Ch.183183. Family

“Vine, you got shorter?”

“…Yes. That’s what they say.”

“Pfft…”

“Blanc.”

“Ah, no… pfuh… pfft…”

“Why don’t you just laugh?”

“Ah, alright. Haa… haa… phew. Yeah, yeah. Come on. Mm-hmm. Right. Is there anything else besides that?”

“Well… nothing in particular. They say there are some issues from breaking ties with Baal. But they say time heals all wounds.”

“Well… if that’s the case. Did the Association people tell you that?”

“No? Ellie told me?”

“What about the Association people?”

“How long have they been examining my body? It’s fair to say Ellie is my primary physician.”

“Really? That’s quite a level of trust. Ellie is really something.”

“Yes, well… because she’s Ellie? Ellie is my one and only Ellie.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? That sounds weird.”

Blanc answers with a laugh.

But what’s weird about it?

What’s wrong with Ellie being my Ellie?

The only word that comes to mind to describe Ellie is just… Ellie.

My family, my eternal best friend.

To be honest, without Ellie… I might just die from worrying whether I could even live properly.

Even in that prison, I endured solely on the hope that Ellie had escaped. That’s how precious Ellie is to me.

Now…

Well, I’ve lost someone precious to me. But I’ve gained just as many precious people in return.

I suppose Ellie’s ranking hasn’t changed.

“So, what about my collar?”

“Ah, that? It’s right here. Want me to put it on you?”

“…? Why are you asking? Shouldn’t I wear it myself?”

“Didn’t Ellie say you put it on yourself…? Because it’s uncomfortable, and adjusting it is a hassle.”

“Well… you’ve set some magic restrictions on it though.”

“For now, I’ve left it open. Right now, it’s just an ordinary necklace.”

That heart-shaped pendant dangling there.

…

Right.

I wonder why I did that, but.

It’s not so much regret for what I’ve done.

…It’s complicated.

“What? Is there a problem?”

“No. Please put it on me quickly.”

I bring my neck closer to Blanc.

Once again, Blanc puts the collar on me.

The feeling of cold metal gives me a sense of familiarity.

Yet it feels awkward at the same time.

“How is it? Not too tight?”

“It’s just right, fine.”

“How’s your body feeling?”

“Nothing special? You said you restricted its functions, right?”

“Well… but it still uses your magic to charge things like the battery inside it?”

“Ah… well, compared to my magic capacity.”

“It’s probably like taking a cup of water from the ocean, right?”

“Is it that little?”

“It’s designed to be efficient.”

I silently fiddle with the pendant.

…

And Blanc stares at me intently.

“What? Did something happen? Did Ellie say something?”

“No. Just… my personal reflection. Haa… I’ve ended up becoming your dog just like Ellie. Blanc.”

“I don’t know of any dog that would warn its owner before biting them.”

“That’s because you keep saying nonsensical things. Making unreasonable claims.”

“I’m telling you it’s not unreasonable… haa.”

“Well, never mind. Oh, can’t you install the app to control this on my smartphone?”

“Hmm… ask the Association President about that. Personally, I don’t mind.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense. I just don’t want to inconvenience you or the other magical girls.”

“Yes. I knew you’d say something like that with your good intentions.”

“…That’s just the surface reason. The truth is, if I could control this myself? I’d betray you all again and this time act as a solo villain, gathering energy and causing all sorts of trouble, destroying buildings and tormenting you all. Hehe…”

“Are you dreaming?”

“No?”

“Really?”

“Yes. I was just expressing my willingness to do anything to punish the cruel white demon who oppresses villains, treats them like dolls, and doesn’t treasure her trophies properly.”

“Pfft… what’s that supposed to be?”

“It is what it is.”

“Is that so…? Ah, right. We can go back now.”

“Pardon?”

“The Association President said we could return as soon as you recovered.”

“Phew… that’s good news. By the way, what about our punishment?”

“I told you already. Life imprisonment in our dormitory? With five magical girls watching over you.”

“Oh my. I won’t be able to act independently. Ugh. To think my fate is to be tortured by incredibly powerful magical girls, subjected to all sorts of forced labor, then wasting away until death. How cruel the heavens are.”

“Pfft… that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while.”

“I said it to make you laugh.”

“Ah, Vine smiled.”

“I did not?”

“You know that beneath that expressionless face, your expressions are more varied than you think, right?”

“I’ve never hidden my expressions? My poker face is unreadable to anyone.”

“Except me?”

“No… except Ellie too, and Arin, and Hyewon. Yuri and Seohyun as well… oh.”

“So it’s not unreadable to anyone at all.”

“I suppose not.”

“Phew… you have such a light, relieved expression.”

Blanc said that while pinching my cheek.

“Ouch. That hurts.”

“But that’s what worries me. You’ve let everything go, so I don’t know what you might do.”

“Yes. What I’ve followed my entire life is gone forever. It’s true that my heart feels empty.”

“I’ll have to give you really hard work. So you won’t even have time to feel that emptiness.”

“Would you do that for me? If so, I welcome it.”

“No tail yet. And because of your ‘deviation,’ we need to remake the training plan that got disrupted. You know we still have three weeks of your vacation left, right?”

“Ugh… please calculate those separately now.”

“So one week per month?”

“Yes… whatever is convenient for you.”

“Oh? I thought you’d refuse, but you’re allowing it?”

Why would I have any reason not to allow it?

I don’t really have a reason to live anymore.

Except for them.

Of course, Ellie is included.

“By the way, when will Ellie be examined? Shouldn’t you check her too? I saw her walking around in a white coat.”

“Yes. Ellie has already been examined.”

“No. Shouldn’t she be examined again after coming back? Who knows what the doctor might have done.”

“So Ellie’s next.”

“…It’s strange to hear you use the nickname ‘Ellie’?”

“What’s strange about it? Ellie is part of our family now. You too, Vine.”

“…Family.”

If you look at just the meaning of the word.

In the sense of a group that eats together, it’s correct.

But the implied meaning.

If I understand the true meaning contained in that word.

Blanc just said that I am family with them.

That I share bonds and emotions with them as family.

Honestly, is it even possible for me to push them away anymore?

Could I still distance myself from them?

Honestly…

It’s probably impossible now.

To break away from them.

Now, they’ve become a major pillar in my life too.

Did my family in my previous life have this kind of relationship?

Sitting across from each other at the same table, eating meals.

Sharing personal stories and trivial conversations.

Well.

I’m no longer a villain or anything else.

Just a person.

So there’s no reason to be hostile.

I was hostile to them because of Eden’s existence.

Now that Eden is completely gone.

I don’t even have a justification to be hostile to them.

Maybe it’s okay to let my guard down a little now.

I have no lingering attachments anymore.

When I think about my naive perspective that couldn’t see all the holes in Baal’s ideals.

Being hostile would be such a pathetic thing to do.

The reason why I fought magical girls has lost all meaning now.

After all, it was the magical girls who were the true saviors of people, the ones who made people happy.

Of course…

When I hadn’t fully recovered my memories.

Due to the memories right after emerging from the dimensional rift, there was some instinctive human hatred ingrained in my mind.

If you ask whether I still have human hatred from the perspective of someone with settled memories and mental maturity…

I can’t say I don’t have any, but it’s not at a level where I’d stupidly display it outwardly.

In truth… what keeps replaying in my memories are recent events.

Only the moments of hatred after Ragnarok come to mind.

But can I take revenge on them for that?

No, they’re clearing my karmic debt.

It would be absurd for me to seek revenge.

So, there’s no basis for me to act as a villain anymore.

When I think about it over and over, that’s the conclusion.

Now… there’s no need to block the path of magical girls or interfere with what they’re trying to accomplish.

Is there anything a villain who has outlived their usefulness can do?

“Does the word ‘family’ require such deep contemplation?”

“…Ah, Blanc.”

“This punishment was carefully considered, you know? You’ll have to spend your life among the magical girls you hate so much?”

“…That hatred ultimately arose because you were obstacles to Eden’s ideals.”

“Was that it? I thought you just hated us, Vine?”

“…You were obstacles to Eden. It’s fair to say I was obsessed with Eden at that time.”

“Well, it was obvious even just looking at you?”

“…So now. I don’t particularly have a reason to hate you all, do I? Arin is there too.”

“…Vine?”

“Yes. Well… so the word ‘family’ doesn’t have such an unpleasant ring to it.”

Still, there must be something for me to do.

With them, won’t they give me something to do?

Truly.