The Untouchable of Magic High School – A New God Enters the Game

When Yugen pointed out Hattori's mental state, Mayumi's flippant remark nearly drew a sigh from him, but he restrained himself.

"Mages are heavily influenced by their mental state," Yugen said. "You know not every athlete has a steel heart like the president, right?"

"Yugen-kun, Katsuto's more delicate than he looks," Mayumi countered.

"I get that," Yugen said. "But in competition, he knows his role. People like that are rare… excuse me."

Yugen apologized to Mayumi, pulling out his mobile terminal. It was clearly an email, and Mayumi noticed his expression—a mix of pity and amusement—that made her tilt her head.

"Yugen-kun? Something up?" she asked.

"Well… it's from my eldest sister, Shizuru-neesan," Yugen said. "Seems Vice President Hattori and Kirihara-senpai fell victim to her."

"No way… they got that from Shizuru-san?" Mayumi's face paled, frozen in horror.

Mayumi knew Yugen's sisters were eccentric. Mika, the youngest, specialized in joint locks; Kana, the middle, in bone-crushing massages (which had knocked Mayumi out recently); and Shizuru, the eldest, in yoga. Shizuru's yoga was brutally effective but so intense it knocked out anyone—except her. Yugen had endured it a few times, fainting early on. Mayumi, having tried it, marveled at its benefits but shuddered at the pain-induced trauma.

Apparently, Shizuru had stumbled across a moping Hattori, invited herself to his room, and subjected him to yoga as "mental training." Kirihara, his roommate, got dragged in as collateral damage.

Reading the email, Yugen concluded, "They're probably fine now. Why not try it, President?"

"No thanks!" Mayumi said. "I'd miss the mixer."

As an aside, only their mother, Shiho, Yugen recently, and Shina—who never fainted—survived Shizuru's yoga. Shiho was a given, but Shina's freakish resilience was undeniable. Shizuru often roped Jirou into sessions, likely tied to Shina's involvement. Jirou, frustrated at Shina's nonchalance, doubled down on training. Yugen stayed out of such sibling dynamics.

Being called a siscon for these thoughts was hard to deny, but Yugen knew doting on his sister was distinct from romantic feelings.

Meanwhile, Honoka, done unpacking, glanced at Shizuku, her roommate. Shizuku, a Nine Schools Competition fanatic, was engrossed in the event handbook, her enthusiasm overwhelming even to her best friend. Honoka noticed something.

"Shizuku, it's upside down," she said.

"Huh? …Oh!" Shizuku, realizing her mistake, hid her face behind the booklet. Her ears, bright red, betrayed her embarrassment.

Seeing her lovesick friend, Honoka reflected on her own feelings for "him." In this moment, she could view her crush objectively—though, if he appeared, she'd be as flustered as Shizuku.

"Teasing me?" Shizuku asked.

"Not really," Honoka said. "Just… surprised."

Since elementary school, Honoka and Shizuku had been close. Shizuku, usually quiet but supportive, lifting Honoka's low confidence, was rarely in this position. Honoka found it "surprising."

After finals, when Tatsuya was summoned to the guidance office, Shizuku admitted her feelings for Yugen. Over cafeteria coffee, she revealed she'd liked him for four years, solidified when Yugen saved her, Honoka, and Eimi during an attack.

"Surprising?" Shizuku asked.

"Yeah," Honoka said. "I know Yugen-san, but you talking freely with a guy our age? That's rare, maybe just a handful."

"…Maybe," Shizuku admitted.

Since magic high school, Shizuku interacted more, mostly with Miyuki's admirers. Before that, only Yugen spoke to her as an equal, despite his Ten Master Clans status. To Shizuku, he saw her as Northyama Shizuku, not just a clan daughter—the only boy to do so until high school, in Honoka's view.

That's why Honoka called her feelings "surprising."

"You'll cheer me on?" Shizuku asked.

"Of course, but…" Honoka hesitated.

"Yeah, fair enough," Shizuku said. "We're in this together."

Honoka's own crush—on Shizuku's biggest rival's brother—made cooperation tricky. Still, Shizuku quietly stoked her competitive spirit, determined not to lose.

Parties came with barriers, especially for those with power, attracting opportunists. Yugen had honed evasion tactics, not for nothing as "Nagano Yuto." He wasn't bragging, but he'd mingled with all Ten Master Clans' heads and magical society elites, sharpening his conversational finesse. Even the Yotsuba's head butler praised his poise among peers.

"—So tedious," Yugen muttered.

"You too, Yugen-kun?" Mayumi said.

Polished charm drew crowds, but as Ten Master Clans members, they had to maintain appearances. Yugen sighed at the curious stares, mostly from other schools' girls. Mayumi echoed his sentiment.

The mixer, held the evening before the competition's eve, was less about mingling and more a "sheath-clashing" buffet, a pre-opening ceremony where rivals sized each other up.

Tatsuya, seeing both Yugen and Mayumi grimace, chose to ignore it. As technical staff, he was a backstage player but still part of the event, obliged to attend. He privately agreed with their distaste for receptions.

"Tatsuya's the wallflower type," Mayumi teased.

"Not wrong," Tatsuya admitted.

The dress code—school uniforms—spared them outfit woes. Still, Tatsuya hadn't anticipated ordering a First Course blazer just for this, thanks to Miyuki's insistence. It left a bitter taste.

"Yugen-kun, you've met Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki-san at a party before?" Mayumi asked.

"A private one, once," Yugen said. "Though I used a different name then."

"Onii-sama was a bit distant," Miyuki added.

"You can be harsh, Miyuki," Tatsuya said.

Their proper meeting was at Kuroba Mitsugu's Okinawa party, though they'd crossed paths at an airport. The Saegusa likely knew, so Tatsuya saw little risk of slip-ups.

"Still, Yugen-kun's drawing as many looks as Miyuki-san," Mayumi said.

"I'd rather not stand out, but I know my role," Yugen said. "Why're you pinching me, Miyuki?"

"Just marveling at your popularity," Miyuki said, feigning innocence.

Isn't that jealousy? Tatsuya thought but stayed silent, wary of Miyuki's potential retort. Mayumi, catching Miyuki's attitude, smirked mischievously.

"Our little sister adores 'Onii-sama' and Yugen-kun," Mayumi said. "And the Ichijou girl, too, right?"

"Yugen-san, shall we chat after the mixer?" Miyuki asked pointedly.

Yugen could only hang his head, feeling the weight of Ten Master Clans' politics, as Tatsuya silently sympathized.

Mayumi left to mingle with other schools' third-year student council officers, likely joined by Katsuto and Mari. Their trio—two Ten Master Clans and Mari, a Hundred Families member tied to the Mitsuya—would overwhelm anyone greeting them. Other schools might see it as three near-Master Clan figures.

Not all competitors and staff attended, but the event still hosted 300 to 400 people. Hotel staff and base support couldn't cover it, so young waiters in server uniforms bustled about.

Yugen parted from Tatsuya and Miyuki to step out briefly. Returning, he spotted a familiar face—not entirely surprising.

"Hey, Mikihiko," Yugen said.

"Yugen… uh," Mikihiko faltered.

"As expected, Erika roped you into waitering," Yugen said. "Suits you. Your looks make you approachable."

"Is that a compliment?" Mikihiko asked, wryly.

Mikihiko wore a white shirt, black bowtie, and vest, standard for waiters. Yugen's comment drew a bittersweet smile. Mikihiko likely wanted backstage work, but Erika probably pushed him into this role.

"Better than a scary waiter," Yugen said.

"You're subtly dissing Leo, aren't you?" Mikihiko said.

"If he's scary, yakuza'd be monsters," Yugen quipped.

Mikihiko's slight self-consciousness was undeniable. Yugen, knowing him longer than Erika, could read him. Likely, his father pressured him into this job.

"Sorry for interrupting your work," Yugen said.

"No worries," Mikihiko said, hurrying off.

As Yugen watched him go, a girl in a Third High uniform approached, her timing impeccable. Yugen recognized her instantly.

"—Been a while," she said.

"Two years, Tsukiko?" Yugen replied.

Tsukiko Yotsukuin, heir to Shinto-based ancient magic from the Hundred Families' main branch.

The Yotsukuin clan traced its roots to the defunct Shirakawa family, once Shinto luminaries. A distant Shirakawa descendant, carrying their blood and Hake Shinto practices, founded the Yotsukuin. They were linked to the Joushima family through Hake Shinto, and Mikihiko's Yoshida family shared a deeper history.

The Shirakawa, ancient nobility tied to imperial rituals, led Hake Shinto. A Yoshida ancestor, serving as Deputy God-Officer, established Yoshida Shinto, claiming the title of Chief God-Officer and surpassing the Shirakawa's influence over shrines. That rivalry, though settled, left a historical mark.

This aside, both families harbor no lingering grudges.