ng Tatsuya couldn’t understand. Standing there all that time, her sisters going off the rails, even he probably wouldn’t have been able to endure it any longer.

“Don’t let it bother you. Right, Miyuki?” “Yes. Senpai, please don’t worry about it.”

Tatsuya directed Miyuki to gloss this over, so Miyuki also cheerfully shook her head. Despite Izumi’s disgraceful behavior and Kasumi’s running amok, treating Tatsuya as a skirt chaser, Miyuki was in high spirits for some reason. Miyuki’s attitude made Mayumi feel suspicious and uneasy, but right now she couldn’t indulge in the luxury of pursuing the matter.

“I will surely make it up to you. —You two, we’re leaving right now.” “Oooh! It hurts, Onee-chan!”

“Onee-sama, you’re hurting me! Why are you treating me like this too?”

A hand on the nape of the neck of each twin, Mayumi departed like she was making an escape.

? ? ?

On the route used to commute from the school entrance to the ‘First High School’ station, turning one corner takes one to the coffee shop ‘Eine Brise” that Tatsuya and his friends like. Today also, on Tatsuya’s way back from the ceremony, with a coffee in one hand, he was enjoying a chat in the café with Miyuki, Minami, Honoka, Shizuku and Mikihiko.

After separating from the Saegusa sisters, Tatsuya and Miyuki had linked up with Azusa temporarily. However, Azusa had emphatically told them that it was alright to leave, so they came here on the way home with Honoka and the rest.

“Come to think of it, how did the invitation to the freshmen representative go?”

When Shizuku asked that, she unintentionally silenced the conversation. She hadn’t meant anything by it — she hadn’t asked the question out of gossipy curiosity. She was unprepared for the silence that her words caused.

“..He refused.”

So when she was faced with the black cloud she suddenly cast over the table and the thoroughly crushed Honoka, Shizuku tasted bitter regret and wished she hadn’t asked that question.

“Eh, Shippou-kun declined to join the Student Council?”

So Mikihiko’s words, which gave his own curiosity precedence, could be called a fine move to get rid of the oppressive ambience.

“The person himself seems to have said he wants to devote himself to club activities. Nothing can be done if he has other things he wants to do.”

Tatsuya's answer seemed to be more of a ‘don’t worry about it’ to Honoka than an answer to Mikihiko’s question.

“Yes. He can’t be coerced.”

Because he read Tatsuya or by mere chance, Mikihiko’s follow up remark revived the mood enough that Honoka looked up and stopped looking so defeated.

“So it would be more productive to consider who to invite to join the Student Council instead of Shippou-kun.”

Taking her cue from Tatsuya, Miyuki drew their friends completely away from the topic of Takuma.

“That’s true. If you think of the consequences of a freshman not joining the Student Council, this is a bad situation.”

Tatsuya nodded soberly and Miyuki lightly clapped her hands.

“I know. How about Minami-chan becoming a member of the Student Council?”

Minami, who until then been just silently listening to the upperclassman talk, stiffened at Miyuki’s suggestion.

“Miyuki, that’s a little rough on Minami-chan.”

However, faster than Minami could open her mouth, Tatsuya rejected Miyuki’s idea.

“Because there is a tradition to the way the Student Council chooses successors, the substitute candidate must also be chosen by their score on the entrance exam.”

Minami looked relieved. On the other hand, Miyuki did not look the least bit upset over the plan being rejected — she was smiling. Miyuki probably wasn’t serious about having Minami join the Student Council; she was probably only teasing her a little.

“Who was the runner-up?”

Shizuku didn’t bother speculating on Miyuki’s state of mind and in response to Tatsuya, questioned Honoka, who as student council secretary had access to the exam results.

“Umm, Saegusa Izumi-san. Saegusa sempai’s sister.”

Honoka did not check her terminal; she had the exam results properly memorized.

“Third place is also Saegusa sempai’s sister, Kasumi-chan. There’s only a narrow margin between Shippou’s first place and the pair’s second and third. There’s a huge gap between these three and fourth place”

Miyuki, who also knew the exam results like Honoka, offered supplemental information to Shizuku.

“So it wouldn’t be strange if either of Saegusa-sempai’s sisters became a Student Council officer?”

Mikihiko as usual spoke more formally to Miyuki. “But going by the order, wouldn’t it be Izumi-san?”

Mikihiko’s attitude could be seen as suspicious or amusing, but Shizuku indifferently ignored it and made her objection.

Miyuki’s face looked a little sour at Shizuku’s words. The incident a little while ago had probably made her aware that she would not deal well with Izumi.

“The president will decide, but the first prerequisite is probably willingness.”

Tatsuya also noticed the change in Miyuki’s expression but, out of consideration for her privacy pretended like he might not be aware of it.

Mikihiko entered the room as Tatsuya was washing his hands in the toilet. There was no special significance to this. Their timing had probably overlapped by chance, thought Tatsuya as he prepared to leave.

“Tatsuya.”

However, Mikihiko called out to stop him in a low gloomy voice.

“What? ..Do you have something you don’t want to talk about with the others there?”

“Yes.. it’s not something I want generally known?” “Understood. I won’t talk about it with the others.”

Tatsuya’s words relieved Mikihiko, who was stiff with indecision a little. “Tatsuya, it would help to keep the conversation short”

“Since staying in here too long would be thought weird, I’m the one who has to ask Mikihiko to keep it short”

As Tatsuya said, they couldn’t stay in here too long without someone becoming suspicious of their health. With that urging, Mikihiko rapidly opened up.

“Tatsuya, do you know if the new manager of Rozen’s Japanese branch came to today’s ceremony?”

It doesn’t need saying that by Rozen, he meant ’Rozen Magicraft’ which was a German magic technology company that was battling with ’Maximilian Devices’ to become the top maker of CADs in the world. The manager of their Japanese branch would be a major important figure to the

National Magic University as well as the magic high schools. “I know. I managed to get by with a brief greeting”

Naturally, Tatsuya had known he had been invited and confirmed his attendance.

“Only briefly? At the after party for last year’s Nine Schools Competition, the previous branch manager seemed to be quite interested in you”

“I was lucky today, because I didn't have time for that”

Tatsuya looked sour as he recalled that gloomy summer memory. “So, what about the new Rozen branch manager”

However, he soon returned to his it doesn’t matter look and urged Mikihiko to continue.

“Do you remember the new branch manager’s name?”

“Ernst Rozen, he seems to be a member of the Rozen’s main family” “That right. He’s a bigwig, the trade journals were making much of it”

For an instant, the words were stuck in Mikihiko’s throat but he immediately threw off his hesitation and whispered in a low slightly desperate tone.

“And he is a cousin of Erika’s mother”

Tatsuya’s poker face didn’t survive this explosive revelation. “Erika’s mother was a relative’s of the Rozen?”

Both of his eyes showed surprise as Tatsuya asked that question. Mikihiko made a small but distinct nod to his request for confirmation of the information.

“It seems that Erika’s mother’s father eloped with a Japanese woman” “Eloped, that’s an old fashioned word”

“Well...”

Mikihiko smiled somewhat wryly at the surprise Tatsuya displayed at something that was off-topic. The somewhat complicated atmosphere cleared a little. As Mikihiko continued his face looked as if his shoulders were less stiff.

“Because he shook off his parent’s opposition and fled to Japan, they had severed ties with the main Rozen family. Her grandmother‘s---Erika’s mother’s mother’s family also apparently didn’t approve of the couple’s relationship so, it seems like Erika’s mother had a tough time”

“It’s a sad story but what of it?”

Tatsuya thought it was a bad family situation but, Mikihiko’s purpose wasn’t to garner sympathy for Erika. Tatsuya was urging Mikihiko to get on to his main topic.

“...since that incident, the Rozen main family doesn’t have a good impression of Japan. Even though they have trade bases in Japan, none of the main family have been on the registry in the Japanese branch offices”

“Come to think of it, that’s right”

As Mikihiko spoke, Tatsuya went through the registry of executives for the last ten years for Rozen Magicraft Japanese branch offices. Certainly, there were no Rozens listed.

“I may be over-thinking things but....I feel that Ernst Rozen’s trip to

Japan has something to do with Erika”

Tatsuya also thought he might be over-thinking things. However, he was more concerned with why, Mikihiko was telling him this.

“And what do you want me to do about this?”

“I don’t actually have anything I want you to do. However, I wanted to share my concerns”

Faced with Tatsuya’s suspicious eyes, Mikihiko smiled wryly to himself.

“No, it’s not that..I involved Tatsuya because it was a little too heavy to keep to myself”

Mikihiko whispered in a self depreciating way. “It’s a pitiful tale”

Tatsuya did not show any signs of evasion when he spoke his frank impression in front of Mikihiko.

? ? ?

After Tatsuya left, Azusa remained in the student council room alone until just before the gate closed (Pixie was in suspended mode). Even though the admissions ceremony was over, there was still a huge pile of start of the new school year work for the student council. So it wasn’t strange for Student council president Azusa to stay this late. If something could be called strange, it was the fact that the other student council members had left before her.

This wasn’t because Azusa had wanted to do the work of five people by herself. Until a little while ago, she had merely been blankly staring at this month’s schedule. Sometimes she sighed deeply, and shook her head ‘no- no’. Those were the only times, she turned to the terminal with a determined face and immediately relapsed to wasting time looking blankly at the monitor. For some time now, she had been repeating this behavior.

After who knows how many sighs, a change finally arrived. The electronic chime and the message display announcing the visitor’s arrival notified her simultaneously. The screensaver on the camera was replaced by the image of Hattori. Azusa hurriedly manipulated the terminal and opened the door with a key.

“Pardon me. Nakajou...what the. Are you alone?”

“Ah, yes. I wanted to ponder something alone for a while”

As she spoke, she conscientiously stood up and directed Hattori to take a seat.

After conscientiously bowing, Hattori sat in the chair she had offered.

“If you used your ID, Hattori-kun, you could have come in even without me using the key to open the door”

While saying that in a dejected tone, Azusa started to get the tea but Hattori stopped her with a gesture.

“I am no longer an officer of the student council. So, I must act like it” “That’s so like you, Hattori-kun”

Azusa chuckled a little and then returned to her own seat. She was a little surprised but, Hattori-kun was one of the few male students Azusa could talk to normally without using formal language.

“So what is it?”

“This year’s freshmen representative”

Undoubtedly, one of Hattori’s merits was that he didn’t bother with any lighthearted phrases like ‘I came to see your face’ or ‘is it alright to come without an errand”.

However, this was also a trait that could be undoubtedly be called a little too straightforward and lacking in tact.

“Shippou-kun....?”

Looking at the forced smile on Azusa’s face, Hattori thought ‘aw nuts’ but, regrets are always too late. Beside, choosing to halt this conversation at this point wasn’t part of his style.

“Ah....Shippou refused the student council’s invitation, right”

Azusa was well aware of this inflexible, over serious nature of Hattori. So she wasn’t outraged or hurt about something of this level.

“Yes. He wants to improve himself with club activities”

“That seems to be the case. So, you decided to accept his prepared explanation, Nakajou”

Hattori felt that being too worried about others feelings was a bit rude, so he didn’t mumble his question.

“uh, did what?”

“Like the student council, club management needs to train an executive candidate chosen from among the freshmen. You are well aware of the need to fill Juumonji-senpai’ place”

“People like Juumonji-senpai are exceptions among exceptions. I think Hattori-kun is doing fine but.....”

Hattori made a wry smile at Azusa’s attempt to comfort him. There was no listlessness or self-depreciation leaking through that expression. Apparently Hattori wasn’t depressed for any reason which relieved Azusa.

“I too understand that he is an exception. And so it is necessary that I raise a leader sooner rather than later”

After listening to all he said so far, Azusa realized what he came here to talk about.

“Are you going to promote Shippou-kun to a candidate for successor?”

“Ah. Unfortunately, it will appear as if we snatched him from the student council but....”

“It was after he already refused us, so I don’t think you snatched him” “Oh really. That’s a relief”

Azusa smiled as she waved her hand, Hattori bowed in response.

“I said not to worry about it. Shippou-kun was already set on refusing us from the start and....oh yes!”

As she spoke, Azusa intentionally made a show of cheerfully clapping her hands together.

“Since you’re already here can I hear your opinion on something, Hattori- kun?”

“Opinion? My opinion on what?”

She did not immediately answer Hattori’s questions, Azusa set the image shown on her personal computer to be displayed on the surface of the wall.

“The new student data?”

The freshmen’s scores on the entrance exam by subject were included in their personal data.

“Shippou-kun ran away but I think it would be very bad if a freshmen didn’t join the student council”

“So you have been worrying over who to invite to join instead of Shippou- kun?”

This was the exact same thing Tatsuya and his friends were talking about at Eine Brise. Worrying about the same thing in different places is clearly a futile thing but as is clear from the bird’s eye view of the two events, it was happening. Unmistakably, these type of overlapping events happen in the world.

“Yes, I am. I think any of them would be excellent...”

Azusa paused as she said that with a troubled look on her face but,

“It not something you need to ponder so hard is it?” Hattori dealt with the topic easily.

“If the top scorer refused the invitation, it’s okay to chose the runner-up. The runner-up this year...”

However as he went through the lineup of new students based on their exam results, Hattori cut off his words with and his face stiffened.

“As I thought, one of Saegusa senpai’s sister would be okay.....Hattori- kun, what’s wrong? You look pale?”

“No, it’s nothing. Oh, yes, I think that would be best as well”

Hattori stood up as he spoke, he made a hurried goodbye and left the student council room.

“Hattori-kun, what could have happened....?”

Azusa muttered that as she watched him leave. The reason Hattori’s face had stiffened was unknown.

? ? ?

Common Era 2096, April 10th. For the freshmen, this was the noon break of their third day.

Tatsuya faced Kasumi and Izumi in the student council room. Even though it was put that way, he was not the only one facing them because he was seated with his fellow student council officers.

He was hit with a sense of deja vu over the situation. Spring of last year, on the same third day of school, Tatsuya had been called to this room. Of course, he was not the only one who had been invited, he had not been the main guest. His role had been nothing more than a supplement to Miyuki.

Due to some kind of error, he had been pressured to take up the mantle of a member of the Public Morals Committee.

Since that event, big unimaginable changes had been forced on his high school life. If he had not come to this room on that day, Tatsuya would probably be enjoying a peaceful high school life. At least, he himself thought so.

---People other than himself would have some doubts about agreeing with him on that.

The one who invited Miyuki and Tatsuya at that time was Mayumi. And now, Tatsuya had become a member of the student council that had invited Mayumi’s sisters. Maybe this is karma, was Tatsuya’s slightly disjointed thought.

“So you wish to promote one of us to the position of student council officer, is that what you are saying?”

Tatsuya’s mind was drawn back to this place by Izumi’s words that touched on the main topic. Right across from him, Kasumi was glaring at Tatsuya as usual with eyes that seemed to growl. That was the reason Tatsuya has taken a break from reality.

“To be able to work together with Miyuki-senpai....it’s like a dream”

He couldn’t tell what Miyuki was thinking behind her iron wall of an amiable smile looking at Izumi who had a hand on her check directly across from her. Kasumi who was open in her hostility and Izumi who was open with her desires. Azusa, Isori and Honoka were completely overwhelmed by the pair’s strange attitudes. As a result, the roles of interacting with the pair fell to the targets of their hostility and lust, Tatsuya and Miyuki.

“If you wish there is no problem with both of you working together”

He felt that there was something wrong with leaving the job of interacting with them to their targets but, he couldn’t let his sister bear the full brunt of it alone. With that in mind, Tatsuya returned to the table however,

“I have no intention of joining the student council”

His effort only elicited a brusque response from Kasumi. The way she phrased her answer showed her strong determination to reject Tatsuya. And the fact that her speech pattern was slightly different from how she spoke to her sisters probably meant she was rejecting any form of familiarity between them.

“Kasumi-chan, you have been rude to Shiba-senpai for a while now”

As expected, Izumi could not ignore what was going on and spoke to her in a candidly needling tone, Izumi was clearly paying attention to Kasumi. The fact that she wasn’t whispering might mean that giving excuses for each other’s behavior was an aspect of their relationship.

On their side, Azusa, Isori and Honoka could not conceal their surprise over the fact that Miyuki had said nothing. Her sisterly love for Tatsuya was practically a credo for her, it was normal for anyone who showed ill will to Tatsuya to be burned (frostbitten?) by her wrath. Despite that the gaze Miyuki was directing toward Kasumi could be called a pleasant one. Rather than suspicious the three of them found that terrifying. It was typically the calm before the storm.

Of course, Azusa and the rest were over-thinking it. Miyuki who was attuned to any ill will directed against Tatsuya completely understood that Kasumi did not despise her brother, her attitude was a mix of jealousy and wariness. Miyuki felt sympathetic to Kasumi’s feelings of hostility to any male who came too close to her beloved older sister and to Miyuki, since there was little chance of her developing a crush on Tatsuya, Kasumi was a cute kouhai she could associate with in a relaxed manner.

“I see, that’s unfortunate”

By that Miyuki meant that it was unfortunate for Miyuki herself that Kasumi had decided not to join the student council.

“So then, Izumi-san can we count on you to join the student council?”

However, Miyuki did not reveal any of her feelings about that or show that she wanted to keep her distance from Izumi; Miyuki just cheerfully asked the question.

“Happily”

Although the feverish gaze Izumi aimed at herself grew gradually hotter, Miyuki’s perfect ladylike smile did not falter.

? ? ?

After school and after Kasumi wasted time in the library for a while, she went to the café alone. Thirty minutes still remained of the time she had to wait until she met with Izumi who had gone to the student council earlier.

The time seemed to be slightly longer than that as she waited alone. Izumi had told her that it was alright to leave first if she got tired of waiting; so what should I do, Kasumi mused lazily.

“What’s wrong. You don’t look okay, somehow”

Without warning, a voice addressed her. When she lifted her face, there was a young staff member in a pantsuit in front of her.

“Uh, no, I’m not ill or anything”

Kasumi had intended to indicate ‘I want you to leave me alone’ with that answer. However, her words were enunciated less clearly than she had planned, shocking even herself.

The female staff member offered a smile that seemed to see right through Kasumi’s bewilderment, and sat down across from Kasumi without asking. Kasumi was slightly taken aback by this unilateral maneuver but, as she looked at the somewhat disingenuous smile, she quickly decided it did not matter.

“I’m a counselor at this school, Ono Haruka” “I’m Saegusa Kasumi, first year”

Haruka had aimed her self-introduction for the precise moment that the troubled look vanished from Kasumi’s face and Kasumi had automatically given her name in return.

“Saegusa-san is in Class C, I believe” “Yes, that’s right”

Because Haruka had stolen the initiative, Kasumi was following Haruka’s lead. “Class C isn’t in my charge but, I’ll listen to any worries you have”

“I’m not really worried about anything”

Her mental resistance didn’t last long and Kasumi earnestly talked about how she had to spend too much time waiting for Izumi who had joined the student council.

“I see. You have mixed feelings about it”

Haruka who had leaned forward to listen to Kasumi’s tale with a serious face offered those words in a whisper.

What do you mean by mixed, Kasumi thought suspiciously but; Haruka’s words continued faster than Kasumi could question her.

“Saegusa-san, why don’t you give the Public Morals committee a try?”

For Kasumi, Haruka’s suggestion was abrupt and completely unexpected. Haruka smiled agreeably as she peeked into the eyes of Kasumi who couldn’t make an immediate response.

“Do you know of our school’s Public Morals committee system?” The question just now required a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. “Yes...I heard about it from my older sister”

Although Kasumi remained perplexed, she was still able to answer this question.

“Okay. Then I can make this quick”

Haruka did not ask who Kasumi’s ‘older sister’ was. The family name of ‘Saegusa’ was both uncommon and well known so she knew who Kasumi’s older sister was without asking, moreover Haruka had known Kasumi’s identity before she had introduced herself.

“Actually the staff recommendation is one way to get on the committee. To make it short, we pick freshmen to fill the vacancies in the committee”

“You mean me? Excuse me, is it alright to unilaterally decide that right here?”

“If you were to accept it, no one would complain”

Haruka smiled slightly at the expected outburst from Kasumi who had finally regained her vitality.

“I thought that you would be able to do work that would not be inferior to Shiba-kun’s last year”

And, this remark spoken in a superficially casual manner made the eyes of Kasumi who until now was not really interested change color.

“Shiba-senpai, do you mean the elder brother?” “Yes”

For an instant, Haruka’s face displayed a ‘gotcha’ look but Kasumi didn’t notice.

“Last year, Shiba who was recommended by the student council was stood out as much as a member of the Public Morals Committee as Chief Watanabe-san herself. The staff recommended Morisaki is also remembered for his reliable battle skills but, it is undeniable that he was seen as somewhat overshadowed by Shiba-kun. Besides last year, problems occurred with one of the other committee members recommended by the staff. If things like that continue a bit more than people will look suspiciously at the staff, it would help us a lot if you would undertake this”

It might not have been necessary for Haruka to articulate two reasons. When she made the point about Tatsuya standing out, Kasumi was filled with a blend of fighting spirit and antagonism.

“I understand. Please let me do it”

She was so enthused right now, she seemed to have flames behind him.

“..Thank you. I’ll contact the Public Morals Chief. I think you might even be contacted by them tomorrow”

Since she knew that trouble had occurred before and after the admissions ceremony, Haruka had used that knowledge to incite her. However, she had been more stirred up by it than Haruka had predicted; What on earth had actually happened, Haruka could not help wondering.