"Because knowing you, Yugen, you probably 'remodeled' them somehow," Shizuku said flatly.
"I'm not a mad scientist from some tokusatsu show. I didn't do anything like that."
He had given Jiro magic-like abilities early on, but he hadn't used Reinforce on him since. As for Shina, he had only taught her his hearing-control techniques. He knew better than to push their core abilities before their fundamental magic knowledge was solidified.
"More importantly, the first thing I have to do when I get back is move… I'll be spending a lot of time going back and forth between the Shiba house and the apartment."
Starting next month, Yugen and the others would be third-years—the highest grade. His knowledge of the "original timeline" was becoming increasingly useless, but he had long since made peace with that. It was precisely because he wasn't bound by fixed ideas that he could move so freely. The twin-tower apartments built on the site of the old FLT research facility were finally complete, and those staying in Tokyo had already moved in.
"And I have to open the Master Clan Conference to report the details of this incident. Being the Chairman is going to be a pain."
"A teenager serving as the Chairman of the Master Clan Conference is unheard of," Shizuku remarked.
"Tell me about it… but I gave up on being 'normal' a long time ago."
He had set all his pieces on the board. If the enemy held the information, so be it. No one could guarantee that what they believed was "right," and no one could guarantee that the cards they held—the information they trusted—were actually the truth.
Being in a position to control the Master Clan Conference was a stroke of luck, but there was no guarantee the other clans wouldn't act out. For now, things were mostly on track. Gu Jie had survived longer than intended, but he had ultimately been killed by the USNA.
Judging by the extra forces that appeared during the Nine Schools Competition, it seemed the world's "corrective force" only acted strongly if the ultimate outcome deviated too far from the script.
However, the chances of the Strategic-Class magic Synchronal Liner Fusion being used this April Fools' Day had plummeted. In its place, the likelihood of Tuman Bomba being deployed had become a near-certainty.
"Given the circumstances, we have to hide the fact that we cooperated with the National Defense Force… We'll frame it as a joint operation between the 'Shenzhou Society' and the Ministry of Police."
If the Master Clan Conference was being monitored, framing the operation as a Shenzhou Society project—with Tatsuya merely providing assistance—was the most logical way to keep Tatsuya's Strategic-Class magic hidden. While the military had moved to save face regarding the Gu Jie incident, it was the Ministry of Police that was acting publicly.
Speaking of connections, Laura had officially received permission from the USNA to naturalize, and her host family was to be the Mitsuyas. This was due to a connection involving Mitsuya Moto's father, Maimoto. As soon as her legal paperwork was finalized, she was set to become Toshikazu's fiancée.
This would make her an in-law to Erika, albeit indirectly. When asked if the Chiba family would try to throw their weight around as maternal relatives, Erika had declared, "I'll just punch that shitty old man myself." Leo, overhearing this, had simply let out a heavy sigh.
"By the way… were you able to have a proper talk with that girl—Efia-san?" Miyuki asked.
"She's already accepted the situation, so it went smoothly. Still, minus the thicker eyebrows, she's the spitting image of Amy."
After the incident was resolved, Yugen had reunited with Efia. She understood that this was a political marriage for the sake of her country, but more than that, she was genuinely happy to be with Yugen. The end result? Yugen had ended up spending the night with Miyuki, Mizunami, Efia, and Shizuku.
"And Yugen managed to completely charm her. A true gigolo," Shizuku teased.
"I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult… but honestly, I just want to spend this year a bit more peacefully."
No matter how much a man might appreciate such a position, and no matter how much stamina he had, a part of him still yearned for a quiet life. But the reality was the crushing responsibility of keeping all his fiancées happy. A quarter of the year had already passed; perhaps wishing for more was just selfishness.
But then again, he had spent his time leading up to magic high school focusing on a single goal: do not become Tatsuya's enemy. Since entering school, he had tried to keep a relatively low profile. No matter his name or his power… he knew all too well what "strength" brought with it. The words he whispered weren't so much a complaint as they were a prayer.
He knew prayers were fragile. Perhaps refusing to give up on that prayer was his true selfishness. But it is precisely because humans cannot easily give up that they continue to grow.
Feeling the surge of the coming era, Yugen raised his hand toward the sky, as if reaching out to grasp the sun itself.
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