After carefully recalling everything he had learned, Yotsuba Mahiro finally remembered the details of the so-called Nine Schools Competition.
The full name was the National High School Magic Goodwill Tournament, a grand event where the affiliated high schools of the First through Ninth National Magic Universities competed.
Every year, hundreds of carefully selected students from across the nine schools gathered on this stage. For them, it was not just a competition—it was a chance to stake their pride as magicians, to earn glory for their school, and to endure the sting of defeat if they faltered.
But it wasn't only a gathering for students. Countless spectators came to watch as well—government officials, research organizations, military observers, and even corporate representatives. The competition was nothing less than a magnificent stage, a nationwide spectacle where the next generation of magicians displayed their true worth.
"So this is Star-Picking Mirage, one of the events for this year's Nine Schools Competition?" Mahiro-kun asked, tilting his head slightly.
Inside the quiet grounds of Kujoji Temple, the atmosphere was serene yet charged with the faint hum of magic.
High above, Miyuki-chan, dressed in her elegant Spirit Dance practice attire, soared gracefully through the pitch-black sky, her every movement shimmering with light.
Sitting on the cold stone floor beneath the night sky, Mahiro-kun and Shiba Tatsuya watched her training.
"Yes," Tatsuya replied with his usual calmness. "That's one of the events Miyuki is participating in this year."
The rules of the Nine Schools Competition allowed each school to register up to three competitors per event, and each competitor could only participate in a maximum of two events. Miyuki-chan had chosen Star-Picking Mirage and Icicle Attack and Defense—both perfectly suited to her exceptional magic.
"Mahiro-kun," Tatsuya spoke again, which was unusual since he rarely took the initiative. "Don't you need to practice as well? If you do, I can ask the instructor to make arrangements."
Mahiro-kun chuckled softly and waved his hand. "No, no, there's no need, Tatsuya-san."
Indeed, there wasn't.
His entry into the Nine Schools Competition wasn't by choice. He had been forced into it, pushed forward by the Yotsuba family and further pressured by Juumonji Katsuto, one of the Ten Master Clans' most prominent heirs. They wanted him to stand out during the competition, to remind the world of the Yotsuba's influence and to put pressure on rival clans.
As a result, he was assigned two events deemed most suitable for him: Precision Shooting and Icicle Attack and Defense.
Unlike other events, where destructive output was restricted to under A-rank, these two had fewer limitations. His destructive potential, which normally caused unease among others, was an advantage here.
So instead of wasting time practicing, Mahiro-kun decided to focus on something else—his new CAD.
He pulled a sealed black briefcase toward him and clicked it open. Inside, resting securely in the foam lining, were three items:
A sleek black pistol. A matching black combat dagger. And… a silver ring that glimmered faintly under the temple's lights.
When Tatsuya's eyes landed on the ring, his expression tightened ever so slightly.
(That's… a Holy Relic…)
In magic terminology, Holy Relics were rare, processed artifacts from an era of technology beyond current understanding. Even in modern society, replicating them was nearly impossible, which was why they carried such an exaggerated title.
Tatsuya immediately recognized this one.
There were no official records, no name attached to it. He only remembered that it had been sealed away deep within the Yotsuba household's archives, under strict orders from his Aunt—no one was ever allowed to touch or even approach it.
Yet now, somehow, it had been delivered to Mahiro-kun, packaged neatly alongside his newly manufactured CAD.
Tatsuya couldn't comprehend what kind of meaning lay behind this move.
Meanwhile, Mahiro-kun didn't notice Tatsuya's subtle reaction. He casually picked up the pistol and gave it a few test swings, pointing it toward the open courtyard.
"Ohh… this feels amazing! The weight, the balance—just right! The grip is comfortable too. And the most important part—since it can mount an aiming assistance system and sync with a general-purpose magic device, its speed and accuracy are on par with any specialized CAD. It's practically perfect!"
He grinned and turned toward Tatsuya with a teasing look. "I say, Tatsuya… this has your fingerprints all over it, doesn't it? You really made this for me, didn't you?"
Tatsuya shook his head slightly. "Not entirely. The overall design was developed by Director Ushiyama, who named it Night Demon. But because our Aunt insisted on refinements, it was passed to me for adjustments. I never imagined it would reach you so quickly."
"'Night Demon,' huh…" Mahiro muttered. "Not a bad name at all. Way better than the bland silver lumps you used before, Tatsuya."
Tatsuya, naturally, didn't react to the jab. Mahiro grinned, but then remembered something. "Oh, right. This box was delivered to me by Yuuka-neechan this morning."
The moment he said the name, Tatsuya froze ever so slightly. The image of a black-haired woman with a stern yet graceful bearing rose in his mind.
Tsukuba Yuuka—the eldest daughter of the Tsukuba family, one of the Yotsuba branch families. Like Miyuki, she was also considered a successor candidate, known for her mastery of mental interference magic.
If it were just a simple delivery, why would someone like her come in person?
Even Mahiro had been surprised. When he opened the door, Yuuka-neechan had greeted him warmly, her short black hair swaying as she inclined her head. But she hadn't only brought the CAD. No—she had brought something, or rather someone, far more shocking.
It was a girl.
A petite girl with reddish-purple hair that reached her ears, slender braids trailing neatly from her temples to her shoulders. Her expression was calm, perhaps too calm, but it did nothing to detract from her undeniable beauty.
"…You've got to be kidding me. Sakurai Minami?"
Mahiro's eyes twitched uncontrollably as he stared at her.
The resemblance was uncanny. She looked far, far too much like Sakurai Honami—the woman who had died in Okinawa years ago. It was as if the girl had been cast from the very same mold.
Of course, she had been. Minami was the second generation of the 'Sakura Series,' an Adjusted Mage created in the Fourth Research Lab. Honami's niece.
If the Shiba siblings saw her… Miyuki would probably collapse from shock. Tatsuya, on the other hand, would simply acknowledge the fact without so much as blinking.
As their eyes met, Minami's calm mask cracked slightly. She shifted nervously, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as Mahiro continued to stare.
First, they forced him into high school life. Then, they arranged for him to live right next door to Miyuki. And now… they sent a beautiful girl as his "monitor"?
Yare yare… Yotsuba Maya, what the hell are you plotting now?
With a heavy sigh, Mahiro gave up trying to piece it together and directly called Maya herself. But the reply he got from that infuriating old woman nearly made him drop the phone.
"Oh my, aren't you enjoying yourself? Living beside Miyuki-chan, going to school together every day, and now cohabiting with a beautiful girl as well. What's there to complain about?"
Mahiro's face darkened. "Oi, obaasan, are you even listening to yourself?"
But Maya continued, her tone full of amusement.
"Mahiro, you are not just an Adjusted Mage from the Fourth Research Lab. You are also my child. And as such, it is your duty to leave behind excellent successors for the Yotsuba family."
Mahiro's jaw dropped. "…Haah?!"
"As for Sakurai Minami, she is merely your nominal monitor. But her genetic sequence is exceptional, you know. She was originally raised to serve as Miyuki's guardian, and her latent abilities rival even the twin prodigies of the Seven Herbs family."
Her voice took on a playful edge. "If you reject her, I'm sure Miyuki-chan and Tatsuya-kun wouldn't mind accepting her instead."
Mahiro pressed a hand to his forehead. "This old hag…"
Who even understands what you're saying, baka-obaa-san?!
So that was her game. She wanted him to "continue the Yotsuba bloodline," and in her twisted way, she'd gone as far as to deliver the perfect bride candidate right to his doorstep.
"Unbelievable…" Mahiro muttered, gritting his teeth as he watched Minami quietly lower her gaze, still blushing faintly.
This cheap mother of mine really knows how to play dirty.