11 a.m. The plane with Kazama, his subordinates, and also the soon to be freed Australian magicians landed on Iwo Island at the appointed time.
The other side to which the captives will be issued has already arrived.
“Is the ship not Australian? Is that... Royal Navy aircraft carrier, Gibraltar?”
With suspicion Kazama muttered to himself.
“There can be no mistake, this is Gibraltar from the British Navy.“
Kazama's question was answered in almost a whisper by the foreman Tateoka, who was appointed temporary assistant to Kazama instead of senior lieutenant Fujibayashi, who had left today for the funeral of Kudou Retsu.
Britain was currently considered an allied country for Japan. The call of the Royal Navy vessel to the Japanese port wasn't a problem in itself.
“Contact headquarters. Ask if the Royal Navy is the other side to which the captives must be released.“
If they are the ones who need to surrender magicians captured as saboteurs, then this is another conversation. The escorted agents are Australians by nationality. Kazama didn't hear that Britain would come to pick them up.
The answer from the headquarters of the 1-0-1 brigade came quickly.
“The answer is from the brigade headquarters. They say there is no mistake, pass them
on.“
“Australia asked Britain to mediate the extradition...?“
This time, Kazama really spoke to himself. He was so bewildered that he unconsciously said his thoughts aloud.
Although the number of countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations has significantly decreased, but formally it still existed. Australia remained a member of the Commonwealth, and was in close allied relations with Britain. According to one popular theory, Australian army units are trained and formed with the help of secret knowledge obtained from Britain.
But even if this is true, then the arrival of the British Navy in order to pick up the agents of the Australian army, can not be considered an ordinary event. Despite membership in the Commonwealth and allied relations, Australia is an independent state. And Australia itself is much closer to Japan than Britain. Kazama could not think of a single reason why Australia could ask Britain to take the captured agents.
"Or does Australia have no need for this at all, and is... the business of Britain itself?"
He had a vague feeling that what he really had to give was the letter entrusted to him, not the captured agents. Kazama thought about this, remembering the envelope in his inner pocket.
Kazama’s confusion intensified at the time when he came face to face with a representative of the British side who arrived to pick up the prisoners. There was no room for misunderstanding in Saeki’s order. Give her letter to the representative of the host captive. Nevertheless, the doubt didn’t disappear from his head as to whether or not to give this person a letter, in which, probably, some important military information was written.
The British representative turned out to be William McLeod, officially recognized as his country's Strategic-Class Magician.
"What is one of the Thirteen Apostles doing here...?"
Not only Kazama, but anyone in his position would think exactly the same. However, this wasn't a completely impossible development of events. Jasmine Williams, one of
the prisoners that was going to be released, was a user of Ozone Circle, although in terms of scale her magic didn't reach the Strategic-Class. And the one who developed this magic was none other than William McLeod.
Also, through interrogation, it was found that Jasmine is the so-called "improved magician", that is, her genetic code was modified. It is highly likely that Britain provided the improvement technology. Australia's science and engineering industries were not backward, but since the Third World War, a policy of actual isolation was chosen as a protective measure, which caused stagnation of the development of magic-related technologies that can be used for military purposes.
Therefore, even before coming here there were already speculations that there might be some kind of connection between William McLeod and Jasmine Williams. However, it was hard to believe that such an important person as one of the “Thirteen Apostles”
would appear at the military base of another country with such a minimal escort.
Yes, McLeod arrived, accompanied by an entire aircraft carrier. More precisely, he arrived on an aircraft carrier. But based on the name "aircraft carrier", it is only a mobile air base with airplanes. An aircraft carrier moored in the port doesn't possess any military strength. The ship itself has no means of attack, and airborne fighters will be shot down before takeoff.
McLeod himself, as a Strategic-Class Magician, although has tremendous combat power, but his magic is Ozone Circle. It turns oxygen in the specified area into ozone gas. If he uses Ozone Circle in the current situation, it will affect his allies too.
Is there really something so valuable in Saeki’s letter that Britain is prepared to take the risk of “losing their Strategic-Class Magician” if something happens...? Struggling to break the seal and look at the letter, Kazama first handed over the captives to McLeod, after which he handed him the envelope entrusted to him by Saeki.
McLeod immediately, on the spot, without much enthusiasm opened the letter (he didn’t tear it off, but cut off the seal with a paper knife taken from his assistant), and while standing, he read the message written to him.
“Understood.”
McLeod said and handed the envelope and letter to Kazama.
“... Are you sure I can read this?”
“Yes. In order for us to have no misunderstandings.“
Kazama ordered his subordinates to move away. In response, McLeod ordered his guard and assistant to leave the premises altogether. Surprised by such a reaction, Kazama also ordered his subordinates to leave the room. When they stayed in the room only together, Kazama invited McLeod to sit on the sofa, after which he also sat down and unfolded the folded letter.
The English text, written by Saeki's familiar handwriting, wasn't so long.
McLeod spoke after Kazama finished reading and looked up.
“Sending the NSU fleet south across the Sea of Japan was an unexpected military decision, in my opinion.“
His first phrase at first glance seemed unrelated to the contents of the letter.
“I collaborated with the Dion Project to prevent the possibility of a Matter to Energy Explosion targeting the United Kingdom. I don’t need anything else. I wasn't going to take away the freedom and future of promising young people.“
From the context it was clear that by “promising young people,” McLeod meant Tatsuya.
“I also evaluate his project of the Stellar Furnace plant as extremely significant.
Attempts to prevent him may result in significant missed opportunities for a civilized society. Moreover, for us magicians, this can also lead to negative consequences.“
From such an unexpectedly high assessment of McLeod, Kazama could not find the right words to even maintain a conversation.
“Assessment of the Stellar Furnace plant is nothing more than my personal impressions.
However, regarding the dispatch of the NSU fleet south, I have the opposite opinion.
Yes, I had a secret connection with Dr. Bezobrazov through the Dion Project, but a military invasion of Japan is unacceptable, even if it was only a simulation.“
“... Do you speak on behalf of the United Kingdom?“
“Yes. And from the Kingdom, and from the Commonwealth too.“
In response to a question from Kazama, McLeod openly admitted that the royal family’s
intentions were behind his actions.
“As I said earlier, if we get guarantees that the Matter to Energy explosion magic won't be used against the United Kingdom, then we will have no reason for enmity towards Japan.“
Kazama remembered the sentence written in the letter he had just read.
Saeki invited McLeod to work together to implement the "Strategic-Class Magician Control Agreement."
According to her draft of such an agreement, the revealed Strategic-Class Magicians must be registered with the International Magic Association, and their country must take responsibility for controlling them.
By control obligations here is meant taking responsibility for their actions. However, they won't take responsibility for the consequences caused by the used Strategic-Class magic (especially the Matter to Energy explosion magic). If so, it will keep the Strategic-Class Magicians in such a position that they won't be able to freely use magic.
Even if this agreement is concluded and enters into force in the form that Saeki intended, then for those magicians who have political power and privileges, or are representatives of the government or the leader of their country (such as McLeod, Bezobrazov, the Strategic-Class Magicians of the USNA Eliot Miller and Roland Bart, Leonid Kondratenko from the NSU) - nothing will change for them. But for magicians like Carla Schmidt, who are far from politics, a catastrophic restriction of freedom is inevitable.
"... No, everything is clear. The true goal is Tatsuya."
Kazama quickly realized that the goal of his boss was to take Tatsuya from the Yotsuba family and make him her subordinate. Anyone in his place would also have come to that conclusion.
"Her Excellency won't be satisfied with the separation of Tatsuya from the Yotsuba family. She is going to take all freedom from Tatsuya."
Saeki is a scorched military man. For her, national interests are always in the first place.
"This magic is too strong to respect personal rights."
If we take that as the basis, only the logic of the military, then Kazama thought the same way. He had to admit this and that bitter feeling of hostility that came from the depths of his heart. He had this acute hostility towards himself, who had allowed such a train of thought.
“It will take some time, but I will do my best to have a conference to discuss the draft agreement.”
In the letter, Saeki asked McLeod to engage his personal as well as British international influence.
“Pass it on to Her Excellency Saeki.”
“I understand.“
Kazama in his position could only bow in gratitude to McLeod's promise to cooperate.
1:55 p.m. Five minutes later, the funeral ceremony of the elder of the magical world of Japan, Kudou Retsu, will begin in the large ceremonial hall of the city of Nara. The preparation was already completed, and all members of the family of the deceased were already seated in their places. The guest seats were already almost all occupied.
A noise was heard from the entrance to the hall. The participants thought that the monk had arrived earlier than scheduled, and turned around... and so froze in that position.
Three people entered the room. They came literally at the last minutes, but the uproar wasn't accusatory voices. It was only senseless sighs of admiration that rang out from different angles.
There were two women and one man. Both women were incomparable beauties. The lady, who was older, looked to be in her early 30's, maximum. Those who immediately recognized her also knew her real age, and knew that she looked 15 years younger than her actual age. She shone with her charming, young, gorgeous, and vivacious look.
The younger one was in her late teens and looked exactly her age. Although she could
be called a girl by age, the attractiveness of an adult woman has already begun to manifest in her. The surrounding people tried to find words in their thoughts to describe her ethereal beauty. But, couldn't find anything suitable. Elegance, grace, neatness, purity, splendor, extraterrestrial charm. Yet, none of those terms could really describe her. As a result, they were able to express their thoughts about her only as
"she is so beautiful."
Behind these two women was a young man... or even a teenager. Compared to the woman and girl, he looked completely ordinary. At the very least he was not someone who was able to incite awe from other people. Nevertheless, his existence wasn't lost against the background of the woman's charm and the girl's beauty. Also, the people around didn't see anything unnatural in this.
These three sat down in their seats. Thus, the spell that riveted the eyes of those around them was dispelled. Sighs turned into whispers.
“... Who is this beautiful girl? Is she really a living person...?“
“... Don't you know? That is Shiba Miyuki-jou from the magic high school, First High.“
“... And the guy with her is Shiba Tatsuya. There can be no mistake.“
“... You mean that Taurus Silver?“
“... Yeah. So that lady with them is the mistress of the Yotsuba family...?“
“What?... It's true. That is Yotsuba Maya-dono in person.“
"To show herself in such a crowded place... How many years ago was the last time this has happened?”
The gossip continued until the host announced the entry of the monk responsible for the ceremony.
Four hours later, the monk left and the host announced the closing ceremony. There were a great many visitors who came to burn incense. Two weeks have passed since his death, so the funeral ceremony was different from usual. The coffin was taken out in the presence of only the closest relatives, and the organization of the commemoration after the ceremony was undertaken by the family of Makoto's wife, whose surname is
Fujibayashi*. Incidentally, Kyouko's family with the surname Fujibayashi, and the family of Makoto's wife with the surname Fujibayashi* are very distant relatives. They have no direct relatives, even if tracked by the family tree at least until the last century.
[In fact, these two surnames are pronounced the same, but are spelled differently. For Kyouko's family, “fuji” is a word meaning a wisteria flower, and for Makoto’s wife, “fuji”
is written in the same way as for Mount Fuji. I’ll write a “new” surname with an asterisk to distinguish it from the usual one.]
However, as could be seen at today's funeral, the Fujibayashi* family clearly shunned the Fujibayashi family. When the Fujibayashi family offered any help, they politely refused. Perhaps the circumstances surrounding the birth of Minoru (Minoru's genetic mother is the younger sister of Makoto, who married a person from the Fujibayashi family), which cannot be disclosed, influenced the relationship between the two families.
If the events of the day before had not happened, then they might have helped today at least at the front desk.
But in the end, the Fujibayashi family had no responsibilities at this event. Fujibayashi Nagamasa, the head of the Fujibayashi family, helped with the escape of Minoru, the killer of Kudou Retsu. Therefore, today everyone tried to completely avoid contact with representatives of this family.
Senior Lieutenant Fujibayashi Kyouko stood in full prostration in the corner of the hall used for the funeral dinner.
She had no errands.
She could not occupy herself with anything.
Her heart was hurt harder than expected.
She felt the same pain yesterday, when she couldn't apologize.
... So Kyouko thought.
“... And yet, it's good that we managed to get here in time.“
“Really. I was also a little worried.“
“Actually, I didn't plan to talk for so long. But Tatsuya-san's story was very interesting.“
“... I'm sorry.“
Perhaps the reason for this was her psychological state.
“Excuse me!“
Kyouko unwittingly intervened in the conversation between the aunt, nephew, and niece.
“Ara? This is the daughter of the Fujibayashi family, isn't it?“
Yotsuba Maya responded with a smile to such an unbridled call from Kyouko.
“Yes, my name is Fujibayashi Kyouko. Thank you so much for coming so far to mourn grandfather.“
“I studied with Sensei. I would come to say goodbye, even if it was on the other side of the globe.“
“Grandpa would be glad to hear that.“
After Kyouko answered with a standard phrase, she finally overcame her indecision and asked Maya:
“... May I take a little of your time?”
“Sure.“
Kyouko made a slightly surprised face because she didn't expect Maya to agree so easily.
“Let's change the location. You also don’t want to attract excessive attention, right?“
“...Yes.“
There were also various people who were somehow connected with the army and the Magic Association. Also, in addition to the head of the Yotsuba family, the heads of the Ichijou, Futatsugi and Saegusa families also came here. Other Master Clans also sent their representatives on behalf of the heads of families. From the Eighteen Replacement Families, there were either heads of families or their representatives
here. Both Kyouko and Maya didn't want other people to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Hayama-san.“
“Yes, Milady.“
Hayama replied with a respectful tone, who suddenly appeared behind Maya.
Surprise appeared on Kyouko's face. She didn't understand when and where Hayama came from.
“I would like to calmly and without haste talk with this young lady. Can you tell me where I could speak with her?“
“I will call a car. Please follow me.“
“Good. Fujibayashi-san, will this suit you?“
“... Yes, I don't mind.“
Kyouko showed some hesitation for a moment, but she didn’t really want to stay here.
Therefore, in the end, she agreed with Maya's proposal.
“Tatsuya-san and Miyuki-san, you can return to Tokyo.”
“As you order.”
Tatsuya answered Maya.
Her word “may” sounded like permission, but it was actually an order. Maya didn't want Tatsuya and Miyuki to attend her conversation with Kyouko. They both understood this perfectly.
“Tatsuya-sama, Miyuki-sama.”
Hyougo stood behind Tatsuya unnoticed and called Tatsuya and Miyuki.
“Preparations for take-off are completed.“
Coming from Miyakijima, they eventually got on two different vertical take-off planes and rushed to the funeral ceremony. One of these aircrafts was the one on which
Hyougo originally took them from the building in Töfu. That is, Maya had her own plane to return home, so Tatsuya and Miyuki didn't need to wait modestly for her.
“Got it.“
answered Tatsuya.
“Haha-ue. In that case, goodbye.”
Realizing that they were heard from all sides, he said goodbye to Maya with the "right"
words.
“Oba-sama, goodbye.“
“Yes, take care of yourself.“
After Maya said that the two of them left.
Hayama’s words about calling a car didn't have the standard meaning “rent a car” for this idiom. His words meant that "a personal car will be served." Maya's visit to Kudou Retsu’s funeral has been planned for a long time. It was routine for the Yotsuba family to prepare a suitable vehicle in advance in case the head of the family needed to move somewhere.
Hayama sat in the front passenger seat, after which the driver, who was also a security guard, pulled the control lever. Behind them was followed by a car with four additional guards.
Instead of preparing a separate room, Hayama brought them to a small restaurant that Kyouko liked to visit. Without any particular wariness, Maya sat down at the table.
Hayama stood behind Maya, and four guards stood in the corners of the room. Kyouko could not hide her tension from such a picture.
Nevertheless, while standing, she also could not conduct a conversation, and given that it was she who asked for this conversation, it was impolite to continue to stand. Kyouko was very nervous about the fact that she would have to turn her back on the fighters of the Yotsuba family, but still sat down at the table in a place opposite Maya.
After which she held her breath and bowed low to Maya.
“First, I would like to apologize. The day before yesterday, my father did something completely unforgivable.“
Kyouko froze in that position.
“You mean that Fujibayashi Nagamasa-dono helped Kudou Minoru escape?”
“I'm talking about my father helping in the kidnap of Sakurai Minami-san.”
Without raising her head, Kyouko answered Maya's question.
“If you are talking about that, then you do not need to apologize. Nagamasa-dono probably had his own reasons for doing so. But as a result, your father was seriously injured and was hospitalized. Therefore, I believe that he has already received a sufficient amount of punishment.“
“But...“
But shouldn't a loser suffer? Shouldn't the criminal take the blame? Kyouko wanted to say that, but...
“Besides, our Minami was eventually taken away through no fault of your father.”
“Huh?“
Because of this unexpected statement by Maya, Kyouko completely forgot the words prepared for her answer, after which she unconsciously raised her head.
Maya's face frowned in frustration.
Kyouko didn't expect the head of the Yotsuba family to make such a face, so she completely forgot about the apology, and involuntarily asked:
“What do you...?“
Maya didn't answer Kyouko's unsaid question.
“Although your father was unable to prevent Tatsuya, the day before yesterday's chase ended in failure anyways. Therefore, you no longer need to torment yourself with guilt.“
Maya regained her smile in the blink of an eye and reassured Kyouko in a friendly tone.
The interference of Yakumo wasn't noticed by either the army or the police. Neither sensor networks stretched across the streets, nor reconnaissance satellites, nor surveillance devices installed on the stratospheric platform recorded the battle between Yakumo and Tatsuya.
The skills of Yakumo, hiding not only himself, but also the enemy with whom he fought, were far beyond Kyouko's imagination. Therefore, she didn't even suspect that there were some other obstacles besides her father.
Therefore, Kyouko didn't understand the meaning of Maya's words. But when the injured party in the form of Maya says that “you are not to blame”, it will be strange if Kyouko continues to insist that “it is my father’s fault”.
“...Thanks for your consideration.“
So Kyouko took Maya's words.
Finished with her apology, Kyouko didn't want to detain Maya any longer. Having gulped down the chilled black tea remaining in her cup, she tried to get up from her seat. Of course, she didn't forget to pay the bill.
But before she could say goodbye, Maya called the waiter and ordered some more tea and snacks.
“Fujibayashi Kyouko-san.“
Kyouko could not get up when her name was called in a completely different tone than before.
“Yes?“
The strength seemed to leave her legs, and she again sat back down on the chair.
“I believe there’s a better use for such a valuable asset, in comparison with the current situation”
Maya said in a low voice, sitting in a completely relaxed and laid-back pose.
Kyouko could tell by Maya's voice that she was talking about her.
“What are you talking about?“
But out loud she asked about the meaning of her words.
“Fujibayashi-san. Would you retire from the military and come to our house?"
Instead of answering Kyouko's question, Maya answered with an invitation.
“... You mean... I should become a Yotsuba magician?”
Kyouko answered in a stiff formal tone.
“No, this is not coercion. We have no desire to quarrel with the self-defense forces.“
Maya smiled.
This smile was so charming that Kyouko involuntarily fell under her influence.
“Speaking about leaving the army, I do not mean that I demand that you leave there with a scandal. I say that if you yourself want to peacefully resign, we will gladly accept you as an employee in one of our companies, for example, in FLT.“
Maya's suggestion was more reasonable than what Kyouko first thought.
Her tension eased slightly.
And in this relaxed mind, as if through the opening of a gap, Maya's voice crept in.
“Changing your profession to a civilian magician is neither treason, nor a betrayal of the government. In a suitable environment that allows you to reach your full potential, you, on the contrary, will be able to contribute to the development of society, using your abilities to the fullest.“
“I... have not yet revealed my full potential?“
“I believe that Fujibayashi-san's magic and mind are able to cover a wider field of application. Here... for example, have you ever thought about why you can interfere with magic in electronic information networks?“
“... Electrical signals and electron flows are also physical phenomena, so it’s not strange that they can be affected by the magic of the release system, right?”
“Are you talking about exposure to electromagnetic waves or to electric current and voltage? But how can magic recognize the simple motion of electrons as meaningful information?“
“That's...“
“Are you translating electron movements into machine language right in your head, and machine language into human? And all this during the use of magic?”
“... That would be hard to do.“
“But you can use magic to influence electronic information networks. You can search for the necessary information with a speed and accuracy higher than that of the well-known Echelon III system. And you do this by using not the power of supercomputers for hacking, but only magic and a regular home information terminal. How do you do this?“
Fujibayashi could not answer Maya's question. It was natural for her that she could manage electronic information networks as she wished, but she never wondered why and how she could do something like that.
“Therefore, I believe that you underestimate yourself. You have a talent that can expand the capabilities of the whole world of magic, and you use your abilities only to collect and operate military information.“
Maya's words shocked Kyouko greatly. Initially, she planned to become a researcher of magic. She joined the military only because of the death of her fiancé. Kyouko, a former military groom, died in Okinawa - at his very first place of service, where he was appointed immediately after joining the army. Kyouko decided to go to military service just after that.
Now even she herself doesn't know what kind of mental state prompted her to do this.
But after hearing Maya's words Kyouko noticed.
That she lacks motivation to continue in military service.
“I can ensure you that in the future you will be able to freely use your magic.”
“...“
“Of course, I'm not demanding an immediate response.”
“... Please let me think about it a little.”
“Of course. Please take your time. Fujibayashi-san, some more tea?“
“No. Sorry, it's getting late. I think I should go.“
“Really? In that case, I will wait for a positive response.“
Until the very end of the conversation, Kyouko didn't say a single word that could be mistaken for refusing the invite to Maya.
Soon after Kyouko left, Maya also left the restaurant. After all, she came there only for a conversation with Kyouko. And since she left, there is nothing more for her to do there.
Maya and her escort team got into two cars and drove to the airfield, where their vertical takeoff plane was parked.
“Madam. As far as I know, you had no plans for recruiting Fujibayashi-sama.“
Hayama asked Maya shortly after the car started. His words were not just a question, but more like a rebuke for an unplanned act.
“I couldn't miss such a rare opportunity.“
Maya realized that this was a rebuke, but she wasn't at all embarrassed.
“With all due respect, but were you serious with your invitation?”
Asked Hayama, slightly surprised.
“Of course, I was serious.”
Hayama sat in front and looked forward, so he could not see that the face of the responding Maya was completely serious. However, in her voice, Hayama still caught some bad intentions.
“It is dangerous to give the enemy the ability to collect and process information from
Senior Lieutenant Fujibayashi. Especially recently, when Her Excellency Saeki began her various activities.“
“Based on the recent conversation, do you expect her to become a researcher of
"information networks"?“
“Yes, I hope so too. Everything on earth has its own Eidos, and it is located on a platform called the Idea... If you shed light on the principles of the information network connecting the various Eidos within the Idea, this can become an important key to understanding the very essence of magic.“
“I totally agree with you.“
“This is a rather complicated topic. If you take it seriously, you won’t have time for anything else, right?“
“And this is an exclusively secondary goal?“
“Right.“
Not only Hayama, but anyone would have guessed that the main and secondary goals were mixed up in Maya's story. Yes, and Maya herself should have understood this.
Therefore, Hayama didn't question further. If the mistress is lying deliberately, and if it is beneficial, then the servant should not intervene
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