Because Magic High School had its own personal station in the tram system, it was not unusual for students to ride and then walk to school together without having planned to meet up beforehand. Mizuki, Erika, and Leo had done just that and then run into Tatsuya and Miyuki as they were getting off of the tram. Even though they had not known each other for long, the group of five got along well. Tatsuya smiled slightly as they exchanged greetings. Walking to school with friends was not a bad way to begin the day, he thought.

"Tatsuya-kun, do you know the President?" asked Mizuki suddenly.

Tatsuya furrowed his brow slightly, and answered hesitantly, "We met for the first time during the entrance ceremony... so, yes."

"Really?" asked Leo, "It certainly didn't look like a first meeting!"

"It was as if she was looking specifically for you," chimed in Erika.

Tatsuya had enough confidence in his memory to say that he had definitely never met Saegusa Mayumi before the entrance ceremony. But, he conceded, they did have a point. She had been extremely familiar with him as if they had been acquaintances. Tatsuya shrugged, saying, "Maybe it was because Miyuki is the freshman representative?

At this, Miyuki shook her head, "But she mentioned your name specifically, Onii-sama."

Before they could continue, a loud voice sang out from behind them, the volume making Tatsuya wince slightly, "Tatsuya-kun!" As if she had been summoned, Saegusa Mayumi herself jogged over to the group, her eyes twinkling brightly. Her dark hair fell in waves down her back, most of it held out of her eyes by a black-and-white ribbon tied in a neat bow on the back of her head. When she reached the group, she brushed her hair over shoulder and said with a dazzling smile, "Tatsuya-kun! Good morning!" She turned to Miyuki, bowing her head politely and greeted her as well, "And Miuki as well. Good morning."

"Good morning," replied Tatsuya and Miyuki with polite bows. The other three exchanged very polite and reserved greetings with the President, slightly timid in her presence.

"Are you alone, President?" asked Miyuki, even though it was quite obvious there was no one with her.

"There isn't really anyone who walks with me to school in the morning," confirmed the President matter-of-factly. "Actually, may I walk with you all?" she continued, "I would like to speak with Miyuki about a few things."

"Um..." began Miyuki, glancing around at the group hesitantly, "If it's quite alright..."

"Oh, it's not like the topic is a secret," said Mayumi lightly, waving her hand casually in the air. "Or," she added with a knowing smile to Erika, Leo, and Mizuki who were trying to discreetly and diplomatically walk away, "would you prefer to talk at a later time?" The three froze with sheepish smiles, as Tatsuya stepped in to relieve the sudden pressure in the air.

"President," he began, his tone betraying no sign of emotion, "I feel as if your attitude towards one of us is slightly different... Or is that just my misinterpretation?"

Leo, Erika, and Mizuki were mortified at his directness, immediately chorusing, "Of course not!" accompanied by emphatic head shakes and arm movements.

However, at the same moment, Mayumi herself smiled and nodded. "Is that so?" she asked lightly through her smile.

Tatsuya frowned slightly. Was she incorrigible?

Before things could devolve any further, Miyuki frantically changed the topic back to herself. "Is the subject you wish to speak about the Student Council?" she asked Mayumi.

"Right," she answered, "I meant to find an opportunity to speak with you in detail... Do you have any plans during lunch break?"

"I plan on eating in the cafeteria."

"With Tatsuya-kun?"

"No," replied Miyuki lowering her head and voice slightly as she remembered the events of yesterday, "Onii-sama and I are in different classes."

Mayumi nodded her understanding, saying, "There are quite a lot of students that care about these little things." She continued, "But, in that case, would you care to join me in the Student Council room for lunch? If you don't mind bentos, the room has an automatic meal dispenser."

At this, even the normally stoic Miyuki raised her voice in amazement, "The Student Council Room is equipped with the Dinner Server Module?"

Mayumi chuckles slightly, explaining, "I don't really want to talk about it too much before entering the Student Council room, but it is for students working late into the day." She grins rather mischievously, adding, "And, since it's the Student Council room, it is not a problem if Tatsuya-kun tags along as well."

At her teasing tone and behavior, Tatsuya inwardly sighed. Everything she said threatened to give him a headache as he thought tried to notice what she really meant. It was best to keep some distance between them, he decided. "Speaking of problems," he began bluntly, "there is one. There seems to be some conflict between myself and the Vice-President. I'm terribly sorry." Tatsuya had guessed that the male student who had been glaring at him during his brief run-in with the President during the entrance ceremony was the Vice-President. If he went to the Student Council room, there would undoubtedly be some conflict.

"The Vice-President?" asked Mayumi, tilting her head to one side. Then she clapped her hands lightly and said, "If it's Hanzou-kun, you don't have to worry about it. There won't be a problem."

"But even so..." began Tatsuya, searching desperately for something to keep him out of the Student Council room.

"Hanzou-kun will be in the clubroom for lunch break," said Mayumi with a smile as if that settled things. "In that case," she continued, her broad smile remaining fixed in place as she turned to the other three, "everyone can come as well. Letting everyone know about the Student Council's activities is one of our duties as well."

Despite the atmosphere and situation, Erika said, "Even though it's a rare opportunity, I think we'll pass."

At this unexpected response*, the air thickened, and Tatsuya stared at Mayumi, waiting for her reaction. After that obvious refusal, it would be near impossible for Erika, Leo, and Mizuki to smooth things over with Mayumi.

However, the broad smile on Mayumi's face did not falter for a second. "Is that so?" she asked, her light tone unchanged from earlier. Tatsuya shook his head in amazement. Was she actually this dense or did she perhaps understand something the rest of them did not?

"In that case," she continued smoothly, "just the two of you then."

What do I do? Miyuki asked Tatsuya silently, her eyes wide. Tatsuya sighed in defeat. Up until that moment, he might have been able to get away with a refusal, but, after Erika's response, there was no way to smoothly decline.

"I understand," he said, his calm voice belying the frustration he felt at having been roped into agreeing, "Miyuki and I will be intruding on you then."

"Excellent," replied Mayumi, her face impossibly brightening, "Then the details can wait until later. I'll wait for the two of you!" Turning quickly, she left them with a spring in her step.

In contrast, the footsteps of the five who watched Mayumi leave became quite heavy. Tatsuya sighed once more in her wake, feeling a headache approaching.

-O-

*Note: In Japanese culture, it is very rare to outright refuse something. In many cases, it is considered rude to do so. Instead of outright refusing something, it is more common to say something like, "That is a little inconvenient." or even just "That is a little..." A response like that will be understood as a refusal unless followed by a suggestion for a different time or activity or something. That and the fact that the one inviting them has seniority over them is why Erika's response creates a really awkward atmosphere here.

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Lunch break arrived too soon. Tatsuya's dread increased with every step, his footsteps dragging more and more as they climbed the flights of stairs to the Student Council room. Miyuki, however, was the complete opposite of Tatsuya; her footsteps remained light and energetic. In consideration of his sister's joy, Tatsuya chose not to complain, and steeled himself to face whatever may come.

The Student Council room was at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor, made obvious by a big white sign hanging on the door. A speaker was embedded on the wall next to the door, and several cleverly disguised safety devices lined the frame and the surrounding wall.

Since Miyuki had been the one originally invited, she stepped up to the speaker, pressing a button to request entry. A cheerful voice beckoned them to enter, and the door unlocked with a sound so slight it was practically silent. Out of habit, Tatsuya opened the door, using his body to shield Miyuki as he checked the inside. Even they both knew the probability that something was going to happen that required that level of caution was extremely low, neither thought it odd to enter in this way. This behavior was simply so deeply ingrained in them that it became natural.

Of course, nothing happened, and Mayumi beckoned them inside with a pleased smile, "Welcome! Please, come in. Don't mind us."

Mayumi was sitting at the opposite end of a long, wooden table positioned in the middle of the room and directly in front of the door. Three others sat in a row along the right side of the table, two from the Council, and the other from Public Moral Committee. The council member closest to the siblings had light brown curls that framed her face, and a petite figure that made her seem younger than the rest of them. Her green eyes sparkled with barely-suppressed curiosity and amazement as Miyuki executed a textbook-perfect bow of formality.

Sitting to that girl's right was the representative from the Public Moral Committee, Watanabe Mari, who seemed just as curious and overwhelmed by Miyuki's formality as the rest of them. Her dark brown hair barely covered the tips of her ears, giving her a boyish and confident look. She blinked her light-brown eyes, her mouth slightly open as if she were searching for some way to respond.

Finally, the one farthest from the two siblings at the door and closest to the President was the second council member. She seemed unimpressed by the two of them; her straight black hair draped over her shoulder as she pointedly ignored them, instead looking coolly at the President. Even so, Tatsuya could tell even she was a little bit intimidated by his sister's introduction.

To break the tense atmosphere created by Miyuki's perfect bow, Mayumi reacted almost instantly. "Eh," she said, waving them in, "There's no need to be so formal." She spoke quickly, perhaps even she was feeling the pressure from Miyuki. Tatsuya almost smiled. Miyuki seemed to be quite motivated today, he thought with pride.

"Please sit," continued Mayumi, the intimate friendliness in her voice seemingly having been washed away in Miyuki's wake, "We can eat while we talk."

Normally, Miyuki would insist that Tatsuya take a seat closer to the head of the table than her, but she settled for the the seat directly to the right of the President since she was the focus of today's meeting. Tatsuya pulled the chair out for her then sat down next to her.

"Meat, fish, or vegetarian," prompted Mayumi, "Which do you prefer?"

Tatsuya replied with vegetarian, and Miyuki followed suit. The youngest member, most likely the second-year secretary, if Tatsuya remembered correctly, got up and activated the large, silver, cabinet-like machine lined up against the wall behind Tatsuya and Miyuki, inputting their orders. Then she made her way back around the table to her seat.

After regaining her bearings, Mayumi began, "We have already introduced ourselves once at the enrollment ceremony, but, just in case, let's go over them again. To my left here is our Accountant, Ichihara Suzune, also known as Rin-chan."

The stern-faced accountant sighed, "You're the only one who every calls me that, President." Even despite her cool demeanor, her long limbs and willowy frame gave her an air of grace and beauty.

"I believe you should already know who's sitting next to her," continued Mayumi, "You have already met the chair of the Public Moral Committee, Watanabe Mari." The person in question acknowledged them with a slight nod, but did not say anything.

"And following her is our Secretary, Nakajou Azusa. Also known as A-chan."

At that, the petite Azusa looked up, her round face, petite figure, and shining round eyes making her seem like a child about to cry. "President!" she exclaimed in a petite voice befitting her appearance, "Please don't call me A-chan in front of the underclassmen. I have my position to think of, too!"

"The last one would be Vice President Hanzou," finished Mayumi, "And that makes up all the members of the Student Council Committee."

"Which I am not a part of," interjected Mari, her first words of the meeting.

"Ah, yes. Mari is not a part of the Student Council," acknowledged Mayumi with a nod. Before she could elaborate, however, the Dinner Server Module let out a ding to indicate it had finished preparing the meals. Tatsuya turned to the machine as the cover opened, presenting five neat and proper meals, almost identical. We're short one, thought Tatsuya. Even as he was thinking of a solution, Mari quietly took out a hand-made bento box for herself.

Seeing Azusa stand up, Miyuki stood as well, grabbing both her meal and Tatsuya's. Azusa put her own tray on the table then brought over Mayumi's and Suzune's as well.

Without a topic to focus on, Miyuki tried to break the ice with a question, "Did you make that bento yourself, Watanabe-senpai?"

"Yes," replied Mari almost defensively, "Are you surprised?"

Shocked by her quick answer, Miyuki fumbled for an answer, "No, just a little..."

"I see," interjected Tatsuya before his sister could finish, his voice indicating doubt as he pointedly eyed Mari's perfectly clean fingers. Those were not the hands of someone who cooked often nor someone who could make a bento as neat as hers, he thought. Noticing his stare, Mari self-consciously rubbed her hands together, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Let's start bringing bentos of our own tomorrow," said Miyuki brightly, as if nothing had happened, releasing the pressure.

Immediately, Tatsuya turned to Miyuki, following her suit and politely not pressing the matter with Mari. "Your bentos are certainly incredible," he said, "but is there anywhere we could eat them?"

"Oh, yes," realized Miyuki glumly, "We need somewhere to eat them."

To onlookers unaccustomed to the strong relationship between the two siblings, the two's dialogue and atmosphere might seem more like lovers than siblings.

Suzune, making this observation, said with a dry smile, "Just like a pair of lovers, you two."

"Is that so?" responded Tatsuya glibly, "If we weren't siblings, then we would be lovers, is that what you think?"

As the Secretary Azusa's eyes widened and everyone's face reddened, Tatsuya clarified with a dry smile, "Of course, that was a joke."

"You," said Mari exasperatedly, "are quite boring!"

"I think so, too," responded Tatsuya immediately, calmly nodding his head in agreement.

"Ok, ok! Let's leave end this subject here," intervened Mayumi, foreseeing how that conversation could devolve perpetually. "Mari," she continued, "I know it's tough to swallow, but Tatsuya-kun is a difficult person to handle."

After a moment, Mari conceded with a slight smile, "That's true. I take back my earlier comment. You are an interesting guy, Tatsuya-kun."

Tatsuya inwardly sighed as Mari picked up Mayumi's habit of calling him by his first name.

As they finished eating, Mayumi clapped her hands together lightly, saying, "It's about time we get to the point." Everyone nodded in agreement, and Mayumi continued, "Because our school places heavy emphasis on self-determination, the Student Council has been granted vast powers within the confines of the school. And this is not just our school. Most public high schools have adopted a similar method."

With the victory in the Okinawa Defense Battle three years ago and the subsequent rise in international voice, the old management-centric style of society that led to diplomatic disadvantages and internal unrest was swept out in favor of self-determination. However, in time, there was another reverse with a portion of private high schools adopting a harsh management-centric philosophy. Tatsuya, however, favored more the principle of self-determination.

"Our Student Council uses the traditional method of concentrating the power and authority in the president. This presidential style can also be described as extreme centralization. The president is elected by the student body, the other members are selected by the president. With a few exceptions, the president has the right of appointment and removal of all officers."

At these words, Tatsuya felt a slight sense of unease, although he showed no outward sign of it as that would be discourteous to Mayumi, the current president.

Mari took over the explanation, saying, "My position as the Chair of the Public Moral Committee is one of those exceptions. The Student Council, the Club Management Group, and the teachers each select a representative to determine this position."

"And because of this," said Mayumi, taking back the reigns, "Mari holds the same authority I do on some level. Under the rules, the president has a term period, but the others do not. The term lasts from October first to September 30 of the next year. Between this time, the president has the right of appointment and removal for all officers."

Tatsuya nodded his understanding without interrupting the president.

Mayumi continued, finally getting to the reason she had invited Miyuki and Tatsuya to lunch, "There is an annual tradition to invite the 1st Year representative to the Student Council, with the intent of training them to become the successor. Hopefully, the 1st Year representative will be elected to be the next Student Council President. Although it is not a guarantee, this has been the case for the past 5 years."

"So, President Mayumi, you were also a first-year representative?" noticed Tatsuya, "Quite impressive."

To Tatsuya's surprise, Mayumi blushed, stammering out her thanks to his obvious flattery. Tatsuya narrowed his eyes, unsure if she was faking her easily-embarassed self or always-two-steps-ahead self.

"So," Mayumi continued after the color left her cheeks, "I'd hoped you would join the Student Council, Miyuki. Are you willing to accept?"

Taking a deep breath, Miyuki looked down at her hands. After a moment, she glanced at Tatsuya, a question glistening in her eyes. What do you think I should do?

Tatsuya shrugged his shoulders. He would rather neither he nor her get so involved, but the decisions was hers, so he nodded slightly. It's up to you.

Once again, Miyuki looked down at her hands. She took a deep breath as if preparing herself before looking up at everyone, her face set determinedly. "President," she said, "Are you aware of Onii-sama's entrance exam scores?"

At this completely unexpected development, it was all Tatsuya could do to remain silent. What are you trying to do? He tried asking with a frown, but Miyuki pointedly ignored him.

After a thoughtful moment, Mayumi answered slowly, "I do know of it. Truly incredible... To be honest, when I stole a glance at the teacher's results, even I lost confidence."

"Then if the Student Council accepts students with high test scores and outstanding abilities, I believe Onii-sama fits the criteria as well."

As Miyuki paused to move on to her next point, Tatsuya took the opportunity to head her off before things got any more complicated, saying, "Wait, Mi..."

"And in terms of Desk Work, or Theoretical Manipulation," continued Miyuki as if Tatsuya hadn't said anything at all, "I believe that has nothing to do with practical skills or grades. For that, at least, knowledge and judgement are more important."

Tatsuya was shocked into silence. It was a rare occurrence for Miyuki to cut anyone off, let alone him.

"I am honored to have received an invitation to join the Student Council," finished Miyuki, "I would be more than happy to accept even the lowest position, but is there any way Onii-sama could join?" She did her best to turn this into a deferential question, but it was obvious to everyone present that it was an ultimatum. Tatsuya wanted to cover his face and look skywards. Miyuki should know that blatant nepotism like this would only lead to others' discomfort.

"Sorry. That is not possible," quietly and apologetically answered the Accountant, Suzune, "Student Council Members must be selected from Course One students. This is the only clause that is attached to the right of appointment and removal for the president. A special amendment meeting with the attendance of the full student body and approval by a two-thirds majority is required to change this. And since the number of Course one and Course two students are practically equal, meeting those conditions is realistically impossible."

In response to Suzune's logical and apologetic explanation, Miyuki rose to her feet and bowed deeply to apologize. "I am sorry," she said, her voice artificially calm and collected, "I said all of that without understanding the situation. Please forgive me."

No one reprimanded her, sympathetic to her cause. As Miyuki sat back down, Mayumi said, "In that case, Miyuki, you will join the Student Council with the title of secretary. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes," replied Miyuki, bowing her head politely, "I will work hard to fulfill my duties. Please look after me."

Mayumi nodded, and said with a smile, "You can get the details from A-chan."

"As I just said, President," cried Azusa in response to her name, "... Please stop calling me A-chan..."

"If there are no complications, can you come today after school?" Mayumi continued, completely ignoring Azusa's protests.

Sensing she was about to turn to him, Tatsuya said shortly, "Miyuki." He nodded in agreement with Mayumi's suggestion.

Miyuki nodded as well, saying, "I understand. Then, should I come here after school?"

"Yes, that would be fine. I'll wait here for you, Miyuki."

"Hey~" interjected Azusa, "Why am I called A-chan, but you still call Shiba-san 'Miyuki'?"

On some level, this was a valid question, but Azusa was once again ignored as Mari raised her hand with a thought. Tatsuya was beginning to pity her a little.

"May I say something?" asked Mari. When everyone's attention was on her, she continued suggestively, "The roster for the Public Moral Committee still has one empty spot that has not been filled."

"There's no need to hurry, Mari," said Mayumi, "We are still reviewing possible candidates and school only started a week ago."

"I think," Mari continued, "according to the rules of the student council, all members aside from the president must be Course 1 students, right?"

"Yes," answered Mayumi shortly.

"And only Course 1 students are allowed to fill the positions of Vice President, Accountant, Secretary, and related roles, right?"

"Yes. The rules stipulate that the council is made up of the President, Vice president, Accountant, and Secretary roles."

"In other words, there is no restriction for bringing a Course 2 student into the Public Moral Committee."

"Mari, you..." began Mayumi before trailing off, her eyes wide in surprise. Suzune and Azusa stared at Mari in surprise, while Tatsuya shook his head. It seemed Mari was quite the practical joker; there was no way they would accept such a blatant bending of the rules.

However, just as Tatsuya was thinking it would never happen, Mayumi cried out, "Nice, Mari!"

Tatsuya couldn't help but let out an "Ah?" of surprise in response to Mayumi's enthusiastic response.

"Yes," continued Mayumi, "There's no problem with the Public Moral Committee! Mari, the Student Council nominates Shiba Tatsuya as a Public Moral Committee member."

Within an instant, Tatsuya had been pulled into what promised to be a troubling business. As everyone nodded there head as if the matter had been settled, Tatsuya raised his voice in protest, "Wait a minute! Shouldn't you take into account my thoughts on the matter? And you haven't even told me what a duties of a Public Moral Committee are."

Suzune immediately shot down Tatsuya's objection, pointing out, "We didn't really go into detail about your sister's duty on the Student Council, either."

"That's true, but..." replied Tatsuya slowly, searching for something else to use.

Mayumi cut in before he could say anything else. "Tatsuya-kun, the job of a Public Moral Committee member is to uphold the public moral on campus," she said as if that explained everything.

When it became obvious she wasn't going to elaborate, Tatsuya prompted, "Is that all?"

With a bright smile, Mayumi said, "While the job doesn't come with any sense of accomplishment and is also quite troublesome... um... it's also quite rewarding, I think."

"That wasn't what I meant," said Tatsuya, doing his best to hide his exasperation.

"Hm?" said the President, feigning confusion.

Giving up on getting anything real from Mayumi, Tatsuya turned his gaze to the other three members. Suzune gave him a pitying look, but made no move to help him out of this whole. Mari, for her part, was looking on in amusement. He would get no help from her. His gaze settled on Azusa, who started when his eyes made contact with hers. He locked his stare on her, and she began to fidget, looking left and right, desperate for an escape.

Finally, just as Tatsuya predicted, Azusa gave in to the pressure and explained, "Um... Our school's Public Moral Committee is an organization that is responsible for policing those who break the rules. In terms of public morals, they usually consist of things like uniform regulations or tardiness, but these are usually handled by the members appointed by the Self-Governing Committee."

Tatsuya was beginning to become a little concerned for his future job duties.

"...Um... Do you have any questions?"

"No. Please continue."

"Ah, OK," replied Azusa timidly before continuing as if reading from a textbook, "The primary duties of the Public Moral Committee are to identify those that use magic against school rules and to subjugate those that use magic on campus to cause a disturbance. After the Public Moral Committee member decides the necessary punishment, he or she will present before the Disciplinary Committee alongside the President and Student Representative. In short, they are both the police and the prosecutor."

"Isn't that wonderful, Onii-sama," chimed in Miyuki, her delight evident in her voice.

"No, Miyuki," Tatsuya sighed exasperatedly, "Please wait a little before deciding that I am going to accept. Just in case, let me clarify a few things."

"Clarify what?" asked Azusa.

"According to the earlier explanation, the Public Moral Committee member's mission is to halt any conflicts upon discovery, correct?" Tatsuya asked, looking to Mari for confirmation.

"Well, that's true," said Mari, nodding, "We also intercede on non-magical conflicts."

"Also, if magic was used, our intervention is mandatory?"

"If possible, it would be best if the conflict was resolved prior to the use of magic."

"That's my point!" exclaimed Tatsuya, his voice finally rising to match his exasperation, "My technical grade is terrible. And, on top of that, I'm a Course 2 student!" This task obviously required magical prowess in order to overwhelm the opponent. It was not a job suited for a Course 2 student with terrible technical skills.

However, Mari shook her said, saying, "It's not a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"In competitions of power, I will handle it," Mari said, glancing at the clock, "However, lunch break is almost over. Let's continue this conversation after school. Any objection?"

After a moment of silence, Tatsuya conceded, saying, "I understand."

"Then, we'll meet again here," she said.

Suppressing his objections, Tatsuya nodded his head reluctantly. To his side, Miyuki could understand her brother's thoughts, but still could not hide her elation at things going her way.

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First year, Class E was in the middle of a practice class. Instead of a teacher directing the class, the students were following the instructions displayed on a wall monitor to operate the built-in CAD for educational use. Students were lined up in groups of four behind several pedestals containing the built-in CAD's. In front of each of those, a track was laid out with a flatbed car on one end. The assignment was to use the CAD to direct the flatbed car from one end of the track to the other and back again, to be repeated three times. As soon as a student completed this task, they were free to leave.

Tatsuya was in line behind Erika and in front of Mizuki and Leo.

"Tatsuya," Leo said, poking him in the back, "How did the Student Council Room feel?"

Tatsuya turned sideways so he could monitor when his turn came up and talk to Leo at the same time. Looking at Leo, it seemed he was simply curious, and Tatsuya answered honestly, "It turned into a rather intriguing conversation."

Hearing this, Erika turned around, asking, "Intriguing?"

"They asked me to join the Public Moral Committee," sighed Tatsuya, "Honestly, how did it even come to this so suddenly?"

"You're right," Leo sympathized, "That is pretty surprising."

On her way back to the end of the line to try the assignment again, Mizuki overheard this and said, "But isn't it great to be scouted by the Student Council?"

"Great?" repeated Tatsuya furrowing his eyebrows slightly, "Isn't it merely a complementary bundle for my sister?"

"Hey, let's stop with this self-deprecation," said Erika with a smile, "So, what does the Public Moral Committee do, anyway?"

Tatsuya repeated what he had heard from Azusa, and all three of them expressed their sympathy.

Almost as if to herself, Erika muttered, "Really? So impulsive."

Hearing this, Mizuki asked worriedly, "Erika-chan?"

As if snapped back to reality, Erika said, "Ah? Oh, sorry. That really is going too far. Tatsuya-kun, you are better off declining such a dangerous task." After a moment, however, Erika's solemn expression was replaced by a mischievous grin as she said, "On second thought, this is quite interesting! Why don't you accept, Tatsuya-kun? I'll cheer you on!"

"But if you have to intervene in conflicts, won't you be the target of magical attacks as well?" asked Leo. Tatsuya nodded his agreement.

"On the other hand," countered Erika, "rather than letting those pretentious Course 1 students hog all the limelight, don't you think it's better if Tatsuya does it?"

Leo nodded thoughtfully, saying, "Well, that might be true."

At this, Mizuki piped up worriedly, "Erika-chan, please don't think of it that way! If we don't want that to happen, wouldn't it be better not to get into fights in the first place?"

"But, Mizuki," Erika said, "even if we don't plan on it, aren't there times when we have to put out fires? Like yesterday, for example."

"Well..."

"There is a lot of suspicion and injustice in the world. We can't always expect a positive result if we concede all the time."

"Erika," Tatsuya intervened, trying to head off the conversation before it ended up in dangerous territory, "It's your turn."

"Ah, sorry, sorry!" said Erika, slightly flustered as she took her position in front of the CAD. She set her back squarely, placing her hand on the tilted surface of the pedestal, where the CAD interface was built-in. She took a breath, and, in less than a second, a faint light shown around her and the flatbed truck began to move smoothly across the track.

The presence of psion-light as a sequence was being activated indicated that the activation and subsequent invocation was not completely efficient. When there are enough leftover psions, photon interference between psions results in a physical manifestation of psion-light, visible only to fellow Magicians. An absence of light would indicate excellent control over one's abilities. Highly skilled Magicians leave behind only a small amount of light, and the amount Erika emitted was well within the acceptable limit for a first-year student.

As the car returned to it's position in front of her, Erika turned to the group, holding up two fingers in a V-shape and crying, "Yes!" Her speed and control had improved since the first time they had completed this assignment. She passed Tatsuya and took her place behind Mizuki in the line.

Tatsuya stepped up to the pedestal, using the foot pedal to adjust the CAD height to make it more comfortable for him. He placed his hand on the white, transparent touchpad on the pedestal's surface and began activating the sequence to begin accelerating the car. After a moment, activation was confirmed and Tatsuya began building the invocation sequence.

Several seconds later, the car stumbled a few times before advancing to the other end. After it's third trip, Tatsuya returned to the back of the line with Erika and Mizuki, well aware of and frustrated by his disappointing performance. Between activating the sequence and the car actually moving, Tatsuya's time was much longer than Erika's. Out of the people in Class E, he realized he would definitely be one of the bottom-feeders when it came to practical skills.

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After school, Tatsuya and Miyuki once again made their way to the Student Council room, although this time Tatsuya's footsteps were even heavier than before. Instead of being buzzed through the door like last time, Tatsuya's and Miyuki's I.D.'s were apparently already register with the certification system and they walked in by themselves.

Tatsuya walked in first, immediately detecting a hostile gaze from someone in the room. Looking around, he noticed the four from earlier were still in the room. Suzune and Azusa were sitting in chairs along the right side of the room, in front of two large terminals. The President was still sitting at the head of the table and Mari was standing next to her, most likely in the midst of discussing whatever was laid out in front of them.

The one that grabbed his attention the most, however, was the owner of the hostile gaze. The boy, most likely the Vice President Hattori Hanzou, was standing alongside the opposite wall of windows, his head turned and eyes narrowed at Tatsuya.

As Miyuki stopped next to him, Tatsuya, accustomed to dealing with atmospheres of hostility, bowed in silence, his face completely impassive. Miyuki bowed with him saying, "Excuse us!"

The Vice-President's hostile gaze softened as his eyes landed on Miyuki. He approached the two of them - or rather, approached Miyuki. Tatsuya eyed him coolly as he stopped in front of Miyuki. He was about as tall as Tatsuya, but his shoulders were more narrow. His face was handsome enough, but his build was unremarkable - neither very big nor very small. However, from the way Psion light clung to the air around to his body, Tatsuya reasoned he must have considerable Magic Power.

"I am the Vice President, Hattori Gyoubu," he said in a rather stiff tone, "Shiba Miyuki, welcome to the Student Council." His right hand moved forward a little bit, as if he were going to offer his hand to shake, but he stopped the motion prematurely, gave a short, stiff bow of the head and returned to his seat without any indication that Tatsuya was even there.

Next to him, Miyuki's fist clenched and her face pinched in anger. Tatsuya readied himself to step in before she blew up in anger, but her face returned to normal after a moment as if a cloud had just passed over. Tatsuya sighed in relief, proud of his little sister for her self-control.

Oblivious to the catastrophe that almost happened, Mari raised a hand to casually greet them, "Ah, you're here."

Welcome, Miyuki," said Mayumi, looking up from her work, "You too, Tatsuya-kun. Good work." Clapping her hands once to get everyone's attention, Mayumi said, "Now that you're here... A-chan, if you please."

Upon hearing her nickname, Azusa's head drooped and her smile wilted. After a moment, she looked up with a wooden smile, giving a resigned, "Yes." It seems she had given up on getting the President to call her by the right name. She led Miyuki over to the third terminal next to hers and began setting her up there.

Mari stood up, approaching Tatsuya. "Well," she said, "Let's be off, then."

It has only been a day, and she's already speaking so casually, though Tatsuya. He, however, responded the way he normally did to anyone: in the most efficient way possible, "Where to?"

"Public Moral Committee headquarters," Mari said, "There's a lot of things you need to see firsthand to understand. It's located directly underneath this room. That being said, they're both connected."

Tatsuya took a slow breath before replying, "That's a strange design."

"I thought so, too," agreed Mari, walking past Tatsuya to the door.

However, before Tatsuya could follow, the Vice President stood up loudly, saying, "Watanabe-senpai, please wait a minute."

Mari turned around at the door, an eyebrow raised. "Is something the matter Hattori Gyoubushoujou Hanzou?" she asked.

Immediately, the Vice President cried indignantly as blood dyed his cheeks a rosy color, "Please don't call me by my full name!"

"Then let's go with Vice President Hattori Hanzou."

"Please call me Hattori Gyoubu!"

"But isn't that just your family's official title?"

"It has nothing to do with the title now! The school has already accepted the name 'Hattori Gyoubu'!" The Vice President cut himself off here, realizing he the focus had shifted. "No," he continued exasperatedly, "That's not what I wanted to say."

Mari smiled teasingly, "It's because you're too stiff and formal, you know."

"Okay, okay," interrupted Mayumi placatingly, "Mari, let Vice President Hanzou be."

Everyone's eyes fell on her, and a silence fell. Mentally, Tatsuya sighed, waiting for Hattori to turn his objections to her. Surprisingly, however, Hattori said nothing Mayumi.

Instead, he turned back to Mari, saying, "Watanabe-senpai, the topic I wanted to speak with you about is precisely the replacements for the Public Moral Committee."

"What?"

"I object to you appointing this first year student to the Public Moral Committee," Hattori said bluntly.

Mari's eyes furrowed in either surprise or anger, Tatsuya couldn't tell. "What is this nonsense?" She asked, "President Saegusa herself nominated Shiba Tatsuya-kun. Even though it was only verbal, the right of appointment lies with her and her alone."

"I have heard that the receiving party has not agreed," Hattori countered calmly, "Despite the nomination, the matter is unofficial until he personally agrees."

Mari narrowed her eyes at the Vice President, saying, "That is up to Shiba Tatsuya-kun himself. The President has already made clear where the Student Council stands on this matter. The final decision is his, not yours."

As Tatsuya looked around the room, he noticed everyone in the room watching the scene unfold. Mayumi held her traditional smile fixed in place; Suzune looked on impassively; Azusa fidgeted nervously; and Miyuki sat impossibly still and cold. Tatsuya eyed her worriedly, noticing the rising anger behind her ice-cold eyes.

"There is no precedence for appointing a Weed to the Public Moral Committee!" cried Hattori, defensively.

Mari's face hardened, and she said, "That is a taboo term, Vice President Hattori, banned by the Public Moral Committee. You have a lot of nerve uttering that term in front of me, the Chair of the Public Moral Committee."

In the face of Mari's warning, Hattori remained unfazed. "You can ban that term all you want," he continued, "Do you plan on punishing a third of the entire student body? The difference between Blooms and Weeds is something written into the school system and acknowledged by the school itself! Public Moral Committee members are responsible for the task of subjugating students that break school rules. A Weed with inferior abilities is utterly incapable of accomplishing that task."

Mari nodded, saying "It is true that the Public Moral Committee is ability-based, but ability comes in many forms. If we need to use strength for suppression, that's what I'm here for. Even if I'm up against 10 or even 20 opponents, I can handle them alone. In this school, the only people that can go one on one against me are President Saegusa and Club Management Group Leader Juumonji. And if what you are saying is correct, then people with low combat capability are unnecessary." She smiled coldly as she added, "So, do you plan to challenge me, Vice President Hattori?"

Realizing he was no match for her ability-wise, Hattori backed down slightly but was not ready to give up the fight. "That isn't my problem," he said, "It is about his ability to adapt."

"Did I not say ability comes in many forms?" Mari retorted immediately, "Tatsuya-kun can read the activation sequence and thus can accurately predict the magic being invoked just by seeing it."

Reflexively, in disbelief, Hattori asked, "What did you say?" There was so much information contained in an activation sequence that it was practically impossible for a person to process it in the time it takes to invoke the magic. What Mari said should be impossible for a person without any aid at all.

"In other words," Mari continued. "He already knows what magic his opponent is using before it is invoked. According to our school rules, the level of punishment changes depending on the type of magic used. Unfortunately, if we were to disrupt the activation sequence before invocation like Mayumi did the other day, there is no way to tell what magic was originally used. And ff we waited until the activation sequence finished, then that would defeat the entire purpose of intervening in a fight. Thus, it is safer to disrupt magic during the activation sequence. Without any definite proof of wrong-doing, the only thing we can charge them with is attempted disruption and the subsequent lighter punishment. But, with Tatsuya, we can properly catch those with the intent to use stronger magics while still maintaining the safety of everyone on campus."

Losing steam after the shock of that revelation, Hattori said, "But, if he ran across an actual crime scene, and was unable to stop the magic invocation..."

Mari immediately countered, "In that case, stopping that invocation would probably be beyond a first year Course 1 student, as well. Actually, probably beyond even second-year students, too. How many people do you know that are able to invoke second and still manage to disrupt their opponent's invocation?" She gave him no time to answer before continuing, "Besides that, there's another reason I want him to join the Public Moral Committee. To this day there is no Public Moral Committee member that comes from Course 2 students. In other words, Course 2 students that improperly use magic against school rules are always apprehended by Course 1 students. Course 1 students can apprehend Course 2 students, but the reverse is not true. This configuration has only served to widen the divide between Course 1 and Course 2 students. I do not like it that the committee members under my command are only serving to widen this rift."

"Ah... Quite impressive, Mari," chimed in Mayumi lightly, "You have thought that far ahead? And here I thought you only cared about Tatsuya-kun."

Suzune shook her head, quietly reprimanding her, "Please be quiet, President."

Mayumi shot her a reproachful look as Hattori finally exploded.

"President," he began, "as the Vice President, I object to appointing Shiba Tatsuya as a Public Morals Committee member. While I accept that Chair Watanabe has got a point in her assertion, the original mission of a Public Morals Committee member is to uncover and subjugate the school's rule breakers. A Course 2 student who is lacking in magic ability can't perform the duties of a Public Morals Committee member. Such a misplaced appointment will surely damage your reputation as the President! Please, reconsider."

"Please wait!" As Miyuki's voice sounded out, Tatsuya frantically turned to face her. Absorbed as he was in Mari's speech, he had missed his opportunity to restrain her anger. He opened his mouth to pre-empt her outburst, but was too late to stop her.

"This may sound audacious, Vice President," she continued, "Onii-sama's practical magic results may indeed be unfavorable, but that was merely because the practical test was not effective in gauging Onii-sama's strength. In a real battle, he would not lose to anyone."

At Miyuki's words filled with utter certainty, Mari and Mayumi turned serious gazes to the pair of siblings. Hattori, however, simply narrowed his eyes at Miyuki.

"Shiba-san," he admonished, "Regardless of what happens, a Magician must make judgements calmly and logically. Individual bias may be unavoidable for a normal person, but, for one who is aiming to become a Magician, please bear in mind that you should not let your individual bias cloud your judgement."

Tatsuya understood Hattori was most likely just trying to act as a proper 'upperclassman' should by giving advice to his junior, but he had taken it too far by suggesting that his little sister was anything but clear-minded.

At his accusation, Miyuki bristled in anger, "Pardon me for saying so, but my judgement is not clouded! If Onii-sama could use more of his power-"

"Miyuki," Tatsuya interrupted with a wave of his hand before she could finish her sentence.

Realizing she had already said too much, Miyuki closed her mouth with a mix of embarrassment and regret. To get the attention off his sister, Tatsuya walked up to Hattori, saying, "Vice President Hattori, why don't we have a mock battle?"

There was a moment of shocked silence as everyone came to terms with the daring retaliation.

As everyone watched, Hattori began to shake in anger, "Don't get ahead of yourself! You're a mere reserve!"

Noticing a cold smile lifting Tatsuya's lips, Hattori snarled, "What's so funny?"

Without missing a beat, Tatsuya replied calmly, "A Magician should always remain calm, right?"

Hattori's eyes bulged, and he clenched his teeth in anger as his own words were thrown right back in his face.

"As it is," Tatsuya continued coolly, "I think we won't know each other's anti-personnel battle skill without fighting each other." Then, almost to himself, he added, "It's not like I really want to become a Public Morals Committee member... but, if it's to prove my little sister's judgement isn't clouded, then I suppose it can't be helped."

"Fine!" bit out Hattori as he ground his teeth, "I will give you a thorough lesson on what it is to know your place."

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Mayumi interjected, "As the Student Council President, I authorize the formal mock battle between 2nd Year Class B, Hattori Gyoubu and first year Class E, Shiba Tatsuya."

"On the basis of the Student Council President's declaration," continued Mari, "And, as the Chair of Public Morals Committee, I recognize the match between the two of you as a legitimate extracurricular activity in abidance of the school rules. The time of the match will be thirty minutes from now, at the third practice room. The match will be a private one, and I authorize the use of CADs by both sides."

At that solemn declaration, Azusa began typing furiously into the terminal.