Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Vol.17 - Master Clans Conference (I)

Chapter 3

Wednesday morning, the second week of the new semester.

"Good morning."

Having entered Class 2-E, Tatsuya received the morning's greeting from

Mizuki, who sat beside him as before.

"Good morning, Mizuki."

Mizuki answered Tatsuya's reciprocation with a smile. Except, her smile

was a bit awkward.

It would have been rather suspicious if she gave a natural smile, Tatsuya

thought without a hint of doubt.

He felt blessed that his friends would strain themselves nonchalantly

trying to smile.

There's no mistaking, from Mizuki's perspective at least, that she would

prefer to keep her distance from a suspicious character such as himself,

Tatsuya thought. Mizuki is not privy to the World of Magicians. She's

bound to dread the infamy of the Yotsuba Family more than one

normally should. On top of that, here's a suspicious character who'd

been covering up his real identity for close to two years now. Even then,

a normal girl like Mizuki has been trying to connect with him as a

friend. Tatsuya is not irritated about this, rather he's come to think it's

normal.

He approached his own seat while wearing a faint smile on his lips.

A sound echoed from the windows to the hallway that were right beside

Tatsuya as he took his seat.

"Good morning, Tatsuya-kun."

"Good morning, Erika."

It was Erika who spoke to him from the other side of the window. She

wasn't with Leo today, but Tatsuya didn't point this out. He

remembered the last time when Erika had gotten mad at him for treating

them like a couple. Besides, it's not like Erika and Leo were dating.

Them not being together was not something strange in particular.

"Good morning to you as well, Mizuki."

"Good morning, Erika-chan."

Erika gleefully nodded her head with a satisfied smile akin to a bright

day in spring, no less than what Mizuki would normally do.

With that smile alone, Tatsuya could tell that Erika's meddling was

intended to cheer Mizuki up. Even so,

"What's the matter, Erika? You seem energetic."

Tatsuya dared to ask.

"Eh, it's nothing."

Erika returned an answer that Tatsuya had expected.

◊ ◊ ◊

With the afternoon classes having ended, Miyuki got up from her seat

and turned toward the Practical Building where Tatsuya was waiting.

The Practical Building also had a meeting room for mass fighting