FLT's Third Development Division was located far from the main headquarters, its research facility tucked away in a remote area. First-time visitors almost always got lost.
"Let's see… it should be around here," a girl muttered, clearly disoriented.
She was no exception, wandering in search of the Third Division.
"Something wrong, miss?" a voice called out.
"Huh?" Startled, the girl turned to see Ushiyama, the Third Division's chief, approaching.
"Didn't mean to scare you," he said. "You looked a bit lost, that's all."
"No, I just wasn't expecting anyone to call out to me…" she replied, flustered.
"What's up, Chief?" another voice interrupted.
"Young Master!" Ushiyama exclaimed, turning to Tatsuya. "Looks like we've got a lost visitor."
"Tatsuya-sama!" the girl cried, her face lighting up.
"You know her?" Ushiyama asked, raising an eyebrow.
"More or less," Tatsuya replied vaguely.
The "lost" girl was Airi Isshiki, a first-year from Third High.
"So, what brings you here?" Tatsuya asked.
"I heard you frequent this place, Tatsuya-sama, and since I had business nearby, I thought I'd stop by," Airi said, her tone formal but eager.
"Business? What kind?" Tatsuya pressed.
"Young Master, a moment," Ushiyama said, pulling Tatsuya aside to whisper. "The Isshiki heiress ordered a flight device, if I recall. Seems like that's why she's here."
"I remember that," Tatsuya said. "But why come all the way to the Third Division?"
"She wanted to tour the research facility. Apparently, she paid a hefty sum to headquarters for the privilege."
Tatsuya's mind flashed to his father and stepmother. Of course, they'd shove all the troublesome stuff onto me, he thought, suppressing a sigh.
"No helping it," he said. "Ushiyama-san, go ahead and tell the staff to keep quiet about Silver. I'll take Airi around."
"Sure thing. Gotta say, Young Master, you've got some interesting connections—a beauty like her!" Ushiyama teased with a grin.
Tatsuya silenced him with a sharp glance, then turned to Airi. "I get that you want a tour, but why the Third Division? The First Division at headquarters would've been fine."
"Because you're here, Tatsuya-sama," Airi replied bluntly.
"…Alright. But I can't show you anything confidential."
"I understand," she said with a nod.
"Fine, then."
Tatsuya explained the situation to the security team, securing a visitor's pass for Airi. Naturally, he didn't need one himself.
"Let's go. It's just a research facility, so don't expect anything exciting," he warned.
"No, after the Nine Schools Competition, I realized I should learn more about CADs," Airi said earnestly.
"You're an athlete, not an engineer. Isn't it better to leave CADs to the specialists?" Tatsuya countered.
"But during Monolith Code, you tuned all three CADs for your team, including your own, didn't you, Tatsuya-sama?"
"I'm an outlier. None of the seniors wanted to touch my CAD," he said dryly.
In truth, his status as a Course 2 student had made him an outcast, but he saw no need to share that with Airi.
"I doubt there's an engineer at First High—or any school, including ours—who can match your tuning skills," Airi said, her tone matter-of-fact.
"That's a bit much," Tatsuya replied.
Airi didn't know it, but comparing him, a world-class technician, to high school engineers was absurd. Still, Tatsuya neither confirmed nor denied it.
"Oh, Young Master? Weren't you supposed to be in the lab all day for final adjustments?" a passing employee asked.
"Headquarters asked me to show a guest around," Tatsuya explained. "So here I am."
"I see… Showing someone around when you're the great 'Silver-sama'—!" The employee froze, realizing Tatsuya was glaring daggers at him. Apparently, he hadn't gotten Ushiyama's memo.
"E-Excuse me!" the employee stammered, fleeing.
Airi, who'd been watching him, turned her gaze to Tatsuya. "Tatsuya-sama?"
"What?"
"If I heard correctly… that person called you 'Silver-sama'…"
Tatsuya hesitated, weighing his options. Should he blame himself for not ensuring secrecy, the employee for slipping up, or his father and stepmother for letting this situation arise in the first place? There was no dodging it now, so he sighed and met Airi's eyes.
"Keep this to yourself," he said.
"I won't tell a soul," she promised.
"Alright. As that employee let slip, I'm indeed half of the so-called genius 'Taurus Silver' the world raves about."
"I knew it," Airi said, her eyes gleaming. "That's why your tuning is so exceptional."
"Since the cat's out of the bag, no point hiding it. Let's continue the tour," Tatsuya said, resigned.
He'd been stalling by showing her less sensitive areas, but with the secret exposed, there was no need to drag it out. He led her to the heart of the Third Division.
"Sorry, Young Master," Ushiyama said later. "If I'd been stricter about secrecy…"
"No, I'll let the director take the fall for this," Tatsuya replied.
"The director?" Airi asked, tilting her head.
"My father," Tatsuya said curtly.
Airi blinked, processing the revelation. Then another researcher, oblivious to the earlier blunder, spoke up. "So that means you're a Yotsuba, Young Master—"
"Hey, idiot!" another hissed, trying to stop him.
But Airi had heard it clearly. "Tatsuya-sama… a Yotsuba?"
"Airi, can you pretend you didn't hear that?" Tatsuya asked, his tone almost pleading.
"But—!"
"Please. I'll do anything I can if you keep this quiet."
Revealing his Yotsuba ties meant exposing Miyuki's as well, which would strip away her freedom. That was the one thing Tatsuya was desperate to avoid, even if it meant lowering his head to Airi.
"Anything?" she asked.
"Yes, whatever's in my power to grant," he said.
"Then, Tatsuya-sama," Airi began, her voice steady.
"Go ahead."
"Marry me."
"…Sorry, could you repeat that?"
It wasn't that Tatsuya hadn't heard her. The request was so outlandish he thought he'd misheard.
"I said, marry me. Not right now, of course," Airi clarified.
"Why marriage? Why not just date?" Tatsuya asked, still reeling.
"As members of the Ten Master Clans, you know we don't always get to choose our partners," she said.
Tatsuya nodded slowly. Mayumi and Katsuto faced similar pressures, and Miyuki already had multiple marriage proposals.
"If you become my husband, Tatsuya-sama, the Isshiki and Yotsuba families would become allies. My family would be thrilled, and I'd avoid the pain of marrying a stranger," Airi explained, her tone pragmatic yet earnest.
"…I'll have to check with the head," Tatsuya said.
He contacted Hayama, relaying the day's events to Maya, the Yotsuba matriarch.
"I see… Well, the director and his new wife will be sacked for this, but it looks like you'll have to marry that Isshiki girl, Tatsu-kun," Maya said, her voice laced with amusement.
And so, with the Yotsuba matriarch's blessing, Airi and Tatsuya became engaged, set to marry in a few years' time.
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