Chapter 32: The Ever-Positive Angel Is in Charge of the Magical Girl's Mental Care

Magical Girl Blue (Naive)

A magical girl doesn't leave her territory, which is her city, unless it's a significant matter.

It's not because they're lazy or indifferent.

But because leaving their post would mean being unable to respond immediately in times of crisis.

And 99% of those crises come from monsters.

That's why it was even harder to understand.

City A, the one protected by Seo-ah unnie, is notorious for having the highest frequency of monster appearances.

It’s a bizarre city where monsters pop up almost every day.

“How are you here…?”

I looked at Seo-ah unnie, my face a mix of joy and confusion.

It had been 5 years—no, nearly 6 years—since we last met.

Of course I was happy… but she wasn’t supposed to be here.

“What about your city? What happened for you to come here?”

“Is that really all you’ve got to say to your big sister after all this time?”

“N-no, that’s not it! I just… I was worried…”

She let out a soft chuckle and patted my head.

It felt like a different kind of warmth from the self-proclaimed angel.

“I was super busy until recently, but thanks to Sarah, I’ve got some breathing room now.”

Seo-ah unnie said that and pointed toward the angel, who met my gaze with a sheepish smile.

“The angel helped you?”

“Yup. I owe her a lot. That’s how I was able to come here to help. And since she’s the one who called me in the first place, make sure to thank her later, okay? Right now… doesn’t seem like the right time for that.”

A chill ran down my spine.

A massive surge of magical power pressed down from overhead.

It was so overwhelming I couldn't believe I’d missed it before.

“Ugh…”

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah… I can take it…”

For a moment, my legs nearly gave out, but I clenched my fists and held firm.

As I endured and looked up, I saw Cyclamen, whose body now a terrifying mass of hundreds of drones woven into mechanical wings.

“Cyclamen…!!”

“[Soyu… If only you’d stayed quietly buried where you were. Why go through all the trouble of walking back out and making things difficult for me?]”

At her words “difficult for me”, I instinctively flinched and stepped back.

To her, it was a casual remark.

But to me, it cut deep, too deep.

…No. Pull yourself together.

This isn’t why you climbed out.

You didn’t come back just to be scared and run away again!

I steadied my resolve again and looked up at Cyclamen.

“Why? Why did you do all this!?”

A simple question without any embellishment, shouted with clenched fists.

But Cyclamen only stared down at me with those cold and emotionless eyes, not responding at all.

The silence was suffocating.

Only the mechanical hum of the drones’ wings echoed between us.

“Answer me, Cyclamen!”

I finally lost patience and yelled.

Then, with a slight tilt of her head, Cyclamen asked back:

“[Why did I do this? Hmm. Soyu… why do you think I did this?]”

“I-I… that’s…”

I was at a loss for words.

Because it was a question I hadn't been able to answer.

Why did Cyclamen do this?

Why did she deceive me? Why did she try to kill me?

Why…?

“Soyu.”

A gentle tap on my shoulder made me flinch.

“U-Unnie…”

“Don't be swayed by her words. We just need to do what we have to do. The reasons can wait until after.”

I almost nodded at those words.

But instead, I squeezed my eyes shut and grasped Seo-ah unnie’s wrist.

“Just… just wait a little longer. Please.”

Without a word, she watched me.

Then I rose into the sky, leaving her behind.

The closer I flew toward Cyclamen, the sharper the sound of drones’ wings sliced through my ears like a blade.

“Cyclamen, won’t you at least answer me? Please…”

“[Do you really think I’d give you an honest answer just because you ask like that?]”

I shook my head.

I meant it.

No matter how much I begged and pleaded, there was no way Cyclamen would give me a sincere answer.

If she were capable of that… she wouldn’t have deceived me for six whole years.

Still…

“Even if it’s a lie, just say something.”

Cyclamen, who had been looking at me in silence, slowly extended her hand towards me.

“[I don’t want to.]”

That cold, flat refusal came with an attack.

A blast of raw magic surged toward me.

I instinctively put up a barrier, but the brute force behind the shot packed with magic power blew me away along with the barrier.

“Soyu—!”

Seo-ah unnie’s voice faded in an instant.

I was moving at a speed so fast even sound couldn’t keep up.

‘The wind… I can’t… move—!’

The shockwave had overtaken me, and I couldn’t steady my body.

But the shrill, metallic sound of drones’ wings still buzzed close by.

I kept flying for what felt like forever, until a thud struck my barrier. A heavy impact made I squeezed my eyes shut.

Before I could brace for the next attack, another strike slammed into my back.

The air left my lungs in a gasp.

“Gahk—!”

A low rumble followed.

‘A building…?’

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like anyone was inside, since there were no screams.

But overhead, I could hear the distinct crackling sound of a magic cannon building up.

“[How long do you plan to lie there? Did you think I’d show you mercy if you just curled up and whimpered?]”

“Cyclamen!!”

“[No need to shout. I hear you just fine.]”

And at that moment, another barrage began.

Countless blasts of magic rained down like a thunderstorm.

Each one pounded against my barrier, hammering me deeper into the empty building.

The ones that missed me struck the structure around me—collapsing walls, splintering rebar. Debris came crashing down in mass.

‘She’s trying to bury me alive—!’

I can't afford to be buried here again…!

I summoned all my magic and expanded my barrier to its maximum size.

Tudududu―…!!

“Ughhh…!”

The larger the barrier, the wider the impact zone, meaning magic power was being drained at a much faster rate.

But I didn’t care.

I wasn’t planning to block all of it anyway.

“Hmph!”

I shoved the barrier forward and immediately escaped the collapsing building, dissolving the barrier as I flew out.

As soon as I got out—

Crumble—!

The building came crashing down, and Cyclamen's magic blasts poured down on top of it.

Kugugu――

Her barrage pounded the rubble, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

Good. She won’t be able to see me through that dust. And the heat from the blast should hide my body temperature too…!

‘Now’s my chance…!’

My one shot to land a hit!

I stayed hidden in the dust only for a moment, then flew straight toward Cyclamen while she was still firing.

“Haaaah!!”

I poured all my strength into my staff, enhancing it with magic, and swung it with all my might toward the source of the blasts.

Whoosh!

The staff sliced through the dust cloud but didn't hit Cyclamen, only cut at empty air.

“What!?”

What emerged from the smoke wasn’t Cyclamen, but a swarm of drones firing magic blasts in her place.

‘Don’t tell me…!’

Just as I was about to turn to the side—

A hand shot through the dust and grabbed my collar with a firm grip!

“[You’re clever, but you lack experience. You’re not supposed to shout during a surprise attack.]”

With those cold words, Cyclamen swung her arm down, slamming me into the ground.

“Kyaack!”

Kwaang!

I hit the ground hard, and Cyclamen came crashing down right after me.

I hastily summoned a barrier, but she stomped down on it with me still inside.

“Kugh…!?”

The force was so intense it felt like my insides might burst through my mouth. I clutched my stomach to hold it in.

“[While Soyu was curled up like a baby in a cradle for the last six years, I've been accumulating combat data by slaughtering hundreds, thousands of monsters. And I have all the magic power you’ve been feeding me during those six years, too. Do you really think you can beat me? Honestly?]”

“It’s not about whether I win or lose…! I’m going to stop you… no matter what…!”

“[Stop spouting such weak nonsense. A magical girl losing means the people you're supposed to protect die!]”

Thwack!

“Gahk…!”

She kicked me in the stomach and sent me rolling across the ground.

I only stopped when I slammed into a building.

Before I could even get up, I immediately summoned a barrier to block the incoming magic blasts.

“[And once you lose those people, are you going to hide away again? How long are you going to hide this time? 10 years? 20 years?]”

“Khh… grhh…!”

I twisted the angle of the barrier, redirecting the blast to destroy the ground instead.

Dust exploded into the air again, and I hid within it to catch my breath.

“Haa… haa…”

“[Why not just give up now and spare yourself the trouble? Wouldn’t that be so much easier?]”

As I gasped for breath, Cyclamen’s cold words sent a shiver through me.

Again…? You’re telling me to run away like I did back then?

To push the burden onto someone else and curl up all alone again?

‘I don’t want to…!’

Gritting my teeth, I rushed forward, pouring magic power into my staff and launching a surprise strike from within the dust cloud.

I thought it was a proper surprise attack without shouting this time…

But Cyclamen, as if she’d anticipated it all along, blocked my attack effortlessly.

“[That surprise attack was quite impressive. However… no matter how hard you struggle, you’ll never defeat me. And.]”

Kwaang—!!

A deafening boom exploded out as the dust scattered violently.

When it cleared, Cyclamen stood in plain view, gripping Seo-ah unnie’s lance with one hand.

Clack… Crackle…!

“[You won’t defeat me either, Black.]”

“We’ll see about that! You won’t know until you try…!!”

With that shout, Seo-ah unnie kicked Cyclamen with full force, sending her flying in the direction of the earlier explosion, where no people were around.

Bam!

A loud crash echoed as Cyclamen was launched.

But Seo-ah’s expression didn’t look good.

“Tch… She must’ve put up a barrier just in time.”

“Unnie! Are you okay!?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just surprised by how quick she reacted. Seriously, what the heck did you make…?”

―What did you make?!!

Those same words I had heard before flashed through my mind.

“…”

“I’m not blaming you or anything, so don’t…”

“No, it’s okay. I did make something ridiculous, after all.”

“Are you sure you can handle this?”

“…Even if I can’t… I have to.”

No matter what I created—

Whether it turned out to be good or bad—

That truth won’t change.

“It was my mistake. My creation. So it’s my responsibility to deal with it.”

With those words, I took off, flying in the direction Cyclamen had been blasted.

Toward my cradle.

My beginning and my end.

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