Gen spoke firmly, making a definitive declaration against Tsukasa's one-sided conclusion. Yet Tsukasa's stance remained unshaken.
"We may lack the authority, but we can still perform the test, can't we?"
"...Tsukasa-san, what exactly are you asking of us?"
Faced with Tsukasa's hollow, insincere smile, Gen decided to hear her demands. Whether he would fulfill them was another matter, but simply listening did not yet cross into the realm of complicity.
"We would like to borrow Shina-chan for our exercise. Though we call it an exercise, there is nothing dangerous about it. Besides, we've already obtained Shina-chan's consent."
Gen clicked his tongue inwardly at Tsukasa's request. The feud between the Toyama and Mitsuya families was known only to Gen, his wife Shiho, the heir Genji, and those directly involved: Mototsugu, Yugen, Shizuru, Kana, and Mika. They had planned to tell Shina about the Toyama family when the time was right, but that delay had backfired.
"I suppose I don't have the right to refuse."
"That's not true at all. I genuinely hope for your wholehearted cooperation, Lord Mitsuya."
Faced with Tsukasa's shameless phrasing, Gen's expression hardened. He almost clicked his tongue aloud, but instead took a deep breath before speaking.
"...Let me ask one thing. Does my son know about this?"
"No, he does not. In fact, keeping it from him is one of the conditions for Shina-chan's cooperation."
After Tsukasa departed, Gen sank deeply into his sofa, resting his head against the back. He stared up at the ceiling of his office.
"...The one who understands nothing is you, Tsukasa Toyama."
Gen muttered quietly, his mind returning to the question he had just asked her.
Her values were ultimately not those of the Toyama family, but merely reflected the agendas of the people standing behind her. No matter how much she tried to restrict information, the moment he caught wind of it, her entire plan would unravel. Having experienced his son's extraordinary nature firsthand as a father, her petty schemes were utterly meaningless.
Just then, the door opened, and Genji stepped into the room.
"Father, has Toyama-san left?"
"Ah... They plan to use Shina to test the Yotsuba. We've been dragged into their scheme."
"How could... What should we do? Should we inform Mototsugu or Yugen?"
Genji mentioned his younger brothers who had already left the Mitsuya household. But Gen shook his head in response.
"That would be a mistake. Mototsugu and Yugen are no longer members of the Mitsuya family. Personal family interactions are fine, but as a family, breaking our stance of maintaining official distance is unwise."
"However..."
"Besides, Genji. If something happens to Shina, what guarantee is there that those five won't act?"
"Ah... I see."
What crossed Genji's mind was the core motivation of Mototsugu, Shizuru, Kana, Mika, and Yugen. Until Alisa was adopted, Shina had been the youngest, doted on by the entire family. If she were placed in danger, those five would move regardless of the reasons. Involving the current heads of the Kamiizumi and Kagurazaka families would instantly escalate this into a major incident.
"Those five possess strength that far exceeds normal Mitsuya standards. As for Shina... according to father-in-law's report, her progress in magical martial arts alone is already reaching the secret transmission stage."
"...Pardon?"
Genji's reaction mirrored Gen's own when he first heard the news. While he had no reason to doubt Gozo's skill and judgment, Gen held complicated feelings about Shina possessing talent second only to Yugen. The only saving grace was that she was arranged to marry into Jiro's family.
"There are plenty of surprises here, but if they go on a rampage, won't our relationship with the Defense Forces deteriorate?"
"Regarding that... taking the recent meeting as an opportunity, the Air Force and Navy have quietly approached us about purchasing weaponry."
Compared to neighboring nations, Japan's military relied heavily on joint operations between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Competition to secure magicians within the Defense Forces was intensifying, with the Army's 101st Brigade Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion being the primary target of envy.
The Navy and Air Force, seeking to redeem themselves after the Nantou Island incident and address matters regarding their two newly commissioned aircraft carriers, were turning to the Mitsuya family—who held deep ties to military magicians—for weapons procurement. This was meant to ensure they possessed enough strength to operate independently, even if relations with the Army soured.
"We cannot ignore their requests, especially since it complements what Yugen—Lord Kagurazaka—has asked of us. If I have any worries moving forward, it's praying that they don't destroy the Toyama estate along with whoever is pulling the strings from the shadows."
"..."
Realizing that what his father described was far from a fantasy and extremely likely to happen, Genji broke into a cold sweat, thinking, 'They really might do that in retaliation for Shina.'
◇ ◇ ◇
After school at First High, Yugen was leisurely browsing through magic volumes in the library. A drawback of his photographic memory was that he had already memorized every book and document here in just a single year, so this was purely a matter of killing time.
As he read quietly, a female student approached him. She wore the First High uniform, but was actually a visiting exchange student from Third High—Toko Shijuku.
"Yugen, so this is where you were."
"Toko. Did someone call for me?"
"Not exactly, but is it alright for the Council President to be lounging around here?"
Normally, it would be strange for one of the top school executives to be idling in the library without conducting rounds. However, Yugen had his own unique reasons. Since talking here would disturb others, they moved to the cafeteria and began conversing once their drinks arrived.
"I don't know how things are at Third High, but if I stick around, the other members get so overly tense it hinders their work. I don't mind them showing respect, but part of the reason for their behavior lies elsewhere."
"It's a sad reality that I can roughly guess what you mean just from those words."
Because Yugen acted as a "deterrent" for Miyuki, it was understandable why the officers below the vice president were anxious not to displease him. Furthermore, the rumors surrounding the Mitsuya family, built up by Yugen's sisters, only added fuel to the fire.
"As long as they don't step out of line, I won't scold or penalize anyone. It's basic human decency before even considering oneself a magician, yet far too many fail at even that."
Had they been capable of that, the assault incident during the Student Council election in Shizuru's second year would never have occurred, Mika wouldn't have been dragged into a withdrawal scandal after forcefully stopping a clash between Course 1 and Course 2 students, and Kana wouldn't have been involved as a party in both incidents.
Given that the Mitsuya family received proper recognition as one of the Ten Master Clans, he was thoroughly appalled by the childishness of the students entering magic high schools.
"If an injury occurs as a result of legitimate competition, that's fine. But it's a different story if it stems from impulsive urges or reasons that can hardly be called competitive. I believe one should train their 'mind' before attempting to master magic. It feels as though ethics in compulsory education are being thoroughly neglected."
"Hmm, put that way, I certainly can't deny it."
What was indispensable for wielding magic was neither 'inherent skill' nor 'technical prowess.' It was none other than the caster's own 'mental strength.' While the former two were undoubtedly necessary to achieve greatness as a magician, an immature mind meant that exceptional ability could easily turn into a blade pointed back at oneself.
Despite belonging to the Hundred Families, Toko was well-versed in ancient traditions, and as someone receiving magic training from Yugen, she found immense conviction in his sharp words.
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