Ch.217217. At the Association

“What kind of conversation did you want to have that made you keep this Association President here?”

“Well, it’s not really anything grand… though I suppose it is.”

“Huh?”

The Association President looks at me with questioning eyes.

But, perhaps realizing there’s sincerity in my words.

Taking a serious attitude, she interlaces her fingers and places them on the table.

“With that look in your eyes, I can’t tell how serious I should be. Especially when it’s you, Vinea.”

“I’ve been retired for quite some time now, so deceiving people is difficult for me.”

“Even so.”

“Compared to all the trials you’ve faced, all the human dramas you’ve witnessed in the National Assembly and government, what I want is actually quite simple, direct, and honest.”

As soon as I tell her that I want something, she immediately responds.

“…What is it?”

“I want to eliminate the remnants of Eden.”

The Association President sighs deeply as she considers this.

“Sigh. No.”

“…I see.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be allowed.”

I maintain a peaceful expression, a mask, as I look at the Association President.

Well, truthfully, I’m not particularly emotional about it anyway.

There might be a slight feeling of disappointment, but well.

I knew it was an unreasonable request.

From the beginning, no one would take seriously a villain saying they want to go back to their organization to cause havoc and eliminate the remnants.

And of course, when a villain with a history of betrayal says such things, naturally no one would believe them.

“It’s too dangerous. Too dangerous for you right now.”

“…Pardon?”

“Leave this to our association. I’ll make sure you get credit too, of course. If you provide some guidance or information, that is.”

“…What are you saying? Suddenly…”

“You going back to Eden is too dangerous an idea. The escaped remnants might have increased their forces and we don’t know what they’ve created, and you might get brainwashed again and end up fighting against us. It’s dangerous for you in many ways. Rather, it would be more strategic if our magical girls stepped in…”

The Association President starts laying out various arguments.

Wait.

Why magical girls…?

“W-what are you saying…? O-of course I thought it would be rejected, but is the reason merely because it’s dangerous? W-what are you saying? I was at least trying to take responsibility…”

Responsibility.

Yes, to take responsibility.

To return Eden, which I helped scatter recklessly, back to nothingness.

I was trying to take that responsibility.

What is she saying?

In my own way, I was trying to take responsibility.

But why is she talking about danger?

No, it’s not even the “danger” of “The association can’t entrust such a task to a villain who once betrayed their trust,” but simply because I might be in danger? That’s the reason?

What is this…

“You’re refusing.”

“It’s too dangerous. Think of how many people would be sad if you got hurt. First, Seohyun… Yunsul… Arin, Yuri, Hyewon. And finally, Suyeon.”

“…What about Ellie?”

“You were planning to carry out this operation alone. On your own.”

“…That’s true.”

“Then of course Suyeon would be sad too, right? What if you went to Eden on your own and ended up in that state again?”

“As long as the Doctor is here and Boss, Baal is here, that won’t happen. I’m just… trying to fulfill my responsibility.”

“Still, no. I cannot permit this for Vinea, the former villain of Eden now with the Association.”

“…Haa.”

Really.

So that was the reason after all.

“Well… if it were some other villain causing havoc, that would be none of my business.”

“…What?”

“Well, how could we possibly round up all of Eden’s cell organizations? There are limits to what we can do even with your information. There will inevitably be power struggles between villain factions. Or perhaps some individual villain who hates Eden might go around destroying Eden recklessly.”

What is this person talking about?

What the Association President is saying is…

“Well, it’s like using one evil to fight another, I suppose? Of course, I don’t know if such a villain will appear or not. Personally, I’d prefer if magical girls took care of everything. That would be the slower but ultimately safer method.”

…If I.

Not as Eden’s Vinea.

But as a different villain.

If I acted as an individual villain.

Is she saying she would turn a blind eye?

Why?

Why would she let me run wild?

…I still.

I don’t understand.

“So, is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“Ah…”

“Seems like it’s over. Should I call Yunsul back in?”

“Ah… well, that was the only thing I wanted to discuss. Is that really okay?”

“Well… Yunsul, no, Magical Girl Blanc will take care of the subjugation, so I’m not worried. Blanc, our association’s greatest force. Blanc who defeated the worst Vinea. With Blanc, that villain can be subjugated ‘safely’.”

“I wouldn’t say she defeated a helpless me through a surprise attack or after she grew stronger, but…”

“What about just a few days ago?”

“…Ugh.”

“The record shows our Blanc is winning. So I’m entrusting it to her.”

“…Damn it. This idiot, why did she fall completely for that bastard Baal’s words.”

“Vinea… your words are getting a bit scary.”

“Ah, Association President… excuse me. I tend to be sensitive about competitions.”

“Well… it’s been a while since I’ve seen this side of you. It feels quite different from your polite demeanor these days. You can speak comfortably.”

“I’m fine. Let’s just call Blanc.”

“Alright.”

The Association President picks up her phone and calls Blanc in from outside.

Fortunately, it seems she didn’t hear anything as she comes to me.

She picks me up and sits in the chair I was in.

She places me on her lap.

The position commonly known as being embraced.

“…Vinea component recharge.”

“That’s definitely skinship. Skinship.”

“It feels more healing than anything else.”

“Are you like this just because we were apart for a little while?”

“Yes.”

In that state, she ruffles the top of my head vigorously.

It was embarrassing.

Even though I had washed my hair, this kind of direct skinship is a bit…

We’ve already done everything there is to do.

Look at the Association President’s eyes.

Why that benevolent expression?

Why that look of “my daughters are doing well”?

* * *

“This is the core.”

“You’ve sealed it more thoroughly than I expected.”

“Well, it’s the core of Eden’s boss after all. We don’t know what might happen, so we’re taking maximum precautions right now.”

In a place that looks like a laboratory, what we’re looking at is a large glass tank resembling a test tube.

And inside, a core emitting an eerie black aura.

If I were still with Eden, I would have felt “warmth” looking at that core.

And fallen into a desire to save it.

But now, I feel…

“Disgust.”

“Huh?”

“That’s the first thought that came to mind. I wonder if it would have been different in the past.”

“…I feel something similar.”

“Indeed, back then I was…”

“It’s not your fault.”

What warmly embraces me from beside me.

What gives me “warmth.”

The fact that it’s the magical girl who fought with me the most.

The fact that it’s the lover who loves me the most.

It’s truly contradictory and absurd, but.

Because I don’t dislike that warmth, no.

Because I like it.

Not empty words.

Sincerely, I like it.

“So? Do you still think that thing is warm?”

“…I think it’s disgusting. Just… how do I put it. If you were to concentrate pure evil, wouldn’t it look something like this?”

“Yes. That’s right. Baal, the boss, was evil.”

“And I, who believed in and followed the ideology of such an evil person…”

“That’s… not because you were bad. It’s because that person brainwashed you that way. Your memories still aren’t complete, right?”

“Yes. Memories of my family are still vague.”

“Then… that was truly affected by the dimensional rift. The connection between this core and you no longer exists, not even a faint thread.”

Tapping on the glass tube. Blanc reminds me of this fact once again.

Truly.

Truly, I am no longer part of Eden.

And because of that, I can’t help but think again about the damage.

The actions that were not at all ideal, but destructive and violent, fill my head again.

Eden, huh.

Where was the dream paradise?

Was it just a tool for Baal’s own paradise?

A tool solely for his own paradise?

Without knowing that, my belief that everyone must bear pain to build a paradise for all…

Yes.

It doesn’t make sense.

Who can tell others to bear pain?

Who can tell whom.

How could a sinner without qualification.

Claim to create paradise.

“Why do you look so gloomy?”

“…It’s not that I feel sympathy or anything like that. No, maybe I do. But it’s sympathy that I dare not feel.”

“For Baal?”

“…For everyone who suffered because of my actions.”

“Yes. That’s something you should feel.”

“Yes…”

“But that doesn’t mean you need to be so dejected.”

“Haa. I understand. Well… if you insist.”

Since I’ve been given permission to destroy Eden completely…

If I do it moderately.

I should make a plan first.

This time, in a way that minimizes harm to others.

I’ll bring it down quietly.

Buildings and everything.

“You’re surprisingly compliant this time?”

“We’re lovers now, aren’t we? So it’s right that I listen to you.”

“Is that so? Then let’s say I won our bet too.”

“That’s a bit…”

“Tch.”

“You really think I’d agree to that?”

And she says such things even in this atmosphere.

After I set the mood so nicely.

“Let’s leave the core for now. Shall we go see the Doctor? Fortunately, that weirdo doesn’t seem to have any particular powers, so we just tied him up with a magic-sealing device. We also thoroughly searched his body.”

“…I’d rather not see him.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to see his face. After all, he’s the one who brainwashed me in the end.”

“Right. After Baal made the initial contract and touched you… he continued the brainwashing. We’re going to do tests related to that today too. With support from that world.”

“…You mean that annoying white cat?”

“Well… Gabriel will be doing it, but it’s with the Queen’s help, right?”

“How bothersome.”

“Why? Get along with Gabriel too.”

“Unnecessarily annoying and whiny… plus he sheds fur. Didn’t you say they were busy over there?”

“It’s about time for them to return. You’ll be living together from now on.”

“I’ll pray they get even busier instead.”

I hate annoying cats.

Sigh…