Chapter 5: Intruder
Friday, April 30.
"Eh, Kyouko-san?"
When Mayumi arrived at the company's headquarters in Machida, she was greeted by Fujibayashi.
Fujibayashi is the grandchild of the late Patriarch of the Ten Master Clans, Kudou Retsu. Mayumi's father, Saegusa Koichi was a student of Kudou Retsu when he was a child. Due to this connection, they both had known each other since before Mayumi entered high school.
"Good morning, Mayumi-san."
"……Do you two know each other?"
Ryousuke, who had just arrived at the office, asks quizzically. Furthermore Ryousuke and Fujibayashi have already introduced themselves to each other.
"Yes. I think we've known each other for about ten years now."
"We first met nine years ago, Kyouko-san."
"But this is the first time that we're working together, isn't it?"
If it meant that they would work for the same company, since Mayumi just graduated from university this year, it would be obvious, but that's not what Fujibayashi meant. Fujibayashi was in the military, and Mayumi had been a member of the Ten Master Clans since before graduating from college. It would be a good thing if they were to work together on the same mission, but for some reason, they didn't have the opportunity to do so. When Yokohama was invaded by the Allied Forces in October of 2095, they never got to fight side by side on the same battlefield in the end.
"Together you mean, Kyouko-san is also working for the Magian Company?!"
"I don't think it's that surprising. Didn't you know that I left the Defense Forces?"
"Yes, I knew that, but……."
As mentioned, Mayumi and Fujibayashi knew each other through their families. And even though Kudou Retsu passed away before Fujibayashi retired from the military, that did not break the relationship between the Kudou family and the Fujibayashi family, to whom Kudou Retsu's daughter married, and the Saegusa family. While neither family was informed individually about Fujibayashi's resignation from the military, it wasn't a secret either. The Saegusa family didn't overlook this information.
"Of course I have to work somewhere, don't I?"
"I just thought that you returned to your parents' house……"
"No, I don't want that. If I went back to my parents' house or such, they would surely force me into marriage. Unlike Mayumi-san, I've already passed the age."
Mayumi couldn't deny Fujibayashi's self-deprecating words. It wasn't just Numbered magicians who were required to marry early. Given that the Fujibayashi family is from a prestigious lineage of Ancient Style magicians, the pressure and ties of tradition are stronger than those of the younger, less prestigious Ten Master Clans." It was easy for Mayumi to guess that the phrase "forced into marriage" was more than a joke.
"Fortunately, after I quit the army, the Yotsuba family picked me up."
"……And, as a result, you joined this company?"
"That's it. I've been working with Executive Director Shiba in various things since before I started working here."
When Fujibayashi said "work", it was neither FLT nor stellar reactor-related; it was the sort of work that was not openly talked about, but Mayumi did not understand that much.
"That's enough small talk for now. Mayumi-san, Tookami-san, are you both ready to depart right away? I've been assigned by the Executive Director to guide the two of you today to the Industrial Magic Academy that is under construction."
Switching to a business tone in the later half, Fujibayashi asks Mayumi and Ryousuke.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Ryousuke was the first to respond to Fujibayashi's question.
"I'm fine as well, but."
Mayumi soon followed, but she didn't just obediently agree.
"……'Industrial Magic Academy'? Is that some kind of facility?"
As the name was unfamiliar, Mayumi couldn't help but ask a question that might have been unnecessary.
"You didn't hear it from the Executive Director?"
"No……. I don't think he told me about it."
Mayumi looked at Ryousuke as she replied unsurely.
"I didn't hear about it either."
Meeting Mayumi's gaze, Ryousuke concurs with her.
"You've been briefed on the nature of Magian Company's business, right?"
This time, both of them nodded at Fujibayashi's question.
"The Specialized Academy of Industrial Magic Technology, abbreviated as Industrial Magic Academy [12] , is an educational institution for the purpose of studying the applications of magic in the industrial technologies. Although it is an unlicensed school rather than a academy for specialized training or a vocational school, our educational environment, including facilities and instructors, is as good as that of a university. Many companies have invested in the academy's operating funds, so it should be a safe bet for the next ten years. And although the graduation will not be considered an academic degree, the companies that fund us have made a private agreement to accept our graduates willingly."
"It is a school for Magic Engineering, separate from the Magic University?"
"No"
Fujibayashi shook her head at Mayumi's question.
"It's not Magical Engineering that is taught, but the application of magic in industrial technology."
"……How is it different?"
This time, Ryousuke asked, looking like he couldn't understand. Actually, Ryousuke didn't understand the differences also when Tatsuya explained it to him.
"The study of Magic Engineering has more of an electronic engineering and materials science and engineering approach in the University's course. While the Industrial Magic Academy will also cover magic engineering in class, the main focus will be the applications of magic in the field of Industrial Technology."
"Are you saying that you are only aiming for a practical education?"
When Ryousuke asked again, Fujibayashi gave him a sly smile.
"You might say it's a practical or a pragmatic education. But the Company's goal is to promote the employment of Magians."
"I understand."
Ryousuke straightened his back and bowed.
Fujibayashi picked up the scent of a soldier from such a movement and was on guard for a moment, but Mayumi didn't notice it, not to mention Ryousuke's with his face facing the floor.
The under construction Industrial Magic Academy was situated at the tip of the Izu Peninsula.
Mayumi and Ryousuke could not help but be amazed at the impressive facility when they got out of the self-propelled car driven by Fujibayashi.
The Industrial Magic Academy was located at the seaside. The site was adjacent to the port. The harbor is not large enough to dock a tanker or a large cargo ship, but the quay is well built and the water seems to be deep. There is even a large crane. The location was evidently designed to be accessible by sea.
The building did not feel like a school building. It looked more like a factory plant and a five-story administrative building attached to it.
"When is the academy scheduled to open?"
Mayumi asked Fujibayashi as she looked at the building, which appeared to be almost complete.
"It's due to September. Then Mayumi-san and Tookami-san will be working here."
"Even though I've never worked in school administration before?"
Fujibayashi's tone softens to appease Mayumi, who has her wariness bare.
"You won't be asked to take on specialized tasks off the bat. Initially, you'll be working on drawing up standardized documents and processing internal data."
"In offline data processing?"
Fujibayashi's sharp ears picked up on Ryousuke's hushed soliloquy.
"Are you dissatisfied?"
"No, I think I can work with that."
Ryousuke's was majoring in robotics at university, but then he met Rena and dropped out of university when he found out about FEHR. He has no knowledge of accounting, which would be useful in business management, and he has no confidence in his ability to be an instructor in engineering, which was his specialty when he was in college. On that point, Ryousuke thought that he could handle the operation of standardized information appliances to the extent which would commonly be entrusted to a subordinate.
"That's very good, then. I'll show you around inside."
Fujibayashi lead them into the grounds
Mayumi and Ryousuke, respectively, follow Fujibayashi in line behind.
The only thing that wasn't finished was the practice equipment, the office rooms and office equipment were set up ready for work to begin at any time.
"You can start preparing for the opening of the academy here as soon as you are ready, how will you commute to work? We have company housing if you wish."
"Yeah, that's right……. Can I request for company housing, then?"
Mayumi's decision to Fujibayashi's question was quick. It takes two and a half hours to get here from Tokyo by a private car, and it would be over an hour by train. That was a long commuting time for this era. So Mayumi chose to rent company housing.
Though, getting out of her parents’ house must have been one of her motivations for it, no doubt about it. Mayumi had lived in her parents’ home until now. She is an authentic Ojou-sama surrounded by a cluster of servants. It's not surprising that Mayumi, who is reasonably confident in her housekeeping skills, would want to take this opportunity to live on her own.
"……Is there a parking space in the company house for a private car?"
Ryousuke wanted to know about the availability of parking before the layout and location.
"There is a communal parking lot without a roof if you'd like, I understand you just returned from USNA, do you have a car?"
"No, I don't have one right now, but I'm thinking of buying one soon. I enjoy driving."
"I understand. Then we'll go through the procedures with you as well. You want to see the apartment, too, don't you? I'll show you. It's about a five-minute walk from here."
Mayumi gave a wide nod and Ryosuke a modest one at Fujibayashi's words.
When they returned to the front of the Industrial Magic Academy after a private tour of the condo-style company housing, there was a plane floating at the harbor.
"Is that a ground-effect vehicle [13] ?"
Seeing this, Ryousuke asks Fujibayashi.
"You know your stuff well."
A ground-effect vehicle, which is more commonly referred to as a ground-effect aeroplane. It’s an aircraft that is capable of a high weight capacity in exchange for limiting its flight altitude to extremely low levels.
"This transport vehicle is meant to do round-trip flights to and from the Stelar Reactor Plant at Miyakijima. At the moment it's only used to transport cargo, but once the Industrial Magic Academy opens, it will also be used to transport students in induction course at Miyakijima to and from the site."
"But isn't the ground-effect vehicle only for calm water surfaces and not for the open sea?"
"That problem has been solved with some technological improvements."
"Um, what do you mean by 'induction course'?"
Mayumi, who had been left behind, interjected into Ryousuke and Fujibayashi's conversation.
"Students who have achieved a certain level of academic performance will be able to receive training at the Stellar Reactor Plant if they wish, which is the selling point of the Industrial Magic Academy."
"That would… a lot of people will be jumping on. Considering that the admission requirements is being a Magian with a high school diploma, and there's no age requirement, I'm sure there will be an influx of working people wanting to learn more about Stellar Reactor's know-how."
"Indeed. Now, Mayumi-san and Tookami-san, you should work out a system to give priority to young people who truly need an education at Industrial Magic Academy. That will be the first task for both of you."
Fujibayashi's position at the Company is that of office manager. That is Mayumi and Ryousuke’s superior.
"Eh?!"
Mayumi exclaims in astonishment at the sudden task assignment.
"Wasn't our job offline data processing?"
Ryousuke demurred in a modest way.
"It's a common practice not just in businesses, but also in Japanese organizations."
But Fujibayashi didn't address any of Ryousuke's protests.
Seeing this, Mayumi felt secretly afraid, 'Perhaps this place is one of those black companies [14] ……'
After that, Fujibayashi had boarded the whole private car in the ground-effect vehicle ──called the "Izu Shuttle" by the Miyakijima staff──, and brought Mayumi and Ryousuke to Miyakijima.
"This is the Stellar Reactor Plant. This isn't the first time that Mayumi-san has been here, is it?"
"Yes, I've had the pleasure of visiting it with the twenty-eight families before."
The 28 families were the remaining bloodlines that came from the first to tenth Magician Research and Development Institutes which did not have their numbers stripped away. The Ten Master Clans are chosen among these 28 families.
In April of 2097, Juumonji Katsuto gathered the young members from the 28 families for a meeting to discuss countermeasures against the anti-magic movement. The meeting itself was a one-time event, however, the young people from that time kept holding the meeting and exchanging information in something like a workshop. The visit to the Stellar Reactor Plant was one of those meetings.
Yet Tatsuya and Miyuki have never been invited to those meetings. This was probably due to Tatsuya's flagrant antagonism with the other attendees at the April 2097 meeting.
Well, these episodes are irrelevant for now. If you've been here before, you've been briefed on the whole thing.
"Tookami-san, is there any area you'd be interested in focusing on?"
If there are areas of particular interests, it is necessary to call in an expert for the guidance.
"No, not particularly. Can I take a brief look at the power generation facility?"
"All right."
While a bit relieved, Fujibayashi agreed to Ryousuke's request.
During the tour, they met Tatsuya in the control room of the Stellar Reactor main unit.
"Executive Director, thank you for your work."
"Thank you for showing them around, Fujibayashi-san."
Surrounded by the technicians in charge of the control room, Tatsuya and Fujibayashi exchanged a few words under their outward masks.
"Is there any trouble? I thought you were planning to visit the northwest area today."
For the sake of convenience, Miyakijima is now divided into four districts.
This is the northeast area where the Stellar Reactor Plant is located.
The southeast area where the airport is located.
The northwest area where the Yotsuba family's facilities are located.
And the southwest district is where the secret experiment site ──which is, essentially, the virtual satellite elevator that connects the surface to 'Takachiko', where Minoru and Minami are living── is located.
Of these, the northwest and southwest areas are off-limits except for those related to the Yotsuba family. Nonetheless, the border fence is not built in the center of the island. The northeast and southeast districts comprise seventy percent of the island's land area. And, even though thirty percent of the land was off-limits, the residents of the east side of the island were not inconvenienced.
And, according to his schedule, today Tatsuya would be holed up for the day in his lab in the Northwest District, where outsiders were not allowed to enter.
"There aren't any troubles, but I've been asked to make sure I'm prepared for tomorrow."
"Oh, I see."
Not only Fujibayashi but also Mayumi expressed her understanding, while Ryousuke didn't seem to grasp the situation.
As Mayumi noticed this, she addressed Ryousuke in a whisper.
"Tomorrow is the day of the establishment of Stellar Generator Inc. and there are a large group of guests invited. In addition to the buffet party, a tour of the plant is also on the schedule."
A hint of understanding appears on Ryousuke's face.
"That's right, Mayumi-san."
At that moment, Fujibayashi turned around.
"Could you help with the party tomorrow?"
"……Is that a work order too?"
"No, this is a request. Mayumi-san, you're used to parties and such."
"But……."
"We don't have enough entertainers. We can't let Miyuki-san deal with the old timers that you don't know very well, can we? In this regard, Mayumi-san is a veteran of the Saegusa family's parties."
"I'm not that much subtle."
"Executive Director, please say something too, it's for Miyuki-san's sake, to help ease her burden."
Perhaps having enough of Mayumi's shakes of head in refusal, Fujibayashi requested reinforcements from Tatsuya.
"Saegusa-san, could you please help us?"
The phrase "for Miyuki's sake," is very effective against Tatsuya.
"There will be people from the Magic Association here tomorrow, and I haven't been getting along very well with them."
As a matter of fact, it's needless to say that Mayumi is a very good-natured person.
Besides, she knows the stories of the unreasonable hostility Tatsuya receives from the Magic Association of Japan as an inside gossip.
"……let me talk to my father about it."
That said, Mayumi also has her own position as the eldest daughter of the Saegusa family to consider. It was only natural that she couldn't make a decision by herself.
After ending the tour of the plant in late afternoon, Mayumi went home to consult with her father about the party.
Since Ryousuke had just come back to Japan and he didn't even rent an apartment yet, he decided to keep his hotel room and rent the staff lodging in Miyakijima for this night.
After dinner, Mayumi discussed with Koichi the idea of acting as a hostess at the founding party of Stellar Generator Inc. and he gave his approval immediately.
"It's a good opportunity. In addition to that, you can get some presence within the business community."
In tomorrow's party, presidents and executives of companies that have invested in the Stellar Reactor Plant will be in attendance. And while the Saegusa family is quite wealthy, they lack a lot of real ties to top-tier corporations. It was perhaps rather natural for the head of the family to take this opportunity to use his daughter to strengthen his ties to the business world.
"Mayumi, are the dresses and accessories that you already have okay to wear to the party? Just go get new ones if you need."
Maybe he sees too much importance in this, or maybe he's just "counting Tanuki skins before they have been caught [15] ", but Koichi is being quite generous.
"At this hour? I don't want to. What I have is good enough for me."
It' s just before 8 p.m. The shops for the general customers are about to close, but the department stores are still open for business, the street shops are still open for customers. At this time, it is still possible to buy everything from dresses to shoes to even jewelry.
But Mayumi was more concerned with her desire to rest than with her need for material goods.
"Right. In that case, you should rest early tonight to prepare for tomorrow."
"Yes, I'll do that."
Mayumi gave a curt response to her father's words and left her seat and walked out of her father's study.
The staff lodging Ryousuke rented was located right across the street from the Stellar Reactor Plant. If something unusual happened at the plant, he could be the first to arrive at the site. ──Incidentally, the hotels for the media and other outside visitors are located near the airport.
In the middle of the night, when Ryousuke was thinking of getting into bed, he suddenly felt a strange magic sign coming from the plant's direction.
He changed out of his rented pajamas into his normal clothes once more and left the room. The lodging house is a three-story residential apartment that is available on a daily basis, with no lobby or front desk. There is freedom to come and go as desired. And, other than security cameras, there are no security devices.
There was no fence or wall surrounding the Stellar Reactor Plant because the island itself is a private property. On the contrary, the fence has been built surrounding the whole area of the airport. However, it is easy to get over the fence since it is not equipped with barbed wire or high voltage electric current. Entering private property without permission is unlawful entry. In modern domestic law, the flaws have been resolved such as if there is no building, it's not unlawful entry.
Under these circumstances, it's easy to enter the plant's property. But even if you don't enter the building, you would definitely be deemed suspicious if you are found wandering around at such an hour.
Ryousuke has infiltrated the Magian Company at the behest of Rena, the leader of the FEHR. Considering his position, he should avoid any suspicious behavior. But, for some reason, he couldn't leave this magic sign unattended at the moment.
Ryousuke is not very good at sensing magic. But he's skilled at detecting signs of magic. This is not a skill related to magic, but rather a skill acquired through martial arts training. So, he followed the sign.
The presence was in the center of the plant, in the Stellar Reactor building, the building that housed the Stellar Reactor. Inside this building, there is the control room where Ryousuke had met Tatsuya during the day.
The door to the Stellar Reactor building was open for some reason.
It wasn't so much that the door was unlocked. The service entrance was open for people to get in and out.
(Why didn't the alarm go off……? Did, by some chance, the patrolling guard forget to close it?)
Naturally, if you unlocked the door and entered through proper means, the security system would not respond.
Ryousuke hesitated for a few seconds, then went into the Stellar Reactor building. He decided that if he was spotted, he would make an excuse by saying that he wanted to be careful about the fact that the service entrance was open.
The first sign of human presence came from the containment room where the Stellar Reactor itself was located.
If someone wanted to steal the Stellar Reactor's technology, they would aim for the control room. The control program is located in that room.
( After all, are they security guards or……?)
Was I over-thinking the whole "intruder" thing?
Though Ryousuke lost his confidence, he didn't stop walking. He erased his own presence, muffling the sound of his footsteps and following the presence of the other persons.
The source of the presence was also in the containment room.
The name "containment room" was appropriated from the name of the reactor's containment vessel. Fusion reactors, including Stellar Reactor, and nuclear reactors (fission reactors) have fundamentally different mechanisms, but they share a similar name under the same label of "nuclear energy".
The door to the containment room was also opened.
(Maybe they left it open to facilitate their escape……?)
Growing even more suspicious, Ryousuke peers into the room from the doorway.
There are two men wearing eyeglass goggles to hide their features, both of them are doing some kind of fumbling with some tools attached to one of the six Stellar Reactor units.
(Is it a repair…… No, is it parts theft?)
If it was a repair, there was no reason not to turn on the lights in the room.
It was most likely industrial espionage looking to steal important parts.
There was no proof, but Ryousuke concluded so. He was about to sneak into the containment room to catch the thieves , when.
"What are you doing in there!"
A voice and a light were pointed at Ryousuke. It was a patrolling security guard. No, it might not be a patrol, but they might have sensed something unusual and rushed in.
In response to the voice, the thieves in the containment room jumped out from inside.
Ryousuke quickly extended his foot out as soon as he could.
One of the duo fell over, caught in his foot.
But the man quickly got up and ran for the exit, one step behind his partner. Unfortunately, the security guard wasn't there, though.
(Blocking the retreat it's simple!)
Cursing the security guard in his mind, Ryousuke chases after the thieves.
Ryousuke's legs were faster than theirs.
Ryousuke extended his hand to catch the one who was lagging behind.
But at that moment.
(Close, Sesame.)
As soon as he heard the unfamiliar language and the well-known meaning of the incantation echoing double in his head, it went pitch black in front of his eyes.
There were no lights on in the corridor even before that, but the light from the emergency lights ensured that it wasn't completely dark. It was bright enough to be unimpeded for the capture.
Self-preservation instincts caused Ryousuke to stop in his tracks.
He regained his vision in three seconds.
Immediately after that, he was wrestled from behind by a violent force.
In the instant he was falling forward, he slammed his elbows reflexively and threw away the arms that were loosely wrapped around his neck.
The opponent, illuminated by the lingering illumination scattered across the hallway, was a uniformed security guard.
(Damn it, I just went too……!)
While he was stunned, Ryousuke was firmly restrained by another security guard.
Taken into the security room and handcuffed to a chair, Ryousuke honestly spoke about the magic sign he felt and the intruders in the containment room.
But was it a mistake to reflexively fight back?
They assumed he was one of the trespassers.
Ryousuke had to remain in custody until Tatsuya arrived in the security room after receiving the news.
Tatsuya asked to remove Ryousuke's handcuffs at last. But he wasn't released after that. In the meantime, he was to be questioned by Tatsuya.
"Two burglars used magic to break into the Stellar Reactor building and unlock the containment room in order to steal parts from the Stellar Reactor, right?"
"……The part where they used magic to unlock the door is just a theory given the circumstances, but I saw with my own eyes that they were fumbling around with tools attached to the Stellar Reactor."
"I see. It would certainly be natural to see that as an attempt to steal parts. But for some unknown reason, the surveillance cameras in the hangar room were out of service at that time of the night."
A security guard was hastily dispatched because of the malfunctioning security camera.
"Tookami-san. I'm afraid we have no evidence of your innocence."
Ryousuke holds his breath.
He understood that, objectively speaking, his actions were extremely suspicious.
"……Are you going to hand me over to the authorities?"
"No, we won't take it to the police. This is a scandal that the media would love to see, such as a newly hired employee being caught in an attempted theft. Tomorrow's, no, today's party would be ruined."
As Tatsuya's words indicated, it was already after midnight.
"Besides, while there's no proof that Tookami-san is innocent, there's also no proof that you are guilty either."
"…………"
"However, I just have to say that it will be difficult for you to continue working for the Company in these circumstances."
Ryousuke looked down and clenched his back teeth.
He hadn't finished any of the investigations that FEHR leader Rena had asked him to do. He had only gotten a superficial idea of the Magian Company's purpose. He had been able to infiltrate inside with great effort, but if he was forced to quit now, he would be betraying Rena's trust.
"……Did something get stolen?"
"No, nothing."
Tatsuya answered Ryousuke's abrupt question without changing his expression. He also didn't inquire "What is it?". There was no reaction. Ryousuke wondered if Tatsuya had already decided in his head to dismiss him.
Ryousuke managed to muster what remained from his seemingly broken heart and continued to speak.
"The Stellar Reactor is a treasure trove of revolutionary magical technology. I don't know what the burglars were after, but I don't think they'll give up in just one try. I'm sure the bandits will try to steal it again."
Tatsuya's expression did not move. He probably knows that much without being told.
"Can you give me a chance?"
"Chance?"
He finally got a response from Tatsuya.
"I'll catch the burglars with my own hands. Let me prove my innocence this way."
"Or you’ll be pretending to be staking out the bandits to capture them and then help them get in and escape?"
This wasn't Tatsuya's statement. It came from Hanabishi Hyougo, who had followed Tatsuya to the security room and had been silently standing behind him until now.
"I'm not an ally of the thieves!"
Ryousuke exclaims with an wholly unexpected expression.
"It's still possible to assume so. Tookami-san, you know that yourself, don't you?"
Ryousuke is at a loss for words. Certainly, considering his current position and the situation that led to it, it is reasonable to speculate as Hyougo said.
"Tatsuya-sama, how will you handle this?"
Hyougo leaves the decision to Tatsuya. He didn't vehemently oppose to Ryousuke's proposal. As a matter of fact, Hyougo wasn't seriously suspicious of Ryousuke.
"Fine. However, you are not allowed to act alone. The selection of your partner will be made within a day or two. For tonight, please return to your lodgings."
Being prohibited from acting alone was like being told "We still suspect you," and honestly, he wasn't happy about it. But, from Tatsuya's point of view, it was an unavoidable decision. If he had unconditionally accepted Ryousuke's offer, he might have been accused of favoritism.
Understanding such, Ryousuke had no choice but to follow Tatsuya's judgement.
May 1, 4am.
The party for the establishment of the new company is planned for today. However, there is no over-the-top ceremony planned. The project itself was started two years ago and is performing well. The establishment of the company is simply a cosmetic change.
The party is nothing more than a slightly larger, standing buffet party.
The guests may be a bit special though.
Still, it was not so important to start the preparations in the early hours of the night.
In the darkness of the moonless dawn, Ryousuke left his quarters and headed for the harbor. With the construction of the airport in the southeastern part of the island, almost no one goes to the island by sea anymore. However, cargo ships were still coming and going actively.
The undersea cable that transmits the electricity produced by the Stellar Reactor to the Honshu island is still in the process of being installed. Currently, the electricity from the Stellar Reactor is mainly used to produce hydrogen. The product is then sent by container ship to a plant in Honshu, where it is processed into a more manageable fuel.
From the sales of the hydrogen gas alone, the Stellar Reactor Plant was expecting to recoup its entire investment next year. Discussions of establishing a new subsidiary to expand the business should be proceeding at a brisk pace.
However, there was no one in the harbor at this time of the night, even though container ships were actively coming and going. Ryousuke moved to the end of the pier and took out a somewhat large portable terminal from the inside pocket of his jumper.
No, it should be called a mobile phone. A terminal for voice calls through satellite communications. With the development of the Global Net (Global Area Network, or GAN), it has been relegated as a minor form of communication, but through steady technological improvement, it has remained an active form of communication even in the last years of the 21st century.
However, they are not common. At least it was not for private use. If all you need to do is to have international communication, it's much more convenient to use the usual Global Net.
As of 2100 A.D., the only merit of using a satellite communications terminal instead of the Global Net is that it doesn't go through the base station at the source, at the very best.
"Hello, Milady, it's Ryousuke. I'm sorry for interrupting your lunch hour……."
Ryousuke starts a conversation in English.
He was oblivious to the eyes staring at his back from the shadows.
FEHR, a magician's human rights political organization.
At noon, April 30, local time, in a private office at its headquarters in Vancouver, the representative, Rena Fehr, picked up the ringing satellite phone terminal.
She looked at the caller on the display.
The caller was Tookami Ryousuke, the person she just dispatched to Japan.
Rena pressed the answer button and held the speaker to her ear and the microphone close to her mouth.
"He-……."
[Hello, Milady, it's Ryousuke. I'm sorry for interrupting your lunch hour. I need to discuss something with you. Is this a good time?]
"…………"
But Rena wasn't even able to say the "hello" set phrase.
[Milady, if this is inconvenient for you, I can call you later]
As a leader, it is certainly good to be respected rather than being taken lightly, but Ryousuke seems to take things a bit too far.
Rena thought the same thing today.
"……No, there is no problem. Did something happen?"
[I have been hired by the Magian Company]
"Isn't that a great success?"
While answering, Rena tilted her head. He was able to enter as an employee inside the organization, the object of the information gathering. It's close to being the best first step of all. What on earth would be the issue?
[But I'm already being under suspicion for attempted theft and I'm likely to be fired as soon as possible]
"Huh? ……It's only been three days since you returned to Japan, right?"
What is that rapid development?
……That was Rena's feigned reaction.
"What happened?"
[Actually……]
Ryousuke describes the events of last night.
[The two thieves, I remember seeing them somewhere, but they're not members of the FEHR, are they?]
And then, Ryousuke asks Rena. Perhaps this question was the main purpose of the call.
"I, at least, didn't order any other member of the team to go to Japan except you, Ryousuke."
[Right……]
Rena felt that Ryosuke's voice indicated a feeling of dejection.
Rena's title of "saint" comes mainly from the magic she's good at. But the fact that she sincerely thinks that " I have to do something about it" may be another reason why she is called a "saint".
"……They aren't members of FEHR, but it might not be your imagination, Ryousuke, that you feel like you've seen them before."
[Milady, do you happen to have any idea who they are?]
The voice overflowing out of the speakers is filled with anticipation.
"I didn't witness it firsthand, so I can't say for sure."
[That's fine! Please tell me about it!]
Rena didn't happen to have the bad character to put the answer on airs in this situation.
"From what Ryousuke said, I'm guessing that the duo is most likely to be the 'Janus'."
She simply informed Ryousuke of her own deductions.
[Janus? That duo of criminal magicians?]
The name of a pair of criminals began to be rumored in the USNA's underworld about two years ago. They are experts in the practice of information theft, breaking into high-security buildings and stealing highly sensitive data and high-tech products.
This 'Janus' is not a code name given to them by the police, the media or any other third party. It was transmitted to the underworld as the name they themselves used to buy and sell the information they stole.
"The magic that took away Ryousuke's vision was probably their special magic 'Arabian Nights'."
[Arabian Nights?]
"This is a special type of magic that is said to be used by Janus and does not belong to either systematic or non-systematic types of magic. It is activated by the keywords 'Open, Sesame' and 'Close, Sesame' and is said to provoke a wide range of phenomena that qualify for the concept of 'Open' and 'Close'."
[Sesame? Isn't that from Alibaba?]
"Yes, that's probably where the name 'Arabian Nights' comes from."
[Wasn't the Alibaba episode not part of the original Arabian Nights?]
"……This, do we need to be concerned about it?"
Rena let out an involuntary tone of dismay at Ryousuke's out-of-focus comment.
[No, my apologies]
Ryousuke also apologized right away, probably because he felt that his comment was out of line with the situation. Although, if he was blamed by Rena, he'd probably apologize even if he wasn't wrong.
[Even so, as expected of you, you know a lot]
"Because it's not the radical anti-magic activists that are the real obstacle to our work, it's the magicians who use magic for crimes and unjustifiable violence to stir up terror and animosity in people. As a representative of the FEHR, I cannot afford to be negligent about gathering information about those people."
It's not uncommon for legitimate political activity to be sabotaged by extremists with similar claims.
[It's exactly as you said]
Ryousuke also had an idea of what was going on, and he chimed in with his conviction.
"I think Ryousuke's eyes were momentarily obscured because he interfered with your mind and closed your vision."
[……Do you know any countermeasures?]
"Well, I guess so……."
Rena ponders.
[…………]
Ryousuke waits silently for her answer.
"……Any tool that is limited to a specific use, not just magic, will perform better in its area of expertise. Conversely, the effects of an all-encompassing magic, namely whatever is included in the concept of 'opening' and 'closing', are not as strong as those of non-systematic magics that interferes with perception, such as 'Nyx', for example. I think that's why the duration of the visual blocking was so short."
[I see. As long as I understand that it's only going to last a few seconds, I can deal with it]
"It's just a guess. It's better not to fall victim to magic, no, it's better not to let the opponent cast magic at you."
[So the preemptive strikes are the best defense, right? I understand. Thank you very much]
"Just don't overdo it……."
At Ryousuke's voice, full of motivation, Rena couldn't help but to remind him in a strong tone.
May 1, 5:30 PM.
The inauguration ceremony of Stellar Generator Inc. went off without a hitch, and a standing buffet party began.
It's a little early for an evening party. This was in consideration of its location on an island in the Pacific Ocean, nearly a hundred kilometers from Honshu, so the party was set to begin earlier to allow for the possibility of a return trip. Of course, it was ensured that there would be plenty of hotel rooms available for them to stay in without trying to force themselves to return in the middle of the night. The facilities on site have expanded rapidly over the past three years, and not only those directly related to the Stellar Reactor Plant.
As Tatsuya was going around greeting the guests, a dressed up Miyuki was standing next to him. Behind them followed Lina, dressed up as glamorous as Miyuki was as a matter of course.
Following its investment in the Stellar Reactor Plant, American companies (actually the USNA federal government through private companies) have also become shareholders in the Stellar Generator. Many of tonight's guests were Americans because of this. They were very excited to speak to Lina.
Another person who drew as much attention as Miyuki and Lina in the venue was Mayumi, wearing an adult dress.
While Miyuki and Lina's dress was nearly sleeveless but covered her shoulders and chest, Mayumi's dress was a strapless dress. She boldly showed her shoulders and bosom under the stole. Her skirt was long enough to not look too flashy, but her petite frame and glamorous proportions made the men's eyes happy.
Fujibayashi, on the other hand, attended the event in a skirt suit. Her figure was unique among the cocktail dresses of the female audience, though she was most popular among the older ladies.
There was no sign of Ryousuke at the party venue. He was working as a porter in the backstage and doing all sorts of heavy duty work.
The party was not held in the northeast district, where the plant was located, but in the largest of the hotels built in the southeast district. The northeast district was now deserted in contrast to it's center where various demonstrations had taken place during the company's founding ceremony, but needless to say, it was not empty of people.
The thieves were only allowed to break in yesterday. On top of that, today, they were inviting a large number of guests. Security was tighter than ever.
They have already stopped accepting incoming cargo ships transporting the hydrogen gas produced. Since they had been notified of this in advance, no ships protested their non-permission to dock, but a few of them did not make it in time as a result. Those ships will be anchored a little offshore until tomorrow morning. On the deck of one of them, there is a duo of Middle Eastern men on board a cargo ship, pointing binoculars at Miyakijima.
The two men were similar in both face and physical appearance. They were close in age and could be brothers, cousins, perhaps even twins.
It's not surprising that some of the crew members of the cargo ships coming in and out of Japanese ports are of Middle Eastern descent. Of the four major world powers, the New Soviet Union and the Great Asian Union are enemies of Japan, while the USNA and the IPU are on friendly terms. Relations with the Arab League are also favorable so far. Middle Eastern workers can be seen not only on the sea but also in the streets.
However, the conversation that took place while looking through the binoculars in exactly the same stance was anything but "usual".
"……It's going to be hard to break in for a while, isn't it?"
"Mm. The reinforced security measures won't be limited only to tonight. I don't want to come across a Yotsuba combat magician, regardless of whether it's a security guard or not."
These two were the same thieves who had broken into the Stellar Reactor building last night.
"Bahadur, the manufacturing data of the thing, do you think it's in there? It seems to me that they're manufactured elsewhere."
"I agree, Bahman. That part is the heart of the Stellar Reactor system. If you think about it, it's very likely that they're keeping the production line a secret even from their investors."
"Where do you think that is?"
"I don't have any evidence for this, but…… maybe it's FLT? Bahman, what do you think?"
"I concur with you, Bahadur. But I also can't help but think it's here too."
"It seems to me so. But moving the ship now would cause unnecessary suspicion. We should wait until morning."
"Understood. So let's make the following arrangements tonight."
"Yes…….. Let's do that."
They pulled the binoculars away from their faces, left the railing they were leaning on and headed for the cabin.
The party ended before 8 o'clock. It took almost an hour longer than expected because many of the guests wanted to have a long talk with Tatsuya and Miyuki.
After seeing the guests off and thanking Fujibayashi and Mayumi, who were not originally involved in the party ──they were Magian Company staff, not Stellar Generator employees── Tatsuya returned with Miyuki and Lina to their secondary residence in the northwest district. It's a 4LDK apartment on the top floor of a residential building, converted from a facility for the administrative staff when Miyakijima was a maximum security prison for dangerous criminal magicians . Incidentally, when Lina also came to Miyakijima, she would stay in the room formerly occupied by Minami in this 4LDK.
"Thank you both for your efforts."
While loosening his collar, Tatsuya thanked Miyuki and Lina.
"I should be the one thanking you for your hard work, Tatsuya-sama. Would you like me to make you something? You haven't eaten much at the party, have you?"
"No, it's okay. I have been snacking here and there"
"Then, would you prefer a bath then?"
"Miyuki and Lina should use the baths first. I can use it later."
Tatsuya said so and then retreated to his room to change clothes.
He had just taken off his necktie and jacket when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Excuse me"
As soon as Tatsuya replies, the figure of Miyuki still in her dress walks in.
"I asked Lina to use the bath first."
Before Tatsuya could make any remarks, Miyuki gave an excuse.
"I see."
Tatsuya nodded and walked over to Miyuki, who was looking down embarrassed.
Then, without saying a word, he hugged her body.
"Ah……."
A breath escaped from Miyuki's mouth. It was never a sign of rejection.
That voice, tinged with mellowness, is not a sign of rejection, but of anticipation.
Tatsuya put the fingers of his right hand on Miyuki's chin.
Miyuki raised her face without resistance.
Their lips lightly meet.
A feathered kiss, like a teasing peck.
Their lips parted, and Miyuki buried her face in Tatsuya's chest.
There was a sense of shyness, but no awkwardness.
Their relationship had progressed to this level in three years.
They may be like a couple of first-time lovers in junior high school, but for Tatsuya and Miyuki, this was still a huge advance.
Miyuki took over from Lina and went into the bathroom, while Tatsuya changed his clothes and went to the dining room to quench his thirst.
That's when the freshly bathed Lina showed up.
"HAR, give me a iced café au lait, please."
Lina ordered the home-automation for a drink instead of asking Tatsuya.
She then sat herself down across from Tatsuya and grinned.
"Tatsuya. Miyuki's face looked a bit red, have you done something?"
"We just kissed, though."
Immediately, Lina's expression dampened.
"That's it? Are you still at that stage?"
A sigh escaped Lina's mouth.
"……If you're so backwards, you should be at least a little shy. Or are you as pure as an average low-teenager?"
"I don't think we're backwards, though. I don't think I'm pure hearted either."
"Hmmm …….In that case, you're, um, 'worthless' I guess. I'm pretty sure there's a word for that in Japanese, right?"
"The word worthiness originally emphasized the ability to make a living, economic power. It wouldn't be strictly correct to use it to mean the same thing as guts, would it?"
"No guts, then."
Tatsuya lets out a chuckle.
"But more importantly, you have something to talk about, don't you?"
"Wait a minute."
Just in time, a self-driving wagon controlled by the HAR brought in the glass of iced café au lait.
Lina took the glass herself and cleared her throat.
"Let's talk seriously from here."
"Ok. What is it?"
Following Lina's request, Tatsuya's expression becomes somewhat more serious.
"I had Stars look into Tookami Ryousuke. It's about the results."
"Did you get something?"
"Yes. He's a member of FEHR."
"Ho. So it was a very honest declaration to say that he came back from Vancouver, wasn't it? I thought he would change the departure airport with some small tricks, though."
"You know about the FEHR, don't you?"
Lina glances up at him and asks him a question.
Tatsuya nodded as if it was nothing. Lina seemed to have forgotten that Tatsuya had mentioned the name of the FEHR when he interviewed Ryousuke.
FEHR. It's a political association whose name is an acronym for 'Fighters for the Evolution of the Human Race'. It was established in December of 2095 in response to the radicalization of the 'Humanists'. Its headquarters are in Vancouver. The representative is Rena Fehr. The purpose of the association is to protect magicians from the anti-magic and magician exclusion movements.
Tatsuya briefly described what he knew about the FEHR.
"You know a lot as usual, Tatsuya. But you don't know that the FEHR is under surveillance by the FBI as one of the Terrorism Early Warning Groups [16] ."
"I certainly didn't know that."
Tatsuya nodded honestly, trying not to look pretentious.
"I thought they hadn't committed any specific violent acts yet, are they just not being reported?"
"No, I' m sure they are still in the potential suspect stage. But things aren't looking good over there."
"What part of it is dangerous?"
"The charisma of the guru."
"Guru?"
Tatsuya frowns quizzically.
"The FEHR is a religious organization? I thought it was a political association."
"It's a political association in terms of activities. But they have a blind devotion to their leader, Rena. No, calling it fanatic would be more appropriate, I suppose. I'm sure the members would be willing to do whatever it takes, and for that matter, even suicide bombings, if she gave them the order."
"That's really……. What kind of person is this Rena? She is a magician, right?"
"Hold on a minute."
Lina sips her iced café au lait and stands up.
"I'm going to get my terminal."
Saying that, she went to her room.
Miyuki came into the dining room in turn.
Like Lina, Miyuki's exuberant skin after a hot bath looks sensual. Her dark hair is wet and moist, giving her a chaste, yet frighteningly alluring sex appeal. It was probably a matter of taste, but it was still Miyuki who greatly shook Tatsuya's flawed heart.
"Tatsuya-sama, would you like a refill on your drink?"
"Thanks. But I'll wait until after I've had my bath."
"Very well. Then I'll get just for myself."
Saying so, Miyuki put the herbal tea leaves into the teapot with her own hands. She poured the water into the metal pitcher, grabbed the CAD and the water instantly boiled.
She poured the hot water into the teapot, transferred the brewed herb tea to an empty jug, and let it cool for a moment.
Sitting directly across from Tatsuya, Miyuki frowned lightly as she took a sip of the herb tea she'd poured into her glass. The reason for this was evident in her murmur, "It's too cold……" after setting the glass down.
"By the way, what were you and Lina talking about?"
It's not jealousy. She had already passed the stage of being jealous of Lina, whom she acted with almost all day long. She already knew that Lina had no such interest in Tatsuya.
"It seems that Lina had asked Stars to investigate Tookami Ryousuke's background. I was listening to the results of that investigation."
"Did anything suspicious come up?"
"He is a member of FEHR"
It was Lina who answered, coming back into the dining room.
"Fehr? What's that?"
Given that she had never heard of the FEHR, it was an understandable question for Miyuki.
"FEHR is a political organization that ostensibly advocates for the protection of human rights for magicians, but they're being monitored by the FBI for their likelihood of resorting to terrorism."
It was a duplicate explanation to the one she had given him earlier, but Lina didn't show a single single sign of disapproval.
"And, there is FEHR representative, Rena Fehr,"
Lina sat down next to Miyuki and switched on the electronic paper.
She ran the stylus pen to write in the search terms.
Then she put the pen down, as the data she was looking for immediately appeared on the screen.
"Rena Fehr, real name is Rena Chevalie. According to federal records, she was born in June, 2070, in Quebec, and is of French descent. It's been confirmed that she lived in Quebec until July 2081. She moved to Vancouver eight years ago, but her whereabouts were unknown for eleven years, from August 2081 to August 2092. She may have been out of the country."
"If the government hasn't found out where she went, does that mean she might have smuggled out of the country?"
"Or kidnapped, you know. Rena Fehr has a peculiar condition. She's supposed to be turning thirty this year, but she has an apparent age of around sixteen. Even in Quebec, it's been on record that she looked only about five years old at most from when she was eleven."
"……Anageria syndrome?"
"Yes, that's a possibility."
Anageria Syndrome ──the affliction of slowed aging. It's the name given by the novelist Matt Haig to the congenital disease that afflicts the protagonist, Tom Hazzard's, of his novel 'How to Stop Time'. The name Anageria Syndrome is a creation of Matt Haig's, but it was adopted as a provisional name for a real-life condition after people were discovered who were suspected of suffering from it.
The reason why it's suspicious is because there is no real medical confirmation of the slow aging process. No, it should be said that no medical confirmed data has been published.
"That's why you think she might have been abducted?"
"That's what I mean."
Lina nodded. At this point, Miyuki interjected with a query from Tatsuya's counter question.
"Tatsuya-sama, is Anageria Syndrome a disease that slows down the growing process?"
"Should we call it a disease or a constitution? If you simply age slowly, then you can't call it healthy."
Tatsuya replies to Miyuki, who tilts her head slightly, in a voice with little ups and downs.
"She hardly ages……. That's why you think she might have been kidnapped?"
To Miyuki's wide-eyed inquiry, Tatsuya nodded with a slightly bitter face.
With a little imagination, it's possible to understand. A constitution in which aging is slowed. That's an object of desire in the eyes of the powerful people. There must be no small number of people in power who would love to get their hands on this secret by any means necessary.
Perhaps bothered by the heavy atmosphere, Lina began to mention another part of the report.
"No magical disposition was identified in Rena at the time she lived in Quebec. This is probably another effect of the Anageria syndrome. I wonder if her magical growth was also being dragged down by her physical growth."
"So that's why the government scouts didn't pick up on her……. So, what kind of magic does Rena Fehr have?"
"Unfortunately, that part they don't know for sure. Apparently it's a powerful mental interference type magic. It doesn't seem to be an offensive kind, either, but more of a type of which soothes the heart."
"A mind interference soothes the heart. Certainly a great way to create a fanatic believer."
"This type of mental interference magic that grants pleasure is a kind of drug. Nonetheless, it's difficult to regulate. It's difficult to monitor from the outside, and it leaves no trace of its use. It's absolutely annoying."
"So, on the surface, she is just a leader with a good grasp on people's hearts."
"That's what I mean."
Lina let out a big sigh.
"So Lina thinks that Tookami-san might be captivated by that Rena-san, too?"
It wasn't Tatsuya, but Miyuki, who asked Lina the crucial question that was the reason for the discussion.
"Maybe, no. I'm sure of it. I admit that I don't have enough evidence, but……, at least positive that he's a highly skilled fighter. It's impossible for such a person not to be aware the Tasuya's dreadfulness. Yet, he's still trying to hang on to the Company, so I' m sure he has a good reason for it. For example, he's been given a mission by the Guru that takes precedence over his own life, for example."
"What's the mission?"
Miyuki asked Lina, who seemed to be taking the situation surprisingly seriously.
"I don't know about that, but ……he's dangerous either way. You never know what a fanatic might do. You should definitely keep an eye on him."
"I think Lina's overthinking it……"
Miyuki expressed doubt about Lina's seemingly simplistic conclusion.
But Tatsuya didn't refute Lina's conclusion.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login