"I think that Project Dione has a deeper meaning, giving an honorable way of life to magicians. That's why I asked you to participate in it."
Momoyama implied that his special attitude towards Tatsuya was not only because of the pressure of USNA. Tatsuya could not understand whether this was true, or if it was to pretend that he succumbed to the pressure of the government.
"But now I feel that your 'Project ESCAPES' also has a deeper meaning, giving the magicians a peaceful way of life. According to my estimation, its social significance is not inferior to Project Dione. So I don't think it's necessary to change my attitude."
"...Thank you very much."
Even after these explanations, Tatsuya did not understand the true motives of Momoyama, but, above all, he thanked him for the praise and bowed.
"Good luck."
Bowing again in response to the words of Momoyama, Tatsuya left the principal's office.
When Tatsuya left the director's office, it was still about 10 minutes before the lunch break began . He initially planned to return to Izu, but after a short hesitation, he went to the school council room.
He passed up to the highest room of the fourth floor, with such a route that he would not to be seen from the classrooms in which classes were now being held.
His ID card opened the door without any problems.
He was not absent for too long. Tatsuya did not feel particularly nostalgic, he just took his usual place and turned on the terminal.
He checked the status of current events, since Miyuki and others had promoted him to the School Board without much delay.
Working on cases that had nothing to do with his work, he didn’t notice that the lunch break had begun.
Miyuki and the rest should come soon because they’re having lunch.
Therefore Tatsuya thought this, but contrary to his expectations, Miyuki arrived even sooner than expected.
"Onii--, no, Tatsuya."
"Tatsuya-san?"
Miyuki was not alone. Both Honoka and Shizuku, who was not in the Student Council, and second years Izumi, Kasumi and Minami came to the school council room almost simultaneously.
"You can't say we haven't seen each other in a while, right?"
Today is Friday. Last time they met was near the gate of First High on Monday. He’s doubtful that the greeting "Not seen for a long time"
came to this occasion.
And for Miyuki this "long time not seen" was all the more unsuitable, because he communicates with her every evening.
"...You came to tell the school about today's press conference?"
Miyuki quickly recovered from the shock and gave an unexpectedly correct guess.
"Right. How did you guess?"
"Given the press conference, I thought it might be related to it..."
As Miyuki said, she was informed in advance about what will be told at today's press conference.
"Yes. I just talked to the principal. Although I declined to participate in the Dione project, the release from classes still remains in effect."
"That means... What were you going to do here?"
Not only Miyuki, but Honoka was also somewhat nervous. It seemed that they felt uncomfortable with his presence. Tatsuya had such an impression. The ones gathered in the school council room were Miyuki, Honoka, Shizuku, Izumi, Kasumi and Minami. All but Tatsuya, were girls. Maybe they were going to talk about something girly?
"No, this is... We were going to see the press conference here, Tatsuya."
"...Got it."
When Tatsuya held the press conference, classes were still going on.
Conscientious students could not watch it live.
Miyuki probably recorded the broadcast on the school board's server.
The channel associated with Magic news definitely had a contract to broadcast to the Magic Schools.
"Then I'll go to the library, call me when you go home."
Even Tatsuya was ashamed to watch his press conference on TV. As if running away from it, he hurried out of the school council room.
After school, Tatsuya met with his friends in the school cafeteria.
Not only with Miyuki and others whom he met in the school board room, but also with the rest of their regular company. Since he got here by car today, it was impossible to go to the habitual café, located on the way to school.
The students' views, directed at them from all sides, were annoying.
But today they could make an exception.
The recording of the press conference was shown not only in the school board room. At lunchtime, the recording was also shown on the big screen in the dining room. Many students watched the recording on their personal information terminals. So everyone was interested.
"Tatsuya, I saw the conference."
Naturally, his friends also watched.
"Good job."
"Tatsuya-san, only you could think of that."
"I think it's really amazing. I'd have never thought of that before."
After Leo, this was said by Erika, Mizuki and Mikihiko. The reaction was more open among his former classmates than among the school board group.
Perhaps it was because they had no extra emotion.
"...Construction of a plant that generates energy using a Stellar Furnace? Tatsuya. Doesn’t this have a simpler name, like an abbreviation?"
Leo asked something similar as Principal Momoyama. Perhaps many have thought about this.
"There is an unofficial abbreviation, 'Project ESCAPES'."
"Who’s to escape? Where does the abbreviation come from?"
"Extract both useful and harmful Substances from the Coastal Area of the Pacific using Electricity generated by Stellar furnace. E from
'Extract', S from 'Substances', C and A from 'Coastal Area', P from
'Pacific', E from 'Electricity' and S from 'Stellar'. Altogether, ESCAPES. This translates to: 'Extraction of both useful and harmful substances from the coastal zone of the Pacific Ocean using the electricity produced by the Stellar Furnace.' "
"Ha-ha... I'm guessing you matched that word."
"Correct."
Leo, as usual, decided to show his uncharacteristic wit.
"Escape from what?"
"From military use."
Having heard the words of Tatsuya, before him the cheerfully smiling Leo made a serious face.
"...Really?"
Leo is a magician developed as a weapon with an improved body. He clearly realized that "escape from military use" is an "Escape from the fate of magicians compelled to be a weapon."
Not just Leo. Minami, who is also such a magician, of course, also understood this. The other members of the group also wore different expressions. In particular, the faces of Honoka, Kasumi and Izumi froze. These three were highly likely to have genes that had been modified in the generation of their fathers and grandfathers.
"Yes, that's right."
Tatsuya did not conceal this intention. Friends would understand it, so there was no reason to hide it.
"You have to succeed, no matter what it takes." Mikihiko said in a serious voice.
"It's going to be all right, it's Tatsuya-kun."
Erika tried to blow away the tense atmosphere, and cheer everyone up.
Their expression softened when they heard her.
"Right. If it's Tatsuya-san, it's going to be all right."
"You said you had to choose a place. And when will the construction actually begin?"
After Honoka, whose speech not only expressed confidence, but was closer to religious belief, Mizuki asked about a specific schedule.
"The project has already started."
"Huh? Then what about school...?"
"Although my exemption has not changed, I plan to go back to school, when the situation will calm down a bit." With a slight smile Tatsuya answered the wide eyes of Mizuki.
"Is that so? Thank God..."
Honoka exaggerated her relief. This behavior caused all of them to smile.
"Tatsuya-san."
Tatsuya turned to Shizuku, sitting next to Honoka.
"What's that?"
"My father wants to meet you."
Kasumi rounded her eyes from Shizuku’s words. It was easy to guess what she had mistakenly thought, but the real meaning was, of course, different.
"I think it's about the project."
"I got it. When can I come?"
Tatsuya immediately guessed that this was the work of Toudou.
But he did not show this, asking Shizuku with a serious expression on his face.
"He said he'd be happy to meet on Sunday."
"At what time specifically?"
"The exact time has not been assigned."
"In that case, how about I bother you around the afternoon, say, 1
o’clock?"
"I think that's going to be all right. I'll call you if the circumstances change."
"Yes, that’s fine."
Thus, this simple coffee break accidentally became a significant event for Tatsuya.
As a result, Tatsuya didn’t go to the villa in Izu, rather he went to the new house in Chofu.
Tomorrow he was to meet Edward Clark at the Kanto branch of the Magic Association, and the day after tomorrow he was going to visit Shizuku’s house. So returning to Izu was ineffective.
This will be the first time Tatsuya stays overnight in the building in Chofu.
Miyuki was more excited about this fact than Tatsuya. No, to be more precise, Tatsuya did not worry at all. Miyuki was the one that worried.
"Tatsuya-sama, Miyuki-sama, sleep well."
"Yes, good night."
"Good night, Minami-chan."
The upper floor of the building was fully occupied by the residence of Tatsuya and Miyuki. Its structure was the same as that of an ordinary mansion, and it had several different rooms with separate entrances.
There were separate entrances to the rooms of Tatsuya and Miyuki, and a separate entrance to the room where Minami lived. ...In other words, Minami "changed her work" from "maid who lives in the employer's home" to "Maid on Demand".
In other words, it meant that Tatsuya and Miyuki would spend the night alone in their residence. For Miyuki this was a situation where she could not help but be excited.
"Onii-sama."
Miyuki changed Tatsuya to "Onii-sama" Ever since they got into the car, and only “they” were around.
But that didn’t start today. Even in phone calls, she called him that.
She acted the same way she acted on the Saturday night at the villa in Izu.
For her, it was not something she was consciously aware of. As Miyuki said, it is more natural for her to call him "Onii-sama". Since that day, 5 years ago, in the summer, in Okinawa.
"Go to the bathroom first."
"Alright."
Miyuki advised him to go to the bathroom after Minami left, not because they were arguing with each other, but because she should be doing housework.
The bath was fully automated, from cleaning to filling it with hot water.
There was a similar bath in their old house. But in the new house, the automation was a step higher. You could take a bath without doing anything with your own hands. Tatsuya figured this out when he entered the bathroom.
For a moment Tatsuya seriously thought about whether or not it is necessary to just use the "human washing machine" (Fully automated shower cabin), because this bathroom corresponded to the luxurious layout of these apartments and was equipped with not only a huge bathroom, but also with an ample place to wash. As a result, he decided to wash in the traditional way.
But even if "Traditional" was said, everything around him was also automated.
"Shower."
After washing his hair it was not necessary to spend time looking at the shower head to touch it. After the voice command, the shower poured hot water.
When Tatsuya washed away the shampoo and stretched his hand behind the washcloth to wash his body, he felt something from behind, on the other side of the door to the bathroom, it was a sign of human presence.
He didn't feel any stress. Although his back was to the door, it was clear to him that it was Miyuki, as clearly as if he had seen her right in front of him.
"Onii-sama."
The one that was tense was Miyuki. Her voice was indecisive.
"What happened?"
He had absolutely no idea why she was here. No, he didn't understand the reason she talked to him while he was washing.
"...Let me wash your back."
(What?)
He had no difficulty in hearing what Miyuki said. But he couldn't understand.
And he still didn't understand.
(Wash your back? Who? by whom?) It was very unusual that Tatsuya got confused by such superfluous thoughts.
"I’ll wash your back."
Whether she lost her patience because no answer came, or she saw a chance in the absence of a refusal. Miyuki opened the door to the bathroom. Tatsuya strongly regretted not having locked the door.
But it was too late. Miyuki’s steps were heard. Tatsuya couldn't look back. Luckily, he was able to quickly grab the towel hanging next to him. With the help of this he managed to hide the part below the waist.
It felt like Miyuki was very close. He did not know what she was doing now.
After thinking ‘what if there was a mirror’, Tatsuya hastily threw away that thought. There was one there, a mirror. Right in front of Tatsuya.
However, its surface was covered up by condensation. Tatsuya thought he was lucky for not having the habit of bathing in front of a mirror.
"Onii-sama, I beg your pardon..."
Miyuki’s white hand stretched forward to the side of Tatsuya’s head and grabbed a sponge. For an instant Miyuki’s breasts touched his back. Thought Tatsuya was nervous, eventually he was relieved, when he realized that the touch was not bare skin, but from a towel.
A soaped sponge clung to his back. Not only the sponge though, the thin fingers of Miyuki also touched his back.
?
?
I
"Miyuki, why are you so suddenly...?" Tatsuya could no longer keep silent and asked without turning.
"Am I making you uncomfortable...?"
"No, there is no inconvenience."
In fact, he was very uncomfortable. But Tatsuya knew he didn't have to say that here.
"Thank God..."
Miyuki’s voice, which sounded like she was concealing tears of joy, confirmed that there would be a great amount of trouble if he said something else.
"...But that's probably enough."
The fingers touching his back trembled a little.
"...Even if it’s a little, but I want to be there for you."
Her voice also trembled with shame.
"We haven't been together lately... Is that a bad thing?" Miyuki whispered with a sweet voice. She whispered these affectionate words.
"...No." Tatsuya muttered, as he was wondered if she was being manipulated.
Maybe it was someone's hobby, but the bath in the new house was 2
times longer than the usual bathrooms.
In this bathroom, Tatsuya and Miyuki now sat together. ...Back to back.
Neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki had the courage to turn their face.
But even if the bath was long, there was not enough space for two people to be in there at the same time. At the moment, Tatsuya is taller at 180 centimeters, while Miyuki is taller than the average women. Moreover, Miyuki had long legs uncharacteristic for Japanese people.
When they entered the bath, they both took their towels off.
Even Tatsuya could not remain calm when the bare skin of their backs touched. And Miyuki’s face was red not just because of the hot water.
"...Onii-sama. How long are you going to stay here?" Miyuki asked, attempting to make her voice sound the same as usual.
"I'm going back to Izu on Sunday night."
The voice of Tatsuya, on the contrary, was solid.
"You can still return to First High... Can't you?"
"I don't know how the USNA and the New Soviet Union will behave. I think we need to observe the current situation a little bit more first."
"That’s true..." murmured Miyuki with unconcealed disappointment in her voice.
But she didn't say something selfish, like, “Come back soon.”
"Can I... come visit you again in Izu?"
"Of course. I'll be happy to see you at any time, unless of course it hurts your studies."
"Well, Onii-sama. You sound like a parental guardian?"
"Isn’t it natural for me as brother to be a guardian? Being a fiancée doesn’t change that."
Miyuki unwittingly giggled from this inept joke by Tatsuya.
"Well, Onii-sama is the only one I can rely on."
"Leave it to me."
Miyuki’s words contained an unpleasant undertone that she "cannot rely on her father", but Tatsuya pretended not to notice. Such care will only be painful for Miyuki.
"Sunday... Can I go with you to Shizuku’s house?"
"Well... It would be better if you were was there."
Miyuki was a little surprised, because Tatsuya suddenly spoke in a serious voice.
"You mean... that I need to attend during your personal conversation with Shizuku’s father?”"
"...I am welcoming the first sponsor of my project, which can become the work of our entire life. I think it will be better if you come too."
The work of our whole life. Miyuki could not misunderstand the meaning of these words.
"All right, Onii-sama..."
Miyuki enthusiastically nodded and plunged under the water.
"Miyuki? Are you okay?"
Tatsuya timidly asked this, because the sensation of Miyuki’s back, which previously had barely touched him, suddenly became a snug fit.
Miyuki tightly leaned her back against Tatsuya.
If this was intentional, it is already a little bit beyond what can be stopped with a simple smile.
But what if it wasn't intentional?
"...What do you mean with 'OK'...?"
The voice of Miyuki, answering the question of Tatsuya was softer.
...That's not good, Tatsuya thought, did Miyuki overheat in the hot water?
"Miyuki, you better get out of the water now."
"...That’s true..."
In response to his warning, Miyuki only nodded and said this with a helpless voice. There was no sign of movement.
...What to do? Carry the naked Miyuki with his hands was really the last resort.
If he calls for help from Minami, then he must first get out of the bath.
In the current situation it will be quite difficult to get out of the bath without touching Miyuki’s body. In addition, he feared that Miyuki could simply go under the water, if he were to remove his support.
Tatsuya, you might say, was confused.
As a result, it took him more than a minute before his mind came to the idea of pulling the water out of the bath.
...Fortunately, on this day neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki caught a cold from sitting in the hot water for too long.
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