Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 11 - Visitor Chapter (III)

by Sato Tsutomu

  Mayumi, who had been piled with mentally draining things from the morning onward, immediately after lunch came to this shooting range and had already been at it for three hours. Determinedly, she shot targets with a long, narrow, cane-shaped specialized CAD with a handle.

  Pierce.

  Destroy.

  Unlike using an actual gun, firing with magic did not cause a recoil that would hurt her hands, but the mental fatigue was naturally harsh.

  Nevertheless, to the extremely gloomy Mayumi, this fatigue warmed her heart.

  Without worrying about the pace, she earnestly fired, and before she knew it, she had depleted the stock of targets. She cast her eye at her watch and was surprised by how much time had passed; she placed her CAD on the rack and started to put everything else away. —After she started.

  "Onee-chan, I'm back!"

  However, when she took off her information blocking goggles, she received an embrace from behind that she was unprepared for — a change of plans was unavoidable.

  "Kasumi-chan, don’t cause problems for Onee-sama by jumping at her suddenly."

  "Geez, Izumi, you are such a nag."

  "That’s because Kasumi-chan is so ill-mannered."

  The problem was only a simple stumble and she was immediately released (Kasumi was torn off of Mayumi) for which she was, to be frank, grateful for.

  "Kasumi-chan, Izumi-chan, welcome home."

  During the twins' usual spat — that is to say playful bickering — Mayumi restored her posture and came to them.

  "I'm back, Onee-sama."

  The girl who politely bowed with her hands together was the younger twin, Saegusa Izumi. A feminine girl with hair in a straight bob that went to her shoulders.

  The one who had embraced Mayumi was the elder of the twins, Mayumi’s younger sister and Izumi’s elder sister, Saegusa Kasumi. She was the opposite of Izumi, a tomboyish girl with short hair.

  They were monozygotic[14] twins, but because their tastes and manners were completely opposite, ordinarily you wouldn’t mistake one for the other.

  "What are you practicing? It’s not an actual physical bullet Movement magic. Virtual Field magic?"

  "Virtual Area Expansion Penetration magic, right? Onee-sama has been practicing this magic often, lately."

  However, they shared a similar sharp sensitivity toward magic. Anyone would say that Mayumi's sensitivity towards the practical was superior to her ability with theory, but the twins were the type of magician that had the same orientation as her. Their ability to discern the identity of invoked sequences might be even greater than Mayumi’s own. Just now, they had perceived the magic she had used correctly from the ‘bullet hole’ that remained on the target.

  Mayumi spoiled the twins too much because they were adorable, and the pair adored Mayumi in return. However, lately — perhaps due to their ages — she had noticed them being a little insolent.

  "Nevertheless, Onee-sama has certainly been pounding away a lot."

  Izumi’s sharp eyes perceived the lack of remains of the targets, causing her to speak out in a slightly astonished tone.

  "Then, Hirofumi-san came?"

  Kasumi answered in a smirking voice.

  "Onee-chan, you definitely get in a bad mood when Hirofumi-san comes."

  Her unwavering expression disappeared; Mayumi had not thought anyone could see what she was trying to hide.

  At any rate, these two were quite perceptive.

  Or perhaps I am more easy to read than I believed, thought Mayumi, becoming a little depressed.

  "I don’t think Hirofumi is all that bad a person."

  "He isn’t a bad person, but that’s all he is. Such an unreliable person is not suitable for Onee-sama."

  "Izumi, your scoring is too harsh. Okay, what kind of person would be all right, how about Katsuto-kun?"

  "Hey, Kasumi-chan, Juumonji-kun and I aren’t particularly—"

  "That’s right, he’s not deficient in good looks but the unfortunate point about him is that he wouldn't exactly try to understand a maiden's heart."

  Why did — Mayumi sincerely thought this — Katsuto’s name come up; Mayumi hurriedly tried to fix her younger sister’s ‘misunderstanding,’ but neither Izumi nor Kasumi was listening.

  "Let’s see, how would I go about making the right guy for her… Anyway, I thinks it's only natural that a guy wouldn’t understand a maiden’s heart since we don’t understand what guys are thinking."

  "Kind! You’re being too kind, Kasumi-chan! It’s enough that a maiden understands a man’s heart after they become lovers! In order to make a maiden’s heart his, first the man must understand the maiden’s heart."

  "A maiden’s heart... fine. So, what would be necessary other than good looks?"

  "Love, absolutely... If there’s a sudden hurdle that’s too high, a fierce true love should awaken, right."

  "We’ve been together since birth, but I didn’t know you were this much of a romanticist (spelled as person with the mindset of a little girl), Izumi. I thought you were only being rigid."

  "I feel like you meant something else when you said ‘romanticist’... well, enough about that. Besides, I am not a romanticist, Kasumi-chan; you just don’t care enough about this stuff."

  "Whatever, I'm not very girlish anyway. So, after all, who is allowed to be loved by Onee-chan? Someone like Hattori-san?"

  "Kasumi-chan! How do you know Hanzou-kun’s name!?"

  Appearing out of nowhere (actually she’d been there from the start), Mayumi was between them because she couldn’t just silently listen to these words. Mayumi had absolutely no recollection of introducing Hattori to her younger sisters.

  "Of course, we would know about any annoying bugs buzzing around Onee-sama"

  "Izumi-chan, I don’t believe it, you two haven’t been spying on me, have you!? It doesn’t... it’s none of your business who I date or anything else!"

  "Wrong, Onee-chan. Izumi and I have school, so there’s no way we can go around spying on you, so there!"

  (You’ve been using other people to do it!?)

  She was only screaming in her mind, so of course it could not be heard by other people. However, perhaps the twins could hear it somehow, but Mayumi couldn’t see them acting like they did from their behavior.

  "Besides, Kasumi-chan and I worry about Onee-sama? In spite of Onee-sama being so beautiful, you’ve never had a boyfriend and you’re already eighteen... You’re even about to graduate high school."

  "It’s not that I can’t, my social standing..."

  She was aware that saying she just hadn’t made one sounded very much like an excuse. Even worse, a fairly ‘wretched’ excuse or perhaps a ‘pathetic’ kind of excuse.

  "Hey, aren’t you two in the same boat; after all, you two haven’t dated anyone either."

  So she tried to rapidly change the subject; however, Mayumi was not aware that this was also a pretty pitiful comment. —Until her sisters’ counterattack.

  "So what, Izumi and I are still fifteen."

  "As for love confessions, I received two today. They were politely refused. ‘This experience’ is not all that uncommon."

  "You’re rigid, Izumi. Wouldn’t it be all right to try dating them for a little while."

  "Kasumi-chan is too cruel. Undoubtedly, all of Kasumi-chan’s boy friends don’t think of Kasumi-chan as ‘a mere friend’... If you keep up with that lax behavior, sooner or later something bad will happen."

  Well aware of her own patheticness, Mayumi fell into a depression to the BGM of her sisters' conversation.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  November 4th.

  At last, it was the noon break of the first day of restarted classes.

  "President — I mean, Mayumi-san. You seem a little tired."

  Worried looks were being directed at Mayumi, who was visiting the student council room to help deal with the follow-ups, by Azusa.

  "Hmm, a bit. But I’m fine."

  "Wouldn’t it be better if you
waited till next week..."

  Today was Friday. There was lessons on Saturday as well, but third years didn’t actually have to attend school, and the number of them doing self-study at home today and tomorrow was not small.

  "I thought I could not endure becoming even more worn out."

  "I see. So you left and came to school?"

  Azusa tilted her head, staring in puzzlement at Mayumi's reply.

  Well, coming to school because staying home was even more exhausting was probably something other people could not understand.

  She felt explaining would be somewhat embarrassing.

  Thus, Mayumi did not answer Azusa’s question and yawned a small ‘aah’ with one hand covering her mouth.

  She folded both arms on the table.

  Then, rested her cheek on them.

  She felt that Azusa’s eyes widened when she suddenly laid down and began to doze, but Mayumi paid her no mind and began breathing as though she was soundly asleep.

  Afterword

  Firstly, to those who picked up this book, I offer my gratitude from the depths of my heart. To the first-timers, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, and if this is not your first time, I thank you for following this series.

  This volume brings the “Visitor Chapter” to an end and yet to the Shiba siblings, it also marks an end to their first year of high school. Therefore, this time, let’s talk a little about the behind-the-scenes stuff on how “Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei” is written shall we?

  As a writer, I do not feel like my characters are alive at all. I have never once experienced anything like the god of novels descending upon me or my characters having their own will. I would like to experience those but unfortunately, it seems like the god of novels has turned away from me.

  When I start writing a story, I first start with thinking about the composition before settling its summary. Before beginning each arc, I construct its scenario and from there, I finally begin writing the text of the novel. By laying episodes of “this character would likely do such-and-such in this scene” like bricks, I built up the story of the “Enrollment Chapter” as well as the “Visitor Chapter” amongst others

  Naturally, that is not all there is to how I write. There are times when I feel like “I really want to write this sort of scene that I imagined” beforehand but those are exceptions. In such a case, I need to make sure to carefully build the story up in the direction of my imaged scene. Giving specific examples, The “Nine Schools Competition Chapter’s” last dance scene, the “Yokohama Disturbance Chapter’s” ability release scene, and in this volume, the siblings’ combination attack scene.

  Looking at it in this way, it can be easily understood that “Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei” is truly a story about both Tatsuya and Miyuki.

  What, to Tatsuya and friends is the last of their first-year episodes, is also to the third years, their graduation. However, fear not. For in this series, “graduation” does not mean that they will no longer appear. While I will not say that every one of the current third year characters will have their turn, there is definitely no shortage of opportunities for their return. … … This means that the number of characters will just keep steadily increasing. To all those involved, I am afraid to say I will be putting you through some hardships in the future.

  Now then, next time, Tatsuya and friends will enter their second year of high school. Tatsuya’s situation will also be completely flipped around. While it would sound like the title of the story should change to “Mahouka Koukou no Kakumeiji”[15], the title will remain as “Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei” so please do not worry.

  Please look forward to next volume’s “Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Double Seven Chapter”.

  (Satou Tsutomu)

  Notes

  ↑ The author makes a distinction between words that are spoken and words transmitted through electronics, I am trying to make the same distinction by using the square brackets

  ↑ Matoi is Yakumo's illusion technique. The word Matoi can mean 'Clothed' or 'Enshrouded' in something.

  ↑ The kanji for 'Shizuku' means 'teardrop'

  ↑ 顧傑

  ↑ 黒顧大人 - 大人 is an honorific similar to -sama in Japanese but is used for males only.

  ↑ Part of the ears which deals with balance.

  ↑ Respectful term of address for second eldest brother, left as is due to the awkwardness of a direct TL.

  ↑ Swordsman famous for creating Shinkage-ryū

  ↑ Reference to the Yamata no Orochi, or Eight-Forked Serpent

  ↑ Kuroba (黒羽) - black feather

  ↑ indicates electronic communication

  ↑ Polite form of address for the male head of a household

  ↑ in Japanese myths, raccoons can make evil plans with a poker face

  ↑ twins from a single egg

  ↑ If the English name is “The Irregular at Magic High School”, the possible new name is “The revolutionary at Magic High School”.

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