Quantum Magic: "Area Shielding"
Tatsuya Shiba was stunned.
Could Cast Jamming reach this far?
That had to be nearly four hundred meters, right?
The attacker also cried out in surprise and doubt, but he was not as absorbed as Tatsuya Shiba.
While Tatsuya Shiba was distracted, the man attacking him, who had covered himself thoroughly with a hood and a mask, saw that his probe had failed and swiftly fled.
By the time Tatsuya Shiba reacted, the man was already far away. However, as he swung his arms, he revealed a bracelet with red, white, and blue bands. It was clearly the attacker's CAD, and Tatsuya Shiba silently committed this important clue to memory.
"How are you?"
"Are you all right?"
Chiba Yeyou quickly ran over and looked Tatsuya Shiba over, confirming that nothing was wrong.
Although this guy could repair himself, if he had been injured, traces would remain even after self-repair.
In fact, Chiba Yeyou was also very curious about this ability of Tatsuya Shiba's. He wanted to see just what this guy's strongest magic was like. Unfortunately...
Still, there would be plenty of opportunities later.
"I'm fine."
Tatsuya Shiba withdrew his gaze from the distance and turned his attention to Chiba Yeyou.
"Do you know that person?"
"Do you have some sort of dispute with him?"
Chiba Yeyou asked despite already knowing the answers.
"I don't know him, and I've never had anything to do with him. I'm just as curious about why he attacked me."
Tatsuya Shiba looked away and turned back toward the direction the man had fled, speaking with some puzzlement.
"He didn't achieve his goal this time, so he'll approach you in some other way later. Just wait."
Hearing Chiba Yeyou's words, Tatsuya Shiba found them very reasonable and nodded in agreement.
"In that case, let's go. Let's help out over there first."
"Right, let's hurry over."
After hearing Chiba Yeyou's words, Tatsuya Shiba stopped thinking about this strange incident.
The two immediately set off for the scene.
Only after arriving did they realize that things were not as serious as they had imagined. No magical brawl had broken out yet; there were simply too many people, the scene was far too chaotic, and the Public Morals Committee members present were severely short-handed. That was why they had been forced to request help over the comms.
With proper coordination, they dispersed the onlookers, gave several hotheads verbal warnings, and punished them according to the rules, bringing the matter to a close.
"Ah!"
"This hellish stretch is finally over!"
In the Class 1-A classroom, Chiba Yeyou stretched his back. Running all over the school all day, day after day, really was exhausting.
"Are Public Morals Committee patrols that tiring?"
"Oh!"
"Honoka Mitsui!"
Chiba Yeyou looked at the two classmates standing before him-Shizuku Kitayama and Honoka Mitsui.
Originally, the two had had little interaction with Chiba Yeyou and had been no more than ordinary classmates. Only after they discovered that he also knew Tatsuya Shiba had they begun talking more.
"It's not really that the Public Morals Committee position is so tiring. Mainly, I've spent a little too long lying on benches these past few days, and my back's gotten a bit stiff."
"But there really is quite a lot of Public Morals Committee work."
Chiba Yeyou sighed.
"Um, well..."
Honoka Mitsui's hesitant manner left Chiba Yeyou somewhat puzzled.
"Could we invite you to have lunch with us?"
Honoka Mitsui seemed to have worked up a great deal of courage, and only after saying this did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"Oh?"
"Is it lunchtime already?"
Chiba Yeyou glanced at the clock hanging in the classroom. Sure enough, it was time for lunch.
"Then let's go together!"
Chiba Yeyou and the others soon reached the cafeteria, got three meals, and found a table to sit around.
"Why didn't you two go find Tatsuya Shiba and the others?"
Chiba Yeyou asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Tatsuya and Miyuki went to the Student Council."
"I see."
After hearing Honoka Mitsui's answer, Chiba Yeyou understood.
Without saying anything more, he lowered his head and continued eating.
"You, why didn't you go to the Student Council?"
Shizuku Kitayama, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
"I wasn't invited!"
Chiba Yeyou did not care in the slightest.
Honestly, an elite group like the Student Council held enormous appeal for other people, but to Chiba Yeyou, it was nothing special.
Like Tatsuya Shiba, Chiba Yeyou simply regarded them as equals. Although he did not have Tatsuya Shiba's military background, the Sylvia Family was far more difficult to provoke than the Japan National Defense Force, and its influence was greater as well.
All the more so compared to the Yotsuba Family, merely one of the Ten Master Clans!
Having backing without mentioning it and having backing without using it were two different things. Although Chiba Yeyou would not normally have Tiffany mobilize her family's power to help him, if someone really dared to think he was easy to bully, that person would be in for bad luck.
After all, Chiba Yeyou was no worshipper of individualism. If he had power behind him, he would not leave it unused.
So opportunities like this, which could earn extra credit and preferential access to good resources in the future, were nothing special to him.
For now, he only needed to enjoy his school days, work on his own affairs when he had something to do, and watch all sorts of excitement when he did not.
After all, First High School's future would be anything but peaceful. Quite the opposite-it would be very lively indeed!
Seeing Chiba Yeyou's utterly unconcerned expression, Shizuku Kitayama was not surprised. She simply could not help remembering what she herself had said at the bus stop that day: there were hardly any ordinary people at this school.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, You, you have your own CAD, right?"
Shizuku Kitayama poked the steak on her plate a few times with her fork, seeming somewhat conflicted, though her expression remained as blank as ever.
"That's right!"
"Why?"
Chiba Yeyou continued eating without even raising his head.
"You maintain your CAD yourself, don't you?"
Shizuku Kitayama looked at Chiba Yeyou seriously.
"Hmm?"
"What makes you say that?"
Chiba Yeyou was somewhat puzzled. He did not seem to have demonstrated any abilities as a magic engineer.
"Um, actually, I happened to see you adjusting equipment in the magic engineering workshop a few days ago, You."
At this point, Honoka Mitsui spoke timidly.
"Oh."
Contrary to the two girls' expectations, Chiba Yeyou merely nodded calmly, without blaming Honoka Mitsui for sneaking a curious peek.
"And?"
Chiba Yeyou looked at the two girls and asked calmly.
"You're not upset with me?"
Honoka Mitsui was somewhat surprised that Chiba Yeyou did not blame her for peeking, and she also adopted a respectful form of address.
"It's nothing. The magic engineering workshop isn't a particularly private place."
In fact, Chiba Yeyou had known at the time and had not cared at all. He had simply forgotten about it just now.
"I'd like to invite you to work for my family!"