Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Magian Company - Volume 6 - Chapter 1

A brother who has become the most powerful man in the world and a younger sister who absolutely trusts her brother.

As they take the first steps towards their ideal society, their days of turmoil and change begin -.

Chapter 1

[Key(s)]

Lake Tudakul in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, is where the small octagonal stone tablet "Compass," which was excavated from Mt. Shasta in the western part of North America, led to. It is here where new artifacts were found, of which appear to be related to Shambhala.

The name Shambhala refers to a kingdom of legend described in the Tibetan Buddhist scripture "Kalachakra Tantra." Known originally as a utopia in Hindu literature, the legend of Shambhala from Tibetan Buddhism is more commonly known throughout the world. The Shambhala sought by Western mystics was derived from a self-interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism, and is often equated to the fictional underground world "Agartha," which was created in the latter half of the 19th century.

As is often the case with myths of this nature, the versions of Shambhala in Hindu mythology and in Tibetan Buddhism are almost diametrically opposed in some respects. While the Hindu version narrates how the hero king Kalki will bring about an orderly utopia by restoring the correct caste system, the Tibetan Buddhist scriptures claim that the virtuous monarch, Kalki, will do away with the caste system and establish a kingdom where all people are equal.

It extends further, with some legends stating that Shambhala King Kalki will mobilize an invincible legion commanding powerful weapons to win the war to end all wars. And it's said that a certain lunatic dictator of the mid-twentieth century may have caught on to this idea and embarked on a quest for Shambhala in search of these weapons.

In a way, Tatsuya's group's current quest for Shambhala's ruins was the result of a series of coincidences. They did not aspire for global domination with superweapons like the two infamous dictators of the 20th century, nor did they seek for any "truth" like the mystics.

It was to protect the image of magicians in society by preventing it from falling into the hands of the mageist criminal group from the American West Coast, FAIR, the same ones who attempted to steal the Artificial Relics from them. This FAIR discovered a map likely leading to Shambhala, and unearthed a magical relic, the "Compass," which is also likely to point to the above-mentioned.

After they carried out a terrorist attack using the power of a magical relic, they decided to reach the Shambhala's ruins first to prevent further incidents like that one from happening, and also to satisfy their curiosity on the magic involved.

At this point of their search they have now obtained a new relic, a white disk-shaped stone. In size, it was about two times larger than the [Compass]. And it held a perfect disk shape, with no signs of attrition of time whatsoever, despite being found underwater amidst a cliff of sand and gravel. In fact, there are no scratches or damage on the surface, minute or large. At a glance, its composition didn't stray far from ordinary stone.

That said, the surface of this newfound artifact was not perfectly smooth. Although there were no signs of abrasion, there are reliefs carved on the faces. On one face, the design matches that of the eight-petaled lotus flower.

The relief on the other side is that of three small circles adjacent to each other enclosed by a large circle. This design, of three adjacent circles in a triangular fashion with the encompassing larger circle is oddly reminiscent, or in fact, similar to what is known today as the "Banner of Peace," the symbol of the Roerich Pact, the International Treaty on the Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historic Monuments, which was signed in 1935.

However, Tatsuya did not believe that this small disk was a twentieth century or later piece of work.

The figure that lends the name to this pact, Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh, or Nicholas Roerich in the German reading, is known besides his artistic and cultural endeavors as an enthusiastic pursuer of Shambhala. A fact not as well known about him in the public as his artistic and cultural endeavors, is that his efforts is regarded by those who attempt to solve the mysteries around Shambhala as the closest a westerner has come to Shambhala in the twentieth century.

Which brings us to the "Banner of Peace" that is displayed in the Roerich Memorial, which the person himself claimed was taken from a symbol that had existed since ancient times. As a matter of fact, the three adjacent circles design can also be found in Japan, such as deep inside the Ise Grand shrine, as well as in the remains of Izumo Taisha shrine.

Such collateral evidence aside, Tatsuya had other reasons to believe that this small disk was an artifact related to Shambhala. Said disk would float slightly when placed on top of the "Compass" with the relief face down and having psions poured into it. Not only that but also it starts to move in a certain fixed direction. When he demonstrated this to Miyuki and Lina, neither of them could help but agree that the disk could not be a 20th-century design, and that the symbols on the disk could have been passed down since ancient times.

◇ ◇ ◇

The four of them, Tatsuya, Miyuki, Lina, with the addition of Hanabishi Hyougo, decided on "Key" to designate the white stone disk. It was Lina's idea, saying it was the "key to solving the mystery," after it had now led them to the Samanid Mausoleum, a historic landmark located in the western part of downtown Bukhara.

Though said it "led", the object hardly guided them in a straight line. While driving around the city in the camper they borrowed from Chandrasekhar, they had to use their "Compass" and "Key" three times before pinpointing this place on the map.

"…So many people!"

Lina complained annoyed after they stepped out of the camper and spent 30 minutes walking around the Samanid Mausoleum.

"We're on a famous tourist spot, there isn't much we can do."

Despite the acknowledgement, it was quite apparent Miyuki was fed up as well.

Objectively speaking, the crowd was much lighter than the ones they are used to seeing in downtown Tokyo. But, with the bustling atmosphere of all kinds of tourists, the area was saturated with psions all around, making detecting anything magical difficult.

For Miyuki and Lina, who tried to search for any sign of relics by sharpening their senses, it was as if being shrouded in a fog. Their discomfort wasn't entirely without reason.

"Tatsuya, what about the [Compass] and the [Key]? No response?"

"It's far too weak to rely on."

"Ah, yeah…"

Lina looks up at the sky with a deflated expression on her face. The clear blue stretching overhead is in stark contrast to the atmosphere hanging over her mind. Though the sky is not entirely cloudless, you could find a single white cloud drifting across the sky as if in sheer defiance against Lina's nerves.

"But it has a reaction, even if not significant. Which means we have to take our time and walk around until we get one."

"Take our time…"

Lina repeated Tatsuya's additional remark, her shoulders slumping, the expression on her face dropping even more dejected.

"…Tatsuya-sama. Which one is reacting more, the [Compass] or the [Key]?"

Miyuki's objective was more to distract the disheartened Lina than out of curiosity. It wasn't as if having one react more than the other would be of much value.

"Which one?"

But it was on Tatsuya that the question had the most intriguing effect.

He took out the [Compass] and the [Key] from his left and right pockets, respectively.

He has been keeping them separately to reduce the possibility of an unwanted effect due to unexpected interaction. As for why they were left bare, in the pockets, was simply out of convenience, so that they could be used at any time.

Holding the [Compass] in his right hand and the [Key] in his left, Tatsuya stood motionless for a couple of seconds.

"…The [Key], I think."

There was then a slight frown as he gave the answer to Miyuki's question.

"Tatsuya-sama."

At the same time, a note of warning came in the voice of Hyougo.

"Understood."

Tatsuya replied with a whisper, avoiding any action, such as nodding, that could be seen from the crowd nearby.

Miyuki didn't show any signs of surprise or worry, and naturally lined up next to Tatsuya.

"What is it?"

Then Tatsuya asked with a casual expression.

Someone was looking for us.

"For us!?"

Like Miyuki, Lina who had been closely listening to Tatsuya's answer, involuntarily raised her voice. For much that Lina stood on par with Miyuki in terms of magic combat, she still left much to be desired in giving a good poker face, polite smile, or anything involving putting up a good front.

"You and Miyuki both really stand out."

"You ladies are both very beautiful, after all."

Needless to say, both Tatsuya and Hyougo chose to go with this kind of flattery remark in order to cover for Lina's breach of their camouflage.

Were this said to Lina in her usual form, it would surely invite even more stares. However, at present, Miyuki and Lina's usual features have been replaced by that of two moderately attractive women. The previous praises of "outstanding beauty" would certainly fall as pure flattery on the ears of third-parties. 

"O-oh, please. Don't exaggerate."

They spared Lina and just took that shy blurt reply of hers as her own way of following up with their remarks.

Tatsuya made sure to close his arm around Miyuki's waist just to avoid it all seeming like a pickup act.

"It was more like the relics were the target of attention than us."

Tatsuya adds on to his previous answer in a hushed voice. With his voice so close to her ear, Miyuki eyes widen in reflex, but she manages to keep her voice from escaping.

"The Relics? The [Key] and the [Compass], you mean!?"

Miyuki, like Tatsuya, spoke in a low voice, but her tone still overflowed with astonishment. She nevertheless kept it subdued under her bashful act, as if she had just been fed a compliment.

"I should add too that I got the impression that they seemed to know about the relics."

"…Who could they possibly be?”

Lina and Miyuki have their appearances altered through [Parade], as stated earlier. Similarly, Tatsuya is made unrecognizable by his perception inhibiting magic [Aidoneus]. It could very well be an increased vigilance against foreigners given the current tensions at the border.

Even then, there are plenty of foreign tourists besides Tatsuya and company. One would then be led to wonder about why they are being watched in particular, maybe their disguises have been seen through somehow.

But if it is the "relics" that are drawing the attention, then that narrows down the nature of those monitoring them. Either they are also looking for Shambhala, like Tatsuya's group, or they are from a camp that interferes with the search for it. It would be one or the other. Either way, they almost certainly must have knowledge about Shambhala.

"They are probably involved. That's convenient."

"Tatsuya-sama…?"

The smile on Tatsuya's face couldn't be described as particularly benign, leaving Miyuki to stare at him quizzically.

The thought that crossed his mind was hardly a mystery, also neither did it fall in any sort of twisted idea. It simply aligned favorably with their interests, as he so said.

Right now, they severely lack information. Although their aim is clearly set on the ruins of Shambhala, there is still no concrete proof that the relics that sparked their quest are really related to it. Even coming to Bukhara was not based on any solid evidence, it was merely because the magic effect of the relics pointed them to this place.

Now that they are there, they encounter someone who is really interested in the relics that they found in the course of their search. They focused on a black small stone with only a seemingly well-formed shape and a white pebble with only a commonplace design inscribed on it at a glance. Being the one who discovered them, Tatsuya knows those are relics, but what about them? With that in mind, Tatsuya's deduction, that they must know what these are for, or at least have some idea of what these are, wasn't too far-fetched.

However, it would've been poor form to directly follow that deduction with a strategy to wrest the missing information from someone who they weren't sure could be either their friend or foe. Someone like Miyuki, who aspires to be a "model of goodness," would find it challenging to measure up to such a standard. .

"Hyougo-san, is there any less crowded place in these ruins?"

Tatsuya's question brought a simultaneous look of confusion to both Miyuki and Lina's faces. The Samanid Mausoleum, where they are, is a well-known international tourist attraction. There are so many tourists walking around left and right at the present moment that it'd be hard to believe that there is any "less crowded” place around.

"Hm, let me see. I did in fact hear once of a patch of grass over there that tourists generally don't go."

Hyougo's response added to the girls' surprise.

"That's weird."

"I think so too."

Lina whispers, to which Miyuki echoes in her low voice.

The fact that, near a tourist attraction where so many people come and go, there is a particular spot where no one goes near. If there is really such a place, the two of them suspected that there might be a non-natural force at work there.

"Shall I go ahead and take a look to confirm it?"

"No, let's head on like this."

Tatsuya presses onward, ignoring the concerns of Miyuki and Lina. He chose to move the situation despite the risks with the uncertainty. He came to the conclusion that he wouldn't get any more clues by just walking in the dark. So, if it's necessary to provoke someone, even if they are not sure where the person aligns with, so be it.

It was unclear if the spot mentioned was still on the grounds of the Samanid Mausoleum, nevertheless, the green tract of land was a short distance away from the mausoleum, and it was certainly deserted. Tatsuya entered it without a second thought. Miyuki and Lina made no attempt to stop him as they themselves followed behind.

No more than ten steps into the grass field, something unusual happened.

"Tatsuya-sama!?"

"Tatsuya, what is…"

The scenery all around suddenly changed.

"Is this a mirage? I can tell it's not an illusion created by manipulating the light where we look. Miyuki, what do you see?"

"White… is this snow? No, it looks like… salt?"

"And you Lina?"

"Probably the same for me. I guess this is salt… it looks like a white desert stretching over here."

"Do you see the same thing, Hyougo-san?"

"Yes. What I see should be about the same."

After hearing from everyone, Tatsuya nodded in understanding.

"So everyone sees the same thing… Regardless of magical power, with visions vivid as this, it doesn't seem to be your ordinary illusion."

"Tatsuya-sama, are you also trapped in this illusion!?"

Miyuki asked, concerned with clear shock.

She knew full well that Tatsuya was not all immune to illusions. She heard him recount in numerous occasions how time and time again Yakumo's illusions tormented him during their practices, and how because of it he almost lost in the one time they two met in an actual battle.

At the same time, she also knows that Tatsuya has a high resistance to mind-interference magic.

His mind; his spirit has an extremely strong outer shell. Tatsuya's innate magic [Regrowth] has made him experience pain worth of hundreds of people, far too much pain a human being would feel during all their lifetime. No, at this point, it could be equivalent to thousands of lifetimes' worth. Among these, which were, without question, many severe and fatal.

Being unable to die from the pain, all Tatsuya could do was endure it. As a result, he unintentionally gained a level of mental fortitude that no ascetic practitioner could ever hope to achieve.

As once a wise man once told people, "Moderation is of the highest order."

Excessive hardship by itself does not lead to enlightenment. Rather, it leads away from awakening.

As a fist will grow rigid and rough from continuous beating of a training post, so a spirit that has undergone excessive hardship will acquire an excessively hard outer surface. And so it loses the flexibility essential to reach enlightenment. Might by itself creates no master, no king, but merely a strong champion.

Tatsuya's magics made him a champion of might only. Even without the artificial magician experiments performed on him by his mother, Tatsuya would likely still have lost his human emotions along with his weaknesses. Indeed, perhaps being deprived of so many strong emotions might well have prevented him from losing the only real emotion he only has.

But instead, Tatsuya has attained a robust spirit. No ordinary mind-interference magic should have a hold over his mind, not even counter-magics. Hit him they could, but no harm could be done. It scrapes at his skin, too weak to draw blood.

As a powerful mental interference mageist by nature, Miyuki could recognize it not only with the knowledge she had learned but also with her intuitive sense of smell. She believes that there is a possibility that even if she unleashes her Cocytus with all her might, that it might rebound on Tatsuya. 

She found it hard to believe that Tatsuya, of all people, would fall into the Illusion of an unknown magician who they don't even know whose alliance falls to.

"If you mean if I see the vision of the white desert, yeah. I'm not sure if it's salt, though."

Tatsuya's reply was phrased rather distinctly from the question.

"Don't worry. I can still see reality."

"Ah. So that's what you mean…"

Miyuki looked down in embarrassment. She realized from his words that Tatsuya deliberately let himself be caught on the illusion to observe it.

"It seems like they are only using illusions on us… So far, there is no sign of any attempt to harm us."

As for Tatsuya, he discerned Miyuki's misunderstanding but chose to proceed without directly addressing it.

"…So, if they don't have the intention to harm us, then they're not enemies, right?" 

Uncomfortable with Tatsuya's language, Lina asked.

"I'm just saying that so long they haven't tried to hurt us mentally or physically”

"It just means they are not trying to attack you mentally or physically. In my opinion, regardless of their intentions, if someone throws an illusion at me without asking, I would still consider them an enemy."

"But there's no harm done, is there?"

"By casting an illusion in someone, you're taking away their ability to see. You're, so to speak, violating their integrity. Which would make you an enemy, no?"

Lina appeared convinced. She then whispered to herself, "best I be careful too, then". After all, her [Parade] is also a type of magic that creates illusions.

"But, is this all? There wouldn't be any need to keep this up any longer."

Tatsuya, on the other hand, complained about the "enemy" who had yet to do anything beyond showing them the desert of what appeared to be salt.

At such a moment, there came a new shift to the scene.

"Ah!”

First reaction was a gasp from Lina,

"Is that a… hawk?"

Then from Miyuki in a low voice, sounding as if she was dazzled by her own question.

It came at a time as if to contest Tatsuya's protests.

A white hawk suddenly appeared before them.

It did not land on the ground, but crossed in front of them and soared up back into the sky. Then it circled narrowly in the sky above them. Though not directly over their heads, the point it circled appeared to be about two or three dozen meters away.

"It kinda looks like it's pointing us somewhere."

"It looks like they're trying to lure us somewhere."

Miyuki and Lina had their own interpretations as to the reason, but they agree on what it's trying to convey.

"There appears to be a small stone monument tucked away in the bushes. I suppose they want us to go over there. ─Okay, I'll play along."

Soon after he said so, the illusion of the white desert faded away, giving way to reality. Tatsuya dissolved the illusion with his decomposition.

"We don't need to play along with the illusion anymore. Let's go."

He starts to walk away.

"…Was he able to cancel the illusion all this time?"

"Is that even surprising to you now?"

Lina said exasperated, to which Miyuki responded smugly.

"─Here."

Tatsuya called over to them. He had stopped in front of a natural hedgerow formed by dense shrubs.

"Unusual to see such deep greenery in this area, isn't it?"

"I say it's weirder that there is a place around here that tourists don't step in."

Lina sneered at Miyuki's line.

"Tatsuya-sama, I was not aware that such a place existed. Does it have some kind of ward to keep people away?"

"It sure seems so. After all, the warding is being maintained in this place."

Tatsuya's answer to Hyogo's question took Miyuki and Lina by surprise.

"Does that mean the caster is around? And the one from the illusion just now too?"

Lina's expression grew even more alarmed as she snapped at Tatsuya.

"They're probably working together."

When he responded to her, Tatsuya didn't seem to have much, if any, interest in the caster themselves.

"…That's pretty deep."

His mind found the underground beneath these bushes much more compelling.

"Although there people are warded off from this place, it'd still be too conspicuous to dig it out now. I guess we'll have to come back at night."

Tatsuya turned on his heel.

"Yes, sir."

Miyuki followed closely behind him, just as if she expected the turn of events.

Followed shortly by Hyogo, after a brief word and a light bow.

"─Wait a minute, guys! Are you sure that's okay? Is that okay?"

But Lina called Tatsuya to a halt. She was mindful to keep it loud enough for others to hear, but not so much of a shout.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you forget someone just put us in an illusion!?"

Lina was getting frustrated at Tatsuya's paltry responses.

"They are still maintaining their wards."

"Do you still want to leave as it is? Didn't we just find what we were looking for?"

"If you're worrying that they might take it, just look around; it's clear that they've been warding this place for a long time. Though there is still the possibility that they might have hurriedly dug it up after we got here… But even so, there's no point in worrying about it. It's realistically not possible, it'd be too conspicuous to dig up the ground right here and now."

"That's true, maybe, but…"

Deciding that "the conversation is over," Tatsuya resumes his walk out of the place.

Lina followed, looking back a couple of times at the bushes with lingering reluctance.

◇ ◇ ◇

Even the most famous ruins are deserted by tourists late at night. In their place, the sight of the occasional soldier on patrol becomes commonplace.

Tensions are rising in the borders. Wary of potential agents and operatives, the Federal Armed Forces of the Indo-Persian Federation and the Uzbekistan Armed Forces serving under it have intensified their vigilance in various parts of the nation, including here in Bukhara. 

Yet, this city is relatively far from the border, where conflicts really happen - or faked - so the soldiers' patrols are not that intensive. That is especially noticeable near the ruins, which, being of little to no military importance, only see the very occasional soldier.

Tatsuya and his 3 companions targeted one of those time gaps when the patrol would be away to visit the ruins. Instead of the camper they used a small second-hand car of a type popular among the locals. This car was arranged by a contact of Hyougo's that they could abandon it if necessary and it would not stand out.

"Hyougo-san, please wait for us here."

"As you wish, sir."

"Lina, keep the car and Hyougo-san safe."

"Tatsuya, do you think this will end up in a fight?"

"50-50, give or take."

Tatsuya answered Lina as he opened the passenger door.

"Miyuki, come with me."

After stepping out, Tatsuya opened the door behind the passenger seat where Miyuki sat. The seat behind the driver, generally considered to be the seat of honor, would be typically where she would be. This was a safety measure in case of an accident or a terrorist attack, as it would be safer for her to be closer to Tatsuya.

"Yes, Tatsuya-sama."

Miyuki takes Tatsuya's hand and climbs out of the car.

"Miyuki, I can't go with you, so be careful."

"I'll be fine, Tatsuya-sama is with me. I'm more concerned about you, Lina, you'd be in the most danger, wouldn't you?"

"But that's no problem to me. You're speaking with the former Sirius."

Lina poking her head out of the window and Miyuki slightly bent at the waist, both smiled at each other with no sense of alarm.

"Seems like I was overthinking things, after all."

Tatsuya had a slight concern that the place had been dug up after they had left during the day, but here it was just as it had been then, the bushes and the stone monument-looking object, just like it was when the vision of the white hawk had guided them there.

"And the enemy doesn't seem to be here…"

She said as much, yet seemed uneasy. Perhaps it was precisely the very lack of any interference that stirred more Miyuki's suspicions.

"We have too little to infer their agenda on the matter. For now, let's just focus on what we came for."

"…Yes, you're right. It'll be best as you say."

A cloud of uneasiness still lingered on Miyuki's features, but she had regained some composure in her wavering eyes.

Although, Tatsuya said they both should "focus on what they came for", when it was him who would do the whole digging thing. Miyuki's magic simply didn't suit digging holes. 

"Miyuki, I'll leave the covering to you."

"Of course."

At Tatsuya's request, Miyuki activates her magic and covers the entire surrounding area with a consciousness induction magic.

Her specialty is actually not the cooling magic (Deceleration in the oscillatory system of magic) that she's famous for, but it falls on the Mental Interference type magic. Something she found too difficult to control reliably until her High School days. Now, having refined this skill, Miyuki gradually became able to use other low-level magics of the type that are not based on [Cocytus].

While illusions are more Lina's domain, Miyuki offers means of creating a magical field that produces an effect of cognitive inhibition, where even if you see something with your eyes, you are compelled to believe that you haven't actually seen it.

Tatsuya confirmed the "cover" to be in effect with his Information Body Perception ability [Elemental Sight] and then got into the excavation work.

A narrow path appeared amidst the dense bushes. This wasn't the vegetation making way on its own, but a path created to the destination after decomposing the obstacles.

The path led to an empty space. Tatsuya walked to the end of this path he had created and stopped there.

Tatsuya's attention turned to the ground beneath his feet. The following moment his body proceeded to sink into the ground. It was actually the result of the dirt under his feet being decomposed, deepening the hole he was then falling into.

This went on until he was completely out of sight, at which point Miyuki scuttled over to the edge of the open hole. She bent over at the knees and peered down into the shaft, then operated a magic to manipulate the airflow.

The noxious gasses, produced from the decomposition of the molecular composites that made up the soil, were pumped out, and fresh air filled Tatsuya's surroundings. He looked up in a sign of appreciation to Miyuki then resumed his descent deeper into the earth.

Starlight has long ceased to reach him. According to his Information Body Perception ability, he has currently reached 30 meters in depth. Unfortunately, Tatsuya couldn't tell specifically what time period of strata he has reached, but he may have delved as far back as millennia or even tens of thousands of years in the distant past.

(Should be around here)

Tatsuya stopped when he reached a little past 32 meters in his journey down below the surface. 

He stared at the wall of his shaft for a moment, then reached out with his right hand at chest level.

Little by little, his right arm inched deeper into the wall. His hand worked much more carefully than when he was digging down the hole.

Tatsuya stopped when his arm was buried up to the elbow.

He remained in that state and didn't pull out his arm, like that, he activated his magic.

A horizontal tunnel opened in the shaft's wall. Rather than a circular hole centered on his right arm, it took the form of a rectangular opening about the length of his buried arm.

Ahead was a flat stone wall, Tatsuya's right hand rested on its smooth surface.

He pulled a small knife from his pocket.

Then inserted the blade into the upper part of the stone wall.

Light didn't reach him at the bottom of this hole, but he could "see" a thin slit that ran along the surface.

With slight resistance, the blade sank into the rock crevice.

And, with a sharp jerk, Tatsuya gouged it out with the knife.

Tatsuya caught the chipped stone from the wall with his left hand; a stone tablet.

This stone was not part of the wall; it's a lid. Or rather, it was a "door".

Beyond the opening it covered was a small altar. That said, there were no lights or offerings. But there was no other name to describe what there was in that cavity.

The enshrined object was a stone disk. Of the same size, same shape, only different in color, as the other [Keys}. A small circular stone tablet, with an eight-petaled lotus on one face and three adjacent circles on the other, made of a blue material with a surface as smooth as glass.

Tatsuya returned to the surface with both the blue stone disk and the rectangular stone tablet that served as the lid.

After making use of the magic [Leap] to get back above ground, Tatsuya then backfilled the hole and restored the bushes to their original state with [Regrowth]. That done, he returned to the car where Lina and Hyougo were waiting for them. Miyuki noticed the stone tablets in his possession but held back her curiosity until they arrived at the car.

"Is that possibly a tablet like that one!?"

But no sooner had they gotten into the car that Lina beat her to it. Knowing Lina was not at fault, Miyuki was careful not to show her sullen feelings.

Incidentally, by "that one", Lina meant the "Guru's Tablet" that was unearthed on Mt. Shasta on North America's West Coast. That being a tablet that has magic recorded on it, which a mageist could use to learn it. Since they only have one example so far, they can't say for sure what kind of magic others have in store for them. However, if they were to base on that one instance, they could expect highly advanced and effective magic. And Tatsuya and company believe that this relic derives from an ancient civilization with access to magic that has never before been documented.

"No, no. I don't think so. This is not another [Guru's tablet], although I do believe it has some magical power in it. It has only ancient-style magic engraved on its surface, though."

Alas, Tatsuya's answer was not quite what Lina had hoped for.

"So, do we mark this as a failure? Coming here and all was a waste of time?"

Lina grumbled discontentedly with a disappointed frown.

"Didn't you find something else?"

Miyuki bit on the opportunity and asked right away. She came across sounding a bit restless, perhaps because she was determined not to let anyone get ahead of her this time.

"I in fact did. Here it is."

Tatsuya presented the blue stone disk without any fanfare.

Miyuki and Lina peered at the small stone resting in Tatsuya's palm, so closely that their foreheads nearly collided.

"The design is identical… The back is too?"

To answer her question, Tatsuya flipped the stone tablet over.

"…So, it's a [Key] of a different color?"

"You might be not so far off the mark to think it's a [Key]."

Tatsuya responded to Miyuki's guess with a query that fell just short of direct agreement.

The answer came off as somewhat cryptic, but soon enough, Miyuki's face lit up with an "Oh" of realization. 

"Did this stone move, too?"

Said Miyuki oozing with expectancy, to which Tatsuya nodded, "You guessed it."

"This new [Key] pointed west from here."

"Are we going there to check it out?"

Miyuki smiled at the enthusiastic Lina and tried to appease her, "It's already too late to go out today."

"We won't be staying here for much longer. We will set off first thing in the morning."

Thanks to Tatsuya's follow-up, there wasn't any argument from Lina.

So all four returned to the hotel in the self-propelled car.

◇ ◇ ◇

True to his word, early in the morning of the next day, the four of them left the hotel in their camper this time. 

The Blue [Key] led them to the western suburbs of Bukhara, to the Chor-Bakr Mausoleum, a ruin that is also known as [Necropolis].

In this land lined with Islamic mosques and towers, they had a recurrence of the experience at the mausoleum yesterday.

They found themselves again inside the vision of a spanning white desert, salt until their eyes couldn't see it anymore. And then came the white hawk soaring in the sky, as if beckoning them to come with it.

Whether the product of time or having an acting hand to it, they found another altar hidden deep underground, and from there Tatsuya obtained the Yellow [Key]. 

Back at the hotel, Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Lina gathered around a table in Tatsuya's room.

Atop the table lay the white, blue, and yellow disk stone tablets, and the black, octagonal, stone tablet. These are the three [Keys] they obtained here in Bukhara and the [Compass] unearthed at Mount Shasta.

"It doesn't seem to move, does it…?"

As said Miyuki in a troubled voice, neither the [Keys] nor the [Compass] stopped responding, this has been the case since yesterday. They do actually move. The [Keys] only point to each other, and nowhere else.

"…So this is it?"

Lina asks, not at anyone in particular, unable to hide her disappointment. Judging from the current situation, it seemed all the relic's movements had the final objective of gathering the three [keys].

"This would have been a very exaggerated goose chase if it all ends with these [Keys]. There must be a next stage we haven't seen yet."

Tatsuya's words sound much like wishful thinking. But even if hope was a big factor, it wasn't at all unfounded.

The [Compass] was an object that worked on a global scale. In comparison, the three [Keys] they found as a result seemed to be of very little value. While it possessed a certain degree of power, it did not evoke the same sense of danger as the [Guru's Tablet] did.

"I believe we'll have to figure out what's next from here on out on our own. If you two don't mind, can we discuss what we'll do next tomorrow? I want to spend the night giving some thought to it."

"Please take all the time you require. I will accompany you wherever you lead me."

Miyuki answers without a moment's delay. She even finishes her sentence in a flash, as if to state that she will not accept any objections.

"…A night is really no big deal. And I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out, Tatsuya."

Lina sounded a touch off, perhaps as a result of being overwhelmed by Miyuki's beaming spirit.

"Then, Tatsuya-sama, we'll leave you to it. Good night."

"Till tomorrow, Tatsuya."

Miyuki bowed politely, Lina casually waved, and they left for their own room.

◇ ◇ ◇

Next morning. After inviting Miyuki and Lina to his room and finishing their room service delivered breakfast, Tatsuya spread out a map of Bukhara on the table. After calling Miyuki and Lina to his room and finishing room service breakfast, Tatsuya spread a map of Bukhara on the table. Considering the map was displayed on a white cloth spread on the table with a projector, "projected" would be a better description.

The Blue and Yellow [Keys] were positioned on the map corresponding to where each was discovered. The White [Key] still rested on Tatsuya's hand.

"The first thing that struck me was the fact that we found the White [Key] in a very different condition than the other two."

"By condition, what do you mean? You're speaking about how we found the others underground and this one at the bottom of the lake?"

Lina asked without reservation, and Tatsuya nodded to her, "That's part of it."

"Then, if not just the local itself… then it's also about the state it was in when we found it, isn't it?"

"Yes. That is something I'm more intrigued by."

Tatsuya gave a resounding agreement to Miyuki's guess.

"The Blue and Yellow ones had been set in places specially designed to keep them, they even had tight seals to them. The White [Key], on the other hand, was just sitting in the dirt."

"From what I can see, compared to the other two, the White one seems to have been hidden in a hurry…"

"I can't confirm to you whether who hid it did it in a hurry or not, but I think you are right to assume that."

Tatsuya gave another confirmation to Miyuki's speculation.

"─So what you're trying to say is that, maybe the White [Key] was originally in a different place?"

"Again, I can't say for sure if it was moved or not, but I believe it's fair to assume that it should have originally been in a different location. Which, if we can find it, may be the key to deduce our next step in our search."

Tatsuya dared to use the word "key" to stand for "clue".

"Skip the fancy stuff. Where do you think it is, Tatsuya?"

"Here."

Tatsuya said as he placed the White [Key] on the northwest part of the suburbs.

In doing so, the three [Keys] aligned to form an equilateral triangle on the map.

Miyuki and Lina looked in awe at the all too natural result.

"─Tatsuya-sama. Do you mind if I ask how you arrived at this arrangement?"

Miyuki reservedly asked for elaboration.

"According to the five elements system that we Japanese are familiar with, Blue is East, Yellow is Center, and White is West."

Saying so, Tatsuya moved the White [Key] to extend a horizontal line connecting with the Blue and the Yellow.

"However, the mandala on the Kalachakra Tantra, which is the foundation of this search, is arranged a little differently. Blue is east, Yellow is west and White is north."

Tatsuya moves the White [Key] upwards on the map.

"And if you put them as three adjacent circles, you get an equilateral triangle. You trace a line connecting the Samanid Mausoleum and Chol Bakr and run another line from the center to what would be the northern vertex of the equilateral triangle; That brings us to this point."

Tatsuya brought the White [Key] back to where he initially placed it.

There was no objection from Lina; Miyuki no less.

"…And what is there on this spot?"

Miyuki asked Tatsuya after staring at the map for a while.

"A school building of the IPU Federal Magic University of Uzbekistan."

Miyuki and Lina's eyes widened at Tatsuya's answer.