The magical girl made a suggestion.
“It’s about time we get moving.”
Just as we were lingering to eat and rest, Iida said this to us. The meal was indeed delicious, but this time, eating a lot was more important, so towards the end, it felt like an ordeal.
When I tried to stand up, Iida picked me up again and sat me on their shoulder.
“…Something’s strange.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, I thought I ate quite a bit, but I don’t feel any heavier at all.”
That does seem odd. I can still feel the food in my stomach.
…Well, worrying about it won’t change anything, and since neither Hermes nor Sora has commented, it should be fine.
“Lily is a bit special, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Is that so…”
Jeanne tried to reassure me, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.
“Anyway, how’s your magic power holding up? We still have China after this place.”
I’ve used a considerable amount of magic power, but what I’ve consumed is recovering properly.
In fact, because there are now two sources supplying it, the recovery speed has significantly increased.
It’s not exactly doubled, but it’s about 1.5 times faster.
Even while transformed, I’m recovering quite well.
“No problem.”
“Good. Let’s keep pushing through the afternoon then.”
As we stepped out of the private room and headed for the exit of the cafeteria, we found a woman and two magical girls who seemed to be her guards waiting for us.
“We’ve been waiting for you. Please take good care of us today…”
“Of course. Just confirming, are these only minor cases here?”
“—That’s correct. Also, as planned, all civilians have been gathered here at this branch. For more details, please consult Iida.”
“I understand. Then, I’ll leave it in your hands.”
Iida started walking, followed by Jeanne.
There was a piercing gaze from behind, but why can these two ignore it so easily?
“As mentioned earlier, this branch will only handle civilians. However, the scale is quite large, so we’re leaving the treatment numbers to you.”
“That’s fine. As per our discussion, we’ll separate external injuries from others, right?”
“Absolutely. Also, as expected, we couldn’t fit everything indoors, so it’ll be outside.”
This seems like a lot. It doesn’t feel like the scale of the previous volunteer work, but it certainly looks challenging.
“—Ah, Lily doesn’t need to participate this time; it’s better not to expose your face too much.”
Indeed, it might be better not to show your face to too many people. While Magic Bureau personnel probably won’t spread rumors, civilians could quickly spread stories.
By the way, I can already see a future where Jeanne’s bulletin board gets flooded with posts.
“Understood. What should we do while waiting?”
“If you’d like, I can give you a tour inside the Magic Bureau? Lily isn’t a proper magical girl, right? Even if your future is unclear, knowing the Magic Bureau could be useful knowledge.”
They’re asking indirectly, but I think everything Iida is thinking about is off the mark. Still, just waiting around would be boring, so it might not be a bad idea.
When I looked at Jeanne, she nodded, indicating “do as you wish.” If we stay within the Magic Bureau, problems shouldn’t arise easily, and even if we’re recognized a little, it should be fine. Moreover, no idiot would attack inside the Magic Bureau, and in the worst case, I could self-destruct if necessary.
“Alright. Please guide me.”
“Understood. We’ll send a different staff member to Jeanne. If anything happens, please let us know.”
“Got it. Then, I’ll wait at that entrance.”
Iida contacted someone via a terminal and told them to come immediately before putting it away.
Right, while we’re at it, I should lend my staff to Jeanne. Using my staff could reduce magic consumption and be helpful for healing. It might even serve as a means of self-defense.
“Jeanne-san”
“What is it?”
“If you’d like, please use this.”
I took out my staff and handed it to Jeanne. By the way, it initially only aided magic but gained expanded capabilities after obtaining the powers of the Fool and the Lovers. Additionally, after contracting with Hermes, a red line was added to the staff along with the usual yellow one.
“Thank you. See you later then.”
After parting ways with Jeanne, it was just Iida and me.
“Then, let’s go. By the way, how old are you?”
Age…26 or 11, or maybe 5.
Well, saying 5 years old should be fine.
“Probably 5 years old.”
“—Is that so. First, I’ll guide you to the command room.”
Still riding on Iida’s shoulders, we headed toward the command room. Fortunately, we hardly encountered anyone, but there were those who gave us second glances or stared intently.
Command room…Operator Room? When we entered, it looked like Alongante’s base with staff members busily working.
“Excuse me.”
“Oh? It’s Iida… What’s with that child? And your eyes are healed!”
“She’s Lily, Jeanne’s disciple. She healed my eyes. Right now, we’re touring the Magic Bureau as part of a field trip.”
“Hmm, I see, Jeanne’s disciple, huh… Would you like an explanation of this place?”
Iida spoke to what seemed to be the commander, who made a slightly awkward expression upon seeing me piggybacking on Iida. Nevertheless, their dedication to duty was commendable.
“Please do.”
“Understood. Basically, magical girls receive notifications from the operators here and proceed to eliminate threats afterward. We also manage combat footage here, allowing us to watch battles on monitors like that one over there.”
Afterward, the commander explained things in a way that wasn’t too complicated, but since it didn’t concern me directly and Demon could explain if I needed, I half-listened without being rude.
In short, they support magical girls’ battles and manage their payments. Emergency responses are handled as well.
Glancing at the commander’s monitor, I saw the names and ranks of magical girls, along with simplified data such as their current opponents.
Based on that, looking at the large monitor on the wall, there were four magical girls battling what appeared to be an S-Rank monster.
(That seems a bit dangerous, doesn’t it?)
‘That’s right. At this rate, they might lose.’
“—Therefore, we need to build mutual trust between us and the magical girls. That concludes my explanation. Do you have any questions?”
Oops, the explanation ended while I wasn’t paying attention.
“I’m fine. Everyone’s working hard, aren’t they?”
“Yes. We strive daily to assist the magical girls in any way we can.”
At first, it felt like they were looking at something strange, but nodding appropriately and giving a solid compliment left them smiling.
If you listen carefully and throw in harmless compliments, you can usually get through most situations.
“Command!”
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
Just as our talk concluded, a staff member raised their voice.
Ah, two out of the four have fainted. At this rate, they’ll all die.
The commander grimaced while looking at the largest monitor.
“Tch! Are there any high-ranking individuals capable of entering the barrier?”
“They’ve been treated, but they’re not ready for combat yet. Also, there are no magical girls currently able to fight an S-Rank alone…”
“I see… Request aid from other countries and prepare evacuation notices for the worst-case scenario. And notify all magical girls ranked 40th and above who are on standby!”
All four looked unwell, and predictably, they fell to the monster.
From what the commander said, it seems the Magic Bureau didn’t push them too hard, but we can’t take their words entirely at face value.
Still, it’s certain that four magical girls from this country will disappear.
Unfortunately, civilians may also be affected, but that’s unavoidable.
“…It seems we might cause trouble, so let’s head out. Thank you for the explanation.”
“No, thank you for visiting despite the unfortunate circumstances.”
It seems like we’ll move on to the next place, but what should we do…
Currently, I’m weaker compared to normal.
I can’t unleash the abilities of Arcana, and it seems unlikely I can transform into my second form.
However, my magic power is continuously supplied, so I have plenty of it.
It would be impossible against five or ten S-Ranks, but one should be manageable. With a front-line fighter, even more could be handled, but since I can’t use the staff properly, I’d just be a stationary cannon.
Well, I lent my staff to Jeanne, so I don’t have it now anyway.
(What should we do?)
‘Personally, there’s nothing else to do but give up. Haruna is in this state too, and showing off too much power isn’t good. But if you want to help Haruna, that’s fine with me.’
Only if you want to help…
There’s no need to force ourselves here, and I’ve already pushed myself a bit with Chris’s treatment. Since it’s unrelated to healing, it won’t inconvenience Jeanne either.
…But still.
It’s one thing if they die somewhere unknown, but now that I know, there’s nothing I can do.
It’s the same as an accident.
If there’s someone you can save right in front of you, helping them is what adults do.
“Iida-san”
As Iida was about to leave the command room, I called them back.
“Is something wrong?”
“If you agree to the conditions, I can help them.”
“—What are you talking about? There’s nothing Lily, who can only use recovery magic, can do…”
Well, generally, magical girls who can use recovery magic are considered weak in combat. I understand what Iida is trying to say.
“You must have noticed by now that I’m not ordinary, right? The choice is yours. To be honest, I don’t care if they die.”
I’m merely offering out of adult obligation. If refused, that’s the end of it.
Iida slightly frowned but seemed to understand what I was saying and began to contemplate deeply.
If Jeanne were here, we could discuss this through her, but there’s no time to contact Jeanne. Also, considering the risks and responsibilities if I fail—which is unlikely—it’s quite extraordinary.
The situation is urgent, but during emergencies, Iida would bear all the responsibility.
“—Can you really save them?”
“Yes, but there are conditions.”
“I see. I accept Lily’s offer. What are the conditions?”
It seems like they’ve resolved themselves.
Choosing is a good thing. Those who try to find loopholes instead of choosing can’t be trusted.
“All I need is for you to cut the monitor feed for 10 minutes. No money or anything is required. Well, if the commander refuses, that’s the end of it.”
“Understood. Nestar!”
Iida, who was about to leave the command room, turned back and called the commander’s name.
The commander hesitated for a moment when called but quickly approached Iida.
“What’s the sudden matter?”
“There’s a way to save those four. Will you listen?”
“Really!”
“Yes. However, there is one condition: please cut the video feed for 10 minutes. If you agree to this condition, I can arrange for their rescue.”
“If it can truly save them, I’ll accept the condition. But if it’s a lie…you understand, right?”
The commander—Nestar—made a quick decision.
“Yes. I’ll take responsibility.”
“Understood. So, how do you plan to save them?”
“This Lily will save them.”
“…Stop making jokes that aren’t funny.”
Nestar looked utterly baffled, shaking their head as if to say, “Don’t joke around like this.”
“It’s true. We don’t have much time, so let’s get straight to the point. Where’s the deployment position of the barrier in the battle?”
“…Around the Founding Memorial Park in Diabolik City.”
(Arc)
‘I’ve located it. We can teleport anytime.’
“I’ve found it. Please cut the monitors.”
Nestar stared at me for a moment, then seemed to make a decision and nodded, turning to the staff.
“Stop the monitors showing the four! We’ll discuss this later! For now, follow my orders without asking questions!”
“U-Understood!”
The image disappeared from the large monitor.
“Then, I’ll be back within 10 minutes, so please refrain from watching under any circumstances.”
Well, even if they tried to watch, I could have Arc jam the signal, but keeping promises is important.
(Alright, count on me)
‘Got it. I think it’ll be fine, but be careful anyway.’
(This time, it’s not worth pushing myself too hard, so it’ll be fine.)
I teleported off Iida’s shoulder.
