Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 09 - Visitor Chapter (I) Read online

  Given the look on her face, this was a question that Erika was burning to ask from the very beginning rather than something she just happened to stumble upon. As for how to answer that, Tatsuya pondered several different angles before finally settling on the direct answer. –Largely because this was the more interesting one.

  "Why are you asking me? Obviously because I received Mikihiko’s message."

  Mikihiko's face fell, and he sent a "You traitor" look at Tatsuya.

  "Hm~~"

  However, in the face of that level of displeasure, Mikihiko reluctantly turned his eyes back to Erika.

  "So that’s how you were able to make it in the nick of time. Nice work, Miki."

  The phrase was complimentary on the surface, and this was a situation where congratulations were in order.

  Obviously, the only responses Mikihiko could muster under that context were "Ah" and "That".

  No matter how he heard it, the voice that wiggled into his ears failed to sound positive.

  "Speaking of which, when exactly did you make contact? I, don’t think I was ever aware of this."

  "............"

  Of course she never heard about this, since they never told Erika in the first place. Having Tatsuya follow their signal was entirely Mikihiko’s independent decision. Naturally, he also had to report all their findings to Tatsuya. Upon reflection, even Mikihiko himself would be hard pressed to explain how he arrived at this conclusion.

  Under Erika’s cold gaze, cold sweat rolled down Mikihiko’s brow.

  This was exactly like "a frog frozen under the eyes of a serpent". It looked like he was unable to extract himself by his own power, Tatsuya concluded with a mental "That’s far enough".

  "Guys, I apologize for barging in on your conversation, but shouldn’t we relocate?"

  Hearing another voice break into the conversation, Erika blinked twice and reluctantly pulled out a mostly undamaged information terminal.

  "I believe people are converging here?"

  At Tatsuya’s hint, Mikihiko frantically removed his own information terminal.

  Erika verified the time. Almost five minutes had elapsed since they made contact with the vampire and masked Magician. The other groups would probably arrive shortly.

  Mikihiko unfolded the pursuit display. The bright lights indicating allied investigators were advancing along irregular lines, a clear indication that they were definitely not acting in concert with the other investigating teams.

  "You don’t have approval from the Clan Meeting, do you?"

  While they were not part of the investigative team led by the Saegusa Family, they haven't acted on anything worthy of punishment.

  Still, if at all possible, it was worthwhile to avoid notifying the Saegusa and Juumonji Family’s investigative team that they had engaged in combat within their jurisdiction. This could prove to be especially troublesome if they ran afoul of the previous Student Council President.

  While the two of them agonized over this, Tatsuya was preparing to evacuate without a care in the world.

  "Erika, need a ride?"

  Once again boarding his motorcycle, Tatsuya asked aloud,

  "Sure, thanks."

  To which Erika jumped onto the backseat and wrapped her arms snugly around Tatsuya’s waist.

  "Tatsuya, what about me?"

  "Sorry, over capacity."

  In response to Mikihiko’s agitated question, Tatsuya flipped the engine switch.

  "You’ll get fined for riding without a helmet!"

  Hearing the shout from behind him intermixed with frustration (and not a small amount of unwillingness to admit defeat), Tatsuya sped off on the motorcycle. (Speaking of which, the fine for not wearing a helmet no longer existed in the 21st century. Instead, the driver could be charged with vehicular manslaughter depending on the extent of the passengers’ injuries.)

  After losing his jacket and being left behind, Mikihiko could only stand there blankly for the moment.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  After returning to the mobile base that was disguised as a news van, Angie Sirius – or Lina’s current form, gave the order to retreat even before she took a seat.

  No one questioned her orders because this was the expected action. The moment she sat down, the mobile base soundlessly began to move. Still, the interior of the vehicle was filled with confusion, an almost "I want to ask but am too afraid to speak up" type of atmosphere. The ruin of her hair and the dirtied boots caused by the flash practically screamed that she "fled back". Nonetheless, the word "flee" was simply incompatible with the High Commander of Stars, "Sirius".

  "Major."

  The interior possessed enough height to constitute a ceiling, but in spite of this, the two other members still bent at the waist in front of Lina.

  "We are terribly sorry."

  The reason the two of them were apologizing was because they fell behind during the pursuit. Lina engaged the vampire on her own because her two companions were unable to keep up with her speed.

  "Don’t worry. Although a third party interfered, I bear the responsibility for letting the target get away."

  "...Thank you very much."

  "In addition, we successfully carried out Sergeant Sullivan’s punishment, so we can’t chalk this up as a complete failure. Have we recovered the Sergeant’s corpse?"

  "Recovery confirmed."

  "Is that so?"

  Hearing the voice from behind the two before her, Lina relaxed and nodded her head.

  "Immediately perform autopsy on the Sergeant’s corpse. Also, were you able to identify the other one I was pursuing?"

  However, she immediately tightened her expression and asked the next question.

  "I am very sorry. Although we were able to record a psion wave signature, there are currently no matches in our database."

  "So it’s not a deserter.... Otherwise, the psion wave signature may have changed."

  "I’m afraid it’s probably the latter."

  "Understood. Continue the pursuit based on the recorded psion wave signature."

  "Yes, ma’am."

  Upon hearing this response, Lina ordered the two before her to return to their seats and leaned back into her chair.

  Lina pressed a hand to her right shoulder and cast Healing-Type Magic on herself. Fortunately, she was able to keep a stoic expression in front of her subordinates thanks to her magical disguise, but she had fired a gun while her collarbone was cracked, causing a full blown fracture that was painful enough to almost reduce her to tears.

  (How come I never heard that Erika was so strong!? And Tatsuya used some sort of mysterious ability to completely nullify my technique.... What the hell is up with Japanese high school students these days!?)

  Completely ignoring her own age, Lina complained bitterly in the privacy of her own mind.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  "Huh? From Oba-sama?"

  After sweeping a glance over her older brother, who had hurriedly left the house after glancing at the information terminal from his pocket and just returned while explaining the situation, Miyuki couldn’t help but ask this question.

  Immediately after the question, she flushed in embarrassment after realizing her improper behavior.

  Still, Tatsuya felt that her question was only a natural course of events, so he wasn’t going to chide his sister over such a minor detail.

  "There’s something I wish to discuss with Oba-ue."

  In other words, could you please call her for me, was Tatsuya’s request to Miyuki.

  The majority of those working for the Yotsuba Family were aware that Tatsuya was Maya’s nephew. At the same time, they also knew that Tatsuya served as nothing more than a tool. –Except, only a select minority had access to the information that he was being utilized as a weapon. In light of this, even if Tatsuya reached out to his aunt via phone, the call would inevitably be curtailed.

  In other words, forget Tatsuya, not even Miyuki knew the number for the direct line. The infor
mation control surrounding the Yotsuba Family was several times more intense than the government, and that was no idle exaggeration by those in the know.

  "So long as Onii-sama says so.... Can you give me a minute?"

  "Ah...I’ll go change as well."

  Even though they were related by blood, they couldn't wear casual clothes, and doing something like cutting off the screen was unthinkable. That was the type of existence that their aunt (and other family members) was.

  "I apologize for calling you so late."

  "That’s fine. Compared to that, it’s quite rare for Miyuki to call me by phone."

  As usual, Maya appeared on the screen of the video call with her customary, age-defying beauty and mysterious smile. Hayama stood by her side, dressed neatly in a three piece suit. While Tatsuya pondered the oddity of having Hayama attend a family call, Tatsuya was also standing next to Miyuki in a black suit, so they were probably about the same.

  After the usual customary words of welcome that carefully masked the mounting agitation, Miyuki used an objective tone – a definite chore for her in this case – to convey the highlights of Tatsuya’s message.

  "Tatsuya too? This is also something rare."

  Choosing to forgo any attempt to hide her interest, Maya allowed Tatsuya to speak.

  "Oba-ue, there’s actually one thing I would like to ask you and another I would like to request."

  "Go ahead."

  Maya nodded, in an excellent mood. Well, judging from her appearance, at least.

  "In that case, allow me to go right ahead...Oba-ue, can you please tell me how the Kudou Family’s Counter Magic 'Parade' works?"

  Next to Tatsuya, Miyuki emitted a small sound while shock suffused her face.

  On the screen, Hayama raised one eyebrow significantly.

  Unable to mask her expression, Maya burst into laughter.

  "Come now...Tatsuya, 'Parade' is one of the Kudou Family’s closest guarded secrets. Did you think I would know this secret?"

  Amid her laughter, Maya deflected the question.

  "Oba-ue once learned from Elder Kudou directly. Even if you do not know the Magic Sequence, I’m sure you at least know the ins and outs, correct?"

  After establishing that "she couldn’t teach him", Tatsuya continued pushing with his own question.

  "Counter Magic 'Parade' applies Data Fortification on your own Eidos and rewrites or alters your appearance. To be precise, it is a Magic Sequence that applies a different appearance or a fake mask on the Eidos and creates a false appearance, using the new appearance to mask the original in order to protect the real form from hostile magical effects, correct?"

  Not only was he pushing on, he also supplied his own hypothesis.

  "...'Alteration' Magic is something that cannot be achieved in the real world, but I think you are already aware of that, no?"

  Maya responded directly to Tatsuya’s hypothesis. Just this alone was sufficient to inform Tatsuya regarding the truth of his words, but this wasn’t enough to satisfy Tatsuya.

  "Rather than using 'Alteration', a simple adjust at the visual level using Light Refraction Magic would be enough. The problem lies in that Light Refraction Magic cannot escape my 'eye', hence where the issue lies."

  "Onii-sama, that...."

  The one who responded verbally while looking completely astounded was Miyuki.

  "I can’t believe that there’s an opponent who cannot be identified by Onii-sama...."

  "Not only that, they also avoided Mist Dispersal."

  Pale faced, Miyuki was struck dumb.

  As if she also received a blow, Maya wrinkled her brows in an instant on the other side of the screen.

  Though she swiftly recovered her smiling visage, the tangent in the conversation had been dispelled.

  "If Mist Dispersal is useless, then Trident should have no problem."

  "Can Parade be cast on top of itself?"

  At Maya’s suggestion, Tatsuya once more ventured another question. Yet, Maya’s response referred to a wholly unrelated topic.

  "By my recollection, when it came to Parade, it was sensei’s younger brother who was more adept at Parade than sensei himself."

  "Thank you very much. Oba-ue, it appears that I will be unable to handle this incident alone. Here, I formally request for reinforcements."

  "Is that the request you would like me to grant?"

  Across the screen, aunt and nephew caught each other’s eye.

  "...Very well. It is true that things have progressed far beyond our initial estimates.

  I will allow you to make contact with Major Kazama."

  Tatsuya bowed and retreated out of the video screen.

  Chapter 7

  It was another morning, and another school day. Tatsuya exited the station with Miyuki and the two of them went to meet up with their friends, then go on their way to school. One had left earlier in the year, and last week yet another had gone, but besides that it was the same as since spring.

  This morning, however, something different awaited Tatsuya. Before they could find their friends, the voice of a senior called out from the ticket gate. Both Tatsuya and Miyuki had already been aware of her presence before she had called out.

  At this time, most of the people using the station were students of First High and associated persons. Unlike with the mass transit trains of old, it is now uncommon to see large crowds of passengers at the station all at the same time. Nonetheless, in order to get out of the way of the students arriving moment by moment, the siblings walked over to where Mayumi stood by the wall.

  More than a few students flickered glances their way, but none of them were overly concerned. There was nothing particularly wondrous about the previous Student Council President and the current Vice-President conversing, and that the brother of the VP was a favourite with the previous Prez —from a gossip point of view anyway— was a well known fact in First High.

  In truth, there wasn't even a conversation. Without linking up and walking to school together, Tatsuya and Miyuki went through the ticket gate. Mayumi had uttered only one line: "After school, come to the second cross-field club room."

  The cross-field club (a club for magic combat survival games) was a club Katsuto had once been a member of. Their second club room implicitly served as an informal meeting place, and amongst those in the know, it was an open secret that Katsuto continued to use this room privately after he had left the club. Sure enough, when Tatsuya turned up, both Mayumi and Katsuto were already waiting.

  "You're alone?"

  It wasn't just Katsuto who asked this, but a surprised Mayumi as well.

  "Yes, you called only me after all."

  Truth be told Miyuki had vehemently insisted on accompanying him, but he had somehow eventually managed to coax her cooperation. —The price had been as cheap as promising to accompany and treat her to a cake buffet.

  Regardless, it was evident that Tatsuya had come by himself. While it was true that Mayumi had called out Tatsuya only, she hadn't really expected that Miyuki actually wouldn't come. Despite that, she immediately launched into the topic at hand.

  "Tatsuya-kun, last night, did you go out?"

  Mayumi's question was within Tatsuya's expectations.

  "I did."

  He didn't add 'What of it?'

  "By bike?"

  "Yes."

  People normally become more talkative when trying to deceive another. Tatsuya at this moment however had no need to feign verbosity.

  "...May I ask where you were going?"

  Rather, it was Mayumi who had to puzzle over how best to proceed. She didn't have the deviousness or experience for such subtle probing. Katsuto, waiting beside her, didn't even seem to be bothered at all.

  "I was called by Yoshida who was engaging the vampire, and saw there both the vampire as well as an unidentified magician who was following it."

  Things could take a while at this rate, Tatsuya thought, as he voluntarily decided to advance the discussion.
As Mayumi blinked in amazement, he kept his expression emotionless. Even a more experienced adult, for example Mayumi's father, would have found it difficult to read his face.

  She had no idea what he was thinking.

  That simply fueled Mayumi's anxiety, and her psychological defenses began to waver.

  "From when?"

  Perhaps stepping in to support Mayumi, or perhaps not, Katsuto came up with a question in her stead.

  "I merely rushed over yesterday because I was called. I was not involved in the actual search for the vampire."

  Since the question didn't ask by whom, or for what, Tatsuya omitted such things in his answer. He had no interest in finding out what Katsuto or Mayumi thought either.

  "The two of you are aware that Saijou of Class 1-E was attacked, correct?"

  There was no way they didn't know. He was more making a statement than asking a question. The reply was of course in the affirmative.

  "It's not just me who wants to find out exactly what is going on. Until those responsible are found and apprehended, there can be no peace. Whether there's a lone culprit or a group, whether it's non-communicable or contagious; shedding light on at least these is the bare minimum."

  Having been looking at the two of them while talking, Tatsuya now shifted his gaze to Mayumi alone.

  "Senpai, if you don't at least tell me how much you know about the situation, or what you intend to do about it, I can't help you."

  His seizing the initiative was probably the opposite of what was expected. Taking a breath, Mayumi's expression turned serious.

  "If Tatsuya-kun promises to help, we'll gladly give you the information we've got. As I'm sure you know though, you mustn't leak anything."

  "Understood. Let's cooperate."

  Tatsuya agreed immediately to Mayumi's proposal. It was the answer she had wanted to hear, but being unable to comprehend his true intentions, she continued to scrutinize him for a while.

  "...Does that mean you'll join our search parties?"

  "That's what I meant."

  "Why now, all of a sudden? It's not like you didn't see the conference notice."

  That was Katsuto speaking. The Saegusa and Juumonji families had jointly set up 'Vampire Hunt' teams, and notices had been sent to the heads of the Ten Master Houses, 18 auxiliary houses, and Hundred Families requesting cooperation. If one is not connected with the 'Numbers' then it's certainly not something a mere high school student would have seen, yet Katsuto was basically speaking as if it were already a fact.