"Long time no see, Miyuki. And Tatsuya." She greeted them softly.
"Aunt..."
Miyuki responded in disbelief.
The person before her was none other than the ruler of the Yotsuba Family—Maya Yotsuba!
But Miyuki could not understand why her aunt had personally come to the Nine Schools Competition venue!
And not only that.
A young girl was sitting beside her.
She wore a dark crimson dress, had long black hair and wine-red eyes, and carried herself with elegant grace. Even her appearance bore a seventy-percent resemblance to Maya Yotsuba!
"Long time no see, Miyuki. And Mr. Tatsuya." The girl smiled and waved.
"Ayako? Why are you here too...?"
Miyuki's gaze continued to wander.
When she spotted another familiar figure, she could not help covering her mouth.
How could this be?!
That person looked exactly like Sakurai Honami, who had once protected her mother!
Sakurai Minami noticed Miyuki's shocked gaze as well. She responded with a polite smile and gave a slight bow.
"Mm~ Found her."
At that moment, Maya Yotsuba suddenly rose to her feet. Her high heels clicked crisply against the steps, the sound seeming to tread upon everyone's hearts.
Ignoring Miyuki's surprise and Tatsuya's vigilance, she stopped in front of Sayaka beneath countless watching eyes.
Under the gaze of this elegant woman looking down at her, Sayaka seemed somewhat flustered.
Although she did not know who the woman was, she inexplicably felt that this woman had a very close relationship with Mahiro!
Especially when she raised her head and met her eyes.
Those black pupils, identical to Yotsuba Mahiro's, reflected her figure.
It was as though the elegant woman were sizing her up, and deep within those pupils seemed to lurk an inexplicable smile.
The curve of her lips became increasingly pronounced.
"You must be Mibu Sayaka, correct?"
Maya Yotsuba's voice was seductively sweet, carrying a soul-stirring charm.
"Ah... yes, I'm Mibu Sayaka. Hello..." Sayaka's palms were slick with nervous sweat.
"His taste is rather good."
Seeing how awkward she looked, Maya Yotsuba could not help chuckling.
"But there's no need to be so nervous. As you can see, I am Maya Yotsuba, head of the Yotsuba Family, and also Mahiro's... mother."
The competition had ended.
The men's division results were announced as well—
Champion: First High School, Yotsuba Mahiro Runner-up: Third High School, Masaki Ichijo Third place: First High School, Hattori Gyobu-Shojo Hanzou
Without question, Yotsuba Mahiro had battled through the Operations Committee's targeted rules and defeated all challengers. Amid First High School's cheers and celebration, he became the undisputed Monolith Code champion.
Warm applause enveloped the entire venue.
No matter which school they came from, no matter which competitor they were, they had all been thoroughly convinced.
By the time Yotsuba Mahiro emerged from the competitors' passageway, First High School's students had already crowded around the entrance.
Aside from those still competing and unable to come, nearly everyone was there. Even the idle spectators who had come to watch the matches had gathered.
They were all waiting to welcome their greatest contributor.
"Congratulations, Mahiro! You won the championship!"
"Congratulations."
Honoka and Kitayama Shizuku, who had been waiting for a long time, were the first to rush up and congratulate him.
"I mean... isn't this a bit much?"
Surrounded by so many people, he felt extremely uncomfortable.
From childhood to adulthood, even including his previous life, he had never been this popular.
"Of course it isn't. The match was amazing, and everyone's excited right now!"
Mayumi Saegusa, who stood at the front, stepped forward to congratulate him. At the same time, she looked at him as though she felt sorry for him.
"But it really was hard on you, Mahiro. You even used that magic just to help First High School win."
"Yes, Saegusa is right. It wasn't easy to withstand the Committee's targeting and defeat Masaki Ichijo. Thank you for everything you've done for First High School."
Katsuto Jumonji, that thick-browed, big-eyed giant, stepped forward as well, as stern as ever.
The look in his eyes was somewhat profound.
The magic they meant was naturally Meteor Shower, the spell he had used to defeat Masaki Ichijo in the end.
Had the magic he used on a whim caused such a stir throughout the entire Nine Schools Competition?
Surely not?
Miyuki Is My Cousin. Got a Problem with That?
To celebrate their lead over the other high schools after the first three days, Mayumi planned to hold a small victory party after Mari's Mirage Bat event ended.
However...
"Yotsuba, your mom is here."
"Huh?!"
This piece of news, which sounded almost like an insult, came from Erika after the crowd had dispersed.
But it was not an insult. That old woman, Maya Yotsuba, had really come!
Not long ago, she had been sitting beneath the blazing sun in the Nine Schools Competition stands, watching his match!
This was unprecedented.
Based on what he knew about Maya Yotsuba, she was supposed to be a refined lady who never left her home.
Though it was hard to believe, it was not only Erika saying so. Miyuki, Mizuki, and the others said the same thing.
And not only that.
"Your mom took Sayaka away too. She said she wanted to talk with her alone. She also said that if you wanted to find Sayaka, you should go see her," Erika said.
"..."
No wonder he had not seen Sayaka for so long.
What ridiculous idea had that old woman come up with this time?
"Aunt wants to see us alone," Miyuki explained.
Us naturally referred to him and Miyuki, without even bringing Tatsuya along.
"Fine, then. Let's go see what tricks that old woman is trying to pull this time."
"Wait."
Just as Mahiro was about to leave with Miyuki, a conspicuous head of red hair blocked his path. Erika raised her head to look at him.
"Mahiro, shouldn't you explain yourself?"
"Explain what?"
"It's just... Lady Yotsuba seemed really gentle... And why does Miyuki call Lady Yotsuba Aunt...?"
Mizuki was the one speaking. She looked timid, and her voice grew weaker and weaker until it faded away entirely.
In truth, she had noticed something long ago.
She had Psion Radiation Hypersensitivity, something Spirit Magic practitioners of the old traditions called the Crystal Eye.
She could see nonphysical psion radiation that ordinary people could not perceive. Her sensitivity to psions even allowed her to distinguish spirit colors that even Spirit Magic users could not see.
In her eyes, Shiba Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba had very similar auras.
They were siblings, after all, so that was understandable.
But the problem was that she had discovered that Yotsuba Mahiro and Miyuki Shiba had even more similar auras. Their compatibility and resemblance were actually greater than Miyuki's with Shiba Tatsuya!
Yet she had never dared say this aloud.
After listening to Mizuki's explanation, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.
"You really think that old woman Maya Yotsuba is gentle?"
His gaze swept around the group. Aside from the silent Shiba Tatsuya and Miyuki, everyone else nodded.
"Elegant, gentle, mysterious, and poised." That was Kitayama Shizuku's opinion.
"Exactly! She's nothing like the witch you described her as!" Erika put her hands on her hips, as though she were defending Maya Yotsuba.
That made Mahiro laugh.
"Never mind the others, but Erika, aren't you the daughter of one of the Hundred Families? You still don't understand? That appearance is just an act for outsiders. In reality, that woman can be ruthless when she makes a move."
Although the title Untouchable Taboo had been earned by the previous family head, Genzo Yotsuba, it was Maya Yotsuba who had truly secured it.
Even the Ten Master Clans feared her ruthless methods.
After hearing him say that, Erika could not refute him. After all, the Chiba Family was much the same.
"...Then what is your relationship with Miyuki?"
"It's very simple. Since Miyuki calls my mother Aunt, what relationship do you think we have? She's my cousin, obviously."
"Huh?!!!"
"Ah... Seriously?!"
"Miyuki is Mahiro's cousin?!"
Yotsuba Mahiro used the most casual tone possible to reveal something that shocked everyone the most.
Even Kitayama Shizuku, usually the calmest of them all, looked as though her expressionless face were beginning to crack.
This was more shocking than anything else. It was like a bolt of thunder falling from a clear sky, leaving them utterly stunned.
But upon thinking about it carefully, it also made sense.
Shiba Tatsuya's formidable combat skills and technical ability, along with Miyuki's extraordinary magical power, made it impossible for them to be from an ordinary family.
Erika had once guessed that they might be from one of the non-Number Families.
Like Ichihara Suzune.
But she had never imagined that they were cousins of Yotsuba Mahiro?
In other words, the Shiba Family was one of the Yotsuba Family's branch families?!
"Mahiro, is it really okay to reveal my relationship with the Yotsuba Family to them?" Miyuki Shiba asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. It's fine." Mahiro replied indifferently.
Before you continue