Chapter 13
Tuesday, April 24th. Today, Shippou Takuma spoke privately with the ally who shared his goal of “a new order”, Sawamura Maki, at the usual time before heading home.
The time was already 2300 hours. In order to avoid troubling people at home (including the servants), he had dined outside and called ahead to inform his family that they didn’t need to wait for him. The servants living at his house should have already turned in for the night, so Takuma slipped in through the backdoor without ringing the doorbell.
“Takuma-san.”
As he was removing his shoes, a young man a few years his senior called out to Takuma.
“Sensei is waiting for you in the study.”
Sensei referred to the head of the Shippou Family, Shippou Takumi. The young man serving as his father’s assistant must have received orders from his father to wait here for Takuma. Despite thinking “how irritating”, Takuma couldn’t ignore this. After replying “Got it” to the young man, Takuma headed for the study.
On the surface, the Shippou Family worked as investment advisors, especially in the field of weather derivative instruments. As a particular type of risk management tool, weather derivative instruments were broadly used to predict atypical weather hazards. As a financial tool, the value of weather derivative instruments was determined by various weather values such as temperature, humidity, condensation, etc. While industrialization of the food industry has decreased the efficacy of weather derivative instruments, the rise of solar energy as the principal provider of electricity in more developed countries has rendered the estimated time for sunshine a major indicator for earnings projections used by corporations. The reason why Shippou Takumi was referred to as “sensei” was because he was publicly acknowledged within the nation to be the authority on annual weather predictions.
However, right now Takuma was facing the head of one of the 18 Replacement Clans, a Magician whose magical prowess rivaled that of the Ten Master Clans, Shippou Takumi.
“Come in.”
This phrase was spoken to Takuma as he entered the study, shortly before he sat on the set of sofas that were separated from the thick, heavy desk that his father used.
Takumi rose from his office table and sat down while facing Takuma.
“Takuma, how’s high school? Are you enjoying it?”
Did you call me here at this hour to talk about this nonsense, that was what Takuma thought on reflex. Though he knew very well that this was just small talk, Takuma’s infuriated emotions were about to eclipse his rationality.
“Father, I should have already said this a countless times before. For me, high school isn’t a place for fun and games.”
In response to his son’s words, Takumi wore a “Seriously?” expression.
“How stubborn you are. There’s no need to overexert yourself to this degree.”
“Father, you’re the one who is too relaxed!”
Seeing Takumi’s placid attitude, Takuma’s agitation finally exploded.
“We obviously only have one more year until the next Ten Master Clans Selection Hearing. At this rate, those Saegusa wallflowers will once again seize our place in the Ten Master Clans while the Shippou will again suffer the indignity of being inferior to them!”
“The Selection Hearing is something that selects 10 families out of 28 families.”
The voice Takumi spoke towards Takuma was interlaced with a sense of futility.
“Fixating only on the Saegusa Family is absolutely pointless. Even you, Takuma, should be aware of that level.”
This was not the first time Takumi said these words. Rather, save for the days that he never interacted with his son, Takumi had the feeling that he said this to his son on a daily basis in the past year.
“There is a point.”
Furthermore, there was never an instance where Takuma came around to his father’s words.
“The Saegusa Family is nothing more than one family among the 28.”
“Those guys are different.”
Today, Takuma’s attitude was as stubborn as ever.
“Takuma.”
“They’re not the same. The Saegusa are different.”
Takumi heaved a sigh filled with exhaustion.
“Who was it who implanted such a deeply rooted obsession in you?”
“It doesn’t matter who it is! It is true that the Saegusa betrayed the name “3” and used the stolen “7” to win their place among the Ten Master Clans!”
“Takuma…… The days where they were the “Saegusa (3)” [2] instead of the “Saegusa (7)” preceded the establishment of the Ten Master Clans. When Sensei proposed the Ten Master Clans system, the Saegusa had already become the “Saegusa (7)”. Furthermore, they do indeed possess the strength that towers above others in the 28 families.”
“In terms of the strength that towers above others, that’s only the result of them secretly devouring the research results from the 3rd and 7th Research Labs. Plainly the final experimental body came from the 3rd Research Lab and broke away from the 3rd Research Lab before stealing the “Herd Defense” that was originally conceptualized and developed by the Shippou Family just as we were on the last phase prior to completion entirely for their own benefit. Not only our Shippou Family, but the Mitsuya, Mikazuki, Tanabata, and Nanase Families were all duped by the Saegusa Family! Father, how are you so calm even when this is clearly how the situation was!?”
“Takuma. Like us, the Magicians from the Saegusa Family are also experimental bodies.”
Hearing the sentences uttered by Takumi in such a bitter tone, even the excitable Takuma fell silent.
“They are beings who have been constructed. The only difference is that, unlike the other 27 families…… no, the other 26 families content with their lot as experiments, they have chosen their own path. This is not something to rue, but is instead praiseworthy.”
“…..So in essence, Father, you are saying that treachery and stealing a march are praiseworthy things?”
Takuma managed to muster a response.
“Aren’t you trying to steal a march on the Ten Master Clans right now?”
“That’s……!”
However, Takuma’s retort was like a boomerang that missed its target and came back to its thrower.
Before his son, who had fallen silent with a sullen expression on his face, Takumi sighed slightly.
“Forget it. I know you weren’t going to accept this regardless of what I say.”
Takuma’s “accusation” and Takumi’s “persuasion” had not started today. Including this instance, father and son had retread the same conversation several dozen times. In spite of this, they still couldn’t help but argue with one another, which only proved that their bond as father and son could not be sundered.
“I called you here today because I had something else to say.”
“……At such a late hour?”
Takuma threw in as much sarcasm as he could in his response.
“That’s because it was absolutely necessary to tell you this today. Seriously, if I knew you would return so late, I would have arranged a meeting with you beforehand. This way, I could have spoken with you when you returned home from school.”
Nevertheless, this was a self-destructive gesture on Takuma’s part.
“……Sorry.”
“You do not have to apologize to me. However, you do need to ask your mother’s forgiveness. She should still be awake.”
Snap, without trying to hide his expression, Takuma’s eyes drifted all over the place as Takumi cut to the chase.
“Takuma, take the day off from school tomorrow.”
“Father? What are you saying all of a sudden?”
Takuma’s shocked expression was not feigned. He was truly bewildered by his father.
“Tomorrow, Congressman Kanda from the opposition party will be touring First High.”
Takumi had predicted that his son would find this peculiar, so he directly started to explain his reasoning without wasting any time.
“Congressman Kanda from the opposition party, as in Kanda the human rights proponent and anti-magic supporter?”
“Correct. As well as his media underlings.”
“For what reason?”
Even though Takuma asked this, he really already guessed the answer. After taking into account Congressman Kanda’s recent statements that were highly publicized by the media, his purpose behind visiting First High was nigh apparent. Takuma’s question was merely for verification purposes.
“He’s putting on a show about protecting adolescents from being forcibly stripped of their freedoms by magic.”
“Civil rights!?”
Even knowing this, Takuma couldn’t help but spit that out. “No need for you to worry” was written clearly across his face.
“I understand what you’re trying to say, but our opponent is a national congressman. Causing an incident would be very problematic.”
His father’s words caused an irate expression to appear over Takuma’s face for an entirely different reason than before.
“Even if it’s an irritating opponent, I’m not going to pick a fight without paying attention to the consequences. I’m not that childish.”
“Even if they are picking a fight with you?”
“……Uh, of course. Would I be provoked that easily?”
Takumi relaxed and leaned deeply back into the sofa.
“Good. Since you speak so resolutely, then be prepared to bear responsibility for your words.”
“I know that! That’s all you have to say, right?”
Seeing these oft-repeated words and belligerent attitude, even someone other than Takumi would wonder if Takuma was truly “beyond provocation”.
“Takuma, the situation is being handled by Saegusa-sama. Under no circumstances are you to do anything unnecessary.”
Yet, this particular phrase from Takumi was not spoken out of concern for his son’s attitude, but carefully timed instead.
“Saegusa!?”
As expected, Takuma displayed an intense reaction.
“Do not do anything unnecessary. You must bear responsibility for your own words.”
Nonetheless, this was already after they had reached an accord.
“The Shippou Family will not interfere with this incident. You heard me, Takuma. That is the decision.”
It’s not like he could recant after all this,
“—I know!”
So Takuma had no choice but to reply in this fashion.
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