The next day, Sunday, October 28.

It was finally the day of the 2096 Thesis Competition.

Tatsuya, not part of the nine schools’ combined security team, but participating only as a support member for First High, was able to move about with relative freedom.

When Miyuki was temporarily released from judging during the lunch break, she accompanied him to meet Mayumi, who had come to the venue.

“I see… Nakura’s murderer took his own life?”

“He did it as a result of us cornering him, so I hesitate to call it suicide, but yes.”

Tatsuya had told Mayumi that they’d resolved the Nakura murder case.

“It’s better this way. After all, it means you took revenge for him,” she said, smiling at him like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you, Tatsuya. I’ll cancel your debt from the other night.”

“Saegusa, that’s—”

“See you. Keep the place secure, would you? And do your best with judging, Miyuki.”

Without waiting for Tatsuya to respond, Mayumi stood from her seat and vanished into the crowd of people in the lobby.

“Brother…”

Left in the tea room were Tatsuya, still holding in his hands the bomb she threw at him, and Miyuki, watching him with a false smile.

“What does she mean by the other night?”

“Well, that’s… Um.”

“That’s what? If you have no objections, then please, tell me. Or…”

Miyuki placed a palm on Tatsuya’s hand.

“…is there something objectionable about it?”

Miyuki’s hand was soft, and a little chilly. And it had Tatsuya bound in place.

“…This shows that a responsive alloy plate is not a necessary condition to cast sealing-type magic. Seals only guide the flow of psions, and as we’ve just shown, using a seal pattern to project it yields the same effects. Hence, we can conclude that at its essence, sealing-type magic is not dependent on physical seals.”

First High’s presentation, with Isori as the leader, ended. Boisterous applause went up from the crowd.

“This is the biggest applause yet,” offered Miyuki, released from judging duty because it was First High’s presentation, to Tatsuya, who was in the seat next to her.

“The actual presentation was revolutionary, too. I expected nothing less of Isori.”

Tatsuya gave his own seal of approval to the contents. At this time, they both felt like it was good enough to win the competition.

“I must return to the judging seats now, Brother.”

“Second High is next, right? …Hm. What?”

“Oh? Isn’t that Minoru?”

A stir rippled through the building. Most of it was probably surprise at Minoru’s beauty when he got onstage to set up. Tatsuya and Miyuki, of course, were surprised for a different reason.

Then, a message came from the program director.

“We have an announcement for all attendees. There will be a substitute in Second High’s presenter. Because the original presenter has fallen ill, the representative has been changed.”

“…Miyuki, you’d better get to the judges’ table.”

“Yes, I should. I will see you soon, Brother.”

More than half the spectators would get out of their seats during the time between presentations. A portion of them, the school cheering section, would switch out as well. But in this prep time, not a single audience member rose.

As the uniquely odd atmosphere continued, Second High’s presentation started.

“Second High’s presentation will now begin. The title is, ‘A Hypothesis Regarding Notable Concepts in Mental Interference-Type Magic’s Principles and Activation Sequences.’”

The stir in the venue grew louder. The principles of something still almost fully unexplained—mental interference magic. Any thesis dealing with it was sure to be something ambitious and revolutionary for magic studies.

“…As you can see from these observation results, at the same time as a person perceives something, psionic information bodies are newly formed. And these information bodies break down at the same time the person ceases to perceive it. The point to note here about these psionic information bodies, which are formed through one’s perception, is that when the perceiver actively eliminates the object of perception—for example, via instant incineration—this breakdown begins in advance of the actual destruction.

“…Many of the observational results you’ve seen match the hypothesis that psions are particles that give form to will and thought. They show that a person’s passive perception does not create psionic information bodies; instead, their active mental processes are creating them.

“…For a person’s will, or in other terms, their mind, to apply some sort of effect to this physical dimension, we believe they must convert will into psionic information bodies. If we adopt this hypothesis, we can interpret perception-type psychic powers, beginning with telepathy, as also being magic that uses psionic information bodies.

“…We believe that the psionic information bodies formed through will—mental activity—possess the characteristics you’ve all just seen. Of course, this can’t explain all of their characteristics, but if we can define the displayed factors as an activation sequence, the formularization of mental interference-type magic is sure to accelerate by leaps and bounds. At the same time, this would lead to the development of anti-magic that can nullify mental interference-type magic. And it would be a good opportunity to dispel the superstitious fears surrounding mental interference-type magic.

“As such, mental interference-type magic doesn’t have any essential differences from the four families and eight types. The mind, too, as long as it is connected to the physical world, will produce psionic information bodies. These are psions showing the form of the will. Thus, if we create a magic program that alters these psionic information bodies, we will be able to alter real intentions in relation to this world, at least—the conscious mind. This magic alters a person’s perception and, consequently, alters their active will.

“…If we assume a person’s mind is not split into a conscious mind and an unconscious mind and is instead a single entity where one part is conscious and the other unconscious, then by observing and analyzing the psionic information bodies produced by the will’s formation, we should be able to expand all mental interference-type magic into a true form of technology.”

Minoru wrapped up the presentation with that.

For a moment, there was silence.

And then the venue erupted into thunderous applause.

The 2096 All-High Magic Thesis Competition. The crown of victory rested upon the head of Second High, which had appointed Minoru Kudou, a freshman, as its main presenter.

It was the moment a new star had been born in all the National Magic University-Affiliated High Schools, from First through Ninth.

Meanwhile, even at the Yotsuba main mansion, an even more serious presentation than the Thesis Competition’s, though smaller in scale, was occurring.

“As you’ve heard, in this incident, Tatsuya Shiba was not forced onto this mission, but he loyally carried it out anyway, achieving the results our client wanted. He is a useful element of the Yotsuba, and I don’t believe his loyalty to his work presents any issues.”

As everyone looked on with sour faces, Maya slowly opened her mouth to speak. “This mission was a test for Tatsuya. The results are as Hayama reported. Do you not all feel the same way?”

“We’ve no choice but to acknowledge him,” said the head of the Shiiba family, opening his heavily shut mouth.

“His abilities are certainly worthy,” said the head of the Mashiba family in agreement.

“This time, he passes. This time,” said the head of the Shibata family—Shibata written with different characters than in Mizuki’s surname—without trying to hide his displeasure.

“Should we not discard this odd preoccupation with him?” suggested the head of the Mugura family.

“Agreed. Thinking back, weren’t we too expectant at the beginning? Perhaps we must strive for objectivity now,” nodded the head of the Tsukuba family.

“I think it’s too soon to pass final judgment,” objected the head of the Shizuka family carefully. “If we’re to speak of objective evaluation, it is also objectively true that Tatsuya Shiba only possesses biased talent.”

Everyone’s eyes moved to the head of the Kuroba family, Mitsugu Kuroba, who had been keeping his silence.

“What are your thoughts, Lord Kuroba?” the Shibata head prompted.

“I failed in this mission. I don’t feel as though I have the right to offer my opinion on this matter.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Then, a ladylike voice that didn’t seem to mind the oppressive air put an end to the debate.

“In that case, let’s reserve our conclusion until the New Year Reception.”

And that voice did so by asserting they’d reach final judgment at the beginning of next year.

The family heads gathered here couldn’t raise any objection against the head of the Yotsuba clan.

(To be continued in the Yotsuba Succession Arc)