Ch.2626. You’re Really Out of Your Mind

“You want me to analyze the magical girl’s combat capabilities?”

“Yes, if I’m going to help, wouldn’t it be better to approach it the way I used to fight? As I always do, I want to thoroughly analyze their capabilities and know their weaknesses before sparring. Is there a problem with that?”

“Hmm… revealing all combat capabilities…”

Right, that must be quite a burden for the Association President.

Having a former villain analyze their combat capabilities could be troublesome if that information leaked to other villains.

Well, it ultimately comes down to whether she can trust me or not.

The Association President will have a lot to think about.

“No, it’s fine. When are you coming?”

Contrary to my expectations, the Association President answered immediately without even hesitating.

Huh?

Wait, why?

“W-wait a moment. Are you giving permission? Without a single doubt?”

“Yes. Why?”

“But I’m a villain, aren’t I? You’re still allowing this?”

“You were a villain, but you’re not anymore, right?”

“You’re not concerned that I might leak information about their capabilities to other villains?”

“You, leaking to other villains…? That doesn’t seem likely at all.”

“How can you… what makes you trust me so much? Sigh.”

“So, when do you want to start your analysis?”

“First, I’d like to observe all of Arin’s sparring sessions.”

“Okay, I’ll have Yunseul send you Arin’s training videos so you can use them for your analysis later.”

“Oh, there are videos? In that case, could you also provide videos of Crybaby—I mean, Citrus and Blanc?”

“Hmm? I can, but… why?”

“I want to warm up a bit on the day I observe Arin’s sparring. That would be the day after tomorrow, right? The training day.”

“You’re going to spar with Yunseul…?”

“Yes, she’d make a simple practice partner, wouldn’t she?”

“…Vine, you’re determined to destroy our training facility, aren’t you?”

“I’ll refrain from using excessive force, so don’t worry.”

“Hmm, please try not to destroy anything. The money that went into that training facility…”

“I’ll do my best. So please provide Blanc’s videos as well.”

“Do you really need those…? I thought you already knew everything about her.”

“Hasn’t a lot of time passed? Please include combat footage if you have it.”

“Combat footage…? Alright. Is that enough?”

At that moment, Blanc, who was sitting beside us stealing the Association President’s cookies, asked her:

“Oh, we forgot something important. You need to make an access badge for Vine.”

“Ah, I’ve already prepared that.”

With those words, the Association President handed me a lanyard.

Inside was an ID card with a photo, like a student ID.

Hmm, but I never sent a photo to the Association.

“Madam President, I never sent a photo, so how did you make this so quickly…?”

“Oh, are you surprised I made it in advance? I used your mugshot for this.”

“Did you expect me to come?”

“Yes. I believed you would.”

“How could you know that? Sigh, I shouldn’t be that easy to read.”

“Because I trust you?”

“…You seem to be talking in circles. How exactly do you trust me? I don’t have any trustworthy qualities.”

“No, you’re plenty trustworthy. Here, take it quickly.”

“Sigh… fine.”

I take the access badge from the Association President and examine it closely.

It’s a photo from when I was captured.

In the picture, I have a somewhat disheveled expression, and I can’t read what I was thinking at the time.

An expression of anger at meaningless collapse.

Yet, somehow empty.

The expression of someone who has lost the meaning of their life.

No, more precisely, someone who has lost themselves.

That kind of expression.

I’m not sure what expression I’m wearing now.

I put the badge around my neck.

“By the way, when will you return my box? You should keep your promise.”

I need to get back that candy box filled with memories of Ellie.

“Ah, here it is. I’ve refilled the candies too. Be careful not to drop it on your way.”

“I’m not a child. Why would I drop something precious?”

“Hahaha… you look exactly like a child though. Don’t you think so, Yunseul?”

“Madam President, saying things like that will make Vine angry. You know how sensitive she is about her height.”

“Oh, is that so? I’m sorry about that.”

“I’m not angry. And when have I ever been sensitive about my height?”

“All the time. Both in the past and now.”

“Blanc, I’ve never been like that.”

“Ah, I see.”

Blanc responded with an incredulous expression and a weak reply.

I’m not sensitive about height comments at all.

“Anyway, Madam President, is that all?”

“Yes, do you have any questions or need anything else?”

“I should get my weapons back, shouldn’t I?”

“Ah, right. We need to visit the confiscated items storage. Actually, let’s just go together and you can choose the weapons you want to use. Let’s go.”

Wait, is the Association President seriously planning to take me to the confiscated items storage?

“Wait, are you seriously planning to take me to the confiscated items storage? And give me weapons?”

“Hmm? Why?”

“The question isn’t ‘why.’ Aren’t you concerned at all about what I might do with weapons?”

“So, if you’re asking whether I’m worried you might steal weapons from the storage and blow up the Association, the answer is not at all.”

“…Let me give you one sincere piece of advice, Madam President. You’re going to get into serious trouble with that attitude.”

“I see. Thanks for the advice. The storage is underground, so let’s hurry.”

“…Sigh.”

And so I followed the Association President to the elevator heading underground.

In the elevator with the Association President and Blanc, I asked:

“How much access does this badge give me?”

“All the spaces a normal magical girl would use. Rest areas, fitness rooms, places like that.”

“…That’s what most magical girls have access to, isn’t it?”

“Yes, you can even enter the villain detention cells.”

“Why would you give me that kind of access?”

“How many times do I have to say it? Because I trust you.”

“What if I stab you in the back?”

“You’re telling me about it right now, aren’t you?”

“I could be deceiving you.”

At that moment, the elevator doors opened.

As she walked out through the open doors, the Association President said:

“I’ve been doing this job for a long time. In this position, I’ve met countless people. Even politicians.”

“Being in this position has given me a good eye for people.”

“Without these eyes, I couldn’t have risen to this position and held on for so long.”

“Well, the reason I doubted you before was because I hadn’t seen you with my own eyes.”

“I’m convinced. You’ve changed.”

We arrived at a place with a massive iron door.

Behind the strict security and multiple locked doors were numerous boxes.

“Now, let’s find the box labeled ‘Vine’.”

“…Are all of these confiscated items? All taken from villains?”

“Yes, hmm, for Vine… Eden… Ah, it should be over there.”

The Association President headed toward one corner among the many shelves.

There was a shelf with a paper bearing Eden’s emblem attached to it.

“These are all confiscated items from Eden. Everything from personal firearms taken from combatants to items carried by executives, they’re all here.”

The Association President began examining the boxes.

Then she stopped somewhere and called us over.

“Vine, it’s here. Come over.”

Where she stood were wooden boxes filled with items, all labeled with my name.

“From here… to here, all of these are yours, Vine.”

“Are you saying I should take all of this?”

“Yes, if it’s too heavy, I can set up a room for you here at the Association where you can keep them.”

“…The Association provides personal rooms for magical girls?”

“Yes, as part of our welfare program.”

“Even though I’m not a magical girl?”

“If you want one.”

“No, more importantly, you’re really giving these weapons back to me?”

“Because I trust you. Come on, let’s go. It’s dusty and stuffy in here, isn’t it? If it’s heavy, I can help carry some.”

“No… it’s not heavy, but…”

“If you’re taking them to the dormitory, I’ll provide a car for you to use.”

“…I’ll assume you’re not in your right mind. Sigh.”

And so, with the Association President’s help, we left the storage.

On the way, the Association President suggested we stop by the training facility, so we did briefly.

Well, I thought the space was sufficient enough to move around in.

Then I returned home in the car the Association President provided.

I couldn’t take the subway with all this luggage anyway.

It’s nice to have a comfortable ride back, at least.

In the car, I check the videos I received from the Association President.

She took my phone from my pocket and saved her number.

She told me to call her when I come next time, and said she’d deactivate the warning function on my collar to prevent another commotion like today.

I should examine the videos in detail when I get home, but I’ll take a quick look now.

I check Arin’s videos more than Blanc’s.

Naturally, there are many gaps that need to be fixed, so I need to start identifying them now.

In this scene, if she rotated less in this direction, she could maneuver more efficiently.

Here, when she swings her scythe like this, a moving enemy would obviously dodge.

These small gaps accumulate and eventually become a big hole.

I need to patch these holes before they become sinkholes that hurt Arin.

Like treating a cavity—it might hurt a little, but it’s necessary.