Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Shouldn't Have Said That
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-Are you in trouble? Shall I help?
It was definitely a voice I remembered hearing somewhere before.
-My respects to your noble sacrifice.
Right. I remembered now. It was the voice that saved me right before I ended up in this state—drifting on the verge of death after using Boundary Inversion.
"...Who are you."
But if I were the type to just go along with whatever some stranger said, I never would have ended up in this situation in the first place.
"...!"
Of course, it had enough impact to make the thug straddling me—who looked like he was about to puke, tongue lolling out—flinch in surprise.
Thwack!
"You bitch, who the hell do you think you are...!"
"Kek...!"
Thanks to that, I took a punch to the gut from the pissed-off bastard... Hmm. Actually, thinking about it, that pisses me off a bit.
"Just in case, check if anyone's nearby!"
And so, with that guy grunting as he tried to strip off my clothes with one hand again, and his buddies getting up to look around for witnesses, I let out a sigh against that backdrop.
Oh dear, that's too much. That wasn't really my fault, was it? Just think of it in simple terms.
This time, a playful voice rang out, different from before.
So, what will you do? Do you need help?
Of course I needed help. I'd steeled myself mentally, but honestly, I had no desire to get impaled by scum like this. Still... relying on some shady character who hadn't even shown their face yet felt off.
Oh my. Shady, you say? Think of me as your devoted fan—at worst, someone cute like that.
And only after hearing that voice did I realize it. This shady figure had been watching me constantly since I woke up in the hospital.
Then, if you need help, just call anytime. This one's on the house.
Only after the presence of that voice completely vanished did I realize it was gone.
"......"
I channeled every ounce of strength I had, craning my head forward toward the filthy thug about to press his mouth to my exposed pale skin—maybe because I never got a proper suckle at my mom's breast as a kid.
Crunch...!
"Gaaahhh!"
I barely reached his ear and bit down as hard as I could.
Crunch, crunch.
Who was it that said human ears have a texture surprisingly like uncooked oxtail bones? For the record, I hate oxtail bones.
Spit.
"Y-You crazy bitch...!"
As he clutched his ear with one hand, screaming amid the fishy metallic taste of blood filling my mouth, I flashed him a grin.
Kwang...!
In that instant, a dizzying pain whitewashed my mind, and I felt my head slam into the ground and bounce.
Oh, this is dangerous.
Had he swung in blind rage? Through my blurring vision, I saw him clutching his bloody fist, looking panicked.
Haaak... haaak...
It hurt. My occiput felt torn open, wet with blood, and the pain in my face from his blow left me unable to think straight.
"Hoo, ha...!"
But one thing stuck clearly in my memory... The guy bleeding from his ear whispered something to me in a rage-filled voice—words he absolutely should never have said.
"You damn little shit... Fine. Since it's a rare chance, I'll make that precious junior of yours just like you. If I send her a pic of you like this now, what can she do? Ha... Thanks to you, I get to fuck two Magical Girls."
Probably because my body was frailer than expected. He figured any more hits might kill me, so he'd used his brain for once. But he shouldn't have said that.
"......"
"Huh? What'd you say, damn it. Get your ear fixed at the hospital."
"......Shin."
"Hey! Someone do something about this rotten little shit! I need to get to the hospital... Uh...?"
When I snapped to, I was already on my feet.
Crack.
I don't know exactly what happened. All I knew for sure was... my Magic Power, dormant until moments ago, stirred, and somehow, I managed to Transform into Seriel.
Crack... creak... kwang...!
The handcuffs binding my wrists shattered with just a flex of my body.
"...Hey. What did you just say?"
Was it the head injury from before the Transformation? Even as my body reconstructed during the shift, my pounding head throbbed. Staggering forward, I clutched it and approached the pale thug collapsed on the ground.
"Hik, hiik...!"
"You bastard... There's a line you just don't cross with people...."
And just as I was about to snap his limbs—the same ones that had been all over me moments ago—
Beeeep—!
This is an announcement to all citizens. This is not a drill—it's a real situation. Please remain calm and move to the nearest shelter or evacuation site. We repeat: this is not a drill—it's a real situation...
I didn't even need to hunt for the Crisis Alert Device. Yellow alert—Amber-level Demonic Beast or Villain. Normally, I'd be on standby, so unless it was the dead of night, I'd handle it before the alarm. But no helping it.
"...Tch."
Personally, I wanted to beat this scum within an inch of his life right then. But no matter what anyone said, I was a Magical Girl. So, leaving the trembling thug behind, I bolted from the scene at top speed.
Kwaaaang—!
Luckily or not, I didn't need to pinpoint the location. Far off in the city district, a massive silhouette was faintly visible, smashing the building beside it.
"...Damn it."
Of all the times, a giant Demonic Beast with a bad matchup against me shows up. In the time I've been assigned here, fingers could count the large ones. What the hell is going on... I'll crash hard when I get home. That's what my head thought, but my body was already kicking off the air toward the Demonic Beast.
'Yu-na... she'll need more time.'
At the same time, glancing at my phone—which I'd grabbed just in time through hazy vision—I saw a message from the Boss: Yu-na was at the hospital and it'd take a bit.
Click.
This time, there was really no choice. Thinking of ways to minimize damage even now, I drew my sword from thin air.
"Magical Girl!"
"Why are you so late!"
"My house! My shop! Aaaah!"
Ignoring the citizens who'd spotted me amid the midnight chaos, screaming as they fled... I quietly stared up at the giant humanoid Demonic Beast so huge even craning my neck didn't reach its head.
"Hurry up and deal with it! If my house collapses, are you gonna take responsibility?!"
"Magic! What are you waiting for with your magic?! If you can't handle it, call another Magical Girl!"
If they had the energy to yell, they should run. Voices from people disrupting my focus rang out.
"What are you doing?! Run first! It's dangerous!"
"Sir! You can't stay here!"
"You got this! Seriel!"
Of course, not everyone was like that. Some dragged away the noisy crowd gathering around me; others cheered me on.
"......"
But my head was spinning too much to care.
Kiiiiing...!
I didn't know. I just wanted to end it quick and rest. As if answering that, Magic Power stronger than usual coiled around my sword.
Shwaaaak—!
I swung the blade of dense blue Magic Power from low to high in a massive arc.
Slaaash—thud...!
The giant Demonic Beast, building-sized, split in half, crashed into surrounding structures, crumbling into dust.
"...Ugh."
Maybe because I'd drawn more Magic Power than usual at once. Amid my already dizzy head, a fresh headache hit, forcing me to clutch it and stagger.
"Oh no, oh no! If my shop collapses like this, how will my family survive?! Oh no!"
"My house, what about my house now... Ah..."
Already dying from headache, and with the uncontrolled scene unlike usual... Seeing the furious crowds gathering—faces so mad it choked me—I felt unease and tried to flee.
"Everyone... huff, hack... it's dangerous! Get back now!"
The last voice I wanted to hear right now—the one from the bastard who'd kidnapped me, bound me, tried to rape me... that damn thug.
"Look at this! That Magical Girl! That damn bitch sliced off my ear like this! She'll kill people if she feels like it!"
Unbelievable. Even here, he'd run over to screw me over? And pin his missing ear entirely on me?
Drip... drip...
But before I could even retort... I felt the atmosphere around me chill, like raindrops wetting my face, one by one.
"Senior! Sorry! I was late... Eh, it's over?!"
And to top it off... Yu-na finally arriving, panting hard, flying in late.
Where to even start sorting this mess? My mind was pure chaos, no thoughts left.
Sneer.
Then, seeing Yu-na descend from the sky, the thug's lip curled slyly.
"......"
I caught it. That repulsive, lust-filled gaze flicking between me and Yu-na.
"Senior! Wait, what are you... No!"
No hesitation. If not now... I'd regret it forever.
Puk—!
My dream was a world where Magical Girls never had to sacrifice... where they could live their lives in peace.