Hermes vs Demon vs Magical Girl
I’ve finally managed to come back, but I still can’t rest.
While brewing coffee, I try to calm the Demon who is gradually getting more and more irritated.
When I return to the room, the Demon who had解除同化(dissolved the fusion) is sitting on the bed, looking at me.
“So, what exactly happened after that battle?”
“Hmm. To be honest, it’s a rather complicated story, but it all started with my sister, the Magical Girl.”
The memories I had sealed away.
Now that I think about it, Hermes must have understood my intentions.
Magical Girl Ayame. She was my sister.
There wasn’t anything particularly special about her; she was just an ordinary Magical Girl.
Well, if I had to say something, her sense of justice was stronger than anyone else’s.
That might have been why those around her found her annoying. She died during a fight with a B-class monster due to friendly fire from another Magical Girl.
It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. In school terms, it was probably just an extension of bullying.
For us family members, it was an unforgivable act, but public criticism wasn’t as harsh as one might expect.
At the time, all I could do was cry, but now when I look back, those Magical Girls were likely involved in corruption within the Magic Bureau.
Under-the-table deals or cover-ups, perhaps.
In any case, this incident led me to curse Magical Girls, but after a certain point, those feelings began to fade gradually.
Part of it was because I personally wanted to forget, but Hermes must have been influencing me while fused with me.
As a result, these feelings were sealed deep within my chest, but here’s where the problem arises.
I got dragged into a Magical Girl’s fight and was effectively killed.
If only Hermes could have done something, but then the Demon appeared, moving my soul into another body.
Hermes also moved with me, but we ran into Sora, and ended up being sealed away.
An Arcana without a contract is powerless, and Arcanas don’t inherently possess combat abilities.
Hermes, who had acted as my deterrent, was suppressed by Sora, and during that time, my soul either fused with the body or left it altogether, and eventually, thanks to the Mast Desire, my sealed memories returned completely.
Let me backtrack and explain why Hermes is here.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Hermes was with my sister.
Their relationship seemed similar to how I was before contracting with the Demon.
Why there wasn’t a contract, you’d understand if you knew the current world.
Using an Arcana’s power would reveal their existence to the Witch.
Once that happens, the Witch will start moving.
I believe they were causing minor trouble occasionally, but things escalated dramatically since that day we met.
Had my sister used her lover’s ability, the world might have already ended.
My sister alone couldn’t defeat the nihilists or the Witch.
…Further discussion on this topic would only invite a boomerang effect, so I’ll skip it.
Embarrassingly, I got along well with my sister, and our relationship with our parents wasn’t bad either.
After losing my beloved sister, I hated Magical Girls and the world intensely.
I had resolved to seek revenge someday, but it seems my sister anticipated this and took measures.
Yes, she entrusted me to Hermes.
I don’t know how, but somehow Hermes managed to remove my hatred and sorrow.
These feelings are causing trouble now, but I’ll omit the details.
And in the previous battle, where I essentially died, I met Sora—the Demon’s former contractor and the original owner of this body.
The Demon surely has something to say, but please bear with me for now.
Personally, it feels too fantastical, and I’m still struggling to comprehend it all.
Then Hermes, who had been sealed by Sora, was released, leading to the revelations I mentioned earlier.
To survive, I had to contract with Hermes again, this time resulting in multiple contracts unlike when I was the Fool.
Such an unprecedented action carries unknown risks, but using my lover’s power was necessary if I were to continue fighting.
I could have survived without contracting, but the cost was quite heavy, making it practically the only option.
As a result, I gained enough energy to simultaneously release two Arcanas, but there’s a reason behind this.
This brings Sora into the picture.
Her name was arbitrarily chosen by me.
Somehow, Sora resurrected inside me and was surviving by absorbing my nutrients.
Though this stunted my growth excessively, it didn’t bother me much.
Thanks to this, I was able to fully recover without significant consequences.
Due to overdoing it, I underwent infantilization, but considering it as a side effect, it’s relatively mild.
After such a long explanation, to summarize: Isn’t my luck terrible?
“…Will you hate me?”
That was the Demon’s first words after hearing my story.
Probably, if the Demon hadn’t appeared, I would have lived until my natural death, and the world wouldn’t have ended.
I might have worked a regular job, lived a normal life, and possibly even gotten married.
Magic Girls and Arcanas—meeting them both was the end of my luck.
Though, now it doesn’t really matter anymore.
In the end, I’m broken.
Once you’ve tasted a certain pleasure, letting go of it is impossible.
Living as I like and dying as I like—that’s the way forward.
Returning to the past is no longer an option.
“Rather than hatred, I should be grateful. Moreover, even without the Demon’s existence, it would have been just a matter of time, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s true, but according to your story…”
“I’ve said it before, but I made the choice. Although the circumstances may seem odd, dwelling on the past is futile, isn’t it?”
Above all, as long as I’m alive, everything is fine.
If I die, well, that’s that, but as long as I’m living, I should forgive most things, right?
I’m an adult after all, not petty enough to get angry over someone else’s mistakes.
…No, my life is a mess, but since I’m single anyway, I won’t inconvenience anyone.
“Haluna says that, but we Arcanas are told to avoid inconveniencing humans as much as possible. That’s why there’s information control and almost no combat ability, but ruining someone’s life and saying ‘oh well’ isn’t acceptable.”
It’s forgivable because it’s my own situation, but objectively, this incident is quite severe.
Premising that the Demon helped me become a Magical Girl, in reality, it only hastened my demise.
Of course, I had no way of knowing about Hermes, and I thought I was going to die normally, so I accepted the Demon’s help.
(Hermes?)
I strongly focus.
You said if I did this, you’d hear me.
‘Itroublesome, but technically, I do share some responsibility, so I’ll come out now. Just give me a moment.’
“Did you call me?”
“Yes. We should discuss this once and for all. It’s better not to end up like the Fool, who had a dog-and-monkey relationship…”
Ah, come to think of it, Hermes called both the Demon and Sora “thief cats” and was mad, but it should be fine.
“What’s wrong?”
“No…”
Before I could say anything, particles of light burst forth from within me, and Hermes appeared.
She’s changed her size to fairy size like the Demon—Is this a jab?
With angel-like wings still sprouted, she isn’t disguising herself.
“It’s been a while. Thief cat.”
“…Sorry.”
Wow, the Demon apologized sincerely.
“I’ve heard the gist of the story, and it’s mostly accurate, so it’s fine. As additional information, though, I love Shiro. Therefore, I declare ownership.”
“Mu. That’s unacceptable. True, Haluna’s situation was regrettable, but Haluna belongs to me! We’ve worked hard together!”
“But I’ve spent more years with Shiro!”
“But Hermes never slept with Haluna, right?”
“To say that…”
“But…”
It seems like it’s starting…
I’ve finished my coffee, so I’ll brew a new pot and retreat to the living room.
Come to think of it, I’m hungry, so maybe I’ll cook something.
It’s a bit inconvenient with clothes getting in the way, but there’s nothing to be done about it.
Indeed, truth is stranger than fiction—they weren’t lying when they said that.
Compared to the old days without monsters and magic, today’s world is overflowing with fantasy, but at this point, it feels like events from a different world.
The existence of fairies has been known since ancient times, suggesting the existence of other worlds, but parallel worlds, Arcanas, and even the Witch have emerged, putting the world in crisis.
There have been many global crises, but this time it’s especially grim.
The Witch’s purpose for doing all this is clear.
The Witch is merely playing.
Laughing while toying with me as a plaything, and when I break, she’ll throw away the world—toy and all—into the trash.
The hatred buried deep within my chest, along with three Arcanas—can this much power defeat the Witch?
Perhaps I could defeat the Witch alone, but considering the nihilists and monsters, victory isn’t guaranteed.
Moreover, before the battle, I need to eat properly and nurture Sora.
The extent of my lover’s abilities is still unknown, so no definitive conclusions can be drawn, but simultaneously releasing three Arcanas is definitely impossible.
Besides, the Demon hasn’t mentioned anything, but my cellular condition is progressing due to recent usage.
So far, there’s no physical discomfort, but I wonder what will happen as it progresses…
If it lasts six months instead of a year, that’s fine by me.
We’ll deal with what comes after defeating the Witch when the time comes.
Now, what should I make?
Fortunately, there’s plenty of ingredients and seasonings.
The problem is that since I’ve shrunk, I’ll need a step stool for everything.
I was in the mood for omurice, but frying a pan might be a bit difficult.
How about making a hot pot instead?
While the vegetables and meat simmer in the pot, the two came into the kitchen still arguing.
“Are you guys still at it? Are you both eating?”
“Yeah.”
“I shall partake.”
Normally, I’d bring the pot to the living room, but since I can’t carry it, I’ll serve portions into bowls instead.
I must say, it turned out pretty well.
“You two can argue all you want, but was what Hermes said correct?”
“Yes. Since I was there, things would only escalate, so as long as I’m with Shiro, that’s enough. Besides, there’s a need to keep watch anyway.”
Speaking of which, Sora mentioned something about being a special kind of Magical Girl, but it’s not worth worrying about.
From now on, I’ll rely on Sora as my secondary tank.
For that, she needs to eat plenty to grow strong.
“By the way, since you’ve always been with Haluna, you don’t know anything about the other Arcanas, do you?”
“I know nothing. With Fool dead, including us, that leaves four Arcanas. Quite a reduction, huh?”
Hermes sighed while eating.
Out of the remaining four, having half of them here is surprising, but the contractor is just me.
It’s unlikely the other two have found new contractors and are probably hiding somewhere.
“If only the remaining two would contract with me too.”
“Even though we luckily managed to contract with Hermes, further overlapping contracts are absolutely out of the question. Wasn’t it painful enough the first time?”
True, the pain was unbearable, but it wasn’t unbearable.
The Demon’s contract didn’t hurt at all, but why did Hermes’ cause so much pain?
Basically, I don’t even know what a contract is.
Understanding the principle might clarify the cause, right?
“Anyway, what exactly is a contract? I understand it allows us to use an Arcana’s power, but what’s the mechanism?”
“That’s for me to explain.”
Hermes, huh?
Either way, it doesn’t matter who explains it.
“Although I believe the Demon explained some of this before, let me start from the beginning. First, we Arcanas are beings created by the collective will of the world.”
Created to prevent the world from perishing due to the Witch.
The troublesome thing about the Witch is that they remain within human limits.
Despite doing inhuman things, they haven’t crossed into divine territory.
Personally, I think they’re doing things beyond human comprehension, but from the perspective of gods or the world’s will, they’re different.
Direct intervention in human conflicts is forbidden.
That’s why Arcanas were created to assist indirectly.
While direct intervention isn’t allowed, assistance is permitted.
Humans must defeat other humans.
This is how things have continued until now, but alas, we’ve suffered total defeat every time.
“We each have specific abilities, and the key to using them is the contract. However, using the key requires authentication, which is handled by the world’s will. Once authenticated, magic power is supplied through that connection. But raw magic power can’t be used directly, so it passes through the filter of the Arcana to become usable. That’s why there are two sources of magic power supply—one via the Demon and the other via Hermes. The pain might be due to this magic power.”
“A little more detailed explanation: We are software, and the contractor is hardware. The world’s will is the software vendor. Using multiple softwares simultaneously puts strain on the hardware. The more strain, the hotter the hardware gets, and eventually, it breaks down. Inevitably, the power of the Arcana is a double-edged sword.”
I understand what Hermes is saying.
My capacity is fixed, so exceeding it isn’t possible.
Handling the power of one Arcana is already pushing it; handling two would definitely overload me.
This time, under special circumstances, I managed to simultaneously release two Arcanas, but under normal conditions, doing so would kill me instantly.
Fool’s case was different because it was a transfer of abilities, but even contracting alone puts strain on me.
Arcanas are tools beyond human capability.
Which makes the Witch, capable of effortlessly handling them, quite peculiar.
“Regarding contracts, that’s about it. By the way, there’s an upper limit to the speed of magic power supply. Exceeding it damages the Arcana, so be cautious.”
Glancing at the Demon, they avoided eye contact.
I’ve pushed them several times already.
Currently, as Hermes mentioned, magic power is supplied to me through the Arcanas.
Given the presence of a filter, it’s natural for there to be a speed limit.
“Now, onto something the Demon is also curious about: Shiro’s second form. This involves me, but obviously, a Magical Girl having two forms is impossible.”
Magical Girls themselves are already extraordinary, but I’ve never heard of one with two forms.
It’s strange that it’s only me, but given how unusual I am, maybe it’s not that surprising.
“When Shiro became a Magical Girl, the emotions accumulated within him split into pure hatred and Magical Girl abilities. The ability aspect merged with his body, adding extra capabilities to the standard Magical Girl powers. That’s why Shiro can use recovery magic equivalent to standard attack magic.”
Recovery magic potency is proportional to negative feelings towards the world.
The reason Jeanne-san and Thalagong-san don’t abandon me must be due to this recovery magic.
Regardless of what I say, the results show that my recovery magic is exceptionally effective.
It’s impossible to ignore a Magical Girl saturated with hatred.
However, the division into ability and hatred is an interesting story.
Since my body and soul were separated, such occurrences are plausible.
“Ordinarily, emotions dissipate over time, but the prolonged accumulation of emotions mutated under the influence of the Arcana’s power. The separated hatred developed self-awareness. Furthermore, because Shiro transformed into a female, the self-awareness also became female, resulting in the second form. Normally, this wouldn’t have much impact, but since Magical Girls channel their emotions into power, hatred aligns well with their nature, compelling them to faithfully execute its principles.”
Hatred, huh.
Indeed, whenever my emotions intensify, it stirs and tries to surface.
Moreover, since the majority of these feelings are directed at Magical Girls, a surge of murderous intent arises every time I transform.
It felt like trying to take over me, so the notion of self-awareness isn’t entirely false.
“As Shiro is aware, the more you fight, the more hatred grows. If Shiro’s heart weakens, there’s a possibility of being consumed by hatred and becoming a destructive creature. Additionally, releasing Arcana abilities while transforming into the second form should be strictly avoided.”
“Why is that?”
“While the second form itself transforms Arcana abilities into weapons for combat, releasing them amplifies hatred excessively through the power and magic supply, disregarding the body’s endurance and unleashing immense force. It’s akin to diving into magma and scooping it up with bare hands to throw it around.”
That sounds extremely hot, but to win, sacrifices must be made.
If I could win under normal conditions, I wouldn’t push myself unnecessarily, but if not, I have no choice but to unleash enough power to win.
“In summary, releases should be planned. Releasing during the second form transformation is strictly prohibited. Though the second form itself is excessive, I believe Shiro can control it if he doesn’t get carried away, so I won’t nag too much.”
Since it possesses self-awareness, there might be a chance to control it, but as it stands, it’s impossible.
All I’ve experienced so far is a primal urge to destroy.
Originally intended to conceal my identity and specialize in battling Magical Girls, it’s better not to use it when allies are present.
“There’s about all regarding contracts and Shiro’s current state. There’s more information, but it’s irrelevant to Shiro. Regarding me, my ability is Form. I’ll send a consolidated update later for review. Excuse me.”
After finishing her meal and concluding her explanation, Hermes re-fused with me.
Thanks to Hermes, I’ve grasped the general idea, but it’s quite an intriguing story.
Pure hatred remained and acquired the power to fight through the Arcana.
Oddly, despite discarding the original healing magic, it can still regenerate minor injuries due to the Arcana.
If the Arcana’s abilities were to disappear, all that would remain in the second form would be barrier magic.
That alone wouldn’t suffice for battle.
Whether discarded intentionally by hatred or coincidentally, I feel a strong will within myself.
I fully understand the intentions of hatred.
Revenge against Magical Girls and the desire to fight.
Primarily these two reasons.
Since it aligns with what I wished for, it’s only natural.
It depends on how I handle it, but leaving it be for now should be fine.
Still, who would have thought my body would end up housing three cohabitants…
Including the Demon, the number increases even more. How many are there exactly…?
There’s nothing to do but accept it.
“Shall we take a bath?”
“Why does it come to that?”
Oops, I got too caught up in my thoughts and got interrupted by the Demon.
“Learning various things hasn’t changed what needs to be done, after all.”
“That’s true, but shouldn’t you at least do something about Haluna’s hatred?”
I understand the Demon’s point, but this could serve as my trump card.
It’s a rather large bomb, but since it’s originally me, I can force it to obey.
“If we’re to fight the Witch, it will be necessary. The Demon must understand the effects, right?”
“I get that, but every time you use it, Haluna gets hurt, and if Hermes hadn’t been there, you’d have died.”
That’s true, but it’s the result of giving it my all, so if it leads to death, then that’s how it is.
My mental structure is practically collapsing.
It’s not Hermes’ fault, but it’s related to the hatred removed from me.
Had Hermes not intervened, I would have launched a suicide attack on the Magic Bureau and died.
Or maybe it’s due to the madness I inherently possessed.
There’s no returning to my peaceful life, so I might as well enjoy myself till the end.
That’s why fighting is necessary.
…I feel like I got scolded by Hermes and Sora, but I’ll ignore it.
“At that time, we’ll see. Moreover, to defeat the Witch, taking reckless actions is essential, isn’t it? Can you confidently say we can defeat the Witch in our current state?”
“…”
Silence is consent. That’s right.
“I don’t particularly want to die either. The Demon understands that, right?”
Initially, I became a Magical Girl precisely because I didn’t want to die.
Though I willingly jump into dangerous situations, I have no intention of dying.
“Besides, it’s better to do everything possible rather than thinking it’s impossible, right? If the Demon dislikes it so much, feel free to abandon me?”
Of course, I know the Demon won’t leave me, and its abilities are necessary.
Possibilities, Form, and Soul.
They can transform infinitely depending on how they’re used.
“Alright! Got it! You’re right, I did ask for help. Let’s quickly clean up the dishes and head to the bath!”
Same as last time, the Demon gave in.
Claiming victory in a verbal sparring match against me would take over 100 years… Given how long we’ve lived, I shouldn’t make rash statements.
Still, the Demon teases me quite a bit, so it’s mutual.
Incidentally, I ended up getting washed more thoroughly by the Demon in the bathroom than usual.
