The second period for Class 1-E was a practical skills session. As was the norm for the "Weeds," there was no instructor present. The students simply followed the guidance displayed on the wall-mounted monitors, operating their CADs and measuring equipment in a vacuum of supervision. By now, the students had grown accustomed to this; they had even learned to enjoy the lack of oversight. It was a comfort born of resignation toward their status—a fragile peace that could either harden into resolve or crumble into apathy depending on the individual.
Leo, who had arrived late after finishing some business he couldn't exactly discuss in public, scanned the room. Spotting Mikihiko, Erika, and Mizuki, he sauntered over with his usual casual gait.
"...You're late, Leo," Mikihiko noted.
"Don't be such a hard-ass. Anyway... where's Tatsuya?"
"He has a visitor, apparently," Mizuki replied.
"A visitor? Here at school?"
Erika cut in, "Never mind that. Let's just get this over with."
"She's right," Mikihiko sighed, turning back to his CAD. "Today's assignment looks like a real headache."
Usually, Tatsuya would handle the complex calibration for the group, but he had sensed the arrival of his "guest" early on. He'd cleared the assignment at high speed and vanished, leaving his own custom settings behind—settings that were far too advanced for the others to use effectively.
Meanwhile, Tatsuya sat in a reception room, his face a mask of polite boredom. Across from him sat a middle-aged man in a high-end suit. Though he had the outward veneer of a gentleman, his expression was twisted into a scowl of genuine irritation. This was Aoki.
"Mr. Aoki," Tatsuya began, his voice level. "Could we perhaps get to the point? I am currently in the middle of class. If you have no further business, I'll be taking my leave."
"Now, wait just a moment," Aoki grumbled.
Tatsuya had feigned enough irritation to issue an ultimatum, and it finally forced Aoki to speak.
"You purchased a 3H-P94 unit the other day, did you not?"
"To be precise, it was the day before yesterday."
"The Mistress desires it. She is willing to pay double what you spent. Hand it over immediately."
Tatsuya stood up with a sudden, fluid grace. He scanned the room, his eyes sharp, checking for any signs of hidden microphones or cameras. Within the school, where sensors constantly monitored for the use of magic, he couldn't simply rely on his "Elemental Sight" without drawing attention, but his physical senses were honed to a razor edge. Finding no sign that they were being overheard, he pulled a mobile terminal from his inner pocket, connected a data cable, and thrust the other end toward Aoki.
It was a move that bordered on blatant disrespect. Aoki's brow furrowed at the insolence, but the cold, unwavering light in Tatsuya's eyes forced him to comply. He connected his own terminal in silence.
The first message flashed onto Aoki's screen:
「Mr. Aoki, do you have a fever?」
Aoki nearly recoiled, his face flushing as he prepared to bark an insult, but a sudden, suffocating pressure radiating from the boy across from him choked the words in his throat.
「Today is Saturday,」 the next message read. 「In four hours, you could have summoned me to any number of private locations. Why would you risk discussing family business in a school reception room? You are well aware of the Aunt's orders: we are to avoid any action that suggests a connection between myself and the Main House.」
The mask of composure Aoki wore didn't just crack; it shattered. His lips trembled, and the color drained from his face. Tatsuya knew exactly what the man had been thinking. He had hoped to bypass Miyuki's presence and use the hierarchy of the Yotsuba family to bully Tatsuya into submission.
「I was merely acting on the Mistress's wish for a swift resolution,」 Aoki typed back, his fingers shaking. 「Regardless, hand over the 3H unit now and I shall leave.」
「That is impossible. Even if the title of ownership has transferred to me, the lease agreement with First High remains in effect. I purchased the 3H-P94 specifically to prevent it from being seized by a third party. I will take full responsibility for its management. Please convey that to my Aunt.」
Aoki's face turned from pale to a livid crimson. He finally snapped, abandoning the silent text exchange.
"Are you intending to defy a direct order?!"
Tatsuya didn't answer with words. He simply leveled a gaze at the man—a look so devoid of warmth and so heavy with unspoken threat that Aoki's anger withered instantly. Realizing he had lost all leverage, Aoki stood up, his shoulders sagging.
"Wait... no, please, wait. I apologize for my lack of courtesy. I truly do."
"Please, raise your head, Mr. Aoki," Tatsuya said, his voice returning to its clinical, polite tone.
"Tatsuya-kun... no, Master Tatsuya. Your reasoning is sound. If the purchase was predicated on the continuation of the lease, it would be irrational to spirit it away. I was wrong to push the matter."
"Think nothing of it."
"Please understand one thing: the Mistress did not ask for the 3H out of a mere whim. I believe she felt it was necessary for her research."
"I understand."
"I won't force the issue further. I see that you also feel the need to keep it close. But... should you ever decide you no longer require the 3H, would you consider ceding it to the Mistress? We would, of course, provide appropriate compensation."
Tatsuya gave a slight nod. "As you know, I am still a minor."
"I will handle your father's end of the paperwork," Aoki assured him.
"Very well. If that is the case, I have no objections."
Relieved that the "Butler" would be the one to shoulder the bureaucratic headaches, Tatsuya saw him out to the entrance before heading back to the practical lab. The period was more than half over, but he still had time to kill.
On his way, he spotted a familiar head of blonde hair. She looked haggard, the weight of her secret life clearly taking its toll.
"Lina."
"Tatsuya."
Despite her exhaustion, her reflexes were as sharp as ever; she didn't miss a beat in responding.
"Have you heard the news?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yeah. Did you find out who he was?"
"No."
"I see. That's a shame."
"I suppose. But... I don't care about that right now."
Lina paused, turning to face him. Her eyes flashed with a sudden, fierce intensity—a gaze more determined than even that night they had fought to the death.
"Tatsuya... don't think for a second that I'm going to go soft on you."
"I know," Tatsuya replied, his voice dropping an octave as he played his part. "After all, we live in different worlds."
He deliberately chose the melodramatic, cliché line just in case anyone was eavesdropping. Lina froze, an insult dying on her lips as she realized—a second too late—what he was doing. Her face, already pale from fatigue, suddenly flared into a deep, burning red. This time, however, the blush had nothing to do with anger.
"You... you complete IDIOT!"
Unable to hide her sheer embarrassment, Lina spun on her heel and stormed off. It was a classic display of "Tsundere" frustration, her parting shot serving as nothing more than a clumsy cover for her racing heart.
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