by Yuu Miyazaki
“!” Eishirou jumped up, spinning around and reflexively pulling out a dagger-type Lux—but he was already surrounded by several figures, all seeming to seep out from the shadows around him. With the exception of their eyes, they were masked and clothed entirely in black, their identities hidden so thoroughly that it was impossible to so much as tell their ages or genders.
Eishirou, however, knew precisely who they were—especially the man with the hoarse voice.
“…Well, if it isn’t my dear father. I didn’t think you’d be here… You look well,” he returned with an ironic smile, trying to ignore the sweat that had begun to run down his forehead.
His father—Bujinsai Yabuki—was dressed the same as the others, the only exception being that his face was uncovered. He was a middle-aged man of medium build, his face so wrinkled that the creases seemed to have been carved into his flesh, his hair combed down flat and smooth, his eyebrows pure white.
“Don’t say what you don’t mean,” the older man said with an affected sigh as he sat cross-legged on the branch behind him. “Don’t think I haven’t heard that you’re still tottering about without a care in the world. It’s disgraceful.”
“Oh? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eishirou answered glibly, preparing his Lux as he carefully scanned his surroundings.
“Did you think you could take us all for fools? Despite joining Shadowstar, you’re still taking your own jobs and associating with outsiders.”
“No, no, not at all—that’s not a fair accusation. I mean, I might have made a few acquaintances here and there, but that’s simply for work. Just building up a bit of influence, wouldn’t you say?”
“So the little babe is going to talk to me about work, is he? How pathetic. Do you even realize that it’s precisely because we never serve two masters that we’ve been able to survive this long?”
…I wonder whether you realize that’s why I left the village, Eishirou retorted mentally, his chin resting on his hand as he flashed Bujinsai a fawning smirk.
Eishirou’s clan, the Yabuki, was, in short, a secretive paramilitary organization that specialized in ninjutsu, the ancient Japanese art of stealth, camouflage, and sabotage. Additionally, they belonged to and preserved a bloodline that, under the influence of a sacred piece of urm-manadite that had come to earth long before the Invertia, had long since diverged from the surrounding population. Only two such groups remained in Japan—the Yabuki and the Umenokouji.
“Now, now, you didn’t come all this way just to lecture me, did you? No, you must be here on some kind of job, right?” Eishirou asked, furtively retreating as he took in his surroundings.
The five figures closest to him were probably the Kinoe, the most elite members of the clan. On top of that, he could sense close to another ten individuals lurking somewhere nearby.
“That’s what I’m on my way to find out.”
Jobs were always issued to the head of the clan in person—that was how it had always been.
“So I’m guessing they specifically asked you to bring such a large party?”
“You could say that.”
Today, the clan accepted jobs only from the IEF Galaxy—or more specifically, from its highest executives—who referred to them by the inane name of “the Anglicism the Night Emits.” In a certain way, they were to Galaxy what Shadowstar was to Seidoukan. Shadowstar, however, was permitted to act only within Asterisk, and it recruited from the general student body, while the Yabuki were entrusted with carrying out Galaxy’s secret maneuverings irrespective of where that might take them. In a way, Shadowstar’s activities could be said to comprise a subset of the Yabuki’s, although in Shadowstar’s favor, there were also naturally things that only students could access.
Of course, the foundation wasn’t solely reliant on the Yabuki. It also had its own paramilitary brigades and special forces that functioned under its direct control—in addition to its own intelligence services, which worked tirelessly to gain an edge over the other foundations’ similar branches in endless, secretive feuding.
There was no mistaking, however, that the highest executives—essentially Galaxy itself—viewed the Yabuki with particular esteem.
“Once we accept a job, we carry it out all the way to the end, without letting any personal feelings get in the way. Which is why, before we begin, I want to ask you how you fit into it all.”
“…”
That was enough for Eishirou to ascertain just what kind of job his father was about to be entrusted with. “I see, I see. So Galaxy’s finally decided to take care of the prez, huh?”
“We haven’t received it yet,” Bujinsai answered.
He was no doubt merely feigning ignorance—there was no way he would mobilize the clan like this if he didn’t already know what it would entail.
“But it does seem like that’s the case,” he added, a cold light flashing in his eyes, a dangerous glimmer bordering on bloodlust.
Sensing the sudden chill, so strong and arising so quickly that it was like a blade of ice piercing his heart, Eishirou instinctively leaped away from Bujinsai in order to break through the encircling Kinoe.
“Ugh!”
And yet, as if having anticipated his movements, the Kinoe immediately reached out to him, trying to pen him in.
Eishirou managed to break out of the trap by striking the leg of one of the five Kinoe, sending them crashing, then jumped over another figure and twisted its neck. Leaping away once more, he drove a powerful kick into the back of the neck of another figure, which had been coming toward him from the side.
The remaining Kinoe, however, paid no heed to their fallen comrades. He was getting ready to lash out at another of them with his dagger when a heavy weight slammed into him from the side, pressing him against the trunk of the tree.
“Oh? So you can take down three Kinoe all by yourself now? You’ve been working on your skills, I take it?” Bujinsai noted, impressed, as he stroked his chin.
With that, the three Kinoe whom Eishirou had taken down jumped back to their feet as if nothing had happened, positioning themselves beside him in silence.
They didn’t look to have suffered any damage; in fact, his attacks didn’t seem to have done anything at all. Eishirou knew firsthand just how skilled the Kinoe were, and so while it might take them some time, considering that there were five of them, there was no question that they would be able to subdue him if they so desired.
But that wasn’t the Yabuki’s way of doing things. No matter the situation, their highest priority was to reach the target as promptly and as surely as possible.
Just thinking about it all reminded him how much he hated them.
“Listen up, boy! I know how fond you are of that girl, Seidoukan’s student council president. But you had better not do anything stupid. That’s my warning to you as your father.”
“…Well, thanks.” Eishirou, still being held down with a force strong enough that it risked breaking his arm, could move only his face to glare back at Bujinsai, towering above him.
Casting his gaze as best he could at his surroundings, he could make out several spell charms marked with complex symbols placed here and there to ward off intruders.
How diligent of them… I guess I can’t count on them to let down their guard…
Eishirou, giving up, relaxed his body. Nothing would be gained from trying to resist them now.
“We might have our disagreements, but I do have a certain level of respect for you and your talents. It would be a shame to lose them over something like this. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“In a way.”
Bujinsai could say what he wanted, but Eishirou knew well enough that if he was to get in the way of their mission, his father wouldn’t hesitate to break his neck.
“And so?”
“Haah…” As he watched that cold glimmer return to Bujinsai’s eyes, Eishirou let out a resigned sigh. “I certainly am fond of the prez. But I’m attached to my own life span a little mo
re.”
“That’s a good attitude to have.”
And with that, the force with which he had been held back suddenly abated.
Eishirou rose to his feet, brushing his hand against his clothes as if sweeping away dust.
Bujinsai and the Kinoe had completely vanished.
The evening sun had almost completely fallen beneath the horizon, a forlorn twilight settling over the trees.
“…Tch.” Eishirou clicked his tongue in exasperation and, after a slight hesitation, reached for his mobile.
“I can keep a sense of duty at least, Pops,” Eishirou muttered as he entered Claudia’s number and set the device to voice only.
“…Whew…”
Ayato, wiping at his still wet hair with a bath towel, let out a long sigh as he sat down on his bed.
All he could think about was Saya—and what she had said to him.
He liked her, too, of course, and he knew for a fact that her intentions were honest. However, he had only ever thought of her as an extended family member, never anything more.
“…Or maybe that’s just what I wanted to think,” he murmured to the empty room as he fell backward onto the bed.
Eishirou hadn’t come back yet—although there was nothing unusual about that, considering that there were no classes during the Festa—giving him the perfect opportunity to try to put his thoughts in order.
Having been reunited with her in Asterisk after all those years, it was almost as if she hadn’t changed at all since their childhood, when they had spent almost every passing day by each other’s side.
That had made him incredibly happy.
But if she had asked him to give her an answer on the spot, he would have found himself hard-pressed to know what to say.
Right now, he had a wish that he wanted to see fulfilled: to be able to wake his sister, Haruka, from her unending sleep.
Most of his thoughts were occupied by his drive to fulfill that wish, but given the seriousness of Saya’s feelings, she deserved no less than his full attention.
Saya no doubt knew that as well, which must have been why she had said that he didn’t have to give her his answer immediately.
“Well, I guess I’ll have to take her up on that offer…”
Once he had put everything in order, he would be able to face her properly and give her his full attention.
And in order to be able to do that, he would have to focus first on winning the next match.
“…Right!” He slapped his hands against his cheeks to fire himself up, when his mobile, which he had flung beside him on his bed, began to ring. “Huh? Again?”
It was already past midnight.
He opened an air-window, and Claudia’s face appeared before him.
“Good evening, Ayato. I’m terribly sorry to call you this late, but do you have a moment?”
“Ah, I don’t mind… But is it urgent?”
They were due to have a strategy meeting with the other members of Team Enfield in the morning, so if it wasn’t pressing, they would be able to discuss it then.
“Yes, I’m afraid so.” Claudia’s expression, devoid of her usual smile, was unusually serious.
“…Okay. What is it?”
“Yes, well, you see— Is it true that Ms. Sasamiya confessed to you?”
“Wh-wha—?!” Ayato found himself blurting. “H-hold on a minute! How you do know that?”
“I am the student council president.”
“What does that have to do with anything?!”
She might have been well-informed, but this was something else entirely.
“Putting that aside, I’m also deeply concerned about what kind of response you might have given her.”
“…I don’t have any obligation to tell you that.”
It was, after all, a private matter.
“Yes, you’re quite right. However…we’re still in the middle of the Gryps, are we not? If anything was to happen that might interfere with our teamwork, that would be a cause for serious alarm to us all.”
It was certainly difficult to argue with that.
“As the team’s representative, I have to ask.”
“…That’s just an excuse,” he replied sullenly, glaring at her. If she already knew that much, however, there was no use remaining silent. “I haven’t given her one yet. She said I can give her my answer later, so I was planning to do it after everything’s over and done with.”
“Is that so…?” Claudia fell silent, nodding calmly. “…Ms. Sasamiya really is quite impressive,” she murmured, as if talking to herself.
“Claudia…?” Ayato asked, sensing something out of place in her actions.
He couldn’t put it into words, but whatever it was, it had stirred a deep-rooted sense of uneasiness somewhere inside him.
“I understand, Ayato. Thank you for telling me the truth… Well then, see you tomorrow.” Before Ayato could respond, she flashed him her usual smile, signaling the end of the conversation.
“Yeah. See you then,” Ayato grudgingly replied before the air-window snapped shut, filling the room with silence. “…I guess I’ll have to ask her tomorrow.”
His vague sense of apprehension was still bothering him, but there was nothing he could do about it right then.
He turned his gaze out through the window, toward the cloud-covered night sky. Though so spectacular just a few hours ago, both the moon and the stars were now completely hidden from view.
“Right, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow…”
He pulled the curtain shut in silence, hoping the weather wouldn’t turn out too bad.
CHAPTER 2
MEMORIES II: DAYBREAK
“Oh, yes, Claudia. What do you say we go watch the next Lindvolus?” Nicholas asked her suddenly one morning, some time after her victory at the Rondo Versailles. They were having breakfast together, and he was waiting for the servant to finish pouring him a cup of tea.
“The Lindvolus?” Claudia repeated, momentarily setting aside her apple compote to glance at him.
The residence was built in the Gothic Revival style and had been relocated from the town of Tiverton. It was practically overflowing with antique furniture and furnishings, and it was filled with pristine white tablecloths and matching tableware of every possible size and shape, all according to Nicholas’s tastes. He no doubt thought that these nostalgic flavors lent him a certain noble character.
“I don’t mind… Although, it is rather sudden,” Claudia replied.
“I was invited to attend. It’s a rare opportunity, so I thought you might both accompany me,” Isabella, whose utilitarianism stood in sharp contrast to the indulgences of her husband, said with a calm, gentle smile.
“Well now, that is rare.”
As far as Claudia could remember, her family had only ever gone on outings together on a handful of occasions.
It was, moreover, rare in itself for her family to all eat breakfast in one another’s company. While the situation was different with her father, Claudia could easily count the number of times she shared breakfast with her mother each year.
“I’m going to be rather busy starting next year, and given my position, I won’t be free to go where I like. Which means that it will be difficult for me to watch the Festa.” Isabella was already close to occupying one of the top executive positions at Galaxy. If she was promoted again, what little time she had left to herself would no doubt all but disappear.
“And it will be good for you to get a taste of Asterisk for yourself, don’t you think?” Nicholas added.
“Well, I suppose…”
Her parents, it seemed, were trying to show their hesitant daughter the path through life they wanted her to take. In that case, she couldn’t turn them down without a good reason.
“We aren’t saying you have to go to Asterisk. Just think of it as taking a look. The choice is, after all, up to you.” Her father might have come across as trying to push her toward making a decision, but Claudia under
stood that he was only trying to look out for her.
Isabella, however, probably hadn’t realized that. Normally, for her, a child at the Festa would be nothing more than a nuisance. The fact that she wasn’t resisting her husband on the issue suggested that she, too, was indeed sparing some thought to her daughter’s future.
In short, her father and mother both loved her, each in their own ways.
And Claudia loved them both, too.
Which was why—
“Thank you very much,” she answered with a bright smile.
Though she might have appeared so to others, Claudia wasn’t actually a hesitant child—rather, she neither felt strongly nor had any particular attachment to the potential future paths she might travel down.
To its fans, the Lindvolus was known as the Festa of Festas.
There were several reasons for its high esteem, including that it was the very first of the three extant forms of the tournament and that it determined the results for the entire season. But by far the most significant reason was its showcasing individuals, deciding the strongest student of the day through a tournament.
In the past, the title of Prior, awarded to the student who scored the most points in a given season, had been the ultimate glory. However, as each of Asterisk’s schools developed more elaborate strategies for the Festa, they began to have students participate only in those tournaments for which they were best suited, and individual students ended up scoring less points in each season overall. On top of that, the contest for the title of Prior had ended up causing considerable strife within the various schools. Ultimately, those factors led to the title itself having been abolished close to twenty years ago. As such, the Lindvolus had come to take its place as the most highly valued of the Festa’s activities.
“…I see,” Claudia murmured to herself in one of the Sirius Dome’s VIP rooms as the contest unfolded before her. “This is what one should expect from the Festa. It’s on a completely different level than the lower categories.”
The tournament was still in its first round, but each of the contestants who had entered the stage so far had considerable skill. Claudia had, of course, watched videos of past Festas, but there was no comparison to seeing it for herself.