Experiments in immortality, the legendary Imaginary Number District, the Tokiwadai ghost haunting District 7...
These kinds of urban legends were like vines growing on the great tree that was Academy City, seemingly useless yet everywhere you looked.
"But shouldn't the test subject be Komoe-sensei? That's what all the net rumors say," a certain bun-girl murmured curiously, leaning her arm on Shirai-san's wheelchair.
The immortality experiment, officially known as the research into suppressing cellular aging phenomena.
It aimed to let the elderly retain the appearance and physical functions of the young—even surpass them.
Natsume Sonoko was somewhat inclined to believe this particular urban legend.
Body Enhancement-type ability users had many branches; it wasn't impossible that one involved life extension, and reverse-engineering such technology from it was plausible.
Besides, there was that incident before… what was it called? The Tree Person Attack case, she recalled.
Someone had extracted a life-force field crystal from trees, and then, to cover up the trees' withering deaths, implanted nanomachines to manipulate the trees into causing destruction.
She'd heard the technology for extracting those life-force fields was also reverse-engineered from Body Enhancement-type ability users.
"Natsume-san, you're saying strange things again. This teacher has always thought you were a very good child," piped up Komoe-sensei, hands on her hips, putting on an angry face, her ears practically perked up as she delivered a firm rebuttal.
She'd learned her lesson. If she didn't firmly, absolutely, and positively deny these things, the strange rumors would only intensify.
"My apologies." Natsume Sonoko hung her head, looking properly ashamed, and hurriedly expressed that she shouldn't casually believe everything she read online.
The stuff on the internet was all fake, the waters were too deep, and someone as young as Natsume Sonoko couldn't navigate it safely.
While things were a bit chaotic around Natsume Sonoko, the others' investigation pressed on.
"Judging from the information we've gathered here, that president definitely has major issues. Uiharu, is the source of this photo reliable?"
Misaka Mikoto asked after staring at the photo of Ladylee for a few moments, hesitation in her voice.
"This photo is archived on several university astronomy websites within the city. The person pictured with that president is a very famous astronomer from Gaul," Uiharu Kazari explained.
The external net and Academy City's network were separate. These astronomy sites were part of the city's internal network, but they were solid enough as evidence.
"I've found a new lead as well," Shirai Kuroko chimed in. "That president, Ladylee, was also aboard that crashed Orion spacecraft three years ago."
Even injured and confined to a wheelchair, Shirai-san's work efficiency didn't drop one bit, forming a stark contrast with a certain bun-girl who was just standing by, looking on uselessly.
Natsume Sonoko was slacking off.jpg
Shirai Kuroko had started her investigation from the Orion crash three years prior—the sensational 'Miracle of 88' incident.
She'd cross-referenced news reports from the time with the accident documents released by the Orbit Portal Company, managing to piece together some information on all 88 passengers and crew members.
"One thing is strange," Shirai Kuroko noted, a thread of doubt in her tone.
"The news reports from back then seemed to deliberately conceal the passenger manifest, only touting the number 88 and the fact that all survived. Conversely, the accident documents from Orbit Portal Company. still contain the actual passenger list from that time."
It wasn't a huge red flag, but it was odd for them to be so uniformly tight-lipped.
"Ladylee's name is definitely here, but Meigo-senpai's name isn't on it," Saten Ruiko exclaimed after leaning in to look for a moment, sounding surprised.
"Isn't that easy to explain?" Natsume Sonoko cut in, sounding utterly convinced.
"Meigo-senpai lost her memory in that accident. Three years ago, she must have had a different name."
Now that she thought about it, Meigo-senpai was really pitiful.
Not only did she lose her memory, but she'd even lost her original name. And didn't her family worry?
Or was Meigo-senpai also a 'Child Error' originally?
"Then all we have to do is find people who match the names on this list and check them one by one. Then we can figure out Meigo-senpai's original identity. There couldn't possibly have been an 89th person on a flight with 88 people, right? Everyone agrees, right?"
At this point, Misaka Mikoto seemed to have an epiphany, her pupils widening slightly.
"Indeed, given the Orion's specifications at the time, the passenger arrangement and selection were very strict. Many were well-known figures or their family members. There was no possibility of someone sneaking aboard," Shirai Kuroko agreed.
"Uiharu, we leave it to you, then," Shirai Kuroko said after a moment's thought, turning to Uiharu Kazari.
"No problem," Uiharu nodded. The task of gathering information from the network was right up her alley.
As the rapid clacking of computer keys filled the room, Natsume Sonoko stared idly at the ceiling.
Come to think of it, the most common things Natsume Sonoko did at Judgement Branch Office 177, besides hogging other people's snacks, were coming to ask for help.
Glancing beside her, she saw Meigo Arisa-senpai hanging her head low, looking downcast.
"Meigo-senpai, are you still planning to perform at the space elevator's opening ceremony tomorrow?" Natsume Sonoko asked, scooting closer, her voice filled with concern.
The opening ceremony tomorrow might not necessarily have an accident like they anticipated. It was like Schrödinger's cat—before you opened the box, it was all a matter of probability.
But the world also had a thing called Murphy's Law. If you worried about something happening, it was more likely to occur.
So, Natsume Sonoko felt there was a high chance something unexpected would happen. Her own good luck might not be enough to handle it.
"I will go. Being able to stand on a stage like that… it's my dream," Meigo Arisa replied.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm a bubble, popping and vanishing at the slightest touch of reality. Only when I'm singing can I forget all my worries."
Meigo-senpai smiled faintly, not a trace of hesitation on her face.
Whether it was for her fans who loved her, or for herself, she had no intention of running away from this.
Not knowing her own past, this senpai always seemed to be in an awkward state. Like rootless duckweed, only singing could bring a moment of peace to her heart.
She dreamed of standing on a higher stage, letting more people hear her voice. And in the process of conveying her song, she could prove the traces of her own existence.
"I see," Natsume Sonoko nodded, understanding only partially.
So, this senpai really, really loved to sing.
Roughly ten or so minutes later, Uiharu-san finally managed to investigate based on the passenger list.
The document recording the passenger list was highly credible; it had been publicly released before Starwave Ltd. went bankrupt and was acquired, and was considered an accurate record of the situation at the time.
"So? What did you find?" Misaka Mikoto asked urgently, coming over.
"I've managed to find information on all 88 people," Uiharu said, turning back and clicking the mouse. A large number of personnel photos appeared on the screen.
"But unfortunately, while there is someone whose age at the time roughly matches Meigo-senpai's… that person isn't her," Uiharu explained, a deeply puzzled look on her face.
Was this senpai lying?
"But Yomikawa-sensei said that Meigo-senpai was definitely one of the survivors of that incident," Saten Ruiko interjected.
After hearing Saten-san's words, Misaka Mikoto frowned deeply.
"That's right, I was there and heard it too," Natsume Sonoko quickly chimed in, finally getting a chance to contribute.
"And there's another truly surprising thing," Uiharu continued, her next discovery even more shocking.
"Even though it was a miracle that all 88 people, passengers and crew included, survived… the captain of that Orion flight, a man named Daedalus… actually died during that voyage."
"His death was completely overshadowed by the miracle of all 88 surviving."
If someone had died during that flight, then why were there still 88 people when they were rescued? What—or who—was that extra person?
"In other words… there was actually one extra person on that plane." Natsume Sonoko murmured, biting her lip, an expression of dawning comprehension on her face.
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T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.