At the time that Tatsuya’s group had been excited with the topic of their friend who was studying overseas, the blond haired and blue eyed high school student who had come to study from abroad was in a secret meeting at the USNA embassy.
"In other words, you say that in Freddy's, no, First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s cerebral cortex, a neuronal structure never seen in a normal human was formed?"
Though the meeting was encroaching into lunch time, no one there, including Lina, requested a break.
"It may be misleading to say normal human."
The one who answered was a man who, though not wearing the white lab coat, had indeed the appearance of your everyday regular scientist.
"From the results of the autopsy, in Alfred Fomalhaut’s brain, a neuronal structure, which has never been observed in the cerebral cortex of a human so far, magicians included, has been identified. Specifically, a structure similar to a small corpus callosum was formed in the pre-frontal cortex."
Seeing there being many participants revealing an ambiguous expression (of course Lina was also one of them), the scientist began to explain once again except this time with a slight lecture tone.
"You know that human brain is divided into the left hemisphere and right hemisphere, right?"
Seeing all the participants nodding, he continued.
"So, the left and right hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum located in the center of the brain. Conversely, this means that the brain of an ordinary person does not usually have a structure, which only connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain in the center part."
"The pre-frontal cortex is the surface portion of the brain... Originally there should not be a structure which connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain there, right?"
"That’s right. In other words, it means that there is something in First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s brain that a human should not have."
Lina finally understood why she personally had to come here today. Certainly it’s not something that can be discussed on the phone.
"What kind of function does it perform? I’ve heard before that the pre-frontal cortex is the area closely connected to the ability of thinking and judgment, but... Can the newly formed brain cells affect the mental capability to that extent?"
"We USNA magic researchers believe that the brain is not an independent thinking organ; the real thinking core is the Pushion Information Body; the brain’s role is to receive the information sent from the so-called 'mind', and the communication organ transmits the information of the body to the mind. Although still in the theoretical stage, the possibility is very high."
The scientist, with an ingratiating smile shook his head at the question of the senior officers sitting on the other side.
"If this hypothesis holds, it is conceivable that the new neuronal structure formed in First Lieutenant Fomalhaut’s brain links with unknown mental functions, which was not conventionally downloaded."
The attendee yet again had a confused expression. Among them, Lina, who was still lost in thought, requesting to speak, raised her hand.
"Major, what is the matter?"
Although prompted by the scientist to speak, words would not come out. From her red lips, without attracting the men's eyes, Lina spun her tale after three seconds had passed.
"...Doctor, regarding the unknown mental functions, is there a possibility of the intervention of an external magic?"
The scientist was quick to answer.
"I think what Major Sirius is trying to say is that there is a possibility that First Lieutenant Fomalhaut was being manipulated, but unfortunately, that possibility does not exist. Although there is a hypothesis, there is no doubt to assume that the mind and the body interact one-to-one. Even if one could interfere with someone else’s mind, it wouldn’t be to the extent of affecting the brain’s structure. Besides, a magic which alters the mind’s very structure does not exist."
From the phrase ‘Magic which alters the mind’s very structure’, Lina remembered the legend of one magician. However, that magician was already dead. At the end of twenty years of hospitalization, without being married, and certainly without having children, that one should have left this world.
Lina slightly shook her head, thinking back to the matter at hand.
Though it is the afternoon session, the third-year students already had free attendance to school. Taking advantage of the fact that the second-year students were bound in classrooms and practice rooms, two third-year students, a man and a woman, secretly met in an empty clubroom.
However, there was no sweet atmosphere there at all. Despite the fact that both sets of parents regarded the pair as possible marriage partners. (Though one might say that each of them had more than one coupling candidate).
And of course, this secret meeting can only being described as "secret meeting" instead of "date". Katsuto and Mayumi came to this place on behalf of the Juumonji House and the Saegusa House, respectively.
"I wonder why we have to come specifically in a place like this."
"Sorry for that. I judged that it was the least outstanding way. As the Juumonji House, I want to avoid stimulating the Yotsuba as a result, for now."
"There is an ongoing Cold War status between our House and the Yotsuba since last month. Geez, because that sly fox old man did something unnecessary."
Turning towards Mayumi revealing a little grunt of disgust, Katsuto chuckles.
"Even Saegusa can speak in such a way."
"Ara, Sorry. Was it vulgar?"
As Mayumi starting putting on a false coquettish air, Katsuto's chuckles turned into a bitter smile.
"When I’m with you, I sometimes happen to wonder whether or not I’m treated like a man."
"It’s a misunderstanding, you know? Juumonji-kun is, among my acquaintances, the most manly. It's that simple."
"Can’t it grow into a relation between a man and a woman, now?"
"Since the entrance examination, we are rivals of three years."
After each laughed at the other in a hushed tone bout, the two people changed their expression at the same time. Since even while laughing, the heavy feeling of tension was drifting between the two people, one can’t say that the atmosphere changed.
"Juumonji-kun. I will convey the message from my father, no, the Head of the Saegusa House, Saegusa Koichi. The Saegusa House expects a united front with the Juumonji House."
"How hasty. Not a 'cooperation', but suddenly a 'united front', huh."
Cutting his speech, Katsuto requested an explanation with his gaze. Of course, even Mayumi intended to give an explanation so that the other party could understand the circumstances.
"How much do you know about the Vampire event?"
"I don’t know anything beyond what is reported. Our House doesn’t have as many henchmen as the Saegusa House."
To the words that could be taken as Katsuto’s humility, Mayumi’s lips loosened a little.
"Well, matching for a thousand is the motto of the Juumonji House. Whereas in the Saegusa House, as far as I know, it’s only the number that is large."
Mayumi suggestively cuts her words.
And, before being urged by Katsuto, continued like this.
"The victims of the Vampire event are exactly three times of what was reported. Twenty-four victims have been confirmed yesterday."
Even if it’s Katsuto, he could not help being surprised at this.
"…Is that only in this Tokyo neighborhood?"
"The metropolitan area of Tokyo, and moreover also concentrated in the urban areas."
Katsuto crossed his arms and was quietly thinking.
Mayumi silently waited for him to speak.
"There are victims that the Saegusa House knows that the police don’t know. Moreover, it’s in a limited narrowed area that damage has occurred (the victim is still in place, being locked into a narrow area)… Have the Saegusa officials been victims?"
"It’s half correct. The victims who the police don’t know are all our magicians and those in cooperation with us. Even the victims who are not are proven to be either magicians or those who possess the disposition to magic. For example, like the students of the Magic University."
"In other words."
Katsuto’s expression tinged with dreadfulness.
"That means the culprit is targeting magicians, huh."
"…Juumonji-kun, you’re a little scary."
But the stimulus of that expression seemed to be too strong for a high school girl. Apart from whether it was his real intention or acting.
"Hmm… Sorry."
And even if it was an act, it had enough effect to dent Katsuto.
"We don’t know whether there are one or multiple perpetrators of those serial murders; anyway, it is safe to presume that this 'vampire' assumes magicians as targets."
For some reason, by calmly returning to the topic without a follow-up to Katsuto, who started off the melancholy, the true nature of Mayumi showed she was surely a "devilkin" after all.
"In chronological order, first off the Magic University students and staff have been killed, the staff of our House investigating were killed while trying to avenge the previous loss, and meanwhile the victims had also increased, causing this kind of situation."
"Indeed, we can’t ignore it."
Leaving the damage received to the edge of the facial expression from Mayumi, Katsuto nodded deeply.
"Are there not any clues? If it’s someone who possesses ability to injure the Saegusa magicians, we can only consider either enhanced soldiers or magicians. And also, the possibility that it is a foreigner is high. Either someone who entered the country before and after the case outbreak, or a suspicious person among the foreigners who have gone to Tokyo?"
To Katsuto’s inquiry, Mayumi shook her head. It’s likely that the Saegusa also considered the same thing and had already investigated.
"But, speaking of foreigners who entered the country before and after the case outbreak…"
Mayumi had faltered there, but in response to Katsuto's gaze urging her to continue, she hesitantly continued speaking.
"From the USNA, there are a lot of foreign student magicians and Magic Engineers who entered the country. There is also an exchange student in this school, who has come… Juumonji-kun, do you think she is suspicious?"
"I think she is suspicious, but she is probably not the culprit."
Katsuto’s reply was immediate.
"I don’t think she is completely unrelated, but may we leave her for the time being?"
"If Juumonji-kun says so…"
Mayumi also did not seriously seem to doubt Lina. To Mayumi, who cast down her eyes as a loss of self-confidence, Katsuto asked something that was bothering him.
"But, if it is such a thing, I think you should cooperate with the Yotsuba."
To the reasonable proposal of Katsuto, It was Mayumi’s turn to frown this time.
"Actually, I think so too, but… this is breaking the unwritten rule here. If Father doesn’t apologize and admit his faults, I think that the fence-mending will be impossible."
"But your father has no intention to apologize to the Yotsuba, huh… though it is understandable given the past discord between Maya-dono and Koichi-dono… However, it is really rare for the Yotsuba to harden their attitude until now."
In the policy of independency if portrayed positively, or the policy of self-centeredness if portrayed negatively that the Yotsuba adopted (though, the independence doesn’t originally have a bad meaning), they had always adopted the stance of not caring about what the other Houses do. Solidly progressing towards improving their own efficiency, ranked with the Saegusa in the top of the Ten Master Clans only by the virtue of their magic power, it was a Clan which can be said to be heretical even among the Ten Master Clans.
Katsuto had sometimes thought what on earth they even did behind the scenes, but even so, that they were showing a clear confrontational attitude that disrupts the clan meeting was as far he knew. Though, he could not say it to Mayumi, it was the Saegusa who substantially brought up the seeds of conflict.
Thinking that "What on earth had happened?" was probably reflected on his face.
"I don’t know the details either, but…"
Mayumi with a bitter feeling reluctantly opened her mouth.
"To a certain section of the Defense Military Intelligence under the patronage of the Yotsuba, that sly fox father seemed to have secretly meddled in. And that was discovered…"
"…I see."
Then, the Yotsuba's firm attitude made perfect sense. To Mayumi, who had a face likely to begin grinding her teeth at any moment, Katsuto could only reply so.
A not too short period of time had elapsed and Mayumi, who finally regained a calm expression, turned again toward Katsuto.
"So, what do you think? Would the Juumonji House collaborate with the Saegusa House?"
To Mayumi who asked once again, Katsuto nodded immediately.
"I will cooperate."
"Although it is the usual thing… it is a really pretty straightforward answer."
To Katsuto's reply, with also no trace of doubt, Mayumi bustled with a shocked voice.
"I have said it before. Since I heard the story, even for the Juumonji House, it is not a situation which can be ignored."
Of course, he would not be Katsuto if he was shaken by that.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login