Chapter 2
Third of March, Sunday.
Just like last week, Katsuto was driving a rental car to the Tookami household.
Today even the branch roads going out of the main road had been cleared of snow. But on both sides of the road, crooked walls of snow were still piled up.
Naturally the visibility isn’t good. Modern self-driving cars have collision prevention systems as standard equipment, the road was narrow from the start and this branch road is also not covered by traffic control systems. Katsuto was driving at low speed.
It could be that it was thanks for that.
A person suddenly appeared on the road, and he stopped the car without accidents or panicking as he saw them.
(It’s a child?)
The person standing in front of the car had a short stature, with a height of around 150 centimeters.
(...No, maybe a middle school girl?)
The down jacket, slim jeans, flight cap on the head and heelless short boots on the feet were of gender-neutral fashion, but the face glaring at Katsuto who is in the driver’s seat is clearly female, and a cute girl at that.
Katsuto doesn’t know why she’s glaring at him. There is over 10 meters between the stopped self-driving car and the girl, and it was her who suddenly jumped into the road. Objectively speaking, the fault is hers, so he thought the glares should be reversed.
Either way, the other person is still a child. Honking here would be immature.
Luckily, there are no other cars on the road. Katsuto decided to get out of the car to hear what they had to say.
At the same time as he opened the door, the girl walked to the car.
Katsuto got out of the self-driving car and stood a meter in front of it, waiting for the girl to get closer.
She stopped two meters away from him.
“Please forgive me for being rude.”
Those were the first words the girl said.
She vigorously bowed her head as she said it. The act of leaping in from of a car isn’t praiseworthy, but the way she was acting now left a good impression on Katsuto.
“Umm, You’re Juumonji-san, right?”
Before Katsuto could respond, the girl talked again.
“Yes, I am...”
“My name is Tookami Marika.”
As the girl introduced herself, Katsuto’s eyes slightly widened.
As the time for Katsuto’s planned visit drew near, an unsettling atmosphere filled the Tookami household.
The restless ones were the adults, Ryoutarou and Serika. The concerned party, Alisa, was rather calm.
She’s not wearing her uniform today. She’s wearing an A-line dress of a subdued color with a round collar. The elegant feel matched Alisa well.
Ryoutarou’s and Serika’s plan was to have Alisa wait in her room until Katsuto arrived. She did as she was told and quietly studied at her desk. She already finished her final first year exams, but she wants to become a veterinarian.
It’s easy to maintain your motivation if you have a clear goal. The same applies for Alisa. Studying to become a veterinarian was a part of her daily life.
“Alisa?”
However, she wasn’t immersed enough that she couldn’t hear anything.
“Yes?”
Alisa quickly responded to Serika’s voice that called out to her from outside the room.
“Do you have a moment?”
Hearing Serika’s question, Alisa got up from her desk and opened the door to her room.
“What is it, aunt?”
“Alisa, do you know where Marika is?”
“I haven’t seen her since lunch. She’s not home?”
“Looks so. Her shoes aren’t there either, so I think she went out...”
Serika has an expression that says she’s about to let out a sigh.
“Sorry, aunt. I don’t know. She didn’t tell me anything... and she shouldn’t have club today either...”
“I see... That girl’s in trouble. Couldn’t she tell me where she’s going before leaving?”
Serika didn’t seem to be that worried when she said that.
It’s 1:50pm right now. Not a time where going out is dangerous for a middle schooler. This area is safe and the risk of running into a crime is low. Besides, Marika is quick-witted. There is no need to worry about her getting dragged into trouble.
But the scheduled time to meet Katsuto is at 2pm – very soon. Neither Serika nor Marika dared to meet Katsuto the previous week, but this week as they entrust Alisa to him they should show the minimum of manners as a family.
“...Well, it’s fine. If that girl was here, she’d probably do something rude instead.”
If she’s not home, she can’t even greet him. Serika arrived at the reverse idea that her daughter’s absence was a positive thing.
“...”
At the harsh criticism directed towards the best friend who she grew up with as if they were sisters, Alisa could do nothing but give a vague smile.
“You’re the young lady of the Tookami Veterinary Clinic, right?”
Katsuto is gentlemany. Even to a younger girl he speaks in a fundamentally polite way until they become better acquainted.
“Ahaha, please don’t say that. I’m nothing like a young lady.”
But Marika is a girl who, for some reason, finds it difficult to assume a formal attitude.
“...Wait a second, I am!”
Marika broke into an embarrassed smile and gave a textbook self-tsukkomi before her expression stiffened.
“Juumonji-san, I have a favor to ask of you!”
Marika rapidly thrusted her finger towards Katsuto.
Leaving aside for now that pointing at other people is rude, Marika’s tone was by all means not ‘asking for a favor’ but a ‘demand’.
“I’m heading to your house right now. If there’s something you want to say, I’d prefer you tell me there, is that okay with you?”
“No, please hear it right here!”
Katsuto suggested a compromise with a soothing tone, but Marika was stubborn.
“...Understood. But the scheduled time is almost here. Please keep it brief.”
“That’s fine.”
Marika readily agreed to Katsuto’s request with confidence.
“Juumonji-san!”
She then leaned her upper body forward and noisily clapped her hands together above her head, making a loud ‘bang’. Now this is definitely an ‘asking for a favor‘ pose.
“Please! Don’t take Asha – Alisa to Tokyo!”
Marika’s ‘favor’ was somewhat expected by Katsuto.
“But there is a very high chance that Alisa-san inherited the magic disposition of the Juumonji Family. She’ll be in danger if she doesn’t learn our magic.”
Marika raised her face and stared directly at Katsuto. Her look is so honest that Katsuto can’t help but feel guilty.
He properly investigated the Tookami Family’s circumstances over the past week. Katsuto can understand how this 13-year-old girl feels, as she doesn’t want to be separated from someone she was raised with and is almost like a sister to her. No, it’s like he can feel it.
Honestly speaking, Katsuto is also unwilling to do anything like splitting Alisa and Marika apart himself. But it’s a fact that Alisa is in danger. He couldn’t agree to Marika’s plea.
“I heard from my father about the risk Asha is in. But I don’t want to be apart from Asha!”
“But...”
“Juumonji-san. Can’t you send a tutor to teach her the Juumonji Family’s magic?”
The bewildered Katsuto, at being struck with Marika’s words, opened his eyes wide.
“I get that this is a shameless request. But I want to be able to see Asha and I also don’t want her to be unhappy!”
It is a child’s right to behave merely on whether they ‘like’ or ‘dislike’. No, it might be difficult for a modern boy to be this pure. This may be a right only girls are allowed to have.
Even to Katsuto, who thinks first and foremost about his duties as a member of the Ten Master Clans, her appearance looked dazzling.
It would be a lie if he said his heart wasn’t moved.
But –.
“...I can’t do that.”
He couldn’t agree to it.
“Why!?”
“I can’t let the magic of the Juumonji Family to be taken out of the Juumonji Family.”
If her mother Serika was here, she would point out ‘Was what you said about it being fine for her to return to Hokkaido after learning to control the skill a lie?’, which may have cornered Katsuto. But unfortunately for Marika, her head couldn’t make it that far.
“Isn’t Asha adorable!? Even if just half, she’s your sister, right!”
Marika appealed to her feelings rather than logic.
“Personally, I think what you’re saying is right. But I can’t bend the rules by myself.”
“Juumonji-san, aren’t you the head of the family? Doesn’t that mean you’re the greatest of the Juumonji Family!?”
Katsuto shook his head with a bitter expression at Marika’s attack.
“Being the head of the family doesn’t mean that I decide everything by myself. I don’t know about other families, but the head of the Juumonji Family is the one with the greatest strength and its final trump card. The last wall holding back enemy attacks. Nothing more than that.”
“...So there is no way that you can do it?”
“– I’m sorry.”
Marika tightened her lips hard and held her hands together strongly.
“I see... It can’t be helped, uh.”
Marika walked back as she spoke.
Almost like she was going to get distance for a run jump.
If it was just her words, they showed her resignation, but Katsuto’s tension increased instead of being cleared up. In her voice were signs of danger that even made Juumonji Katsuto, without a doubt one of the strongest magicians in this country, alert.
“The request expired! I’ll just make you listen by force!”
As she shouted, a bright Psion light surged from Marika’s body.
“Ryoutarou-san.” “Serika-san.”
While preparing tea cakes together in the kitchen, Ryoutarou and Marika called out to one another.
“Ryouratou-san, do you feel it too?”
“Yeah. It’s definitely that.”
The two agreed with a stiff expression.
Ryoutarou and Marika noticed signs of powerful magic being released.
For Ryoutarou it’s unnecessary to mention, as he is an Extra, and Serika can’t be said to be a top-grade magician either, but she’s at least of a standard level. She can somewhat feel that her daughter has activated magic, even when far away.
“Why? That girl shouldn’t have received any training to use magic yet...”
In Japan’s current system formal magic education begins at a Magic High School. Although, numbers generally start training their family’s special magic and even if you aren’t a number there are private schools that teach the basics of magic. Like a prep school for Magic High School, a cram school aimed at middle school students.
But Marika wasn’t taught magic in the house nor did she attend cram school. Even if talented, she shouldn’t be able to cast magic this powerful.
“...The school of martial arts they teach at Marika’s club has an introduction to martial magic arts. She may have mastered basic magic techniques without her or her coach realizing it.”
“So she’s talented, uh...”
Serika muttered to herself. There wasn’t just parental concern for her daughter, there was a hint of envy for her daughter’s talent, though certainly contained.
Ryoutarou didn’t blame her for it. The ugly feelings his wife held for their daughter was something he knew well. Ryoutarou himself couldn’t deny his jealousy when confronted with Katsuto.
“Uncle, aunt!”
The oppressive atmosphere that was attempting to dominate the kitchen was destroyed by Alisa jumping in with a tense voice.
“Something happened with Mina, right!? We have to go save her!”
How did Alisa, who is untrained in magic, know? Ryoutarou and Serika didn’t have the mental composure to question it.
“You’re right, I’ll get the car keys!”
Ryoutarou quickly recovered from his surprise and quickly went to get the keys to his self-driving car.
The circumstances behind the activation of such powerful magic worries him, but he’s even more worried about Marika’s condition after using strong magic despite not receiving formal training. Serika and Alisa went to the garage in a hurry.
Ryoutarou unlocked the door with the electronic key and started the off-road vehicle’s hydrogen combustion engine. By that time, Serika was already in the passenger seat and Alisa in the back seat.
“Ryoutarou-san, do you know where they are?”
“That way!”
Serika’s question was answered by Alisa.
“Along the main road from the small farm, a bit towards the house!”
Ryoutarou didn’t ask Alisa how she knew that.
“Isn’t that the road Juumonji-san is coming here from?”
An ominous premonition covered any questions they had about Alisa’s intuition.
“Ryoutarou-san. Did that girl?”
Serika’s voice was trembling a little.
“Let’s hurry.”
Ryoutarou said so, starting to drive the off-road vehicle without checking the passenger’s seat belts.
Along with a torrent of surplus Psion light, a magic barrier was formed around Marika’s body.
(This is... the Toogami’s single-body armor magic, ‘Reactive Armor’?)
37 years ago, the Toogami family were exiled from the Tenth Research Institute as “Extras”. This was during the last years of the 20 Year-long War, also known as The Third World War. Right afterwards the USNA was established and the ending of the world war was starting to be seen (the end of the war is typically said to be around September of 2065).
The goal of the Tenth Research Institute was to develop magic for the defense of the capital city and important people. However, it was said that the Toogami couldn’t meet this objective, as they could only make barriers around themselves, so they were expelled from the research institute.
But there was more than meets the eye. Clad in invincible armor and capable of rushing deep into enemy territory, the military leaders saw the potential use for suicide attacks and assassinations. This isn’t officially recognized history, but at least it’s what Katsuto heard.
(But... What’s this?)
But the magical barrier deployed around her body didn’t look like anything that could be called ‘invincible armor’. It didn’t look like it had enough strength to serve as a suicide weapon.
Was this because the girl is still inexperienced as a ‘Toogami’ magician?
Katsuto’s mind was elsewhere, but Marika is full of will to fight. She isn’t afraid that her magic may not work properly.
“Let’s do this!”
Her words were not directed at Katsuto, they were to inspire herself.
At the same time as her shout, Marika’s body flew off with force with the magic barrier still applied.
“Yaaaaaa!”
Marika flew horizontally towards Katsuto with a kicking posture and he met her attack with a defensive Phalanx.
The magic barrier covering Marika’s right foot hit the dome-shaped magic barrier that Katsuto built.
Marika’s magic barrier shattered.
From the strength of the barrier that Katsuto sensed, this was a natural result.
But.
In the next second, no, in less time than even a wink, the magic barrier covering Marika was rebuilt.
Marika’s and Katsuto’s magic barriers struggled.
It was not just simply rebuilt.
The barrier protecting Marika had increased its strength up to a level matching Katsuto’s Phalanx.
The movement magic that was moving Marika’s body expired before the barrier magic.
Marika was sent flying backwards due to the repulsion of the two similar barriers. The repulsive force was a result of ‘Body Vector Inversion’, a property of magic barriers colliding with each other.
Marika expertly somersaulted midair and landed on her feet on the road. She doesn’t just have good reflexes, her agility shows that she trains her body regularly.
But what stole Katsuto’s attention was not her physical abilities, it was the magic barrier reconstruction Marika showed him.
The rebuilding of the magic barrier just now was not intentional.
It’s not that it was a coincidence, there was simply no time for her to intentionally redeploy the magic after recognizing that the first one crumbled.
It was clear that the barrier magic was automatically reactivated.
(Is it designed to invoke new barrier magic with the first barrier’s collapse as a trigger...?)
He heard that the name ‘Reactive Armor’ was the name of the single-body barrier magic given by the former Tenth Research Institute.
If the magic he just saw was ‘Reactive Armor’, then the basic theory is the same as the Juumonji Family’s Phalanx.
A number of different types of magic barriers are put on standby beforehand and each time a barrier is broken the standby barrier manifests at the same time. That is the system behind ‘Defensive Phalanx’.
The property of ‘Defensive Phalanx’ is that it ‘continuously recreates barriers’, but is ‘Reactive Armor’ designed to ‘form stronger barriers’?
(If it increases in strength, is there a limit to how many times?)
If there is no restriction to the number of times the barrier can rebuilt, then the strength of ‘Reactive Armor’ would rise infinitely. But in this world ‘infinity’ can’t exist, and this isn’t limited to magic. There must be a limit to the number of times ‘Reactive Armor’ can be rebuilt, no doubt about it. Also, it’s likely not many.
(So that’s why it’s used for suicide attacks?)
That was the conclusion Katsuto reached from the heap of conjectures. If the limit to the number of times it can be invoked is low, it’s highly likely the magic would expire in the midst of the enemy and leave them defenseless. Even if it’s seen as useless for anything but a one-way ticket to suicide, it seems that this part of it couldn’t be avoided.
Naturally he really didn’t intend to support the side that treats magicians as tools.
As Katsuto was maintaining his defensive stance and thought, Marika rushed towards him while yelling ‘’Yaaa!’. Looks like it’s supposed to be Marika’s war cry. But to Katsuto her voice was so cute he only felt pleasant.
Marika’s attack this time was a ramming attack. Instead of hitting from the back, it was a charge that tightened the right side and hit with the right shoulder. She guarded her head with the palm of her left hand towards her opponent, which is probably female instinct to protect her face.
The power of the collision was considerable. This time she added Weight Systematic magic to the barrier magic instead of Movement Systematic magic. She’s activating different magic in parallel according to the situation. Marika’s magic is still immature, but her senses are the real deal.
But still, her abilities are not normal.
Her skills are not normal.
Everything she’s built up to this moment is way too abnormal.
At the same time as the Weight Systematic Magic expired, Marika was sent flying once again.
Marika tumbled on the paved road. But when she stood up there were no signs of injuries. Far from it, there’s no damage or dirt on her clothes to be found. The magic barrier seems to have protected her well.
“I’m not done yet!”
Marika rushed over to Katsuto. But the dome-shaped barrier stopped her from breaking inside.
“Taaaaaaa!”
With a high-pitched shout, Marika let out a barrage of punches on Katsuto’s barrier. Was the rotation speed of the punches, comparable to a pro lightweight boxer, due to the use of self-accelerating magic?
Still, Katsuto’s Phalanx cannot be broken. Each individual barrier has been broken many times, but Marika’s attacks don’t have the strength to destroy the next one that appears instantly.
On the other side, the barriers protecting Marika’s body were starting to shatter.
(...Four...Five...Six...)
Katsuto sensed the Reactive Armor’s barrier reconstructing by the reaction transmitted by his Phalanx.
(Seven times.)
When the number of times it rebuilt reached seven, Marika retreated on her own. Marika distanced herself by five meters and she wasn’t clad in her magic barrier. It wouldn’t deactivate by itself. For magic that is hard to predict when it ends, like magic barriers, it’s common to prepare another magic to cancel the currently activated magic. Katsuto also does this for Phalanx. But there was no trace of Marika using magic to cancel it.
It’s likely that her magic was cancelled unconsciously by a self-defense mechanism before her true limits regarding life and death were reached. This can’t be done with modern magic systems, but magic is a human skill and a function of the mind. Even an irregular function that works beyond their conscious to protect them can’t be said to be absolutely impossible.
This means, however, that the ‘true limit’ is near.
(The maximum amount she can rebuild the barrier with Reactive Armor is eight, maybe nine times, if I had to guess.)
The barrier renovation limit for Phalanx, which follows a similar system, differs between users, but Katsuto’s limit is 999 times. This was measured in an experiment, but during an actual fight it may be bit higher.
Katsuto and Marika have different age, experience, and above all else, quality and quantity of training they have gone through. But even taking that into account, there is a big difference between 9 and 999.
(As I thought, a system that ‘rebuilds stronger and stronger barriers’ is unreasonable)
Katsuto made his conclusions about the magic of the former Toogami.
Thus he took a break from his study of the technical details of the magic.
There was something far more important that required his immediate attention.
In Katsuto’s line of sight, Marika, who’s been breathing heavily, was trying to catch her breath.
She was evidently still planning to continue.
But–It’s risky to go any further.
There’s a reason why formal education for magicians starts in high school.
It is said that for two years before and after the manifestation of secondary sexual characteristics, with two more years after that as a safety margin for girls, it is better not to put too much burden on the Magic Calculation Area. It is an established theory in Japan that magic harms physical growth during the period of 9 to 13 years old on average for boys and between 8 and 14 for girls. During this period, magic training requires especially attentive care. – Though the USNA has not adopted this standard as the basis for it is weak.
The girl in front of Katsuto’s eyes is right on the ‘period when you shouldn’t use magic’. Even though as an Extra, she was originally from a family of a Magician Research and Development Institute. It may not be necessary to worry about her domestic care, but during this period where magic puts a heavy burden on the body even under normal circumstances, continuing to fight intense magic battles may lead to unknown negative effects in the future.
(I have to end this fight in a way that causes the least burden on the Magic Calculation Area)
Katsuto decided to settle this quickly. Without attacking the body, he will blow away just the magic barrier and the rebuilding mechanism. Specifically, the next attack will strike before the rebuilding is complete. ‘Offensive Phalanx’ can do this.
In addition, he will use Non-Systematic Magic to temporarily paralyze her magic abilities. Katsuto isn’t good at such delicate techniques but this was not a situation where he could afford to be picky.
Psion light started to uncontrollably leak out of Marika’s body.
Katsuto remained fixed in place, assuming a magic activation stance.
Tensions increased between Katsuto and Marika.
“It already started!?”
The impatient Ryoutarou said to himself just as he started driving.
What he perceived was a wave of Psions produced by the magic barriers hitting each other. This reached Ryoutarou’s consciousness as an auditory hallucination resembling the echo of a giant gong ringing.
“Ryoutarou-san, we need to hurry!”
That ‘sound’ was so clear that anyone with magic perception could ‘hear’ it. Not just Ryoutarou, naturally Serika could hear it as well.
“Uncle, isn’t this Mina?”
And Alisa also perceived the wave.
“It’s probably Marika and Juumonji-san.”
“Juumonji-san, why?”
Alisa was starting to panic.
“Juumonji-san seems to just be taking the attacks so far. But even just that is harmful for Marika. We need to stop it right now.”
Composure was completely absent from Ryoutarou’s face. He’s already stomping on the accelerator, but the speed won’t increase further because of the self-driving car’s safety mechanisms.
Signs of Marika are being sent from a distance that could be said to be close. Even on foot it would be less than 20 minutes away. With a car it’s less than 5 minutes at this speed. But those 5 minutes are, for Ryoutarou and Serika, and even more for Alisa, unbearably long and frustrating.
(Mina!)
Alisa closed both her eyes firmly.
At that moment, Marika’s back appeared in Alisa’s ‘vision’.
“Eh?”
Her voice unintentionally came out, and she opened her eyes.
The scene inside the car was reflected in her eyes. Marika wasn’t there.
“Alisa, what’s wrong?”
Serika asked from the passenger seat.
But Alisa wasn’t calm enough to answer that question.
Alisa closed her eyes once more.
Marika’s back appeared on her mind. And further beyond, Katsuto is giving Marika a stern look.
And intense light surged from Marika’s body.
That must be magic light, Alisa instinctively realized.
Katsuto held out his right hand towards Marika.
And from that hand, the pressure of the ‘power’–
“Don’t!”
A yell came from Alisa’s mouth, and a Psion light came from her body, and from the ‘gate’ that opens the boundaries between the conscious and unconscious – the gate between the spiritual and physical world – a powerful magic was emitted.
“There’s still more!”
Marika brought forth her fighting spirit with a shout. Even though she doesn’t have a CAD and hasn’t followed any magic protocol, a magic barrier was formed around Marika’s body.
– This girl looks like a hybrid of a superpower user and a magician.
That’s what Katsuto thought at that sight.
But since she’s ignoring protocol, she must be under heavier burden than normal when she uses magic. If she isn’t stopped immediately, she truly may never recover.
In order to end it there, Katsuto increased the output of the Magic Calculation Area.
From the terminal-shaped CAD he held on his left hand, he deployed the activation sequence for Offensive Phalanx.
– Set the emission point on the right hand.
– Define the strength of the barrier to create to be counterbalanced with the strength of her barrier magic.
– Fix the alignment to Marika’s magic.
– Define barrier destruction as the termination condition,
– Activate Offensive Phalanx.
Before Marika could jump in with her magic, Katsuto shot multiple overlapping layers of magic barrier shells out of his right hand.
It happened at that moment.
“Don’t!”
The voice echoed not in his ears, but in his heart.
And with Marika at its center, a dome-shaped magic barrier was constructed to protect her against Katsuto’s Phalanx!
Barrier shells and the dome-shaped barrier shattered as they collided with each other.
One after the other, the barrier shells surged forward.
One after the other, the dome barriers caught them and reconstructed.
“This is...”
Katsuto used magic to execute the Phalanx cancellation command.
The barrier shells that were being fired at Marika stopped.
Not long after, the dome-shaped barrier that had been enveloping Marika disappeared as well.
Marika was left with a dumbfounded expression on her face. It’s obvious just by looking at her that she didn’t use the barrier magic that stopped Katsuto’s Phalanx.
No, even looking at her expression was not required.
Marika can’t be the one who built that dome-shaped barrier.
Because that barrier was –
(...Phalanx.)
As indicated by the words Katsuto’s spoke only to himself, the barrier magic was ‘Defensive Phalanx’.
The ‘Reactive Armor’ barrier that covered Marika’s body disappeared. It seems she lost her will to fight when faced with this unexpected situation.
As if to announce the end of the fight, a tall off-road vehicle drew closer from behind Marika and stopped. The ones who got off were Marika’s father Ryoutarou, her mother Serika and the one she was helping, Alisa.
Seeing Alisa swaying on her feet, Katsuto was convinced of what happened.
The one who activated ‘Defensive Phalanx’ to protect Marika was Alisa. Alisa, who should not be able to use magic yet, accomplished the feat of using an advanced technique of constructing magic barriers to protect a target that can’t be seen with the naked eye.
(I knew it, this girl’s talent for magic rivals or even surpasses mine.)
Katsuto was once again convinced of his half-sister’s hidden talent as a magician. At the same time, he strongly believed that not starting her magic education immediately would be dangerous.
Aptitude that is way too high also means that she’s likely to run wild. A girl who was a junior of his in high school had extremely strong phenomenon interference power and she often unintentionally froze reality. Alisa’s risk is even higher than that junior’s. If she doesn’t learn techniques to at least control her magic activation, she’s very likely to destroy herself.
If the general theory is applied, it should be the period for Alisa to avoid magic education. But as can be seen by the fact that she just activated ‘Defensive Phalanx’, it’s too dangerous for her to not study.
“Mina, are you alright!?”
With Serika supporting her, Alisa rushed to Marika’s side. “Why would you do something so stupid!”, the voice harshly scolding her was Serika’s.
“Juumonji-san, I’m very sorry for the trouble.”
And Ryoutarou bowed deeply in front of Katsuto.
“No, it was nothing... Tookami-san, have you already taught your daughter the magic of the ‘Ten’?”
After shaking his head, a question spontaneously came out of his mouth.
“...No, I haven’t. My daughter, having the Toogami magic...”
Ryoutarou also shook his head, just saying “I can’t believe it”.
“I see... This may be too much meddling from me, but...”
“No.”
Ryoutarou interrupted Katsuto mid-sentence.
“I underestimated my daughter’s talent for magic. I will start her education immediately.”
Ryoutarou didn’t need further advice from Katsuto, as he also understood Marika’s dangerous talent.
And simultaneously, Alisa’s talent.
“Today made me realize we need to let go of our baggage. The children come first.”
“I agree.”
These may not be the words that Katsuto should say.
“– I’m looking forward to working with you.”
But Ryoutarou nodded and sought for a handshake with Katsuto.
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