Tatsuya's objective was the Steeplechase Cross-Country course. Of course, he didn't expect the "P-weapons"—the Parasite Dolls—to be deployed this early. However, he believed that by studying the terrain, he could predict where traps would be laid and where ambushes might be positioned.
But even for Tatsuya, the course proved impenetrable.
(They've tightened security this much, yet last year they let No Head Dragon slip right through? ...No, it's likely because of last year's failure.)
In the old days, allowing a mere criminal organization to infiltrate a regular army base would have been a "seppuku" level offense. The base commanders must have felt a disgrace so profound it bordered on a death wish.
Tatsuya cautiously expanded his field of perception, taking care not to be detected by the National Defense Force magicians. While his vision wasn't something Psion radar could pick up, there was always the chance that a sentry with extra-sensory perception—someone capable of sensing his unique "gaze"—was on duty. He allowed his consciousness to permeate the world, ready to sever the connection the instant he felt a counter-probe.
At the edge of his expanded vision, he caught a familiar presence.
"Ayako. Fumiya."
He walked for about five minutes before speaking into the shadows. His voice elicited a sudden ripple of startle from the darkness.
"Tatsuya-san... please, don't scare us like that," Ayako whispered.
"I didn't intend to."
"Then you didn't have to use such a terrifying voice!" Ayako protested.
Her indignation was genuine. She let out a short, shaky breath of relief, and her eyes were slightly misty—likely a reflexive physiological response to the sudden spike in tension.
"Did you two come to scout the course as well?"
"...Yes. But the guard is incredibly tight," Ayako said, trailing off.
"We couldn't get inside," Fumiya finished for her.
"Not even with Ayako's magic? Ah—no, my apologies. I didn't mean that as a reproach," Tatsuya said, catching himself. He had asked the question out of genuine surprise, but seeing Ayako look down in disappointment, he immediately retracted the sting.
"Did you come to investigate as well, Tatsuya-niisan?" Fumiya asked.
Fumiya wasn't just trying to change the subject for his sister's sake. He genuinely believed that even if it were impossible for them, Tatsuya might have succeeded.
In terms of magical theory, Tatsuya's "Decomposition" and Ayako's "Pseudo-Diffusion" shared a similar vector of phenomenon interference. Decomposing matter into its constituent elements was, from another perspective, the act of destroying a structure and scattering its components into a state of non-structure. One could view Decomposition as a deeper, more specialized version of Pseudo-Diffusion.
In fact, it was Tatsuya who had first helped Ayako discover her aptitude for the spell. Back then, Tatsuya was still in elementary school, but he was already a master of Decomposition and Regrowth, participating in combat drills alongside adults at the Yotsuba main house. It was common for magicians from the Kuroba branch to be chosen as his training partners.
At the time, Ayako had been struggling with her inability to find her own specialty while practicing against her father's subordinates. Tatsuya had demonstrated a simplified version of Decomposition for her.
Through his Elemental Sight, Tatsuya had understood that she possessed a magical disposition similar to his own. Being young and perhaps seeking a kindred spirit, he had shown her the principles of "Pseudo-Diffusion" based on his own "Decomposition."
It was no exaggeration to say that Ayako owed her magical identity to Tatsuya. He was the reason she had been able to establish herself as a magician of the Yotsuba. Because of this, Ayako—and by extension, Fumiya—never looked down on Tatsuya as a mere "Guardian" or a "low-spec" magician as others in the clan did. To the Kuroba twins, he was an idol, which often led them to overestimate his capabilities.
"Yes, but I'm in the same boat. I was having trouble finding a way in myself."
Tatsuya's specialties were combat and assassination. While his infiltration skills were top-tier thanks to Yakumo's tutelage, his natural aptitude for stealth was nowhere near Ayako's. If a place was inaccessible to her, Tatsuya had little hope of entering without being detected.
"I see... Should we try one more time? Perhaps if the three of us combine our efforts, we might..." Fumiya suggested, his disappointment quickly turning back into proactive eagerness. However, he lacked a concrete plan.
"No. Forcing the issue and causing a scene would be the worst-case scenario. We should withdraw quietly for tonight."
"He's right, you know."
The voice that answered Tatsuya didn't belong to Fumiya or Ayako.
"Who's there?!" Fumiya hissed.
"Master... please try to make a normal entrance for once," Tatsuya sighed.
"Just as Tatsuya-kun says, you'd best head back for the night."
Ignoring Tatsuya's complaint, Kokonoe Yakumo stepped out from the darkness to finish his thought.
"...Tatsuya-san, is this person perhaps...?" Ayako whispered.
"He's exactly who you think he is."
"Then... this is the Great Master, Kokonoe Yakumo?"
Tatsuya turned to his teacher. "So, Master. Did you find anything?"
Yakumo shook his head. "No. There aren't any traps or devices set up on the course yet."
"You actually got inside?!" Ayako's expression was a mix of awe and frustration.
"We were completely stymied by the security system," Fumiya added. "As expected of a master."
"Now, now, it was nothing special," Yakumo said, sounding entirely too pleased with himself.
"And? What was it like inside? You said there was 'nothing,' but specifically?" Tatsuya pressed.
"Exactly what I said. For now, it's just a standard artificial forest for training exercises, with obstacles laid out according to the blueprints."
"Can you predict where they might place the Parasite Dolls?"
"I can't. The terrain is uniform enough that the conditions are more or less the same regardless of where they put them. It was designed that way."
"So the Parasite Dolls can be operated effectively regardless of the environment?"
"It seems they've been built with that level of practical utility in mind," Yakumo concluded.
Ultimately, their midnight excursion from the hotel had been a fruitless endeavor.
"I see. Thank you, Master. Fumiya, Ayako—get back to your rooms immediately."
With those parting words, Tatsuya slipped away, heading back to the hotel by a different route than the twins.
Fumiya and Ayako really do adore him...
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