episode_0029

“Hmm, hm…!”

“…Um, Freif?”

“Yes? Why are you asking, Counselor?”

While eating breakfast.

Freif was giggling, seemingly in a very good mood.

Did something good happen last night?

Curious, I questioned Freif, who was eating.

“Something good… happened?”

“Yes, you’ve been smiling since this morning, so I wondered if something good happened.”

She flinched, perhaps momentarily startled by my question.

Although I wondered if there was a need to be that startled, I was curious.

Did something really happen last night that I don’t even remember?

However, Freif gave no answer.

She merely kept smiling broadly, saying something good had happened.

‘This makes me even more curious…’.

Since she herself isn’t going to tell me, what more can I say?

I thought it was a relief that she seemed to be in a good mood.

Right, seeing her giggling like this is better than her eyes going crazy due to her dependency.

Thinking that Freif was getting slightly better, I felt my mood improving along with hers.

“Come to think of it… today’s my rest day with no activities. Counselor, shall we go out today?”

“Where?”

“Well… I heard that new books arrived at that library, so I was planning to go.”

Right, Freif was a literary girl, wasn’t she?

I thought of the past when we met at the library.

Compared to how she was back then and now…

‘She’s changed a lot, hasn’t she.’

I also missed her appearance from her loner-nerd-literary girl days a little.

That’s not to say I dislike her current appearance.

Perhaps it can be seen that I’ve succeeded in managing her somewhat successfully as a counselor.

‘I wish they wouldn’t fight so much.’

Objectively speaking, Ai and Freif.

Since the two of them see each other as romantic rivals, the negative effects they have on each other are not few.

‘Actually, I was worried about things like this, which is why I tried not to take on any other cases besides Ai.’

It’s troublesome that I was semi-forced to take on cases due to the sudden graduation of surrounding counselors, but.

Still, I was relieved that a certain degree of balance seemed to have been achieved.

“So… will you come out with me today?”

Today, huh…

Since the contract dating period with Ai was still remaining, it was a situation where I didn’t know when she might contact me.

‘But seeing as there’s been no contact yet… it seems like it might be alright.’

Considering she usually contacted me early on days we had dates…

‘Does this mean today is alright.’

“Yes, alright, since we have time anyway, let’s go to the library and hang out.”

“Hehe, okay!”

It was the moment she rejoiced at the sound of being able to be together.

-Beep! Beep!

A strong notification sound rang out from her cell phone.

“Ah… please no.”

A little bit of despair began to cloud her eyes.

She checked the message, her hands trembling, praying it wasn’t it.

And then.

“Ah, no…!”

Perhaps her despair was not mistaken, as she slumped listlessly, looking dejected.

“Frei…f?”

“Counselor……. I don’t think I can go today.”

“Surely not, Freif…”

“A summon… came. They said a fallen magical girl was observed this time.”

‘As expected.’

It was similar content to the message I received this morning.

It seems Freif was summoned this time, unlike me.

Naturally, she was already a rookie whose stock was soaring before this, and.

Since meeting me recently, she’s not just raised her stock but has shown performance no different from an A-class multiple times.

‘And… since she didn’t lose out in strength to Ai. She was worth coveting.’

The breakfast time, which had been nothing but happy, became filled with gloom.

“I’ll… be back.”

“Please be careful not to get hurt…”

“Yes. I’ll, I’ll be back quickly.”

-Creak.

I waved goodbye to her as she stepped out the door, seeing her off.

The house, where even Freif had disappeared.

It had been a really long time since I was left alone at home.

‘The house was originally this quiet, huh.’

Having lived with someone recently, being alone was so rare that it felt awkward.

What did I used to do when I was home alone?

My last memory was doing overdue housework or just lying in my room and sleeping.

“I’m bored.”

So many things have happened recently that my brain feels saturated with dopamine.

Sitting alone doing nothing, I was bored to the point of going crazy.

It would be nice if someone else contacted me at a time like this.

‘Ai also seems busy today.’

The fact that there’s been no contact since morning, and Freif being summoned.

It seemed Ai was also summoned for this matter concerning the fallen magical girl.

If so, contacting her today will probably be difficult.

Today is truly time just for me.

“Should I just rest today?”

Since I’ve suffered recently because of the two of them’s obsession and dependency symptoms, couldn’t I take a good rest just for today?

The moment I finished that thought, my body slowly headed towards the bedroom.

I’m full, and there’s no housework to do, so let’s just… sleep.

Although I’m not originally someone who likes naps, as an office worker, I couldn’t miss a good day like this.

Let’s rest well today, and work hard again from tomorrow.

***

“Uh, ugh…”

A mysterious feeling, as if it weren’t reality.

My body felt like it was floating, and being half-asleep, it was difficult to think properly.

‘When did she come back?’

I don’t know when she came back, but there was a woman sleeping next to me.

Seeing her black hair, it was definitely Freif.

Had that much time passed already?

I moved my arm, which didn’t have much strength, and placed my hand on the shoulder of the woman who was turned away.

“When did you get back… Freif?”

“Hmm, when did I get back? Today’s the first time~.”

“Hmm?”

I felt goosebumps running down my spine, and a question mark popping up in my head.

This voice.

It’s not Freif’s voice.

And.

It’s not Ai’s voice either.

Then who is the black-haired woman currently before my eyes?

-Rustle.

The woman slowly turned around.

Only then could I make eye contact and talk to her.

I couldn’t help but be surprised once again by her identity.

“E-Esther…?”

My groggy mind snapped awake in an instant, and my body wouldn’t move due to the shock.

Is what I’m seeing now a dream?

How could she, a fallen magical girl, be in my house.

And lying so naturally with me in one bed?

There was nothing I could understand, so I was just confused.

“Oh my. Our Counselor seems to be a sleepyhead. I waited for a long time and you didn’t wake up, so I thought you were dead.”

“Ho-How did you get into… the house.”

“The house? Ah~ just. Well, I just got in, you know? No matter how many locks you put on, one magic spell can just open it.”

That’s not what’s important.

The point is, how did she find my house, and why did she come in.

I still couldn’t suppress my shock at Esther’s inexplicable actions.

What could she want?

Nothing was reflected in her black eyes, so I couldn’t even read her emotions.

“Why… in my house.”

“I have a pretty good sense of smell, you see. While tracking the residual scent of magic… well, it ended up being here. I was curious, so I broke into the door and came in, and well… our Counselor was sleeping, wasn’t he? It looked comfortable, so I just lay down too. That’s all.”

I heard her words, but I understood even less.

Isn’t that a principle of action that a normal person would absolutely never think of?

“Why me…? You come looking for me like this every time. Is there perhaps something you want?”

“Something I want… there’s nothing particularly. I just follow things that seem interesting, and somehow our Counselor is always there.”

“…Is that so.”

“What’s with that reaction? Aren’t you angry? Even though I just broke into your house without permission?”

“How could a weak ordinary person like myself get angry at a Magical Girl?”

“See? It’s interesting.”

I thought as I looked at Esther lying next to me.

Her suddenly coming into my house was surprising, but perhaps this might even be a good opportunity.

There are still many things veiled in mystery regarding the fall of a magical girl.

However, with Esther, who seems to have reached a singularity, right here, could I just leave this be?

No.

Rather, since I might meet her often, perhaps I could build rapport and uncover a little more secrets.

Such thoughts swelled up, and gradually forming a resolution, I slowly began to speak.

“For now… you’re a guest, so as the homeowner, I will treat you.”

“Oh my~ what a truly gentle man. Then I won’t refuse and will accept.”

***

“I want to go home.”

Freif, who had received a summon and was patrolling the area where the fallen magical girl was last detected.

She was dissatisfied with having to patrol like this on such a golden day.

I want to hurry back home and be held in Oppa’s arms.

No, tonight too, I’ll secretly use magic to make him sleep…

… and quickly spend a `pleasant time`.

-Thump.

Freif, who had climbed onto a certain building.

-Patapat.

There was a woman following behind her.

“You were here? Junior.”

“…Aren’t you Ai, Senior? Why are you here.”

The magical girl she had once even admired.

At Ai’s appearance, Freif’s expression hardened.

Because she felt no good words would ever come out towards the object of her admiration who had now become her romantic rival.

“Aren’t you patrolling your area, Senior? Or are you slacking off?”

“Hmm, I just came to say hello since I saw a familiar face.”

“Ah~ you should still work hard, you know. I need to finish quickly too… so I can go back to `Oppa` who’s waiting at home.”

She said it, emphasizing the word as if deliberately provoking her.

Ai’s gaze grew slightly fiercer in response.

However, dismissing this as nothing significant and letting it pass through one ear naturally, she counter-attacked.

“Well. Yes. I also have a `boyfriend`, so I want to go back quickly. You saw the news too, right? I don’t know who it is, but it’s tough when dating rumors like this come out~. Well, if worse comes to worst, I’ll have to retire and get married.”

Ai, who had almost officially stamped her face onto places like news or the internet.

It was extremely bothersome.

It was a situation where, with just one word from her, he might be socially branded as her boyfriend or fiancé.

It was no different from having laid a mine that might attach a tag whenever Freif made progress in her relationship with him.

It’s annoying.

‘Ah… right.’

A single photo flashing through her mind along with the annoyance.

A smile gradually began to form, and Freif’s dark intentions slowly started to be revealed.

“Senior, shall I show you a photo?”