24 Mibu Sayaka

"Kendo-senpai? I suppose..."

Sayaka's smile twitched slightly. Seems like, her name is too easy to remember.

"Cough! My name is Mibu Sayaka from 2-E. Can we talk for a moment?"

Sayaka's expression revealed a hint of jealousy.

Unconsciously feeling that the world was so unfair when she saw the figure of this cute boy.

Her eyes were drawn to Haku's facial features—his long neck, slender waist, his long model-like legs, and even his height.

After hearing a lot of gossip about Haku, she initially thought that Haku being a guy was a joke.

However, after confirming it, she was astonished that there was no way an elite and strict school like First High would be fooled by someone's identity.

'Next, what's this smell?'

Her nose detected scents like perfume, fruity, or sweet.

'Yuki-kun just finished working out at the gym, sweating profusely as he should. Wait! That's it; it's sweat! So this smell is from his sweat!?'

Within her subconscious world, Sayaka clenched her arms and gritted her teeth like a factory machine; in other words, she was feeling more jealous.

Haku remained silent, looking at this senior with questioning eyes.

'I feel like she is looking at me strangely, is it just my hunch?'

"Sure, but I've just come from the gym, so please excuse my embarrassing appearance..."

Haku said that with his usual smile, but from Sayaka's perspective, it felt like an arrow piercing her heart.

This isn't falling in love, Sayaka just feels humiliated.

'Embarrassing appearance?' This pretty boy needs a reality check.

Despite her jealousy, Sayaka's face lit up. "Don't worry. I'm fine with that."

Haku nodded, and the two of them headed to the kitchen.

"Is any drink fine for you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Sayaka maintained her composure, not wanting to be picky given her main goal at the moment.

Sitting across from each other, Haku poured a drink from his matte-black bottle into his cup and handed one to Sayaka. Although Haku's appearance was unconventional in many ways, he had no regard for sitting etiquette.

Currently sitting with his legs crossed on the chair, if he appeared like a normal high school boy, he would immediately be labeled as an uncle. However, in Haku's case, it gave him a unique charm.

"So, why did Senior want to talk to me?"

"Yuki-kun, I wanted to express my gratitude for when you repelled Kirihara-kun's magic attack that time."

"Is that so? I feel honored, but I was just doing my job."

Haku thought to himself that it wasn't something worth remembering. However, even in his relaxed state, Haku had a hunch about what Sayaka would say next.

"No, it's not just about stopping Kirihara-kun."

This was it, Haku thought.

"The reason why this isn't a minor matter is because you and Shiba-kun intervened. You two were able to defeat both us and the Kenjutsu Club effortlessly, which makes me doubt that you guys are actually freshmen... Furthermore, I also injured Kirihara-kun. If I had minimal abilities like you guys, I could have controlled my strength rather than exerting excessive force just to put on a show. Do you understand what I mean, Yuki-kun?"

Haku casually sipped from his cup, then lied as easily as breathing air.

"Of course."

"I'm relieved. Unlike many people who keep making a fuss about this, it's as if the Moral Committee is constantly scrutinizing us."

Hearing that, Haku tilted his head curiously. "Hmm... So that's the bad image of the Moral Committee among students?" he asked, as he had only heard about it from his classmates so far, perhaps this was a good opportunity to learn more.

"That's right! They arrogantly display their abilities while tearing down students, all in the name of upholding justice." Sayaka's tone slightly raised, and her expression darkened a little.

Haku's face turned slightly "Oh, really?"; this seemed worse than he had thought.

The privileges given by the school were akin to admitting that the students involved were talented and trusted not to do anything foolish, hence they were allowed to carry their CADs with them while at school.

Compared to regular students, their CADs had to be stored in a secure location to avoid any unexpected situations.

"Sigh. Should I just quit?"

Sayaka blinked a few times, then her face turned red momentarily as she realized her mistake.

"Ah! I didn't mean to say that. S-Sorry! I was just a little annoyed," she said while waving her hand.

Kekeke, this is amusing. Haku grinned, having played a prank on her.

Observing Haku's relaxed demeanor as he drank from his cup, and that unmistakable grin, Sayaka pouted.

"Yuki-kun... you're a bully, after all."

Haku shrugs his shoulder. "I'm not."

"Lie! Then, what was that smile just now?"

"Putting that aside, what did you want to talk to me about, senior?"

Letting out a deep sigh, Sayaka gave up and put on a serious expression.

"To be honest..." Sayaka's tone changed, and her eyes grew determined. "Shouldn't Yuki-kun consider joining the Kendo Club?" That's the main point of this conversation.

Haku had expected this from the start. If he connected with all the clues, his existence would become even more interesting.

After all, he was a freshman who attracted attention in terms of appearance, abilities, and his good reputation within the school's organizations.

Moreover, the recent rumors about his humble background being spread, along with the occasional ridicule from other students, couldn't go unnoticed by them.

From Blanche's perspective, Haku was the perfect pawn.

He was already aware of the close relationship between the Kendo Club and Blanche, having heard about it directly from Jarvis. What was even more astonishing was that Blanche had been infiltrated First High for the past three years.

What is the principal thinking? he wondered.

"I appreciate the offer, but I will decline since I have already joined the Kenjutsu Club."

Upon hearing his rejection, Sayaka was slightly surprised. "B-But! Wouldn't joining a club that holds a grudge against you would be uncomfortable?" Sayaka's question seemed to make sense, but Haku smiled, finished his drink, and poured himself another.

But Sayaka wasn't done yet. "I knew that in a magic academy, magic ability was everything... I was aware of that, and I signed up with that in my mind. But, isn't magic everything to us? Isn't this wrong? It's only because my magic talent is low that they make fun of my sword techniques."

"Yuki-kun, I'm aware of the school's indifferent treatment. You have become a laughing stock because of rumors circulating, even though you deserve respect. Like, when you have to be compared to honor students like Shiba-san and Yotsuba, I heard that clan's genius became your sparring partner—"

Before Sayaka could continue rambling, Haku stopped her.

"With a focus on sword and magic techniques, this club was the perfect choice for me. Besides, I don't mind if they grudge against me. Also, senior, please don't prejudge someone before experiencing it firsthand. Miyuki is a friend, and even though I only knew her briefly, Yotsuba-san is someone who is good beyond the rumors."

Sayaka fell silent after hearing that, she thought that she had found someone who shared her understanding, but she was not.

Haku wondered why Sayaka felt inferior. It wasn't as if someone had insulted her. Why would she listen to someone who didn't understand swords anyway?

"Senior, are you alright?" Haku asked, concerned.

Seeing Sayaka's angry expression soften, Haku felt a tinge of pity. Why couldn't this high school girl enjoy her school days?

Sayaka's widened eyes reflected her realization of her own behavior. Why had she acted this way? But something was clouding her thoughts.

"I-I see. If Yuki-kun changes his mind, this year's Kendo club will present our ideas to the club's activity supervisor. Otherwise, magic isn't everything."

Sayaka relinquished her stubbornness, feeling thirsty after talking so much. She glanced around the marble table and noticed a cup placed in front of her.

Feeling parched, Sayaka reached out and picked up the cup, bringing it closer to her lips. As she took a sip, her face contorted into an exaggerated expression of disgust.

"By the way, what drink is this, Yuki-kun?" Sayaka asked, comically twisting her face as she raised her cup.

Haku couldn't help but smile mischievously. "I'm glad you asked, senior," he replied with a twinkle in his eyes. He took another sip from his own cup before responding, "Senior. That is a revolutionary concoction known as... a protein shake!"

Sayaka's eyes widened in disbelief, and her expression turned into a hilarious combination of shock and disgust.

She recoiled slightly, almost spitting out the drink in surprise. "A protein shake? Seriously?" She tried her best to maintain a straight face, but the taste was simply too unpleasant for her.

---

Little did they know that there was someone else nearby who had overheard their conversation. The mysterious individual, wary of being discovered, quickly made her way out of earshot.

Mei, with her mesmerizing red eyes, had caught wind of the discussion. Her steps came to an abrupt halt upon hearing Haku's mention of her name.

"...even though I only knew her briefly, Yotsuba-san is someone who is good beyond the rumors."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Mei's lips.

The name Yuki Haku echoed in her mind, and it seemed that she had taken notice of this person.

It appeared that Mei had found someone who had captured her interest a bit.

"Moreover, I didn't expect to see a magic trick like [Evil Eyes]," Mei thought to herself.

-----------

Yo, hand over that stones! and drop some thoughts on this chapter, ya feel me?