Executive, Wanted Poster
"Hoo..."
No matter how hard I tried to shake off the thoughts, the image of today still refused to fade from my mind.
The textbooks and study sheets I had spread out for studying lay pushed to the edge of the desk, with the screen of the phone now blocking the remaining space.
It was a Purification attribute. It had no effect on people or objects.
No matter how much it reflected off the Reflector, it didn't turn the attack's attribute around.
In fact, even where the Magic Missiles had been reflected, the wall hadn't shown any damage.
But...
"Really... why...?"
Why had Seoyeon shown a trembling, frightened look that she had never shown me before?
Even when chased by the Demon King's Army, she had trembled with fear.
When she deliberately lured the Demon King's Army to help me, and when she leaped away from the path of my ultimate move right after, it was the same.
But the look I saw at lunch today was different.
It was a stronger emotion than fear.
Fear.
And this one had taken root deep inside her, so solid that even pouring out all her mana couldn't reach it.
A very serious level of fear.
It was not a Healing attribute, and approaching the mental side required caution.
But I, Innocent Heart.
I hadn't forgotten the training in Healing magic in order to become a true magical girl who could handle everything.
And honestly, I thought I was better at most Healing-type magical girls than them.
After all, since the first generation, I had focused on one concentrated field rather than stacking skills like that.
Because then I couldn't become the true magical girl I dreamed of.
I wanted to be a magical girl who turned people's despair into hope.
To chase after my sister.
...It was a drop in the bucket.
"This isn't hope..."
If I thought about Seoye'son's attitude, she probably didn't want me to dig any deeper.
So, if I was going to mention it later, I had carefully brought up the idea that she could reach out for help anytime if she needed it.
Unfortunately, beyond Seoye'son's expression, the emotion felt like that was unnecessary too.
"...Innocent Heart, Transformation."
-Paaaaaat!
To clear my messy head, I needed clear air.
So I rose, rose again, and rose once more.
Finally, after taking a big breath on top of the clouds, my head somehow felt organized.
"Huuu..."
Since I became a magical girl, I could forget my worries when floating like this on the clouds.
The clouds that stretched on endlessly like the horizon of the sea, and the bright stars sparkling in the black sky.
And the shining moonlight that wrapped my body warmly.
I lay there blankly, floating on the clouds and spending time.
If I didn't sleep like this, the mana consumption for Fatigue Recovery Magic would get quite large later, but somehow, if I tried to sleep, Seoye'son's despair-filled face would probably appear before my eyes.
...One day wouldn't be so bad.
So I tumbled around on the clouds, flying while checking my surroundings.
Then I felt a strange sensation.
"This...?"
The faint mana flowing from the Demon King's Army when they invade.
It was coming from around me.
It seemed like an invasion was about to start very soon.
Since it was like this, I should handle it and go back.
Thinking that, I immediately lowered my altitude and moved my body toward the source of the flowing mana.
Finally.
-Kuwoong...
Through the gap between the huge portals, the Demon King's Army appeared.
But something was strange.
From nearby, another presence of the Demon King's Army was felt.
It was also quite powerful.
A foreign mana different from mindless monsters.
"...An Executive!"
Immediately, what entered my sight was an Executive standing in front of a monster, tentacles writhing about.
But it was strange.
The Executive reached out a hand toward the monster, and then the tentacles twitched as if preparing to attack.
At that moment, my instinct told me.
This Executive was the culprit of the recent magical girl massacre incidents by the Demon King's Army.
Clearly, even if no magical girl had been dispatched, once they arrived, everything was already cleaned up.
The situation was probably that they suspected internal division or infighting among the lower ranks of the Demon King's Army.
But the culprit was an unexpected person.
An Executive.
Why?
"..."
No more thinking needed.
If something was strange and foreign, just catch it and ask!
"Heart Shining Buster!!!"
-Kwaaaaaang!
I fired my ultimate move at the head of the Demon King's Army, instantly obliterating it.
And not giving it a chance to flee, I dropped my altitude to stand at a similar height to the Executive.
This...
I analyzed the attack method and the mana wavelength it felt.
The result was the Executive who had invaded Seoye'son's apartment.
The visor he was wearing was off, but...
"...You are the one."
I finally caught the culprit!
"An unidentified person who has been massacring the Demon King's Army!!!"
Even just a few days ago, he was the Executive who had been attacking people.
I didn't know why he was now massacring the Demon King's Army.
Also, he had been thoroughly prepared not to face magical girls on purpose.
No matter how I thought about it, it was a way with no gain.
There were even magical girls who said it made it easier with fewer missions to dispatch...
"You!"
Now was the time to throw away the thoughts.
"Why is an Executive of the Demon King's Army massacring the Demon King's Army!?"
"..."
"Answer me!"
I had prepared countless Magic Missiles behind me in advance, ready for any situation.
The Executive rolled his glowing purple eyes back and forth, checking the surroundings.
The tentacles nearby twitched, but no attack came.
What...?
An Executive of the Demon King's Army that didn't attack humans couldn't exist.
After all, those guys were full of people who enjoyed pain and destruction down to their souls.
All the Demon King's Army I had met and fought until now had been like that.
This one was probably a smokescreen to deceive humanity.
"If you don't answer...!"
I would just ask my body!
-Kwakuakwakwang!
Instantly, dozens of Magic Missiles were shot at the Executive.
At the same time, tentacles created a wall, and a pink explosion occurred.
Darting through the gaps in the barrage, I closed the distance in one go.
-Pabababat!
Tentacles shot from behind the Executive flew toward me.
"Nothing passes through!"
I charged like a side-step flash, aiming my magic wand forward.
"Heart Shining...!"
-Taak!
"Kt?!"
A tentacle that came from a blind spot struck my wrist hard.
My aim went off, and the gathered mana scattered.
"Stop. Disappear."
A dry voice came from the Executive, who kept his distance from right in front of me.
"I can't do that!"
-Pababaaabat!
I fired a hastily created Magic Arrow.
Even if the image wasn't clear, at this distance there was no way to miss!
"Kuu...!"
It seemed like the unexpected attack surprised the Executive, and he wrapped his body.
But as an Executive, he must have deployed a barrier for a moment.
At this distance, a Shield Break...
"I don't feel like fighting, so disappear..."
"...What did you say?"
At the unbelievable words that suddenly came out of the Executive's mouth, my body stiffened.
You don't feel like fighting?
In my momentary panic, I even forgot to use the Shield Break with my extended magic wand.
"...Tch."
-Kwaaang!
"Kt?!"
But still.
I couldn't trust the Demon King's Army guys.
The moment I got distracted for a second, they exploded right in front of me and then distanced themselves.
Really...
"You have full fighting spirit!"
"...Easy to keep distance."
"Lie!"
He was a guy who couldn't afford to be careless.
I wanted to erase him at full output immediately, but...
If I did that, I couldn't ask why he was massacring the Demon King's Army.
"Haa...! You shouldn't have made such an empty promise...!"
The Executive muttered incomprehensible sounds while scratching his own head from a somewhat distant place.
"Really, I'm irritated...! I want to kill him...!"
"!"
At the same time as spewing words mixed with hatred from my mouth, the mana around me flickered.
The purple eyes, fueled by unceasing emotion, burned brightly.
"Mag, Magic...!"
-Paat!
I gathered mana in front of my body and deployed a barrier.
I had no choice.
"Die."
The tentacle that rose from behind the Executive's back gathered in one place and then tightly bound.
"Imag...!"
I hadn't clearly imagined the resolution.
The mana gathered awkwardly, and a thin shield that was too easy to break developed, not like a barrier.
As expected, the imperfect barrier was simply pierced through by the tentacles.
The attack that penetrated the shield gradually approached my front.
"Kt...!"
To prepare for the pain that would come soon, I squeezed my eyes shut.
"...?"
But.
For some reason.
The tentacle that was supposed to pierce my abdomen and chest, and the pain that would follow, was not felt.
Unable to hold back my surprise, I opened my eyes.
"Ah...!?"
The Executive who had existed just moments ago was nowhere to be found.
The flickering tentacles around me had left no other traces at all.
"...Ha."
I lived.
But more than that thought, the curiosity filling my head was greater.
He had clearly said he didn't feel like fighting.
After that, he said it was easy to keep distance, so I had thought the explosion was a natural deception.
But, why just now?
It was definitely a chance to kill him.
It was a chance that could surely reduce humanity's power, which he as an Executive would hate to miss twice.
"..."
I decided.
The one who took off the visor to show his face, the one who had harassed Seoye.
Now he was the Executive who massacred the Demon King's Army while avoiding fights with magical girls.
I had to catch him somehow.
Catch him, suppress him, and question him.
...Everything.