The Nine Schools Competition is a major event for magic high schools, rivaling the fall Thesis Competition in prestige but surpassing it in spectacle. It's a contest of sports-style magic, with each school fielding their club regulars.
"Not every club can be treated equally, though…" Mayumi laments in the student council room, head in hands.
"Everyone's got strengths and weaknesses. The athletes get that," Mari consoles.
"Thanks to Katsuto, we've sorted the athletes, but the engineers are the issue," Mayumi sighs.
"Still not set?" Mari asks.
"Second-years like Azusa and Isori are top-notch, but…" Mayumi trails off.
Azusa clenches her fist, brimming with confidence as an engineer.
"Isori's specialty is geometry, not tuning, right?" Mari tilts her head.
Mayumi buries her face deeper. "We can't be picky. Katsuto and I can cover some, but there's a limit."
"You're key players. Neglecting your own CADs to fix others' isn't funny," Mari warns.
"If only you could tune your own CAD, Mari…" Mayumi shoots her a pointed look.
Mari averts her eyes awkwardly. "That's rough…"
"Rin-chan, please reconsider engineering!" Mayumi pleads.
Suzune shakes her head. "No way. I'd only drag Azusa and the others down."
"Come on!" Mayumi insists.
"It's impossible," Suzune replies firmly.
Mayumi slumps onto the desk. Tatsuya signals Miyuki with a glance, sensing trouble. As he starts to stand, his instincts prove right.
"Why not ask Shiba-kun?" Azusa suggests.
"Huh?" Mayumi blinks.
Tatsuya sits back down, resigned. Escape's not an option.
"Shiba-san's CAD is tuned by Shiba-kun. I saw his work—it's as good as any top manufacturer's," Azusa says.
"A blind spot!" Mayumi springs up, voice brimming with excitement.
"Forgot he tunes the disciplinary committee's gear too," Mari adds. "Since it's just for him, it slipped my mind."
Facing both Mayumi and Mari, Tatsuya knows refusal is nearly impossible but tries a small protest. "Aren't engineers usually second- or third-years? A first-year Course 2 student like me—would that fly?"
"There's a first time for everything," Mayumi counters.
"No precedent, sure, but your skill's convincing," Mari adds.
"Even so, CAD tuning relies on trust with the mage. Their mental state affects performance. Wouldn't picking me stir resentment?" Tatsuya argues.
Mayumi and Mari exchange glances, plotting their verbal checkmate. But a third voice cuts in.
"I'd like Onii-sama to tune my CAD for the competition… Is that okay?" Miyuki asks, eyes glistening.
Tatsuya's shoulders slump. Betrayed by his sister.
"Exactly! You want someone reliable, right?" Mayumi pounces.
"Honoka, Shizuku, and Eimi would trust Onii-sama too," Miyuki adds.
"Tatsuya's fanbase is growing," Mari teases.
Miyuki's shoulders tremble. Tatsuya pretends not to notice, while Azusa senses trouble and buries herself in her terminal.
"Here's an idea! Tatsuya-kun could coach Rin-chan on tuning. Then she could join as an engineer, not just a strategist!" Mayumi suggests.
"Coaching won't make me a pro overnight. And Shiba-kun hasn't agreed yet," Suzune points out.
"Tatsuya-kun'll do it, right?" Mari presses.
"No choice from the start, huh?" Tatsuya gives a wry smile, half-escaping reality.
"Great! Come to the club prep meeting after school so we can see your tuning skills," Mayumi says.
"Understood," Tatsuya replies.
"Might ask you to coach Rin-chan too," Mayumi adds.
"President, I'm not joining as an engineer," Suzune protests.
"Not for the competition, but for the Thesis Competition! Tatsuya's skills could help!" Mayumi insists.
Tatsuya holds his tongue, wary of more trouble. Mayumi concludes, "That settles the engineer roster."
"Could've saved the headache if we'd thought of Tatsuya-kun sooner," Mari notes.
"True. Mari, why not learn CAD tuning from him too?" Mayumi teases.
"I'm fine," Mari deflects.
"It'd be easier if you could do it yourself, right, Tatsuya-kun?" Mayumi asks.
"Easier or not, it's useful. You might need to adjust mid-battle," Tatsuya says.
"I'm no good at that stuff, and you know it," Mari retorts, hinting at the disciplinary committee's chaotic equipment state.
Her words sound intimate, and Miyuki misinterprets. "Onii-sama, since when are you so close with Watanabe-senpai?"
"Close? She just meant she's bad at organizing and details. You're misunderstanding," Tatsuya clarifies.
"…My apologies," Miyuki says, sinking into her chair, embarrassed.
Across the room, Azusa shivers, sensing an invisible storm…
With half of lunch break left and nothing to do, Tatsuya pulls out his CAD for routine maintenance. A senior takes notice.
"Silver Horn today, huh?" Azusa, previously engrossed in her terminal, leans toward Tatsuya eagerly.
Tatsuya glances at Mayumi, who shrugs, and Suzune, who raises an eyebrow, both unhelpful. "New holster. Breaking it in," he explains.
Azusa's eyes sparkle. "Can I see?"
Tatsuya, sensing no escape, removes his jacket and hands her the shoulder-holstered CAD, finding her enthusiasm oddly endearing, like a small animal. The student council room's atmosphere softens.
"Wow, a genuine Silver Model! That sleek cut, perfect for quick draws. High tech with user-friendly design. Oh, Silver-sama!" Azusa gushes, nearly swooning.
Tatsuya struggles to keep a straight face. "You a fan of Silver Models, Nakajou-senpai?"
Azusa, in full device-nerd mode, confirms Mari's earlier comments. "Just the price alone…"
"I've got a connection. Got it cheap as a monitor," Tatsuya says.
Miyuki, working at the wall, flinches noticeably, but only Tatsuya catches it.
"Really!?" Azusa's face screams envy, making Tatsuya wince.
"Want me to pass you a set when new stock comes?" he offers.
"Really? Really really!?" Azusa grabs his hand, shaking it wildly.
"Y-Yeah…" Tatsuya manages.
"Thank you!" Azusa beams.
Mayumi interjects, "Azusa, calm down."
"S-Sorry!" Azusa steps back, bowing repeatedly until Tatsuya signals Mayumi for help, worried she'll faint.
"Enough, Azusa. You're troubling Tatsuya-kun," Mayumi says.
"But…" Azusa hesitates.
Suzune steps in. "Nakajou-san, too many apologies seem insincere."
"Right… Sorry, Shiba-kun," Azusa says, calming down.
"No worries," Tatsuya replies with a wry smile, met by Azusa's shy grin.
"So, do you know who Taurus Silver is?" Azusa asks, clearly deflecting.
Everyone senses her embarrassment, but Tatsuya hesitates, unable to answer easily. "…No details."
A beep from Miyuki's workstation— an unauthorized operation alert— interrupts. Mayumi and Suzune glance over, puzzled, but Miyuki continues working, so they let it go.
"Rare for Miyuki-san to mess up," Azusa notes.
"Probably a fluke," Tatsuya replies quickly.
Azusa persists. "Taurus Silver hides their identity, but they can't do it all alone. Can't your 'connection' dig something up?"
"Not that kind of connection. And using mental interference magic for secrets is a serious crime," Tatsuya warns.
"S-Sure, I know that…" Azusa laughs nervously, sweating.
Tatsuya, relieved he cautioned her, asks, "Why so curious about Taurus Silver's identity, Nakajou-senpai?"
Azusa uses neither Silver Models nor FLT gear, so her obsession intrigues him. Her answer stuns him. "It's the Silver! Aren't you curious? The one who pioneered loop-casting!"
Feeling oddly scolded, Tatsuya recovers. "Guess I underestimated. As a user, I'm not totally satisfied, so I didn't realize the hype."
"Maybe because you're so close to Silver Models as a monitor, you feel differently," Azusa muses, satisfied.
Her curiosity lingers. "So, what do you think Taurus Silver's like?"
Pure, eager eyes. Wanting to change the topic, Tatsuya replies casually, "Maybe a Japanese teen, like us."
Another beep from Miyuki's workstation. She straightens, ensuring no one sees her expression, and resumes work.