fhQ8kD17

1Chapter 1
2"Taurus Silver is a student at the National Magic University Affiliated High School,
3Mr. Shiba Tatsuya. People of Japan. I want you to convince Mr. Shiba Tatsuya.
4The appearance of the mysterious personality in the video, calling himself one of the
5"Seven sages", caused a wide public outcry not only in Japan, but also in America.
6In the field of Magic Science, Taurus Silver is given as much attention as the pioneer of
7the "Cardinal code", Kichijoji Shinkuro. But unlike Kichijoji, who had no new
8achievements since the discovery of the Cardinal Code for Weight-Type Magic, Taurus
9Silver, implemented a practical version for Flight-Type Magic, which was appreciated.
10"Cardinal George" in the theoretical field and "Taurus Silver" in the technical
11field. This was the common view of Japan by the American Magic Association.
12And now, hidden for all this time, the identity of Taurus Silver was revealed.
13Furthermore, it turned out that he was also a high school student like Kichijoji Shinkuro.
14This news, that became a sensation, attracted attention from those who ordinarily aren’t
15interested in magic.
16Raymond laughed when he saw the reaction of ordinary people on the Internet, which
17he expected would be quite turbulent. He realized what he was doing were dark things
18and therefore can’t enjoy it together with his friends from school.
19His work in the role of "Seven sages" was a secret that was only known by himself and
20his father, Edward Clark. He couldn't boast about this in front of his simple friends.
21The moment Raymond got up from the table and thought it was time for dinner, the
22home security system alerted his father's return home. At the same time, Raymond
23came to the realization that it is unusual for his father to appear in the daytime.
24His father Edward comes home once or twice a week. When he needs his father, he
25usually goes to his office. ... And his mother divorced his father and left when
26Raymond was 10 years old.
27The day of the week on which Edward usually came home hadn’t arrived yet.
28Naturally Raymond realized that it was his "prank" that caused Edward's
29unusual actions.“Dad, welcome back.”
30Of course he'll be angry. In anticipation of this, Raymond came out of his room and
31greeted his father with a smile.
32“Raymond, it was a stupid act!”
33“Sorry.”
34Edward's voice was more rigorous than Raymond expected. However, Raymond's
35apology was only in words. Neither his thoughts nor the expression on his face
36hinted at any fear.
37He understood that his father must be seriously angry.
38“... But the result was convenient. If the privacy of the minor violated the public
39opinion, the media and human rights organizations would raise unnecessary fuss. I
40would have suffered greatly if I had taken this next step in the pursuit of Shiba Tatsuya.
41“I'm glad I helped my dad.”
42Raymond only made a submissive face for a few seconds. Edward's reprimand and
43his true intentions that followed were within Raymond's expectation.
44The USNA government, a democratic state, cannot openly violate the rights of magicians.
45Especially the rights of a minor. That is why Edward could not use the real name of Taurus
46Silver to control the public opinion of the Japanese. Despite this, he expected that for
47USNA, it was most advantageous if the name "Shiba Tatsuya" would come under pressure
48of the public opinion.
49But if this information is leaked from sources other than government officials, the
50government of the USNA will not be attacked by the media and human rights
51organizations. The disclosure of the identity of Taurus Silver by Raymond, who plays
52the role of one of the "Seven Sages", meets these requirements.
53Raymond guessed it.
54"Can I do anything else for dad?"
55Raymond's question was not the desire to fulfill his duty as a son, but the desire to play
56further.Edward squinted a little. Of course, he also realized what his son expected from his
57actions. He did not scold him because he came to the conclusion that "The Seven
58Sages" are quite useful.
59“I plan to visit Japan in the near future.”
60“You, personally?”
61Edward nodded to Raymond's question.
62“You want to go too?”
63“Can I? I'll go!”
64Raymond immediately accepted his father's proposal.
65When Tatsuya watched the video address of the Seven Sages, it was 7 o'clock in the
66morning. It took three hours before he came out of deep reflection and started
67acting.
68At 10 o'clock in the morning. Tatsuya called the main house of the Yotsuba.
69“Sorry about the wait. Terrible things have happened, haven't they?”
70Unlike the previous times, when he wanted to talk to Maya, this time she didn't
71pretend she wasn't there. However, instead of a dumbfounded expression, Maya's
72greeting, which appeared on the screen , contained not a drop of concern.
73“Yes. I believe that we will no longer be able to confront this passively." Tatsuya
74answered directly to the tantalizing words of Maya.
75“... I wonder if we can respond well?”
76Maya slightly knitted her eyebrows, showing that it would be unpleasant if
77the expectations were not met.
78“I called to talk about it.”Even when Maya showed that she was in a bad mood, the expression on Tatsuya’s
79face did not change. Not showing even a polite smile, he finished the entry and
80moved to the main issue.
81“Do you have any ideas?”
82“Yes ......”
83A light smile vanished from Maya's face, and she pondered. Tatsuya silently waiting
84for the answer, watching her image on the screen.
85“I'll send a man to pick you up. It's a little early, but let's talk at lunch.”
86The second hand of the clock managed to make half the turn before Maya gave
87this order.
88“Understood.”
89Tatsuya thought it wouldn’t be a problem if they discussed it on the phone. But he
90didn't mind a personal meeting to talk about it. Tatsuya respectfully bowed to the
91image of Maya on the screen.
92Tatsuya arrived at the main house of Yotsuba at 11:30.
93Hanabishi Hyougo, who was sent to pick up Tatsuya, immediately led him inside the
94main building.
95In the canteen, where the name of the successor was announced on New Year's Eve,
96everything was prepared for a joint dinner, but Maya was not there yet. Now Tatsuya no
97longer feared the authority of Maya. But he was pleased with the fact that he did not have
98to wait long for the person at the highest level of power in this family.
99Maya appeared five minutes after Tatsuya took his place.
100“I'm sorry I made you wait.”
101“No, nothing like that.”Tatsuya got up from the chair, and bowed to Maya in the dining room.
102“Clear.”
103Having received permission from the nod of the displeasured Maya, Tatsuya sat back
104on his chair.
105Their places were opposite of each other. To make it easier to speak, the table
106was replaced by a smaller one compared to one from New Year's Eve.
107Behind Maya stood Hayama, and behind Tatsuya stood Hyougo.On the signal of Hayama, the female maids entered the dining room and put down the
108food.
109It was not a full dinner, but only soup and some garnish, as to not disturb the
110conversation.
111“Eat, don't be shy.”
112"With your permission."
113As directed by Maya, Tatsuya picked up his chopsticks. Still, all his attention was
114directed to Maya.
115"This time it was unexpected even for me.”
116“For me, too.”
117So he wasn't embarrassed when she suddenly spoke to him.
118“Tatsuya-san knew about him, didn't he?”
119“Raymond Clark? Yes, but as I previously reported, we never communicated directly.”
120After the parasite incident was resolved, Tatsuya gave Maya the details of the case in a
121written report. The report also contained a complete rehash of the case where Raymond
122Clark offered his assistance in supplying information.
123“I wonder if you could find out if there was a connection between Raymond Clark and
124Edward Clark.”
125"You can't say exactly. Although he offered to help with information on a permanent
126basis, but since then I have not had a connection with him.”
127In that video message, Raymond said to Tatsuya, "I'll try and continue to give you
128information that you can count as important." But he never fulfilled that promise.
129“I mean, did you forget about him?”"In the sense that I didn't remember him, that's right. I only left the existence of
130Hliðskjálf in the depths of my memory, but I had to study the matter more seriously. I
131think Taurus Silver's identity was already known to Raymond Clark at the time of
132contact, but I'm sorry I couldn't catch him by surprise to reveal details about the tool
133he was using.”
134“... Well, this is the last thing, there's nothing to be done.”
135Maya's response sounded like some obscure hitch. Tatsuya thought, "Come on."
136“As you say.”
137As a result, he just bowed, pretending to agree.
138“There's one more question, Tatsuya-san.”
139But Maya, during this momentary confusion, seems to have realized something
140important. She suddenly decided to change the subject.
141“What did you do with your seal? I see it's been released.”
142“It was destroyed to increase my chances of victory against Juumonji-dono.”
143Tatsuya did not panic and was not afraid, and immediately gave a direct answer to the
144question of Maya. Besides, her question didn't sound like a charge.
145“Destroyed? Not released?”
146Maya with doubt inquiringly bowed head. Her face showed that she
147doubted whether she had correctly heard.
148“Yes. The vow itself was annulled." Tatsuya again answered Maya's question
149without fear and hesitation.
150"It was very reckless..." Maya said.“He was not an opponent that could be defeated without recklessness.”
151"Couldn't you win even in a sealed state?”
152There were signs of accusations in Maya's voice. But it was concern about the
153recklessness of Tatsuya. For some reason, it was not a charge of unwittingly
154withdrawing a vow.
155"But since you really won, it wasn't a mistake.”
156“I'm sorry to bother you.”
157Tatsuya could not understand the real intentions of Maya, so he just briefly answered
158and bowed.
159“So... It's time to move on to the main issue.”
160Was she satisfied with the answers, or was it just time? Maya urged Tatsuya to
161explain the plan for "retaliation".
162Tatsuya had not finished eating, but he temporarily put his chopsticks down.
163“I would like to get permission to hold a press conference in the main office of FLT.”
164“Are you saying you're going to take it personally?”
165Maya slightly rounded her eyes.
166“Yes.”
167"And what, I wonder, are you going to say to the journalists?" Maya asked, giving
168Tatsuya a curious look.“I am going to announce a project for a plant for the processing of oceanic water using
169the "Stellar Furnace". ”
170“ "Stellar Furnace" You mean the thermonuclear reactor you developed a sequence of
171magic of constant gravitational control for? What is this project?”
172“The Extraction of both useful and harmful Substances from the Coastal Area of the
173Pacific Ocean using the Energy produced by the Stellar Furnace (extract both useful
174and harmful Substances from the Coastal area of the Pacific using Electricity generated
175by Stellar-Generator). The first letters of the basic words were taken from this phrase,
176and the abbreviation "project ESCAPES" was made.”
177Now, for the first time Tatsuya first revealed his true goal to Maya.
178“— ... It's quite interesting. Tatsuya-san plans to achieve the creation of an
179independent State for magicians with this "project ESCAPES" ?”
180“I did not plan to separate from the country. To cover all necessary necessities of life is
181unrealistic to be done by magicians alone.”
182“You won't even require autonomy status?”
183"I think that this will be of little use, even if the government is too stimulating.”
184“You don't have a childish way of thinking.”
185Maya hid her mouth with her hand and narrowed eyes. But the expression on her face
186made it clear that she was silently laughing, but to Tatsuya, it was clear that it was not
187from a bad impression.
188"It will be sufficient for me that the rights of magicians, guaranteed by
189public foundations, will indeed be protected.”
190“To get the government to implement this. That is Tatsuya-san’s purpose for this,
191isn't it?”“Yes. Although I do not deny the possibility of obtaining real autonomy as a
192means to implement this.”
193Unable to tolerate any more, Maya laughed out loud.
194“— ... Right. But I am sure that the general public will be against such a regime of
195governance as autonomy.”
196Maya laughed enough, and then looked Tatsuya straight in the eye.
197“I understand Tatsuya-san’s plan. I see that you have thought this through enough to
198succeed.”
199Tatsuya understood the meaning of Maya's words when she only marked herself by
200saying, "I see."
201“Does that mean that the opinions of Aunt alone will not be enough to allow this?”
202“Yes, it does. But not in the sense that we need approval from all the side branches.”
203Tatsuya silently stared at Maya's eyes, waiting for her to continue.
204“It concerns sponsors, especially close to our Yotsuba family.”
205“Is it about His Excellency Toudou? Although I only know his name...” “Ara, you're right.”
206Maya was a little surprised, but immediately nodded with an emotional smile on her
207face.
208"Then the conversation will be short.”
209Maya wet her throat with green tea. When she returned the cup to the
210table, Hayama immediately replaced a new one for her."The condition is that Tatsuya-san has to explain this to His Excellency Toudou what
211we have just discussed, and to persuade him to give his permission to do so. I'll
212arrange a meeting with His Excellency.”
213“Understood. I'm sorry to bother you.”
214Without showing any apprehension, Tatsuya bowed in a sign of consent.
215"But since we need to make some preparations in FLT, let's define an action plan.
216How about Friday, in four days, at 10 o'clock in the morning?”
217“I don't have any plans, so I don't mind.”
218After all these events, Tatsuya’s schedule both as a student, and as a developer,
219and as a special officer, was empty. He therefore accepted in an instant to
220Maya’s proposal.
221“The press conference will be postponed if His Excellency will not be able to meet in
222the near future. And if you can't get His Excellency's consent, it will be canceled.”
223"It's inevitable, I understand.”
224“Yes.”
225Maya nodded with a smile, looking at the demonstration of submission by Tatsuya.
226As soon as the meeting with Maya was over, Tatsuya went back to the villa in Izu. He
227originally did not plan to stay there, but no one was going to hold him.
228Since the new year the attitude of the servants to Tatsuya has changed a lot.
229However, due to the fact that he was very seldom in the main house, respect was
230extremely scant.
231“— ... Tatsuya-san does not seem to care at all.”Sitting in her office, which was her "personal space", Maya unwittingly said part of her
232thoughts aloud.
233A nearby Hayama had heard her words.
234But he didn't comment on the muttering Maya, and just put a cup of tea in front of her.
235"Hayama-san..." “Yes, Madam?”
236Although by Maya's voice it was possible to think that she was talking to herself,
237but Hayama answered her calling voice without panic or confusion.
238“What do you think about it... About what Tatsuya-san told us?”
239“— Speaking of the story of Tatsuya, do you mean the question of the vow? Or is it
240about the press conference?”
241“I speak about both questions... Right, first I'd like to hear Hayama-san's opinion
242about the abolishment of the Vow.”
243"Yes, indeed... In my humble opinion, this will not cause any particular
244problems.”
245“The printing itself was removed, but there will be no problems?”
246Maya asked Hayama with unconcealed surprise in her voice.
247“With all due respect, but was not the role of the Vow completed when Tatsuya
248became the groom of the next Head-sama?
249“— but wasn’t his seal intended to insure obedience to the Yotsuba family?”
250“I know. But madam. I dare say it rudely, but you seriously think that it is
251necessary to fear the current Tatsuya’s magic going out of control?”“A complete vow withdrawal. This means that Tatsuya can now at any
252given time, 24 hours a day show all 100% of his magical abilities. This
253means that he can freely use Material Burst.”
254“Initially Tatsuya’s power was sealed out of fear of uncontrollable activation of
255Material Burst.”
256Anger, sadness, hatred, if only one of these arises and the boy could in turn instantly
257attack any point of the world with magic, the destructive power of which surpasses any
258strategic nuclear missile. Even if the Earth itself is not destroyed, all sentient beings on
259it will be easily destroyed. And people are no exception.
260To prevent such a situation, the Yotsuba family sealed the force of Tatsuya.
261But the seal was not complete. The Yotsuba family did not renounce the power with
262which only one person can confront the whole world. They valued this power.
263By conducting a pre-determined procedure, Tatsuya could temporarily gain the ability
264to use the Material Burst at his own discretion.
265The seal of the vow was needed to prevent the impulsive use of destructive magic by
266Tatsuya, regardless of its intentions. It was installed in case he could not control his
267magic.
268But the vow connected not only Tatsuya’s magic abilities.
269The binding spell on Tatsuya was designed to use the magic power of Miyuki. To keep
270the power of Tatsuya sealed, so the vow consumed a large amount of Miyuki’s power.
271The vow is not needed when Tatsuya can hold his magic under the control of his
272will.
273“We can say that the vow was not "not necessary", but rather a harmful thing that
274reduced the fighting power of the Yotsuba family, suppressing the forces of two
275powerful magicians, Tatsuya and Miyuki.”
276Maya received from Hayama a rather unexpected question, and could not
277immediately answer it.“The ability of Tatsuya in the management of magic is such that it competes for first or
278second place in the entire Yotsuba. We can say that it is the highest level in the whole
279world.”
280“— ... Right. At least he's taller than me.”
281Hayama neither confirmed nor refuted Maya’s assessment.
282“As long as no misfortune comes to Miyuki-sama, the magic of Tatsuya-sama will not
283get out of control.”
284"And if something happens to Miyuki-san, the vow will not stop the riot of magic... that is
285what Hayama-san is trying to say?”“You're right. Therefore, I believe that the Yotsuba family should protect Miyuki-sama
286by any means. I apologize for my cheeky words.”
287“I understand. It's a fact.”
288Maya reached for a cup of tea, but halfway removed her hand and sighed deeply.
289“To have too much force, indeed, is troublesome. If we want to use it, after all, it will be
290an abuse for us. And if we want to isolate it, we won't be able to ignore it anyway.”
291“We cannot say that there is no real threat. To compromise, to betray oblivion or
292surrender? If we do not select the force that is the source of the threat, then surrender
293to the enemy is only a temporary solution.”
294“You're right, Hayama-san. As long as the enemy is not devoid of strength,
295surrender is not a solution. But if this force is inseparable from the enemy's
296essence, there is no other choice but to destroy it.”
297"But it's only in case you can't compromise, right?"
298“It is quite common opinion that the search for compromises is one of the options
299for postponing problems... But in our case it will be quite difficult, isn't it? Because
300the threat of this magic is exposed to all countries of the world.”
301“Do you think that there will be people planning to kill Tatsuya-sama?”
302While Hayama asked, he replaced the contents of the tea cup.
303“I think that there are already some forces that have reached the phase
304of practical execution.”
305Taking the cup in hand, Maya said this before touching her lips.
306“It's a pretty big deal.”
307Maya lateral vision caught the expression on Hayama’s face. Contrary to Maya's
308expectations, Hayama was not smiling. Maya felt that she should somehow change
309the object."But Tatsuya-san can't be killed, is it?"
310“I think so. Tatsuya is almost immortal. However, Miyuki is not.”
311Maya put the tea cup on the table so abruptly that there was a loud ringing.
312“— ... What happens if Miyuki-san falls under an assassination attempt aimed at Tatsuya-
313san?”
314"I believe that the people of the Yotsuba family should try to avoid this possibility by all
315means.”
316After answering Hayama, Maya plunged into silence.
317“Miyuki is protected by Tatsuya like no other. Even now they are in different places,
318this is not a hindrance to Tatsuya. Tatsuya’s protection is effective from any
319distance.”
320Magical ability that can dissipate the very essence of magic, that is his sequence of
321magic.
322And another ability that can cancel fatal injuries until the person has died.
323Maya felt relieved when she reminded herself that Miyuki was safe because she was
324protected by Tatsuya.
325But it is obvious that Tatsuya is not all-powerful.
326The victory in the battle with Juumonji Katsuto was not easy.
327Tatsuya was unable to neutralize the protective version of the Phalanx. It is able to dispel
328any sequence of magic, but it does not mean that it can neutralize any magic.
329To defeat Katsuto, Tatsuya had to use a physical attack in the form of a neutron
330beam.
331It is impossible to protect from a neutron beam, because simultaneously with
332irradiation, the use of a neutron barrier is impossible. But you can evade it. In addition,"Baryon Lance" is a magic that puts a lot of strain on Tatsuya’s magic calculation area,
333so if it is dodged, it creates a serious gap in his defense.
334Tatsuya himself will never die, no matter how he is attacked. However, it is not safe to
335say that there will be no cases of getting such an attack, from which he won’t be able to
336protect Miyuki, because this will give him a fatal trauma. Perhaps a magician capable of
337making such an attack exists somewhere in this world.
338No, not "possible." Tatsuya received heavy damage, losing one hand from the cannon of
339charged particles from Angie Sirius. ... Although with modern regenerative medicine, it
340would eventually recover even without his superpower "Regrowth".
341In addition, Tatsuya was unable to neutralize the "Tuman Bomba" in the Soya Strait.
342And the reason was not because he was remotely kneeling from the base of
343Kasumigaura. Also, he would have been defeated by Katsuto if he hadn't prepared
344Baryon Lance in advance.
345“— ... Hayama-san wants to say that the protection of Tatsuya-san leads to the
346protection of Miyuki-san, and that, in addition leads to the fact that the magic of Tatsuya-
347san will not get out of control?”
348"I think that even in a sealed state, Tatsuya will never be defeated. However, does the
349limitation of Tatsuya-sama’s power, limiting his ability to protect Miyuki-sama not
350contradict the original goal to prevent the rampage of Material Burst?”
351“True... You may be right, Hayama-san.”
352Maya relaxed her shoulders and leaned back in the chair.
353“If you consider the ability of Tatsuya-san, who does not allow his magic to go out of
354control, the limitation of force can be said to give a reverse effect.”
355Hayama respectfully bowed to Maya.
356“Well. I give my permission to destroy the Vow.”
357“Do not "Ignore", but "Allow".”Hayama slightly raised his eyebrows with surprise.
358"Mitsugu-san and Touka-san can raise some noise on this, but if it goes too far, I'll talk to
359them myself to convince them.
360"As you will. I will try not to bother Madame with this question as much
361as possible.”
362“Yes, thank you.”
363Thus, Maya and Hayama finished with the theme of willfully removing the
364seal on Tatsuya.
365“By the way, what do you think about "Project ESCAPES"?”
366“It's amazing.”
367After hearing Hayama’s voice filled with unexpected emotions, Maya turned to him in
368surprise. The person standing next to Maya, Hayama, looked the same as his words
369indicated.
370“You really appreciate it, don't you?”
371"Project Dione by Edward Clark was an idealistic project that the responsible
372magician has difficulty resisting.”
373“— Indeed, it is difficult to go against what is positioned as the dream of all
374mankind.”
375If humankind adheres to the current growth rate, it will sooner or later be faced with
376problems such as limited space on earth and a lack of resources. A plan to address this
377issue has been presented.
378It was stated that this requires the power of magic, and it is impossible to refuse
379cooperation. Even if it is necessary to sacrifice the lives of magicians, if they renounce
380it, they will be called traitors of humanity.
381Regardless of the success or failure of the project."However, Tatsuya’s project itself demonstrates another solution. Let it be a fair, it
382direct opposes the idea of Edward Clark.”
383“As for the grandiosity, the plan of Tatsuya-san is a couple of steps inferior to "Project
384Dione".”
385Maya seemed to think Hayama overestimated the proposed plan by Tatsuya.
386So she ironically objected to the words of Hayama.
387“I mean, it's more realistic.”
388But Hayama did not praise the plan of Tatsuya in a burst of feelings.
389“It seems that capital owners prefer to invest in cases that show more
390realistic prospects.”
391It seems that he first of all assessed the effectiveness of the plan as a means
392of retaliation.
393“— ... Theoretically, it is.”
394With a slight sense of unwillingness to admit her defeat, Maya agreed with the
395opinion of Hayama.
396"As Madam said, the chance of success of a fairy tale, which is a pipe dream, is rather
397low. But it benefits from the power of persuasion from the assistance provided by other
398countries.”
399"It would be good if His Excellency decided the same.”
400“Can Tatsuya persuade Toudou Aoba? It all depends on whether Tatsuya can
401overcome this deadlock.”
402“By the way, Madam.”This time Hayama changed the subject, not answering the muttering Maya.
403“What is it?”
404“— as I mentioned before, I do not think that a compromise is impossible.”
405“— in the question of the Tatsuya-san’s magic threatening the whole world?”
406“Yes. Tatsuya-sama earlier said that he did not deny the possibility of getting
407magicians themselves. If Tatsuya-sama will act not individually, but on an equal basis
408with representatives of the State, there will be no need for compromise.”
409On the same day, when a mysterious man revealed the identity of Taurus Silver.
410From the very morning the media stormed the entrance of First high. Classes started
411earlier than they appeared, so there would be no pupils caught on the way to school,
412who would be surrounded and have microphones waved before them. But by the
413beginning of the second lesson, both the main and service gates were completely
414crammed with the employees of various mass media companies.
415The reporters requested materials on Tatsuya, but the school rejected all requests.
416Given the importance of protecting the privacy of the minor, as he did not commit
417anything illegal, it is natural that it did not sound that he does not attend school.
418Despite the refusal to issue information, the media did not give up. No, that seems to
419have been unimportant from the start, whether the school will allow it or not. Even
420when the morning half of the classes ended, and a lunch break came, a crowd of
421journalists still captivated the whole neighborhood around the school.
422"They're still here..." “It seems even more of them have shown up.”
423On the words of Izumi, watching the main gate of the school from the window of the
424school board, an exhausted voice answered her in Kasumi, also observing the situation
425on the street.
426"The back gate is full of reporters..." added Honoka with a timid voice. She could see the
427situation outside, sitting in her place, because she directed the light rays to her field ofview. In fact, it was a violation of school rules about unauthorized use of magic, but here
428and now no one was going to complain.
429“It's going to be a problem when everyone goes home from school.” A frowning
430Miyuki murmured.
431“Should we call the police?”
432Miyuki slightly shook her head at the offer of Shizuku.
433"Let the teachers think about it. We cannot make such decisions ourselves.”“Understood.”
434It was just a fleeting idea, and Shizuku didn't cling to it.
435“But President, I think we will not be able to reach our house safely only by our
436efforts...” with a helpless expression on her face, Shiina turned to Miyuki. If Saburou
437was here, he wouldn't have any qualms to say something like, "I will protect you," to
438cheer Shiina up, but it looks like he was having trouble communicating with the
439school board, so he stayed away from this room.”
440When Shiina said, "only by her own efforts," she naturally hinted that they would not
441use magic. Theoretically, magic can be used for self-defense. But the definition of the
442legality of using magic for self-defense was greatly hampered. If press freedom is used
443as a shield, even though they are minors, the likelihood that the use of magic is
444legitimate will be rather low. In so-called "experts" there was still a deep rooted evil,
445which sees "journalism" as something sacred.
446Miyuki, apparently, also feared it.
447"We need to think about some countermeasures.” She answered with a serious
448expression of her face.
449Needless to say, the First High School was not the only place where the media
450was. Many reporters also crowded near the work place of Taurus Silver, the
451office of Four Leaves Technology. There were a lot of reporters, openly
452recording everything on camera, because there was no need to pay attention
453to the privacy of minors. If they were not involved in the media, they could be
454suspected of interfering in official business.
455However, after noon in this frantic activity to gather information came a break.
456But it happened not because common sense woke up in journalists and reporters.
457Two o'clock in the afternoon. The media received a response from FLT with the consent
458to provide information.
459“— ... In four days we will hold a press conference by Taurus Silver. It will be held on
460Friday at 10 o'clock in the morning in this building on the first floor, so today we ask youto leave. Those who do not leave this place will be refused to visit the press conference.
461In addition, if there are complaints about the collection of information not only from the
462staff of our firm, but also from students of the First High School, the attendant will also
463be refused to visit.”
464After a young office worker in charge of public relations appeared, a loud voice
465announced the decision, immediately among the press here were those who
466objected to it. In general, they only, in varying degrees, expressed frustration, but the
467reason behind the shouting was roughly the same.
468"This is a violation of press freedom!”
469It was a boilerplate phrase. However unexpected it was, the journalists stopped their
470onslaught.
471They probably thought about what would happen if the press conference was
472canceled if they were going to have a riot.
473Most reporters realized that instead of trying to set up other companies, it would be
474better to secure their share at the same time.
475The journalists gathered in the main office of FLT, exchanging informal phrases with
476each other, eventually dispersing, without causing disturbances.
477The office of the Development manager at FLT headquarters. This room was the
478personal office of Tatsuya and Miyuki’s Father, Shiba Tatsurou. Nominally, Tatsurou
479was the largest shareholder and had a luxury office, which was even bigger than the
480director of the company.
481In this room Tatsurou now received a representative of the true owners of FLT, sent
482from the main house of Yotsuba.
483“Good work in counteracting the media.”
484A young man who was about 25 years old, though thanking Tatsurou with a polite
485tone, still looked like looking down on him.
486“No, I just gave a couple of instructions to public relations.”Tatsurou could not fail to feel disgusted by the fact that he must obey some guy, who is
48720 years younger than him. But he didn't show it in any way. Regardless of who the
488representative is, Tatsurou did not have the courage to show disobedience to the main
489family here.
490"How humble. But it was a pretty fine regulation of the issue. Please continue in the
491same vein and make the necessary preparations so that there are no extra problems
492on Friday.”
493“You can rely on me.”
494“Excellent. Good day, then.”
495Nodding, Hanabishi Hyougo wanted to leave the office.
496“— ... I'd like to ask you something.”
497When he had already turned around to go to the exit, Tatsurou hesitated to call him.
498“What is it?" Hyougo asked, turning with a slight smile on his face. Tatsurou averted his
499eyes from Hyougo’s face. He did not ask Tatsurou to hurry up and waited silently. When
500the second hand of the clock managed to make half the turn, Tatsurou finally overcame
501his hesitation and spoke.
502“What is the main family planning to do with this child?”
503“This child? Maybe you're talking about Tatsuya.”
504Tatsurou’s lips trembled, and he could not answer the question of Hyougo. It was
505as if his throat and tongue were unable to work adequately now.
506“So it is about him? Sorry, but since I'm a young and an inexperienced beginner, I
507can't figure out what thoughts our head has on him.”
508In this polite tone, there was a contempt that said "you're even lower than this
509rookie." Tatsurou figured it out and started to get out of it.“In addition, Tatsuya-sama is the groom of the next Head-sama. Tatsurou-dono, with
510your role, it's not something that you should care about.”
511"B-but I am his father!”
512Tatsurou raised his voice maybe because he neglected the feelings of the parent to the
513child, or because he could not endure humiliation.
514“I know that. What's the matter?”
515But whatever he answered, Hyougo did not give meaning to the words of Tatsurou.
516“When it was decided that Miyuki-sama will be the next head, and Tatsuya-sama will
517become her fiancé, the role of Tatsurou-dono was fulfilled. Isn't that good?”
518“W-what...” “I thought Tatsurou-dono didn't like Tatsuya-sama? But now you
519don't have to behave like a parent or a child anymore?”
520Tatsurou could not object to Hyougo.
521“Then, I will give one piece of advice. Miyuki is your daughter, but Tatsuya is not your
522son. The real mother of Tatsuya-sama is our head-sama. And the real father of
523Tatsuya--is not you, Tatsurou-dono.”
524This was the story that Maya invented to marry Tatsuya and Miyuki. But now
525everything went to the fact that this lie will become the truth.
526“If Tatsurou-dono showed his love in the role of the parent of Tatsuya-san, the main
527family would respect these bonds. But you rejected Tatsuya. The current relationship
528should be what Tatsurou-dono wanted.”
529Tatsurou had no arguments. He could not object to what Hyougo said.
530The number of people surrounding First High school was significantly reduced by the
531end of the afternoon half of the lessons. But about half of them still remained at that time.This does not mean that they have abandoned their collection of information. This was
532due to the fact that the employee of FLT voiced the threat "Those who cause problems for
533First High School will not be permitted to attend the press conference."
534In other words, almost half of journalists and reporters did not succumb to
535these threats. Perhaps most of them just didn't get the instructions associated
536with it.
537Despite the fact that their number was halved, it was still enough to scare the
538students.
539This time there were no magicians among the crowd of journalists around of First
540High. For students of First High, capable of using magic, it was strange to fear
541"ordinary people", unable to use magic. Among the "ordinary people" most thought so.
542Indeed, if the Students of First High use all their power, if they "commit an act of
543violence", they could easily throw away all these journalists. But as a result, they will be
544declared criminals and expelled from society. But even if it is so successful that they are
545not blamed now, it is easy to imagine a future in which they are afraid, hated and
546suspended from them.
547The first school students understood that they had no other choice but to live in human
548society. It was a fear of 'pen violence' that could take away their future, where they live
549peacefully as members of society.
550“We can't just break through with force, right?”
551"Kasumi-chan, don't say such dangerous phrases.”
552“That's why I asked if we can't.”
553Answering Izumi, Kasumi again looked at the open space in front of the school gates.
554They stood at the beginning of a straight road leading from the school yard to the school
555gate. They hid from the journalists behind a tree and looked at the situation outside.
556“Is... Ah, Miyuki-sempai.”Noticing Miyuki coming out of the school building, Izumi interrupted the conversation
557with Kasumi. Kasumi continued to watch the media, and Shiina, hidden behind these
558two, timidly looked at the situation outside, but after the words of Izumi they looked
559towards the school building.
560“Miyuki-Sempai, how are you doing?” Izumi asked when Miyuki, who was
561accompanied by Minami, approached a distance close enough for dialogue.
562“Unfortunately, the director wants to avoid police intervention.”
563In the voice of Miyuki, responding to Izumi, there was no pity, but a confession that
564everything turned out as everyone thought. The point was that the school did not plan to
565deal with the media.
566"Then do we have to be obedient to the hands of the reporters...?" Shiina, who had
567such a face as if she was now crying, was anxiously asking Miyuki.
568“I think that people from the media will not do anything wrong...”
569The voice of Miyuki lacked confidence. Honest reporters will not use force. But among
570these reporters could well be present fanatical supporters of the anti-magic movement.
571“Miyuki.”
572Honoka, who was going to them through the school yard, called Miyuki. Followed
573by Shizuku and Mikihiko.
574“Honoka, how's the back gate?”
575“Bad. The crowd is such that you cannot slip through.”
576"There are even people among them who feel clearly evil. In my opinion, it would be
577better to refuse the use of the rear gate.” Mikihiko added after Honoka’s answer. Shizuku
578nodded in support of the words of Mikihiko.“President.”
579The Chairman of the club management group Igarashi, as well as Tomitsuka, Takuma
580and Saburou, who was not supposed to have a connection with the club management
581group, were approached from the opposite side of Honoka.
582“Chairman Igarashi.”
583Miyuki turned around, hearing the voice of Igarashi. Despite the fact that they are
584already been familiar enough, Igarashi froze.
585Tomitsuka, who was more resistant to the beauty of Miyuki than Igarashi, spoke instead
586of him. But the one worried most of all here were not Tomitsuka and Takuma, but Saburo.
587He did not even look towards Miyuki, but immediately rushed to Shiina, asking, "Are you
588alright?".
589“We have notified all clubs about termination of activity. Everyone should now be
590ready to go home at any time.”
591“Thank you for your work." Miyuki responded with gratitude to Tomitsuka’s
592report."But what do we do, President?" Even if we go home with the whole crowd, students
593will still be caught... Maybe we should mobilize the guys from the sports clubs to build
594walls.”
595"You can't make living shields out of fellow students. That is gender discrimination,
596Shippou-kun.” Miyuki politely rejected the kind guys idea of Takuma.
597Shizuku considered Takuma’s offer "A good idea", so showed a dissatisfied person after
598the words of Miyuki. But among those who did not support the idea of Takuma, there
599were no other ideas, and all sent their views to Miyuki in the hope of receiving further
600guidance.
601Miyuki deeply sighed, seeing that she was being given the views of her classmates
602standing in the school yard, hiding behind the alley trees so that they could not be seen
603from the school gates.
604But instead of complaining about them, she resigned herself to the idea
605of "nothing can be done."
606“— ... I'll talk to them.”
607"You, Miyuki-Sempai!" Izumi shouted with surprise.
608“Yes. I'll ask the media people to go home.”
609“It's dangerous!”
610“I'm against it, too.”After Izumi, Shizuku also tried to stop Miyuki. Since Shizuku was not
611as overexcited as Izumi, she was more convincing for Miyuki.
612“I don't want to do it myself, but can I just stand here and do nothing? I'm the
613President of the school board.”
614"But Miyuki and Tatsuya-san have a special relationship.”
615“Right. That's why I should.”
616“It’s the opposite.”
617“The opposite?”
618"They have certainly studied the available data and know that Miyuki is a former sister
619and now a bride of Tatsuya-san. It would not be difficult for the media to find out.”
620Shizuku gave an unusually long speech for her in talkativeness. She probably felt
621the impending danger that Miyuki would come out to the reporters.“Do you realize that's not normal? If it aggravates the situation, it will not only be
622your problem, Miyuki.”
623“— ... Are you saying this could lead to a worsening of the reputation of all
624magicians in general?”
625“I do not want to admit it, but the probability of this is not equal to zero.”
626Miyuki’s mood worsened. In a sense, she was guilty of her engagement to
627Tatsuya.
628Although Shizuku noticed this, she was not going to retreat. But Honoka and
629Mikihiko, standing nearby, were very nervous.
630"The sense of responsibility for Miyuki can be understood. But this time it is better
631to stop.”
632Kitayama Ushio, father of Shizuku, is the owner of a large group of companies. When it
633came to Ushio, even the media hampered, and calls for open attacks became rare. But
634he was always cautious in counteracting the media.
635Perhaps it was because of her father's image because she could not consider it. It
636seems that Shizuku assessed the power of the media so high that she was the most
637afraid out of anyone present here."Even if you say so...”
638Now it is a situation where nothing can be done. Of course, Miyuki was going to
639continue with her initial idea. But she suddenly sent her gaze behind the backs of the
640reporters, and froze in that position.
641“— ... Miyuki-Sempai?”
642Ignoring the voice of Izumi, Miyuki continued to look in that direction, with round eyes.
643The voice of Izumi simply did not reach her consciousness.
644Feeling amiss, everyone looked where Miyuki looked. Carefully coming closer, the
645rest also realized that a car is approaching.
646"Is it really...?" Honoka muttered. She's not the only one who knew who was
647approaching in this car.
648Suddenly Miyuki tried to run to the school gate. But Minami stopped her, grabbing her
649arm from behind.
650Miyuki was surprised. She regained her self-control, and she realized that she
651had forgotten. Miyuki smiled at Minami, and she let go of her hand and bowed.
652Miyuki went calmly and Minami followed her.
653Honoka and Shizuku, Kasumi and Izumi, Shiina and Saburou, each pair
654exchanged views, and they all went after Miyuki and Minami.The last ones left were Mikihiko. Tomitsuka and Takuma, who remained in the
655school yard without going out to the gate.
656The journalists, reporters and operators gathered at the school gates noticed the
657approach of the electric vehicle and freed the road. Recently, the police liked to arrest
658people for obstructing road traffic. Although this is a minor violation, it clearly is an illegal
659act, so it will be difficult for the media to file a complaint.
660If you are lucky, they can get inside when the electric car will enter. They had such
661assumptions.
662The electric car stopped in front of the school gates.
663With a little delay after that, from the other side of the gate came Miyuki and the rest. Few
664of the reporters and journalists noticed them. The man who came out of the electric
665vehicle caused a lot of noise among the mass media representatives.
666“— ... Why...?
667Swallowing the phrase "Onii-sama", Miyuki said only that. The one who came out of
668the electric vehicle’s driver’s seat was Tatsuya.
669"You are Shiba Tatsuya-san, aren't you?"
670For media representatives, the appearance of Tatsuya now was quite unexpected. Tatsuya
671was dressed in the uniform of First High and did not use any means of disguise or
672concealment of his face. If it was a reporter who had already studied data on Tatsuya, he
673would have unerringly recognized him by his appearance. But by the tone of the reporter,
674who first spoke to Tatsuya, it was evident that he doubted himself.“Yes, it is.”
675Tatsuya answered in a calm voice. He had a natural tone of voice, and he had no
676impression that he was pretending not to understand what was going on.
677“— ... Is it true that you are Taurus silver?”
678The reporter for a moment was discouraged by this imperturbability, which showed that
679most likely, an interview will not work, but he quickly pulled himself together and
680demonstrated his excellent ability to be arrogant.
681“I thought we had already talked to the press?”
682Tatsuya’s response was neither "Yes" nor "no"
683“On Friday in the main office of FLT, a press conference will be held by Taurus Silver.
684If in doubt, go ask yourself.”
685The voice of Tatsuya was loud enough to be heard not only by reporters, surrounded
686with microphones, but also by everyone else. Including from the farthest ranges.
687Including even those who stood on the other side of the closed school gates.
688“A press conference? They decided to do it...”
689The mumbling that came from Mikihiko was half admiring and half shocked.
690Miyuki stood motionless with wide open eyes, and covered her mouth with her hand.Tatsuya looked at Miyuki. Even if he hadn't heard the voice of Mikihiko, he already
691knew that Miyuki and the rest were behind the gate.
692"Please clear the way."
693Tatsuya appealed to a group of journalists huddled around the gates of the school. He
694did not shout and did not even speak with an elevated voice. This voice has absolutely
695no pressure.
696But despite this, the surrounding journalists and reporters retreated back,
697standing unsolidly on their feet.
698But some of them still remained standing before Tatsuya, blushing with shame for their
699weakness.
700“So you're Taurus Silver!”
701“Excuse me, who are you?”
702Tatsuya responded with an indifferent voice to this allegation.
703“What?”
704It seems that his question for the Bonin journalist was something unexpected.
705However, he looked foolish only for a few seconds, then he came to himself, and he
706proudly announced the name of one of the major newspaper on which he works.
707“Clear. But if you're not a single journalist, you should have heard from your
708company.”“What was there to hear!?”
709The journalist was about 30 years old. Of course, he did not like that a young guy who
710is younger than him for more than 10 years, behaving so unsuitable. He asked Tatsuya
711in an aggressive manner.
712In the eyes of Tatsuya, looking at this journalist, there was no irritation, no anger, no
713contempt, no pity. In other words, it was a sight equivalent to looking at someone on the
714side of the road.
715Seeing this view, the journalist did not fall into the frenzy, but trembled. The journalist
716looked at Tatsuya like he was a creepy creature belonging to another species. If
717someone had met a harmless man, but then found out that the man was actually
718different from him, he would have had a similar view, as the journalist now has.
719“Those organizations that receive complaints about interrogating students from First
720High will be denied admission to the Taurus Silver press conference. FLT should have
721alerted them.”
722The wave of confusion spread to the press officers gathered here. Apparently, half of
723those present didn't even hear what Tatsuya said.
724“It's only four days. I think waiting so long will not be considered a violation of the
725freedom of the press.”
726The words of Tatsuya did not convince the journalists. But stubborn objections did not
727follow.
728Because before they started swearing, they heard a loud clap.This clap was the sound of the shot. The screeching scream of one of the female
729reporters was followed.
730The reporter that interrogated Tatsuya fell, landing on his ass. Tatsuya noticed that
731someone was going to shoot, so he pushed the reporter out of the trajectory of the
732bullet.
733Tatsuya stood with his back to the journalist. As if in slow motion, he instantly
734turned around and caught a bullet with his hand.
735After that he pried his left hand’s fist open. A pistol bullet fell out of it.
736Reporters standing next to Tatsuya froze, looking at this scene. Some of the
737reporters noticed that Tatsuya was wearing black gloves, but it still didn't explain
738anything. Even if you wear high-performance bulletproof gloves, they won't catch a
739bullet.
740The crowd of journalists, reporters and operators turned chaotic. People with
741panicking cries tried to escape from the killer with a pistol, resulting in them crushing
742each other. Some stumbled and fell, but the rest, whether they were comrades or
743rivals, were fleeing and just trampled and kicked the fallen.
744The killer didn't even look at the runaway reporters. Bloodshot eyes looked only
745at Tatsuya.
746Clutching a pistol in his hand, he kept shooting at Tatsuya
747There were several sounds of shots in a row. Tatsuya caught all the flying
748bullets.
749Needless to say, it was not a simple trick.
750Releasing the magic of Decomposition in all directions, Tatsuya did not destroy the
751bullets themselves, rather he dispelled their momentum (vector) moving it forward.By the way, if you try to Decompose too much, then at the point of exposure, an anti-
752acting force occurs. This will not reduce the damage to the hand from the bullet and
753would not lessen as if it was a physical impact.
754But from the beginning, it is necessary to mention, that decomposition of impulse of
755a flying bullet without application of external influence is not a physical
756"phenomenon". The "Information" that the "bullet pulse dissipates" existed not only
757at the point of impact, but also in the entire surrounding space. As a result, the
758bullets that flew to the palm of Tatsuya had already practically stopped.
759But the essence of this could only be felt by magicians. Hid amongst the
760journalists, a terrorist from the anti-magic movement panicked, seeing with his own
761eyes such a physically impossible phenomenon as a man "Catching bullets".
762Even after the shutter stopped moving back (that is, the cartridges ended), he still kept
763Tatsuya in sight and continued to pull the trigger convulsively.Tatsuya did not try to grab the terrorist, though he clearly lost his mind and had plenty
764of open places to attack. This was because he wanted to show the journalists and
765reporters that he was being attacked, not the other way around.
766Tatsuya’s eyes looked at the clownery with a senseless pull of the trigger, but his
767consciousness was occupied with vigilance against possible accomplices. But at this
768point there were no signs of the appearance of other attackers.
769“Looks like it was a single criminal.” Coming to this conclusion, Tatsuya went to this
770terrorist.
771That man had a bizarre cry. It is not known whether it was possible to call it a cry,
772because the people who did not see this man, would confuse it with howling stray
773dog. or the "Howling of an injured person" *.
774[“Loser, Loser, loser, loser” such words were used. But literally it translates to "Losing
775dog". In English, there is also an analogue with a similar value: "Underdog ".]
776Tatsuya made the second step, walking with the usual walking gait. The man threw the
777gun to Tatsuya, when the cartridge was empty. Tatsuya did not even shirk, and the gun
778just flew past him.
779Already shouting something more similar to the human language, the terrorist put
780his right hand in his pocket and took out a short knife.
781It was the so-called Bonder Knife, where the grip of the blade was in the hand while the
782blade protrudes forward out of the fist. Wearing this was completely illegal, but after
783using the gun it was silly to think about this.
784Although he had a short blade, the length was enough to kill a man.
785Nevertheless, Tatsuya has made the third step, completely ignoring this blade.
786Taking another step, they would have been at arm's length between them.
787But this last step was made by this man, a terrorist. He poised a stab at Tatsuya's belly.Although it was a surprise for him that it was not in the face, he dodged the blow,
788leaving the body to the right. At the same time he grabbed the left hand of the man
789behind the wrist of his right hand and pulled it, returning the body back.
790The man lost his balance and fell.
791At this point, finally, a guard working for First High appeared. He slightly opened the
792gate and climbed into the resulting gap. Naturally, there were no crazy journalists,
793who decided to take advantage of such a chance to get in to the territory of the
794school.
795The guard rushed into place. Prior to the arrival of the guard Tatsuya stood there,
796stepping on the compressive bonder knife in the right hand of the man.
797Among the concerned media staff, there was a noise of voices trying to understand what
798had happened.
799“Was that magic just now?”
800"There is no way.”
801Talk about this thought was heard from different directions. Everyone was surprised by
802the fact that Tatsuya caught a criminal without magic. In fact, he used magic when
803catching the bullets, but the sensors available to those people were unable to detect
804the magic of Tatsuya.
805The magician was catching bullets, not using magic, and defused a man with a knife
806without getting any wounds. Reporters, operators and journalists were all frozen and
807stood there, unable to understand.
808Tatsuya took advantage of this hitch, penetrated the school gates and brought Miyuki
809and Minami to the car. He seated them near the rear seats, sat down on the driver's
810seat, and drove the car. The reporters reflexively disembarked from the road, letting
811them pass.
812“— ... Onii-sama, when did you get the right?”Miyuki had a lot of things to ask, but the first thing she asked was a relatively
813unimportant question.
814There are also other conditions for obtaining driving rights in addition to reaching the
815age of 18. But unlike in past times, there is now an opportunity to circumvent these
816limitations. If there is a need to perform work duties, and there is a guarantee from the
817employer, then, as in the case of the rights to a motorcycle, the right to control a car
818can be obtained after the completion of compulsory education. For example, Katsuto
819got the right to manage a conventional car immediately after admission to First High,
820under the pretext of the need to work in a construction company managed by the
821Juumonji family. These rights are only necessary for management to be a passenger,
822they are not needed. However, the certification exam is much more difficult than usual.
823Tatsuya did not use this exception. His work as Taurus Silver is a secret (now we can
824already say "was a secret"), so he could not fulfill the condition of "Employer's
825guarantee".
826He got it right after he moved to Izu. After all, the machine is much more
827convenient in most cases.
828"I didn't even know... You could have told me. Onii-sama is so secretive.”
829“Ha-ha, I'm sorry.”
830Tatsuya turned to the cute, resentful Miyuki, and apologized. Of course, he could
831afford to do this because the car was driving autopilot. After such a minded response,
832Miyuki finally felt relieved.
833“— ... But why did you come to pick me up? Why take the risk and appear
834before the media?”
835"Because I thought that Miyuki, as the President of the School Council, would not be
836able to resist any action. I couldn't afford to burden you with such tedious things.”
837“Onii-sama...”
838Miyuki, as usual, made an enthusiastic face, and on Minami’s face was an
839unnaturally completely disappeared expression.“So, what was your real goal?”
840When Miyuki asked about the real intentions of Tatsuya, her voice was still slightly
841intoxicated with delight. Minami’s eyes opened wide and blinked because she was
842frightened by the loud sound of a dove. She did not expect that Miyuki would doubt
843the words of Tatsuya.
844“That hurt. I didn't lie.”
845Unlike the contents of the phrase, the voice of Tatsuya was cheerful.
846“But it's not just that, is it?”
847Miyuki also spoke with a smile, but she did not feel deceived at all.
848“I had a goal to warn the media. To tell them, that if they will continue to be
849unceremoniously here and sniff around, then in the future they will not be able to
850receive important information. Another goal was also to show that I am not afraid of
851the media. But the main thing was getting rid of the troubles that bothered First High,
852and thus to reduce the load on the Miyuki.
853“— ... I got it. Now I understand.”
854Implying in the answer that she "did not understand anything ", Miyuki just gave up.
855As expected by Tatsuya, the reporters surrounding First High disappeared. It can't be
856said that it was "fast", but 30 minutes after Tatsuya’s electric car left, all reporters and
857journalists had already dispersed.
858There were no reporters who pretended to be gone, and hid themselves and caught the
859passing pupils to pry the information. Therefore, pupils of First High (and working
860staff) were able to return home safely from school.
861After all, the threat of losing the invitation to Taurus Silver’s press conference
862proved to be effective.Taking Miyuki to her new home in Chofu, and having received this information
863from an observer of First High, Tatsuya returned to Izu. Those who watched First
864High was not Tatsuya himself. But he had connections with those who
865orchestrated the surveillance.
866Returning to Izu, Tatsuya met with his information provider, who returned before
867him and waited for him in the villa's living room.
868“Hyougo-san, today you have taken good care of various affairs.”
869“Tatsuya, you have also worked well today.”
870Hyougo stood opposite of the chair Tatsuya sat on. Naturally, Tatsuya was not going to
871get up, and Hyougo stubbornly was not going to sit down. In addition, Tatsuya called
872him "Hyougo-san" Not because they befriended, but to distinguish him from his father,
873who, like Hyogo, is the butler of the Yotsuba family.
874“No, I just took Miyuki. Yes, thanks for the info on the attacker.”
875By the information about the attacker, he meant the case where the terrorist shot at
876Tatsuya. To be honest, Tatsuya was informed in advance by Hyougo that among the
877crowd of the First High reporters, murderers could hide.
878“Everything went well?”
879“Yes. Although it was unexpected that he was the only one.”
880“To make sure Miyuki did not get wounded by stray bullets, we had taken care of them in
881advance to reduce their number... Were these actions unnecessary?”
882“Reduce the number? Got it... No, I think it was reasonable.”
883“Thank you for your praise.”
884Hyogo bowed, putting his hand on his chest.
885“It seems that because of the shooting on Tatsuya, the media staff has gotten excited.
886There were reports that they have begun to see hints that there could be a connection
887between that armed terrorist and the anti-magic movement.”“It seems that it was expedient to give him a shot.”
888“For people who do not deal with weapons, the scene in which they see a man
889shooting is quite shocking, even if the victim is their sworn enemy. And this time,
890because of the fact that Tatsuya-sama was catching bullets and leaving them in the
891same form, the impression was even stronger. I suspect that the effect of this will begin
892to spread gradually.”
893“Would it be better if I was injured?”
894“Probably, yes. However, Miyuki-sama would be saddened if Tatsuya-sama
895shed blood, so stopping the bullets was the best solution.”
896“Really. There would be a reverse effect if Miyuki lost her head and her magic would
897get out of control.”
898Tatsuya sarcastically chuckled, saying this, but Hyougo bowed, pretending not to
899notice it. Like these two said, Tatsuya deliberately gave the terrorist a shot at
900him. Although the terrorist was not a fake in itself, but before the plan of attack
901was known, two people were preparing to play that role.
902"The original plan was to let them know that if they were close to the magicians, they
903could be attacked by supporters of the anti-magic movement.”
904“I think this warning came to them. I am also thinking of preparing a few reports that
905Anti-magic is a hateful terrorist for all.”
906“I'll leave it to you.”
907“As you wish.”
908Hyougo bowed again, putting his hand on his chest, and his face looked
909happy perhaps from the fact that he enjoyed this backstage work.
910In addition to the villa where Tatsuya lived, the Yotsuba family had another property
911in Izu. It was a small separate house from which it was possible for Miya to rest and
912not disturb her.Among the Yotsuba, Miya was the only owner of magic with unique properties. Even if
913she was overloaded with the use of magic and could not fully work as a magician, it
914was still expected that all sorts of vile hunters will try to kidnap her for this unique
915skill.
916In fact, there were as many as three attacks to kidnap Miya, and all of them were
917repulsed, so the construction of the house was not an unnecessary concern. However,
918after Mia's death, the house was abandoned and only occasionally visited to maintain
919order.
920Although all this time Tatsuya resided only in the villa, the possibility of using that
921house after a long time was also considered.
922Yuuka did not find any problems with furniture, appliances and other
923accessories.
924“Thank you for your work.”
925Tsukuba Yuuka, the eldest daughter of the Tsukuba family, one of the side
926branches of the Yotsuba family, nodded generously.
927“If the luggage is transported, can you take the case?”
928It was the evening of the day when Tatsuya dined with Maya, discussing how to react to
929the information War announced by the two Clarks, Edward and Raymond. It goes without
930saying that Yuuka visited this little house not for entertainment, but to complete the task
931entrusted to her by the head of the family Yotsuba.
932The work entrusted by Maya to the Tsukuba family was to erect a "cleansing from
933people" barrier, which should keep the media from approaching the villa where Tatsuya
934resides. Such spells are a specialty of ancient magic, and modern magic was not
935initially focused on such activity. But among all families with a family relationship with
936Yotsuba, the Tsukuba family was best specialized in the Mental Interference Magic.
937Using such conditions to activate the magic that the duration is increased by
938decreasing the power, you can build barriers not worse than those of the users of
939ancient magic.
940They arrived at the observation house in the evening, so when the installation of
941the barrier was completed, it was already dark. If you can use magic, it doesn't
942mean that you can see in the dark. Night vision is a magical ability.
943“Madam, a suspicious person has been found.”“Uh, where?”
944That's why Yuuka didn't notice that man.
945“— ... Oh, I see. Looks like he's watching the villa where Tatsuya-san is located.”
946A suspicious man was dressed in a dark blue jacket and trousers, which were poorly
947distinguishable in the dark, and had binoculars hanging on his neck. Even at the place
948where he stood, one could come to the conclusion that he, as Yuuka said, came to
949watch the activity of Tatsuya.
950Yuuka’s subordinates spotted this man with a newly created barrier. This barrier, created
951under the guidance of Yuuka, interferes with the idea that people can recognize the
952existence of the villa where Tatsuya is staying in. The principle is the same as that of
953"Ghost Walker" used by Zhou Gongjin and Chen Xianshan. The eyes see something, but
954the consciousness thinks it doesn't see it.
955And how does that affect the person who was watching the villa right before the
956barrier was erected? He'd think the villa was suddenly gone.
957No wonder he may accidentally stop hiding his presence.
958Conversely, if this person did not even flinch, it would mean that he has the skills
959to hide his presence from Yuuka and her subordinates.
960“Grab him. Not to kill. No serious injuries.”
961“Understood.”The magicians accompanying Yuuka, dissolved in the darkness, leaving one of them
962as her guard.
963“In any case, Tatsuya-san certainly noticed him...”
964Yuuka looked at the villa where Tatsuya was located. The bright light from the
965windows made the villa noticeable in the dark.
966Tatsuya hardly did not notice that someone was peeping. It seems that he left that man
967because he came to the conclusion that there would be no real harm from him. Or he
968thought that even if he catches him, then the follow-up action on the issue can be a
969troublesome affair.
970This man hid on the land belonging to the villa. All surrounding areas were the
971property of the Yotsuba family (more precisely the real estate company, which was
972secretly managed by the Yotsuba family). But there were no fences there. Even if the
973offender is apprehended under the pretext of an unlawful invasion, he can pretend
974that he has not noticed and in retaliation accuse one of exceeding the necessary
975measures.
976“— ... Looks like he's decided to throw those difficulties at us.”
977Tatsuya should have noticed not only a suspicious person, but also Yuuka’s group.
978He thought he didn't have to get his hands dirty. Yuuka deeply sighed, remembering
979the face of her not-so-sweet distant relative.
980“Head-sama, the construction of the barrier has been completed without delay.”
981“Good work.”
982After completing the interrogation of the suspicious person, Yuuka returned to a
983small house and called Maya with a report.
984“After that, we discovered a suspicious type, watching Tatsuya-sama. We caught
985him and interrogated him.”“And?”
986Maya slightly rounded her eyes, and the corners of her lips slightly raised, forming a
987smile.
988“Did you determine his affiliation?”
989“It was an agent of the Tomita family.”
990“Tomita of a hundred families... I think they were on a special account with the Magic
991Association, weren’t they?”
992“Yes. The observation of Tatsuya-sama was conducted on the proposal of the
993Magic Association.”
994“Clear...”
995Maya nodded with a charming smile on her face. Yuuka felt a chill on her back, but
996she somehow managed to keep her face calm.
997“According to the agent of the Tomita family, he had no intention to cause harm.
998Apparently, the Magic Association thought that Tatsuya-san would try to hide
999somewhere.”
1000“Clear.”
1001“We still have the agent. What do we do with it?”
1002“Let him go. No need to erase memory.”
1003“— ... Will it be okay?”“Yes. Our Yotsuba family never abandons their people. It is necessary to remind the
1004Magic Association about this.”
1005“... Too impertinently" Yuuka unwittingly thought so. At least she didn't say it out loud.
1006If we remember the circumstances of Tatsuya until last year, it is quite a good
1007impression.
1008No, it's not just the past. Yuuka believed that the duel with the head of the Juumonji
1009family was a battle that he had to go to alone as the one who would become the
1010husband of the next head of the Yotsuba family. But at the same time she felt that not
1011taking any measures against the Military Intelligence Department was quite brutal on
1012the Yotsuba’s part.
1013“You wanted to say something else?”
1014“Yes, but it does not apply to the task.”
1015Yuuka answered Maya's question immediately, as if she were not thinking of anything
1016superfluous. Because of such abilities, Yuuka was in the first place among the four
1017candidates for the right to be the next head of the family.
1018“I don't mind.”
1019“My mother is worried that the seal on Tatsuya-san has disappeared.”
1020“ "Worried" is a rather discreet description, isn't it?”
1021Even if Maya was joking, Yuuka couldn't refute it.
1022Touka, Yuuka's mother, is proud of her magical powers. Of course, this kind of pride is
1023present in every magician, but Touka’s is a special case. Knowing this, not only Maya,
1024but anyone could guess that the destruction of Pledge made Touka hysterical.“Does the head think that this is not a problem?”
1025Instead of arguing, Yuuka directly asked about Maya's intentions.
1026“That Pledge was scattered? Hmm, I don't think there's going to be a problem, but...
1027There's nothing to be done about it, right?”
1028“Nothing to be done?”
1029Maya's response surprised Yuuka.
1030“I knew it could be dissipated in theory. But who would have thought that Tatsuya-san
1031would be able to do something that could be dangerous for Miyuki-san?”
1032“Yes. Really.”
1033According to the system of Pledge itself, it was expected that, when destroying the
1034magic itself, the spell supporting Miyuki would get seriously damage. Therefore, it was
1035really unexpected that Tatsuya went to that risk.
1036“In addition, we will not be able to re-impose Pledge on Tatsuya-san.”
1037Yuuka had nothing but to admit to what Maya said.
1038Pledge places a heavy burden not only on those who use it, but the person who
1039maintains the Magic Sequence. Not just in a case where there is a recoil from Pledge
1040being dispelled; in a situation where Pledge acts, it keeps the magician from losing
1041control of their magical skills on a daily basis.
1042The current Tatsuya can now use magic that would have before reduced the
1043magical skills of Miyuki.“When we cannot do anything, can we only run away from reality?”
1044This comment by Maya was an acute criticism, hidden under the guise of reproach to
1045Yuuka and her mother, who had gone beside herself because of the destruction of
1046Pledge.
1047“True... I think you're right." Yuuka answered, realizing this. She answered not because
1048she had no choice because she was submissive, but because she understood the
1049meaning of the expression "escape from reality."Chapter 2
1050The profession of Shibata Katsushige, the next head of the Shibata family, one of the side
1051branches of the Yotsuba, officially meant that he worked as the Secretary in the Ministry
1052of Defense.
1053The Katsushige’s Magic combat power was extremely high, but instead of using magic
1054in battle himself, his work was to reflect on how to use magic in battle.
1055In South Amerika, Africa and Central Asia there were still long battles, but East Asia and
1056the western part of the Pacific region have been in a state of calm since autumn of the
105719th year. Thanks to this, many employees of the Ministry of Defense did not work
1058overtime and left early.
1059The day after the media raised a big hype (ordinary citizens who had no relation to
1060magic, did not even know about the topic) around the disclosure of the identity of
1061Taurus Silver.
1062After leaving the office at 19 o'clock, Katsushige didn’t go home, but to a hotel in the
1063center of the city. Although it was not a first class hotel, whose name was known even
1064abroad, it was popular among businessmen for delicious food and an acceptable level
1065of safety.
1066In the restaurant of the aforementioned hotel, he quickly found the person with whom he
1067had been assigned a meeting. Naturally, he found him quickly, because here, everything
1068was arranged in the form of separate rooms, and he knew which room to go to.
1069“Hi. I'm sorry I called.”
1070He was dressed in a regular suit of a man of the same age as Katsushige’s father.
1071Even to Katsushige, who knows his occupation, he looked like an ordinary
1072businessman.
1073“No. It's all because my dad couldn't come. Forgive us for the impolite change of the
1074contact person.”“No, no, no. Asking for a meeting so suddenly is a thoughtless act from me. Here I have
1075to apologize.”
1076“If you say so, then I am grateful, Kuroba-san.”
1077Like Katsushige said, the partner he met was Kuroba Mitsugu, head of the
1078Kuroba family, one of the side branches of the same Yotsuba family.
1079At the invitation of Mitsugu, Katsushige sat down. Mitsugu also sat down at the same
1080time. The waiter, who entered the room with Katsushige, came to the table. Mitsugu and
1081Katsushige only ordered sake and light snacks and let the waiter go.
1082“So.”
1083Mitsugu straightened out, and then slightly bent over the table.
1084“Today I called for an important reason. We need to talk about him.
1085“Are you talking about Tatsuya-kun?”
1086Mitsugu said "about him" unclearly, but Katsushige easily guessed the person he
1087meant was Tatsuya. But Mitsugu did not make a mistake, and did not make a gloomy
1088face.
1089“Right. Yesterday the identity of Taurus Silver, in the end, became well-known. What
1090do you think, Katsushige-kun?”
1091“Was it not inevitable when Edward Clark made it clear that he knew the name of Taurus
1092Silver? Although it is unfavorable for the Yotsuba family, but I do not think that Tatsuya-
1093kun is to blame.”
1094The answer Katsushige gave was not what Mitsugu expected.“But don't you think that this situation could have been avoided if he hadn't entered
1095First High and obediently sat at home? Because it is obvious that "project Dione"
1096takes into account not only the achievements of Taurus Silver, but also the
1097experiment "Stellar Furnace", which he did last spring.”
1098Katsushige shook his head at the words of Mitsugu.
1099“Admission to First High was not Tatsuya-kun’s intention. It was inevitable
1100because of the Yotsuba family's sentinel system.”
1101“Katsushige-kun may not know, but after the incident Yokohama the head-sama
1102ordered him to drop out of school and sit under house arrest. But he did not obey
1103and continued to attend First High. If he were to disappear from the stage at that
1104moment, he would never be noticed.”
1105“No. After using Material Burst, it was only a matter of time before Tatsuya-kun would
1106be discovered by the behind the scenes of international politics, only this would have
1107happened in another form. Besides, at that moment it was impossible not to use
1108Material Burst. Without this magic, Japan would have suffered immense damage.”
1109“Is that so?" There is a Yatsushiro family in Kyushu. If there is a battle at sea, the Itsuwa
1110family will depart. In naval battles, the Itsuwa family has a great battle force even
1111without the use of "Abyss" by Mio-Jo. The Great Asian Alliance is a strong enemy, but I
1112don't think we'd lose to them if we hadn't used the Material Burst.”
1113“Even so. At that stage there was no other choice but to use Material Burst. In war,
1114Victory is not always the best way out, but it does not mean that you have to lose.
1115After the invasion of the country, the forces for the next battle would remain less. Not
1116only time, but also economic power is needed to replenish the combat force. If you
1117look at the Great Asian Alliance, suffering from the consequences of the monstrous
1118attack of Material Burst, you will understand.”
1119Mitsugu had nothing to object to. He knew and understood it even without these words.“— ... I understand your thoughts that his magic is irreplaceable for National
1120Defense. Then it is even more impossible to let him go to America.”
1121Mitsugu changed his approach.
1122“Yes.”
1123Katsushige only briefly expressed his consent.
1124“In that case, should he be protected by the Yotsuba family?" And the
1125USNA government can surrender if, for example, he dies suddenly.
1126Mitsugu, who received the approval from his words, gathered his strength and said
1127what he wanted.
1128“And if he, moreover, will be killed by "Humanists", it should reduce the
1129expending public opinion about magicians.”
1130“Really.”
1131“In this case... Kuroba-san.”
1132Using as a pretext the will of one of the side branches, Mitsugu was going to ask Maya for
1133Tatsuya to be caught and locked away. But Katsushige abruptly interrupted Mitsugu’s
1134speech, in which he wanted to ask for cooperation.
1135“I couldn’t understand why all the heads of the side branches look at Tatsuya-kun with
1136such hostility.”
1137Katsushige said "couldn't" in the past tense: So Mitsugu already understood the
1138meaning of this sentence.“So the other day I checked it out, and I asked my dad. He did not want to confess for
1139a long time, but in the end he told everything.”
1140“— ... I see.”
1141The people of Mitsugu’s generation promised to keep this story secret. But Mitsugu
1142did not feel that he should criticize the head of the Shibata family, understanding his
1143motives. No, it is right to say that he had no right to criticize. Because Mitsugu
1144himself was the first to reveal the secret. Despite the fact that the one he disclosed it
1145to was Tatsuya himself.
1146“Kuroba-san. I can't agree with you and my father. To be hostile towards Tatsuya-kun is
1147wrong.”
1148The voice of the waiter was heard from outside the room.
1149They briefly interrupted the conversation, waited for the waiter to put glasses on the
1150table with chilled sake and left the room, and then continued.
1151“— ... But he's dangerous.”
1152“One person possesses the power to destroy the whole world. One influential person has
1153access to a "button" that can destroy the whole world. One government possesses a
1154military force capable of destroying the entire world. Of these three concepts, the first
1155two seem to differ in nature from the latter, but in their essence they are all the same
1156thing. As far as how "democratic" the country is, its military force is always ready for
1157use. Otherwise there would be no point. There is no point in maintaining military
1158capabilities if the country itself is destroyed while democratic procedures are in place.
1159Civilian control is what deters influential people from willful use of the army in fear of
1160losing office, and stops the use of already applied force. In the presence of a system
1161capable of completely discontinuing the use of military force, in any case it will be
1162impossible to properly defend from, even taking pre-measures in advance.”
1163“However, instead of the complete absence of brakes, it is better to have at least
1164some. Even if it is only a partial limitation.”“You're right. Therefore, dictators should not be allowed to possess weapons of
1165mass destruction. Military power must be under civilian control. But
1166Kuroba-san. Influential people elected by Democratic vote can also turn the key
1167to launch strategic nuclear missiles. Even if the startup key is divided between
1168several people, it is necessary to understand that the owners of these keys are
1169chosen by influential people themselves, without the participation of voters.”
1170“— ... This is an extreme argument.”
1171“The fact that Tatsuya-kun will destroy the world is also an extreme argument.”
1172“If you think so, the use of weapons of mass destruction by dictators is also
1173an extreme argument.”
1174“No. A dictator is called a dictator because the structure of his power is arranged so
1175that no one can stop him. It's different with a normal person. You can't interfere with a
1176person's thoughts. What a man thinks, what he decides, cannot be stopped by other
1177people. But if it is an ordinary person, not a dictator, then they can be influenced to be
1178stopped. You can limit them to change their mind. He can be persuaded.”
1179“— ... Are you saying that ordinary people are closer to influential people from the
1180democratic government than to dictators?”
1181“People living alone... No, people who think they live alone will be closer to dictators.
1182However, those who wish to live with someone, people who feel that they cannot live
1183alone, cannot become dictators.”
1184“— ......”
1185“Kuroba-san. It is not necessary to consider Tatsuya-kun a dictator. If you really care
1186about the future of the world, then he should not remain alone. Sorry for the rudeness,
1187but what you want to do will only backfire. This will not only harm the fighting power of
1188our country. As a result, it will harm the future of the world.”
1189“— ... Is that your opinion?”“I came here instead of my father. You might have guessed from this fact.”
1190Katsushige got up.
1191“Kuroba-san. Be realistic.”
1192Finally having said this, Mitsugu continued to sit, while Katsushige went home, where
1193he was waiting for Kotona and he cooked her dinner.
1194At the same time, when Mitsugu and Katsushige parted in a tense atmosphere.
1195At the headquarters of the Magic Association in Kyoto, the Chairman of the
1196Association, Tomitsuka Hitsui sat at the desk in her office, clutching her head.
1197Before her eyes on the table lay a document containing an urgent request from the
1198USNA. It said that Edward Clark plans to visit Japan and asks to organize a meeting
1199with Taurus Silver, that is with Shiba Tatsuya.
1200“Ah-ah, that's it! What do you think I should do?”
1201Hitsui hysterically shouted, looking at the document lying on the table.
1202“No, I know what to do! We need to arrange a meeting with Shiba Tatsuya!”
1203Still holding on to her head, she chided herself. Hitsui’s head was boiling.
1204“Yes, it is understandable...”
1205As a result, an exhausted Hitsui’s face fell on the table.
1206“But I have no such power...”Still with her face lying on the table, Hitsui sighed deeply and long.
1207“And give up... I can't...”
1208Hitsui slowly lifted the upper half of her body from the table.
1209“This Saturday... It's too urgent, and it feels like the situation will get worse...”
1210She looked at a small display standing on the side table on the side of her desk. An
1211overview of the latest news was displayed there.
1212“Taurus Silver will hold a press conference the day before that? Why of all the days
1213exactly the day before? Yes, and what does he want to talk about?”
1214Reflection over it, Hitsui decided it wasn't that bad.
1215“Why does all this happens when I am the Chairman...”
1216Her head collapsed on the table again.
1217It was late evening, after 21 o'clock, when Maya called Tatsuya.
1218“I'm sorry about the time.”
1219“No, I've been waiting for this call. Many thanks.”
1220“Don't worry. It's about my promise.”
1221Indeed, when they spoke last time, Maya said she was arranging a meeting with
1222Toudou Aobo. But Tatsuya didn't expect Maya to call in person to report it.“Did you get a meeting time from His Excellency Toudou?” Tatsuya asked, hiding his
1223surprise, having made a face expressing nothing.
1224“Yes, that's right. Looks like he's ready to take you tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.”
1225Maya had a smile, showing that she noticed the excitement of Tatsuya, but she did
1226nothing so hostile, like reproach him for it.
1227“Where will the meeting take place?”
1228“In the Temple of Kyuuchouji *. I heard that Kokonoe Yakumo-san will be present at the
1229meeting.
1230[The name of the temple is written in the same characters as "Kokonoe", but it is read
1231differently]
1232This time Tatsuya could not hide the surprise. Maya giggled, as if saying, "I caught you."
1233“— ... Sorry. But I was also surprised to learn about it. and Tatsuya-san, I see, is also
1234surprised. Now I feel a little calmer.”
1235“I'm surprised. Is the master somehow involved in this?”
1236“His Excellency and Yakumo-san seem to have been well acquainted for quite some
1237time. But the connection between them is a mystery.”
1238“I thought so too.”
1239Tatsuya responded quickly, but in reality, together with a strong surprise, had
1240tormenting doubts.
1241The one who introduced Tatsuya to Yakumo was Kazama. Officially, they do not have
1242any connection to the Yotsuba. He communicated directly with Kazama and with
1243Yakumo. He thought that their words could be trusted, considering that the 101
1244Independent Magic Equipped Battalion secretly quarreled with the Ten Master Clans.However, everything changed with this additional information about the friendly (how
1245close this "Friendship" is, is unclear) relationship between Yakumo and Toudou
1246Aoba.
1247Tatsuya and Yakumo’s relationship isn’t one of disciple and teacher. This was decided at
1248their first meeting. They only were sparring partners for magic martial arts training,
1249Yakumo has taught Tatsuya nothing. He was taking questions, but he could not answer
1250them. Such was the agreement about his visits to Yakumo.
1251However, Tatsuya learned a lot from Yakumo. For example, without the help of
1252Yakumo, he would have hardly been able to complete the development of "Far Strike"
1253needed to confront the parasites.
1254Also, although Yakumo’s position about "answers to questions" has not changed,
1255Tatsuya has received a lot of knowledge from Yakumo, even in cases where this
1256knowledge corresponded to "A question that he cannot answer."
1257Tatsuya thought it was just some kind of fad for Yakumo. He felt that Yakumo, whom he
1258had not known at the time, had done it for some purpose. He also suspected that it
1259might have been a plan to separate him from the Yotsuba family so that it fell under the
1260control of the self-defense forces. However, the more he communicated with Yakumo,
1261the more scattered these suspicions became.
1262But doesn't that mean he should have thought that?
1263Yakumo was not easy. No, according to Tatsuya’s judgment, he was an uncontrollable
1264suspicious man. However, Tatsuya for some reason trusted Yakumo...
1265“Well, then tomorrow at 7 o'clock in the evening I will visit the temple of Kyuuchouji.
1266Thank you very much for the information.”
1267Answering Maya, Tatsuya tried to remain vigilant in order not to show his
1268anxiety.Chapter 3
1269On Monday, when Raymond Clark in the form of "the first Sage" performed on TV, the
1270population's interest in Taurus Silver rose sharply. But the next day the interest began to
1271fade away, and today, on Wednesday, it has ceased to be a topic for discussion among
1272ordinary people.
1273There are no people in the world of magic who do not know the famous Taurus Silver.
1274However, those who can use magic make up only one thousandth of the adult
1275population. But this does not mean that 99.99% of people live without magic, because
1276some people are related to magic in the role of engineers, managers, politicians,
1277soldiers and other civil servants, even without the ability to use magic in practice.
1278In recent years, even people who are engaged in magic began to appear, while
1279speaking of the Anti-magician movement.
1280Quite a few citizens indirectly benefit from the use of magic for public order, national
1281defense and disaster response. However, most people still live without a direct
1282relationship to magic.
1283Magic is not a necessary factor for the life of modern society. At least in a social
1284environment where you can live peacefully. Thus, even if the innocent magicians (better
1285to say whose guilt is unknown) are harassed, they treat it indifferently. Being
1286indifferent, you will not feel guilty.
1287Even if one high school student, known as Taurus Silver, tries to impose a future
1288contrary to their will, for ordinary people it was no more than one third of the articles in
1289the newspapers.
1290In the evening, when Tatsuya arrived at the temple of Kyuuchouji, this situation still
1291remained unchanged.
129218:45. Tatsuya left the train booth at a stop in front of the steps leading to the gates
1293of the Kyuuchoji temple.Nobody was with him. To come alone was one of the conditions for Tatsuya from
1294Toudou Aoba.
1295Tatsuya, from the booth, looked slowly at the sides. Although he consciously acted so
1296conspicuously to check... I mean, to show that he's checking that there's some kind of
1297security around here, and that he's on the lookout, but he really couldn't find any signs
1298of the observers.
1299There were signs of persecution, they disappeared just before he arrived at the foot of
1300this hill, so it seems he was not mistaken.
1301It wasn't a coincidence. Perhaps the disciples of Yakumo (or even Yakumo himself)
1302took care of it. As Yakumo does not trust the reception of guests (even if they are
1303not invited guests) to inexperienced people making mistakes, Tatsuya decided that
1304he did not need to worry about it.
1305Whom he should worry about--is about himself. Even Yakumo should not interfere
1306with a personal conversation with the famous Toudou Aobo, a secret player in the
1307backstage arena of the political and business world. But you can't be completely sure
1308of that. Perhaps this place was chosen to check Tatsuya out.
1309Given this opportunity, he arrived 15 minutes early just in case. But if Yakumo is serious,
1310it is extremely doubtful that so much time is enough. Keeping this in mind, no matter
1311how overzealous, Tatsuya went up the stone steps.
1312Unfortunately, Tatsuya fears have come true.
1313Roughly in the middle of the path along the stone steps, the space around
1314suddenly contort. He was shown the illusion that the ladder began to increase...
1315No, that he himself began to shrink.
1316He realized that his consciousness was affected by magic. This characteristic
1317continuous effect was the peculiarity of ancient magic. Modern magic, on the contrary,
1318gave importance to speed, and it did not have such features as long action to maintain
1319the effect.With his sight, Tatsuya could see that reality and the illusion were overlapping. This was
1320because Tatsuya was pushing out the interrupting spells that were trying to penetrate his
1321mind with a Magic Sequence, reading the contents of these sequences of magic.
1322Even with magic acting on the Mind (Pushion information body), the sequence of magic
1323was in the form of a Psion information body. Although Tatsuya was not able to use
1324Mental Interference Magic, if the Magic Sequence is in a state where the activation is not
1325yet complete, he could defend against the magic of the enemy or even intervene in the
1326spell. The magic caused him to take some time to activate the magic with his hand. If
1327this wasn’t Tatsuya, he would have already become a prisoner to the illusion.
1328But he did not fall for the magic of illusions. Knowing Yakumo, he wouldn’t have
1329expected this magic to stop Tatsuya. Kokonoe Yakumo was not a naïve adversary,
1330continuing to use those methods that he has already shown that do not work. Once
1331Genjutsu * does not work then move on to the next...
1332[The same magic of illusions, just apparently a term from ancient magic.]
1333"... Physical attack" It happened at the same time as Tatsuya said it to himself.
1334From two sides he was attacked by cutting vortexes.
1335These were not vacuum blades. It was magic, which, with the support from the air,
1336crushed stone to powder, condensed in the form of ultra plates and sent them in to
1337flight with high speed.
1338On the edges of the stone steps there were no hedges, only a grove. Tatsuya instantly
1339decomposed these four flying blades, flown from the darkness, which used to be
1340nothing.
1341Of course, Yakumo’s attack should not have ended with this. A man named Kokonoe
1342Yakumo was not so kind as to (even when he is not serious) to finish a case with two
1343types of attack, Genjutsu and cutting vortexes.
1344The stone steps, where Tatsuya was standing on, were not long. This evening was
1345cloudless and the moon shone. He was to be able to see the temple gate even at night,
1346but now everything in front of him was filled with impenetrable darkness.
1347And from this darkness flew arrows.Close sounds were not heard. He could not feel any signs of magic, damped sound, or
1348signs of magic sending the arrows. Was it a magic trick to let out arrows without a
1349sound, or a bow made to not make a sound when shooting?
1350Sending this thought to the far corner of the mind, Tatsuya sent the bulk of his
1351consciousness to the rain of the arrows.
1352He laid out all the arrows as one aggregate. Applying magic, Tatsuya finally noticed
1353that the arrows are intangible.
1354"Magic of false information bodies!?" It was not a simple illusion. It was Genjutsu,
1355influencing the information dimension and deceiving vision, "seeing" "Information".
1356This is a magic of the same type as the "Parade " which Lina specializes at.
1357It was a trick to expect that the attack would be something tangible.
1358Tatsuya aggravated all five senses and ran up the stone steps. There were signs of
1359any presence in front of him.
1360Tatsuya did not stop and slow down and cautiously moved forward, but at the same
1361time he could not suppress a sense of surprise in himself, that was directly carried
1362out.
1363In this battle, for the first time Tatsuya discovered the location of the enemy.
1364Sharpened hearing caught the sounds of rustling clothes.
1365Heightened smell of incense, which impregnated the clothing.
1366Heightened sight noticed the contour of the figure, which came out of
1367the darkness. The figure was above him on the ladder.
1368Being below, Tatsuya was in a clearly disadvantaged position. Tatsuya jumped.When he was at the same height as the enemy, he pulled his leg forward for a blow,
1369without fear that the situation would become uncomfortable.
1370The enemy curved the upper part of the body and dodged the jumping kick by Tatsuya.
1371Flying past the remaining enemy, Tatsuya landed on a stone stage.
1372Now Tatsuya was higher. But now Tatsuya was in an insecure position, rotating back
1373to the enemy.
1374Heightened touch caught the airflow. The enemy's attack was aimed at the back. Using
1375Flash Casting, Tatsuya activated Move-Type Magic.
1376The magic activated with Flash Cast had a small scale and a low power. The speed could
1377be called the only advantage. But if you need to move only 60 centimeters, then with the
1378flash casting, it was not a problem. And to evade the enemy's fist, the distance of 60
1379centimeters is also enough.
1380When the enemy's direct punch overcame a distance of 30 centimeters, Tatsuya was
1381already twice as far away. The enemy's attack ended in a blunder. Tatsuya turned around
1382and prepared to attack at the same time as the enemy began to move forward.The edge of Tatsuya’s palm was at the enemy's neck. The enemy's Fist (Yakumo) was
1383at Tatsuya’s armpit. Both of them stopped their hands on the verge without causing a
1384blow.
1385“Master. It was a pretty rude greeting.”
1386“It's almost time. Come along. His Excellency is waiting.”
1387Tatsuya looked at the watch. It showed 18:50. It's only been five minutes since he
1388started climbing the stone steps. Tatsuya didn't think he could fight Yakumo in such a
1389short time. It seems that Yakumo himself had chosen how long the fight would take.
1390Although Tatsuya limited himself as not to cause damage to the environment, he was
1391serious in this battle. However, Yakumo was able to act so as to take the schedule into
1392account. With a little regret, Tatsuya realized that he was still far from Yakumo.
1393When Tatsuya entered the main hall of the temple, there was no dust on his suit.
1394All of the consequences by Yakumo’s "prank" had been removed using "Regrowth".
1395Yakumo led him into the inner room. Toudou Aoba expected him in the side room,
1396which led him through a passage to the right of the main premises of the temple
1397(where an altar of a deity stands, which is prayed to in the temple).
1398He had a suitable shaven head for a Buddhist temple. However, he was wearing a high-
1399class business suit, clearly sewn to order. He easily held his back straight, his shoulders
1400were wide, and the lower part of the body also had a dense physique. Signs of old age
1401were already noticeable, but when he was young, he was undoubtedly a strong guy.
1402But at the same time, on his head, below his would-be hair is the most distinctive feature.
1403These bulging eyes under thick gray eyebrows. His face is not beautiful, it could be
1404called Majestic. However, its turbid-white left eye caused a strange feeling of oppression
1405of the interlocutor. This left eye created an impression of heterogeneity.Tatsuya also paid attention to this left eye. He realized that he had already met this old man
1406in this temple in January of this year, on the 4th, to be more precise. But they did not quite
1407meet, he only saw Toudou from his back when he was leaving the temple. Toudou then
1408turned and looked at Tatsuya with his murky white eye, but said nothing and left.
1409“Can I start introducing myself?” Tatsuya asked after sitting down on his knees and
1410bowed.
1411At first he thought it would be better to sit quietly until Yakumo presents him, but then
1412he felt that in this case he would be captured in the blink of an eye by the opponent's
1413pace.
1414“Permitted.”
1415The answer Toudou gave would sound like an anachronism if it were to be said by
1416another person, but not by him. But the voice of Toudou perfectly fit his manner of
1417speech.
1418“Nice to meet you. My name is Shiba Tatsuya. It is a great honor for me to meet you.”
1419"I am Toudou Aoba. Yotsuba Tatsuya, I've been looking forward to seeing you.”
1420Toudou called Tatsuya "Yotsuba Tatsuya" instead of "Shiba Tatsuya". Tatsuya, who
1421was still in his bow, did not react to these words.
1422“You can raise your head. I permit you to talk directly.”
1423Tatsuya straightened out like he was told. He did not look away, but looked Toudou
1424straight in the eye. This was his interpretation of the meaning of "permit you to talk".
1425But neither Toudou himself nor Yakumo reproached him for that.
1426“I heard from Maya. That you want to explain something to me.”
1427“Yes.”Tatsuya didn't use such standard phrases, like, "Could you give me your time?" or "Could
1428you listen to me?". He intuitively understood that Toudou did not need such formalities.
1429“I'm listening to you.” And Toudou, indeed, immediately asked to go to the main topic.
1430“In short, I have a plan to build a plant that produces energy resources
1431using magic.”
1432Tatsuya said this as a preface, and began explaining the details of the "project
1433ESCAPES". Toudou did not interrupt Tatsuya and listened to his whole story to the
1434end.
1435“Clear.“ Toudou said after Tatsuya finished the story, saying he wanted to have a
1436press conference as a means of retaliation in an information war that was
1437announced by the two Clarks, Edward and Raymond.
1438“Then, can you allow me to go out in front of the media?”
1439“I give my permission. You can also use my connections to ask others for
1440cooperation.”
1441“Thank you very much.”
1442Although Tatsuya said so, he felt no joy but vigilance. He concluded that everything went too
1443well. Consent was not to be unconditional. There must have been some conditions. He
1444was afraid he would be put in some impossible conditions.
1445“By the way, I want to ask you something.”
1446“What's that?”
1447Tatsuya answered, without changing the expression on his face, but he could not get
1448rid of the feeling that he was trying to evade the question.
1449Toudou may have noticed the alarmed Tatsuya, but did not take advantage of it.“In your explanation, you mentioned that you are not looking for political power.”
1450“Yes.”
1451More precisely, he said that he is not going to ask for more power, if it does not interfere
1452with the work of the plant, but he was not required to demand political power, so he did
1453not dare to correct what Toudou said.
1454“I'm not just talking about the power plant. The power you possess is incomparable to
1455anything. It's not just that it exceeds the limits expendable for one person. In fact, this is
1456not something that may be allowed to any organizations other than the state.”
1457Tatsuya didn't mind that. He himself seriously considered the same as Toudou said. But
1458despite this, Tatsuya was not going to give up his power or trust it to anyone.
1459“Why do you use this power?” “What do you want to achieve with this force?”
1460“A happy life.”
1461Tatsuya responded immediately without showing any hesitation. Hearing this
1462answer, Toudou clearly frowned his eyebrows.
1463“Are you saying that this undeserved power of one man should only be used for
1464one's own sake? Are you not interested in the welfare of society and the
1465preservation of the state?”
1466“A happy life is impossible without the well-being of society. Also, I believe that at the
1467current stage of human development, the existence of States is absolutely necessary for
1468the maintenance of public order.”
1469“I mean, do you mind giving your power to the state for your own well-being?”
1470“I would not use such arrogant phrases as "giving power"... But if you look from the
1471standpoint of public order and National Defense, you, Your Excellency, are correct.”“That's good. Yotsuba Tatsuya.”
1472Toudou again called Tatsuya "Yotsuba Tatsuya". They sat opposite to each other and
1473looked into each other's eyes. Seeing the expression on the face of Toudou, Tatsuya
1474realized that he was not mistaken, and said so intentionally.
1475“I want you to do what I used to do. Be the deterrent force of this country.”
1476The words of Toudou puzzled Tatsuya.
1477“What do you mean by deterrent force? Does he want me to officially announce that
1478I am the user of Material burst? But then it cannot be called "the same as before."
1479“— ... You want me to declare myself a magician of strategic class?” Tatsuya
1480decided not to waste time, rewinding his thoughts in a deadlock, and directly
1481asked Toudou about his intentions.
1482“Now it is not necessary. But if you need to, do it.”
1483“Does that mean that in case of a military threat, I have to confront it? Like in the fall of
1484two years ago?”
1485At the end of October 19th, Tatsuya destroyed the fleet of the Great Asian alliance with
1486Strategic Class Magic. “Does it mean that he will have me play this role again in the
1487future?”
1488“Deterrent power is the ability to avoid a threat to become a reality. The ability to confront
1489a military threat that has become a reality is a conventional military force, not a deterrent
1490force. The power of deterrence is something that is desirable, but should not be used.”
1491But this probably wasn't what Toudou wanted.
1492“You don't understand?”
1493“It's a shame to admit, but I don’t.”In fact, he didn't fully understand what Toudou said. But Tatsuya decided not to
1494speculate, but just to ask the right answer.
1495“This is nothing complicated for you. It is enough to deter other countries by
1496instilling fear in them.”
1497“Understandable.” mentally agreed Tatsuya. This was roughly the same conclusion he
1498came to.
1499Apparently Toudou wants Tatsuya to play the role of the Demon King. But not as the
1500king of demons, as in an RPG, which must destroyed by a hero. It’s more like a
1501transcendental being who can cause disasters by simply touching it.
1502“Your Excellency has previously said that it is desirable that a deterrent force should
1503not be used. But to scare the enemy, don’t you need to show them your strength?”
1504“If there is a need to demonstrate, usage can’t be avoided. I'll leave that decision to the
1505people behind you.”
1506And it seems that he will not have to choose this remedy. Tatsuya
1507recently wondered whether a deterrent force was a necessary evil.
1508Changing the activity of magicians from the military sphere to a civil one. As a result,
1509that part of the military force, which is piled on the shoulders of magicians, will be
1510reduced.
1511Magic is a force that is somehow unrelated to the amount of material resources. The
1512magicians that provide combat power are the aspect with which even small countries
1513can confront large countries with many resources.
1514If the magicians' fighting power is not grasped, small countries will likely not be able
1515to confront large countries. Unfortunately, it is easy to predict a future in which the
1516world will plunge into the era of war if the four major world powers notice it and begin
1517to absorb the world. And if the world is again enveloped in the fire of war, magicians
1518will start to be used as weapons. Trying to improve the lives of magicians is a vicious
1519cycle.Perhaps to avoid such a future, he will inevitably have to become a deterrent force,
1520replacing the lost fighting power of magicians who have gone into the civil sphere.
1521Tatsuya thought so before he heard Toudou’s demand.
1522If Tatsuya becomes a deterrent force, then "Project ESCAPES" — the first step to
1523releasing magicians from their fate as weapons — will receive not only the tacit approval
1524of Toudou, but also his support. Tatsuya had no reason to refuse.
1525“As Your Excellency wishes.”
1526Tatsuya expressed his intention to accept the Toudou’s proposal with an indirect
1527expression.
1528“Are you sure?” For the first time, Yakumo spoke, who until now only silently listened
1529to the conversation between Tatsuya and Toudou. “In that case, you will be lonely.”
1530“I don't mind.”
1531Tatsuya really needs only one person. If this person is near, he will never feel
1532lonely. The feelings of Tatsuya were arranged in such a way.
1533And he knew that this person, Miyuki, would never leave him. Even death will not be
1534able to separate Tatsuya and Miyuki. Because he won't let that happen.
1535Being separated from other people was not a cause of concern for Tatsuya.
1536Yakumo’s warning did not frighten Tatsuya.
1537“The conversation is over.”
1538It seemed that Yakumo still had something to say. However, Toudou decided to
1539wrap things up. (for Toudou it was an intervention).
1540“Your Excellency. What should I do?”Tatsuya was not going to talk to Yakumo. As he realized that Yakumo was worried
1541about him, he decided to avoid quarrels that could ruin the relationship in the future.
1542“I'm not going to give you any specific instructions. Do what you think you need to do.”
1543The words of Toudou did not mean the granting of unlimited powers. It was the opposite.
1544This meant that Toudou would not be responsible, no matter what happened.
1545Responsibility for any problems would fall on Tatsuya.
1546“I accept your offer.” Considering this fair, Tatsuya answered Toudou.
1547Behind-the-scenes leaders never take responsibility in case of any problems. The burden
1548of guilt has always been on the direct performers. Toudou couldn't even mention it.
1549“Well. In that case, I'll also talk to my friends. It was a useful time.”
1550Thus Toudou notified that the meeting is over.
1551“In that case, can I leave you?”
1552“You can go.”
1553Tatsuya deeply bowed, touching the forehead of the floor, and then stood up. He sat on
1554the bare floor (tatami) from the beginning, the seat cushion (BUD) was not provided.
1555Holding his face down, not to look at the interlocutor, Tatsuya turned his back to
1556Toudou and went out.
1557After seeing Tatsuya to the gate of the temple, Yakumo returned back. Toudou waited for
1558him to no longer be in same posture with which he talked to Tatsuya. Yakumo replaced
1559Toudou’s cooled tea. While Toudou drinks tea, Yakumo sat in front of him, waiting.
1560“And what do you really think about this conversation?”As a sponsor of the Yotsuba family, Toudou Aoba had access to detailed information
1561about Tatsuya. It's impossible for Toudou not to see this information. He also
1562exhaustively studied information about Tatsuya from external sources. Yakumo
1563asked about the impression of their real meeting.
1564“He's more broken than I expected.”
1565Yakumo counted Toudou’s answer as "interesting".
1566“Have you been disappointed?”
1567“Even if it is broken, it does not mean that it cannot be used. For example, even if the
1568weapon has a broken fuse, the bullet will still fly out if you pull the trigger.”
1569“It depends on how to use it?”
1570“Although there is a danger.”
1571Toudou looked into Yakumo’s eyes. His murky white left eye looked directly into the
1572Yakumo’s soul.
1573"It seems that Your Excellency's power of Sight did not act on him.”
1574“— ... Forgive me. It was unconscious.”
1575“No, I don't mind.”
1576Toudou Aoba hails from a Charmers family. If the data about his pedigree were true, it
1577was one of the oldest families of supernatural power users in Japan.
1578But Yakumo knew that Toudou Aoba was not be able to make full use of his "eye",
1579because instead of honing his skills as a caster, he chose the way of fulfilling hisfamily's responsibility to control the casters. If he said it was unconscious, it is
1580true, not an excuse. Yakumo easily accepted Toudou’s apology.
1581"Like you said, I couldn't look deep into the heart of Yotsuba Tatsuya. The Yotsuba,
1582too, were able to create something interesting.”
1583“Although it happened accidentally, but he is the final "Product".”
1584Yakumo’s response paraphrased the expression Toudou used.
1585“Right.” Toudou couldn't resist a stretched smile. However, he immediately returned a
1586serious face. ”Kokonoe Yakumo. I want to ask you something.”
1587“Yes, what is it?”
1588There was still a light smile on Yakumo's face.
1589"In an emergency, will you be able to kill Yotsuba Tatsuya by your own power?"
1590However, having heard the question Toudou, Yakumo, as expected, could not
1591continue to smile.
1592“Hmm... Based on the experience of the previous test, I would say that the odds of
1593winning are about 60%. If we include the outcome when we knock out each other at the
1594same time *, we will get 70%”
1595[The author uses the term from Kendo, which means a draw at simultaneous strikes. As
1596I understand it, Yakumo means that an additional 10% will be found if he is trying to beat
1597Tatsuya at the cost of his own life.]
1598Under the previous test, he meant the battle on the stone steps. This wicked joke
1599seems to have had such a hidden meaning.
1600“Even with all your skills is there only a 30% chance to leave with nothing?”Toudou was genuinely surprised. But Yakumo’s answer had not yet finished.
1601“No, the remaining 30% means my own defeat. The battle between this inept
1602monk and him cannot end with escape.”
1603“— ... Are you saying that even you, known as the reincarnation of Casin Koji, cannot
1604escape?”
1605“Six months ago I would be able to escape... Yes, and now the odds are just the same
160660%. If it is a year later, this inept monk will not be able to do it at all.”
1607“— Even so...?”
1608Such a kind of visage Toudou, probably, has not shown to anybody, except Yakumo.
1609Although the fact that Toudou gave Yakumo some slack was also due to the fact that he
1610was really shocked.
1611“Judging by his abilities surpassing those of this inept monk, there is nothing to be
1612surprised about. Among the young people with whom this inept monk is familiar, there
1613is only one person who can resist him. And if you look around the world, these people
1614will not get more than the fingers on two hands.”
1615“— ... Terrible times have come.”
1616“And that's true. ... Your Excellency, another cup?”
1617“Fine.”
1618Yakumo took the cup from Toudou and went to the stove. With skillful movements he
1619quickly brewed the tea, and then carelessly put the cup back. The old man Toudou
1620carelessly, ignored the rules of decency, brought the cup to his mouth and slowly drank.
1621“Thank you for the treat.”
1622“Don't be grateful.”“Oh, yes. For some reason, only your skills of brewing tea do not improve.”
1623Due to the arrogant words of Toudou, Yakumo answered only with the curve of a smile.
1624“I'll go.”
1625Toudou stood up.
1626“I'll take you.” Yakumo said, not getting up.
1627“You don't have to.” Without turning around, the old man Toudou said this, and opened
1628the sliding door.
1629When Tatsuya returned to the villa in Izu from the temple of Kyuuchouji, it was already
1630around 10 o'clock in the evening. As soon as he returned, he went to the TV screen,
1631but he wasn't going to call Maya. Time was already late. He only wanted to convey a
1632short message that "Consent was received", through Hayama or his assistant.
1633“— ... Tatsuya-san, did you want something?”
1634However, for some reason Maya suddenly immediately appeared on the screen. Like
1635she was waiting for a phone call.
1636“Sorry about the time. I just got back from Kyuuchouji temple.”
1637He reflexively responded with an uninteresting formal phrase, but Maya did not
1638expect a witty answer from him.
1639“Clear. Good work. Did you meet His Excellency?”
1640“Yes. I got a project permit.”
1641“Clearly...” Maya slightly screwed her eyes and looked at Tatsuya.“— and what was demanded in return?”
1642Apparently, Maya also thought from the very beginning that in order to get support
1643from Toudou, he needed to give something in return. The fact that she did not tell him
1644in advance meant that she believed that Tatsuya would do it anyway, so there would be
1645no real harm, and so he would not have to worry much.
1646“I was asked to act as a deterrent force against other countries.”
1647“— in such a sense, does that mean that Tatsuya-san finally has to reveal himself
1648as a Strategic Class Magician?”
1649Maya's delusion was the same as that of Tatsuya. That's why it didn't arouse a smile.
1650Tatsuya thought she really believed that.
1651“No. There is no need to officially announce it now. His Excellency said that he left
1652all decisions to me.”
1653“Everything to you? Oh, my... It's a serious responsibility.”
1654Maya's thoughts were on the same path as Tatsuya. Was it because it was the rational
1655process of thinking, or because Tatsuya in general is very similar to Maya...? These
1656were the thoughts that now occur in the far corners of Tatsuya’s consciousness.
1657“— ... In any case, the main thing is that His Excellency's consent has been
1658received. You can hold a press conference without changing the schedule.”
1659“Thank you very much.”
1660Maya felt relieved after Toudou’s consent was received. Tatsuya also felt relieved
1661when he received that response from Maya. The experiences that will be used by
1662someone seem to be the same at the top and bottom, when there is, in reality,
1663someone else.“By the way, Tatsuya-san, do you remember our conversation about Miyakijima?”
1664In order to catch the suddenly replaced topic of conversation, Tatsuya threw away
1665all his superfluous thoughts and concentrated his consciousness.
1666“Is this a conversation that was in the middle of April? When you said that a new
1667research center would be built on Miyakijima?”
1668“Yes, that's what I mean. I was thinking of partially changing this plan to attract
1669attention to the plant from Tatsuya-san’s project.”
1670Tatsuya couldn't answer quickly.
1671“I also discussed it with Hayama-san. I think this is the best place for the Tatsuya-
1672san’s project. How would you like that?”
1673“— ... Using the word "attract", you mean as in third-party business partners?”
1674His face did not show the feeling of alertness because all of this seems too convenient
1675for him, Tatsuya first of all asked a question that seemed harmless. Upon hearing the
1676question, the Maya smiled with a happy expression on her face, as if she were saying,
1677"Well, I guess he noticed."
1678“With the current scale of the project, only our own subsidiaries will suffice to
1679implement it, but I believe that with the prospect of the future it is better to attract
1680third-party assistants from the very beginning.”
1681In this matter Tatsuya had the same opinion. If you run the factory only with
1682companies associated to the Yotsuba, it is highly probable that the magicians
1683involved there will also be only those who are under the patronage of Yotsuba. Then it
1684will not be a "release of magicians", but only "a new project Yotsuba".
1685“The area of the island is small, so, even if it becomes a virtual autonomous
1686region, not many will raise complaints about this.”With this opinion Tatsuya also agreed. Although it’s an area of 8 square kilometers, in
1687fact, this was comparable to a small town, but those who raise the noise of a "Mutant
1688rebellion" or "the Kingdom of Magicians" will only be a few.
1689“Well, how would you like that?”
1690“I think I should be grateful.”
1691“In that case, can we begin with construction?”
1692“Yes. I'm counting on you.”
1693Tatsuya had a vague sense of concern that his plan could be used for some other
1694purpose. But he convinced himself that it is necessary to give priority to promote of the
1695project.
1696CEO of the "Hokuzan groups", Kitayama Ushio ("Business name" — Kitakata Ushio),
1697has a great influence not only in business circles, but also in politics. It was not
1698uncommon for him to hold meetings with the Government, but in most cases, his
1699schedule is adjusted according to his circumstances, even if the schedule is
1700planned in advance.
1701But on that day, on the last Thursday of May, Kitayama Ushio was quite
1702unexpectedly invited to a luxurious Japanese-style restaurant.
1703He cancelled all other plans and went to this restaurant because the inviting
1704partner was someone he could not refuse.
1705Toudou Aoba. The circle of people who knew the name of this shadow influential man
1706was limited. Unlike the famous "Traders of influence", Toudou Aoba never openly went
1707on stage. But those who benefited from his name were aware that his abilities were
1708undeniable.
1709Fortunately, Ushio was never threatened by the shadow activity of Toudou. However,
1710the founder of a rapidly growing company, which competed with Ushio, lost all hisproperty as a result of underestimated the influence of Toudou. He received a long
1711prison term for an ordinary crime, which in normal cases could not cause such
1712problems, and was deprived of the right to start a new business. Ushio considered it
1713an obvious demonstration to the rest.
1714“It is a great honor for me to be invited by you.”
1715“I'm sorry I called you so suddenly.”
1716Toudou Aoba was already 60, and Kitayama Ushio was in his early fifties. Toudou’s tone
1717was a little rough, but given the age of both, it did not sound unnatural. But the
1718difference in their attitude reflected not the difference in their age, but the difference in
1719the type of influence (political influence and economic power) that they owned.
1720First, Toudou and Ushio killed a little time with the usual secular conversation. But
1721Toudou Aoba, it seems, was not so tactless as to suddenly call one of the country's
1722largest businessmen to just chat.
1723He was just worried about the eyes and ears of the waiter serving them. The institutions
1724used by such people as Toudou, are not only expensive, but besides providing tasty
1725food and drinks, their employees also perfectly observe "the rule of the three monkeys"
1726( "do not look", "do not listen", "do not say"). Perhaps the man who survived in the
1727world of wiles and intrigues, simply could not give up this superfluous vigilance.
1728"I called you today because..." After some time, Toudou began to speak when the time
1729for delicacies and sake were over. “— ... I want you to support the business of a young
1730man.”
1731“Do you mean for me to invest in this novice business of this young man?”
1732Such inquiries were not uncommon for Ushio. But he was interested in it, because such
1733a request was made personally Toudou himself.
1734"And who is this amazing man who has earned the attention of your holiness?"
1735“You already know this guy. His official name from the family register is Shiba
1736Tatsuya.”“— ... Shiba-kun?” After a long pause, Ushio was able to speak only that. To hear this
1737name from the mouth of Toudou was quite unexpected for him. — then this new
1738business is something related to his inventions as Taurus Silver? or something related
1739to a thermonuclear reactor?”
1740“The second. Shiba Tatsuya tries to release magician from the role of weapons,
1741giving them work to produce energy.”
1742“I understand. I accept your proposal.”
1743This time the answer was immediate. So much so that even Toudou was a
1744little confused.
1745“Don't you have to think about it?”
1746Even after this offer, there was no doubt in Ushio.
1747“Your Excellency must know that my wife and daughter are also magicians. My wife has
1748been forced to live as a "weapon" for a long time, even though she has now retired.”
1749Of course, Toudou knew about Benio, the wife of Ushio, and his daughter Shizuku.
1750He looked forward to continuing the story.
1751“But if the war begins, not only my wife, but my daughter will be sent to the battlefield.
1752If it comes to a full-blown war, magicians, useless in the workplace, can be forced to
1753become a combat force. I'm afraid of that.”
1754“— but if we talk about the benefits, besides the war, there is still a project,
1755announced by the nearing States.”
1756Naturally, Toudou did not really want to cooperate with "Project Dione". These
1757words were intended to show how serious Ushio is in his statement.“I don't want to sacrifice my wife and daughter. That is worse than forced military use.”
1758“Hou. Why do you think that?”
1759This question was no longer a test for Ushio, it proceeded from real curiosity.
1760“— The essence of the "project Dione", the expulsion of magicians in to space. I do not
1761know whether it is the will of Amerika, the intrigue of Edward Clark, or if it is done for
1762some other reason, but it seems they want to expel Shiba-kun from the earth. But the
1763damage is not the only thing. If the project is launched, the involved magicians will no
1764longer be able to live on Earth. The earth will cease to be their home. This is the project.”
1765The answer Ushio coincided with the conclusion that Tatsuya made. And most likely,
1766Ushio and Tatsuya are not exceptions. There are probably many people who came to
1767such conclusions enveloping this project.
1768“Right.”
1769Frankly speaking, Toudou also noticed the hidden target of the Dione project.
1770“On the other hand, according to the project by Shiba Tatsuya, the area where
1771magicians will feel at home will only expand. Energy production is necessary even
1772during wartime. On the contrary, its importance is growing. When Shiba Tatsuya’s plant
1773will be included in the state system of power supply, they will not be so careless, as to
1774throw magicians on the front, causing a lack of energy. It’s well thought out.”
1775And Toudou most valued "project ESCAPES" and Tatsuya for creating a
1776compromising relationship between the supply of combat power and the supply of
1777energy, which will create a situation where it becomes impossible for magicians to
1778be used as weapons.In terms of National Defence, this is an unacceptable situation. But if this was
1779everything to the project, Toudou would have destroyed the Tatsuya’s project.
1780But Tatsuya agreed to become a deterrent force.
1781If the system of energy production with the nucleus in the form of a star reactor
1782spreads to the whole world, other countries will lose their fighting power of
1783magicians, and the relative military power of Japan with a trump card in the form of
1784Material Burst will only increase.
1785Although it was not clear yet whether someone comparable to Tatsuya who could be
1786a deterrent force would be born in the next generation, but he will let the rulers of that
1787time take care of it. Since Toudou lived in the present, he took responsibility for the
1788present. He has not overestimated himself enough to be responsible for the future.
1789“I Agree.”
1790Ushio was not particularly worried about the lack of combat power of magicians. He
1791wasn't a politician. He believed that if there is no magical combat force, it can be
1792compensated by a conventional combat force. His company was not engaged in
1793weapons, but if there was such a need to protect his family, he would without any doubt
1794begin to fully support the military industry with his company.
1795“Could you tell me more about the Shiba-kun’s project?”
1796Tatsuya’s project corresponded to his interests. Ushio decided to meet him. Usually
1797whenever his family is concerned, his thinking lapsed suspiciously. However, in such
1798matters, Toudou was not going to deceive him, and this should not be a problem.
1799“You'll ask him for details.”
1800But now he could not deny that he doubted him too much.
1801“Really. Sorry for the rudeness.”Realizing this, Ushio sincerely bowed. Cooling his head, he sent his consciousness to
1802what he really had to check out here.
1803“Your Excellency. I wanted to ask you something.”
1804“What's that?”
1805“What is the position of the Government regarding the project?”
1806Now, the whole world welcomes "project Dione". There is no country that has
1807officially taken an early position. He was afraid that the launch of a plan, opposing
1808"project Dione", can be regarded as a diplomatic negative phenomenon. Toudou
1809Aoba also understood it well.
1810“The Japanese government will not intervene.”
1811He made his position clear by saying this.Chapter 4
1812Friday, May 31, 2097.
1813Since the morning, numerous media representatives have rushed to the
1814main office of Four Leaves Technology.
1815Needless to say, their goal was a press conference held by "Taurus Silver". The
1816meeting was to begin at 10 o'clock, but as the crowd of reporters and operators met in
1817front of the building could interfere with traffic and other people's work, the venue
1818was opened earlier, at about 9 o'clock.
1819Even traditional large newspapers, usually without any interest in the magic industry,
1820organized several groups in the very first rows. Although many of their colleagues had a
1821conceited relationship, but for a third-party observer, these colleagues were no different
1822from the first.
1823Their indiscriminate conversations died down when the staff responsible for
1824communication with the media came to the podium. The reporters, holding their
1825breath, watched the FLT employees perform last checkups of the microphone and
1826lighting.
1827The digital clock in the conference room showed 10 o’clock. The front door of
1828the conference hall opened, and Tatsuya and Ushiyama came to the podium.
1829Under the clicks of the shutters Tatsuya stood in front of the microphone. The chairs
1830on the podium were not used.
1831Behind Tatsuya hung a big screen. On it appeared the description "Stellar
1832Furnace Energy Plant Project".
1833The conference room was filled with noise. These were voices expressing doubt as to
1834why the presentation of a new business project is taking place. Not paying attention to
1835the confusion of the assembled, the responsible employee announced the beginning of
1836the press conference.“— I am Shiba Tatsuya, and I am responsible for the development of software for Taurus
1837Silver projects.”
1838"I am Ushiyama Kinji, and I am responsible for the development of hardware for
1839Taurus Silver projects."
1840The noise immediately increased. Media representatives gathered here firmly believing
1841that that this young man (although he was still a schoolboy, the appearance of Tatsuya
1842can be expressed by the word "young man", and not "boy") in the suit was the real
1843identity behind Taurus Silver. But this man in the working jumpsuit also called himself
1844Taurus Silver. In the media camp, chaos began.
1845“-uh, Taurus Silver is not the name of one developer.”
1846As the reporters did not follow with questions, Ushiyama continued to speak.
1847“It’s the name of the development team, consisting of him and me. We have already
1848updated the personal information about the applicants, and you can confirm it at the patent
1849office.”
1850“— ... Why did you deceive the people so much?" When at last a hand was picked, one
1851of the female reporters asked this. In fact, they were insensible words, which lacked
1852respect for the interlocutor.
1853“We weren't going to cheat. Often applications for patents are filed under the name of
1854the firm, and even now it is common practice to keep confidentiality of personal
1855information about the individual members of the group.”
1856“B-but Taurus Silver is regarded as a brilliant engineer, who in just 1 year has advanced
1857the development of CAD software by 10 years, and your company did not deny it,
1858right?”
1859“We have never confirmed excessive estimates like "brilliant engineer" and other
1860things like that.”
1861The reporters had nothing to say to this irrefutable answer by Tatsuya.“The reason for the confidentiality of personal information was that the Youn- *... That
1862Shiba is a minor. For the same reason, we refused to hold an interview.”
1863Ushiyama continued nervously.
1864[He almost misspoke, beginning to say, "Young master.]
1865The privacy of minors in the present period was a stable social principle. The
1866media couldn't go straight against it.
1867"Does it mean that what the mysterious man named "The First Sage" said in that
1868message, was only half true?” Another reporter delicately changed the subject,
1869asking another question.
1870“Because Taurus Silver is the name of the team consisting of me and Ushiyama,
1871the message that Taurus Silver is me, Shiba Tatsuya, is misinformation.”
1872Tatsuya changed his first-person address to "Watashi" to seem impolite to this media
1873representative. After all, the content of the answer was a direct attempt to quarrel with
1874him.
1875“Misinformation on TV?”
1876“The news showed information different from the truth. That's
1877called misinformation, isn't it?”
1878“But the fact that you are Taurus Silver is true!”
1879There was a piercing hysterical scream from another part of the conference room.
1880“— it was mentioned earlier that Taurus Silver is not the name of one person.”
1881Tatsuya turned to this reporter and answered him with a calm but seemingly brazen
1882voice. Objecting voices stopped.
1883“However, it is also true that we have caused confusion among people around the
1884world.”Here Ushiyama took advantage of the moment, and his awkward voice wedged
1885in to the conversation.
1886“Therefore, here and now, we are announcing the correct information regarding Taurus
1887Silver.”
1888The conference room was noisy again.
1889“— ... What do you mean?”
1890“It means that we are terminating our activity as Taurus Silver.” In this sense,
1891Tatsuya returned the obvious answer to the brave question.
1892“Does that mean you're stopping CAD development?” The question came from a
1893reporter from a single publication firm familiar with the magic industry.
1894“Ushiyama will continue to develop CADs, and I'll do another thing.” Tatsuya said this
1895and pointed his hand at the screen behind him.
1896“— This is a new project for the organization and supply of Energy for industrial and
1897domestic needs, using a Stellar Furnace, or in other words a thermonuclear reactor,
1898which works with Gravity Control-Type Magic.
1899Journalists began to talk indiscriminately within their groups. Tatsuya silently stared
1900at them until the noise died down.
1901“The design of the installation is not new." Tatsuya said this, so order could return to
1902the conference hall. Representatives of the press did not interrupt his explanation.
1903“— the installation is planned to be built on a remote island or on the sea surface. With
1904the help of the power generated by the Stellar Furnace reactor, hydrogen will be
1905produced from the sea water, which will be further sent to land. We hope that together
1906with the process of hydrogen production, we will contribute to the purification of the
1907marine environment by removing harmful substances from sea water.”A simple animation appeared on the big screen showing the mechanism of the
1908installation. Comments on the animation were not told by Tatsuya, but by an FLT
1909employee.
1910After the animation was finished, the conference room filled up with loud noise. A
1911correspondent from an industry magazine raised his hand as an interested person.
1912“— ... Are you not going to send electricity directly from the
1913thermonuclear reactor?”“I think that many will be concerned about the stability of the Stellar Furnace reactor, so
1914first we decided to build a plant at a sufficient distance from the urban area. Therefore,
1915taking into account the loss in the transmission of electricity to the far distance, I
1916designed the scheme of converting it into hydrogen fuel.”
1917“I think that a significant number of magicians will be needed for the operation of a
1918thermonuclear reactor.”
1919It was said by a reporter from a publication directly related to magic.
1920“You're right. Magicians participating in this project will be transferred to the island or
1921floating base, on which the plant with the presented installation will be located.
1922“— Are you going to create an independent State of magicians!?”
1923This question was asked by a reporter from a newspaper that was usually set up to be
1924negative towards magic.
1925“Because of its peculiarities, the plant will not be able to function with only
1926one magician. The staff will include more non-magician engineers.”
1927“— in other words, do you mean that a minority of magicians will rule the
1928majority of ordinary personnel?”
1929“— The plant will be operated in compliance with all laws and regulations.”
1930Tatsuya could not restrain his habit of fighting against magicians. However, he now gave
1931a textbook answer, and at the present stage, when there was no specific data, no one
1932could continue to make false accusations.
1933“How do you respond to the request for participation in "Project Dione"? “
1934This was a "cover fire", the question was asked in a provocative voice
1935by a reporter from the same company as the previous one.“The request from the National Scientific Agency from the USNA was
1936about the participation of a schoolboy, calling himself Taurus Silver.
1937But a little earlier, "Taurus Silver" ceased to exist, so I can no longer
1938respond to this request.”
1939“These are empty excuses!” The reporter reflexively shouted in response to the
1940brazen words of Tatsuya.
1941Tatsuya himself considered it an empty excuse, so he was not embarrassed
1942by this exclamation.
1943“Did Mr. Edward Clark from the National Science Agency require me to
1944participate?”
1945This objection was also prepared in advance. It was a counterattack that the reporter
1946would not be able to answer with "Yes."
1947“But it's obvious that Mr. Clark meant you when he was talking about Taurus Silver.”
1948However, the reporter still persisted.
1949"Is that so?"
1950Tatsuya knew what the reporter said was true, but for the rest it was not so obvious.
1951Tatsuya did not answer with "Yes" or "no", he just answered with a question. The
1952reporter was just speculating. So when he was asked, "Is that so?", he had nothing
1953to say.
1954“Even if another invitation comes from the Dione project, I won't be able to accept it. The
1955project of a plant with the Stellar Furnace reactor has already moved to the stage of
1956choosing the place for construction. I don't have time to participate in other major
1957projects.” Tatsuya summed it up.
1958Tatsuya’s press conference was broadcasted live on TV.Speaking of TV, it was meant not to be covered by many large radio channels. Rather to
1959a small cable news channel. The target audience of this channel were magicians and
1960people interested in magic. It broadcast various news related to magic, and was also
1961known as the channel, broadcasting absolutely all Nine School Competitions.
1962Kudou Minoru, who missed school because of his poor health, watched
1963this broadcast, sitting on his bed in his room.
1964“Tatsuya-san is so amazing...” said Minoru while sighing when the broadcast was over.
1965He turned the TV off and went to bed. There was a whirlpool of admiration for Tatsuya in
1966Minoru’s thoughts.
1967He also admired the plan for the energy plant with the nucleus in the form of the "Stellar
1968Furnace" (at the press conference, Tatsuya did not use the name "Project ESCAPES").
1969He admired the power with which Tatsuya was able to overcome the pressure of what
1970made him an enemy to the world, and used the heightened attention for his own
1971purposes.
1972Minoru envied Tatsuya to the depths of his soul.
1973Tatsuya did not give up and, freely and unrestrictedly, use his wisdom and power to
1974fight the society and the world.
1975And he, in comparison with this, only lies on this cramped bed, watching
1976other people's affairs. Which is unfortunate.
1977Minoru was thinking. That if he only had a healthy body...
1978Minoru was sure that he was not inferior to Tatsuya in mind or magic. This was in no
1979way overconfidence by Minoru.Minoru assessed his abilities after he saw Tatsuya’s abilities. His ability was recognized
1980not only by himself. Also by his grandfather, Kudou Retsu, who always cherished his
1981own talent.
1982He successfully avoided this bad feeling at the Thesis Competition of last year
1983(although Tatsuya was in it but did not present), Minoru won there, beating Isori Kei
1984from First High and Kichijouji Shinkurou from Third High.
1985When he remembered the Thesis Competition, he went through his memories, one after
1986another. The memories of the events that took place less than a month before the
1987contest came back to him.
1988About how they first fought together the next day, October 7th.
1989The next time they met was two weeks later, October 20th.
1990The day afterwards, he was bedridden from the heat and made it uncomfortable for them.
1991On October 27th. Having closed Zhou Gongjin’s escape route, he believed that he
1992managed to repay the debt that he owed that he had from when he got ill.
1993Minoru remembered that entire day. After all, this was the first time since his birth that
1994he was useful to someone. So Minoru remembered this day...
1995With these memories in his thoughts, Minoru did not notice how he fell asleep.
1996In his dream he returned back to that day, October 27, 2096.
1997There was a guy in on the other side of Uji Bridge. In a dream, Minoru observed himself
1998from a stranger’s view.
1999From the car on which he stood, sparks and fire poured out.
2000Right before the engine exploded, he jumped out of the car and looked intently
2001at Minoru.Minoru realized that he was Zhou Gongjin. This is what the dream looked like from
2002his view. He escaped along the Uji river, going in a downward direction.
2003Then he was attacked by a “Girl” that suddenly appeared with a bob hairstyle.
2004Despite the fact that this was a dream, he could clearly feel strong pain.
2005These memories, they should have not been known by Minoru. This experience he
2006should not have experienced.
2007Before him, Ichijou Masaki appeared, and behind him, Tatsuya.
2008Maybe he's rebuilding this scene in his imagination based on reports from the incident?
2009Minoru was covered in cold blood, despite the fact that he was in a dream.
2010Masaki’s attack tore the inside of his shins of both legs. This time there was no pain.
2011“I will not perish. Even if I die, my existence will continue!”
2012He thought he said this with his voice. Undoubtedly, one who dies like this, holding
2013such a thought, usually will wander in the world of the living as a ghost. Minoru felt
2014sympathy, having personally experienced the last moments of Zhou Gongjin’s life.
2015But the dream was not over. Zhou Gongjin's consciousness continued.
2016Zhou Gongjin sailed upstream the Uji River.
2017Suddenly the dream came from Minoru’s point of view. Zhou Gongjin's ghost was
2018approaching him.
2019“Become one with me!” Zhou Gongjin shouted and flew at Minoru, who was standing on
2020the Uji bridge.
2021The surrounding landscape has disappeared. The bridge also vanished from
2022under his feet. Minoru hung in the air over the river.Minoru realized that it was no longer a dream about the events that occurred 7
2023months ago, but an event that is actually happening in the present time.
2024Memories of the events of that time somehow brought him here. More than six months
2025later, Minoru realized that Zhou Gongjin’s ghost drew his attention.
2026"Become mine!"
2027The fingers of both Zhou Gongjin’s hands pierced his chest. Although it is better to say
2028"plunged". Something invaded him. Although Minoru was aware of this, he was
2029surprisingly calm.
2030Even for himself, it was unexpected that he was not afraid of this "evil spirit" trying to
2031capture him. He didn't have to be afraid because he knew what to do.
2032Minoru quickly understood this. The thing that was trying to swallow him was of
2033the same essence and nature as the parasites.
2034He was an undisputed genius and the strongest user of the magic in the Kudou family.
2035His brothers and sisters did not realize it. And his father apparently would not admit it.
2036But his grandfather certainly understood it.
2037By the age of 16, Minoru had already mastered all the magic of the Kudou family.
2038“Go away, Ghost.”
2039Minoru used Mental Interference Magic. In this dream, magic is not used on
2040something physical, that’s why his magic was still going to work.
2041Coming out of Minoru’s "body", like the wind, a stream of luminous particles burst out,
2042and with this force, which was like a hurricane, blew Zhou Gongjin’s "body" away.
2043In the world of Minoru’s dreams, he and Zhou Gongjin were both in ghost bodies.
2044Their minds existed in the form of ghosts.He cannot be blown away using psions, like with "Zone Interference", but Mental
2045Interference Magic makes it possible to both attack and defend.
2046Zhou Gongjin’s hands were separated from his “body”. They were immersed in
2047Minoru’s body to the wrist and were submerged to the part from where they was
2048torn off.
2049“Give me your body.”
2050Not frightened, Zhou Gongjin again flew to Minoru.
2051“Although it's not a usable and naughty body, I can't give it away.”
2052Minoru has activated the following magic. From the darkness, lightning of all colors of
2053the rainbow appeared and surrounded Zhou Gongjin’s ghost body. In this world, magic
2054was called, which was worth thinking about it. Minoru felt more freedom compared to
2055the real world.
2056“Give it to me...”
2057The Phantom body of Zhou Gongjin was now dark in several places, its once graceful
2058appearance was now covered with black spots, and the body was lacking some parts.
2059“— ... I'm sorry, Zhou Gongjin. But it's time to finish this.”
2060Minoru owned all the magic of the Kudou family. And together with this magic, came
2061the methodology to create a Parasite Doll. Including the binding parasite Loyalty spell.
2062“Obey Me, Ghost. Become my food.”
2063Minoru held Zhou Gongjin in his hands and he activated the magic for enslaving
2064Parasites.The usual loyalty spell is arranged in such a way that if you comply with certain
2065conditions, compensation is provided. The compensation used in the production
2066of Parasites is to supply the Parasites with Psions which are necessary to them.
2067The condition for this is absolute obedience. In case of disobedience, the parasite
2068is deprived of already absorbed Psions and needs to submitted again.
2069The compensation offered by Minoru is the existence within him. And the condition is
2070to be preoccupied. In other words, using the loyalty spell, Minoru "ate" Ghost Zhou
2071Gongjin.
2072“— ... Good work. Thank you for your knowledge.”
2073Minoru felt like the "secret knowledge" associated with "Demons” accumulated by Zhou
2074Gongjin became his own.
2075Minoru in his sleep showed an "Angelic" smile. This smile undoubtedly belonged to a
2076messenger looking from heaven to earth, filled with beauty, haughty and devoid of
2077humanity.
2078Tatsuya expressed his gratitude to Ushiyama, who accompanied him during the press
2079conference, he thanked the staff that drafted the venue, and was going to leave the main
2080office.
2081He didn’t want to run into his father. He had no desire to meet him, and his father
2082obviously did not want to either. This assumption of his father's feelings was not a
2083mistake.
2084Because it was not a subordinate of his father that stopped Tatsuya, who changed his
2085clothes in the locker room and went to the underground parking, trying to avoid the
2086reporters at the main entrance, but it was stopped a woman calling herself a member of
2087the Magic Association.
2088“Is this going to be a long conversation?”Tatsuya has no particular bad feeling towards the Magic Association’s feelings, but
2089he asked because he wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. And he did not
2090underestimate the ability of the press to sniff around.
2091“It won't take long. I just need to get your answer...” The employee timidly answered
2092the question of Tatsuya. The Magic Association sent not a man but a young woman to
2093give Tatsuya a better impression.
2094But it clearly had the opposite effect. She was frightened by the sight of Tatsuya, as if
2095she had a very meager experience with men (meaning no sexual experience). When a
2096person has no special tendencies, this is only used to offend.
2097But Tatsuya also became awkward, because he had no hobbies like scaring
2098women for fun.
2099“In that case, get in the car.”
2100But when he offered the employee of the Magic Association this, it was impossible to
2101fully say that this act was not a manifestation of revenge.
2102“Tomorrow afternoon...?”
2103The request of the Magic Association was that they wanted him to meet Edward
2104Clark at the Magic Association, who is going to arrive in Japan tomorrow.
2105“Yes! In the afternoon, at any time that is convenient for Shiba-san!”
2106The employee begged Tatsuya in a desperate voice. Looking at her condition, it was not
2107possible to say, that she is not accustomed to men, but it is possible to say that it is
2108difficult to talk to men, or she could even have androphobia [fear of men].
2109What was the Magic Association’s purpose for choosing such a woman? This was
2110an obvious mistake in choosing roles.
2111“It's a pretty sudden invitation.”“I'm sorry, please!”
2112The car was on autopilot, but Tatsuya was sitting in the driver’s seat, according to the
2113rules. And the employee of the Association was holding the door of the front passenger
2114seat. Tatsuya decided to finish this conversation quickly, but not out of compassion,
2115but because of her irritating behavior.
2116“There's nothing to be done. Then I’ll be there tomorrow at 14:00, at the Kanto branch.”
2117“Is it fine?”
2118“I can't afford to refuse, can I?”
2119These words were not an attempt to bargain, but Tatsuya’s true feelings.
2120Though not officially, Edward Clark asked for a meeting as a representative of the
2121USNA government. He decided in advance, that at the end of the meeting, refusing to
2122meet could have negative consequences in diplomatic relations. Tatsuya was not so
2123arrogant or childish as to ignore it.
2124“T-T-thank you very much!”
2125The employee exaggerated her emotions too much. Tatsuya was no longer able to
2126tolerate this irritation. He stopped the car on the side of the road and he kicked her out.
2127Tatsuya went to First High. Initially, he planned to go there immediately from the main
2128office of FLT. Although he did take a long route, he still had the feeling that it took too
2129much time.
2130He changed everything but his jacket into the school uniform in the locker room of
2131FLT. After changing the jacket from a business suit to the long jacket of the school
2132uniform, Tatsuya went not to the classroom, but to the principal’s office. There he
2133told the school staff that he wanted to meet with the principal.It was almost noon, the lunch break was about to start. Usually, if student asked to meet
2134with the director at such a time, they will only be reprimanded and will be kicked out of
2135the office. But, as expected, the staff of First High knew about the Tatsuya’s situation. In
2136the current situation, not knowing his circumstances would be strange.
2137Was the director's schedule accidentally free at that moment, or did he send someone
2138away when he heard about the visit? Tatsuya got into the director's office very quickly.
2139“Thank you very much for taking the time for me, even though I came so
2140suddenly.”
2141First of all, Tatsuya politely thanked him.
2142“I was watching the broadcast.” Director Momoyama suddenly changed the topic. “Did
2143you refuse to participate in project Dione because you had something on your mind
2144when you told me?”
2145But once Momoyama asked this, it was easier for Tatsuya to answer.
2146“Right.”
2147“— The project of a power plant with the Stellar Furnace reactor... Don't you have a
2148shorter version of the name?”
2149“— Given the planned location of the plant, it is unofficially called the "Project for the
2150extraction of marine resources and the elimination of harmful substances from the
2151coastal zone of the Pacific", or abbreviated "Project Escapes" from the first letters of
2152the words from the phrase in English: "Extract both useful and harmful Substances
2153from the Coastal Area of the Pacific using Electricity generated by the Stellar furnace.".
2154“ESCAPES? This name cannot be used officially.”
2155Momoyama quickly realized that this name contains the hidden meaning of "Escape
2156for magicians from military use."“Yes. That is why at the press conference I called it a "project for a power plant based
2157on a stationary Stellar Furnace".”
2158“Hmm... So how far have you gotten in this project?” Momoyama asked, looking at
2159Tatsuya standing in front of his desk. Standing there, most of the students would
2160respond with a trembling voice.
2161“— we have already started the actual implementation. It's not a sham to escape from the
2162Dione project.”
2163Momoyama really suspected that this was a pretext for not participating in the Dion
2164project.
2165“— ... I believe you.”
2166In itself, the word 'believe' was not proof of what he really believes with all his
2167heart, but Momoyama still said this to Tatsuya.
2168“Thank you very much.”
2169Although you’re not involved in Project Dione he did not express this directly.
2170“Now on to the condition of exemption from classes...”
2171“Release from classes is not canceled.”
2172Momoyama interrupted Tatsuya’s speech.
2173“I can guarantee your graduation. And a recommendation to the University of
2174Magic too. So you should focus on Project ESCAPES.”
2175“— ... Are you sure?”
2176The words of Momoyama sounded too suspicious to Tatsuya. The exemption from
2177the classes originally provided by Tatsuya was done under the pressure of the
2178USNA to make him participate in the Dione Project. Now that Tatsuya has officially
2179refused, Momoyama no longer had to treat him in a special way.“I think that Project Dione has a deeper meaning, giving an honorable way of life to
2180magicians. That's why I asked you to participate in it.”
2181Momoyama implied that his special attitude towards Tatsuya was not only because of
2182the pressure of USNA. Tatsuya could not understand whether this was true, or if it was
2183to pretend that he succumbed to the pressure of the government.
2184“But now I feel that your "Project ESCAPES" also has a deeper meaning, giving the
2185magicians a peaceful way of life. According to my estimation, its social significance is
2186not inferior to Project Dione. So I don't think it's necessary to change my attitude.”
2187“— ... Thank you very much.”
2188Even after these explanations, Tatsuya did not understand the true motives of
2189Momoyama, but, above all, he thanked him for the praise and bowed.
2190“Good luck.”
2191Bowing again in response to the words of Momoyama, Tatsuya left the principal's
2192office.
2193When Tatsuya left the director's office, it was still about 10 minutes before the lunch
2194break began . He initially planned to return to Izu, but after short hesitation, he went to
2195the school council room.
2196He passed up to the highest room of the fourth floor, with such a route, that he would
2197not to be seen from the classrooms in which classes were now being held.
2198His ID card opened the door without any problems.
2199He was not absent for too long. Tatsuya did not feel particularly nostalgic, he just
2200took his usual place and turned on the terminal.
2201He checked the status of the current events, since Miyuki and others had
2202promoted him to the School Board without much delay.Working on cases that had nothing to do with his work, he didn’t notice that the
2203lunch break had begun.
2204Miyuki and the rest should come because they’re having lunch. Therefore Tatsuya
2205thought this, but contrary to his expectations, Miyuki arrived even sooner.
2206"Onii--, no, Tatsuya."
2207“Tatsuya-san?”
2208Miyuki was not alone. Both Honoka and Shizuku, who was not in the Student Council,
2209and second years Izumi, Kasumi and Minami came to the school council room almost
2210simultaneously.
2211“You can't say we haven't seen each other in a while, right?”
2212Today is Friday. Last time they met was near the gate of First High on Monday. He’s
2213doubtful that the greeting "Not seen for a long time" came to this occasion.
2214And for Miyuki this "long time not seen" was all the more unsuitable, because he
2215communicates with her every evening.
2216“— ... You came to tell the school about today's press conference?”
2217Miyuki quickly recovered from the shock and gave an unexpectedly correct guess.
2218“Right. How did you guess?”
2219“Given the press conference, I thought it might be related to it...”
2220As Miyuki said, she was informed in advance about what will be told at today's press
2221conference.“Yes. I just talked to the principal. Although I declined to participate in the Dione
2222project, the release from classes still remains in effect.”
2223“That means... What were you going to do here?”
2224Not only Miyuki, but Honoka was also somewhat nervous. It seemed that they felt
2225uncomfortable with his presence. Tatsuya had such an impression. The ones gathered in
2226the school council room were Miyuki, Honoka, Shizuku, Izumi, Kasumi and Minami. All
2227but Tatsuya, were girls. Maybe they were going to talk about something girly?
2228"No, this is... We were going to see the press conference here, Tatsuya.”
2229“— ... Got it.”
2230When Tatsuya held a press conference, classes were still going on. Conscientious
2231students could not watch it live.
2232Miyuki probably recorded the broadcast on the school board's server. The channel
2233associated with Magic news, definitely, had a contract to broadcast to the Magic
2234Schools.
2235“Then I'll go to the library, call me when you go home.”
2236Even Tatsuya was ashamed to watch his press conference on TV. As if running away
2237from it, he hurried out of the school council room.
2238After school, Tatsuya met with his friends in the school cafeteria. Not only with Miyuki
2239and others whom he met in the school board room, but also with the rest of their
2240regular company. Since he got here by car today, it was impossible to go to the habitual
2241café, located on the way to school.
2242The students' views, directed at them from all sides, were annoying. But today they
2243could make an exception.The record of the press conference was reproduced not only in the school board
2244room. At lunchtime, the recording was also shown on the big screen in the dining
2245room. Many students watched the recording on their personal information terminals.
2246So everyone was interested.
2247“Tatsuya, I saw it.”
2248Naturally, his friends also looked.
2249“Good job.”
2250“Tatsuya-san, only you could think of that.”
2251“I think it's really amazing. I'd have never thought of that before.”
2252After Leo, this was said by Erika, Mizuki and Mikihiko. The reaction was more open
2253among his former classmates than among the school board group.
2254Perhaps it was because they had no extra emotion.
2255“— Construction of a plant that generates energy using a Stellar Furnace? Tatsuya.
2256Doesn’t this have a simpler name, like an abbreviation?
2257Leo asked something similar as Principal Momoyama. Perhaps many have
2258thought about this.
2259“There is an unofficial abbreviation, "Project ESCAPES".”
2260“Who’s to escape? Where does the abbreviation come from?”
2261“Extract both useful and harmful Substances from the Coastal Area of the Pacific using
2262Electricity generated by Stellar furnace.” E from "Extract", S from "Substances", C and
2263A from "Coastal Area", P from "Pacific", E from "Electricity" and S from "Stellar".
2264Altogether, ESCAPES. This translates to: "Extraction of both useful and harmful
2265substances from the coastal zone of the Pacific Ocean using the electricity produced
2266by the Stellar Furnace."“Ha-ha... I'm guessing you matched that word.”
2267“Correct.”
2268Leo, as usual, decided to show his uncharacteristic wit.
2269“Escape from what?”
2270“From military use.”
2271Having heard the words of Tatsuya, before him the cheerfully smiling Leo made a
2272serious face.
2273“— ... Even so?”
2274Leo is a magician developed as a weapon with an improved body. He clearly realized that
2275"escape from military use" is an "Escape from the fate of magicians compelled to be a
2276weapon."
2277Not just Leo. Minami, who is also such a magician, of course, also understood this. The
2278other members of the group also wore a different expression. In particular, the faces of
2279Honoka, Kasumi and Izumi froze. These three were highly likely to have genes that had
2280been modified in the generation of their fathers and grandfathers.
2281“Yes, that's right.”
2282Tatsuya did not conceal this intention. Friends would understand it, so there was
2283no reason to hide it.
2284“You have to succeed, no matter what it takes.” Mikihiko said in a serious voice.
2285“It's going to be all right, it's Tatsuya-kun.”
2286Erika tried to blow away the tense atmosphere, and cheer everyone up.
2287Their expression softened when they heard her.“Right. If it's Tatsuya-san, it's going to be all right.”
2288“You said you had to choose a place. And when will the construction actually
2289begin?”
2290After Honoka, whose speech not only expressed confidence, but was closer to
2291religious belief, Mizuki asked about a specific schedule.
2292“The project has already started.”
2293“Uh? Then what about school...?”
2294“Although my exemption has not changed, I plan to go back to school, when the
2295situation will calm down a bit.” With a slight smile Tatsuya answered the wide eyes
2296of Mizuki.
2297“Is that so? Thank God...”
2298Honoka exaggerated her relief. This behavior caused all of them to smile.
2299“Tatsuya-san.”
2300Tatsuya turned to Shizuku, sitting next to Honoka.
2301“What's that?”
2302“My father wants to meet you”
2303Kasumi rounded her eyes from Shizuku’s words. It was easy to guess what she
2304had mistakenly thought, but the real meaning was, of course, different.
2305“I think it's about the project.”“I got it. When can I come?”
2306Tatsuya immediately guessed that it was the work of Toudou. But he did not show this,
2307but he asked Shizuku with a serious expression on his face.
2308“He said he'd be happy to meet on Sunday.”
2309“On what time specifically?”
2310“The exact time has not been assigned.”
2311“In that case, how about I bother you around the afternoon, say, 1 o’clock?"
2312“I think it's going to be all right. I'll call you if the circumstances change.”
2313“Yes, that’s fine.”
2314Thus, this simple coffee break accidentally became a significant event for Tatsuya.
2315As a result, Tatsuya didn’t go to the villa in Izu, rather he went to the new house in Chofu.
2316Tomorrow he was to meet Edward Clark at the Kanto branch of the Magic
2317Association, and the day after tomorrow he was going to visit Shizuku’s house. So
2318returning to Izu was ineffective.
2319This will be the first time Tatsuya stays overnight in the building in Chofu. Miyuki
2320was more excited about this fact than Tatsuya. No, to be more precise, Tatsuya
2321did not worry at all. Miyuki was the one that worried.
2322“Tatsuya-sama, Miyuki-sama, sleep well.”
2323“Yes, good night.”“Good night, Minami-chan.”
2324The upper floor of the building was fully occupied by the residence of Tatsuya and
2325Miyuki. Its structure was the same as that of an ordinary mansion, and it had several
2326different rooms with separate entrances.
2327A separate entrance to the rooms of Tatsuya and Miyuki, and a separate entrance to the
2328room where Minami lived. ... In other words, Minami "changed her work" from "maid
2329who lives in the employer's family" to "Maid on Demand".
2330In other words, it meant that Tatsuya and Miyuki would spend the night alone in their
2331residence. For Miyuki this was a situation where she could not be no excited.
2332“Onii-sama.”
2333Miyuki changed Tatsuya to "Onii-sama" Ever since they got into the car, and only
2334“they” were around.
2335But that didn’t start today. Even in phone calls, she called him that. She acted the same
2336way she acted on the Saturday night at the villa in Izu.
2337For her, it was not something she was consciously aware of. As Miyuki said, it is most
2338natural for her to call him "Onii-sama". From that day, 5 years ago, in the summer, in
2339Okinawa.
2340“Go to the bathroom first.”
2341“Well.”
2342Miyuki advised him to go to the bathroom after Minami left, not because they
2343were arguing with each other, but because she should be doing housework.
2344The bath was fully automated, from cleaning to filling it with hot water.There was a similar bath in their old house. But in the new house, the automation
2345was a step higher. You could take a bath without doing anything with your own
2346hands. Tatsuya figured this out when he entered the bathroom.
2347For a moment Tatsuya seriously thought, whether or not it is necessary to just use the
2348"human washing machine" (Fully automated shower cabin), because this bathroom
2349corresponded to the luxurious layout of these apartments and was equipped with not
2350only a huge bathroom, but also with an ample place to wash. As a result, he decided
2351to wash in the traditional way.
2352But even if it was said "Traditional", everything around him was also automated.
2353“Shower.”
2354After washing his hair it was not necessary to spend time looking at the shower head to
2355touch it. After the voice command, the shower poured hot water.
2356When Tatsuya washed away the shampoo and stretched his hand behind the washcloth
2357to wash his body, he felt something from behind, on the other side of the door to the
2358bathroom, it was a sign of human presence.
2359He didn't feel any stress. Although his back was to the door, it was clear to him that it
2360was Miyuki, as clearly as if he had seen her right in front of him.
2361“Onii-sama.”
2362The one that was tense was Miyuki. Her voice was indecisive.
2363“What happened?”
2364He had absolutely no idea why she was here. No, he didn't understand the reason
2365she talked to him while he was washing.
2366“— ... Let me wash your back.”(What?)
2367He had no difficulty in hearing what Miyuki said. But he couldn't understand.
2368And he still doesn't understand.
2369(Wash your back? Who? by whom?)
2370It was very unusual, that Tatsuya got confused by superfluous thoughts.
2371“I’ll wash your back.”
2372Whether she lost her patience because no answer came, or she saw a chance in the
2373absence of a refusal. Miyuki opened the door to the bathroom. Tatsuya strongly
2374regretted not having locked the door.
2375But it was too late. Miyuki’s steps were heard. Tatsuya couldn't look back. Luckily, he
2376was able to quickly get the towel hanging next to him. With help of this he somehow
2377managed to hide the part below the waist.
2378It felt like Miyuki was very close. He did not know what she was doing now.
2379After thinking ‘what if there was a mirror’, Tatsuya hastily threw away that thought.
2380There was one there, a mirror. Right in front of Tatsuya. However, its surface was
2381covered up by condensation. Tatsuya thought he was lucky for not having the habit of
2382bathing in front of a mirror.
2383"Onii-sama, I beg your pardon..."
2384Miyuki’s white hand stretched forward to the side of Tatsuya’s head and grabbed a
2385sponge. For an instant Miyuki’s breasts touched his back. Thought Tatsuya was
2386nervous, eventually he was relieved, when he realized that the touch was not bare skin,
2387but from a towel.
2388A soaped sponge clung to his back. Not only the sponge, the thin fingers of Miyuki
2389also touched the back."Miyuki, why are you so suddenly...?" Tatsuya could no longer keep silent and asked
2390without turning.
2391“Am I making you uncomfortable...?”
2392“No, no inconvenience.”
2393In fact, he was very uncomfortable. But Tatsuya knew he didn't have to say that here.
2394“Thank God...”
2395Miyuki’s voice, which sounded like she was concealing tears of joy, confirmed that
2396there would be a great amount of trouble if he said something else.
2397“— ... But that's probably enough.”
2398The fingers touching his back trembled a little.
2399“— ... Even if it’s a little, but I want to be there for you.”
2400Her voice also trembled with shame.
2401“We haven't been together lately... Is that a bad thing?” Miyuki whispered with a sweet
2402voice. She whispered these affectionate words.
2403“— ... No.” Tatsuya muttered, as he was wondered if she was being manipulated.
2404Maybe it was someone's hobby, but the bath in the new house was 2 times longer than
2405the usual bathrooms.
2406In this bathroom, Tatsuya and Miyuki now sat together. ... Back to back.Neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki had the courage to turn their face.
2407But even if the bath was long, there was not enough space for two people to be in there
2408at the same time. At the moment, Tatsuya is taller than 180 centimeters, and Miyuki is
2409taller than the average women. Moreover, Miyuki had long legs uncharacteristic for
2410Japanese people.
2411When they entered the bath, they both took their towels off. Even Tatsuya could not
2412remain calm when the bare skin of their backs touched. And Miyuki’s face was red not
2413just because of the hot water.
2414“— ... Onii-sama. How long are you going to stay here?” Miyuki asked, trying to make
2415her voice sound the same as usual.
2416“I'm going back to Izu on Sunday night.”
2417The voice of Tatsuya, on the contrary, was solid.
2418“You can still return to First High... Can't you?”
2419“I don't know how the USNA and the New Soviet Union will behave. I think we need
2420to observe the current situation a little bit more.”
2421“That’s true...” murmured Miyuki with unconcealed disappointment in her voice.
2422But she didn't say something selfish, like, “Come back soon.”
2423“Can I... come visit you again in Izu?”
2424“Ofcourse. I'll be happy to see you at any time, unless of course it hurts
2425your studies.”
2426"Well, Onii-sama. You sound like a parental guardian?”
2427“Isn’t it natural for me as brother to be a guardian?” “Being a fiancée doesn’t
2428change that.Miyuki unwittingly giggled from this inept joke (?) by Tatsuya.
2429“Well, Onii-sama is the only one I can rely on.”
2430“Leave it to me.”
2431Miyuki’s words contained an unpleasant undertone that she "cannot rely on her father",
2432but Tatsuya pretended not to notice. Such care will only be painful for Miyuki.
2433“Sunday... Can I go with you to Shizuku’s house?”
2434“Well... It would be better if Miyuki was there.”
2435Miyuki was a little surprised, because Tatsuya suddenly spoke in a serious voice.
2436“You mean... that I need to attend during your personal conversation with Shizuku’s
2437father?”
2438“— I am welcoming the first sponsor of my project, which can become the work of our
2439entire life. I think it will be better if you come too.”
2440The work of our whole life. Miyuki could not understand the wrong meaning of these
2441words.
2442“All right, Onii-sama...”
2443Miyuki enthusiastically nodded and plunged under the water.
2444“Miyuki? Are you okay?”
2445Tatsuya timidly asked this, because the sensation of Miyuki’s back, which previously had
2446barely touched him, suddenly became like a snug fit. Miyuki tightly leaned her back to
2447Tatsuya.If this was intentional, it is already a little bit beyond what can be stopped with a
2448simple smile.
2449But what if it wasn't intentional?
2450“— ... What do you mean with "OK"...?”
2451The voice of Miyuki, answering the question of Tatsuya was somehow
2452softer.
2453... That's not good, Tatsuya thought, did Miyuki overheat in the hot water?
2454“Miyuki, you better get out of the water already.”
2455“— ... that’s true...”
2456In response to his warning, Miyuki only nodded and said this with a helpless
2457voice. There was no sign of movement.
2458... What to do? Carry the naked Miyuki with his hands was really the last resort.
2459If he calls for help from Minami, then he must first get out of the bath. In the current
2460situation it will be quite difficult to get out of the bath without touching Miyuki’s body.
2461In addition, he feared that Miyuki could simply go under the water, if he were to
2462remove his support.
2463Tatsuya, you might say, was confused.
2464As a result, it took him more than a minute before his mind came to the idea
2465of pulling the water out of the bath.
2466... Fortunately, on this day neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki caught a cold from sitting in the
2467hot water for too long.Chapter 5
2468Edward Clark came to Japan and was met with a lot of reporters. The fuss was like this
2469not because of a diplomatic visit, but because of a private visit of a famous actor.
2470The reason for this was that Edward and Raymond did not even try to hide from
2471the public. Rather, they, on the contrary, tried to raise the hype in the media.
2472But they did not give news organizations such services as a press conference
2473or an interview, and as a result, under the protection of the police, they left the
2474airport.
2475They went to the Embassy of the USNA. This could not be called strange, because
2476Edward Clark is a member of the State institution. Reporters and journalists knew about
2477this, and most of them were standing behind them, looking at the shadow of the
2478Government of the USNA in the back of Clark.
2479At 13:30 they flew from the embassy by helicopter, and in 13:50 arrived on the roof of
2480the Bay Hills tower in Yokohama, where the Kanto branch of the Magic Association is
2481located.
2482Tatsuya arrived at the Kanto branch of the Magic Association 5 minutes before the
2483scheduled meeting time. Despite the fact that he was told that Edward Clark was waiting
2484in the waiting room, he showed no haste. Because he was forced to suddenly change his
2485plans just a day ago.
2486Initially, Tatsuya intended to let Clark wait about an hour.
2487But he still arrived on time... Perhaps he was much more attached to the notion
2488of 'common sense' than he thought himself.
2489“Nice to meet you. My name is Shiba Tatsuya.”
2490Tatsuya, who was brought to the meeting place by a branch employee (but not the one
2491he met yesterday), spoke with Edward in Japanese. Maybe it was childish behavior and
2492to put up some form of resistance.“Nice to meet you. My name is Edward Clark.”
2493Unexpectedly, Edward greeted him in fluent Japanese.
2494“It is a great honor for me to meet you.”
2495But Tatsuya did not lose the ability to speak and continued in what is to be
2496considered in this case, an insolent conversation in Japanese. By the way, using
2497his peculiar memory, Tatsuya did "not forget anything that he at least saw or heard
2498once", he almost perfectly mastered not only the English language, but also the
2499languages of most major countries.
2500“The same goes for me.”
2501Edward, who answered without removing his smile, looked like a perfect liar, which
2502did not fit his mediocre appearance.
2503His appearance in a neat suit and beautifully slicked blond hair, together with a
2504standard figure that is not considered thick or thin standing 180 centimeters tall,
2505created the impression that he is not a scientist or engineer, but a senior manager of a
2506sales department. No, not even a private company salesman, but one for a
2507government agency?
2508Undoubtedly, his appearance was not the only thing. Although Edward Clark was
2509originally considered an engineer, the role he is now playing is exactly that.
2510Although Tatsuya offered a chair, he sat on the couch completely without any
2511hesitation. For the employees of the branch, this was a noticeable concern because
2512of the presumptuous behavior of Tatsuya, but Edward, and for some reason,
2513Raymond did not show a drop of anxiety and sat in front of him.
2514“I watched the yesterday press conference. Mr. Shiba, your energy plant project
2515surprised me.”
2516Edward was the first to speak“Thanks. But it is far below "Project Dione" in terms of space and time. I think that
2517this is a great project that I cannot complete in my entire lifetime.”
2518“How humble.”
2519Tatsuya's words were hard to understand, because it was sarcasm. He implicitly pointed
2520out that the magicians would be cut off from the human community both in time and in
2521space. By the expression on Edward's face it was impossible to determine whether he
2522understood this hint.
2523At least, the staff of the Magic Association, present as observers, looked as if they could
2524not understand. If Edward was able to maintain his "Poker Face" after realizing this,
2525then he is undoubtedly a villain.
2526“So the Stellar Furnace is a fusion reactor using Gravity Control Type magic? So you
2527designed it for the use at the power plant?”
2528“Yes. The completed form will have a design that uses the sea water directly.”
2529The expression on Edward's face moved slightly. It proved that he understood the hint of
2530Tatsuya that "Therefore it cannot be used in outer space".
2531“— The construction of a power plant using the Stellar Furnace is certainly a
2532significant project for Japan. But the terraforming of Venus is a hope for all mankind. I
2533would like Mr. Shiba, having achieved numerous technological breakthroughs as
2534Taurus Silver, to join the Dione project.”
2535Whether Edward had lost his patience, or he had planned so from the
2536beginning, but he suddenly voiced the main requirement.
2537“I think, after looking at the yesterday’s press conference, you realized that I'm not
2538Taurus Silver. But I don't have to tell you what you know already.”
2539The last sentence of Tatsuya contained the sarcasm "You have studied the question with
2540the help of Hliðskjálf, so you should know." The existence of this backdoor to Echelon III
2541Tatsuya had heard of from Raymond. This fact must also be known by Edward.“The glory of Taurus Silver comes from phenomenal achievements in the field of
2542software. In other words, Mr. Shiba is the essence of Taurus Silver.”
2543“— Whatever what the software is, without its hardware, it is just plain text. In the
2544relationship between "soft" and "hard" there is no specific claim, which is the main
2545part and which is the secondary.”
2546“That's not true. Hardware without a program is just an empty shell.”
2547“’However, the actual work is done by equipment.”
2548Raymond poked his father in the side with his elbow, and Edward coughed unnaturally.
2549Noticing that, Tatsuya took the conversation in the other direction, he tried to start from
2550the beginning.
2551“— the team, called "Taurus Silver", broke up yesterday, so I will refuse the request of
2552their participation. Instead, I would like to ask you here again. Mr. Shiba, would you take
2553part in the Dione project?”
2554“I'm sorry, but yesterday I already took responsibility for the project of the energy plant
2555using the Stellar Furnace. If you hadn't asked for Taurus Silver's participation from the
2556very beginning, and had you went to me at once, I had an option to leave the project of
2557the plant to other people... I can only say that this is bad luck. I'm sorry, but you'd better
2558retreat.”
2559Tatsuya responded with a clear rejection of Edward Clark's demand right before the
2560staff of the Magic Association.
2561After that, a series of similar questions and answers happened between Edward
2562and Tatsuya, but eventually Edward could not convince Tatsuya.
2563Edward knew that Tatsuya would not agree. But he miscalculated that he could not
2564even put Tatsuya in a disadvantaged position, and take any advantage of him."I knew that the usual methods would not help... But I did not expect such
2565a stubborn stance.”
2566“Dad, what are you going to do now?”
2567Now these two were in the hotel room provided by the Embassy of the USNA. The
2568two rooms next door had bodyguards. This could be called an unprecedented case
2569where the staff of the organization associated with the government were treated as
2570VIPs. It proved once again that Edward Clark is not a simple engineer.
2571“Perhaps this goal cannot be achieved peacefully.”
2572Edward was not going to ask what his son thought.
2573“I think killing is the last resort.”
2574Raymond showed no attempt to morally evade the possibility of his father dirtying
2575his hands from evil deeds.
2576The lack of secrets between them may have been due to good relations between the
2577son and the father, but from a side of human upbringing, their relations differed greatly
2578from the social standards. Perhaps Edward believed that, in general, that moral aspect
2579could be ignored the moment he gave Raymond Hliðskjálf.
2580“But we have to consider this option if we cannot neutralize him with the help of
2581the Dione project.”
2582For Edward, the purpose of the Dione project was not to develop Venus and make
2583resettlement there a possibility, which is possible if Venus is to be terraformed. The real
2584goal was to completely neutralize Shiba Tatsuya. And therefore neutralizing the Strategic
2585Class Magic “Material Burst”.
2586“But, like you said, it's a last resort. Tomorrow I'll give an interview on TV. The public
2587opinion of the Japanese should be ignited.”
2588“And looking at the result of this, we can come up with our next move?”“That's right, Raymond.”
2589“Dad?”
2590Raymond saw Edward frown after he nodded, so he turned to him.
2591“The New Soviet Union may decide on the power approach, without waiting for the
2592plan regarding public opinion to be triggered...”
2593Edward was concerned about what step the New Soviet Union would make, and,
2594more precisely, what Igor would do.
2595“If their "power approach" ends halfway, then Shiba Tatsuya can get the data for a
2596counterattack. So I want you to be careful for a while...”
2597“Would you like to study the question using Hliðskjálf?”
2598Edward shook his head after hearing the suggestion of Raymond.
2599“Rumors say that the New Soviet Union built a system of reverse detection in
2600opposition to Echelon III. I do not think that they will be able to catch on to Hliðskjálf,
2601but... We must not risk ruining the current cooperating relationship with Igor.”
2602“I got it, dad.”
2603Raymond seemed disappointed, but still agreed with Edward's protest.
2604“So I'm free tomorrow?”
2605“Don't go too far. Right, just in case, tell me, what are you going to do?”
2606“I think I'm going to visit Tear.”“Tear? Ah, the daughter of the Kitayama family?”
2607Edward briefly paused, counting the advantages and disadvantages of deepening ties
2608with the relatives of the owner of the "Hokuzan group”, known even in the USNA.
2609“— ... Why not? You can go.”
2610“Yes, I got it.”
2611Raymond went into his bedroom with a brisk step. He was probably going to
2612call Shizuku. Edward gave his son a glance with a smile.
2613On Sunday, a meeting between Tatsuya and Shizuku’s father, Kitayama Ushio,
2614ended in a short time and in a peaceful atmosphere.
2615Help from Ushio for "Project ESCAPES" was confirmed the words of Toudou Aoba
2616about his connections. And Toudou did not force him to do it. Providing magicians
2617with non-military jobs corresponded to the wishes of Ushio.
2618At the current stage it was still early to talk about the costs of construction and
2619operation, so today Tatsuya finished with explaining the details of the project to
2620Ushio, which he did not tell at the press conference.
2621“I heard a lot of interesting things. It was a useful time.”
2622Ushio in an elevated mood helped Tatsuya and Miyuki to the exit from the living
2623room.
2624“— If the energy of the Stellar Furnace will serve not only for the production of
2625hydrogen, but also for the extraction of lithium, cobalt and uranium, it would be
2626quite profitable. There are companies in our group that are looking for resource
2627collection from sea water, so I'm thinking of letting you look at their research material.”
2628“Thank you.”Although the knowledge and reasoning of Tatsuya in Magic Engineering were at the
2629highest level, but his knowledge of the industry, after all, was at the level of a regular
2630student. The production secrets that will make a profit from the extraction of resources
2631are what Tatsuya wanted to learn the most. The firm promise of comprehensive
2632cooperation from Ushio was a huge step forward for Tatsuya.
2633“Oji*, can we see Shizuku?”
2634[Polite appeal to a middle-aged man. Something like "Uncle " (not the one that's a
2635relative).]
2636The fact that friends of his daughter came to ask for help together greatly softened the
2637attitude of Ushio. As expected Tatsuya, (or it would be better to say "as he planned"),
2638the presence of Miyuki proved useful.
2639“My daughter will be happy if you do.”
2640Ushio smiled widely, responding to the request of Miyuki to meet with Shizuku.
2641“Mr.”
2642At this point in their conversation, a kind maid wedged in.
2643“What is it?”
2644“Shizuku-Oujosama currently has a guest.”
2645“A guest...?” “Yes, now that I think about it, I've heard something like that.”
2646“That's not a problem. Then maybe another time.”
2647“That's not a problem.”After hearing about the visitor, Miyuki tried to abstain modestly, but Ushio
2648stopped it.
2649“— This guest is a student whom Shizuku met while studying abroad... Yesterday he
2650suddenly said he wanted to meet. It sounded absurd, and I already wanted to give up,
2651but I couldn't do it because he said he was going back to his country soon. He has a
2652relationship with you, this guy. So I thought you'd be aware of the situation.”
2653“— A person who is relevant to me?” After hearing the words of Ushio, Tatsuya asked
2654instead of Miyuki.
2655“This guy's name is Raymond Clark.”
2656With the information network of the owner of a large group of companies, he should
2657know the meaning of the surname "Clark". Tatsuya finally understood what Ushio
2658meant
2659“All right, Oji. We'll meet them.” Bowing down, Miyuki answered.
2660“Understood. You, take them to my daughter's room.” Ushio immediately commanded
2661the maid.
2662Everything went as smoothly as it was in a pre-made scenario.
2663Shizuku met Raymond not in her room, but in the tearoom.
2664The door of the tea room was open. Although there was a servant nearby, Ushio would not
2665allow her daughter to stay alone in a closed room with a guy around the same age.
2666Although it could be an order from Shizuku’s mother.“Shizuku, I'm sorry for the intrusion.”
2667“Ah, Miyuki...”
2668Hearing the voice from the hallway, Shizuku turned to the door. Was it
2669imaginable that she looked like she felt relieved?
2670“Raymond Clark. Sorry about the intrusion.”
2671“Shiba Tatsuya... Yes, come in.”
2672Raymond was stunned by the invasion of Miyuki and Tatsuya, but after Tatsuya
2673called him, he answered with a smile.
2674“Yesterday we could not communicate easily. It's a good thing we met.” Raymond
2675switched his attention to Tatsuya.
2676“You wanted to talk to me?”
2677“Isn't he here for the courtship of Shizuku?” — Tatsuya thought, but he was also
2678interested in what Raymond would say, so he sat in front of him. Shizuku, sitting
2679opposite to Raymond, moved to a place on the side of the table before Tatsuya
2680answered Raymond. Miyuki sat between Tatsuya and Shizuku.
2681“I wanted to hear your opinion.”
2682Ignoring Miyuki, Raymond answered Tatsuya.
2683“Listen, Tatsuya.”Raymond easily called Tatsuya as if they were friends. Well, at least it was better than
2684using embarrassing names like "God of Destruction" (The Destroyer), so Tatsuya
2685decided to keep quiet.
2686“— The project of the energy plant with the Stellar Furnace... Uh, does it have
2687a simpler name?:
2688“You would already know if you did your research.”
2689“You've already researched this with Hliðskjálf," there was a hint of sarcasm
2690in Tatsuya's answer to Raymond's question.
2691“Even if I understood, I did not have time to watch the press conference.”
2692Raymond sulked and looked. Tatsuya was not amused to look at the inflated face of a
2693guy, and he easily told him about the name of project ESCAPES.
2694“Project ESCAPES? I mean... Okay.”
2695Raymond stopped his question because he intuitively realized that instead of
2696"escapes", Tatsuya gives more meaning to the word "escape".
2697“Are you seriously planning on working on Project ESCAPES?”
2698“Everyone's asking me about it.” Tatsuya declared, making a tired face.
2699“Project ESCAPES is not a simple excuse to avoid Project Dione. The first thing to
2700consider is that this project was invented before you wanted to terraform Venus.” He
2701answered Raymond with a voice in which there was not a single drop of friendliness.
2702“It is cruel to call it... an invention."“So you really want to terraform Venus?”
2703Raymond, who tried to object to Tatsuya, was cornered with this new question.
2704“Real resettlement will be possible not after just 10 or 20 years. The elapsed time will be
2705measured in centuries. It will be necessary to invest money and efforts for many
2706generations. I don't think the USNA has any motives to take this huge project seriously.
2707No, not just the USNA. I do not think there is single country with enough motivation on
2708this current Earth. If anyone can take on such a grandiose project, then only the world
2709government could, right? I think that's the way it is.”
2710“— ... The plan of settling on Mars is also advancing as an age-old project.”
2711“It is only planned. The methods of movement are not even defined yet.”
2712“Don't you think that such a grandiose project is just to force the creation of a
2713world government?”
2714After seeing the situation worsen, Raymond changed his selection
2715of arguments.
2716“If we forcibly unite the world, the usual war will only turn into a civil war.”
2717But even this ended with another argument from Tatsuya.
2718“— ... Doesn't Tatsuya have a dream?”
2719“I only prefer dreams that can be realized.”
2720Even after this pretext, Raymond's heart remained steadfast.
2721“But then there will no longer be any romance.”But Raymond did not have the spirit for this. It seems that the words of Tatsuya will
2722only be something "holy" to him, something that Raymond cannot yield to.
2723“When it can be done, it ceases to be a dream. But when you do not know whether it
2724will be realized or not, it can be called a dream.”
2725“You're a romantic. Does this mean that Project Dione is only a romance for you that
2726neglects the possibility of failure?”
2727“A man of magic, with the power of thought, will fly into space. Isn't that romantic?”
2728“Why should I be responsible for that?”
2729“— ... Uh?”
2730Raymond froze with surprise on his face.
2731“To go into space by using magic. I'm not against this dream. But this is your dream?
2732There's no reason for me to help.”
2733“This is...—” “The reason you want to tie me to Project Dione is not for chasing
2734that dream. This is based on more realistic calculations.”
2735“— ... I got it. Then let's talk about realistic things.”
2736It seemed that Raymond had already lost the dispute, but he showed an
2737unexpected persistence.
2738“Thanks to the development of the ocean, we can sustain the current capacity of the
2739Earth for some time. But the limits of the earth are finite. Even if they will be expanded,
2740but one day the final limits will be reached, which cannot withstand the growth of the
2741population of mankind.”“I do not deny such a future.”
2742“In this case, space exploration is a reality that we should not turn away from just
2743because it is difficult! For humanity to continue its prosperity, we must go into space
2744as long as we still have the strength to do so.”
2745“— Why will space exploration be the solution to population growth?”
2746“— Uh...?”
2747Raymond now had an expression on his face, indicating that he did
2748not understand completely.
2749“— ... But isn't that a solution? The land has a limitation of capacity, so you need to go
2750beyond that land...”
2751Raymond was perplexed to argue with a confused voice.
2752“Space is also a limited space.”
2753“Is... Maybe it is. But...” “— and space suited for human life is even more limited.”
2754“— ......”
2755“Even the exploration of space cannot escape these limits. Humankind can
2756only delay the time before we hit these limits.”
2757“— ... These are empty excuses.”
2758“If we only extend the time to reach these limits, we must work on what we can
2759already do.”
2760“— ... This is sophistry with extreme arguments! Space has no real limits! With Magic,
2761humanity will endlessly conquer new frontiers!”“However, the goal of the ESCAPES project is not to respond to population growth.”
2762“— ...”
2763“I'll complete the Stellar Furnace and implement the plant to reach my goal. You
2764strive into space to reach your goal. If that's your real goal.”
2765Without finding the words to refute this, Raymond slowly stood up with the face of
2766the defeat.
2767“Tear, I'm sorry. I’m going to go.”
2768“Okay.”
2769“— ... Tatsuya. We'll never let you escape.”
2770“I'm not going to let you catch me.”
2771“I would like to see the day when you regret these words. ... All right, Tear. I'll see
2772you again.”
2773Raymond, while leaving, only looked towards Shizuku.
2774“— ... Yes. Ray, I'll see you later.”
2775Sadly smiling after he answered Shizuku, he went out through the door that was left
2776open.
2777In the tea room, though there was no oppressive mood, an unpleasant residue
2778remained. To change the atmosphere together with the air, Shizuku asked the maid to
2779open the window. Using the remote control, she turned on the TV. It was also to
2780change the mood, but the transmission, which was shown by TV, could give the
2781reverse effect.“Shizuku, leave it, please.” Tatsuya stopped Shizuku, who wanted to switch the
2782channel.
2783Edward Clark's interview on the screen continued.
2784“— ... Thus, if we talk about the true significance of the use of magic for the
2785future of people, it should be used for the exploration of space.”
2786Edward on TV spoke English, but his speech was synchronously duplicated with
2787subtitles.
2788“— I believe that the Magic thermonuclear reactor is a wonderful invention. But it
2789should be used in places where it is difficult to replenish fuel reserves, and sunlight
2790is unstable. For example, on the moons of Jupiter. It will be able to produce electricity
2791steadily even when the satellite is going into the shadow of Jupiter because of its
2792circulation around it.”
2793“The period between the Ganymede circulation is only 7 days. Even the Callisto one is
2794a little less than 17 days.” Tatsuya muttered in an ironic tone. Of course, his voice did
2795not reach the place that was on the other side of the TV screen.
2796“The development of the ocean can be carried out by other technologies, not using
2797magic. The necessary power for the industry can be achieved by using the electricity
2798generated by oceanic solar power plants and geothermal sources. A rare talent, called
2799magic, should be used for more meaningful purposes.”
2800“He almost says the same things we just heard, isn't it?”
2801In the voice of Miyuki with which she asked Tatsuya, there was no irony or aversion,
2802but only naïve simplicity.
2803“Maybe it's because they're father and son?”
2804“Father and son?”Shizuku looked a little amazed.
2805“I have not confirmed it through third-party official agencies, but there are no
2806mistakes.”
2807“That means how...” “Shizuku, did you not know? Didn't you have a welcoming
2808party at their home or something like that when you were an exchange student?”
2809The Tatsuya’s question was based on the prejudice that in Amerika, compared to
2810Japan, they arranged parties at home a lot more often.
2811“Ray didn't have a party at his home.”
2812Truthfully, Shizuku was often called for parties during her exchange studies. But
2813America does not seem to be different from Japan in that it all depends on the
2814particular family and the particular person, how much the parent will interfere in
2815the relationship of their child with his friends.
2816“I would like Shiba Tatsuya-san to take part in our project in order to open the future
2817for mankind. I hope so.”
2818Speaking on TV, Edward emphasized public principles. Tatsuya, who knew his true
2819motives, grinned at hearing these words.Chapter 6
2820As of 2097, from the ten research institutes that were used for the development of
2821magicians’ abilities, located at different locations across the country, that were open in
2822the 2030s, half are still working and the other half are closed. However, three of the five
2823officially closed laboratories continue to work, having changed their name and their
2824superiors.
2825Built in Nara, the former Ninth laboratory (the former Ninth Institute for the Development
2826of Magicians' abilities) also continued the study of magic as the "Ninth Laboratory for the
2827development of magic", a private research institute co-financed by the families Kudou,
2828Kuki and Kuzumi. Officially the ninth laboratory explores Perception-Type Magic, which
2829is slower in comparison to magic that changes phenomena.
2830The study of magic related to Perception-Type is not a lie. But the research is not
2831limited to this.
2832One of the products of their research, created by the present ninth laboratory, are the
2833parasitic dolls, that troubled Tatsuya last summer. This humanoid weapon in the form
2834of an automatic doll-gynoid, which has magical power by sealing the parasite in an
2835independent information body that has a human mind.
2836Despite the fact that the parasites were frozen prior to the actual commissioning due to
2837inept use during the tests, their effectiveness is assessed as sufficient to be used in
2838real combat. That's why they are dormant, and not disposed of. The parasites in the
2839dormant state are still kept in the ninth laboratory.
2840Sunday evening, June 2, 2097.
2841A man's silhouette approached the warehouse of the ninth laboratory in which the
2842parasite dolls were stored. In the dim light of the emergency lights was an enchanting,
2843divinely, diabolical beauty, who at first sight did not completely belong in this world,
2844appeared.
2845Although Kudou Minoru was a guy of unhuman beauty from the very beginning, but in the
2846darkness of the night, human nature filled mystery, and it manifested in the essence that
2847belonged to the "Man" category.Minoru opened the warehouse door. He didn't use magic or hack into the system. Why
2848do something like that when you have a key? He borrowed this key in advance from the
2849Development management department.
2850Minoru entered the vault. Inside the room there was air conditioning, but it was cold
2851and dry.
2852There wasn’t any atmosphere of mystery. Minoru, who belongs to the magicians of
2853Nine, whose magic is a hybrid of ancient and modern mages, was also able to use
2854Mental Interference Magic and could feel the Pushion waves. He could not see the
2855pushions themselves by having special eyes like Mizuki, but could recognize the waves
2856created by Pushions. If he put this feeling together with his real feelings, it could be
2857called that "he could distinguish them as a rumor."
2858And Minoru could not feel the activity of pushion waves at the moment. This was proof
2859that the parasites, that is, the Phantom Monsters, which are the basis of the Parasite
2860Dolls, have now been recorded in an idle, dormant state.
2861“Can I be healthy if I eat them?”
2862“"Swallowing" one will suffice. Part of the body will inevitably be changed by the
2863parasite, but in "my" * case the person should not be damaged.”
2864[Zhou uses "I" in the third person when talking to Minoru.]
2865The knowledge of Zhou Gongjin responded to a question in mind.
2866Minoru swallowed the ghost of Zhou Gongjin using a loyalty spell intended to enslave
2867parasites. The loyalty spell is "subordination", not "unification". Because of its nature,
2868the Phantom of Zhou Gongjin was added to the consciousness of Minoru in the form of
2869a second consciousness. Minoru felt a feeling that such a consciousness was added,
2870more precisely he felt his consciousness was connected with a personal adviser or a
2871disembodied AI helper.
2872“— ... Part of the body?”“According to the American army, a body for communication was added to the brain.”
2873“If you do something like that, wouldn't that hurt?”
2874“I cannot guarantee that it is absolutely safe. But "I" often suffer from physical
2875deterioration because I cannot control psions, keeping them within the permissible
2876range of the body. Parasites are able to control Psions better, so parasitism can
2877completely eliminate body problems.
2878“In that case, should I study the Psion control technique better?”
2879“In theory it is possible. But your body may not be able to withstand this training.”
2880Minoru bit his lip. The last part of this discussion was not the first time. The added
2881consciousness (perhaps more appropriately called this "advanced intellect") only
2882responds to questions posed by him, so it will not say something like "You are talking
2883about that again?". Without the concept of repetition, when he unwittingly repeated the
2884same questions, he received the same answers.
2885After all, with only the usual effort, Minoru still could not play an active role in the
2886important events taking place. And his body does not allow for him to be sufficient
2887enough, so some "unusual" effort can be used to overcome these shortcomings.
2888Minoru realized that his shortcomings cannot be overcome by effort alone.
2889That's why he came here tonight. Here, there was a way to free him from the
2890shortcomings of the body. It was not difficult to wake up the sleeping parasite, and let
2891him take possession of it. He had no experience, but he knew that it was possible
2892without problems. The knowledge accumulated by the ninth laboratory, and the
2893"advanced intellect" told Minoru that it is possible.
2894Now it was only to make a decision. Minoru only had to decide. To decide to stop being
2895human or retain his humanity.
2896How long has he been standing here motionless? Minoru, who had turned in to a
2897sculpture of a handsome guy, slightly migrated, and once again became a man.Minoru turned around. He left the room and closed the door.
2898After this decision to turn away, the ghost said nothing. The Advanced
2899intelligence only answers what he's asked.
2900Minoru did not ask the ghost whether his choice was right to turn around and leave.
2901After Edward Clark spoke on TV, he went home, formally thanking the Magic
2902Association, together with his son.
2903They arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport at 6 a.m. local time. Edward
2904returned to his office for the first time since his absence at 14 o'clock.
2905Edward had no superiors at the California branch of the National Science Agency. Even
2906the director of the branch didn't know what Edward was doing. He had a separate
2907personal cabinet and full freedom to act on his own.
2908Initially, these were measures to ensure that the secret of Echelon III did not leak to
2909the rest of the staff. But now everything has changed so that these privileges are
2910given to advance the countermeasures against the Japanese intercontinental
2911Strategic Class magic.
2912“Is it 7 am there...?”
2913Edward's muttering was an unconscious monologue. The work alone in this office
2914must have had a detrimental effect, but he himself did not realize it. Perhaps it was
2915a habit, tied to this office, because in other places it was not noticed.
2916“Should I wait a little longer? No...”
2917Perhaps it was kind of ritual for him to order his thoughts.Edward threw away his indecision and headed for the communication device. It looked
2918like a regular videophone, but it was a phone with a limited number of communication
2919points, and a built-in interception prevention system using the capabilities of the
2920Echelon III system.
2921The selected communication route sent a call to the New Soviet Union. One of the rooms
2922in the far branch of the Academy of Sciences of the New Soviet Union in Vladivostok. It
2923is not necessary to say that the interlocutor was Igor Andreivitch Bezobrazzoff.
2924“Good morning, doctor.”
2925“Good morning. No, it’s daytime for you, isn’t it?”
2926As far as the videophone could show, the drowsiness on the face of the image was not
2927visible.
2928“I'm sorry about this early hour.”
2929“If you choose a suitable time for me, then you will have a late night. So I don't mind.
2930You have an urgent case, don't you?”
2931“It's not a very urgent matter, I just thought I should talk to you quickly.”
2932“I'm listening to you.”
2933The soft and good face of the sociable man, who at the beginning of the conversation
2934was made by Igor, now became firm.
2935“You should already know.”
2936The expression on Edward's face was also firm, but not just serious,
2937but expressing a deeper meaning.“The Japanese magician of Strategic Class, Shiba Tatsuya, refused to participate in
2938Project Dione and responded to it with his project.”
2939“Yes, I know. I watched the press conference live.”
2940"Damn it", this thought surfaced in Edward's head. There was no problem that he was
2941interested in the press conference of Shiba Tatsuya. It's amazing that he watched it live.
2942He should have taken into account that the content of yesterday’s press conference
2943was already known to him.
2944Igor may have already begun to prepare his own countermeasures. Thinking that
2945perhaps it was too late, Edward took off his mask of calm on his face and was going
2946to continue the conversation.
2947“A power plant using the Stellar Furnace, a thermonuclear reactor that uses a sequence
2948of gravitational control. Quite an attractive plan. So much so that I even want to offer a
2949joint research.”
2950But Edward was a little late. He received a heavy blow from this comment.
2951“Oh, please don't make that face. It was a joke.”
2952“Doctor, you are an evil man...”
2953Edward could not conceal his traces of alarm, though he knew that it was only a
2954ploy of Igor to seize the initiative.
2955“I beg your pardon. However, the fact that the energy plant project is attractive is an
2956undeniable reality. Now it will be even harder to expel Shiba Tatsuya into the orbit of
2957Jupiter, right?”
2958“I don't think the Dione project will be stopped. I favor the pressure of our government
2959to ensure that the Japanese government does not approve the construction of the
2960power plant. Or you can make an accident happen at the built plant. In any case, I would
2961like you, doctor, to continue cooperation with us on Project Dione.”“Hmm...” Igor made a pensive face. “Actually, I was going to neutralize the Strategic
2962Class Magic “Material burst” in a more, so to say, direct way...” “Doctor!”
2963“But if Mr. Clark insists, I'll observe for a while.”
2964“— ... Many thanks.”
2965“As expected,” Edward thought, feeling relieved. He was afraid that Igor would make a
2966mistake by taking such rash measurements. If his attack is successful, there will be no
2967problems. If Igor destroys Shiba Tatsuya, the USNA will be very grateful.
2968However, if it fails.
2969Perhaps Igor was sure that he will not leave traces of his involvement, but he is a
2970Strategic Class Magician, known to the world. Clark himself would also be
2971suspected if Shiba Tatsuya claimed that he had discovered that he had been
2972cooperating in the attack.
2973Not only the New Soviet Union will be suspected. People all over the world
2974know that Igor was the first to support Project Dione. Charges of attempted
2975murder may be followed, and the project will collapse.
2976Edward put off all his affairs and called to avoid this.
2977“But, Mister.”
2978But the speech of Igor is not over yet.
2979“If it becomes impossible to drag Shiba Tatsuya into Project Dione, our country will
2980choose its course of solving this problem. Alternatives cannot be excluded to eliminate
2981the threat of the conversion of mass to energy.”It was obvious, and without any further clarification, that the "alternate option",
2982which was spoken of by Igor, was the use of the Strategic Class Magic “Tuman
2983Bomba”.
2984A bout of stiff coughing attacked Edward because he had a parched throat. He
2985hastened to drink the mineral water from the bottle.
2986“— ... Sorry. In order for something to happen, I will give the necessary orders
2987immediately.”
2988“I hope so too.”
2989The face of Igor disappeared from the monitor. The link was interrupted from the
2990other side. With a strong impatience, Edward extended his hand to another
2991telephone.
2992On Tuesday, when chairman Tomitsuka Hitsui returned from lunch to her office in the
2993Kyoto branch of the Magic Association, she was visited by an MFA employee.
2994“— ... Are you asking the Magic Association to exert pressure on the Yotsuba
2995family!?”
2996“You can understand that.”
2997“That's impossible!”
2998Hitsui screamed, forgetting the rules of decency.
2999“— The Magic Association has no authority to give magicians orders to "Do that" or
3000"don't do that"!”
3001The words of Hitsui were not a lie to avoid the responsibility. The Magic Association is a
3002magicians-assisted organization, not an organization that controls magicians.“But it has a strong authority among the magicians. The International Magic
3003Association can even form disciplinary units acting above the law.”
3004“This is only possible for the limited purpose of preventing the use of nuclear
3005weapons! The Japanese Magic Association has no such influence to discourage the
3006financial activity of a magician as a private person!”
3007“Is that so?” the MFA employee asked in a serious tone.
3008“Yes, it is!”
3009Apparently, this man was not familiar with magicians, so Hitsui firmly emphasized her
3010opinion to persuade him.
3011“In addition, Magicians of the Ten Master Clans are stronger than the Magic Association.
3012Even if the association organizes a disciplinary unit, it will not be able to force the
3013Yotsuba family to obey.”
3014“but the Ten Master Clans are not a monolithic structure?”
3015This was an erroneous argument, so the stress of Hitsui only doubled from these
3016words of the man from the MFA.
3017“— Do you propose to provoke an internal conflict in the Ten Master Clans!?”
3018“"Provoke" is an inappropriate expression. We don't want something like personal
3019quarrels between friendly magicians. I just wondered if the true meaning of autonomy as
3020an organization was not to constrain its members from the inside but to restrain them
3021from getting out of control?”
3022“The Magic Association does not manage the Ten Master Clans!”
3023Hitsui felt a dull pain at the top of her stomach, but tolerated it and zealously
3024objected.“We think otherwise. From an objective point of view, the one with greatest influence
3025on the community of magicians, aren’t those calling themselves the "Ten Master
3026Clans", but the Magic Association.”
3027But the interlocutor did not want to listen to her.
3028“So, I sincerely count on you.”
3029Having said these words in the end, the MFA employee stood up. Hitsui, the remaining
3030one in the office of the Chairman, was covered with cold sweat and felt nausea, and
3031could not tolerate the increasing pain, and grabbed her stomach.
3032It is not necessary to say that the Japanese government began to obstruct Project
3033ESCAPES because it was asked by the Government of the USNA. To date, the
3034Japanese government has seen no benefit from the extraction of marine resources.
3035In the past, similar projects ended in complete failure, so they were skeptical about it in
3036terms of feasibility and cost-effectiveness. They emphasized that there should be no
3037such weakness in diplomacy and the economy.
3038However, the response of the business community was different.
3039“Kitakata-san, it seems that you have decided to participate in this Business project
3040without hesitation.”
3041Kitakata was a commercial alias for Kitayama Ushio. These were the kind of good
3042manners in business circles, when even at informal meetings they would call each other
3043by their aliases, if they have one. But there were many exceptions when only real names
3044could be used at official events of the government and the municipality.
3045“As expected from Muromachi-san. You learned quickly.”
3046"Muromachi", to whom Ushio replied, was not his real name either. Although the
3047business of his interlocutor was inferior to the "Hokuzan group" of Ushio in scale, this
3048man was the actual owner of a group of companies, coming from a family business
3049with a long tradition. In the financial world he was a big brother to Ushio .“— Have you already invested in this project? What can it be connected to?” Another
3050businessman familiar with him spoke to him from the other side of the table.
3051“You already know so much. Iwata-san, who did you hear that from?”
3052“Yes so... from different people.”
3053On both of Ushio and Iwata’s faces, at the same time, wide smiles surfaced. Iwata, unlike
3054Muromachi, is the owner of company that rivals Ushio’s competing group, and their
3055recent relationship was to fight for major foreign transactions. But there were no signs of
3056enmity between them.
3057“It's not that I'm hiding it. Shiba-kun is my daughter's classmate.”
3058“— Yes, if you think about it, your daughter goes to the National Magic
3059University Affiliated First High School.”
3060“So you're in a friendly relationship with him?”
3061This was asked not by Muromachi or Iwata, but by another person on the opposite
3062side. Although Ushio met with Tatsuya on the issue of the project only the day before
3063yesterday, the news about it has spread everywhere.
3064“Looks like Toudou Aoba deliberately spread rumors.” Ushio thought when he politely
3065answered the question.
3066Even if you hear about a new business, seemingly profitable, it is difficult to make a
3067decision to invest money in it alone. However, when the business already has a major
3068sponsor, you will want to participate in it. For the major players of the financial world
3069present here, the cost of the construction of one plant is at the level of "Well let's try and
3070see what happens."
3071“If it's not difficult for you, Kitakata-san, could you introduce him to me?”When one person raised this issue, with a slight lag from the rest to the side,
3072Ushio got the same request.
3073It was not bad for Ushio that the number of investors would increase.
3074Risks can be divided as more and more people participate in the business,
3075because it is possible to divide it so that each participant is dependent on
3076something of their own. And as a result, the weight of the voice of each project
3077participant increases.
3078"I'll tell Tatsuya-kun about your requests.”
3079Ushio answered all with a smile, when the meeting was coming to an end.
3080Having received an order to appear in the office of the Commander after a day
3081training, Lina was gloomy mentally. Yes, only mentally. She almost made a face that
3082showed that she hated orders.
3083When she was last summoned to the commander's office, the order was to accompany
3084Edward Clark, as a result she learned the secret of the dark side of the USNA’s army,
3085which she should not know about. Lina was disheartened by the fact that she could
3086again receive a mission with a similar disappointing end.
3087But she could not say that she wanted to stop taking orders. Neither betrayal
3088nor desertion was an option for Lina.
3089“Ben! You've been summoned by the Commander?”
3090"You too, Commander-in-chief?"
3091Lina began to get a bad feeling. Summoning both Lina and Canopus at the same
3092time was not uncommon, although when she was given the order to accompany
3093Clark, Lina, on the contrary, was alone. In the case of Jiedo Heigu (Gu Jie) Lina was
3094ordered to stay and give the work of Canopus.Even if she was expecting a mission in which she would not be able to show a
3095decent result, but provided Canopus is there, it is likely that he will help her in a
3096difficult moment. So the fact that she was called together with Canopus was a good
3097circumstance for Lina.
3098But, for some reason, this time she was not able to suppress a sinister
3099premonition. Isn't it because the mission is expected to be heavy if both she and
3100Canopus were to be sent together? She could not get rid of such thoughts.
3101“Major Angelina Sirius has arrived.”
3102“Major Benjamin Canopus arrived.”
3103“Enter.” The voice of the base Commander, Colonel Walker, was heard from behind the
3104door.
3105Lina beat Canopus, and she opened the door. The next moment Lina froze when she
3106saw a superior officer, who was not supposed to be here.
3107“Colonel Balance...?” A stunned Lina muttered, but she quickly regained composure,
3108and entered the Commander's office and vigorously saluted. Canopus entered
3109immediately after Lina and stood beside her. Colonel Walker went up and saluted
3110them in return.
3111“At ease.” Walker said this to these two and sat back on the chair. Balance, in
3112the meantime, stood motionless on the side of the table.
3113"Major Sirius, Major Canopus, this is a special case, and I want to hear the opinion
3114of both of you.”
3115“Opinion?”
3116“Yes. Having heard the opinion of each of you, I want to decide whether it is worth
3117to entrust the Stars with this mission.”Having heard the words of Walker, Lina and Canopus unwittingly looked. As Walker said,
3118this was a special occasion. It is normal to ask the opinion of subordinates during
3119strategy preparation. But when the goal is already known, the means of achieving this
3120goal are asked. And the question of whether or not to carry out the mission at all is
3121usually solved at a higher level, and there should be no exceptions to this rule.
3122"I think you already know that the magician who, on October 31, 2095, used Japan's
3123Strategic Class Magic, the day we call "Scorched Halloween", is a young man named
3124Shiba Tatsuya.”
3125Lina and Canopus at the same time returned to Walker a positive response.
3126“— Did you know that Shiba Tatsuya rejected the proposal of the National
3127Scientific Agency and launched a new project?”
3128“I know.” Canopus answered. Lina also knew that Tatsuya refused to participate in the
3129Dione project, but did not know the details.
3130“It's an energetic plant with a Stellar Furnace based on a Gravity Control-Type Magic
3131Sequence. If this plan is implemented, the resource industry of our country will again
3132receive a strong blow.”
3133Oil, coal and nuclear plants were greatly damaged when energy sources switched from
3134fossil fuels to solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels. But by going into the sphere of
3135biofuels, which requires a vast amount of land, as well as by developing small reactors
3136for areas with low solar activity, they managed to restore their positions and live to the
3137present time.
3138- “... In addition, with the development of magic controlling nuclear fission and
3139blocking radiation, the people’s rejection of nuclear energy has decreased compared
3140to the last century. For the most part, the decline in nuclear power was due to rising
3141uranium prices and the high cost of the magicians needed to counter accidents.
3142Nuclear weapons were sealed and the withdrawal of plutonium for civilian use was
3143carried out.”
3144“— even if you do not pay attention to the circumstances in the industrial area, it will
3145be inconvenient for our country if we cannot neutralize the Shiba Tatsuya with the help
3146of Project Dione.”“This cannot be?” , Lina thought.
3147“In this regard, the general staff thought that it is necessary to arrange a diversion at
3148Shiba Tatsuya’s plant. The view was also expressed that the threat of a presumably
3149intercontinental range of the Strategic Class Magic "Material Burst" would be
3150eliminated if Shiba Tatsuya could be eliminated at this stage.
3151"Worst case scenario," Lina thought.
3152She did not know the details, but as far as she had heard, Tatsuya’s project was to build
3153a commercial plant.
3154And to help their entrepreneurs, they want to destroy his army.
3155Although this would be very difficult, but the true goal seems to be the assassination
3156of Shiba Tatsuya. Since when did the Stars become a group of killers like the mafia?
3157“Major Sirius, Major Canopus, what do you think?”
3158“Colonel, let me express my opinion!”
3159Instead of answering Walker's question, Lina asked for permission to answer. It wasn't
3160because she kept calm. Just the opposite. As she had the feeling that her head was
3161about to boil, she tried to restore the lost self-control, deliberately observing military
3162discipline.
3163“Authorized." Walker made no remark about this and just gave Lina permission.
3164“I'm against it. Although the magic of converting mass into energy is certainly a threat, but
3165Shiba Tatsuya is a man from a union country and is not hostile to our country. To kill him
3166only because he poses a potential threat are like the methods of the Mafia. I believe that
3167the army should not dirty their hands with murders of this nature.”
3168“I'm against it, Colonel.”“Major Canopus, you too?”
3169Walker listened to Lina's opinion with a stone face, but when Canopus also
3170objected, Walker's face flashed astonishment.
3171“Yes. I do not think that even the diversion of the plant itself is a good idea, let alone the
3172pros and cons of murder. Yes, the energy industry can be temporarily hit. However, the
3173supply of cheap hydrogen fuel, extracted from sea water, can improve the lives and
3174citizens of our country. Actions against Tatsuya should not be murder or interference of
3175his activities. Wouldn't it be better instead to ask him to provide our country with the
3176know-how of a thermonuclear reactor?”
3177“— Do you think that we should not hinder him, but ask him?”
3178“Confirmed. Since the military will be used in certain areas for commercial purposes,
3179the energy industry would be affected badly because the army would prevent it. I do
3180not deny the aspects of the interdependence of the army and the economy, but a
3181certain 'brake' is still needed.”
3182“Colonel Walker, may I offer my opinion too?” said Balance, standing on the side of
3183Commander Walker's desk.
3184“Please.” Walker willingly allowed her. At least it looked like that.
3185“Thanks. I do not know what to say about the principal views of Major Sirius, but
3186I believe that the opinion of Major Canopus is worth considering.”
3187Lina was shocked by these words and though Balance noticed this, she ignored it,.
3188Turning to Walker, she continued to express her opinion.
3189“There is one delicate side to the evaluation of Stars by people who are not
3190magicians. If the Stars act in the interests of a specific company, or a particular
3191industry, even if people would only think we are doing so, there is a fear that there will
3192be intense opposition from other industries and consumer organizations.”"But can’t we just sabotage it in strict secrecy?"
3193“The enemy is also quite capable. It would be unrealistic to conduct a diversion at
3194the plant without leaving any clues.”
3195Walker had to recognize what Balance said. It is almost impossible to carry out a large-
3196scale sabotage on the plant so that it does not attract public attention.
3197When it is possible to investigate the traces of the caused damage, there is always a
3198limit to what makes it look like an accident. The main prerequisite for preparing a crime
3199against someone else's military force is to ensure that they will not be able to examine
3200the evidence in detail. You can, of course, escape from the punishment, pretending that
3201you do not know anything, but the spreading of rumors cannot be avoided. In terms of
3202the fact that there will be a minimum amount of clues, killing one person, Tatsuya, was
3203much simpler.
3204“— so your opinion, as well as the opinion of both Majors, is that there are more
3205shortcomings?... Got you. I'll ask the General staff to cancel the operation.”
3206The one who felt most relieved from Walker's decision was Lina.
3207After leaving the office of the Commander, Balance led Lina to another room.
3208“Major Sirius, how have you been doing lately?”
3209“Yes, there are no problems.”
3210They sat at the same table from different angles. Standing up to talk would
3211be tedious, so Balance insisted that they sit down.
3212Before Lina was not a cup of honey milk, but a whole mug of American coffee. After she
3213came back from Japan last year, she probably thought it was a weakness to show
3214others that she was drinking milk, and from then on, outside of her room, pretends to
3215prefer coffee. But recently her stomach, apparently, could not withstand hard brewed
3216coffee, so the cream and sugar became irreplaceable.“Understood.”
3217Before Balance also stood American coffee. Only hers was black. It was originally
3218pretty hard boiled, but if you add cream and sugar to it, the taste would be lost.
3219“Returning to the recent conversation...”
3220“Yes.”
3221Lina straightened out, sitting on a chair. Although they were the only two in the room,
3222she didn't know what the conversation was about. She was also worried about being
3223able to talk about it in a place like this.
3224“Although Colonel Walker said he would ask to cancel the operation, we don't know
3225what the General Staff's decision would be. Maybe you'll be nominated for the order.”
3226“Then I'll fulfill my responsibilities.”
3227The reaction of Lina was too fast, because it apparently implied the presence of other’s
3228“views” here.
3229“Hmm.”
3230Although Balance noticed this, she did not pay attention to it. It could be said that it
3231was a demonstration of her position that it would not be a problem.
3232“The Defense Ministry also has one more opinion.”
3233“Do you mean that there is another policy towards Tatsuya?”
3234The Balance’s voice was like a monologue, but Lina was forced to ask, as if she
3235heard.“The opinion is that it is necessary not to conflict with him, but to use him. This is
3236very close to the earlier voiced opinion of Major Canopus.”
3237“You mean Ben's opinion... What does it take to secure the right to know-how of a
3238thermonuclear reactor?”
3239“Yes. To use the know-how of a magical thermonuclear reactor for the
3240economy. And for military purposes to be used as a distributed deterrent
3241force.”
3242“Distributed deterrent force...?”
3243Having seen the puzzled Lina, Balance involuntarily smiled.
3244"This distribution concerns you too, Major Sirius.”
3245“That? How does it relate to me?”
3246“Don't you understand?”
3247With a smile Balance was trying to nuance between "You can't do anything", and not
3248"You're stupid."
3249“From the "Scorched Halloween" situation, it seems that they can also use a satellite
3250aiming system. Perhaps its accuracy is even better than ours. If we can capture this
3251know-how too, then with the Major’s Heavy Metal burst and Material Burst of Shiba
3252Tatsuya, we will dominate the military forces of the world. This should lead to the
3253rejection of at least large-scale military action.”
3254“Me and Tatsuya working together...?”
3255“Initially, our army did not plan to use your Strategic Class Magic just for defense.
3256Like "Leviathan", that depends highly on the defense/seizure position, the place of
3257use for Heavy Metal Burst cannot be chosen.”To be more precise, Heavy Metal Burst cannot provide sufficient power if a certain amount
3258of heavy metal is not available in the area, and its effect will be severely limited in
3259geographical conditions with very rough, hilly surface.
3260But compared to "Leviathan", which can only show its true value only on terrain with an
3261abundance of water, for example, on the sea, a large lake or a wide river, Heavy Metal
3262Burst has more freedom of use. Although it is inferior to "Ozone Circle" and "Agni-
3263Downburst" In terms of a lack of influence of geographical conditions, but if you add
3264other conditions, such as power and speed of activation, we can say that Heavy Metal
3265Burst is a suitable replacement for strategic ballistic missiles for the role as a deterrent
3266force.
3267“What's the surprise? The New Soviet Union and Japan. If this alliance is formed, then
3268Japan is an ally that will be easier to control. So if this happens, don't be too weird.”
3269At first glance it was caution to the fact that the one who was still an enemy, cannot be
3270forced to be an ally. However, Balance said the word "weird" which could include a
3271secret meaning that Lina may experience certain feelings for Tatsuya.
3272Apparently, Balance called Lina here, because it seemed necessary to warn her that
3273she did not show such behavior, which would lead to distrust of her, because she had
3274previously personally met with Tatsuya.
3275“— ... Okay. Roger that.”
3276“Yes, well, think about it.”
3277“It's a good thing we talked about this,” Balance thought, seeing the confused face of
3278the unreliable Lina.
3279After Balance, Lina and Canopus came out of the Commander's office. After a while
3280Colonel Walker summoned the commanders of the Third and Fourth Corps of Stars,
3281Arcturus and Vega.
3282“Captain Alexander Arcturus arrived.”
3283“Captain Charlotte Vega has arrived.”
3284“Enter.”Walker invited the two unit commanders to the Office of the base Commander.
3285Like they said, they were both captains. Their ranks were lower than Lina and Canopus,
3286but in the current form of the organization of Stars it was strange that there were six
3287people of the same rank as Lina, who was considered the Commander-in-Chief. So in a
3288sense it was normal that the commanders of Arcturus and Vega were lower in rank than
3289the Commander-in-Chief Lina.
3290However, Vega, who was older than Lina by more than 10 years, was extremely unhappy
3291with the fact that she was below her in rank. That's why Vega and Lina got along badly.
3292More precisely, Vega was unilaterally hostile to Lina, who was younger than her.
3293Arcturus did not manifest hostility and disobedience to Lina. But they could not be
3294called friends.
3295First Lieutenant Fomalhaut, executed... Killed by Lina the day before Christmas Eve last
3296year, and was a member of the Third Corps, which is led by Captain Arcturus.
3297Arcturus understood that Fomalhaut, who had committed mass murders, using his
3298"superpower", pyrokinesis, deserved punishment. However, it was also true that he did
3299not have the opportunity to defend himself in a military court.
3300For Arcturus it was unpleasant to think that Lina had no other choice but to shoot
3301Fomalhaut on the spot, though he resisted.
3302There was no doubt that Walker chose these two, because there was a
3303psychological distance between them and Lina from Canopus.
3304“It is absolutely forbidden to tell anyone about the mission you are about
3305to receive. Commander, also do not report this to Major Sirius.”
3306“You got it, sir.”
3307When they simultaneously responded to the order of the Commander, Arcturus with
3308doubt frowned his eyebrows, and the eyes of Vega shone. She was delighted to be able
3309to circumvent Lina. It was possible to call this behavior unworthy of her age, in fact
3310magicians usually are not inclined to be envious on such an occasion.
3311Walker knew about the personal feelings of Vega, but did not rebuke her, but
3312moved on to the story of the mission.“Create a stir at the construction of the energy plant, designed by the Japanese
3313Strategic Class Magician, Shiba Tatsuya. One of the means of obstruction can be
3314considered the murder of Shiba Tatsuya.”
3315Arcturus opened his eyes wide with unconcealed surprise.
3316“Is this an order for me and Captain Vega to kill Shiba Tatsuya?”
3317“The main task is to hinder his project. If this goal can be achieved, then killing will
3318not be necessary.”
3319“Is it possible to resort to murder if obstruction is difficult?” Vega asked
3320immediately. ... With a smile on her face.”
3321“— from the moment of receiving the temporary name "The Great Bomber", the initial
3322plan concerning this magic of conversion of mass into energy consisted in complete
3323neutralization if it could not be seized. Nothing has changed here. Now the priority is
3324given to neutralization through Project Dione, and if this does not work, we will return
3325to the original plan.”
3326“You got it.”
3327Arcturus was still in a state of reluctance, but he persuaded himself to accept the task.
3328Vega, on the contrary, was full of enthusiasm.
3329Through the Women's Information network for soldiers and officers, she found out that
3330Lina seems to be friends with Tatsuya. Although it is still "potential", but he is still "the
3331greatest threat". Those who are close friends with the "greatest enemy" should not be a
3332soldier of the USNA army.
3333She, as a sempai, will wake Sirius up, bringing her the head of Shiba Tatsuya.
3334With such thoughts, Vega was burning with enthusiasm.The murder of the first Lieutenant Alfred Fomalhaut left a mark in the hearts of every
3335member of the Stars. The execution of their First-Class companion also left
3336unpleasant feelings among all the Stars. Especially in the same Third Corps as
3337Fomalhaut and his close friend, the First Lieutenant, Jacob Regulus, who is still
3338searching for the truth about the incident.
3339At the moment, the official but absolutely secret opinion is that the murders Fomalhaut
3340committed were under the control of a parasite. Psychological resistance to the
3341supernatural was lost with the practical use of magic, and at the autopsy of Fomalhaut in
3342his brain, they found a body that should not be in a human. Any who calls themselves
3343realists, will find it difficult to deny the existence of parasites.
3344He was captured by the parasite and created disorder, using his unique ability of
3345pyrokinesis. This was explained by his multiple murders of civilians in that incident.
3346But it wasn't enough to convince Regulus.
3347How was Fomalhaut was captured by a parasite?
3348Shortly before the incident, Fomalhaut was sent to a solitary mission. Until the moment
3349they last saw him, there was no strangeness in him. So they were undoubtedly captured
3350during that solitary mission.
3351The question is when, where and who did it.
3352If it is an accident, it is necessary to find out the conditions of occurrence of
3353parasites and to prevent recurrence of it.
3354Many scientists are actively working in this direction.
3355Although this theory was deadlocked because of the inability to test it to confirm it,
3356but most believed that the reason is the Micro Black Hole experiment. Disputes about
3357the mechanism of this process are still going on.
3358Therefore, Regulus conducted an investigation to prove that the emergence of
3359parasites was not an accident.
3360Who called the parasite that got to Fomalhaut?If it was a deliberate incident, it was a brutal terrorist attack that could lead to large-
3361scale losses that terrorized the USNA. Because the magician, who alone carries a
3362fighting power comparable to a battalion, can itself be regarded as an instrument of
3363terrorism.
3364His friend was used as a terrorist or a saboteur, and as a result he was executed by the
3365hands of his own friends.
3366Regulus could not close his eyes to the possibility of this. Despite the fact that further
3367investigation after the execution of the offender was not the work of the Stars, Regulus
3368continued to investigate, and spent his free time and days off.
3369However, one and a half years after the incident, Regulus was more and more
3370inclined to the conclusion that "There were no criminals". It happened by accident.
3371And now, when he was almost convinced, he was delivered this information.
3372“What does it mean...”
3373The fact that Regulus unconsciously muttered this aloud, had a reason.
3374This anonymous email had passed through the highest level of security, which is used
3375even in the general staff, and has reached his terminal in a state without any
3376censorship.
3377According to the Charter, Regulus had to isolate the message in the system and notify
3378the security personnel. But he did not, and opened the letter.
3379The intuition of Regulus whispered to him that he should read it and not give it to
3380others to read.
3381The letter was not encrypted. It seems to have been protected from peeping by other
3382means than encryption.
3383And something absolutely amazing was written in it.“The experiment of the Micro Black Hole is the work of a Japanese agent...!?”
3384In this letter it says following:
3385· The Micro Black Hole Experiment was started by a Japanese Private magician
3386organization.
3387· The aforementioned organization knew that this experiment could cause
3388"something" spiritual to happen.
3389· The organization was looking for a country to conduct the experiment that could
3390not be implemented in Japan.
3391· At that time, scientists from the USNA army, who actively sought hints on the magic
3392of converting mass into energy, engaged in similar research.
3393· The aforementioned organization wished to receive even more experimental data.
3394They asked for another micro black hole experiment that would be monitored by an
3395organization agent.
3396· Fomalhaut was captured by a parasite because he was suddenly attacked. If a magician
3397has a solid consciousness and a strong goal, the parasite will never be able to possess
3398them.
3399Regulus didn't believe the contents of this letter. To be honest, it seemed too
3400"suspicious" to him .
3401In particular, he thought that is too convenient that it is possible to avoid the parasite
3402from taking over by only having a strong consciousness.
3403But the fact that the experiment was conducted on the advice of a foreign
3404agent, unconsciously touched him to the bottom of the soul.
3405The details of the experiment seemed unnatural. Not only among scientists, but also
3406among politicians there are many who adhere to the rule of caution. The results were
3407doubtful from the very beginning. Among the scholars, only the minority believed that
3408the magic of mass conversion to energy could be explained by Hawking's radiation.Regulus also wanted to see if there was any chance that these events were too much
3409for him to understand, like some sort of conspiracy theory. But if we consider that the
3410Micro Black Hole experiment could be intervened by an external force, it looks like a
3411reasonable explanation for why the experiment was conducted at that time.
3412Regulus could not decide whether this external force was the Japanese civil
3413organization of magicians, the "Ten Master Clans". Regulus warned himself that he
3414should not be influenced by a message whose sender wished to remain unknown. But
3415now that his investigation was stalled, and if there is an opportunity to learn the truth, he
3416began to think that it would be a good idea to try.
3417If they try the experiment again, you can check whether the source of parasites is really
3418the Micro Black Hole. Then it will also become clear if what is written in this letter is true.
3419If this is true, there will be a chance to grab the tail of a criminal group.
3420However, there was a risk that new victims could appear, and be captured by parasites.
3421But if they are the same as they are, magicians of the Star Class, then they may be able
3422to capture the parasites or destroy them.
3423There was no reason not to try.
3424This was the conclusion that Regulus came to. At this point, he did not even think that
3425he could capture a parasite.
3426Regulus approached his immediate commander, Captain Arcturus, with an offer to
3427experiment with the Micro Black Hole, the moment after Arcturus returned from his visit
3428to Colonel Walker.
3429Regulus told him the contents of the letter truthfully and eloquently proved
3430the necessity of the experiment.
3431If it were any other day, it would have ended only by the fact that Arcturus would simply
3432rebuke that Regulus was being reckless.
3433But Arcturus was mentally unstable after receiving Walker's assignment.
3434He was attracted by the idea of being able to grasp the Japanese agent's tail.If they receive important material for negotiations with Japan, it may be possible to
3435neutralize the Strategic Class Magic "Material Burst" and without such dirty methods
3436as murder. Such a naïve calculation arose in Arcturus’ mind.
3437Arcturus turned back in the direction of the base Commander's office and led Regulus
3438there.
3439And somehow, Regulus was able to persuade Colonel Walker.
3440Perhaps the Colonel just wanted to sabotage the mission entrusted to him by the
3441chief of staff.
3442He immediately contacted the General Staff, and in the course of the conversation, they
3443came to the decision that for the repetition of the Micro Black Hole experiment, he will be
3444contacted later.Chapter 7
3445On Wednesday after school, Tomitsuka Hagane visited the School Council Room. Even
3446Igarashi Yousuke, Chairman of the Club Management Group, rarely came to the School
3447Council Room, and Tomitsuka’s appearance here in general was an exceptional case.
3448“— When is Tatsuya planning to start attending school?”
3449“Unfortunately, he didn't tell me about that.” With reluctance on her face, Miyuki
3450answered the question of Tomitsuka, the meaning of which was something like: “When
3451is the next time Tatsuya is to come?”.
3452Her answer was not a lie, and her facial expression wasn’t an act.
3453For a while, Tatsuya will not go to school, because he is observing how the situation
3454changes after the press conference. The resumption of school attendance depends on
3455this situation in society, and Tatsuya himself cannot in advance say, "from what moment"
3456he will return.
3457And Miyuki, day after night, grew discontent that Tatsuya was not free to come to
3458school.
3459“Then... Will you tell me where Shiba-kun is right now?” With unconcealed despair,
3460Tomitsuka asked Miyuki the next question.
3461“Do you have something to discuss with Tatsuya?” Miyuki asked this answer with a
3462suspicious voice. Anyone in her place felt that something was wrong with Tomitsuka.
3463There was no freedom of action in his behavior. Putting pressure on the interlocutor with
3464his circumstances was not like Tomitsuka.
3465“Excuse me.”
3466However, he noticed that he was making Miyuki feel unpleasant.
3467“Um... There's something I'd like to talk to Shiba-kun about.”“Talk? If you don't mind, I'd like to know about what?”
3468Tomitsuka’s eyes ran from side to side. He hesitated for a while, but eventually he
3469overcame his indecision and met Miyuki with a look.
3470“My mother is hospitalized.”
3471“Your Mother!”
3472Miyuki opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with her hand. Tomitsuka was
3473fussing from such a reaction.
3474“Oh, no, even though I said she was hospitalized, there's no danger for her life. She has
3475a severe stomach ulcer.. she will be discharged from the hospital after a month of rest.”
3476“I understood... I hope she has a quick recovery.”
3477“Thank you very much.”
3478Thanking Miyuki for her words of sympathy, Tomitsuka looked as if he wanted to say
3479something else. While he was looking for the words to say, Izumi spoke to him.
3480“Isn’t Tomitsuka-sempai’s mother the chairman of the Magic Association?”
3481“Yes, she is, Saegusa-san.”
3482“Does your mother's illness have a psychological origin?”
3483This time Tomitsuka’s eyes were already wide open.
3484“... The doctor said it was caused by stress.”“In other words, Tomitsuka-sempai wants to say that the cause of his mother's
3485illness, is Shiba-sempai?”
3486“I wasn't going to say something like that!”
3487The face of the answering Tomitsuka blushed. This proved that Izumi's assertion was
3488not entirely wrong. Tomitsuka, who was worried, realized, and took a deep breath.
3489“— ... Your mother has recently been severely pressured by the government. With
3490regards to Tatsuya-sama?” Miyuki asked Tomitsuka imperturbably.
3491“Yes, that's right. They want her to persuade Shiba-kun to cancel the energy plant
3492project and take part in Project Dione...”
3493“— what does that mean!” Honoka said loud and indignant. Izumi and Shiina, also
3494considering it absurd, sent cold gazes to Tomitsuka.
3495“Can you talk about something like that? Don't you have to keep it a secret?”
3496“— ... A member of my family already went to the hospital, though unofficially. And as
3497long as it’s for my family and to the extent that it will help the people involved in the
3498case to identify the circumstances, it will not be a problem.”
3499The open tone of Tomitsuka’s voice showed his discontent with "government-related
3500people."
3501“I'm not going to accuse Shiba-kun of my mother's hospitalization. Even I
3502understand that it is ridiculous to shift the responsibility to Shiba-kun.”
3503“Tomitsuka-Sempai. If you aren’t going to complain, what are you going to talk about
3504with Shiba-sempai?”
3505Miyuki’s question again was voiced aloud by Izumi.
3506“— Regardless of the Government's opinion, I believe that Shiba-kun should take part
3507in Project Dione. This is undoubtedly an important project for the future of mankind,
3508and the USNA is trying to invite Shiba-kun with the most courteous attitude.He may have had a lot of plans, but I believe that for Japan, for the sake of the Japanese
3509magicians, he must accept the invitation of the USNA. So far, I was silent because it
3510didn't concern me, but when it affected my family, I became involved.
3511There was no one among the members of the School Council who would support
3512the argument of Tomitsuka. But there also were none that interrupted his speech.
3513“Although I am annoyed that I have to follow unreasonable government requests, I still
3514want to try to persuade Shiba-kun to take part in Project Dione.”
3515Making sure that Tomitsuka finished his speech, Miyuki spoke.
3516“If that is your goal, then I can't tell you anything.”
3517“Huh..?”
3518Tomitsuka, it seems, did not expect a refusal. He stared at Miyuki like a person
3519expressing their complete misunderstanding of an answer.
3520“If you have such a goal, I can't afford to tell you the address of Tatsuya.”
3521“Why... Can I ask why...?” “Because I understand that you want to stop Tatsuya, and
3522I can't help you with that.”
3523The face of Tomitsuka distorted, as if to say "I can't believe it".
3524"But... The selfishness of Shiba-kun can bring problems to everyone else! If Shiba-
3525kun shows a little patience, everyone will end up better!”
3526“Selfishness, you say...?”
3527Miyuki did not even concealed that she was unpleasantly surprised.“Tomitsuka-kun, it looks like you're confused about your mom getting sick.
3528Please, forget today. It will be better for everyone.”
3529The usual Tomitsuka is completely different and would not say anything smug. Miyuki
3530knew this and wanted to solve the problem peacefully. For her, it was an exceptional
3531occasion when Tatsuya was offended, and she ended it all with reasonable measures.
3532Her magic did not get out of control because the seal was removed, and she thus
3533regained the primordial control of her magic. However, to her opponent, feeling like he
3534got pushed into a corner, and trapped in his thinking, it produced a reverse effect.
3535“— ... President Shiba. I'm challenging you to a duel.”
3536“Under a duel you mean a fight for resolving the conflict of opinions?”
3537“Yes. If I win, please tell me where the Shiba-kun is.”
3538Miyuki quietly listened to the willful statement of Tomitsuka. No, she was completely
3539calm. But there was no blazing anger inside her, because those hostile and murderous
3540intentions were frozen.
3541“— ... I accept your challenge”.
3542“Miyuki-sama, please wait.”
3543The phrase of the acceptance of the duel was blocked by another voice.
3544"Minami-chan?"
3545With a mixed sense of wonder and suspicion, Miyuki asked about Minami’s
3546intentions.
3547Minami did not say "President", but "Miyuki-sama".The fact that Miyuki is the successor of the title the "Head of the Yotsuba family" was
3548well-known. At the same time, everyone here understood that Minami is not really a
3549cousin, but is in the service of the Yotsuba family. Nobody really asked about it, but
3550everyone suspected this kind of a relationship.
3551Therefore, Minami called Miyuki "Miyuki-sama", without feeling any discomfort. She
3552said, "Miyuki-sama", in cases where Miyuki wasn't around. However, Miyuki did not
3553like it when it happened at school, and she insisted on the greatest possible
3554deterrence of this behavior, showing their relationship as a master and a servant.
3555So she had to have some reason for saying "Miyuki-sama" in this place, showing
3556the behavior of a servant in the presence of their kohai.
3557“Tatsuya-sama told me to protect Miyuki-sama. Followed with Tatsuya-sama giving
3558me his trust, I cannot allow Miyuki-sama to participate in unnecessary battles.”
3559Miyuki had nothing to object the words of Minami. When Tatsuya’s intentions are
3560mentioned, Miyuki cannot have any objections.
3561“But in that case, Tomitsuka-sempai maybe will not be satisfied? That instead of
3562Miyuki-sama, I will become the opponent of Tomitsuka-sempai.”
3563“— ... I got it. Tomitsuka-kun, is that fine with you? If Minami-chan loses, then like you,
3564Tomitsuka-kun, asked, I will tell you the location of the villa, where Tatsuya-sama now
3565lives.”
3566“— ... If it results in you telling me the location of Shiba-kun, then I do not mind.”
3567These unexpected developments puzzled Tomitsuka. Perhaps more precisely it could
3568be said that he was not good in such matters.
3569But he decided not to object. He didn't have time to worry about anything but his goal.In disputes between students the one who is right and who is wrong, is proven by
3570force. This was the one way of solving problems that was officially included in the
3571rules of First High.
3572Of course, the "mock battle" procedure was strictly defined, and it was also required to
3573obtain permission from the President of the School Board and the Head of the
3574Disciplinary Committee.
3575It was a measure to prevent the use of training fights for unilateral violence, so
3576when there is a large difference in force between the participants.
3577“— ... I thought there wouldn't be a duel against the Student Council this year.”
3578The Head of the Disciplinary Committee Mikihiko complained to Izumi, who came to ask
3579for approval of the mock battle. Since the President is the related party this time, the
3580organization of the mock fight is handled by the Vice President, Izumi.
3581“This is not a duel, but a match, Yoshida-sempai.”
3582Having made a small amendment to the words of Mikihiko, Izumi gave him
3583the approved resolution of the Student Council together with its written form.
3584Seeing what it says, Mikihiko rounded his eyes with surprise.
3585“Hand to Hand combat!? Is that okay? I mean, the fight is between Tomitsuka-kun and
3586Sakurai-san, a guy and a girl?
3587Usually, hand to hand combat for competitions was only used by guys. Because sexual
3588harassment is a possibility in a fight between a guy and a girl.
3589“The “Using a mock knife and stopping before hitting the opponent”-rule.
3590Sakurai-san seems to be sure of herself.”
3591The explanation of Izumi did not calm Mikihiko at all. Even if it is said that the end of
3592match is determined by the simulation of the impact of the mock knife, it still means
3593that punching and kicking is allowed.“— ... I will serve as the referee.”
3594He could not simply put his seal of approval on this, thinking that he could not leave a
3595place unattended where a pupil could be injured by another pupil. With this thought in
3596mind, Mikihiko decided to be the referee.
3597Tomitsuka, who changed into a club uniform and waited in the third room for practical
3598training, looked with round eyes at the appearance of Minami, who entered the room
3599after Miyuki.
3600“Are you going to participate in the match in that outfit!?”
3601"But it doesn't violate the rules.” Minami answered with an indifferent tone to
3602the involuntarily screaming Tomitsuka.
3603“That is... so, but..”
3604Tomitsuka was in the uniform for Magic Martial Arts.
3605The upper part is a long sleeve shirt without buttons with cushions on the elbow parts,
3606then loose beltless trousers whose cushions were on the knee parts and only the part at
3607the ankle is tightened. On his feet, he wore soft shoes that were designed for martial
3608arts sports.
3609On the other hand, Minami was in a T-shirt with short sleeves and in short thigh shorts
3610worn by gymnasts. Although her right thigh was covered with a weapon belt with an
3611attached mock knife, she still had the usual appearance of an athlete with exposed arms
3612and legs.
3613“Are you worried about injuries?”
3614Tomitsuka was speechless towards Minami who just spoke to him.
3615“Of course, if you receive a blow from Tomitsuka-sempai, you can get a bump or a
3616bruise. Maybe even a fracture.”
3617“In that case... You need more protection.” Tomitsuka wanted to say.“Tomitsuka-sempai. This is the essence of the mock battle.”
3618But Minami was faster than him.
3619“Even with the rules, when close combat is forbidden, the danger of being
3620traumatized does not change much.”
3621In a rare occurrence, Minami was quite talkative today.
3622“If Tomitsuka-senpai doesn’t mind being injured by girls, he would have already
3623lost this match today.”
3624Minami intentionally made a short pause.
3625“At your own convenience.”
3626She struck down these condemning words on Tomitsuka. He could not object to
3627Minami’s criticism .
3628“— ... Tomitsuka-kun, do you want to cancel the match?” Mikihiko turned to the
3629dumbfounded Tomitsuka.
3630“Even if you win or lose this match, you will only have a poor aftertaste left, so it’s
3631better to stop now and you will not regret it.”
3632Mikihiko extended Tomitsuka a life line.
3633“— ... Yoshida-kun, give the signal for the beginning of the match.”
3634But the concern of Mikihiko only reinforced the stubbornness of Tomitsuka. Now
3635Tomitsuka definitely needed to know the address of Tatsuya.
3636When Mikihiko mentioned "regret", Tomitsuka thought that "I do not want to withdraw
3637here and regret it later, even if I injure a girl and end up regretting it".“— ... Got it. Both parties know the rules? The rule is to stop before making contact
3638Please obey the judgement of the referee.”
3639Tomitsuka and Minami simultaneously nodded. Unfortunately for Mikihiko, neither
3640Tomitsuka nor Minami had shown that they want to retreat.
3641“Then... Start!”
3642By the signal of Mikihiko, Tomitsuka and Minami simultaneously activated magic.
3643To reduce the distance, oscillation magic is used to break the balance of the enemy
3644and get victory without injuring her... This plan, invented by Tomitsuka for this fight,
3645was stopped by an Anti-Object barrier, which appeared directly in front of him.
3646Although Tomitsuka already saw the ability of Minami in last year's "Stellar Furnace"
3647experiment and at the Nine Schools Competition, could still be surprised at the activation
3648speed of her magic. The barrier preventing his approach was created the moment after
3649the signal for the beginning of the match.
3650With surprise, but without panic, Tomitsuka flew into this transparent wall.
3651His disadvantage that he could not project psions at a distance from his body, has not
3652changed. For magic that was able to attack the enemies from far away, it only affects
3653the influence of magic that was invoked nearby into the continuous space, so a magic
3654can be set on a remote location.
3655But the peculiarity of wearing high-density psion armor, which can neutralize any
3656magic touching his body, also has not changed. No, this ability to neutralize magic,
3657which can be called "Contact-Type Gram Demolition", has became stronger because
3658of his improved psion control.
3659Tomitsuka’s shoulder pierced the magical barrier of Minami. Resistance was felt less than
3660one second. After that, Tomitsuka felt that the barrier that was unseen by the naked eye,
3661collapsed.Next he was going to hit Minami with his hand. However, in the time when Tomitsuka
3662was focused on the barrier, Minami had the time to go flank him from the side.
3663The installation location of the magic barrier can be specified as either relative
3664or absolute coordinates.
3665When setting the barrier by absolute coordinates in the true sense of the word, it is
3666necessary to take into account the huge speed of rotation of the Earth and its orbital
3667movement, so, even when they say "absolute coordinates", in most cases it means a
3668relative position based on the coordinates on the Earth's surface. In human perception it
3669can be expressed as absolute coordinates. ... Many people know that the magic that sets
3670a wall using the true absolute coordinates, so that the enemy at breakneck speed flew
3671into it, is an extremely advanced type of attacking magic.
3672At the moment, Minami has created barriers in the usual sense of the concept of
3673absolute coordinates. On the other hand, Tomitsuka acted with prejudice that the
3674enemy is on the other side of the barrier. For this reason, he lost sight of Minami at
3675the time of the destruction of the barrier.
3676Minami released a compressed air bullet which can be said to be a basic version
3677of attacking magic to Tomitsuka.
3678The modified “Sakurai” series has a high aptitude for magic barriers, and the second
3679generation Minami is particularly talented.
3680But it does mean that she, like Tatsuya or Tomitsuka, was bad at using other spells, that
3681weren’t related to her specialization.
3682Besides that, compressed air bullet “in a compressed state” conceptually has some
3683compatibly with barrier magic, so it is an easy magic for Minami to use. It is
3684synonymous with “magic” which can “give great power”.
3685Perhaps because the degree of threat was high, this intuition of his payed off.
3686Driven by a strong sense of danger, Tomitsuka created a magical barrier in the form of
3687armor.Tomitsuka could activate magic on objects or areas in his direct physical contact.
3688However, at a distance of zero meters in the Contact State, the "Range Zero", it
3689demonstrated an unparalleled force. Such a magician was Tomitsuka Hagane.
3690Unlike Fortification magic, this Anti-Object barrier, activated a form that overlapped his
3691worn clothing, and was able to take the compressed air bullet from Minami. The armor
3692Tomitsuka created protected him from both the compressed air, and from the explosion
3693caused by the release of the compressed condition.
3694Tomitsuka continued by activating Movement-Type Magic.
3695To move his own body using magic is the basis for his favorite technique, "Self-
3696Marionette". Due to his possession of this skill, he was able to jump to Minami with
3697such speed, that she could not prepare her next attacking magic.
3698As soon as his feet felt contact with the floor, Tomitsuka pulled his right hand to the
3699right. From this position he consistently took a step forward with his right foot and
3700thrust his right palm.
3701But Tomitsuka’s arms and legs stopped moving due to the unexpected
3702scene that caught his eye.
3703On the face of the suddenly attacking Minami, excitement appeared. From her
3704position, she was happy that Tomitsuka suddenly appeared before her, ignoring the
3705distance between them.
3706She managed to avoid the attack of Tomitsuka thanks to her reflexes, cultivated through
3707training in the Yotsuba main house.
3708At the same time as Tomitsuka, she entered the position to prepare a blow to the
3709chest, she bent her back backwards and pushed herself away from the floor.
3710Because of the backflip that happened in front of his eyes, Tomitsuka’s attack
3711missed.No, the delay in his movements wasn’t caused by the surprising back flip, but
3712because his gaze caught a piece of bodily color, that appeared after the bottom edge
3713of the T-shirt was lifted.
3714At least Minami felt Tomitsuka’s eyes were directed towards her because she
3715took her distance.
3716Instead of feeling disgusted, Minami thought that it was the only thing that saved her.
3717It was a opening that could lead to the end of the mock battle, if Tomitsuka
3718hadn’t created a gap.
3719There is no way you can miss seeing the satisfactory belly button.
3720“If the enemy were Tatsuya-sama, this fight would have already stopped" Even though
3721she pushed her palm of the floor and thrust back by backflipping, she could not find the
3722next attacking posture immediately after she landed.If she attacked Tatsuya, this situation would be hopeless. And if this was Tatsuya,
3723he would have not stop the attack just because he saw the naked skin of a woman.
3724Minami jumped further to the side and created a new magic barrier.
3725Tomitsuka recovered from his rigidity and approached Minami quickly.
3726Destroying the barriers.
3727Until that moment, everything happened the same as it did the last time. However,
3728Minami did not come from the flank this time, but instead retreated to the back.
3729When the shield was destroyed, she built the next shield.
3730Tatsuya’s demolition magic, if it was Gram Demolition, the destruction of magic
3731would only take a moment. Magic Sequences displayed in the information dimension
3732cannot resist "Gram Demolition", which decomposes Psion information bodies.
3733But Gram Demolition [spell dismantling] is a technique to blow away Magic Sequences
3734attached to the Eidos using psion pressure. Depending on the force with which the
3735Magic Sequence is stuck to the Eidos, there is a delay in time until the dismantling
3736occurs.
3737Area Magic that fixes the Magic Sequence in a space without anything is
3738usually weak against Gram Demolition. But the barrier magic of Minami was far
3739from "ordinary". The "Sakurai" series’ Anti-Object barrier, which can withstand
3740a tremendous amounts of momentum, was extremely powerful in the concept of
3741"holding something". Minami has also inherited these magical characteristics.
3742In other words, the magical barriers of Minami can withstand Gram Demolition for a
3743short amount of time. Even if he will eventually break through, it also means that it can
3744give you time to prepare your next magic.
3745Minami’s Anti-Object barrier are used to stop Tomitsuka’s advancements. The barrier
3746was quickly destroyed, but it took about one second. During this time, Minami retreated
3747back and had finished erecting her next barrier.It could be called a pseudo Phalanx.
3748But it does not mean that Minami does not feel anything from the broken barriers. The
3749fatigue caused by the activation of magic is undoubtedly accumulating.
3750But Minami gradually receded back, making sure that there was a small gap between
3751each barrier, so that the Psion armor around Tomitsuka could not touch them at the
3752same time.
3753Tomitsuka could quickly destroy these barriers, so he did not move out of the way, but
3754progressed forward. Gradually moving, almost as if he were standing still, if looked at
3755from the outside.
3756This was not Tomitsuka’s original style. Facing his troubles directly, using his
3757coordinated hand and foot work, was his way of fighting. But Tomitsuka could not do
3758this when these struggles made his legs immobilized and he is required to grab or push
3759his opponent like you would in sumo wrestling or rugby.
3760Minami retreated diagonally across the practical training room. Looking at the distance
3761left between the walls and her left and right, Minami realized she was approaching the
3762corner of the room.
3763She did not miss the moment when Tomitsuka’s eyes were looking behind her.
3764"... I drove her into the corner," Minima could clearly read Tomitsuka’s thoughts.
3765Two more steps, and she's into the corner. There will be no further retreat.
3766Simultaneously with the destruction of her barrier, Minami took one big step back
3767instead of two ordinary ones.
3768Without building another barrier.
3769Leaning forward to destroy the next barrier, Tomitsuka’s body lost stability.A disadvantage of Contact-Type Gram Demolition is that it can’t demolish magic
3770without physically touching it. This created a convenient opportunity for Minami
3771because Tomitsuka was careless, since he was obsessed with destroying the barriers.
3772Minami, taking advantage of this moment, activated the prepared magic.
3773A downward Whirlwind.
3774This magic only created a downward air flow centered around the user, and had a
3775lack of killing power. However, Tomitsuka, who had been approaching Minami the
3776entire time, was caught in the air current and lost his positioning.
3777Minami wrapped herself around Tomitsuka’s back, grabbed his mock knife and threw it
3778away.
3779Tomitsuka’s face blushed, which definitely wasn’t just because he was nervous.
3780Through the thin fabric of the gymnastic clothing a "soft feeling" was impossible not to
3781be felt. But luckily for Tomitsuka, Minami did not notice his embarrassment.
3782Hooking his leg from the inside, Minami threw Tomitsuka forward.
3783Tomitsuka tried to use rotational movement to shake Minami off, but she, skillfully
3784shifting her weight around, hung on to Tomitsuka’s body, thus throwing him on the
3785ground.
3786Tomitsuka was under her.
3787As a result, Minami sat on Tomitsuka’s back, "like a horse", snatched the mock
3788knife from her waist, and put it to Tomitsuka’s throat.
3789“The match is over! Sakurai-san wins!” Mikihiko announced when the training
3790match was completed.If the knife were real, it would mean that Tomitsuka’s throat would have been cut by
3791Minami. The outcome of the fight was obvious to all.
3792When they finished with cleaning and formalities after the mock fight, it was almost
3793time to close the school gates. Miyuki and the rest, having finished their Student
3794Council work, merged with the group of Erika and Leo and they finally all gathered in
3795the usual café.
3796“Hey, Sakurai-san, you were so strong.”
3797“No, I was just lucky today...” Minami shyly tried to deny the words of Kasumi.
3798The interest of all present was focused on the past mock fight.
3799“I guess luck will always be involved, but without true strength, you wouldn’t’ve been
3800able to win against Tomitsuka-kun.” Erika intervened with a face that showed that
3801there was nothing to be surprised about.
3802“Erika, did you know about the Sakurai’s real power?”
3803The one asking was Leo, because he was a member of the same mountaineering club
3804as Minami and her physical ability was already well known to him. However, according
3805to the idiom “don’t judge a book by its cover”, the impression that people got from
3806Minami is that she usually is a “gentle girl” and because her muscles aren’t obtrusive,
3807her superb motor functions also cannot be seen. If anything, it’s better to say that she
3808shows the figure of a girl who doesn’t regularly exercise.
3809Therefore for Leo, this was unexpected behavior for Erika as if she had long been aware
3810of Minami’s power.
3811“It’s difficult to understand unless you train enough. If you look carefully, you'll
3812notice that this is the case.”
3813“— Is that so...?”I wonder who Leo was more impressed by, Erika or Minami? Or maybe both.
3814“But I heard she's not very good at physical education.”
3815Izumi did not have much malice when she asked Minami this simple question.
3816“I... am not very good at ball games...”
3817Answering seriously about her shortcomings, Minami looked a bit embarrassed.
3818Izumi, who is also not that good at physical education, (It’s not that they can’t do it,
3819but they’re just psychologically bad at it) stopped questioning Minami.
3820“But I think, like Sakurai-san said, the result was not only because of her abilities.”
3821Apparently, thinking that too much praise is also bad, Mikihiko changed the
3822direction of the conversation.
3823“It seems that Tomitsuka-kun was quite uncomfortable.”
3824“Because his opponent was a girl?”
3825Mikihiko nodded to the question of Shizuku.
3826“Choosing hand to hand combat may have been a mistake.”
3827“Do you mean that it would’ve been better if they only fought with magic?”
3828Saburou, who did not knowing about Tomitsuka, expressed his doubts about the
3829words of Mikihiko.
3830“Because of Tomitsuka’s special magic, he can't do it.” Shiina immediately gave
3831him this answer.Next, Shiina explained the meaning of Tomitsuka’s nickname "Range Zero" to
3832Saburou, and Honoka accused Tomitsuka: “If that happened, it would’ve been
3833better to stop.”
3834“But he really liked it, didn't he?”
3835Even though Shizuku was making a bad joke, it sounded serious because of her
3836voice.
3837“By the way, Tomitsuka-kun seems to have been fascinated by Minami-chan’s belly
3838button...”
3839“Honoka, details" Shizuku poured oil onto the fire before Minami could stop Honoka.
3840“Minami-chan was wearing gymnastic sports uniform.”
3841“How bold.”
3842“Well, that's it. Minami-chan made a backflip to avoid Tomitsuka-kun’s attack.”
3843“Wow.”
3844“— At that moment, the edge of her shirt was fluttering, exposing a rather large area of
3845her stomach. Of course, it was quickly concealed again, but Tomitsuka-kun froze for a
3846while, motionless staring at Minami-chan’s belly button.”
3847“Guilty.” Shizuku decided without hesitation, after hearing this story.
3848“And his face became red when Minami-chan grabbed him from behind...”
3849“Really!?” Minami cried out when she heard Honoka’s additional testimony.
3850“Yes. I guess... It was because your chest was touching him.”“— ...”
3851From the shame, Minami hid her face behind her hands. Leo and Mikihiko also
3852blushed a little and quickly turned their face.
3853“Hmm... Was the gymnastic uniform for this purpose?” Erika had no mercy for her shy
3854junior
3855“Minami-chan wanted Tomitsuka-kun to cancel the mock fight.”
3856Minami was still unable to answer, and Miyuki voiced her idea instead.
3857“Originally, Tomitsuka-kun asked for a fight with me.”
3858“Then it wouldn’t have been much of match” Erika cut her off.
3859It is not merely a matter of difference in ability. Tomitsuka, who cannot fight at a distance,
3860and Miyuki, who can overwhelm her enemy with a magical bombardment from afar.
3861If the rules for a contactless battle were used, which are usually used in mock battles
3862with the opposite sex, it would be a one-sided fight.
3863“Tomitsuka-kun had obviously lost the ability to make decisions calmly.”
3864“And Minami stretched her body out so that he could cool his head.”
3865Erika nodded with an understanding face.
3866“By the way, I haven’t heard about it, but why did Tomitsuka-kun ask for a mock
3867fight?”
3868At this point, Mikihiko realized that he also did not know the cause of the mock
3869“Tomitsuka-sempai wanted to know where Shiba-sempai is.”Izumi answered this question because she thought Miyuki wouldn't want
3870to answer.
3871“Tatsuya’s address?”
3872Not only Mikihiko had a question mark surface above his head.
3873“Tomitsuka-sempai’s mother seems to have been hospitalized.”
3874“The mother of Tomitsuka-kun... As far as I know, isn’t she the Chairman of the Magic
3875Association?”
3876“Yes. As expected, Yoshida-sempai knows it too.”
3877Mikihiko was not embarrassed by the praise of Izumi. Because his attention was
3878focused on the continuation of the story.
3879“Hitsui-sama... That's the name of Tomitsuka-sempai’s mother, seems to have
3880been severely pressured by the government, demanding her to persuade Shiba-
3881sempai.”
3882“To persuade him to take part in Project Dione?”
3883“Yes. It seems that she got an acute gastric ulcer due to the stress... and will be
3884hospitalized for about a month.”
3885“— ... It's not Tatsuya's fault, is it?” Leo wedged into the conversation.
3886“I think so.”
3887Izumi immediately nodded. No one objected to the judgement that Leo and Izumi
3888came to.“Tomitsuka-sempai said the same thing. But in reality... He clearly thought Shiba-
3889sempai was responsible. He wanted to know the address of Shiba-sempai so he could
3890try to persuade him to participate in Project Dione. ”
3891“He wanted to do something... For his mother.” Mizuki muttered with sympathy.
3892“Speaking of which, Tomitsuka-kun... Looked very depressed after the match.” Even
3893Honoka, who previously condemned Tomitsuka for his rude behavior, yielded to this
3894atmosphere of sympathy.
3895“But to blame this on Tatsuya-kun is, I will say, a misunderstanding.” Erika hacked
3896that sympathy at the root.
3897“Hasn’t Tatsuya already told them, what he is going to do now? And I think it's wrong
3898to stop him or accuse him.”— Leo objected to the actions of Tomitsuka, looking at
3899them from a different angle.
3900“However, I think that people who say the same thing as Tomitsuka-sempai are not
3901going anywhere. I'm talking about the people who think that Shiba-sempai is wrong,
3902and that they are right.”
3903Kasumi was not emotionally attached to Tatsuya, and did not sympathize with him or his
3904position. She could therefore draw conclusions from a convenient third-party position.
3905Neither Miyuki, nor Erika, nor anyone else, could object to her prediction.Chapter 8
3906There was a big change in the situation surrounding Tatsuya on this Thursday.
3907At the Center for the Development of Magic for the Indo-Persian Union, Hyderabad
3908University, located in the former South India, the leading figure of this university in the
3909field of magic engineering, known as the designer of the Strategic Class Magic "Agni
3910Downburst", the female scientist Asha Chandrasekhar was holding a press conference.
3911“— ... For these reasons, we do not support the USNA’s project for the
3912development of Venus, but we do support the Japanese fusion reactor
3913project.”
3914Dr. Chandrasekhar announced that they supported Tatsuya’s Project ESCAPES
3915instead of Project Dione. Until this moment, the Indo-Persian Federation had not
3916revealed their stance on Project Dione.
3917Despite the fact that it was not an official message from the government, and only
3918a press conference held by one scientist, the rejection of Project Dione was a big
3919surprise for the rest of the country.
3920Moreover, the reason for this rejection was that they wanted to support the building of
3921an energy plant, which was not a national project yet but only a simple private
3922business project, which was announced by a young Japanese.
3923Tatsuya’s Project ESCAPES attracted the attention of the whole world before its
3924official name was even defined.
3925“— that is, you say that the Turkish Government believes that USNA should not force
3926other countries to participate in their space exploration project?”
3927The day after the press conference of Dr. Asha Chandrasekhar, the TV channel
3928opposing the USNA televised an interview to whole world. An interview with Ali
3929Shaheen, the Turkish "Apostle".This interview was shown all day on the television networks of North America and
3930western Europe.
3931“This is not the government's opinion. It is my personal opinion that the use of
3932magic for peaceful purposes should be decided by the individual and not be forced
3933upon them.”
3934In this interview Shaheen expressed his negative opinion about Project Dione.
3935“For example, recently in Japan, an innovative project was announced that used the
3936Stellar Furnace.”
3937“Do you mean the project that Dr. Chandrasekhar from the Indo-Persian Union also
3938mentioned yesterday?”
3939“Yes. I don't know if you know or not, but the fusion reactor using Gravitational Control
3940will solve one of the Three Great Puzzles of Weight Systematic Magic. The young man
3941named Shiba Tatsuya does not only use this project to achieve his goals, but also tries
3942to achieve peaceful use of magic.”
3943“This is a rather ambitious project.”
3944“Yes, I think so too. I wonder if a trend of peaceful use of magic will spread around the
3945world? I believe that Project Dione is a wonderful project, but I think they should
3946refrain from behavior that can limit other potential possibilities.”
3947Since Ali Shaheen's speech was not as intrusive as the press conference of Dr.
3948Chandrasekhar, it was seen more by the people from America and Europe.
3949“I know what Shaheen is up to.”
3950The Official State recognized Strategic Class Magician of the New Soviet Union, one of
3951the "Thirteen apostles", Lieutenant General Leonid Kondrachenko appeared on the
3952screen and squeezed his lips after a strong aversion.“— This boy wants to prevent further cooperation between our country and
3953America.”
3954Ali Shaheen is 30 years old. For Kondratenko, who is already over 70, he was
3955undoubtedly a "boy".
3956"That's why Shaheen wants to stop Project Dione, by showing his negative impression of
3957it. This is because our country has cooperated with America for this project. And this boy
3958wants to ruin it.”
3959“— Is it possible that Shaheen acts spurred Japan on?” Igor asked. His own
3960investigation has not revealed any influence of Shaheen on Japan, nor any latent
3961connection between them in this case. But Igor thought that Kondrachenko, who was
3962in the same position as Shaheen, could know some circumstances that he did not
3963know himself.
3964“No.” Kondrachenko clearly defined his answer. “If someone that wasn’t in Turkey
3965came into contact with Shaheen, I would have known about it. This time, he came up
3966with this idea himself.”
3967“Wasn't it a good time to do that?”
3968“After you, the doctor, announced your cooperation with Project Dione, Shaheen had
3969some time to look for things that could prevent this project. If our country and
3970America unite efforts, it will be the worst nightmare for him.”
3971“So, the reason that he announced this was Shiba Tatsuya’s project of a plant
3972with a Stellar Furnace?”
3973“Right. For Shaheen, this was like finding a well in the wilderness. And he
3974jumped with glee.”
3975“But he did not immediately understand whether it was possible to drink the water
3976from this well. This explains the delay of a few days before he took action.”“The decision to use Shiba Tatsuya’s project took a maximum of 2-3 days. After that
3977he was preparing his interview, and came to an agreement with the American TV
3978companies. That's how it really happened
3979Igor did not object to the assumption made by Kondrachenko. Albeit with minor
3980differences, he thought about the same.
3981“By the way, doctor. What do you intend to do? I think we can’t rely on Edward
3982Clark anymore.”
3983“Really...”
3984He also agreed with Kondrachenko. Igor came to this conclusion when Edward
3985Clark had failed in the act of trying to use the international public opinion.
3986“I'm going back to Vladivostok right now. This time I'm going to take "Player". *
3987[The author uses the Russian word "Player" in the original text. Why this is, is discussed
3988next.]
3989“Does that mean?”
3990“Yes. We can no longer overlook that Strategic Class Magic, which at any time can
3991bear their fangs towards our country.”
3992“Oh... I pray for your success.”
3993When Igor said he was taking "Player". The eyes of Kondrachenko, knowing the
3994meaning of these words, shone.On Saturday, it started to rain around noon.
3995However, in Miyuki’s head it was sunny. After returning home from school, her next
3996destination was the villa in Izu, where Tatsuya lived. She got permission from Tatsuya to
3997come for a sleepover.
3998Minami was heavily strained by the blissful behavior of her mistress. Instead of the
3999mistress, who lacked a sense of caution, it was natural to watch the environment with
4000caution for her sense of duty. And for some reason, from the moment they left the
4001house, they were constantly haunted by some kind of unpleasant premonition.
4002Minami told herself that she was thinking about it too much. Moderate stress is good for
4003a bodyguard, but if it exceeds a certain level, the effect will be reversed. Besides, where
4004they're going, there's Tatsuya. With him nearby, Miyuki’s safety will be guaranteed.
4005Minami’s power will not be needed...
4006No matter what Minami told herself, her anxiety did not disappear. But she could
4007not understand the cause for concern.
4008They reached Izu before sunset, but the surrounding area was completely
4009dark because of the rain and fog.
4010It was a terrible situation when the naked eye could not see further than 10
4011meters, but the automated driving system and the high-precision positioning
4012system helped even in such adverse conditions. But sitting in the driver seat
4013was Hanabishi Hyougo, who could probably still drive well even under these
4014circumstances.
4015The car with Miyuki and Minami arrived at Tatsuya’s villa without almost any delay.
4016“Hanabishi-san, good job.”
4017Tatsuya, who came out to meet them under an umbrella, first of all thanked Hyougo
4018who came out of the car.
4019“Thanks.”On the answering Hyougo’s face one could barely discern the curved smile, that
4020appeared, perhaps, because of the feeling that someone stole some of his work. Guilty
4021of stealing the work of Hyougo, Tatsuya did not care that he was getting wet himself, he
4022opened the back door and positioned the umbrella so that Miyuki would not get wet. It
4023was Minami, who got down from the front passenger seat, and ahead Hyogo, walked
4024around the car.
4025“Miyuki, you're here. Minami too, good work.”
4026“Onii-sama, I'm sorry about the intrusion.”
4027Oblivious to the look of Hyougo, Miyuki opened her umbrella and elegantly greeted
4028Tatsuya. Minami silently bowed to Tatsuya and went to help Hyougo carry luggage
4029from the car. However, out of the building soon came a self-propelled trolley with a
4030roof, and took even the work of these two.
4031"Miyuki, Minami, get inside first.”
4032Tatsuya sent two girls inside, and he spoke to Hyougo.
4033“Hanabishi-san, did you want to tell me something?”
4034“No, I'm not assigned to give you anything today. Just take care of Miyuki-sama.”
4035“Does that mean there's no traffic anywhere?”
4036“It does, if we are talking about the situation inside the country.”
4037Tatsuya slightly frowned his eyebrows from Hyougo’s manner of speech, clearly
4038having a hidden meaning.
4039“So there is movement in other countries?”
4040“I dare to assume that Tatsuya-sama has already heard about the press conference of
4041Dr. Chandrasekhar and about Shaheen's interview.”“Yes, I know.”
4042The conversation, standing in the rain, prolonged, but neither Tatsuya nor Hyougo was
4043bothered about it.
4044"However, there was no response from the USNA or the New Soviet Union.”
4045“Do you mean that this is quite unnatural?”
4046“As you say.”
4047“I got it. ... I will just have to be on guard and be on the lookout.”
4048“We will try to continue to collect information.”
4049Hanabishi Hyougo had his own information route associated with his practice in the
4050British PMCs. At the moment, Tatsuya was not in touch with the Independent Magic-
4051Equipped Battalion, so Hyougo was his most reliable acquaintance through which he
4052could explore the activities of other countries.
4053“I am in your care.”
4054“As you wish. In that case, I'm saying goodbye to you today.”
4055Hyougo politely bowed, dried his clothes soaked from the rain with magic, and sat
4056down on the driver's seat.
4057When Tatsuya returned inside the villa, a number of cups of hot coffee were already on
4058the table in the living room. To the deep discontent of Minami, Pixie prepared them.
4059Instead of changing, Miyuki and Minami quickly drank their coffee to get warm, then
4060left to change clothes. They went "together" because Minami expressed her
4061intentions of taking care of Miyuki.Returning to the living room, Miyuki was dressed in a comfortable integral dress in
4062the form of the letter T. Along with the mysterious elegance created by the Miyuki’s
4063appearance, the feeling of the grace of a high-ranking priestess was also present.
4064Minami was in a cardigan and skirt. Although it was not her usual "dress + apron", but
4065even so she looked like she was wearing a skirt like apron. That's how she created her
4066image.
4067“Miyuki, and Minami, too, sit down. I want to hear what happened during the time I was
4068gone.”
4069Having said that, Tatsuya in advance wanted to prevent the start of a rivalry between
4070Pixie and Minami for the kitchen. Minami did not become mischievous, she also
4071wanted a little rest. Because she's not a robot that does not fatigue.
4072“Let me think... Maybe we should talk about Wednesday.”
4073Minami sat, not showing any discontent on her face (in other words, in reality she was
4074unhappy with it). Miyuki, sitting next to her and opposite to Tatsuya, mentally smiled
4075bitterly and began the story.
4076“Tomitsuka-kun came to the School Council room and asked when Onii-sama plans
4077to visit the school next time.”
4078Miyuki called Tatsuya "Onii-sama" like the other day and spoke with no more
4079hesitation or embarrassment.
4080“And you couldn't answer him.”
4081Tatsuya did not pay attention to the use of "Onii-sama", and showed no sign of doubt
4082in the sudden request of Tomitsuka.
4083“I told him that. But then he wanted to meet Onii-sama, and asked where this villa is
4084located.”“Were there any urgent matters?”
4085But having heard that he did not just want to wait at school, and was even prepared to go
4086to him, Tatsuya, as expected, showed interest.
4087“Yes. Tomitsuka-kun seems to want to try to convince Onii-sama.”
4088“What does he want to convince me of? Why?”
4089Tatsuya asked both "what" and "why". When he heard about his conviction, he quickly
4090guessed that it was about Project Dione. But Tatsuya could not understand why
4091Tomitsuka decided to make such excessive actions. Maybe because of the connection
4092between them as classmates?
4093Answering Tatsuya’s question, Miyuki explained the development of events from the very
4094beginning in detail. The explanation of the circumstances in which Minami was also
4095involved, sometimes by inserting explanations, took some time.
4096“— ... So that's how it was? I even feel sorry for him.”
4097Tatsuya indifferently expressed his impression of Tomitsuka, having finished
4098listening to the story to the end.
4099“Even Minami was concerned about him.”
4100For Minami, he, on the contrary, cared more.
4101“No, nothing like that, thank you for your concern.”
4102Though Minami responded instantly, she could not conceal her embarrassment. Her
4103behavior seems to have been that she didn't expect Tatsuya to be worried about her.“In direct combat, Tomitsuka is a strong opponent. Although you were saved by his
4104simplicity, but you're very lucky that it ended without injury. You shouldn't have been
4105so reckless.”
4106From the words "You were saved by his simplicity" Minami made a barely noticeable
4107frown. She felt uncomfortable when she was reminded again that she had been
4108subjected to the bad thoughts from a representative of the opposite sex. But in the
4109end, realizing that this voice carries a real concern, Minami was again confused.
4110“Yes... Thank you very much.”
4111Miyuki looked at these two with a little scary smile.
4112Immediately upon arrival in Vladivostok, the data on the location of Shiba Tatsuya was
4113received from an officer of the Foreign Intelligence service.
4114“He is staying in a villa in Izu with his fiancée...?”
4115His stay away from the localities was convenient. Of course, it would be better for him
4116to be alone, but there is nothing to be done. Igor heard that the bride, who is his cousin,
4117is also a mighty magician, but he was sure of his magic. All the more so now that this
4118time he had brought his external terminal "Igrok" *, which amplifies his magic power.
4119[Previously described as “Player”]
4120Igor was a man born from artificial insemination, which in the old way was called
4121a "baby from a test tube".
4122It was not through gene manipulation, but through the production of countless
4123fertilized eggs, and among them was he chosen the most successful specimen.
4124And he was officially recognized by the New Soviet Union as a Strategic Class
4125Magician Igor Andreivitch Bezobrazzoff.
4126Of course, there were attempts to biochemically copy his fertilized egg, and as a result
4127clones were created, which can be called his "younger sisters". They were expected to
4128become the same as Igor, Strategic Class Magicians. And in fact, seven clones mastered
4129the Strategic Class Magic "Tuman Bomba".However, the clones who received the middle name "Andreevna" had health
4130problems. None of them could live normally outside of a sterile room.
4131And in terms of Magic power, they, unfortunately, were greatly inferior to Igor. Although
4132they could actually activate "Tuman Bomba", but in terms of range and activation
4133speed they were not fit for real battles.
4134But even if they were not used separately, they were useful as external terminals to
4135help Igor.
4136They were clones, different from their original, Igor. Therefore, it was not difficult for
4137him to synchronize his Magic Calculation Area with them.
4138In order for the mind to be intact, which is the basis, and not to receive damage,
4139Andreevna were deprived of their "ego", and were living machines, "Players", used
4140only to activate the magic of a "conductor" Igor. He directs the way the players "Play"
4141magic. This was the role of the clones, called "Andreevna", and how they were forced
4142to live.
4143[The author conveys the meaning, using a mixture of Russian, English and Japanese
4144words. The translation was not very explanatory, so I will explain: the word "player"
4145means "player of an musical instrument", and "Play" magic, means how to perform it
4146in the form of music. These are all expressions, and in fact nobody plays anything,
4147but just conjures.]
4148Every time Igor uses one of them, their minds are broken down. But Igor does it
4149without hesitation.
4150He could have had such a fate. But for a winner in a survival competition, acting like a
4151loser is unnatural. Though he was created, Igor couldn’t choose any other path in life
4152than being one of the leading scientist of the New Soviet Union. Even now, things
4153remain unchanged and he has no choice but to use Igrok.
4154He entrusted his assistant with the final adjustments to the large CAD that was
4155being towed by a military train on the New Siberian Railroad.The movement of each of the "Thirteen apostles", the magicians of Strategic Class, have
4156a huge impact on the world’s military balance, and has always been in the spotlight of
4157other countries. Igor of the New Soviet Union, whose movement had been very difficult to
4158trace, was now quite easy to see, so among the thirteen apostles he was given special
4159attention. The thirteen apostles remained thirteen, because after the announcement of
4160the death of Liu Yunde, Liu Li lei took his place.
4161And for Japan, in particular, Igor was a Strategic Class Magician from an unfriendly
4162country with which they share common borders. They are a direct threat. Moreover, the
4163attacks carried out in April in the coastal waters of Sado Island and in the Soya Strait
4164were assumed to have been performed by the magic of Igor’s "Tuman Bomba".
4165Monitoring his actions and his continued behavior was a crucial issue in Japan's
4166National Defense.
4167Saturday evening, June 8th.
4168Responsible for 1-0-1 Brigade, Lieutenant General Saeki Hiromi received important
4169news through her private channel, and not through the official army channels.
4170The news said that Igor together with his personal train moved to the Far East.
4171“Although it says the "Far East", the Russian seaside region is quite large... He's
4172probably in Vladivostok. And yet, what is this personal train...?”
4173There was such information that to activate Tuman Bomb you need to use a huge
4174CAD the size of a truck or train wagon. According to this unverified information, there
4175was such a theory that Igor moves through the territory of the New Soviet Union on
4176his personal train with an attached wagon-CAD, thus meaning that he could be using
4177Tuman Bomba.
4178If this information is correct, the range of Tuman Bomb is not as large as that of
4179Material burst which can be used from anywhere on Earth.
4180For magic, in fact, the physical distance does not matter.But to overcome the real "distance", a deep understanding of magic and strong self-
4181confidence is required. And also we can say that you need willpower to deny
4182"erroneous common sense".
4183If Igor is inferior to Tatsuya in this aspect then that means it might be necessary for him
4184to approach his target to use Tuman Bomba.
4185At the same time, it also means that once Igor has moved on a personal train to the
4186Far East, it means that he is using Tuman Bomba on the nearby Japan.
4187Japan itself can also be his goal.
4188This time it was impossible to deny direct guidance to the lands of Honshu,
4189Shikoku, Kyushu and Hokkaido.
4190“— ... In the current circumstances, there is a high probability of the target being "him".”
4191Saeki thought he should be warned. However, as a result of thinking about it for a
4192minute, she decided to leave it as it is.
4193More precisely, she decided to keep on observing. Saeki took the intercom device and
4194dialed a short number.
4195“— ... Lieutenant Colonel Kazama, it's me. Sorry for the late call, but urgently come to
4196my office.”
4197Tension after the events in the Soya Strait have already gone, and now was a relatively
4198peaceful time. Although it was quite late, Kazama still appeared quite quickly.
4199---If it is Kazama, he should be able to observe what happens while understanding
4200“him”.
4201---If it goes smoothly, we can find Igor using “him”.
4202So Saeki thought when thinking about the most profitable outcome.With Miyuki at his villa, Tatsuya suspended his research and became her partner
4203for this time.
4204Not out of a sense of duty, but because Tatsuya himself wanted to talk to Miyuki, and
4205spend time with her.
4206Perhaps it was due to the mental reconfiguration, conducted by his mother Miya. If all
4207emotions were limited to just one emotion, then the result was that it would likely
4208heighten the remaining emotion.
4209However, Tatsuya believed that this was not a problem.
4210If his feelings were not manipulated...
4211If he had his own free will, he could envy his almost perfect little sister, he could
4212shun Miyuki, he could even hate her.
4213When the older brother is inferior in talent, usually in most cases he is jealous of
4214the younger sister and hates her.
4215Therefore Tatsuya thought that it would be better, like now, that he had no
4216such feelings for Miyuki.
4217... But it also had a limit.
4218After they dined and took a bath (this time they took baths separately), Miyuki requested
4219the both of them to sleep together, but Tatsuya, as expected, could not agree.
4220“Miyuki... Sleeping in the same bed is a bit...”
4221Naturally under the word sleep it was meant to sleep, without any erotic subtext.
4222She seems to have prepared for it in advance. Miyuki "begged" just to sleep on the
4223same bed. It was like a little kid begging a parent to sleep together.“We can't...?”
4224Tatsuya felt dizzy. He felt ashamed that he could not say "impossible" right now.
4225“— ... The other day, I slept in a Japanese-style futon. I think the best compromise
4226would be if we lay in separate futons in the same room.”
4227“That'll do. Thank you very much, Onii-sama!”
4228Miyuki joyfully waved her hands in front of her, showing a good mood.
4229"Nothing can be done" Tatsuya sighed mentally.
4230Igor took the place of the operator of the big CAD "Argan", in which there were two
4231"Igroks" placed in sterile capsules, Anna Andreevna and Veronica Andreevna.
4232"Argan" was just a common name. The meaning of the word was the same as the word
4233"organ". Igor commands them like a "pipe organ". One government official who saw
4234this CAD that occupies an entire vehicle said it looks just like a “pipe organ” and the
4235name stuck and was adopted.
4236[The author may have read about the Maskovskij dialect somewhere, where the "o"
4237is pronounced as "a". I don't know how else to explain this writing.]
4238They were similar only in size and shape, with pipes protruding from the sides and
4239from behind.
4240“Players” are stuck inside the capsules and the “conductor” closes them in
4241while sitting in a luxurious chair.
4242Igrok actually has seven capsules in total. But not all of them are necessary. To only
4243activate Tuman Bomba, Igor alone is enough. Igrok is a subsidiary and safety device,
4244and for this scale of an operation two people were more than enough.Igor ran his eyes through the information about the vicinity of the target obtained from
4245the information network of the army of the New Soviet Union.
4246The weather in the targeted area is shallow rain. There's no wind. These were close
4247to optimal conditions for the application of Tuman Bomba.
4248The current time is 6 o'clock in the morning. The local time in Japan is 5 o'clock
4249in the morning, the target should still be asleep.
4250Igor prepared to activate the magic that turned their usual dream into an eternal
4251dream.
4252In a Japanese-style room, where the ritual to remove the seal was held last month,
4253two futons were now laying side by side.
4254Two mattresses were stacked, tightly lying next to each other, without a gap between
4255them.
4256Under thin summer blankets a brother slept with his sister, Tatsuya and Miyuki.
4257Both the young man and woman are engaged to each other.
4258However, the bedding of these two had no noticeable disturbance. Naturally, everyone
4259had not only their own mattress, but also their own blanket. Their futons, sheets and
4260pajamas only had signs of bruising from moving in their sleep.
4261Miyuki with a happy face slept on her side, turning to Tatsuya. Tatsuya quietly slept
4262on his back.
4263There still was some time before dawn.
4264Even at the earliest moment, it would still take 30 minutes until Tatsuya’s alarm clock
4265was going to go off.
4266Neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki had shown any signs of awakening.The supercomputer, which comes with the CAD "Argan", converts these targets’
4267positions from the monitoring device into a format that can be used in CAD. At the
4268same time, the original activation sequence data required to build the magic sequence
4269is created by the supercomputer under the control of Igor.
4270Rather than defining elements of the activation sequence within your mind, Igor builds
4271an Activation Sequence based on conditions that were entered into the computer
4272through the console. In doing so, he could build extremely complex and confusing
4273activation sequences, impossible for ordinary magicians.
4274This CAD uses the same equipment-type computer that is located in the Far East
4275Headquarters of the New Soviet Scientific Academy. The performance of the CAD at the
4276academy is much high, however it doesn’t have a system designed to use Igrok. Igor
4277brought Argan because he decided that the assistance of Igrok was necessary for this
4278operation.
4279Igrok forces whomever is in to sleep by using electric stimuli, but he can still extract
4280the psions from the Andreevna sisters. The naked women in their late teens are
4281immersed in a physiological saline that adjusts to the same temperate as their current
4282body temperatures. They wear respiratory masks since they aren’t conscious.
4283However, the capsules did not have any transparent windows, besides, they were
4284already loaded inside Argan, so no one could see their faces at the moment. But if you
4285could see their faces it would reflect the sight of someone in agony, but neither Igor
4286nor his staff would raise an eyebrow if they saw them suffering.
4287Immediately after the infusion of psions by Igor into the main module of Argan, the
4288Activation Sequence starts. Igor and the Andreevna sisters read the Activation
4289Sequence simultaneously. Igor consciously forces the two Igrok’s regardless of their
4290consciousness.
4291Argan adjusts the Activation speed of all three of them so that the magic output
4292timings are matched. These three people including Igor, automatically start up the
4293Magic Activation Sequence which will activate the Strategic Class Magic, Tuman
4294Bomba.
4295Evil intent threatens me and Miyuki.Tatsuya instantly surfaced from the depths of sleep to the waking surface.
4296(Decomposition of water... formation and recombination of oxyhydrogen gas)
4297Immediately after awakening, Tatsuya found the nature of the evil intent and the
4298nature of the magic used.
4299(Tuman Bomba!?)
4300The rain, which went on for a long time, has already turned into a fog.
4301The process of dividing the rain drops into fog.
4302The process of the evaporation of fog into water vapor.
4303The process of decomposing water into oxygen and hydrogen.
4304And finally, the process of simultaneously connecting hydrogen with oxygen, and
4305igniting.
4306Tatsuya recognized the nature of the Strategic Class Magic "Tuman Bomba".
4307He almost unconsciously stretched out his hand to the pistol shaped CAD Silver
4308Horn Customized modification of the "Trident " which he left near his cushion.
4309... When he sleeps, he always keeps his favorite CAD within the reach of his hand.
4310Countermeasures were prepared, taking into account the experience he gained while
4311supporting the battle in the Soya Strait.
4312The chosen magic was not Gram Dispersion, but Mist Dispersion.Tatsuya targeted the modification of the phenomenon that decomposes water.
4313Decomposition of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
4314The purpose of the modification is that all water molecules generated by the
4315hydrogen and oxygen fusion within a radius of 50 meters will be decomposed.
4316Tuman Bomba activated.
4317Mist Dispersion activated.
4318The conflicting modifications of the two mages clashed and the challenge between
4319both mages failed.
4320"Not completely!"
4321The enemy’s attack hadn’t finished yet. The magic that copies the Sequence
4322of Tuman Bomba, “Chain cast” had not finished yet
4323With a slight delay, new drops of rain were falling from the sky.
4324“Leave it to me!”
4325Miyuki’s magic activated at the same moment when Tatsuya heard her voice.
4326She activated “Freeze Flame” which is a Speed-Type and Oscillation-Type wide area
4327magic that can freeze even fire. It is a conceptual magic that prevents anything from
4328burning.
4329"Onii-sama, now!"
4330“Understood!”
4331Now, in a 100 meter radius around the villa, nothing could ignite.Using the time Miyuki won, Tatsuya sent his "eyes" at the operator of "Tuman Bomba".
4332Exploring the "link" aimed at him and Miyuki, he "searched" for the source of malice.
4333But he "saw" something else. The enemy attack had not yet ended. Beyond the range
4334of Miyuki’s, high up in the sky, a new Tuman Bomba was prepared.
4335Even when the first and second blows of Tuman Bomba were prevented, Igor
4336was not worried.
4337Tatsuya was not the only one who gained valuable experience in the Battle at the Soya
4338Strait.
4339When Igor suggested that his enemy was the Strategic Class Magician, wielding the
4340magic of converting mass into energy. He conducted simulations to find
4341countermeasures in the case they were to face off again.
4342The data he had entered into the supercomputer Argan was the data he had obtained
4343from that tactical simulation to create a chain of Activation Sequences.
4344Although he did not expect an enemy that prevented anything from burning, but it
4345can’t stop it when the phenomenon has already occurred, so he aims outside of the
4346range of Freeze Flame. In such a case, countermeasures should not be changed.
4347The simulation based magic attack has already been launched. Igor sat on his
4348conductor’s chair and waited for the moment when his victory would be confirmed.
4349Tatsuya "saw" that at an altitude of 200 meters above the villa, a rain cloud was
4350producing a dense fog in the shape of a funnel.
4351This was outside of the range of Miyuki’s "Freeze Flame".
4352The shape of the inverted funnel was obviously to achieve the Monroe effect.Tatsuya tried to destroy the structure.
4353However, even with his Activation Speed for decomposition, he could not prevent Tuman
4354Bomba, which has already come to its final stage. He did not have enough time to read
4355the structure of the magic that formed a funnel from the misty mass.
4356The foggy mass is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, but the oxyhydrogen gas
4357is getting ready to ignite.
4358According to the Monroe effect, the shock wave of the ignition will be concentrated at
4359one single point.
4360And the point of concentration was not in the hole of this funnel, but much lower,
4361right at the villa.
4362“Victory!”
4363This was the final step in the sequence of the three attacks.
4364Igor was sure of his victory, receiving the response of a successful attack, which
4365was the same as saying checkmate.
4366As a side effect of the use of magic, the rain clouds covering the sky are now gone.
4367Igor doesn’t have a low-orbiting reconnaissance satellite this time, but he is making
4368use of another satellite that is further away.
4369Igor accessed the observation date of this satellite using the command function
4370installed in the CAD Argan.
4371“What!?” An astonished voice bursted out.
4372The image that appeared on the portable monitor had a completely intact villa.
4373Having taken the concentrated shock wave created by Tuman Bomba, the wooden
4374building should not remain whole.According to an analysis conducted half a day ago by a spy satellite, the villa was a
4375regular wooden structure.
4376There was a possibility that it could be equipped with a shelter in the basement, but that
4377the ground part of the building would remain untouched was impossible. Except for just
4378one possibility.
4379“The magic of a protective barrier...? Able to stop such a shock wave?”
4380Igor has not forgotten the existence of magic protective barriers. It was estimated that
4381even if Shiba Tatsuya or his fiancée would have installed a shield, it would still not be
4382able to stop the shock wave. Igor was sure of the power of the concentrated shock wave.
4383This version of "Tuman Bomba" was the same magic that killed the previous
4384Commander of the Stars, William Sirius, during a local armed conflict with the USNA,
4385which occurred in the Bering Strait, and was named the “Arctic Hidden War” (the Arctic
4386hidden War).
4387Has Juumonji Katsuto been involved in the defense? "
4388Igor was aware of the existence of Juumonji Katsuto, who possessed powerful
4389barrier magic. Igor knew of Katsuto as the strongest threat to stop his Tuman Bomba.
4390“No, there was no such information.”
4391Thinking about it in his mind, this idea of Igor was immediately thrown away as
4392a delusional thought. Intelligence should not have lost sight of the movement of
4393such a dangerous human being.
4394“But who was it then...?”
4395Igor was in a predicament when he could not answer this question. Because of this
4396senseless confusion he missed precious time... And a chance to win.
4397As the shock wave came right on top. Tatsuya reflexively hugged Miyuki in an
4398attempt to protect her.Minami’s morning began early.
4399As a performing maid, she was getting up earlier than anyone in the Shiba family.
4400Away from home, in the villa, this did not change.
4401But since it was only 5 o'clock in the morning, she was still quite sluggish and
4402sleepy. No, she didn't have a low blood pressure, but she's just not completely
4403awake.
4404Her rival Pixie was the one who finally awakened the consciousness of the half-asleep
4405Minami.
4406“Get up! Protect your master!”
4407This sound, bursting in her defenseless head, was like a blow to a gong. The
4408realization that the scream that was made right inside the brain was the active
4409telepathy of Pixie, came after she had activated her CAD.
4410In order to fulfill the purpose of the Guardian at any time, she always kept it at hand,
4411ready for activation. She was already dressed, so it was in her apron pocket.
4412Sooner than she realized it, Minami grabbed her CAD in the form of a mobile terminal in
4413her hand, and pressed the key for quick access, channeling psions through the finger.
4414She raised her eyes. In order to reduce the time required to activate magic as much as
4415possible, she defined the coordinates for the Activation Sequence as "space in my view
4416where there are no hard objects".
4417In Minami’s head, the image of a Dome shaped Magic barrier formed, covering the
4418roof top. Following this image, the barrier magic was activated. Immediately after
4419that, a shock wave struck the shield.
4420Tatsuya’s decomposition magic did not make it in time, but Minami’s magic made it in
4421time because its magic shield had already completed formed.
4422It was magic, stopping any physical attack.But such a fuzzy definition loaded the Magic Calculation Zone of the operator.
4423Magic is easier when you limit the kind of objects you want to protect.
4424Moreover, the flying shock wave possessed the power to break Minami’s barrier. If
4425compared in single-layer barriers, Minami’s barriers are comparable to a Katsuto’s
4426Phalanx. But the way to maintain the barrier is different from the Phalanx.
4427In the Protective version of the Phalanx of the Juumonji family, once the barrier is
4428formed, it usually is left on its own. Only the duration of existence is decided, and if it
4429receives an attack, and its superior in strength, it is simply destroyed. Instead, the next
4430barrier is prepared, that uses the destruction of the existing barrier as the condition for
4431activation. Maintaining a multi-layered shield, creating barriers one after the other with
4432zero delay in time – that is the protective magic of the Juumonji family.
4433On the other hand, the barriers of Minami’s "Sakurai" series, is a two-stage technique
4434of creating barriers to take on physical attacks and she has to use continuous magic
4435power to maintain the barriers she creates and to make duplicates if necessary.
4436If it is the same kind of magic, there is no harm caused by duplication. For example,
4437Fortification magic, which Leo specializes in, does not require a higher Interference
4438Power for the next Fortification magic.
4439Minami’s barrier magic was the same.
4440She continued to apply barrier magic to the same area. By doing this, Minami
4441prevented the destruction of the barrier. But it meant that it continuously activated the
4442magic of protection against accidental attacks, which has a heavy load, even when it
4443does not accept any attacks. Such actions strongly overloading the Magic Calculation
4444Area
4445“... I won't lose!”
4446“I Can't Lose!”
4447“I will protect Miyuki!”From an objective standpoint, Minami had no reason to be so obsessed with
4448defending Miyuki.
4449She is not encouraged to do this out of kindred love, like Tatsuya.
4450Minami’s genetic aunt, Sakurai Honami took care of Miyuki like she was family, but
4451these were the events of the past, and not related to Minami.
4452They were acquired for the protection of Miyuki, or, in a certain sense, their series of
4453improved people, "Sakurai" series, was enslaved by the Yotsuba family only to obey
4454the orders of the young mistress.
4455Minami has only lived with Miyuki for a short year.
4456However, suffering from her Magic Calculation Area overheating, Minami still
4457supported the barrier.
4458Was it out of stubbornness as a magician?
4459Or was it because of the distorted system of values that was used in training?
4460Or was it out of fear of being thrown out after use?
4461There were no such frivolous motives or other negative motives. With such
4462motives she would not have gone to such difficulties.
4463Why does she protect? Even when asking herself, Minami wasn’t able to answer this
4464question.
4465She doesn't know the reason. She doesn't need a reason.
4466Having become a shield for Miyuki, Minami resisted the Strategic Class Magic
4467“Tuman Bomba”.
4468Created by the magic of Igor Andreivitch Bezzobrazoff that made oxyhydrogen gas
4469ignite. The shock wave was over. In time, it was a short event, lasting only one
4470moment. But this "moment" was long enough for Minami to reach her limit.
4471Having received the response from the barrier that the attack stopped,
4472Minami canceled her barrier magic. And at the same time, she lost
4473consciousness.Her body lost its strength and collapsed on the floor.
4474Overheating of the Magic Calculation Zone due to excessive use of magic.
4475Minami fell, losing consciousness, the same way the previous Sakurai Honami lost her
4476life.
4477“What happened...?” A stunned Miyuki muttered, still being in the arms of Tatsuya.
4478She also felt the activation of Tuman Bomba and the attack wave.
4479Her “Freeze Flame” could not protect her. After switching to
4480counterattacking, Tatsuya also did not have the time to intercept it.
4481She didn't think she was dying. Because any wound she would get, Tatsuya would cure
4482her. No, "restore her" to be more precise.
4483Somewhere in her heart there was such a dependence on someone else's kindness,
4484that she was not afraid of the pain that was to come soon. However, the destruction
4485that was definitely going to happen did not occur. The pain that comes with fatal
4486injuries had not come. Miyuki, whose consciousness was occupied by the thoughts of
4487"This is a miracle Tatsuya " and "You did it all for me", could not understand what
4488happened.
4489“Miyuki, Deceleration Zone! Radius of 30 meters!”
4490“Y-yes!”
4491The Freeze Flame effect had already ended. Miyuki activated the magic that
4492Tatsuya requested without any fear of the effects of magic overlapping.
4493“Deceleration Zone”
4494This is the magic that slows down the movement of physical objects in the targeted area.
4495In the usual case, this magic only slows down solid bodies, but Miyuki’s “Deceleration
4496Zone was able to slow down even gas molecules. It could also inhibit the increase thespeed of expansion caused by an explosion, or in other words, increase the speed of
4497chaotic movement of air molecules. From such deceleration, the shock wave faded
4498and lost destructive force.
4499And Tatsuya and Miyuki were originally mistaken. The correct magic to confront
4500Tuman Bomba was not "Freeze Flame", but "Deceleration Zone".
4501“Pixie, take care of Minami!” Tatsuya said in to the darkness, not waiting for any
4502confirmation of Miyuki activating her magic (because he trusted Miyuki’s magic skills).
4503“Yes, sir” Pixie answered telepathically.
4504He did not give more instructions.
4505Now the main priority was to prevent further attacks.
4506Tatsuya resumed the interrupted search of the target. He pulled his right hand over his
4507head while holding a specialized CAD ,"Trident", in the form of a large pistol.
4508With Elemental Sight, he looked for the source of Tuman Bomba. Not at the source of the
4509explosion, but at where the magic originated from. The magician who started the magic.
4510“... It's not Bezzobrazoff?”
4511Tatsuya reached the Eidos of two young women. They were terribly distorted and
4512fragile Eidoi, clearly, magicians with unsuccessful bodies.
4513Igor, who was shown at a press conference about his participation in Project Dione,
4514was a man over 40 years old. There was no guarantee that that was really him.
4515However, he could with full confidence say that Igor was a Russian man. He wasn't
4516supposed to be a twenty year old woman. And Elemental Sight is not mistaken.
4517Traces of a disguised Eidos, done with the magic "Parade", which is used by Lina,
4518were not used.
4519“Is this another Strategic Class Magician hidden by the New Soviet Union?”According to rumors, in addition to thirteen official Strategic Class Magicians recognized
4520by the State, the world is hiding... another thirty to forty additional Strategic Class
4521Magicians.
4522Tatsuya himself was "a Hidden Strategic Class Magician". No matter who the two
4523women were, he was sure they were the source of Tuman Bomba.
4524“If that is the case, I must erase them.”
4525Having strongly said this, Tatsuya activated his three-stage decomposition magic
4526"Trident", which has the same name as his favorite CAD.
4527First it eliminates the event interference that is covering the magicians,
4528Then it eliminates the Data Fortification that protects their body,
4529And finally it decomposes the body down into its constituent elements.
4530This magic does not "burn" The human body, but makes it "disappear". This magic
4531that erases human bodies has been activated at a distance of more than a thousand
4532kilometers.
4533On the console of the large CAD "Argan", a blinking signal appeared.
4534At the seat of the "conductor", which was occupied by Igor, the alarm sounded.
4535Igor was shocked when he checked the cause of the alarm.
4536At the same time he felt a strong relief, thinking: "I am saved...".
4537The alert message displayed on the console was similar to the following:
4538"Both capsules, in which the Igroks Anna Andreevna and Veronica Andreevna were
4539held, exploded."
4540As if they were fairy princesses, the two Andreevna sisters disappeared in the form
4541of bubbles inside the capsules filled with saline solution.The increased pressure due to the vaporization of the human body exceeded the
4542durability of the capsules, causing the excess pressure to burst and damage the
4543Argan.
4544Igor urgently evacuated Argan.
4545The large CAD, which was damaged by rupture of capsules, required repair. He
4546wouldn't be able to continue attacking even if he stayed inside.
4547But now that his dolls have disappeared, he no longer was hidden from the
4548information dimension. This made Igor afraid of this ultra-long range magic
4549attack, that made the two bodies disappear.
4550Igrok was not only an external terminals that helped to activate Igor’s magic, but at the
4551same time they were "firewalls" protecting him. Igor released Tuman Bomba through
4552Anna Andreevna and Veronica Andreevna.
4553Now this barrier is gone. Igor was relieved that he used Argan this time around,
4554because if he hadn’t, he might have been the one to be erased.
4555Igor was not dumb enough to just get out of the Argan’s cockpit, he also popped
4556out of the wagon shaped CAD. And, having ran away from the railway path, he
4557stared closely at the wagon, fully occupied by one large CAD.
4558No more attacks. Igor did not feel humiliation. He felt relief that he survived.
4559Tatsuya erased the two enemy magicians, that he saw through the information
4560dimension and damaged the CAD they were using, which could no longer be
4561used to fight.
4562“Miyuki, that's good enough”
4563"Yes, uh, Minami-chan..."
4564Miyuki already understood. That she defended them with her barrier magic from the
4565shock wave.“Come with me.”
4566Tatsuya did not have the time to even look Miyuki in the eye and they left the
4567Japanese style room that was used as a bedroom.
4568Ignoring Tatsuya’s behavior, Miyuki hurried after him.
4569And screamed when she saw Minami lying on the floor in the dining room.
4570(continued in volume Escape (Part 2)