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

Disciplinary Committee Headquarters

Tatsuya closed the maintenance hatch on the fixed terminal and turned to Mari. "Inspection's done. I replaced the worn parts, so it should be fine for a while."

"Good work," Mari replied.

"By the way, I thought I heard the president's voice earlier," Tatsuya noted.

"Oh, she came to nag about cleaning but was shocked to find it already done and left," Mari said with a smirk.

"Nag?" Tatsuya raised an eyebrow.

Apparently, the room's chronic mess had been an issue even for the Student Council. Tatsuya's swift tidying of the Disciplinary Committee headquarters, upon joining, had spared Mari a lecture from Mayumi.

"Morning, boss!" a boisterous voice rang out.

"Good morning, big sis!" another chimed in.

Tatsuya, having finished cleaning and reviewing the committee's activities, was about to head back to the Student Council room when two newcomers burst into the headquarters. Their lively entrance made him pause.

"Today's patrol is complete! No arrests!" the first reported.

"So, big sis, did you clean this place?" the second asked, eyeing the room.

Mari, slightly embarrassed by the "big sis" moniker, flushed. As Tatsuya observed, she suddenly rolled a booklet into a tube and—

Whack!

The sharp sound echoed through the headquarters.

"I told you to stop calling me that, Kotaro!" Mari snapped. "Is your head just for decoration?"

"Don't keep smacking me, big—er, Chairwoman!" Kotaro corrected himself as Mari raised the booklet again.

Spotting Tatsuya, Kotaro's gaze turned curious, almost intrusive. "New guy? Looks like a no-crest."

"Senior Tatsumi!" the other interjected. "That term's against the rules. You should say Second Course."

"You two, keep talking like that, and you'll get tripped up," Mari warned. "Just between us, Hattori got taken down earlier."

The pair's scrutiny of Tatsuya shifted from curiosity to astonishment. For Tatsuya, their stares were far from comfortable.

"He's a real talent," Tatsumi remarked.

"Huh?" Tatsuya blinked, caught off guard.

"The Disciplinary Committee isn't just for First Course students to bask in their superiority," Mari explained. "I'm… well, like this, so Mayumi and Katsuto recommend people with less of that mindset. Though, the faculty picks aren't always like that. You'll find this place suits you."

"Kotaro Tatsumi, third-year," the boisterous one introduced himself.

"Aoi Sawaki, second-year," added the other, who looked like he'd suit a twisted headband.

"Tatsuya Shiba, first-year," Tatsuya replied, shaking their outstretched hands. Sawaki, however, held on longer than expected, prompting a puzzled look from Tatsuya.

"Katsuto's the head of the Club Activities Union, by the way," Sawaki said. "And call me by my surname, not my first name. Got it?"

A crushing grip tightened on Tatsuya's hand, likely meant as emphasis. Tatsuya, who had no habit of using first names for seniors, found it unnecessary but nodded politely.

"Understood, Senior Sawaki."

With a subtle twist of his wrist, Tatsuya freed his hand. Sawaki seemed unfazed, but Tatsumi's eyes widened. "Impressive, Shiba. Sawaki's grip is nearly a hundred kilos."

"That's not the strength of an average mage…" Sawaki muttered.

Tatsuya sighed, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Student Council Room

Meanwhile, in the Student Council room, Miyuki was being briefed by Azusa on council duties. Her task was organizing student data, a responsibility delegated by the school.

As Miyuki typed commands with practiced ease, Azusa gasped in admiration. "You use command input, Miyuki? And so fast!"

"My brother does it this way," Miyuki said humbly. "Compared to him, I'm still far behind."

"Really?" Azusa replied, a bit overwhelmed by Miyuki's brother-centric comment. Then, noticing Mayumi heading toward the Disciplinary Committee staircase, she called out, "President, going to the headquarters again?"

"I'm curious about our new disciplinary member," Mayumi said with a mischievous grin. "You know Mari's got that charm spell that turns the air into an aphrodisiac."

Miyuki's shoulders twitched. She knew her brother was immune to such magic, but the slight chance nagged at her.

"Nothing interesting's happening," Tatsuya said, emerging from the staircase.

"Oh, Tatsuya!" Mayumi chirped.

"Brother!" Miyuki exclaimed, relief washing over her.

"President, please don't fill my sister's head with strange ideas," Tatsuya said dryly.

"Tatsuya, aren't you a bit harsh with your big sister?" Mayumi teased, leaning in playfully.

Miyuki, noting their familiarity, ventured a question. "President, you and my brother met for the first time at the entrance ceremony, right?"

"Heh heh heh…" Mayumi's laugh carried an ominous edge before she launched into a dramatic tale. "Two souls, destined to meet long ago, torn apart by fate's cruel whims, only to reunite on the day of the entrance ceremony, drawn irresistibly together!"

"What?!" Miyuki gasped.

"…But no, it was definitely our first meeting that day," Mayumi admitted, dropping the act with a grin.

Satisfied with Miyuki's reaction, Mayumi clung to Tatsuya's arm. "So, Tatsuya, do you feel the pull of fate?"

Miyuki's mood plummeted. Azusa trembled in fear, and Rin watched the scene with clear disapproval.

"If this is fate," Tatsuya deadpanned, "it's less 'Fate' and more 'Doom.'"

"Oh…" Mayumi pouted, releasing his arm and looking downcast.

Click.

A sharp, almost vulgar sound cut through the room—a tongue click from Mayumi.

"Enough already," Mari's voice boomed as she emerged from the shadows, rapping Mayumi's head lightly with her knuckles. It wasn't a full knuckle-knock, but it stung enough.

"Go easy on her, Tatsuya," Mari said. "Mayumi only shows her true self to people she likes. She plays the perfect princess with everyone else."

"Ehehe," Mayumi giggled sheepishly.

Tatsuya sighed, thinking of someone closer to home who also wore a mask. Mari had reined in Mayumi's antics this time, but he suspected the two could easily spiral together.

"President, it's about time," Rin interjected.

"Right, let's call it a day!" Mayumi declared. "Come back tomorrow, okay?"

"I'm heading out," Mari said. "You staying, Mayumi?"

"I'll stick around a bit," Mayumi replied.

Leaving Mayumi alone in the Student Council room, Tatsuya and the others headed home. Mayumi lingered, enjoying the quiet, until a visitor's signal prompted her to take her seat.

"How are this year's freshmen, Saegusa?" a deep voice asked.

"Pretty interesting. Two standouts," Mayumi replied.

"Good. I hope they help you achieve your goals," said Katsuto Juumonji, head of the Club Activities Union. As third-years and members of the Ten Master Clans, they shared a casual camaraderie, but meeting alone like this was rare.

"I'm excited to see how they move," Mayumi said, her voice tinged with intrigue. "They don't feel like strangers… Maybe I'm the one feeling fate's pull."

"What's that about?" Katsuto asked.

"Nothing, just musing," Mayumi said, her brightness a touch forced.

Katsuto, ever tactful, didn't pry. "I see."

With that, he left. Soon after, Mayumi exited the Student Council room, bringing the day's activities to a close.