December 26th, 2096.
First High School of Magic had entered its short New Year's winter break. As a national institution, it was only natural for the public servant teachers to desire some time off. At most, a few students might still come to school for club activities or self-practice.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"...Just five more minutes."
At the training grounds owned by the Kagurazaka family, located at the foot of Mt. Fuji. When Yugen called out from above a waterfall in one corner of the facility, he could barely hear Celia's voice, who was lying sprawled out below the falls.
What exactly were they doing? It was training for Celia to fully master her Tenjin Relic Armor. Despite having explained this training beforehand, Celia had tried to "raid" him during the night, so he had "countered" her. That Himegimi and Shinya also joined the fray late into the night is a story for another time.
In December, one might wonder if there was any point in training during such cold weather, but this was also part of the training for thought-sequence control. The temperature regulation they had done in Okinawa earlier was one such exercise; in this case, it involved continuously deploying the Tenjin Relic Armor while maintaining an internal temperature of 18°C, taking into account friction with the surrounding air. Even for Celia, who boasted top-tier specs in this world as a reincarnator, sustaining the Relic Armor for over six hours while being showered by waterfall water was incredibly difficult.
As for Yugen himself, during his trip with Gozo traversing the New Soviet Union, he had continuously maintained 18°C in temperatures below -40°C for at least 24 hours. This was necessary to further train his already extraordinary thought-sequence reserves and magical computation area.
Just then, the barrier magic woven around the training grounds detected the presence of a visitor. Yugen promptly ended his training, leaped from above the waterfall, and "stood" upon the basin. He then jumped onto a rocky outcrop and cast [Floral Wind of Healing] on Celia. Her condition instantly recovered, and she involuntarily shot up into a sitting position.
"Big brother, did someone come?"
"Yeah... it's Himegimi. And why did you bother hugging me from behind?"
"I needed a refill of Yugen-san essence."
Responding to Celia's and Yugen's words, Himegimi hugged Yugen from behind. The reason she didn't come from the front was likely because she used Tenjin Magic to approach them from behind. Since there was no hostility or ill intent, he had pretended not to notice, but after everything that happened last night, to still not have enough was questionable, and he frankly wondered where such "essence" even existed.
Moreover, Himegimi was the most voluminous among his fiancées, and what's more, she wasn't wearing underwear, allowing him to feel her directly. She was also making a rubbing motion, and he could occasionally hear gasps of pleasure escaping her lips.
Celia, noticing this, said nothing, but rather looked on with an expectant gaze, as if saying, "Go for it." Even if they weren't exactly in public, he wished she'd have a bit more ladylike modesty.
Ultimately, what happened after he led the two into the training hut... well, it's not hard to imagine, but he'd refrain from vocalizing it as it was too embarrassing.
"So, Himegimi, you must have come for something, right?"
Yugen spoke up after they had finished everything and tidied themselves. He wouldn't comment on the obvious pre-marital acts, as it was too late for that (it was highly likely that Chihime or Yume had egged them on in that regard), but he asked for her real business.
"That's right. Actually, the Head of the family instructed me to call for you, Yugen-san. And when I did, I was told to use it as an excuse to push you down."
"...No matter what, I have no intention of 'training' anyone while they're still in high school."
"It's precisely because you can calmly show such consideration that the number of people who want to be your wife increases, big brother."
"The fact that you readily approve of pre-marital acts makes me worry about the whereabouts of the screws in your head."
No matter how extraordinary magicians were, deviating from legal norms in matters of common sense was unacceptable. His current mother, Chihime, seemed to tolerate it, but it was questionable for someone in a position to be a role model to be the first to break the rules.
Besides, given her adding to the Head's command and instigating them, Chihime couldn't deny enjoying herself. Normally, such arrangements should be made after the main business is concluded, but questioning her common sense in this area would be endless, so he gave up.
"Alright, I understand. For now, Himegimi, please oversee Celia's training."
"Huh, still going!?"
"Just so you know, setting aside Tatsuya and the others, those of us who have mastered Tenjin Relic Armor, including myself, can deploy it continuously for at least 24 hours. Push her hard."
"Understood. I won't hold back."
Incidentally, when it came to Tenjin Magic, Yugen was still the gentler one. Himegimi, as a member of the Ise family, who served as Shinto priests at Ise Grand Shrine, had a strict stance on mastering Tenjin Magic.
Summoned by the Head, Yugen swiftly departed. Afterward, the truth behind the rumors of a scream-like sound coming from the training grounds... only the gods knew.
◇ ◇ ◇
Chihime Kagurazaka's study in the Kagurazaka main house had moved from the room originally assigned to Yugen as the Head to a detached building where successive generations of former heads resided. Although called a study, it featured a traditional Japanese irori hearth and a kettle, and Chihime worked cross-legged at a fireproof desk—a desk beloved by the first Kagurazaka head, now used by the retired head.
Feeling a familiar presence, Chihime stood up and invited the person in.
"Yugen-kun, you can come in."
"Excuse me. Is your work finished?"
"I wanted a short break. And the fish is just grilled."
It was more a light meal than a full one, but after enjoying a simple, freshly grilled salted fish and a freshly brewed hojicha tea, Yugen took a breath and then asked Chihime.
"So, Mother. Himegimi called me, but what is the matter?"
"Well, actually, one of the veterinarians managing this area suddenly had to go to Hokkaido. He wants to open his own clinic in his hometown, so we're giving him money for his moving expenses as a 'housewarming gift.'"
The Hakone area, where the Kagurazaka family is based, still retains remnants of a national park. Protecting rare plants and animals is not only crucial for maintaining the ecosystem but also for stabilizing the Dragon Veins. Stabilizing the Dragon Veins is the most important factor in this country prone to natural disasters. Yugen had heard from Chihime that the fact that both the Uesugi and Kagurazaka families, as guardians, have their bases in the Kanto region, is directly linked not only to the protection of the Imperial family but also to "protecting" the citizens and the land that support them from natural threats.
The Ten Master Clans' surveillance and protection are primarily focused on public security and are not deeply involved in fields like medicine or education. On the other hand, families connected to the guardians have connections in all sorts of fields. Last autumn, Yugen had asked Chihime for her influence regarding magical medicine due to 'Taurus Silver.'
The veterinarians themselves are managed through "outsourcing" from the Kagurazaka family's economic base, the Kamisaka Group. Apparently, one of them had to return to Hokkaido due to their parents' circumstances.
"You want me to help with the move?"
"Oh no, Yugen-kun's [Mirror Gate] is convenient, but we can't exactly steal the moving company's job, can we?"
"That's true."
While he sometimes moved things himself, using his magic for transport was only for cases requiring extremely high secrecy. So, why had Chihime brought up the veterinarian? Chihime then smiled knowingly.
"Oh, right... Yugen-kun wasn't even using the Mitsuya surname back then, so even if you were born into a Ten Master Clan, your ties to the Ten Master Clans, or rather, the Twenty-Eight Families, were thin, except for your brother-in-law. You know about the origins of the Master Clan Conference, right?"
"Yes, somewhat."
"Then, you must also know about the 'Extras,' the Number Dropouts, right?"
There was no way he didn't know. Including his original knowledge, Ichihana (Suzune Ichihara, Shiori Jūnana) and Misaki (Hiroshi Misaki), and Nanatsukura (Saburo Nagura, currently Saburo Hachikura) were the people he was, or had been, involved with.
However, he hadn't met anyone like that among his acquaintances. He could probably find out if he investigated, but since his priority was to avoid hostility from Tatsuya and Miyuki, he hadn't been interested in people who didn't direct hostility towards him.
Originally, there were also the unique circumstances surrounding the targets, Shiba Tatsuya (the protagonist) and Shiba Miyuki (the heroine). But being dragged around by the real-life cheat Gozo meant he didn't have much time to worry about the circumstances of magicians within the country.
Then, Chihime stated:
"Actually, there's someone I'm thinking of asking for a favor through the Yazama family's connections. And guess what, the Yazama family proposed that their daughter and a girl living with them become your fiancées."
"...Huh? Wait a minute..."
The Yazama family, a pillar of the 'Nine Dragons,' is responsible for the entire Hokkaido region. This meant that the people she was referring to must be among those he had met during his time at the Yazama main house from third grade to first year of middle school. And if Chihime's initial mention of a veterinarian, combined with the family structure including two girls, was something he knew, there was only one family that fit, besides the Yazama main house itself.
Yugen, of course, knew that surname.
"Are you talking about the Toukami family, Mother?"
"Correct. The family from the Tenth Lab, the 'Extras' who went by Togami."
"...So, Meena—Marika—is from an 'Extra' family. And the other one would be Arisa Iba, then."
Yugen's encounter with the two girls—Marika Toukami and Arisa Iba—dated back to when he was living under the name 'Yuto Nagano.'
When Yugen was in third grade, at the recommendation of his father, Mitsuya Gen, he began training at the Uesugi family, and furthermore, at Gozo's suggestion, he was brought to the Yazama main house in Hokkaido. He initially thought it was due to the connection between the Mitsuya and Yazama families, but upon hearing the story, he learned that the "source" for the Mitsuya family was the then-head of the Yazama family.
He had heard from a family member that to avoid being mistaken for an "Eight" family (from the Eighth Lab) if "Yazama" was directly twisted, they combined the surname Yazama with their Third Lab origin to become "Mitsuya." The reason why families of modern magic and ancient magic, usually difficult to reconcile, had formed an employer-employee relationship was because they were originally of the same Yazama bloodline. His positive outlook on Shirou and Shina's progress also included these circumstances.
To return to the story, the Yazama family, due to their use of ancient rituals, also possessed techniques involving animals, and had friendly relations with the Toukami family, who ran a veterinary clinic in a nearby town. Arisa had lived with her mother at the Toukami family's house, but her mother had passed away.
At the time, Yugen was still eight years old, and Arisa and Marika were five. They were two years younger than his own younger sister, Shina. Yugen met the two when he accompanied the Yazama family to Arisa's mother, Dahlia Iba's, funeral. There, Marika's older brother, Ryosuke Toukami, asked him to look after Arisa and Marika.
Dahlia had no relatives (he learned this from a Yazama family member after the funeral), and young Arisa could not possibly serve as chief mourner. Therefore, the close-knit Toukami family, as chief mourners, were bustling about, and Ryosuke was also pressed into helping.
—Mom, why?
More than just sadness, what Arisa felt was confusion. However, he also wondered how much he, a virtual stranger at that point, should get involved, so he watched her. Marika, who was showing concern by Arisa's side, also seemed at a loss.
Then, Arisa's gaze turned towards him.
"Um, I... I want you to tell me."
Saying that, Arisa began to speak. Her mother had repeatedly told her, "Your father is alive far away. He's a great magician who loved me, but due to unavoidable circumstances, I was the one who broke up with him. So please, don't hate your father. It's all my responsibility..." Arisa didn't understand the meaning of this, and Marika also didn't quite grasp it.
Honestly, the moment he heard it, he thought of his own father, but his father, who was clearly a loving husband, could hardly be imagined to have a secret child. Moreover, since he hadn't really been acting like a magician, and was even somewhat lacking in self-awareness, it was difficult for him to fathom Arisa's mother's feelings.
So, he could only say this:
"I don't know what kind of person your mother was. But, I'm sure what your mother wanted to say was that your father's situation was her own problem, and there's no reason for you to hate him. In short, I think your mother wants you to be happy."
At that time, he barely knew Arisa or Marika, who he had just met. There was no way he would know anything about Arisa's mother, Dahlia. But Arisa must have seen Marika's family and wondered why she didn't have a father. If Dahlia's words were the answer to that, it made sense.
From Arisa's perspective, she might hate a father she didn't even know. She might wonder, "Why didn't he strongly stop Mother?" But Dahlia herself had initiated the breakup with Arisa's father. Perhaps it was out of consideration for the other person's happiness.
He also thought it was problematic that her own father, described as a "great magician," didn't attend his mother's funeral. Perhaps he wasn't brazen enough to show up and act like a father now, or perhaps he didn't know about Dahlia's death. Either way, calling him a great magician under those circumstances was truly laughable, he grumbled internally.
Listening to Yugen's words, Arisa seemed to be thinking something. Marika also looked at Arisa curiously. Then, Arisa suddenly blurted out:
"Um, then, please be my big brother!"
"...Huh?"
He no longer understood what was happening.
He hadn't intended to flirt, and he had simply given a perfectly reasonable answer using all the information he knew. How did that connect to being begged to be a "big brother" by someone he had just met...? Just as he thought that, a questioning reply escaped his lips.
Arisa's only blood relative, her mother, had died. And for Arisa, who had a family-like relationship with the Toukami family, she must have been incredibly envious of Marika having a close brother. He understood that as a result, she had pleaded with him to be her brother.
Since it was their first meeting, they had introduced themselves (Marika and Arisa also had interactions with people from the Yazama main family, and Yugen was introduced as someone connected to that main family), but he was about to scold them for going too far when Marika pressed closer.
"Aasha, no fair! Be my big brother too!!"
"..."
Marika, Brutus, you too?
In the end, he was overwhelmed by the power of the two five-year-olds and had to agree to be called "big brother." Furthermore, they decided to call the two girls "Aasha" and "Meena" (from the Russian female name "Jasmine"), following Arisa's mother's example. Their names for him became "Yuto Onii-chan" for Arisa and "Yu-nii" for Marika.
He roughly asked Marika if it was alright since she had a real older brother, and Marika bluntly stated, "Ryosuke-nii isn't nice," which made Ryosuke, who happened to be nearby, retreat to a corner of the room and cry. Hang in there, Ryosuke.
For the next four years, they maintained a family-like relationship. After the two started elementary school, they attended the same school for about two years, and during break times, they would always come to play. Their classmates would tease him, saying, "Your future wives are here!" and the two girls didn't seem entirely displeased. At the time, he was detached from romantic feelings, so he just brushed them off.
Perhaps influenced by his martial arts training, Marika started attending the martial arts dojo at the Yazama family, and Arisa also began learning, led by Marika. Ryosuke also attended at his parents' recommendation, and he felt somewhat conflicted when told, "Good luck, future brother-in-law."
At the end of his first year of middle school, considering his physical growth, his training in Shinkage-ryu Kenjutsu temporarily concluded, and he received the master's certificate. In addition, due to the wishes of the Mitsuya family head, he was to move to Tokyo.
When he told the Toukami family and Arisa about the move a month beforehand, the two girls, who adored him like a real older brother, naturally tried to stop him.
At Marika's parents' suggestion, he ended up living with the Toukami family until the moving day. Except for school, they never left his side.
Not only when sleeping, but he also ended up taking baths with them. He made sure to cover himself with a towel, but once, carelessly, his lower body was exposed, and the two girls looked at him with curious eyes.
He didn't have any special fetishes, so there was no way he would feel lust towards
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