Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei

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When the exchange battle player selection meeting started at First High, Tatsuya was told by Minami through the intercom that he had received a phone call.

"From where?"

Tatsuya asked Minami, who looked apologetic on the screen, without giving a bothered expression.

"It's Doumeki-sama, the manager of the Kanto branch of the Magic Association."

"Connect me."

Tatsuya thought that it was a hassle, but he ordered Minami to do so.

"As you wish."

Along with that voice, a thin man that was over fifty appeared on the monitor screen.

"Tatsuya Shiba, right? I'm Doumeki, the manager of the Kanto Branch of the Magic Association."

His tone was arrogant, but it was unclear whether it was due to his position as the branch manager of the Magic Association or based on the societal value of respecting the elders.

"I'm Shiba. So, what do you need?"

The old Tatsuya would have responded politely to such opponents so as not to make repercussions. But now his position had changed. Various persons were already approaching him in order to use his power, knowledge, and name. Tatsuya dared to ask back in a blunt tone so as to not mislead the branch manager.

"I've heard that you're back in Tokyo. We, the association, have something to ask you directly."

The branch manager expressed discomfort. Apparently he is a person that is easy to understand.

"Yes. I understand, ask it."

In response to Tatsuya, Doumeki was visibly frustrated.

"I prefer to say it directly. I want you to appear at the Kanto branch the day after tomorrow."

He seemed to be sensible enough to talk without yelling. Still, in the same arrogant tone, the branch manager ordered Tatsuya to come to the Association.

"Please ask the questions here."

"I've already told you! I'm not going to do it by phone!"

However, Doumeki's patience was soon exhausted.

"So, I will answer you directly by phone. Of course, 'as far as I can answer'."

On the other hand, Tatsuya continued to give a humorous answer with only superficial words. Even if the director of the Kanto branch of the Japan Magic Association made a loud voice, it would not hurt or discomfort the current Tatsuya.

"Are you going to refuse to appear? Magicians are affiliated to the association without exception."

The tone of the director changed to one that included a threat.

Of course, Tatsuya's response did not change from such a threat.

"I know. Under the laws of this country, anyone who obtains a magician's license, regardless of his or her circumstances, is affiliated to the Japan Magic Association. This provision also applies to high school students attached to Magic University before obtaining a license."

Doumeki snorted and nodded to Tatsuya's monotone answer.

"That's right. And if you are a magician affiliated to the association, you are obliged to obey the appearance order! "

"The Japan Magic Association does not have the authority to order an unconditional appearance just because I am a magician."

"What?"

Doumeki screamed with a vacant face.

"If you want to force someone to go, follow the necessary steps."

Tatsuya struck the truth in that gap.

Just then, a notification of a call extension was displayed on the edge of the monitor screen.

"Excuse me for a second."

"Hey, wait!"

Ignoring the manager's demand, Tatsuya put the call on hold and switched to an extension call.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your call."

Minami spoke before Tatsuya could ask.

"What happened?"

"I have a call from Hayama-sama. What should I do? "

"Wait a minute. I'll end the call I'm receiving right away."

"As you wish."

Tatsuya returned the videophone to the call with the Magic Association.

"Sorry I made you wait."

"Hey, you. Just because you became a little famous"

Tatsuya didn't listen to the director's complaint until the end.

"Let's meet on another occasion. Now, if you don't have any other business, excuse me."

"Wait! This conversation is-"

Tatsuya pressed the call button on the videophone. This button acts as a connect switch when pressed before a call and as a disconnect switch when pressed during a call.

The monitor switched to the pending extension video.

"Minami, please connect."

"Yes, right away."

In response to Tatsuya's simple command, Minami operated the videophone without saying anything else.

"Tatsuya-sama, I'm sorry for interrupting you."

In contrast to Doumeki, the branch manager of the Magic Association, Hayama spoke to Tatsuya in a respectful polite tone and gave a non-sitting bow.

"No, no problem. It's over."

"Could you tell me where the call was from?"

"It was from the Magic Association. They were talking about me going to the association because they have something to ask."

"Hoh Did the Magic Association order Tatsuya, who is directly affiliated with the Yotsuba family, to appear? Was Chairman Tomitsuka on the other side? "

Hayama spoke in a polite tone, which was also extremely cold. Of course, that feeling was not directed at Tatsuya. Hayama was uncomfortable with the arrogant words of the Magic Association.

"Chairman Tomitsuka" is Tomitsuka Hisui, the current chairman of the Magic Association. She is the mother of Tatsuya and Miyuki's classmate, Tomitsuka Hagane.

"No, it was the branch manager Doumeki."

"The Kanto branch manager So, how did Tatsuya-sama reply? "

"I declined. From my current point of view, I don't like being seen as a push-over."

"I think it was a good decision."

Hayama gave a small, but respectful bow.

"So, what business does Hayama-san have with me?"

"Oh, pardon me for my rudeness. Actually, I would like to hear from Tatsuya-sama about the Master Clans meeting. As you can predict, madam has asked if you have the intention to attend the meeting."

"Aunt, no If mother decides that I should go, of course I will attend."

It wasn't the case that Tatsuya mistook the words for "aunt". It was an indication of his arguing that his position was false and that he was not really recognized as the son of the head.

The Hayama on the screen, at first glance, didn't seem to care about Tatsuya's misstatement.

"Then, please attend the Masters Clan conference that will be held from 11 am tomorrow. The designated place is the Kaga Daimon Hotel in Kanazawa."

"11 o'clock tomorrow. I understand."

Unfortunately, Tatsuya didn't know a hotel named "Kaga Daimon Hotel", but if the location is Kanazawa, it would take less than two hours to fly there. Since there is no need to use an air car or a freed suit, Tatsuya can let Hanabishi Hyogo, who has become his personal butler, fly the helicopter.

It's unlikely that the hotel doesn't have a heliport at this age, but even if it doesn't, all he has to do is use magic to descend.

After Tatsuya calculated that in his head he nodded to Hayama's words.

It was at the dinner table that Tatsuya met Miyuki and Lina. The two were back a little earlier, before 5 pm, but Tatsuya was in the underground lab at that time.

"It promises to be interesting."

Tatsuya commented when he heard that Erika was selected as a player.

"First High is also quite different."

"Yes, really"

"I think so too."

The three people think of the atmosphere of the high school when they were in the first grade two years ago. Certainly, at that time, it would have been unthinkable for a female second-class student to participate in Inter-School Matches between the nine schools on behalf of the school.

"But it's surprising. Didn't Tomitsuka's name come up?"

Although Tomitsuka Hagane was in a different event, he is a top class student of the current third years who also participated in the Nine Schools Competition last year. It was natural for Tatsuya to feel suspicious.

"Tomitsuka-kun himself declined in advance because he wanted to participate in the Open tournament of Martial Magic Arts held at the end of the month."

However, Tatsuya's question was quickly resolved by Miyuki's answer. The national competition for magic sports competitions is scheduled after the end of the Nine Schools Competition every year. Prioritizing that over the Monolith Code is not unusual.

Tatsuya just nodded, "I see," and didn't mention the Tomitsuka anymore.

He wasn't nervous, but there was a quiet anger in his heart.

The phrase "protecting the magician's 'right to live as a person'" that Mitsuya Gen said irritated him.

Tatsuya seemed to be hypocritical, saying "the right to live as a human being" while being content with the current situation of forcing magicians to play the role of weapons.

"Shiba-dono, there is something I want to clarify here."

"What is it?"

This time, Tatsuya repelled Gen's line of sight instead of accepting it.

Tension rises.

"On October 31, 2095, you were the one who cast the magic that destroyed the Great Asian Union Fleet?"

Formerly, he asked in a roundabout way if he was a Strategic-Class Magician. This time, he was being direct.

Tatsuya looked at Maya and she nodded.

The two of them will no longer hide this exchange.

"That's right."

Tatsuya returns Mitsuya Gen's question with an affirmation.

"By order of the National Defence Forces, I used a Magic of mass-energy conversion."

"Magic of mass-energy? Does it really exist"

Raizou lets out a skeptical mutter. He wasn't the only one to think so, but no one responded to his words. His interest soon returned to the confrontation between Tatsuya and Gen.

"According to the National Defence Forces's orders? If the government then recognized you as a new Apostle, this situation would not have happened"

Gen expresses his opinions like if he was talking with himself. The word "Apostle" he spoke of refers to a nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magician. It comes from the fact that the thirteen nationally recognized Strategic-Class Magicians were called "Thirteen Apostles."

"Shiba-dono. Are you willing to continue to obey the National Defence Forces' orders?"

Gen returns his consciousness from within himself to Tatsuya, who is facing him, and asks.

"The situation has changed since then. While I may respond to National Defence Forces requests, I no longer will obey orders."

"And what is the reason?"

Shippou Takumi was the one who voiced the question. His tone was milder than Mitsuya Gen, but there were wrinkles between his eyebrows.

Tatsuya looked at Maya. Who raised the corners of her mouth slightly and gave a small nod.

"Because the relationship of mutual trust between me and the National Defense Force was broken."

After receiving Maya's approval, Tatsuya answers Takumi's question.

"Relationship of mutual trust, when Shiba-dono is only eighteen years old? Was there a continuous relationship with the Defense Forces other than "Scorched Halloween"?"

There was confusion on Takumi's tone and facial expression.

"I have been in military service as a Special Officer for about four years. Legally, I was a volunteer who was under the command of the army. The destruction of the Combined Fleet of the Great Asian Union was ordered as part of that."

"The 101 Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion of the National Defense Army."

Koichi murmured to himself, but it reached everyone's ears.

"Yes."

It was also communicated to everyone that Tatsuya admitted that he belonged to that unit.

"If I say so myself, without me the war with the Great Asian Union two years ago would have been a tough result for Japan. I am proud that I have made a considerable number of other contributions."

"Nevertheless, you were betrayed by the Defense Forces?"

Mitsuya Gen asked that because the confrontation with Major General Saeki was due to Tatsuya hiding Lina. With that sort of reasoning, he intended to draw a closure favorable to his argument of Tatsuya being responsible for the betrayal of the Defense Forces.

"Do you remember the surprise attack of Bezobrazov with the Tuman Bomba on June 9th when I was in the Izu Islands? The Defense Force had received information about that surprise attack beforehand."

But Gen's speculation is wrong. Because Lina's asylum was on June 19th. If Tatsuya's words are correct, it was Saeki's side who first broke the relationship of trust.

"Is that a confirmed fact?"

"Indeed it is."

Tatsuya replied with an unwavering attitude to Raizou's question.

"I don't think I've been treated unreasonably. Though that was undeserved."

Tatsuya now proceeds to look at everyone at the same time.

"Old people say that "when the nimble rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked". Even if they pledge absolute obedience to the government, if someone is considered dangerous, the government will actively try to eliminate them rather than protect. That is political realism."

There is no reaction. Needless to say, everyone understood this much.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not actively in conflict with the government, but it's dangerous to rely entirely on the government. To protect the magician's "right to live as a person", I think it's better to leave them with some bargaining chips instead of unconditionally obeying government orders."