Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei

Volume 19, Chapter 12

It was 10 P.M. by the time Tatsuya and Miyuki arrived home after their dinner with Katsuto, Mayumi, and Masaki.

Although it wasn’t a particularly late hour for a high schooler, Minami was still awake to welcome them.

“Welcome back.”

Minami wore her maid uniform to greet Tatsuya and Miyuki at the front door.

“We’re back. Did any news come in?”

Minami hesitated for a moment at Tatsuya’s query.

“There were no calls from the Main House, Kuroba-sama, or Tsukuba- sama.”

Tatsuya was waiting for them to contact him about the results of the investigation on the magician that he had tracked down. However, there was a hint of another matter from Minami’s tone.

“I’ll listen to you in the living room.”

“Understood.”

Tatsuya, Miyuki and Minami entered the living room. Tatsuya and Miyuki sat down on the sofa while Minami stood to deliver the news of the event that transpired while they were gone

“There was an emergency message from First High.”

“Emergency message?”

“Yes, Miyuki-sama. Although the contents are not very pressing, it had to be sent before the end of the day so it was marked as ‘urgent’.”

“So, what’s the announcement?”

“The school will be closed until Saturday, the 23rd, although the closure might be extended.”

Once Tatsuya’s query was answered, the siblings were visibly surprised. “…That’s quite sudden.”

“…After the incident at Second High, such an incident took place here today. It’s understandable for the school to take these measures.”

Tatsuya felt the same as Miyuki. So, he made up a somewhat plausible reason and settled on that.

“I see… Still, this is troublesome.”

Miyuki put her hand on her cheek and sighed softly.

“How so?”

At Tatsuya's inquiry, Miyuki subtly averted her gaze in a slightly embarrassed manner.

“Due to the riot that happened after school, I headed back home directly from the police station… and left some personal items in my school locker.”

Tatsuya had judged based on Miyuki’s expression that the personal item was something that she didn’t want anyone else to see.

“Shall we get it tomorrow then?”

Miyuki looked at Tatsuya with a surprised expression.

“But, Onii-sama, isn’t the school going to be closed?”

“It’s just to get some personal items. If we really can’t get in, it should be fine for us to leave it then, right?”

Miyuki didn’t say `it isn’t something that important’. “I… see.”

Miyuki was undeniably concerned. However, she decided to take Tatsuya’s offer to accompany her instead.

Tatsuya didn’t go out again that night. He knew where the remote attack that used SBs originated from. Going to the scene was an option, but Tatsuya decided to use another method.

“Miyuki, do you have some time?”

As the hour approached midnight, when it was time to go to sleep, Tatsuya knocked on Miyuki’s door.

“Ah, yes. Please wait a moment.”

He received a flustered response from the other side of the door. He sensed someone moving around in a hurried manner, and Miyuki showed her face before long.

“Please come in, Onii-sama.”

Miyuki was slightly flushed. Probably because she found her attire, which was just a housecoat over her negligee, to be embarrassing. However, she hadn’t closed the front of her housecoat. It wasn’t because she didn’t have the time.

Tatsuya candidly walked into the room with Miyuki’s invitation, even though she was only in her nightclothes.

“Please take a seat wherever you’d like.”

“No, I’m fine here.”

However, Tatsuya stopped just inside the entrance and didn’t move further inside.

“Onii-sama?”

“Miyuki, I know this will sound strange, but…”

“Yes?”

Miyuki tilted her head at Tatsuya’s unexpectedly roundabout way of talking.

“Can you wake up early tomorrow?”

Why was he struggling so much to say just that…? While wondering about that, Miyuki naturally answered, “Yes”.

“Yes, I don’t mind. But at what time exactly would you like me to wake up?”

Tatsuya’s answer went beyond her expectations.

“I’d like you to come to the underground laboratory around 4:00 AM.”

“…That’s pretty early.”

“Ah, I’m sorry…”

“No, I don’t mind at all!”

Due to her surprise, she unintentionally gave a straightforward response to Tatsuya, but she immediately took back her words that could be taken as dissatisfaction. Since she was worried about appearing as if she was unhappy with Tatsuya, she spoke louder than necessary.

“I see.”

Tatsuya was slightly surprised at her excited reply, but his expression soon returned to one that concealed his hesitation.

“Onii-sama, there’s something else you want to talk about, right? Please, go ahead.”

As she moved closer and questioned him, all she could think about was how she didn’t want to make Tatsuya hate her.

Her untied housecoat fluttered open, and the swell of her bare breasts were visible to Tatsuya through her negligee.

Tatsuya raised his line of sight so that he wouldn't be able to see anything below Miyuki’s shoulders, and answered her question while enduring his discomfort.

“Before coming to the laboratory, please take a bath. Even a shower would be fine, but please cleanse your body before coming.”

“Okay.”

Miyuki answered in a shrill voice. However, she didn’t notice since she was worried that Tatsuya might hear her pounding heartbeat.

“As for your attire, please wear a housecoat over your underwear, no, swimsuit.”

Miyuki was so shocked, she felt as though her heart would explode.

“Yes. I-Is it for tuning a CAD…?”

Since it was the laboratory, she knew that it could be the only reason. However, she asked him that on purpose to suppress her excitement.

“No, not for that.”

Tatsuya looked away while saying that. His behavior astonished Miyuki.

──That brother of hers was actually being shy!?

“I’ll tell you what we’ll be doing then. I’m sorry, but I’m counting on you.”

Tatsuya said that rapidly while diverting his eyes as he left Miyuki’s room.

As soon as the door closed, Miyuki sank weakly to the floor. Her hands felt hot against her cheeks.

While strongly thinking to herself, “I must wake up by 3:00 AM,” she scolded her weak legs and headed to bed. Although she felt that going to sleep was impossible, she told herself that it would be outrageous to show up looking awful due to the lack of sleep, and forced herself to sleep.

She might have passed out from overthinking, but this was better compared to being unable to sleep due to her excitement.

◊ ◊ ◊

Regardless of the fact that she had only slept for three hours, Miyuki woke up at 3:00 A.M. She washed her body conscientiously and put on fresh underwear. Over it, she wore a housecoat with the belt tied. After all, Tatsuya did tell her to wear a “swimsuit,” but she had a feeling that underwear would be more appropriate for this situation.

She brushed her hair many times in front of the dressing table. Despite the fact that Miyuki’s hair never got entangled and it was enough to comb it only once, she brushed through it plenty.

The cosmetics caught her eyes, but she decided not to use any makeup. This was because she thought that Tatsuya didn’t want it on her. She also used a shampoo that will leave no fragrance, and she didn’t want to put on any adornments. This was how Miyuki interpreted Tatsuya’s statement, “I want you to cleanse your body.”

Miyuki headed for the laboratory in the basement before 4:00 AM. It was the room where they first tested the flying device.

“It’s Miyuki.”

“Please enter.”

Miyuki took one deep breath and opened the laboratory door. Miyuki unintentionally stopped, but entered the room soon after and closed the door.

Her surprise at Tatsuya’s appearance stopped her in her tracks. Tatsuya wore nothing but a tight half-pants type bathing trunks.

Even though there was heating in the hallway, it felt even warmer inside. For sure, the temperature had been adjusted so that it wasn’t cold with just swimsuits alone.

Miyuki hesitated for a moment.

She loosened her belt, then let her housecoat slip to the floor.

Now, it was Tatsuya’s turn to hold his breath. He had thought Miyuki would be wearing a swimsuit that was similar to a one-piece design that barely showed any skin under the housecoat.

But in reality…

Miyuki was wearing a set of white underwear that was made of mostly lace. Most of her skin was visible through the fabric.

If the color had been red or black, the design would have provoked strong sexual appeal. However, white underwear gave off an elegant impression. Of course, the atmosphere that Miyuki herself created must have had a big impact too. In addition to what she had on her body.

“…Onii-sama?”

Miyuki, whose cheeks were blushed in embarrassment ── upon close inspection, it was not only the area around her eyes and cheeks, but also everything from her neck to her breasts had turned slightly flushed ── she diverted her gaze slightly downwards as she spoke to Tatsuya.

“Please, tell me what you want me to do…”

For example, even if she was commanded “take off your underwear”, Miyuki would not defy it. Her voice indicated her readiness.

“──Before we get to the main point, listen to me for a bit.”

“──Of course.”

Tatsuya started talking to Miyuki while they stood about two meters apart, facing each other.

“As you know, my ‘eyes’ can’t see the future. I do not have the convenient ability to automatically select what I want to know in the unconscious area and project it into consciousness. The law of causality dictates that I have to select everything consciously. Otherwise, it would be crazy to expect to get to the information I am looking for.”

“I think that it is an amazing ability, being able to reliably get the information you’re consciously looking for.”

Tatsuya didn’t show humbleness at Miyuki’s praise.

“Certainly, but it takes time to filter information like this. Selecting information consciously is more reliable than unconsciously. Furthermore, at the rate that I have to follow the genealogical tree of cause and effect for this ‘clairvoyance’, it is certain that we will need more resources in the future.”

“Do you mean magical resources?”

“Attention, concentration, perseverance, multi-layered cognitive capability… these are not only related to magic. It is not inconvenient to lump them together with ‘magic-related resources.’ In fact, that would make it easier for a person to understand.”

“OK, I will understand it as such.”

As she was drawn into Tatsuya’s story, it didn’t take long until Miyuki stopped averting her gaze.

After a nod to Miyuki, who looked at him with enthusiasm, Tatsuya continued his explanation.

“Now we’ll move on to discussing the not so well-known details. Let’s start with the current mission. I ‘saw’ the target Gu Jie in Zama. Thereafter, no ties could be connected to Gu Jie, even without new cause and effect relations. Using only the information directly related to Gu Jie himself, we should be able to locate him. Even still, we need to gather sufficient resources.”

“Are your magic-related resources insufficient? Is there any way I can assist you?”

“No, if I pour all my resources into it I can find a specific individual using special structure information within the country. It wouldn’t even need 100% of it. I think that allocating 70% of my resources to Elemental Sight is sufficient.”

While hearing that, Miyuki knitted her eyebrows suspiciously. But within 5 seconds, she opened her eyes with a startled expression.

“So you can’t find him as you can’t allocate enough hyper-perception resources. Is this because you are spending those resources as my guardian!?”

Tatsuya nodded with a bitter expression.

“I am always allocating half of my Elemental Sight resources for you.”

However far she is away, Tatsuya’s magic removes threats towards Miyuki.

He is capable of such a thing because Tatsuya always “sees” Miyuki.

‘Always’ means twenty-four hours a day without exaggeration. However, he is watching her with his unconscious sight while sleeping. He continues to ‘see’ and check if a crisis is approaching Miyuki.

Tatsuya is confident that he will wake up immediately, however deep his sleep may be.

No, that has nothing to do with confidence. It is a system that works with 100% reliability.

Because of that, what is normally possible can sometimes not be done because of a shortage of resources. This was the case right now.

“Onii-sama, please release the resources you set aside for me right now! I am here. There is no reason to watch me with Elemental Sight now!”

It was only natural for her character that Miyuki said this. Tatsuya was saying that he was unable to complete his mission because of her. Even if it was someone other than Miyuki, they would insist on the same thing.

“I cannot do that.”

Tatsuya shook his head.

“Why? There are no enemies here. This room is in the basement and surrounded by thick walls. It’s a place difficult to penetrate from the outside, even with magic. For example, even if we are attacked with magic, because of the large quantity of sensors installed for experiments you will immediately notice that. I think you know that even better than me, Onii-sama.”

“Your reasoning is correct.”

Bashfully ── Miyuki stared at Tatsuya who seemed to be embarrassed with question marks in her eyes while waiting for him to continue.

“That is correct… but I can’t do that because of emotional issues that I have.”

Miyuki stopped breathing. The question marks floating in her eyes turned entirely into exclamation marks.

“Miyuki. I am anxious to take my ‘eyes’ off you. Even if my ‘eyes’ leave you for one hundredth of a second, I am thinking about everything I could possibly not ‘see’ about you… that makes me crazy.”

“Onii-sama…”

Miyuki forces herself to breathe. She barely managed to say that one word.

Tatsuya has only one genuine emotion left. The love for his little sister Miyuki. Miyuki also knows this from hearing it from their mother.

But it is the first time Tatsuya himself told Miyuki that he loves her so strongly that it’s making him crazy.

“I understand the logic. You're right next to me, so even if I were to take my "eyes" off you, I would notice right away if something happened. Moreover, you are not so weak that you would be injured just because I took my eyes off you for a second or two. It's different from that time in Okinawa. I understand that as well.”

Tatsuya averted his eyes from Miyuki and sighed in a self-mocking manner.

“However, even if I agree with your reasoning, my emotions are not convinced. If I leave Gu Jie alone, things like today will happen again. As a result, I know that the risk of you being exposed to violence will increase. To resolve this situation I understand that I should concentrate my Elemental Sight ability on Gu Jie. This is where my emotions get in the way.”

Tatsuya pointed to his heart with the thumb of his right hand and shook his head as if he found himself to be in a pitiful state.

“I feel like I learned for the first time that emotions are such a troublesome thing.”

Miyuki rushed over to unburden Tatsuya by wrapping his right hand and squeezing it.

“…Is there anything I can do for you?”

Tatsuya made eye contact with Miyuki.

Tatsuya looks deep into Miyuki’s eyes. “Yes. Miyuki, please lend me a hand.”

“Yes, anything you want!”

This time Miyuki completely forgot her shame temporarily. Because of this mood, Tatsuya was a little embarrassed.

“I asked myself why I can’t take my ‘eyes’ from you and found one answer.”

While he was questioned by Miyuki’s look, Tatsuya suppressed his bashfulness and voiced his conclusion.

“What frightens me is probably the fact that I cannot feel certain that you are safe.”

“…But Onii-sama. Miyuki is right here.”

Miyuki could not understand why Tatsuya said that he couldn't feel certain about it, even though he could see that she was right in front of him.

“The naked eye can only see light and shadow.”

But there is no other way. What is it that Tatsuya was looking at with his “eyes”? There is nobody besides Tatsuya who knew the answer to that.

“If you usually see with nothing but the naked eye, only seeing light and shadow would be enough to relieve the anxiety. However, this is a problem because I always look at you with my different ‘eyes’.”

The information that can be read by Tatsuya’s hyper-perception far exceeds the signals that can be acquired through the five senses. Tatsuya is constantly observing Miyuki with that hyper-perception, his “Spirit Eyes”. Compared to other people, objects, and landscapes Miyuki is an existence with a by far deeper and overwhelming substance, that for Tatsuya can’t be perceived just by the five senses.

It might be an exaggeration to say that Tatsuya saw people other than Miyuki as shadow figures on a cave wall, but maybe he felt that they were like superficial images.

“By only watching with the naked eye I don’t have the feeling that you are safe. This is obstructing the release of the resources.”

Tatsuya lays his left hand on Miyuki’s hands that are squeezing his right hand.

“Therefore, Miyuki. Let me feel relieved.”

Miyuki, entranced by Tatsuya’s look, was unaware she was nodding.

Tatsuya was sitting just in his swim wear with his legs crossed in the middle of the laboratory. It was neither the full-lotus position, nor the half-lotus position. It was just a relaxed seating position.

No, saying “just” would be an understatement. Miyuki was wearing only a bra and panties decorated with lace, so she turned her back to Tatsuya’s body and had sat down on his crossed legs.

Tatsuya wrapped his arms around Miyuki’s body. He held her left hand with his right and her right hand with his left. As if the position was made to declare “I will never let you go.”

Miyuki’s body was tensed and she was looking down. Her skin, not only the face but her whole body, was slightly red up to the tips of the toes. She is not “bright red like a ripe tomato” because her excitement and tension were keeping a miraculous balance. ──To all appearances, it looked like it was bad for her health.

“Miyuki.”

Tatsuya spoke into Miyuki’s ear. The heat of his breath tickled her earlobe.

“Please relax a bit more.”

Contrary to Tatsuya’s words, Miyuki put more strength in her hands held by him.

“T-That’s impossible…!”

Miyuki replied in a strangled whisper. She couldn't scream because she was having trouble breathing properly.

The hands holding hers were big and manly.

The arms passed by her body were tightened firmly and strong.

From Tatsuya’s chest, that was glued to her back, the body heat of a person that is both an older brother and fiancé was transmitted.

Is that violently pounding heartbeat coming from Tatsuya’s heart or her own? Miyuki couldn’t differentiate anymore.

“Your temperature has increased a little. Calm down.”

Miyuki was so embarrassed that she almost died. At least, she wanted to hide her face with both hands. In the current state where her left and right hand was restrained this was not possible. It was comforting at least that he could not see her face because she turned her back to him.

However, it was definitely not unpleasant. Rather, Miyuki was delighted that she was hugged like this.

Therefore she was even more embarrassed.

──Even though they're not doing anything particularly indecent──

Miyuki became frantic and told herself so. She was without doubt a well brought-up girl, but as an average 2nd year student in high school ── limited as it may be, she had some knowledge about those topics anyways.

Only wearing underwear while participating in physical contact with a member of the opposite sex was unladylike, but this was an extreme case for sure, wasn’t it? Though, she was being hugged from behind.

Tatsuya’s hands are connected to Miyuki’s hands.

Miyuki’s hands are connected to Tatsuya’s hands.

There is no trace of caressing between Tatsuya and Miyuki. And yet──

(My body seems to be melting away together with my heart…)

Even though her mind had effectively shut down, she remained conscious.

Tatsuya’s whispering voice crept into Miyuki’s ear.

“The softness of your skin and the warmth of your body can even be felt with closed eyes. You are certainly in my arms.”

“I am here. Here, where I am protected by Onii-sama.”

The words crossed her lips without thinking.

“Right, Onii-sama?”

“You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

“Feel free to do as you please.”

“Please use all of your power as you see fit.”

It might have been a kind of trance-like state.

A prophecy given by a shrine maiden who is possessed by a god. It was something similar to that.

Miyuki’s words pulled the trigger on Tatsuya’s “power”.

The resources focused on Miyuki became free.

Tatsuya’s “eyes” are dashing through the information sea to look for answers.

He is traversing back and forth the genealogical tree of cause and effect, repeating a process of trial and error many times in one moment──

And finally, he caught the figure of the enemy.

◊ ◊ ◊

The ringleader of the Hakone terror attack, the ancient magician who manipulated corpses coming from the former Dahan, Gu Jie was dragged out from the garden of sleep by a sudden piercing gaze.

He did not know from where he was watched. It was neither from the inside nor the outside of this room

As if the gaze he had been seen with came not from this world, but from beyond.

Gu Jie deployed a spell blocking formation before attempting to identify the true identity of that gaze. It was a counter magic improved by the Kunlunfang Institute to just get the result without actually tracing the Ursa Major in the ‘Pacing the Big Dipper’ Taoist ritual. This method prevents the intrusion of SBs, but it’s defense capabilities against modern magic are limited. He did not know if it would repel the attack that must certainly follow after the gaze.

An instant after he braced himself, the defense formation was destroyed by a bullet-like Psion burst that was focused into a single point.

Gu Jie constructed a new defensive barrier in a hurry. Gu Jie held his breath for a while.

There was no follow-up attack. Any sign of the gaze disappeared.

Gu Jie exhaled in a sigh of relief and checked the damage that he had taken. He felt no pain anywhere in his body, but there were plenty of magic spells that could shave away a person's lifespan without said person feeling a thing.

But strangely, no matter how much Gu Jie, who was well-versed in such deadly curses searched, he could not find an injury caused by the recent attack. There were no signs that a delayed effect or conditional activation type magic had been used either.

It was eerie that he couldn't understand the effect of the attack, but that would have to wait until later. It was certain that this location had been exposed through some unknown means. He immediately decided to move to a different location.

◊ ◊ ◊

Miyuki regained her sanity when a strong magic sign was emitted from Tatsuya’s body. Before she could become captivated in shame again, Tatsuya let go of her hands and loosened his arms to free Miyuki.

Miyuki got quickly up from him with caution so Tatsuya wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

Miyuki stiffened when she sensed Tatsuya standing up behind her, but the expected, or rather hoped for, embrace failed to happen. Tatsuya simply walked right past Miyuki.

Tatsuya stopped in front of the door. He spoke without turning back to Miyuki, who was looking at his back.

“Thank you, Miyuki.”

The tremors that ran through Miyuki's body were not caused by the cold.

“Was Miyuki able to help you?”

Miyuki asked this with a voice hoarse from pleasure.

“Yes, of course.”

Tatsuya answered without turning around and chuckled.

“Let’s get dressed before we have a detailed conversation.”

Miyuki's face turned deep red, and she put her hands over her breasts and squatted down on the spot to calm down.

Tatsuya kept his back turned to her and left the laboratory.

It wasn’t even 5 AM yet, but Miyuki didn’t feel like going back to bed now. Even though she was a little sweaty, Miyuki decided to take a shower after she listened to Tatsuya. She changed into a house coat, not the uniform.

When she came to the dining room, Tatsuya had been waiting in training wear at the table.

“Good morning, Miyuki-sama.”

“Morning, Minami-chan.”

Not only Tatsuya was there. Was it because of her professionalism that Minami was completely armed in maid clothes?

“Are you fine with tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

After Miyuki sat down on the opposite side of Tatsuya, a freshly poured hot green tea was offered to her. The reviving taste cleared and awakened her mind.

“Minami, it’s fine for now. Rest a little.”

“I will do that, Tatsuya-sama.”

Minami bowed and left the dining room. Tatsuya’s words were not because of worry for her. She didn’t resist because she understood that he could not talk in front of her.

Tatsuya waited until Minami completely left the dining room, before he turned to Miyuki.

“Miyuki.”

“Yes, Onii-sama?”

Miyuki’s already straight back tensed even more. When being spoken to by Tatsuya, Miyuki vividly recalled the heat of their bare skin touching. Miyuki’s tongue and body were tied by the tension of her embarrassment.

“Sorry about earlier.”

But under Tatsuya’s worried look for her, Miyuki’s tension soon melted and then disappeared.

“…I am happy that Miyuki could help Onii-sama, no, rather not being a burden for Onii-sama.”

Miyuki shook her head sideways with small movements without taking her eyes off Tatsuya and smiled bewitchingly.

“Rather than talking about that. Onii-sama, what was the result?”

To make sure Tatsuya couldn’t delay any longer, she changed the topic to the mission at hand.

Tatsuya did not let Miyuki’s solicitude go to waste. “I caught him for sure.”

“Then is it already settled?”

Miyuki wasn't conscious of it, but she did not consider killing people to be taboo. Or rather, she did not consider Tatsuya killing another person to be taboo.

Any person killed by Tatsuya without a doubt deserved to die.

Her personality had grown twisted in this manner over time, without her being aware of it.

“No, I did not erase him.”

When he caught the information of a being, physical distance didn’t matter for Tatsuya. Both creatures and non-creatures, humans included, can be turned into dust and erased. Tatsuya understood precisely what Miyuki meant with “settled” and shook his head to that question.

“May I know the reason?”

Miyuki’s question didn’t criticize Tatsuya’s decision. She was purely interested in the reason. Miyuki didn’t understand the reason for the commiseration for Gu Jie.

“The goal of this mission is not to kill the enemy. It is to show the society that the terror attack incident was settled.”

Even though Tatsuya’s answer was indirect, but that much was sufficient for Miyuki.

“Do you mean that it is impossible to accomplish the mission when you erase the mastermind secretly?”

“Exactly. Oba-ue told me that she didn’t care if he was alive or dead. But of course it is best to capture him alive. Even if I kill him I have to show where I cornered him and need to leave a corpse.”

“That means you will have to kill him in a manner where people can still tell that he is the mastermind behind the terror incident.”

Tatsuya nods at Miyuki’s words.

Miyuki was glad that Tatsuya accepted this as correct, but suddenly opened her eyes wide.

“Then, do you have the free time to keep me company here right now? You located his whereabouts with a lot of effort. Shouldn’t we go out to capture him immediately?”

Tatsuya showed the impatient Miyuki a composed smile.

“It’s OK. I marked him earlier.”

“A mark…?

“Yes. With the method I learned when I took down Zhou Gongjin.”

When he was in Kyoto to pursue Zhou Gongjin, Tatsuya was not able to break Zhou’s Ghost Walker by himself. Zhou Gongjin did not escape because before that Nakura was defeated in a fight with Zhou and the blood that was controlled by Nakura, to be more precise the blood having Nakura’s ‘desire’ in it, revealed Zhou Gongjin’s position.

Tatsuya has no technique to transfer his blood. As a substitute for blood, he developed a magic technique that creates a signal bullet which can be traced over several days. The bullet consisted of a high amount of condensed Psions which he learned to make as a countermeasure against the parasites. He can keep track of the geographical coordinates with this magic and when he comes close to the them. Tatsuya can completely void Ghost Walker with the “spirit” manipulation technique he learned from Yakumo afterwards.

“There was no opportunity in Zama, but I surely shot it earlier. I can locate the whereabouts of Gu Jie without investing more resources.”

At last Tatsuya declared this.

He is going to catch him.

Miyuki didn’t doubt his words.

◊ ◊ ◊

Tatsuya went out to Kyuuchouji Temple to train as he normally did, but he wasn’t delaying the mission due to pride or conceit.

As he explained to Miyuki, this mission was not just about simply capturing or killing the mastermind. Arrangements to organize a search party needed to be made first. It was still too early to contact the involved people.

Until it was time to move, he went to Yakumo’s temple for his usual training.

However, after the usual bout of sparring, they had a slightly different conversation than usual.

“Tatsuya-kun, how is your mission going?”

Yakumo asked this in a small talk tone while they were drinking tea brought by a disciple on the floor in the main temple building.

“Not good.”

Tatsuya answered and omitted saying until yesterday.

“In spite of that, you don't seem particularly worried.”

Yakumo asked this not suspiciously, but cheerfully.

“It’s none of my business after all.”

The words he didn’t say this time were, “until the day before yesterday.” When Miyuki was attacked by anti-magic supporters, the capture and obliteration of the mastermind, Gu Jie, became Tatsuya’s top priority.

“None of your business… Regardless, you seem to be working diligently.”

“Because it’s my mission. I can’t refuse.”

Ignoring Yakumo’s face that was twisted into a grin, Tatsuya asked a question in return.

“However, this is unusual. Master cares about my mission?”

“This is not unusual. Wasn’t I helping you with various things up until now like the ‘vampire incident’ or the ‘parasite doll incident’?”

“In other words, does that mean that this is a situation that Master can’t ignore this time?”

“Even if you are a monk you are not completely freed from matters of the world. It’s awful.”

Tatsuya failed to see any degree of discomfort that could be described as ‘awful’ from the expression of the carefree answering Yakumo.

“Then could you please help me with the search of Gu Jie, the ancient magician from the former Dahan, who is the mastermind of the terror attack?”

Tatsuya found the idea of being led around in circles in this manner somewhat distasteful, so he brazenly tried asking Yakumo for support. He had said this sarcastically, assuming that it would be refused.

“All right.”

So when the immediate response was a nod, Tatsuya wasn’t able to respond for a moment.

“What’s wrong with you? It seems like you are somehow surprised.”

Of course, Tatsuya was aware that it would be his defeat if he didn't manage to stay calm. So he obediently raised the white flag. ──It was a defeat either way.

“I was surprised. Because I thought that you surely wouldn’t agree immediately.”

“It’s merely cooperation. Just to help a little.”

Tatsuya could not see what Yakumo was really thinking behind that carefree smiling expression he was wearing as usual.

“Then I will think about what I would like to request from you.”

“That’s fine. I will lend you my power to the extent I’m capable of. Oh, but don't go asking me to teach you any techniques any more.”

“I know.”

At this time Tatsuya was unaware that he had been tricked into allowing Yakumo to intervene.

◊ ◊ ◊

After Tatsuya returned from training, he changed into his school uniform and went to school as usual.

They hadn’t forgotten that the school was closed from today to the weekend. Miyuki’s and Minami’s personal items were left at school because they returned home immediately after the police interrogation yesterday. They were going to collect these.

There is no need to bring textbooks and notebooks to and from school unlike one hundred years ago. But changing clothes for P.E. as well as practice and club activities were necessary.

If they don’t want to take care of the details, they can pay a low price to the school for cleaning changing clothes. Even though female students would entrust their uniform to the company, none of them would hand over their underwear for cleaning.

Besides, girls tended to carry various things around anyways. Male students mostly came to school empty-handed, whereas girls would bring some personal items of different sizes.

The gates were shut because the school was closed, but the procedure to enter the school went smoothly since they were wearing the proper uniform, brought their student ID’s and had a legitimate reason. They arrived at school without being attacked nor delayed by a demonstration. In that case we’ll be home again soon, the trio thought.

This expectation itself was not wrong. It’s just that there was an unexpected person in the school.

“Shiba-san!”

“Ichijou-san?”

In the classroom of class 2A, Masaki was going to the desk by himself.

“…Are you studying?”

Miyuki spontaneously asked that question even though the answer was obvious. It was too surprising to see a person alone with an open terminal for online studies in the classroom while the school is closed.

“Uh, yes.”

Masaki also realized that his current appearance might be interpreted as strange, he replies to Miyuki’s question with a forced smile.

“Because there are still lessons at Third High today…”

“Oh.”

For now, even though they were surprised by it at first, Tatsuya as well as Miyuki were convinced by his explanation. Masaki had been given a seat at First High so he could take the classroom lessons of Third High. It’s a ‘seat’ rather than “being enrolled”. Naturally, their school being closed had no bearing on the state of Third High.

Masaki had a forced smile for Miyuki’s surprise which could be called a reasonable reaction.

“Since Third High seems to be closed from tomorrow onwards as well, I think today I’m going to leave in the afternoon.”

In that case, wouldn’t it have been better to take a break today? These lines were on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t voice them after all.

Because precisely at that time, the terminal Masaki was using made a warning sound. Masaki returned his eyes to the terminal with an ‘Oops’ expression. To not disturb Masaki, Miyuki went with quiet footsteps through the classroom to the lockers in the back and silently took out her baggage.

Miyuki walked to a spot diagonally across from Masaki, bowed once, and silently left the classroom along with Tatsuya.

◊ ◊ ◊

They didn’t encounter any trouble on their way back from First High. Rather than feeling it was ominous, Tatsuya felt a sense of disappointment. Although, Tatsuya also thought that the activists had enough common sense to not cause disturbances at the same location for two consecutive days.

Due to this, Tatsuya was able to focus on the original search activity, and there was no reason for him to harbor dissatisfaction. Based on the information that Masaki was only available from the afternoon onwards, Tatsuya made arrangements for the pursuit of Gu Jie.

“Tatsuya-kun, you've tracked down the ringleader, haven't you?”

“Yes. Some time ago I got a message from our parent’s house.”

“I see…”

Mayumi made a frustrated expression on the visiphone’s screen in reaction to Tatsuya’s lie. She was feeling immense shame in how the Yotsuba Family was one step ahead even though the incident happened in Saegusa territory.

However, there was actually no big progress from the Yotsuba Family’s side either, but Tatsuya of course didn’t say that.

“Gu Jie, the mastermind behind the Hakone terror attack incident, is hiding in Hiratsuka right now.”

“Eh, Hiratsuka!?”

“The enemy has hardly moved since this began. He was only moving in a limited range. We mistakenly assumed that the person behind a large- scale incident would not stay in a densely populated area and this was used against us.”

“I see…”

The irritation of Mayumi’s face was directed to herself, her father, as well as her older brother.

The search party from the Saegusa Family commanded by her older brother Tomokazu took the current personnel from Koto City and lead them to Narita. As a result of the investigation, they were judging that the possibility of the target hiding in the districts Hakone, Izu and Miura Peninsula was low.

However, the criminal was lurking in the area that was supposedly searched. That means that the net of the investigation was too loose. This lead Mayumi to feel like the Saegusa Family is not as thorough, rather, they were inferior to the Yotsuba’s Family in the Ten Master Clans.

“Saegusa-senpai, may I continue to talk?”

“Excuse me, please do.”

Even though he could not read Mayumi’s heart, he could see that Mayumi was tormented by powerlessness from her expression.

But Tatsuya didn’t comfort her and instead brought her attention back to the task at hand.

“To not give him any time for escape preparations, I think we should move immediately to capture him. However, it’s not a good idea to resolve the Hakone terror incident on our own. We have to consider the honor of the police as well.”

“That’s right. A large-scale bomb incident occurred in the immediate surroundings of the capital. The prestige of the police depends on the arrest of the criminal. If we solve this with our private magicians alone, it would result in leaving a sour feeling between us and the police…”

Even if Gu Jie is caught, if the relationship with the police and the Ten Master Clans deteriorates because they caught Gu Jie, it is a loss for magicians at the end of the day.

As the Saegusa Family was also active in having acquaintances other than magicians, Mayumi understood immediately what Tatsuya was trying to say.

“Therefore, Saegusa-senpai. Can we mobilize the police for the capture of Gu Jie?”

When she was asked by Tatsuya, Mayumi frowned.

“Under what pretext? I'm sure you're aware, but we can't obtain an arrest warrant just because the Yotsuba Family declares someone as the criminal.”

Tatsuya nodded without moving an eyebrow to Mayumi’s statement.

“I know. If the police could be moved with normal procedures, I wouldn’t think of bothering you to lend a hand. Because there is not enough evidence to convince a judicial institution, I thought that the Saegusa Family, who have good connections with the police in the Kanto region, would be able to convince the police to move.”

Even though she knew that it was an open provocation, Mayumi couldn’t hide her displeased expression.

“I will try to voice that once but… honestly speaking, when it comes to influencing the police, Tatsuya-kun’s girlfriend is better suited for that.”

Nevertheless, Mayumi would never make a mistake like rising to the bait promising aid without considering the consequences. Mayumi talked about Erika intentionally as “girlfriend” to try to tease him.

However, with Tatsuya as an opponent such an obvious attempt at showing composure is completely useless.

“Well, if senpai says she doesn't mind talking to the Chiba Family, let’s talk with Erika.”

In this situation, mainly the Saegusa Family would lose their face.

“For god’s sake, stop!”

Mayumi couldn't stand to face the criticism from her family if she were to go ahead and approve the participation of the Chiba Family on her own. It was only natural for her to raise her voice and put a stop to it.

“Also, as I told you, I would like to start tonight.”

“Understood! I’ll arrange everything by evening! Please stop bullying me!”

“Thank you very much.”

Tatsuya did not object to Mayumi’s line “Please stop bullying me!”.

After talking to Mayumi, Tatsuya also finished talking to Katsuto and Masaki via video call. When Tatsuya was in the midst of thinking if he could rest till the time he had to leave, the bell rang informing him of arriving guests.

The visitors were Fumiya and Ayako.

“Welcome, Ayako-san and Fumiya-kun. But didn’t you have school today?”

Miyuki, who by chance chose clothes that could be used to go out, asked that question while inviting the two of them into the living room.

It was still before 4 pm. The school time of Magic High Schools was the same everywhere. Every Monday to Friday until 3:20 P.M., except for extracurricular lessons. There wasn’t enough time even if they came from Fourth High directly to this house. The pair ── not only Fumiya but also Ayako ── were wearing typical, inconspicuous streetwear. Since they didn’t bring any baggage, they were wondering if they came here after checking into a hotel. It was only natural that Miyuki asked “What about school?” if she didn’t know the circumstances.

“Excuse us for disturbing you, Miyuki-oneesama. Since today Fourth High is temporarily closed as well.”

“Is that so? I heard that Third High had still classes today.” To Tatsuya’s question, Fumiya answered.

“Following in the same form as the decision of First High, Second High and Fourth High are temporarily closed from today on. I heard that the other five schools will also follow suit from tomorrow on.”

“This matter has become extremely exaggerated.”

Tatsuya muttered like it was someone else’s affair, but he himself was an involved party that triggered yesterday’s incident. To comment on this like an outsider was wrong to begin with. Was it good or bad that a person pointing that out wasn’t present?

Because Miyuki was the student council president of First High, it would have been appropriate for her to originally know this information, but the reason she didn’t hear it was that she entrusted the reporting to the school to Izumi yesterday. Miyuki muttered “I have to make amends to Izumi-chan” without giving it voice. ──If Izumi knew this, she would have danced in a delirium of joy.

Tatsuya turned his gaze towards the pair in front of him without remembering things like Izumi.

“Well then, may I ask for the reason why you came?”

The twins sitting opposite of Tatsuya communicated with eye contact to decide who’d answer. ──They weren't trying to push off the responsibility to each other.

“We confirmed the corpse of the ancient magician about which we received information from Tatsuya-niisan. Oumi Kazukiyo is the ancient magician with the nickname “Puppet Master”, whose specialty technique is an SB magic from the continent that possesses and controls corpses with spiritual beings. Our target now, Gu Jie, is a user of a different type of corpse manipulation technique, right?”

“Rather than manipulating the corpses directly, manipulating them by letting them be possessed with SB’s… It is different than what I heard from Gu Jie’s magic. Weren’t they supposed to be adherents of the same school of magic?”

To Tatsuya’s question, Fumiya nodded without taking time to think.

“Oumi is the descendant of Taoists who immigrated from the continent about 150 years ago. Rather than traditional magicians from Dahan and the Great Asian Alliance amongst others, his art is said to be faithful to tradition and it looks like that was his secret root of pride.”

“He is the descendant of magicians who immigrated before the existence of magic became known?”

They think of themselves as inheritors of traditional magic, but if you look at it from the perspective of the ancient magicians who settled down in this country several hundred years before, they are newcomers. It’s not hard to imagine that they didn’t feel at home. It could be that the parents' intention behind the strange old-fashioned names was to make themselves fit amongst the Japanese practitioners. The person himself seemed to have gone the other way.

“The relations with the Onmyoji system ancient magicians were particularly bad.”

“Therefore he was taken advantage of by Gu Jie there.”

“Probably.”

“Even if you want to feel sympathy towards his situation, that is no justification for his actions.”

"Not that I have any intention of sympathizing in the first place", Tatsuya muttered, and resumed the questioning.

“How about intelligence related to other collaborators?”

“After analyzing the remaining thoughts in the corpse of Oumi, it seems that Gu Jie newly acquired corpses of two people. …I’m sorry, I don’t know the identity of the corpses.”

“Because the Kuroba as well as the Tsukuba don’t know anything about this, it’s highly likely to be a rather high-level magician.”

“Yoshimi-san and Yuuka-san agree with Tatsuya-niisan as well.”

Once they become corpses, magicians and non-magicians as the same. Corpses of magicians and non-magicians alike impede examination by magic. However, if a corpse were to keep the abilities it possessed while the person was still alive, there was a good chance that they could repel detection methods that used perception-type magic.

The followers of Gu Jie that were in No Head Dragon had the technology to process the brains of magicians into auxiliary tools called “Sorcery Booster” that put a specific magic into operation. There are no grounds anywhere to assume that Gu Jie cannot do the same thing.

In addition, at Kamakura, Gu Jie was going to use the bodies of the magicians that were remodeled into generators after they died as well. If you can’t use the abilities one had during their lifetime, there is no such need. One is efficient if one blows oneself up and involves the enemy into it the same moment one dies.

Anyways, Tatsuya thought. By what logic can a corpse keep the abilities that it possessed while still alive?

Magic is the power of the mind, that is the common opinion. There is no evidence to deny this at all.

However, at the same time the answer to the fundamental question “What is the mind?” has not appeared at this point as well. Everything there is now is of the hypothesis or speculation type.

These hypotheses vary from things that are almost established theories in fields where the opinion is divided. For example, concerning the question “What is the mind made of?” the theory “It is made of Pushions.” is widely supported. On the other hand concerning the topic “Where is the mind?” there are various theories such as “It’s in the information dimension.”, “There exists a mind dimension.”, “It exists as an entity in this world.”, and “It’s not in a fixed location but always flowing.” and all hypotheses have certain supporters.

If the dead can use magic and the power of the mind is available, being alive is not a necessary condition for having a mind. No, what is the essential difference of “life” and “death” to begin with?

Tatsuya intuitively knows that he can’t revive people in whom death has unfurled. It’s instinct rather than intuition. His characteristic magic “Regrowth” taught him that. That’s why there is nothing else but a clear border between life and death.

However, if a corpse can use the power of the mind called magic, a corpse should also be able to draw out mind products such as intent, memory, and emotion. A corpse also providing the same personality it while being alive may also be possible for the aforementioned reasons. Where is that different from a living person…

“Onii-sama?”

“Tatsuya-san?”

“Tatsuya-niisan?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Miyuki’s, Ayako’s, and Fumiya’s voices pulled his thoughts back that entered into digressions. Tatsuya seemed to have thought for a rather long time.

“No, you were for sure in the middle of your thoughts, I am sorry.”

“No. Rather…”

Before Tatsuya got into an apology contest with Miyuki, he changed the topic.

“Returning to the first question, what is the reason that the two of you came here? Although communication is potentially intercepted, delivering the investigation results won’t be the only purpose.”

Tatsuya stares at Fumiya and Ayako at the same time.

“Did you come over to guard Miyuki while I’m out?”

Fumiya and Ayako looked at each other and Ayako sighed.

“Tatsuya-san, I’m wondering whether or not your understanding of things is too good.”

Ayako’s words “Your understanding of things is too good” was in a dictionary definition sense of “You understand amongst other things the point of view and feelings of the other too well.” and wasn’t the complimentary “You are a good-natured person”. It was a protest that she wanted to stop his “seeing through anything and everything.”

“So we can avoid acting together with families such as the Juumonji and Saegusa, we are out of this operation. It’s the same for people such as my father and Yuuka-san.”

Certainly, the mission this time was not so important that they had to make it succeed even at the risk of leaking the details of the Kuroba's and Tsukuba's unique advanced mental interference magic to the Ten Master Clans. The Yotsuba could satisfy their duty by just having Tatsuya participate.

“The school is closed until the weekend so we volunteered to be the guards for Miyuki-oneesama. Even though I say guard, Miyuki- oneesama’s power is overwhelmingly stronger than ours, though.”

“That’s why we are in your care until Sunday.”

To Fumiya and Ayako, who were lowering their heads, Tatsuya nodded while smiling bitterly.

“No, I can also be relieved if I know that you are involved. Will you be staying in a hotel until Sunday?”

“Yes, that’s the case, but we were wondering if we could stay over alternately? We do not need a bedroom.”

In other words Fumiya says that they want to guard the house at night. Indeed, the role of a guard is a serious matter.

“If you two don’t mind sharing the same room, it’s fine that you check out of the hotel and stay in our house.”

The former guest room became Minami’s room, but the room their mother used when she was alive is practically vacant at this time. As the twin bed was left as it was, there is no problem with sleeping there as well. Even in case their father Tatsurou comes home on a whim, they just have to repel him to the mansion of his second wife. Because the position of Tatsuya’s side is already stronger than Tatsurou’s position.

“…Nee-san, what will we do?”

Whether on duty or on personal affairs, staying at this house was convenient for Fumiya. That’s the same for Ayako. In spite of that Fumiya asked Ayako so, because he thought about that his older sister might have unpleasant feelings to the point of “Sleeping in the same room”.

Fumiya’s concern was not necessarily irrelevant, Ayako frowned subtly. Even though they are twins, in spite of that she was a daughter of marriageable age and if that meant staying in the same room with the opposite sex, she would feel hesitant.

Miyuki, who noticed her conflict, tried to propose to lodge Ayako in her own room. However, Ayako answered a moment too early.

“Thank you for your offer. Tatsuya-san, Miyuki-oneesama, Minami- chan, we are in your care.”

“Likewise, I’ll leave it to you. Minami, will you arrange the room for the two to stay in?”

“Of course.”

It’s a rather late time to start with cleaning and making the bed now.

However, Minami answered with these words and bowed to Tatsuya without showing any displeasure.

“Then we’ll fetch our luggage from the hotel.” Ayako says so and stands up together with Fumiya.

“I will also go out soon. The probability that I cannot return today is high. Miyuki, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Yes, Onii-sama.”

“Tatsuya-san, I wish you good luck in the battle.” Tatsuya and Miyuki also stood up a breath later. “I’ll try to get it done by tomorrow morning.”

To Ayako’s encouragement, Tatsuya replied with that.