A cheerful hum drifted on the breeze, filling the grounds of First High with an air of celebration. If one listened closely, the sound of weeping was caught in the mix, though these were not tears of sorrow.
In stark contrast, the cafeteria was nearly deserted. The few figures scattered among the tables could be counted on one hand. It wasn't that classes were in session or that these students were loitering; it was simply that the graduation ceremony had just concluded.
Tatsuya took a sip of coffee—served properly in a ceramic mug rather than a paper cup—and set it back on the table. He glanced down at his multi-purpose wristwatch, a device rarely seen among magicians. By now, the ceremony itself was over.
With the formalities finished, preparations for the graduation party were underway. Naturally, the venues for Course 1 and Course 2 students were separate. Tatsuya remained here, waiting for Miyuki, who was currently occupied with the frantic duties of the operations committee.
For many Course 1 students, and a fair number of Course 2 students as well, Tatsuya's presence was a complicated, delicate matter. He possessed the power and the track record to call into question the very yardstick that had long divided the two courses. To the seniors, he was a seed of unrest suddenly cast into their final year. Tatsuya felt that keeping a low profile was the correct choice; when Miyuki had turned down his offer to help with the event, he had told himself, This is for the best. He had happened to mention this to Mayumi, who had been quite cross with him about it…
That same Mayumi had successfully passed her entrance exams for Magic University. Given her talent and achievements, the result was expected, but the fact that the "vampire" incidents had abruptly ceased after that night undoubtedly helped. It had allowed her to focus on her studies without unnecessary distractions. Starting this April, she would be attending the university alongside Suzune and Katsuto, both of whom had also passed as a matter of course.
Mari, however, had chosen the National Defense Academy over Magic University. Her reasons went without saying, but it seemed Mayumi hadn't known until the very last minute. Tatsuya had seen her looking uncharacteristically lonely once because of it.
Speaking of those heading to the Defense Academy—
"Shiba."
"Kobayakawa-senpai. Shouldn't the party be starting soon?"
"Yes, well… Mari told me I might find you here."
During the Nine Schools Competition, Kobayakawa had been involved in an accident. Despite grueling rehabilitation, her magical abilities never recovered to a "usable" level. By October, she had resolved to withdraw from the school, planning to transfer and spend a gap year finding a new path.
"Did you need something from me?"
"Well, it's… honestly, it's harder to say this to your face than I thought. But, in short… I wanted to thank you."
"I haven't done anything that warrants thanks from you, Senpai."
"That's not true! The advice—that even if I can't use magic, there's a path that utilizes my knowledge and sensitivity toward it—that was yours, wasn't it?"
Tatsuya almost grimaced at her words, but out of consideration for her feelings, he managed to maintain a neutral expression.
"Did Watanabe-senpai let that slip…?"
"Don't blame her. I forced it out of her."
"I had asked her to present the idea as her own."
"So she said. But it didn't seem like Mari had much intention of keeping the secret."
"Honestly, that woman..."
Tatsuya's muttered exasperation was cut short by the earnestness in Kobayakawa's voice.
"I'm glad she told me. I didn't realize it at the time, but until I heard those words, I was in despair. I acted tough, telling myself I wouldn't let it beat me, but that was just a lie to hide the fact that I had already given up. But when Mari told me what you said... I felt like the world finally opened up again. I knew then that this was the path I was meant to take. It's not just for me; I think it can be a source of hope for other magic high school students who have had their paths as magicians cut short. The only reason I was able to change my entire life's direction at the final hour and work hard enough to pass the exams in just six months was because of that conviction."
Kobayakawa's face was flushed red, likely because she found her own words embarrassing to say aloud. Tatsuya, however, didn't find them embarrassing at all.
"So, Shiba—no, Tatsuya-kun. Thank you."
Dropping her senior tone for one of formal respect, she bowed deeply. Tatsuya was not so thick-skinned as to remain seated in the face of such a gesture. He stood, snapping his heels together as he came to attention.
The sudden click of his boots drew the eyes of not only the surprised Kobayakawa, but every other student in the cafeteria. Ignoring them, Tatsuya offered her the sharp, disciplined salute that had been drilled into him by the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion.
"Tatsuya-kun..."
"Kobayakawa-senpai. It may be a cliché, but I wish you the best of luck."
Having finished the salute, Tatsuya spoke without a trace of bashfulness or a smile. Tears welled in Kobayakawa's eyes, but she didn't let them fall. Instead, she gave a firm nod and smiled.
"Senpai, the party is going to start without you."
"Right. I'll be going then. You keep at it, too."
Tatsuya watched her walk away at a brisk jog before sitting back down. Strangely, his coffee didn't taste half bad, even though it had gone lukewarm.
(At the very least, this should reduce the number of times I have to listen to Second Lieutenant Fujibayashi complain.)
The advice he had given Kobayakawa was rooted in the grievances often voiced by Kyoko Fujibayashi of the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion. Because magicians were in such short supply, they were almost always sent to the front lines. This left the rear-line operations staff filled with non-magicians who only understood magic in theory, never in practice.
Fujibayashi often lamented that if only magicians who could no longer fight would join the tactical staff, the magicians on the front lines would have a much easier time. Tatsuya had simply put those complaints to good use.
(The Lieutenant really should stop venting to me and just tell the Major directly...)
Then again, Tatsuya knew that Kyoko only felt comfortable venting to him. If asked whether she could say the same to Colonel Kazama, the answer would undoubtedly be "no." And so, he had used her frustrations to shape Kobayakawa's future.
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