10-11-2095 / In Front of First High School Library
Oh, it's you, Tatsuya.
What are you doing here?
I've come to gather materials for the Thesis Competition.
Now that you mention it, you were chosen to help out Rin-chan.
We'd be a nuisance to other people if we stood here chatting,
so shall we go inside?
Uh... Yes.
I know it happened suddenly for you, Tatsuya,
but for Rin-chan, the significance of this year's theme goes way beyond winning or losing the competition,
so I'm counting on you!
R-Right...
So does Ms. Ichihara have some kind of special motivation to pursue this topic?
To raise magicians' social standing.
By turning magic into an indispensable economic factor,
magicians will truly be released from their fate as weaponized humans.
The Gravity Control-type Magic thermonuclear fusion reactor will go a long way towards achieving that...
At least, that's what Rin-chan's always claimed.
With this year's thesis, she'll be taking her first concrete step.
It astounded me.
That Ms. Ichihara could be thinking the same exact thing as myself.
You, too, Tatsuya?
I never thought there'd be someone else right here with such a negative outlook.
Well, good for you. For finding chemistry with Rin-chan.
No, I don't think it's a matter of finding chemistry or not.
For one thing, Ms. Ichihara and I have totally different methodologies.
But you share the same basic concept, don't you?
Tell me, Tatsuya, is someone like Rin-chan actually your type?
Here you are, having a conversation in such proximity to a beautiful girl,
but you're not showing any signs of making a move.
Sorry that I have such a childish figure!
I'm not into exhibitionism,
so of course I wouldn't lay a finger on a woman before these surveillance cameras.
Um...
Then if there were no cameras or people watching?
Of course...
If you were offering yourself to me, I would not hesitate to partake of you.
Counseling Room
But as my connection was cut off midway...
I wasn't able to find the source of the attack.
And?
I hate to break this to you, but I can't trace them over the network.
I'm well aware of what you specialize in.
I don't intend to create that much extra work for you.
Then what do you want?
I was wondering if you could tell me what you know about the organization
that's been buying and selling classified magic documents lately.
Listen to me, Shiba.
You do know that I'm bound by confidentiality myself, don't you?
Certainly.
From the end of last month to the beginning of this month,
there's been a series of unlawful entry cases in Yokohama and Yokosuka.
And that can't be unrelated...
is that what you're saying?
So did you sustain any loss of data?
Everything's fine.
Never mind me, was everything all right at your house, Isori?
Could the hackers have been after...?
A look at the hackers' commands tells me
that they were going after documents pertaining to Magic Theory.
Considering the timing,
we can't rule out the possibility that it's related to the competition.
I can't think of anyone who'd do this...
Don't you think we should let Ms. Ichihara know about this?
Yes, you're right.
Thanks for waiting!
Long time no see, Tatsuya.
Yes, it's been a while.
So what brings you here today?
Well, actually, I wanted to talk to you about security during the competition.
Security?
Is the Disciplinary Committee going to provide that?
Well, I'm not talking about security for the venue.
The Magic Association will be hiring professionals for that.
What I want to discuss is personal bodyguards for each team member,
and people to guard the presentation materials and equipment.
You'll be using valuable materials at the Thesis Competition, after all.
For that reason, the teams for this contest are sometimes targeted by industrial spies.
Such as hacking into household servers, for example?
No, I've never heard of anyone going that far.
What we should be wary of is robbery and snatch-and-grabs.
Needless to say, our school provides security every year.
The members of the security squad are chosen from the Disciplinary Committee
and the Extracurricular Activities Federation,
but as far as who specifically guards whom, we'll respect your wishes.
I'll be the one to protect you, Kei!
I'm assigning Hattori and Kirihara as Ichihara's bodyguards.
The question is, what to do about you...
No bodyguard necessary.
Well, I guess not.
Thanks for waiting.
What's the matter?
Nothing...
It just seems like we're being watched, so I was deciding what to do...
Watched? By spies?
Come back here!
Dammit!
Kanon, it's no good!
Shiba, what are you going to do?
Is that little girl going to be all right?
It was Zhou Gongjin who rounded up these members,
so no matter what happens, I don't think we'll be discovered.
So that kid was the middleman?
How much can we trust him?
What's going on with that Relic?
Yes, sir!
There's no sign that it was removed from the Four Leaves Technology premises,
but its current location is unknown.
Don't skimp on surveillance over Sayuri Shiba.
Did you find out anything about that house she visited the other night?
It seems that her husband's children from another marriage live there.
What are their stories?
Both are first years at the Magic University Affiliated First High School.
Names?
The older brother is Tatsuya Shiba, the younger sister is Miyuki Shiba.
Tatsuya Shiba?
He's the target of our local collaborator's revenge.
I see.
Magic University Affiliated High School, eh?
That just might work out for us.
Add First High School to our list of targets.
If need be, you can reallocate staff from other missions.
And beef up the support for that girl.
Let her know that leaking classified documents is the most effective revenge.
Understood, sir!
One more thing - give that kid a weapon, too!
Captain Lu.
Yes, sir.
You take charge on-site.
If you come across anyone else sniffing around, get rid of them.
10-19-2095
Hey, Tatsuya, you're early today.
Yes.
What were you talking about?
She says she can sense someone's gaze.
Gaze?
Since this morning, I can sense this unpleasant gaze.
Like someone secretly peering into the cracks from the shadows...
It's a creepy kind of gaze...
Like a stalker?
It's not after me.
It's more like...
Something that's ready to cast a wide net...
So it's not targeting a single student, but multiple students and/or instructors,
or maybe something at the school, then?
Y-Yes... I could be wrong about this, of course...
No, I don't think you're wrong, Ms. Shibata.
Ever since this morning, the spirits have been in an unnatural frenzy on campus.
I'll bet that someone's evoked a shiki.
Shiki?
Are you talking about those shikigami called Spiritual Beings?
It seems to be a different spell than we use, so I can't get a grasp on it,
but there's no question that some spell-caster somewhere is sniffing around.
Mikihiko, did you just say it was a different spell than yours?
Yeah, that's right.
Meaning that it's a non-Shinto spell?
Or do you mean a spell that's different from this country's Ancient Magic?
I don't think it's part of our country's Ancient Magic.
We're not coming up with any witnesses to that illegal entry incident.
Do you want to keep on canvassing?
Not that I think we'll find any witnesses if we walk any further.
Sure there are witnesses. They just won't talk to us.
Inspector! Don't tell me...
Hey, hey, what a scary face!
You're the scary one, Inspector.
What do you think you're doing?
Don't worry, I'm not going to do an illegal search.
You know how they say "Snake paths lead to snakes?"
That's why I thought we'd go visit that den of snakes.
Inspector...
I'm not saying it's wrong to take a little break now and then, but...
But I thought we were going to see the den of snakes?
This is the den of snakes.
The guy who runs this place is a know-it-all.
A so-called information broker, you know?
Tatsuya, are you done getting ready for the Thesis Competition?
I guess you could say we've reached a plateau.
We still have to rehearse, build the presentation models,
calibrate the spells for the demos... all the little details.
Sounds like a lot of work...
Come to think of it, are you helping out with the models, Mizuki?
Uh, yes, the second years are.
I'm not actually doing anything...
Since we're leaving the models to Isori,
I guess it's only natural that the second years would take charge.
Then what are you doing, Tatsuya?
I'm fine-tuning the spells for the demos.
You'd think it would be the other way around.
Do you want to stop off here for a bit?
Hey, I'm in!
Well, since it looks like you're gonna be swamped starting tomorrow, Tatsuya...
Right.
Why don't we stop off and have some tea?
Oh, so you're taking part in the Magic Thesis Competition?
They're hosting it in Yokohama this year, right?
My parents live in Yokohama, you know.
Are they holding it at the International Convention Center again?
If they are, that's right by my parents' house.
Where in Yokohama do they live?
About halfway up the Yamate Hills. It's a café called Roter Wald.
Two blended coffees.
Very well, sir.
I'm sorry.
I was wondering when you were gonna talk to me,
but you don't seem to have the slightest inclination.
Are you uncomfortable around women, scion of the Chiba clan?
Wh-Who are you?
Pleased to meet you, Inspector Toshikazu Chiba.
My name is Kyoko Fujibayashi.
Yokohama Disturbance Part II
Now, then...
Erika?
I'm just going to hit the restroom.
Whoops.
My bad, I just got a call.
Mikihiko,
what are you doing?
Just... jotting stuff down before I forget...
If you overdo it, your cover will be blown.
Better go easy...
Hey, mister!
Want to have a good time with me?
What are you talking about?
You should look out for yourself more.
Huh? All I said was, "Have a good time,"
but what on earth did you think I meant by that?
You shouldn't tease grownups.
Night will be falling soon.
If you hang around deserted places like this,
who's to say that you won't get attacked by a street attacker?
By street attacker...
do you mean...
Someone like this?
Don't you know?
Street attacker means a magician who's passing by...
You've been following us all along.
What are you after?
Murderous intent!
Isn't she scary?
She's a formidable woman, if only at times like this.
Help me! I'm being robbed!
Hey, forgot to tell you this, but it won't do you any good to yell.
Right now, no one will be coming near us.
More like no one can come near us.
This is a barrier built on our consciousness,
so unless you knock us unconscious, you have no hope of escape.
Hey! Ouch!
This dude is no ordinary human being.
Didn't feel like a mechanical device either...
Was that chemical fortification?
You're one to talk about not being ordinary.
You really got clocked just now, didn't you?
Well, as a magician, I'm at least one-quarter lab-developed.
I'm not gonna stand here and insist that my genes are 100 percent natural!
Now don't do anything rash.
We're not interested in taking your life.
All we want to know is why you were following us.
H-Hold up.
All right, I surrender.
I'm not even an enemy of yours to begin with...
Yeah, right.
That attack of yours would've killed anyone else but us.
I could say the same of you.
Forget that.
If you're not the enemy, then give us the short version.
It wouldn't do to keep this barrier up forever, you know.
Fine.
I don't want to attract any attention, either.
All right, why don't you start by introducing yourself?
I'm sure that you already know our names, right?
I'm Jiro Marshall.
I can't go into specifics,
but I'm not affiliated with any government organization whatsoever.
Also, as I mentioned earlier,
I am not your enemy.
In other words, you're illegal, right?
So?
Tell us what you're after, and what the situation is, exactly.
My job is to monitor the Magic High School students
to ensure that no cutting-edge magic technology falls into the hands of the East.
If they do leak any advanced technology that could amount to a military threat,
then I deal with the situation.
The East?
Meaning you're from the West?
Why would you go to all that trouble?
I thought this country was cured of its pacifist complacency, but...
Don't move!
You bastard!
In both the USNA and the Western nations,
there's been a spike in the number of Eastern spies going after magic engineering.
Your own school is also one of the East's targets!
Now, then, I think I've said all that needs to be said.
I'd like to get going now,
so would you mind having your friends take down this barrier?
Hurry it up!
Miki...
All right, I'll be taking my leave now.
Oh, wait.
One last thing... Let me give you a word of advice.
Please tell your friends to be vigilant about their surroundings.
That they shouldn't let down their guard just because they're on school grounds.
By the way, what brings you to Yokohama, Ms. Fujibayashi?
Oh, I'm here on business.
What about you, Detective? What brings you here?
A little break while you're still on-duty?
Uh... Actually...
Or some other investigation, maybe?
To tell you the truth, I'd like to ask for your help with something...
I'm sorry, Detective.
Please excuse me for a moment.
Tatsuya's friends are certainly a handful...
Even Ancient Magic leaves traces on the surveillance system.
I've been noticed by the surveillance target.
Send in a replacement!
Where am I?
The man-eating tiger...
Lu Gonghu...
Yokohama Disturbance Part III
NEXT TIME