Ch.9797. Before Epilogue – Assistant

“Let’s just talk openly.”

Bine says this while gradually lowering the handcuffs that had been causing me pain from the ceiling.

“Isn’t the Association placing too much responsibility on such young children?”

“…And who’s making them bear that responsibility?”

“The Association, not us. We’re not your enemy. If anything, we’ve been protecting children like you.”

“Ha, right now you’ve done so much…”

“That’s unavoidable sacrifice. We protect when we need to protect.”

Bine brings a chair for me to sit on and connects the handcuff chains to the floor.

“There, does it hurt anywhere? Any places that pull?”

“Why are you suddenly being like this?”

“You agreed to cooperate, didn’t you? This is the appropriate reward. Even for a small magical girl like you, our Eden can offer good deals.”

“When did I…”

“Oh, you’re not cooperating? Should I hang you up again?”

Bine, who had been struggling to secure the chains behind me, asked with an annoyed expression.

My instinct seemed to answer for me.

“Why are you shaking your head so frantically?”

“Ugh…”

“See? You have a sufficiently childish mind. What are they doing, sending kids whose ink hasn’t even dried on their IDs?”

Having secured all the chains, Bine pulled over a desk and chair and sat down in front of me.

After flipping through a folder filled with notes for a while, he closed it and continued.

“Don’t you agree? Instead of children like you, they should be facing real adults.”

“…You’re young too.”

“Well, my body may look like this, but my mind is much older than yours.”

“…Old before your time.”

“Yes, yes. That’s right. Can’t help it with this body. Well, monsters don’t grow up.”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that, squirt?”

“Are you aware how ill-suited those words are coming from someone who looks like you?”

“Yes. I am. I know it well. Now… anyway, I’ll just ask for your impression of the test.”

“…? Test?”

“That thing on your neck.”

“…Ah.”

“We had a chance to test it after rescuing Ellie. But for you, it’s the first time using a newly made one.”

“…”

“You’ll cooperate, right? As far as I know, the necklaces used by the Association work on magical girls too. That miracle thing or whatever. I want to know if the doctor’s similar creation works properly.”

“…If this wasn’t working properly, would this place still be intact?”

“True. No matter how sturdy this room is, it would have some damage. How does it feel to be unable to use your power?”

“…”

I clench and unclench my hand.

I try to gather magical energy in one spot.

It doesn’t gather.

It’s like…

Like when I get close, it suddenly scatters.

I try to circulate it.

If I speed up, it shouldn’t scatter so easily.

“Ungh…”

But something’s wrong.

I can’t control it, it’s strange.

It feels more elusive than stealing water or letting air slip through your fingers.

The feeling of grasping at nothing.

“How is it?”

“…Powerless.”

“Is that so.”

Though I spoke calmly, as I felt it again, I couldn’t remain calm.

Just because of this necklace, the power I had…

Even at full strength I was no match for Bine, and now…

Completely neutralized… unable to even resist.

“…Yeah.”

“Hmm. Good. Simply returning a magical girl to an ordinary girl. Rather than disposing of all magical girls after achieving our cause, neutralizing them like this and then managing them might be a better approach. If we mass-produce these.”

“Mass-produce… these…”

“Why, doesn’t the Association have things like this too?”

“Ah…”

“Ellie said that the magical energy she tried to gather would scatter before it could even form. We put it on her and studied it because we didn’t know how to remove it.”

“…Yeah.”

“And after completing our investigation, we removed it and put it on another monster. They said the same thing. Now, how about you?”

“Powerless…”

“Don’t just say ‘powerless.’ More details.”

“Just… powerless.”

*Sigh…*

Bine held his head in his hands and sighed.

But I was in no state of mind to notice such things.

If I succumb to something like this, I’ll be completely helpless.

If they mass-produce these, magical girls will revert to ordinary girls without being able to respond.

If that happens.

If they improve these further.

If even our enhanced physical strength disappears.

Then, just one act of violence from Bine like earlier could kill me instantly.

The true fear of death approaches.

That child in front of me holds my lifeline.

Only now could I truly feel something.

Until now, death during a mission seemed like something from a fantasy.

With this weakened body, dragged into the heart of a villain organization.

I could physically feel that anything could happen to me.

“Ah. Aah…”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

I should have spoken more gently to Bine earlier.

I could have found out then, why didn’t I know?

Why,

Why,

Oh, what will happen to me?

Will I die abandoned in this secret base that no one knows about?

Why did I resist?

If I die, it’s all for nothing.

Negative emotions bring more negative emotions,

Negative thoughts bring more negative thoughts, creating a cycle of negativity.

The amplified fear was enough to shorten my thoughts.

“S-save me, no, please save me. Ah, aah…”

“…Oh?”

My young mind, already weakened by pain.

It was so easy to break.

Even though I’m a magical girl.

* * *

“Alright, investigation complete. That’s it for today.”

“…Yes.”

“Good girl, good girl. Yes, yes.”

“Yesss…”

“But. If you’re not good… *snap*—”

Bine, who had been patting Yuri’s head, pokes her temple with his finger.

Yuri’s mind was already so cornered that just this action was enough to terrify her.

“Hii, hiik…! P-please spare me please please…”

“Yes, yes. If you follow my instructions, I’ll at least let you live. But…”

“B-but…?”

“Your arms, legs… eyes, tongue, nose… you’ll have to earn those yourself?”

“Hii, hiik??!!?!?”

“Pfuhu… I like your terrified look too. Good. I was going to give up on this today.”

“W-what…?”

“Let me make you a very good offer.”

“W-what is it…?”

“Your limbs will remain intact. Rather than being confined in this prison, you’ll be able to move around freely.”

“H-how…”

“Have you ever heard of the corruption of magical girls?”

“What…?”

“Well, from our perspective, calling it ‘corruption’ doesn’t feel great. But that’s the basic term.”

“C-corruption…”

“We start by remaking your heart. Follow our justice, join our cause. It means accepting you as a comrade! If you’d rather live as a prisoner, no, a criminal. If you want to live as an experimental subject for the rest of your life, well…”

“N-no, I d-don’t want thaaaat…”

“Shall I be honest with you? Haven’t we considered destroying your personality and implanting a new, brainwashed one?”

“B-brainwashing, p-personality destruction means…”

“Yes. It’s as good as death. The current you goes to the afterlife. A new personality becomes our excellent combat or research resource.”

“N-no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooo…”

“You don’t want that, do you? Death.”

“Nonononononononononononononononono…”

“Right. It’s troublesome for us too. When would we have time to design and implant a new personality?”

“Ugh… ugh… ughhhhh…!! No…”

“Yes, I know you don’t want that. Let’s just… yes, take simple measures. We won’t touch your personality. We’ll help you corrupt yourself. I’ll bring you a small visor. It’s a machine that just helps you think ‘correctly.’ MC Square… hmm, you might not know it. Anyway, it’s similar.”

“…I, I won’t die, I don’t have to die?”

“No. Because you’ll obey well. Right?”

“Yes, yesss…”

“It means we’ll just redirect your thinking to our way. Of course, ah… never mind.”

Bine, having gotten more than he wanted, stood up and prepared to leave.

Of course, thinking that he should reward the child who had unexpectedly obeyed so well today.

There must be rewards and punishments to properly bring someone in such a state to his side.

Isolation, threats, and a little persuasion.

A young soul can be easily swayed with just this much.

Because of foolishness, they fall easily.

Because of foolishness, they can be easily deceived.

“Yes. Since you’ve been such a good child from day one. I’ll try to adjust your test bed assignment somehow.”

“Th-thank you. Thank youuu… I, I don’t like pain…”

“I’ll have food sent in a little while. I’ll send the device with it. Think about how you can join us.”

“Yes, yesss…”

With those final words, Bine left the room.

With light steps, thinking he had one more thing to boast about to Ellie.

Of course, he had to maintain heavy footsteps until the door closed.

* * *

“Did you sleep well? It’s better now that you have some range of movement, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Good. How’s your mind?”

“…A bit hazy. Something. Something…”

“Good. How was the food?”

“I, I ate it well… th-thank you…”

“Pfuh. When you’ve completely changed, I’ll prepare a grand feast for you.”

“Yes, yesss…”

“Ah, we’re going to install a new educational device. It’s a simple machine where you just sit and do as instructed. Use it for at least 6 hours every day from now on.”

“…Yes.”

“Well then, keep struggling to survive.”

* * *

“…”

“You look a bit different.”

“Yes.”

“Your hair has turned white.”

“Yes.”

“Who are you?”

“…Magical Girl Plum. I was… but now under the Boss and Mr. Bine. Under…”

“…Still not enough. I’ll come back later.”

“Ah… ah, aah… aaah…!”

* * *

“You’re here?”

“…Did she change this much in just one day?”

“I thought about everything, and it seemed strange. Why did I act that way? Like an idiot.”

“Have you gained some insight?”

“Yeah. *Sigh*… Actually, it wasn’t even worth worrying about. Sacrifice and all that… the real damage would come from abandoning the Boss.”

“Hmm…”

“Bine. Do you still not trust me?”

“No. Of course not. You’ve changed like a reed swaying in the wind.”

“*Sigh*… Then let’s do this.”

“…? You’re making a proposal?”

“Yeah. It won’t hurt to listen. Modify this necklace so you can control my actions and words. And… if I betray the Boss, plant a bomb that will explode. Would you trust me then?”

“…? Where did that little girl who feared death go?”

“Death? Ha, the Boss will take care of everything anyway. What does it matter?”

“You said you were afraid of pain?”

“…I am afraid. It’s still vivid. But the pain of losing the Boss would be greater. I’m certain.”

Bine closed the folder with a thud and stood up, saying:

“Very well, let’s proceed with the procedure. We’ll make it so we can control your magical power too. How about that?”

“Good. Finally… I can serve the Boss…”

Bine smiled faintly.

The sweet smile of success that had finally arrived.