"Going to school."
The phrase felt both nostalgic and distant.
Who would have thought that after being away from school for so long, he would one day return?
And in the year 2095, in another world, no less!
Entrance exams were nothing to him, especially with the backing of the Yotsuba family and his own abilities.
Thus, he smoothly gained admission to First High School, affiliated with the National Magic University.
In this season of blooming cherry blossoms, he stepped through the school gates for the first time.
"Then, Brother Mahiro, Miyuki will go ahead to prepare for the freshman speech at the opening ceremony."
A sweet, melodious voice interrupted Mahiro's thoughts.
The speaker was a girl.
Her graceful figure was like that of a snow spirit.
Her delicate features were perfectly proportioned, and her pure white uniform dress elegantly accentuated her curves.
She was as exquisite as a doll.
This girl, whose perfection could never be achieved through mere genetic inheritance, was his neighbor and classmate—
Shiba Miyuki, followed closely by her brother, Shiba Tatsuya.
That's right.
Maya had arranged for him to live next door to these siblings.
He had no idea what his so-called "cheap mom" was thinking—was she deliberately provoking Shiba Tatsuya, the overpowered protagonist, knowing he couldn't kill him?
After the Shiba siblings left, Mahiro felt countless gazes directed at him.
Especially from the female students passing through the school gates, who kept glancing his way.
But he was long accustomed to being stared at.
Not to boast, but as the finest adjusted body of the Yotsuba family, if nothing else, his looks were absolutely flawless.
Undeniably handsome!
No less impressive than the adjusted body of the Kudo family, Kudo Minoru.
"But where should I go to kill time now?" Mahiro looked up at the blue sky, where cherry blossom petals danced.
Though escaping from that hellish Fourth Research Institute and regaining his freedom was a good thing, once out, he often found himself briefly lost.
Like a prisoner who had served a long sentence suddenly told they were free—completely unsure of what to do, feeling an unsettling sense of displacement.
"You must be a new student, right? Is there anything I can help you with?"
Suddenly, a gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.
When his gaze refocused, he found a girl standing before him.
The first things that caught his eye were her uniform skirt and the two strands of black hair resting neatly on her chest.
Then came her exquisitely perfect face and wine-red eyes.
A very beautiful girl.
The only slight flaw was her height—she seemed to be around 155 cm.
But perhaps it was precisely this petite stature that stirred a protective instinct in men.
She stood a little too close, and the faint, elegant fragrance she exuded lingered at the tip of his nose.
"Thank you, I'm fine."
"Is that so?"
The girl smiled softly. "If you ever run into trouble, feel free to ask me for help. I'm Saegusa Mayumi, the student council president of First High. 'Seven' as in the number, 'grass' as in the plant. Nice to meet you."
Her tone was soothing, with a refreshing comfort to it.
Her beautiful appearance, combined with her petite yet strikingly curvaceous figure, gave her a unique charm.
As if the purity of an angel and the allure of a succubus were fused into one...
No, is it magic?
A glint of understanding flashed in Mahiro's eyes, as if he had glimpsed the truth about this senior.
Taking a slight step back, he nodded politely at the petite girl before him and said:
"Hello, Saegusa-senpai. I'm Yotsuba Mahiro. 'Yo' as in four, 'tsuba' as in leaf. Pleased to meet you."
"...Huh?!"
The sudden exclamation drew the attention of several passing students.
Yotsuba?!
Upon hearing Mahiro's introduction, Mayumi covered her mouth, her eyes widening slightly in shock.
"Is there something wrong?" Mahiro asked, puzzled.
"No, it's just... a little surprising. Yotsuba-kun, are you really that Yotsuba?"
"I don't think anyone would dare impersonate someone from the Ten Master Clans," Mahiro replied casually. "Besides, senpai, you're the same, aren't you? With your abilities, you could easily verify it."
Saegusa Mayumi was nothing like a weed like him—she was the legitimate eldest princess of the Saegusa family.
But the problem was precisely that Mayumi didn't know, which was why she was so surprised.
Among the Ten Master Clans, the Yotsuba were known for being mysterious, powerful, and feared as a heretical lineage.
After the death of the previous family head, Yotsuba Genzou, the Yotsuba were even labeled as "Untouchable."
However, one thing was common knowledge.
The current head of the Yotsuba family, Yotsuba Maya, was unable to bear children.
Future successors would have to be selected from branch families.
So where did this boy, who claimed to be from the Yotsuba family, come from?
This thoroughly piqued Mayumi's curiosity. She took a slow step forward, wanting to get a closer look at this Yotsuba junior.
Mahiro, expression unchanging, took a step back, maintaining a polite distance.
"Yotsuba-kun's reactions are quite interesting~"
Mayumi thought to herself.
She had naturally noticed his movement.
But rather than feeling displeased at Mahiro's retreat, her curiosity only grew stronger.
Leaving aside the sheer power of her magic, her beauty alone was enough to make the students of First High swoon.
Yet this Yotsuba Mahiro showed no reaction whatsoever, keeping a composed distance without so much as a flicker in his expression.
It made Mayumi feel a mischievous urge to tease him a little.
"Hey, Mahiro-kun, let's head to the school auditorium together! The entrance ceremony will start soon."
Mayumi blinked, then turned slightly to face him, extending the invitation.
She even changed how she addressed him...
Though Mahiro suspected walking alongside such a beautiful senior would invite trouble, he nodded in agreement and walked beside her.
"By the way, Saegusa-senpai—"
"Just call me Mayumi. No need to be so formal."
"Alright, Mayumi-senpai, is there something you wanted to ask me?"
Mahiro was undeniably handsome.
But he wasn't narcissistic enough to think his looks alone could win over a peerlessly beautiful senior.
"Not really~"
Mayumi closed one eye and tilted her head playfully.
"I just wanted to ask, Mahiro-kun, how do you feel about First High so far?"
"How do I feel...?"
Mahiro thought for a moment before answering earnestly:
"It's great. The scenery is beautiful."
"And it's big. Very impressive."
That was his honest opinion.
It's just a comparison between Shijima Island and that godforsaken Fourth Research Institute.
"Still, there's one minor flaw—the divide between students seems a bit too pronounced."
Mayumi sensed something implied in Mahiro's words.
Following his gaze, she turned her head in surprise and immediately understood.
She saw a student pass by another without the eight-petal badge, sneering contemptuously:
"Tch, just a worthless weed."