Ch.2323. Do You Really Want to Die?

The punishment of the redhead ended in failure.

“Blanc, if you could just undo this for a moment, I promise I’ll put it back on quietly. That redhead’s sins are great, and punishment is necessary. Right now.”

“Sorry, but I need the Association President’s permission to remove that.”

“Just for a moment. Doesn’t that foul mouth deserve to pay for its mockery? I’ll only use magic for physical enhancement. Please?”

“Sorry, Bine. I can’t do that.”

For now, I couldn’t get this collar off.

At the very least, I needed to properly use my strength to deliver proper punishment.

“Sigh, then, Crybaby. Just keep holding onto that redhead.”

The crybaby, who was immobilized by the redhead, answered.

“Uh, huh? You want me to hold onto Seohyun?”

“Just for a moment. It’ll be over quickly.”

I have no choice but to borrow another magical girl’s power.

The dynamic between the two magical girls reversed.

The predator became prey, and the former prey subdued the magical girl who had become prey by the judge’s command.

The black tendrils approaching majestically reclaimed their terror.

As the former prey who couldn’t even face her opponent before, she could only tremble.

I slowly approach the redhead.

And bring my face closer to hers.

Pitch-black darkness enveloped her.

“Now, Redhead. You know your sins well, don’t you?”

“Uh, huh? Sins…?”

“Aren’t you curious what happens when you misuse that loose tongue of yours?”

“B-Bine…? I’m getting scared all of a sudden. Bine?”

“I may not be able to use my abilities, but there’s still the strength that comes from this monster’s body.”

“Uh, yeah? I guess so?”

“This works out perfectly. Let’s start studying for when we face villains who’ve already been defeated and had their powers taken away.”

“B-Bine? What are you talking about? Bine?”

“Now, the situation is like this. A magical girl restrained by another who, while not corrupted, has sided with a villain. A villain approaching for revenge.”

“Bine? Wait!! Bine!!”

“And that villain has come right up to you and is about to attack. This level of pain should be reduced for a magical girl, so. Well then.”

With my fist clenched, I struck.

Power concentrated into a single point lunges forward for punishment.

“Hieek?!?!”

Unfortunately, the redhead escaped.

Somehow she broke free from Crybaby’s restraint.

Whether she activated some superhuman ability, my attack missed.

Moreover, she had already hidden behind Blanc.

“Y-Yunseul! D-did you see that? If I had been hit by that just now…”

“It wouldn’t have hurt much anyway, Redhead.”

“N-no, didn’t you see? That energy I felt from Bine before…! That!”

“Sigh, Blanc. Would you help with the education? She seems to be lacking.”

“Haha… Both Seohyun and Bine, stop and come sit here.”

Tch, I failed in the end.

“Sigh. We’ll deal with the redhead later. Let’s stop here for today at least.”

“Yes, good thinking, Bine. So, what’s going on between you and Arin?”

Blanc started saying nonsense.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about at all. What relationship would I have with Arin?”

“Seohyun said you were rolling around in bed with Arin and doing all sorts of things.”

“And you believe that?”

“Look, Seohyun even showed me photos.”

Blanc continued while showing a photo.

“See, hugging tightly like this, and in the bathroom… even scenes like this…”

Wait, hold on.

That scene in the bathroom was captured too?

What is this…

N-no. That’s not, I mean…

“N-no, that… How, who. Who took those photos? No, this isn’t some strange relationship!”

“Then what kind of relationship is it…?”

At that moment, Baeksu, who had been observing all these events from behind, asked.

“No! Arin said she’d bring me some tea, and then she just pounced on me! How does that look like anything else?”

“Ehhh… pounced on you? Our little Arin has already grown so much… *sniff* I’m so proud…!”

“What growth? Baeksu, are you making fun of me too?”

“That’s our Arin… I’m so proud…”

“Ugh… really… Are you drunk? Please stop…”

Fortunately, Blanc stopped teasing, so this strange conversation ended.

“Sis, I think that’s enough teasing. So Bine can make expressions like this too.”

“That was teasing? Just now?”

“There’s no way you’d lay hands on Arin, right?”

“That’s true, but.”

“Besides, we’ve also slept with Arin many times. She can’t sleep unless she’s hugging something…”

“Ha, and knowing that…”

“But to think you’d do such things in the bathroom.”

“No, that’s… Arin…!”

“Arin doesn’t really like bathing with other people.”

“…What?”

“But to get into the bathtub together and do that… I didn’t see Arin that way.”

“W-wait. What did I just hear, huh?”

“Bine, Arin must really like you.”

“No, what part of me would make her like me? Huh?”

“We don’t know either. Wouldn’t you know best?”

“Sigh, how could she like someone like me, covered in blood? The sins that won’t wash away are still on my hands.”

“You’ve already paid for those sins. Haven’t you?”

“Just 3 years. And even that was buried under pleas about being a juvenile offender. Do you know how many sins were covered up? I don’t think it’s all over with just that.”

“Bine.”

“I know what my sins are. To Arin, I’m just a vine she might trip over, an obstacle blocking her path.”

“Bine, there’s no way you’re an obstacle to Arin.”

“Sigh, isn’t a villain naturally an obstacle? A being that provides no help by existing. Rather, a harmful existence, isn’t it?”

“If you were really an obstacle, wouldn’t I have stopped you first? You know how much I care about Arin.”

True, Blanc does cherish Arin terribly.

But did she leave me alone because I’m actually helpful?

“Sigh, I don’t know. Not at all. Why would Arin…”

“Well, what’s wrong with Arin liking you? As long as you take good care of Arin, that’s all that matters. You like Arin too, don’t you?”

“Yes, she’s like a sister. I do like her.”

“Then that’s all there is to it. Right?”

And so, the late-night worries only deepened.

Ironically, it was the redhead who ended those worries.

“Ahhh! That’s right! Studying! Bine!! You’ll help me, right…?”

Huh?

Is she not even thinking about what she just did to me?

Do you know how uncomfortable those stares made me feel because of you?

“Your mind, sigh. Really. If citizens knew magical girls were this mindless, wouldn’t they be anxious?”

“Ah, Bine. Please. Hm? Hm?”

“Fine. Come here.”

This chaotic life in the magical girl dormitory isn’t so bad.

I wonder if it’s okay for me to live like this.

* * *

“Sis, did you sleep well…?”

As always, Arin came downstairs rubbing her eyes.

I had prepared her favorite breakfast, as I always do.

“Yes, Arin. Did you sleep well too?”

“Hehe… Yes. Thanks to you, sis.”

“…!”

I almost lost my mind from Arin’s sudden attack,

But more important than that is taking care of Arin.

“Ahem. Arin. Yesterday, that, that thing…”

“Yes? I liked it though?”

“W-wait. Arin. What did you say you liked…?”

“Bathing together like that, I like it. Hehe…”

“What…? Didn’t you prefer bathing alone?”

“I prefer Bine sis’s warmth more. And that way, I can mark what’s mine, right?”

Mark what’s hers? What…?

Huh…?

“Arin, what do you mean by marking…?”

“It’s nothing. Ahh~ It’s breakfast you prepared again today. Hehe…”

With that, Arin went to the bathroom to get ready for school.

Leaving behind cryptic words.

And Baeksu, who was watching this situation from the stair railing,

“Heeh… Arin really is… experienced? Bine, you’d better be careful from now on~ You might fall like I did back then? This time it’s your turn… hehehe…”

She confused me even more with her incomprehensible words.

As if my head wasn’t hurting enough from staying up late helping the redhead study, sigh.

This damn redhead couldn’t understand no matter how much I explained.

So I had to make her feel it physically, which took some time.

“Aack! Bine, you just hit me with so much emotion!! Ugh, you only hit the parts I didn’t reinforce…”

“Of course, what’s the point of education if it doesn’t hurt? Now, try solving it again. Emotion, you say? Huh. Not at all.”

“Bine, you just smiled, didn’t you? You smiled, right?”

“Ha, do you think I’m venting my anger through education? That’s not it at all, so don’t misunderstand and keep solving the problems. Ah, here.”

“Gaaah!!”

Well, I did feel better after conducting this gentle ‘education,’ so I guess it’s fine.

And so today, unlike Arin who woke up on her own, I go to wake up the redhead again.

“Redhead, wake up. Now.”

“Uh, hmm… Hieek!? Bine? U-um! I need to get up! Yes!”

The redhead has become strangely obedient.

Yesterday’s education seems to have had effects in other ways too.

Well, that’s good for me.

It was hard waking her up before. This works out well.

Sigh, everyday life here always flows the same way.

As long as no strange visitors come, that is.