After the commotion in the banquet hall finally died down, the restless atmosphere slowly settled. Watanabe Mari had already slipped away, leaving only Saegusa Mayumi by Yotsuba Mahiro's side.
"Mahiro-kun, you really are bold to pull something like that," Mayumi whispered with a soft smile, her tone half-scolding, half-amused.
Her sharp eyes had caught it immediately—this sort of trouble could only have been orchestrated by Yotsuba Mahiro. Yes, he was the type who would uphold order when needed, but he would also trample over trivial rules without hesitation if it suited him.
Mahiro, far from denying it, admitted casually. "What's the problem? The banquet hall is huge. Adding one more person shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
The Nine Schools Competition was massive in scale. Just the competitors numbered over three hundred and sixty, and with seventy-two technical staff, the group totaled more than four hundred and fifty people. Of course, not everyone showed up for the banquet, but at the very least, over three hundred people had gathered tonight.
And in such a sea of faces, who could possibly remember each person's name and appearance one by one?
"Hehe, that's true," Mayumi giggled, her hand covering her lips. "But what about the organizers if they notice? Won't this cause trouble?"
"I haven't thought about that. Not my problem to think about anyway."
"You really are willful, Mahiro-kun."
At that point, Mibu Sayaka—who had been quietly listening nearby—nervously bit her lip and asked, "U-Um… President Saegusa, is this really a serious matter? If it is… maybe I should just leave now…."
"Wait."
"Wait a sec!"
Both Mayumi and Mahiro reached out almost at the same time, stopping her from moving.
"Actually, it's not as serious as you think, Mibu-san," Mayumi explained gently. "At most, you'd just need to confirm your identity as a First High student, then maybe get a light scolding. It won't affect your participation in the Nine Schools Competition at all."
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "To be honest, the reason I helped you slip in earlier was simply because I thought it would spice up this otherwise boring banquet. Don't you think so, Mahiro-kun?"
Mayumi herself had plenty of complaints about the opening banquet. She'd rather not attend at all, but as the Student Council President, her presence was obligatory. This kind of situation, like Sayaka's, had never actually happened since the Nine Schools Competition began. Maybe this was the first case in history—at least, the first to almost get caught.
"Besides, Mibu-san," Mayumi continued, "if you walk out now, you'll only draw attention and expose yourself more clearly."
"That's right. Mayumi-senpai is completely right," Mahiro added with a smirk. He leaned closer and flicked Sayaka's forehead lightly. "So just stay put, you baka Sayaka."
"E-Eh?! Mahiro-kun!" Sayaka whimpered, rubbing her forehead.
In public, Sayaka always carried herself like a dignified swordswoman, but in front of Mahiro she was surprisingly timid—almost like Nakajou Azusa—making her far too easy to tease.
This whole incident turned out to be just a small interlude in the banquet. But as time ticked by, Mahiro found the event unbearably dull.
Students from the nine magic high schools mingled in the same room, yet the atmosphere remained fractured, everyone sticking strictly to their own school's group. What was the point of such a "banquet" if no one interacted seriously?
"Tch… this is boring," Mahiro muttered under his breath. "It would be way better to just start the real competition already—with actual blood and steel."
Mayumi, who had stayed by his side, noticed his lack of enthusiasm. Taking pity on him, she leaned closer and started introducing him to other competitors from different schools.
"Speaking of which, Mahiro-kun…" she began softly, her eyes gleaming with a trace of amusement. "Do you know that in this year's 'Icicle Attack and Defense' event, there's someone who could actually rival you?"
"Hm?" Mahiro's eyes sharpened instantly, his earlier boredom vanishing. "Who?"
An opponent strong enough to rival him—that alone was enough to ignite his interest.
Mayumi tilted her chin slightly, her gaze shifting across the hall toward the group from Third High. "It's him."
Following her eyes, Mahiro spotted a student in a striking red uniform.
The boy stood out immediately—his appearance and aura strongly resembled Suzaku Kururugi from Code Geass. A handsome figure, exuding an overwhelming presence that set him apart. Many students gathered nearby, but most didn't dare approach him. They kept their distance, their faces showing awe and tension.
Yotsuba Mahiro tilted his head slightly when Mayumi leaned close and introduced the boy he was meant to face.
"He's your opponent for this event." Her voice was soft, as if she were reciting something she'd memorized long ago. "His name is Ichijo Masaki, heir to the Ichijo family, one of the Ten Master Clans. His magic is said to be among the best of his generation… he specializes in Bakuhatsu—Explosion magic. Rumor has it he fought in real combat at the age of thirteen."
"Ah, I know this guy," Mahiro smirked. "He's the one they call 'The Explosion Prince Who Plays with Blood,' right?"
Mayumi blinked, then suddenly burst into laughter, covering her lips with her hand. Even Sayaka struggled to suppress her giggles.
"The Explosion Prince Who Plays with Blood?" Sayaka repeated, her shoulders shaking.
Mahiro raised an eyebrow. "What? Sounds fitting, doesn't it?"
The truth was, the nickname almost worked. After all, Explosion magic relied on vaporizing liquid—turning water into steam to rupture biological tissues or ignite flammable substances. On a human target, it basically meant evaporating the blood inside their veins.
Still, Mayumi managed to stifle her laughter and correct him. "It's not 'The Explosion Prince Who Plays with Blood.' His real nickname is 'The Bloody Prince,' and yes, he specializes in Explosion magic."
"Tch, same difference." Mahiro waved it off with a bored look. "Besides, Mayumi-senpai, why do you think someone like him can rival me?"
His words were light, but his tone carried unshakable confidence. "Or maybe," he continued, his sharp eyes narrowing, "you're underestimating me… or rather, underestimating the kind of magicians who came out of the Fourth Research Lab."
The air froze for a moment.
Mayumi's eyes widened. "Ehh?!"
She hadn't expected Mahiro to speak so casually, as if the title meant nothing to him. He didn't even put the Ichijo family's prodigy in his eyes…! But what shocked her most was the latter half of his sentence.
"Y-Yotsuba-kun… did you just say… you're an adjusted magician from the Fourth Research Lab?"
Sayaka gasped too, her hands trembling slightly.
For Mayumi, who was born into the Ten Master Clans, the phrase carried enormous weight. Adjusted magicians weren't ordinary. They were the results of precise gene-level tampering, physical and mental enhancements, all for one purpose: to create superior wielders of magic. Such people weren't just strong—they were legends whispered with both fear and awe.
She wanted to press further, to ask him what exactly had been done to him, but before she could, the host's voice cut through the hall.
The speeches were beginning.
Immediately, the atmosphere shifted. Students set down their glasses, ceased their chatter, and turned toward the stage. Even if they were pretending to listen, the air carried a sense of solemn respect.
One after another, important figures appeared—magicians whose power and influence dwarfed that of ordinary students.
And then…
The spotlight shifted. The one everyone had been waiting for—the founder of the Ten Master Clans' current order, the legendary Kudou Retsu—was finally about to appear.
Except…
"Eh? A woman?"
The students whispered to each other in confusion.
Bathed in the spotlight stood a young woman in a flowing evening gown, her blonde hair shimmering like spun gold. But that couldn't be right. Kudou Retsu should be almost ninety years old by now, and more importantly… he was a man.
Mahiro narrowed his eyes. "Che… mental interference magic? What a cheap trick."
To everyone else, the woman was flawless and real. But Mahiro's sharp senses pierced through the illusion. Beneath the veneer, he detected a hidden presence. A withered old man with long white hair stood just behind her, concealed by a wide-area mental interference spell.
Though the technique wasn't powerful, it was subtle, blanketing the entire hall and twisting the audience's perceptions.
The old man seemed to notice Mahiro's glare. Slowly, he shifted his gaze and… grinned. His wrinkled lips curled into a knowing smirk, as if he were amused that the boy had seen through him.
Mahiro clicked his tongue. "Hmph. That shameless old man hasn't changed at all. Still loves his stupid games."
Mayumi tugged on his sleeve, eyes wide. "M-Mahiro-kun… d-do you mean Kudou-sensei is actually on the stage right now?"
"Of course." Mahiro's voice was calm, almost teasing. "You couldn't sense him because you were caught in the interference. That woman's just a front. Kudou Retsu has been standing there the entire time, chuckling behind his little illusion."
He chuckled softly, his tone laced with mockery.
Mayumi and Sayaka immediately focused on the spot Mahiro indicated. Sayaka squinted hard, her magical perception struggling, and at last, she made out a faint silhouette.
Mayumi, however, activated her observation magic with ease. Her breath hitched as the false image peeled away before her eyes.
And there he was—an elderly man, white-haired, his very presence radiating an oppressive weight that seemed to warp the space around him.
"The… the real Kudou Retsu…" she whispered.
Sayaka trembled. "S-So it's true…!"
On stage, the man smiled faintly, as if mocking the entire crowd. To everyone else, he was still the radiant blonde woman. But to Mayumi, Sayaka, and most of all, Yotsuba Mahiro, the truth had already been laid bare.
The legend of the Kudou family had arrived.