For a Fourth Sequence Mind Control User like Soga Yura, she didn't need to actively focus to keep a clear read on everyone around her.
Which made it all the more helpless — being hugged by Yuzu like that.
Enveloped in the girl's warm softness, Soga Yura could only watch, powerless, as the upperclassmen and underclassmen who were supposed to regard her with awe and reverence… quietly swapped out their phone expressions for things like「0).0 」.
"Oh wow, so Yura-chan has this kind of adorable side too~?"
"Little sister obsession. Truly civilized."
"Aww, I wanna see them be all cuddly."
She had a feeling — a persistent, creeping feeling — that from this moment on, her dignity as Soga Yura was in freefall. An… illusion?
Probably not an illusion.
That helpless sensation, as though she'd been thoroughly steamrolled by Yuzu, spread slowly through her chest.
And yet — feeling the soft warmth of the girl pressed against her, watching Yuzu right there beside her — a girl who'd seized every last bit of initiative, and yet was putting on the picture of a well-behaved little sister in front of everyone, giving Soga Yura every last shred of face — Soga Yura found herself… actually rather content.
The feeling of being thoroughly bullied, and still smiling and saying you love every second of it.
Watching her own dignity crumble to the ground in real time, and still wanting to dote on Yuzu anyway.
But… there were worse things in the world.
Soga Yura drew in a deep breath, squaring her back, trying to puff her chest out — even just a little.
Not to show off some nonexistent silhouette. Only so she might look just a tiny bit taller standing beside Yuzu. A tiny bit more like a proper older sister.
What she didn't know was that the girl right beside her was already quietly calculating exactly when to drop her next devastating move.
Intermediate Combat Records gave a substantial boost.
Even for Sakura Mai, a Third Sequence Sword of Will user, the experience bar would visibly lurch forward when an [Intermediate Combat Records] was applied during development.
And for someone like the little rabbit, who'd only just barely stepped into the First Sequence — pressing [Intermediate Combat Records] during her development would send the experience bar shooting up in one great leap.
It wouldn't be long before the little rabbit and Mihou Sakai caught up to Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's level.
As for what would happen if something closer to an apprentice were given Intermediate Combat Records directly…
The experience bar would probably go haywire — shooting up several full gauges all at once.
The only apprentice-type figure still in Su Yuzu's circle seemed to be Yamabuki Nanako, who was a Technology Division researcher.
But the state Yamabuki Nanako was in looked far too precarious.
So Su Yuzu had never put her through development. Not even once.
Anyway —
Soga Yura still had no idea she'd just narrowly skirted yet another humiliating disaster. Though… it was probably only a matter of time.
First things first — the matter of feeding everyone.
Her adorable little sister had ridden the train all this way to see her. Taking Yuzu to the school cafeteria seemed a little too off-putting, even by Soga Yura's standards.
So the girls made their way to a yakiniku restaurant on the campus commercial street.
Just as Su Yuzu always somehow remembered exactly where Soga Yura's every weakness was — able to effortlessly reduce her to tearful surrender even after years apart — Soga Yura, in turn, could remember every one of Yuzu's preferences.
Yuzu liked fruit but hated vegetables.
She liked meat but wanted nothing to do with sashimi, raw food, or anything undercooked.
The one exception — the only raw dish she could tolerate even a little — was beef tartare.
She had zero interest in elegant, beautifully-plated dishes where the portion size might charitably be described as cat food.
So they'd walked straight past several Western restaurants and what looked like a meticulously decorated izakaya without a second glance.
Something simple and unapologetically meat-forward was what would actually fill the girl beside her up.
The two of them grilled for each other, trading pieces back and forth — until Sakura Mai felt, for the very first time in her life, genuinely surplus to requirements.
So she joined the effort and started grilling for Yuzu too.
"Yuzu coming this time… is it for the Tokyo Bay survey mission?" Soga Yura read the girl's intent without even needing her to speak, and asked directly.
"Yes." Su Yuzu sliced open a finished piece of meat.
She transferred the smaller portion onto Soga Yura's plate, then handed the larger share to Sakura Mai, and nodded to confirm.
Not that she was deliberately being unfair to Soga Yura.
She simply knew her older sister's appetite better than anyone.
Soga Yura's appetite was just as bad as her stamina. A small taste of each dish and she was probably full. The reason they'd ordered three portions was purely because the Knight Princess — whose exercise load was absurd — had a proportionally larger stomach.
"It's our comprehensive practical course assessment."
"The assignment objective is to resolve, or gain insight into, whatever is causing the disruption to Saint Michael's Lost Radiance."
Soga Yura's expression shifted — a hint of hesitation crossing her face.
Su Yuzu understood immediately.
This wasn't going to be simple.
Sure enough —
Sister knew something.
"The team lineup was something Sakura and I decided together."
"Rather than upperclassmen or underclassmen we're not that familiar with, having Yuzu — someone we've worked alongside multiple times and whose combat strength we can actually rely on — puts us at ease."
"Besides… if I'm not mistaken, Keigunen Private Academy requires a practical course submission before graduation too, right?"
"An academic exchange with Imperial Capital University — that's more than enough to guarantee the credit."
"As for Student Saotome…"
Soga Yura recalled the rabbit — whose demeanor had drifted quite far from the girl she'd first met.
Her physical capabilities had completely surpassed Soga Yura's own.
Even when receiving Lady Fate's Blessing… her performance seemed just a little better than Soga Yura's. At least she didn't let anything slip — in any case, as a Healing-type Esper, her ability to keep herself safe was absolutely top-tier.
Closing in on a certain mother figure who could only be described as unbeatable.
"She's very reliable."
"And one more thing…" Soga Yura bit her lip, glancing instinctively toward Sakura Mai beside her.
There were things she didn't want to hide from Sakura Mai — not completely.
Sakura Mai was one of the very few people she trusted.
As a Mind Control User, the list of people who could remain opaque to Soga Yura and still feel trustworthy was vanishingly short.
And besides… Sakura had already witnessed Yuzu's awakening once before.
Without even needing Soga Yura to say a word, Sakura Mai was already rising from her seat and heading toward the counter. "I'll go order a few more dishes."
"Anything either of you want to drink? Would orange juice work?"
They'd been classmates for so many years, after all.
Given her family circumstances, even if Sakura Mai wanted a little sister, she couldn't very well ask Mother — and… Father — to do rock-paper-scissors again to decide who would give her one.
A few years older than Soga Yura, and never having skipped a grade, Sakura Mai had always — in her own quiet way — treated Soga Yura like a somewhat headstrong little sister.
"That's perfect. Thank you, Sister Mai." Su Yuzu gave a small bow.
Sakura Mai stood, pushed open the private room door, and pulled it carefully shut behind her.
Soga Yura looked at Yuzu.
"Actually…"
"There's another reason I wanted Yuzu to come with me this time."
"Yuzu…"
"Do you still remember what happened twelve years ago?"
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