episode_0028

Engulfed in darkness.

Warm.

Comfortable.

Filled only with comfort, without any pain.

Whispers of darkness in the ear.

[Now, isn’t it time for you to live your life?]

Something begins whispering from within.

[How long will you live, letting someone else outshine you and take care of you? Are you a Cinderella?]

There are those who specialize in such things.

But surely, the gaze around is not favorable, people have said as much.

[Once you retire, just casually grab any man and get married. When a magical girl retires, men all over Tokyo—or rather, the whole world—aim to marry her.]

Indeed.

While magical girls past their prime may not be as strong to fight actively anymore, they can still transform as magical girls to embody their prime youth.

[You just transform when you need to during battles. Right?]

In reality, many witches marry this way.

[When taking photos, when seen by people’s eyes, when going on dates. After coming home, recover your magic in a separate room, living comfortably as a witch.]

Yes, comfortably.

[What’s the difference between that and an adult video actress? It’s different. A woman cultivating beauty marrying a capable man, what’s wrong with that? Society, human history has been proving that, right? Beauties meeting capable men, marrying them, and living comfortably.]

How long will you continue living uncomfortably like this?

[Rudeness.]

Stop.

[Karin will take care of you, won’t she?]

Stop it.

[If you announce your retirement, if you say you’re an adult, will Karin take care of you? Will she share her earnings with you, take care of you, and your family?]

I should say stop.

[No. You know. Karin struggles even to protect herself. Her household is more chaotic than yours. That’s why she has been taking care of you, caring for you all this time.]

I couldn’t bring myself to say stop.

[But tell me, has Karin ever asked if you were having a hard time?]

Never.

[Has Himari ever asked if you were having a hard time lately? Has she ever asked if you were tired because of her constant calls, messages, clinginess?]

Never.

Not once, never.

[To her, you’re just a doll. Once you retire, you might feel sad for a while, but you’ll soon find another doll. So when you were offered a spot on the RGB team, didn’t you cheer for it?]

That’s right.

Karin insisted on not parting ways with Himari, but it was Himari who criticized her, saying, “Shouldn’t you at least try it once?”

[Wanted to be comfortable, right?]

That’s correct.

I want to be comfortable.

I don’t want to live a life where I rely unilaterally on someone, without considering economic issues, or even if they exist.

[Let go.]

In front of me, there is warmth.

“Just let go. Become the queen of this world. And live together in this world forever.”

The warm darkness will soon make oneself hot, then fill with pleasure and ecstasy.

A sensation never experienced before.

The pleasure that witches talk about, wondering why they never did it when they were magical girls.

Liberated from everything, focusing only on personal desires—

“…No.”

Himari clenched her fist tightly.

“Right. I have thought about living such a life.”

[Hey.]

“You are me. So, you must be saying that.”

Almost convinced.

“Sandalphon said so. Every magical girl lives with a demon inside.”

The sweet tempting name whispered in the ear.

“Self-consolation.”

Or, an excuse.

“Perhaps living like that would certainly be comfortable.”

“Are you going to continue living by hiding your true identity in shame?”

“No, that’s not it. I’m not denying that kind of life.”

Himari knows the reality.

She had already accepted to some extent what her future would be like after retiring as a comprehensive Grade C magical girl who had not yet reached full maturity.

“But to do that, at least I have to tie up loose ends.”

Therefore, she must clearly draw the line.

“I haven’t said goodbye to Karen yet.”

Although she is still a child in need of protection, she can no longer take care of her.

“Karen can’t do without you, right?”

“You said it yourself. Even without me, someone else will become attached to her like a cherished doll.”

“…That’s the responsibility of the RGB team… and the adults in that team.”

“Passing on the responsibility?”

“No. I’ve done everything I can.”

Karen reached out towards the shimmering light in front of her.

“If there’s something left for me to do, it’s marking my place as a magical girl to go out into the world!”

“…Yes. It may be a little late for realization.”

The voice whispering in her ear embraces her from behind as if comforting her.

“Try it once. Until the end.”

—

Pahhh!!!

In Another World, an explosion of orange light in a world tinged with gray.

“Aaargh!!”

The wolf-like monster is thrown back by the intense mana wave, and a woman stands where the light shimmers.

“…”

Magical girl, Himari.

Her physique remains the same, but her outfit has more frills, and her sword and shield gleam in a sharper form.

“S-Surely…! ‘Extended’?! N-Now…!”

Extended.

Depending on the person, most call it an ‘enhanced form.’

Having reached the Sephira Awakening stage, she could progress to the next stage beyond the enhanced form.

“Haha! But, what a pity! The halo above your head! It shows, it reveals! You’re ‘about to break’!!”

The wolf-like monster points its sharp claws downward towards Himari’s head.

“No, beyond breaking….”

There, a halo, an angelic ring, shines brightly.

“It’s the final moment!”

At this moment, as if it were her last, it shines brighter than ever before.

“Gleaming Phoenix!! Are you trying to decorate your final moments as a magical girl here? Haha!”

“…Because now, I have no regrets.”

Himari points her sword forward.

Her orange eyes shine almost like a primary color, and faintly glowing wings are visible behind her.

“Hehe. A transformation into the ultimate form in a world unseen by anyone else. No one will know how hard you fought, right?”

“Even if the world doesn’t know, I do.”

Himari does not retreat.

“I must return. I must win, destroy this world, and defeat you.”

Pahh.

“When this battle is over, I will definitely tell Karen. My feelings.”

“…Haughty.”

The wolf-like monster tilts its head from side to side.

“Fine. If you say you won’t become a corrupt witch, well, there’s nothing I can do. But, are you perhaps mistaken about something?”

“……!”

“Just because you transformed into your final form along with an enhanced form—”

The wolf-like monster crouches down heavily.

“You haven’t become stronger than me!”

“……!!”

It rushes towards Himari, attacking.

Clang!

As the sword swings towards the claw, the sword shatters.

Blocking the piercing claw with her shield, the shield is pierced and destroyed.

“Ugh…!”

“Haha, you should have just obediently surrendered to me.”

Himari is forced to the ground, and the wolf-like monster grabs her wrist with both hands, pressing its body against hers.

“Let go…!”

“If you were going to let go, you shouldn’t have attacked in the first place. Kihiihi….”

Like a shadow, the long tongue of the wolf-like giant emerged from its mouth and swept across Himari’s cheek.

“!!”

Himari twisted her body left and right but couldn’t escape from the grip of the wolf-like giant.

Despite the light of magic flickering behind her back, trying to break free somehow, even if strengthened through awakening, the clear difference in class could not be overcome.

“You taste like oranges. Hehe, I like that. Then those oranges… I’ll start eating you up from now on.”

“What…?”

“Why are you surprised? You’re also… an adult, right? Hehe, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Ugh…!”

“Hehe. Who do you think will come to help you?”

“…No one.”

Himari glared at the wolf-like giant with a trembling face.

“Even if my body is torn apart… my spirit will not be broken!”

“Hehe, those who talk like that are the first to break. So-”

“Well then, excuse me.”

Crash!!

In an instant, the wolf-like giant was sent flying like a baseball hit by a bat, crashing into the wall.

“Huh…?”

“You did well.”

“Are you… a polar bear…?”

Naturally, in my transformed state, I had been watching.

Since I had entered in my original form, I had simply been observing quietly.

“Don’t lose that spirit. And when you go outside, make sure to tell them.”

“Outside? What…!”

“It might feel a little ticklish.”

I embraced Himari like a princess and turned my body around.

“The sensation of going to Another World!”

“Eek, aahhh!!”

Using centrifugal force, I threw Himari straight up towards the sky.

Crash!

With the sound of breaking glass, Himari disappeared from Another World.

Banishment to reality.

I lightly dusted off my hands and spread my arms towards the wolf-like giant pinned to the wall.

“Let’s begin.”

“Grr, you…!”

“It’s showtime.”

While I usually leave monsters, villains, or fiends to other magical girls, whether they are minors or adults, I become three times stronger when facing attempted rapists.

Whether magical girls, witches, women, or men, I don’t just overlook those who intend to harm others.

“Since there’s no one else around, let me provide you with special service.”

“…A belt?”

“Transformation.”

Magic deployment.

“Restraint, release.”

“Res…traint?”

“Constraint, removal.”

“…Constraint? Removal?”

As the cursed ring on my left hand unraveled, emitting a color that enveloped me.

“That color is…”

Purple.

“…Murasaki?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”