With the thesis competition behind him, Tatsuya was gradually reclaiming a semblance of calm. Whether his version of "calm" aligned with a typical high schooler's was another question entirely.
"Well, well, if it isn't Tatsuya-kun. What brings you here?"
"Watanabe-senpai. I finished my patrol and thought I'd dig through some materials in the basement."
On his way to the library, Tatsuya bumped into Mari, the former Public Morals Committee chief, and they fell into easy banter. Not long ago, such casual exchanges were a luxury he couldn't afford.
"By the way, your combat skills are something else," Mari said. "I was shocked to hear you could use that magic, but your abilities are even more jaw-dropping."
"That magic? …Oh, you were there, weren't you?"
Tatsuya recalled, almost as an afterthought, that Mari had indeed been present when he used Regrowth on Kirihara and the others.
"Say, Tatsuya-kun, if you've got some time, mind keeping me company?"
"I'm not exactly free. I finally carved out time to go through those materials…"
"Don't sweat the small stuff. Come on, let's go!"
Tatsuya let out a theatrical sigh. Another one who doesn't listen, he thought, reluctantly trailing after Mari. Better to give in now than deal with her persistence later—a pragmatic choice, hardly typical of a younger student.
"Where are we going, anyway?"
"The dojo. I want you to spar with me in swordplay."
"…Why not ask Erika?"
The moment Tatsuya mentioned Erika, Mari's face twisted into a bitter grimace.
"I'm no match for Erika. She's the dojo's daughter, sure, but her skills are the real deal."
"Is that so? Still, swordplay's hardly my specialty."
"Come on, you can handle above-average, can't you?"
Mari flashed a roguish grin, the kind that charmed her peers, and Tatsuya sighed again.
"No promises I'll live up to your expectations."
"No magic, just swords. You'll be fine, right?"
"I wouldn't mind magic either."
Mari tilted her head, puzzled by Tatsuya's offer. Miyuki had recently explained his situation—his calculation area was dominated by high-level magic, limiting his ability to wield other spells freely. Yet here he was, unfazed by the prospect of magic in a spar.
"If you're cool with it, I'll use magic. But don't blame me if you get hurt."
"Don't worry. No one can hurt me in any meaningful way."
"?"
Mari's head tilted further. She knew about Regrowth, but what did he mean by being unhurt? At that moment, she had no idea.
Hours later, the dojo painted a stark picture: Tatsuya, unscathed and sweat-free, stood over Mari, who was sprawled on the floor, drenched and defeated.
"Want to keep going?"
"No… I'd just lose again. Let's call it."
Despite fighting with magic as promised, Mari had been undone by Tatsuya's Decomposition and overwhelmed by his superior physical technique.
"You're one intriguing guy, you know that?"
"Am I?"
"To wield non-systematic magic like that without a CAD? Unreal."
"It's just brute force. Not practical in a real fight."
Tatsuya meant it, but to Mari, it sounded like humility.
"Come on, Tatsuya-kun, you're hiding something, aren't you?"
"Why would you think that?"
His unflinching gaze met hers head-on, and Mari, usually the teaser, found herself looking away, flustered. She wasn't used to being on this end of a stare-down.
"Shiba said you can't freely use other magic. But you're pretty good with Decomposition and non-systematic spells, right? Something doesn't add up."
"Not being able to use magic freely doesn't mean I can't use it at all. Otherwise, I wouldn't have passed the entrance exam, even as a Course 2 student."
"Well… fair point."
Tatsuya's logic was airtight, leaving Mari no room to argue. Yet its very precision made her suspicious.
"Let's head back. It's way past dismissal time."
"Oh, didn't notice."
Of course, neither of them had missed it. They weren't so absorbed or tunnel-visioned to lose track of time.
"Sorry for dragging you into this."
"If you really felt sorry, you wouldn't have roped me in to begin with."
Trading light jabs, they headed to the school entrance, where Miyuki waited, fresh from student council duties.
"Brother! Watanabe-senpai, you're with him?"
"She drafted me for a swordfight."
"What, you didn't enjoy it?"
Their banter continued as the three walked toward the station. Halfway there, a large truck barreled toward them. Had Tatsuya noticed sooner, he'd have let Miyuki handle it, but the truck was too close for her magic to intervene.
"(I can deal with the cameras, but I'll have to explain this to Watanabe-senpai.)"
Tatsuya drew his silver specialized CAD and pulled the trigger. In an instant, the truck vanished, and the driver was flung into the air.
"Brother!"
"Miyuki, inform Sensei. I'll contact the Major."
"Understood!"
The driver appeared to be from the mainland—either a remnant or a new player, but clearly tied to that incident.
"…What was that?"
"Watanabe-senpai, please keep what you saw to yourself."
"B-but…"
"If you can't agree, I'll have to erase you."
"Whoa, that's a bit intense…"
Mari tried to laugh it off, as she always did, but this time, it didn't quite land.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. In exchange, I'll do whatever you ask, within reason."
There was no room for negotiation. Mari saw it in Tatsuya's unwavering gaze and made her choice.
"Fine. I've got one request."
"What's that?"
"Go out with me. Not swordfights—dating."
"…If that's your condition, I accept."
Miyuki seemed to wrestle with herself but ultimately accepted it, convincing herself it was to protect Tatsuya's secret. Thus, by sharing his hidden truth, Mari secured something irreplaceable—a bond with Tatsuya.
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