April 3, 2103 — 1:05 pm Imperial Standard Time
Falconry Institute — Special Panel Chamber
The atmosphere inside the chamber had changed.
Not softened.
But reset.
The lingering pressure left behind by Ichiro Yoshima still clung faintly to the walls, though now it sat beneath something quieter — fatigue, perhaps. Or calculation.
Professor Ishida adjusted the next file in the holographic display.
Then paused.
A small sigh escaped him.
"Well," he murmured, "this one should be considerably less difficult."
Professor Kanzaki gave a dry look across the table. "You assume that because his surname comes attached to half the Empire's defense budget."
"That is not what I said."
"It is what you implied."
Before Ishida could answer, Yamamoto spoke.
"Enough."
Silence returned instantly.
The old Headmaster glanced toward the file hovering above the table.
Mitsui Arakawa
Son of Imperial Defense Minister Takumi Arakawa.
Unlike the previous two candidates, there were no warning markers surrounding his profile. No volatility flags. No political instability assessment. No attached surveillance memorandums.
His combat scores were excellent.
His tactical scores even higher.
Psychological evaluations described him as:
Highly adaptive. Socially intelligent. Difficult to read.
The chamber doors opened.
Mitsui Arakawa walked in with both hands casually tucked into his pockets.
Unlike Akira's composed elegance or Ichiro's suffocating presence, Mitsui carried himself with effortless ease. Relaxed posture. Light expression. The kind of confidence that came from never needing to prove he belonged in a room.
He bowed politely.
Far more naturally than either of the previous candidates.
"Good afternoon, professors."
Ishida smiled faintly. "Candidate Mitsui Arakawa. Please, sit."
Mitsui sat comfortably.
Too comfortably, perhaps.
His eyes briefly flicked around the chamber before settling on the panel again.
"No combat statistics projection?" he asked lightly. "I was hoping for something dramatic after hearing rumors about these interviews."
Even Kanzaki's expression loosened slightly.
"Your evaluations are already exceptional," Ishida replied. "There is little left for us to scrutinize."
"That sounds dangerously close to favoritism, Professor."
"A consequence of competence," Kanzaki said evenly.
Mitsui sighed theatrically. "Ah. So this really is because of my father."
Neither professor answered immediately.
Which was answer enough.
Mitsui leaned back slightly.
"To be honest," he admitted, "that's a little disappointing."
Ishida folded his hands. "Your performance justified selection regardless."
"Yes," Kanzaki added. "Though your family name accelerated attention."
"Wonderful," Mitsui muttered. "Merit with premium government sponsorship."
A faint chuckle escaped Ishida despite himself.
Even Yamamoto's eyes narrowed slightly with amusement.
The interview proceeded easily after that.
Questions regarding strategy.
Leadership.
Combat synchronization.
International education in the western sectors.
Mitsui answered all of them smoothly.
Intelligently.
Occasionally with just enough humor to keep the atmosphere light.
The complete opposite of the previous interview.
Eventually Ishida closed the file.
"Well," he said, "I believe this interview is largely procedural at this point."
Kanzaki nodded once.
"Your acceptance into Falcon is effectively guaranteed."
Mitsui gave an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Excellent. I was beginning to fear I'd need to fake humility."
"You may select whichever operational track you prefer," Ishida continued. "Though personally, I would recommend Blue Track."
"Command division suits your profile exceptionally well," Kanzaki added. "Strategic leadership, coordination, political integration—"
"I want Red."
The interruption landed cleanly.
The room paused.
Mitsui's relaxed expression remained unchanged.
But something beneath it had sharpened.
Kanzaki's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Red?" Ishida repeated.
Mitsui nodded casually.
"I want the Hayashi girl and the Yoshima heir."
Silence.
This time heavier.
"If Falcon is willing to give me what I want," Mitsui continued evenly, "then give me that."
The shift was subtle.
But immediate.
The humor vanished from the room.
Kanzaki leaned forward first.
"Why?"
Mitsui looked at him calmly.
"Does there need to be a reason?"
"Yes," Kanzaki replied.
A beat passed.
"You returned from the western sectors almost immediately after Falcon announced this year's candidate roster," Kanzaki continued. "Despite previously declining participation."
His eyes sharpened.
"Then you suddenly request assignment to the two most politically unstable candidates in this institution."
The air tightened.
"That is uncharacteristic."
Mitsui remained silent.
Kanzaki continued.
"So I will ask directly."
His voice lowered slightly.
"What exactly sparked your interest in Falcon?"
Mitsui's expression did not change.
"You don't really need to know."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Ishida's brows lifted slightly in surprise.
Kanzaki's eyes hardened.
The friendliness evaporated.
Then—
"No."
Yamamoto's voice cut through the chamber.
Simple.
Absolute.
Mitsui slowly turned toward him.
For the first time since entering the room, the two held eye contact directly.
Then—
Mitsui laughed.
A genuine laugh this time.
Quiet at first.
Then broader.
"Ah," he murmured, leaning back again. "There it is."
Yamamoto watched him silently.
"You hide yourself well," the Headmaster said calmly. "But not well enough."
Mitsui smiled faintly.
Yamamoto continued.
"Do not mistake composure for superiority."
The room went still.
"And do not assume," Yamamoto said evenly, "that you are smarter than me."
The words landed without force.
Which somehow made them heavier.
Mitsui's smile faded just slightly.
Interesting.
That was the first genuine reaction he had shown all interview.
Yamamoto leaned back in his chair.
"Now," he said, "answer the question properly."
A long pause followed.
Then Mitsui exhaled lightly through his nose.
"My interest is simple."
His eyes drifted briefly toward the holographic files still hovering nearby.
"Those two are dangerous."
No humor remained in his voice now.
"They stood out during the combat examinations immediately."
Kanzaki watched him carefully.
Mitsui continued.
"The Hayashi girl possesses discipline strong enough to survive pressure that should have broken her."
"Yoshima…"
A faint smile touched the corner of his mouth.
"…is something else entirely."
The room remained silent.
Mitsui folded his hands loosely.
"I think dangerous people are interesting."
Kanzaki frowned slightly.
But Yamamoto kept watching.
Then Mitsui said something that finally caused the Headmaster's expression to shift.
"I also believe," Mitsui continued calmly, "that both of them are incomplete alone."
Ishida's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Mitsui leaned forward slightly now.
"If placed together properly, their abilities could evolve far beyond their current limits."
A pause.
"And with me there…"
His eyes sharpened for the first time.
"…I can align them."
Silence.
Then—
A faint smile appeared on Yamamoto's face.
Real this time.
Not amusement.
Approval.
"I see," the Headmaster murmured quietly.
And suddenly, the interview no longer felt procedural at all.