Ch.164164. Falling Asleep Together in Pajamas

“Let me gooo! I want to be next to Bine!!”

“Let’s do yours, sis. Hmm? You could hold all three of us… me, Arine, and him too, right?”

“What are you saying, constantly! You’ve been saying weird things since earlier, you pervert! Get your magical girl mind straight!?”

Even while lying down, the two of them were being tormented by Yuri.

Well… now that they’re next to me, it’s definitely annoying.

“Um… could you save your lover’s quarrel for later…?”

“Gasp… lover’s quarrel?! Are you trying to reduce our relationship to mere love, you devil?!”

“Yuri, please be quiet too… Isn’t it about time you went to sleep? Arine is yawning.”

It’s actually still early to go to bed.

I wonder what kind of conversation she had alone with Blanc.

When we came out of the bath after staying there for a long time.

Of course… I had suggested to Hyewon that we should leave soon because the teasing seemed to be getting worse.

Anyway, even as we were leaving, those two said they would stay a bit longer.

Hmm…

Could they have something in common?

Well… thinking about it.

They were both magical girls who were there that day.

Maybe they wanted to talk about that day.

I told Arine that I had betrayed her, that I was a traitor.

I wondered if the two of them stayed behind to talk more about what happened that day.

Well…

It’s probably a conversation I can’t be part of.

It’s between the two of them.

Still, this exhaustion.

Could it be because Blanc was tormenting Arine?

But that doesn’t seem right, as even Blanc seems to be forcing her eyes to stay open.

“If you’re tired, go to sleep first. Why are you trying so hard to stay awake?”

“Hmm…? It’s not quite the mood for sleeping yet. I thought it might be nice to enjoy this atmosphere a little longer. Doesn’t it feel like a training camp? Isn’t that nice?”

“Why are you talking like someone who’s never been to one, Blanc?”

“Hmm? I haven’t been to one.”

Blanc boldly states that she has no experience.

“I… haven’t been to one either. Well… there’s talk about going in the second semester after summer vacation ends. The Association recommended not going. They said they couldn’t stop me if I wanted to go, but…”

Arine also says she’s never been to one.

“Well… it was just you and Hyewon without me. Yeah. But I’m glad I didn’t go to such things… I wonder if I could have stopped you, Bine. What would have happened if I hadn’t stopped you that day?”

“…What?”

“Just when everyone was going on school trips or training camps, the two of us played while leaving all the happy friends behind. How fun would it be, what would we talk about at night? What would it feel like to stay up all night chatting with friends?”

Blanc looks at the past with a wistful gaze.

“Well… I thought it didn’t matter since we saved people, but thinking about it now, it does feel a bit unfair.”

“…”

“I’m not trying to blame you. The monsters would have appeared even without you.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Well… other magical girl sisters could have filled in for me. But, Bine, you know.”

“…I’m truly sorry.”

“That’s how it was back then. That’s how it had to be. The two of us were at opposite ends.”

“…Yes.”

“So don’t say you’re sorry. We both did our best from our respective positions. Let’s not regret that time.”

“…”

“Instead, we’ve met good connections like this and caught another opportunity. We’ve been able to build different experiences.”

Good connections…

Yes, without the common ground of being magical girls, how could we have gathered these people?

For such magical girls to exist, there needs to be a reason for magical girls to be needed.

Even if it wasn’t me.

Even if I hadn’t gone on a rampage like that.

“Good connections… Yes. They’re all good people.”

“Hmm? That includes you too, Bine. And Ellis?”

“…That’s impossible.”

“Not the Bine from back then. But because I could meet the current Bine. Isn’t that good? Wouldn’t you say the current Bine is a good connection? If those things hadn’t happened, wouldn’t we have been unable to meet the current Bine?”

“…The past me and the present me are inseparable, continuous, and irreversible beings.”

“Still, well… even villain Bine is a connection.”

“…”

Blanc looks at me, and Hyewon looks at me.

Arine hugs my arm tighter to her chest.

“…Yes, I understand. I’ll pay for the sin of taking away your school trip… once everything is over, that is.”

“That… well, I was planning to collect in full. Be prepared, Bine.”

Hyewon chimes in from the side.

…I don’t know what they’re planning to make me do.

At least, Marina will be the final one.

Before I could think further, Arine says.

“Hehe… I don’t have strong villains like Bine unnie, and there are still many stronger sisters above me… so it’s fine for me to go on a school trip. Unnie, would you like to come with me?”

“School trips… are meant to be with school friends. Outside participants are prohibited in principle.”

“What…? But if I talk to the teacher nicely…”

“No. That’s not allowed.”

“What…? Tch.”

“Instead… I’ll suggest to Blanc that we have more days like this. How about that?”

“That sounds good. Hehe…”

Arine’s words were becoming increasingly incoherent.

She must be really sleepy.

I try to position Arine more comfortably.

And try to pull my arm out.

That was the plan.

But she won’t let go.

Because she’s already fallen asleep.

I wish she’d let go of my arm before falling asleep…

“So, Arine has fallen asleep. What about you, Blanc?”

“Well… my heart is still racing, so I can’t sleep.”

“…Could it be that you’re nervous?”

“Well… that could be interpreted in many ways. Simply… is it just because of one villain?”

“…To dismiss the boss as a simple villain…”

“…Whatever. I’m not in the mood to sleep yet. Arine probably feels the same, but her body is young, so it can’t be helped.”

Arine is already sleeping soundly, making cute breathing sounds.

Yet the strength with which she’s holding my arm is so firm.

“I see.”

“Yeah. By the way, how long is Yuri unnie going to keep that up…? It’s getting noisy.”

“Elliii… did you hear? Arine is sleeping, so shush!”

“What do you mean shush?! Mmph?!”

“If you keep acting like thaat… unnie will have to use rough hands. You know?”

“Mmph, mmph!! Mmph!”

“If you stay stilll… I’ll take care of Bine too, okay?”

“Mmph…?”

“Trust me and wait.”

“Mmm…”

“That’s riight… be good, okay?”

“…”

Ellis nods quietly.

But…

Seriously, what am I?

What am I supposed to be?

For Yuri to embrace Ellis and then approach me at a frightening speed to embrace me too…!

What is it about me!

“Eek?! Yuri! This is uncomfortable!”

“Hehe… with Bine…”

“Ellis! You’re the most uncomfortable one! Why are you like this?!”

“As long as you’re here, Bine… I can endure this… hehe…”

“Yuri! Ellis is broken! How could you do this to Ellis…!”

Ellis is speaking nonsense as if she’s lost her mind.

And weirdly grinning too.

Despite being in an uncomfortable situation.

“…Maybe I should have been a bit more greedy.”

“Unnie, you enjoyed yourself plenty.”

“Well… were you okay?”

“I enjoyed it a bit too. With Hyewon unnie.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. Go to sleep now. Well… we’ll probably have plenty of time ahead.”

“Is that so…”

“Later, let’s go to a nice hot spring. I know a good place. The magical girls of this country aren’t that weak. They won’t fall to those kinds of monsters.”

“Yeah… let’s sleep.”

I couldn’t properly hear the conversation between Seohyun and Blanc as they whispered to each other.

Even though they were right above me, with Ellis next to me…

Well, at least they fell asleep well…

That’s good, I suppose.

* * *

I opened my eyes to the pouring sunlight.

…I thought it was Ellis’s leg.

Yuri, your legs are longer than I expected.

Maybe she’s even eyeing Arine all at once.

It’s not heavy, but it’s uncomfortable.

I’m not a doll.

Blanc… seems to have woken up earlier and is getting ready to leave.

“…”

“You’re awake? Sleep a bit more.”

“…Isn’t today the day of the operation? How can you be so relaxed?”

“Well… every day is a day of subjugation. It’s just a day to use our bodies a bit.”

“…But still, the boss…”

“Well… it’s easier than Ragnarok or Avalon. That’s what I personally think.”

“It could be worse than you expect.”

“I’m confident. Confident that I won’t lose to anyone except Bine. Puhehe… but my only rival, Bine, is now captured by Yuri unnie.”

“…Instead of just laughing, could you help me?”

“Puhehe… stay like that a little longer. I’ll help you after I wash up.”

“What…?”

“I need to get ready before Arine, Yuri unnie, and Ellis wake up. This room is small, so it can’t be helped.”

“No… that should be fine…!”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to wash up.”

Abandoned by Blanc, I escaped from this trap…

Just before Blanc came out, when Yuri felt uncomfortable with my movement and simply moved her leg away, got up, and then.

Even though I glared at her, there was no reaction as she rubbed her eyes as usual and went to wash up.

“Bine… can’t I sleep a little more?”

“Today’s the day… get up…”

“Aww… it’s okay to be a little late… ugh…”

“I said get up, Ellis!”

“Eek?!”

After waking Ellis up.

And Arine, who was sleeping soundly.

“…Arine, wake up.”

“I’m already awake, unnie.”

“…!?”

Arine startles me by opening her eyes as I approach her.

…How did it end up like this?