Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter1 (section)

===Part 4===

In the end, the biggest problem to deal with was what to have for dinner.

“No one ever plans things out in this age when they can just go get the ingredients at the supermarket right before making the meal.”

“The problem is that you are too careless, Touma. If you had a perfect memory like me, you wouldn’t need to keep an account book for household expenses!”

“Then how about you actually use that perfect memory of yours!? If you do, you’ll notice that the problem is that you eat any ingredients I try to stock up on!! That is why I can only buy ingredients for that day and that day alone!!”

And so Kamijou and Index entered a supermarket with the much too blunt name of “For the Athletic Type!!”

The white nun was known around the area as “the devourer”, so the old women running the samples areas began retreating when they saw her enter. However, Index did not seem interested in them.

“T-Touma! That flier says a blue-fin tuna dissection show is starting!”

“There is no way that is happening!! We just can’t!! Any kind of food prepared in the supermarket would destroy our budget. And what about that is athletic!?”

“DHA! I want DHA tonight!!”

“If that’s all you want, then take a supplement!! In fact, do you even know what that is!?”

Index tried to run off through the store, but Kamijou grabbed at the back of her neck to stop her. If he let that girl head off, he might be stuck having to solve the mystery of how a giant blue-fin tuna had disappeared from a completely sealed room.

“Index, we are here to get dinner for tonight. We are not looking for something to eat right now.”

“I see! So you’re telling me to find something even more delicious than blue-fin tuna!?”

Since he had no idea what that interpretation would lead to, Kamijou pretended to rub Index’s head and locked on with an iron claw.

He then dragged her to the section carrying all the special deals of the day.

“T-Touma, why does this area seem to be filled with a dangerous smell!?”

“Unfortunately, that is the non-monetary price one must pay to get a good deal. If you want something that is ‘guaranteed’, you need to head to an organic shop!!”

“B-but look at this: ‘Space Carrots! Such a surprising change in the carotene!’ Doesn’t that sound a bit ominous!?”

“Yes, it does seem a bit dangerous to just call it a ‘surprising change’. I’m not even sure if it has more of it, less of it, or if the structure of the carotene itself has changed. But look at this wonderful price! Only the strange products that are partially covered with research funds can be this cheap!!”

“The word ‘research’ scares me! And you just admitted it was strange, didn’t you, Touma!?”

“If it looks exactly like a carrot and tastes exactly like a carrot, then I say it must be made of the same stuff as a carrot. In other words…well, it’s all the same in your stomach!!”

“W-wait, Touma! What am I supposed to do if it tastes like a melon!?”

“Then you’ll know what it was talking about here.”

“?”

“The surprising change to the carotene.”

“I don’t want a surprise!”

But Kamijou doubted the vegetables could be too dangerous if they had simply been grown on a space station.

Kamijou looked over at some other ingredients while ignoring Index who was trembling while looking into the shopping cart.

This is what he found.

“T-Touma. Did you even read this!? It says: ‘Genetically Improved Lettuce #3. Three hundred different insects refuse to approach it. Sorry about #1 and #2!!’ I can’t trust this new technology of Academy City! What does it mean if not even bugs are willing to eat it? Really, what does it mean!? I want to know what exactly makes the bugs run away from it!! And the fact that a #1 and #2 disappeared into the shadows of history clearly hints at a dangerous conclusion!!”

“…”

Even so, the research assistance made the price quite attractive.

The essence of a journey in search of meal ingredients was to cross the tightrope stretched between safety and budget.

And with that in mind, what was he to do here?