Chapter 87 : Change #9

February 13, 2012

“Cough. Ah… I should have cleaned it properly before using it.”

The tent I had bought with money earned from part-time jobs at the cafe and other odd jobs for preparing for the apocalypse was full of dust. In the end, now that I had fully declared to prevent destruction, the apocalypse supplies I had buried in various places around Japan became my living necessities in Elysion.

Rustle rustle

I wriggled out of my sleeping bag, then quickly took off my pajamas. I fumbled to put on the underwear I had carelessly taken off earlier, then put on the Elysion resident fashion—a white dress reaching the knees—made by the magical girl of [Sewing] and fastened the belt. Now I looked presentable enough to go outside without embarrassment.

When I put on the dress and roughly tightened the belt, it pulled tight due to my chest, making a strange A-frame tent-like shape. So before tightening the belt, I had to gently pat under my chest to leave enough room, then put it on to make it look proper.

“Hmm. That looks about right.”

The design of this white dress, said to be from the era when the goddess of [Beginning] existed, was simple but softer and more comfortable than any material. So the magical girls staying in Elysion asked for clothes from the blonde girl quietly making clothes in the village below the lighthouse, giving her the name ‘Penelope’.

-I like the name… Please let me know anytime you need clothes.

Penelope said she was a girl who made clothes even before being sealed on this island, before becoming a magical girl. The magical girls who received her clothes as gifts would give her candies or decorations that could only be seen outside the island, or show her videos of movies and performances.

With that pleasant feeling, I crawled on my knees to the tent entrance and opened the semicircular entrance zipper. The refreshing sea breeze blowing from far away greeted me under the cloudless sky.

“Miss Shirogane!”

The girls of the Free Magical Girl Federation, knowing that I set up camp near the training ground, had been sparring in the training ground since dawn, waiting for me to wake up.

“Oh? It’s Miss Shirogane!”

“Good morning!”

“Waaah! Your Majesty! You’re awake!”

“Your Majesty! Today too, we’ve been dedicating ourselves to training to become more excellent magical girls!”

“Miss Lihua, don’t you get tired doing that every day? It hasn’t been long since you came back from home.”

Chen Lihua wrapped her whole body in lightning and quickly went back and forth in just two hours when Elysion, floating over the sea, approached near Taiwan. I was worried that her family might have been harmed, but nothing happened, so I was relieved.

As soon as Chen Lihua returned to her home located in northern Taiwan, she immediately declared:

-I’m going to become a magical girl who can protect people in Elysion!

-Okay, take care.

Chen Lihua’s mother, who carelessly packed her lunchbox and clothes, just patted her back and smiled, she said. Thus, the reunion between the daughter who declared she would move to the sky island after finishing her 4-month stay in America and her mother ended in an hour.

“Even if she acts like that on the outside, she must be worried inside, so please use the warp gate to visit sometimes.”

“My mom is a strong person.”

Chen Lihua proudly smiled, her white coat fluttering.

“It’s my mom who told me to become a person who does right and just things, so she’s supporting me.”

“…Still, there’s still time before the fight with demons, so please cherish your family.”

“Yes! Of course!”

She smiled like a bright flash of light in the dark sky.

“Then I’ll be going for the next training! The breakfast is delicious, so make sure to eat it!”

“…”

Including Chen Lihua, there were not a few magical girls who had completely moved into Elysion with conviction. And hundreds of magical girls with complicated family situations or nowhere to rely on decided to live going back and forth between Elysion and the Sky Garden.

‘I was really surprised that the entire Free Magical Girl Federation decided to stay in Elysion.’

The United States finally gave up completely on persuading the Free Magical Girl Federation and agreed to allow the installation of warp gates connected to Elysion and unlimited entry of the Sirius.

The Russian President eventually resigned. And the new Minister of Defense, who was appointed as the head of the interim government to replace him, also allowed the installation of warp gates and entry of the Sirius. They also agreed to put all state-recognized magical girls of Russia under the protection of [Beginning].

The announcement of the demon invasion spread rather quietly as rumors, and most countries just focused on interacting with the magical girl city.

‘I’m thinking of squeezing the Divine Maiden soon to declare domains in parts of the United States and Russia.’

As payment for executing the observation magic that shows real-time views of the whole world like a kaleidoscope, the Divine Maiden was bedridden for a while with her starlight depleted. Although she was a born 3-star, she was a nominal apostle that the goddess of [Beginning] only made appear outwardly for deception. So the total amount of starlight she could use was relatively small compared to her combat ability and the size of her authority.

‘If we fight for 5 minutes, she’d be one step below me in an intense battle, and anything beyond that would be her certain defeat.’

This was the result of my assessment after analyzing her for days using cause and effect reversal.

Due to Ichika’s full blooming, which made the Kansai region of Japan her jurisdiction, the domain of [Deception] that gained some leeway now included Shanghai.

Now, if we protect the east and west coasts of the United States and Moscow with domains, it would mean forward bases would be established in all locations where trial demons appear. So I was planning to send the Divine Maiden to the United States and Russia to declare domains as soon as she recovered, and the Divine Maiden silently agreed to my thoughts without saying anything.

-It’s a bit… hard to face the magical girl of Revelation. I’m sorry.

Yuki felt uncomfortable even talking with Sumire, who had a similarly bad image, but after conversing a few times, she was fine with her because she knew Sumire had completely left Fujimoto of her own will to protect magical girls.

But she still openly showed her aversion to the Divine Maiden and found it difficult to even face her. I guess it’s hard to compare the Divine Maiden, who fully retains the memories of ignoring people, with Sumire, who changed due to my choice, on the same level.

Ding

Just as I was thinking about Yuki, a message from her arrived on my phone.

‘Actually, Yuki is the only one who sends messages every day.’

[I submitted an application to a public high school near home… Is it okay to do this when destruction might be approaching?]

Numerous telecommunications companies had rushed to offer to install satellite internet networks in Elysion for free, so we collaborated with the most suitable company among them, and wireless internet was now available in Elysion. They asked us to emphasize that it was their company’s internet installed in the magical girls’ city, so we put up a signboard with the company logo in the square.

Tap tap

[I’m here to prevent that. I’d like Yuki to cherish her daily life.]

Send.

The read mark appeared instantly, and a photo was uploaded.

A photo of a teenage model posing in a girl’s school uniform.

[It’s the uniform of the school I’m applying to, do you think it would suit me?]

[Yuki is cute, so anything would suit you.]

Send.

By the way, I was looking forward to what breakfast menu Chen Lihua, who is quite picky about food, had highly praised. I listened to Yuki’s worries adequately while walking towards the free restaurant next to the square.

[…It feels like you’re just responding casually while on your way to eat.]

Sharp one.

[No, I really am looking forward to it. Will you show me wearing it sometime?]

[I haven’t even taken the entrance exam yet?]

Sometimes when Yuki hears an answer she doesn’t like, she persistently clings to it.

How could I possibly know about the Japanese high school admission system?

But I couldn’t accept giving such a sharp answer to Yuki myself, so I tried to say it as indirectly as possible.

[I’ll definitely come to cheer for you on the day of the exam.]

Send.

The sign at the restaurant I arrived at said that a magical girl from Italy was today’s chef in charge.

“Give me another cornetto!”

“One shakerato, please!”

“I’ll give you the decorations I made later, so please give me some more sandwiches~”

The huge restaurant was filled with the bustling sounds of hundreds of magical girls getting breakfast.

‘Everyone’s so energetic from the morning.’

Looking at the menu, it was a sweet menu with chewy cornetto-like pastries, sweet rusks, sandwiches with various ingredients, and drinks with plenty of cream and syrup poured over espresso.

On days when a magical girl with cooking-related abilities was in charge of the menu, such luxurious menus were served.

“There’s a coffee machine too. Should I ask for an Americano?”

Since today’s chef is Italian, they’ll surely make delicious coffee.

I swallowed my drooling saliva.

Ding

[…Do you really have to come?]

[I’ll definitely come.]

I gave a confident answer to Yuki, who still seemed to lack confidence, and entered the restaurant to have breakfast. And as soon as I entered, I spent 15 minutes calming down the magical girls who greeted me loudly. Meanwhile, it seemed I received some inquiry from Sumire, but it was a request for permission to produce and sell merchandise modeled after my appearance, so I just told her to do as she pleased.

‘It’s not business ethics for otakus who know everything to play hard to get with each other.’