Now that the existence of a potential threat was known, the next steps seemed deceptively simple.
If the enemy had already made a move once, then there was no doubt they would try again. That was the nature of those who lurked in the shadows—always seeking another chance. All Mahiro and the others had to do was strengthen their defenses, wait patiently, and seize the opportunity to catch their tails when they struck again. From there, they could pull on the threads and reveal the entire nest of scoundrels.
At least, that was the plan.
But fate had its own way of making things complicated.
Because the moment they entered the hotel lobby, an all-too-familiar voice greeted them.
"Yoo-hoo~!"
A cheerful call echoed across the hall. Sitting casually on a sofa near the wall was none other than Chiba Erika. She waved with a grin, her vibrant short red hair shining under the light.
"Oi, oi… Erika-san?" Mahiro muttered, caught off guard.
"It's been a whole week, hasn't it? How have you been, Mahiro-kun?" she asked, her tone playful, as if she hadn't just ambushed him out of nowhere.
Mahiro let out a tired sigh as he walked over and flopped down next to her. "So-so, I guess. Busy… and a little too much trouble here and there."
Erika immediately complained that it was too hot and that he was crowding her, but despite her words, she didn't push him away. It seemed like this kind of banter between them had already become a silent agreement.
More importantly, Erika's fox-like eyes narrowed with curiosity the moment she heard the word trouble. For her, that was practically a signal flare saying, something interesting happened.
"Trouble, huh? Tell me, did you guys run into something on the way? You're so late compared to everyone else."
She wasn't wrong. While First High School wasn't the furthest away from the Nine Schools Competition venue, it wasn't the closest either. Still, most other schools had already arrived earlier in the day. The fact that they were only just getting there in the late afternoon was suspicious enough.
Mahiro didn't bother hiding it. He explained the encounter on the road, including the strange movements he and Shiba Tatsuya had detected and their deductions about the group involved.
By the time he finished, Erika was giving him—and by extension First High School—a very strange look.
"Hey, hey, don't you think First High is, like… cursed or something? Why is it that wherever you guys go, terrorists pop out of the ground like weeds?"
Mahiro couldn't help twitching at her words.
"I mean, come on," she continued dramatically, throwing her hands up. "It hasn't even been that long since the Blanche incident, and now another terrorist group is targeting you. This feels like some kind of RPG game, you know? Boss fight after boss fight, with no break in between. If this were a light novel, First High would definitely be the protagonist's school, right?"
"…That sounds way too accurate, Erika-san."
Her teasing hit too close to home, making Mahiro sigh.
"Anyway, enough about us. Erika, why are you even here? Shouldn't you be off enjoying your summer break instead of stalking First High?" Mahiro finally asked, turning to properly study the girl sitting next to him.
And that was when he noticed—her outfit.
Today, Erika's clothes were… bold. Very bold.
She wore denim shorts that left her long legs completely bare, without even stockings to cover them. Her legs, pale and smooth like polished jade, were casually crossed, the loose straps of her woven sandals dangling off her dainty, pearl-like feet.
On top, she wore a thin pink camisole that exposed her shoulders completely.
It was an outfit that perfectly matched her lively, mischievous personality. After all, this was the same Erika who, during PE class, had somehow managed to dig up a pair of antique bloomers—long since retired from school use over half a century ago—and wore them without hesitation. That had caused an uproar among her classmates, but to Erika, causing chaos was practically a hobby.
"Oi, oi, Mahiro-kun, what are you staring at?" Erika asked suddenly, her fox-like grin widening.
Mahiro snapped out of his thoughts, only to find her leaning closer. Her hair carried the faintest sweet scent, and her mischievous eyes gleamed with the intent of a prankster who'd caught her prey.
"Could it be… you're mesmerized by my outfit?" she teased, her voice dripping with mock seduction. "Don't tell me you've forgotten you already have Mibu-chan~"
"Baka," Mahiro muttered under his breath, averting his gaze.
But Erika only chuckled slyly and pulled away before he could react.
"Well, mesmerized isn't the word," Mahiro finally admitted, shaking his head. "But yeah… it's daring. Suits you well, actually. You look like… a rich ojō-sama on vacation."
"Oh? Flattery now? Careful, Mahiro-kun, I might take that seriously."
"…Not flattery, just facts."
Still, he narrowed his eyes at her. "But you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here, Erika-san?"
"Obviously, I came to cheer you on, duh." Erika puffed her chest out proudly, like a child showing off her toy.
"…The competition doesn't even start until the day after tomorrow."
"Ufufu~ maybe so. But don't forget, there's the Nine Schools Competition banquet tonight. And before you say it, yes, I know I shouldn't be able to sneak in since I'm technically an 'unrelated person.'" She even mimicked quotation marks in the air.
Mahiro raised a brow, already suspicious. "So what, you're telling me you actually are related personnel now?"
"Bingo~!" Erika grinned like a cat that had just stolen the cream.
Mahiro's frown deepened. Things were definitely not going to be simple.
And then, before he could press further, familiar voices drifted toward them.
"Mahiro-kun, Erika-chan!"
Turning his head, Mahiro spotted Mibu Sayaka and Shibata Mizuki entering the hall together, chatting cheerfully as they approached.
Erika smirked, nudging Mahiro with her elbow. "See? I told you I came for your sake. Look, I even brought your beloved Mibu-chan over for you~"
Her teasing tone made Mahiro sigh deeply. "Yare yare… you never change, Erika-san."
Sayaka caught sight of him, her eyes widening. She immediately jogged over, her ponytail bouncing behind her. "Ah! Mahiro-kun, you're really here!"
Mahiro's lips curved into a smile. "Sayaka. And Mizuki-san too—long time no see."
Seeing his actual girlfriend arrive made his heart lighten. Of course, he didn't need to ask to know how Erika had pulled this off. She must have leaned on her family's connections to wrangle permission to stay at this military-operated hotel.
But…
"Still, why did you even know I was here in the first place?" he asked.
Mizuki, always earnest, answered before Sayaka could. "We bumped into Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki-chan earlier. Miyuki-san mentioned you were staying here."
Her timing made Mahiro's eyes sharpen—not because of her words, but because he suddenly registered their outfits.
"Na-nani?!"
The exclamation slipped out before he could stop himself. But seriously, could anyone blame him?
Sayaka looked striking as always, her long ponytail swaying like a banner of vitality. Tonight, her casual white T-shirt was tucked into light blue high-waisted jeans that highlighted her toned waistline and long legs. At over 160 centimeters, her natural athletic build combined with that simple style gave her a refined but refreshing aura. With her confidence restored in recent months, Sayaka practically radiated brightness.
On the other hand, Mizuki's look was… another story.
She wore a thin-strap top paired with a plain skirt cut daringly above her knees. On her, with her natural endowments, the outfit looked more daring than Erika's own. Her bustline strained against the simple fabric, making her look like she could outshine even a model.
But of course, Mizuki being Mizuki, she was completely oblivious. She walked alongside Sayaka as if nothing was strange at all, radiating innocence despite the attention her clothes drew.
It was obvious—this had Erika's handiwork written all over it.
Mahiro's eyes slid back toward Erika. She gave an exaggerated whistle and turned her head away as if she'd never seen these girls in her life.
"U-Um… is something wrong with my clothes?" Mizuki asked nervously. She had noticed his gaze bouncing between her and Erika. Leaning forward slightly, she peered up at him. "Do they look… weird? Not fitting?"
She glanced down at herself, tugging slightly at her hem with embarrassment.
Mahiro rubbed his temple. "…They fit just fine, Shibata-san."
Still, his eyes betrayed him, flicking briefly downward. The "two white rabbits," as his mind unhelpfully supplied, bounced lightly when Mizuki shifted forward.
"…But, Shibata-san," he added more sternly, "I don't know how Erika tricked you into this, but if you don't want unwanted attention from some baka hooligans, you should consider changing before the banquet."
"E-Ehh?!" Mizuki squeaked, her face instantly flushing crimson.
"Oi, Mahiro-kun, don't say it like that," Erika chimed in with a laugh. "You're making it sound like Mizuki-chan is walking into a den of wolves."
"…Isn't that basically the case?" Mahiro muttered under his breath.
Sayaka, arms crossed, gave Erika an exasperated look. "Honestly, Erika-san, did you really have to drag Mizuki into your nonsense?"
"Ehh, but she looks cute, right? Right, Mahiro-kun?" Erika grinned wickedly, clearly enjoying herself.
Mahiro sighed. "…yare yare."