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

  "Where is it!?"

  『In Japan. After landing at Yokohama, it seems that they are currently hiding in Tokyo.』

  "Why in Japan… And moreover, in this Tokyo!?"

  Lina turned around in surprise. But Canopus also didn't have the answer to this question. It was not only Lina who asked that question, and it was not only Canopus who could not answer it.

  『…The Joint Chiefs of Staff decided to dispatch an additional tracker team.』

  "Does the Japanese Government know?"

  『No, it’s a secret operation.』

  In a pursuit operation of fugitives coupled with espionage and combat in a foreign territory, the impression given to the partner country government was totally different. There was even a possibility that it could be considered as a serious provocative act to sovereignty, and develop into a rupture of diplomatic intercourse. Lina was once again aware of how the Pentagon attached importance to this matter.

  『High Commander, we will pass on the instructions from the General Staff Headquarters. The mission currently given to Major Angie Sirius should assume a priority of second degree, and you should give top priority to the tracking of the fugitives.』

  Lina, once after taking a deep breath, answered to the communication device.

  "Ben. Please convey to the HQ that I accept it."

  『Roger. High Commander, take care.』

  The communication cut with those words of worry.

  "It looks like I won’t be able to sleep any longer tonight", Lina thought.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  In the classroom at the beginning of the week, the strange murders event was the hot topic.

  Sunday morning, every news company came out with what was a veritable festival of articles about the continuous strange murders event in an attempt to compensate for having been out-scooped by the 2nd ranked domestic news site. That their conduct was rather manic, or rather their screws were loose, to the extent that they were trying to make it up to their disappointed subscribers, one could say it was an act of gratitude.

  However, because of that, the news quickly spread like wildfire. —But, the main point especially emphasized the occult aspect, agitating the sensation.

  "Morning~. Hey, hey, Tatsuya-kun, did you see yesterday’s news?"

  However, the only people who understood that they are being agitated, but still dared to take advantage of that, were probably people around Tatsuya’s age. As usual, definitely without being led, the friend who would seem likely to dance upfront was the very first voice that called out.

  "News, you mean about the 'vampire'?"

  Even though it was obvious, he was just trying to make sure that this was the general etiquette. Then Erika, as he thought, nodded happily.

  "About that, it’s after all impossible that it would be done by a single criminal, right? Is it a professional organized crime? My vote is that it is an illegal organization dealing in organs and blood."

  Before Tatsuya sat in his chair, she lightly sat on his desk and twisted around and brought her face closer.

  At this time, Tatsuya thought 'It's really insignificant, but that body is flexible' which was a really insignificant thing to be thinking about, so he put on a serious look on his face and shook his head.

  "If that’s the case, then I don’t understand why only ten percent of blood was extracted."

  So as not to cause trouble in vain to the world, it was certain that the authorities wanted to conceal it, but the fact that the victims lost about ten percent of blood had spread to the society along with, stirring up the complaint of the "Vampire event".

  "Wasn’t there an intention of killing? Didn’t they think possibly to use the blood for a blood factory if using it efficiently?"

  "If it’s the case, then they would not leave the corpses in the town. Besides, it is a mystery that there was no mark that blood was extracted, either."

  In the articles, "After extracting blood with a needle, they erased the traces by magic"; although they also assumed magicians were involved, it was impossible to erase the injection mark permanently with a single use of healing magic.

  "Hmm, I see… It’s certainly strange that there is no scar."

  "As said on TV, is it a homicide by occult means?"

  Furrowing her eyebrows from the seat nearby, rather with a somehow nervous expression, Mizuki joined to the conversation.

  "Occult means, huh… If there’s really such thing as vampires, then it’s likely to be known long ago."

  Modern Magic, in the process of systematization theory, was welcomed by those who conveyed Ancient Magic from the other side of the legendary veil. If the hobgoblins or the like with substance really existed, their existence should have been disclosed along with that of the "wizards". Tatsuya had at least thought so.

  "Then is it Tatsuya’s opinion that till the bitter end, it was an act done by humans and not by occult means?"

  "What about you, Mikihiko? Do you think that Youkai or demons, those sort of beings are involved?"

  He struck back at Mikihiko’s question with the content’s same question.

  Mikihiko chimed "Hmm...", shaking his head back and forth.

  "…I can’t think that this is the work of a mere human, but I can't make an assertion…"

  To the awkward answer of Mikihiko, Tatsuya revealed a nasty smile.

  "Speaking of the occult, until just 100 years ago, magic was the prime example of the occult."

  Erika promptly leaned forward in excitement.

  "Does Tatsuya-kun think that this crime is related to magicians?"

  "I haven’t clearly thought about it till that point. Neither the street cameras nor the Psion radars that were installed captured any reactions."

  Soon after having finished saying so, Tatsuya, as he has reconsidered, shook his head.

  "…However, if it is a high ranked magician, he could trick the radars, and if it is a practitioner able to use a Mental Interference External Systematic Magic, he could also commit the crime in the center of the city without anyone noticing."

  "It's unpleasant. It’s good that the Humanism trend doesn’t become stronger."

  Mizuki muttered in a gloomy voice.

  The current age’s "Humanism", flatly speaking, is a kind of anti-magician movement.

  It’s a movement that attempts to ban the use of magic, saying that "Magic is not a power permitted to humans," which is the essence of the cult ideology for a sub-sect of Christianity.

  The assertion "Humans should live with only the power accorded to humans," or perhaps one should say from the public stance named "Humanism", is a party which has been expanding their influence in recent years in the central east coast of America.

  If it’s just "stop using magic", then there is no particular harm (many people would agree), but radical elements of Humanism conducted violent acts aimed at the rejection of the very existence of magicians. Even in the USNA they receive their own authorities’ surveillance as a form of anti-crime reserve troops (A violent action, USNA always monitored organizations).

  "Now that you mention it, I saw those sheep clamoring for that on the TV."

  "Morning, what are you talking about?"

  Interrupting Erika’s speech as usual, in the seat in front of Tatsuya — it’s obvious that from the beginning, there was no "homeroom teacher" who would propose a seat change — was Leo.

  "Don’t you seem quite late today?"

  Raising his hand to greet him, Tatsuya asked so. Judging from the impression of his outward appearance, it may be surprising, but it is unusual for Leo to come at the last minute just before the opening so much without margin (to arrive late).

  "Ah- I had a little bit of minor business and ended up staying up late... Aside from that, what were you talking about?"

  "It’s the usual 'Vampire event' we are talking about."

  Leo frowned at Mizuki’s answer.

  A little muttering "Again...?" leaked from his mouth, and at that precise mome
nt, the terminal displays information for the course start. Without time to follow that up, the morning’s idle chatter came to a close.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  There was no golden haired companion beside Miyuki, who appeared in the school cafeteria.

  Tatsuya didn’t feel any doubt or dissatisfaction because he also did not make a separate appointment. Because of that, this question, not that he was that interested, simply came to mind.

  "Today you’re not with Lina?"

  However, his younger sister’s answer was outside of Tatsuya’s expectations.

  "Today, she is absent, Onii-sama. She was in a hurry regarding some business related to her family and the like."

  "Hmm...?"

  ‘Absent just after transferring in from overseas?’ Tatsuya thought, but since he didn’t also know a foreign magician student other than her, he did not assert it to be abnormal. In the first place, if her identity is considered, there should be a lot of things which have priority over school. Besides, there was no way that Lina would have told Miyuki or Honoka reasons more than "House-related". Therefore, Tatsuya did not inquire further.

  Erika and Mizuki had displayed concern in her behavior, but — in fact, the difference was that Mizuki was "worried" and Erika was "curious" — more than that, even if he asked Miyuki, he understood that the answer given to them wouldn’t necessarily be the truth. Just like that, as usual, though one person was missing (the person missing being Shizuku, not Lina), the seven people crowded around the table.

  "Speaking of that, is Shizuku doing well?"

  Erika’s line of sight turned towards Honoka.

  "Yeah, she seems to be doing well. She also said the lessons are not that difficult."

  Without even considering the question, Honoka immediately replied. Due to the present era’s communication infrastructure, the other side of the Pacific Ocean was not such a big distance.

  "However, she said that she was surprised that class discussion forms including teachers still remain."

  For this episode, everyone showed facial expressions mixed with surprise and interest. Since the system of students going abroad to learn magic has virtually ceased, what kind of teaching was done in foreign countries was a kind of information that was hardly available.

  "Then, maybe Lina is perplexed as well in various ways, right?"

  "That really doesn’t look like it."

  Miyuki, while smiling, denied Mizuki’s concern. In fact, Lina did not appear to be perplexed at the difference of lessons structure between America and Japan. ‘As if from the very beginning, she has only ever attended Japanese Magic High School’, Miyuki secretly revealed a nasty smile.

  It was a sexy little devil smile, fortunately no one had noticed it. Her friends’ awareness was rooted to the spot at the next bombshell announcement Honoka brought out.

  "We spoke on the phone a little yesterday as well, but Shizuku was also surprised at the news of the 'Vampire event'. Somehow, a similar incident seems to have happened in America as well, she said."

  "Eeeh! Is that true?"

  "I also asked Shizuku the same thing. It seems to take place not in the West Coast where Shizuku is, but in the central area in the southern part of Dallas."

  "It’s the first time I heard of this..."

  Having also recently received warnings from his aunt, Tatsuya, who diligently checked the USNA-related news, unexpectedly muttered so in an admiring tone.

  "Even on the other side, it seems that they have a tolerably working information restriction. Shizuku also said that it was not from the news that she heard it, but from a well-informed student who happened to be a former exchange student."

  Possibly happy at drawing Tatsuya’s attention, Honoka had a bashfully smiling face as she explained.

  In the eyes of Tatsuya who nodded, a light strong enough to be said it was just out of curiosity was dwelling.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  At the time that Tatsuya’s group had been excited with the topic of their friend who was studying overseas, the blond haired and blue eyed high school student who had come to study from abroad was in a secret meeting at the USNA embassy.

  "In other words, you say that in Freddy's, no, First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s cerebral cortex, a neuronal structure never seen in a normal human was formed?"

  Though the meeting was encroaching into lunch time, no one there, including Lina, requested a break.

  "It may be misleading to say normal human."

  The one who answered was a man who, though not wearing the white lab coat, had indeed the appearance of your everyday regular scientist.

  "From the results of the autopsy, in Alfred Fomalhaut’s brain, a neuronal structure, which has never been observed in the cerebral cortex of a human so far, magicians included, has been identified. Specifically, a structure similar to a small corpus callosum was formed in the pre-frontal cortex."

  Seeing there being many participants revealing an ambiguous expression (of course Lina was also one of them), the scientist began to explain once again except this time with a slight lecture tone.

  "You know that human brain is divided into the left hemisphere and right hemisphere, right?"

  Seeing all the participants nodding, he continued.

  "So, the left and right hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum located in the center of the brain. Conversely, this means that the brain of an ordinary person does not usually have a structure, which only connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain in the center part."

  "The pre-frontal cortex is the surface portion of the brain... Originally there should not be a structure which connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain there, right?"

  "That’s right. In other words, it means that there is something in First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s brain that a human should not have."

  Lina finally understood why she personally had to come here today. Certainly it’s not something that can be discussed on the phone.

  "What kind of function does it perform? I’ve heard before that the pre-frontal cortex is the area closely connected to the ability of thinking and judgment, but... Can the newly formed brain cells affect the mental capability to that extent?"

  "We USNA magic researchers believe that the brain is not an independent thinking organ; the real thinking core is the Pushion Information Body; the brain’s role is to receive the information sent from the so-called 'mind', and the communication organ transmits the information of the body to the mind. Although still in the theoretical stage, the possibility is very high."

  The scientist, with an ingratiating smile shook his head at the question of the senior officers sitting on the other side.

  "If this hypothesis holds, it is conceivable that the new neuronal structure formed in First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s brain links with unknown mental functions, which was not conventionally downloaded."

  The attendee yet again had a confused expression. Among them, Lina, who was still lost in thought, requesting to speak, raised her hand.

  "Major, what is the matter?"

  Although prompted by the scientist to speak, words would not come out. From her red lips, without attracting the men's eyes, Lina spun her tale after three seconds had passed.

  "...Doctor, regarding the unknown mental functions, is there a possibility of the intervention of an external magic?"

  The scientist was quick to answer.

  "I think what Major Sirius is trying to say is that there is a possibility that First Lieutenant Fomalhaut was being manipulated, but unfortunately, that possibility does not exist. Although there is a hypothesis, there is no doubt to assume that the mind and the body interact one-to-one. Even if one could interfere with someone else’s mind, it wouldn’t be to the extent of affecting the brain’s structure. Besides, a magic which alters the mind’s very structure does not exist."

  From the phrase ‘Magic which alters the mind’s very structure’, Lina remembered the legend of one magician. However, that magician was
already dead. At the end of twenty years of hospitalization, without being married, and certainly without having children, that one should have left this world.

  Lina slightly shook her head, thinking back to the matter at hand.

  ◊ ◊ ◊

  Though it is the afternoon session, the third-year students already had free attendance to school. Taking advantage of the fact that the second-year students were bound in classrooms and practice rooms, two third-year students, a man and a woman, secretly met in an empty clubroom.

  However, there was no sweet atmosphere there at all. Despite the fact that both sets of parents regarded the pair as possible marriage partners. (Though one might say that each of them had more than one coupling candidate).

  And of course, this secret meeting can only being described as "secret meeting" instead of "date". Katsuto and Mayumi came to this place on behalf of the Juumonji House and the Saegusa House, respectively.

  "I wonder why we have to come specifically in a place like this."

  "Sorry for that. I judged that it was the least outstanding way. As the Juumonji House, I want to avoid stimulating the Yotsuba as a result, for now."

  "There is an ongoing Cold War status between our House and the Yotsuba since last month. Geez, because that sly fox old man did something unnecessary."

  Turning towards Mayumi revealing a little grunt of disgust, Katsuto chuckles.

  "Even Saegusa can speak in such a way."

  "Ara, Sorry. Was it vulgar?"

  As Mayumi starting putting on a false coquettish air, Katsuto's chuckles turned into a bitter smile.

  "When I’m with you, I sometimes happen to wonder whether or not I’m treated like a man."

  "It’s a misunderstanding, you know? Juumonji-kun is, among my acquaintances, the most manly. It's that simple."

  "Can’t it grow into a relation between a man and a woman, now?"