Spring break—a time for students of the Magic High Schools to reset for the new academic year. Amid this period, a small incident was about to unfold, sparked by a certain girl.
At the Third High School, affiliated with the Magic University in Kanazawa—commonly called Third High—Tsukiko Yotsukuin, a female student, grappled with a dilemma. Unlike the "lovesickness" plaguing the "Crimson Prince," her issue was tied to family matters, steeped in magic.
"Ugh… what a hassle," Tsukiko sighed.
It was indeed magic-related, though not entirely inaccurate to say so. Recently, she'd excelled at the Mizukagami Ritual, a test of magical prowess passed down in the Yotsukuin family, showcasing her unmatched skill among her peers. Since that day, a voice had echoed in her mind—not in daily life, but only in her dreams.
"Can you hear me? I am calling to you…"
Dismissing it as nonsense was tempting, but as a magician, ignoring such phenomena felt wrong. So, Tsukiko confided in her mother, Minako Yotsukuin, the family head.
"A voice of something inhuman, heard only in dreams…" Minako mused. "It doesn't seem like an evil spirit."
"I think so too, Mother, but do you have any guesses?" Tsukiko asked.
As the voice didn't disrupt Tsukiko's daily life, it likely wasn't malicious. Minako pondered its timing—post-Mizukagami Ritual.
"(The Water Dragon Tsukiko summoned in the ritual shouldn't require such computational scale… but if something greater took notice of her…) Tsukiko, can you give me some time?" Minako asked.
"That's fine, but is this beyond even you, Mother?" Tsukiko replied.
"My intuition suggests this might be too much even for the Yotsukuin, rooted in the Shirakawa lineage," Minako admitted.
Minako, who became family head at 22, possessed a keen intuition inherited by Tsukiko. Her acknowledgment of the issue's gravity spoke volumes, and Tsukiko understood its weight better than anyone.
At the Kagurazaka main residence, Chikahime knelt alone in the grand hall, eyes closed, sinking her consciousness as if sensing something. Exhaling, she opened her eyes and tried to stand, only to collapse from numb legs.
"My legs… I suppose age catches up," Chikahime groaned.
"What are you doing, my lady?" Tadatsume sighed, chiding her. "Half a day of kneeling will do that."
Chikahime wasn't fasting; Tadatsume had quietly placed food beside her, which she ate without breaking her meditative pose. Before he could ask why she was so focused, she spoke.
"The spirits have been restless lately," she said. "Yugen's Phoenix is likely one trigger. And… those inhuman entities he commands."
"You mean the guardian spirits—Servants?" Tadatsume asked. "After the incident, the young master showed us Alice's power."
After the Parasite incident, Yugen demonstrated Alice's abilities before Chikahime, Tadatsume, and the heads of the Ise, Miyamoto, and Takatsuki branches. Alice's reality-defying power to manifest fantastical abilities stunned them.
"Only Yugen could wield Servants like that," Chikahime said. "But I've sensed something activating in the north. It's too distant to pinpoint."
"Even you can't grasp it, my lady?" Tadatsume asked, incredulous.
Despite appearances, Chikahime was a top-tier Kagurazaka magician, her youthful vitality a testament to her mastery. If even she couldn't comprehend it, the matter was no longer trivial.
"By the way, Tadatsume-san, is there something you needed?" Chikahime asked.
"Yes, the Yotsukuin head has a matter to discuss with you," he replied.
Post-Parasite incident, the Stargazing astrology found no malevolent signs, ruling out evil entities. As masters of spirit magic from the Shirakawa lineage, the Yotsukuin's request couldn't be ignored by Chikahime, a pinnacle of ancient magic. Suspecting a connection to her own observations, she named someone capable of resolving it.
"Tadatsume-san, contact Yugen," she said. "He'd never refuse to help a friend and fiancée."
March 26
The day after Miyuki's birthday, Yugen rose early, not for the Shiba basement but for Kyūchōji Temple, to train in martial arts and guide the temple's disciples. Yakumo's "welcome" via projectile weapons was, as expected, unappreciated.
"Your guard's down! Too much force—you're stiff! Next!" Yugen barked.
Disarming or not, Yugen exploited every opening, tossing disciples onto the soil, mindful of the stone pavement. The head priest had said, "Throw them freely; they're not frail enough to be hurt by stones." But comparing them to Tatsuya, sparring with Yakumo, felt unfair.
"Grab your opponent silently! Your killing intent's blatant!" Yugen shouted.
For Yugen, trained by Gōzō to erase his presence instinctively and match Yakumo's deception, even faint traces were glaring. His acute perception, honed by magic to detect sound waves, made him a master of presence detection.
After felling about thirty disciples, Yakumo approached, smiling.
"Hey, Yugen-kun, how're my disciples doing?" he asked.
"Decent enough… not on your level, though!" Yugen replied, unleashing a right backfist behind him.
The strike hit a defensive spell, distorting empty space to reveal Yakumo.
"You saw through my Matoi?" Yakumo marveled, dodging Yugen's follow-up left jab with a self-acceleration spell.
Yugen remained calm; Yakumo's skill made evasion expected. Yakumo had activated Matoi no Nigemizu, a perception-disrupting spell, when he spoke. But Yugen's hypersensitive hearing, refined by magic to trace sonic "lines," pinpointed Yakumo's location. Faking one's Eidos in the information dimension was one thing, but masking emitted sound required advanced skill.
"Not bad," Yugen said. "I tested Byakko Raijinshō without killing intent, and you dodged. Worthy of Tatsuya's master."
"Using Shinkage-ryū's secret technique to hit me, without intent? Should I be flattered by this long-range strike?" Yakumo teased.
"Of course. Though Tatsuya might disagree," Yugen grinned.
Tatsuya, meanwhile, crept behind Yakumo, striking with a hand chop. His killing intent, like a heavy coat, betrayed him. Yakumo grabbed his arm to throw him, but Tatsuya twisted, aiming a kick. Yakumo deflected it with a defensive spell, escalating to round two as disciples watched.
"Look, Tatsuya's flying!" Yugen noted.
Whether this bout would benefit the disciples was unclear, but it was Yakumo's way of teaching. His "affection" ended with Tatsuya thoroughly trounced.
Since Minami's arrival, Miyuki and she had settled housework duties, though both suffered Yugen's cake as "punishment." After breakfast, as they washed dishes, the Shiba phone rang. A call from the Kagurazaka main house wasn't casual, and Yugen, sensing something serious, answered.
"Good morning, Yugen-kun, Tatsuya-kun," Chikahime greeted.
"Good morning, Chikahime-san," Yugen replied.
"Good morning, Mother," Tatsuya said. "What's the matter?"
Chikahime, usually contacting Yugen's terminal, calling the Shiba line implied business for both. Twirling a closed fan, she explained.
"Lately, I've sensed odd activity in the north," she said. "Then, the Yotsukuin family reported a strange incident."
"Not the New Soviet Union, right?" Yugen asked.
"No, Stargazing ruled that out," Chikahime confirmed. "I need both you and Tatsuya to help."
Given the Kagurazaka-Yotsuba ties, Tatsuya couldn't refuse. He reasoned it was due to their Parasite battle experience, but the Yotsukuin's ancient magic focus made his modern magic expertise questionable.
"I'm fine with it, but unlike Yugen, I'm not adept at ancient magic," Tatsuya said.
"I know," Chikahime replied. "But my magician's intuition says you'll gain something. I've cleared it with Maya-chan and Miya-chan last night. If Miyuki needs protection, we'll provide support."
"Understood. I'll do what I can," Tatsuya agreed.
They'd learn details from the Yotsukuin. Considering Frithskjálf, it was a fair call. After hanging up, Miyuki and Minami, eavesdropping outside, asked for details, which Yugen and Tatsuya shared.
"I'm going too," Miyuki declared.
"Miyuki, but—" Tatsuya began.
"My ancient magic skills surpass yours, Brother," she said. "And I'm Yugen's fiancée."
As expected, Miyuki's resolve left Tatsuya no room to object. Minami, her Guardian-in-training, had to join. Explaining Minami to their classmates, who knew Tatsuya and Miyuki's true Yotsuba name, posed risks of slip-ups if presented as a relative.
"Yugen, what about Minami?" Tatsuya asked.
"Hmm… call her my niece by marriage, not yours," Yugen suggested. "Saying she's Yotsuba risks trouble."
"Makes sense, given Honami," Tatsuya said. "Minami, is that okay?"
"Y-Yes! If… Yugen-nii-sama's fine with it…" Minami stammered.
When Genji and Honami got engaged, the Uesugi family crafted a cover story: Honami, a distant Uesugi branch descendant via the Sakurai family, was adopted by the Watanabe family before her engagement. Her niece, Minami, joining the Shiba household was plausible, likely pre-approved by the Uesugi.
"Worst case, say Mother needed a guard for Miyuki and found Minami, who got along with you two," Yugen said. "Mother's aware, so it's fine."
"No lies, so no need to hesitate," Tatsuya noted. "Cunning, but effective."
"You can't be a magician without some cunning," Yugen said. "The upper echelons are a den of monsters."
Yugen's words, born from travels with Gōzō, rang true. Magic intertwined with military, political, and economic interests, creating power structures. The Ten Master Clans, outwardly apolitical, held sway through magical authority and ties to defense and security. Gōzō's heroic influence persisted thirty years post-war, a fact Yugen witnessed firsthand.
"Forget that reality for now," Yugen said. "We need allies. Himeri and Shizuka are in, but those five… I don't want to interrupt them, but I'll ask."
With Shizuka, Honoka would stay with Tatsuya. Ceria, skilled in ancient magic, was likely to join. The "five"—Leo, Erika, Mikihiko, Mizuki, and Sana—had grown closer during the break, and Yugen didn't want to disrupt their dates. Still, Erika might complain about being left out, so he sent a non-mandatory invite email. Tōya, attending a different school, was left undisturbed to enjoy her time.
"Erika replied," Yugen said. "She's dragging Leo along."
"Leo's whipped," Miyuki teased.
"Maybe," Yugen said. "Their synergy's top-tier, though."
Their frequent "lovers' quarrels," now dubbed "marital spats," hinted Erika wanted Leo to lead. She'd deny it, but Miyuki's smile betrayed her amusement at the thought.
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