Chapter 2: Magian Company
Monday, April 26th.
In the afternoon of this day, an application for the registration of the establishment of a corporation was made at the Legal Affairs Bureau in Machida City, formerly known as East Kyoto, Kanto Province.
The name of the company is General Incorporated Association Magian Company.
This small-scale corporation has three employees. And since the term "Magian" is not yet common, it did not attract much attention from the staff at the Legal Affairs Bureau who accepted the application.
The announcement made yesterday at a party of the hotel had not yet been widely reported.
The public reaction to the establishment of the Magian Company was weak, but it caused quite a stir in the Japanese magic community, including the Ten Master Clans.
Eleven o'clock in the morning of the twenty-sixth, Yotsuba house.
"Madam, Mitsuya-sama is on the phone."
Butler Hayama brought the pending handset──a voice-only terminal──on a silver tray reverently to Maya, who was relaxing in the sunroom.
"Again. It's about the Company anyway, isn't it……?"
Maya is fed up because this is the third call from another Ten Master Clans head since this morning. Adding the Magic Association's call makes it the fourth.
In addition, at this point in time, the application for the establishment of Magian Company had not yet been submitted to the Legal Affairs Bureau.
"If it's the same question, I'd like it to be done in one sitting."
"Would you rather convene a Master Clan' Conference?"
"I don't like that idea, it would be bothersome. Why should I go through such a hassle?"
"So, do you want to decline?"
Hayama is asking if she wants to turn down the phone call from Mitsuya Gen.
"No"
Maya replied briefly and accepted the receiver from the tray Hayama was holding.
"Yes, I've switched phones. ……So it's about that matter…… No, I received an inquiry from Ichijou-dono and Futatsugi-dono earlier as well……. Yes, I was aware of that. ……What do you mean by "why"……? Isn't protecting the rights of magicians the original purpose of us Ten Master Clans? Both Society and Company have the same objective. I have no reason to disagree with it…… Yes, of course we won't let them do anything that is against the national interest. …… That's the job of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I thought it was something we should be concerned about…… Yes, then."
After finishing the call, Maya holds out the receiver to Hayama.
"Since both Tatsuya-san and Miyuki-san are adults, I think that if there's something they want to ask them, they can call them directly."
At the same time, a complaint spilled out of Maya's mouth.
"Everyone is interested in the extent of our family's involvement in the establishment of the Society and Company, I believe."
"It didn't seem like it was the only concern of Mitsuya-dono, though."
"And what did he say?"
"Tatsuya-san must be very close to the IPU, right?"
"Rather than being a close friend of the IPU, I think he is a close friend of Dr. Chandrasekhar."
"I guess people looking from the outside don't think of the IPU and the Doctor as separate entities."
"In other words, is there a suspicion hanging over Tatsuya-sama that he may be siding with the IPU?"
At Hayama's uncomfortable question, Maya nodded with a bitter smile.
"Yes, that our whole family is."
"It's also …….I don't mean to be presumptuous, but it seems to me that they're being very disrespectful."
"I feel the same way, so you're not being presumptuous."
Maya let out an annoyed sigh.
Hayama, in contrast, retracted his displeasure from his expression. He thought that if he was emotional, even to himself, he wouldn't be able to settle the matter.
"If you knew about Sri Lanka's independence in advance, then why didn't you share that information with the government?"
"Surely that's the job of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I don't mean to be rude, but isn't it Mitsuya-sama who is the one who is overly distant from the government?"
"Yes, you're right……."
Hayama's line caught her attention, Maya was starting to get lost in thought as she stared into the void.
"Hayama-san, let us find out what is going on with the Mitsuya family. Especially about the bureaucracy and the financial transfers."
"Not the politicians' relations?"
"We don't need to investigate collusion with politicians now, do we?"
"Now then, I'll get right to it."
"Please"
With a bow, Hayama left the sunroom.
Alone, Maya took a relaxed posture with the back of her chair tipped back.
The head of the Saegusa family, Koichi Saegusa, was in no hurry to contact the Yotsuba family when he learned of the establishment of the Magian Society and Magian Company. He just cancelled all his plans and stayed in his study alone until the evening without lunch.
He came out of his study at seven o'clock in the evening when it was time for dinner.
Unless otherwise specified, dinner is served at this time in Saegusa's house. Coincidentally, Mayumi, who just got a new job, and Kasumi and Izumi, who are in their second year of college for magic, are home today. Although this is not what Koichi and his daughters wanted, tonight's dinner table is the first time in a long time that the four of them are together.
However, there was no happy family atmosphere. It's not only that, but the three sisters are at an age when they are very distant from their parents. On top of that, the relationship between the parent and the children is colder than the average in the society.
"……I’m done."
Without a single conversation, Mayumi tries to get up from her seat.
"Wait a minute."
But for the first time since arriving at the table, Koichi opened his mouth for the first time, except for eating and drinking, and waited.
"Mayumi, have you heard of the Magian Society that was founded in Sri Lanka?"
"……I am aware of that."
Mayumi's reply expressed a sense of caution. She knew that Tatsuya was involved in the establishment of the Society. She suspected that her father was scheming to take advantage of the relationship of Kouhai and Senpai between her and Tatsuya again.
No, she was already sure of it at this stage.
"So, are you aware of the matter of your kouhai, Shiba Tatsuya-kun, establishing a corporation as of today?"
"I know about that too, Magian Company. It's been a topic of conversation at work."
"Um, father."
At such times, it is usually Izumi who joins in the conversation. But this time it was not Izumi, but Kasumi who interrupted the conversation.
"What is this Magian Society? And what is the Magian Company?"
"What does the word Magian mean in the first place?"
Izumi then asks more questions on Kasumi's question.
"The Magian Society is an international non-governmental organization founded in Galle, a city in the southern tip of Sri Lanka, headed by Dr. Chandrasekhar of the Indo-Persian Federation. Prior to its establishment, the IPU has recognized the independence of Sri Lanka."
"Independence……"
Kasumi looked more taken aback than surprised. Indeed, Sri Lanka's independence was a great surprise, an event that hadn't been talked about at all until last month.
"Magian is apparently a term proposed by Dr. Chandrasekhar as a new concept to refer to holders of the gift of magic in the broadest sense of the word, including those who possess the magic gift below the practical level who were not traditionally recognized as magicians."
"Specifically, you mean including people who dropped out of the Magical High School and those who did not get in? Why did they make such a classification?"
"Kasumi-chan, that is….."
It was Mayumi who answered Kasumi's question, interjecting from the side.
"Because even if you're not a magician, even if you're not someone who uses magic in their profession, you're still subject to all sorts of official and unofficial restrictions, such as restrictions on leaving the country and a de facto ban on international marriages, just for possessing the magic gift. This isn't just in Japan."
"……By some chance, is Shiba-senpai trying to address those restrictions?"
Izumi turns to Mayumi with a question.
"Yeah, probably. I remember him telling me when I was a third year in high school, I think it was two or three weeks before the thesis competition, and I remember him telling me. He said that he wanted to improve the status of magicians by becoming a financial necessity. He said that was his goal. He confided in me that that's why he was going to make the gravity-controlled magical thermonuclear fusion reactor a reality."
At this point, Mayumi gestured as if she was searching for a memory.
"No, ……, at that time, as I recall, I was surprised that his goal was the same, when I told him that Rin-chan──Ichihara Suzune-san's dream was to improve the status of magicians through the financial necessity by achieving a gravity-controlled magical thermonuclear fusion reactor, and I was surprised that his goal was the same. It was. In the end, he was the first to achieve a gravity-controlled magical thermonuclear fusion reactor ──a stellar reactor."
"You mean that guy stole Suzune-san's idea!?"
Kasumi raised her voice in righteous indignation.
Mayumi didn't panic, but shook her head in a calm gesture.
"No, his and Ichihara-san's approach were entirely different. More than anyone else, Ichihara-san herself has admitted that."
Her words, or rather her voice, had a conviction that did not allow for any further doubt.
"I am sure he is trying to push for a further step forward since the implementation of the Stellar Reactor. I don't know what exactly he intends to do, though. ? Does Otou-sama have any idea what he is planning to do?"
Mayumi turns to Koichi.
"No, I don't know either, because the establishment of the Magian Society was a surprise, with no information until the day of the party. The Company was in the same situation until yesterday's party."
"So he's been keeping it a secret even from Ten Master Clans……"
"Does Shiba-senpai intend to leave the Ten Master Clans system?"
Following Mayumi's words, Izumi asked her sister and father for their opinion.
"Does that mean the Yotsuba family is planning to leave Ten Master Clans!?"
Kasumi, who hadn't considered that possibility, revealed her surprise.
"I don't think so. At least not until the Yotsuba family is replaced."
Koichi denies Izumi's speculation.
"Maybe he, and not the Yotsuba family, is trying to jump out of the Ten Master Clans organization. Or even from the Yotsuba family."
Mayumi partially agreed with Koichi and pointed out that it could be more than that.
"……Isn't Mayumi overthinking it? The president of the Magian Company established today is Shiba Miyuki-jou [5] , the next head of the Yotsuba family. As its representative, she won’t leave the Yotsuba family.
Mayumi did not agree with Koichi's line.
"Father…Miyuki will abandon her position as the next head of the family without any hesitation if he says he will leave the Yotsuba family. ……No, father also said that. Unless they are replaced, the Yotsuba family will remain in the Ten Master Clans. If he decides, the Yotsuba family could be replaced tomorrow. I don't think even the Yotsuba family can resist him and Miyuki."
"……Mayumi, are you interested in what Shiba Tatsuya-kun is up to?"
Koichi didn't argue with Mayumi, nor did he deny the possibility of it, but changed the subject.
"……Yes, I am."
Mayumi nodded cautiously at the question.
"Then wouldn't you be interested in changing careers to Magian Company?"
"……You want me to infiltrate into the Magian Company?"
"I didn't mean it as an order for you to be a spy. It's just that I considered that there might be a part of Shiba Tatsuya-kun's intentions that you can't see from the outside."
"How is it possible for me, a member of the Saegusa family, to join the Magian Company? No, is that Company accepting job applications in the first place?"
Mayumi just graduated from Magic University this spring, but she is already working at an investment firm owned by the Saegusa family. So, even if she changes jobs, she can return to the firm at any time. Hence, her concern is not about leaving her current job.
She is concerned about whether she, as a member of the Saegusa family, can get into a company that is clearly under the influence of the Yotsuba family. Koichi's outlandishness is always a usual thing (as far as Mayumi was concerned), but this one was out of line compared to past incidents of being unreasonable.
"I'll take care of that part."
Koichi promised to do it without showing any evidence.
Mayumi was relieved to see that even though he was the head of the Saegusa family, it would not be easy. On the other hand, Mayumi knew that there was a chance that she might be ordered to do something with her ties with Tatsuya. At worst, she could be forced to do something outrageous, like using seduction and so forth, or even coercion.
That would be the worst thing she could think of. Mayumi couldn't help but feel relieved that it didn't turn out that way.
But that didn't mean that Mayumi disliked Tatsuya. In the true sense, apart from the case of using seduction to obtain her objective, she would not be opposed if it ended up on something like a date. ?That’s if Miyuki wasn't his fiance.
Mayumi will turn twenty-three this year. She has not yet crossed the line with a man, but other than that, she has some experience befitting her age. Although she's not too proud of it, she had a series of formal marriage interviews when she was in college. She had learned, in her own way, some tricks to make men feel happy without needing to cross the line.
But she had some resistance about doing that kind of dishonest behavior with Tatsuya.
Besides, even if she made a motion to him, Tatsuya would never be swayed. Mayumi knows that. Even if he doesn't really mean it, it's the worst thing to have to be explicitly reminded that she's no match as a woman. Mayumi doesn't fancy suffering from her own humiliation.
If she wasn't forced into such a behavior, she would at least change her place of employment──.
"If that's what Otou-sama says."
By the result of promising without due consideration, Mayumi accepted the offer.
Or maybe this was another one of Koichi's tricks, and Mayumi was being carried along with him.
The repercussions of the establishment of the Magian Society, and the subsequent Magian Company, were not confined to Japan.
In Vancouver, a former Canadian territory, in the USNA, there is the headquarters of an organization called FEHR. It is a legitimate association of magicians recognized by the city government.
A young man with dark hair, dark eyes, and an East Asian appearance knocked on the door of one of the rooms.
"Milady, you called for me?"
The word "Milady" tends to remind of Milady de Winter, the villainess noblewoman in the grand Dumas' novel The Three Musketeers, but here it is an old-fashioned respectful term of address for women. It means "lady". The word is said to be derived from the abbreviation of "My Lady".
The term "Ma'am" is a common term of address for women, especially in the military, but the FEHR uses "Milady" for women in leadership positions. The reason for this is not only to remove the military aspect, but also because the leader has a very young appearance. ──It's also because "Maam" also means "aunt".
"Come in."
"Excuse me"
Following a voice from the room, a young man opens the door and enters. It's not an automatic door these days, it's an inward opening wooden door.
"Thank you for coming, Ryousuke. Please, have a seat."
The leader, who was sitting at the desk in the back, stands up and greets the young man.
She is a beautiful woman of small stature for a Caucasian, with medium straight hair of a translucent chestnut color and amber eyes. No, the leader, "Rena Fehr" was more appropriately described as a "beautiful girl" rather than a "beautiful woman" in appearance.
"Excuse me."
The young man who sat down across from the leader, as his name 'Ryousuke' would suggest, is Japanese. His full name is 'Tookami Ryousuke [6] '. He had come to the States four years ago as a university exchange student and remained in USNA's former Canadian territory.
"Ryousuke, would you like a cup of tea? Or perhaps you would rather have coffee?"
"Then I'll have the same one as Milady."
"……Doesn't Ryousuke always choose that."
"I want to drink the same things as Milady, eat the same things, share the same struggles, and see the same future. I don't think it's just me, I think all my FEHR comrades think the same way."
"Mou……. You always exaggerate, Ryousuke."
Rena gives him a baffled look. However, she never looked uncomfortable. Rather, it's more like she's hiding her embarrassment.
"──Butler, two cinnamon teas."
[As you wish]
Rena ordered a drink from a male model of a humanoid robot. It's a higher-end version of the 3H (Humanoid Home Helper), with a more durable frame and enhanced fuel cell capacity.
Originally, the 3H was nothing more than a humanoid interface for the home automaton. The actual work was done by various automated and non-humanoid robots. But this higher-end model is designed to be a stand-alone household and office assistant.
Though its name is Variable Use, Tough and Long Operate Robot, its commonly called by the acronym 'VUTLOR', but Rena herself has nicknamed her robot 'BUTLER'.
A cup of cinnamon tea was lined up in front of Rena and Ryousuke by the Butler.
"First, here you go."
"Thank you."
At Rena's words, Ryousuke reached for his teacup.
Seeing this, Rena also brought the cup to her lips.
They both put the cup back on the table at the same time.
"Milady, is it about time you tell me what you wanted?"
Seeing it was a suitable time, Ryousuke urged her on to the main subject.
"Ryousuke, did you know that an organization called Magian Company was established in your homeland?"
"Magian Company? Not the Magian Society?"
"I'm sure they are closely related, but it's a separate organization. It's a Japanese corporation that was announced yesterday by Shiba Tatsuya and established as of today."
It's currently 2 p.m. on April 26th in Vancouver. It's 6 a.m. Japan time on April 27.
"……He was also involved in the founding of the Magian Society, wasn't he?"
Rena nodded at Ryousuke's words.
"The Magian Society's website says that he's the Vice President of the Magian Society."
Then he added this.
"The purpose of the Magian Society, as I recall, was to protect the human rights of magicians?"
"It said that it was intended for Magian rights, not magicians"
"If you have confirmed it yourself, Milady……. So, what is a Magian?"
Ryousuke asked for an explanation about "Magian", a word he wasn't familiar with. He could have just looked through the Society's website, but Rena answered the question without a trace of annoyance.
"It was described as a broad concept that refers to magicians as a race in general, including not only magicians, but also those with an innate magical disposition who have not reached that same level."
"I understand. Since it's true that even if you don't have a magician license, there are various restrictions imposed on you just for possessing the gift of magic……."
"Yes. That is a splendid aspiration. To be honest, though, I'm surprised that Dr. Chandrasekhar, the developer of a strategic-class magic and one who has made magicians into the very weapon they are today, had such an idea in mind."
The purpose of FEHR, which is organized by Rena, is also to protect holders of the gift of magic. The name FEHR stands for 'Fighters for the Evolution of the Human Race'. FEHR considers magic to be a gift that humans have acquired through evolution, and FEHR is an organization that protects holders of the gift of magic, the evolved species of humans, from discrimination and oppression. It is a legitimate organization for now, but its members are willing to use illegal and violent means to achieve their goals. Contrary to the leader's reputation as a "saint" the FEHR is a group of such individuals with radical ideas.
From the standpoint of Rena and the other members of the FEHR, a military magic researcher like Chandrasekhar, who does not take the brunt of the battle, but incorporates magicians into a strategic magic system and turns them into weapons, looks like an enemy who turns her friends into tools, even if she possesses the gift of magic. No, even if a military magic researcher has the gift of magic, he or she is a traitor to them.
"Aside from the doctor's past deeds, we should respect the right ideology and the right concepts. In our association, I would like to refer to holders of the gift of magic as Magians from now on."
"I think it's good. It's simple, and I think it's appropriate for a new category to have a new name."
Ryousuke was quick to express his support for Rena's idea. It's not just him, but most of the things that Rena says she wants to do in FEHR are employed as is. A "charismatic person" and "dictator" are almost synonymous from the outside, and if the characteristics are written down, they match on many aspects.
The difference is that a charismatic person, who is not a dictator, would feel uncomfortable with the unconditional affirmation in person. Rena hid her confusion with an uncomfortable cough at Ryousuke's reaction, who didn't show the slightest bit of thought to her proposal.
"If the Magian Society is the organization as it has been announced, there will be no conflict of interest with us, the FEHR. Even if the IPU is behind it, with the pretense of excluding any state influence, it will take a reasonable amount of time for the organization to gain any substantial influence."
That comes from her own, first-hand experience with the FEHR, which was born in December of 2095 as a mutual aid organization for magicians to defend their rights against radicalized humanism. It has been in existence for five years now, but last year, after three full years, it finally gained some legal voice in the northern part of the USNA. But that's still at the city government level, and it hasn't even been able to influence the state government, let alone the federal government.
"The problem is rather with the Magian Company. Since Mr. Shiba Tatsuya has the substantial power to move the world"
To Rena, Tatsuya is a figure of mixed reputation on both sides of the spectrum.
On the negative side, he has shown himself that magicians can be a powerful military force, a powerful weapon, and has stimulated the state's possessiveness and desire to own magicians as tools.
On the positive side, the development of the Stellar Furnace technology provided the basis for magicians to become not only soldiers to be cultivated by the government, but also to become financially independent of the state.
With both huge achievements, what is Tatsuya going to do in the future, and what kind of future will it bring as a result? Will it be beneficial or harmful to them? Rena couldn't even guess, let alone judge it.
"What on earth is he trying to do……, Ryousuke, could you please go and investigate?"
At Rena's request, Ryousuke tilted his head lightly.
"Me? I won't object if it' s Milady's order, but my powers aren't suited for investigation, are they?"
There was no humility in Ryousuke's line; it was simply a fact. He's not very good at magic, except for one particular type. And that magic was something that had no use except in a direct combat. This magic was suitable for the kind of battle where he could charge alone into the enemy's forces, and it wasn't a combat skill that could be applied to espionage, such as spotting, sharpshooting, or disarming traps, either.
"Yes, I do know what Ryousuke' specialty is."
Rena acknowledged Ryousuke's argument at once and immediately continued to speak.
"I want Ryousuke to become an employee of Magian Company."
"……An undercover operation?"
Rena nodded at Ryousuke's question, who couldn't hide his surprise. Not only her outward appearance, but also her gestures are very much like a young maiden. Perhaps she herself is unconsciously matching her gestures to her appearance.
"Since Ryousuke is Japanese, it should be easier for you to get employed than us Americans."
Rena was born and raised in the former Canadian territory, but she identified herself as an "American". Other former Canadians and Mexicans do so in the same way.
"Is the Magian Company looking for employees ……?"
Ryousuke points out the fundamental underlying uncertainty in the order.
"That I don't know"
Rena readily admitted the flaw in the plan.
"For now, why don't you fly to Japan and give it a try?"
she then gave what appeared to be a reckless order with no signs of being particularly ashamed.
"I understand. I'll try my best."
And Ryousuke simply agreed as if it was only natural to do so.
It's not just conspiracies that are progressing. The constructive improvement of the organization was also making steady progress.
Magian Company's headquarters was in a building next to the FLT' s Third Research Division in Machida, but as of the 27th, it had only just been set up with the general information equipment. The number of permanent staff members has not yet been determined, and only two desks have been brought in. The exterior appearance of the new office will be ready by the end of this week, but for now, the company's paperwork is being handled at Miyakijima. The private room reserved for the president's office of Stellar Generator Inc. is the de facto temporary headquarters of the Magian Company.
Even though it’s a weekday, Tatsuya is not at the university, but at this temporary headquarters. It was fourteen o'clock. The Company's first employee was to arrive soon from the Yotsuba main house.
(It's about time.)
Just as Tatsuya was thinking about this, the visitor's sign went on the console on his desk. There is no receptionist in this building. No, almost no building has a receptionist these days. Instead, the personal information that visitors disclose on their own accord is displayed on the terminal of the person they visit.
The name displayed on the desk's terminal was exactly the same as the one Tatsuya had been waiting for. After confirming this, he operates the console and gives permission to enter the building.
At the same time, the image from the building's camera was projected on a monitor on the wall. On the monitor, a figure dressed in a ladies' suit walked through the opened gate and followed the arrows displayed on the floor. She must have turned thirty last year, but her dashing figure hadn't changed since he first met her.
She wasn't someone who needed to be monitored, but he watched her on the monitors, until she was standing in front of this room.
Instead of knocking, she rang the doorbell.
Tatsuya unlocked the door and stood up.
The door opened and she entered the room.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Fujibayashi-san."
The visitor──the first employee ──is a former member of the Independent Magic Equipped Battalion Kyouko Fujibayashi.
"Tatsuya-kun, no, Shiba-san, or should I call you Executive Director Shiba?"
The question comes from the fact that Tatsuya is the Executive Director of the Magian Company and is going to assume the presidency of Stellar Generator.
"Since Fujibayashi-san will be joining the Magian Company, I would prefer that you use Executive Director in a formal situation."
"I understand, Executive Director Shiba. I'll be at your service from today onwards. I look forward to working with you."
"You're welcome. I am feeling very relieved that Fujibayashi-san is here. And, as you might expect, please refrain from using 'Tatsuya-kun' anymore. However, as long as it's not in public, you can speak with a more relaxed tone."
"I understand. If it's okay with you, executive director, I will do that."
"Yes, that's fine."
Fujibayashi gave him a friendly smile and Tatsuya responded with a calm expression.
Tatsuya offered Fujibayashi a seat on the sofa with a hand gesture.
Tatsuya and Fujibayashi sat down on the sofa facing each other with the low table between them.
A non-humanoid robot, in the form of a self-propelled wagon with a robotic arm, brings drinks for the two of them and places them on the table.
They both lifted their cups at the same time and returned them to the table with a slight difference in time.
"……That said, I didn't expect Aunt to let go of Fujibayashi-san… You haven't finished replicating Hli?skjálf yet, have you?"
Hli?skjálf is an ultra-high-performance hacking tool that the head of the Yotsuba Family, Yotsuba Maya, had obtained by happenstance and made use of. It was capable of accessing almost any online data.
It is now known that it was sent to the target under the guise of an accidental transfer by Edward Clarke, whom Tatsuya had buried three summers ago. The Hli?skjálf had ceased to function with Edward Clark's death.
"The project was cancelled. The Echelon III's backdoor was blocked."
Fujibayashi answered Tatsuya's question with a wry smile.
"I think Fujibayashi-san can hack Echelon III, though."
"I can do it. But your Toushou-sama doesn't want me to hack it, does she?"
"Indeed."
"Inevitably, you'd need a system as large as Echelon III to give anyone free access to all the data in the world. But it's too expensive to build something like that. It's not worth it."
Fujibayashi lightly shrugged her shoulders.
Tatsuya nodded with a profound understanding.
The Yotsuba family has no ambition to rule the world. They don't need the ability to access all the information in the world, only the information they need when they need it. There is rarely a real threat that is completely unpredictable.
"How is your main task going?"
"Oh, the executive director is going to make time for that, right?"
"……Yeah, I guess so."
When Fujibayashi replied in a condescending manner, Tatsuya smiled bitterly.
Fujibayashi's "main task" is the research topic given to her by Maya: "The Elucidation of the Essence of Information Networks". This is not a research about electronic information networks, but an attempt to understand the true nature of the network of the information itself.
Magic is the ability to rewrite the original information of an event with false information. There is, of course, a process of transmitting information. The magician interferes in the information network of all things without being aware of it.
Revealing the nature of the information network is a stepping stone to uncover the true nature of magic. At least that's what Maya thought as she ordered Fujibayashi to do the research. Tatsuya agreed with her opinion. Although it wasn't directly related to the Magian Company's business, he couldn't resist cooperating with the research.
"We'll have as much of the hardware you need as possible, so don't hesitate to request it. We're probably better funded than we were in the 101st Brigade."
Tatsuya not only nodded in response to Fujibayashi's question, he added
"Thanks. I'll let you know in case."
Fujibayashi smiled.
Many large corporations are participating in the Stellar Reactor Plant project. Not only that, but the USNA is also covertly funding it. It wasn't hard for Fujibayashi to imagine that they could be expecting a more generous budget for equipment that wasn't directly related to combat. Even more than what the Defense Force units were sharing, or perhaps even fighting for, with their limited budget, even in quasi-war times.
"So, about Fujibayashi-san's work conditions."
Tatsuya changed his tone and Fujibayashi corrected her posture.
"I've prepared a written document here."
Tatsuya placed a paper document on the low table instead of an electronic one.
Fujibayashi took it and looked it over carefully.
"……the remuneration is enough."
As the same as her words, Fujibayashi's expression didn't have a shred of dissatisfaction on her face as she nodded her head lightly.
"Is Miyakijima the work location?"
"Yes. The company housing will be provided here. You can fly on a small VTOL from the headquarters in Machida every day on time, so you can commute to work……, but the commute may be a bit hard on you physically."
Fujibayashi gets a thoughtful look on her face with Tatsuya's answer.
"……How many round trips is that VTOL scheduled to make per day?"
"It won't be a round trip, but there will be simultaneous flights from Machida and Miyakijima. We have four flights scheduled, departing from 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m."
"How is it during the holidays?"
"It's the same for the holidays."
Fujibayashi closed her eyes and nodded slightly. It was more like a gesture she made to herself in response to the question in her mind rather than to Tatsuya.
"……I'll be happy to rent the company housing."
"Then on those terms. You can move into company housing today, would you like to see the apartment?"
"Yes, by all means"
Tatsuya nodded and stood up.
While standing, he operated the desk console.
[Yes, Tatsuya-sama]
A young man's voice returned from the desktop speaker. Fujibayashi wondered from the voice, was he about the same age as herself?
"Hyougo-san, please show the company housing to Fujibayashi-san"
From the name Tatsuya had mentioned, Fujibayashi knew who was in the intercom.
She had worked as a researcher for the main Yotsuba family since leaving the Defense Force three years ago in the fall of that year. She knows the main servants of the Yotsuba family in general, and also knows the names of some of the more important non-resident servants of the main family.
Fujibayashi thought to herself that Hyougo was probably Hanabishi Hyougo, the son of the butler Hanabishi, who was in charge of the main family's private army group.
"As you wish. I'll be right over"
She knew his name, but she had never met him. She wondered without any particular depth to what kind of person he was.
Fujibayashi's company housing is not in the eastern coastal area where the plant is located, but in a building on the west bank where the Yotsuba family's facilities are concentrated. It is not an apartment building where Tatsuya's secondary residence is, but an apartment in the staff building next to it.
Although it was for the staff, it did not mean that the building and the interior were cheap. The room introduced to her seemed comfortable enough to live in, even judging by Fujibayashi's sense of style.
"It suits your tastes, Fujibayashi-sama?"
Fujibayashi looks back behind her, where the voice came from.
Hyougo, who kept his distance so as not to bother her, was perfectly polite in his tone and manner. However, Fujibayashi had a gut feeling that Hyougo was "not as a gentleman" as he appeared to be.
"──I have no complaints at all. In fact, I'm rather grateful that I'm allowed to rent such a good room"
Of course, Fujibayashi wasn't so innocent as to show it in her attitude. She made an honest expression, typical of a former military man, and answered Hyougo's question.
"And would you please stop with the 'sama'? You and I are equal in that we are Executive Director Shiba's subordinates. It's uncomfortable to be called by 'sama'."
"Equal, you mean. Yes, I suppose."
Hyougo nodded meaningfully only once, and immediately put on a modest and sincere looking professional smile.
"Let's try to work together in order to help Tatsuya-sama."
With the same smile, Hyougo returns to Fujibayashi with words that on the surface could be interpreted as encouragement.
"Ye, yeah."
A chill ran down Fujibayashi's spine that she didn't quite know what it was.
By the time Fujibayashi returned to the temporary president's office from checking out the company housing, it was past three o'clock in the afternoon.
As Fujibayashi opened the door, which the permission to enter sign was lit, Tatsuya said to her from behind the desk, "Fujibayashi-san, you're just in time"
Of course, with that much information, it was impossible to know what he was talking about. Fujibayashi couldn't help but pause as she stepped into the room.
"Please, have a seat."
"Yes……"
Unable to understand the current situation, Fujibayashi followed Tatsuya's lead and sat down on the same couch as before.
"We were just in the middle of a transmission. Since I think this fellow would want to talk to Fujibayashi-san, too."
As he said this, Tatsuya operated the desk console.
On the wall display there was a waist shot (an image that went from around his waist to the tip of his head) of a young man being shown.
"Minoru-kun!"
Recognizing who it was, Fujibayashi unconsciously shouted.
Kudou Minoru, the youngest member of the former Ten Master Clans Kudou family and Fujibayashi's cousin. It is said that he became a demon or parasite in order to save a girl, and was exterminated by Tatsuya.
[Kyouko-nee-san, it's been a while. We have not contact each other in a while]
Fujibayashi was Minoru's cousin, but Minoru had always called her "Kyouko-nee-san".
"You're alive…… I'm so glad."
A sob seems to escape from Fujibayashi's mouth.
[You say it that you're glad……. Thank you]
The fact that both of Minoru's eyes seemed to be moistening was probably not a fruit of the imagination.
"Where are you now?"
It was a natural progression for Fujibayashi to raise this question.
Only a handful of people in the Yotsuba family knew about the handling of Minoru's case. Although Fujibayashi was under Maya's direct supervision in the Yotsuba family, she was not included in this "handful".
[That is…..]
Minoru hesitated, because he knew his position.
"Minoru is in space right now."
Tatsuya replied to Fujibayashi's question in place of Minoru, who hesitated to answer.
"Space?"
Before she knew it, Fujibayashi gave Tatsuya, who was sitting across from her, a glare signaling that she demanded an explanation.
"Minoru lives on a space station in a retrograde orbit at an altitude of about 6,400 kilometers."
"A space station? A manned space station isn't supposed to be in operation for more than half a century, is it?"
"Today isn't like that all over the world, you know."
As Tatsuya said, when the global cooling conditions started to take hold, the superpowers at that time could no longer afford to operate a manned space station.
Originally, the manned space station was meant to be a scientific experiment. It could be used as an experimental plant in the weightlessness of space, or as a prototype platform for sending exploration vessels to the outer planets, such as Mars and Venus.
For practical purposes, unmanned satellites were sufficient, and even for military purposes, there was no need for a crew. Satellites intended for long stays of more than a month ──needless to say, the Space Station is a type of satellite── had been out of existence for more than half a century, with the last time the USA, now USNA, launched an anti-ground attack missile platform in the 2040s that ended in failure.
In other words, "Takachiko", where Minoru lives, was the first space station sent into satellite orbit in half a century, and is now the only "man-made object capable of long-term stays in space" that is actually in operation.
"Why…… no, that's right."
Fujibayashi was about to ask why Minoru was there, but she bottled up the question.
Fujibayashi knew very well that there was no place for Minoru in this country.
"But still, Executive Director. You've successfully launched a space station that is habitable, haven't you?"
Fujibayashi didn't even ask if it was Tatsuya who had launched the space station. She had unconsciously concluded that no one but Tatsuya could have built and operated such a thing.
"I didn't launch it"
"Eh? Then how…?"
"We'll talk about that later. Since we have a limited amount of time to communicate simultaneously, wouldn't it be better to talk to Minoru now?"
With a taken aback expression, Fujibayashi turned to the wall display.
Minoru, who had been left alone there, was smiling bitterly.
"I-, I'm sorry, Minoru-kun. Well… How are you doing?"
[Yeah. Thanks to the help I've received, ……is a little weird, but I'm not as sick as I used to be]
"Right……."
Fujibayashi's feelings were mixed. She felt a deep sense of compassion for Minoru's weak constitution, and it was almost as painful for her as if it had happened to herself, to see him lying on the bed, looking so lonely. Seeing the now healthy Minoru on her front, she felt that she couldn't deny the foolish act of unconditionally throwing away his own humanity and becoming a parasite.
However, his foolishness brought upon the tragedy that was his grandfather's murder. Minoru himself must have been deeply hurt because of it, and he was forced to leave Japan and had nowhere to stay.
"Well…. How are you living?"
[It's comfortable. There's plenty of water, air, and electricity, and we have an artificial relic that generates 1 G of gravity. Sometimes it's so hard to tell if I'm in space or on ground]
"But you're on the space station. Isn't it too cramped?"
[No, there's enough room that even the two of us can't use it all up]
Without any seeming inconvenience, Fujibayashi noticed one strange detail that was not quite right.
"……Two of us?"
At Fujibayashi's quizzical muttering, Minoru grimaced with embarrassment.
[Actually, I'm living with my girlfriend]
"Girlfriend! 'Girlfriend', like in girlfriend!?"
Minoru understood exactly that Fujibayashi was saying the word "girlfriend" in different tones, as if she could not understand what he really said.
[Well, yeah]
"Who is this girl? Is it a girl I know!?"
[Yes, Kyouko-nee-san, I think you remember her. ──Minami-san]
The Minoru on the screen turns sideways and beckons someone.
A girl who seemed even more embarrassed than Minoru was, appears in the frame of the camera.
For some reason she was wearing a dark blue one-piece dress and a white apron, or to put it simply, a maid's uniform.
[She's my, well, partner]
Minoru innocently blushes at the mention of "partner".
She's Sakurai Minami, the former Yotsuba family's, or rather, Miyuki's maid and her potential guardian. She is the girl that Minoru went so far as to abandon his humanity in order to save. And now she is a parasite just like Minoru.
Minami's face on the screen is even more flushed than Minoru's.
[I'm Sakurai Minami. It's been a while since we met…….]
It was obvious even from the display that she was doing her best to bow as she said that.
"Ye-, yeah. Long time no see."
Fujibayashi is so shaken up, all she can do is reply to Minami.
"……are you two living together as a couple?"
Probably she didn't have a moment to choose her words. Fujibayashi threw a too straightforward question to Minoru.
[It's not like we are living like that!]
“…………”
Minoru is panicking and Minami is looking down, unable to say a word. It's hard to believe that they'll turn 20 years old this year, but they've been asleep for three years and their appearance hasn't changed since then. It's not so strange to think of it as the reaction of a seventeen-year-old. It's still just an innocent reaction.
[We are roommates, roommates! Because we still have separate bedrooms!]
"Still……?"
Fujibayashi, thirty years old, unmarried, with no boyfriend, points a glare towards Minoru.
"Eh, no, that ……."
Minoru, looked pitiable and felt like he was about to break out in a cold sweat, or even confess, at any moment.
"Why don't you and Minami get married already?"
Then Tatsuya fired a covering shot. For Minoru, it was not different from chasing a fleeing enemy.
As far as Minami was concerned, at least, she seemed to have stopped blushing, she was looking down and not moving an inch.
[……huh, shouldn't Tatsuya-san be the first to get married?]
For Minoru, it was probably the best possible counterattack he could muster.
"We're going to have a ceremony after Miyuki graduates from college."
To Tatsuya, however, no damage was done.
"Minoru shouldn't have any reason to wait for the right time, though. We can take care of the arrangements here for the ceremony, when it comes."
[……Please have mercy on me]
Minoru raised the white flag, although it seemed a little too weak.
After Fujibayashi left the room to prepare for her moving to the new apartment, Tatsuya and Minoru faced each other through the screen again.
"Minoru, let's continue what we were talking about earlier"
[Yes. The conclusion is that it's going to be difficult to change the altitude of Takachiko. Once it loses altitude, it is difficult to return to its original course]
"It's not impossible, is it?"
[I can't do it by myself, even if I were to join forces with Minami-san, it wouldn't be sufficient. I think we'll need at least two more people with magical powers that are equivalent to Miyuki-san's]
Tatsuya and Minoru were talking about whether Takachiko could be used as a true spacecraft rather than just a space station. They were considering whether Takachiko could not only orbit a predetermined orbit, but also fly freely over the Earth.
Takachiko is equipped with a movement system that utilizes the Earth's gravitational force, just like the Aircar. In theory, Takachiko should have been able to stand stationary, accelerate, and change direction as desired if it was in a satellite's orbit where the Earth's gravity was acting on it. However, in practice, the defining force of the information that "a satellites orbit is the same orbit without thrust unless the gravity of an object other than their home star acts on them" is so strong that so far they have only been able to change their orbits to what is perceived to be the realm of error.
"Right…….. Then how about movement over the same altitude?"
Minoru admitted that it is difficult to change the altitude. He didn't deny that it is difficult to move horizontally, or between coordinates at the same altitude.
In response to Tatsuya's question, Minoru gave a wicked smile, as if to say, "Did you notice?
[Temporary orbit change is possible]
"As long as the condition of returning to the original trajectory is included, I guess that it should be possible."
[Yes. I've done some rough calculations and I think it's possible to move within 30 degrees in each direction, north and south]
"Takachiko's orbital inclination is 30 degrees. If it' s possible to travel to the equator at any time……. You have constant coverage except for the North and South Poles."
[Yeah, probably]
After a few seconds in a contemplative stance, Tatsuya gave a small nod.
"Alright. I will put together an activation formula in that direction. It might take a bit of time, but once it's finished, we' ll give it a try."
[Ok, I'll leave it to you]
As Minoru appeared to become confident, he smiled and expressed his feelings of anticipation.
[If all goes well, it will be possible to smuggle in anywhere in the world]
The usage of a Casting Assistant Device is the most common way to activate modern magic, but a CAD is not the only auxiliary device available. There is also the Engraved type Magic Auxiliary, which is also given the name Engraved Magic Circles, which consists of a Magic Sequence that is geometrically patterned and carved into a susceptible alloy, and then psions are poured into it to activate the magic. While the amount of labor required to create a geometric pattern with a large amount of information is huge, only one type of magic can be activated with a engraved magic circle. However, the fact that you can issue a Magic Sequence just by pouring a psion on it is a big advantage. This is the reason why until this day, engraved magic circles are still used to strengthen the structure of buildings.
In the southwestern part of Miyakijima, there is a large scale engraved magic circle, 200 meters in diameter, hidden thirty centimeters underground. The engraved magic sequence is Mock Teleportation.
Although in a smaller scale, Takachiko's hull is also engraved with a Mock Teleportation magic circle.
Takachiko and Miyakijima were connected by the Mock Teleportation 'Virtual Satellite Elevator' using the magic circle engraved on each one, and although there was a limit to how long Takachiko could be in sight of Miyakijima, this virtual satellite elevator allowed Takachiko to be able to access as many supplies as needed.
If the case is of an object as massive as a human, it's possible for it to travel back and forth on the Virtual Satellite Elevator with just Takachiko's imprinted magic circle, even if there's no imprinted magic circle on the ground side. And it is not even necessary for Takachiko to be directly above the destination. Just being in line of sight is sufficient.
If Takachiko's horizontal travel experiment is successful, as Minoru said, it will be possible to travel to anywhere in the world through Takachiko. Since Mock Teleportation cannot go through walls, it will not be possible to move while inside Takachiko, just outside it. So, preparation for the vacuum is necessary, but since Mock Teleportation's magic originally involves encasing and moving an object in a cocoon of air, this problem can be solved by fixing it around yourself with magic.
It is possible to move anywhere in the world. At the same time, it is possible to escape from anywhere in the world as long as you are not trapped underground or in a building.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login