Talk:Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei/@comment-26168014-20150314070917

October 12th, Friday. With half a month remaining until the Thesis Competition on October 28th, the hustle and bustle within the school abruptly increased. The Kyoto Thesis Competition was said to be dedicated to pure theory, expectations were that the operational details wouldn’t be as extensive as last year’s, but in the end, it turned into a tremendous commotion.

As the presenter, Isori personally took command and entered the fray to manage the preparations. Hattori was in command of the security team and was zealous in training them. Honoka and Izumi were working together to get a handle on the arrangements to travel to Kyoto.

Of course, neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki were playing around. As Student Council President, Miyuki was responsible for keeping an eye on the progress of the entire operation and dispatching help to portions where it was bogging down. The help in most cases was Tatsuya. He participated in presentation preparations, he took part in the training of the security team and when Miyuki, Honoka and Izumi couldn't be in multiple places, he took care of the Student Council business and he also flitted about as Miyuki’s aide.

When Mikihiko finally came to the Student Council room, Tatsuya had tied up his exhausting work long enough to take a break, just around the time the school gate was closing after school.

“Pardon me….”

It seemed like Mikihiko was not yet used to using the connecting staircase between the student Council room and Public Morals headquarters. There was a distinct difference between him and the carefree Shizuku who came in with him (additionally, Shizuku was in the midst of guarding Azusa). “You’re right on time, Mikihiko”

Although Tatsuya called out to him in a lighthearted tone, Mikihiko nervousness wasn’t that easily dispelled.

“Well then…...Since I was able to see how busy you were, there was no way I was going to be later than I promised”

Hearing that statement, Miyuki let out a laugh that somehow exuded recognition.

“It would be a relief if everyone was as earnest as Yoshida kun”

Feeling that this was the calm before the storm, Tatsuya urged Mikihiko to get down to business.

“Mikihiko, shall we begin the briefing right away”

“Yes, let’s”

Perhaps, Mikihiko got the same impression, he spread out the huge roll of electronic paper, he had in his hand onto the conference table.

A map of the city of Kyoto emerged on the electronic paper that almost completely covered the table.

“Today’s briefing is regarding the preliminary report on the security of the actual location”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In a formal tone, Mikihiko begun his explanation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Regarding security on the actual day, the former head of club activities, Hattori has been assigned to proceed with the arrangements. Hattori senpai is also personally overseeing the briefing of the other schools and I think it’s fine to leave it to him, right”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is it alright not to have invited Hattori senpai to this meeting?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The one who nodded in answer to Honoka’s question as if to say it was fine was not Mikihiko but Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An agreement was reached with former chairman Hattori, that it would be fine if he was merely notified of the results of the briefing. Right, Chief Yoshida”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is as Secretarial Chief Shiba says”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko seemed to have trouble saying the title, ‘Secretarial Chief’. However, he didn’t have the nerve to ignore the official title in front of Miyuki.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Former chairman Hattori said it was fine for him not to take part in today’s briefing. Since all we’re doing is gathering information. Doesn’t all he need to do is use the resulting data”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, he couldn't ignore his uneasiness with speaking in a formal manner; Mikihiko carelessly lapsed into an informal friendly manner.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s about time to get to the essentials”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, Tatsuya also found that easier, he immediately matched that mode of speaking.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Okay. So, please look over here”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Although, his tone was friendly, this was the way he always spoke to Miyuki.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“This is the site, the New International Convention Center”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s pretty much in the outskirts of the city”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Looking at the map, Izumi stated her opinion undiffidently.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It seems like there’s a strong feeling in the area about not wanting to have conventions in the middle of the city”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">After answering Izumi’s question while smiling ironically, Mikihiko’s face stiffened.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> “Unlike last year, the volume of traffic in the area is not that much. So it can be seen that there aren’t too many places where criminals, subversives and the like can ambush us. However, because the area is so rural, it is extremely easy to conceal the preparations to do so”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko temporarily enlarged the vicinity of the convention center before, replacing it with the map of the entire city of Kyoto.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“And, even if there is not a close hiding place; I also believe that there are potential locations that can be converted to a base not too far away”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As had been arranged beforehand, Miyuki broke in during the pause in the conversation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“In short, it is your opinion, Yoshida kun, that a much wider area than the vicinity of the site should be investigated?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. No way do we want a repeat of last year”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Without a moment’s delay, Tatsuya let loose the second round of covering fire.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Agreed. Although we are nothing more than high school students, we still need to do everything we can”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya garnered gazes filled with surprise. In any case, Honoka, Izumi and Minami who knew the hidden details turned their eyes toward him without intending to but, right now, it was important that Honoka and Izumi not develop any lingering suspicions about what the people who left were doing.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, Mikihiko. who are you going to send on the preliminary investigation?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I’ll go”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is it alright for the Public Morals Chief to be absent from school?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I intend to entrust the school to Kitayama of the guard detail. Also I wish Tatsuya to come”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No problem. It’s probably necessary for at least one member of the security team to check over the actual site”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya followed up with a nod; Miyuki raised her hand.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oniisama, is it alright if I go with you?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You, the Student council president”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya asked the question without becoming visibly paler. Acting in these kinds of conditions was more of a specialty of Miyuki’s.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I wish to set up an appointment check out the hotel, the cheering squads are staying at personally. I wish to confirm that there is a shelter, they can be evacuated to if the unlikely occurs”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Miyuki, I can do that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Honoka, don’t you have transportation, reservations, and individual requests to take care of? I am only overseeing the general operation, I don’t have any other specific job”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oh, alright…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A Disappointed Honoka yielded.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Izumi seemed to want to say something as she listened to Miyuki and Honoka’s exchange but, Miyuki turned to her before she spoke.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Izumi chan while I am on my trip to Kyoto, won’t you to take my place and run things for me as the Vice President”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please, leave it to me. Use me to the fullest”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It goes without saying, Izumi actually wanted to go with Miyuki to Kyoto as well. Having been asked by her esteemed Miyuki herself to be her proxy, she wasn’t able to say no. Rather, Izumi was the type of the girl who would be all excited over “Miyuki senpai asked me to do something for her!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s the schedule?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It would be a little tight but, how about a 2 day and 1 night trip on the weekend before the Thesis Competition, the 20th to the 21th?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s a good plan, have you already pinned down the accommodations”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, I thought we’d decide on that now”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see. Minami”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya’s calling out to Minami was the last of their planned moves.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In spite of explaining this scenario to Minami as well, she was not very surprised. ---She always seemed more composed than suited her age.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Sorry, but will you make the hotel reservations for me. If you can make it the hotel, we are staying in the day before the Thesis Competition. For four people: me, Miyuki, Mikihiko, and you, Minami”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Me, as well?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh. You will help Miyuki over there for me”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Regret passed over Izumi’s face in response to Tatsuya’s statement. She was probably thinking she wanted to be running around supporting Miyuki herself. However, she had already accepted the job of being Miyuki’s stand in. If Tatsuya had been the one who had asked her, Izumi would probably have easily withdrawn her previous agreement. However, it was impossible for Izumi to even think of abandoning a task Miyuki had asked her to do.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It was time for the school gates to close, Tatsuya was slightly ahead Honoka whom he was escorting in leaving the student council room. They were going to where Shizuku who was guarding Azusa who was directing the construction of the presentation device was.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Along the way, they linked up with Mikihiko who was done with locking up Public Morals headquarters and the three went to the experiment building.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Aside from the work Isori was overseeing the auditorium, Azusa was making a console CAD that would compare the experiment’s effects.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Shizuku!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Honoka called out to Shizuku. For some reason, Chikura Tomoko and Sayaka who were on Azusa’s security detail with Shizuku and Kirihara who was supposed to be guarding Carey, all turned to look at Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Shiba, what’s up? We should have put in the requests to work overtime”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As expected, Kirihara had already stopped calling him “Shiba Ani”. Tatsuya was “Shiba” and Miyuki was President. It could be called the most proper way of addressing them.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Certainly, the overtime requests were accepted but, it’s still bad for female students to stay late into the night at school”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“....but”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kirihara notified Sayaka that they were leaving soon with a glance backward. Apparently, Sayaka felt the need to be willful about it.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s up?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As the mood was on the verge of turning uncomfortable, Shizuku asked Honoka that. She probably intended to switch the topic of conversation since she could read the mood but, Tatsuya and Mikihiko had a different matter to discuss with Shizuku.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Kitayama san, I want to ask you a little favor”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ask me?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko broached the matter while fighting the urge to snicker at the classically exaggerated puppet like head tilt she made.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“As it happens, we discussed going to Kyoto and for a look around before the Thesis Competition”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“To prepare for something like last year?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">When Shizuku heard the words “Look around”, she grasped the unstated reason.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Right. For two days, we intend to check out various matters on a 2 day 1 night stay starting the 21st. Will you act as Public Morals Chief for me for those 2 days”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For some reason, Shizuku looked toward Honoka instead of the bowing Mikihiko.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What about you, Honoka?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“eh, I’m….staying here?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hmmmm…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Shizuku’s focus switched to Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Are you going, Tatsuya san?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Shizuku thought about it for a moment then, said “Okay” to Mikihiko.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Thank you. That’s a relief”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Your welcome”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As she spoke, her eyes were not looking toward the still bowing Mikihiko but toward Honoka who was avoiding looking at Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> Inside the cabinet on the way home, Tatsuya was reading web news articles when his face changed to a “Say what?” type of expression.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oniisama, is something wrong?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Miyuki who was sitting next to him noticed immediately and questioned him.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ah, this news”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya turned the information terminal toward Miyuki. A local Kyoto news article was displayed there. It seems like Tatsuya had already started collecting information.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The article contained a full report on the body of a murdered man discovered at a famous sightseeing spot.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It was discovered this morning, the victim’s Nakura Sanburo san…...Oniisama, this person!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Miyuki also readily understood the reason for Tatsuya’s reaction.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Someone you know?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was a natural question, Minami did not recognize the name.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If it is not somebody with the same name, this is the magician that serves as Saegusa Mayumi’s bodyguard”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Minami’s eyes widened.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is the same gentleman, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I don’t know, there isn’t a picture”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Although that is what he said but, Tatsuya intuitively believed that this victim was the elderly magician that was Mayumi’s guard.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If it is the same gentleman…...could it be a coincidence?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The question, Miyuki voiced was the same one that Tatsuya and Minami were grappling with.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A magician of the Saegusa Clan was killed in Kyoto where it was likely Zhou Gongjin was in hiding. Additionally, his body indicated the death had been violent.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Normally, it would be unthinkable to write the condition of the body in an article; perhaps, it was because it was the result of magic combat.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A magician who was likely an extra yet skilled enough to be entrusted with guarding the eldest daughter of the Saegusa clan had been killed in magic combat. Even skills to that extent could be overcome. Like by that man who deeply wounded Kuroba Mitsugu and break thru the Kuroba Execution squad’s perimeter and escape….

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">There was no way Tatsuya could consider this a coincidence.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The one who was most surprised to see the news that Nakura had been killed was unmistakably her.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Otousama, please explain this!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Having been informed that Kouichi had returned home, Mayumi went into his study uninvited.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura san has been killed, what does this mean!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Both hands gesturing wildly in front of the grandiose desk, she pressed Kouichi who sat beyond it for answers.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“How do you know Nakura was killed?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There was a call from the police asking about his background!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You took it? What about school”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“They couldn’t contact Otousama or my Oniisamas so, they moved on to me!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Dolts…...what were you doing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kouichi let out a reproachful murmur at his sons’ mistakes while ignoring his own. Listening to this, Mayumi became even more incensed.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That kind of thing doesn’t matter!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Her father and the elder of her brothers’ disappearances and the younger of her brothers’ pretending that he wasn’t home were normal occurrences and as far as she was concerned completely trivial.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Enough, please stop dodging! They said Nakura san killed, what does that mean!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It means what it says, right? Nakura was killed. A good man has died”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That isn’t what I’m asking! Why was Nakura san killed in Kyoto!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There’s no reason for you to know”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kouichi coldly rebuffed his daughter. However, Mayumi did not flinch from something of this degree, she was not a weak Ojousama.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura san is my bodyguard. I should meet the qualifications of knowing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The tone had become subdued but, deep within fierier emotions swirled. One probably did not have to be Kouichi to know that. Since he knew his daughter’s character, he was aware some degree of compromise was necessary.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura was dispatched to Kyoto to do certain work. He probably got entangled in some trouble there”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Certain work? What was that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An important task for the Saegusa clan of the Ten Master Clans”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I got that! What was the task!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You don’t need to know”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, Kouichi would not acknowledge a need for a greater degree of compromise than that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was communicated to Mayumi as well. She realized questioning him even further was futile.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“.....understood. Excuse me”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Feeling a great deal of mistrust for her father, Mayumi left the study.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> However, Mayumi had not given up on her quest for the truth.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">To tell the truth, Mayumi and Nakura hadn’t really been that friendly. Nakura’s manner was normally courteous to Mayumi and always that of a servant. Mayumi hadn’t known him well, he had made her feel uneasy.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Even so, for a non-short period of time, he was someone she had known that had accompanied her in her movements and had been killed. Moreover, he had died due to a task set by her own father.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi completely disbelieved her father’s words, “He probably got entangled in some trouble there”. She was convinced that he had not been dragged into something while he was working but rather he was killed because he was working.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, that was nothing more than Mayumi’s intuition, just now she had nothing to base it on. She acknowledged that herself.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s up, Mayumi. You have been breathing out sighs for some time now. Besides, you seem somewhat dispirited. Is something wrong?

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“eh? No, Mari. It’s nothing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It doesn’t look like nothing but…...if it is really nothing then put it out of your mind. You’ve been thinking about it for a while now”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oh, I have!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Flustered, Mayumi sat up straight and fixed her gaping collar and straightened the cuffs of her sleeves.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">They were at the Magic University’s cafe, it was the time between the morning and afternoon lectures also known as lunchtime. It was a period of time when a lot of students gathered together after finishing their meals, this was not a time when the sight of the honored daughter of the Saegusa Clan of the Ten Master Clans appearing somewhat listless would go unnoticed.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">By the way, Mari being here did not mean she was skipping out on her Defense College educational regime. There were special military skills research classes at the Magic University---to put it simply, there were classes to educate magicians to be officers---under this system the Defense College would send over a chosen student once a week to take part in the lectures with those accepted into the lecture course. Mari had been chosen and today was the day of the lecture.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi temporarily looked as if nothing was wrong but she couldn’t keep it up for long. Probably because she felt secure in front of a friend she hadn’t seen in a while. Mayumi forcibly stopped herself when she realized she was sighing deeply again.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mari, there’s something I want to consult you about”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi put both elbows on the table and concealed her mouth with her hands as she spoke to Mari. It was an ill-mannered pose but it was the easiest way to prevent her lips from being read. It was allowed to use a soundproofing field in the cafe but, magic that obstructed the light because you didn’t want to be seen wasn’t permitted.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What is it?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari made the same pose. The poses deepened the impression that they were discussing secrets to the spectators.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mari, do you remember Nakura san?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s your bodyguard, right? What about him”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“He was killed”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Killed, you say, oh no...when?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari had been about to ask ‘how can speak about it looking so calm?” but, she looked into Mayumi’s eyes and saw the grief and anger swirling together in them and changed her question as she spoke.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The day before yesterday, perhaps in the middle of the night. The Kyoto police contacted me yesterday”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Kyoto? So it wasn’t someone aiming for you?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari somehow stopped herself from letting out a sigh of relief without thinking. She was feigning calm but deep in her heart she was wavering at one step away from panic. If someone was gunning for Mayumi, what could she do...the thought whirled. Knowing that for now, it was an absurd fear allowed Mari to grieve for the deceased.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s unfortunate….you have my condolences”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Thank you”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A solemn air flowed between the pair. In these wordless moments, they were probably offering up silent prayers for the deceased.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, what was the cause of death? Was it an accident?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Murder”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari already expected that answer. For someone employed as a bodyguard by the Ten Master Clans that was a normal risk.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“But, I don’t know the reason”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Before her eyes, her friend was using all her strength to bear the weighty emotions that were bursting out. Even before she was asked that by Mari, one did not eyes to see that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Father won’t tell me anything more than he sent him to Kyoto on business. What business, what kind of job, everything is unclear. At any rate, I’m sure it was some kind of shady job but even so why did he lose his life….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A sound of something being swallowed could be heard from Mayumi’s throat. Unmistakably, it was a fit of crying.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s not that I want to avenge him or something”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi somehow quieted her emotions and with that calm, she continued to talk with a voice that showed her strong will.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s nothing like that but somehow I can’t just let it go. I feel that it’s something I shouldn’t leave it as it is”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What…..do you have some basis for your thinking?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">While she was overwhelmed by Mayumi’s determination, Mari made a rational point.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Right now, nothing. This is nothing more than my intuition. But, I can’t ignore it. I can’t help feeling anxious”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I…..still don’t have much unoccupied time”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The Magic University and the Defense College were not all that far apart---to be exact, the Magic University and the special tactics research department annex were not that far apart. Also, since the secrets and inherent magics of magic students had to be concealed, student housing had to be in approved dormitories; it wasn’t that hard for them to meet.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, as Mari implied, there was no freedom in the Defense College’s curriculum as there was in Magic University’s. It could be said with the multiple required courses, a first year student didn’t have room in their life to do anything else. As much as Mari wished that she could help her friend with her worries that was impossible with her schedule.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“......how about consulting with Juumonji or Tatsuya kun?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Unexpectedly---she offered up a name, Mayumi hadn’t thought of, her eyes widened and she blinked rapidly, many times.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I can understand Juumonji kun but….. why Tatsuya kun?

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Isn’t this year’s Thesis Competition in Kyoto?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi sensed that Mari wasn’t really answering a question with a question.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The Competition is at most a two day one night stay, right? Besides he’ll be busy, he wouldn’t have the free time to do anything else, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That stuff happened just last year. Wouldn’t they do their own investigation of the area?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes, they might do that. But, Tatsuya kun would probably be helping with the presentation’s preparations and there’s also the student council work. When he’s so busy, to expressly ask him to meet with me…….what?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi became aware that Mari was looking at her with a stunned look.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“We have this and that to do as well. Wouldn’t it be fine to just ask him?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Overwhelmed by the common sense, Mayumi couldn’t come up with even the fragment of a rebuttal.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Anyway, why have you only been worried about his situation? Isn’t the first thing to do to get Juumonji kun’s cooperation? Juumonji is already a college student so isn’t he more likely to be accommodating than Tatsuya kun the high school student and as for which would be more reliable, I think for sure that it would be Juumonji kun”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Th-that’s…..we’re both members of the Ten Master Clans, I don’t want the problems of the Saegusa Clan to cause trouble for the Juumonji Clan”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari didn’t hear Mayumi’s excuse. She was able to hear the sound but, her mind completely ignored it.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mayumi, I don’t believe it but”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Wh-what?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari’s expression was not the mischievous smile one would wear when teasing a good friend, her face was subtly serious showing her earnest and genuine concern for Mayumi.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You couldn’t possibly be genuinely in love with him?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It took some time for Mari’s words to penetrate Mayumi’s consciousness.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“By him….Tatsuya kun!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Idiot, you’re too loud!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Since Mayumi had put up a soundproof field, her words didn’t leak out but, Mari’s look was so menacing it made her forget that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s impossible! Right, impossible! Seriously, me be in lo-lo-lo…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari fixated cool eyes on her mumbling friend.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mayumi, if you could see yourself now would you really be able to declare it’s impossible?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That is…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi’s voice trailed off from lack of confidence.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, she didn’t end it there. Resolutely, she looked up and puffed out her chest.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, that is really impossible. What’s impossible is impossible”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“....you’re awfully confident but, your statements really lack persuasive power……”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Tatsuya kun is a reliable boy. Like a little brother. Right, a little brother. A little brother!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, isn’t that wrong? After all, you and him are not blood related, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes, It’s an elder sister’s right to be helped by her little brother! Alright, I’ll get Tatsuya to help me dig for the truth. First, I’ll check the train schedule for going to Tokyo”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, you should….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Faced with the strangely confused Mayumi, Mari plopped down with an exhausted look.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> October,14th Sunday. Tatsuya visited the Yokohama branch office of the Magic Association.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya informed the reception desk of his name and told them that he had an appointment.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">He was already waiting in the interview room.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hayama san, it’s been a while since we have spoken. I have not kept you waiting have I?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, you are right on time, Tatsuya dono. Since I was the one who summoned you, it is only natural that I arrived first. Please, do not trouble yourself about it any further”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya bowed and stood on the opposite side from Hayama.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As if they had agreed on the timing beforehand, the pair sat down at the same time. The slight firmness of the cushion maintained the feeling of tension that was the impression, Tatsuya harbored on the sofa.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Your business is a matter to do with the current job?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya set the conversation off.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. About the attack you incurred a few days in Nara and the rest. You were not injured?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am fine. Miyuki and the others did not receive even the lightest wound. I am thankful for your concern”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That is good. Well, fellows of that level don’t have much of a chance to slow Tatsuya down. By the way, have you identified those people?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I do not know how reliable it is at this point. There’s interference in my access to the military information division, I cannot investigate the details”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hoo, the information division”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">They were exchanging jabs mixed with truth and lies. Tatsuya was not telling him everything he knew and Hayama was also probably concealing things. No, if it was limited to this conversation, it was more like Hayama hadn’t said anything.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am sorry. But for that reason, I have not made enough progress that I am able to give you a report”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, no. Both Okusama and myself view securing the cooperation of the Kudou Clan as a major accomplishment in itself”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya observed Hayama’s face as much as he could get away with without being rude. Was the line about Miya being impressed, the truth or mere lip service; it was unfortunate but, the power of Tatsuya’s eyes were unable to determine that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, it would be fine for me to assume that my progress toward the current objective is satisfactory”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is sufficient”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For now, he had secured freedom of movement; for Tatsuya, that was nothing but good.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“On the Kuroba front, have they acquired any new information?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There are no developments there”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The shortest answer possible perhaps to keep from granting Tatsuya any material to make conjectures from. Those distrustful thoughts floated across Tatsuya’s mind.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Well, Tatsuya dono. I will be going now, I will tell Okusama what you said in order to ask her honored opinion”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“huh” That was probably to be expected. There was no way it would end with him only asking about the progress of the investigation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Regarding Okusama, shall she hear from me that Tatsuya dono does not require reinforcements”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Reinforcements, hmm…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Those words were outside his calculations so Tatsuya could not immediately reply. Maya sending him reinforcements was not something, Tatsuya had even considered.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, this is a good opportunity, thought Tatsuya. He had actually intended to to someone dispatched from Mikitsugu's area secretly from Maya or Hayama but, taking advantage of a request to Maya for reinforcements was probably the best way to avoid future trouble.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hayama san. When the notice of this duty was delivered were Fumiya and his sister directed to purposely overlook a tail?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama cocked his head with a serious face at Tatsuya’s words.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Really? I gave no such directive but…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama didn’t appear befuddled. However, there had been such a directive that was clear from looking at the resulting situation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ahh, come to think of it, Hanabishi kun struck up a conversation with Fumiya dono about something”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hanabishi san, hmm”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A Yotsuba Clan employee of the second rank. A magician that the Yotsuba had headhunted from outside, His magical power was ordinary but he was a former serviceman with extensive combat experience. He was in charge of fine tuning scheduling and providing equipment for illegal operations related to magic requested by the Yotsuba Clan. Another way to put it would be he was the butler that served as the Yotsuba’s control tower.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“ However, I believe Hanabishi san would not issue such a directive on his own initiative”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am sorry. Not even I know more than that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was a lie. Maya’s trusted retainer would not be unaware of such an important matter as information concerning Tatsuya and Miyuki being leaked. Never mind Tatsuya, Miyuki was a candidate to be the next clan head.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, he had declared that ‘I do not know’ which left Tatsuya no way of pressing him further. Tatsuya changed his attack plan.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see. Nevertheless, I believe Fumiya was unmistakably followed. Man made Spirits were able to investigate our home and we were attacked in the area in front of the station”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Something like that…..Tatsuya dono, it’s inexcusable. I will listen to Hanabishi kun’s explanation”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, since what’s done is done is does not really matter, however”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Then?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“As a matter of fact, underlings of the Traditionalist have been haunting the vicinity of classmates of mine and Miyuki”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hmm...that would be worrying for Tatsuya dono and Miyuki sama as well”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. For now, I have been coping with it through the good will of the Kitayama family and the Kyuuchou temple but can you recommend to Obaue that she lend me a hand”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see, freeing oneself from worry is a standard tactic. Miya sama would also wish you to free of hindrances”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please. I do not wish to take up more of the Master’s time”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The unspoken implication of that statement was the threat that more of Yakumo’s intervention will be permitted which could cause problems, Hayama should understand that. Tatsuya thought that both the Yotsuba and Yakumo should understand that he wanted this for both their sakes but, he did not state that openly.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“By the way, Tatsuya dono, about Kyuuchou temple”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama abruptly changed the topic, this might be his way of proclaiming that he did not wish to pursue the issue further.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Recently, you have been engaged in developing new magic at the Kyuuchou temple, Tatsuya dono”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You are well informed”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The surprise that showed on Tatsuya’s face was not an act. When the heck did they find out, by what means, Tatsuya had absolutely no idea.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Simple deduction. We have information regarding what is inside the basement of Kyuuchou temple”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see, so that was what is called a trick question”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya showed an expression of regret but that was an act. He was relieved now that he knew his information concealment hadn’t been penetrated and it was a good time to reveal the development of his new magic anyway. This could be called a good opportunity to do what was known as lobbing a ball to keep a runner on base.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is as you have said I have borrowed the basement of the Kyuuchou temple to engage in the creation of a new attack magic”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Do you mind if I inquire as to what type?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Of course not. I have no secrets from Obaue”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya’s face proclaimed his innocence as he answered Hayama’s question with a bold face lie.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The magic I am in the midst of developing is a close range physical attack spell. I believe you have gone through the report concerning the Brionac used by Angie Sirius of the STARS”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So you are trying to reproduce the Brionac”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There are minor differences in the theory but that is the basic concept. The truth is I had a match at First High in April with an opponent on whom Mist Dispersion wouldn’t work”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The Tomitsuka Clan’s Range Zero”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So you are aware of it. I had an epiphany then. As Miyuki’s Guardian, I urgently need a repulsion magic for use against opponents on whom ‘decomposition’ will not work”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, Tatsuya’s feeling resonated with him, Hayama bowed his head deeply in agreement.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An excellent endeavour”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If this magic is perfected, I should probably not only be able to pierce the psion armor of ‘Range Zero’ but the Juumonji Clan’s ‘Phalanx’. I think I will be able to unveil it at the next Shougatsu”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For an instant, Hayama sunk into silence with a grave look. But his gentle ‘butler’s smile’ was restored so quickly that one would think that had been an illusion.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is the name of the magic been decided, yet”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It has not been perfected yet, so only a temporary one…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If you may”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“When it is completed for unveiling, I intend to give it the name ‘Baryon Lance’”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“......how interesting. I will look forward to being able to see it with Miyuki sama at Shougatsu”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As he spoke, Hayama got up.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya also felt it was a suitable time.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So on the matter of guarding our school friends, please take care of it”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please perform your duties with dispatch as well, Tatsuya dono”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya made a bow to Hayama and left the interview room.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The shaking of hands did not exist between these two.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">October 12th, Friday. With half a month remaining until the Thesis Competition on October 28th, the hustle and bustle within the school abruptly increased. The Kyoto Thesis Competition was said to be dedicated to pure theory, expectations were that the operational details wouldn’t be as extensive as last year’s, but in the end, it turned into a tremendous commotion.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As the presenter, Isori personally took command and entered the fray to manage the preparations. Hattori was in command of the security team and was zealous in training them. Honoka and Izumi were working together to get a handle on the arrangements to travel to Kyoto.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Of course, neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki were playing around. As Student Council President, Miyuki was responsible for keeping an eye on the progress of the entire operation and dispatching help to portions where it was bogging down. The help in most cases was Tatsuya. He participated in presentation preparations, he took part in the training of the security team and when Miyuki, Honoka and Izumi couldn't be in multiple places, he took care of the Student Council business and he also flitted about as Miyuki’s aide.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">When Mikihiko finally came to the Student Council room, Tatsuya had tied up his exhausting work long enough to take a break, just around the time the school gate was closing after school.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Pardon me….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It seemed like Mikihiko was not yet used to using the connecting staircase between the student Council room and Public Morals headquarters. There was a distinct difference between him and the carefree Shizuku who came in with him (additionally, Shizuku was in the midst of guarding Azusa). “You’re right on time, Mikihiko”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Although Tatsuya called out to him in a lighthearted tone, Mikihiko nervousness wasn’t that easily dispelled.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Well then…...Since I was able to see how busy you were, there was no way I was going to be later than I promised”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hearing that statement, Miyuki let out a laugh that somehow exuded recognition.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It would be a relief if everyone was as earnest as Yoshida kun”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Feeling that this was the calm before the storm, Tatsuya urged Mikihiko to get down to business.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mikihiko, shall we begin the briefing right away”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes, let’s”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, Mikihiko got the same impression, he spread out the huge roll of electronic paper, he had in his hand onto the conference table.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A map of the city of Kyoto emerged on the electronic paper that almost completely covered the table.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Today’s briefing is regarding the preliminary report on the security of the actual location”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In a formal tone, Mikihiko begun his explanation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Regarding security on the actual day, the former head of club activities, Hattori has been assigned to proceed with the arrangements. Hattori senpai is also personally overseeing the briefing of the other schools and I think it’s fine to leave it to him, right”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is it alright not to have invited Hattori senpai to this meeting?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The one who nodded in answer to Honoka’s question as if to say it was fine was not Mikihiko but Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An agreement was reached with former chairman Hattori, that it would be fine if he was merely notified of the results of the briefing. Right, Chief Yoshida”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is as Secretarial Chief Shiba says”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko seemed to have trouble saying the title, ‘Secretarial Chief’. However, he didn’t have the nerve to ignore the official title in front of Miyuki.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Former chairman Hattori said it was fine for him not to take part in today’s briefing. Since all we’re doing is gathering information. Doesn’t all he need to do is use the resulting data”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, he couldn't ignore his uneasiness with speaking in a formal manner; Mikihiko carelessly lapsed into an informal friendly manner.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s about time to get to the essentials”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, Tatsuya also found that easier, he immediately matched that mode of speaking.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Okay. So, please look over here”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Although, his tone was friendly, this was the way he always spoke to Miyuki.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“This is the site, the New International Convention Center”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s pretty much in the outskirts of the city”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Looking at the map, Izumi stated her opinion undiffidently.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It seems like there’s a strong feeling in the area about not wanting to have conventions in the middle of the city”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">After answering Izumi’s question while smiling ironically, Mikihiko’s face stiffened.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> “Unlike last year, the volume of traffic in the area is not that much. So it can be seen that there aren’t too many places where criminals, subversives and the like can ambush us. However, because the area is so rural, it is extremely easy to conceal the preparations to do so”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko temporarily enlarged the vicinity of the convention center before, replacing it with the map of the entire city of Kyoto.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“And, even if there is not a close hiding place; I also believe that there are potential locations that can be converted to a base not too far away”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As had been arranged beforehand, Miyuki broke in during the pause in the conversation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“In short, it is your opinion, Yoshida kun, that a much wider area than the vicinity of the site should be investigated?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. No way do we want a repeat of last year”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Without a moment’s delay, Tatsuya let loose the second round of covering fire.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Agreed. Although we are nothing more than high school students, we still need to do everything we can”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya garnered gazes filled with surprise. In any case, Honoka, Izumi and Minami who knew the hidden details turned their eyes toward him without intending to but, right now, it was important that Honoka and Izumi not develop any lingering suspicions about what the people who left were doing.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, Mikihiko. who are you going to send on the preliminary investigation?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I’ll go”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is it alright for the Public Morals Chief to be absent from school?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I intend to entrust the school to Kitayama of the guard detail. Also I wish Tatsuya to come”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No problem. It’s probably necessary for at least one member of the security team to check over the actual site”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya followed up with a nod; Miyuki raised her hand.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oniisama, is it alright if I go with you?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You, the Student council president”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya asked the question without becoming visibly paler. Acting in these kinds of conditions was more of a specialty of Miyuki’s.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I wish to set up an appointment check out the hotel, the cheering squads are staying at personally. I wish to confirm that there is a shelter, they can be evacuated to if the unlikely occurs”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Miyuki, I can do that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Honoka, don’t you have transportation, reservations, and individual requests to take care of? I am only overseeing the general operation, I don’t have any other specific job”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oh, alright…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A Disappointed Honoka yielded.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Izumi seemed to want to say something as she listened to Miyuki and Honoka’s exchange but, Miyuki turned to her before she spoke.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Izumi chan while I am on my trip to Kyoto, won’t you to take my place and run things for me as the Vice President”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please, leave it to me. Use me to the fullest”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It goes without saying, Izumi actually wanted to go with Miyuki to Kyoto as well. Having been asked by her esteemed Miyuki herself to be her proxy, she wasn’t able to say no. Rather, Izumi was the type of the girl who would be all excited over “Miyuki senpai asked me to do something for her!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s the schedule?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It would be a little tight but, how about a 2 day and 1 night trip on the weekend before the Thesis Competition, the 20th to the 21th?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s a good plan, have you already pinned down the accommodations”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, I thought we’d decide on that now”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see. Minami”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya’s calling out to Minami was the last of their planned moves.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In spite of explaining this scenario to Minami as well, she was not very surprised. ---She always seemed more composed than suited her age.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Sorry, but will you make the hotel reservations for me. If you can make it the hotel, we are staying in the day before the Thesis Competition. For four people: me, Miyuki, Mikihiko, and you, Minami”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Me, as well?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh. You will help Miyuki over there for me”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Regret passed over Izumi’s face in response to Tatsuya’s statement. She was probably thinking she wanted to be running around supporting Miyuki herself. However, she had already accepted the job of being Miyuki’s stand in. If Tatsuya had been the one who had asked her, Izumi would probably have easily withdrawn her previous agreement. However, it was impossible for Izumi to even think of abandoning a task Miyuki had asked her to do.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It was time for the school gates to close, Tatsuya was slightly ahead Honoka whom he was escorting in leaving the student council room. They were going to where Shizuku who was guarding Azusa who was directing the construction of the presentation device was.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Along the way, they linked up with Mikihiko who was done with locking up Public Morals headquarters and the three went to the experiment building.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Aside from the work Isori was overseeing the auditorium, Azusa was making a console CAD that would compare the experiment’s effects.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Shizuku!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Honoka called out to Shizuku. For some reason, Chikura Tomoko and Sayaka who were on Azusa’s security detail with Shizuku and Kirihara who was supposed to be guarding Carey, all turned to look at Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Shiba, what’s up? We should have put in the requests to work overtime”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As expected, Kirihara had already stopped calling him “Shiba Ani”. Tatsuya was “Shiba” and Miyuki was President. It could be called the most proper way of addressing them.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Certainly, the overtime requests were accepted but, it’s still bad for female students to stay late into the night at school”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“....but”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kirihara notified Sayaka that they were leaving soon with a glance backward. Apparently, Sayaka felt the need to be willful about it.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s up?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As the mood was on the verge of turning uncomfortable, Shizuku asked Honoka that. She probably intended to switch the topic of conversation since she could read the mood but, Tatsuya and Mikihiko had a different matter to discuss with Shizuku.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Kitayama san, I want to ask you a little favor”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ask me?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mikihiko broached the matter while fighting the urge to snicker at the classically exaggerated puppet like head tilt she made.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“As it happens, we discussed going to Kyoto and for a look around before the Thesis Competition”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“To prepare for something like last year?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">When Shizuku heard the words “Look around”, she grasped the unstated reason.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Right. For two days, we intend to check out various matters on a 2 day 1 night stay starting the 21st. Will you act as Public Morals Chief for me for those 2 days”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For some reason, Shizuku looked toward Honoka instead of the bowing Mikihiko.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What about you, Honoka?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“eh, I’m….staying here?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hmmmm…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Shizuku’s focus switched to Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Are you going, Tatsuya san?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Shizuku thought about it for a moment then, said “Okay” to Mikihiko.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Thank you. That’s a relief”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Your welcome”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As she spoke, her eyes were not looking toward the still bowing Mikihiko but toward Honoka who was avoiding looking at Tatsuya.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> Inside the cabinet on the way home, Tatsuya was reading web news articles when his face changed to a “Say what?” type of expression.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oniisama, is something wrong?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Miyuki who was sitting next to him noticed immediately and questioned him.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ah, this news”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya turned the information terminal toward Miyuki. A local Kyoto news article was displayed there. It seems like Tatsuya had already started collecting information.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The article contained a full report on the body of a murdered man discovered at a famous sightseeing spot.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It was discovered this morning, the victim’s Nakura Sanburo san…...Oniisama, this person!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Miyuki also readily understood the reason for Tatsuya’s reaction.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Someone you know?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was a natural question, Minami did not recognize the name.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If it is not somebody with the same name, this is the magician that serves as Saegusa Mayumi’s bodyguard”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Minami’s eyes widened.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is the same gentleman, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I don’t know, there isn’t a picture”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Although that is what he said but, Tatsuya intuitively believed that this victim was the elderly magician that was Mayumi’s guard.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If it is the same gentleman…...could it be a coincidence?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The question, Miyuki voiced was the same one that Tatsuya and Minami were grappling with.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A magician of the Saegusa Clan was killed in Kyoto where it was likely Zhou Gongjin was in hiding. Additionally, his body indicated the death had been violent.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Normally, it would be unthinkable to write the condition of the body in an article; perhaps, it was because it was the result of magic combat.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A magician who was likely an extra yet skilled enough to be entrusted with guarding the eldest daughter of the Saegusa clan had been killed in magic combat. Even skills to that extent could be overcome. Like by that man who deeply wounded Kuroba Mitsugu and break thru the Kuroba Execution squad’s perimeter and escape….

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">There was no way Tatsuya could consider this a coincidence.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The one who was most surprised to see the news that Nakura had been killed was unmistakably her.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Otousama, please explain this!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Having been informed that Kouichi had returned home, Mayumi went into his study uninvited.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura san has been killed, what does this mean!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Both hands gesturing wildly in front of the grandiose desk, she pressed Kouichi who sat beyond it for answers.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“How do you know Nakura was killed?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There was a call from the police asking about his background!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You took it? What about school”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“They couldn’t contact Otousama or my Oniisamas so, they moved on to me!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Dolts…...what were you doing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kouichi let out a reproachful murmur at his sons’ mistakes while ignoring his own. Listening to this, Mayumi became even more incensed.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That kind of thing doesn’t matter!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Her father and the elder of her brothers’ disappearances and the younger of her brothers’ pretending that he wasn’t home were normal occurrences and as far as she was concerned completely trivial.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Enough, please stop dodging! They said Nakura san killed, what does that mean!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It means what it says, right? Nakura was killed. A good man has died”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That isn’t what I’m asking! Why was Nakura san killed in Kyoto!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There’s no reason for you to know”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Kouichi coldly rebuffed his daughter. However, Mayumi did not flinch from something of this degree, she was not a weak Ojousama.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura san is my bodyguard. I should meet the qualifications of knowing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The tone had become subdued but, deep within fierier emotions swirled. One probably did not have to be Kouichi to know that. Since he knew his daughter’s character, he was aware some degree of compromise was necessary.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Nakura was dispatched to Kyoto to do certain work. He probably got entangled in some trouble there”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Certain work? What was that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An important task for the Saegusa clan of the Ten Master Clans”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I got that! What was the task!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You don’t need to know”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, Kouichi would not acknowledge a need for a greater degree of compromise than that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was communicated to Mayumi as well. She realized questioning him even further was futile.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“.....understood. Excuse me”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Feeling a great deal of mistrust for her father, Mayumi left the study.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> However, Mayumi had not given up on her quest for the truth.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">To tell the truth, Mayumi and Nakura hadn’t really been that friendly. Nakura’s manner was normally courteous to Mayumi and always that of a servant. Mayumi hadn’t known him well, he had made her feel uneasy.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Even so, for a non-short period of time, he was someone she had known that had accompanied her in her movements and had been killed. Moreover, he had died due to a task set by her own father.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi completely disbelieved her father’s words, “He probably got entangled in some trouble there”. She was convinced that he had not been dragged into something while he was working but rather he was killed because he was working.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, that was nothing more than Mayumi’s intuition, just now she had nothing to base it on. She acknowledged that herself.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What’s up, Mayumi. You have been breathing out sighs for some time now. Besides, you seem somewhat dispirited. Is something wrong?

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“eh? No, Mari. It’s nothing”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It doesn’t look like nothing but…...if it is really nothing then put it out of your mind. You’ve been thinking about it for a while now”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Oh, I have!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Flustered, Mayumi sat up straight and fixed her gaping collar and straightened the cuffs of her sleeves.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">They were at the Magic University’s cafe, it was the time between the morning and afternoon lectures also known as lunchtime. It was a period of time when a lot of students gathered together after finishing their meals, this was not a time when the sight of the honored daughter of the Saegusa Clan of the Ten Master Clans appearing somewhat listless would go unnoticed.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">By the way, Mari being here did not mean she was skipping out on her Defense College educational regime. There were special military skills research classes at the Magic University---to put it simply, there were classes to educate magicians to be officers---under this system the Defense College would send over a chosen student once a week to take part in the lectures with those accepted into the lecture course. Mari had been chosen and today was the day of the lecture.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi temporarily looked as if nothing was wrong but she couldn’t keep it up for long. Probably because she felt secure in front of a friend she hadn’t seen in a while. Mayumi forcibly stopped herself when she realized she was sighing deeply again.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mari, there’s something I want to consult you about”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi put both elbows on the table and concealed her mouth with her hands as she spoke to Mari. It was an ill-mannered pose but it was the easiest way to prevent her lips from being read. It was allowed to use a soundproofing field in the cafe but, magic that obstructed the light because you didn’t want to be seen wasn’t permitted.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What is it?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari made the same pose. The poses deepened the impression that they were discussing secrets to the spectators.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mari, do you remember Nakura san?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s your bodyguard, right? What about him”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“He was killed”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Killed, you say, oh no...when?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari had been about to ask ‘how can speak about it looking so calm?” but, she looked into Mayumi’s eyes and saw the grief and anger swirling together in them and changed her question as she spoke.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The day before yesterday, perhaps in the middle of the night. The Kyoto police contacted me yesterday”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Kyoto? So it wasn’t someone aiming for you?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Uh, huh”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari somehow stopped herself from letting out a sigh of relief without thinking. She was feigning calm but deep in her heart she was wavering at one step away from panic. If someone was gunning for Mayumi, what could she do...the thought whirled. Knowing that for now, it was an absurd fear allowed Mari to grieve for the deceased.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s unfortunate….you have my condolences”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Thank you”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A solemn air flowed between the pair. In these wordless moments, they were probably offering up silent prayers for the deceased.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, what was the cause of death? Was it an accident?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Murder”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari already expected that answer. For someone employed as a bodyguard by the Ten Master Clans that was a normal risk.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“But, I don’t know the reason”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Before her eyes, her friend was using all her strength to bear the weighty emotions that were bursting out. Even before she was asked that by Mari, one did not eyes to see that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Father won’t tell me anything more than he sent him to Kyoto on business. What business, what kind of job, everything is unclear. At any rate, I’m sure it was some kind of shady job but even so why did he lose his life….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A sound of something being swallowed could be heard from Mayumi’s throat. Unmistakably, it was a fit of crying.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s not that I want to avenge him or something”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi somehow quieted her emotions and with that calm, she continued to talk with a voice that showed her strong will.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It’s nothing like that but somehow I can’t just let it go. I feel that it’s something I shouldn’t leave it as it is”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“What…..do you have some basis for your thinking?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">While she was overwhelmed by Mayumi’s determination, Mari made a rational point.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Right now, nothing. This is nothing more than my intuition. But, I can’t ignore it. I can’t help feeling anxious”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I…..still don’t have much unoccupied time”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The Magic University and the Defense College were not all that far apart---to be exact, the Magic University and the special tactics research department annex were not that far apart. Also, since the secrets and inherent magics of magic students had to be concealed, student housing had to be in approved dormitories; it wasn’t that hard for them to meet.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, as Mari implied, there was no freedom in the Defense College’s curriculum as there was in Magic University’s. It could be said with the multiple required courses, a first year student didn’t have room in their life to do anything else. As much as Mari wished that she could help her friend with her worries that was impossible with her schedule.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“......how about consulting with Juumonji or Tatsuya kun?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Unexpectedly---she offered up a name, Mayumi hadn’t thought of, her eyes widened and she blinked rapidly, many times.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I can understand Juumonji kun but….. why Tatsuya kun?

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Isn’t this year’s Thesis Competition in Kyoto?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi sensed that Mari wasn’t really answering a question with a question.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The Competition is at most a two day one night stay, right? Besides he’ll be busy, he wouldn’t have the free time to do anything else, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That stuff happened just last year. Wouldn’t they do their own investigation of the area?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes, they might do that. But, Tatsuya kun would probably be helping with the presentation’s preparations and there’s also the student council work. When he’s so busy, to expressly ask him to meet with me…….what?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi became aware that Mari was looking at her with a stunned look.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“We have this and that to do as well. Wouldn’t it be fine to just ask him?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Overwhelmed by the common sense, Mayumi couldn’t come up with even the fragment of a rebuttal.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Anyway, why have you only been worried about his situation? Isn’t the first thing to do to get Juumonji kun’s cooperation? Juumonji is already a college student so isn’t he more likely to be accommodating than Tatsuya kun the high school student and as for which would be more reliable, I think for sure that it would be Juumonji kun”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Th-that’s…..we’re both members of the Ten Master Clans, I don’t want the problems of the Saegusa Clan to cause trouble for the Juumonji Clan”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari didn’t hear Mayumi’s excuse. She was able to hear the sound but, her mind completely ignored it.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mayumi, I don’t believe it but”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Wh-what?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari’s expression was not the mischievous smile one would wear when teasing a good friend, her face was subtly serious showing her earnest and genuine concern for Mayumi.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You couldn’t possibly be genuinely in love with him?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">It took some time for Mari’s words to penetrate Mayumi’s consciousness.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“By him….Tatsuya kun!?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Idiot, you’re too loud!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Since Mayumi had put up a soundproof field, her words didn’t leak out but, Mari’s look was so menacing it made her forget that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That’s impossible! Right, impossible! Seriously, me be in lo-lo-lo…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mari fixated cool eyes on her mumbling friend.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Mayumi, if you could see yourself now would you really be able to declare it’s impossible?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That is…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Mayumi’s voice trailed off from lack of confidence.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, she didn’t end it there. Resolutely, she looked up and puffed out her chest.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, that is really impossible. What’s impossible is impossible”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“....you’re awfully confident but, your statements really lack persuasive power……”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Tatsuya kun is a reliable boy. Like a little brother. Right, a little brother. A little brother!”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, isn’t that wrong? After all, you and him are not blood related, right?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes, It’s an elder sister’s right to be helped by her little brother! Alright, I’ll get Tatsuya to help me dig for the truth. First, I’ll check the train schedule for going to Tokyo”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, you should….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Faced with the strangely confused Mayumi, Mari plopped down with an exhausted look.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> October,14th Sunday. Tatsuya visited the Yokohama branch office of the Magic Association.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya informed the reception desk of his name and told them that he had an appointment.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">He was already waiting in the interview room.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hayama san, it’s been a while since we have spoken. I have not kept you waiting have I?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, you are right on time, Tatsuya dono. Since I was the one who summoned you, it is only natural that I arrived first. Please, do not trouble yourself about it any further”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya bowed and stood on the opposite side from Hayama.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As if they had agreed on the timing beforehand, the pair sat down at the same time. The slight firmness of the cushion maintained the feeling of tension that was the impression, Tatsuya harbored on the sofa.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Your business is a matter to do with the current job?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya set the conversation off.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. About the attack you incurred a few days in Nara and the rest. You were not injured?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am fine. Miyuki and the others did not receive even the lightest wound. I am thankful for your concern”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“That is good. Well, fellows of that level don’t have much of a chance to slow Tatsuya down. By the way, have you identified those people?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I do not know how reliable it is at this point. There’s interference in my access to the military information division, I cannot investigate the details”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hoo, the information division”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">They were exchanging jabs mixed with truth and lies. Tatsuya was not telling him everything he knew and Hayama was also probably concealing things. No, if it was limited to this conversation, it was more like Hayama hadn’t said anything.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am sorry. But for that reason, I have not made enough progress that I am able to give you a report”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, no. Both Okusama and myself view securing the cooperation of the Kudou Clan as a major accomplishment in itself”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya observed Hayama’s face as much as he could get away with without being rude. Was the line about Miya being impressed, the truth or mere lip service; it was unfortunate but, the power of Tatsuya’s eyes were unable to determine that.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So, it would be fine for me to assume that my progress toward the current objective is satisfactory”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is sufficient”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For now, he had secured freedom of movement; for Tatsuya, that was nothing but good.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“On the Kuroba front, have they acquired any new information?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There are no developments there”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The shortest answer possible perhaps to keep from granting Tatsuya any material to make conjectures from. Those distrustful thoughts floated across Tatsuya’s mind.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Well, Tatsuya dono. I will be going now, I will tell Okusama what you said in order to ask her honored opinion”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“huh” That was probably to be expected. There was no way it would end with him only asking about the progress of the investigation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Regarding Okusama, shall she hear from me that Tatsuya dono does not require reinforcements”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Reinforcements, hmm…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Those words were outside his calculations so Tatsuya could not immediately reply. Maya sending him reinforcements was not something, Tatsuya had even considered.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, this is a good opportunity, thought Tatsuya. He had actually intended to to someone dispatched from Mikitsugu's area secretly from Maya or Hayama but, taking advantage of a request to Maya for reinforcements was probably the best way to avoid future trouble.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hayama san. When the notice of this duty was delivered were Fumiya and his sister directed to purposely overlook a tail?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama cocked his head with a serious face at Tatsuya’s words.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Really? I gave no such directive but…….”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama didn’t appear befuddled. However, there had been such a directive that was clear from looking at the resulting situation.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Ahh, come to think of it, Hanabishi kun struck up a conversation with Fumiya dono about something”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hanabishi san, hmm”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">A Yotsuba Clan employee of the second rank. A magician that the Yotsuba had headhunted from outside, His magical power was ordinary but he was a former serviceman with extensive combat experience. He was in charge of fine tuning scheduling and providing equipment for illegal operations related to magic requested by the Yotsuba Clan. Another way to put it would be he was the butler that served as the Yotsuba’s control tower.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“ However, I believe Hanabishi san would not issue such a directive on his own initiative”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I am sorry. Not even I know more than that”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">That was a lie. Maya’s trusted retainer would not be unaware of such an important matter as information concerning Tatsuya and Miyuki being leaked. Never mind Tatsuya, Miyuki was a candidate to be the next clan head.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">However, he had declared that ‘I do not know’ which left Tatsuya no way of pressing him further. Tatsuya changed his attack plan.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see. Nevertheless, I believe Fumiya was unmistakably followed. Man made Spirits were able to investigate our home and we were attacked in the area in front of the station”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Something like that…..Tatsuya dono, it’s inexcusable. I will listen to Hanabishi kun’s explanation”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“No, since what’s done is done is does not really matter, however”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Then?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“As a matter of fact, underlings of the Traditionalist have been haunting the vicinity of classmates of mine and Miyuki”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Hmm...that would be worrying for Tatsuya dono and Miyuki sama as well”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Yes. For now, I have been coping with it through the good will of the Kitayama family and the Kyuuchou temple but can you recommend to Obaue that she lend me a hand”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see, freeing oneself from worry is a standard tactic. Miya sama would also wish you to free of hindrances”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please. I do not wish to take up more of the Master’s time”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The unspoken implication of that statement was the threat that more of Yakumo’s intervention will be permitted which could cause problems, Hayama should understand that. Tatsuya thought that both the Yotsuba and Yakumo should understand that he wanted this for both their sakes but, he did not state that openly.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“By the way, Tatsuya dono, about Kyuuchou temple”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Hayama abruptly changed the topic, this might be his way of proclaiming that he did not wish to pursue the issue further.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Recently, you have been engaged in developing new magic at the Kyuuchou temple, Tatsuya dono”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“You are well informed”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The surprise that showed on Tatsuya’s face was not an act. When the heck did they find out, by what means, Tatsuya had absolutely no idea.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Simple deduction. We have information regarding what is inside the basement of Kyuuchou temple”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“I see, so that was what is called a trick question”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya showed an expression of regret but that was an act. He was relieved now that he knew his information concealment hadn’t been penetrated and it was a good time to reveal the development of his new magic anyway. This could be called a good opportunity to do what was known as lobbing a ball to keep a runner on base.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It is as you have said I have borrowed the basement of the Kyuuchou temple to engage in the creation of a new attack magic”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Do you mind if I inquire as to what type?”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Of course not. I have no secrets from Obaue”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya’s face proclaimed his innocence as he answered Hayama’s question with a bold face lie.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The magic I am in the midst of developing is a close range physical attack spell. I believe you have gone through the report concerning the Brionac used by Angie Sirius of the STARS”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So you are trying to reproduce the Brionac”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“There are minor differences in the theory but that is the basic concept. The truth is I had a match at First High in April with an opponent on whom Mist Dispersion wouldn’t work”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“The Tomitsuka Clan’s Range Zero”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So you are aware of it. I had an epiphany then. As Miyuki’s Guardian, I urgently need a repulsion magic for use against opponents on whom ‘decomposition’ will not work”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Perhaps, Tatsuya’s feeling resonated with him, Hayama bowed his head deeply in agreement.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“An excellent endeavour”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If this magic is perfected, I should probably not only be able to pierce the psion armor of ‘Range Zero’ but the Juumonji Clan’s ‘Phalanx’. I think I will be able to unveil it at the next Shougatsu”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">For an instant, Hayama sunk into silence with a grave look. But his gentle ‘butler’s smile’ was restored so quickly that one would think that had been an illusion.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Is the name of the magic been decided, yet”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“It has not been perfected yet, so only a temporary one…..”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“If you may”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“When it is completed for unveiling, I intend to give it the name ‘Baryon Lance’”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“......how interesting. I will look forward to being able to see it with Miyuki sama at Shougatsu”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">As he spoke, Hayama got up.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya also felt it was a suitable time.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“So on the matter of guarding our school friends, please take care of it”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">“Please perform your duties with dispatch as well, Tatsuya dono”

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Tatsuya made a bow to Hayama and left the interview room.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The shaking of hands did not exist between these two.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> ◊ ◊ ◊ <p style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> October 15th, Monday.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">First High was deep in the middle of the tumult of preparing for the Thesis Competition.which covered a different commotion.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The news that the former student council president and the eldest daughter of the Saegusa Clan of the Ten Master Clans, Saegusa Mayumi had requested a meeting with Shiba Tatsuya had captured the interest of the students.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In the midst of the students irresponsibly exchanging rumors, there were many students who were unable to take the news with a calm heart.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Like the former chairman Hattori Gyobu.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Or the student council treasurer Mitsui Honoka.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">And Miyuki who was both the student council president and Tatsuya’s sister who felt an indescribable uneasiness as she watched the pair disappear into the reception room.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;"> October 15th, Monday.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">First High was deep in the middle of the tumult of preparing for the Thesis Competition.which covered a different commotion.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">The news that the former student council president and the eldest daughter of the Saegusa Clan of the Ten Master Clans, Saegusa Mayumi had requested a meeting with Shiba Tatsuya had captured the interest of the students.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">In the midst of the students irresponsibly exchanging rumors, there were many students who were unable to take the news with a calm heart.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Like the former chairman Hattori Gyobu.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">Or the student council treasurer Mitsui Honoka.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-style: normal;">And Miyuki who was both the student council president and Tatsuya’s sister who felt an indescribable uneasiness as she watched the pair disappear into the reception room.