Conversation

"Even in terms of the scale of the Magic Formula and the strength with which it rewrote the target's information, he broke First High School's records."

"Then could you tell me why you didn't take part in the final test, Kudo-kun?"

Saegusa Mayumi was intensely curious, but neither she nor the teachers had any doubt that Kudo Mitsunobu had taken first place in magic activation speed.

After all, the Ninth Laboratory researched magic activation speed, so there was no way Kudo Mitsunobu would be slow at casting magic.

"I'm sorry, but it's a family matter, so I can't tell you, senpai," Kudo Mitsunobu said calmly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

This time, Saegusa Mayumi was genuinely apologetic. After all, asking about someone else's family affairs was already a major taboo.

What's more, they were magicians, members of the Ten Master Clans. Her words could easily make others think she was trying to pry into the Kudo Family's secrets.

Even an offhand remark was unacceptable; it could lead to a whole series of diplomatic problems.

"It's fine, senpai. It's nothing important, so you don't need to worry about it."

Kudo Mitsunobu had no intention of reading too much into what Saegusa Mayumi had said. He wasn't one of those bored people who spent all day looking for a chance to pick a fight.

"Besides, the position of top new student isn't that important."

"Besides, as long as my overall score is decent, that's enough." As he finished speaking, Koushu pointed to the petal emblem on his chest.

"I see!" Saegusa Mayumi glanced at Kudo Mitsunobu's hand pointing to his chest and nodded thoughtfully.

Saegusa Mayumi fell silent for a short while. The sight of the two walking side by side also drew comments from the upperclassmen around them.

After all, one was the beautiful, elegant student council president, who had amassed a large following since enrolling and had never been known to have a boyfriend in her three years at school.

The other was a new student whose looks alone had made the female students of Japan, now known for their conservative attitudes, repeatedly turn to stare.

"Could it be that this student just enrolled and already scored the president? Damn this looks-based society," said one male senior.

"Could it be that this student just enrolled and the president has already claimed him? Damn this looks-based society," said one female senior.

Chapter 2: Conversation

"Hey, Koushu-kun. What do you think of the Course 2 Student system?"

Saegusa Mayumi acted as if she hadn't noticed the prickling stares around them and continued speaking. This time, though, she'd quietly changed the way she addressed him.

After asking, Saegusa Mayumi unconsciously shifted her gaze to Kudo Mitsunobu's face, wanting to see how he would react.

But Kudo Mitsunobu still looked calm, which left Saegusa Mayumi feeling a little disappointed.

"My opinion..."

Kudo Mitsunobu drew out the last word slightly. It wasn't because Saegusa Mayumi had suddenly changed how she addressed him; he was simply giving her question some thought.

"Well, I'd say the school has taken what should have remained private—the distinction between outstanding and underperforming students—and made it public."

"What do you mean?"

Saegusa Mayumi had forgotten all about her own little thoughts by now. She immediately wanted to know how Kudo Mitsunobu's opinion differed from hers.

"If that's the case, then I'll share my humble opinion." Kudo Mitsunobu shrugged.

"Senpai, do you know much about the schools ordinary people attend?"

Saegusa Mayumi nodded.

"Ordinary schools also have classes for high-achieving students and classes for average students."

"Students who do better academically can receive instruction from the school's best teachers in advanced classes, while students who struggle study in ordinary classes with regular teachers."

"Isn't that the same as our school?" Saegusa Mayumi suddenly interrupted.

"That's true, but there's still one difference."

"Ordinary schools don't openly and explicitly label students as outstanding or underperforming." Kudo Mitsunobu pointed to the emblem on his chest again.

"I don't oppose gifted education. Educational resources are limited, after all, so it's only natural that students who excel academically receive a better education."

"If our school didn't give students such explicit labels, like ordinary schools, then the new students would probably get along and form good relationships with one another."

"Then even if their grades later put them in different classes, they wouldn't become hostile toward each other."

"But because of those labels, new students who get a Course 1 Student uniform immediately put themselves in the Course 1 camp, while those who get a Course 2 Student uniform immediately put themselves in the Course 2 camp."

"After all, people are shaped by their environment. The Course 1 upperclassmen tell the new students that Course 2 students are useless, while the Course 2 upperclassmen tell their new students that Course 1 students have unfairly taken the treatment that should have been theirs."

"And so the two camps remain opposed, with no end in sight."

After rattling off such a long explanation, Kudo Mitsunobu felt as if his throat had gone dry.

Seeing how Kudo Mitsunobu looked, Saegusa Mayumi thoughtfully took a thermos from her handbag and handed it to him.

"Koushu-kun, you must be thirsty. Have some of this."

Kudo Mitsunobu hesitated for a moment, but then reached out and took the thermos from Saegusa Mayumi. He drank several gulps.

"Thank you very much, Saegusa-senpai."

After drinking, Kudo Mitsunobu returned the thermos to Saegusa Mayumi.

"It's nothing." Saegusa Mayumi shook her head, took the thermos, and put it back in her handbag.

"What I'd really like to hear is how you would solve this problem, Koushu-kun."

Saegusa Mayumi looked at Kudo Mitsunobu hopefully. After hearing his analysis, she was eager to know.

She regretted that she had been deeply dissatisfied with the Course 2 Student system ever since enrolling. But the system had been entrenched for a long time.

So even now, she still didn't know how to solve the problem. She wanted to hear how Kudo Mitsunobu would approach it.

"Me?"

Kudo Mitsunobu showed no surprise at Saegusa Mayumi's request.

After a pause, he continued.

"I said I don't oppose gifted education, didn't I, senpai?"