The Magical Girl was watching over the meeting.
“They’ve all gathered. It’s good that no one ran away.”
In the conference room, with Bayern leading, the directors I had brought were seated and waiting.
But when I say ‘no one ran away,’ it would have been the end if they had. Whether out of responsibility or money…
Which reason is it, I wonder?
“Wait, are you letting Rinde attend this meeting as well?”
“Yes. I plan to have her oversee things as England’s Magical Girl. Isn’t it a good opportunity for learning?”
Bayern wore a bitter expression but couldn’t retort to Ren-san. I remember that Rinde is Bayern’s granddaughter, so he probably didn’t want her to see what would happen in this meeting.
There’s darkness hidden behind the glamorous word ‘Magical Girl’—the societal darkness that no one wants to show.
There were two empty chairs; Ren-san sat in one, and I placed Rinde in the other. As I’m just nominally an assistant, I stood back.
I was offered a chair, but this arrangement will do for now.
Including us, there were seven people gathered:
Bayern from the London Magic Bureau Headquarters.
Riley from the London Magic Bureau Branch.
Albert from the Newport Magic Bureau Branch.
Air from the Glasgow Magic Bureau Branch.
Harry from the Leicester Magic Bureau Branch.
Freddy from the York Magic Bureau Branch.
“There’s no need for introductions. Do you understand why you’ve been gathered here?”
“I do. But those who let things run rampant and the Magical Girls who followed them are at fault. I merely did what I could under the current situation, so there’s nothing more to be said about it.”
Because we can’t trust each other, we do what we can. What Albert says isn’t wrong, but in this case, it is.
It might pass off as personal responsibility in a company or school, but not in the Magic Bureau. With both Magical Girls and civilians already harmed, these words shouldn’t be spoken.
This is life-and-death work. Saying “Don’t complain because I’m doing what I can” only stirs up resentment.
“Yes, it’s true that things aren’t going well with some Magical Girls, but it’s their fault too. It’s difficult to do more than this.”
Air agreed, and most of the other directors nodded. Only Bayern wore a sour expression. Though I can’t see Rinde’s face, she must not be feeling great.
“That’s right. If things had been running smoothly without issues, it might have been fine, but you know it hasn’t been. We’ll overlook past events, but from now on, follow Bayern.”
“That…”
“It’s too much…”
Ren-san’s words invite dissent, but saying the wrong thing could provoke her wrath. That’s why they mumble instead of speaking clearly.
“Originally, the Magic Bureaus should align with headquarters, collaborate across branches, and fight against monsters. If you care about the country, wouldn’t it be better to at least listen?”
One of the problems was that no one listened to Bayern. I don’t know how corrupt the English Magic Bureaus were, but if they’d at least listened, things might have been less bad.
Wars between countries often start from small misunderstandings or disagreements that escalate into mutual killings. Ideology or religion might play a part, but it usually starts with a tiny spark.
Ren-san turned her face towards Bayern and encouraged him to speak. Everyone looked at Bayern, filled with various thoughts.
“—Firstly, I apologize for my inadequacy in stopping the corruption within the Magic Bureau.”
Bayern quietly bowed his head.
“And I take responsibility for the current state of England. You may have your own thoughts, but until the threat of the destructionists fades, please lend me your support without comment. After everything is resolved, I will step down from my position as director. Afterwards, you’re free to do as you wish.”
Without a word, accepting everything. This choice isn’t necessarily wrong.
If excuses were made here, it might lead to endless debate and possibly require Ren-san’s mediation. However, if Bayern takes the blame here, even fools would likely follow him.
Moreover, once the destructionist witches disappear, the monster threat will decrease, and minor issues won’t matter much.
Well, if anything absurd happens, Arongante or Ren-san will handle it somehow.
“Well, Bayern has spoken, but what will you do? Will you pursue like children or accept like adults? Which will it be?”
“…Understood. I will comply. However, if there’s even a hint of unrest, I intend to act independently. Even if it means being judged.”
Air spoke first, but if it becomes clear that she’s acting independently, Ren-san will likely intervene. In the worst-case scenario, if England ceases to exist, fairies might manage things. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
It doesn’t concern me. As long as the minimum population is maintained, the world will be fine. Whatever happens, I’ll leave it to Arongante and Ren-san.
Starting with Air, the other directors also reluctantly stated they would follow orders.
“Since we’ve reached an agreement, next let’s discuss our guidelines. Announce that monster hunts will be conducted in groups of three. S-Rank and above monsters must always be accompanied by a Ranker. Additionally, strictly enforce rules against rule-breaking Magical Girls. Any questions?”
“Even if we enforce rules, we lack the manpower to do so…”
Riley spoke almost inaudibly. There are few rankers, and hardly any Magical Girls with near-ranker strength. We already knew this, so last night’s overtime took care of the major issues.
“In regard to that, last night, a mysterious Magical Girl wiped out most of the designated targets and troublesome elements nesting in England. Moving forward, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
Most of the directors were surprised by this statement. Hadn’t they received any reports from below? I assumed they would have been alerted considering the significant number eliminated…
Apparently, not only the top but also the bottom levels are problematic.
However, with such widespread issues, it makes you suspect whether some force is at play.
(Are there any traces of destructionists within England?)
‘They should be gone, but we don’t know all the members of the destructionists in this world, so we can’t say for sure. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were deceiving us.’
Deceiving… Detection and reconnaissance are left to the Demon, and if the Demon can’t find them, there’s nothing I can do. Anyway, I should be careful of surprise attacks since I can recover unless struck fatally.
Anyway, assuming the destructionists are already active would be safer.
“If that’s settled, how about the Magical Girls’ exhaustion rate? It’s quite severe, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct. We’re managing somehow…”
We decided on guidelines for collaboration among the Magic Bureaus, but we lack the necessary Magical Girls to execute them.
“How are the finances of each Magic Bureau?”
“We don’t have the budget to recruit Magical Girls from outside…”
Managing in this state, of course, there’s no money.
Even borrowing from abroad would be impossible without a repayment plan. Honestly, even with money, I doubt much could change.
As the heavy atmosphere began to dominate, Ren-san started chuckling softly.
“If we hadn’t been able to grasp the surrounding situation here, what would have happened? Struggling until the last moment and asking for help when everyone else is struggling too would result in mutual collapse.”
Ren-san surveyed everyone, gauging their reactions.
“Money, emotions, power—all are meaningless before raw strength. And you all lack the power to break the current situation—don’t you?”
“Then what do you propose? Wasn’t it you who gathered us?”
A remark that could be interpreted as shifting responsibility. Essentially, it’s an acknowledgment of Ren-san’s previous statements.
“That’s right. But I have no obligation to save you. Even if the country collapses, as long as people remain, rebuilding is possible. Wouldn’t it become somewhat normal then?”
“But!”
Officially, this is about aiding England, but methods are left to our discretion, and drastic measures might be unavoidable if things get too bad.
Losing the ruling class might be overlooked… probably.
Other directors besides Freddy also contested Ren-san but were quickly dismissed. Around the time they seemed to accurately recognize the current situation, Ren-san turned her gaze to Bayern.
“Well, let me make my proposal. If you completely allow and tacitly approve of our actions, I’ll help you. Of course, I won’t cut off your heads.”
It sounded like ‘heads,’ but in her case, it probably means physical decapitation. Negotiation basics involve pushing someone to their limits before extending a lifeline, but how old is Ren-san exactly?
“What kind of help are you offering?”
“You know about Inie, right? I’ll heal everyone. Don’t worry; I’ll cover the costs. During that time, I’ll take care of all the monster hunts. Although I can’t promise treating regular citizens, I’ll heal relevant personnel.”
Ordinarily, this would seem like a ridiculous offer to dismiss, but it’s feasible for Ren-san and me.
This applies mainly to magic-based Magical Girls, who can fight without worrying much about range. If they wanted, one person could potentially handle a country alone. In Japan’s case, that would be Thalagong and Ren-san, maybe Kaede as well.
Abroad, perhaps Strauf could manage it too.
But the damage to buildings and terrain would be catastrophic.
However, Ren-san should be able to minimize such damage.
And casually, she’s making a frightening demand, which is likely her main point.
Nothing might happen, but if something like Australia occurs, Ren-san and I could obtain a carte blanche to do whatever necessary.
“Is that alright?”
“Yes. Since it’s also your superior’s order. Any objections?”
Cornered as they are, they likely can’t fully comprehend Ren-san’s words. It’s either clinging to the thread dangling in front of them or falling straight into hell.
They have no choice but to select.
Additionally, healing Magical Girls should alleviate distrust from their side, making them more cooperative. From there, England’s Rankers and Ren-san should manage things.
“No objections. The treatment will begin here at headquarters in three hours. Make sure everyone coordinates properly and arrives on time. Consider the nation finished if any problems arise.”
“Understood. Let’s count on the branch directors’ cooperation. Come on, let’s go!”
With Bayern’s single word, the directors sprang into action and exited the conference room. Some glanced at me, but I ignored them completely.
“How did it go?”
Ren-san addressed Rinde, who had silently sat beside her.
“…Was my country really such a dangerous place?”
“Yes. Without us, it would have fallen sooner or later.”
Rinde clenched her hands in her lap and lowered her head. It wasn’t hard to guess what she was thinking.
But whether she uses this as motivation to grow or retreats into her shell is entirely up to her.
“We should move too. Sorry, but Inie will have to work hard. I’ll cover the treatment costs this time, so please cooperate.”
Honestly, treatment costs aren’t necessary, but the scale is too large to offer it for free. Perhaps we’ll donate the funds to Arongante.
“Understood. Ideally, I’d like to assist on that side, but I’ll hold back this time.”
Personally, I prefer hunting monsters to treating people, but I’ll comply this time. We’ll eventually fight them anyway.
Engaging with them wouldn’t be enjoyable anyway. Last night’s battle somewhat cleared my mind.
“Thank you. Do you need assistance?”
“I’m used to it, so I’ll be fine. Why don’t you come along? I brought someone yesterday too.”
“I’d like to, but it might get serious, so it’s difficult.”
Ah, the freezing incident.
“I see. Then I’ll handle it here.”
“Thank you. See you again tonight or in the morning.”
With that, Ren-san left the conference room.
