The sports festival practice had just begun when ominous clouds gathered in the sky.

It was customary for the boys to participate in the three-legged race, but Toudou Mizuki explained that he couldn’t run properly because of the accident. So the girl chosen to be his partner ended up being someone who wasn’t very fast.

During the first class practice session measuring their times, Otonashi Nagi’s attitude stood out in a bad way.

Nagi didn’t start running even after the signal was given, and even when she did begin, her speed was clearly not serious at all.

Her lack of motivation infuriated Miya, who couldn’t hide her anger.

The Gobai family were both vassals of the Houjou clan and a lineage that ran a dojo. For Miya, who had trained in martial arts since childhood, Otonashi Nagi was an entirely incompatible type of person.

“Right now, I can’t run properly… so Otonashi-san, please feel free to do your best.”

Toudou Mizuki showed no signs of anger and gently spoke to Otonashi Nagi.

However, Otonashi Nagi merely lowered her head in silence without showing any sign of happiness.

Her attitude only further fueled Miya’s anger.

――What’s wrong with this girl?

Her lack of energy, her attitude toward Mizuki—it all irritated her.

After practice, in the corridor where only vassals were present, Miya couldn’t help but let out a complaint.

“…Indeed, I can’t stand it.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The way Otonashi treats Mizuki-sama.”

“Oh, that girl.”

“Acting that way toward a man… it’s downright disgraceful.”

“Well, Noa-sama will handle it somehow.”

Sakura Sanae said optimistically.

Miya shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know. It seems like Noa has changed her approach. I don’t sense the same intent to exclude others as before.”

Houjou Noa had changed.

The form she was once shaping had vanished entirely.

She’ll go along with whatever Toudou Mizuki wants.

“Mizuki-sama is kind… but too lenient at times. If something like Otonashi’s half-hearted performance is allowed, it’ll make managing the class difficult from here on.”

“…So?”

Sanae asked, and Miya answered without hesitation.

“If necessary, we’ll guide her.”

“…Guide her, huh?”

Kirsaragi Hiyori grinned.

“Since Mizuki-sama will one day form a bond with Noa, it’s ideal for him to earn National Party eligibility as early as possible. To make sure he graduates from the top class, we have to give it everything we’ve got.”

Pushing Class K to become the top class was also Miya and her group’s ultimate goal.

Although about a third of the class had become vassals of Noa, Hiyori’s mention of the Class K natives dragging them down was unacceptable.

Miya resolved that she must do something about it.

The second class practice took place one week later.

Reservations were required to use the track after school, and the available practice time was limited. Additionally, there were conflicts with social service work and the Seikadan.

On this day, individual practices for each event were conducted.

Miya participated in a horseback riding practice together with Hiyori and Sanae.

Along the way, her gaze naturally wandered as if searching for Mizuki.

Then she spotted him standing at the corner of the track with Otonashi Nagi.

Mizuki was speaking to Otonashi Nagi, but even from a distance, Nagi showed little reaction.

Seeing her appear to ignore practice and disregard Mizuki, Miya felt irritation once again.

“…Why her, of all people?”

Miya’s gaze did not leave the handsome boy.

His calmness and kindness matched his appearance, and that elegance was also Miya’s ideal, a traditional beauty.

It infuriated her that this inept girl in the class was monopolizing it, acting as if it were natural.

She could no longer ignore the problem any further.

In the changing room after practice, while watching students gradually leave for home, Miya signaled to Hiyori and Sanae with her eyes.

The two nodded and stood at the doorway to block it.

Then, she called out to Otonashi Nagi, who was slowly changing clothes.

“Otonashi, I need to talk to you.”

Otonashi Nagi’s movements stopped as she was changing.

Her gaze remained fixed on the locker and did not face Miya.

“Do you know how many first-year high school boys there are in the capital?”

Nagi didn’t answer.

Miya, who hadn’t expected an answer from the start, spoke it aloud herself.

“The correct answer is about 500 people. There are only 500 boys our age, even in Tokyo.”

The sunlight streaming through the glass door dyed the changing room red.

Hiyori and Sanae standing at the entrance, were silhouetted by the backlighting.

While watching Otonashi Nagi, who stood motionless before the locker, Miya slowly walked around her.

“These 500 male students are divided among roughly 50 prestigious high schools. The remaining 350 schools in the capital are girls’ schools, and under the current system, the vast majority of female students lose any chance to interact with boys.”

Such logical reasoning based on population statistics was a common argument used within the Party.

All decisions were made statistically for order and rationality.

“There are 100,000 girls in the first year of high school in the capital. Do you understand how rare it is for you to have contact with only 500 boys?”

Nagi remained as usual, unresponsive and motionless.

To Miya, she looked utterly apathetic.

“Fix that spineless attitude of yours. At the very least, behave properly in front of Mizuki-sama. Don’t be disrespectful.”

And then, Miya crossed her arms.

“At this rate, you’ll end up dragging down both Noa and Mizuki-sama. Seikadan is off today, isn’t it? I’ll watch your practice, so get back out there.”

Nagi remained motionless without moving.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the locker.

“Are you listening?”

Miya frowned at Nagi’s lack of response.

“Hey…”

She felt something was wrong.

Hiyori, who had been standing by the door, moved impatiently.

“Don’t tell me… you’re looking down on us?”

Hiyori grabbed Nagi’s hair.

The eye that had been hidden behind her bangs was exposed.

That eye wasn’t focused on anything at all.

“What… is with this girl?”

“Hey… what’s going on with you?”

Seeing this, Sanae also moved closer from the doorway.

Hiyori pulled Nagi’s hair strongly and shook her.

“You can’t even respond?!”

“…Hey…”

Still holding Nagi’s hair, Hiyori turned her face toward her.

Even then, Nagi didn’t focus on anything.

“….Hey, can you stop messing around?”

A cruel expression began to mix into Hiyori’s face.

Meanwhile, Miya felt a growing sense of unease inside herself.

“Answer me!”

As Hiyori’s actions escalated, a voice was heard from behind.

It was an unusual, low and clear voice within the school.

“What are you doing?”

They all turned around in unison.

Somehow, the door to the changing room had opened.

Toudou Mizuki stood there with the fiery red sky behind him.