Chapter 5

Six days had passed since Tatsuya and Miyuki received the call from Lina, making today Monday. There had been no further clues about Hague or the terrorist attack. And that was true for more than just them—neither Maya’s people nor Canopus had made any progress in their search for Hague.

It was now February 4. The Master Clans Council would begin in two weeks.

The council was a summit for Japanese magical society. Even ancient magic practitioners who refused to recognize the Ten Master Clans as leaders of all magic society couldn’t deny the event’s influence. In particular, the Master Clans Selection Conference that would decide the composition of the Ten Master Clans was scheduled for the second day, which only heightened the attention Japan’s magicians paid the overall event.

The students of First High, too, were abuzz. Despite still being mere students, they couldn’t afford to ignore such important current events as people who were soon going to be making their way in the world as magicians themselves. In particular, any student connected to the Ten Master Clans or the Eighteen Support Clans found it impossible to concentrate on anything else, so consuming were their worries over whether their family would be selected for—or dropped from—the Ten.

This awareness was widespread among the First High student body, so when Miyuki arrived in the Class 2-A classroom as usual that morning, the other students seemed to somehow stiffen as they fell silent.

“Good morning, Shizuka, Honoka.” As always, Miyuki greeted Shizuku, who sat in front of her, and Honoka, who stood next to Shizuku.

“Miyuki?! Why are you at school?!” Honoka’s question was nearly a shout. That seemed to break the spell, and the whole classroom erupted in chatter.

“Why am I…? Today’s a weekday, isn’t it? Isn’t it obvious why a high school student would be at school? Or have I been left out of the loop on something? Am I being bullied?” Miyuki placed a single hand to her cheek in an expression of the mildest concern.

At this, Honoka’s eyes flashed in utter bewilderment. Shizuku was stunned silent, unsure of how to proceed.

But the pair’s confusion did not last long.

“I’m sorry, I’m kidding.” Miyuki giggled. “You thought I’d be absent, right? Because of the Master Clans Council starting today?”

“Y-yes!” Having rebooted, Honoka pressed Miyuki on the issue. “Can you afford not to be there, Miyuki? There’s a Master Clans Selection Conference this year, right? As a future head of one of the families, shouldn’t you—? Oh…”

Honoka slapped her hand over her mouth with an expression that said oops.

The rest of Miyuki’s eavesdropping classmates all averted their gazes.

“You really don’t need to worry about me so much…” Miyuki flashed a perplexed-looking smile. She couldn’t help but be concerned about her classmates, who’d been walking on eggshells around her until that moment.

“So, Miyuki—Are you sure you don’t need to go?” It was Shizuku who broke the tension, seemingly taking Miyuki at her word and asking the question without trying to overanalyze anything.

“I mean, I wasn’t asked to,” Miyuki said with a smile, which earned her a number of questioning looks. “I suppose you and Honoka might not have known this, Shizuku. The Master Clans Council’s location is kept secret from everybody except the attendees. As of right now, even the people from the Eighteen Support Clans attending the Master Clans Selection Conference on the second day only know the general vicinity of where to go but not the precise meeting chamber they’ll use.”

“But, Miyuki, you’re…”

Miyuki smiled brightly at Honoka, who was obviously taken aback. The words froze in Honoka’s throat. “I haven’t been asked to attend, so I don’t know where the conference is. It’s not that I don’t care about what’s being discussed, but without even a vague sense of where it’s happening, I can’t very well go, can I?”

“Yeah, that’s true.” It was Shizuku who replied, nodding at the point. Honoka was still red-faced and speechless.

Meanwhile, a similar uproar was happening in Class 2-E.

“Huh? Tatsuya, what’re you doing at school?”

“That’s a weird way to say good morning, Mizuki. Also, good morning.”

“Uh…um… Sorry about that.”

Tatsuya wasn’t particularly annoyed, but it was a natural thing for him to say. He was a high school student and hadn’t been absent because of a long bout of illness, so it struck him as nonsensical to be asked why he was at school on an ordinary Monday.

But Mizuki wasn’t the only person that day to have abandoned common sense.

As soon as the classroom window facing the hallway rattled open, Erika poked her head in. “Hey, Tatsuya, should you be at school?!” she shouted without any preamble whatsoever.

“Erika…why is everybody trying to make me go away?” Tatsuya frowned while next to him, Mizuki looked down, embarrassed, which did not go unnoticed by Erika.

“Ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Realizing her own actions had been a bit odd, Erika burst out in nervous laughter in an obvious attempt to muddy the waters, even knowing she was being ridiculous.

But fortunately for Erika, she wasn’t the only one who was stepping into the minefield. “But seriously, Tatsuya, today’s the Master Clans Council, right? Should you be going?” Leo wondered.

“Why would you need to ask me something like that?” Tatsuya asked. He wasn’t being obtuse; he seemed genuinely perplexed.

“I think it would more strange if we didn’t care at all,” Erika answered, at which Leo nodded his agreement.

It privately occurred to Tatsuya that those two were getting along rather well. “But why?” he shot back. “I mean, I know a lot of people are thinking about it, but…” He glanced back over his shoulder, and his classmates all hastily looked elsewhere. “If you think that me being connected to the Yotsuba family is reason enough, you’re mistaken. Just being related to one of the Ten Master Clans doesn’t mean you can participate in the conference. As the acting head of the Juumonji family, Katsuto Juumonji is obviously attending, but I don’t believe Mayumi Saegusa has ever gone.”

“…Oh yeah?” Leo looked deflated. Erika, on the other hand, seemed satisfied with the explanation.

“And even if I knew where the conference was, I wouldn’t have any desire to go. I’d just be sitting around with nothing to do, so coming to school and studying is a far better use of my time.”

“But, like, don’t you care about what they’re talking about at the conference?”

“Nonparticipants aren’t allowed in the meetings, so even if I was there, it wouldn’t matter. And not even all the meeting results are made public. There’s no way of knowing how the arguments developed.”

Leo sighed. “So in the end, we have to just go along with whatever they announce, huh?”

“That’s how it is.”

If the conversation had ended there, it could have been filed away under ordinary small talk.

But then—

The room had fallen quiet as Tatsuya’s classmates listened carefully, but one voice—rather loudly for someone who seemed to be talking to himself—rang out. “So basically, us powerless nobody magicians just have to do what you decide? What a very Master Clans thing to say.”

Its source was diagonally behind Tatsuya. More precisely, it came from diagonally behind Mizuki.

“What, you got something you wanna say?” Erika glared sharply at Chiaki Hirakawa, the student who’d spoken up.

Chiaki didn’t answer Erika’s question. Not only that, she appeared to be deliberately looking away.

Erika’s eyes narrowed. Poking her head in the window, Erika then moved to enter through the door and approach the girl.

“Wait, hold on, Chiba. Just calm down!” One of the students hurriedly moved to block her path.

It was Tomitsuka who stood up in an attempt to protect (?) peace in the classroom. He wasn’t actually the class representative but seemed to have assumed those duties somehow anyway.

“Tomitsuka, would you step aside? I have some words for that girl.”

“No, you really shouldn’t!” Tomitsuka understood perfectly well what Erika meant by words as he desperately tried to talk her down.

But then Chiaki stood, as though determined to waste his efforts. “What? You know it’s true.”

“What’s true? Huh?”

The two girls stared daggers at each other over Tomitsuka’s shoulder.

“Chiba, look, class is gonna start soon…” Tomitsuka tried to mediate, having made himself a shield as he stood in front of Chiaki.

But he was immediately crushed. “There’s still five minutes. So, Hirakawa—what was it you were saying was true, hmm?”

The ferocity in Erika’s eyes was enough to make even most of the boys in the class shiver.

“That he’s related to one of the Ten Master Clans! I didn’t say a thing that isn’t true!” Chiaki shot back resolutely, despite her own knees also quivering.

“Huh? Yeah, so it turns out Tatsuya’s related to one of the Ten. But so what? Just because someone’s parents are in the Ten doesn’t mean their children are.”

“You think that kind of technicality matters? The reality is, he’s part of the Yotsuba family, and he hid it and lied to all of us!”

“I guess a spoiled little rich girl like you from a normal family wouldn’t understand, but among magicians there are a lot of kids who don’t get to take their parents’ names, you know.”

Chiaki didn’t have an immediate retort ready. What Erika was saying was true, and Chiaki realized that she’d only known about it in the abstract. “W-well, why…”

“Hmm? If you’ve got something to say, go ahead and spit it out!”

Erika’s scorn inflamed Chiaki’s rage. Her fury burned out the brakes of her good sense. “Why are you even getting mad about this for him?! Are you in love with him or something?!”

The two girls’ onlooking classmates all winced. Chiaki’s implication would have been an insult to the dignity of any contemporary high school student. The rude comeback would have been something like, Who likes who doesn’t have anything to do with it—what’re you, stupid?

And so What’re you, stupid? was exactly what Erika said: “Me, in love with him? I value my life a little more than that, sorry.”

Her response, however, made the students of 2-E tilt their heads in confusion.

“I’m not gonna tempt fate by announcing myself as Miyuki’s romantic rival, thanks. A literally life-threatening crush is gonna be a hard pass from me.”

If Miyuki had overheard such a statement, it would not have gone over well. Even sympathizing with it would have been dangerous. But hearing this, all the onlookers in 2-E—everyone aside from Tatsuya, Chiaki, and Tomitsuka—nodded emphatically at Erika’s words.

“God, I can’t believe I got into a fight with someone this dumb,” Erika declared, turning around and striding toward the classroom’s exit. “I’m going back to my class, Tatsuya. See you.”

“Yeah, later,” Tatsuya said with a wave and a pleasant smile as Erika left 2-E’s classroom.

In the end, Chiaki had successfully repelled Erika’s attack. But as Chiaki stood there, she trembled in humiliation.

For high school students, the Master Clans Council was essentially a source of recreational argument, but for the adults participating in it, the event was a deadly serious struggle; it was nothing less than a negotiation with lives on the line.

The venue was a conference room in a relatively luxurious hotel in Hakone. As the meeting’s commencement time approached, the seats at the roundtable began to fill up.

There was Gouki Ichijou, the head of the Ichijou family, wearing a rough sweater over his dark, copper, well-tanned skin, every inch of his tall frame that of a man of the sea. He had come from his residence in Kanazawa, having recently celebrated his forty-second birthday. His public persona was that of the president of an undersea resource exploration conglomerate.

The attractive middle-aged woman in an expensive kimono with her hair in an elegant arrangement was Mai Futatsugi, the head of the Futatsugi family. She was fifty-five years old and resided in Ashiya. Her public face was that of a majority shareholder in a variety of industrial chemical and food-related companies.

Wearing a polo shirt and sport coat and based out of Atsugi was Gen Mitsuya. Compactly and sturdily built, he was fifty-three years old. Whether it was public or not was a matter of some question, but in any case, he was an international small arms broker.

The beautiful woman in the formal wine-colored gown was the head of the Yotsuba family, Maya. She looked like she couldn’t be a day older than thirty, although in reality she was forty-seven.

In a simple and tidy business suit was the head of the Itsuwa family, Isami Itsuwa, forty-nine, from Uwajima. He was known to the public as an executive and owner of a maritime shipping company.

With her chestnut-brown hair trimmed in a short bob, the glamorous woman wearing a pantsuit was Atsuko Mutsuzuka, head of the family of the same name. Atsuko was twenty-nine and resided in Sendai. Publicly, she owned a geothermal energy exploration firm.

The head of the Saegusa family, Kouichi, was dressed stylishly retro, like an elite businessman from the 1980s or 1990s. He was forty-eight and lived in Tokyo. Notably, his light brown–tinted glasses did not come off even inside. Publicly, he was a venture capitalist.

Wearing a suit sans necktie and sporting short hair with a slightly upswept side part was the head of the Yatsushiro family, Raizou, thirty-one, from Fukuoka. His public face was that of a university instructor and a majority shareholder in several telecommunication firms.

The white-haired gentleman in the foreign-branded three-piece suit was Makoto Kudou, head of the Kudou family. He was sixty-four, from Ikoma. The public knew him as a financier and shareholder in various munitions companies.

The man with the shaved head in traditional haori jacket and hakama was Kazuki Juumonji, head of the Juumonji family, forty-four, from Tokyo. Publicly, he owned an excavation and construction firm that primarily served the armed forces.

These were all the heads of the current Ten Master Clans. Only Kazuki Juumonji had brought a second: his son Katsuto.

The heads all sat at the roundtable, and the door closed. The youngest person present, Katsuto, locked the door.

It was the oldest, Makoto Kudou, who spoke first. “Mr. Juumonji, are you feeling better?”

The Ten Master Clans were peers and equals—there was no hierarchy. This fact was clear from the use of the roundtable in the hotel meeting room.

But problems could arise in conducting a meeting without a chairperson, so it was an unwritten tradition that the oldest member present acted as the meeting’s facilitator.

Makoto had begun by inquiring after Kazuki Juumonji’s health because Kazuki had been absent from several recent meetings, having sent his son Katsuto in his stead. This was the first time in three years that the other heads had seen Kazuki in person.

“Regarding that, I have an announcement to make.” At Makoto’s prompt, Kazuki stood. Deliberation among the Ten Master Clans typically took place while sitting, so this gesture indicated that what came next would be important.

“This may seem sudden, but I, Kazuki Juumonji, do hereby transfer the leadership of the Juumonji family to my son Katsuto. As such, I ask that you all bear witness to this act.”

The other heads all reacted variously—some looking to their neighbors, others watching Kazuki closely. What they all had in common, however, was that not a one spoke up.

“Well, that certainly is a rather sudden announcement,” Makoto said eventually, finally putting the general mood of the table into words.

“I have considered the matter for some time. I had hoped to wait until Katsuto reached the age of majority, but I feel it does neither the Juumonji family nor the Ten Master Clans any credit for me, a man who’s no longer any use as a magician, to continue as head.”

“When you say you can’t use magic, what do you mean?” It was Gouki Ichijou who asked. He was often the one who voiced difficult questions in these meetings.

“For the past three years, I have suffered a condition that has diminished my ability to use magic. By two years ago, I was no longer able to withstand the rigors of combat, and I entrusted Katsuto with the practical duties of acting as family head. Then three months ago, my magical faculties disappeared entirely.”

A murmur ran through the room at this bombshell.

“A condition that reduces magical ability? This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing. You’ll pardon my rudeness, but this is a matter of grave concern to all magicians. Are the details of the illness known? Is there a treatment?” pressed Kouichi Saegusa. He was always among the most verbose of the Master Clans Council participants.

“There is no need to worry on that count, Mr. Saegusa. This disease is confined to the Juumonji family.”

“It’s specific to your family? Are you certain of that?”

“Mr. Saegusa.” Maya cut Kouichi off with a smooth, unruffled tone of voice. “I would gently suggest that you needn’t press any further.”

“Yes, we don’t pry too deeply into the matters of other families. That goes not just for the Juumonji family but for magicians in general. As Ms. Yotsuba suggests, perhaps you should let this go. Mr. Juumonji has already said that this is not something other families need worry about, so should we not leave it at that?” Mai Futatsugi added. As the council’s second-eldest member, she often took it upon herself to end long debates.

“Understood. Please accept my apologies, Mr. Juumonji.” Kouichi had no reason to be so stubborn as to go up against both Maya and Mai.

“Not at all,” Kazuki noted to him before turning to the women and nodding his thanks. “Now then, are we all satisfied with the issue of the Juumonji succession?”

“I believe that the Juumonji family may decide such things for itself, regardless of this council’s presence,” Maya stated. “That said, I have no qualms. I’m entirely happy to act as a witness for Katsuto’s succession.”

“I don’t mind at all, either,” said Atsuko Mutsuzuka, picking up where she left off. “Quite the contrary—I would be honored to serve as a witness.”

Atsuko was known to look up to Maya, and when there were disagreements, she often sided with her. The fact that the eldest son of the Shibata family, one of the Yotsuba branch families, had formerly attended Fifth High School in Sendai was also not irrelevant.

“I have no intention of quibbling over another family’s choice of successor. I welcome Katsuto’s assumption of the position. Kazuki’s condition is unfortunate, but the magic community still owes him a debt for his long service,” Kouichi said, emphatically voicing his support, feeling a need to make his position extra-clear given what he’d said earlier.

With Maya and Kazuki both having accepted Kouichi’s request, the remaining family heads each took their turn congratulating Katsuto and thanking Kazuki for his long service.

“Now then, Katsuto,” Makoto said to wrap things up. “As the new head of the Juumonji family, please take your seat.”

And thus, it was confirmed.

Kazuki left the room once his son dismissed him, and then the heads of the Ten Master Clans all took their seats.

The Master Clans Council was convened.

“Now then, Mr. Ichijou,” Makoto prompted.

“There are no problematic developments in the Hokuriku and Sanin regions.” Gouki nodded and began to outline the status of ongoing observation of anti-government activities and possible threats of infiltration. “We also haven’t identified any evidence of planned incursions from either the New Soviet Union or the Great Asian Alliance.”

“Ms. Mutsuzuka?”

“We’ve seen no unusual activity in the Tohoku region.”

“Ms. Futatsugi.”

“The Hanshin region is business as usual—a perfect eyesore I wish I could finally wipe clean.”

“…Mind yourself, Ms. Futatsugi. Mr. Itsuwa.”

“There is no conspicuous activity in the Shikoku region.”

“Mr. Yatsushiro.”

“The Kitakyushu region is business as usual, though perhaps not to the extent of the Hanshin area.”

“I see. Do be vigilant.”

These reports regarded the activity in the regions each family was responsible for. Magicians affiliated with the military considered the island of Hokkaido, the Ogasawara region, and the Okinawa Islands their turf, so the Ten Master Clans couldn’t easily interfere there. Apart from those, the breakdown of responsibility was thus: The Hokuriku and Sanin regions were the Ichijou family’s; the Tohoku region was the Mutsuzuka family’s; the Hanshin and Chugoku regions were the Futatsugi family’s; the Shikoku region was the Itsuwa family’s; the Kyushu region (except for Okinawa) was the Yatsushiro family’s; and the Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Kii regions were the Kudou family’s. Meanwhile, along with other families associated with the number three, the Mitsuya family managed Lab Three, which continued to provide their expertise to the military’s magicians.

The Saegusa and Juumonji families were responsible for the Kanto region, including Izu, and the Yotsuba kept watch over the Tokai, Gifu, and Nagano regions, as no other family was shouldering that responsibility.

“Mr. Saegusa.”

“There has been an increase in anti-magician activity in the Kanto region. It hasn’t yet reached a level where intervention is necessary, but I do believe we will need to get involved sooner rather than later. There has also been suspicious movement in the Yokosuka area. Saboteurs may be planning to breach the border.”

“Do you concur with this, Mr. Juumonji?”

“As far as anti-magician activity goes, the Juumonji family shares Mr. Saegusa’s assessment. Regarding sabotage, unfortunately we have not apprehended anyone.”

“Hmm. We’ll discuss these so-called humanists in more detail later. Next, Ms. Yotsuba?”

“We’ve seen nothing at the level of the Kanto region, but the humanists are making inroads into the Tokai area. Also, Mr. Saegusa, Mr. Juumonji—”

“What is it, Ms. Yotsuba?” replied Kouichi with a smile that had something besides good humor and politeness mixed into it. Interactions with Maya were the only time when Kouichi betrayed any sort of strong emotion.

For Maya’s part, she showed no concern at his gaze. She always looked back at him with a completely unconcerned expression.

“There has been some suspicious activity around Izu. I propose that we strengthen surveillance there.”

Maya stayed true to form. She merely glanced dismissively at Kouichi briefly before looking away at nothing in particular and giving a businesslike answer.

“Understood. Would you mind terribly, explaining more specifically what that activity entails?” Katsuto stated gravely. Despite being surrounded by people considerably his senior, he betrayed no diffidence whatsoever.

“Not at all, I would be happy to. Last week, a small freighter from North America docked at the Port of Yokosuka, and it is currently anchored at Numazu. A yacht operated by the USNA embassy is currently observing it. The yacht is presently cloaked, and its surveillance of the freighter appears ongoing.”

“Ms. Yotsuba, do you know the precise whereabouts of this yacht?” Kouichi asked.

“I do not. I expect it’s in international waters.”

The reply might have seemed flippant, but this was a case Kouichi ought to have been investigating himself. The Juumonji family was more suited to providing emergency combat personnel. While they shared responsibility for the Kanto and Izu regions, it was the Saegusa family who was supposed to shoulder the burden of conducting investigations within the region.

Naturally, Kouichi understood this, and he smoothly summarized his plan for the situation. “In that case, our family will look into it, given the increase in anti-magician activity. If the freighter is carrying assets meant for humanist terrorist acts, the USNA authorities may be after it. Numazu is in the Yotsuba family’s region of responsibility, but given that the freighter first arrived at Yokosuka, the Saegusa family will provide backup here.”

“Indeed. Thank you for your cooperation.” Maya nodded, leaving room for no further discussion of Hague’s freighter or the yacht carrying Canopus.

With the traditional reports now delivered, the mood in the room shifted.

“Mr. Kudou, I have a matter I would like to bring to this council.” It was, of course, Kouichi who spoke, and his words held the unmistakable whiff of trouble.

“Go ahead, Mr. Saegusa,” Makoto said, seemingly stifling a sigh.

“In that case, I’ll proceed. Thank you for your time,” Kouichi prefaced, then looked to Maya.

A distinct sense of not this again seemed to emanate from both Atsuko Mutsuzuka and Raizou Yatsushiro. Kouichi’s (always polite and gentlemanly) attacks on Maya were, it was fair to say, a perennial feature of the council.

“Ms. Yotsuba, my congratulations on selecting your successor.”

“Thank you very much.”

Both Kouichi and Maya wore superficially polite smiles. Behind Kouichi’s was the provocatively piercing quality of his eyes, which was met by Maya’s unflinchingly cold gaze. For some reason, both of them seemed to be on a war footing already.

“However, I find I cannot approve of the engagement between your son and your successor.”

“What is that? It was my understanding that you consider personal matters such as marriage to be outside the purview of the Master Clans Council. Was I wrong?”

Kouichi replied before any assenting voices could interpose themselves. “Yes, for an ordinary marriage, I would not speak up as I have. However, it’s a different matter when there is a risk of rare and precious magical talent being lost.”

The eyes of everyone around the table, apart from Maya and Kouichi, were on Gouki Ichijou.

Gouki was frowning, his arms folded. From his expression, his inner monologue—Why here of all places?—was practically audible.

“What sort of effect will a consanguineous marriage have on the magic abilities of the children resulting from that marriage? Research into this problem has been ongoing for some time, but there are no firm conclusions yet. Some researchers say it would be harmless, and still others say it might have a beneficial effect. But so long as there’s an appreciable risk of genetic abnormalities, marriage between closely related people has been considered undesirable. And in fact, among the Numbers, even marriage between cousins—which is legal—has been falling increasingly out of favor.”

Makoto Kudou interlaced his fingers and closed his eyes. From the outside, it looked as though he was deep in thought.

“Whatever the trend is, the fact is that it’s not prohibited. There is even precedent.” The irritated voice that spoke up to dispute Kouichi did not belong to Maya.

“Yes, that’s quite true, Mr. Yatsushiro. Just as you say, there are married cousins among the Twenty-Eight. However, in that case, the fathers were only half brothers from different mothers. You cannot equate that to the proposition Ms. Yotsuba has put before us.”

Next it was Atsuko Mutsuzuka who objected to Kouichi’s assertion. “It’s relatively common to see cases of marriage between second cousins or instances where the groom is the bride’s father’s cousin. Despite the greater genetic distance, when these add up, is the risk not much the same as with a closer marriage?”

Despite Atsuko’s eloquent point, Kouichi did not falter: “It’s impossible to bring the risk to zero. This is entirely a question of degree, Ms. Mutsuzuka. My objection to the engagement of the Yotsuba family’s successor is predicated on the fact that their mothers were identical twins, making this a match of cousins who are unusually close, genetically speaking. In other words, they are functionally half-siblings by different fathers.”

Atsuko fell silent. If one ignored the emotional baggage he was clearly bringing to the discussion, his logic was persuasive.

“Marriage between cousins is permitted by law. However, if this is functionally a marriage between half-siblings, one could argue that this is an attempt to use a loophole to circumvent the law.”

“Mr. Saegusa, that is going too far.” It was Mai Futatsugi, speaking softly, who rebuked him for the implicit accusation embedded in his statement.

“My apologies. I indeed overstepped. Ms. Yotsuba, I ask your forgiveness.”

Maya ignored Kouichi’s apology. “So what is it you want to say, Mr. Saegusa?” she said instead, getting right to the point.

Kouichi paused his smoothly delivered position, and from his seat between Isami Itsuwa and Atsuko Mutsuzuka, he fixed his eyes on Maya’s profile across the table. “What I want to say is very simple. I believe the engagement between Miyuki Shiba and Tatsuya Shiba should be annulled and withdrawn.”

Maya turned to him.

The two stared each other down.

Behind the slightly tinted lenses he always wore, something flickered in Kouichi’s one remaining eye—either exultation or loathing.

“I’m sorry, but may I interject here?” It was Gouki Ichijou who raised his voice and doused the rising tension between the other two. “Our family has yet to receive an answer to our proposal from yours. I admit that it is not unrelated to what Mr. Saegusa has brought up.”

“Are you referring to your proposal of an engagement between your Masaki and our Miyuki?”

“I am.”

Maya, at first looking to Gouki, now turned away and let out an exhausted sigh. “Is Masaki not expected to become the head of the Ichijou family? Meanwhile, Miyuki will be assuming leadership of our family. Setting aside the impropriety of proposing an engagement to someone who’s already engaged, I don’t see how what you’re suggesting is even worth considering,” she said with a distinctly offended frigidity.

“I apologize for any offense. But our proposal is entirely sincere. We have no intention of mischief or harassment of any kind.”

“Sincere? What part of give us an already-engaged girl could possibly seem sincere, I wonder?”

“My son sincerely hopes to be wed to Miyuki. If you were to accept our offer, it was my intention to send Masaki to join the Yotsuba family.”

A murmur rippled around the table. Masaki Ichijou, also known as the Crimson Prince, was an exemplar of the Ten Master Clans. He’d demonstrated his prowess in combat when he was only thirteen, and during the Yokohama Incident of 2095, he’d proven himself worthy of his sobriquet. Now at barely seventeen, he was considered a top-tier combat magician.

Gouki was saying he was willing to let such an heir go. The Yotsuba family clearly stood to gain more from such an arrangement. Even Maya had to admit that there was no room in the proposal for an implied insult.

“I see. And yet, I am still unable to grant your request.”

“…May I ask why not?”

“Mr. Ichijou, I can see that as a parent, you are trying to ensure your son’s happiness. But just as you, his father, are keeping your son’s feelings in mind, so too must I, Miyuki’s aunt, respect her feelings on the matter.”

“Miyuki’s feelings on the matter?”

“Yes. My niece is very fond of my son Tatsuya, and it would be difficult to claim that he is indifferent toward her. I want to respect their wishes.”

Mai Futatsugi and Atsuko Mutsuzuka both nodded firmly. Evidently, this particular matter was easier for women to sympathize with.

“And are Miyuki’s feelings unlikely to change? Will she not even give Masaki a chance?”

“A chance?”

“It’s my understanding that Miyuki hardly knows about Masaki at all.”

“Is that not just as true of Masaki? Your son knows almost nothing about Miyuki save what she looks like.”

Gouki winced at the implication—that his son was merely taken with Miyuki’s beauty. But as he couldn’t refute the point, he only pushed harder. “That is why I’d like to give them a chance to get to know each other. If after that, Miyuki doesn’t choose Masaki, then our family will obediently withdraw.”

“Mr. Ichijou…are you aware that you are being quite disrespectful to Miyuki, Tatsuya, and our family? And in particular to my son. I can’t see any way to interpret your suggestion as anything other than implying that Tatsuya is less of a man than Masaki.”

Gouki was at a loss for words. He hadn’t meant to imply such a thing, but he suddenly realized that his affection for his own son had blinded him to the less-than-ideal implications.

Mai, who was normally the council member most likely to defuse tense situations, had no reproof for Maya’s harsh words. This suggested that the majority of the assembled family heads agreed that Gouki was in the wrong.

And then Kouichi trotted out his own grievance again. “But if we set aside romantic feelings for a moment and consider this objectively, I believe that Masaki and Miyuki would make a far more favorable match. Above all, it avoids the potential risks of a consanguineous marriage.”

Gen Mitsuya had listened without speaking thus far, but he finally raised his voice to chide Kouichi, his tone very displeased. “Mr. Saegusa, are you saying that Miyuki’s feelings in this matter are irrelevant?”

But Kouichi persisted. “Sometimes it is necessary to set aside one’s own feelings—particularly when one is the head of one of the Ten Master Clans. Has everyone here not had to do so at some point or another?”

No one raised an argument on this point. All present knew that Kouichi himself had done exactly this.

“And Miyuki is still very young. If she actually spends some time with Masaki, her heart may very well change.”

“That is true… There are aspects of compatibility between men and women that can only be known through actual contact.”

This was the first voice in support of Kouichi. It belonged to Isami Itsuwa. But it was Kouichi himself who was surprised at Isami’s words. He was careful not to let it show on his face, but he was inwardly suspicious.

“I thought there was a good match to be made between Mr. Saegusa’s eldest daughter and my eldest son, but Mayumi and Hirofumi’s personalities did not mesh well, and in the end, it did not work out.”

Just as Isami said, the marriage negotiations with the Itsuwa family had broken down just before the Master Clans Council.

“Mr. Saegusa’s assertion that Masaki of the Ichijou and Miyuki of the Yotsuba would make for a favorable match is a logical one. Their marriage could bring about major advancements for Japanese magic. Given that the Ichijou family is willing to send Masaki to be adopted into the Yotsuba family, it doesn’t strike me as a bad proposition for the Yotsuba family at all.”

With Isami’s support, the sea began to change. For that moment, Kouichi and Gouki finally had the wind at their backs.

But it only took an instant for that wind to die down.

“Mr. Itsuwa, my family is not seeking to gain anything through Miyuki’s marriage.”

Isami looked down shamefacedly. In one clipped refutation, Maya had clearly shown how his characterization was meant to direct the discussion toward the consideration of immediate gains and losses.

Maya continued. “Yes, it’s true that Miyuki is still young. It is not impossible that her heart may change. But if that is your contention, Masaki ought to change her mind through his own efforts. If he has what it takes to steal Miyuki away from Tatsuya, I won’t hold her back. The Yotsuba family will not see her married off, but I would be willing to give up the position of son-in-law to whomever she chooses.”

“So you will not dissolve the engagement?”

“But in exchange, you won’t object to Masaki pursuing Miyuki on his own?”

Makoto and Mai, respectively, spoke up to confirm Maya’s position.

“I am content with that,” said Maya. “And just to be clear, I’ll point out for the record that Miyuki and Tatsuya’s engagement is a legally valid one. There is nothing about it that demands we entertain any objections.”

Mai nodded. “As you say, Ms. Yotsuba. It is a fact that consanguineous marriage involves risk. That said, Mr. Saegusa’s objection exceeds the boundaries of the Master Clans Council’s authority.” Mai shifted her gaze across the table from Kouichi to Gouki, who sat next to her. “Is this acceptable to you, Mr. Ichijou? Ms. Yotsuba has stated that she’ll allow your son to see Miyuki, despite her extant engagement. As his father, there is little more you can do for him.”

“…Understood. I will tell my son as much.”

Gouki and Kouichi abandoned their attack. Of course, Kouichi was not the type to wave a white flag without extracting any concessions at all.

“Incidentally, does your willingness to allow contact and interaction despite the engagement extend to Tatsuya as well?” he asked with a smile, as Maya and Mai’s gazes bored into him. “As Mr. Itsuwa said earlier, things with his son Hirofumi and my daughter Mayumi did not go well, you see. If it were to work out, I would not at all mind seeing Mayumi married to Tatsuya.”

Though the late Retsu Kudou’s magic technique had earned him the moniker “the Trickster,” it seemed that Kouichi had quite a mischievous side himself.

The response around the table to Kouichi’s malicious ploy was one of universal exhaustion, so the Master Clans Council temporarily adjourned. When it reconvened ten minutes later, Maya immediately dropped a bombshell. This was no mealymouthed argument about abstract principles, either, but a truly explosive revelation.

“I have something I’d like to bring to this council’s attention,” said Maya.

“Oh-ho. It’s quite rare for you to bring a problem to us, Ms. Yotsuba. Whatever could it be, I wonder?” Makoto prompted.

Maya smiled pleasantly to Kouichi.

A shudder ran down the spines of everyone around the table except those two—even Katsuto, who had seen relatively little of the antagonism between them.

Maya’s glistening, ruby-red lips slowly parted as she began. “Are you all aware of a man named Gongjin Zhou?”

The moment the words were out of her mouth, Makoto stiffened. Kouichi showed no reaction whatsoever, but that lack of reaction itself was something of a clue.

“Gongjin Zhou…?”

“I assume you’re not talking about Gongjin Zhou as in the Wu general from the Three Kingdoms era.”

Maya, still smiling, shook her head at Atsuko Mutsuzuka and Raizou Yatsushiro’s respective questions. “No, he was a practitioner of ancient magic from the continent, who made Yokohama Chinatown his home base. Taoists, I believe they’re called. Isn’t that right, Mr. Kudou?”

“Er, yes. The ancient magicians from the continent are often referred to as such.” Makoto was doing his utmost to keep his body from trembling.

“Mr. Kudou, are you quite all right? You look rather unwell.”

“No, it’s nothing, Ms. Mutsuzuka.”

As Atsuko tilted her head curiously at Makoto, he turned his back to Maya. “So why do you bring up this Gongjin Zhou?”

“Blanche, the international anti-magic political group. The international crime syndicate No-Head Dragon. The military saboteurs from the Great Asian Alliance who were responsible for the Yokohama Incident. And the vampiric parasites in Tokyo that caused a worldwide uproar. Each of these brought chaos to our nation. That man was the mastermind who orchestrated all of those incidents—or, more accurately, the one to whom the real mastermind delegated Japanese operations.”

A wave of unrest rippled through the meeting room.

There was no audible murmur that came with it—there were only ten people present, after all, and this was no trivial matter that anyone present would whisper to their neighbor about.

But the shock of Maya’s statement was such that it stripped the heads of the Ten Master Clans of their composure.

“Ms. Yotsuba.” Across from Maya, Raizou raised his hand lightly. His university classroom habits seemed to be coming out. “You said delegated, in the past tense. Is that because Gongjin Zhou has already been, ah, dealt with? Or is it because he has already fled Japan?”

“In October of last year, with the help of Masaki Ichijou and Minoru Kudou, Tatsuya brought him down.”

Makoto was clearly surprised. While Masaki had told Gouki about the incident, Makoto had not heard about it from Minoru.

None of the other family heads noticed his surprise, however. Their attention was focused entirely on Maya, and apart from Kouichi, Gouki, and Makoto, they nodded, their expressions concerned.

“Minoru—that’s your youngest son, correct?” said Raizou, who sat next to Makoto.

Makoto managed a polite smile and nod.

Gen Mitsuya offered effusive praise. “Masaki of the Ichijou family, Tatsuya of the Yotsuba family, and Minoru of the Kudou family…such a dauntless feat.”

Mai Futatsugi concurred. “Indeed, it is. I’m overjoyed to see the next generation being raised to achieve such excellence. It bodes well for the future of Japan’s magical community.”

“For myself and Mr. Juumonji, they’re not so much the next generation as they are our junior colleagues—but yes, their promise is clear.” Atsuko Mutsuzuka’s point elicited a smile from the older members.

However, the pleasant mood was quickly dispelled by Maya’s next words.

“Mr. Saegusa—you conspired with Gongjin Zhou, did you not?”

A hush fell over the roundtable.

“…Do you have any factual basis whatsoever for that question, Ms. Yotsuba?” replied Isami Itsuwa in a hoarse, strangled voice.

Kouichi had yet to speak.

“Mr. Saegusa, there is ample evidence that through a subordinate, Saburou Nakura, you made contact with Gongjin Zhou, and in April of last year, you indirectly influenced Kanda, a Diet member from the Civil Rights party, to foment anti-magician activity. Do you deny this?”

Kouichi’s reply was slow in coming. “I would also like to see your basis for these accusations, Ms. Yotsuba.”

“If it’s all right, I have a comment.” It was the voice of Katsuto, the youngest person present, that rose in the tense atmosphere of the room. Undaunted by the eyes that swiveled to look at him, his voice was calm and even as he began his comment. “It is true that Mr. Saegusa encouraged anti-magician activity. I heard as much from Mr. Saegusa himself.”

The gazes falling on Katsuto turned toward Kouichi.

“Mr. Saegusa, is there an explanation for this?” asked Atsuko, her eyes sharp.

Kouichi smirked an unconcerned smile. “What Mr. Juumonji said is true. And what you’ve been told by Ms. Yotsuba is also largely true. But there seems to have been a misunderstanding about the order of events.”

“The order of events? Explain yourself!” Gouki spat angrily.

Kouichi’s smile remained. “It was only after the lull in anti-magician activity that followed the stellar reactor experiment at First High that I used a subordinate to contact Gongjin Zhou. Now that I think of it, that was another of Tatsuya’s achievements for the Yotsuba family. The Rosen branch president was deeply impressed with the experiment, and the winds of change started to blow. He really is an admirable young man, your son.”

“And what does that have to do with anything?” Gouki pressed, irritated.

Kouichi did not attempt to draw out his story any longer or otherwise provoke Gouki. “The reason I contacted Gongjin Zhou was to stop the mass media’s attempts to treat magicians as a unified whole. Of course, I needed something to bargain with, but I didn’t offer him anything that would have compromised the Japanese magical community.”

“Ah yes, that’s right. You cooperated with Gongjin Zhou after he incited anti-magician activity.” Maya briskly agreed with Kouichi. “But it’s indisputable that before that, he caused considerable harm to this nation, is it not? I believe that your willingness to work with someone like that is unacceptable for someone from the Ten Master Clans. Do the rest of you not agree with me?”

Maya’s nonchalance came from her firm belief that this was the real problem.

“Yes,” Gouki Ichijou said succinctly—

“It’s as Ms. Yotsuba says,” added Atsuko Mutsuzuka—

“Unfortunately, I agree,” concurred Raizou Yatsushiro—

“Mr. Saegusa, I advised you against this at the time,” noted Katsuto Juumonji—

“I’m sure you had your reasons, Mr. Saegusa, but…” Isami Itsuwa said—

“I find your actions indefensible,” Gen Mitsuya stated—

“Mr. Saegusa, whatever your intentions, there are people we simply cannot cooperate with. This is a line that must not be crossed,” Mai Futatsugi agreed—

—All in support of Maya.

Kouichi, still smiling, was cornered.

Gouki, Atsuko, Raizou, Katsuto, Isami, Gen, and Mai all looked to Makoto Kudou, whose stance was not yet clear.

But what Mai had said to Kouichi applied to Makoto as well. Though the circumstances had been different, Makoto had also colluded with Gongjin Zhou.

Makoto’s predicament was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“I don’t suppose you’d mind letting me in.” From the other side of the supposedly soundproofed door came the voice of an old man that everyone around the table knew very well.

Katsuto, who was sitting closest to the door, stood and glanced at the others for confirmation. Some nodded, and none shook their heads.

Katsuto walked over to the door and opened it.

On the other side was the ostensibly retired Retsu Kudou.

“It has been quite some time, master. It’s good to see you. But what brings you here today?” Mai greeted him politely. Katsuto offered him his seat, but Retsu waved him off with a smile.

“You’ll have to excuse me. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation just now,” said Retsu, getting to the point immediately.

No one bothered asking how. The proceedings of the Master Clans Council were supposed to be confidential, but it wasn’t only the Kudou family who had ways of learning exactly what went on at the meeting.

“It’s understandable that you all would condemn Kouichi. However, I’d like you to wait before assigning him the blame.”

By using Kouichi’s first name instead of calling him Mr. Saegusa, Retsu made it clear that he was speaking not as a former member of the Master Clans Council, but rather as a simple elder of Japan’s magical community, and that his statement carried no authority but was merely the words of an elder.

“As far as abetting anti-magician activities, Kouichi consulted me about this. And I did not stop him.”

Around the table, the council members looked to one another in confusion. Gouki, Mai, Gen, Isami, Atsuko, Raizou, and Katsuto—everyone except for Maya, Kouichi, and Makoto. None of them could guess what Retsu’s intention was. No—Makoto, too, was baffled as to what his father could possibly mean. Only Maya and Kouichi had guessed Retsu’s mind.

“Furthermore, the Kudou family likewise had a relationship with Gongjin Zhou. Kouichi colluded with him, but they merely traded information—they didn’t take any concrete action. But Gongjin Zhou provided me with the magical technology behind parasite-powered unmanned magic weapons, and using those techniques, I made innocent young people into experimental subjects. If Maya’s son hadn’t stopped me, the consequences could have been terrible.”

The council’s gazes shifted from Retsu to Maya, who smiled faintly. She had planned an all-out attack on Kouichi, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t open to changing that plan. If Retsu was going to cover for Kouichi, she had no intention of ruining their master-disciple moment.

“Compared to what I did, Kouichi’s actions were merely playacting at intrigue.”

“But, master—,” Gouki began, but Retsu silenced him with a look.

“The Kudou family will surrender its seat on the Ten Master Clans. Would that satisfy this council?”

“Sir…” Makoto looked up at his father’s face, stunned.

Retsu’s name meant fierce, and his gaze lived up to that name as he looked toward his son. “Makoto, you are guilty of personally harboring Gongjin Zhou. The incident involving the Taoists he dispatched caused serious trouble for both Ms. Yotsuba’s son and Mr. Ichijou’s son. In truth, this is something you should be saying, not me.”

“Sir…Father!”

“Makoto, I’m disappointed in you.”

It was Maya who spoke up to placate Retsu. “If you are saying that the Kudou family will take full responsibility, then the Yotsuba family will accept that. So long as Mr. Saegusa is willing to make reparations for his misconduct with his future contributions, I am content.”

Retsu was not only covering for Kouichi because of his feelings for his student. If feelings had come into play at all, then it was because Makoto was his son.

Currently, the most powerful group of magicians in Japan was not the military’s magician unit but rather the Yotsuba family—and the Saegusa family. They were the two crown jewels of Japanese magic society. It would be disruptive for the Saegusa family to be expelled from the Ten Master Clans. It was necessary to keep them there, in order to preserve the balance of the families that stood at the pinnacle of Japanese magic.

In order to protect the stability of the Ten Master Clans he himself had created, Retsu Kudou had covered for Kouichi Saegusa. It wasn’t hard for Maya to understand why he would do something like that.

“If you say so, Ms. Yotsuba…”

“It’s true that the void left by the absence of the Saegusa family would be too large,” said Atsuko and Raizou in succession, agreeing with Maya—but her glance at Kouichi was just as cold as ever.

There were no other dissenting voices.

Kouichi simply watched on, his face an unsmiling mask.

“Come, Makoto. We’re leaving.”

Thus ordered by Retsu, Makoto unsteadily vacated his seat at the table of the Ten Master Clans.

“If you’ll excuse us,” said Retsu lightly to the room, then exited.

Makoto followed behind him, shoulders slumping.

The door closed with a thunk.

“W-well, then,” Isami Itsuwa began, his slightly nervous voice seemingly restarting the flow of time. “We will need to decide which family will be replacing the Kudou family.”

“The selection conference is tomorrow. Would that not be a better time?” objected Gen Mitsuya.

“When there’s a vacancy in the Ten Master Clans, the Clans are to choose an interim member to fulfill the position’s duties until the next selection conference can formally choose a replacement. The Ten Master Clans cannot remain incomplete for even a day,” Mai Futatsugi piped up without missing a beat. With Makoto gone, she was now the oldest member present.

“You’re right. Who shall we choose? Does anyone have any candidates to suggest?” Gouki said, looking resigned.

“Well,” began Maya, instantly commanding the attention of the others. “How about Mr. Shippou? Takumi, the family head, is a judicious man, and although he has relatively few magicians below him, he commands considerable financial resources.”

Gouki, Katsuto, and Isami all looked to Kouichi. The antagonism between the Saegusa family and the Shippou family was well-known, but Kouichi showed no reaction to Maya’s suggestion.

“Mr. Shippou, you say? …Are there any other nominations?” Mai asked.

The assembled family heads offered no answer to the question.

“Very well, then. It’s decided—the newest member of the Ten Master Clans is Mr. Shippou. It may only be for a single day, but we should inform him immediately.”

“I’ll go,” Katsuto said, raising his hand, and stood to leave the room in order to make the necessary phone call.

“Mr. Juumonji, please wait a moment,” Mai said to Katsuto, whose back was already turned. “Let’s take a short recess. Shall we reconvene in thirty minutes?”

There were no objections.

The next day was Tuesday, February 5.

Immediately after arriving in the Class 2-E classroom, Tatsuya was paid a visit by Takuma Shippou.

But before Tatsuya could even reply, Takuma’s senior on the club management committee, Tomitsuka, spoke up curiously. “Hey, Shippou. What’s going on?”

“Ah, I just wanted to, er, thank Shiba…” replied Takuma awkwardly.

And his awkwardness was quite understandable. The fuss that Takuma had caused the previous April with his series of duels was well-known throughout the school.

Takuma had subsequently tried to reform himself, a fact both his freshman classmates and upperclassmen were well aware of, but that didn’t erase the memory of his terrible rudeness to Tatsuya from their minds. Takuma coming to see Tatsuya at all, whatever the reason, was sufficient cause for a number of curious gazes.

Added to those were Erika and Leo’s sharp, nasty glances. Mikihiko was also in Class 2-E today, and his expression was just as displeased as theirs.

“Thank me? I can’t imagine what for.”

Takuma’s rescue came in the form of Tatsuya’s utter lack of grudge. Far from it—Tatsuya had seen Takuma’s efforts during the Nine School Competition and regarded the way he’d dusted himself off and got back up quite highly.

“Er…I heard that Ms. Yotsuba recommended my family as the interim member of the Master Clans Council, so…”

“Sorry, this is the first I’ve heard of it.” It was true; he wasn’t feigning ignorance. The fact that there was an interim member of the Ten Master Clans meant that one of the previous members had left. Tatsuya found it difficult to guess at what sort of major incident might have caused such a thing.

“I mean…it’s an interim position so it will only last until today…but still, I’m really happy about it. So thank you!”

His business concluded, an embarrassed-looking Takuma fled to the safety of his own classroom.

Tatsuya considered the various reasons why Takuma would be fixated on his family’s position among the Ten Master Clans. Was it really something to be so happy about?

Different people really did have different ways of seeing the world, Tatsuya realized anew.

It was the day of the Ten Master Clans Selection Conference, an event which took place but once every four years. The heads of the Eighteen Support Clans were all in attendance, surrounding the table at which the Ten Master Clans sat. Only the Kudou family was absent.

“I call to order the Ten Master Clans Selection Conference.”

At Mai Futatsugi’s declaration, all present stood.

“First, as is custom, those with objections to the current membership of the Ten Master Clans please remain standing. Those without objections, please sit within the next minute.”

This was the first stage of the selection conference’s voting process. If even a single person remained standing, paper ballots would be distributed, and a signed vote would be taken. Each vote contained the ten families the voter considered most suitable to be on the Ten Master Clans. The votes would be counted immediately under the supervision of three members from the Ten Master Clans and three members of the Eighteen Support Clans, and the results would determine the new composition of the Ten Master Clans.

Significantly, the ballots were signed. The Ten Master Clans were meant to be comprised of the most powerful of the Twenty-Eight Families in a given moment. However, the criteria for what constituted powerful was not merely a family’s magical prowess but also their ability to contribute to the nation as a whole.

Voting for an unsuitable family would not—as it had once in the old days—result in a family being stripped of its number. Still, the penalty of being seen as a poor judge of quality for the next four years was heavy enough.

The first to take their seat at Mai’s words were the ten people at the roundtable.

Then, one after another, the eighteen family heads around them began to sit down.

When the clock’s second hand had traveled 180 degrees from where it had been, a surprising thing happened.

The heads of the Kuki and Kuzumi families both took their seats.

They had both been expected to recommend the Kudou family, which had been dismissed the previous day, so this move was a shock to those family heads among the Eighteen Support Clans who had been planning for a vote to be held.

The family heads who remained standing exchanged glances.

Then, by ones and twos, they began to sit, like so many teeth falling out. By the time fifty seconds had passed, no one was left standing.

When the second hand completed its revolution, Mai Futatsugi stood again. “Very well. For the next four years, the Ichijou, Futatsugi, Miyaki, Yotsuba, Itsuwa, Mutsuzuka, Saegusa, Shippou, Yatsushiro, and Juumonji families will serve as the Ten Master Clans. We ask you all for your continuing support.”

The nine others at the roundtable stood and, along with Mai, turned around and bowed.

A round of applause for the new Ten Master Clans arose from the heads of the Eighteen Support clans.

Normally, once the selection of the Ten Master Clans was complete, the heads of the Eighteen Support Clans would be dismissed, leaving the Ten to commence discussion of their new structure. However, as they made to leave, Mai addressed the Kuki and Kuzumi family heads. “Ms. Kuki, Mr. Kuzumi, remain for a moment, please.”

“Ms. Futatsugi?”

“Is something the matter?”

“I have a favor to ask the two of you, if you’ll give me just a moment of your time.”

The Kuki and Kuzumi family heads both nodded. Once the other heads of the Eighteen had left, the people remaining in the room were the Ten Master Clan heads and the two who’d been asked to stay—both of whom hailed from families associated with the number nine.

“What I’d like to ask you is this—”

“Ms. Futatsugi, if I may.” It was Takumi Shippou, the head of the family who’d only barely joined the Ten Master Clans, who spoke. “Ms. Kuki, Mr. Kuzumi—My family, the Shippou family, has been honored with a seat on the Ten Master Clans, but we are, to be blunt—We are insufficient. Properly speaking, we ought to move our residence and begin oversight of the Kyoto region in place of the Kudou family. However, that is far beyond what my family is capable of.”

“In that case, perhaps you should ask Ms. Futatsugi and Ms. Yotsuba for assistance? And if Kyoto is the problem, then I believe it overlaps with part of Mr. Ichijou’s area of responsibility.”

Takumi smiled and shook his head at the suggestion from the woman who was the head of the Kuki family. “That is one option, but for my part I would prefer that the Kudou family continue to watch over the Kyoto-Shiga area and Kii Peninsula. Of course, the Shippou family will not be so uncouth as to only ask favors of other families. Might I offer my family’s insufficient power to you, the families of Nine?”

“Understood.”

“Once we’ve consulted with Makoto, I’m certain that we will bring you a favorable answer.”

“I am in your debt.” Takumi bowed deeply, and not to be outdone, the heads of the Kuki and Kuzumi families did likewise.

The Kuki and Kuzumi family heads were dismissed, and the mood in the meeting room became slightly more relaxed.

“Now then, shall we resume the Master Clans Council?” said Mai.

“There are the measures in response to the humanists to consider, yes,” Gen answered.

Gouki preempted the topic. “No, before that, I’d like to hear about the suspicious vessel off the coast of Izu.”

“Mr. Ichijou…that’s an extremely recent development,” Isami said, looking exasperated.

“If it’s a terrorist ship, they’re not going to wait around for us.” Gouki was undeterred.

“I don’t mind, Mr. Itsuwa,” Kouichi said, having regained his usual demeanor after a night’s sleep.

“Let’s hear it, then.” Kouichi may have been his old self, but Gouki had no intention of dealing with him as though nothing had happened. For Gouki, collusion with an enemy of the state was not something to be forgiven easily.

“There was no sign of a magician aboard the freighter that Ms. Yotsuba identified for us. No traces of weapons or ammunition within the vessel, either.”

“And by that, you mean—?”

“There’s a possibility that the explosives were transported elsewhere. The vessel in question may also have been obtained as an escape route, so we plan to continue observing it.”

“And what about the USNA’s movements?” It was Katsuto, rather than Gouki, who posed this question to Kouichi.

“We’ve found some of their field agents—fellows who turned and now work for the USNA—but their tradecraft is not particularly impressive. It’s hard to imagine this is an official operation.”

“So…their real hunter must be hiding somewhere.”

“We’ve confirmed that the yacht Ms. Yotsuba told us about is outside of our territorial waters. Surprisingly, he may be hiding there.”

Isami wore a thoughtful expression at Kouichi’s answer.

“If they’re in the open water, shall I go poke them? If we disguise it as a natural disaster, we should be able to deny involvement.”

“Surely the problem is the terrorist who may have already entered the country, not this USNA hunter,” said Atsuko, taking the opposite side of Isami’s position.

“That is true. While there’s no proof he’s here, there’s also no proof he isn’t. Not knowing where he might be lurking is the worst possible position to be in,” said Raizou, supporting Atsuko’s point. “He could even be targeting the Master Clans Council, for all we know.”

It was surely a pure coincidence.

But in fact—

The moment after Raizou spoke those words, the meeting room was assaulted by a tremendous noise.

Tuesday, February 5, 2097, 10:33 AM

At First High, students were milling about during the break between first and second periods.

Tatsuya checked a message on his personal terminal, and uncharacteristically, the color drained from his face.

“Sorry, I gotta go!”

Leaving behind Mizuki and the other classmates he’d been walking with, he sprinted toward the practice room.

Having gotten permission from Jennifer Smith, the school guidance counselor, Tatsuya was excused from school. As he came out onto the broad tree-lined path that led to the front gate, he encountered Miyuki.

“Did you get an urgent message, too, Tatsuya?” Miyuki asked quickly, her face totally pale.

“Let’s hurry,” Tatsuya assented, wasting even fewer words.

Miyuki nodded and quickened her stride, but a voice from behind her stopped her short.

The Course 1 students who emerged from the exit were Minami, her classmate Kasumi Saegusa, Kasumi’s younger sister Izumi, and Takuma Shippou. All had ties to the Ten Master Clans. And aside from Minami, all were related to their family heads by blood.

“Miyuki!” Izumi came running up to Miyuki.

“You got a message, too, Izumi?”

“It’s not a false alarm, is it?!”

Miyuki shook her head.

Izumi started to tremble.

“We’re going to see what happened. What about you guys?” asked Tatsuya from a step back.

“I’m coming, too!” Takuma declared immediately.

“Yeah, us too!” Kasumi announced, taking her sister’s trembling hand.

Minami came alongside Miyuki, ready to raise her shield at a moment’s notice.

With Tatsuya in the lead, the six students set off for the station.

Meanwhile, at Third High—

“Masaki, what happened?!” Kichijouji demanded, his breath ragged after chasing after Masaki, who’d rushed out of their classroom to the faculty office to be excused from school.

“My father’s been in an attack!” Masaki answered over his shoulder, reluctant to slow down for even a moment.

“An attack?! Isn’t he at the Master Clans Council right now…?”

“Yeah, and the Master Clans Council site just got hit by a suicide bomber!”

“What?!”

Masaki finally looked back at his speechless friend. “The emergency message alone doesn’t tell us anything. All we know is that they’re still alive. I’m gonna take a chopper to the site of the attack. I’m leaving Akane and the others to you, George!”

“R-right, okay! Take care, Masaki!”

“I know, I will!”

Masaki sprinted away, heading not for his home but for the helipad at his family’s company’s office building.

Meanwhile, at the Magic University—

Mayumi bolted to her feet in the middle of a classroom.

“Saegusa, what’s the matter?” asked the startled woman teaching the discussion class.

“I’m very sorry, ma’am—could I talk to you for a second?” Mayumi had an awkward, embarrassed expression on her face as she walked toward the instructor as quickly as she could without seeming frantic. She discreetly showed her personal terminal’s screen to the instructor.

The instructor was about to exclaim in surprise, but Saegusa stifled her with a gesture, then leaned to whisper in her ear. “I’m sure my family members at home are feeling anxious. Since I’m sure my brother is on his way to the scene, I’d like to head home and help everyone calm down.”

The instructor nodded, her expression serious.

Mayumi smiled pleasantly to keep the other students from suspecting anything, then apologetically explained that she had to leave because of a family emergency.

The explosion had happened right outside the conference room. The doors were blown in, and crimson flames licked at the walls.

But the fire was soon extinguished.

“Excellent work, Mr. Juumonji.”

Not a single member of the Master Clans Council had sustained so much as a scratch. Both heat and explosive force had been perfectly deflected by Katsuto’s heat-resistant shield.

“You’re no slouch yourself, Ms. Mutsuzuka.”

The fire had been snuffed out by Atsuko Mutsuzuka’s heat control. For magicians in the heat-controlling “Six” families, putting out a fire that couldn’t even melt steel beams was a walk in the park.

“We should get outside. If we let ourselves get buried, it’ll be that much harder to escape,” Mai Futatsugi suggested calmly as she delayed further oxidation of the building’s materials, in order to prevent the spread of fire and the release of toxic gasses.

“I agree. This appears to be a rather large-scale terrorist bombing,” said Gen Mitsuya with a nod, holding several magic programs at the ready.

“Puppet terrorism! This is an atrocity,” Gouki spat. Puppet terrorism was the term for using human puppets as a delivery method for suicide bombs. The psychological manipulation required to turn a human into a puppet could be done via magic or pharmaceutical means, and there were ways of robbing someone’s control of their body via magic.

The Ichijou and other “One” families specialized in biological interference magic, but magically controlling other human’s physical movements was forbidden. Some families had had their numbers stripped and become Extras for this very crime. For that reason, even though he intimately understood the process of puppet terrorism, Gouki had no way of interfering with the control method and stopping it.

“Damn!” Realizing that the floor was about to collapse, Raizou Yatsushiro activated his gravity control magic. Holding up a wide area of floor that had lost its supports so it was steady enough to walk on, Raizou made the usual flight magic seem trivial by comparison.

“We should hurry,” said Kouichi. The rest nodded, and moving in a closely packed group with Maya, Mai, and Atsuko in the center, they started to find their way out of the hotel.

Facing the human bombs wandering around in the hallway, Gouki Ichijou used Burst. “This isn’t a suicide bombing. They’re using reanimated corpses to carry the bombs!” Gouki growled as he blasted the arms off the bodies to prevent them from detonating their explosives. The attack method was even more despicable than he’d realized.

In order to avoid being buried by the collapsing floors, the heads of the Ten Master Clans had decided to escape by jumping from the roof, so upward they headed, dispatching the bombers as they went.

Gen Mitsuya and Kouichi Saegusa were the fastest at dealing with the corpse bombs. Gen had a technique called Speed Loader, which allowed him to store up to nine programs and release them all simultaneously, while Kouichi’s Octet allowed him to hold eight types of magic from four systems, each program ready at the moment before its activation, then freely choose which to activate based on what the situation demanded. The walking corpses had no chance.

Meanwhile, Katsuto’s Phalanx, a broad-spectrum defense magic, provided perfect protection against the odd corpse bomb that slipped through.

Raizou’s gravity control magic was kept busy managing the collapsing building and preventing its complete structural failure.

Fire extinguishing was handled by Atsuko’s heat control.

Mai Futatsugi dispersed toxic gas and fumes.

With the fires out, the halls were dark, and Maya provided light as no flashlights were available.

Isami Itsuwa and Takumi Shippou had absolutely nothing to do.

It was impossible for any terrorist attack using explosives a human could pick up and carry to kill or wound the members of this group. The family heads had long since realized this.

“The media spin for this is going to be a major pain,” grumbled Gen as he riddled another corpse with holes.

“I can’t imagine there’ll be a way to cover something like this up, will there?” Atsuko said, exasperated, as she put out a wall of flame.

“I’ve gotten plenty of footage of the bomb-carrying corpses, but…it feels like releasing it publicly will have the opposite effect,” Isami agreed. He had given up on his magic abilities being called upon and was instead capturing video footage.

“Maybe so, but I still think purposefully injuring ourselves is pointless,” Maya stated.

Raizou’s shoulders sagged. “I suppose we’ll just have to stay hidden until the outrage dies out.”

It wasn’t clear whether Raizou was joking or being serious, but either way, no one spoke up to disagree.

Tuesday, February 5, 2097, 10:30 AM

The final count of fatalities from the catastrophic bombing of the hotel in Hakone was twenty-two, with thirty injured.

Meanwhile, thirty-three occupants of the hotel were uninjured. Of them, we’ve been told that twenty-seven were magicians.

There has been an outpouring of criticism toward the magicians, who are accused of focusing on their own safety in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

(OOO Newspaper, electronic edition, February 6, 2097 issue)