"Come to think of it, this city really is full of hidden talents. Even authentic beggar's chicken is sold here... wow, that was so good."
Walking out of the restaurant with a satisfied sigh, Selene wiped the nonexistent sweat from her forehead. Feeling the sweltering heat outside, she frowned slightly. Though she couldn't actually feel the temperature or sweat anymore, the scorching air was still annoying.
Casually altering the temperature around her, she instantly felt a refreshing coolness envelop her body, completely shutting out the oppressive heat.
"Ahh~" She stretched lazily, enjoying the comfort, then walked straight toward the sports car parked by the road.
Placing her palm on the car's surface, a wave of coolness spread across the entire vehicle, dispelling the heat. She was just about to get in and head back to Tokiwadai Middle School.
It was interesting, really. Ever since she arrived in this world, Selene had never had to worry about her livelihood. Yet, for some inexplicable reason—perhaps an ingrained sense of urgency—she had been living in constant tension, never really taking the time to enjoy life.
After completing her Herrscher transformation in The Walking Dead world, she had come to a realization. For now, her main focus was nurturing and fully synchronizing with the Herrscher Core. There was no point in overthinking or rushing things.
With that mindset, Selene began to relax. She even started paying attention to the urban scenery she had once ignored.
"Am I getting too lazy? I've dumped all the chores onto Kakine Teitoku," she muttered, a wry smile forming. "Maybe I should find something to do... let him rest for once."
Ever since Kakine joined her, Selene—believing he was an expert in the Dark Side—had delegated every troublesome matter to him, freeing herself completely from administrative burdens.
Meanwhile, at a certain hotel, a brown-haired young man sneezed violently three times in a row. "Am I sick? Did all those months of overtime finally break me? No way..."
"Whatever, forget it. Time to head back. Hm?" Selene shook her head, as if trying to scatter her wandering thoughts.
Just then, a flyer fluttered through the air, carried by the wind. It drifted right past her face, and she caught it easily.
"District 7 Crepe Shop Grand Opening... first 100 customers receive a limited gekota plush toy..."
Her brow twitched as she stared at the final line and the picture of a green frog-shaped mascot.
"People still like this kind of thing? ...Then again, some do." She couldn't help but chuckle as an image of a certain chestnut-haired girl flashed in her mind. "That childish girl..." Her lips curved upward mischievously. "Hehehe."
"But speaking of crepes... I wonder how they differ from pancakes." A nostalgic look crossed Selene's face. "Might as well check it out."
...
Elsewhere, inside Joseph's Coffee and Restaurant—
"My fan?"
"She's a girl from Judgment's 177th Branch—one of your admirers. She begged me to arrange a meeting with you, even if just once," Shirai Kuroko replied with her usual elegant tone.
"Ugh..." Hearing that, Misaka Mikoto slumped, suddenly losing all motivation.
"I know Onee-sama is always troubled by the overzealous behavior of fans, but Uiharu is a well-mannered girl who knows her limits. More importantly, she's one of the few friends I personally acknowledge. So, please, see her—just this once, for my sake," Kuroko continued, sipping her coffee with practiced grace.
However, that composure vanished the instant she pulled out her notebook, her voice turning disturbingly gleeful. "Of course, I'll make sure to minimize any stress for Onee-sama. I'll handle the entire schedule myself... today's date plan is..."
"Ha? Wait a second—" Mikoto didn't even let her finish. She snatched the notebook and pressed a hand over Kuroko's face, scanning the open page with a deadpan expression.
"Let's see... 'Plan to use Uiharu as an excuse to go on a date with Onee-sama'..."
As she read further, Misaka's brow began to twitch more and more intensely.
"One: Build emotional connection at a family restaurant. Two: Visit a lingerie shop to buy lace underwear. Three: Go to a perfume store and purchase aphrodisiac scents. Four: Get rid of Uiharu. Five: Spend the night at a hotel with Onee-sama..."
With each line Misaka Mikoto read aloud, more sweat gathered on Shirai Kuroko's forehead.
"So what you're saying is—you plan to use your well-mannered and respectful friend... to fulfill your perverted desires?" Mikoto's tone grew heavier with every word.
"N-no, that's not—" Before Kuroko could explain, Misaka grabbed her by the cheeks and began pulling them hard, stretching her face like dough. "Just reading this built up so much stress already..."
"It hurts! It hurts! Forgive me, Onee-sama!" Kuroko pleaded through her distorted face.
Just as Kuroko was about to abandon today's plan entirely, Misaka's next words reignited her hope.
"But... since she's your friend, I guess I can't say no."
"Uwah—!"
Overcome with emotion, Kuroko leapt into the air, teleported, and landed straight into Misaka's arms. Hugging her tightly, she cried out incoherently, "Onee-sama~! Onee-sama actually cares so much for me! Kuroko... Kuroko is so happy~!"
In that instant, the commotion drew the attention of the entire café. Every pair of eyes turned toward them, and the staff's polite yet awkward reminder made Misaka flush bright red with embarrassment.
Bonk!
Outside the café, Kuroko rubbed her sore head as she began introducing her companions.
"Let me introduce you. This is Uiharu Kazari, a first-year at Sakugawa Middle School. And..."
Before she could finish, Uiharu nervously introduced herself. "N-nice to meet you. My name is Uiharu Kazari."
Unlike the original timeline, Saten Ruiko—standing beside her—was slightly disappointed that this wasn't the senior she had been hoping to meet. Still, she politely followed up with her own introduction, not emphasizing her Level 0 status. "Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Saten Ruiko, Uiharu's classmate. Sorry for tagging along uninvited."
After the initial introductions, Shirai Kuroko quickly jumped back into action, notebook in hand, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"Well then, after all that tedious self-introduction, though there were some minor deviations from the plan, the following schedule will be handled by yours truly—"
Bonk!
Knowing exactly what kind of "schedule" Kuroko had in mind, Misaka Mikoto struck her before she could continue. Ignoring Kuroko's protests, she forcefully changed the destination to the game center.
"All right, Kuroko, let's go."
...
Hmm... they should be arriving soon.
"Excuse me, miss—what flavor of crepe would you like?" A sweet female voice interrupted Selene's thoughts. Looking up, she saw the smiling face of the shop clerk.
"Oh, sorry, I zoned out. Hmm... do you have any recommendations?" Selene asked with an apologetic smile, only to find herself hesitating over the options.
"Recommendations? For students like you, I'd suggest the blueberry chocolate flavor."
"Then I'll take five blueberry chocolate crepes."
"All right, please wait just a moment," the clerk replied cheerfully, turning around to prepare the order.
At that moment, four familiar silhouettes appeared in Selene's line of sight.