As the clock ticked past midnight, Tatsuya sat in the living room, lost in thought.
"Onii-sama, would you like something to drink?" Miyuki asked, settling beside him.
"No, I'm fine," Tatsuya replied.
"Is something troubling you?" Miyuki pressed gently, her curiosity piqued by her brother's pensive mood.
Tatsuya hesitated, sensing her desire to understand his thoughts. After a moment, he relented. "I was thinking about Saegusa-senpai's bodyguard."
"You mean Nagura-san?" Miyuki said, recalling the name.
"Yeah. His appearance and the surname 'Nagura' caught my attention."
Miyuki's eyes sharpened. "Onii-sama, do you think Nagura-san is a Numberless—an Extra?"
"It's a possibility," Tatsuya said cautiously. "Assuming there's no tradition outside the Yotsuba of assigning different surnames to Numberless, that is."
The term "Numberless"—or "Extra," short for Extra Number—referred to those stripped of their numerical designation. It was a shadowy aspect of the magical world, known to members of the Ten Master Clans and the Eighteen Assistant Houses but only to a select few among the Hundred Families.
"But would the Saegusa, a Ten Master Clan, entrust their daughter's safety to a Numberless?" Miyuki asked, skepticism lacing her voice.
"Maybe it's because she is a Saegusa," Tatsuya mused. "The family might be making a statement by employing a Numberless—showing they don't discriminate, for the sake of appearances."
"I see," Miyuki said, considering. "Still, Nagura-san struck me as highly skilled."
"Which is probably why he was chosen," Tatsuya agreed. "Even if she's not the heir, she's still their precious daughter."
Their conversation grew somber, but before it could deepen, Tatsuya's terminal buzzed, breaking the quiet.
"Who's calling at this hour?" Tatsuya muttered, glancing at the screen.
"Tatsuya-dono, my apologies for the late hour," came Hayama's voice.
"Hayama-san? Is something wrong?" Tatsuya asked.
"Maya-sama insisted," Hayama replied, his tone resigned.
Tatsuya sighed. "Understood."
Stepping away from Miyuki, Tatsuya signaled to Hayama that it was safe to proceed. Speaking with Maya, even over the phone, was a rare occurrence, and he braced himself.
"Takkun! It's been forever!" Maya's voice chirped through the line. "You never come to see me anymore!"
"It's not like I can just drop by," Tatsuya said dryly. "I'm not exactly in a position to visit you casually. So, calling at this hour isn't just to hear my voice, is it?"
"It's about that Nagura Saburo you're so curious about," Maya said, her tone teasing.
Tatsuya's eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that? I only met Nagura Saburo today… or rather, yesterday, since it's past midnight."
"Oh, I keep tabs on my dear Takkun!" Maya said with a laugh. "Of course I'd know."
Tatsuya exhaled, exasperated. "You heard from Miyuki's surveillance, didn't you? They reported that I suspect he's a Numberless."
"You're too sharp, Takkun! As expected," Maya said, delighted. "You're right—Nagura Saburo was once 'Nanakura Saburo,' a magician."
"And he's guarding the Saegusa daughter to uphold the family's image, isn't he?" Tatsuya deduced.
"Exactly! That old fox's scheming, right?" Maya said gleefully.
"I've never met the Saegusa head," Tatsuya replied coolly.
Maya's laughter echoed through the phone, carefree and amused. Tatsuya thanked her and ended the call. With his questions answered, he turned to Miyuki. "Let's head to bed."
Miyuki nodded, and they both retired to their rooms.
A few hours earlier, at ten o'clock, Mayumi was soaking in the bath at the Saegusa estate, her mind adrift.
(My height really stopped growing in middle school, huh…)
She'd always felt her limbs were long for her petite frame. Estheticians and boutique staff often pointed it out, and by now, Mayumi had accepted it as fact.
(My sisters are about the same height. Must be genetic.)
With an average bust and a figure she considered decent—pretty good, even—Mayumi had always been confident in her appearance. Lately, though, that confidence had begun to waver.
(I never imagined someone like her could exist…)
In her mind's eye, her image took shape.
(Is she even human?)
The "her" was Miyuki Siba. Miyuki's body was strikingly symmetrical, a trait more pronounced in magicians than ordinary humans due to their magical nature. Yet Miyuki's symmetry was almost otherworldly—delicate limbs, a waist so slender it bordered on impossible without looking unhealthy, a bust more refined than Mayumi's, and a face so breathtaking it could dazzle anyone. Even Mayumi, as a woman, understood why Miyuki was called an unparalleled beauty.
(If I had a sister like that, I'd probably lose interest in ordinary girls…)
Her thoughts drifted to Miyuki's brother.
(Is he really her blood relative?)
In Mayumi's mind, "he" was Tatsuya Siba. His appearance wasn't lacking—far from it. But next to Miyuki, he inevitably paled in comparison. Yet his substance outshone his looks. In Mayumi's presence, Tatsuya had demonstrated feats that suggested his abilities might surpass even his sister's. Officially, his magician rank was C at best, but in practical combat, he could rival A-rank magicians.
(Tatsuya-kun noticed something about Nagura-san…)
Mayumi hadn't mentioned it, but introducing Nagura had been a test. She'd wanted to see if Tatsuya would pick up on the surname "Nagura" and his distinctive appearance. Her keen attention caught the brief flicker of surprise in Tatsuya's eyes—he'd realized Nagura was a Numberless.
That meant Tatsuya was aware of the magical world's darker corners, much like herself or Juumonji.
(TatsAid from a nameless family… Siba… Shiba… Shiba… Yotsuba?)
A chill ran through her, unrelated to the cooling bathwater. She sank deeper into the tub, trying to warm herself against the unease her thoughts provoked.
(No way he's Yotsuba… If he were, why hide the name? And if he's Yotsuba, then Miyuki…)
Her mind raced, searching for reasons to dismiss the idea. Miyuki's immense interference strength and psion reserves were fitting for a Ten Master Clan heir. And Tatsuya—his "Spell Dissolution" required psion levels beyond the ordinary, levels even Mayumi, a Ten Master Clan direct descendant, couldn't match.
(No way… No, no, no!)
Every attempt to refute her suspicions only bolstered them. Shaking her head, Mayumi tried to banish the thoughts.
"Sis! How long are you gonna stay in there?" one of her younger sisters called from outside.
"Are you okay, Onee-sama? Are you overheating?" the other added.
"I-I'm fine! I'll be out soon!" Mayumi called back, realizing she'd lingered too long.
(No way…)
Telling herself her thoughts were muddled from the heat, Mayumi rose from the bath, determined to leave her suspicions behind.
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