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Academy City , School District 21.
This district housed the city's primary water source and, uniquely, its only mountainous terrain. It was a rare, precious environment where nature was permitted to exist amidst the concrete sprawl.
In this district, research on water sources and on flora and fauna is quite famous. At the same time, astronomy-related research is also conducted here. Therefore, not only does it have a natural environment, but it also features all kinds of artificial vegetation, man-made lakes, and even an observatory. If not for the district's heavy research usage, it would probably be a popular summer retreat and picnic spot for students.
Deep within this district lies a specific mountain.
At the top of that mountain lies a circular man-made lake with a diameter of more than fifty meters.
At the center of the lake stands a tower-shaped metal structure. The lake's edges are entirely reinforced with steel and concrete.
This is an experimental geothermal power station, whose heat-transmission rods extend vertically downward over a thousand meters into the earth.
The lake itself is simply one part of this power-generation experimental facility.
Around the time when the sun was nearly setting, Fang Li and Shokuhou Misaki arrived here.
"So there was a place like this here after all?"
Standing along the bank of the man-made lake, Fang Li couldn't help but relax his expression. Although this was an experimental geothermal power station, in terms of scenery, it wasn't a bad place at all.
"Sylvie would probably like a place like this, right?"
With that diva's personality, she might even suggest this as their next date location, maybe even propose a picnic here.
"If there's a chance, I'll bring her over to take a look…"
Just as Fang Li made this decision, he heard a panting voice and messy footsteps coming from behind him. Hearing this, the relaxed expression on Fang Li's face instantly turned into one of helplessness. He turned his head toward the mountain path.
"Ha… ha… haa…"
There, the amnesiac girl named Shokuhou Misaki was running toward him at a miserable pace that even an ant could catch up to. She was moving her legs, gasping heavily for breath, drenched in sweat from head to toe… she looked like she was on the verge of dying.
"Didn't… didn't I tell you… to slow… down…?!"
Queen-sama, completely out of stamina, tried to sound angry, but her exhaustion turned the complaint weak and powerless.
Seeing her in such a state, Fang Li spoke in exasperation. "I already was going slow, okay?"
It was true.
If Fang Li had used his real ability, he could've gone up and down a mountain trail like this in just a few seconds. Even moving at an ordinary person's pace, he wasn't going particularly fast; he had climbed the mountain with nothing more than normal human footwork.
And even so, Shokuhou Misaki couldn't keep up. It took her at least half an hour longer to reach the top.
And she looked absolutely exhausted.
"Didn't think that the Queen of Tokiwadai Middle School, Academy City's Number Five, the strongest psychic-type esper, would turn out to be a complete movement idiot." Fang Li sighed as he spoke. "But on second thought, I suppose it makes sense."
After all, for Mental Out, who can just control others' bodies to go out even while staying at home herself, physical exercise probably isn't on the menu.
"As a former hikikomori myself, I don't exactly have the right to lecture you," Fang Li said calmly. "But aren't you going to have trouble during the sports festival like this?"
"Sh–shut up…! Mind your own business…!" Shokuhou Misaki collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily as she glared weakly at Fang Li. "I'm… a girl… I don't need… physical strength…!"
"Well, it's true that not exercising won't kill you, so do what you want." Fang Li shrugged. "But shouldn't you fix that 'Strength~' verbal tic of yours?"
It was certainly quite unique and very cute, but for someone who ruled over an entire faction, it really did make her seem less dignified.
Then again, it didn't actually matter.
With Shokuhou Misaki's personal charisma and her rule-breaking Mental Out ability, it didn't matter who it was; anyone within her ability's range could be made to swear loyalty to her. In the end, anyone in this world could become her slave if she willed it.
So Fang Li only mentioned it casually.
"Well then, this should be the place, right?" Fang Li shifted to the main topic and asked, "This is the first place you saw after you woke up?"
Shokuhou Misaki adjusted her breathing, looked around the area, then nodded. "Yes. This is the place. The first scene in my memory is right here."
In that case, she definitely wouldn't have forgotten it.
"But I've already taken a rough walk around the area, and I didn't find any traces of battle at all." Fang Li rubbed his chin. "That means whatever caused you to lose your memory probably wasn't some kind of fight, right?"
"Of course not." Shokuhou Misaki answered firmly. "If my memory had been knocked out of me, then I'd have suffered some degree of physical impact. My head would definitely have some kind of wound. But the truth is… it doesn't."
In other words, Shokuhou Misaki did not lose her memory due to an external blow.
"Then maybe it was the effect of a supernatural ability… but that seems impossible too…"
After all, Shokuhou Misaki was the world's strongest psychic-type esper. It was impossible for someone to interfere with her mind just by using an ability.
Besides, research had shown that if two mind/psychic-type abilities clashed, they would fail to affect each other, unless the target completely opened themselves to interference and offered no resistance at all.
With that in mind, it was basically impossible for her memory loss to be caused by an esper ability.
"That leaves only two explanations." Fang Li continued. "One is extreme shock, and being frightened badly enough can also cause memory loss."
But honestly, Fang Li didn't think Shokuhou Misaki was the type to be scared to that degree.
"In that case, there's only one explanation left."
Fang Li looked directly at Shokuhou Misaki.
"Someone tampered with your body."
Perhaps she had been fed some kind of drug, or some extremely small device had been implanted in her.
So Fang Li asked: "Have you checked your body?"
When she heard this, Shokuhou Misaki finally reacted, shook her head, and denied it.
Which was only natural.
Even though she didn't know why she had lost her memory, Shokuhou Misaki, with everything around her feeling unfamiliar, wouldn't suddenly decide to examine her own body for no reason, even if parts of her knowledge remained intact.
"You haven't checked, huh…" Fang Li's gaze toward her suddenly became somewhat meaningful.
Seeing that look, a very bad feeling rose in Shokuhou Misaki's heart and sure enough, her premonition came true.
The next second, Fang Li spoke. "Let's check everything right here!"
"Don't even think about it, AaahAah!!" Without hesitation, Shokuhou Misaki jumped up and bolted.
Unfortunately, as a complete movement idiot, she was immediately caught.
"No, AaahAaah!!"
The girl's scream echoed through the area.
(End Of This Chapter)