by Sato Tsutomu
[As you have said Tatsuya-san, I don’t know what they are going to do with that too large of a stage. Maybe, it’s the usual performance, right. However, the journalists who accompany him are going to be many times the norm so he probably intends to make a big fuss.]
“I see, that seems to be it.”
At this point, Tatsuya appeared to have sunk into thought in front of his second cousin for the first time that evening; however, that was only for about five seconds. Tatsuya returned his gaze to Ayako and gave her a slight smile of thanks.
“Thank you for contacting me. The information is worth considering.”
[I will look forward to you displaying your skills.]
Tatsuya responded to Ayako’s affectation with a smile and after the polite niceties, the call was ended by her.
◊ ◊ ◊
The following day, April 20th, Friday. Tatsuya called Azusa and Isori to the student council room before class started.
“Eh, that’s a very serious matter!”
When she heard about opposition party Congressman Kanda’s inspection, Azusa stood up kicking her chair, raising her voice in distress.
“…..Is it something to get that upset about?”
Sticking to Isori like glue as usual, Kanon presented the question ‘aren’t you going overboard’.
“No, this is a grave situation, Kanon.”
Isori rebuked his betrothed’s optimism.
“If you look superficially, Congressman Kanda appears to advocate for magician’s rights. However, his arbitrary reasoning is that magicians being inducted into the military is decidedly wrong; beneath the surface is his concealed intention to obstruct the relations between magicians and the military.”
“Even I understand that somewhat. But Kanda’s target this time is the relationship between the military and education, right? Not us.”
Perhaps, Kanon disliked Isori siding with Azusa and Tatsuya and not herself. She directed a slightly displeased look at Isori as she answered.
“Even if it damages our freedom?”
Kanon’s face made an ’eh?’ at Isori’s retort. Kanon still had not hit upon what Isori was worrying about.
“If the people who believe that the practical application of magicians by the military should be stopped take power, they will certainly prohibit both magic high school students like us from choosing to enroll in the defense college upon graduation and graduates of the magic university from joining the military as well.”
“You mean they’d employ thought control.”
Kanon asked with a look of disbelief to which Isori turned his head away from so he could close his eyes. This was not a rejection of her spoken question, he was rejecting the look on her face when she asked the question.
“Fundamentally the principle of pacifism doesn’t even accept the analysis that defensive armaments are needed to deal with military threats to one’s own nation. They’ll suppress freedom of speech by forbidding slightly positive assertions about the existence of the army. For that purpose not even violent measures would be forbidden. To them, there is probably no reason to hesitate using thought control on us. While they preach about the human rights of magicians, they take away a magician’s right to choose their own employment without concern.”
It was an unexpectedly wicked diatribe. Since Kanon who should know Isori better than anyone else seemed somewhat daunted, it might be natural for Tatsuya to feel surprised. Perhaps, Isori had some kind of bad memories about the ‘fundamental principles of pacifism’.
“…..For that reason, we can’t pretend that it is someone else’s concern, Kanon. So, Shiba-kun, how do you intend to resist them?”
Perhaps even himself feeling that he had gone a little overboard, Isori changed the topic with an awkwardly amiable smile.
“You called us here because you had some kind of idea, right?”
“Yes.”
Tatsuya gave a brief answer to Isori, and turned around to exchange a look with Miyuki. From the time Azusa and the rest had come, Miyuki had been hanging back behind Tatsuya’s back, but now she passed the electronic blackboard she had been carrying in her hand over to Azusa and Isori. Tatsuya saw their gazes drop onto the electronic blackboard and immediately began his explanation.
“They are condemning Magic High Schools as sites of military education and claiming that the schools are directing students into military related fields. So then, wouldn’t it be great to show that the fruits of magic education are more than things related to military purposes?”
Tatsuya spoke in a frank tone anticipating the conclusion. No one responded to his words with sounds of comprehension, objections or questions.
“So I thought we would want to hold a slightly showy demonstration that coincides with Congressman Kanda’s visit to the school.”
“…Slightly?”
“…This?”
Azusa and Isori finally made these responses. Their shocked faces were an indirect form of protest. However, their voices did not express their shock as well as the looks on their faces so it gave off a superficial impression.
“It will need large-scale preparations, but the demo itself wouldn’t be all that different from normal electrical discharge experiments, implosion experiments and the like. The outward appearance is superior, though.”
“Maybe we could only make a show of it.”
Although Azusa protested in a weak voice, Tatsuya’s wry smile with which he was enduring this did not change.
“If we made something only similar in appearance the meaning would be quite different… and so this would be eminently effective. But, Shiba-kun…”
Perhaps he finally got over the shock, Isori after vocally persuading himself to agree gave Tatsuya a somber look.
“Can you really do it? One of the Three Great Puzzles of Weight Systemic Magic, The Gravity Control-Type Magic thermonuclear fusion reactor.”
Isori’s questioning of the most essential part of the plan made Tatsuya make a slightly hesitant face.
“I can’t make the actual thing yet.”
However, this did not indicate a lack of confidence regarding the practicality, he was pondering how he should answer the question.
“I did not say an experimental reactor. Not in the form of an reactor. But, we can produce something with the potential to implement nuclear fusion in a showier and more easily understood way than the thesis we did for last year’s competition.”
“…..A ’stellar furnace’?”
Azusa, who had never taken her eyes off the electronic blackboard throughout the conversation, murmured that, still in the same posture.
“The Gravity Control-Type Magic thermonuclear fusion reactor. I think this concept is the opposite of Suzune-san’s proposal of an intermittent style of nuclear fusion.”
Azusa was staring at the electronic blackboard as if boring into it; she didn’t look at either Tatsuya’s face or Isori’s face.
“The quantity of energy that it is capable of producing per unit of time is incomparably larger than Suzune’s system….. If Shiba-kun’s stellar furnace is implemented, there will be no distinction between day and night, it would be possible to supply energy that is unaffected by the influence of weather conditions. Factories also could operate without worrying about the electrical supply and it would put an end to fear of another radical temperature drop. There is probably no other demonstration superior to this for showing magic’s use for peaceful purposes.”
Azusa broke off her monologue-like whispering and turned to face Tatsuya.
“Is this an original plan of yours, Shiba-kun?”
“It’s not a unique idea in by any means, but certainly, this is something I am working to create. The method is still far from practical since the magic skill level needed is so high, but if our school’s students have the ability and if it’s for a short period of time, then there is potential to operate an experimental reactor.”
As Tatsuya answered Azusa’s question, he nodded fi
rmly and deliberately. It was like he was saying the Gravity Control-Type Magic thermonuclear fusion reactor was the summit of his ambitions. The stellar furnace was nothing more than the main component for realizing his own original goal, but at this point of time, Tatsuya did not intend to make that obvious.
“Is that so…… understood.”
Azusa also returned his nod with uncharacteristic boldness. Tatsuya hadn’t told them everything; however, his feelings about making the stellar furnace a reality were genuine. And, Azusa sensed Tatsuya’s sincerity and nodded.
“Isori-kun.”
Azusa turned to face Isori.
“I wish to cooperate with Shiba-kun’s plan. How about you, Isori-kun?”
“I will also cooperate. A public stellar furnace experiment. Not just a countermeasure to Congressman Kanda; as someone aiming to be a magic engineer, I am all for doing it.”
As he answered Azusa, Isori also nodded his head up and down.
On the noon break of that day, Tatsuya went to the staff room to visit Professor Jennifer Smith. To hold experiments not in the course curriculum, a written application must be submitted; if it is part of club activities then to the club adviser, if it is an independent experiment not part of club activities then to the class teacher, if there is no class teacher due to being in the second course then to the staff room; no experiments are allowed without the school’s permission.
When Jennifer looked at the list of magics to be used at the beginning of the written application, she suddenly raised her eyebrows.
“Gravity control, Coulomb force control, Four Phase Shift, Gamma ray filter, and a Neutron Barrier? Shiba-kun, do you intend to do a high output laser cannon experiment?”
“I do not intend to do something like that.”
Tatsuya artlessly replied to his professor’s question in a traditional style. There was no need to give his answer a strange aspect, but perhaps his choice of a cliché phrase that he didn’t have to think about was due to the sheer unexpectedness of the question. While he compiled the list of magic combinations he had offered, he had not been aware of the potential for their use to complete a laser device that uses a nuclear fusion reactor until Jennifer had pointed it out to him.
However, Jennifer was not even listening to Tatsuya’s answer, so they might be even. Her question had been a kind of a monologue; Jennifer’s eyes were glued to the written application.
“The subject of the experiment is extremely ambitious……”
Jennifer looked up from the electronic paper displaying the written application and turned her eyes to Tatsuya who was standing to the side.
“Can you guarantee the safety?”
“According to my calculations, I can guarantee it.”
Tatsuya’s answer could be thought of as irresponsible, but Jennifer did not chide him about it. It was the role of an experiment to determine whether a theoretical possibility was an actual possibility. “Stopping an experiment because it was unknown whether it was actually safe” was in a sense putting the cart before the horse. She was a scientist who wouldn’t have anything to do with that kind of foolishness.
“In this school’s presentation at last year’s Thesis Competition, a proton to proton chain reaction was used to avoid exposure to neutron radiation. Why does this experiment use a heavy hydrogen reaction?”
Of course, that did not mean she did not consider the risks. That risks should be minimized by calculations was something Jennifer naturally kept in mind.
It goes without saying that Tatsuya also considered that point. There was no hesitation in his answer.
“The conditions for using the original proton to proton chain reaction were too strict for the energy source. The techniques in Ichihara-senpai’s experiment were likely to guarantee the successful control of the reaction, but if the utility of the energy reactor is taken into account, I believe the returns are too little to justify the investment of the techniques. Besides, with the proton to proton chain reaction, the danger of exposure to radiation is only slight if the neutrons don’t break out.”
Jennifer silently considered Tatsuya’s answer for a while with her arms crossed.
“……Understood. I cannot give permission at my own discretion. The written application will circulate. A decision should be made by the end of the schoolday.”
“Thank you. Furthermore, please keep the experiment secret from outsiders.”
Tatsuya had not thought that he would receive immediate approval to use the radiation experiment room and the campus. After a few additional last words, Tatsuya bowed a goodbye to Jennifer.
“So, did you get permission for the experiment?”
After school in the Student council room. Tatsuya, who was posed this question by Azusa, offered the written application with the principal’s electronic signature stored on it that had been sent to him.
“A condition has been attached, but it was approved.”
“Condition?”
Hearing Isori’s question to Tatsuya, Azusa looked up from the electronic paper displaying the written application.
“It’s only natural, a teacher will supervise. That is the condition.”
“I see. So, which teacher will work with us?”
Just as Isori was asking for a more detailed answer from Tatsuya, the chime rang signaling a visitor.
“Tsuzura-sensei. He has thoughtfully come here for the meeting.”
Miyuki, who checked the monitor, turned around to answer Isori.
Izumi promptly stood up. She didn’t seem the least bit energetic; however, as the only first year among upperclassmen, it was proper for her to go to the door to greet Professor Tsuzura.
Student council activities temporarily ceased with the coming of Tsuzura. Izumi, who was in the middle of training in student council procedures, also stopped her hands and went to the table for the meeting. Tsuzura sat down in the seat the student council president usually sat in, and the student council room quickly changed into the experiment meeting room. Of course, Tatsuya, who had planned this experiment, had also planned on helpers beyond the student council members here. He had asked them to meet him here without telling them the reason.
“I’ve gone over the protocol for the experiment. I think it’s an interesting approach.”
After moistening his throat with the tea Pixie served, Tsuzura was the first to speak up at the meeting.
“So, Shiba-kun. Have you considered who to assign to which duty?”
What he meant by duty assignments was who would perform which magic. The magic that was to be used in this: Gravity Control, Coulomb Force Control, Four Phase Movement, Gamma Ray Filter, Neutron Barrier.
“First, I want Mitsui-san to take charge of the Gamma Ray Filter.”
“Me!?”
Abruptly designated, Honoka spoke out hysterically. She hadn’t even heard the particulars of the experiment until this stage, so it was understandable.
"In magic involving controlling the frequency of electromagnetic waves, I know of no one who is superior to you, Honoka. Won’t you undertake it?”
“I understand! I will do my best!”
Nevertheless, in the end, Honoka, after hearing no more than Tatsuya’s “please”, nodded her head in agreement. Considering her feelings, this was probably fairly inevitable.
“Isori-senpai, please take Coulomb Force Control.”
Perhaps they had already discussed this, as Isori just silently nodded.
“For Neutron Barrier, there is a first year I know of, I think she can take care of this.”
At this statement of Tatsuya’s, Izumi’s face twitched.
“A first year? Is that okay?”
The unease was probably insuppressible even for Tsuzura. It felt like he interrupted without thinking.
“Yes. The girl possesses genius level talent for barrier magic against objects.”
“Who is it?”
“Her name is Sakurai Minami. My cousin.”
“I see.”
/>
However, hearing Tatsuya’s explanation, Tsuzura relaxed to his former posture with a relieved look. Tatsuya thought Tsuzura changed his attitude a little too easily. Maybe, it wasn’t because she was his cousin that Tsuzura’s worries eased; Tsuzura was probably confident because she was Miyuki’s cousin, Tatsuya extrapolated.
“I haven’t determined who to ask to handle the Four Phase Movement, yet. And, I believe my sister will handle the necessary Gravity Control.”
At the same time as Tatsuya said that, Miyuki made a small seated bow.
“I believe that is a suitable personnel selection.”
This time, Tsuzura’s face showed understanding. Currently, in First High school, the student with the highest level of magic power aside from the third years was Miyuki. Tsuzura naturally knew this.
“With all that done then, the only thing undecided in the first order of business is who to ask to handle the Four Phase Movement.”
As he spoke, Tsuzura turned his eyes to Azusa.
“Is there any impediment for Nakajou-san?”
The one who replied to Tsuzura’s suggestion was Tatsuya, not Azusa herself.
“I believe the president should oversee the overall operation.”
“I see. Certainly, that would be appropriate.”
Withdrawing his own suggestion, Tsuzura once again looked lost in thought. At that point, Izumi raised her hand.
“Umm, is it all right if that task were left to us?”
This proposal should have been something unanticipated, but, without letting what was going on in the back of his mind show, Tatsuya asked in a businesslike tone.
“By us, do you mean the two of you, Kasumi and yourself?”
“Yes, I might not have enough power myself to do it, but if Kasumi-chan and I do it together, I think we would surely be useful.”
Listening to Izumi’s words were the other six people (Tsuzura, Azusa, Isori, Tatsuya, Miyuki, Honoka) here, among whom four had a puzzled look on their faces.
“…..I can understand Tsuzura-sensei knowing, but I didn’t think even Shiba-senpai would know.”