A Scientific Urban Detective.

Chapter 785 Strange Girl
"The demeanor of an unknown senior... Don't laugh at me, I'm still far from that level." Saten Ruiko paused for a moment, then quickly said.

“I’m not kidding,” Uiharu Kazari said seriously, “You just didn’t use your Nen ability to cook, but in other aspects, you really are a lot like Nameless-senpai in the kitchen. Your aura, your level of seriousness, and so on…”

"Eh~~" Saten Ruiko thought for a moment, then smiled, "So, I guess all people who can cook are pretty much the same, right?"

Because she got up very early, after breakfast, Shiori Haru had plenty of time to leisurely stroll to the 177th branch.

Saten Ruiko, who had no other plans during the day, also went along. Anyway, she always showed up at the branch activity room, and Kofun Miwei-senpai was very welcoming to her.

However, since Saten Ruiko wasn't a disciplinary committee member, she took her leave after everyone else got into work mode, so as not to stay and bother them.

"So, how am I going to kill this whole day?" Walking down the street, Saten Ruiko suddenly sighed. "Isn't this just like any other day?"

It doesn't feel like I've joined an "unnamed force" at all!
"The big supermarket in the 20th school district has imported fresh mackerel!" someone suddenly said from behind.

Saten Ruiko immediately recognized the familiar voice and turned around.

A blonde beauty dressed in a gorgeous dress and wearing a beret, as cute as a doll.

"Frenda! Where did you come from?" Saten Ruiko asked in surprise.

“How rude of you,” Frenda said, displeased. “You greeted me just now and followed behind me the whole time, but in the end, you ignored me completely.”

"Sorry, sorry, I was just spacing out..." Saten Ruiko quickly said.

“Not just now,” Frenda added, “yesterday in the Tokiwadai dormitory, you didn’t hear me greet you either.”

"Oh? So you went to the 'Summer Festival' yesterday too?"

“Of course! Not just me, Mugino and the others went too,” Frenda said, puffing out her chest. “I can easily get invitations!”

Saten Ruiko already knew that the beautiful girl in front of her had a social skill level of 5, and getting a few invitations was indeed not difficult for her.

Without dwelling on the matter too much, Saten Ruiko asked, "So... what did you want to see me about today?"

"Didn't I just say that?" Flanda tilted her head and looked over as well. "The large supermarket in the 20th school district has fresh mackerel."

"Just because of this?" Saten Ruiko was taken aback.

“That’s why.” Flanda nodded seriously, then added, “Because I’ve only ever eaten canned mackerel, and I don’t know how to cook fresh mackerel.”

"I thought you were only interested in canned food," Saten Ruiko couldn't help but retort.

“That’s how it was supposed to be…” Frenda muttered.

Given Frenda's obsession with canned mackerel, she once declared that she could forgo all other foods except for canned mackerel—a truly outrageous statement.

Even fresh mackerel is not among her favorites.

However, after returning to headquarters yesterday, Frenda's dietary preferences were unintentionally mocked by Hamazura Shige.

It is precisely because Hamazura Shige's actions were unintentional, rather than deliberate, that they are the most hurtful.

Despite having already reprimanded Hamazura Shige, Frenda still harbored resentment and decided to try something new.

First, Frenda chose the safest option: mackerel that wasn't canned...

The next step is to find a chef who can turn raw materials into delicious dishes.

Unfortunately, among the current members of the "props" team, the one most skilled in cooking is actually Hamazura Shiage, an unofficial member... It's no wonder he's a handyman; he knows a little bit of everything. But Hamazura Shiage only possesses basic cooking skills because he lives alone; he certainly wouldn't dare call himself an expert in cooking.

Furthermore, Hamazura Shige was worried that his cooking wouldn't suit the tastes of these young ladies and that he would be punished, so he refused to help Frenda deal with those damned mackerel.

So Frenda immediately thought of her "mackerel canned food friend," Saten Ruiko, who was a great cook.

Under Frenda's sweet persuasion and the lure of "covering all the cost of today's ingredients," Saten Ruiko went on a shopping spree at the supermarket before finally preparing to go home and cook a "mackerel feast."

The large supermarket located in the 20th school district is a membership-based high-end wholesale market, where prices are significantly higher than in ordinary supermarkets.

However, in Frenda's view, "supermarket" is synonymous with "cheap," so when swiping her card to pay, she doesn't even blink, and she's too lazy to even look at how much she's spent.

This greatly disappointed Saten Ruiko, who felt that she had been incredibly foolish for carefully selecting items and trying to save money for others.

However, the high price has its advantages. The supermarket offers home delivery, so the two girls can return home empty-handed and easily without worrying about any extra burden.

"Shall we go get a coffee?" Frenda suddenly suggested as they passed through the shopping street in District 8.

"Coffee..." Saten Ruiko looked around. "There doesn't seem to be a coffee shop around here, does there?"

“A convenience store is fine,” Frenda said.

To be precise, what Frenda wanted to drink was a "coffee-flavored beverage," not actual coffee.

So the two went into the convenience store.

As soon as she entered the door, Frenda suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Following behind, Saten Ruiko quickly covered her mouth to prevent herself from making an impolite exclamation.

Because the girl paying at the cashier looked really strange!

It can't be called ugly; if you only look at the lines of her face, she's a beautiful woman with well-defined features.

However, for some unknown reason, the girl's face, and even the exposed parts of her neck and arms, had patches of skin of varying shades, as if... it had been patched up.

It looks a bit creepy.

In comparison, the girl's rare black and white hair color is not so special.

Seemingly sensing their gazes, the girl with the unusual appearance turned her head to look over.

Saten Ruiko quickly looked away.

The girl seemed to be used to the strange looks from others, so she didn't care. Instead, she picked up the heated bento and oden, and went to a seat by the convenience store window, seemingly preparing to eat there.

“He’s a researcher,” Frenda suddenly said.

"Huh? That girl?" Saten Ruiko quickly followed, asking in a low voice.

“Look, she’s already taken out her laptop.” Frenda pointed to the dining area by the window. “But it’s quite unusual to work in a convenience store instead of a coffee shop.”

However, the worldly-wise Frenda quickly stopped paying attention to the girl with the unusual appearance and turned to Saten Ruiko: "It's on me, so feel free to choose whatever you want to drink."

(End of this chapter)