ir.

Even though he was in charge of Shizuku, who charged past preliminaries, he was serving as engineer for Kirihara, of the Kirihara and Tomitsuka pair. What was more, the day after tomorrow he was taking care of Miyuki's [Ice Pillars Break] Girl's solo in the morning and Sawaki's [Shield Down] Boy's solo in the afternoon. This was expected to be the busiest two days *especially for Tatsuya at the 9SC*.

"Shiba-senpai, voltage checks for Kirihara's CAD have been completed."

"Hook them up to the auto-debugger next."

"Okay."

With Kent as his assistant, Shizuku's and Kirihara's CADs were tuned. This work had strong tinges of inspection rather than tuning, so making Kent the assistant had strong educational impact in guiding him in "orthodox" CAD tuning protocols. However, Kent was unexpectedly skilled and knowledgeable, and he was turning into a capable help for Tatsuya.

Just as the pair's work appeared to be ending soon, a visitor came for Tatsuya. "It's you, Ichijou. What's up?"

Coming to visit the operations van was Masaki.

"Sorry to visit you at this hour. Do you have a moment?"

"We're running on schedule. If it's just for a moment, then it's fine. Kent, I'm taking a break."

"Okay, senpai."

Tatsuya called out to Kent with this, then went along with Masaki to a spot unlit by the van's headlights.

"You're entrusting the engineering work to a freshman?" Masaki, walking alongside and a bit surprised, asked him that. "I was once a freshman last year."

However, on hearing Tatsuya's slightly sarcastic answer, Masaki bitterly smiled, thinking "That's way too rude."

"Well then, I believe you've come to me only for the Steeplechase case."

Ignoring Masaki's relatively friendly fa?ade, Tatsuya went ahead and spilled out what the former would say. Masaki instantly hardened his expression, then changed his mind figuring this was no time for idle chat.

"Yeah, it's as you've said. Somehow, it's more suspicious than I thought."

"What did you find out?"

Tatsuya stopped walking and turned towards Masaki. The latter directly took on the former's inquiry.

"It's still far from the point where you can say that I've found them out. It's just that the JSDF hard-liners appear to be involved with it."

"Hard-liners?"

Tatsuya inquisitively asked back; Masaki immediately found out that Tatsuya didn't know what [hard-liners] was simply referring to.

"Oh, sorry, it's the anti-GAA hard-liners within the JSDF."

"And they are the ones maneuvering behind the 9SC?"

With a little thinking, it was an easy-to-understand plan. The powers that desired a war victory were in a hurry to expand their battle strength by selecting combat- capable magicians. High school students may not be ready fire-power, but even the hard-liners wouldn't be wishing for a war outbreak in a day or two. Besides, if they were to see results in the 9SC, it would be easy to guess that this method would be expanded into the university magicians' athletic meets.

However, house Kudou, no, Kudou Retsu and the hard-liners joining together -- to consider it would be a troublesome combination. Tatsuya had heard that Kudou Retsu hated to see magicians used as weapons. It was all rumors, but it had high credibility. Just hearing it from Fujibayashi could be for the benefit of her relatives; such was worth considering, but Kazama, critical of the Ten Master Clans organization, would say pretty much the same thing.

Retsu hated the use of magicians as weapons, and yet he was not denying the use of them as soldiers. Paradoxical, yet that was the very reason there was no way for that old man to use high school students as guinea pigs for such a foul-looking method. For soldiers are not expendable, but are important resources.

"I heard Col. Sakai wants us high school students to join up the JSDF, bypassing the Ministry of Defense in the process."

With Masaki continuing to explain, Tatsuya sensed he was getting more and more confused. I see, if the hardliners' objective is to secure volunteers as ready firepower then confrontations against Kudou Retsu cannot occur. If they are to introduce strong combat-type events, then their plan is crystal clear. Perhaps they'd try to instill to the high school students the exhilarating feelings when battle instincts and destructive urges were unleashed. If that's the case, it's no different from trying to increase the number of youth that aim to join as combat magicians.

Even himself as among the youth --- on the contrary, in spite of not being on a youth's level, Tatsuya thought of it as someone else's problem. Motivating for combat instincts and destructive urges was a MO even used in Yotsuba training.

Nevertheless, that did not explain the spell to make parasite dolls go on a rampage. The hardliners had to know how much, how far the connections went. Either they were tied to the puppet master or they were mere minor actors.

And then a small problem suddenly popped up within Tatsuya's mind. "... You got as far as finding out Col. Sakai's name."

Even the Ichijous probably had a channel of their own into the JSDF. But it should have been no easy task to thoroughly check out the ringleader's name in a short time. Since it was no public political party, there were no written registries going around about each faction.

Masaki showed a bitter expression at Tatsuya's monologue on abrupt question. "Col. Sakai was my father's old acquaintance..."

As expected, even Tatsuya was astounded by this *acknowledgement*. "Ichijou, I didn't expect that..."

"No, that's way off! Don't take it for something else, Shiba!"

As expected, Ichijou openly denied the confusion even when going as far as suggestively taking a stab at it. Even Tatsuya felt relief for the denial. Better that the enemies keep on increasing; if this situation deteriorates any further, he would turn the tables over with bothersome brute force.

(No ... ... I'd rather end up destroying the steeplechase course. Doesn't matter what kind of action I have to take if I do that.)

"That they were acquaintances was a matter for the past."

Masaki was flustered over something else, totally unaware that Tatsuya was thinking of something far more dangerous.

"Col. Sakai was the top commander in that area during the Sado invasions four years ago."

(From the start I have nothing to do with the Kudou's objectives or with the JSDF predictions.)

"Perhaps you knew about it, but a volunteer force with my father as the leader was formed to recover Sado. At the same time father appealed to Col. Sakai for whether a regiment-sized unit can be dispatched to Niigata, Hokuriku. That time both the gov't and the JSDF were focused on Okinawa, so the JSDF had intended to send in a battalion once the volunteer army had recovered Sado."

(Having First High win the 9SC is optional. Or at least on the last day's Steeplechase, Miyuki or Honoka or Shizuku's championships will wait until after this is over. A premature 9SC termination would be a complete humiliation for the Magic Association well into the thesis competition --- but that's out of my hands.)

"Col. Sakai answered my father's appeals. We're thankful for that even now. At that time a large military force had been virtually thrown our way. We haven't seen an offensive that big, as my father would say, and I believe so, too."

(If I hit the ground just below the surface with a Material Burst it would probably be misidentified as explosions from conventional weapons. Targeting for an infinitesimal mass is possible with a *self-made* Third Eye and a *short distance of a few kilometers* and shouldn't trigger any volcanic ranges. Doing it at the dead of night won't cause any harm to all students. That leaves persuading Miyuki and to whom to pin this action on ... I think.)

"However, just after the first part of the Okinawa battle, the colonel tried to pull a counter-invasion on the New Soviet Union! My father protested, but the colonel would hear none of it. Of course, there's no way the GHQ would approve such a venture. As a result the counter-invasion didn't happen, but father was at loggerheads with the colonel until the regiment stood down. From there they quarreled and split up, and they haven't spoken to each other since."

(If only there were criminal syndicate members prowling about just like last year to be able to pin this on them. Don't they have the latent strength to go against the armed forces?)

"I talked to my father yesterday and he was troubled, saying 'it's better off without that mutiny nonsense', but then he said, 'it's already other people's problem so we can do nothing about it' as he shook his head with finality."

"Mutiny, you said?"

Tatsuya thought it was totally different from Masaki's *explanation* thus far. However the single word that would match with his thoughts came flying through his hearing, spontaneously focusing his consciousness onto Masaki's story.

For Masaki, Tatsuya suddenly giving out a response after silently listening to his explanation (that's what he saw) was a surprise, and he learned that the word [mutiny] was extreme for a new irritant.

"No, there's no such thing as suspicions of mutiny against Col. Sakai's group. I myself know little of the details, only the [it's only a matter of time for a mutiny to occur] kind of rumors."

"That means you don't have any proof."

"Y, yeah."

"Only rumors then."

"That's probably the case ... anyway!"

Masaki must have felt this conversation was going in a direction he himself didn't like. He raised his voice to force the conversation back on track.

"Right now the Ichijous have nothing to do with Col. Sakai. We did some socializing back then so we have many connections; it was through these connections that we're aware of this case. Col. Sakai's group probably isn't planning on a mutiny. If they are plotting on something, I believe it's to gather a considerable number of young magicians and take them into their own faction, then take the battle to the GAA's shores."

"That much is enough for a not-so-quiet conversation, ... but thank you. I'll keep those in mind."

"I, it's nothing much. I'm investigating for my own sake, no thanks are necessary. Anyway that's as the situation goes so maybe no one's making a move on the matches. They might when the tournaments are over. I'll contact you when I find something ... whether during the closing party, or by discreetly contacting you."

"Thanks."

Tatsuya sent off Masaki, who was taking his leave very hurriedly, with a terse thanks. He knew Masaki's conjectures were off, and he didn't intend to drag the latter into the Parasite Dolls matter.

(Hardliners......)

Offered with a definite candidate for a possible scapegoat, Tatsuya instead regained his composure. There was clearly no time even if diversionary tactics were executed. It was less than ten days until match day for Steeplechase Cross- country, where the parasite doll experiments would be performed. To complete an operation with such a short time interval would be difficult even with Yakumo's help. It might be possible with Yotsuba help, but it was highly unlikely that Maya would give her support to the partial explosion at Fuji training grounds from the onset.

(It's so unlike me to be too indecisive over this or that...)

With that, Tatsuya finally recognized that he was wearing out. For now, tonight, Tatsuya ordered himself to drive out the Parasite Doll matter from his mind and relax in a tea session with his younger sister and friends.

? ? ?

Day three of the 9SC. In the morning the prelims and finals for Shield Down, boys pair, and the finals for Ice pillars break, boys pair, were carried out.

And currently they were in the midst of the third finals match for Shield Down, boys pair. Both First and Third High were tied for first in the finals, so the winner of this match would be the champion of Shield Down boys pair.

Tomitsuka hoisted up his shield, then charged on. The Third High players, aware from the matches thus far that the First High pair were both close-range types, always kept their distance from both Kirihara and Tomitsuka as they fought on. However, the immediately effective remote magic was a high-strength area interference instead of the narrow one created by Tomitsuka -- that's what the Third High players believed. The truth was they were kept out because of contact- type Gram Demolition. In that situation the Third High players lobbed compressed air masses at them.

"Yaaah!"

The shockwave unleashed from Tomitsuka's shield blew up the compressed air masses into mere "quite strong" winds. It was a composite of Movement-type magic [Rest] and a derivative of acceleration magic [Explosion]. It was not the application of radial acceleration to solid masses, but an alteration where the gases directly in contact with the shield face were given acceleration vectors that were perpendicular to the shield face ([Rest] here was meant to restrain against its backlash).

Until 9SC training had started, Tomitsuka was unable to learn the air-based attack magic that was popular among Modern Magic users. This magic type mostly required continuous state maintenance of the compressed air until it rushed towards or touched an opponent. For Tomitsuka, unable to control magic beyond the range of his limbs, there was no getting around the fact that there were things he knew he was not good at.

However, being 'totally' unable to learn this type of magic was really a problem of the 'consciousness'. As long as one was on solid ground, air was everywhere. It existed 'where it is within one's reach'. By only accelerating the air close at hand, long-range control was unnecessary. An example would be Sawaki's Mach Punch, where it was just a mass of solidified air surrounding the fist pushing out the air in contact with said mass. A spell to accelerate part of a body, no, the entire body into sonic speeds after moving solidified air through sonic speeds without any time lag was a tough proposition, but the remote control for the 'process' of firing out a shockwave wouldn't be used at all.

Tatsuya, serving in a double role as tactical officer, drew up the basic theoretical framework. But, it was through Hirakawa Chiaki's efforts that an activation sequence for [Blast] that Tomitsuka could master was devised and its CAD optimized.

Chiaki was by nature more proficient in CAD hardware than in software-based activation sequences; she too was proficient in adjusting activation sequences, but she was bad at arranging them. But after hearing from Tomitsuka the concepts behind [Zero Range Blast], Chiaki, under Professor Jennifer Smith's daily guidance, grappled with her weakness that was activation sequence arranging, before she succeeded in a rearranged activation sequence for Blast that Tomitsuka could easily handle. One could say that thanks to Chiaki, a zero-ranged Tomitsuka could use Blast.

Kirihara, taking his cue from Tomitsuka blowing away Third High's attacks, rushed forward. For the ring positions, Tomitsuka was in the middle, the Third High pair were on the edge, and Kirihara was smack between them.

He then lowered his body, kneeling down on one knee as if going down, then struck the ring with his shield.

A beat later the ring shook. Along with the counter vibration due to the ring being struck, magic to create frequency-controlling vibratory waves was fed in.

The shaking was great in the center. However, it had a big psychological impact on the Third High pair, who were standing on the edge. Should they fall out of the ring, they would be eliminated.

Their consciousness focused on their footing, they veered away from Kirihara and Tomitsuka.

The pair didn't let that opening slip through. Using self-acceleration magic, Tomitsuka rushed forward and past Kirihara, ramming one Third High player with his shield. This time it was his specialty, an Explosion that affected solid bodies.

The other Third High player had no time to realize that his partner had fallen out of the ring as Kirihara had stabbed into that player's shield with his Shield Edge.

It was a variant of Sonic Blade. The Third High's shield did not break, it was shattered. And without going for round two, the Shield Down boys pair championship went to First High.

Kirihara took Tomitsuka's hand and raised them up high. At the ringside staff chairs, Chiaki was clapping her hands with joy. She had an always sour look due to Tatsuya sitting beside her, but it appeared even that was forgotten.

? ? ?

On the third day First High took third for men’s Ice Pillars Break pairs, and first for the women’s. The men’s Shield Down pair took first, but the women’s pair dropped out in the prelims. This was an unexpected result, but they had been grouped with Third High who ended up winning overall. If they had beaten Third High at that match they likely could have ended up winning themselves; so intense was the fight.

But what’s done is done. Third High placed no lower than second for all their events today. The point gap which had been 40 at the end of the second day was now 100. At the dinner table, even the pairs who had won were in a sombre mood.

Instead--

“Shizuku, congratulations on your win!”

“Well, with Shizuku’s abilities that was a given.”

“Yep yep, congrats Shizuku!”

At the evening tea party at Tatsuya’s work vehicle, words of praise to Shizuku flew fast.

“Thanks, everyone.”

No matter how many times, it was still something to be happy for. Shizuku lightly inclined her head.

“Tomorrow is Miyuki’s turn, huh?”

Slightly abashed, but covering it magnificently as always, she turned the focus to Miyuki.

“Yes, I’ll have to do my best, too.”

Without jesting or subtlety, Miyuki replied with a determined smile.

“I think it’d be best if you didn’t think like that. If you focus all your effort into that you might make a pitfall when you least expect it.”

“There’s no way any sort of trap could defeat Miyuki, right? Rather, I think the most important thing is to take care not to make a false start.”

“That’s the biggest pitfall.”

“Jeez...... Subaru, Erika, do you really think I would be that careless?”

The reason Subaru and Erika had framed their concerns as jokes was because they couldn’t take the pure atmosphere radiating between Shizuku and Miyuki. With Miyuki’s light protest, the air in the group relaxed again.

“No, it’s not that.”

Subaru answered with a wry smile, and Miyuki likewise pursued no further.

The breezy chatter of the girls melted into the night sky. The number of people attending the parties had increased steadily and things were becoming livelier.

Erika hadn’t come the first day, saying she was ‘busy’, but had joined since last night as if there were no more problems. Tonight, Satomi Subaru and Akechi Eimi had also come along. The camping table would be full soon. If even more people came, they’d have to find another table and chairs. --All the second year girls were here now, however, so it was probably unlikely any more would turn up.

The first tea party was known to all of the First High team by the next morning. The reason Eimi and Subaru had joined tonight wasn’t because they were reserved about staying the night.

“That said Eimi, it’s good you’re feeling better. Spending a night like that wouldn’t have been very nice."

“I, I wasn’t sulking! Not at all!”

It wasn’t like she had pressed the issue because she thought it was that big a deal......but seeing Eimi frantically refute it, Subaru heaved a sigh. Based on her attitude, it was questionable if she was really calm, but Subaru had been able to feel that Eimi was troubled.

Subaru and Eimi shared a room. They weren’t as close to Tatsuya’s group as Honoka and Shizuku and since coming to the 9SC, outside of matches, they mainly spent their time together. So when Subaru felt that something was bothering Eimi, she herself would feel affected and as a friend, would feel the need to do something.

“What happened?”

Miyuki questioned not Eimi herself, but rather Subaru. “Nothing at all!”

Her facing reddening, Eimi tried to interfere. But something like that wasn’t able to stop Subaru.

“It’s about Tomitsuka......”

At that answer which Subaru gave with one eye closed and a shrug, Miyuki, Honoka and Shizuku all breathed out with expressions of understanding.

“What did Tomitsuka-kun do?”

Mizuki turned to question Shizuku, who sat next to her. It was Erika who answered, however.

“He was probably flirting with that chick.”

“That chick.....?”

“Hirakawa. Hirakawa Chiaki.”

It seemed Mizuki finally understood what Erika was driving at. Still looking unconvinced, however, they turned to Eimi.

“Eimi. It’s Tomitsuka-kun, I’m sure he was just expressing his gratitude.” Talking about how Tomitsuka and Chiaki had been getting along well during dinner(although Chiaki had her head down most of the time), Honoka spoke words of comfort to Eimi.

“I said there was no problem.”

Eimi persisted in her denial, but it hadn’t been only Honoka who had seen Tomitsuka with Chiaki. Shizuku and Miyuki had seen the same thing. Even if they hadn’t, it was evident with a glance by comparing Subaru and Eimi’s expressions who was more trustworthy here.

“Eimi, Tomitsuka-kun is hopeless.”

“What was that?!”

Displaying such a predictable reaction, it was questionable whether she was really holding something back. That said though, Shizuku's words had been fairly confrontational--to put it lightly.

“Unlike Tatsuya-san, Tomitsuka-kun is honest-to-god dense. You’d have to clearly spell things out to him.”

After Shizuku elaborated, Eimi was left with a delicate expression. It appeared she wouldn't go to his defense--or rather, it was a face which conceded there was no defense.

Speaking of delicacy, Tatsuya seemed lost as to what sort of expression to make. Perhaps mercifully, his troubles didn't last long.

[Master.]

Being telepathically called by Pixie all of a sudden, Tatsuya suppressed his tension and stood up with a neutral expression. He had forbidden Pixie to use telepathy except in one specific scenario. In other words, that situation had occurred.

"Onii-sama?"

"Tatsuya-san?"

"Something sounds off. I'm going to go have a look."

Leaving Miyuki and Honoka that excuse which could be rather openly interpreted, Tatsuya headed inside the vehicle.

Once inside, Pixie led him over to the map located on the panel at the driver's seat. In the center of the map the SCCC course was laid out, adjoining the military road opposite them.

[I have caught readings of my compatriots in this location.] "Are the signals still ongoing?"

Scrutinizing the map with a pained expression, Tatsuya contacted Pixie. [It is. It seems my presence has likewise been compromised.]

"How many?"

[I can identify 16.]

That number coincided with what Tatsuya had gleaned from the former Ninth Institute lab.

[Ah......]

Pixie voiced her feelings reflexively. This sort of personal behavior had become increasingly common lately.

"What is it."

[I have suddenly lost all contact. I believe they may have gone dormant.] "Any signs of movement?"

[From what I had intercepted, negative.]

At this stage the Parasite Dolls were yet unable to be developed in military facilities. Tatsuya did not know just how much they had been informed, but this Parasite Doll performance test was most likely a secret. If that was the case, Tatsuya believed it was likely they had been brought in via a mobile lab of some sort.

Tatsuya likewise didn't know the effective distance it would have to be in to effectively monitor the Parasite Dolls. But for the sake of a performance test, he deduced that they wouldn't want to be too far when the competition was under way. A position close to the course should therefore be the logical choice. The only problem was--

(If we could determine the location of the Parasite Dolls from here, they likely know the position of Pixie as well......)

That point caused him considerable concern. If Pixie could recognise the Parasite Dolls, the reverse also likely held true. Meaning the fact that the presence of the Parasite Dolls had been compromised was a fact also known to the Kudou experiment team.

If Tatsuya was in their shoes, he would have moved out immediately. That meant finding a different position until the day of the experiment. However, these people were complacently operating under the aegis of Kudou Retsu's protection, and there was a good chance they wouldn't be that wary.

(......Didn't I just decide yesterday that there was nothing to be gained from wondering here. It's not like there's much to lose. Let's go have a look.) Tatsuya finally decided upon that course of action.

By the time he had collected his equipment and headed back outside, the tea party was already wrapping up.

"Tatsuya-san, see you tomorrow."

"See you, too, Miyuki."

"Tatsuya-kun, thanks for the party."

"Shiba-kun, Miyuki, thanks again~"

"See ya, Tatsuya."

"Shiba-sempai, good night."

The lively group of friends (+ one junior) returned to the hotel. Having seen them off, Miyuki cheekily smiled up at Tatsuya.

"Onii-sama, are you heading out?"

"Yeah."

She knew him so well that there was no point trying to hide anything as he nodded.

"I thought as much, so I got everyone to head back early."

He had been seen through to a frightening degree, but thinking 'this isn't new', his disturbance faded before it ever surfaced. Her next words, however, did affect him.

"Onii-sama, please don't go."

"Miyuki......what do you mean?"

"No. Rather, Onii-sama. I won't let you go."

There was no longer any trace of amusement in her eyes. Rather, they glinted with an unshakeable will.

"Onii-sama, must you really go confront the enemy now? I personally don't think so."

"Pixie has detected the enemy's location. We finally have a lead."

"Before that. What I'm asking is, why must Onii-sama move to intervene with the experiment of the Kudou."

It was one of those rare moments Tatsuya was lost for words. From the moment he had received the message from the unknown sender, he had taken that they must be stopped as a given. However, that was only something *he* had thought.

"This may be selfish of me. I haven't exactly assisted you in this case either, so this may be rather shameless of me as well."

As she spoke, Miyuki was resolute. Whilst bearing her 'shame', she continued to stand before him.

"You may scold me as much as you like later. But Onii-sama. Before that, please hear me out."

Tatsuya's eyes never wavered from Miyuki's. After declaring he had intended to go face the enemy, he had not moved an inch from before her.

"There is not a single reason why Onii-sama should have to bear responsibility for the Kudou's plans. Onii-sama does not have any obligation to stop the Parasite Dolls at all."

Tatsuya himself knew that all too well. He understood it fully.

"Neither should Onii-sama have to bear responsibility for all the competitors in the Steeple Chase Cross Country."

It was like being struck by a warning stick during meditation. Tatsuya dimly began to realize what his sister wanted to say, and where she was right while he was wrong.

"Onii-sama. I'm about to say something extremely selfish. Something I'm ashamed to even think of."

There was not a trace of humility or pretentiousness in Miyuki's tone. Not a single trace of hesitation, either.

"All Onii-sama has to do is protect me. The only one Onii-sama has to be responsible for, is me."

Only her voice, even now, held a quaver close to tears.

"Whether they're from First High, or another school altogether, Onii-sama does not have to concern himself with anyone except me!"

Miyuki audibly clenched her teeth. Her downcast bangs hid her tear-stained eyes.

"It's fine to leave the Parasite Dolls alone until the actual day. If you don't consider the fact the actual Parasites would only be released, those creatures aren't even close to worthy of being Onii-sama's adversaries. It's fine to just destroy them all on the day. After the competition has ended, I will destroy the spirits themselves."

Slowly, bit by bit, Miyuki raised her gaze to meet Tatsuya's. Her eyes were now dry.

"If you will insist on going even then, while impertinent, I will have to stop you by force."

Now Tatsuya felt dismay in earnest.

He could feel forbidden powers now gathering inside her.

"Stop this, Miyuki! Are you intending to s-->>

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