Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===

Whatever else was going on, he still had his supplementary lesson to get to.

Not only was he teetering on the precipice of being held back, he was cautiously hopeful that he might get some snacks to eat at Komoe-sensei’s rundown apartment.

He was accompanied by a girl who looked ready to skip if he took his eyes off her for a moment. In fact, the round white fluffball on the back of her apron was already wiggling side to side. He wasn’t sure if that doll-like dress would be too warm or too cold, but she seemed happy enough. Still, her short sleeves made him wonder if she had no fear of the north wind. Her skirt was fairly long, but that hardly mattered with how fluttery it was. If it caught on a fence or tree branch, he would be able to see everything. Even now, it was providing glimpses of her thighs in the white tights.

“Hm, hm, hm, hm.”

“It doesn’t really matter, but why did you come with me, Alice?”

“Um, why didn’t you bring the nun girl with you?”

Because she would make it really hard to focus on his lesson.

Alice didn’t understand that and just looked confused. She still had that gentle, otherworldly atmosphere to her. Then again, staying in the dreary dorm would have meant staying with Index who had eaten the last real calorie source outside of the mixed fish crunchy cat food, so joining Kamijou may have been the right choice.

(What do I do with her anyway?)

Kamijou Touma was at a loss.

He had lost sight of what was normal after taking in Index, a cat, and a god, but there had to be a serious story behind this mystery girl. When he asked her about it, she only gave him a smile of 100% optimism, which didn’t tell him much. Was she lost? Had she run away from home? He wasn’t sure how to describe the situation on the paperwork, but wasn’t this worth a visit to an Anti-Skill station?

“Wait, this is actually perfect timing. Komoe-sensei is an adult even if she doesn’t look it and informing a teacher at school would be my best bet here.”

“?”

Whether she understood the situation or not, Alice cutely tilted her head while walking by his side.

“A biochemistry group comprised mostly of college students was just arrested in Nuremberg, Germany. They allegedly purchased and operated lab equipment in order to manipulate human DNA and create a human with less than 50% water content.”

“I told you. I told all of you. This is a grave situation. Recognizing the human rights of clones sounds nice, but that also lowers the psychological barriers for those who would create them.”

“There are rumors that the speedy arrest was thanks to benevolent and unofficial cooperation from Academy City, but the press officer strongly denies it and says we must pay careful attention to the changes in science ethics in academia.”

The news was playing on the large screen installed on the belly of a blimp floating by in the chilly sky overhead.

Alice ignored it all and focused on a nearby convenience store instead. More specifically, on the banner set up in front of the store.

“Look, they have a new marmalade shark fin-”

“No.”

“They have a new marmalade shark fin foie gras bun!!”

“Don’t plow on through it with a smile after I stop you! The answer is no! I only have 1580 yen left to get through this New Year’s Tokyo survival life! And why the hell are they putting shark fin in meat buns and soup cups!? That price is way too low for comfort! And the marmalade up front would definitely ruin the rest of it!!”

“Ehh?”

“Don’t tilt your head with that ‘what are you good for then’ look, Alice. Nothing’s as scary as a girl lowering her voice when she questions you. It’s a one-hit kill for any teenage boy’s heart.”

“But the girl wants a dangerous ''adventure''.”

“Yeah, I’m sure an adventure paid for out of someone else’s pocket is a whole lot of fun!! I get that you’re hungry after Index hoovered up all the bread, but convenience stores are not the answer. As long as you know how to cook, the supermarket or the discount store’s family-sized items are the most cost effective options. Um, Alice? Wait, stop! Don’t order it! As soon as the clerk picks up one of the hot snacks, you can’t return it! Noooooooooooooooooo!?”

And.

After knocking since the doorbell was broken, the door opened and the 135cm teacher, Tsukuyomi Komoe, emerged looking puzzled.

“Sniff, sniff. What’s that wonderful smell? Kamijou-chan, you stopped for some food on the way, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, and now I’m not going to live to see the new year.”

“?”

She looked even more puzzled as she welcomed them into the small room.

Alice tilted her head while clinging to Kamijou’s side.

“She’s the same height as the girl, but she seems different somehow.”

“Trust your intuition there, Alice. Do you see the empty beer cans in the corner of the room? Those aren’t a non-alcoholic trick. Also take note of the very full ashtray on the tea table. You’re looking at the sorrow of a grown teacher – not something either of us would be familiar with.”

Komoe-sensei screamed and scrambled to clean up her room.

And eventually…

“Ahem. Now, Kamijou-chan, please open your textbook to page 58. We’re still talking about esper development, but this section is about the changes in biological and chemical applied technology, so try not to get confused.”

“Ugh, what a pain. Which is which again?”

“Screw this up and you will be doomed to a second freshman year before the third term even begins.”

“I’m prepared to pour every effort into this, so please don’t give up on me already!!”

Alice was still smiling. She was also still wearing her shoes.

With no chairs, Kamijou was seated on the tatami mat floor with his textbook and notes spread out on the tea table, but then Alice attacked his spiky head from behind. He suddenly felt something smooth against his cheeks. By the time he realized that was her legs in the white tights, he felt a weight and a higher body temperature on his shoulders and the back of his neck.

She had decided to hop up on his shoulders for a piggyback ride.

She didn’t seem to care she was wearing a frilly dress. In fact, he didn’t feel that thick skirt, only her thighs squeezing against his cheeks. Did that mean he had been directly invited into that longish skirt given extra volume with panniers!? The instant he focused on that idea, he could have sworn the air rose in temperature like he was in a greenhouse. He felt very trapped.

On top of him, Alice was licking the thin paper for her meat bun like it was the underside of an ice cream cup lid.

“Munch, munch. Yeah, that was pretty bad, teacher☆ The shark fin and foie gras just tasted like marmalade.”

“Do you understand my predicament here, girl!? I’m down to 1160 yen because of you!”

She complained about the flavor, but her little tongue kept teasing the thin paper.

“Surprises like this are fun. That’s what makes it an ''adventure''.”

“Also, why am I your teacher?”

“Kamijou Touma is the girl’s teacher.”

???

Did she mean in Japanese culture, or in having fun in Academy City? He couldn’t always figure out what girls that age were thinking. But was age really the issue here? She seemed a lot more like the kind of incautious 12-year-old you would find in a fairy tale, not like the kind of 12-year-old you would find in the real world. For one thing, what was even the point of this piggyback ride when he was sitting down and it didn’t lift her any higher than standing up would?

“Anyway, you need to get off of me, Alice! I’m on the verge of getting held back, so don’t get in the way!!”

“Yay, it’s the Tick Tock Bunny☆”

“Don’t shake me side to side!! Yikes, yikes, yikes!! If you fall over with my head between your thighs, you’ll snap my neck!!”

“Oh?”

She must not have been that attached to her own idea because the soft weight left him as soon as he made his request.

But not because she was interested in behaving.

“Sneak, sneak, sneak.”

“Alice, what are you- ahh? Don’t crawl under the tea table!”

“Heh heh. Teacher’s lap pillow☆”

She grinned and kept the mischief coming as thick as a barrage of machinegun fire. Silky gold hair fell onto his thighs. The pointy curls resembling animal ears poked gently at his stomach. She had no conception of caution and carried an overall gentle atmosphere. He would be here all day if he tried to get after her for every little thing.

What was happening here, anyway? He was taking his required supplementary lesson and an innocent blonde girl was crawling under his table while his teacher watched. Yet the girl was so oblivious to the problem there that she smiled and squirmed around in a rather disturbing way!

Worse, the tea table was far too small to hide what was going on.

It was more like a tortoise shell than anything, so Alice’s hands and legs stuck out from below. Komoe-sensei could see it all from her position.

For once, that teacher had the eyes of a dead fish.

“Um, Kamijou-chan? Do you care so little about staying at school that you’re willing to play sea turtle during your supplementary lesson?”

“Wait, are you suggesting I could end up expelled and not just held back!? Okay, I’ll study, I’ll study! Please don’t give up on me!!”