Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 09 - Visitor Chapter (I)

by Sato Tsutomu

  "I don't want to be told that by you Japanese who aren't ashamed to hide your true intentions with a façade!"

  "Aren't you 1/4 Japanese yourself?"

  "..."

  "The 'Parade' you use was developed in Japan, and the reason you can use it is because of the Kudou, in other words Japanese, blood flowing within you right? Besides which, double standards are the hallmark of the white establishment. I've yet to hear of a people who don't separate their true feelings from their façade."

  Lina silently glared at Tatsuya, her white skin flushed bright red. Silently, as she didn't even let out a groan.

  Facing Lina's eyes with his terrible grin, Tatsuya noticed her bloodlust had completely faded and he smiled wryly.

  "...Is something strange?"

  "No, I'm just thinking that interrogating Lina at this rate is just going to make her more obstinate."

  "At least call it pride!"

  Knowing the difference between obstinacy and pride, her Japanese really isn't bad, Tatsuya thought, impressed. —Not that that was very relevant.

  "The other groups will be here soon too..."

  "Wait! Are you listening to me at all??"

  It was best to ignore the irrelevant things.

  "Lina, let's have a fair deal. If you think three on one is unfair, what about a one on one. If you win, we'll let you go for today. If I win, you'll have to truthfully answer our questions. How's that?"

  Even if Lina won, Tatsuya still knew her true identity, and if he won, she would have to talk. Although the match would be one on one, the conditions still weren't balanced.

  "...Fine." "Please wait!"

  As Lina accepted bitterly, Miyuki spoke up at the same time.

  Both Tatsuya and Lina looked over at Miyuki.

  Undaunted, Miyuki spoke clearly.

  "Onii-sama, please leave the match with Lina to me."

  "Miyuki, just what are you..."

  "Lina, remember this. I will never forgive those who intend harm on Onii-sama. I think of you as my rival and my friend, but when you declared your intent to kill him, even if those were mere words, I absolutely will not forgive it. By my own hands, I will have you realise your sin."

  Miyuki's eyes shone with a fully serious light. Seeing that far too deep obsession, it seemed like Lina would laugh it off as deception, but she only let out a chuckle.

  "Don't worry. I won't kill you."

  Miyuki's words declared it was already her victory.

  "Hmph...Miyuki, you think you can win against me? I, who hold the name of Sirius, me!"

  Hearing that, the flames of battle flared up in Lina's chest.

  The two queens glared at one another.

  "Alright. Miyuki, I leave it to you. Is that fine with you, Lina?"

  "Thank you very much, Onii-sama."

  "Have it your way. If I lose, I'll tell you whatever you want. Not that that will ever happen though!"

  The agreement was made. And so it was that the two extraordinary beauties prepared to raise the curtain on a magnificent duel.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  Miyuki's prowess with cooling and freezing magic was unrivaled.

  However the nature of her magic came from shutting down the motion of molecular vibration, and wasn't derived from the harnessing of snow spirits or ice demons. Of course, it wasn't like in those settings common to fantasies aimed at young kids, where receiving the patronage of such a spirit granted immunity to cold. The point being.

  Cold is cold.

  Riding tandem in a bike in the midst of this midwinter night, there was no way she wouldn't have been cold.

  So—

  (There's no problem in being like this, right...it's cold after all.)

  While clinging tightly to Tatsuya, pressing her cheek to his back as well as her chest, Miyuki repeated such an excuse in her head.

  —Is there any point in making excuses by this time? Was something that was best left unsaid.

  Flicking a glance at the headlights of the motorcycle right behind him, if anyone had seen his expression, it could only have been described as 'mischievous'.

  From his position he was unable to see Miyuki at all behind Tatsuya's shadow, but he was perfectly able to predict what her actions, condition and expression would be. To him, the feelings the siblings had for each other were something quite of interest.

  As the corners of his mouth twitched, he felt a rising tension from next to him. It seemed like his smile had been misinterpreted.

  "There's no need for such concern. As long as you follow the agreement, I have no intention of harming you."

  "...Considering the position I'm in, are you really telling me to believe that?"

  Her eyes fixed forwards, Lina replied in a harsh voice. No, rather than 'harsh' it would be 'stiff'.

  "Well, I can see where you're coming from."

  Caught between Yakumo and his disciple in the back seat of the sedan, if anyone had seen her position they would no doubt have assumed she was being escorted. Knowing the power of the men sitting beside her, that feeling only deepened.

  Yakumo had taken out two Stars in the blink of an eye.

  Without any one of them noticing at all, that black clad— ninja had suddenly appeared right behind them. The back of the man gripping the wheel had no openings either.

  Even at three to one odds she didn't think they would have been opponents she couldn't defeat, but she knew she would most likely not escape unscathed either.

  "But you can be at ease."

  Perceiving her tension, and estimating that it stemmed from her vigilance and hostility, Yakumo spoke in a relaxed tone.

  For Lina, that was even more disconcerting.

  "I have no interest in what happens between you and Tatsuya-kun. My only interest is the proper handing down of our secrets. All I ask of you is, like I said earlier, to not reveal what we taught the Kudou to others. So that those who are not privileged to know do not learn."

  "...You don't care even for your national interests?"

  "Nope."

  "Not even world peace? The future of humanity?"

  "Not in the least. I'm a recluse."

  "You're a magician as well, aren't you!"

  Yakumo's words were simply irreconcilable with Lina's values. And so, she unnecessarily wasn't able to believe him.

  "I am a shinobi. Not a magician."

  Yakumo replied to her in a calm voice. A decisive refutation.

  "...Aren't Ninjutsu users a type of magician?"

  "Just because we can use magic, doesn't mean we must become magicians."

  She knew what he meant.

  She could understand.

  Yet even so, Lina could not agree to what Yakumo said.

  "In the same way, just because one became a magician doesn't automatically place an obligation upon them to serve their country."

  She couldn't agree, but for some reason, she couldn't object either.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  The car Lina rode in stopped somewhere at a riverbank.

  'Somewhere' was in the sense that Lina had no idea where it was, but guessing from their travel time it should still be within the city or the suburbs. Lina was surprised that such a metropolitan city like Tokyo still had such places.

  No lights were visible at all.

  With the sedan's headlights turned off, as well as the lights of the bike behind, the place was pitch black.

  With no moon, and only the starlight to guide them through the darkness, Tatsuya and Miyuki walked up.

  All of a sudden, Lina was attacked by anxiety.

  Her CAD had not been taken, but she no longer had her transmitter or communications terminal. She hadn't been subject to a body check, but all her equipment had been guessed and she had had no choice but to obediently hand them over.

  She was assured that they would be returned to her later, but for now, she had no way of contacting her compatriots as to her whereabouts. A satellite should have been monitoring her movements, but the ones t
aking her here were skilled in the art of 'Ninjutsu', well known for their illusionary shadow magic. It was more than plausible they could fool even military grade high resolution satellite cameras.

  —It was possible that she had been brought to this isolated place to be confined. In the worst case, she might even be assassinated.

  Lina tightly squeezed the CAD at her breast through her clothes.

  —In that worst case, she would have to play her trump card.

  "I can pretty much guess what you're thinking, but we're seriously going to keep our word so relax."

  It took all Lina had to not cry out. Being spoken to so suddenly, she couldn't suppress a shiver. When she turned around, she saw Tatsuya, who had closed in enough for his expression to be visible under the starlight, laughing silently.

  "I'm just reminding you of the conditions. If you answer the questions I have, we'll drop you off at the station."

  Being the other party, it was a very outrageous laugh.

  "That's only if you win."

  Naturally, Lina's voice was sour.

  "Of course. In that case, we'll carry out the terms as well."

  His shamelessness, not decreasing in the least, was irritating her more and more, yet Lina knew that getting all worked up here would only worsen her position.

  Tightly clenching her teeth, she set her eyes behind Tatsuya — towards Miyuki.

  Eyes overflowing with fighting spirit stared back. Miyuki too was already brimming with motivation.

  "Now then...Lina may be dissatisfied with this, but the referee will be Master. All he'll be refereeing however is deciding who wins and who loses, so he won't be pausing the match or interfering partway through."

  "I knew that there would be no one but enemies here from the start, so there's nothing to be dissatisfied over."

  "That's very good grace."

  Tatsuya coolly cruised over her sarcastic comment.

  Her frustration had been boiling over, yet now Lina suddenly felt calm.

  "Then, this humble servant Kokonoe Yakumo will be your referee for this match. The victory conditions are when one party surrenders, or is rendered incapable of further combat. No killing please. That would only lead to ill-will."

  "Understood. That's perfectly fine."

  "I'll finish everything long before that."

  Miyuki nodded quietly, while Lina gave a spirited agreement.

  While their attitude was contrasting, their absolute faith in their own victory was shared.

  Everything was on edge.

  "Then, shall we start?"

  "Master, one moment please."

  Unfortunately, someone who was totally incapable of reading the mood was there. Absolutely ignoring the stares Yakumo and Lina were sending him, Tatsuya walked to his little sister.

  He approached to within two feet of her, yet still didn't stop.

  "Um, Onii-sama?"

  Without replying to Miyuki, who was confusedly unable to guess her brother's intent,

  One foot.

  He continued on.

  He finally stopped close enough to be able to hold Miyuki if he stretched out,

  —and embraced her.

  "Ummmumumum."

  Being held so tightly at the waist, Miyuki blushing furiously began to panic. A third party would probably have found that odd, considering how much she had been hugging him just earlier, but to her hugging and being hugged were two entirely separate things.

  Tatsuya's other hand caressed Miyuki's head.

  Miyuki was no longer capable of sound.

  Running his fingers through his sister's hair,

  Drawing her face which had ceased all resistance to his lips,

  Tatsuya gave Miyuki a kiss on the forehead.

  When he finally let go, Miyuki's wide-eyed face was revealed.

  There was no embarrassment, only frozen shock.

  "This...why..."

  "You showed me how to do this earlier, and while it's imperfect, I remembered the gist of it. Although it's only temporary, I restore your power to you. Please compete to your heart's content."

  "...Yes!"

  At her brother's words, in utter earnest, Miyuki nodded with an indomitable smile.

  "Sorry to keep you waiting, master."

  Lina, standing next to Yakumo, was making a face as if she had eaten too much and gotten heartburn.

  "Lina as well...I know that was rude, but you don't mind a few moments right?"

  "You're one to talk...no, it's fine."

  Replying to the (in her eyes) now utterly indifferent Tatsuya, Lina answered in her most sarcastic voice.

  Miyuki didn't follow behind. It seemed she didn't intend to engage in close combat.

  From Lina's observations so far and in the light of this, Lina determined that Miyuki was a typical magician deficient in physical abilities. For the rogue magician executioner 'Sirius', they were the easiest type of prey.

  (I'll end this in one blow!)

  There had been no starting signal yet, but Lina had no intention of waiting for any such thing. There had been nothing in the arrangements about a signal after all.

  Close the gap with self-acceleration magic, neutralise the opponent's magic with Data Fortification, then eliminate in CQC.

  Then while Tatsuya and the others were distracted by Miyuki's loss, use high speed magic to make an escape.

  That was the plan.

  However, she could only let out a silent cry.

  One step faster than she could activate magic, a tempest was rushing in.

  The moment Lina leaped aside, a torrent of frozen air flashed past. As she raised her head, this time she saw a blizzard howling in from the side. By manipulating air density and creating a wall of vacuum, Lina was able to weather the storm somehow.

  "I guess this much isn't enough."

  As Miyuki muttered to herself, the night air began to gather around her.

  Lina clenched her teeth.

  In terms of activation speed, Lina wins over Miyuki.

  For Miyuki to have made the first move, meant she must have set up earlier.

  Not to mention the two volleys just earlier were sequences designed to maximise speed at the cost of power.

  Lina felt shamed twice over.

  Both at her intention to exploit her opponent's naivety, and being caught off guard in turn.

  She had thought she could win even with powered down attacks and, in fact, she had come dangerously close.

  (But now it's my turn!)

  The gap was likely in order to cast a stronger magic for the decisive blow. But that would be fatal, Lina thought. As she did so, she simultaneously activated self-acceleration and Data Fortification.

  By cladding herself in self-acceleration magic which lowered both gravity and inertia, Lina rushed straight towards Miyuki. Her right hand grasped what had looked like decorative buttons on her jacket.

  She hadn't taken out her gun, but this much should be more than enough to take out a high school girl.

  Then the moment Lina was five meters away, her intuition screamed for her to halt.

  She planted her feet firmly to resist a gale which suddenly threatened to pull her body in.

  She applied a static magic on herself to further counter that drag force.

  In that position, she triggered movement magic on the buttons in her hand. The buttons, empowered to move at 300 km/h without acceleration, slowed and dropped to the ground before they had traveled even one meter.

  Miyuki's senses had felt Lina blazing in faster than the eye could see.

  Although she couldn't draw data directly from the dimension of information like Tatsuya, it was possible to perceive the traces of event modification left by magic. This was something any magician could do at varying levels, and anything a magician could do Miyuki could do at the highest level.

  Self-acceleration was a magic which caused event modification on the user themselves. Therefore by tracking the traces of event modification in real time, i
t was possible to determine the position of the caster. Miyuki had learned how to exploit that weakness of self-acceleration from Tatsuya.

  Everything so far had proceeded just as planned. Her saying "I guess this much isn't enough" had been deliberate, a suggestive ploy to provoke the other side.

  The clincher would be this next magic.

  ([Deceleration Zone])

  The technique itself was rather commonplace. It was a magic widely used both in Japan and abroad to slow the movement of a target object.

  But when Miyuki uses this magic, her targets can extend even to gas molecules.

  The movement speed of gas molecules is proportional to its pressure. To be precise (although this is still just an approximation) in an enclosed space, the pressure of a gas is proportional to the square of its movement speed. By forcibly decelerating the movement speed of air molecules in a region the pressure falls, and the resulting pressure gradient causes air from the surrounding space to move in.

  Rapidly and forcefully.

  Not just air, but people and objects were sucked in as well.

  If a person caught in this had insufficient power to oppose the magic, they would be deprived of their movement speed and trapped.

  And if the person had sufficient interference power to shut down the magic, the greatly decelerated gas molecules would suddenly regain their speed and expansion back to an appropriate pressure would occur; in other words, an explosion.

  A magic which originally was only used in battle as a second option to reduce the impact of projectiles when lacking the power to outright stop them, had been wrought into a two-fold anti-personnel magic by Miyuki's overwhelming magic power.

  However, Lina held her ground against the raging suction force.

  What she had shot out had looked like ornamental buttons.

  Merely given some initial velocity there was no way those clumps of resin could break through Miyuki's Deceleration Zone, but more importantly, they had clued Lina in as to exactly just what kind of magic Miyuki was using.

  (If that's the case!)

  Always be prepared two, three steps ahead of your opponent, was something repeatedly taught to her by Tatsuya on a daily basis. If the plan to draw the opponent into Deceleration Zone and eliminate her there failed, she had planned strategies to take her down outside the area as well.