Tokiwadai Middle School Bathing Center.
Since the situation had come about so suddenly, no one had brought a change of clothes. Shirai Kuroko had no choice but to lend one of her spare uniforms to Saten Ruiko.
Seeing Saten dressed in a Tokiwadai uniform, Uiharu Kazari's expression was full of discontent—a mix of jealousy and frustration. "Only Saten-san gets to wear it? That's so unfair!"
"Huh?"
"How about we switch uniforms! Yes, let's do that! That's perfect!" At that moment, Uiharu practically channeled her inner Kuroko, pressing herself against Saten and rubbing against the Tokiwadai uniform like a mischievous child.
"If it comes to that, maybe I should go step in a puddle too..."
"Ahem. What exactly are you two doing?" Selene's voice suddenly cut through their playful chaos, pulling everyone back to reality.
"Well, I've already booked the restaurant for tonight. We're going out for hotpot—" Before she could finish, Uiharu suddenly lunged forward and hugged her leg tightly, teary-eyed.
"Uh... Uiharu? What's wrong?"
Saten could only give a wry smile and explained what had just happened.
"Sigh, you should've just said so earlier. If you really want to wear a Tokiwadai uniform, I have a few extra sets at home. Though... I'm not sure if they'll fit you."
"No problem! I can make it fit!" Uiharu declared with absolute confidence before Selene even finished speaking.
"Well then... let's go." Selene sighed, moved by Uiharu's determined look. She raised her hand and tapped the air.
In an instant, ripples spread through the air, forming a large Spatial Transfer Gate glowing with soft violet light. "Come on, I'll take you to get the uniform. And since you wanted to see my dorm anyway, I'll show you around."
As they stepped into the gate, space twisted around them—and in the next moment, they arrived before a grand door labeled 1A101.
"Waaah~!"
Everyone gasped in unison, their mouths wide open in awe. The difference in treatment was simply too much—the massive wooden door before them was intricately carved with detailed floral patterns.
"This is way bigger than the dorms in the District 7 Student Hall!"
Normally, even the most luxurious student dorms were just modest rooms. But this scene shattered their expectations. The door alone was nearly as wide as an entire dorm room back at their residence.
Guided by Selene, they entered through the 1A101 doorway.
The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed completely—warm light and vibrant colors greeted them.
"Amazing..."
Under the glow of a crystal chandelier, a lavish carpet lay upon polished marble floors. Uiharu stared, speechless, realizing this was what a true lady's home looked like.
"It's really not that big of a deal. The interior design was handled by Sebas," Selene said casually.
"Wow! You mean that really tall, distinguished-looking old gentleman? I heard he's your personal butler!"
"Mm. Feel free to look around—this is the front hall of my dorm. You can explore the other rooms if you like."
Every corner of the dorm radiated luxury—elegant furnishings, ornate décor, and a refined sense of taste.
"Onee-sama, you're also a Level 5. Why is there such a huge difference in living standards?"
"Shut up, how would I know? Anyway, this is my first time visiting this dorm myself. I'd only heard it was extravagant before, but seeing it in person... yeah, it's something else."
Meanwhile, Uiharu Kazari—the one who had been the most excited about experiencing an ojou-sama lifestyle—was now sitting quietly on the edge of a couch, looking rather tense and reserved.
It was strange. While everyone else eagerly wandered around admiring the rooms, the girl who had been the most enthusiastic about noble life now sat curled up, her posture timid, glancing around nervously.
At that moment, she didn't look like an eager guest at all—but rather like a frightened kitten taken from its nest, unsure where to move.
Uiharu knew Selene was a true upper-class lady, but she realized she had underestimated the scale of it all.
Simply put, she was afraid of breaking something—or perhaps just overwhelmed by the feeling of being out of place.
Every piece of furniture radiated elegance and expense.
The heavy, lacquered ebony table before her alone made her feel nervous to even touch it.
The golden double-headed eagle ornaments resting neatly on the coffee table looked so vividly lifelike that even someone who knew nothing about antiques could tell—they were incredibly valuable. If she broke even one, she'd never be able to repay it, even if she sold herself off.
Even though she knew that Selene-senpai wouldn't mind if she accidentally damaged something—and would never ask her to pay for it—Uiharu Kazari still couldn't bring herself to relax. As much as she wanted to touch and explore everything, she wasn't as bold as Saten Ruiko. Instead, she sat stiffly, trying to keep her hands to herself.
Saten, on the other hand, was completely at ease. Acting like a detective, she wandered around the dorm, murmuring to herself, "Photo albums, clothes, H-panties...? Ah, nothing."
While Uiharu was still locked in a silent internal battle, a cream-colored uniform caught her eye. At that moment, Selene's gentle voice reached her.
"Here. This is my uniform from last year—it's one size smaller. Try it on and see how it fits."
Blinking in surprise, Uiharu quickly accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, senpai."
"It's fine. You can use the dressing room—straight ahead, first door on the left."
"O-okay."
A few minutes after Uiharu entered the dressing room, Saten popped out from behind a corner. "Eh, Selene-senpai, that's it? So plain—there's nothing interesting at all!"
"How could I let you find anything? Some things are meant to stay secret."
"Ehh~ You're so sneaky, senpai. You must've cleaned everything up beforehand... Aww, I really wanted to see your photo album..."
Just then, Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko returned from the garden, chatting as they walked in. From their conversation, it seemed Kuroko was trying to convince Misaka to get a potted plant for their dorm room to learn floral arrangement.
When everyone had finished exploring and gathered in the living room, Uiharu finally emerged from the dressing room wearing the Tokiwadai uniform.
Though it wasn't a perfect fit—the short skirt had become a long one, and the short sleeves looked more like mid-sleeves—the change in her overall demeanor was astonishing. Her posture, tone, and gestures had all become refined and elegant. For a moment, she truly looked like a Tokiwadai lady.
Saten rubbed her eyes in disbelief, unable to process what she was seeing. Then, to bring her friend back down to earth, she activated her ultimate ability—her Level 6 Absolute Skill, "Updraft."
With that, Uiharu was forcibly returned to reality. "Aaaaahhh~!"
"Oh my... so today's pattern is cute pink stripes," Saten teased.
"Saten-san! What are you doing?!"
"Yes yes yes, I know~"
"So half-hearted!!"
"Hahaha..."
After fulfilling Uiharu's dream, everyone laughed and chatted as they left Selene's dorm, heading to their next destination—Pasticceria Manicagni, the famous pastry shop.
Although Selene could have used her spatial abilities to take them there instantly, the group chose to walk instead. After all, part of the fun was enjoying the sights of Tokiwadai and the School Garden along the way.
As the group cheerfully strolled down the path, their laughter echoing through the air, a short distance away, a girl with a bun hairstyle and side-swept bangs quietly watched them from the shadows.