Ch.124124. Good Roles and Villain Roles (8)

“D-Don’t play it…”

“Huh? It’s footage from when you were at Eden. Have you never seen it before?”

“W-Why would I watch that…? A-All the profits go to magical girls, and it just seems unnecessary…”

“Hmm… Really? You’ve truly never watched it?”

“W-Why would I watch that…? They take real battle scenes and modify them for ‘artistic direction,’ and edit out the violent parts… They turn monsters into cute creatures. Or they water down grotesque monsters into mere dinosaurs…! Those monsters were specifically chosen for mental attacks…! I carefully selected each one considering various conditions…!”

“…Vine, you’ve watched it all, haven’t you?”

“…Ah.”

To be honest, I have seen it.

I mean, I’m in it. Of course I’d watch.

I was even planning to secretly leave gifts at the production company.

Like magical girls, or freshly severed monster heads…

When giving magical girls as gifts, I’d wrap them nicely in gift boxes so the employees would be happy when they arrived at work.

But the production company’s location was too easy to discover, and using magical power would give me away.

I remember reluctantly giving up on the idea…

“You’ve seen it all but pretend you haven’t. Should we watch it together again?”

“W-Why would we watch that? I-If I’ve already seen it, there’s no need to watch it again…!”

“Hmm… Because it’s cute?”

“What…?”

Blanc throws out an incomprehensible statement.

Who’s cute…?

“Animation needs to sell well, after all. Cute characters like you are especially made even cuter. You haven’t seen the latest work yet, have you?”

“The latest work…?”

“Yes. You were captured years ago, but the animation is still telling stories from way back.”

“What…?”

“When was it… Before my third awakening by my standards…? No, before I got another wand…”

Blanc certainly had many turning points in her growth.

Of course, it feels a bit strange to think that I was probably the driving force behind that growth.

“Well… I think I know roughly when it was. Right before you arbitrarily took our Eli?”

“Hmm. They say Elise’s arrest will be in this season.”

“…It hasn’t aired yet?”

“Even this much progress is a lot. That’s how animation works.”

“…So Ragnarok is still far off.”

“Even if they skip episodes that can be skipped, it would still take at least 4 to 5 years…?”

“And that’s assuming they produce weekly. I don’t understand why they’re making it, but it feels nice to know Eden had such a big influence.”

“Right. Why else would there be such a strong fan base? It’s because you’re such a charming villain.”

“…That doesn’t really sound like a compliment, but I understand.”

She turned on her computer and played the videos from the USB.

Twelve videos.

To think that someone else watched and adapted those past events.

It’s novel from my perspective.

Someone else interpreted my thoughts and created motivations for my actions.

I felt similar emotions when watching it at Eden back then.

“…But do we have to watch it here?”

“Come here. Let’s lie down and watch it together with big sis?”

“Who are you calling big sis?”

Blanc apparently had a portable monitor in her room, and she pulled me into an embrace as we lay down.

“Now, can we watch it all without mom finding out?”

“It would take a good six hours to watch everything…”

“Right? Then I’ll skip the unnecessary scenes. Focusing on the ones with Vine…”

“…What?”

Her own embarrassing past would also be in the animation.

Yet she wants to skip her everyday scenes and focus on the ones with me…?

…Sigh.

What can I do?

It’s not like I can do anything about it.

The scene Blanc skipped to and played was:

– It’s been a while, Blanc.

– Vine?

– I’m here to avenge my previous defeat. I am the one who must block your path. I am the vine that will trip your feet.

“Ugh…?”

– This time I will defeat you, Blanc. On my honor as Eden’s First Department Head and Second Captain…!

“Ah, that time. I remember I lost, unfortunately.”

“What…?”

“Well, I participate in meetings when they create animation scenes. I need to check which battle scenes they use for the anime.”

“Congratulations. You win in the very first scene.”

Blanc gives me congratulatory applause: clap, clap, clap, with a smile.

But the meaning behind that smile…

“That smile Yunsul is making… seems like a mocking smile to me.”

“Huh? When did I?”

“Do you think I don’t know you?”

“…Pfft.”

– Vine! You again?

– Well, I’ll always be by your side, won’t I? Eden’s greatest obstacle, Blanc.

– Ugh…! This won’t do! Metamorphose!

– Yes, come at me. Clash with all your might. I too will face you with all my heart and soul to hinder you!

“…Was I really like that?”

“There’s some artistic license, but it was similar.”

“Such embarrassing words… Hah. Yes, I was. When entering battle, reason tends to be forgotten. Words kept in the heart often bypass the filter of my brain.”

“Ah, someone uploaded an edited compilation of your appearances.”

“From the anime?”

“No, from actual battle footage.”

Wait, what…?

Someone compiled and uploaded edited videos of me…?

-Gathering the power of the heart from the warm world of dreams, I vanquish terrible nightmares! Magical Dream! Transform! With a pure white heart of light, I will purify you!

“…Ah.”

While I was taken aback, the animated Blanc started reciting her activation phrase.

The phrase, longer and more elaborate than the one Blanc used to use, was apparently enough to sink the Blanc before my eyes.

See.

Her expression is the same, but her ears are turning red.

Wasn’t this… a video harmful to both of us…?

“…Pfft.”

“Vine…?”

“I’m not one to talk. Miss Magical Girl who purifies with the power of her pure white heart.”

“Hey…”

“You’re the one who played it.”

“You asked to watch it…”

“What? When did I?”

“…Huh?”

I never asked to watch this.

Blanc turned it on by herself.

But since it made me embarrassed too, shouldn’t Blanc be equally embarrassed for things to be fair?

“Hmph. You should know embarrassment too.”

– *Yawn*… Are you done transforming?

– What are you saying!

– Then, I’ll go first!

The animated me performs complex maneuvers and attacks Blanc first.

I easily dodge the light magic Blanc fires while approaching her.

“You have a ranged weapon, yet you approach?”

“Why don’t you know your own weapon…?”

“Well, I may carry my favorite weapon, but I don’t actually use—”

– Ratatata!

– Bang! Boom!

– Hah…? You dodged that? I thought it was a pretty good surprise attack.

– Haa… haa… That was dangerous…

– Ah, what a shame.

– You, youuu…!

– Then, I’ll go again!

“…The animation is pretty good, isn’t it?”

“I wouldn’t know…”

“You like this kind of thing.”

“Since I appear as a supporting character, it doesn’t look particularly good to me.”

“Huh? Supporting character?”

“Villains are always supporting characters. You, the hero, are always the protagonist, the main character.”

“Hmm… But you know what?”

“What?”

“They planned this with dual protagonists.”

Dual protagonists…?

That’s usually only used in special cases.

For a series like this… there are many stories to tell but limited animation capacity.

So they usually don’t adopt that approach.

“Dual protagonists… Citrus? No, Citrus had already retired by then. Crybaby?”

“No.”

Blanc looked at me with a grin.

Her earlier embarrassment completely gone.

As if challenging me to guess the answer.

But…

She’s being too obvious with her question.

That can’t be it.

It can’t be.

Don’t say such nonsense.

The last time I watched this animation, the only protagonist was Blanc.

The hero, Blanc, as the lead.

And me, the villain, as the supporting character, the villain.

“You already know the answer in your head, don’t you?”

“…It’s the white tiger, right?”

“You know it’s not.”

“…That’s impossible.”

Heroes are leads, villains are supporting characters.

This obvious fact.

The world isn’t a picaresque story.

Why do clichés exist?

Because they’re the framework.

Because that’s the proper way.

Because that’s the royal road.

“You’re the protagonist.”

Blanc shows me a poster on her smartphone.

Images of Blanc and me.

With no difference in size.

Drawn the same size on the poster.

A scene where we face each other.

One with the light of the sun at her back.

One with the darkness of the night sky at his back.

“…That’s impossible.”

“What’s impossible about it?”

“No, villains are… supporting characters who highlight the heroes, nothing more.”

“There’s also the picaresque genre, you know? Though… you’re a bit different.”

“…I am evil. Evil as defined by society.”

“But your true nature is good, isn’t it?”

“…You and I are in the middle of a bet. I believe I am evil.”

“The whole world is saying you’re good.”

“I am evil. I play the role of a villain, an antagonist.”

Bearing sins that can never allow me to become a hero.

“…That’s not true. That’s just the past.”

“…It’s my karma.”

“That debt…”

“Must be repaid over a lifetime. Though it’s an infinite karma, of course.”

A karma I cannot repay as an individual.

If it were Boss, he could have repaid that karma by fulfilling something beyond that.

But it’s impossible for an ordinary sentient being—it’s the realm of the superhuman.

“No, it’s not like that.”

What do you mean, no?

My karma is…

Only Boss… only Boss…

Yes, Boss alone can…

That’s right. That’s how it is.

My confused thoughts reorganize themselves.

“Hah. Really. Why…”

“Why what? I know my place.”

“…”

– I’ve won, Blanc.

– Ugh… I can’t give up yet…!

“So you should be the protagonist, hero.”

I, as a villain, will forever remain a supporting character.

– Give up and find peace.

– I-I will never…! Give up!

– Because I’m a magical girl who saves everyone!