"Yeah, but your Silver Cluster seems a little different from the one I know."
Kudo Mitsunobu added that he had specifically looked into the CAD Shiba Tatsuya used after he got home yesterday. However, its design and construction didn't match the one he'd seen on the official website.
"Shiba's is a custom-made Silver Cluster. Unlike the standard model, this version is modified to some degree to suit the user's feel and preferences."
Nakajo Azusa had just finished teaching Shiba Miyuki and came over to stand beside Shiba Tatsuya.
"Shiba, could I borrow your Silver Cluster for a look?"
Shiba Tatsuya readily handed Nakajo Azusa the two Silver Clusters he was holding.
Nakajo Azusa took the guns and gazed at them with an entranced expression, as if she were looking at a lover she hadn't seen in years.
"I also heard that only ten people were allowed to order a custom Silver Cluster back then. I put in my reservation ages ago, but still didn't get one."
"So that's how it is. You're really lucky, Tatsuya!"
"Still, Nakajo-senpai, you sure know a lot about the Silver Cluster!"
He specialized in CAD research himself, but all he did was buy some of the more popular models on the market and read the latest published papers on CADs.
After all, even with his family's influence, he couldn't get his hands on every limited-edition model—and there was no need to, of course.
But Nakajo Azusa knew way too much about this CAD!
"Of course I do. It was made by my most, most, most, most important idol, Taurus Silver."
Clang!
"Beeeep—"
"Oh-ho! Looks like I've stumbled across an interesting reaction!"
Kudo Mitsunobu glanced at Shiba Miyuki, who had suddenly lost her composure and banged her head on the keyboard.
"Hey, hey! Shiba, what kind of person do you think Taurus Silver is?"
"Let's see! I think he might be a Japanese youth about our age!"
Clang!
"Beeeep—"
The same reaction happened again. Kudo Mitsunobu felt he could be certain about his earlier guess.
Saegusa Mayumi, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, looked at Kudo Mitsunobu with a puzzled expression.
But she quickly put the thought out of her mind. If Kudo Mitsunobu were Taurus Silver, there would have been no need for him to establish a new company.
Besides, given Taurus Silver's reclusive nature, he would never have revealed his true identity yesterday.
"Looks like I'll have to get Grandpa to look into this. My own sources of information aren't enough."
Kudo Mitsunobu thought it over, then entered the details about the Shiba Siblings and his current suspicions into his terminal and sent them to his grandfather, Retsu Kudou.
With the Kudo Family's connections in politics and the military, the Shiba Siblings' files would probably be sitting in his inbox by the time he got home that evening.
"Mitsunobu, you don't seem to be feeling very well."
Saegusa Mayumi had finished her work for the day. She poured a cup of coffee from the machine and set it on Kudo Mitsunobu's desk.
Kudo Mitsunobu rubbed his aching eyes a little, then took the coffee from Saegusa Mayumi and sipped it.
It was probably just a psychological effect, but after drinking the coffee, he really did feel a little better.
"Thank you, senpai!"
"I'm just using my free time to finish the work I didn't get done last night."
"Is this about CAD adjustments?"
Saegusa Mayumi pulled out the chair beside Kudo Mitsunobu and sat down.
"No. Remember the magic I used yesterday? I went home and refined it last night. I'm just putting the finishing touches on it now."
After typing in the final character, Kudo Mitsunobu let out a heavy sigh and stretched.
"Is it done?"
"Yeah, it's done."
"What does it look like now that it's finished?"
Saegusa Mayumi asked with great interest. After all, Kudo Mitsunobu had said yesterday that the magic he'd used was only a simplified version.
In her estimation, once completed, that magic would be incredibly powerful.
"It's hard to explain with words alone. If we get the chance, I'll demonstrate it for you next time."
"You're so mean! You know how curious I am."
Saegusa Mayumi poked Kudo Mitsunobu's muscular arm with a finger and pouted.
"By the way, senpai, you rushed off yesterday evening. Did everything work out?"
"I didn't want to bother you, so I never messaged you to ask."
Kudo Mitsunobu shut down his computer and turned to face Saegusa Mayumi.
"Everything went pretty smoothly. It's just that Kasumi was terribly rude to you yesterday." Saegusa Mayumi still felt embarrassed when she thought about it.
After all, she'd been the one to ask Kudo Mitsunobu for help. Though she'd had a little private motive of her own, her sister had still treated him so poorly.
"I told you I didn't mind. Besides, it's obvious that Kasumi really likes you, senpai!" Kudo Mitsunobu shook his head.
"Yeah. Kasumi's admired me since she was little, so whenever a man shows up around me, she always acts like that."
Saegusa Mayumi furrowed her brows slightly. She felt helpless about the situation, too. Before, it had always been men she wasn't interested in, so she'd been happy to see Kasumi act that way rather than getting angry.
But now that the person involved was Kudo Mitsunobu, things were a little troubling!
"These two are getting less and less subtle," Watanabe Mari said, nudging Ichihara Suzune beside her.
"Isn't that a good thing, though?" Ichihara Suzune replied without looking up.
Before you continue