"Clap, clap, clap, clap~"
When Mayumi Saegusa finished speaking, applause began somewhere in the auditorium. Gradually, it spread to every corner. Both Course 1 Students and Course 2 Students had been moved by her words.
Seeing the smiles on the students' faces, Mayumi Saegusa made a decision.
Rather than leave the podium, she continued, "While I have this opportunity, I hope everyone will listen to what I have to say. The Student Council itself still has a rule that results in Course 1 and Course 2 Students being treated differently. Under the current system, all Student Council members except the president must be chosen from among Course 1 Students. This rule can only be amended at the general student assembly held when the Student Council president is reelected. At the assembly where I step down, I will propose abolishing this rule as my final duty as Student Council president."
"We can't use force to change what's in people's hearts, nor should we. But we'll do our best to address what's unfair..."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"
Before Mayumi Saegusa could finish, a series of violent explosions reached the ears of every student present.
The explosions seemed to serve as a signal, prompting the core members of the Alliance of Volunteers hidden among the crowd to spring into action.
The instant the explosions rang out, Gyoubu Hattori rushed toward Mayumi Saegusa at the front of the stage. But another figure reached the stage ahead of him and shielded her.
The newcomer wore a mask covering his eyes, as though he didn't want anyone to recognize him. He was dressed in the uniform of a Course 2 Student at First High School.
"Domain expansion, Fool's World."
Mayumi Saegusa had been surprised by the masked man's sudden appearance in front of her, but when she heard his words, she couldn't help rolling her eyes.
This guy still hasn't forgotten to hide his identity, even at a time like this. Honestly, I give up on him! Mayumi Saegusa grumbled inwardly, but the commotion in the auditorium wasn't about to stop.
The core members of the Alliance of Volunteers were all carrying CADs. Their goal was to cause a disturbance, so using magic was a simple way to do it.
But when they operated their CADs to cast magic, they were horrified to discover that the Psions in their bodies seemed to have fallen asleep and wouldn't respond to them at all!
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?!"
Some had already been moved by Mayumi Saegusa's speech. Now that they had lost control of their Psions and couldn't use magic, they promptly gave up and sank to their knees where they stood, dejected.
As for those still struggling to cause panic, they would face the punishment Yunyi brought down on them.
"I seek an array of light, bind!"
Faintly glowing magic arrays appeared beneath the troublemakers' feet. In the instant they were left wondering what was happening, ropes formed from light elements bound them tightly and dragged them down into the centers of the arrays. But just then, several tear gas grenades smashed through the windows and were thrown into the auditorium.
"Breath of the breeze, heed my call!"
Before the tear gas grenades could hit the floor, a small whirlwind suddenly sprang up in the auditorium, gathered them together, and sent them back out through the windows.
The tear gas grenades had barely been dealt with when the auditorium's front doors were violently flung open. The firearms in the intruders' hands made the students inside scream at once!
"I seek thunder, lightning!"
A bolt of lightning shot from Yunyi's outstretched fingertip, piercing the bodies of the three attackers who had rushed into the auditorium and taking their lives.
"Mayumi, calm everyone down."
After dealing with the attackers, Yunyi lowered his hand. He quietly reminded Mayumi Saegusa, who stood somewhat dazed behind him, to find a way to calm the students down quickly.
Only then did Mayumi Saegusa come back to her senses. Even though she had seen Yunyi use magic with her own eyes before, the three consecutive spells he had just cast had drawn her attention.
"Everyone!"
Mayumi Saegusa's voice rang out through the auditorium's sound system, instantly quieting the panicked students inside.
It had to be said that Mayumi Saegusa's standing at First High School was frighteningly high. If someone else had been Student Council president, they might have had to shout themselves hoarse to get the same result.
"Everyone, please calm down and return to your seats. This incident was a premeditated attack, and the school has arranged for enough guards to ensure everyone's safety."
At that, Mayumi Saegusa glanced at Yunyi, who stood a little ahead and to one side of her. A teasing smile curled at the corner of her lips as she continued, "He is also a guard arranged by the Saegusa Family. With him here, everyone's safety is assured. So please don't panic. Return to your seats and wait until the attackers outside have been dealt with before leaving in an orderly fashion."
Hearing Mayumi Saegusa say that, the students naturally calmed down. Yunyi had dealt with three successive attacks, in particular, which had also earned him some of their trust.
A vein throbbed incessantly at Yunyi's temple. He very much wanted to turn around and give Mayumi Saegusa's cheeks a hard pull, just to see how she managed to say something so deserving of a beating with that enticing little mouth of hers.
But they were in First High School's auditorium, with its students filling the seats below, so he still had to save Mayumi Saegusa some face. If he really made her lose her temper and she revealed his identity, he wouldn't have an easy time of it either.
Huh? No, wait. Why does that thought feel so strange? At that point, Yunyi suddenly realized there seemed to be something wrong with the way he was thinking. But he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was.
Time flew by. After an unknown length of time, a communication alert sounded from Mayumi Saegusa's terminal.
"Saegusa, all the attackers who infiltrated the school have been subdued! The practical skills building has been cleared as well. Next, we interrogate the key figure. Let's meet in the infirmary."
Only after hearing Katsuto Jumonji's words could Mayumi Saegusa truly relax. Even though she trusted the information Yunyi had given her, she had involved the students of the Public Morals Committee in repelling the attack, and she had still been somewhat worried.
Fortunately, all the attackers had now been dealt with. As long as they could learn from the key figure who was behind it all...
At that thought, Mayumi Saegusa couldn't help turning to look at Yunyi.
The key figure? The mastermind!? This...