Chapter 2
The hospital Minami was placed in was located near the building in Chofu.
Of course, this wasn't a coincidence. The building in Chofu, where Miyuki moved to, was built as the headquarters of the Yotsuba family in Tokyo. Measures concerning sick and wounded had been considered from the beginning.
Tatsuya returned together with Miyuki to the new house which was a multi-storied building.
Miyuki wanted to go along with Minami, but the doctor politely refused.
Miyuki did not become stubborn when she was told that her magical power, which could unwittingly be released, could interfere with her treatment.
"Is everything going to be okay for Minami-chan..." An unconcealed murmur came from Miyuki, who was sitting next to Tatsuya, with a voice filled with anxiety. Apparently, she didn't even think about hiding these feelings.
"I think her life is no longer in danger."
When Miyuki heard this from Tatsuya, which were words coinciding with her expectations, her facial expression became a little less disturbing.
"...Right. Tatsuya-sama used 'Regrowth'. Nothing bad should happen."
Tatsuya looked at Miyuki’s eyes, that were filled with indecision. He did not want to escalate her alarm, but he also did not want to be insincere to her. Deceiving her with empty words of consolation was not his goal.
"...What I did were only temporary measures, like first aid. I couldn't cure her completely."
He first laid out the bare facts, but he added an additional explanation before Miyuki’s anxiety began to grow.
"But we managed to avoid her state weakening to a deadly level. In addition, Minami is the second generation. Her resistance to magic must be stronger than that of the first generation, Honami-san."
"Yes, that's right!"
Miyuki raised her gaze. In search of hope and support, her look met the look of Tatsuya.
"With the change of generations, magic is strengthened in the genes...
The same can be said about us, modified people, right?"
Tatsuya was disgusted to hear how Miyuki called herself a "modified person".
"The second generation of ordinary, modified people are more stable than the first. There are some exceptions, but there is no doubt that this is the trend."
Usually, modified people lack vital stability. There have been many cases of sudden deaths without any reason, as well as deaths from sudden weakness.
And at the moment there is no established theory about the reason for it.
However, there were many hypotheses. One of the most convincing hypotheses, and that to which Tatsuya inclined, is the "Limiter Failure Theory", which asserts that "People with modified bodies use magic with a removed Limiter".
According to this hypothesis, the spirit of these people initially did not have the ability to use magic. The Magic Calculation Area is not a unique feature of magicians, it is present in the spirit of every ordinary person. But since the use of magic strains the limits of the human mind, usually the limiter blocks magic activity by 100%. In other words, it is completely shut down.
But in rare cases, there are magicians whose mind has a strong durability against magic, and such people have slightly weaker limiters.
In such cases, their limiter is not set to 100%, but to 99%, or sometimes 88%.
Even if it is just 1-2%, the difference between total zero and the amount that allows the use of actual magic is very significant.
Even with 1%, the person gets the opportunity to use magic, which he normally would be unable to do.
Using the muscles as an analogy, the use of the Magic Calculation Area can also increase its power. Bones and tendons increase in physical strength to support the growth of the body, similarly the spirit increases in durability against the excessive use of magic. This is what the theorists of the "Limiter Failure Theory" believe. They believe that the limiter’s release of the Magic Calculation Area and the enhancement of magic grow in parallel.
Using this, it is possible to understand that ordinary magicians by using magic gradually increase their natural durability to use magic, and thus gradually remove the limiter further. But magicians with modified bodies have artificially created conditions for the use of magic, and the limiter does not work under these conditions, as well as the claims under the "Limiter Failure Theory".
The Magic Calculation Area which should grow alongside the spirit’s magic durability doesn’t develop at the same rate because they are not both "turned on" at the same time. The spirit will continue to be damaged whenever the magical load exceeds its durability, which spreads to the physical body and effects it in a negative way.
Speaking of which, it is believed that the magical endurance of the spirit is an inherited trait. Neo-Lamarckism, which claims that the acquired skills of the physical body are inherited, also claim that in the field of mental adaptation of magic, this is observed as a phenomenon that
"Magic genes adapt" over time.
If this way of thinking, which can be called "Lamarckism of Reason", is true, then the "second generation" is born with the same magical endurance of "The first generation". Therefore, the "Third generation"
will inherit even more resilience, because of the reinforced "second generation".
However, all these are conjectures. There is no guarantee that they are true.
However, "second generation" Minami was said to have a much higher resistance than that of the "first generation" Honami. When Miyuki thought about this, her feelings calmed down a little.
These feelings of tragedy and guilt disappeared from her expression. Her strong sense of guilt was due to Minami sacrificing herself for her.
Seeing this, Tatsuya smiled at Miyuki, who hid her anxiety in the depths of her mind.
The fact that Miyuki also has a modified body was an unpleasant thing for Tatsuya. If he could, he would prefer not to believe it, but there was no reason to deny it. He had no sense of discrimination or detachment for someone with the most advanced modified body. But it was unpleasant to him that someone forced their hands on Miyuki’s body, even though it was before her birth. It can be said that Tatsuya unconsciously felt the desire to be a kind of sole owner.
But if you remove such emotions and accept the fact that Miyuki has a modified body, then he will not be able to ignore such serious fears.
For example, the concern about whether or not Maya was able to overcome the instability of a first generation.
If you adapt the words of Maya to the previously mentioned hypothesis, then Miyuki's limiter works fine despite her modified body. Or is her magical endurance so high that the limiter is not needed at all?
Tatsuya didn't have a way to check this. Even now, completely freed from his seal, he could not reach the realm of the spirit.
So the only thing he could do was believe.
If what Maya told Tatsuya was a lie, then Miyuki had the disadvantages of a modified person. And if Miyuki was awaiting the same fate of modified people in the form of a sudden death...
Tatsuya simply could not imagine such a future.
Tatsuya wasn’t sure that he would be able to live without her.
At 2 p.m. Japanese time, the Japanese government protested to the international community about the sudden attack by an unknown country.
However, the USNA learned about the fact that the Japanese peninsula Izu was attacked with Long Range magic in almost real time.
The USNA’s spy satellite recorded the response of a powerful magic in the far region of the New Soviet Union at the same time that the Izu attack was made. There were no such people in the government or in the USNA’s Army who could not relate these two events. But there were those who were happy and those who were unhappy.
Lina was also informed about it, but only a few hours later.
The headquarters of STARS in New Mexico, still Saturday, June 8th.
In the evening, at a meeting after completing training, STARS officers discussed this shocking news.
The report said that one of the regions of Japan, which was not a distant island or a sea surface, close to the capital area was attacked by Strategic Class Magic of the New Soviet Union early in the morning.
"The target of this attack is the newly discovered Japanese Strategic Class Magician, Tatsuya Shiba."
In the coaching room, the assistant to the non-magician base Commander Walker explained the details of the message.
"What is Tatsuya Shiba’s condition?"
This question was not asked by Lina. She was in shock at the moment and was not able to ask the connected questions. The one who asked the assistant to the base Commander was Canopus.
The assistant looked at Commander Walker. Having confirmed that Walker nodded, he replied: "The details are unknown, but it seems that he was not hurt at all."
The reaction among the magicians present varied.
Lina didn't even try to hide her relief.
Canopus strongly squeezed his lips, as if fearing that Tatsuya would retaliate.
Arcturus was depressed, apparently due to the fact that the assassination mission will not be canceled.
On Vega’s face, who received the same task, on the contrary, a daring smile surfaced.
Colonel Walker spoke at this point.
"A directive was received from the general staff that our country occupies a non-intervention position in this matter. It looks like we won't be allowed to show ourselves this time, but you should still be prepared."
The voices of confirmation were heard from all of them. Although Lina was the only one who could not agree with it, they all still understood their situation.
"Then, you’re dismissed."
?
Thirteen of the best magicians of the USNA saluted at the same time after Walker’s order. When they, led by Lina, began to go out one after the other, a voice came from the back, stopping only one person.
"Captain Arcturus, I'll ask you to stay."
According to the rules, the operations assigned to STARS are passed through Lina, but there were exceptions, when orders arn't passed by her, and they were not very rare. Lina herself was not very disturbed by this.
Lina and the 11 Captains of the different units, as well as the assistant went, leaving only Walker and Arcturus in the coaching room.
This room was equipped with a serious listening protection system.
Which, of course, was being used at the moment.
"Captain, activate a Soundproofing field." Walker told Arcturus before they continued.
"Understood."
With doubt on his face, Arcturus, following the order, blocked both internal and external sounds.
"Installation of a Sound insulation field is complete."
Not having Magic himself, Walker could not verify whether Arcturus told the truth or not. However, he nodded quietly and immediately moved on to the main issue.
"Captain. It was decided to carry out the experiment, which we talked about earlier." Arcturus’s seemed stressed from this.
"Is this about the Micro Black Hole experiment?"
He unconsciously lowered his voice, though he had just used magic to stop any sound from escaping.
"Yes. The venue will be the same as last time: the National Particle Acceleration Institute in Dallas."
"The time will be next week, June 15th at 11 o'clock. You are the best user of Lunar magic among STARS.
Although I think you can handle it if there are any parasites, but if you need to, we may send the 11th Unit to help you."
In the army of the USNA, Mental Interference Magic was called Lunar magic. Arcturus was a powerful Mental Interference Magic user. But Arcturus, like those specializing in this kind of magic, had little real combat experience.
He inherited the blood of his Native American ancestors. His grandmother was one of the only remaining thoroughbred shamans of the Native American tribes. His predisposition to Mental Interference Magic is considered to be inherited from this grandmother.
Because of this pedigree, he was usually barred from missions against magicians of Ancient Magic specializing in Mental Magic (they can also be called "Sorcerers" or "Shamans").
"Sorcerer" is the USNA’s term for magicians specializing in Ancient Magic and that belonged to the Native Americans and they would call black magicians that use Ancient magic "Shamans". To be more precise, white and Asian people used these names, so Arcturus showed his sympathy towards people of the same race because of the prejudice he has faced.
In the 11th Unit, there were three magicians specializing in lunar magic, and without any racial prejudices. They were often in command on operations against Ancient Magic users, because they specialized in Mental Interference Magic, and were able to withstand attacks that attacked the mind.
"No, I'll be enough."
Arcturus also understood that he lacked real combat experience. But he also had high conceit. In addition, he believed that the presence of STARS in this matter should be kept to a minimum.
"Is that it? I got it."
The desire to engage as few people as possible also coincided with Walker's opinion. In this conversation it was decided that only Arcturus’
3rd Unit will be sent to the experiment.
"The 6th Unit will be on duty outside the lab. If you find suspicious people, tell them immediately."
This meant that not only the 3rd Unit would be involved in the operation.
Three members of the 6th Star class, who received the code names of the Orion constellations: Mintaka, Alnitak and Alnilam, who are also called
"Orion team". And this was not a coincidence, because the 6th Unit is a team of "hunters", Magicians specializing in persecution.
"You got it. But Captain Rigel..."
"Don't worry. The experiment will be conducted in secrecy."
For a moment, relief could be seen on the face of Arcturus when he heard Walker.
The goal of the Micro Black Hole experiment is to expose a Japanese agent. To be sure of their capture, the cooperation of other groups is desirable. But Arcturus, mistaken about the dangerous event, did not want people from other groups to learn about the experiment.
Walker had to agree with him. Although their motives were not used to harm the other, the result was that the information was hidden from the public.
The Japanese government announced a magical attack on the area where villas were built on the Izu peninsula, and heavily criticized the person that fired the attack, without specifying who it was. At the same time, they stressed that this was nothing more than a hindrance to their magical military power.
At the same time, they indirectly criticized the anti-magic movement, pointing out that the expulsion of magicians would not only be a humanitarian problem, but would also reduce the defence against magical attacks of other countries, which would jeopardize the lives of the citizens of the country.
However, they withheld that the target of the attack was also a magician.
The fact that the target was Tatsuya and that Minami became injured was strictly forbidden from being spread around. However, full concealment of the facts was impossible.
Those who knew where Tatsuya was, easily tied him and this magical attack together.
And there were also those who had guessed the truth, because they possessed sharp magical perception skills.
Immediately after the government's announcement of a sudden attack, 1st Lieutenant Fujibayashi received a personal phone call. A personal phone call during service was possible because the call came from a virtual hotline with the Kudou family, established for emergency with the permission of the headquarters.
"Kyouko-oneesan? It's Minoru."
"Minoru-kun?"
The virtual hotline only passed his voice. The other side’s display said
"Kudou Family" and it was impossible to know who it is was until you heard their voice. It could be her grandfather or her uncle, or even her aunt. But the fact that it was Minoru, was quite unexpected for Fujibayashi.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you and your work."
"That's all right. I'm not busy right now."
This wasn't a lie. Prior to this, she had been preparing documents for the government's announcement, drawing on the data obtained from Kazama at the Izu peninsula. Now that the press conference was over all involved people had no work to do.
"So, do you have any urgent business?" Fujibayashi asked, hiding her worry. This private line was rarely used. and Minoru used it for the first time. He wasn’t being egotistical... Or at least he did not show such behavior before to Fujibayashi, Minoru usually could not afford to call her while she was working. This was natural, therefore, Fujibayashi feared that there might be an emergency.
"It is not urgent, but there is something that I would like to know at any cost... This is about the government's announcement that was just made."
"I’m listening."
Fujibayashi was willing to listen to what was going to be discussed, but answered with the usual intonation of her voice.
"The target of that long range magic was Tatsuya-san, wasn't it?"
"How do you know this...?"
This was an unexpected response. Albeit from Minoru, but she had concealed this information on the orders of the government.
This was how strongly astonished she was. Tatsuya’s close friends from First High could know his whereabouts, so it is not surprising that they could relate this attack in the morning to him.
However, even within First High, there were very few people who knew that Tatsuya was at the villa on the Izu peninsula. Maybe he heard Tatsuya’s location from Saijou Leonhart or Yoshida Mikihiko, whom he met last fall...?
But this assumption of Fujibayashi turned out to be wrong.
"I felt strong magic waves collide with each other in the East. But at the same time, I felt that one of them was Tatsuya-san’s..."
Fujibayashi did not know how to respond to the words of Minoru. If what Minoru said was true, then it could mean he had a passive sensory ability that exceeds Tatsuya’s Elemental Sight.
Tatsuya’s Elemental Sight can "see" everything of whatever he looks at.
However, his Elemental Sight requires "intention" — the direction of the will. If you do not try to "see" something, if you do not direct your will to something, then you will not "see" it.
He could passively "catch" hostility directed at Miyuki, but this made his target in comparison much smaller. However, this time he could not feel it until the attack had actually begun.
Conversely, if Minoru really felt the shock waves coming from Tuman Bomba, it means that he randomly perceived the activation of magic from a distance of almost 400 kilometres. Of course, Tuman Bomba is quite a powerful magic, but it was quite obvious that Minoru’s passive sensitivity surpassed Tatsuya. At least it seemed like this to Fujibayashi.
(Minoru mastered Elemental Sight...?)
"...Minoru-kun. Since when do you have such a powerful perception skill...?"
Fujibayashi’s question was not answered.
"Tell me, are Tatsuya-san and those with him alright!? How are Miyuki-san and Sakurai-san!?"
Minoru did not hear Fujibayashi’s question. His attention was directed to the condition of Tatsuya and his entourage.
...No. In fact, Minoru was not worried about Tatsuya or Miyuki...
"Tatsuya-kun and Miyuki-san are fine. But Sakurai-san..."
Although her intuition discouraged her, Fujibayashi could not lie to him.
"What happened to Sakurai-san?"
But when she heard the desperate voice of Minoru, Fujibayashi couldn't keep silent.
"...She's in the hospital. Dr. Yamanaka of the Battalion suggested that her Magic Calculation Area could be damaged due to excessive use of magic."
"Suggested? But did the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion provide any treatment? You were there right!?"
"Minoru-kun, what has happened to you...?"
He could not answer her last question. The Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion’s being there was only known by Saeki, Kazama, the involved members of the squad and a few other people from the Battalion. As well as Tatsuya, Miyuki and the Yotsuba family.
Even the government did not receive a report on the specific people involved in the operation.
Minoru should not have known that the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion was involved in the collection of information about the sudden attack.
However, Minoru's question was not a random guess. He confidently declared that the Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion participated.
The Minoru who Fujibayashi knew could not do this. Her "cousin" has been considered an outstanding magician, and Fujibayashi believed that if it was not for his health, he would certainly be on the list of the strongest in the world. But he was not supposed to have this ability similar to clairvoyance.
It was as if in Minoru possessed an evil spirit with forbidden knowledge...
Her superstitions seemed like a fantasy.
...If at that moment, she had not counted her intuition as fantasy... The future could have been quite different.
Minoru was not particularly angry when he heard about the situation in the morning from Fujibayashi. Although he was disappointed, he already had a preconceived opinion of the military that they belong to everything insensitive, so he just decided that this was only natural.
But instead, Minoru suffered from unbearable anxiety over Minami.
The damage that the spirit receives from excessive use of magic meant that it was overheating the Magic Calculation Zone. This was the only disease that magicians had, and so far, no treatment has been found.
Genetically modified magicians are particularly affected by this disease.
According to the knowledge obtained from Zhou Gongjin, the unstable health of Minoru was also caused by a problem in the Magic Calculation Area.
In the case of Minoru, the limiter that constrains the Magical force at a level that the physical body can withstand is malfunctioning. Any ordinary magician can also break their Limiter if it exceeds the permitted working level of the Magic Calculation Area, for example, by excessively using magic during a battle. In Zhou Gongjin's knowledge, there was no way to restore it.
(Maybe if I can’t get it cured, the Yotsuba family can...)
This was not speculation, but a strong desire. He had nothing to do but to calm his anxiety, which he could not restrain.
(...I'm not going to lose her. Maybe if I go meet her, I can check on her condition.)
He could not believe that Tatsuya would allow his family member to die so easily. Even if he did not do it himself, she certainly received the necessary treatment.
(I have to go and see her with my own eyes...)
This was Minoru’s course of thought. He should go to school tomorrow.
He had to make it there a certain amount of days, when his physical condition was stable, but when he didn’t come, he could replace the missed time by passing a test or writing a report.
Minoru decided he was going to skip school for a little bit.
Her awakening was unpleasant. Her body was heavy. Fatigue was felt in the whole body, as if the rest did not completely get rid of her fatigue.
Opening her eyes, she saw a soft creamy colored ceiling. After looking to the side, she saw the walls were the same color. As well as clean white bedding.
An injection needle was inserted into her left hand.
(This is... A hospital?)
After realizing this, her memory came back to her.
(...That's right! Miyuki!?)
Minami tried to climb up, but realized that her body had weakened to such an extent that she could not do so.
(Wow...)
She tried to force her body to move, but her fruitless attempts ended only with a sigh of awareness that nothing was working.
At that moment, Minami lied back down on her bed and heard a knock on the door.
"... Enter."
She was surprised at how weak her voice was.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion."
"Miyuki!?"
Her consciousness was still slightly clouded, but she could not help but understand who the voice belonged to.
Minami weakly tried to rise again. The result was the same. Just a little bit of a head lift. But she quickly returned to her pillow.
A painful groan again came out of Minami’s mouth.
"Minami-chan!"
The sound of the fast approaching steps was heard. In Minami’s field of vision, she saw the face of Miyuki, and was filled with emotions and excitement.
"...Beautiful..."
Even with such an expression on her face, the beauty of Miyuki was unearthly. The consciousness of Minami was filled with such irrelevant thoughts.
"Minami, don't overdo it."
"Tatsuya-sama..."
The consciousness of Minami, which was in the clouds, returned to reality when she heard Tatsuya's voice.
"...Are you two okay?"
The first words of the awakened Minami were not for her own welfare.
"Yes, we're fine. Thanks to you."
"...It's an honor for me."
Tears came out of Minami’s eyes because of her emotions. She felt relieved that she was able to protect her mistress, and how deeply she was impressed by her awareness.
"No, you need to rest."
"Stop trying to move Minami."
"If you want to talk about something, you can talk while lying down."
When Tatsuya said this, Minami stopped her useless attempts to rise.
"Tatsuya, Miyuki, I'm very sorry."
Miyuki did not know how to answer this unexpected apology.
"...Why are you apologizing? The fact that we are left intact, is thanks to you, it’s not a lie or an exaggeration. It's true."
Even Tatsuya could not answer immediately.
"But my strength was exhausted as a result. As a guardian, I need to fulfill my duty, which means I need to defended my master to the end... I couldn't fulfill this duty."
Her voice was very weak. Her body was also weak enough that she could not rise.
But the light that filled Minami’s eyes when she spoke were her real feelings, not just a complaint that her spirit was weakened.
"Minami, I'm not going to argue with you, because both your body and mind are exhausted. But I want you to hear two things."
"...Okay."
Upon hearing Minami’s answer, Tatsuya sat down on a chair next to her bed.
This reduced the height difference between their eyes, which should ease the impression Minami got from being stared at from above.
"Minami, I consider your sense of duty to be commendable. However, it is also an indisputable fact that your magic was able to protect us from the shock wave caused by Tuman Bomba. You can't deny such an achievement."
"...Yes."
Minami agreed only with words and did not nod. But she was not convinced to the depths of her soul.
"That was the first point. And now the second."
Tatsuya spoke with a serious voice. Not only to Minami, but also to the nearby standing Miyuki, who simultaneously struggled to breathe.
"I believe that I can trust you, Minami, but not only with the protection of Miyuki."
Minami lay and gazed silently at Tatsuya. This look suggested something like, "What are you going to do with me?". In response, she wanted to get to know the meaning of her existence.
"There are very few people I can rely on. Leo, Erika, Mizuki, Mikihiko, Honoka, Shizuku. Even though I trust my classmates from First High, I don't want to drag them into our situation. Now the Yotsuba family is my ally, but if I interfere with them, they will not hesitate to get rid of me. Fumiya and Ayako, I also trust, but they have their own work.
Perhaps I cannot rely on them in an emergency situation. Also I cannot deny that in the near future, I can become an enemy to my master and to Lieutenant Colonel Kazama."
"And where does that put me?", Minami asked with a glance.
"Minami. You're one of the few I truly trust. So I want you to be near Miyuki not as a guardian, but as a friend."
"Not a guardian, but... a friend?"
"I hope so. It's not coercion. But if possible, I'd like you to be near Miyuki. And to stay there as long as possible, and not die quickly as a guardian. At least until you find a partner for the rest of your life."
Minami’s pale face slightly blushed. Tatsuya’s mention of her possible marriage was too sudden for her. These last words caught Minami by surprise.
"...Minami-chan. I'll be happy if you're around. So I don't want you not to think of yourself as useless." said Miyuki, sitting near Tatsuya and slightly leaning over to face Minami.
Minami’s eyes were shedding tears again. At that moment, she realized that Tatsuya and Miyuki really cherished her.
"So, please, recover, slowly. Restoring your health is the most important thing now."
"...I got it. I'll get better as soon as possible. And when that happens, will I be able to serve Miyuki-sama again?"
"Yes, it's a request from me."
Behind Tatsuya, the entrance door to the hospital room opened. Not looking back, Tatsuya guessed that it was a doctor and a nurse.
"Tomorrow, we will come again." Tatsuya said and he got up from his chair.
"Minami-chan, until tomorrow."
"Yes. Tatsuya-sama, Miyuki-sama, thank you very much for visiting."
Miyuki, embarking after Tatsuya, exchange farewells with Minami.
After that Tatsuya and Miyuki gave way to the doctor and left the hospital room.
Tatsuya returned to the multi-storied house in Chofu together with Miyuki. Tatsuya "settled in" in the living room and did not give any signs that he was going to leave any time soon.
"Tatsuya-sama... Are you sleeping here tonight?" Miyuki asked, putting a cup of coffee before Tatsuya.
Before Minami started living with them, Tatsuya's coffee was only served by Miyuki. However, even after Minami came, preparing drinks for Tatsuya remained the responsibility of Miyuki, but sometimes, when she lost her vigilance, this work fell to Minami.
In those days, Miyuki considered such incidents as annoying, but now she could not resist the sad loneliness of having no more anxiety, that at any moment her work could be done by the maid. Perhaps Miyuki was not completely selfish.
"I think I'm leaving the villa in Izu. If circumstances allow it, I will pick up the necessary things from there tomorrow."
"So you're coming back here?"
Miyuki slightly expanded her eyes. These eyes were shining with joy. If Minami had not gone to the hospital, Miyuki would have shown her joy much more openly.
"I'll come... Yes, right. I'll return."
Despite the fact that Tatsuya stayed in this multi-storied house overnight, he did not live here. So he was puzzled whether it was possible to call it "return". However, Tatsuya’s place is near Miyuki.
...If Miyuki calls this place her home and lives here, it is the right expression for him to return. This was the course of Tatsuya's thoughts while he was answering Miyuki.
"I understand. I'll prepare your room."
"Do not make any special preparations. Miyuki, you need to get some rest too."
Tatsuya thought that when it comes to Minami, Miyuki was shocked more than he himself. To overcome this anxiety, you need to move forward, and not to stand still.
However, it is important to give rest to your body.
Although she said that she would prepare the room, the home automation will cope with the preparation for a bed. Tatsuya decided that Miyuki should take a break too.
Miyuki looked like she was not happy with it, but she still obeyed Tatsuya's words.
Miyuki sat on the couch opposite to Tatsuya. Sometimes her eyes wandered around in an attempt to calm down, and in the end, her gaze was met with the eyes of Tatsuya.
"What's wrong? Is there something you want to ask?"
When Tatsuya ordered Miyuki to tell him what was wrong, she finally spoke.
"Tatsuya-sama... What are you going to do about Minami-chan?"
"What do you mean with 'What are you going to do'? I'm not going to force her to do anything against her will."
"I-I beg your pardon. That's not what I meant!"
When the frowning Tatsuya questioned her, Miyuki in a panic waved her hands.
"Is it...? Maybe you wanted to ask, what duties I wanted to give Minami?"
"Yes... No, that too, of course, but..."
It seemed that Miyuki decided to say something difficult. And Tatsuya finally realized what Miyuki wanted to ask.
"...Minami will no longer be able to do everything she wants."
Tatsuya could not force himself to express it in clear words. Probably because the current situation was unknown to him.
"This means... That Minami’s responsibilities will no longer include the work of a guardian?"
"Right."
As soon as Tatsuya said this, his hesitation was gone.
"She won't be able to use magic until the damage to her Magic Calculation Area is cured. Besides, we don't know if we can cure it at all. For us magicians, the Magic Calculation Area is like a black box.
There are still too many unrevealed mysteries in terms of both its structure and nature."
"Really... Although the Head of the Ichijou family seems to have recovered, it does not necessarily mean that Minami-chan will recover as well..."
"Another Head of a family of the Ten Master Clans, the previous head of the Juumonji family lost his ability to use magic because he frequently, intentionally overloaded his Magic Calculation Area. He cannot say anything optimistic about his treatment."
Both Tatsuya and Miyuki’s faces were concerned and gloomy.
"...In addition, even if it is restored now, it will not necessarily be the same again."
"Only if she continues to use magic?"
"Right. In addition, next time it could be that first aid is not provided on time."
Miyuki’s face became even sadder.
"That means... That Minami-chan could no longer work as a magician?"
"No, she can continue to work as a regular magician."
"But you mean that... She won't be able to withstand an intense battle?"
"That's right, Miyuki. First of all, the duty of a guardian, who is not allowed to retreat, will be impossible. It would be better to avoid participating in battles."
"Will Minami-chan agree to this?"
"Life is not just about battles. I believe that Minami will want to go on a path that leads to a peaceful life."
Miyuki’s gloomy face brightened up a little. However, there was no relief on her face.
"And Onii-sama... No nothing. Sorry."
You want to try to persuade Minami to live a peaceful life, but what about you, Tatsuya? Does Tatsuya not have the right to live in peace?
Trying to ask this, Miyuki stopped, and did not finish her sentence.
Miyuki realized that this is a meaningless question in reality. Realizing this, she gave up on the idea halfway.
Even if Tatsuya wanted a quiet life, his surrounding environment would not allow it. Even if Tatsuya himself is not going to use his Strategic Class Magic, its presence alone does not allow him to have any enemies or friends. And this is not an assumption, but a fair and obvious fact.
"Okay."
Tatsuya, of course, understood this. Perhaps he understood it even more than Miyuki. Realizing what she wanted to ask, Tatsuya could only answer with that.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login