The next morning, Yotsuba Mahiro left home earlier than usual.
Normally, he would have gone to school together with the Shiba siblings, but today they were busy. Tatsuya and Miyuki had gone to visit Yagumo Kugonoe concerning the Kendo Club's captain, someone by the name of Shika. That left Mahiro walking to school alone.
He wasn't in a rush, though. He wanted to arrive before most students, mainly to find that perverted teacher who seemed to have a strange habit of trailing after her students. Mahiro had something important to ask her about—specifically about Blanche.
The fact that she not only knew the name of that mysterious anti-magician organization but also their affiliated groups and even personnel meant one thing: she definitely knew more than she let on.
"Perfect," Mahiro muttered under his breath as he strolled along the narrow path leading to the school gates. His thoughts were so wrapped around what he wanted to ask that he nearly missed the sweet, almost sing-song voice that called out behind him.
"Mahiro-kun~!"
He stopped. The voice was shy but playful, carrying a familiar lilt. A small, light figure dashed toward him, her footsteps quick but graceful.
Mahiro sighed quietly, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. With that voice and that petite figure, there's really no need to guess who it is.
"Good morning, Mahiro-kun~!" The girl beamed at him.
"Good morning, Mayumi-senpai," Mahiro replied politely.
Saegusa Mayumi. To most, she was the image of elegance—the Student Council President, admired by juniors and respected by her peers. But Mahiro knew better. Behind that dignified mask was someone who could be mischievous, teasing, and far too fond of catching people off guard.
It was almost like she had two sides: the refined lady and the impish trickster.
"By the way, Mayumi-senpai," Mahiro asked casually, "do you usually come to school alone?"
"Yes, most mornings I do. Mari and Rin-chan have completely different routes than mine, so it can't be helped."
Mayumi puffed her cheeks ever so slightly, making her look more like a spoiled child than the flawless Council President. "Honestly, if I could, I'd also like to walk with a companion~. Don't you think it would be nice to escort your onee-san to school, Mahiro-kun?"
"..."
Oi, don't look at me like that. Mahiro averted his eyes. I'm not taking responsibility for that. Besides, our paths only overlap near the school gate, so it's not like I can accompany you anyway… baka-senpai.
Instead of responding to her provocation, he swiftly changed the subject.
"Senpai, why are you so early today? Is it because of the discussion meeting after school?"
"Oh my~. Mahiro-kun already knows?" Mayumi teased, blinking at him with feigned surprise.
"Of course. I've got eyes and ears in the Student Council too," Mahiro answered with a faint grin.
Yesterday, after the chaos had finally settled, the three major school representatives and the so-called Alliance of Volunteers had held a long debate about the issue of Ichika students versus Ichika students' rights.
Unfortunately, it was all talk. They wasted time on grand speeches, but no one actually proposed solid methods or workable solutions. In the end, they pushed the responsibility onto the Student Council, demanding that the Council present a plan.
Thus, today's public debate in the auditorium had been arranged.
"I'll admit," Mahiro said, glancing at her, "I expected you to be harsher with them, Mayumi-senpai. I didn't think the Council would go with such a gentle approach."
"Hm? So Mahiro-kun thinks the Student Council, the Public Moral Committee, and the Club Alliance are all tyrants who crush dissent?" Mayumi tilted her head innocently.
He only smiled in return, not giving her a straight answer.
Despite living secluded in the Fourth Research Laboratory for fifteen years, Mahiro wasn't completely ignorant of the world. He knew very well the significance of the Ten Master Clans in Japan's magical society.
For the so-called Alliance, being able to debate directly with Mayumi or Katsuto Juumonji was, in itself, a privilege. Their words carried not just personal weight but the authority of the clans that stood behind them.
Equal discussion? Hah. Even if they sat at the same table, the pressure of those names was already absolute.
"Speaking of which," Mahiro asked lightly, "have you decided who'll be speaking for the Student Council?"
It was a casual question, something to fill the silence. But to his surprise, Mayumi's eyes lit up as if to say, You've guessed correctly, and she tapped a finger against her own cheek with a smile.
"…You're going yourself, Senpai?"
Mahiro's tone betrayed his skepticism. When she nodded proudly, his shoulders slumped.
"What about Juumonji-senpai and Watanabe-senpai? Shouldn't they be involved too? You can only represent the Council's position, after all."
"They've already entrusted the matter to me," Mayumi replied, lacing her hands behind her back.
"Juumonji has other duties, and as for Mari, she's not suited to debates like this." She paused, then added with a smile, "Besides, with only one person handling the argument, there's no risk of contradictions. No matter how skilled the opposition is, they won't be able to play us against each other emotionally."
Her logic was sound, but the confidence in her expression made it clear she was looking forward to this far more than she let on.
So it's the classic case of: the more you talk, the more you trip yourself up, Mahiro thought wryly.
Mayumi's gaze drifted toward the cherry blossoms lining the road. Though many petals had already scattered, some still clung to the branches, swaying gently in the breeze. She spoke softly, almost to herself:
"If they can present clear evidence that convinces me, then perhaps we could even adopt their proposals as part of the school's policy."
Then her eyes twinkled mischievously as she turned back to him. "But of course, if Mahiro-kun would come and help me, that would be even better~!"
She said it so easily, as though she were inviting him to lunch rather than into the middle of a public ideological clash.
Mahiro scratched his cheek, half-exasperated. Seriously, this senpai… She really thinks too highly of me.
There was absolutely no way. Helping her in a discussion meant openly standing against the Nikosei faction right after he'd already clashed with the Ichiko Students. If he did that, he might as well pack up his dorm right now and crawl back to the Fourth Research Lab.
Still, the atmosphere around campus was hard to ignore. Mahiro noticed that when he walked into school, Nikosei students—second-years, even some third-years—were strutting around like politicians on campaign day. Some of them wore white wristbands striped with red and blue, colors resembling the French flag.
According to the intel he'd gathered, those students belonged to "Egalité."
Tch. Never thought First High would be this infiltrated by such a rotten organization…
To make matters worse, Ono Haruka was nowhere to be found all day. Not a single glimpse of her.
By the time the final bell rang, most of the Nikosei and a handful of Ichiko Students had gathered in the grand auditorium. The seating mirrored that of the school's opening ceremony, rows neatly divided, but the faces on stage had changed. Instead of the usual faculty, Mayumi-senpai stood tall as First High's representative, facing five students who called themselves the Alliance of the Ambitious.
These weren't the same five who had hijacked the broadcast room earlier. But still, their presence radiated arrogance.
"Hoh… as expected, Senior Mayumi is seriously amazing," Mahiro muttered under his breath.
As a "special guest," he stood near the backstage curtain, able to watch the debate unfold up close. Though "debate" was far too generous a word for what was happening. In truth, it had completely turned into Mayumi-senpai's solo performance.
Her trademark mischievous smile was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she wore the aura of a dignified leader, confident and commanding. Every argument from the opposition was dismantled with elegance and precision. Mahiro couldn't help but notice—many of her lines mirrored the things they'd once spoken about in private.
She really knows how to apply what she learns…
On the surface, it was five against one. But in reality, Mayumi-senpai had already shut down every angle they could take. The five of them looked less like passionate debaters and more like unfortunate extras forced into the spotlight.
"Of course," said Watanabe-senpai, who stood nearby with arms crossed and a smug little grin. The way she spoke made it sound like she was the one up there, not Mayumi. "After all, Mayumi is ridiculously good at finding loopholes in people's words. Her processing speed is insane too. Unless their argument is completely flawless, numbers mean absolutely nothing to her."
She was proud, and it showed.
But the pride didn't last long. Watanabe-senpai's eyes narrowed, her smile fading into an expression of cold disgust as she glanced at the five students on stage, then at the rows of wristbands among the audience.
"Egalité…" she muttered, venom lacing her voice.
Mahiro recalled that Shiba Tatsuya had mentioned them before. Not that it was difficult to uncover information about them—if you were paying attention, their influence was plastered all over campus.
But the real problem was what they were planning. Their movements were too vague, too shadowy. Nobody knew what their ultimate goal was.
For now, all they could do was tighten security around the grand auditorium and keep their eyes fixed on these so-called "allies of equality."
Because one thing was certain—this wasn't just about a debate anymore.
Something was brewing.