Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:MvM2 Depth2 (section)

===Part 3===

The sun had set and night had fallen.

Stars studded the sky, but it was still warm enough to walk around in their swimsuits. In fact, they would have been suffering in their ordinary clothing.

“But,” said Mikoto while walking freely in the underground city hidden below the palm trees.

Frozen Fossils.

Military cells.

Girlish Weapons.

“We found some curious information, but nothing like an Achilles heel that could immediately bring the United States of Narmeli or the Cutalularia Republic to their knees.”

“We aren’t going to get that lucky right away. So how about we relax and get something to eat? There are a lot of people gathered there now, so we might find some new information.”

Shokuhou tugged on Mikoto’s arm and pointed with her other hand. Mikoto looked over to see a bunch of small food stands.

Frilly swimsuit Mikoto sighed.

“I’m surprised.”

“You are? You can see how they prepare the food here. So much better than some award-winning restaurant with a professional sign out front that could be using who-knows-what kinds of chemical seasonings back in the kitchen☆”

This world’s money felt like a toy and Mikoto barely felt like she was actually spending anything, but she did appreciate being able to order enough to cover a table with only a few coins.

As for the flavor…hmm.

Mikoto tried some and looked skeptically down at the spoon.

She couldn’t really call it good or bad. She just wasn’t used to this kind of flavor.

It was like going to a gyoza place and finding the little plate of soy sauce had whipped cream or chocolate ganache on it.

Yes…

“Is it just me or is everything here sweet? This one seems a lot like curry, but it has a ton of something like peanut butter in it.”

“Hot countries always use sweet foods to replenish their body’s nutrients. Meat is usually boiled in coconut milk or glazed in honey and grilled. Mmm, soft shell crab☆”

The Queen looked surprisingly blissful after taking a bite. She held a hand to her cheek and grinned. She must have been kicking her feet under the table because she sometimes hit Mikoto’s shins, which hurt.

In her mind, anything that didn’t have artificial colors or preservatives gained a two star buff. Strong spices were A-OK with her.



“There’s a secret United States weapons factory below Ghost Town.”

“The Republic’s new transport plane project’s engine isn’t working out.”

“The top brass have been taking bribes. Yeah, in the Republic.”

“The United States covered up the accusations that one of their government workers is a spy.”

“A United States submarine’s detection specs aren’t as great as their propaganda claimed, so you can apparently pass right through the strait.”



Mikoto and Shokuhou enjoyed a tropical-style sweet meal while speaking back and forth as if holding a conversation.

Each and every statement was powerful enough to get the related politicians or military officers fired, but that was really all it would do.

They were up against world powers.

The entire Republic and United States.

They could reveal an individual’s indiscretion or mistake, but the fired official would be quickly replaced and the government itself would continue on like nothing had happened.

“None of it would be decisive enough,” said Shokuhou.

“We need something that can directly cause a war. …Urp, so sweet!?”

The food was sweet and the drinks were too. After taking a sip of a white drink that tasted like a mixture of room temperature milk, yogurt, and condensed milk, Mikoto gave her glass a second look. It wasn’t bad. But with something that sweet, a sake cup of it would be enough. An entire glass was too much. It felt so thick going down.

Shokuhou (who could eat any number of eclairs) had no trouble gulping hers down.

“Misaka-saaan, did you notice a few people with a professional look in their eyes during the day?”

“The ones who looked like spies?”

“Right, them. I bet they’re here to search out any Imperial, Republic, and United States traitors who are hiding out here. Which means they’ll have been gathering information here a lot longer than we have.”

So when Shokuhou was wandering around during the day, had she been searching out special targets instead of hoping to find classified information in the minds of random passersby?

“I’ve found a few good candidates, so let’s focus on them tomorrow. That should give us most of the information there is to find here.”

(And if we don’t find anything useful there, we’ll have no reason to stay in Adeleden.)

They finished eating.

They had been introduced to an inn, but the cheap motel’s lock was far from safe. In fact, it easily broke when Mikoto gave the door a testing kick. They felt like they might get some unwelcome nighttime visitors if they stayed in the inn, so Mikoto and Shokuhou grabbed a pillow and blanket each and curled up in the especially sturdy aircraft hangar.

Fortunately, there were a few old sofas in one corner.

“Misaka-saaan.”

“What?”

“Can we keep the bug zapper on?”

She shut it off and went to sleep.