Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===

“Hey, Kinuhata. These are special high-grip gloves and is that a lockpicking tool?”

“I see. So the corpse who paid us an unwanted visit was a burglar. District 3 does have a super lot of big corporate buildings, so climbing skills would be valuable in that trade.”

Takitsubo and Kinuhata’s conversation made Mugino scowl.

“Seriously? We’re on the 50th floor. I know people don’t always close their windows on higher floors, but surely there’s a better use for the patience and endurance it would take to climb this high.”

“You super can’t expect criminals to go straight. It doesn’t matter how far a pervert peeping tom hones his skills – he’ll never be a clever spy. They’re just super not the type to do that.”

“Mugino. It might have been faster for him to climb down from the roof than up from the ground.”

Even that would take a lot of effort.

Letting the corpse (whose neck had been broken by his own weight) fall to the ground would be a neighborhood nuisance, so the four of them pulled him over the railing onto the balcony. There was a roof over that, so the rain wouldn’t blow in.

“In the end, we can’t just leave him here. If the heat wasn’t bad enough, everything is damp from the rain. Mugino, when can the corpse disposer get here? Should we stick a portable air conditioner next to him for the time being?”

“I already made the call, so they should be by soon.”

“Hm.”

That meant they were running behind schedule.

Frenda didn’t give much of a response despite asking the question and a burning metal smell came from her. For her, this may have been like doing a jigsaw puzzle or crossword puzzle to kill time. She was looking through a large magnifying glass held in place by a stand while she used a soldering iron on some kind of computer chip.

After receiving a face full of the lead scent produced by Frenda’s feminine hobby, Kinuhata made sure to keep her distance.

“Super what are you making, Frenda-san? Another deadly alarm clock?”

“An antimatter bomb. In the end, I think it’s more powerful than the sun.”

“…”

Kinuhata formed a small triangle with her mouth and Frenda looked up at her.

“It’s just a chip and a detonator. In the end, this can’t blow up on its own.”

The intercom rang and Kinuhata answered it through the screen, but their visitor was not a delinquent from their support organization. A gentle young woman with ankle-length black hair stood in front of the door. Her curvy body seemed barely contained by a knit dress with various holes that Kinuhata couldn’t remember the name of.

The woman in the lewd knit dress (as Kinuhata decided to call it) smiled with a hand elegantly placed on her cheek.

“Hello. I am Hanatsuyu Kuchikusa the Converter. I believe you called for me.”

“Kinuhata, I called her here out of my own pocket, so open the door and let her in. This is going to be our hideout, so this isn’t like cleaning up a corpse from the side of the road. The usual delinquents said they couldn’t completely get rid of the smell, so I had to hire a higher grade of worker for this one. I don’t want any trace left of this guy.”

Mugino made it sound as casual as letting in a mover to transport their furniture.

“Hm, hm♪ Now, I need to work hard if I’m going to support my family. Hee hee. Look, I have my cute twins as my phone’s wallpaper. I’m training them in the family business.”

“In the end, are you serious? They’re no older than my sister. Sure, I’m spending money I made on criminal jobs to buy clothes for her, but this is different.”

“The two of them are learning all the necessary skills in a sterile lab right now. They still have a long way to go before I can let them take on actual jobs, though. They just don’t have the necessary skills. Or really, they’re far too destructive, so they need to learn better control or how to apply the brakes.”

While bragging about her daughters in about the most disturbing way imaginable, the gentle mama crossed the living room and out onto the balcony. Kinuhata gave her a curious look.

“(That knit dress really accentuates her curves. Would that super work as an easy way to give yourself a touch of adult sex appeal?)”

Meanwhile, Takitsubo noticed something while staring blankly at the woman.

“That gas mask on the side of her head.”

“What about it?”

“I’ve seen it before. On that DJ at the library used for the Colosseum.”

“Oh, dear. You know about my secret hobby? Academy City is such a small place. Hee hee. How embarrassing.”

Mugino jerked her chin toward the burglar with the broken neck.

“How are you going to clean that up?”

“Well, I generally use necrophages,” said the gentle mama like she might when explaining how she makes the dashi for her miso soup. “The term converter refers to the entire category of plants and animals that eat dead carcasses and of bacteria that create organic material out of inorganic material without using photosynthesis. There are enough different types to fill an entire encyclopedia, but whether they are bugs, molds, or plants, the most powerful method is to lay their eggs in the dead host to eat it from within. Hee hee. You can never go wrong with that method. Because for them, the host’s carcass is their home and they will consume all of its resources from end to end, leaving nothing at all behind. So you can sit back, relax, and leave this to the tiny experts. My, my. They will fully destroy the genetic material and not leave a single scent particle behind☆”

“Ew, what a world we live in. Is a mother supporting her kids afraid of nothing?”

“Oh? Did I say anything about being their mama? As a girl yourself, would you have chosen this skimpy knit dress? ''There are certain parasites and specific endocrine disruptors that can remove a human’s male reproductive abilities and make them female.''”

“…”

“Just kidding☆ Whether I am those girls’ papa or mama and whether I supplied the sperm or the egg will remain a secret. Because that kind of mystery is great for increasing your perceived value.”

Item didn’t particularly care one way or the other, but it did sound just like the dark side to turn science on that level into a toy.

Meanwhile, a change was showing itself.

Apparently it was true you couldn’t understand just how impressive an expert’s skills really were. All they could see was the woman spraying a few colorful liquids from something like perfume bottles. She was probably spreading bug eggs or plant seeds. The 170cm collection of flesh and bone, which had a broken neck and was starting to stink, vanished without a trace – including the clothing and equipment. The process was even faster than watching ice melt. The balcony had to be crawling with something microscopic but even more dangerous than army ants. And even though the man’s equipment disappeared, the balcony and living room floor remained intact.

It was a scene that made one wonder what a human even was.

“There, all done. Nothing biologically or physically remains, but it can help on the emotional side if you wash the balcony off with water. That won’t scientifically change anything, though.”

“Is this super safe to leave as is? Isn’t the floor crawling with whatever tiny things ate that guy?”

“Hmm? I’m not sure what you’re so afraid of, but I killed all the human-eating larvae with a mold that’s harmless to humans. But those adorable little babies only eat dead humans, so it wouldn’t matter either way,” casually explained the expert. Apparently a pro’s job wasn’t done until they had returned their monster to its cage. “My, my. Are you about to cook yakiniku? If you’re worried about the smell of the room, please call me again. Bye. …Hello, girls? I’ve finished my job, so what would like for dinner? Hee hee. How about filling our bellies with meat at the churrasco place by the station?”

She remained smiling to the end.

Kinuhata seemed a little dazed as she watched the departing parent of small twins.

“She’s already talking about food. Do people in her business super not need time to switch gears?”

“In the end, humans can eat their lunch in the school bathroom if necessary.”

Mugino raised her arms and stretched her back.

“There, that pain-in-the-ass accident is dealt with, so let’s get to dinner! I’m starving.”

“Looks like one of us super doesn’t care either.”

But going without dinner over something like this would be a problem for a growing girl. Their trouble was finally over and their guest had left. They couldn’t relax in their outdoor clothes, so the four of them started by entering their rooms and changing into their pajamas.

Once they had regathered in the living room, Takitsubo blankly tilted her head and spoke first.

“Frenda, aren’t you on dinner duty today? I know we ran into some trouble, but shouldn’t you have started preparing the food by now? If you need to prepare in a hurry, I can help.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Worry not because this is all going according to plan.”

“?”

“In the end, what’s the standard food choice when one of those famous Asian typhoons is on its way? We could be stuck with nothing but canned food for a while, so I thought we had to do something special tonight. Tah dah! We can use our outdoor gear and a yakiniku set for what I call the Great Veramping Operation!!”

Frenda’s excitement didn’t have much of an effect on Kinuhata and Takitsubo.

Kinuhata tilted her head.

“Super what is veramping?”

“It means to camp on the balcony, Kinuhata. I think Frenda was looking at some solo camping content on social media or a video site.”

In other words, she just wanted to do it herself.

At least it was better than having Frenda say she had bought nothing but preserved foods to prepare for the typhoon, which, knowing Frenda, would inevitably turn out to be a hellish experience with nothing but canned mackerel to eat.

Hanatsuyu Mama had given it away earlier, but that specialist must have identified the thin-sliced yakiniku meat from the smell of the blood, the fat, and so on.

The four of them carried the sofa, table, and cushions out onto the large balcony.

It was still raining outside, but the balcony had a roof and it didn’t look like the rain was going to blow in on them. And as much as they complained, Academy City residents generally didn’t believe in ghosts and such.

“In the end, this lantern will really set the mood, don’t you think? Oh, now it feels like we’re camping!”

“But that’s a super bright LED light?”

After securing a seat, Takitsubo’s gaze wandered through empty space before landing on negligee-wearing Mugino.

“Are we allowed to use the balcony this way?”

“We’re not using fire, so I don’t see why not. And if it is a problem, we can slap the concierge with a stack of cash and have them change the rules for us. It’s not like apartment rules are actual laws or regulations.”

Mugino seemed more interested in the hot plate that kitty pajamas Frenda had for them to use.

“Won’t electric be too weak? A gas-powered grill seems like it would cook the meat more thoroughly.”

“Don’t worry. Now allow me to introduce the stars of the show: check out this glorious wagyu.”

“Hold on, Frenda. What did you take that out of?”

“A silver cooler, what else? This is how you make it really feel like camping! Plus, who wants to keep walking back and forth between the balcony and the kitchen? We’re not leaving the balcony until we’ve finished eating!! In the end, what do you want to start with? The Yonezawa, the Hida, or should we go straight to the Matsusaka!? So many choices☆”

“Isn’t this all cheap cloned beef super created in Academy City’s farm buildings? Admittedly, you super couldn’t find a difference from the real deal even with an electron microscope.”

“Don’t they call it genetic preservation, Kinuhata?” asked Takitsubo. “Reminds me of the hot spring bath additivities they make in factories.”

“Oh, shut up. We all know you two are going to eat more than anyone. And look, I used an outdoor technique they showed in the camping videos. Frozen meat can double as an ice pack!”

This led to a problem.

In her thin baggy pajama top and shorts, Kinuhata formed a small triangle with her mouth.

“How long are going to super cook that meat? When are we going to get to eat something!?”

“It’s taking 20 minutes to cook a single piece of meat. I think this is more defrosting than cooking, though.”

The girl who even wore a track suit when she slept was unfazed by the trouble.

Mugino didn’t even try to hide her irritation as she growled a response.

“That technique of yours is meant for when you’re driving half a day out into the mountains or to the beach, not when you’re at home. What were you thinking putting frozen meat on this weak electric hotplate, you dumbass outdoors novice?”

Frenda was left sulking in a corner of the balcony after the verbal assault from all sides, but fortunately, only the meat had been frozen. That boosted the popularity of the yakisoba, stir-fried vegetables, and other less exciting options that were usually only seen as side dishes.

“Mugino, they must chop up the vegetables super small when your family stir fries them.”

“No one’s going to eat the carrots and bell peppers if you cook them individually, so they go with the meat and carbs. And the meat we left near the hotplate should be back to room temperature by now, right? Pass it here. I don’t want any bad cooks ruining it by flipping it over again and again.”

Mugino complained while using the cooking chopsticks to place meat and vegetables on everyone’s small plates. The large hotplate’s surface couldn’t be easily replaced, so they divided it into four areas with each area used for a cooking meat with a different seasoning, such as tare or salt. Sirloin, kalbi, and other types of meat needed to be flipped over at different times, so it took a lot of finesse. Mugino was probably doing it so the others didn’t piss her off by doing it wrong, but the end result was little different from being a caring big sister. But it was best not to ask the queen why she could do this but couldn’t seem to do any of the ordinary housework.

Takitsubo blinked twice and broke her silence.

“Frenda, where’s the tare?”

“In the end, I bought a few different yakiniku ones,” hesitantly replied Frenda with her lips pouted.

This was another place where individual tastes played a role. Mugino and Takitsubo went for the spicy tare. Kinuhata didn’t hesitate to reach for the mild bottle. And Mugino preferred to squeeze a lemon onto hers as well.

As for Frenda…

“Heh heh♪ Tare on meat? It must be amateur hour in here. In the end, the informed adult chooses salt☆”

“…” “…” “…”

“Hey! Why are you all being so harsh with me today? I set this all up, remember!?”

Frenda was shouting tearfully at this point, but it was written plainly on the other three’s faces that they didn’t consider salt a specific enough flavor to even discuss. It was like saying your favorite dessert was “anything with sugar in it”. She could have at least narrowed it down some by saying matcha salt or truffle salt.

But the cooler that had caused so much trouble had some more delightful surprises inside.

“Oh, it’s super full of drinks. Ice cold carbonated water, fermented milk soda, and even iced coffee.”

“You can’t grill on a hot day without some cold drinks. These might be even more important than the food. Kinuhata, pass me a cider. The French one with the ad about how it got five stars.”

Kinuhata complied with her skin faintly showing through her thin summer pajamas.

“Whew, grilling gets you super sweaty, huh? I’m all sticky. But at least this is isn’t as hot as a gas grill.”

“We’ll all be taking a bath afterwards, won’t we? So what’s the problem?” replied Takitsubo, her cold drink bottle pressed against her forehead.

They were all grabbing their choice of drink when Mugino’s phone rang.

She immediately regretted not switching it off.

“What is it, Voice on the Phone?”

“What’s that sizzling sound I hear? ''It’s always like this with you.''”

“It’s called veramping. Whatever that means. The point is, we’re having a yakiniku party tonight.”

“You stupid kids and your summer break that lasts several weeks! I wish I could take weeks off to do nothing but drink beer, but I can’t!! Goddammit, I know you teens look down on us adults, but I’ll have you know we’re the ones out here working our asses off to support the world you live in!!”

It was nearly 7 PM. The view out from the balcony had transformed from dark to full-on night, but was that workaholic still not released from her duties for the day? Maybe that was how it worked for the average salaryman, but the dark side consumed people’s lives to hold the world’s mysteries in its hands. Would someone in a relatively high position there really be satisfied with an average life?

“Frenda-san, super what are you drinking?”

“In the end, it’s called a virtual drink.”

Instead of a drink bottle, Frenda held out some kind of ''machine'' she had created. It looked like a plastic cylinder with a thick straw attached. It looked a lot like the small water bottles sold at a chain café, but the multiple dials on the bottom gave it a more mechanical appearance. It almost looked like an astronomical telescope.

“Your sense of flavor is influenced by more than just your tongue, so this kit uses a combination of multiple aromas to create a virtual flavor. With one of these, you can enjoy over a hundred different varieties of cold Starzucks lattes. The company realized how dangerous this could be to their bottom line and pulled their sponsorship, but volunteers are still uploading new flavor recipes online.”

“But you’re super not drinking anything?”

“This thick straw uses a pump to suck at your tongue and that resistance tricks your senses into thinking you’re drinking something. A normal-size seasonal iced café mocha with extra whipped cream has 700 Calories. You might as well be eating miso butter corn ramen at a cheap stand on the side of the road! So wouldn’t you like the chance to enjoy the exact same flavor as much as you want for 0 Calories?”

“Here,” said Frenda, holding out the bottle and Kinuhata took the end of the thick straw in her mouth while giving it a skeptical look usually reserved for sketchy informercial products.

“Hm? Oh, wow. My mouth really feels super chilly!!”

“In the end, it apparently has a mini air conditioner inside to cool the air. Smell, touch, temperature – it combines multiple senses to make you sense the flavor. But while it works great with the iced drinks, trying hot drinks through the straw just feels wrong.”

While the other three girls excitedly shared that drink(?), negligee-wearing Mugino focused on her phone.

She switched to speakerphone so they could all here.

“So what do you want?”

“Oh, god. That drinking sound. I need to crack open a beer. Anyway, you’re bleeding cash building your new home, right? I have a new job ready, so is Item willing to accept it?”

The Voice on the Phone was their unseen agent who acted as their go-between for jobs.

As peaceful as the city looked, there was apparently a grotesque case lurking in the darkness.

“Pwah, that’s what I needed to forget about the sweltering heat,” said the Voice on the Phone. “So are you familiar with Honey Queen? Probably not. It’s always like that with you.”

“?”

“Fries…frozen fries…there it is. 5 minutes in the microwave. She’s an online marriage scammer who’s been causing a lot of trouble recently. She finds people through a variety of platforms, but she mainly works through the free voice app called Scype. And she doesn’t just target stupid men’s e-money. She sends her messages far and wide to gather up all sorts of things, including research documents full of corporate secrets and even access keys to secret areas. It’s hard to say how valuable any data on esper development could be, but an automatic calculation by the spreadsheet macro released by Academy City’s official industrial espionage countermeasure group estimates the total losses at more than 250 billion yen. Esper development is a profitable business at the higher levels. Ohhh, this new black pepper flavor is so good! My friend, I just knew you’d go great with beer the instant I saw you in that convenience store that one night!!”

“That doesn’t sound like a job for Item. What, is there some middle-aged man who wants us to execute the beautiful scammer who cruelly deceives her clients over the internet?”

“Hic, don’t be like that. I knew you were in a tight spot, so I brought this job to you first and foremost. But if you don’t want to do it, I can pass it off to something else.”

“Now tell us the real reason.”

“I said she’s gotten research documents full of corporate secrets and access keys to secret areas, right?”

Mugino wasn’t the only one who sounded irritated.

The Voice on the Phone continued.

“To be blunt, one of her victims was someone who works for the Meltdowner research lab.”

“Ugh,” groaned Mugino.

That did indeed make it her business.

Meltdowner was her power, but she had not awoken the power within herself using a mysterious personal training ritual. Her power was considered useful, so a massive amount of research funding and personnel were invested into expanding and evolving her power. In a way, she was like a racecar.

For one thing, Academy City only had seven Level 5s.

Even if some research data had leaked, she doubted anyone could copy Meltdowner right away, but it still wasn’t a pleasant thought.

More than that, if word got out security was lax, who knows who would take aim at the lab. And if the adults’ research stalled, it would slow her own development as an esper.

Whatever the case, she couldn’t have anyone taking her lightly. That was like not cleaning up the honey splattered in front of your house. Even if each individual enemy was like an ant to her, she would be worn down eventually if there were enough of them. Plus, going to the effort of eliminating them for nothing in return sounded truly awful. That wasn’t how a professional worked.

If someone did drop some honey in front of your house, you had to wash it away as soon as possible.

Leaving this sort of trouble with someone else was a bad idea because they wouldn’t understand how crucial it was. And if a more relaxed agent worked on it, it could take forever before the problem was resolved.

“So will you take the job?” asked the Voice on the Phone.

“We will.”

“Good, good. You’re awfully obedient today. If only it was always like this with you. If Honey Queen realizes you’re after her, she will see you as an enemy and attack. Now that you’ve officially accepted a job from me, you’ll have to cancel your fun and games. I’ll be enjoying a smoke and a beer in the adult’s hideout, but you need to prepare for battle. And I mean immediately.”

Immediately, when we’re were in the middle of a meal? You must be joking. It isn’t like the enemy is going to attack right away.

Mugino never got those words out.

Something traveled through and dropped out of the PVC gutter pipe above the balcony. It was about the size of a baseball. It had a wheel on either side and a single camera lens. On the inside, it was more than 80% TNT and RDX.

Simply put, it was a mobile bomb that could be detonated at any time by remote control.

“That’s a bo-!”