October 20, 2095. Clear and Sunny.

  A rge group of students gathered in their Magical Uy Affiliated First High School’s courtyard, preparing for a.

  But most had their attention taken by the rge, transparent, spherical gss that stood upon a ring-shaped stand and ected to wires that lead to a puter that sat on a table a few distance away.

  Ichihara Suzune, lead writer of First High’s representative team for the annual National High Sagic Theory Thesis petition, stood before the spherical gss. Her bodyguards, Hattori Hanzou and Kirihara Takeaki, also stood a few distance away behind her, watg her surroundings.

  Her calm yet pierg violet eyes were fixed upon the spherical gss, and with nervousness aermination, she raised her hand towards the tablet that stood on a light blue stand, and activated a magic sequenbsp;

  Immediately, the spherical gss lit up with a thrum as it came to life. Psma aricity filled the interior of the sphere, crag about as it touched eaterior.

  Gasps of awe and shock resounded from the crowds that had gathered to watch the experiment.

  A few moments ter, sitting oable in front of the puter, Hirakawa Koharu turowards Isori Kei, who was standing by her side with a tablet in his hand, and gave him a nod.

  Kei nodded back, and signaled Suzuo stop by raising his hand.

  A loud sigh escaped her lips as she lowered her hand, causing the psma within to slowly dissipate and the thruming stop.

  “The room temperature psma device operated without a hitch. That means, phase 1 was successful.”

  “Yes. We will review the data ter.”

  “Of course.”

  With the experiment dohe crowd of students began to disperse aurn to their own work.

  Koharu, who had been quite nervous about the experiment, also let out a sigh of relief as she leaned back to her seat.

  “gratutions, Hirakawa-senpai.”

  “Ah! T-Thank you, Tsubakihara-kun.”

  Smiling shyly, Koharu turowards Yuuji, who was standing behind her as her personal bodyguard, and thanked him.

  Her eyes shined brightly the moment his visage came into sight. Although the sun was shining brightly above her in the clear blue sky, he shined even brighter in her eyes.

  “Koharu-senpai~ Hello~”

  “Ah, Aika-. Hello~”

  Aika suddenly came running to her with a bright smile. And behind her were Tatsuya and Miyuki, who were walking at a more rexed pabsp;

  “Hehe~ I saw the experiment~ It seems like a great success~! gratutions~”

  “Uhn! Thank you very much.”

  “Fufu~ You also look super cool while you were w on it, senpai~ Your serious face is really cute~”

  “E-Eh?! S-Stop that, Aika-. I’m not cute…”

  Koharu averted her gaze shyly. To be called cute by such the most beautiful and cutest girl iire school… she was obviously happy!

  She might think of it as sarcasm if it came from another pretty girl, but she khat Aika was an ho girl. They’ve beuch closer after she requested Yuuji to be her personal bodyguard, so she had got to know her much more from the versations Aika initiated. She was someone who’d only say things that she holy believed in. And Koharu felt very blessed to have such a beautiful, kind, and ho junior as a friend.

  Moreover, because of her, she got more ces to talk with Yuuji as well even outside of his duty as her personal bodyguard, which obviously made her over the moon!

  “No no~ What are you saying~? You’re super cute, right Yuuji?”

  “Mm, I agree.”

  “!!!”

  Her face turned red in an instant. Her heart beated rapidly, thumping deafeningly in her ears, as if it was trying to jump out of her chest!

  She was an ordinary looking girl. She was unlike her beautiful mother or her adorable, cute, little sister.

  With such beautiful girls like Aika and Miyuki stantly by his side, and many other beauties vying for his attention in this school alone, how could she even look average in his eyes?! His standard for beauty must’ve been through the roof!

  But… He said it… He agreed with Aika…

  Even though he was just trying to be kind or polite… just the fact that he said it made her extremely happy!

  “G-Geez! S-Stop teasing me, you two!”

  “Hehe~ You’re shy side is also very cute, senpai~”

  “A-Aika-!”

  “Fufufu~”

  Just as Aika was having fun with Koharu, their attention was suddenly stolen by an annoying, familiar voice of a nky, pale, tired-looking student.

  “Hey you! What are you doing?!”

  Yuuji, Aika, Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Koharu all turowards the source of the sound and saw Sekimoto Isao, a third-year student and member of the Disciplinary ittee, yelling at Erika and Leo who were walking around the site of experiment.

  Despite many other students l around the site and watg the thesis petition representatives of their school w, the pale skinned man suddenly raised his voice specifically towards Erika, who was on her way to approach Yuuji and hangout with her friends.

  Even his friend was trying to stop him from raising his voice after notig the attention Sekimoto had gathered.

  “Huh? It’s none of your business.”

  “What?”

  “Sekimoto-san…”

  “We’re just , that’s all.”

  “Huh?!”

  “And besides, we’re not doing anything wrong. I don’t even know why you’re yelling at us.”

  “Whatever! You two are in the way!”

  Kanon, who had just arrived at the site after taking care of business elsewhere, came running towards Koharu’s table and turowards Yuuji.

  “Yuuji-kun, what in the world is going on?”

  “...I’m not sure myself. But it seems like seeing Erika and Leo wandering around doesn’t sit well with Sekimoto-senpai.”

  “With Sekimoto-senpai…?”

  “Yes. I will try and talk to him.”

  Kanon looked towards Yuuji for a brief moment before letting out a sigh.

  “... Alright. I’ll leave it to you.”

  “Yes. Then, Hirakawa-senpai, will you excuse me for a moment?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  “Thank you very much. Please stay with Aika, Tatsuya, and Miyuki in the meahey will ensure your safety while I’m gone.”

  “I-I uand. U-Uhm… Should I also join you and talk to him?”

  Koharu offered despite her own ay and fear. She disliked frontations, but even more than that, she was worried for Yuuji. After all, Sekimoto was a third year student. It must be hard for Yuuji to front him as a first year student, so she thought he might feel more assured if he’s with her, a third year student.

  But Yuuji shook his head and smiled at her reassuringly.

  “Please don’t worry, senpai. I will just talk to him. There is no need for you to join the frontation.”

  “O-Okay… Then be careful.”

  He nodded, and then looked towards Kanon.

  “Chiyoda-senpai. Do you mind if I borrow your name and authority? After all, you are sed only to the chairwoman herself in this department.”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you. Then, please excuse me.”

  Yuuji bowed his head towards his uppercssmen and made his way towards Sekimoto.

  “S-Sekimoto-san, I think that’s enough…”

  “Shut up! You get back to work!”

  He yelled to his friend, causing him to leave, before shouting at Erika and Leo once again.

  “Anyway, what’s with that attitude of yours? You’re outsiders, so keep out!”

  “Eh~? Why? Everyone else is looking around too!”

  “Sekimoto-senpai? Is there something I help with?”

  Yuuji’s voiapped him out of his fury and caused him to shift his gaze from the cheeky girl with e red hair to the extremely handsome and famous first-year student who doesn’t need any introdus.

  “Tsubakihara…”

  Even though he was only a first year, his presence alone had poured cold water all over his body. Not only his appearance, but his prowess with magic, the sparkling achievements he had obtained for himself and First High in the NSd his retionships with the president of the student cil, the disciplinary ittee, and the Extracurricur Activities Federation which was well-known to everyone in the school; he was someone even Sekimoto, a third-year student, ’t just talk down to like other first year students.

  “Well, it’s not a big deal… I was just telling these Course 2 students not to wander around.”

  Yuuji could see the sweat starting to drip from Sekimoto’s forehead. He was evidently trying his best to act calmly and keep his pride as a third-year student.

  “I see… I thank you for your willio keep the enviro around the partits of the Thesis petition and the site of the experiment safe, but iure, there is no need for you to go out of your way and be involved with such matters, Sekimoto-senpai.”

  “Eh?”

  Sekimoto looked at Yuuji with widened eyes, speechless and dumbfou his words.

  “B-But I’m on the Disciplinary ittee…”

  “The safety and security of the partits, data, and materials that would be used for our school ihesis petition have been arranged and assured by Chiyoda Kanon-senpai, the members Watanabe Mari-senpai and the Extracurricur Activities Federation have chosen, and volunteers, who were currently put Chiyoda-senpai’s authority for this experiment. So, if there are indeed harmful elements in the enviro around the partits or the materials used for their experiments, we, as the appointed security members for our school’s Thesis petition team, shall ha ourselves.”

  Yuuji tinued, disregarding the stunned Sekimoto Isao.

  “For further siderations, there is no regarding first year students, may they be from course 1 or course 2, to observe the experiments ducted by our brightest. After all, by it, first year students may gain inspiration and be enced to work harder to achieve what our representatives have dohere is no reason for me, or anyone else for that matter, to stop them from learning, and perhaps, even being the representative of our school i year’s annual Thesis petition.

  And if there are some who would cross the lihen we shall be the oo reprimand them and expin to them without causing a se.

  So please rest assured, Sekimoto-senpai.”

  The unwillio back down that was born out of his uselessly high pride was showing obviously on his face. But without being able to eloquently vey this unwillingness and argue against Yuuji’s fwless and impregnable argument, he had no other choice but to acquiesce to his words.

  After all, he couldn’t even pin and shift the argument to how impolite Yuuji was for talking ba, a third year student. He was saying everything so politely and cordially that even impressed him.

  “...I uand. Then, I’ll leave the rest to you and Chiyoda.”

  “Thank you very much for your uanding, Sekimoto-senpai. Erika, Leo, you should go too, for now. You have some busio take care of, don’t you?”

  “Hm?”

  Leo tilted his head, not uanding what he meant by the tter half, but Erika smiled and nodded.

  “Alright. See you ter, Yuuji. Aika, Tatsuya, Miyuki, we’ll be going first!”

  “Uhn~! See you ter, Erika!”

  Aika, Tatsuya, and Miyuki returned her wave with their own, and Erika and Leon began walking away.

  Sekimoto watched as the two left, his face still showing pt at them. But then, he snapped out of it once again upon hearing his voibsp;

  “Sekimoto-senpai, is there anything else you wish to say?”

  “Eh..?”

  Sekimoto looked at Yuuji fusedly and saw the famous first-year student looking around with just his eyes and not moving his head. He followed his gaze and saw many students looking towards him. Only then did he realize the otion he had just caused.

  “*Ahem!* No, I have nothio say. Then, I will excuse myself from now on. tinue yood job.”

  “I will. Thank you very much, senpai.”

  “N-Nn…”

  Sekimoto then began walking away awkwardly at a brisk pace as students kept their gaze towards him.

  Hah… That guy’s such a pain…

  He shook his head slightly auro where Koharu and the rest of his friends were.

  And wheurned, he saw Koharu and Kanon looking at him in shock, Aika smiling brilliantly, Tatsuya smiling, and Miyuki with a helpless smile.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “N-No… I just didn’t expect you to… destroy a senpai in an argument so utterly…”

  “Yuuji-kun… You’re amazing…”

  Yuuji rubbed the back of his head and ughed helplessly.

  “Ahahaha… Well, those two are my close friends, so I was a bit upset that they’re getting yelled at in public because of his pettiness.”

  Kanon sighed and smiled helplessly.

  “I see… Well, you did a good job anyway. Return to your duties. I’ll return to Kei as well.”

  “Yes.”

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

  Erika and Leo walked aed the school together in sileheir mood oiled when they were being yelled at by the nky, pale third-year uppercssman. But thankfully, Yuuji came to help them and sm dunked on the guy with facts and logibsp;

  It was super satisfying, and their mood lifted after seeing the dumb, speechless face from that uppercssman.

  As they walked in silence, Erika suddenly stopped and turowards Leo, causing him to halt in his steps.

  “Hey, you got time after this?”

  “Hm?”

  Leo looked at the e-red haired girl fusedly.

  “I talked about you to Yuuji and Aika the other day.”

  “Eh? What did you talk about?”

  “...Follow me. We’ll talk on the way. You’re free right now anyway, right?”

  “...Sure.”

  Erika turned around and walked off, leaving Leo w what she inteo talk about.

  He followed after her and walked on her left, gng at her on a while as she walked off silently.

  They tio walk and soon, he realized that they’re heading not towards the marketpce or a food street so they could talk over some tea or meal, but towards the residential area of the city.

  But before he could say anything, Erika broke the silence first.

  “Don’t you think it’s too simple?”

  “...What is?”

  “It’s not over yet. I’ve told you guys about what happehe other day, right?”

  “Your own school is also one of the targets of the East!”

  “...”

  The event that happened a few days ago… How could he fet about the Illegal that was following them after school and the things he said to Erika and Yuuji. Even to this day, his words still bothered him. Although he couldn’t uand what he meant, he still khat there’s an underlying threat still looming over them that might e up soon and bite them.

  “That Sekimoto we just had an argument with… He was caught stalking Yuuji, Aika, Tatsuya, Isori Kei-senpai, and Chiyoda Kanon-senpai the other day. He escaped with a bike that had boosters equipped to it.”

  “What? Really?”

  “Yes… But I think he might just be a decoy for something… bigger.”

  Silence fell upoh of them before Leo spoke up.

  “...You wao py detective so we smoke out the real culprit, then?”

  “Heh, as if. We leave all the thinking to Yuuji and Tatsuya.”

  Leo raised his eyebrows in realization before a smile appeared on his fabsp;

  “Then, we’re the bodyguards?”

  “Well, except that we’ll be ter-attag more than defending. But there’s still something g towards that end.”

  “Hm? Something g…?”

  Leon looked fusedly towards Erika as she kept her eyes straight, walking through the familiar path she had walked through numerous times before.

  “Leo, your tent skills as a foot soldier are first-css. I think you’ve got the potential to surpass Hattori and Kirihara. Yuuji agrees with me on this too.”

  “...Potential, huh? Meaning that there’s something wrong with the skills I’m showing now is it?”

  “Well, you don’t have a trump card, do you?”

  “A trump card?”

  Erika turned her head towards him and looked Leo in the eyes.

  “Yes. The kind of move that kill your oppo for sure.”

  “...You’ve got ohen?”

  He asked with his eyes narrowed.

  “Yes.”

  A brief moment of silence fell betweewo as Leo processed her question. A few moments ter, a sigh escaped his lips.

  “It’s true that I don’t have a teique desigo kill my oppo.”

  “Perhaps, it doesn’t really have to be us to take this on. But, if you’re serious about getting involved, you probably o be ready to kill or be killed. Are you prepared to learn something like that?”

  A smile appeared on his face.

  “That’s a dumb question.”

  Erika nodded, and before long, they finally arrived in front of the golden gate of aremely massive and luxurious mansion.

  “Eh…? W-What the…”

  Leo’s eyes widened in shock, gawking at the beautiful courtyard and the grand, illustrious mansion basking in the reddish-e light of the afternoon sun before him, as he slowly raised his head to see the peak.

  “In that case, I’ll teach you…”

  He looked back down towards Erika, his eyes still widened in shock. But this time, he was shocked by her words.

  “The secret sword, Usuba Kaegerou, using the underground facility in this mansion. It’s the perfect move for you.”

  “This mansion… W-Wait, we’re using the facility here? Does this belong to your family?”

  “It’s Yuuji and Aika’s. And well, I’m also living here now after I became his girlfriend. They’ve given me permission to use the underground training grounds here to teach you.”

  “W-Wha-?! Y-Yuuji and Aika’s? Then, are they together?! Wait, you said you’re Yuuji’s girlfriend too. S-So why are they living together? W-What’s going on?!”

  “Hah… You really do ask a lot of questions huh? Aika and I are both his girlfriends. Now e and follow me quickly. You don’t have access to any of the security measures here, so if you don’t follow me, you’ll get locked up somewhere.”

  “Eh…? W-Wait! Just what the hell did you just say?!”

  VergsX