Magical Girls are fairly carefree.
When I followed Ms. Amakaze, I was led to a room that smelled of blood and disinfectant.
There, two Magical Girls currently receiving treatment were present.
Both had severe injuries. What had happened?
“This way. Director.”
“I apologize for not being able to greet you. As you can see…”
“These injuries don’t seem to be from a Monster. What happened?”
The Director, compared to those in other branches, was a young woman—a Magical Girl.
She was healing one with recovery magic, but it seemed the black mist was preventing proper healing.
“Someone calling themselves a member of the Doomist faction appeared, one person was killed, and the two who were with her ended up like this… Can they be healed?”
Ms. Jeanne examined the two and made a grim face.
“This is troublesome. When it’s a curse rather than poison, it’s not something easily resolved.”
“…Yes.”
“Lily”
Upon being called by name, Ms. Iida approached Ms. Jeanne.
I assumed she called me to ask if I could dispel the curse, but since it was my first time dealing with such a case, I couldn’t know until I examined it.
“Who’s that?”
“She’s my disciple. She’s somewhat special, but her skills are reliable, so you can rest assured.”
“Yes…”
Though she made a rather disapproving face, it seemed she wasn’t going to complain when lives were at stake.
Well, how about it?
(Hmm…)
“Ugh. If Haruna has good luck, I worry about myself.”
Impertinent though he may be, this isn’t merely a matter of luck.
If she had good luck, she wouldn’t have encountered a situation like this in the first place.
Rather, the fact that these injured Magical Girls survived could be considered good luck.
I’m unusual among Magical Girls capable of using recovery magic as I specialize in mental recovery.
I can treat things that affect the brain, like stress, irritability, or sleep deprivation.
And this curse falls under a classification of mental effects… Though technically it’s slightly different, it’s within my area of expertise.
“How about it?”
“I can dispel the curse. Will you handle the treatment, Jeanne?”
“That’s what I’ll do. It wouldn’t be right to leave everything to you.”
“Can you cure them!”
Upon hearing the conversation between me and Ms. Jeanne, the Director raised her voice loudly.
Ms. Amakaze seemed surprised, but she didn’t seem like someone who openly displays emotions.
Rather, she looked like the quiet type who might work as a librarian.
“Everyone except us, please step outside. We’ll call you once we’re done.”
“…Can’t we oversee the treatment?”
“While it might be fine with poison, with curses, anything could happen. This decision is based on safety considerations.”
In games, there are often scenarios where failed dispelling causes curses to go berserk.
Since it’s my first time, I don’t know much, but it’s probably best to follow Ms. Jeanne’s lead.
“Director. I’ll take over from here, so please rest for a moment. At this rate, you’ll collapse.”
“But… because of my orders, they…”
“You’re not at fault. Though it’s not my place to say, it’s better to stay calm during times like this.”
“—Understood. Please take care of it.”
It seems we’ve come to an agreement, as everyone left the room, leaving only us behind.
“Well, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Understood.”
Just in case, I took out my staff and prepared.
Now, how much magical power will this consume?
“Be free from the eroding pain.”
Above the Magical Girl’s body, a distorted magic circle appeared and unraveled.
It felt like solving a puzzle, but once I adjusted the magic circle so the magical energy flowed correctly, it shattered like glass, breaking the curse.
Immediately, Ms. Jeanne began healing, completing the first one.
“Can you continue?”
“No problem.”
“Ho ho, that’s great. I’ll leave it to you then.”
Since the consumption of magical power depends on time, quickly resolving it means I don’t have to worry about depletion.
Personally, I’m not good at puzzles, but my professional experience came in handy.
A little gratitude to the clients who sent incomprehensible blueprints would be appropriate.
As before, I chanted the spell and dispelled the curse.
Though it was unfortunate for the injured Magical Girl, breaking the curse was slightly enjoyable.
“That’s all, but are there any changes in your condition?”
“I’m fine. Nothing feels off.”
“In that case, it’s good. Shall we call those waiting outside?”
Only Ms. Amakaze remained outside the room. Apparently, quite a few people pushed themselves trying to save these two and were resting now.
Ms. Amakaze had been covering for the Director until our arrival. She’s quite diligent.
“Are the two alright?”
“As you can see, both the curse and the severed limbs have been restored. Whether it’s good luck or bad luck… By the way, was the fallen Magical Girl a Ranker?”
“—Yes. Anastasia, ranked sixth. About five hours ago.”
Around the time I met Ms. Jeanne.
They must have tried to keep her alive until she arrived.
“I see. Losing three against an opponent suggests they were quite skilled. We’ll discuss the details later, but let’s prioritize treating the patients first.”
“Thank you very much. By the way… why are you piggybacking?”
That makes you the fifth person to ask.
I think you did well to inquire.
“It’s obvious—my short stature makes me slow. So, I’m being carried.”
“…I see. But… you resemble a certain girl so much… ”
The latter part was more of a mutter, but I heard it clearly.
We haven’t met directly, but it seems she knows me well.
It’s better if my true identity remains unknown, but even if it’s revealed, it won’t be a major setback.
“Excuse me. Please call me if anything comes up. With that, I shall take my leave.”
Ms. Amakaze bowed her head and exited the room.
Though it was somewhat irregular, let’s return to our original duties.
“Then, I’ll leave the guidance to you.”
“Understood. Let’s go.”
Ms. Iida started walking toward our original destination.
But curses… it seems difficult to resolve them during battle. Using magic to automatically solve puzzles is rather challenging.
Even if all were identical, it doesn’t seem that straightforward.
I need to be cautious when fighting someone with this ability.
After being guided to the room where the patients were housed, I parted ways with Ms. Jeanne again.
Similarly, I used magic immediately upon entering and left before anyone could speak to me.
This time, since the distance to the room where Ms. Jeanne was treating patients was far, we had to walk for a while.
Although it was Ms. Iida walking, I don’t concern myself with trivial matters.
When we reached the door, Ms. Amakaze was waiting there after we’d just parted ways.
“Ah, sorry. There’s something I wanted to ask and made you wait.”
“Is something the matter?”
Ms. Iida slightly tensed but relaxed immediately when Ms. Amakaze raised both hands to show she had no intention of doing anything.
“Do you know the Magical Girl named Inny Flowering? …No, perhaps it’s better if you don’t answer. Just, if you ever meet her, please tell her that I deeply regret my actions. Thank you for your patience.”
Before I could respond, Ms. Amakaze seemed to resolve the matter herself, apologized, and left.
Her regret must pertain to the video she released.
Personally, I don’t mind much, but if she regrets it, that’s fine.
Here’s hoping she regains strength and works hard for the sake of Magical Girls.
Life always finds a way forward.
“What was all that about?”
“Hmm. She had something to regret, I suppose. Anyway, let’s rejoin Ms. Jeanne.”
“Haa… understood.”
We lost some time, but upon entering the room, Ms. Jeanne had just finished treatment.
“You’ve worked hard. That concludes the treatments in Miguria. Mr. Iida, thank you for guiding us.”
“Yes, thank you very much for your efforts on behalf of the country. Personally, I would also like to express my gratitude to Ms. Lily.”
“It’s just my job, so it’s no trouble.”
Thus, the treatments in Miguria have concluded, but China still awaits.
I doubt there will be as many issues there, but I can’t help but feel something might happen wherever we go.
“Still, it’s rare for so many things to happen during one treatment. Is it the witches’ fault or the nation’s fault…?”
It’s the fault of the witches and the nation.
Absolutely not mine.
“Well, never mind. It’s inappropriate for me to comment on the current state of affairs. Please ensure the report on the Doomist faction is handled properly.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure to promptly compile and submit the report.”
“Thanks. Let’s move on to the next destination.”
Returning to the teleportation chamber, this is where we bid farewell to Ms. Iida.
“Thank you very much today. If you ever visit Miguria, please let me know. I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
After being set down, I lined up beside Ms. Jeanne.
“I hope there are fewer patients next time. See you again.”
Following Ms. Jeanne’s words, I bowed my head.
I doubt we’ll meet like this again.
…Let’s consider the piggyback ride as compensation for healing her eyes.
What lies ahead next…?
