MKnR 08 - Reminiscence.pdf

8/12/2019 MKnR 08 - Reminiscence.pdf

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Chapter 1

Common Era November 6, 2095 - Yotsuba Main House-

Reception Room

A rather large building done in the style of a traditional Samurai

residene!

"hat is the im#ression of the $otsuba %ain &ouse as seen from

outside the gate!

'om#ared to a ty#ial residene it is ertainly s#aious! ()en

alling it a mansion does not feel li*e a misnomer!

&o+e)er someone +ho loo*ed at the grand mansions of the li*e

those of the Saegusa ,amily and -hi.ou ,amily +ould #robably be

rather sur#rised by it sim#le snug a##earane!

"he $otsuba do not are about the s#aiousness of their house!

eause the $otsuba ,amily +ho maintain a systemati #oliy of a

serey +ould ne)er in)ite a large number of outsiders as guests!

Perha#s they thin* a grand mansion +ould only be an enumbrane!

ithout regard to the fat that her mother had been a member of the

main family %iyu*i mused o)er the matter from an outsiders

#ers#eti)e as she and her brother ste##ed through the

o)er#o+ering struture of the gate together!

"hat daythe day that +ould be ome to be *no+n in the future

as "he Sorhed &allo+een +as only one +ee* ago!

"he siblings had brought themsel)es to the mountain )illage that

+as not reorded on any ma# by foot in aordane +ith their

aunts in)itation+hih should rather be alled a summons to

a##ear before her!

5es#ite +hat ould be hy#othesied from the outside struture it

+as a modern and uite e#ansi)e ree#tion room that they +ere

ushered into and informed that they +ere to +ait in! "his +as not a

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small ree#tion room used for #ri)ay this +as large room that

ould be lassified as an Audiene 'hamber +hih let us *no+

that todays summons +as not a #ersonal one from our aunt it +as

from the %aster of the $otsuba ,amily! ell +e had diserned

that from the beginning!

;e)er the less thought %iyu*i!

"hree years ha)e #assed sine - ha)e been summoned to this room

+ith my brother!

5ont +orry! e are not the same as three years before!?

&er uneasiness had a##arently sho+n on her fae! %iyu*i tilted her

eyes u#+ard to find "atsuya nodding reassuringly in her line of sightas she #ee*ed at him!

;et to the sofa %iyu*i +as sitting on he stood!

"hree years before he had the same #osture!

"hree years before he had stood behind %iyu*i!

"hats orret@! ,rom three years before its altered!

"atsuya +as #robably tal*ing about ho+ our abilities had alteredfrom three years before! "he ueen of ;ight?! -f you eamine their magi affinities in

detail it +ould be readily a##arent that in a one on one

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onfrontation "atsuya +ould +in!

&o+e)er more than their relationshi# +ith their aunt in terms of

abilities had hanged from +hat it +as three years before %iyu*i

thought!

Suh as the relationshi# bet+een her brother and herself!

And the feelings she herself direted to her brother!

"he mind of %iyu*i +ho +as sitting on the sofa +ith #erfetly

orret #osture drifted to that time three years before@!

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Chapter 2

Common Era August , 2092 ! "#ina$a-Na%a

Airport&"nna 'eri#a (acation %ome)

Beginning from around 'ommon (ra 2030 the earth under+ent a

radial dro# in tem#erature the +orlds o)erall food su##ly deteriorated

on a massi)e sale! Sine around 2020 ad)aned agriulture #rodution

ame to be a solar#o+ered industry and this limited the influene it had

on ad)aned industrial nations! &o+e)er the im#at of the damage on

the emerging industrial nations that had e#eriened an aelerated

#o#ulation e#losion brought on by radial eonomi gro+th +as a#rofound one!

ith the dro# in tem#erature and desertifiation #roeeding

simultaneously in the ;orth 'hina region it +as onfronted +ith an

etremely serious situation!

"he residents of ;orth 'hina in aordane +ith the traditions of their

#eo#le +eathered suh dire straits! 'oloniation by order

"ransgression B in short by using illegal immigration!&o+e)er Cussia did not assent to the influ of illegal immigrants! "his

resulted in illegal aliens being thoroughly e#unged e)en from

un#o#ulated +ildernesses and rented out noo*s of houses!

"hose +ho #ossess true #o+er annot gro+ +eary of bloodshed!

'hina admonished Cussia in the name of humanitarianism Cussia

admonished 'hina in the name of international la+!

"he antagonism of both nations +as not onfined bet+een both nations!'rossing national borders in the name of humanitarianism is banned by

international la+!

"hroughout the +orld *indling +as laid .ust +aiting for a math!

-n this en)ironment there +as a food shortage aused by tem#erature

dro##ing!

"here +as a struggle o)er energy resoures to be used to alle)iate the

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#roblem!

,or the *indling to beome an inferno e)en a slight im#etus +ould ha)e

been enough!

-n 'ommon (ra 204: orld ar "hree B an outbrea* of 20 years of+ars lustered aross the +orld started!

,rom 204: to 2064 +ide sale border dis#utes throughout the +orld

made this an era of ontinuous +ar!

;ot a single nation +as able to remain a bystander this +as truly a

+orld +ar!

hen the onflits finally eased the +orlds #o#ulation +as a third of

the sie it had been in 204: it had been dereased to 3 billion #eo#le!

Cussia reabsorbed


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enemys ountry they +ould oo#erate to sto# the de#loyment of

nulear +ea#ons!

"he banning of nulear +ea#ons has been established as the #aramount

duty of magiians around the +orld!

"his #at J"he -nternational %agi ,ederations 'harterJ targets

radioati)e materials that an be used for +ea#ons that ontaminate the

en)ironment stritly s#ea*ing that does not inlude lean nulear

bombs! &o+e)er sine in order to detonate a state of the art nulear

bomb made to be use for great battles a small nulear bomb +as

indis#ensable this resulted in a om#lete ban on nulear +ea#ons!

"hus in the #eriod of +ar that lasted t+enty years there +as not a single

usage of nulear +ea#ons!"he -nternational %agi ,ederation is honored for this ahie)ement

internationally reognied as an ageny of #eae e)en after the +orld

+ar ended it ou#ies a #osition of #restigeB

- heard the announement that it +as time to #ut on my seat belt and

losed the file of teahing material in J'ontem#orary &istory A IuideJ

that related to magiians! "he ontents +ere a little diffiult for someone

li*e me +ho had .ust beome a middle shool student but it +as

suffiient to *ee# me from being bored!

- had heard that modern air#lanes +ere not sub.et to failure aused by

eletromagneti interferene generated by information terminals!

&o+e)er turning information terminals off during ta*eoffs and landings

+as a traditional ourtesy! ;ot only me the other #assengers also turned

their terminals off! - did not intend to be the only one disobeying the

rules of ommon sense li*e a s#oiled hild!"he seat +as o)ered by an egg sha#ed safety shield a realtime image

of a southern island +as #ro.eted on the interior!

Goo*ing at that )i)id greenery and s#ar*ling oean ma*es the +orlds

tem#erature dro# seem li*e an e)ent in a fitional story!

;e)ertheless the e)ent is an uneui)oal fat!

efore +e +ere born the +orlds limate began getting +armer but +e

an loo* at the traes of the tem#erature dro##ing all around us!

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,or eam#le the dress ode!

;ot e#osing bare s*in this manner in +hih +e dress is nothing but a

trae of the dee# im#ression the era of the tem#erature dro##ing left on

the +orld!

ell - ha)e no interest in dressing to e#ose my shoulders or breast area

B and in the first #lae it +ould not be flattering style on me yetB its

not om#ulsory to ha)e a s*irt so long the hem drags and - li*e lothes

ho+e)er in #ri)ate #laes there are no rules o)er manner of dress so its

not li*e it really hinders us!

hile - am thin*ing of these tri)ial things the air#lane touhed do+n at

;aha air#ort!

- ould hardly feel any tremors from the landing!

"he seat belt that +as only a meaningless formality unlo*ed and -

o#ened the shield of the a#sule seat!


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&a)ing Ani tra)el all by himself and get the luggage +asnt some form

of #etty meanness!

(euti)e 'lass #assengers had #reedene +hen it ame to

disembar*ing from the #lane! "heir luggage also had #reedene in

being returned nay as e#eted he did ha)e to +ait a little! 'onsideringthe time it too* to get the luggage ready for #i* u# ha)ing Ani +ho

+as a ommerial lass #assenger go and #i* u# the luggage for us is

not #ointless!

;aturally there is a #ro#er reason for Ani alone to be seated in

ommerial lass!

-n (euti)e 'lass in addition to the normal abin attendant s#eial

re+ members +ho s#eialie in handling )iolene at as guards and*ee# a +athful eye! -f a riminal inident li*e a hi.a*ing suiide

bomber or suh +ere to our it +ould be in the loosely guarded

ommerial lass! Ani is assigned a ommerial lass seat for the sa*e

of handling suh an unli*ely ourrene! "hat being said B e)en -

a*no+ledge that the +ay my family handles suh matters is not normal!

hile - +al* +ith =*aasama - ha##en to glane o)er my shoulder Ani

is #ushing the art arrying our luggage all alone as if it +ere #erfetly

normal +ithout a trae of dissatisfation on his fae silently trailing us!

Gi*e he al+ays does!

- do not #artiularly hate this Ani!

- merely ha)e trouble interating +ith him!

- ha)e no idea +hat he ould #ossibly be thin*ing!

hy is he ommonly treated li*e a ser)ant +hen he is family! -f he +as

a ser)ant it +ould #robably be normal to be alm at reei)ing thistreatment!

- *no+ - ha)e been told that this is the duty he has been assigned to do!

- also a*no+ledge our familys uniueness!

;e)ertheless Ani is only a first year middle shool student li*e me!

Ani +as born in A#ril and - +as born in %arh!

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e +ere born +ithin a year of eah other so +e are in the same shool

year this is only a oinidene brought about by our birth months

ho+e)er all the same this does not hange the fat that until %arh of

this year he +as an elementary shool student li*e me!

'onsidering that fat ho+ an he ta*e to being ordered about by me hisyounger sister so almlyB

"he eyes of Ani and - met!

%y se)eral glanes o)er my shoulder are #robably bothering him!

J!!!hat is itLJ

- reognie that the reason Ani also direted his eyes to+ards me is

beause - ha)e been loo*ing at him intermittently!

&o+e)er from my mouth only an re#ulsi)e )oie ame out!

J-t is nothing!J

Ani res#onded in a #olite tone li*e one a butler might use to address the

mistress of the house he +as ser)ing!

Gi*e or disli*e the lo)e of a brother for his sister or the hatred of lose

*in all those emotions a brother might diret to a younger sister or a

lose relati)e +ere not there!J-f that is so #lease do not stare at me! -t is unomfortableMJ

- a*no+ledge that - am being unreasonable!

e are the ones +ho are treating Ani as a ser)ant there is no reason for

Ani to +ish suh a thing!

5es#ite that - selfishly stri*e at Ani +ith my irritation!

JPardon me!J

Ani halted and bo+ed his head to+ards me!

And #ut a little more distane bet+een us than there had been until then

as he follo+ed behind us!

hy - thought!

Nust no+ - +as merely being selfentered! - am suh a disagreeable

hild!

BNust li*e - thought - ha)e trouble interating +ith this Ani!

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K K K

"he #lae +e are staying in this time is a reently #urhased )aationhome in =nna Seri*a! - +ould ha)e been fine +ith a hotel but sine

=*aasama does not handle #laes +ith numerous #eo#le +ell 'hihi

hurriedly #re#ared this for us!

As usual that man a##ears to thin* that he an use money to buy

affetion! !!!()en though that money is +hat he married =*aasama to

obtain!

Although 'hihi +as etraordinary +hen he +as young B sine e)en

for a magiian he #osses an abo)e normal uantity of #sions his

#otential #o+er made him highly #ried as a magiian! -t seems

ho+e)er aording to the urrent magi tehnial system the uantity of

#sions #ossessed does not influene the su#eriority or inferiority of

magi ability! -n the end that man ould not ma*e his #otential #o+er

into atual #o+er he renouned trying to ma*e his life a suess as a

magiian urrently he is installed as an eeuti)e in a om#any reated

by =*aasamas family!

eause of those #artiulars - an understand +hy he is deferential to

=*aasama yet as his daughter - +ish he +ould dis#lay a more father

li*e u#rightness!

!!!- lightly shoo* my head to hase a+ay these #ointless refletions from

inside my mind! After all - am on )aation - am a+are that being

tra##ed in un#leasant thoughts is foolish!

Jelome =*usama! -t is good that you ha)e ome also %iyu*isan"atsuya*un!J

"he one +ho ame out to greet us at the )aation house +as Sa*urai

&onami +ho had been sent slightly ahead of us in order to ta*e are of

the leaning sho##ing and other suh things for us!

She is =*aasamas Iuardian!


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5e#artment! - belie)e that they uite strongly attem#ted to im#ede her

de#arture +hen she resigned ho+e)er it had been deided that she

+ould be =*aasamas Iuardian before she sought em#loyment +ith the

%etro#olitan Polie 5e#artment .oining the %etro#olitan Polie

5e#artment +as for the #ur#ose of learning the ins and outs of guardo#erations!

She is a modified magiian +hose geneti struture has been altered to

strengthen her dis#osition for magi a member of the first generation of

the Sa*ura Series! 5uring the +aning days of the 20 years of

ontinuous border onflits she +as onstruted at a researh institute a

magiian bought by the $otsuba ,amily before she +as born!

;onetheless she is a heerful li)ely +oman +ho does not seem to feel

the +eight of her #ersonal history aside from her main duty of

#rotetion o#erations she ta*es are of =*aasamas e)eryday

neessities +ith great attention to detail for us! Aording to her she

finds the role of house*ee#er the more ongenial role!

-t ran ounter to the image of a Iuardian to abandon her #rotetion

o#erations but she ame ahead of us to the )aation house in order to

aumulate *no+ledge about the urrent status of this area sine Ani

+ould be lose to =*aasama and - that being said - +ished Sa*uraisanand Ani had s+ithed duties! But sine ta*ing are of the details of

#ro)iding a omfortable household +ould be im#ossible for Ani that

+ould be #ointless!

J;o+ #lease ome in! "here is hilled barley tea ready! =r else - an

ma*e some green teaLJ

J"han* you! Sine it is already made -ll ha)e the barley tea!J

J$es maam! %iyu*isan "atsuya*un is barley tea alright for youalsoLJ

J$es than* you )ery muh!J

JSine you ha)e troubled yourself to ma*e it!J

"here is only one thing about Sa*uraisan that might be alled

unsatisfatory it is that she treats Ani as =*aasamas son B and as my

brother!

-t goes +ithout saying that this is a natural thing to do!

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&o+e)er -!!!annot do that natural thing!

At times li*e this - am irrationally )eed +ith myself for that reason!

J=*aasama - +ould li*e to ta*e a short +al*!J- am a+are that sine +e ha)e .ust arri)ed things are too unsettled for

me to go on a s+im but on the other hand being shut u# in the )aation

house +ould be +asteful so - +ould li*e to ta*e a +al*! al*ing to

%anamou +ould be im#ossible beause it is a little too far but .ust

+al*ing leisurely along the #ath alongside the beah +ould undoubtedly

feel #leasant!

J%iyu*isan ha)e "atsuya aom#any you on your +al*!J


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and being dee#ly horrified by being told that - loo*ed li*e a J$u*i

=nnaJ e)en no+ - annot blot it out! "he remar* +as eessi)ely

horrifying beause it +as a thoughtless remar* not by any means an

attem#t to bully me or to maliiously tal* behind my ba* or anything

li*e that!"here is no +ay - am la*ing in my #igmentation! -ts .ust that my hair is

a shade of bla* too dee#!

'ould it be hereditaryL ut my family line is not su##osed to ha)e been

intermingled +ith (uro#eans for the #ast fi)e generations!!!+ell sine -

do not *no+ any farther than that the #ossibility that this omes from

some long ago geneti anestor is not noneistent! &o+e)er e)en =*aa

sama beomes a little dar*er in the summer and Anis om#leion ould

be alled tanned sine it so s#lendidly soa*s u# the sun so muh that -

an no longer tell +hat his original olor is so - do not belie)e it ould

be alled a hereditary thing!

JBBJ

- ha)e been remembering and ontem#lating things that - do not +ish to

- onsiously foused ahead in order to not loo* ba* too

onsiously! !!!hat should - do +ith my mind - am so #er#leed!

Although my ears are unobstruted - an not hear the sound of

footste#s! "here is no sign of someone being there! B;aturally - ha)e

no s*ill at deteting someones #resene to begin +ith but still!

-f - turned around ho+e)er undeniably at a little distane a+ay Ani is

aom#anying me!

eause Ani is my Iuardian!

hy do - not use JbodyguardJ but a grandiose term li*e JIuardianJ -

do not understand! ()en one reason +hy e)en no+! &o+e)er aJIuardianJ of $otsuba is someho+ different from a sim#le JbodyguardJ

that is something - thin* - am able to understand!

A bodyguard does a J.obJ a guardian #erforms a JdutyJ!

odyguards ris* their li)es to #rotet the ones they are guarding in

ehange for earning a monetary re+ard! "here are ases li*e an SP of

the #olie +ho ondut #rotetion o#erations as #art of their #rofessional

duties but sine those #eo#le also reei)e a salary for their #rofessional

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duties - thin* that they unmista*ably meet the broad definition of

ou#ations that reei)e monetary om#ensation!

-n ontrast to that Iuardians reei)e no monetary re+ards! All the

neessities of li)ing are #ro)ided by $otsuba! hene)er ash is needed

$otsuba su##lies it! "o be orret that is not a re+ard it is the ost ofmaintaining the #o+er of #rotetion!

- onlude that it is thus a bodyguard #rotets in order to eat a

Iuardian eats in order to #rotet!

Iuardians ha)e no #ri)ate life of their o+n! All of them the male

Iuardians and the female Iuardians +hether they all the one they

#rotet %aster or %istress are de)oted to ser)ing that #erson!

e are a lan that thin*s that this is #erfetly normal and - too find itso! -f you annot thin* that this is normal the only thing you an do is

+ithdra+ ho+e)er +e are $otsuba! B()en if - am some+hat

embarrassed to be alled %istress - feel that that is #referable to being

e#elled but still! - am ha##y +hen +e are a+ay from the lan

JIuardiansJ do not normally use the designations of J%asterJ or

J%istressJ +hen +e are not inside the lan!

Ani beame my Iuardian +hen - +as si years old! %y first Iuardian is

Ani #robably this is something that +ill not be hanged for a long time!

"hat #erson is not the son of the elder sister of the head of the $otsuba

'lan he is the Iuardian of a andidate to be the net head if - beome

the head he +ill be my shado+ until my life ends it +ill be that +ay!

As long as - do not relie)e him of his duty as a Iuardian!

$es that is the single +ay a Iuardian an esa#e his duty and be

allo+ed to li)e the life of a normal #erson for a Iuardian to dismissed

by the one he guards!

&e aom#anies me!

&e follo+s behind me!

- annot be se#arated from him!

&e annot esa#e from me!

"he one +ho +ill not esa#e is me!

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"he one +ho is unable to esa#e is him!

5es#ite the fat that - am the only #erson that an let him return to the

life of an ordinary middle shool student!

"he one +ho *ee#s him Ani from being able to be an ordinary middleshool student is - beause - +ill not release Ani!

B- do not *no+ ho+ to interat +ith Ani!

B- do not hate Ani!

"hen +hy am - onfining him to this ruel onditionL

"he ans+er does not ome!hene)er - thin* about this matter for some reason my mind goes

blan*!

ith my gae fiated on the ground beneath my feet - ui*ened my

#ae!

- +ho had my eyes ast do+n+ard and my feet going at a fast +al*

suddenly my arm +as grabbed and it seemed li*e - +as going to fall

ba*+ard!-mmediately before - im#ated +ith +hat +ould be a thud - de#lorably

fell into Anis arms!

- made no om#laint to Ani!

Nust no+ +as the fault of me +ho +as not loo*ing ahead! B"he fat

that - reflei)ely raised my )oie is a seret - ha)e no intention of

telling anyone!

"he #roblem is after my body +as restrained by Ani that - reei)ed anim#at from the front! - +as not the one +ho bum#ed into someone

learly - had been the one bum#ed!

()en though - am angry this is ob)iously a set u#!

- fous my anger filled gae u#+ard! &o+e)er all - ould see is a bul*y

+all of musles!

- set my gae e)en higher!

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,inally - *ne+ the identity of the one +ho bum#ed into me!

A big bla* male teenager +ho +ore a dishe)eled +orn out army

uniform B a Geft lood!

5ue to the intensifiation of the t+enty years of ontinuous borderonflits the Amerian Dat the time it +as still the


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"he anger in my heart is re.u)enated!

'om#ared to before their #lan is more ob)ious!

Should ha)e ta*en my 'A5 +ith me - lamented! - ant ontrol the

effets of my #o+er )ery +ell +hen - la* an assisting tool! 'ausingserious in.uries e)en to someone li*e this +ould be a+*+ard in )arious

+ays!

-f - had aess to a 'A5 these .er*s +ould not be saying +hate)er they

li*edM

;ot e)en - myself understood +hy on earth - +as burning +ith suh

rage - glared at the big teenager barring the #ath in front of Ani!

"he big teens eyes loo*ed at me and narro+ed!

&is li#s mo)ed!

-t ould ha)e been to laugh it ould ha)e been to s#ea* there is no +ay

to tell!

JSine +e ha)e no intention of begging you to merifully forgi)e us for

bum#ing into you turn a+ay from this ourse of ation! ,or both of our

sa*e!J

"he alm tone +as not that of someone +ho ould be alled a boy thebig teens fae stiffened due to the om#letely unhildli*e statement!

JBhat did you sayLJ

-t +as a lo+ faint +his#er li*e uery!

J$ou should ha)e been able to hearLJ

"he retort om#letely la*ed emotion as if it +as a mere omment made

to oneself!

-n both of the teens eyes an e)il glint nested!

J-f you #ress your head to the ground - +ont forgi)e you! ,or no+ -ll

let you off +ith bruises!J

J-f you are tal*ing about 5ogea you shouldnt say head you ha)e to

say forehead!J

-mmediately after+ards!

ith no sign or #re)ious indiation the teen stru* out at Ani!

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()en though Ani +as a teenager as +ell Ani still had the body of a first

year middle shool student! "he differene bet+een him and the big

youth before my eyes +as that of an adult and a hild!

- reflei)ely losed my eyes!

"here +as a thud li*e sound!

- .ust realied that if Ani +as stru* then - +ho +as behind him +ould

beome in)ol)ed as +ell - thought it +as strange that that had not

ourred!

"imidly - o#en my eyes!

"he first sight that entered my )ision +as the fae of the big teen froen

in disbelief!

"here +as no need to +orry about +hat ould ause him to ma*e suh a

loo*!

"he teens right arm +as etended in an inom#lete #unh!

Ani +as sto##ing the fist +ith t+o hands!

Although it +as t+o arms )ersus one arm the differene bet+een the

+eight of their t+o bodies +as suh that it should not ha)e made any

differene!"he mass of the big teens body +as #robably o)er t+o times that of

Ani!

5es#ite that fat Ani +as not +arding off the blo+ +ithout ta*ing e)en

one ste# ba* to brae himself Ani +as ta*ing the full +eight the big

teen +as #utting into that #unh head on and sto##ing it!

5id he use magiL B;o there +as no indiation of that!

-n things li*e aademis #hysial strength and agility Ani +as morea#able but in magi - am su##osed to be more a#able than Ani! -f Ani

used magi than there is no +ay - +ould be una+are of it!

J-nteresting!!!- only intended to #lay around +ith you but!!!!J

Irinning broadly the big teen #ulled ba* his arm and assume a #osture

+ith his left fist in front of his hest!

oingL

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HarateL

- a om#lete no)ie in ombat and martial arts +as unable to reognie

+hih it is! &o+e)er someho+ e)en - ould disern that the foe +ho

had been half #laying before had beome serious!

- forgot about fleeing from the shado+ behind that boys ba* - #ee#ed

at the big teenager!

"hat boys la*adaisial remar* omment #lunged into the ears of - +ho

said nothing and stilled my breath!

JCeallyL -ts going to be no laughing matter if +e go beyond this #oint!J

hy are you s#ea*ing in suh a #ro)oati)e mannerLM

"y#ially if someone li*e you too* him on they +ould not be able tomath him!

"y#ially #eo#le of our age should flee in this situation!

;o Anis intentions do not matter!

- should flee e)en if - do it alone!

B5es#ite +hat - +as thin*ing in my head my body did not lea)e its

#lae behind Anis ba*!

J$oure s#outing a lot of trash tal* for a bratMJ

hat ha##ened net ould not be aught +ith my eyes!

- ould only understand the results e)erything else is mere on.eture

about +hat ourred!

"he teens left leg ad)aned for+ard!

"he teens left leg and right leg +ere #laed in +hat loo*ed li*e a

fighting stane Ani #laed his left leg for+ard!"he teens left hand +as aiming for Anis ollar .ust as the lunging fist

seemed about to onnet!

Anis left fist +as #ro##ing him u# from its #osition on the middle of his

hest!

-n that short blur of time more than this seemed to ha)e ourred but

some time +as unmista*ably used by the big teen to s#ring ba* using

the reoil!

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5oon a sound li*e that of a "ai*o being stru* surely that +as the

sound of Anis fist!

Ani +ithdre+ the leg he had #laed for+ard as if it +ere a #rearranged

signal the big teens body sun* #ain li*e ries arose from +here he +as

do+n on both *nees on the surfae of the road!

Ani loo*ed #ast the big teenager +ho +as rouhed do+n and oughing

#ainfully and uietly direted his eyes to the #eo#le behind him!

Gi*e they +ere #etrified the t+o male teens did not mo)e!

Ani turned his ba* on them!

JGets go!J

Ani too* my arm in his hand!At last - beame a+are that those softly murmured +ords +ere direted

to+ards me!

J%iyu*isan did something ha##enLJ

hen - returned from my aborted +al* Sa*uraisan #aled and rushed

o)er to me in a small s#rint!

- did not thin* my fae loo*ed that terrible but e)en - myself realied

that - had turned a little #ale so from the outset - made no attem#t todeei)e her!

J-t +as a minor!!!!unfortunate enounter +ith a young man!J

Jell!!!!MJ

ith only that Sa*uraisan seemed to ha)e diserned the gist of the

situation!

;onhalantly she made a sur)ey of my #erson #robably he*ing to see

if my lothes +ere in disarray!

J- am fine!J

-t +as a bit of a strain but - thin* my smile +as natural!

hen - direted my smile to her Sa*uraisan also returned a relie)ed

smile to me!

&o+e)er - ould not ontinue smiling for long!

eause Ani sa)ed me B that #hrase did not de#art from my mouth!

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- shifted my fous from the +ords - thought to say Ani +as feigning

ignorane his fae +as as al+ays e#ressionless he bo+ed lightly to

Sa*uraisan des#ite that his eyes ne)er turned to+ard me and +ithdre+

to an inner room!

Cegrettably the #ainfully onstruted smile - had made seems to beabout to rumble!

JB"a*ing a sho+er +ill rinse off the s+eat!J

"here +as no s+eat on me but - used that as a #retet to ta*e refuge in

the sho+er room!

"he hot +ater of the sho+er bouned off my s*in!

- forgot to remo)e the +ater re#ellent ream - merely felt the heat! "his

allo+ed my body that seemed about to sha*e to +arm!

Jhy!!!J

- too* my head out from under the s#ray of the sho+er! &ot dro#s

outline my fae by the orner of my eyes and abo)e my hee*bones

different *inds of dro#s intermingle!

Jhy am - rying!!!LJ

A bemused )oie reahed my o+n ears! -t +as not a tearful )oie it +asas if it +as somebody elses )oie!

Jhy do - ha)e to ryLJ

Pani*ing - e)en try shouting there is no ans+er! - am the only one

here!

J+hy!!!hy!!!J

"he only sound that - an hear is the sound of the sho+er! ;o one +ill

gi)e me an ans+er to my uestion!

Re*erences

1! $u*i=nna O A female Na#anese sno+ monster

2! 5ogea O a dee# bo+ +ith the forehead on the ground gi)en to beg

forgi)eness

3! "ai*o O Garge Na#anese drum

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Chapter 3

2095A+ November 6t% Yotsuba Main House+ra$ing

room

>=h my!?

Aya*o san and ,umiya *unL?

Although his fli*er of sur#rise +as faint it didnt esa#e %iyu*is

notie! &a)ing risen half+ay she hurriedly tried to orret her #osture

before thin*ing better of it and sitting ba* do+n +ith a flo#!

>-t seems they .ust ame out!?

"he om#le the Huroba siblings +ere oming from +as the #lae their

grandmother the little sister of "atsuya and %iyu*is deeased

grandfather as +ell as aunt to the urrent head %aya li)ed!

Huroba ,umiya is the number t+o andidate for suession to the

$otsuba family headshi#! -t +as no +onder theyd )isit their

grandmother! %iyu*i +asnt sur#rised by their #resene here in and of

itself!

>@@maybe its .ust a oinideneL?

>"heyre not eatly the ty#e +ho +ould .ust #ass on by des#ite

*no+ing that +ere here though!?

"hats ertainly true %iyu*i thought!

>hether by a +ide or narro+ margin it seems fate has deided our

missing eah other +as not to be!?

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A )ery nonommittal ans+er!

"hin*ing the same thing as her brother %iyu*is mind +andered ba* to

the e)ents of another hane enounter one night@@

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Chapter 4

Common Era 2092, August "#ina$a- (acation House &

Hote .art/

Although +e ame here on )aation the bonds of soiety and family

annot be se)ered regrettably! - ha)e .ust barely beome a middle

shool student but that does not mean that there are no #eo#le +hose

in)itation - annot deline!

=nly blood relations +hih is not )ery many #eo#le as it is said e)en

the dar*est loud has a sil)er lining ho+e)er@!! - had om#letely no

intimation that any of those #eo#le +ould be in the same #lae at thesame time as me!

"he one +ho sent the in)itation is Horoba %itsugusan! "his #erson is

=*aasamas ousin!

"he hand of the lo* is #ointing to 6O00#m! -t is nearly the time that -

ha)e to de#art the )aation house!

- sit in front of my )anity a brush in my hand!

>&a@!?

ithout thin*ing - allo+ed a sigh to esa#e my mouth! "he me in the

mirror is +earing a distintly dis#irited loo*!

- am not ill at ease at #arties! &o+e)er - .ust tra)eled from "o*yo to

=*ina+a this )ery day! - +anted to ta*e it easy for at least this e)ening!

>%iyu*isan ha)e you finished getting readyL?

After a *no* a )oie sounded through the door! -t seems that Sa*uraisan has ome to all on me +ho is lingering in her o+n room!

>


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>hats this! Arent you already to goL?

Seeing that - had hanged into a o*tail dress +as +earing a ne*lae

and a hair band and had my #urse in my hand Sa*uraisan let her

feelings sho+ +ith a #ainful smile!

>5ont ma*e suh a sullen fae or all your finery +ill go to +aste!?

'ould my fae be so easy to readL

>@@5o you understandL?

-t +as Sa*uraisan - faed nay that did not hange the fat that it +as

the eyes of another #erson! - had had no intention of letting anyone be

a+are of my unha##iness!

>As for me?hile saying that Sa*uraisan #ur#osefully ga)e an eultant +in*! @!is

she telling me that it is alright to sho+ other #eo#le this *ind of faeL

>Sto#@!ma*ing fun of me #lease!?

ithout thin*ing - made a #outy fae flustered - foused on smoothing

out my e#ression into something more ladyli*e but! - ould feel my

hee*s turning red as - +athed Sa*uraisan release a giggle!

- am already a middle shool student - thought - had sto##ed this sort ofhildish beha)ior!

>-m sorry@!!but?

$ou +ould not thin* she +as 30 years oldyou ould only thin* that

she +as in her t+enties at the mostafter she giggled for a +hile

loo*ing ute Sa*uraisan ui*ly modified her e#ression!

;aturally - reigned in my emotions as +ell!

>"here are #eo#le +ith shar#er eyes than me sine there are many#eo#le in this +orld! -ndeed it is beause - *no+ you %iyu*isan so

+ell that -m also )ery a+are of the things you disli*e! &o+e)er it is

also #ossible that someone +ho an read your fae +ith a glane might

be at the #arty! eause you %iyu*isan are not an ordinary middle

shool student - belie)e you must a##ear as if there are no ga#s in your

defenses!?

;o rebellious feelings +ere aroused by this +ell aimed ad)ie!

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>@!%ight there be a good +ay to do itL?

>;o matter ho+ +ell you intend to oneal them regrettably feelings

are al+ays #ortrayed in the olor of your eyes and e)ery hange of your

faial e#ression!?

@!!-s she saying that nothing an be doneL

>hat you need to do is to s*illfully deei)e your o+n emotions do you

get itL ,irst you bring you yourself in alignment +ith +hat you +ould

all your false fae!?

Possibly beause she read my disontent Sa*uraisan ontinued into

great detail in a soothing manner!

K K K

As she instruted me to - shrouded my heart +ith a false fae sine -

+as still )ery muh a hild - ould not sto# my s#irits from falling as -

neared the site of the #arty!

Huroba =.isama +as not a bad #erson! Dstritly s#ea*ing he +as not

my unleE-ts .ust that #robably beause his +ife died young or something the

+ay he dotes on his hildren is a little@!!+ell etremely annoying!

Iosh .ust +hat does he thin* he is doing bragging about his hildren to

another hildL ;o this is not ho+ - should feel he is surely not thin*ing

at all but - do +ish he +ould onfine that to#i to his fello+ adults!

!hoo a sigh esa#ed my mouth!

ithout thought not onsiously!"his +as not the time to be e#elling sighs if - am doing this no+ - may

not be ontrol myself at the atual #arty!

- am already +ithin the hotel grounds!

&o+ #ointlessly ostentatiousthis +as only my sub.eti)e o#inion

but- ould already see the entrane! "he dri)erless ommuter ar

sto##ed!

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ith ui* motions Ani got out of the ar held ba* the door and begun

+aiting for me to get out!

%y e#ression stiffened and - ad)aned on the battlefield of de#ression

and tedium!

-n the lobby there +ere hard faed older men young men and dignified

young +omen! ;one of them +ere trying to stand out but they +ere

ina#able of fooling the eye of - +ho had been aom#anied by #eo#le

li*e them from birth!

-t +as not any of my business but they made me +ant to tell them that

they should train more!

;aturally it goes +ithout saying that - +as not aom#anied by Ani

alone this e)ening!

"+o +omen bodyguards from a seurity ageny +ith offies around the

ountry +ere esorting me tem#orarily!

At the #arty and on other oasions there are numerous #laes +here -

annot be +ith a male om#anion and the o##osite is also true! -f

Sa*uraisan ould be here as usual there +ould be no need to +orry

ho+e)er right no+ she is remaining at =*aasamas side!

=*aasama is a little un+ell and is resting at the )aation house e)enno+! ;one of that an be hel#ed but due to that - must deal +ith =.i

sama alone!

&o+ de#ressing! ,rom the outset e)en if 'hihi D,atherE ould be

relied u#on the duty of entertaining relati)es should not fall to me +ho

is both younger and a girl the duty should belong to the eldest male

hild!

- glared at the ba* of Ani +ho +as +al*ing ahead of me in bitterness!

>=.isama - am so grateful for the in)itation!?

As e#eted the loation +as too big a site for a #ri)ate #arty as

e#eted an etra)agant table +as being used as a ba*dro# as

e#eted =.isama ame out to meet me lad in an e#ensi)e suit and -

made the #er funtionary greeting! ,or this *ind of thing there is no

reason for reati)ity!

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>- am glad you ame %iyu*ihan! -s your =*aasama +ellL?

=.isama re#lied +ith eaggerated friendliness!

=nly someone li*e him still sti*s a han on my name these days!

And as usual he ignored Anis eistene as if he +ere in)isible!Sine Ani only stood behind me in silene it ould be that both of them

+ere ignoring eah other!

>=h ho+ *ind of you to be onerned! - thin* she is only a little tired

but - +anted her to ta*e good are of herself today!?

>- am so relie)ed to hear that! =h sorry - ha)e *e#t you out here tal*ing!

;o+ ome inside! oth Aya*o and ,umiya +ill en.oy seeing you

%iyu*ihan! "hings that alled natural naturally our - e#eted thet+o of them to ome but@!

5es#ite all the self instrution not to do so - felt a sigh threatening to

lea)e my mouth!

- attahed myself to =.isama and +ent to a table inside the room!

Gea)ing Ani behind at the entrane!

"here is a so alled ustom of bodyguards #laing themsel)es alongside

the +all ready for ation!

5es#ite being guilty of treating him badly myself - al+ays feel

etremely annoyed +hen other #eo#le treat him as a ser)ant@!- am

#robably .ust being selfish!

e that as it may! - am for no+ fored to deal +ith the Huroba family

alone and unassisted!

>Aya*osan ,umiya*un are the t+o of you +ellL?

%iyu*ineesamaM -ts been so long?

>=neesama you ha)e not hanged at all?

Aya*osan and ,umiya*un are one grade belo+ me sith year

elementary shool students!

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time - am blessedly sa)ed before my #atiene +ears too thin! "oday also

at any moment no+ ,umiya*un +ill begin to fidget!

>y the +ay %iyu*ineesama@!+here is "atsuyaniisamaL?

Ah here it omes!,umiya*un is a )ery nie hild he treats Aya*osan and - the same to

be brief he adores me as muh as if - +as really his elder sister but he

adores Ani more than either of us or you might say that he re)eres him!

;o - +onder if admires might be a better +ay to define itL ()en so

+ell - annot say that - do not understand!

-n general termsthat is in aordane +ith the guidelines set by the

%agi ,ederationAni is not blessed +ith a talent for magi! &o+e)er

that #erson om#ensates for that +ith a surfeit of brains musles and

s#eial talents!

&is shool grades are outstandingly eellent!

;o matter +hat s#ort he is first lass or #ossibly su#er first lass!

And the ounter atta* that all magiians are )ulnerable to is that

#ersons sole trum# ard!

Surely Ani is the ty#e of #erson that all boys might re)ere as a hero! ;o!Surely not .ust boys!

&is out+ard a##earane is neither amiable li)ely nor s+eet but des#ite

all that!

Ani is inredibly ool@@

@@!eh +hat on earth am - thin*ingML

"hat #erson is merely my guard nothing more!

"hat #erson and - only share a sibling relationshi# through genetisnothing more!

hy - am ating li*e - ha)e a brother om#le@@!

>&e is on +ath o)er there!?

As if una+are that a bla* loud had suddenly a##eared in my heart -

#ointed to his #osition beside the +all +hile +earing my #ainsta*ingly

onstruted smiling fae!

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Ah ,umiya*uns hee*s are beoming red!

A##arently - am fooling them!

>@!um +here eatlyL?

;et to ,umiya*un +ho had ta*en his eyes off me in order to searh forAni by letting his eyes +ander all o)er the room Aya*osan +as also

sending her eyes hither and thither along the +all +hile #retending

indifferene!

&er attitude +as unusually easy to read she +as e)en sho+ing her teeth

as she smiled ho+e)er - thin* that +as something she +as direting at

,umiya*un! - #ointed out the #lae +here Ani +as standing to ,umiya

*un +ho +as standing net to Aya*osan +ho had allo+ed her +all of

indifferene to brea*! Ani +as +athing us!

>"atsuyaniisamaM?

,umiya*uns fae suddenly lit u# and he bounded o)er to Anis

#osition!

>=h +ell theres nothing that an be done!?

hile )oiing a om#laint Aya*osan headed after ,umiya*un +ith

s+ift feet! -ndeed she loo*ed as if she +as restraining herself from

running!

As he +athed those t+o =.isama made a sour fae he did this e)ery

time!

=.isama slo+ly +al*ed after them in a om#letely different mood than

Aya*osans! - too trailed after them!

,umiya*un +as enthusiastially on)ersing +ith Ani about something!

Ani made ountless small nods the orners of his mouth rose slightly hesho+ed a small amount of teethhe smiledL

"hat #ersonL

5es#ite ne)er gi)ing a smile li*e that to me@@!M

>&ey no+ ,umiya Aya*o! $ou shouldnt interfere +ith "atsuya*uns

+or*!? -n order to maintain my insinere smile - had to gras# my hands

strongly to *ee# my fingers from urling into a fist and #laed a smile so

#ainsta*ingly onstruted to loo* natural that =.isama +ould not doubt

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that it refleted my true feelings!

>"han* you for your +or*! $ou are so diligent in #erforming your

tas*s!?

>"here is no need to than* me!?"he Ani that faed =.isama +as the usual Ani! &is fae +as so de)oid

of e#ression that the smile that had been on his fae a little +hile ago

seemed li*e an illusion!

>A+ =tousama! ouldnt a moment or t+o be alrightL %iyu*i

neesama is our in)ited guest! %a*ing the arrangements to #re)ent harm

befalling ones guest is the duty of the host!?

>-ts .ust as =neesama said! "he guards of Huroba are not so uns*illed

as to allo+ a single one of our guests to be less than om#letely safe!

-snt that right =tousanL?

(hL ,umiya*un doesnt address =.isama as >=tousama?@@@

y onentrating on suh a tri)ial thing - +as able to distrat myself

from my mood!

>"hat is true but@@?

Paying my thoughts no mind =.isama s#o*e ambiguous +ords +hileloo*ing be+ildered!

- +as be+ildered as +ell ho+e)er #erha#s Aya*osan and ,umiya*un

understood =.isamas true intent! =.isama did not li*e his o+n

hildrenBes#eially ,umiya*unBdireting any friendly interest at Ani!

,umiya*un is a andidate +ho aims to beome the net head of the

$otsuba!

Ani is sim#ly the guard of a fello+ andidate for the suession me!

()en if +e #lae a s#eial title on them li*e Iuardian they are ser)antsafter all if - s#ea* ruelly they are no more than tools to be used then

thro+n a+ay!

A tool that if - an be #reise ould not beome a andidate for the

$otsuba suession!

;aturally +hile Ani is the one +ho is my guard sine the relationshi#

bet+een Ani and ,umiya*un is only that of seond ousins there is no

real #roblem +ith ,umiya*un adoring Ani! -t is the same +ith Aya*o

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san! %aya obaasama +ould #robably not be bothered by that!

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-t sounds harsh +hen - say it but =.isama is only +orried about status!

=.isama an only see Ani as a ser)ant a dis#osable tool! All that means

is that the #erson alled Huroba %itsugu is #robably a >$otsuba? to the

marro+ of his bones! "herefore - feel that - am not mista*en in

belie)ing that he feels that ha)ing his o+n hildren sho+ing em#athy fora tool is im#ro#er!

"hat is the natural +ay of things for a >$otsuba?!

-n order for me to beome $otsuba %iyu*i - must ha)e the same

mental attitude as =.isama!

"hat he is a Iuardian is more im#ortant than him being my elder

brother!

"hat #erson has the #osition of my guard! -f it is neessary he +illehange his o+n life in order to fulfill his obligation to #rotet me as a

human shield! -t is only natural for that #erson +ho is a tool not to lo)e

me - too must not yearn for lo)e from that #erson!

- ga)e myself these instrutions!

Gi*e an inantation - re#eated them o)er and o)er!

Ani has the #osition of my guard!

&e is my human shield!

"hat is the #osition granted to Ani! - must beome the heir of %aya

=baasama therefore Ani is not my =niisama

- stiffened due to a #ain in the ore of my brain!

,or an instant - felt as if - had no idea +here - +as!

=f ourse that +as an illusion! - am at Huroba =.isamas #arty that -

+as in)ited to in front of me =.isama is ma*ing an disomfited fae!@@someho+ - feel li*e - +as thin*ing about something really

im#ortant ho+e)er@!thats #robably .ust my imagination!

>@!!,umiya do not trouble your honored father so muh?


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5ee# inside my mind - felt a faint #ain!

ithout thin*ing my fae started to so+l in disomfort!

- must not!

-f - sho+ dis#leasure on my fae no+ it +ill be misinter#reted asdisa##ro)al of Ani and =.isamas interation!

@@- +onder if that +ould be a misinter#retation@@@!L

;o ;o if - thin* about thatM

A+ nutsM e are returning to Shiuo*a tomorro+M e do not often get

a hane to see eah other and +e dont e)en get a hane to s#end a lot

of time tal*ing?

>,umiya alm do+n a little@@"atsuyasan +hat ,umiya said is true

so #lease return ui*ly!?

>


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"herefore - too must #erform the duties allotted to me +ith all my

strength!

hile - listening to Ani re#lying to ,umiya*uns #rotests and Aya*o

sans reuests in a gentle tone of )oie - instruted myself thus!

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Chapter 5

Common Era November 6, 2095--Yotsuba Main House-Reception

Room

&eehee

At the sudden sound of %iyu*is giggling )oie "atsuya +ho had been

loo*ing out the +indo+ turned his eyes to the interior of the room!

-n ontrast to the (astern style of the arhiteture the big room +as

done in estern style! "here +ere e)en #aintings of landsa#es adorning

the brightly hued +alls not re#rodutions either aording to thesignatures of the elebrated modern artists on the an)ases these +ere

original oil #aintings! And the stately natural +ood table +as of a sie

that ould easily sit o)er ten #eo#le!

;onetheless this room ga)e an im#ression of em#tiness! "his +as

#ossibly due to the fat that instead of the s#ae being ou#ied by the

legs of o)er ten hairs there +as only the four legs of a sofa #laed by

the table also aside from the table and sofa there +ere almost no

furnishings +hih a##eared to lea)e all too muh s#ae lefto)er in theroom! %a*ing the room feel unneessarily )ast +as #robably for the

#ur#ose of #syhologially induing a feeling of o##ression!

;aturally suh things had been beneath "atsuyas notie for a long time

no+! &is gae +ent straight to his younger sister!

@!!Pardon me =niisama! - +as merely remembering something thatha##ened in the #ast!?

>Something amusingL?

"atsuya also smiled in res#onse to the smile on %iyu*is fae +hen she

ans+ered! >;o@@ - +as so foolish in the #ast - found that humorous!?

"atsuyas smile )anished a feat that ourred in the blin* of an eye in

res#onse to the thoughtless self de#reiating remar* but he +as unable

to find anything negati)e in the ontent of the +ords the tone of the

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)oie or the e#ression on her fae!

>'ome to thin* of it =niisama ba* then +as *ind to Aya*osan and

,umiya*un@@! - +as uite sho*ed by thatL?

,rom +hat she said "atsuya formed an im#ression of the general #eriod%iyu*i +as remembering and a smile bro*e out!

>ell@!- +as .ust a hild ba* then gi)e me a brea*!?

>"hat is absurd! - am the one +ho +as a foolish hild!?

Although the t+o of them +ere still at an age that the +orld ould still

all them >hildren?! And not e)en the siblings themsel)es thought of

themsel)es as adults!

5es#ite that the t+o of them e#eriened no feelings of inonsisteny orhesitation +hen they labeled the #eo#le they had been three years #rior

as mere >hildren?!

>()en though - am your sister ba* then - did not understand one thing

about =niisama! ;o@!- did not e)en +ant to understand you!?

"atsuya +anted to say something to refute that but aside from a brief

smile besto+ed on the bo+ed head of his sister sadly he had no other

res#onse to gi)e! ()en if he ould refute her +ords it +as not neessary

to do so!

Although both of them had been +rong neither of them +ere

res#onsible "atsuya and %iyu*i +ere both a+are of this!

-f %iyu*i +as no longer in the mood to ontinue s#ea*ing of the #ast

"atsuya +as not going to bring it u# again!

"atsuya returned his gae to the +indo+!

hile a##earing to blan*ly gae outside his fi)e sense +ere fullyo#erational loo*ing for signs of unusual ati)ity and missing nothing!

&is etra sense #erei)ed more than his fi)e senses so he +as al+ays

ready to aess the information dimension at a moments notie!

"his +as all for the sa*e #roteting %iyu*i!

-f something ame into eistene that loo*ed li*e it +ould harm %iyu*i

"atsuya +ould destroy it first to #re)ent that!

"his had not hanged bet+een no+ and ba* then!

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Still ba* then she had been una+are of it!

Still ba* then she had been *e#t from being a+are of it!

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Chapter 6

2092A+ August 5t% "#ina$a(ia&Coast o* "nna

Gast night had ontinued until onsiderably late! Arri)ing at =*ina+a

then ha)ing a #arty until near midnight made for a #retty tough first day!

$et e)en so for me to +a*e before the sun had risen ould only be

e#lained as habit!

"ruth be told - had +anted to slee# a little longer but - didnt +ant to

turn into a loose lady! ,alling aslee# again +ould be unthin*able! ith

effort - sent energy to my limbs got off the bed and dre+ ba* theurtains o#ening the +indo+ to let in some fresh air +hile - +as at it!

Sine -m on the seond floor faing the ba*yard there +as no +orry

about being seen in my #a.amas from the outside! @@although ta*ing

are of my a##earane first really +ould ha)e been more fitting of a

ladys etiuette!

Sniffing the sea breee - inhaled dee#ly s+elling my hest out!

And at the moment - loo*ed do+n there +as my brother training!

'rouhed do+n lo+ hed ta*e a ste# +ith the right foot thrust out his

right arm thrust out his left arm!

"hen in that #osition hed ta*e a ste# +ith the left foot and .ust as -

thought hed thrust out his left arm again he ra#idly #ulled it ba* and as

if interseting thrust out his right arm!

"urning his body as he #rogressi)ely too* ste#s +ith the left foot and

right foot his right arm +ould forefully mo)e from inside to outside

left arm from outside to inside right hand u# left hand do+n!

-t seemed li*e some sort of martial arts or *arate - didnt *no+!

-n eah hand he held a small one *ilogram +eight +ith +hih he +ent

through motions +ith great #reision! "hey +ere as )i)id as the set

#oses used by lead daners or stage ators!

%a*ing his +ay in a irle around the fringe of half the ba*yard my

brother finally sto##ed mo)ing ehaling greatly and relaing!

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(h its o)er@@L

- stared +ith bad grae at my brothers ba* as he too* a dee# breath!

illing him to sho+ me that beautiful dane again!

Get me see more!Nust one is fine!

"hat amaing form of yours to your little sister@@

aitM

- regained myself!

;o +ay - had been entranedL

- losed the urtains in a rush then hurried from the +indo+!

"he urtain rails made a #retty big noise but it +ouldnt be audible from

the yard@@ - thin*!

Geaning against the +all - olla#sed do+n!

%y fae +as hot!

%y heart #ounding a+ay furiously +ouldnt alm do+n e)en as - held

my hands against my hest!

&e hadnt realied rightL

%y brother hadnt loo*ed u# e)en one!

&e shouldnt ha)e seen me standing at the +indo+!

$et des#ite that as - had stood staring as if enhanted - had the feeling

that my brother had notied me too!

As al+ays my brea*fast +as #ro)ided by Sa*uraisan! "his )illa also

tehnially had an automati oo*ing mahine managed by a &AC but

Sa*uraisan herself had insisted that those +ho rely on automati

mahines beome insi#id and as suh all her meals +ere homemade

unless under etraordinary irumstanes!

Ceently - had ta*en a hand in hel#ing too but truth be told my s*ills

are still )ery muh in the getting there stage!

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>5o you ha)e any #lans for todayL?

As - si##ed tea after the meal Sa*uraisan as*ed that uestion! -n form

that +ould ha)e been addressed to =*aasama but - *ne+ full +ell it

a##lied to me too!

>-f the heat lets u# -d li*e to go out to sea!?

"hin*ing a little =*aasama ga)e her re#ly!

>Shall - ready the ruiserL?

>&mm!!!!!! a smaller sailing yaht +ould be nie!?

>$es #lease!?

ith e#eriene Sa*uraisan smoothly inferred the s#eifis from

=*aasamas brief +ords and dedued her intentions effiiently

assembling a shedule!

"his means my timetable for #ast 4#m has been deided as +ell! =*aa

sama most li*ely intends to s#end the time until then inside the )illa!

;o+ +hat shall - doL

>%iyu*isan if you ha)e no #artiular #lans ho+ about going to the

beahL ()en if you .ust lie do+n - thin* itd be a good +ay to refreshyourself!?

Seeing me lost in thought Sa*uraisan made a suggestion!

>@@- guess so! "hen - su##ose -ll .ust rela on the beah in the

afternoon!?

>-ll hel# you #re#are! ;o+ no+ theres no need to refrain!?

@@Sa*uraisan strangely seems to be antii#ating something!

>"he sunlight here in the tro#is is intense! -f you lea)e a ga#

some+here itll be terrible!?

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@@Sa*uraisan that loo* in your eyes is )ery sus#iious!

>;aturally +ed ha)e to o)er all the bits under the s+imsuit too!

'ome on lets go get ready!?

- attem#ted to sli# a+ay in silene but before - ould mo)e an inh

Sa*uraisan had her hand around my +rist!

&er gri# +asnt so tight as to be #ainful but there +as definitely no

sha*ing her off!

- +as dragged li*e that u# to the seond floor and +hen - glim#sed atmy brother - had the distint feeling he +as laughing underneath his

e#ressionless fae!

@@()en though hes not su##osed to ha)e any suh human feelings!


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Hnees slightly bent loo*ing as if s#aing out!

hen - stole a glane o)er it +as as if he +asnt e)en a+are of me

sim#ly staring into the distane! - +onder if hes boredL

&es a healthy fit boy in his first year at .unior high but +ith the searight in front of him all he did +as sit! "hat +as it!

-s this normalL 5ri)en by that uestion - mo)ed myself +ith my

elbo+s and snea*ed a glane at the other #arasols dotted around!

"hats a@@ family - thin*! A mother and father and a girl #robably in

her first or seond year of #rimary shool!

Nust as - thought so a boy slightly older than the girl ame running u#

from the beah!

"he boy too* his fathers hand and made as if trying to #ull him o)er to

the sea!

"he #arasol net to theirs +as )aant! "here +ere )arious belongings

indiating the #resene of t+o #eo#le! @@there are t+o #ar*as +hih

means t+o #eo#le rightL

"hose t+o +ere #robably do+n by the sea as +ell!

eyond that +as@@ +hoa+hoa+hoaM- #ut my head do+n in a hurry!

After attem#ting another #ee* - +as fored to lo+er my head again

almost immediately again!

"here a guy around senior highB - dont thin* he +as a uni)ersity

student yetB +as rubbing oil o)er a girl!

-n some #retty dangerous areas too! &ey is he going for full body

o)erageLAnd in suh an o#enly #ubli #lae at that arent arent they

embarrassed at allL

"he guy at least didnt ha)e to +orry about being seen! Stro*ing a+ay at

the girls body he +as laughing uite ha##ily! -t +asnt a )ery #leasant

e#ression to see!

5o guys li*e doing that sort of thingL

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A more outgoing +oman +ould laughB Sa*uraisan definitely +ould

laugh but - had read in a magaine some+here that men li*e touhing

+omen! -)e also heard from friends at shool that +hen ad)aned

sem#ais go out on a date they ha)e trouble +ith their boyfriends

see*ing after their body! Nust +hat do they thin* girls are - indignantlyfelt at the time! "hat terrible age of free se ended half a entury agoM

esides +hih youre doing those things to a .unior high studentM

@@;ot good not good! 'alm do+n! - ant go ausing a frost on the

beah in =*ina+a in the middle of summer!

ut the +oman didnt seem to be against it!

-t might .ust be beause shes lying do+n #rone the same as me and not

readily )isible but sine the guy is being allo+ed to go right ahead -mguessing shes o* +ith it!

@@"he same as meL

&eres me lying do+n and theres that #erson sitting net to me!

- +onder is he thin*ing something similarL -s he a#able of suh a

thingL

- raned my ne* slightly loo*ing again at my brothers fae and my

brother +as loo*ing at me!

=ur eyes met!

-n ontrast to me +ho +as froen still he sim#ly ontinued to loo*

around for t+o three seonds before turning ba* to fae the horion!

- regained ontrol of my body +ith diffiulty and unable to say

anything sim#ly buried my no+ heated fae in the shado+s!

- used my done u# hair as a urtain of sorts although - an easily see it

beoming something rather troublesome in the future!

Gying #rone - ould do nothing but +ait for my hee*s to ool do+n!

ith my )ie+ obsured so my no+ ba* to normal head began to fill

+ith all sorts of thoughts - really shouldnt ha)e been thin*ing about!

&e .ust +hen had he begun loo*ing at meL

hat #art of me +as he loo*ing atL

%y ba*L GegsL =r@@

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- +onder does this #erson ha)e the same interestsL as he thin*ing hed

li*e to touh my body or something@@L

- *ne+ - really shouldnt be thin*ing suh things about my bloodrelated

sibling! ut my brother and - +erent uite that straightfor+ard!

()en though +e li)e in the same house +e rarely see eahother!

"he only times +ere together inluding to and from shool is +hen

+ere out! eing together during the day li*e no+ only ha##ens during

tri#s!

,or as far ba* as - an remember - ha)e no memories of ta*ing baths

together #laying together or anything at all!

"o me my brother is not so muh family but rather more li*e a one year

older boy - *no+! "hat is my true feeling!

-ts #robably the same for him!

,or him -m most li*ely .ust someone attending the same shool a one

year younger girl@@


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- ould feel the fabri strething from my shoulders to my thighs!

-t +as the tuni - had ta*en off earlier!

"hat suitably folded tuni +as no+ s#read o)er my body!

Someho+ suddenly - felt a sense of seurity!All my meaningless tension disa##eared and #erha#s as a onseuene

my mind began to drift instead!

ithout allo+ing myself any further selfanalysis - felt myself lulled

into a omfortable sense of dro+siness!

-n the end - really do ha)e to be than*ful to Sa*uraisan! 5es#ite the

fat - +as under a #arasol - had sle#t in that fiere sunlight for uite a

+hile! -f - hadnt been guarded by sunsreen all the +ay u# to my nailsmy bare legs +ould no doubt be suffering terrible burns by no+!

>So hot@@?

As - blamed the interru#tion to my slee# on the relentless heat my

brother +as as e#eted still net to me +athing the horion!

>@@&o+ long ha)e - sle#tL?

>Around t+o hours!?

- as*ed a uestion +ithout +arning!

And yet he ans+ered +ithout a moments hesitation!

Almost as if to head off any other uestions!

"he ans+er felt rushed li*e he didnt +ant to gi)e me time to thin*!

>- see!?

- )aguely felt that something +as u# but my head +as still fuy from

ha)ing .ust a+o*en and - +asnt able to #ut a finger on that sense ofdisomfort!

As - got u# my tuni sli##ed off onto the sheet!

Perha#s beause of the sea breee blo+ing sand e)ery+here des#ite the

fat - had sle#t on a sheet the surfae under my limbs felt a little rough!

>-m going into the +ater!?

ithout +aiting for a re#ly - hoo*ed on my sandals!

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All around the sheet numerous foot#rints +ere e)ident! "hey hadnt

been there before! Some #arts had been flattened resembling the ba*s

of #eo#le +ho had fallen o)er! Perha#s some #eo#le had been #laying

beah )olleyball@@L

"he number of surrounding #arasols had inreased as +ell!

-t seems a lot had ha##ened +hile - +as aslee# - thought laily as -

headed do+n to the beah!

After a late lunh - s#ent some time reading in my room! &o+e)er after

t+o hours - beame bored! -ts not that - disli*e reading - sim#ly didnt

really feel li*e it today!

- guess -ll go get =*aasama to sho+ me some magi #ratie!

"hin*ing that - +ent to her room!

%y room is in the )ery middle of the 2nd floor!

=*aasamas room is aross from the stairs on the other side!

"he room o##osite mine is em#ty and the one net to the stairs belongsto my brother!

Passing by it - heard a )oie from inside!

ithout thin*ing - #aused!

"his resort is #retty standard meaning that unli*e our home its not

fully sound#roofed yet des#ite that its not so hea# that normal )oies

ould be heard from the hall+ay! ,or them to be audible they must be

s#ea*ing )ery loudly!;ot to mention that that )oie .ust no+ +as Sa*uraisanL -nstinti)ely

- #ressed my ear to the door!

>&o+ ould you lea)e a terrible blo+ li*e this +ithout treatmentM?

Sa*uraisan +as #robably solding my brother!

>-ts nothing ma.or! "here is no om#romising damage to the bone!?

>5ont at as if e)erythings fine as long as nothings bro*enM 5oesnt it

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hurtML?

>"here is #ain! &o+e)er its nothing more than a #enalty - ha)e set

u#on myself!?

PainLPenaltyL

hat are they tal*ing aboutL

>&aa@@ youre al+ays li*e this@@ "atsuya*un -)e already gi)en

u# trying to orret that mentality of yours but@@

At the least let me heal you u# +ith magi so ta*e off your lothes

#lease!?

Al+aysL

>"here is no need! -f it beomes a hindrane in ombat it +ill re#air

itself!?

>@@"atsuya *un e)en Iuardians ha)e a day to day life! eause +e

arent merely fighting mahines! S#ea*ing of +hih about that inident

it +ould ha)e been better for you to sim#ly +a*e %iyu*isan and lea)e!

As Iuardians though +e should res#et our harges +ill and freedom

to the utmost thats no reason to get into a fight .ust beause you dont+ant to interfere +ith a na#!?

@@(hL %eL

>- am regretful!?

>Seriously #lease thin* this inident o)er alrightL Cunning is also a

#erfetly res#etable tati! "atsuya*un you need to learn to be more

fleible!?

- didnt hear the sound of a sigh but rather sensed that Sa*uraisan haddone so as she sagged her shoulders and #re#ared to lea)e!

-n a hurry as uietly as - ould - +ent ba* to my room!

"he ruiser Sa*uraisan had #re#ared +as a siseater sailing shi# +ith

an eletri motor attahed!

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"he four of us along +ith the helmsman and his assistant filled the boat

to full a#aity!

- sat a+aiting de#arture on seats arranged fae to fae! 5iretly aross

from me is =*aasama and net to me is my brother!

Pretending to +ath the sails being set u# - shot a glim#se at my

brothers #rofile!

&e +as intent u#on their +or* and didnt notie my gae!

()er sine - had o)erheard their on)ersation - ouldnt hel# thin*ing

about it!

%y brother is my esort!

Ietting in.ured in the ourse of #roteting me is to be e#eted!ut u# until no+ - ha)e rarely e)er seen my brother in.ured!

5iret onfrontation li*e yesterdays are also rare!

S#ea*ing of his in.uries they had all been from training!

hih +as +hy - des#ite being a suessor andidate to the $otsuba

had al+ays nai)ely assumed that there )ery fe+ humans +ho +ould be

des#iable enough to #i* on us hildren!

Suh a thing may be so in no)els but reality is different!

At ,umiya*uns #lae unli*e the $otsuba =.isamas +or* seemed to

be more out of on)eniene!

"he Iuardian attahed to me is ionially assoiated +ith a suessor

andidate of the $otsuba

"herefore a #art of me had al+ays thought that for a hild li*e my

brother to be assigned as a Iuardian had been for the sa*e of gi)ing my

magiallyla*ing brother a #lae in the $otsuba! And another #art hasal+ays felt guilty for doing so!

ut from the on)ersation those t+o had earlier in.uries seem to be

something #ar for the ourse!

>%iyu*isan is something bothering youL?

>Ah no its nothing!?

At that une#eted )oie - turned around in a hurry!

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;ot good not good!

- made =*aasama +orry!

>-ts been a +hile sine -)e gone sailing@@?

>Ah thats right!?Pretending to +ath the sails being set u# seems to ha)e +or*ed out!

ut that +ont #ut them off indefinitely and - deide to shel)e my

thoughts for no+!

Nust in time it seems +ere about to de#art!

5es#ite the fat that +ere not using the motor +e dre+ a+ay from the

#ier at a greater s#eed than - e#eted!

- foused my thoughts on the flo+ing senery!

-n the fae of a +esterly +ind +e +ere headed in a northnorth+est

diretion!

Sine - had assumed that in summer along =*ina+a a southeasterly

+ind should be blo+ing - as*ed the a#tain about it to +hih he re#lied

that a lo+ #ressure area +as a##roahing from the (astern sea!

- +as also told that it +ouldnt gro+ into a ty#hoon so - shouldnt be

onerned!

- hadnt e)en been a+are of that so my +orries did go u#@@ but its

not li*e -)e been at sea for any long #eriod of time so its #robably .ust

a needless aniety!

Although +e +ere sailing to+ards -e.ima the #oint of the tri# itself +as

sailing so +e had #lanned to turn ba* half+ay! ith the urrent +ind

s#eed though by the time +e +ere half+ay itd be dus* already!

Sailing is more omfortable than - had antii#ated!

-t felt li*e my onfused heart +as being s+e#t a+ay by the +ind!

-f - had *no+n - +ould ha)e li*ed to lea)e earlier and go further!

- losed my eyes and for a +hile sim#ly listened to the sound of the

+ind in the sails!

-f +e an end the day li*e this - should be able to slee# )ery

omfortably tonight!

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Should beause - *ne+ that this ouldnt last!

=.ousama #lease go to the front!?

Although - *ne+ this +asnt a good time my brother alling me =.ou

sama all of a sudden +as a #retty big sho*!

-ts something that ha##ens often but to be alled in suh a +ay as if -

+ere a stranger saddened me!

-n the fae of that my attitude unneessarily hardened!

>- *no+M?

ith that utterly unalled for and meaninglessly high #ressured line -

om#lied and left my seat!

- obser)ed the foaming sea!

Although my brother had his ba* to me and - ouldnt see his fae -

.ust *ne+ +hat sort of eyes he +as ma*ing .ust as sure as if - had ta*en

his hand!

;either glaring not staring!

sim#ly e#ressionless and em#ty those eyes of the )oid!

Sa*uraisan stood on the stern side #roteting =*aasama!

=*aasama is an ee#tionally #o+erful magiian but her strength has

been do+n beause of it reently! "he interations bet+een magi and

the body is still not fully understood but it is *no+n that using #o+erful

magi has a #ro#ortional strain on the body!

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She mustnt be allo+ed to use magi!

Ceahing that thought - too* my 'A5 out from my #ouh in a hurry!

Sa*uraisan already had her 'A5 on standby!

And my brother +asBem#ty handed .ust standing there!,rom behind our +a*e t+o bla* shado+s ra#idly a##roahed in our

diretion!

5ol#hinsL Gi*e hell they +ereM

- ould identify those intuiti)ely!

"or#edoesML ithout any +arning +hatsoe)erML

As - +as froen my brother standing in front of me made an

ine#liable gesture! &e raised his right hand out to sea at those

looming bla* shado+s!

ithout a 'A5 you do *no+ theres no meaning in ma*ing the motions

rightL

()en if only in the least youre still a magiian rightML

- +as ursing inside! ;ot only irritation at my brother imitating the

gestures +ithout *no+ing their true #ur#ose but irritation at his

#o+erlessness as +ell!

ith those thoughts in my mind - loo*ed u# at Sa*uraisan! As =*aa

samas Iuardian surely she +ould do something in #lae of my

brothers uselessness and berate him for his esa#ismBbut!

- +as off!

,aster than Sa*uraisan ould ati)ate anything my brother li*e a flash

of thunder in the louds unleashed magi!

-t +as o)er so fast - didnt e)en realie it +as a sign magi had been

in)o*ed for a moment!

oth the tor#edoes san* to+ards the bottom of the sea!

As they san* the shado+s e#anded! "he tor#edoes had disintegratedL

Nust +hat had this #erson done@@L

ithout a magial aid or anything@@L

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As doubt and denial +arred in my mind the magiian inside me told me

this #henomena +as +ithout a doubt aused by my brother +ho had

used an unbelie)ably ad)aned magi to interfere +ith the information

struture of the tor#edoes and ahie)e an etreme state of

deom#osition!"his #erson +ho a#art from the ability to neutralie anothers magi

should not ha)e any magial ability himself had@@L

'ould it be that - dont atually *no+ the least bit about this brother of

mineL

- didnt atually understand anything about him at allL

As Sa*uraisan ontinued to +or* magi under the +ater - sim#ly stared

at my brothers ba* re)erted to the hild he seemingly a##eared to beon the outside!

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Chapter 7

2095A+ November 6t% Yotsuba Main House+ra$ing

room

"atsuya +ho had been loo*ing out the +indo+ until no+ suddenly

loo*ed o)er at the door+ay!

hile the house seemed li*e a traditional Na#anese house on the outside

the inside +as an unsru#ulous om#romise bet+een (ast and est! An

a##ro#riate desri#tion may be a Na#aneseestern style mansion! "he

rooms +ere either #urely Na#anese or #urely estern!

"his dra+ing roomBthe audiene hall +as estern style! "he

+all#a#er eiling floor and +indo+s along +ith the lighting and

furniture +ere all estern!

"he door+ay had a +ooden door!

,rom that door as "atsuya stared a *no* *no* noise #roeeded!

%iyu*i said ome in +hile still seated on the sofa and a )oie re#lied

euse me as the door o#ened! earing an a#ron o)er a *imono amaid a##eared! @@aording to the image of the house #erha#s

meido +ould ha)e been more a##ro#riate but it +as diffiult to get

#ast that anahronisti im#ression!

"hat maid bo+ed dee#ly before standing aside!

ehind her stood a man +earing a suit!

"hat man +as someone "atsuya *ne+ )ery +ell!

%iyu*i o)ered her mouth +ith a hand! -t seemed to ha)e dro##ed o#enof its o+n aord!

hile not to the same etent as "atsuya %iyu*i also tentati)ely *ne+

this man!

As the man entered the room the maid bo+ed again before lea)ing and

losing the door +ithout any e#lanation! -t seems that she had only

been a guide!

>-ts been +hile "atsuya! ell atually - guess its only been a +ee*!?

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>%a.or@@ +hy are no you +ere alled by our Aunt rightL?

As*ing for a reason "atsuya s+a##ed the uestion for a statement

half+ay through! "heres no reason for Haama to )isit the $otsuba so

on)ersely it +as ob)ious the reason he +as here +as beause he had

been alled!

>"hat is orret! - had not heard that youd be attending as +ell

ho+e)er!?

>@!!- am sorry!?

"he one +ho had a#ologied +as %iyu*i +ho had stood u# the moment

Haama entered the room!

Haama had sim#ly been stating a fat! &e +as not smallminded

enough to be u#set o)er suh a tri)ial matter!

Hno+ing that "atsuya had sim#ly shrugged but %iyu*i ould not so

easily #ut aside the bungling of her relati)es!

>-t is not something to be onerned o)er!?

Haama and %iyu*i did not ha)e muh orres#ondene!

-n fat they had ne)er met +ithout "atsuya also being #resent!

hih +as +hy Haama in the #resene of a third #arty +as not uiteas fran* +ith %iyu*i as he +ould normally be +ith "atsuya!

;e)ertheless being in "atsuyas #resene all the time he ouldnt hel#

but thin* of her as sim#ly "atsuyas little sister!

Still +hile the number of times they)e met is not as muh she had first

met him the same time as "atsuya!

"heir auaintane +ith Haama s#rung from the e)ents of three years

ago!

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Chapter 5

2092A+ August 5t% "#ina$a(ia

y the time the 'oast Iuard of the 5efense ,ores rushed o)er the

submarine had disa##eared!

Sa*uraisan +as fuming at ho+ utterly outrageous it +as that they hadnt

notied it entering our territorial +aters but to be honest - +asnt as

interested!

Cather than assigning blame - sim#ly +anted some rest!

;ot so muh for #hysial fatigue but mental ehaustion!e +ere as*ed by the #erson in harge of the 'oast Iuard that theyd

li*e a summary of the inident but - +asnt in the mood at the time! ;ot

.ust me but both =*aasama and Sa*uraisan also felt the same! e told

him that if there +as anything in #artiular they +anted they ould

ome )isit and +e returned to the )illa!

Cight no+ -m lying in my room!

- had ta*en a sho+er but my head +as still unlear!hat lingered in my mind li*e storm louds in the rainy season +as the

magi my brother had sho+n! -f - +asnt mista*en he had diretly

modified the information struture of the ob.ets and deom#osed them!

ut as - reall diretly interfering +ith information strutures is

lassified as amongst the highest ran* of diffiulty in magi! ;e)ermind

me its #ossible e)en =*aasama or Aunt +ouldnt be able to do it!

And yet that #erson +ithout e)en using a 'A5@@"hat #erson hadnt he been remo)ed as a suessor andidate beause

he la*ed magial talentL

-t +as beause he ouldnt use magi that he +as assigned as my esort

insteadL

As long as - an remember as +ell as from +hat -)e been told aside

from the nonsystemati antimagi Iram 5is#ersion - ha)e ne)er

seen him use any high le)el magi!

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eause he +as unable to use the systemati magi of mainstream

modern magi adeuately he too* ad)antage of his high #hysial s*ill

and his s#eifi antimagi ability to ma*e a #lae in the $otsubaBthat

+as su##osedly the reason my brother +as my Iuardian!

- dont get it!

- dont get it at all!

ere family siblings and yet - *no+ nothing +hatsoe)er!

()en the fat that - *no+ nothing - didnt realie until today!

- +as a##alled!

'ome to thin* of it this is the first real tri# -)e had sine beginning

.unior high!- +onder +as yesterday the first time he had esorted me alone in the

truest sense of the termL

- had been si and he se)en!

"hat +as the age from +hih my brother beame my esort and - +as to

be esorted by him!

-n the si years sine my brother has al+ays been my esort!

ut theres no +ay that youd fully entrust the #rotetion of one +ho

may be the target of *idna# and assault to a #rimary shool *id!

- see so thats +hy - didnt *no+ that #ersons true +orth his real

a#abilities@@

"hen +ho ould - as* to *no+ +ho that #erson truly isL ho really

*no+s himL

=*aasamaL Sa*uraisanL =r maybe AuntL

Nust as - found a lue to esa#ing the mae of my thoughts or so -

thought a *no* ame from the door!

'aught off guard - got off the bed in a hurry and as - ombed my hair -

as*ed +hat it +as!

>-m sorry to disturb your rest! "he military is here and +ould li*e to

hear about the e)ent@@?

Sa*uraisans hesitant )oie ame from the other side of the door!

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>,rom meL?

As - o#ened the door - as*ed ba*! -t +asnt terribly res#etful - *ne+

as - s#o*e but - really +as uite sur#rised!

>$es@@ - told them that "atsuya*un and - ould ans+er any uestionsthey might ha)e but@@?

Sa*urais e#ression +as )ery a#ologeti e)en though it +asnt her

fault@@

-f she ats li*e that -m the one +hos going to be in #ain!

>- understand! Are they in the li)ing roomL?

Seeing Sa*uraisans nod - told her that -d get hanged then be right

do+n!

"he soldier +ho ame to tal* +ith us identified himself as 'a#tain

Haama &arunobu!

After finishing his introdution he +ent straight to the #oint!

>@@So did you diso)er the submarine by haneL?

>"he one +ho diso)ered the submarine had been the boat a#tain! -f

youd li*e to *no+ the irumstanes onerning that you should tal*+ith them!?

>5id you notie any harateristis that ould identify its registryL?

>-t +as submerged throughout! %a*ing out s#eifis +as im#ossible!

()en if it had surfaed ho+e)er - dont *no+ muh about submarines!?

"he uestions and ans+ers +ere ehanged bet+een the 'a#tain and

Sa*uraisan!

=*aasama seemed ontent to lea)e e)erything to Sa*uraisan and sine- hadnt been )ery om#osed at the time e)en if - +as inlined to s#ea*

there +asnt muh that - ould add!

>A##arently tor#edoes +ere firedL 5o you ha)e any idea +hy they

atta*edL?

>;one +hatsoe)erM?

Sa*uraisan seemed uite irritated! She had been dissatisfied +ith the

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res#onse of the military from the start and at this im#liation you guys

#robably did something to #ro)o*e them right uestion +hih made

e)en me feel slightly hagrined it +as no +onder shed beome angry!

>B- thin* youre missing something!?

Still being glared at by Sa*uraisan the 'a#tain turned to fae my

brother! -t +as #robably sim#ly an at +ithout any dee#er meaning

behind it! A ne+ )enture in order to soften the lashing atmos#here

bet+een these t+o!

>-n order to lea)e no +itnesses it is #ossible to infer that #erha#s they

+ere trying to abdut us!?

%y brothers ans+er ho+e)er +ent far beyond sim#ly learing u# any

disontent!

>AbdutL?

"he 'a#tain made an e#ression of sur#rise yet intrigued at the same

time and urged my brother to e#lain further!

>"he tor#edoes fired at our ruiser +ere foam tor#edoes!?

>=hL!!!!!!?

,oam tor#edoesL!!!!!! ,oam #roduing tor#edoes - guessL %eaning thatthey #rodue bubbles@@L

>,oam tor#edoesL hat are thoseL?

Nust as - turned my head Sa*uraisan as*ed my brother in my #lae!

"he reason she didnt as* the 'a#tain +as #robably beause she still

+asnt fully o)er it yet!

>"he tor#edo +arhead is filled +ith hemials designed to #rodue large

uantities of foam in a sustained reation! -n that frothfilled +ater#ro#ellers +ould be useless! A shi# +ith a high entre of gra)ity li*e our

sailing shi# +ould li*ely be o)erturned as +ell! -n doing so the target is

tra##ed and the re+ an be a#tured under the disguise of an aident!?

>hy do you thin* soL?

"he 'a#tain +as loo*ing at my brother +ith great interest!

- +as sim#ly sur#rised that he *ne+ suh things!

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>"he ruisers ommuniations had been .ammed! 5oing so is al+ays

mandatory if attem#ting to fa*e an aident!?

;otiing our ommuniations +ere disabled in a situation li*e that

sur#rised me e)en further!

>@@Sorry but deduing their armament based on that alone is rather

+ea* in my o#inion!?

>;aturally - didnt .udge based on .ust that!?

>$ou ha)e further e)ideneL?

>$es!?

>"hat isL?

>- refuse to ans+er!?

>@@?

eing told that +ithout any hesitation +hatsoe)er the 'a#tain ouldnt

seem to find anything to say!

ell Sa*uraisan and - +ere s#eehless as +ell!

>5o you need e)ideneL?

>@@;o that +ont be neessary!?At my brothers relentless #ae the 'a#tain seemed to be slightly at a

loss!

>'a#tain ould +e end soonL - dont thin* theres anything further +e

an say that +ould be of hel#!?

=*aasama +ho had until no+ remained silent sa)e to introdue herself

earlier suddenly s#o*e in a bored tone!

A bored yet hard to resist tone!"he 'a#tain immed

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