Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 1 - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – April 9th

The next day after school. Almost right after the end of classes for the day, the Chief of the Public Morals Committee Urabe Aki showed herself in the classroom of class 1-A.

“Juumonji-san.”

Her goal was, of course, Alisa. She walked into the first year’s classroom without hesitation and stopped right in front of Alisa’s seat. Right next to her was Joui’s seat, where he was still sitting, but today Aki was completely indifferent to him.

“You...”

But that doesn’t mean nobody but Alisa registers in her eyesight. Aki couldn’t hide her surprise when she noticed Marika on the seat opposite Alisa.

“You were Tookami-san, right?”

When Marika stood up along with Alisa, Aki said her name without any particular trouble.

“Yes. First year class B, Tookami Marika.”

Marika responded to Aki with a smile, no timidity to be seen in her.

Marika, who claimed to be Alisa’s best friend, was a needless person to Aki’s business, but her smile devoid of malice couldn't be called an obstacle.

“Juumonji-san, have you thought about it?”

Aki decided not to care about Marika’s presence and quickly moved to the main subject.

“Yes. Umm, I thought about is a whole lot, but...”

Alisa hesitated as she tried to decline.

“Sorry, wait a moment.”

Taking advantage of Alisa’s hesitation, Aki interrupted her mid-sentence. She has an overbearing style, fitting for her tough appearance.

“I’m very sorry, but could we continue this conversation at the Public Morals Committee Headquarters? Newcomer recruitment week starts today and it’s our busiest day of the year.”

“Umm, if you’re busy, we can talk when you have more time.”

An ‘Oh?’ could be seen on Aki’s face. It was likely surprising for her that Alisa didn’t go with the flow and quickly objected.

“If you just promise to become a committee member right now, that’ll be good.” 

But Aki was not going to give up that easily.

“Understood. I’ll go with you.”

Alisa didn’t think it would be settled that easily either. If Aki would have accepted her refusal and given up, this conversation would have ended the day before.

Already standing, Alisa quietly followed behind Aki, walking to the classroom’s exit.

Aki was satisfied with the signs that Alisa was following and didn’t realize that Marika was following right behind Alisa.

◇ ◇ ◇

In the innermost room of the main school building’s third floor, the Public Morals Committee Headquarters was envolved in a thunderous atmosphere.

It appears busiest time of the year was not an exaggeration by any means. — Alisa and Marika both thought.

Marika followed Alisa into the Public Morals Committee with an innocent look on her face. It was at this point that Aki finally noticed her. But there was no good reason to kick her out after having come so far , so she allowed her to sit next to Alisa.

“Sit over there.”

Aki pointed to a four-seat table in the corner of the room. The chairs are foldable. Though they are foldable chairs, they aren’t foldable pipe chairs that still serve their use nowadays, they are chairs with armrests and well cushioned seats, the kind that’s frequently seen used in corporate meetings.

Alisa and Marika, who would never guess that these chairs were used by Public Committee members during investigations to restrain suspects with the armrests, sat down next to each other on the same side of the table.

“Well then, will you let me hear your conclusion once again?”

Sitting across from Alisa, Aki confronted her head-on, making eye contact and pressuring her.

“Yes. I really don’t think I can manage school rule violations.”

“Why? Are you perhaps misunderstanding the work of the Public Morals Committee?”

Aki did not move her gaze. Thinking it wouldn’t be a good idea to look away, Alisa withstood her look.

“Do you think I am...?”

“It’s true that sometimes using magic is required to end disputes between students. But it’s not the case that all Public Morals Committee members have to do that. There was a time when suppression skills were thought as essential, but it’s different now. The number of the girls in the committee has been increasing, and if you ask for help, other members of the Committee or Club Activities Group executives will handle the rough stuff for you. What a Public Morals Committee member really needs is the ability to protect themselves and the integrity to stick to the facts.”

“The ability to protect myself? So in the end, doesn’t that mean I have to fight...?”

“No. Many people make that mistake, but running away is also a way to protect yourself.”

“Running away is fine!?”

Marika had stayed silent the whole time, but this was so surprising she couldn’t help raising her voice.

Aki reflexively glanced Marika, but didn’t rebuke her.

“It’s fine. The only requirement is diligently reporting wrongdoing. It doesn’t have to be in real-time either, if there is any chance you’ll be in danger. It’s okay to report when you ensure you’re safe. You also don’t need to secure physical evidence.”

“But isn’t that a hotbed for false accusations...”

Marika expressed her concerns over the lack of requirement for proof.

“...Which is why ‘integrity’ is required, right?”

But Marika correctly understood the meaning.

“Exactly. In the Public Morals Committee, trust comes first. What is required of a Committee member, above all else, is integrity. That’s why the selection of members is done only by recommendation. And the only ones with the right to recommend are the Student Council, the Club Activities Group and the Faculty Council. Each of them is limited to three recommendations. To tell you the truth, the direct reason for me calling Juumonji-san was not because of the admission exam results. Both you and Kagari-kun were on the recommendation list submitted by the Faculty Council.”

“In that case, there are other candidates other than me...”

Alisa nervously inquired.

Aki shook her head, looking disappointed.

“Unfortunately, the only entity that currently hasn’t reached their recommendation limit is the Faculty Council, and the only three students recommended were the newcomers Isori-san, Kagari-kun, and Juumonji-san. Isori-san became a Student Council secretary and Kagari-kun informed me at lunch time that he has joined the Club Activities Group. If you refuse as well, the Public Morals Committee will have to operate with one vacancy.”

Alisa and Marika finally understood why this senior was being so persistent.

In short, Alisa was her last hope for a replacement. And the mystery about how Aki knew the admission exam’s standings was also solved. The source of the leak was a Faculty member. That being the case, not that she had been asked for consent, but knowing that the information had not been obtained through illegal methods made Alisa a bit relieved.

“Even normally, the Public Morals Committee is always understaffed. I can’t expect the Faculty Council to come up with other candidates for a while when they only recommended newcomers... Please, Juumonji-san. Won’t you lend us your strength?”

It was painful for Alisa to flat-out refuse when she was going that far. If Aki’s eyes we’re not accompanied by such strong pressure, Alisa may have nodded in sympathy.

“...I’m really not confident I can do this.”

Aki immediately tried to argue back somehow.

However, Alisa already knew what she was going to say next, so she was faster.

“But I think I can accept if Mina, no, Tookami-san is with me.”

This proposal was completely unexpected to Aki.

“...By Tookami-san being with you, you mean her joining?”

“Yes, I’m too hopeless to do it alone. Can’t it be done?”

“Hopeless... We won’t make you work by yourself from the start, okay? We seniors will follow you and support you.”

“Yes, I understand that.”

Alisa nodded, but there were no signs that she would retract her proposal.

“But we only have one vacancy...”

Aki moaned in agony. Now that Alisa put forward her conditions, the ball is in Aki’s court. The girl was too earnest to choose to reject the demands and force her to join the Committee.

Alisa and Marika just silently waited for Aki’s answer. They both understood the demands they put to the table were preposterous. They were conditions that they presumed would be unacceptable from the start, but after hearing the rules for nomination of Public Morals Committee members, they were even more convinced that Aki couldn’t agree even if she wanted to.

With reserved expressions, Alisa and Marika waited for Aki to raise the white flag.

But that was when an unexpected intervention came.

“Chief, let’s try considering it.”

“Izayoi-kun?”

Aki called out the name of the person who made that proposition.

It was Izayoi Souma who came to the side of the table and interjected.

As Alisa and Marika turned towards the voice, they remembered that Yuuto introduced Souma with ‘despite what it looks, he’s a member of the Public Morals Committee’.

“There’s only one vacancy in the Committee, but that’s only if we can’t increase the limit. The school also knows the Public Morals Committee is constantly understaffed. Why don’t we try asking the Principal to raise the limit? This is a good opportunity.”

“Raise the limit, uh...”

Aki pondered with a different expression than what she had until now.

As the situation started looking more uncertain, Alisa and Marika both thought ‘That was completely uncalled for!’ — Naturally, they didn’t say it, and their expressions remained the same as before.

“—Got it. Izayoi-kun, could you think up a reason to increase our staff limit and write the request? I’ll handle the negotiations.

“Ugh”, Souma groaned, but Aki ignored him.

“Juumonji-san. Also, Tookami-san.”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

Alisa and Marika responded in the order their names were called.

“If the staff limit isn’t increased, I will regrettably give up on inviting you. But if it is approved, you will join the Public Morals Committee, right?”

They nodded without delay, highly likely because they were overwhelmed by the intense tone in Aki’s reminder.

◇ ◇ ◇

Leaving the outcome aside, as they can’t do anything about it no matter what, Alisa and Marika were free from the Public Morals Committee’s recruitment for some time.

Neither of them was in particularly good moods, but they pulled themselves together and began their club activities tour.

Though it is a ‘tour’, their first destination was already set in stone. It’s the Martial Magic Arts Club. But the only one who is thinking of joining is Marika, and Alisa is just keeping her company.

The venue for the Magic Arts demonstration was the Second Small Gymnasium. Also known as the ‘Arena’. Of the two small gymnasiums in First High, Martial Arts and other combat-related clubs primarily use the Second Small Gymnasium.

“Mina, it’s about to start.”

The Magic Arts Club isn’t the only club that uses the Second Small Gymnasium for club activities demonstrations. The other combat-related clubs also use it for their newcomer week demonstrations. Normally each club is assigned different days of the week for practice, but during the newcomer week, in order to appeal to as many newcomers as possible, there are assigned time slots every other day.

The Magic Arts demonstration will begin soon. If they miss it, they will have to wait until the day after tomorrow.

“Go ahead of me.”

Alisa isn’t bad at motor skills either, but Marika, who has been training her body through martial arts regularly, has her beat in running speed, dynamic muscular strength, and throwing strength. Alisa told her to go ahead because she was aware of this.

Marika also knows the objective difference between their physical abilities. But she didn’t go along with her best friend’s concern.

“It’ll be fine if we do this.”

Marika held Alisa’s hand tightly. In the next moment, she was pulling Alisa along, increasing their pace as they continued towards the Second Small Gymnasium.

“See, we’re here on time.”

They arrived at the Second Small Gymnasium just before the Magic Arts Club’s demonstration began.

“...You’re so mean, Mina.”

Alisa protested while trying to catch her breath. No, it was more of a complaint than a protest?

“Ahaha, sorry, sorry.”

Marika apologized as she laughed, not looking guilty about it in the slightest.

Though it’s not like Alisa was really angry either. Things like this wouldn’t create cracks in their friendship.

“There’s a pretty big crowd here, uh?”

As Marika said, a large crowd of students came to observe. The appeal they made in the auditorium on Tuesday may have been effective.

“Ah, it looks like we can watch it from there.”

It was probably not to prevent (false accusations of) sexual harassment, but the touring students were almost completely separated by gender. Soon enough, Alisa spotted a gap in the crowd of girls and, a reversal from before, she pulled Marika by her hand.

Alisa and Marika are both tall for girls in their first year of high school. If there’s a spot where short female newcomers are gathered up, they can see from behind that crowd.

“You’re right. Thanks for finding a good spot.”

That was the kind of spot Alisa led Marika to.

“You’re welcome. Look, it’s starting.”

After the warning, Marika turned to the demonstration.

Before her eyes, the exchange of techniques began.

It wasn’t a show meant to garner interest, it was closer to a real spar. 

Marika immediately focused on the exhibition matches.

The five successive exhibition matches came to an end.

“Haa... That was so good. High schoolers really are amazing. Middle schoolers just can’t be compared to them.”

Marika happily revealed her admiration.

“Mina, don’t you have to go?”

The demo has shifted into hands-on experience for newcomers. Alisa’s question was asking if she wasn’t going to join them.

“Yeah... I prepared for it, but I’m fine for now. I know now that the Club’s level is way higher than I thought. I’ll go apply when the demonstrations end.”

Right up until this point, Marika had been planning to join the club as soon as possible.

“Aah!”

Right then though, a second-year female club member raised her voice and turned the situation around.

“Hey, you! Aren’t you Tookami-san? Hokkaido’s middle school champion?”

That second-year student loudly shouted Marika’s name out while pointing at her.

“Eh, the middle school champion?” “From Hokkaido, that Tookami Marika?” “The one that beat the boy’s champion?” “Eh, is that really her?”

With those combined voices, all the female members, except the third years who were working with the newcomers, rushed to Marika’s side.

All that energy made Marika involuntarily start preparing to run away.

Incorrectly thinking that she really was trying to run away, the female seniors surrounded Marika and Alisa.

Each and every one of those senior female club members began begging for her to join.

Marika was planning to join the club from the start, and she told them so, but with so many seniors talking at once, Marika’s voice was effectively drowned out. And so, mistakenly believing that they were not getting a positive response, the seniors hounded her, increasing the pressure further in a vicious cycle occurring in the corner of the Small Gymnasium, starring Marika as the lead role.

If it was only Marika being mobbed, it would probably not have developed into a bigger uproar. But Alisa, who was dragged into it, let out an anguished screech—

—And Marika snapped.

Marika’s hands reached for the collar of the second-year student who was pushing her body against Alisa.

In the next instant, that second-year student knocked down into the floor.

The unexpected brutality made the closely crowded girl female club members stop moving.

They just stopped, so Marika and Alisa are still under the same pressure, like they were in a train from a hundred years ago.

Marika sent every girl that was swarming Alisa to the ground, one by one.

She didn’t use any punches or kicks. Even though she ‘snapped’, it seems she had enough reasoning to not knock them out by hitting them with a surprise blow. 

But despite being caught off guard, the sight of the seniors being thrown to the ground without being able to do anything was kind of incredible, in a sense.

“That girl is amazing”, several voices raised in the men’s division.

Did that make them excited, or did it simply inspire them to fight?

“How interesting!”

A third-year girl who was working with the newcomers abandoned the calm demeanor she had until that point and rushed to Marika with her will to fight laid bare.

Marika reacted to her fighting spirit by turning around.

Marika jumped forward without delay. This was an involuntary action to avoid involving Alisa.

And as a result, Marika will have to engage the third-year student right in front of her.

“You’re not bad, girl!”

The third-year student had a truly happy and fierce smile on her face.

Her hair is short, as if she didn’t like when it interfered with her exercising, and of a light color, but her looks are old-fashioned and lady-like. The way she spoke and her expression, however, looked about as aggressive as a boy.

“I’m the President of the women’s division, Kitahata Chika!”

Just before they clashed, the third-year student introduced herself. She was, surprisingly, the president of the women’s division.

She pretended to aim straight at the face, but instead went for a hook to the body. When Marika blocked it, she bumped her shoulders to increase the distance and delivered a spinning roundhouse kick to the upper body.

After dodging Chika’s successive attacks, Marika leaped backwards and suddenly began taking off her uniform.

A confused commotion filled the small gymnasium. Marika, not caring, took off her jacket, her inner gown and even her one-piece dress.

She was wearing gym clothes underneath her uniform.

She gave away her uniform to Alisa who came rushing over to her and once again took a stance.

“Club applicant, Tookami Marika. I’m coming!”

“Well aren’t you eager! You’re welcome to join!”

At this point both of them have completely lost sight of how things started and what their goals are.

But it may be the case that neither of them needs such things anymore.

Chika and Marika clashed with one another.

They must both be strikers[16], as a hectic exchange of punches and kicks unfolded. At first they were evenly matched. But slowly, the time Marika spent on defense increased.

Marika, thinking the situation would continue to get worse if things stayed as they were, forcefully launched a counterattack with a punch.

But at the same time, she was attacked with a left cross.

Marika somehow managed to avoid the painful strike with her naturally fast reflexes.

Marika groaned in her mind as she kept blocking the successive roundhouse kicks to her abdomen.

(This girl is amazing! It’s the first time I’ve faced someone so strong, so skillful!)

No, she shouted in admiration.

It was the normal pattern, with Marika being forced to defend, her rhythm disrupted by Chika’s counters before she can deliver an attack.

Chika’s counters were not ‘post-initiative[17]’ attacks launched after seeing through the opponent’s attacks. Though it is after ‘seeing through’, ‘post-initiative’ attacks are where the attack is started after the opponent starts theirs, which also requires prediction. They are seen as the general counter.

In contrast, Chika’s counters were ‘pre-attack[18]’. It is like she foresees the timing of Marika’s attacks and executes hers at the same time.

Chika has a stance that doesn’t allow her to be hit by Marika’s attacks when she counters. It really feels like nothing short of predicting Marika’s movements.

On the opposite side, Marika was blocking or dodging Chika’s attacks with her superior reflexes, but she is in the middle of an assault and can’t get a good stance. When her position crumbles, Chika will immediately pursue.

Just like what is happening now.

Marika’s opponent is clearly superior in ability. Chika is a third-year student and the President of the women’s division of the Magic Arts Club, so it may be inevitable that she is inferior in skill.

However, Marika is the type that shows her competitive spirit when cornered. She wasn’t going to accept defeat like this.

(If I can’t beat her by hitting her, then!)

Chika is slightly shorter than Marika. It doesn’t feel like there’s much difference in muscle strength. And while it may be wishful thinking, Marika feels she is more flexible.

She dodged a punch by ducking and rammed into Chika’s chest.

Chika intercepted her with a knee strike, to which Marika countered with a cross block.

And like that Marika tackled, or rather, clinged to Chika and pushed her down.

If you can’t beat them with striking techniques, use grapples.

If you’re being defeated by standing techniques, find a way to pin them.

This by itself is not tactically wrong.

But there is something crucial.

Pinning techniques bring out the differences in skill more than standing techniques.

When the mounted position didn’t work, she went for the arm joint. When the elbow didn’t work, she went for the shoulder, and when that didn’t work, the wrist.

The arm didn’t work, so she went for the leg. When the lock technique failed on the knees and ankles, she aimed for a stranglehold[19].

While they struggled like that, before Marika noticed, Chika wrapped her arms around Marika’s neck from behind.

Marika narrowly thrust her four fingers in her right hand between her neck and Marika’s arms to prevent the stranglehold from being completed. But even like this, her carotid artery is definitely being pressured.

If it continues like this, she will fall—.

Right after she sensed that was the case, the magic lurking in her blood activated against her will.

The magic of the Extras, ‘Toogami’.

Marika’s whole body was covered in Psion light.

It’s not a glaring, shining, non-physical light, but a spiritual light that isn’t an agglomeration of highly dense undiffused physical light.

In the next moment, a solid physical wall was built along Marika’s body and sent Chika flying.

Marika rolled away to distance herself from Chika and stood up in a hurry.

The single-body armor magic that covered and protected her body, ‘Reactive Armor’ had already been removed.

Chika stood up about just as fast as Marika and grinned at her.

“Not bad... You’re good, really good!”

In contrast to Chika’s delight, Marika’s expression was gloomy, no, it was dull.

“...I’m sorry, senpai. I hampered your hard fought win.”

“What, are you worrying about using magic?”

Marika kept silent. That was indication of her affirmative answer.

“Absurd!”

With a biting tone, Chika kicked aside Marika’s remorse.

“From the start, Magic Arts are martial arts that use magic. I didn’t you magic, but you don’t need to go along with that. Or what? Do you really think you can beat me without using magic? Don’t underestimate me, rookie!”

Chika’s sharp rebuke returned Marika’s spirit.

“...That’s right. Sorry about that. Then, this time for sure... I’m coming!”

Along with her shout, Marika restored her single-body armor.

It was stronger, harder than before.

“Ooh! Then I too will show you what I’ve got!”

Chika constructed the activation sequence from a completely thought-operated model she wears under her forearm protector so it doesn’t interfere with her techniques.

“I’m not holding back anymore!”

“Yes, I won’t either!”

Marika’s whole body was clad in the single-body magic, ‘Reactive Armor’.

Her opponent Chika had only her fists covered with a magic force field. Chika didn’t appear to be trying to hide it and Marika immediately understood that her fists were covered with a unidirectional repulsive force field magic, ‘Repulsion Knuckle’.

And that if she withholds her power it’s unlikely she will be coming out of this with just a few broken bones if she receives those blows directly.

“Uoooo!”, Chika yelled,

“Yaaaaa!”, Marika roared,

And as they did, they both rushed towards each other. Before their howls came to an end, the distance between them reduced to zero. 

Marika went for a right straight punch.

Chika decided on a right hook on the body.

Marika’s fist brushed Chika’s hair.

Chika’s fist was absorbed by Marika’s abdomen.

A violent clashing sound echoed.

Marika’s body was sent fluttering through the air.

But she adjusted her posture mid-air and landed on both feet. In her face were no signs of pain.

Marika’s ‘Reactive Armor’ completely withstood Chika’s ‘Repulsion Knuckle’.

But it could be seen from their attacks and defenses just now that Chika is the most skillful.

Even still Marika didn’t flinch and rushed to Chika. This time, Chika was waiting for her.

“Okay, time is up.”

A carefree sounding voice came just then.

“What the heck are you doing, let go!”

As Chika was pinned with her arms behind her back, she struggled and yelled.

Marika on the other hand was suddenly blocked by a ‘wall’ that appeared right in front of her.

“Asha!?”

She was stopped by Alisa’s instantly deployed barrier magic.

“Chigusa, this is sexual harassment!”

And the one that stopped Chika was the men’s division President, Chigusa Tadashige.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s stop using the woman card only when it’s convenient, okay?”

As expected of one who holds the title of President of the men’s division, he was firmly pinning the struggling Chika down.

It was also Chigusa who called out to them before. The meaning of ‘time is up’ was not simply just that the assigned time slot for demonstrations was nearing its end.

There was a sharp whistle.

“Settle down!”

And it was followed by a sharp voice. They were the words of the Chief of the Public Morals Committee, Urabe Aki.

She wasn’t the only one to come along. When they received reports that ‘a fight has broken out’, the Public Morals Committee came running to control the situation.

◇ ◇ ◇

Marika and Chika were not taken to the Public Morals Committee Headquarters but to the Club Activities Group Headquarters in the preparations building.

And so, in presence of not just the Public Morals Committee Chief, Aki, but also the Club Activities Group’s President Usui and the Student Council Vice President Yuuto, the questioning was under way.

Alisa is not present. Only the involved parties were allowed to be here.

“Tookami-san, what you’re saying is that Juumonji Alisa-san was about to get hurt, and you took action to prevent it, correct?”

“Yes.”

In response to Aki’s confirmatory question, Marika nodded as if to say ‘I don’t feel guilty at all’. The reason Alisa was referred to by her full name was because, even though she is a junior, there is another ‘Juumonji’ present.

“If it is as Tookami-san says, then the blame lies almost completely on the Magic Arts Club, but... Chika, any objections?”

The tone with which Aki called Chika’s name was pretty friendly. Her way of speaking made it look like they weren’t just in the same school year, but also fairly close.

“Nah, I got none. The blame is entirely on me for not stopping those girls from acting like that.”

At Chika’s point of view and gallant attitude, Aki breathed an ostentatious sigh.

“Look here, Chika... You look like you haven’t done anything, but it was you who made it a big mess.”

“I said I’m taking full responsibility, including that.”

Chika had no objections.

“Please wait! Kitahata-senpai was just my partner as an instructor in a bout. I don’t understand why it’s being treated as a brawl!”

Her goals with that statement unclear, Marika was the one to object.

“But what I heard was Kitahata-senpai suddenly rushed to attack Marika-san?”

Yuuto doubted Marika’s claim.

“It wasn’t sudden. Senpai waited for me to change from my uniform to this outfit.”

Marika was still in her gym clothes. Her uniform was left in Alisa’s hands.

“No, I’m talking when she rushed you for the first time.”

“It wasn’t a one-sided attack. That was a greeting requesting to instruct me.”

“A greeting... Tookami-san, you...”

Yuuto sighed as if telling them he’s giving up.

Different from him, Usui started laughing from amusement.

“...You got quite a lot of backbone for a freshwoman, don’t you? Urabe, since the victim says she wasn’t harmed, why don’t we punish Kitahata just for her part in letting her members run wild? ”

“Usui, is it your intention to protect her because she’s a member of the Club Activities Group?”

Aki scowled in discontent and glared at Usui.

“Juumonji, what do you think?”

“I think that, taking into consideration that nobody was injured, it is not necessary to treat this as a big incident.”

Because he was addressing a senior, Yuuto worded it in a more formal way, but he indirectly agreed with Usui.

“Urabe, you don’t seriously want Kitahata suspended or under house arrest, right?”

“...”

Usui pressed Aki for an answer, but this time she had no comment.

“When it comes to dealing with trouble in the scope of club activities, we of the Club Activities Group have priority. Therefore, the judge here will be me.”

“...That’s the rule in our school. I have no objections.”

“The Student Council does not object either.”

Aki reluctantly agreed with Usui’s declaration and Yuuto indifferently approved.

“Alright.”

Usui nodded with satisfaction and turned to Chika and Marika one more time.

“Kitahata, you’re barred from participating in club activities until the end of newcomer week.”

“Understood. I accept it.”

Chika obediently agreed with the decision.

“Tookami, no penalty. You’re innocent.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble.”

Marika then briskly bowed and left the Club Activities Group Headquarters before anyone else. The upperclassmen still had things to discuss and she guessed she would just be a nuisance if she stayed.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Kitahata, that newcomer saved you, you know.”

When Marika left on her own accord and closed the door, Usui spoke to Chika.

“I think so too.”

Chika, who had until now been standing like a defendant, pulled herself a chair and flumped into it.

“Chika, are you still in that mode?”

Aki asked in an exasperated voice. It was an incomprehensible question to those who don’t know the circumstances, but everyone here seemed to know what it meant.

“Yeah... She fanned the flames and I couldn’t stop my blood from boiling.”

“This Tookami-san, who is she? You know her, right, Juumonji-kun?”

With a dumbfounded look on her face, Aki turned her eyes to Yuuto.

“Is it fine to just talk about the obvious things?”

Aki appeared to understand there was some kind of meaning in Yuuto’s reply.

She said “Ah, I knew it” in a low voice before urging Yuuto to continue with “That will be fine.”

“She’s the daughter of the family that lives in Hokkaido who took my sister in.”

Not only Aki but also Usui and Chika knew the details of Alisa being taken into the Juumonji Family. It’s not like all third-year students knew about it, but the three here have their eyes set on his future and are particularly close to him.

“Kitahata-senpai probably knows this better than I do, but she is Hokkaido prefecture’s Martial Magic Arts women’s champion in the middle school division. Also, though it was just an exhibition bout, she went against the men’s champion in that same tournament and won, so she became unofficially known as the ‘Hokkaido middle school champion’.”

“Eeh... Chika, that’s amazing isn’t it?”

“It is. Though there is magic to consider, there is definitely a difference in power between boys and girls in the third year of middle school. For a girl to win against a boy in Magic Arts, there has to be a big different in either technique or magic power.”

“Hummm... Then I really have to have her.”

Aki muttered with an evil face.

Chika overheard it and her complexion changed.

“Oi! She isn’t an official member yet, but that girl’s our hope!”

“Relax, I don’t intend to take her away from you.”

The way she said it, it couldn’t be understood if Aki really cared about giving Chika some peace of mind.

“Club activities and Public Morals Committee activities can coexist.”

“Club activities are more important, ya know.”

“Of course, I’m not going to force her to do anything.”

Aki bragged with an expression like she’s really plotting something.

Chika glared at Aki, with a look that fully exposed her feelings of distrust.

◇ ◇ ◇

Marika received her uniform from Alisa, who was waiting for her in the hallway just outside the Club Activities Group’s Headquarters, borrowed a changing room on the first floor to put it on and left the preparations building after making herself look presentable.

Even when declared innocent, it’s natural to want to get away from the interrogation room as quickly as possible. Marika led Alisa by the hand and walked in an accelerated pace down the tree-lined road until they finally stopped in front of the library and sat down at an outdoor bench.

“So after all that, what are you going to do?”

Alisa, who had been holding her hand silently, sat down next to Marika and asked.

“Hmm? Aah, about the Magic Arts Club?”

Alisa’s question was unclear, but after a moment of confusion Marika understood what she was asking.

“I’m going to join, of course.”

“Even after all that happened?”

Alisa didn’t look very surprised when she asked that. It can be surmised that she has a deep understanding of Marika despite the two years they spent apart.

“That wasn’t such a big deal.”

Sure enough, Marika wasn’t concerned about the trouble just now at all, which was within Alisa’s expectations.

“Rather, I’m getting even more motivated.“

But the follow up caught Alisa off-guard, and a small ‘Eh?’ could be seen on her face.

That small change in expression wasn’t overlooked by Marika.

“Because there’s an amazing person there.”

She replied to Alisa like that.

“You mean the Club President?”

“Right!”

Marika gave a big nod.

“Today the bout was interrupted at a good point, but I really want to do it again. But next time, without anyone getting in the way.”

“...You can’t have duels in the back of the school building or anything like that, after all.”

Marika burst into laughter from what Alisa said.

“No way I would do that. Asha, you’ve been reading too many novels and manga.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Alisa was caught up in the laughter as well. But, in her mind, she didn’t throw away her worries that Marika could actually do it.

It wasn’t just club activities that the two had to think about.

“By the way, Asha, what are you going to do about the Public Morals Committee?”

Marika threw a question at Alisa this time.

“If I were to say it honestly, I don’t want to join.”

Alisa’s answer was clear, but the crucial details of her conclusion were not.

“You mean you might not be able to tell them honestly?”

“Yeah...”

Hesitation could be seen in Alisa’s nodding.

“I get that senpai is in a difficult situation too... And I don’t know if it’s right to run away from conflict just because I’m a girl.”

“I don’t think being a girl changes anything but... That’s not the problem, right?”

“...”

Alisa was at a loss and look downwards.

“I was thinking...”

Alisa raised her head and looked at Marika. However, their eyes did not meet.

Marika had turned her face upwards.

“That if things like today are going to happen, the Public Morals Committee really is necessary.”

“Mina, why are you saying that? Aren’t you unrelated to this?”

Alisa’s tone was one of shock rather than criticism.

“Ahahah, You’re right.”

Marika turned her eyes to Alisa.

“Well, putting that aside for now... We really are still kids, you know. Even though high school students used to look so much more grown-up before.”

“So there’s nothing we can do about fighting and taking pranks too far?”

“...I’m not saying there’s nothing we can do... Hmm, what is it...”

Alisa waited calmly until Marika settle on what she wanted to say.

“...It’s not that there’s nothing we can do, but we just can’t avoid doing it?”

“That might be it.”

Alisa agreed with her views with no trouble. Even if it didn’t develop into direct violence, she’s seen plenty of pranks of a level that could only be called harassment in elementary school and middle school. Even if she didn’t want to see it, she saw. This most certainly won’t change in high school.

Compared to malicious bullying, visible fights may still be healthy.

“But we’re halfway to adulthood, so we don’t like being pushed by adults. We rebel, and it has the opposite effect of making us even worse. Thinking about it, a system that settles trouble among students may be pretty important.”

Alisa understood what Marika wanted to say. But...

“I don’t think that’s the nature of First High’s Public Morals Committee.”

A Magic High School’s Public Morals Committee is probably a desperate attempt to compensate for the lack of Faculty staff. Adults who can’t use magic can’t deal with things, and while magicians who can are in great demand, there aren’t enough of them assigned to the high school.

And so they authorize students with great technical skills results to deal with trouble using magic to preserve order within the school.

That’s how Alisa saw the Public Morals Committee.

“Eh, really?”

As for why Alisa’s views on this matter are different, it was probably because Alisa was taught in a family of the Ten Master Clans. Alisa was told many times of specific examples of the risks of magic, primarily by her elder brother and Head of the family Katsuto. Those examples included incidents involving terrorism that happened in First High when Katsuto was still a student.

“But the job of the Public Morals Committee is important to us... So yeah, I guess it is as you said, Mina.”

Despite that, Alisa was able to share a sensible conclusion with Marika.

The difference in their life circumstances did not hinder her empathy.

◇ ◇ ◇

Alisa returned home and, before dinner, visited Yuuto’s room.

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

After pulling a spare chair for Alisa to sit on, Yuuto tried to draw the conversation out of Alisa.

“Yes, it’s about the Public Morals Committee.”

“You mean about Urabe-senpai recruiting you?”

Yuuto responded, not showing any hints that he thought about it.

He knew after all, Alisa thought. She didn’t introduce the topic by saying she thought he probably knew, but she felt a little uncomfortable, like her actions are being monitored.

“Are you unsure whether to do it?”

But Alisa pulled herself together when Yuuto asked her. If she stayed silent, it would be useless to come and consult him about it.

“Yes. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it.”

“You don’t need to think about it that seriously, right?”

Yuuto replied in a soft tone, probably out of concern, to keep Alisa from overthinking, but she felt it was an apathetic response.

“But Yuuto-san, you know very well that I am not suited for this kind of thing.”

And that’s why she unconsciously responded defiantly.

“By ‘this kind of thing’, you mean people fighting?”

Yuuto didn’t show he minded her attitude. His question was also said in a tone that invites a simple confirmation.

“Not just that. I can’t attack people.”

Alisa is not only talking about what kind of personality she has. She certainly is kind and timid, but even before that, she truly hates the act of attacking other people.

And adding to that — it doesn’t appear to be unrelated — she has a complete lack of aptitude for offensive magic.

Even simple Movement-Type Magic and Acceleration-Type Magic fail if she tries to use them to attack others. As if it’s psychologically locked in a very deep place.

Juumonji Family’s ‘Phalanx’ too, it can be activated for defensive purposes with no problem. In this area she is already better than Yuuto. But there are no signs of success with ‘Offensive Phalanx’. In fact, even in the case of ramming while clad in a simple magic barrier, which should be technically clearly possible, the magic will also stop working as soon as she becomes aware that the target is human.

“I think working for the Public Morals Committee will be a good start to overcome your weak points.”

“You really think so?”

Alisa asked in return, not hiding her discontent.

She believed she was working hard. Undiscouraged by her accumulating failures, she continued to practice offensive magic as instructed.

She is a part of the Juumonji Family, but Alisa, who intends to return to Hokkaido in the future, is not conscious that she is a member of the Ten Master Clans. No, rather than not conscious, maybe she doesn’t recognize herself as one. She doesn’t intend to become combat personnel in the future, like a soldier or a police officer, nor does she want to lead a group of magicians in a fight against the enemy in an hour of need.

She Just understood well that there are situations where she ought to neutralize an opponent for self-defense. After all, even Phalanx can’t stay continuously active for dozens of hours. To brush away sparks descending upon her, she’ll need to defeat the attacking enemy. She also understands that depending on the situation, she will have to kill.

That is why she hasn’t shirked her training—.

“— I don’t think I would be able to do something at a crucial moment when I can’t even do it in practice.”

A technique that can’t be done in practice suddenly succeeding at the most important time. Alisa doesn’t think there are no such cases. But she believes beyond reason that those incidents are extremely rare.

And she also believes that the reason for being able to do something that never worked in practice was either because practice wasn’t taken seriously or simply lack of practice.

She herself has experienced succeeding at using a magic that she never intentionally used before. But that was a proper example of ‘unpracticed’. It was different from an offensive magic that no matter how much she practiced, she always failed at.

“In a real battle, the tension is different.”

Four years ago, while still in middle school, Yuuto participated in the Yokohama Disturbance as a volunteer soldier. By the time he arrived at the scene the battle had already been brought under control, but the real battlefield still had a different atmosphere, and Alisa believes it would too. — Though she can’t imagine what it would be like.

But Alisa doesn’t believe she could do well if she were to be thrown into that kind of situation. Rather, the only image that sprung to her mind was of her frozen, unable to do even things she can do.

“Well, First High isn’t a battlefield, and the activities of the Public Morals Committee aren’t real battles.” 

Did seeing Alisa’s face make him think what he said had an undesired effect?

Flustered, Yuuto retracted his previous comment.

“That’s why you don’t need to be that scared. Maybe you heard this from Urabe-senpai, but being in the Public Morals Committee doesn’t mean you need to settle disputes all by yourself. If it’s too much for you, it’s okay to call for help. The most important thing is protecting yourself. And when it comes to that, Alisa, you meet the most important requirement.”

Not that he thinks she meets the requirement, he knows she does. Maybe it was the result of this declaration, but it looks like Alisa’s worries were wiped away from her face.

“...But aren’t the members of the Public Morals Committee fairly busy? Do they really have time to be provide backup for other members?”

“If there’s nobody from Public Morals Committee available, the Club Activities Group and Student Council can lend a hand. Besides, the busiest time of the year for the Public Morals Committee is right now, newcomer week. Not counting that, it’s not so busy that other members can’t help you. Also, at other times of the year, people take turns on duty.”

“They don’t work every day?”

Alisa asked, looking surprised.

“The Chief is about the only one that works every day. So it doesn’t interfere with your studies and you can also balance club activities.”

“...”

Alisa pondered. She appeared to be considering it quite a bit.

“...It is said that even if you become a Public Morals Committee member, it doesn’t raise your grades nor help you get into higher education or find a job. But excellent seniors have been affiliated with the Public Morals Committee for generations. That Shiba-senpai too, was a member of the Public Morals Committee as a newcomer.”

“...You mean the male Shiba-senpai, right?”

The two people who correspond to the name ‘Shiba-senpai’, both male and female, were extremely famous graduates.

“Yes. There are others too, Watanabe-senpai, who is graduating from the National Defense University next year, was the Committee Chief, and Yoshida, who is still a university student but has recently becoming famous as an ancient magician also served as the Chief. If you become affiliated with the Public Morals Committee, your connections will expand greatly, don’t you think?”

“I see... I understand. I’ll give it some serious thought.”

Until she came to Yuuto’s room, Alisa’s number one concern was ‘how do I refuse?’. But now, she was beginning to think about what she could do as a member of the Public Morals Committee.