A Scientific Urban Detective

Kiyosumi Yukari found Misaka Mikoto in front of the "Casino" in the game arcade of the school dormitory.

She had been delayed a bit on the way by a teacher, so by the time Kiyosumi Yukari arrived, the "game" was already underway.

Of course, the so-called "game" between Misaka Mikoto and Sadan Fand was more accurately a "project experience"—like other arcades in Academy City, although there were various projects directly related to gambling, there was no actual gambling. Instead, it was open to students as a "social experience" or "extracurricular math activity."

However, since it was essentially gambling, it was difficult to prevent people from actually betting something on these games.

And not long ago, the game that Sadan Fand and Misaka Mikoto were playing did indeed involve a wager...

A dozen minutes earlier, Sadan Fand had come straight from the infirmary to the first-year classrooms to find Misaka Mikoto.

Then, she directly extended an invitation to Misaka Mikoto.

"I have information that Misaka-san hasn't actually joined the Shokuhou Faction, and the reason you're acting with the Shokuhou Faction is because you need each other's cooperation for a certain matter." Sadan Fand gave her reasoning, "According to the information I have, that matter has been resolved—so there's no need for Misaka-san to continue to be tied to the Shokuhou Faction. In that case..."

As a free agent who hasn't joined any faction, one is naturally free to accept invitations from any faction.

Misaka Mikoto was caught off guard by this straight-ball invitation from her senior, and subconsciously fiddled with a game coin in her hand—this was a "railgun" projectile. To familiarize herself with the feel and properties of the projectile, she had recently been taking out a coin and playing with it in her hand.

It had now become an unconscious habit.

Because Sadan Fand had made the invitation in front of the classroom, in a public place, Misaka Mikoto was also racking her brains about how to decline politely.

Just as she was organizing her words in her mind, Sadan Fand suddenly showed an apologetic expression.

"Oops, I didn't consider it carefully," as if she had just realized the surrounding environment, Sadan Fand quickly bowed and apologized, "I should have made the invitation in a more formal and private setting. Please don't mind, Misaka-san. I don't mean to use my seniority to force you to make a decision. I'm sincerely extending the invitation, and I hope Misaka-san can consider it carefully."

"Huh?" Misaka Mikoto felt a little lost at the other party's pace, "It's great that you understand, Senpai. I really don't..."

"Wait!" Sadan Fand held out her panda doll again, stopping Misaka Mikoto's words, "Let's go somewhere else to talk properly, Misaka-san!"

—She's really persistent. Is Sadan Fand-senpai like this?

Misaka Mikoto complained in her heart, but the other party was a senior, the leader of a faction, and didn't show any malice, so she really had no reason to refuse the proactive invitation.

There were members of the Sadan Faction in the class, and their envious and eager eyes made Misaka Mikoto feel like she was sitting on pins and needles—she felt like she would be letting these classmates down the most if she refused the invitation...

Helplessly, Misaka Mikoto had to accept the invitation. After asking a classmate to excuse her, she left the teaching building with Sadan Fand.

Walking down the road, Sadan Fand kept staring at the coin in Misaka Mikoto's hand.

Noticing her gaze, Misaka Mikoto quickly explained, "This is a tool I use when activating my ability, so I'm familiarizing myself with the feel."

"Mm-hm," Sadan Fand nodded, "So, Misaka-san likes to play games, right?"

"Uh... I don't dislike them."

"How about this, let's decide the outcome with a game!" As if she had thought of a good idea, Sadan Fand clapped her hands.

"Outcome?" The competitive Misaka Mikoto caught the keyword, "But we don't seem to have a reason to compete, right?"

"Yes, we do. How about if Misaka-san loses, you join my faction?"

"Gambling is prohibited in all aspects!" Suddenly, a third voice came from behind.

Looking back, the speaker was a peculiar beautiful girl who wore the Tokiwadai Middle School uniform in a delinquent-girl style.

Her natural dark skin and thick eyelashes allowed her to show off a "black-skinned辣妹風" without deliberately putting on makeup.

Her light-colored hair was tied into two small buns on top of her head, decorated with shiny patches, which at first glance looked like a frog's eyes...

"Gekota!" Misaka Mikoto's eyes lit up, and she blurted out subconsciously.

Then she came back to her senses, "Sorry, how rude of me! Ruri-senpai!"

Shin'en-koji Ruri-hime, a third-year student at Tokiwadai Middle School, a free agent who has not joined any faction.

Although her dress is an unseemly "delinquent 辣妹" style, she is currently the only disciplinary committee member at Tokiwadai Middle School.

She is also Misaka Mikoto's confidante and most respected senior.

She probably heard that Misaka Mikoto was "being bullied by a senior", so she rushed over to save her, right?

Although after seeing the actual situation, Ruri-senpai immediately knew that the rumor was false, she also happened to hear about the topic of "gambling."

As a disciplinary committee member, she cannot tolerate such things from happening.

"Ruri-senpai, good morning," Sadan Fand said with a smile, "I was just joking, please don't mind it."

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"Oh? Joking?"

"Yes, after all, Misaka-san can't possibly join my faction because of the outcome of a game, right?" Sadan Fand said.

"Of course not!" Misaka Mikoto retorted.

"However, since we're already here, let's play a game after all." Sadan Fand turned her body sideways and raised her hand, making an inviting gesture.

At this moment, the group of three had actually arrived at the entrance of the game arcade.

"Hey, you were planning this all along, weren't you?" Ruri-senpai looked over with a stern face.

"Haha, don't worry too much about it. I just wanted to invite Misaka-san to play a game and get closer." Sadan Fand explained.

Since they had already come, and with Sadan Fand's warm invitation, Misaka Mikoto and Shin'en-koji Ruri-hime looked at each other and walked in together.

"Just a regular game of blackjack," coming to the gambling table, Sadan Fand took out four new boxes of playing cards, "Fortunately, none of us are clairvoyant ability users, so it won't affect the fairness of this game. Let Ruri-senpai deal the cards."

Completely led by Sadan Fand, Misaka Mikoto was pressed into a seat on one side of the gambling table.

"By the way," Sadan Fand looked very excited, "Although you don't have to join my faction, let's still bet something a little to increase the tension, shall we?"

"Hey, that's against school rules." Ruri-senpai warned.

"Don't worry, it's just symbolic," Sadan Fand pointed to Misaka Mikoto's hand, "Let's use Misaka-san's coins, I remember you have a lot of coins, right?"

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