"Become the head of the Yotsuba Family."
The way she said it was so calm, so quiet, that it was almost chilling. Even more composed than when she had once told Miyuki and Ayako that they should marry Mahiro.
Yet the weight of her words struck harder than when she had ordered him to attend First High.
Yotsuba Maya… this woman always managed to drop unexpected bombshells. No one could ever read her true intentions, not even him.
But Mahiro did not answer right away.
The Kurobane Family, the Tsukuba Family, and even Miyuki—who was already considered a strong candidate—would not object if it were him. But the other Yotsuba branches? Would they simply bow their heads and accept it? Hah, what a joke.
Besides, becoming clan head sounded like a life full of annoying duties, endless politics, and suffocating expectations. Whoever wanted it could have it. Yotsuba Mahiro wasn't interested.
Still, Maya didn't press him. She only gave him that mysterious smile, telling him to think it over carefully. After all, there was still time.
Just as Mahiro left the VIP reception room, his phone buzzed.
"Mahiro-kun, this is bad!" Mayumi's voice came through the receiver, sharp with panic. "Mahiro-kun—please hurry! Mari-senpai, she's in trouble!"
Her tone was so urgent it made his chest tighten. He didn't need to see her face to picture Mayumi's usual composure replaced with raw worry.
"I'll be there right away."
Mahiro cut the call short and moved without hesitation, rushing toward the medical wing set up near the Nine Schools Competition venue.
The moment he entered the hospital ward, he was greeted by a crowd. Nearly everyone from their team had gathered. The atmosphere was heavy with tension.
"Mahiro-kun… you're finally here." Nakajo Azusa spotted him first. Her soft voice wavered, and she looked so frail in that instant—like a frightened little animal—that Mahiro's heart gave a painful throb.
No… impossible.
He had placed an additional protection barrier on Mari-senpai before the event. It wouldn't withstand a massive explosion, true, but it was more than enough to shield her from ordinary accidents.
"Um… Mahiro-kun, don't panic." Shizuku walked over, her voice cool and steady as always. Beside her, Honoka added quickly, "Yes, Mari-senpai is alright. She only suffered a minor injury."
"That's right! Geez, why are you looking so grim?"
The cheerful voice came from the bed itself.
There sat Watanabe Mari, already upright despite the hospital gown she wore. Her right arm and forehead were wrapped in thick bandages, but her grin was as unshakable as ever.
"It's just a slight fracture and a bump on the head. Thanks to your protective spell, Mahiro-kun, I avoided anything worse."
Mahiro's eyes narrowed. Slight fracture? Bandaged head? This was no small accident. The damage pattern didn't match a normal fall or collision. Something was off.
"What happened at the Surfing Race venue? Don't tell me it was just an accident…" His tone was sharp, demanding answers.
Did a speeding dump truck just barrel into the waterway or something?
"Let me explain."
Mayumi entered just then, having finished speaking with the Nine Schools Competition officials. Her face was tight with frustration as she stepped closer to the bed.
"To be precise, it wasn't Mari-senpai who made a mistake. The real issue was with one of Seventh High's competitors."
She exhaled, shaking her head.
"At the final curve of the Surfing Race, just before the finish line, a student from Seventh High suddenly lost control. Their speed dropped for an instant, then—out of nowhere—they accelerated far too sharply. Instead of following the track, their board went skimming across the water like an arrow, straight into the railing. And of course, Mari-senpai was right in their path."
Mahiro's jaw clenched.
Mayumi continued, her voice heavy with restrained anger.
"At that moment, Mari-senpai's reflexes were incredible. She canceled her acceleration spell on the spot, switched into horizontal rotation acceleration, and used the reflected waves from the waterway walls to swing her board into a half-turn. At the same time, she cast a barrage of spells with multi-layered calculations to try and catch the out-of-control Seventh High student."
Honoka's eyes sparkled with admiration as she recalled the scene. "It was amazing… Mari-senpai looked like a warrior out there, controlling the water like it was nothing!"
By all rights, that should have been enough to prevent disaster.
But the problem was—the Seventh High student's collision speed was simply too overwhelming. Even though Watanabe-senpai managed to catch her, the sheer impact sent them both flying. The two of them shot past the finish line together and crashed violently into the guardrail at nearly one hundred kilometers per hour.
If not for the protective spell in place, both would have been killed instantly.
Still, even with the spell, they couldn't escape unscathed.
Watanabe-senpai got off relatively lucky—just some scrapes and a few injuries to her arm and head that would heal with minor treatment. But the Seventh High student remained unconscious, her condition far more severe. The officials quickly marked it down as an accident, nothing more.
Yet, the troubling part was obvious.
Seventh High carried the nickname "Seventh High of the Sea." In the Surfing Race, they were rivals worthy of standing toe-to-toe with First High. How could they possibly mess up something so basic—mistaking a deceleration spell for an acceleration spell? And not just at low speed, but at that level of intensity?
It didn't take a genius to see through it.
"Tch… those bastards are stabbing us in the back again," Yotsuba Mahiro muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
And so, he made his decision.
"Watanabe-senpai, withdraw from the competition."
"Eh? W-Withdraw? Why?!"
Mari-senpai blinked in shock, lifting her injured arm stubbornly. "I'm fine! After a little treatment, I can still compete in the finals, Mahiro-kun!"
"I know," Mahiro replied firmly.
He reached forward and pressed against her arm with controlled force. Watanabe-senpai flinched, her expression twisting as pain shot through her body.
"But as your CAD technician, it's my responsibility to protect your future. So I can't let you risk it. You're withdrawing from the Surfing Race."
The serious expression on Mahiro's face—a rare, unwavering look—left her speechless. She swallowed her retort, realizing this wasn't something he'd bend on.
"That's right, Mari. Just listen to Mahiro-kun," Mayumi chimed in, her tone soft but firm. "It's only the Surfing Race. First High can afford to lose this event."
Mayumi's voice carried regret, especially since she had celebrated too early with champagne. Still, she knew Mahiro was right.
Luckily, First High's overall points were far ahead. Even if they lost this event, the standings wouldn't be shaken much. Sure, winning would have made the upcoming Rookie Tournament easier, but it wasn't worth risking a teammate's future.
"And don't forget, Kobayakawa-san will be competing too. A good ranking is still within reach."
"Y-Yes!" Kobayakawa nodded, clenching her fists with determination. "I'll fight hard for Watanabe-senpai's sake!"
Her spirit lit up the room, giving reassurance that Maria's absence wouldn't doom the team.
"Then… fine. I'll agree to withdraw. But," Watanabe-senpai looked at Mahiro expectantly, "I can still enter the Star-Picking Mirage on the last two days, right?"
"Hmm…" Mayumi turned toward Mahiro with an uncertain look. After all, the authority over that decision lay in his hands as her technician.
"No problem," Mahiro said at last, his tone decisive. "But until then, Watanabe-senpai, you must rest and recover. If you're in top condition by then, I'll authorize your participation. I'll even prepare a brand-new magic sequence for you to unleash during the Star-Picking Mirage."
"Really?!"
Her face brightened instantly, her eyes sparkling. But almost immediately after, she puffed her cheeks slightly and muttered under her breath, "You don't have to act so serious about it. I really am fine, you know…"
Mahiro heard the grumble but chose not to respond.
He wasn't being overly cautious, nor was he treating her like a fragile child. He simply knew the truth.
For magicians, belief was the cornerstone of magic. The moment hesitation or trauma took root, one's casting could falter forever. Countless magicians had lost their careers and futures after a single accident left them unable to trust in their own spells again.
That poor Seventh High girl was a perfect example. She might never wield magic the same way again.
And more than that—Mahiro had his own calculations. By the time the Star-Picking Mirage event arrived, he would already have settled matters with the "Headless Dragon." Once that threat was erased, there would be no shadow left to play dirty tricks behind the scenes.