Miyuki's prowess with cooling and freezing magic was unrivaled.
However the nature of her magic came from shutting down the motion
of molecular vibration, and wasn't derived from the harnessing of
snow spirits or ice demons. Of course, it wasn't like in those settings
common to fantasies aimed at young kids, where receiving the
patronage of such a spirit granted immunity to cold. The point being.
Cold is cold.
Riding tandem in a bike in the midst of this midwinter night, there was
no way she wouldn't have been cold.
So—
(There's no problem in being like this, right...it's cold after all.)
While clinging tightly to Tatsuya, pressing her cheek to his back as
well as her chest, Miyuki repeated such an excuse in her head.
—Is there any point making excuses by this time? Was something that
was best left unsaid.
Flicking a glance at the headlights of the motorcycle right behind him,
if anyone had seen his expression, it could only have been described
as 'mischievous'.
From his position he was unable to see Miyuki at all behind Tatsuya's
shadow, but he was perfectly able to predict what her actions,
condition and expression would be. To him, the feelings the siblings
had for each other was something quite of interest.
As the corners of his mouth twitched, he felt a rising tension from next
to him. It seemed like his smile had been misinterpreted.
"There's no need for such concern. As long as you follow the
agreement, I have no intention of harming you."
"...Considering the position I'm in, are you really telling me to believe
that?"
Her eyes fixed forwards, Lina replied in a harsh voice. No, rather than
'harsh' it would be 'stiff'.
"Well, I can see where you're coming from."
Caught between Yakumo and his disciple in the back seat of the sedan,
if anyone had seen her position they would no doubt have assumed
she was being escorted. Knowing the power of the men sitting beside
her, that feeling only deepened.
Yakumo had taken out two Stars in the blink of an eye.
Without any one of them noticing at all, that black clad— ninja had
suddenly appearing right behind them. The back of the man gripping
the wheel had no openings either.
Even at three to one odds she didn't think they would have been
opponents she couldn't defeat, but she knew she would most likely not
escape unscathed either.
"But you can be at ease."
Perceiving her tension, and estimating that it stemmed from her
vigilance and hostility, Yakumo spoke in a relaxed tone.
For Lina, that was even more disconcerting.
"I have no interest in what happens between you and Tatsuya-kun. My
only interest is the proper handing down of our secrets. All I ask of
you is, like I said earlier, to not reveal what we taught the Kudou to
others. So that those who are not privileged to know do not learn."
"...You don't care even for your national interests?"
"Nope."
"Not even world peace? The future of humanity?"
"Not in the least. I'm a recluse."
"You're a magician as well, aren't you!"
Yakumo's words were simply irreconcilable with Lina's values. And
so, she unnecessarily wasn't able to believe him.
"I am a shinobi. Not a magician."
Yakumo replied to her in a calm voice. A decisive refutation.
"...Aren't Ninjutsu users a type of magician?"
"Just because we can use magic, doesn't mean we must become
magicians."
She knew what he meant.
She could understand.
Yet even so, Lina could not agree to what Yakumo said.
"In the same way, just because one became a magician doesn't
automatically place an obligation upon them to serve their country."
She couldn't agree, but for some reason, she couldn't object either