Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Magian Company - Volume 2 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: [Society and FEHR (1)] 

On the evening of Sunday, May 23, when the Japanese magic community was reeling with suspicion and uncertainty concerning the relationship between the Yotsuba and Yatsushiro families, Tatsuya, despite being one of the concerned parties, had completely ignored the turmoil and was instead facing a terminal dedicated to international encrypted communications. 

On the other end was the representative of the Magian Society, Asha Chandrasekhar. He knew that she wouldn't be at her home in the region of the Indo-Persian Federation formerly known as Hyderabad, but on the island of Sri Lanka, where the Society's headquarters were situated. Even now, she was communicating from the Society's headquarters in Galle, a city at the southern tip of Sri Lanka. 

After a brief round of pleasantries, Tatsuya asked Chandrasekhar, "Have you ever heard of an organization called FEHR?". 

[Isn't that a magic supremacist organization based in Vancouver?] 

Chandrasekhar replied without so much as a delay. 

"You told me earlier, Doctor, that you had no plans to join forces with a magical supremacist group, I assume you haven't changed your mind about that, have you?" 

[……Are you considering an alliance with FEHR, Mister?] 

This time around, she returned with a question instead of an answer. There was a slight pause followed by this counter-question. 

"I was thinking about reaching out to them to see if they are someone we can cooperate with." 

[That organization seems to have maintained a policy of abiding by the law so far, so I guess that would be fine.] 

Chandrasekhar agreed even more easily than Tatsuya had expected. It seemed that she possessed much more than a passing knowledge of FEHR than he had anticipated. 

[By the way, Mister, what made you consider getting in touch with FEHR? I believe this is the first time FEHR has been mentioned between us."] 

"It's because FEHR has sent one of their members to my place" 

Tatsuya's honest answer prompted a faint smile and a "Oh my….." from Chandrasekhar. 

[……By 'my place', Mister, you mean Magian Company?] 

It might not have come as a surprise, but Chandrasekhar was fully aware of the Company. Being neither a branch nor an affiliate of Society, there was essentially no requirement to get Chandrasekhar's consent to establish the Company, but Tatsuya had explained the Company to her beforehand regardless. 

"That's right." 

Tatsuya readily confirmed. No words of concern, caution, nor questions about the identity of the spy were spoken by Chandrasekhar. The subject of the spy sent out by FEHR consisted of no more than that. 

At the end of the day, the discussion ended with Chandrasekhar stating that she would draft the terms of the partnership with FEHR by tomorrow, and that she would leave the first phase of negotiations to Tatsuya. 

Tatsuya told Miyuki and Lina over dinner that day about his discussion with Chandrasekhar about establishing a cooperative relationship with FEHR. The reason as to why he also shared with Lina, and not just with Miyuki, was because, considering the fact that FEHR was an organization located in the USNA, Tatsuya was thinking that situations may arise in which she would need to be able to act. 

Since she started living with Tatsuya and Miyuki, Lina had become more straightforward, for better or worse. She was probably a good natured person at heart who just couldn't lie. Because of how honest she had become, she was less prone to shooting herself in the foot by attempting to hide secrets. She probably felt much more at ease, mentally. 

"I think you already know this, but I am totally against the idea." 

Even now, she expressed her honest thoughts boldly, like this. 

"I am well aware of the risks. But if we don't do anything because of the risks it poses, not only will we miss out on the opportunity, but the situation could get significantly worse." 

"What situation are you saying we can avoid if we ally ourselves with FEHR?" 

There was a bit of belligerence in Lina's tone of questioning. 

"If an isolated FEHR were to become inclined to do illegal activities and join forces with organized crime groups such as FAIR, it would be a major headwind for Society. That would give momentum to the Anti-Magic Movement's claim that Magians are a danger to the Majority." 

This 'Majority' referred to the population who weren't magians; who weren't born with the magic factor. Tatsuya wasn't uncomfortable being identified as a minority. Since the fact that Magians were an absolute minority was irrefutable. 

"So, it's to keep an eye on FEHR to make sure they don't turn to terrorism or commit crimes?" 

Lina asked Tatsuya back, looking taken by surprise 29 . 

"That too." 

"Hmmm……. If so, I guess I can accept it." 

Once Lina had buried the hatchet, Miyuki raised her own question to Tatsuya. 

"But Tatsuya-sama. In that case, wouldn't it be better to have them directly involved through the Company?" 

"No……." 

Tatsuya slowly shook his head in response to Miyuki's question. 

"That would be correct as far as surveillance was concerned. But Magian Company's activities are focused solely on the Japanese domestic market. We’re considering accepting foreign personnel at some point, but if we were to form a direct partnership with FEHR, there's a high possibility that either, or both, the Magic Association and the National Defense Force would be suspicious of us without cause." 

"I was shallow in my thinking. You are completely right." 

Tatsuya shook his head when Miyuki displayed her embarrassment. 

"Not really, It's just that I have been considering this matter for a long time." 

"Okay then. So, are you done with this thing? Then let's eat. The food is going to get cold." 

Lina, feeling that the exchange of ideas was about to turn into an intimate tangle between the two, sought to forcibly bring it to an end. 

While displaying a wry smile, Tatsuya and Miyuki complied with her. 

On the following day, Monday, May 24, Chandrasekhar sent the draft of the collaboration proposal to Tatsuya's attention, as agreed. 

Tatsuya immediately reviewed the document that had been sent to him by mail. The contents were well within his expectations, except for one point. That particular point didn't disadvantage Tatsuya in any way. However, he couldn't resist the urge to find out Chandrasekhar's true intentions. 

One hour after receiving the mail, Tatsuya finally managed to reach Chandrasekhar via encrypted communication. 

"Doctor. May I have a word with you for a moment?" 

[Yes, no problem, mister. Was there anything that was unclear?] 

Fortunately, Chandrasekhar was available. 

"There's just one item I'd like to address. It's regarding the personnel exchange with FEHR." 

[Ok, what about it?] 

"Are you really going to send Miss Shastri to FEHR? Even though she isn't officially recognized as one, isn't she still a Strategic-Class Magician?" 

Arya Krishna Shastri was an unofficial Strategic-Class Magician who acted as Chandrasekhar's bodyguard. Yet, her duties were nothing more than a mere escort. The true value of a Strategic-Class Magic was only demonstrated when it came to targeting cities, fleets, and large forces. The same applied for [Agni Downburst] that Shastri had mastered. 

Agni Downburst was a magic that used adiabatic compression to create a massive, high-density mass of air near the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, which was then brought down while retaining its high-density state. 

As the high-density state was maintained through magic, the mass of air would then reach high temperatures via the phenomenon of adiabatic compression. Thus, creating a phenomenon that couldn't occur naturally, where the densely compressed air mass, although hotter, would still be much heavier than normal uncompressed air and the cold air found at high altitudes. 

And, even in that state, the heavier cluster of compressed air would then begin its descent. The mass was then accelerated with magic, slamming it into the ground (sea level), in conjunction with the air on its downward path, that was compressed and heated up by friction, which spread heat and shockwaves to the surroundings. Which was the Strategic-Class Magic, Agni Downburst. 

This magic wasn't dependent on geographic conditions. By adjusting the size of the air mass, the power could be tailored to either the strategic level of destroying a city or to the combat level for dealing with small units. 

On the other hand, it could be affected by large-scale meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes, that could cause the time lag between the activation and the striking big enough to turn it into a disadvantage. 

Due to how the power could be regulated, Agni Downburst was a very convenient and easy-to-use magic. However, it was still powerful enough to be worthy of the title of Strategic-Class Magic. Tatsuya considered that it was only natural to avoid the risk of it falling into the wrong hands as much as possible. 

[Agni Downburst requires a special CAD system, so there's no worry about a leakage. Besides, there are pieces of information that can only be obtained from within the organization. So, isn't it reasonable to send someone we can trust?] 

"If obtaining information is all you want, I'm sure there are more qualified people. I don't think that Miss Shastri is the only mageist that you, Doctor, have at your disposal." 

[……I'd like to keep this between us.] 

Chandrasekhar's voice sounded distressed, Tatsuya nodded silently. 

[Lately, the federal army has been demanding that I give Arya to them.] 

It went without saying that the "federal army" she was referring to was the Indo-Persian federal army. 

"Is the intention of the government to use the strength of having two nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magicians to establish diplomatic superiority over the Great Asian Union?" 

[It does seem so, doesn't it? And to add to that, I think there's also a competitive spirit against Japan, which now has two "apostles". ……You, mister, are a whole different story.] 

'Apostles' was how the nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magicians were commonly referred to. With the recognition of Ichijou Masaki as a Strategic-Class Magician three years ago, and the already acknowledged Itsuwa Mio, Japan raised its number of 'Apostles' to two. And, with Tatsuya's disposal of Bezobrazov of the New Soviet Union shortly thereafter, only two nations, USNA and Japan, were left with more than one nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magicians. 

"So, you, Doctor, would prefer to keep Miss Shastri in your hands rather than handing her over to the military? Then I don't think it would be any more meaningful to send her to FEHR." 

[You see, I don't want Arya on the battlefield. Because she just isn't fit for war. And the only reason I taught Arya the Strategic-Class Magic was because I knew that a Strategic-Class Magician wouldn't be thrown onto the battlefield as easily.] 

At the end of that line, Chandrasekhar muttered in an empty voice, "Though it turns out it was a miscalculation on my part". 

"……But if we try to do that, won't the government refuse to allow Miss Shastri to leave the country?" 

[I can work out something about that. I've already told the military that Arya's abilities are still too unstable to be used in actual combat.] 

"Will Doctor be okay by telling such a lie?" 

[It's not entirely a lie, it's true that Arya has an unstable side.] 

On the monitor's screen, Chandrasekhar exhaled a sigh. 

[The military and government have reached an agreement to find a new suitable candidate from among the mageist officers. But if it takes too long, I'm afraid the military high command will grow impatient.] 

"Those things will take time. Finding a match for Strategic-Class Magic isn’t that easy." 

[Yes. That's why part of the point is to ensure that Arya is out of the country.] 

"If that’s the case, I will say nothing more. Then, I would like to open negotiations on the terms you have offered." 

[That's right. Then, I'll be looking forward to working with you, mister.] 

After Tatsuya bid her farewell, he closed the encrypted communication line.