Yugen revealed his true identity, and while they were stunned by the sight of Arisa hugging Yugen, Marika quickly regained her senses and hugged Yugen from behind. It was a popular situation, with Arisa in front and Marika behind, but Yugen sighed once and asked in a murmur,
"Um, both of you? I can't move."
"Onii-chan..."
"Be patient. Anyway, Asha, let go."
"Miina, you're hugging Onii-chan too, aren't you?"
"..."
He hadn't noticed in their martial arts uniforms, but being hugged like this, he could feel the sensation of their chests... though Marika's was larger in size. Perhaps they had showered after the dojo, as a floral scent wafted from them.
The two were keeping each other in check, but the mood wasn't particularly hostile. Rather, they might have been trying to make up for lost time after reuniting with him, who was like a brother to them, after more than four and a half years.
Honestly, he had thought that after not seeing each other for over four years, Marika would cling to her brother, but he was forced to realize that such a prediction was based on insufficient understanding. Then, Chihime spoke up.
"Oh my, Yugen-kun is quite popular. He's just like your brother-in-law."
"Yes..."
He learned for the first time that Kōzō was also considered popular. According to her, Kōzō in his youth was, so to speak, a "male Miyuki"—in other words, someone like his brother or Kōsen from his previous life. Chihime added that it was miraculous he only had one wife.
Well, it was common knowledge in this world that magical ability directly correlated with attractive looks, so he could somewhat imagine Kōzō. And the fact that Kōzō's wife (his maternal grandmother), a Kōizumi family member, was the only one, was apparently due to her extreme possessiveness.
Anyway, he was released after about 10 minutes of being at their mercy, but the seats had changed, and Arisa and Marika were now sitting on either side of him.
"Now, regarding the continuation of our earlier conversation..."
"Ah, um, about the fiancées mentioned earlier, usually Yugen-nii can only have one wife."
"You needn't worry about that, Marika-san. Yugen-kun is a person of such ability that the government has recognized multiple marriages for him."
"...Is that true?"
"Yes, it's true. Even I was half-skeptical when I first heard it."
Everyone present understood the significance of passing on magical ability to future generations. And that Yugen's power had been recognized by the government of this country, and he was being asked to preserve that power. When Yugen answered Marika's skeptical words so clearly, Marika realized it wasn't a lie and resettled herself.
"Ryōtarō-san and Serika-san. Regarding the negotiations with the Yaguruma family, the Kagurazaka family will take full responsibility and allow your relocation to Hakone. In return, I would like to propose Marika-san and Arisa-san as Yugen-kun's fiancées."
"...Is that really alright? For us?"
"Normally, the government should stand at the forefront and rescue magicians in your circumstances, but the current government is weak-kneed. By Marika-san marrying Yugen-kun, it will be quite possible to restore the Tōgami family's honor, including returning them to the 'Jūshin' (Ten Gods) family in the future."
Ryōtarō's concern was about the 'Extra Numbers' aspect, but Chihime stated clearly, as if to say there was no need to worry.
The removal of the Tōgami family's numerical designation was due to the machinations of the government at the time, and Chihime's words were tantamount to a clear criticism of those actions. This was possible because the Kagurazaka family not only held one of the 'Four Elders' positions in the 'Genrōin' (Elder Council) but also served as Guardians, overseeing all magicians.
Furthermore, since they had hired one of the 'Extra Numbers'—Saburō Hasekura (Saburō Nagura)—as a Kagurazaka family servant after the incident in Kyoto, there would be no problem in welcoming an 'Extra Number' individual as the next head's fiancée.
In the first place, the Kagurazaka family was a master of Onmyōdō-style ancient magic. Chihime believed there was no reason to be criticized by the modern magic community, who had averted their eyes and failed to solve these problems until now.
"Moreover, although immature, Marika-san has manifested magic, and Arisa-san also appears to possess extraordinary magical power. Fortunately, Yugen-kun has mastered magical techniques from all ages and regions, so I believe it would be best for them to live close to Yugen-kun for their instruction."
Given that Marika had unconsciously manifested 'Reactive Armor,' it was certainly necessary for her to properly learn magical knowledge, and Arisa, in particular, was heavily burdened by the 'Overclock' problem. Fortunately, the knowledge he had acquired when treating Kazuki Jūmonji, the head of the Jūmonji family, could be directly applied, and he intended to teach these two the 'Method for Improving Fundamental Magical Abilities,' which even the Jūmonji family hadn't yet achieved.
Marika, after hearing Chihime's explanation, bowed deeply.
"Chihime-san, please let me be Yugen-nii, Yugen's fiancée! Originally, I was the one who attacked him and injured him without considering any circumstances. To take responsibility for that, I want to accept Chihime-san's proposal."
"Miina... I, too, want to be Yugen Onii-chan—Yugen-san's fiancée. For me, Yugen-san has always been like a kind brother... No, as a woman, I love Yugen-san."
Following Marika, Arisa also accepted becoming Yugen's fiancée and bowed. Chihime, having heard Marika and Arisa's words, looked at Ryōtarō and Serika. Ryōtarō and Serika looked at each other, nodded, and then addressed Chihime.
"Chihime-san. Please grant Marika and Arisa's wish. For both of them, Yugen-kun is a brother... and a beloved."
"I ask you as well. As Marika's mother, and having served as Arisa's surrogate mother, I want both of them to find happiness as women."
"Father, Mother."
"Uncle, Auntie..."
Marika and Arisa were surprised by Ryōtarō and Serika's words of encouragement. Chihime, having heard their words, turned her gaze to Yugen.
"Then, it's settled. The detailed discussions will be handled by the adults, so Yugen-kun, please teach them about magic."
"...Understood."
With that, Chihime said, and the adults filed out of the room, leaving only Yugen, Marika, and Arisa in the reception room. In this situation, Yugen opened his mouth as usual.
"Well, it's good to see you again, Miina and Asha. I apologize for not showing my face, but I thought you'd notice anyway..."
"No, but you didn't say you were one of the Ten Master Clans back then."
"There was no way I could say it. Considering the customs of the Mitsuya family and the role the family played, if I had carelessly revealed it, it could have directly led to a threat to my life."
Furthermore, if he had carelessly revealed himself as a Mitsuya family member at that time, his sister, Shiina, would have been in danger. Thus, the number of people he could reveal his identity to was extremely limited. The fact that he was a reincarnated person made it even more so, as that was an even smaller handful of people.
Perhaps because Marika also understood the risks associated with being a magician, she didn't argue back further.
"I mean, I don't feel like I've changed that much."
"...Certainly, watching the Nine Schools Competition, I thought it might be Onii-chan, but you were just too cool..."
"I've certainly grown, but I'd like to think it's not that much."
After all, he had been teased relentlessly as "cool" and a "gigolo" at the Nine Schools Competition last year, and he thought "cool" referred to someone like Masaki. But... after the Nine Schools Competition, during a system update for the student council, he was speechless when Tatsuya told him about the existence of an unofficial fan club. The fact that it had 400 members, approximately two-thirds of the entire First High School, seemed nothing short of insane.
"Yugen-nii, shall I make you stand in front of a mirror?"
"Stop that. In any case, let's start by getting the groundwork in place..."
Originally, the primary use of the unique magic 'Reinforce Domain' was "healing," but it also possessed the function of "harmony" for improving physical abilities. The price for this, besides becoming his fiancée, was that he intended to ask them to get along well with his other fiancées.
He thought it would be too unfair to use this magic only on Arisa, even as a countermeasure for 'Overclock.' So, when he first used it on Marika, she let out ticklish sounds like "Uhyah...auhh..." After the magic was cast, Marika slowly pushed her leg forward and touched her thigh. Marika was probably worried about that area not being shapely enough.
"Eh, no way, it's gotten thinner... Is it diet magic?"
"No, you idiot. I told you it's preparation for using magic to its fullest. Asha, are you ready too?"
"Y-Yes. Onii-chan, um, please don't hurt me, okay?"
Looking at Marika's reaction earlier, it wouldn't cause pain, but the experience of physical modification to match magical aptitude—the spirit—was unprecedented, so he could somewhat understand Arisa's feelings.
He placed his hand on Arisa's back and used 'Reinforce Domain,' but Yugen further used 'Kaleidoscope' to significantly rewrite the 'Overclock' within Arisa. The vast amount of Psions swirling around them was enough for even Marika to murmur, "Beautiful..." and Arisa herself let out a sweet moan, "Ah...no..."
He hadn't performed any sexual act on Arisa, but she herself was blushing deeply from the sheer comfort. And immediately after the magic was cast, there was a "snap" sound as if something tore, and Arisa, noticing it, hastily covered her chest.
"Ah, eh, ehh!? W-What's happening!?"
He had experienced this phenomenon once before.
When he had properly adjusted Mizunami's magical aptitude and lifespan as a magician, Mizunami's wish to "become a person worthy of Yugen Onii-sama, like Miyuki-sama," had enhanced her chest. This time, it was something similar, and she was probably envious of Marika's chest size.
Then, Marika approached Arisa with narrowed eyes and slowly grabbed her chest.
"Kyaa, M-Miina!?"
"Even if it's Yugen-nii's magic, is this a jab at me?"
"W-Wait, Miina! Onii-chan is watching... Ann!"
"I have a decent amount too, I have a C..."
Arisa tried to soothe Marika to stop, but Marika, with a mix of interest and jealousy, seriously grabbed Arisa's chest. Arisa couldn't help but let out sweet moans at the strong stimulation she occasionally felt. Yugen, witnessing this, decided it was beyond his control and stood up.
"...For now, I'll call a servant."
With the help of a female servant who responded to Yugen's call, Arisa's underwear problem was temporarily resolved, and they resumed teaching her magical knowledge.
Incidentally, Arisa was apparently an A-cup before the magic, but now she was a "C-cup leaning towards D," Marika muttered spitefully, along with the words, "I have one too." And Arisa's face turned beet red as she looked down, having her chest size revealed in front of the person she liked.
"Let's put that aside for now... Both of you need to start by learning the basic knowledge of magic."
If they put their minds to it, they could probably use magic immediately, but there would be a significant difference in the amount of Psions and Psions consumed when using magic unconsciously versus consciously. This was knowledge gained from the results of Yugen's measurements when he tested basic single-system magic.
"Magicians possess the ability to incorporate information about all creation into the unconscious region of their brain and process and convert it into a perceivable form. This is generally called the 'magic calculation area.'"
"Process? Convert?"
They probably didn't understand because they hadn't studied magic until now. This was true for Arisa as well as Marika. It was understandable, as they had lived without any connection to magic until now.
"Right... For example, Miina, let's say there's a whole cake here. It would be impossible to eat the whole cake in one bite, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah, even I absolutely couldn't do that."
"In essence, it's the same. It's virtually impossible for a single human to grasp all the information that exists in this world. Therefore, the technique of rewriting a part of the vast information of the world into the desired information—this is the general overview of magic."
His unique magic broke that common sense, but he would set that aside for now.
Originally, the magic calculation area's capacity was increased through training, but it was commonly believed that a certain tolerance limit would arise. This was because most magicians couldn't fully perceive Psions and didn't understand their nature.
Why couldn't most magicians perceive them? Because it was extremely difficult for humans to perceive other humans' Psions—the kind also called emotions or passions.
"Miina and Asha, you both felt a vast amount of particles with my magic just now, didn't you?"
"Yes, it was incredibly beautiful."
"What exactly was that?"
"The particles you felt are called Psions. They are essential particles that must be perceived like the five senses when using magic, and they serve as the 'door' when a magician uses magic. And magic is formed when particles separate from Psions—particles called Psions—depict the event desired by the magician in the world."
To be precise, several phenomena caused by Psions had occurred, and Pixie's ego formation was largely involved in one of them. The concept of thoughtforms was highly likely to be based on emotions originally controlled by reason.
Considering the parasite's possession process, if Honoka had unconsciously emitted not only Psions but also Psions during Valentine's, the possibility of affecting Pixie's Psion information body would be extremely high.
And another thing, the magic that Miyuki inadvertently leaked when her emotions were heightened was probably a part of that. It made sense to think that even if she understood it rationally, when her emotions overwhelmed her, a part of her unique magic, 'Cocytus,' would interfere with the world as freezing magic.
Listing them like this, it seemed that the power of event intervention—the fundamental part of magic—had been showing its hints from the very beginning.
"Fortunately, the preparations to enter the gateway of magic are complete. However, from here on, you're not just required to use magic. You must learn the most important things about using magic and train yourselves."
Generally, modern magic only emphasized Psion movement. Considering the characteristic of requiring stable and enormous output, the current educational policy for modern magic prioritized instantaneous firepower over Psion reserves, and technical aspects like endurance and multivariate manipulation could not be evaluated as magical power.
But Yugen did not approve of that idea. Even Strategic-Class Magic, there was no guarantee that a "one-hit kill" could be easily achieved. A good example of this was his close friend, Tatsuya.
And from the phrase in the original knowledge that "the spirit would run out before Psion consumption" if magic was continuously used, he thought that the spirit, or rather Psions, was the key to event intervention—connecting to the 'magic power' often heard in fantasy novels and orthodox RPGs.
Marika and Arisa were struggling to understand the sudden influx of various terms, but this was only the basic level at the entrance of magical technology. Of course, some of the content he just explained was magical knowledge unknown even to magic high schools, magic universities, and even most people in magic society.
"Um... so, what does that mean?"
"In conclusion, even in your current state, Marika and Arisa meet the minimum requirements to use magic. But by understanding and using magic rather than vaguely using it, you can use magic more stably. However, for the time being, the focus will be on intensively training your fundamental abilities for using magic—the part generally called 'magical power'—rather than magic itself."
This method, to be honest, was practiced by most people in the Mitsuya family, including Yugen, and was a unique (originated by Yugen) training method of the Mitsuya family with a solid track record. Initially, Yugen did it alone, but Kana and Mika became interested and started doing it with him, and even Shizuru joined in.
He had taught Kana and Mika the general methods when they begged him, so it was still a rough version back then, but their abilities as magicians steadily grew... and as a result, it led to their outstanding performance at the Nine Schools Competition.
The training method was refined through his life at the Kōizumi and Yaguruma families (including instructing Mototsugu and Chisato, and Sirō's magical/modification), and finally completed after the Okinawa Defense Battle. And its accuracy further improved through the parasite-related incidents.
It goes without saying that it was at a level where one would want to say, "Zhōu Gōngjǐ, that phantom, left behind something truly amazing." As an aside, the knowledge absorbed contained a memory that he hadn't even told Gu Jie about that part... A master who wasn't even trusted by his disciple was truly pathetic.
"However, this method is not taught at magic high schools, magic universities, or almost any private school teaching modern magic. You could say it's a bit of a secret art of my former real home, the Mitsuya family."
"...Onii-chan, is that okay?"
"For you to become my fiancée, you all need to become strong. Let me tell you, most of my fiancées are people who have achieved results at the Nine Schools Competition."
This year, for example, Miyuki, who won the Girls' Ice Pillars Break Solo; Shizuku, who teamed up with Kanon and won the Girls' Ice Pillars Break Pair; Himeri, who won the Girls' Mirage Bat; Kutsuo, who took second place in the Girls' Roar and Gunner Solo; Airi, who took second place in the Girls' Mirage Bat; and Celi, who also won the Girls' Roar and Gunner Solo, and Izumi, who won the Girls' Ice Pillars Break in the Rookie's Competition.
And except for Airi and Izumi, they are all part of the members who have undergone Yugen's training method.
The mention of achievements at the Nine Schools Competition was simply to provide an easily understandable "yardstick" for judging magical ability, as it is difficult to accurately measure otherwise.
High academic ability and high magical ability. If they possessed both of these, even if Marika belonged to an 'Extra Numbers' family, most people would fall silent when faced with undeniable ability.
Several accompanying problems would arise, but those were responsibilities that he, as the fiancé, should bear, and he wished for them to grow into excellent magicians. For that, he wouldn't mind staining his hands with blood as much as necessary.
Because, even if it was to protect, he was already the one who had pulled that trigger.
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