Yuuji stht beside Aika in the midst of the rge crowd of students, both male and female from all the schools who had gathered for the Nine Schools petition. They have gathered, or to be more precise, surrouhem from all sides as words of awe, praise, and questions were said and asked in shy, embarrassed, curious, aed tones.

  News, or more aptly described as rumors, of their exploits, achievements, and appearance have bee incredibly widespread, enough to pique the i of students from the ical Uy affiliated highschools. And now that they were able to meet them in person, all their expectations about their appearance have been broken and surpassed.

  Great i, lust, excitement, and awe were apparent in the eyes of females towards Yuuji and males towards Aika. And it was easy to see why.

  The most popur bachelor whose achievements and especially appearance have bee a topic of i and a target of affe firls from all nine highschool has been the s of the Ichijou Family of the ten master , Iasaki.

  But pared to Yuuji, his appearance might as well be only slightly above average. Yuuji, with his mannerism and coupled with his otherworldly visage that could charm ah but a gnce of his fad body that epitomizes mase beauty, was simply inparable to other men they’ve ever seen in their lives, and perhaps even iure. And to top it off, he arently the ace of the freshmen male team of the First High School.

  Simirly, while there were maiful girls with a great number of colorful achievements such as Shiba Miyuki, Saegusa Mayumi, and Isshiki Aiki to name a few, Aika was simply a Goddess among women. A perfectly beautiful face by all standards, a body that would incite men with lust at but a gnce, a gaze that could imprisos of men with but a gnce, and a smile that could topple nations, she was simply… beautiful in all senses of the word.

  Shiba Miyuki erhaps the only one who could e close to her in terms of appearance. However, the nature of their beauty was ily different.

  If Aika was a bountiful Goddess of beauty, love, ahat had desded into the world of mortals to mingle and befriend, Miyuki would be a snow fairy. Her elegand gracefulness would charm and awe others around her. Ahey would always feel the presence of a wall of ice that hides the passion and liveliness one would expect from a teenager.

  Even before the previously most sought after bachelor Iasaki, who was clearly ied in her given his nervous demeanor, she would only talk to him like she would any other male, if not slightly more polite given his background.

  Thus, it was no wohat many more would gather around Aika and Yuuji than Miyuki, despite her well deserved popurity. But, it was a wele ge for her. Sino one was b her, she immediately returo her beloved onii-sama’s side after briefly talking with Iasaki and chatted with him with a wide smile all over her face. She was so happy that she could speime at this evening party with her onii-sama.

  However, the same couldn’t be said for Yuuji who had been fending off the thirsty, hungry female hyenas from toug him inappropriately, as well as defending Aika from the gazes of the annoying bugs who’s clearly ogling at his girlfriend.

  I’ve remembered all of your faces… Just pray that we don’t meet during the event…

  Even if his face was full of smiles and words that left his mouth were polite, such thoughts were all he had going around in his mind. All he wanted right now was to escape this encirclement and go find Erika so he could spend his time having fun with his girlfriends.

  And having memorized every little ge in his expression aion from looking at him all day and night, Aika sensed his annoyand couldn’t help but giggle inwardly.

  He’s very cute when he’s jealous, and the sex they’d have after he feels that way was even more amazing.

  In truth, it was the reason why she had been putting up with the obvious lewd gazes she had been receiving from the little boys around her. She just wao lit the fire in her beloved Yuuji a little so he would pound her into mercy all night until she couldn’t stand~

  She just use her magiake it seem like nothing happen after all, so she could get her beloved pounding whenever she wanted~

  Alright~ Time to end this fard start the true party with friends~

  “Ah, that’s right~ I’m really suys, but we’ll have to go now~ We’ve promised our friends to hang out with them tonight~ Right, Yuuji?”

  Realizing her iion, Yuuji immediately nodded and put on an apologetic smile to the people around him.

  “Oh, that’s right. I’m very sorry, everyone. But please excuse us.”

  Sounds of disappois resounded from the crowd, but wanting to leave a good final impression, they all relented and made “promises” one-sidedly to meet again iure and bee friends before letting the two go.

  Having escaped the encirclement, Aika’s smile turned into a genuine one as Yuuji sighed in relief.

  “Phew~ That was a hassle, wasn’t it~?”

  “It was… I almost blew up when that one guy tried to pce his dirty hand on your shoulder…”

  “Fufu~ Then…”

  Aika moved closer, pressing the side of her abundant breasts to his arm, and whispered with a sultry tone.

  “Show them who I belong to~ Mark me with your cum~ Give me hickies all over my ned body~ Pouil I ’t moan anymore~”

  “Aika…”

  Yuuji narrowed his eyes at Aika as she smiled and looked at him seductively, trying his best to hold himself from pulling her into his embrad ravage those luscious lips and tongue.

  Her lewd words were a clear invitation for him, but now was not the time. Not yet… But it will be soon…

  He csped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards him forcefully, elig a pyful gasp or moan from Aika, before whispering to her ear.

  “Tonight. My room. Prepare an excuse for your roommate, because I won’t be letting you batil tomorrow m.”

  “Mmnnh~ Yes, darling~”

  Aika’s body shuddered in pleasure as his void breath tickled her ears. As expected, his voiever fails to make her weak to her knees, especially when he’s using that deep, authoritative voibsp;

  Seeing Aika being meek, his lips curled into a wide smile before he returo ag normally in front of the other students in this ba while Aika followed him in a daze.

  They walked around, trying to find Erika. They knew she was going to be a waitress, but it retty difficult to find her given the number of people in this ball. But after a while, they could finally see a glimpse of the familiar red-headed beauty and immediately bee-lio her dire.

  “Hey, Erika~!!! You’re sooooo cute~!!!!”

  The sight of Erika in a maid’s or waitress’s outfit snapped Aika bato her normal self and she immediately approached her, her very closely as she circled arouo get a full 360 view of her figure.

  “Ahahaha… I’m not sure if I’m all that cute, but I do kinda like it.”

  Erika touched the ends of her hair shyly. She knew her image doesn’t fit the word “cute” or “adorable” by any stretch of the word, but being plimented from wearing this kind of outfit still made her a bit happy.

  “You absolutely are. You’re very cute.”

  “T-Thanks-”

  She felt her heart flutter at his words, but before she could turn to look at him, she saw his faing very close before it veered to her ears.

  “Enough that I want t you bay rht now, do everything we just did, and more.”

  Her face immediately burst into a blushing mess. The gss of fruit infused water oray she was holding shook and rattled for a moment as she took a sudden step back from Yuuji.

  And before her brain processed what just happened, Aika jumped in and added oil to the fme.

  “Fufufu~ You’ll have to dress up as a maid again when we go bae~ Don’t worry, I’ll join you and I’ll make sure to order the super lewd ones~”

  “G-Geez! S-Stop it, you two!!! Not here!!!”

  Her flustered whisper shout coupled with her extremely adorable flustered expression caused the two to burst into ughter to her embarrassment and annoyance. And in the end, Yuuji and Aika had to apologize to Erika multiple times before she finally fave them.

  “Oh by the way, where’s Mizuki, Mikihiko, and Leo? Are they w in the back?”

  Erika shrugged helplessly and shook her head.

  “Do you think Leo is fit to be a waiter?”

  “Nope~”

  “Ah… I guess not, huh? How about Mizuki?”

  “Too shy. So those two are w in the back, washing dishes. Mikihiko is on the floor though. Let me get him!”

  Erika went off for a few moments before returning with Mikihiked and flustered.

  “H-Hey… S-Sorry for the outfit…”

  “Don’t worry. You look good.”

  “Uhn~ Don’t worry~ All the waiters are dressed like that!”

  “T-Thank you…”

  Mikihiko let out a helpless ugh. He looked quite tired judging from his eyes and tone of voice, which caught Yuuji’s attention.

  He had experience waitering in his aunt’s cafe, and during aremely busy time at that. So he was quite ied in how waitering in a cafe would differ from waitering in a ba like this.

  “How is w here? Tough?”

  “Well, aside from the social part, it’s not that terrible.”

  “Ah, I see. Do you have to talk with the guests?”

  “Not too much. We are expected to aheir questions or lead them to a p the ballroom or to get them drinks we don’t have oray, but not too much versation aside from that.”

  “I see… Well, I wouldn’t want to hold you here for too long. Good lu your work.”

  “Mm. Thanks. See you ter guys.”

  “See you~”

  Mikihiko nodded his head slightly before turning heels and walked away, returning to his work.

  “Then, I’ll go back to work too! You two enjoy the party alright?”

  “Uhn~ And don’t fet to e to my room ter, Erika~”

  “Sure-”

  “Then we go to Yuuji’s room together~!”

  “Wha-?!”

  “Alright~ Ah, it’s Mayumi-senpai and Mari-senpai~! Yuuji, let’s go talk to them~”

  “A-Ah…”

  “W-Wait!”

  Aika grabbed Yuuji by the arm and immediately dragged him away, leaving the flustered red-haired girl in the waitress’s outfit flustered and alone.

  Yuuji looked bad gave her a helpless smile before her figure was obscured by the bodies of uests as they walked further and further away towards Mayumi and Mari.

  “You’re such a tease. I worry her heart won’t be able to take it.”

  “Hehe~ Don’t worry~! She wants it too~ You don’t know how enthusiastic she looked when I told her about our sex life~!”

  “...Hopefully nothing too overt?”

  “I told her about how you’d finger my ass while pounding me from behind~”

  “......”

  “e on, now~ She’s a big girl already~ She’s ied in this too now that she got a hubby~”

  “I know, I just… No, nevermind. I’ll let her do what she wants whenever she wants it. I’ve already let her… py with it with her mouth, so I guess it won’t be long before we do it.”

  “Yaaay~ Oep closer to a three-some~!”

  “Sssshhh! Don’t raise your voice when you’re saying stuff like that!”

  “Hehe~”

  A tired sigh found its way out of his lips once again as Aika smiled mischievously. Fortunately, the music pyed by the orchestra and the amalgamation of voices from the versations around them drowned out Aika’s remarks, even for those who were literally beside them. No one could’ve heard it if they weren’t leaning her ears to them.

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  Mari let out a deep sigh as she stared at the dire of the rge crowd that had formed almost immediately after Yuuji and Aika arrived.

  She hadn’t had the ce to talk to him at all since arriving at the hotel since she’s busy meeting with her engineer and discussing the pn for the petition with Juumoji and Mari. She thought they could chat with him tonight, but when she finally found him in the crowds, he had already bee the ter of a rge crowd along with Aika.

  “Hm? What’s wrong?”

  Mari asked, looking at her fusedly. But instead of answering, she just averted her face away from her with a little pout.

  Hmph… I have fun without talking with him.

  She thought childishly in her head, masking her disappoi with annoyanbsp;

  “No… It’s nothing…”

  “Hm?”

  Her lips curled into a frown before she shook her head and swept her gaze across the weling ba.

  All participating members, athletes and engineers, from all nine schools have gathered here. She could reize some famous names and first years from other schools, such as the crimson prince, Iasaki and Cardinal Gee, Kichijouji Shinkurou from Third High School. She could alsnize Kuroki Risa from Seventh High School and Hidaka Makiko from Ninth High School, her rivals in previous battle board events.

  There were also some faces she remembered from the previous Nine Schools petition, though she didn’t know the name, and some she didn’t reize at all. They might be first year students or simply athletes ineers she didn’t get a eet.

  But, her attention quickly gravitated towards an area of the ball where a rge crowd had gathered around someone.

  It wasn’t strange for crowds to form in this type of event, especially since she khat the Crimson Prind Cardinal Gee of Third High School were present, but the size of the crowd was… rger than usual. Moreover, she saw the Crimson Prialking with Miyuki a few distance away for a moment before she excused herself auro her brother.

  Meaning, they must not be surrounding the Crimson Prince. And the only one she knew who could attract such a rge crowd was…

  Ahh… So it’s him. Heh, I guess he would attract moths like a fire.

  Her lips curved into a smirk when she saw a glimpse of his appearance from the spaces iween the heads of the people in the crowd.

  It was not surprising to find him in the ter of attention. News and rumors of his skill and talent have spread far and wide. He had dispyed his skill many times on behalf of the Disciplinary ittee, and his appearance had made it difficult for the female student popution to not spread his picture and talk about his shining achievements.

  Not to mention, she had been hearing new rumors about how rich he actually was, which further made him an object of affe for the majority of the female student popution.

  Even she couldn’t help but admit that Yuuji, the mahought of as a little brother, was an exceedingly attractive man. Even more so than her beloved.

  It wouldn’t be strange if he’d get multiple fessions a day and receive even more love letters from those he charmed by just being there.

  But, he has an exceedingly beautiful and simirly talented girl beside him, so he won’t just fall for any girl… If any girl could steal his heart, it’d either be Aika, Miyuki, or…

  Her gnce secretly fell upon her best friend by her side. The beautiful, intelligent, and talented heiress of one of the ten master s, who was currently staring longingly towards the dire of the crowd, as if her long lost beloved was somewhere within it.

  Although Aika and Miyuki were both extremely powerful oppos, she’s still fident that her best friend could somehow charm him with her smile and ess.

  However, Mayumi never made a move on him. At least not to her knowledge. But she was sure that she held some sort of affe and longing for him.

  I mean… Just look at her now. If that’s not the gaze of a girl who’s longing for someohen I don’t know what is.

  Her lips curled into a helpless smile. With how mature, charismatid intelligent Mayumi was, she sometimes fot she was extremely i and inexperienced when it es to romance, especially her own.

  Should I give her a push? If she realizes her feelings, maybe she’ll start moving…

  The gears in her head began to move as a pn to ence her friend to take the first step began to form in her mind.

  Yes, that should be helpful… And I’m certainly not doing it to see her flustered and embarrassed expressions.

  Mari smirked silently before she began.

  “Wow, that’s quite a crowd, huh? I bet Yuuji is at the ter of it.”

  “Eh? W-What are you talking about?”

  Mayumi flinched visibly and turo her in a fluster, like a doe in headlights.

  “That crowd. I doubt even the heir of that Ichijou would attract that big of a crowd. It must be Yuuji. With his looks and his reputation, it’d make sense, no?”

  “U-Uhn, I guess so…”

  Mayumi averted her slightly blushing face with a pout and took a sip of her drink.

  “I already see how many girls he’s charming just by standing there. He might have even made some of them fall in love with him.”

  “Pfft-! *Cough* *Cough* M-Mari?!”

  “What? Am I wrong? You know that his appearance is simply cheating, right? And not to mention, he’s extremely talented, smart, kind, and apparently, filthy rich. Of course he’s going to attract girls to him.”

  “T-That’s right, but… A-Aika-san is with him, so he should be fine.”

  Mari sighed helplessly and put a hand on her shoulder.

  “You should move quickly, Mayumi. He’s extremely desirable.There would be o the list of girls who’d be trying to gun for him. If you don’t get into the raow, irls will win first.”

  “G-Geez! I-I know! Now stop talking about this!!! Hmph!”

  Mayumi turned her face, which had turned a shade redder, away, not wanting to hear anything about the topiymore. But the words of her best friend stuck with her, and a sense of uneasiness began to surface.

  Her gaze unsciously found its way back to the crowds, which had now dispersed, meaning that Yuuji was no lohere. A, she stared at the dire in a daze. Mari’s words repyed over and over and over in her head, and the image of Yuuji’s smile which had kept her awake at night began to make her feel uneasy and hurried.

  Yuuji-kun…

  She stayed in her own thoughts for a while, trying to sort out her feelings. This was the first time she had ever experienbsp; this kind of thing, and she didn’t know how to proceed! What if he only sees her as the “president”? What if he only sees her as a friend?

  Such thoughts prevented her from making a move. She didn’t want to ruin her retionship with him now. Yet, her heart demanded her to make a move so she could have his heart.

  She raised her gss towards her lips to take another sip, only to find that it was already empty.

  Hah… Why am I like this…?

  The csh between her mind a tio muddle her thoughts and feelings. But then, a familiar voiapped her out of her thoughts.

  “Mari-senpai~ Mayumi-senpai~ Hello~”

  Her head immediately turowards the two, and the moment her gaze nded on the smiling visage of Yuuji, her face burst into a blush.

  “A-Aika-san, Y-Y-Yuuji-kun, hello~”

  She let out a forced ugh before slightly positioning her body slightly behind Mari, aving at the two.

  “Hey, you two. Enjoying the party? I saw the two of you being surrounded by students from other schools. Right, Mayumi?”

  “U-Uhn, I saw a lot of girls trying to be chummy with you, Yuuji-kun.”

  Mayumi gnced up acgly at Yuuji, her lips pouting as the annoyand jealousy from recalling those girls getting really close and openly flirting with him resurfaced.

  Her rea was a bit surprising to Yuuji, but it leasant one. Mayumi reag that way when he roached and flirted with by irls meant that… she held some kind of feelings towards him as well.

  His expression from the initial shoayumi’s rea quickly turned into a soft, gentle smile that charmed her in that instant.

  “They were simply curious about us since we seemed to have made a name for ourselves outside of school, president Mayumi. I did not do anything unbeing towards them as a member of the First High school representative team.”

  “I-I see… That’s good.”

  Mayumi averted her gaze away and twirled the ends of her hair, trying to feign indifference. But the slight smile on her lips belied all her efforts, and Mari smiled upon seeing it.

  “How about you, Aika? There were a lot of guys there tht? Are you bothered by anyone?”

  “There were~ But it’s fine~! Yuuji protected me~! As long as I stay with him, I won’t have to break their fingers or their ego~! Xixixi~”

  Her lips curled into a mischievous grin as Mari also smirked and o her.

  “Good. If aries to bother you, do those things and tell me about it. I’ll make sure t it up to their school.”

  “Yes, chairwoman~”

  Just then, the voice of a man resouhroughout the ballroom for an annou

  “At tonight’s Nine School petition ba, we have a number of emi guests in attendance. Let us now take this opportunity to receive some words of encement from the chairman of the Magic Association, Kudou Retsu-sama.”

  Murmurs began to ongst the students in attendan reition of the name. No one in the world of magic would not know of the name of the Patriarch of the Ten Master s, and even those who weren’t would also know his name as the chairman of the extremely iial magic Association.

  However, the murmurs quickly came to a halt when the lights iire ballroom dimmed, plunging everything into darkness except for the stage.

  On it, standing under a single spotlight, was a beautiful woman with long and shiny brown hair, curled immacute at the end and flowed down to her waist. The spotlight that shone upon her healthy plexion, unblemished in the slightest, lended her figure, a sleeveless pink dress and a bright yellow shawl, ahereal glow.

  Her figure charmed most of the students, but they were immediately snapped out of it when they realized something was wrong.

  Why was a beautiful woman standing oage when it was supposed to be the famous Kudou Retsu?

  fusion began to spread and murmurs alight once again amongst the students.

  “Hm? Did something g?”

  “Was there some kind of trouble?”

  Mayumi and Mari ented uheir breath as Yuuji slightly narrowed his eyes and focused his seowards the stage.

  No… It’s sensory interference magic…?

  His gaze quickly went behind the beautiful woman and saw an old man in a suit standing behind her. His white hair bed back to perfe, his back was ramrod straight as he stood there with his hands behind his back. Ae simply standing there with his appearance slightly obscured from the senses, Yuuji could still feel the charisma emanating from the man simply by body nguage alone.

  That must be Kudou Retsu… As expected of the man who stood at the pinnacle of this try’s magic society.

  He g Aika, and saw her giggling silently. Her gaze also looking past the beautiful woman and towards the Patriarch of the Ten Master s who seemed to be pying a prank on everyone.

  Hm? Did she already know about thi- Aaaaaahhhh, that’s right! Something like this happened in the aoo…

  Yuuji sighed inwardly upon the realization. He pletely fot about this little event after everything that had happeoday. With the act in the bus, his hot and steamy rendezvous with Erika, the ba, and also promising a hot and steamy rendezvous with Aika, there was simply no way he could remember about this event right away.

  Kudou Retsu whispered something to the woman’s ears and the woman walked away off stage. Then, all the lights in the ballroom turned ba, revealing his figure to the surprise and shock of the students.

  Yuuji saw him turn his gaze towards him and gave him a slight nod of aowledgement.

  Is it because I noticed him…?

  Yuuji returhe nod from the Patriarch before he began his speebsp;

  “First, let me apologize for making you a party to my prank. What you just saw was more of a sleight-of-hand than true magic. But as far as I see, only seven of you saw through it as a magic trick. In other words… If I were a terrorist, and unleashed either poison or bombs upon you, only seven of you would have been able to do anything to stop me.”

  A fes of shock resounded amongst the students that represehe top talents from all nine schools of magi Japan.

  “My young students of magic. Magic is a means; not in of itself an end. The magic I used just now, while rge in scale, was extremely low in potency. Yet, you are deceived by this weak magid therefore failed to perceive my presence. You should never be remiss in your efforts to improve yic skills. That said, I would like you to keep in mind that your efforts alone won’t be enough. Large-scale magic used erroneously is inferior to small scale-magic used creatively.”

  He tinued.

  “My young students of magic. I am looking forward to seeing how creative you be.”

  AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please ent your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!!

  Also, if you'd like to read additional chapters ahead a a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to chey at patr.eon./vergsx ~!!