The Encounter
The connection was established far sooner than I had anticipated. Or perhaps I should say that among the range of possible scenarios I had calculated, the earliest and most immediate one had come to pass without mercy.
The setting was the school cafeteria, where we had arranged to meet for lunch. Approaching our table were Miyuki, Honoka, and one other—a girl with golden hair and eyes the color of the sea. While I wasn't quite shocked enough to be visibly startled, her presence certainly elicited a silent "Oh?" in my mind.
I had already heard about her hair and eye color, and I had been told ad nauseam that she was a stunning beauty. But if we were simply talking about beautiful girls, living with Miyuki had given me a formidable immunity.
The sense of surprise I felt stemmed from a different reason entirely. She was the same girl I had encountered—or rather, spotted—at Hie Shrine.
"Do you mind if I join you?"
The words that flowed from her lips were in fluent Japanese. Aside from a slightly emphasized accent, her command of the language was impressive—exactly what one would expect from someone coming to Japan as an exchange student, or perhaps, someone infiltrating under the guise of one.
Her eyes were fixed squarely on me, but seeing no immediate need to raise my guard, I answered candidly.
"Of course. Please, go ahead."
"Lina, let's go grab some plates first," Honoka suggested.
"Plates... Oh, you mean food. Understood."
Since the rest of us had already secured our meals, the three girls headed toward the serving counter at Miyuki's urging. The stir they caused as they moved through the cafeteria felt even louder than usual.
"It's pretty intense when those two stand side-by-side, isn't it?"
Erika, a beauty in her own right—though not the type to overwhelm an observer into silence—sighed in admiration at the spectacle.
"They certainly seem to be getting along well..."
"Hey, Tatsuya..." Leo muttered, squinting. "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
"Wow. That is the oldest trick in the book," Erika shot back instantly.
Whether she was teasing him knowing full well he wasn't actually captivated by the girl's looks, or simply taking a jab for the sake of it, was clear enough.
"...Now that you mention it, you're right," Mizuki added.
"Huh? You too, Shibata-san? Is she a celebrity or a model, maybe?" Mikihiko voiced the theory everyone was likely thinking.
Of course, I knew the truth was something else entirely. If anything, it was surprising that they didn't clearly remember her, given how conspicuous her appearance had been at the shrine.
While I debated whether to clear up my friends' confusion, the subject of their speculation returned with Miyuki and Honoka.
I could feel the weight of the room's attention. Gazes filled with poorly concealed curiosity were pouring in from all directions, feigning casualness but failing miserably. It was normal for Miyuki to draw attention, but the number of prying eyes today was clearly higher than usual.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Brother."
Miyuki sat beside me with natural grace, behaving as if the surrounding commotion didn't exist.
"Tatsuya-san, let me introduce you."
Honoka placed her tray on the table across from me—acting just as naturally as Miyuki—and turned to the girl seated next to her.
"This is Angelina Kudou Shields-san. I'm sure you've already heard, but she's the exchange student who joined Class A today."
Upon hearing Honoka's introduction, it wasn't me, but the other three who wore expressions of bewilderment.
"Honoka, I think you should introduce her to everyone else, not just him," Miyuki pointed out gently.
"Eh? Ah—I, I'm so sorry!"
"...Well, it is Honoka, after all," Erika deadpanned.
"It is Honoka-san, yes," Mizuki agreed.
"Let's try this again," Miyuki said, stepping in for the flustered Honoka. "This is Angelina Kudou Shields, from America."
The exchange student shook her golden hair lightly and bowed from her seat.
"Please, call me Lina."
"I am Shiba Tatsuya, Class E. Since you likely won't be able to distinguish me from Miyuki by family name, 'Tatsuya' is fine."
"Thank you. Please call me 'Lina' as well. Also, I'd be happy if we could drop the formalities."
"Understood. I'll do that then, Lina."
"Nice to meet you, Tatsuya."
Perhaps it was a cultural habit, but Lina extended her hand across the table. I reached out and took it gently from beneath, holding it as if I were a gentleman preparing to kiss the hand of a noblewoman. It likely wasn't the handshake she expected; a flicker of agitation crossed her sky-blue eyes.
"Tatsuya... are you Miyuki's older brother, by any chance?"
She really isn't good at maintaining a poker face, I thought, nodding with a smile carefully practiced to avoid looking like a smirk.
"I'm Chiba Erika. Just Erika is fine, Lina."
"I am Shibata Mizuki. Please call me Mizuki."
"I'm Saijou Leonhart. Leo works. I'm a bit of a roughneck, so excuse the way I talk, but don't let it bother you."
"Yoshida Mikihiko. You can call me 'Mikihiko', too."
"Erika, Mizuki, Leo, Mikihiko. Got it. Nice to meet you all."
Lina memorized everyone's names instantly, though her pronunciation of "Miki-hiko" sounded broken—Miki-Hiko—suggesting that the purely Japanese name was a mouthful for her American tongue.
"Hard to say, isn't it? You don't have to force yourself with Mikihiko. Why not just 'Miki'?"
If Mikihiko had suggested it himself, it would have been considerate. But coming from someone else—specifically Erika—it didn't seem like an act of pure kindness. Mikihiko evidently felt the same way, opening his mouth to object to Erika's suggestion.
"Oh, really? Then I'll take you up on that. Is 'Miki' okay?"
Before he could speak, Lina accepted the nickname with a smile that seemed to say, 'Thank goodness.' Mikihiko was left with no choice but to accept the new moniker.
"By the way, Lina... are you related to His Excellency, General Kudou?"
The term Roushi—Elder—was a title used exclusively among Japanese magicians. Personally, I didn't care for it. Instead, I addressed her using the publicly recognized title of "Excellency," honoring his status as a retired Major General.
"If I recall correctly, the General's younger brother moved to the United States and built a family there."
"My, you're well-informed, Tatsuya. Even though that happened such a long time ago."
It seemed my deduction was correct. Furthermore, for American magicians, the fact that Kudou Retsu's brother had buried his bones in American soil was apparently considered ancient history.
"General Kudou's brother is my maternal grandfather. It seems that connection is part of why this exchange program offer came to me."
"So, you didn't volunteer to come here yourself, Lina?"
It was a casual question interjected by Erika. But the flash of agitation and tension Lina showed in response... I was certain that wasn't just my imagination.
Although, strictly speaking, the real "First Contact" was at Hie Shrine...
-------------------------------
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!"