by Sato Tsutomu
"But didn't the President and company handily deal with it? Isn't worrying about nonexistent injuries a sign of general anxiety? This sort of reverse thinking is harmful to mental health."
Kirihara's forthright comment caused Hattori to laugh lightly.
"Kirihara, I really envy your ability to let it go, but that's not what I'm considering."
Hattori stopped for a moment then shook his head again.
"......At the time, I couldn't do anything at all."
"That's because if you acted without thinking, that would only worsen the situation. I think that holding back shows that you maintained a level head during a crisis."
Kirihara's words were meant to be comforting and not superficial lip service at all. From his objective analysis of the situation, Hattori also acknowledged his words.
Even so, Hattori's expression remained heavy.
"However...... Shiba-san adopted the correct choice of action. She chose the appropriate task based on her expertise and did not forget to alert everyone of her actions. Even if the conflicting Magic Sequences did not suddenly disappear before she invoked her magic, she should have been able to team up with Group Leader Juumonji to handle the situation."
"At the time, Chief Watanabe also didn't act. Given that Shiba-san specializes in Freezing-Type Magic, isn't this just a matter of magic suitability?"
"Watanabe-senpai's expertise lies in anti-personnel combat, so she was holding back as a method of self-restraint for the benefit of the whole. In that situation, I am able to accomplish more objectives.
......No, the question at hand isn't about Magic Power. Watanabe-senpai instantly made the correct assessment that she was not the correct person to do the job and called on Group Leader Juumonji to assist. Before she even said anything, Group Leader Juumonji already realized that this was a situation he would be called upon and was already constructing his Magic Sequence. They also came to the conclusion that just the Group Leader alone was insufficient to combat this threat, but didn't panic and use magic haphazardly. Shiba-san calmly determined what she could do and verbalized this to everyone.
The problem is not just about strong or weak Magic Powers or the ability to use diverse or powerful magics or simply a technical issue, but as a Magician, are you able to use the appropriate magic in the right circumstances — yes, the problem isn't 'magic' talent, but the 'Magician's' talent. There is no doubt her Magic Power is staggering and on pure strength alone there's an 80% chance I would lose to her. However, until today, I've never worried about that point, because a Magician's quality is not measured solely by the level of their Magic Power. But — when compared to my underclassman, I am not only lacking magic talent, but also in talent as a Magician...... This is thoroughly depressing."
Hattori once more turned a glum expression while Kirihara adopted a "what am I going to do with you" look.
"Ah~ that's a matter of life experiences, and that's where I think that pair of siblings are particularly special."
"Siblings?"
His evaluation was not on "her" but "that pair of siblings", catching Hattori off guard and causing him to look at Kirihara in a quizzical manner.
"That brother of hers...... I'm guessing he’s offed someone before."
"Offed?"
Hattori's incredulous voice carried a note of shock.
"Yes, he's killed someone before, and not just one or two people."
"......You don't actually mean homicide, do you? You're referring to actual combat experience?"
"He does give people that feeling...... You know that my dad was in the marines right?"
"Yeah, I remember he had been deployed to Tsushima Island several times?"
This felt like an abrupt change in topic, but Hattori didn't dwell on this point and continued with Kirihara's conversation.
"Dad was only a corporal, but on the other hand, because he was a low-ranking officer, he was deployed to the front lines where he got to know a lot of soldiers who spent their days in the trenches. Occasionally, some of Dad's old war buddies would come over to my house, and they give off a completely different vibe from normal people. Regardless of whether it's kenjutsu or shooting, no matter how much we train in combat tactics and martial techniques, the sheer killing intent given off by soldiers who have killed in the heat of combat differs from athletes that haven't. Do you know the details behind the incident in April?"
Another change in topic.
"Why did you bring this up...... I heard that was caused by anti-magic terrorists. I only know that the terrorist cell was cleared out by Juumonji."
Hattori was displeased with the abrupt change in direction but kept a lid on his annoyance. Instinctively, he felt this was all connected.
"Is that so...... Then I can't go into too much detail...... Although since it's you, I think I can take it to this level. I was present at the suppression of the terrorists, as well as the Shiba siblings."
"......Really?"
"I can understand why you would ask that, but that's the truth. There, I think I saw Shiba — the older Shiba's natural instinct."
"Natural instinct?"
Compared to Kirihara's current words, his voice also carried a tinge of trepidation, which caused Hattori to immediately fire back a question.
"Yes, natural instinct, or at least a part of it. It was terrifying. He had the same quality the soldiers on the front line had but his killing intent was several times more intense, like a thick coating of killing intent covering him like a great coat. He was dangerous enough to cause a shiver to run down my spine, enough to make me wonder what a guy like that’s doing in high school."
Kirihara's mouth may have said this, but his expression seemed very agitated.
"......There should be no way to hide his age."
Hattori was feigning naivety. This slightly off-tangent impression was a better gauge of his astonishment than the expression on his face.
"This only goes to show that age doesn't equate to experiences."
Kirihara could understand why his friend was so stunned, but because he had also been in the same position he didn't make light of Hattori's tangent and only smiled wryly in reply.
Hattori looked to ask again, but this time there was a blatant hesitation in his voice.
"......Shiba-san as well?"
This hesitation was largely born from an "unable to believe" mentality. On the other hand, Kirihara seemed immune to this thought — probably heavily influenced by his girlfriend since spring — and answered his friend's question in a frank manner.
"I didn't witness exactly what the sister did, but given that the older brother was willing to bring her to the combat zone, she definitely isn't an ordinary girl. You know from today that the most beautiful rose has her own thorns, but not only that, she's probably more like the peacock that possesses both the sharp talons and malevolent beak capable of hunting poisonous serpents, right? Pursuing her is like having a death wish. Ignorance is bliss, eh?"
Kirihara's last two sentences weren't for Hattori's ears, but a subtle hint for the hapless male students surrounding Miyuki on the car.
"But I never thought that the Hattori with 'that kind of personality' would say something like this."
Hattori was still digesting all of this information while Kirihara sent a bemused smirk his way.
"......What do you mean?"
The hidden meaning behind Kirihara's smirk rubbed Hattori the wrong way, prompting his displeased rejoinder.
However, Kirihara's delighted smirk was not diminished in the slightest.
"A Magician's quality is not measured by their Magic Power alone, eh? Wouldn't the President be very pleased upon hearing that you personally said those words?"
"Huh......!"
Hattori glared darkly at Kirihara.
Yet, Kirihara maintained his bright smile, no, thanks to Hattori's overreaction, his smile grew even wider, which caused Hattori to be the first one to turn aside.
"Let's table quality f
or the moment, but Magic Power is definitely not the only indicator of strength."
Hattori took a step forward without any warning at all, clearly signifying his intent to leave Kirihara behind. Still, Kirihara ignored this blatant protest and followed Hattori's footsteps as he continued.
"The difference between Blooms and Weeds lies in the difference in technical scores on the entrance exam. Certainly there are Course 1 students who progress rapidly, but there are also people stagnating as well. Take Chiyoda for example, she's completely different than her arrogant self last summer who rested her laurels on talent. The Course 2 students are the same, and, so long as they don't self destruct, surely some of them would become stronger? ......No, this isn't pure speculation, there are quite a few 'capable' guys in Course 2 right now, and doubly more so in this year's batch. Oh by the way, I'm not saying this just because I lost to the older Shiba."
Hattori's shoulders shook violently.
Seeing this, Kirihara thought, "Oh right, this guy also got his ass handed to him on a platter."
"At any rate, I admit that he's stronger than me right now. But even if that guy is approaching cheating levels in terms of strength, I don't plan on always admitting defeat. I will continue to train myself and triumph the next time I challenge him. If I give up solely because I'm not as capable now, then I'm always a loser.
Currently, many Course 2 students give up because they're not as capable as others, hence why they've never improved. We have no obligation to accept them as our equals. On the other hand, for those that seek greater strength and better themselves along the way, we have no reason to scorn them either."
Hattori still had no response as he quickly advanced towards his own room without a word.
Kirihara shrugged and turned to see the pair of siblings who were the topic of their discussion.
Not far behind Kirihara, the younger Shiba was solemnly watching her older brother.
Seeing this, Kirihara thought, "Let's hope nothing troublesome happens".
And promptly mocked himself for this random thought.
◇◇◇
Kirihara's premonition headed in the direction he least desired and struck his fragile but earnest hope.
"Then, according to Onii-sama, that earlier incident was not accidental......?"
His sister frowned as she asked this question, to which Tatsuya subtly nodded in reply as he pushed the cart forward.
"The vehicle's trajectory was too unnatural and the investigation yielded the expected results. There were remnants of magic left on the vehicle."
Tatsuya modulated his volume to avoid eavesdroppers and Miyuki emulated her older brother's soft tones.
"But I didn't see anything......"
While the literal meaning of those words were a denial, Miyuki never doubted her brother for a moment.
She had a front row seat to the "accident" from the start.
And until the last moment, she never felt a trace of the other side using magic.
Her brother was different. Miyuki could only see the "present", but all of the "past" were within her brother's purview.
Miyuki knew that if her brother had determined "there were remnants", then that was the truth of the matter.
"At the time, they used small scale magic within the tightest time frames possible, which is a high level technique designed to avoid leaving remnant psions from the Magic Sequence at the scene. Our opponent was likely an agent who had undergone specialized training, which is all the more pitiful given that he was a sacrifice."
"A...... sacrifice?"
That sentence had an ominous meaning, causing Miyuki's voice to be weaker than she intended.
"Magic was used three times during the incident, first the magic that burst the tire, second the magic that caused the vehicle to spin, and the last to apply force diagonally upwards in order to use the protective railing as a launch pad.
All three were cast within the vehicle in order to hide the fact that they used magic. In reality, most of the Magicians on hand didn't detect this, including you as well. 'At the time', I was also unaware, that's how well this was played. Especially the last technique, for the Magician to be aboard a spinning vehicle and still be able to pinpoint the exact moment of impact with the railing must have required intense training."
"Then, the one who used magic was......"
"The culprit is the Magician in the driver's seat. In other words, a suicide attack."
Miyuki stopped short and lowered her head.
Her shoulders were slightly trembling.
"How despicable......!"
This was not an expression of sadness, but fury.
His sister did not bear a misguided sense of compassion towards the criminal, but a deep sense of anger at the mastermind who gave the order. Satisfied, Tatsuya nodded.
"Criminals and terrorists originally are the scum of the Earth, and their leaders are rarely the type to gamble with their own lives, which can easily be seen from this example. There would be no end if we became enraged every time this occurred. Besides, I'm more concerned with the intent behind all of this."
Tatsuya gently patted his sister's back a few times to comfort her, then resumed pushing the cart forward.
Miyuki swiftly followed behind.
—And stopped not ten steps away.
A young lady sitting on a couch near the wall waved at them. She wore a pair of shorts and braided sandals that showed off her toned legs, as well as a vest that clearly revealed both shoulders.
Tatsuya also came to a stop alongside Miyuki and glanced over at his friend who then stopped waving and rose from the sofa. She apparently mistook this location for a tropical beach resort.
"It's been a week, how have you guys been?"
"Hm, not bad...... Speaking of which, Erika, why are you here?"
"To cheer you guys on, of course."
After a short exchange of greetings, Miyuki asked in a bewildered manner, to which Erika replied frankly.
Of course, Miyuki anticipated this sort of answer but was also unable to accept it.
"But the competition starts two days from now."
"Yep, I know."
Erika's personality veered towards that of a mischievous child who delighted in teasing others, often making it very hard to get to the point.
"Miyuki, I'm leaving first. Erika, see you around."
Tatsuya immediately elected to abandon further questioning and, leaving Miyuki and Erika in the lobby, moved the overflowing push cart towards the room reserved for the technician team.
"Ah, uh, see you later...... Hold it, at least let me say hi?"
"Sorry, the senpais from the technician team are waiting for Onii-sama. So why are you here two days early?"
Miyuki apologized on behalf of her brother before asking further.
"Tonight's the meet and greet, right?"
"............"
"............"
"............So?"
Miyuki waited for Erika to reply, but she felt that no matter how long she waited, she still wouldn't get a full answer, so Miyuki was forced to change the subject.
"I should probably caution you. Unrelated personnel are not permitted access to the dinner, and that includes students."
"Ah, don't worry, we got that covered."
"Ah? You said......"
"Erika, the key to the room...... Eh, Miyuki-chan?"
Miyuki wanted to ask "You said something about having it covered?", but was interrupted by a voice of an approaching young lady.
"Mizuki, you came too?"
"Miyuki-chan, good afternoon...... What is it?"
Mizuki heard Miyuki questioning Erika and warmly greeted her, but noticed that Miyuki was staring at her in place of a greeting, causing her to smile awkwardly.
"......Quite conspicuous."
"Uh...... really?"
Mizuki glanced at herself uneasily. Today, she was wearing an upper garment with thin shoulder straps plus a skirt that was several
inches higher above the knees. For some people, she was probably more tempting than Erika.
On first impulse, Miyuki thought something like "Did everyone mistake this for a summer resort?".
"Erika said not to dress too conservatively, so......"
"Is that so......"
Miyuki wanted to say a few choice words to Erika, but seeing her feign ignorance and turn her head, Miyuki gave this up as a lost cause.
Miyuki could now sympathize why her brother often sighed when dealing with Erika.
"Mizuki, I'm saying this for your benefit, but you might want to get changed. The getup is adorable and suits you perfectly, but I think there's a better time and place."
However, Miyuki didn't just smile and nod. Her personality was slightly more righteous than her brother, and more obstinate as well.
"Is that...... so? ......Really?"
"Yes, you should."
Mizuki peered at Erika as she asked her, while Miyuki also watched Erika as she nodded in assent.
"Eh~ Really~?"
Erika finally stopped play acting and disagreed with a huff.
"Speaking of room keys, where are you guys staying?"
......This time, it was Miyuki's turn to ignore that sally.
"Yes."
Mizuki answered while Erika was fuming by the side, but she didn't press Miyuki.
During the past four months, Erika learned from their mutual interactions that this beautiful young lady that looked like she would show leniency towards even bugs possessed a strong and ruthless personality.
"I can't believe there are barred rooms...... No, even more importantly, it's amazing how the hotel actually let you guys stay. I thought ordinary people are barred from access......"
"Here's where you call on your connections."
Her mood restored, Erika revealed the answer without any guilt whatsoever, forcing Miyuki to burst into laughter.
"That's the Chiba Family for you."
While her tone was still joking, Miyuki was in no way paying superficial praise, but actually touching upon the truth.
Just as the Ten Master Clans bear the numbers one through ten in their names, the primary families within the Hundred Families such as Chiyoda, Isori, all bore numbers beyond 11 in their names. The size of the number had no correlation with the strength of the family, but the very fact that one possessed a number in their surname directly equated to a superior bloodline and was an excellent indicator of an individual's potential as a Magician. Magical families that have a number in their names are collectively known as the "Numbered Family System" (This is only one way of estimating ability. Even in First High's Student Council, only Mayumi herself came from the "Numbered Family System").