Clang!
Erika's sword was sent spinning through the air, landing several meters away with a heavy thud.
She stood frozen, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disbelief. The tip of a wooden blade was held steady, nearly brushing against her throat—a cold reminder of how quickly the match had ended.
"I win," Aiz said simply.
A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone was stunned into silence, the sheer gap in skill leaving them breathless.
Mayumi watched on, her expression pensive as she lost herself in thought. No one could tell what was crossing her mind. Beside her, Mari looked utterly defeated; as someone who had dedicated half her life to the way of the sword, she could feel the staggering difference in level between herself, Erika, and Aiz.
"Ara~ ara~ what a truly magnificent bout~," Kurumi praised, her voice dripping with genuine admiration.
"Exquisite swordsmanship. I don't believe I've ever seen a style quite like that before," Testarossa added, her tone laced with genuine curiosity.
Tatsuya glanced toward Makoto. "What do you think?"
"Both were impressive, but Erika-san's technique... that's what really caught my eye."
"Want me to introduce you to her master?"
Makoto tilted his head in confusion. "...? Why not just introduce me to her directly?"
A thin, chilling smile played on Tatsuya's lips, and a dangerous aura began to radiate from his body. "Do I really need to explain why?"
Makoto felt a cold sweat. "No, never mind. Forget I asked."
"Good."
.....
Mayumi eventually made her way over to Tatsuya's side.
"Tatsuya-kun, who exactly is that woman? With skills like those, there's no way she isn't famous in the world of martial arts."
"Ah, about that..."
"And who are they? Since when did you become so close with them?" Mayumi asked, her finger pointing openly toward Kurumi and Testarossa.
"Ara~ ara~." Kurumi offered a sweet smile, though to Tatsuya's eyes, it looked anything but innocent.
Testarossa flashed a bright, beaming grin, yet she somehow felt even more dangerous than Kurumi.
Reacting quickly, Tatsuya forced Mayumi's arm down. He leaned in, whispering urgently into her ear, "Mayumi, don't just point at people like that—especially the one with the silver-white hair."
"You mean Testarossa-san?"
Tatsuya nodded with a deadly serious expression. It was rare to see him this tense, and Mayumi, picking up on the gravity of the situation, immediately realized her blunder. She turned toward them and offered a sincere apology.
Still, she wasn't about to let Tatsuya off the hook. She looked at him expectantly, demanding an explanation. Defeated, Tatsuya could only promise to explain everything about their origins at a later time.
.....
"Had enough?"
Erika nodded slowly, her expression still somewhat blank from the shock of the loss.
Tatsuya sighed and took her by the arm, pulling her back to her feet. "Come on, this isn't like you. Losing is just a part of a duel. You might have lost today, sure, but that doesn't mean you'll lose forever."
Hearing Tatsuya's encouragement, the spark slowly returned to Erika's eyes. She shook off the gloom and stood tall once more. "You're right. I still have a long way to go."
Seeing Erika regain her motivation, Aiz looked visibly relieved. The two girls shook hands, though a faint, crackling sense of rivalry began to build between them as they locked eyes.
Tatsuya noticed the sparks flying, but he chose to look the other way. A healthy rivalry was the best catalyst for growth, after all.
"I think that's enough for tonight. We have the competition tomorrow, so let's head back to our rooms."
The group dispersed shortly after, leaving only Tatsuya and Makoto behind.
"Something wrong?"
"Ahem... where exactly am I supposed to sleep? You haven't assigned a room for me yet."
"...My bad. You'll be staying in my room tonight."
"Alright. Just... try not to forget about me next time."
"...I'll do my best."
.....
The next morning, Tatsuya was jolted awake by a rather persistent knocking on the door.
Makoto was already up, currently occupied with washing his face.
Tok tok tok...
"Yeah, yeah, hold on. Miyu—eh? Mayumi?"
Mayumi stood there with a sweet smile, though her eyes were decidedly icy. "So sorry to disappoint, but I'm not Miyuki."
"Ahem... Usually, it's Miyuki who comes by this early. I guess I've just gotten used to it."
"Hmm..." Mayumi's gaze went flat, and her smile vanished completely.
"Okay, I'm sorry. My mistake."
"Hmph. Well, I suppose I'll let it slide this once."
Tatsuya let out a small sigh of relief. "So, what's up? This isn't about the competition, is it?"
Mayumi's bright expression returned instantly. "As expected of you. Let's talk in the next room," she said, gesturing toward a door guarded heavily by two mages from the Saegusa family.
"Understood."
.....
"I see. So they're the reinforcements brought in to deal with the Black Mist."
"I'm hoping you can help me keep their information under wraps."
"The Yotsubas are already on it, though. Does my family really need to step in?"
Tatsuya gave a small, firm nod. "If the Saegusa family helps, I'll feel a lot more secure."
"Tatsuya-kun, you think too highly of me. The truth is, I don't exactly have that much power within the family."
"Is that so? In that case, just use my name."
"Good grief... fine, what can I do? But if I get into trouble, you'd better save me."
A faint smile touched Tatsuya's lips. "If you or the Saegusa family ever find yourselves in trouble, I'll be the first one there to defend you."
"Tatsuya-kun..." Mayumi blushed, her heart fluttering like a small animal jumping around in her chest.
She looked so incredibly adorable that, without thinking, Tatsuya reached out and gently stroked her head.
Mayumi's face turned a deep shade of crimson, her heart racing as a sweet, overwhelming sense of affection filled her soul.
To be continued...Anvanced Chapter patreon.com/AgamYupi02