Ch.111111. Two Villains in Black and White (1)

“…”

“Why, Ellie.”

“Just because.”

“What. Is there something you want? Should we go out like magical girls?”

“Us?”

“…”

“It’s two days away, you know.”

“Right.”

We were sitting and lying down in Ellie’s room.

Like old times, I was completely surrendering my body to Ellie.

“…Ellie, it’s hot.”

“I’m not hot. Hehe…”

“That laugh sounds perverted.”

“…It’s been a while.”

“In two days, we can be like this all the time.”

“There’s no need to wait until then if we’re like this now.”

“…”

“Hehe…”

I couldn’t bring myself to push away Ellie who was making strange laughing sounds and enjoying herself.

So I just stayed in her embrace and tried to think about other things.

It seems like we’ll be staying like this for a while anyway.

“Oh right. What about your contract magic?”

“Um… ah, that.”

“Isn’t that the most important thing?”

“Well… they said they wouldn’t look through it on their own. They said they’d only check when we’re face to face.”

“…I don’t trust that.”

“What can I do? The atmosphere was like they’d kill me if I didn’t make the contract. And… to save you.”

“…I wasn’t dead though.”

“I was the only one there. And… honestly, I was scared. How did they know to find me? How did they find me? Could it be that they caught me when I accidentally dropped my disguise? If so, why only now?”

“…Ellie.”

“Vine. I was afraid that even the relationships I’d secretly built at school would disappear. That everyone would find out I was a villain. That those kids would look at me strangely.”

“Did something like that happen…?”

“Well… it could have. The magical girls seemed to know about it too, they put up a sound barrier when they threatened me.”

…Something seems off.

It’s strange that Ellie is talking about being threatened with a relieved expression.

Well…

I guess it’s possible.

Our relationship is quite unique after all.

The color of her hair revealed right before my eyes, and her true identity.

Hmm…

To think that the quiet student sitting next to me turned out to be an executive of a massive villain organization with trillions in damages…?

It’s not something I particularly wanted to know.

Just quietly…

“Plus. Thankfully, the kids are telling everyone I was specially recruited by the Association. So I can still contact them.”

“…Wait. You’re still in contact with them?”

“Yes…? During exam periods, I would message everyone… and solve problems for them one by one.”

“…Huh?”

“Everyone was solving easy problems in complicated ways. I just did what I always do.”

…Ellie?

With the students…?

“Being kind…?”

“Why…? I was a kind girl at school…?”

“Wait. That Ellie…?”

“Vine. What do you think of me…?”

“…Always playing pranks and being snippy with everyone…”

“Eh…? Was that my image…?”

“Why… at first I thought you were like an older sister… but how are you more childish than me…”

“What are you saying? I was still better than you in the beginning.”

“Well… I was really a child back then… but now I’m more mature than you, Ellie…”

“No. That’s impossible.”

“Whatever.”

Tch.

Anyway.

Maybe I felt a bit jealous that she was still in contact with them.

I turned away and laid down.

“Ehhh? Is our Vine upset? Because I made friends with the kids at school? With you?”

“…Hmph.”

“But… isn’t it a bit sad to have no one around? Being alone…”

“Well… fine, you can be like that.”

“Hehe… but I like you best, Vine.”

“Hmph. Saying that now.”

“Here. I’ll hug you tiiightly like old times?”

“Ugh.”

Ellie trapped me in her arms.

…

It feels like old times.

Well, she would occasionally come to my room uninvited and sleep like this.

“Sssip… Phwah…”

“…? W-wait! What are you doing…?”

“Hmm…? Recharging on Vine essence. Since I couldn’t do it for a while.”

“…Consistently perverted.”

“I told you I’m not a pervert. If I’m a pervert, then you’re…”

“…Hey!”

“Hehe… Vine. You have no right to criticize me. You know that, right?”

“Tch… Ellie.”

“Even after regaining your memories… mmph…”

“Ellie!”

I barely managed to cover Ellie’s mouth before she could say something inappropriate, and I struggled until she finally let me go when I was about to suffocate.

Then Ellie glared at me.

“What.”

“…It’s your fault.”

“It’s your fault for bringing it up forcefully.”

“Why are you trying so hard to hide your past!”

How long has it been since we bickered like this on the bed?

We stayed like that until both our stomachs growled.

We decided to just eat whatever for dinner.

Honestly, as non-humans, we don’t really need to eat, but…

I should take care of the magical girls on the weekend.

Sigh.

This kind of life is coming to an end now.

Well. I have promises to keep. I’ll keep them.

In two days…

“…We’ll meet as enemies.”

“What?”

“…But how do I nullify the contract magic… I need to figure that out.”

“Oh. For them?”

“Yes. I can’t let anything happen to you… and they might be able to track your location.”

“…Sigh. That is a problem. But we decided to think about it after joining up, right?”

“…Right. Do you have a plan for your movements?”

“…You go out with Arin. Do whatever you want there. I’ll…”

“So, Ellie, you’ll stay here.”

“If I go out with Arin, I might genuinely die…”

“Why…?”

“Well… let’s not talk about it. No one could survive that killing intent.”

“Killing intent…?”

“You wouldn’t understand. Women are scary… Wait. Just a moment…”

Suddenly Ellie looked at me with terrified eyes and said,

“…Should we cancel the plan?”

“Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“This time I might really die. Not you, Vine, but me…”

“Hmm…? Isn’t it just about going to Eden?”

“No. Wait, wait… if that happens… no matter how much I say it wasn’t my order…”

Seeing her face in what seemed like panic, I gave her a flick on the forehead.

“Ow!”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. If we return to Eden, this relationship goes back to square one. We’ll be enemies again, so what does it matter? We just believe in our judgment and follow the boss. We need to create paradise.”

“…But.”

“Don’t worry. We both saw how perfect the plan is.”

“…Sigh. You’re right, I was thinking strangely for a moment.”

“Right. Are you hungry? Let’s go downstairs.”

“Okay. Just a moment… Sssip…”

“Ellie!!”

I gave her another flick on the forehead and we went downstairs together.

“Vine. Are you up?”

“I’ve been up for a while. It’s surprising to see Blanc first thing today.”

“Ah… the others went somewhere. Everyone except me.”

“What about the NEET?”

“Would she be up at this hour?”

“Good point.”

As we came down, I heard an angry voice from behind.

“Hey. Don’t eye my Vine. She’s mine today.”

“Oh right. But Vine spoke to me first.”

“Do I care about that! Today she’s mine!”

“Ellie. That’s too unreasonable…”

“Unreasonable! It’s my right. Today Vine is mine!”

“Well… whatever you say.”

Blanc just looked at the two of us with a warm smile.

Then she said to us,

“Is there anything you want to eat? If you want to go out, I’ll go with you.”

“Huh? I said Vine is mine today!”

“No… you wouldn’t go out without a magical girl anyway, especially after yesterday.”

“…That’s true, but!”

Since Ellie and I are bound here.

The white collar around Ellie’s neck and the black collar around mine.

If you imagine two collared girls walking hand in hand on the street.

And if something like yesterday happens again, there’s no one to protect us.

“That’s why I offered to go with you. So, are you going out?”

“Ellie. Are we going out?”

“…Tch. I need to think about it.”

“Okay. But it’s the weekend, so there will be a lot of people.”

“…With you around, it’s always crowded whether it’s the weekend or not.”

“Well… not really.”

“Last time when we were together… sigh. Do you think I don’t know? This damn Blanc, just a famous and overpowered magical girl!”

Well…

I want to say that being strong and famous is enough for a magical girl, but.

A lot of people do recognize Blanc outside.

And after yesterday’s incident, I’ve been mentioned quite a bit too.

How did I end up on the news?

When I briefly turned on the late-night news yesterday, I was surprised to see my old activity photos.

Like, when was that reference photo taken?

Who would have thought they’d use footage of my arrest or imprisonment as reference material?

…Someone even filmed me crammed into that small cage being moved around like luggage.

“If we go out with Blanc, something like yesterday probably won’t happen. I know that well. If it weren’t for you, Blanc, I would have had a hard time going outside without a hoodie.”

“…Right. Your first outing was with me.”

“But today is Ellie’s day. It’s right to follow Ellie’s words.”

“Well… if that’s the case. Elise, are you going out?”

“…I said I need to think about it! Seriously…”

“If we don’t go now, it might be hard to find seats at restaurants.”

“Argh, really…! Fine, what will you buy me if we go out?”

“Well… I’ll buy you something. Neither you nor Vine have much money anyway.”

“I have quite a bit, you know?”

“Well… sure you do. I’ll buy you something. Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Vine, is there?”

She passed the choice to me, dumping the decision on me.

“Why me… Ellie, you should eat what you want.”

“I’m fine with anything Vine wants.”

“…Blanc. You decide.”

“Well… alright. I’ll make a reservation. Is there anywhere specific you want to go?”

“I don’t want to go to the department store two days in a row…”

“Then I’ll think of something. Go upstairs and get ready.”

“Yes, Vine. I’ll dress you up prettily today!”

…Oh right.

Ellie is also someone who treats people like mannequins, no less than the magical girls.

…Sigh.

“Ugh, really…?”

“Yes. Today you’re mine. I’ll do whatever I want.”

She’s so stubborn about the strangest things.

“…Sigh. Please go easy on me today…”

“It’s Vine’s fault for looking cute and pretty in anything. Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

I had no choice.

I’ll just have to be dressed up again today…

At least she won’t make me wear magical girl clothes like the NEET…

“You won’t take pictures, right…?”

“Of course I will.”

Oh, so she’s going to take pictures too.

Geez, I…

Why is everyone so desperate to dress me up?

“Now… today let’s try on everything from here to here?”

“Ellie. You know we need to go out, right?”

“…Ah, then should we take a shower first?”

Wait.

This is dangerous.

Is she losing her mind right now…?