—
"That concludes the full account of the Kendo Club's recruitment demonstration being interrupted by the Kenjutsu Club."
It was already nearing dismissal time. The air in the Club Alliance headquarters was heavy, a mixture of irritation and unspoken accusations hanging over the room.
Shiba Tatsuya stood calmly, his tone as flat and precise as ever, reporting what had transpired during the Kendo Club's recruitment session:
Mibu Sayaka and Kirihara Takeaki's heated exchange of words had escalated into a duel. When Kirihara, enraged by his defeat, lost control and improperly invoked magic, the match should have spiraled out of control. Yet, before it could, Yotsuba Mahiro had stepped in to put Kirihara down. In the end, it was Tatsuya himself who decisively intervened to prevent the brawl from engulfing the entire Kendo Club.
"Speaking of which, Mahiro-kun," Saegusa Mayumi spoke up from the front right seat, her voice tinged with curiosity and admiration. Her refined smile was bright, yet there was a sharpness in her eyes. "It's impressive you managed to handle Kirihara, especially when he was using a High-Frequency Blade…"
Seated with her were Juumonji Katsuto, ever stoic and immovable, and Watanabe Mari, the Public Morals Committee Chairwoman. The three of them radiated authority—the Student Council President, the Club Alliance Head, and the Public Morals Committee Leader—truly the academy's "Big Three."
Mahiro, however, waved his hand lightly, his expression almost modest. "That's nothing compared to Tatsuya. He practically handled the entire Kenjutsu Club on his own, ne."
Since Mahiro had been directly involved in the altercation, he too had been summoned to provide testimony and details of what occurred.
"By the way," Mari suddenly cut in, her sharp gaze narrowing at Tatsuya. "Were you able to determine the true cause of the incident?"
Her question pulled Tatsuya from his distant observation of Juumonji, forcing him to nod with composure.
"Yes. According to the Kendo Club, Kirihara-senpai instigated the conflict. But according to Kirihara himself, it was the Kendo Club who provoked first. We could not verify which version was truthful."
At that answer, Mahiro's head tilted slightly, his dark gaze flickering in Tatsuya's direction.
This guy… he's lying.
Mahiro had seen everything, from the moment Kirihara confronted Mibu-senpai to the reckless escalation. Tatsuya had deliberately avoided denying the Kendo Club's false testimony.
"Is that why you didn't step in at the very beginning, Shiba-kun?" Mayumi asked, curiosity brimming in her voice.
"Yes." Tatsuya replied without hesitation. "My default stance is to intervene only if the situation crosses into dangerous territory. If a matter can be settled with just some scratches or bruises, then I consider it a private matter between the involved parties."
From the standpoint of the Public Morals Committee, his logic was flawless. Pure kendo duels were not under their jurisdiction unless magic was involved.
"…Yare yare." Mahiro sighed quietly. From a certain perspective, Tatsuya wasn't wrong. With the Public Morals Committee's limited manpower, they couldn't respond to every heated clash during the recruitment period.
Mari folded her arms with a firm nod. "According to principle, club recruitment disputes should be resolved within the Club Alliance. That's their duty."
Neither Mayumi nor Juumonji objected—her reasoning was ironclad.
"Then, what about Kirihara-senpai, who was injured during the fight?" Mayumi asked, tilting her head.
Tatsuya's voice was calm, unflinching. "Kirihara-senpai sustained a fractured left wrist, a hairline fracture to the clavicle, and several fractured ribs. He has been handed over to the Health Committee."
"That said, he has already admitted his fault in the infirmary. Based on that, I determined no further Public Morals action was necessary."
Mayumi and Mari both turned their eyes on Mahiro, their gazes mixed with subtle reproach. This wasn't the first time Mahiro had shown ruthless decisiveness—Morisaki Shun, too, had ended up in the infirmary after crossing him. If not for this era's advanced medical technology and the healing capacity of magic, those injuries could have left someone bedridden for months.
Mahiro, however, remained unfazed. He simply looked away, his gaze drifting lazily out the window as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
Mari let out a small sigh. "…Fine. Whether or not to prosecute is ultimately up to the judgment of the accuser."
Juumonji, whose role as Club Alliance Head demanded impartiality, gave no objection. If anything, he seemed quietly thankful. After all, Kirihara had recklessly wielded a High-Frequency Blade—destructive magic on par with a lethal weapon. If formally reported, suspension would have been inevitable.
"But will the Kendo Club really accept this resolution?" Mayumi voiced her concern, a faint crease on her brow.
"They were complicit in the provocation," Mari shot back immediately, tone crisp and firm. "They are equally guilty. They have no right to complain."
Her ruling was clear, her authority unquestionable. With the Public Morals Committee's Chairperson deciding, the Club Alliance's Head accepting, and the Student Council President silent, the matter was officially resolved.
Or rather… it should have been.
"Chotto matte!"
Just as Tatsuya was preparing to take his leave, a voice cut through the room.
Mahiro turned his eyes away from the window, his sharp voice breaking the heavy atmosphere. "I object!"
The declaration froze the air. The gazes of Mayumi, Mari, and Juumonji—the academy's "Big Three"—all fixed squarely on him.
"…Mahiro-kun?" Mayumi tilted her head, eyes narrowing in intrigue. "What do you object to?"
Mari's tone followed, clipped and formal. "Yotsuba-kun, explain yourself."
Mahiro stood straighter, his expression sharpened with resolve. "I believe Watanabe-senpai's ruling is flawed."
Gasps rippled faintly. To directly challenge the Chair of the Public Morals Committee was no small thing.
"I witnessed the entire process with my own eyes," Mahiro declared. "It was indeed Kirihara-senpai who first provoked Mibu-senpai. Mibu-senpai simply accepted the challenge and, through skill alone, defeated him fair and square. Unable to accept his loss, Kirihara-senpai broke the rules—he drew upon magic and even resorted to an ambush against her afterward!"
Mahiro clenched his fist lightly at his side, his words gaining momentum.
"Throughout the entire conflict, the Kendo Club and Mibu-senpai did not rely on a single spell. If guilt is to be determined solely on the misuse of magic, then how, I ask you, does the Kendo Club bear any fault?"
Mari frowned, tapping her folded arms as if restraining her irritation. "I only said that if they accepted provocation and allowed the conflict to escalate, they too must share responsibility."
Mahiro's eyes narrowed, his retort cutting in like a blade. "If that is the case, then according to your reasoning, senpai, it becomes nothing more than 'it takes two to tango.'"
He stepped forward slightly, his presence pressing into the chamber.
"Tell me, Watanabe-senpai… are you implying that Mibu-senpai was to blame for defending herself? Are you advocating for victim-blaming?"
The room stirred. Mahiro's words struck harder than any spell.
"Or what next? Will you ask why the Kendo Club was singled out for provocation in the first place?" His tone sharpened, rapid-fire questions leaving no room to breathe. "Or perhaps you believe that if someone slaps you, as the victim, you must just endure it silently, without striking back? Is that what you're saying, senpai?"
"Yare yare…" Mari pressed her fingers to her forehead, visibly flustered by Mahiro's relentless words. "Mahiro-kun, what you're saying are two entirely different things. Don't twist it—"
"How is it different?!" Mahiro's voice cut through hers, sharp but not shouting, a voice that carried to every ear in the chamber. His gaze locked with hers, unyielding. "Please, Watanabe Mari-senpai, as Public Morals Committee Chairperson, clarify it for all of us here!"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Katsuto Juumonji observed with his usual stern expression, his brows like iron bars. It was difficult to tell if he was displeased or simply always so imposing.
Mayumi Saegusa, meanwhile, covered her lips with delicate fingers, her eyes shimmering with amusement and surprise. "Ara ara… how bold."
Mari, however, could only let out a wry laugh, her composure slipping for the first time that day.
"Mahiro-kun… are you still holding a grudge against me because of the last incident? Is this your way of taking revenge?" she asked with a teasing smile, though her voice carried tension.
"Overthinking, senpai," Mahiro replied flatly, not missing a beat. His calm expression never cracked. "I only want the school to uphold fairness. No favoritism toward the Kenjutsu Club, no favoritism toward Ichika Students. Justice should not bend for convenience."
The declaration rippled through the room like a thrown stone upon still water. Even Mari blinked in surprise.
That he, Yotsuba Mahiro—himself an Ichika Student—would openly side against his own group in such a decisive manner shocked even those present.
What could he possibly gain from doing this?
Mari, hiding her curiosity, leaned back in her chair with a slow, mischievous grin, her arms folded. "Alright then, Mahiro-kun. If you insist on fairness, tell me—how do you propose to handle this? Shall we punish the entire Kendo Club? Have Kirihara-senpai suspended for reflection? Expelled, even?"
Her words carried a hint of mockery, but Mahiro did not waver. He shook his head lightly.
"I hold no such desire, nor do I have the authority to make such decisions."
"Then what is it that you want?" Mari asked, narrowing her eyes.
Mahiro lifted his chin slightly, his tone firm yet dignified.
"I want the truth acknowledged," he said. "And above all, I believe Kirihara-senpai—and the entire Kenjutsu Club, for their silence—owe Mibu-senpai an apology. Nothing less will suffice."