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

The day after his talk with Sayaka, the student council room's lunch scene had transformed from its early days. Though only two weeks had passed, the shift was striking. On the first day, everyone but Mari relied on the auto-dispenser. Today, no one used it, each bringing their own meal.

"Onii-sama, your bento," Miyuki said, handing it over.

"Thanks. Wouldn't it be easier to give it to me at home?" Tatsuya asked.

It made no difference to him, but the displeased looks from Mayumi and Rin when Miyuki handed him the bento in the council room made him prefer home for his mental peace.

"That would defeat the purpose!" Miyuki declared.

"Purpose?" Tatsuya echoed.

Miyuki's bento delivery was a deliberate move to stake her claim, but with Mayumi and Rin unfazed, she was already plotting her next step.

"Onii-sama, today… oh? I can't find my chopsticks," Miyuki said.

"Forgetting something? That's rare for you," Tatsuya noted.

Mari chimed in, "Rare indeed for Miyuki to slip up."

Miyuki's near-perfect efficiency made such oversights unusual.

"If you don't have chopsticks, disposable ones—" Tatsuya began.

"No, that's wasteful. Besides, we have yours, Onii-sama. Please feed me," Miyuki said.

"""What!?""" three voices exclaimed.

"Hm?" Tatsuya blinked.

Mayumi and Rin's reactions were expected, but the third scream came from another girl in the room—not Mari.

"Nakajou-senpai?" Miyuki asked, her sharp gaze pinning Azusa.

"N-No…" Azusa shrank, hugging herself.

"Here, use mine!" Mayumi offered.

"But then you couldn't eat, President," Miyuki countered.

"I'll eat after you're done. Plenty of time," Mayumi insisted.

Desperate to derail Miyuki's feeding scenario, Mayumi was oblivious to Mari's amused gaze. Then Mari dropped another bomb.

"By the way, Tatsuya-kun, is it true you were verbally tormenting Mibu from the kendo club at the café yesterday?" she asked.

Time froze in the council room. Miyuki, Mayumi, Rin, and even Azusa took Mari's words at face value.

"Committee Head, 'verbal torment' is unbecoming for a lady your age," Tatsuya said.

"Thanks. You're the only one who calls me a lady," Mari replied, half-blushing.

Tatsuya pressed on. "Treating your girlfriend otherwise suggests your boyfriend isn't much of a gentleman."

"No way! Shuu is…" Mari began, then froze, realizing her slip as she half-stood.

Mayumi and Rin stifled laughter, caught by Mari's peripheral vision.

"So, about you tormenting Mibu?" Mari redirected.

"Committee Head, such language isn't good for Miyuki's education," Tatsuya said.

"Onii-sama, have you mistaken my age?" Miyuki protested, flustered.

To clear the air, Tatsuya recounted his café conversation with Sayaka for everyone. Notably, he used disposable chopsticks, while Miyuki used his usual pair.

"That happened…" Mayumi murmured.

"But that's Mibu's misunderstanding," Mari said.

As Mari noted, the disciplinary committee was an honorary role, not affecting grades, so it wasn't worth clinging to. Knowing this, Tatsuya suspected Sayaka was being manipulated.

"Any guesses about who's spreading these rumors?" Tatsuya asked.

"No way to trace gossip," Mayumi said.

"I'd shut it down if I could," Mari added.

Sensing evasion, Tatsuya was certain Mayumi, Mari, and Rin knew more and were hiding it. Miyuki tugged his sleeve, her eyes warning, "Too far?" but Tatsuya pressed on.

"I'm not asking about the rumor-mongers at the bottom. I'm talking about who's behind them. Likely 'Blanche,'" he said.

Mayumi, Mari, and Rin froze in shock. Azusa and Miyuki looked confused—the former trio stunned that Tatsuya knew, the latter unaware of the name. Blanche, an international anti-magic political group, was classified information, supposedly locked down by the government. How did a high schooler like Tatsuya know?

"Classified or not, you can't block every rumor. Transparency would be better," Tatsuya said.

"You're right… but we've been dodging—er, hiding it," Mayumi admitted, slumping.

Rin nodded, equally dejected.

"It's understandable," Tatsuya said.

"Huh?" Mayumi and Rin said, lifting their heads.

"This is a national facility, bound by government policy. Hiding it is inevitable for you, President, and Ichihara-senpai," Tatsuya said.

"Siba-kun…" Rin murmured.

"You're comforting us?" Mayumi asked, her expression brightening.

Tatsuya's blunt words lifted their spirits. Mari, seeing this, smirked mischievously. "What's this? Mayumi and Ichihara completely charmed by Tatsuya-kun? Comforted after being down—totally smitten?"

"Mari!?" Mayumi yelped.

"Watanabe-san!?" Rin gasped.

Tatsuya knew Mari was teasing, but Mayumi and Rin took it seriously. So did one other girl.

"Onii-sama?" Miyuki's voice was icy.

"Miyuki?" Tatsuya replied, wary.

"Tatsuya-kun's no slouch. Comforting sad girls to steal their hearts," Mari teased.

"But didn't he push them down first?" Azusa added.

Mari piled on. "Driving them low to lift them up? Master playboy."

A blizzard surged through the room, but Tatsuya couldn't use classified magic here. With "sincere persuasion," he calmed Miyuki. The four girls—Mayumi, Mari, Rin, and Azusa—watched, faces red, three with envious glances.

"Well, it's about time. I'm heading back to class," Tatsuya said, standing.

"Wait, one last thing," Mari called, still playfully tussling with Mayumi.

"What?" Tatsuya asked.

"What did you tell Mibu about her offer?" Mari asked.

"I'm the one waiting for her answer," Tatsuya said.

Sayaka's flustered response had delayed things, so he hadn't replied.

"What will you do once she answers?" Mari pressed.

"I'll do what I can," Tatsuya said.

Mari nodded, satisfied, and turned to calm the still-clinging Mayumi. Tatsuya left the council room with a wry sigh, Miyuki silently following.