Although Gorin Mio's stance had been extremely firm at that time, Saegusa Mayumi's refusal was equally resolute. Coupled with Saegusa Kōichi's mediation and evasive tactics, the Gorin siblings were finally forced to retreat—if only reluctantly.
After all, no matter what, Gorin Mio was one of the Thirteen Apostles, a true Strategic-Class Magician, and also a member of the Ten Master Clans. Her ties with the Saegusa Family were far from shallow. They couldn't afford to completely disregard her… so they had to at least give some face.
However, after listening carefully to Mayumi-senpai's narration, Yotsuba Mahiro's expression grew strange. Still, he tentatively accepted her explanation.
"So that's how it is… If that's the case, then it really does have something to do with me. But, Mayumi-senpai, do you really dislike that Gorin Yōji so much?"
"It's not exactly dislike," Mayumi replied with a wry smile, her tone faintly troubled. "Actually, I've always seen him as something like a brother. I don't have those kinds of feelings for him at all. But Mio-san keeps trying to push the two of us together."
Mahiro frowned lightly. "I see… So what do you want me to do about it?"
"Eh? Really? Mahiro-kun, you're… you're willing to help me?" Mayumi's eyes widened slightly, surprise mixing with delight as she looked at him.
"Of course," Mahiro answered without hesitation.
He wasn't an idiot, nor was his emotional intelligence as low as some might assume. Since Mayumi-senpai was willing to confide in him, it meant she wanted his help in some way. And besides, he truly didn't want to see this kind-hearted, beautiful senpai forced into something she didn't like. Not to mention… they had already shared their first kiss.
"Then… Mahiro-kun, if you're free after the Nine Schools Competition," Mayumi said softly, her face faintly red, "could you come to my house? My father wants to meet you."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, audible only between the two of them. And at that moment, Mayumi's cheeks turned crimson, burning like fire.
But deep down, worry gnawed at her.
What if Mahiro-kun refused?
After all, her father—Saegusa Kōichi—wanted to bring Yotsuba Mahiro into the Saegusa Family. What if Mahiro wasn't willing? What if he didn't even like her that way?
Women, you know, have a tendency to overthink, letting unnecessary anxieties spiral in their minds.
Although Mahiro couldn't fully grasp what Mayumi-senpai was thinking, he could at least see her worried expression. So, without hesitation, he reached out, gently placing his hand atop her head. His fingers softly stroked through her beautiful hair, the same way he sometimes patted Miyuki's, as he spoke gently:
"Don't worry, Senpai. I promise you."
Then, with a faint smile, he added:
"Also… I forgot to mention earlier, Senpai—you look really beautiful today. That outfit suits you perfectly."
That last part wasn't just to comfort her. Mahiro was being sincere. She truly was dazzling.
Her summer dress exposed her arms and delicate shoulders. Unlike her usual longer skirts, today's hemline reached above her knees, revealing her jade-like slender calves paired with elegant high-heeled sandals. The entire look was refreshing and graceful, befitting a pampered young lady… though she was already the true ojou-sama of the Saegusa Family.
"E-eh? Is… is that so? Th-thank you…"
Her surprised tone mixed with her shy expression was so charming it could melt anyone's heart.
Inside, Mayumi quietly let out a sigh of relief. Mahiro-kun had agreed. And with that reassurance, her playful side once again began to surface. Looking at him with a teasing glint, she whispered:
"…It would be perfect if you could say things like that while blushing a little, Mahiro-kun."
The older girl—two years his senior—lifted her shy gaze as she leaned closer, hands covering her modest but enticing cleavage. Despite her petite frame, her chest was of average size, and the way her arms pressed together created a subtle but captivating line.
And because of Mayumi's somewhat careless sitting posture, the smooth line of her thighs peeked out faintly from beneath the hem of her summer dress. Though her legs were still pressed primly together, it was enough to spark curiosity—desire for the unknown.
This little display of closeness immediately drew countless envious stares from the other students in the bus.
Whispers flitted about, resentment towards President Saegusa for teasing and seducing Yotsuba Mahiro-kun… and even stronger envy from those who wished to take Mahiro's place, basking in the President's fan service.
Among them, Vice President Hattori Hanzō's glare was by far the most intense.
If looks could kill, Mahiro-kun would have been burned to ashes a thousand times over by now.
"Danger!"
Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out.
It was Chiyoda Kanon, a beautiful but usually composed second-year girl sitting near the front. Her voice, uncharacteristically loud and urgent, snapped everyone's attention at once.
At her shout, nearly every student in the bus turned toward the window overlooking the opposite lane.
A large vehicle—though smaller than their bus, still sizable—was swerving violently. Sparks flew as the SUV tilted dangerously against the asphalt.
Someone muttered, "A flat tire?"
Another said excitedly, "No, maybe the wheel came off!"
Their voices were filled with curiosity rather than fear, lacking any real sense of crisis.
To their young eyes, it was like watching a fire on the opposite riverbank—dangerous, but distant enough to treat as mere spectacle.
After all, the opposite lane was separated by a sturdy guardrail. To these students, young and inexperienced, it seemed like an accident that couldn't possibly touch them. A fire across the river, nothing more.
But that illusion shattered in the next instant.
Bang!
With a sound like an explosion, the SUV suddenly vaulted over the guardrail—completely ignoring physics—its body wreathed in flame. It came hurtling toward their bus with terrifying speed, like a hundred-ton beast unleashed.
The bus driver, fortunately an experienced veteran, reacted without hesitation.
The brakes screamed, inertia throwing everyone forward. Seatbelts strained, and a few unlucky students who hadn't fastened theirs slammed into the seats ahead, groaning in pain.
Still, the buses somehow screeched to a stop intact.
"Shake it off!" "Disappear!" "Stop!"
Voices rang out as students leapt to their feet, CADs already primed.
"Baka! Don't cast all at once!" Mari-senpai shouted, panic rising in her voice.
In emergencies like this, even a single well-aimed spell could solve the problem. But dozens of activation sequences layered on top of each other would only cause chaos. Too much magic—different systems, different vectors—clashing on one target could lead to catastrophic interference!
And yet, it was already too late.
Morisaki Shun, infamous for his fast-cast magic, had already deployed his Activation Sequence, and others were only seconds behind. Spells flared into existence, their formulas unstable, colorful Psion lights crackling around the burning vehicle.
It was a disaster in the making.
Even Watanabe Mari, Katsuto Juumonji, and Saegusa Mayumi—all veteran magicians—braced themselves for the inevitable backlash.
But then—
The glow of those spells shattered, one after another, as though glass windows smashed by an invisible stone.
Before anyone could process what had happened, the flaming SUV itself disintegrated. Not exploded, not burned away—no, it erased itself into nothingness, scattering into molecular dust that vanished on the wind.
The entire highway fell into stunned silence.
Slowly, all eyes turned to the back of the bus.
There stood Yotsuba Mahiro, one hand still raised, a pure-black pistol-type CAD gleaming faintly in his grip. The residual Psion light lingering around him made it clear—he was the one who had cast the magic.
Erasure Magic. Precise, overwhelming, absolute.
And with practiced nonchalance, Mahiro slid the CAD back into his pocket.
Meeting the wide-eyed stares of his classmates, he let a faint smile curve across his lips.
"Don't worry about it," he said softly, his tone calm, almost teasing. "No need to thank me. It was just… a little convenience."