Lina felt as though the sheer pressure of Miyuki's radiance was physically pushing her away, creating a distance she couldn't bridge. Just as she was drowning in that aura, Yugen, who had been watching quietly, threw her a lifeline.
"So, Lina. I heard the story from my father, but is it true? Did you really apply to be Tatsuya's fiancée?"
"Ah, um... Ahem." Lina straightened her posture. "I, Angelina Shields, have formally submitted a request to be accepted as Shiba Tatsuya-dono's fiancée. The adults might be pulling strings for their own reasons, but my feelings for Tatsuya are no lie. That part, at least, is serious."
"I see. Well, I've heard as much from Selia, so I shall trust your word."
"Why do I feel like there's a 'but' hanging in the air...?"
Lina looked dissatisfied with Tatsuya's earlier reaction to her declaration, but she seemed to resign herself to the fact that, given the current state of the world, romance wasn't the priority. Switching gears, she decided to share the intelligence she possessed.
"That concludes the information provided by the 'Seven Sages.' Other operatives are handling the mission itself."
"...It's Ben, isn't it? Major Benjamin Canopus."
"H-How did you know... Ah."
"The man I faced on the southern island. He is second only to you in ability. Given that Jiedo Heigu's—Gu Jie's—current strength is unknown, sending Canopus is a logical allocation of force."
In reality, Yugen had already established a surveillance net centered on Hakone. They had confirmed Gu Jie's presence on a small cargo ship anchored in Numazu Port. Furthermore, late last night, a cruiser owned by the USNA Embassy was spotted near the cargo ship. A USNA Navy destroyer then approached the cruiser, and a single man was observed leaping aboard. Through personal data verification using GPS and special communications intercepts, the man was confirmed to be Major Benjamin Canopus, the Number Two of the Stars.
Lina's eyes went wide, surprised not only by Selia's knowledge but by the fact that Yugen recognized the name and had already crossed paths with Canopus.
"So, here's the thing," Lina continued. "I believe Gu Jie views the Yotsuba as his mortal enemy. In that sense, there is a high probability he will target Tatsuya."
"I see. If that is the case, it is all the more reason to coordinate with Yugen... Yugen, why not let Lina participate?"
"Hmm... I'd like to hear Selia's judgment on that."
Honestly speaking, unless she used Brionac, Lina's abilities were better suited for wide-area annihilation, including anti-base attacks. Furthermore, even with a special order from the USNA President, moving 'Angie Sirius' around in broad daylight was a situation Yugen wanted to avoid. Thus, he deferred the decision to Selia.
"Me? ...Honestly, if I act as a control tower like the Saegusa twins, it's not impossible. But if the distance is too great, the burden becomes heavy. If we do this, I'd need to go to Hakone as well."
"That implies there's a possibility the school will be targeted. If we close First High and have everyone refrain from going out, casualties would be minimized... Should we pursue that line?"
They had tracked all the containers unloaded from the cargo ship Gu Jie arrived on, but Gu Jie did not appear to possess a 'Sorcery Booster.' Therefore, considering the range of his Corpse manipulation magic (Jiangshi), the urban area of Hakone would be at the very limit of his ten-kilometer reach.
Gu Jie was the type of man who would intentionally involve non-magician civilians when targeting the Ten Master Clans during the Conference. If there were no civilians in the hotel, there was a risk he would launch a terror attack on the city instead. Anticipating this, Yugen had already prepared several countermeasures.
First, regarding the hotel used for the Master Clans Conference: outwardly, it appeared to be open for business, and reservations could be made online as usual. However, for February 4th and 5th—the days of the conference—guests received a written apology citing "emergency renewal construction." They were rebooked at a higher-tier resort hotel in Hakone, with the Kagurazaka Group bearing the full cost of the upgrade.
Furthermore, a 'Heavenly Immortal Barrier' was erected around the entire hotel. Inside, they utilized Nightmare Phantom—an improved version of Moon Escape—to place psion information bodies disguised as countless civilians. To Gu Jie's eyes, the hotel would appear bustling with guests. They had pre-tested the interaction between this spell and the frequencies used for Corpse magic and were confident it would completely deceive him.
Still, considering the worst-case scenario, it was decided to request cooperation from Miyuki and Tatsuya.
"You speak about these things so casually... it really shows you've become the Head of the family, Yugen."
"You can call it whatever you want. Let's just say it's 'Counter-Terrorism Measures by Ancient Magicians.'"
"...The problem is, you aren't wrong."
Officially, the measures were to prevent Japanese Ancient Magicians from violently rebelling against the decisions of the Master Clans Conference. Since Gu Jie was, in a broad sense, an Ancient Magician, treating this as a counter-terror measure to justify the temporary school closure was logically sound. Selia murmured her agreement with a wry smile mixed into her voice.
"Lina. Even if it is a mission, if things go wrong, the Stars could treat you as a traitor. You are prepared for that, aren't you?"
"...Yes. I don't think Tatsuya will lose, but I still have my pride as 'Sirius.' Taking down the mastermind behind that incident is—for me—a lingering regret of Sirius. If I didn't have that resolve, I wouldn't have agreed to come all the way to Japan."
"Big sister is actually saying something sensible."
"Hey, Selia! Isn't that a little harsh!?"
Watching the Shields sisters interact, Yugen felt that it was destiny for Selia to become Lina's sister. He then noticed Minami, who had been preparing dinner, peeking out at them.
"Minami, is it ready?"
"Yes. Since there are many of us today, I prepared a hot pot."
"I see. Lina, Selia, you are welcome to stay and eat if you like."
"In that case, perhaps I will take you up on your offer."
And so, the six of them gathered around the pot. The tense atmosphere from moments ago vanished, replaced by a harmonious enjoyment of the meal. There was some concern about Lina handling Japanese cuisine, but according to Selia, due to their grandfather's influence, the Shields household dining table was a mix of Japanese and Western styles—much like modern Japan. Consequently, Lina showed no resistance to the hot pot.
"Hey, wait, Selia! I was aiming for that piece of meat!"
"You're too soft, Big Sis."
"...I had heard about it, but she really is Japanese at heart, isn't she?"
"Well, yes."
A battle for ingredients erupted. Just as they were about to commit a grave breach of etiquette by passing food chopstick-to-chopstick, Yugen delivered a swift chop to Selia's head. Lina snickered, muttering "Serves you right," only for Yugen to turn a silent, crushing pressure upon her that clearly said, 'You too, you know?'
Teary-eyed, Lina shrank back and squeaked, "I'm sorry." Watching this, Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Minami all shared a wry smile.
February 4th, 2097 AD.
Starting today, the Master Clans Conference is scheduled to be held over two days.
The Master Clans Conference is the summit of the Japanese magic community. Even the Ancient Magicians, who do not look up to the Ten Master Clans as leaders, cannot ignore the influence of this gathering. Attention is focused particularly on the second day: the Selection Conference, which will decide the Ten Master Clans for the next four years.
On the evening of the previous day, February 3rd, the Chief Cabinet Secretary held an emergency press conference. Under the pretext of "Large-scale maintenance of the education database system accompanying a renewal of the educational administration system," the government—specifically the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology—issued a notice. All educational institutions, including Magic High Schools, the National Magic University, and various other schools, would undergo a temporary two-day closure.
Furthermore, an emergency declaration was issued advising residents in the capital region to refrain from non-essential outings as a form of "Infection Control," with the addendum that the government would bear responsibility for any damages incurred. Although mortality rates from illness have decreased dramatically in this world, class closures due to influenza outbreaks still occur. This pretext was used to implement counter-terrorism measures against the bomb threat.
Returning to the topic at hand: even mere high school students cannot remain indifferent if they intend to make a living as magicians. This is especially true for those related to the Ten Master Clans and the eighteen assistant houses—families who might be chosen for, or dropped from, the next Ten Master Clans. They are undoubtedly anxious about the conference proceedings.
However, since the Magic High Schools are closed, even if they were targeted by terrorists, the damage would be minimal. And countermeasures are already in place against any attempts to steal magic technology from the databases, as happened in the past.
"So—why exactly is everyone here?"
Yugen grumbled as he looked around the guest room of the Kagurazaka main estate. It was filled with his friends.
Tatsuya, Miyuki, Minami, Selia, and Lina he could understand. Shuji, Yumu, Hime-ri, and Shizuku made sense due to their connection to the 'Divine General Committee.' But the scene also included Erika, Leo, Mikihiko, Mizuki, Sana, and even Honoka and Toya.
"Why? Isn't it because we received an invitation from Senhime-san?"
"Would it make much difference if you just stayed at your own homes?"
"Absolutely not. If I stay home, my old man puts weird pressure on me."
Erika had completely snapped when her father tried to arrange a marriage engagement without her permission. Since the new semester began, she had practically moved into Leo's apartment, where he lived alone. Leo had initially tried to persuade her that she should go back to her parents' house, but after a 'discussion' (physical) with Erika, he had no choice but to keep quiet.
"Leo has it rough, too."
"Yeah. Plus, there was that whole thing involving Mikihiko... It was seriously a cold sweat moment."
Around that time, Yuuki had found out Leo's address and barged in. Eventually, through the mediation of the Kagurazaka family, they moved to a spacious apartment with the same rent—a place labeled as having "special circumstances" (haunted). Of course, Yugen had been involved in the exorcism, and with Yakumo giving his seal of approval saying "There is no problem," they assumed it was safe.
They thought it would turn into a bloodbath, but Erika and Yuuki apparently formed a united front and pushed Leo down. In the end, it seems they decided to register their marriage as soon as they found stable jobs after university, with Erika content to be treated as a common-law wife.
"Erika, you compromised quite a bit."
"You think? Well, my surname is just a bonus anyway. I don't expect that family to ever be honest with me."
"That's harsh, Erika."
Leo had consulted them, saying that thanks to this relationship, his late-night wanderings had decreased drastically. If he tried to go anywhere, Erika and Yuuki would catch him and drag him back to bed.
The response he got was: "If you wander around strangely, they'll assume you're cheating with another woman. If you walk outside without saying anything, it could turn into a carnage. Are you okay with that?" Leo had shrugged and admitted, "Well, that is a fair point."
"So, when can we expect a baby from Miki and Mizuki? Or maybe you've already started baking one?"
"E-Erika-chan!!"
"That's way too fast! Both Shibata-san and I are still high school students!"
"You aren't denying that you're doing it, though?"
"..."
Regarding Mikihiko, Mizuki, and Sana, matters had been settled with the Todo family. After high school graduation, Mikihiko would be adopted by Aoba. Aoba himself had stated, "As long as you maintain moderation, I won't fuss over intimacy," but Mikihiko wanted to wait until he was properly an adult, maintaining that single line of propriety.
Faced with Erika's direct ball, Mikihiko and Mizuki both blushed crimson and hung their heads.
"Oho, then perhaps for the sake of your intimacy with Shuji, tell us abou—Ouch!!"
"You idiot. Don't stick your neck into other people's love lives."
"Big sister is... no good, she's overheating."
"Honoka is the same."
Yumu, attempting to pry into their night life, was met with Shuji's iron fist sanction and was now clutching her head on the tatami mats. Lina and Honoka, the innocent members of the group regarding such experiences, were both face-down on the table. Selia and Shizuku calmly assessed the situation: "It's understandable."
Meanwhile, Tatsuya, one of the few males "left over" in this chaos, was playing Shogi with Yugen.
"Here, maybe."
"Not bad... Then, how about here?"
Whether they listened or not, there was no escape, so when Yugen invited him for a game, Tatsuya accepted. Toya watched with admiration as the board progressed; strictly looking at their moves, it was a battle worthy of professional rank.
"Speaking of which, Toya, you didn't attend the Master Clans Conference?"
"Unlike Yugen, who is already the Head, I am still only the next-in-line. In that sense, Tatsuya is the same, right?"
"That's right."
Toya had been announced as the next head of the Mutsuzuka family, but he was not yet performing the duties of the Head. In that sense, Tatsuya, who was designated as the Yotsuba heir on New Year's, was in a similar position. Yugen was the Head of the Kagurazaka family, but since he was not an official member of the Master Clans Conference, he stood in a position of being related by blood to the Ten Master Clans but uninvolved in the official capacity.
Basically, only the Heads of the Ten Master Clans participate in the conference. For tomorrow's Selection Conference, it is customary for only the heads of the twenty-eight families (including the eighteen assistant houses) to attend. For example, Katsuto, acting as the Jumonji Head, attends, but Mayumi, who is merely the eldest daughter of the Saegusa, does not (rather, she probably wouldn't want to be in the same room as that father of hers anyway).
While confidentiality is important, one can't help but think they should at least bring one bodyguard.
"How do you view the next Ten Master Clans, Yugen? Will it remain unchanged?"
"—Impossible."
Yugen cut through Toya's question like a blade. The eyes of those around them turned toward him, and Miyuki looked at Yugen with concern.
After patting Miyuki on the head to comfort her, Yugen stared at the Shogi board and began to speak.
"Leaving personal bias aside, the Mitsuya are likely a lock. The Futatsugi, Yotsuba, Itsuwa, Mutsuzuka, and Yatsushiro are also irreplaceable due to their surveillance and defense regions. In that sense, the Ichijou, who hold the front line against the New Soviet Union, are also on that line."
"...Are you saying the Saegusa, Kudou, and Jumonji are different?"
"In Jumonji's case, there are signs that they are being clung to by the Toyama of the eighteen assistant houses. They probably can't cut ties easily due to the connection with the old Tenth Lab... but more than that, they lack the mindset of a Master Clan."
The role of the Jumonji family is to act as the final fortress for the capital's defense. However, they are so devoted to defense that they lack offensive awareness entirely. The famous Phalanx is a mobile interference armor magic that integrates offense and defense, yet they categorize the attack and defense as completely separate systems.
From Yugen's knowledge of the 'original story,' it wasn't an effective method of attack against the Stars' Molecular Divider. Their refusal to try and defeat the opponent, only to defend, might be to avoid incurring grudges, but sometimes, if you don't break the opponent's spirit, the conflict just becomes a game of cat and mouse.
He understood the logic that those with power must protect those without. However, this is often the exercise of a "right" rather than an "obligation."
For instance, if a person happens to legally carry a gun for a different purpose and a bear appears nearby, they are not necessarily "obligated" to kill it. In that scenario, relying on a specialist who understands the bear's habits is the most certain and logical course of action.
In the case of magicians, it is difficult to judge what they are specialists of. Are they excellent at rescue? Suited for dangerous work in high places? Or fit for counter-terrorism? To a non-magician, this is impossible to judge. The Magician License guarantees practical ability but offers no follow-up regarding a magician's specialization.
In fiction, there are often many types of magic, and by fulfilling a role according to those abilities, the people around them can recognize their character. Specialized professions exist because specific types of magic are available. And most importantly—because non-magic users receive the benefits of magic, the public's fear is suppressed to a certain extent. A kind of "habitat segregation" is established.
Ultimately, when asking "what can they do" with modern magic—which is primarily based on altering physical laws—it almost always results in combat, an act that looks violent to anyone's eyes. Because so many phenomena are associated with this, Yugen believed it was one of the reasons non-magicians harbored fear toward magicians.
Returning to the topic, Yugen stated that the Jumonji family lacked awareness because, at this rate, they were essentially doing whatever the Saegusa family told them to do. He feared a situation where they failed to take a resolute stance.
If the USNA demanded Alisa's extradition, Senhime had declared she would take full responsibility, but Yugen intended to appear at the negotiation table himself. Now that he was the Head of the Kagurazaka family, he had no intention of letting a proxy handle a matter he was involved in.
"I understand the size of the Saegusa's influence, but the Jumonji's power is too weak for the purpose of mutual surveillance. In terms of the current Ten Master Clans, the power balance won't hold unless the Saegusa, Mitsuya, and Yotsuba are placed in the Kanto region."
"...What about the Saegusa and Kudou families?"
"That's the thing... Well, the penalty for the Kudou family has been decided, but honestly, there's hesitation regarding the Saegusa."
The punishment for the Kudou family was decided quickly, but Yugen was genuinely troubled by how to handle the Saegusa. Specifically, if they were to strip the Saegusa of their status or remove them from Kanto, it would be extremely difficult to replace the support they provided in the political and business worlds—media manipulation and lobbying.
Additionally, there were numerous Saegusa-affiliated companies in the Kanto area, including the city center, and they held their own section within the National Defense Force Intelligence Department. Future moves had to be decided based on how these issues were addressed.
"Penalty? What did the Saegusa family do?"
"Simply put: they overlooked the cause of an attempt on my life, violated the traditions of the families, and in the end, casually broke a promise made to me... They must have looked down on me as a youngster."
All the evidence regarding this had already been handed over to the Kamiizumi, Mitsuya, and Yotsuba families. He would overlook Mayumi, Kasumi, and Izumi due to personal friendship, and their mother was also not a target. However, the current Head and the two sons of the previous wife who did nothing to admonish him were considered targets of the problem.
He no longer cared if the Saegusa's reputation fell to the ground. If it came to that, he would have to consider building bridges with the Shippou family, who were likely to be promoted to the Ten Master Clans.
It should be noted that the reason Erika did not touch upon the details of the Kudou family's penalty was that their distant relatives, Lina and Selia, were present in the room.
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