Ch.104104. Amethyst and Garnet (4)

A small child was running.

In front, someone who looked like an older sister was running ahead,

and following behind her, as if enjoying the breeze, the little one ran with her ponytail swinging, her small body drawing the attention of everyone who saw her.

Of course, some people knew who she really was, but most just caught a glimpse of the child running past in an instant and simply thought, “How cute—” before moving on.

Some took photos, but no one approached them to ask for autographs or pictures or bothered them in any other way.

Then, at a walking path that was somewhat wide but close to the lake, perhaps designed for viewing the scenery.

On that path where one could run while looking at the lake, someone was waiting.

On that person’s phone, a magical girl community site was open.

A place where news about magical girls appeared first in real-time.

Naturally, it was also the first place where news about the small girl with amethyst eyes would appear.

The easiest place for those harboring grudges against the little villain to gather information.

When someone harbors malice, it leads to impulsive actions.

Moving about defenseless provides motivation to those with ill intentions.

And when all these factors combine.

When a person with malice takes action.

*Splash—*

Things can spiral out of control.

* * *

The sound of someone falling into water reaches my ears.

As a magical girl, I should save citizens when they’re in danger.

That’s only natural. That’s justice, and the reason I live as a magical girl.

The sound came from behind me.

So I turned around…

Bine, who should have been there, is gone.

Instead, a suspicious-looking woman is panting and spewing curses toward the lake.

People are gathering around this suspicious woman.

Bine is gone.

She was definitely running behind me just now.

“Die, you demon, monster, crazy bitch. Hahaha. HAHAHA…!! Justice always prevails…! I, I’ve done with my own hands what even magical girls couldn’t do…! I, I’ve dealt with that trash…!”

I look at the lake.

Bubbles rising to the surface.

I don’t even call out my transformation phrase.

I just dive in.

Bine is sinking down there.

Nothing else matters.

Save her first, think later.

I dive in without hesitation.

I don’t care about anything else.

“Bine!!”

I jumped right where the air bubbles were coming from.

I reach out my hand.

A magical girl’s vision can see magical objects more clearly.

I can clearly see the distinct dark-colored magical energy.

…She’s not even reaching out her hand, how could she.

She’s just sinking as if she’s given up, why.

I go deeper.

Deeper into the depths.

Down into the water.

I rescue darkness from endless darkness.

I reach out my hand.

It’s not that deep.

Just a little more, just a little more.

Ah, I’ve got her.

I kick against the water and rise.

I rise.

I rise above the water.

I bring my amethyst darkness out into the bright outside world.

“Haaah…! Haa, haa… Bine, are you okay?!”

“…”

No response.

She can’t be unconscious.

Her magical energy, her wavelength.

It’s the wavelength of someone conscious.

Something is wrong.

“Bine, wake up! Bine!”

I slap her cheek.

I pinch her shoulder.

For now, I decide to get out of this lake.

I kick against the water and pull Bine out.

Bine’s body, limp and powerless.

I don’t care about other people’s stares.

Bine, you said today was your day. How could this happen.

Bine. Why.

Get up.

You said we were going to see a movie together.

“Bine, Bine!!!! Wake up!!! I said wake up!!!!”

* * *

…Ah.

What is this.

“Die,” she said.

Yes, I heard it.

I heard it clearly.

Well… okay.

I should die.

Eden’s revival or whatever.

Actually, it was all like this.

The world is all like this.

Maybe everything that happened while I was with the magical girls was just an illusion.

Yes, people were always like this.

People were always like this.

Perhaps that brief moment of peace and beauty made me too soft.

Yes.

Even when I was in that shantytown.

Men who were just walking by drunk, knowing I was a villain, would beat me up.

When my house collapsed and I had to sleep outside while looking for vinyl to repair it.

I was lynched by a group of strangers in the park.

Yes, come to think of it, that’s how it was.

People were all like that.

Even before I joined Eden.

They threw stones at me, calling me a monster.

Yes. I am a monster.

A freak who can’t blend in with humans.

A freak who can never be with humans again.

A freak with too much bad karma.

Sigh.

How dare I think I could live happily with them.

How dare I think I could be with them.

…After being defeated.

Yes, it’s not good to exit and then reappear.

For anyone.

It was bound to happen someday.

The body of a freak who won’t even die from mere oxygen deprivation.

Let me sink to the bottom and fall into eternal sleep.

…I’m sorry to Seohyun.

I’m sorry to the other magical girls too.

They are the victors. Victors with bright days ahead.

The defeated must exit the stage.

Only then can this play reach a beautiful conclusion.

Like my boss who saved me and gave me a new life, I’ll enter an eternal sleep.

I wish I could at least dream.

Preferably of the times when I lived earnestly.

Those old days.

My school days would be fine, or my Eden days.

Let me relax my body.

To the bottom.

To the deeper bottom.

* * *

“Bine! Wake up!!! Bine!!!!” The red-haired girl urgently taps the child’s shoulders.

Since she’s determined that Bine is definitely conscious, waking her up is the priority.

If she remains unconscious for too long, in the case of a non-human…

‘Decreased activity…’

Her mind is filled only with thoughts of bringing Bine back.

It was a disaster.

Why did she run in front?

She should have run behind Bine to make sure she was safe.

Why did she suggest going out, causing this to happen?

Is it all because of me?

Is it all my fault?

Yes, I should apologize.

The girl made up her mind.

Wake Bine up, definitely wake her up and apologize.

Say sorry.

Say that she was too stubborn with her own thoughts and put her in danger.

Around her, a woman is about to be restrained by others.

It’s the person who pushed Bine earlier.

She’s shouting at the top of her lungs.

Right now, Seohyun looks like a drowned rat, but she’s wearing Garnet’s clothes.

So what she’s doing now will be seen as the actions of Magical Girl Garnet.

The absurd scene of a magical girl saving a villain unfolds before people’s eyes.

“The magical girl doesn’t even think about citizens!! She’s saving a villain!! The country has been eaten by villains!! Is this what our country has become?! Let me go! This country is wrong! Why are you saving that kind of garbage demon trash that shouldn’t exist?! I delivered justice! Are you all crazy?! Don’t you know who you should be stopping?! You should be stopping that magical girl and throwing that Bine back in, you crazy bastards!”

That person is screaming and drawing people’s attention.

And so, attention is also drawn to Seohyun, to Garnet.

Naturally, interest shifts to the girl lying down.

Her neck is exposed.

Because her hair is tied back.

An accessory that a child of this age would never wear.

A decoration that anyone would call a collar.

And on it, the small engraved emblem of the Magical Girl Association.

It was enough to bring back memories of Bine, a villain who disappeared long ago.

Even to people who don’t follow the community, who aren’t interested in magical girls.

People realize that the child Garnet is trying to save is that famous villain from the past.

The crowd surrounding them becomes noisy with murmurs.

“That one, I saw it before. That, was it Bine?”

“Ugh… Eden? I can’t even remember well.”

“She was caught in the end anyway. A lot of people and companies were harmed.”

“Hmm… I’ve never been harmed myself. You?”

“Me neither, really? I remember the magical girls took care of things before any damage was done. Especially with Bine.”

“Is that so…?”

“A magical girl saving a villain…?”

“Yeah, why is she saving a villain…?”

“Is that what they call corruption or something?”

“No, isn’t she the one who went to prison? Didn’t they say villains go to prison for life…?”

“That’s right. Tsk, tsk. It’s the end of days, I tell you.”

“Isn’t that the Association’s mark?”

“Yeah. I heard the Association makes magical girls monitor villains.”

“Is this what that is…?”

“So that’s why she’s with a magical girl?”

“But why try to save her? Wouldn’t it be better to let her perish?”

“Must have a lot to deal with.”

“…But her face is cute though.”

“It really is.”

“But with that seal on, isn’t she just a normal person…?”

“Still, she has sins.”

“That little child…? Enough to deserve drowning…?”

“Well… I’m not sure about that.”

“She’s famous for that, you know. The unkillable villain.”

“Huh…? First time I’ve heard of it.”

“I told you to check the magical girl community.”

“Who looks at that stuff… unless you’re a weirdo.”

“What are you saying? People who don’t look are the weird ones. They say there was nothing like this in the old days. Magical girls. They’re real heroes, what’s weird about that?”

“Ugh, otaku.”

Regardless of what people around were saying, Seohyun silently tried to wake Bine up.

And her efforts weren’t in vain, as there was a small response.

“…Ugh, who’s disturbing my sleep…”

“Bine!!!”

“…Another magical girl.”

“Wake up, get up now!”

“Why are you interfering again? Do I need your permission even to die now?”

“What are you saying? Come to your senses, Bine!”

“…I don’t want to. I don’t want to anymore. What’s the point of living a life without hope, I don’t want to…”

“…Bine, let’s go back.”

“Where to? I have nowhere to go.”

“…Bine.”

“…I’m sleepy.”

“Bine…”

“Let me go…”

“Bine…!”

Seohyun pinched her cheek with magical energy.

Hoping it would bring her to her senses.

“Snap out of it! What nonsense are you talking?”

“…I am in my right mind.”

“You, what would Elise or Arin or Sister Yunsul think if they saw you like this?”

“…Ah.”

“Get a grip, please!”

With blank, unfocused eyes, the amethyst looked at Seohyun.

She closed her eyes for a moment and thought deeply.

About what situation she was in. What words she had just uttered.

She thinks about those people.

The magical girls and Ellie.

Die…?

But that wouldn’t be right.

Why was I trying to die…?

Her thoughts connect.

They connect, and as they do,

She finally realized what she had just done.

What the situation around her was.

“…Ah.”

The amethyst that had lost its noble light found it again.

And with a reddening face.

“Could you please pretend you didn’t see that, Seohyun…?”

“Bine…!”

The villain who gained a black history by returning to her senses and the magical girl who recovered her precious villain experienced contrasting emotions of embarrassment and joy.

The magical girl embraced her precious villain.

Despite being wet from just being pulled out of the lake.