Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 8 - Reminiscence - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

August 6th, AD 2092 / Okinawa - Villa ~ Onna Air Force Base

On the morning of the third day of our vacation, a storm began to brew.

The skies were overcast, and strong winds blew.

It seems a tropical storm was approaching from the Eastern sea.

Apparently by the time it blows up here it won’t have the strength of a typhoon, but from the looks of it, it would come pretty close.

Every channel was advising it would be best to avoid marine spots, but I don’t think anyone would be in a beach-going mood in this weather anyway. Boats were obviously out of the question.

We would be here for two weeks, so there was no need to overdo anything for just these few days.

"What are your plans for today?"

As she passed freshly baked bread to Okaa-sama, Sakurai-san asked that question.

"In this weather, even shopping would be……"

Tilting her head slightly, Okaa-sama muttered to herself. Making that gesture, she seemed almost like a girl in terms of cuteness. It was just a moment, but she appeared really young.

"What shall we do?"

Being asked in reverse, Sakurai-san also ceased eating and tilted her head.

She also appeared really young, but unlike Okaa-sama, Sakurai-san gave more of an ‘Onee-san’-like feel…… although of course, Okaa-sama is far older in terms of age.

"Hm……how about going to see a Ryuukyuu dance?"

Saying so, Sakurai-san turned on the wall mounted display.

Deftly operating the handheld remote, she brought up a guide on Ryuukyuu performances.

"It appears you can also try on the costumes yourself."

"Looks interesting. What do you think, Miyuki-san?"

"I think it also seems pretty nice."

"I’ll arrange a car. There is one problem however……"

Seeing both Okaa-sama and I nod, Sakurai-san seemed rather somber.

"The performance is for women only."

Ah, that’s true. It certainly did say that at the bottom of the video.

Then, my brother……

"I see……"

Okaa-sama had ripped her toast into small pieces, and was popping them into her mouth one by one.

"……Tatsuya, you can be free for the day."

"Yes."

"You received an invitation to the base from the Captain yesterday right? This would be a good opportunity to visit.

You may be invited to join their training."

"I understand."

You can be free, Okaa-sama had said, but she ended up ordering him after all.

Without showing any dissatisfaction whatsoever, my brother simply accepted it with his deadpan expression.

The same as always.

"Um, Okaa-sama!"

Why I did such a thing, I don’t know myself.

"Could I go together with Ni, Nii-san?"

My lips, tongue, and vocal cords ran off and said such a thing. —The reason I stumbled over pronouncing Nii-san was most likely because in my head, I had always been calling him ‘brother’ or ‘that person’ all the time.

It’s not like I was nervous……or anything.

"Miyuki-san?"

I thought it was pretty abrupt myself. As expected, Okaa-sama was shooting me a rather quizzical look.

Uuu, so uncomfortable……!

"I, uhm, I’m also interested in what sort of training magicians in the military go through, and uh, as a Mistress I think I should find out more about the abilities of my Guardian……"

"Is that so……how admirable."

Saying the word ‘mistress’ required overcoming considerable amounts of resistance.

In any case, I stood there willing Okaa-sama to believe my desperate excuses.

For some reason, I feel rather guilty……

But, I didn’t intend to lie. —Never mind lying or not, I didn’t even know my true feelings.

"Tatsuya, it’s as you heard. You’ll be accompanied by Miyuki-san on your tour of the base."

"Yes."

"Just keep one thing in mind. In public, don’t go using honorifics or the like when addressing Miyuki-san. Rather than ‘Ojou-sama’, just ‘Miyuki’ is fine. Actions which could lead to the discovery that Miyuki-san is a Yotsuba Head successor are prohibited."

"……Understood."

This time, there was a slight delay before my brother nodded.

It wasn’t just my brother who experienced confusion.

I was in a supreme state of embarrassed bewilderment. The part about the ‘candidate’ went straight over my head, and instead, my mind was filled with scenes where my brother was calling me ‘Miyuki’. ?

"Do not misunderstand. This is only expedient for deceiving any observers who may be watching. There is no change in the relationship between you and Miyuki-san."

At Okaa-sama’s words which brought a sense of discomfort, my brother simply replied ‘as you command’.

Although we’re on vacation, our hosts were in the middle of work in a national institution. In order to not be rude and decrease exposure, I wore a UV resistant see-through cardigan over a modest short sleeved dress, while my brother wore a short sleeved polo shirt under his summer jacket with ankle length dress pants when we visited Captain Kazama at the base.

"I am Sanada, in the Defense Army Department of Weapons Development."

The soldier who greeted us when we arrived introduced himself. His rank apparently was Lieutenant. Hearing that, my brother seemed quite surprised.

Why is it……when he’s with other people, he shows such a wide variety of expressions?

"Is something the matter?"

"No……it’s just I didn’t expect to be guided by an officer. Also, I thought that this was an air force base [11] ."

Hearing my brother’s words, the corners of Sanada-san’s mouth twitched. It felt like he had warmed up to us a little.

"It seems you have some familiarity with the military, don’t you."

"My martial arts master was once in the army."

"Ahh, I see……well, the reason an army technology officer is in an air force base is because my specialty is rather unique, and we’re lacking those here. The reason your guidance isn’t being left to a noncom is……because we were expecting you, I suppose."

Lieutenant Sanada smiled affably as he spoke. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but his features had a certain charm which would put anyone at ease.

However for some reason my brother seemed to go on guard upon seeing that smile.

Sanada-san led us into a high-ceiling gymnasium. By gymnasium, I refer to the fact that that's the closest impression I could think of, and it’s possible that it has a different name altogether.

From the ceiling which was probably about five stories hung a large number of ropes, from which many soldiers were climbing up to the ceiling then jumping off. They wore no parachutes. It was doubtful whether a parachute would have done any good at this height, but normally speaking fractures would be the least of their problems.

This technique is Acceleration Systematic Magic - Deceleration, is it……

There were probably around 50 people.

All the soldiers getting on then off the ropes were magicians.

The level of this skill wasn’t particularly high, but it’s extremely unlikely that was all they teach magicians at this base. For so many magicians to be in one regional base……this is truly the frontline border.

I can also see the bad soldier, err, Lance Corporal Higaki.

So that person was a magician……

Captain Kazama was waiting for us. I can understand that he knew we were coming based on him sending Sanada-san to pick us up, but I didn’t think he’d go as far as to leave supervision of training to a subordinate while waiting.

No—he hadn’t been waiting for ‘us’, but rather, my brother.

"Coming this early, can I interpret this as an interest in the military?"

With a clumsy smile on his rugged face, Captain Kazama spoke to my brother.

"I do have some interest. However, I have not decided on whether I want to become a soldier."

"Well, that’s to be expected. You’re still a junior high student right?"

His wording different from yesterday, I felt that he had some ulterior motives—although that may be a bit harsh.

"Just recently."

"You should be around 12, no, 13 right? Though, you’re a pretty cool customer."

"I am 13."

At the Captain’s question, my brother gave a safe answer. I couldn’t help feel a sense of surprise, but I immediately put it down to my misplaced beliefs.

My brother was a honor student at school. Not only in primary, but even in the junior high he had just entered, in everything unrelated to magic he was a prodigy all the way.

He couldn’t really be said to be sociable even as flattery, but he’s been relied on in numerous situations by both classmates and juniors, and even once by a teacher.

If he had been born into a family unconnected to magic.

If he hadn’t been the nephew of the Yotsuba family head.

If he wasn’t Okaa-sama’s son.

If he wasn’t my brother.

…There’s no point thinking about this, is there.

It’s the same as thinking, what if I didn’t have ‘Yotsuba’ Miya’s blood in me.

While I was lost in thought, at some point, it was asked if we’d like to participate in the rope climbing training. Obviously not me, but my brother.

"No, I’m not that good at magic."

Hearing him refer to himself in the first person ‘I’, my back tingled. Was that a caution from Okaa-sama, to seem normal?

It doesn’t really suit him……no wait, that’s not the point!

"Um, how did you know about Nii-san?"

Again, that strong aversion when attempting to speak the word ‘Nii-san’.

Why?

When it’s such an indisputable fact that this person is my brother.

"How did you know he was a magician?"

But seizing up in a place like this would be too unnatural.

More than that, this is important to me.

Normally, my brother does not wear a CAD. Of course, he does not carry traditional aids like charms or vájra either.

Both Okaa-sama and I carried mobile terminal CADs, so over these four days, the only one who conspicuously dressed as and could be told to be a magician should be Sakurai-san.

Don’t tell me, we’re being observed……?

"……Just somehow, I guess."

Captain Kazama seemed to be surprised at being asked a question by me, and with a serious expression gave a decidedly seemingly not serious answer.

Just somehow, the heck’s that?

Is he trying to dodge the question!?

"It’s not like I’m trying to hide anything here."

—!?

At that timing, almost as if he’d read my mind, my face stiffened.

"Having seen countless hundreds of mages, it’s like I can read the air about them now. Whether they’re magicians or not. Whether they’re strong or weak."

It’s no good, I thought, I can’t stop the unrest from showing on my expression.

"By the way, why would you ask such a thing?"

This is bad……!

My sensitive reaction had aroused suspicion.

Even though I had been told by Okaa-sama to keep my relationship with the Yotsuba under wraps.

"I’m sorry, my sister has always been sensitive about my poor magic……she’s more nervous than usual."

—To me who had lost my focus and didn’t know what to do next, my brother became my shield.

"Is that so. You’ve a good sister."

"Thank you. She is my pride."

"Haha, you get along so well. I’m jealous."

I could hear only biting sarcasm in his words..

But my brother had no such intentions.

He had only helped me because I had been in trouble.

I’m not so distorted as to not understand that.

But why was he so concerned?

Even though my struggling for a reply was no concern of his as a Guardian.

Even though keeping the secret of the Yotsuba held no benefit for my brother.

Even though it’d only be me who would be scolded.

So why would he cover me as normal siblings would, as a brother protects his sister……?