The Irregular at Magic High

Chapter 9

In the first year class E, there was a considerable sense of chaos. In all probability, a similar scene was playing out throughout the other classrooms. Many students met each other just yesterday, and already small groups have formed up here and there chatting away. With no new acquaintances to greet, Tatsuya was trying to find his own terminal by eyeing the numbers stamped into each desk when, suddenly his name was called unexpectedly, he looked up. 

"Morning~!" Erika's voice was as vibrant as ever. "Good morning." Beside her, Mizuki's smile was comparatively modest.

As if they were already on good terms, Erika was seated next to Mizuki waving her hand. It seems like they had been talking until they found him. Tatsuya raised a hand in acknowledgement, then walked over to the pair. Rather than a coincidence, it seems like they had been sorted alphabetically. Hence as Shiba and Shibata, Tatsuya was next to Mizuki.

 "It seems we'll be next to each other, pleased to make your acquaintance." 

"Yes, I'll be in your care." 

Mizuki answered Tatsuya's words with a smile. Beside them (or rather, above them), Erika had a rather dissatisfied expression, probably on purpose. 

"For some reason, I feel left out?" Her voice echoed out in a rather incredulous fashion. However, this level of cuteness was not enough to reach Tatsuya. 

"Leaving out Chiba-san would be an extremely difficult matter." His tone and expression deadpan, he looked over at Erika with lidded eyes. He didn't seem like he was acting in the least. 

"...The heck is that supposed to mean?" 

"Simply that your sociability knows no bounds." 

Despite Erika's unwavering gaze, Tatsuya's poker face didn't flicker an inch. Rather, it was Erika who broke first. 

"...Shiba-kun, is actually a bad character?" As Mizuki fell over laughing, Tatsuya set his ID card into the terminal and began an information check. From course regulations, disciplinary regulations and rules concerning the use of facilities to admission associated events, automatic activity guides and the curriculum for the semester, countless flashes of information scrolled through his head as he operated the terminal with just the keyboard, and when he looked up, it was into the face of a male student looking back at him from the seat in front with wide eyes. 

"...It's not like I have a problem with you watching me, but..." 

"Eh? Ahh, my bad. It's something pretty rare, so I ended up staring."

 "Rare?" 

"I'm pretty sure it's rare now, right? This is the first time I have seen someone only using keyboard input." 

"If you're experienced, this method is faster. Although between this, visual pointers, and neural assistance, it's also the least accurate." 

"Yeah. The speed is amazing. That should be enough to keep you comfortable for quite a while right?" "No... possibly a part-time job at best." 

"That so...? Whoa, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Saijou Leonhart. My father's a half and my mother's a quarter, so while I look Japanese, my name is Western, and my specialty is Convergent Systematic Reinforcement magic. My desired course is to hone my body and become either riot police or a mountain corpsman. You can call me Leo."

 For the youth of today, to have a career they're already aspiring to by the time of high school is generally unusual, but magic high schools are the exception. The course that magicians (at this stage still eggs, or chicks) undertake are closely tied to their talent, or rather natural ability. That was why Tatsuya didn't find Leo's insertion of his hopes for the future in his self introduction strange at all.