The Irregular at Magic High School: Everyone Loves My Brother?!

Fleeing the reading room, Sayaka Mibu wrestled with what she was running from.

'Tatsuya was sympathetic. I wouldn't have been treated like them if I'd stayed. But I ran. From what…?'

It was reality itself. Deep down, she knew acknowledging that would mean admitting her goals were misguided. So, she fled.

"Hey, you're Sayaka Mibu-senpai, runner-up at the national women's kendo tournament two years ago, right?" a voice called.

"Who…?" Sayaka turned.

"Erika Chiba, Class 1-E!" The first-year flashed a friendly grin.

Nearing the exit, Sayaka faced this bubbly underclassman. The "senpai" gave away her junior status, but something else caught Sayaka's attention.

'This girl… no openings at all.' "What do you want? If it's nothing, move!"

"My, how aggressive," Erika teased. "Guess that's self-defense? Not that I need excuses."

Sayaka's sudden strike came fast, but Erika parried it effortlessly, drawing her own weapon and countering.

"Fast!" Sayaka gasped.

In the blink of a tsubazeriai clash, Erika was already steps away.

"Self-acceleration!" Sayaka muttered. "Like Watanabe-senpai?"

Erika froze for a split second at the name—a rare opening.

"Men! Men! Kote! Do!" Sayaka shouted.

Using Cast Jamming to seal Erika's magic, Sayaka poured lethal force into each strike. But her breath grew ragged.

"Done already?" Erika said, unruffled, almost bored. "My turn."

Erika, who'd been dodging with similar finesse, showed no fatigue—only confidence.

Her single strike snapped Sayaka's weapon. Ready to concede, Sayaka paused, but Erika wasn't done.

"Pick up that weapon," Erika said, pointing. "Show me your real strength."

"?"

"I'll shatter that woman's shadow binding you."

Understanding dawned. Sayaka shed her blazer, grabbed the weapon, and took her stance.

"I can tell," she said. "Your skill—it's like Watanabe-senpai's."

"Mine's a cut above hers," Erika smirked.

The duel ended in an instant. As they crossed, Sayaka's weapon split in two, and she dropped to her knees.

"Sorry, senpai," Erika said. "Might've cracked a bone."

"It's… fractured," Sayaka panted. "You're incredible."

"You should be proud," Erika said. "You made a Chiba daughter get serious."

"Swordsmanship royalty… right, you're that Chiba…"

"By the way, Watanabe Mari's my disciple. In pure swordsmanship, I'm better."

"Really…" Sayaka's vision blurred. "Sorry, can you call a stretcher? I'm losing…"

Before finishing, Sayaka collapsed, consciousness fading. Erika knelt, whispering softly.

"Don't worry, senpai. A kind underclassman will carry you soon."

Within five minutes, Tatsuya and his group arrived.

"Yo, Tatsuya-kun!" Erika waved. "Take care of senpai, will ya?"

"You could've called a stretcher," Tatsuya said.

"But I thought senpai would like you carrying her," Erika teased.

Tatsuya felt a headache coming on, unamused by Erika's nonchalance. Miyuki, however, watched with amusement.

"Onii-sama, if Erika insists, what can we do?" she said playfully.

"No time to waste," Tatsuya sighed.

"Wait, am I being mocked?" Erika pouted.

As Erika and Miyuki bickered, Tatsuya lifted Sayaka with ease, not jostling her despite the strength. Erika let out a whistle.

"Impressive… kinda jealous," she muttered.

"Erika?" Miyuki asked.

"Nothing!" Erika flashed an overly bright smile to cover it.

"The infirmary, huh," Tatsuya said. "Not my favorite place."

Reimi was there, and Tatsuya had developed a slight aversion to her over the past weeks.

Near the school gate, Honoka and Shizuku spotted Kendo Club Captain Tsukasa acting suspiciously. Knowing they couldn't handle it alone, Honoka used magic to stream real-time footage to the Disciplinary Committee.

"Hey, Tsukasa," Tatsumi called. "Heading home already?"

"Tatsumi… with this commotion, club's canceled, right? So, yeah, leaving early."

"Cool. Mind showing me your phone's call history?"

"Why…?"

They weren't close, but Tsukasa knew Tatsumi—a top-tier speed fighter among third-years.

"Nothing big," Tatsumi said. "Our boss has a knack for sniffing things out. He's got you confessing to aiding intruders."

"What!?"

Realizing the danger, Tsukasa activated self-acceleration to escape. But…

"Tsukasa-senpai! Come with us!" Sawaki's voice boomed.

"Sawaki, a second-year! Why isn't a top Disciplinary Committee fighter at the library!?"

Ahead stood Sawaki, ace of the Martial Magic Arts Club. Behind, Tatsumi, a speed demon. Tsukasa drew a hidden Antinite, activating Cast Jamming to neutralize Sawaki's magic and break through.

If Sawaki relied on magic, sealing it would give Tsukasa the edge. But…

"Guh!?"

"Tsukasa, you're mistaken," Tatsumi said. "Sawaki's a beast without magic. You don't master magic if you're weak to begin with."

In his fading consciousness, Tsukasa understood.

"Thanks for the real-time footage," Sawaki said to Honoka and Shizuku, watching from the shadows. "You made this possible."

"N-No problem!" Honoka stammered.

"You're welcome," Shizuku said coolly.

Tsukasa was escorted away by the pair.

In the infirmary, tending to Sayaka, Mayumi and Mari learned the enemy was Blanche, as expected. They sighed.

"I was captivated by Watanabe-senpai's swordplay after the entrance ceremony," Sayaka said. "I challenged her, but she brushed me off. That's when they got to me… I was too full of myself."

"You did that, Mari?" Mayumi asked.

"I don't recall…" Mari said.

"The one who hurts often forgets," Erika quipped sharply.

Mari's face twisted.

"Erika, not now," Tatsuya said.

"What, you're on Watanabe-senpai's side?" Erika shot back.

"I'll hear all critiques after," Tatsuya said calmly.

Scolded, Erika sulked into silence.

"What did you say to turn down Mibu-senpai?" Tatsuya asked Mari.

"Something like, 'My skills aren't enough, so train with someone your level,'" Mari recalled.

"That!?" Sayaka gasped. "I've been resenting her over a misunderstanding… wasting a whole year…"

Tears welled up. Tatsuya spoke gently.

"It wasn't wasted. You spent a year in pain, sure, but you worked hard and grew stronger. Erika said you're leagues beyond two years ago. Denying that effort would truly waste that year."

"Tatsuya-kun…" Sayaka said, voice breaking.

Burying her face in his chest, she sobbed, muffling her cries. Even Miyuki, usually prickly, watched without a hint of displeasure.