Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Magian Company - Volume 5 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

[Bargaining]

Tatsuya's company stay in Hyderabad was immediately made known to the intelligence agencies of the IPU government.

Not surprisingly, both Tatsuya's and Lena's entourages followed the official procedure to enter the country. Furthermore, they were staying at Chandrasekhar's residence, a VIP of the IPU government. It would be in fact weird if said intelligence agencies did not fix their eyes on them from day one.

It was the next morning, Tatsuya noticed the presence of "eyes" peering at them from outside the house as soon as he got up.

"Are those outside the mansion your guards, Doctor?" Tatsuya asked Chandrasekhar at the breakfast table.

"Outside the mansion?"

Chandrasekhar's response did not seem to be feigned. Apparently, she was too unaware, and the surveillance was being conducted without her permission.

"Yes. It appears that they are using perception-type magic to watch what is going on inside the house from outside."

At his remark, Miyuki and Lina acted naturally, as Tatsuya's awareness of the surveillance was a given to them.

Hyougo, at the foot of the table, made the slightest gesture of a smile in admiration.

Lena expressed her genuine surprise. So did her black male attendant, Louis Roux.

And Evelyn was, for some reason, frustrated.

"─I have not heard a word of this."

Chandrasekhar's displeasure was exposed in her voice.

"I beg your pardon. I will have this stopped immediately."

There was no guarantee that anger wasn’t an act, but it was sufficient for Tatsuya if it also meant a loosening of the watchful eye.

◇ ◇ ◇

Today, Chandrasekhar led them on a tour of the University of Hyderabad. Of the IPU's magical research centers, six are located each in the former India and Iran ─ again, the IPU is a federal institution ─ and this university is one of them.

The arrangements for their ruins exploration were still underway. Since they wouldn’t be moving anywhere from here until they were ready, they visited the magic research center at the University of Hyderabad to maintain their ostensible purposes of entering the IPU. The visit was a waste of time according to the main purpose of the trip, but "I'm not going" wasn't an acceptable option. Besides, Tatsuya had his own interests as a magic researcher.

Along with Tatsuya, Miyuki, Lena, and Louis Roux joined the tour, while Lina abstained in order to keep Evelyn in check at the house.

As for Hyougo, he stated that he would check the situation in the Uzbekistan area through his personal contacts. He apparently went off on his own, but since he has been trained by the Yotsuba Family, not to mention his experience with the PMSC, Tatsuya didn't see an issue with letting him operate alone.

Tatsuya received a very enthusiastic welcome at the university, to say the least. The reasons, though, differed greatly between the faculty and the students.

Most of the questions from the faculty members were focused on the topic of Artificial Relic. Most involved the replication process of the Relic, with a few here and there about the Stellar Reactor system.

The students seemed to have a strong impression of Tatsuya's successive victories over global powers other than IPU. He had not just one or two asking how to acquire a magic like Material Burst. Others asked if Stellar Generator, the company that administers the Stellar Reactors, employs foreigners, or if it will ever establish a foreign branch.

Tatsuya's visit to the University of Hyderabad was generally received positively, no doubt in part due to being at the invitation of Chandrasekhar.

In terms of incidents ─ there was one surprise. It happened as Tatsuya was about to leave the university.

"─The General wants to see me?"

Lieutenant General Lars Singh requested a meeting with Tatsuya.

He wondered if Chandrasekhar had engineered this occasion; she herself claimed "I wasn't aware." No matter the frankness or lack thereof, the most prominent figure in the federal army deliberately came to the site to meet him. It wasn’t an option Tatsuya could refuse, so he apologized to Chandrasekhar and Lena for the delay caused, and then he, along with Miyuki, went to meet Lars Singh face-to-face.

The meeting took place at the university in a reception room as opulent as a palace salon. After Tatsuya and Miyuki, respectively, introduced themselves, Tatsuya inquired of Singh about the purpose of the meeting.

"I came to see you. That's all."

"─I am honored."

Unable to read Shin's intent, Tatsuya tried to play it safe.

Unfortunately, he could not fully mask his confusion.

"Surprising? I don't find it to be unexpected, myself."

"Pardon me. To tell you the truth, it did not come to my mind that His Excellency, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Indo-Persian Union Forces and Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Republican Armed Forces, would expressly take the time to visit a private civilian of no consequence like myself."

Lars Singh laughed out loud with amusement. With exception of his fully grayed eyebrows ─ given there was no hair, gray or not, in his bald head ─ he looked otherwise at least ten years younger than his actual age of mid-sixties.

"…Excuse me for my indiscretion. But, Mister, of no consequence? Do you yourself believe in earnest that such words describe your worth?"

"……"

"I don't think you do. You surely must know your value. There is no soul in this world nowadays who can afford to ignore your value as a military and national security asset. I would not be surprised if it was the president sitting in this room with you in my stead." "I'm flattered."

Tatsuya bowed lightly in his seated position. Miyuki, beside him, followed suit without a word.

Whereas Tatsuya wore a neutral expression, Miyuki privately sported a satisfied smile, proud to hear the words of Lars Singh.

"Well, now that we satisfied my selfish aim for this meeting. I'd like to offer anything Mr. Shiba may be interested in. Don't worry, we can talk about more than just financial topics."

"I don't have a particular request. In fact, if I may take the opportunity, I'd like to pass along a message to you, sir.

"Let's hear it."

"This is a verbal message from the Chief of Staff of the National Defense Forces of Japan, Akiyama. In his message, 'I would like to directly consult about the future.'"

Singh's eyes, which had been once humorous, now suddenly took on a sharp gleam.

"Mr. Shiba, Have you received such a request directly from Mr. Akiyama?"

"No, sir. I received this request via a trusted friend in the National Defense Forces."

"…I see. In that case, I'd like you to tell that friend of yours that 'I'd be happy to." "I sure will."

After that, they spent 15 minutes with Miyuki chatting, and that was the end of Tatsuya's meeting with Lars Singh.

◇ ◇ ◇

By the time they returned to Chandrasekhar's mansion from the university, Hyougo had not yet left the house.

With some time left for dinner, Miyuki brewed a pot of chai tea for the both of them in the kitchenette of Tatsuya's guest room.

"Tatsuya-sama. Are you sure you should not have asked the general for his assistance?"

"I don't intend to. If we asked His Excellency Singh for his cooperation, we would have to share the information about the artifacts in case we successfully find any." Tatsuya frowned as he answered.

"I'd like to minimize as much as I can the possibility of the magical artifacts falling into military use. I only asked Dr. Chandrasekhar for her assistance because I had no other choice. I'd prefer to avoid it, really."

"I see, so that's the case. So does Tatsuya-sama believe that there is such a dangerous object hidden?"

"And I hope I'm wrong…"

Miyuki couldn't find any comforting words to say to Tatsuya as he muttered to himself under furrowed brows.

◇ ◇ ◇

The situation, however, took an unexpected turn for Tatsuya.

Friday, August 6th, on the morning after the day of Tatsuya and other's visit to the University of Hyderabad.

"Tensions are rising on the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. I'd like to ask you all to wait a little longer before going to Uzbekistan."

Chandrasekhar suddenly announced at the breakfast table with all, Tatsuya's group and Lena's group, present. Her expression didn't suggest it to be a joke.

"Is the Samarkand visit also being postponed?" Evelyn reacted first.

"The tension is primarily originating in the northeast of Samarkand, near the eastern shore of Lake Idar. While it's nearly two hundred kilometers away from your destination, I'm afraid we cannot dismiss the implications."

"I see…"

Evelyn backed down quietly, but it was apparent that, in her downcast face, she was on the verge of gritting her teeth.

"I recall that your country and Kazakhstan have friendly relations." Tatsuya was the next in line to question.

"In part, yes, we did. We at least had not been hostile to each other. We are as much surprised by the suddenness of the situation as you are."

Tatsuya wasn’t the only one to arch an eyebrow at Chandrasekhar's answer.

"There were no previous indications?" Tatsuya queried further.

"Yes. We're still in the process of ascertaining the situation and the surrounding circumstances."

Chandrasekhar answered his question with her own bewildered expression.

◇ ◇ ◇

Despite being out of its hottest season, Hyderabad is nevertheless hot and humid. It has been raining since this morning.

Chandrasekhar was at the university on work, so no further discussion about the future. After breakfast, both Tatsuya's group and Lena's group withdrew to their respective rooms.

That said, each person didn't necessarily choose to spend their time by themselves.

"It's nice to relax once in a while, isn't it?"

Miyuki says with a smile as she lays a cup of coffee in front of Tatsuya. The cup was filled with magically cooled iced coffee. She had first attempted to use Indian coffee, but was unable to brew it properly, so she switched to regular coffee.

"Tatsuya, Miyuki, I got it." 

Said Lina from the other side of the door, and, without waiting for a prompt, she walked right in. In one hand she carried a large metal dish filled to the brim with teacakes.

"…That's quite a lot you got here."

Miyuki's comment wasn't much in exasperation, just surprise.

"Don't blame me. I just asked for some tea cakes. And they gave me this bowl full of them."

Lina was quick to plead her innocence.

"I wonder if it's part of the culture here to indulge guests…" Miyuki muttered in pure perplexity.

At this point, there wasn't any hint of disapproval in Miyuki's tone.

"…At any rate, it seems like we will have a lot of calories to burn."

Until Tatsuya made his comment, at which point Miyuki turned a sharp look at Lina.

On the large platter were small, firm pieces of sūji halwa (a dish made of semolina flour mixed with vegetables, fruits, and sesame seeds and boiled in oil and sugar), gulab Jamun (darkened deep-fried doughnuts in syrup), coconut Barfi (a milk pastry filled with coconut and/or nuts), sundesh (milk fat blended with sugar and cardamom in a circle shape) chikki (nuts, dried fruits, sesame seeds, and other ingredients hardened in caramelized sugar), and a number of other Indian confectioneries. The most remarkable feature is their sweetness. Not just "a bit sweet," but "sweet" with all due emphasis on the word.

"It-It's fine. There's no need to eat all of it."

The meaning of Miyuki's gaze was impossible to misinterpret, so Lina, nearly breaking out in a cold sweat, pleaded in her own defense.

As Miyuki and Lina were sipping their coffee and keeping each other from having a feast with the generous serving of calorie in between them, Hyougo made his arrival. Upon hearing the news from Chandrasekhar, he went over, even under this occasion, to ask his mercenary associate about the situation.

"Tatsuya-sama. It's indeed true that the Kazakhstan army has been mobilized."

After the prefatory note, Hyougo presented the entirety of his findings to Tatsuya.

"Did you find out the reasons

"It appears to be a state of alert in response to Kazakhstan's border guards taking fire from Uzbekistan's side."

Hyougo's connotative phrasing invited a frown from Tatsuya. "Have you been able to ascertain from whom these shots came?" Lina opened her mouth in exclamation with Tatsuya's question.

"No, not yet. I can't even say for sure if it was someone from Uzbekistan."

"This is one of those false flag operations to provoke a conflict between the IPU and Kazakhstan, right?!"

Lina jumped to her feet and exclaimed. "The culprits must be agents of the GAU!" She confidently asserts.

Tatsuya and Hyougo both chuckled a little.

"Lina, didn't he just say that they haven't identified the culprit yet?"

"Indeed, sir, so I said. However, Kazakhstan's military seems to have the same suspicions as Rina-ojou-sama."

While acknowledging Tatsuya's words, Hyougo backed up Lina as well.

"In that case, does it mean that Kazakhstan has no intention of carrying on with the army mobilization?"

Miyuki, who had been listening in with a pensive expression, asks Hyougo for confirmation.

"Most likely, it may be as you say, Miyuki-sama. My former comrade in Kazakhstan had the same conclusion."

Miyuki put her hand on her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the troubled expression on Tatsuya's face, however, rejuvenated her anxiety.

"Tatsuya-sama… do you think a conflict is going to happen?"

"Hm? No, no, if that's what Kazakhstan believes happened, then it's unlikely that a conflict between the two countries will break out."

Miyuki asks gingerly, and Tatsuya, who had been basking in his own thoughts, returns to the conversation.

"I was wondering about why the GAU would stage a false flag incident at this point in time."

"What are you concerned about?"

"It's not much of a concern… But I wonder if the commotion Minoru stirred up in Tibet may have been the catalyst."

He had already shared with Miyuki and the others the information about the events in Lhasa, Tibet, where Minoru was pursued by Daoshi, whom they believe to be a 'Bāxiān'.

"So if Minoru hadn't acted on his own and went there to search for the ruins, this wouldn't have happened?" Lina complains.

"No. That's not quite right, Lina."

Tatsuya shook his head with an uncharitable smile.

"If anything, now it's easier to look for the ruins."

"What do you mean…?"

Now not only Lina, but also Miyuki, and even Hyougo, for that matter, looked at him as if they didn't follow what he was saying.

"Minoru confirmed that there are magical artifacts buried in Lhasa, in Tibet, so let's point the IPU to there instead of the Shambhala ruins in Uzbekistan." Lina and Miyuki tilted their heads, still puzzled.

Only Hyougo had an understanding smile.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Doctor, this is what we found out from our independent investigation…" Tatsuya chose the diner table to bring up the matter.

A surprise for both Miyuki and Lina, expressed by the same simultaneously.

They weren't the only present at the dinner table, Lena's group was also in attendance.

"We have evidence of a large quantity of Relics and an even greater amount of artifacts buried in Lhasa."

"Lhasa, in Tibet? I certainly have heard rumors to that effect…"

Chandrasekhar casts a probing look at Tatsuya.

Evelyn stared at Tatsuya with an avid gaze.

"It seems that this proved to be more than just a rumor. If Tibet were an independent country in the strictest sense of the word, it would have been possible to unearth a Relic with your country's assistance. It's truly unfortunate."

Tatsuya retained a dead serious expression. In this case, it only served to add to the suspicion.

"…Mister, is your wish for our country to obtain the Relics on Lhasa?"

"I wouldn't be able to do research if the Relics are in the GAU's hands."

"…Indeed they wouldn't."

Chandrasekhar pauses in her meal and ponders.

Tatsuya stopped speaking and resumed his meal.

Miyuki, Lina, and Hyougo followed suit.

Lena was at a loss for an acceptable reaction to the strange atmosphere at the table, meanwhile, Evelyn's eyes were blatantly gleaming.

◇ ◇ ◇

After the meal, Chandrasekhar called Lars Singh, who was stationed in Karshi, a city in the southern part of Uzbekistan.

His arrival in Uzbekistan was precisely in response to the tensions on the border. Yet Uzbekistan's military is not under the control of the faction of the former India. The current situation saw that generals from the former Iranian faction were dispatched to bases near the border, while Singh remained on standby at a distance from the border.

After a brief exchange of greetings, Chandrasekhar relayed to Lars Singh what Tatsuya had told her.

[─How credible is this information?]

"Highly, I believe."

Chandrasekhar answered Singh's question without delay.

[So his main reason was to study an unearthed Relic?]

"I'm sure that's not the only reason. Mr. Shiba is hardly that simple-minded of a person." [I'm certain he's not.]

Singh nods on the videophone screen.

[So he's setting Tibet as a stage for an engagement between us and the GAU.] This time Chandrasekhar was agreeing with Singh's words.

[─Interesting, is it not?]

But his next words took Chandrasekhar by surprise.

"Interesting, sir?"

[Yes. Very interesting. I'll play along.]

"You'll intervene in Tibet?"

[We've been putting up with a lot of crap from those bastards of the GAU with this whole Uzbekistan mess.]

General Singh's sentence reflected that it was his belief that opening fire on Kazakhstan's border guards was an act staged by the GAU.

[─I was thinking to myself on how to pay them back.]

Hearing this, Chandrasekhar chuckles. "He's already over his sixties and is no less bloodthirsty," she thought, but didn't say it. She knew well not to say such things to the old general, she would be only inviting his ire into herself.

[Besides, Tibet's effective neutrality is in our national interest. This information about the large deposits of Relics is just the excuse we need to kick the opportunists into taking action.]

"I see… I'm an academic, I can't comment on military decisions."

[I know. I won't place any more burdens on you, Asha.]

Said Lars Singh with the assurance of an elder, referring to Chandrasekhar by her name. Chandrasekhar, on her part, refers to him as "Your Excellency".

"What if…"

Then a thought occurred to Chandrasekhar

"Excuse me, sir, how long will you be in Karshi?"

[I'm expecting to be here for a while.]

"Then, why not have Mr. Shiba come over there and you can hear from him in person?" [Hm, yes… If Mr. Shiba is available, would you do that?]

"Understood. I'll confirm his availability and contact you again."

After hanging up the phone, thoughts raced through Chandrasekhar's mind about the arrangements she had promised Tatsuya to make for the expedition to the ruins.

◇ ◇ ◇

A great number of American multinationals established themselves in Hyderabad before the Global Cooling earlier in this century. Some were never expropriated, and are still in operation as USNA-owned entities. Although they were considered as USNA's agencies foreign bases of operations, and monitored as such, their presence was not restricted, presumably from employment reasons.

After dinner, Evelyn snuck out of the mansion and broke into one of these companies. They are, as already mentioned, under USNA surveillance. But Evelyn is a magician committed to a first-class position at Stars. Evading the scrutiny wasn’t that difficult for her.

That office building is watched closely by the IPU authorities, considered by them to be a USNA operation base. With that in mind, Evelyn took the risk and came here.

Her business was to access a secure line to her home country.

Evelyn asked the resident agent to patch her through to Stars HQ.

[What is the matter, Ensign Taylor? Is this an emergency?]

She couldn't see Canopus' face in this voice-only transmission, so she had to judge his humor only by his tone of voice.

And from what she heard, it was one of "blame". She had an idea as to why. She wasn’t supposed to use this base for her current mission. This was reserved to be used only in case of emergency. ─As a matter of fact, what Evelyn thought was a cross-examination was but a misinterpretation, Canopus was merely concerned.

"I apologize for the disturbance, Colonel. I have determined that it's urgent that I bring this information to your attention."

[You may speak.]

Evelyn, sensing the immediacy of the response, reported what Tatsuya said about the Relics in Lhasa.

[─Copy that. I will consult with the General Staff on this matter. You are to concentrate on your present task.]

"Colonel, sir. The IPU is in a state of tension with Kazakhstan, making it difficult to get into Uzbekistan. I would suggest changing targets to the Relics in Tibet."

Evelyn appealed, indirectly asserting her desire to infiltrate Tibet herself.

[I am aware of the movement in Kazakhstan. However, I'm sure you are well aware that further action in Tibet would be far more difficult.] Canopus's answer was curt.

[Don't worry, Kazakhstan will not take further military action. Just hold steady for now.] "─Understood, sir."

Evelyn was curious as to why Kazakhstan would not move, and what assurances he had they wouldn't. But in her assessment of the conversation, such questions would likely be considered out of line.

As such, Evelyn held back her questions.

◇ ◇ ◇

After dinner, Miyuki was held by Lina into a conversation. Even Lina has her times when she wants to indulge herself in some casual chatting, without worrying about intruding between Tatsuya and Miyuki time together. Because Miyuki empathizes with this, she plays along with Lina without protest.

With this backdrop, Tatsuya was relaxing unusually on his own. He is seldom able to prepare his own food and drinks, not because he couldn't, but because he is usually surrounded by people who want to take care of every one of his needs. On this occasion, he enjoyed the rich aroma of the coffee he brewed himself.

While sipping his coffee as he read a book, Tatsuya suddenly felt as if someone was calling out to him.

He didn't think it was his imagination. He was sure he felt a familiar feeling before. Like someone was trying to tap into his consciousness with some kind of mind-interference magic. It wasn't anything aggressive. There was no malice intended toward him.

Rather than accepting the magic to act on him, Tatsuya blocked its influence and probed for its caster. He found out soon enough who it was. They also didn't attempt to hide.

Tatsuya closed his book, sipped the last of his coffee, and headed for the salon.

There he found a 30-year-old woman with the appearance of a mid-teenager waiting for him.

It was Lena.

She stood up as soon as she saw Tatsuya and bowed, "I'm sorry to be taking your time," she said.

"Don't be. Please have a seat. So, how can I help you?" Tatsuya asks as he sits down across from her.

"I would like to have a word with you about a matter, mister…"

Lena's expression and tone of voice suggested that the topic was hard for her to say.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, please don't mind it. I'd like to consult… Rather, I'd like to confess something to you…"

"Is there something you've been keeping from us? Or does it concern me directly?"

"I am not entirely sure if it may be of your concern, mister."

"If it won't bring us any harm, then there is no need to share with us."

Tatsuya offered her a way out, yet Lena shook her head with a tormented expression.

"─No, I think it's best not to keep it a secret after all." In a firm voice, Lena voluntarily cuts off her retreat.

"I see. Then feel free to tell me."

"My associate, Ms. Taylor, is an officer of the federal military."

"Not a former? One still in service?"

Tatsuya assumed a solemn expression and returned the question, hiding his awareness of the matter.

"Yes. And her wish to go to Samarkand is not for the purpose of sightseeing, but for the sake of her assignment."

"An assignment for the USNA military? If that's the case, I'd better not know any more." "No, please listen."

Feeling the blame weight on her with Tatsuya's blunt response, Lena took on an anxious tone.

"Ms. Taylor's mission is related to the stone tablet that was unearthed on Mt. Shasta."

"The Black Tablet?"

Tatsuya keeps up with the feigned ignorance and serious facade.

"No, the white one. The sixteen stone tablets unearthed after that one were maps."

"That point to burial sites with other stone tablets or even Relics?"

"It may sound rather unbelievable, but according to what the military deciphered, it was a marker for the location of Shambhala."

"Oh… So Shambhala is in Samarkand?"

His awe wasn't part of the act. Although it was among his expectations, he still thought that USNA's competence in locating the location with only the use of a stone tablet was indeed remarkable.

"From what I've heard, it's in the area between Samarkand and Bukhara."

"So that's why Ms. Taylor is so fixated on going to Samarkand?"

As he asked, Tatsuya mused, "It seems that the USNA precision is still limited without something like the [Compass]…"

"The matter of the signing ceremony was quite convenient for Ms. Taylor's mission." Lena carries on, completely oblivious to what is going on in Tatsuya's head.

"I'm very sorry, to have consequently taken advantage of you, mister."

"No, don't worry about it."

Tatsuya interrupted Lena's incoming bow with a gesture.

"I have also had business bringing me to this country. We both had our interests."

"What could you possibly…?"

Lena, upper body suspended in her attempted bow, asked reservedly as she brought her back upright.

"Merely the opportunity to meet with His Excellency the General, that's all. I'm afraid I can't comment any further."

"…Is that so?"

Lena seemed satisfied with that explanation for the most part.

There was no indication that he noticed anything of Tatsuya group's true purpose here.

◇ ◇ ◇

After the next day's breakfast, Tatsuya was invited to Chandrasekhar's study. As the invitation stated he wasn’t needed to be alone, Miyuki and Lina accompanied him.

There, Chandrasekhar proposed that they fly to the Karshi-Khanabad air base in Uzbekistan on the pretext of briefing Lars Singh about the Relics in Tibet, and from there, secretly, enter Bukhara overland.

"I'll provide a car for you. There will be no travel restrictions in the west, you can leave in the middle of the night and you should reach Bukhara without anyone noticing."

"─Thank you very much."

After brief consideration, Tatsuya decides to accept her proposal.