"Yeah, camping again. Kids liking camping is perfectly normal. They get close to nature and have fun, while adults like Professor Agasa, who feel a sense of educational duty, get the pleasure of thinking they've taught someone something. Killing two birds with one stone."
That was how Ai Haibara described the upcoming trip as she accepted the little backpack Akemi Miyano handed her.
Ever since she had come to this elementary school and been drawn into friendship with this group of children, she had gradually grown accustomed to this kind of life. She could accept taking part in things she would once have found unbearably childish, acting like a child who was slightly less than ordinary.
Her life in Tokyo was exceptionally fulfilling now. Not only had she resumed the research project she had led in the Organization, but this time she was even attempting independent research without an assistant. Sometimes, while standing in front of the screen recording data, she could not help feeling dazed.
She had been researching this before leaving the Organization, and she was still researching it after leaving. Hadn't she left for nothing?
And it was still an absurdly difficult project that challenged the impossible...
Still, she truly could feel pure joy from playing with the children now. Getting away from work and taking a brief breath of relief—of course such stolen moments of leisure made her happy.
As for these adults with ulterior motives...
"What excuse are you using to follow us this time?" Ai Haibara asked Tangze, lifting her head while Akemi Miyano leaned close to carefully arrange her hair after she had slung the backpack over her shoulders.
Perhaps the only benefit of having them follow behind her was that her sister would not become too anxious about being apart from her,