Chapter 10

The scene in the student council room during lunchtime was vastly different from the beginning—though it had only been two weeks.

First, the automatic food dispenser was completely useless.

Because after Mori and Fukuyuki, Mayumi also started bringing her own lunch.

Mayumi, who had no track record, was somewhat worrying in terms of her cooking skills (though only Mori was worried), but she managed to reach a decent level and was now happily exchanging side dishes with others.

Additionally, the number of members had increased.

Unless specifically requested, Azusa usually ate in the cafeteria with her classmates, but recently she was being called every day.

Having only first and third-year students was not balanced. Whether to call it capricious or reckless, the reason for the summons was unreasonable, but Azusa could not refuse, which was very much her style—though she probably wouldn't admit it.

Incidentally, the gender ratio was one to four.

If balance was an issue, inviting Azusa would further skew the gender ratio, but this didn't seem to be a problem.

"Daichi-kun."

"President, what is it?"

The lunch meeting members were enjoying their meal. At this moment, Mori, who was sitting directly opposite, called out Daichi's name (the seating arrangement was as follows: next to Daichi was Fukuyuki, directly opposite was Mori. In front of Fukuyuki was Mayumi, and next to Mayumi was Azusa).

Mori tried to make it sound casual, but she couldn't hide the amused smile on her face.

Moreover, this girl looked cool even with such an expression.

"Did you really toy with the second-year Nishina at the café yesterday?"

Daichi was glad he had finished eating.

If he had food in his mouth, it would have been impolite.

"…Senior, you are a graceful lady. I think it's better not to use phrases like 'toying with' which are rather vulgar."

"Hahaha, thank you.

Probably only Daichi-kun would treat me as a lady."

"Is that so? To not treat one's girlfriend as a lady, it seems Senior's boyfriend isn't very gentlemanly."

"That's not true! He…."

Mori stopped speaking with a "oh no" expression.

"……"

Daichi stared at his superior—though she was just a high school student council member—with a blank expression.

"……"

"……"

"…Why aren't you speaking?"

"…Would it be better to share my thoughts?"

Mori's abundant, slightly wavy black hair danced at the corner of her vision.

Reluctantly, Mori shifted her gaze to the side.

As expected—

Mayumi's back was turned, her shoulders trembling.

Mori gave Mayumi's back a glare.

Then she quickly looked away.

Her gaze returned to meet Daichi's.

"…So, did you really toy with the kendo club's Nishina with words?"

It seemed Mori wanted to pretend the previous incident didn't happen.

Daichi looked at Mori's side.

Mayumi had stopped giggling and was pretending to shrug.

—There's no choice.

Daichi thought it was best to go with the flow.

"I said earlier, it's better for Senior to avoid using phrases like 'toying with'… Moreover, it's not good for Fukuyuki's education…."

"…Excuse me, Onii-sama.

Are you mistaken about my age…?"

Although reluctant, Fukuyuki politely protested, but she immediately stopped when Daichi apologized with his eyes.

The silence resumed.

However, such silence often led to an endless loop.

In shogi, the attacker should change their strategy.

But according to the established rules of the members present… unfortunately, only Daichi could change the strategy.

"…That's not true."

"Ah, is that so?

But someone saw Nishina with a red face and shy demeanor."

Suddenly, Daichi felt a cold chill beside him.

"Onii-sama…

What exactly did you do?"

It wasn't just his imagination.

The room temperature had physically dropped in a localized area.

"Magic…?"

Azusa's whisper carried a hint of fear.

Modern magic is an extension of psychokinesis research.

In other words, modern magic potentially inherits the nature of "psychokinesis" as a special ability.

The biggest difference between traditional magic and psychokinesis is whether additional procedures are required beyond "thought" to activate it.

Modern magic doesn't necessarily require a CAD to activate, and this is the basic reason.

However, modern magic is not equivalent to psychokinesis.

Generally, "psychokinetics" can only use one or at most a few special abilities.

Modern magic, which formalizes and systematizes so-called "psychokinesis," introduces magical formulas as activation procedures and incantations as tools to construct these formulas, allowing magicians to use dozens or even hundreds of spells.

However, the classification of modern magic is overly detailed. If categorized roughly by psychokinesis standards, there would be at most two or thirty types. Even so, the diversity is incomparable.

Modern magic users—magicians—use a wide variety of spells through magical formulas. At the same time, when magicians use various spells, they sometimes adjust their mental state to adapt.

If a magician specializes in a particular spell, they might activate it unintentionally with just a thought, similar to psychokinetics. However, a magician who uses dozens of spells generally cannot activate them unintentionally.

Magical formulas are indeed processed in the subconscious, but this is based on conscious use of the subconscious, not truly constructed and processed by the subconscious alone.

If a magician skilled in multiple spells can activate magic unintentionally, there is only one situation.

"Such strong event interference…"

Mayumi's whisper made Daichi smile bitterly.

Even cutting off the remnants of "psychokinesis" is enough to alter "reality," a powerful interference with individual information entities.

Uncontrolled magic is a sign of incompetence, but it is also a sign of exceptional talent.

"Deep-snow, calm down, I'll explain everything.

First, stop the magic from continuing to activate."

"Very sorry…"

Deep-snow looked down shyly and slowly adjusted her breathing.

The room temperature stopped dropping.

"Looks like we won't need air conditioning in summer."

"But getting chilblains in midsummer would be foolish."

Mayumi's joke, meant to ease the tension and give herself time to calm down, was brushed off by Daichi.

Then Daichi accurately recounted his conversation with Sayaka, revealing the truth to everyone present.

"It seems that the activities of the discipline committee are causing resentment among students."

After Daichi's conclusion, Mori and Mayumi's faces showed the same gloom.

"But is there really someone who is aggressively reporting to earn performance points?

At least from what I've seen this week, there hasn't been anything like that."

"I haven't seen it either.

In my case, I only observe the scene through surveillance cameras, but from the lawless behavior, I even think the discipline committee's enforcement standards are too lenient."

Daichi and Deep-snow's observations made Mayumi's expression even more somber, and Mori shook her head and spoke.

"This is a misunderstanding by Nishina. Perhaps it's her personal judgment.

The work of the discipline committee is purely honorary and offers almost no benefits.

It's not like interschool competitions where performance in the competition adds to internship grades.

Having served on the discipline committee might get some evaluation, but only within the school. Unlike student council members, it doesn't become a factor to increase one's value after graduation."

"However, the discipline committee has significant power within the school, which is a fact.

Especially in the eyes of students dissatisfied with the current school system, the discipline committee, which is responsible for maintaining order, sometimes appears as lackeys of the administration.

To be precise, someone is deliberately spreading rumors to create this impression."

Mayumi's response surprised even Daichi.

It seemed there was a deeply rooted issue behind this.

"Does the president know the true identity of the person behind it?"

For Daichi, this was a natural question.

"Ah? No, the source of the rumors isn't something easily found out…"

"…If the mastermind is found, this situation can be stopped."

However, for Mayumi and Mori, this was an unexpected question.

Mayumi's previous statement was a slip of the tongue.

Daichi stared directly into Mayumi's eyes.

Mayumi quickly looked away.

Daichi had never seen Mayumi so visibly shaken.

"What I'm asking is not the identity of the low-level operatives who spread rumors and create impressions, but the true identity of the mastermind."

Daichi felt a gentle tug on his arm.

Looking over, he saw Deep-snow pulling his sleeve under the table.

She was probably hinting that he was asking too deeply.

However, Daichi did not intend to back down.

In his mind, the scene of the male student using magic on him and fleeing resurfaced. Daichi's consciousness focused on the white wristband with red and blue stripes on the student's right hand.

"For example, is it an organization like 'Blanche'?" (Note: Blanche means "white" in French, symbolizing "equality" in the French flag)

The shock turned into astonishment.

Mayumi froze, and so did Mori.

Azusa stared at them with wide eyes.

It seemed Azusa didn't know the details—Daichi thought.

"Why do you know this name…?"

"This isn't confidential information, right?

Although there's a media ban, it's impossible to block all information channels."

From Daichi's perspective, Mayumi's shock was what surprised him.

The international anti-magic political organization "Blanche."

They oppose the political system's preferential treatment of magicians and advocate for the elimination of social discrimination caused by magical abilities.

However, in reality, this country does not politically favor magicians.

On the contrary, the military and government use magicians as tools, and their methods are criticized as inhumane.

Compared to the neighboring country with the world's largest population, this country is at an absolute disadvantage in terms of mobilizable forces, so it must compensate with quality. This is a necessary situation arising from such a predicament.

Magicians working in the military or government are indeed better treated than the general public, but this is simply a fair wage for their labor, a reward for burning their lives and pouring their hearts out.

Most anti-magic organizations fabricate facts to criticize and oppose the existing system. Blanche is one of the most radical among them.

This country officially guarantees the freedom to engage in political activities. Criticizing the government does not result in suppression or persecution. However, anti-system movements often lead to criminal behavior, and many anti-magic organizations have carried out terrorist attacks.

Blanche is a closely monitored representative organization by the public security authorities.

Moreover, the color scheme of the wristband on the student's right hand—the white band with red and blue stripes—is the symbol of Blanche's subordinate organization, "Egalite" (Note: Egalite means "equality" in French). Although there is no direct connection on the surface, Egalite is a sub-organization of Blanche, known to insiders for its soft policies to attract politically indifferent young people.

The extent of infiltration into the school is unknown, and that student might be the first. However, the presence of not just supporters but direct operatives of the organization among the students suggests that the organization has likely established a foothold in this second bureau, sufficient to carry out such activities.

"Trying to hide such matters in a half-hearted way will only lead to negative consequences.

No, I'm not blaming the president, but criticizing the government's approach as clumsy."

Even with Daichi's explanation to soothe, Mayumi's expression did not brighten.

"…No, Daichi-kun is right.

There are indeed groups that view magicians as a thorn in their side. We must work to make the public understand how unreasonable they are and convey the correct perspective. Instead of hiding even the seemingly justified provocations and their existence, we could have taken more effective measures… but we have been avoiding—no, fleeing from a direct confrontation."

Her tone even turned self-reproachful.

"Can't be helped, right?"

So Daichi's indifferent tone sounded particularly cold.

"Because this school is a national institution.

Although we students are not yet civil servants, the student council members' involvement in school operations is constrained by national policies."

"Ah?"

Mayumi couldn't connect Daichi's cold voice and words in her mind and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"…I mean, given the president's position, it's understandable to keep it confidential."

Seeing Daichi uncomfortably look away, Mori's lips curled slightly.

"Oh, Daichi-kun, you have a gentle side too."

"But the one who put the president in a corner is also Daichi-kun…."

Azusa whispered this.

Mori immediately chimed in.

"Putting someone in a corner and then gently soothing them… that's a playboy's tactic.

And Mayumi looks completely charmed. Daichi-kun is quite skilled."

"Wait, Mori, don't say such things!"

"Mayumi, you're blushing."

"Mori!"

The student council president and the discipline committee president started to play around.

During this time, Daichi looked elsewhere with an indifferent expression.

Even his sister's cold gaze went unnoticed.

"Then… it's about time. Let's return to our classroom.

Deep-snow, let's go."

Mayumi and Mori were still playing around, and Daichi informed them and got up.

He had already sincerely convinced and soothed Deep-snow, who had been sulking earlier.

Azusa, who had witnessed the soothing process, was now blushing and hiding in the corner by the terminal, but Daichi ignored her.

"Ah, Daichi-kun, don't go yet.

Uh, Mayumi, pause, we're discussing something serious now!"

"…Let's continue the discussion after school."

"Got it, got it… really, you're so petty…

By the way, Daichi-kun, how will you respond to her invitation?"

"Right now, I'm waiting for her response. I plan to decide after hearing her answer."

Daichi's question at the café yesterday, Sayaka couldn't answer on the spot.

—What will you do after conveying your thoughts to the school?

Sayaka only made sounds like "ah" or "um" and couldn't give a meaningful answer.

So Daichi let her take it as homework.

He would listen to her thoughts after she had sorted them out.

"From our conversation, I understand that this matter cannot be ignored."

"…Please help us."

"Although at this stage, we don't even know what we can ask you to do…"

"Just do your best."

"From your tone, I'm not sure if I'm really expected… but if this is all it takes, I'll help."

Daichi's statement that "this matter cannot be ignored" was not just words. If the anti-magic organization's goal was only the system itself, he wouldn't need to take action. However, anti-system movements often target individuals with symbolic status. Deep-snow, who entered as the top student this year and became a student council member, could not be guaranteed to avoid becoming a target. Although Daichi didn't think such criminals who only act in secret would pose a threat to Deep-snow, it's better to be safe than sorry.

"I'll do my best."

Daichi promised clearly, and Deep-snow bowed briefly behind him. Mori watched them disappear behind the door and whispered.

"This should end with the best outcome."

◇ ◇ ◇

Due to the nature of the discipline committee, members don't need to show up at headquarters every day.

The committee members, including the president, usually stay in the student council room upstairs.

The committee members, selected for their combat skills, are often less adept at administrative and organizational work, and the room is often in a state of extreme disarray, sigh-worthy.

Even without mentioning the recruitment week's performance, Daichi had a solid position in the discipline committee as the only member with administrative management skills—though not by choice.

Today was no different. Although it wasn't his turn, he was asked to help because the recruitment week's activity report was completely unorganized. Mori asked him to help—though it was more like he was the only one doing the work.

This was also not by choice.

According to his original plan, after school, he should have gone to the library to use the dedicated terminals set up by the Magic University and its affiliated educational institutions—Magic High School—to read the non-public data stored in the Magic University, which could only be accessed through the dedicated terminals. However, due to various events, his research had not progressed at all.

(Anyway, I'll finish the report today...)

Knowing that sighing was unproductive, Daichi still sighed inwardly and logged out of the terminal after finishing his classes for the day—just as he was about to log