Chapter 88: Those With Memories (6)

‘What are you going to do if a monster makes a surprise attack while you’re so weak?’

I slowly exhaled, recalling Akari’s words.

Her gaze seemed pitiful.

However, I knew that it was Akari’s own worry, so I couldn’t laugh it off.

‘The fact that Akari was worried about me means that I looked that precarious.’

It was a little dizzy, but not so much that I couldn’t endure it.

Akari—more precisely, when she was searching for Apocalypse, she had pushed herself harder than she did now.

So this much was nothing.

“You came today too, Emerald-sama.”

“Yes… By the way, isn’t it a little noisy?”

The inside of the association was unusually bustling.

I looked at the guide, wondering if something was going on, but the guide’s expression was closer to joy than serious.

It was as if she was happy that there was less work to do—

“I heard that the magical girls who applied here arrived today!”

“…I see.”

It was awkward, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

It was always welcome to have more magical girls who could help people together.

However, it wasn’t something to be completely happy about.

Among them, there might be someone who encounters Akari—no, there might be someone who came looking for Akari.

‘Ruby and Sapphire weren’t the only ones who had memories of the previous world…’

 

If you didn’t feel anything when you saw the recent events, that would be even stranger.

Fanaticism about the destruction of the world.

A desire to overthrow the system.

A group that followed monsters and even a pseudo-religion that used a red halo as its symbol.

[Emerald, her expression is not good.]

“For a moment, I was thinking about something else.”

[Akari, right?]

“…Yeah.”

At first, I thought that finding Apocalypse and defeating it would be the end of it.

When I realized that Akari wasn’t Apocalypse, I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to fight Apocalypse.

And when Akari didn’t hurt Sapphire and Ruby, I even had a strange confidence.

This world was completely different from the previous world.

People, magical girls, wouldn’t suffer anymore.

But.

‘There was a riot in the streets!’

‘A mob that was performing human sacrifices appeared—’

‘People started filing complaints to the association, saying that they had to find the Black Angel.’

The world began to become chaotic for another reason.

Would it have been better if I hadn’t had my previous memories?

No, if I had, I might have ended up dealing with Apocalypse instead of Akari, like in the original world.

Yes, it’s better now.

Right now, it’s just because people don’t know that Akari isn’t dangerous—so—

“…Your Majesty? Emerald-sama?”

“Oh, yes. Go ahead.”

“Would you like to meet her? Everyone’s application lists Emerald-sama’s name.”

“…My name?”

Normally, I would have gladly accepted it, but today felt strange.

My name was written there? Why on earth?

Suspicion took precedence over pure appreciation.

Even though I knew I shouldn’t be suspicious, I kept on going, going, going—

[Emerald.]

“Ah… I’ll meet her.”

I barely came to my senses when I heard May’s voice next to me.

Come on, Emerald. You know you shouldn’t be suspicious of people, right?

The guide who smiled brightly at my words began to guide me to the room where the other magical girls were.

What kind of people could they be?

I entered the room with half anticipation and half anxiety, and the result was—

“Welcome, Emerald-sama.”

“Hello.”

“Looking at them like this, it feels new. Isn’t it?”

“…That’s right, yes.”

Would it have been better if my memory had been a little worse?

If not, at least if I knew how to act, it would have been a little different.

I couldn’t help but instinctively take on an awkward attitude toward a familiar face.

Of course, the magical girls in front of me were definitely people in my memories.

And not in the memories of the current world, but in the memories of the previous world.

“I thought Emerald-sama had memories too.”

“No, it was only natural that she had memories. Shouldn’t Emerald-sama have been in the center in the first place?”

“…”

Some of the magical girls who had gathered to defeat Apocalypse.

They were all people who had died in battle.

“Emerald-sama.”

“…Yes.”

“Can I assume that you came all the way to this remote village to defeat Apocalypse?”

“…”

The answer was already set in stone.

No matter what I said, it would be awkward.

The other person probably knew that, which is why he asked me this question.

“If not, there would be no reason for you to be here, right?”

“I—”

“You wouldn’t be hiding Apocalypse or anything, would you…”

“Ah, would Emerald-nim do that? She was the one who worked harder than anyone else to defeat Apocalypse.”

There was no innocence in their eyes.

There was only madness.

“I’ll assume you knew everything.”

“You know everything, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“That child is not Apocalypse.”

With a snap.

Silence filled the surroundings as if someone had cut the film from a movie that was currently showing.

“Pfft…”

“Aha, ahahahahahahahaha!!!!”

“Really, really…”

That was a funny joke, Emerald-sama.

The atmosphere became quiet as the burst of laughter stopped.

What will they think of me now?

A traitor who betrayed humanity? Or a fool who was fooled by Apocalypse?

“Are you aware of what you’re saying right now?”

“You can ask me again and my answer will be the same. That child, Akari, is not Apocalypse.”

“Well… That’s not for you to decide.”

Acquaintances, family, neighbors—and their own lives.

The anger of those who had lost everything gathered and began to shoot at me.

[It seems like you’re going to fight, Emerald.]

“…Yeah.”

As I raised my hopes, the other magical girls began to rush in.

A movement to subdue me somehow.

I hurriedly tried to fly my body, but it was quite difficult to dodge freely in the narrow space.

“Everyone, calm down! This isn’t a problem that can be solved by fighting among ourselves!”

“It won’t be a problem that can be solved by fighting among ourselves—at least we can capture you, right?”

“Huh?!”

My arm groaned as I blocked the outstretched fist.

A physical enhancement ability, perhaps?

I was confident that I was not inferior to anyone when dealing with monsters, but dealing with a fellow magical girl was a different story.

“I’m disappointed, Emerald-sama. I never thought you’d be fooled by Apocalypse’s sweet words…”

“Well, wouldn’t you come back if I just hit your head a little?”

“Stop being violent. Emerald-sama was just lost for a moment.”

Judging on your own, sacrificing on your own.

As I shook off my cold arm and clenched my teeth, the magical girls’ eyes became sharp.

A look that seemed to ask if I had given up yet.

‘…Isn’t that obvious?’

There’s no way I could give up.

And that ‘holding on’ thing I mentioned earlier.

That was definitely—

“If you lay a finger on Akari—”

“Ha, hahaha… This is serious? Well, if that guy disappears, Emerald-sama will return to normal.”

“…The magical girls I can trust have already been sent. Give up, Emerald-sama.”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Onyx.”

They’ve already been sent.

I didn’t think Akari would be affected, but… What if, what if, what if Akari was in danger?

Could I forgive these people?

“Please get out of the way. I don’t want to hurt you all.”

“I’m sorry, but I won’t lose in a fight between magical girls.”

The magical girl with her hair tied up in a ponytail blocked my path once again.

Could I get through in time?

No, there’s no need to knock her down and escape.

A brief gap. Because I just had to use that gap to slip out the door.

“Block the door, Onyx. And don’t even think about making a fuss, Topaz.”

“…Yeah.”

“You can at least be on guard, right? If they come at you… I’ll have no choice but to knock them down.”

But there were three of them on that side.

One was blocking me, one was blocking the door, and the other was checking the overall situation.

It must have been teamwork honed through overcoming hardships and battles together.

It was really unfortunate that they were using that on me, a magical girl, and not a monster.

[I don’t think they’ll let you go, Emerald.]

“Can we get through it?”

[…I’m not sure. After all, magical girls have never fought each other before.]

It was a power given to deal with monsters in the first place.

Not to fight each other, but to deal with enemies.

“Your eyes seem to say that we don’t need to fight among ourselves, Emerald-sama.”

“…”

“I think the same.”

“Then why…”

“If a magical girl doesn’t do things like protecting monsters, then that’s it.”

I eventually shut my mouth at those words that felt cold rather than resolute.

It seemed like she had no intention of understanding at all.