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Chapter 5

 

[The Significance of the Existence of Magic]

Evening of June 20th. At the Tokyo headquarters of the Yotsuba Family in Chofu.

On the top floor of the building was Tatsuya and Miyuki’s home, and at the basement lies

Tatsuya's private laboratory. Naturally, this building wasn’t exclusively for Tatsuya and

Miyuki’s use. Lina also lived on the top floor, and other people related to the Yotsuba Family occupied the floors below. Offices and meeting rooms occupied the first three floors, while the basement contained training rooms and other research facilities besides Tatsuya's laboratory.

It was already past dinner time and Tatsuya wasn’t at home, but in the upstairs parlor. However, he hadn’t received a guest. Given that the room was soundproofed, he used it to receive reports from his personal subordinates posing as guests.

"Let me hear it, Daimon."

Seated on the sofa, Tatsuya prompted the man across from him on ── he wasn’t on a sofa, but instead was on one knee down on the floor with his head down as he gave his report.

"Yes, sir."

The name of the man who replied while keeping his face turned down was Fujibayashi Hiroto. He was the half-brother of Fujibayashi Kyouko's father, Fujibayashi Nagamasa. He was a ninjutsu user working as Tatsuya's personal intelligence operative. Although he was essentially Kyouko's uncle, Hiroto was only two years older than her.

Three years ago, the former head of the Fujibayashi Family, Nagamasa, launched a surprise attack on Tatsuya in an attempt to aid Minoru's escape. Hiroto was chosen by the Fujibayashi Family to make amends for the deception. To Tatsuya ── not to the Yotsuba Family ── he swore an oath of vassalage. Since then, he has served as Tatsuya's personal subordinate.

Tatsuya called Hiroto "Daimon" to distinguish him from Fujibayashi Kyouko. Despite being just a different reading of his name, it was a codename of sorts. As Daimon = Daemon.

However, it wasn’t demon, which means devil, but daemon. In reference to the Background Process "Daemon" of the UNIX-based OS.

"Today, I observed Sergeant Major Watanabe Mari of the Independent Magic-Equipped Regiment paying a visit to Saegusa Mayumi-jou at the Saegusa residence."

Hiroto raised his face, but his knee remained on the floor as he answered Tatsuya's inquiry.

"Sergeant Major Watanabe?"

"Yes. It seems that Sergeant Major Watanabe has been ordered to escort Saegusa-jou during her visit to the United States. The purpose of her visit was to obtain permission from Saegusa-jou herself."

Hiroto was a direct descendent of the Fujibayashi Family, a famous family of Ancient Magician "Ninjutsu users." And he had the skills to match. While he was inferior to his older brother as a magician, he was highly regarded within the Fujibayashi Family as having surpassed his older brother in the art of intelligence and espionage. Because of this, eavesdropping on conversations even within the highly guarded residence of the Saegusa Family wasn't completely out of the realm of possibilities.

Moreover, since he was Tatsuya's personal subordinate, he could be used for missions that would lead to trouble between the Ten Master Clans in the unlikely event that the operation were to be exposed. This was the reason why he chose Hiroto to investigate instead of Fumiya or Ayako.

"Is Colonel Kazama in support of Saegusa-san going to the United States?"

"Shall I look into it, sir?"

"No, I’d rather you not. Colonel Kazama is a master of Tengu-jutsu of Ancient Magic. It's not that I don't trust your skills, but you never know."

Hiroto was older than Tatsuya. In spite of that fact, Tatsuya's arrogant tone was meant to emphasize the difference in their standings. Tatsuya may trust Hiroto's abilities, as for the person himself, he didn't trust him as much as his niece, Kyouko. He didn't come to be his subordinate out of empathy or even as a favor, but as a member of the Fujibayashi Family working to atone for the betrayal of the previous head of the family. And to keep him from forgetting that fact, Tatsuya felt it necessary to constantly remind him that he was the master.

"Whatever Colonel Kazama's true intentions are, I'm still grateful that he's willing to send an escort for Saegusa-san. And since the escort is Sergeant Major Watanabe, I doubt it’s in her nature to collude with the Intelligence Department and try to frame Saegusa-san on false charges."

Hiroto deeply bowed his head in a sign of acknowledgement.

Tatsuya looked down at this scene as he stood up.


"You've done your work. You can leave now."

"Should I keep watch over Saegusa-jou's surroundings?"

"You may continue." "Very well, sir."

After bowing his head once more, Hiroto stood up and walked out of the parlor.

Just as Hiroto was departing, and before Tatsuya could get up from the sofa, there was a knock at the door of the parlor.

"Come in."

"Excuse me."

As if exchanging places with Hiroto, the figure of his niece, Fujibayashi Kyouko, emerged in the parlor. No, judging by the timing, she must have been waiting outside for her turn. As for why they didn't present themselves at the same time, it wasn't because they don't get along. It was just their way of distinguishing between work and private life.

"Fujibayashi-san, please have a seat."

Tatsuya stood up to greet Fujibayashi. Then he offered her the couch to sit on and sat down at the same time. Making a clear distinction with his treatment of Hiroto.

"We've received the latest data from Spaceguard on the comet we discussed before."

Spaceguard was an international organization dedicated to the discovery, observation, and study of near-Earth objects that threaten to collide with the Earth. Established at the end of the 20th century, the local Japanese organization, Japan Spaceguard, was established at the same time. It’s a non-profit corporation, and isn’t part of any governmental organization.

The source of Fujibayashi's information was the local Japan Spaceguard, rather than the international Spaceguard. It wasn't obtained through illegal means, but as a favor from a researcher whom she befriended after helping him with a little hacking, for which he kindly shared some confidential data with her.

"Its current position is at 61° ecliptic latitude and 122° ecliptic longitude in heliocentric ecliptic coordinates, at an estimated distance of 300 million kilometers from Earth."

"At what time will it make its closest approach?"

"About two months from now, its plane of revolution will intersect the Earth's orbit at an almost perpendicular angle, at which time the estimated distance will be around one and a half million kilometers."

Whether or not she knew them in advance, Fujibayashi readily answered Tatsuya's questions.

"That's about four times the lunar distance. So, if we were using it as argumentative material, a near-impact doesn't seem quite enough, right?"

Tatsuya looked slightly disappointed at that answer.

"No, I'd say it's dangerously close."

However, Fujibayashi's opinion was different.

"At the end of the 20th century, the Comet Hyakutake passed at forty times the lunar distance, and Lexell’s Comet of the 18th century passed at six times the lunar distance. Besides, its size is quite large for a comet, and if it were to break up and change its orbit midway, we could find ourselves in a catastrophic situation where at the very least the debris would rain down on the Earth."

"But for all that, it doesn't seem to be getting much attention."

Upon hearing the detailed explanation, Tatsuya tilted his head slightly to the side.

"From what my collaborator at Spaceguard told me, the surface of the comet's core is completely coated with a tar-like non-volatile material, which accounts for the lack of a tail, and that makes it difficult to observe."

"So, since there is no fear of a collision, the information is being withheld to avoid causing a panic?"

"No, I think there's more to it than that."

"Like?"

"I have just finished a calculation on the orbital data I just mentioned earlier. From it, I assume they are debating whether to make a public announcement or not, and if they do, which media to use and how much of the facts to reveal."

"I see. That’s about as good as it is going to get for us."

Tatsuya muttered in response to Fujibayashi's speculation.





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