"Mist Dispersion!"
Indeed, the reinforced door of the special reading room was as solid as a fortress.
Even composite armor capable of withstanding direct hits from anti-tank rockets was as flimsy as paper before the absolute destructive power of decomposition magic.
Magic users in the magical world often dismissed decomposition and reconstruction as the weakest spells, but in Mahiro's eyes, they were the strongest!
Look—even such a sturdy door could be silently obliterated in the blink of an eye.
Inside the reading room, the two hackers responsible for decrypting and transferring the data were forced to halt their work.
Turning toward the boy emerging from the dissipating dust, they let out startled cries.
Thinking of fighting back?
Mahiro wouldn't give them the chance.
With two casual flicks of "Mist Dispersion," both the hackers and their decryption machines were reduced to fundamental particles.
"Mibu-senpai, what are you doing here?"
Mahiro asked calmly, his gaze fixed on Sayaka, who stood guarding the doorway.
"Yo... Yotsuba... kouhai... how did you... get here?!"
He wasn't the least bit surprised to find Sayaka in the special reading room.
Because he had known all along.
Meanwhile, Sayaka, seeing Mahiro's arrival, took a few steps back in disbelief, shrinking slightly as if unwilling to let him see her in such an ugly state.
But merely hiding like this couldn't escape Mahiro's piercing gaze.
"Mibu-senpai, wasn't your goal to improve the treatment system for Second Course students? So why are you here?"
He stepped forward, pressing her like an interrogation.
"Though I've said that change requires bloodshed and sacrifice, do you really think stealing school secrets can alter the situation for Second Course students, senpai?"
"That's not it! I just..."
"Just what?"
"Do you believe colluding with such people can change so-called reality?"
"Will exposing stolen magical research results to the world improve Second Course students' circumstances?"
"Mibu-senpai, you're simply unwilling to face reality."
He mercilessly cut through Sayaka's stammering excuses, tearing open the truth before her without pity.
Leaning casually against the doorway, he recalled with detachment:
"During our last conversation about fairness at the café, I told you this."
"The world has never been fair."
"Lineage, background, talent, aptitude... these determine how each person is treated differently."
"If we ignore aptitude and specialization to focus on the equality you seek, that becomes unfair to those with innate gifts too."
"You've understood this for a while now, haven't you, Mibu-senpai?"
"No one can bestow that kind of equality. It's just a sweet lie used to deceive and manipulate others."
"They fed you these pleasant ideals, but their real goal was using you to steal confidential materials from the magic academy."
"This is reality."
At these words, the haze cleared from Sayaka's unfocused eyes.
The faint emotion she detected in those cold eyes staring directly at her was unmistakable.
Pity.
The kind reserved for pitiable creatures.
"Why? How did it come to this?!"
The moment she recognized it, some nameless emotion within Sayaka erupted hysterically.
"Is wanting to abolish discrimination wrong? Is pursuing equality wrong? The discrimination exists, doesn't it?!"
"This isn't my imagination."
"I've truly been looked down upon."
"Subjected to scornful gazes."
"Heard the disparaging whispers around me!"
"Is wanting to erase all that so wrong?"
"You're the same, Yotsuba-kun, aren't you?!"
"As the Yotsuba family's rightful heir who was cruelly cast aside... don't you think that's unfair too? Don't you feel wronged?!"
Sayaka's cry.
A lament from her very soul.
A wail from the depths of her being.
Yet this anguish found no resonance in Mahiro.
Because the story of being the Yotsuba family's discarded son was merely his fabricated lie—the truth he faced was far more brutal.
Fifteen years, perhaps longer, of magical experiments.
That old woman, Yotsuba Maya, had invested untold efforts into him.
And he had never yielded.
Thus, Mibu-senpai's outcry only made her seem more pitiful in his eyes.
This fragile side stood in stark contrast to the spirited, occasionally childish and adorable senpai he knew.
Compelling him to sigh:
"Mibu-senpai, you're pitiful."
"What did you say?!"
Sayaka's response was loud, but only loud—devoid of any real strength or emotion.
"Mibu-senpai, let me ask you this—do you really measure your worth only by magic? You possess exceptional swordsmanship and striking beauty too..."
"Those are merely superficial traits!"
Sayaka's rejection was firm and loud.
Though this was a magic high school, there was no need to fixate solely on magical talent.
The real issue was that Sayaka didn't understand—or rather, she'd trapped herself in a dead end.
Now, she wasn't just denying fairness on principle; she was utterly rejecting herself.
The one who most despised herself as an inferior student, as worthless weed, was none other than herself.
Just like when he'd first discussed the course division system with Mayumi-senpai.
The system itself wasn't flawed—the problem lay with people...
Perhaps hearing his sigh, or perhaps glimpsing that sorrow in his eyes,
Sayaka no longer wanted to continue this conversation.
Instead, she raised her hand toward him.
The Crystalline Yang Stone ring on her finger pointed his way.
Though her eyes glistened with tears, she spoke resolutely: "Yotsuba-kun, you're different from other First Course students... no, from everyone else. You're kind... I don't want to hurt you! So please, don't stand in my way!"
"Very well, go ahead."
"?"
Sayaka froze.
She watched as this Yotsuba kouhai truly stepped aside to let her pass.
Though she couldn't comprehend his intentions and suspected this might be a trap, she still whispered thanks before hurriedly leaving through the opened path.
And Mahiro indeed had no intention of stopping her.
If she wanted to leave, then let her.
All that could be done had been done.
All that could be said had been said.
Besides, he'd never planned to obstruct this senpai.
From the beginning, he'd decided to leave Sayaka's matter to Erika for reasoned persuasion.
After all, physical force is also a form of reasoning.
And what this senpai lacked, he couldn't provide—only Erika could.
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