Chapter 18: The Ever-Positive Angel Is in Charge of the Magical Girl's Mental Care

Perfect Score… Perfect Score…!

Angels are noble beings and must not interfere in human affairs.

But then, what exactly defines that “interference”?

Does it refer only to direct involvement? Or does it also include indirect action?

Does it apply to a single person, or to everything that falls under the category of "human"?

Why is it acceptable to help magical girls?

Isn't helping them also a form of interference in human affairs?

Even the concept of help itself is vague.

Where is the line between what is permitted and what is forbidden?

In any case, one thing was certain—saving hundreds of lives was clearly judged as interference.

"Ugh… Haa, haa…! Uuheuek…!"

Was it because I blocked the monster’s attack?

Was it because I interfered in human affairs?

My whole body felt like it was breaking apart, and I staggered in the sky before crashing onto a rooftop.

I thought I’d head back home first, but I didn’t have the strength to do so.

"Nngh… Aaagh…!"

The pain was so intense that I couldn’t even hold myself upright.

From head to toe, there wasn’t a single place that didn’t hurt.

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

"Hic… Ugh…"

If I had known it would hurt this badly, maybe I shouldn’t have done it…

Why did I stupidly step in and suffer like this?

I could’ve just ignored it.

I could’ve said it was beyond my control, that angels can’t interfere in human matters. That would’ve been enough, wouldn’t it?

I only had to care for the magical girls anyway.

So why did I step in to save people who had nothing to do with me?

I should’ve just looked the other way.

If I had known it would hurt this much, I could’ve just ignored it.

With the waves of pain came overwhelming regret over what I had done.

Regret that I saved people for no reason.

Selfishness that viewed the deaths of hundreds as not my problem.

Self-justifications that it couldn’t be helped.

Ah… So this is what it means to be a fallen angel.

"…Don’t make me laugh."

Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fist tightly.

Regretting saving someone?

Regretting saving people just because I’m in pain?

‘That’s an insult to magical girls…!!’

Did they ever give up because it hurt?

Did they give up because it was hard?

No.

Even when broken and crushed, even when trampled and bent out of shape, they stood up again and again to save people.

And now you're going to give up after just one bout of pain?

And you claim you want to make magical girls happy with that kind of attitude?

How dare you say something like that when you can’t even endure something this minor?

‘This is what you chose…! So you have to take responsibility…! Get up… Get up…!!’

I planted my hands on the ground and slowly pushed myself up.

Cold sweat was pouring down my face, and I could barely put any strength into my arms.

It felt like every joint, every bone, and every muscle in my body was about to break, but I held on.

Considering I saved hundreds of lives, this was getting off cheap.

Thinking that, I forced myself to stand up on my own somehow.

‘I have to get home… before Seo-ah comes.’

Maybe I was already too late, but at the very least, I had to get home first and act like nothing had happened.

That way, she wouldn’t worry.

Just as I barely managed to lift my hands off the ground and stand on my two feet—

I flinched when I saw a familiar pair of legs, then slowly lifted my head.

“…Ah.”

Standing there was Yoo Seo-ah, transformed into Magical Girl Black.

Even with her expressionless face, anyone could tell she was extremely angry.

“Um, Seo-ah…?”

Yoo Seo-ah, who had been staring at me without a word, walked over in long strides and picked me up in her arms.

“W-Wait a second! I can move on my own!”

“You can still say that after showing me this state?”

Her voice was low and cold. I was about to say something but closed my mouth.

If I said even a word right now, she might actually get angry.

In the end, the only thing I could do was obediently stay in her arms.

Yoo Seo-ah took off into the sky with me in her arms and headed somewhere.

That place was none other than the emergency room of a university hospital.

“W-Wait! I’m fine! I’ll be okay if I just rest a bit…!”

“You collapsed on the rooftop because you couldn’t even support your own body, and you’re saying you’re fine?”

I could feel Yoo Seo-ah's voice and hands trembling, as if she was holding back her anger.

I hesitated, then carefully reached out and gently wrapped my hand around hers.

“I’m fine. Really.”

“…”

At my words, Yoo Seo-ah looked down at me in silence, as if trying to read my thoughts.

Soon after, she let out a sigh and changed direction, heading toward home.

As soon as Yoo Seo-ah arrived home, she laid me down on the bed and started to lift up my clothes.

It would have been less embarrassing if it was a T-shirt or something.

But I was wearing a dress.

A dress that would reveal everything the moment it was lifted.

My face flushed, and for a fleeting moment, strength returned to my body.

My body moved reflexively out of shame and embarrassment, trying to stop Yoo Seo-ah's hands.

"S-Seo-ah? Y-You can’t just do this all of a sudden…!"

"Stay still."

"Uwah…! N-No…! It’s embarrassing…!!"

I pleaded like that, but Yoo Seo-ah didn't listen and took off my clothes.

Even if my strength returned for a moment, it was impossible to resist the power of a magical girl with a body in pain.

I gave it my all, my face even turning beet red, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop my clothes from being taken off, and in the end, my dress were forcibly lifted.

The cool air touched my bare skin, and my body trembled involuntarily.

"U-Uwuu…"

I twisted my body as much as I could in a final act of resistance, but it was no use.

"Don't move. I need to check if you have any injuries."

It was super embarrassing.

No, seriously.

We took a shower together, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?

But choosing to take off my clothes myself to bathe and being stripped by force are not the same thing!!

I wanted to just fly away and escape, but since Yoo Seo-ah didn’t mean anything bad by it, I held back.

"P-Please let me go now…"

"Just checking your back."

"Hwaa…!"

Yoo Seo-ah used her strength to turn my body sideways.

"I-I’m really fine…"

"You couldn’t even stand on your own. Unless you want to go to the hospital for a full scan, stay still."

"Uuugh…"

Yoo Seo-ah thoroughly inspected every inch of my body, and only after confirming that there were no injuries did she finally let go.

I covered my face with both hands and trembled.

My face was burning. If I looked in the mirror right now, it’d probably be a bright red tomato.

"No injuries."

I quickly pulled my clothes all the way down and turned away from Seo-ah to avoid her gaze.

"That was too much… I said I was fine…"

I muttered, unable to even meet her eyes from the embarrassment.

But it didn’t work at all.

"You know what was too much? You suddenly running out in the middle of the night without saying a word and getting yourself into an accident. Do you have any idea how shocked I was when I felt a surge of magic while I was sleeping?"

"T-That’s…"

"And that’s not even the worst of it. I thought we were being attacked, so I tried to wake you, but you weren’t next to me. I figured I didn’t have time to go looking for you, so I quickly transformed and flew outside. Then suddenly, there was an explosion and a flash of light. I followed the traces and found you lying on the rooftop, groaning in pain…"

Seo-ah sighed and pulled me tightly into a hug.

"Do you know how worried I was…?"

I had nothing to say.

No matter how you looked at it, this was completely my fault.

Trying to justify it by saying it was for her sake would only be shifting the blame onto Yoo Seo-ah.

In the end, all I could do was sincerely apologize.

"…I’m sorry. For making you worry."

"If you really are, then don’t ever do something like that again."

Saying, "I understand. I’ll do as you say," would’ve been a lie.

Because if something like tonight happened again, I knew I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

"I’ll… try."

"Haa…"

Seo-ah sighed, but didn’t press the issue any further.

She only tightened the arms that were holding me.

"So. What exactly happened?"

"Hmm… well, um…"

Can I even tell her this…?

No, I do have to tell her eventually.

‘What if the thing I was afraid of actually happens…?’

I hesitated for a moment, then closed my eyes.

…Trust her. Yes, I will put my trust in the magical girl I believe in.

"The truth is…"

Carefully starting my story, I told her everything that had just happened.

The identity of the convenience store clerk, the atrocities committed by the monster, how he used innocent people as hostages to threaten me, and how I moved to stop him myself.

When all was said and done, the story was short, but Yoo Seo-ah’s expression after hearing it was more complicated than ever.

"So that’s what it was… The monster from back then was still alive, and he’s been working at the same convenience store for six years, infusing magic into cigarettes to corrupt both me and Myoa."

"Yes, that’s what he said himself."

"I see."

Yoo Seo-ah remained silent for a while, absentmindedly touching her lips.

As I swallowed hard and watched her nervously, she let out a deep sigh and nodded.

"Looks like there’s something I really have to do."

Her surprisingly calm demeanor made me blink.

It was a little different from the reaction I expected, and somehow that made it even more worrisome.

"It’s not… revenge, right?"

"Revenge, huh… I can’t exactly say it’s not."

I bit my lip at her bitter smile.

Maybe I should have just finished off that monster, even if it meant falling from grace.

"But that’s not the main reason."

"Huh?"

"A magical girl fights to protect people. Running wild, drunk on power or emotion... that’s not what a magical girl should do. And I already know firsthand what happens when you fight with that mindset."

Yoo Seo-ah gave a wry smile as she gently patted my head.

"So don’t worry. I’m not fighting for revenge. I'm fighting for atonement."

Bling bling.

My heart thumped, and my vision sparkled with stars before me.

I want to pour out my love.

So much love that it overflows.

"Geez, that’s blinding…"

Ah, there was one thing I overlooked.

I’m in worse shape than I thought.

And this body can’t handle emotions this strong.

"Per...fect… sco...re."

In the end, I mumbled that and passed out as if I’d fainted.

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