Mahouka: The Yotsuba Prince (OC x Mayumi)

Part 19

Chapter 19

SAEGUSA MAYUMI

Mayumi watched in horror as the ambulances drove away with the injured students while many continued to be treated in a few ambulances that were still present as the burning remains of the first-year contestant bus were pushed to the side.

"How could this happen?" she gasped out.

"There was a bomb," answered Tatsuya-kun as he stepped forward alongside his sister.

"What?" she asked, trying to make sense of those words. That this was not an accident but a deliberate attack on their school and students.

"I said that this was not an accident but the work of an explosive," he answered as he pointed towards a section of the road.

"Look here," he knelt down and pointed towards the hole in the concrete.

"This is not a natural crater. This was created by a highly concentrated explosive. They buried it deep inside the concrete so that it may remain hidden and detonated it when the bus passed over it," Tatsuya explained, and she gasped, realizing the sheer planning that went behind this.

"He is right," Inei-kun cut in as he examined the hole with a scrutinizing gaze.

"And whoever did this, they were smart enough not to use any magic. This was all designed using traditional technology. A remote trigger and plain old simple dynamite," he said as he stood up.

"But who would do such a thing?" she gasped out. The hate against magicians in the society was not uncommon, but this—this went beyond hate. Many students were injured, students barely into their adulthood who had just entered high school.

She doubted anyone would garner any sympathy through these types of actions.

And she did not miss how Inei-kun's eyes shifted at her question as he bit his lip.

Mayumi was not oblivious to violence. It was a consequence of being a Saegusa and a prodigy. Yet this, attacking children went beyond anything she had ever seen or considered warfare to be.

"Saegusa, Shiba," she looked up and found Katsuto walking towards her. Her yearmate and colleague did not seem like it, but she could tell from the stiffness of his shoulders and a small scowl on his face just how angry he was about all this.

"Katsuto, why are you here?" she asked, for their bus had gone ahead.

"I rushed back when I heard about the accident. Teams from the Competition's administration are coming as well since it was their duty to provide security to all the contestants," he said.

"It was not an accident, Jumonji-kun," she said, seeing him stiffen at her words.

"Are you certain?" he asked her, and she looked towards Shiba, Inei-kun, and Jumonji-san, who did the same.

"Yes," Shiba-kun replied, and Jumonji-san nodded.

"Well, the investigators will be here soon. Tell them of your findings and suspicions. I will stay here until then, Mayumi. You need to get to the main avenue," he continued, turning towards her.

"Bu..."

"The students are in panic back there, and only you can calm them down. Mari and Azusa are holding down the fort for the time being, but they need your presence to calm them down," Katusto added, and she nodded; she could hardly imagine what it must feel like for the students with having their own schoolmates attacked like that.

"I will go," she said.

"I will join her. Tatsuya will be able to report our own findings to the police," Inei-kun added as he stepped forward, and Katsuto nodded.