Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Sometimes Trash Can Be Useful If Recycled, Right?
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Hm.
"Welcome. Captain Bell of the Crown Theater Troupe. And Lady Robelia. We've been waiting."
"Wow, long time no see, Miss Juri. How've you been?"
"Yes, well. Thanks to you... Anyway, please come this way."
Hmm.
"How's the Boss been lately?"
"You'll hear it straight from him."
"Haha. How heartless."
Somehow, I felt a bit left out.
"......"
The moment we stepped into the building emblazoned with a sign reading Zoo, I was greeted—not by what I'd expected, but by the sight of people in suits bustling around like we were in some regular company office.
Poke. Poke.
While Bell was distracted chatting with the stunning secretary who'd come out to greet us, claiming she'd been waiting just for our arrival, I jabbed his side.
Swat, smack.
Then the annoying captain swatted my hand away with a gesture screaming what a hassle.
Crack.
The elevator chimed as it reached our floor. Careful not to punch a hole through the guy, I clenched my fist lightly and gave his side a sharp flick, like snapping a knuckle.
Crunch!
Only then did he seem to remember I was there. He twisted his body at a right angle, grimacing in pain as our eyes met. I flashed a bright smile and said,
"Don't ignore me, or you're dead."
"Kek... You crazy... bastard..."
As I grabbed Bell's folded-in-half body—which he couldn't unfold on his own—and bent it the other way,
"Pfft...!"
Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted beside me. The secretary, who'd been stone-faced while talking to Bell moments ago, clamped her hand over her mouth, doubled over, and started shaking uncontrollably.
"Ahaha! Hahaha! Sorry, heh, sorry! I just never imagined I'd see something like this..."
Was it that surprising? I'd always figured, given how he acted around me or Senior Shin, that this was just his vibe everywhere.
"Whew... My apologies. The Boss is just beyond this door. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
Anyway, after the secretary—who'd composed herself in an instant—guided us to the elegant brown door, I gave Bell's back a light pat as he hacked away for a good while. The moment I turned the knob for the wimp who couldn't even open a door after taking that little hit,
Bam!!
"How long you gonna yap out there, Bell?!"
Before I could even pull the door open, someone kicked it flying and bellowed.
"Uh..."
"Huh? The young lady..."
I pointed at the idiot in my arms—his head shaped like a dog's, but whatever—who'd gotten flattened against the door when it burst open with that bang and passed out cold.
"...is dead."
Anyway, not my fault.
* * *
A moment later.
"Ugh... Ow, my head."
Bell—the man who rose from his seat clutching his face, which hurt all over—
Slurp.
Grabbed his throbbing head and turned toward the sound of someone sipping tea nearby, blinking in confusion.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Can't you see? Drinking tea."
And who could blame him for asking? His boss had gotten blindsided and knocked out, yet here this guy was, sipping tea all calm and collected.
"Oh, you're up."
Bell scanned the room in utter bewilderment at the voice coming from someone standing by the massive window dominating one wall.
"I keep telling you to exercise more. This guy."
"Don't you think this isn't about training, perpetrator?"
He protested with a wronged expression, but all he got back was a shrug from the man eyeing him.
"Anyway, long time no see, Brent."
"You got that right. It's been ages, Bell."
Brent—the man with a human body and a mismatched Doberman head—welcomed him with a gentle smile and a hug, clearly just glad to see him.
This doesn't feel like a moment to butt in.
The girl who'd been watching from the start, Robelia, munched on the fancy cookies set before her, wondering why she'd even bothered coming if they were just gonna chat all chummy.
These are good.
Just as Robelia's cheeks puffed out on both sides with cookies,
"Still, after nearly twenty years with no contact, you drop a single text and show up... and bringing a magical girl, no less."
Brent handed Bell a steaming cup of tea, sat down, and asked,
"What's this about?"
Bell savored the aroma with the cup to his nose, paused in silence, then elegantly took a sip before speaking slowly.
"Join us on one little job."
Up to here, it was the kind of line you'd expect in a setup like this.
"Pass."
"Without hearing the details?"
"If it's from you, I know what to expect without asking."
"You've gotten awfully cautious in the years since. The guy they used to call Mad Dog."
Their exchange grew prickly with barbs.
"Things are different from twenty years ago. Too many magical girls now. Stronger than before, even. Better to stockpile power than stick our necks out."
Anything else, he'd welcome with open arms—but asking for help in this magical girl-saturated era? No thanks.
"You too, miss. Better to keep your head down and stay out of trouble."
That was when Brent casually addressed Robelia, who was quietly sipping her tea.
A chill...!
Clink. Her teacup rattled violently on the table as her eyes turned icy, glaring at Brent.
"Mister. Watch your words."
"......"
"Just 'cause your head looks like a dog's doesn't mean you should piss everywhere."
At the same time, a sinister purple magic power leaked from her, bearing down on Brent's head like it wanted to force him to his knees.
"Just so you don't get the wrong idea."
"Guh...!"
"Me hating magical girls doesn't put me on the same side as scum like you."
Robelia spoke in a cold voice. Hating monkeys—and calling out villains—didn't mean she was on the same level as a villain like Brent.
"As for our captain here, our interests just aligned by chance, so we hang together."
Only then did Brent realize how this girl saw them.
"Why, sometimes trash can be useful if you recycle it, right?"
Not people, not even the monkeys she often mocked. Just roadside garbage. That was the value villains held for Robelia.
"......"
As she turned away coldly, reaching for another cookie like there was nothing left to say, Brent—freed from the magic crushing him—thought,
A monster...
He was still a boss of his outfit, rotten or not. He could hold his own against most magical girls long enough to escape, so he knew.
—Join us on one little job.
Bell's opening line hadn't been an invitation at all.
"...What kind of job?"
Bell had never even considered refusal as an option. Of course not. There was no such thing as negotiation among villains. He'd been naive. The underworld had always been ruled by power.
"Don't be so scared. You think we'd kill you, Brent? Haha."
He held back from adding, Even though you were just about to crush and kill him with magic.
"And it's not a bad deal for you, either."
"......"
"Heh, so distrustful. And you're still breathing thanks to me."
As Bell grinned infuriatingly, Brent ground his teeth and glared—
"—We'll give you the power of a magical girl."
"What...?"
"Exactly what I said. Help us with this, and as payment... the power of one magical girl."
A voice slithered up his neck like a snake coiling around his throat, chilling him.
"That's... for real...?"
Impossible. His head knew it, but recalling what this man had been in the past... the word what if ignited his cooling heart.
"Well, stability'll need testing, but... I think it's doable♥"
Glance. Instead of answering, he eyed her cautiously. Robelia was inhaling cookies with a nonchalant look, like she couldn't care less about the conversation.
"...Tell me more."
Of course, Robelia herself was playing dumb here, so he'd grill her properly later... but what could he do? No mind-reading like some people. Brent had no choice but to bite the bait.