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Chapter 3 [Conspiracy]

June 28th, 1:00 A.M. local time in Vancouver. 

"Lina, they're here. Get up." 

Sophia's voice was all it took for Lina to raise her body from her bed. 

"They really came, huh." 

There wasn't a trace of drowsiness in her fed up remark. She stood up as quickly as she got up, stepping into her shoes that she usually keeps lined up beside her bed. 

"Do we capture them? Or should we drive them away?" 

The similarly roused Sophia asked about the course of action. She didn't even seem remotely bothered by Lina's prompt transition to combat readiness when she should be naturally drowsy. Sophia knows that Lina had previously been "Sirius" of Stars. As far as Sophia is concerned, it is only natural to expect Lina to behave like a soldier due to her military discipline. 

…If her Japanese friends could see Lina now, they would probably rub their eyelids and look at her again incredulously. 

"It's a shame, but we don't have anywhere to keep them locked up, nor any means of interrogation, right now. We're not prepared enough to capture them. So let's just drive them away." 

Sophia's question brought up a valid point. 

"Roger that." 

There were no objections during the conversation. 

"I'll go on ahead first. Lina, back me up." 

Lina doesn't know exactly what kind of combat magician Sophia is. But her skills earned her a first-magnitude star codename at the very least. 

"I'll leave it to you. Stay sharp." 

Although she has no espionage skills, Lina, who can use "Parade," is better at covert operations than one would expect. Thus it was decided, however, to leave things in her hands for the time being. 

Sophia planted "Alarm" — the interpersonal perception magic "Tentacles" in the corridor, elevator hall, and emergency staircase. She detected an intruder by the "Alarm" on the emergency staircase. 

Their room is situated on the floor above that of Mayumi's group. 

The intruder was descending from above. 

Therefore, Sophia decided to wait for the intruder on the landing just below whereas Lina was waiting for the intruder at the lower floor door. This formation was in case the intruder took a different route. However, so far there had been no response on the lower floor where Sophia had set up an "Alarm." It seemed safe to assume that the intruder was descending from above. Lina thought so at least. 

Sophia indicated upwards with a hand sign. 

It seemed that the intruder was closing in. 

Furthermore, the intruder really is descending from above. 

Ready to respond at any time, Lina kept an eye on Sophia on the landing and the staircase above to the upper floor. Since she was also paying attention to Sophia, Lina immediately noticed her picking up a small object from her pocket. 

Smaller than a coin, just enough that she could pick it up with her fingers. 

(A pill…?) 

It was too dark to see clearly, but it was presumably a white pill. 

The moment a figure came into view, muffling the sound of their own footsteps while coming down the stairs, Sophia flicked the pill-like object with her right thumb. 

She could barely discern the figure bending backwards in the darkness. Immediately thereafter, the intruder tripped over his own feet and tumbled down the staircase. 

She felt signs of agitation from above. Said signs then stopped movement. Perhaps out of fear it might happen again, they did not run down in aid of their companion. 

Sophia came down to Lina's position. 

With a hand gesture, she suggested that they go out through the emergency staircase and into the hallway. 

Lina nodded and used a sound-dampening magic. 

They soundlessly opened the door and walked out of the emergency staircase. 

"Aren't there still some intruders left, though?" 

Lina asked Sophia, after deploying a barrier of soundproofing magic around them. 

"If we take them all down, there wouldn't be anyone to pull them out, right?" 

"So you deliberately only took down one of them so as not to leave any trace of the attack?" 

"That was the idea. We also don't want the others to know what we're up to." 

Lina thought to herself, "I understand." 

"…By the way, what was that thing that you flicked with your finger just a bit ago?" 

With one question out of the way, the next one came to mind. 

"Hmm? Ah, this." 

Sophia pulled out something like a flat bead from the same pocket as before. 

Similarly as before, it looked like a rather large pill. 

"What is it?" 

"It's a solidified powder of a type of synthetic drug that you inhale through your nose. I use magic to send it to about the tip of the enemy's nose, and I turn it back into a powder. It's highly toxic, so you just need this much to induce acute intoxication." 

"So that's what made the guy fall over." 

"If they leave their buddy behind, he will be caught red-handed for drug use. I'm pretty sure they'll do their best to pick his body up though since he won't be able to move on his own." 

Though Sophia is explaining in a serious tone of voice, it was quite noticeable that the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. It was an unconscious, uncontrollable smile on her part, "a smirk," like she is commiting a crime for the fun of it. 

She's quite mean, Lina thought. 

Maybe this is just the kind of personality to expect from someone who specializes in espionage work. 

"She seems dependable in that sense, I guess?" Lina thought next. 

It has been a while, so Lina and Sophia used the emergency staircase to return to their room, as there weren't any signs of the intruders. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

On the afternoon of June 28th, in the former Canadian territory of Vancouver. Mayumi, accompanied by Mari and Ryousuke, were meeting with Lena once again. 

"Have you gotten used to the time zone difference, Miss Saegusa?" 

"Yes, I'm all right." 

Mari and, not to mention, Mayumi showed no signs of sleep deprivation. That's thanks to the fact that, contrary to their expectations, no one broke in while they were sleeping, so they ended up not being woken up in the middle of the night. Both Mayumi and Mari were oblivious to what occurred outside their room, Ryousuke, who was asleep in another room, was also unaware of what took place. 

"I'd like to discuss your offer." 

Lena ended her preamble at that and proceeded to the main topic. 

"I'll begin by saying that a partnership with the Magian Society would be a most welcome opportunity for us. I believe there is a need to refine the details of the agreement, but we would like to make a statement to the effect of the agreement." 

"I understand." 

Mayumi bowed at Lena's words. 

On the surface, this marks the end of the business she was sent to America for. 

But she felt that it was somewhat unexciting. 

"If it's alright with you, could you please elaborate, even briefly, on the items of concern?" 

Mayumi inquired of Lena as such. 

"…As you may be aware, we are currently in the midst of an antagonistic relationship with an organization called FAIR." 

To which Lena replied after a moment's hesitation. 

Despite the fact that there have not been any arrests of its members, the "Janus" duo that were caught in Japan are not the only ones who have been involved in crimes. Just by having a relationship with such an organization — even if it's an antagonistic one — brings the consideration of many that FEHR may also have a dark side of their own as well. That's just the way the world is. 

Lena does not think that would prompt a rejection from an emissary sent by that Shiba Tatsuya. However, although it is not a criminal act, it is still true that FEHR itself engages in espionage-like conduct against FAIR. It was just not something that she would casually confide in someone she first met two days ago, and this being only the second meeting so far. 

"No, I'm afraid I'm not. When you say 'antagonistic relationship,' to what extent do you mean? So much so that they would try to break in and try to steal from my company?" 

"Mayumi's response wasn't far off from what Lena had predicted, but it was well beyond her expectations, however." 

Besides Mayumi, Ryousuke also couldn't hide his surprise. 

"…Were you stolen from?" 

"No, it ended in a failed attempt. A duo called 'Janus' did manage to break in, but we were able to drive them away." 

"…is that so. It's good that there weren't any losses, at the very least, then." 

Both Lena and Ryousuke are well aware of the events where the former FAIR members, Janus, broke into the Stellar Reactor Plant and FLT8 in search of a Relic. Ryousuke was very much a concerned party to this incident, after all. 

They aren't surprised because the incident itself was brought up. Neither of them were expecting Mayumi to know about the identity of Janus. 

It was not surprising that she discovered this information if you consider the facts. 

Mayumi wasn't involved in the capture of Janus. All that she did was repel the duo alongside Ryousuke, it was the older sister and younger brother of the Kuroba Family who drove them into a corner, and Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Lina were essentially the ones who captured them in the end. 

Mayumi, however, is the eldest daughter of the Saegusa Family, which is said to rival the Yotsuba Family in the Japanese magical community. There was absolutely no doubt that the Saegusa Family would investigate the incident since she was involved. The Yotsuba Family didn't seem particularly zealous about concealing the incident. So, even though she doesn't know about the circumstances involving their capture, Mayumi did find out about the general identity of the criminal magicians that she fought. 

"Considering their involvement, if you say you're in conflict with FAIR, then so are we. As long as it doesn't escalate to the point of an illegal armed conflict, I don't believe it'll pose much of an impediment to our partnership." 

"Something like an armed conflict is just as outrageous to us. I can firmly assure you that we, FEHR, do not use force except for the purpose of self-defense." 

"Then there should be no problem." 

Mayumi responded with a radiant smile. "self-defense" is often used as an excuse to use violence. Behind that smile was a complete understanding of this fact. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

Lina turned her head at the sound of tapping on the passenger-side windowpane to find Captain Mirfak standing there saluting her. 

Lina, who is in the driver's seat of a self-propelled car, unlocked the door. 

Mirfak readily slid into the passenger seat. 

"You figured it out pretty well, huh?" 

Lina's query could mean two things: "How did you know I was here?" and "How did you know it was me?" They're in a rental car that Sophia had arranged for them. And the current Lina has an appearance of a totally different person with the use of Parade. 

"Second Lieutenant Spica passed the car's license plate number to me." 

"I see." 

"By the way, where is Second Lieutenant Spica?" 

After satisfying Lina's curiosity, it was now Mirfak's turn to ask. 

"She's checking the area to make sure there aren't any others like the ones we saw last night lurking around. She should be back soon." 

As if on cue, Sophia could be spotted coming from behind shadows of a building. Holding a takeout cup in each hand, she walked in a stride that was neither too fast nor too slow. Her figure blended in with the environment, as if she was just another local. 

Sophia came to stand beside the car. 

Lina rolled down the window and received her drink. 

"Want me to drive for a while?" 

"No, I'm good, thanks." 

Sophia didn't waver in the slightest at her answer and just opened the back seat door and climbed into the back seat behind Lina. 

"Fifi, how was it?" 

Lina went ahead and asked Sophia for her report. 

"There was no one suspicious around, that includes the bunch from last night. I imagine they didn't want to stick around and stand out." 

"So, is there a chance of what happened last night happening again?" 

"Yes, but not necessarily. They may attack during dinner time. Blending in with the crowd is another way of being inconspicuous, after all." 

Lina mulled over Sophia's assessment for a moment. 

"…At any rate, you don't think we're going to be attacked here, right Fifi?" 

"Yeah. Although it might be dangerous to take our eyes off of them completely." 

"I can take over the watch here." 

Mirfak followed up after Sophia spoke. 

"I did some investigating and I can confirm that the group you found were illegal FBI operatives." 

"Were you able to identify them?" 

"No, not that much." 

In response to Lina's question, Mirfak shook his head ruefully. 

"But I am confident that the FBI is moving operatives around. And their aim is without a doubt the kidnapping of the Japanese person sent by Mr. Shiba." 

Neither Lina nor Sophia were surprised by Mirfak's words. They simply thought, "So it's really true." …Incidentally, it became a custom among star-class members of Stars to address Tatsuya with "Mr." as a sign of both respect and fear. 

"Not only the staff of the Secretary of Defense, but also the General Staff Headquarters is feeling very apprehensive about this." 

Lina could understand that sentiment. 

"Well, I'm sure that's a given. I don't think they would want to needlessly strain their relationship with Tatsuya." 

"Precisely." 

Mirfak was not speculating but affirming, knowing via Canopus that the General Staff Headquarters feels exactly the way Lina had just mentioned. 

"For that reason, the DIA9 has agreed to supply us with personnel for this case. They are not elite, but they will be useful on surveillance that requires manpower." 

Mirfak is not steeped in the malady of belittling the Majority, which is a common practice among high-level Magists. He evaluated the personnel sent by the DIA on a true merit basis, and it seems that they are all second-class or lower. 

But he still holds a good point, as long as the numbers aren't used incorrectly, they are an effective asset in their own right. 

"Got it. I'll leave this to you, then." 

Mirfak got out of the self-propelled car and Sophia moved to the passenger seat. 

Lina started the car and headed for the hotel. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

Once back at their room, Lina was immersed in her thoughts with a glass of iced café au lait in front of her. 

"Lina, what are you thinking about?" 

Sophia naturally wondered, as she had been in that state long enough for the ice in her glass to melt completely. 

"Uh? Ah, sorry." 

Lina displayed a slight hesitation. She took a moment to consider whether or not to confide what she had been thinking about. 

"It's not really related to what is going on right now, but… I was wondering what FAIR is trying to do." 

She ultimately chose to confide. 

"As I recall, they tried to steal an Artificial Relic in Japan, right?" 

"Yes. And after that there was a raid on the Relic excavation site, which turned out to have been a request from FAIR after all." 

She spoke honestly in hopes of finding a way out of the impasse she wandered into. Sometimes, not even a discussion, just a casual chat, can bring up unexpected leads. 

"In that case, isn't obtaining a Relic their ultimate goal? They're an organization that's committed to fighting against non-magicians, so they probably want magical weapons, right?" 

FAIR's official name "Fighters Against Inferior Race" is not publicly known, but it's not something difficult to find out. Even without governmental authority, it can be ascertained by those with the know-how of how to do such a thing such as detectives or journalists. The reason it has not turned into a social issue yet is simply because so few are interested in it. 

"I think so too but… something about it just doesn't add up." 

"Well, I don't think something like a Relic that can store a Magic Sequence can be found buried just anywhere." 

"Supposing they discovered a Relic with the same properties, one or two of them wouldn't be enough to change things." 

"Maybe they are thinking of replicating the ones they can find, just like Mr. Shiba did?" 

Sophia was probably on the right track. 

"I'm not sure it's going to be that easy." 

That exactly is the point Lina is stuck on, however. 

"Relics have been found everywhere, not just in Japan. They have been excavated around ancient historical ruins in several countries, and even here in the States, some have been found in the strata beneath the Serpent Mound. They don't have the ability to store a Magic Sequence though." 

Serpent Mound is an archaeological site in Ohio, a huge fill thought to be a mound tomb. No details are known as to when and who built it, or for what purpose. Some say it is 1,000 years old, some say 2,000 years old, and others even suggest it is more than 10,000 years old. 

In other words, with no historical record, its origins are not known to those in the present day. Relics have been found near similar ruins or in the vicinity of places where there are vestiges of myths and legends. 

"Relics have been under study for more than a decade now in several countries. I hear that even here in the States, a lot of human and financial resources have even been invested in it. But, so far, no one other than Tatsuya has managed to replicate one. Not to mention mass producing them." 

"So you're saying that even if they found an Original, it wouldn't be that easy to turn it into a weapon?" 

Lina nodded to Sophia. 

"And I'm sure those FAIR people know that, too." 

She then mentioned this. 

"So do you think they might have another plan other than replicating a Relic?" 

"I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about it…" 

Not answering Sophia's question directly, Lina muttered to herself. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

June 28th, just after 6:00 P.M. 

"I apologize for keeping you until late." 

"Don't mention it, I have also kept you here for a while… I hope I didn't interpose myself in your busy schedule." 

At the entrance of FEHR headquarters, Lena and Mayumi bowed to each other. The reasons were stated clearly by both. The meeting dragged on much longer than planned. 

Neither of them was to blame. Lena wanted to hear about any anecdotes about Tatsuya that Mayumi knew, and Mayumi was very interested in how Lena came to form FEHR. In short, it was both of them who dragged the conversation on. 

And from the looks of things, these two have not yet exhausted the topics of conversation. It was not so much that they had endless subjects to bring up, but rather that they had hit it off so well together that it was hard to find an opportunity to stop. 

Mayumi is 22 years old, born in December 2077, whereas Lena was born in June 2070 and just celebrated her 30th birthday a few days ago. Though Lena is 8 years older than her, their outward appearances are reversed: Mayumi being the older of the two, while Lena looks like she is 16 or 17 years old. 

It may not have necessarily been the synergy, but an air of intimacy was formed between the two that made the age difference between them seem unnoticeable. 

"Mayumi." 

Lena called Mayumi by her given name. As their conversation is in English, the nuance behind the way of addressing is not the same as in a japanese conversation. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that by addressing her as such, it shows that there is a greater degree of familiarity between them than if she were to have used her surname. 

"If you don't mind, why don't you join us for dinner tonight?" 

"Sure, Lena. It would be my pleasure." 

Mayumi was the same on that point. 

"Good." 

With a girlish smile, Lena expressed her delight. 

"Charlee, what do you suggest?" 

"Well, how about poutine?" 

Charlotte answered Lena with a wry smile and turned to Mayumi. 

"Miss Saegusa. Have you had poutine yet?" 

"Poutine? No, not yet." 

"I see. It's a popular dish served in fast-food restaurants, and it's one of the signature dishes of the Canadian Region, so I think you should try it at least once for conversation." 

"Okay then, by all means." 

Yesterday, she had avoided any fast-food mainly because "I'm traveling abroad after all, why would I?" But as it was a specialty recommended by the locals, Mayumi did not want to miss the chance to try it. 

After receiving an answer from Mayumi, Charlotte proceeded to make a phone call. After hanging up on the second call, she turned to Lena. 

"Lena, I've got a nineteen o'clock reservation at a restaurant in the West End." 

"We're fortunate to have such great timing, so why don't we head out now?" 

Lena, Mayumi, Mari, Ryousuke and Charlotte all promptly boarded a car. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

Shortly before 6:30 P.M., Lina, who was on standby at the hotel, received an incoming call from Mirfak. 

[Lina, Miss Saegusa and her group left FEHR headquarters in a self-propelled car with Lena Fehr.] 

"Together with Lena Fehr?" 

While asking quizzically back, Lina thought, "Is Mayumi that good at socializing?" which might have been quite rude. 

But it was essentially a rhetorical question. 

"Do you know where they are headed?" 

She immediately changed the question. 

[I believe it's in the West End area.] 

"Given the time now, I guess Lena Fehr invited them to dinner…?" 

As the call is on loudspeaker, Sophia is also listening in. 

Sophia gave a silent nod in agreement to Lina's guess. 

[You are probably right.] 

Mirfak also agreed with her guess. 

[I'll call you as soon as I confirm their destination.] 

"Please do. We'll be heading to the West End as well." 

[Roger that. Lina, take care.] 

He hung up the call. 

At the same time, Sophia stood up and grabbed the keys to the rental car that were on the table. 

"Let's go, Lina." 

"Yeah, roger that." 

As if contesting with Sophia in her aim for the keys, Lina stood up as well, slightly annoyed. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

The poutine, a Canadian dish — said to be more of a Québécoise in terms of origin — consists of French fries topped with sauce, cheese, and meat, vegetables, eggs, and mushrooms, proved to be more appealing to Mari than to Mayumi. 

That said, Mayumi ate as much, if not more, than Mari did. 

"Sigh, I'm so full." 

"We stuffed ourselves with just that stuff…" 

Mari's exasperated voice greeted Mayumi's satisfied voice as they left the restaurant. 

"As a local, I'm glad you liked it." 

Lena smiled in good faith. 

"When I heard it was fast food, I thought it wouldn't be enough for dinner, but I was mistaken." 


Traditional poutine is just sauce and cheese, and what they sell in fast-food restaurants is a cheap and delicious form of that. Mayumi's take wasn't entirely mistaken, however. 

"They had a wide variety of toppings because poutine is a specialty at that restaurant." 

It was just as Lena said, that the restaurant was of a high grade. 

"Would you like us to take you back to your hotel?" 

"No thanks Miss Gagnon, we can't have you drive us back after having had a drink. We'll call a cab." 

Charlotte offered to drive them back, but Mayumi politely declined. 

"I haven't drunk enough to get drunk, though." 

The amount of alcohol Charlotte consumed was not enough to be legally considered drinking under the influence. Besides, not only Ryousuke, who had lived in the USNA before, Mari also thought "that the amount shouldn't be a problem." 

But Mayumi was adamantly fastidious about the "don't drink and drive" principle. Perhaps she had some bitter memories of drinking, because not only did she refuse the offer of the one-way trip, she even insisted to Charlotte, though not in a very strong tone, that, "I think it would be better if you call a cab." 

"Okay, I understand. Then at least let me see you off." 

Sensing the stubborn policies contained in Mayumi's soft demeanor, Lena offered a compromise. 

"…I'm sorry to impose, thank you very much." 

Mayumi did not ask to leave first because she thought it would be better to give Charlotte a little time to sober up before driving right away. 

"Then let's wait somewhere out of the way. Ryousuke, could you call a cab?" 

"Yes, Milady." 

Lena smiled back at Ryousuke who nodded happily, and began to lead the way. 

Mayumi narrowed her eyes a little at Ryousuke who was carrying out Lena's instruction with all the vigor of a loyal dog. 

The expression on her face could be taken as either a smile or a look of dissatisfaction. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

As Lena's group of five walked toward the far side of the restaurant parking lot, Lina and Sophia watched them from a self-propelled car parked a short distance away. 

"What's the point of me being here…?" 

Lina unexpectedly grumbled in the passenger seat of the car. 

"What's wrong, that came out of nowhere." 

Sophia asked, sounding not surprised, but somehow amused. 

"Was it really necessary to have me keep an eye on Mayumi? I mean, sure, there might be dozens of enemies out there, but even the FBI can't pull anything flashy, can they? If the DIA is involved, why not just leave it to them?" 

"That is to say you're fed up with this?" 

"No, that's not it." 

Lina didn't snap back or yell, but she avoided eye contact in frustration. 

"Well, you have a point, Lina." 

Sophia merely agreed with Lina's opinion, instead of pressuring her past that point. 

"Eh?" 

Lina let out a baffled voice, that wasn't what she was expecting Sophia would say. 

"Even if you hadn't come all this way to watch them, Lina, we would be working to stop the FBI's reckless action. Regardless if Miss Saegusa is related to Mr. Shiba or not, it is an embarrassment to the country for a government agency to attack innocent civilians who are visiting the States." 

"That's… yeah, you're right." 

Lina sympathized with the "embarrassment to the country" part. Lina knows of Mari accompanying Mayumi, and the fact that she is a Japanese soldier. Sophia knows about this as well. Mari didn't hide her identity when she entered the country. 

And Mari was certainly not in an active military operation right now, nor was she acting in the capacity of a counterintelligence agent or in any way engaged in subversive activities. She is here in the same capacity as Mayumi, in that any harm against her would be a violation of the law. 

In short, by ignoring the law, the FBI and those standing behind it are dragging USNA's credibility through the mud. Lina may not be a soldier anymore, but she felt outraged in the same way as Sophia and the others. It is for this reason that Lina refused to leave the matter up to others. 

"…Yeah, I guess I'll keep going." 

Keeping her gaze fixed on Mayumi and the others — so as not to look at Sophia — Lina said so. 

Sophia thought, "She's so cute" as she stared at Lina. 

After about five more minutes of surveillance, the situation changed. 

A dark-painted minivan entered the parking lot and drove up to Mayumi and the others. On the side of the minivan was a mark indicating that it is an unmanned cab. 

At that moment, the area was opportunely deserted. Lina and Sophia grew alert. They didn't write off the timing as a coincidence. It was clearly a deliberate act. 

The fact that they could see someone inside in spite of it being an unmanned cab would normally indicate that it was taking a passenger up to this spot. 

"Sophia." 

"I'm ready to go at any time." 

Sophia responded to Lina's firm voice as she would to a superior officer. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

"Is it already here…?" 

Mayumi muttered as she saw a minivan pull into the parking lot. There were four figures inside, which she assumed must be customers of this restaurant. 

"Mayumi!" 

But suddenly Mari pulled her arm and Mayumi found herself shielded behind her back. 

At the same time, Ryousuke moved to stand just in front of Lena and took a stance. 

Their actions were prompted by the self-propelled car, which was supposed to park at the entrance of the restaurant, approaching them. 

Their intuition was spot on in sensing that something was "suspicious." 

As soon as it came to a stop, a couple of men leaped out from inside the minivan. 

They are armed with what looks like specialized extendable batons. 

One of them swung at Mari. 

Mari raised her left hand and her forearm was hit by the baton-shaped weapon. 

A brief electric crackle sound cut through the evening air. 

Their weapons were not just batons, but stun batons capable of delivering electric shocks. 

However, Mari, who should have been struck by an electric shock, showed no sign of harm, and retaliated against the man with a front kick. 

The man mitigated the damage of the kick by backstepping. 

"Mari!?" 

"No problem." 

Mari responded to Mayumi's worried voice while still looking forward. There was no time to give her an explanation, but hidden beneath Mari's summer jacket, which she hadn't taken off all day long, are protectors that she has strapped to her forearms and upper arms on both sides. The protectors are made from an artificial leather that uses a highly insulating material that hardens in response to an impact. 

Taking notice that she appeared to be distracted in her reply, another man attacked Mari. A third man kept Ryousuke in check, and a fourth man tried to circle around and attack Mayumi. 

She swiftly attempted to deploy an Activation Sequence by pouring Psions into her completely thought-operated type CAD. 

"Mayumi, stop!" 

But Lena stopped her from doing so. 

"The restrictions on magic use are more strict in this city!" 

Mayumi interrupted activating her magic. 

Given she had intended to use magic to intercept the man, she was not in a position to escape from the assailant. 

Ryousuke knocked away the man that came at her. 

"Back up!" 

Ryousuke held out both hands and pulled Mayumi and Lena behind him simultaneously. 

It was a fairly rough way to be pulled, but neither Mayumi nor Lena protested. 

"Way to go!" 

Mari commended Ryousuke's handiwork in a coarse tone. 

"I'll leave them to you!' 

Mari then entrusted Ryousuke with watching over them while handling a two-man offensive. 

"Sure, leave them to us." 

It was Charlotte who responded. She stood across from Ryousuke, facing the remaining one of the four assailants. 

She is unarmed. She is facing the man with the stun baton with her bare hands. Despite this, they were deadlocked in the standoff. Was that because Charlotte had no openings? Or was there more to the situation? 

Meanwhile, Ryousuke's side was easy to define. 

"Shit. Son of a-!" 

It was one of the assailants who was breathing hard and swearing. There wasn't a stun baton in his hand — Ryousuke had already knocked it out of his hand — and now he had a small-sized knife in hand. 

Ryousuke was not in a hurry to "go back up Mari" since he was dealing with his opponent's attacks. He didn't feel at a disadvantage in fighting against armed opponents barehanded. He was also surely racking up damage on his opponent. 

As expected, the one who seemed to be having the hardest time was Mari, who was dealing with two opponents by herself. That said, she wasn't fighting dangerously either. A clear indication of this was the growing frustration on part of her opponents. 

The FBI is supporting them. Nevertheless, during this illegal operation, they are the ones who want to avoid having the police get involved. The longer this drags on, the more advantageous it would be for Mari and the others. 

The two men who had been up against Mari took a wide step back. Seeing this, the other two men also backed away. Maybe they realized that the situation was not in their favor and decided to retreat. 

"Hey! 

"Right!" 

The two in the front signaled some sort of cue. 

The two on both sides nodded silently. 

All four of them took out a thin, elongated device from their back pockets in unison. 

Psion light emanated from the hands gripping the devices. 

"CADs!?" 

"Are these guys magicians!?" 

Mayumi and Mari shouted almost simultaneously. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

The illegal operatives loaded the Activation Sequence from their CADs. 

Caught by surprise, both Mayumi and Mari lagged behind in their responses. 

"I won't let you!" 

But the first to activate their magic was Lina, who shouted from inside the self-propelled car she was monitoring from. 

A Zone Interference was deployed to an explosive effect, enveloping Mayumi's group of five as well as all the illegal operatives, preventing anyone from activating magic. 

Lina is not as good at Zone Interference as Miyuki, but she originally outperforms Miyuki when it comes to generate explosive, instantaneous power. She could generate a Zone Interference as strong as Miyuki's as long as the duration is limited to a few seconds. 

The Zone Interference vanished after three seconds, just long enough for Mayumi and her team to regain their bearings. 

Still, neither Mayumi nor Mari needed to use magic. 

Throwing knives akin to thin needles flew out of nowhere, piercing the four operatives one after the other. Despite the wounds being limited to non-lethal spots, such as the upper arms and thighs, from the screams raised by all of them, it appeared that the damage was more than meets the eye. 

Those knives were manipulated via Movement Magic by Sophia, who was sneaking around just outside the parking lot. The technique of guiding knives with magic is widely popular among Stars. Countless members are proficient in it, which ultimately resulted in the development of advanced magics, such as "Dancing Blades." 

The throwing knives that struck the operatives were of a variation of this magical technique, known as "Hornet Dagger." A knife is electrically charged via Release-Type Magic, and then manipulated via Movement-Type Magic and thrust into the enemy. The magic harms the enemy by inflicting a puncture wound from a knife and by delivering an electric shock. The primary intended purpose of this magic is to incapacitate the target's limbs without killing him or her. 

In many cases, it is used to capture an enemy alive, but in this case, the objective was not to capture them. 

"—Retreat!" 

That man must have been the leader. With a single word from him, all four of them, including himself, ran back to the vehicle they used for their assault with knives still very much lodged in them. 

As the self-propelled car sped off, neither Mari, Ryousuke, Charlotte, nor Sophia, who was hiding outside the parking lot, made a move to stop it. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

"Where did those knives come from…?" 

"Not a clue." 

Mayumi muttered and Mari sincerely, albeit ruefully, replied. As to why she's in a foul mood, 

"It must have been magic, but I couldn't pick up any sign of activation nor any trace left of it." 

This was the reason. 

"If those knives had been aimed at us I don't think I could have blocked them," Mari thought, angry at herself for her ineptitude. 

"Yes. Whoever the caster at the beginning, the one that used Zone Interference, they were pretty powerful." 

The subsequent line from Lena, in a voice still fraught with tension, was not exactly a follow-up, but it did have some measure of effect in calming Mari's mind. 

"The caster at the beginning?" 

It was Ryousuke interjecting at Lena's words. 

"Milady, was the Zone Interference and throwing knives from different casters?" 

Though he was "interjecting," not "questioning" or "judging," he noticed something suspicious and asked her about it. 

"Yes, it looks like it was different people." 

Lena's answer was clear. It must have been evident to her. 

"The technical control of the throwing knives was also quite advanced, but the magician who launched the Zone Interference probably surpasses me in terms of power." 

"They surpass you, Milady? For someone to be able to do that, could they be from Stars!?" 

Upon hearing Ryousuke's remark, both Mayumi and Mari thought it was an exaggeration. The way he said it, it sounded as if Lena has magical power comparable to those from Stars. 

Both of them vaguely sensed that Lena was not an ordinary person. 

But at this point, they were still underestimating Lena's abilities. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

Lina, who is in the driver's seat of the self-propelled car, unlocked the car doors when she saw Sophia approaching. Lina had shrewdly taken the spot in front of the steering wheel just after Sophia got out of the car. 

"Good work, Fifi." 

"Thanks." 

Sophia replied to Lina's words of appreciation in a casual tone as she climbed into the passenger seat. She had already relaxed from being in a combat mindset. 

"Their response was not as good as I thought it would be." 

Sophia shook her head lightly at Lina's comment. 

"Yeah, their magical skills were poor, but their execution was unexpectedly skillful. They didn't go down when the 'Hornet Daggers' hit them, and I think they escaped without even pulling out the knives to avoid leaving behind anything identifiable, like blood or skin tissue or anything like that." 

"Really? They had guts." 

"Yeah. I don't think your average amount of training would get you that far." 

"This makes me more and more curious about their backgrounds… Like, what they used to do before they were hired by the FBI." 

"We'll find out when we catch them." 

Sophia brought Lina back to reality after she was lost in thought. 

"…You think they'll make another attempt?" 

"No, no, if they still plan to make another attempt, they will certainly need to change out members." 

"?" 

Seeing Lina tilting her head, Sophia gave a sly smile. 

"Lina, did you forget? It's not just the two of us over here." 

"Ah." 

Lina reflexively raised her voice at the thought of having a separate team give chase, for this had never crossed her mind before. Sophia began to "giggle" at her. 

"Didn't you specialize in direct combat, Lina?" 

"…Let's get back to the hotel." 

Lina started the car and drove away. 

Sophia continued to giggle as she watched Lina, who was focused on looking forward, refuse to glance back at the passenger side. 

The cab Mayumi's group had called had yet to arrive. Sophia didn't bother to mention the guards she stationed behind them in the shadows. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

By the time Mayumi, Mari and Ryousuke reached their hotel it was almost midnight. 

"Aah. Finally, sleep at last." 

Mayumi threw herself onto her bed, clothes and all. She lay on her back, mumbling to herself "I'm so tired," while extending every last syllable in emphasis. 

"Mayumi, come on, get it together." 

Mari scolded her, but even her own tiredness showed in her voice as she spoke. Although not necessarily lying down, she herself was sitting languidly on her bed. 

"Go on, take a shower first and get a fresh change of clothes before bed. You're going to get your clothes all wrinkled if you are sloppy like that." 

"Ehh…" 

"Don't 'Ehh' me. Are you sure you want to go straight to bed without taking a shower? Don't be so quick as to stop taking care of yourself." 

The last sentence was what sealed the deal, causing Mayumi to sigh as she started to sit up. 

Only to immediately fall back onto her bed again. 

"Oh no. I can't. You can go first, Mari." 

"Haaah…" 

Mari heaved a sigh as she stood up, the expression on her face saying, "You're helpless." 

"Don't fall asleep. After I'm done, you're going to get in." 

"Okaaay." 

Mayumi replied lazily, lifting one hand and fluttering it in the air. 

Once she confirmed that Mari had disappeared into the bathroom, Mayumi then lazily sat up. Believing that she would fall asleep if she didn't. 

Mayumi had been joking around and acting like a child with Mari, it wasn't really her intention to sleep without a shower. Like most adult women, she takes her appearance seriously, and she would also feel uncomfortable having her body be somewhat sticky all over. 

She didn't engage in any intense exercise that would have caused her to sweat so much. …Though, it's possible that she could have been sweating due to the tension she was feeling, or even from cold sweats. 

The reasons for why they made it back to the hotel so late and for their tiredness, is because they were being questioned by the police. 

It wasn't the FBI. It was the Vancouver municipal police. Not surprisingly, the restaurant had reported the assault against Mayumi's group in the parking lot. 

Being the victims of the incident, the police weren't particularly harsh with their questions. And having a lawyer, that is Charlotte, along with them had the added benefit of easing the police's scrutiny about the incident. 

But since they were all magicians — though Charlotte would technically qualify as a psychic, not a magician — the proceedings took longer than usual, as they had to confirm that the traces of magic left at the scene were not theirs and that they had not used their magic improperly. 

The FBI staff who had given the orders to the operatives probably wanted for Mayumi's group to be arrested, or at least detained for the misuse of magic, in the event that the kidnapping did not succeed. Without a doubt, they had planned this so as to create a scandal by association between Tatsuya, who sent Mayumi's group over, and the opposing presidential candidate, Secretary of Defense Spencer. 

This attempt might have succeeded if Lena had not stopped them from using magic. If Mayumi's group had been alone, it is likely that they would have been accused of having used magic just like how Mayumi and Ryousuke themselves had been accused back in Japan. 

By all accounts, in Japan, Mayumi has benefitted from being a daughter of the Saegusa Family, even if she herself is unaware of it. One could say that she has been "taken into account." So far, her use of magic throughout the city has been largely overlooked by the judicial authorities. 

Vancouver has particularly strict restrictions on the use of magic in public spaces. Mayumi had taken this information carefully into consideration prior to her trip. 

Even so, due to the virtual prohibition against even short-term travel abroad for magicians, she hasn't had any experience visiting a foreign country until now. She had no concrete notion of the differences between domestic and international travel. Consequently, she didn't have the lesson in mind about keeping an eye on the differences between countries. Mayumi almost fell into such a pitfall this evening. 

◇ ◇ ◇ 

Lina had returned to the hotel much earlier than Mayumi. She had already taken a bath and was now relaxing. 

"Lina, Captain Mirfak reportedly captured the operatives in question." 

It was at this point that Sophia, who had gone out to assess the situation, returned. 

"Hardy, not the DIA?" 

"Of course, we'll have to hand them over once we're done with our interrogation. Since they used some reasonably good magicians, it seems they decided to have Stars do the preliminary work before turning them over." 

"Were they brainwashed?" 

In this case, by "preliminary work" it generally means getting them to a state where they could ask questions. It's commonly believed in Japan that "brainwashing" is detrimental to magical skills, whereas the same doesn't apply in America. It is believed that even low-level magicians can greatly benefit from it by having their magical skills become more directional at the expense of versatility. 

"That's something being looked into now, but it's not unlikely. Those guys used to belong to the 'Wiz Guard.'" 

The "Wiz Guard" are a domestic security force composed of low-level combat magicians who wouldn't even otherwise be considered for Stars. Even being at a low-level, they are still capable of performing at a practical level as magicians and as soldiers. 

"Hmm." 

Lina didn't even react after hearing that they are former Wiz Guards. For Lina, while in her early teens, she had been in the Starlight elite course before advancing to Stars, so she didn't even feel it necessary to learn about the Wiz Guard career path. 

"From the sounds of it, the FBI pulled them out of jail after they were court-martialed and convicted." 

"What the hell did they do to get convicted at a court-martial?" 

This question was partially just a prompt for Sophia to continue speaking, especially since she herself doesn't have much interest in the matter. 

"Remember the riot in Northern Mexico three years ago?" 

The former Mexican territory was annexed by the USNA and reorganized into three states. Of those, the state of Northern Mexico encompasses the area north of the Tropic of Cancer including the Baja California Peninsula. 

"They were charged with assaulting the local population at that time. The sentence was imposed on the grounds that they had encouraged the rebellion of some of the state troops and caused them to turn against the federal military. According to the official records, that's what happened." 

Upon hearing this, however, Lina could no longer remain indifferent. This is because after the clash between the Wiz Guard and the state troops, Lina had been deployed to Northern Mexico as "Angie Sirius" along with her subordinates from Stars. At that time, they had a very difficult time getting the situation under control, and the trouble with the Anti-Magic Movement left her with some bitter memories of the incident. 

"…But is that how it actually happened?" 

Lina asked, catching on to Sophia's "according to the official records." 

"I'll have to do more digging to be sure, but… It looks like the charges were forced upon them from the top." 

"You mean they were made into scapegoats!?" 

"Well… it sure looks that way." 

Sophia vaguely acknowledged Lina's wide-eyed words. 

"Oh…" 

Sophia muttered shortly thereafter, realizing now from Lina's reaction that she had been deployed as "Angie Sirius" to quell the riots in Northern Mexico. 

"It's not like you're at fault for anything, Lina." 

Sophia hastily added. 

"I don't know the details, but it must have been awfully hard just to get things under control, right? The Wiz Guard is a completely different organization, even though it's a part of the federal military. Even as 'Sirius,' there's no way that you could've completely known what was going on." 

"—I know. I'm not someone who likes to beat myself up over things like that, so don't worry." 

Lina smiled back. 

However, her expression betrayed what she was feeling in her heart since things aren't as clear-cut as she says they are. 

Thus, the FBI's attempt to use illegal operatives ended in complete failure. 

But, even though it had been thwarted, it left a bad aftertaste in Lina's mouth. 





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