The Student Council room.
When the three entered the Student Council room, the expressions on their faces startled the people inside.
Miyuki Shiba, who led the way, looked overjoyed. Tatsuya Shiba followed behind him, looking utterly bewildered, while Yunyi brought up the rear, his face full of exasperation.
"Oh, Miyuki, did something good happen?" Mayumi Saegusa was the first to ask.
"Ah, it's nothing, President. Excuse me." Miyuki Shiba hurriedly reined in her all-too-obvious expression, then respectfully exchanged greetings with Mayumi Saegusa and the others.
While Miyuki Shiba was greeting them, Tatsuya Shiba composed his expression as well. Mayumi Saegusa's gaze passed over him and settled on the exasperated Yunyi. "Then what's wrong with you, Yunyi-kun?"
"Huh!?" Azusa Nakajo abruptly looked up at Mayumi Saegusa.
"Oh?" Mari Watanabe turned to look at her as well.
"Ahem~" Suzune Ichihara cleared her throat, though at some point she had picked up a little notebook and begun writing something down.
Yunyi rolled his eyes and walked over to Mayumi Saegusa under everyone's gaze. He raised a hand, pinched her cheek, and gave it a slight tug.
"What do you think?"
"That hurts, Yunyi-kun. You're being mean."
In truth, Yunyi hadn't used much force, and Mayumi Saegusa hadn't felt any pain. Even so, she put on a pitiful expression and blinked her burgundy eyes at him.
"Sigh!!!"
Yunyi let out a heavy sigh, then plopped down in the seat beside Mayumi Saegusa.
From the way the two interacted, everyone in the Student Council room had more or less guessed at their relationship, except for Tatsuya "Blockhead" Shiba, who didn't understand.
"Hey, you two, are you-!?" Mari Watanabe asked in disbelief.
"Ahem!" Mayumi Saegusa cleared her throat affectedly, then spoke under everyone's gaze. "Well, Yunyi-kun and I..."
Before she could finish, however, Yunyi took the hand resting on her thigh.
Rather than tell them, he might as well show them. With that in mind, Yunyi simply raised Mayumi's hand in his for everyone to see.
"Got it?" Yunyi smiled at the others.
"Congratulations, President, and you too, Yunyi." Miyuki Shiba was the quickest to offer her congratulations, and she seemed even happier than Yunyi and Mayumi Saegusa.
"This really is unexpected," Suzune Ichihara said, a little taken aback, though she had no intention of pressing for details.
"President, is this true?" Azusa Nakajo still seemed somewhat incredulous.
"Mayumi, this is really..." Mari Watanabe was at a loss for words.
The others didn't know about Mayumi's situation, but how could Mari, her best friend, not know? And now Mayumi Saegusa was together with this guy Yunyi? If word reached the Ten Master Clans, it would probably cause a stir!
"Don't worry, Mari. I have my reasons. Besides, I believe Father will support me too," Mayumi Saegusa said confidently.
"Really!?" Mari Watanabe seemed unconvinced.
"Really!"
With their relationship out in the open, they could finally start lunch.
While they ate, however, Mari Watanabe, Azusa Nakajo, and the others kept glancing at Mayumi Saegusa and Yunyi, making the two of them somewhat uncomfortable. After all, they weren't really dating.
After lunch, Tatsuya Shiba fetched Yunyi's CAD, which had been left with the Public Morals Committee beforehand.
Yunyi took the CAD and tried activating the spell inside it, finding that it did indeed run much faster than before. Of course, no matter how fast it was, it couldn't match the speed of deploying his domain and chanting directly. But to hide his identity, he had to learn to use a CAD.
Mayumi Saegusa was also puzzled when she saw Yunyi's CAD. She had seen him use magic, and he hadn't used a CAD at all then. Now he was using one? What was going on?
Seeming to notice Mayumi Saegusa's gaze, Yunyi leaned over and whispered beside her, "What, curious?"
Mayumi Saegusa's cheeks reddened slightly, but she didn't object to Yunyi coming so close. After all, they were pretending to be a couple, so some intimate gestures were inevitable.
"I've never seen you use a CAD to cast a spell before. Of course I'm curious," Mayumi Saegusa said.
"If I get the chance, how about I show you?" Yunyi suggested.
"Oh? All right! We're spending this afternoon assessing the abilities of the students the Clubs Management Group selected for the Nine Schools Competition. Why don't you come watch with me?" Mayumi Saegusa immediately invited him.
Yunyi felt a little helpless. He really hadn't expected Mayumi Saegusa to turn the conversation to the Nine Schools Competition so quickly. There was still quite some time before it began!
Still, the two had already reached an agreement, so he naturally wouldn't undermine Mayumi Saegusa on an occasion like this. After accepting her invitation, he also prepared to show her that afternoon. Of course, he was doing so partly to give Mayumi Saegusa an idea of what to expect. This was the Nine Schools Competition, after all. If he participated while concealing his strength and didn't place very well, the plan they had agreed on would have to be abandoned early.
"Then it's settled! Miyuki, why don't you come too? You'll be participating in the newcomers' events this year, so you can get some experience beforehand." Mayumi Saegusa extended an invitation to Miyuki Shiba as well.
Miyuki Shiba naturally didn't refuse. She looked at Tatsuya Shiba beside her, seemingly wanting to invite him along too. But Tatsuya Shiba had already guessed what his sister was thinking and decisively shook his head in refusal as soon as she turned to him.
Tatsuya Shiba's response left Miyuki Shiba a little disappointed, but she also understood that her brother couldn't participate in the Nine Schools Competition's events, so she didn't press the matter.
Once the lunch break was over, everyone went their separate ways.
Led by Mayumi Saegusa, Yunyi and Miyuki Shiba arrived at the venue where participants were being selected.
The events in the Nine Schools Competition were the same every year, so when selecting participants, First High School also provided on-campus simulation grounds where students could familiarize themselves with the events.
As far as Yunyi was concerned, participating in Icicle Destruction alone would be enough, so his eyes remained fixed on its simulation area. Miyuki Shiba was much the same; she also wanted to participate in Icicle Destruction, so their gazes happened to be in sync.
Seeing this, Mayumi Saegusa led them straight over. Just as the three arrived at the simulation grounds, the sound of an icicle collapsing rang out.