Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 02 - Enrollment Chapter (II) Page 11

  "The budget allocation for club activities is based on the number of registered club members as well as the group's accomplishments, which is decided in a meeting between all the club leaders. The generous allocations for clubs involved in magic competitions reflect their positive results in intramural competitions. I'm sure everyone here is also aware that clubs involved in non-magic competitions that have competed with distinction at the national level, such as legball and other clubs, have received similar allocations. The idea that clubs with more Course 1 students are favored is a simple misunderstanding."

  Faced with the questions raised by the Alliance, Mayumi represented the Student Council's rebuttal, and things progressed in this manner.

  That being said, the Alliance didn't make any concrete demands. The only item they insisted on was the "equal" allocation of the budget, but they made no move to propose any specific clubs in need of additional allocations.

  Originally, their purpose was to incite and cajole Tatsuya into joining them.

  "On every level, Course 2 students are treated worse than Course 1 students. The Student Council has tried to hide this!"

  "While this criticism is frequently leveled at this office, realistically speaking, do you have any examples to support this? As I mentioned earlier, usage of facilities and the allocation of materials have been equally distributed throughout Classes A to H."

  Even if one side's slogan was meant to whip the crowd into a frenzy, onstage their words were nothing more than unsubstantiated theories. When faced with Mayumi's counter charge that their argument was nothing more than empty words and unverified data, this groundless slogan quickly floundered.

  The forum rapidly dissolved into a platform for Mayumi to deliver her speech.

  "... I cannot deny that the idea of differential treatment that the Alliance refers to exists among our students. However, that is merely the solidification of a sense of superiority and inferiority. This is fundamentally different from the situation where the privileged, fearing the loss of their special rights, act in defense of these rights by instituting systemic segregation.

  The terms Bloom and Weed are banned by the school, the Student Council, and the Public Morals Committee, but unfortunately, many students still continue using them daily.

  However, the problem lies not just with Course 1 students calling themselves Blooms and derogatorily labeling Course 2 students as Weeds. The problem is also compounded when Course 2 students refer to themselves as Weeds, continuing the vicious cycle of self-depreciation and resigning themselves to the idea that this is inevitable. This lamentable culture truly exists here."

  At this, several hissing sounds arose, but no one could truly repudiate those words.

  With a bewitching, devilish smile, Mayumi silenced the hisses before adopting a more serious expression as she earnestly defended her position. Before her, the Alliance's resistance quickly disintegrated.

  "This wall of consciousness is the true problem.

  While the difference between Course 1 and 2 students is written into the school system, this only reflects the lack of educators at the national level, and thus was a temporary solution with this background in mind.

  Should everyone receive a subpar education, or should half the students receive a full education.

  This school adopted the latter method.

  It is true that there is a difference in treatment here.

  This is something that cannot be averted no matter what we do.

  This is also a mandatory ruling forced onto the students if they choose to study here.

  But other than this, there is no difference in the system.

  This might come as a shock to some people, but Course 1 and 2 students enjoy the same curriculum.

  While there is a difference in pacing, lectures and practical exercises are entirely the same."

  Not just Tatsuya, but even Miyuki was completely amazed by this revelation.

  Tatsuya involuntarily let out an "Eh..." sound, while Miyuki silently offered her agreement.

  Seeing this, Suzune's mouth twitched into a smile.

  "For extracurricular activities, both the Club Management Group and the Student Council strive to equally assign the rights and access to the facilities.

  It cannot be denied that there is a higher emphasis placed on clubs with greater membership. Yet, when taking into consideration that everyone should have equal opportunity, we cannot ignore the fact that not all clubs are on equal footing. This is what we think.

  This is definitely not where extracurricular activities relating to magic competitions receive higher priority.

  Just now, the Alliance members pointed out that the magic competition clubs receive a considerable slice of the budget.

  The result is exactly that, except that this allocation takes into account the successes garnered by these activities, as everyone saw on the display.

  Other than the problem with teachers, the reason behind the separation of Course 1 and 2 students can be clearly explained.

  I think everyone can understand any situation with a foundation firmly rooted in logic.

  Although there are other reasons, as we all know, they are all caused by the wall of consciousness that arose between Course 1 and 2 students after the separation."

  The hissing started again.

  This time, they came in two varieties. At the hissing of the Alliance supporters, a noticeable "Alliance members, shut the hell up" aura was welling up near the place where Course 2 students were standing, a clear sign that the tide was turning.

  "As this school's Student Council President, I am completely unsatisfied with this situation.

  Towards this wall that at times incites our students to conflict, I wish to find a way to dispel it.

  However, this does not imply that the only solution lies in changing the current system. Even if Course 2 students receive differential treatment, applying the same conditions to Course 1 students would solve nothing.

  It doesn't matter if you are a Course 1 or 2 student, you are still a student of this school. For the students of this campus, the three years spent here are absolutely irreplaceable to them."

  Applause greeted these words. There weren't enough people to use the term "thunderous applause" to describe the reception, but even then it wasn't as if the applause was scattered. Among the applauding students, there was no distinction between Course 1 and 2 students.

  As the applause faded, tranquility returned to the auditorium. Irrespective if they were Course 1 or 2 students, whether they applauded or not, everyone breathlessly awaited Mayumi's next words as she seemed to tower above them on that podium.

  The Alliance representative that took the stage with Mayumi could only look on filled with unease and envy.

  "To eliminate the difference in the system, but without causing that difference to reverse in direction, I think we can all accept the above two points. This is an excellent opportunity and I would like everyone to listen to what I hope to achieve.

  To tell the truth, the differential treatment between Course 1 and 2 students also lingers in the Student Council.

  I am referring to the nomination of student council members other than the Student Council President.

  Under the current system, aside from the President, only Course 1 students may join the Student Council.

  This ruling can only be changed during the annual Student Council President election, when the Student Body Meeting takes place.

  I will abolish this ruling when I formally step down as President during the meeting. This is the last service I can render as the President."

  It was as if the entire audience let out a breath. The students completely forgot to hiss and were busy whispering to one another. Mayumi silently waited for the chatter to end on its own.

  "... Only half of my term is over. Even if I wanted to make this an official promise, our hearts and minds cannot be gathered together with force, or it may be more appropriate to say that external fo
rce has no business altering them in the first place... Thus, the only thing I wish to do is try and improve the situation, even if only a little."

  The auditorium burst into applause.

  On some level, the atmosphere approached the reception that only idols could induce. Irrespective of whether they were Course 1 or 2 students, they were clearly supporting Mayumi, and not the Alliance.

  What Mayumi spoke of was rising above prejudice.

  The activities of the Alliance truly moved in the direction of abolishing inequality on the campus. Nonetheless, this reformation progressed in a fashion vastly different from their expectations.

  Revolutionaries, in general, are not satisfied with merely achieving their goals.

  They insisted on obtaining their heart's desire by their own hands.

  This conclusion, rather than just being unsatisfactory to the Alliance members, would be more troublesome for those that manipulated the situation from the shadows.

  —Moreover, the one inciting Sayaka's group from behind the scenes never planned on stopping here.

  ◇◇◇

  Abruptly, a loud blast rattled the windows of the auditorium, shaking the applauding students from their reverie.

  The mobilized members of the Public Morals Committee sprang into action.

  Normally, they never expected their training to actually bear fruit. On orders from their Chief, they swiftly apprehended the Alliance members that were tagged ahead of time.

  The window shattered as a spindle-shaped object came hurtling in.

  As soon as the grenade hit the ground, it began spewing out white smoke. Before the white smoke could fully spread out, the grenade was quickly rewound like someone hitting the rewind button on a video cassette player, and quickly disappeared back out the window.

  Tatsuya let out an appreciative gaze, while Hattori jerked his head away in displeasure.

  Seeing this, Mayumi started chuckling to one side.

  Mari pointed one arm towards the entrance.

  Several invaders wearing gas masks swarmed in, but due to their difference in level, they were quickly subdued.

  The anticipated surprise attack was quelled according to plan, though no one expected them to use something so over-the-top as explosives and chemical weapons.

  Thus, the situation was completely brought under control without throwing the auditorium into panic.

  "I'm going to take a look at the Practical Skills Building."

  "Onii-sama, I'm going with you!"

  "Be careful!"

  After Mari finished speaking, the siblings headed towards the area where the sound of the blast originated.

  ◇◇◇

  Due to the need for constant magic supervision, magic schools usually had Magicians staffed as teachers at all times.

  First High, being the authority in magic schools, boasted a teaching staff composed of first class Magicians.

  The school alone had the strength to repel the military might of a small nation.

  Of course, even though there was a conscious understanding that possible attackers do exist, this was still beyond their expectation.

  A complete lack of danger is the real cause behind the relaxing of the guard.

  The place to come under attack by the invaders was the Practical Skills Building, as can be seen from its blackened walls and cracked windows. Tatsuya could also hear further blasts, like the sound of small explosives being set off. Facing the flammable liquid that was still burning as it clung stubbornly to the walls, two teachers were engaged in firefighting activities.

  "What the hell is going on?"

  The prowling boy responsible for protecting the teachers shouted out as he caught sight of Tatsuya.

  Miyuki's fingers began dancing in a beautiful fashion.

  She single-handedly operated the CAD shaped like a portable terminal.

  Instantaneously, the Psion Information Aide spread out, completed the design, and activated.

  The flash was the magical light that could only be seen by "magisters" like Magicians and Magic Engineers.

  The three men surrounding Leo were immediately blown away. The three of them were wearing electric technician uniforms and were obviously not students nor staff.

  It was as if they had stepped on a landmine, but Leo who had been in the center of it was left unscathed.

  This sort of pinpoint selectivity was one of the biggest advantages of magic.

  "Terrorists have invaded the campus."

  While Miyuki conversed with the teachers about the situation, Tatsuya quickly cut to the chase and stated the pertinent details to Leo.

  "That's pretty damn serious, huh."

  Leo consented to the situation just like that — his agreement was because he understood that this was a chance to join in the subjugation.

  Right now, the most important matter was the presence of enemies who had to be eliminated.

  "Leo, your Houki! ... or rather, reinforcements have arrived I guess"

  At that moment, Erika appeared on the other side, from the direction of the office. Recognizing the forms of Tatsuya and co, she stopped hurrying.

  "No worries. You got here in plenty of time."

  "There's plenty to worry about. Like not getting killed and dying."

  "What the hell!

  ... No, now isn't the time for that. Gimme my CAD. Crap, don't just throw it!"

  CAD is a type of precision equipment, but would retain its utility even in the midst of complex situations such as these.

  There would be no problem even if dropped onto a soft surface like tennis courts. Erika threw the CAD with this in mind, so she naturally ignored Leo's objection. —Even if there was some sort of damage, it was likely that Erika would ignore that too.

  "Did Tatsuya do this? Or was it Miyuki?"

  Erika spoke succinctly as her merciless gaze swept over the moaning invaders who were crawling away slowly.

  "It was Miyuki. I couldn't have applied it that well."

  "It was me. There is no need for Onii-sama to concern himself with such small fry."

  Tatsuya and Miyuki beside him spoke up at the same time.

  "OK, OK, what an envious sibling relationship... Is it really alright to send those guys flying without so much as a warning?"

  "There's no need to hold back if they aren't students."

  Tatsuya calmly replied with a comment that subtly changed the direction of the conversation. Hearing this, Erika laughed.

  "Aha, and I thought high school would be a boring place."

  "Scary, so this is what a bloodthirsty woman looks like."

  "Shut up."

  Erika raised her right hand halfway, but self-consciously pulled back from stabbing forward with the special police baton.

  "Speaking of which, what are the two of you doing at the Practical Skills Building at this hour?"

  Unless they stayed after school for additional practice, students usually would not return to the Practical Skills Building after class.

  This wasn't a teasing retaliation, but an innocent question instead.

  "Eh? No, that, well, how do I put it?"

  "Eh, uh, well, that, what was it again?"

  That being said, for the two of them to falter this badly was quite the unexpected turnout.

  "... What are you two doing together?"

  A serious question.

  However, no one knew Tatsuya quite as well as Miyuki. As soon as Miyuki saw her elder brother's serious expression that carefully masked an evil smirk, she quickly figured it out.

  "The two of us alone?"

  Erika's voice could not conceal her astonishment.

  "That's a misunderstanding!"

  It would not be an exaggeration to describe Leo's response as a roar.

  "I just came for more practice in practical skills! This woman came afterwards!"

  "When I came to practice, this brazen fellow was already there."

  "What do you mean brazen!"

  "Ah, I underst
and. I got it. I won't take it the wrong way."

  At this point, there was no longer any profit in this matter, but Tatsuya was thoroughly satisfied with the reactions elicited from the two of them.

  Tatsuya quickly curtailed that thought.

  "Have you found any other trespassers?"

  "The teachers are guarding the other side. No wonder they're teachers, seeing as all the trespassers have already been apprehended."

  Tatsuya solemnly watched Erika as he said this. Erika pretended as if the earlier interruption hadn't occurred as she replied back in a heavy tone that was neither solemn nor joking.

  Leo was able to switch gears fairly quickly as well.

  "I know coming from me it's a little sketchy, but those guys were only third-rate Magicians at best. I've just never trained in 3 on 1 magics."

  Leo tried to downplay what happened, but handling three opponents at the same time was no mean feat.

  The competency of his peers have surpassed his original expectations.

  "Erika, any problems near the Office Buildings?"

  At Miyuki's question, Erika nodded.

  "They looked like they were prepared a long time ago. By the time I got there, the teachers had already subdued the attackers. Probably because all the expensive equipment is over there."

  The majority of the valuables were kept in the offices for safekeeping, so it was fairly obvious to see why it would be a tempting target.

  That being said, the Practical Skills Building only contained outdated CADs.

  If anything significant should be pointed out for the sake of argumentation, it would be that the heat-resistant, earthquake-proof, and shock-resistant building was only blackened slightly after taking direct hits from grenades. Even if the building was damaged, it would only result in delaying classes by about one month.

  In other words, in order to completely sabotage the school and prevent the facilities from operating, the logical course of action would be to disable vital equipment that were difficult to replace on a short notice, as well as specimens and research data...