Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 02 - Enrollment Chapter (II) Page 3

  Confronted with this scene, which was sure to cause misunderstandings everywhere (?), there were numerous hostile glances directed at the two headed towards the Student Council room. However, there was a marked difference in the feelings directed at the couple with the too good relationship, with Tatsuya single-handedly soaking up all the animosity.

  When walking alongside Miyuki, up until last week, the primary intent behind the malicious gazes would be scorn.

  Now, behind the enmity was, with careful discernment, fear.

  Not a fear of strength, but a fear of the unknown.

  Also, those who should feel less bitter about his "activities", the Weeds, felt the same way.

  Because of that, this became the first time they were called out to by someone unfamiliar.

  "Shiba-kun."

  Both Tatsuya and Miyuki looked back at the same time.

  In terms of physical specs, Tatsuya far exceeded her.

  Yet the reason they reacted at the same time in spite of that was because while Miyuki turned reflexively, Tatsuya had spent a period of time debating whether the voice had been intended for him.

  It was somewhat husky, but definitely a female voice.

  "Good afternoon. Should I start by saying, pleased to meet you?"

  Her semi long hair done in a ponytail, she was a rather attractive girl.

  The hairstyle had changed, but her face was somewhat familiar to Tatsuya.

  "Ah, nice to meet you too. Mibu-senpai, correct?"

  To Tatsuya, she was the 2nd Year student from the Kendo club who had kicked off a whole week of headaches.

  The Kendo club had been the other party in the incident that had broken out.

  She rapidly approached the stationary Tatsuya without a hint of hesitation.

  It could be because she wasn’t the shy type, or not worried since he was an underclassman — or simply because she was taking him lightly.

  Regardless, this was strangely less unbelievable than if she had reservations.

  Miyuki, despite being a Bloom, had earlier stopped in front of her brother but now moved to the back.

  Standing in such a way as to not be in Tatsuya’s view if he needed to focus, yet naturally just within eyeshot, such was her position.

  "I’m Mibu Sayaka. In class E, same as Shiba-kun."

  Tatsuya’s eyes were naturally drawn to her left breast.

  Sewn onto the green blazer was a green, plain pocket.

  The meaning of 'same' was rapidly deduced by Tatsuya.

  "Thanks for earlier. Even though I was saved by you, I never properly expressed my gratitude."

  Bound by that friendly smile, most males of the same age would immediately be drawn in.

  These are words that come easily to one well versed in the use of magic, but it would probably be more appropriate to use the literary term that they contained the power to subtly charm one’s mind. —Although when saying literary, it’s referring more to popular literature.

  "I wanted to properly thank you, as well as have a little talk with you…

  Is it possible for you to accompany me for a bit?"

  She was probably well aware of the power of her smile to captivate the male students, whether consciously or subconsciously.

  However, as Tatsuya constantly had an all too beautiful little sister by his side, he differed in that slight advantage.

  "I can’t now."

  Being rejected so unceremoniously, she didn’t seem so much offended as simply taken aback.

  "If 15 minutes later is alright with you."

  At Tatsuya’s follow up line, Sayaka’s expression fell, or rather she slipped on a blank expression, and after blinking a few times, finally seemed to take in what had just been said.

  "Um, then, I’ll be waiting in the café."

  While the response was totally different to what she had expected, Sayaka at least successfully managed to extract that one promise from Tatsuya.

  ◇◇◇

  Tatsuya accompanied her only as far as the Student Council room entrance.

  If he entered, the possibility of meeting up with Hattori was too high. Since neither would be particularly happy at such turn of events, naturally, Tatsuya simply avoided the Student Council room in which he had no duties.

  "I’ll be waiting for you in the library then."

  Up until yesterday, it had been Miyuki waiting for Tatsuya.

  Today was the first time for Tatsuya to be waiting for Miyuki, but he had already simulated such a situation before even admission.

  He had known that without a doubt, Miyuki would hold some position of office.

  Therefore, he was not at a loss as to what to do with his time.

  One of the reasons he had originally come to this school was because of the presence of a large amount of private literature one couldn’t access unless they were somehow connected to the National Magic University organization.

  "The library is it?"

  However Miyuki, who should have known that, questioningly tilted her head to one side. It didn’t help that she seemed to be slightly suspicious.

  "…That’s the plan, but why the doubt?"

  "No, it’s just that I had thought you now have a meeting with Mibu-senpai at the cafeteria…"

  Miyuki’s glance focused on a region around Tatsuya’s throat.

  "Miyuki?"

  Even at Tatsuya’s call, she didn’t raise her head.

  It seemed she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  Rather, she was averting her eyes.

  Why his sister would take such an attitude, Tatsuya was at a total loss.

  Thinking rationally, this would be considered sulking, but concerning this particular sister, it couldn’t simply be just that.

  Even if he asked, they were standing right in front of the Student Council room, and they were starting to hold people up.

  "I won’t be having such a long conversation with her. In any case, she’s probably simply going to try recruit me to her club."

  It rather felt like he was guessing in the entirely wrong direction.

  However, a chance to defuse the situation nonetheless appeared.

  "…Is that, really all?"

  "What?"

  "I’m wondering if she’s really only trying to recruit you.

  I have a different feeling.

  I’m not sure why.

  But… Miyuki is worried.

  That Onii-sama would have such a reputation makes me very happy… but if your true power is found out, there would be many who flock to you out of self interest or gain.

  Surely, those that do not would be the exception.

  Please, be very careful."

  It would be a simple matter to laugh that off as needless worry.

  If he had not been Shiba Tatsuya.

  If she had not been Shiba Miyuki.

  "…There’s no need to worry. Whatever happens, I’ll be fine."

  "That’s why! That is exactly what I’m afraid of!"

  At last, Tatsuya began to faintly understand what was worrying his sister.

  "…There won’t be a problem. Whatever happens, I won’t cause any grief."

  "…It’s a promise, Onii-sama."

  "Got it.

  …Speaking of which, Miyuki, saying that I have gained a reputation simply from high school committee activities is a bit much."

  "…It’s fine!

  There’s nothing wrong with that, is there.

  To me, Onii-sama’s name has the best reputation out there!"

  As Miyuki spun around and swiped the card reader, her cheeks, hidden by her flowing black hair, seemed to faintly glow with a red tinge.

  ◇◇◇

  He soon found the one he was to meet up with.

  The reason was because Sayaka was standing to the side of the crowd.

  "I think it would have been better if you sat down to wait."

  "If I did, then Shiba-kun might not have found me, right? I was the one who invited you; it would be a faul
t on my part."

  Whether it was a feminine thing or because she was concerned as a senior, this person really doesn’t seem to understand herself, Tatsuya thought. She stood out about as much as one possibly could.

  Now another troublesome rumor couldn’t help but surface.

  To be greeted so eagerly by an upperclassman; as such thoughts emerged, Tatsuya sighed inwardly,

  Then again, even if only outwardly, he was not one to carelessly pretend.

  Meeting for the first time with a lady, it would be rude to keep her waiting.

  "In any case, let’s sit down. We can talk from there."

  "It’s not that crowded, so it would be better to sit after we buy some drinks."

  That was neither a question, nor a suggestion, but an assertion.

  He faintly remembered something startling.

  However, he didn’t disobey.

  Tatsuya got a coffee, while Sayaka had juice; then they sat down face to face at a vacant table.

  Sipping at his coffee, Tatsuya sat up with his cup in hand and eyed the opposite seat.

  Sayaka was sipping dazedly away through a straw at a bright red liquid.

  After finishing off almost two thirds of her drink, she finally looked up.

  Their eyes met.

  Her expression was vacant, but her cheeks were red.

  It almost looked like the juice had come up and dyed her face.

  "…Do you like it?"

  Tatsuya asked a simple question, but,

  "Uu… What’s wrong with liking sweet things! You can say I’m childish as much as you want!"

  Suddenly getting angry… or rather, pouting.

  If you’re going to get that embarrassed, then you shouldn’t have ordered it in the first place, Tatsuya thought.

  To properly cover her embarrassment, he felt that it may be somehow necessary to correct her defenselessness.

  But what he said lay in a different direction.

  "I like sweet things too. I haven’t had that particular one before, but I often drink juice at home."

  "Is that so?"

  "Yeah"

  "I see…"

  That’s not really the case, but the Sayaka who was looking down at her chest right now didn’t seem like an elder. It was quite the different impression from last week.

  "Um, I’ve been rethinking…

  Thanks again for last week. It’s thanks to Shiba-kun that I didn’t get seriously injured."

  She placed her hands on her knees and, correcting her posture, gave a bow.

  Whether to say it was something to be expected of a "kendo swordswoman", she changed notably from the "cute schoolgirl" she was just a while earlier.

  "You don’t need to thank me. I was just doing my job."

  Tatsuya, semi automatically processing his thoughts whilst paying no actual attention, gave a bland reply.

  "No, it’s not just for stopping Kirihara-kun."

  However that formal answer didn’t seem to put off Sayaka.

  "Despite having such a wild duel, the one who spared not just me and Kirihara-kun from punishment, but both the Kendo and Kenjutsu clubs as well, was due to Shiba-kun’s insistence, wasn’t it?"

  "The truth is, it wasn’t such a big deal. Apart from Mibu-senpai and Kirihara-senpai, no one else was injured. The subsequent brawl was entirely the fault of the Kenjutsu club, so the Kendo club couldn’t be blamed in the least."

  "The reason it wasn’t a big problem was because of you. Anyone else wouldn’t have been able to prevent further injuries to the bystanders. They may have been able to overpower the offender without harm, but even now I still almost can’t believe that you pulled it off without incurring extraneous damage. Even though I think you went easy on them, the Kenjutsu club has plenty to be grateful to you for. Along that point, I hurt Kirihara-kun but… I’ve often heard the excuse, and Shiba-kun may think 'you’re just a girl'… if I knew martial arts to that degree, it’s something I’d feel as well. The appeal to not suppress your strength, and display your power openly for all to see, would definitely be there.

  Shiba-kun, do you recall that?"

  "That’s right. I know what you mean."

  —That was a lie.

  Or at least, half of it was.

  He had no concept of having practitioned martial arts.

  What he had learnt was merely the concept of combat. He could see the appeal of gaining the efficaciousness to complete objectives, but had no desire to simply show off that strength in any way.

  "Right?"

  However, naturally for Sayaka, who only began speaking with Tatsuya today, there was no way to know that.

  "There’s no need to make such a big deal.

  In any case, if too many people had come out injured from that melee, then it’s likely there would have been numerous issues, but the only one who seemed to have had sustained any injuries at all really was just Kirihara-kun. Both Kirihara-kun and I were prepared for the possibility of getting hurt, so that’s not really anyone else’s concern."

  That’s incorrect, Tatsuya thought. One of the problems was that Kirihara had broken the rules by using a high risk magic. The principle during recruitment was to let the clubs handle their own troubles internally. If Sayaka and Kirihara had only been swinging shinai at each other, Tatsuya would not have intervened, and it’s likely Mari would not have felt any need to get involved either.

  Is what he thought, but he didn’t voice it out loud.

  "And yet, it seems like so many people have a problem with that. Even now, there are many students who keep going on about the incident over and over. The Public Morals Committee is trying to score points or something aren’t they?"

  "…Actually, I’m also a member of that committee… I apologize."

  "Ah, s, sorry! I didn’t mean it like that, honestly!"

  Looking down at the bowing Tatsuya with a panicked face, Sayaka, who had become flustered all of a sudden, launched into a hurried explanation.

  "What I wanted to say was, Shiba-kun is different from those people; it’s because of that that you saved me, and uhm, it’s not like I wanted to say bad things about the Public Morals Committee, the only ones I dislike are those guys, and, uh, huh?"

  Tatsuya had been expressionlessly watching the wildly gesticulating Sayaka.

  …But his eyes were,

  filled with laughter.

  The rambling series of words gradually petered out to a halt until Sayaka was just silently opening and closing her mouth, having finally noticed Tatsuya’s smile, and the embarrassment really started to settle in.

  "…Hey, Shiba-kun, is actually quite a bully…?"

  Those were words that were quite familiar.

  "I don’t possess any such specialized trait."

  A little white lie. Then straight back to the point.

  "In any case, what was it that you wanted to discuss with me?"

  "…I’ll say it bluntly."

  Her lips were forming different sounds, but whether it was because she had resigned herself, or regained her sense of purpose,

  "Shiba-kun, won’t you join the Kendo club?"

  Sayaka, at length, cut to her original intention.

  While this didn’t exceed his expectations, and it could not be denied this was rather anticlimactic in a sense, his answer was already ready. If she had just come out and said it from the start, they could have finished off nice and quickly, but now with a hint of irritation, Tatsuya immediately replied with his prepared answer.

  "I’m going to have to refuse."

  "…Could I please hear the reason?"

  At that instant answer without even a hint of consideration, Sayaka couldn’t hide her shock.

  "Let me ask you why you want to recruit me instead. The abilities I possess are completely different to those that are required in kendo. Someone as skilled as Mibu-senpai should definitely know that, right?"

  His voice held neither roughness nor provocation, but there was a definite edge to it that
would not forgive any concealment.

  Sayaka’s glance wandered away.

  With such a gesture, it was like she was desperately searching for an escape route.

  In a sense, that was probably exactly right.

  At length she uttered a sigh and, with a resigned look, opened her mouth.

  "At a magic academy, the performance of magic is paramount… I knew that from the start, and I certainly did enroll with that in mind, but for that to be the be all and end all, don’t you think that’s wrong?"

  "Please go on."

  "It’s a certain fact that we’re discriminated against in class. Simply because we have no ability. But, a high school life shouldn’t involve just that. For magic to be prioritized so much over clubs is totally wrong."

  From what Tatsuya had seen this week, he could understand that clubs that did not involve the use of magic received unfair treatment. Indeed, the clubs that did received various backings from the school.

  However, that was a sort of propaganda to raise the profile of the Academy, and done so by the school management.

  Thinking about it, the passionate girl was not making a distinction between "preferential treatment" and "being snubbed".

  However, such a conclusion seemed hasty.

  "Just because I can’t use magic well, they go as far as to mock my swordsmanship. I can’t stand being disregarded any longer. Everything about me shouldn’t be denied just because of magic."

  Without thinking, she took a strong tone.

  Within those words, was something beyond conviction bordering on obsession. Tatsuya certainly sensed it.

  While it seemed like she found it uncomfortable to look into Tatsuya’s eyes, she nonetheless cleared her throat and continued.

  "People like us sought solace in clubs that didn’t require magic. There are also many people who think like this in the Kendo club.

  This year, we want to create a different club organization and tell the management of our ideas.

  Magic shouldn’t be everything.

  For that, won’t Shiba-kun lend us his strength?"

  "I see…"

  He had simply considered her an idol, but she was closer to a crusader.

  Tatsuya laughed at his own blindness.

  "…Are you making fun of me?"