Chapter 23
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Magical Girl Standoff
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"Sorry, Isiyul... Sis can't hang out with you today."
The Blue I met again looked utterly drained, like she was on the verge of death.
The version of her I saw at the library yesterday had been far more vibrant... The Blue before me now wouldn't look out of place if she keeled over on the spot.
"What's wrong?"
I put on my best poker face and asked. Blue slowly turned to look at me.
That gloomy glint in her eyes... It reminded me of Green's.
Of course, I didn't for a second think this sharp-minded woman had sunk to the level of that airheaded, lust-driven simpleton...
"Isiyul. Sis had a seriously rough time yesterday."
"Huh? Oh, right—I heard Isiwoos showed up yesterday... Did something happen to you because of that?"
"N-No, not that! You know Sis works nearby, right? There was some... work stuff."
Blue, who had to desperately hide her identity as a Magical Girl, averted her gaze and changed the subject.
Considering how Green had just casually spilled the beans to me about being a Magical Girl...
"Sis got too rushed and ended up handling things without waiting for orders from above, y'know? But then the higher-ups threw a massive fit... Ah, sorry for the language!"
"It's fine. Things like that slip out sometimes."
"...You're the only one who gets it, Isiyul."
Blue vented to me indirectly about what had gone down yesterday.
Hmm. From the sound of it, she'd gotten reamed out by the higher-ups for pulling off a Second Transformation.
Higher-ups probably meant someone like the Fairy Queen. No ordinary human could push around a Magical Girl like that.
"Huh?"
"Ah, nothing! Anyway, Sis has cleanup duty today, so we can't read together. Sorry—tomorrow for sure, okay?"
"I see..."
Blue scrunched up her face, feigning disappointment. Looked like she really cherished our time together.
'I see.'
In that case, it seemed wise to rattle her even more right here. Make her loath to be apart from me even for a second.
Blue eyed me with a gaze heavy with regret dripping from it. Then she abruptly stood, gathering her things.
'Knew it.'
From the intel Green had passed along, I'd already figured Blue would head off somewhere for cleanup.
A Magical Girl's Second Transformation wrecked everything in an 8km radius, so only another mana-wielding Magical Girl could handle the aftermath.
'She must've carved out time from her busy schedule just to come here.'
Blue seemed totally smitten with me. Carving out time like this when every minute counted.
Then I'd reward her even more.
'About time for her to... Ah! There she is.'
Click-clack, click-clack. Crisp high-heel footsteps echoed down the silent hallway.
This library sat in such a remote spot that even locals rarely used it, leaving it perpetually deserted.
Which made those footsteps snag Blue's attention right away.
"Huh?"
"Eh...?"
Green and Blue reacted almost in perfect sync.
Makes sense—they were the "coworkers" she'd mentioned earlier. Neither had expected to cross paths here.
'Dropping the hint to Green that I'd be at the library was a smart play.'
I already knew the gloomy Green tracked my location with magic.
Since I'd stuck to the same spot for days running, curiosity must've drawn her here.
"You two know each other?"
"Yeah... Coworkers."
I asked Blue offhandedly, and she nodded quietly, eyes on Green.
Hostility simmered in that gaze. Probably because Green hadn't shown up for recent call-outs.
"Blu... No, whatever. Sis, what about work today? You skipping out?"
"...Was just about to head out. Library was for a promise. You've been missing work a ton lately, though?"
"Oh, that? I took vacation."
Their verbal sparring kicked off in earnest. Blue, with her extra years under her belt, growled and pressed Green.
"Vacation? Since when does our company have that?"
"Got the boss's permission. So it exists now, right?"
"Boss isn't the type to greenlight that. You're lying to me."
The boss was obviously the Fairy Queen, head of the Magical Girls. Was that why Green had been MIA from fights—permission from that lunatic?
No way. I could tell it was bullshit at a glance. Magical Girls didn't get vacations as a perk.
"If you're so sure, check later. Oh, but did the boss take vacation too...? Hmm, unfortunate~"
"Cheap provocation... Why're you even at this library?"
"Thought I'd read some books."
Green sauntered past Blue, slipping between the shelves.
Then she swayed those big hips of hers as she slowly grabbed books at random.
'Not even checking titles. Zero intention of reading.'
Not surprising for Green, who looked like she struggled with three lines straight.
But Blue, the avid reader, looked outright furious at the display.
"Excuse me."
Having indiscriminately loaded up her arms with books, Green plopped down right next to me.
Blue startled at the sight.
"You, why there..."
"'Cause I feel like it. You two dating or what?"
The 30-year-old Magical Girl went silent at that. Her angry expression softened bit by bit, morphing into flustered panic.
"Ahaha, unrequited love? Oh, got it. But our company bans dating, senior... Wonder if that's okay. Boss would lose her shit if she found out, right?"
Bit rich coming from a woman openly leering at my body...
But Blue didn't know that, so it struck her right in the core.
"Who'd have thought she'd go for such a young boy. And at her age."
"Why drag age into it...! And I don't have feelings for him!"
"Then it's fine if I sit here. I'm interested."
A Magical Girl openly declaring interest in a guy. From the same one who'd just been yapping about bans.
"You...!"
"Why not? I'm human too. Can't I like one person?"
"Talking nonsense when you just met him today!"
"Love at first sight? And shouldn't you be going? You said you had work."
Blue ran out of comebacks. Green's logic was a mess, but plenty to silence a vulnerable 30-year-old Magical Girl.
"...Not going."
"Huh?"
"I'm taking vacation today too."
"No, that's insane... Senior, you caused the mess and now you're skipping cleanup?"
"Just talked to the boss. She said vacation's fine. So I'm staying."
Absurd logic met with equally absurd counter. Guess that's how Blue planned to play it.
Blue, who'd been on the verge of leaving, soon grabbed some random books and took the seat across from me.
After their glares clashed sharply, both quietly cracked open their books.
'Plan's on track, anyway.'
Now just steer Green to stoke Blue's jealousy!
"...That bitch, I liked him first. Why's she messing with him."
Green's face twisted viciously. Made that sound a tad tricky.
An hour or so passed, but the tension showed no signs of breaking—in fact, it thickened.
Once comrades-in-arms fighting to save the world, they were now bitter enemies before the man they both wanted.
What a spectacle. Did Doctor Rico send me to this world picturing something like this?
"Bitch, bitch, bitch... I marked him first, why touch what's mine."
Green's state deteriorated by the minute. She gnawed her nails mercilessly, glaring daggers at Blue.
At this rate, they'd throw down... Not ideal. Could mess up my future strategy plans.
"Can't take it anymore... He's mine first, you hear? Don't touch my Isiyul, you old bitch."
Muttering darkly, the gloomy Green insulted her workplace senior as she turned to me.
"...Time to do this."
Green slowly slid her hand onto her thigh. Her palm was ice-cold from the coffee cup—I flinched.
That sinister touch roamed her thigh leisurely. She didn't care about prying eyes if it meant satisfying her urges.
"Isiyul. You hear? Let's show that bitch our love."
She whispered it so only I could hear.
Love? Was sexual harassment her idea of love?
"Isiyul. Sis is gonna head to the back there. Follow in a bit. To show our love."
I could guess what that "love" entailed.
This woman planned to fuck me right here in the library.