Returning to her base of operations in Japan, Lina sensed an anomaly the moment she opened the front door. Sylvia had returned to the States, so she should have been living alone, yet there was a presence inside the apartment.
(Who is it? And for what purpose did they sneak in here...?)
"To say that sensory perception is not your forte seems to have been an understatement."
From above Lina, who was crouched down and waiting for an opportunity to breach, came the exasperated voice of her superior officer.
Realizing the intruder was not an enemy, Lina prepared tea with less-than-smooth efficiency and timidly addressed Colonel Virginia Balance, who was seated across from her at the modest dining table.
"If you had business with me, I would have reported to you myself."
However, the Colonel did not give a direct answer to Lina's offer.
"You may already know this, but the majority of my military career has been spent in rear-echelon duties. Specifically, my primary career has been in personnel-related affairs. But even without my background, it is obvious, Major Sirius."
"Yes, ma'am."
"You are harboring excessive sympathy for the target of this operation, Tatsuya Shiba. It appeared you handed something to him earlier."
"That was... a token of gratitude for saving Michaela Hongou without disposing of her. In Japan, there is a custom of giving 'obligation chocolate' to members of the opposite sex who have helped you."
"You insist it was merely 'obligation'?"
Colonel Balance pressed for confirmation, and Lina nodded in affirmation. Regardless of her true feelings, the chocolate she handed over was undeniably obligatory.
"If so, then fine. I intend to understand your unique circumstances. Among all the Commanders-in-Chief of STARS, you are the only one to have assumed the position while still in your teens. Although Magicians developed through modern magic technology and theoretical systems generally possess higher potential in newer generations, there were many voices claiming you were too young. Had my opinion been sought, I would have advised against your appointment as High Commander."
"…It is true that I harbor sympathies toward Tatsuya Shiba that are undesirable for a USNA soldier. However, these are by no means romantic feelings or anything of the sort. The emotion I hold for him is, rather, a competitive spirit toward a rival."
Lina decided to tell Colonel Balance only the feelings that were true from a certain perspective.
"A rival, is it?"
"Yes. As I believe you know from my reports, Colonel, I have once fallen behind Tatsuya Shiba."
"I see. That was your first defeat in magical combat since assuming the name 'Sirius,' was it not?"
"Yes."
"Understood. If that is the case, this makes things easier."
The tone of the Colonel's voice shifted subtly, and the atmosphere around her grew chilled. With just that, Lina realized her moratorium was over.
"Major Sirius. Effective immediately, the pursuit and disposal of the deserter is temporarily suspended. You are ordered to return to your original mission. From this point forward, your top priority is to secure the activation sequence for 'Mass-Energy Conversion Magic' or the user thereof. If securing them proves impossible, neutralizing the magic sequence is permissible."
To neutralize a magic sequence meant ensuring no one could use it. In other words, the elimination of the caster.
"First, we will proceed on the assumption that Tatsuya Shiba is the target. As the first wave, we will use Stardust to launch an assault on the target tomorrow night. You are to equip Brionac and intervene at your own discretion."
"―Yes, ma'am."
Lina erased all expression from her face, stood up, and saluted Balance.
Erika was relaxing alone in the detached cottage of her family's estate. Upon her entry into high school, her father had offered to buy her a condo near the school, but Erika had refused, choosing instead to live in the cottage.
The reason only Erika lived in the cottage rather than the main house was that her mother was not the formal wife of the head of the Hundred Families' Chiba clan, but rather—to use an old-fashioned term—a mistress.
Considering that they had done "that sort of thing" while the legal wife was bedridden with illness, Erika felt it was unavoidable that both her father and mother were blamed.
A photograph was displayed on top of the chest of drawers. It showed a woman with blonde hair that resembled a bright chestnut color, lighter than Erika's.
Anna Rosen Katori.
That was Erika's mother's name. As one could guess from the name and appearance, she was half-Japanese, half-German.
As Erika stared blankly at the ceiling, the door chime suddenly rang. It wasn't a call signal, but the sound indicating the door had opened. Since she hadn't locked it, someone had just let themselves in. It wasn't as if anyone had peeked into her room, so she didn't intend to be neurotic about it.
"Is that you, Second Brother? Please come in."
Based on the footsteps, breathing, and presence, she narrowed the candidates down to two. Since her eldest brother hadn't been returning home until late every night due to that incident, she reached her conclusion and moved from her bed to her desk.
"Sorry to disturb your rest, Erika."
"No, I was just taking a little break. So, did you need something?"
During summer break, seeing him with that woman had made her fly into a rage, but aside from those instances, being by this brother's side had always been a place where Erika's heart found peace.
The only time she raised her voice at this brother was when that woman was involved.
"Yeah... I hesitated whether to say it or not... but I thought I should tell you. You have a classmate named Tatsuya Shiba, right?"
"Yes. What about him?"
"He is under surveillance by the National Defense Force."
"…Huh?"
"It's no wonder you can't believe it so suddenly. But it's the truth."
This brother didn't know the real reason Erika couldn't believe it. Erika knew that Tatsuya was an external member of the National Defense Force.
Since that fact was a state secret, it was entirely plausible that rank-and-file soldiers wouldn't know his status. However, the idea of using National Defense Force personnel to monitor one of their own struck Erika as utterly ridiculous.
"I also received an unofficial order."
However, if her own family was involved, she couldn't just dismiss it as foolishness.
"A mission that requires them to use you, Second Brother, when your official status is still just a student at the National Defense Academy? What exactly does it entail?"
"Monitor him, and if necessary, guard him."
"Monitor... and guard?"
Hearing the details from her brother and being told to be careful, Erika nodded obediently and saw him out of the room.
(I will be careful with Tatsuya-kun, just as you said, Second Brother.)
Shutsugu never imagined that she was inwardly ignoring his warning completely.
(Lina or Erika... I wonder which one is more capable?)
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"