Chapter 31

First High clinched the overall victory before the final day and decided to postpone the celebration until tomorrow. (Again? Anyone who said this was promptly ignored.)

Tomorrow, the finals for the Official Division's Monolith Code, one of the most popular draws of the Nine Schools Competition, would commence.

First High's representatives advanced to the finals after taking first in the preliminary round. Neither the players nor the auxiliaries had the time to attend the party.

However, since there was only one event remaining, it was also true that most of the members had plenty of time on their hands.

As Miyuki powerfully contributed to First High's overall victory with her performance in Mirage Bat, this time she was the center of the celebratory tea party held in the conference room.

Mayumi and Suzune hosted the event, with the female players making up the majority of those in attendance. That being said, it's not like there were no boys present. The uninjured Year 1 male students were congregated in a corner and holding their cups in a dejected manner. (The Year 2 and 3 male students were busy preparing for tomorrow's contest.)

Not only were Mikihiko and Leo present, Erika and Mizuki could be seen as well. Mayumi likely had another purpose in mind. (Erika tried her utmost to decline, but was forcibly conscripted by Miyuki.)

Yet, for some reason, there was no trace of Tatsuya. "...So, he said not to wake him until morning?"

"Yes."

"That's no surprise."

"Since he's been quite active lately..."

As the Year 1 female students were in a group discussing a certain young man (they were Erika, Miyuki, Shizuku and Honoka), a Year 2 couple approached.

"Hm? Your brother went to bed already?" It was Kanon and Isori.

"Indeed, he said he was quite exhausted."

"That... would be true. And he's injured as well."

Hearing Miyuki's answer, Isori nodded deeply. Once he raised his eyes and looked towards Miyuki, his eyes slightly widened.

"Hm? Isn't this Erika?"

"Kei-senpai, have you completed the calibrations for tomorrow?"

"No, taking a breather... Though it's more like Kanon dragged me out."

Isori could only smile wryly at these slightly mocking words. Next to him, Kanon wore a slightly irritated expression which was not completely caused by the earlier verbal exchange. There appeared to be something deeper as well.

"...Ah, Erika knows Isori-senpai?"

"Chalk it up to family relations."

Still, Erika didn't hold Kanon's mood against her, or more like intentionally pretended not to notice, as she turned to Miyuki.

"The Chiba Family is greatly indebted to the Isori Family."

"That's certainly not true!"

"No need to be shy, that's just how it is, objectively."

Seeing Isori frantically shake his head, Erika adopted a more teasing tone.

"My CAD was also developed by the Isori Family. Speaking of which, didn't Isori-senpai make it for me?"

Speaking of which, Erika pulled out her CAD that was shaped like a retractable police baton out of nowhere.

"Well, I guess... But only the 'Engraving' portion."

"You designed the Engraving spell yourself? That's incredible..."

"Kei is a genius!"

When Mizuki expressed her sincere admiration, Kanon was so proud that she momentarily forgot her displeasure. Isori could only shyly murmur once more: "That's definitely not true."

◊ ◊ ◊

By the time his absence had ceased to be a topic of conversation, Tatsuya slipped out of the hotel and advanced towards the parking garage reserved for officers on base. The other party was already there waiting for him.

"How rude, to leave a woman waiting!"

"My apologies."

This was hardly the time and place, but since he was in the wrong — less on the gender issue, more on his tardiness — Tatsuya frankly apologized when scolded.

Maybe she was disappointed that Tatsuya didn't offer any excuses, but Haruka didn't complain as she gestured for Tatsuya to get in the car she was leaning against.

After Tatsuya slid into the passenger seat, Haruka sat behind the wheel.

Both the interior and exterior of the vehicle remained darkened.

Haruka didn't bother to glance at the ignition and directly pulled out a smartphone from the storing space on the door.

Seeing this, Tatsuya also pulled out a terminal from his jacket pocket.

This was not the uniform for the auxiliaries, but a pitch black jacket with two bulges beneath the armpits, which Haruka pretended to be oblivious to.

"Just the map data is sufficient?"

"If you have the list of members, can you pass those to me as well?" Haruka sighed. Tatsuya started sending data towards her terminal. Seeing the display, Haruka's eyes widened in shock.

"Is that not enough?"

"No, that's quite enough!"

Haruka hid her expression and manipulated her own terminal. Tatsuya skimmed over the data sent to him and said.

"Much obliged."

Just as Tatsuya slightly nodded and was about to press the button to open the car door,

"This is insurance, isn't it?" Haruka asked stiffly. "Indeed it is."

By the time this concise answer passed to Haruka's ears, Tatsuya's back was already facing her.

As he watched Haruka drive the electric double-door sports car through the main exit, Tatsuya removed the gauze covering his right ear and headed towards another car. Before he could tap on the window, the car door on the passenger side automatically opened. Inside, a woman near Haruka's age sat in the driver's seat.

"Who was that woman?"

"Agent from Public Safety."

Tatsuya easily revealed Haruka's identity and smirked at Fujibayashi. "Though she insists that her day job is that of a life counselor." Fujibayashi burst into laughter.

"So she's a part-time agent."

"I think she's fine on the ability end. Compared to seasoned veterans, rookies fresh out the door tend to be more reliable. They usually stick to confidentiality down to the letter, so I feel safer asking them for temp work. At any rate... Accepting side jobs is slightly unethical, but money talks and merit walks — I guess that's just how it is."

Hearing Tatsuya nonchalantly speak such bleak words, Fujibayashi squinted at him — her eyes remained calm.

"Sometimes, why do I get the feeling that you should be 10 years older?"

"I feel that this has nothing to do with age and everything to do with experience. After all, I've accumulated varied experiences of all sorts here and there."

Emphasis placed on the term varied. Hearing this, Fujibayashi casually averted her gaze from Tatsuya.

Tatsuya didn't anticipate any particularly special response.

He removed the connection cable from the dashboard compartment and smoothly operated the touch screen on the passenger's seat and transferred the map data he obtained from Haruka into the navigation system.

"...I wonder if I can report this as overtime..."

"I think this certainly qualifies."

"The labor laws hardly apply to people like us!"

Despite elastic employment becoming mainstream, some laws still stubbornly survived the times. At being prompted to retread familiar territory, Fujibayashi didn't even bother to force a smile and merely shot Tatsuya a look and shifted the stick forward.

The commonly seen electric car employed by the masses shifted into silent run, a feature not detailed in the instruction manual, and slipped away in the darkness.

◊ ◊ ◊

Meanwhile, the one who ordered (?) Fujibayashi into the field was entertaining an unexpected guest.

"Please come in, sir."

The individual in question, who was not being welcomed by the soldiers on duty but by Kazama himself, was Elder Kudou.

Back when the old man was in the service, the rule that the "Ten Master Clans shall not assume high roles in government" had not been established yet.

That was because this rule was put into effect after experiencing a series of circumstances involving Kudou himself that ultimately led to the establishment of this rule.

When he retired, Elder Kudou held the rank of major general. Kazama's greeting was not out of respect for his status as an elder of the Ten Master Clans, but done in regards to his rank based on military protocol.

Kazama was a B-ranked Magician and also a member of the magical community that had the Ten Master Clans at the pinnacle. That being said, he identified himself as a Magician using the Ancient Magic "Ninjitsu", so he had a rather chilly relationship with the Ten Master Clans, who were the epitome of modern magic. (Naturally, his relationship with his subordinates within the battalion was another story altogether.)

Thus — assuming this was the right way to put it — Kazama's attitude might be respectful, but never surpassed the boundaries of being mere "formalities".

"You're dismissed."

"Yes, sir!"

Kazama ordered the soldiers on duty who brought the tea out of the room and redirected his gaze to Elder Kudou.

"So what may I do for you today? Fujibayashi is in the field right now and not present."

"I certainly don't believe that seeing my granddaughter requires going through her superiors... It's nothing really, I hear that it's rare for you to come from Tsuchiura, so I came to see you."

"I'm honored."

Seeing Kazama use the word honored but fail to express any respectful attitude, Kudou smiled wryly.

"You still dislike the Ten Master Clans that much."

"I've said that was a misunderstanding."

"And I've said there's no need to hide it. Magicians who wield Ancient Magic like you are 'humans' who have inherited the wisdom of the ages, unlike us, who are Magicians forged to be humanoid weapons.

It's perfectly understandable for there to be some resentment."

Kazama's brows furrowed when he heard the word "human" being elongated on purpose.

"...Turning ourselves into weapons is exactly the same thing the ancient Magicians did to themselves. There's no great difference between you and I. If I do bear any resentment, that would be directed to humanity in general. I believe that this idea is something forced down the throats of children and the younger generation."

"Hm... So you took him in?"

Kudou calmly rebutted Kazama's fiery words. "...Him, as in?"

"Shiba Tatsuya-kun. Isn't he the son of Miya whom you acquired from the Yotsuba Family three years ago?"

"......"

Instead of being struck speechless, Kazama's silence would be more aptly described as "highly irritated".

"It's hardly surprising that I would know about it, right? Three years ago, I was conveniently the chairman of the committee for the Ten Master Clans and currently remain a magic advisor to national defense. Also, though it was for a short period of time, both Maya and Miya were my students."

"Then you should also know this. The Yotsuba Family has not relinquished their hold on Tatsuya. He remains a Yotsuba guardian. Only under the conditions that his role as a guardian is not compromised is Shiba Tatsuya allowed to participate in military missions. Besides guardian responsibilities, the Yotsuba Clan is not allowed to assert their precedence. That is the agreement we have with the Yotsuba Family."

"Don't you feel that it's a waste?"

"What do you mean by a waste?"

Seeing Kudou lean forward and ask in a conspiring manner, Kazama feigned ignorance as he replied.

Elder Kudou did not fly into a rage and merely smirked.

"Yesterday's match was quite entertaining. While I hear that it was the only successful example, I didn't imagine that it would be that powerful."

Retired Major General Kudou watched Major Kazama's eyes like a hawk.

"Sometime in the future, he will become our country's invaluable military asset along with the scion of the Ichijou Family. Relegating such a superb individual to a mere private bodyguard, wouldn't you consider that to be a waste?"

"...Sir, do you wish to weaken the Yotsuba Family?"

"Since it's you, I'll be blunt."

At Kazama's question, Kudou maintained his thin smile and nodded.

"Through a series of checks and balances, we prevent the possibility of Magicians losing control of themselves. This is written within the design behind the Ten Master Clans."

Kazama's silence implied that, for him, Kudou's words were all known facts.

"However, at this current progression, the Yotsuba Family will become too powerful. At Shiba Tatsuya-kun and his sister's current growth rate, in the near future, Maya will still be around, Shiba Miyuki will become Yotsuba Miyuki with Shiba Tatsuya continuing as her guardian. In this scenario, the Yotsuba Family may become an existence that will eclipse the Ten Master Clans. Nay..."

Here, Elder Kudou paused and shook his head.

"Even in our current predicament, based on the fact that they possess unique abilities unmatched by other families and have a select but extremely powerful group of Magicians, the Yotsuba Family are already a special entity within the Ten Master Clans."

Hearing Kudou's words, Kazama wore a sarcastic smirk.

"That's precisely because they loyally obeyed your directive in creating 'Magicians who are humanoid weapons'. From a pure combat perspective, it is only natural that they are so special."

"And therein lies the difficulty.

Just as you say, Major Kazama.

They originally existed to develop new weapons, but they are no longer like that.

Something that only exists as a weapon will someday be excluded from the world of men."

"Sir!"

Kazama curtailed Elder Kudou's emphatic words.

"Sir, just as you know the details on my side, so too do I know a few things on your side. I know the real reason why you are so interested in Tatsuya's situation."

This time, it was Kudou's turn to fall silent.

"Thus, please allow me to make a suggestion and a correction."

"...Please do."

"I believe that there is no need to pity Tatsuya. He is not a docile lab rat to be pitied. Rather, he is someone who is reluctant to be viewed in that lens."

"That's your suggestion?"

"Indeed. Now for the correction... It's not the near future. Tatsuya is already an invaluable asset within the military. Saying this may seem like I'm promoting my own men, but in terms of military power, Tatsuya is on an entirely different level than Ichijou.

For point defense situations, Ichijou Masaki rivals an entire armored battallion's combat strength.

Yet, Tatsuya alone possesses the might of a strategic warhead.

His magic is restricted by several layers of limiters and is a bona fide strategic weapon.

And handing all the responsibility to him alone seems to be an overly heavy and cruel burden."

◊ ◊ ◊

In the car speeding towards the east, Tatsuya did not double over and sneeze repeatedly.

The electric car that Fujibayashi was driving — to be precise, Fujibayashi's car that was being directed by the navigational system, was coursing east along the central highway and reached Yokohama before midnight.

North of Yokohama Harbor in the east side of town, a sprawling Chinatown still bordered the high rise since the end of the 21st century (despite the multiple military conflicts between Japan and China). It was here that the car carrying the two of them came to a halt.

"...We know hostile agents are crawling around over here, yet I don't see any lock down or security checkpoints. What are the politicians thinking?"

Fujibayashi gazed at the streets in Chinatown and muttered in frustration. Next to her, Tatsuya merely shrugged.

"That's because on the surface, this area is one of the primary headquarters for politically oppressed Chinese who fled the country."

"That's a blatant lie!"

"That's why I said on the surface."

"Everything should have a limit. While we technically won, since no treaty was formally signed, from a legal standpoint, we are still on a war footing with the Great Asian Alliance and are only in a ceasefire right now. Everyone knows that this is a nest for spy activity, but no one wants to deal with it."

"Then again, maybe the number of 'people' is rising right now."

In contrast to Fujibayashi's nattering, Tatsuya replied in an easy manner.

Fujibayashi heard — or thought she did — something deeper in that answer and widened her eyes as she stared at Tatsuya.

"...Do you know something?"

"No, simply a wish, that's all."

As if signaling an end to the conversation, Tatsuya turned his back to her.

The current direction he was facing led him to the highest building in the city.

The cost for construction was staggering, but from a physical perspective, it was indeed the tallest skyscraper.

Until the middle of the century, this area was known as "Harbor View Park". Now, with three towering skyscrapers built in the area, one could see Yokohama Harbor and the sea from there.

The building's name was the "Yokohama Bay Tower", which the residents affectionately shortened to "Bay Tower". It included hotels, shopping centers, civilian offices, television stations and related facilities. The community for Magicians known as the "Japanese Magic Association" also set their eastern branch here rather than in Tokyo. (Main HQ was in Kyoto.)

Claiming that this tower was only for civilian use was a mere cover that even the citizens in the area could see through. Since this tower was in a perfect location to keep an eye on all the ships entering Tokyo Bay, this building also housed the offices for National Defense and the naval police disguised as civilian companies.

It was rumored that the Magic Association's eastern branch was in the building so that they could join the defense if an incident occurred. — Yet regardless of whether it was Tatsuya or Fujibayashi, both knew that this was no "rumor", but cold, hard "fact".

"Lieutenant, thank you."

"Looks like I really should apply for overtime." The time was near midnight.

Fujibayashi placed a small information terminal on an emergency exit that was normally only accessible from the inside and was not covered by security personnel. Her other hand fiddled with the CAD.

The door mechanism originally didn't have a connection port or data jack, so Fujibayashi used a hacking program to gain access to the door by modifying the electric conductivity of the door.

Thanks to Fujibayashi's interference, the internal surveillance systems failed to detect their presence.