Evening, right after school.
Inside a small café near the station, a group of First High students had gathered together. Unlike the rigid division they often maintained on campus between Course 1 and Course 2 students, here they sat without separation. No visible lines of status or hierarchy—just classmates chatting freely over the sweet aroma of coffee and cake.
Their conversations wandered naturally. Some complained about how dull it was to sit at club recruitment booths, others shared how exhausting it felt to handle persistent upperclassmen, while a few admitted they had seen recruitment being used as an excuse to flirt shamelessly.
But, inevitably, everyone's attention circled back to the most exciting matter of the day—the commotion that had erupted in the Second Small Gymnasium.
"That second-year, Kirihara-senpai, he used a B-rank magic, didn't he?" one student whispered, his tone still carrying awe. "And Yotsuba-kun still walked away completely unscathed. As expected from someone of the Yotsuba Family…"
Leo, eyes sparkling with admiration, leaned closer, still riding the high from what he had witnessed.
Across from him, Yotsuba Mahiro only shrugged, speaking in a casual tone as though it were trivial. "It's not really that impressive. High-Frequency Blade does boost destructive power, sure, but its range is limited to the wooden sword itself. At most, it just turns the shinai into something close to a real blade. That's all."
He spoke as though describing the weather, but everyone else stiffened.
"Mahiro-kun," Mizuki's voice trembled slightly, her glasses glinting as she fiddled nervously with her straw. "That's still like stopping someone swinging a real sword at you with your bare hands! Isn't that… way too dangerous?"
"If you miscalculate, it really could be fatal," Kitayama Shizuku added, her tone calm, almost cold, though her words carried weight.
"Eh?! Fatal?!" Honoka squeaked, nearly choking on her drink. Her wide eyes darted to Mahiro, full of alarm.
Before Mizuki could grow paler, Erika leaned forward with her usual teasing grin. "Oh come on, don't worry so much. You're underestimating Mahiro way too much. Didn't you see how Mibu-senpai looked at him after he saved her? Her eyes totally changed~"
"Yeah," Miyuki chimed in softly, soothing Mizuki and Honoka with her gentle voice, though her gaze flickered toward Mahiro. "Shizuku-chan, Honoka-chan, you don't have to worry. Onii-sama's physical combat skills are extraordinary, but Mahiro-kun's are on par with his."
"Eh?!" Honoka's cheeks turned red. Mizuki blinked. Even Shizuku's poker face wavered ever so slightly at the comparison.
"Stop exaggerating, Miyuki." Mahiro gave a wry smile, scratching the back of his head. "Compared to your brother, I'm still far behind. Tatsuya single-handedly took down the entire Kendo Club, while I only dealt with Kirihara-senpai. There's a huge difference."
"You're always so humble, Mahiro-kun," Miyuki replied warmly.
"Seriously, both you and Tatsuya-kun are total monsters," Erika cut in with a playful huff. "Completely in the 'freak' category."
The others nodded in reluctant agreement as they sipped their drinks, though Mahiro only sighed, speechless at their assessment.
The story of Shiba Tatsuya's one-against-many battle with the Kendo Club had already spread. Except for Erika, none of them had seen it firsthand, yet it sounded legendary.
Erika, however, had. She knew Kirihara's swordsmanship was razor-sharp, its destructive force undeniable. Yet Mahiro had stopped it in a single stroke, his movements devoid of waste, fear, or even subconscious hesitation. His composure was unshakable.
She thought back to the Aikido techniques Tatsuya had displayed afterward. They were indeed impressive, but compared to Mahiro's seamless interception, they almost paled. Erika couldn't help but grin to herself. Heh, maybe I really should have a match with this guy someday…
The others, meanwhile, recalled another scene—the time Mahiro had trounced Morisaki Shun. Swap out Morisaki with Kirihara, and the outcome looked nearly identical.
Tragic for the victims. Impressive for Mahiro.
At that moment, Tatsuya, who had been silent until now, placed his coffee cup neatly back onto the saucer. His calm voice cut into their conversation:
"No… I don't think I'm as impressive as Mahiro-kun."
Everyone's heads snapped toward him.
"Oho? Tatsuya, you've got some dirt to spill?" Erika's eyes lit up with mischief instantly. If there was gossip to be had about Mahiro, she wasn't going to miss it.
The others leaned forward in unison, their expressions practically glowing with curiosity.
"It's not really dirt," Tatsuya corrected smoothly, "but when Mahiro-kun was at the Club Alliance headquarters, he stood up alone against the three most influential figures in the school and forced Kirihara-senpai to apologize to Mibu-senpai."
The café fell into silence for a moment, then—
"Ehhhhh?!"
A chorus of shocked gasps erupted, eyes flying to Mahiro with disbelief.
He did what?!
Even if he bore the Yotsuba name, to them Mahiro had always seemed like an outsider. Yet he had openly defied Saegusa Mayumi and Juumonji Katsuto—the strongest powers within the Student Council and the Public Morals Committee.
That was unthinkable.
"And he succeeded," Tatsuya continued in his calm, matter-of-fact way. "He forced the Club Alliance, the Student Council, and even the Public Morals Committee to withdraw their judgment and change their stance."
Mahiro's face darkened instantly. His fists tightened against his knees under the table.
He remembered what had really happened.
Back then…
"If it's just an apology, then I agree. Let's settle it this way. What do you think?"
"I have no objections."
"Neither do I. Mahiro's reasoning is sound. If we follow Mari's judgment, it will look like bias toward Course 1 students."
The effort to smooth the friction between the Ichika students and the second-years had been ongoing for some time. Of course, no one wanted to ruin that progress by seeming biased. Mahiro's proposal, framed so carefully, was difficult to refuse.
But still, Juumonji Katsuto's face darkened at the decision. Later, Mahiro would learn why: Kirihara Takeaki had originally been counted among Juumonji's people, someone he had hoped to nurture and eventually pull into his faction. To have the matter conclude like this was… frustrating, to say the least.
As Mahiro turned to leave the meeting hall, Watanabe Mari stopped him with a calm yet piercing smile.
"Yotsuba-kun, why not join the Public Morals Committee? With your sharp judgment, you'd be perfect for it."
Mahiro only shook his head lightly. "Sorry, Watanabe-senpai. It doesn't suit me."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, but she didn't press the matter.
However…
The tension later returned in full when Mahiro confronted Tatsuya head-on.
"Let's be real here. The reason I clashed with Mayumi-senpai and Watanabe-senpai wasn't because of some misunderstanding. It was because you didn't speak the truth, Tatsuya, wasn't it?!"
The sharpness in his voice startled even Miyuki. She gasped softly, her hands clenching against her skirt.
"Onii-sama… is that true? Did you really… lie? Just like Mahiro-senpai said?"
"No."
Tatsuya's reply came without hesitation, his voice calm as still water.
"I didn't lie. I only withheld certain truths, so that things could be resolved without further conflict."
Mahiro's brows furrowed, his tone turning mocking. "Withheld, huh? So in your mind, the so-called 'peaceful solution' was to treat the Kendo Club and the opposing party as equally guilty? That's what you call justice?"
Tatsuya did not respond, his silence speaking louder than words.
What Mahiro didn't voice aloud was this: the Public Morals Committee's duty wasn't to mediate or play at politics. Their purpose was to uphold rules and punish the misuse of magic, nothing more, nothing less. To bend that responsibility for convenience's sake was, to him, unacceptable.
The others watched, frozen in place, caught between admiration and unease. Tatsuya's calm composure against Mahiro's fiery bluntness—this was a rare clash. Until now, everyone had seen Mahiro as collected, confident, even detached. No one had expected him to bare his fangs so openly.
"Um…"
A timid voice cut through the air like a bell. Shibata Mizuki fidgeted nervously, her soft tone breaking the heavy silence.
"Shibata-san?" Mahiro turned his gaze toward her.
Mizuki glanced between him and Tatsuya, then asked hesitantly, "Since Yotsuba-san rejected the rulings of both the Club Alliance and the Public Morals Committee… won't that make you a target from now on?"
Her worry struck a chord with everyone present. After all, the authority and dignity of the Ten Master Clans were considered untouchable. To openly oppose them was unthinkable.
Mahiro chuckled lightly, raising his teacup as though nothing weighed on him. "Who knows? Maybe tomorrow, the Student Council will join hands with the two departments and push me down into the Course 2 ranks. Don't laugh at me when that happens, alright?"
"Ehh?! Seriously?!"
Everyone blinked in shock. Honoka was the first to burst out, her expression panicked.
"Wait, wait—do they really have that much authority?!"
Kitayama Shizuku adjusted her glasses, replying evenly, "I'm… not entirely sure myself."
Before the atmosphere grew too heavy, Leo leaned forward with a grin. "Don't worry, Yotsuba-san! If you're dropped down to the Course 2, we'll definitely welcome you with open arms!"
"Baka Leo!" Erika snapped back immediately, glaring at him. "Why does it sound like you're actually hoping for that to happen?!"
"Hah?! What are you talking about, woman?! I didn't say that at all!"
"That is what you meant, though~"
Their bickering started up as naturally as breathing, drawing a sigh of relief from everyone else.
Watching them argue, Mahiro finally allowed himself a small, genuine smile.
School life really wasn't so bad after all.
Of course, the idea of being demoted to a Course 2 was impossible, nothing more than a joke.