The next day after school.
In order to acquire the documents necessary for their presentation, Tatsuya arrived at the library.
In truth, he really wanted to focus on the analysis of the specimen (Magatama-class relic), but neither could he mail it in for the Thesis Competition preparations (assistance).
Despite its name, the library had already been completely digitized, with actual tomes of paper becoming the decisive minority. Furthermore, a significant portion of the materials could be accessed online, so there was no particular need to visit the library, except that the materials required by the thesis team belonged to the restricted archives that could not be removed from it. Searching for a spare seat in the depths of the reading area, Tatsuya accidentally ran into a familiar face.
"Ara, if it isn't Tatsuya-kun."
"Saegusa-senpai, are you in the middle of the 'Fall of Studying'?"
The last time he ran into Mayumi was approximately a week ago, so he could hardly say "long time no see".
At Tatsuya's immediate reply, even though Mayumi had expected the question, she still pouted in vexation.
"I say, Tatsuya-kun...... I am a Year 3 student after all."
"This...... I know."
Tatsuya was bewildered by this perfectly obvious statement that was delivered gravely.
"The first thing that comes to mind for Year 3 students are college entrance exams, correct? How is it that you never considered I need to prepare for the exams...... Do I look that carefree to you?"
Mayumi's words only served to confuse Tatsuya even more.
"......Saegusa-senpai, didn't you receive the recommendation?"
Excellent grades, service as the Student Council President, renowned for her participation and many victories in magic competitions.
If she wasn't recommended, then who else could qualify for a recommendation.
Still, Mayumi's answer surpassed Tatsuya's expectations.
"Ah? Doesn't Tatsuya-kun know? I declined the recommendation. It is an unwritten tradition for the members of the Student Council to decline the recommendation."
"......First I've heard of this."
"Every year, each school recommends 10 students to the magic university, that's how it was decided~. Compared to other schools, our school has a higher percentage of students that take the entrance exams, so in order to more efficiently utilize the recommendation system, that's how we decided to go about it."
"In other words, we let the students on the borderline take first priority for recommendations, did I get that right?"
"That may be going a little too far......
But, that's pretty much it."
"That's......"
On some level this made perfect sense, but he still felt that there was something wrong with this system.
Despite these thoughts roaming through Tatsuya's head, he decided to drop the matter upon seeing Mayumi sitting there without any perplexity on her face.
Seeing Tatsuya hum and haw, Mayumi tilted her head to one side with a "Hm?" before her attention was caught elsewhere.
"Speaking of which, why is Tatsuya-kun here?"
Tatsuya was slightly put out by Mayumi's surprised tone — at the very least he frequented the library much more often than Mayumi did — however, there was no need to belabor that point.
"I am here to gather materials for the Thesis Competition."
"Ah, that's right, you were selected to help Rin-chan." (......Help, eh.)
That must be the case from another person's perspective, Tatsuya thought.
Although this was also a group activity, unlike Monolith Code with the option to put an individual's talents on full display, there was no way to identify individual contribution in the thesis itself.
It was hardly odd to believe that everyone besides the primary speaker were only assistants.
"......Oh, standing there and talking would bother every one else.
Come on in."
As she said this, Mayumi pointed at the reading booth she just came out of.
"Aren't you using it?"
Despite the fact that retaking the booth after returning it was against the rules, it's not like he could just stand outside the door.
Tatsuya nodded without further hesitation.
The reading booth was originally designed for one user and while two people felt a little tight, three people would be completely out of the question. Even if Mayumi belonged on the petite side of her gender, Tatsuya's physical stature was undoubtedly above average among his Year 1 peers. Despite not being particularly swarthy, his wide shoulders still took up considerable seating space. Hence Tatsuya sat near the end of the seat shoulder to shoulder with Mayumi, who took a seat on the backup stool.
He was alone in a tiny room with a beautiful young lady.
However, even under these conditions, Tatsuya was neither overly excited nor filled with trepidation. Owing to past experiences, he had already learned how to handle Mayumi. (As for her pride as a "beautiful woman", well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)
At Tatsuya smoothly operating the terminal despite their close proximity without a care in the world, Mayumi didn't become anxious or display a disappointed expression. Frankly, she continued their interrupted conversation in a wholly unguarded fashion.
"I know it's a bit sudden for Tatsuya-kun, but good luck, OK?"
"......True, it was a little sudden."
Tatsuya was slightly off kilter at Mayumi's seemingly natural words that came without any premonition, but once he connected these words with their earlier conversation, he was fortunately able to avoid asking "For what?".
"But that's not something that Saegusa-senpai would worry about, right?"
He replied carelessly while his eyes were focused on the screen.
"That may be true. Still, this topic is more important to Rin-chan than taking First Place in the Thesis Competition."
"Now that you mention it, did senpai talk to you about serving as a substitute?"
"That's definitely not a topic I can handle. Also, I'm not that handy with sustaining magic with complex processes."
The question and answer provided didn't entirely match up, but Suzune was likely aware of what areas Mayumi excelled at, hence she removed her name from the replacements roster, Tatsuya explained to himself.
"It's unfortunate. Rin-chan helped me out quite a bit, but now I can't give her a hand."
He was unsure whether she was muttering to herself or towards him. While he thought about reassuring Mayumi, who wore a pained expression on her face, ultimately he chose to silently plug away and keep searching for data.
"So I really hope Tatsuya-kun will try his best, since Tatsuya-kun can definitely provide powerful assistance to Rin-chan."
"Does Ichihara-senpai have any particular thoughts about this topic?"
Tatsuya asked this question more out of curiosity than because he was motivated by her encouragement.
"On some level, this is the first step to realizing Rin-chan's dream." Tatsuya didn't dig deeper into Mayumi's formless words.
Even if Suzune had a dream, surely that had nothing to do with him.
Regardless of Tatsuya's thoughts on the matter, Mayumi didn't stop there.
"Raising the social standing for Magicians. She aimed not to change their social standing through political pressure, but through economic necessity. By turning magic into an irreplaceable aspect in the economy, Magicians would be truly free of their fate as humanoid weapons. According to Rin-chan, Sustained Gravity Control-Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor is the key step towards this goal. This thesis is precisely the first step for that purpose."
Tatsuya couldn't help but turn his head at this.
Under his widened eyes, even Mayumi shrank back a little. "Hm, what is it?"
"That's astounding. I never thought that Ichihara-senpai was contemplating the exact same thing."
"Eh? Tatsuya-kun too?"
In all honesty, Suzune and Tatsuya couldn't be credited with the idea of using economic utility to raise Magicians' social standing. Despite the paltry number of supporters, this notion had already been around for at least twenty years. The only technicality was that there had hitherto been no sign of success.
Currently, the primary usage for Magicians remained strictly military.
With the global situation gradually stabilizing, practical mobilization of weaponry had decreased as well.
Still, innovations for Magicians — and not the magic sort — were still dominated by military purposes in the 90% tier.
At the current progression, all of this had yet to change.
The overwhelming majority of magic for domestic purposes could be replaced by machinery.
Temperature control and physical acceleration couldn't match the same superb effect from magic, but if restricted to the level for public consumption, then non-magic technology could still be viable. There was no need to use magic.
Nor did advanced automatons need to be replaced by Magicians. Magic was not required for operation or organization.
So far, no result that could only be produced by magic had supplanted the versatility of modern science, so "using economic advantages to liberate Magicians" remained empty words from idealists.
On the other hand, the concept for Sustained Gravity Control-Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Fusion Reactors didn't come from Tatsuya's group either.
In this regard, research had begun 50 years ago to use magic to actualize thermonuclear fusion reactors.
Nevertheless, this research had been forgotten in this day and age.
After judging that repeatedly activating Gravity Control-type Magic to maintain a thermonuclear fusion reactor rated as one of the "Three Great Puzzles for Gravity Magic", most developed countries already used solar energy to address their energy problems, so presently there was no sign of energy shortage.
Those who placed their hopes on using Sustained Gravity Control- Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Reactors to raise the social standing of Magicians had practically gone extinct in the latter half of the 21st century.
"I can't believe I found someone who shared such radical beliefs."
Seeing Tatsuya wear an admiring expression rather than shock, Mayumi stared at him for some unknown reason.
"......Hm, that's wonderful. So you share the same interests as Rin- chan."
Not only her eyes, even her tone was irked.
"Ah, no, I hardly think that it's a question of whether Ichihara-senpai and I share the same interests...... Our methodology is completely different."
What is she so upset about, Tatsuya thought as he replied in a fashion like someone plucking an excuse out of nowhere.
"But the basic concept is the same, right? Tatsuya-kun, in reality, Rin- chan's more your type, huh?"
"Ha?"
"Even with such an alluring young lady next to you, yet you show no signs of even trying. Well, Onee-san is sorry that she has such an adolescent figure."
What was this person talking about? Those were Tatsuya's unfiltered feelings.
Speaking of which, even if they shared the same topic, it was hardly a guarantee that they were companions and more likely that they were opponents. Despite her petite figure, Mayumi didn't boast an adolescent physique at all, more like an intriguing figure filled with mature charm.
There were too many misunderstandings that demanded his immediate attention, but Tatsuya was at a loss as to where to begin.
"I have no exhibitionist tendencies. I would never do anything to a woman before all these cameras here."
Tatsuya was quite befuddled.
The first answer that came to his mind after the cobwebs didn't appear to fit very well.
"Eh......?"
At Tatsuya's apparently profound, but actually completely careless words, Mayumi started fidgeting in place and her eyes started drifting around.
"Well, then, what if there weren't any cameras or people here? Let's say, for example, if it was just the two of us alone in a hotel room?"
"If that's senpai's invitation to dine, then I shall gladly 'dig in' without hesitation."
With a clatter, Mayumi sprang away from her stool, blushing furiously and pressed against the wall to pull as far back as possible from Tatsuya in the narrow room. Seeing this, Tatsuya suddenly realized the double entendre in his words.
Still, saying anything else would just dig himself deeper, so Tatsuya took it as a fortunate sign that he managed to stop there. He turned his gaze from Mayumi and concentrated on gathering the necessary data for the project.
On the other hand, Mayumi, who should have felt threatened by Tatsuya's response, chose to remain in the reading booth for some mysterious reason.
◊ ◊ ◊
During the evening three days before the thesis was due, Tatsuya was going over the numbers at his private work station when he noticed that the home server was under attack.
There were simultaneous attacks from multiple channels, signifying that this hacking attempt was not done by an amateur.
This was done by specialists specifically to data mine the construct.
There was a high possibility that this was not by chance, but a specific attack on this household's IP address.
No matter how many times they were beaten back, they continued pressing forward.
Quite the determined bunch indeed.
Looks like we have to switch to another IP address, Tatsuya groaned to himself as he sighed while activating the tracer.
During lunch break the next day.
Tatsuya stopped by the Counseling Room. His target was obviously Haruka.
Of course, the subject of this conversation wasn't something trivial like teenage worries or fancies.
"......Unfortunately, the link was cut in the middle. Hence the source of the attack was not uncovered."
Haruka did nothing to hide her unwillingness to help — more like intentionally put that on full display — despite the fact that this wasn't an attitude a counselor should display. Nonetheless, after taking into account that Tatsuya's business had nothing to do with counseling and their history, this was hardly Haruka's fault.
"......And then? I'll say this ahead of time, I'm not capable of tracing them over the web."
Hearing that highly exasperated voice, Tatsuya almost burst into laughter. Still, doing so would undoubtedly rouse her ire, so he made sure to wipe that off his face.
"Naturally, I'm aware of sensei's strengths, nor do I plan to venture into such troublesome territory."
"Then what do you want?"
A wary expression spread across Haruka's face.
Whenever Tatsuya looked like he was about to cut into a serious conversation, she had to suspect that he had some ulterior motive up his sleeve. That was a lesson she had already learned by now.
"Regarding organizations that have recently been secretly trafficking in magic intel, could you elaborate on anything within your purview?"
Seeing Tatsuya adopt a "friendly" smile with a placating attitude, Haruka furrowed her brows in displeasure.
"......I say, Shiba-kun. You do know I have to maintain confidentiality, correct?"
"Naturally."
"............"
Haruka's mouth pressed into a thin line and stopped.
She probably wanted to say "Brazen little......
", Tatsuya thought.
As to why, he himself thought this way.
That being said, it's not like that comment stung him.
"......From the end of last month to the first days of this one, several illegal aliens managed to infiltrate Yokohama and the surrounding environs."
In a tone that one could almost hear her sighing in, Haruka began anew.
Once enthralled by sweet temptation, escaping its grasp became difficult. For people working in the intelligence field, this was one of the rudimentary lessons.
Can't believe she fell for that......
Haruka's heart was filled with regret.
"Despite the county police and coast guard combining their efforts, they don't have much to show for it. At the same time, both 'MaxiMilian' and 'Roazen' suffered thefts."
MaxMilian and Roazen were the top of the line in global CAD production. In other words, their goal lay in the production facilities for magic devices.
"Hard to think this is a sheer coincidence."
"Right now there is no confirmation that this was done by the same group. Shiba-kun, I advise you to avoid submitting the thesis online and bring a hard copy instead."
Only her last words were spoken with any sincerity.
Haruka diverted her gaze to her desk as Tatsuya sought to verify her intentions.
This was a sign that she didn't wish to continue the conversation. Tatsuya knew better than to push onward.
After school at the HQ for the Public Moral Committee, Tatsuya was conveying last night's events to Isori.
"......So, there was no loss?"
"Nothing really happened."
Tatsuya raised a hand to stop Isori, who had risen in concern, as he smiled wryly and shook his head.
Isori was someone who could instantly transform into a "neutral, beautiful young lady" simply by changing a set of uniforms, so having him approach unnecessarily was still an uncomfortable experience.
Of course, since these opinions couldn't be expressed, he had to ensure that he didn't unconsciously tilt backwards.
"Compared to that, anything happen at your residence, Isori-senpai?" Isori started before furrowing his brows and lowering his voice. "You mean that the hacker's goal was......"
His soft voice oddly contained a hint of feminine charm.
Rumor had it that the man once despaired over the small number of male friends, but apparently that wasn't because they disliked him and was more likely they kept him at arm's length for a reason......
Contrary to the words he spoke, these thoughts were running through Tatsuya's mind.
"Given the hacker's modus operandi, their target is likely the research files associated with a magic thesis. Based on the timing, we cannot rule out that this is related to the competition itself."
Actually, based on the time frame, another reason boasted a higher probability, but that information was too sensitive for him to be that open about it.
Also, prudence harmed no one.
Tatsuya's words caused Isori's brows to bunch together, displaying an expression that he was considering whether there were any premonitions lying down that path.
"Right now, there aren't any clues on the table...... Still, I think we should inform Ichihara-senpai about what happened."
"You're right."
Tatsuya originally planned to do just that, so he immediately nodded in assent at Isori's proposal.
"Kei, sorry for the wait~."
A delighted voice that ended with a trill interrupted their conversation.
Needless to say, the one who sat beside Isori with a flourish without waiting for a response and latched onto his arm before flirting with him was Kanon.
"Tatsuya-kun, long time no see."
With a wry smile that said, what am I going to do with her, Mari also arrived and greeted Tatsuya.
While questioning whether 10 days constitutes "long time no see", after considering that they used to meet every school day up until last month, this did give off the impression that they hadn't seen each other for some time.
"Indeed. Long time no see." Tatsuya rose and gave Mari his seat. "Oh, thank you."
Mari didn't bother to decline and sat with a smile.
As usual, she was still a vibrant, handsome woman, Tatsuya thought as he said "You're welcome", and pulled up another chair to sit next to Mari.
"So, Tatsuya-kun, how is Kanon handling her new responsibilities?" And Mari promptly dropped this bombshell.
Well, the former Chief inquiring on the effectiveness of the acting Chief was still within expectations, but if she and Isori were present, this conversation topic became a little awkward.
"Mari nee-san!?"
Then again, the sight of Kanon panicking swiftly illuminated the reasoning behind that question.
Quite the pleasant upperclassman-underclassman relationship, no? "Since we don't run patrols together, I'm not familiar with the particulars, but......"
Given the hilarious potential, Tatsuya decided to put on an act.
"She is very well organized and specializes in throwing out unnecessary junk. At times, she seems overly decisive."
Tatsuya finished speaking with a perfectly serious expression and a tone with no voice inflections whatsoever, prompting both Mari and Kanon to squirm in their seats. Mari did so because she was well aware of her own deficiencies in organizational skills, while Kanon was reflecting on the numerous times she tossed something that shouldn't have been thrown away and had been forced to retrieve them.
Tatsuya's comments weren't just directed to Kanon since Mari plainly read between the lines of his words, but Isori was hopelessly lost.
Isori directed an outwardly solemn (?), but actually gentle reminder to Kanon.
"......Despite Shiba-kun's words, doesn't Kanon have a lot of things on her plate too? Relying on me is one thing, but everything else has been handed over to Shiba-kun."
"......So I'm not good at those things. I'm a firm believer in division of labor."
Her tantrum and flirtatious behavior were a world of difference from her usual — whenever Isori was not around — fiery attitude. Seeing this, both Tatsuya and Mari chuckled wryly.
"OK, we can talk about everything else some other time......"
That's about enough of that, Tatsuya thought as he turned over a new leaf as he urged Mari to "cut to the chase".
"OK, let's leave it at that. Actually, I came to discuss security for the Thesis Competition."
"Security? Is the Public Moral Committee on duty?"
"Exactly."
Having students serve as "security" for extracurricular activities was odd to say the least, but Tatsuya seemed to be the only one ill at ease. That was probably because this was the case every year.
"Even though we're called security, we don't actually provide guards for the site itself. The Magic Association will dispatch specialists for that purpose."
Rather than dodging the question, Mari provided an explanation before the question could be asked.
"The topic I want to discuss would be personal bodyguards for the team members as well as guards to watch over the report materials and supplies. After all, the Thesis Competition contains restricted information that 'may not be publicized to personnel unrelated to the magic universities'. This is public knowledge. Owing to these reasons, participants for the Thesis Competition are often the target of industrial spies."
Tatsuya was slightly surprised by this oddly appropriate topic. Even though this fell within his projected predictions, he still couldn't contain his astonishment.
"......
Such as breaking into household servers?"
"......
No, this is at the high school level after all......
Despite calling them spies, they are only small timers trying to make some money off this event. There's no precedent for someone hacking in to steal information......"
That makes perfect sense, Tatsuya thought as he heard Mari's answer.
In modern age, network intrusion was a serious felony. Stealing information through the network warranted heavier punishment than normal theft and belonged in the same category as homicide. At the same time, network protection had also improved substantially, making this an unprofitable venture for professional criminals.
Then the hackers from last night were indeed from....... As Tatsuya drifted into his thoughts, Mari's words picked up steam.
"Instead, we should say that security is required to prevent theft and burglary. Four years ago, there was a precedent where one of the speakers was attacked en route. Following that, each school arranged for guards to accompany key personnel in the weeks approaching the event."
Luckily, Tatsuya was able to focus in time before the conversation concluded.
"Of course, our school also follows this practice every year. The guards are selected from the Public Moral Committee and the Club Activities Group, though each principal will pick from this group."
"I will be responsible for Kei." Of course! Kanon interrupted.
Quite the amusing reaction, Tatsuya thought, but this time he didn't break into a wry smile or break into laughter.
"......
Well, looks like Isori has no complaints, so let's go with that. Of course, that includes an assistant......
Kanon, don't kick aside your teammates, OK?"
"Hey! No one is going to do something like that. I'm not that childish."
Seeing that pout and puffed up cheeks, Kanon's words "not that childish" were a little hard to take at face value, but three warm gazes chose to overlook the words "not that childish".
"Ichihara decided to take Hattori and Kirihara as her guards."
"The Club Activities Group Leader himself, eh?"
"I thought Hattori couldn't even look Ichihara in the eye?"
Mari replied to Tatsuya's blandly voiced question with a mischievous smirk.
"Next......
Is what are we going to do with you."
"There's no need."
Mari maintained her devilish smirk as she spoke, to which Tatsuya replied immediately in the negative.
"Meh, that's also true."
Likewise, Mari didn't have any intention of convincing Tatsuya otherwise.
"There's no point in surrounding you with guards, since there's a higher chance of them getting in the way. I understand, so I'll pass that along to Hattori."
At Mari's response, Tatsuya finally asked a question. "Speaking of which, why is Watanabe-senpai here?"
There was no particular reason behind this question. Tatsuya was curious as to why the current Chief Kanon wasn't coordinating this, but the previous Chief Mari was coordinating between the Public Moral Committee and Club Activities Group.
"......
Uh, there's no real reason......"
At Mari's vague mumbling, Tatsuya face colored in ire.
He clearly received the signal at how much they were overly protected as Mari twisted to one side in embarrassment.
◊ ◊ ◊
The products in First High's student store had far surpassed the level of "high school student stores".
Still, each of the nine magic high schools was like this, so as to provide materials related to magic studies not sold in normal stores to reduce student stress and raise necessary supplies to meet the rising demand.
In the end, this was still a small student store on campus, so if there was an item that simply couldn't be obtained on campus, then students still had to go off campus to obtain them.
In this area, all nine magic high schools were also the same, as stores had sprouted along the nearby streets leading to the high schools to provide materials, notebooks, books, and miscellaneous items that could not be purchased in the student store.
As mentioned above, the stores lined along the streets near First High had a plethora of selections available.
Tatsuya and Isori were purchasing slides for the 3-D projector in one of the shops in front of the station. The deadline for the project was tomorrow, so they couldn't afford to wait for the student store to get new merchandise.
"Plainly, we would be fine without the senpais accompanying us......"
The reason that Tatsuya still said this halfway through the trip was partially because he was apologetic that the upperclassmen had to tag along the entire time, and partially to suppress Kanon, who latched onto her lover heedless of other people watching them.
Clearly, the grass was greener on the other side, while the reverse was also true. Possibly, the bystanders had a more objective view of the situation.
Since Kanon was the only one flirting whereas Isori seemed entirely at a loss what to do, the pair was not completely hopeless yet.
Speaking of which, Miyuki was still on campus. Kanon had a legitimate reason in serving as Isori's protection, but even if this was a temporary jaunt, Miyuki didn't have the luxury of abandoning her responsibilities in the Student Council and following her brother. Currently, precisely because she was well aware that Kanon was with them, she was hammering away at the terminal with great irritation.
"No, leaving everything to Shiba-kun would be bad form. Also, I want to verify the products as well."
Basically, the overly diligent Isori's reply was only to be expected.
At this point, Tatsuya didn't think he could just send the two of them packing either. His earlier comment was both a mild complaint and also an attempt to clear out the slightly feminine laughter that needled the ears. He could relax after making the conscious decision to block all this out, which was one area that Tatsuya excelled in.
Afterwards, using an incredibly slow pace that wasted another 5 minutes, they finally arrived at the shop.
Tatsuya swiftly made all the necessary purchases and let Isori know that "I'm waiting outside", before stepping out of the store.
Finally able to catch some peace and quiet, Tatsuya noticed that someone was spying on him.
There was no sign that someone was shadowing him. Even if he had been harassed by sweet whispers expected (?) from a high school couple, he didn't lower his guard.
However, even if they weren't Tatsuya, anyone would notice such an obvious gaze.
This store was along the shortest route from the school to the station and was almost on the station's doorstep. If someone was waiting in ambush at the front of the station, it would be a simple task to identify students on their way home, so he estimated that they must have been camping here since much earlier. Although their figure remained hidden, their rampant hostility signified that they were up to some deviltry. On the other hand, in terms of sheer wariness, this level was altogether childish compared to the sniping attack Tatsuya weathered two days ago.
As he debated over what action to take, Isori and Kanon came out with their purchases.
"Sorry for the wait......
What happened?"
Tatsuya could only sigh in appreciation at Isori's ability to sense something was off the moment he stepped out of the store and ask him the cause of it.
He wasn't wearing such an opaque expression.
As evidenced by Kanon tilting her head to one side with a "Huh?" expression on her face.
Isori was an expert on magic utilizing delayed activation conditions, but these observation skills probably coincided more with sensory systematic magic.
"Nothing, we're being observed, so I was thinking of how to respond."
There was no need to hide this detail, so Tatsuya directly answered Isori's question.
Still, he wasn't able to finish that answer. "Observed? By spies!?"
Tatsuya remained thinking, because Kanon interjected before he could say "how to respond".
And very loudly too.
That was like telling their opponent to "bail now" and, as expected, the observation was cut short as whoever was responsible quickly departed.
Yet, Kanon was worthy of being Mari's chosen successor.
After a simple "where?" to Tatsuya, she immediately sped off in the direction Tatsuya's eyes pointed towards.
"Kanon, magic!"
"I know! Have faith in me, Kei."
He reminded her precisely because he didn't completely believe her, but Isori was half a beat slower than Kanon, so he could only stand there with her emergency replacement, Tatsuya, and helplessly watch her rapidly departing figure.
As well as being in the top tier of Magicians around the world, Kanon was also a member of the cross country club.
She didn't have the same leg strength as a top flight athlete who didn't know magic, but she was a match for any ordinary high school student, even the boys as well.
With her skirt flying, Kanon immediately noticed the petite figure fleeing the area from the corner of her eye.
That young girl was wearing the same school uniform she was wearing.
She was surprised by this turnout, but acting was always her stronger suit and Kanon's philosophy was always decisive action without waffling over the details. Although she didn't hear any convincing evidence on Tatsuya's part that this was her culprit, Kanon never let up on her pursuit.
The distance was rapidly shrinking. By the time there were 10 meters between them, the fleeing young girl turned to look.
Revealing a face not covered by a mask nor wearing dark shades to disguise her features.
The young girl didn't intend to catch Kanon's eyes, but that was the result forged through chance.
By the time Kanon noticed that the young girl had drawn a small device, the young girl turned towards a new direction and held the device between the two of them.
Not good, Kanon thought.
On reflex, she halted her footsteps and shut her eyes.
Despite raising her hands to protect her face, she knew that this was a futile gesture.
Through the cracks in her arms, a burning, violent flash could be seen through the eyelids.
Several curious bystanders who were watching the two of them screamed in pain.
Kanon closed her left eye that couldn't be fully protected from the flash and opened her right eye that managed to avoid any damage.
The young girl was fleeing on a scooter. Kanon extended her right arm to the left wrist.
The bracelet around her wrist began to absorb psions and began spreading the Activation Sequence according to the instructions she was inputting into the CAD.
However, before Kanon could complete the Activation Sequence, psion pellets that materialized suddenly behind her shattered it.
"What are you doing!?"
"Kanon, don't!"
Both occurred at the exact same time.
As Kanon whirled around and Isori rushed forward, their words overlapped with one another.
Behind Isori, Tatsuya stood there with a handgun-shaped CAD raised.
Isori arrived where Kanon, who stood there stiffly in shock at her lover's shout, was standing.
While running towards her, Isori had already finished constructing the Magic Sequence.
Towards the fleeing scooter that continued forward, he invoked the Release Systematic Magic "Road Extension".
The wheels on the scooter, which had just started to egress from the scene, suddenly started skidding.
No matter how hard the engine pushed, there was no way to advance.
Despite the open path before her, she was unable to escape this linear maze.
The secret lay in Coulomb's Law. By altering the electrons between the tires and road, he had reduced the friction to nearly zero. The mere description of the magic was simple enough, but the calculations necessary to actually realize this Magic Sequence were absolutely terrifying.
At the same time, he used magic to increase the gyroscopic effect to prevent the vehicle from falling over and any early acceleration had been devoured by Coulomb's Law, so the scooter the young girl was riding was effectively stranded.
There was no way for her to escape.
Isori, Kanon, and Tatsuya all thought this was a foregone conclusion, which was a perfectly natural and expected judgment. From a common sense perspective, there was no way to escape this trap.
But they didn't know one thing.
This young lady was a complete amateur when it came down to reckless behavior.
Once an amateur was forced into desperate straits, they often decide upon a ridiculous course of action.
If an act of desperation was all she had left, then surely the ending was already written, except desperate measures had a habit of succeeding in desperate times.
The young girl thumbed the button on the end of the left side of the handle that was covered by a plastic lid.
Normal scooters don't have a button there.
The button was covered by a lid like the ones seen on a fire alarm that could only be used once. This button married the "one use only" function to the "abandon after use" function.
Abruptly, the back of the seat exploded.
The back of the seat went flying, revealing two twin-linked rockets that began spewing flame.
The scooter sprang forward with a kick.
The young girl riding the scooter frantically clung to the handle when her body started tilting backwards.
Speechless, Tatsuya could only watch the rapidly diminishing figure.
She never let go of the handle possibly because some sort of function was built into the glove. So she had planned ahead to this point, Tatsuya thought.
Still, your average person wouldn't choose to attach rockets propelled by rocket fuel beneath their seat.
The fuel amount could be estimated based on the amount of time the rocket was lit, so if the scooter tipped over and ignited, the ensuing explosion would undoubtedly kill any innocent bystanders nearby.
It was a veritable miracle that the scooter didn't fall over and kept moving forward after the rockets were ignited.
Usually, sudden acceleration would lead to an abrupt loss of control and the subsequent crash.
If not for the magics that increased gyroscopic force and also reduced tire friction to practically zero, that was the most likely result.
If they had used Kanon's magic instead of Isori's magic to stop her, the scooter would definitely have fallen over and caused a tragedy.
"......
What was that child thinking......"
"......
I think we should say that we're both pretty lucky......"
It appeared that both his senpais were thinking along the same lines Tatsuya was.
◊ ◊ ◊
After abandoning the modified scooter, the young girl sucked in great gasps of air as she squirmed into the van prepared by her collaborator ahead of time.
She never imagined that having flames sprout out from a close proximity would be such a terrifying event.
While driving the scooter, she had the impression that her skirt, the back of her shirt and her hair were burning the entire time.
The driver of the van remained silent. There were no words of comfort for her. Which was only to be expected.
They weren't companions. They were merely collaborators. The young girl tightly hugged her arms.
On top of the seat painted a dull gray by the tinted windows, the young girl sat there motionlessly.
Shortly afterward, her terror gradually faded until only regret gnawed at her heart.
She had been overcome by her flight instinct, but coldly examining the facts told her that this was not necessary.
After all, the only thing she had done was watching that man.
Her guilty conscience stole her ability to think objectively. As she became aware of this, the young girl was consumed with an irresistible fury at her own failings.
She also became aware that she was not suited for this line of work.
She was publicly acknowledged to be the indoor type and she didn't feel any need to change any of that.
Her dear older sister was also like that.
Her scholarly older sister was her role model, but since she wasn't as talented as her sister, she chose a path that suited her interest in working with machinery.
So what was she doing with these suspicious individuals, she asked herself.
She immediately reached an answer. From the depths of her heart.
It was all because she could never forgive that man. She cared not for the rewards of her labor.
So long as she could see a regretful expression pass over that man's face, that alone would be sufficient.
The young girl suddenly broke into laughter.
That was because she remembered that she had seized the initiative today.
Even though she didn't have the luxury to watch the rear view mirror, he must have sat there stunned as he could only watch her successfully get away......
The young girl's laughter was as dark as it was masochistic, with a trace of obsession tucked within.
With each breath of laughter, the young girl's heart fractured a little more.
Not like there was anyone on board who was going to stop her.
Inside one of the old buildings sitting in the outskirts of Tokyo, several older display screens were set up in a room within an office that appeared to be an office of commerce on the outside. Several men garbed in different attires stood before these screens and were intently watching the display.
One middle-aged man with a dark cloud over his face gestured at the young girl laughing madly on the screen that linked to the interior of the van and spoke up.
"Is that girl going to be OK?"
The man cared little for her well-being. He was only wondering if the young girl's idiocy would be traced back to them.
"Mr. Zhou arranged for the driver, so we would be above suspicion even if something did occur."
"Why exactly are we trusting this young middle man again?"
The young man's face floated across his mind as another man spoke up in displeasure.
—Not only was he an irritating factor, he was also completely untrustworthy.
That was this man's undisguised feelings. "What of the relic?"
To sweep aside the jittery atmosphere, the man changed the topic. One of his subordinates before the monitor displays immediately replied back.
"We have discovered no signs that it has left the FLT office. Current location is unknown."
"Hm...... Four Leaves, eh? What an irksome name, is it connected to the Yotsuba Family in any way?"
"Yes, but after extensive investigation, no link was discovered. Also, this country likes to use Yotsuba or Yatsuha in their company names."
"That makes this a little difficult."
The man's words were infused with disgust, hatred and irritation, but at the same time, the voice could not hide his fear.
The Yatsuha name was associated with the Four Great Systems and Eight Major Types in modern magic as well as the Garbhako'sa-Dhatu Mandala, so modern corporations delighted in using that name. Still, there was another meaning behind the Yotsuba name. Using the name of the Yotsuba Family from the Ten Master Clans was considered a taboo by individuals affiliated with magic. If Japanese corporations used the Yotsuba name, both intelligence and criminal organizations feared to rouse the Yotsuba Family's wrath by harming their assets. Since the Yotsuba Family hadn't declared otherwise, there were many corporations who "pretended" to be affiliated with the Yotsuba Family.
Even though this was but a cheap parlor trick, that did not mean there were no effects. Currently, their side had already expended considerable time and energy to guard against the Yotsuba Family's detection, a fact that brought a bitter expression to the man's face when he remembered this.
"Don't relax the surveillance on Sayuri. Do we have any intel on the family she visited two nights ago?"
At the man's question, another subordinate spoke up.
"Her husband's son and daughter from his first marriage reside there."
"Was it just to placate her stepchildren?"
After adopting a "How boring" expression at his subordinate's response, the man resumed asking in a businesslike manner.
"What's their background?"
"Both of them are Year 1 students at the Magic University-affiliated First High."
However, that answer roused the man's interest. "Names?"
"The older brother is called Shiba Tatsuya, the sister is called Shiba Miyuki."
"Shiba Tatsuya?"
Just as the man was searching his memory for this familiar name, the subordinate monitoring the van spoke up.
"He is the target of our collaborator's vendetta."
"I see, magic university affiliated high school? ......
What a coincidence."
After considering this for a few seconds, the man couldn't help but break into a smirk as he gave new orders.
"Add the Magic University-affiliated First High to the list of observation targets. If necessary, pull men from other projects. Also, provide additional reinforcements for that girl and tell her the easiest path to vengeance lays through leaking critical information. And give that child a weapon as well."
The orders were fired off one at a time. "Captain Lu!"
"Yes, sir!"
"You are in command. Any meddlesome interlopers are to immediately be disposed of!"
After giving his last orders to a bulky youth, the man departed from the room.
The next day after school.
In order to acquire the documents necessary for their presentation, Tatsuya arrived at the library.
In truth, he really wanted to focus on the analysis of the specimen (Magatama-class relic), but neither could he mail it in for the Thesis Competition preparations (assistance).
Despite its name, the library had already been completely digitized, with actual tomes of paper becoming the decisive minority. Furthermore, a significant portion of the materials could be accessed online, so there was no particular need to visit the library, except that the materials required by the thesis team belonged to the restricted archives that could not be removed from it. Searching for a spare seat in the depths of the reading area, Tatsuya accidentally ran into a familiar face.
"Ara, if it isn't Tatsuya-kun."
"Saegusa-senpai, are you in the middle of the 'Fall of Studying'?"
The last time he ran into Mayumi was approximately a week ago, so he could hardly say "long time no see".
At Tatsuya's immediate reply, even though Mayumi had expected the question, she still pouted in vexation.
"I say, Tatsuya-kun...... I am a Year 3 student after all."
"This...... I know."
Tatsuya was bewildered by this perfectly obvious statement that was delivered gravely.
"The first thing that comes to mind for Year 3 students are college entrance exams, correct? How is it that you never considered I need to prepare for the exams...... Do I look that carefree to you?"
Mayumi's words only served to confuse Tatsuya even more.
"......Saegusa-senpai, didn't you receive the recommendation?"
Excellent grades, service as the Student Council President, renowned for her participation and many victories in magic competitions.
If she wasn't recommended, then who else could qualify for a recommendation.
Still, Mayumi's answer surpassed Tatsuya's expectations.
"Ah? Doesn't Tatsuya-kun know? I declined the recommendation. It is an unwritten tradition for the members of the Student Council to decline the recommendation."
"......First I've heard of this."
"Every year, each school recommends 10 students to the magic university, that's how it was decided~. Compared to other schools, our school has a higher percentage of students that take the entrance exams, so in order to more efficiently utilize the recommendation system, that's how we decided to go about it."
"In other words, we let the students on the borderline take first priority for recommendations, did I get that right?"
"That may be going a little too far......
But, that's pretty much it."
"That's......"
On some level this made perfect sense, but he still felt that there was something wrong with this system.
Despite these thoughts roaming through Tatsuya's head, he decided to drop the matter upon seeing Mayumi sitting there without any perplexity on her face.
Seeing Tatsuya hum and haw, Mayumi tilted her head to one side with a "Hm?" before her attention was caught elsewhere.
"Speaking of which, why is Tatsuya-kun here?"
Tatsuya was slightly put out by Mayumi's surprised tone — at the very least he frequented the library much more often than Mayumi did — however, there was no need to belabor that point.
"I am here to gather materials for the Thesis Competition."
"Ah, that's right, you were selected to help Rin-chan." (......Help, eh.)
That must be the case from another person's perspective, Tatsuya thought.
Although this was also a group activity, unlike Monolith Code with the option to put an individual's talents on full display, there was no way to identify individual contribution in the thesis itself.
It was hardly odd to believe that everyone besides the primary speaker were only assistants.
"......Oh, standing there and talking would bother every one else.
Come on in."
As she said this, Mayumi pointed at the reading booth she just came out of.
"Aren't you using it?"
Despite the fact that retaking the booth after returning it was against the rules, it's not like he could just stand outside the door.
Tatsuya nodded without further hesitation.
The reading booth was originally designed for one user and while two people felt a little tight, three people would be completely out of the question. Even if Mayumi belonged on the petite side of her gender, Tatsuya's physical stature was undoubtedly above average among his Year 1 peers. Despite not being particularly swarthy, his wide shoulders still took up considerable seating space. Hence Tatsuya sat near the end of the seat shoulder to shoulder with Mayumi, who took a seat on the backup stool.
He was alone in a tiny room with a beautiful young lady.
However, even under these conditions, Tatsuya was neither overly excited nor filled with trepidation. Owing to past experiences, he had already learned how to handle Mayumi. (As for her pride as a "beautiful woman", well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)
At Tatsuya smoothly operating the terminal despite their close proximity without a care in the world, Mayumi didn't become anxious or display a disappointed expression. Frankly, she continued their interrupted conversation in a wholly unguarded fashion.
"I know it's a bit sudden for Tatsuya-kun, but good luck, OK?"
"......True, it was a little sudden."
Tatsuya was slightly off kilter at Mayumi's seemingly natural words that came without any premonition, but once he connected these words with their earlier conversation, he was fortunately able to avoid asking "For what?".
"But that's not something that Saegusa-senpai would worry about, right?"
He replied carelessly while his eyes were focused on the screen.
"That may be true. Still, this topic is more important to Rin-chan than taking First Place in the Thesis Competition."
"Now that you mention it, did senpai talk to you about serving as a substitute?"
"That's definitely not a topic I can handle. Also, I'm not that handy with sustaining magic with complex processes."
The question and answer provided didn't entirely match up, but Suzune was likely aware of what areas Mayumi excelled at, hence she removed her name from the replacements roster, Tatsuya explained to himself.
"It's unfortunate. Rin-chan helped me out quite a bit, but now I can't give her a hand."
He was unsure whether she was muttering to herself or towards him. While he thought about reassuring Mayumi, who wore a pained expression on her face, ultimately he chose to silently plug away and keep searching for data.
"So I really hope Tatsuya-kun will try his best, since Tatsuya-kun can definitely provide powerful assistance to Rin-chan."
"Does Ichihara-senpai have any particular thoughts about this topic?"
Tatsuya asked this question more out of curiosity than because he was motivated by her encouragement.
"On some level, this is the first step to realizing Rin-chan's dream." Tatsuya didn't dig deeper into Mayumi's formless words.
Even if Suzune had a dream, surely that had nothing to do with him.
Regardless of Tatsuya's thoughts on the matter, Mayumi didn't stop there.
"Raising the social standing for Magicians. She aimed not to change their social standing through political pressure, but through economic necessity. By turning magic into an irreplaceable aspect in the economy, Magicians would be truly free of their fate as humanoid weapons. According to Rin-chan, Sustained Gravity Control-Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor is the key step towards this goal. This thesis is precisely the first step for that purpose."
Tatsuya couldn't help but turn his head at this.
Under his widened eyes, even Mayumi shrank back a little. "Hm, what is it?"
"That's astounding. I never thought that Ichihara-senpai was contemplating the exact same thing."
"Eh? Tatsuya-kun too?"
In all honesty, Suzune and Tatsuya couldn't be credited with the idea of using economic utility to raise Magicians' social standing. Despite the paltry number of supporters, this notion had already been around for at least twenty years. The only technicality was that there had hitherto been no sign of success.
Currently, the primary usage for Magicians remained strictly military.
With the global situation gradually stabilizing, practical mobilization of weaponry had decreased as well.
Still, innovations for Magicians — and not the magic sort — were still dominated by military purposes in the 90% tier.
At the current progression, all of this had yet to change.
The overwhelming majority of magic for domestic purposes could be replaced by machinery.
Temperature control and physical acceleration couldn't match the same superb effect from magic, but if restricted to the level for public consumption, then non-magic technology could still be viable. There was no need to use magic.
Nor did advanced automatons need to be replaced by Magicians. Magic was not required for operation or organization.
So far, no result that could only be produced by magic had supplanted the versatility of modern science, so "using economic advantages to liberate Magicians" remained empty words from idealists.
On the other hand, the concept for Sustained Gravity Control-Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Fusion Reactors didn't come from Tatsuya's group either.
In this regard, research had begun 50 years ago to use magic to actualize thermonuclear fusion reactors.
Nevertheless, this research had been forgotten in this day and age.
After judging that repeatedly activating Gravity Control-type Magic to maintain a thermonuclear fusion reactor rated as one of the "Three Great Puzzles for Gravity Magic", most developed countries already used solar energy to address their energy problems, so presently there was no sign of energy shortage.
Those who placed their hopes on using Sustained Gravity Control- Type Magic Sequence Thermonuclear Reactors to raise the social standing of Magicians had practically gone extinct in the latter half of the 21st century.
"I can't believe I found someone who shared such radical beliefs."
Seeing Tatsuya wear an admiring expression rather than shock, Mayumi stared at him for some unknown reason.
"......Hm, that's wonderful. So you share the same interests as Rin- chan."
Not only her eyes, even her tone was irked.
"Ah, no, I hardly think that it's a question of whether Ichihara-senpai and I share the same interests...... Our methodology is completely different."
What is she so upset about, Tatsuya thought as he replied in a fashion like someone plucking an excuse out of nowhere.
"But the basic concept is the same, right? Tatsuya-kun, in reality, Rin- chan's more your type, huh?"
"Ha?"
"Even with such an alluring young lady next to you, yet you show no signs of even trying. Well, Onee-san is sorry that she has such an adolescent figure."
What was this person talking about? Those were Tatsuya's unfiltered feelings.
Speaking of which, even if they shared the same topic, it was hardly a guarantee that they were companions and more likely that they were opponents. Despite her petite figure, Mayumi didn't boast an adolescent physique at all, more like an intriguing figure filled with mature charm.
There were too many misunderstandings that demanded his immediate attention, but Tatsuya was at a loss as to where to begin.
"I have no exhibitionist tendencies. I would never do anything to a woman before all these cameras here."
Tatsuya was quite befuddled.
The first answer that came to his mind after the cobwebs didn't appear to fit very well.
"Eh......?"
At Tatsuya's apparently profound, but actually completely careless words, Mayumi started fidgeting in place and her eyes started drifting around.
"Well, then, what if there weren't any cameras or people here? Let's say, for example, if it was just the two of us alone in a hotel room?"
"If that's senpai's invitation to dine, then I shall gladly 'dig in' without hesitation."
With a clatter, Mayumi sprang away from her stool, blushing furiously and pressed against the wall to pull as far back as possible from Tatsuya in the narrow room. Seeing this, Tatsuya suddenly realized the double entendre in his words.
Still, saying anything else would just dig himself deeper, so Tatsuya took it as a fortunate sign that he managed to stop there. He turned his gaze from Mayumi and concentrated on gathering the necessary data for the project.
On the other hand, Mayumi, who should have felt threatened by Tatsuya's response, chose to remain in the reading booth for some mysterious reason.
◊ ◊ ◊
During the evening three days before the thesis was due, Tatsuya was going over the numbers at his private work station when he noticed that the home server was under attack.
There were simultaneous attacks from multiple channels, signifying that this hacking attempt was not done by an amateur.
This was done by specialists specifically to data mine the construct.
There was a high possibility that this was not by chance, but a specific attack on this household's IP address.
No matter how many times they were beaten back, they continued pressing forward.
Quite the determined bunch indeed.
Looks like we have to switch to another IP address, Tatsuya groaned to himself as he sighed while activating the tracer.
During lunch break the next day.
Tatsuya stopped by the Counseling Room. His target was obviously Haruka.
Of course, the subject of this conversation wasn't something trivial like teenage worries or fancies.
"......Unfortunately, the link was cut in the middle. Hence the source of the attack was not uncovered."
Haruka did nothing to hide her unwillingness to help — more like intentionally put that on full display — despite the fact that this wasn't an attitude a counselor should display. Nonetheless, after taking into account that Tatsuya's business had nothing to do with counseling and their history, this was hardly Haruka's fault.
"......And then? I'll say this ahead of time, I'm not capable of tracing them over the web."
Hearing that highly exasperated voice, Tatsuya almost burst into laughter. Still, doing so would undoubtedly rouse her ire, so he made sure to wipe that off his face.
"Naturally, I'm aware of sensei's strengths, nor do I plan to venture into such troublesome territory."
"Then what do you want?"
A wary expression spread across Haruka's face.
Whenever Tatsuya looked like he was about to cut into a serious conversation, she had to suspect that he had some ulterior motive up his sleeve. That was a lesson she had already learned by now.
"Regarding organizations that have recently been secretly trafficking in magic intel, could you elaborate on anything within your purview?"
Seeing Tatsuya adopt a "friendly" smile with a placating attitude, Haruka furrowed her brows in displeasure.
"......I say, Shiba-kun. You do know I have to maintain confidentiality, correct?"
"Naturally."
"............"
Haruka's mouth pressed into a thin line and stopped.
She probably wanted to say "Brazen little......
", Tatsuya thought.
As to why, he himself thought this way.
That being said, it's not like that comment stung him.
"......From the end of last month to the first days of this one, several illegal aliens managed to infiltrate Yokohama and the surrounding environs."
In a tone that one could almost hear her sighing in, Haruka began anew.
Once enthralled by sweet temptation, escaping its grasp became difficult. For people working in the intelligence field, this was one of the rudimentary lessons.
Can't believe she fell for that......
Haruka's heart was filled with regret.
"Despite the county police and coast guard combining their efforts, they don't have much to show for it. At the same time, both 'MaxiMilian' and 'Roazen' suffered thefts."
MaxMilian and Roazen were the top of the line in global CAD production. In other words, their goal lay in the production facilities for magic devices.
"Hard to think this is a sheer coincidence."
"Right now there is no confirmation that this was done by the same group. Shiba-kun, I advise you to avoid submitting the thesis online and bring a hard copy instead."
Only her last words were spoken with any sincerity.
Haruka diverted her gaze to her desk as Tatsuya sought to verify her intentions.
This was a sign that she didn't wish to continue the conversation. Tatsuya knew better than to push onward.
After school at the HQ for the Public Moral Committee, Tatsuya was conveying last night's events to Isori.
"......So, there was no loss?"
"Nothing really happened."
Tatsuya raised a hand to stop Isori, who had risen in concern, as he smiled wryly and shook his head.
Isori was someone who could instantly transform into a "neutral, beautiful young lady" simply by changing a set of uniforms, so having him approach unnecessarily was still an uncomfortable experience.
Of course, since these opinions couldn't be expressed, he had to ensure that he didn't unconsciously tilt backwards.
"Compared to that, anything happen at your residence, Isori-senpai?" Isori started before furrowing his brows and lowering his voice. "You mean that the hacker's goal was......"
His soft voice oddly contained a hint of feminine charm.
Rumor had it that the man once despaired over the small number of male friends, but apparently that wasn't because they disliked him and was more likely they kept him at arm's length for a reason......
Contrary to the words he spoke, these thoughts were running through Tatsuya's mind.
"Given the hacker's modus operandi, their target is likely the research files associated with a magic thesis. Based on the timing, we cannot rule out that this is related to the competition itself."
Actually, based on the time frame, another reason boasted a higher probability, but that information was too sensitive for him to be that open about it.
Also, prudence harmed no one.
Tatsuya's words caused Isori's brows to bunch together, displaying an expression that he was considering whether there were any premonitions lying down that path.
"Right now, there aren't any clues on the table...... Still, I think we should inform Ichihara-senpai about what happened."
"You're right."
Tatsuya originally planned to do just that, so he immediately nodded in assent at Isori's proposal.
"Kei, sorry for the wait~."
A delighted voice that ended with a trill interrupted their conversation.
Needless to say, the one who sat beside Isori with a flourish without waiting for a response and latched onto his arm before flirting with him was Kanon.
"Tatsuya-kun, long time no see."
With a wry smile that said, what am I going to do with her, Mari also arrived and greeted Tatsuya.
While questioning whether 10 days constitutes "long time no see", after considering that they used to meet every school day up until last month, this did give off the impression that they hadn't seen each other for some time.
"Indeed. Long time no see." Tatsuya rose and gave Mari his seat. "Oh, thank you."
Mari didn't bother to decline and sat with a smile.
As usual, she was still a vibrant, handsome woman, Tatsuya thought as he said "You're welcome", and pulled up another chair to sit next to Mari.
"So, Tatsuya-kun, how is Kanon handling her new responsibilities?" And Mari promptly dropped this bombshell.
Well, the former Chief inquiring on the effectiveness of the acting Chief was still within expectations, but if she and Isori were present, this conversation topic became a little awkward.
"Mari nee-san!?"
Then again, the sight of Kanon panicking swiftly illuminated the reasoning behind that question.
Quite the pleasant upperclassman-underclassman relationship, no? "Since we don't run patrols together, I'm not familiar with the particulars, but......"
Given the hilarious potential, Tatsuya decided to put on an act.
"She is very well organized and specializes in throwing out unnecessary junk. At times, she seems overly decisive."
Tatsuya finished speaking with a perfectly serious expression and a tone with no voice inflections whatsoever, prompting both Mari and Kanon to squirm in their seats. Mari did so because she was well aware of her own deficiencies in organizational skills, while Kanon was reflecting on the numerous times she tossed something that shouldn't have been thrown away and had been forced to retrieve them.
Tatsuya's comments weren't just directed to Kanon since Mari plainly read between the lines of his words, but Isori was hopelessly lost.
Isori directed an outwardly solemn (?), but actually gentle reminder to Kanon.
"......Despite Shiba-kun's words, doesn't Kanon have a lot of things on her plate too? Relying on me is one thing, but everything else has been handed over to Shiba-kun."
"......So I'm not good at those things. I'm a firm believer in division of labor."
Her tantrum and flirtatious behavior were a world of difference from her usual — whenever Isori was not around — fiery attitude. Seeing this, both Tatsuya and Mari chuckled wryly.
"OK, we can talk about everything else some other time......"
That's about enough of that, Tatsuya thought as he turned over a new leaf as he urged Mari to "cut to the chase".
"OK, let's leave it at that. Actually, I came to discuss security for the Thesis Competition."
"Security? Is the Public Moral Committee on duty?"
"Exactly."
Having students serve as "security" for extracurricular activities was odd to say the least, but Tatsuya seemed to be the only one ill at ease. That was probably because this was the case every year.
"Even though we're called security, we don't actually provide guards for the site itself. The Magic Association will dispatch specialists for that purpose."
Rather than dodging the question, Mari provided an explanation before the question could be asked.
"The topic I want to discuss would be personal bodyguards for the team members as well as guards to watch over the report materials and supplies. After all, the Thesis Competition contains restricted information that 'may not be publicized to personnel unrelated to the magic universities'. This is public knowledge. Owing to these reasons, participants for the Thesis Competition are often the target of industrial spies."
Tatsuya was slightly surprised by this oddly appropriate topic. Even though this fell within his projected predictions, he still couldn't contain his astonishment.
"......
Such as breaking into household servers?"
"......
No, this is at the high school level after all......
Despite calling them spies, they are only small timers trying to make some money off this event. There's no precedent for someone hacking in to steal information......"
That makes perfect sense, Tatsuya thought as he heard Mari's answer.
In modern age, network intrusion was a serious felony. Stealing information through the network warranted heavier punishment than normal theft and belonged in the same category as homicide. At the same time, network protection had also improved substantially, making this an unprofitable venture for professional criminals.
Then the hackers from last night were indeed from....... As Tatsuya drifted into his thoughts, Mari's words picked up steam.
"Instead, we should say that security is required to prevent theft and burglary. Four years ago, there was a precedent where one of the speakers was attacked en route. Following that, each school arranged for guards to accompany key personnel in the weeks approaching the event."
Luckily, Tatsuya was able to focus in time before the conversation concluded.
"Of course, our school also follows this practice every year. The guards are selected from the Public Moral Committee and the Club Activities Group, though each principal will pick from this group."
"I will be responsible for Kei." Of course! Kanon interrupted.
Quite the amusing reaction, Tatsuya thought, but this time he didn't break into a wry smile or break into laughter.
"......
Well, looks like Isori has no complaints, so let's go with that. Of course, that includes an assistant......
Kanon, don't kick aside your teammates, OK?"
"Hey! No one is going to do something like that. I'm not that childish."
Seeing that pout and puffed up cheeks, Kanon's words "not that childish" were a little hard to take at face value, but three warm gazes chose to overlook the words "not that childish".
"Ichihara decided to take Hattori and Kirihara as her guards."
"The Club Activities Group Leader himself, eh?"
"I thought Hattori couldn't even look Ichihara in the eye?"
Mari replied to Tatsuya's blandly voiced question with a mischievous smirk.
"Next......
Is what are we going to do with you."
"There's no need."
Mari maintained her devilish smirk as she spoke, to which Tatsuya replied immediately in the negative.
"Meh, that's also true."
Likewise, Mari didn't have any intention of convincing Tatsuya otherwise.
"There's no point in surrounding you with guards, since there's a higher chance of them getting in the way. I understand, so I'll pass that along to Hattori."
At Mari's response, Tatsuya finally asked a question. "Speaking of which, why is Watanabe-senpai here?"
There was no particular reason behind this question. Tatsuya was curious as to why the current Chief Kanon wasn't coordinating this, but the previous Chief Mari was coordinating between the Public Moral Committee and Club Activities Group.
"......
Uh, there's no real reason......"
At Mari's vague mumbling, Tatsuya face colored in ire.
He clearly received the signal at how much they were overly protected as Mari twisted to one side in embarrassment.
◊ ◊ ◊
The products in First High's student store had far surpassed the level of "high school student stores".
Still, each of the nine magic high schools was like this, so as to provide materials related to magic studies not sold in normal stores to reduce student stress and raise necessary supplies to meet the rising demand.
In the end, this was still a small student store on campus, so if there was an item that simply couldn't be obtained on campus, then students still had to go off campus to obtain them.
In this area, all nine magic high schools were also the same, as stores had sprouted along the nearby streets leading to the high schools to provide materials, notebooks, books, and miscellaneous items that could not be purchased in the student store.
As mentioned above, the stores lined along the streets near First High had a plethora of selections available.
Tatsuya and Isori were purchasing slides for the 3-D projector in one of the shops in front of the station. The deadline for the project was tomorrow, so they couldn't afford to wait for the student store to get new merchandise.
"Plainly, we would be fine without the senpais accompanying us......"
The reason that Tatsuya still said this halfway through the trip was partially because he was apologetic that the upperclassmen had to tag along the entire time, and partially to suppress Kanon, who latched onto her lover heedless of other people watching them.
Clearly, the grass was greener on the other side, while the reverse was also true. Possibly, the bystanders had a more objective view of the situation.
Since Kanon was the only one flirting whereas Isori seemed entirely at a loss what to do, the pair was not completely hopeless yet.
Speaking of which, Miyuki was still on campus. Kanon had a legitimate reason in serving as Isori's protection, but even if this was a temporary jaunt, Miyuki didn't have the luxury of abandoning her responsibilities in the Student Council and following her brother. Currently, precisely because she was well aware that Kanon was with them, she was hammering away at the terminal with great irritation.
"No, leaving everything to Shiba-kun would be bad form. Also, I want to verify the products as well."
Basically, the overly diligent Isori's reply was only to be expected.
At this point, Tatsuya didn't think he could just send the two of them packing either. His earlier comment was both a mild complaint and also an attempt to clear out the slightly feminine laughter that needled the ears. He could relax after making the conscious decision to block all this out, which was one area that Tatsuya excelled in.
Afterwards, using an incredibly slow pace that wasted another 5 minutes, they finally arrived at the shop.
Tatsuya swiftly made all the necessary purchases and let Isori know that "I'm waiting outside", before stepping out of the store.
Finally able to catch some peace and quiet, Tatsuya noticed that someone was spying on him.
There was no sign that someone was shadowing him. Even if he had been harassed by sweet whispers expected (?) from a high school couple, he didn't lower his guard.
However, even if they weren't Tatsuya, anyone would notice such an obvious gaze.
This store was along the shortest route from the school to the station and was almost on the station's doorstep. If someone was waiting in ambush at the front of the station, it would be a simple task to identify students on their way home, so he estimated that they must have been camping here since much earlier. Although their figure remained hidden, their rampant hostility signified that they were up to some deviltry. On the other hand, in terms of sheer wariness, this level was altogether childish compared to the sniping attack Tatsuya weathered two days ago.
As he debated over what action to take, Isori and Kanon came out with their purchases.
"Sorry for the wait......
What happened?"
Tatsuya could only sigh in appreciation at Isori's ability to sense something was off the moment he stepped out of the store and ask him the cause of it.
He wasn't wearing such an opaque expression.
As evidenced by Kanon tilting her head to one side with a "Huh?" expression on her face.
Isori was an expert on magic utilizing delayed activation conditions, but these observation skills probably coincided more with sensory systematic magic.
"Nothing, we're being observed, so I was thinking of how to respond."
There was no need to hide this detail, so Tatsuya directly answered Isori's question.
Still, he wasn't able to finish that answer. "Observed? By spies!?"
Tatsuya remained thinking, because Kanon interjected before he could say "how to respond".
And very loudly too.
That was like telling their opponent to "bail now" and, as expected, the observation was cut short as whoever was responsible quickly departed.
Yet, Kanon was worthy of being Mari's chosen successor.
After a simple "where?" to Tatsuya, she immediately sped off in the direction Tatsuya's eyes pointed towards.
"Kanon, magic!"
"I know! Have faith in me, Kei."
He reminded her precisely because he didn't completely believe her, but Isori was half a beat slower than Kanon, so he could only stand there with her emergency replacement, Tatsuya, and helplessly watch her rapidly departing figure.
As well as being in the top tier of Magicians around the world, Kanon was also a member of the cross country club.
She didn't have the same leg strength as a top flight athlete who didn't know magic, but she was a match for any ordinary high school student, even the boys as well.
With her skirt flying, Kanon immediately noticed the petite figure fleeing the area from the corner of her eye.
That young girl was wearing the same school uniform she was wearing.
She was surprised by this turnout, but acting was always her stronger suit and Kanon's philosophy was always decisive action without waffling over the details. Although she didn't hear any convincing evidence on Tatsuya's part that this was her culprit, Kanon never let up on her pursuit.
The distance was rapidly shrinking. By the time there were 10 meters between them, the fleeing young girl turned to look.
Revealing a face not covered by a mask nor wearing dark shades to disguise her features.
The young girl didn't intend to catch Kanon's eyes, but that was the result forged through chance.
By the time Kanon noticed that the young girl had drawn a small device, the young girl turned towards a new direction and held the device between the two of them.
Not good, Kanon thought.
On reflex, she halted her footsteps and shut her eyes.
Despite raising her hands to protect her face, she knew that this was a futile gesture.
Through the cracks in her arms, a burning, violent flash could be seen through the eyelids.
Several curious bystanders who were watching the two of them screamed in pain.
Kanon closed her left eye that couldn't be fully protected from the flash and opened her right eye that managed to avoid any damage.
The young girl was fleeing on a scooter. Kanon extended her right arm to the left wrist.
The bracelet around her wrist began to absorb psions and began spreading the Activation Sequence according to the instructions she was inputting into the CAD.
However, before Kanon could complete the Activation Sequence, psion pellets that materialized suddenly behind her shattered it.
"What are you doing!?"
"Kanon, don't!"
Both occurred at the exact same time.
As Kanon whirled around and Isori rushed forward, their words overlapped with one another.
Behind Isori, Tatsuya stood there with a handgun-shaped CAD raised.
Isori arrived where Kanon, who stood there stiffly in shock at her lover's shout, was standing.
While running towards her, Isori had already finished constructing the Magic Sequence.
Towards the fleeing scooter that continued forward, he invoked the Release Systematic Magic "Road Extension".
The wheels on the scooter, which had just started to egress from the scene, suddenly started skidding.
No matter how hard the engine pushed, there was no way to advance.
Despite the open path before her, she was unable to escape this linear maze.
The secret lay in Coulomb's Law. By altering the electrons between the tires and road, he had reduced the friction to nearly zero. The mere description of the magic was simple enough, but the calculations necessary to actually realize this Magic Sequence were absolutely terrifying.
At the same time, he used magic to increase the gyroscopic effect to prevent the vehicle from falling over and any early acceleration had been devoured by Coulomb's Law, so the scooter the young girl was riding was effectively stranded.
There was no way for her to escape.
Isori, Kanon, and Tatsuya all thought this was a foregone conclusion, which was a perfectly natural and expected judgment. From a common sense perspective, there was no way to escape this trap.
But they didn't know one thing.
This young lady was a complete amateur when it came down to reckless behavior.
Once an amateur was forced into desperate straits, they often decide upon a ridiculous course of action.
If an act of desperation was all she had left, then surely the ending was already written, except desperate measures had a habit of succeeding in desperate times.
The young girl thumbed the button on the end of the left side of the handle that was covered by a plastic lid.
Normal scooters don't have a button there.
The button was covered by a lid like the ones seen on a fire alarm that could only be used once. This button married the "one use only" function to the "abandon after use" function.
Abruptly, the back of the seat exploded.
The back of the seat went flying, revealing two twin-linked rockets that began spewing flame.
The scooter sprang forward with a kick.
The young girl riding the scooter frantically clung to the handle when her body started tilting backwards.
Speechless, Tatsuya could only watch the rapidly diminishing figure.
She never let go of the handle possibly because some sort of function was built into the glove. So she had planned ahead to this point, Tatsuya thought.
Still, your average person wouldn't choose to attach rockets propelled by rocket fuel beneath their seat.
The fuel amount could be estimated based on the amount of time the rocket was lit, so if the scooter tipped over and ignited, the ensuing explosion would undoubtedly kill any innocent bystanders nearby.
It was a veritable miracle that the scooter didn't fall over and kept moving forward after the rockets were ignited.
Usually, sudden acceleration would lead to an abrupt loss of control and the subsequent crash.
If not for the magics that increased gyroscopic force and also reduced tire friction to practically zero, that was the most likely result.
If they had used Kanon's magic instead of Isori's magic to stop her, the scooter would definitely have fallen over and caused a tragedy.
"......
What was that child thinking......"
"......
I think we should say that we're both pretty lucky......"
It appeared that both his senpais were thinking along the same lines Tatsuya was.
◊ ◊ ◊
After abandoning the modified scooter, the young girl sucked in great gasps of air as she squirmed into the van prepared by her collaborator ahead of time.
She never imagined that having flames sprout out from a close proximity would be such a terrifying event.
While driving the scooter, she had the impression that her skirt, the back of her shirt and her hair were burning the entire time.
The driver of the van remained silent. There were no words of comfort for her. Which was only to be expected.
They weren't companions. They were merely collaborators. The young girl tightly hugged her arms.
On top of the seat painted a dull gray by the tinted windows, the young girl sat there motionlessly.
Shortly afterward, her terror gradually faded until only regret gnawed at her heart.
She had been overcome by her flight instinct, but coldly examining the facts told her that this was not necessary.
After all, the only thing she had done was watching that man.
Her guilty conscience stole her ability to think objectively. As she became aware of this, the young girl was consumed with an irresistible fury at her own failings.
She also became aware that she was not suited for this line of work.
She was publicly acknowledged to be the indoor type and she didn't feel any need to change any of that.
Her dear older sister was also like that.
Her scholarly older sister was her role model, but since she wasn't as talented as her sister, she chose a path that suited her interest in working with machinery.
So what was she doing with these suspicious individuals, she asked herself.
She immediately reached an answer. From the depths of her heart.
It was all because she could never forgive that man. She cared not for the rewards of her labor.
So long as she could see a regretful expression pass over that man's face, that alone would be sufficient.
The young girl suddenly broke into laughter.
That was because she remembered that she had seized the initiative today.
Even though she didn't have the luxury to watch the rear view mirror, he must have sat there stunned as he could only watch her successfully get away......
The young girl's laughter was as dark as it was masochistic, with a trace of obsession tucked within.
With each breath of laughter, the young girl's heart fractured a little more.
Not like there was anyone on board who was going to stop her.
Inside one of the old buildings sitting in the outskirts of Tokyo, several older display screens were set up in a room within an office that appeared to be an office of commerce on the outside. Several men garbed in different attires stood before these screens and were intently watching the display.
One middle-aged man with a dark cloud over his face gestured at the young girl laughing madly on the screen that linked to the interior of the van and spoke up.
"Is that girl going to be OK?"
The man cared little for her well-being. He was only wondering if the young girl's idiocy would be traced back to them.
"Mr. Zhou arranged for the driver, so we would be above suspicion even if something did occur."
"Why exactly are we trusting this young middle man again?"
The young man's face floated across his mind as another man spoke up in displeasure.
—Not only was he an irritating factor, he was also completely untrustworthy.
That was this man's undisguised feelings. "What of the relic?"
To sweep aside the jittery atmosphere, the man changed the topic. One of his subordinates before the monitor displays immediately replied back.
"We have discovered no signs that it has left the FLT office. Current location is unknown."
"Hm...... Four Leaves, eh? What an irksome name, is it connected to the Yotsuba Family in any way?"
"Yes, but after extensive investigation, no link was discovered. Also, this country likes to use Yotsuba or Yatsuha in their company names."
"That makes this a little difficult."
The man's words were infused with disgust, hatred and irritation, but at the same time, the voice could not hide his fear.
The Yatsuha name was associated with the Four Great Systems and Eight Major Types in modern magic as well as the Garbhako'sa-Dhatu Mandala, so modern corporations delighted in using that name. Still, there was another meaning behind the Yotsuba name. Using the name of the Yotsuba Family from the Ten Master Clans was considered a taboo by individuals affiliated with magic. If Japanese corporations used the Yotsuba name, both intelligence and criminal organizations feared to rouse the Yotsuba Family's wrath by harming their assets. Since the Yotsuba Family hadn't declared otherwise, there were many corporations who "pretended" to be affiliated with the Yotsuba Family.
Even though this was but a cheap parlor trick, that did not mean there were no effects. Currently, their side had already expended considerable time and energy to guard against the Yotsuba Family's detection, a fact that brought a bitter expression to the man's face when he remembered this.
"Don't relax the surveillance on Sayuri. Do we have any intel on the family she visited two nights ago?"
At the man's question, another subordinate spoke up.
"Her husband's son and daughter from his first marriage reside there."
"Was it just to placate her stepchildren?"
After adopting a "How boring" expression at his subordinate's response, the man resumed asking in a businesslike manner.
"What's their background?"
"Both of them are Year 1 students at the Magic University-affiliated First High."
However, that answer roused the man's interest. "Names?"
"The older brother is called Shiba Tatsuya, the sister is called Shiba Miyuki."
"Shiba Tatsuya?"
Just as the man was searching his memory for this familiar name, the subordinate monitoring the van spoke up.
"He is the target of our collaborator's vendetta."
"I see, magic university affiliated high school? ......
What a coincidence."
After considering this for a few seconds, the man couldn't help but break into a smirk as he gave new orders.
"Add the Magic University-affiliated First High to the list of observation targets. If necessary, pull men from other projects. Also, provide additional reinforcements for that girl and tell her the easiest path to vengeance lays through leaking critical information. And give that child a weapon as well."
The orders were fired off one at a time. "Captain Lu!"
"Yes, sir!"
"You are in command. Any meddlesome interlopers are to immediately be disposed of!"
After giving his last orders to a bulky youth, the man departed from the room.
