Chapter 19

August 1st.

The departure date for the Nine Schools Competition finally arrived.

Otaru's Eighth High and Kumamoto's Ninth High would leave earlier due to their respective locations, whereas First High, conveniently located on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo, usually departed for the competition dormitories the day before the contest begins.

Rather than attaching any strategic importance to this, it was mainly because the remote schools had priority access to the training facilities.

The official competition arena was restricted until the day of the competition, so there was no real reason to arrive earlier—

"That's how it is."

"Is that so...

At any rate, thank you for your simple explanation."

Tatsuya wanted to ask Mari, in a tone laden with sarcasm, if there was any reason she was telling him all this, but he patiently waited for her to finish her explanation and quickly shook his head to dispel this ridiculous impulse that wouldn't serve anyone.

The two of them were speaking beneath the blazing sun reigning in the middle of the blue summer sky. Exactly why were they making themselves more heated on this hot and humid day? Even if you asked him, Tatsuya had no answer for that one.

This was not in his interest. "Sorry~!"

This exclamation was accompanied by the music of sandals lightly tapping on the pavement. Looking towards the sound's source, Mari let out a sigh and smiled beneath her parasol while Tatsuya, completely heedless of the sun beating down on him, wordlessly checked off the last member of the roster on his terminal device.

—One and a half hours late, everyone was finally here. "Mayumi, you're so slow."

"Sorry, sorry."

Both the reprimand and the apology were just as concise.

The two of them proceeded to embark onto the bus as if nothing had occurred.

At least, until Mayumi came off the bus empty-handed. "...Did you forget something?"

Tatsuya asked, slightly concerned that his poker face was slipping.

Spare change of clothes, cosmetics and other living supplies — Miyuki was obviously the one who taught him that cosmetics were a must-have for overnight stays — have already been bundled into the storage compartment, and the checklists mailed from each of the contestants' families have already been matched with the luggage, so nothing was missing.

Even if something was left behind, the dormitories had plenty of spares. This was at most a two hour bus trip, so there shouldn't be a need for much luggage.

"No, it's not that...

Tatsuya-kun, I apologize that you had to wait so long for me."

"Please don't concern yourself with that. I'm well aware of your situation."

Mayumi wasn't tardy because of some preposterous reason like oversleeping or getting the time wrong.

Three hours ago, she suddenly sent word that she would be late due to family business.

In her message, Mayumi asked for everyone to depart without her and that she would meet them at the destination later. Still, the 3rd Year students unanimously agreed to wait for her, so they asked Mayumi to get here as soon as she could.

This wasn't because she was next in line for the Saegusa Family. She had two older brothers.

Even if she was a direct descendant from the Ten Master Clans, Mayumi was the little sister who was still in high school, so there were very few cases where she was responsible for handling family business. That being said, the very fact that the family recalled her the day of the school's official event clearly hinted that this was extremely important.

From Mayumi's perspective, if the other students set off on time, she could get there at a more leisurely pace rather than hurrying along. However, since everyone — Tatsuya actually disagreed in private — was set on waiting for her, Mayumi was forced to pick up the pace.

Thus, Tatsuya was not going to call her out for being one or two hours late.

"Isn't it too hot?"

"It's still in the morning, so it's OK, and this temperature isn't bad at all."

Tatsuya was the only 1st Year student in the auxiliaries, so he was responsible for roll call.

There were 40 contestants, 4 strategic advisors, and 8 technicians.

Of the 12 people that were not contestants, only Tatsuya was a 1st Year student.

Of course, there were other auxiliary members besides these 12 people. Not counting the strategy and technician team, there were also 20 volunteers that performed all the busywork, but they already departed for the premises, so there wasn't even a faculty member present. Only the drivers and the official participants were taking the bus and four cargo vehicles.

"But you're sweating like a horse...

Wait, what? You're not really sweating that much."

"No, I have at least enough magic to ward off the sweat... but I'm not gross enough to not sweat at all during the summer."

He was using magic to purify the sweat and releasing it through the skin and clothes.

Tatsuya's intrinsic magic "Dissolution", in terms of categorization belongs to a derivative of Separation Magic. It was a combination of "Gather", "Disperse", "Absorb", and "Release", but to be honest, "Release" probably made up the highest percentage.

Thus, he was more adept at Release Systematic Magic. "You actually used the word gross..."

The word wasn't particularly odd, but Mayumi smiled brilliantly, as if encountering something especially comical.

Must be the season.

At this moment, Tatsuya thought her smile was as radiant as the sun.

This must have been a hallucination brought on by the sun, the temperature, and the humidity.

...The best evidence came from the way Mayumi's smile instantaneously switched to her usual teasing smile. "By the way, Tatsuya-kun, what do you think of this?"

The "this" that she spoke of... must be the same one Tatsuya had on his mind.

Mayumi was referring to the summer dress that she wore.

She used both hands to hold the large-brimmed hat and posed, making it very hard to misunderstand.

They were only checking in to the dorms today and there were no official activities.

Probably because of this, even if it's a school activity, there was no obligation to wear school uniforms.

The 1st Year students including Tatsuya were all garbed in their uniforms, but less than half the 2nd Year students were in uniform, while almost all the 3rd Year students were in casual clothes.

With that in mind, taking into account how modern decorum frowned upon skin that was not covered in clothing, the majority of the students were dressed like Mari in long sleeved tunics and pants that were easy to move in.

One notable exception was a 2nd Year female student named Chiyoda. She was wearing shorts and long socks that extended to her thighs; it was hard to tell if it was a wardrobe suitable for summer. As for Isori, Chiyoda seemed to have forced him to wear pants that only extended to mid shin with longer socks as well, just as if they were a couple (which, in fact, they were).

Among this group, Mayumi's appearance was very conspicuous. As a matter of fact, she was "extremely conspicuous".

Both her arms and shoulders were revealed in her summer dress. The length was also above her knees.

Her bare legs were matched with a pair of high heeled sandals.

Her skin was lightly browned, probably because she applied an anti- UV and infrared protection layer. Taking this into account, she technically wasn't revealing anything, but this skin coloring only served to help people think that she had been sunbathing.

"It suits senpai very well."

A daring summer outfit embroidered with flowers truly suited Mayumi perfectly.

"Is that so...? Thank you."

The surprised tone coupled with a bashful expression was also a killer combination.

"...If only you were slightly embarrassed while complimenting me, then that would be perfect."

The young lady who was 2 years older than Tatsuya extended both arms straight onto her hips and leaned forward to look upwards at him.

Though petite, she still possessed average measurements around the bosom and, once squeezed by both arms, a lovely cleavage could be seen.

At this point, it almost seemed intentional. "...Looks like a lot of hard work."

"...Ah?"

Presently, Tatsuya had no way of knowing what pressing business had detained Mayumi, but she most likely accrued considerable stress.

"President, it's time to go. Please catch some shut-eye during the ride." —Tatsuya chose to explain himself this way.

"Wait, uh...

Tatsuya-kun? Have you misunderstood something?"

Tatsuya's attitude suddenly switched to a comforting one and, combined with his compassionate gaze, threw Mayumi for a loop.

◊ ◊ ◊

"...Seriously, Tatsuya-kun actually thought I'm bipolar. How rude."

In the moving bus, Mayumi angrily puffed out her cheeks, while Suzune, who was sitting beside her in the aisle seat, watched her warmly.

"I obviously wanted him to sit next to me, but he fled to another car."

Speaking of which, as a technician team member, Tatsuya was supposed to sit in the storage vehicles, so from an objective point of view — or maybe from a superficial perspective, he wasn't avoiding Mayumi.

"Who does he think I am..."

"That was the correct decision."

"Eh, Rin-chan, what did you just say?"

Mayumi continued her lively complaints, to which Suzune calmly retorted back.

Mayumi was wearing a sweet smile, but her eyes were not smiling. Even though she was wearing such a terrifying smile and superficially

—and only superficially — asked in a cheerful tone, this didn't impact Suzune's calm expression in the slightest.

"I said he made the correct decision, otherwise he might suffer at the President's hands."

"Wait a minute, that's too much! Aren't you taking this a little too far?"

Suzune's utterly serious assessment caused cracks to appear in Mayumi's steady facade.

"There are very few male students that can resist the President's beauty, and that beauty has a powerful magic of its own."

"...

That..."

"......"

Likely because Suzune's expression was overly serious as she said this, Mayumi wasn't certain if she was being honest or simply poking fun at her — however, for someone who aimed to be a Magician to say "beauty has magic", this was most likely a joke at her expense.

"Still, I hear that Shiba-kun excels at nullifying other people's magic, so the President's magical appearance cannot entrance him."

Even if she only heard the sound, Mayumi knew for some reason that Suzune said "magical appearance" and not "magic eyes". (TL note: magic eyes and magical appearance sound the same in Japanese.)

"...Rin-chan!"

Mayumi finally realized that she was being teased. "OK, OK, President, please relax."

"You don't have the right to tell me that!"

Her good friend maintained her perfectly serious demeanor despite Mayumi edging closer with an outraged expression on her face, so the only thing she could do was turn her back to Suzune and throw a small tantrum by herself in the corner.

Seeing her body hunched together from the side at a certain angle would lead to—

"Uh...

President, are you feeling unwell...?"

—This.

The voice from across the aisle where Suzune sat was both worried and nervous.

"Ah? No, it's not that..."

For Mayumi, this was an unexpected misunderstanding.

As she was hesitating, Hattori, who had specifically come over to check up on her, misinterpreted the situation even further, or rather, her reaction simply reinforced his preconception.

"Shiba mentioned earlier that the President looked tired. Looks like he wasn't far off the mark. If that guy knew where the boundaries were...

No, this isn't the time for that subject."

"Uh, Hanzou-kun. I just said, I'm not feeling sick..."

"I know the President doesn't want us to worry and I understand that I should respect that, but forcing yourself beyond your limits wouldn't do us any favors."

Hattori was completely serious — he was earnestly concerned about Mayumi's physical condition as he watched her.

The reason he was blushing was likely because of Mayumi's slightly outrageous sitting posture, where her thighs were slightly visible around the edges of the summer dress. However, both her legs were neatly placed together.

"Vice President Hattori, where are you looking?"

For the record, Hattori was completely focused on Mayumi's face.

He did not look anywhere else, but at the same time, this meant — he was desperately trying to not look anywhere else.

He originally came over out of concern for Mayumi, but he hurriedly averted his gaze — likely out of guilt that he did look in that direction, causing Hattori to look incredibly out of sorts.

...Given that this alone was enough for him to be guilty and wavering to this degree, only served to prove that he was an honest and innocent teenager.

"Ichihara-senpai! I didn't look there...

No, uh, I just wanted to offer the President a blanket..."

Unfortunately, his innocent teenager image only served to be the perfect prey for his senpais.

"Vice President Hattori wanted to bring the President a blanket? Then by all means, go ahead."

Suzune revealed an understanding expression as she rose and used her eyes to signal Hattori to hurry up.

As for Mayumi, she pitched in by pretending to avert her eyes out of embarrassment and used both her hands to cover her slightly exposed chest.

With a spread blanket in both hands, Hattori was rendered completely immobile.

A definite trace of mischief could be seen in Mayumi's eyes. Looks like Mayumi has become even harder to control than ever.

...Shiba-kun made the right decision — Suzune thought to herself.

He washed his hands of the whole deal.

◊ ◊ ◊

"What the heck are those guys doing...?"

Hattori was frozen in place, Mayumi was watching with expectation dancing in her eyes, and Suzune was calmly watching from the sidelines. This awkward three-way caused Mari to sigh and comment in a helpless tone.

As usual, Hattori was dancing to Mayumi's tune. After verifying this, Mari sat back down after rising from her seat (as a matter of fact, her seat was facing Suzune and company's position from across the aisle).

Mari didn't say this aloud, but she too was concerned on Mayumi's behalf, but her inability to do anything was more pronounced.

"Eh...

Just like old times..."

Mari secretly suspected that Hattori was under a lot of stress due to Mayumi's constant teasing, which in turn brought about his harsh attitude towards Course 2 students, and that led to Mayumi's headaches regarding her Vice President's actions and created a vicious cycle. This was something that did not sit well with her.

That being said, Mari also knew that Mayumi's stress level was far heavier than hers.

Mari's family boasted considerable history — rumor said that they were descended from General Watanabe Tsuna from the peaceful eras, although no one knew if this was true — but based on the current standings, they were barely on the fringes of the "Hundred Families".

Mari didn't know if it was because of a mutation, if her genes skipped a generation or she simply didn't inherit the bloodline, but at any rate she was the only one in her family with vaunted magic talent. Thus, even though her family had great hopes for her, Mari didn't have to concern herself with the family rivalries that were abundant in magical society.

On the other hand, the Saegusa and Yotsuba Families currently dominated the upper echelons of the Ten Master Clans and while Mayumi wasn't the next head, she was still a direct descendant and the eldest girl, so even though she was still a high school student, there had been quite a few marriage proposals even before she reached high school (which were not rumors, but grounded in fact).

As for Mayumi herself, even compared with the other Magicians within the Ten Master Clans, she still possessed "outstanding" magical talent. She was the subject of intense scrutiny, the veritable rising star of tomorrow among pure bloods.

On top of that, she was also the Student Council President, which only added to the things on her plate.

No matter how resilient her personality was, her days were by no means a walk in the park.

She's only playing a little bit, Mari thought, so leniency is probably the best approach.

While she was considering this, Mari did not add in "from a friend's perspective", likely because she also possessed a slightly shameful teasing side to her. But if someone actually said that to her face, Mari would probably knock them to the floor.

—Back on topic,

Unless the ruckus got out of hand, she wasn't going to interfere — Hattori seemed to be a willing participant anyways — so after making that somewhat one-sided decision, Mari directed her gaze out the window.

She sat in the aisle seat of a two person row.

So she had to look at the person sitting in the window seat. "...Mari-senpai, what's up?"

An equally listless female student asked Mari after noticing her gaze. "Hm? No, Kanon, I'm just looking outside."

Mari transferred her focal point from outside to the 2nd Year student sitting next to her, Chiyoda Kanon, who was wearing a handsome smile that was particularly popular among female students.

She was an underclassman that Mari especially favored and Mari was actively prepping her to be the next Public Morals Committee Chief.

Thanks to Tatsuya (if he heard this, he would strongly protest that he was coerced and not asked), Mari had already prepared the transfer documents just for her. If it wasn't Kanon, Mari likely wouldn't even bother.

They were both of the Hundred Families, but Kanon belonged to the Chiyoda Family near the pinnacle. Talented Magicians from prestigious families were the true representation of "Hundred Families".

Here, the "Hundred Families" didn't actually mean the number broke one hundred.

Just as the hundreds digit followed the tens digit, the same meaning applied in that they were "families that were second only to the Ten Master Clans".

In addition, the Ten Master Clans did not consist of only ten families. There were a total of 28 families worthy of the name the Ten Master Clans, and whoever possessed the strongest magic (notice that this was not the most talented, but the strongest), the top ten would be collectively known as the Ten Master Clans.

Mayumi's Saegusa Family always boasted a large number of talented Magicians, whereas the Yotsuba Family possessed one of the strongest Magicians in the modern era. The "Demon Lord of the Far East", the "Midnight Queen", Yotsuba Maya was the current head of house, which caused both families to be acknowledged as the twin aces of the Ten Master Clans.

Currently, the Ten Master Clans consisted of "Ichijou", "Futatsugi", "Mitsuya", "Yotsuba", "Itsuwa", "Mutsudzuka", "Saegusa", "Yatsushiro", "Kudou", and "Juumonji", which just happened to number from one to ten chronologically. However, this was the first time this had occurred since the Ten Master Clans had been formed, and there have been situations where one or two numbers were either duplicated or missing altogether.

The strongest of the strong became the Ten Master Clans, with the other 18 families as replacements, followed closely by the authentic "Hundred Families".

Kanon belonged to the Chiyoda Family, which was one of the Hundred Families. Kanon's direct attack power rivaled Mari herself and if she had a weapon in hand, her firepower could match Magicians from the Ten Master Clans themselves. No wonder she had the magic worthy of the name of the Chiyoda Family.

However, the crowning difference from Mayumi was that Kanon wasn't listless because she was overwhelmed with family business.

Hearing Mari's response, Kanon softly said "Is that so" and directed her gaze outside, followed with a lazy "Heh...

" sigh.

This ridiculous response only irritated Mari further. "Kanon..."

"Yeah?"

Kanon turned around again, but this time she smiled in a fashion completely different from before.

Unfortunately, the imitation paled before the original, as Mari smiled back in an equally radiant manner — from a female perspective.

"It's at most two more hours to the dorms, can you not wait for that long?"

"Hey, that's mean! I'm not a child, I can wait for a paltry two or three hours!"

At Mari's casual question, Kanon was suddenly fired up like she was another person.

Her middle length hair bobbed as she pouted and complained.

"But, but, I thought we would be on the bus together today, so it's OK if I'm a little upset."

"Haven't you guys been together... Even if you're engaged, counting the time you two have been together, that's probably longer than 'that pair' of Shiba siblings, right?"

"It's impossible to share a bus trip these days, so I was really looking forward to it. I mean, last year I was all alone. And when compared with siblings, of course engaged couples share more time together!"

"...Really?"

"Of course!"

Kanon puffing out her chest — which was slightly insulting and not altogether flattering – declared this to which Mari secretly sighed again.

This underclassman was usually decisive and dependable with a strong and active personality, which were qualities Mari admired in the young lady, but...

(Every time, the moment she gets to Isori it's like she's someone else entirely...)

"Speaking of which, why does the technician team have to hitch a different ride! It's not like they can do anything during the ride, so why are they in a separate car! This bus has enough seats for all of us, and even if that wasn't the case, we could still charter a double-decker bus!"

Kanon seemed to have seized upon the proper venue and started to loudly vent her frustration. At this, Mari could only sigh again.

◊ ◊ ◊

On the bus, there was another young woman who also shared Kanon's displeasure.

—This young lady did not make a fuss like Kanon, which only served to increase her friends' trepidation.

"......."

"...

Uh, Miyuki, would you like some tea...?"

"Honoka, thank you. However, I'm sorry, but I'm not thirsty right now. I'm not like Onii-sama, who was ordered out into the hot sun to stand watch."

Her voice was both calm and gentle.

Just like the chill that someone would feel upon gazing at the fine layer of frost that covered the landscape. "Ah, uh, you're right."

Honoka quickly agreed as someone on the other side of the aisle sharply nudged her flank.

(Why are you reminding her of her brother!) (It's not like I meant to do that!)

Honoka and Shizuku weren't telepathic but were still able to communicate with their eyes because maybe they both wanted to "do something" for the silently fuming Miyuki?

"....

Seriously, since we know who was going to be late, there was no reason for him to wait outside the bus...

Why is Onii-sama always doing so much..."

Miyuki finally started to mutter aloud, which only increased the terrifying tension around her.

Honoka wanted to flee.

At the very least, she wanted to switch places with Shizuku.

But if she switched seats at this juncture, she would surely incur Miyuki's wrath.

—Scratch that, Miyuki wouldn't actually do anything to her friends, but the dangerous feeling surrounding her was enough to cause people to let one's imagination run wild (speaking of which, the 1st Year female student sitting next to Shizuku was huddled in a ball and keeping her eyes glued outside).

"...And he's sitting in a tiny storage vehicle crowded with equipment... At least during the trip, I had hoped Onii-sama could get some proper rest..."

Shizuku glanced at the terrified Honoka and sighed.

Shizuku believed that Miyuki omitted the three words "next to me" (in other words, Shizuku mentally adjusted this to be "Onii-sama could get some proper rest next to me"), but she said something completely different.

"Still, Miyuki, this is where I think your older brother is amazing."

Shizuku took the opportunity of starting a conversation to switch seats with Honoka.

Honoka clasped both her palms together in thanks, but Shizuku couldn't see this with her back to her and Miyuki didn't notice this either.

Miyuki was wholly unaware that someone else had caught her muttering to herself, so she was unable to immediately react.

Shizuku seized the opening to keep speaking, completely shattering her normally stoic image.

"Even if he waited on the bus, I don't think anyone would actually complain about it, but your brother dutifully fulfilled his mission to 'verify all contestants had boarded'. It's true that this seems like an unimportant chore, but he didn't take this boring task lightly and was able to maintain his composure even though something unexpected happened, which isn't easy at all. Miyuki's brother is really amazing."

It was thanks to Shizuku's personality that she was able say such a mushy comment aloud. Honoka was more the type to think those thoughts in the privacy of her mind.

"...You're right, Onii-sama is the nicest person in the oddest areas."

Finally, Miyuki was able to contain her embarrassment and the icy pressure around them faded as well.

Hiding behind Shizuku, Honoka made a victory sign with her hand.

◊ ◊ ◊

With a few exceptions, human beings chose only to see things they wish to see.

More likely, "they chose to ignore objects that they did not want to perceive".

For biological organisms, bad news from the five senses was usually more vital than good news. Objects and situations that were displeasing often caused harm to the physical body, so identifying these threats were integral to survival.

However, humans often avert their eyes from what they do not wish to see.

For example, even knowing that a weapon of mass destruction was currently aimed at them, they still chose to ignore this aspect of reality.

This was especially true for citizens of first world countries that are so removed from struggling for survival in their day to day activities.

Even without this exaggerated example, there were countless examples every day where people pretend not to see things that are repulsive and pretend that they didn't exist.

—Such as, the sheer killing intent emanating from a beautiful young lady.

Miyuki, who had returned to her usual serene grace, was surrounded by male students.

Who, until this moment, did not dare to approach.

Miyuki was gorgeous enough to cause anyone to stop in their tracks, so no one dared to crowd her too much, but whenever an opportunity presented itself someone would immediately try to strike up a conversation. The majority of these offenders were 1st Year students, with the occasional 2nd or 3rd Year student.

Finally, Mari couldn't stand it any longer and forcibly relocated Miyuki and the other two to sit behind her.

Thus, with Miyuki and the now tranquil Kanon, much happier after venting, occupying the two window seats, Mari sitting beside Kanon, and Katsuto holding down the fort behind Miyuki, peace finally returned to the bus (Mayumi was sleeping soundly, likely satisfied after thoroughly teasing Hattori).

While it was pleasurable to speak with people of the same gender, there was something missing.

The two young ladies who shared this thought both absently watched the scenery passing by.

So Miyuki and Kanon were the first two to discover the situation. "Watch out!"

Kanon was the one who shouted out.

Following her voice, just about everyone in the car looked out the window on one side of the bus.

From the opposite direction, a large vehicle — this was a smaller bus used for leisurely pursuits — was sliding towards them on the ground, scattering sparks everywhere.

Someone shouted that the tires burst.

Another agitated passenger claimed that the tires fell off. There was no sense of danger in their voices.

There was a central divider between the two sides of the highway, further fortified by a protective barrier.

Basically, there was no way for the accident to spread over here.

In their young and inexperienced eyes, this disaster on the other side was only something to stimulate them.

A stimulation — that lasted for one second. Someone shrieked.

Maybe more than one person. This was hardly their fault.

The large vehicle suddenly spun as it collided with the central divider and, for some reason, flipped into the air towards them.

The bus slammed on the brakes, sending everyone careening forward.

The screams of pain were likely caused by the students who ignored the safety regulations and failed to buckle their seat belts.

The bus stopped.

Thankfully, they stopped short of impact.

However, the fallen vehicle was still sliding towards the bus while aflame.

"Let me shove it back!"

"Disappear!"

"Halt!"

"Oh!"

There was no panic aboard the bus, which was something worthy of praise.

But that only served to worsen the situation.

Without warning, several instances of magic shot forward and all tried to apply the phenomenon rewriting ability at the same time on the same object.

The only thing this would achieve would be to scramble all the magics against each other and do nothing to prevent the incoming disaster.

"You idiots, stop now!" Mari quickly realized this.

Fortunately, everyone was still in the activation process and had not finished yet.

So everyone was forced to recall their half-formed magic, leaving a few precious seconds for some sort of meaningful defense.

They needed a powerful magic to instantly rewrite the current phenomenon.

Everyone gathered on board were the saplings and seeds of future Magicians, but they were all capable of doing this.

However — if they were able to logically follow Mari's orders, they wouldn't have tried to recklessly use magic.

Also, in order to overwrite the original effects of the magic and achieve the desired result, they had to use a stronger magic to forcibly overwrite the currently activated magic—

"Juumonji!"

Mari summoned a Magician capable of performing this feat. Katsuto was currently readying his magic.

But Mari almost despaired at seeing his pale and agitated visage. Mari understood as well.

This pocket of space where Magic Sequences were running amok was just like what would happen during "Calculation Interference".

Even Katsuto had no way of handling both the oncoming impact and roaring flames at the same time...

"Leave the flames to me!"

The slim and beautiful figure of a 1st Year student rose near the window.

Her magic was already prepped and ready.

Seeing this, Katsuto immediately started designing the Magic Sequence for a fortifying barrier.

Yet, regardless of how incredibly talented she was, was this 1st Year student able to use her magic in this veritable storm of psions—?

For a second, Mari thought she was hallucinating.

She was a Magician fully capable of understanding magic, but she still questioned her own senses there.

Just as Miyuki was about to invoke her magic with the flaming metal hulk bearing down on them...

The rampaging Magic Sequences all disappeared in an instant.

As if waiting for this moment to occur, Miyuki immediately activated her magic.

She wasn't freezing the flaming vehicle nor cutting off the air supply to suffocate the driver (though in this case, the chance that the driver survived was remote), she was efficiently using magic to dramatically lower the temperature to extinguish the flames.

Mari could not help but applaud her choice of action.

At the same time, this proved that Mari's magic perception ability was working normally.

Katsuto spread out the protective barrier magic — this was a Movement-Type Systematic Magic that creates a force field that renders any object that enters its boundaries immobile — causing the already ruined vehicle to crumple upon impact. Mari looked elsewhere when she heard the sound of impact (Mari trusted that Katsuto's magic would be able to hold the incoming vehicle).

What the heck just happened?

The interfering remnants of Magic Sequences suddenly disappeared just before magic was applied to avoid the accident, but what the heck caused that?

Was it Mayumi's magic?

Mari immediately rejected this notion that floated into her head.

It was true that Mayumi was able to handle the rampant Magic Sequences.

However, Mayumi's Counter Magic (magic deployed specifically against magic) was shaped like psion bullets that used copies of Magic Sequences to tear them apart.

That type of magic couldn't completely annihilate every Magic Sequence down to the last iota.

If Mayumi's magic was synonymous to precision anti-aircraft guns, then the earlier magic (if it was magic at all) was something that would have carpet bombed the entire district. Not a single pillar would be left standing, steel would turn molten, the foundations and cement would scatter everywhere from the explosions, rendering this entire area into complete rubble — that was how violent that attack was.

While Mari and Katsuto were both frozen before the primal chaos of the rampaging Magic Sequences, Miyuki seemed to know from the start that this situation would fade and activated her magic without any hesitation.

Did she know who cast that "magic"? Hold on, was that magic...?

"Is everyone alright?"

Mari was staring at the storage vehicle — currently parked behind them — that was following them, and only recovered herself and turned around upon hearing Mayumi's steady voice.

"That was cutting it a little close, but there's no need for concern. Juumonji and Miyuki-chan's excellent performances saved us from disaster. Anyone who's hurt better realize how important safety belts are, so make sure to buckle up next time."

Mayumi added "so long as there isn't a next time" with a smile, causing laughter to fill the bus.

Everyone shook off the intense anxiety and terror and resumed a more relaxed expression.

"Juumonji, thanks, you're just as dependable as ever."

"No... Thanks to the fire quickly being extinguished, I could focus solely on stopping the vehicle. Also, did Saegusa get rid of the rampant Magic Sequences?"

Hearing Katsuto's question, Mayumi's eyes drifted awkwardly.

"Ah! I only noticed after the bus stopped..."

Speaking of which, Mayumi was sleeping up until the moment of the accident.

Katsuto also realized this, so he only raised an eyebrow slightly but made no further comment — Katsuto was undoubtedly the most honorable person among the student body leaders.

"Ah, Miyuki-chan as well. Your execution was flawless. You were able to use such a narrow window to construct a perfect Magic Sequence. That's an accomplishment that even us 3rd Year students would be hard pressed to emulate."

Katsuto and Mari both nodded in agreement at Mayumi's words.

All three of them knew very well that being able to correctly choose the appropriate magic and modulate it under such critical circumstances was no small feat.

Mayumi's praise caused Miyuki to blush deeply.

"President, I am honored by your praise. However, thanks to Ichihara- sempai's powerful assistance in halting the bus, I had sufficient time to construct the Magic Sequence, otherwise even I'm afraid that I may have hurried my move in such a trying condition. Ichihara-sempai, thank you."

Miyuki gravely bowed in thanks, to which Suzune silently nodded in response.

Kanon, who was sitting in front of Miyuki, turned around in her chair with an utterly gob smacked expression.

Mari was also unable to hide her astonishment.

Just as Miyuki said, there was no way the bus could've come to a halt in time with the brakes alone.

The moment the driver slammed on the brakes, it wasn't hard to imagine someone also using Speed Magic to help out.

But Mari only noticed everyone using magic to stop the incoming vehicle and was wholly ignorant of Suzune casting magic to stop the bus.

While everyone was preoccupied with visually confirming the danger, she accurately made the correct response.

Suzune's proficiency in magic was said to rival Mari and company, and today she more than sustained that reputation. Also, Miyuki was the only one who detected Suzune's magic while everyone else remained ignorant; her talent was truly awe-inspiring.

"In comparison, you..."

"Ow! Mari-sempai, why did you hit me?"

Suddenly being knocked atop the head, Kanon complained tearfully.

"Stuff it, Kanon, do you have any right to complain? Morisaki and Kitayama both panicked and used magic to complicate the situation, but that's only to be expected since they're 1st Year students. But what's the deal with you as a 2nd Year student panicking first!"

"Uh, but my reaction was the fastest, I just didn't expect anyone else to overlap on magic..."

Kanon's explanation caused both Morisaki and Shizuku to droop in shame.

Quite a few others revealed awkward expressions.

"Fastest isn't always better! At least evaluate the situation first, then make some sort of rudimentary communication between each other to avoid ambiguity, alright? On top of that, based on the fact that you still didn't deactivate your magic even after noticing the conflicting situation proves that you had already lost your objectivity."

"...I was wrong, I'm sorry."

Seeing Kanon's dejected state, Mari didn't go any further.

Even with this lecture, without the requisite training and experience, it was very difficult to remain calm under those circumstances.

When taking that into account, it was even more amazing that Miyuki was able to clearly communicate her decision to extinguish the flames.

This wasn't something that relied on talent alone. Usually, geniuses tend to try and stick out too much, which actually hurts more since it compromises communication.

By this definition, Kanon possessed an exemplary genius mentality. Miyuki must have gone through extensive and arduous training.

Her serene patience in waiting for the bus to resume moving was perfectly suited for her experiences, or completely unsuitable at the same time.

"Speaking of which, Shiba."

"Yes."

Mari called Tatsuya by name, but referred to Miyuki by surname.

Generally, she preferred to address others by surname and only called closer companions such as Mayumi, Kanon, and members of the Public Morals Committee by their name. To her, Tatsuya was someone who she was especially close to.

"Do you know how those Magic Sequences...

No, never mind, don't worry about it, you performed magnificently."

"Ah? Thank you for your compliment."

Originally, Mari wanted to ask the question "Do you know who used Counter Magic to erase those Magic Sequences?"

In the middle, she ruminated on whether she wanted to know the answer.

For some reason, Mari felt that the answer would cause devastating damage to "certain" objects in her immediate vicinity.

Outside the window, the male students from the technician team descended from the storage vehicles and commenced rescue operations.

That being said, the all-terrain vehicle not only violently struck the protective barrier and flipped through the air, it was also ablaze as well.

There was no chance the driver survived.

There were no women present, likely because the male students wished to spare them from the sight of the burning corpse.

Even though the fire was put out, the possibility that the ethanol-based gasoline would re-ignite was not zero.

Behind the 3rd Year students trying to cut out the door, a 1st Year student was using a camera to record the evidence.

Realizing that her eyes were continuously following his back, Mari swiftly averted her gaze.

◊ ◊ ◊

After the incident, including the time spent during police interviews and assisting with clean up so that the bus could pass, roughly 30 minutes elapsed since the incident ended. Figure in the delay from the start of the trip, the group arrived at the dorms shortly after noon.

From a strictly competitive standpoint, most of the contestants that excel during the Nine Schools Competition eventually join the military.

To safeguard their source of talented Magicians, the military heavily invested in the Nine Schools Competition in both the competition arena and the dormitories. Hotels previously reserved for government officials during inspection or visiting foreign dignitaries and their followers were instead allocated for students and related personnel during the Nine Schools Competition.

That being said, it wasn't like the situation was all-encompassing.

In the end, the hotel was a military building, so there was no valet parking or suites. Usually, the soldiers on duty at this location would be responsible for these missions, but the Nine Schools Competition was a high school event, so the students were responsible for carrying their own luggage. The larger devices were left in the storage vehicles for easy access so they didn't have to be removed, but the smaller tools and CADs had to be shifted from the vehicles to the individual rooms for maintenance.

A certain 1st Year student from the technician team quickly accomplished his objectives, pushed a cart full of luggage forward and was accompanied by a smiling female student walking next to him, a sight that caused Hattori to shake his head with a heavy expression on his face.

"Hattori, what's up? Take a look at your hangdog expression." Behind him, a warm voice struck up a conversation.

"Kirihara...

Nah, it's nothing."

Hattori turned around and verified that the man was indeed his good friend based on his voice, and reflexively responded with a vague answer.

"Really? At least you look like something's awry." He probably noticed himself.

Hattori didn't continue to deny Kirihara's words and let out a masochistic smirk.

"I've... lost some confidence."

"Oh please, the competition is the day after tomorrow, what's with the doom and gloom?"

Kirihara was only responsible for "Crowd Ball" on the second day, but Hattori was scheduled for "Battle Board" on the first and third days as well as "Monolith Code" on the ninth and tenth days.

Hattori was on a different competition tier than Kirihara and was one of the primary aces for the 2nd Year cohort.

If his status was anything short of excellent, this would severely impact the overall team strategy.

Thus, it was surprising for Kirihara to panic at this stage. "So why are you so depressed?"

In Kirihara's eyes, Hattori Gyoubu was a studious young man bursting with confidence, or maybe someone who worked arduously to earn that confidence.

Just in his second year alone, Hattori possessed the strength just second to the big three. This distinction was not earned on talent alone, although this did feed his arrogance — a point that his friend didn't try to defend — and was the subject of much misinterpretation, but his diligence matched his abundant talent at the highest level. At least, that was how Kirihara had always seen Hattori.

Hard working, talented and accomplished. With these three under his belt, there was no reason why he should suddenly lose the wind in his sails...

"Looks like you haven't noticed, how I envy you..."

"What is this? Are you insinuating that I'm stupid?"

"No, but I do think you're slow."

"Hey!"

Hattori's usual mocking smile that was easily misunderstood by others returned.

He appeared to have recovered his balance.

That Hattori was able to improve his mood by digging Kirihara put a sour taste in Kirihara's mouth, but at least he wasn't worried any more.

"...This isn't like you, right? What exactly has dragged you down recently?"

Kirihara asked again with the full intention of returning the favor.

Hattori was not dull enough to misunderstand his friend's clumsy concern.

"That earlier incident..."

"Ah~, that was too close."

"Yeah, and if nothing happened, I think a lot of people would've been hurt or even lost their lives."

"But didn't the President and company handily deal with it? Isn't worrying about nonexistent injuries a sign of general anxiety? This sort of reverse thinking is harmful to mental health."

Kirihara's forthright comment caused Hattori to laugh lightly. "Kirihara, I really envy your ability to let it go, but that's not what I'm considering."

Hattori stopped for a moment then shook his head again. "...At the time, I couldn't do anything at all."

"That's because if you acted without thinking, that would only worsen the situation. I think that holding back shows that you maintained a level head during a crisis."

Kirihara's words were meant to be comforting and not superficial lip service at all. From his objective analysis of the situation, Hattori also acknowledged his words.

Even so, Hattori's expression remained heavy.

"However... Shiba-san adopted the correct choice of action. She chose the appropriate task based on her expertise and did not forget to alert everyone of her actions. Even if the conflicting Magic Sequences did not suddenly disappear before she invoked her magic, she should have been able to team up with Group Leader Juumonji to handle the situation."

"At the time, Chief Watanabe also didn't act. Given that Shiba-san specializes in Freezing-Type Magic, isn't this just a matter of magic suitability?"

"Watanabe-senpai's expertise lies in anti-personnel combat, so she was holding back as a method of self-restraint for the benefit of the whole. In that situation, I am able to accomplish more objectives.

...No, the question at hand isn't about Magic Power. Watanabe- senpai instantly made the correct assessment that she was not the correct person to do the job and called on Group Leader Juumonji to assist. Before she even said anything, Group Leader Juumonji already realized that this was a situation he would be called upon and was already constructing his Magic Sequence. They also came to the conclusion that just the Group Leader alone was insufficient to combat this threat, but didn't panic and use magic haphazardly. Shiba-san calmly determined what she could do and verbalized this to everyone.

The problem is not just about strong or weak Magic Powers or the ability to use diverse or powerful magics or simply a technical issue, but as a Magician, are you able to use the appropriate magic in the right circumstances — yes, the problem isn't 'magic' talent, but the 'Magician's' talent. There is no doubt her Magic Power is staggering and on pure strength alone there's an 80% chance I would lose to her. However, until today, I've never worried about that point, because a Magician's quality is not measured solely by the level of their Magic Power. But — when compared to my underclassman, I am not only lacking magic talent, but also in talent as a Magician... This is thoroughly depressing."

Hattori once more turned a glum expression while Kirihara adopted a "what am I going to do with you" look.

"Ah~ that's a matter of life experiences, and that's where I think that pair of siblings are particularly special."

"Siblings?"

His evaluation was not on "her" but "that pair of siblings", catching Hattori off guard and causing him to look at Kirihara in a quizzical manner.

"That brother of hers...

I'm guessing he's offed someone before."

"Offed?"

Hattori's incredulous voice carried a note of shock.

"Yes, he's killed someone before, and not just one or two people."

"...You don't actually mean homicide, do you? You're referring to actual combat experience?"

"He does give people that feeling...

You know that my dad was in the marines right?"

"Yeah, I remember he had been deployed to Tsushima Island several times?"

This felt like an abrupt change in topic, but Hattori didn't dwell on this point and continued with Kirihara's conversation.

"Dad was only a corporal, but on the other hand, because he was a low-ranking officer, he was deployed to the front lines where he got to know a lot of soldiers who spent their days in the trenches. Occasionally, some of Dad's old war buddies would come over to my house, and they give off a completely different vibe from normal people. Regardless of whether it's kenjutsu or shooting, no matter how much we train in combat tactics and martial techniques, the sheer killing intent given off by soldiers who have killed in the heat of combat differs from athletes that haven't. Do you know the details behind the incident in April?"

Another change in topic.

"Why did you bring this up... I heard that was caused by anti-magic terrorists. I only know that the terrorist cell was cleared out by Juumonji."

Hattori was displeased with the abrupt change in direction but kept a lid on his annoyance. Instinctively, he felt this was all connected.

"Is that so...

Then I can't go into too much detail...

Although since it's you, I think I can take it to this level. I was present at the suppression of the terrorists, as well as the Shiba siblings."

"...

Really?"

"I can understand why you would ask that, but that's the truth. There, I think I saw Shiba — the older Shiba's natural instinct."

"Natural instinct?"

Compared to Kirihara's current words, his voice also carried a tinge of trepidation, which caused Hattori to immediately fire back a question.

"Yes, natural instinct, or at least a part of it. It was terrifying. He had the same quality the soldiers on the front line had but his killing intent was several times more intense, like a thick coating of killing intent covering him like a great coat. He was dangerous enough to cause a shiver to run down my spine, enough to make me wonder what a guy like that's doing in high school."

Kirihara's mouth may have said this, but his expression seemed very agitated.

"...There should be no way to hide his age."

Hattori was feigning naivety. This slightly off-tangent impression was a better gauge of his astonishment than the expression on his face.

"This only goes to show that age doesn't equate to experiences." Kirihara could understand why his friend was so stunned, but because he had also been in the same position he didn't make light of Hattori's tangent and only smiled wryly in reply.

Hattori looked to ask again, but this time there was a blatant hesitation in his voice.

"...Shiba-san as well?"

This hesitation was largely born from an "unable to believe" mentality. On the other hand, Kirihara seemed immune to this thought — probably heavily influenced by his girlfriend since spring — and answered his friend's question in a frank manner.

"I didn't witness exactly what the sister did, but given that the older brother was willing to bring her to the combat zone, she definitely isn't an ordinary girl. You know from today that the most beautiful rose has her own thorns, but not only that, she's probably more like the peacock that possesses both the sharp talons and malevolent beak capable of hunting poisonous serpents, right? Pursuing her is like having a death wish. Ignorance is bliss, eh?"

Kirihara's last two sentences weren't for Hattori's ears, but a subtle hint for the hapless male students surrounding Miyuki on the car.

"But I never thought that the Hattori with 'that kind of personality' would say something like this."

Hattori was still digesting all of this information while Kirihara sent a bemused smirk his way.

"...What do you mean?"

The hidden meaning behind Kirihara's smirk rubbed Hattori the wrong way, prompting his displeased rejoinder.

However, Kirihara's delighted smirk was not diminished in the slightest.

"A Magician's quality is not measured by their Magic Power alone, eh? Wouldn't the President be very pleased upon hearing that you personally said those words?"

"Huh...!"

Hattori glared darkly at Kirihara.

Yet, Kirihara maintained his bright smile, no, thanks to Hattori's overreaction, his smile grew even wider, which caused Hattori to be the first one to turn aside.

"Let's table quality for the moment, but Magic Power is definitely not the only indicator of strength."

Hattori took a step forward without any warning at all, clearly signifying his intent to leave Kirihara behind. Still, Kirihara ignored this blatant protest and followed Hattori's footsteps as he continued.

"The difference between Blooms and Weeds lies in the difference in technical scores on the entrance exam. Certainly there are Course 1 students who progress rapidly, but there are also people stagnating as well. Take Chiyoda for example, she's completely different than her arrogant self last summer who rested her laurels on talent. The Course 2 students are the same, and, so long as they don't self destruct, surely some of them would become stronger? ...No, this isn't pure speculation, there are quite a few 'capable' guys in Course 2 right now, and doubly more so in this year's batch. Oh by the way, I'm not saying this just because I lost to the older Shiba."

Hattori's shoulders shook violently.

Seeing this, Kirihara thought, "Oh right, this guy also got his ass handed to him on a platter."

"At any rate, I admit that he's stronger than me right now. But even if that guy is approaching cheating levels in terms of strength, I don't plan on always admitting defeat. I will continue to train myself and triumph the next time I challenge him. If I give up solely because I'm not as capable now, then I'm always a loser.

Currently, many Course 2 students give up because they're not as capable as others, hence why they've never improved. We have no obligation to accept them as our equals. On the other hand, for those that seek greater strength and better themselves along the way, we have no reason to scorn them either."

Hattori still had no response as he quickly advanced towards his own room without a word.

Kirihara shrugged and turned to see the pair of siblings who were the topic of their discussion.

Not far behind Kirihara, the younger Shiba was solemnly watching her older brother.

Seeing this, Kirihara thought, "Let's hope nothing troublesome happens".

And promptly mocked himself for this random thought.

◊ ◊ ◊

Kirihara's premonition headed in the direction he least desired and struck his fragile but earnest hope.

"Then, according to Onii-sama, that earlier incident was not accidental...?"

His sister frowned as she asked this question, to which Tatsuya subtly nodded in reply as he pushed the cart forward.

"The vehicle's trajectory was too unnatural and the investigation yielded the expected results. There were remnants of magic left on the vehicle."

Tatsuya modulated his volume to avoid eavesdroppers and Miyuki emulated her older brother's soft tones.

"But I didn't see anything..."

While the literal meaning of those words were a denial, Miyuki never doubted her brother for a moment.

She had a front row seat to the "accident" from the start.

And until the last moment, she never felt a trace of the other side using magic.

Her brother was different. Miyuki could only see the "present", but all of the "past" were within her brother's purview.

Miyuki knew that if her brother had determined "there were remnants", then that was the truth of the matter.

"At the time, they used small scale magic within the tightest time frames possible, which is a high level technique designed to avoid leaving remnant psions from the Magic Sequence at the scene. Our opponent was likely an agent who had undergone specialized training, which is all the more pitiful given that he was a sacrifice."

"A... sacrifice?"

That sentence had an ominous meaning, causing Miyuki's voice to be weaker than she intended.

"Magic was used three times during the incident, first the magic that burst the tire, second the magic that caused the vehicle to spin, and the last to apply force diagonally upwards in order to use the protective railing as a launch pad.

All three were cast within the vehicle in order to hide the fact that they used magic. In reality, most of the Magicians on hand didn't detect this, including you as well. 'At the time', I was also unaware, that's how well this was played. Especially the last technique, for the Magician to be aboard a spinning vehicle and still be able to pinpoint the exact moment of impact with the railing must have required intense training."

"Then, the one who used magic was..."

"The culprit is the Magician in the driver's seat. In other words, a suicide attack."

Miyuki stopped short and lowered her head. Her shoulders were slightly trembling. "How despicable...!"

This was not an expression of sadness, but fury.

His sister did not bear a misguided sense of compassion towards the criminal, but a deep sense of anger at the mastermind who gave the order. Satisfied, Tatsuya nodded.

"Criminals and terrorists originally are the scum of the Earth, and their leaders are rarely the type to gamble with their own lives, which can easily be seen from this example. There would be no end if we became enraged every time this occurred. Besides, I'm more concerned with the intent behind all of this."

Tatsuya gently patted his sister's back a few times to comfort her, then resumed pushing the cart forward.

Miyuki swiftly followed behind. —And stopped not ten steps away.

A young lady sitting on a couch near the wall waved at them. She wore a pair of shorts and braided sandals that showed off her toned legs, as well as a vest that clearly revealed both shoulders.

Tatsuya also came to a stop alongside Miyuki and glanced over at his friend who then stopped waving and rose from the sofa. She apparently mistook this location for a tropical beach resort.

"It's been a week, how have you guys been?"

"Hm, not bad...

Speaking of which, Erika, why are you here?"

"To cheer you guys on, of course."

After a short exchange of greetings, Miyuki asked in a bewildered manner, to which Erika replied frankly.

Of course, Miyuki anticipated this sort of answer but was also unable to accept it.

"But the competition starts two days from now."

"Yep, I know."

Erika's personality veered towards that of a mischievous child who delighted in teasing others, often making it very hard to get to the point.

"Miyuki, I'm leaving first. Erika, see you around."

Tatsuya immediately elected to abandon further questioning and, leaving Miyuki and Erika in the lobby, moved the overflowing push cart towards the room reserved for the technician team.

"Ah, uh, see you later...

Hold it, at least let me say hi?"

"Sorry, the senpais from the technician team are waiting for Onii- sama. So why are you here two days early?"

Miyuki apologized on behalf of her brother before asking further. "Tonight's the meet and greet, right?"

"......"

"......"

"......So?"

Miyuki waited for Erika to reply, but she felt that no matter how long she waited, she still wouldn't get a full answer, so Miyuki was forced to change the subject.

"I should probably caution you. Unrelated personnel are not permitted access to the dinner, and that includes students."

"Ah, don't worry, we got that covered."

"Ah? You said..."

"Erika, the key to the room...

Eh, Miyuki-chan?"

Miyuki wanted to ask "You said something about having it covered?", but was interrupted by a voice of an approaching young lady.

"Mizuki, you came too?"

"Miyuki-chan, good afternoon...

What is it?"

Mizuki heard Miyuki questioning Erika and warmly greeted her, but noticed that Miyuki was staring at her in place of a greeting, causing her to smile awkwardly.

"...Quite conspicuous."

"Uh... really?"

Mizuki glanced at herself uneasily. Today, she was wearing an upper garment with thin shoulder straps plus a skirt that was several inches higher above the knees. For some people, she was probably more tempting than Erika.

On first impulse, Miyuki thought something like "Did everyone mistake this for a summer resort?".

"Erika said not to dress too conservatively, so..."

"Is that so..."

Miyuki wanted to say a few choice words to Erika, but seeing her feign ignorance and turn her head, Miyuki gave this up as a lost cause.

Miyuki could now sympathize why her brother often sighed when dealing with Erika.

"Mizuki, I'm saying this for your benefit, but you might want to get changed. The getup is adorable and suits you perfectly, but I think there's a better time and place."

However, Miyuki didn't just smile and nod. Her personality was slightly more righteous than her brother, and more obstinate as well.

"Is that... so? ...

Really?"

"Yes, you should."

Mizuki peered at Erika as she asked her, while Miyuki also watched Erika as she nodded in assent.

"Eh~ Really~?"

Erika finally stopped play acting and disagreed with a huff. "Speaking of room keys, where are you guys staying?"

...This time, it was Miyuki's turn to ignore that sally.

"Yes."

Mizuki answered while Erika was fuming by the side, but she didn't press Miyuki.

During the past four months, Erika learned from their mutual interactions that this beautiful young lady that looked like she would show leniency towards even bugs possessed a strong and ruthless personality.

"I can't believe there are barred rooms...

No, even more importantly, it's amazing how the hotel actually let you guys stay. I thought ordinary people are barred from access..."

"Here's where you call on your connections."

Her mood restored, Erika revealed the answer without any guilt whatsoever, forcing Miyuki to burst into laughter.

"That's the Chiba Family for you."

While her tone was still joking, Miyuki was in no way paying superficial praise, but actually touching upon the truth.

Just as the Ten Master Clans bear the numbers one through ten in their names, the primary families within the Hundred Families such as Chiyoda, Isori, all bore numbers beyond 11 in their names. The size of the number had no correlation with the strength of the family, but the very fact that one possessed a number in their surname directly equated to a superior bloodline and was an excellent indicator of an individual's potential as a Magician. Magical families that have a number in their names are collectively known as the "Numbered Family System" (This is only one way of estimating ability. Even in First High's Student Council, only Mayumi herself came from the "Numbered Family System").

Erika came from the Chiba Family, which was one of the primary families within the "Numbered Family System".

The Chiba Family was renowned for using personal Speed and Weight Magic in close quarters combat. The Chiba Family's strength lay not in the fact they could adeptly use spells, but in the new system they pioneered for the training and development of close combat Magicians.

Presently, of the Magicians serving as policemen or infantry in the military, it was rumored that half of them were directly trained under the Chiba Family's system. This was the case for the navy and air force as well. Any unit that could encounter close combat situations often petitioned the Chiba Family for training.

If solely dependent on connections within active duty troops, the Chiba Family's influence may eclipse that of the Ten Master Clans.

"But is that OK? I thought Erika loathed using the family as backup..."

"I dislike other people simply seeing me as a 'daughter of the Chiba Family'. Connections are made to be used, it's your loss if you ignore it."

If this was anyone else, this answer could cause a combative atmosphere, but because the two others were Miyuki and Mizuki, they didn't take it to heart.

"Hehe, you're right. Now, I should go organize my luggage. I don't know how you guys are a part of this, but I'll see you at dinner."

Miyuki walked towards the elevator with Erika waving at her and Mizuki looking on.

"Hey, Erika, can't you carry your own bags?"

"Shibata-san, I have your baggage over here. I apologize for bringing it without permission, but there were too many people at the counter."

Halfway there, Miyuki heard two young men call out to Erika and Mizuki.

One of the voices was familiar, but the other was completely foreign. So it wasn't two girls, but two pairs of men and women.

Miyuki secretly smiled without stopping or turning her head.