With security arrangements settled, Mari left to inform Hattori, while Tatsuya and the others headed to the school store for supplies.
"Sorry, we're out of stock," the clerk said.
"No choice then," Tatsuya replied.
Out of luck, they decided to shop outside.
"You didn't need to come, Chiyoda-senpai, Isori-senpai. I could've handled it," Tatsuya said.
"Can't leave it all to you, Shiba-kun. Plus, I wanted to check the samples," Isori replied.
"If Kei's going, I'm going. Mari-san's got the committee covered," Kanon added.
Mari had retired, but Kanon still treated her as the committee head. Tatsuya, ever pragmatic, didn't object.
"Didn't expect a date with Kei," Kanon said, beaming.
"Kanon, this is school business. Stay focused," Isori chided.
"But we've been so busy, we haven't gone out together. I'm just happy to be with you, Kei," Kanon said.
"Kanon…" Isori softened.
Tatsuya watched their mushy exchange with a wry gaze, feeling like an outsider. But he was the first to notice something off.
"Senpai," he said.
"What's up?" Isori asked.
"We're being watched. This mood might be a bad idea."
"Watched?" Kanon glanced around.
At that moment, a smoke screen and attack magic erupted from the shadows, aimed at the trio's center. Tatsuya instantly knew who the target was.
"Chiyoda-senpai," he called.
"On it!" Kanon replied.
Kanon deflected the attack instantly. Unable to use his full magic, Tatsuya let her handle it.
"Damn!" a voice cursed.
"Wait!" Kanon shouted.
"Kanon, don't use 'Minefield'!" Isori warned.
"They'll get away!"
The attackers, exploiting the couple's bickering, prepared another spell. But before it could form, Tatsuya's 'Decomposition' magic shattered their casting, nullifying the attack. The assailants fled on a scooter, but it wouldn't budge—trapped by Isori's 'Stretching Maze' spell. Just as capture seemed certain…
"Chiyoda-senpai, dodge!" Tatsuya yelled.
"No way…" Kanon gasped.
The scooter's rocket engine roared, spewing smoke at them before vanishing with a deafening blast. Had Kanon's magic held it instead of Isori's, it might've exploded. Escaping cleanly with a rocket engine was near miraculous.
"What the hell was that?!" Kanon fumed.
"You okay, Kanon?" Isori asked.
"I'm fine. Thanks to Shiba-kun's warning," Kanon said.
Tatsuya, thanked by Kanon, focused not on them but on the fleeing girl.
"Know who attacked us, Shiba-kun?" Isori asked.
"Not exactly… but she was a Course 2 student," Tatsuya said.
"Really?" Kanon asked.
"Her uniform was First High's, no emblem," Tatsuya noted.
"You saw that through the smoke? Impressive, Discipline Committee ace," Kanon said.
"Don't rely on Shiba-kun too much, Kanon," Isori cautioned.
Ignoring their rekindled flirting, Tatsuya recalled Koharu's concerns about Chiaki.
(Brainwashing? Or some amplified grudge? Either way, this won't be easy to handle.)
From traces of the past left at the scene, Tatsuya had identified the attacker but kept it from Isori and Kanon, silently contemplating the fugitive.
Safe in a smoke-filled car, Chiaki caught her breath. She hadn't expected the ambush to succeed, but Tatsuya's flawless response stunned her.
"You okay?" a voice asked, one of Zhou's allies.
"Fine. Leave me alone," Chiaki snapped, brushing them off.
(He didn't spot me, right? Even Shiba-kun couldn't identify me in that chaos.)
Unsure why she attacked Tatsuya, her manipulated mind scrambled to justify it.
(It's Shiba-kun's fault. He abandoned Nee-san, stealing the glory she deserved as a magician…)
From afar, Tatsuya didn't seem obsessed with fame during thesis prep. But Chiaki, under influence, believed it was an act.
(Zhou-san said Shiba-kun hides his emotions. Beneath that mask, he's mocking Nee-san.)
In a normal state, Chiaki wouldn't have thought this. Having worked with Tatsuya briefly, she had a sense of his character.
(Nee-san, wait for me. I'll make Shiba-kun feel worse despair than you.)
Oblivious that no one wanted this, Chiaki steeled her resolve alone in the car.
Meanwhile, Zhou, who'd manipulated her heart without lifting a finger, overheard Chen's conversation from the shadows.
"The item?" Chen asked.
"Sayuri Shiba has it," his subordinate replied.
"What about the house she visited?"
"Her husband's stepchildren live there."
"Currying favor with stepkids, huh? Their names?"
"The brother is Tatsuya Shiba, the sister Miyuki Shiba."
"Tatsuya Shiba? Sounds familiar," Chen mused.
Chen recalled the name from Zhou's explanation when using Chiaki. A sinister grin spread as he issued orders.
"Contact the mole. Boost support for the girl. Teach her leaking secrets is the best revenge. Arm her, too."
Pausing, Chen turned to a man. "Captain Lu."
"Yes, sir," the man replied.
"Take command on-site. Eliminate any sniffing dogs."
The tiger-like man grinned, sending shivers through those nearby. He left without a word.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
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