The Traitor Among the Course 1 Students

Watanabe Mari poked at her lunch with her chopsticks, looking a little displeased as she spoke.

She hadn't cared about this sort of thing before. In fact, she'd enjoyed bringing it up just to see Saegusa Mayumi squirm.

But who could've known that, since last week, Mayumi would suddenly seem to have come to her senses? She'd stopped being so secretive and had become much more open.

And yet she and her boyfriend were always apart more than they were together, and whenever they were together, they were all over each other in the Student Council room.

So she was pretty annoyed right now.

"President, I'd like you to worry about our school's technicians first. The Nine Schools Competition is only ten days away, and we still haven't found a qualified technician."

Ichihara Suzune was much less bothered by the couple's public displays of affection. More accurately, she didn't care about that sort of thing.

"But there's nothing I can do! If only Koushu could help adjust the CADs."

After hearing Suzune's words, Mayumi looked dejected, then turned a resentful gaze on Kudo Mitsunobu.

"Senpai, do you think I'm made of iron? I have to compete and adjust the contestants' CADs. Even if I have enough psions, I'll still get mentally exhausted."

Koushu gave Mayumi, seated beside him, a light tap on the head.

"That's right! Our school has been very strong in actual combat these past few years, but we've always been desperately short on technicians."

"Mayumi and Jumonji have always been able to adjust their own CADs, which helped ease the pressure on our technicians."

"Several third-year students who specialized in technology graduated last year, and we had another batch of new students enroll this year. The shortage of technicians has become a problem again."

Mari was just as stumped by the situation.

Noticing that Shiba Tatsuya seemed to be trying to slip away, Koushu stopped tapping the table.

He hadn't been tapping it because he was trying to figure out how to solve the technician problem. He'd been wondering whether he should suggest a solution.

But seeing how troubled everyone was, he sighed softly.

"Tatsuya, where are you in such a hurry to go?"

Tatsuya paused with his lunchbox in hand. "Nowhere in particular. I've finished eating, so I thought I'd go on patrol."

Tatsuya hadn't needed to come to school today, since he wasn't scheduled to work with the Disciplinary Committee. But he'd switched shifts so he could accompany his younger sister while she practiced at school.

"I remember you adjusted a CAD in the Student Council room the other day, didn't you?"

"That's right."

Tatsuya sighed. He'd already guessed what Koushu was going to say, which was why he'd wanted to get out of the Student Council room before it came up.

"Then perfect. Tatsuya, you can be the competition's technician!"

"Right! We completely overlooked that! Miyuki, I remember your CAD is always adjusted by your brother, isn't it?"

Mayumi perked right up, her eyes fixed on Tatsuya.

"But I'm only a first-year, and I'm a Course 2 Student."

"If I take part, everyone at school might object."

Tatsuya made one last attempt to wriggle out of the troublesome job.

"But wouldn't you feel more at ease having your own brother adjust your CAD than having someone you don't know well do it? Wouldn't you be able to perform better, too?"

"Miyuki?"

After spending three months with the Shiba Siblings, Mayumi had figured out Tatsuya's weakness perfectly.

He usually looked for a way to dodge any troublesome task, but as soon as his younger sister was involved, he would reluctantly agree.

So Mayumi had aimed straight for Tatsuya's weak spot.

"That's right! I want my brother to adjust my CAD himself for the Nine Schools Competition, too."

"Would you refuse me, dear brother?"

That was a betrayal from his own younger sister, Shiba Miyuki.

Tatsuya finally had nowhere left to turn. He couldn't refuse his sister's request.

"Understood. I'll do my part to help with the competition."

"Then let's hold a meeting right away and ask Jumonji and the others to come vote on it!"

Mayumi happily made the decision on the spot. The problem that had been troubling her for so long was about to be solved, and she was clearly in a very good mood.

"Is something on your mind?"

On their way to the Student Council room, Mayumi noticed Koushu lagging behind the group, looking troubled.

"Nothing," Koushu replied.

"Is that so? Good, then."

The reason for his complicated feelings was that he still didn't know how to treat the Shiba Siblings. But he'd decided that, until he settled on his approach, he wouldn't actively give them opportunities to show off like he had before.

For now, it was all well and good that they weren't revealing their identities of their own accord. But if they did, their performance at school would only further elevate the Yotsuba's standing in the eyes of the magicians.

Of course, that didn't mean he intended to deliberately suppress the Shiba Siblings.

But who could've known that none of them would think of Tatsuya's ability to adjust CADs? In the end, Koushu had been the one to bring it up.

"I should find some time to talk with the two of them first."

Thanks to @Primordial Sun, FATR, @A Newcomer to Moe World, Yu, and @BookGuest56245726141 for the donations. I'm immensely grateful.

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Chapter 36: The Traitor Among the Course 1 Students

The meeting room was nearly full. Of course, it wasn't because of Tatsuya. This meeting wasn't just to decide whether he could become a technician.

It was also the meeting to finalize the roster of participants for the Nine Schools Competition.