The Meaning of B-Rank
“Magical Girl English Lavender, henceforth.”
A solemn air filled the space.
The Magical Girl Association HQ.
In that chamber, one magical girl trudged toward the source of the voice.
“Yes.”
Magical Girl English Lavender.
And.
“It's been a while.”
Magical Girl Association President Lee Hana.
No.
Magical Girl Twilight.
Clad in a costume blending navy and orange, she gazed down at English Lavender from the highest seat in the examination hall.
As everyone else held their breath watching, English Lavender's low voice echoed through the hall.
“You haven't changed a bit. Anyone'd think you're a middle schooler.”
It was a playful remark that clashed utterly with the solemn atmosphere.
Yet not a soul said a word against it.
Not even Magical Girl Twilight.
“Haha, true. This body stopped growing no matter the years. Fine usually, but meeting old friends from childhood gets awkward.”
She deftly parried English Lavender's words, then paused as if dredging up memories.
Soon, she spoke of English Lavender's past.
“So… last time was your C-rank promotion? You were shaking like a real middle schooler then—gotten used to it now?”
English Lavender replied to her.
“Nah, just no reason to shake these days.”
Twilight smiled at her words, then wiped it from her face.
“Then… you probably know why I called you here.”
A grave tone weighted her childlike voice.
The unwestering sun sought to scorch the lavender flowers across countless battlefields. Yet the lavender bloom stood firm, unshaken.
“Yes.”p>
With nothing left to fear, she trembled no more. Satisfied, Twilight spoke again.
“Many obsess over ranks. In school, grades; at department stores, chasing VIP with endless spending; even in games, hanging for that rank.”
“Childhood me loved that grading too. Black history now, but it made me who I am.”
“So I like ranks plenty. Adults love numbers, right? Guess I do too.”
She gazed at the hall's ceiling, lost in reminiscence.
One second, two, three. Tick tock.
In that brief silence broken only by the clock, those watching the twilight held their breath.
“That's why I come here personally to rank magical girls—to remember them all. Shame it's C-rank and up; can't watch every girl.”
Finishing, she lowered her gaze to meet English Lavender's eyes.
Pale purple, like lavender's hue. No tremor now, just resolute will unlike before.
Judging the talk ripe, she stirred mana around them.
“Icebreaker done… time to bestow English Lavender's qualification formally.”
Her calm aura flipped in an instant.
“…”
The air shifted, tension taut from mana ripples.
Countless flowers in the hall crumbled under twilight, but the one lavender at center stood unmoved.
“I, Magical Girl Twilight, now declare to Magical Girl English Lavender.”
Twilight declared to the world, to the flower.
“To she who overcame fear, I grant the qualification to protect this city.”
Bestowing 'qualification' upon that single lavender bloom.
“Thank you.”
English Lavender.
Promotion to B-rank.
……
And.
“President, a moment…”
“What is it?”
“Magical girl registrations are up double from last month. That's fine, but… something odd turned up.”
“Go on.”
“Most of those new girls… have 'tree branches' as their wands.”