The magical girls, including the Russian magical girl, left the meeting room, leaving Mr. Shirokigawa and Mr. Arongante as moderators.
The only ones left are me and Nightmare, who keeps glancing at me.
It’s not that she’s completely useless, but it’s definitely easier to be alone.
…Well, after the transfer, I’ll have the Australian magical girls consolidate their efforts while I move independently.
If we’re lucky, others besides us might also be able to enter the barrier, which would somewhat reduce our burden.
Besides, if the Demon’s assessment is correct, it’s highly likely that only Nightmare and I will end up going in, but there are certainly a lot of magical girls within Australia.
Even so, it’s impossible for me alone to deal with all the monsters across the entirety of Australia, so I’ll have to rely on them for defense.
No, it’s not impossible, but there’s no need for me to fight alone to the point of exhaustion.
My target is the members of the Apocalypticist faction.
I don’t think any witches will interfere, but considering the scale, some high-ranking officers are bound to show up.
“Since I can roughly understand Inie’s plan, let me explain what I want Nightmare to do. First, please coordinate information at the Magic Bureau within Australia. After that, take charge of evacuating the citizens and organizing the defense. If the barrier is broken or other magical girls manage to get inside, further instructions will follow accordingly. Any questions?”
“What will Inie do?”
“Personally, I’d like her to join forces, but knowing that Inie has her own objectives, I intend to leave everything up to her.”
Mr. Arongante and Mr. Shirokigawa look over, so I nod in acknowledgment.
“For now, only the monsters are present, but if the designated time arrives, members of the Apocalypticist faction are expected to appear. Until then, I’ll prioritize taking down the more powerful monsters.”
“So you’re basically scouting. Since there aren’t any ranked magical girls currently in Australia, I assume the S-ranked or SS-ranked missions will fall to Inie. Is that alright?”
“Yes, that’s fine. However, since it’s impossible to handle everything, Nightmare will just have to try her best.”
Given the scope, it’s impossible to win without any casualties this time.
While it might be manageable if they were nearby, covering an entire continent leaves us stretched too thin.
From an aerial vantage point, overpowering magic might work, but that risks imprecise targeting.
For unreachable areas, we’ll have to rely on other magical girls.
Well, if strangers die, it’s none of my concern anyway.
“That said, since Nightmare ranks highest among those here in Australia, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Hmph, leave it to me! I’ll make sure to fulfill my duties!”
“Inie, please take care not to overexert yourself. I’ll send reinforcements as soon as possible, though I can’t guarantee anything.”
“Understood.”
(“Please gather whatever information you can.”)
(“Roger.”)
“Now, I have something to give to Nightmare, so please wait about ten minutes before launching. Inie, you…”
“I’ll wait at the café, so call me when you’re done.”
There’s no particular reason for me to tag along; I’d just like to grab a cup of coffee before heading out.
And I should use the restroom while I’m at it.
“Understood. We’ll call you later, so feel free to rest until then.”
Though Nightmare looks like she wants to say something, I ignore her and head back to the café.
A few of the magical girls who were in the meeting room earlier are still around, but I pray they won’t approach me.
Being here means they’re trusted by Mr. Arongante at the very least.
They shouldn’t cause any trouble.
“Welcome! Please take a seat anywhere you like!”
Let’s see… an open seat near the edge…
“Would you like the Fairy Deluxe Whimsical Parfait?”
“Just the daily coffee, please.”
“Got it!”
What’s this “Fairy Deluxe Whimsical Parfait”?
It wasn’t on the menu when I came in earlier… No, it’s clearly not listed even now.
(‘It’s best to just ignore non-serious fairies.’)
(‘That seems right. Though the parfait does intrigue me slightly, I’ll forget about it for now.’)
Fantasy-world fairies are often portrayed as mischievous in many stories, so that’s probably why.
Though there are serious ones, they seem to be in the minority.
After waiting a bit, the coffee arrives, and I sip it as I wait to be called…
Just as I take a sip, someone sits across from me.
She has long silver hair and narrow eyes.
Standing at about 180 cm, she’s quite tall.
Her dignified presence makes one feel somewhat intimidated.
(Isn’t this Strauf?)
‘That’s right. She’s number one in Russia. Speaking in terms of straightforward strength, she could easily defeat everyone in Japan except for ranks one, two, and seven.’
Blade was casually excluded, but apparently, she’s exceptional in some way.
“Is there something you need?”
“I thought I’d thank you properly. I won’t pry into specifics, but you did help Nightmare, didn’t you?”
“Hmm, I have no idea what you’re talking about. But is that your real purpose?”
Of course, I believe Nightmare hasn’t told her anything.
Still, this situation is what it is.
I’ve been investigated to some extent, but most of what I know comes from Thalagong.
Based on the exchange in the meeting room, I already have a rough idea of what Strauf wants to ask.
“About Ms. Nightmare…?”
“That’s right. Could you protect her so she can return alive?”
Protect her…
I understand her feelings, but I personally have no incentive to do so.
In fact, it could become a disadvantage if it distracts me.
Moreover, making such guarantees is impossible.
Especially since we’ll likely be separated.
Covering all of Australia alone is out of the question.
“If you insist, I wouldn’t mind doing it. Of course, there will be appropriate compensation.”
“Compensation…?”
“How about the magic rifle currently under development in Russia? It lacks lethal capability but excels in restraining power. Though… it wouldn’t matter much against top-tier opponents.”
She muttered the last part, but I heard it clearly enough.
(Demon)
‘Yes, yes. The magic rifle is real. It’s being developed to suppress magical girls, but due to costs and practicality, it remains in prototype form. Depending on the opponent’s magic capacity, it can restrain effectively—if it hits.’
Magical girls’ physical abilities are enough to dodge regular bullets.
In my second form, I could easily cleave through them with a sword.
However, the name “magic rifle” has a certain allure.
Even if it’s hard to hit from a distance, it might be possible up close or with a sneak attack.
It may not be very practical, but it could serve as a trump card in emergencies.
“By the way, what kind of rifle is it?”
“It’s single-action, single-shot. Since the ammunition is made from processed magic stones, reloading takes time. It’s a break-action type. You’ll receive ten rounds, and you’re free to use them however you wish.”
Not bad, but using it in combat would be inconvenient.
It might only be useful for self-defense in dire situations?
I’m good at killing, but incapacitating without killing is troublesome. Without lethal capabilities, it might still have its uses…
“Anyway, preliminary tests indicate it affects monsters, though hitting them only slows them down and is almost meaningless against SS-ranked targets. I wouldn’t recommend using it.”
“That’s fine. But I can’t make any guarantees either. There’s a possibility I might die as well.”
As always, I don’t plan to die, but I often find myself on the brink.
There’s no absolute certainty in battle.
“I understand. It’s not like I blame Inie if Nightmare dies. I just hope she can stay alive for as long as possible.”
Is this maternal love or sisterly affection?
“I see. I’ll do my best. But…”
My terminal buzzes, signaling that it’s time.
Just as I was about to finish my sentence—what terrible timing.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I stand up and turn my back to Strauf.
“You should also try your best to break the witch’s barrier. Otherwise, I might have to finish everything myself.”
With a soft laugh, she calls me a cheeky little girl.
Without turning back, I head toward the first conference room again.
Breaking a witch’s barrier is practically impossible anyway.
Even if Demons says it can be done, causing collateral damage would render it meaningless.
Also, it’s unlikely that the witch hasn’t anticipated the possibility of her barrier being breached.
The fighters we have are the magical girls within Australia and Nightmare.
And then…
Me alone, it seems.
“You’re here. To confirm, Inie will act as a scout, and Nightmare will focus on defense. We’ll do our best, but ultimately, the fate of the country rests on the two of you to eliminate the root cause. Please keep that in mind.”
Upon entering the meeting room, Arongante addresses me.
Shirokigawa had been speaking with Nightmare but stops upon noticing my entrance.
Calling it “scouting” sounds nice, but essentially, it boils down to me handling things solo.
Moving with anyone else would only hinder me, so this arrangement is appreciated.
“Nightmare, as mentioned earlier, the absence of ranked magical girls in Australia appears to be part of the witch’s strategy. Command authority has been delegated, so feel free to punish anyone who disobeys orders.”
“Understood.”
“That concludes my remarks. Are there any questions?”
Questions… Might as well ask just in case.
“In a hypothetical scenario, would it be permissible to withdraw if necessary?”
“Ah! That means…”
“Permission granted. Given the circumstances, retreat if it gets too difficult. We have contingency plans, so don’t worry.”
If we can’t save them, there’s no reason to die, but it’s important to confirm these details.
This allows me to fight without reservation.
Still, contingency plans… I don’t know what they entail, but they probably aren’t conventional.
“Then, Nightmare, please prepare.”
Despite looking dissatisfied, Nightmare silently disappears into my shadow.
“Best of luck to you both. Please come back alive.”
These earnest exchanges feel unfamiliar to me.
A bit of Demon-like casualness suits me better.
“I’ll do my best.”
(You’re counting on me.)
(Roger. Try to stay focused.)
With that, I respond to Demon casually, and a floating sensation overtakes me as I teleport away from the base.
