Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 1 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – April 6th

Monday, the 6th of April 2099. 200 new students gathered in the auditorium of the National Magic University-affiliated First High School.

On the chest and shoulders of every single newcomer, who were politely sitting in rolling chairs, is adorned an eight-petalled emblem.

The second course system of the past brought about severe conflicts between students and it was even seen as an opportunity to take advantage of them by criminal groups from outside so, in 2098, last year, the system was abolished. This wasn’t due to the friction between students as much as it was because of great influence of the graduation of Shiba Tatsuya in March of 2098, who had been a second course student when he first enrolled.

The fact that a talented person, no, a genius like him was regarded as a substitute from the second course, despite solving two of the ‘Three Great Puzzles of Weight-Type Magic’, Flying-Type Magic and the Gravity Control-Type Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor, whilst attending school cast great suspicious on the meaning of the system.

If he was a substitute, what would other students be?

Surely the first course students who aren’t substitutes have even greater achievements than Shiba Tatsuya?

Obviously he’s an exception. It is wrong to demand high school students to have results for public use.

But if it is wrong, isn’t the second course system, where students are easily distinguished by the presence of absence of an emblem, wrong as a school system?—

It was a natural question to ask. While he was still in school, at the end of May of 2097, he was revealed to be ‘Taurus Silver’, after all. The discussion was further accelerated when Shiba Tatsuya showed to the world that his abilities surpassed Strategic-Class Magicians. Well, at that point the conclusion had already been reached.

And thus, the long-standing second course system, which was always considered problematic, was abolished. Since the last school year started, there is no such first or second course distinction between the 200 students. Everyone wears the same uniform and receives similar guidance from teachers.

However, the disorder and confusion the system change brought had yet to subside...

◇ ◇ ◇

With the Student Council president’s welcoming speech over, the school entrance ceremony continued with a speech by the representative of the newcomers.

Both Alisa and Marika had been sitting in their chairs until now, behaving properly as they quietly listened to the speeches from the stage. They were sitting next to each other. The choice of seats was free, so this was natural for them.

“Uh?”

At the same time as the representative of the newcomers took the lectern, Marika let a sound leak through her mouth.

“That’s rare. She’s wearing glasses.”

It wasn’t because she reached the limits of her good behavior, the surprise came with further words that escaped from her lips in the form of suspicion.

“You’re right...”

Instead of chiding Marika, Alisa gave a short agreement.

Using glasses for vision correction is extremely rare nowadays. Medicine to treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism can be prescribed at any ordinary ophthalmologist, and if a doctor is necessary for the treatment, a single day is enough in most cases. Correcting eyesight with glasses without treatment is actually more expensive nowadays. Unless based on religious beliefs, it is rare to pick that option.

Under these circumstances, wearing glasses is mostly for fashion. But the girl on stage is using silver-colored under-rim glasses. A girl wearing glasses in an occasion like this, though not unheard of, can appropriately be called rare.

“Maybe those aren’t glasses.”

It was only after about two seconds had passed that Marika realized the words she suddenly heard from the neighboring seat were directed at them. — Incidentally, the voice never reached Alisa. It was that low of a whisper.

Marika turned towards the owner of the voice.

The newcomer sitting on the opposite side to Alisa was a small girl who looked soft in all sorts of ways.

She cracked a bright smile when she met Marika’s gaze.

“I’m Nagatomi Koharu.”

She then introduced herself with a quick whisper. Maybe she thought she should do so before the speech began.

“I’m Tookami Marika.”

Marika also introduced herself with a quick whisper.

“So, those aren’t glasses?”

And then asked Koharu what the whisper from before meant.

“I think, maybe, it could be an AR terminal.”

“By AR, you mean augmented reality?”

“Yeah. I’ve seen an equal model before. Also, that newcomer, she’s not holding a copy of her speech, right?”

“You mean she didn’t memorize it, she has it on the terminal?”

“Maybe the script is on that glassesy display.”

The conversation progressed that far when Alisa intervened, warning that “It’s starting.”

Marika and Koharu finished their private conversation and quietly listened to the speech.

The entrance ceremony was over. After that, they were to receive their student ID cards and they were dismissed for the day.

The rolling chairs were removed from the room and the students were taken out of the room to once again to form lines.

Until they receive their card, newcomers don’t know which class they belong to. — The newcomer representative, who received her card as part of the entrance ceremony, is an exception.

The class distribution hasn’t ended, so the lines they join are free choice. So naturally, Alisa and Marika joined the same line.

Alisa stood in front, with Marika at her back. Behind them was Nagatomi Koharu. They were in order of height, from tallest to shortest, making for an interesting image.

While they exited the room, Alisa and Koharu had introduced themselves. Marika and Koharu also redid their greetings.

Marika had the impression that Koharu was small, but they were actually only 5 centimeters apart. Marika is 160 centimeters tall, while Koharu is 155. But for them, particularly for Koharu, who had to look up, 5 centimeters might be a big difference. Speaking of impressions, she wasn’t wrong about Koharu looking ‘soft in all sorts of ways’. Specifically her bust and hips were a size that didn’t match her height. To her credit, the waist is within the standard range.

Though they shared similarly sized chests, Marika has trained her body in martial arts. That’s why there is no impression of ‘looking soft’ from Marika.

Her legs, which deeply worries her, only look fat because of the development of muscle under feminine fat, but she isn’t fat at all. In fact, if the moderate fat were to decrease, she would look burly and brawny and her feminine charm would likely vastly decrease. But most complexes, especially related to beauty, cannot be solved by logic and objective thinking.

For the moment, let’s put aside the affinity Marika feels towards Koharu caused by her subjective complex.

The student ID card delivery line progressed smoothly and thus came Alisa’s turn.

At this point the only thing she needed to do was verify her identity. The data to be filled in the card was already determined beforehand. The reason why the data wasn’t inserted into the card in advance was purely for distribution efficiency. It was simply faster to write the data into the media and hand it over instead of having to find the completed physical card.

“Asha, what class are you in?”

Marika asked Alisa in a low voice when she left the line after receiving her card.

“Class A. It would be good if we end up in the same class, right?”

Alisa replied back with a whisper and moved to an open space to the back to not disturb others.

Muttering “Class A, class A...”, Marika walked forward to the attendant. First she introduced herself, then she put both her hands in the vein recognition machine and looked into the retina recognition machine.

Identity confirmation was finished in an instant.

The card was given to her.

Marika accepted the student ID card with both her hands, closed her eyes and pressed her hands together to pray.

And then, she vigorously opened her hands.

In the card was a photo of her face, her name, her student number, and her class.

“AAAAAAAHHH...”

Many newcomers turned around as Marika looked at the heavens above and cried out as if she had glimpsed the end of the world.

But the puzzled looks of the crowd went unperceived by Marika’s eyes.

“Mina, what’s wrong?”

Right now, the only person entering Marika’s vision was Alisa, who came running in a jog to check what was happening.

“It’s class B...”

Marika answered, sounding like she was about to cry.

“...I see.”

Alisa could not hide the confusion in her face when she heard that.

“It’s a shame, but let’s do our best to be in the same class next month?”

Since the abolition of the second course system, First High’s class system changed considerably. To make it easy to teach technical skills, the classes were divided by performance results and changed every month.

Not just First High but all National Magic University-affiliated High Schools originally intended their classes to be units for technical skill guidance. Even so, the number of teachers didn’t double despite the number of students doubling because of the abolishment of the second course system. Therefore, to improve instruction efficiency, classes based on performance and monthly class changes were employed since last year.

That is to say, just because they are in different classes, doesn’t mean that will last through the whole 3 years. Far from it, in May, far less than a year, there will be another class composition.

This time, Alisa was placed in class A and Marika in class B, based on their results in the technical skills portion of their admission exams. So if they want to be in the same class, Marika just has to do her best in the technical skills lessons.

“Oh yeah, you’re right.”

That much was written in the school admission guide. Marika had read it too, of course. When Alisa told her, she instantly remembered.

Marika changed her attitude so quickly it made Alisa feel exhausted.

What happened to that voice of someone who was about to cry...?

Of course, Alisa didn’t particularly want to bring up something that had been settled.

Then, Koharu approached with a peaceful expression.

“I’m in class B. What about you two?”

She asked as if nothing happened.

Truthfully, nothing happened. It was no more than overreaction by Marika.

“I’m in class B. Pleased to be with you.”

Marika replied nonchalantly.

“I’m in class A.”

Trying her best to not worry about the act from before, Alisa replied amiably.

Though perhaps her attitude was too amiable.

“Asha, is something wrong? You’re being a bit distant.”

In Marika’s point of view, it didn’t seem like an appropriate way to address a classmate.

“Eh, it’s not like that.”

“We’ve only met just now. I’m just over-familiar by nature, so I think Alisa-san is more normal.”

Koharu unexpectedly backed Alisa.

“Eh? Does that mean I shouldn’t be so familiar?”

Perhaps inevitable after Koharu’s support of Alisa, Marika shifted her target to Koharu.

“Nah, nah. Ahahah... By the way, Alisa-san, Marika-san called you ‘Asha’, right?”

Koharu brazenly changed the topic.

This could be said to be the correct way to deal with it. As long as winning or losing isn’t involved, it’s in Marika’s character to be indifferent.

“I’ve called her that since we were children.”

The answer came from Marika, not Alisa. For some reason, she was proud of it.

“It kind of suits you, Alisa-san. Can I call you that too?”

There was no deep meaning behind Koharu’s words. If she was to be asked for a meaning, it was because she thought it suited her.

“No.”

But surprisingly, the answer was a rejection.

It wasn’t a strong refusal. She said it gently, but her intent to refuse could not be misunderstood.

“I am half-Japanese, half-Russian. That’s why I look the way I do...”

“I see...”

Koharu’s voice came with the nuance of understanding.

She had also been curious about the color of Alisa’s eyes and hair. Mixed race people are not especially uncommon these days, but it was rare to see an example with such strong Caucasian traits.

“With an appearance like this and a nickname like Asha, it’s like I become less and less Japanese, you know?”

From her self-deprecating tone, it could be guessed she had a bad experience because of how she looks.

“I’ve been calling her that since I was a child, so I’m special.“

Marika proudly added, perhaps trying to support Alisa’s refusal.

The way she said it was so like a child that you could almost hear someone coughing in the background, and it certainly had the effect of removing the poison from the less than friendly words of refusal.

“I understand.”

Koharu actually didn’t have a bad impression from her blunt refusal.

“I’d like if you’d call me Alisa, or Lisa if you prefer a nickname. It’s more Japanese.”

“In that case, I’ll call you Alisa-san like before.”

Koharu said with an unconcerned expression.

“Do you also have a way to call Marika-san that’s special just for the two of you?”

She added, with a curious look on her face.

“She does.”

Marika immediately answered, looking more and more proud.

“I don’t know where it’s special or not, but... I call her Mina. My late mother used it as her nickname, apparently it’s used in Russia.”

Alisa looked a bit embarrassed. Perhaps the word ‘special’ made her face look like that.

“She said it was a nickname for Jasmine. But ‘Marika’ and ‘Mina’ feel very different, so if anyone other than Asha called me by that name I wouldn’t know it was me.”

“So it really is special, uh.”

“Yeah.”

Unlike Alisa, Marika didn’t seem particularly embarrassed that her relationship with Alisa was considered special. Her prideful expression may even be suggesting that she wants to claim this ‘specialness’ rather aggressively.

“You two sure are close, uh?”

“Of course.”

Marika immediately replied to Koharu’s remarks of admiration.

“Right, Asha?”

And with an expression reflecting ‘of course’, she asked Alisa for her agreement.

However, Alisa was not able to respond at this time.

“Koharu, you managed to make friends already? Your communication skills always impress me.”

Before she could respond, a boy’s voice came from the side. The three girls had their attention diverted to him.

“Joey... You startled me. Please don’t talk to me out of nowhere.”

“Haha, sorry about that. I saw someone I knew, so I just...”

The boy Koharu called Joey lightly apologized to her and then turned to Alisa and Marika.

He’s a tall boy with slightly red hair. To make eye contact, the 165 centimeters tall Alisa had to angle her face up, not just look up. He’s 180, no, probably 185 centimeters tall. He looked even taller because of his lanky physique.

It’s frequent to people with this body type to have a hunchback, but there’s none to be seen on him. His posture emphasized even more how tall her was.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Kagari Joui. I’ve known Koharu since elementary school, but we don’t have a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship so there’s no need to hesitate to talk to me. Ah, I’m in class A.”

An introduction that is neither too polite nor too crude gave them a good feeling. Both Alisa and Marika had a good first impression from this male student.

“I’m Juumonji Alisa. I am in class A too, so please treat me well.”

Alisa, who is in the same class, return her own introduction first.

“Tookami Marika. I’m in class B.”

Marika also couldn’t normally — with her usual vocabulary — suddenly address young men.

“So, since elementary school? So you two are childhood friends?”

But Marika’s personality didn’t allow her to simply give her own name and end the conversation. Actually, Alisa was curious about this as well, but Marika asked without hesitation.

“We are not!”

The strong tone of denial came from Koharu.

“We’ve just known each other since elementary school. We’re not childhood friends!”

“But aren’t you two friends?”

Koharu kept denying, so Alisa asked her with a curious look on her face.

“Uh... Well, I can’t deny that we’re friends...”

Koharu reluctantly nodded.

“I would be really shocked if you denied that.”

Joui immediately added that in a whisper.

“Since what grade in elementary school?”

This time, Alisa asked Joui.

“Umm, third grade I think...”

“It was second grade, Joui.”

Koharu instantly corrected Joui’s unconfident answer.

“Second grade in elementary school... So it’s been 8 years now.”

Alisa confirmed Marika’s findings with a “Yeah, that’s right”.

“So you’ve been friends since the early grades of elementary school, right? Isn’t that kind of relationship what is usually called childhood friends?”

“Even still, we’re not!”

What Marika said is generally correct, but Koharu was stubborn.

“Marika-san, you don’t understand!? Surely Alisa-san understands, right!?”

“Well, I guess I can’t say you are childhood friends just because you’ve known each other for a long time.”

Both Marika and Alisa felt they were being pulled in by Koharu’s menacing look.

Alisa’s line was scraped together in desperation, forced out because of Koharu’s might.

“Yes, that’s right! If it’s just knowing someone for a long time, then it is no different from a rotten relationship[8]! Do you get it?”

“I-I guess that’s true.”

Marika replied half-reflexively. Truthfully speaking, she doesn’t even understand half of what Koharu is trying to say.

On the other hand, Joui didn’t say anything after being branded with ‘rotten relationship’. No discontent could be seen in either attitude or expression. Maybe he’s used to this from Koharu.

“Childhood friendships are something more, more... bittersweet, you know!?”

An awfully powerful emotional shout came from Koharu’s mouth.

Alisa and Marika could only look at each other, unable to make any sort of comment.

When Koharu finally regained her composure, the distribution of the student ID cards was about to end.

“...Shouldn’t we start leaving?”

Looking around the auditorium and seeing the number of people decreasing, Alisa suggests they move.

“...You’re right... Uh, what’s that gathering?”

Marika likewise looked around the area and tilted her head when she spotted a crowd right below the podium.

“It’s recruiting for the Student Council.”

The reply came from behind Alisa, but it was neither Joui nor Koharu.

Alisa turned around.

“Yuuto-san.”

It was Yuuto who gave Marika the answer.

“Were you eavesdropping on us?”

Marika found Yuuto’s statement problematic.

“I just happened to overhear when I was about to talk to you.”

Yuuto didn’t look flustered as he pleaded innocent.

Marika didn’t look convinced by his response, but it didn’t lead to a heated argument.

“So you’re recruiting for the Student Council?”

Alisa brought the topic back before Marika could.

“Yeah. It’s a First High tradition.”

“Ah, I know about this.”

It was Koharu who interjected.

“They recruit the newcomer representative to the Student Council, right?”

“Yeah, you’re well informed. Did you have siblings who were students here?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yuuto-san.”

Alisa blocked Yuuto, who looked like he was trying to continue the conversation as if they were already acquainted.

“This is Nagatomi Koharu from class 1-B. And this is Kagari Joui from class A.”

Yuuto awkwardly averted his eyes from Alisa.

“I’m the Vice President of the Student Council, Juumonji Yuuto, class 2-A.”

And, later than usual, he introduced himself.

“Ah, umm, I’m the one she introduced, Nagatomi Koharu...”

Though she also didn’t introduce herself when they first met. She looked quite pitiful, clearly ashamed.

“And I’m Kagari Joui. Juumonji-senpai, please treat me well.”

Without a delay, Joui raised his voice to draw Yuuto’s attention to himself. Whether intentional or unconsciously, it didn’t matter.

“Likewise, pleased to meet you.”

Yuuto might have immediately understood Joui’s worries, as he returned the greeting with a pleasant look.

“By the way, is it okay for the Vice President to not join in on the recruitment?”

It was Marika who asked him. Her attitude was not that candid, but it was hard to say she was being friendly towards Yuuto.

“Having three upperclassmen for one freshwoman could be too pushy. It’s better to just leave it to the president.”

What Yuuto said sounded reasonable. At least Marika couldn’t retort.

Instead of arguing, Marika once again looked at the crowd in the back.

There, a girl of small stature with soft curly hair was frantically talking to a slim and tall freshwoman — about as tall as Alisa, but thinner. Everyone knew who the small girl was. The Student Council President who had just read the welcoming speech on the stage, Mitsuya Shiina.

“...The President feels like more of a freshwoman.”

Perhaps still under the influence of her quarrel (?) with Yuuto, Marika inadvertently spilled some rude words.

“Mina, that’s a bit...”

Alisa told her off with a shocked tone and Marika quickly put her hands to her mouth. Apparently, she herself thought she had said something improper.

“Ahahaha, she does feel like more like a newcomer.”

But right there, someone appeared in support on Marika.

By his behavior, the boy standing next to Yuuto appeared to be a friend of his, but it’s the first time Alisa has seen him. He had introduced her to many of his friends who came to visit him at home, but this one was not among them.

“Souma... Don’t be rude to the President. Yaguruma-senpai will get mad at you too.”

“Yaguruma-senpai won’t get mad about a joke like this.”

“What if Urabe-senpai hears about it? I can tell her if you’d like?”

“Hey, hang on, you’re joking right? Telling the Committee Chief isn’t fair!”

“I’ll reconsider if you stop telling dumb jokes in front of your underclassmen.”

After silencing the intruder, Yuuto turned back to the newcomers he left behind.

“Sorry you had to see something so unsightly.”

“No, it’s fine...”

Alisa shook her head with a smile of discomfort while Yuuto forced a grin. But she couldn’t hide that she saw the student he’d called Souma as suspicious.

When Yuuto noticed her glances, he could barely hold back a sigh.

“This is a close friend[9] of mine, Izayoi Souma. And despite what it looks, he’s a member of the Public Morals Committee.”

“Ahh...”

“Public Morals Committee...”

Alisa and Marika’s voices sounded like they weren’t entirely convinced.

“’Despite what it looks’, that was kind of unexpected. — I’m Izayoi Souma, congratulations on your admission.”

Souma changed his demeanor in the middle of his line, looking like an entirely different person. — Which just amplified his image as a shady person. Alisa’s opinion of him wasn’t quite that bad, but Marika in particular really saw him as ‘shady’. It’s possible that her hostility towards Yuuto, who she considers ‘a good person, but I can’t stand him’, is also being projected onto his ‘close friend’.

“Yuuto, you should introduce her too. Isn’t she the sister you’re so proud of?”

“Proud of!?”

It was Marika who overacted with her eyes wide open. Alisa muttered “sister he’s so proud of” with a mixed expression of bewilderment and shyness.

“H-Hey, Souma!”

Yuuto couldn’t hide his dismay. Looking closely, his ears are red. Unlike his brother-in-law Katsuto, he has plenty of facial expressions.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, right? You got such a beautiful sister. I think it’s only natural to be proud of her.”

“Shut up already or I won’t do it!

“Eeh, don’t be like that.”

The sound of Souma’s forced discontent made Yuuto glare at him.

Souma shrugged in a theatrical way.

“Okay, I got it. I’ll stop the jokes and you can introduce her. I don’t want my relationship with my best friend’s sister to be one where we didn’t even exchange greetings properly.”

Souma lightly raised his hands to appeal for his surrender.

With a sour look, Yuuto grumbled “Who is this best friend...”.

“...Alisa, do you mind?”

Overwhelmed by Souma’s unrestrained behavior she couldn’t believe was coming from someone she just met for the first time, Alisa nodded, unable to say otherwise.

“This is my sister, Alisa. Don’t you dare hit on her, Souma. Even more than me, Katsuto-onii-san won’t be taking it silently.”

Souma’s body shivered. That movement, oddly enough, didn’t look forced.

“Yuuto’s been talking about you for a long time. Alisa-san, it’s good to meet you. If you have any problems you can’t tell Yuuto, feel free to consult me any time.”

“Thank you very much.”

As she said that, she looked at Souma’s face once more.

That’s when she first noticed.

(His eyes are different colors...)

Half-hidden by his long dark brown bangs was his right eye with a slightly purplish color. His left eye, an ordinary dark brown.

(Is that why he’s letting his bangs grow out?)

Alisa didn’t think anything in particular about his odd-eye, but some people might be bothered by it. Alisa, who was at times tormented by others because of her unusual eye and hair colors, thought as such when she saw Souma’s eyes and hairstyle.

Strangely, her line of sight was interrupted.

“I am Tookami Marika.”

Marika cut in between Alisa and Souma.

Souma was in the mid 170 centimeters range and Marika was 5 centimeters shorter than Alisa. Therefore, her line of sight to Souma wasn’t completely blocked, but it was enough for Alisa to realize she was staring intently at a senior male student she just met for the first time.

Suddenly feeling embarrassed, Alisa looked down.

But luckily, at that time Souma’s attention was, at least on the surface, on Marika who just abruptly spoke to him.

“Senpai, I don’t mean to be rude but... Are you from that Izayoi(十六夜) Family?”

Marika’s question was not that far off the mark. When hearing the name ‘Izayoi’, most Japanese people would think of the characters ‘十六夜’[10]. This tendency is surely even stronger for those involved in magic.

The Izayoi(十六夜) Family is said to possess the strongest magic in the Hundred Families. They’re not a family of developed magicians like the Ten Master Clans, but a family of ancient magicians who independently adopted modern magic and gained a name for themselves as what could be called a real family of magicians. The number of people who would say their abilities rival the Ten Masters Clans’ are not few.

Despite their high ability and old lineage, the rumors about the Izayoi(十六夜) Family are not good. In addition to their strength, they are also known to be critical of magicians created with gene manipulation. As expected, they refrain from relations with the Ten Master Clans by principle. However, they don’t try to hide their derogatory demeanor towards modified bodies and the Extras, so they have a bad reputation.

It was especially because of this reputation that Marika started her question with 'I don’t mean to be rude’.

“No, I’m not related to the Izayoi(十六夜) of the Hundred Families.”

Marika’s suspicion was denied by Souma, who didn’t look bothered by it.

“The ‘Izayoi’ in my name isn’t written like ‘Sixteenth Night(十六の夜)’, it’s written with the ‘Drunk(酔)’ from drunkard(酔っ払い) and ‘Invite(誘う)’.”

“...That’s a really rare name, isn’t it?”

Certainly, writing the surname ‘Izayoi’ as ‘誘酔’ is rare. Marika couldn’t hide her confusion either.

“Haha, that is true.”

Souma didn’t get annoyed by the ‘rudeness’. His mood didn’t even seem affected at all.

“Truth is that my parents changed the family name to avoid being mistaken for relatives of the Izayoi(十六夜) Family. They are respected, but have lots of enemies, so that’s why.”

After the explanation, she nodded to show she understood. Discrimination against modified bodies and Extras is considered a public disgrace to the magician community. The Izayoi(十六夜) Family didn’t try to hide it, and quite a lot of families would applaud them behind closed doors too, but there are still many magicians who see them as enemies.

“Either way, I don’t have any prejudice against people with modified bodies or Extras.”

It’s fair to say that explanation was the natural result of the flow of the conversation. But Marika felt that she had been once again identified as an Extra.

“Umm, Juumonji-senpai.”

Perhaps understanding the feelings Marika was concealing, or maybe truly a coincidence, Koharu asked Yuuto with the perfect timing.

“Is there any coffee shop or something on the way to school you could recommend?”

“A coffee shop?”

Unable to dispel the feeling of abruptness at the change of topic, Yuuto’s tone became inquisitive. But, maybe because of her bold personality, Koharu showed no concern.

“Yeah. Alisa-san and I are in different classes, so I was wondering if there isn’t a place where we could talk without hurry.”

“Yuuto, isn’t that place good?”

Yuuto was the one asked, but Souma was the first to come up with a place.

“That place? Aah, that one, uh?”

Despite not using the name of the shop, they were able hold their conversation. It seems to be a place they’re familiar with.

“There’s a good one. Do you have a terminal on you?”

Yuuto took out his own terminal and asked Koharu for hers.

Koharu brought out her portable terminal as Yuuto requested and he transmitted the data.

“...’Einebrise’?”

Koharu read the name of the shop out loud.

“Yuuto-san, please send it to me too.”

“Yeah, sure.”

The data was delivered to Alisa’s terminal as well.

“It’s just off the route to school... Aren’t there a lot of customers?”

Alisa asked Yuuto while looking at the data on the map.

“This shop was frequently used by Shiba-senpai and his friends.”

“By Shiba-senpai, you mean the one that made the Stellar Furnace?”

When she heard an unexpected name, Alisa couldn’t hide her surprise.

Not just Alisa, but also Koharu and Joui opened their eyes slightly to the revelation. Marika was the only one not to understand why Alisa and the others were so surprised.

“Yes, Shiba-senpai and his fianceé, the former president, were regulars there. That’s probably why there’s a special feeling like ‘other students are too awe-struck to go there’. Even so, the former president, Saegusa-senpai apparently used to go there often, but the current second and third years rarely go near the place.“

“I see, it’s a good place that isn’t widely known.”

Koharu interjected from the side.

“Exactly.”

“Thank you, Juumonji-senpai. I’ll stop by on my way home.”

Koharu quickly bowed her head.

“Thank you, Yuuto-san. I’ll stop by there too.”

Alisa also thanked Yuuto and smiled at Marika, requesting her to go with her.

◇ ◇ ◇

Alisa and the rest went to their respective classrooms for a while to exchange greetings with their classmates and later met at Einebrise.

“This is a pretty nice place.”

“Yeah, it’s pleasant.”

The pair who arrived later spoke as soon as they entered the café.

Alisa, who arrived earlier by herself, shared the same view. — Worth noting, Joui refrained from leaving the school alone with a girl he had just met today, even if just for a short time.

5 minutes had not yet passed since Alisa arrived, so there was still coffee left in her cup. If asked, Alisa would say she prefers black tea, but the café recommended coffee so she requested some just to try it.

“Asha, is it good?”

“It tastes good.”

“Then I’ll have some too.”

They’ve known each other for a long time, so Marika can tell if Alisa’s compliments are sincere or not. She felt at ease and ordered a coffee.

“I’ll have a café au lait, please.”

The waitress, a female-model robot, politely bowed and returned to the counter. This humanoid robot for use in business applications called ‘Serveroid’ was Shiba Tatsuya’s gift to the master when he graduated, but it would be a little while until Alisa and the others learned about that.

The orders took some time to arrive. Though that doesn’t mean it took dozens of minutes. It’s just that, in modern café stands, there is practically no waiting. Compared to that, it couldn’t be denied that it took some time.

“This shop looks very classic, doesn’t it?”

But Marika saw it as a benefit. She is very positive at her core, not just now.

Without letting it cool down, Marika took a sip of the coffee, which was still black.

“Marika-san, you can drink it black?”

On the other side of the table, Koharu stared in amazement. Alisa is sitting at a four-seat table, with Marika next to her on the aisle seat and Koharu on the other side, in front of Marika.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

She is by no means fat, but Marika’s looks do give the impression that she has a sweet tooth. And actually, that impression is correct. Marika isn’t fat because she exercises a lot.

As Koharu said, it was surprising to see Marika drinking coffee black.

“Canned coffee is too bitter, but I’m fine with good coffee.”

Apparently, Marika doesn’t have a ‘coffee has got to be the blackest’ mentality.

“Amazing. I can’t drink it black at all.”

Even so, Koharu looks surprised. A little jealous, even.

Having an adult impression of black coffee may not be unusual for girls of her age.

A bragging expression appeared on Marika’s face, the so-called ‘smug face’.

“Mina can’t even drink black tea without milk. Koharu, there’s no need to worry about not being able to drink black coffee.”

Marika’s ‘smug face’ may have woken Alisa’s desire to tease her.

“Huh.”

“Waah! Asha, wait!”

“How rare. You’re fine with black coffee, but you can’t drink black tea with just sugar?”

“Well, yeah! But it was going to be a super cool rumor! It didn’t need a punchline!”

Marika’s face turned red as she complained to Alisa.

“Asha’s gotten so mean! Don’t you think so too, Koharu?”

“It isn’t like that. I was just saying that it’s not weird to put milk in coffee. Don’t you think ‘mean’ is going too far, Koharu?”

“Ahahahaha...“

Koharu could not support both sides so she tried to dodge the questions with a modest smile, and luckily the two didn’t press her further.

The doorbell rang announcing the arrival of a customer, and Alisa unintentionally shifted her attention to them. And then, a low “Ah...” escaped her mouth.

“What is it?”

While saying that, Marika followed the path of Alisa’s eyesight. And then, she let out a similar “Ah”.

The new customer was wearing the same uniform as the three of them. She wasn’t wearing the under-rim glasses, but she was definitely the girl who read the address at the podium in the entrance ceremony.

“...That girl, that’s the newcomer representative, Isori-san, isn’t she?”

Koharu had turned around to check if it was her schoolmate and upon returning to her original posture, instead of revealing her surprise, she asked a question to make sure her vision wasn’t somehow wrong.

“Yeah, it is her.”

Alisa replied to Koharu and then turned her eyes to the girl once more.

She must have felt the eyes on her. She quickly walked towards Alisa.

“Hello. Are you newcomers too?”

The girl’s eyes were on Alisa simply because she stood out the most.

“We are, hello. I’m class A’s Juumonji Alisa. You’re Isori-san, right?”

As she was looking at her, Alisa introduced herself first.

“Yeah, I’m Isori Mei. I’m in class A too. If you’re okay with it, please call me Mei.”

Appropriately for her clever looks, she speaks very clearly.

“Alright. Then you can call me Alisa too.”

“Okay, Alisa. Can I join you?”

“Please, go ahead.”

The one who immediately answered was Marika, not Alisa.

Koharu moved to the inner seat and Mei took the seat in front of Marika.

“I’m Tookami Marika. I’m in class B. Nice to meet you. Can I call you Mei too?”

As if she had been waiting, Marika spoke to her as soon as Mei sat down.

“Yeah, of course. Is Marika fine for you?”

“I’m okay with it too.”

Marika smiled, which drew a smile out of Mei too.

Mei looks to be smart, and it’s hard to deny that she feels difficult to approach. But when she smiled like that, she appeared to be surprisingly unreserved.

“Umm, my name is Nagatomi Koharu. I’m in class B, like Marika-san. Please call me Koharu.”

“Alright, pleased to meet you. I guess I already said it but I’m Mei.”

“Good to meet you, Mei-san.”

“The ‘san’ isn’t needed... Well, I guess it’s fine.”

Mei looked a little bothered by Koharu’s polite expression, but didn’t force her to be less formal.

“Sorry if I’m wrong, but are you related to ‘Touhou Tech’, Koharu?”

Koharu stared at Mei, bewildered.

“You could tell!? Everyone knows about the founders, the Touhou Family, but I don’t think the Nagatomi Family name is that common.”

“Even if we don’t consider just the magic industry, Touhou Tech is the second largest domestic machine manufacturer, and the Nagatomi Family are their second largest stockholders. Someone who has an interest in these things at least knows their name.”

Koharu listened to Mei’s response and her eyes started gleaming.

“You’re interested in magic artifacts[11]?”

Koharu turned her whole body to face Mei who is sitting next to her.

Mei didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah. Being a Magic Artificer[12] is my dream.”

“Ah, you’re from the Isori Family, after all.”

As expected from the daughter of a family of businessmen in the magical engineering business, Koharu seemed to know about the Isori Family.

“Hmm?”

But Marika didn’t seem to get it and tilted her head, a ‘?’ floating above it.

“Mei?”

Alisa called Mei’s name. When their eyes met, Alisa immediately bent her neck to the side. With just eye movements, she asked ‘Can I explain?’.

Mei understood what she meant and gave her a tiny nod.

“Mina, Mei’s family, the Isori Family, are an authority on Engravement Magic.”

Before coming to Tokyo, Alisa didn’t know much about magician society. Today’s Marika is probably not much different from Alisa back then. But since being adopted into the Juumonji Family, she didn’t just cram in magical skills but also the common sense of the magic world.

“Because of the nature of Engravement Magic, it is deeply connected with the magic industry.”

“Is that so? Mei, you were the top student in the admission exam, right? As a career path in a magic high school, I always thought that Magic Artificers are considered less important than magicians.”

“That’s not true at all!”

Mei resolutely denied Marika’s common preconceptions.

“Certainly, up until 4 or 5 years ago, it was as you said, but not right now. It’s all thanks to him that the status of Magic Engineering and Magic Artificers is rapidly increasing. The time will soon come when Magic Artificers will be even more popular than magicians.”

“Him?”

Marika tilted her head once more.

Displeased with her terribleness at guessing, Mei moved her whole body towards Marika.

“Shiba Tatsuya! An alumnus of our school!”

“Aah... I heard that name before too. Vice President Juumonji said that he was a regular at this café.”

“Exactly! That’s why I wanted to come here!”

“...He’s kind of like an idol.”

Just where did the calm and collected image from before go? As Marika said, her attitude was similar to someone talking about their favorite idol.

“Idol? That’s not right, a superstar! Right now, he’s out there changing the world. And he’s taking us magicians into a whole new era!”

“You sure have a lot of respect for Shiba-kun.”

The enthusiastic Mei was hit with the voice of a man from above her.

“Ah... I’m very sorry, I was too loud...”

Akira had been passionately speaking, but at the sound of that voice she finally regained control.

The one to speak to her was not the Serveroid waitress.

It was the master, who stood behind the counter, holding a tray with a glass of water on it.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, just drop the volume a little bit. Hearing you talk about Shiba-kun made me happy too.”

While speaking, the master placed the glass of water in front of Mei. Mei looked a little troubled and ordered an American coffee from the master.

“It appears Shiba-kun is getting more and more active.”

The master spoke to Mei with a smile — not a business smile, it was an expression that revealed his nostalgia.

“Yes, just the other day he published another revolutionary paper.”

Mei answered with a controlled volume and eyes sparkling.

“You knew him well, didn’t you, master?”

She then expectantly asked, her voice muffled in emotion.

“I wouldn’t say I know him well, but he was a regular customer. I haven’t seen him since he graduated though. I’d like him to return some time, but I think that’s unfeasible.”

Master said without hiding his nostalgia, and after jokingly adding “Since he’s a VIP now” he returned to the counter.

When the master left, Mei suddenly looked down. Looks like the embarrassment from the high tension just now finally hit her.

“... That’s good. The master forgave you with a smile.”

Koharu told Mei with a seemingly uneasy voice.

But her words had the opposite effect on the embarrassed Mei, dealing the final blow.

“Please, forget what just happened...”

Still looking down, Mei covered her face with both hands.

◇ ◇ ◇

First High students who are not within walking distance of the school use the Cabinet for the commute.

As previously mentioned, Alisa and Marika live in the same neighborhood. Just like on the way to school, the took the same Cabinet on the way back. It could be said with certainty that it will be the same from now on.

“That café felt nice.”

Inside the vehicle, Alisa talked to Marika. Marika was silently thinking, so Alisa started the conversation.

“Mei really surprised me, though.”

Alisa chuckled. It wasn’t a condescending laugh. She felt Mei was very pleasant.

“...Hey, Asha.”

“Hmm, what is it?”

When her name was called, Alisa slightly tilted her head. She urged Marika to shoot the question with her expression.

“That person, Shiba Tatsuya, is he famous or something?”

When Alisa heard Marika’s question, she thought ‘So you were still thinking about that’. It was with that assumption in mind that she had brought up Einebrise.

“Maybe not to the general public, I guess. But to people involved in magic he’s extremely famous.”

Since the Tookami Family distances itself from magic society, Marika doesn’t know much detailed information on the magic world. She knows just a little more than a non-magician because she studied for the First High admission exams.

“Why?”

Marika’s ‘Why?’ was to ask why such a famous person isn’t known to the general public.

Magic is an important factor in national defense force. The topic of strong magicians is newsworthy even for ordinary people who have no relation with magic.

“It’s under press restrictions. Television and radio aren’t covering it deliberately and it seems like it’s being filtered in online news to exclude it from search results.”

“Press restrictions? Why, is he dangerous?”

“I only know of his achievements, but... I think he’s a remarkable person.”

Alisa cocked her head, trying think of a way to explain.

“Mina, do you remember the Stellar Furnace Experiment? At the time we were in middle school, do you remember it being talked in the news?”

Even when said like that, Marika didn’t remember it right away.

“...What was that about again?”

She asked again with a vacant look.

“You see, the students of First High School succeeded in a nuclear fusion reactor experiment using magic...”

“Aah, that! I remember now. They were praised by a manager of a foreign company or something. They’re amazing despite only being in high school, something like that.”

Marika finally understood with Alisa’s extended explanation. Her face showed how relieved she was for remembering.

“That main member of that experiment was Shiba Tatsuya-san. Mei’s brother Isori Kei-san also was on the team. Since then, two years ago, Shiba-san has been implementing the Stellar Furnace.”

“Eh, that’s pretty amazing.”

“There’s a whole bunch of other unbelievable stories. As the master said, he’s a VIP in Japan now.”

“You mean there’s more things that can’t be revealed to the public?”

“That may be the case, but... If I were to say, I think it’s more a matter of honor.”

“Honor? Whose?”

“When all of Shiba-san’s achievements become public, I think there will be a great number of people, asking what the military, politicians and scholars were doing all along.”

“There’s lots of people in the world who would rather talk poorly of those who didn’t succeed than praise those who did, uh? So basically it’s about the honor of adults.”

“Yeah, that’s probably what it is.”

The two girls who looked like they would fit well together with sweets, ribbons, and bouquets of flowers, continued their cynical conversation until they arrived at the station nearest to their homes.