The Irregular at Magic High School: Everyone Loves My Brother?!

By the time Tatsuya and Miyuki reached the practical skills building, several terrorists were already down. Ignoring the fallen, they moved to support a friend still fighting.

"Onii-sama, I'll handle this!" Miyuki declared.

"On it," Tatsuya replied.

Miyuki acted to spare Tatsuya the trouble against such foes, but for the terrorists, it didn't matter who they faced—they were in for pain either way.

"Tatsuya, and Shiba-san," a voice called.

"Hey, Leo, brought the CAD? Looks like it's over," Erika said, chuckling dryly. "Your work, Tatsuya-kun? Or Miyuki?"

"Miyuki," Tatsuya said. "I couldn't handle it this cleanly."

"It was me," Miyuki added. "No need to trouble Onii-sama with enemies like these."

"Haha, as expected," Erika said.

Handing Leo a CAD, Erika's mood perked up hearing the situation.

"Terrorists invading? That's a spicy twist," she grinned.

"What kind of thinking is that?" Leo groaned.

"I thought high school life would be boring," Erika said.

Tatsuya and Miyuki gave wry smiles, while Leo stared at Erika, not bothering to hide his exasperation.

"What about the practical skills building?" Tatsuya asked.

"The teachers have it under control," Erika replied.

"Small numbers here," Tatsuya noted, scanning the downed terrorists. "A diversion?"

Sensing a presence, he turned sharply. "Ono-sensei."

"Their target is classified technical data in the library," Haruka said.

"Haruka-chan!?" Leo blurted, earning Erika's iron-fisted smack.

Amid the comedic exchange, Miyuki's thoughts drifted. Her movements… they're from Yakumo-sensei's school. What's Ono-sensei's deal?

"Can we discuss this later?" Miyuki asked.

"I'd say no, but this isn't the vibe for that," Haruka replied. "Instead, Shiba-kun, as a counselor, I have a request. Give Mibu-san a chance. She's struggling with the gap between her kendo and magic grades, and—"

"Too soft," Tatsuya cut in.

Haruka flinched.

"Let's go," Tatsuya said, heading for the library.

Only Miyuki followed silently, while Leo and Erika grumbled.

"Hey, Tatsuya!" Leo called.

"Couldn't you at least hear her out?" Erika added.

"Unnecessary mercy gets more than just you hurt," Tatsuya said. "Can you bear that responsibility?"

Both froze, glimpsing a colder Tatsuya. Gone was the classroom's casual, amused demeanor. His emotionless eyes sent chills through Leo and Erika.

Near the library, a chaotic battle raged. Teachers seemed to hold the line, but a closer look showed they were the ones pinned down.

"Tatsuya! Leave this to me!" Leo shouted.

Activating his CAD, Leo deployed hardening magic and dove into the fray. Tatsuya bowed slightly and called out, "Got it. Hold them off, Leo."

"Count on me! Panzer!" Leo roared, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

Watching him, Erika muttered, "CAD aside, he's so old-school."

"Sequential deployment," Tatsuya noted.

"Full-body hardening?" Miyuki asked.

"Looks like he won't get scratched," Tatsuya said.

The trio bantered about Leo's fighting style while running, but that stopped at the library entrance. Tatsuya had already neutralized the guarding terrorist, letting them slip in smoothly, though they had to proceed cautiously.

"No one's here… or not," Erika said.

"Hold on," Tatsuya said. "I'm checking."

"Huh?" Erika blinked.

Hiding in a small room by the entrance, Tatsuya extended his senses, not for presence but for existence.

"Two at the stairs' base, two at the top, and four in the second-floor special reading room with Mibu-senpai," he said.

"What're they doing there?" Miyuki asked.

"No movement suggests they're stealing classified data," Tatsuya said. "Ono-sensei was right."

"Wow, Tatsuya-kun's here, so ambushes are pointless," Erika said. "I was hyped for terrorists, but they're just thieves. Where's my thrill?"

"That's a dream you shouldn't chase," Tatsuya said.

"It's a rare chance!" Erika protested. "A little excitement's fine, right?"

"Don't ask me," Tatsuya replied. "You're probably the only one hyped."

He shot Erika an unmasked exasperated look. Unable to take it, she drew her telescopic baton and charged the ambushing terrorists.

"Who's there!?" one shouted.

The terrorist activated a spell, but its psions scattered before forming. Another, descending the stairs, took Miyuki's magic and tumbled, knocked out.

"Oops…" Miyuki squeaked.

"Donmai," Tatsuya said gently.

His sister's cute noise didn't faze him. For terrorists bold enough to attack the academy, a concussion was a light punishment.

"Erika!" Tatsuya called.

"No backup needed!" she shouted. "Leave this to me and hit the reading room!"

"Got it," Tatsuya said.

Tatsuya leaped off walls, Miyuki glided through the air, reaching the stairs' top in an unorthodox way. Erika whistled, impressed.

"Nice moves," she said.

"You!" a terrorist growled.

"Sorry, I went easy!" Erika taunted, reminding them of Tatsuya's order to hold back on non-students.

Tatsuya and Miyuki shared wry smiles, but only for a moment. Their faces turned deadly serious. No words passed between the siblings as they approached the heavy armored door of the reading room.

Having quelled the auditorium chaos, Mari asked her friend, likely tracking the situation with special abilities.

"Mayumi, how's the battle?"

"No issues," Mayumi said. "Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki-san are crushing the enemy."

"Good," Mari said. "I'll check the perimeter for stragglers."

"No need," Mayumi replied. "Juumonji-kun's leading the charge out there."

Thanks to Mayumi's detailed grasp, Mari found herself with nothing to do.

"The Shiba siblings are racking up results beyond expectations," Mari said.

"With their friends' help, but Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki-san's combat skills are unreal," Mayumi said.

"Not just the brother, but the sister too?" Mari mused. "I'd love to spar with them."

"You know I can't easily approve mock battles," Mayumi said.

"I'll find a chance during Nine Schools prep," Mari replied.

"Don't interfere too much," Mayumi warned.

While battles raged, two of the academy's top powers chatted casually, unaware that Tatsuya and Miyuki, on the front lines, would never imagine such a scene.

Sayaka was supposed to be fighting to end discrimination, but now, all she felt was doubt. When she heard that releasing classified documents would help abolish discrimination, she'd been fired up. But her comrades' actions looked like nothing but theft.

What kind of classified info even helps end discrimination? If sharing magic-related data with non-mages could do that, why hasn't anyone pointed it out before? And why are they so desperate?

Their desperation wasn't wrong, but their expressions—franticly bypassing access blocks—hinted at ulterior motives. Sayaka's thoughts kept veering to the worst.

It's gotta be info that benefits non-mages too…

She'd repeated this to herself countless times, but the words no longer calmed her. The growing suspicion that she was aiding terrorists stealing secrets gnawed at her. Was she part of a group cloaking terrorism in the guise of ending discrimination?

But that club never preached dangerous ideologies, and I'm not the type to fall for that…

Torn between denial and the stark reality before her, Sayaka stood frozen, unable to act.

"Got it open!" a comrade shouted.

"Save it to the memory cube, quick!" another urged.

"Finally…!" a third cheered.

"Hurry, we don't know how long we can keep them fooled!" another snapped.

Seeing her comrades rejoice over accessing the classified data, Sayaka looked away. They weren't celebrating the cause—they were driven by selfish gain.

That's why she was the first to notice the library door being silently destroyed.

"The door!?" she gasped.

"What!?" a comrade snapped.

"No way that armor breaks that quietly!" another protested.

"But it's clearly broken!" a fourth growled.

As the armored door slowly collapsed inward, Sayaka saw who stood on the other side: a Course 2 underclassman and his sister.

"Your scheme ends here," Tatsuya declared.

"Shiba-kun…" Sayaka whispered, speechless.

"Whoa!?" a comrade yelped.

Turning, Sayaka saw the memory cube they'd been using disintegrate into its components.

"Damn it! They've seen us—we can't let them live!" a comrade roared, pulling a hidden pistol.

"No!" Sayaka screamed, her voice raw.

The gun never fired.

"Guh!?" the terrorist gasped.

"Foolish move," Miyuki said coldly. "Did you think I wouldn't notice killing intent aimed at Onii-sama?"

To the terrorists, Miyuki's motives were irrelevant, but Sayaka, knowing the siblings' closeness, froze at her words.

"Mibu-senpai, this is reality," Tatsuya said, his voice low and heavy.

"What…" Sayaka stammered.

His words cut deep, as if exposing truths she refused to face. She wanted to cover her ears, but his piercing gaze rooted her in place, like she was paralyzed.

"Equality that ignores ability and everything else is a world of equal neglect," Tatsuya said. "The equality you chased exists only in ideals or sweet-sounding lies. You were just used, Mibu-senpai."

"B-But!" Sayaka protested, her heart torn by his words. "There's discrimination in this academy too! Was it wrong to try to end it? You've been insulted by everyone, haven't you!?"

Desperate to fight back, Sayaka said something she shouldn't have.

"Everyone insulted Onii-sama?" Miyuki snapped. "That's the real insult!"

Sayaka flinched.

"I'd offer my unwavering devotion to Onii-sama even if the world scorned him," Miyuki continued. "And plenty of people recognize his strength. Mibu-senpai, didn't anyone value you? The one insulting you most, calling you a weed, is you, Mibu-senpai!"

"Myself…" Sayaka whispered, stunned.

Miyuki's relentless words struck her already shattered heart, leaving her rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"Do something, Mibu! Use the Antinite ring!" a comrade shouted.

"!"

Reflexively, Sayaka's body reacted to her wavering ally's command. She channeled psions into the Antinite, activating Cast Jamming.

"Good, let's pull out!" one yelled.

"Take this!" another shouted, tossing a grenade-like smoke bomb for cover.

But Tatsuya didn't need vision.

"Guh!?" one terrorist grunted.

"Gboh!?" another choked.

"Ugh…" a third groaned.

"Gah!?" the last gasped.

One precise gut-punch each, and the four terrorists crumpled to the floor. As Cast Jamming faded, Miyuki condensed the smoke and sent it out the window.

"Mibu-senpai's gone," Miyuki noted.

"Yeah, I felt her slip past," Tatsuya said.

"Shouldn't we restrain her?" Miyuki asked.

"No need," Tatsuya replied. "Like I said, she was just used."

"But if she escapes, it's all for nothing…" Miyuki said, looking up at him worriedly.

Tatsuya smiled, stroking her head. "It's fine. Right now, Mibu-senpai doesn't have the composure to plan an escape route. She'll head straight for the exit."

"True…" Miyuki murmured. "And then, Onii-sama?"

"Erika's there," Tatsuya said.

Miyuki tilted her head at his vague explanation. Sometimes, Tatsuya left things unsaid to make her think.

"Erika can fight her as a swordsman, right?" Miyuki ventured.

"Exactly," Tatsuya said, patting her head again as a reward.

Despite the fallen terrorists at their feet, the siblings were unfazed.

"But Onii-sama, can Erika beat Mibu-senpai?" Miyuki asked.

"I haven't seen it directly, but Mibu-senpai's probably no match for Erika," Tatsuya said.

"Really?" Miyuki asked, curious.

Tatsuya gave a vague smile, dodging the question. He hadn't told Miyuki about his private investigation into the "Chiba" name.

"For now, let's tie these guys up and regroup," Tatsuya said.

"No ropes around…" Miyuki noted.

"It's a library," Tatsuya said.

Finding some packing twine, Tatsuya bound the terrorists' hands and feet.