Thursday, April 5, 2095. It was the day before the start of the new school year at First High, and three days before the entrance ceremony. Inside the Shiba residence, Tatsuya stood before a full-length mirror, a trace of bewilderment etched on his face.
Beside him stood Miyuki, her face radiant with a flower-like smile. Next to her was the newest member of their household: Minami Sakurai. Sent by their aunt, Maya Yotsuba, to serve as a live-in maid, bodyguard-in-training, and housemate, Minami would officially become their junior at First High in just three days.
Miyuki's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she watched her brother stand before the mirror. Hanging on a stand nearby was the garment that had arrived the previous evening—Tatsuya's new school jacket.
"Onii-sama, please, let me see you in your new uniform. Or are you simply intent on teasing me?"
Left to her own devices, Miyuki looked as though she might start writhing in sheer excitement. Tatsuya realized that for the sake of his sister's mental well-being, he needed to set aside his own hesitations.
"Here you are," Minami said softly, stepping forward.
"Ah, thank you," Tatsuya replied.
He slipped out of his loungewear and reached for the new jacket Minami held out. As he slid his arms into the sleeves, the fabric of the newly established Magic Engineering Course settled over his shoulders. On the left breast and shoulders, the design was striking: an emblem shaped like an eight-toothed gear. It was the same size and general aesthetic as the eight-petaled flower of the First Course students, but the intricate embroidery marked a historic shift in the school's hierarchy.
"It suits you perfectly, Onii-sama..." Miyuki sighed, breathless.
Over the past year, Tatsuya had accumulated a list of achievements—both within the school and in the world at large—that were too significant to ignore. The school board had realized that continuing to treat him as a mere "reserve" student was detrimental to First High's reputation. Thus, the Magic Engineering Course was born.
Of course, the department couldn't exist for just one student. The curriculum had undergone a radical overhaul to accommodate the change. It was a bold, experimental reform that had drawn significant attention, even involving guest lecturers from the National Magic University. Furthermore, since First Course students were permitted to transfer into the Engineering track, an equal number of openings were created for Second Course students to move up to the First Course. Based on academic and practical rankings, Tatsuya's friend Mikihiko Yoshida was among those officially moving up to the First Course this year.
However, no matter how the school tried to dress it up, anyone privy to the internal affairs knew the truth: this department had been built for Tatsuya Shiba. Rumor had it the administration had struggled to filter through the mountain of transfer applications from female First Course students who wanted to be in Tatsuya's class—most of whom were clearly better suited for combat than engineering.
In Miyuki's eyes, this wasn't just a change in curriculum; it was the world finally acknowledging her brother's brilliance. Her elation was only natural.
"Onii-sama, Minami-chan, let's have some tea," Miyuki suggested.
"Yes, Sister Miyuki," Minami replied.
Minami's way of addressing them had settled into "Brother Tatsuya" and "Sister Miyuki." From her perspective and training, she had wanted to use the more formal Tatsuya-sama and Miyuki-sama. However, logistics dictated otherwise. Since they would be commuting via the automated transit system, passengers were expected to either live in the same house or be close neighbors. As a bodyguard, Minami couldn't very well travel in a separate carriage from Miyuki, but having a "stranger" join them every morning would invite unwanted scrutiny.
The solution was a cover story: Minami was their maternal cousin. This directive came from the Yotsuba main house, and since the siblings' official records were already a tapestry of fabrications, a non-existent cousin was a small addition.
Tatsuya and Miyuki had initially suggested she just call them "Tatsuya-san" and "Miyuki-san," but Minami had firmly refused. Though she had been hesitant about the intimacy of "Brother" and "Sister," she understood the necessity of the ruse. Eventually, they reached a compromise with Tatsuya-ani-sama and Miyuki-ane-sama.
While a delicate truce existed between Miyuki and Minami—with both girls occasionally trying to outmaneuver the other for Tatsuya's attention—their relationship remained peaceful and productive as far as Tatsuya could see. On the surface, Tatsuya's relationship with Minami was also pleasant.
Yet, internally, Tatsuya felt a distinct sense of distance—a reflexive desire to keep her at arm's length.
The slight downturn of her eyes, the wavy dark-brown hair, the thin but defined eyebrows, and the dimples that appeared when she smiled—Minami looked far too much like her.
Honami Sakurai. The woman who had been his late mother's guardian. The woman who had died protecting Tatsuya in Okinawa four years ago.
Minami's mother was a "Series" sister to Honami—an Improved Magic-Genetics Human, or "Adjusted Body." They were created from the same genetic stock, using unfertilized eggs from the same "mother" and sperm from the same "father," subjected to the same genetic modifications. While not twins in the traditional sense, they were as close as sisters could be. It was only logical that Minami, as a genetic niece, would bear a striking resemblance to Honami. Tatsuya understood the science perfectly.
But logic provided no comfort. The distance he felt wasn't caused by Minami herself, but by the memories her face triggered—memories of the dead.
(I lacked the strength... No. I won't say that I could have wiped them out back then without her help, but...)
Honami had died of exhaustion—her life force spent. If Tatsuya hadn't been so focused on intercepting the Great Asian Alliance fleet, or if he hadn't required her to cast such massive-scale magic in succession to protect him, she wouldn't have died that day. It was an undeniable fact: she had burned out her life to save his.
With his current power, Tatsuya could easily decimate a fleet without needing anyone's help. Yet, he chose to undervalue his current abilities as a form of imashime—a self-imposed shackle and a warning. He refused to let himself become arrogant; he refused to forget the cost of his survival.
To Tatsuya, every glance at Minami was a reminder of his own past powerlessness.
"Onii-sama?"
Miyuki was peering into his face, her expression clouded with worry.
"Ah, I'm coming."
Tatsuya looked up, signaling he was fine. As his eyes met Miyuki's, he saw Minami standing right beside her. Minami's gaze was also worried, yet filled with a quiet, unwavering trust in him. Tatsuya gave his head a small shake to clear the cobwebs of the past, then moved to the table. He finished his tea in silence, carefully avoiding Minami's eyes as much as he could.
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