Now that they knew about the potential threat, the next steps were simple.
Since the first attempt failed, there would definitely be a second.
They just needed to prepare their defenses and wait for the next attack.
Then grab them by their little tails and follow the trail to eliminate these scum!
However, upon entering the hotel, they encountered another unexpected figure.
"Yahooo~"
It was Erika.
She sat on a sofa by the wall, waving in their direction. Her striking looks combined with her fiery short hair made her particularly eye-catching.
"Been a week. How've you been?"
"Could be better. Been a bit busy with too many troubles," Mahiro complained as he plopped down beside her. Though Erika grumbled about the heat and told him to move away, she didn't actually push him off.
Seemingly accepting this as their usual dynamic.
Moreover, she was even more interested in the trouble Mahiro mentioned—it was her source of amusement. So she took the initiative to ask:
"Did something happen on your way here? You're arriving so late."
First High School wasn't the closest to the Nine Schools Competition venue, but it wasn't the farthest either.
Yet all the other schools had already arrived, while they were only showing up now in the afternoon. Something must have happened.
Mahiro didn't hesitate to explain, describing their encounter on the road to Erika—including his and Tatsuya's discoveries and speculations.
However, after hearing it, Erika's gaze toward him turned rather peculiar... or more accurately, toward First High.
"Hey, don't you think First High is cursed or something? Why do they attract terrorists wherever they go?
The Blanche incident wasn't even that long ago, and now they're being targeted by another terrorist group.
It's like... leveling up in a game and fighting bosses one after another.
If this were an old-school light novel, First High would totally be the protagonist, right?"
Erika's sarcastic remark mirrored his inner thoughts perfectly.
"Never mind, let's not talk about that. What about you, Erika? Why are you here?"
Mahiro turned his head to take a closer look at the girl beside him.
Erika's outfit today was somewhat bold by the standards of this era.
She was actually wearing shorts on her lower half, with no stockings to cover her legs at all.
Instead, her smooth, jade-like long legs were brazenly exposed, crossed casually.
Her pearl-like, delicate feet dangled in woven sandals, swaying lightly without a care.
Her upper half was clad in a pink camisole that left her fragrant shoulders bare.
This outfit suited Erika's bold personality well. After all, during school P.E. classes, she had once been daring enough to dig up an old-fashioned relic—a pair of bloomers that had been obsolete for over half a century—and wore them without hesitation.
It had caused quite a stir at the time.
"Hey, what are you staring at?"
Erika had the mischievous nature of a prankster, always delighting in teasing others.
Even when facing Mahiro, who always managed to outmaneuver her, she was no different.
Just like now, she shifted slightly closer to him, the faint scent of her perfume drifting over.
Her slightly curved eyes were as sly as a fox's, and coupled with her mixed-race features, which already exuded a bewitching charm, she spoke in a teasing tone:
"Are you mesmerized by my outfit? That won't do~ You still have Sayaka, you know~"
With that, Erika flashed a mischievous grin and immediately put some distance between them.
"Mesmerized is a stretch, but it is bold. It suits you well—and you look beautiful."
Like a wealthy young lady on vacation.
Oh wait, she was a young lady.
"But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"
"Of course, I came to cheer you on."
Seeing that he wasn't taking the bait, Erika dropped her teasing act and answered straightforwardly.
"But the competition doesn't start until the day after tomorrow."
As a spectator, Erika was arriving a bit too early.
"Though there's the Nine-School Banquet tonight, friendly reminder—you're an outsider. You won't be able to sneak into the venue."
"Hmph, I knew you'd say that. But today, we are insiders."
"...We?"
Mahiro frowned, sensing something unusual.
And the next second, he heard familiar voices approaching.
Turning his head, he saw Mibu Sayaka and Shibata Mizuki appear in the lobby, chatting and laughing as they walked over.
"See? I even brought your beloved Sayaka along~"
Erika nudged his arm lightly with her elbow, her face full of playful mockery.
Sayaka also noticed their gaze. When she turned and saw him standing there, she immediately brightened and hurried over, exclaiming in delight:
"Ah! Mahiro-kun, I knew you'd be here!"
"You came too, Sayaka. And Mizuki, long time no see."
Naturally, he was happy to see his official girlfriend arrive.
No doubt Erika had pulled some strings with her family to secure a stay at this military facility hotel.
But...
"Why did you say 'I knew you'd be here'?"
"We just ran into Tatsuya and Miyuki, and it was Miyuki who told us you were here," Mizuki took over the conversation.
However, it was precisely because of Mizuki's sudden interjection that he noticed the unusually striking outfits the two girls were wearing today.
"Hso!"
Mahiro was never one to mince words.
But he couldn't be blamed—their outfits were indeed eye-catching.
Sayaka, as always, had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, the dark strands swaying lightly with her movements, the ends shimmering faintly under the bright lights, giving off an energetic vibe.
A simple white short-sleeved T-shirt was casually tucked into high-waisted light-blue jeans, accentuating her slender waist and long legs.
Standing over 160 cm tall, paired with this outfit, she looked exceptionally tall and poised. Combined with the confidence she had regained, she exuded a refreshingly elegant aura.
However, Mizuki's outfit somehow rivaled Erika's bold style.
A thin-strapped top paired with a solid-colored skirt that ended well above the knees, along with her impressive assets, made her even more eye-catching than the model-like Erika.
Unfortunately, Mizuki's airheaded nature meant she was completely oblivious to the stares around her.
That Mizuki would wear something like this out in public, let alone to a place like this, could only mean one thing—it was undoubtedly Erika's doing.
Yet, when faced with his pointed gaze, Erika feigned ignorance, turning her head away and whistling innocently as if it had nothing to do with her.
"Um... is there something wrong with my outfit?" Noticing how he first looked at her, then turned to exchange a glare with Erika, Mizuki couldn't help but lean forward slightly in curiosity. "Does it not fit right?"
As she spoke, she glanced down at herself, still somewhat uneasy.
"...It fits perfectly, Shibata," Mahiro replied, though his gaze involuntarily drifted to Mizuki's chest.
Because, with her earlier movement, those white rabbits had playfully bounced twice right in front of him.
"But, even though I don't know how Erika managed to convince you to wear this, I'd suggest changing if you don't want to attract unwanted attention."
"Eh?!!!!"
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