Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 23 - Isolation - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning. After their fight, in which they gave their best as never before, Tatsuya asked Yakumo for a respite.

"I don't mind. You are not my disciple, so you don't need to worry about such formalities. You can stop at any moment and at any time you can call me to fight if I'm free, of course."

"Thank you very much, Master."

Although he was just told that he wasn't a student, Tatsuya still said

"master." Yakumo didn't rebuke or correct him. The usual grin on his face, was there too.

"However, I want to ask about the situation. As I thought, the reason is the US space exploration project?"

Yakumo's expression was full of curiosity. Here Tatsuya had to grin, but he was able to suppress the urge before his lips began to bend. The situation he faced was serious. When he thought about it, he didn't laugh.

"That is a direct reason. For some time, I will be sent under 'house arrest'

at a villa in Izu."

Although Maya said that this isn't true, Tatsuya still felt this as a house arrest. Continuing, Tatsuya told and about moving to Chofu.

"I see. It will be far away from here."

"This isn't an insurmountable distance. If you don't mind, I'd like to continue training after finishing house arrest."

"Of course I don't mind. Hmm..." After an immediate answer, Yakumo brought his hand to his chin and chuckled slightly.

"By the way, Tatsuya-kun, aren't you going to worry about Miyuki-kun?

Izu and Chofu are not at one step from each other, you cannot move immediately."

"It would be a lie if I say that I will not worry, but Miyuki should not miss school."

"Even if the Yotsuba family organizes her protection, there will not be anyone who compares to your abilities with you. It will take some time to solve this problem... So I will also look after it."

"I will be much calmer if you do this... But why did you decide to do this?"

Tatsuya isn't a disciple of Yakumo. He himself said it recently. If the relationship between Tatsuya and Yakumo does not even reach the connection between teacher and student, the relationship between Yakumo and Miyuki does not go beyond mere acquaintance.

However, he immediately regretted thinking that it wasn't worth asking.

Before Yakumo began to answer Tatsuya's question, the corner of his mouth curved upward, as if saying "I've been waiting for it."

"Because I don't want to die yet."

"...What do you mean?"

"If God forbid something happened with Miyuki-kun, you will destroy the whole world whole world? I'm not sure that I can survive in the flame of nuclear fission."

Tatsuya didn't know what to say. He could only keep silent, clench his teeth, and look bitter.

If something bad happens with Miyuki. And if this time he does not have time.

He didn't have the confidence that he would not do anything with the world that took Miyuki from him.

On this day, Tatsuya didn't show up in the classroom.

He came to school. But he stayed in the library from the early morning, without even stopping for lunch. He left the library and met with Miyuki only when it was time to go home.

Tatsuya's friends also refrained from approaching him. Even Erika didn't intervene in their trip home. These two were accompanied only by Minami walking behind them.

The next day the situation didn't change.

And the day after that, too.

"Something bad is coming, is it not?"

Thursday, after school. 30 minutes before the closing of the cafe. This voice has sounded from someone from a group of people in this cafe.

"It's not good... are you talking about Tatsuya?"

When asked by Mikihiko, Erika gave him a look in which it was read:

"Of course, what a stupid question?".

"Because of the exemption he does not have problems?

"Yes... He said that the director personally freed him from his studies."

Honoka, who joined them after the end of the Student Council, answered Leo's question.

"And the truth is, it isn't good."

"Err? Shizuku-san, what is it?"

Mizuki bowed her head inquiringly, hearing the words of Shizuku, who apparently simply ignored the general flow of discussion.

"Tatsuya-san does not need to go to school anymore."

Shizuku answered directly. Without unnecessary embellishments, she clearly pointed out the situation. Mizuki widened her eyes and covered her mouth with both hands. Honoka lowered her eyes sadly.

"...That is, Shiba-senpai will not come to school anymore?"

Not only third-grade students were gathered here. Kasumi, forced to come for as company with Izumi, and feeling uncomfortable here, dared to voice something that no one else would have said.

"I think he will return when the situation calms down."

"B-true!"

Honoka supported the responding Shizuku. Her voice sounded as if she was clinging to the last hope.

"But will this situation improve?"

Erika's words spoken with anxiety in her voice, looked like a burning fire. Or, it can be said, on a block of ice, because the face of Honoka froze.

"Erika! Don't say that!" said Mikihiko. It wasn't a loud scream that would have been heard by other groups of people, but using other words, besides "shouting at someone" would be difficult.

"Mikihiko, calm down." The one who tried to ease Mikihiko was Leo, not Erika. "Erika didn't say anything wrong. I also cannot imagine that the current situation will improve within a month or two."

"I understand that! But you can at least not say it out loud!"

"Because it shocked Mizuki and Mitsui? I think you should not do this."

"...Are you saying that you don't care if Tatsuya-kun does not appear in school anymore?"

Leo tried to protect Erika. But it was Erika who was the one who stopped him.

"I care. Even if Tatsuya leaves school, we will not cease to be his friends." Erika silently slapped her eyes. Honoka and Mizuki had similar expressions.

"...In such situations, you are indeed completely unbearable." Erika muttered in an angry voice. "Even a simple fool can sometimes say well."

"Hey... is that praise or insulting?"

Narrowing his eyes, Leo stared at Erika.

"Who knows~. I just sounded the facts."

However, Erika, showing that she'sn't up to this matter, turned away in a defiantly daring manner.

"This girl..."

"Stop! Leo, you, too, calm down." Feeling signs of impending anxiety, Mikihiko stopped Leo.

"It seems to me that the friendship of Saijou-senpai is truly worthy of respect." Picking up at the right time, Izumi wedged into Erika deadlocked conversation. "I would not want Shiba-sempai to drop out of school either."

With a look of surprise on her face, Kasumi stared at Izumi. Even cowering in the environment of the sempai, Shiina made a puzzled face.

But they both made a mistake.

"If Shiba-senpai leaves school, then Miyuki-senpai will grieve ..."

Kasumi whispered to herself: "I thought so...".

"It's clear! Then everything is in order."

"Er, what's clear?"

Shizuku banged her fist in the palm of her hand, as if she had made some discovery, and Honoka asked her to tell more.

"If Tatsuya-san is expelled, then Miyuki will also leave school."

Hearing Shizuku's suggestion, Izumi turned pale.

"But Tatsuya-san will not allow Miyuki to drop out of school."

The complexion of Izumi immediately returned to normal.

"Right! If this is for the sake of Miyuki-sempai..."

"Then Tatsuya-san will not leave school either."Shizuku finished for Izumi.

"...But if he does, then in the current situation without him something can happen?"

In the approaching atmosphere of the "happy ending" Saburou's timid words were heard. The mood at the table fell again below ground.

Saburou shrank under the strict look of Shiina, in which "what are you talking about!?" was read.

For some time they sat in awkward silence, the atmosphere gradually worsened, and suddenly the cafe monitor switched to news.

After listening to some of the news Leo muttered. "Hey-hey... are they serious?"

Although there were still other groups of people in the cafe, apart from them, there were no complaints from anyone. Most likely, everyone thought the same way he did.

The news was broadcast from Moscow.

The screen showed a leading scientist of the Academy of Sciences of the New Soviet Union, who was also the officially recognized state Strategic Class Magician, one of the "Thirteen Apostles", Igor Andreivitch Bezobrazzoff.

The news release showed an interview with him.

"Dr. Bezobrazzoff, please tell us, what prompted you to participate in the American 'Project Dione'?"

"As the Secretary-General said earlier, I also believe that the terraforming of Venus is important beyond conflicts between states. For more than a century, mankind has been afraid of the problem of overpopulation. In the near future, a catastrophe between all of humanity may begin, which will lead to the weakening of mankind. Expansion of the habitable zone is the only solution to this problem that awaits mankind in the future."

"That's why the doctor decided to actively participate in this project?"

"I did this because a technology called "Magic", instead of being used in battles between people, should be used to open the way for mankind in the future."

"If the project is really started, then the situation may arise that the doctor will be forced to leave our country in order to work in America.

Did the government agree to this? If the doctor who is a Strategic Class Magician leaves the country for a long time, there may be concern about the defense of the country."

"Our peace-loving government promised full cooperation with the project for the development of Venus, even if it leads to a decrease in defense capabilities.

However, there is one delicate problem: where to place the research base. And as I understand, this location has not yet been determined."

"Do you mean that there is even such an opportunity that the research base will be located not in America, but in our country, in the New Soviet Union?"

"Of course, this is also possible. But my personal opinion is that, most likely the new base will be deployed in a neutral territory, or in a place where there is no outside political control."

"So you can expect significant conflicts already at the stage of choosing the location of the project base?"

"This is a grandiose project that has no analogues in the history of mankind. In addition to the location of the main base, many more problems can be expected. But we believe that we can reasonably overcome all this. I would like, in addition to the already announced consent to participate in the project of Lord William MacLeod and Mr.

Maximilian, other people joining the project including Herr Rosen, as well as the young man from Japan, known as Taurus Silver. If we join forces, we will be able to overcome all difficulties on the way to the future of mankind."

"Dr. Bezobrazzoff, thank you very much for your time."

Then the news release switched to a detailed review of the "Project Dione". The views of schoolchildren, glued to the screen, finally broke away from him.

"...What is this 'our peace-loving government'? Hell, he's mocking me."

Erika elegantly spit out the words. At the heart of her words were thoughts about the incident with the invasion of Sado 5 years ago.

Simultaneously with the invasion of the Great Asian Alliance in Okinawa, unidentified armed forces landed in Sado. The attack was repulsed by an army of volunteers gathered by the Ichijo family, after which a hypothesis was put forward that detachments of the New Soviet Union were the enemy.

The New Soviet Union didn't admit that it was their work. But among the Japanese, few people believe that the New Soviet Union is innocent.

Given this incident, Erika's reaction to the phrase about the "peace-loving government of the New Soviet Union" didn't seem strange to anyone.

"Regardless of the atrocities of the government of the New Soviet Union in the past, we must admit that Dr. Bezobrazzoff's speech was quite convincing."

Mikihiko didn't think Erika was right either. However, he decided to focus on the fact that the current problems should be treated separately from the incidents of the past.

"A Strategic Class Magician will leave his country to take part in non-military activities... Very bold, isn't it?"

"As Yoshida-senpai said, these words were for persuasiveness. The fact that the New Soviet Union agreed to participate, showing that it is serious about the peaceful use of magic."

After Kasumi expressed her thoughts, Izumi also expressed her own, turned out to be rather unfriendly.

"Do you think that he's pretending?" Leo asked with a wry smile.

However, he quickly removed the smirk and frowned. "Bezobrazzoff's participation in the American project from the New Soviet Union is a fact. I don't know how seriously he will participate, but for America the New Soviet Union is a hostile country. Because they even announced cooperation, Japan, as an ally, will now find it difficult to refuse, will it not?"

"...And thats the truth.

"The Magic Association will want Taurus Silver to announce his participation... Voluntarily."

Shizuku unconditionally agreed with Leo's guess, and behind her Mikihiko developed this idea.

"I wonder if everything is all right with Tatsuya-san..."

Although Honoka muttered to herself, it was quite loud. The first years Shiina and Saburou, who had no connection in their minds between Tatsuya and Taurus Silver, without understanding the meaning of Honoka's words, exchanged glances with an inquiring expression.

Tatsuya, Miyuki and Minami, who left the school before their friends, looked at this news recording.

"Is this really Bezobrazzoff from the Thirteen Apostles?" Was the first thing Miyuki asked after watching the news.

Strategic Class Magicians hid their personal data to avoid attacks. A Strategic Class Magician openly appearing on TV disagreed with Miyuki's common sense.

"It can be a front man."

Tatsuya didn't feel wrong in the fact that in this situation, Bezobrazzoff appeared before the media. But he also couldn't fully trust the information that came from the New Soviet Union.

"But whether real or fake, this is not the biggest problem at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

Tatsuya looked into the eyes of Miyuki, looked back at the screen and turned on the recording of the interview of Bezobrazzoff from the very beginning.

"It is important that the New Soviet Union demonstrated its position in cooperation with the USNA plan."

Steadily staring at the subtitles of the interview, Tatsuya continued with a voice as if trying to convince himself.

"The Great Asian Alliance and Indo-Persia are strong states, but the axis of world power is still the American-Soviet confrontation.

The center on which the modern world community is focused is the conflict between the New Soviet Union that returned after the Third World War and slowly but surely is increasing its national power vs the United States."

"Yes. I understand this part."

The basic international structure was part of the secondary school curriculum. An excellent student like Miyuki had no gaps in the subjects of the general education course.

"For the sake of "Project Dione" the New Soviet Union made an exception in the struggle for power of the international community. At this stage, it does not really matter if the New Soviet Union really contributes to the project. Since such a hostile country as the New Soviet Union announced its cooperation, the friendly countries will not be able to ignore Project Dione."

Tatsuya came exactly to the same conclusion as Leo and Mikihiko.

"...Perhaps the New Soviet Union and the USNA are in collusion in this matter."

Perhaps the reason that his guess was one step behind the truth wasn't a problem of the intellect, but a problem of character.

"But what is the goal of uniting the efforts of the United States and the New Soviet Union?" Miyuki asked, bowing her head. She didn't show a negative reaction to Tatsuya's own guess. If common sense and Tatsuya's opinion are put on the scales, then it was obvious to Miyuki that the second would outweigh the first.

"Even by the strength of the conventional army, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the USNA and the New Soviet Union are far superior to all other countries. The Great Asian Alliance has not yet recovered from the damage received in the fall of the year before, so it is temporarily forced to take the position of the catch-up."

Although Tatsuya himself was the one who caused this damage to the fleet of the Great Asian Alliance, he said that as if it did not concern him.

"Magic is more of an individual power, and the strength of a state is an ordinary military force supported by political power and economic power. Economic power begins to talk about itself in situations where nuclear weapons are actually prohibited. Countries with a weak economy, including Japan, cannot resist the USNA and the New Soviet Union by an ordinary army."

"...Do you think that the economic scale of Japan is so small?"

"The economic potential that can be invested in the creation of weapons is far behind USNA and New Soviet Union."

Tatsuya softly refuted Miyuki's involuntarily expressed doubt.

"The world still retains such a shaky form that many small countries haven't yet been absorbed by the strongest countries, only because of the presence of a factor like magic. In the current situation, small countries cannot resist strong countries without magic. In this sense, we cannot unequivocally deny the military application of magic..."

Tatsuya aspired to the non-military use of magic. His goal was to free the magicians from the role of being part of the military system. Tatsuya was forced to admit that he agreed with the fact that magic weapons make sense.

"...In other words, the purpose of the USNA and New Soviet Union is to weaken the magical military potential of other countries by collecting the strongest magicians in the project?"

Although not yet perfect, she began to understand what is now troubling Tatsuya. Miyuki asked her question, ignoring his last sentence.

"...If you think about it, it all adds up." Briefly answering, Tatsuya again plunged into his thoughts.

In the dialogue with Miyuki, he realized the weakness of his plan. It was a problem he had not realized before.

Free magicians from fate to be a living weapon. In this basic concept, there were no errors. He couldn't agree with the reality in which magicians are spent to use as weapons.

But what happens if in the military area qualified magicians no longer suffice because of the active promotion of the use of magic in the economy? What happens if cheap and powerful magic weapons disappear?

Small countries cannot resist large and strong countries anymore?

There will come a time when big countries will swallow up everything small, and a handful of large countries will rule the world.

Tatsuya could only imagine a future in which the whole world will again be drawn into the quagmire of regional conflicts.

"So, you still need some kind of deterrent...?"

He himself was the owner of an absolute weapon of mass destruction.

In whatever direction the future moves, he will inevitably bear notoriety.

Perhaps, it was on that evening that Tatsuya made this decision.

When this top-secret transatlantic communication session was conducted, guarded by the Echelon III subsystem, it was late at night in Japan.

"Lord MacLeod we haven't seen each other for a long time. The last time we talked this way was about 5 years ago, if I remember correctly."

When the speakers appeared on each others monitors, Bezobrazzoff spoke first.

"It seems like that. Long time no see, Dr. Bezobrazzoff. However, I think I mentioned this before, but I'm not a 'lord.' I was only made a knight."

Responding to Bezobrazzoff's greeting, MacLeod spoke in such an indifferent tone that it wasn't clear, he was serious, stubborn or joking.

"Sir William. Should you speak so hard? Since this isn't an official conversation, there are no problems with the title of "Lord MacLeod", right?"

Clark seems to have taken it as a joke. He slightly rebuked MacLeod. He wasn't going to seriously criticize MacLeod, he was only concerned with the fact that Bezobrazzoff didn't break the long-awaited conversation, spoiling the general mood.

But Bezobrazzoff himself reacted to Clark's concern.

"Thank you very much for your concern, Dr. Clark. I believe this is our first conversation?"

"That's right. Glad to meet you, Dr. Bezobrazzoff. My name is Edward Clark."

The greetings of these three have ended.

"Dr. Clark, I'm sorry to move right away, but is it true what you said earlier? The fact that the Strategic Class Magician who used the "Great Bomb" is Taurus Silver, and Taurus Silver's true personality is a Japanese high school student." Bezobrazzoff asked Edward Clark impatiently.

"That is correct. The official name of the "Great Bomb" in Japan is

"Material Burst". It seems that this is the magic of direct conversion of mass into energy."

"Direct conversion...?"

"And really, very interesting. But right now there is no point in discussing this system, is it?"

MacLeod tried to politely hold back Bezobrazzoff, who showed strong interest.

"...That's right. There is no point in discussing the hypothesis when there is absolutely no data on it."

Bezobrazzoff relatively easily retreated by accepting MacLeod's proposal.

"It is supposed that "Material Burst", like the doctors "Tuman Bomba", can aim at any point of the globe on the basis of data from a reconnaissance satellite."

"This is a threat that violates the world military balance."

MacLeod agreed with Clark's words. Bezobrazzoff ignored Clark's hint,

"I know the Tuman Bomba mechanism, too."

"We don't know how far "Material Burst" will go. However, we can expect that it will not reach Earth from the orbit of Jupiter."

"So, Dr. Clark's plan to drive Taurus Silver to Jupiter?"

"Yes, you understand correctly." Clark responded to Bezobrazzoff's question with an important tone. "The Ganymede stage of "Project Dione" is planned to be carried out in conjunction with the use of the achievements of Taurus Silver. For the sake of the future of mankind, he will spend the rest of his life on Ganymede."

"Dr. Clark. When will you disclose the identity of Taurus Silver?"

"I'll tell you when we meet directly."

"...All right. I'll wait with impatience."

"Where will the talks take place?" MacLeod turned to Clark.

"I planned to conduct them in the neutral waters of the Atlantic Ocean. I thought that it would be better if everyone were on equal terms."

"The meeting of the three countries will take place on a ship?"

Bezobrazzoff asked Clark.

"We have already sent the Enterprise to the designated area. I wanted to invite the two of you to get there by plane."

"The Enterprise...?" Bezobrazzoff muttered with interest.

The Enterprise (USS Enterprise) was a new aircraft carrier, inheriting the traditional name for USNA military ships. Despite the absence of an atomic reactor, its energy subsystem provided comparable power and duration of operation. The mystery of this system attracted the attention of the whole world.

"I get it. I'll get there by air."

"I, perhaps, will do so as well." Following Bezobrazzoff, MacLeod agreed.

"Thank you very much. Then, we'll discuss a couple more details..."

At the initiative of Clark, the conference call lasted another 30

minutes.

After the uprising in Mexico in April, several minor riots occurred in the USNA. However none of them reached the level that suppression troops were needed. The espionage mission in Japan continued, but on a much smaller scale. In addition to this, there were no other missions outside the country at the moment, so the "Star" magician subunit, directly subordinated to the Joint Directors of Staff of the USNA army, was simply engaged in daily training.

Today she had planned to train all day. However, finishing the morning exercises and going to the buffet Lina was stopped by the assistant commander of the base and asked to go with him to the commander's office.

Major Sirius arrived.

Lina, being in the guise of Angie Sirius, saluted Colonel Paul Walker the base commander. Lina was the head commander of Stars, but on this base the highest rank was with the base commander Walker. Walker, one might say, was responsible for watching the Stars battle magicians.

"Major Sirius, you've an order from the General Staff."

"Understood!"

Lina dropped her hand and stood in the rest position "quietly, hands at the seams."

"You're going to Washington, DC, where you'll meet Dr. Edward Clark.

After that, accompany the doctor as a guard on the Enterprise, which is now in neutral waters of the Atlantic Ocean."

"I understand."

"An important meeting on "Project Dione" is planned on the Enterprise.

Other participants in the meeting are William MacLeod and 'Igniter'

Bezobrazzoff."

On Lina's face, surprise first arose, then understanding.

Despite the fact that it will be in neutral waters, but allowing on board the warship officially recognized Strategic Class Magicians of another country... this was something that is very hard to believe. But if the participants of the meeting are from the "Thirteen Apostles", then the presence of the same "Apostle" Lina for balance was clear.

"I think I should not mention that this meeting should be kept secret until its completion."

"I understand, Colonel." After Walker reminded the distracted Lina, she hastily gave an answer.

The movement began not only in America, Britain and the New Soviet Union. Issues have also risen in Japan.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a spontaneous movement, but a forced attempt to show a reaction to an outside situation.

The chairman of the Japanese Magic Association was usually selected from among the Hundred Families. Elections were held annually in June, and in July the new chairman took office. Despite the absence of restrictions on re-election, this post didn't bring any benefit, so after more than three years no new chairman has been elected.

The current chairman, appointed in July last year, was named Tomitsuka Hitsui. This was the mother of the third-year student from First High, Tomitsuka Hagane. Despite the death of her husband, Tomitsuka's family didn't remain only as part of the wife's side.

The Chairman of the Magic Association must reside at the headquarters in Kyoto. On the other hand, the Tomitsuka family is based on the eastern coast of Tokyo Bay. For this reason, the duties were divided in such a way that the husband's side deals with family business, and the affairs of the Magic Association are the wife's side.

In June last year, Tomitsuka Hitsui put forward her candidacy for the post of chairman with a light feeling that "this will be a normal day-today job." But now she clutched her head, cursing last year's self.

On Sunday, when Edward Clark from America announced "Project Dione" there wasn't such a depressing feeling. Because then it seemed that even for the USNA it would be difficult to invite magical scientists from other countries. And the fact that other countries will lend their

"Apostles" was estimated as an absolutely impossible event.

So thought all the employees of the Magic Association, not just Tomitsuka Hitsui.

However, yesterday, from the New Soviet Union, from the main enemy of the United States, came a notice of consent from "Apostle"

Bezobrazzoff to participate in the project. As a result, it was no longer possible to delay the answer.

According to the concept of using magic for peaceful purposes to open the way for the future of mankind, there was no objection from the beginning. The anti-magic movement received wide support among people, drawing attention to the fact that magic is a dangerous weapon that kills and maims non-magicians.

Peaceful use of magic not only contributed insignificantly in the form of extinguishing fires or preventing floods, but also appeared as a large project, which in the future will bring prosperity to humanity. It was an extremely effective tool, which must strike back at the anti-magic movement.

You don't need to successfully complete the project, you don't even need to implement it. The mere fact that the project exists can be an argument against an anti-magic movement. Magicians can avoid the current difficult situation.

Considered a friendly country, Japan will not be able to refuse to participate in the project, for which even the two warring countries have joined their efforts. It is no longer possible to postpone the decision. It should be sent as soon as possible to the high school student, known under the pseudonym Taurus Silver.

In truth, Hitsui knew the identity of Taurus Silver. It was written in a letter sealed with an old-fashioned wax seal, which was brought to her by an employee of the USNA Embassy.

Hitsui lifted her head, lowered earlier in confusion, and removed her hands from her head. If you just grieve, this will not help the case. There was no suitable hero who could take on the current problems. She herself, too, didn't have the appropriate social status to enter the role of the heroine of the tragedy.

She decided to use the special right of the chairman of the Japanese Magic Association, which her predecessors had never used.

Convening a Conference of the 10 Master Clans.

Using special dedicated lines, Hitsui summoned the heads of the families of each of the Ten Master Clans to participate in an online conference.

Did the heads of families of the Ten Master Clans expect a call from the Magic Association?

Just one hour after the call, the heads of each of the families appeared on the monitor for Hitsui's conferences: Ichijou, Futatsugi, Mitsuya, Yotsuba, Itsuwa, Mutsuzuka, Saegusa, Shippou, Yatsushiro and Juumonji.

"Yotsuba-dono, please accept my thanks for that time."

"Ichijo-dono, have you already recovered?"

"Thanks to you, I fully recovered."

"I'm happy for you. So, chairman, for what problem did you collect us here?"

Futatsugi Mai, wedged into the conversation between Ichijo Gouki and Maya, called on everyone to pay attention to the ignored Hitsui.

Hitsui, feeling as if bathed in icy water, thanks to Mai was able to pull herself together.

"...Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for responding so quickly, despite your business."

"Because it was an emergency call. I would like to ask you to tell us what is this 'emergency situation'?"

Saegusa Koichi's impassive voice asked a sarcastic question.

Under this pressure it seemed that Hitsui was going to cry. She wasn't at all a weak-willed woman, but she wasn't used to confrontations that looked like a fight with sharp swords.

"Yes. As you all probably already guessed, it will be about a project for the development of Venus, proposed by the engineers of the USNA."

Clinging to her sense of responsibility as chairman, Hitsui somehow managed to move on to the main topic.

"Yesterday, when the New Soviet Union announced its participation in the project, the Japanese Magic Association also had an urgent need to react to this."

"And so is the Association? Edward Clark, after all asked for the participation of individuals?" Shippou Takumi asked in a tone like a scientist.

"Officially yes, but one of them nominated was a Japanese?" Yatsushiro Raizou answered with a crooked smile.

"This is American arrogance. We don't have to obey." Mutsuzuka Atsuko spat out words with an expression and a voice, as if she were going to vomit.

"But most likely it will not work. " Trying to hold back the nervousness, Hitsui said. The monitor still showed those faces staring at her. And it wasn't just Atsuko. Instead of falling into despair, Hitsui spoke, becoming serious. "At present, magicians are faced with unreasonable criticism, claiming that they are enemies of humanity. This is just primitive propaganda of anti-magic activists, but the Strategic and Tactical class magic, successfully used one after the other, has seriously increased the credibility of such propaganda."

The desktop monitor clearly showed how the eyes of all heads of families simultaneously moved. On such a small screen it was difficult to perceive, but it was obvious that Maya gathered the gazes of everyone.

Everyone realized that the "Tactical class magic" which increased the credibility of anti-magic propaganda" is "Active Air Mine" developed by Tatsuya.

"Dr. Clark's "Project Dione" can be good material for demonstrating that magic serves humanity not only for military purposes. The headquarters of the International Magic Association is preparing to express its full support for "Project Dione". I also heard that the Associations of America, Britain and the New Soviet Union are also planning to publish their press releases. Germany is also discussing with the government of the USNA the possibility of participation, not limited to just one company Rozen MagiCraft. With this development, Japan simply cannot stand aside."

"I can understand the chairman's haste, but what exactly do you want to do? Find Taurus Silver and get him to join?" With a meticulous expression on his face, asked Itsuwa Isami. The year before last he had to bitterly send his daughter to the battlefield only because she was a

"Strategic Class Magician".

Since then, he has been disgusted with such a manner of doing things, when all the burden is shifted to one person for the sake of preserving honor.

"...Actually, he does not need to be looked for."

Hitsui also didn't consider it a good thing to force people to suffer for a simple justification. On the contrary, this feeling led her to the tactics

"I'd better get dirty in the mud."

"Taurus Silver... Yotsuba-sama, is this your son?"

In Maya's silent gaze aimed at the camera, the question "How did you decide this?" Was read.

"I received a letter from the American Embassy. Taking into account that he's a minor, they refrained from disclosing his name, but in return we were asked to help persuade Taurus Silver, that is, Mr. Tatsuya Shiba."

"Sounds like blackmail." Gouki murmured.

Not only he openly expressed his disgust.

"To be honest, Momoyama-sensei from First High also mentioned this."

However, the person closest to the one in question, Maya was calm, like no one else present.

"I leave this decision to Tatsuya's own judgment." Maya smiled from the screen when she answered.

Hitsui was almost the same age as Maya, but it took her a few seconds to suppress a shiver in her voice.

"...That is, Yotsuba-sama isn't going to participate in the conviction?"

"This is a question that will affect his entire life."

In an amiable voice, Maya hinted that this isn't a territory that can be claimed.

"If the conversation was just about that, I'd like to say goodbye."

And she showed that she takes the position of refusal from further discussion.

"...Thank you very much for your time."

"In that case, all the best."

The face of Maya disappeared from the monitor.

"I'm sorry, I'll finish this too."

"Then I too."

Following the example of Maya, Mutsuzuka Atsuko and Yatsushiro Raizou dropped out of the online conference.

Seven of the ten remaining heads of families, on the contrary, were not in a hurry to leave the conference.

"This may indeed be a matter of his life, but I would like to see a debt to the Japanese magical world also taken into account." Saegusa Koichi muttered in a disgruntled voice. It was difficult to understand, if he was saying it to himself or complaining to someone.

"You say that this isn't the case when they ask the opinions of the person himself?" Shippou Takumi asked in response to these words.

"For the magicians of the Ten Master Clans, it is inevitable to sacrifice yourself to some extent. The daughter of Itsuwa-dono has health problems, but still participated in the military sortie in the year before last. Itsuwa-dono, your daughter didn't go to the front on her own, is it not?"

"This is so..."

This question was difficult to answer negatively. Itsuwa Isami could only vaguely mumble the consent.

"But if you give the son of the Yotsuba family to this foreign planetary terraforming project, won't this be a big loss for national defense?"

"I don't know what kind of magic Shiba Tatsuya-san can use, but I think that the way of thinking, in which the magician is directly connected with the military force, will lead us to trouble. At present, the main threat not only to the Japanese magical world, but also to magicians around the world, is the anti-magic movement that began with the idea of 'Humanism', isn't it? If so, then consideration of this issue should be considered the highest priority."

Hitsui answered the question raised by Gouki.

"Although it is undesirable, but perhaps the best solution would be for Shiba Tatsuya-dono to go to America." Futatsugi Mai said sighing.

Votes against this decision were not heard.

"However, who will convince Shiba Tatsuya-dono? As I understand it, you cannot expect this from Yotsuba-dono."

The problem voiced by Mitsuya Gen caused silence for a while.

"Juumonji-sama... You are personally acquainted with Shiba Tatsuya-san, are you not?"

Hitsui's words were spoken in despair. It was impossible to break the will of others alone with the connection of the senpai with the kohai, in order to change the personal opinion. In addition, if it was necessary to have a personal acquaintance, then the son of Hitsui herself, Tomitsuka Hagane wasn't only a fellow student of First High, but even a classmate of Tatsuya. It was a much closer relationship than Katsuto, who finished school in the spring of last year.

"...I don't know if Shiba Tatsuya-dono will listen to my words, but I'll try to talk to him."

However, Katsuto agreed to take up this difficult task.

"...Are you sure?"

"To begin with, we'll just talk. I cannot promise a positive result."

Katsuto answered Koichi's question.

Koichi couldn't understand what exactly Katsuto was up to when he agreed to take up negotiations with Tatsuya.