Ch.2727. Shall I Show You?

Finally, I returned to the dormitory.

I wanted to collapse without even changing my clothes due to mental exhaustion, but…

Work had to be done.

First, I needed to organize the items I’d brought.

There were more boxes from the Association than I expected.

I was about to open the largest box first when…

“Vine unnie! I’m back! Huh? What’s that?”

Arin opened the front door and came in.

“Ah, Arin. You’re back early today.”

“It’s exam period. Wow, that box is really big, isn’t it?”

“Yes. These are my belongings from the confiscated items storage. Ah, this must be that thing.”

“What thing? What is it? I’m curious! Tell me too!”

“You might be surprised when you see it yourself, Arin.”

“What’s so surprising? Is it dangerous?”

“Hmm, I suppose you could say it’s dangerous. Here, see for yourself.”

I grabbed the corner of the box and opened it.

Inside was, as I expected…

“Well, here’s my other self. It’s been a long time.”

“W-what is that? A staff? A wand?”

The one who answered Arin’s curious questions was Blanc, who had somehow appeared beside us.

“Arin, this is a tail. It’s the first time I’ve seen it detached like this.”

“What? A tail? How is this a tail…?”

Well, if she’s that curious, it might be better to show her directly.

But I’m a bit worried about demonstrating it in here.

I can’t turn the living room I just tidied into a mess.

Hmm, is there a space where I could test it…?

“Blanc, is there a place nearby where I could test this? Or should I go back to the Association?”

“Hmm, there’s a training ground in the basement of this apartment. It’s smaller than the Association’s training facility, but would that work?”

“Yes. I just want to give Arin a quick demonstration. Let me grab my weapons and we’ll head down.”

Upon hearing that, Arin cheered.

“I get to see Vine unnie’s cool side? Great! Let’s go right now!”

“Arin, first we need to see what we have. Please wait a moment. Most of these boxes probably contain weapons.”

Yes. The box I was opening contained pistols and daggers.

When I opened another box, it contained my custom firearms.

Guns made to fit my small hands.

Designed to convert and generate magical power.

Well, magical girls can’t even be scratched without magic bullets anyway.

It’s been so long since I’ve touched these.

“Yes, these are the boxes. That box is…”

I opened the last small box that was visible.

Yes, it contains my uniform.

The uniform of Eden, which has now disappeared.

That emblem shining on the hat… I won’t need it anymore.

There was also another set of clothes that wasn’t an Eden uniform, which were the clothes I wore when I was released and continued to wear.

Since people recognized those clothes, I had raided a nearby used clothing bin.

Those clothes are probably stored in the deepest, safest part of my closet.

I couldn’t bring myself to sell them.

“This box doesn’t contain weapons, so I’ll put it in my room for now.”

“What’s in that box?”

Arin, who had been examining the boxes containing weapons, asked.

“Just clothes. Nothing special. Just a phone and accessories I used at Eden. Please wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”

After roughly putting the box in my bedroom closet, we headed to the basement of the dormitory.

The dormitory is on the top floor of an ordinary apartment building.

It feels like a penthouse, but it’s not that luxurious.

Perhaps they chose the top floor to make it two stories.

Apparently, this apartment building is owned by the Association anyway.

That’s why they could build a training ground in the basement…

But the basement I entered following Blanc was far from the “small” training ground she described.

How is this considered small? This seems more than adequate.

The numerous facilities visible on the way to the training ground.

It’s almost like a mini-Association.

“B-Blanc? Didn’t you say it was small? This looks like the Association itself…?”

“Well, in emergencies, the Association comes down here to command operations. This is an emergency bunker.”

“Wait, if it’s for emergencies, why are there people working here? Who are those people?”

“Ah, those are employees who work here as a condition for living in the apartment. The Association Director thought it would be a waste to leave these facilities unused. Don’t worry about it.”

“What? That’s… Sigh. I see. I’m not even surprised anymore.”

“Just put your stuff down over there. Setting the magic enhancement to maximum level… Arin! Could you close that door?”

As Arin closed the door, the overall flow of magical power began to change.

The walls seemed to strengthen, like they were reinforced by a layer.

“Now… in the app… Vine… weapon restriction… release, ability restriction release. Now, show us.”

“You can control my collar too? How…?”

“Come on, that’s not important. Don’t you want to show Arin how scary you can be?”

Saying that, Blanc pushed an excited Arin toward me.

“Ah, Arin. Please don’t come closer right now. This feels rather strange. Haah…”

“Your magic is returning to its original state. Let me know when you’re ready.”

“… Aren’t you afraid, Blanc?”

“Of what?”

“That I might regain my abilities, attack you, and gain my freedom. How can you be sure I won’t?”

Hearing that, Blanc sighed and answered.

“First, I don’t think you’ll attack me and run away.”

“Hah, that’s exactly what the Director said.”

“And second, Arin is here, right? Would you show her that side of you?”

“…”

“And third. That thing around your neck, I’m the one controlling it. Even if I couldn’t control it, I don’t think you could defeat me anyway.”

“Wait, what did you say?”

“Does that answer your question? Come on, get ready.”

“I’ll remember what you just said clearly. I’ll let it slide for now since Arin is watching, but you can look forward to it…”

With those words, I opened the largest box.

The box that contained the tail from earlier.

I lifted my skirt slightly to attach the tail’s connector.

“… Arin, Blanc. Could you please stop staring like that? It’s a bit embarrassing…”

“O-okay!”

“Yes! J-just let us know when you’re done…!”

The two of them turned around after answering, so…

I aligned the tail’s connector with my spine and… gently inserted it like this.

The sensation of the tail, which I hadn’t felt for a long time, spread through my spine to my brain and throughout my body.

With a slightly tingling feeling, I curled and uncurled the tail.

I stretched and contracted it repeatedly, waiting to get used to it again.

“Alright, you can look now. What do you think?”

Arin looked at my tail with eyes that said it was truly amazing.

Well, I thought it looked amazing too when I first received it from the Doctor.

Honestly, a tail made of mechanical joints is quite romantic.

Plus, it’s useful in both combat and daily life.

And Blanc was looking at it with a nostalgic expression, as if reminiscing about the past.

“A-hem. Well, let me show you the tail’s functions first. Blanc already knows, right?”

“Yes, but Arin is seeing it for the first time, so please explain.”

“Alright, Arin. Try to follow with your eyes.”

As I get used to the feeling of magic circulating through every corner of my body, I slowly try gliding again.

Concentrating slowly.

Recalling forgotten memories, as I was trained.

After getting used to floating slightly, I freely move around the training ground.

“Wow! You’re so fast! How can you fly so quickly and accurately…?”

“You could do it too with practice, Arin.”

Saying that, I attempt to attack the mannequin Blanc had set up.

First, I concentrate magical power at the tip of my tail…

The tail rises behind my back, above my head, and splits into five parts, extending to my arms and legs, then spews fire.

KWABANG—

A crimson flash erupts from the five tail tips.

What remains at the end of that flash is nothing but ashes.

Yes, what used to be a mannequin.

It must have been reinforced for magical girl training.

With a slight feeling of exhilaration mixed with fatigue, I ask Arin:

“So, this is my basic attack. I concentrated the firepower a bit. What do you think?”

Arin stares at me with a dazed expression.

And Blanc watches with eyes deep in memories.

Though there seemed to be more than just memories in Blanc’s eyes.

As the hazy smoke clears, Arin finally responds.

“… That was a regular attack?”

“Yes, I can use it more briefly and concisely in succession. I can form bullet curtains or use it for sniping. It has surprisingly good range.”

“Ah, um… what?”

“Oh, and in close combat, I use it for stabbing, and I used to use it instead of hands. It’s quite a useful tail!”

“No, I mean, the splitting part, I…”

For some reason, Arin seemed at a loss for words.

Speaking in her place, Blanc said,

“Yeah, that was really annoying. How each part moved independently. It was frustrating how each tail moved as if it had its own eyes.”

“That’s because your movements were that easy to read, Blanc.”

“Well, Arin. When we train together, let’s start with you dodging attacks from these cute tails. Ah, I don’t want to hurt Arin, so… I’ll adjust the output.”

“Uh, uhh… Unnie. P-please spare me…?”

Sorry for Arin, but it’s too early to be surprised.