Chapter 95: Wow, Mayumi Is Actually This Bold?
"Eh?"
Whatever she had imagined, Miyuki covered her cheeks with her hands, fidgeting slightly as her pale complexion inexplicably flushed.
It was as if she had been revitalized.
She murmured things like, "Isn't this a bit too soon..." and "We... we're still students."
Only when Mahiro pulled out a syringe and explained that it was the AGV serum—capable of enhancing the body, increasing magical power, and improving recovery—did Miyuki realize she had misunderstood.
A flicker of disappointment flashed in her eyes before she blushed furiously, snatched the syringe, and dashed back to her room.
...Could it be that she thought I was going to give her my ancestral DNA?
Though that wouldn't be a bad idea either.
The next day.
When he arrived at school, almost the entire Class A was looking at him with bewildered eyes.
On one hand, it was because he had taken an unexplained leave of absence for so long—perhaps the first case in First High School's history.
On the other hand, it was due to the rumors spread by Tatsuya within their small circle.
"...Yotsuba-san, is it really you?"
Honoka covered her mouth, her voice trembling as she asked.
Her reaction was almost identical to Miyuki's.
"Calm down, Honoka. Since Yotsuba-san has come to school, it must be true."
"...Really?"
Honoka still couldn't quite believe it.
After all, upon hearing the news of Mahiro's death from Tatsuya, she and Shizuku had cried for a long time, even taking a week off because of it.
But now, Mahiro had reappeared in the classroom as if nothing had happened.
Sitting in the seat that had been empty for a month.
Was this a dream?
Only after receiving confirmation from their classmate Miyuki did she finally accept the reality.
"...Could it be that Tatsuya-san deceived us?"
"...I don't know either."
Shizuku shook her head. Though her expression remained as emotionless and adorable as ever, traces of unease could still be seen.
Was this a resurrection from the dead, or was there another hidden truth...?
Then, along with Honoka, she cast a slightly complicated gaze at Mahiro, hoping for an answer from him.
However.
Mahiro had no intention of explaining this matter any further. The mess Tatsuya had created should be left for him to deal with.
"Mahiro-kun!"
With a loud clatter, the door to Class A's classroom was suddenly flung open.
A graceful figure rushed in, followed by a fragrant embrace.
"It's so good to see you're okay, really, it's so good..."
"S-Sayaka? Calm down, we're in the classroom."
Indeed, it was Sayaka. Under the watchful eyes of the entire class, she clung to him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
"No, no, I won't! If I let go, what if you disappear again!"
Uncharacteristically, the usually composed and understanding senpai was throwing a childish tantrum.
And Sayaka wasn't the only one who had arrived. At the entrance of Class A, a fiery strand of red hair stood out conspicuously. Erika leaned against the doorframe, whistling.
"Sayaka is really bold, huh~"
Erika sighed, but also felt relieved.
Over the past month, even she had been anxious from not being able to find Mahiro, let alone Sayaka. During this time, she hadn't seen Sayaka smile even once—especially when they heard the news of Mahiro's death from Tatsuya. Sayaka had nearly collapsed on the spot, as if the sky had fallen.
She had even come to truly believe Mahiro was dead, to the point where she almost went to the cemetery to erect a memorial for him.
Fortunately, Erika had stepped in just in time to stop her.
And to prevent any further mishaps, Erika had deliberately kept Sayaka at the dojo under the pretext of practicing kendo, forcing her to live there and spend every day together.
But in the days that followed, Sayaka wandered the campus like a walking corpse, aimlessly visiting the café they used to frequent together.
Until today, when that heartless person finally reappeared!
Giving the girl new life once more!
Beside her, Mizuki wiped tears from behind her glasses, murmuring words like "Thank goodness" over and over.
As for Shizuku and Honoka, witnessing this scene, they exchanged glances before faint bitter smiles touched their lips.
It seemed his disappearance, coupled with Tatsuya's rumors, had truly caused immense impact.
So much so that he now wanted to drag Tatsuya out of Class F and punch him all over again.
Eventually, under his persuasion, Sayaka finally released him.
He also made plans with the group to meet after school at their usual café, where he would explain everything that had happened during his absence.
But before that, there was one last person he needed to visit—
After class.
Mahiro headed straight for the student council room.
Come to think of it, he'd only been here once at the start of the school year. After over two years... no, wait, that didn't seem quite right. Anyway, after so long, he noticed the place looked completely unchanged.
Everything was neatly arranged, far more orderly than the chaotic mess of the disciplinary committee headquarters.
In this spacious room sat only one 155cm-tall girl. Her signature wavy black hair framed an endlessly captivating "demon face," her large eyes seeming to speak volumes.
Seeing this long-unseen girl, Mahiro walked over with light steps, casually pulling out a chair to sit.
"Mayumi, I'm back~"
Yet Mayumi acted as though she neither heard Mahiro's call nor noticed his arrival, continuing her work with lowered head.
Mahiro waved his hand before her eyes, but still couldn't disrupt her focus.
No matter what he did in the student council room, Mayumi pretended not to see, treating him like thin air.
She was giving him the silent treatment...
Even with his low emotional intelligence, that much was obvious.
But soon, a mischievous idea came to him. A wicked grin spread across his face as he stealthily reached under the table toward her.
Humming softly, he sang:
"Lift your veil and let me see~"
"Ah...."
Mayumi couldn't suppress a small cry, her cheeks instantly flushing as her body trembled slightly.
She could feel his hand wandering over her black stockings!
Blushing furiously, she clamped her legs around Mahiro's misbehaving hand and glared at him with reproachful anger.
"Ow, what are you doing~" Mahiro mimicked Mayumi's earlier exclamation as he withdrew his hand, then said with a cheeky grin, "Finally reacting, huh? Why were you ignoring me?"
"Mahiro-kun, you're such a meanie, always bullying me." Mayumi puffed her cheeks in a pout, her voice full of grievance.
A whole month! He'd been missing for a whole month!
She'd searched practically everywhere, even begged her father to mobilize all available resources of the Saegusa family, yet found not a single trace.
It was as if he'd vanished from the face of the earth.
Just when she'd completely lost hope, she'd heard news this morning of Mahiro returning to school. She'd been so excited she nearly rushed out to find him immediately.
But then it occurred to her—since he had made her worry so much, she ought to punish him a little. She thought about pretending not to see him, letting him taste that same anxiety.
Unexpectedly, after disappearing for a while, Mahiro-kun had grown thicker skin and actually resorted to such a method...
Yet, after all this, when she saw that familiar face again, Mayumi could no longer suppress the longing in her heart—it erupted completely.
She immediately dropped the documents in her hands and threw herself into his warm embrace without hesitation.
"...Where on earth have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried I've been this past month?!"
Mayumi clung tightly to him.
Her longing, her worry—all of it melted into warmth and touch, fully conveyed to Mahiro.
And this only deepened the guilt in Mahiro's heart, just like when he faced Sayaka, reducing all his words to a single—
"Sorry."
"....Mahiro-kun, I'm very dissatisfied with this answer!"
Mayumi pouted and raised her head to meet his gaze.
Seeing those delicate cherry lips, Mahiro immediately understood her intention. Just like last time, he gently sealed them with his own.
Mayumi instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, responding with a slightly inexperienced eagerness.
The large hand holding her began to grow restless, teasing her, and the longing in her heart was completely ignited.
Until—
"W-Wait, Mahiro-kun... This is the student council room. Someone might come in, and... and we have class soon."
"I won't wait. Since you've riled me up, how could I possibly stop now?"
"Mmm..."
With a muffled whimper, Mayumi momentarily lost herself.
The emptiness in her heart was filled once more, causing her to tilt her head back, letting her long hair sway, before she lowered it again and instinctively bit Mahiro's shoulder.
Though her mouth was occupied, her breath remained unrestrained, letting out playful, stifled moans as if throwing a little tantrum.
At the same time, she deftly reached out and locked the door from the inside.
...
.....
....
A class period passed.
Mayumi slumped in her chair, breathing lightly.
Her legs trembled faintly, unable to stop, her body glistening with a sheen of sweat.
Her flushed cheeks radiated the unique charm of a maiden, like a freshly bloomed flower.
Completely disregarding her disheveled hair, she slowly pulled her shirt and blazer over her delicate shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt.
"Mmm... Mahiro-kun, you're so mean. How dare you mess around in the student council room and make me skip a whole class? What if Mari finds out?" Mayumi murmured weakly.
"What's the big deal? If Mari finds out, we can just drag her into it too."
"Hmph, Mahiro-kun, you're such a playboy. Have you been eyeing Mari this whole time?"
"Of course not, I was just joking—"
Mahiro shrugged, but before he could finish, the now-unlocked student council door suddenly swung open.
"Mayumi, why didn't you come to class?"
Speak of the devil.
Just as they had been talking about Watanabe Mari, she barged in with urgent energy, clearly worried about Mayumi.
But she froze on the spot.
She saw Mahiro and Mayumi sitting together in the student council room.
Especially when she noticed Mayumi hurriedly fixing her hair and her slightly disheveled appearance, Mari subtly sniffed the air, catching the faint, unusual scent lingering in the room. Instantly, she understood.
A mischievous smile curled on her lips as she teased:
"Ohhh~ So this is why you skipped class, Mayumi. Reuniting with Mahiro-kun after so long~ How bold."
"Mari!"
Mayumi's face burned red. She hadn't expected Mari to rush to the student council room right after class.
She'd only missed one lesson, after all.
But in the end, this was all Mahiro's fault! If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be getting laughed at by Mari now.
So, she shot him a reproachful glare.
Mahiro could only shrug helplessly. Who knew Watanabe-senpai would show up at this exact moment?
However, Mari wasn't the only one who arrived. Soon after, the petite girl who resembled a mascot, Nakajou Azusa, walked in carrying a book.
"Eh? President? What's wrong? And... why is there a strange smell?"
She noticed Mayumi seemed exhausted and also detected an unusual scent in the room.
"That's the smell of happiness," Mari explained.
"...The smell of happiness? Happiness has a smell?"
"Oh, Azusa, you're still too young to understand. Let's leave first and give these two some space."
"Watanabe-senpai! I'm already a second-year in high school—I'm not that young!" Azusa protested weakly. "Besides, I have some questions I wanted to ask the president... Stop pushing me!"
"Right, right, the questions can wait. We'll talk later."
Mari brushed off the girl's protests while nudging her out of the room, considerately closing the door behind them.
Mahiro: "..."
Mayumi: "..."
The two exchanged glances, and Mayumi let out a small sigh.
Her dignity was already lost, so she wasn't too bothered anymore.
But there was still one thing she absolutely had to know!
"Hey, Mahiro-kun, where on earth have you been this past month?"
"That's... a long story. It's not something I can explain quickly..."
"Then give me the short version! And no lying to me!" Mayumi placed her hands on her hips and spoke sternly.
She knew Mahiro well.
If he had gotten into any dangerous situations, he would absolutely try to deceive her with lies.
So she preemptively cut off his escape route!
Even if she wasn't as exceptional as Mahiro, at the very least, she had the Saegusa family backing her. If anything serious had happened, she could still help.
"It's... not something that can be shortened," Mahiro said helplessly, spreading his hands. "And it's not just you, Mayumi-senpai—there are others who need to hear this too. So let's wait until after school. We can go to a café, and I'll tell you everything that happened to me."
Hearing this, though Mayumi still felt a little dissatisfied, she decided to let it pass for now.
But then Mahiro suddenly teased:
"By the way, Mayumi-senpai, I'm surprised you didn't believe Tatsuya's claim that I was dead."
Out of everyone, aside from Maya, she was one of only two who refused to believe he had died.
"Of course not."
Mayumi looked at him, her eyes filled with indescribable emotion, and smiled. "Because I've seen your magic power, Mahiro. I don't believe someone like you would die as easily as Tatsuya-kun claimed."
A Magician as strong as Mahiro—even if he were to die, it would surely be with earth-shattering impact, just like Yotsuba Genzou had once shaken the world.
He definitely wouldn't die silently.
So, from the very beginning, she hadn't believed it—though she had found no evidence to the contrary.
"Oh? Since Mayumi-senpai trusts me so much, how about I give you a gift in return for that trust?"
"A gift? What kind of gift?"
Mayumi blinked her wine-red eyes, brimming with curiosity.
Under Mayumi's gaze, he leaned in slightly and teased, "How about a strand of ancestral DNA?"
".....?"
At first, Mayumi didn't quite catch on, but after a moment, realization dawned, and her face flushed bright red as she exclaimed, "Huh?!!!"
She quickly scooted away from Mahiro, flustered. "No way, absolutely not! Mari is definitely waiting right outside the door—we can't do that kind of thing again! And... if we do it one more time... I won't have the energy to get through today's classes at all..."
Seeing Mayumi so flustered and panicked, Mahiro found her utterly adorable.
Unable to hold back a chuckle, he said, "Sorry, I was just joking."
He knew full well that with Mayumi's personality, even if she verbally refused, she'd eventually give in if he pressed a little. So he had only meant it as a small tease.
"Though it was a joke, what I really want to give you is indeed DNA—just in the form of a serum."
".....?"
Just as she had started to relax, his words left her puzzled once more.
Until she saw Mahiro extend his hand toward her, a five-centimeter-long syringe resting in his palm.
"This is...?"
"It's an AGV serum developed by a doctor friend of mine. Not only does it enhance physical abilities, but it also boosts magical power and brain processing speed. It can even extend your lifespan and improve your complexion~ Want to give it a try?"
Enhanced magical power, improved physical abilities, and heightened brain processing speed.
Each of these was irresistibly appealing to a mage.
Physical strength meant no longer suffering from frailty due to overwhelming magical energy—unlike Itsuwa Mio, a Strategic-Class Mage who was confined to a wheelchair due to her weak constitution.
Magical power meant access to higher-tier spells.
As for processing speed, it allowed for more precise manipulation of information bodies—even multitasking!
Not to mention the added benefit of beautifying effects!
For a woman, that alone was an irresistible lure!
So much so that she completely missed the mischievous grin on Mahiro's face.
Thus, Mari, who had been eavesdropping by the door, had her eardrums pierced by a sudden, loud shriek from inside.
Rubbing her stinging ears, she stared at the student council room door in disbelief, muttering to herself:
"...Since when did Mayumi become so bold?"
"And... since when was Mahiro-kun that... strong?"
Gradually, a deep blush spread across Mari's face.
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