Presidential Elections and the Queen Chapter 3 (1)

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"—Thanks for your hard work. With this, all the preparations for tomorrow should be complete?"

In response to Mayumi's closing pleasantries, "Yes, the documents are all in order."

By Azusa.

"The president has also completed her check." Hattori affirmed in a calm tone.

However Hattori did not simply make an answer to the question; his words were apologetic and contrite as he continued.

"…President, this is actually painful for you?"

"Yes, Hanzou-kun, thank you for your work. I'm already finished here, so don't worry."

After this, he had the formal investiture over at the Club Management Group. That was something Mayumi understood as well.

"Excuse me, President…"

"I said it's okay. If A-chan is ready too, please leave."

With great pain, Hattori regretfully gathered his things hurriedly, made a rapid "pardon me" as a goodbye to Azusa, put the Student Council behind him and went towards the preparation building.

"It's time for you to leave too, Miyuki."

In a similar tone, Mayumi directed her comment at Miyuki, who for some reason hadn't even got up from her seat, although both second years had gone home (to be correct, Azusa was the only one who had gone home).

"If it is alright, I wish to wait here for a little longer."

However, what was sent back as an answer was rather unusual from Miyuki. "Tatsuya-kun?"

"Yeah. Seems like he's somewhere a phone signal can't reach, since I can't contact him."

"Somewhere a phone signal can't reach…" "Couldn't it be the basement archives?"

Suzune whispered into the ear of Mayumi, who had tilted her head questioningly (although I called it that, the volume was such that it reached all the way over to Miyuki). Mayumi assented with an "uh, huh" look.

"That privacy barrier… is sometimes thick, since you certainly can't contact him… alright."

"I'm going to tidy up a bit more and then leave. Oh, Rin-chan, go home already. You have an errand you can't get out of today, right?"

"…Yeah. I'm sorry, President."

"It's okay. I'll let you off today, so work hard tomorrow."

Mayumi has no inkling, huh; there was no trace of doubt in her reply. She even let loose a light laugh. Suzune bowed without a word.

The Student Council room was down to the two of them; Mayumi and Miyuki turned to their desks in silence.

After a short period, at what Mayumi felt was just about the right length, the authorized person (in short, people whose student IDs were registered with the room's verification system) arrival notice beep rang.

Miyuki arose and aimed her eye at the door. "Sorry I made you wait."

Miyuki's anticipation was not in vain; Tatsuya entered the room. "No, you haven't done anything like that."

As she watched Miyuki joyfully headed towards him with small, quick steps, Mayumi let loose a slightly surprised laugh.

"I'm used to it already but… you two are really close." "Oh, President. You're by yourself?"

"Abandoned ship… but that's okay. Yes, the only ones left today are Miyuki and I."

Since he was also used to Mayumi, her impudence didn't throw Tatsuya's pace off. It was her usual light-hearted repartee.

"Shall we help you?" "How unusual."

However, her next words seemed to show actual genuine surprise.

"I wonder if snow might fall*, too." (In this region at this season, this is the near equivalent of saying pigs might fly)

"It's impossible for me, but… my sister would have no difficulty. Miyuki, the president appears to desire snow."

"Acknowledged. Well then, how much shall I make, Onii-sama?"

"Let's see… if you pile it up to 10 centimeters, shouldn't that be enough?" "Wait! St-stop! It's okay if snow doesn't fall!"

At first she thought it was a joke so she had left it alone, but their expressions were far too serious. Spurred by a worry called "it's a 10,000 to 1 that they'll actually do it but, what if they do", Mayumi frantically halted things.

"Good grief… Don't tell jokes with a straight face." "Wasn't it only natural that it was a joke?"

To Tatsuya, who wasn't offering either a sweet smile or a broad grin as verification, Mayumi directed a look filled with defenselessness (trust) with all her might. However, she saw a complete lack of effect and simply shrugged her shoulders to say "oh, well".

She, too, seemed extremely used to Tatsuya's ways. —They were on equal footing.

"Let's stop kidding around."

Mayumi watched him with a penetrating look, but Tatsuya naturally ignored it.

"It's going to get dark before long, but if there's any remaining work, we'll help you."

The calendar had already passed the fall equinox. "It's going to get dark before long" was no exaggeration in any way.

For now (?) she would take Tatsuya's altruistic words at face value (maybe she "misunderstood" him); Mayumi's face relaxed.

"Um… I'd better go home, too. Thank you for your concern." "Oh, is that so?"

"Then President, why don't we go to the station together?"

Thinking that Tatsuya would be readily shot down, this time Miyuki made an attempt.

While she was thinking that this was also an unusual occurrence, Mayumi's face spontaneously broke out in a smile.

"Why don't we all work together?"

"Since it's already so late, I know it will take some time to get the documents from 'underground', so the first thing to do is to go now, so they can finish it for us before they go home."

"…Now that you mention it, what were you searching for in the archives?"

"I was searching for ancient texts related to 'the philosopher's stone, because the significant texts haven't been transcribed into the database."

"…An extremely crackpot, no, specialized research subject." "I think it could be a tool to compensate lack of ability."

"Is, is that…?"

Without thinking, he shocked Mayumi with his genuine motive.

"…Uh, how can a magician who can use 'Gram Demolition' say such a thing? Even if that was the only magic you could use, you'd still be in high demand by police and defense force from here and there."

Nevertheless her face rapidly swelled with disappointment.

Tatsuya was well aware that Mayumi thought he held a warped opinion of his own magic talents. None the less, the tenor of his thoughts were slightly different from the common 'feelings of the reserves'; 'the reserve students' were only fed up about the social system placing limits on their opportunities because they were reserves that he well knew.

He had unconsciously forgotten that if he said anything that sounded a little self pitying, Mayumi, who somehow always had the upper hand with him, would get angry.

He might not attain high rank as international standards determined magicians rank, but if you considered public (occupational) requirements, talented people like him who held the technical skill to excel in a specialized field were in great demand.

"Hey, Tatsuya-kun, I think you shouldn't emphasize yourself that you are a 'reserve student' so much. Because you are simply being melodramatic, you'll be remembered for your achievements… If you continue in that vein, you'll be the envy of both the first course and second course students."

"I do not intend to emphasize that point."

For Tatsuya, when he named himself 'reserve student', he truly did it with neither the intention of satisfying masochistic tendencies, nor to be melodramatic. Just now, he had been asked (indirectly) for the reason he was investigating this subject and he only answered that question. —Naturally, he did not lie in order to conceal his true intentions; the real reason he was investigating matters related to 'the philosopher's stone' was to compensate lack of ability to do certain things regarding his goal to build a 'Gravity Control-Type Magic Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor'.

In any case, Tatsuya had no intention of emphasizing to himself that he was just a 'reserve student'.

However,

"…Never mind, I'll try not to." In the end, he answered thus.

It wasn't like Tatsuya couldn't understand that Mayumi was worrying about him.

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The three of them, Mayumi and the siblings, walked the straight path from the school entrance to the station they usually took with Erika, Leo, and the rest of their friends. Miyuki was a little nervous; well, that was understandable. Even Mayumi might feel she had to be pleasant out of nervousness. Her bag was held in both hands in front of her body. The manner in which she walked in silence with her eyes concealing her feelings had a grace that caused one to wonder "From which high class family did this ojou-sama hail from?" —In actuality, Mayumi was an ojou-sama.

Tatsuya himself didn't have any topic he cared to sponsor for conversation. 'The art of small talk' was one he was especially unskilled at. Additionally, he was now on alert for attacks from the opposition group. For that reason, the three of them hardly made any conversation as about 70 percent of the distance to the station evaporated.

"…Hey, Tatsuya-kun." "What is it?"

Because of those circumstances, when Mayumi unexpectedly spoke, Tatsuya was practically ready for anything.

"Isn't it true that the two of you waited for me so we could leave together?" However, even though he was prepared, he was surprised by her comment.

When Tatsuya did not immediately respond with a reply, Mayumi continued on as if she had received a one syllable reply.

"Mari said something, didn't she? Something like since the opposition group may attack, walk me to my house."

"…You know her well, President."

The one who answered truthfully was not Tatsuya, it was Miyuki. Mayumi's insight had led her to make a guess that shot through the deception right to the truth; at least, Miyuki could verbally intervene so Tatsuya wouldn't have to explain why (?) 'he confessed'.

"It's okay."

Mayumi smiled slightly as she turned to Miyuki.

"I won't tell Mari that I wormed the truth out of you two."

Miyuki nodded out of embarrassment upon having her intentions being completely and readily laid bare.

"But, why did you speak of it?"

On the other hand, Tatsuya did not show any special discomfort on his face, nor did he speak with any trace of what could be called defiance; he merely asked with a puzzled look.

"To get you to understand that you didn't need to walk me all the way home. Oh, don't misunderstand me. I'm not annoyed or anything like that."

Tatsuya mutely bowed his head and signaled her to continue.

"Didn't Mari say something like I generally take the path to and from school without precautions? But, I don't leave with everybody else as a precaution, so if something happens, nobody else will get caught up in it."

"By that… you don't mean only at times like this?"

"Yes, I may be only calling myself this, but because I am an 'ojou-sama', I am often targeted by people with monetary or political goals and stuff like that."

She said the word ojou-sama without any traces of pride in the tone of her voice, only self-depreciation colored her tone.

"Because the Saegusa family is a noble clan that, since the formation of the ten master clans system, has never fallen from the ranks, not even once."

Tatsuya spoke with 'there's nothing that can be done about it' implicit in his words; Mayumi made a pained smile.

"…Well, that's how it is. Because I've been trained to never slack off on taking precautions, I am always prepared so that I can invoke my magic."

She raised her left hand. The sleeve slipped down to reveal her CAD; it was not in rest mode, it was in standby mode.

"Besides, I also have a bodyguard." "Uh, really?"

Miyuki franticly looked around, but she could not find a trace of anybody who looked like a bodyguard.

"…He's waiting at the station." Mayumi subtly halted the search.

"As you might surmise, it is embarrassing to walk the road to school accompanied by a bodyguard."

Even if she did say it herself, it did not change the fact that it was embarrassing. "Oh, so that's why she said something like 'You don't have to see her to her house'… Since once you got to the station, the bodyguard would be waiting." Upon hearing this, Tatsuya's face showed he finally understood.

"That's right."

However, now that that was explained, something new pricked his curiosity. "But, why have you explained this to us?"

He knew it was a pointless question, but Tatsuya couldn't dampen his curiosity. If what she just said was true (although it seemed there was no reason to lie), Mari was also aware of this private personal information.

"Ye-es… maybe I just wanted to walk home with Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki- san?"

However, looking on the bashful face of Mayumi as she answered, Tatsuya felt a premonition of 'utter failure…'

"Me, too?"

Miyuki didn't feel the same premonition as her brother, so Mayumi sent a (elder sister) smile in the direction of her tilted head.

"Yes. Last autumn, I became Student Council President; the first half year has been fulfilling in itself, but this past half year, for me, has been a really fulfilling period."

And then she switched her gaze to Tatsuya. "And that has surely been thanks to you two." "…I think you are overrating us, but…"

As Tatsuya refuted her claim expressionlessly, Mayumi laughed and giggled wholeheartedly.

"I've only recently come to understand this, but… Tatsuya-kun, you are a modest person."

Watching Tatsuya become so lost on how to respond that his face hardened into a noh mask, Mayumi let out a stream of 'insuppressible' high pitched giggles.

"Is this how you act your age? Sometimes, I feel like I'm actually dealing with a ten year old?"

With the exception of Mayumi, Tatsuya's acquaintances, who occasionally cast doubt about his actual age, all estimated higher; the only thing he could do was sink into silence with an astonished look on his face.

Mayumi's vision blurred with tears—she laughed so much, she wiped her eyes with her fingers and directed a cheerful face to the siblings.

"…A-chan and Hanzou-kun are very good kids, but you two siblings are surely the most memorable of all my wonderful high school kouhai."

Her face lit up with an extraordinary bright smile, Miyuki was also struck speechless.

In a completely different manner than her brother, whose ears were burning.