"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, senpai."
Mahiro scratched his head sheepishly.
Later, they learned that his collapse was due to low blood sugar from skipping lunch.
Thanks to the Saegusa family's warm hospitality, he enjoyed a lavish meal.
With Mayumi's request resolved and the Itsuwa family no longer bothering her, his mission was complete.
So it was time to leave.
After Mahiro departed, Kouichi summoned his daughters to his study.
"Father, what did you need us for?"
"Has Mahiro already left?"
"Yes, I asked Mr. Nagakura to drive Mahiro-kun home."
"I see..."
Kouichi paced back and forth in the study before finally stopping by the window, gazing up at the distant sky.
The backlight from the sunlight cast an air of inscrutability over him.
"So... what do you all think of Mahiro?"
Mayumi froze for a moment.
This was the second time Father had asked this question, wasn't it?
She remembered that although nothing came of it last time, Father had clearly shown intentions of wanting to set her up with Mahiro.
So this time...
She had a very bad feeling about this.
"He's super handsome! Even more than Minrou-nii! Kasumi likes him a lot!"
The first to speak was naturally the most lively of the three sisters, Kasumi.
The Minrou she mentioned was an adjusted-type magician from the Kudou family.
Possessing powerful magical abilities, excellent looks, and a kind personality.
If not for his physical issues, Kudou Minrou might have been the leading figure among the current generation of the Ten Master Clans.
"Izumi thinks Mahiro-nii is amazing. At the very least, he's the most powerful magician Izumi has ever seen."
The girl with a bob cut, Saegusa Izumi, answered honestly.
Even without considering his appearance, which was charming enough, his magical abilities were completely beyond expectations.
First, he broke Mio-nee's Strategic-Class magic "Abyss," and then she learned from her sister that their family's advanced version of "Magic Bullet Shooter" was actually Mahiro's creation.
Moreover, his performance at the Nine Schools Competition far surpassed all his peers in strength.
Even under the unfair rules imposed by the competition officials, he still secured the championship effortlessly.
"I see."
Kouichi turned around and shifted his gaze to his eldest daughter.
"What about your thoughts, Mayumi?"
"M-Me?"
"Yes, but I need you to view him from the perspective of the opposite sex. I don't think you dislike him, do you? Otherwise, why would you have invited him to be your shield today?"
This unexpected statement made Izumi and Kasumi look up, their eyes widening in shock as they alternated between staring at their father and sister.
Mahiro-nii... was actually invited by Onee-sama as a shield?!
"As expected, I couldn't hide it from Father... But even if you ask me that..."
Although she had anticipated the focus would turn to her and had mentally prepared herself, when actually questioned, Mayumi panicked, her eyes darting around.
But from her demeanor, it wasn't rejection or reluctance.
It was more like she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Kouichi understood immediately and smiled faintly.
"I understand. Although Mahiro is two years younger than you, that age gap shouldn't be an issue. Moreover, he's Yotsuba Maya's child—excellent in every aspect, and his family background is impeccable."
"Mayumi, if you're willing, I'll fully support you and formally propose courtship to the Yotsuba family."
Kouichi made this suggestion.
But this time, Mayumi didn't react much—or rather, this was within her expectations.
Since she hadn't chosen Itsuwa Hirofumi, Father would definitely try to set her up with Mahiro...
"I object!"
At that moment, Kasumi suddenly spoke up, interrupting them.
"Kasumi, behave yourself!"
Such recklessness was unbecoming of a daughter of the Saegusa family, so Kouichi immediately reprimanded her.
"I'm sorry..."
Kasumi knew she had been too impulsive and accepted her father's scolding.
But—
"But Father, Izumi and I also like Mahiro-nii! Why is it only Mayumi-nee who gets to date him? That's unfair!"
"Oh?"
Kouichi returned to his seat, straightened his posture, and rested his chin on his hands.
The strong backlight obscured his expression as his gaze slowly shifted to Izumi.
"Izumi, is that true?"
"Yes."
Izumi nodded firmly.
After this meeting, her choice remained the same as before—unchanged.
If anything, she was even more infatuated with Mahiro.
"I see... In that case, all three of you sisters can marry Mahiro."
Kouichi uttered something utterly unexpected.
It was even more shocking than when Mahiro had declared he would marry all three of them.
"Wait, Father!"
Mayumi was so stunned she couldn't maintain the Saegusa family's decorum. "Are you seriously considering this?!"
Marrying the same man as her younger sisters—she had never imagined such a thing!
"If it were just me, fine. But with my sisters involved, wouldn't our family be seen as shamelessly seducing a junior?!"
And she'd be painted as the villainess stealing a man from her own sisters.
Not that she particularly cared about that, but still...
"What does it matter? Or do you dislike your dear Mahiro-kouhai?" Kouichi smiled.
Those two questions left Mayumi completely speechless.
As the head of the Saegusa family, he was genuinely covetous of Mahiro's genetic potential.
If all three daughters agreed, he wanted them all to marry Mahiro—preferably pulling him into the Saegusa family!
Not only would this produce more exceptional descendants, but it might also increase the Saegusa family's influence in Mahiro's heart.
In truth, he had already seen through the situation.
He understood why Maya had allowed Mahiro to leave the main family.
Knowing Maya as he did, the "Yotsuba discard" was likely just a cover story.
The reality was probably that Maya couldn't fully control him, forcing her to send him away.
Moreover, he suspected Maya was already scheming to arrange a partner for Mahiro—most likely the recently emerged Shiba Miyuki from the Yotsuba branch family.
So—
"If you've made your decision, then strive for it. I'll fully support you."
Thus, with Kouichi's wholehearted backing,
Even though Mayumi had reservations and no idea how Mahiro would react, she had no choice but to act.
And now, with only half the summer vacation left, Mayumi made her decision.
"Mahiro-kouhai, let's go to the beach together!"
Summer wouldn't be complete without a trip to the seaside—even in a world of technological magic.
...
...
...
"Wow, the ocean..."
The salty sea breeze swept by, stretching out before them was nothing but the endless blue ocean and fine white sand, occasionally dotted with scattered seashells on the shore.
Kasumi shouted excitedly, her long, shapely legs exposed without restraint beneath her swimsuit as she dashed toward the water.
"Mahiro-nii, Izumi, come play with me!"
The girl who had already run into the sea, her fair feet submerged in the water, turned back to wave at them.
"Onee-san, be careful!"
Izumi chased after her worriedly. Despite being the younger sister, she acted more like Kasumi's elder sibling.
Not far from Izumi, Miyuki strolled along the beach accompanied by the lapping waves, her pale feet covered in white sand grains.
Only her face seemed to carry a trace of weariness.
This was only natural.
After all, just minutes ago, she had been pestered by Izumi—
"...I'm Saegusa Izumi. May I call you Miyuki-senpai?"
That's what Izumi had said upon first meeting Miyuki.
Clasping her hands together as if in prayer, her eyes sparkling like stars, Izumi had been utterly dazzled by Miyuki's transcendent beauty.
Murmuring things like "so beautiful" and "just like a goddess" under her breath.
The way she circled around Miyuki felt vaguely familiar somehow.
Though Miyuki maintained her gentle demeanor, clear signs of awkwardness and discomfort had begun to show through.
As for why she was here?
The reason was simple. Mainly because Tatsuya had gone on a long trip and wouldn't be back for some time, so he'd temporarily entrusted her to Mahiro's care.
Which was how she ended up being brought along.
Apparently, he'd gone to excavate some unearthed "Relics," rumored to be a mission assigned by the military.
But if one thought carefully—
"Probably just some little scheme by that woman Maya," Mahiro muttered softly as he watched Miyuki walking alone.
At the moment, he was lying on a beach chair hundreds of meters from the shore outside their villa, quietly enjoying the sunlight, sea breeze, and the cold drink personally prepared by the waves.
Bathed in the warm embrace of sunlight, his gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, emptying his mind as he wandered through the boundless sky.
For now, he immersed himself in this self-forgetting sensation.
Until a shadow fell over his face.
"Hmm?"
Shifting his gaze, he saw Mayumi bending over to stare at his face.
Normally this wouldn't be noteworthy, but doing so in a swimsuit while bending over was somewhat suspicious as fanservice.
"Didn't expect someone who usually looks petite to be unexpectedly well-endowed!"
Mahiro muttered under his breath—he knew this particular sensation all too well.
"Well-endowed? What are you talking about, Mahiro-kun?"
Mayumi bent over further, holding her sunhat with one hand while bracing against her knee as she peered at him questioningly.
She thought she'd heard Mahiro say something, but his voice had been too soft to catch clearly.
Still, the way she blinked in confusion created an unexpectedly cute contrast to her usual demeanor.
"Ah no, I meant your swimsuit looks very nice, senpai."
"Really? Thank you."
Mayumi seemed genuinely pleased.
And it wasn't just an excuse—he meant every word.
Mayumi wore a wide-brimmed straw hat on her head, paired with a white two-piece swimsuit and a floral sarong tied around her waist.
Though the outfit was somewhat revealing, it still exuded the elegant aura befitting a young lady of high society.
"Mind if I sit here?"
"Be my guest."
How odd.
They were on one of the Ogasawara Islands, a private beach owned by the Saegusa family.
Even though this was her family's property—where she could do as she pleased—she still came to ask for his permission.
Nevertheless, Mahiro sat up from the beach chair, sensing that Mayumi-senpai had something to say.
"Um... about what happened at my place last time, thank you so much, Mahiro-kun."
"You mean Itsuwa Mio and Itsuwa Hirofumi? Well... it was just a small favor. No need to thank me over and over."
Mahiro waved his hand dismissively, as if it were nothing worth mentioning, which made Mayumi chuckle.
"That's so like you, Mahiro-kun. Even though Mio-nee is a Strategic-Class Magician, you didn't even bat an eye."
Honestly, she was truly grateful to him.
He had come for that almost laughable promise and even drove Mio-nee away for her sake.
One could say he had solved the biggest problem in her life.
"Not at all." Mahiro spread his hands. "I do respect Itsuwa Mio. She's undeniably strong. If the battlefield had been the open sea..."
His voice trailed off.
Though the Abyss would be more powerful in seawater, if the fight had taken place over the ocean...
Wouldn't he have won even more easily?
After all, if he simply froze the entire sea into glacial land, Mio's magic would be rendered useless.
"Never mind, let's not talk about that. By the way, where's Watanabe-senpai? Why didn't she come along?"
Mahiro was curious.
Mari and Mayumi were practically inseparable, much like Shizuku and Honoka—always seen together.
But when he asked this, Mayumi inexplicably pouted.
"Hmph... Honestly, here I am, a beautiful girl who even put on a swimsuit just for you, sitting right beside you."
"Not to mention the lovely Miyuki-chan in the distance, my little sisters, and Sakurai-san, who's been taking care of you, Mahiro-kun."
"And yet, you're still thinking about Mari?"
"Mahiro-kun, you really are a playboy."
By the end, Mayumi's cheeks were puffed up like a blowfish.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
Mahiro couldn't help but laugh at the absurd accusation. "I was just asking about Mari-senpai... And if we're being technical, sure, Miyuki and Minami are one thing, but Kasumi and Izumi are still middle schoolers. I haven't sunk so low as to go after middle schoolers, have I?"
"So you're not denying it when it comes to Miyuki-chan and Sakurai-san, huh?" A mischievous glint flashed in Mayumi's eyes.
She had a knack for catching loopholes in words, just like during the debate competition not long after the school year started.
And the worst part was, he really couldn't deny it.
It goes without saying for Minami—her intentions are as obvious as Sima Zhao's ambition to usurp the throne, known to all.
Though she hasn't succeeded yet, it's probably only a matter of time.
As for Miyuki, there's no way he would ever let go...
"As expected, Mahiro-kun, you're quite the playboy…"
Mayumi let out a slight sigh. Even though her casual probing hadn't yielded the answer she wanted, she still felt a little uncomfortable deep down.
That said, if not for Mahiro's open-hearted attitude, she truly wouldn't have had a chance to begin with.
Strictly speaking, she was now undeniably the third wheel—something she felt a bit guilty about toward Mibu-kohai.
But there was nothing to be done. Even without her, countless outstanding women would inevitably gather around Mahiro-kun.
After all, that's just how the world of magicians worked.
The stronger a magician was, the more mating rights they would naturally acquire, as many magical families sought to obtain the genetic material of exceptional magicians.
This way, the next generation born would possess increasingly superior talents, ensuring the family's continuation—or even greater prosperity.
This was essentially the norm for all magicians.
In fact, strict monogamy was exceedingly rare.
And for someone like Mahiro, whose extraordinary talent allowed him to defeat even Strategic-class magicians, it was simply impossible for a magician of his caliber to adhere to ordinary monogamous conventions.
Even if he personally wanted to uphold such a principle, the Yotsuba behind him would never allow it—much less the Ten Master Clans.
As her father had said, if she didn't act soon, once the other families caught on, she'd truly have no chance left.
The appearance of Minami was the most powerful proof of that!
Sigh…
Mayumi felt both frustrated and helpless.
It seemed she really was doomed to fall into this junior's hands for the rest of her life.
With that thought, her gaze toward Mahiro grew a little more resentful.
"?"
Mahiro blinked in confusion. "Senpai, why are you looking at me like that? Did you pick up something weird off the ground and eat it? You seem kinda off…"
"I did no such thing! Hmph, Mahiro-kun, you big idiot—I'm ignoring you!" She turned away indignantly.
That was just how Mayumi-senpai was.
To outsiders, she always appeared graceful and composed—the elegant young lady of the Saegusa family, with impeccable control and judgment in serious matters.
But once you got to know her better, you'd discover her mischievous, devilish side.
And if you grew even closer, you'd realize that this senpai could sometimes be quite childish.
"Even though you went to the trouble of dressing up all mature and sexy today… you look completely different from usual, but your personality's still as childish as ever."
Mahiro muttered this under his breath, but Mayumi caught it anyway.
"Wait."
At first, she had been pleased to hear him call her mature and sexy, her face lighting up with joy—but then she froze, as if suddenly realizing something was off.
"Mahiro-kun… what exactly did you mean by that just now?"
It wasn't a misunderstanding. Mayumi had definitely noticed.
"Which part?"
"The part where you said I look 'completely different.'"
She realized she was being teased. "In other words… you're saying I normally look childish…?"
"Senpai, you're overthinking it."
Mahiro's lips curled slightly at the corners. That had indeed been his implication earlier, but how could he possibly admit it?
Facing the adorable senpai glaring at him cutely, he put on his most serious and earnest expression, speaking with utmost sincerity: "I never once thought Mayumi-senpai had a baby face or childlike proportions."
"Baby face..."
"Childlike proportions..."
The two phrases pierced her heart like twin blades, dealing devastating damage.
Having an adorable rather than mature face, and being petite instead of tall like Mari - these were Mayumi's greatest insecurities.
Her gaze unconsciously dropped to her chest, and in that moment she seemed to understand what Mahiro had meant earlier by "small but unexpectedly well-endowed."
Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
"What's wrong, senpai? Are you angry? I was just joking."
"Uuu..."
Mayumi let out a small animal-like whimper.
"Honestly though, senpai is really great, well-proportioned figure, gentle temperament. Even though you're petite, I personally really like it."
"Uuuu..."
"It'd be even better if I could hold senpai in my arms."
"Stop talking already!"
As his words grew increasingly bold, veering into dangerous territory, Mayumi couldn't take it anymore and interrupted him.
Turning her head, her eyes shimmering with what seemed like tears, she puffed up her cheeks angrily at him:
"Mahiro-kouhai, I'm punishing you! Your punishment is applying sunscreen for me!"
"?"
How had the conversation taken such a sharp turn?
It was like tropical island weather, clear skies one moment, pouring rain the next.
And was applying sunscreen really a punishment rather than a reward?
But then again, girls were exactly like this.
Before he could voice his thoughts, Mayumi somehow produced a bottle of sunscreen and placed it on the table, then flipped over to lie face-down on the reclined beach chair.
She kept urging him to hurry up.
But the temperature of her face rapidly rose, a faint pink spreading from her fair neck to her delicate earlobes.
"Alright alright, I'm coming."
Mahiro picked up the sunscreen and pulled the beach chair closer to Mayumi before sitting down.
Gazing at her smooth, clearly defined back, he asked: "Shall I begin?"
Though senpai didn't respond, her silence was permission enough.
So he reached for the straps.
Like unwrapping a Christmas present, he gently undid the ribbons.
During the process, he could clearly feel senpai trembling slightly, apparently quite nervous.
If you're this nervous, why ask me to do it in the first place?
He smiled, picked up the amber-colored sunscreen bottle, and poured the slippery, cool liquid directly onto senpai's back.
The sudden chill made her shiver again.
Then Mahiro began carefully and evenly spreading it.
Unlike Miyuki's snow-princess pale complexion, Mayumi's skin wasn't excessively white - more like fine mutton-fat jade, delicate and soft.
Though her muscles were too tense, making her back rather stiff.
Since Mayumi was lying face down, he couldn't see the shy expression on that adorable face.
"What a shame..."
Mahiro's quiet murmur just happened to reach Mayumi's ears.
Her body trembled slightly again, her ears turning bright red.
...
...
...
Evening arrived.
The fiery red sun gradually approached the horizon, and the snow-white clouds took on a caramel hue under its glow.
"Cheers!!!"
They raised their glasses and gently clinked them together.
Since they were at the beach, a seaside BBQ was naturally a must.
Eating grilled meat while enjoying the sea breeze—perhaps this was the true meaning of life.
"Wow, Sakurai-san's knife skills are amazing."
Minami stood at the cutting board, handling the ingredients with effortless ease, while Kasumi occasionally gasped in admiration beside her.
Meanwhile, Izumi, the younger sister, had once again latched onto Miyuki.
It wasn't until Mayumi gave her a light tap on the head that she finally settled down.
Seeing the neatly skewered ingredients and Minami's practiced movements, Mayumi felt a small idea sprout in her mind.
She offered to help with the grilling.
"Are you sure you'll be okay, senpai?"
In his memory, Mayumi was a refined young lady who wouldn't even lift a finger for household chores—could she really handle grilling?
Not just him, even Miyuki and Minami looked a little worried.
"No problem! Don't underestimate me. I've practiced this specifically."
However, the moment she said this, Izumi and Kasumi had already clung tightly to each other, their faces pale as they backed away.
Big sister's cooking...
That was an absolutely terrifying thing!
Every time their sister tried cooking, while it never quite reached the level of destroying the kitchen, the results were... indescribable.
To put it bluntly, she could turn a simple cream stew into something resembling a witch's cauldron brew.
So, every time, they ended up having to rely on the auto-meal dispenser.
But this time, before the twins could stop her, Mayumi had already begun her grilling endeavor.
She picked up the skewers of premium-quality meat from the tray and arranged them neatly on the freshly lit grill.
Judging by her movements alone, she did seem quite skilled. But...
The flames beneath the grill were roaring fiercely. Was it really okay to grill directly over such an open flame?
Just seeing this, Mahiro could already foresee the future, and his stomach twisted slightly in dread.
Not to mention Miyuki and Minami, both of whom were skilled in cooking. They exchanged a glance and subtly hid behind Mahiro.
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