Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 12 - Double Seven - Chapter 6.2

Kasumi and Izumi parted from Mayumi at the entrance to the auditorium and selected seats in a row close to the front. Kasumi took her seat first, but she didn’t wait for Izumi to finish sitting down in her polite and elegant manner before turning to face her.

“Izumi, do you know that skirt-chasing boy from earlier?”

There were still twenty minutes until the entrance ceremony began. There were many new students who were chatting with their neighbors like the girls. In their midst, Izumi’s posture said ‘what’s up’ when her elder sister, who was the same age as herself, deliberately whispered to her, but she looked like she lost interest when she understood the meaning of Kasumi’s question.

“Yes. …Could it be that you really didn’t recognize him, Kasumi-chan?”

When Kasumi’s face told her that Kasumi was asking the question in earnest, Izumi looked stunned.

“…Is he a famous person?”

“In a sense, he is.”

Izumi sighed softly and moved her hips so she could sit facing Kasumi.

“His name is Shiba Tatsuya-senpai. Last year, he was in the Second Course, but this year he transferred into the Magic Engineering Course.”

“Hmm… he transferred to the Magic Engineering Course from the Second Course so he’s smart.”

It wasn’t that she was impressed, but she wasn’t making light of it either; this weak response from Kasumi made Izumi’s eyes say ‘This is so annoying…’

“What?”

“It’s nothing; certainly, he is smart, but… is it really right to assign him such a common label?”

Izumi deliberately put her hand to her cheek and posed as if confused. Her attitude made Kasumi petulant, but Kasumi knew letting Izumi get you irritated only made it easier for Izumi to manipulate you. With these twins, who had been together since they had been born, their ‘inclinations and countermeasures’ were exactly the same. Kasumi silently waited for Izumi to continue her comments.

“When he was a First Year — moreover a Second Course student — he participated in last year’s Nine Schools Competition as an engineer. The athletes he was responsible for in the Newcomer’s Division Girls’ Speed Shooting and Icicle Destruction monopolized first to third place, took first and second place in the Newcomer’s Division Mirage Bat, and took first place in the Main Division’s Mirage Bat.”

“No way… that means that the athletes in his care only lost to each other, so they were effectively invincible?”

“Yes.”

“You’re kidding…?”

“It’s not a lie or a joke. That senpai produced the miraculous results as an engineer leading to the athletes in his charge to be called truly invincible.”

While Izumi was in the middle of answering her question, Kasumi deliberately looked for signs that her leg was being pulled so she fixedly examined her younger twin’s face. However, apparently Izumi was answering her seriously and what she was told next caused her to open her eyes even wider.

“He was employed as support staff in Onee-sama’s Crowd Ball. Kasumi-chan, you were really unaware of this?”

Izumi had already lost her stunned look; rather, she was hitting Kasumi with a pitying look.

“I was completely unaware…”

“He was an emergency replacement, but Onee-sama didn’t look hindered in any way.”

Kasumi had a stricken look and was at a loss for words. Kasumi and Izumi had watched Mayumi’s matches in last summer’s Nine Schools competition together. In spite of that, she herself hadn’t been aware of the existence of any would-be Casanovas cozying up to her elder sister, and only Izumi being aware of it gave her a shock.

“But I don’t like it.”

Izumi absentmindedly muttered while Kasumi was in a befuddled state.

“Onee-sama is letting her guard pretty far down around Shiba-senpai… he might ambush her when she least expects it.”

This was all she said out loud. After her forceful monologue, Izumi sank into pensiveness while next to her, Kasumi still hadn’t gotten over her shock.

The entrance ceremony ended as planned without accidents. Takuma’s speech had also ended without any special problems. All the eyes in the auditorium were not glued on him like the year before; like the year before last year, the students were too excited by being enrolled to pay much attention to it, an easy speech.

Afterwards was the traditional invitation to join the Student Council. The unwritten rule was that the discussion would take place after the admissions ceremony was over. Not for the reason that until the admissions ceremony was over, they weren’t really students. It feels a little too formalized, but until now, there hadn’t been any trouble with it. Despite the slight turmoil last year, none of the invitations had been refused up to now. However—

“I am sorry, but please accept my refusal.”

This was Takuma’s answer to Azusa’s “Won’t you please join the Student Council” invitation.

“…Is it alright to ask for a reason?”

Instead of Azusa, who was transfixed by the completely unexpected no, Isori, who was the only person who accompanied her, made the inquiry.

“I wish to devote all my attention to improving myself.”

While staring back at Isori, looking directly into his eyes, Takuma answered thus.

“I want to be as strong as any Magician in the Ten Master Clans. That is my goal. So for extracurricular activities, instead of organizational management in the Student Council, I wish to devote myself to club activities.”

The unhesitating reply had probably been prepared beforehand. In short, his decision was that firm. Persuading him would be difficult, thought Isori.

“I see…”

The owner of that despondent sounding voice was not Isori, but Azusa. Azusa had been released from her paralysis unexpectedly fast, but as she sighed, she feebly hung her head down. She had probably been quite shocked. At least, Isori thought so when he looked at her from the side.

“If that’s how it is, then we can’t force you to do it.”

However, astonishingly, Azusa readily accepted Takuma’s words.

“It is unfortunate for us, but if that is what you decided, Shippou-kun, please work hard at your club activities.”

Her all too quick surrender was completely outside of Takuma’s predictions. However, if he lingered here, the Student Council officers might think he had misgivings. Perhaps they might think he was counting on them to restrain him and believe he was only faking his refusal, this was what Takuma thought.

“Excuse me. I’m leaving.”

The thought that there was a very high possibility that he might be ’over-thinking things’ hurried him up, and Takuma left Azusa’s presence very quickly.

While the pair of third years, Azusa and Isori, tried hard (and failed) to get Takuma to join the Student Council, the three second years, Tatsuya, Miyuki and Honoka, were also very busy.

Honoka was in charge of putting things in order after the admissions ceremony. Checking the presence or absence of the main guests, sorting congratulatory addresses, and so on, the delivery of the photographic data to the vendor and other things all had to be confirmed.

Tatsuya was in charge of giving directions to the second years who had been recruited to help. No one raised sullen protests over being ordered by Tatsuya, who was in the Second Course last year and was now wearing the eight petal gear emblem. He was reclaiming the armbands, headsets and other stuff now that their tasks were done.

And, as for Miyuki,

“My only regret about this year’s admissions ceremony is that I didn’t hear a speech from Shiba-kun.”

“That would be impossible, Kouzuke-sensei. The only students who go up on the stage during the admissions ceremony are the Student Council president and the freshmen representative, after all.”

“Hahaha, now that you mentioned it, that’s right.”

…She was surrounded by adults who made something over nothing, like this one, with a determinedly amiable smile on her face.

The profession of the man in the prime of life she called ‘Kouzuke-sensei’ was politician. As a member of the National Diet attached to the ruling political party based in Tokyo, if his party won the next election, then he was a young man with good prospects of securing a cabinet minister’s post. He was known as a parliamentary member favorable to Magicians and he was also working as a supervisor on the non-school matters of the Magic University. In the present circumstances, when the forces hostile to magicians were gradually gaining influence, he was not a person either the Magic University or First High School could ignore.

Miyuki was well aware of this as well. That was why she had been putting up with his small talk with an amiable smile for a while now. Actually, this was not something a sixteen year old girl should be concerned with, but Miyuki was patiently enduring it. In the eyes of Congressman Kouzuke, specks of sexual awareness flickered. It was not strong enough to be linked to actual deed; men who were conscious of their waning physicality seem to instinctively long to embrace young beautiful women. However, even if it was only in his mind (it was not platonic), being eyed like that unmistakably makes a young girl feel unclean. Nonetheless, Miyuki endured that rude stare while pretending not to notice.

His long-windedness would become a problem for the staff soon. As long as a public official with his exalted status — even among the other VIPs — remained at the site, the staff couldn’t leave the site either.

Actually, last year he wasn’t this long winded. However, he hadn’t suddenly decided he liked to make small talk this year. Last year and the year before, he had showed restraint due to Mayumi.

Not Mayumi as an individual, but to the name of Saegusa of the Ten Master Clans.

Congressman Kouzuke did not display friendliness to Magicians out of goodwill or a liking for them. He probably did ’like’ Magicians, but what he liked were the advantages for his political activities he as a politician got from being an advocate for Magicians. Kouzuke and the Magicians were bound in a profitable relationship; for that reason, he showed deference when faced with the Ten Master Clans, who had exalted status among the Magicians.

If Miyuki’s relationship with the Yotsuba had been obvious, Kouzuke would have made a stiff smile and quickly left the site. The Yotsuba name had even more impact than the Saegusa name. The political utility of the Saegusa name was higher, but the Yotsuba name incited much more fear in people with influence.

However, the ‘family name’ Miyuki was allowed to claim was ‘Shiba,’ not ‘Yotsuba’. Besides, no matter how close she was to the limit of her patience, this was far too trivial a matter to rely on the power of the Yotsuba to resolve it. For her, the Yotsuba were not allies she could rely on unconditionally.

The one who saved Miyuki, who had almost no more ability to cope with her annoyance and irritation, was not a Yotsuba, but a Saegusa.

“Hello, Kouzuke-sensei.”

Kouzuke turned his head toward the voice that suddenly called his name and the instant he registered the sight of Mayumi, clothed in her feminine suit and womanly smile, his face stiffened.

“You have graced us with your presence again this year. Thank you for always taking the time when you are so busy.”

“Because this is an important day for the talented youths who must shoulder the burden of this nation’s future. I believe it is more of an honor that I receive an invitation to this event every year.”

In the presence of Mayumi, with her overly formal attitude and who spoke to him in a polite tone, Kouzuke quickly got the urge to flee. If he had been incapable of reading between the lines when Mayumi put an unnatural emphasis on ‘so busy’, then he wouldn’t have become a candidate to become a Cabinet Minister in the government. Although insensitivity was pardonable, a politician couldn’t function well if he was stupid.

“More importantly, why are you here Mayumi-kun? Are you escorting your sisters?”

Kouzuke asked that as he looked toward Kasumi and Izumi, who remained behind Mayumi. As he prepared to make his retreat, he offered a proper comment to ensure he didn’t appear abnormal.

“Yes, because both our parents unfeelingly said that they couldn’t take the time to do it right now.”

“Hahaha, both of them are such busy people.”

Kouzuke’s amiable smile was a bit stiff.

“Kasumi-chan, Izumi-chan, say hello.”

Without trying to make any more witticism, Mayumi looked back at her sisters.

“Kouzuke-sensei, we haven’t seen you in so long.”

“It has really been a long time hasn’t it; there is no excuse for it.”

The pair who had been silently holding back until addressed made their bows; Kasumi energetically, Izumi elegantly. Their stereotypical greetings offered Kouzuke a good opportunity.

“My, my, both of you have been busy studying for exams, right, so you should not be bothered by such a thing. Please do well in high school.”

“Thank you, sensei.”

“We will put all our efforts into it.”

As Kasumi and Izumi once again lowered their heads, a pause in the atmosphere was created. Kouzuke did not miss this change.

“I expect great things from you two. And so, Mayumi-kun, it is about time for me to take my leave.”

And with this simple goodbye, Kouzuke departed from that place.

Mayumi did not chase after his back as he left.

“Are you alright, Miyuki-san?”

“Yes. Thank you, Saegusa-senpai.”

Mayumi spoke to her with a cheerful smile which Miyuki answered with a humble smile. This place still had the attention of the school staff. An all too clear display of sympathy would only cause them problems from Congressman Kouzuke.

For that reason, Miyuki had deliberately not given out any sign that would cause the school staff to show active concern. She hadn’t been only behaving as if she wasn’t really being taken advantage of. As long as it would not entangle Tatsuya, she wove a thin protective barrier on her skin of poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (Product name- Kevlar).

Noticing that her bare face was underneath a see-through mask stronger than steel was difficult unless you had extremely discerning eyes. And there was no possibility of it being done by a high school girl that had just met her. Even if you were a direct descendant of the Ten Master Clans and were used to watching foxes and raccoons. Most people would undoubtedly only be able to see Miyuki’s reserved expression as part of her embodiment as the ideal, refined, willowy, graceful Yamato Nadeshiko.

“Izumi-chan.”

At least, that is how Izumi saw her. Izumi, who was in a daze, her mind and eyes stolen by Miyuki,

“Izumi, Izumi.”

“Umm?”

When Kasumi, who was next to her, poked her knee, she finally became aware that Mayumi was talking to her.

“More than 'umm' is needed, right. Give Miyuki-san a proper hello.”

Her eldest sister’s words permeating her consciousness, a flustered Izumi directed her eyes forward. Before Izumi’s eyes, Miyuki smiled gently with a slightly confused look on her face.

(Like a goddess…)

Of course, Izumi had not encountered an existence that could be called a ‘goddess.’ The words just naturally drifted into her mind as to how to describe the sight of Miyuki as reflected in the eyes of Izumi, who had separated from reality. As for calling her a beautiful girl, her eldest sister Mayumi was undisputedly in that caste, and although a stranger might think it narcissistic, Izumi thought Kasumi was pretty cute as well. However, this was the first time she had seen beauty at the level of the upperclassman with the ethereal smile, Izumi felt. Miyuki fit the imagined ideal of what Izumi ‘wanted to become’.

“…Saegusa Izumi. Ah, would it be alright if I called you Miyuki-senpai?"

“Yes, I wouldn’t mind.”

Izumi’s eyes were blurry with zeal, and her voice was a little thin. What has come over her so suddenly, thought Mayumi and Kasumi uneasily, aware of her abnormality, but Miyuki nodded without breaking her smile.

“Miyuki-senpai, I was so impressed by your efforts in the Nine Schools Competition. You were so splendid.”

“Thank you.”

Miyuki accepted Izumi’s feverish gaze with the ease of an upperclassman.

“However, it is even more impressive to see you in person than it was to see you from the stands… you’re so pretty.”

“Uh, oh really?”

However, as the feverish gaze transcended admiration and started to be tinged with insanity, Miyuki naturally started wanting to withdraw.

“To attend the same institution as Miyuki-senpai… I am so thrilled.”

“Izumi-chan, what in the world are you saying?”

Watching Izumi, who usually concealed her thoughts and feelings behind an unreadable, gentle smile, let her emotions run wild was enough to incite panic in Mayumi. Kasumi was already well aware of her younger twin’s tendency to spout zealous words, so she merely watched with a stunned look.

“Miyuki-senpai… won’t you become my Onee-sama?”

“Onee-sama!?”

“Hey, Izumi-chan! Calm down! Your Onee-chan is me!”

Both Miyuki and Mayumi were raising their voices. Izumi, who was the main instigator of the creation of this strange sight, was fixedly staring at Miyuki. Kasumi, who was next to her, frowned and turned away pretending that she didn‘t know them.

“I believe it would be impossible for you to become Miyuki-neesama’s younger sister, Saegusa-san.”

The one who threw a stone into this chaotic stalemated situation was Minami, who had been standing there eavesdropping near the four of them for a little while now.

“Minami-chan?”

Miyuki, who hadn’t been aware that Minami had been waiting for her, intentionally put the implied question of “How long have you been here?” into the name she spoke; Minami postponed answering that question with her reply.

“But there is a possibility of becoming Tatsuya-niisama’s sister-in-law. If Saegusa-san’s Onee-sama married Tatsuya-niisama, then Saegusa-san would become Tatsuya-niisama’s younger sister.”

After she had finished giving her supplementary explanation to Izumi, she pivoted, turning to a person behind her.

“In this case, Tatsuya-niisama’s actual younger sister, Miyuki-neesama, and Tatsuya-niisama’s sister-in-law, Saegusa-san, could be called sisters, right?”

“Onii-sama!?”

The person Minami was directing her question to was, as Miyuki’s raised voice indicated, Tatsuya.

“I am totally against it!”

However, Tatsuya could not answer Minami’s question or respond to Miyuki’s words. Because faster than he could open his mouth, Kasumi yelled an objection.

“I am absolutely against Onee-chan becoming Shiba-senpai’s bride or anything like that!”

Kasumi, who had up until that point persisted in being a mere spectator, suddenly interposed herself between Tatsuya and Mayumi’s line of sight; her back was to Mayumi as if she was trying to protect her as she confronted Tatsuya. Her meekness of a little while ago went some place else and she fully unleashed a “don’t get close to Onee-chan” aura.

“Kasumi-chan, she was only speaking hypothetically…”

Because they were twins, they had sort of assigned roles; with Kasumi and Izumi, if one of them went into a frenzy, the other one’s job was apparently to return that one to normal. Izumi, who had up until now been crushing on Miyuki, was suddenly serene and began to soothe Kasumi.

Mayumi applied pressure to her temples as she watched the pair. This was not just a pose, it seemed she really had a headache.

“Tatsuya-kun.”

With her head cast down and her hand on her forehead, Mayumi called Tatsuya’s name. Tatsuya tried to get nearer to her so that he would be at a distance at which they could hold a normal conversation; Kasumi stood glaring at him intimidatingly before him, blocking his way.

However, in the next instant.

“Fugya-!”

Kasumi raised a scream like a cat whose tail got stepped on and immediately held her head, cowering.

“Miyuki-san.”

Behind Kasumi, Mayumi had swung her fist downward, her eyes still looking at the floor. The voice that sprung from her showed she was miserable all the way to her core.

“For my stupid sisters… I’m really sorry.”

What could be seen of Mayumi’s face as she was hanging her head was extremely red. She was probably really embarrassed. It wasn’t as if that was something Tatsuya couldn’t understand. Standing there all that time, her sisters going off the rails, even he probably wouldn’t have been able to endure it any longer.

“Don’t let it bother you. Right, Miyuki?”

“Yes. Senpai, please don’t worry about it.”

Tatsuya directed Miyuki to gloss this over, so Miyuki also cheerfully shook her head. Despite Izumi’s disgraceful behavior and Kasumi’s running amok, treating Tatsuya as a skirt chaser, Miyuki was in high spirits for some reason. Miyuki’s attitude made Mayumi feel suspicious and uneasy, but right now she couldn’t indulge in the luxury of pursuing the matter.

“I will surely make it up to you. —You two, we’re leaving right now.”

“Oooh! It hurts, Onee-chan!”

“Onee-sama, you’re hurting me! Why are you treating me like this too?”

A hand on the nape of the neck of each twin, Mayumi departed like she was making an escape.

On the route used to commute from the school entrance to the ‘First High School’ station, turning one corner takes one to the coffee shop ‘Eine Brise” that Tatsuya and his friends like. Today also, on Tatsuya’s way back from the ceremony, with a coffee in one hand, he was enjoying a chat in the café with Miyuki, Minami, Honoka, Shizuku, and Mikihiko.

After separating from the Saegusa sisters, Tatsuya and Miyuki had linked up with Azusa temporarily. However, Azusa had emphatically told them that it was alright to leave, so they came here on the way home with Honoka and the rest.

“Come to think of it, how did the invitation to the freshmen representative go?”

When Shizuku asked that, she unintentionally silenced the conversation. She hadn’t meant anything by it — she hadn’t asked the question out of gossipy curiosity. She was unprepared for the silence that her words caused.

“…He refused.”

So when she was faced with the black cloud she suddenly cast over the table and the thoroughly crushed Honoka, Shizuku tasted bitter regret and wished she hadn’t asked that question.

“Eh, Shippou-kun declined to join the Student Council?”

So Mikihiko’s words, which gave his own curiosity precedence, could be called a fine move to get rid of the oppressive ambience.

“The person himself seems to have said he wants to devote himself to club activities. Nothing can be done if he has other things he wants to do.”

Tatsuya's answer seemed to be more of a ‘don’t worry about it’ to Honoka than an answer to Mikihiko’s question.

“Yes. We can’t coerce him.”

Because he read Tatsuya or by mere chance, Mikihiko’s follow up remark revived the mood enough that Honoka looked up and stopped looking so defeated.

“So it would be more productive to consider who to invite to join the Student Council instead of Shippou-kun.”

Taking her cue from Tatsuya, Miyuki drew their friends completely away from the topic of Takuma.

“That’s true. If you think of the consequences of a freshman not joining the Student Council, this is a bad situation.”

Tatsuya nodded soberly and Miyuki lightly clapped her hands.

“I know. How about Minami-chan becoming a member of the Student Council?”

Minami, who until then has just been silently listening to the upperclassman talk, stiffened at Miyuki’s suggestion.

“Miyuki, that’s a little rough on Minami-chan.”

However, faster than Minami could open her mouth, Tatsuya rejected Miyuki’s idea.

“Because there is a tradition to the way the Student Council chooses successors, the substitute candidate must also be chosen by their score on the entrance exam.”

Minami looked relieved. On the other hand, Miyuki did not look the least bit upset over the plan being rejected — she was smiling. Miyuki probably wasn’t serious about having Minami join the Student Council; she was probably only teasing her a little.

“Who was the runner-up?”

Shizuku didn’t bother speculating on Miyuki’s state of mind and in response to Tatsuya, questioned Honoka, who as student council secretary had access to the exam results.

“Umm, Saegusa Izumi-san. Saegusa senpai’s sister.”

Honoka did not check her terminal; she had the exam results properly memorized.

“Third place is also Saegusa senpai’s sister, Kasumi-chan. There’s only a narrow margin between Shippou’s first place and the pair’s second and third. There’s a huge gap between these three and fourth place”

Miyuki, who also knew the exam results like Honoka, offered supplemental information to Shizuku.

“So it wouldn’t be strange if either of Saegusa-senpai’s sisters became a Student Council officer?”

Mikihiko as usual spoke more formally to Miyuki.

“But going by the order, wouldn’t it be Izumi-san?”

Mikihiko’s attitude could be seen as suspicious or amusing, but Shizuku indifferently ignored it and made her objection.

Miyuki’s face looked a little sour at Shizuku’s words. The incident a little while ago had probably made her aware that she would not deal well with Izumi.

“The president will decide, but the first prerequisite is probably willingness.”

Tatsuya also noticed the change in Miyuki’s expression, but out of consideration for her privacy pretended like he might not be aware of it.

Mikihiko entered the room as Tatsuya was washing his hands in the restroom. There was no special significance to this. Their timing had probably overlapped by chance, thought Tatsuya as he prepared to leave.

“Tatsuya.”

However, Mikihiko called out to stop him in a low gloomy voice.

“What? …Do you have something you don’t want to talk about with the others there?”

“Yes… it’s not something I want generally known?”

“Understood. I won’t talk about it with the others.”

Tatsuya’s words relieved Mikihiko, who was a little stiff with indecision.

“Tatsuya, it would help to keep the conversation short.”

“Since staying in here too long would be thought weird, I’m the one who has to ask Mikihiko to keep it short.”

As Tatsuya said, they couldn’t stay in here too long without someone becoming suspicious of their health. With that urging, Mikihiko rapidly opened up.

“Tatsuya, do you know if the new manager of Rozen’s Japanese branch came to today’s ceremony?”

It doesn’t need saying that by Rozen, he meant ’Rozen Magicraft’ which was a German magic technology company that was battling with ’Maximilian Devices’ to become the top maker of CADs in the world. The manager of their Japanese branch would be a major important figure to the National Magic University as well as the magic high schools.

“I know. I managed to get by with a brief greeting.”

Naturally, Tatsuya had known he had been invited and confirmed his attendance.

“Only briefly? At the after party for last year’s Nine Schools Competition, the previous branch manager seemed to be quite interested in you.”

“I was lucky today, because I didn't have time for that.”

Tatsuya looked sour as he recalled that gloomy summer memory.

“So, what about the new Rozen branch manager?”

However, he soon returned to his “it doesn’t matter” look and urged Mikihiko to continue.

“Do you remember the new branch manager’s name?”

“Ernst Rozen, he seems to be a member of the Rozen’s main family.”

“That right. He’s a bigwig — the trade journals were making much of it.”

For an instant, the words were stuck in Mikihiko’s throat, but he immediately threw off his hesitation and whispered in a low slightly desperate tone.

“And he is a cousin of Erika’s mother.”

Tatsuya’s poker face didn’t survive this explosive revelation.

“Erika’s mother was a relative’s of the Rozen?”

Both of his eyes showed surprise as Tatsuya asked that question. Mikihiko made a small but distinct nod to his request for confirmation of the information.

“It seems that Erika’s mother’s father eloped with a Japanese woman.”

“Eloped, that’s an old fashioned word.”

“Well…”

Mikihiko smiled somewhat wryly at the surprise Tatsuya displayed at something that was off-topic. The somewhat complicated atmosphere cleared a little. As Mikihiko continued, his face looked as if his shoulders were less stiff.

“Because he shook off his parents’ opposition and fled to Japan, they had severed ties with the main Rozen family. Her grandmother‘s — Erika’s mother’s mother’s family — also apparently didn’t approve of the couple’s relationship, so it seems like Erika’s mother had a tough time.”

“It’s a sad story, but what of it?”

Tatsuya thought it was a bad family situation, but Mikihiko’s purpose wasn’t to garner sympathy for Erika. Tatsuya was urging Mikihiko to get on to his main topic.

“…Since that incident, the Rozen main family doesn’t have a good impression of Japan. Even though they have trade bases in Japan, none of the main family have been on the registry in the Japanese branch offices.”

“Come to think of it, that’s right.”

As Mikihiko spoke, Tatsuya went through the registry of executives for the last ten years for Rozen Magicraft Japanese branch offices. Certainly, there were no Rozens listed.

“I may be over-thinking things, but… I feel that Ernst Rozen’s trip to Japan has something to do with Erika.”

Tatsuya also thought he might be over-thinking things. However, he was more concerned with why Mikihiko was telling him this.

“And what do you want me to do about this?”

“I don’t actually have anything I want you to do. However, I wanted to share my concerns.”

Faced with Tatsuya’s suspicious eyes, Mikihiko smiled wryly to himself.

“No, it’s not that… I involved Tatsuya because it was a little too heavy to keep to myself.”

Mikihiko whispered in a self-deprecating way.

“It’s a pitiful tale.”

Tatsuya did not show any signs of evasion when he spoke his frank impression in front of Mikihiko.

After Tatsuya left, Azusa remained in the Student Council room alone until just before the gate closed (Pixie was in suspended mode). Even though the admissions ceremony was over, there was still a huge pile of 'start of the new school year' work for the Student Council. So it wasn’t strange for Student Council President Azusa to stay this late. If something could be called strange, it was the fact that the other Student Council members had left before her.

This wasn’t because Azusa had wanted to do the work of five people by herself. Until a little while ago, she had merely been blankly staring at this month’s schedule. Sometimes she sighed deeply, and shook her head ‘no-no’. Those were the only times she turned to the terminal with a determined face and immediately relapsed to wasting time looking blankly at the monitor. For some time now, she had been repeating this behavior.

After who knows how many sighs, a change finally arrived. The electronic chime and the message display announcing the visitor’s arrival notified her simultaneously. The screensaver on the camera was replaced by the image of Hattori. Azusa hurriedly manipulated the terminal and opened the door with a key.

“Pardon me. Nakajou… What? Are you alone?”

“Ah, yes. I wanted to ponder something alone for a while.”

As she spoke, she conscientiously stood up and directed Hattori to take a seat.

After conscientiously bowing, Hattori sat in the chair she had offered.

“If you used your ID, Hattori-kun, you could have come in even without me using the key to open the door.”

While saying that in a dejected tone, Azusa started to get the tea but Hattori stopped her with a gesture.

“I am no longer an officer of the Student Council. So, I must act like it.”

“That’s so like you, Hattori-kun.”

Azusa chuckled a little and then returned to her own seat. She was a little surprised, but Hattori-kun was one of the few male students Azusa could talk to normally without using formal language.

“So what is it?”

“This year’s freshmen representative.”

Undoubtedly, one of Hattori’s merits was that he didn’t bother with any lighthearted phrases like “I came to see your face” or “is it alright to come without an errand”.

However, this was also a trait that could undoubtedly be called a little too straightforward and lacking in tact.

“Shippou-kun…?”

Looking at the forced smile on Azusa’s face, Hattori thought ‘aw nuts,’ but regrets are always too late. Beside, choosing to halt this conversation at this point wasn’t part of his style.

“Ah… Shippou refused the student council’s invitation, right?”

Azusa was well aware of this inflexible, over serious nature of Hattori. So she wasn’t outraged or hurt about something of this level.

“Yes. He wants to improve himself with club activities.”

“That seems to be the case. So, you decided to accept his prepared explanation, Nakajou?”

Hattori felt that being too worried about others’ feelings was a bit rude, so he didn’t mumble his question.

“Uh, did what?”

“Like the Student Council, Club Management needs to train an executive candidate chosen from among the freshmen. You are well aware of the need to fill Juumonji-senpai’s place.”

“People like Juumonji-senpai are exceptions among exceptions. I think Hattori-kun is doing fine, but…”

Hattori made a wry smile at Azusa’s attempt to comfort him. There was no listlessness or self-deprecation leaking through that expression. Apparently Hattori wasn’t depressed for any reason, which relieved Azusa.

“I too understand that he is an exception. And so it is necessary that I raise a leader sooner rather than later.”

After listening to all he said so far, Azusa realized what he came here to talk about.

“Are you going to promote Shippou-kun to a candidate for successor?”

“Ah. Unfortunately, it will appear as if we snatched him from the student council, but…”

“It was after he already refused us, so I don’t think you snatched him.”

“Oh really. That’s a relief.”

Azusa smiled as she waved her hand; Hattori bowed in response.

“I said not to worry about it. Shippou-kun was already set on refusing us from the start and… oh yes!”

As she spoke, Azusa intentionally made a show of cheerfully clapping her hands together.

“Since you’re already here, can I hear your opinion on something, Hattori-kun?”

“Opinion? My opinion on what?”

Azusa did not immediately answer Hattori’s questions. She set the image shown on her personal computer to be displayed on the surface of the wall.

“The new student data?”

The freshmen’s scores on the entrance exam by subject were included in their personal data.

“Shippou-kun ran away, but I think it would be very bad if a freshman didn’t join the Student Council.”

“So you have been worrying over who to invite to join instead of Shippou-kun?”

This was the exact same thing Tatsuya and his friends were talking about at Eine Brise. Worrying about the same thing in different places is clearly a futile thing but as is clear from the bird’s eye view of the two events, it was happening. Unmistakably, these type of overlapping events happen in the world.

“Yes, I am. I think any of them would be excellent…”

Azusa paused as she said that with a troubled look on her face but,

“It’s not something you need to ponder so hard is it?”

Hattori dealt with the topic easily.

“If the top scorer refused the invitation, it’s okay to choose the runner-up. The runner-up this year…”

However, as he went through the lineup of new students based on their exam results, Hattori cut off his words and his face stiffened.

“As I thought, one of Saegusa-senpai’s sisters would be okay… Hattori-kun, what’s wrong? You look pale?”

“No, it’s nothing. Oh, yes, I think that would be best as well.”

Hattori stood up as he spoke, made a hurried goodbye and left the Student Council room.

“Hattori-kun, what could have happened…?”

Azusa muttered that as she watched him leave. The reason Hattori’s face had stiffened was unknown.