents.
But outside these walls, they were just 'freaks on a larger scale'—a truth somewhat evident from Accelerator's past experiences.
This was especially true for someone like Shokuhou-senpai, with her Mental Out ability, who was scarcely accepted by the outside world at all.
It was one of the reasons Natsume-san had been forbidden from using her abilities outside Academy City during her previous departure—to avoid exposing her 'freak' status and inviting unwanted scrutiny.
Though, she had used them secretly anyway.
Students raised in Academy City had long since lost any concept of nationality; their identity was solely that of an Academy City student.
Natsume-san's own fervent admiration for the city's technology was a strong affirmation of this identity.
"We haven't been able to handle the problems in the gray areas, or prevent the attacks happening there. We must have disappointed many students," Yomikawa-sensei said, her emotions complex, her mind seemingly elsewhere.
"But this is work we should be handling. We aren't running away from it."
Natsume-san seemed swayed, but ultimately didn't speak up. Perhaps it was precisely because Anti-Skill had failed to resolve the issue.
"Eh? It's nothing like that at all!" the bun-girl blurted out in a fluster, though it sounded more like an attempt to comfort.
Yomikawa-sensei was a good person. Natsume Sonoko had always liked and relied on her.
"I know things like this should be left to the teachers. That Judgment shouldn't handle these matters. But this time is different."
"There are people expecting me, as a Level 5, to arrest those who have hurt them. No matter what, I can't just back out and let the teachers take over with a clear conscience."
"Besides, if a plan has been set and is running smoothly, it's best not to do anything unnecessary, let alone casually change the executors. That's the responsibility the one who initiated the plan should take."
Fragments of seemingly insignificant memories surfaced in Natsume Sonoko's mind, and her hesitant expression finally solidified into resolve.
When she thought of those faces full of expectation and hope, even if she truly wanted to slack off and live a leisurely life, she ultimately fell in line and carried out the plan alongside Shirai-san and the 'Thermostatic Grim Reaper'.
Natsume Sonoko was easily influenced, especially when others showed her kindness or made her feel needed.
This probably counted as a refusal. As soon as she finished speaking, Natsume-san's heart began to pound.
She'd spouted such a long speech she could barely remember half of it herself, but that was the gist. She had no idea if it had any positive effect.
"However, if it's just you personally, Sensei, and not the official Anti-Skill system… perhaps I could discuss it with Shirai-san and Uiharu-san. After all, we are a bit short-handed," she said, her tone turning hesitant again, the girl who had unwittingly just sold out her teammates completely widening her eyes.
She hadn't closed the door entirely, still caring deeply about Yomikawa-sensei's feelings. This was probably Natsume Sonoko's idea of the best of both worlds.
But unlike Shokuhou-senpai, she couldn't read minds. She had no idea what Yomikawa Aiho was thinking, and she watched the teacher's reaction with trepidation.
"Private action?" Yomikawa Aiho mumbled thoughtfully, glancing between the bun-girl who only came up to her stomach and the unnamed boy hanging upside down in mid-air, rolling his eyes.
Considering her presence would make things safer, she didn't really have a reason to refuse.
But was it right to agree to a student's improper request so readily? It gave her a headache.
As for agreeing and then going back on her word—a teacher, a role model for students, could never do such a thing.
Ah, that's right. If she could secure command within their little group, she could always have the students write a few extra apology reports afterwards. That would be acceptable.
With that thought, Yomikawa Aiho's worries immediately lessened, the deep blue of her smooth hair seeming to gain a bit more luster.
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T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL