Chapter 111

A Moment of Tranquility with the Magical Girl

“Good morning, Inie. Did you sleep well?”

“Thanks to you, I slept soundly.”

It’s better than when we met in Russia, but I still feel an oppressive air that doesn’t allow for defiance.

Jeanne, who’s sitting next to me, seems indifferent.

Thalagong is sitting on the bed, staring at me intently.

“Where were you after the New Demon War?”

“I was staying at the home of one of the ones who killed me… That’s something I can’t say, right?”

(What should I do?)

‘Why not just give up and vomit it out? Saying you were at Tamake’s shouldn’t be a problem.’

True, if I don’t transform, there’s no way they’d know. It could serve as an excuse.

But as an adult, it’s quite painful to admit to being cared for by a young girl.

That would make me nothing more than a freeloader.

Moreover, I’d like to avoid putting Tamake in a difficult position because of me. Given the kindness she showed me, returning her favor with hostility would disqualify me as both a professional and a human being.

Still, I can’t think of a good excuse.

“I was taken care of at a friend’s house.”

This isn’t a lie, but it’s not entirely true either.

“…What do you think?”

“It’s neither a lie nor the whole truth. If you had friends, you should have been taken care of before meeting Thalagong, but no such person has come up in our investigations.”

Now that he mentions it, I vaguely recall discussing something like this before. Most of the settings I casually thought up back then have slipped my mind…

Didn’t I mention something about being an orphan who fled from an institution?

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine, but are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine as long as I don’t exert myself. Is there anything specific?”

“Hmm… First off, what exactly happened in the simulator room after the New Demon War? Everyone except the magical girls inside the pods perished.”

Ah, that time.

I was barely conscious due to blood loss, but I remember everyone was dead. Likely, someone among the witches or the nihilists did it.

—I see. I was the only one awake then, and suspicions were cast on me as one of the witches’ accomplices. The fairies must suspect that I was the one who killed them.

“When I woke up, everyone was already dead. It was probably the witch trying to eliminate obstacles.”

“Yeah, as expected, I suppose. Though hearing it directly from Inie might help reassure the other side. Don’t take it personally.”

“The fairy agency will hear it from me. Fairies aren’t stupid; they’ll understand.”

Given the circumstantial evidence, it’s understandable why they might suspect me. After all, with magic, one could easily kill instantly.

“Let’s move on to the main topic. What happened inside the barrier? If there’s any discrepancy with Nightmare’s report, you know what that means, right?”

Thalagong takes a document from Jeanne, making sure I can’t see its contents.

…Hmm. Am I in trouble now?

I can’t tell the truth, and there’s no way I know how that clumsy Nightmare reported things. What should I do…?

(Maybe it’s time to start talking?)

‘Hmm, you’re right. If Haruna keeps going alone, she’ll end up dying. It feels like the time has come. It wouldn’t be a problem if a few people learn about my existence. I’ll stick to the original setup, so count on me.’

(Acknowledged. I no longer intend to reveal that I was originally male, so this works.)

The demon emerges from within me and takes form.

Thalagong tenses but relaxes upon seeing my calm demeanor.

“A fairy?”

“…No, you can’t merge with a fairy just because you’re one. Who are you?”

While fairies might be able to merge, it’s best left unsaid.

The demon smirks knowingly and sits cross-legged in the air.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Demon. I’m the one who made Inie a magical girl. My purpose? To defeat the witches.”

“To defeat witches… Why didn’t you show yourself until now?”

“I figured I’d act once I learned about the nihilists and the witches. If I had revealed myself earlier, situations like the current one might have arisen sooner.”

Indeed, if we had known about them earlier, we would have acted accordingly.

If the nihilists or witches found out about our moves, we’d surely be eliminated. Given the gravity of the situation, we had to proceed secretly, which delayed our awareness of incidents.

Since knowledge of the nihilists and witches is now widespread, it’s probably okay for Demon to appear now.

“Purpose aside, what can you do since you’ve made Inie a magical girl?”

“We could discuss it here, but it might be redundant. Perhaps it’s better to gather the core members first?”

Seeing Demon conversing normally is surprisingly fresh. While we chat in the bath sometimes, this is the first time I’ve seen Demon talking with others.

“That’s reasonable. Would just the Japanese team suffice? We can’t gather everyone, but I believe four of us, including ourselves, can assemble right now.”

“I’ll leave it to you. Also, could you let Inie rest a bit longer?”

We were just about to take another break when our eyes met. If we could rest, that would be great.

Thalagong briefly contemplates and nods.

“Alright. I’ll come back in about 30 minutes. You can rest until then. What about Jeanne?”

“I’ll wait here during the examination. After all, this is technically my room too.”

With a wave, Thalagong exits the room.

If only she had arrived a minute later… Guess luck wasn’t on my side today.

“Well, how are you feeling?”

“Fair enough. The headache’s gone thanks to Jeanne?”

Looking at Jeanne’s face reminds me—I fainted after getting punched by Thalagong. It was a powerful blow, so under normal circumstances, the pain should have lingered, yet I felt none when I woke up.

“There was a large bump, so I healed it for you.”

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem. But, how much does Demon know about this matter?”

Demon is leisurely drinking apple juice, seemingly without a care.

Could it be that this guy appeared just because he wanted to drink some juice?

By the way, Demon can read minds.

During fusion, he can only read mine, but otherwise, he can also read others’. However, he can only grasp surface-level thoughts—not deep deliberations. Unless, of course, the target employs countermeasures like witches.

“Consider that Demon knows almost everything. Including matters about the North Pole and Arongante.”

“—Does Inie know about the North Pole too?”

“I haven’t told him about the North Pole yet. But I believe it’s only a matter of time.”

North Pole? What’s that all about?

“I see. Then perhaps we should discuss that as well. Is there anything you’d like to say?”

“I don’t have anything to add. Can I get a refill on the apple juice?”

As suspected, this guy just wanted to drink some juice because he hasn’t had any recently.

“Sure thing. Would Inie like some coffee?”

“…Thank you.”

At Tamake’s place, we only had instant coffee. A nice cup of brewed coffee would be delightful.

Jeanne momentarily leaves the room and returns with various items.

By the way, is everyone ignoring this rope thing?

“Here, though it’s different from what you asked for, it’s 100% apple juice from my hometown. As for Inie’s coffee, I’ll brew it using a siphon, so please bear with me for a moment.”

“Understood.”

Demon receives the juice from Jeanne, drinks it straight from the container without pouring it into a glass.

Just how thirsty was he?

After filling a beaker with hot water and setting up a filter in a funnel, Jeanne inserts it into the apparatus. She adds coffee grounds and lights the burner. Soon, the water begins to boil, flowing backward into the flask where it accumulates.

Humming softly, Jeanne stirs the mixture.

The aroma of coffee fills the air, bringing a sense of tranquility.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. This is black, as before.”

“Thank you very much.”

I must have dozed off while enjoying the coffee’s fragrance and Jeanne’s humming; the coffee seems to have been ready for some time.

Savoring the coffee slowly, a peaceful atmosphere envelops the room.

Jeanne may be suspicious, but given her taste in coffee, she makes for a good companion in this regard.

“Why did you become a magical girl, Jeanne?”

“Me? Hmm…”

Jeanne places her cup on the table, glances upward, and appears to ponder something.

“Because Kaede invited me. Without Kaede, I probably wouldn’t have become a magical girl. Isn’t Inie somewhat similar to me?”

Did she realize I was lying?

Still, even if she did, maintaining appearances is necessary.

“I stand by what I said before.”

“Hmph. Is that so? How do you find this coffee? It seems to be a stronger variety than last time. Does it suit your palate?”

“This isn’t the kind of coffee you enjoy upon waking up but rather one that adds color to the afternoon. It’s not bad.”

Last time, the rich aroma and bitterness left a strong impression, whereas this time, fruity scents and acidity linger in my memory.

It would likely cost a pretty penny if bought regularly, but as usual, this is probably a non-commercial product.

“That’s good to hear. With age, more people prefer tea or juice over coffee. It’s rare to find someone who enjoys coffee with me.”

Glancing at Demon, he avoids eye contact and continues drinking his apple juice.

Despite being hundreds, possibly thousands of years old, he always drinks juice.

Back when I lived in the apartment, I recommended coffee to Demon, but he threw a tantrum demanding cocoa or juice instead.

Mika-chan, a close acquaintance, also claimed that once she tried coffee, she never wanted to drink it again.

Thalagong drinks coffee occasionally but prefers it with sugar and milk.

Considering this, very few people drink coffee black.

Well, there was one person who seemed like they might drink coffee black.

“Does Arongante not drink coffee?”

“That guy doesn’t drink coffee; he’s always consuming energy drinks or nutritional supplements.”

Ah, that’s easy to imagine.

Indeed, that person would likely push through with those types of beverages rather than coffee.

Casually chatting with Jeanne while sipping coffee, her terminal rings.

Meanwhile, having finished the apple juice, Demon merges with me again, quietly searching for information as usual.

“Hmm. It seems the preparations are complete, and they’re asking us to come to the tea party venue.”

“Understood.”

Standing up from the bed, I receive my usual attire from Demon.

Having a hood definitely brings a sense of ease.

Though Jeanne gives me a curious look, she says nothing.

Now, who has gathered?

—