Once again, it's been a while. Recently, I tried playing LOL again and I was painfully reminded of why I stopped playing in the first place. Cause I suck at it. Horribly so. Anyway, I'm always in doubt about how much info I should give during the story. Like, there are some things that people who watched the anime won't know about since only the novel talked about it or maybe the anime didn't reach that specific part of the story. I know it's annoying to keep reading that information when I write it but I just wanted everybody to understand what I'm saying.
"Mahouka" - speech
(Mahouka) - characters thoughts, explanations
Mahouka - location, time
{Mahouka} - my comments
I DON'T OWN ANYTHING.
Tomitsuka Hagane: he appeared near the end of the first season and was one of the students fighting inside that underground tunnel to help the students being led by Nakajou. He appears again during Double Seven Arc (Volume 12).
Kobayakawa Keiko: she also appeared in the first season, she was the student that participated in Mirage Bat but was a victim of the No-Head Dragon attempts to sabotage First High. She was the one who lost the ability to use magic. Sadly for her, her short talk with Tatsuya was also removed from the second season of the anime. She never appeared again in the novel after that as far as I remember.
Hliðskjálf: in an oversimplified way, it's the system used by the Seven Sages to gather information from all over the world and can only be used by the Seven Sages. It's very effective but has the drawback of leaving "search history" behind. If you looked for a certain information, all the other sages will be able see what information you looked for. Maya is one of the Seven Sages.
Ichijou residence
"I'm here, Oyaji."
{Masaki calls his father "oyaji", which can be translated to "old man" or even "pops". Since I don't know which one was used in the official translation (hell, I don't even know if they used something else) I'll stick with Oyaji.}
"It's good that you came quickly, Masaki. Unfortunately, I do not bring good news."
"...Is it related to the Yotsuba?"
"Yes."
It was not that rare for Gouki to call Masaki to his room. But seeing his father so tense, Masaki could only conclude one thing, it was definitely related to the recent announcement. When the Yotsuba announced Miyuki's engagement, the Ichijou tried to counter it by proposing to wed Miyuki and Masaki. They knew it was disrespectful, reckless even, however, their excuse that cousins marrying each other could result in a big loss for the future generations was plausible. Certainly, cousins marrying was not as risky as siblings but there was still a chance. While Gouki indeed believed that, his main motivation was Masaki. If Masaki didn't love Miyuki, Gouki would just settle for a small complaint at best, he wouldn't try anything like breaking an engagement so he could wed his son to the girl in question.
"Did they refuse it?"
"Not directly. They said that Shiba Tatsuya was going to become a polygamist."
"...What?"
Masaki already expected a rebuttal, he understood that his father's suggestion was incredibly daring (shameless). But he already discussed with his family, they were only going to propose for now, the actual ordeal would come during the next meeting for the Clan Heads. Gouki would try his best to convey his thoughts to Maya in hopes that he could fulfill his son's love, to the point where he was willing to give Masaki to the Yotsuba. They knew that the Yotsuba would go for the safe option and wait for the meeting to directly refuse.
That's why the response that came from the Yotsuba was completely outside their expectations. Polygamy was not something anyone would do, it was not impossible, but definitely not something one would announce to the world just like that. It was like the Yotsuba were showing their cards and daring anyone to play against them instead of hiding their hand. It raised a lot of questions about what was happening in the backstage, since when did the Yotsuba create so many connections with so many different groups?
"Ehhh?! P-P-Polygamist?!"
Masaki could tell that Tatsuya and Miyuki got along well, how well though, was a different story. Masaki could be a little naive but overall he was an intelligent young man, as long as it wasn't about Miyuki that is. When it came to Miyuki, his focus on everything else dropped to 10%.
"H-How could he-! E-Err…..Is Shiba-san okay with this?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't think she was completely against it. Otherwise it would mean the Yotsuba raised her to be completely obedient."
Masaki was about to start (another) rant about Tatsuya. The usual "why is it that guy and not me?" that his best friend, Kichijouji Shinkurou, was used to. But he managed to stop himself from showing something unsightly to his father, instead, he asked if it was something that was forced onto Miyuki. After all, she did not give the impression that she was the kind of woman that would agree to something like this. His hopes were completely betrayed though.
"No way..."
"Masaki, I won't say I understand how you feel, but this might be a chance if we think carefully, even if there is little to no chance.."
"A chance…?"
"As we can see, Shiba Tatsuya has no problem getting a partner. If we tried, maybe we could get Shiba Miyuki-jou to drop out of this."
"T-Then…!"
"However!"
Gouki had a good grasp on his son. Masaki never showed any particular interest in any girl, not even the young lady of the Isshiki Clan (Isshiki Airi, a character from the Yuutousei spin-off). He could tell, from the moment he questioned Masaki and saw him blushing, that he was completely smitten with the princess of the Yotsuba. He also knew that, while normally level-headed, Masaki was also very naive. Keeping Masaki from making thoughtless moves was mostly his job.
"We must act with care. If we are not careful, we might offend the Yotsuba."
"I...I understand."
Needless to say, avoid comments like "you already have so many brides, why not give one to my son?". It was beyond rude and neither Gouki or Masaki would ever say it. But Gouki knew that even if they did not say it, anyone could misunderstand their words as this if they act without thinking.
"Seeing as they gathered allies, we should also do the same."
"As in?"
"We should look for like-minded individuals. I'm sure not everybody was thrilled to accept this. Among these groups, there are bound to be a few we can talk into helping us."
"But where should we start looking?"
"Hm… Normally, I would start with Saegusa-dono but now… He might be planning something but I'm not sure we should get involved in that case."
Koichi being at odds with Maya was not something uncommon. Koichi's slyness was also something Gouki was familiar with. But Gouki's instincts were telling him that rather than betraying or backstabbing the Yotsuba, Koichi was trying to use them. "If you can't beat them, join them". Instead of hindering the Yotsuba's growth, he was trying to tie their growth with his clan's own.
Regardless, Gouki knew very well that while Koichi kept the greater good most of the time, or at least his own view of the greater good. Which is why he was hesitating, joining Koichi if he was helping them would already bring some doubts to Gouki's mind, but doing so when he was against them was even worse.
"For now, I will try to contact Juumonji-dono and Itsuwa-dono. Since their sons were both candidates for Saegusa Mayumi-jou's fiance, I might get their help. They might assist us if they also feel some discontent with this arrangement."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"I'm not sure, Masaki. Do you have any connections with anyone involved?"
"...Not really. I spoke a little to Chiba Erika when I visited Tokyo last time but honestly, I don't think I can even call her a friend, more like an acquaintance."
"...We really have our hands tied on this one, huh? The Yotsuba were most likely trying to strengthen their connections and it seems to be working already."
"Because anyone who could help us is already on their side?"
"Indeed. That, or they already backed down when they saw who they would face had they tried to make a stand."
"...Pops, I don't want to sound selfish but… I don't want to give up."
As a member of the TMS, Masaki was well aware that freedom of marriage was not that likely but he was still stubborn.
"I know, Masaki. I won't give up either. It's the first time my son has ever shown interest in the opposite sex after all. I have to do my best."
"D-Don't tease me!"
Masaki had zero experience when it came to being in love, but he was grateful that his father was helping, even if he couldn't show it thanks to his own embarrassment.
"Also, we don't have much time."
"What do you mean?"
"The Yotsuba asked for a meeting between the Clan Heads in one week."
"With this timing? There isn't much time before the next Ten Master Clans Conference. They could have just waited until then."
"...I believe they want to settle this as soon as possible."
"That is..."
"They won't wait until the next conference and they won't give us time to try anything."
"Such a thing… Couldn't we just refuse or create an excuse?"
"I don't really believe anyone would fall for it. Even if they did, the timing is important."
"The timing?"
"We just sent our complaint and proposition to the Yotsuba and the Yotsuba just sent what we should assume is their answer. If we do not take part in this meeting, it will look like we gave up."
"No way..."
"We have no choice but to do what we can with what little we have, Masaki."
"...Yes, Oyaji."
Clenching his fist, Masaki tried to calm his heart down. He decided to call George to his home so he could at least vent some frustration out by talking to his trusted best friend.
Yotsuba villa, Izu
Same day
"Eh? P-Pixie?"
"Requesting information regarding Master's current situation."
Minami was currently tending to her duties as a maid, she was cleaning the house together with Pixie. Of course, there was an epic (?) three-way battle between Miyuki, Minami and Pixie before they managed to reach a consensus. Previously, Miyuki had an agreement with Minami, Minami could take care of the house, but Miyuki would take care of Tatsuya's room, clothes and meals. But since they were moving to the villa in Izu, which was bigger, Pixie was also moving in with them and they needed to work together in this case.
Even if Pixie was originally just a Humanoid Home Helper, she developed an ego after being possessed by a Parasite and that ego was growing stronger. When Miyuki and Minami first came to the Izu, Pixie tried to take control of the house system. She wanted to be the only one taking care of Tatsuya's needs. They only managed to solve this by having Tatsuya order Pixie to stand down. Even now, they still had a few problems over the right to care of Tatsuya. But this one problem was a little more complicated.
Minami couldn't recall ever being called out by Pixie, at least not like this, out of her own volition. Even if Minami could see how Pixie cared for Tatsuya, beyond what a machine should be capable of, she still had some trouble seeing Pixie with an actual personality.
"W-What did you just say…?"
"I request an update on Master's current situation."
"Err…"
Currently, Minami and Pixie were the only ones in the house. And as far as Minami was concerned, there were no instructions regarding relaying information to Pixie, rather, there was nothing to relay.
"...Could you please elaborate?"
"Master has been absent most of the time in the last few days."
"Well, Tatsuya-sama has been busy lately but it's not like anything dangerous happened..."
"...I request an update on Master's current situation."
(She is repeating herself?! Is she "broken"?! What I am supposed to do in a situation like this?! For now, calm down me!)
Minami was raised and trained to be a competent maid and servant but her upbringing did not include ways to overcome this. It could be said that her slight clumsiness was part of her core, it wouldn't disappear so easily.
"P-Pixie, did Tatsuya-sama or Miyuki-sama instruct you to do something? W-was I somehow not infomed?"
Minami could almost cry if she heard Pixie confirming that she was entrusted with an important task while Minami was left out. "Even though I'm supposed to be the maid, to be overtaken by this newcomer…!", such frustrations rang out inside her mind.
"That is not the case. I simply desire to satisfy this urge of mine."
"Urge? Can you even… no, Is such a thing even possible?"
Minami knew that while Pixie had an ego and will of her own, Pixie was still a "robot" at core. It's not like she could suddenly go "Oh, I feel like taking a walk outside".
"I do not understand it myself. I just feel this unpleasant feeling in my chest. It feels like Master got more distant."
"Ah."
Minami felt like everything made sense now. While she wasn't well-versed in this field, she felt like she could understand where Pixie's urge was coming from.
(...A woman's intuition, I guess?)
If she hadn't been acquainted with Pixie for these past months, she would have doubted if anyone said that Pixie could have something like this. But seeing Pixie's human-like adoration for Tatsuya, she could understand exactly where Pixie's intuition was coming from. But there was no way she could say that Pixie's intuition was spot on and Tatsuya was currently going out with many different girls.
(Call me a failure as a maid, but… this really is too much for me. Please handle it somehow, Tatsuya-sama.)
"I am also not very informed about the current situation. I believe it would be best to ask Tatsuya-sama personally."
"...Understood."
Minami felt that the number of times she left troubles unattended was increasing. She tried to convince herself by saying that it wasn't really part of her duties as a maid, which wasn't necessarily wrong, but maybe she really needed to start working these things out.
Call between Ichijou Gouki and Itsuwa Isami (Clan Head of the Itsuwa clan)
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 5 days
"Greetings, Itsuwa-dono. How have you been lately?"
"Just fine, Ichijou-dono. But I believe the same cannot be said about you, can it?"
"Unfortunately, you are correct, Itsuwa-dono."
Even without saying it, it was obvious they were referring to the recent circumstances, the Yotsuba announcing their next Head and the most recent announcement regarding the son of the current Head. Each one stirred various reactions through the entire world. And since the Ichijou tried to protest against it, anyone could tell it was not going well. Even if the Yotsuba haven't formally rejected their proposal, it was all but said that they will refuse it.
"As you already know, we were against the Yotsuba's next Head engagement."
"Indeed. While I can certainly understand your point, Ichijou-dono. It was rather… inconsiderate of you."
"I'm aware, Itsuwa-dono. But even so, I had to."
"You 'had to'? … Well, while I would definitely like to hear more about it, you didn't call me to talk about this, right?"
"It's as you say. I called you to ask for your cooperation."
"...Ichijou-dono, surely you jest. Are you aware of who you are opposing right now?"
"I'm aware of your concerns. This might be a losing fight but not taking the first step is losing before even starting the battle."
One's engagement cannot be directly influenced by the Ten Master Clans. While the Ten Master Clans do have some degree of authority over common magicians, they do not have the right or power to interfere with the decision of one's marriage partner. They can express their disapproval or try to convince the concerned party to change their mind but they can't prohibit or null it in any way.
Not to mention, going against "The Untouchable" alone would be bad, but against the Saegusa, the USNA, the Kudou, the Chiba and even the Kitayama. Each one a troublesome opponent in their own right. Even with that, Gouki was obstinate.
"...Ichijou-dono, may I ask one thing before that?"
"Go ahead, Itsuwa-dono."
"Why us? Why our clan?"
"Call me naive but I was hoping that, perhaps, you were unsatisfied with the current situation. Given that your son previously engaged with one of Shiba Tatsuya's partners."
"... Well, I'm sorry to say but the engagement was brought about simply due to their status as members of the Ten Master Clans and due to their proximity in age. But even after some time passed, neither showed interest in the other. Hirofumi agreed to cancel the engagement with Saegusa Mayumi and start over as friends. In that aspect, I believed that the next Head of the Juumonji Clan had better chances, but it seems that their relationship also remained professional."
{I'm saying this just in case but, Itsuwa Hirofumi and Juumonji Katsuto were two candidates for Mayumi's fiance. The anime kinda skipped the parts that mentioned that since it was pretty irrelevant to the plot.}
"...In that case, I apologize for making my own assumptions."
"I don't mind. I'm certain most assumed the same. You were just… a little over-optimistic, Ichijou-dono."
"Desperate, Itsuwa-dono. I know who my opponents are, that's why I tried to gather allies even if there was a small chance of success."
"Why are you going so far, Ichijou-dono? I can't imagine it's just because of the risk of ruining future generations potential."
"My son is… smitten with Shiba Miyuki-jou. I know I sound like a doting parent but Masaki never showed interest in the opposite gender. He probably imagined that he would just marry someone for the convenience of our clan. But now, he met someone whom he thinks dearly and that same young lady also happens to be an appropriate partner matching his status. As a father, I wish to respect his feelings."
"...Ichijou-dono, we do not wish to oppose the Yotsuba but if it ever comes to a standstill, we will support you."
"Thank you, Itsuwa-dono."
"The situation may be different, but I do understand the feeling of wanting to respect one's feelings."
From the perspective of someone who's supposed to be a Clan Head, Gouki's words were indeed naive, childish even. But they weren't "bad" and they didn't carry a hint of deception. Since Mio, Isami's daughter, was one of the Thirteen Apostles, Isami could somewhat relate to Gouki. As a Strategic-class magician, Mio wasn't given much freedom, something that tormented Isami for years.
"While short, it was nice to speak with you, Ichijou-dono. Well then, until we meet again at the next conference."
"Until then."
Call between Ichijou Gouki and Juumonji Kazuki (Clan Head of the Juumonji Clan)
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 4 days
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we, Ichijou-dono? You called me to talk about the Yotsuba, is that not it?"
"It is as you say, Juumonji-dono."
"Though I can guess what you aim for, I wish to confirm it by hearing it from your own mouth."
"I called you to ask for your support during the next meeting."
"By 'support' you mean the matter regarding your son and the next Yotsuba Head?"
"Yes."
"And do you have a plan?"
"I do not."
Gouki knew that he sounded incredibly naive but he knew even better that he was no schemer. He wasn't sly like Koichi, he wasn't a strategist like Tatsuya and he didn't have Maya's madness. And since the Yotsuba currently held more power than ever before, Gouki had to use the only weapon he currently had, heart. If Masaki's feelings could reach Miyuki, Gouki was willing to even make Masaki join the Yotsuba. Masaki was known as the "Crimson Prince", he was the scion of the Ichijou clan and had power comparable to an entire armored battalion. It was not a bad deal for the Yotsuba to accept him, or so most would think. Using convincing arguments and pushing forward with feelings, that was the best Gouki could do at the moment.
"Juumonji-dono, I do not have the same wits that Saegusa-dono and Kudou Retsu-dono possess and I cannot move in the shadows like the Yotsuba but I do not wish to simply give up like this."
"Are you moving for your son's sake?"
"That is the case."
"Ichijou-dono, I do agree that partnering Shiba Tatsuya and Shiba Miyuki is risky and I believe that supporting your son is a wonderful thing as a parent. But without the proper means, it's meaningless."
"I'm aware, Juumonji-dono. But I feel the need to at least try, even if nothing comes out of it in the end."
"..."
Gouki was not stupid but he was more sentimental than most Clan Heads. While Kazuki could understand his concerns, he didn't have the same circumstances Isami did.
"Ichijou-dono, I hope I'm wrong but you did not call me to do the same as you, right?"
"Absolutely not, Juumonji-dono. I wouldn't be so shameless."
"I also don't believe you are that kind of person, Ichijou-dono. But I had to make sure."
Kazuki knew that Gouki calling him was not a coincidence. He was called thanks to his son's connection with Mayumi. While he didn't want to believe it, the chance that Gouki called him to help him in an unpleasant way was not zero. The unpleasant way in question is about taking Gouki's side by also asking Mayumi's engagement to be nulled and then proposing to tie her with Katsuto. While Gouki knew he had a point, not everyone could do the same as him, simply proposing to change the grooms, Kazuki was one such person.
{SPOILERS: ~in Volume 16, it was revealed that Miyuki was also an artificial magician, her magic and perfect looks were not natural. Skipping the more complicated talk, because of the changes made to Miyuki's genetics, her future children won't have defects. No matter how many children she makes with Tatsuya, none of them will have any genetic problems so Gouki's point is actually invalid. But that's a Yotsuba secret so they can't really say it.~}
"Ichijou-dono, given the current status, I won't be able to give you a satisfactory answer."
"...I understand. I still thank you for at least listening to my selfish talk."
"I do not mind, Ichijou-dono. During the next conference, I will at least say that I understand your point."
"My thanks, Juumonji-dono. That is enough for me."
And so, Gouki understood that seeking any more allies was improbable. He could try looking for more people but right now he needed either influential individuals or great numbers. But there was no way for him to look for public support since most people would just back down as soon as they see their opponents. He considered searching for individuals inside each group but his moves would be limited and they wouldn't hold the power needed to turn the situation around unless they were its leaders. With his hands tied, Gouki reaffirmed that a frontal assault was the only way.
Inside of a parking lot, in its darkest corner…
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 3 days
"...and I believe that's all."
Little did Gouki know, his attempts at recruiting allies to his cause were all exposed to the Yotsuba just a few days later. It's not like Gouki was trying to keep it a secret but he didn't want it to be the talk of the city. But a certain someone was hired to find out information on "people likely to interfere with the engagement".
"Thank you for your cooperation. Your skills really were as good as I heard, Ono Haruka-san."
Sitting side by side, one on the driver seat and the other on the passenger seat, was an unlikely duo, Fujibayashi Kyouko and Ono Haruka. Haruka was a counselor in First High but as a "side occupation" she worked for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Public Safety. She was a kouhai to Tatsuya when it came to being a disciple to Kokonoe Yakumo, but she was older than him, being the same age as Kyouko. Aware of her true identity as the Phantom Lady, Tatsuya sometimes employed her to investigate terrorist organizations. Right now, she was reporting her findings to her employer and receiving her payment.
"I don't really feel happy even if you praise me..."
"Hm?"
Haruka also held admiration and envy towards Kyouko for her magic talent. They were both from the same generation but as a BS magician {it's not "bullshit", it's born-specialized, ok?} Haruka couldn't surpass or even compare to Kyouko in any field aside from Concealment magic. Haruka knew she was just projecting her negativity on Kyouko but she couldn't help but feel bitter when Kyouko praised her.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go on."
"It's just a not-so-wild guess but… the one who recommended me was Shiba-kun, wasn't it?"
"Indeed."
"...I knew it."
Tatsuya was Haruka's "number one person she didn't want to deal with". Even when her boss asked her to investigate him, she rudely asked for another assignment. Her experiences with him so far were not the most pleasant and while he could see right through her, the same could not be said for her.
"Ono-san, Tatsuya-kun is your student, isn't he? He is also your fellow ninjutsu disciple. You shouldn't make such a frustrated face when talking about him."
"...I have my reasons."
"Hee... I will ask just in case but… you don't happen to like him, right?"
"...Ha?"
At that moment, Haruka just froze, Kyouko even considered using her Thunder Needle to wake her up, but fortunately, she didn't need to.
"W-W-What?! H-How did you even come to such an absurd conclusion?!"
"...Ahahaha. I was just teasing you a little. You didn't seem to treat him as a student so I just felt like doing it. Don't let it bother you."
"Of course it bothers me! I can't let something like that slide!"
"Calm down. I was just joking, ok? Just a little prank. On the contrary, if you keep denying it so flustered like that, I will just get suspicious."
"Urg!"
Haruka felt like hitting herself in the face. She was aware that she had to just shrug off comments like these and cooly say that it's nothing. She would be able to, if only it wasn't about Tatsuya. Her mind was just filled with frustration whenever Tatsuya was brought up and she couldn't help it. She once heard some students joking around, saying that Tatsuya was like a gigolo and she couldn't help thinking how true it was.
While Haruka was trying to calm herself down, Kyouko was silently staring at her blushing face. While Kyouko was a little inexperienced in the romantic field, she could "sense" that Haruka did not feel love towards Tatsuya but it was akin to a work in progress. Haruka clearly couldn't see Tatsuya just as a student or a kid younger than herself. If she interacted with Tatsuya more and on a personal level, Kyouko was pretty sure Haruka would end up "falling".
(Enough is enough, I guess. While I agreed to share Tatsuya-kun, I don't want to add more people. Not to mention, she is his teacher. It would only make the situation more complicated. Let's just try to forget this and make sure Tatsuya-kun won't need to employ her services as much. Though, unlike the rest of us, she didn't interact with Tatsuya-kun on a personal level, so I guess the chances of her being accepted are quite low.)
For one second, the word "mistress" rang inside Kyouko's head but she immediately dismissed it. Tatsuya was not that kind of person and hopefully Haruka also wasn't. Best case, Haruka would just continue being one of Tatsuya's "allies" without getting too close.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your… rebooting but we still have some information to discuss."
"...Don't call it 'rebooting', I'm not a machine."
Thankfully, not many people used that parking lot. Even if security was better than one century ago, there was still a chance that someone might try to approach two beauties just chatting inside a car, when no one else is around. Though, in this case, said person would receive quite a "shocking" experience.
{I will just say it, Haruka Is NOT joining in. I find it amusing how she can't keep her cool around Tatsuya and how she can't see him as just a student younger than herself, but that's it.}
Just some random street…
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 3 days
"Oh my, isn't this quite a coincidence."
"Oh, Good afternoon, Isshiki-san."
A chance meeting between Kichijouji Shinkurou and Isshiki Airi in the middle of the streets. They weren't exactly on good terms but they were also not on bad terms either. Airi was taught since childhood that many people would approach her to make use of her lineage and status. This helped her avoid bad intentioned people but also caused her to develop a high pride and arrogance towards people that were not part of any influential family. While Shinkurou was not part of the Ten Master Clans or the Hundreds, he was still the Crimson Prince's strategist and made a name for himself by discovering one of the Cardinal Codes. Not only that, he was Third High strategist and analyst during competitions, as such, Airi held him in high regard.
"This is just perfect, I was actually thinking about talking to you regarding some… matters."
"...Ok. Then how about we go drink something at the cafe over there?"
"Fine by me."
Surprisingly for Shinkurou, Airi seemed to have something serious to say, judging by her tone. Since they were acquaintances at best, he expected the conversation to end by saying "bye" and parting ways as simply as that. But since he wasn't busy, he decided to at least hear what she had to say.
They both sat down, ordered for drinks and deployed a barrier to block all sound from leaking out. It's not like they were doing anything bad but Airi wished for a bare minimum of insurance against eavesdroppers.
"Then, what is it that you want to talk about, Isshiki-san?"
"I trust that you heard about the recent announcements."
"...Yes, I heard about it from Masaki."
It's not like the Yotsuba announced everything on the news but that kind of information was sure to spread fast. Even faster if you are someone connected with the Ten Master Clans of any kind of authority in the magician community.
"Rather than the Yotsuba, I wish to ask about the Ichijou matter. They proposed to engage Shiba Miyuki with Ichijou-kun but… what was the endgame?"
"...Well, you see..."
Shinkurou was wondering if he should just say that his best friend was giving it his all on first love. Certainly, for the ones that never saw Masaki interacting with Miyuki, it was hard to imagine that the next Head of the Ichijou was giving up his position for love. Even for the ones who saw, it was still hard to accept that reality. Isshiki Airi was one of such people, it was hard to believe that someone of Masaki's status would do this without any kind of benefit or advantage in sight.
"I'm not sure I'm allowed to speak..."
"Oh, I apologize. I didn't mean to interrogate you or anything."
"It's fine. I understand that Isshiki-san didn't ask with ill intentions."
Though it may not seem like it, Airi wasn't really trying to gather information for her family or anything like that. She really was just curious. More like, there was no way she wouldn't be. This involved two people that had and possibly will have great impact in her life.
At first, she was astonished by Miyuki's beauty and aura but as soon as Miyuki said that she wasn't part of any big family or lineage, Airi immediately looked down on her. That soon changed when she saw Miyuki's abilities during the Nine School Competition. Competing with Miyuki improved Airi's view on "common people" and helped keep her own arrogance in check, for the most part.
Now, about Masaki, she respected him for his lineage, achievements as the Crimson Prince and his leadership in Third High. Since they were the leading figures of Third High and no one else could compare, it wouldn't be so strange for them to form a connection. All circumstances considered, Masaki was Airi's most likely suitor, or so most would think, but neither made an effort to approach the other. Airi did hold him in high regard but she didn't particularly love him. Even so, seeing him approach her rival, Miyuki, stirred some agitation in her.
"Well, it's not like it's a secret but… if the truth spreads, Masaki will die out of embarrassment."
"...What?"
"I can assure you that neither Masaki or his father had any second intentions when they proposed."
"...So you are saying that it was purely personal?"
"As a fellow magician, I understand that it's hard to believe but… as Masaki's friend, I have to say that it's just like him to act instead of pondering."
"...So you are saying that Ichijou-kun liked Shiba Miyuki so much that he went as far as shamelessly proposing even though she was already engaged to someone else?"
"...I'm sure that his father had to give him a push in the back but, yes, that's about it."
If it was Airi before her first Nine Schools Competition, she would never believe that Masaki did that. But the Nine Schools Competition jus had that much of an impact on her.
"I'm not sure if I should be disappointed or appalled by that."
"Ahaha… Correct if I'm wrong but...Isshiki-san, did you perhaps…?"
"No, it's not like that. At best, I could say that Ichijou-kun was the 'most likely future husband' but I guess that notion was proved wrong."
"I see..."
"Regardless if it's Ichijou-kun or his father, they both seem to have forgotten to consider their surroundings. That complaint will affect how others see their clan and they are even doing something that could be considered picking a fight with the Yotsuba. I think that their attitude may be one of the strong points of the Ichijou Clan but I think they regret it this time."
"Isshiki-san..."
Shinkurou felt the same actually. Deep down, he also felt that it was not going to go well for Masaki but he couldn't say it. He wished to support Masaki in all of his decisions as his strategist and it was the first time he saw Masaki so passionate about a girl. He wanted to believe that Masaki would do the possible and the impossible to get his wish.
Seeing as their talk was seemingly over, Airi asked for her bill and left. Shinkurou as well, went straight home, without sparing a glance at anything around. "These will be some sleepless nights…", he couldn't help but think so.
In a random park…
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 2 days
The day quickly made a turn for the worse for Hirakawa Chiaki. She was just taking a walk in the park and happened to run into Tomitsuka Hagane, someone whom she was grateful to. She was the engineer in charge of him during the Nine School Competitions in her second year and he supported her many times. Normally, this would be a happy coincidence, if only she hadn't met Chiba Erika right after that. She is the one among Tatsuya's friends that did not ignore Chiaki's antagonism towards Tatsuya.
"Err… It's nice to see you, Chiba-san. But… I was about to treat Hirakawa-san to something as thanks for her help during the NSC so..."
"Is that so? It seems Hirakawa here has something to say to me though."
"...I do have."
"Hirakawa-san..."
Hagane knew very well that Hirakawa held a grudge against Tatsuya and, in turn, this put her at odds with Erika. He tried to play it safe and ask Hirakawa to leave with him so they could all part ways peacefully. But Hirakawa seemed to not want to leave in silence, Erika noticed and responded in kind.
"How did you even accept something like that? Do you even have any pride as a woman?"
"So it was about that after all. Some people are just..."
Chiaki tried to go straight to the heart of the matter, believing she had the upper hand. "Shiba Tatsuya is the son of the current Head of the Yotsuba Clan", "Shiba Tatsuya is engaged to someone who was supposed to be his blood-related sister", "Shiba Tatsuya is going to become a polygamist". Chiaki believed she had so many weak points she could explore. Erika just let out a small sigh and raised her hands, clearly looking down on Chiaki. Needless to say, that pissed her to no end.
"How can you even say that?! Someone like you, who would submit yourself to something like that!?"
"You say that as if I was forced into it. And you do know that I'm not alone, right?"
"It just makes it worse! Why would you people even accept this?! With a guy like that?!"
"Haaah… It feels like an illiterate is trying to teach me how to write. You sure can run your mouth without having the slightest idea about what you are talking about."
"What did you say?!"
"Tell me then, what do you even know about us? What happened for this situation to come about? What do you even know about Tatsuya-kun?"
"I-I know enough! He is just a guy obsessed with his own sister! And a womanizer too!"
"This is hopeless, huh? Still, you said 'Someone like you', before, right? Coming from you, that's funny."
"...What?"
"..."
Erika is arguably the most impulsive one among Tatsuya's group. That fact is known to other students at First High, not limited to their classmates. Even so, Erika was keeping her cool and seeing that, Chiaki couldn't hold it in. "I'm supposed to have the high ground so why is she so calm?!". Something told her that Erika was not bluffing and she seriously was not flustered. Hagane, on the other hand, was nervous. He knew that he was looking at a bomb right now and it could go off at any moment. He really didn't want to imagine it but if it ever got into an actual fight, Erika could beat Chiaki with her eyes closed, pretty badly at that.
"I mean, what was it again? Oh, yeah. I think it's something among the lines [Hey, I'm Hirakawa Chiaki! I don't give a damn about my senpai (Mari) that got injured, I don't even care about the senpai (Kobayakawa) that lost her ability to use magic forever and, of course, I don't care about the terrorists that caused all that in the first place. I just care about blaming this guy who is conveniently next to me since I can't move on without pointing fingers at others.] and that's about it, I suppose?"
"?!"
"...!"
Chiaki received a shock so great that she couldn't produce a sound. Hagane was also lost for word at the mocking tone Erika used. Chiaki's anger reached its peak, however, she found herself unable to utter a sound. She couldn't understand why, Erika though, knew very well the reason. Chiaki deluded herself into believing that everything was Tatsuya's fault because she needed to blame someone she could reach, otherwise she wouldn't be able handle it. Erika exposed that so simply and easily, it was too much for Chiaki. The "accidents" that happened during the NSC left a lot of victims and it was obvious that there was someone behind everything. But Chiaki had no idea who or where they were, so she chose an easier target to vent her frustrations.
"C-Chiba-san! That's going too…!"
"No, it's not."
"Wha-!"
"You've been spoon feeding her too much, Tomitsuka."
"I-I haven't!"
Hagane tried to intervene before it was too late but Erika instantly shot him down (EZ). Despite that, Erika didn't look confident or smug. It proved how serious she was about this, no laughs or grins at all.
"B-But! That guy...!"
"It sure is easy, right? You keep trying to drag Tatsuya-kun down but you just keep sinking further and further each time you do it. Did you ever stop to look into a mirror?"
"I…! I…!"
Before, Erika would have just reprimanded Chiaki a little. But now that she was one of Tatsuya's partners, she lost the need to hold back. It's not like she held back before but now she felt like she could go even further. Tatsuya never minded the badmouthing, even when it was at its worst. But that didn't mean his friends were okay with it. Since Chiaki tried to win the argument by pointing out Erika's relationship with Tatsuya, Erika was going to make full use of it, as Tatsuya's fiancee, she wasn't going to stand down when someone unfairly insulted him.
"Chiba-san! I really think you are going too far!"
"And?"
"What…?"
"Tomitsuka, you've seen how much that girl hates Tatsuya-kun. She tries to badmouth him at every turn and you know that it's just misguided hatred. But what did you do about it?"
"I…!"
"Why did you try to help her now? Because she looked pitiful?"
"T-That's not it!"
"You just turned a blind eye to all the things she did. You don't get to interfere now, Tomitsuka."
"But she never did anything against Shiba-kun! Shiba-kun also doesn't seem to mind, so you didn't need to go this far!"
"Ho? 'Never did anything', huh? I guess you didn't know then. More like, our senpai (Ichihara) asked us to keep it a secret so I guess it makes sense that you were left in the dark."
At Erika's response, Hagane noticed that Chiaki flinched. Erika was talking about the time during the Thesis Competition when Chiaki tried to sabotage First High's presentation. Since Tatsuya was participating, she assumed that if she managed to sabotage or sell the information to terrorists, Tatsuya would panic. While Tatsuya was taking part in it, he didn't particularly care if they won or not. Obviously, he also didn't care if Chiaki succeeded in her plan or not. Regardless, she could easily be arrested if they took her actions into account, as they weren't merely pranks, they were actual crimes and she was unknownly working with terrotists connected to the GAA. Thanks to the teachers and the Student Council, the situation didn't escalate and Chiaki was allowed to keep her freedom, while also keeping her crimes a secret from the students not involved.
"W-What are you talking about?"
"Who knows? But if you really want to know what that girl did, you should ask her yourself. I'm not sure she will have the guts to tell you though."
"...!"
"Hirakawa-san…?"
Hagane immediately thought about denying but when he saw how pale and silent Chiaki had become, he swallowed it. It was obvious that she was hiding something, what it was, he had no idea. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Chiaki, on the other hand, was afraid of losing her one and only "ally".
"Also, what you said about Tatsuya-kun not minding it, do you really mean it? If I just started bad mouthing someone important to you, like your mother for example, would you just take it? If someone started saying bullshit about your mother and she asked you to ignore them just because she did, would you?"
"...I"
"Tomitsuka, Tatsuya spoke for you before so I don't think you are a bad guy but… don't try to play middleman when you can't even pretend to stay neutral. If you really wanted to help that chick, you should have stopped her before she got that far. You let her say whatever she wanted and when someone tried to say something back, you didn't protect her, you just spoiled her."
Like Chiaki, Hagane also fell silent. They both just received some pretty bad reality checks. Erika wasn't really intending on saying anything to Hagane but he wasn't helping. Hagane was not a bad person, he also didn't have a bad personality. But he was more emotional than he'd like to believe, he felt bad for Chiaki and tried to stand up for her, but he forgot to take into account that she brought it upon herself. He tried to settle disputes between classmates but he couldn't see that it was never about "who was right" but "when will the wrong one accept that it's wrong".
"Oh, also… you really should keep your attitude in check from now on."
Even without saying, they knew Erika was talking to Chiaki.
"Tatsuya-kun is part of the Yotsuba and let alone Miyuki, his mother is also quite taken with him. If she hears about you, well, maybe you AND your family will just mysteriously and tragically disappear, you know?"
"...!"
For a moment, Chiaki felt an intense killing intent. It was Erika's way of saying that she won't take it lying down either. Chiaki doesn't believe that Erika will kill her but this isn't just about Erika. The realisation that she may have stepped on the dragon's tail. Erika also made sure to highlight that Chiaki's family will also pay the price. It was not really a lie, since her sister had also committed a crime. She was trying to get information into Chiaki's situation with the terrorists by hacking and sending that information to Tatsuya. It did help Tatsuya a little, but it is still a fact that if he wanted, he could also send her to prison.
"...Chiba-san, is that a threat?"
"Well, it depends on her."
Erika said rudely pointing her index finger at Chiaki.
"It could be just a warning. It would be really good if it remained just a warning, wouldn't it?"
Having said her piece and seeing as Chiaki and Hagane showed no signs of moving, Erika just resumed her walk and ,without sparing them a back glance, she said as parting words.
"For a while now, you have been unconsciously believing that nothing will happen to you. You got too comfortable with Tatsuya-kun's lack of reaction and you thought you could get away with anything you said. There are many people close to him who'd really like to disagree with you."
For a few minutes, that felt like hours, they were just standing there. No movement and no sound either. They didn't even look at each other, they just remained frozen to their spots. After a painful and long silence, Hagane managed to recompose himself enough to speak.
"...Hirakawa-san, are you still up for a treat? I think it could help you calm down."
"...Yes."
Hagane had to literally drag Chiaki, who despite having given a positive answer, still seemed glued to her spot. He bought a pair of water bottles since the coffee shop was full and Chiaki seemed to prefer a place without anyone around. He took her to a bench and they sat side by side, still in silence.
"Hirakawa-san… Chiba-san said you did something, but what was it?"
"!"
"You don't need to get so alarmed. If you don't want to answer I won't pry into it again. I promise."
"..."
If someone had to say, rather than someone who attracts people, Chiaki was someone who pushed people away. Not because she hated people, but because she didn't trust others easily. Hagane was one of the few that she actually put her trust into.
"...If you learn about it, what will you do?"
"...I don't know. I will have to decide after I hear it. But I swear I won't tell anyone."
"..."
"..."
"...I….. got into contact with terrorists before and tried to ruin our school's Thesis Competition, right before the Scorched Halloween."
"! Why would you do something like that?"
"Because... Because I wanted to see that guy panicking! I wanted to see him lose his cool, even if for just a moment!"
"Hirakawa-san, I get that you dislike Shiba-kun, but why go so far?"
"I mean, it's not fair! During the NSC, the senpai my sister was in charge of, got into that accident! My sister kept blaming herself! But that guy saw through it! He managed to save his sister! Even though he didn't save the other senpai!"
"Hirakawa-san..."
Hagane could guess that the feelings Chiaki couldn't release during the talk with Erika were exploding now. Erika was clearly pressuring Chiaki, the fact that she could see through Chiaki only made it worse.
"It's just… not fair. Why? Even though he can do anything he wants, he didn't lift a finger."
"Hirakawa-san… I don't think that's fair."
"...Are you going to take his side too?"
"Hirakawa-san, I've been taking your side most of the time, even when you were clearly in the wrong. That… sermon I got from Chiba-san made me realise that."
Hagane was helping Chiaki because she was "weak". Tatsuya was "strong" and did not need help or support. But Hagane made a mistake because of this. Chiaki was the one attacking Tatsuya without any just cause, at best, Chiaki only got what she deserved but Hagane who only thought about it with his feelings when seeing Chiaki struggling, failed to understand it. Instead of protecting Chiaki, he should have tried to understand her and correct her stance so she that didn't need his protection.
"..."
"But I'm talking to you now, because I don't want to see you tormenting yourself like this."
"...Tormenting myself?"
"Shiba-kun is a student like us. He is not all-knowing. He could only save his sister because he happened to see what happened to Kobayakawa-senpai. He saw and noticed that something was strange, that's why he could prevent the next incident."
"..."
"Hirakawa-san, I don't believe your sister holds animosity against Shiba-kun and I think you shouldn't either. I may be overstepping my boundaries but…"
"...Then, what am I supposed to do with this frustration inside of me?"
"I don't have that answer. But I can tell you this, Shiba-kun won't care no matter how much you hate him, you will just keep making enemies without accomplishing anything if you keep this up. Some time ago, I had a match with Shiba-kun and I lost. But I had that match to prove to someone who was looking down on him {refer to Volume 12} that Shiba-kun was not weak. When I proposed that match, Shiba-kun refused right away because no matter how much the other party underestimated him, he didn't care. He only agreed because Shiba-san asked him to."
"..."
"That's why, please. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your sister. If I had a younger sister that kept building up hatred inside of herself with no meaning, I would hate myself for not being able to help her."
"...!"
"I'm not saying you should go make amends with Shiba-kun but, picking fights with him won't lead you anywhere."
"..."
"I think I already said too much, but… please think about this, Hirakawa-san."
"...Thank you for the water."
Even after Hagane left, Chiaki remained sat for a long time. She kept thinking, about her sister, about Tatsuya, about Erika's and Hagane's words, about everything. She couldn't reach a solid conclusion but then again, if ending grudges was that easy the world would be a better place too. For the time being, she decided to take Erika's warning/threat seriously and avoid glaring at Tatsuya too hard.
Saegusa residence
Same day
"Kasumi-chan, when will you stop sulking?"
"I'm not sulking!"
"Onee-sama, she's been like that for a few days already. You have been busy recently so you wouldn't know."
"Izumi!"
"Sorry, Kasumi-chan. But there is no denying it."
"Grr….!"
"Kasumi-chan, I will say just for good measure but… you can't go attacking Tatsuya-kun at school, ok?"
"C-Come on! One knee to the face at least!"
"Kasumi-chan… haven't you learned from last time? {refer to Volume 12} Also, never mind Tatsuya-kun, if you try something I will punish you later, got it?"
"Urg! But...!"
"No buts!"
Mayumi had just received a call from Kyouko warning her about the Ichijou Clan. All things considered, she didn't believe that they could do much but she was still a little bewildered. She could somewhat see that Masaki was entranced by Miyuki during the NSC but she doesn't believe they got to know each other that well in such little time. That just made it harder for Mayumi to imagine that Masaki was disturbing Miyuki's engagement out of "love". In the end, Mayumi kept racking her brain without reaching any solid conclusions. As a result, she was already a little short on patience and wasn't very tolerant on Kasumi.
"...By the way, Onee-sama."
"Hm? What is it, Izumi-chan?"
"Can I assume that I will get to spend more time with Miyuki-oneesama from now on as her little sister?!"
"C-Calm down, Izumi-chan! And you will become her sister-in-law, not her 'little sister'!"
"Is it?!"
"You are not listening… Well, maybe not NOW, but maybe in the near future..."
"Ahh… It's a dream coming true, Miyuki-oneesama is really becoming my Onee-sama..."
"...Izumi-chan, you do remember that I'm still your Onee-sama, right?"
"It's useless, Onee-chan. Izumi has been like this for some time now. She won't listen to anything when she becomes immersed in her fantasies."
"I see..."
Mayumi realised that, funnily enough, Kasumi switched roles with Izumi for once. Mayumi'd like to believe that was a sign that Kasumi was growing to accept the current situation. Before, Kasumi would have just said the usual "I will never accept this!" but now she was settling with "I have to give him at least one hit!". In a way, Kasumi was also growing up but Izumi was getting "worse" by the day.
"Could you two please tell Otou-sama that I will not be eating dinner with you?"
"Don't tell me you are going to eat with Shiba-senpai?!"
"Is Miyuki-oneesama also going?!"
"No and no! I am eating with Kyouko-san, neither Tatsuya-kun or Miyuki-san will be coming! Don't go jumping to conclusions on your own!"
""We are sorry...""
Kasumi seemed to be growing but her bad habit of assuming things before looking at the situation properly was still there. And when Miyuki was involved, Izumi also became useless to top her twin sister. Mayumi sensed that this was only going to happen more and more often from now on. An impending sense of doom (?) assaulted her mind.
Yotsuba residence
Time left until the next meeting between the clan heads: 1 day
"Long time no see, Sylvie!"
"Warrant Officer Sylvia Mercury First reporting for duty, Head-Captain."
"This isn't a workplace, you can just call me 'Lina'."
"Officially, I'm here to offer my support to you, the Head-Captain. As such, I will save the informalities for the times when we are not exposed to so many eyes."
"Urg..."
Sylvia had just reached the residence when Lina came calling her out. Lina had pretty much settled in thanks to Miyuki and Ayako's help so she somewhat forgot to act like a proper leading officer of the STARS. And, while Sylvia had indeed been sent to give emotional support, she still had to act the part of an officer being sent on official duties. They were still not in Lina's room so there were a few servants watching them and Sylvia believed this was not the best place for a casual conversation. With that being the case, Lina decided to walk faster to reach her room. Unexpectedly, Ayako was awaiting them in front of the door.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I heard much about you from Lina-san. I am Kuroba Ayako, please feel free to call me just 'Ayako', Sylvia Mercury First-san."
"... I am not worthy of such a refined introduction. While also part of the STARS, I am merely in charge of information."
"Please do not mind it. Lina-san has spoken highly of you, as if you were her older sister. Since Lina-san will become family, please do not mind the formalities."
"...I understand. Then, please feel free to call me 'Sylvie', as Lina does. And… in turn I will call you Ayako-san, if that's fine with you."
"That would be perfect. Once again, it's nice to meet you, Sylvie-san."
"Likewise, Ayako-san."
*staaare*
"Ara, what might be wrong, Lina-san? Is there something wrong with me for you to be staring so intently at my face?"
"It's not like there was anything wrong but… Somehow, you really give off a different feeling when you are speaking so formally. Is that your 'business mode' or something?"
"...Please do not say that, Lina-san. I am ALWAYS refined, isn't that the case?"
"..."
Lina recalled hearing from Miyuki that Ayako always tried her best to look refined though if Tatsuya was involved somehow, there was always a chance for the mask to peel off. Indeed, the Ayako in front of Lina's eyes seemed a little different than the Ayako that was hugging Tatsuya's arm and competing with Miyuki. Before they noticed, the three were already inside Lina's room, all sat and chatting peacefully.
"Please do not mind Lina's previous comment, Ayako-san. She is just jealous that you can keep such behaviour. Lina was always terrible at espionage and keeping her cool."
"Wha-! I'm not jealous of that! M-Maybe just a little!"
"Fufufu. Please do not mind, Lina-san. I was also always jealous of Miyuki-oneesama."
"That is not all. During the previous stay in Japan, whenever she returned home, she would always go about 'Tatsuya did this' and she completely failed at keeping her cool whenever he was mentioned."
"Sylvie!"
"Oh, my. I wish I could have seen it. I believe it was an adorable sight."
"Indeed. As her subordinate I felt exasperated but as her friend I felt regret over not bringing a camera."
"You two..."
Lina felt a strange sense of isolation, she had no allies to defend her from such bullying (?). Perhaps feeling that they should get a little serious, Sylvia decided to change the subject.
"Well then, Ayako-san. Allow me to be frank, you were sent here to monitor me, weren't you?"
"Eh? Sylvie?"
"...Allow me to make a correction. You are half-correct, Sylvie-san."
"Ayako?!"
Lina had no idea what they were talking about. Where did that friendly mood go to all of sudden? Why was Sylvie making accusations and why was Ayako confirming it?
"Please calm down, Lina-san. I believe in you and, of course, I believe in Sylvie-san. But there are some uncertain factors hiding in your home country."
"...Uncertain factors, you mean… traitors?"
"That is still up to debate, Lina."
"What do you mean?"
"Just before I left the USNA, we received a message from one of the Seven Sages."
"The Seven Sages?!"
"Yes, I believe that message was meant to be sent to you originally, but since you were in Japan, it became impossible."
Even without asking, Lina could guess that it was from the same person that contacted her during the Parasite incident, Raymond Clark. He did give the impression of someone who thought of hs country or even the greater good. He looked like a child who just found an interesting toy to play with.
"But what was it about?"
"A large quantity of missiles disappeared from one of our bases. The culprit is another of the Seven Sages. A man called Jiedo Heigu, also known as Gu Jie, the Dark Sage."
"Jiedo Heigu..."
"It seems that man was originally from Dahan."
"Dahan? Isn't that...?"
"Yes, that is the nation that was destroyed by our clan a few years ago."
"Ayako… then, the Yotsuba already knew about Jiedo Heigu?"
"Well, Toushu-sama got access to the information regarding the missile disappearance and Jiedo Heigu's involvement from Hliðskjálf."
"I see… But if he is from Dahan, then that means…!"
"Exactly, Lina. His target is Japan. I also received a report that Jiedo Heigu already escaped from our country and is on his way here."
"Shouldn't we do something?"
"We already did, Lina-san. The Saegusa Clan is keeping a lookout on the sea and Kyouko-san is hacking a few security cameras here and there to make sure nothing passes unnoticed."
"You also received permission to engage should the situation call for it, Lina."
"Of… course? I mean, wasn't that a given?"
"Lina, please keep in mind that it was announced that 'Angelina Kudou Shields, a young and talented magician from the USNA military is engaged to Shiba Tatsuya'. Your identity as Angie Sirius is still a secret to all but the parties involved. You are allowed to assist in the capture of Jiedo Heigu but you must avoid at all costs giving away magic or behaviour that could expose your identity."
"U-Understood. But... what did you mean earlier?"
"Oh, when you asked about traitors? It's because there is someone who has been making suspicious moves lately."
"Someone I know?"
"Not personally. Edward Clark, he belongs to the National Science Agency."
"Edward... 'Clark'?! Then he is...!"
"He is Raymond Clark's father."
"Then, was the information also..."
"No, Raymond Clark's information was indeed correct. We believe that he did that arbitraly, without his father's consent."
While they had no proof, everyone who had seen or spoken to Raymond had the same impression. He only gave away information to "spice things up". He enjoyed watching and orchastreting these chaotic situations. Most likely, even his own father had little control over him. With tha in mind, it was easy to imgaine that Raymond wasn't really acting as an enemy but as an overly enthusiastic observer.
"But what is Edward Clark planning?"
"We are not sure but based on what we know about his personality, we... believe he is plotting against Japan."
"And we are supposed to be allied countries..."
"Like Raymond, he also knew about Jiedo Heigu but he said nothing. We believe he may be trying to make use of Jiedo Heigu to do something to Japan. But as we have no actual proof, we can't make a move. "
"I don't like this."
"Anyway, further details will be discussed at the next meeting. Toushu-sama will relay the details to other Clan Heads tomorrow."
"Tomorrow… wait, wasn't there another clan that was opposing the engagement?"
"The Ichijou Clan. Are you worried about Miyuki-oneesama?"
"Well, I can't really believe Miyuki would ever give up on Tatsuya. It's just that..."
"There's a chance that Miyuki-oneesama and Ichijou Masaki will meet."
"Well, yes. Miyuki said she was going to meet with Kyouko to the same location the meeting will take place. If, by chance, Ichijou Masaki also goes to the meeting..."
"Wouldn't that be fine too? Miyuki-oneesama would have an early chance of rejecting him."
"Ahaha…. I guess."
Lina never met Masaki but she suddenly felt a huge amount of pity for him. She decided not to give it much thought since Miyuki likely rejected countless guys before in favor of Tatsuya, just never a guy with Masaki's status. Tatsuya said he was busy with some experiments tomorrow, "maybe I should guard Miyuki then?", so she thought. To Minami's dismay, that small thought became reality.
You see, I actually thought Tomitsuka was a level-headed guy when I first saw him in action in Volume 12, but he really dissapointed me with his actions in Volume 23. To put it simply, he did the same thing Hirakawa does all the time, he conviently blamed Tatsuya for something and blinded himself from the obvious truth.