episode_0023

“Just in case, I want to make it clear that it wasn’t me who got burned.”

“Oh, is that so.”

“It wasn’t me who got burned, it was my parents and my older brother.”

…

Nao and Team Leader Misaki sat in the empty living room, facing Shiori who had poured tea into paper cups.

“I won’t disclose where my hometown is to prevent identification. I live far from Neodongtan, with a changed identity including name, workplace, and age. Thanks to government support, some of the burn marks have also faded.”

“But what’s burnt isn’t erased, right?”

I asked.

Shiori seemed slightly surprised by me speaking instead of Team Leader Misaki, but Misaki silently gestured towards me while sipping his tea.

“Is mental care done by Mr. Mumei? Not the team leader?”

“The team leader does it too, but my main duty is managing the magical girls.”

“I see. You must be going through a lot in such a difficult situation.”

Shiori smiles wryly.

“I’ve unintentionally caused trouble. Because of our team.”

“I never thought of it as trouble. If there’s a mistake, it’s the public servant who made the wrong judgment on-site.”

“…What would have been the right judgment on-site?”

Shiori asks, looking down at the tea in the paper cup.

I turned my gaze towards Misaki, who cleared his throat and adjusted his posture.

“If it were me, I would have immediately requested support in Tokyo.”

“Because you thought the on-site magical girls couldn’t handle it?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps they could have succeeded.”

“Talking about dreams and hopes is nice, but you can’t aim for a 0.3% miracle every time. It’s like saying you’ll pull a 5-star character every time in a single draw in a gacha game.”

“…?”

Suddenly talking about mobile games—

“That’s right. Such miracles don’t happen easily. It’s like getting two SSR pickup characters in a 10-pull consecutively.”

Ah.

Young magical girls these days use game analogies in conversations.

Misaki knows Shiori’s personality, hence using an empathetic tone.

“Team Leader Misaki. Let me start with the conclusion. I have no intention of leaving the RGB team.”

It’s good she came to a clear conclusion first.

“But regarding the failure of the RGB team like this time, I don’t want to hear such words as the mayor said. I think other magical girls in Neodongtan feel the same way.”

Instead, Shiori straightforwardly presented her demands.

“I hope problems caused by the mistaken judgment of absentee managers on-site won’t be passed on to magical girls. If it doesn’t seem to improve, I hope the judgments of magical girls on-site will be respected.”

Her demands are quite extensive.

One might think that, but from the perspective of a magical girl, demanding this is natural.

“In the end, we are the ones facing monsters on-site, experiencing terrible things, and suffering the consequences.”

“I will take action, Shiori.”

The material assets destroyed by magical girls’ battles and the damages to their owners?

I almost said that, but I’m not someone who would complain like that to someone traumatized by such situations.

Almost got burned in the fire.

The whole family except herself got burned.

Probably a way of saying she survived because she’s a magical girl.

“I apologize to Team Leader Misaki in many ways. We just became a team, and now we’re faced with such demanding requests. But I hope you understand.”

As someone who suffered from the consequences of the manager’s wrong decisions, it’s hard not to have doubts about the manager.

“If such a thing happens due to the manager’s problem this time. And if the damage is passed on to the magical girls. I will leave the RGB team and become a ‘free witch.’”

“Shiori, that’s.”

“Yes. It means becoming a freelance magical girl.”

“……”

“I am a specialist in villain battles.”

As Shiori reached out her hand, green mana began to emanate from her hand.

“Restraint using tree trunks. I could even create a ‘prison’ made of trees, so I was a somewhat well-known magical girl even before coming to Neodongtan.”

“I know. The former mayor personally scouted Shiori.”

“Yes. Although he has now fallen out of favor with the mayor….”

Shiori pointed below with a firm expression.

“As you can see, I am someone who is always ready to leave this place at any time. I don’t even think about penalties, but if Neodongtanshi breaches the contract first, I will leave as a free agent based on that.”

“Shiori.”

I adjusted my posture and raised a paper cup like a teacup.

“You don’t trust adults.”

“……”

Shiori pursed her lips.

Just because a magical girl transforms doesn’t mean she’s different from humans, so her facial expression is Shiori’s natural one.

“I haven’t investigated Shiori separately, but considering the conversations I’ve had with Shiori so far, I understand.”

It’s inevitable.

“In the past, there was a leak of information from Shiori’s management team.”

“…….!!”

“Probably, the mayor or someone important in Shiori’s hometown leaked the information in an attempt to capture Shiori, leading to the exposure of Shiori’s residence.”

“……”

“People’s interest is one thing. When problems arise, the management team didn’t take care of it. Right?”

“…Yes.”

Shiori’s expression softened slightly.

“Not only did they not take care of it…they.”

“Did they leak the information themselves?”

“Just a moment.”

Team leader Misaki looked flustered and placed her hand on my thigh.

“Mr. Mumei. Are you saying that someone from the Special Investigations Agency leaked information to the targets of revenge?”

“Whether it’s a delay, a grudge, a blood relation, or money involved, not everyone working in the Special Investigations Agency acts like Team Leader Misaki. Not everyone who takes on public duties lives for justice and peace.”

Shiori nodded lightly, smiling wryly.

“Our team defeated a demon together. Yes, it was about ten years ago. I was only seven years old at the time, but as a special magical girl, I was mobilized for battle. Our team worked together, and even though I was a rookie, I could still perform.”

“Was this before Dongtan was destroyed?”

“Yes. Around that time.”

Perhaps a time when one had to risk their life to fight demons.

“We defeated the demon. And shortly after that, ‘Madam Sandalphon’ came-”

“Just a moment.”

Shiori tried to talk about the past with a serious face, but I reached out my hand to stop her.

“Madam Sandalphon?”

“Yes. She’s a madam, right? The mother figure of magical girls. With respect and admiration.”

“Isn’t that a title for married women?”

“Well… I’m not sure. People call her that, so I do too.”

I don’t know who she is, but I should search her up soon; maybe smartphones are available now.

Wouldn’t searching for Sandalphon be risky?

Just searching on the internet wiki should be fine.

And it’s also a problem that must be solved.

“Alright. And Shiori? You don’t have to talk about it anymore. I’m sorry for bringing up painful memories, but that’s enough.”

“Yes?”

“The demands of Miss Shiori, perhaps most of them can be accommodated. No, this person might have come here prepared for that.”

I reached out my hand and tapped Manager Misaki’s thigh.

“Isn’t that right, Manager?”

“Of course, Miss Shiori.”

“Um, well….”

“In leading the RGB team under my command, I assure you that incidents like the recent monster countermeasures will not happen again.”

Command.

The title of manager seemed to involve somewhat public duties, akin to a battalion commander in the military?

“Fundamentally, Sayaka is the leader of the RGB team.”

“Yes. I acknowledge that. She is the strongest.”

“But Sayaka quickly becomes passionate and cannot judge her surroundings objectively.”

“…”

It’s not about criticizing Sayaka in her absence, but it’s said that even though she leads the magical girls, her zeal sometimes goes too far.

In reality, that was true.

During my active duty, when we occasionally engaged in battles as a team, I was always busy controlling the red magical girls.

“I hope you, Green, would take on that role. It’s like being a field staff officer.”

“…”

“Miss Shiori, I trust your tactical judgment. I won’t say things like ‘it can’t be done due to political reasons,’ endure, or anything of the sort. Above all else….”

Manager Misaki placed her hand on her chest as she spoke.

“Regarding your secrets, I promise never to disclose them, even if a demon were to appear and threaten me with a knife at my throat.”

“…”

“I promise. Even if it means drafting an agreement-”

“No, you don’t have to go that far.”

Shiori nodded lightly with a faint smile.

“I’ll trust you.”

Sometimes, when situations like this arise and one is betrayed, they may fall into corruption and become witches.

“Miss Shiori, I am the same.”

“Mu Mei…?”

“Even if someone were to try to force me to reveal your address or identity by threatening to kill me, I will never speak.”

“Oh, no, I mean, by ‘force’…!”

There won’t be such incidents while I’m working, and I will ensure they don’t occur even after I stop.

“Exactly, it’s a strong resolution.”

“Mu, Mu Mei!!”

“Although it’s not something to say to underage magical girls, this is reality.”

The Miracle of Sandalphon Zero.

“No corrupt individual can inflict sexual suffering on minors, against any Cleopha.”

Acheongsuho.

The moment a corrupt individual tries to do something sexual against a magical girl, Sandalphon’s greatsword falls wherever they are and kills the corrupt individual.

Should we call it Sephira’s miracle in response to the curse laid by the Great Demon?

I may not have more than 100,000 yen in my hands, but I protect all minors from the clutches of the corrupt.

However, adults often fall victim to it.

“Isn’t handling even that the role of an adult?”

“Mu, Mu Mei…! That’s not what I meant…!”

“Instead, please save us if that happens. We are in a position where we need help.”

I nodded emphatically towards Shiori.

“Even if this is the last time, please trust Manager Misaki once. She is the most outstanding administrator among magical girl managers I have seen so far.”

I am confident.

“I have a pretty good eye for people.”

Even without that, I have the confidence to make it so.

“Prove yourself to be a trustworthy adult, and wouldn’t you watch over us together as part of the RGB team?”