On the way from the school gate to "First High Station," at a cozy café called "Eine Brise," Yugen, after finishing club alliance matters, joined Tatsuya, Miyuki, Minami, Honoka, Shizuku, Mikihiko, and Celia for coffee and casual chat. The topic naturally turned to the entrance ceremony and freshmen.
"So, Juumonji joined the student council?" Shizuku asked.
"Yeah, she seems reliable and motivated," Honoka replied.
Shizuku mentally noted Honoka's occasional clumsiness made her comment ironic but let it slide. Yugen, listening, mused, "Speaking of joining, Shippou joined the club alliance executive. Hattori-head plans to train him as a future leader, mirroring the student council's approach."
"Hattori, who had a crush on Nanakusa-senpai? Is that safe?" Celia asked.
"Shippou wouldn't pick a fight with a senior right away, but I'll stay cautious," Yugen said.
Yugen acknowledged Shippou's potential to clash over Nanakusa issues. Mikihiko, puzzled, asked, "Yugen, you think he's that volatile?"
"If Nanakusa's not involved, he's decent. But with their twins in our year, trouble's not impossible," Yugen replied.
Having ties with Kasumi, Yugen had warned her against provoking Shippou. If Shippou escalated, he'd confront the Shippou family directly. He also considered Shippou might revel in Yugen's Nanakusa-related troubles, potentially requiring Yugen to step in, possibly upstaging Juumonji.
"By the way, before joining you, I stopped by the counseling room. Ono-sensei had a request," Yugen said.
"What about?" Tatsuya asked.
"Disciplinary committee's staff-recommended slot."
Yugen continued monthly counseling with Haruka (a covert Public Safety agent) and, post-Yokohama Incident, with school nurse Asuka Satomi, though the latter was more tea and chat. "Last year's issues raised doubts about staff recommendations' effectiveness. I suggested Kasumi but emphasized no pressure."
The issue was third-year Sekimoto Isao, an industrial spy during the thesis competition, tainting the staff-recommended disciplinary role. If Kasumi joined, Izumi's placement became key. Yugen eyed Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Celia. "If Kasumi joins the disciplinary committee, pull Izumi into the student council. She's not suited for the club alliance."
"Got it," Tatsuya said.
"I'll inform President Nakajou," Miyuki added.
"Understood. I get not wanting more trouble," Celia said.
Shippou's executive role already risked sparks, so Izumi was better in the student council. Yugen planned to email Azusa, Isori, Honoka, and Izumi to ensure smooth agreement.
"Is she motivated?" Honoka asked.
"She admires Miyuki, so there's potential," Yugen replied.
While washing his hands in the restroom, Mikihiko entered. Not planned, but Yugen greeted him casually. Mikihiko stopped him. "Yugen."
"Something private?" Yugen asked.
"Yeah," Mikihiko said.
To keep it brief for hygiene, Mikihiko spoke. "You know Rosen's Japan branch president was at the ceremony?"
"Yeah, he tried recruiting me. I declined," Yugen said.
As a VIP guide, Yugen dealt with dignitaries, mostly through Gozo's connections. He knew former Rosen Magicraft president Bastian Rosen but not Ernst Rosen, who attended for four reasons: expanding Japan's market share, recruiting "Taurus Silver," negotiating Bastian's inheritance, and something undisclosed involving Leo.
"You'd be sent to Germany if you accepted," Mikihiko said.
"Exactly. Plus, Rosen's not irrelevant to me," Yugen replied.
Yugen had been handed Bastian's inheritance rights, a third of Rosen's vast estate, to prevent family ruin and as repayment for Gozo's aid during a Rosen Magicraft crisis. Gozo's refusal shifted it to Yugen, a major complication.
Ernst didn't mention the inheritance but scouted Yugen for his Nine Schools engineering skills. As an FLT magical engineer, Yugen politely declined. "You want me to tell Tatsuya?" Yugen asked.
"Yeah, and Erika's involved," Mikihiko said.
"Not just Erika—Leo too. I'll handle it," Yugen assured.
Leo's grandfather, adjusted-body magician Burg Folke's first form Aerste Alt (Georg Ostburg), Erika's grandfather Lucas Rosen, and Yugen's grandfather Gozo Uesugi were close friends, despite Lucas being 14 at the time. Gozo saw age as irrelevant.
Yugen heard these tales during world travels. Georg's defection story came while crossing America on foot (at over 200 km/h for magic training). Gozo, visiting Germany for martial training, was asked by Lucas to aid Georg's escape. To avoid detection, Gozo took the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok, then traveled via Okhotsk Sea, Kamchatka, Bering Sea, and Alaska to San Francisco, securing fake tickets and Japanese citizenship through Uesugi connections. He lured anti-government terrorists into combat to throw off pursuers, successfully defecting Georg to Japan. Later, Gozo helped Lucas elope with a Japanese woman, despite Rosen family outrage. They avoided crushing consequences by not challenging Gozo.
Gozo's feats transcended human limits, making Yugen question if Kuze, who opposed him, had a death wish.
Back to the point. "Not just Erika, but Leo too. Got it. I'll leave it to you," Mikihiko said.
"It's like cleaning up my grandfather's mess, but I'm resigned to it," Yugen replied.
Yugen didn't want to involve Tatsuya or Miyuki, as his family was entangled, but informing Tatsuya about Ernst's "Taurus Silver" interest was fine. If Ernst resorted to kidnapping, Yugen would protest directly to the German government.
Yugen informed Tatsuya of Ernst's aim to recruit "Taurus Silver" to Rosen Magicraft, relayed to FLT's CAD Development Division 3. Rosen's probes through affiliates were clear, but "Taurus Silver" data was managed at the Kagurazaka estate, beyond FLT. Significant funds were involved, but Yugen wondered if Rosen wanted to challenge the Kagurazaka's trillion-yen resources.
(They're alarmed by flight devices. Maximilian was probing too, and they've paid a price, Yugen thought.)
Unbeknownst to them, Yugen's "Yatamirror" had extracted all confidential data from Maximilian Devices and Rosen Magicraft. Not for theft or exposure, but as reference. For someone designing advanced devices like "Valkyrie" and "Odin," it was mere review.
Back to the point. Kasumi joined the disciplinary committee via staff recommendation, and Izumi became student council treasurer. Miyuki wanted Minami in the council, but Tatsuya stopped it, citing pity. Instead, Minami chose the mountaineering club.
The club alliance meeting with Shippou went smoothly, but Erika later muttered, "He's bound to cause trouble," overheard only by Yugen and Leo.
During freshman recruitment week, Yugen, no longer a student council member but a club alliance executive, handled disputes. Unlike last year's council role (dealing with club conflicts and Egalité interference), he patrolled in five-person rotations. As light exercise club president, Yugen didn't recruit, as the club was for Miyuki's martial training, involving secret techniques.
With Celia and Sana joining, the club had grown. For recruitment week's second day (Yugen's patrol was day four), he planned a light performance. Day one was skipped due to prop preparation, as the second gymnasium was split with kendo and kenpo clubs if unused. Erika, initially displeased, accepted after Yugen explained secret sword techniques like Tenba Reiso couldn't be shown.
Yugen and Erika performed a magic-enhanced sword demonstration with dulled blades, using vector conversion magic "Tenshuku" to transform falling speed into movement for a draw-and-sheath technique—Shinkage-ryu's Four Sacred Sword Arts, "Sidan Nito: Kirin Shorai." It cleanly sliced a bamboo tatami mat, earning cheers. Erika adapted Senba-ryu's "Yamatsunami," using "Tenshuku" to focus inertial energy for "Taizan Sho," splitting a mat vertically with 100 tons of force.
They sparred lightly with magic for five minutes, then faced third-year kendo club member Sayaka Mibu, who challenged them with bamboo swords (no magic or protective gear). Yugen and Erika, Shinkage-ryu master and Senba-ryu certified, won undefeated, as high schoolers couldn't match them even without gear.
Sayaka thanked them, and Erika recalled watching Yugen, then Yuto Nagano, at a kendo tournament. Bored by family nagging, Erika had joined Shuji and recognized Yugen's middle-school-defying swordsmanship, winning the national individual championship. "I get why you'd never compete again," Erika said.
"You kept challenging me to spar after," Yugen replied.
"Good work, you two," Leo said, handing them sports drinks and towels. With no mountaineering club duties (despite new members drawn by Mika's presence), Leo helped the light exercise club.
As kendo club's intense performance began for an upcoming national practice match, Erika teased, "Nice one, Leo."
"Thanks," Yugen said.
"'Nice' is unnecessary," Leo grumbled.
While sipping drinks and watching freshmen, Erika asked, "I know why you started the club, but was a performance necessary?"
"It's for budget execution and showing what the club does as deputy head," Yugen explained, citing allocation funds and the need to demonstrate activity.
"No new members, though?" Erika asked.
"Nope. I'd accept recommendations from current members—Miyuki, Honoka, Shizuku, Mikihiko, Leo, Erika, Mizuki, or Himari. Minami submitted an application," Yugen said.
"Seriously? Well, it's your call," Leo said.
The club's roster barred new members unless recommended. Tatsuya, not having beaten Yakumo, hadn't joined, despite Miyuki's willingness to recommend him. Tatsuya insisted on defeating Yakumo before challenging Yugen.
Yugen heard distant commotion, closed his eyes, and used "Auditory Enhancement" to pinpoint it. Grabbing his communicator, he contacted the club alliance headquarters. "Kagurazaka here. Trouble between robotics and motorcycle clubs at the robotics garage. Please handle it."
Hattori was on the line, so Yugen relayed details and hung up, sighing. Leo asked, "Trouble? You're not going?"
"Hattori and Kirihara are at headquarters, and Tatsuya and Riri are with the student council. Me stepping in would just complicate things," Yugen said.
"With Tatsuya alone, that lineup's enough," Erika agreed.
However, Kasumi (disciplinary committee) and Shippou (club alliance executive) nearly clashed, only stopped by Juumonji, leaving Yugen with a deep sigh when Tatsuya and Riri reported it.
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