Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 05 - Summer Holiday Chapter Read online

  The men in black swarmed towards her.

  The “gun” popped out of the water.

  Holding the CAD that bore a resemblance to a handgun in his right hand, Morisaki began to float upwards thanks to the breath he inhaled earlier and aimed at the Magician to the enemy’s rear.

  Magic was activated.

  The “opposing” Magician was caught off guard by Morisaki’s surprise attack and struck unconscious.

  Following that, Morisaki once again changed the Specialized CAD in his hand to standby mode and activated the powers set in the Generalized CAD. He sank into the water while operating the number pad and activated Acceleration-Type Magic.

  Morisaki burst through the water in a manner that would turn a dolphin green with envy, no, that even a dolphin could not hope to match.

  His wrists overlapped with the right hand over the left as he aimed the Specialized CAD in this manner at the enemy while turning off the power of the Generalized CAD. Pumping his psions into the Specialized CAD, Morisaki pulled the trigger six times in the air.

  Morisaki was unable to completely neutralize his descending force and had to immediately fall into a roll upon coming into contact with the cement.

  As his body descended to the earth, all of the men in black collapsed as well.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  “Shun, Shun! Are you alright?”

  Lin knelt next to Morisaki as he lay prone on the ground and desperately called out to him.

  “I’m fine.”

  Morisaki opened his eyes and nodded. Maintaining his current position, he temporarily regulated his breathing before sitting up.

  “Ouch!”

  However, he immediately fell to one knee when he attempted to stand.

  “Shun?”

  “It’s nothing…… I just twisted my ankle.”

  By the time he said this, cold sweat beaded his temple.

  Lin looked around them for help. The mental interference magic that blocked other people from noticing them had already been disabled. Many sightseers or couples out on a date were watching them from afar.

  They were just watching them from a sizeable distance with an uncomfortable look in their eyes.

  Their eyes were focused on Morisaki’s left hand.

  On the bracelet-shaped CAD that signified his status as a Magician.

  Lin knew that the people around them were whispering among themselves.

  Not a single person approached them.

  Morisaki gave up on trying to stand and sat down with legs splayed out.

  “Lin, has the appointed boat arrived yet?”

  “Huh? Ah…… I think it’s that one.”

  “I see……”

  A small vessel was drawing closer. It was a swift boat that didn’t draw much water and could be used either on the river or at sea.

  “I’m sorry, it’s all because of me……”

  Morisaki said “Don’t worry about it” to the drooping Lin.

  “Forget about it, so long as Lin is safe and sound. I can finally relax now that I’ve kept my promise.”

  This was not the sound of bravado, but of earnest satisfaction that welled forth from the heart.

  “Why……?”

  “Why indeed……”

  Morisaki used a reply that was not a reply to answer Lin’s question that was not a question.

  “Maybe it’s just as Lin said.”

  Still, even if her question was incomplete, Morisaki largely understood what Lin wanted to ask.

  “Our magic is a tool developed for battle…… We Magicians were assembled with this in our hearts, so it may be true that we have a thirst for battle and are only tools used for battle.”

  Morisaki’s soliloquy seemed to have entirely abandoned his own sense of self and prompted tears to appear in Lin’s eyes when she heard this.

  “I’m sorry, Shun, I’m so sorry……”

  Lin burst into tears as she lowered her head and repeatedly choked out apologies.

  “Lin? Why are you apologizing? Why are you crying……?”

  Bewildered, Morisaki asked Lin the reason behind her tears and apologies, but his mind was calm and at peace to the point that even he was astounded.

  “I’m sorry. I said something so terrible, I’m sorry……”

  “Lin?”

  Morisaki was flabbergasted.

  He had no idea what to say.

  Nor did he have any clue what to do.

  Unfortunately, up until this moment, no one had ever taught him what to do under these circumstances.

  “Don’t call yourself a tool. Shun always protected me regardless of the danger. Compared to those who only watch other people suffering without lifting a finger, Shun is much more humane.”

  Morisaki managed to connect Lin’s broken words that came between her sobs –

  --and his heart swelled with pride.

  “I’m…… ashamed of myself. Just then, I was exactly like those people in that I also felt somewhere in my heart that Magicians were disgusting and were different creatures than myself. That’s why…… Shun…… I’m sorry……”

  “Don’t worry about it too much.”

  Morisaki’s words were spoken in a steady tone. More so than the literal words themselves, this served to help encourage Lin and caused her to raise her head.

  “I am very satisfied that I was able to assist Lin. For me, today was a very meaningful day.”

  Just as Morisaki had no idea what Lin was hiding, neither did Lin knew the inner struggles Morisaki was facing.

  Before a rather perplexed Lin, Morisaki revealed a pleasant smile.

  “Lin, the boat’s here.”

  Morisaki’s words prompted Lin to turn her body.

  Just as he said, the small vessel had docked. Two men wearing suites bowed deeply to Lin.

  “Lin, please go ahead. I’ll be alright after I sit here a little longer.”

  “Huh, but……”

  “Go on. They might attack again later.”

  “……I know. Shun, thank you very much.”

  There was no kiss of goodbye.

  To say that there were no expectations involved would be a lie, but not progressing in that direction may actually be for the better. This fulfilling “reality” would not be tarnished. Rather than pushing himself, this was how Morisaki truly felt.

  The only regret he had was that he could only sit there and watch her leave.

  Lin waved from the boat, to which Morisaki raised a hand from his sitting posture in response.

  This was rather improper, but Morisaki felt that this was probably more like his style.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  “Meilin-sama, thank goodness you’re alright.”

  “Yes, that’s because that young man saved me.”

  On board the vessel that had left the shoreline, Lin wore a radically different and cold expression as she called out a name to one of the men who came to welcome her and nodded in agreement.

  At this moment, an older gentleman with a head full of white hair appeared.

  “Meilin-sama…… To visit this country alone at a time like this. Do take heed of your position.”

  “Are you giving me orders?”

  “No, your subordinate dares not.”

  The old man bowed respectfully towards Lin.

  The older gentleman’s decorum was impeccable, but his attitude was hollow.

  “Nevertheless, this country’s government appears to fight with us until the end. This time they dared to insult Meilin-sama, I believe equivalent retribution is in order.”

  “I forbid it.”

  The old man raised his eyes and put forward this suggestion, but Lin resolutely vetoed it.

  “It’s true that the Japanese government was both barbaric and rude this time. However, from that young man, I obtained a bond of friendship that is more than enough to compensate. Since you all have chosen a person without any magic like myself as your leader, then I forbid you all from taking action agains
t this country. If you are unwilling to accept that, then I will return to California.”

  “No, let everything be done in accordance with Meilin-sama’s wishes.”

  Morisaki was not arrested by Internal Affairs.

  They were likely also acting beyond the bounds of law. The unconscious men in black were borne away in front of Morisaki’s eyes by their comrades. The agents from Internal Affairs who came to collect their colleagues never spared Morisaki a single glance.

  As to who Lin was and why she was being targeted a government organization, no one told Morisaki the truth.

  Lin’s real name was “Sun Meilin”. She was the adopted daughter of “Sun Richardson”, the head of the Hong Kong international crime ring known as “No Head Dragon” – the daughter of the leader’s most beloved mistress – and the new leader chosen by the lucky survivors, but Morisaki never had the opportunity to know that.

  Status: Incomplete

  17% completed (estimated)

  Amelia in Wonderland

  On a certain cloudless day in the last third of August, 2095 AD.

  Standing at the gates to the amusement park awaiting the arrival of her friends was a young girl whose red hair was ruby-like in its brightness and wearing a military style jacket with its many pockets and a miniskirt.

  The girl’s name was Akechi Eimi, also known as Amelia Goldel, a student of the National Magic University Affiliated First High School.

  With summer vacation nearing an end, the plan was to come to this amusement park to play around with some fellow first years. As they were in different clubs, normally there were few chances for them to hang out.

  (It seems I’m a bit too early…)

  It was still half an hour before the appointed time. That might be expected if it was a date with the opposite gender, but there was likely no one who would come this early when going out to play with friends of the same gender. Emi herself certainly would not normally come this early. (Incidentally, as Emi herself had yet to experience such encounters with the opposite gender, there was little meaning behind her supposition).

  As for why she had ended up here so early, the fault lay with an international phone call she had received this morning.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  It was the sound alerting her to an incoming call on her room’s video phone that drew her out from the world of dreams.

  The digital clock read five o’clock.

  Thinking ‘what a nuisance,’ Eimi looked at the message window and saw it was her grandmother on her mother’s side, the matron of the renowned Goldie mage family of England and effectively the ‘number two’ in authority, on the line.

  Eimi snapped wide awake.

  Even before Eimi’s parents came together, it was an unwritten rule in the Akechi household that even for a heroine who could stay asleep with a truck stuck in the house, being sound asleep was not an excuse for not greeting an early caller or guest.

  “…It has been a while, Grandmother.”

  Eimi refrained from saying good morning.

  “Because I am not properly dressed, please excuse my using voice-only with the call.”

  “Good morning, Amelia.”

  It seemed her grandmother was also aware of the time difference, Eimi thought as she heard the greeting.

  As it was daylight savings time, the difference between here and England was eight hours. Over there, it was now nine o’clock. If one thought about the time here, to be honest, Eimi really wished her grandmother had waited another hour before calling.

  “It may be very hot over there, but are you keeping healthy? Your body has never been very strong after all.”

  If you know I’m not very tough, then I wish you would let me sleep a bit more, Eimi sincerely thought. Of course, she did not give voice to that wish.

  “I’m fine, Grandmother. The heat wave has been subsiding over the last couple of days.”

  This was just some honeyed words so as to provide her elder with some peace of mind. In reality, last week’s heatwave had been absolutely horrible, though this week it was becoming more tolerable.

  Summer would soon be ending anyway.

  “Is that so? Don’t push yourself too hard, Amelia.”

  “Yes, thank you very much, Grandmother.”

  Even as she replied politely, Eimi’s head tilted to the side. Just as she was wondering why on earth Grandmother had called-

  “Actually, to avoid the heat, I will be staying at the Swiss mountain villa from next week until the fall. I would be very happy if you would also come, Amelia.”

  “…Me, go to Switzerland?”

  The hesitation in Eimi’s response marked her awareness of the invitation’s undertones.

  “Yes. I have wanted to have a nice, long chat with you for quite some time, Amelia.”

  “I as well, Grandmother. There are a great many things I would like for you to teach me, but…”

  But this was impossible. In a little over a week the second term would start.

  While Eimi was trying to politely decline the invitation with that explanation, her grandmother was not so easily deterred.

  “If you are worried about school, there is also an excellent magic school in Switzerland. It should be fine if you studied abroad for about half a year? I could handle the arrangements with the school.”

  Because you’ve known the head of the Magic University for a long time is what you’re saying, Eimi thought impatiently.

  No one would be surprised that her grandmother was well acquainted with the highest levels of the magic community in Japan.

  With the restrictive control of overseas magic education, the chances for a magic high school student to study abroad were for all practical purposes non-existent – at least Eimi had not heard of any such instance – but, with her grandmother, the impossible might well be achieved.

  At this rate regardless of Eimi’s intent, it looked like she might well find herself studying abroad.

  While somehow or another halting the discussion here with her emotional appeals was a victory of sorts, after the phone call ended, rather than relief, Eimi felt uneasy.

  Though she was a grandchild of a daughter married into another family, until now her grandmother had never interfered with her life. While visits tended to require Eimi to be on her best behavior even as she was treated kindly, other than that she had been left to her own devices – until now.

  Now however some reason had appeared to prompt her grandmother to want to keep her close by.

  However, without having any knowledge of her grandmother’s reasoning, the endless worrying afflicted upon her head made going back to sleep impossible. As such, Eimi ended up leaving the house well before the meeting time.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  “Eimi!”

  When she turned her head toward the call of her name, Eimi saw the girl who was today’s sponsor waving.

  “Sakura!”

  As Eimi waved back, the girl trotted over.

  The girl wearing the (thoroughly) goth loli-esque one piece was Sakura Kouji Akaha.

  This girl’s name was read as Akaha, not Momiji.

  On the day these two met as classmates,

  Eimi: Akaha, how do you write that?

  Akaha: Red leaf, the same as ‘autumn colors’ but pronounced Akaha, you see.

  Eimi: Hee? So sakura and autumn colors put together. That’s a rather gorgeous name.

  Akaha: But you know, it’s a shame both are rather fleeting.

  Eimi: Aha, the beauty of elegant simplicity, no?

  Akaha: But you hardly seem the type to have much relation with elegant simplicity. You’re a rather colorful brilliance.

  The chance to become friends came with the exchange of false laughter after their conversation, making fate rather mysterious.

  “Sakura, you came with Subaru?”

  “Ehehe…”

  Though Eimi’s questioning had no deep meaning, Akaha began laughing nonsensically.

  Eh, is it possibl
e you have this hobby? Eimi made a mental note regarding the oblivious Akaha.

  However, as Eimi focused once more on the companion standing next to Akaha, she revised her opinion and felt that she could, “understand it a little, probably.”

  At a glance, there was a handsome young man wearing a summer suit. That image was only further emphasized with the sophisticated under-rim glasses.

  However, in reality this youth was a boyish female classmate.

  Satomi Subaru was by way of a teammate at the Nine Schools Competition – a relatively new friend, but now, their relationship was amiable enough to allow for exchanges such as, “Subaru, you came as a deterrent against seducers?” or “Milady, it would be a pleasure to escort you.” – Moreover when in the middle of such conversation, the two would smile, no, grin without reserve.

  “Is something wrong, Eimi?”

  As Eimi allowed her mind to be filled with fantasies of Akaha’s inclinations, Subaru peered at her face suspiciously.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Eimi replied with a curt shake of the head.

  “Is that so?”

  The wide grin on Subaru’s face was galling and felt like her foot was being trampled but if Eimi reacted, it was almost guaranteed to drag her into an unnecessarily embarrassing incident so with all her will she pretended not to notice.

  “That’s a relief. In that case, let’s go in.”

  Objectively speaking Eimi’s poker face was rather lacking, but having said her piece Subaru turned away. Knowing when to stop was also one of her charms. However to be considered ‘charming’ by other girls might well be something Subaru herself would only accept reluctantly.

  Without further thought on what ‘a relief’ and ‘that case’ was, so as no to waste any more time Eimi made no objections.

  “Oh yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been to an amusement park.”

  When Eimi said this with a lively voice,

  “Theme park.”

  For some reason, Akaha interrupted her with a displeased tone.

  “Eh?”

  “Theme park. Wonderland isn’t an amusement park, it’s a theme park.”

  As expected from the repeat customer with the most visits on hand, it seemed Akaha could not help but be more than a little finicky about this amusement, no theme park.