Pounced by a Magical Girl
A rare day off after a long while.
Days like this are precious—ones where I can forget about Silver Unit duties for a bit and refresh my body and mind.
Which is why I'd planned to hole up at home and enjoy some leisurely alone time...
"...Why are you here?"
I muttered at the sight of Amber, sprawled on my bed without permission, munching away on potato chips.
"Aw, come on, between us? Ah, crumbs on the sheets."
"At least sit up while you eat?"
No wonder my back had been hurting lately whenever I lay down. This guy's the culprit.
But the real question is why Amber's glued to my place like this.
She's my boss, so yeah, I gave her my address. But barging in like this?
"Was giving you the spare key a mistake? Hand it over. Now."
"If you croak in your room, who'd find you but me? Plus, this is an executive order. No returning the key!"
She started throwing a tantrum with that pointless stubbornness.
"Executive only when it suits you, huh."
"And your own space? Secret hideout? I'm totally the type who loves that stuff."
Not something a girl from a luxury mansion should say.
Anyway, once Amber digs in like this, she's immovable. Never been one for simple persuasion.
"Do whatever... "
I snatched a chip and settled beside her.
Solo time's nice, but honestly, this isn't half bad.
Dropped in a world with no connections, I've been living days without friends, let alone guardians.
If not for Amber, I'd probably spend every day alone and miserable.
Dunno if it's her sense of responsibility as my boss, but I'm grateful she hangs out with a guy like me.
Unlike a total loner like me, though, Amber's gotta have tons of friends at Jewelry Academia.
On a holiday like this, she probably has plans. Does she really wanna waste it in this dump?
"Don't you have other friends to hang with besides me? You seemed tight with Sophia."
Sophia had dropped by the cafe a few times since then, chatting with Amber. Sometimes dragging along classmates.
"Hmm, well, as a magical girl, playing privately feels risky..."
"Fair point."
Nothing scarier than getting too close and having your Silver Unit exec status exposed.
Even airheaded Amber's got enough brains to clock that much.
"And I can hang with the others on weekdays... This is fine, right?!"
"Not scolding you. Just curious."
Thinking about it, I realized I knew zilch about her school life.
Student at that famous Jewelry Academia, so I could guess... but still.
I stared at her rolling around on my bed.
Her panties peeked out for a sec when she flipped, but whatever. No need to point it out.
"I notice every time, but this place is tiny."
"Then leave if it's too cramped..."
Don't expect luxury in a rundown mansion like this. I picked it for proximity to Silver Unit HQ, after all.
Once I save up, I'll move somewhere better. Sticking here forever's bad for my health.
We killed time with pointless chit-chat, playing games together.
Thud—thud—
Footsteps kept coming and going beyond the front door.
"Someone move in next door? It's been noisy since earlier. Can't stand it."
"Yeah, seems like. Noisy? Go home then."
The landlady mentioned a few days ago: a cute neighbor might move in next door. Get excited.
That tone screams girl. Cute? How cute could she be?
Bit prejudiced, but to the landlady, any polite, well-mannered girl looks cute.
From my angle, the empty next door filling up was just a bummer.
"This place is so old, soundproofing sucks. Layer noise pissed me off daily; now the side too."
"Hee~"
Amber let out that half-hearted exclamation, face screaming zero sympathy.
This is why you don't hang with rich mansion girls. Moneyed brat ignoring her sky-like senior.
Ding-dong!
Speak of the devil—the footsteps stopped, and the doorbell rang inside.
"Hello~! New resident in 104!"
Undeniably a lively girl's voice. Age around Amber's, maybe.
"Coming over to greet me personally? The neighbor?"
"Weird custom. Never got one."
"'Cause you live in a mansion... Never mind."
Can't keep a guest waiting. I hurried to the door and opened it to check the new neighbor—
"......"
There stood the magical girl Ruby.
I slammed the door shut and went back to Amber.
"Huh? Ow! Why hit me?!"
Was it a nightmare? I smacked her hard head to check. Pain too real for a dream.
"Not a dream, but..."
"Hah...?"
I reopened the door.
Still the magical girl Ruby—no, Ravi—standing there.
"Ahh! Moved, and next door's Jade's place! What an amazing coincidence!"
"...Yeah."
I thought to myself:
No way that's coincidence.
***
"Pardon the intrusion~"
I'd shooed Amber out the window first, then let Ravi in.
Of course, I'd ordered her to alert the boss the second Ravi jumped me. She's probably spying from outside now.
So it all boils down to why she's here.
"F-First time in a guy's room."
"...You didn't come for pointless small talk."
"Huh?"
Her brazen question didn't sway my suspicions.
Ravi knows who I am. Knew from the start.
"I turned down your confession, right? How'd you get my address?"
"Ehh?! Total coincidence! Moved, and neighbor's Jade..."
Does she think I'm a sucker?
Can't check a mirror, but my face must scream suspicion.
She just beamed back innocently, grating on my nerves.
"...Don't move."
"Oho?"
I whipped out the pistol hidden in my waistband, aiming at her.
Adult man pointing a gun at a little girl—surreal, grotesque scene.
But taking it at face value would be naive.
This world has mana, flipping power gaps in an instant.
And before me stood humanity's mana record holder. Mana-less me? Not even playtime.
She tracked me home—no escape now.
Better to resist than spill Silver Unit intel unknowingly.
Ravi stared at my face a moment—
"Ugh!"
No time to pull the trigger. She shattered the gun in my hand.
"Silver Unit Operations Support, Jade."
"...Knew it."
I'd half-expected. No way Ruby falls for me.
That fragile expression, clumsy act at confession? All fake.
So this is the real Ravi.
Cold eyes, overbearing aura. Like facing another species.
Fine by me. If she kills me here, Amber alerts the boss.
Whoever outs magical girl Ruby gets VIP treatment in Silver Unit.
Decent end for a grunt. I owed Amber big; this repays it.
Still no clue why she'd target a nobody like me...
Doesn't matter now. I've died once already.
"Ah, Amber's watching outside, so boss gets word soon? That's what you're thinking?"
Chills ran through me.
She clocked Amber too...?
"That heroic face says it all. 'Do what you want to me, just protect the precious one.'"
Her words weren't registering anymore. "Cast perception interference before entering. Whatever I do, outsiders won't notice."
"......"
Prey before a predator. Instinct screamed: I'm hers now.
She pinned me down, weight on me, gazing with an indescribable expression.
"Even something this rough... right?"
"...?"
Hold up. That confession wasn't bait?
Then why's she undressing? Memory search: zilch.
I'm Silver Unit grunt, enemy to this magical girl.